ABC/Steve FennEarlier this week, after Kanye West professed his love for Donald Trump, he called into the morning show on New York's Hot 97 and repeatedly told host Ebro Darden that he loved him. Now, speaking to ABC Radio's podcast Start Here, Darden explains why he feels Kanye's tweetstorm is dangerous. While Darden agrees that Kanye can like whoever he wants, he feels that the Chicago M.C.'s comments are self-serving, and may cause issues for the oppressed. "[Kanye] tweeted that you don't have to agree with everything that someone stands for to love them. Y'know, he's....being careful with his words," said Ebro, adding, "A lot of people are not happy that he's playing around with things that are very dangerous for the sake of promoting his own agenda -- which is his album, and himself, and potentially his own political aspiration." "I don't want the conversation to become a partisan Republican vs. Democrat conversation, 'cause that's not what this is about," Ebro told Start Here. "This is about Kanye West being out of touch." "The core base of hip-hop doesn't care about your political alignment," Ebro explained. "What they do care intensely about is the oppressed people...in this country, 'cause that's what hip-hop is made up of. What hip-hop won't tolerate too well is someone who we know is a racist, and that's Donald Trump." Ebro acknowledges that he hasn't talked to Kanye since Trump himself tweeted Kanye and told him his comments were "very cool." But, he says, he told Kanye that he feels Trump "won the presidency based in hate...and aligned himself with people who take pride in the downfall of black and brown people, women, immigrants, all of that." "I just don't think [Trump is] a good human being," Ebro said. Copyright 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. MARPAC Public Affairs(NEW YORK) -- A recent series of drug busts off the coasts of Mexico, Central and South America has yielded big results - part of what authorities say is on track to be a record-setting year for drug seizures. U.S. Coast Guard and the Royal Canadian Navy cutters intercepted a total of 12 tons of cocaine and one ton of marijuana, which officials from both countries showed off to reporters in Fort Lauderdale Wednesday. The value of those drugs on the street: $390 million dollars. "This year we were already on pace to equal what we interdicted last year, and what we interdicted last year was a record and what we interdicted the year before that was a record," Cmdr. Jonathan Carter of the U.S. Coast Guard said. The interdictions took place off in international waters off the coasts of Mexico, Central and South America with the help of Canadian forces. "These drugs are coming to our streets and these drugs also create instability for our regional partners south of the border," Carter said, according to ABC News affiliate WPLG. The smugglers used semi-submersibles specifically designed to evade law enforcement - built low to rise just six inches above the water line. Seventeen of drug smuggling boats were stopped and 11 drug smugglers were detained. According to the 2017 National Drug Assessment put out by the Drug Enforcement Administration, cocaine deaths have been on the rise since 2014. The cause is an increase in cocaine production in Columbia, which is the primary supplier for the United States. About 92% of all cocaine the DEA seized in the United States in 2016 was of Colombian origin with the other six percent being of Peruvian origin. After a dip in deaths since 2006, 2014 saw an uptick and law enforcement officials say that trend continues. In Florida in 2015 for example, cocaine overdoses were the second-biggest cause of drug-related deaths. The DEA says that distribution along the southwest border remains the key method that drugs but specifically cocaine get into the country. The majority of drug seizures featured in the 2017 report occurred near San Diego. Over the weekend, Customs and Border Patrol Agents seized almost $650,000 dollars worth of cocaine on the U.S.-Mexico border. The bust on the Juarez-Lincoln International bridge near Laredo, Texas, yielded 83 pounds of alleged cocaine that was concealed in 33 packages that had a street value of $638,520 according to CBP. Drugs enter the United States by planes, trains and automobiles. In December 2016 the Puerto Rican Police department and Homeland Security officials seized 37 pounds of cocaine at Luis Munoz Marin International Airport. The individual arrested was attempting to go from Puerto Rico to New York. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the United States ranks third in countries who use the most cocaine behind Albania and Scotland. Copyright 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. The Sultan of Mombasa Hassan Joho has defended his conspicuous absence from his county saying he needed some time off to renergise. Speaking on the sidelines on the 5th Annual Devolution Conference in Kakamega, the Mombasa Governor said: First of all I traveled for work, then I took time out. I have been travelling way before I was a politician and sometimes I need time to think and re-energize. The Governor further stated that service delivery was smooth despite his absence as he has a competent team. I was not missing, I was away on some other matters but I had a functional government. I have a competent team in office. We have structures that work. said Joho. The ODM Deputy Leader added that he is allowed to take time off. If anything, we are allowed to take holidays at times. We are not only politicians but also humans who are allowed to take holidays ones in a while, he said. I thank God Im blessed enough to pay for my own travel, added Joho. He reiterated his commitment as County boss saying that he will continue to represent the interest of Mombasa and the issues that affect the people. Joho resurfaced at the wedding of Ali Kiba last week after visits to Estonia, Spain, France, and Australia that kicked off early March. Office Furniture Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2017 - 2025 https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=1377649 https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=E&repid=1377649 http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG https://marketsizeinfo.blogspot.in/ Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Office Furniture Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2017 - 2025" to its huge collection of research reports.The global office furniture market includes all furniture assets in an office such as cabinets, tables, seating furniture etc. Furniture is an important part of modern offices. Office furniture differentiates corporate buildings from residential buildings. Office furniture is also associated with employee productivity and overall work lifestyle of an employee. Employee ergonomics is heavily dependent on the seating furniture and desk furniture at the office. Most employees spend most of their daylight time in office; hence, offices need to provide them with good furniture.Rising service industry, especially information and technology services is a key driver for growth of the global office furniture market. In recent years, service industry has grown significantly. Unlike manufacturing industry, service industry requires big corporate offices instead of big production plants. Service industry is human resource intensive. Quality and scale of the services is heavily dependent on human resources of a service company. To acquire and to retain skilled employees, service companies need to improve work life of its employees. Furniture is a key aspect of work life of an employee in a service industry. Hence, service companies tend to buy quality furniture to acquire and retain employees. The growing service industry is expected to boost the global office furniture market in the near future.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Multiple IT parks and commerce zones have standard furniture throughout the building, usually leased to companies. Large scale manufacturing of office furniture and standardization of office furniture helps office furniture manufacturers to minimize the costs. Due to automation in office furniture manufacturing, manufactures can design standard desks, cabinets, or seating systems at much lower cost as compared to customized requirements. Standardization of office furniture in IT parks and commerce zones is expected to boost the global office furniture market in the near future.Limited land for tree planting to harvest wood is a key restraint for wooden office furniture. Though demand for wooden furniture is high, supply of wooden furniture is limited to the availability of the wood resource. Wood production is limited to trees available for harvesting. Due to limited production of wood resource, other types of office furniture such as plastic/fiber or glass furniture are expected to capture some share of the wooden office furniture market.Metal office furniture is expensive as the metallurgical process needed to acquire refined metal is expensive. However, strength and lifespan of metal furniture is much better than other types of office furniture. Metal office furniture segment is expected to expand significantly in the near future.Plastic and fiber office furniture is lightweight as compared to wooden or metal furniture. It is also on an average, cheaper than wooden or metal furniture. Some type of plastic and fiber material are not sturdy and have a shorter lifespan while some fiber materials are very sturdy and have a longer lifespan. Prices of products in this category vary greatly depending on quality of plastic/fiber material used.The global office furniture market can be segmented on the basis of furniture type, material type, and geography. On the basis of furniture type, the market can be segmented into seating, storage units, tables, ceiling and others. On the basis of material type, the market can be divided into four segments: wood, metal, plastic/fiber, and others. Others segment includes hybrid and glass furniture.On the basis of geography, the global office furniture market can be segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC), Middle East & Africa (MEA), and South America.Make an Enquiry of this report @There are large number of office furniture manufacturers in the market. From a small carpenter to a big furniture company, players of all sizes compete with each other in this market. Key players in the global office furniture market include Herman Miller, 9to5 Seating, HNI, AFC Systems Kokuyo, Okamura, Steelcase, Creative Wood, Berco Furniture Solution, and Clarin.About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.For More Information Kindly Contact:ResearchMozMr. Nachiket Ghumare,Tel: +1-518-621-2074USA-Canada Toll Free: 866-997-4948Email: sales@researchmoz.usFollow us on LinkedIn @Follow me on @ Hair Bond Multiplier Market Pegged to Surpass US$ 119.1 Mn Valuation by End of 2017 - 2027 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-5337 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/askus/rep-gb-5337 www.futuremarketinsights.com In a new report titled Hair Bond Multiplier Market: Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment (20172027), Future Market Insights (FMI) delivers key insights on the global hair bond multiplier market and throws light on the various factors boosting revenue growth of the global market. In terms of revenue, the global hair bond multiplier market is estimated to expand at a CAGR of 7.1% over the forecast period. Owing to increasing fashion trends, individuals are more inclined towards experimenting with hair styles, modifications and different shades of hair colours. Millennials are showing increasing interest in hair colouring and are following celebrities to have different hair colour shades and hair styles. Hair treatment with chemicals and extensive heat to achieve desired modifications could cause potential harm. Individuals are becoming more concerned and conscious about hair health and hence to counter the harmful effects of heat and chemicals, the demand for hair bond multipliers to strengthen hair is increasing.Request For Report Sample@Global Hair Bond Multiplier Market: Segmentation & ForecastThe global hair bond multiplier market is segmented based on product type, application, end use, and sales channel. By product type, the hair bond multiplier market is segmented into kit and loose. On the basis of application, the market is segmented into hair colouring and hair treatment. The hair colouring segment has a high growth rate of 7.3% over the forecast period with the segment anticipated to be valued at US$ 82.7 Mn by the end of 2017. By end use, the hair bond multiplier market is segmented into salons, spa, and personal use. The salon segment is estimated to hold the largest market share of 69.1% in 2017 with the market anticipated to be valued at US$ 119.1 Mn by 2017 end. By sales channel, the market for hair bond multiplier is segmented into direct sales and retail sales. The retail sales segment is further sub segmented into modern trade, distributors/wholesalers, health & beauty stores and online retailers. In terms of value, the retail sales segment is projected to be the most attractive segment in the global hair bond multiplier market during the forecast period and is expected to remain dominant with a revenue share of 58.5% by 2027 end.Global Hair Bond Multiplier Market: Regional ForecastThis report assesses trends driving growth of each segment at the global as well as regional level and offers potential takeaways that could prove substantially useful to hair bond multiplier manufacturers looking to enter the market. In this report, the hair bond multiplier market has been segmented into seven major regions, namely North America, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia Pacific Excluding Japan (APEJ), Japan and the Middle East & Africa (MEA). North America is expected to exhibit relatively high CAGR and high incremental value over the forecast period. In terms of value, the North America hair bond multiplier market is projected to be the most attractive regional market during the forecast period and is expected to remain dominant accounting for a revenue share of 22.9% by 2027 end.Request For Report Table of Content (TOC):Global Hair Bond Multiplier Market: Key PlayersSome of the key players in the hair bond multiplier market featured in the report include LOreal S.A., Olaplex LLC, Croda International Plc., Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, Keune Haircosmetics Manufacturing B.V., Lakme Lever Private Limited, Earthly Body, Inc., Brazilian Professionals LLC., Affinage Salon Professional Limited. In this report, we have discussed individual strategies followed by these companies in terms of enhancing their product portfolio, new marketing techniques, product offerings, and mergers and acquisitions.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: Advanced Drug Delivery Systems Market Report Explored in Latest Research 2017 - 2025 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/20941 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/20941 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com Advanced drug delivery systems are the improved methods for delivering the drug molecule to the targeted site in a more controlled manner. These methods are developed in order to improve the efficacy ratio of the currently available drugs. Delivering drug at the controlled rate, slow and targeted delivery for onsite drug release and absorption are the basis for the development of advanced drug delivery systems. Furthermore, the development of improved methods of drug delivery is preferred these days over the search for novel molecules. There are various dosage forms available by which a drug substance can be incorporated for efficacious delivery. Advancements in biotechnology and nanotechnology have significantly boosted the development of novel drug delivery approaches. Various interdisciplinary studies in the field of polymer science, pharmaceuticals, organic chemistry and molecular biology are required for the development of advanced drug delivery systems. The drug delivery system comprise of drug formulation, dosage form and mechanism of release. These advanced delivery systems have the potential of overcoming one of the major problem faced by the pharmaceutical industry for the onsite drug efficacy. Development of advanced drug delivery systems needs into consideration several factors such as pharmacodynamics, drug toxicity, immunogenicity, bio compatibility, pharmacokinetics as well as drug efficacy.Most of the advanced drug delivery systems are developed keeping in mind the cancer treatment as the chemotherapy drugs needs to have deeper penetration into the cancer site as well avoiding various associated side effects.Request Report for Table of Contents @Advanced drug delivery systems market: Drivers & RestraintsVarious advantages of advanced drug delivery systems over the conventional delivery systems such as on site action, reduce dosing amount, increased drug efficacy, therapeutic success rate etc. support its market growth. In addition, increasing clinical research activities in the development of more advanced drug delivery systems would also be fuelling the market growth. Certain technical limitations in the development of methods, stringent regulations, high pricing for the advanced products, non-availability in the low income countries are some of the factors limiting the market growth of global advanced drug delivery systems.By Delivery Mode:Oral drug deliveryPulmonary drug deliveryTransdermal drug deliveryParenteral drug deliveryBy Carrier Type:LiposomesNanoparticlesMicrospheresMonoclonal antibodiesOthersBy End Users:HospitalsSpecialized clinicsClinical Research & Development CentersDevelopment of novel drug delivery systems is dependent on the number of funding projects for its research and development. The price of the delivery system depends on the complexity of disease, drug molecule and the delivery mode preferred. Market growth is also dependent on the adoption rate of these advanced delivery systems by healthcare practitioners. Various advanced drug delivery and drug targeting systems are currently under development which may fuel the market in future. Emergence of new bioactive materials and gene therapy are also getting attention for the development of advanced drug delivery systems. The collaborations and mergers by the industry players also have a significant impact on the market for advanced drug delivery systems.Geographically, the market for advanced drug delivery systems can be segmented into five regions, North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Middle East & Africa. North America dominates the global advanced drug delivery systems market owing to the better adoption of improved drug delivery solutions as well as follow up of advanced treatment approaches in healthcare. This is followed by the European market owing to better healthcare infrastructure facilities and growing number of research activities in the healthcare domain over the region. Asia Pacific region represents significant market opportunities in the advanced drug delivery systems due to the improvement in healthcare infrastructure as well as increasing healthcare spending and rising disease prevalence. Latin America followed by MEA represents the lowest market share as well as growth rate in the advanced drug delivery solution with the lower adoption rate over the region.Request to View Sample of Research Report @Some major key players of advanced drug delivery systems market include NeXstar Pharmaceuticals, Inc., West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc., AstraZeneca, Sequus Pharmaceuticals Inc., 3M, Novartis International AG and others.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,Telephone - +1-646-568-7751USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: Bone Void Fillers Market to Witness Soaring Growth During 2017 - 2025 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/20944 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/20944 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com Bone void fillers are the synthetic bone graft substitutes being used as a filler for gaps or voids in the bone structure for maintaining its stability. These defects may be surgically generated osseous defects or any bone defect from a traumatic injury. These are synthetically made and has an osteoconductive component such as hydroxyapatite, and one resorbable component such as calcium sulfate. These bone void fillers are commercially available in various forms such as gel, putty, powder, granules, paste etc. Besides filling a bone defect, these bone void fillers are also used to stimulate new bone growth as well as ensuring the mechanical stability and metabolic functioning at the defect site. Recent years saw an increasing number of synthetic bone substitutes available clinically as a substitutes to the traditional graft materials. But these need to pass the biocompatibility testing as per the ISO guidelines.The ideal bone-graft substitute has certain characteristics of biocompatibility, bioresorbability, osteoconductivity, osteoinductivity, structural similarity, easy to use, and cost-effective. These fillers are used in various cases such as autograft donor site repair, bony defects due to trauma or tumor resection, collapsed vertebral body, osteonecrosis etc. These bone void fillers also find their use in the revision procedures of joint replacement to support the host boneRequest Report for Table of Contents @Bone Void Fillers market: Drivers & RestraintsStrong growth of synthetic material and their acceptance promotes the market growth for bone void fillers. Further, the continuous growing orthobiologics market, rising geriatric population, increasing public awareness and continuous R&D also supports the market. Various key developments such as product advancements and launches, mergers and acquisitions by the bone void fillers market players are fuelling the growth of bone void fillers market. However, stringent regulations may obstruct the growth of bone void fillers market. In addition, high cost of bone grafting surgeries and inadequate reimbursement policies for bone grafting may also hampers the growth of global bone void fillers market.Bone Void Fillers market: SegmentationBy Key Material Type:Demineralized bone matrixCalcium SulfateCollagen MatrixHydroxyapatiteTri calcium PhosphateOthersBy Form Type:GelPuttyPastePowderOthersBy End Users:HospitalsSpecialized ClinicsAmbulatory Surgical CentersThe bone cement and bone void filler market is filled with novel materials claiming their osteoconductive properties. The key material type in the popular synthetic bone void fillers tend to be microporous hydroxyapatite, or related macroporous calcium phosphate bone void fillers. Numerous preclinical and clinical trials are under way to realize its further potential which focuses on the material design properties to supplement tissue regeneration. In recent years, there is a great attention towards the development of intelligent biomaterial which can also deliver pharmacological components or biological entities for further enhancing and accelerating regeneration. Bone void fillers market currently face various challenges including poor resorbtion, limited availability, variable handling features and added cost. But with nearly 2.2 million worldwide procedures of bone graft, huge potential is seen for the market of bone void fillers.Geographically, the market for Bone Void Fillers can be segmented into five regions, North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Middle East & Africa. North America dominates the global bone void fillers market owing to the advanced bone grafting procedures in the region and favorable reimbursement scenario. Europe represents the next leading market with Germany, Italy, U.K. and France holding the major share of bone void fillers market. However, Asia-Pacific represents the highest growth rate in the coming years due to the increasing public awareness, improving access to healthcare facilities and rising healthcare infrastructure. MEA represents the least market share globally in the bone void fillers market and projected to be the same over the forecast period.Request to View Sample of Research Report @Some major key players of Bone Void Fillers market include Zimmer Biomet, Medtronic, Graftys, Arthrex Inc., DePuy Synthes Companies, Stryker, Atlantic Surgical, K2M Inc., Bonesupport AB, Osteomed and others.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,Telephone - +1-646-568-7751USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: Ammonia Inhalants Market- Identify Key Business Opportunities 2017 - 2025 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/20947 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/20947 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com Ammonia inhalants are respiratory stimulant because ammonia gas irritates the lungs and triggers an inhalation reflex. This reflex alters breathing patterns and results in improved flow rates of the respiratory system and possibly increase the alertness. Basically, it works by triggering reflexive action which causes the muscle that controls the breathing process to perform faster. Additional it acts as a sympathetic nervous system and enhances the activities of heart and brain. It used to enhance overall bodily performance, used to regain the conscious in athletes. It is used during the vasovagal episode, a common form of fainting and benign loss of consciousness. Ammonia inhalants are used by athletes as ergogenic aids during competition or training and it is OTC drug. Ammonia inhalants are used for symptomatic treatment but not for medicinal treatment. Ammonia inhalant ampoules are crushed 6 inches under the patient nose and then ampoule drew closer to the nose, without touching the eyes or skin. Ammonia inhalants for treating fainting at a concentration of 15% with the strength of 0.05g in 0.33 ml and it is used externally only. Ammonia inhalants cannot use in emphysema or asthma.Request Report for Table of Contents @Ammonia Inhalants Market: Drivers and RestraintsAmmonia inhalants are used for general first purposes in athletes during the benign loss of consciousness because it is a strong respiratory stimulant. Recent advancement in healthcare systems made it possible for controlling the ammonia exposure by reducing dosage strength with excipients. It reduces the exposure time and side effects with ammonia inhalants usage. Additionally, the demand for Ammonia Inhalants is raising due to manufacturers continue to develop more user-friendly, cost-effective and safer devices to administer ammonia in control manner. Ammonia can be used to retain conscious in life-threatening conditions like drug abuse, strokes, exhaustiveness, and others. All these factors act as a driver for burgeoning growth of the Ammonia Inhalants markets.Due lack of evidence-based research and adverse effects associated with ammonia usage limited the use of ammonia. It acts as a restraint in the growth of ammonia inhalants marketAmmonia Inhalants Market: SegmentationSegmentation based on IndicationVasovagal EpisodeCommon Form of Fainting andBenign Loss of ConsciousnessSegmentation based on Distribution ChannelHospital pharmaciesDrug StoresRetail PharmaciesE-CommerceAmmonia Inhalants Market: Market OverviewGlobal Ammonia Inhalants market witnessed rapid growth due to rising demand for potential benefits of Ammonia Inhalants. Manufacturers are more focused on drug delivery to increase the applicability of Ammonia Inhalant. In Developed countries, demand for Ammonia Inhalants is increasing due to high awareness and others part of the market, manufacturers are mainly focused on marketing to increase awareness among the end user. Ammonia Inhalants market has a presence of many regional players which have a huge market share in emerging countries operating at regional or country level. The future of Ammonia Inhalants market is anticipated to grow at double CAGR during the forecast period.Ammonia Inhalants Market: Region-wise OverviewGlobal Ammonia Inhalants Market segmented into North America, Europe, Asia -Pacific & Japan, The Middle East and Africa regions and Latin America by region wise. North America dominates the global Ammonia Inhalants Market due to the high awareness among end users, and in North America, USA is a major stakeholder due to the high penetration. Economic conditions in the APAC region are set to drive the Ammonia Inhalants market to new heights. European and APAC are fastest growing region due to raising awareness of Ammonia Inhalants. Latin America is growing at stable pace due to increasing penetration of Ammonia Inhalants. The Middle East and Africa regions are showing significantly less growth because of less awareness regarding Ammonia Inhalants during the forecasted period. However, developed countries would maintain its position in the Ammonia Inhalants market because of increasing awareness and rising adoption.Request to View Sample of Research Report @Ammonia Inhalants Market: Key ParticipantsThe key participants in Ammonia Inhalants Market are Dynarex Corporation, Moore Medical Corp, and others. The companies are mainly focusing on intense marketing to convey benefits of Ammonia Inhalants.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,Telephone - +1-646-568-7751USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: Meniscal Fixation Devices Market Explored in Latest Research 2017 - 2025 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/20953 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/20953 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com Meniscal fixation is minimally invasive surgical procedure is used to reconstruct torn meniscus. Meniscus functions include distribution and load transmission, joint stability, neuromuscular proprioception and joint nutrition. Meniscal tears are symptomatic and irreparable and meniscal fixation devices are used to remove unstable fragments. Meniscal repair is performed only during longitudinal tears (>10 mm), tears without deformity or secondary degeneration, and others. Meniscal fixation devices are used arthroscopic repair or open surgery. Meniscal fixation devices include arrows, screws, darts, and other fasteners.The latest advancement of meniscal fixation device includes a hybrid of the peripheral anchor, suture, and Slipknot. These fixation devices are used for tensioning across the meniscal tear. In addition, they are flexible, and have a potential to move with meniscus and deform during any activities, and decreases the risk of chondral injury. Meniscal fixation devices are used for meniscus repair are of three types based on suture technique. They are inside-out, outside-in, and all inside. Inside-out technique is used to treat all types of tears with a potential risk of neurovascular incisions. The outside-in technique is used for middle and anterior thirds of the meniscus and this technique is used to decrease the risk of neurovascular incisions. All-inside repair technique for vertical longitudinal, unstable tears of the posterior meniscus.Request Report for Table of Contents @Meniscal Fixation Devices Market: Drivers and RestraintsIncreasing demand due to the Meniscal Fixation Devices due to rising prevalence in developed countries drives the meniscal fixation devices. Recent advancement made it possible for the development of suture-based, flexible, allow for retention of the meniscal fixation devices and variable compression. Additionally, the demand for meniscal fixation devices is raising due to manufacturers continue to develop more user-friendly, cost-effective and safer devices which boosted the meniscal fixation devices. Recent advancements in bio-absorbable meniscal fixation devices lead to better clinical outcomes compared to traditional meniscal repair methods. All these factors act as driver for burgeoning growth of the meniscal fixation devices marketsComplications and failures of the meniscal repair limited the growth of the Meniscal Fixation Devices market.Meniscal Fixation Devices Market: SegmentationSegmentation based on TypeArrowsScrewsDarts andOtherSegmentation based on End UserHospitalsClinicsAmbulatory Surgical CentersMeniscal Fixation Devices Market: Market OverviewGlobal Meniscal Fixation Devices market witnessed rapid growth due to rising demand for potential benefits of meniscal fixation devices. Manufacturers are more focused on innovations to increase the applicability of Meniscal Fixation Devices in other applications. In Developed countries, demand for Meniscal Fixation Devices is increasing due to high awareness and others part of the market, manufacturers are mainly focused on marketing to increase awareness among the end user. Meniscal Fixation Devices market has a presence of many regional players which have a huge market share in emerging countries operating at regional or country level. The future of Meniscal Fixation Devices market is anticipated to grow at double CAGR during the forecast period.Meniscal Fixation Devices Market: Region-wise OverviewGlobal Meniscal Fixation Devices Market segmented into North America, Europe, Asia -Pacific & Japan, The Middle East and Africa regions and Latin America by region wise. North America dominates the global Meniscal Fixation Devices Market due to the high acceptance among end users, and in North America, USA is a major stakeholder due to the high penetration. Economic conditions in the APAC region are set to drive the Meniscal Fixation Devices market to new heights. European and APAC are fastest growing region due to raising awareness of Meniscal Fixation Devices. Latin America is growing at stable pace due to increasing penetration of meniscal fixation devices. The Middle East and Africa regions are showing significantly less growth because of less awareness regarding Meniscal Fixation Devices during the forecasted period. However, developed countries would maintain its position in the Meniscal Fixation Devices market because of increasing awareness and rising adoption.Request to View Sample of Research Report @Meniscal Fixation Devices Market: Key ParticipantsThe key participants in Meniscal Fixation Devices Market are CONMED Corporation, Schwartz Biomedical, LLC, Stryker, Zimmer Biomet, Medtronic, and others. The companies are mainly focusing on intense marketing to convey benefits of Meniscal Fixation Devices.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,Telephone - +1-646-568-7751USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: New Research Offering Global Construction Toys Market with Focus on Raw Material Sourcing Strategy, Cost Structure and Recent Product Innovations Market Research Reports Search Engine https://www.mrrse.com/sample/3889 https://www.mrrse.com/construction-toys-market https://www.mrrse.com/ https://www.industrynewsanalysis.com/ A latest research report titled as Construction Toys Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2017 - 2022 has been recently added to the vast portfolio of Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE) online research offerings. This report is a professional and in-depth analysis on the present state and future prospect for the global market. It provides valuable information to the industry insiders, potential entrants or investors. It includes an exhaustive enquiry with the reliability of logic and the comprehensiveness of contents.Click here For Free Sample Report@The report on the global construction toys market offers in-depth insights into key market dynamics, detailed raw material sourcing strategy, supply chain dynamics and cost structure, and recent product innovations. The study provides a critical evaluation of various trends affecting the demand among children of different ages and evaluates the factors expected to open up exciting avenues in the coming years. The research presents a detailed analysis of trends affecting the share and size of regional markets and highlights the key factors driving various product types. In addition, the study takes a closer look at the market demand in various sales channel and explores the competitive scenario for these channels in major regions. The evidence-based insights help market participants to ascertain the competitive intensity over the forecast period (20172022)The global construction toys market estimated valuation is US$6,694.7 Mn by the end of 2017. The market is projected to clock a CAGR of 6.3% during 20172022 and reach US$9,089.7 by the end of the forecast period.Global Construction Toys Market: DynamicsThe global construction toys market report offers a detailed assessment of notable drivers and restraining factors, prominent trends, and competitive landscape. It provides an insight into the share and size of various product segments and material types across different age-groups and the factors influencing their demand in various regional markets. The study offers a comparative analysis of the changing share of these segments by capturing year-over-year (YoY) growth statistics during the historical period of 20122017.The demand for construction toys is mainly driven by their vast cognitive and intellectual benefits among kids of various age groups. Parents and teachers recognize the importance of these for fostering spatial and creative skills among pre-school kids. In addition, the rising use of construction toys among adult kids for boosting their formal learning capabilities is a key factor accentuating the market. In recent years, a number of toy manufacturers have focused on bringing new shapes and design options that allow kids to create an array of innovative constructions. This is expected to open a number of exciting avenues for market players to capitalize on during the forecast period.For More Info, Read Full Report with TOC @Global Construction Toys Market: SegmentationThe report segments the global construction toys market on the basis of product type, age group, sales channel, material, and region.Based on product type, the report segments the market into architecture, traditional blocks and plates, educational, tinker toys, and motors and trains. Of these, the traditional blocks and plates segment dominates the market and is expected to retain its lead throughout the forecast period. The segment is expected to rise at the leading absolute growth annually over the assessment period. The growth of the segment is mainly fueled by the vastly rising demand of construction toys based on traditional blocks and plates for toddlers.On the basis of age group, the report segments the market into 2-3, 3-4, 5-8, 8-10, 11-14, and above 14 years. Based on sales channel, the report divides the overall market into hyper/super market, e-commerce, franchised outlets, departmental stores, and others.Based on type of material used to make toys, the report segments the market into plastic, metal, wood, and others.Based on region, the report segments the global market into Latin America, North America, the Middle East and Africa (MEA), Europe, Asia Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ), and Japan. Of these, the APEJ holds the leading revenue share of the global market and is projected to retain its lead throughout the assessment period. The growth is primarily driven by the burgeoning demand for construction toys among kids of all age groups.Companies profiled in the report are:The report offers an elaborate profiling of key players, the strategies adopted by them to consolidate their shares, and revenue share and size along the forecast period. Some of the key players profiled in the study are LEGO, Vtech, Mattel, Inc., Hasbro, Bandai Co., Ltd., Mega Bloks, Knex, Melissa & Doug, Meccano, and Gebr. Marklin & Cie. GmbH.About Market Research Reports Search EngineMarket Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE) is an industry-leading database of Market Research Reports. MRRSE is driven by a stellar team of research experts and advisors trained to offer objective advice. Our sophisticated search algorithm returns results based on the report title, geographical region, publisher, or other keywords.MRRSE partners exclusively with leading global publishers to provide clients single-point access to top-of-the-line market research. MRRSEs repository is updated every day to keep its clients ahead of the next new trend in market research, be it competitive intelligence, product or service trends or strategic consulting.Contact UsState Tower90, State StreetSuite 700Albany, NY - 12207United States Telephone: +1-518-730-0559Email: sales@mrrse.comWebsite:Read More Industry News At: Sea Salt Market Poised to Expand at High CAGR During 2017 - 2027 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-6067 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-6067 www.futuremarketinsights.com Sea Salt Market: Introduction:Salt produced from the evaporation of seawater is called sea salt. The evaporation is accomplished by either open-air solar evaporation or by a quicker vacuum evaporation process. Sea Salts are also known bay salt or solar salt. Sea salts can either be unrefined or refined. High quality sea salts typically contain 60 trace minerals. Sea salt has a wide range of application in food and cosmetic industry. Sea salt and table salt have the same basic nutritional value, despite the fact that sea salt is often promoted as being healthier. Sea salt and table salt contain comparable amounts of sodium by weight.Sea Salt Market: Segmentation:Sea Salt market can be segmented into Packaging, Application, End Use and distribution channel.On the basis of packaging, Sea Salt can be segmented into Bags or Pouches, Drum and Sacks, Shaker or Glass Jars. Due to higher retail sales value for sea salt, the volume sales for bags or pouches are higher comparatively.On the basis of application, Sea Salt can be segmented into Regenerating Water agent, Deicing Agent, Detoxifying Agent and Anti-oxidant Agent. In the Industrial sector, Sea salt is usually being used in the prevention of ice formation. As a result, the value sales for Deicing Agent is higher compared to other applications.Request For Report Sample@On the basis of end use, the Sea Salt can be segmented into Agriculture, Cosmetics, Animal Feed, HORECA and Food Industry. Food industry can be further sub segmented into Marinades, Soups, Sauces and Dressings, Canned Foods, Meat and Fish Products and others (Hams and Breads). Owing to the large application of Sea Salt in the food industry and cosmetic industry, the value sales for food industry has been anticipated to be higher followed by cosmetic industry. In the agricultural sector, Sea Salt is being used as the ensilage.On the basis of distribution, Sea Salt can be segmented into direct channel and indirect channel. Indirect channel can be further sub segmented into Supermarket/Hypermarket, Convenience store, Specialty Store, E-retailers and others (Club and specialty store). Sea Salt has its main distribution flow coming modern trade and convenience store which are easily accessible for target customers. Due to rising internet penetration in the recent past globally, distribution through E- Retailers is expected to surge the market. On the other hand, Club stores will witness moderate distribution for Sea Salt mainly in North American regions.Sea Salt Market: Regional Outlook:The global Sea Salt market has been categorized into seven key regions including North America and Latin America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia-Pacific excluding Japan, Japan, and the Middle East & Africa. Consumption rate of sea salt is expected to be higher North America and European region. Since these two region are well established food market. The United States is being considered as the largest Food and Beverages market in the world. Asia Pacific region is tagged as the emerging market for Sea Salt which could be attributed to the strong growth rate witnessed in the food industry segment especially in countries like China, India and Thailand. Despite the fact North America is being valued high in the sea salt market, it is European region anticipated to have higher volume sales due to higher consumption rate witnessed by Food and Cosmetic Industries.Sea Salt Market: Demand Driver:Sea Salt has a large scale application in food and cosmetics industries. When it comes to food industry, higher volume sales is being accounted for the preparation for different kinds of foods like Canned Foods, Meat/Fish Products, Marinades, Sauces and Soups. Consumers desires for tasty but at the same nutritional value added food having less composition of sodium chloride. Commercially available sea salts on the market today vary widely in the chemical composition of the residue which is not sodium chloride. Due to less composition of sodium chloride and its large scale application in food and cosmetic industries, helps drive the demand for sea salt in the global market.Request For Report Table of Content (TOC):Sea Salt Market: Key Players:Some of the key players in this market are INFOSA, Amato Food Products Ltd, Morton Salt, Inc., Qinghai Salt Lake Industry Co., Ltd., Westlab Limited, Clearspring Ltd, Cerebos Australia and others.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: Research focused on the Alcoholic Hepatitis Therapeutic Market Forecast 2017 2025 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/20956 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/20956 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com Alcoholic hepatitis is a kind of liver disease usually affects people who are used to be heavy drinkers. It can cause short and long-term liver damage. Liver is a major organ of body functions to remove poisons such as alcohol from blood. Its damaged by long time heavy drinking of alcohol. Usually occur in 30% of long- time alcohol drinkers. Asymptomatic steatohepatitis is also as alcoholic hepatitis the term is used to describe the acute onset of symptomatic hepatitis. Symptoms include changes I appetite, dry mouth, yellowing of skin or eyes, weight loss, fever and fatigue. Sometime alcoholic hepatitis could get serious conditions include fluid buildup in the abdomen, confusion or brain fog and bleeding in esophagus or stomach.Treatment for alcoholic hepatitis involves therapies and drinking cessation to ease the sign and symptoms of liver damage. Corticosteroids are the current main treatment for alcoholic hepatitis in patients who do not have contraindication for steroid treatment. Corticosteroids are the medications have shown short-term benefits in increasing survival of certain people suffer with alcoholic hepatitis. Pentoxifylline is recommend to patients who cant take corticosteroids. Studies indicate that pentoxifylline might not be effective for people with mild alcoholic hepatitis or people who have not respond to steroid treatment.The global alcoholic hepatitis therapeutics market is expected to witness a favorable growth during the forecast period. Increasing incidence of liver diseases and high success rate of pipeline drugs are the major factors which increase global alcoholic hepatitis market. Moreover high adoption rate for novel therapeutic products and increasing prevalence of alcoholic liver disease are some other factors that are expected to fuel the demand of global alcoholic hepatitis market. Global alcoholic hepatitis market shows potential to be expanding and lucrative field due to increasing merger and acquisitions among pharmaceutical companies to develop advance therapies for treating liver diseases. Furthermore, increased focus on retaining best quality of life is one the factor contributing to the growth of the market. However increasing health care expenditure, stringent reimbursement policies and high development cost are some factors that might hinder the growth of alcoholic hepatitis therapeutics market in forecast period.Request Report for Table of Contents @The global alcoholic hepatitis therapeutics market is segmented on basis of product type and end user:Segmentation by Product TypeMonoclonal antibodiesCaspase protease inhibitorCorticosteroidsHemorheologic agentsAnabolic steroidsHepatotropic hormonesSulfhydryl agentsOthersSegmentation by End UserHospitals and clinicsResearch and developmentAlcoholic hepatitis is a condition that caused by alcohol. Large amount of alcohol cause damage of liver and can lead to conditions such as cirrhosis, blood clotting problems and high levels of bilirubin. Alcoholic hepatitis can lead to hepatic encephalopathy. This condition occurs when the toxin filtered out by liver remain in blood stream. These toxins can lead to brain damage and coma. For treatment of alcoholic hepatitis pharmaceutical therapy medicine are preferred to patients. Majorly used therapeutics for alcoholic hepatitis are corticosteroids, Hepatotropic hormone and pentoxifylline. If lever is severely damaged than doctor may recommend liver transplant.Regionally, the global alcoholic hepatitis therapeutics market is segmented into five key regions viz. North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Middle East & Africa. North America is largest market for alcoholic hepatitis therapeutics owing to high cases of alcoholic liver diseases. Regions such as Europe and Latin America are expected to be the potential market for alcoholic hepatitis therapeutics in forecast period and however, the alcoholic hepatitis therapeutics market in the Asia-Pacific region is expected to witness significant growth rate over the forecast period.Request Report for Table of Contents @Some of the players operating in the global alcoholic hepatitis therapeutics market Alkermes Inc., Alfact Innovation, Conatus pharmaceuticals Inc., Dainippon sumitomo pharma Co. ltd., Generon corporation ltd., Immuron limited, Lupin Laboratories Ltd., Intercept Pharmaceuticals Inc., Teva Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Sanofi-Aventis, Siesta Pharmaceuticals and others.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,Telephone - +1-646-568-7751USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: Brain Hemorrhage Market Forecast to 2025: Published by Leading Research Firm https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/21034 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/21034 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com Brain hemorrhage is a type of stroke caused due to deformities in an artery resulting in brain bursting and localized bleeding in the surrounding tissues. This bleeding destroys the brain cells leading to high blood pressure, abnormal blood vessels that leak, trauma, drug abuse, weakness on one side of the body, difficulty in speaking and walking and sense of numbness. Brain hemorrhage is characterized according to the location where it occurs in the brain. If bleeding occurs anywhere inside the skull, it is referred as intracranial hemorrhage. Bleeding within the brain itself is called intracerebral hemorrhage while when bleeding occurs between the covering of brain and brain tissue, it is known as subarachnoid hemorrhage.Request Report for Table of Contents @Radiology examinations including computed tomography (CT) scan or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan are performed to diagnose brain hemorrhage condition. These diagnostic tests highlight the various features and location of bleeding in the brain. Treatment of brain hemorrhage depends upon the location of hemorrhage and type of hemorrhage. On the basis of treatment methods, brain hemorrhage market can be broadly classified into two segments including surgery and medications. In surgery, catheter is inserted into the brain vasculature to dilate or close off blood vessels, avoiding invasive surgical procedures. Endoscopic drainage or stereotactic surgery aspiration is also sometimes performed, in case the hemorrhage is present in basal ganglia. On the basis of medications, brain hemorrhage market is segmented into four categories which include:Anti-hypertensive medicationsAnti-anxiety medicationsHyperosmotic medicationsAnti-seizure medicationsAnti-hypertensive medications form the first line of treatment for brain hemorrhage. Since, brain hemorrhage is often caused due to high blood pressure; one of the primary goals of doctor for treating brain hemorrhage is to reduce blood pressure safely. Anti-anxiety medicines are prescribed along with anti-hypertensive medications as stress due to disease can raise the blood pressure resulting in disturbance in treatment methods. Hyperosmotic medications are provided to brain hemorrhage patient to manage pressure in the brain in the event that brain starts to swell due to excessive intake of medications. Anti-seizures are provided to selective patients, when scar tissues in the brain results in seizures.Additionally, many market players and research institutes are performing research activities for development of drugs associated with the brain hemorrhage treatment. AstraZeneca is performing clinical phase 3 trials of NXY-059 for treatment of brain hemorrhage. It has been predicted that this drug will prove beneficial in future and will assist the brain hemorrhage market in its growth during forecast period. Other major drugs which are under clinical trials include deferoxamine mesylate, epoetin alfa, pioglitazone hydrochloride, EG-1967 and TT-302. Such extensive research and development associated with the drugs and therapies for the treatment of brain hemorrhage is the major factor which is driving the brain hemorrhage market. However, the high cost associated with research activities and sunk cost involved in R&D activities restrains the brain hemorrhage market.Request to View Sample of Research Report @Geographically, brain hemorrhage market has been differentiated into four main regions: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Rest of the World. Other major market players and research institutes involved in research activities associated with the development of brain hemorrhage treatment methods include Transition Therapeutics, Inc., Baxter Healthcare Corporation, OSF Healthcare System, Novo Nordisk A/S, American Heart Association, Rush University Medical Center, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), University of Cincinnati, Georgetown University and University of Florida.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,Telephone - +1-646-568-7751USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: Photo: Kenny Louie/Flickr On Tuesday, BCs Minister of Finance Carole James announced a government crack down on tax evasion in pre-sale condo assignments, in an effort to address the provinces housing crisis. However, Vancouver-based real estate consultant and architect Michael Geller says the new government rules could make the situation worse by reducing demand from investors. If approved by the legislature, the new amendments to the Real Estate Development Marketing Act will require developers to collect and report information on pre-sale condo assignments to ensure buyers are paying the appropriate taxes. Housing Market News Alerts Sign up now for news alerts on the Vancouver housing market It may take investors out of the market, especially those whose primary motivation was to flip the agreement before they closed. The net result may be a number of projects being put on the back burner because they cant achieve their pre-sale targets demanded by the bank, Geller tells BuzzBuzzNews. Pre-sale condo assignments are a common occurrence in Vancouver. An assignment refers to a transaction that involves the owner of an unbuilt property selling the pre-sale contract to another buyer, while in turn making capital gains off the propertys increased market value. Although developers keep records of pre-sale condo assignments, the sales are not registered with the City and no property transfer taxes are paid. For too long, people who resell condos before they have been built have been inflating real estate prices, without necessarily paying taxes on their gains, says James, in a press release. Geller agrees that pre-sale condo assignments should be monitored, as they are a likely contributor to skyrocketing prices in Vancouver. Far too many people have been reaping capital gains on assignment or flipping of condo pre-sales without paying tax. And I actually do think it has contributed to price escalation particularly because there still is an imbalance between supply and demand in Vancouver, says Geller. However, if investors are taken out of the market, Geller says some developers might have to halt project construction due to a lack of buyers. In addition, these new rules probably wont do much to reverse the provinces mounting affordability woes. But, Geller does believe they may increase tax revenue. Global Halal Cheese Market to Incur Steady Growth During 2017 - 2027 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-6072 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-6072 www.futuremarketinsights.com Halal Cheese Market Introduction: In our diverse society, it is a necessity to respect all the religions and cultures. The followers of Islam religion prefer only the halal-certified foods, which follows specific guidelines that are acceptable in the Islamic religion. Halal cheese is made with bacterial culture or microbial enzymes, rather than animal rennet, gelatin, lipase, pepsin, vanilla extract or whey. As alcohol is haram according to Islam, the alcohol-based chemicals are not allowed to be used for cleaning of machinery involved in the manufacturing of halal cheese. Around one-fourth of the global population follows Islam religion, and cheese is one of the most popular food item. The global market for halal cheese is indicated to be large and growing further.Halal Cheese Market Dynamics: Other than the followers of the ethics of the Islam religion, halal certification gives a mental peace to the consumers who are concerned towards the unethical practices done with the animals for making food. The halal certification of cheese ensures that the manufacturing of the cheese does not incorporate any misbehavior with the animals and the cheese is made from the bacterial cultural. This psychological fact has driven the market for halal cheese. Some of the countries with a significant population of Muslims provides halal certification to all the food products, and cheese is one of the popular food ingredients for fast food, which is growing globally at a high pace due to the adoption of western culture. Thus, the halal cheese can easily penetrate in the countries concerned with halal certification. On the other hand, the manufacturing of cheese while following the halal guideline poses restraints on the manufacturers. Rest of the population provide a large market for cheese, and a large number of countries do not provide halal certification. These facts have restrained the market for halal cheese.Request For Report Sample@Halal Cheese Market Segmentation:By types, the halal cheese market can be segmented intoBlueCheddarRed LeicesterMozzarellaNormal MozzarellaReduced-fat MozzarellaReduced-sodium MozzarellaBlendedFruit blendsSavory blendsOthersBy form, the halal cheese market can be segmented intoIndividually quick frozen cheese (IQF)Ribbon cheese (block)String cheeseSliced cheeseChilled cheeseBy end-use, the halal cheese market can be segmented intoHouseholdIndustrialBeverageFoodFast foodBakeryConfectioneryDessertsOthersHalal Cheese Market Regional Outlook: As the halal certification is a matter of concern for Muslims, the halal cheese market size can be estimated by considering the Muslim population in any particular region. The Asia Pacific region is expected to be the largest market for the halal cheese due to more than 60% of the Muslim population residing in the region. ASEAN countries, specifically Indonesia, Singapore, and the Philippines are the countries with a large population of Muslims, and thus a high demand for halal cheese is expected from the countries in this region. Although the market share of halal cheese in the Asia Pacific is meagre in the complete cheese market of the region, a considerable growth in the halal cheese market is expected. MEA region also accounts for a large population of Muslims, and GCC countries consist of some of the highly developed countries. Thus, a large market demand for halal cheese is expected from the MEA region, while rising at a low growth rate as compared to the Asia Pacific region. North America, Latin America, and Europe account for less than 5% of the global Muslim population, indicating a low market size of halal cheese in these regions.Request For Report Table of Content (TOC):Halal Cheese Market Key Players: Some of the key players in the halal cheese market areDairy Produce Packers LtdCaledonian Cheese CompanyGlanbia Cheese LtdKnolton Farmhouse CheeseLong Clawson Dairy LtdProszkownia Mleka Spo?ka z o.o.Wyke Farms LimitedABOUT 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: Children Anti Toe Walker boot Market Advancements and Innovations by 2026 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/13744 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/13744 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com Children Anti Toe Walker boot market: OverviewToe walking is a common ailment found amongst toddlers and young adults. Toe Walking is a type of gait abnormality in which a child loses the right contact with the ground. If a child continues to walk in a flawed posture without any clinical interruption, then he or she might stumble into a severe neuromuscular problem. Physicians believe that an early detection and treatment of this ailment is always better for the affected person. There are several anti-toe walking cures available in the global market. From simple observations to critical operations all healing processes are distinctly used to cure this postural imbalance. Orthopedics mostly use tenotomies which are an age-old treatment used to cure this disease. Apart from this cure doctors often recommend anti-toe walker boots for these children who are affected by this problem. Studies revealed that children affected by developmental problems or autism become an easy prey of anti-toe walking. Children affected by cerebral palsy lose their healthy posture and starts toe-walking.Toe-walking can be handled through proper medication and apart from that it also needs a backup from an experienced practitioner. Several parents of the children affected by this postural disorder opt out for anti-toe walking shoes. Doctors prefer Anti-toe walking shoes, and it can cure the problem easily with passing time.A proper toe-walking shoe can do wonders on the child who is crippled by this disorder. There are several advantages of ATW shoes which are available in the global market. Anti-toe walking shoes are specially designed to cure this problem which is prevalent amongst children. Toe walking can come into a child from his or her ancestors. Though toe-walking is a normal part of the entire growth process and it does not have a larger effect on the mind and body of a growing child, thus the most of the parents opt for treatments such as buying an anti-toe walking shoe to combat this prevalent disease.Children Anti Toe Walker boot market: DriversChildren anti-toe walker boot market is dependent on several factors. The change in the mentality of the parents is playing a crucial part in the development of the children anti-toe walker boot market. Parents are aware and sensitised about this disease, and they are combating this disease with proper steps. Trends have shown that parents and doctors prefer children anti-toe walker boots for treatment rather than surgeries as this is safe and it cures easily. There are minimal side effects of this treatment, and it is cost effective in comparison to other costly means of treatments. The market of children anti-toe walker boot is expanding as the population affected by toe walking is swelling every day. Overall boom in the healthcare equipment industry is also playing a crucial role in the development of this market. Several new players are pumping in money in the healthcare equipment segment. Emerging startups are also cementing the base of the healthcare equipment market. This fast changing scene of the healthcare market is likely to stretch the periphery of the Children Anti Toe Walker boot market.Children Anti Toe Walker boot market: RestraintsChildren anti-toe walker boot market is expanding with time. But alternative medicines to treat this gait problem might impact the development of the market in the days to come. Minimal awareness about this disorder is also a hurdle in the expansion of this market. Developed healthcare markets in North America, Europe might witness a steady growth, but the developing healthcare markets such as APEJ and MEA will register a slow growth as people are less aware of these boots and customers are economically weak.Children Anti Toe Walker boot market: Key RegionsNorth America, Europe being the leading healthcare markets will dominate the Children Anti Toe Walker boot market. Most of the world-class companies are present in this region which manufactures boots to cure toe walking. Regions such as APEJ, MEA will probably the largest emerging markets as the demand will rise because malnourished children crowd these regions. Millions of children are fighting diseases like cerebral palsy, autism in this region which will probably aid the growth of the Children Anti Toe Walker boot market in this region.Children Anti Toe Walker boot market: Key PlayersSoft Star Shoes, The Good Feet Store, TheFootWorksStore, Bails Custom are some of the suppliers of the children anti-toe walker boots.The research report presents a comprehensive assessment of the market and contains thoughtful insights, facts, historical data, and statistically supported and industry-validated market data. It also contains projections using a suitable set of assumptions and methodologies. The research report provides analysis and information according to market segments such as geographies, types and applications.Request for Table of Contents @Request to View Sample of Research Report @The report covers exhaustive analysis on:Market SegmentsMarket DynamicsMarket SizeSupply & DemandCurrent Trends/Issues/ChallengesCompetition & Companies involvedTechnologyValue ChainRegional analysis includes:North America (U.S., Canada)Latin America (Mexico. Brazil)Western Europe (Germany, Italy, France, U.K, Spain)Eastern Europe (Poland, Russia)Asia Pacific (China, India, ASEAN, Australia & New Zealand)JapanMiddle East and Africa (GCC, S. Africa, N. Africa)The report is a compilation of first-hand information, qualitative and quantitative assessment by industry analysts, inputs from industry experts and industry participants across the value chain. The report provides in-depth analysis of parent market trends, macro-economic indicators and governing factors along with market attractiveness as per segments. The report also maps the qualitative impact of various market factors on market segments and geographies.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance. To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,Telephone - +1-646-568-7751USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: White Box Server Market Analysis Till 2023-With Top Key Players Wistron Corporation, Hon Hai Precision Industry Company, Ltd., Celestica Inc., Hyve Solutions, Servers Direct Among Others White Box Server Market http://www.researchformarkets.com/sample/white-box-server-global-market-5224 http://www.researchformarkets.com/discount/white-box-server-global-market-5224 http://www.researchformarkets.com/reports/white-box-server-global-market-5224 According to Research for Markets, the Global White Box Server market is estimated at $5.13 billion in 2016 and is expected to reach $18.19 billion by 2023 growing at a CAGR of 19.8% from 2016 to 2023. Factor such as, increasing number of data centers and increasing adoption of open platforms such as open compute project are fueling the market growth. However, lack of technical know-how to man the installation constitutes the restraint to the market growth. Increase in demand for microservers from data centers will provides ample of opportunities for the market growth.Looking for more information on this market? Request for Free Sample Copy of Report @By processor type, X86 microprocessor based architecture credited with dynamic performance of white box server has proved to be a strong ground for competition with perceptible shift in adopting white box servers blotting traditional infrastructures. Asia-Pacific is anticipated to grow at a significant CAGR during the forecast period attributed to expanding utilization of cell phones which require computational energy of these servers.Some of the key players in White Box Server market include Wistron Corporation, Hon Hai Precision Industry Company, Ltd., Celestica Inc., Hyve Solutions, Servers Direct, Silicon Mechanics, Super Micro Computer Inc., Quanta Computer Inc., Mitac Holdings Corp., Penguin Computing Inc., Stackvelocity Group, Compal Electronics, Silicon Graphics International Corp. (SGI), Inventec Corporation and ZT Systems.Business Types Covered: Enterprise Customers Data CentersForm Factors Covered: Rack- mount Server Density-Optimized Server Tower Server Blade ServerComponents Covered: Processor Hard Drive Network Adapter Motherboard Memory (Ram) Server Case/Chassis Power Supply DeviceOperating System Covered: Linux Operating System Windows Operating System Unix Operating SystemProcessor Types Covered: Non-X86 Server X86 ServerWhat our report offers:- Market share assessments for the regional and country level segments- Market share analysis of the top industry players- Strategic recommendations for the new entrants- Market forecasts for a minimum of 7 years of all the mentioned segments, sub segments and the regional markets- Market Trends (Drivers, Constraints, Opportunities, Threats, Challenges, Investment Opportunities, and recommendations)- Strategic recommendations in key business segments based on the market estimations- Competitive landscaping mapping the key common trends- Company profiling with detailed strategies, financials, and recent developments- Supply chain trends mapping the latest technological advancementsGet Instant Discount on This Report @Short review On Table Of Content-1 Executive Summary2 Preface2.1 Abstract2.2 Stake Holders2.3 Research Scope2.4 Research Methodology2.4.1 Data Mining2.4.2 Data Analysis2.4.3 Data Validation2.4.4 Research Approach2.5 Research Sources2.5.1 Primary Research Sources2.5.2 Secondary Research Sources2.5.3 Assumptions3 Market Trend Analysis3.1 Introduction3.2 Drivers3.3 Restraints3.4 Opportunities3.5 Threats3.6 Emerging Markets3.7 Futuristic Market Scenario4 Porters Five Force Analysis4.1 Bargaining power of suppliers4.2 Bargaining power of buyers4.3 Threat of substitutes4.4 Threat of new entrants4.5 Competitive rivalry5 Global White Box Server Market, By Business Type5.1 Introduction5.2 Enterprise Customers5.3 Data Centers6 Global White Box Server Market, By Form Factor6.1 Introduction6.2 Rack- mount Server6.3 Density-Optimized Server6.4 Tower Server6.5 Blade Server7 Global White Box Server Market, By Component7.1 Introduction7.2 Processor7.3 Hard Drive7.4 Network Adapter7.5 Motherboard7.6 Memory (Ram)7.7 Server Case/Chassis7.8 Power Supply Device8 Global White Box Server Market, By Operating System8.1 Introduction8.2 Linux Operating System8.3 Windows Operating System8.4 Unix Operating System9 Global White Box Server Market, By Processor Type9.1 Introduction9.2 Non-X86 Server9.3 X86 Server10 Global White Box Server Market, By Geography10.1 Introduction10.2 North America10.2.1 US10.2.2 Canada10.2.3 Mexico10.3 Europe10.3.1 Germany10.3.2 U.K.10.3.3 Italy10.3.4 France10.3.5 Spain10.3.6 Rest of Europe10.4 Asia Pacific10.4.1 Japan10.4.2 China10.4.3 India10.4.4 Australia10.4.5 New Zealand10.4.6 South Korea10.4.7 Rest of Asia Pacific10.5 South America10.5.1 Argentina10.5.2 Brazil10.5.3 Chile10.5.4 Rest of South America10.6 Middle East & Africa10.6.1 Saudi Arabia10.6.2 UAE10.6.3 Qatar10.6.4 South Africa10.6.5 Rest of Middle East & Africa11 Key Developments11.1 Agreements, Partnerships, Collaborations and Joint Ventures11.2 Acquisitions & Mergers11.3 New Product Launch11.4 Expansions11.5 Other Key Strategies12 Company Profiling12.1 Wistron Corporation12.2 Hon Hai Precision Industry Company, Ltd.12.3 Celestica Inc.12.4 Hyve Solutions12.5 Servers Direct12.6 Silicon Mechanics12.7 Super Micro Computer Inc.12.8 Quanta Computer Inc.12.9 Mitac Holdings Corp.12.10 Penguin Computing Inc.12.11 Stackvelocity Group12.12 Compal Electronics12.13 Silicon Graphics International Corp. (SGI)12.14 Inventec Corporation12.15 ZT SystemsIf you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want.Know More About our Knowledge store @About Us:Research For Markets indulge in detailed and diligent research on different markets, trends and emerging opportunities in the successive direction to cater to your business needs. We have established the pillars of our flourishing institute on the grounds of Credibility and Reliability. RFM delve into the markets across Asia Pacific, North America, South America, Europe, Middle East And Africa.Contact Us:Mr. A NaiduResearch for MarketsEmail: alan.naidu@researchformarkets.com+44 8000-4182-37 Global Lighting Fixture Market to Exhibit Steadfast Expansion During 2017 - 2027 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-6046 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-6046 www.futuremarketinsights.com Global lighting fixture market is expected to generate substantial revenue, owing to the exponential urban growth and driving demand for energy efficient lightings. Lighting fixture market can greatly contribute by providing energy efficient solutions. Application of light emitting diode (LED) in lighting fixture can decrease energy consumption to significantly low level that energy produced can be saved and utilized for other more essential applications. Thus, increasing installations of LEDs can curtail the total energy demand worldwide substantially. Industrial transition driven by LED could potentially affect the structure of lighting fixture market. The global lighting fixture market is expected to remain regionally fragmented, wherein China is the most fragmented market, owing to the fact that purchasing decisions in the lighting fixture industry is not made alone by the end users. Many professionals are involved in the decision making process such as architects, electrical engineers and lighting designers, who are considered to be the key decision makers. Lighting fixture market is projected to grow continuously in contrast to light source market. Technical drivers such as emerging LEDs and lighting control system can become a success factor in most lighting fixture applications.Request For Report Sample@The global lighting fixture market can be segmented based on technologies and applications of lighting fixtures. Green traditional, non green traditional and solid state lighting are the few technologies that will drive lighting fixtures market. Eco friendly halogen, compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) and high intensity discharge lamp are some of the categories of green traditional technology. In addition, LED lamps, LED light engines, infrared and laser are some of the categories of solid state lighting. General lighting, automotive and backlighting are few applications that utilizes lighting fixtures.China has been one of the largest lighting fixture markets globally and the growth of lighting fixture market in other developing countries is projected to be higher than that in developed countries. Recovery from economic crisis and growth in the income levels of people in the United States is one of the major factors bolstering the overall market growth over the past recent years. In Europe, government policy can have a significant impact on penetration of LEDs. Furthermore, import duties on lighting fixtures are high in Latin American countries such as Brazil, Venezuela, Mexico and Colombia. Japanese lighting fixture business are expected to expand their business in Asia Pacific, led by the regionally fragmented market.Growth in the investment in construction activities, population growth in developing countries and larger penetration of light source technology such as light emitting diode are some factors that are projected to drive lighting fixture market. LED prices can have a greater influence in the price of lighting products. Led by all these drivers, energy efficient products are expected to bring a gradual shift to higher prices in global lighting fixture market. Macro economic conditions that are spontaneously influencing new lighting installations, energy efficiency regulations and greater energy awareness are some factors that have impacted the global lighting fixture market.Request For Report Table of Content (TOC):Some of the major players in global lighting fixture market World Light Lighting Technology Co. Ltd., RENRGIZ Technology, Shunde Xinhua Electrical Co. Ltd., Fanzen International Lighting, Zhejiang Gotosun Light & Electricity Co. Ltd., Shanghai Tailin Import & Export Co. Ltd., Gaorui Electrical & Lighting Co. Ltd., Far East Lighting Co. Ltd. Banner Lighting Electrical Appliance Co. Ltd. and Zhejiang Zhongqi Industry Co., Ltd. among others.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: Global Breast Augmentation Market (Implants) - Increasing Prevalence of Breast Cancer Cases is Driving the Market for Breast Implants over the Forecast Period The Insight Partners http://www.theinsightpartners.com/sample/TIPHE100000849 http://www.theinsightpartners.com/inquiry/TIPHE100000849 http://www.theinsightpartners.com/reports/breast-implants-market According to a new market research study titled Breast Implants Market to 2025 Global Analysis and Forecasts by Product and Applications, the global breast implants market was valued at US$ 1,424.4 Mn in 2017 and is estimated to reach US$ 1,981.2 Mn by 2025. The report highlights the trends prevalent in the global breast implants market and the factors driving the market along with those that act as deterrents to its growth.FREE | Request Sample Copy is Available atThe global breast implants market is a matured market in the developing countries as well as developing economies worldwide. The advancement cosmetic procedures is constantly increasing in recent days due to the advantages of the breast implants such as light weighted, smooth & textured shells and lower risk of complications. Among the applications, the demand for breast implants is significantly high in cosmetic procedures followed by reconstructive surgery. Furthermore, advancements in surgical technologies and declining cost of procedures is expected to be a driving factor for the breast implants market.The market for breast implants is well established in the region of North America, owing to the awareness regarding medical practices and technological developments in the process of breast implants. Various market players have been focusing towards shifting their customer base in North America. For instance, Allergan plc received the FDA approval for marketing the NATRELLE INSPIRA SoftTouch breast implants, which offers women undergoing breast reconstruction, augmentation or revision surgery a new medium firmness gel, implant option.Inquire for Detail Facts and Figures atThe key players operating in the field of Breast Implants worldwide include Allergan Plc, Mentor Worldwide LLC, Sientra Inc., GC Aesthetics PLC, POLYTECH Health & Aesthetics GmbH, Hansbiomed Co. Ltd., Ideal Implant Incorporated, Guangzhou Wanhe Plastic Materials Co., Ltd., Establishment Labs S.A., Groupe Sebbin SAS among others.The report segments the global breast implants market as follows:Global Breast Implants Market By Product- Silicone- SalineGlobal Breast Implants Market By Application- Reconstructive Surgery- Cosmetic Surgery- Other End UsersAccess Complete Report With TOC and Company Profiles atGlobal Breast Implants Market By GeographyNorth America- U.S.- Canada- MexicoEurope- UK- Germany- FranceAsia Pacific (APAC)- Japan- China- IndiaMiddle East & Africa (MEA)- South Africa- UAESouth America (SAM)- BrazilContact Us:Call: +1-646-491-9876Email: sales@theinsightpartners.comAbout Us:The Insight Partners is a one stop industry research provider of actionable intelligence. We help our clients in getting solutions to their research requirements through our syndicated and consulting research services. We are a specialist in Technology, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Automotive and Defense.533, 5th Floor, Amanora Chambers,Amanora Township, East Block,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028 Good Growth Opportunities in Global IV Fluid Transfer Drugs Devices Market Till 2027 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-6454 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-6454 www.futuremarketinsights.com IV fluid transfer drugs devices are closed, airtight drug transfer system which is associated with the IV drug administration. IV fluid drugs administration is one of the most apposite therapeutic procedure for the patients which is provided in the clinical setting only. IV fluid transfer drugs devices are based on a membrane to membrane technology. The closed system of the device prevents the environmental contamination during the IV drug administration and the airtight system reduces the risk of surface contamination. The system is completely sealed at each point of connection to prevent the contamination. The IV fluid transfer drugs devices comprise a needle for the device-to-device interface. The IV fluid transfer drugs devices are the evolution in patient care which is easy to operate and integrate into practice and also helps to reduce the medication errors.IV Fluid Transfer Drugs Devices Market: Drivers and RestrainsThe global IV fluid transfer drugs devices are anticipated to register a significant CAGR over a forecast period. Rising threat of contamination is the primary factor for the growth of IV fluid transfer drugs devices market. Besides that increasing adoption of IV fluid transfer drugs devices during the drug administration will also propel the growth of the global market of IV fluid transfer drugs devices. The pre-identified risk factors can upsurge the market of the IV fluid transfer drugs devices. The lack of knowledge and the lack of awareness of using these products can hamper the growth of the IV fluid transfer drugs devices market.Request to Sample Report -IV Fluid Transfer Drugs Devices Market: SegmentationThe combat dressing market is classified into application, and end user.IV Fluid Transfer Drugs Devices Market is segmented, by Application -Autoimmune DiseasesBlood DisordersCardiovascularNeurologyOncologyOthersIV Fluid Transfer Drugs Devices Market segmented, by End User-HospitalsSpecialized ClinicsOther Healthcare FacilitiesIV Fluid Transfer Drugs Devices Market: OverviewThe increasing investment by the government is the major role for better healthcare is expected to drive the market. The companies are engrossed in introducing the products for IV fluid transfer drugs devices. The IV fluid transfer drugs devices market is classified by application and end user. In terms of product type, the global market of IV fluid transfer drugs devices is divided into autoimmune diseases, Blood Disorders, Cardiovascular, Neurology, Oncology and others.By end user, the IV fluid transfer drugs devices market is segmented as hospitals, specialized clinics and other healthcare facilities. Among all end users, hospitals segment is expected to gain maximum value share over the forecast period.Request Report TOC @IV Fluid Transfer Drugs Devices Market: Regional overviewOn the basis of geography, IV fluid transfer drugs devices market is segmented as North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Japan, Asia-Pacific and Middle East & Africa. North America is expected to dominate the IV fluid transfer drugs devices market due to the advent of awareness and better healthcare facilities in this region. Europe is also contributing the moderate shares to the market due to the advanced medical facilities and easy availability of the IV fluid transfer drugs devices in the market. APAC is the most lucrative market for the IV fluid transfer drugs devices due to increasing trend of being slim and toned and developing medical industry in the region is expected to show a robust growth to the global IV fluid transfer drugs devices market. MEA is at a nascent stage to the global combat dressing market and anticipated to register a decent growth to the market over a forecast period. Overall, the global IV fluid transfer drugs devices market is expected to show significant growth over a forecast period.IV Fluid Transfer Drugs Devices Market: Key PlayersSome of the major players in the market are Advance Medical Designs, Inc., B. Braun Medical, Baxter Healthcare, 8 ICU Medical, Inc., Hospira, Q.I. Medical, Inc. and others. The IV fluid transfer drugs devices market is currently witnessing a number of strategic collaboration and partnership activities by manufacturers and distribution channel.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 : MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) Market to Reflect Impressive Expansion During 2017 - 2027 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-6037 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-6037 www.futuremarketinsights.com Today, MEMS is the key enabling technology of developments in sectors such as transportation, telecommunication, and healthcare. The most significant advantage of MEMS is their ability to communicate easily with semiconductor chips, and due to this, the adoption of MEMS is increasing continuously in nearly every industrial sector. The increasing number of consumer electronic devices is one of the major factors which is fueling the growth of MEMS market. The growth of MEMS market is also accelerating as various mobile and tablet manufacturers are using MEMS to develop multiple features in cell phones and tablets such as auto-focus, micro speakers, touchscreen, and accelerometers.MEMS are devices that combine electronics with mechanical elements, mechanical devices such as sensors, valves, and actuators imbedded in semiconductor chips. Various advantages of MEMS devices such as small size & mass, low power consumption, and low cost are compelling various consumer electronics and telecommunication industries to adopt MEMS technology. The increasing adoption of MEMS technology in automotive domain for airbag system, and vehicle security systems is one of the major factors which is fueling the growth of MEMS market.Request For Report Sample@MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems): Drivers and ChallengesDriversThe increasing functionalities for mobile phones & wearable electronics are the primary factor which is fueling the growth of MEMS market. Also, the growing population of vehicle owners is seeking enhanced vehicle features for better safety, comfort, and stability within cars. This being the prime driving force for boosting the market growth globally, vehicle manufacturers, on the other hand, are continually upgrading vehicle models with state-of-the-art features through MEMS technology.Apart from this, the demand for sensors such as microphones, motion sensors, and light sensors for IoT devices is increasing rapidly, which is creating the potential growth opportunities for MEMS market.ChallengesThe need to cope up with the changing technological environment and to fulfill the growing demand for more intelligence and new applications are the major challenges for the MEMS manufacturers. Also, the challenges related to size and cost of MEMS is one of the factors which may limit the growth of MEMS market.MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) market: SegmentationSegmentation of MEMS on the basis of type:Pressure sensorsInertial sensorMicrophoneOptical actuatorothersSegmentation of MEMS on the basis of Vertical:AutomotiveHealthcareConsumer electronicsManufacturingTelecommunicationOthersRequest For Report Table of Content (TOC):MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems): Competition LandscapeKey playersThe Prominent players in MEMS market are ST Microelectronics, Robert Bosch GmBH, NXP Semiconductors, Texas Instruments, Panasonic Corporation, Omron Corporation, Sensata Technologies, Honeywell International Inc., Denso Corporation, Analog Devices Inc., and Infineon Technologies.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: 2018-2025 Logistics Robots Market: Rise of E-commerce, Increase in Omni Channel Retailing and Growth in Third-Party Logistics Drive the Growth of the Market The Insight Partners http://www.theinsightpartners.com/sample/TIPTE100000924 http://www.theinsightpartners.com/inquiry/TIPTE100000924 http://www.theinsightpartners.com/reports/logistics-robots-market Logistics robots are automated machines that helps to improve the efficiency of logistics operations. Robots in logistic industry serves as a resourceful alternative compared to the customary belt based transportation system. These robots are self-directed floating machines which enables the easy transportation of assets or merchandise.Rise of e-commerce & increase in Omni channel retailing and growth in third-party logistics are the major drivers which help in surging the growth of logistics robots market whereas high R&D investment and initial setup cost act as a restraining factor for this market. Robots equipped with 3D vision systems and improved sensors will add new opportunities for this market in the coming years.FREE | Request Sample Copy is Available atThe "Global Logistics Robots Market Analysis to 2025" is a specialized and in-depth study of the logistics robots industry with a focus on the global market trend. The report aims to provide an overview of global logistics robots market with detailed market segmentation by type, product, application and geography. The global logistics robots market is expected to witness high growth during the forecast period. The report provides key statistics on the market status of the leading market players and offers key trends and opportunities in the market.The report provides a detailed overview of the industry including both qualitative and quantitative information. It provides overview and forecast of the global logistics robots market based on type, product and application. It also provides market size and forecast till 2025 for overall logistics robots market with respect to five major regions, namely; North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific (APAC), Middle East and Africa (MEA) and South America (SAM). The market by each region is later sub-segmented by respective countries and segments. The report covers analysis and forecast of 16 counties globally along with current trend and opportunities prevailing in the region.Inquire about this report atBesides this, the report analyzes factors affecting market from both demand and supply side and further evaluates market dynamics effecting the market during the forecast period i.e., drivers, restraints, opportunities, and future trend. The report also provides exhaustive PEST analysis for all five regions namely; North America, Europe, APAC, MEA and South America after evaluating political, economic, social and technological factors effecting the market in these regions.Also, key logistics robots market players influencing the market are profiled in the study along with their SWOT analysis and market strategies. The report also focuses on leading industry players with information such as company profiles, products and services offered, financial information of last 3 years, key development in past five years. Some of the key players influencing the market are Toshiba Corporation, Asic Robotics AG, Columbia Okura, LLC., ABB Ltd., FANUC Corporation, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd., KUKA AG, Yaskawa America, Inc., Krones AG and I.M.A. Industria Macchine Automatiche S.p.A among others.Complete Report is Available atContact Us:Call: +1-646-491-9876Email: sales@theinsightpartners.comAbout Us:The Insight Partners is a one stop industry research provider of actionable intelligence. We help our clients in getting solutions to their research requirements through our syndicated and consulting research services. We are a specialist in Technology, Media, and Telecommunication industries.533, 5th Floor, Amanora Chambers,Amanora Township, East Block,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028 Stereotactic Planning Software Market Revenue, Opportunity, Segment and Key Trends 2017 - 2027 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-6452 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-6452 www.futuremarketinsights.com Stereotactic planning software was developed to assist surgeons during stereotactic surgical procedures. Stereotactic planning software is an innovative image-based neurosurgical planning software and offers a high degree of accuracy in planning stereotactic surgery along with assessing different surgical approaches. Stereotactic planning software is advantageous as they provide patterned workflow process, enhancing clinical results, and also improves cost effectiveness of the treatment. Stereotactic planning software deals in pre-planning, stereotactic planning and functional planning of the surgical process, and are considered as a powerful tool for enhancing precision, and assurance of the planning procedures. Stereotactic planning software is based on Linux or other operating systems and combines image handling options with graphics interface to construct a user-friendly interface. Stereotactic planning software is systematized in modules consisting specific needs and offers personalized planning options and evaluation tools. Stereotactic planning software is also equipped with other software to improve its image interpretation target definition and pre-planning procedures. Thus, the combination of different modules in stereotactic planning software makes it more potent in expanding its functionality and improved provision for frameless images. In addition, stereotactic planning software are also adopted for training purposes as it offers intuitive workflows coupled with manageable interface.Stereotactic Planning Software Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe market for stereotactic planning software is primarily driven by increasing demand for minimally invasive surgical procedures by surgeons and patients. In addition, increasing prevalence and incidence of neurological disorders such as Parkinsons disease. For instance, according to the research conducted, nearly more than 60,000 individuals are identified with Parkinsons disease each year in the U.S. alone, and approximately 7 10 million are suffering from Parkinsons disease on a global level. However, limited availability of stereotactic planning software, the high cost of software, complex regulatory framework, and complexity concerns are the major obstacles in driving the market growth of stereotactic planning software.Request to Sample Report -Stereotactic Planning Software Market: SegmentationThe global stereotactic planning software market can be segment on the basis of application, end user, and region.On the basis of application, stereotactic planning software market can be segment as:Biopsy PlanningDeep Brain Stimulation (DBS)OthersOn the basis of end user, stereotactic planning software market can be segment as:HospitalAmbulatory Surgical CentersClinicsOn the basis of region, stereotactic planning software market can be segment as:North AmericaLatin AmericaWestern EuropeEastern EuropeAsia Pacific, excluding JapanJapanMiddle East & AfricaStereotactic Planning Software Market: OverviewStereotactic planning software is adopted by variety of end users as it offers assistance for planning of various stereotactic procedures. Stereotactic planning software also integrates with other assistance devices to provide support in order to perform peri-operative confirmation. Stereotactic planning software shows compatibility with other devices to carry out more precise and personalized procedure option. With the emergence of e-commerce websites and logistics services in the developing and underdeveloped economies, helps to expand its sales in the untapped market. Stereotactic neurosurgery is complex in nature and requires a high level of precision to stimulate deep functional areas of the brain and for targeting small structural areas during biopsy procedures. Stereotactic planning software aid in offering basic planning settings to improve operational workflow patterns, localization of functional areas, and deep brain stimulation.Request Report TOC @Stereotactic Planning Software Market: Region-wise OutlookIn terms of geography, stereotactic planning software market has been divided into seven regions including North- America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, and Asia- Pacific excluding Japan, Japan Middle-East & Africa and Latin America. The market in North America for stereotactic planning software is expected to remain the dominating region owing to the developed and improved healthcare facilities in these regions. In addition, increasing demand for minimally invasive surgical procedures is also impelling the growth of stereotactic planning software market. The market in the Asia Pacific is expected to emerge as a fastest growing region owing to the large percentage of elderly population in the regions such as Japan and India, availability of favorable reimbursement scenario in this region, and increasing research and development activities. The market in Latin America is also anticipated to show a positive growth over the forecast period owing to the improving healthcare infrastructure and increasing trend of medical tourism in countries such as Brazil, and Argentina. The region such as Middle East & Africa is anticipated to show a steady growth over the forecast period.Stereotactic Planning Software Market: Key Market ParticipantsSome of the stereotactic planning software participants are Inomed Medizintechnik GmbH, Renishaw plc, Brainlab AG, Micromar Ind. Com. Ltda., Elekta AB, Neurostar, and others.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 : Czech Republic Residential Construction Market 2017 Market Challenge, Driver, Trends & Forecast to 2021 http://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/2397577-residential-construction-market-in-czech-republic-market-size-growth-and-forecast https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/2397577-residential-construction-market-in-czech-republic-market-size-growth-and-forecast Czech Republic Residential Construction MarketSynopsis"Residential Construction Market in Czech Republic: Market Size, Growth and Forecast Analytics to 2021" contains historic and forecast market data for the residential construction market in Czech Republic, with a detailed breakdown of the data by construction activity (new construction, repair and maintenance, refurbishment and demolition) and by cost type( construction materials, construction equipment and construction services). This report also contains overall values of the residential construction segments such as Residential construction market covers new construction, renovation and demolition of residential buildings such as houses, townhouses, cottages, condominiums, single-unit dwellings, sub-divisions and apartments. This market includes two categories: single-family housing and multi-family housing.. This research report provides up-to-date market size data for the period 2012-2016 and an illustrative forecast to 2021.Click here for sample report @SummaryResidential construction market covers new construction, renovation and demolition of residential buildings such as houses, townhouses, cottages, condominiums, single-unit dwellings, sub-divisions and apartments. This market includes two categories: single-family housing and multi-family housing.The Czech residential construction category continued to decline in the review period with a value of CZKxxx.xx million (US$xxx.xx million) in 2016 and declined at a rate of x.xx% over 2015. The market recorded a CARC of -x.xx% from 2012 through 2016."Residential Construction Market in Czech Republic: Market Size, Growth and Forecast Analytics to 2021"' provides a top-level overview and detailed insight into the operating environment of the residential construction market in Czech Republic. It is an essential tool for companies active across the Czech Republic construction value chain and for new players considering to enter the market.Scope An overview of the residential construction market in Czech Republic.Historic (2012 through 2016) and forecast (2017 through 2021) construction market output values are provided.A detailed breakdown of the data by construction activity (new construction, repair and maintenance, refurbishment and demolition) is provided at the market level while the values for the segments are provided by cost types (construction materials, construction equipment & construction services).This report covers all the segments of commercial construction market including Residential construction market covers new construction, renovation and demolition of residential buildings such as houses, townhouses, cottages, condominiums, single-unit dwellings, sub-divisions and apartments. This market includes two categories: single-family housing and multi-family housing..Reasons To Buy Enhances your knowledge of the market with key figures detailing construction type.Provides you with a breakdown of the market by construction activity (new construction, repair and maintenance, refurbishment and demolition).Provides you with a breakdown of the segments by cost type (construction materials, construction equipment &construction services).Details the segments covered under commercial construction market.Allows you to plan future business decisions using the forecast figures given.Table of Contents1 Introduction1.1 What is this Report About?1.2 Definitions1.3 CAGR Definition and Calculation2 Overall Residential Construction: Market Analysis2.1 Overall Residential Construction Output Value, 2012 - 20162.2 Overall Residential Construction Output Value Forecast, 2017 - 20212.3 Overall Residential Construction Output Value by Cost Type2.3.1 Overall Residential Construction Output Value by Cost Type, 2012 - 20162.3.2 Overall Residential Construction Output Value by Cost Type Forecast, 2017 - 20213 Residential Construction Output: Analysis by Category3.1 New Construction Output Value, 2012 - 20163.2 New Construction Output Value Forecast, 2017 - 20213.3 New Construction Output Value by Cost Type3.3.1 New Construction Output Value by Cost Type, 2012 - 20163.3.2 New Construction Output Value by Cost Type Forecast, 2017 - 2021.ContinuedFor Detailed Reading Please visit @Wise Guy Reports understand how essential statistical surveying information is for your organization or association. Therefore, we have associated with the top publishers and research firms all specialized in specific domains, ensuring you will receive the most reliable and up to date research data available. We also provide COTS (Commercial off the Shelf) business sector reports as custom exploration agreeing your particular needs.WISEGUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersPune - 411028Maharashtra, India Students, faculty, staff and the Atlanta community had the opportunity to dive into the world of entrepreneurship as Goizueta Business School, in conjunction with Emory Entrepreneurship Ecosystem (E-Cubed), hosted the fourth annual Emory Entrepreneurship Summit earlier this month. Attendees learned from keynote speaker Jim Lanzone 98JD/MBA, chief digital officer of CBS Corporation and chief executive officer of CBS Interactive, and had the opportunity to get advice from other Emory alumni who have found success as entrepreneurs. Students also showcased their ideas through the Pitch the Summit competition. One highlight from the summit was the micro-entrepreneurship panel presented by Emory Impact Investing Group (EIIG), featuring four local entrepreneurs: Nicole Massiah of Krumbz Bakery, a bakery in Atlanta dedicated to providing desserts, including custom cakes and cake truffles; Eden Fesshazion of Eden Fesshazion, LLC, a law firm that specializes in immigration, family law and personal injury; Doris Mukang of Johari Africa Enterprise, a company that employs African refugee women to produce traditional African clothing and accessories, which are sold primarily through markets and tradeshows; Akissi Stokes of WUNDERgrubs, a sustainable food revolution by using protein-rich mealworms as a primary ingredient in its cookies and baked treat. Starting, growing and maintaining a business is no easy task, and each of the four entrepreneurs talked about the challenges they have faced and lessons they have learned through the process. One of Massiahs keys to success was knowing the full picture, something she didnt understand until she dove into the inner workings of the business. What started out as a simple process of cataloging all of her products quickly turned into a multi-day project of trying to organize more than 2,000 products. For me with the food business, it was not only the policies and some of the laws and regulations because youre dealing with selling food thats going to be consumed by the public, but youre dealing with all of the inventory, Massiah said. You think about baking cakes, cupcakes and cake truffles, and it sounds so simplistic. But those little details made it much more complex than I ever thought. Sometimes its not always working with a variety of products but more so working with a variety of people. Mukang said one of her biggest challenges is working with women from Bhutan, Burma, Eritrea, Sudan and Somalia all of whom come from different cultural backgrounds. You are trying to address all these cultural nuances, and then not to forget that theyre from a background of torture and trauma, Mukang said. Were thinking of all of those things and trying to accommodate that and still encourage these women. One of the biggest factors in starting a business is having community support from the very beginning. With the help of farmers markets, repeat customers, EIIG and cohorts, Stokes has been able to build vital community support for her business. The community has been surprisingly supportive, Stokes said. I definitely consider myself a social entrepreneur. Its community support, and mines been more business-based than anything. Organizations like EIIG and Social Enterprise @ Goizuetas Start:ME program have helped many local entrepreneurs succeed in starting a business, including Fesshazion. We have a lot of the interns come in from the community, and its been really nice, Fesshazion said. Weve helped the interns, and theyve helped us. Our business is maybe a little bit different, but through EIIG and Start:ME, the continued mentorship program has been priceless. Massiah echoed the sentiment, stating that its important to have a passion to get the business started, but it takes more to make it successful. You can come in with passion, but passion isnt enough, Massiah said. You have to have determination. You have to have discipline. And sometimes, to be frank, you dont really feel so much. But to have a pseudo-partner, and I think EIIG functions very much as one, gives you that extra push sometimes when you may need. It makes it so much easier and makes the process so much smoother. Alumni Spotlight Session The summit also featured a variety of entrepreneurial alumni who presented during the Alumni Spotlight Session. This years spotlights were all BBA graduates, returning to campus to share their stories and words of advice with eager students looking to potentially start their own entrepreneurial journeys. They included: Andrew Berman 07BBA, founder and former COO and board member of Nanit Brandon Fishman 03BBA, CEO of Internet Marketing Inc. and CEO of Vitacup David Gaspar 02BBA, managing director at DDG David Mandelbaum 07BBA and Jessica Lloyd 07BBA, co-founders of Panatea Nathan Meeks 07BBA, co-founder and CEO at Gigzolo Joshua Sigel 02BBA, COO of Innit Read more about these alumni and their advice to others who want to succeed as entrepreneurs. Pitch the Summit competition Undergraduate students also had the opportunity to sign up for the Pitch the Summit competition, where they learn how to effectively pitch an idea for a new venture. Individuals crafted an elevator pitch that verbally outlines an entrepreneurial concept or idea in a short period of time. Students then had to pitch their idea to a panel of judges with the most successful pitches advancing through three rounds of competition. This years winning team was Vimband, with Kieren Helmn 19BBA leading the team. Helmns team will receive guidance, financial support and in-kind contributions in order to move the venture forward. Centrifugal Blood Pump Market Growth, Forecast and Value Chain 2017 - 2027 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-6451 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-6451 www.futuremarketinsights.com Centrifugal Blood Pump: Market InsightsCentrifugal blood pump, in general, is used as a cardiotomy suction device to pump blood through the extracorporeal bypass circuit to offer extracorporeal circulatory support during a cardiopulmonary bypass cardiac surgery. The increased demand for electronic centrifugal blood pumps from hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers is substantially increasing the revenue growth of centrifugal blood pump market. Process optimization through centrifugal blood pump enables to manage cost of surgery for cardiopulmonary bypass. In order to perform critical cardiac surgery, highly advanced centrifugal blood pumps equipped with smart pump driving features such as external drive motor, the emergency handcrank are designed. Extracorporeal blood pumps are temporarily used as ventricular assist devices and are utilized to carry out extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Also, centrifugal pumps have various advantage over roller pumps in a way that they show improved blood handling capacity, free hemoglobin, and platelet count. Also, centrifugal pumps are small in size and holds less capital investment and low maintenance costs. On this account, centrifugal blood pump market experience increased demand from end users to carry out a smooth cardiac surgery with improved blood handling. Centrifugal Blood Pump have vast application in cardiopulmonary bypass surgery and various clinical needs. They are used by hospitals, specialty clinics and ambulatory surgical centers thereby increasing the revenue generation in centrifugal blood pump market. On the basis of product type, Centrifugal Blood Pump are broadly categorized into three types including non occlusive centrifugal pump, preload dependent centrifugal pump, and afterload dependent centrifugal pump. Specific regulations for using centrifugal blood pumps in cardiac bypass have been made by the regional regulatory that has to be followed during their use. The rising demand for reduced procedure costs coupled with efficient results contributes majorly to the revenue generation in centrifugal blood pump market. Also, constant need to meet required standards of surgery protocol and to attain adequate clinical efficiency is further anticipated to drive the growth of centrifugal blood pump market.Centrifugal Blood Pump: Market DynamicsGrowing demand for improved cardiac surgery which necessitates the use of advanced centrifugal blood pumps is expected to be the key factor driving growth of centrifugal blood pump market. The low priming volume and limited contact surfaces of a centrifugal blood pump makes it a potential pump for clinical applications. Also, the urgency to meet the surgery standards and availability of novel pumps with technological innovations such as lightweight centrifugal sealless blood pump having unique spherical thrust bearing and magnetic coupling are some other factors propelling the growth of centrifugal blood pump market. Centrifugal blood pumps show least blood trauma during a cardiac surgery when compared with other pumps mainly roller pumps. However, the accumulation of ferrous particles at the impeller causes the pump to stop after some time, this is expected to limit the growth of centrifugal blood pump market. As centrifugal pumps use rotation in place of suction to move blood they have least suction power, thus it needs to be primed before being used in order to carry out efficient cardiac surgery.Request to Sample Report -Centrifugal Blood Pump Market: SegmentationThe global Centrifugal Blood Pump market is segmented by pump type, motor type, end user and region:Segmentation by Pump TypeNon Occlusive Centrifugal PumpPreload Dependent Centrifugal PumpAfterload Dependent Centrifugal PumpSegmentation by Motor TypeMechanicalElectronicSegmentation by End UserHospitalsSpecialty ClinicsAmbulatory Surgical CentersOthersCentrifugal Blood Pump Market: OverviewBased on pump type, non occlusive centrifugal pump segment accounts for the largest revenue share in the centrifugal blood pump market on the account of being highly used pump in the cardiopulmonary bypass in cardiovascular surgery. It helps to attain necessary blood flow into the patients body during the surgery. These pumps are majorly used to provide ventricular assistance, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and percutaneous cardiopulmonary support. On the basis of motor type, electronic centrifugal pumps account for larger demand in centrifugal blood pump market as compared with the mechanical ones. Centrifugal pumps are disposable and are costly and more preferred when compared with the roller pumps. This in turn is one of the factor driving the revenue generation in centrifugal blood pump market to perform critical cardiovascular surgery.Centrifugal Blood Pump Market: Region-wise OutlookGeographically, North America is the leading market for centrifugal blood pump owing to the increasing footprint of local manufacturers and suppliers in the market as well as rising patient base undergoing cardiac surgeries. This is followed by the Western European market due to increased presence of hospitals performing cardiac surgeries, thereby generating high demand for centrifugal blood pumps. However, Asia Pacific market is expected to be the highly potential market for centrifugal blood pump due to the growing set up of new manufacturing units. Latin America followed by Middle East and Africa represents the least market share and growth rate in the global centrifugal blood pump.Request Report TOC @Centrifugal Blood Pump Market: Key PlayersSome of the key players present in global centrifugal blood pump market are Medtronic Plc., Bio-Medicus, Inc., St. Jude Medical, Inc., 3-M Health Care, Kyocera Corporation, Baxter International, Thoratec Corporation and others.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 : Atopic Dermatitis Treatment Market Poised to Register 12.8% CAGR through 2017-2027 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-3097 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/askus/rep-gb-3097 www.futuremarketinsights.com A new report from Future Market Insights reveals that global atopic dermatitis treatment market revenue is set to expand at a CAGR of 12.8% over the forecast period (20172027). In recent years, the prevalence of atopic dermatitis has increased to a great extent, leading to higher demand for its treatment. In addition, the arrival of novel drugs and therapeutic options is also facilitating the growth of the global atopic dermatitis treatment market. Towards the end of 2027, the market is expected to reach a valuation of US$ 23,992.3 Mn. This growth will be further driven by continuous research and drug development and the introduction of revised reimbursement policies.The report, titled Atopic Dermatitis Treatment Market: Global Industry Analysis 20122016 and Opportunity Assessment 20172027 has also analysed the market by splitting it into regional segments. The dominance of North America on the global atopic dermatitis treatment is expected to remain throughout the assessment period. In 2016, the regions dermatitis treatment market accounted for a revenue share of 30%. The market in the region is anticipated to witness a CAGR of 16.0% to reach a valuation of US$ 10,384 Mn over 2027. Meanwhile, the market is Western Europe will maintain its second position behind North America. Pharma companies in Europe are concentrating on expanding their product portfolio by acquiring smaller companies specialised in dermatology portfolios. The report also projects a considerable growth of the atopic dermatitis treatment market in Asia pacific excluding Japan (APEJ) over the next couple of years.Request to Sample Report -Additional Highlight of the Report Include:By drug class, corticosteroids currently account for the largest revenue share of the market. However, biologic therapy and PDE-4 inhibitor are expected to outsell corticosteroids by the end of forecast period.Biologic therapy is projected to account for around 36.4% share of the market over 2027, expanding at a CAGR of 26.4%. During the same period, the revenue share of PDE-4 inhibitor is expected to expand at a staggering CAGR of 33.4%.In 2017 and beyond, preference for drug administration using topical procedures will remains significantly high as compared to oral and injectable administration modes. Topical drug administration will account for more than two-third share of the market by 2027-end.Hospital pharmacies remain the leading distribution channel despite the rapid proliferation of dermatology clinics. In 2017, hospital pharmacy will represent a market share of 33.1%, which will incur a slight downtrend and settle for 31.4% by the end of 2027.Some of the leading pharmaceutical companies that have an active participation in the global atopic dermatitis treatment market include: Sanofi SA, Galderma SA, Allergan Plc., Novartis, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Bayer AG, Meda Pharmaceuticals, Astellas Pharma Inc., Anacor Pharmaceutical Inc., Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Aqua Pharmaceuticals (An Almirall Company), Pfizer, Dow Pharm, Connetics Corporation, Fujisawa Healthcare, Encore Dermatology, LEO Pharma, Velite Pharmaceutical, Biofrontera AG.Request Report TOC @Many of these market players are implementing strategies such as merger and acquisition in order to enhance their product portfolio. At the same time, increasing numbers collaborations among market players and medical research institutes are leading to new product development.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 : South Korea Energy and Utilities Construction Market Expected to Boost during 2017 To 2021 http://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/2397581-energy-and-utilities-construction-market-in-south-korea-market-size-growth https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/2397581-energy-and-utilities-construction-market-in-south-korea-market-size-growth South Korea Energy and Utilities Construction MarketSynopsis"Energy and Utilities Construction Market in South Korea: Market Size, Growth and Forecast Analytics to 2021" contains historic and forecast market data for the energy and utilities construction market in South Korea, with a detailed breakdown of the data by construction activity (new construction, repair and maintenance, refurbishment and demolition) and by cost type( construction materials, construction equipment and construction services). This report also contains overall values of the energy and utilities construction segments such as Energy and utilities construction market covers the development of energy and telecommunications related projects, oil and gas projects including both upstream and downstream exploration, and utility projects such as water and sewage infrastructure. This market includes five categories: electricity and power, oil & gas, telecommunications, sewage infrastructure and water infrastructure.. This research report provides up-to-date market size data for the period 2012-2016 and an illustrative forecast to 2021.Click here for sample report @SummaryEnergy and utilities construction market covers the development of energy and telecommunications related projects, oil and gas projects including both upstream and downstream exploration, and utility projects such as water and sewage infrastructure. This market includes five categories: electricity and power, oil & gas, telecommunications, sewage infrastructure and water infrastructure.The South Korean energy and utilities construction category has observed some fluctuations in the review period with a value of KRWxxx.xx Billion (US$xx.xx Billion) in 2016 and declined at a rate of x.xx% over 2015. The market recorded a CARC of -x.xx% from 2012 through 2016."Energy and Utilities Construction Market in South Korea: Market Size, Growth and Forecast Analytics to 2021"' provides a top-level overview and detailed insight into the operating environment of the energy and utilities construction market in South Korea. It is an essential tool for companies active across the South Korea construction value chain and for new players considering to enter the market.Scope An overview of the energy and utilities construction market in South Korea.Historic (2012 through 2016) and forecast (2017 through 2021) construction market output values are provided.A detailed breakdown of the data by construction activity (new construction, repair and maintenance, refurbishment and demolition) is provided at the market level while the values for the segments are provided by cost types (construction materials, construction equipment & construction services).This report covers all the segments of commercial construction market including Energy and utilities construction market covers the development of energy and telecommunications related projects, oil and gas projects including both upstream and downstream exploration, and utility projects such as water and sewage infrastructure.Reasons To Buy Enhances your knowledge of the market with key figures detailing construction type.Provides you with a breakdown of the market by construction activity (new construction, repair and maintenance, refurbishment and demolition).Details the segments covered under commercial construction market.Allows you to plan future business decisions using the forecast figures given.Table of Contents1 Introduction1.1 What is this Report About?1.2 Definitions1.3 CAGR Definition and Calculation2 Overall Energy and Utilities Construction Value: Market Analysis2.1 Overall Energy and Utilities Construction Output Value, 2012 - 20162.2 Overall Energy and Utilities Construction Output Value Forecast, 2017 - 20212.3 Overall Energy and Utilities Construction Output Value by Cost Type2.3.1 Overall Energy and Utilities Construction Output Value by Cost Type, 2012 - 20162.3.2 Overall Energy and Utilities Construction Output Value Forecast, by Cost Type, 2017 - 20213 Energy and Utilities Construction Output: Analysis by Category3.1 New Construction Output Value, 2012 - 20163.2 New Construction Output Value Forecast, 2017 - 20213.3 New Construction Output Value by Cost Type3.3.1 New Construction Output Value by Cost Type, 2012 - 20163.3.2 New Construction Output Value by Cost Type Forecast, 2017 - 2021.ContinuedFor Detailed Reading Please visit @Wise Guy Reports understand how essential statistical surveying information is for your organization or association. Therefore, we have associated with the top publishers and research firms all specialized in specific domains, ensuring you will receive the most reliable and up to date research data available. We also provide COTS (Commercial off the Shelf) business sector reports as custom exploration agreeing your particular needs.WISEGUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersPune - 411028Maharashtra, India Global Flight Inspection (FI) Market: Strategic Analysis of the Top Companies Investments in Flight Inspection (FI) https://www.futuregenicreports.com/Request-Sample/101658 https://www.futuregenicreports.com/Reports/Flight-Inspection-Market Market OverviewThis report studies the Flight Inspection (FI) market. Flight inspection has long been a vital part of providing a safe air transportation system. The concept is almost as old as the airways themselves. The first flight inspectors flew war surplus open-cockpit biplanes, bouncing around with airmail pilots and watching over a steadily growing airway system predicated on airway light beacons to provide navigational guidance. The advent of radio navigation brought an increased importance to the flight inspector, as his was the only platform that could evaluate the radio transmitters from where they were used: in the air. With the development of the Instrument Landing System (ILS) and the Very High Frequency Omni-directional Range (VOR), flight inspection became an essential element to verify the accuracy of the system.In the modern airspace system, GPS satellites now provide the basis for air navigation and signals further changes to aviation. Flight inspection has been there all along, quiet and meticulous, changing and developing through various government agencies charged with air safety: the Aeronautics Branch, Bureau of Air Commerce, the Civil Aeronautics Agency, through to the modern FAA. With continued growth of air transportation, and new technologies to support that growth, the essential means of flight inspection also changed, but its foundation, that of ensuring aviation safety, still remains the same.Request Sample Report @Top Market PlayersSAFRAN, Saab, Cobham, Enav, Isavia, Textron, Bombardier, FCSL, Aerodata, NSMBased on solution, the service segment is estimated to lead the flight inspection market during the forecast period. Flight inspection services are mandatory for any airport and require two routine inspections annually and commissioning inspection at the time of commissioning of navigational aids.As the market for routine and commissioning activities increases, the demand for FI services is expected to increase. These factors are expected to drive the market for FI services during the forecast period.Based on end user, the defense airport segment is projected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Due to the increasing defense budgets of emerging economies, the spending on military infrastructure is increasing. With increasing defense budgets, the modernization and development of defense airports as well as the demand for defense airports for strategic purposes is increasing.Market SegmentsMarket Segment by Regions, regional analysis covers North America (United States, Canada and Mexico) Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy) Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia) South America (Brazil, Argentina, Colombia) Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)Market Segment by Type, coversAir Type, Airport TypeMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoCivil, MilitaryTo Know More in Detail @About Future Genic ReportsFuture Generic Reports is a market research and consulting organization, offering premium collection of market research reports, custom research and consulting services to corporations, no-profit organizations and government institutions across the globe.The wide range of information is presented by a team of well-trained researchers of specific sectors through exhaustive research. We deliver premier market research services that cover all industry verticals, including chemicals and material, automotive, healthcare, electronics & semiconductor, food and beverage, pharmaceuticals and technology and media.We believe in building an eternal bond with our clients through offering them inclusive research study meeting their specific requirements. Our services are tailored specifically to our clients by proposing them the potential outcome, based on our in-depth analysis and insights for exploring the growth strategies through providing the best possible decision for quality production.Contact us:Future Generic Reports244 , Madison AvenueNew York City, NY - 10016United StatesToll Free +1- 844-445-2861Email: sales@futuregenicreports.com Middle East Veterinary Vaccines Market Projected to Register 4.7% CAGR through 2016 - 2026 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-ma-3086 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/askus/rep-ma-3086 www.futuremarketinsights.com Animal breeding remains to be one of the most fundamental agricultural activity facilitating the growth of food & beverage industry in the Middle East. Milk and meat are some of the common raw materials derived from animal husbandry activities carried out in the MEA region. Future Market Insights recently published its research report on the veterinary vaccines market in the Middle East, which stated that rising demand for food security in the Middle East, collaborative manufacturing measures witnessed among foodmakers and suppliers, and the absence of appropriate health tracking facilities for animals are factoring the growth in demand for veterinary vaccines.Future Market Insights projects that the MEA veterinary vaccines market, which is presently valued at US$ 267.3 million, will soar below average to reach US$ 422.9 million value by 2026-end and register a moderate CAGR of 4.7%. The report estimates that lack of resources for collection of samples, questionable potency of vaccines, and absence of harmonised vaccination procedures are limiting the supply and production of veterinary vaccines in the MEA region. Furthermore, ineffectiveness of veterinary vaccines in curing virulent animal diseases indicates shortcomings on epidemiological knowledge faced by MEAs virology research institutes.Highest Veterinary Vaccine Sales recorded in JordanA regional analysis of the veterinary vaccines market in the Middle East identified Jordan as the most lucrative country for sales of veterinary serums. By the end of 2026, Jordans veterinary vaccine market is expected to dominate the MEA region by reaching value of US$ 88 million. The demand for veterinary vaccines will be equally higher in Turkey, while Sudan will witness moderate growth in terms of revenues. Meanwhile, countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Egypt will witness revenue growth at more than 4% CAGR throughout the forecast period.Request to Sample Report -Based in Jordan, JOVAC is being recognised as one of the leading manufacturers of veterinary vaccines in the Middle East. The veterinary vaccines market in MEA region is also witnessing fervent involvement of European companies such as Bioveta, Inc., Merial, Bayer Healthcare AG, and Ceva. Other key players in the MEA veterinary vaccines market include, Intervac Pvt. Ltd., Zoetis, Elanco, and Merck & Co, Inc.Surging Demand for Food & Mouth Disease VaccinationPrevalence of oral and digestion-related disorders among animals is shaping up the growth in demand for veterinary vaccines across the Middle East. More than 25% of veterinary vaccines revenues amassed from the MEA region during the projection period will be accounted by food and mouth diseases. New Castle disease has also been observed as prominent indicator for administering veterinary vaccines in this region. Moreover, outbreak of Avian influenza in the MEA region is anticipated to attribute more than US$ 80 million revenues by 2026-end.In the report, titled Veterinary Vaccines Market: Middle East Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment, 2016-2026, the demand for attenuated live vaccines is predicted to remain high throughout the forecast period. Inactivated vaccines will also gain traction, while revenues garnered from sales of recombinant vaccines, DNA vaccines and toxoid vaccines will grow at a sluggish CAGR. Almost three-fourth of gross revenues amassed from sales of veterinary vaccines in the Middle East will continue to be used for treatment of livestock animals. And, these vaccines are likely to enter the market through veterinary clinics and private veterinary pharmacies. Distribution of veterinary vaccines in the Middle East will also be carried out by hospitals, revenues from which are estimated to surpass US$ 100 million by the end of 2026.Request Report TOC @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 : Global Tilapia Market: Analysis of Key Trends and Drivers Shaping Future Growth until the End of 2028 https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=T&rep_id=649 https://www.factmr.com/report/649/tilapia-market https://www.factmr.com/checkout/649/S https://www.factmr.com/ As per the current market trends and the promising nature of the global tilapia market, it can be estimated that the future holds positive outcomes. In order to provide a deep insight about the concerned market, Fact.MR would be publishing a resourceful analysis that will enclose knowledge about the regional market size, revenue and opportunity status. Readers will be offered the privilege to decode various facets of the market during the period 2018 to 2027, together with the active access to secondary and primary research methodology. Furthermore, various segments of the market associated to product, application, end-user etc., would also be present in this intelligent research report.Request TOC of this Report-Tilapia Market OutlookWith increasing penetration of processed and fresh fish into western market, tilapia has a pivotal role in the growth of it. Widely accepted taste and flavor and ease of processing resulted in a widespread demand for tilapia globally. China is the leading producer of the major tilapia species in the global tilapia market. Tilapia is a common name for the cichlid fish, widely classified under finfishes. The tilapia fish market is largely dominated by the Nile variant and globally, the major production is supported by the aquaculture production system. A substantial volume of tilapia is consumed as fresh and rest is processed for various frozen application increasing its shelf life thus making it easy to export into the western market.Tilapia Market: Reasons for Covering this TitleIncreasing adaption of healthy food habit and preference over fishery and seafood products by the consumers to obtain daily protein needs has resulted in increased consumption in the urban regions. The recent wave of processed fish and seafood products into the retail and other storefronts has attracted a lot of attention from the major producers to participate in the market. From a traditional and isolated demand demography, the tilapia market has successfully entered into the mainstream global processed food product. Further increase of tilapia consumption in unique regions such as Iran, which increased import of tilapia to 10,856 MT in 2015 which was calculated to be 15.4% increase from the previous years import supports the fact that tilapia is getting a lot of traction and new product offerings by players is expected to enter the market is substantial quantity over the forecast period.To know more @ Global Tilapia Market, visit -Global Tilapia Market: Key PlayersSome of the key players operating in the global tilapia market are Zhejiang Jiahua Group Co., Ltd, Royal Supreme Seafood, Zhanjimng Go-Harvest, HQ Sustainable Maritime Industries, Inc., Fortuna Sea, Luye Fisheries, Hainan Golden Spring Foods, Nanning Far-East Farm & Fishery Development Corp., XinXin (Zhongshan Foodstuffs & Aquatic Imp. & Exp. Group Co., Ltd.), SIMARON TILAPIA FARM, E & T Farms Inc., Blue Ridge Aquaculture, Inc., Regal Springs Tilapia, Siagro S.A, Aqua Malta, azenda Santa Isabel, Piscicultura Aquabel, Agua Santa Aquicultura, and Bolsa do Peixe.Key Product LaunchesThe key product launches that have been observed over the tilapia market over the recent years have seen launches targeting heath conscious and ethical consumer base.1- King & Prince Seafood launched new products targeting tilapia consumers which are Fish Market Fresh Potato Crusted Tilapia and Fish Market Fresh Panko Crusted Tilapia. Both the products reflected companies approach the health-conscious consumer base by making their product gluten-free and sourced from the certified fish producer.2- Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) in August 2012, officially launched independent trademark for responsibly farmed tilapia. Following to which Indonesian producers for the fresh tilapia and processed tilapia coined the opportunity and launched series of products stating the trademark which got widely accepted in the European and North American market.Opportunities for Market ParticipantsThe opportunity for the participants in the global tilapia market is optimistic with growing demand in the North America and Europe region and the opening of new markets in the Middle East, its likely to grow at an average y-o-y of 5 in terms of volume over the forecast period. Considering recent development in the Asia Pacific region over the shortfall of production of tilapia no major restraints are to face in terms of supply as new players are immersing in Latin America and Africa to compensate the void created.Brief Approach to ResearchA modelling-based approach and triangulation methodology will be followed to estimate data covered in this report. A detailed market understanding and assessment of the distribution channel, species, nature, origin and end uses of the product segments covered in the study is followed by carrying out a demand-side approach to estimate the sales of target product segments, which is then cross-referenced with a supply-side assessment of value generated over a pre-defined period. The statistics and data is collected at a regional level, consolidated and synthesized at a global level to estimate the overall market sizes.Pre-book Global Tilapia Market Forecast Report-About Fact.MRFact.MR is a fast-growing market research firm that offers the most comprehensive suite of syndicated and customized market research reports. We believe transformative intelligence can educate and inspire businesses to make smarter decisions. We know the limitations of the one-size-fits-all approach; thats why we publish multi-industry global, regional, and country-specific research reports.Contact UsFact.MRSuite 988427 Upper Pembroke Street,Dublin 2, IrelandTelephone: +353-1-6111-593Email: sales@factmr.com/Web: Trends in the North America and Europe Artificial Pancreas Systems Market 2016-2026 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-na-3058 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/askus/rep-na-3058 www.futuremarketinsights.com Growing number of diabetics in the US, Canada and European countries has been compelling hospitals to keep artificial pancreas systems in stock. Government-funded organisations in North America and Europe are collaborating with local as well as global medical device manufacturers to meet the rising demand for artificial pancreas systems. A latest report published by Future Market Insights reveals that the value of artificial pancreas systems market in North America and Europe reached US$ 86.5 Mn by the end of 2016. The report also predicts that people suffering from diabetes in these regions will keep opting for artificial pancreas systems in order to control their blood sugar levels externally.Lifestyle of residents in Europe and North America is triggering the incidence of diabetes (type 1 as well as type 2) in these regions. Substantial rise in diabetic patients compels doctors, pathologists and endocrinologists to treat patients malfunctioning pancreas superficially. The rate at which a physiological pancreas get replaced with a substitute (artificial pancreas system) will keep gaining momentum in this region. By the end of 2026, more than US$ 280 Mn worth of artificial pancreas systems will be sold in North America and Europe, registering a revenue growth at 12.6% CAGR.Request to Sample Report -Almost every artificial pancreas system sold in these regions will treat patients suffering from type 1 diabetes. In US, the occurrence of diabetes mellitus type 1 is expected to surge beyond control. The US artificial pancreas systems market is presently valued at just over US$ 40 Mn, and will account for over two-third of North Americas artificial pancreas system revenues through 2026. Canadas artificial pancreas system revenues, on the other hand, will surge rampantly at 13.8% CAGR.Hospitals will remain the largest distribution channel for artificial pancreas systems across North America and Europe. Although, the report does highlight a noticeable presence of e-commerce websites in global distribution of medical devices as critical as artificial pancreas systems. Among these regions, North America will remain dominant over Europes artificial pancreas system market. Likewise, the demand for artificial pancreas systems will be fairly high in Western Europe, compared to Eastern Europe. Germany, France, the UK and Poland are leading European countries that are more likely to showcase revenue growth at over 11.5% CAGR.Request Report TOC @One of the largest company in North America & Europes artificial pancreas systems market has been identified as Illinois-based medical device manufacturer Medtronic plc. With it, the UK-based Cellnovo is also being recognised as a prominent manufacturer of artificial pancreas systems. Other key players in the artificial pancreas systems market across North America and Europe include, Johnson & Johnson Services, Inc., Dexcom Inc., Insulet Corporation, and Tandem Diabetes Care Inc.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 : Rice Starch Market Promising Growth Opportunities over 2017 to 2025 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/16144 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/16144 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com Rice starch is categorized by small granules which occurs in the range of 2-8 m that is much smaller as compared with other tubers, cereals and roots, such as potato and corn. Rice starch is a very fine grained and tasteless powder which is manufactured by processing raw rice. Rice starch also provides creamy textures and serves as a natural fat replacer. Rice starches are widely used in food industry, pharmaceutical industry, chemical industry and cosmetic industry. Rice starch is used in preparation of products such as pharmaceutical medicines, processed food mixes and jarred baby foods. Modified rice starch is one of the popular vegan substitute for traditional powdered gelatin. Rice starch adds a smooth, creamy texture to various prepared foods such as sauces and soups. Rice starch extraction produces a large quantity of protein and fiber residue.Global Rice Starch: Market SegmentationThe global rice starch market is segmented on the basis of grade, application, and region type. Market segment as per grade, it is segmented on the basis of its grade such as food grade, cosmetic grade, and pharmaceutical grade. Among these grade segment food grade segment is expected to contribute more that 50% market share and expected to grow at higher space. Among these, food grade segment is expected to fuel the rice starch market over the forecast period.On the basis of application, the market is segmented into pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and personal care products, food and beverages, and others. The food and beverage is sub segmented into baked goods & bakery fillings, confectionery, dairy fruit preparation, and dairy based products. In cosmetic industry, rice starch cosmetic grade is used widely on a large scale by the manufacturers for making cosmetics and personal care products. Hence, the global Rice starch market is expected to significantly increase the revenue contribution over the forecast period.Request for Table of Contents @Global Rice Starch Market: Regional OutlookGeographically, the global Rice starch industry can be divided by major regions which include North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa. Globally, among all regions, Asia Pacific has developed as the most dominant region in global Rice starch market followed by Europe and North America. Increasing usage of variety of rice starch grade products in various applications worldwide has strengthened the growth of global Rice starch market and hence is projected to significantly expand the revenue contribution of the market over the forecast period.Global Rice Starch Market: Growth DriversThe global rice starch market driving factors are increasing demand for rice starch in various cosmetics and personal care products along with food and beverage industry are some of the important driving factors for the growth of the market. Major driver behind increasing demand of rice starch in current market scenario is due to its various grades which are mostly used in applications such as pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and personal care products and others. Nowadays consumers are mostly influenced towards that product which has natural quality, organic in nature and also good for their health, due to which it has higher demand among growing economies of world. On the other side as per the current market trend, rice starch powder is trending in market because of its wide application in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and food and beverage products.Global Rice Starch Market: PlayersSome of the key players identified across the value chain of the global Rice starch market includes Beneo, Ingredion, Bangkok Starch Industrial Co., Ltd., Thai Flour Industry Co., Ltd, AGRANA, WFM Wholesome Foods, Jiangxi Golden Agriculture Biotech Co., Ltd., and others. The companies are expected to expand their business by enhancing their product portfolio in global Rice starch market. The companies are projected to frame certain strategies in future in order to gain the competitive advantage in global rice starch market till 2027.Request to View Sample of Research Report @ABOUT US:Persistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance. To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.CONTACT:Persistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: Global Non-GMO Flour Market: Brief Analysis of Products and Application Set to Attain Higher Position Through 2028 https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=T&rep_id=650 https://www.factmr.com/report/650/nongmo-flour-market https://www.factmr.com/checkout/650/S https://www.factmr.com/ As per the current market trends and the promising nature of the global Non-GMO flour market, it can be estimated that the future holds positive outcomes. In order to provide a deep insight about the concerned market, Fact.MR would be publishing a resourceful analysis that will enclose knowledge about the regional market size, revenue and opportunity status. Readers will be offered the privilege to decode various facets of the market during the period 2018 to 2027, together with the active access to secondary and primary research methodology. Furthermore, various segments of the market associated to product, application, end-user etc., would also be present in this intelligent research report.Request TOC of this Report-Non-GMO Flour Market OutlookNon-GMO flour is obtained from the milling of non-genetically modified grain (Non-GMO) or a combination of various types of grains and non-grain flour, which essentially has lower gluten content than conventional flour. Non-GMO flour contains several health benefits which are not usually derived from traditional flour or GMO flour. This flour exhibits limited gluten content with improved nutrient quantities, thus offering additional benefits to consumers. Increasing demand for bakery products coupled with the rising trend of gluten-free and Non-GMO Flour products consumption is expected to drive the Non-GMO Flour market over the forecast period.Non-GMO Flour Market: Reasons for Covering this TitleRising demand for Non-GMO based Flour food such as bakery products and R.T.E. products along with changing consumer preferences have propelled this market globally. Europe holds a relatively high share of bakery products consumption across the globe. Bread accounts for 79% of the total bakery products consumed in Europe and North America. Bread are consumed on a regular basis and are a staple food in Europe and North America as per capita bread consumption in Europe is approximately 63 kg. R.T.E. products such as cakes, pizza, and biscuits produced by NON-GMO flour are gaining popularity among the youth, which is likely to create further growth opportunities for the Non-GMO flour market. Increasing disposable incomes in western countries and subsequent concerns about healthy, Non-GMO flour-based products consumption are driving the market in this region. Owing to above-mentioned reasons, the demand for bakery products is expected to increase in the coming years and this will lead to the rise in demand for Non-GMO flour across different countries across Europe.Due to multiple health benefits, Non-GMO flour is becoming very popular amongst the most health-conscious consumers. Bakery and bakery products manufacturers are primarily using this flour and also grow. Because of its longer shelf life and increased nutrients bioavailability, the Non-GMO flour is gaining traction with food manufacturers and consumers.To know more @ Global Non-GMO Flour Market, visit -Non-GMO Flour Key Product LaunchesNon-GMO flour Products: KAMUT Khorasan wheat grains have never been genetically modified and are free from genetically modified organisms. Bob's red mill produces KAMUT Khorasan wheat grans flour which is a Non-GMO flour in a similar way many producers and manufactures such as Montana flour are using KAMUT Khorasan wheat grains to meet the demand of the Non-GMO flour.Non-GMO Flour Market Opportunities for Market ParticipantsRising concerns about gluten-free products have facilitated the growth of the Non-GMO flour market. The gluten content in flour leads to adverse effects on human health, causing indigestion, intestinal damage, and chronic diarrhea. Health consciousness among consumers coupled with increasing awareness about gluten-free products is driving the Non-GMO flour market globally. Consumers especially in North America and Europe are avoiding GMO flour and are opting for Non-GMO flour products which is a current upcoming trend for this market. This rising health responsiveness has consequently augmented the consumption of substitute, gluten-free varieties of Non-GMO flour such as white rice flour, brown rice flour, maize flour, barley flour, corn flour. Non-GMO flour is a fast expanding food category, demonstrating that this market exhibits immense growth potential over the forecast period. Thus, demand for these products is an imperative factor driving the Non-GMO flour market at present and its influence is expected to continue over the forecast periodBrief Approach to ResearchA modeling-based approach and triangulation methodology will be followed to estimate data covered in this report. A detailed market understanding and assessment of the key product types, origin, applications and end uses of the product segments covered in the study is followed by carrying out a demand-side approach to estimate the sales of target product segments, which is then cross-referenced with a supply-side assessment of value generated over a pre-defined period. The statistics and data are collected at a regional level, consolidated and synthesized at a global level to estimate the overall market sizes.Pre-book Global Non-GMO Flour Market Forecast Report-About Fact.MRFact.MR is a fast-growing market research firm that offers the most comprehensive suite of syndicated and customized market research reports. We believe transformative intelligence can educate and inspire businesses to make smarter decisions. We know the limitations of the one-size-fits-all approach; thats why we publish multi-industry global, regional, and country-specific research reports.Contact UsFact.MRSuite 988427 Upper Pembroke Street,Dublin 2, IrelandTelephone: +353-1-6111-593Email: sales@factmr.com/Web: Growth of Car Security System Market Trends, Share, Industry Size, Opportunities and Forecast 2017-2024 Research Nester https://www.researchnester.com/sample-request/2/rep-id-392 https://www.researchnester.com/toc-request/1/rep-id-392 https://www.researchnester.com/payment/rep-id-392 https://www.researchnester.com/reports/car-security-system-market-global-demand-analysis-opportunity-outlook-2024/392 Car Security System Market: Global Demand Analysis & Opportunity Outlook 2024Car Security System Market OverviewCar security system is an essential tool to prevent theft and to keep the car protected from unwanted people. Further, car security system has significantly helped in reducing car thefts across the globe owing to their security devices such as sound alarm, shock sensor, central locking and immobilizers. Many advanced car security systems such as Avital 5103, Eclipse 360 degree vehicle surveillance security system are present in markets which are making the vehicle safer than ever before. Car security system can be easily installed in almost all type of vehicles such as low passenger cars, heavy vehicles, light vehicles etc.Market Size & ForecastThe Global Car Security System Market is anticipated to flourish at a robust compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.52% over the forecast period 2017-2024. Global car security system stood at a valuation of around USD 6.5 Billion by the end of year 2015 and is projected to reach at a valuation of around USD 12.2 billion by the end of 2024. Rising number of cars across the globe is expected to propel the growth of global car security system market during the forecast period.Request Report Sample @In terms of region, global car security system market is segmented into five major regions which include North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America and Middle East & Africa region. Asia Pacific region is expected to be most reliable and revenue generated market of car security system and is anticipated to flourish at a modest CAGR of 9% during the forecast period. Furthermore, rising awareness among car owners towards car safety in developing countries such as China and India is driving the growth of global car security system market. Apart from this, rising adoption of remote keyless entry systems is a major trend in Asia Pacific region and is expected to escalate the demand for car security system in this region over the forecast period.North America region is anticipated to witness significant growth during the forecast period. This growth of car security system in North America region can be attributed to presence of moneyed buyers which are expected to propel the demand for vehicles in this region which in turn, fuel the growth of car security system market in North America region. Moreover, regional markets of North America & Europe regions are more matured and are anticipated to witness a steady growth over the forecast period. Moreover, Latin America and Middle East & Africa regions are also anticipated to witness satisfactory growth rate over the forecast period.Request for TOC Here @By RegionGlobal car security system market is further classified on the basis of region as follows:North America (U.S. & Canada) Market size, Y-O-Y growth & Opportunity AnalysisLatin America (Brazil, Mexico, Rest of Latin America) Market size, Y-O-Y growth & Opportunity AnalysisEurope (U.K., Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Hungary, Belgium, Netherlands & Luxembourg, Rest of Western Europe) Market size, Y-O-Y growth & Opportunity AnalysisAsia-Pacific (China, India, Japan, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Rest of Asia) Market size, Y-O-Y growth & Opportunity Analysis.Middle East and Africa (GCC, North Africa, South Africa and Rest of Middle East) Market size, Y-O-Y growth & Opportunity AnalysisGrowth Drivers & ChallengesRising awareness among car owners towards car safety and theft prevention is major growth driver of global car security system market and is expected to consolidate the car security system market in near future. Further, technological development of car security system such as installation of shock sensor, Avital 5103 and Eclipse 360 degree vehicle surveillance security system are expected to foster the growth of car security system market in near future.Buy This Premium Reports Now @Population growth and increasing purchasing power of consumers are some of the major factors which are expected to propel the sales of vehicles around the world. Installation of car security system in almost every car to keep it safe from thieves is driving the growth of global car security system market. On the other hand, the rising demand for face detection and face positioning system is expected to propel the growth of global car security system market. Further, government and insurance companies in many countries such as Brazil and Indonesia are promoting the car security systems and forcing automakers to install these security features as a standard features in new cars. However, the high cost of premium safety systems is restraining the growth of global car security system market. Additionally, recent failures of car security system to prevent thefts are major factors which are likely to hinder the growth of car security system market.For more details visit @Research Nester is a leading service provider for strategic market research and consulting, serving clients from 120+ countries across the globe. We aim to provide unbiased, unparalleled market insights and industry analysis to help industries, conglomerates and executives to take wise decisions for their future marketing strategy, expansion and investment etc. We believe every business can expand to its new horizon, provided a right guidance at a right time is available through strategic minds. Our out of box thinking helps our clients to take wise decision so as to avoid future uncertainties.Contact for more Info:Name:- Ajay Daniel1820 Avenue M, Suite# 1113,Brooklyn, New York 11230Email: ajay.daniel@researchnester.comU.S. +1 646 586 9123 From left, Rosemary Magee, rare book collector Paul R. Kennerson and Joe Crespino look over a collection of personal correspondence and memorabilia of renowned novelist Harper Lee in the Rose Library at Emory University. Photo by Ann Watson, Emory Photo/Video. Who was Atticus Finch? Letters from Harper Lee shed new light on the beloved and now controversial character April 5, 2018 Creativity Conversation with Joseph Crespino and Rosemary Magee Thursday, May 3, at 4 p.m. Conversation followed by reception, book signing and exhibit viewing Jones Room, Woodruff Library at Emory University Open to the public at no charge Register at http://emorylib.info/atticusfinch Joseph Crespino, author and Jimmy Carter Professor of History at Emory University, will discuss his new book, Atticus Finch: The Biography, at a Rosemary Magee Creativity Conversation on Thursday, May 3, at 4 p.m. in Emorys Woodruff Library. The event is open to the public at no charge. Attendees are asked to sign up at the registration link. Copies of Crespinos book will be available for purchase and signing at the event, five days before the books official May 8 release. Magee, former director of the Stuart A. Rose Manuscript, Archives and Rare Book Library, will join Crespino for the conversation, which will include a discussion of the Rose Librarys recent acquisition from rare book collector Paul R. Kennerson. It contains personal letters to friends and other materials from Harper Lee, author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel To Kill a Mockingbird and the recently published Go Set a Watchman. Finch, a significant character in both books, was based on Lees father, an attorney. Crespinos book draws on exclusive sources to reveal how Harper Lees father provided the central inspiration for each of her novels. The conversation will take place from 4-5 p.m., followed by a reception and book signing. Some of the letters and memorabilia will be on display at the reception. The event, which will take place in the Jones Room on Level 3 of the Woodruff Library, is sponsored by the Bill and Carol Fox Center for Humanistic Inquiry; Center for Creativity & Arts; Emory College of Arts & Sciences; Emory Department of History; Stuart A. Rose Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library, and the Emory Libraries. The Rosemary Magee Creativity Conversations highlight creativity and imagination as essential to every discipline and enterprise. The Woodruff Library is located on the Emory campus at 540 Asbury Circle in Atlanta, 30322. Parking is available in the Fishburne deck. For disability-related accommodations, please contact Emory Libraries events manager Maya Cody in advance at 404-727-7620 or maya.cody@emory.edu. Crespino will also appear at the Carter Presidential Library & Museum for a lecture and book signing on Tuesday, May 8, at 7 p.m. Ship Bridge Simulator Market Intelligence Report for Comprehensive Information https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-6493 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-6493 www.futuremarketinsights.com Ship bridge simulators are highly sophisticated maneuvering equipment developed especially for professional training and testing of marine systems with realistic and complex simulation environment, which provides realistic experience. Ship simulators are generally of two types, i.e., interactive or non-interactive, both offer concept training, skill training and understanding of the marine systems; ship bridge simulator is an interactive simulator.These simulators come as a software solution or combination of software and hardware. With minimum requirement, these software solutions can be installed in any PC. They provide the user with an artificial environment for system testing or professional training. Ship bridge simulators are especially designed for system testing and professional trainings such as live training, constructive training, virtual training and gaming simulation training. Majorly, they are used in marine or maritime institutes.Importance of trained watch-officers or trained operators on a ship for navigation, map plotting, weather monitoring, fire control, search, surveillance and mission rehearsal drives the market of ship bridge simulators over coming years. Also, as they are especially used for training EW (electronic warfare) cadets. Another key factor attributing to the market growth of ship bridge simulators is the emerging modern warfare technologies and systems such as network centric and electronic warfare, which need ship bridge simulator for system testing. Moreover, the growth of automation & technology in the marine industry has increased its attractiveness among the consumers. Furthermore, stringent regulations by maritime legislatives for efficient training of electronic warfare personnel will enhance the market revenue of ship bridge simulators over the forecast period.Ship bridge simulator customer base is an extensive mix of diverse organizations, from training centers, universities to shipping & oil and gas industries. The organization includes naval officers, maritime police and coast guard, a huge customer base will increase the demand for ship bridge simulators and subsequently will boost the market.Request Report Sample@According to the STCW Code (the manila amendments), which conclude the competency of a cadet/personnel, a ship bridge simulator training is mandatory for all the personnel will call for more number of ship bridge simulators, contributing significantly to the ship bridge simulator market. Moreover, safety standards demand efficient and highly qualified personnel thus maritime institutes around the world need these simulators in training for mission planning and decision support, as real life training with real equipment is a challenge. Hence, ship bridge simulator is the future of maritime institute.On the flip side, huge expenditure incurred in the development of ship bridge simulator could act as a restrain in the growth of the ship bridge simulator market.Ship Bridge Simulator Market: SegmentationOn the basis of product type, the ship bridge simulator market can be segmented as: Ship Bridge Simulator Market Segmentation By product type Professional Training (Fixed or Portable),Live Training,Constructive Training,Virtual Training,Gaming Simulation Training,System Testing (Fixed or Portable); By application Marine,Educational; By component Hardware,SoftwareDuring the forecast period, APEJ is expected to occupy a greater market share owing to increasing number of maritime institutes and academies in the region. Moreover, the areas increasing passenger traffic and export and import business will drive the need of marine systems, which in turn will increase the regional market share of ship bridge simulators. North America will follow APEJ in the ship simulator market owing to strict government regulations for standard safety. The Middle East and Africa will see a steady growth rate due to the growing marine industry.Request For Table Of Content @Ship Bridge Simulator Market: Key Players: Examples of some of the key participants in the global ship bridge simulator market are: FORCE Technology, Image Soft, Kongsberg Maritime, MI Simulators, Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding Co.,ltd., NAUDEQ , PC Maritime Ltd, ARI Simulation, Adacel Technologies Limited, Presagis Canada Inc.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.Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +13479183531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: Multi-Service Business Gateways Market is likely to register double digit CAGR during 2015-2021 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/5207 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/5207 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com A multi-service business gateway is a device that integrates multiple network data and voice communication tasks into a single device. The multi-service business gateway solution combines crucial functions such as VoIP (voice over internet protocol), routing and security of firewall, virtual private networking and intrusion prevention into a single fault tolerant platform. It also involves functionality related to filtering and email-server, storage and wireless networking.Multi-service business gateways enable OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) and SMEs (small medium enterprises) to differentiate themselves in the market place by incorporating additional functionalities such as session border control and trans-coding and other call management capabilities in their organizations infrastructure. Multi-service business gateway security framework consists of various components such as access, routing, firewall, VPN (virtual private network), MGW (media gateway), SBC (session border controller) and IP (internet protocol) PBX (private branch exchange).Request for Table of Contents @In recent years, most of the small and mid-sized companies have increased the installations of new multi-service business gateway devices due to various benefits offered. Increasing demand for converged voice and data services among large and small to mid-sized enterprises is driving the growth of the market. Furthermore, rising popularity of hosted and managed services, and growing migration of enterprises to cost effective services to reduced total cost of ownership is expected to fuel the growth of multi-service business gateways market over the forecast period.The global multi-service business gateway market can be segmented based on its end-users and security threats. Depending on the type of end-users, the multi-service business gateway market can be segmented into three major categories as OEMs (original equipment manufacturers), large enterprises, and SMEs (small medium enterprises). The multi-service business gateway market can be segmented on the basis of security threats into four categories which include communication session threats, network level threats, media threats and application level threats. The global multi-service business gateway market can also be segmented based on major geographical regions into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Rest of the World (Middle East, Latin America and Africa).Among all the regional markets, Europe is dominating the global multi-service business gateway market owing to the increased adoption of these devices in countries such as France, Germany, UK and Italy. Asia Pacific is expected to exhibit fastest growth due to increasing industrialization, international business expansion and rising enterprise mobility in emerging economies such as India and China. In addition, benefits such as low cost and reduced initial cost are increasing the demand for hosted multi-service business gateway services in this region.Request to View Sample of Research Report @Some of the key players in multi-service business gateways market include ADTRAN Inc., AudioCodes Ltd., Cisco Systems Inc., Fortinet Inc., LSI Corporation, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Freescale Semiconductor Inc., Allied Telesis Inc., Avaya Inc., Edgewater Networks Inc. and Nuera Communications Inc. among others. In order to outperform competitors, multi-service business gateway solution providers are emphasizing on offering advanced and cost effective solutions to solve security threats prevailing in enterprises. In addition, key players are focusing on acquisition and merger activities to increase their penetration into the market. For example, in 2011, Frontinet Inc. acquired TalkSwitch to further expand its product portfolio in existing multi-service business gateway market.ABOUT US:Persistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance. To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.CONTACT:Persistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: India Non Invasive Prenatal Testing Market, Test Price and Opportunity Outlook 2024 https://www.kuickresearch.com/report-india-non-invasive-prenatal-testing-market,-test-price-and-opportunity-outlook-2024.php India Non Invasive Prenatal Testing Market, Test Price and Opportunity Outlook 2024 Report Highlights:* Number of NIPT Test at Multiple Adoptability Rates (2018 - 2024)* Comparative Cost Analysis - NIPT v/s Other Screening Test* Need and Importance of Prenatal Diagnosis from an Indian Perspective* Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing Market by Application* India Non Invasive Prenatal Market Analysis by Product* Non Invasive Prenatal Market Analysis by Techniques* India Non Invasive Prenatal Test Market Forecast (2018 - 2024)Download SampleFor Report Sample Contact: neeraj@kuickresearch.comReport Weblink:Table of Contents1. Prenatal Diagnosis and Screening - Introduction1.1 Prologue to Prenatal Diagnosis and Screening1.2 Historical Insight to Prenatal Diagnosis in India2. Need and Importance of Prenatal Diagnosis from an Indian Perspective2.1 Increasing Prevalence of Prenatal Abnormalities2.2 Increasing Burden of Birth Defects and Mortality2.3 Rise in Prenatal Disorder Risk Factors in India2.3.1 Maternal Age at Conception2.3.2 Proportion of unplanned pregnancies and Lack of antenatal care2.3.3 Early Marriage and Genetic Condition of the Mother2.3.4 Rate of Consanguineous Marriage in Population2.3.5 Exposure of Mother to Possible Teratogens2.4 Trending of the (Double Income, Single Child) DISC Norm in Indian Society2.5 Increase in Infertility Rates and In-Vitro Fertilization Centers3. Non Invasive Prenatal Diagnosis - High Accuracy with No Risks3.1 Overview3.2 Risk Associated with Traditional prenatal Screening Methods3.3 Comparative Analysis of NIPT with other Prenatal Screening Methods4. Non Invasive Prenatal Testing Market by Application4.1.1 Down Syndrome (Trisomy 21)4.1.2 Edwards Syndrome (Trisomy 18)4.1.3 Pataus Syndrome4.1.4 Other Chromosomal Abnormalities5. Superiority of Non Invasive Prenatal screening to Traditional Screening Test5.1 Painless Procedure with Multiple Benefits5.2 High Accuracy Even at Earlier Stage of Pregnancy5.3 No Risk to the Developing Fetus, No Risk of Miscarriage5.4 Much Higher Detection Rate with Minimum False Positives6. India Non Invasive Prenatal Market Analysis by Product6.1 MaterniT216.2 Harmony Test6.3 Visibilit Test6.4 NIFTY6.5 Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) System6.6 Panorama Test6.7 Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) Instrument6.8 Prenatal Chromosomal Microarray6.9 Ultrasound and Other Device7. Non Invasive Prenatal Market Analysis by Techniques7.1 Ultrasound Detection7.2 Biochemical screening tests7.2.1 Human Chorionic Gonadotropin Test7.2.2 Estriol and Inhibin A Screening7.3 Cell-free DNA in Maternal Plasma Tests8. Non Invasive Prenatal Testing Market by End User8.1 Hospitals8.2 Laboratories8.3 In-Vitro Fertilization and Clinics9. Driving Factors of the Non Invasive Prenatal Testing Market in India10. Non Invasive Prenatal Testing Market Challenges in India11. Future Forecast of the Non Invasive Prenatal Testing Market in India12. Competitive Analysis - Indian NIPT Players12.1 DNA Labs India12.1.1 Company Overview12.1.2 NIPT Products, Services and Cost Analysis12.2 LifeCell12.2.1 Company Overview12.2.2 NIPT Products, Services and Cost Analysis12.3 LifeCodexx AG12.3.1 Company Overview12.3.2 NIPT Products, Services and Cost Analysis12.4 Apollo Centre for Fetal Medicine, New Delhi12.4.1 Company Overview12.4.2 NIPT Products, Services and Cost Analysis12.5 Medgenome12.5.1 Company Overview12.5.2 Product, Services and Cost Analysis12.6 Igenomix India12.6.1 Company Overview12.6.2 Products, Services and Cost Analysis12.7 Fortis Healthcare Limited12.7.1 Company Overview12.7.2 Products, Services and Cost Analysis12.8 DNA Forensics, India12.8.1 Company OverviewFigure 1-1: Indications that Highly Demand Prenatal DiagnosisFigure 1-2: Prenatal Diagnosis in India- HistoryFigure 2-1: Need and Importance of Prenatal Diagnosis in IndiaFigure 2-2: Prenatal Diagnosis- BenefitsFigure 2-3: Cause of High Prevalence of Prenatal Disorders in IndiaFigure 2-4: India - Neonatal Cases of Genetic Disorders (Number of Births), 2015Figure 2-5: India - Prenatal Mortality due to Congenital Factors (Number/Year)Figure 2-6: Prenatal Disorders - Risk FactorsFigure 2-7: India - Occurrence of Down's syndrome by Mother Age (per 10,000 Births)Figure 2-8: India - Number of Females Married Before 18, 2014-2016Figure 2-9: Possible Teratogens That Might Cause Prenatal AbnormalitiesFigure 2-10: India - Annual Congenital Malformation (per 10,000 Births), 2015Figure 2-11: Benefits of Double Income Single Child NormFigure 2-12: India - Number of NIPT Test at 10% Adoptability Rate of New Birth (Million) 2018 - 2024Figure 2-13: India - Number of NIPT Test at 15% Adoptability Rate of New Birth (Million) 2018 - 2024Figure 2-14: India - Number of NIPT Test at 20% Adoptability Rate of New Birth (Million) 2018 - 2024Figure 2-15: India - Number of NIPT Test at 30% Adoptability Rate of New Birth (Million) 2018 - 2024Figure 2-16: Major Factors for Rising Infertility in Indian Couples (%), 2018Figure 2-17: India - Prevalence of Infertility by Region (%), 2017Figure 2-18: Global - Infertility status by Region (%), 2018Figure 3-1: Illustration of Non-Invasive Prenatal Screening TestFigure 3-2: Goals of Non-invasive Prenatal ScreeningFigure 3-3: Comparative Accuracy Analysis - NIPT v/s Other Screening TestsFigure 3-4: Risks in Amniocentesis and Chorionic Villi SamplingFigure 3-5: Comparative Cost Analysis - NIPT v/s Other Screening Test (INR), 2018Figure 3-6: Comparative Cost Analysis - NIPT v/s Other Screening Test(US$), 2018Figure 4-1: India - NIPT Market Size by Application (%) 2018Figure 5-1:Non-invasive Prenatal Screening v/s Traditional ScreeningFigure 6-1: NIPT Market Size by Product (%), 2018Figure 6-2: Harmony Test - Price Analysis (INR and US$), 2018Figure 6-3: Visibility Test - Price Analysis (US$ and INR), 2018Figure 6-4: NIFTY - Cost Analysis (INR and US$), 2018Figure 6-5: Genome Sequencing - Cost Analysis (US$ and INR), 2018Figure 6-6: Panorama Test - Price Analysis (INR and US$), 2018Figure 6-7: Prenatal PCR - Cost Analysis (INR and US$), 2018Figure 6-8: Microarray - Cost Analysis (INR and US$), 2018Figure 6-9: 3D Ultrasound Test - Cost Analysis (US$ and INR), 2018Figure 6-10: 4D Ultrasound Test - Price Analysis (INR and US$), 2018Figure 7-1: NIPT - Market Analysis by Techniques (%), 2018Figure 7-2: MSAFP - Cost Analysis (INR and US$), 2018Figure 7-3: HCG Biochemical Test - Cost Analysis (INR and US$), 2018Figure 7-4: Estriol, Inhibin A- Test Cost Analysis (INR and US$), 2018Figure 8-1: India - NIPT Market Size by End Users (%), 2018Figure 9-1: Driving Factors of the Indian Prenatal Testing MarketFigure 10-1: Growth Restraining Factors of the Indian Prenatal Testing MarketFigure 11-1: India - Invasive v/s NIPT Market Size (%), 2018Figure 11-2: India - Prenatal (Invasive and Non Invasive) Test Market Growth Forecast (US$ Million), 2018-2025Figure 11-3: India Non Invasive Prenatal Test Market Forecast (US$ Million), 2018-2024Figure 12-1: DNA Labs India - Service and Cost Analysis, 2018Figure 12-2: Life Cell - Service and Price Analysis, 2018Figure 12-3: LifeCodexx AG - Service and Cost Analysis, 2018Figure 12-4: Medgenome - Product Service and Cost Analysis, 2018Figure 12-5: Igenomix India - Service and Price Analysis, 2018Figure 12-6: Fortis Healthcare Limited - Products and Service Price Analysis, 2018Figure 12-7: DNA Forensics - Products and Services Price Analysis, 2018Kuick Research is a market research and analytics company that provides targeted information for critical decisions at business, product and service levels. We are quick, predictive and known by the recommendations we have made in the past. Our result-oriented research methodology offers understanding of multiple issues in a short period of time and gives us the capability to keep you full with loads of practical ideas. By translating research answers into strategic insight and direction, we not only rate the success potential of your products and/or services, but also help you identify the opportunities for growth in new demographies and find ways to beat competition.Neeraj Chawlaneeraj@kuickresearch.comKuicK ResearchL29 - L34, First FloorBlock L,Connaught PlaceNew Delhi-110001+91-11-47067990 Global Date Sugar Industry Assessment & Market Growth Evolution Forecasted for the Period 2018-2028 https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=T&rep_id=651 https://www.factmr.com/report/651/date-sugar-market https://www.factmr.com/checkout/651/S https://www.factmr.com/ As per the current market trends and the promising nature of the global date sugar market, it can be estimated that the future holds positive outcomes. In order to provide a deep insight about the concerned market, Fact.MR would be publishing a resourceful analysis that will enclose knowledge about the regional market size, revenue and opportunity status. Readers will be offered the privilege to decode various facets of the market during the period 2018 to 2027, together with the active access to secondary and primary research methodology. Furthermore, various segments of the market associated to product, application, end-user etc., would also be present in this intelligent research report.Request TOC of this Report-Date Sugar Market OutlookFood industry globally is focusing prominently on natural sweeteners instead of artificial white and refined sugar. This has created a rising demand for refined sugar substitutes such as brown sugar, Date sugar and Palm sugar. The response of consumers towards Date sugar and unrefined sugar s gradually increasing as they consider these products healthier than white refined sugar. This shift is mainly due to food research that has suggested that, synthetically produced sugar and sugar products can have an adverse effect on ones health. Additionally, consumers globally are getting more aware of multiple nutritional factors Date sugar possess and the associated benefits, such as added health benefits of reduced risks of diseases related to metabolism, obesity ,diabetes and increasing antioxidant levels. Consumers looking for ethical sourcing and quality product, Lure for sweet but healthy products are leaning towards date sugar.Date Sugar Market: Reasons for Covering this TitleDate Sugar is a sweetener derived from dehydrated dates from any of the varieties of date trees. Date sugars are similar in their applications like all other forms of sugar. In general, Date Sugar is produced by dehydrated dates that are grounded to resemble granulated form of sugar. Date sugar has a sweet, butterscotch like flavor which has a similar appearance to brown sugar. Date sugar has various applications in food and bakery industry. Its used widely in Bakery products such as muffins, in oatmeal and preparation of caramel. Date sugar is rich in potassium, vitamins and ironThough Date sugar was originally introduced as a new, healthier artificial sweetener substitute for refined sugar, critical research makes Date Sugar a better option for consumers, which is expected to boost the growth of the Date Sugar market.The growing interest among consumers in organic food products has been very beneficial for the organic Date sugar industry. The demand for organic produced products and food has been witnessing steady growth, globally, in the past few years. Date sugar products are largely marketed as organic, have high nutrient value. Consumer demand for organic products and food continues to show a progressive growth, providing market positive incentives for Date sugar manufacturers globally resulting into growth of Date sugar. For instance in the U.S., organic food sales are around for over 5% of the total U.S. food sales as per the industry statistics collected by the USDA. According FOAM Organics International (2017), the global organic food market is estimated to be valued at US$ 80 Bn, and the U.S. has the largest share of 47%. This is expected to trigger the growth of Date sugar market in North America as U.S holds a larger share in the region.To know more @ Global Date Sugar Market, visit Global Date Sugar MarketSome of the key players operating in global date sugar market are Bob's Red Mill, Desert Valley Date, Barry Farm, Now Foods and Mawana Sugars among others.Date Sugar Market: Key DevelopmentsNew Product Development: Manufacturers are recently focused on launching date sugar in different forms, like the liquid form, and are estimated to develop its research and development in Date Sugar products as a result order to expand their consumer base and increase their global presence in date sugar market.Date Sugar Market Opportunities for Market ParticipantsThe growing interest among North American and European consumers in naturally sourced products, provides opportunities for traded Date Sugar. Consumers in North America and Europe are primarily concerned about manufacturers and the situations under which the product is manufactured. Moreover, consumers also prefer sugar products which taste similar to white sugar and refined sweeteners. Date Sugar tastes a lot similar to refined or white sugar with a good amount of sucrose and low mineral content. Additionally, there is a growing scope of consumers who are concerned about diabetes even without having been diagnosed as diabetic. Consumer are concerned about their health, and are already taking preventive measures to be free from all such diseases, by opting for a more healthier form of sugar, i.e. Date sugar, and this is expected to support the growth of the Date sugar market over the forecast period.Brief Approach to ResearchA modeling-based approach and triangulation methodology to estimate data covered in this report. A detailed market understanding and assessment of the key product types, applications and end uses of the product segments covered in the study is followed by carrying out a demand-side approach to estimate the sales of target product segments, which is then cross-referenced with a supply-side assessment of value generated over a pre-defined period. The statistics and data are collected at a regional level, consolidated and synthesized at a global level to estimate the overall market sizes.Pre-book Global Date Sugar Market Forecast Report-About Fact.MRFact.MR is a fast-growing market research firm that offers the most comprehensive suite of syndicated and customized market research reports. We believe transformative intelligence can educate and inspire businesses to make smarter decisions. We know the limitations of the one-size-fits-all approach; thats why we publish multi-industry global, regional, and country-specific research reports.Contact UsFact.MRSuite 988427 Upper Pembroke Street,Dublin 2, IrelandTelephone: +353-1-6111-593Email: sales@factmr.com/Web: Engine Flush Market to receive overwhelming hike in Revenues by 2026 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/11761 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/11761 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com Global Engine Flush Market: OverviewEngine is an essential part of a machine, which produces mechanical energy, imparting motion to the vehicles. For engines to yield high efficiency, change of engine oil is required at regular intervals of time. The main function of the engine oil is to keep the lubrication of the crankshaft and maintain the cooling in the engine. During high temperature the engine oil gets carbonized forming sludge, which is a contaminant. The contaminants such as sludge, tar and other harmful contaminants continue to move within engine compartment, thus causes wear and tear resulting into reduced lubrication. Oil change in a contaminated engine will only result in poor efficiency.Hence to remove these harmful contaminants before changing of oil, engine flush is used. The engine flush is a cleaning formulation with strong detergents which eliminates the engine deposits with finest contaminants in the range of 5 to 20 microns. Engine flush cleans the entire lubrication system thereby enhances performance. The engine flush dissolves contaminants with its strong formulation and restores the oils viscosity up to 96%. Engine flush is used for various application such as for automotive engines, industrial equipments, and marine as well as stationary engines.The characteristic features of engine flush are improved efficiency, offers lower operating temperature and smooth operation, cleans dirt and increased lifespan of engine. The global engine flush market is anticipated for positive growth during the forecast period primarily due to growth of automobile industries and also the customers undergoing timely service of the car engines.Global Engine Flush Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe global engine flush market is primarily driven by the increasing demand for cleaning of the engines, which otherwise stagnates performance of the engine. The engine flush is a fast cleaner and removes the contaminants by dissolving them, further propels the global engine flush market. Also, engine flush helps in boosting fuel efficiency and enhances the life span of the engine, which further momentous the global engine flush usage in automobiles and thus, engine flush market growth. However, the engine flush when used with strong chemicals damages the rubber seals and gaskets. This might restricts its usage and thus, hamper growth of the engine flush market.Request for Table of Contents @Global Engine Flush Market: SegmentationOn the basis of engine type, engine flush market is segmented into:-Petrol EngineDiesel EngineOn the basis of engine oil type, engine flush market is segmented into:-Mineral OilSemi -Synthetic OilFully Synthetic OilOn the basis of application, engine flush market is segmented into:-AutomotiveMarineIndustrial EquipmentGlobal Engine Flush Market: Region wise OutlookThe global engine flush market is divided into seven regions, namely North America, Latin America, Asia Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ), Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Japan and Middle East and Africa (MEA). North America holds the major share in the global engine flush market as vehicle usage and other machineries, which require engine oil is higher in this region. Thus leading towards demand for engine flush among consumers in the region.Followed by North America, is APEJ and Japan in consumption of engine flush, wherein the growth is attributed to increased use of automobiles and other manufacturing industries, which requires oil flush for cleaning of engines. Western Europe being dominant in the industrial development, is projected for increased consumption of engine flush during the forecast period. In MEA, Saudi Arabia is global leader in oil production and exports to various countries, wherein the engine flush is used mainly in the transport and industrial sector - thus, driving the engine flush market growth.Request to View Sample of Research Report @Global Engine Flush Market: Key PlayersSome of the key players identified in the global engine flush market includes:International Lubricants, IncBARDAHL Manufacturing CorporationPetra Oil Company, IncReviveRymax LubricantsPenrite Oil3MBULLSONERaaj Unocal Lubricants LimitedAshland Inc. (Valvoline)ABOUT US:Persistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance. To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.CONTACT:Persistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: U.S. Industrial Hearing Protection Market: Challenges to Industry Growth, Size, Share, Forecast 2024 https://www.marketstudyreport.com/request-a-sample/616514/?utm_source=OPR&utm_medium=AN https://www.marketstudyreport.com/securecheckout/paymenta/616514?msfpaycode=sumsf?utm_source=OPR&utm_medium=AN https://www.marketstudyreport.com/reports/global-north-america-europe-and-asia-pacific-south-america-middle-east-and-africa-carbon-fiber-geogrid-market-2018-forecast-to-2023?utm_source=RR-AN https://www.marketstudyreport.com https://www.marketstudyreport.com/category/news-releases/ Market Study Report adds a new report U.S. Industrial Hearing Protection Market Research Report for the period of 2017-2024 that shows the growth of the market is rising at a Steady CAGR to 2024. The report spread across 120 pages with table and figures in it.U.S. Industrial Hearing Protection Market is projected to surpass USD 650 million by 2024; according to a new research report.U.S. industrial hearing protection market may witness a demand of over 350 million unit by 2024. Positive outlook towards growing employee safety standards in manufacturing, chemical, construction, mining and oil & gas sector should boost product demand. Stringent regulation and policies set forth by OSHA and NIOSH along with employer need to comply standards should boost regional industry growth.Industrial noise level of above 85 dB is considered harmful for workers prone to such environment. Most industrial noise are caused by machineries such as motors, generators, fan, blowers & engines along with induced production process. Hearing protection devices block such harmful noise waves entering the ear.Get Sample Copy of This Research Report:U.S. industrial hearing protection band market expects to surpass USD 40 million by 2024. These are flexible & adjustable bands and its ergonomics design makes it suitable for usage alongside with other PPE (personal protective equipment).Industrial hearing protection industry growth is highly attributable to technological change and new product innovations. Employees are usually reluctant to use these protective gears owing to challenges faced like interference in on-the-job communication, compatibility and fit. These challenges were overcome by development of wireless technology and use of conforming material in production.ABS, HDPE, synthetic rubber, soft polyurethane foam and PVC are commonly used raw material in manufacturing these devices. Majority market share of these materials are consumed in manufacturing process of various other industries including construction, manufacturing, aerospace, automotive and packaging. This can create a high risk of procurement cost which can affect industrial hearing protection market price trend.U.S. industrial hearing protection market from non-disposable earplugs should witness growth at over 3.5% by 2024. These products are reusable and washable in nature which should create avenues for growth in product demand. It usually has noise reduction rating of over 25dB and usable over a period of weeks.Purchase this report at:U.S. industrial hearing protection market from food industry should witness gains at over 2.5%. Most of the food & beverage industry have processes which emit noises at above 80 dBA & 85 dBA. Hazardous noise can increase workplace accidents and decrease productivity. Increasing PPE demand in food & beverages applications should drive regional industry growth.U.S. industrial hearing protection market from construction applications should witness gains at over 2.5%. Construction industry workers require these devices to prevent loud noises from stamping process and firearms. Exposure to loud noises can cause permanent or temporary induced hearing loss which can be prevented by using these devices.U.S. industrial hearing protection market share is competitive and moderately consolidated with the presence of major participants including 3M, Honeywell, Elvex, MSA Safety, Starkey and David Clark Company. Further regional industry consolidation can be attained through acquisition, mergers and partnership.Table of Contents:Chapter 1 Methodology & Scope1.1 Research Methodology1.1.1 Initial data exploration1.1.2 Statistical model and forecast1.1.3 Industry insights and validation1.1.4 Definition and forecast parameters1.2 Data Sources1.2.1 Primary1.2.2 SecondaryChapter 2 Executive Summary2.1 U.S. industrial hearing protection industry 360 degree synopsis, 2017 - 20242.1.1 Business trends2.1.2 Product trends2.1.3 Application trendsChapter 3 U.S. Industrial Hearing Protection Industry Insights3.1 Industry segmentation3.2 Industry landscape, 2013 - 20243.3 Industry ecosystem analysis3.3.1 Vendor matrix3.3.2 Distribution channel analysis3.3.2.1 Strategic Alliance3.3.2.2 Collaboration/Partnership3.3.2.3 Wholesalers/Distributors3.3.2.4 Service Providers3.3.2.5 Technology providers3.4 Regulatory landscape3.4.1 U.S.3.4.1.1 OSHA3.4.1.2 ANSI3.5 Technology landscape3.6 Raw material trend3.6.1 Polyvinyl chloride3.6.2 Polyurethane3.6.3 Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS)3.6.3.1 Styrene3.6.3.2 Acrylonitrile3.6.3.3 Butadiene3.7 Pricing AnalysisRelated Reports: -Global (North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa) Carbon Fiber Geogrid Market 2018 Forecast to 2023Carbon fibre geogrid is a geogrid made of carbon fibre yarns. Adhesion. The property by means of which a geosynthetic sticks to the surface of the road and or binder. Binder. A liquid comprised of bitumen, either in its natural condition or modified in some way.About Us:Marketstudyreport.com allows you to manage and control all corporate research purchases to consolidate billing and vendor management. You can eliminate duplicate purchases and customize your content and license management.Contact Us:Market Study Report4 North Main Street,Selbyville, Delaware 19975USAPhone: 1-302-273-0910US Toll Free: 1-866-764-2150Email: sales@marketstudyreport.comWebsite:News: Smart Glass in Automotive Market Set to Surge Significantly During 2016-2026 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/11758 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/11758 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com Global Smart Glass in Automotive Market: OverviewA smart glass is a type of glass that modifies and controls the light properties passing through it as per the variation in the light intensity, fluctuation in voltage and heat variation. Initially the scope of the smart glasses was limited to only construction and architectural purposes but nowadays it has widen to aviation, rail, marine and automotive. Rapid research and development in this segment has attracted many private players and government agencies to invest in this technology. Due to this reason the number of players offering smart glass to the automotive company has increased significantly in the recent years. Also the countries like China and India offer tremendous opportunity for automotive market growth, so smart glass manufacturers are trying to expand their business in these emerging economies.There are wide applications of smart glass in any automotive that includes rear and side view mirror, sunroofs, windshield, backlights and sidelights so the smart glass in automotive has a healthy growth potential in the further future. Also there are safety regulations pertaining to the glass used in automotive these days and this leads to the increased usage of this smart glasses in order to be in line with the norms of a specific region. The global smart glass in automotive market is anticipated to have a lucrative CAGR in the forecasted period.Global Smart Glass in Automotive Market: Drivers and RestrainsIncreasing global automotive market and the essential glasses being deployed in these automotive is the key driving factor for the global smart glass in automotive market. Also automotive consumers are becoming aware about this technology and for their luxury and comfort they are implementing this technology in their vehicles that is bolstering the aftermarket of smart glass. Also mandatory rules and regulations of some countries for the safety and security of the passengers is another factor forcing the vehicle owners to deploy smart glasses, thereby leading to growth of smart glass in automotive market. However, high cost associated with these smart glasses are making people to think twice before opting for this technology. Also in some developing regions vehicles users are not aware about this technology. Aforementioned factors might hamper global smart glass in automotive market growth.Request for Table of Contents @Global Smart Glass in Automotive Market: SegmentationOn the basis of technology, the global smart glass in automotive market can be segmented as follows:Electro chromic glassSuspended Particle Device (SPD) glassThermo chromic glassPolymer dispersed liquid crystals glassPhoto chromatics glassOn the basis of applications, the global smart glass in automotive market can be segmented as follows:Side/ rear view mirrorSunroofsSidelites/ BacklitesWindshieldOn the basis of glass type, the global smart glass in automotive market can be segmented as follows:LaminatedTemperedOthersOn the basis of vehicle type, the global smart glass in automotive market can be segmented as follows:LCVsHCVsPassenger CarsOthersOn the basis of window type, the global smart glass in automotive market can be segmented as follows:Active smart windowPassive smart windowGlobal Smart Glass in Automotive Market: Regional OutlookGeographically, the global smart glass in automotive market is segmented into seven regions, namely North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific Excluding Japan (APEJ), Japan and Middle East and Africa (MEA). Western Europe is the leading region in the global smart glass in automotive market due to the deployment of essential smart glasses in the vehicles being manufactured especially in Germany. Asia Pacific is the second major contributor in the global smart glass in automotive market due to presence of automobile giants such as Maruti Suzuki India Limited, Hero MotoCorp Ltd and other companies, which has led towards installation of smart glass in automobiles.Request to View Sample of Research Report @Companies such as General Motors Company, The Ford Motor Company are having a significant contribution in the North America, thus making it a considerable market in the global smart glass in automotive market. Japan is well established in the automotive market, so smart glasses are used on a large scale by the automobile manufacturers in this region. Latin America and Middle East and Africa are at a nascent stage in the global smart glass in automotive market but is anticipated to record modest growth during the forecast period.Global Smart Glass in Automotive Market: Key PlayersSome of the key players in the global smart glass in automotive market are as follows:PPG IndustriesSAGE ElectrochromicsGentex Corp.Research Frontiers, Inc.Hitachi Chemicals Co. Ltd.View, IncGlass Apps.AGC, Ltd.SmartGlass International Ltd.Scienstry IncRavenBrick LLCPleotint, LLCABOUT US:Persistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance. To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.CONTACT:Persistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: Bulgaria Institutional Construction Market Trends and Drivers Analysis 2017 To 2021 http://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/2397570-institutional-construction-market-in-bulgaria-market-size-growth-and-forecast-analytics https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/2397570-institutional-construction-market-in-bulgaria-market-size-growth-and-forecast-analytics Bulgaria Institutional Construction MarketSynopsis"Institutional Construction Market in Bulgaria: Market Size, Growth and Forecast Analytics to 2021" contains historic and forecast market data for the institutional construction market in Bulgaria, with a detailed breakdown of the data by construction activity (new construction, repair and maintenance, refurbishment and demolition) and by cost type( construction materials, construction equipment and construction services). This report also contains overall values of the institutional construction segments such as Institutional construction market covers the development of government, public and religious buildings. This market includes five categories: educational buildings, healthcare buildings, institutional buildings, religious buildings and research facilities.. This research report provides up-to-date market size data for the period 2012-2016 and an illustrative forecast to 2021.Click here for sample report @SummaryInstitutional construction market covers the development of government, public and religious buildings. This market includes five categories: educational buildings, healthcare buildings, institutional buildings, religious buildings and research facilities.The Bulgarian institutional construction category has observed some fluctuations in the review period with a value of BGNxxx.xx million (US$xxx.xx million) in 2016 and increased at a rate of x.xx% over 2015. The market recorded a CARC of -x.xx% from 2012 through 2016."Institutional Construction Market in Bulgaria: Market Size, Growth and Forecast Analytics to 2021"' provides a top-level overview and detailed insight into the operating environment of the institutional construction market in Bulgaria. It is an essential tool for companies active across the Bulgaria construction value chain and for new players considering to enter the market.Scope An overview of the institutional construction market in Bulgaria.Historic (2012 through 2016) and forecast (2017 through 2021) construction market output values are provided.A detailed breakdown of the data by construction activity (new construction, repair and maintenance, refurbishment and demolition) is provided at the market level while the values for the segments are provided by cost types (construction materials, construction equipment & construction services).This report covers all the segments of commercial construction market including Institutional construction market covers the development of government, public and religious buildings. This market includes five categories: educational buildings, healthcare buildings, institutional buildings, religious buildings and research facilities..Reasons To Buy Enhances your knowledge of the market with key figures detailing construction type.Provides you with a breakdown of the market by construction activity (new construction, repair and maintenance, refurbishment and demolition).Provides you with a breakdown of the segments by cost type (construction materials, construction equipment &construction services).Details the segments covered under commercial construction market.Allows you to plan future business decisions using the forecast figures given.Table of Contents1 Introduction1.1 What is this Report About?1.2 Definitions1.3 CAGR Definition and Calculation2 Overall Institutional Construction: Market Analysis2.1 Overall Institutional Construction Output Value, 2012 - 20162.2 Overall Institutional Construction Output Value Forecast, 2017 - 20212.3 Overall Institutional Construction Output Value by Cost Type2.3.1 Overall Institutional Construction Output Value by Cost Type, 2012 - 20162.3.2 Overall Institutional Construction Output Value by Cost Type Forecast, 2017 - 20213 Institutional Construction Output: Analysis by Category3.1 New Construction Output Value, 2012 - 20163.2 New Construction Output Value Forecast, 2017 - 20213.3 New Construction Output Value by Cost Type3.3.1 New Construction Output Value by Cost Type,2012 - 20163.3.2 New Construction Output Forecast, by Cost Type, 2017 - 2021.ContinuedFor Detailed Reading Please visit @About UsWise 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 understand how essential statistical surveying information is for your organization or association. Therefore, we have associated with the top publishers and research firms all specialized in specific domains, ensuring you will receive the most reliable and up to date research data available.Wise Guy Reports understand how essential statistical surveying information is for your organization or association. Therefore, we have associated with the top publishers and research firms all specialized in specific domains, ensuring you will receive the most reliable and up to date research data available. We also provide COTS (Commercial off the Shelf) business sector reports as custom exploration agreeing your particular needs.WISEGUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersPune - 411028Maharashtra, India Underwater Robotics Market New Investments Expected to boost the Demand by 2022 Underwater Robotics Market https://www.htfmarketreport.com/sample-report/768027-world-underwater-robotics-market-research-report-2022 https://www.htfmarketreport.com/request-discount/768027-world-underwater-robotics-market-research-report-2022 https://www.htfmarketreport.com/buy-now?format=1&report=768027 https://www.htfmarketreport.com/reports/768027-world-underwater-robotics-market-research-report-2022 A new research document with title 'World Underwater Robotics Market Research Report 2022 (covering USA, Europe, China, Japan, India, South East Asia and etc)' covering detailed analysis, Competitive landscape, forecast and strategies. The study covers geographic analysis that includes regions like USA, Europe, Japan, China, India, South East Asia and important players/vendors such as Soil Machine Dynamics, Inuktun Services, MacArtney Group, Atlas Maridan, ECA Group etc. The report will help user gain market insights, future trends and growth prospects for forecast period of 2018-2022.Request a sample report @The Underwater Robotics market research report provides the newest industry data and industry future trends, allowing you to identify the products and end users driving Revenue growth and profitability.The industry report lists the leading competitors and provides the insights strategic industry Analysis of the key factors influencing the market.The report includes the forecasts, Analysis and discussion of important industry trends, market size, market share estimates and profiles of the leading industry Players.Global Underwater Robotics Market: Product Segment AnalysisAutonomous VehicleRemotely Operated VehicleCrawlersOthersGlobal Underwater Robotics Market: Application Segment AnalysisScientific explorationMilitaryUnderwater construction, salvage, rescue and repairGlobal Underwater Robotics Market: Regional Segment AnalysisUSAEuropeJapanChinaIndiaSouth East AsiaThe Players mentioned in our reportDeep Ocean EngineeringBluefin RoboticsInternational Submarine EngineeringSoil Machine DynamicsInuktun ServicesMacArtney GroupAtlas MaridanECA GroupGet customization & check discount for report @Chapter 1 About the Underwater Robotics Industry1.1 Industry Definition and Types1.1.1 Autonomous Vehicle1.1.2 Remotely Operated Vehicle1.1.3 Crawlers1.1.1.4 Others1.2 Main Market Activities1.3 Similar Industries1.4 Industry at a GlanceChapter 2 World Market Competition Landscape2.1 Underwater Robotics Markets by Regions2.1.1 USAMarket Revenue (M USD) and Growth Rate 2012-2022Sales and Growth Rate 2012-2022Major Players Revenue (M USD) in 20172.1.2 EuropeMarket Revenue (M USD) and Growth Rate 2012-2022Sales and Growth Rate 2012-2022Major Players Revenue (M USD) in 20172.1.3 ChinaMarket Revenue (M USD) and Growth Rate 2012-2022Sales and Growth Rate 2012-2022Major Players Revenue (M USD) in 2017Buy this report @2.1.4 IndiaMarket Revenue (M USD) and Growth Rate 2012-2022Sales and Growth Rate 2012-2022Major Players Revenue (M USD) in 20172.1.5 JapanMarket Revenue (M USD) and Growth Rate 2012-2022Sales and Growth Rate 2012-2022Major Players Revenue (M USD) in 20172.1.6 South East AsiaMarket Revenue (M USD) and Growth Rate 2012-2022Sales and Growth Rate 2012-2022Major Players Revenue (M USD) in 20172.2 World Underwater Robotics Market by TypesAutonomous VehicleRemotely Operated VehicleCrawlersOthers2.3 World Underwater Robotics Market by ApplicationsScientific explorationMilitaryUnderwater construction, salvage, rescue and repair2.4 World Underwater Robotics Market Analysis2.4.1 World Underwater Robotics Market Revenue and Growth Rate 2012-20172.4.2 World Underwater Robotics Market Consumption and Growth rate 2012-20172.4.3 World Underwater Robotics Market Price Analysis 2012-2017....ContinuedView Detailed Table of Content @Thanks for reading this article, you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report version like North America, Europe or Asia.HTF Market Report is a wholly owned brand of HTF market Intelligence Consulting Private Limited. HTF Market Report global research and market intelligence consulting organization is uniquely positioned to not only identify growth opportunities but to also empower and inspire you to create visionary growth strategies for futures, enabled by our extraordinary depth and breadth of thought leadership, research, tools, events and experience that assist you for making goals into a reality. Our understanding of the interplay between industry convergence, Mega Trends, technologies and market trends provides our clients with new business models and expansion opportunities. We are focused on identifying the Accurate Forecast in every industry we cover so our clients can reap the benefits of being early market entrants and can accomplish their Goals & Objectives.Craig Francis (PR & Marketing Manager)HTF Market Intelligence Consulting Private LimitedUnit No. 429, Parsonage Road Edison, NJNew Jersey USA 08837Phone: +1 (206) 317 1218sales@htfmarketreport.com Iris Recognition Market Professional Survey Trends by Product and Application 2018 https://www.researchtrades.com/request-sample/1554338 https://www.researchtrades.com/checkout/1554338 https://www.researchtrades.com/report/global-iris-recognition-market-size-status-and-forecast-2025/1554338 This report studies the global Iris Recognition market, analyzes and researches the Iris Recognition development status and forecast in United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia.Get FREE and detailed sample copy of updated Analysis & Status @Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the top players in global market, likeSmartmatic International Corporation3M CogentIrisguardSri InternationalBioenable TechnologiesCrossmatch TechnologiesSafranEyelockMarket segment by Regions/Countries, this report coversUnited StatesEUJapanChinaIndiaSoutheast AsiaMarket segment by Type, the product can be split intoIris Imaging TechnologiesStandalone Iris Imaging ? Legacy SolutionsIris Imaging Integrated into Mobile DevicesMarket segment by Application, Iris Recognition can be split intoMilitary & DefenseBanking & FinanceTravel & ImmigrationGovernmentHealthcareConsumer ElectronicsAutomotiveYou can get a single user copy at USD 3300 and can get discount on it @Table of Content:1 Industry Overview of Iris Recognition1.1 Iris Recognition Market Overview1.1.1 Iris Recognition Product Scope1.1.2 Market Status and Outlook1.2 Global Iris Recognition Market Size and Analysis by Regions (2013-2018)1.2.1 United States1.2.2 EU1.2.3 Japan1.2.4 China1.2.5 India1.2.6 Southeast Asia1.3 Iris Recognition Market by Type1.3.1 Iris Imaging Technologies1.3.2 Standalone Iris Imaging ? Legacy Solutions1.3.3 Iris Imaging Integrated into Mobile Devices1.4 Iris Recognition Market by End Users/Application1.4.1 Military & Defense1.4.2 Banking & Finance1.4.3 Travel & Immigration1.4.4 Government1.4.5 Healthcare1.4.6 Consumer Electronics1.4.7 Automotive2 Global Iris Recognition Competition Analysis by Players2.1 Iris Recognition Market Size (Value) by Players (2013-2018)2.2 Competitive Status and Trend2.2.1 Market Concentration Rate2.2.2 Product/Service Differences2.2.3 New Entrants2.2.4 The Technology Trends in FutureGet complete analysis @3 Company (Top Players) Profiles3.1 Smartmatic International Corporation3.1.1 Company Profile3.1.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.1.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.1.4 Iris Recognition Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.1.5 Recent Developments3.2 3M Cogent3.2.1 Company Profile3.2.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.2.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.2.4 Iris Recognition Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.2.5 Recent Developments3.3 Irisguard3.3.1 Company Profile3.3.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.3.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.3.4 Iris Recognition Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.3.5 Recent DevelopmentsContinue....Who we areResearch Trades has team of experts who works on providing exhaustive analysis pertaining to market research on a global basis. This comprehensive analysis is obtained by a thorough research and study of the ongoing trends and provides predictive data regarding the future estimations, which can be utilized by various organizations for growth purposes.We distribute customized reports that focus on meeting the clients specific requirement. Our database consists of a large collection of high-quality reports obtained using a customer-centric approaches, thus providing valuable research insights. Global GPS Tracking Device Market Forecasts 2018-2024: Advancement in the Software is a Major Driver - Key Players are Calamp Corporation, Sierra Wireless, Inc., Orbocomm Inc., Queclink Wireless Solutions Co., Ltd Global GPS Tracking Device Market Industry Trends and Forecast to 2024 http://databridgemarketresearch.com/request-a-sample/?dbmr=global-gps-tracking-device-market http://databridgemarketresearch.com/speak-to-analyst/?dbmr=global-gps-tracking-device-market http://databridgemarketresearch.com/reports/global-gps-tracking-device-market/ Global GPS Tracking Device Market accounted to USD 1.5 billion in 2016 growing at a CAGR of 13.0% during the forecast period of 2017 to 2024. The upcoming market report contains data for historic years 2015, the base year of calculation is 2016 and the forecast period is 2017 to 2024.A GPS tracking unit is a device, normally carried by a moving vehicle or person, that uses the Global Positioning System to determine and track its precise location, and hence that of its carrier, at intervals. The latest trend in this market is growth in commercial vehicle leading to the growth of GPS system, they are in small in size, easy to carry, which may further develop the market in future. There is need of GPS tracking devices for several applications like Transportation & Logistics, Construction, Oil & Gas, Metals & Mining, Government; others will create a huge market for the GPS tracking devices.FREE | Sample Copy is Available@Global GPS Tracking Device Market By Type (Standalone Tracker, PBD Device, Advance Tracker) By Deployment type (Commercial Vehicle, Cargo and Container, Others), By Application (Transportation & Logistics, Construction, Oil & Gas, Metals & Mining, Government, Others) By Geography (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Europe, South America, Middle East and Africa) Industry Trends and Forecast to 2024Major Market Competitors: Calamp Corporation, Sierra Wireless, Inc., Orbocomm Inc., Queclink Wireless Solutions Co., Ltd, Shenzhen Concox Information Technology Co., Ltd, Laird PLC., Tomtom International Bv, MeitrackGroup, Teltonika UAB, Atrack Technology Inc., Trackimo LLC,Geotab Inc., Shenzhen Coban Electronics Co., Ltd, Xirgo Technologies, Inc., Maestro Wireless Solutions Ltd., Ruptela UAB, Spy tech, Inc., Verizon Wireless among others.In 2017, Volkswagen sign a deal with Sierra wireless Inc. to use the GPS tracking devices in their cars.Competitive Analysis:GPS Tracking Device Market is highly fragmented and is based on new product launches and clinical results of products. Hence the major players have used various strategies such as new product launches, clinical trials, market initiatives, high expense on research and development, agreements, joint ventures, partnerships, acquisitions, and others to increase their footprints in this market. The report includes market shares of flow cytometry market for global, Europe, North America, Asia Pacific and South America.Major Market Drivers and Restraints: Commercial Vehicles increment leading to large supply of GPS system Smaller Size, Longer Life, and High ROI Low Prices Several Environmental Factors Leads to Poor User Experience Advancement in the SoftwareSpeak to our Expert for more Details @Some Major Countries Covered in This Report:- U.S., Canada, Germany, France, U.K., Netherlands, Switzerland, Turkey, Russia, China, India, South Korea, Japan, Australia, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Brazil among others.In 2017, North America is expected to dominate the market.Read More @About Data Bridge Market Research:Data Bridge Market Research set forth itself as an unconventional and neoteric Market research and consulting firm with unparalleled level of resilience and integrated approaches. We are determined to unearth the best market opportunities and foster efficient information for your business to thrive in the market. Data Bridge endeavors to provide appropriate solutions to the complex business challenges and initiates an effortless decision-making process.Contact:Data Bridge Market ResearchTel: +1-888-387-2818Email: sopan.gedam@databridgemarketresearch.com Fuel Cell Market Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Share 2024 https://www.marketstudyreport.com/request-a-sample/467756/?utm_source=OPR&utm_medium=AN https://www.marketstudyreport.com/securecheckout/paymenta/467756?msfpaycode=sumsf?utm_source=OPR&utm_medium=AN https://www.marketstudyreport.com/reports/global-magnetic-reed-switch-market-2018-by-manufacturers-countries-type-and-application-forecast-to-2023?utm_source=RR-AN https://www.marketstudyreport.com https://www.marketstudyreport.com/category/news-releases/ Market Study Report adds a new report Fuel Cell Market Research Report for the period of 2017-2024 that shows the growth of the market is rising at a Steady CAGR to 2024. The report spread across 490 pages with table and figures in it.Fuel Cell Market will exceed USD 6 billion by 2024, as reported in the latest study.Increasing investments toward development of hydrogen refueling station coupled with rising demand for space heating across commercial and residential establishments will drive the fuel cell market share. Upsurge in installation of portable charging sources owing to increasing recreation activities will further stimulate the industry outlook. In 2017, the Government of UK granted a funding of USD 30.6 million toward the development of hydrogen vehicles and infrastructure.Get Sample Copy of This Research Report:Favorable government policies pertaining to sustainable energy technologies along with increasing demand for FCEV's will drive the fuel cell market share. Upsurge in funding by private institutions and government organizations including DOE, DAG Ventures and Credit Suisse toward technological advancement and innovations will stimulate the business landscape. In 2015, Credit Suisse funded USD 130 million in the Bloom Energy toward the development of SOFC technology in the U.S.Japan fuel cell market is set to exceed 70 MW by 2024. Increasing concerns pertaining to security of supply along with growing adoption of clean energy technologies will propel the industry growth. Government backed extensive research and development projects along with development of hydrogen infrastructure across the nation will complement the industry outlook. In 2017, Hyundai unveiled its plan to launch second-generation hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, which will enhance the properties of the technology.Wide applications area including FCEV's, forklift trucks, two and three wheelers, light vehicles, trams, ferries, small boats and goods handling vehicles will boost the product adoption across transport sector. Ongoing deployment in e-bikes, UAVs, and in numerous commercial vehicles will further complement the fuel cell market growth. In 2016, the fuel cell vehicle sales in the U.S. grew to 5,000 units when compared to 4,000 units in 2015.SOFC in 2016, accounted for over 40% of the global fuel cell market share. Ongoing adoption of fuel cells across small and large stationary power generation systems will stimulate the industry growth. These cells operate at high temperatures ranging between 8000C to 1,0000C and have an efficiency of over 60% when converted from fuel to electricity. High efficiency, stability, comparatively low cost, fuel flexibility and low emissions are some of the key features that will enhance the product penetration.Purchase this report at:Regulatory policies pertaining to emissions along with increasing investments toward development of hydrogen infrastructure will drive the UK fuel cell market share. Increasing focus to replace the conventional power sources with the sustainable energy systems will further stimulate the industry growth. The Government of UK has planned to open 65 hydrogen refueling station by 2020 and 1,150 by 2030.Key industry players across fuel cell market includes Ceres Power, Hydrogenics Corporation, SFC, Ballard, Horizon, Bloom Energy, Plug Power, FuelCell Energy, Arcola, Toshiba, AFC Energy, UTC Power, Doosan and Panasonic. The industry has witnessed numerous mergers and acquisitions by industry players to expand their regional presence.Table of Contents:Chapter 1 Methodology & Scope1.1 Methodology1.1.1 Initial data exploration1.1.2 Statistical model and forecast1.1.3 Industry insights and validation1.1.4 Market definition and forecast parameters1.2 Data Sources1.2.1 Secondary1.2.2 PrimaryChapter 2 Executive Summary2.1 Fuel cell 3600 synopsis, 2013 20242.1.1 Business trends2.1.2 Product trends2.1.3 Application trends2.1.4 Regional trendsChapter 3 Fuel Cell Industry Insights3.1 Industry segmentation3.2 Industry landscape, 2013 2024 (USD Million) (MW)3.3 Industry ecosystem analysis3.3.1 Vendor matrix3.4 Innovation & sustainability3.5 Regulatory landscape3.5.1 U.S.3.5.1.1 Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy Association (FCHEA)3.5.1.1.1 Safety, Codes & Standards3.5.1.2 CSA Fuel Cell Standards3.5.1.3 SAE Fuel Cell Vehicle Safety Committee (automotive) enabling standards3.5.1.4 NFPA 2: Hydrogen Technologies Code3.5.1.5 Overview of Regulations, Codes, and Standards Related to Hydrogen Infrastructure Safety3.5.2 Europe3.5.2.1 Investments: Government and Collaborative Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Funding3.5.3 Japan3.5.3.1 Investments: Government and Collaborative Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Funding3.5.3.2 Government Targets3.5.4 South Korea3.5.4.1 Government Targets3.6 Orders and installations, 20153.6.1 Bloom energy3.6.2 Doosan fuel cell3.6.3 FuelCell Energy and FuelCell Energy Solutions, GmbH3.7 Industry impact forces3.7.1 Growth drivers3.7.1.1 Government positive outlook and incentives3.7.1.2 Environment-friendly and a better alternative than existing options3.7.1.3 More efficient than batteries3.7.2 Industry pitfalls & challenges3.7.2.1 Lack of infrastructure3.8 Growth potential analysis3.9 Announced Hydrogen Stations Plans, Upgrades, 20153.10 Commercially available hydrogen generation systems, 20153.11 Hydrogen energy storage projects, 20153.12 Porters Analysis3.13 Competitive landscape, 20163.13.1 Strategy dashboardRelated Reports: -Global Magnetic Reed Switch Market 2018 by Manufacturers, Countries, Type and Application, Forecast to 2023This report studies the Magnetic Reed Switch market. Magnetic Reed Switch consists of a pair of ferromagnetic reeds, which overlap at their free ends (contact area) at a very small distance and are hermetically sealed in a glass tube. When in the presence of a magnetic field, the reeds become magnetized to opposite polarity, thus attracting each other and closing contact. Like many other great inventions, reed switches were born at Bell Laboratories, invented there in the mid-1930s by Walter B. Elwood. Today, reed switches are still in common uses.About Us:Marketstudyreport.com allows you to manage and control all corporate research purchases to consolidate billing and vendor management. You can eliminate duplicate purchases and customize your content and license management.Contact Us:Market Study Report4 North Main Street,Selbyville, Delaware 19975USAPhone: 1-302-273-0910US Toll Free: 1-866-764-2150Email: sales@marketstudyreport.comWebsite:News: Global Email Marketing Industry Highlights Key Development Factors and Upcoming Trends During forecast 2017-2025 MRRSE https://www.mrrse.com/sample/2885 https://www.mrrse.com/email-marketing-industry In order to study the various trends and patterns prevailing in the overall market for Email Marketing, Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE) has included a new report titled Email Marketing to its wide online database. This research assessment offers a clear insight about the influential factors that are expected to tmrform the global market in the near future. Readers can access the regional as well as segment-wise analysis for acquiring precise information about the global market structure.Free | Request a Sample Report at @The global email marketing market is fragmented. There is intense competition in the market between players such as Microsoft Corp., IBM, Zoho Corp., Responsys Inc., and Epsilon. These companies collectively accounted for 44% of the market in 2016, states MRRSE in its new report. The competition is mainly between established players, who are providing solution and services to end use industries. High investments in various technologies and innovations for email marketing the market. Technical advancements in tools of email marketing solution and the growing research activities for the development of services and solutions will attract new players in the market.According to the report published by MRRSE, the global email marketing market is likely to expand at 19.60% CAGR from 2017 to 2025. The market will be worth US$22.16 bn by 2025 after being worth US$4.51 bn in 2016. On the basis of component, the software segment is expected to emerge as the leading one in the forecast period. The increasing uptake of white label software, web based software, and third party standard software is behind the growth of the software segments leading position in terms of components. On the basis of enterprise, the small and medium enterprises will adopt email marketing on a larger scale. Small and medium enterprises make use of the email marketing tool for targeting various groups of users to advertise their products, services, and solutions. It is estimated that the small scale enterprises in the retail or commerce business will make the most contribution to the global email marketing industry in the years to come.Asia Pacific to be Lucrative Market for Email MarketingBy geography, the market is expected to be led by Asia Pacific. The region is expected to expand at a 22.80% CAGR between 2017 and 2025. North America is expected to witness a sluggish growth in the years to come on account of the various regulatory laws. In North America, the U.S. and Canada the CAN-SPAM Act and CASL act are governing the email marketing practices. However, the growing internet penetration and increasing number of smartphone users may bode well for the North American email marketing market in the coming years.Growing Number of Email Users to Fuel Adoption of Email MarketingThe increasing use of emails for communication and various other works is driving the global email marketing market. The number of email users is constantly increasing and this is expected to continue to drive the global email marketing market. Email is the most productive medium for advertising and marketing and by 2019 one third of the population will make use of emails. The growing awareness among users as to how email marketing provides a higher RoI rate than other forms of digital marketing will drive the growth of this market. On the flip side, the growing privacy issues and security concerns will restrict the growth of the global email marketing market.The report further includes key industry developments in the email marketing industry. Porter Five Force analysis and ecosystem analysis is also included in the report. The report also covers market indicator which provide supporting factor for the growth of the email marketing covered in the scope of study. It shows market attractiveness analysis for all the segments and for all the regions in the scope of study which identifies and compares segments market attractiveness on the basis of CAGR and market share index.The study also includes competition landscape which include competition matrix, market share analysis of major players in the global Email Marketing industry based on their 2016 revenues, and profiling of major players. Competition matrix benchmarks leading players on the basis of their capabilities and potential to grow. Factors including market position, offerings and R&D focus are attributed to companys capabilities. Factors including top line growth, market share, segment growth, infrastructure facilities and future outlook are attributed to companys potential to grow. This section also identifies and includes various recent developments carried out by the leading players.Companies Mentioned in the ReportCompany profile of the key players profiled in the global email marketing industry specifically covers provides company details (HQ, Foundation Year, Employee Strength), market presence of the company by segment., strategy of the company for the growth in the competitive market, revenue and operating profits and SWOT analysis.Key players operating the global email marketing industry companies profiled are Alchemy Worx Ltd., Adestra Ltd, GetResponse, VerticalResponse, Inc., dotmailer Ltd, Forfront Ltd., BlueHornet Inc., Constant Contact, Inc., BlueTie Inc., Drip, Inc., Microsoft Corporation, International Business Machines Corporation (IBM), The Rocket Science Group, LLC (mailChimp), iContact Corporation, Salesforce Inc., Zoho Corporation Pvt. Ltd., Campaign Monitor, Natexo Group, Epsilon, Responsys Inc (Oracle Corporation) and Salesforce Inc.For Complete Report with TOC click here @The global market for email marketing is segmented as below:By ComponentSoftware/ApplicationWhite Label SoftwareThird-party StandardWeb-based ApplicationServicesIntegration and InstallationSupport and MaintenanceBy TypeTraditionalAutomatedBy EnterpriseSmall and medium EnterpriseLarge EnterpriseBy End-use IndustryRetail/E-CommerceIT & TelecomTravel & LeisurePrint/PublishingBFSIOthersAbout MRRSEMarket Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE) is an industry-leading database of Market Research Reports. MRRSE is driven by a stellar team of research experts and advisors trained to offer objective advice. Our sophisticated search algorithm returns results based on the report title, geographical region, publisher, or other keywords.MRRSE partners exclusively with leading global publishers to provide clients single-point access to top-of-the-line market research. MRRSEs repository is updated every day to keep its clients ahead of the next new trend in market research, be it competitive intelligence, product or service trends or strategic consulting.Contact UsState Tower90, State StreetSuite 700Albany, NY - 12207United States Telephone: +1-518-730-0559Email: sales@mrrse.com Health Tourism Market: Global Industry Analysis by Treatment, Geography, End User, Region with Healthy CAGR of 15.4% and Forecast by 2025 Global Health Tourism Market http://databridgemarketresearch.com/request-a-sample/?dbmr=global-health-tourism-market http://databridgemarketresearch.com/toc/?dbmr=global-health-tourism-market http://databridgemarketresearch.com/reports/global-health-tourism-market/ http://databridgemarketresearch.com/inquire-before-buying/?dbmr=global-health-tourism-market Health tourism is an inexorably prevalent restorative treatment choice for individuals over the United States and also nations all through the world. Furthermore, with a more prominent enthusiasm for the training there are more inquiries that emerge in regards to it. What's more, the first for some, individuals is the thing that it really implies. The meaning of wellbeing tourism, likewise habitually alluded to as restorative tourism, portrays the act of heading out to a nation that varies from your own to secure therapeutic treatment for an assortment of medical problems.Definition: Global Health Tourism MarketHealth tourism is to travel across different countries for the benefit of medical treatment of the diseases which may not be accessible in the patients nation of origin. The treatment might incorporate a wide cluster of therapeutic services. Though, the most frequently profited services include elective surgery, fertility treatment, dental care and cosmetic surgery.This Report Consists of No of pages: 350, No of Figures: 60, No of Tables: 220Global Health Tourism Market Type of Treatment (Cardiovascular Treatment, Orthopedic Treatment, Dental Treatment Fertility Treatment, Cosmetic Treatment, Neurological Treatment, Cancer Treatment, and Others), Geography Industry Trends and Forecast to 2025The Global Health Tourism Market accounted to USD 64,000.0 million in 2017 growing at a CAGR of 15.4% during the forecast period of 2018 to 2025. The upcoming market report contains data for historic years 2015, the base year of calculation is 2017 and the forecast period is 2018 to 2025.Download PDF Sample Report @Frequently Asked Questions? What will the market size be in 2025? What are the key factors driving the global market? What are the challenges to market growth? Who are the key players in the market? What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key players? What will be the growth rate in 2025? Which strategies are used by top players in the Global Health Tourism Market?TABLE OF CONTENTS1) Introduction2) MARKET SEGMENTATION3) Market Overview Drivers Restraints OPPORTUNITIES CHALLENGES4) EXECUTIVE SUMMARY5) premium insights6) Global Health Tourism Market, by Type7) Global Health Tourism Market, by geography Overview North America Europe Asia-Pacific south America Middle East and Africa8) Global Health Tourism Market, Competitive Analysis9) company profiles Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Limited, Fortis Healthcare Ltd., Asian Heart Institute and Research Centre Private Limited and many moreGet Detail TOC @Competitive Analysis: Global Health Tourism MarketThe global health tourism market is highly fragmented and is based on new product launches and clinical results of products. Hence the major players have used various strategies such as new product launches, clinical trials, market initiatives, high expense on research and development, agreements, joint ventures, partnerships, acquisitions, and others to increase their footprints in this market. The report includes market shares of health tourism market for global, Europe, North America, Asia Pacific and South America.Market Segmentation: Global Health Tourism MarketBy type of treatment the global health tourism market is segmented into cardiovascular treatment, orthopedic treatment, dental treatment fertility treatment, cosmetic treatment, neurological treatment, cancer treatmentOn the basis of geography, global health tourism market report covers data points for 28 countries across multiple geographies such as North America & South America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Middle East & AfricaSome of the major countries covered in this report are U.S., Canada, Germany, France, U.K., Netherlands, Switzerland, Turkey, Russia, China, India, South Korea, Japan, Australia, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and Brazil among others. In 2017, North America is expected to dominate the market.Visit Report @Top Competitors of Market: Global Health Tourism Market Prince Court Medical Centre, Aditya Birla Memorial Hospital, Infectious Diseases Partners Pte. Ltd., Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Limited, Fortis Healthcare Ltd., Asian Heart Institute and Research Centre Private Limited, KPJ Healthcare Berhad, Nippon Telegraph and Telephone East Corporation, Seoul National University Hospital, UZ Leuven (University Hospitals Leuven), Barbados Fertility Centre, Samitivej Public Company LimitedInquiry before buying @About Data Bridge Market Research:Data Bridge Market Research set forth itself as an unconventional and neoteric Market research and consulting firm with unparalleled level of resilience and integrated approaches. We are determined to unearth the best market opportunities and foster efficient information for your business to thrive in the market. Data Bridge endeavors to provide appropriate solutions to the complex business challenges and initiates an effortless decision-making process.Contact:Data Bridge Market ResearchTel: +1-888-387-2818Email: sopan.gedam@databridgemarketresearch.com Global Aircraft Global Positioning Systems Market Report 2018 Reportsweb http://www.reportsweb.com/inquiry&RW00011897269/sample http://www.reportsweb.com/global-aircraft-global-positioning-systems-market-report-2018 http://www.reportsweb.com/inquiry&RW00011897269/buying With the slowdown in world economic growth, the Aircraft Global Positioning Systems industry has also suffered a certain impact, but still maintained a relatively optimistic growth, the past four years, Aircraft Global Positioning Systems market size to maintain the average annual growth rate of 5.27% from 240 million $ in 2014 to 280 million $ in 2017, Publisher analysts believe that in the next few years, Aircraft Global Positioning Systems market size will be further expanded, we expect that by 2022, The market size of the Aircraft Global Positioning Systems will reach 400 million $.This Report covers the manufacturers' data, including: shipment, price, revenue, gross profit, interview record, business distribution etc., these data help the consumer know about the competitors better. This report also covers all the regions and countries of the world, which shows a regional development status, including market size, volume and value, as well as price data.Besides, the report also covers segment data, including: type segment, industry segment, channel segment etc. cover different segment market size, both volume and value. Also cover different industries clients information, which is very important for the manufacturers.Get Sample Copy @Manufacturer DetailGarminEsterlineHoneywell AerospaceAvidyne CorporationGenesys AerosystemsDynon AvionicsFreeFlight SystemsInnovative Solutions and SupportManufacturer DetailGarminEsterlineHoneywell AerospaceAvidyne CorporationGenesys AerosystemsDynon AvionicsFreeFlight SystemsInnovative Solutions and SupportProduct Type Segmentation (Portable GPS, Fixed GPS)Industry Segmentation (Military Aircrafts, Civil Aircrafts)Channel (Direct Sales, Distributor) SegmentationFor more information @Table of ContentsSection 1 Aircraft Global Positioning Systems Product DefinitionSection 2 Global Aircraft Global Positioning Systems Market Manufacturer Share and Market Overview2.1 Global Manufacturer Aircraft Global Positioning Systems Shipments2.2 Global Manufacturer Aircraft Global Positioning Systems Business Revenue2.3 Global Aircraft Global Positioning Systems Market OverviewSection 3 Manufacturer Aircraft Global Positioning Systems Business Introduction3.1 Garmin Aircraft Global Positioning Systems Business Introduction3.1.1 Garmin Aircraft Global Positioning Systems Shipments, Price, Revenue and Gross profit 2014-20173.1.2 Garmin Aircraft Global Positioning Systems Business Distribution by Region3.1.3 Garmin Interview Record3.1.4 Garmin Aircraft Global Positioning Systems Business Profile3.1.5 Garmin Aircraft Global Positioning Systems Product Specification3.2 Esterline Aircraft Global Positioning Systems Business Introduction3.2.1 Esterline Aircraft Global Positioning Systems Shipments, Price, Revenue and Gross profit 2014-20173.2.2 Esterline Aircraft Global Positioning Systems Business Distribution by Region3.2.3 Interview Record3.2.4 Esterline Aircraft Global Positioning Systems Business Overview3.2.5 Esterline Aircraft Global Positioning Systems Product Specification3.3 Honeywell Aerospace Aircraft Global Positioning Systems Business Introduction3.3.1 Honeywell Aerospace Aircraft Global Positioning Systems Shipments, Price, Revenue and Gross profit 2014-20173.3.2 Honeywell Aerospace Aircraft Global Positioning Systems Business Distribution by Region3.3.3 Interview Record3.3.4 Honeywell Aerospace Aircraft Global Positioning Systems Business Overview3.3.5 Honeywell Aerospace Aircraft Global Positioning Systems Product Specification3.4 Avidyne Corporation Aircraft Global Positioning Systems Business Introduction3.5 Genesys Aerosystems Aircraft Global Positioning Systems Business Introduction3.6 Dynon Avionics Aircraft Global Positioning Systems Business IntroductionSection 4 Global Aircraft Global Positioning Systems Market Segmentation (Region Level)4.1 North America Country4.1.1 United States Aircraft Global Positioning Systems Market Size and Price Analysis 2014-20174.1.2 Canada Aircraft Global Positioning Systems Market Size and Price Analysis 2014-20174.2 South America Country4.2.1 South America Aircraft Global Positioning Systems Market Size and Price Analysis 2014-20174.3 Asia Country4.3.1 China Aircraft Global Positioning Systems Market Size and Price Analysis 2014-20174.3.2 Japan Aircraft Global Positioning Systems Market Size and Price Analysis 2014-20174.3.3 India Aircraft Global Positioning Systems Market Size and Price Analysis 2014-20174.3.4 Korea Aircraft Global Positioning Systems Market Size and Price Analysis 2014-20174.4 Europe Country4.4.1 Germany Aircraft Global Positioning Systems Market Size and Price Analysis 2014-20174.4.2 UK Aircraft Global Positioning Systems Market Size and Price Analysis 2014-20174.4.3 France Aircraft Global Positioning Systems Market Size and Price Analysis 2014-20174.4.4 Italy Aircraft Global Positioning Systems Market Size and Price Analysis 2014-20174.4.5 Europe Aircraft Global Positioning Systems Market Size and Price Analysis 2014-20174.5 Other Country and Region4.5.1 Middle East Aircraft Global Positioning Systems Market Size and Price Analysis 2014-20174.5.2 Africa Aircraft Global Positioning Systems Market Size and Price Analysis 2014-20174.5.3 GCC Aircraft Global Positioning Systems Market Size and Price Analysis 2014-20174.6 Global Aircraft Global Positioning Systems Market Segmentation (Region Level) Analysis 2014-20174.7 Global Aircraft Global Positioning Systems Market Segmentation (Region Level) AnalysisSection 5 Global Aircraft Global Positioning Systems Market Segmentation (Product Type Level)5.1 Global Aircraft Global Positioning Systems Market Segmentation (Product Type Level) Market Size 2014-20175.2 Different Aircraft Global Positioning Systems Product Type Price 2014-20175.3 Global Aircraft Global Positioning Systems Market Segmentation (Product Type Level) AnalysisSection 6 Global Aircraft Global Positioning Systems Market Segmentation (Industry Level)6.1 Global Aircraft Global Positioning Systems Market Segmentation (Industry Level) Market Size 2014-20176.2 Different Industry Price 2014-20176.3 Global Aircraft Global Positioning Systems Market Segmentation (Industry Level) AnalysisSection 7 Global Aircraft Global Positioning Systems Market Segmentation (Channel Level)7.1 Global Aircraft Global Positioning Systems Market Segmentation (Channel Level) Sales Volume and Share 2014-20177.2 Global Aircraft Global Positioning Systems Market Segmentation (Channel Level) AnalysisSection 8 Aircraft Global Positioning Systems Market Forecast 2018-20228.1 Aircraft Global Positioning Systems Segmentation Market Forecast (Region Level)8.2 Aircraft Global Positioning Systems Segmentation Market Forecast (Product Type Level)8.3 Aircraft Global Positioning Systems Segmentation Market Forecast (Industry Level)8.4 Aircraft Global Positioning Systems Segmentation Market Forecast (Channel Level)Section 9 Aircraft Global Positioning Systems Segmentation Product Type9.1 Portable GPS Product Introduction9.2 Fixed GPS Product IntroductionSection 10 Aircraft Global Positioning Systems Segmentation Industry10.1 Military Aircrafts Clients10.2 Civil Aircrafts ClientsSection 11 Aircraft Global Positioning Systems Cost of Production Analysis11.1 Raw Material Cost Analysis11.2 Technology Cost Analysis11.3 Labor Cost Analysis11.4 Cost OverviewSection 12 ConclusionMake an enquiry:Contact Us:Call: +1-646-491-9876Email: sales@reportsweb.comReportsWeb.com is a one stop shop of market research reports and solutions to various companies across the globe. We help our clients in their decision support system by helping them choose most relevant and cost effective research reports and solutions from various publishers. We provide best in class customer service and our customer support team is always available to help you on your research queries.533, 5th floor, Amanora Township,Amanora Chambers, East Block,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028 Global New Energy Vehicle Exhaust System Market 2018-2025 Faurecia, Tenneco, Eberspacher New Energy Vehicle Exhaust System Market http://bit.ly/New-Energy-Vehicle-Exhaust-System http://www.9dimenresearchstore.com/report/global-new-energy-vehicle-exhaust-system-market-4644 http://9dimenresearchstore.com/ A market study "Global New Energy Vehicle Exhaust System Market" examines the performance of the New Energy Vehicle Exhaust System market 2018. It encloses an in-depth Research of the New Energy Vehicle Exhaust System market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of New Energy Vehicle Exhaust System market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.The Global New Energy Vehicle Exhaust System Market 2018 report includes New Energy Vehicle Exhaust System market Revenue, market Share, New Energy Vehicle Exhaust System industry volume, market Trends, New Energy Vehicle Exhaust System Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report. It shows manufacturing capacity, New Energy Vehicle Exhaust System Price during the Forecast period from 2018 to 2022.To Get Sample Report Click Here:Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global New Energy Vehicle Exhaust System Market 2018 :1. Faurecia2. Tenneco3. Eberspacher4. Boysen5. Sango6. HITER7. Yutaka Giken8. Calsonic Kansei9. Magneti Marelli10. Benteler11. Sejong Industrial12. Katcon13. Futaba14. Wanxiang15. BosalNew Energy Vehicle Exhaust System Market : By ApplicationPHEVBEVNew Energy Vehicle Exhaust System Market : By TypeSingle Exhaust SystemDual Exhaust SystemFirstly, the report covers the top New Energy Vehicle Exhaust System manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Further, the New Energy Vehicle Exhaust System report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of New Energy Vehicle Exhaust System industry, New Energy Vehicle Exhaust System industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. New Energy Vehicle Exhaust System Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.Browse Full Report Here:The New Energy Vehicle Exhaust System research report includes the products that are currently in demand and available in the market along with their cost breakup, manufacturing volume, import/export scheme and contribution to the New Energy Vehicle Exhaust System market revenue worldwide.Finally, New Energy Vehicle Exhaust System market report gives you details about the market research findings and conclusion which helps you to develop profitable market strategies to gain competitive advantage.About Us9Dimen Research Store is a leading market intelligence team which making extensive reports that cover all the necessary details about the market assessments such as major technological improvement in the industry.Contact US:5001 Spring Valley Rd #400,Dallas,TX 75244, USAContact No. +1-214-661-1669Email: sales@9dimenresearchstore.comWeb: Hosted PBX Market all-inclusive Overview of Market by 2025 https://www.researchtrades.com/request-sample/1553824 https://www.researchtrades.com/checkout/1553824 https://www.researchtrades.com/report/global-hosted-pbx-market-size-status-and-forecast-2025/1553824 This report studies the global Hosted PBX market, analyzes and researches the Hosted PBX development status and forecast in United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia.Get FREE and detailed sample copy of updated Analysis & Status @Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the top players in global market, likeAT&TBT GroupCisco Systems8x8AvayaMegapathCenturylinkPolycomMitel NetworksOzonetelNexge TechnologiesBullseye TelecomTPX CommunicationsTelesystemOneconnectInterglobe Communications3CSStar2star Communications.....Market segment by Regions/Countries, this report coversUnited StatesEUJapanChinaIndiaSoutheast AsiaMarket segment by Type, the product can be split intoVirtual Deployment & SetupVirtual Assistance & SupportOnline Charging ServicesEmergency Call Routing ServicesProtocol Management ServicesOthersMarket segment by Application, Hosted PBX can be split intoITBFSIHealthcareManufacturingRetailGovernment and Public SectorEducationOthersYou can get a single user copy at USD 3300 and can get discount on it @Table of Content:1 Industry Overview of Hosted PBX1.1 Hosted PBX Market Overview1.1.1 Hosted PBX Product Scope1.1.2 Market Status and Outlook1.2 Global Hosted PBX Market Size and Analysis by Regions (2013-2018)1.2.1 United States1.2.2 EU1.2.3 Japan1.2.4 China1.2.5 India1.2.6 Southeast Asia1.3 Hosted PBX Market by Type1.3.1 Virtual Deployment & Setup1.3.2 Virtual Assistance & Support1.3.3 Online Charging Services1.3.4 Emergency Call Routing Services1.3.5 Protocol Management Services1.3.6 Others1.4 Hosted PBX Market by End Users/Application1.4.1 IT1.4.2 BFSI1.4.3 Healthcare1.4.4 Manufacturing1.4.5 Retail1.4.6 Government and Public Sector1.4.7 Education1.4.8 Others2 Global Hosted PBX Competition Analysis by Players2.1 Hosted PBX Market Size (Value) by Players (2013-2018)2.2 Competitive Status and Trend2.2.1 Market Concentration Rate2.2.2 Product/Service Differences2.2.3 New Entrants2.2.4 The Technology Trends in FutureGet complete analysis @3 Company (Top Players) Profiles3.1 AT&T3.1.1 Company Profile3.1.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.1.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.1.4 Hosted PBX Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.1.5 Recent Developments3.2 BT Group3.2.1 Company Profile3.2.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.2.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.2.4 Hosted PBX Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.2.5 Recent Developments3.3 Cisco Systems3.3.1 Company Profile3.3.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.3.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.3.4 Hosted PBX Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.3.5 Recent DevelopmentsContinue....Who we areResearch Trades has team of experts who works on providing exhaustive analysis pertaining to market research on a global basis. This comprehensive analysis is obtained by a thorough research and study of the ongoing trends and provides predictive data regarding the future estimations, which can be utilized by various organizations for growth purposes.We distribute customized reports that focus on meeting the clients specific requirement. Our database consists of a large collection of high-quality reports obtained using a customer-centric approaches, thus providing valuable research insights. Global Mining Renewable Energy Systems Market 2018-2025 Bluhm Burton, Black & Veatch Holding Mining Renewable Energy Systems Market http://bit.ly/Mining-Renewable-Energy-Systems http://www.9dimenresearchstore.com/report/global-mining-renewable-energy-systems-market-4634 http://9dimenresearchstore.com/ A market study "Global Mining Renewable Energy Systems Market" examines the performance of the Mining Renewable Energy Systems market 2018. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Mining Renewable Energy Systems market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Mining Renewable Energy Systems market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.The Global Mining Renewable Energy Systems Market 2018 report includes Mining Renewable Energy Systems market Revenue, market Share, Mining Renewable Energy Systems industry volume, market Trends, Mining Renewable Energy Systems Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report. It shows manufacturing capacity, Mining Renewable Energy Systems Price during the Forecast period from 2018 to 2022.To Get Sample Report Click Here:Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Mining Renewable Energy Systems Market 2018 :1. Bluhm Burton Engineering Pty Ltd (BBE)2. Barrick Gold Corporation3. Black & Veatch Holding Company4. Cambridge Energy Partners5. Conergy6. Cronimet Holding GmbH7. Downer Group8. Enel Green Power9. General Electric10. Hanwha Group11. Juwi AG12. Newmont Mining Corporation13. Nuance Energy Group14. Poyry Plc15. Siemens AGMining Renewable Energy Systems Market : By ApplicationOff-Grid LocationsOthersMining Renewable Energy Systems Market : By TypeWindBiomassBiofuelSolarGeothermalFirstly, the report covers the top Mining Renewable Energy Systems manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Further, the Mining Renewable Energy Systems report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Mining Renewable Energy Systems industry, Mining Renewable Energy Systems industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Mining Renewable Energy Systems Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.Browse Full Report Here:The Mining Renewable Energy Systems research report includes the products that are currently in demand and available in the market along with their cost breakup, manufacturing volume, import/export scheme and contribution to the Mining Renewable Energy Systems market revenue worldwide.Finally, Mining Renewable Energy Systems market report gives you details about the market research findings and conclusion which helps you to develop profitable market strategies to gain competitive advantage.About Us9Dimen Research Store is a leading market intelligence team which making extensive reports that cover all the necessary details about the market assessments such as major technological improvement in the industry.Contact US:5001 Spring Valley Rd #400,Dallas,TX 75244, USAContact No. +1-214-661-1669Email: sales@9dimenresearchstore.comWeb: Global Lung Cancer Diagnostics Market Research Report Revealing Size, Share, Outlook and Forecast Report 2017-22 https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=S&rep_id=49 https://www.factmr.com/report/49/lung-cancer-diagnostics-market https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=D&rep_id=49 https://www.factmr.com/ A freshly compiled business intelligent report, titled Lung Cancer Diagnostics Market Research Forecast, Trend Analysis & Competition Tracking: Global Review 2017 to 2022 has been publicized to the vast archive of Fact.MR online repository. This 170 page study delivers all the vital details and information required to know about lung cancer market current as well as future prospects. The analysts of the study have gone through extensive research methodologies in order to generate data and information that reflects the latest market undercurrents and industry trends. For a deeper understanding of the market, a sub-category level analysis has been elaborated, by which readers and investors of the report will able to know that where the market stands to gain.Get A Free Sample Copy of Report@Increasing Awareness Programs for Lung Cancer to Drive Growth of the MarketA number of awareness programs associated with lung cancer and its related symptoms have been initiated in order to enhance the diagnosis and screening rates of individuals with high risks of developing lung malignancies. For example In the United Kingdom, November is considered to be the lung cancer awareness month, and is supported by Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation. Such initiatives help in raising awareness about early detection and diagnosis of lung cancer.CA tests will continue to be the most lucrative tests for lung cancer diagnostics in the market. Revenue from CA tests will account for US$ 889.3 Mn by 2022-end. Angiogenesis inhibitor is expected to witness the fastest expansion among test type in the market, followed by HER 2 tests. Revenue from ALK tests for lung cancer diagnostics will continue to remain low in the market.Hospital-associated Labs to Remain the Most Lucrative End-Users of Lung Cancer DiagnosticsHospital-associated labs will remain the most lucrative end-users of lung cancer diagnostics in the global market, with revenues estimated to reach nearly US$ 1,500 Mn by 2022-end. Cancer research institutes will continue to exhibit the fastest expansion in the global lung cancer diagnostics market, followed by independent diagnostic laboratories. In addition, independent diagnostic laboratories are expected to be the second largest end-users of lung cancer diagnostics throughout the forecast period.Competition TrackingNovel product launches for lung cancer diagnostics is a key strategy adopted by leading players in the global market, in order to increase their product portfolio. Fact.MRs report profiles key market players, which include Illumina, Inc., Abbott Laboratories, Thermo Fischer Scientific, Inc., QIAGEN N.V., Quest Diagnostics Incorporated, NeoGenomics Laboratories, Inc., NanoString Technologies, Inc., Myriad Genetics, Inc., Roche Holding AG, and Danaher Corporation.Browse Full Report with TOC@Table of Contents:Chapter 1. Global Lung Cancer Diagnostics Market Executive Summary. 12Chapter 2. Global Lung Cancer Diagnostics Market Overview. 142.1. Introduction. 142.1.1. Global Lung Cancer Diagnostics Market Taxonomy. 142.1.2. Global Lung Cancer Diagnostics Market Definition. 142.2. Global Lung Cancer Diagnostics Market Size (US$ Mn) and Forecast, 2012-2022. 152.2.1. Global Lung Cancer Diagnostics Market Y-o-Y Growth. 152.3. Global Lung Cancer Diagnostics Market Dynamics. 152.3.1. Drivers. 152.3.2. Restraints. 152.3.3. Trends. 162.4. Supply Chain. 162.5. Key Participants Market Presence (Intensity Map) By Region. 16Chapter 3. Global Lung Cancer Diagnostics Market Analysis and Forecast By Test Type. 173.1. Global Lung Cancer Diagnostics Market Size and Forecast By Test Type, 2012-2022. 173.1.1. CA Test Lung Cancer Diagnostics Market Size and Forecast, 2012-2022. 173.1.1.1. Revenue (US$ Mn) Comparison, By Region. 173.1.1.2. Market Share Comparison, By Region. 193.1.1.3. Y-o-Y growth Comparison, By Region. 193.1.2. HER2 Tests Lung Cancer Diagnostics Market Size and Forecast, 2012-2022. 203.1.2.1. Revenue (US$ Mn) Comparison, By Region. 203.1.2.2. Market Share Comparison, By Region. 223.1.2.3. Y-o-Y growth Comparison, By Region. 22ContinuedCheck Discount on this Report@About Fact.MRFact.MR is a fast-growing market research firm that offers the most comprehensive suite of syndicated and customized healthcare market research reports. We believe transformative intelligence can educate and inspire businesses to make smarter decisions. We know the limitations of the one-size-fits-all approach; thats why we publish multi-industry global, regional, and country-specific research reports.Contact UsFact.MR11140 Rockville PikeSuite 400Rockville, MD 20852United StatesEmail: sales@factmr.comWeb: Global Patient Positioning Market Research Report with Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2017 2022 https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=S&rep_id=52 https://www.factmr.com/report/52/patient-positioning-market https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=D&rep_id=52 https://www.factmr.com/ A freshly compiled business intelligent report, titled Patient Positioning Systems Market Research Forecast, Trend Analysis & Competition Tracking: Global Review 2017 to 2022 has been publicized to the vast archive of Fact.MR online repository. This 170 page study delivers all the vital details and information required to know about patient positioning systems market current as well as future prospects. The analysts of the study have gone through extensive research methodologies in order to generate data and information that reflects the latest market undercurrents and industry trends. For a deeper understanding of the market, a sub-category level analysis has been elaborated, by which readers and investors of the report will able to know that where the market stands to gain.Get A Free Sample Copy of Report@Surgical Tables Have the Largest Revenue Share ContributionThe surgical tables segment accounted for 27% revenue share in the patient positioning systems market in the year 2017 which was higher than the 19% revenue share of tables segment. The surgical tables segment is poised to grow to almost half a billion by the end of 2022.Lesser Opportunity in Radiolucent Imaging and Examination TablesRadiolucent imaging is estimated to be a little over US$ 360 million by end 2022 and is on track to witness a steady CAGR of over 6%. North America accounts for approx. 40% of the radiolucent segment, and it is highly likely to retain this share for the rest of the study period. With respect to examination tables, a market opportunity of under US$ 200 million in 2017 might not seem very attractive initially but a CAGR of 5.2% for the five year period could be enough to sway major players to focus on this segment in the patient positioning systems market. The companies would be recommended to target Europe owing to the potential of emerging opportunities during the forecast period.Accessories and Other Patient Positioning Systems Niche SegmentsWith a revenue share of 12% and 7.7% in Accessories and Other patient positioning systems respectively, the two are undoubtedly niche segments in the patient positioning systems market. However, it would be unwise to ignore them entirely and manufacturers could focus on targeting North America in both cases as the region can present a significantly large market opportunity. The combined market value of the two segments in North America in the year 2017 could easily exceed US$ 100 million which manufacturers should take cognizance of while devising their investment plans. In both cases, North America alone accounts for roughly 2/5th of the patient positioning systems market.Ambulatory Surgical and Global Diagnostic Centres Remain LucrativeThe market opportunity that exists in the ambulatory surgical centres and global diagnostic centres is quite similar. Ambulatory surgical centres were worth just over US$ 330 million in 2017 and may grow with a CAGR of 7.3% from 2017-2022. On the other hand, global diagnostic centres may near a value of half a billion dollars by the end of the forecast period which would be equal to a revenue share of 27%. Europe and North America dominate the global diagnostics centre segment of the patient positioning systems market as they comprise more than half the market opportunity.Competition TrackingThe report has also outlined the competitive landscape of global market for patient positioning systems, which includes Mizuho OSI, LEONI AG, C-RAD, Elekta AB(publ), Skytron, Span-America Medical Systems, Inc., STERIS plc., Stryker Corporation, and Hill-Rom, Inc.Browse Full Report with TOC@Table of Contents:Chapter 1. Global Patient Positioning Systems Market Executive Summary. 27Chapter 2. Global Patient Positioning Systems Market Overview. 292.1. Introduction. 292.1.1. Global Patient Positioning Systems Market Taxonomy. 292.1.2. Global Patient Positioning Systems Market Definition. 292.2. Global Patient Positioning Systems Market Size (US$ Mn) and Forecast, 2012-2022. 302.2.1. Global Patient Positioning Systems Market Y-o-Y Growth. 302.3. Global Patient Positioning Systems Market Dynamics. 302.3.1. Drivers. 302.3.2. Restraints. 312.3.3. Trends. 312.4. Supply Chain. 312.5. Cost Structure. 312.6. Pricing Analysis. 312.7. Raw Material Sourcing Strategy and Analysis. 322.8. List of Distributors. 322.9. Key Participants Market Presence (Intensity Map) By Region. 32Chapter 3. Global Patient Positioning Systems Market Analysis and Forecast By By Product. 333.1. Global Patient Positioning Systems Market Size and Forecast By By Product, 2012-2022. 333.1.1. Tables Patient Positioning Systems Market Size and Forecast, 2012-2022. 333.1.1.1. Revenue (US$ Mn) Comparison, By Region. 333.1.1.2. Market Share Comparison, By Region. 353.1.1.3. Y-o-Y growth Comparison, By Region. 35Continued..Check Discount on this Report@About Fact.MRFact.MR is a fast-growing market research firm that offers the most comprehensive suite of syndicated and customized healthcare market research reports. We believe transformative intelligence can educate and inspire businesses to make smarter decisions. We know the limitations of the one-size-fits-all approach; thats why we publish multi-industry global, regional, and country-specific research reports.Contact UsFact.MR11140 Rockville PikeSuite 400Rockville, MD 20852United StatesEmail: sales@factmr.comWeb: Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV) Market trends research and projections for 2017-2025 https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-sample/671 https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/ongoing-insight/toc/671 http://www.coherentchronicle.com These find significant applications for surveillance, artillery fire direction, gathering electronic intelligence (ELINT) data, lasing targets for fighter planes, and post-strike damage assessment. These critical missions have high risks associated with the human lives. Moreover, defense forces find these missions to be significantly important, are however, reluctant to face the loss of human lives. Moreover, utilization of these unmanned combat aerial vehicle also reduces the requirement of additional equipment required for the human pilots such as the cockpit space, ejection seat, flight controls, armor, and environmental controls for oxygen and pressure. This is expected to be the prominent factor driving the demand of these armed UAVs.Unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV), also called as combat drones are used as missiles and other ordnance carriers that do not require the onboard human pilots for the control and operation of the drones. These are featured with remote, real time controlling from distant locations with varying levels of autonomy. Drones were primarily utilized for the patrolling and reconnaissance, however, with the growing requirement and the increased risks involved in the operations, these UAVs were armed and converted for the combat missions.Ask for detailed Sample of this Research Report @Requirement to establish military supremacy, sustain upper hand in the territorial disputed nations, and counter the extremist terrorist activities will drive the UCAV marketLarge number of territorial disputes existing between the nations that specifically include the Asia Pacific and the MEA region are expected to fuel the overall demands for development and manufacture. Some of the chief countries involved in territorial disputes that utilize these drones for various operations include China, India, Iran, Israel, North Korea, Pakistan, Taiwan, and Turkey. Some of the major economies that utilize these operational armed drones include Egypt, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, the Netherlands, UK and the U.S. These countries are increasingly focusing on the development of these UAVs for domestic warfare and counter-insurgency, which are extensively used to monitor disputed areas and enhance the country security at a lower cost. The changing nature of next generation warfare will propel the global unmanned combat aerial vehicle market over the coming years.Incorporation of artificial intelligence in these drones and development of long range spy combat drones are few key market trends gaining global market tractionIn July 2017, U.S. Navy sent out proposals to four defense contractors to the General Atomics, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman for modulated reconnaissance requirement while enhancing the proposed unmanned aircrafts aerial tanking duties. UCAVs with long-ranged striking capabilities are incorporated with Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) systems into airborne platforms, which are capable of deploying precision-guided munitions, bombs, and missiles. These factors are expected to drive the demands through the forecast period.Medium-altitude UCAVs was the largest revenue contributor in 2016, is expected to remain the largest revenue contributor over the next few yearsIn conjunction with the growing requirement for multi-purpose drones, the defense agencies are increasingly emphasizing on the medium-altitude UCAVs development owing to better striking and surveillance capabilities, difficult detection, and high combat sustainability. Moreover, owing to these factors these are expected to dominate the industry through the forecast period.U.S. is expected to continue its dominance through 2025, primarily owing to the largest defense budget, increased focus on minimal troop casualties, minimize the financial wastage, and increased focus on the development of advanced airborne systems. Moreover the country is also featured with the presence of few major industry participants that include General Atomics, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman among many others.Industry presence is highly fragmented owing to distributed presence of the major industry participants. Key players in the UCAV market include BAE Systems, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Boeing, Northrop Grumman, Israel Aerospace Industries, Denel Dynamics, Dassault Aviation, Lockheed Martin, and Elbit Systems.Request for Table of Content of this Report @About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.Contact Us:Mr. ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702Email: sales@coherentmarketinsights.comVisit our news Website : Global Bone Growth Stimulator Market Research Report: Hospitals & Clinics will Remain the largest End-Users of Bone Growth Stimulators https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=S&rep_id=54 https://www.factmr.com/report/54/bone-growth-stimulator-market https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=D&rep_id=54 https://www.factmr.com/ A freshly compiled business intelligent report, titled Bone Growth Stimulator Market Research Forecast, Trend Analysis & Competition Tracking: Global Review 2017 to 2022 has been publicized to the vast archive of Fact.MR online repository. This 170 page study delivers all the vital details and information required to know about bone growth stimulators market current as well as future prospects. The analysts of the study have gone through extensive research methodologies in order to generate data and information that reflects the latest market undercurrents and industry trends. For a deeper understanding of the market, a sub-category level analysis has been elaborated, by which readers and investors of the report will able to know that where the market stands to gain.A latest report by Fact.MR projects the global bone growth stimulators market to account for revenues worth US$ 1,477.2 Mn in 2017. The market is estimated to exhibit a steady expansion during the forecast period. Various devices are developed for bone growth stimulation therapy, which are being highly demanded on the back of growing cases of accidental bone injuries across the globeGet A Free Sample Copy of Report@Rise in R&D Funding by Private Organisations to Propel Growth of the Global Bone Growth Stimulator MarketBone growth stimulators facilitate multi-level fusions in bones with high efficiency, playing a pivotal role in spine fusion aftercare of patients. Medical studies are revealing positive outcomes of utilizing electrical bone growth stimulators for spinal fusion process. With a number of favorable government initiatives, coupled with heavy investments made by several private organisations, there has been a robust increase in research & development activities associated with new treatment methods and product development. For example the North American Spine Foundation, and American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons are contributing to the development l of spinal implants & devices by raising funds for R&D activities, and conducting training programs for physicians worldwide.North America to Remain Dominant in the Global Bone Growth Stimulator MarketNorth America will continue to be dominant in the global bone growth stimulator market. Sales of bone growth stimulators are expected to account for the largest revenues in North America, expanding at the highest CAGR through 2022. Europe will remain the second most lucrative market for bone growth stimulators. The market in Middle East & Africa (MEA) will continue to register a sluggish expansion through 2022.Bone growth stimulation devices will remain sought-after among products in the global market. Revenues from sales of bone growth stimulation devices will account for over half share of the market during the forecast period. In addition, sales of platelet-rich plasma bone growth stimulator, and bone morphogenetic proteins are expected to exhibit the fastest expansion registering similar CAGRs through 2022.Hospitals & Clinics will Remain the largest End-Users of Bone Growth StimulatorsBased on end-users, sales of bone growth stimulators in academic and research institutes are expected to register the highest CAGR through 2022. Hospitals & Clinics will continue to be the largest end-users of bone growth stimulators, accounting for the highest share of the market over the forecast period. Home care is expected to remain the second most lucrative end-use segment in the global bone growth stimulators market.Bone growth stimulators are expected to find the largest application in the cases of delayed union & non-union bone fractures, with sales poised to reach US$ 763.4 Mn by 2022-end. Sales of bone growth stimulators in oral & maxillofacial surgeries will account for the lowest revenues during the forecast period, based on application.Competition TrackingThe report has also profiled key players in the global market for bone growth stimulators, which include Ossatec Benelux B.V., Elizur Corporation, Johnson & Johnson, Arthrex, Inc., DJO Global Inc., Stryker Corporation, Bioventus Inc., Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc., Medtronic plc., and Orthofix International N.V.Browse Full Report with TOC@Table of Contents:Chapter 1. Global Bone Growth Stimulator Market Executive Summary. 12Chapter 2. Global Bone Growth Stimulator Market Overview. 142.1. Introduction. 142.1.1. Global Bone Growth Stimulator Market Taxonomy. 142.1.2. Global Bone Growth Stimulator Market Definition. 142.2. Global Bone Growth Stimulator Market Size (US$ Mn) and Forecast, 2012-2022. 152.2.1. Global Bone Growth Stimulator Market Y-o-Y Growth. 152.3. Global Bone Growth Stimulator Market Dynamics. 152.3.1. Drivers. 152.3.2. Restraints. 152.3.3. Trends. 162.4. Supply Chain. 162.5. Cost Structure. 16Chapter 3. Global Bone Growth Stimulator Market Analysis and Forecast By Product. 173.1. Global Bone Growth Stimulator Market Size and Forecast By Product, 2012-2022. 173.1.1. Bone Growth Stimulation Devices Bone Growth Stimulator Market Size and Forecast, 2012-2022. 173.1.1.1. Revenue (US$ Mn) Comparison, By Region. 173.1.1.2. Market Share Comparison, By Region. 193.1.1.3. Y-o-Y growth Comparison, By Region. 193.1.2. Platelet-Rich Plasma Bone Growth Stimulator Market Size and Forecast, 2012-2022. 203.1.2.1. Revenue (US$ Mn) Comparison, By Region. 203.1.2.2. Market Share Comparison, By Region. 223.1.2.3. Y-o-Y growth Comparison, By Region. 22Continued.Check Discount on this Report@About Fact.MRFact.MR is a fast-growing market research firm that offers the most comprehensive suite of syndicated and customized healthcare market research reports. We believe transformative intelligence can educate and inspire businesses to make smarter decisions. We know the limitations of the one-size-fits-all approach; thats why we publish multi-industry global, regional, and country-specific research reports.Contact UsFact.MR11140 Rockville PikeSuite 400Rockville, MD 20852United StatesEmail: sales@factmr.comWeb: VoIP Services Market by Call Type, End User, Configuration, and Geography - Global Trends, and Forecast to 2025 https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-sample/641 https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-customization/641 www.coherentchronicle.com The Voice over Internet Protocol Services is a communication platform that permits user to make calls over internet connection instead of conventional analog telephone lines. Increasing trend of bring your own device is one of the major factor for growth of the market. Most of the companies have implemented this services, owing to advantages such as employees satisfaction, increasing productivity, and cost saving. Furthermore, constant changes in work location and time zone barriers have increased the demand for BYOD trend in the organizations. BYOD allows for greater flexibility in working across borders, especially for people working on the go.Request For Sample Copy of this Research Report :Increasing trend of mobile-based VoIP services such as WhatsApp, Line, Viber and Skype, in conjugation with increasing penetration of smartphones plays a major role in the growth of the mobile based VoIP market. According to Coherent Market Insights, in 2017, around 2.3 billion people were using smartphone. However, lack of established internet infrastructure, especially in emerging economies is hindering growth of the global Voice over Internet Protocol Services market.Corporate user is projected to hold the dominant position in global Voice over Internet Protocol Services MarketOn the basis of end users, the Voice over Internet Protocol Services market is segmented into corporate user and individual user. The corporate user segment held the dominant position in 2017 and it is projected to retain its dominance throughout the forecast period. In 2017, the corporate user segment generated the revenue of US$ 69.4 billion from US$ 63.4 billion in 2016. The cost reduction is major factor for growth of the segment in VoIP market, as most of the business organizations are implementing the VoIP systems to reduce their operation cost.Europe Voice over Internet Protocol Services market.Europe held a dominant position in the market in 2016. Germany, UK, France, Italy, Spain, Russia are the major growth engines in the region. In 2017, the Voice over Internet Protocol Services market generated the revenue of US$ 35.1 billion from US$ 32.7 billion in 2016. Increasing adoption of smartphone is one of the major driver for growth of the Voice over Internet Protocol Services market. In 2017, around 258.1 million people were using smartphone from 240.3 million in 2016. Hence, increasing number of smartphone users have accelerated growth of the mobile-based Voice over Internet Protocol Services market in Europe. Furthermore, increasing trend of digitalization have also driven the market in this region. According to Coherent Market Insight, in 2016, about 88% of the total population in Germany uses internet. Moreover, Asia Pacific Voice over Internet Protocol Services market is expected to grow with the highest CAGR over the forecast period. China, India, Japan, and Australia are some of the major economies driving growth of the market in this region. Increasing number of startups and small & medium enterprises are driving growth of the market in Asia Pacific. For instance, according to Government of India economic survey 2015 - 2016, more than 19,000 technology enabled startup led by consumer internet and financial services.Key Companies - Global Voice over Internet Protocol Services MarketMajor players operating in the global Voice over Internet Protocol Services market include 8x8, Inc., Apple Inc. (FaceTime), Avaya, AT&T Inc., Verizon Wireless, Orange, Deutsche Telekom AG, KT Corporation, Sprint Corporation, Telecom Italia, Telenor, T-Mobile, and Tata CommunicationRequest For Customization as per Your Need :About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.Contact Us:Mr. ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702Email: sales@coherentmarketinsights.comVisit Our New Website: Global Zein Protein Market Assessment and Revenue Gains of Key Players Forecasted during 2018-2028 https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=T&rep_id=654 https://www.factmr.com/report/654/zein-protein-market https://www.factmr.com/checkout/654/S https://www.factmr.com/ As per the current market trends and the promising nature of the global Zein Protein market, it can be estimated that the future holds positive outcomes. In order to provide a deep insight about the concerned market, Fact.MR would be publishing a resourceful analysis that will enclose knowledge about the regional market size, revenue and opportunity status. Readers will be offered the privilege to decode various facets of the market during the period 2018 to 2027, together with the active access to secondary and primary research methodology. Furthermore, various segments of the market associated to product, application, end-user etc., would also be present in this intelligent research report.Request TOC of this Report-Zein Protein Market OutlookZein as a protein was first identified in 1897. It comprises of 45-50% of the protein content in corn. It is a water-insoluble protein derived from corn gluten. Zein protein also acts as a perfect coating in pharmaceutical products as well as food ingredients. The property of Zein protein to form glossy, tough and hydrophobic grease-proof coatings, being resistant to microbial attacks has made the product commercially successful. The zein protein derived from corn has various applications in numerous industries. Currently, zein protein is also used for coating candies, such as jelly beans and chocolates, dried fruits, nuts, nut meats, encapsulation of sweeteners and flavors. The pharmaceutical and food industry currently have found commercial interests in zein protein as well. Zein protein has witnessed enormous growth in last few years due to growth in the plant-based protein market. There has been significant research and development in this market wherein consumer preference is changing to opt for clean-label ingredients across the globe. Currently, there is a large percentage of the global population which prefers protein ingredients as an alternative to meat and dairy-based proteins, which is expected to positively impact the market for zein protein.Zein Protein Market: Reasons for Covering this TitleThe increasing demand for organic and natural products is creating the higher opportunity for Zein protein globally. Geographically, the market for Zein protein is booming with a significant growth rate in terms of value leading to substantial opportunity to increase the revenue for Zein protein producers. As a result of which, there is significant product penetration of Zein protein with its various applications across many industries.Zein protein creates an exceptionally smooth surface and requires only a few grams of the product. The properties of Zein protein are also adaptable in the medical industry as it is a plant protein and not prone to danger or viruses, unlike the animal protein. Chewing gum manufacturers are also preferring to use Zein protein in producing their products. Nowadays, it is also finding an application in the cosmetics industry but on a smaller scale as it can be used in skin creams and serums as it helps in skin regeneration.To know more @ Global Zein Protein Market, visit Key Product LaunchesZein products is the major manufacturer of zein protein globally, based in North America and has launched several products containing zein protein, such as:ZEIN F4000 Food Grade: A food ingredient which functions as an encapsulator to extend shelf-life of food and to preserve freshness and color.ZEIN F4000 Pharma Grade USP: This product is used in pharmaceutical applications which acts as a coating mask, to coat the tablets for the better look, gives a slip for coated tablets which allows ease in swallowing.ZEIN F4000 LE: This new product launch is used in electrophoresis process, acts as an adhesive in the plating process.ZEIN F4400 Food Grade (Non-GMO): It a certified non-GMO product mainly used in food and cosmetics industry.Opportunities for Market ParticipantsThe commercial application of zein protein can have a positive impact on the production of corn and corn pricing, though there are many uncertainties for the same. For those seeking a sustainable and a green edge, Zein protein can also be recognized as a renewable biopolymer by many manufacturers.Zein Protein Market demand is majorly derived due to the rising demand for plant-based proteins in a variety of food & beverage applications. Zein protein is also looked upon as a very healthy alternative to animal-derived proteins. Also, the rising trend of organic food products is leading to an increase in healthy food options, which is indirectly impacting the demand for Zein Protein market. The Europe and North American markets are largest contributors and manufacturers to the overall growth of the Zein Protein market. Growth in increased use of plant-based protein in regions of Africa and Asia as they are expected to boost the growth of the overall Zein Protein market. Researchers currently also studying its application of zein molecule to make bio-compounds. Zein is also processed into bioplastic polymers which can be made into the variety of plastic.Brief Approach to ResearchA modelling-based approach and triangulation methodology will be followed to estimate data covered in this report. A detailed market understanding and assessment of the distribution channel, species, nature, origin and end use of the product segments covered in the study is followed by carrying out a demand-side approach to estimate the sales of target product segments, which is then cross-referenced with a supply-side assessment of value generated over a pre-defined period. The statistics and data are collected at a regional level, consolidated and synthesized at a global level to estimate the overall market sizes.Pre-book Global Zein Protein Market Forecast Report-About Fact.MRFact.MR is a fast-growing market research firm that offers the most comprehensive suite of syndicated and customized market research reports. We believe transformative intelligence can educate and inspire businesses to make smarter decisions. We know the limitations of the one-size-fits-all approach; thats why we publish multi-industry global, regional, and country-specific research reports.Contact UsFact.MRSuite 988427 Upper Pembroke Street,Dublin 2, IrelandTelephone: +353-1-6111-593Email: sales@factmr.com/Web: Mobile Resource Management (MRM) Solution Market - Global Industry Insights, Trends, Outlook, and Opportunity Analysis, 20172025 https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-sample/642 https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/ongoing-insight/toc/642 www.coherentchronicle.com Mobile Resource Management (MRM) Solution market is rapidly gaining application importance as powerful business productivity tool owing to its ability to integrate wireless connectivity, location technologies, hardware, data interoperability server, and transaction processing onto single platforms. This system and services also known as commercial telematics, finds major applications in asset, workforce and fleet monitoring and tracking systems, is expected to considerable demand growth over the forecast period. The primary tenet of these MRM solutions is to reduce the execution risk of the field operations, through automating the business critical applications by improving management, visibility, reduce operating costs and increase mobile workforce productivity.Request For Sample Copy of this Research Report :Transportation and logistics application segment is expected to remain the primary growth driverTransportation and logistics are the prominent application segments owing to requirement of these systems and services to monitor fleet vehicles and assets such as heavy equipment and trailers. Moreover, proliferation of GPS enabled smartphones and tablets have found increased applications for management of mobile workers. According to Coherent Market Insights, the MRM applications in the segment contributes to around 10 million units, in the U.S. alone.Reduction in costs achieved and high rate of return on investments (ROI) is anticipated to be the prominent industry growth driverUtilization of these systems allows end use industry to enable efficient means of managing data, costs and increased accountability. The data received from these systems is stored in standardized database, which is easily accessible on demand. This enables end user to create meaningful reports regarding the performance of the workforce, and plan decisions accordingly. Moreover, reduced paper work related expenses, low overtime labor costs, accurate job evaluation, and high job completion rates enables increased profit margins. These factors are expected to garner increased adoption rates and propel the mobile resource management solution market over the forecast period.High initial cost and reluctance of SMBs towards the mobile resource management solution is expected to present major growth challengeSignificant number of small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) have reported lack of requirement of these solutions for their operations. Moreover, substantial initial costs of these system deployments is a major concern, even for the large organizations can present potential growth challenge to the industry growth. High upfront costs are primarily associated with the hardware expense and the requirement for backend integration and customization costs.U.S. held the major industry share, whereas Asia Pacific is expected to witness highest growth during the forecast periodAccording to Coherent Market Insights research, even though U.S. held the major industry share in 2016, the industry penetration was still around 40% in the region. Owing to this factor, even U.S. is expected to witness significant growth potential over the forecast years. Asia Pacific has witnessed significant increase in trade activities over the past few years, primarily owing to outsourcing of production activities in the region. China, Japan, India, South Korea and Indonesia are among the major countries that may offer significant growth opportunities owing to rampant growth of end-use industries. Moreover, requirement to monitor the export of manufactured goods and amenities, will help the industry participants establish strong foothold in the region.Chief industry participants in the mobile resource management solutions market include AppLocation Systems, Inc., AT&T, CalAmp Corporation, Garmin International, Masternaut, PeopleNet Communications Corporation, SkyBitz, Inc., and Spireon, Inc. Industry participants are increasingly making efforts to provide cutting edge solutions to enhance its applications and expand their regional presence in order to strengthen their foothold in the market. For instance, CompassCom announced it plans to introduce its MRM solutions to leverage their investments in ArcGIS. Their solutions are featured with real time monitoring and asset tracking, improved safety, accountability and efficiency for assets and personnel, in June 2017.Request For Table of Content of this Report:About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.Contact Us:Mr. ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702Email: sales@coherentmarketinsights.comVisit Our New Website: Digital Notes Market is Growing Exponentially in Order to Gain More Demand by 2022 https://www.worldwidemarketreports.com/sample/7258 https://www.worldwidemarketreports.com/discount/7258 https://www.worldwidemarketreports.com/ Worldwide Market Reports added Latest Research Report titled Digital Notes Market is Growing Exponentially in Order to Gain More Demand by 2022.Digital note is a form of note taking using digital devices to connect to iPhone, iPad, or Android devices or computer to transfer anything written into a digital format. Digital note industry is vague as it is an application concept attempts either to save paper and make it easier for organizing all notes, or to skip the process converting the hand-writing notes into electronic copies. The approach of syncing the information is more tend to via wireless method instead of using cable. In this report, we have targeted two basic forms (digital notepad and smart pen) and concentrated mainly on the hardware side. Digital stylus, when combined with app in tablet, could act digital note function. However, digital stylus is not included in this study.Request Sample Copy of the Business Report @Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Digital Notes in Europe market, especially in Germany, UK, France, Russia, and Italy. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, countries, type and application.Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversWacom, Kent displays, Moleskine, Livescribe, Luidia, Neo smartpen, NoteSlate, I.R.I.S., Sony, ACE CAD Enterprise, E-pensMarket Segment by Countries, coveringGermany, UK, France, Russia, ItalyMarket Segment by Type, coversDigital Notepad, Smart PenMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoProfessional Design, Business, EducationGet discount on this report :Table of Contents1 Market Overview2 Manufacturers Profiles3 Europe Digital Notes Market Competition, by Manufacturer4 Europe Digital Notes Market Analysis by Countries (2012-2017)5 Europe Market Segmentation Digital Notes by Type6 Europe Market Segmentation Digital Notes by Application7 Germany Digital Notes Sales, Revenue, by Type, Application and Manufacturers8 UK Digital Notes Sales, Revenue, by Type, Application and Manufacturers9 France Digital Notes Sales, Revenue, by Type, Application and Manufacturers10 Russia Digital Notes Sales, Revenue, by Type, Application and Manufacturers11 Italy Digital Notes Sales, Revenue, by Type, Application and Manufacturers12 Digital Notes Market Forecast (2017-2022)13 Digital Notes Manufacturing Cost Analysis14 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers15 Sales Channel, Distributors, Traders and Dealers16 Research Findings and Conclusion17 AppendixList of Tables and Figures**If you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want.About WMR :Worldwide Market Reports is your one-stop repository of detailed and in-depth market research reports compiled by an extensive list of publishers from across the globe. We offer reports across virtually all domains and an exhaustive list of sub-domains under the sun. The in-depth market analysis by some of the most vastly experienced analysts provide our diverse range of clients from across all industries with vital decision making insights to plan and align their market strategies in line with current market trends. Worldwide Market Researchs well-researched inputs that encompass domains ranging from IT to healthcare enable our prized clients to capitalize upon key growth opportunities and shield against credible threats prevalent in the market in the current scenario and those expected in the near future.Contact Us:Mr. ShahWorldwide Market Reports1001 4th Ave,U.STel: +1 415 871 0703Email: sales@worldwidemarketreports.comWEBSITE : Global Excavator Forks Market is Projected to Grow at a Substantial Rate https://www.qyresearchreports.com/sample/sample.php?rep_id=1693075&type=S https://www.qyresearchreports.com/report/global-excavator-forks-market-professional-survey-report-2018.htm/toc https://www.qyresearchreports.com/sample/sample.php?rep_id=1693075&type=D http://www.qyresearchreports.com http://reportanalysis.blogspot.in Qyresearchreports include new market research report Global Excavator Forks Market Professional Survey Report 2018 to its huge collection of research reports.This report studies Excavator Forks in Global market, especially in North America, China, Europe, Southeast Asia, Japan and India, with production, revenue, consumption, import and export in these regions, from 2013 to 2018, and forecast to 2025.This report focuses on top manufacturers in global market, with production, price, revenue and market share for each manufacturer, coveringGeithCatPJP (UK) LimitedConquipRocklandSandhurstGet Report Free Sample and Customization:The Global market for Excavator Forks has been thoroughly studied with every available detail in the said study with increased focus on various important factors such as restraints, market opportunities, and growth drivers. Each of the elements that pertain to the shaping of the market dynamics that has been analyzed and studied in detail by the research analysts, so as to offer the best and most evaluative and exhaustive study to the buyers of the report. The overview or the executive summary that has been provided in the market intelligence study has been designed in such a way so as to give a quick overview of the market for receiving information on the go. This could assist readers with hands-on data needed to make quick decisions anytime during their journey of growth in the market.The study of market segmentations that has been offered with the publication that explores some of the most significant categories of the world Excavator Forks market is deemed significant for the growth of industry participants. All of the segments that have been studied elaborately in the said publication have been deeply evaluated with assistance from best of the research techniques.On the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split into50 TComplete table of content is available at:By Application, the market can be split intoHighwayBridgeBuildingEmergency RescueOtherIf you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want.Table of Contents1.4 Market Segment by Regions1.4.1 North America1.4.2 China1.4.3 Europe1.4.4 Southeast Asia1.4.5 Japan1.4.6 India2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Excavator Forks2.1 Raw Material and Suppliers2.2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Excavator Forks2.3 Manufacturing Process Analysis of Excavator Forks2.4 Industry Chain Structure of Excavator ForksRequest A Discount on This report @3 Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis of Excavator Forks3.1 Capacity and Commercial Production Date of Global Excavator Forks Major Manufacturers in 20173.2 Manufacturing Plants Distribution of Global Excavator Forks Major Manufacturers in 20173.3 R&D Status and Technology Source of Global Excavator Forks Major Manufacturers in 20173.4 Raw Materials Sources Analysis of Global Excavator Forks Major Manufacturers in 20174 Global Excavator Forks Overall Market Overview4.1 2013-2018E Overall Market Analysis4.2 Capacity Analysis4.2.1 2013-2018E Global Excavator Forks Capacity and Growth Rate Analysis4.2.2 2017 Excavator Forks Capacity Analysis (Company Segment)4.3 Sales Analysis4.3.1 2013-2018E Global Excavator Forks Sales and Growth Rate Analysis4.3.2 2017 Excavator Forks Sales Analysis (Company Segment)4.4 Sales Price Analysis4.4.1 2013-2018E Global Excavator Forks Sales Price4.4.2 2017 Excavator Forks Sales Price Analysis (Company Segment)About USQYResearchReports.com is an unimpeachable source of market research data for clients that comprise acclaimed SMEs, Chinese companies, private equity firms, and MNCs. We provide market research reports on various categories such as Energy, Chemicals, Alternative and Green Energy, Manufacturing, Machinery, Pharmaceuticals and Materials, and Glass.We provide a variety of syndicated studies and hold the potential of assisting our clients with their specific market research needs by offering insights based on extensive primary interviews, market surveys, company profiles, and competitive landscaping. Our far-sighted ideas have been successful in igniting a number of startups, investment programs, technology breakthroughs, and new product development projects.Contact US1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Web:Email: sales@qyresearchreports.comBlog: Enterprise data management Market By Revenue, Share, Size and Opportunities Forecast to 2023 https://www.psmarketresearch.com/market-analysis/enterprise-data-management-market https://www.psmarketresearch.com/market-analysis/enterprise-data-management-market/report-sample https://www.psmarketresearch.com Enterprise data management is the well-organized management of data that arise from an enterprises procedures, controls, operations, technology, and people. Enterprise data management solutions benefit organizations to cleanse, standardize, profile, and de-duplicate data associated with operations, marketing, finance, vendor relations and risk management. Enterprise data management helps business organizations to eliminate administrative data conflicts and issues, due to the negligence of information and data. Enterprise data management automatically receives data from third-party cloud services, applications, and enterprise systems. After the data is received, it is checked for uniformity and integrity, in order to provide superior quality information to end-users, or enhance the quality of data. Enterprise data management is all about mining of qualitative data from large amount of data that can be used to establish links, and build strategic interpretations. The data can be either structured or unstructured.Explore Full Report Description At:Global enterprise data management market can be segmented on the basis of type of software, type of service, deployment type, industry verticals, user type, and regions. Based on type of software, the global enterprise data management market can be divided into data integration, data quality, data security, data migration, data warehousing, and others. On the basis of type of service the global market for enterprise data management can be segmented into consulting services, support and training analysis, operation, and maintenance services. Based on deployment type, the market can be divided into hosted deployment and on-premises deployment. The industry verticals can be categorized, as education, government, healthcare, retail, manufacturing, energy and utilities, transportation and logistics, banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI), IT and telecom, and others. On the basis of user type the global enterprise data management market can be segmented into small and medium sized businesses (SMBs) and enterprises. Transportation and logistics, energy and utilities, defense, healthcare, banking financial services and insurance (BFSI) and government organizations are the major consumers of enterprise data management functionalities.However, the data silos, data quality and data address validation issues, are some of the challenges hindering the growth of the Enterprise Data Management Market. A data silo is a repository of fixed data that remains under the control of one department, which is used to store an organizations data, hence reducing the need for data management. Data silos are facing increasing disapproval not only because they obstruct productivity, but also due to their negative impact on data integrity.Get Free Sample Report At:The key competitors in the global enterprise data market include, IBM Corp., Informatica Corporation, SAS Institute Inc., Oracle Corp, International Business Machines Corp, Adaptive, Inc., Cambridge Semantics, Innovative Systems, Inc., Solix Technologies, Inc and Phasic Systems 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: Electric Blankets Market Headed for Growth and Global Expansion by 2022 https://www.worldwidemarketreports.com/sample/143602 https://www.worldwidemarketreports.com/discount/143602 https://www.worldwidemarketreports.com/ Worldwide Market Reports added Latest Research Report titled Electric Blankets Market Headed for Growth and Global Expansion by 2022.An electric blanket has an electrical heating device built in that is meant to be placed above the bed sheet. In Commonwealth countries, however, it refers to an electric mattress pad that is kept below the bottom bed sheet. They comprise a control unit that allows the user to adjust the heat produced by the device. Larger size beds may even have two separate control units for both sides of the bed. An electric blanket can be useful to heat the bed to a certain level before sleeping to keep the occupant cosy and warm. Typical low voltage electric blankets work on 12-24 volts and are made of thin carbon fibre wires. The electric blanket was invented more than a century ago by American inventor Samuel Russell, while the first recorded sale in the electric blanket market was by the Samson United Corporation in 1930.Request Sample Copy of the Business Report @Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Electric Blankets in North America and Europe market, especially in United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, France, Italy and Spain. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, countries/Regions, type and application.Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversRainbow Group, Sunbeam, Caiyang, Shanghai Xiaomianyang Electric, Qingdao Qindao Electric, Perfect Fit Industries, LLC., Beurer,Tenacta Group S.p.A., Bokuk Electronics CO., Morphy Richards, Slumberdown, BiddefordMarket Segment by Countries, coveringUnited States, United Kingdom, Canada, Germany,France,Italy, SpainMarket Segment by Type, coversUnderblankets, OverblanketsMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoCommercial use, Home useGet discount on this report :Table of Contents1 Market Overview2 Manufacturers Profiles3 North America and Europe Electric Blankets Market Competition, by Manufacturer4 North America and Europe Electric Blankets Market Analysis by Countries/Regions5 North America and Europe Market Segmentation Electric Blankets by Type6 North America and Europe Market Segmentation Electric Blankets by Application7 United States Electric Blankets Sales, Revenue, by Type, Application and Manufacturers8 United Kingdom Electric Blankets Sales, Revenue, by Type, Application and Manufacturers9 Canada Electric Blankets Sales, Revenue, by Type, Application and Manufacturers10 Germany Electric Blankets Sales, Revenue, by Type, Application and Manufacturers11 France Electric Blankets Sales, Revenue, by Type, Application and Manufacturers12 Italy Electric Blankets Sales, Revenue, by Type, Application and Manufacturers13 Spain Electric Blankets Sales, Revenue, by Type, Application and Manufacturers14 Electric Blankets Market Forecast (2018-2023)15 Electric Blankets Manufacturing Cost Analysis16 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers17 Sales Channel, Distributors, Traders and Dealers18 Research Findings and Conclusion19 AppendixList of Tables and Figures**If you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want.About WMR :Worldwide Market Reports is your one-stop repository of detailed and in-depth market research reports compiled by an extensive list of publishers from across the globe. We offer reports across virtually all domains and an exhaustive list of sub-domains under the sun. The in-depth market analysis by some of the most vastly experienced analysts provide our diverse range of clients from across all industries with vital decision making insights to plan and align their market strategies in line with current market trends. Worldwide Market Researchs well-researched inputs that encompass domains ranging from IT to healthcare enable our prized clients to capitalize upon key growth opportunities and shield against credible threats prevalent in the market in the current scenario and those expected in the near future.Contact Us:Mr. ShahWorldwide Market Reports1001 4th Ave,U.STel: +1 415 871 0703Email: sales@worldwidemarketreports.comWEBSITE : Global Cocoa Market - Trends and Forecast to 2025 www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-sample/1056 https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-customization/1056 www.coherentnews.com Cocoa bean, also called as cacao bean are dried, fully fermented, and processed to extract cocoa butter, cocoa liquor, and cocoa powder. Forastero, trinitario, and criollo are the three main varieties of cocoa plant. Forastero beans are most widely consumed and comprises around 85% of the world production of cocoa.Major factors propelling growth of the market include growing demand for chocolate and chocolate coatings worldwide. Moreover, wide applicability of cocoa products such as cocoa butter, liquor, and powder, is considered as another factor supporting the overall growth of the market. Cocoa is extensively used in various products, including drinking chocolate, dark chocolate, sweet chocolate, baking chocolate, and milk chocolate. Cocoa products contains high flavonoids concentration, which helps in reducing cardiovascular problems.To get holistic sample of the report including table of contents@However, declining soil fertility, changing climate and weather conditions is adversely affecting the productivity of cocoa beans. According to the World Cocoa Foundation, variation in climate conditions significantly impacts the cultivation of cocoa in a number of ways including pest infestation and reduction in pod weight. Furthermore, the changing climatic conditions will lead to shrinkage of cocoa growing areas in leading cocoa producing countries such as Cote dIvoire and Ghana. This stands as one of the major factor restraining growth of the global cocoa market.Europe held a dominant position, in terms of revenue, in the global cocoa market and is expected to maintain its dominance over the forecast period, witnessing highest CAGR among all. According to the Center for the Promotion of Imports (CBI), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in 2016, Europe accounted for more than half of global cocoa bean imports, with Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium being the largest importers in the region. Furthermore, the Netherlands is the major direct importer of cocoa beans from emerging economies such as Ivory Coast, Ghana, Cameroon, Nigeria, and Peru. According to CBI, European countries such as Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, and Slovakia recorded highest annual growth rate in cocoa bean importing from emerging economies between 2010 and 2014. Moreover, the rising demand for specialty chocolate is fuelling demand for fine flavor cocoa in Europe. This in turn, supporting the overall growth of cocoa market in the region.Among source types, organic cocoa is expected to record the fastest growth, witnessing highest CAGR during the forecast period. Organic cocoa accounted for a small share in the cocoa market in 2016. Increasing demand for organic cocoa due to the increasing concern regarding the food safety coupled with environmental concerns among consumers.Request For Customization @Based on applications, the cocoa market is segmented into bakery items, beverages, confectionary, cosmetics, functional foods, and pharmaceutical. Among applications, confectionary segment held a dominant position in the market in 2016, and is expected to maintain its dominance over the forecast period, witnessing highest CAGR among all. Cocoa is largely been used in confectionary application, as a colorant and flavor ingredient. Moreover, cocoa powder used in confectionary application increases the nutritional values and the shelf life of the end product.Based on product types, the cocoa market is segmented into cocoa butter, cocoa liquor, and cocoa powder, with cocoa liquor being the major contributor in the growth of global cocoa market in 2016. Cocoa liquor is a pure chocolate and is a mixture of cocoa butter and cocoa powder. It is the key raw material for dark chocolate and milk chocolate. Moreover, it is also used in desserts, drinks, bakery products, ice cream, and ice cream coatings.Based on process, the market is segmented into dutch and natural process. Dutch process segment held a dominant position in the cocoa market in 2016. It is a type of cocoa that have been washed in the alkaline solution of potassium carbonate, in order to neutralize its acidity. The process also confer a darker color to cocoa powder.Major players operating in the global cocoa market include Archer Daniels Midland, Blommer Chocolate Company, Barry Callebaut, Cargill Inc., Cocoa Processing Company, Mars Incorporated, Carlyle Cocoa, The Hershey Company, Puratos Group, Lindt & Sprungli, and United Cocoa Processor Inc.About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.Contact UsMr. ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702News Website: Robot Teach Pendant Market trends research and projections for 2017-2025 https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-sample/673 https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/ongoing-insight/toc/673 http://www.coherentchronicle.com The increasing R&D investment for the development of next generation robots become one of the key factor for the growth of robotic tech pendant market, globally. According to Coherent Market Insight analysis there was US$ 91.5 billion spending in robotic industry in 2016, up from US$ 71 billion and is forecasted to reach up to US$ 188 billion in 2020. Various R&D activities are trying to improve the technology in the robotics such as mechatronics, perception manipulation, navigation, gripping, and motion control. The second generation robots holds the technical capability of sensors and 3D- vision system which works with the integration of control system and intelligent algorithms with teach pendants which helps to identify the machine and human presence. For the next generation robotics the vendors are highly focused to improve the cognitive skills of robots with the help of control systems, sensors, high-power processors which helps robots to analyses the gathered information in real time entity and change its behavior accordingly. In addition to this, the increasing demand of non-automotive application and advancement of technology are also some of the major driving factors which increase the market of robot teach pendant globally.Ask for detailed Sample of this Research Report @The alternative programming method become one of the major threat which hinders the growth of the global robotic teach pendant market. The robotic programming method is done by three approaches - online programming method, simulation or offline programming method and lead through programming method. The online programming method adopts teach pendant is a time consuming method. So simulation or offline programming method is adopted by the end users.Material handling application holds the dominant position in the global robot teach pendant market and is projected to retain its dominance throughout the forecast period. This application is majorly influenced by increasing demand from various end users industries such as automotive, electronics and many more installing the automating process in there manufacturing units. The increasing demand to advanced product development and availability of less skilled labor majorly in developing countries such as China, India have increased the demand for 6robots as they have the capability to perform multiple tasks.Robot teach pendant market Outlook Asia Pacific holds the largest market of the global robot teach pendant market.On the basis of geography, global robot teach pendant market is classified into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Middle East, and Africa. Asia Pacific holds the dominant position in the global robot teach pendant market and is projected to retain its dominance throughout the forecast period. The increasing automotive industry in India and China provides a major opportunity for the robot teach pendant market in this region. According to Organisation Internationale des Constructeurs d'Automobiles in 2016, China sold 28 million units of vehicles up from 24.7 million units in 2015.Key companies of the global robotic teach pendant marketABB Ltd, Fanuc Corporation, KUKA AG, Omron Adept Technologies, Inc., Yaskawa Motoman, COMAU S.p.A., DENSO Robotics, Epson America, Inc., Festo, Intelitek, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Nachi Robotic Systems Inc, Staubli International, Yamaha Robotics Inc. are some of major companies in the global robotic teach pendant market.Request for Table of Content of this Report @About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.Contact Us:Mr. ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702Email: sales@coherentmarketinsights.comVisit our news Website : Medical Robotic Systems Market Trends Global Industry Analysis, Top Manufacturers, Share, Growth, Statistics, Opportunities & Forecast to 2024 Global Medical Robotic Systems Market http://databridgemarketresearch.com/request-a-sample/?dbmr=global-medical-robotic-systems-market http://databridgemarketresearch.com/speak-to-analyst/?dbmr=global-medical-robotic-systems-market http://databridgemarketresearch.com/inquire-before-buying/?dbmr=global-medical-robotic-systems-market Global Medical Robotic Systems Market, By Product Type, End User, Geography (North America, Europe, APAC, South America, MEA) Industry Trends and Forecast to 2024The report is an upcoming report from Data Bridge Market Research. The new market report contains data for historic years 2016, the base year of calculation is 2016 and the forecast period is 2017 to 2024.The market is segmented based on product type, end-user and geography.Get A Sample Report @This research report scopes includes the following geographical segments North America Asia Pacific Europe Middle East and Africa South AmericaSpeak to our Analyst @Table of Content:Chapter 1 Preface1.1 Report Description1.1.1 Purpose of the Report1.1.2 Target Audience1.1.3 USP and Key Offerings1.2 Research Scope1.3 Market Segmentation1.4 Research Methodology1.4.1 Phase I Secondary Research1.4.2 Phase II Primary Research1.4.3 Phase III Expert Panel Review1.4.4 Assumptions1.4.5 Approach AdoptedChapter 22.1 Market Snapshot: Global Medical Robotics Market2.2 Global Medical Robotics Market, By Product2.3 Global Medical Robotics Market, By Application2.4 Global Medical Robotics Market, By GeographyThis reports includes the following deliverable:- Macro Indicator Analysis Market Overview Market Dynamics Drivers, Restraints, Opportunities and Challenges Market sizing and growth analysis Market forecasting to 2024 Market Competitive Landscape Product Launches and Pipeline Analysis Value Chain Analysis Market Mergers, Acquisitions and Agreements Company ProfilesThis report scope includes a holistic study of the current dynamics of the market, industry growth and restraints of the market. It provides the market forecast to 2024, recent developments in the market and pipeline analysis of the major players. The report also includes a review of micro and macro forecasts, new entrant strategies, and market penetration strategies with a comprehensive value chain analysis.To Inquire before Buy Complete Report Click Here :-About Data Bridge Market Research:Data Bridge Market Research set forth itself as an unconventional and neoteric Market research and consulting firm with unparalleled level of resilience and integrated approaches. We are determined to unearth the best market opportunities and foster efficient information for your business to thrive in the market. Data Bridge endeavors to provide appropriate solutions to the complex business challenges and initiates an effortless decision-making process.Contact:Data Bridge Market ResearchTel: +1-888-387-2818Email: sopan.gedam@databridgemarketresearch.com Research Report on Tomato Seeds Market 2025 www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-sample/1229 Tomato is cultivated in temperate climates and greenhouses. They are used in various cuisines and have significant demand from the food industry. Increasing demand for various hybrid seeds due to its advantages such as fruit firmness, early maturity, high yield, and flavor is propelling the growth of tomato seeds market. Development of new varieties such as grape tomatoes are also fueling the growth of this market. Also, increasing awareness regarding health benefits of tomatoes such as reduction in risk of cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, and others has augmented the demand for tomatoes, which in turn is propelling the growth of tomato seeds market. Furthermore, increasing demand for tomatoes by the food processing industry for the production of paste, juice, sauce, ketchup, and others is driving the growth of tomato seeds market. However, perishable nature of tomato seeds and high initial investments are some of the barriers for tomato seeds market.Ask for detailed Sample of the Research Report @Tomato Seeds -Market Taxonomy:On the basis of product type, tomato seeds market is segmented into:Hybrid Tomato Seeds,Open Pollinated Tomato Seeds,Heirloom Tomato SeedsOn the basis of farming, tomato seeds market is segmented into:Farmland,Greenhouses,OthersDifferent hybrid, open pollinated, and heirloom tomato seeds are available for different varieties of tomatoes such as cherry tomato, roma tomatoes, beefsteak tomatoes and others.Tomato Seeds -Market OutlookNorth America region is the largest tomato seeds market due to the lucrative demand for tomatoes from the fresh and processed food industry. According to the Vegetables and Pulses Yearbook, 2017, U.S. Department of Agriculture (U.S.DA), total production of tomatoes in the U.S. was 3,129.4 million pounds in 2016. The per capita utilization of tomatoes for processing was 56 pounds per person in 2015, which increased to 61.2 in 2016. Also, per capita utilization of fresh tomatoes was 20.5 pounds per person in 2015, which increased to 21.3 pounds per person in 2016. Furthermore, the U.S. has significant demand for canned tomatoes, which in turn is driving the growth of tomato seeds market. For instance, per capita use of tomatoes for canning in 2015 was 56.3 pounds, which increased to 61.2 pounds.Asia Pacific is the fastest growing region in tomato seeds market with China being the largest producer of tomatoes, followed by India. Tomatoes have significant demand from the food processing industry in this region. According to the report published by Deutsche Gesellschaft Fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit GMBH (GIZ) in 2016, demand for the tomato processed food in India is annually increasing by 30, owing to increasing demand for ketchup, pasta sauce, ready-to-eat products, gravies and bulk supplies to fast food restaurants, hotel chains, and retail food chain. According to the survey conducted by the Associated Chambers of Commerce of India in June 2016, the demand for tomato puree and ketchup has surged by 40% due to surging prices of fresh tomato and trend towards easy-to-cook meals. This growth in tomato processing industry is driving the growth of tomato seeds market.Demand for tomato seeds is significantly increasing in Europe due to increasing demand for tomatoes by food industry. According to European Commission, approximately 17.9 million tons of tomatoes were produced in European Union in 2016. Italy and Spain were the major contributors and produced two third of the total tomato production in EU.To get detailed table of content (ToC) @The companies operating in the tomato seeds market are adopting various growth strategies such as new product development, merger and acquisition, and partnerships for business expansion. For instances, in 2017, Monsanto Company launched Seminis tomato hybrid seeds. In 2016, Advanta Limited announced partnership with A&M AgriLife Research for the development of seed technology for cash crops such as tomato.Key players operating in the tomato seeds market include Monsanto Company, Bayer AG, Syngenta AG, Takii & Co. Ltd., Group Limagrain, Advanta Limited, Rijk Zwaan Zaadteelt en Zaadhandel B.V., VoloAgri Group, Sakata Seed Corporation, and Mahindra Agri Solution Limited.About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.Contact UsMr. ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702 Global Smart Eyewear Technology Market 2018-2025 Google Inc, Sony, Microsoft, Epson America Smart Eyewear Technology Market Size and Share http://bit.ly/Smart-Eyewear-Technology http://www.9dimenresearchstore.com/report/global-smart-eyewear-technology-market-4621 http://9dimenresearchstore.com/ A market study "Global Smart Eyewear Technology Market" examines the performance of the Smart Eyewear Technology market 2018. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Smart Eyewear Technology market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Smart Eyewear Technology market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.The Global Smart Eyewear Technology Market 2018 report includes Smart Eyewear Technology market Revenue, market Share, Smart Eyewear Technology industry volume, market Trends, Smart Eyewear Technology Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report. It shows manufacturing capacity, Smart Eyewear Technology Price during the Forecast period from 2018 to 2022.To Get Sample Report Click Here:Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Smart Eyewear Technology Market 2018 :1. Google Inc2. Sony Corporation3. Microsoft Corporation4. Epson America5. Lumus Ltd6. Vuzix Corporation7. Meta Company8. Optinvent SA9. Osterhout Design Group10. Kopin Corporation11. Lenovo12. Recon Instruments13. Samsung Electronics CoSmart Eyewear Technology Market : By ApplicationConsumer ElectronicsHealthcareEnterprise and Industrial ApplicationsSmart Eyewear Technology Market : By TypeHead-Mounted DisplaysAssisted Reality GlassesMixed Reality Holographic DisplaysSmart HelmetsFirstly, the report covers the top Smart Eyewear Technology manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Further, the Smart Eyewear Technology report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Smart Eyewear Technology industry, Smart Eyewear Technology industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Smart Eyewear Technology Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.Browse Full Report Here:The Smart Eyewear Technology research report includes the products that are currently in demand and available in the market along with their cost breakup, manufacturing volume, import/export scheme and contribution to the Smart Eyewear Technology market revenue worldwide.Finally, Smart Eyewear Technology market report gives you details about the market research findings and conclusion which helps you to develop profitable market strategies to gain competitive advantage.About Us9Dimen Research Store is a leading market intelligence team which making extensive reports that cover all the necessary details about the market assessments such as major technological improvement in the industry.Contact US:5001 Spring Valley Rd #400,Dallas,TX 75244, USAContact No. +1-214-661-1669Email: sales@9dimenresearchstore.comWeb: Global Bacillus Subtilis Market Growth Forecast by 2023: Qunlin, Tonglu Huifeng, Jocanima, Bayer and Basf www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-sample/1253 www.coherentmarketinsights.com/ongoing-insight/toc/1253 Western European economies of Germany, U.K., and France are the major contributors to the growth of the bacillus subtilis market for waste water treatment. According to World Health Organization (WHO), in 2015, out of 912 million people living in the WHO European region, more than 60 million people were devoid of proper water sanitation facilities and an additional 14 million people did not have access to safe drinking water. Increasing awareness about waterborne diseases is expected to propel the growth of bacillus subtilis market in near future.Bacillus subtilis is utilized in applications such as feed additives, pesticides, and starch processing which directly cater to the food industry. Increasing demand for food & beverages in Asia Pacific economies such as China and India has in turn boosted Bacillus subtilis market growth. With a population of 1.3 billion, China has surpassed the U.S. as the worlds largest consumer of food and beverages. According to the China Britain Trade Council, the food industry in China had overall turnover of US$ 514 Bn in 2014. According to the India Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF), the food processing industry in India was valued at US$ 258 Bn in 2015. These factors are expected to fuel the growth of the bacillus subtilis marketSample Copy of This Report@The pharmaceutical industry in India and China is thriving due to a population boom in these countries. The economies together accounted for 36% of the worlds population in 2016. The low cost of labor and raw materials for pharmaceuticals has resulted in India becoming a hub for pharmaceutical manufacturing. According to the Indian Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF), India accounted for 20% of the worlds supply of generic drugs. Also, with government initiatives such as Pharma Vision 2020, the pharmaceutical industry is slated to grow in India. This is expected to result in increased pharmaceutical applications where the microbe is used as an antigen bearer and thrombolytic agent.Key factors driving the growth of the market include an increasing demand for probiotics due to the associated health benefits with its consumption such as increased immunity, gut health, and reduced risk of cancer. Also, increasing demand for enzymes in leather, starch, paper and textile applications has bolstered market growth of bacillus subtilis.Global Bacillus Subtilis Market Taxonomy:By Product Type:< 100 Billion CFU/g, 100-300 Billion CFU/g, >300 Billion CFU/gBy Application:Cleaning AgentStarch Processing, Waste Water Treatment, Pollution Treatment, Pesticide, Feed Additive, Probiotic Drink, Pharmaceutical, OthersBacillus subtilis is utilized for foliar application using conventional spray equipment. It is compatible with most of the commonly applied fertilizers and pesticides. In pharmaceuticals, bacillus subtilis strains are utilized in the bacterial vaccines as antigen bearers and antigen cellular manufactories. These drinks are particularly popular in South Korea and Japan due to traditional predilection towards consumption of therapeutic foods and beverages. Furthermore, the bacterium is also used as a feed additive to poultry and livestock feed. The consumption of bacillus subtilis by poultry has been observed to lead to improved gut health and resistance to diseases.Request To View Table of Content:Major players in the bacillus subtilis market include Bayer AG, BASF SE, Jocanima Corporation, Tonglu Huifeng, Kernel Bio-tech, Wuhan Nature's Favour Bioengineering Co., Ltd., Real IPM, ECOT China, and Qunlin.About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.Contact UsMr. ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702Email: sales@coherentmarketinsights.com Tannin Market Analysis and Impressive Growth Rate Till forecast period 2025 www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-sample/916 https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/ongoing-insight/toc/916 Tannin is a biomolecule extracted from fruits and plants. It can be found in the seeds, stem tissues, roots, leaves, and bark of plants. Tannin is most common in gymnosperm and angiosperm plants. It protects the plants from predation and helps in the synthesis of plant hormones. Fruits such as oranges, grapes, walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, strawberries, blueberries, and cranberries have rich content of tannin.The global tannin market is expected to grow significantly during the forecast period. The increasing demand from the various end-use industries such as leather, wine, and wood adhesives is the major driving factor for the growth of tannins market. The anti-oxidation and decomposition properties of tannins are a major factor for the demand of tannins in the leather manufacturing and wine fermenting industries. The increasing consumption of alcohol is expected to boost the growth of tannin market. Moreover, the demand for tannin in the manufacturing of wood adhesives and medicines is expected to drive the growth of tannin market positively over the forecast period.Request Sample Copy of this Report:Tannin market outlook:Europe holds a dominant position in tannin market and is expected to retain its position over the forecast period. The major demand for tannin is accounted for the growing wine industry in Europe, particularly in France. Due to the changing scenario of drinking amongst the youth, the demand for wine and beer has increased substantially thereby, increasing the demand for tannin in the region. According to the European Union, Europe produced 165,600 hectoliters of wine between 2016 and 2017. With the increasing demand for alcoholic beverages and the growing pharmaceutical industry, the need for tannin is expected to grow substantially over the forecast period.North America region has the second largest market of tannin after Europe. The demand for tannin from the leather industry is a major reason for positively driving the growth of tannin market in North America. According to the U.S hide, skin and leather association (USHSLA), the U.S exports 90% of total production of leather and the total industry revenue is around US$ 3 billion annually. Moreover, the growing demand for beer and wine in the Polar Regions to keep up with the temperature is another factor boosting the growth of tannins market in this region.Asia Pacific is anticipated to be the fastest growing region in tannins market over the forecast period, owing to the increasing economy of the region and increasing personal disposable income in emerging economies has grown substantially, which in turn is increasing the need for tannin market in the region. The major demand for tannin comes from the growing need of leather and wood adhesives industries in Asia Pacific. Renovation and remodeling, increased construction, urbanization, and increased attention towards decorations has boosted the growth of wood adhesives market in the Asia Pacific region and is expected to further surge the need for tannin market.Tannin Corporation, S.AAjinomoto OmniChem N.V., Polson Ltd, Tanac S.A, Forestal Mimosa Ltd, Ever s.r.l, UCL Company (Pty) Ltd, LaffortSA , Zhushan County Tianxin Medical & Chemical Co, WUlrich GmbH, and Jyoti Dye Chem Agency are some of the major players in the global tannin market.Tannin market Taxonomy:On the basis of source, the global tannin market is segmented into:Brown algaePlantsOn the basis product type, the global tannin market is segmented into:PhlorotanninsHydrolysableNon-hydrolysableOn the basis application, the global tannin market is segmented into:Anti-corrosive PrimersLeather tanningWine productionWood adhesivesOthersTo get detailed table of content (ToC) @Brown algae procurement, handling, and treatment are difficult and expensive as compared to plants, hence plant segment of tannins market is expected to grow over the forecast period. Leather tannin is the dominant application segment and is expected to continue its dominance over the forecast period. Tannin is required in all the stages of manufacturing of leather including crusting, preparation stage, and tanning. Tannin contains coagulate proteins and mucosal tissues, which are useful in soothing scars, wounds, minor hemorrhages, and burns, in turn increasing the demand for medicinal tannin is over the forecast period.About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.Contact UsMr. ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702 Automotive Fog Light Market Forecast, Trend Analysis & Competition Tracking: Global Review 2017 to 2022 https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=S&rep_id=30 https://www.factmr.com/report/30/automotive-fog-light-market https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=D&rep_id=30 https://www.factmr.com/ A freshly compiled business intelligent report, titled Automotive Fog Light Market Forecast, Trend Analysis & Competition Tracking: Global Review 2017 to 2022 has been publicized to the vast archive of Fact.MR online repository. This _ page study delivers all the vital details and information required to know about Automotive Fog Light market current as well as future prospects. The analysts of the study have gone through extensive research methodologies in order to generate data and information that reflects the latest market undercurrents and industry trends. For a deeper understanding of the market, a sub-category level analysis has been elaborated, by which readers and investors of the report will able to know that where the market stands to gain.Request For Sample Report @According to Road Rules 2009, a light other than a headlight fitted to the front of a vehicle to improve illumination of the road in fog, snowfall, heavy rain or dust clouds". Designed to reflect a horizontal beam of light at the front of a vehicle, fog lights help improve visibility during inclement conditions, such as fog, smog, and heavy rains. Fog lights are also equipped at the rear to improve visibility to vehicles behind. Fog lights are commercially available in blue, yellow, and white color.Commercially available in three colors viz. blue, white, and yellow, fog lights have been witnessing a surge in demand on the back of increasing production of automobiles across the globe. In addition, rising awareness about adaptive solutions of fog light in developing economies, surging technological advancements and developments are expected to drive growth of the global automotive fog light market.ScopeThe scope of the report is to analyze the global automotive fog light market for the period 2017-2022 and give readers an accurate, unbiased analysis. Automotive fog light manufacturers, suppliers, and stakeholders in the overall automotive industry can benefit from the insights offered in this report. The comprehensive analysis offered in the report can also be of interest to leading automotive journals and trade magazines.White Fog Lights will Continue to be Preferred in the MarketWhite fog lights are expected to remain preferred in the market, with sales poised to register the highest CAGR through 2022. This is primarily attributed to drastic reduction in glares produced by white fog lights, enabling drivers to better view the objects on roads. White fog light sales are estimated to surpass US$ 1,500 Mn in revenues by 2022-end. Blue fog lights will continue to be the second most lucrative color emission type segment in the market. Revenues from blue fog lights are expected to account for over one-fourth share of the market in 2017.On the basis of positioning type, front fog lights will continue to be sought-after in the market. Revenues from sales of front fog lights are expected to surpass US$ 2,000 Mn by 2022-end. However, demand for rear fog light will remain comparatively lower in the market, with sales projected to register a moderate expansion through 2022. In addition, sales of rear fog lights will witness a decline of 32 BPS in its market share between 2017 and 2022.Aftermarket will Remain the Largest Sales Channel in the MarketAftermarket is expected to remain the largest sales channel for automotive fog lights, with sales expanding at the highest CAGR through 2022. As working durations of fog lights are limited to some thousand hours, aftermarket becomes the target sales channel for growth opportunity. Sales of fog lights in OEM are expected to register a comparatively lower CAGR than aftermarket through 2022.Browse Full Report with TOC @Based on technology, LED fog lights will continue to be dominant in the market. Sales of LED fog lights are estimated to reach nearly US$ 1,800 Mn in revenues by 2022-end. Revenue from LED fog lights will account for largest share of the market in 2017, and gain 170 BPS by 2022-end. Sales of halogen fog lights are estimated to exhibit the lowest CAGR in the market through 2022. High intensity discharge (HID) will continue to be the second largest technology segment in the global automotive fog lights market during the forecast period.Competition TrackingKey market players profiled in Fact.MRs report include General Electric Company, Valeo SA, OSRAM Light AG, HELLA KGaA Hueck & Co., Koninklijke Philips N.V., Magneti Marelli S.p.A., Warn Industries, Inc., Robert Bosch GmbH, Phoenix Lamps Limited, and Flex-N-Gate Corporation.Check Discount @About Fact.MRFact.MR is a fast-growing market research firm that offers the most comprehensive suite of syndicated and customized Automotive Market research reports. We believe transformative intelligence can educate and inspire businesses to make smarter decisions. We know the limitations of the one-size-fits-all approach; that's why we publish multi-industry global, regional, and country-specific research reports.Contact UsFact.MR11140 Rockville PikeSuite 400Rockville, MD 20852United StatesEmail: sales@factmr.comWeb: Global Feed Antioxidants Market poised to reach USD 432.6 Mn by 2023 with CAGR of 4.2% Feed Antioxidants Market https://www.precisionbusinessinsights.com/market-reports/global-feed-antioxidants-market/#ulp-4H8Z4LpNMLEuOnnx/ https://www.precisionbusinessinsights.com/market-reports/global-feed-antioxidants-market/#ulp-c654SbFYO64MsOhu/ https://www.precisionbusinessinsights.com/market-reports/global-feed-antioxidants-market/#ulp-14mlyhjMGhVjZqa3/ https://www.precisionbusinessinsights.com/market-reports/global-feed-antioxidants-market/ https://www.precisionbusinessinsights.com Global Feed Antioxidants Market poised to reach USD 432.6 Mn by 2023 with CAGR of 4.2% over six years forecast period 2017-2023 owing to increased surge in the trend towards compounded feed.Precision Business Insights (PBI) in its report titled Global Feed Antioxidants Market: Market Estimation, Dynamics, Regional Share, Trends, Competitor Analysis 2012-2016 and Forecast 2017-2023 assesses the market performance over six years forecast period over 2017-2023. The report analyses the market value forecast and provides the strategic insights into the market driving factors, challenges that are hindering the market revenue growth over forecast period.The global feed antioxidants market was valued at USD 324.5 Mn in 2016 and projected to reach USD 432.6 Mn by 2023 owing to growing production and consumption livestock products and increase in farming activities across the region, increase in per capita meat consumption, rapid increase in meat industry is expected to enhance the livestock production. Rising awareness of qualitative feed for the livestock anticipated to increase the market for feed antioxidants over the forecast period.A sample of this report is available upon request @Global feed antioxidants market segmented on the basis of antioxidant type, feed type and geographyThe natural antioxidants are witnessed to gain traction over synthetic antioxidants due to less hazardous effects compared to synthetic antioxidantsThe surge in awareness among pet owners regarding carcinogen effects of synthetic antioxidants is expected to accelerate the demand for natural antioxidants over the forecast period. The natural antioxidants are expected to drive the feed antioxidants market growth due to cost effectiveness of the products.Asia Pacific feed antioxidants market accounted for larger revenue share in global market due to increase in demand and low manufacturing cost in the region compared to other regionsPBIs global feed antioxidants market report analyses the market in different geographies such as North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East and Africa. According to regional analysis, Asia Pacific accounted for larger revenue share through 2012-2016 and the same trend is projected to follow over 2017-2023. Asia-Pacific region projected to exhibit highest growth among all regions owing to growing animal rearing and livestock production.To view TOC of this report is available upon request @Product Launches, M&A, Partnerships, and collaborations are the key strategies adopted by market playersGlobal Feed Antioxidants market further reveals that the key players increasingly adopting M&A, Partnerships, and collaborations strategies to improve economies of scale by increasing manufacturing capacities and gaining significant geographic presence across the regions. For instance, in September 2017, Kemin Industries, was granted a patent for its antioxidant formulation technology which is the basis for the Paradigmox antioxidant brand. Paradigmox, which uses the novel antioxidant formulation technology, has been available to animal feed for several years. The solution provides equal efficacy to ethoxyquin in diverse feed applications.Key players profiles in the report are Kemin Industries, Inc. (U.S.), BASF SE (Germany), Archer Daniels Midland Company (U.S.), Cargill Inc. (U.S.), Nutreco N.V. (Netherlands), Alltech Inc. (U.S.), Novus International (U.S.), Perstorp Holding AB (Sweden), Adisseo France S.A.S. (France), Oxiris (Spain), and Dupont Nutrition and Health (Danisco) (Denmark)Need more information about this report @Detailed SegmentationBy Antioxidant Type Naturalo Rosemary Extracto Tocopherolso Gallic Acido Oil Seedso Corno Rapeseedso Others Synthetic antioxidantso Ethoxyquino BHTo BHAo Vitamin Eo Propyl Gallateo OthersBy Feed Type Broilers Pre-starter Feed Piglets Pre-starter Feed Cattle Pre-starter Feed Aqua Pre-starter Feed Pet Food Cattle Feed Poultry Feed Aqua Feed Pig Feed Feed Premixes Raw MaterialGeography North Americao U.So Canada Europeo Germanyo Franceo U.Ko Italyo Spaino Russiao Polando Rest of Europe Asia-Pacifico Japano Chinao Indiao Australia & New Zealando ASEAN (Includes Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia, and Others)o South Koreao Rest of Asia-Pacific Latin Americao Brazilo Mexicoo Argentinao Venezuelao Rest of Latin America Middle East and Africa (MEA)o Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Countrieso Israelo South Africao Rest of MEAGet access to full summary @About Precision Business InsightsPrecision Business Insights is one of the leading market research and business consulting firm, which follow a holistic approach to solve needs of the clients. We adopt and implement proven research methodologies to achieve better results. We help our clients by providing actionable insights and strategies to make better decisions. We provide consulting, syndicated and customised market research services based on our client needs.Contact to Precision Business Insights,Kemp House,152 160 City Road,London EC1V 2NXEmail: sales@precisionbusinessinsights.comToll Free (US):+1-866-598-1553Website @ Fall Detection System Global Market focusing on Top Companies Medical Guardian LLP, LifeFone, Koninklijke Philips N.V., Intel Corporation, VitalConnect and Forecast by 2024 http://databridgemarketresearch.com/request-a-sample/?dbmr=global-fall-detection-system-market http://databridgemarketresearch.com/toc/?dbmr=global-fall-detection-system-market http://databridgemarketresearch.com/inquire-before-buying/?dbmr=global-fall-detection-system-market http://databridgemarketresearch.com/speak-to-analyst/?dbmr=global-fall-detection-system-market http://databridgemarketresearch.com/reports/global-innovation-management-market/ Fall Detection System Industry 2018 Market Research Report is an expert and inside and out investigation on the ebb and flow condition of the Global Fall Detection System industry. The report gives an essential review of the business including definitions, arrangements, applications and industry chain structure. The Fall Detection System investigation is accommodated the worldwide markets including improvement patterns, focused scene examination, and key areas advancement status.Global Fall Detection System Market is expected to reach USD 479.55 Million by 2025 from USD 341.17 Million in 2017, growing at a CAGR of 4.5% in the forecast period 2018 to 2025. The new market report contains data for historic years 2016, the base year of calculation is 2017 and the forecast period is 2018 to 2025.For In depth Information Get Free Sample Copy of this Report@Complete report on Global Fall Detection System Market Research Report 2017-2024 spread across 350 Pages, profiling Top companies and supports with tables and figuresMarket Definition: Global fall Detection System MarketFall detection system is the system used in alerting emergence in the incident of fall. Fall detection system such as automatic fall detection system and manual fall detection system are used in such detection. Such devices have the potential to diminish some of the adverse consequences of a fall. It has its application in hospitals, nursing, senior assisted living facilities, lone workers, and others. Increased demand for multimodal technology is the major driver for the growth of fall detection system market. On the other side low practicality of the technology among elders somewhere hinders the market.Global Fall Detection System Market, By Product Type (Automatic Fall Detection System, Manual Fall Detection System), By Algorithm (Simple Threshold, Machine Learning), By Component (Accelerometers & Gyroscopes, Unimodal/Bimodal Sensors, Multimodal Sensors), By System (Wearable Systems {Watches, Clip-On, Necklace}, Non-Wearable Systems {Camera, Wall Sensors, Floor Sensors}, In-Home Landline System, In-Home Cellular Systems), End-User (Home Care Settings, Hospitals and Senior Assisted Living Facilities, Lone Workers, Others), By Geography (North America, South America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa)- Industry Trends and Forecast to 2025Key Questions Answered in Global Fall Detection System Market Report:-Our Report offers:- What will the market growth rate, Overview and Analysis by Type of Global Fall Detection System Market in 2025? What are the key factors driving, Analysis by Applications and Countries Global Fall Detection System Market? What are Dynamics, This Overview Includes Analysis of Scope, and price analysis of top Vendors Profiles of Global Fall Detection System Market? Who are Opportunities, Risk and Driving Force of Global Fall Detection System Market? Who are the opportunities and threats faced by the vendors in Global Fall Detection System Market? Business Overview by Type, Applications, Gross Margin and Market Share What are the Global Fall Detection System Market opportunities, market risk and market overview of the Market?Request for Detailed TOC:Key Drivers: Global Fall Detection System Market Low acceptance of technology among elder population is the factor which may hinder the growth of this market. Rising geriatric population and implementation of machine learning approach to detect fall are some of the factors which will drive the market in future.Top Key Players: Medical Guardian LLP LifeFone Koninklijke Philips N.V. Intel Corporation VitalConnect Blue Willow Systems LifeCall Williamson Corporation Life Assure Singapore Technologies Engineering Ltd Semtech Corporation Connect America Tunstall Bay Alarm Medical MobileHelp Mytrex, Inc. AlertOne Services, LLC MariCare among others.Major Market Drivers and Restraints: Regulatory changes in the US with the implementation of PPACA Pressure to reduce rising healthcare costs Shift to ICD-10 coding standards and upcoming ICD-11 Loss of revenue due to billing errors Consolidation increasing in the healthcare industry Rising need for structured processes and documentations Hidden costs of outsourcing Fear of losing visibility and control over the business processInquire Before Buying @Key Factors: Global Fall Detection System Market Some of the key factors driving the market for global fall detection system are ability to assist in case of fall, growth in enhanced medical alert services. Increased demand of wearable technology based fall detection system and growth in demand of smart phones are the other factor which will drive the demand of global fall detection system market. The major factors driving the growth of market are ability to assist in case of fall, growth in enhanced medical alert services, increased demand of wearable technology based fall detection system and growth in demand of smart phones. On the other hand, low acceptance of technology among elder population may hinder the growth of the market.Customize report of "Global Fall Detection System Market" as per customers requirement also available.Company Share Analysis: Global Fall Detection System MarketThe report for global fall detection system market include detailed vendor level analysis for market shares in 2016 for Global, North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa and South America specifically. Also impact and development analysis of key vendors is registered in the market and factored on the basis of Vendor Positioning Grid Analysis which measures the vendors strengths and opportunities against present market challenges, measure providers ability to identify or satisfy present market needs, map providers market vision to current and upcoming market dynamics among others. The report also measures technology life line curve and market time line to analyze and do more affective investments.Market Segmentations:Global Fall Detection System Market is segmented on the basis of Product Type Algorithm Component System End User GeographyMarket Segmentations in Details:On the basis of Product Type into two notable segments; automatic fall detection system and manual fall detection system.On the basis of Algorithm into two notable segments; machine learning and simple threshold.on the basis of Component into three notable segments; accelerometers and gyroscope, multimodal sensor and unimodal or bimodal sensor.on the basis of System, the global fall detection system market is segmented into four notable segments; wearable, non-wearable, in-home cellular system and in-home landline system.on the basis of End User into four notable segments; home care setting, hospital and senior assisted living facilities, lone worker and others.On the basis of Geography, North America South America Europe Asia-Pacific Middle East & AfricaKey Points: Global Fall Detection System Market Accelerometers and Gyroscope market is growing with the highest CAGR Automatic fall detection system is driving the market with highest market share. Wearable segment is dominating the fall detection system marketSpeak to Author of the report @Other ReportGlobal Innovation Management Market Industry Trends and Forecast to 2024Global Innovation Management Market, By Geography; Type (Software, Services); Organization Size (Large Enterprises, Small & Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs)); Deployment Model (On-premises, Cloud); Application (Product Research & Development Platforms, Marketing, Design, Idea Platforms, Collective Intelligence & Prediction Platforms, Human Resource & Freelancers Platforms); Vertical (Banking, Financial Services, Insurance, IT, Media & Communication Technology, Aerospace & Defense, Public Sector & Education, Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals, Retail & Consumer Goods, Automotive & Manufacturing, Transportation & Logistics) Industry Trends and Forecast to 2024Report Access:About Data Bridge Market Research:Data Bridge Market Research set forth itself as an unconventional and neoteric Market research and consulting firm with unparalleled level of resilience and integrated approaches. We are determined to unearth the best market opportunities and foster efficient information for your business to thrive in the market. Data Bridge endeavors to provide appropriate solutions to the complex business challenges and initiates an effortless decision-making process.Contact:Data Bridge Market ResearchTel: +1-888-387-2818Email: sopan.gedam@databridgemarketresearch.com Elderly Care Market Application 2018: Increased Life Expectancy, Global Analysis by Type, Product Type, Geography, Key Vendors Amedisys, Brookdale Senior Living Solutions, Japan Senior Living Investment Corporation. "Elderly Care Market 2018: Global Industry Trends and Forecast to 2024" http://databridgemarketresearch.com/request-a-sample/?dbmr=global-elderly-care-market http://databridgemarketresearch.com/inquire-before-buying/?dbmr=global-elderly-care-market http://databridgemarketresearch.com/reports/global-elderly-care-market/ http://databridgemarketresearch.com/reports/global-healthcare-it-market/ Global Elderly Care Market accounted for USD 863.7 billion in 2016 growing at a CAGR of 8.4% during the forecast period of 2017 to 2024. The upcoming market reports contain data for historic year 2015, the base year of calculation is 2016 and the forecast period is 2017 to 2024.Get Free Sample Copy @Global Elderly Care Market By Type({Home Care (Health Care, Non Medical Home Care), Adult Day Care, Institutional Care (Nursing Homes, Hospital Based, Assisted Living, Independent Senior Living)}), Product Type (Pharmaceuticals, Housing & Assistive Devices, Technology);Geography (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East, Africa).Major Market Competitors:Global elderly care market is dominated by Amedisys, Brookdale Senior Living Solutions, Japan Senior Living Investment Corporation. , Econ Healthcare Group , Epoch Elder Care, Extendicare Inc.,Gentiva Health Services Inc. , Genesis HealthCare, Kindred Healthcare, Inc.,NTUC HEALTH CO-OPERATIVE LTD, ST LUKES ELDERCARE LTD, Samvedna Senior Care, and Goldencare among others.Market Definition:Senior citizens need assistance with daily activities as well as healthcare requirements. Elderly care is the fulfillment of the special needs and requirements in terms of medical support that are unique to senior citizens.Major Market Drivers and Restraints:Rising geriatric populationIncreased life expectancyPrevalence chronic illness among aged populationGrowth in health expenditure by senior citizensRise of technology-enhanced senior careEasy reimbursement policiesLack of qualified employeeCost affordabilityInquiry Before Buying @Market Segmentation:On the basis of type, global elderly care market is segmented into home care, adult day care, and institutional care. Home care is further sub-segmented into health care and non medical home care. Whereas, institutional care is further sub-segmented into nursing homes, hospital based, assisted living, and independent senior living.On the basis of product types, global elderly care market is segmented into pharmaceuticals, housing and assistive devices, and technology.On the basis of geography, global elderly care market report covers data points for 28 countries across multiple geographies such as North America, South America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Middle East & Africa. Some of the major countries covered in this report are U.S., Canada, Germany, France, U.K., Netherlands, Switzerland, Turkey, Russia, China, India, South Korea, Japan, Australia, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and Brazil among others.Competitive Analysis:The global elderly care market is highly fragmented and is based on new product launches and clinical results of products. Hence the major players have used various strategies such as new product launches, clinical trials, market initiatives, high expense on research and development, agreements, joint ventures, partnerships, acquisitions, and others to increase their footprints in this market. The report includes market shares of global elderly care market for global, Europe, North America, Asia Pacific, and South America.Research Methodology:Data collection and base year analysis is done using data collection modules with large sample sizes. The market data is analyzed and forecasted using market statistical and coherent models. Also market share analysis and key trend analysis are the major success factors in the market report. To know more please Request an Analyst Call or can drop down your inquiry.Demand Side Primary Contributors: Doctors, Surgeons, Medical Consultants, Nurses, Hospital Buyers, Group Purchasing Organizations, Associations, Insurers, Medical Payers, Healthcare Authorities, Universities, Technological Writers, Scientists, Promoters, and Investors among others.Supply Side Primary Contributors: Product Managers, Marketing Managers, C-Level Executives, Distributors, Market Intelligence, and Regulatory Affairs Managers among others.Read more about the Global Elderly Care Market Visit @Table of Contents:1. INTRODUCTION1.1. OVERVIEW OF THE GLOBAL ELDERLY CARE MARKET1.2. CURRENCY AND PRICING1.3. LIMITATION1.4. MARKETS COVERED2 MARKET SEGMENTATION2.1. KEY TAKEAWAYS2.2. ARRIVING AT THE GLOBAL ELDERLY CARE MARKET SIZE2.2.1 VENDOR POSITIONING GRID2.2.2 TECHNOLOGY LIFE LINE CURVE2.2.3 MARKET TIME LINE2.2.4 MARKET GUIDE2.2.5 COMPANY POSITIONING GRID2.2.6 COMAPANY MARKET SHARE ANALYSIS2.2.7 MULTIVARIATE MODELLING2.2.8 STANDARDS OF MEASUREMENT2.2.9 TOP TO BOTTOM ANALYSIS2.2.10 VENDOR SHARE ANALYSIS2.2.11 DATA POINTS FROM KEY PRIMARY INTERVIEWS2.2.12 DATA POINTS FROM KEY SECONDARY DATABASES2.3. GLOBAL ELDERLY CARE MARKET: RESEARCH SNAPSHOT2.4. ASSUMPTIONS3 MARKET OVERVIEW3.1. DRIVERS3.1.1. INCREASE IN GERIATRIC POPULATION3.1.2. RISING PATEINT POOL FOR CHRONIC ILLNESS IN AGEING POPULATION3.1.3. RISING AWARENESS OF HOME CARE SETTING DEVICES3.1.4. INCREASING HEALTHCARE SPENDING PUBLIC AND PRIVATE IN DEVELOPED ECONOMIES3.1.5. GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES TO PROVIDE COST-EFFECTIVE MEDICAL TREATMENT FOR AGEING POPULATION3.1.6. FAVOURABLE REIMBURSEMENT POLICIES3.2. RESTRAINTS3.2.1. LOW PENETRATION RATE FOR ELDERLY CARE PRODUCTS3.2.2. HIGH COST OF ELDERLY CARE SERVICES AND PRODUCTS3.3. OPPORTUNITIES3.3.1. INCREASING MARKET TREND TOWARDS ELDERLY CARE SERVICES3.3.2. TECHNOLOGY DRIVING THE MARKET PROVIDES OPPURTUNITY TO UPCOMING PLAYERS3.4. CHALLENGES3.4.1. LACK OF KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLED PROFESSIONALS3.4.2. GAP IN DEMAND AND SUPPLY4 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY5 PREMIUM INSIGHTS5.1. DATA STATISTICS OF GERIATRIC POPULATION BY COUNTRY5.2. VENDOR POSITIONING GRID AND INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES5.3. TECHNOLOLGICAL ADVANCEMENTS5.4. REIMBURSEMENT RATES BY DIFFERENT FORMS OF ELDERLY CARE SERVICES AND PRODUCTS5.5. INSIGHTS ON TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS IN THE GLOBAL ELDERLY CARE MARKET5.6. MARKET REGULATORY SCENARIO BY COUNTRY5.7. INTERVIEW KEY INSIGHTS6 GLOBAL ELDERLY CARE MARKET, BY PRODUCT TYPE6.1. OVERVIEW6.2. PHARMACEUTICALS6.3. HOUSING AND ASSISTIVE DEVICES6.4. TECHNOLOGY7 GLOBAL ELDERLY CARE MARKET, BY SERVICE7.1. OVERVIEW7.2. INSTITUTIONAL CARE7.2.1 NURSING HOME7.2.2 HOSPITAL BASED7.2.3 ASSISTED LIVING7.2.4 INDEPENDENT SENIOR LIVING7.3. HOMECARE7.3.1 HEALTH CARE7.3.1.1 MEDICAL CARE7.3.1.2 PHYSIOTHERAPY SERVICES7.3.1.3 TELEHEALTH7.3.1.4 PALLIATIVE CARE7.3.1.5 HOSPICE CARE7.2.2 NON-MEDICAL CARE7.2.2.1 PERSONAL CARE7.2.2.2 REHABILIATATION7.2.2.2 OTHERS7.3. ADULT DAY CARE8 GLOBAL ELDERLY CARE MARKET, BY APPLICATION8.1. OVERVIEW8.2. HEART DISEASES8.3. CANCER8.4. KIDNEY DISEASES8.5. DIABETES8.6. ARTHRITIS8.7. OSTEOPOROSIS8.8. NEUROLOGICAL8.9. RESPIRATORY8.10. OTHERS8 GLOBAL ELDERLY CARE MARKET, BY GEOGRAPHY8.1 COUNTRY WISE GLOBAL ELDERLY CARE MARKET, (ALL SEGMENTATION PROVIDED ABOVE IS REPRESENTED IN THIS CHAPTER BY COUNTRY)8.1.1 NORTH AMERICA8.1.1.1 U.S.8.1.1.2 CANADA8.1.1.3 MEXICO8.1.2 EUROPE8.1.2.1. GERMANY8.1.2.2 FRANCE8.1.2.3 U.K.8.1.2.4 ITALY8.1.2.5 SPAIN8.1.2.6 RUSSIA8.1.2.7 TURKEY8.1.2.8 BELGIUM8.1.2.9 NETHERLANDS8.1.2.11 SWITZERLAND8.1.2.12 REST OF EUROPE8.1.3 ASIA-PACIFIC (APAC)8.1.3.1 JAPAN8.1.3.2 CHINA8.1.3.3 SOUTH KOREA8.1.3.4 INDIA8.1.3.5 AUSTRALIA8.1.3.6 SINGAPORE8.1.3.7 THAILAND8.1.3.8 MALAYSIA8.1.3.9 INDONESIA8.1.3.10 PHILIPPINES8.1.3.11 REST OF APAC8.1.4 SOUTH AMERICA8.1.4.1 BRAZIL8.1.4.2 REST OF LATIN AMERICA8.1.5 MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA8.1.5.1 SAUDI ARABIA8.1.5.2 REST OF MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA8.2 KEY PRIMARY INSIGHTS: BY MAJOR COUNTRIES9 GLOBAL ELDERLY CARE MARKET: COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE9.1. GLOBAL ELDERLY CARE MARKET: COMPANY SHARE ANALYSIS9.2. MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS9.3. NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT & APPROVALS9.4. EXPANSIONS9.5. REGULATORY CHANGES9.6. PARTNERSHIP AND OTHER STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENTS10 GLOBAL ELDERLY CARE MARKET, COMPANY PROFILES10.1 EXTENDICARE10.1.1 COMPANY OVERVIEW10.1.2. FINANCIAL ANALYSIS10.1.3. PRODUCT MATRIX10.1.4 RECENT DEVELOPMENTS10.1.5. DATABRIDGE ANALYSIS10.2 BROOKDALE SENIOR LIVING SOLUTIONS10.2.1. COMPANY OVERVIEW10.2.2 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS10.2.3 PRODUCT MATRIX10.2.4. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS10.2.5. DATABRIDGE ANALYSIS10.3 KINDRED HEALTHCARE INC.10.3.1. COMPANY OVERVIEW10.3.2. FINANCIAL ANALYSIS10.3.3. PRODUCT MATRIX10.3.4. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS10.3.5. DATABRIDGE ANALYSIS10.4 GENESIS HEALTHCARE10.4.1. COMPANY OVERVIEW10.4.2. FINANCIAL ANALYSIS10.4.3. PRODUCT MATRIX10.4.4. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS10.4.5. DATABRIDGE ANALYSIS10.5 MILLENNIA PERSONAL CARE SERVICES10.5.1. COMPANY OVERVIEW10.5.2. FINANCIAL ANALYSIS10.5.3. PRODUCT MATRIX10.5.4. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS10.5.5. DATABRIDGE ANALYSIS10.6 ALMOST FAMILY10.6.1. COMPANY OVERVIEW10.6.2. FINANCIAL ANALYSIS10.6.3. PRODUCT MATRIX10.6.4. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS10.6.5. DATABRIDGE ANALYSIS10.7 BAYADA HOME HEALTHCARE10.7.1. COMPANY OVERVIEW10.7.2. FINANCIAL ANALYSIS10.7.3. PRODUCT MATRIX10.7.4. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS10.7.5. DATABRIDGE ANALYSIS10.8 AMEDISYS10.8.1. COMPANY OVERVIEW10.8.2. FINANCIAL ANALYSIS10.8.3. PRODUCT MATRIX10.8.4. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS10.8.5. DATABRIDGE ANALYSIS10.9 ENCOMPASS HOME HEALTH10.9.1. COMPANY OVERVIEW10.9.2. FINANCIAL ANALYSIS10.9.3. PRODUCT MATRIX10.9.4. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS10.9.5. DATABRIDGE ANALYSIS10.10 TRINITY HEALTH10.10.1. COMPANY OVERVIEW10.10.2. FINANCIAL ANALYSIS10.10.3. PRODUCT MATRIX10.10.4. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS10.10.5. DATABRIDGE ANALYSIS10.11 LHC GROUP, INC.10.11.1. COMPANY OVERVIEW10.11.2. FINANCIAL ANALYSIS10.11.3. PRODUCT MATRIX10.11.4. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS10.11.5. DATABRIDGE ANALYSIS10.12 INTERIM HEALTHCARE10.12.1. COMPANY OVERVIEW10.12.2. FINANCIAL ANALYSIS10.12.3. PRODUCT MATRIX10.12.4. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS10.12.5. DATABRIDGE ANALYSIS10.13 BENESSE STYLE CARE CO., LTD.10.13.1. COMPANY OVERVIEW10.13.2. FINANCIAL ANALYSIS10.13.3. PRODUCT MATRIX10.13.4. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS10.13.5. DATABRIDGE ANALYSIS10.14 ECON HEALTHCARE GROUP10.14.1. COMPANY OVERVIEW10.14.2. FINANCIAL ANALYSIS10.14.3. PRODUCT MATRIX10.14.4. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS10.14.5. DATABRIDGE ANALYSIS10.15 EPOCH ELDER CARE10.15.1. COMPANY OVERVIEW10.15.2. FINANCIAL ANALYSIS10.15.3. PRODUCT MATRIX10.15.4. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS10.15.5. DATABRIDGE ANALYSIS10.16 ST LUKES ELDERCARE LTD.10.16.1. COMPANY OVERVIEW10.16.2. FINANCIAL ANALYSIS10.16.3. PRODUCT MATRIX10.16.4. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS10.16.5. DATABRIDGE ANALYSIS10.17 NICHIIGAKKAN CO. LTD.10.17.1. COMPANY OVERVIEW10.17.2. FINANCIAL ANALYSIS10.17.3. PRODUCT MATRIX10.17.4. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS10.17.5. DATABRIDGE ANALYSIS10.18 ROSEWOOD CARE GROUP10.18.1. COMPANY OVERVIEW10.18.2. FINANCIAL ANALYSIS10.18.3. PRODUCT MATRIX10.18.4. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS10.18.5. DATABRIDGE ANALYSIS10.19 KAIJIAN HUAZHAN SENIOR CARE SERVICE10.19.1. COMPANY OVERVIEW10.19.2. FINANCIAL ANALYSIS10.19.3. PRODUCT MATRIX10.19.4. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS10.19.5. DATABRIDGE ANALYSIS10.20 UNITED MEDICARE PTE LTD.10.20.1. COMPANY OVERVIEW10.20.2. FINANCIAL ANALYSIS10.20.3. PRODUCT MATRIX10.20.4. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS10.20.5. DATABRIDGE ANALYSISRelated ReportGlobal Healthcare IT Market Trends and Forecast to 2024Global Healthcare IT Market, By Product (EHR, RIS, PACS, VNA, CPOE, MHealth, Telehealth, Healthcare Analytics, Supply Chain Management, Revenue Cycle Management, CRM, Claims Management, Fraud Management), By End User (Providers (Hospitals, ASCs, Home Healthcare, Diagnostic Centers, Pharmacies), Payers (Private, Public)), By Geography (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, Rest of the World) Trends and Forecast to 2024Report Access:About Data Bridge Market Research:Data Bridge Market Research set forth itself as an unconventional and neoteric Market research and consulting firm with unparalleled level of resilience and integrated approaches. We are determined to unearth the best market opportunities and foster efficient information for your business to thrive in the market. Data Bridge endeavors to provide appropriate solutions to the complex business challenges and initiates an effortless decision-making process.Data Bridge adepts in creating satisfied clients who reckon upon our services and rely on our hard work with certitude. Get 10% Discount on Report by emailing sopan.gedam@databridgemarketresearch.com . We are content with our glorious 99.9 % client satisfying rate.Contact:Vishal DixitData Bridge Market ResearchTel: +1-888-387-2818Email: sopan.gedam@databridgemarketresearch.com 11:22 Police investigating the rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua say that Sanji Ram, one of the main accused, has told them during interrogation that he learnt about the rape four days after her abduction, and decided to have her killed because his son was also involved in the sexual assault. The investigators say the girl, who was kidnapped on January 10, was first raped the same day by Ram's nephew, a juvenile, and was killed on January 14. Her body was found on January 17 in a forest. Along with the juvenile, Ram and his son Vishal, five others have been charged in the case, which has shaken the nation and led to the government promulgating an ordinance mandating death sentence for the rape of a child aged 12 and below. The investigators told PTI that the girl, from the Muslim Bakerwal community, was kept in a 'devisthan', a small temple, where Ram was the custodian. The aim of the kidnapping was to scare and drive away the nomadic Gujjar and Bakarwal communities from the Hindu dominated area, they said. Ram's lawyer Ankur Sharma refused to comment on the investigators' version of the incidents, saying it would not be appropriate for him to discuss defence strategy. Sanjhi Ram claimed he found out about the sexual assault only on January 13 when the nephew confessed to him, according to the investigators. He told them that he had performed prayers at the 'devisthan', and asked his nephew to take prasad home. But the nephew delayed doing so, and in anger Ram beat him up, investigators said. The juvenile thought his uncle had found out that he had raped the girl, and spilled the beans, they said. They claim the juvenile also implicated his cousin, Vishal, saying they both had raped the girl inside the 'devisthan'. It was then that Ram decided "that time was ripe to kill the girl so as to achieve the ultimate goal' of scaring away the nomads, according to the chargesheet filed in the case. Investigators say Ram also convinced his nephew to confess to the crime. On the intervening night of January 13 and 14, the juvenile, Vishal and a friend, Parvesh Kumar alias Mannu, took the victim out of the 'devisthan'. They were later joined by a special police officer Deepak Khajuria who wanted to rape her once more before she was killed, they said. She was murdered on January 14 as Ram did not want to leave any evidence that led to his son, investigators have found. Preparations for the abduction had started on January 7 when sedatives and 'manar' (local cannabis or bhang) were purchased, the chargesheet said. The child was sedated with 'manar' and kept in the 'devisthan' covered with a rug and a mattress weighing nearly 15 kg, investigators said. A senior police officer of the Crime Branch investigating the case consumed the 'manar' tablet in front of his colleagues and the medical team to understand the effect of the drug, it is learnt. The chargesheets -- a separate chargesheet was filed for the juvenile -- named Ram, his nephew, his son Vishal, SPOs Khajuria and Surender Verma and friend Mannu. While Ram has been charged with murder, kidnapping and destruction of evidence, Mannu has been charged with kidnapping. The other three have rape added to the list of charges. The chargesheet also names head constable Tilak Raj and sub-inspector Anand Dutta - who allegedly took Rs. 4 lakh from Sanji Ram and destroyed crucial evidence. All of them have been charged under Section 120 B of the IPC for criminal conspiracy. Generic Drugs Market - Global Industry Insights, Trends, and Opportunity Analysis, 2025 https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-sample/1132 https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/ongoing-insight/toc/1132 Global generic drugs market is segmented into North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa. North America held a dominant position in the global generic drugs market in 2016. This is attributed to favorable regulatory policies that are revised and amended to encourage generic drugs business in the region. For instance, Generic Drug User Fee Amendment (GDFUA) was reauthorized in 2017 after its initiation in 2012 by FDA for increasing consumer access to high quality, safe, and affordable drugs. On the other hand, Asia Pacific is expected to show a significant traction in the market over the forecast period. This is attributed to lower manufacturing costs and high skilled workforce in the Asian countries. According to India Brand Equity Foundation, India has the second largest number of U.S. FDA manufacturing plants outside the U.S. that are involved in generic drugs manufacturing. Additionally, the cost of manufacturing is 33% lower in India than that in the U.S., increasing accessibility to generics in these countries.Ask for detailed Sample of the Research Report:New drug launches and market approvals from the U.S. FDA to generic manufacturers are bolstering growth of the generic drugs market. For instance, in December 2017, Zydus Phamaceuticals a subsidiary of Cadila Healthcare received U.S. FDA approval to market Pramipexole Dihydrochloride extended-release tablets for the treatment of Parkinson s disease in the U.S. market. Key players operating in the global generic drugs market are Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, Mylan N.V., Novartis International AG, Pfizer, Inc., Allergan Plc, Sun Pharmaceuticals, Fresenius Kabi, Sanofi, Endo International, Lupin Ltd., Abbott Healthcare, AstraZeneca Plc, and Novo Nordisk.Generic drugs refers to medication that have the same active ingredient as that of a branded drugs. These drugs also yield the same therapeutic effect and are prescribed in the same dosing, with the same quality, and same the way of consumption and usage. However, the inactive ingredients of generic drugs can differ as compared to their branded counter parts. These drugs are mainly marketed after a patent expiry of a branded drug and are significantly lower in costs as compared to the patented branded drugs. Generic drugs are of equivalent quality as compared to the branded drugs and are manufactured under the same safety and manufacturing procedures. Various manufacturers submit an abbreviated new drug application (ANDA) to the FDA after the completion of period of patent exclusivity.Manufacturers of generic drugs are focusing on development and introduction of various innovative medication and formulation such as biosimilars. According to IMS Health data, generic drugs accounted for over 80% of the prescriptions dispensed in the U.S. in 2013. The number of patents expiring in the near future serves to be a major driver for growth of generic drugs market. For instance, Cetuximab (Erbitux) is an epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitor that is indicated in the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer and head and neck cancer. It is manufactured under the patent by Bristol-Myers Squibb and Eli Lily Company in Europe. The drugs patent expires in 2018 and thus, is expected to provide opportunity for a large number of market players to manufacture its generic version. Furthermore, supportive initiative by FDA to promote development of biosimilars is encouraging manufacturers to focus towards its development. For instance, the Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act in the U.S. gr ants 12 months patent exclusivity with higher profit margins to the first manufacturer than the conventional generic manufacturers bringing the drugs in market later. Various other factors contributing to growth of generic drugs market include rampant growth in incidence of chronic diseases. However, shortage of active pharmaceutical ingredients leading to unavailability of generics in the market and increasing FDA pressure on manufacturers regarding manufacturing quality of these drugs are hindering the market growthTo get detailed table of content @The global generic drugs market is segmented on the basis of drug type, therapeutic application, route of administration, and region.On the basis of Drug Type, the global generic drugs market is segmented into: Monoclonal Antibodies, Cytokines, Vaccines, Insulin, Peptide Hormones, Immunoglobulin, Peptide Antibiotics, Blood Factors, Others,.On the basis of Therapeutic Application, the global generic drugs market is segmented into: Oncology, Cardiovascular Diseases, Neurology, Infectious Diseases, Musculoskeletal Diseases, Others,.Based on Route of Administration, the global generic drugs market is segmented into: Oral, Topical, Injectable, Intra-venous, Others,.About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.1001 4th Ave,, #3200, Seattle, WA 98154 Drugs of Abuse Testing Market Size 2013 to 2017 and Forecast 2018 to 2024 Drugs of Abuse Testing Market https://www.precisionbusinessinsights.com/market-reports/drugs-of-abuse-testing-market/#ulp-4H8Z4LpNMLEuOnnx https://www.precisionbusinessinsights.com/market-reports/drugs-of-abuse-testing-market/#ulp-c654SbFYO64MsOhu https://www.precisionbusinessinsights.com/market-reports/drugs-of-abuse-testing-market/#ulp-14mlyhjMGhVjZqa3 https://www.precisionbusinessinsights.com/market-reports/drugs-of-abuse-testing-market/ https://www.precisionbusinessinsights.com Global Drugs of Abuse Testing Market: Drug (Narcotic, Sedatives, Psychostimulants, Hallucinogens, Others), End user (Diagnostic Centers, Hospitals, Ambulatory Surgical Centers), Test Type (Chromatography, Immunoassay, Rapid Testing), Sample (Hair, Saliva, Urine, Others), End User (Diagnostic Centers, Forensic Labs, Hospitals) and Geography Market Estimation, Dynamics, Regional Share, Trends, Competitor Analysis 2013-2017 and Forecast 2018-2024Global Drugs of Abuse Testing market was valued at US $ XX Mn and expected to grow at XX% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) over the 2018 to 2024.Market Outline: Drugs of Abuse Testing MarketDrugs of Abuse Testing is used to determine one or more prescription or illegal drugs that present in the biological samples of a patient. Drugs of abuse are the illicit drugs that are taken for non-medical purposes.Market Dynamics: Drugs of Abuse Testing MarketTechnological advancements of analyzers, rise in availability of forbidden drugs, increase in emphasis on work place screening propels the market growth of drugs of abuse testing market. Furthermore, rise in number of clinical laboratories offering tests for drugs of abuse, increase in demand for drug of abuse testing from private employers also drives the market for drug of abuse testing market globally. However, unfavorable reimbursement policies, low threshold of drug abuse testing laws in emerging countries may hamper the growth of the drug of abuse testing market globally.A sample of this report is available upon request @Market Scope: Drugs of Abuse Testing MarketDrugs of Abuse Testing market is segmented based on the Drug, Test Type, Sample, End User and geographical regionsBased on the Drug, the market is segmented into the following: Narcotic Sedatives Psychostimulants Hallucinogens OthersBased on the Test Type, the market is segmented into the following: Chromatography Immunoassay Rapid TestingBased on the Sample, the market is segmented into the following: Hair Saliva Urine OthersBased on the End User, the market is segmented into the following: Diagnostic Centers Forensic Labs HospitalsBased on the Geographical Regions, the market is segmented into the following: North America Europe Asia Pacific Latin America The Middle East and AfricaTo view TOC of this report is available upon request @Market Summary: Drugs of Abuse Testing MarketCurrently, drug abusing is a major problem which is negatively impacting huge population globally. People who are addicted to alcohol or who are prescribed with prolonged usage of drugs are more prone to chronic diseases which are prevailing among global population that leads to economic burden on the nation. Hence, governments across the world are actively taking part in various initiatives to create awareness among people regarding prevention, eradication and early detection of drug abuse. However, companies are focusing on new product launches, minimizing the price of the tests in order to gain maximum traction in the global market. Furthermore, market players are concentrating on various growth strategies such as collaborations, acquisitions, partnerships to enhance their market presence.Regional Analysis: Drugs of Abuse Testing MarketGeographically, global Drugs of Abuse Testing market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East and Africa. North America holds largest position in Drugs of Abuse Testing market globally especially U.S followed by European countries owing to the increase in availability of illicit drugs, rise in drug trafficking etc. As per to the National Institute of Drug Abuse, around 24.6 Mn Americans with age above 12 years used illicit drug. Asia Pacific, Latin America and MEA regions are also anticipated to have lucrative growth in Drugs of Abuse Testing market owing to the economic instability, un organized government regulations, lack of awareness regarding the usage of drugs, less literacy rates compared to developed countries, increase in adoption of western lifestyle etc.Competition Assessment: Drugs of Abuse Testing MarketSome of the players in the global Drugs of Abuse Testing market include: Siemens Healthineers (Germany) Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (U.S.) Dragerwerk AG & Co. KGaA, (Germany) Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. (Switzerland) Danaher Corporation (Beckman Coulter, Inc.) (U.S.) Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings (U.S.) Abbott Laboratories (U.S.)Need more information about this report @Key Features of the Report: 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 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 marketGet access to full summary @About Precision Business InsightsPrecision Business Insights is one of the leading market research and business consulting firm, which follow a holistic approach to solve needs of the clients. We adopt and implement proven research methodologies to achieve better results. We help our clients by providing actionable insights and strategies to make better decisions. We provide consulting, syndicated and customised market research services based on our client needs.Contact to Precision Business Insights,Kemp House,152 160 City Road,London EC1V 2NXEmail: sales@precisionbusinessinsights.comToll Free (US): +1-866-598-1553Website @ Cryogenic Hoses Market Expected to Rise Steadily throughout by 2025 www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/18166 www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/18166 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com Cryogenic hoses are particular indispensable assembly or equipment used for the efficient and effective transfer of cryogenic liquids and liquid gases, such as liquid nitrogen, liquid helium, liquid oxygen, liquid argon liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), liquefied natural gas (LNG), ethylene, ammonia and carbon dioxide. Cryogenic technology is largely involved in the operation, production and maintenance of gases below -150 degree C.Cryogenic hoses possess exceptional properties, such as exceptional thermal resistance, resistance against chemicals, long operating and service life and ease in usage and they also reduce maintenance cost. Conventionally, major cryogenic hoses are manufactured from polymers wherein different layers of polymers are superimposed together to form a composite, which is used as the base material.Request Report for TOC @Composites are generally lightweight in nature and provide better shear stress properties. Stainless steel is also adopted as a material of choice for the manufacturing of cryogenic hoses, owing to its exceptional mechanical and thermal properties. Stainless steel also provides resistance against acids and alkali, which help in increasing the life of cryogenic hoses.Cryogenic hoses can be classified into several types on the basis of application usage, namely uninsulated, vacuum insulated and foam insulated. Among these types, vacuum insulated and foam insulated hoses find remarkable adoption in different end user industries. There has been a significant increase in opportunities for cryogenic hoses in core processes in different end user industries.End-user industries, such as coal storage, petrochemical and chemical, metallurgy and food & beverage are the prominent industries responsible for the increased demand of cryogenic hoses. The petrochemical industry holds a lions share of returns in the global cryogenic hoses market. Major market players are continuously investing in research and development to pave way for technological innovations and advances in the market.Cryogenic Hoses Market: Drivers and RestraintsGlobally, the cryogenic hoses market has been witnessing enormous demand and progress over the past few years and the same trend will be observed in the upcoming years. The main reason behind the huge demand for cryogenic hoses is the adoption of the assembly in different applications. Massive development of petrochemical complexes, chemical industries, metallurgical activities, cold storage of foods and beverage and power industries in the last few years has surged the demand for cryogenic hoses. Furthermore, continuous R & D efforts in cryogenic technologies enable new product development of cost effective cryogenic hoses with increased efficacy.There has been a substantial increase in the adoption of nitrogen in food & beverage applications, which is driving the growth of cryogenic hoses in the global market. Nitrogen gas has been broadly used for preserving and freezing foods in the food processing industries. Conventional refrigerants, such as ammonia and fluorocarbons are being replaced by nitrogen cooled freezers since the former are expected to negatively affect the environment. Nitrogen-cooled freezers are also used to increase product quality and throughput. In the past few years, there has been a significant slowdown in the steel industry, which may dent adoption and growth opportunities of cryogenic hoses in the market.Request to Sample of Report @The global cryogenic hoses market can be segmented into the seven key regions: North America, Latin America, Western Europe, and Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific Excluding Japan (APEJ), Japan and Middle East and Africa (MEA). Growth in developed regions, such as North America, Western Europe and Japan will be driven by the expansion of industries, such as metallurgy, food and beverage and power. APEJ and Latin America regions will also register rapid growth, due to the increasing demand for petrochemical & chemical products and an increase in manufacturing units, mainly in emerging economies, such as China and India. MEA is also projected to also expand with a significant CAGR over the forecast period.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: Human Papillomavirus Testing Market to Exceed US$ 1,100 Mn in 2025 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/11737 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/human-papillomavirus-testing-market/toc https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/multiple-chapter/11737 https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/global-human-papillomavirus-hpv-testing-market-is-expected-to-reach-nearly-us-1130-mn-by-end-of-2025-634046683.html https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/checkout/11737 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com Various healthcare and government insurance providers are offering reimbursement for diagnosis of chronic disorders such as cervical cancer screening. For instance, Medicare U.S. government-funded health insurance provider, provides reimbursement to people who are of age 65 or older and some younger population with disabilities. Moreover, for cervical cancer diagnosis, such plans cover reimbursement for one pap test every three years or a combination of pap test & HPV testing every five years. Favorable government initiatives as such are expected to drive the demand for Human Papillomavirus (HPV) testing market in the years to come.Request to Sample of Report @HPV testing is gradually becoming crucial for cervical cancer screening, according to recent report published by Persistence Market Research. The report estimates that in 2017, the global market for Human Papillomavirus testing will reach an estimated value of US$ 629.4 Mn. Improving reimbursement scenario, coupled with high sensitivity of Human Papillomavirus testing in low resource setting, is expected to drive the markets growth. By the end of 2025, the global market for Human Papillomavirus testing will have soared at 7.6% CAGR, bringing in more than US$ 1,100 Mn in revenues.Request for Table of Contents @Global HPV Testing Market Key ChallengesA key limitation for Human Papillomavirus testing is that these tests are confined to women as men undergoing HPV testing have higher risks of getting infected with genital warts. In addition to this, patients are not willing to take Human Papillomavirus tests because of lack of diagnosis options. Over-diagnosis of Human Papillomavirus testing can cause more complications and can even risk the life of patients. Meanwhile, the global revenues from Human Papillomavirus testing are being lowered due to availability of HPV vaccines. Preference to HPV vaccines is directly impeding the revenues arising from Human Papillomavirus testing. High cost of HPV screening test, overburdened healthcare system, low awareness on HPV prevention, and imperfections in organized screening programs are some other challenges impacting the growth of global HPV testing market.Request Report Multiple Chapter @According to the report, North Americas Human Papillomavirus testing market will be valued at nearly US$ 640 Mn, dominating the global market revenues. The demand for Human Papillomavirus testing will also be significant in Europe, Latin America and Asia-Pacific, while Middle East & Africas Human Papillomavirus testing revenues will attribute to less than 4% of global market value. The report also projects that over 60% of global HPV testing revenues will be accounted by DNA-based test products. While hospitals will be largest end-users of HPV testing globally, the end-use of Human Papillomavirus testing will gain traction in diagnostic centers as well. And, the report also reveals that close to 90% of global Human Papillomavirus testing market value throughout the forecast period will be accounted by molecular diagnostic application of Human Papillomavirus testing.For more information @The report further profiles key players in the global Human Papillomavirus testing market, which include F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Agilent Technologies, Inc., Becton, Dickinson and Company, Qiagen N.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., Abbott Laboratories, Hologic Inc., Cepheid Inc., Seegene Inc., Takara Bio Inc., DaAn Gene Co., Ltd. of Sun Yat-Sen University, Promega Corporation, Greiner Bio-One International GmbH (Greiner Holding AG), Enzo Biochem Inc., Norgen Biotek Corp., DiagCor Bioscience Inc Ltd, Hybribio Limited, Zytovision GmbH, Arbor Vita Corporation, Medical & Biological Laboratories Co., Ltd. and Fujirebio Diagnostics, Inc.Get full report now @About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: Bakery Ingredients Market Size 2013-2017 and Forecast 2018-2024 Bakery Ingredients Market https://www.precisionbusinessinsights.com/market-reports/bakery-ingredients-market/#ulp-4H8Z4LpNMLEuOnnx https://www.precisionbusinessinsights.com/market-reports/bakery-ingredients-market/#ulp-c654SbFYO64MsOhu https://www.precisionbusinessinsights.com/market-reports/bakery-ingredients-market/#ulp-14mlyhjMGhVjZqa3 https://www.precisionbusinessinsights.com/market-reports/bakery-ingredients-market/ https://www.precisionbusinessinsights.com Global Bakery Ingredients Market By Ingredients Type (Baking Powders, Emulsifiers, Leavening Agents, Enzymes, Oils, Sweeteners, Colors and Flavors, Preservatives, Yeast, Leavening Agents, Others), By Application (Cakes and Pastries, Breads, Rolls and Pies, Biscuits, Others), and Geography Market Estimation, Dynamics, Regional Share, Trends, Competitor Analysis 2013-2017 and Forecast 2018-2024Global bakery ingredients market was valued at US $ XX Mn and expected to grow at XX% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) over the 2018 to 2024Market Outline: Bakery Ingredients MarketBakery ingredients are the food products which improves the quality of the food, improves the shelf-life, and maintains the soft texture, freshness and the taste of the food items that are baked, which includes the bakery products such as pizza, cookie, tarts, pastries, donut etc. The commonly used bakery ingredients include baking soda, butter, honey, eggs, baking powder, color additives etc. The composition of the ingredient plays a major role in determining the texture and flavor of the baked product.A sample of this report is available upon request @Market Dynamics: Bakery Ingredients MarketIncrease in the working population and the changing lifestyles are the major factors driving the growth of the bakery ingredients market. The rising population of the working women is leaving them no time to prepare the food which is attracting them towards the bakery food which is replacing the conventional home cooked food. Furthermore, the consumers preference towards the convenience and packed foods is also likely to enhance the growth of the bakery ingredients market. Rise in the disposable incomes in the emerging countries and affordability of the bakery products are expected to fuel the market revenue growth. However, the stringent government regulations are likely to hamper the growth of the bakery ingredients market over the forecast period.Market Scope: Bakery Ingredients MarketBakery ingredients market is segmented on the basis of ingredients and applications.Based on the ingredients type, the market is segmented into the following: Baking Powders Emulsifiers Leavening Agents Enzymes Oils Sweeteners Colors and Flavors Preservatives Yeast Leavening Agents OthersBased on the application, the market is segmented into the following: Cakes and Pastries Breads Rolls and Pies Biscuits OthersTo view TOC of this report is available upon request @Regional Analysis: Bakery Ingredients MarketGeographically, global bakery ingredients market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East and Africa. North American and European bakery ingredients markets holds dominant share owing to the larger adoption of bakery foods in these regions. The adoption of the westernized lifestyle and increasing demand for the ready-to-eat foods owing to time constraints are aiding the growth of the bakery ingredients market in Asia-Pacific region. The Asia Pacific region is expected to show a rapid growth over the forecasted period owing to its increasing population and disposable income. The rising awareness among the people regarding various bakery products and growing health consciousness are the factors affecting the growth of the bakery ingredients market in the Asian region.Competition Assessment: Bakery Ingredients MarketSome of the players in the global bakery ingredients market include: Cargill Incorporated (U.S) Kerry Group Plc (Ireland) DuPont (U.S) British Bakels Ltd (U.K) Associated British Foods plc (U.K) Dawn Foods Ltd (U.S) DSM (Netherlands)Need more information about this report @Notable Market Developments: Bakery Ingredients Market In February 2018, DuPont has announced the launch of its PowerBake 6000 product which is based on a new enzyme that acts as a strengthening solution, adding tolerance and consistency in bread and buns.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 marketGet access to full summary @About Precision Business InsightsPrecision Business Insights is one of the leading market research and business consulting firm, which follow a holistic approach to solve needs of the clients. We adopt and implement proven research methodologies to achieve better results. We help our clients by providing actionable insights and strategies to make better decisions. We provide consulting, syndicated and customised market research services based on our client needs.Contact to Precision Business Insights,Kemp House,152 160 City Road,London EC1V 2NXEmail: sales@precisionbusinessinsights.comToll Free (US):+1-866-598-1553Website @ Smart Glasses Market Set Explosive Growth to 2022 https://www.worldwidemarketreports.com/sample/78936 https://www.worldwidemarketreports.com/discount/78936 Worldwide Market Reports added Latest Research Report titled " Asia-Pacific Smart Glasses Market Report 2017 " to its Large Report database.In this report, the Asia-Pacific Smart Glasses market is valued at USD XX million in 2016 and is expected to reach USD XX million by the end of 2022, growing at a CAGR of XX% between 2016 and 2022.Geographically, this report split Asia-Pacific into several key Regions, with sales (K Units), revenue (Million USD), market share and growth rate of Smart Glasses for these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), including China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, India, Southeast Asia, Australia.Request for Sample Copy of Research Report:Asia-Pacific Smart Glasses market competition by top manufacturers/players, with Smart Glasses sales volume, price, revenue (Million USD) and market share for each manufacturer/player; the top players including Google glass, Microsoft, SONY, Samsung, Newmine, Baidu glassess, Recon, Lenovo, ITheater, Gonbes, USAMS, TESO, Shenzhen good technology, Osterhout Design Group, AOS Shanghai Electronics, Vuzix Corporation.On the basis of product, this report displays the sales volum, revenue, product price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split into Android, iOS, Windows, Other.On the basis on the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, sales volume, market share and growth rate for each application, including Industrial/Health/Fitness Purposes, Ordinary Consumer.Request for Discount @Table of ContentsAsia-Pacific Smart Glasses Market Report 20171 Smart Glasses Overview2 Asia-Pacific Smart Glasses Competition by Players/Suppliers, Region, Type and Application3 China Smart Glasses (Volume, Value and Sales Price)4 Japan Smart Glasses (Volume, Value and Sales Price)5 South Korea Smart Glasses (Volume, Value and Sales Price)6 Taiwan Smart Glasses (Volume, Value and Sales Price)7 India Smart Glasses (Volume, Value and Sales Price)8 Southeast Asia Smart Glasses (Volume, Value and Sales Price)9 Australia Smart Glasses (Volume, Value and Sales Price)9 Australia Smart Glasses (Volume, Value and Sales Price)11 Smart Glasses Manufacturing Cost Analysis12 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers13 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/Traders14 Market Effect Factors Analysis15 Asia-Pacific Smart Glasses Market Forecast (2017-2022)16 Research Findings and Conclusion17 AppendixList of Tables and FiguresContinue*Any special requirements about this report, please let us know and we can provide custom report.** The Values marked with XX is confidential data. To know more about CAGR figures fill in your information so that our business development executive can get in touch with you.About WMRWorldwide Market Reports is your one-stop repository of detailed and in-depth market research reports compiled by an extensive list of publishers from across the globe. We offer reports across virtually all domains and an exhaustive list of sub-domains under the sun. The in-depth market analysis by some of the most vastly experienced analysts provide our diverse range of clients from across all industries with vital decision making insights to plan and align their market strategies in line with current market trends. Worldwide Market Researchs well-researched inputs that encompass domains ranging from IT to healthcare enable our prized clients to capitalize upon key growth opportunities and shield against credible threats prevalent in the market in the current scenario and those expected in the near future.Contact Us:Mr. ShahWorldwide Market Reports1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154,U.STel: +1 415 871 0703Email: sales@worldwidemarketreports.com Nasal Spray Market: A Comprehensive Insights with Top Key Companys Teva, Sandoz, Mylan, Allergan PLC, Cipla, Akorn, Apotex | Global Business Outlook till 2023 Nasal Spray Market https://www.businessindustryreports.com/sample-request/18259 https://www.businessindustryreports.com/buy-now/18259/single https://www.businessindustryreports.com/check-discount/18259 Businessindustryreports.com adds new report 2015-2023 World Nasal Spray Market Research Report by Product Type, End-User / Application and Regions / Countries which contains global key players survey information and forecast analysis to 2023.Global Nasal Spray Market Overview:The report spread across 122 pages is an overview of the 2015-2023 World Nasal Spray Market Research Report by Product Type, End-User / Application and Regions / Countries. Nasal Spray Market Research report provides the newest industry data and industry future trends, allowing you to identify the products and end users driving Revenue growth and profitability. The industry report lists the leading competitors and provides the insights strategic industry Analysis of the key factors influencing the market.This report studies the Global Nasal Spray Market over the forecast period of 2018 to 2025. The Manufacture of Generic Drugs is one of the key growth strategies that leading players are adopting to strengthen their positions in the market. This is to cater to untapped regions across the world that display growth potential of the Inhalation and Nasal Spray generic Drugs Market. For instance, Asia Pacific holds promise for the market expansion of the companies involved.On the basis of Drug Class, the segment of Combinations, which accounted for the dominant share in revenue in 2014 and 2015, is expected to remain the leading Drug Class over the reports forecast period as well. In terms of Geography, the market for Inhalation and Nasal Spray Generic Drugs in Asia Pacific is projected to emerge as the regional market with the most promising growth opportunities over the forecast period. The two leading regional markets in the present scenario - North America and Europe, will continue to constitute the top share in terms of revenue contribution over the forecast period, but will lead to less promising growth opportunities as compared to Asia Pacific owing chiefly to mature marketplaces and more preferences to branded drugs.Available Exclusive Sample Copy of this Report @A complete analysis of the competitive landscape of the Global Nasal Spray Market is provided in the report. This section includes company profiles of market key players. The profiles include contact information, gross, capacity, product details of each firm, price, and cost. This report investigates new project feasibility with a purpose of enlightening new entrants about the possibilities in this market. In this report, thorough SWOT analysis & investment analysis is provided which forecasts imminent opportunities for the Nasal Spray Market players.Major Key Players:1 Teva2 Sandoz (Novartis AG)3 Mylan4 Allergan PLC5 Cipla6 Akorn7 Apotex8 Sun Pharma (Ranbaxy)9 Nephron Pharma10 Beximco Pharma11 Hikma (Roxane)12 XIANJU PHARMAPurchase this report online with 122 Pages, List of Tables & Figures and in-depth Table of Contents on 2015-2023 World Nasal Spray Market Research Report by Product Type, End-User / Application and Regions / Countries @Market Segment by Type:1 Corticosteroids2 Bronchodilators3 Combinations4 Decongestant Sprays and OthersMarket segment by Regions/Countries, this report covers:North America (U.S., Canada, Mexico)Europe (Germany, U.K., France, Italy, Russia, Spain etc)South America (Brazil, Argentina etc)Middle East & Africa (Saudi Arabia, South Africa etc)This study answers to the below key questions:1 What will the market size be in 2023 and what will the growth rate be?2 What are the key market trends?3 What are the challenges to market growth?4 Who are the key players in this market?5 What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key players?Grab Your Report at an Impressive Discount @In the end, this report covers data and information on capacity and production overview, production, market share analysis, sales overview, supply, sales, and shortage, import, export and consumption as well as cost, price, revenue and gross margin of Nasal Spray Market.Major Points in Table of Contents:Global Nasal Spray Market Report 20181 Market Definition2 Global Market by Vendors3 Global Market by Type4 Global Market by End-Use / Application5 Global Market by Regions6 North America Market7 Europe Market8 Asia-Pacific Market9 South America Market10 Middle East & Africa Market11 Market Forecast12 Key ManufacturersAbout usBusinessindustryReports.com is digital database of comprehensive market reports for global industries. As a market research company, we take pride in equipping our clients with insights and data that holds the power to truly make a difference to their business. Our mission is singular and well-defined we want to help our clients envisage their business environment so that they are able to make informed, strategic and therefore successful decisions for themselves.Media ContactBusiness Industry ReportsPune Indiasales@businessindustryreports.com+19376349940 Decorative Hardware Market Insights: Driving Factors, Industry Analysis, Investment Feasibility and Trends, Outlook -2022 http://qyreports.com/request-sample?report-id=23977 http://qyreports.com/ask-for-discount?report-id=23977 http://qyreports.com/enquiry-before-buying?report-id=23977 QYReports adds a report entitled "Global Decorating Hardware Market Size, Condition and Forecast" to provide an overview of the various elements that can grow in the market. It also provides insights into the various constraints that pose threats and highlights opportunities to help the market determine speed in future markets. This report accumulates thorough information from proven research methodologies and industry trusted sources. It also includes expert opinions to provide readers with a clearer view of the global market.Get Sample copy of this report @:Companies profiled in this report include, Hettich, ARCHIE, HAFELE, Topstrong, Kinlong, GMT, DTC, Hutlon, Roto, EKF, GULI, TRI-CIRCLE, GRASS, Hovai, DORMA, GEZE, Oubao, Seleco.The Decorative Hardware report makes use of industry-centric tools for market analysis to gauge the scope of the competitive landscape of the global Decorative Hardware market in current as well as future market scenarios. The competition in the global market is evaluated on the basis of key market player operating at both regional as well as global. The report also discusses the associations and business partnerships among the key players operating in the market.The major players of the Decorative Hardware market are identified across regions, and their offerings, distribution channels, and regional presence are understood through in-depth discussions. Also, average revenue generated by these companies, segmented on the basis of region, is used to arrive at the overall market size. This overall market size is used in the top-down procedure to estimate the sizes of other individual markets through percentage splits from secondary sources directories, databases, and primary research.Avail 20% Discount on this report @:Further, it also provides information on marketing channels, industry development trends, environmental and regional regulations, revenue structure, distribution of manufacturing plants, product specification, import and export, proposals, consumers, business models, collaborations, upstream raw materials, and research requirements.The research report not only offers readers a broad overview of the international industry but also provides a granular assessment of the regional market in several countries and regions. Furthermore, the report consists a part that acknowledges the competitive analysis of the global Decorative Hardware market. These strategies followed by prominent players to stay ahead in the competition, the hurdles they are facing, competition they are dealing with, and the opportunities that are keeping them motivated are included in this section. This will help both large scale and small-scale companies to deliberately understand the outlook of competition, which will help them to expand their territory.To know more about this report @:Besides recognizing the factors enabling growth in the global Decorative Hardware market, the report also profiles some of the leading companies operating therein. The product portfolio of the companies profiled are studied in detail. Besides this, information is obtained from their financial reports and strategies they adopted over the last couple of years. The impact of these strategies in the overall market is gauged as well, for the purpose of the study.Table of ContentsGlobal Decorative Hardware Market Research ReportChapter 1 Decorative Hardware Market OverviewChapter 2 Global Economic Impact on IndustryChapter 3 Global Market Competition by ManufacturersChapter 4 Global Production, Revenue (Value) by RegionChapter 5 Global Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by RegionsChapter 6 Global Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by TypeChapter 7 Global Market Analysis by ApplicationChapter 8 Manufacturing Cost AnalysisChapter 9 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream BuyersChapter 10 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/TradersChapter 11 Market Effect Factors AnalysisChapter 12 Global Decorative Hardware Market ForecastWe at QYResearch(qyreports.com), a leading market research report publisher cater to more than 4,000 prestigious clients worldwide meeting their customized research requirements in terms of market data size and its application. Our list of customers include renouned Chinese companies multinational companies, SMEs and private equity firms. our business study covers a market size of over 30 industries offering you accurate, in depth and reliable market insight, industry analysis and structure. QYResearchs specialize in forecasts needed for investing in an and execution of a new project globally and in Chinese markets.Address:The Work Lab,FC Road, Pune, MH, India411016Contact Number:+91-9764607607Email ID:sales@qyreports.com Factors driving the growth of Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) Sales Market with CAGR (+25%), Top Key Players, Growth Rate, Competitive Strategies and Industry Factors http://qyreports.com/request-sample?report-id=33693 http://qyreports.com/ask-for-discount?report-id=33693 http://qyreports.com/enquiry-before-buying?report-id=33693 The Virtual Desktop Infrastructure uses centralized storage and system applications, and the data is stored centrally on the server. This feature helps provide a better security and smooth user experience by hosting data on a centralized server rather than on a user's computer that can be lost, destroyed, or stolen. End users can remotely access these applications and data from anywhere using login details. Centralization supports your enterprise with backup and reliable computing solutions. It also helps reduce operational costs by making changes and modifications at the central level rather than at each desktop.QYReports announced that new research has been added to the growing market intelligence repository. The report assesses global market figures and presents a reliable perspective on future market growth prospects. The historical improvement track of the global virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) market is investigated in the report and provides solid support for the analysis and forecasts presented in the report.The Virtual Desktop Infrastructure market estimate is anticipated to develop at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of +25%.To get the sample copy of this report @:Most Prominent Players in the market include Dell, Microsoft, VMware, Citrix Systems, Virtual Bridges, Emerging Vendors, tuCloud, Red Hat, Moka5, NComputing, ClearCube.Geographically, North America is the largest market region for global Virtual Desktop Infrastructure market in terms of market revenue share. The US and Canada are some of the major countries which helps to drive the market in North America. This is because the majority of companies in North America require computing solutions on a large scale with more reliable and faster reliable computing solutions.The major players of the Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) market are identified across regions, and their offerings, distribution channels, and regional presence are understood through in-depth discussions. Also, average revenue generated by these companies, segmented on the basis of region, is used to arrive at the overall market size. This overall market size is used in the top-down procedure to estimate the sizes of other individual markets through percentage splits from secondary sources directories, databases, and primary research.Avail 20% Discount on this report @:The opening portion of the publication includes a comprehensive overview of the global Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) market, which also sheds light on the scope of the product. The analysts have categorized the market into different segments on the basis of three types of classification, viz. type, application, and region. After a careful analysis of the market as per these categories, the analysts have revealed the market and production shares of several segments for the review period. However, the production market share of type and consumption market share of application segments have been unveiled specifically.To know more about this report @:Furthermore, each key player mentioned in the report is elaborate on using their player profiles, regional prominence, market shares in terms of value, current market strategies, and predicted market volumes.The manufacturers in the global Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) market are explained on the basis of their competitive tendencies as well. This includes analyzing each player on the basis of their current situation and trends adopted, the concentration rate of each player on key regions, a ranking of the top 3 and top 5 manufacturers in the market, and a brief history of mergers, expansions, and acquisitions performed in the recent past.Table of ContentsGlobal Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) Market Research ReportChapter 1 Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) Market OverviewChapter 2 Global Economic Impact on IndustryChapter 3 Global Market Competition by ManufacturersChapter 4 Global Production, Revenue (Value) by RegionChapter 5 Global Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by RegionsChapter 6 Global Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by TypeChapter 7 Global Market Analysis by ApplicationChapter 8 Manufacturing Cost AnalysisChapter 9 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream BuyersChapter 10 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/TradersChapter 11 Market Effect Factors AnalysisChapter 12 Global Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) Market ForecastWe at QYResearch(qyreports.com), a leading market research report publisher cater to more than 4,000 prestigious clients worldwide meeting their customized research requirements in terms of market data size and its application. Our list of customers include renouned Chinese companies multinational companies, SMEs and private equity firms. our business study covers a market size of over 30 industries offering you accurate, in depth and reliable market insight, industry analysis and structure. QYResearchs specialize in forecasts needed for investing in an and execution of a new project globally and in Chinese markets.Address:The Work Lab,FC Road, Pune, MH, India411016Contact Number:+91-9764607607Email ID:sales@qyreports.com HOMECOMING HOMECOMING The Orchard Park School District held its annual homecoming events this past weekend. The events included a powder puff football game, parade, carnival and varsity football game. In... Former supervisor lambastes Majchrzak Since leaving the highest post in the town almost a year ago, the Orchard Park community has barely heard any public statements from former Supervisor Patrick Keem. That changed this... Orchard Park native set to star on Netflixs Baking Impossible Those searching for something new to stream on Netflix will soon have the opportunity to watch one of Orchard Parks own in action. Sara Schonour, a native of Orchard Park,... Vintage neon specialists will be at Central Michigan University on Monday, April 30, to complete refurbishing "Noah's Neon 1," of one of CMU's most important artworks. People are invited to watch as Josh and Becky Averill of The Bends Glassworks and Tom Dymora finish the restoration of this rare piece of historical neon to its original splendor in a "The Glow Returns" event from 1 to 3 p.m. in the Baber Room at CMU's Park Library, 250 East Preston St., Mount Pleasant. Noah's Neon 1 was created in 1995 by acclaimed Detroit artist Charles McGee, who also was commissioned to create Gateway (Centennial Sculpture), which has been exhibited in the Rose Arena pond for nearly 20 years. It is hoped the sign will be lighted at the event, in which the process as well as the artist will discussed. McGee will not be present. "The sign needed restoration because the clear plastic mounts used to support the neon tubes deteriorate over time," said Janet Danek, exhibits coordinator at the CMU Libraries. "Some have cracked and fallen away, and all are brittle and yellowed. The new mounts will secure the tubes in place for several more decades. The piece will also be rewired to current electrical standards and generally 'cleaned up.' We are fortunate, in that the original neon tubes are intact and functional." Danek said this is the first phase of the new life for this piece. "Once refurbished, we plan to have an event when students return in the fall, where we celebrate a new permanent installation on CMU's campus for this very special piece." The April 30 event is open to the public free of charge. Instead of going on a mission trip out of state, volunteers from Trinity Lutheran Church helped restore three flood-damaged homes in Midland. Volunteers worked diligently over a two-week period in April to repair the homes from damage sustained in the historic June 2017 flooding. Since 2006, the church has launched similar volunteer efforts twice a year helping communities affected by natural disasters, but they usually have been out of state. "Wed always like to help our neighbors, part of it was having the resources able to do that," explained Jerry Hahnfeld, a lead volunteer coordinator from Trinity Lutheran. Through the Flood Recovery Project, a humanitarian disaster recovery program of the Michigan Conference of The United Methodist Church, Trinity was able to easily get connected with the volunteer project, Hahnfeld explained. "Through the long term recovery project, it was a lot smoother to get an assignment," Hahnfeld said. Hahnfeld and a crew of about 22 other volunteers from the church and nine from the community, including Habitat for Humanity, worked diligently with the goal of bringing the homes back to where they were before the flood. "It's just fantastic that we are keeping these groups here locally," said Disaster Case Manager Anne Wortley. Volunteer work included installing insulation, drywall, flooring and painting the homes. "One of the things we really enjoy is meeting the families," Hahnfeld said. "Sometimes they'll work alongside you. They are all extremely thankful, and it's very satisfying for us." Hahnfeld explained the finishing of each project as something of a religious experience in and of itself, which was "overwhelming for families," he said. "We do it because we want to give to the community and its our mission to do that as a church, but we also do it because we enjoy it a lot," Hahnfeld said. "People who volunteer are just good people." First United Methodist Church, Gordonville United Methodist and Memorial Presbyterian provided lunches for the volunteers while they were repairing the homes. The three homes repaired by Trinity were extensively damaged from June flooding, Wortley said. Funding has now been exhausted for the Flood Recovery Project, but there are still households in need, she added. "We're coming up on a year, but there is still a need," Wortley said. "I think people are shocked that the need is still there." Wortley and Katie Vokal, the other Midland-based disaster case manager with the Flood Recovery Project, met with 72 families to assist with their recovery since the project started in October. Of those, 29 cases have been closed, meaning the household has been fully recovered from damages and other negative effects from flooding. An estimated $200,000 is the amount needed to help the remaining amount of projected households in need. If funding allows, Wortley and Vokal hope to reach out to 500 households for the first time to ask if they need flood recovery assistance, and contact about 1,000 for a second time. So far, $74,000 has been spent on the flood project, funded mostly by the Midland Area Community Foundation, as well as Midland Area Homes, Senior Services, Christian Celebration Center Church, and Habitat for Humanity. The Flood Recovery Project is also seeking skilled volunteers to help rebuild homes. People who wish to volunteer or still need assistance can contact Disaster Case Managers Anne Wortley and Katie Vokal at 989-486-8784. "Until we've got funding we can't do anything else," Wortley said. "But we're hopeful additional funding will come forward. It's not fair to these people just because we haven't had the chance to call them. We don't want to leave this position knowing there are people out there that haven't been helped yet." Donations to the Flood Recovery Project can be sent to the Midland Area Community Foundation, 76 Ashman Circle, Midland MI 48640. "While we are thankful for the initial donations, we continue to seek funding to complete projects in our Flood Recovery Project," Wortley said. The Flood Recovery Project is part of the Great Lakes Bay Long Term Recovery Group. READ MORE about the Flood Recovery Project: https://goo.gl/vqCQz2 https://goo.gl/VWPpNo The following list includes recent reports from the Midland County Sheriff's Office and the Midland Police Department. Compiled by reporter Kelly Dame. Tuesday, April 24 12:04 a.m. -- A motorist was arrested at Lincoln Street and East Patrick Road for drunken driving. 1:39 a.m. -- Deputies assisted Midland Police to conduct a drunken driving investigation. 7:55 a.m. -- Officers investigated a case of fraud in the 600 block of Rodd Street. 8:09 p.m. -- A motorist was arrested at Jerome and West Main streets for driving while license suspended. 11:21 a.m. -- Officers investigated a case of fraud in the 3300 block of Bay City Road. 12:11 p.m. -- Police investigated a hit and run traffic crash at East Hines and Rodd streets. 12:25 p.m. -- A deputy was sent to a Midland Township home for a report of a caregiver being assaulted by a 92-year-old patient. The patient was taken to the emergency room for a mental health evaluation. 2:03 p.m. -- Police were sent to a Dyke Drive address for a domestic assault. 7:01 p.m. -- Police investigated a retail fraud in the 900 block of Joe Mann Boulevard. 9:42 p.m. - A deputy helped a man find his wallet in a Village of Sanford parking lot. 10:16 p.m. -- Deputies spoke with a 20-year-old man after he posted photos of his ex-girlfriend on social media and tagged her employer, trying to get her fired. The man removed the photos after deputies educated him on the legalities of intimidation and harassment. Lets begin in a place where all news seemingly begins these days: Donald Trumps decomposing pea brain. North Korea has agreed to suspend all Nuclear Tests and close up a major test site. This is very good news for North Korea and the World big progress! Look forward to our Summit. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 20, 2018 A message from Kim Jong Un: North Korea will stop nuclear tests and launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles. Also will Shut down a nuclear test site in the country's Northern Side to prove the vow to suspend nuclear tests. Progress being made for all! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 21, 2018 Sleepy Eyes Chuck Todd of Fake News NBC just stated that we have given up so much in our negotiations with North Korea, and they have given up nothing. Wow, we haven't given up anything & they have agreed to denuclearization (so great for World), site closure, & no more testing! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 22, 2018 Now, back to reality. Per the South China Morning Post: North Koreas mountain nuclear test site has collapsed, putting China and other nearby nations at unprecedented risk of radioactive exposure, two separate groups of Chinese scientists studying the issue have confirmed. The collapse after five nuclear blasts may be why North Korean leader Kim Jong-un declared on Friday that he would freeze the hermit states nuclear and missile tests and shut down the site, one researcher said. One group of researchers found that the most recent blast tore open a hole in the mountain, which then collapsed upon itself. A second group concluded that the breakdown created a chimney that could allow radioactive fallout from the blast zone below to rise into the air. So there you have it, folks. Proof that under the Trump Administration, the United States is being treated like a North Korean-style government. Theyre handing us propaganda victories that our tinpot dictator can take back to his brainwashed supporters as proof that their strongman is getting things done, while China, South Korea and Japan figure out how to actually solve this decades-old problem. North Korea didnt close up a major test site because of Trumps negotiating skills, but because China and other countries bordering North Korea let them know that spewing literal tons of radiation into their airspace is an unimpeachable red line. If it wasnt clear already, it is now: when it comes to diplomacy, the United States is now seated at the kids table. Jacob Weindling is a staff writer for Paste politics. Follow him on Twitter at @Jakeweindling. Vote for the Petoskey News-Review Athlete of the Week: Sept. 27-Oct. 2 See who was voted as the PNR Athlete of the Week last week and who made the cut this week: All this has to fit on my bike and my back ... uff, it will be meat. The sleeping bag up to minus 17 C squeezes really hard into the podshed bag. The Mondraker Foxy trail bike will look like a lockable mule. There are 16 years dividing Gaspi and Pierre. Kasbach is the name for local buildings reminiscent of the castle. It was here that the caravans wandering from the desert were resting here. The southern side of the Atlas is stitched by them, but some have bitten their teeth and are just a clay torso. Every day in tiring heat, the wind on the open plains, with the vision of some villages, water, and food, might have driven us around this monument twice. Finally, we spent overnight here. It is a great relief to wake up and not to have a spider for company. Mule Bikepacking - the local looked at us like fools that we were pedalling on the bikes when the donkey was working instead of him. I really don't like pedalling up the hill and lungs burn already at 2,500 meters, like you breathe chili, but we do not turn around. It is waiting for us about four hours of output. Stop for serving local food 'tajine' (tazin). It's perfection. But the legs begin to stiffen the cold and the sweat on their back is cold, so we just fast throw something behind the rib and keep moving. We do not have time to talk out with the locals in fur coats. The Kingdom of Morocco is proud of its king and its flag which are almost everywhere. An unbelievable freeride playground opened in front of us, the high hills seemed to be without bigger stones, and Pierre already knew he would have a pause for a while. I took off my bags, put on the protectors, put on a big helmet and went to the wall. This is the best thing what I love - to find a virgin hill, to taste it up and put it down with one sharp ride. Real freeride! Sometimes it is necessary to stop, chat and think about whether it is better to take it on the asphalt. Nothing to dig, modify and use the terrain to make it look good is not easy at all. When something comes up finally, it's often a crazy run out, as it was here - behind the green bushes was a two-meter hole with a stream. In the vast desert you rarely meet anyone. Either they run in front of you or behind you. And Berbers have a very hard life in the creeping caves above the dry river. There is nothing else. We did not count the daily portion of the mileage, only the battery capacity in the e-bikes of Cameraman Marty and photographer Mila. It was estimated at 60 to 80 km per day. And we often did not even know where we were going. Rescue! During the thunderstorm, we did not reject the offer of the Berbers who invited us to couscous, beer and bed so we were waiting for a 'terrible adventure'. Photographer Mila made a major mistake, photographed a little girl grazing goats and did not give her dirham. During the tough sprint, she followed us the next few minutes, during which he has shot her several times, and then gave her an orange. Suffering in the stones. We can not really freeride this one, so we went on. From the snow back to the desert. Morocco is a country of color contrasts from black to white. The high rocky mountains in the next valley turn into a red-colored desert reminiscent of Utah. This is where every piece of the world can be found here. It was almost a feast for locals to see our group on bikes. The old men invited us home for tea, and the kids were excited to see us. The most dangerous thing during open freeriding is a breeze. You never know where it blows you up and it really blows in Morocco! My Mondraker Foxy Carbon has a normal 14 kg weight and with full a weights hand stops up to 25 kg. And I do not count backpacks on it. Feeling like the control of motorbike Honda Goldwing Five days on the journey is very exhausting, but when opens something as incredible as the red hills without big rocks in front of you, the pump will start beat and the fatigue is gone. I'm taking off my bags again and I'm going to the wall. You need to keep it in red. You will not even meet anyone for a long time, and suddenly there is a little girl on the rock. Nobody understands what she's doing there, why she's there or how far she has come... Milos was in skate shoes, taking pictures of new foot pedals. We could go around, skip, jump around a huge monument for days, but we do not have that much time. And this is just a small part of the big bikes playground. Here's a definitely fossilized dinosaur that needs to be used and woken up. With Atlas behind our backs, we come to our final asphalt to Pier's car, which takes us back to Marrakesh. He was a great support to me in situations when I was already thinking that we would turn. I have done it just thanks to him, and that is why I am very grateful to him. Cut down, lack of sleep, dehydration, overheating - but I have attacked the Atlas! Text: GaspiPhotos: Mila StafekIt is true that I do not have super memories for my last trip to Morocco because I suffered from a fractured in five places of my ankle and instep, but it was four years ago and the Atlas is a huge and beautiful mountain range which attracts me again. As a magnet with a new idea: what about combining bike packing and freeriding whilst crossing the Atlas mountains?On the bikes you can go to places where the car can't and you can discover a new dimension of purebred freeriding in places where no one has ever ridden before you.Pierre Alain Renfer is a 57-year-old biker from Switzerland, who has been working for more than thirty years as a professional guide. He has been operating in Morocco since 1992 and is actually a pathfinder who has introduced the country as one of the best MTB destinations. Currently he has been focusing primarily on e-bikes tours. Because he has an unrivalled physical condition, he has accepted my challenge and became my sparring partner for the crossing of the Atlas.After several international freeride camps and several media trips, it's already my seventh visit to Morocco, so I know what I'm going to do but I have not yet been to the south side of the Atlas. The forecast is favourable, although at the summits of over 2,000 meter high mountains, it has been the most snow in the last few years and only main roads such as the Tichka pass are open.At night, during looking for wood for fire, the headlamp grined to the swinging ... mouse? Mistake, no mouse! It was a spider with a diameter of 12 - 15 cm, jumping over the stones. Not a good feeling, but the big wild animals are still screaming, because our cameraman Marty is scared them by his night snoring.Marrakech Bike Action / my big friend: Pierre Alain RenferFotograf: Milos StafekCamera: Marty SmolikA big thanks to my partners! Mercedes Benz, Mondraker, Funnmtb, Fox, BikeWorkX, MitasTyres, Box MTB, Poc, Acepac, Gshock, Dakine, Pinguinoutdors, RedBull. Hungarys prime minister, Victor Orban has been been accused of consolidating power over the media in the Central European country. With his overwhelming victory in the April 8 election behind him, Orban and his Fidesz party now hold a two-thirds majority in the nations parliament, a ruling coalition which can change the Hungarian constitution as it sees fit. In an open letter to the editor of The Washington Post, Hungarian government spokesperson Zoltan Kovacs declared that for Hungarians, its Hungary first. The parliamentary elections were monitored by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), which said that fundamental rights and freedoms were respected overall, but exercised in an adverse climate. Along with a shrinking media landscape, influence from Russian soft power has also made its appearance in the country. Fidesz opposes EU governance, particularly its migrant policies, coinciding with Russias geopolitical goals in the region. Orbans government not only opposes sanctions against Russia, but also applies pressure to Ukraine, whose Transcarpathia region has a significant Hungarian-speaking minority. Orbans meteoric rise includes an important theme -- media consolidation under the state. Zselyke Csaky, a senior researcher with Freedom House, explained how Orban and Fidesz gradually brought the press to heel. There are still quite a few papers and online news sites that are critical of the government, but their numbers and their reach is decreasing by the day, and pro-government media has come to dominate the market to a previously unseen extent, Csaky told Polygraph.info via email. This was made possible through a series of measures including turning the public media into a propaganda machine and the slow bleeding out of private outlets by taking away their sources of income, she said. Csaky alleges the government diverts advertising away from critical outlets and, driving financially weakened outlets to either close down or be taken over by businessmen close to Fidesz. Reporters Without Borders (RSF), in its 2018 World Press Freedom Index, pointed to such consolidation in ranking Hungary 73rd in the world. Nevertheless, the Hungarian media landscape is still varied, RSF reported. ...and both print and online outlets do not hesitate to publish investigative coverage of alleged corruption involving top Fidesz and government officials. In addition to media consolidation, outright disinformation has played a major role in Hungarian politics, said Csaky, who noted several examples of fabricated stories about Muslim migrants which were pushed in the media by pro-Fidesz sources. Whats more important for Fideszs purposes is that pro-government sites are flooded by stories of migrant criminality, she said. If you looked at origo.hu, for example, [in] the weeks leading up to the election, its landing page contained nothing but articles describing heinous crimes allegedly committed by Muslim immigrants. TV news, she said covered almost exclusively terrorism- and migration-related stories over the past two years. Its very hard to overstate the effect of this parallel reality on peoples perception of Hungarys biggest problems, she said. When it comes to pushing fabricated or distorted stories about migrant criminality, Hungarys far-right has a partner abroad -- Russia. Csaky noted how Hungarian outlets would copy and paste stories from Russian outlets such as RT. While a 2017 report from the think tank Political Capital found links between pro-Russian social media pages and the Hungarian far-right, Csaky said that, due to the language barrier, most of the xenophobic propaganda is produced in Hungary. Peter Kreko, a social psychologist and political scientist, is the executive director of Political Capital agreed. In Hungary, the pro-Russian outlets arent the big issue. But the big story in Hungary is that [the] Hungarian government and pro-government media is doing this Russian propaganda work without any payment or without any direct order, Kreko told Polygraph.info. Kreko added that pro-government disinformation sometimes matches Kremlin narratives without any direct influence from Russia. There was a narrative before the election that the CIA was planning a plot like the Maidan revolution, he said. So the Maidan was depicted as it was by the Russian media -- as just a bad, evil American plot. Kreko sees disinformation as an even bigger problem than media consolidation. There were some very blatant cases where it turned out that the Hungarian government media is practically producing fake news, but of course it remains without any recognition, he said. According to Kreko, most fabricated news stories revolve around Muslim immigrants in Europe. Szabolcs Panyi, an investigative journalist and research associate with the Atlantic Council, provided Polygraph.info with other examples of fabricated stories about migrant crime. There have been a lot of fake anti-migrant videos and stories in Hungarian pro-government media before the election, or bogus stories aimed at proving that Western Europe has been overrun by Muslim hordes, Panyi said. Panyi cited a story that aired on the Hungarian government-controlled news channel M1. In it, a Hungarian woman with dual citizenship in Sweden claimed she was moving back to Hungary because she no longer felt safe in Sweden due to Muslim migrants. She said women in Sweden could not safely ride the metro during the day out of fear of being harassed by Muslim men, and Swedish police did nothing to prevent or punish such harassment. It subsequently emerged that the woman was wanted in Sweden for a number of crimes, including posing as a psychologist. Further investigation also found that, contrary to her claims, the woman had never lived in Stockholm, where many of her stories about harassment allegedly took place. Apart from horror stories about migrants, George Soros has drawn the particular ire of pro-Fidesz media. The billionaire philanthropist regularly features in Fideszs electoral propaganda. Like members of the political opposition in many other countries, those who oppose Orban are often said to be in the pay of Soros. After Hungarys election, the Russian state-funded news agency Sputnik published a story quoting Hungarian government spokesperson Zoltan Kovacs, who claimed that Soros would not accept the results of the election and was trying to break Hungary. Fideszs representatives in Hungarys parliament have tried to ban organizations like Open Society Foundations, the international grant-making network founded by Soros. In response, the NGO recently announced that it will close its office in Budapest by August 31 of this year. Despite its own researchers criticism, the U.S. watchdog Freedom House still rated Hungary in as a free in its yearly report, "Freedom in the World." Casky pointed out Hungary fell just one point above the next lower category, partially free.She added a Hungarian report called Nations in Transit placed Hungary as a semi-consolidated democracy, among countries like Romania and Croatia, which is below the top rating of consolidated democracy. Despite backsliding in media freedoms and civil society, Hungarian opposition still exists. Since the election there have been several mass protests in the capital, where a recent Saturday demonstration brought an estimated 100,000 people into the streets. Get the SC business stories that matter. Our newsletter catches you up with all the business stories that are shaping Charleston and South Carolina every Monday and Thursday at noon. Get ahead with us - it's free. Hannah Alani is a reporter at The Post and Courier covering race, immigration and rural life across the Palmetto State. Before graduating from Indiana University and moving to Charleston in 2017, her byline appeared in The New York Times. Angie Jackson covers crime and breaking news for The Post and Courier. She previously covered the same beat for the Grand Rapids Press and MLive.com in Michigan. When shes not reporting, Angie enjoys teaching yoga and exploring the outdoors. World War II-era fighter planes. A live parachute team. The Boeing Dreamliner. These are just some of America's military and commercial feats of flight available to the public Saturday at the Air & Space Expo in North Charleston. Officials expect a crowd of around 100,000 at the Lowcountry's first air show since 2011, Air Force Col. Jimmy Canlas said. "Were excited to be able to show the public the role Joint Base Charleston plays in our national defense," he said. Air Expos are instrumental in educating the public on what the Air Force stands for, said Air Expo Director and Lt. Col. Francisco Flores. "There's a growing divide between the military and the public," he said. "We've been in a long fight now." Air Expos can also be a great recruitment tool, he added. Children who were born after 9/11 are now on the cusp of graduating high school and entering the workforce. If they come see a P-51 Mustang and learn its history, maybe they'll consider a military career, Flores said. "Sometimes we take it for granted a little bit, that Charleston does support the military community so well," he said. "Even with that, we want to make sure that we keep that connective tissue with the community." The Air Expo is funded by the Air Force and is free to the public. While local police and road signs will help direct traffic, officials stressed the need for patience ahead of anticipated long lines and security checks. Here's more of what to expect Saturday: Gate hours Gates will open to the public at 8:30 a.m. and close at 5 p.m. Car-pooling is encouraged. RVs and buses are not allowed. The show is confined to only two base entrances and the public is asked to be patient, Lt. Col. Matthew Brennan said. In the morning, all lanes will be used for inbound traffic. "Were planning on essentially opening the floodgates to maximize the flow of individuals onto the installation so they can enjoy a safe and fun air show," he said. "The same will apply at the closing of the air show." Activities A STEM expo sponsored by local schools, organizations and Boeing will offer children and young adults information on science and engineering programs. An exhibit highlighting the missile and space strategies of the Air Force will be open. "Kid zones" will also be available. Several grounded aircraft will be available for tour. Here are a few: The F-22, a fifth generation fighter absent from the 2011 show. The MiG-17F, a Vietnam-era Russian fighter. C-130J Super Hercules. C-5M Super Galaxy. Boeing 787 Dreamliner. C-17 Globemaster III. F-16 Fighting Falcon. Civil Air Patrol Cessna 172. Performers and grounded aircraft While the Air Force's top precision performance team, the Thunderbirds, had to cancel their performance, several teams and individuals will perform on the ground and in the sky. Replacing the Thunderbirds as headliners will be the AeroShell Aerobatic Team a group of World War II-era T-6 Texans. That performance is set for 3 p.m. Here are a few more: An F-35 flyby. The Air Force Honor Guard, a precision drill team from Washington, D.C., will perform drills with their rifles throughout the day Mark Kirsch will take on the "Man vs. Impossible" feat by pulling a C-17. The B-1B Lancer bombers. The Prowlers of the Pacific, a "living history lesson" that includes the only flying SB2C Curtiss Helldiver and the rare SBD Dauntless dive-bomber. The Red Tail Squadron, a tribute to the Tuskeegee Airmen. Parking About 24,000 spaces are available for free on site. Shuttles will be available to transport participants from their cars to the show. Parking officials will monitor the parking lot as people leave the show. "Well squeak more on in (during the day)," Brennen said. Security All bags will be checked and visitors will be screened through metal detectors. Don't bring this: Drones Coolers Backpacks or gym bags (diaper bags are OK) Alcohol or illegal drugs Pets (service animals are OK) Firearms, knives, fireworks Glass containers Walkie-talkies Bicycles, skateboards, rollerblades Consider bringing this: Sunscreen Hats Ear protection (which also will be sold at event) Information for parents At each security check point, officials will provide parents with a "parent ID bracelet" on which they can write their names and cellphone numbers. Children are encouraged to wear these bracelets during the event. Parents are encouraged to take photographs of their children the day of the event. Two "lost children" stations will be operating. Food/Beverage Vendors will available. Seating There are no bleachers. Officials encourage people to bring lawn chairs. Bathrooms On site. Charleston International Airport Will not close during the Expo. Flights will be adjusted around performances. Travelers should contact their airlines for relevant information. Assistant Columbia bureau chief Adcox returned to The Post and Courier in October 2017 after 12 years covering the Statehouse for The Associated Press. She previously covered education for The P&C. She has also worked for The AP in Albany, N.Y., and for The Herald in Rock Hill. Paul Bowers is an education reporter and father of three living in North Charleston. He previously worked at the Charleston City Paper, where he was twice named South Carolina Journalist of the Year in the weekly category. MYRTLE BEACH Fire Department officials have a new tool to help people struggling in the water but the new "robot lifeguards" won't be replacing their flesh-and-blood guards anytime soon. The department is awaiting a shipment of four new EMILYs an acronym for "emergency integrated lifesaving lanyard" to arrive in May. The remote-controlled flotation device is designed to swim by itself to a person in distress and provide flotation until rescuers arrive. It also has a camera and two-way audio, so rescuers can communicate with the person in the water. At 25 mph, the device is "faster than any swimmer I know," Lt. Jon Evans said. The technology, made by Green Valley, Ariz.-based company Hydronalix, is not widespread among South Carolina beach communities. Sarah Reynolds, spokeswoman for the Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission, said that none of the beaches patrolled by the county's lifeguards use them. Similarly, Hilton Head Island does not use the devices, said Mike Wagner of Shore Beach Services. His company is the contractor that patrols the island's beaches. "I'm all for somebody like Myrtle Beach giving it a try, and maybe it's a great technology," Wagner said. "A lot of time, the technologies that come across tend to be extremely expensive, so I don't necessarily want to be the person testing it out and finding out it's not useful." The devices being sent to Myrtle Beach total $52,000, but the cost has been covered by the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce, Evans said. While EMILYs are starting to catch on in some coastal areas of the United States Los Angeles County uses them, for example the devices have also been tested in more perilous circumstances, said Robin Murphy of Texas A&M University's Center for Robot-Assisted Search and Rescue. In 2016, CRASAR helped bring two of the devices, donated by the company that makes them, to officials from the Hellenic Coast Guard and Red Cross. They were used to rescue Syrian refugees who were trying cross the Mediterranean Sea in order to reach Greece. Thousands of people perished in an attempt to make that crossing in 2016, according to the United Nation's refugee agency. Murphy said the EMILY was helpful because it could tow a line out to swimmer in the water to pull them in to a rescue boat, away from dangerous situations where they might have been swept towards rocky outcroppings. EMILY's audio system let rescuers communicate with people in sinking vessels and its camera also enabled rescuers to see if refugees have hypothermia or other physical issues that would need to be addressed immediately. The technology has not been recommended by the U.S. Lifesaving Association, a nonprofit association of lifeguards in the United States one of the reasons Wagner said EMILY had not been adopted in Hilton Head. Chris Brewster, of the USLA, questioned the usefulness of the device and said it depended on several factors to be successful. Someone on the shore has to be able to operate it effectively, the person in the water has to be conscious enough to grab it and then the person still needs to be brought to land. "These are really not valuable from a lifeguard perspective, and the reason I say that is from a lifeguard perspective, your job is to get that person back to shore," Brewster said. Carl Commenator, vice president of government affairs for Hydronalix, said the EMILY can still save valuable time by reaching a swimmer in rough water conditions far faster than a lifeguard might. "I think it's obvious that a person would have to be conscious. I dont know how many unconscious people lifeguards save on beaches, Commenator said. "Its not supposed to replace the lifeguard. I dont know if that might be the associations concern." Evans said that each beach patrol in Myrtle Beach will be equipped with an EMILY, and that the devices might be most useful after lifeguards are off duty or in sections of the beach where there aren't many guard stands. "For those non-swimmers, that's something they can deploy while the swimmer is getting ready to go out in the water," he said. Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones, left, talks to reporters about the arrest Joesph James DeAngelo, seen in photo, on suspicion of committing a string of violent crimes in the 1970's and 1980's after a news conference. Wednesday, April 25, 2018, in Sacramento, Calif. A DNA match led to the arrest of DeAngelo, 72, Tuesday. DeAngelo is believed to have committed at least 12 slayings and 45 rapes in California.(AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) Watchdog/Public Service Editor Glenn Smith is editor of the Watchdog and Public Service team and helped write the newspapers Pulitzer Prize-winning investigation, Till Death Do Us Part. Reach him securely on Signal at 843-607-0809 or by email at gsmith5@protonmail.com. Michael Majchrowicz is a reporter covering crime and public safety. He previously wrote about courts for the Daily Hampshire Gazette in Northampton, Massachusetts. A Hoosier native, he graduated from Indiana University with a degree in journalism. David Slade is a senior Post and Courier reporter. His work has been honored nationally by Society of Professional Journalists, American Society of Newspaper Editors, Scripps foundation and others. Reach him at 843-937-5552 or dslade@postandcourier.com Syndicated and guest columns represent the personal views of the writers, not necessarily those of the editorial staff. The editorial department operates entirely independently of the news department and is not involved in newsroom operations. Editorials represent the institutional view of the newspaper. They are written and edited by the editorial staff, which operates separately from the news department. Editorial writers are not involved in newsroom operations. Jamie Lovegrove is a political reporter covering the South Carolina Statehouse, congressional delegation and campaigns. He previously covered Texas politics in Washington for The Dallas Morning News and in Austin for the Texas Tribune. COLUMBIA Whether South Carolina Electric & Gas customers will continue shelling out millions monthly for a failed nuclear project could come down to six legislators. Those six will sit on a not-yet-appointed committee of three House members and three senators tasked with working out a compromise. The partially built reactors at V.C. Summer Nuclear Station, abandoned last July, account for 18 percent of SCE&G customers' electricity bills. Earlier this year, the House approved legislation to remove all 18 percent, at least until state regulators set rates in December. But the Senate's counter-proposal, passed last week, instead cut 13 percent temporarily. The House voted 104-7 Wednesday to reject the Senate's plan, insisting on removing all $37 million collected monthly from SCE&G customers. "This keeps our pledge to the ratepayers," said House Majority Leader Gary Simrill, R-Rock Hill. "The ratepayer should not be on the hook any longer." The vote sends the fight to a committee to try to reach a compromise, with just seven days left on the legislative calendar. Simrill said the move represents the only chance to "get to zero." That means customers' only chance for even temporary relief depends on one side caving. The fight comes down to removing $27 or $19.50 from monthly bills, when averaging across all 700,000 customers. Rep. Russell Ott, D-St. Matthews, said he fears the vote doomed the effort, and a 13 percent cut is better than nothing. Ott asked his colleagues whether they're allowing their anger at the utility to "cloud our judgment." "Is it a possibility we want to punish the utility for doing something bad more than we actually want to give as much relief as we can to the ratepayer?" he said. "There are a lot of folks around the state who will take what they can get right now." A vote to accept the Senate's plan would have sent the proposal to Gov. Henry McMaster. Ahead of the vote, the Republican governor repeated his pledge to veto anything that doesn't remove the full surcharge. Sign up for updates! Get the latest political news from The Post and Courier in your inbox. Email Sign Up! "It defies logic, it defies common sense, and it defies good faith to require the people of South Carolina to pay for something that theyre not going to get particularly after theyve been paying for it for years," said McMaster, who's in a five-way primary race in June in his bid for a first full term. SCE&G and state-owned Santee Cooper, the minority owner, abandoned the project last July after jointly spending more than $9 billion. Customers have been paying interest on their loans through a series of rate hikes since 2009. SCE&G wants to keep charging billions over 50 years to pay off the debt. Utilities have been lobbying hard against any cut, with officials arguing it could bankrupt the home-grown, investor-owned company and derail a proposed merger with Virginia-based Dominion Energy. The Senate settled on a 13 percent cut after an independent study it funded determined SCE&G's parent company, SCANA, could survive that reduction. Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey, R-Edgefield, said he remains hopeful legislators will work it out over the coming weeks. There's enough support in the Senate to override McMaster's veto, Massey said. But if House leaders are banking on the Senate caving, he said, "Good luck with that." The position taken by McMaster and House members, who are also up for election this year, "sounds great, but you've got to be able to defend it" in court, Massey said, and he fears it's "not at all defensible." SCE&G is expected to sue if the Legislature manages to pass a law cutting rates. A 2007 state law encouraged the project by allowing the utility to charge customers upfront. A lawsuit is already challenging that law. "We arrived at our position after a thorough consideration. We didn't just come up with a random number," Massey said. "We went with a position we feel confident will most help ratepayers." Ott noted neither proposal would reimburse customers any of the money they've already sunk into the project. "We're not going to make the ratepayers whole, and anyone who says that isnt being straight up," he said. "Were not talking about sending money back. Were talking about the rates moving forward." Political Reporter Caitlin Byrd is a political reporter at The Post and Courier and author of the Palmetto Politics newsletter. Before moving to Charleston in 2016, her byline appeared in the Asheville Citizen-Times. To date, Byrd has won 17 awards for her work. PR-Inside.com: 2018-04-26 05:19:39 Press Information Albion Avenue Level 9 55 Hunter Street Sydney NSW 2000 Australia Albion Avenue 1300 723 812 email http://www.albionavenue.com.au/ Published by Cam Wilkes 006499503888 e-mail ' ' . c2c_truncate_link("www.pureseo.co.nz", "0", "", ".") . '' # 394 Words Level 9 55 Hunter Street SydneyNSW 2000 Australia1300 723 812Cam Wilkes006499503888 Agents Albion Avenue says an exclusive buyers agent can help expats with just about everything when buying a property. Buyers advocates will help define and fine tune expectations, determine the right location for purchase and show clients what the right properties like. They will also weed out the sub-par properties so that they side step the money traps.Once the right property is found they will advocate on your behalf when it comes to negotiating or bidding at auction to ensure you dont pay too much for a property, the company says in a post on their website. As well as being an astute negotiator, an exclusive buyers agent can help clients assemble mortgage brokers, solicitors, co-ordinate due diligence reports and even find a removalist if needed.Home prices in Sydney are starting to decline following years of strong growth allowing expats, investors and first-home buyers to venture into the market. Property experts think further losses are on the way as tighter lending restrictions, affordability constraints, weak household income growth and increased supply act in tandem to keep prices under pressure. Others, however, suggest the recent weakness is unlikely to last for long, pointing to strong employment and population growth as factors that will help to support prices in the near future.Real estate agents generally report strong demand for quality properties in postcodes that offer amenity, such as proximity to public transport, shopping, employment, schools, or beaches. Auction results this month seem to be competitive for sellers with character properties in coveted positions. A classic two-storey, three-bedroom renovated Victorian terrace in Sydney's Crows Nest, about 5km north of the central business district, sold for $2.86 million, or $185,000 over the reserve.For expatriates, living overseas and trying to co-ordinate everything from abroad means that time zone differences amongst many other things can further complicate matters. Dont underestimate the importance of planning, doing your homework and assessing the size and scale of what is involved, says Albion Avenue.Albion Avenue can help clients looking to buy property all over Sydney, whether in Manly on the northern beaches, Millers Point on the edge of the CBD, Surry Hills in the inner east or somewhere else.For more information on real estate buyers agents Sydney, real estate underquoting, Sydney property buyers agents, property price guide and more, call 1300 723 812 or visit http://www.albionavenue.com.au/ PR-Inside.com: 2018-04-26 00:38:02 SANTA CLARA, Calif., April 25, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Crocus Technology, a leading supplier of disruptive Tunnel Magneto-Resistance (TMR) sensors, today announces it has secured $35M in funding through a combination of debt and equity from internal investors and external sources. The funding will enable Crocus Technology to accelerate its revenue growth by expanding its operations and go-to-market resources and by investing in the continuous development of innovative products to serve the demand of existing and emerging markets. Crocus' proprietary MLU(TM) technology enables its TMR sensor products to have high magnetic sensitivity with minimal variation over a wide temperature range, coupled with ultra-low power consumption, which makes them ideal sensing solutions for IoT, mobile, automotive, medical and industrial applications. Crocus' TMR integrated sensor products are embedded within a CMOS process providing a monolithic cost-effective solution and ensuring greater reliability and ruggedness. The worldwide market for magnetic sensors is expected to grow at 8.77% CAGR from 2017 to 2023, with revenues expected to reach $5.37 billion USD in 2023. "The magnetic sensor market is continuing to experience growth in all segments with automotive, industrial, medical and consumer applications leading the way," said Sachin Garg, Senior Analyst, MarketsandMarkets. "In particular, TMR sensors are slated to grow at a 9.41% CAGR over the next 5 years as their performance advantages offer greater value solution in OEMs' end-products over older magnetic technologies and products." The capital infusion will enable Crocus to: Expand its commercial team to further drive revenue growth worldwide Develop new products to expand its product portfolio and create solutions that enable new markets and applications; and Extend its patent portfolio to solidify its leadership in TMR technology. "This final round of $35M will help position Crocus to better support its rapidly growing magnetic sensor business," said Michel Desbard, CEO of Crocus Technology. "In the past year, the team at Crocus has made significant progress on all fronts of the business and is ready to accelerate revenue growth and reach profitability by the end of this year." About Crocus Technology Crocus Technology develops and supplies magnetic sensors and embedded memory solutions based on its patented TMR sensor technology, the Magnetic Logic Unit(TM) (MLU(TM)). Crocus' magnetic sensors bring significant advantages to industrial and consumer electronic applications requiring high sensitivity, stable temperature performance, low power and low cost. Crocus is headquartered in Santa Clara, California and has offices in Grenoble, France and Beijing and Shenzhen, China. For more information, please visit http://www.crocus-technology.com. This press release contains projections and other forward-looking statements regarding future events or our future financial performance. All statements other than present and historical facts and conditions contained in this release, including any statements regarding our future results of operations and financial positions, business strategy, plans and our objectives for future operations, are forward-looking statements (within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended). These statements are only predictions and reflect our current beliefs and expectations with respect to future events and are based on assumptions and subject to risk and uncertainties and subject to change at any time. Actual events or results may differ materially from those contained in the projections or forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this release are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. 2018 Crocus Technology International Corp. All rights reserved. Crocus Technology, MLU, and combinations thereof are trademarks of Crocus Technology Inc. and Crocus Technology SA. Other names are for informational purposes only and may be trademarks of their respective owners For more information, please contact: Wayne Seto Crocus Technology Tel: +1-408-380-8316 Email: wseto@crocus-technology.com PR-Inside.com: 2018-04-26 14:03:03 SAN DIEGO, April 26, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Crown Bioscience, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Crown Bioscience International (TWSE:6554) and a global drug discovery and development services company providing translational platforms to advance oncology, inflammation, cardiovascular and metabolic disease research, enhances its existing portfolio of humanized drug target models (HuGEMM(TM)) by launching a new transgenic CD3E model to advance development of immuno-oncology (I/O) drugs. Novel therapeutic T-cell redirecting antibodies, including bispecific T cell engagers, show great promise in effectively treating cancer. However, development of these drugs is hampered by a lack of in vivo models that can accurately recapitulate human specific responses. CrownBio addresses this need with their new CD3E transgenic model that was validated in collaboration with and developed by NBRI of Nanjing University. The CD3E model expresses the human form of CD3E and is phenotypically normal with levels of T, B, and NK cells comparable to control. These features make it an ideal model for determining the efficacy of CD3 targeted T cell redirecting therapies through direct assessment of T cell activation, antigen recognition and related intracellular signal transduction pathways. "Data generated from our new CD3E models demonstrate their unique ability to guide development of bispecific T cell engagers and other T cell redirecting therapies," said Dr. Davy Ouyang, Director of Translational Oncology at CrownBio. "We are very excited about the potential these innovative models have to uncover new insights in the discovery and development of cutting-edge I/O agents." Learn more about CrownBio's new CD3E model by visiting https://www.crownbio.com/immuno-oncology/hugemm/cd3e-mouse-model About Crown Bioscience Inc. CrownBio is a global drug discovery and development solutions company providing translational platforms to advance oncology, inflammation, cardiovascular and metabolic disease research. With an extensive portfolio of relevant models and predictive tools, CrownBio enables clients to deliver superior clinical candidates. About NBRI of Nanjing University NBRI is a leading company in China to provide high-quality human disease related animal models for biomedical community as well as pharmaceutical companies. With more than 10 years' practice, NBRI has the vision and is striving to become world-class one-stop service center for generating, phenotyping and distributing the customized genetically engineering murine models for partners all across the world. Media Enquiries: Jody Barbeau Crown Bioscience Inc. marketing@crownbio.com This announcement is distributed by Nasdaq Corporate Solutions on behalf of Nasdaq Corporate Solutions clients. The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein. Source: Crown Bioscience Inc. via Globenewswire PR-Inside.com: 2018-04-26 10:19:02 Ecole hoteliere de Lausanne (EHL) Wins Best Employer Ranking Ecole hoteliere de Lausanne (EHL) Sherif Mamdouh External Communications Manager sherif.mamdouh@ehl.ch Direct +41 21 785 10 53 Phone +41 21 785 11 11 ehl.edu Ecole hoteliere de Lausanne (EHL) wins the title of Best Employer in French-speaking Switzerland in the category of medium-sized companies in the annual ranking of the magazine Bilan published this week. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180426005 Ecole hoteliere de Lausanne (EHL) Offering a dynamic and pleasant work environment on the campus north of Lausanne, the 464 employees of 33 nationalities benefit, among other things, from home-office opportunities, seven weeks of vacation, access to sport facilities and up to three free meals a day. Reacting to the announcement, CEO of the EHL Group, Mr Rochat said "the quality of the work environment is one of the priorities set for the EHL management. It is important for us to be able to attract and retain the best talent to continue to provide the best training to our students, and maintain our leadership position in teaching Hospitality Management. We work on a number of fronts, whether in process transparency, gender equity, or the recognition of successes achieved within the institution, for example, sabbatical leave or the research award handed out each year within the faculty." Chief HR Officer, Pascal Gauthier adds: As a university of applied sciences, the training and individual development of our employees is obviously important to us. We invest in continuing education at all levels of the organization. This is a very attractive benefit for our employees in an increasingly competitive job market." "We also strive to increase opportunities for our staff to communicate with management, through employee committees, expanded communication channels, satisfaction surveys and dedicated project groups. This principle of openness makes it possible to raise messages and new proposals in order to apply continuous improvement internally." Mr Rochat continues: "It's a great joy for us to receive this distinction on the occasion of our 125th anniversary, it shows us that we are on the right track." Ecole hoteliere de Lausanne (EHL) is an ambassador for traditional Swiss hospitality and has been a pioneer in hospitality education since 1893. It has created and inspired a unique professional community of over 25,000 hospitality managers, united by the values and the legacy of EHL. EHL is a leading university that provides learning solutions for enthusiastic, talented and ambitious students from 119 different countries. With undergraduate, graduate and certificate programs, EHL offers its students a range of on-campus and online education opportunities at different stages of their professional journey. EHL is regularly recognized as the best hotel management school in the world with the highest graduate employment rates in the industry. EHL is a member of EHL Holding SA, a Group dedicated to hospitality management education. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180426005 PR-Inside.com: 2018-04-26 02:46:26 Press Information Fire Rating Solutions 7 -11 Cromwell Street Collingwood Victoria Australia Fire Rating Solutions +61 3 9419 1393 email https://www.fireratingsolutions.com.au/ Published by Cam Wilkes 006499503888 e-mail ' ' . c2c_truncate_link("www.pureseo.co.nz", "0", "", ".") . '' # 527 Words 7 -11 Cromwell Street Collingwood Victoria Australia+61 3 9419 1393Cam Wilkes006499503888 Melbourne-based Fire Rating Solutions (FRS) can manage all passive fire protection requirements for any project. In order to assure their clients about the quality of their products and services they are accredited with industry association FPAAs scheme FPAS. Fire Protection Association Australia (FPA Australia) is the national peak body for fire safety that provides information, services and education to the fire protection industry and the community.FRS are experts in installation and/or supply of passive combustion protection products, advice, maintenance and annual audits. These passive protection requirements may vary from penetration fire sealing, PVC pipe penetration sealing, vermiculite spray, paint or audit of buildings. FRS is also able to meet certification requirements. The common examples of situations that require fire rating include penetrations through walls and floors from electrical services, PVC pipes, hot/cold water services and sprinkler pipes. Vermiculite spray and Paints for mechanical ductwork and structural steel is also a common example of when fire rating is required.Established in 2013, the Fire Protection Accreditation Scheme (FPAS) is the only national system for recognising the skills and knowledge of individuals undertaking lifesaving fire protection work in this country. Individuals in the Scheme must sign a professional code of conduct and hold appropriate insurances.Registering for the Fire Protection Accreditation Scheme (FPAS), means that a Corporate member who provides this type of work activity, is committing to listing all individuals engaged by the business who perform inspect and test work activity, and commits to ensure each individual listed gains FPAS accreditationFPAA aims to have all fire services providers trained, competent and accredited by 2020. They want to influence change and deliver improved fire safety outcomes for the community. They are committed to leading and supporting a professional industry to minimise the impact of fire on life, property and the environment, for a safer community.FPAA wants its corporate members; such has FRS, to be clearly recognised as providers of quality services; an important point of difference compared to those companies not committed to the future of the industry. With this in mind, only corporate members employing accredited technicians will in future receive additional benefits of membership such as promotion as 'providers of choice' on the Association's website.FRS can provide services for one-off projects or one that need on-going maintenance with quality fire resistant products and services. Their skilled team is a leader in their industry, experienced in the installation of specialised combustion protection products as well as being able to provide ongoing maintenance and problem solving.It is of the utmost importance to them that fire resistant products are correctly installed and certified to Australian Standards to ensure their effectiveness. With over 26 years in the building industry and 19 years in this specialised field they are experts in problem solving, while complying with OH&S standards.FRS has been providing a wide range of quality passive fire protection services to its customers in Melbourne and greater Victoria since 1990 and is a recognised leader within the Australian industry.For more information on heat resistant paint, intumescent fire damper, fire pillow and more: https://www.fireratingsolutions.com.au/ . To Contact FRS: Phone: (03) 9419 1393; E-mail: admin@ frsaust.com.au PR-Inside.com: 2018-04-26 13:53:02 Lochem, 26 April 2018 Resolutions Annual General Meeting of Shareholders ForFarmers N.V. During the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders of ForFarmers N.V. (hereafter: the 'General Meeting' and 'ForFarmers' respectively), which was held today in Laren (Gelderland, the Netherlands), the shareholders adopted the ForFarmers annual accounts over the 2017 financial year and approved the appropriation of profits for the same financial year. Dividend has been fixed at 0.30 per ordinary share and will be paid entirely in cash to the shareholders of ForFarmers, after deducting 15% dividend tax. The ex-dividend date is 30 April 2018. Payment will take place on 9 May 2018. Other resolutions All members of the Executive Board have been discharged from performing their duties during the financial year 2017. All members of the Supervisory Board have been discharged from performing their duties during the financial year 2017. KPMG Accountants N.V. has been appointed as auditor of ForFarmers for auditing the 2018 financial statements and board report. Mr Y.M Knoop (CEO) has been reappointed as member of the Executive Board. R.H.A. Gerritzen has been appointed as member of the Supervisory Board following the stepping down of Mr J.W. Eggink according to schedule. Mrs J.W. Addink-Berendsen and Mr V.A.M. Hulshof have been reappointed as members of the Supervisory Board. The Executive Board has been designated as the competent body, upon approval of the Supervisory Board, to issue ordinary shares and grant rights to subscribe for ordinary shares with a limitation up to 10% of the issued ordinary shares, increased up to 20% in the event of mergers, acquisitions or strategic partnerships, for the duration of 18 months. The Executive Board has been designated as the competent body, upon approval of the Supervisory Board, to restrict or exclude the pre-emptive right of shareholders for the duration of 18 months. The Executive Board has been authorised, upon approval of the Supervisory Board, to have ForFarmers acquire (other than without consideration) shares in its own share capital (irrespective of the type) up to a maximum of 10% of the issued share capital of ForFarmers (determined at the time of the General Meeting). ForFarmers has the intention to purchase shares in ForFarmers' own capital for the implementation of the employee participation plans in 2018 (cf.: the employee participation plan 2017 involved 358,465 shares). Insofar as use is made in 2018 of shares purchased based on the authorisation granted in 2017 for the implementation of the employee participation plans, the purchase programme will fill this up to the original amount of purchased shares. The start of the purchase programme will be announced by means of a separate press release. Subsequently, the progress of the purchase programme will be disclosed weekly by means of a press release. Share purchase programme for employee participation plans Following the General Meeting, the Executive Board, upon approval of the Supervisory Board, decided to start, as of 2 May 2018, with the purchase programme of own shares for the implementation of employee participation plans in 2018. This press release contains information which qualifies as inside information within the meaning of Article 7, paragraph 1 of the EU Market Abuse Regulation. Note to the editor / For additional information: Caroline Vogelzang, Director Investor Relations and Communications T: 0031 573 288 194 M: 0031 6 10 94 91 61 E: caroline.vogelzang@forfarmers.eu ForFarmers Company profile ForFarmers N.V. ('ForFarmers', Lochem, the Netherlands) is an internationally operating feed company that offers total feed solutions for conventional and organic livestock farming. ForFarmers gives its very best "For the Future of Farming": for the continuity of farming and for a financially secure sector that will continue to serve society for generations to come in a sustainable way. By working side-by-side with farmers ForFarmers delivers real benefits: better returns, healthier livestock and greater efficiency. This is achieved by offering tailored and Total Feed solutions and a targeted approach with specialist and expert support. With sales of approximately 9.6 million tons of feed annually, ForFarmers is market leader in Europe. ForFarmers has approximately 2,300 employees and production facilities in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and the United Kingdom. In 2017, revenues amounted to over 2.2 billion. ForFarmers N.V., Postbus 91, 7240 AB Lochem, T: +31 (0)573 28 88 00, F: +31 (0)573 28 88 99 info@forfarmers.eu, www.forfarmersgroup.eu. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This press release contains forward-looking statements, including those relating to ForFarmers legal obligations in terms of capital and liquidity positions in certain specified scenarios. In addition, forward-looking statements, without limitation, may include such phrases as "intends to", "expects", "takes into account", "is aimed at", ''plans to", "estimated" and words with a similar meaning. These statements pertain to or may affect matters in the future, such as ForFarmers future financial results, business plans and current strategies. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, which may mean that there could be material differences between actual results and performance and expected future results or performances that are implicitly or explicitly included in the forward-looking statements. Factors that may result in variations on the current expectations or may contribute to the same include but are not limited to: developments in legislation, technology, jurisprudence and regulations, share price fluctuations, legal procedures, investigations by regulatory bodies, the competitive landscape and general economic conditions. These and other factors, risks and uncertainties that may affect any forward-looking statements or the actual results of ForFarmers, are discussed in the last published annual report. The forward-looking statements in this press release are only statements as of the date of this document and ForFarmers accepts no obligation or responsibility with respect to any changes made to the forward-looking statements contained in this document, regardless of whether these pertain to new information, future events or otherwise, unless ForFarmers is legally obliged to do so. This announcement is distributed by Nasdaq Corporate Solutions on behalf of Nasdaq Corporate Solutions clients. The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein. Source: ForFarmers N.V. via Globenewswire PR-Inside.com: 2018-04-26 13:47:01 Schiphol, the Netherlands - 26 April 2018. GrandVision N.V. (Euronext: GVNV) announced today that its Annual General Meeting (AGM) has approved all resolutions on the agenda of the AGM. The adopted resolutions are listed below: Adoption of the Annual Accounts for the financial year 2017 as drawn up by the Management Board and signed by the Managing Directors and the Supervisory Directors on 27 February 2018 Adoption of the 2017 Dividend distribution proposal Discharge of Managing Directors for their management during the financial year 2017 Discharge of Supervisory Directors for their supervision of management during the financial year 2017 Re-appointment of Mr. K. van der Graaf as Supervisory Director and Chairman of the Supervisory Board Appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers Accountants N.V. as external auditor for financial year 2019 Authorization of Supervisory Board to issue shares or grant rights to acquire shares Authorization of Supervisory Board to restrict or exclude pre-emptive rights Authorization of Management Board to re-purchase shares. This announcement is distributed by Nasdaq Corporate Solutions on behalf of Nasdaq Corporate Solutions clients. The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein. Source: GrandVision N.V. via Globenewswire PR-Inside.com: 2018-04-26 16:57:01 TORONTO, April 26, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Inspiration Mining Corporation ("Inspiration" or the "Corporation") (CSE:ISM) is pleased to announce that it is contemplating upon the request of Compassion Cannabis that it is allowed to accept crypto currency for settlement for any transactions that occur. The logic is that it would make for easy settlement in any jurisdiction. The Company is not adverse to this proposal, but must perform its due diligence and will table the matter at the AGM. Compassion Cannabis is an Ontario Corp., which has expertise to forward various facets of the explosive new market of the marijuana industry, including but not limited to the "Vape" market and dispensary centers for the industry. We believe this will be an extremely lucrative space with tremendous demand in the medical cannabis industry. For further information, please contact Randy Miller, Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation, at tel: 416-842-9000, www.inspirationmining.com The CSE has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This press release contains forward-looking statements based on assumptions, uncertainties and management's best estimates of future events. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated. Investors are cautioned that such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements are detailed from time to time in the Corporation's periodic reports filed with the Ontario Securities Commission and other regulatory authorities. The Corporation has no intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. This announcement is distributed by Nasdaq Corporate Solutions on behalf of Nasdaq Corporate Solutions clients. The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein. Source: Inspiration Mining Corporation via Globenewswire PR-Inside.com: 2018-04-26 06:02:02 Led by Board of Director Franklyn Prendergast, M.D., Ph.D. and Chief Medical Officer Archie Defillo, M.D. Key external members include Martin Chapman, M.D.; Joel Ehrenkranz, M.D.; Mark A. Frye, M.D.; Lawrence Hunter, Ph.D.; Wallace Mendelson, M.D.; Marie Casey Olseth, M.D., and Giampaolo Perna, M.D., Ph.D. SYDNEY, Australia and MINNEAPOLIS, April 25, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Medibio Limited (MEB or the Company) (ASX:MEB) (OTCQB:MDBIF), a mental health technology company confirms establishment of its Scientific Advisory Board (SAB). Scientific Advisory Board Charter/Purpose The Medibio Scientific Advisory Board is charged to advise the board of directors and executive leadership team on scientific matters involving the Company's discovery and development of programs, including major internal projects, interactions with academic and other outside research organizations, and the acquisition of technologies. The SAB will assist directors and management to stay abreast of industry and mental health research developments, new technologies, and anticipate emerging concepts and trends in mental health, to help assure that Medibio leadership makes well informed choices in committing its resources. The SAB will also advise the board on scientific matters involving the safety and effectiveness of the Company's marketed products and will assist leadership to exercise reasonable oversight of product safety and medical risk management. Jack Cosentino, CEO and Managing Director stated, "Our Scientific Advisory Board brings expertise in specialties ranging from computational informatics and neuroscience, to clinicians practicing in primary care and behavioral health. We are honored to have an advisory team with this high level of talent and experience guiding our scientific programs and advising our long-term strategic goals." Scientific Advisory Board Members External Advisors: Martin Chapman, MBBS FRANZCP is a psychiatrist and Fellow of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists. As a medical administrator he has worked in both hospital and community settings in private and government sectors. His clinical practice is in the area of treatment resistant mood and anxiety disorders. He has taught in undergraduate and postgraduate Psychiatry with a focus in assisting primary care physicians in their management of mental health conditions. He has an interest in mental health system development and the role of new technologies in streamlining and providing clinical decision support. Joel R. Ehrenkranz, M.D. is an endocrinologist on the faculty of the U. of Colorado School of Medicine and biotech entrepreneur in Salt Lake City, Utah. He received his M.D. from Stanford and trained in internal medicine at Columbia University, neurology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and endocrinology at the N.I.H. Mark A. Frye, M.D. is chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Psychology at Mayo Clinic. He also serves as director of the Mayo Clinic Depression Center. Dr. Frye received his M.D. from the University of Minnesota and completed his psychiatric training at the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. He subsequently completed a fellowship at the National Institute of Mental Health in Bethesda, Maryland with a research focus on the neurobiology of treatment resistant depression and bipolar disorder. Lawrence Hunter, Ph.D. is a Professor at the University of Colorado and directs the Computational Bioscience Program. He earned his degrees from Yale University, including B.A. in Psychology (cum laude); M.S. and M. Phil. and Ph.D. in Computer Science. Wallace Mendelson, M.D. is a psychiatrist and author, and was formerly Professor of Psychiatry and Clinical Pharmacology, and director of the Sleep Research Laboratory, at the University of Chicago. Dr. Mendelson earned an MD degree from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and completed a residency in psychiatry there as well. He has held professorships at Ohio State University and the State University of New York at Stony Brook, was Chief of the Section on Sleep Studies at the National Institute of Mental Health in Bethesda, MD, and Director of the Sleep Disorders Center at the Cleveland Clinic. Marie Casey Olseth, M.D. is currently in private practice as a Board Certified Adult Psychiatrist in the group practice that she owns. She earned her Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Minnesota Medical School and completed her residency in General Psychiatry at the University of Minnesota and University of Wisconsin, Madison. Giampaolo Perna, M.D., Ph.D. is currently Chair of the Department of Clinical Neurosciences at San Benedetto Menni Hospital of the Hermanas Hospitalarias (Como Lake) and Academic Coordinator of Mental Health Area and Adjunct Professor at Humanitas University (Milan), in Italy. He earned his degree in Medicine and Surgery at the State University of Milan, followed by a Ph.D. and completed a residency in Psychiatry there as well. He is the Chair of WPA section on personalized psychiatry and Co-editor in chief of the Elsevier Journal "Personalized Medicine in Psychiatry". Internal Advisors: Archie Defillo, M.D. is currently the Chief Medical Officer at Medibio Limited. He has over 25 years of clinical experience with neurological diseases. For the past 13 years his efforts have been focused in neurological research. His research interests include cerebrovascular, stroke, neuro-trauma, brain oxygenation, metabolism and autonomic dysfunction. Peta Slocombe, M.S. is a fully registered Psychologist, member of the Australian Psychological Society and a registered National Health Practitioner with over 20 years' experience. She is currently Senior Vice President, Corporate Health with Medibio Limited. Franklyn Prendergast, M.D., Ph.D. is currently a director on the Medibio Limited board and chair of the Scientific Advisory Board. Previously, he was the Emeritus Edmond and Marion Guggenheim Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Emeritus Professor of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Medical School, to its Physician Advisory Board. Dr. Prendergast earned his medical degree with honors from the University of West Indies. He attended Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar, where he earned his masters degree in Physiology. After completing residency in Internal medicine at The Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota he earned a doctorate degree Biochemistry from the University of Minnesota/Mayo Graduate School. Positions held: Chair, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Director for Research Mayo Clinic (Rochester) (1989-1992). Board of Governors Mayo Clinic in Rochester; Mayo Clinic Board of Trustees (1992-2009); Mayo Clinic Board of Governors (1999-2006). Mayo Distinguished Investigator; Emeritus Director, Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center and Mayo Center for Individualized Medicine. In addition to his current role as a director on the Medibio board and chair of the Scientific Advisory Board, Dr. Prendergast holds numerous appointments with Industry and Extramural academic affiliations. He has extensive interactions over many years with National Institutes of Health (NIH): Board of Advisors for the Division of Research Grants; National Advisory General Medical Sciences Council; Board of Scientific Advisors of the National Cancer Institute; and the National Cancer Advisory Board. About Medibio Medibio (ASX:MEB) (OTCQB:MDBIF) is a mental health technology company that has pioneered the use of objective biometrics to assist in the screening, diagnosing, monitoring and management of depression and other mental health conditions. The company offers comprehensive mental health solutions for business through its Corporate Health programs and is developing products to serve both the consumer and regulated healthcare provider markets. The company was founded in Australia, with offices located in Melbourne (Vic), Perth (WA), and U.S. offices in Minneapolis, MN. Medibio is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange Ltd and trades on the OTCQB Venture Market. Investors can find additional information on www.otcmarkets.com and www.asx.com.au. Further Information: Website: www.medibio.com.au Medibio Shareholder Enquiries: Stephanie Ottens Investor Relations Director Medibio Limited stephanie.ottens@medibio.com.au T: +61 434 405 400 Australian Media Enquiries: Peter Taylor NWR Communications peter@nwrcommunications.com.au T: +61 (0) 412 036 231 This announcement is distributed by Nasdaq Corporate Solutions on behalf of Nasdaq Corporate Solutions clients. The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein. Source: Medibio Limited via Globenewswire PR-Inside.com: 2018-04-26 18:42:02 Merrill Lynch B.V. Files Annual Financial Report Merrill Lynch B.V. Armstrong Okobia, +31-20-5925-606 Merrill Lynch B.V. today informs its security holders that its Annual Financial Report for the year ended December 31, 2017, together with the audit report, has been filed with the Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets (the "AFM"), the competent authority of the Netherlands, Merrill Lynch B.V.s home Member State. Merrill Lynch B.V. makes available free of charge on its website its Annual and Half-Yearly Financial Reports filed with the AFM as soon as reasonably practicable after Merrill Lynch B.V. electronically files these documents with the AFM. These documents are posted on Bank of America Corporations website at http://investor.bankofamerica.com/phoenix.zhtml?c= under Financial Information / Subsidiary Financials. The AFM maintains a website that contains reports and other information that issuers are required to file with it. These materials may be obtained electronically by accessing the AFMs page at http://www.afm.nl/en/professionals/registers/alle-. Copies of the above referenced information will also be made available, free of charge, by calling +31-20-5925-606 or upon written request to: Merrill Lynch B.V. Amstelplein 1, Rembrandt Tower, 27 Floor 1096 HA Amsterdam The Netherlands View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180426006 PR-Inside.com: 2018-04-26 10:17:01 Press release NNIT signs agreement with NNE on global outsourcing of IT NNIT will deliver full stack of corporate it services to new client who is experiencing growth with focus on the international life science industry. NNIT will take over NNE's global IT infrastructure NNIT will assume 27 employees from NNE Like NNIT, NNE was born and raised in the Danish pharma industry and is today an international engineering company targeting clients from its industry of origin NNIT has approximately 350 clients of which around 100 are located outside Denmark. Some 20 % are international life science clients Copenhagen, April 26, 2018 - NNIT, a leading provider of IT services and consultancy signs an IT outsourcing agreement with NNE, owned by Novo Nordisk A/S. Like NNIT, NNE was born and raised in the Danish pharma industry and is today an international engineering company targeting customers from its industry of origin. Specialized in pharma engineering, NNE provides flexible, compliant and future-proof solutions that help pharmaceutical companies bring products to market. As part of the new agreement, which was signed today, NNIT will take over the global IT infrastructure for NNE. The broad portfolio of services to NNE will include remote infrastructure management to affiliates, global end user support services and full capacity hosted in NNIT's datacenters located in Denmark. CFO Rene Holmen Pedersen, NNE is looking forward to the transition and says about the agreement: "IT outsourcing allows us to focus on realizing the potential related to developments in information technology and digitalization and thereby to focus on delivering innovative solutions to our customers in the international pharma business It's comforting to put the responsibility in the hands of NNIT who understands the regulatory requirements to IT solutions in the international life science industry." By choosing NNIT, NNE will get flexible and scalable IT services while obtaining operational excellence and a high security level. Senior Vice President in NNIT, Jacob Hahn Michelsen, says about the agreement: "We look forward to securing high quality IT to NNE internationally with robust solutions and innovative development, thereby supporting their continued growth further into the global pharmaceutical industry." NNIT will assume 27 employees from NNE, who will be welcomed by approximately 1,600 colleagues in Soeborg and 800 colleagues in China, respectively, out of a total of more than 3,000 colleagues, globally. NNIT has approximately 350 clients of which around 100 are located outside Denmark. Some 20 % are international life science clients (January 2018). Further information: Helga Heyn, NNIT Communications, +45 30 77 81 41, hhey@nnit.com About NNIT NNIT A/S is one of Denmark's leading IT service providers and consultancies. NNIT A/S offers a wide range of IT services and solutions to its customers, primarily in the life sciences sector in Denmark and internationally and to customers in the public, enterprise and finance sectors in Denmark. NNIT A/S has more than 3,000 employees. For more information please visit www.nnit.com. About NNE www.nne.com This announcement is distributed by Nasdaq Corporate Solutions on behalf of Nasdaq Corporate Solutions clients. The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein. Source: NNIT A/S via Globenewswire PR-Inside.com: 2018-04-26 22:44:25 FSCwire / Press ReleaseThe following press release was disseminated by FSCwire for Pacific Iron Ore Corporation--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---Calgary, Alberta (FSCWire) - Pacific Iron Ore Corporation (TSX Venture:POC). has issued a press release with the following headline:Pacific Iron Ore Corporation Announces Release of 2017 Financial Statements and Management Discussion and AnalysisTo view this press release on the FSCwire website, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:If you would prefer, you can also view this press release as a PDF file, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:For more information on Pacific Iron Ore Corporation, or to see additional press releases issued by this company, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser: http://www.fscwire.com/public-company/Pacific Iron Ore CorporationSource: Pacific Iron Ore Corporation (TSX Venture: POC)Date: April 26, 2018Time: 4:44 PM EDT--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---The story mentioned above was issued on behalf of Pacific Iron Ore Corporation and disseminated through FSCwire.About FSCwireFSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.), is a global newswire dissemination, SEDAR, SEDI, and EDGAR / XBRL service provider.FSCwire is a full service global newswire dissemination company and is fully approved by all exchanges in Canada and the U.S. Press releases can be distributed for all sizes of public, private or not for profit companies and any other organization requiring news distribution. In addition to individual companies; public relations, communications and investor relations firms trust FSCwire to distribute press releases for their respective clients.In addition to newswire dissemination FSCwire also offers EDGAR, XBRL, SEDAR, SEDI, and additional services for publicly traded companies. For more information, please go to our website: http://www.fscwire.com Maximum News Dissemination by FSCwire. http://www.fscwire.com Copyright 2018 - FSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.) PR-Inside.com: 2018-04-26 16:26:01 PPG Completes COLORFUL COMMUNITIES Project in Istanbul PPG Media Contact: Ken Armistead, +44 1924 354848 PPG Corporate Communications, EMEA EMEACommunications@ppg.com www.ppgcommunities.com PPG (NYSE:PPG) today announced the completion of a COLORFUL COMMUNITIES project in Istanbul that converted a bus into a mobile science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) laboratory that will be donated to the Ministry of Educations Umraniye branch. The Colorful Communities program provides PPG volunteers and paint products along with financial contributions to bring color and vitality to communities where the company operates around the world, such as in Istanbul, where PPG has an administrative office. The project brought together more than 25 PPG volunteers, who spent a day revitalizing the STEM bus by painting its outside in a rainbow of colors to provide a bright and cheerful welcome for the children. PPG provided $40,000 to assist with the project, covering the cost of the bus, laboratory equipment, professional contractor services, as well as 125 liters (33 gallons) of DELTRON paint products by PPG. The STEM Bus, which will travel daily to one of Umraniyes 93 kindergartens, can accommodate 20 children who will conduct experiments and receive training on computer coding and other STEM-based topics. Teachers from the Nurten Yldrm Sancak Kindergarten created the curriculum, and PPG employees will have an opportunity to be trained as instructors to assist on the bus. The STEM Bus is expected to operate for five years and reach 300 children every month. The Ministry of Education has expressed interest in continuing the initiative in other areas of Istanbul and nationwide. The STEM Bus is a first in Turkey, and it demonstrates PPGs commitment to increasing STEM-related education in the communities where it operates, said Olivier Krau, PPG general manager, Turkey. We are very excited to help the children of our community explore the world of STEM in such a unique and engaging environment. The Colorful Communities program, PPGs signature initiative for supporting communities, aims to protect and beautify the neighborhoods where PPG operates around the world. Through the Colorful Communities program, PPGs committed volunteers contribute their time and PPG paint products to help transform community assets from painting classrooms, to bringing color to a maternity ward and redesigning a playground. Since 2015, PPG has completed more than 125 Colorful Communities projects, impacting more than 4 million people in 23 countries. PPG and the PPG Foundation aim to bring color and brightness to PPG communities around the world. We invested more than $10.5 million in 2017, supporting hundreds of community organizations across 29 countries. By investing in educational opportunities, we help grow todays skilled workforce and develop tomorrows innovators in fields related to coatings and manufacturing. Plus, we empower PPG employees to multiply their impact for causes that are important to them by supporting their volunteer efforts and charitable giving. Learn more at www.ppgcommunities.com and follow @PPG_Communities on Twitter. PPG: WE PROTECT AND BEAUTIFY THE WORLD At PPG (NYSE:PPG), we work every day to develop and deliver the paints, coatings and materials that our customers have trusted for more than 130 years. Through dedication and creativity, we solve our customers biggest challenges, collaborating closely to find the right path forward. With headquarters in Pittsburgh, we operate and innovate in more than 70 countries and reported net sales of $14.8 billion in 2017. We serve customers in construction, consumer products, industrial and transportation markets and aftermarkets. To learn more, visit www.ppg.com. We protect and beautify the world and Colorful Communities are trademarks and Deltron and the PPG Logo are registered trademarks of PPG Industries Ohio, Inc. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180426006 PR-Inside.com: 2018-04-26 10:33:01 Among the highlights of the March 2018 quarterly performance report for the ERI Scientific Beta indices: ERI Scientific Beta offers smart factor indices providing exposure to the six well-known rewarded factors (Mid Cap, Value, High Momentum, Low Volatility, High Profitability and Low Investment) that are also well-diversified in order to reduce the specific risks. This quarter, ending March 31, 2018, the best performing index in the Developed universe among those smart factor indices is the SciBeta Developed Narrow High Factor Intensity High Momentum Diversified Multi-Strategy index with a relative return of 2.03% compared to the broad cap-weighted index, while the SciBeta Developed Narrow High Factor Intensity Low Volatility Diversified Multi-Strategy index posts the lowest relative return (-0.25%). Based on its single smart factor indices, ERI Scientific Beta also offers multi smart factor indices. This quarter, the SciBeta Developed Multi-Beta Multi-Strategy 4-Factor EW index, the SciBeta Developed High Factor Intensity Multi-Beta Multi-Strategy 6-Factor EW index and the SciBeta Developed High Factor Intensity Multi-Beta Multi-Strategy 6-Factor EW Market Beta Adjusted (Leverage) index post positive relative returns of 0.80%, 0.25% and 0.10% respectively compared to cap-weighted indices. The Scientific Beta Multi-Beta Multi-Strategy Four-Factor EW indices, which were the first multi-factor indices to be offered by ERI Scientific Beta, show an average live annualised outperformance across all Scientific Beta Developed regions of 2.11% over their four-year live track record and an improvement in the Sharpe Ratio of 46.16% compared to their cap-weighted benchmark1. 1The average live outperformance and improvement in Sharpe Ratio across all Scientific Beta developed regions of Scientific Beta Multi-Beta Multi-Strategy Equal-Weight indices is 2.11% for the outperformance and 46.16% for the improvement in Sharpe Ratio. This live analysis is based on daily total returns in the period from December 20, 2013 (live date) to December 31, 2017 for all diversified multi-strategy indices that have more than 3 years of track record for all available developed world regions - USA, Eurozone, UK, Developed Europe, Developed Europe ex UK, Japan, Developed Asia Pacific ex Japan, Developed ex UK, Developed ex USA and Developed. The benchmark used is a cap-weighted portfolio of all stocks in the respective Scientific Beta universes. As part of its policy of transferring know-how to the industry, EDHEC-Risk Institute has set up ERI Scientific Beta. ERI Scientific Beta is an original initiative which aims to favour the adoption of the latest advances in smart beta design and implementation by the whole investment industry. Its academic origin provides the foundation for its strategy: offer, in the best economic conditions possible, the smart beta solutions that are most proven scientifically with full transparency of both the methods and the associated risks. ERI Scientific Beta, 1 George Street, #15-02, Singapore 049145. For further information, please contact: Carolyn Essid, Tel.: +33 493 187 824, E-mail: carolyn.essid@scientificbeta.com , Web: www.scientificbeta.com Find out more about the research conducted by EDHEC-Risk Institute on smart beta and the Scientific Beta indices by following us on Twitter ( https://twitter.com/ScientificBeta ), LinkedIn ( https://www.linkedin.com/company/scientific-beta ) and YouTube ( https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRL91F-LvhLPc9M9OD7LQgA ). This announcement is distributed by Nasdaq Corporate Solutions on behalf of Nasdaq Corporate Solutions clients. The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein. Source: EDHEC-Risk Institute via Globenewswire PR-Inside.com: 2018-04-26 18:29:01 Fornebu, Norway - April 26, 2018: The Annual General Meeting of the shareholders of REC Silicon ASA (REC Silicon) was held on April 26, 2018 at 16:00 CET. The minutes from the Annual General Meeting recording the resolutions made are enclosed hereto and are also available on REC Silicon's website www.recsilicon.com. 1,067,736,509 shares were represented at the general meeting. This includes 336,919,630 shares represented by proxy. Thus, approximately 41.97% of the Company's total share were represented at the Annual General Meeting. Further to the Notice of the Annual General Meeting issued on March 16, 2018, the Annual General Meeting approved, as follows from the minutes, all resolutions as proposed by the Board. For further information, please contact: Christopher Bowes, Investor Relations REC Silicon ASA Phone: +1 509 793 8127 Email: chris.bowes@recsilicon.com Nils O. Kjerstad IR Contact Europe Phone: +47 9135 6659 Email: nils.kjerstad@crux.no About REC Silicon REC Silicon is a leading producer of advanced silicon materials, delivering high-purity polysilicon and silicon gas to the solar and electronics industries worldwide. We combine 30 years of experience and proprietary technology with the needs of our customers, with annual production capacity of more than 20,000 MT of polysilicon from our two US-based manufacturing plants. Listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange (ticker: REC), the company is headquartered in Fornebu, Norway. For more information, go to: www.recsilicon.com This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act. PR-Inside.com: 2018-04-26 05:13:01 HONG KONG, April 25, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reolink's first and game-changing wire-free 4G-LTE rechargeable security camera Reolink Go has comfortably surpassed its funding goal to raise $35,187 USD on Indiegogo only 30 hours after the launch. 100% Funded Milestone Only 30 hours into the Indiegogo campaign, Reolink Go has hit its first milestone and demolished its funding goal to be 100% funded with $35,068 USD pledged by 220 backers and counting from the U.S., UK, Germany, and Italy at the time of writing. It received overwhelming support and contributions from eager early adopters the moment it hit the crowdfunding platform Indiegogo with $136 early bird solar panel pack sold out instantly and was quickly featured by multiple top-tier media and publications like Stuff, Android Police, and New Atlas. Reolink Go wire-free 4G-LTE mobile security camera redefines the video surveillance and push new boundary by reducing hassles and headaches that come with setting up a security camera in locations and properties with no WiFi/bandwidth network. It connects to 4G cellular networks by various network service suppliers including the nationwide AT&T (U.S.), T-Mobile (U.S. & Germany), EE Limited (UK), Vodafone (UK, Germany & Italy), O2 (UK & Germany), Three UK, and Wind Tre (Italy), and runs on the rechargeable battery and supports solar charging with Reolink Solar Panel. Monitoring properties or locations with no WiFi connection and the power outlet is now as simple as a tap on an app thanks to Reolink Go. "We're grateful for the support and contributions we received from the Indiegogo community," said Pam, the Reolink crowdfunding campaign manager. "Their amazing support helps us reach our funding goal in such a short period of time." Special Offers & Perks Reolink is offering many special offers and great deals for early adopters on Indiegogo starting from $119 USD (52% off) for the early birds on a first-come-first-serve basis. Early bird perks including $159 USD (36% off) for Reolink Go 1-Pack, $329 USD (41% off) for Reolink Go 2-Pack with Reolink Solar Panels and more special offers are available. All items are estimated to be shipped in July 2018 to the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, and Italy. Mobile data plans are required to work with the camera and will be offered separately at your own choosing. More supported cellular network service providers are to be updated later. About Reolink Reolink, a leading provider of home security products and camera solutions, has been dedicated to delivering advanced and high-quality consumer security cameras/systems and reliable solutions for home and business. The products range from PoE security cameras/systems, wireless security cameras/systems, to wire-free battery-powered security cameras, which are widely used in home surveillance, business surveillance, baby monitoring, etc. Reolink products are available and sold worldwide, providing video surveillance and protection for millions of homes and families. For more information about Reolink and its products, please visit https://reolink.com. Contact Olivia/PR manager Email: pr@reolink.com Tel: +1 2134012832 Address: Room G, 8th Floor, King Palace Plaza, 55 King Yip Street, Kwun Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong This announcement is distributed by Nasdaq Corporate Solutions on behalf of Nasdaq Corporate Solutions clients. The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein. Source: Reolink Digital Technology Co., Ltd. via Globenewswire PR-Inside.com: 2018-04-26 18:24:04 The ICPC Marks its Diamond Jubilee Plenary by Addressing Three Future Challenges for Subsea Cables International Cable Protection Committee Keith Schofield, +44 7836 249376 general.manager@iscpc.org The International Cable Protection Committee [..] celebrated its 60th anniversary Plenary meeting by highlighting the three themes it is addressing to ensure that subsea cables continue to provide reliable long-term socioeconomic benefits to global communities. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180426006 The Attendees at the ICPC 2018 Diamond Jubilee Plenary (Photo: Business Wire). This years ICPC Plenaryheld in Cape Town, South Africa and sponsored by Mertech Marinewas attended by 128 delegates and invited guests from all over the world, including many from Africa. Spanning three days of insightful presentations and lively debates, industry experts shared experiences, trends, challenges, and innovative solutions to the following key issues facing subsea telecommunication and power cables. (1) Cable security: Considering that subsea cables are often described as critical infrastructure, the ICPC kicked-off new activities focused on the end-to-end security of cable systems and the continuity of the benefits they provide. The ICPC and its Members have an extensive evidence-led understanding of the potential threats to cables and are leveraging this knowledge on policies and procedures for protecting these strategic assets. (2) Sharing the seabed in harmony with others: While the cable industry has flourished under the current freedoms to lay and maintain cables enshrined in international law, the ICPC recognises that there are other organisations which have legitimate interests in how our oceans are protected and managed. The ICPC continues to seek fact-based dialogue and cooperation between these actors to avoid potential conflicts of interest, by: Promoting wider understanding of cables neutral-to-benign impact on delicate marine ecosystems for example within the United Nations as it considers new international legislation on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ); and Engaging with commercial interests such as deep seabed mining coordinated by the International Seabed Authority (ISA) to emphasise the benefits of marine spatial planning which pays due regard to the concerns of all. (3) Protecting cables from accidental damage: This has been a central part of the ICPCs work since its creation 60 years ago. The organisation continues to collate, analyse, and share information on man-made and natural events, which affect subsea cables. Moreover, the ICPC is continuing its outreach to bodies such as the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO), to proactively ensure that maritime charts provide the ships masters with the necessary information to avoid accidental contact with subsea cables. The ICPC is also supporting studies to better understanding natural processes such as subsea earthquakes, landslides and climate-driven events, which will allow future cables to be laid in areas of ever-lower risk. In the ICPCs Diamond Jubilee year, its Members also reflected on the history of the organisation, from its formation in 1958 as the Cable Damage Committee, to the present day, where it represents a membership of more than 170 companies, including governments and academic institutions. We have evolved over the decades from a focus on damage control towards proactive means to minimise cable faults, said the ICPC Chairman, Graham Evans. Now we're continuing to adapt ourselves to new commercial, environmental, and legislative challenges, as part of our work to ensure the connectivity of communities and states. To read further highlights from the ICPCs Diamond Jubilee Plenary, visit: https://www.iscpc.org/events/2018-icpc-plenary-mee. About the ICPC: The International Cable Protection Committee (ICPC) was formed in 1958 and its primary goal is to promote the safeguarding of international submarine cables against man-made and natural hazards. The organisation provides a forum for the exchange of technical, legal and environmental information about submarine cables and, with more than 170 members from over 60 nations, including cable operators, owners, manufacturers, industry service providers, as well as governments, it is the Worlds premier submarine cable organisation. For further information about ICPC visit: www.iscpc.org or send an e-mail to: secretary@iscpc.org. You may also find ICPC on LinkedIn via the following: https://www.linkedin.com/company/icpc-ltd/. As the voice of the submarine cable community, the ICPC welcomes genuine enquiries regarding international submarine cables, environmental factors affecting the submarine cable community and the activities of the organisation. To the authorities and to seabed users, the ICPC raises awareness of submarine cables as critical infrastructure carrying more than 97% of intercontinental data, and addresses the evolution of international treaties and national legislation to help ensure that submarine cables are protected. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180426006 PR-Inside.com: 2018-04-25 18:03:01 The General Meeting of Vastned Retail Belgium, held as at 25 April 2018, approved all items on the agenda. Full press release: This announcement is distributed by Nasdaq Corporate Solutions on behalf of Nasdaq Corporate Solutions clients. The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein. Source: Vastned Retail Belgium via Globenewswire PR-Inside.com: 2018-04-26 11:02:02 Wolters Kluwer Advocates Integrated Finance, Risk & Reporting Approach, with a Central Data Warehouse, in New White Paper Wolters Kluwer - Governance, Risk & Compliance Paul Lyon, +44 20 3197 6586 Director of International Corporate Communications Mobile: +44 77 6539 1824 Paul.Lyon@wolterskluwer.com Technological innovations are enabling institutions to merge their Finance, Risk and Regulatory Reporting (FRR) functions into a set of processes to help meet the twin demands of regulatory compliance and a competitive commercial landscape. Thats according to a new white paper (Integrating finance, risk and regulatory [..]) from Wolters Kluwer which illustrates how a dedicated FRR data warehouse that links risk, finance and other key functions to merge old systems with new ones, will provide banks with a competitive advantage by integrating finance, risk and regulatory reporting duties. One of the most challenging data management burdens facing banks globally is rooted in duplication. The evolution of regulations has left banks with various bespoke databases across five core functions: credit, treasury, profitability analytics, financial reporting and regulatory reporting, with the same data appearing and processed in multiple places. This hodgepodge of bespoke databases simultaneously leads to both the duplication of data and processes, and the risk of inconsistencies. The idea, therefore, behind the integration of finance, risk and regulatory reporting functions is that sound regulatory compliance and sound business analytics are manifestations of the same set of processes. Satisfying the demands of supervisory authorities and maximizing profitability and competitiveness in the marketplace involve similar types of analysis, modeling and forecasting, comments Inga Rottmann, Vice President and Head of Global Marketing at Wolters Kluwers Finance, Risk & reporting business and one of the authors of the paper. Each is best achieved, therefore, through a comprehensive, collaborative organizational structure that places the key functions of finance, risk and regulatory reporting at its heart. Whats more, the immense demands for data, and for a technology solution to manage it effectively, have served as a catalyst for a revolutionary development in data management, particularly as regards Regulatory Technology, or RegTech. Although the definition is somewhat flexible, RegTech is effectively the application of cutting-edge hardware, software, design techniques and services to the idiosyncratic challenges related to financial reporting and compliance. The myriad advances that fall under the RegTech rubric, such as centralized FRR or RegTech data management and analysis, data mapping and data visualization, are helping financial institutions to finally get out in front of the stringent reporting requirements, comments Steve Hostettler, Director of Technology at Wolters Kluwers Finance, Risk & Reporting business and an author of the white paper. Centralization can now accomplish their efforts to integrate finance, risk and regulatory reporting duties more fully, easily and creatively. But RegTech has also proved problematic. Many RegTech solutions currently on the market can be highly specialized and localized products and services from small providers. That encourages financial institutions to approach data management deficiencies gap by gap, project by project, perpetuating the compartmentalized, siloed thinking that was the scourge of regulators and banks alike after the global crisis, notes Will Newcomer, Vice President of Product & Strategy for Wolters Kluwers Finance, Risk & Reporting business and author of the paper. Rather, Wolters Kluwer experts argue, banks would be well advised to build a centralized, dedicated and focused FRR data warehouse that can chisel away at the barriers between functions. And this is the case even at institutions that have been slow to abandon a siloed organizational structure reinforced with legacy systems. The path to effectively transforming data management, the white paper continues, is to combine tried and true processes and solutions with the selective deployment of new technologies with the target to remove undesirable duplication of both rules and storage. Having clean, integrated and standardized data in one central warehouse confers advantages such as the elimination of data duplication and the elimination of analytical process duplication. And data lineage is crucial here, the white paper adds. Integrating finance, risk and regulatory reporting is likely to be a long and arduous journey, but one that will help an organization get where it needs to go and become what it needs to be: a highly competitive business that has greater command of its commercial and supervisory environments and is better prepared for the future, Rottmann adds. Competitive pressures remain high, and regulators keep raising the bar for compliance reporting. They continually demand more data, more often, in finer detail and with greater accuracy. The industry and the technology that supports it strained until recently to keep pace, but that is changing thanks to developments in RegTech. About Wolters Kluwer Governance, Risk & Compliance Wolters Kluwer Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC) is a division of Wolters Kluwer which provides legal, finance, risk and compliance professionals and small business owners with a broad spectrum of solutions, services and expertise needed to help manage myriad governance, risk and compliance needs in dynamic markets and regulatory environments. Wolters Kluwer N.V. (AEX: WKL) is a global leader in information services and solutions for professionals in the health, tax and accounting, risk and compliance, finance and legal sectors. Wolters Kluwer reported 2017 annual revenues of 4.4 billion. The company, headquartered in Alphen aan den Rijn, the Netherlands, serves customers in over 180 countries, maintains operations in over 40 countries and employs 19,000 people worldwide. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180426005 ADVERTISEMENT Electricity Distribution Companies, DISCOs lose about N20 billion monthly across the country due to collection gap an official has said. The Chief Corporate Service Officer, Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company, KADECO, Uday Mishra disclosed this in Kaduna, during an interactive session on the various challenges surrounding DISCOs across the country. According to Mr Mishra, the major challenge as regards electricity distribution in the country is the non-payment of bills by about 60 per cent consumers. All DISCOs are surviving hardly because they have just 40 per cent of legal consumers on their billing net while the majority of consumers are involved in bypassing, theft, non-payment of bills and direct hooking. He however regretted that honest consumers suffer infrequent electricity supply because they have to subsidise other non-payers and electricity thieves. We call on consumers to take care of their duties by paying bills and disengaging in any kind of electricity theft, the company disconnects as last resort which is also costly and time-wasting, he said. Mr Mishra called on the government to subsidise electricity tariff for agriculture-related projects, low-income groups and the poor masses residing at the slums. The Head of Compliance, KADECO, Lawal Lawal explained that the company is only entitled to 8 per cent of the power generated daily in the country, which it distributes to Kaduna, Sokoto, Zamfara and Kebbi States. We have no option than to ration supply because electricity is solely dependent on gas in Nigeria. Our total demand is 600 megawatts but we rarely receive 300 for distribution daily. Kaduna even gets more supply due to high population and other economic activities when compared to its the other states, yet, the supply is poor, Mr Lawal said. He attributed the low distribution of electricity to little supply from the source, adding that, the poor revenue collected from consumers affects the companys health. ADVERTISEMENT The U.S. Senate on Thursday approved former CIA Director, Mike Pompeo, to lead President Donald Trumps State Department. The Senate confirmed Pompeos nomination for the position of U.S Secretary of State in a 57-42 vote. On March 13, President Donald Trump announced that he had fired former Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, and nominated Pompeo to take his place, who served as CIA Director since January 23, 2017. Pompeo had already started diplomatic work prior to the confirmation with visit to North Korea at the beginning of April to lay the groundwork for upcoming summit between Trump and North Korean leader, Kim Jong Un. Trump and Kim will meet in May or early June at a location that is yet to be determined and it will not be in the U.S. While heading the CIA, Pompeo was said to have utilised a gloves off approach in engaging the Taliban in Afghanistan. Pompeo said during the confirmation hearing before the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee that the failed state of Syria deserves a severe response because of the threat it poses to national security and regional stability. He also said the U.S. must end its soft policy toward Russia, do more to enforce sanctions via the Magnitsky Act and the Countering Americas Adversaries through Sanctions Act. Pompeo also said the U.S. should continue to provide Ukraine with defensive weapons and maintain sanctions on Russia until Moscow fully complies with the Minsk agreement. (Sputnik/NAN) 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. The ongoing strike by the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) is a week old and has crippled healthcare delivery in many parts of the nation. However, the full weight of its impact is yet to be felt, PREMIUM TIMES can report today. Total collapse of the health sector is what will happen if this strike is allowed to continue. In the comity of nations, when the mortality and morbidity rates were rolled out, Nigeria was ranked 179 out of 183 nations and that was even when we have full complement of all the staff in the health sector but now that 95 per cent of the workforce has withdrawn services, your guess is as sure as mine. The indices will further nosedive and we will further depreciate in the ranking and its not the best for our health system, the National Vice Chairman of JOHESU, Ogbonna Chimela, warned in an interview with this newspaper. JOHESU, the association of health workers apart from medical doctors and dentists, last week Wednesday began an indefinite strike over failure of the federal government to honor the agreement it had with the union last September. While this is on, the Nigerian government seems to be in a dilemma on how to resolve the protracted issue. Chief among what the union is asking for is salary adjustments, a demand Nigerian doctors have vehemently opposed, warning the government that acceding to such demand would precipitate a crisis that may lead to the collapse of the health sector of the country. It remains to be seen, however, how the government will pacify JOHESU members without provoking the wrath of medical doctors. Meanwhile, as the strike continues unabated, the noose it has put on the necks of patients in critical condition, pregnant women and nursing mothers and even ordinary Nigerians in dire need of healthcare is further tightened. Checks by this newspaper have shown that essential services and healthcare delivery at federal health institutions have significantly dropped as a result of the strike. But here are five things likely to happen in the health sector if the strike continues. States and local government health institutions will join National hospital Abuja About 30 days before the union embarked on its indefinite strike, it issued an ultimatum to the government that this is going to be a mega strike that will cut across all health institutions in the country. This one is the mega strike. If it begins, it will start with the federal then states will join, the local governments will join. Let the health system in Nigeria be paralysed for the first time, the union had warned. When the strike commenced on Wednesday, the JOHESU leadership said it has already ordered its members in the states and local governments to be on red alert to join the strike in 15 days. Already we are counting their days, we ordered their leaders to give 15 days ultimatum to them (states and local governments) and that will expire on the 2nd of May and if the government did not meet our demands on or before that day, then the state and local government health institution staff will now join the strike, it will be a complete shut down of the sector as we warned. Health workers under the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) corroborated JOHESU leadership when questioned by this newspaper. Yes, we are under JOHESU, we are yet to stop work but we have been notified to join the strike in two weeks time if the government is yet to meet our demands, a nurse at Wuse district hospital said. The strike, already a week old, if allowed to persist for another week, states and local government health institutions will likely join. Reduction, withdrawal, transfer of patients to other private hospitals Patients waiting to see doctor used to illustrate the story When PREMIUM TIMES visited the Abuja National Hospital to observe the level of compliance to the ongoing strike, the facility looked almost deserted. ADVERTISEMENT Only a handful of the personnel, especially doctors, were seen in the emergency wards and other areas attending to a few patients. Some patients in critical condition were being evacuated to other hospitals as there were no hands to attend to them. A woman in labour was seen struggling with her condition as nurses and midwives were not around to attend to her. According to the hospitals spokesperson, Tayo Haastrup, the situation is bound to get worse if the strike is allowed to linger. scanty walk ways at the National hospital Abuja as a result of the ongoing strike. Activities presently is not as full at it should be, the nurses that are supposed to be on the bedside of the patients are not there, they have joined the strike. We only motivate the doctors to make sure they monitor critical issues both at the ICU and other areas so as to make sure there is no serious issue because we dont pray that lives will be lost during this period, Mr Haastrup said. It was a similar situation at the Federal Medical Centre, Jabi Abuja. Most of the wards at the facility was deserted. All JOHESU members here have joined the strike, the nurses, lab scientists they have all joined, what the hospital is doing at the moment is adhoc service, Musa Sani, Head of Administration at the hospital said. Patients in critical condition are still treated in this facility but we fear that they will soon be transferred to other hospitals as we only run adhoc service for now, he added. Low Admittance of Patients Patients in a hospital ward used to illustrate the story Both spokespersons of the National Hospital Abuja and the Federal Medical Centre, Jabi confirmed a rapid reduction of inflow of patients since the industrial action commenced. This they said will further nosedive if the strike is allowed to continue. Mr Sani of Jabi Federal Medical Centre said the facility can only run 50 per cent of the services it renders before the strike and as a result, the number of patients have reduced drastically because the staff on duty could no longer attend to the patients that come in when there is no strike. He said the aforementioned figure will further reduce as the strike continues. For Mr Haastrup at the National Hospital, the public is already aware of the strike hence the drop in patients rushing into the facility. While appealing to the striking workers to reconsider and go back to the negotiation table with government for the sake of lives hanging in the balance, he said the situation will further deteriorate if the strike continues. Boom in Private Hospitals Doctors attending to patients used to illustrate the story Every passing day of the strike is a blessing for private health practitioners as many private hospitals, maternity and traditional birth attendant centres in Abuja and other parts of the country are now experiencing a boom in patronage and business. Nigerians seeking medical attention and treatment have now turned in large numbers to private hospitals. Some of the patients still at government health facilities in Abuja told our correspondent that they are on the verge of moving to private hospitals in the city. Mariam Mohammed, whose son had a cancerous growth, decried the incessant strike in the health sector. She said she has already made plans of transferring his son to a private hospital. She said the government and health workers should quit playing with the lives of patients. For JOHESU leadership however, medical doctors working at government hospitals, who run private clinics will also benefit from the strike as they will be more than happy to send patients to their private clinics. Continuation of Rivalry between medical doctors and others Doctors in Nigeria used to illustrate the story [Photo credit: Esabod] The major driver of the ongoing JOHESU strike is the demand by its members for salary adjustment, which the NMA has consistently opposed, warning the government that acceding to such a demand will spell doom for the health sector. The rivalry between medical doctors and other health workers is an age-long battle that is always reignited whenever any of the warring groups makes a demand from the government. The genesis of the crisis can be traced back to 1985 when the late Olukoye Ransom Kuti was the Minister of Health. This may seem an over-flogged issue but the wounds of the rift is further deepened as last Wednesdays strike continues unabated. As JOHESU announced it will embark on a strike on Monday, the NMA leadership at a press briefing Tuesday described the union as an illegal body and that government should thread cautiously while dealing with it. Having the higher number of workers in the health sector, the strike by JOHESU will become more or less a burden on medical practitioners. Doctors will now have to work twice than they used to and this will further increase disaffection among health workers as the strike continues. ADVERTISEMENT For not seeking National Assemblys approval before withdrawing $496million used for the purchase of aircraft from the United States, some senators have called for President Muhammadu Buharis impeachment. Section 143 of the Nigerian constitution provides for the removal of the president from office. Moving a motion on the issue on Thursday, Matthew Uroghide, Edo State, said President Buharis move was a violation of the constitution and thus, he should face the consequences. He prayed the Senate to invoke Section 143 to start the impeachment process of the president. Seconding the motion, Chukwuka Utazi spoke in support of the move. This is an impeachable offence, an obviously angry Mr Utazi, said. President Buhari had said he gave approval for the withdrawal of the fund because he believed the National Assembly would have no objection to his action. His explanation was conveyed in a letter read at the Senate on Wednesday. A copy of the letter had earlier been sent to the House of Representatives. Mr Buhari explained the processes that led to the approval. I wish to draw the attention of the Senate to the ongoing security emergencies in the nation. These challenges were discussed with the state governors and subsequently at the meeting ot the National Economic Council on the 14th of December 2017 where a resolution was passed with the council approving that up to $1 billion may be released and utilised from the Excess Crude Account to address the situation. More senators are currently speaking on the issue in plenary. WATCH SENATE PLENARY SESSION LIVE More to follow ADVERTISEMENT The Senate on Thursday re-summoned the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, to appear before the senate plenary on Wednesday. Mr Idris was on Wednesday summoned by the Senate to answer questions on the arrest of Dino Melaye and the recent insecurity in the country, but he snubbed the lawmaker on Thursday. The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, on Wednesday said the summon was necessary as he had not been able to reach Mr Idris for some days. The chairman, senate committee on police affairs, Abu Ibrahim, informed the senate that the IGP was in Bauchi and could not honour the invitation of the senate. He said the Deputy Inspector- General (DIG) Operations was sent to represent him. The announcement was greeted with anger from senators who felt Mr Idris failure to appear was a disrespect to the institution. The Senate Deputy Majority Leader, Ibn Na Allah, said the senate had approved in its votes and proceedings that the IGP should appear and no other person would be allowed to do so in his place. Mao Ohabunwa, Emmanuel Bwacha and Godswill Akpabio also spoke in support. Sam Egwu blamed the IGP for not officially writing the senate to explain his absence. Why dont he write a letter transmitting his reason for not coming? If he doesnt know he should be advised, he said. The lawmakers unanimously agreed to re-summon Mr Idris to appear on Wednesday 2nd May by 11a.m. Senators on Thursday were divided along political lines following a motion for the impeachment of President Muhammdu Buhari. Matthew Uroghide, Chairman Senate Committee on Public Accounts, moved the motion for the impeachment of Mr Buhari over his approval and withdrawal of $496 million from the Excess Crude Account (ECA) without the lawmakers consent. In a letter to the senators on Wednesday, Mr Buhari explained that he gave an anticipatory approval to purchase of Super Tocano aircraft from the U.S government because of time constraint and a hope that the lawmakers will raise no objection. Mr Uroghide had stood to condemn the act of the president on Wednesday but was asked to present his grouse as a substantive motion on another legislative day. Coming under Order 15, 42 and 52 on Thursday, Mr Uroghide said the approval without National Assemblys input was a violation of the Constitution and should be punished with impeachment. He added that the objective of the expenditure is very well established but the procedure of approval was wrong. This matter yesterday was raised by me to say that this request that was sought by Mr President is procedurally wrong. What has been read by the leader this morning was that this matter has been referred to the appropriate committee for the inclusion of this amount of money that has already been spent. This ought to have been the first request to this Senate. We must put it on record that this is a violation of procedure as stated in the 1999 Constitution There are serious consequences for violation of our Constitution. As a consequence, the only thing we can draw from on this is that we call on you, Mr President, to invoke section 143 of the constitution. Because, what it means is that this matter is not to be investigated. It is clear that this offence has been committed by Mr President. I want this Senate to resolve that what the President did is procedurally wrong and a violation of our constitution, it must be condemned and of course, the consequences of section 143 of our Constitution should be invoked. I so move, Mr President. Seconding the motion, Chukwuka Utazi, (Enugu-PDP) played down the justification that the President gave that he is only asking that the money should be considered as supplementary budget as the process of approving the main budget is still ongoing. He said Mr Buhari should be punished for the impeachable offence he committed. Mr President, a time has come when this Senate has to rise up and do the job which the Constitution has stipulated that we have to do. If we have a chief executive who doesnt want to behave according to the Constitution, we follow the Constitution to handle such a chief executive. There is no other name to call this than this is an impeachment offence. Its an impeachable offence and we cannot allow that. We cannot stay here and this Assembly will be taken for granted. Shehu Sani (Kaduna-APC) disagreed with the impeachment call. Shehu Sani [Photo credit: Instagram] We may have a President that is a man of integrity today and Nigerians so much love. If we allow these things to happen today, we have no reason to challenge it in the future when we have a President that is not Muhammadu Buhari. When you set a dangerous precedent, you are simply laying the foundation for the desecration of the institution of democracy. You cannot appropriate what has been spent. You cannot deposit the money that you have spent in the bank. What has happened today is a gross violation of the Constitution of Nigeria. But we must understand that inasmuch as we are very sensitive, the credibility and usefulness of this government are being constantly tested. I believe that the monies that are spent on security is worth it. But, we should be calling for the refund of that money and for due process to be followed. We have seen so much bloodshed but there is the need for us not to circumvent the laws of the land. I believe that we should not impeach the president but ask that the money is returned and due process is followed. Abu Ibrahim (Katsina-APC), accused senators of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of conspiring to impeach Mr Buhari. He justified the presidents decision to make the withdrawal on precedence. ADVERTISEMENT He took action based on national interest, thats why he authorised this payment. As far as Im concerened, this is the first time that money drawn from excess crude oil account is being brought to the National Assembly. Since they begin to operate this account, I have never seen any expenditure that was brought here for approval. N17.7 billion was drawn by (ex-President) Obasanjo to pay the Paris Club without National Assembly approval. Obasanjo left N9.3 billion in excess crude account but former President Goodluck Jonathan the money with no recourse to the National Assembly. The account was increased to over N20 billion in 2008 and decreased to less than N4 billion by Jonathan in 2010. It never came to National Assembly for approval. Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo N2 billion was used by the previous PDP administration to fight Boko Haram in 2014. Governor Godswill Akpabio was the one who moved the motion at the National Economic Council to get the money. N5 billion was taken for power generation, funding was also sourced for Niger Delta, the same process was not taken by (ex-President Yar adua). It was later taken to the National Assembly and it was approved. This is a PDP conspiracy. I will like PDP to tell us which of their governors has taken the money released from excess crude oil account to the state assembly for approval. If this is a PDP conspiracy to tarnish the image of Muhammadu Buhari, they will not be able to do it because we are coming out with figures. Raising a point of order, Mr Akpabio denied moving a motion for release of funds when he was a governor. Godswill Akpabio I dont remember moving any motion for funds to be spent from the federation accounts in the national economic council meeting, he said. Sam Anyanwu (Imo-PDP) also said the only option to treat the infraction is to invoke section 143 of the constitution. Yes, when you say the truth, you become a target but you dont fear to become a target by saying the truth, the truth must be said. What do we do in the case of this issue on the breach of constitution? I think it is important that we look at the issue. I raised this motion and the prayer of this motion and it is for the appropriation committee to look into the matter. Now, there is infraction what do we do? We have no other thing to do than to follow the Constitution which my colleague has spotted, section 143 of the constitution, he said. Senate Deputy Majority Leader, Ibn Na Allah pleaded with the lawmakers exercise caution in making the next move. He proposed that the issue be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Legal Matters to advise on the best approach. Senate President, Bukola Saraki, said the U.S Congress had briefed him and some other senators about the purchase when they visited last year. Former Senate President, Bukola Saraki He however noted that the Executive had enough time to communicate to seek approval before spending the funds. So definitely we were aware that time of this issue. Between September and February, with all due respect, there was ample time for the Executive to have carried us along on this issue. So arguments for and against, I think these arguments are valid and I dont want us to bring it down to partisanship issues. These are not partisan issues. The suggestion of the leader that let us send it to judiciary to advise if the Constitution has been breached, the circumstances surrounding the breach of the Constitution and the justification. What do we do going forward in trying to even appropriate because the funds have already been spent, do we go under what the leader has come under or we start the whole process of appropriating? I dont think this exercise is worth it because we endorsed it to the U.S Congress. It was after we agreed in September that the U.S government now went back to give approval to the Executive to pay to their own government so they can go ahead and sell this equipment to Nigeria. If we all agree, I will put it to vote and refer the matter to the judiciary and give them a short period of time, that by Wednesday next week, they submit it. The committee was mandated to revert on Wednesday May, 2nd. The Senate on Thursday resolved to invite President Muhammadu Buhari to a joint session with the House of Representatives over killings in Benue State. Mr Buhari is to brief the lawmakers on the recent upsurge of violence in the north-central state and others across the country. The summon followed deliberation on a motion on Continued Killings in Benue State sponsored by George Akume (APC-Benue North-West). The House of Representatives had earlier on Wednesday resolved to summon Mr Buhari over the spate of killings in Benue State and other parts of the country. The decision in the House was unanimously adopted by an overwhelming majority of members after a Kano lawmaker, Baballe Bashir (APC), moved for the amendment of a motion moved by Mark Gbilah (APC, Benue). PREMIUM TIMES on Tuesday reported how suspected herdsmen killed about 19 persons including two priests in a church in Ukpor-Mbalom, a community in Gwer West Local Government Area. Terver Akase, a spokesperson to Governor Samuel Ortom, said the attackers also burnt 50 houses and sacked the entire community. The Catholic Diocese of Makurdi later confirmed two of its priests, Joseph Gor and Felix Tyolaha, both reverend fathers, were killed in the attack. The attack came barely a week after the murder of 10 persons by suspected herdsmen in the same area, which has been one of the major scenes of carnage since January 1. A few days earlier, Nigerian soldiers had stormed Naka town in Gwer West Local Government Area of the state and set dozens of houses on fire. The soldiers said hoodlums in the community killed one of their colleagues. At least one man was burnt to death in the reprisal attack. The invitation of the president by the National Assembly is unprecedented. However, lawmakers have constitutional powers to summon all government officials. At the Senate on Thursday, Mr Akume raised alarm over the killings in his state, stating they had continued unabated since January despite a military exercise code named Ayem A Kpatuma, or Cat Race. He expressed worry that the latest attack on a worship centre was unprecedented and had grave implications for the security and unity of the nation. Contributing to the motion, Jibin Barau (APC, Kano North) called on security operatives to get their acts together and find the perpetrators saying that the killings were not tribal or religious. The killings are done by people that want to destabilise the nation, he said. Suleiman Adokwe (PDP, Nasarawa South) said the killings are being carried out under the noses of the military and nothing was being done. These things are going on right in front of the army. Some of these killings happen within the distance of 20-30 minutes drive from the army bases and nothing is happening. It can be interpreted to say that the government is aware, thats why nothing is being done. ADVERTISEMENT Now I hear that the army and SARS arrest the wrong people and ignore the criminals. Even the Fulanis are scared of the terrorists because they too are being affected, he said. He further called for a state of emergency in the affected states, describing it as the best way to go. In his contribution, Mao Ohabunwa (PDP, Abia) described the happenings as one too many. He questioned the activities of the National Intelligence Agency, Defence Intelligence Agency as well as the Military Intelligence Agency. What are they doing? Even animal are not regularly killed the way humans are being killed. No more value for human life. We just have to declare state of emergency. It takes effrontery to go to a church and slaughter priests and worshippers. Let the army go there and fight a normal war and chase these people out of the state and country, he said. Isa Misau (APC, Bauchi Central), however, urged the Senate to seek the cooperation of the executive, adding that those advising the government that the security chiefs are loyal to the country and so need not be changed, are getting it wrong. Isa Misau [Photo Credit: Concise News] Our security men dont even have the idea on how to stop these killings, he lamented. While making reference to the recent robbery attack in Offa and mace theft last week in the Senate, he expressed disappointment that no one has been arrested. If you see the number of men mobilised to pick up Dino Melaye, youll know that it is not an issue of manpower. Why not channel this manpower to these states? Maybe they purposely dont want to stop these killings. They dominate everywhere when it comes to politics but you wont see them when it comes to real challenges. We need fresh ideas and fresh people, he added. Mr Misau also called for a state of emergency. The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, in his remark, called for drastic action as he stated that the key question has not being answered. Former Senate President, Bukola Saraki My concern is that just last week, we were talking about herdsmen and farmers, now it is herdsmen and religious leaders and we all know the dimension it is taking now can lead to a serious crisis in this country. It means that we need drastic action. The main thing is, what do we do? We cant continue to say we are leadersthis is failure! No doubt about it, we cant. We cant keep calling on the same NEMA that is under investigation for some kind of misappropriation, that cannot be the solution. Its amazing that not even a constable or an officer has been arrested for not delivering, he said. The Senate Leader, Ahmad Lawan, thereafter, urged the Senate to take advantage of the summon of the president by the House of Representatives so the matter can be approached holistically. Senator Ahmed Lawan I cannot understand a situation where killings of this nature will happen and there will be no arrest. Something is definitely wrong. The Senate unanimously agreed to invite Mr Buhari in a joint session with the lower chamber for questioning. President Muhammadu Buhari has warned Nigerians against playing into the hands of the agents of disunity. The president gave the warning following report of reprisal attacks over Tuesdays killing of 19 persons at a church in Benue State. In a statement by his spokesperson, Garba Shehu, Thursday night, Mr Buhari said those behind the Church attack did not mean well for Nigeria and peaceful coexistence. He said the revenge attacks that followed in which 11 members of the Hausa communities were killed, are part of the agenda of the bandits and their sponsors to turn Nigerians against one another. We must resist all temptation to fall into this laid out plan, he said. Mr Buhari has been widely criticised for his handling of the Benue crisis. On Thursday, the Senate in an unprecedented decision summoned the president to answer questions on the attacks, a day after similar summons by the House of Representatives. Below is the presidencys statement: STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE DONT PLAY INTO THE HANDS OF AGENTS OF DISUNITY, PRESIDENT BUHARI URGES BENUE PEOPLE Repeated acts of mass killings and destruction in parts of the country and Benue State in particular, point to the evil design of enemies of peace and unity who have desperately been trying to bring the country to this sorry point: a brother killing brother, a neighbor killing a neighbor and a community attacking and killing members of another community. The President strongly warns citizens against playing into the hands of the agents of disunity. President Buhari says those behind the Church attack that left 18 people dead, including two Priests, did not mean well for Nigeria and peaceful coexistence. The revenge attacks that followed in which 11 members of the Hausa communities were killed are part of the agenda of the bandits and their sponsors to turn Nigerians against one another. We must resist all temptation to fall into this laid out plan. The President is greatly pained by this persistent violence and the total disregard for the sanctity of life by those he called these hideously evil people who have no iota of respect for humanity, decency and civilization. The President reiterates that the government will not rest on its oars in its determination to fish out these barbarous mass murderers and their clandestine sponsors. President Buhari equally assures Nigerians that measures being put in place by the government will, sooner than later, bring to an end, these extremely brutal and wanton killings. Garba Shehu Senior Special Assistant to the President (Media and Publicity) ADVERTISEMENT April 26, 2018 An Abuja Division of the Federal High Court has refused an application by counsel to former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki, for presentation of his evidence in secret. Mr. Dasuki is facing trial for alleged possession of firearms and fraud. Following an application by the prosecution, the court in June, 2017 allowed the protection of witnesses behind protective screens. Based on that decision of the court, the defense counsel, Adeola Adedipe, objected to the presentation of evidence given by the protected witnesses in open court. According to Mr. Adedipe, since the court has allowed the protection of prosecution witnesses, their evidence should also be protected from public view. Counsel to the prosecution, Oladipo Opeseyi, however, asked the court to dismiss the objection as lacking in merit. Mr. Opeseyi, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, argued that Mr. Adedipes request should not have come in form of an objection. He said the request is such that requires the exercise of the courts discretion and should have followed a formal application. The objection has no foundation in law. It should be discountenanced. Whoever seeks the discretionary powers of the court to do a thing must apply for it, Mr. Opeseyi said. The court in its ruling disagreed with the submission of the defence that its decision for the protection of witnesses had rendered the trial secret. Mr. Mohammed said although the court allowed the witnesses to be shielded from the public, the defence is not prevented from seeing the witness. He also ruled that since the matter before the defence is treated in open court, the evidence should also be presented in open court. The objection has no merit. It is hereby dismissed, Mr. Mohammed ruled. The case was adjourned till May, 22 and 24 for continuation of trial. Some of the firearms reportedly recovered from Mr Dasukis residence by security operatives include high caliber rifles, (high assault weapons), several magazines and military related gears Mr. Dasuki, is facing multiple trials for his alleged abuse of office while he was NSA. He is also alleged to have used his office to perpetrate the diversion of $2.1 billion. He has remained in the custody of Nigerias security operatives, despite various orders for his bail. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT President Muhammadu Buhari said in Bauchi on Thursday that his resolve to ensure the recovery of looted resources was unshakable, saying his administration would also ensure the judicious utilisation of the funds. Addressing a mammoth crowd at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium, the president, who is on an official visit to the state, said the recovered funds would be used to develop the Education, Health, Agriculture and Security sectors, among others. Any person that loots governments fund will be made to return it to the treasury for utilisation on the education, health and security sectors, among others, he said. The president further said that the present administration had improved agricultural sector through the provision of Agricultural loans for Nigerian farmers. The present administration has reduced the price of fertiliser and provided agricultural loans through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), which improved farm yields in the recent past, he said. He said that as a former military Governor of the North-eastern State that comprised the entire North-east sub-region about 42 years ago, he was conversant with the challenges of the area. He stated that some years ago, he was a military leader, but that now, he was a democratically elected civilian president and therefore called on the people to be patient with the difference in the approach to governance. He then thanked the people of the state for their continuous support. Earlier in his remarks, Governor Mohammed Abubakar of Bauchi said that the state government was committed to boosting agricultural activities and reducing unemployment among the teeming youth in the state. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the president later flagged-off the distribution of farm inputs and implements to farmers in the state. The items included tractors, ox ploughs, herbicides, seeds pesticides, and incubators, among others. He had also earlier inaugurated some rehabilitated roads in the state. ADVERTISEMENT The Nigerian Navy on Thursday said it had arrested a vessel, MV CHIMBA EXPRESS, with 406 passengers on-board, for unauthorised entry into the country. The Commander, Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) BEECROFT, Okon Eyo, a commodore, told journalists in Lagos that the vessel departed Libreville, Gabon, on April 20 and was intercepted in Lagos waters on Wednesday. The vessel departed Gabon laden with cargo, regular and deportee passengers of Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Niger and Malian nationalities. The total number of Nigerians on-board will be determined shortly and among the Nigerians are 18 deported returnees, he said. Mr Eyo said the charterer of the vessel, identified as Mubashiu Lawal from Republic of Benin, claimed that they made contact with Nigerian port control to get permission to come in. This was yet to be granted as at the time of their arrest and it was also gathered that the international passports of the passengers were with the agents who claimed to be processing them. It was also obvious that there was no formal contact at governmental levels for the delivery of the deportees or returnees, he said. Mr Eyo said that apart from the issue of unauthorised entry which was the subject of investigation, the vessel was also in breach of absence of an active Automatic Identification System (AIS). MV CHIMBA EXPRESSs gross tonnage is about 677 tonnes. The international law mandates vessel of more than 350 tonnages to install AIS on-board, which shows it was operating in violation of the law. MV CHIMBA EXPRESS visual identity was also found to be mismatched with its registered name which was identified as RAMADAN IV. The ship document also shows that the ship was flagged at Cameroon as against the electronic documentation of registration in HONDURAS, which is contrary to the provision of the International Maritime Act, he said. Mr Eyo said that the vessels agenda was to dump the passengers in Nigeria, adding that it would have followed the original passage plan. He also said that relevant agencies were working together to unravel and deal with the issues. To this end, the relevant agencies Nigerian Navy, NIMASA, Immigration, Customs and DSS will be working together to unravel the motives behind the whole affair as well as deal with other associated issues, he said. (NAN) ADVERTISEMENT The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has asked the Federal High Court in Lagos to order the Senate President Bukola Saraki and 108 other senators to refund illegal and unconstitutional N13.5 monthly allowance received by each senator with interest, and to stop the lawmakers from receiving such unjustified allowances. SERAP is also asking the court to order an investigation by appropriate agencies as to how the public funds that have so far been received by each senator have been spent and for the findings of any such investigation to be made public. In the Suit Number FHC/L/CS/630/18 filed yesterday, SERAP argues that, The defence put forward by the Senators that the said sum is contained in the Appropriations Act with different headings like medicals, travelling, etc holds no water. This is because the Schedule of the Remuneration Act clearly makes provision for medicals, travelling etc. The argument that the running cost is for such medicals etc has no legal fount. SERAP also argues that, There is no doubt that the Senate herein represented by the Senate President acted ultra vires in its powers by allotting to themselves the said sum of N13.5 Million monthly as running cost. It is trite law that when the word shall is employed in a statute, the primary meaning that the court will assign to it is that such provision is mandatory and leaves no room for discretionary or arbitrary exercise of power except a congruence reading if the statute intends otherwise. Joined in the suit as Defendants are the Senate President and the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami SAN. SERAP is asking the court to determine Whether the sum of N13.5 Million allowance allotted to each senator monthly as running cost aside their salaries and other emoluments is not in breach of the provisions of section 70 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) and the provisions of the Certain Political, Public and Judicial Office Holders (Salaries and Allowances) (Amendments) Act 2008. SERAP also wants the court to determine Whether the sum of N13.5 Million monthly allowance allotted to each senator is not illegal, unconstitutional and unjustified having regards to the provisions sections 70 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), the Certain Political, Public and Judicial Office Holders Act 2008 and the Appropriations Act. The suit filed on SERAPs behalf by Bamisope Adeyanju read in part: The sum of N13.5 Million shared by the Senate President and other senators monthly is neither part of their salaries and allowances as approved for them by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) nor contained in the Appropriations Act. This is further strengthened by the declaration of the RMAFC that the said sum is not known to the RMAFC and therefore illegal. Furthermore the provisions of the Certain Political, Public and Judicial Office Holders (Salaries and Allowances) (Amendments) Act 2008 (hereinafter referred to as the Remuneration Act) do not contain the said running cost enjoyed by the Senate President and other senators. Section 70 of the Constitution is mandatory and makes no room for discretionary act. When such provision is breached as in the instant case there is no other option than to hold that the Defendants action is illegal, unconstitutional and unjustified having contravened the sacrosanct provisions of the grundnorm and other relevant statutes herein cited. The Senate President and his colleagues in the Senate allot to themselves the sum of N13.5 Million monthly aside their monthly salaries and allowances as running cost since assuming office. SERAP learnt of this illegal act Sen. Shehu Sani, the senator representing Kaduna Central revealed that he and his colleagues receive N13.5 Million monthly aside their salaries and allowances. The Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), the constitutional body responsible for fixing public officials salaries and allowances, has declared the said sum of N13.5 Million running cost of the Senate President and other senators as illegal. The Senate President and other senators allotting to themselves the sum of N13.5 Million monthly runs afoul of the law and as such their act amounts to illegality, and is unconstitutional and unjustified. Section 70 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) (hereinafter referred to as the Constitution) clearly provides that: A member of the Senate or the House of Representatives shall receive such salary and other allowances as the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission may determine. ADVERTISEMENT The Chairman All Progressives Congress (APC) in Borno State, Ali Dolori, has described alleged defection of former factional chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ali Modu Sheriff to the APC as a rumour. He said this in a statement on Thursday in Abuja, while reacting to the development. I want to assure you that the news remains a rumour, because somebody is only trying to fly a kite that is capable of causing dangerous confusion during the state congress. We are aware of the well-articulated plan and we are ready to defend any attempt toward destroying our party at the ward level and in any state not just Borno. We shall conduct our congresses peacefully without any rancour and I assure you that nobody can create any faction for our party in Borno during the congress expected to hold in less than two weeks, he said. He noted that article 9.1 of the partys 2014 amended Constitution was specific that application for membership shall be made to and cleared by the partys ward executives in the Local Government Area where the person was born, resides, works or originates. The section the chairman further said online registration shall also be acceptable provided that it was cleared by the partys National Working Committee. Where an application is refused, the applicant may as of right appeal to the Local Government Area Executive Committee of the party or to the National Secretary or National Chairman in case of online registration. I, therefore, dont see any how the partys national chairman can receive any person into the party when the constitution is clear about the process in that regard, he said. (NAN) ADVERTISEMENT Education is the most prominent area of philanthropic focus in all regions across the world, a new report conducted by researchers at Harvard Kennedy Schools Hauser Institute for Civil Society, has shown. The Global Philanthropy Report, released on Thursday, revealed that 35 per cent of 28,988 foundations researched across the world focused, at least some of their resources, on one or more levels of education primary, secondary, or early childhood. The report, funded by UBS Global Management, is the most comprehensive analysis to date of global philanthropic practices and trends. Some of its key findings are that the global philanthropy sector is young and growing fast, 72 per cent of foundations established in the past 25 years, and 60 per cent of the over 260,000 identified by the report are based in Europe and 35 per cent in North America. While the combined assets of the worlds foundations are estimated at close to $1.5 trillion, the report continued, half have no paid staff and small budgets of under $1 million. Resources are highly concentrated in certain sectors, with education the most popular area for investment globally, the report stated. In Nigeria, Sustainable Development Goal 5: Achieve Gender equality and empower all women and girls, is a priority programme for almost all foundations in the country. The report also revealed that 58 per cent of the 260,000 foundations identified in the report do not collaborate with other foundations. The situation, however, is different in Nigeria were almost all the foundations (80 per cent) indicate that they engage in some form of peer collaboration with other philanthropic institutions. Developed over three years with inputs from 20 research teams across 19 countries and Hong Kong, the report marks an important milestone in understanding the magnitude of global philanthropic investment and helping to create an evidence-based discussion on global philanthropy. In recent years, philanthropy has witnessed a promising shift. Wealthy individuals, families, and corporations are looking to give more, to give more strategically, and to increase the impact of their social investments. A rapidly growing number of philanthropists are establishing foundations and institutions to focus, practise, and amplify these investments. As the world is falling well short of raising the $5-7 trillion of annual investment needed to achieve the UNs Sustainable Development Goals, US says it sees the report findings as a call for philanthropists to work together to scale their impact. Josef Stadler, Head Ultra High Net Worth Wealth at UBS, said the preeminent philanthropists they work with daily are the risk takers and the innovators who are challenging the status quo of traditional development aid. Weve spent over a decade partnering with our clients to help them create sustainable impact through their philanthropy. This report takes a much-needed step towards understanding global philanthropy so that, collectively, we might shape a more strategic and collaborative future, with philanthropists leading the way towards solving the great challenges of our time. Paula D. Johnson, Senior Research Fellow at Harvard Kennedy School, described the report as a milestone in the understanding of philanthropy around the world. Thanks to the collaboration of an extraordinary group of global researchers, we are beginning to appreciate the magnitude and vitality of the global foundation sector. A former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has said he would restructure Nigeria in six months if elected president in the 2019 elections. Mr Abubakar stated this Wednesday during a question and answer session at the Chatham House in UK after delivering a lecture titled: The Importance of Strengthening State Economic Management Systems. He also said he would offer a matching grant of $250 million each to the 36 states of the federation to challenge them to enhance their Internally Generated Revenue. He said he was not surprised by President Muhammadu Buharis statement that Nigerian youth were lazy because he (Buhari) had never managed a business. It is doable. In fact, what Ive told many Nigerians at home is that if you give me six months, I know I will be able to achieve a fast level of restructuring, otherwise the concurrent list issue. Its very easy to deal with it because there is no state that you will call and say I want to give you this responsibility together with the resources, and will say no. He said he wants people of every state to be able to hold their leaders accountable because of how the federal Government is being accused of everything, even when its not in its area of responsibility. I want to be able to resolve that so that citizens can hold their local leaders responsible for lapses and maladministration. Asked if he would consider running as an independent candidate should he fail to secure the ticket of Peoples Democratic Party, which he recently defected back to, he said, Well wait until that time. He added that he would make Nigeria attractive for those living in diaspora to return. On President Muhammadu Buharis description of some Nigerian youth as lazy bunch, Mr Abubakar said the president would not describe Nigerian youth as lazy if he (Buhari) was an employer of labour. President Muhammadu Buhari On the issue of youth, I am an employer of labour and most of that labour is youth-dominated and I make a lot of profits from my businesses. I dont agree with the assumption that the youths are lazy or they are indolent. Certainly, I dont. But Im not surprised with the fellow (Buhari) who made that remark because hes not an employer of labour, he has no business, he has no educational institution so he doesnt relate with youth in schools so I dont blame him. He criticised the multiple exchange rate in the country, saying it does not encourage foreign investors to put their money in Nigeria. He said his federal government will continue to offer support, despite the $250 million grant for states that rank below the average development index, until such a time as they are able to become self-sufficient and sustaining. Beyond institutional and administrative reforms to improve operational efficiency of the revenue agencies, the federating units will be challenged to double their efforts in rebuilding the fiscal-social contract, by enhancing service delivery in key areas such as health, education, water supply and infrastructural development. Only this would change the predominant perception that government revenues are diverted to the private bank accounts of politicians and their cronies. Mr Abubakar who defected from the ruling All Progressives Congress to the opposition PDP, on whose platform he served as vice president, is seeking the partys nomination to serve as its presidential flag bearer in upcoming 2019 presidential election. ADVERTISEMENT He criticised senators of his former party, APC, of betrayal following the shocking and saddening decision of the Senate not to grant devolution of power to the states during the constitutional amendment last year. He said the decision by the APC-controlled Senate was a lost opportunity to honour one of the partys election promises to bring about change by shifting power closer to the people in the remotest regions of our country. ADVERTISEMENT Some Southern and Middle Belt leaders have decried recent happenings in Nigeria, expressing fears that the countrys democracy is under threat. According to a report by Vanguard, the leaders met in Abuja on Tuesday. The leaders condemned the payment of $496 million to the United States government for the purchase of Tucano aircraft by President Muhammadu Buhari without the National Assemblys approval and also flayed the possibility of INEC creating new polling units less than a year to elections. The leaders also condemned the recent invasion of the Senate chamber by some hoodlums who made away with the mace, describing it as a national disgrace. They urged security agencies to investigate and bring to book those behind the invasion. We also call on the Police Service Commission to immediately deploy Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) to their places of origin for a more effective policing, while we await State Police. The group described the action of Mr Buhari on release of unapproved funds as a violation of the constitution, because the constitution is clear on how executive can spend funds. The president, following numerous attacks on the approval, explained that he gave anticipatory approval for withdrawal of $462 million from the Excess Crude Account (ECA) because he believed the National Assembly would have no objection. In a communique read by John Nwodo at the end of the meeting which lasted for hours, he said: Section 80 (3) and (4) of the 1999 Constitution is very clear on how the President could spend Nigerian funds. The provision states No money shall be withdrawn from the Consolidated Revenue Fund or any other public fund of the Federation, except in the manner prescribed by the National Assembly. As it is, the President has violated the provision of the highest law in the land. Nigeria is a republic founded on rule of law, where each arm of government is bound to be guided by the dictates of the Constitution, this flagrant violation and unapproved spending must be abated as well as sanctioned. We therefore call on the National Assembly to do the needful as well as call on the United States Government to return the money paid to its treasury as the money paid is not authorised. The group also urged INEC to drop the idea of creating new polling units ahead of the 2019 general elections. INEC CHAIRMAN, MAHMOOD YAKUBU The group addressed the bloodletting going on in parts of the nation. In the circumstance, we are left with no alternative than to call on Nigerians to employ self-defence, self-defence as permissible in law when any citizen is faced with the risk of imminent death in the circumstances we find ourselves now. The leaders of regional groups at the meeting were: Edwin Clark; Ayo Adebanjo, Afenifere Leader; Mr Nwodo, President General, Ohanaeze; and Bala Takaya, President of the Middle Belt Forum. Also at the meeting were Olu Falae, Olusegun Mimiko, Dan Suleiman, Chris Anyanwu, Jonah Jang, Obadiah Mailafia, Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Tony Nyiam, Femi Okunrunmu, Kayode Ajulo, Supo Shonibare, Yinka Odumakin, among others. The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has in a press statement explained why it has not been making comments on the ongoing faceoff between members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), (Shiites) and the Nigerian government. The group, whose principal duty is to ensure the protection of the rights of every Muslim in Nigeria, said it cannot discharge such function concerning the IMN controversy due to patriotic concerns. The MURIC statement, signed by its Director, Ishaq Akintola, was made in response to the secretary general of IMN, Abdulmumin Giwas allegations who accused all sister Islamic sects and the right groups of abandoning them to their fate and allegedly taking sides with the federal government. Last week, the members of the IMN had a bloody faceoff with the police in Abuja, during a protest staged to press their demand for the release of their detained leader, Sheik Al-Zakzaky who was arrested in December 2015, following a clash his members had with the soldiers. It was on record that following an ambush on the convoy of the chief of army staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai, soldiers moved to attack and demolish the Zaria house of Sheik Al-Zakzaky, which use to be the spiritual headquarters of the Shiite sect. During the raid, the Shiite leader and his wife were arrested. Mr. El-Zakzaky and his wife, Zeenah Ibraheem, have been in detention without charge for more than two years. A judicial commission of enquiry set up by the Kaduna state government had confirmed that more than 300 persons who were members of the IMN were killed during the face-off in Zaria. The corpses of the deceased were confirmed to have been buried in a secret mass grave. According to Amnesty Internationals research, more than 350 IMN members were killed by security forces between 12 and 14 December 2015 in Zaria, Kaduna State. On December 2, 2016, the Federal High Court in Abuja ruled that Mr. El-Zakzaky and Zeenah Ibraheem should be released within 45 days. The court described their detention, which began in December 2015, as illegal and unconstitutional. The deadline for the court order had expired since 16 January 2017. The authorities claim, Mr. Al-Zakzaky and his wife are being held in protective custody. Ibrahim El-Zakzaky Early this year, rumors went wild that the IMN leader may have died in the custody of the security agency, which prompted the Directorate of Security Services (DSS) to make a public presentation of the Shiite leader. Since then, members of the IMN have continued to stage peaceful protest rallies in Abuja and other parts of the country where they have large members demanding for the release of their members. Following last weeks clash with the police, the IMN leadership accused members of the Islamic community as well as rights groups like MURIC in Nigeria of according conspiracy of silence to their plight. In response to such accusation MURIC said its silence was more of national interest any other interest. The group however wished IMN well in its quest to seek the release of their leader Members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria have been staging daily protests in Abuja for more than a week now over the continued detention of their leader, Shaykh Ibrahim Al-Zakzaky since the military clampdown on the group about two years ago MURICs statement reads.. The Secretary of the IMN media team, AbdulMumin Giwa, on Saturday, 21st April, 2018, also accused other Islamic organizations of keeping mute over the groups plight. He said other groups see the IMN as rivals. Apart from this allegation, a section of the media has also recently bombarded the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) with questions over its presumed silence on the plight of the Shiites. While we would not like to drag issues with the IMN and we wish them well, we wish to state clearly and categorically that MURIC has not commented on the groups recent protests because we are being cautious. We see the need for us to exercise caution because there is more to the matter than meets the eye. We do not see IMN as our rival. Protesters at berger area. Close to Utako market during Wednesdays IMN protest. Whereas it is natural for us as a human rights organization to frown upon the continued detention of the IMN leader, responsible advocacy and love for our dear country Nigeria has compelled us to remain cautious. The embarrassment not withstanding, this issue is complicated, particularly as it has serious security implication for Nigeria. ADVERTISEMENT Our solace lies in the fact that MURIC actually spoke out ab initio. We condemned the militarys attack on the Al-Zakzaky group when it first occurred two years ago or so. Then we went into investigations. We contacted our members and members of the public living in Zaria. That was when the narrative changed, MURIC said. MURICs grievance against IMN MURIC said people who live in the same neighbourhood with members of the IMN volunteered information indicting the group. They accuse IMN members of excesses. They claim IMN infringes on their rights, particularly in Zaria. We have no reason to doubt them. The evidence is overwhelming. These complainants are the eye-witnesses. They see it everyday. Who feels it knows it. So why wont we believe them? What can we do as a Muslim rights organization when hundreds of Muslims express fears and reservations about a particular group? What can we do when fellow Muslims narrate their harrowing encounters with the same group? What can we do when Muslims who are very close neighbours of an Islamic group submit pictures and written testimonies of harassments, intimidation and outright attacks on their persons by another Islamic group? How can we now come out publicly to defend such a group? We realize that those complainants are also Muslims whose rights must be protected by us. We court the anger of Muslim complainants if we rise publicly in defense of an Islamic group which they see as a bully. That is why we have opted for tactical diplomacy. On one side are the Muslims and other members of the public who complain bitterly that they are being harassed. On the other side are the followers of Al-Zakzaky who have been accused of intimidating ordinary Nigerians including their fellow Muslims. Then you find the government in-between. The latter has a constitutional responsibility to secure lives and properties. It has a duty to ensure law and order and Nigerians will waste no time to condemn government for failing in this duty. This explains governments crackdown on the group. It is not an easy task for us. Silence is not in our character. We have to critically examine the case at hand. Nigerians who are neighbours of the Al-Zakzaky group have the right to live in peace. The Muslims who complain against the Al-Zakzaky group have the right to live in peace. Government also has a duty to ensure peace, law and order. There is little choice in rotten apples. MURIC found itself between Chylla and Charibdis. This is a mess and noise will only make it messier. Nigerian Muslim leaders and other Islamic organizations are in the same situation. We are priviledged to know that Nigerian Muslim leaders are concerned about Al-Zakzakys well-being. They are worried about his health, his freedom. They are working quietly behind the scene and they have made a lot of progress in this regard. This is what Muslim leaders are working on and MURIC endorses this process: quiet, behind-the-scene moves. We have absolute confidence in the leadership of Nigerian Muslims. We cannot go into the nitty-gritties for security reasons but we can assure Nigerians that our leaders are not folding their hands. They are doing their best in the present circumstances. The issue is highly volatile and needs to be handled with extreme care in order not to create scenarios like we have in some other countries. MURIC is determined to continue playing the role of a responsible human rights organization. While we love to promote respect for Allah-given fundamental human rights of citizens, we will not encourage lawlessness or chaos. To turn a blind eye to the sufferings and complaints of a large number of people to cases of high-handedness and lawlessness on the part of the Al-Zakzaky group will be against the principles of natural justice, fairness and equity. We stand to gain nothing by playing to the gallery. We affirm that the continued detention of Shaykh Ibrahim Al-Zakzaky has been a difficult and painful experience for us but we also understand that national security may sometimes override fundamental human right and court pronouncements. Patriotic Nigerians will not want a situation whereby the country suddenly goes up in flames. That is the last thing MURIC wants. Nigeria has enough security challenges at the moment and we should not aggravate the situation. The example of the leader of an ethnic group who was granted bail but whose freedom became a catalyst for nationwide tupsy-turvy about a year ago is too didactic to forget. Nigeria is bigger than any single person the group said. Way Forward The way forward, according to MURIC, is to adopt conflict resolution tactics. It is not a matter for the courts. Nigerian courts hardly consider security implications. That is why the law is an ass. MURIC advises government to bring leaders of the Al-Zakzaky group to a round table. The Nigerian Muslim leadership must be involved in the dialogue. The round table should aim at securing the release of Shaykh Al-Zakzaky, an assurance of respect for peace, law and order by the Al-Zakzaky group, a written commitment that members of the group will stop intimidating their neighbours and a halt to the groups endless long-distance walks on express ways which cause hardship to innocent citizens. ADVERTISEMENT The Senate on Tuesday resolved to invite President Muhammadu Buhari to a joint session with the House of Representatives, for questioning over killings in Benue state. Mr Buhari is to brief the lawmakers on the recent upsurge of violence in Benue and other states across the country. The summon followed a deliberation on a motion on Continued Killings in Benue State sponsored by George Akume (Benue North West). It came days after 19 persons, including two Catholic priests in Ukpor-Mbalom, Gwer West Local Government Area, were killed. The senators condemned the inefficiency of security chiefs and agencies, adding that declaring state of emergency is the best way to drive out perpetrators. The Senate had earlier suggested the federal government declares a state of emergency in Benue State and other states facing deadly violence. It changed course however, agreeing to hear first from the president before taking a decision. The summons by the Senate and the House are unprecedented. More details later Editors Note: This updated post reflects a review of an earlier Senate decision for a state of emergency in Benue. ADVERTISEMENT The Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) in Bauchi has convicted 16 civil servants and political office holders found guilty of non-declaration of assests. Ibrahim Alhassan, the Head of Press and Public Relations of the CCT disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Bauchi He said the convicted persons failed to submit a written declaration of all their assets and liabilities within the prescribed period of three months that violated various provisions of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act. Mr Alhassan said that the action was contrary to paragraph 11(1) of the Fifth Schedules, Part One of the Constitution, punishable under Paragraph 18(2) of the Fifth Schedule. He said there was a total of 55 defaulters out of which 16 persons were convicted. The Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Danladi Umar gave a fine of N5, 000 to N30,000 fine to the convicted defaulters and ordered that the fine be paid within 30 days. Failure to remit the fines within the stipulated 30 days will cause the convicts to vacate their positions as state government staff or political office holder. At the instance of the prosecution the tribunal withdrew charges against 12 persons that appeared before the tribunal while 10 defaulters were absent in the tribunal. Therefore, 27 cases were adjourned to Abuja on a different dates. Some of the defaulters were cautioned and given second chance due to the factors surrounding their inability to declare their assets, he said NAN reports that of the 55 defaulters, 18 are political appointees,10 police officers, four NDLEA personnel, one Customs officer and 22 career civil servants working with the Local, State and Federal Governments.(NAN) ADVERTISEMENT The National Population Commission (NPC) says Nigerias estimated 198 million population figure recently announced by the commission is based on an annual population growth of 3.2 per cent, spanning from 2006 till date. The NPC Chairman, Eze Duruiheoma, made the disclosure in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja. The NPC had on April 11, put Nigerias current population at 198 million people, with urban population growing at an average annual of about 6.5 per cent. Mr Duruiheoma announced the figure in New York while delivering Nigerias statement on Sustainable Cities, Human Mobility and International Migration at the 51st Session of Commission on Population and Development. The NPC boss told NAN that the current estimated figure of 198 million was not just concocted but from annual growth of 3.2 per cent, judging from the last census of 2006. He added that there are deaths and births and nobody imagined that there will be more deaths than births. Irrespective of what anyone thinks about deaths, there is always more births than deaths and that is why the 3.2 annual growth rate is used in arriving at the current population figure. The most important thing now is to conduct another census to ascertain the countrys actual population. We want to do away with the projected figure because there is more to census than funds and we are waiting for a presidential proclamation that will empower NPC to conduct the head count. Mr Duruiheoma said having accurate data about a countrys population was essential in planning as it would be used for social, economic, political and other needs. ADVERTISEMENT Boko Haram insurgents are attacking Maiduguri, the Borno state capital now, with government troops pushing them back. The attack appears to be coming from the Damboa Road axis of the city that is popularly called Polo area. Residents of the neighbourhood are currently fleeing their houses. The shooting started at about 6pm and is still ongoing as at the time of filing this report. A loud explosion was heard amidst the shooting as at 6:15pm. Detail later The federal government, states and local governments shared N626.8 billion for the month of April. Ahmed Idris, the Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF), said this on Thursday in Abuja, while briefing Journalists on the outcome of the Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) meeting. Giving a breakdown of the revenue accrued in March, Mr Idris said N480.59 billion was received as gross statutory revenue, lower than N557.94 billion received in March by N77.34 billion. He said the reduction in revenue was due to a decrease in the crude oil export sales by 13 per cent when compared to 5.42 million barrels from the previous month. The issues that negatively affected production were the Shut-ins and Shut-downs at various terminals for repairs and maintenance. This resulted in reduced revenue from federation crude oil exports sales by 33.58 million dollars. However, the average crude oil price increased from 63.08 dollars to 65.72 dollars per barrel. There was a considerable rise in oil royalty for the month, while Companies Income Tax (CIT) and Import Duty recorded marginal increases. Value Added Tax (VAT) decreased slightly but there was a significant drop in income from Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT). He said N83.7 billion was received from VAT, showing a decrease of N5.74 billion as against N89.4 billion received in February. Mineral revenue was N360.5 billion, indicating a decrease of N83.7 billion from the previous month, while non-mineral revenue was N120 billion, with an increase of N7 billion. For the Excess Crude Account (ECA), Mr Idris said the balance stood at 1.83 billion dollars from 2.3 billion dollars in the previous month. The shared amount comprised the months statutory distributable revenue of N480.5 billion, VAT of N83.7 billion and Forex Equalisation of N62.52 billion. Giving a breakdown of the distribution, he said N263.1 billion was allocated to the Federal Government, N167.5 billion to states and N126.29 billion was received by the local governments. Speaking on the issue of reconciliation of accounts with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mr Idris said it was ongoing. There is no public finance system that will be devoid of reconciliations at any time. So reconciliation is part of the order and in that particular instance, reconciliation that has started last month, continued this month and there is nothing new. We could not meet yesterday because we felt certain milestone has to be reached and on getting to those milestones, we sat today and have considered the figures for distribution. ADVERTISEMENT There was this gentleman agreement between FAAC and NNPC that whatever NNPC generates should be paid into the federation account and whatever expenses NNPC incurs, they should write to claim it. He said as far as the operations of the NNPC was concerned, vis-a-vis the retirement of FAAC, these were issues being considered during the state level discussion and there would be reports when they had been sorted out. He, however, said the amount being expected from NNPC after the reconciliatory process was not confirmed and would not want to speculate. We do not talk on mere speculation or on hearsay, we have to wait for the amount to come and we pay to the last kobo. We know what will be distributed and that is accounting and that is public finance. We do not base our projections on speculations because there has to be factual data, Mr Idris said. (NAN) ADVERTISEMENT President Buhari seized the opportunity of another trip outside the country to weigh in on matters of serious importance to the economy and society. And, once again, reactions to the presidents comments are unlikely to have been what he intended. A youthful phalanx has taken umbrage, if postings on social media are anything to go by, at the presidents depiction of Nigerian youth as simply in a hurry to board the crude oil export-fueled gravy train. There is indeed general outrage at the presidents assertion that the youth sit and do nothing, and get housing, healthcare and education free. In an election year, it was also only to be expected that opposition to the ruling partys husbandry of the economy would hitch their wagons to the groundswell of anger at the presidents seeming lack of tact. None of this has been helped by attempts to parse the presidents comments as reference to a small coterie only of our youth or that he did not use the word lazy. If they sit and do nothing, the ordinary meaning of the phrase is that they are indeed lazy and no amount of PR can erase that. The president needs to learn that foreign trips should not be the occasion to demarket Nigeria. In any case, the youth have voice and they are talking about what they feel. It is nonetheless useful to address the substantive issues the president was speaking to. He correctly identified two key problems with the Nigerian economy: unacceptably high levels of youth unemployment; and the increasingly unsuitable skillsets of our young school leavers (especially at the primary and secondary levels) for the demands of the modern workplace. Depending on whose numbers you use, a little over 80 percent of our population is under 40 years old. More than a third, below 35 years old, and a fifth would just be out of the university. Of the cohort under 40 years old, two-thirds were unemployed as at end-September 2017, while 73.5 percent were underemployed. With adult literacy (the percentage of people aged 15 years and above) at 51.1 per cent, and youth literacy (the percentage of Nigerians aged 15 to 24 years) at 66.4 per cent, there are more formally qualified young Nigerians out of work than there are older similarly qualified Nigerians out of work. Is this a supply problem? In other words, is the economys job-seekers-to-job-openings ratio in favour of job seekers? Or do we confront a demand problem? In which instance, a bad case of indolence has left significant portions of the youth workforce uninterested in taking up available jobs? On the one hand, an economy only now emerging from five consecutive quarters of shrinking output growth is unlikely to have created enough jobs for the large numbers of youth that leave our schools each year. On the other hand, counsels to the youth enjoining them to be more entrepreneurial, especially as farmers, ignore the often-insurmountable difficulties associated with doing business in the country. Thus, the president evidently mischaracterised the problems with youth unemployment in the country. And he therefore makes the design of appropriate mitigants that much more difficult. The challenges before the Nigerian economy are two-fold. First is to improve the structure of the economy in a way that drives private sector supply responses. This is as much about improving the efficiency of the public bureaucracy as it is about updating domestic infrastructure in a way that improves investment choices. Then, there is the much bigger task of ensuring that the nations most important asset its people are continuously employable at levels consistent with the needs of a rapidly evolving global economy. Both the task of driving reforms that lead to an outward shift in the economys production possibility frontier and the future-proofing of our youth, are clear public policy responsibilities, which the incumbent administration has, as indicated by the presidents latest comments, largely observed in the breach. While this may explain the acerbity of the backlash to the presidents comments, by inviting debate around these issues in the run up to general elections next year, the president may have contributed and kicked off a process that helps us attain clarity on the economys next priorities, and how these may be best sequenced. ADVERTISEMENT The House of Representatives on Thursday called for the establishment of an Army Barrack in Mubi, Adamawa, to address the multiple security challenges in the zone. This was sequel to a unanimous adoption of a motion by Mohammed Monguno (Borno-APC) at the plenary. Mr Monguno said that Mubi was commercially viable and it was one of the most populated towns in the zone. He said that Mubi was a strategic town bordering Michika, Uba and Hong, all of which are bordering the deadly Sambisa forest used as a major hideout by Boko Haram insurgents. The lawmaker said that Mubi, in spite of its strategic location sharing border with the Republic of Cameroon, had no barracks. Mr Monguno said that the nearest military barracks to Mubi were located in Yola and Biu, almost 300km away. The legislator said that the existing barracks could not serve the population of Mubi and nearby local governments in circumstances that required rapid response. Mubi is the most viable in terms of spring of insurgency, yet very vulnerable due to the low-security presence, with the absence of military barracks in spite of its strategic location, high population density and commercialisation, he said. Mr Mongonu said that the lives and property of innocent Nigerians in Mubi and the surrounding areas, which include Madagali, Michika, Maiha, Mubi South, Hong and Gombi, would continue to be jeopardised against the spirit of the Constitution. He said the Constitution provided that the security and the welfare of the people were the primary purposes of government. Mr Monguno stressed the need for urgent actions to be taken to establish the barracks to further enhance the security of the area. Speaker of the House, Yakubu Dogara, mandated the House Committees on Army and Defence, to ensure compliance. Bayelsa State Government on Thursday said it had prevented the payment of N3.9 billion annually to payroll fraudsters in its local government councils. It said the reduction comes as a fallout of the ongoing public sector reforms in the state. Speaking during a press conference, the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Daniel Iworiso-Markson, said the chairmen of the eight local government areas saved N3.9 billion in salaries to the payroll fraudsters in the state from 2016, as a result of the reforms. In their presentations, the various Local Government Councils Chairmen stressed that there has been a drastic reduction in the wage bills of the councils since the commencement of implementation of the ongoing reforms in the state. Presenting what they call, facts and figures on workers wage bill from 2016 till date, Southern Ijaw had as its wage bill N201 million as against the current N131 million, Ogbia (N207 million-N165), Nembe (N127 million-N99 million) and Brass (N119-N101 million). Others are, Ekeremor (N192 million-N177 million), Kolokuma/Opokuma (N109million-N77million), Sagbama (N171 million-N130 million) and Yenagoa (N194million-N147 million). A look at the difference in the figures showed a reduction in the amount erstwhile paid as salaries to teachers and workers of the council by N3.9bn. Speaking also during the briefing on the progress of the reforms in the public service, Mr Iworiso- Markson, decried the magnitude of fraud in the sector. In attendance were the Commissioner for Labour, Employment and Productivity, Collins Cocodia, his Health counterpart, Ebitimitula Etebu, Local Government Council Chairmen and the Special Adviser on Treasury, Revenue and Accounts, Timipre Seipulo. Mr Iworiso-Markson also described the 70 per cent non-academic staff in the primary schools as unacceptable and stressed that an arrangement where only 30 per cent of an institution were academic staff could not be productive. The Commissioner stated further that the Governor Seriake Dickson-led administration inherited N1.3 billion local government teachers monthly wage bill, which has been reduced to about N1.027 billion in the last 2 years. The governments spokesman noted that tremendous progress had been achieved in the implementation of the ongoing reforms without which, the local government system would have experienced total collapse. Mr Iworiso-Markson who also briefed journalists on the outcome of the 94th State Executive Council meeting, said henceforth, local government councils would make contributions to the State Education Development Trust Fund. He added that the Council decided that the third tier of government would be responsible for the training of Primary Health Care workers, stressing that, chairmen are mandated to retain the number of staff they can pay. Henceforth, the various Councils are only to retain the number of workers they can afford to pay. Since the reforms, the Councils have been doing very well and so we believe that Councils are in a better position to pay salaries of their workers. It was also agreed that, with effect from the next academic session, the various Councils are required to contribute to the funding of scholarship programmes such as PhD, MSC and undergraduates in their Councils and this will be under the Restoration Scholarship Scheme, he said. In her comments, Commissioner for Local Government Administration, Mrs. Agatha Goma, noted that, as a result of the verification exercise, there had been consistency in the payment of primary school teachers salaries. According to her, the Council resolved that henceforth, local government workers would not be owed their salaries with the various policies put in place to ensure the smooth administration of the system. ADVERTISEMENT Also speaking, the Commissioner for Education, Jonathan Obuebite, disclosed that Bayelsa has a total workforce of 15, 433 comprising academic and non-academic staff, adding that over 70% of the total population are non-academic staff. For the New World Order, a world government is just the beginning. Once in place they can engage their plan to exterminate 80% of the world's population, while enabling the "elites" to live forever with the aid of advanced technology. For the first time, crusading filmmaker ALEX JONES reveals their secret plan for humanity's extermination: Operation ENDGAME. Jones chronicles the history of the global elite's bloody rise to power and reveals how they have funded dictators and financed the bloodiest warscreating order out of chaos to pave the way for the first true world empire. Watch as Jones and his team track the elusive Bilderberg Group to Ottawa and Istanbul to document their secret summits, allowing you to witness global kingpins setting the world's agenda and instigating World War III. to Ottawa and Istanbul to document their secret summits, allowing you to witness global kingpins setting the world's agenda and instigating World War III. Learn about the formation of the North America transportation control grid, which will end U.S. sovereignty forever. Discover how the practitioners of the pseudo-science eugenics have taken control of governments worldwide as a means to carry out depopulation. View the progress of the coming collapse of the United States and the formation of the North American Union. Never before has a documentary assembled all the pieces of the globalists' dark agenda. Endgame's compelling look at past atrocities committed by those attempting to steer the future delivers information that the controlling media has meticulously censored for over 60 years. It fully reveals the elite's program to dominate the earth and carry out the wicked plan in all of human history. Endgame is not conspiracy theory, it is documented fact in the elite's own words. The Beauty Gurus by Lisa Media Contact Candice Nicole PR candice@candicenicolepr.com Candice Nicole PR End -- The Beauty Gurus by Lisa will host the Grand Opening of their doors in the historic Georgetown area of Washington, DC April 28-29, 2018 from 10 AM-9 PM. In celebration, the beauty studio will host the two days with special complimentary services such as makeup application, mini facials, makeup lessons, beauty consultations and two demos of microblading and eyelash extension will be showcased. The location is 1432 Wisconsin Ave NW, Washington, DC 20007.Lisa White, is the Founder and CEO of the company and is an 18+ years Master Esthetician. Throughout the years, her clients have ranged from A-list celebrities, dignitaries, politicians, socialites and housewives. In addition, Lisa is gradually expanding her brand and has curated a team of beauty professionals which has lead to the opening of The Beauty Gurus by Lisa. Her Makeup Gurus are Princess Tuazon & Amani Fuller, Eyelash Guru are Destiny Lewis, Microblading Guru is Mimi Vu and Lisa is the Facial Guru. The beauty studio will also serve as a school where individuals can get certified as makeup artists and microblading professionals and if anyone is ever in any need of makeup lessons, The Beauty Gurus by Lisa will be able to host makeup lessons as well." states White when asked about her excitement of her new beauty studio. "" In addition to hosting the Grand Opening, The Beauty Gurus by Lisa are also gearing up for Mother's Day 2018! They will feature several packages, including Lisa's Signature Facial, The Rose Gold Luxe Lift (a non-surgical facelift). This service is a self-indulge or a must buy for any Mother. The facial is infused with 24kt Rose Gold and Diamond Dust skincare from London, a combination of high tech microcurrent and led therapies will work at the skin's deepest layers. The treatment is then topped with Lisa's stunning facial massage which leaves sculpted to perfection. For the extensive list of services offered at The Beauty Gurus by Lisa, please visit the website www.thebeautygurusbylisa.com To attend the Grand Opening weekend, please RSVP via www.bit.ly/TheBeautyGurusRSVP.To keep up with The Beauty Gurus by Lisa on Social Media, please "LIKE" the Facebook page via The Beauty Gurus by Lisa and follow @TheBeautyGurusByLisa on Instagram. If you're a media outlet that is interested in covering the Grand Opening weekend, please issue your request and day you would like to attend to candice@candicenicolepr.com by April 27th, 2018. End -- Devart has upgraded SecureBridge with support for FTP and FTPS protocols, new capabilities and features, and much more.Devart, a recognized vendor of professional database tools for developers and DBAs, has released a fresh version of SecureBridge, a network security solution. Now SecureBridge supports the FTP and FTPS protocols, which allow users to exchange files in a common way and securely.Another feature that's worth mentioning is a possibility to connect to a remote host through a proxy server enabling indirect network connections to various network services. In addition to the functionality described above, the release includes the following features: The TScFTPClient component to support seamless access to remote files when using FTP protocol. Thread-safe TScStorage to use one storage for many SSH and SSL clients from different threads. The TScSSHConnectionInfo.LocalSockAddr property to retrieve a local IP address. The TScSSHServerOptions.MaxConnections property to limit the number of active connections on the SSH server. The TScSSHServer.BeforeClientConnect event to reject or accept a connection based on the client's IP before his authentication, which greatly increase server performance.Dive deep into other useful features of SecureBridge at https://www.devart.com/ sbridge/ About DevartDevart is one of the leading developers of database tools and administration software, ALM solutions, data providers for various database servers, data integration and backup solutions. The company also implements Web and Mobile development projects.Learn more about Devart at https://www.devart.com WALLINGFORD, Conn., April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Looking to spread goodness and maternal cheer by making "Deliveries for Deliveries" this Mother's Day, Edible Arrangements (Edible) will be delivering signature fruit arrangements to new moms in New York City and Connecticut hospitals in early May, kicking off a nationwide Mother's Day celebration. Media outlets are invited to join and record Edible's deliveries on May 1 at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City and on May 2 at two Yale New Haven Hospital locations (20 York St. and at their Saint Raphael Campus, 1450 Chapel St.) in New Haven, Conn. Video footage will be provided to those who are unable to join the live-action deliveries of Edible's hand-crafted and locally made arrangements featuring fresh fruit and real chocolate. Mother's Day is routinely the busiest weekend of the year for the world's largest franchisor of creatively designed fresh cut fruit arrangements and fresh fruit treats as children, husbands and more look to show appreciation for that one person who does so much for them every day: mom. This year, the fresh fruit experts expect to deliver more than: 179,000 strawberries 13,500 pounds of grapes 41,000 pieces of pineapple 50,000 pounds of chocolate "Mother's Day is an opportunity for us to celebrate the women in our lives who deserve so much for the joy and comfort they bring," says founder and CEO Tariq Farid, whose mother was the first to support Farid's entrepreneurial idea to launch Edible Arrangements as a business. When business consultants were telling him the idea of selling fresh fruit arrangements would never work, it was his mother who encouraged him to go for it. Today there are more than 1,300 franchise locations open or under development worldwide. "Mother's Day always brings back memories of everything my mom meant to me, and we are happy to be able to help others celebrate the goodness of their mothers not only on Mother's Day but every day of the year," Farid added. ABOUT EDIBLE ARRANGEMENTS With more than 1,300 franchise locations open or under development worldwide, Edible International, LLC is the world's largest franchisor of shops offering creatively designed fresh cut fruit arrangements. Edible store locations also carry the company's rapidly expanding Edible Treats line which features all-natural, fresh fruit smoothies, chocolate Dipped Fruit, Froyo Fruit Blends, fresh fruit salads, and treats. Since its founding in 1999 in East Haven, Conn., the company has been recognized as an industry leader, ranking first in its category in Entrepreneur magazine's annual "Franchise 500," Entrepreneur's Top 40 of "Fastest Growing Franchises" and "America's Top Global Franchises" as well as being included among the "Inc. 5000" list of the fastest growing privately-held companies. Edible fresh fruit arrangements, chocolate Dipped Fruit, fresh fruit smoothies, and more can be ordered online at edible.com, by phone at 1-877-DO-FRUIT, or through any local Edible store. SOURCE Edible Arrangements Related Links http://www.edible.com WASHINGTON, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- AARP asked a federal appeals court today to reconsider its surprise decision to reject a previously-approved investment rule that would protect the retirement savings of millions of Americans. Anticipating that the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) itself might not request a rehearing, AARP now has filed a motion asking the full Fifth Circuit for permission to intervene in the case and, in addition, to reconsider the adverse decision made by the smaller three judge panel. "AARP is not giving up on our fight to make sure that hard-earned retirement savings have strong protections from conflicts and hidden fees," said Nancy LeaMond, AARP's Chief Advocacy and Engagement Officer. "Many financial advisors already give advice with the public's best interests in mind. But the recent court decision allows some financial advisors to provide guidance based on what's best for their pocketbooks, not the consumers'." In March, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit vacated the DOL fiduciary rule that would help ensure that advisors give retirement investment advice that is in the best interest of investors. The Fifth Circuit's three-judge panel's split 2-1 ruling ran counter to several previous federal court decisions favoring retirement savings protections, including a decision by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas and a decision by the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals. Government estimates are that individual investors lose an estimated $17 billion dollars annually because of hidden fees and conflicts of interest. In its 16-page filing today, AARP wrote that "the (Fifth Circuit) decision creates an irreconcilable intra-circuit split (within the Circuit itself) and conflicts with Supreme Court precedent." In addition, the filing said: "The panel's decision also presents an exceptionally important issue because it robs workers, retirees, and their families of crucial protections for their retirement investments." For years, AARP has strongly supported the fiduciary standard that calls for retirement-fund financial advice that is in the customer's best interest and not subject to conflicts. This contrasts with the more lax "suitability" standard that has enabled some advisors to make recommendations that are in their financial interests, rather than those of their clients. AARP members, many financial institutions, and the general public have backed the "conflicted advice" rule and its protections. In a 2013 AARP survey of more than 1,400 adults with money in either a 401(k) or 403(b) plan, more than nine in 10 (93 percent) said they favored requiring retirement advice to be in their best interest. At the same time, fewer than four in 10 indicated that they would trust advice from an advisor who is not required by law to provide that advice in the best interest of the investor. "It takes hard work to save adequately for retirement," LeaMond said. "Consumers deserve financial advisors who work just as hard to protect what they have earned." The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is also currently considering regulations related to investment conflicts of interest. About AARP AARP is the nation's largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering people 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence and nearly 38 million members, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to families: health security, financial stability and personal fulfillment. AARP also produces the nation's largest circulation publications: AARP The Magazine and AARP Bulletin. To learn more, visit www.aarp.org or follow @AARP and @AARPadvocates on social media. SOURCE AARP Related Links http://www.aarp.org HIAWATHA, KS, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ - AgJunction Inc. (TSX: AJX), a global leader in advanced guidance and autosteering, will hold a conference call on Thursday, May 10, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. Eastern time to discuss its financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2018. The company will report its financial results in a press release prior to the conference call. AgJunction CEO Dave Vaughn and CFO Michael Manning will host the conference call, followed by a question and answer period. Date: Thursday, May 10, 2018 Time: 11:00 a.m. Eastern time (8:00 a.m. Pacific time) Toll-free dial-in number: 1-888-231-8191 International dial-in number: 1-647-427-7450 Conference ID: 3674199 Please call the conference telephone number 5-10 minutes prior to the start time. An operator will register your name and organization. If you have any difficulty connecting with the conference call, please contact Liolios at 1-949-574-3860. The conference call will be broadcast live and available for replay via the investor center section of the company's website at http://www.corp.agjunction.com/. A replay of the conference call will be available after 2:00 p.m. Eastern time on the same day through May 24, 2018. Toll-free replay number: 1-855-859-2056 International replay number: 1-416-849-0833 Replay ID: 3674199 About AgJunction AgJunction Inc. is a global leader of advanced guidance and autosteering solutions for precision agriculture applications. Its technologies are critical components in over 30 of the world's leading precision Ag manufacturers and solution providers and it holds over 130 fundamental steering and machine control patents. AgJunction markets its solutions under leading brand names including Novariant, Outback Guidance and Satloc and is committed to advance its vision by bringing affordable hands-free farming to every farm, regardless of terrain or size. AgJunction is headquartered in Hiawatha, Kansas, with facilities in Silicon Valley, Arizona, Canada, and Australia, and is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) under the symbol "AJX." For more information, please go to www.agjunction.com. SOURCE Agjunction Inc. NEW YORK, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- AJC, the premier global Jewish advocacy organization, congratulated Mike Pompeo on his swearing-in as Secretary of State today. The letter from AJC (American Jewish Committee) CEO David Harris to Secretary Pompeo follows: Dear Secretary Pompeo: As longtime admirers and supporters of the State Department's defense of American interests and values across the globe, and as proud civil society partners in that vital mission, AJC congratulates you on your swearing-in as Secretary of State. We recognize that the challenges you face are daunting. As you know from your interactions with our Kansas City colleagues during your years in Congress, AJC is deeply committed to U.S. leadership in international affairs. We share your belief, as you stated in your confirmation hearing two weeks ago, in diplomacy that promotes "America's ideals, values, and priorities." We were heartened by your pledge to immediately set about the task of filling the too-numerous vacancies in key Department positions, and we were particularly struck by the fundamental question you posed and answered in your opening statement: "As I have argued throughout my time in public service, if we do not lead the calls for democracy, prosperity, and human rights around the world, who will? No other nation is equipped with the same blend of power and principle." Through the work of our 11 overseas offices, six international institutes, our global interfaith activities and our advocacy programs in Washington and around the country, AJC maintains an active public policy profile continuing a 112-year tradition. At the top of our global agenda is denying Iran's nuclear ambitions and hegemonic ambitions; protecting Jewish communities facing rising anti-Semitism; assuring Israel's security and normalization of relations with all of its Arab neighbors; and defending universal human rights. It is our earnest hope that among your first priorities will be the designation of a Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism, closing a 15-month gap. AJC has been honored to work closely with the State Department throughout our history, exchanging information and consulting with U.S. diplomats when we travel to other lands. With high expectations from your years of dedicated public service, we look forward to continuing that close interaction with you and your State Department colleagues. With our best wishes as you assume your critical responsibilities, we remain, Respectfully, David Harris AJC CEO SOURCE American Jewish Committee Related Links http://www.ajc.org HOUSTON, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- alliantgroup Director and Former Alabama Governor Bob Riley addressed students at the University of Alabama's Ferguson Center yesterday on the topic of leadership and civic engagement. During his keynote address given to over 250 people, Riley (a University of Alabama alum) discussed his time at the university and how his personal experiences there ultimately shaped his career as a leader in public life. During his address, Riley emphasized the hard lessons that he learned regarding the importance of leadership while attending the university and encouraged those in attendance to pursue their passions and be leaders as they begin their respective careers. Whether it be running a business or a life devoted to public service, Riley encouraged those in attendance to always lead and to choose careers that will make a real difference in improving the world around them and in supporting their local communities. As a firm, alliantgroup seeks to live up to these values by upholding a mission that benefits U.S. businesses and the broader American economy. For students interested in pursuing a career with alliantgroup, the firm provides its professionals with a dynamic and team-oriented work environment and gives its professionals the chance to do consultation work that strengthens U.S. businesses and advances economic opportunities for people across the country. The firm is also looking for leaders to help grow the company and offers unlimited upward mobility to its professionals. "The University of Alabama stands for excellence and so do the professionals at alliantgroup, which is why they want to hire you," said Riley. "For leadership, it's simple. If you have a gut wrenching desire to do something, do it. That's what happened to get me into politics and that's what happened with the founders of alliantgroup." alliantgroup has a detailed onboarding and corporate training program and emphasizes life-long learning and career development. The firm also offers substantial benefits to its professionals including a generous compensation package, medical and dental coverage, a 401(k) match savings account, and perks such as access to the firm's onsite gym and a fully developed health and wellness program. "Our company strives to not only hire the best and brightest individuals, but those that are interested in joining a mission-based organization that provides an incredible service for the benefit of U.S. businesses and the American economy," said alliantgroup CEO Dhaval Jadav. "For students looking for more than just a job, for those wanting to lead and be part of a greater cause, I encourage them to consider Governor Riley's inspiring words and look into our firm and other mission-based organizations." alliantgroup 's mission is one of education and awareness we exist to help industry organizations, businesses and the accounting firms that advise them to take full advantage of all federal and state tax credits, incentives and deductions available. These powerful incentive programs are legislated by government to help businesses grow and remain competitive locally as well as abroad. We are proud to have helped over 12,000 businesses claim more than $6 billion in tax incentives. alliantgroup's international headquarters is in Houston, Texas, with offices across the country and internationally including New York, Boston, Chicago, Orange County, Sacramento, Indianapolis, Washington, D.C and London and Bristol in the U.K. For more information on alliantgroup, please follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. SOURCE alliantgroup Related Links http://www.alliantgroup.com EMERYVILLE, Calif., April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Many student loan borrowers may know about income-driven repayment plans (IDRs), which are a type of repayment plan offered to borrowers of federal student loans. Clients of American Financial Benefits Center (AFBC), a private, independent document preparation company that helps borrowers apply for and recertify their enrollment in IDRs, reminds federal borrowers that there are several kinds of IDRs available with varying requirements. "AFBC has already helped so many borrowers successfully apply for a repayment plan that better fits their needs, but we want to let borrowers know that income-driven repayment isn't cut-and-dry," said Sara Molina, Manager at AFBC. "Borrowers have so many nuanced options when it comes to IDRs." AFBC has already guidedand continues to guideits clients through the ins and outs of income-driven repayment. But all federal student loan borrowers should know about the multiple plans as outlined by the Department of Education: Revised Pay As You Earn (REPAYE), Pay As You Earn (PAYE), Income-Based Repayment (IBR), and Income-Contingent Repayment (ICR). These distinct plans have different requirement for enrolling in and may result in different outcomes. For example, REPAYE will normally require payments that are ten percent of a borrower's discretionary income. On the other hand, an IBR might require payments that are ten percent of discretionary income if the borrower took out the loan after July 2014 and might require 15 percent of discretionary income for borrowers who took out the loan prior to July 2014. There are more differences between the plans. The length of the repayment period, for instance, differs. For REPAYE, the repayment period is 20 years if a borrower took out loans to finance an undergraduate education and 25 years if the loans were for a graduate or professional program. For IBR, the plan lasts 20 years for people who borrowed before July 2014 and 25 years for borrowers after that date. That's just a sample of the details that divide each plan. AFBC encourages all federal student loan borrowers to read the complete details of each plan. Clients of AFBC can always contact the company with questions about income-driven plans. If clients have any questions about staying in a plan, leaving a plan, or switching to a different plan, AFBC can be a resource to clients. "We provide service to all of our clients in the unique way to fit their specific needs, including taking into account the fine details of IDRs," said Molina. "We're happy to be a guide to help our clients navigate this sometimes complicated and confusing process." About American Financial Benefits Center American Financial Benefits Center is a document preparation company that helps clients apply for federal student loan repayment plans that fit their personal financial and student loan situation. Through its strict customer service guidelines, the company strives for the highest levels of honesty and integrity. Each AFBC telephone representative has received the Certified Student Loan Professional certification through the International Association of Professional Debt Arbitrators (IAPDA). Contact To learn more about American Financial Benefits Center, please contact: American Financial Benefits Center 1900 Powell Street #600 Emeryville, CA 94608 1-800-488-1490 [email protected] Related Links AFBC home page SOURCE American Financial Benefits Center Related Links https://afbcenter.com ROHNERT PARK, Calif., April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- There's a constant tug between do-it-yourself and professional help. In these days where YouTube videos explain everything from brewing your own beer to raising pugs to starting your own real estate business, people may be more inclined than ever towards DIY. In fact, these YouTubers lay out solid parameters for choosing to do something yourself or for calling on a pro. When it comes to help regarding one's student loans, this discussion also applies. Ameritech Financial, a document preparation company that helps student loan borrowers with repayment plan applications, brings expertise to individuals with student loans who may need professional guidance and support. "Like remodeling your own house, some people are very capable to do it themselves, but others may need to call a professional," said Tom Knickerbocker, Executive Vice President of Ameritech Financial. "The same goes for student loans and repayment plans." Knickerbocker is referring to income-driven repayment plans (IDRs). These are plans offered to federal student loan borrowers by the Department of Education. The plans require an application and yearly recertification. Many borrowers prefer or need these plans because the payment in IDRs are calculated with income and family size as part of the equation, thus making them a more affordable option for certain people. Federal student loan borrowers can apply to enroll in these plans by themselves for free. Borrowers who need help figuring out which plan is right for them, however, or need assistance dealing with the paperwork involved may want to call on Ameritech Financial. Ameritech Financial is a private, independent company that provides each client with a financial analysis and document preparation services for plan applications and recertifications. "It's not a secret that the student loan system can be confusing for borrowers, or that servicers don't always work for the borrowers' interests," said Knickerbocker. "Ameritech Financial seeks to help borrowers find the best repayment plan and help them towards applying for enrollment in federal programs that are intended to improve their particular situation." About Ameritech Financial Ameritech Financial is a private company located in Rohnert Park, California. Ameritech Financial has already helped thousands of consumers with financial analysis and student loan document preparation to apply for federal student loan repayment programs offered through the Department of Education. Each Ameritech Financial telephone representative has received the Certified Student Loan Professional certification through the International Association of Professional Debt Arbitrators (IAPDA). Ameritech Financial prides itself on its exceptional Customer Service. Contact To learn more about Ameritech Financial, please contact: Ameritech Financial 5789 State Farm Drive #265 Rohnert Park, CA 94928 1-800-792-8621 [email protected] Related Links Ameritech Financial home page SOURCE Ameritech Financial Related Links https://ameritechfinancial.com ROHNERT PARK, Calif., April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- While subjects like English, political science, psychology and business still dominate the college major landscape, some students opt for a more unusual academic trajectory. Students who major in more obscure or niche subjects might be asked what they can do with their degrees after college, but they themselves might be wondering what they can do with the student loans that financed the unique degree. The good news is that many federal student loans, regardless of college major, are eligible for a variety of repayment plans. Ameritech Financial, a document preparation company that helps student loan borrowers with applications for federal repayment plans, reminds borrowers that an unusual degree will not affect their federal loan repayment choices. "Some of the key things when it comes to eligibility for loan repayment options or even loan forgiveness options are what type of loan you have and when you took it out," said Tom Knickerbocker, executive vice president of Ameritech Financial. "Your employer after you've left school may also make you eligible for certain programs." Federal student loans repayment and forgiveness options are indeed affected by many factors, including, but not limited to: the type of loan, when it was borrowed, whether it was for undergraduate or graduate education, whether it's for the borrower's child's education or not, or what type of employer a borrower is currently working for or has worked for in the past. Despite these details, repayment options are still offered to millions of federal loan borrowers. College major will not deter a borrower from accessing repayment options. And college majors do run the gamut. From a major in auctioneering to a concentration in animal science and aquaculture, college specializations are as wide and varied as the students who attend college. From citrus studies to floral management or puppetry and the performing arts, student loan borrowers who took less-traveled routes in their studies can still find many repayment options at their disposal when it comes to their federal loans. For borrowers who need help sifting through their options, Ameritech Financial offers assistance. A private, independent company, Ameritech Financial helps borrowers to identify, apply for, and, if enrolled, recertify participation in income-driven repayment plans. Ameritech Financial gives clients a financial analysis as well as document preparation support. "All student loan borrowers have a lot to consider when it comes to repayment, but luckily highly specialized interests won't stop them," said Knickerbocker. "For borrowers who still need guidance, though, Ameritech Financial provides highly quality service." About Ameritech Financial Ameritech Financial is a private company located in Rohnert Park, California. Ameritech Financial has already helped thousands of consumers with financial analysis and student loan document preparation to apply for federal student loan repayment programs offered through the Department of Education. Each Ameritech Financial telephone representative has received the Certified Student Loan Professional certification through the International Association of Professional Debt Arbitrators (IAPDA). Ameritech Financial prides itself on its exceptional customer service. Contact To learn more about Ameritech Financial, please contact: Ameritech Financial 5789 State Farm Drive #265 Rohnert Park, CA 94928 1-800-792-8621 [email protected] Related Links Ameritech Financial home page SOURCE Ameritech Financial Related Links https://ameritechfinancial.com ARLINGTON, Va., April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Arlington Asset Investment Corp. (NYSE: AI) (the "Company") announced today that the Company will release results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2018 after the market closes on Wednesday, May 2, 2018 and will hold a conference call for investors at 9:00 A.M. Eastern Time on Thursday, May 3, 2018 to discuss the results. Investors wishing to listen to the earnings call at 9:00 A.M. Eastern Time, Thursday, May 3, 2018, may do so via the Internet at: http://www.arlingtonasset.com/index.php?s=19 Replays of the earnings call will be available for 60 days via webcast at the Internet address provided above, beginning two hours after the call ends. Arlington Asset Investment Corp. (NYSE: AI) is a principal investment firm that currently invests primarily in mortgage-related and other assets. The Company is headquartered in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. For more information, please visit www.arlingtonasset.com. SOURCE Arlington Asset Investment Corp. Related Links http://www.arlingtonasset.com FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- ASAP Tax and Lien Search announced that 2018 first quarter orders were up 25.1% over the same period in 2017. The company has experienced impressive double-digit growth for six consecutive months. Company President, Francine Citarella said, "Our Marketing efforts continue to pay dividends. We have found that once people compare our prices and service, they tend to stay with us." She added, "We thank our long-term customers very much for their loyal support, as well as the newer customers that have now experienced the ASAP customer service difference." About ASAP: ASAP Tax and Lien Search was founded in 1999 by Francine when she was in her mid-fifties. A trailblazer who continues to run the only woman-owned company in the industry in Florida, ASAP is one of the oldest and most respected companies that performs Tax and Lien Searches. She is joined at the company by her daughter Lisa, daughter-in-law Sherry, son Anthony and a strong, experienced support team. Contact: Mr. Citarella VP of Business Development 954-229-9877 [email protected] SOURCE ASAP Tax and Lien Search Related Links http://www.ASAPTaxAndLienSearch.com WELLESLEY, Mass., April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Poets & Quants, a leading business education news outlet, has named Babson College seniors Gyda Sumadi and Cassiano Dos Santos to its list of the Best & Brightest Business Majors from the Class of 2018. Selected among graduating seniors from the top 50 business schools in the United States, Dos Santos and Sumadi are two finance students turned professionals who are using their education in Entrepreneurial Thought & Action to create impact above and beyond their line of work. Babson College students Gyda Sumadi, left, and Cassiano Dos Santos honored as two of this years leading undergraduate business students nationwide From Poets & Quants: "A generation ago, if you asked business majors what they wanted, they would have answered with the usual cliches: money, status, and freedom. Fast forward to the Class of 2018 and such incentives have increasingly lost their luster. Instead, this generation is looking to business as a means to test their imaginations and foster social change." Gyda Sumadi After graduating this May, Gyda Sumadi will work at Dunkin' Brands Inc. as a financial management analyst in a hybrid role focused on development, operations, and strategy. While at Babson, Sumadi served as a: Glavin Global Fellow, traveling to Morocco to enhance her critical thinking on global and multicultural issues; a MoneyThink mentor, working in lower-income, after-school programs to foster passion for personal finance and help provide an equitable future for students; a Peer Career Ambassador, connecting other students with career-related resources and advising; a Diversity Scholar, championing multicultural and diverse learning opportunities for students on campus; and co-president of the Muslim Student Association, a role in which she provided a safe and open environment for Babson community members to learn about Islam, regardless of race, religion, or culture. "[At Babson], I have enjoyed all of the hands-on experience and the opportunity to work with diverse teams," said Sumadi. "Babson funds freshmen to start their own business through the Foundations of Management and Entrepreneurship (FME) course, and offers students the chance to solve current business problems through classes such as Management Consulting Field Experience (MCFE). Engaging in these two opportunities has put me steps ahead in the competitive business world." "Gyda Sumadi exhibits intercultural abilities and real-world skills well beyond those of a typical college student," said Lee Goldstein, associate director of counseling at Babson's Hoffman Family Undergraduate Center for Career Development. "She has been an exemplary student and a valued employee at Babson College since arriving on campus her first year." Read Gyda Sumadi's full profile on Poets & Quants Cassiano Dos Santos Cassiano Dos Santos will be working at Wellington Management as an investment research associate following graduation. Babson chose Dos Santos to be a Global Scholar, joining a small, highly talented group of international students who help bring new perspectives and ideas to the Babson College community. During his four years, he also has served as a: member of Alpha Epsilon Pi; co-president of Babson's Chapter for the Association of Latino Professionals for America (ALPFA); lead tutor for Financial Accounting at the Learning Center; student intern at the Office of Human Resources; student assistant at the Stephen D. Cutler Center for Investments and Finance; and co-president of the Volleyball Club. He also interned for a variety of organizations worldwide, including Falconi Consultants in Sao Paulo, Bright Horizons in London, and Wellington Management in Boston. "I am most proud of my leading role in the Association of Latino Professionals for America," said Dos Santos. "As a result of our efforts, many Babson students have been able to take advantage of the association's programming to find internships targeted at minorities. Many of these students are on track to become full-time employees at these companies." "Even more impressive to me than his incredible list of contributions and achievements is that Cassiano is one of the most authentically kind and generous students I have known," said Jamie Kendrioski, director of International Services and Multicultural Education at Babson. "There is no ask or task too small for him if the end goal is supporting a fellow student or initiative of the College." Read Cassiano Dos Santos's full profile on Poets & Quants About Babson College Babson College is the educator, convener, and thought leader for Entrepreneurship of All Kinds. The top-ranked college for entrepreneurship education, Babson is a dynamic living and learning laboratory where students, faculty, and staff work together to address the real-world problems of business and society. We prepare the entrepreneurial leaders our world needs most: those with strong functional knowledge and the skills and vision to navigate change, accommodate ambiguity, surmount complexity, and motivate teams in a common purpose to make a difference in the world, and have an impact on organizations of all sizes and types. As we have for nearly a half-century, Babson continues to advance Entrepreneurial Thought & Action as the most positive force on the planet for generating sustainable economic and social value. SOURCE Babson College Related Links http://www.babson.edu ALBANY, New York, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The baby care products market features the presence of several leading players who hold prominent positions depending on the product category, finds Transparency Market Research (TMR). Top players in the category of baby cosmetics and toiletries include Kimberly-Clark, Procter & Gamble Company, Johnson & Johnson, and Unilever Plc. Based on baby food products, leading companies are Pristine Organics, Dabur, Abbott Nutrition, Unilever Plc., and Nestle S.A. In the category of products catering to baby safety and convenience, the top players are Baby Jogger, Maxi-Cosi, Peg Perego, and iCandy Strollers. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/664869/Transparency_Market_Research_Logo.jpg ) Players are focusing on a wide range of strategies to gain a better foothold in the market. TMR notes that companies are broadly engaging in research and development activities, entering into strategic mergers and acquisitions, and harping on launching innovative products, in order to consolidate their shares in the market. Strategic partnerships and agreements is one of the key moves made by several prominent players to gain a better hold over the market. Furthermore, few of the top players are launching an assortment of new product lines to maintain their stronghold in the market. Download PDF Brochure for Latest Research Insights at https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=36 The global baby care products market is projected to rise at a CAGR of 5.0% from 2018 to 2026, reaching a worth of US$ 109.13 Bn by the end of this period. Regionally, Asia Pacific held the major share in the global market in 2017 and is expected to hold the sway throughout the forecast period. This can be attributed largely to the substantial rise in discretionary spending by parents, especially in emerging economies, on various healthcare products for the wellness of their babies. The key distribution channels for baby care products comprise online and offline channels. Of the two, the online channel is expected to rise at a higher pace over the forecast period. The adoption is driven primarily by the widespread traction that online platforms are gaining across buyers in several countries world over. Request a PDF Sample at https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=36 Rise in Disposable Incomes ups Discretionary Spending by Parents on Variety of Baby Care Products The baby care market is boosted by the substantial rise in disposable incomes of populations in emerging economies and a burgeoning labor force participation in various parts of the globe. The global market is witnessing a robust impetus from the bold strides taken by distribution channels, particularly online, in recent years. The wide awareness about the hygiene and nutritional requirements of babies in emerging and developed economies is bolstering the demand for baby care products. A constantly improving economic conditions in numerous developing countries, notably including India, Brazil, and China, is a significant factor contributing to the rapid expansion of the market. The vast rise in assortment of baby products such as hair care, skin care, convenience, and nutritional products is constantly propelling the growth of the market. The demand is fueled by the growing popularity of a variety of baby care products among parents who are increasingly focused on wellness of their babies. Get Report Discount at https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=D&rep_id=36 Lowe Penetration of Online Distribution and Multi-Level Marketing Channels Glaring Constraint However, the growth of the market is constrained by few downsides. Distribution channels for baby care products in several developing countries are still emerging. This is further accentuated by a markedly low penetration of multi-level marketing channels, thereby adversely affecting price-sensitive markets. However, several of these restraints will be taken in the stride by the rapid advances made by e-commerce industry world over. The sustained focus by a growing number of players in developing new product categories and constant innovation will keep expanding the horizon of the market. The innovations will be reinforced by the rising demand for organic baby care products. Download Complete Report TOC at https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/report-toc/36 The study presented here is based on a report by Transparency Market Research (TMR) titled "Baby Care Products Market (Product Type - Baby Cosmetics and Toiletries (Baby Skin Care Products (Baby Massage Oil, Baby Lotions, Creams/Moisturizers, and Talcum Powder), Baby Hair Care Products (Baby Shampoo and Conditioner and Hair Oil), Baby Bath Products (Soaps and Bubble Bath/Shower Gel), Diapers ( Cloth, Waterproof Nappy/ Disposable Diapers, Training Nappy), and Wipes and Fragrances)), Baby Safety and Convenience Products (Baby Car Seats and Baby Strollers), Bab Food and Baby Formula; Distribution Channel - Online Channel, Offline Channel (Supermarkets & Hypermarkets, Specialty Stores, Drug Stores, and Independent Retail Stores)) - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2018-2026." Browse Research Release at https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/pressrelease/baby-care-products-market.htm Key Takeaways: The growing worldwide awareness of parents about health, wellness, and nutritional requirement of babies is bolstering the demand for baby care products. Notable advances being made by e-commerce channels and launches innovative product categories will create vast lucrative avenue in the market. The baby care products market is segmented based on: Product Type Baby Cosmetics and Toiletries Baby Skin Care Products Baby Massage Oil Baby Lotions Creams/Moisturizers Talcum Powder Baby Hair Care Products Baby Shampoo & Conditioner Hair Oil Baby Bath Products Soaps Bubble Bath/Shower Gel Diapers Cloth Waterproof Nappy/ Disposable Diapers Training Nappy Others (Wipes and Fragrances) Baby Safety and Convenience Products Baby Car Seats Baby Strollers Baby Gates Baby Food/Formula Bab Food Baby Formula Baby Care Products Market, by Distribution Channel Online Channel Offline Channel Supermarkets & Hypermarkets Specialty Stores Drug Stores Independent Retail Stores Baby Care Products Market, by Geography North America U.S. Canada Rest of North America Europe Germany The U.K. France Rest of Europe Asia Pacific China Japan India Rest of Asia Pacific Middle East & Africa (MEA) GCC South Africa Rest of MEA & (MEA) South America Brazil Rest of South America Popular Research Reports by TMR: Baby Car Seat Market : (Product Type - Infant Seats , Booster Seats (High Back Booster Seats, Backless Booster Seats), Combination Seats, Convertible Seats; Distribution Channel - Online and Offline (Supermarkets & Hypermarkets, Specialty Stores) - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2018 - 2026:https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/baby-car-seat-market.html (Product Type - , Booster Seats (High Back Booster Seats, Backless Booster Seats), Combination Seats, Convertible Seats; Distribution Channel - Online and Offline (Supermarkets & Hypermarkets, Specialty Stores) - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2018 - 2026:https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/baby-car-seat-market.html Baby Feeding Bottles Market: (Material - Plastic, Stainless Steel, Silicone, and Glass; Capacity - Up to 4 Oz, 4.1 to 6 Oz, 6.1 to 9 Oz, and > 9 Oz; Sales Channel - hypermarkets/supermarkets, convenience stores, specialty stores, pharmacy & drug stores, online retailing, and other retailing) Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2017-2025:https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/baby-feeding-bottles-market.html About Us Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The company's exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMR's experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information. TMR's data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports. Contact Transparency Market Research State Tower, 90 State Street, Suite 700, Albany NY - 12207 United States Tel: +1-518-618-1030 USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453 Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Research Blog: http://www.techyounme.com/ SOURCE Transparency Market Research CHINO HILLS, Calif., April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- BEYOND Technology Education is proud to announce the Inaugural Innovative Educator Summit 2018 (IES2018). This two-day event starts July 31st and will be held at the Kimpton Rowan Hotel in Palm Springs, CA. The event brings together educators, administrators and industry experts to discuss the education horizon with the emergence of transformative factors including machine learning, automation, artificial intelligence and other rapidly advancing technologies that will re-shape the lives of young people and the innovative educators that support their learning. In this rapidly changing environment, the summit seeks to set the stage for the preparation of young people with more advanced skills sets that will allow them entry into emerging high-tech job sectors. The key drivers for success in classrooms will be "teaching better and faster", which means that educators must be prepared to succeed for the students and keep pace with the rapid evolution of industry needs. Building on the success of BTE's Summer Computer Teacher Training held for the last 16 years, this year's summit will feature 10 sessions over the 2 days covering topics including Lesson Planning with Mobile Tech and Cloud Computing, Using Schoology with Google Classroom, Social Media for Educators, and Augmented Reality in the Classroom, with more innovative sessions to be added. Most workshops are being developed and conducted by: Dr. Malia Hoffmann , Education Professor, Cal. State Fullerton , Education Professor, Josh Ornelas , Director of Technology, St. Anthony School , Director of Technology, St. Anthony School Carolyn Grayson , Blogger, Actress, Teacher, La Mirada H.S. The brand new Kimpton Rowan in Palm Springs, CA will host the event. Packages for educators and sponsors include all deluxe room charges, free valet parking, meal credits and the resort fee has been waived to include several perks. The hotel also features their Michelin trained Executive Chef, Stephen Wambach. Over the last sixteen years, Ernie Delgado, CEO and co-founder of BTE, has led the modernization of dozens of private, charter, and public schools nationally. "We recognize that in order to close the skills gap with industry we must have an education infrastructure that evolves quickly to the current needs of industry. As companies embrace and develop technology, so too must educational institutions," said Delgado. The IES event is currently accepting sponsors. Educators and administrators wishing to participate in the event or download an e-flyer can visit www.beyondk12.com/summer Contact: Lindsay Priest, 888-283-3213 x723, [email protected] SOURCE BEYOND Technology Education, Inc. Related Links http://www.beyondk12.com "With our 2011 study in The Lancet , we were the first to show that first responders were more likely to get many different types of cancer," said senior co-author David J. Prezant, M.D . , a professor of medicine at Einstein, a pulmonary disease specialist at Montefiore and chief medical officer of the FDNY. "We carried out this new study to do more than just treat cancer. We wanted to find early, predictive signs of cancer that would allow us to screen people and monitor those found to be at risk. By detecting MGUS, which predicts the development of multiple myeloma, we are able to do that." In MGUS (monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance), the blood's plasma cells produce an abnormal protein called monoclonal (M) protein that can be detected with blood tests. MGUS generally causes no problems but can progress to multiple myeloma, a blood cancer diagnosed in about 30,000 Americans each year. In multiple myeloma, rapidly proliferating plasma cells can crowd out the bone marrow's normal blood-forming cells, leading to problems including anemia (shortage of red cells) and leukopenia (shortage of white cells). Most multiple myeloma cases are diagnosed in people older than 65, and only 5 percent of cases occur among people under 50. Half of those diagnosed with multiple myeloma are still alive five years later. Previous studies suggest that MGUS and multiple myeloma all tend to develop after exposure to toxic chemicals. The aerosolized dust from the collapsed towers exposed FDNY and other first responders to unprecedented levels of polychlorinated biphenyls, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, dioxins, asbestos and other potential carcinogens, as well as diesel smoke from heavy machinery used in the 10-month rescue and recovery effort. For statistical reasons, the study population was limited to 781 white, male WTC-exposed firefighters aged 50 to 79 whose blood samples were evaluated to assess the prevalence of MGUS in the group. When results were compared with MGUS prevalence in a non-exposed comparison group (men living in Olmsted County, MN), the prevalence of MGUS in the firefighters was nearly twice as high (7.63 cases of MGUS per 100 firefighters vs. 4.34 cases per 100 non-exposed persons). "We saw a significantly higher incidence of MGUS in these first responders, and they're developing it at a young age," said the study's senior co-author Amit Verma, M.B.B.S . , a professor of medicine and of developmental & molecular biology at Einstein and director of hematologic malignancies at the Montefiore Einstein Center for Cancer Care. Their early development of MGUS, he says, suggests that these firefighters potentially face an increased risk for early-onset of multiple myeloma as well. Indeed, in a separate analysis, the researchers examined the 16 cases of multiple myeloma diagnosed between September 12, 2001 and July 1, 2017 among all white, male WTC-exposed FDNY firefighters. Their average age of diagnosis was 57, or 12 years younger than the average age for multiple myeloma diagnosis nationally. Although not everyone with MGUS will develop multiple myeloma, the researchers recommend that physicians screen first responders exposed to the WTC site for both conditions. "Screening for multiple myeloma risk by testing for MGUS is something we can offer these first responders, which is why this study is important," said Dr. Prezant. Another study in this edition of JAMA Oncology predicts how many WTC-related cancer cases will be diagnosed among FDNY WTC exposed rescue/recovery workers between January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2031.The study, by Einstein, Montefiore, and FDNY researchers, predicts that among a subset of white males 2,714 new cancer cases will be diagnosed over the 20-year period. Led by Rachel Zeig-Owens, Dr.P.H., a research assistant professor in epidemiology and population health at Einstein, these studies demonstrate that this is a significantly greater cancer burden than the 2,596 cancer cases that would be predicted in a demographically similar but non-exposed population. The study also calculated that the 20-year cost for the first year of cancer treatment for the FDNY WTC exposed rescue/recovery workers will total more than $235 million. The paper is titled "Estimation of Future Cancer Burden in World Trade Center-Exposed Fire Department of the City of New York Rescue/recovery Workers." The MGUS study is titled "Multiple myeloma and its precursor disease among firefighters exposed to the World Trade Center disaster." The blood samples for this study were collected and purified under the direction of Orsi Giricz, Ph.D., a co-first author of the study at Montefiore/Einstein, and then analyzed for MGUS by Ola Landgren, M.D., Ph.D., at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, the corresponding author for the study. Dr. Zeig-Owen was also a co-first author in this study. The other Einstein and Montefiore authors are David Goldfarb, M.P.H., George Nwankwo, B.S., Ulrich Steidl, M.D., Ph.D., Kith Pradhan, Ph.D., Charles B. Hall, Ph.D., Hillel W. Cohen, Dr.P.H., Theresa Schwartz, M.S. and Mayris P. Webber, Dr.P.H. Additional authors include Malin Hultcrantz, M.D., Ph.D., Kaznouri Murata, Ph.D., Katie Thoren, Ph.D., Lakshmi Ramanathan, Ph.D., Ahmet Dogan, M.D., Ph.D., and Shani Irby, N.P., all of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center; Nadie Jaber, PA-C, of the FDNY; and Laura Crowley, M.D. and Michael Crane, M.D., of Mount Sinai School of Medicine. This work was supported by grants from the V Foundation for Cancer Research, the Byrne Fund, the Memorial Sloan Kettering Core Grant, the Albert Einstein Cancer Center, and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. The authors declare no competing financial interests. About Albert Einstein College of Medicine Albert Einstein College of Medicine, part of Montefiore, is one of the nation's premier centers for research, medical education and clinical investigation. During the 2017-2018 academic year, Einstein is home to 697 M.D. students, 181 Ph.D. students, 108 students in the combined M.D./Ph.D. program, and 265 postdoctoral research fellows. The College of Medicine has more than 1,900 full-time faculty members located on the main campus and at its clinical affiliates. In 2017, Einstein received more than $174 million in awards from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This includes the funding of major research centers at Einstein in aging, intellectual development disorders, diabetes, cancer, clinical and translational research, liver disease, and AIDS. Other areas where the College of Medicine is concentrating its efforts include developmental brain research, neuroscience, cardiac disease, and initiatives to reduce and eliminate ethnic and racial health disparities. Its partnership with Montefiore, the University Hospital and academic medical center for Einstein, advances clinical and translational research to accelerate the pace at which new discoveries become the treatments and therapies that benefit patients. Einstein runs one of the largest residency and fellowship training programs in the medical and dental professions in the United States through Montefiore and an affiliation network involving hospitals and medical centers in the Bronx, Brooklyn and on Long Island. For more information, please visit www.einstein.yu.edu, read our blog, follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook , and view us on YouTube. SOURCE Albert Einstein College of Medicine Related Links http://www.einstein.yu.edu "GE and Aviall share a strong, strategic relationship, having already signed spares distribution agreements serving our J85, F110, CF6, CFM and CF34 engines," said Cristina Seda-Hoelle, General Manager of GE Aviation's Military Customer Services. "We look forward to working with Aviall to provide the best possible customer experience and further build upon the T700's four-decade legacy." Since entering production in 1978, the T700 has powered a variety of civilian, commercial and military applications that support transport, medical evacuation, air rescue, marine patrol and defense missions around the world. "We appreciate the confidence that GE Aviation has placed in us to provide global support to the T700 engine the engine that is relied upon for so many critical missions," said Eric Strafel, Aviall President and CEO. "We believe this agreement is a testament to our enduring relationship with GE Aviation and our ability to provide value through increased material availability through our 40 international locations and an unwavering commitment to mission preparedness." Aviall's worldwide distribution network will provide localized support for customers relying on the T700 engine for fleet readiness. As an established global aerospace and defense distributor, Aviall has a long-standing history of connecting customers with strategically-positioned product solutions, designed to meet current and future needs. About Aviall Aviall operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of The Boeing Company, supporting both commercial and defense business units within Boeing. Aviall is a leading solutions provider of aftermarket supply chain management services for the aerospace and defense industries. For more information, visit www.aviall.com. About Boeing Global Services Boeing Global Services, headquartered in the Dallas area, was formed by integrating the services capabilities of the government, space and commercial sectors into a single, customer-focused business. Operating as a third business unit of Boeing, Global Services provides agile, cost-competitive services to commercial and government customers worldwide. For more information, visit www.boeing.com/services. About GE Aviation GE Aviation, an operating unit of GE (NYSE: GE), is a world-leading provider of jet and turboprop engines, components, integrated digital, avionics, electrical power and mechanical systems for commercial, military, business and general aviation aircraft. GE Aviation has a global service network to support these offerings and is part of the world's Digital Industrial Company with software-defined machines and solutions that are connected, responsive and predictive. For more information, visit www.ge.com/aviation. Contact Melissa O'Reilly Boeing Communications Mobile: +1 214-490-1106 [email protected] Dave Wilson GE Aviation Communications Mobile: +1 206-660-4462 [email protected] SOURCE Boeing Related Links http://www.boeing.com Boeing will provide consumable materials used for structural repair and modification of legacy F/A-18 Hornets at five U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps depots and the Boeing Cecil Field Site in Jacksonville, Florida. Boeing field service representatives will be co-located at these sites to provide technical support and expertise. "Through this contract we will improve material availability and resolve technical issues quickly to alleviate long lead times on parts, helping our customers to reduce cycle times on aircraft maintenance," said Rick Robinson, Director of Boeing Global Supply Chain Services. "We are proud to work with the DLA, U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps to keep legacy Hornets ready for critical missions." Currently, there are two programs to repair aging F/A-18 A-D Hornets: Planned Maintenance Interval 1 (PMI-1) is an extensive, comprehensive inspection, repair, and rework of the aircraft, which consists of both specific targeted areas and zonal inspections of critical areas. High Flight Hour (HFH) is a series of inspections and modifications to extend the life of the aircraft from 6,000 hours to 10,000 hours. The DLA Captains of Industry program leverages Boeing's capabilities and relationships with suppliers to improve material availability, provide onsite technical support and engineering support, which will reduce aircraft maintenance cycle time and get the aircraft back to the war fighter faster. About Boeing Global Services Boeing Global Services, headquartered in the Dallas area, was formed by integrating the services capabilities of the government, space and commercial sectors into a single, customer-focused business. Operating as a third business unit of Boeing, Global Services provides agile, cost-competitive services to commercial and government customers worldwide. Contact Christian Chapman Boeing Global Services Office: +1 314-545-6039 Mobile: +1 314-502-0375 [email protected] SOURCE Boeing Dr. Busse joined Bruker BioSpin in 2015 as Executive Vice President of Research and Development. He assumed responsibility for BioSpin operations, marketing and strategy in early 2017, and was promoted to Deputy BioSpin Group president in October 2017. Under Falko's leadership, BioSpin has refocused its global R&D team and has modernized its marketing and CRM systems with a focus on novel magnetic resonance and preclinical imaging instrumentation, as well as on high-value solutions for biopharma markets, food analysis and clinical phenomics research. BioSpin has recently launched a number of new products and solutions that are aligned with Bruker's strategic vision of Project Accelerate high-growth and high-margin initatives. Dr. Busse has also been a key driver of BioSpin's operational excellence programs by initiating a major 'Lean' realignment and reinvestment program, Project 2020, in order to promote efficiency and productivity. Under Project 2020, the Company plans to consolidate two current factories in Germany into one modern location, which will reduce BioSpin's overall footprint in Germany and Switzerland by more than 20% by the end of the year 2020. Frank H. Laukien, Bruker's President and CEO, commented: "With Falko Busse, a very strong internal candidate has become Bruker BioSpin Group President, and I am also pleased to welcome Falko to the overall Bruker Executive Leadership Team. His accomplishments and his understanding of BioSpin's markets, products, organization and culture, make Falko an excellent leader for BioSpin. Falko will continue to drive BioSpin's high-growth, high-margin initiatives in Proteomics & Phenomics, Biopharma & Applied and Aftermarket, as well as in taking NMR clinical phenomics research towards next-generation metabolic diagnostics." Dr. Falko Busse commented: "During my tenure at BioSpin I have been impressed by my colleagues' dedication to our customers and enthusiasm for developing new products and solutions. This inherent drive supports our business objectives of excellence in our core markets and of accelerated, profitable growth in new, adjacent markets. As BioSpin Group President, I am committed to these objectives and to continuing to deliver innovations and successful solutions for our customers, and value for our stakeholders." Prior to joining Bruker, Dr. Busse held successive leadership positions at Philips Healthcare, among them as Chief Technology Officer of the global MRI business, as well as General Manager of growth businesses in image-guided therapy and in data-driven radiology solutions. Dr. Busse holds a Ph.D. in physics from the University of Bonn in Germany, and received further executive training at MIT's Sloan School of Management. About Bruker Corporation (NASDAQ: BRKR) For more than 55 years, Bruker has enabled scientists to make breakthrough discoveries and develop new applications that improve the quality of human life. Bruker's high-performance scientific instruments and high-value analytical and diagnostic solutions enable scientists to explore life and materials at molecular, cellular and microscopic levels. In close cooperation with our customers, Bruker is enabling innovation, improved productivity and customer success in life science molecular research, in applied and pharma applications, in microscopy and nanoanalysis, and in industrial applications, as well as in cell biology, preclinical imaging, clinical phenomics and proteomics research, microbiology and molecular pathology research. For more information, please visit: www.bruker.com. Media Contact: Investor Contact: Thorsten Thiel, Ph.D. Miroslava Minkova Head of Group Marketing Head of Investor Relations Bruker BioSpin Bruker Corporation T: +49 (721) 51616500 T: +1 (978) 663-3660, ext. 1479 E: [email protected] E: [email protected] SOURCE Bruker Corporation Related Links https://www.bruker.com [April 25, 2018] Hyperledger Continues Strong Momentum with 13 New Members SAN FRANCISCO, April 25, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Hyperledger, an open source collaborative effort created to advance cross-industry blockchain technologies, announced today 13 new diverse members from healthcare, to finance, to technology joined the project. A global collaboration hosted by The Linux Foundation, Hyperledger now includes more than 230 organizations. Hyperledger has gained significant traction as a multi-project, multi-stakeholder effort and includes 10 business blockchain and distributed ledger technologies. This growing line-up of technologies is translating to numerous PoC and production deployments across an array of industries. "We are entering a very exciting time in Hyperledger's evolution, as more and more of these technologies are being deployed in various production settings," said Brian Behlendorf, Executive Director, Hyperledger. "The size and scale of our membership and our technologies has fueled rapid innovation and, now, increasing application across industries and geographies. Our newest members will play a key role in feeding that growth, helping bring blockchain and distributed ledger technologies to the core of business, government and consumer transactions." Hyperledger aims to enable organizations to build robust, industry-specific applications, platforms and hardware systems to support their individual business transactions by creating enterprise-grade, open source distributed ledger frameworks and code bases. The latest general members to join are: Beijing Proinsight Technology, CAREiQ, Distributed Ledger Technologies (DLT) Pte Ltd., Eden Partners, Ehave, Inc. (OTCQB: EHVVF), Equidato Technologies AG/SophiaTX, Globlue Technologies, InformAmuse S.r.l., IPCHAIN Association, Paramount Software Solutions Inc. and Till Payments. Hyperledger supports an open community that values contributions and participation from various entities. As such, pre-approved non-profits, open source projects and government entities can join Hyperledger at no cost as associate members. Associate members joining this month include Blockchain at Berkeley and Zhejiang Blockchain Technology Application Association. New member quotes: Beijing Proinsight Technology "We are honored to become members of Hyperledger," said Octy Yu, Founder & CEO, Proinsight. "Our business is focused on using big data analysis to promote customers' offline retail business development. We have been attempting to use blockchain technology to solve the problems with supply chain coordination customers come across in traditional business activities. We are confident that blockchain technology will ultimately change company's way of collaboration." CAREiQ "We are very excited to join the The Linux Foundation and Hyperledger community to continue our collaborative efforts in leveraging the blockchain technology within the healthcare industry," said Dustin Minter, Chief Information Officer of CAREiQ. "At CAREiQ, we are at the forefront of the data-driven healthcare revolution as we are among the first in the world to implement the Oracle Autonomous Data Warehouse Cloud applying machine learning eliminating human error and delivering unprecedented performance, high security and reliability in the cloud. Our Hyperledger membership converges blockchain with emerging technologies in Artificial Intelligence (AI) & Internet of Things (IoT) provides new opportunities to explore digital health economies. In result, we are cutting time and costs, while connecting the dots among millions of 'things' enabling innovation for better, clearer personalized diagnoses allowing for a greaterfocus on preventative rather than reactive care." Distributed Ledger Technologies (DLT) Pte Ltd. "We built our enterprise supply chain apps on Hyperledger and are now joining the project so we can be help to drive Hyperledger's growth as the most preferred business platform in APAC," said Samir Neji, Resident Director and Founder of dlt.sg. "Our enterprise grade blockchain apps are used for collaborative trade finance in large organisations. Our customers initiate and run end-to-end digital trade in blockchain with our 'plug and play' apps, including SmartCon, SmartFin, SmartCode and SmartAccess. We extend provenance from our SmartCode with a number of key Agri supply chain and Pharma counterfeit business use cases." Eden Partners "Edenchain is thrilled to become a member of Hyperledger and The Linux Foundation, and we look forward to contributing to this vibrant community and ecosystem," said James Ahn, CEO of Edenchain. "As a robust, scalable and secure enterprise grade blockchain solution provider, our plans are global, and we hope to accelerate the adoption of Hyperledger and blockchain technology with our partners." Ehave, Inc. "We are excited to join Hyperledger to help shape and advance an open standard for protecting health data for patients, clinicians, researchers and other healthcare stakeholders," said Prateek Dwivedi, CEO of Ehave, Inc. "As a provider of a cloud based health informatics platform, data security and patient privacy are the cornerstones of our architecture, and we look forward to working with leading organizations to ensure patients feel confident that their data is safe." Equidato Technologies AG/SophiaTX "It is incredibly exciting to have joined this consortium," said Jaroslav Kacina, CEO of Equidato Technologies, the Swiss-based company behind the SophiaTX platform. "Being part of Hyperledger gives us the opportunity to work with other leaders in our field, and together move blockchain technology into the mainstream. Hyperledger has already proven itself as a vital player in promoting blockchain across a number of industries; we look forward to showing the group what SophiaTX has to offer." Globlue Technologies "Globlue Technologies provides cutting edge solutions for National Security, Commercial and Central Banks, Insurance Carriers, Global Content Protection, Government Tax Offices, among others," said Adrian Silva, President & CEO of Globlue Technologies. "As we enhance our ARKHOS Netfusion Platform to accelerate business transformation, we realized that blockchain was an important component to augment our strategy. We have proudly joined Hyperledger in order to gain insights and collaborate with others technology world leaders in the process of accelerating the evolution of blockchain and its applications for government and private organizations." InformAmuse S.r.l. "To be part of Hyperledger means taking on new challenges for the future, and we are proud and excited to be the first in Italy to offer new ICT Solutions with this significant technological impact," said Marco Di Marco, CMO of Blockchain Company InformAmuse. "We decided to adopt Hyperledger Fabric to develop our Blockchain network, a network linking partners in Mediterranean countries to deliver an innovative system for transaction clearing and settlement and offer new value-added services." IPCHAIN Association "Today intellectual property is a power tool for modern economies. IP is a new source that supports promote economic growth. And blockchain technology should become and, obviously, it will become a game changer, a radical change of business models, tools and industrial roles," said Andrey Krichevsky, President of the IPChain Association (National Coordination Center for Processing Intellectual Property Rights and Items Transactions). "Digital description of objects, smart contracts, identification of objects and assets, digital notary, apart from many other things, will contribute to the transition of relationships of industry participants to a qualitatively new level. It is essential to create a full-fledged infrastructure for shaping technologically advanced global market of intellectual property in the reality of digital economy. That is why we give consideration to the development of our non-commercial IPChain project a decentralized distributed ledger of intellectual property based on Hyperledger Fabric. Using Hyperledger Fabric even today will allow us to build up a digital infrastructure and modern digital services, which, in its own turn, gives all prerequisites for the avalanche growth of the intellectual property market. Hyperledger already enables us today to create a digital infrastructure and quality cutting-edge digital services. To build the global market of intellectual property, to make it understandable, implement transparent systems and functioning mechanisms requires an infrastructure of 'trust,' and Hyperledger allows us to shape such infrastructures." Paramount Software Solutions Inc. "Paramount is privileged to be a part of this revolutionary technology and is excited about the journey with Hyperledger," said Pramod Sajja, President & CEO, Paramount Software Solution. "We are looking ahead to uncover the immense possibilities Blockchain technology has to offer to various industries globally. Our team is excited to kickstart our contribution to the community and contribute towards the development of Blockchain best practices and standards." Till Payments "Till Payments, an emerging Fintech and RegTech provider with headquarters in Australia, is a converged IoT, Payments and Blockchain company that is reshaping the way merchants accept payments and comply with taxation," said Shadi Haddad, Founder and CEO of Till Payments. "Supporting both The Linux Foundation and Hyperledger was a logical choice for us, as it provides us with a solid technical foundation and supporting community that will help foster our innovation agenda." About Hyperledger Hyperledger is an open source collaborative effort created to advance cross-industry blockchain technologies. It is a global collaboration including leaders in finance, banking, Internet of Things, supply chains, manufacturing and Technology. The Linux Foundation hosts Hyperledger under the foundation. To learn more, visit: https://www.hyperledger.org/. Contact: Jessica Rampen The Linux Foundation/Hyperledger jrampen@linuxfoundation.org 650.787.3548 View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hyperledger-continues-strong-momentum-with-13-new-members-300636260.html SOURCE Hyperledger [ Back to the Next Generation Communications Community's Homepage ] TSX Venture Symbol: COR OTCQB Symbol: CAMZF Frankfurt Symbol: XC01 VANCOUVER, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ - Camino Minerals Corporation ("Camino" or the "Company") (COR: TSX-V) is pleased to report results for the first diamond drill hole completed as part of the 2018 drill program on the Adriana Zone ("Adriana") at its Los Chapitos Project ("Chapitos"), located in southern Peru. Select drill highlights are: DCH-058 intersected 0.37% copper over 18.50 meters, including 0.53% copper over 6.10 meters. DCH-058 was drilled 100 meters to the northwest of holes DCH-32 and DCH-34, which were on the westernmost section drilled in 2017. Hole DCH-58 is also northwest of the Adriana discovery outcrop, and was drilled below the ridge which features no copper mineralization on surface. The hole confirmed that the mineralization and stratigraphy are continuing down dip as predicted, and in particular, is similar to the intersections in hole DCH-32 on the adjacent section (0.21% copper over 29.2 meters, Section 190 Pad 1). A follow-up drill hole will be completed to drill below hole DCH-58 and test for thicker intervals of high grade mineralization similar as to those seen in holes DCH-34 (0.85% copper over 95 meters, Section 190 Pad 1), DCH-19 (0.97% copper over 42 meters, Section 230 Pad 2A), and DCH-12 (0.93% copper over 96.5 meters, Section 230 Pad 2A). The Adriana Zone remains open for expansion in all directions as shown on the updated set of plans and sections which are available on the Company website at www.caminominerals.com. Kenneth McNaughton, President and CEO, said, "The significance of this intersection is greater than what it may appear. It confirms the system can be extended into areas where there is little or no surface expression. It also means the exploration potential of the project is much higher than what we saw when we started work in 2017. "Our initial work had targeted areas with outcropping mineralization, then expanded those zones through geophysics, trenching and drilling and now reveal what we believe are largely continuous zones of mineralization that remain open for expansion. "With the completion of the successful soil survey in early 2018 along the Diva Structure, which revealed anomalous copper geochemistry along the six kilometer-long trend, this low cost method proved that geochemical sampling is an effective prospecting tool in an IOCG setting and will be used to evaluate the rest of the property." The copper mineralization is potentially more pervasive than outcrop would suggest so Camino has staked additional claims and increased the size of the project by 20% to over 14,000 hectares. A property-wide geochemical sampling program is now being planned with two primary objectives: (1) identify new zones of previously unrecognized mineralization and (2) to prioritize exploration over the entire property. Meanwhile diamond drilling continues with a total of four additional holes having been completed testing for southeast extensions of the Adriana Zone. Surface work on the Maria geochemical anomaly has exposed the continuation of the Diva Structure cutting across a large area which appears to host favorable lithologies that have been highly altered and brecciated. The zone will need to be properly mapped and sampled prior to drilling. Kenneth C. McNaughton, M.A.Sc., P.Eng., is the Qualified Person (QP) responsible for the Chapitos project. Updated drill sections and summary presentation are presented separately and can be found on the company website at www.caminominerals.com. Table 1: Selected Diamond Drill Results, (1,2) Hole Number Pad # Dip/Azimuth (degrees) From (meters) To (meters) Interval (meters) Total Copper (%) Soluble Copper (%) Adriana Zone DCH-058 Pad - 5 18.50 27.50 9.00 0.21 0.06 -60/220 135.50 154.00 18.50 0.37 0.28 Incl. 138.00 144.10 6.10 0.53 0.42 190.00 200.00 10.00 0.21 0.12 (1) True thickness to be determined. (2) All samples were submitted for preparation and analysis by ALS Chemex at its facilities in Lima, Peru. All samples were analyzed using multi-digestion with ICP finish and select samples were analyzed for gold using fire assay with AA finish. Samples over 1% copper were reanalyzed using four acid digestion with an ore grade ICP finish. Mineralized samples were analyzed for soluble copper by sequential leaching where they are first agitated at room temperature in a 5% sulphuric acid solution with the copper content measured by AA. The tails from the acid leach are then agitated in a 10% sodium cyanide solution with an AA finish to determine the amount of copper contained in secondary sulphides such as chalcocite and bornite. One in 20 samples was blank, one in 20 was a standard sample, and one in 20 samples had a sample cut from assay rejects assayed as a field duplicate at ALS Chemex in Lima, Peru. About Camino Minerals Corporation Camino is a discovery-oriented mineral exploration company. The Company is focused on the acquisition and development of high-grade copper and precious metal projects. For more information, please refer to Camino's website at www.caminominerals.com. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements and Information This News Release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation. Statements contained herein that are not based on historical or current fact, including without limitation statements containing the words "anticipates," "believes," "may," "continues," "estimates," "expects," and "will" and words of similar import, constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking information may include, but is not limited to, information with respect to our planned exploration activities, the adequacy of our financial resources, the estimation of mineral reserves and resources, the results of future exploration and drilling. Wherever possible, words such as "plans", "expects", "projects", "assumes", "budget", "strategy", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "targets" and similar expressions or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved, or the negative forms of any of these terms and similar expressions, have been used to identify forward-looking statements and information. Forward-looking information is subject to a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking information, including, without limitation, those risks identified in the Company's annual disclosure materials, filed with the securities regulatory authorities in Canada and available at www.sedar.com. Readers are encouraged to read these materials. Prospective investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. 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. SOURCE Camino Minerals Corporation Related Links www.caminominerals.com NEW YORK, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- NetworkNewsWire Editorial Coverage For the very first time, a developed country stands at the precipice of legalizing recreational cannabis. Despite a slight delay from the original July 2018 legalization goal, industry analysts agree that Canada is on course to fully legalize recreational marijuana in August or September of this year, clearing the way for adults aged 18 and over to legally purchase the drug from licensed dispensaries across the nation. For companies like Choom Holdings, Inc. (CSE: CHOO) (OTC: CHOOF) (CHOOF Profile), Aurora Cannabis, Inc. (TSX: ACB) (OTC: ACBFF), Namaste Technologies Inc. (CSE: N), Emerald Health Therapeutics, Inc. (TSX-V: EMH) (OTC: EMHTF) and The Supreme Cannabis Company, Inc. (TSX-V: FIRE) (OTC: SPRWF), this unprecedented regulatory shift is likely to unleash huge opportunities across multiple industry sectors, most notably cultivation and retail operations. Barriers to Entry Demand for recreational cannabis in Canada is still, to some degree, a mystery. As a forerunner in the legalization of recreational marijuana, Canada will likely serve as a measuring stick for other countries that are interested in following suit. However, based on various federal and provincial reports, legislators have estimated that nationwide demand could come in at around 800,000 kilograms annually, with the market expected to experience sustained growth in the coming years. The push to address this forecast demand has resulted in a number of cannabis industry heavyweights, with their positions in the market being bolstered by the significant barriers to entry that exist for would-be Canadian cannabis producers. Currently, cannabis production operations fall under the jurisdiction of the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations (ACMPR). Introduced in 2016 as a replacement for the Marihuana for Medical Purposes Regulations, the ACMPR is administered by Health Canada with the goal of licensing and overseeing the commercial cannabis industry. Companies interested in cultivating cannabis for the Canadian market are required to undergo a complex, seven-stage permitting process under the ACMPR that commonly takes more than a year to complete (http://nnw.fm/g71zA). As a result of this complexity, the firms that successfully navigate the regulatory hurdles associated with the ACMPR to become licensed cannabis producers often achieve significant PPS increases in the wake of approval (http://nnw.fm/jbu2A). Navigating the Changing Tides Choom Holdings, Inc. (OTCQB: CHOOF) (CSE: CHOO) is one company that's strategically positioned to capitalize on this post-approval trend in the near future. Choom currently has acquired two ACMPR applicants and has agreements in place to acquire two additional ACMPR applicants, fortified by its recent addition of Saskatchewan-based High Way 10 and parent company Flower Power Cannabis Pharms (http://nnw.fm/Xf26v). As the company noted in a news release announcing the acquisition, High Way 10 is currently in the active review stage of Health Canada's rigorous application process. Following the completion of select tenant improvements to its existing 16,000-square-foot facility, Flower Power intends to submit its affirmation of readiness ("AOR") evidence package to Health Canada, which could result in the receipt of a cannabis cultivation license shortly thereafter. If approved, Choom estimates that High Way 10's current facility is capable of producing approximately 1,500 kg of dried cannabis per year, with plenty of room for future expansion. Notably, Choom's efforts to scale up its production capacity ahead of the anticipated summer 2018 legalization of recreational cannabis have spanned multiple provinces. On April 19, the company announced its entry into a definitive agreement to acquire Island Green Cure Ltd., an advanced-stage cannabis production license applicant located in Vancouver Island, British Columbia (http://nnw.fm/5ZmQQ). Choom notes that Island Green Cure is currently at the Confirmation of Readiness ("COR") stage of the ACMPR application process. While Choom has remained committed to expanding its production capacity in recent months, the company has also turned its attention to the retail side of the nascent industry. Unlike cultivation, which is regulated at the federal level, recreational cannabis retail programs will be developed and enforced by individual provinces. For this reason, Choom's recent efforts to diversify its geographic footprint into new jurisdictions, including its entry into Saskatchewan through the High Way 10 acquisition, could prove to be fruitful. The Future of Retail Although the exact launch date of recreational cannabis in Canada isn't yet known, the future of the industry, at least from a retail perspective, is currently being developed. Multiple provinces across the country have already outlined details for their retail programs. The Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority (SGLA), for example, last month announced plans to commence issuing retail permits. Timing could prove to be key for prospective retailers in Saskatchewan. The SGLA has limited the number of permits to 51 for the first three years in an effort to ensure a controlled rollout (http://nnw.fm/BB5zT), and other provinces have detailed similar restrictions. Choom has already made moves to secure its portion of this retail landscape. In an April 17 news release, the company noted that it has already secured nine retail locations in Alberta and seven in British Columbia, as well as submitting 32 applications for retail permits in Saskatchewan (http://nnw.fm/oC8TP). The SGLA is expected to award permits via lottery by June 2018. Choom's retail plans go beyond permits and regulatory filings. In January, the company released a concept retail store design (http://nnw.fm/n2N2a), and it intends to develop a chain of branded dispensaries in jurisdictions across Canada. Supporting these plans, Choom recently entered into a binding agreement with ABcann Global Corporation (http://nnw.fm/X3eUt), one of Canada's premier growers, through which ABcann will supply Choom with premium cannabis products, subject to regulatory approval. The company marked this deal as a strong endorsement of its strategy and a pivotal step in developing Choom as the premium retail brand in Canada's burgeoning recreational cannabis market. Promising Market Trends Diversification into both cultivation and retail operations could prove to be a lucrative opportunity for Choom. Aurora Cannabis, Inc. (TSX: ACB) (OTC: ACBFF) has established itself as an industry heavyweight in recent years by leveraging a vigorous growth strategy to rapidly expand its cultivation capacity. Following its acquisition of 71 acres of land in Alberta, Aurora is on track to yield in excess of 430,000 kg of cannabis per year at some point in the future. Add on Aurora's acquisition of Saskatchewan-based CanniMed Therapeutics, which was noted as the 'most expensive pot buyout in history', and it's clear that an aggressive approach to M&A is a key growth driver throughout the cannabis industry. Much like Choom, Aurora has also placed focus on addressing the flourishing retail sector of Canada's recreational cannabis market. In February, the company announced its completion of a strategic investment in Liquor Stores N.A. Ltd. aimed at establishing and launching a leading brand of cannabis retail outlets. Through this blended approach to cultivation and retail, Aurora has achieved considerable PPS growth. The company's Canada-listed shares rose from C$3.08 in November 2017 to a high of C$14.79 by mid-January. Namaste Technologies Inc. (CSE: N) is taking a similar approach to growth through acquisitions, aiming to execute on a vision of becoming an all-inclusive online cannabis marketplace. Through wholly owned subsidiary Cannmart Inc., Namaste received an ACMPR production license on March 19 (http://nnw.fm/g04sV), just under two months after the company announced its reception of a Health Canada Confirmation of Readiness ("COR"). Following news of Cannmart's ACMPR approval, Namaste's Canadian shares rose to C$2.31, up from C$1.60 in late February. Prior to receiving ACMPR approval, Cannmart entered a definitive supply agreement through which it committed to purchase, in 2018, 1,000 kg of medical cannabis from Supreme Cannabis Company, Inc. (TSX-V: FIRE) (OTC: SPRWF) subsidiary 7ACRES. John Fowler, CEO of Supreme, noted the importance of supply agreements such as these in a news release ( http://nnw.fm/QPth6 ). "As a cultivation focused Licensed Producer we rely on strong retail partners to provide us access to consumers and favorable brand positioning," Fowler stated. Diverging from the integrated strategy of Choom Holdings, Namaste, through Cannmart, is positioning itself as a "sales-only" entity. While many in the Canadian cannabis market look toward new construction and acquisition for growth capacity, some industry players are taking other approaches. Emerald Health Therapeutics, Inc. (TSX-V: EMH) (OTC: EMHTF), for example, is partnering with British Columbia-based Village Farms to increase production capacity while simultaneously bolstering the margins of traditional greenhouse farms (http://nnw.fm/sX9BP). This approach, utilizing established agricultural producers to expand capacity, is typically cheaper and faster than the construction of new facilities, as well as providing the opportunity, in many cases, to work with experienced growers and farm staff. On the Clock With the legalization of recreational cannabis in Canada expected to occur in a matter of months, the future of what Deloitte has forecast could be a $22.6 billion industry is already taking shape (http://nnw.fm/1iYFF ). Companies with the foresight to position themselves in both the cultivation and retail markets figure to benefit most from the rising tide of cannabis spending throughout Canada. With that in mind, it should come as no surprise that industry upstarts like Choom Holdings, with its four late-stage licensed producer applicants and detailed retail strategy, are urging the investment community to 'Say Hello' to the next big thing (http://nnw.fm/H6AnE). For more information on Choom Holdings, Inc., please visit Choom Holdings, Inc. (OTCQB: CHOOF) (CSE: CHOO). 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About IBN Over the past 10+ years we have consistently introduced new network brands, each specifically designed to fulfil the unique needs of our growing client base and services. Today, we continue to expand our branded network of highly influential properties, leveraging the knowledge and energy of specialized teams of experts to serve our increasingly diversified list of clients. Please feel free to visit the Investor Brand Network (IBN) http://www.InvestorBrandNetwork.com Corporate Communications Contact: NetworkNewsWire (NNW) New York, New York http://www.NetworkNewsWire.com +212-418-1217 Office [email protected] Media Contact: FN Media Group, LLC [email protected] +1-(954)345-0611 SOURCE NetworkNewsWire VANCOUVER, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ - Capstone Mining Corp. ("Capstone") (TSX: CS) today announced the voting results from its 2018 Annual General Meeting held April 25, 2018 in Vancouver, British Columbia. A total of 266,318,915 common shares were voted at the meeting, representing 66.77% of the votes attached to all outstanding common shares. Shareholders voted in favour of all items of business before the meeting, as follows: % of Votes in Favour % of Votes Withheld Director Nominees George L. Brack 99.14% 0.86% Robert J. Gallagher 99.78% 0.22% Jill V. Gardiner 99.22% 0.78% Kalidas Madhavpeddi 99.25% 0.75% Yong Jun Park 99.87% 0.13% Dale C. Peniuk 99.22% 0.78% Darren M. Pylot 99.86% 0.14% Richard N. Zimmer 99.88% 0.12% In Favour Against Ratification and Approval of Amendments to Advance Notice Policy 98.44% 1.56% Advisory Vote on Executive Compensation 88.02% 11.98% The resolution to set the number of directors at eight was approved by 99.85% of the votes cast for the resolution. Deloitte LLP, Chartered Professional Accountants were reappointed Capstone's auditors for the ensuing year by 84.60% of the votes cast. Detailed voting results for the 2018 Annual General Meeting are available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. About Capstone Mining Corp. Capstone Mining Corp. is a Canadian base metals mining company, focused on copper. We are committed to the responsible development of our assets and the environments in which we operate. Our three producing mines are the Pinto Valley copper mine located in Arizona, US, the Cozamin polymetallic mine in Zacatecas State, Mexico and the Minto copper mine in Yukon, Canada. In addition, Capstone has the large scale 70% owned copper-iron Santo Domingo development project in Region III, Chile, in partnership with Korea Resources Corporation, as well as a portfolio of exploration properties. Capstone's strategy is to focus on the optimization of operations and assets in politically stable, mining-friendly regions, centred in the Americas. Our headquarters are in Vancouver, Canada and we are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX). Further information is available at www.capstonemining.com. SOURCE Capstone Mining Corp. Related Links www.capstonemining.com NEW YORK, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- CIT Group Inc. (NYSE: CIT) today announced that it has commenced a cash tender offer to purchase its common stock, par value $0.01 per share. The complete terms of the offer are set forth in the offer to purchase and the related letter of transmittal, each dated today. CIT is offering to purchase its common stock for cash for an aggregate purchase price up to $500,000,000, at a single per-share purchase price not greater than $56.00 and not less than $50.00 net to the seller in cash, less any applicable withholding taxes and without interest, on the terms and subject to the conditions described in the offer to purchase and the letter of transmittal. CIT is conducting the offer by means of a procedure commonly called a "modified Dutch auction." This procedure allows stockholders to select the price, within a price range specified by CIT, at which they are willing to sell their shares or to tender their shares at the purchase price determined pursuant to the offer. CIT expects to use cash and cash equivalents to fund the purchases of the shares validly tendered and accepted in the tender offer. This return of capital to stockholders is being made pursuant to CIT's 2017 Amended Capital Plan. The 2017 Amended Capital Plan authorizes CIT to return up to an additional $800 million of common equity on or before June 30, 2018, subject to the issuance of at least $400 million of Tier 2 qualifying subordinated debt, which CIT issued on March 9, 2018. CIT continues to explore other options for returning the additional common equity to its stockholders, including any amounts not tendered in this Offer, on or before June 30, 2018. Other options may include dividends and/or share repurchases, though the manner and timing of any additional capital return has not yet been determined. The offer will expire on the expiration date, which is 11:59 p.m., New York City time, on May 23, 2018, unless extended or earlier terminated by CIT. Promptly after the expiration date, CIT will, on the terms and subject to the conditions described in the offer, determine the single per-share purchase price that CIT will pay, subject to "odd lot" priority, proration and conditional tender provisions, for shares properly tendered at or below the purchase price in the offer and not properly withdrawn, and accepted for payment, taking into account the number of shares tendered pursuant to the offer and the prices specified by the tendering stockholders. The offer is not conditioned on the receipt of financing or any minimum value of shares being tendered. Subject to applicable law, CIT may extend, terminate or otherwise amend the offer in its sole discretion. All shares purchased in the offer will be purchased at the same purchase price regardless of whether the stockholder tendered at a lower price. However, because of the "odd lot" priority, proration and conditional tender provisions described in the offer to purchase, it is possible that not all of the shares tendered at or below the purchase price will be purchased if shares having an aggregate purchase price in excess of $500,000,000 are properly tendered at or below the purchase price and not properly withdrawn. No shares tendered above the purchase price will be purchased pursuant to the offer. Tenders of shares must be made prior to the expiration of the offer and tenders may be withdrawn at any time prior to the expiration of the offer. Stockholders wishing to tender their shares but who are unable to deliver them physically or by book-entry transfer prior to the expiration of the offer, or who are unable to make delivery of all required documents to the depositary prior to the expiration of the offer, may tender their shares by complying with the guaranteed delivery procedures set forth in the offer to purchase. CIT's Board of Directors has approved the offer. However, none of CIT, its Board of Directors, the dealer manager, the information agent or the depositary makes any recommendation to stockholders as to whether to tender or refrain from tendering their shares or as to the price or prices at which they might choose to tender their shares. Stockholders must make their own decision as to whether to tender their shares and, if so, how many shares to tender and at what price or prices. Prior to making any decision with respect to the offer, stockholders should read carefully the information in the offer to purchase and the related letter of transmittal (as they may be amended or supplemented), including the purposes and effects of the offer. Stockholders are urged to discuss their decisions with their own brokers, if any, and their financial and tax advisors. The offer materials are being sent to holders of the common stock. Holders may also obtain copies of the offer materials online at the website of the Securities and Exchange Commission at www.sec.gov as exhibits to the Tender Offer Statement on Schedule TO filed by CIT today with the SEC. CIT has retained Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC as Dealer Manager for the Offer. Georgeson LLC is acting as the information agent and Computershare Trust Company, N.A. is acting as the depositary for the offer. For additional information regarding the terms of the offer, please contact: Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC at (800) 318-8219 (toll-free). Requests for documents and questions regarding the tendering of securities may be directed to Georgeson LLC by telephone at (877) 278-4774 or to the Dealer Manager at its telephone number above. CIT is making the tender offer only by, and pursuant to, the terms of the offer to purchase and the letter of transmittal. Stockholders must make their own decision as to whether to tender their shares and, if so, in what amount to tender. The tender offer is not being made to stockholders in any jurisdiction in which the making or acceptance thereof would not be in compliance with the blue sky or other laws of such jurisdiction. In any jurisdiction in which the blue sky or other laws require the tender offer to be made by a licensed broker or dealer, the tender offer will be deemed to be made on behalf of CIT by the dealer manager, or one or more registered brokers or dealers that are licensed under the laws of such jurisdiction. This press release does not constitute an offer to purchase securities or a solicitation of an offer to sell any securities or an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to purchase any new securities, nor does it constitute an offer or solicitation in any jurisdiction in which such offer or solicitation is unlawful. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable federal securities laws that are based upon our current expectations and assumptions concerning future events, which are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. The words "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "forecast," "initiative," "objective," "plan," "goal," "project," "outlook," "priorities," "target," "intend," "evaluate," "pursue," "commence," "seek," "may," "would," "could," "should," "believe," "potential," "continue," or the negative of any of those words or similar expressions is intended to identify forward-looking statements. All statements contained in this press release, other than statements of historical fact, including without limitation, statements about our plans, strategies, prospects and expectations regarding future events and our financial performance, are forward-looking statements that involve certain risks and uncertainties. While these statements represent our current judgment on what the future may hold, and we believe these judgments are reasonable, these statements are not guarantees of any events or financial results, and our actual results may differ materially. Important factors that could cause our actual results to be materially different from our expectations include, among others, the risk that (i) CIT is unsuccessful in implementing its strategy and business plan, (ii) CIT is unable to react to and address key business and regulatory issues, (iii) CIT is unable to achieve the projected revenue growth from its new business initiatives or the projected expense reductions from efficiency improvements, (iv) CIT becomes subject to liquidity constraints and higher funding costs, or (v) the parties to a transaction do not receive or satisfy regulatory or other approvals or conditions on a timely basis or approvals are subject to conditions that are not anticipated. We describe these and other risks that could affect our results in Item 1A, "Risk Factors," of our latest Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017, which was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which the statements were made. CIT undertakes no obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking statements, except where expressly required by law. About CIT Founded in 1908, CIT (NYSE: CIT) is a financial holding company with approximately $50 billion in assets as of March 31, 2018. Its principal bank subsidiary, CIT Bank, N.A., (Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender) has approximately $30 billion of deposits and more than $40 billion of assets. CIT provides financing, leasing, and advisory services principally to middle-market companies and small businesses across a wide variety of industries. It also offers products and services to consumers through its Internet bank franchise and a network of retail branches in Southern California, operating as OneWest Bank, a division of CIT Bank, N.A. For more information, visit cit.com. Contacts SOURCE CIT Group Inc. Related Links http://www.cit.com JACKSON, Mich., April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- CMS Energy announced today reported net income of $241 million or $0.86 per share, for the first quarter of 2018, compared to $199 million or $0.71 per share for the same quarter in 2017 largely driven by weather and cost savings. CMS Energy reaffirmed its guidance for 2018 adjusted earnings of $2.30 - $2.34 per share (*See below for important information about non-GAAP measures) or 6 to 8 percent annual adjusted earnings per share growth. "CMS Energy is committed to the triple bottom line focusing our efforts to the benefit of people, planet, and profit," said Patti Poppe, President and CEO of CMS Energy and Consumers Energy. "This was clearly evident in the first quarter when we took a stand for our planet, in the form of our new Clean Energy Breakthrough Goal, and continued our commitment to care for our customers, all while delivering strong financial results." CMS Energy noted several accomplishments in this quarter: The company announced its Clean Energy Breakthrough Goal which entails reducing carbon emissions by 80 percent; no longer using coal to generate electricity; and using more than 40 percent renewable energy and energy storage all by 2040. General Motors and Switch became the first participants in a new company program to help large businesses use more renewable energy sources. Both companies are now matching 100 percent of their electric use at key locations in Michigan with wind power from Consumers Energy. with wind power from Consumers Energy. Consumers Energy filed its five-year electric distribution plan with the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC). Consumers Energy submitted its proposal to the MPSC to pass savings from federal tax reform by reducing energy bills to customers, which is expected to lower bills by up to 4 percent. Looking forward, the company is developing its Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) for submission to the MPSC in June. The IRP includes input from several stakeholders and will reflect our long-range plan to ensure Michigan continues to be powered by safe, reliable, affordable and clean energy. Our commitment to our communities and to the people who work for us will guide us as we continue on our IRP and Clean Energy Goal journeys. CMS Energy (NYSE: CMS) is a Michigan-based company that has an electric and natural gas utility, Consumers Energy, as its primary business. It also owns and operates independent power generation businesses. CMS Energy will hold a webcast to discuss its 2018 first quarter results and provide a business and financial outlook on April 26 at 8:30 a.m. (EDT). To participate in the webcast, go to CMS Energy's homepage (cmsenergy.com) and select "Investor Meeting." Important information for investors about non-GAAP measures and other disclosures. *This news release contains non-Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (non-GAAP) measures, such as adjusted earnings. Adjustments could include items such as discontinued operations, asset sales, impairments, restructuring costs, regulatory items from prior years, or other items detailed in the attached summary financial statements. Management views adjusted earnings as a key measure of the company's present operating financial performance and uses adjusted earnings for external communications with analysts and investors. Internally, the company uses adjusted earnings to measure and assess performance. Because the company is not able to estimate the impact of specific line items, which have the potential to significantly impact, favorably or unfavorably, the company's reported earnings in future periods, the company is not providing reported earnings guidance nor is it providing a reconciliation for the comparable future period earnings. The adjusted earnings should be considered supplemental information to assist in understanding our business results, rather than as a substitute for the reported earnings. All references to earnings per share are on a diluted basis. This news release contains "forward-looking statements." The forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause CMS Energy's and Consumers Energy's results to differ materially. All forward-looking statements should be considered in the context of the risk and other factors detailed from time to time in CMS Energy's and Consumers Energy's Securities and Exchange Commission filings. Investors and others should note that CMS Energy routinely posts important information on its website and considers the Investor Relations section, www.cmsenergy.com/investor-relations, a channel of distribution. For more information on CMS Energy, please visit our website at cmsenergy.com. To sign up for email alert notifications, please visit the Investor Relations section of our website. CMS ENERGY CORPORATION Consolidated Statements of Income (Unaudited) In Millions, Except Per Share Amounts Three Months Ended 3/31/18 3/31/17 Operating revenue $ 1,953 $ 1,829 Operating expenses 1,590 1,441 Operating Income 363 388 Other income 29 14 Interest charges 111 107 Income Before Income Taxes 281 295 Income tax expense 40 96 Net Income Available to Common Stockholders $ 241 $ 199 Basic Earnings Per Average Common Share $ 0.86 $ 0.71 Diluted Earnings Per Average Common Share 0.86 0.71 CMS ENERGY CORPORATION Summarized Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited) In Millions As of 3/31/18 12/31/17 Assets Current assets Cash and cash equivalents $ 195 $ 182 Restricted cash and cash equivalents 26 17 Other current assets 1,986 2,276 Total current assets 2,207 2,475 Non-current assets Plant, property, and equipment 16,904 16,761 Other non-current assets 3,757 3,814 Total Assets $ 22,868 $ 23,050 Liabilities and Equity Current liabilities (1) $ 1,196 $ 1,511 Non-current liabilities (1) 6,671 6,574 Capitalization Debt, capital leases, and financing obligation (excluding securitization debt) (2) Debt, capital leases, and financing obligation (excluding non-recourse and securitization debt) 8,830 8,940 Non-recourse debt 1,236 1,245 Total debt, capital leases, and financing obligation (excluding securitization debt) 10,066 10,185 Noncontrolling interests 37 37 Common stockholders' equity 4,596 4,441 Total capitalization (excluding securitization debt) 14,699 14,663 Securitization debt (2) 302 302 Total Liabilities and Equity $ 22,868 $ 23,050 (1) Excludes debt, capital leases, and financing obligation. (2) Includes current and non-current portions. CMS ENERGY CORPORATION Summarized Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited) In Millions Three Months Ended 3/31/18 3/31/17 Beginning of Period Cash and Cash Equivalents, Including Restricted Amounts $ 204 $ 257 Net cash provided by operating activities 708 646 Net cash used in investing activities (456) (346) Cash flows from operating and investing activities 252 300 Net cash used in financing activities (229) (94) Total Cash Flows $ 23 $ 206 End of Period Cash and Cash Equivalents, Including Restricted Amounts $ 227 $ 463 CMS ENERGY CORPORATION Reconciliation of GAAP Net Income to Non-GAAP Adjusted Net Income (Unaudited) In Millions, Except Per Share Amounts Three Months Ended 3/31/18 3/31/17 Net Income Available to Common Stockholders $ 241 $ 199 Reconciling items: Discontinued operations loss * * Restructuring costs and other * 1 Tax impact (*) (*) Adjusted net income non-GAAP $ 241 $ 200 Average Common Shares Outstanding Basic 281.5 278.9 Diluted 282.2 279.9 Basic Earnings Per Average Common Share Reported net income per share $ 0.86 $ 0.71 Reconciling items: Discontinued operations loss * * Restructuring costs and other * * Tax impact (*) (*) Adjusted net income per share non-GAAP $ 0.86 $ 0.71 Diluted Earnings Per Average Common Share Reported net income per share $ 0.86 $ 0.71 Reconciling items: Discontinued operations loss * * Restructuring costs and other * * Tax impact (*) (*) Adjusted net income per share non-GAAP $ 0.86 $ 0.71 * Less than $0.5 million or $0.01 per share. Management views adjusted (non-Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) earnings as a key measure of the Company's present operating financial performance and uses adjusted earnings for external communications with analysts and investors. Internally, the Company uses adjusted earnings to measure and assess performance. Adjustments could include items such as discontinued operations, asset sales, impairments, restructuring costs, regulatory items from prior years, or other items detailed in these summary financial statements. Adjusted earnings should be considered supplemental information to assist in understanding our business results, rather than as a substitute for reported earnings. SOURCE CMS Energy Related Links http://www.cmsenergy.com CHICAGO, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, CNA Financial Corporation announced that D. Craig Mense, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, will retire from the Company, effective December 31, 2018. "Craig joined CNA in 2004 and has served as an influential CFO to me and two of my predecessors," says Dino E. Robusto, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "Craig has made countless contributions to the success of CNA and he will be missed. Craig's enduring legacy is evidenced in the financial strength of our company. His steadfast, disciplined leadership has built lasting market confidence and influenced the many employees who have learned from him." Mense said, "I am proud of what the Company and its employees have accomplished during my time here and am excited about the bright future that CNA now has in front of it." Robusto echoed Mense's sentiment and announced that CNA will employ their succession plan and appoint an internal candidate to succeed Mense. James Anderson, Senior Vice President and Head of Financial Planning & Analysis and Corporate Development, has been named as Mense's successor. Anderson joined CNA in 2012 and has been a key member of the Finance leadership team since that time. He has proven himself an astute financial leader with a strong drive for results. Before joining CNA, Anderson spent nearly a decade in investment banking focused on the insurance industry, ultimately as a Managing Director at Macquarie Capital. That experience followed five years of consulting at Accenture. "Having worked closely with James since my arrival, I have every confidence in his leadership and financial capabilities. I enthusiastically welcome him as my partner," says Robusto. It is expected that Mense will officially transition the CFO role to Anderson during the third quarter of 2018. Mense will remain with CNA through his retirement date. About CNA CNA is the eighth largest commercial insurer in the United States. CNA provides a broad range of standard and specialized property and casualty insurance products and services for businesses and professionals in the U.S., Canada, Europe and Asia, backed by 120 years of experience and more than $45 billion of assets. For more information about CNA, visit our website at www.cna.com. Follow CNA (NYSE: CNA) on: Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn | YouTube Press Contacts: Brandon Davis CNA [email protected] 312-822-5167 / 773-383-7166 Sarah Pang CNA [email protected] 312-822-6394 / 312-607-5544 SOURCE CNA Financial Corporation Related Links http://www.cna.com NEW YORK, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Columbus Citizens Foundation congratulates Mike Pompeo on his confirmation today as Secretary of State to President Donald J. Trump. Mr. Pompeo is the first Italian-American to hold this position in United States history. Mr. Pompeo graduated first in his class at the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1986 and served with the 2nd Squadron, 7th Cavalry in the US Army's Fourth Infantry Division. After leaving active duty, Mr. Pompeo graduated from Harvard Law School. Prior to his service in politics, Mr. Pompeo founded Thayer Aerospace, where he served as CEO for more than a decade. He later became President of Sentry International, an oilfield equipment manufacturing, distribution, and service company. In January 2017, he was confirmed as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, following his nomination by President Trump. Previously, he was the member of the United States House of Representatives for Kansas's 4th congressional district (201117). He also served as a proud member of the Italian American Congressional Delegation. Marian Pardo, President of the Columbus Citizens Foundation, offered this comment on Pompeo's confirmation; "When Italian-Americans break new barriers in the political landscape, it is a huge source of pride for the entire Italian-American community. For the thousands of young Italian-Americans the Columbus Citizens Foundation supports through educational scholarships, this confirmation is a reflection of the promises that America holds for us all. We congratulate Secretary of State Pompeo on his many achievements, and know he will work tirelessly in service of all Americans and strive to do the best for our great country." ABOUT THE COLUMBUS CITIZENS FOUNDATION The Columbus Citizens Foundation is a non-profit organization in New York City committed to fostering an appreciation of Italian-American heritage and achievement. The Foundation, through a broad range of philanthropic and cultural activities, provides opportunities for advancement to deserving Italian-American students through various scholarship and grant programs. The Foundation organizes New York City's annual Columbus Celebration and Columbus Day Parade, which has celebrated Italian-American heritage on New York's Fifth Avenue since 1929. For more information, contact [email protected] CONTACT: Jefferson Wilson, Director of Marketing & Communications Columbus Citizens Foundation Phone:(212)249-9923 x242 Fax:(212)737-4413 [email protected] www.columbuscitizens.org SOURCE Columbus Citizens Foundation Related Links http://www.columbuscitizensfd.org RESTON, Va., April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- comScore, Inc. (OTC: SCOR) today announced that it plans to hold a conference call on Wednesday, May 9 at 5:00 p.m. ET to discuss its financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2018. To access this call, dial 800-263-0877 (domestic) or +1 323-794-2094 (international) and reference conference ID 5244430. Participants are advised to dial in at least 10 minutes prior to the call to register. Additionally, a live webcast of the conference call will be available on the Investor Relations section of the company's website at ir.comscore.com/events-presentations. Following the conference call, a replay will be available via webcast at ir.comscore.com/events-presentations . Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of federal and state securities laws, including, without limitation, comScore's plans to hold a conference call on May 9, 2018. These statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events to differ materially from expectations, including, but not limited to, comScore's ability to achieve its expected timeline. For additional discussion of risk factors, please refer to comScore's respective Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and other filings that comScore makes from time to time with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), which are available on the SEC's website (www.sec.gov). Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date such statements are made. comScore does not intend or undertake any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements to reflect events, circumstances or new information after the date of this press release, or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. About comScore comScore is a leading cross-platform measurement company that measures audiences, brands and consumer behavior everywhere. Built on precision and innovation, our data footprint combines proprietary digital, TV and movie intelligence with vast demographic details to quantify consumers' multiscreen behavior at massive scale. This approach helps media companies monetize their complete audiences and allows marketers to reach these audiences more effectively. With more than 3,200 clients and global footprint in 70 countries, comScore is delivering the future of measurement. Shares of comScore stock are currently traded on the OTC Market (OTC: SCOR). For more information on comScore, please visit comscore.com. SOURCE comScore Related Links http://www.comscore.com "Confirmit is dedicated to developing solutions that drive the CX market forward," said Michael Wooh, CMO, Confirmit. "We know that CX practitioners and business leaders need support in delivering Voice of the Customer programs that drive business change and deliver clear Return on Investment, and we work closely with clients to do just that. We are thrilled to know that our constant efforts to grow and improve our solutions are recognized by TMC and the wider CX industry." The 2018 CUSTOMER Product of the Year Award recognizes vendors that are advancing the call center, CRM and teleservices industries one solution at a time. The award highlights products which enable their clients to meet and exceed the expectations of their customers. "On behalf of both TMC and CUSTOMER magazine, it is my pleasure to honor Confirmit with a 2018 Product of the Year Award," said Rich Tehrani, CEO, TMC. "Its Confirmit Horizons Version 23 solution has proven deserving of this elite status and I look forward to continued innovation from Confirmit in 2018 and beyond." The 20th Annual Products of the Year Award winners will be published in the 2018 1st quarter issue of CUSTOMER magazine. About Confirmit: Confirmit is the world's leading SaaS vendor for multi-channel Customer Experience, Employee Engagement, and Market Research solutions. The company has offices in Oslo (headquarters), Grimstad, London, Moscow, New York, San Francisco, Sydney, Vancouver, and Yaroslavl. Confirmit's software is also distributed through partner resellers in Madrid, Milan, Salvador, and Tokyo. Confirmit powers Global 5000 companies and Market Research agencies worldwide with a wide range of software products for feedback / data collection, panel management, data processing, analysis, and reporting. Customers include Aurora, British Airways, British Standards Institution, Copart, Cross-Tab, Dow Chemical, GfK, GlaxoSmithKline, GMO Research, KeepFactor, Morehead Associates, Nielsen, Research Now, RS Components, QRS, SSI, Sony Mobile Communications, and Swisscom. Visit www.confirmit.com for more information. About TMC's CUSTOMER Magazine: TMC's CUSTOMER magazine premiered in September 2012 and is the industry's new, definitive source for news, product information, and strategies for communications that engage customers and potential customers. Each issue of CUSTOMER includes news and insights on the latest developments in agent training, analytics, ERP, IVR, social CRM solutions, mobile apps, workforce management and more. Please visit http://customer.tmcnet.com for more information. About TMC: Global buyers rely on TMC's content-driven marketplaces to make purchase decisions and navigate markets. This presents branding, thought leadership and lead generation opportunities for vendors/sellers. TMC's Marketplaces: Unique, turnkey Online Communities boost search results, establish market validation, elevate brands and thought leadership, while minimizing ad-blocking. boost search results, establish market validation, elevate brands and thought leadership, while minimizing ad-blocking. Custom Lead Programs uncover sales opportunities and build databases. uncover sales opportunities and build databases. In-Person and Online Events boost brands, enhance thought leadership and generate leads. and boost brands, enhance thought leadership and generate leads. Publications, Display Advertising and Newsletters bolster brand reputations. and bolster brand reputations. Custom Content provides expertly ghost-crafted blogs, press releases, articles and marketing collateral to help with SEO, branding, and overall marketing efforts. provides expertly ghost-crafted blogs, press releases, articles and marketing collateral to help with SEO, branding, and overall marketing efforts. Comprehensive Event and Road Show Management Services help companies meet potential clients and generate leads face-to-face. For more information about TMC and to learn how we can help you reach your marketing goals, please visit www.tmcnet.com. Confirmit Contact: Sara Beth Fahey Matter [email protected] TMC Contact: Stephanie Thompson Manager 203-852-6800, ext. 139 [email protected] SOURCE Confirmit Related Links http://www.confirmit.com FORT WORTH, Texas, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Crestline Investors, Inc., an institutional alternative investment management firm, today announced the refinancing, through its Crestline Denali Capital unit, of all $361.0 million of rated securities of Denali Capital CLO XII, Ltd., a CLO fund under its management. The refinancing resulted in a three-year extension of the fund's reinvestment period to April 2023, and an extension of the fund's legal final maturity to April 2031. The refinancing substantially lowered the fund's borrowing costs and also established new portfolio criteria that are more in line with current syndicated loan market conditions, both of which will benefit the fund and its investors. The fund continues to be compliant with both U.S. and European risk retention regulations. "We are pleased, on behalf of the fund's investors, to complete the refinancing of Denali CLO XII," said John Thacker, Senior Managing Director of Crestline Denali Capital. "We appreciate the continued support of our parent, Crestline Investors, in providing incremental capital to the fund so as to maintain compliance with risk retention regulations. We look forward to managing the fund through its newly extended five-year reinvestment period and beyond." About Crestline Investors, Inc. Crestline Investors, Inc., founded in 1997 and based in Fort Worth, Texas, is an institutional alternative investment management firm that specializes in credit and opportunistic investments, including financing and restructuring solutions for mature private equity funds. In addition, the firm manages a multi-PM equity market-neutral hedge fund, and provides beta and hedging Solutions for institutional clients. Headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, the company maintains affiliate offices in New York City, Chicago, London, Toronto and Tokyo. For more information, please visit www.crestlineinvestors.com. About Crestline Denali Capital, L.P. Crestline Denali Capital, formed in October 2014 as a partnership between Crestline Investors and Denali Capital LLC, is a specialized asset management company located in Oak Brook, Illinois. The company manages portfolios of leveraged commercial loans and related assets on behalf of its investors. The company is an active investor across a broad spectrum of the syndicated leveraged loan market. Media Contact: Dmitriy Ioselevich 646-661-1154 [email protected] SOURCE Crestline Investors, Inc. Related Links http://www.crestlineinvestors.com "Our strength as a national regulatory firm allows us to serve clients seamlessly across practice groups and industries," said Philip T. Inglima , chair of Crowell & Moring. "Paul's combined experience in environmental and government contracts law opens doors to serving existing and new clients and further deepens the bench strength of our acclaimed ENR and Government Contracts groups." Freeman routinely advises clients in response to investigations by, or inquiries from, a range of regulators, including the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Justice, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Internal Revenue Service, the Department of Defense Inspector General, the FBI, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, and state attorneys general. Freeman also counsels defense contractors on compliance with aspects of the Federal Acquisition Regulation, or FAR, including the mandatory disclosure rule, and routinely conducts internal investigations involving supply chain risks, ethics, quality systems, contract compliance, and potential false claims. Daniel R. Forman, co-chair of Crowell & Moring's Government Contracts Group, said: "Paul has existing relationships with several of our clients. His addition expands our footprint in the Northeast, and his presence benefits our regulatory and enforcement capabilities, both of which we see as growth areas for the firm." Additionally, Freeman represents fuel suppliers, commodities traders, and other market participants in matters arising under the RFS program, including the RFS Quality Assurance Program. His experience also includes advising on the siting, licensing, and development of natural gas and hydroelectric generating facilities, as well as matters before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. "Even with the Trump administration's deregulatory agenda, there remains considerable regulatory activity at EPA, including with regard to Renewable Fuels Standard setting," said Elliott P. Laws, chair of the firm's Environment & Natural Resources Group. "A growing number of companies stand to be subject to these and related state-program renewable volume mandates, and Paul is well positioned to advise them." Freeman said: "Crowell & Moring was a perfect fit for my practice. The firm has a deep bench in my two primary practice areas. The quality of the lawyers, both in terms of leadership and experience, is a considerable asset for my clients." Freeman joins Crowell & Moring from Eversheds Sutherland LLP where he served as counsel in the firm's Energy, Environmental and Commodities Practice Group, and his previous experience also includes serving as counsel at Dewey & LeBoeuf. Freeman received both his Master's of Studies in Environmental Law, cum laude, and J.D. from Vermont Law School and his B.A., cum laude, from St. Lawrence University. About Crowell & Moring's Environment & Natural Resources Group Crowell & Moring's nationally recognized Environment & Natural Resources Group has more than three decades of experience successfully representing clients across the United States in all forums, including federal and state courts, agencies, and legislatures. Our lawyers and policy advisors are nationally acclaimed in air and water quality, civil and criminal environmental litigation, environmental tort litigation and trial, land use, toxic substances, chemical regulation, and site clean-up and reclamation matters. About Crowell & Moring's Government Contracts Group For nearly 40 years, Crowell & Moring's nationally recognized Government Contracts Group has set the standard for effective legal guidance in this highly complex arena. With approximately 60 attorneys, it is one of the largest and most reputable government contracts practices in the United States and worldwide. The group's experience covers virtually every aspect of the increasingly complex and heavily regulated government contracts and grants process, from entering the government marketplace and bidding on public contracts to complying with complex regulatory regimes and performing contracts, litigating disputes, and handling terminations. Follow the group on Twitter at @GovConCrowell. About Crowell & Moring LLP Crowell & Moring LLP is an international law firm with more than 500 lawyers representing clients in litigation and arbitration, regulatory, and transactional matters. The firm is internationally recognized for its representation of Fortune 500 companies in high-stakes litigation, as well as its ongoing commitment to pro bono service and diversity. The firm has offices in Washington, D.C., New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Orange County, London, and Brussels. Media Contact: An Pham Manager, Media PR & Communications +1 202.508.8740 Email: [email protected] SOURCE Crowell & Moring LLP Related Links http://www.crowell.com PORTLAND, Ore., April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- CTL, an Oregon-based company specializing in rugged Chromebooks and Chrome Solutions, announced today the newest addition to their line of Chrome solutions, the Google Jamboard. The Google Jamboard is a collaborative digital whiteboard built for the cloud and designed for use in corporate and education spaces. CTL Adds the Google Jamboard to Line of Chrome Solutions CTL Adds the Google Jamboard to Line of Chrome Solutions Intuitive and simple to use, the Jamboard allows users to bring in images, make on screen notations with the included styluses, turn handwriting into text, search the web, run a Google Hangout, and save everything to the cloud. All of this on a 55" digital whiteboard which harnesses the power of G-Suite to revolutionize the way teams meet. Jamboard Provides a New Way for Distributed Teams to Come Together Jamboard combined with Hangouts works to allow distributed teams to be fully incorporated into the collaboration with access to the Jamboard via their mobile devices and laptops. This ability to collaborate with equal access to the Jamboard provides a unique solution to difficulties in incorporating traveling and remote employees. Google Jamboard Features The Google Jamboard is designed and created to the highest standards with low latency touch technology and delivers a lag-free experience which allows collaborators to work efficiently and contribute to the Jamboard session even while remote. The Jamboard also has 55" 4K UHD display which delivers clear and vivid visuals. Google Cast allows you to stream content from your mobile device directly to the Jamboard. With a built in wide angle camera and microphones teams are able to collaborate via Google Hangouts. Each session can be saved to Google Drive and is able continuously worked on. Included is also, 2 fine tip passive stylus, which works with the Jamboard's handwriting and shape recognition, and an eraser which digitally erases while cleaning the monitor's glass. Google Jamboard license, management, and accessories available through CTL Google Jamboards are available with a corporate package solution which includes Google Jamboard license. Accessories like portable stand, wall bracket, Google Management console, are sold separately through CTL. For more information about CTL's Chrome solutions for business and education, visit CTL.net or email [email protected]. About CTL CTL has been manufacturing high-quality Chromebooks, Laptops, Desktop PCs, Monitors and Servers since 1989. For the past decade CTL has maintained a strong focus on the education sector as a Google Education Premier Partner with comprehensive 1:1 Solutions programs. CTL's ruggedized Chromebooks for Education have received accolades from noted tech publications like PC Magazine and CNet. CTL's Manufacturing, Sales and Support teams are all located in the United States, and their headquarters in Portland, Oregon. For more information about CTL, please visit www.ctl.net. Contact: Mike Mahanay Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer CTL Direct: 971.327.0101 Toll-Free: 800.642.3087 x 205 [email protected] SOURCE CTL Related Links http://www.ctl.net ST. CHARLES, Mo., April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- D2 Consulting (D2), (www.d2rx.com) a leading life sciences consulting firm that provides commercialization services to pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device companies as well as various accreditation and support services to specialty pharmacies today announced its participation as a Gold sponsor at the annual Asembia Specialty Pharmacy Summit. The event, held from April 29th May 2nd in Las Vegas draws more than 6,000 attendees representing all areas of the specialty pharmacy business. While D2 has been a long-time attendee at the conference, this year the Company is participating as a Gold-level Sponsor and will exhibit in booth 616. "As our service offerings have grown, we look for opportunities to demonstrate our expertise," said Dean Erhardt, President of D2 Consulting. "Asembia's Specialty Pharmacy Summit is the premier event for this market and given our deep services portfolio for specialty pharmacies we feel this is a great venue to showcase our capabilities." Established in 2008, D2 has grown rapidly to become one of the nation's leading life sciences consulting firms. In recent years, the Company has developed a reputation for specialty pharmacy consulting expertise, having successfully led more than 250 specialty pharmacy accreditations. With increasing demand for its services, in 2018, D2 launched additional offerings, including an ongoing support program to help specialty pharmacies maintain their accreditations, as well as programs designed to provide guidance around building world class sales teams within the specialty pharmacy space. In addition to its accreditation and sales advisement services, D2 offers an array of management consulting solutions for biopharmaceutical companies including market evaluation, commercialization strategies, distribution and implementation, reimbursement and access, product support services and analytics. D2's talent base draws from a deep pool of consultants who are experts at specific business disciplines in biopharmaceuticals and features a robust bench of full-time senior consultants as well as strategic relationships with ad hoc advisors filling specific roles as needed. "We've been successful by offering our clients proven experts who can plug and play anywhere, anytime necessary to get the job done," said Erhardt. "It's not financially feasible for most organizations to maintain an in-house staff with all the acumen required to succeed in today's complex business environment. More and more, organizations are tapping experts with deep vertical experience to help guide their internal teams to a successful business outcome." About D2 Consulting D2 Consulting (D2) is recognized as the industry's leading provider of commercialization services to the life sciences industry. D2 assists emerging and established pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical, specialty pharmacies and medical device manufacturers to develop and execute strategic business initiatives, ensuring successful launch, distribution and reimbursement to support an ongoing leadership position in the marketplace. Visit D2 at www.D2rx.com. SOURCE D2 Consulting Related Links http://www.d2rx.com CHONGQING, China, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Daqo New Energy Corp. (NYSE: DQ) ("Daqo New Energy" or the "Company"), a leading manufacturer of high-purity polysilicon for the global solar PV industry, today announced that it plans to release its unaudited financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2018 before U.S. markets open on Tuesday, May 8, 2018. The Company has scheduled a conference call to discuss the results at 8:00 AM U.S. Eastern Time on May 8, 2018 (8:00 PM Beijing / Hong Kong time on the same day). The dial-in details for the earnings conference call are as follows: Participant dial in (U.S. toll free): +1-888-346-8982 Participant international dial in: +1-412-902-4272 China mainland toll free: 4001-201203 Hong Kong toll free: 800-905945 Hong Kong local dial in: +852-301-84992 Please dial in 10 minutes before the call is scheduled to begin and ask to join the Daqo New Energy Corp. call. A replay of the call will be available 1 hour after the conclusion of the conference call through May 15, 2018. The dial in details for the conference call replay are as follows: U.S. toll free: +1-877-344-7529 International dial in: +1-412-317-0088 Canada toll free: 855-669-9658 Replay access code: 10119885 Additional international dial-in numbers can be found at the following link: https://services.choruscall.com/ccforms/replay.html Participants will be asked to provide their name and company name upon entering the call. ABOUT DAQO NEW ENERGY CORP. Founded in 2008, Daqo New Energy Corp. (NYSE: DQ) is a leading manufacturer of high-purity polysilicon for the global solar PV industry. As one of the world's lowest cost producers of high-purity polysilicon and solar wafers, the Company primarily sells its products to solar cell and solar module manufacturers. The Company has built a manufacturing facility that is technically advanced and highly efficient with a nameplate capacity of 18,000 metric tons in Xinjiang, China. The Company also operates a solar wafer manufacturing facility in Chongqing, China. For further information, please contact: Daqo New Energy Corp. Investor Relations Department Phone: +86-187-1658-5553 Email: [email protected] Christensen In China Mr. Christian Arnell Phone: +86-10- 5900-1548 E-mail: [email protected] In US Mr. Tip Fleming Phone: +1-917-412-3333 Email: [email protected] For more information about Daqo New Energy, please visit http://daqo.gotoip1.com/ SOURCE Daqo New Energy Corp. For more than a quarter of a century, Delphi Technologies has been tracking and compiling emissions regulations from around the world to release them in an easy-to-read summary. This compendium is invaluable to vehicle and engine manufacturers, as well as other industry professionals, as a single trusted guide to the complex and evolving global emissions standards. Included in the 2018-2019 edition is an overview of the Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP). Going forward, vehicle emissions in the Europe Union will be measured over this test procedure instead of the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) which was originally designed in the 1980s. Compared to the NEDC, the WLTP cycle includes more speed phases as well as higher average and top speeds. It is intended to better represent the emissions and efficiency of vehicles in a more authentic environment. By September 2018, the new WLTP certification will be compulsory for all vehicles sold within the European Union. "We have been analyzing worldwide emissions standards for more than 25 years and in that time Delphi Technologies has partnered with its customers to deliver significant strides in improved efficiency, emissions and performance for millions of vehicles on sale today," commented Mary Gustanski, Chief Technology Officer, Delphi Technologies. "Full global harmonization of emissions standards is still someway off, but we continue to offer our customers the best solutions for meeting these regional targets regardless of the technology they choose to power their vehicles." The 2018-2019 edition passenger vehicle and motorcycle emissions standards booklet is available to download here. www.Delphi.com/emissions-pc About Delphi Technologies With 2017 sales of $4.8 billion, Delphi Technologies is a technology company focused on providing electric vehicle and internal combustion engine propulsion solutions, in addition to solving emissions and fuel economy challenges for the world's leading automotive original equipment manufacturers. Delphi Technologies also provides leading aftermarket service solutions for the replacement market. With headquarters in London, U.K., the company operates technical centers, manufacturing sites and customer support services in 24 countries. SOURCE Delphi Technologies PLC Related Links http://www.Delphi.com/emissions-pc BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- For the 4th year, Dr. David Amron M.D. will be a featured speaker at the Fat Disorders Research Society Conference leading the Comprehensive Review of Science, Safety & Efficacy for Lipedema/Dercum's Surgery panel and break out sessions highlighting the advances in surgical treatment options for lipedema. FDRS, founded in 2009, is an organization dedicated to investment in comprehensive research, collaboration, management advocacy and care to improve the lives of those with fat disorders. Their annual conference is the most important global convergence for practitioners and patients on fat-related diseases. "Although first named in the 1940's, the crucial issue with lipedema has been the poorly understood disease biology, for which patients have historically had limited treatment options in terms of diagnostics, effective treatment protocols or long-term care to relieve their symptoms and eliminate the health and wellness issues associated with this chronic disease, making the FDRS conference and their work vitally important," said Dr. Amron. After over a dozen years working on the most difficult cases gaining a masterful understanding of the disease biology and the combination of holistic and surgical protocols to serve the lipedema community, Dr. Amron dedicated his personal practice to concentrate on lipedema patient care, and has performed more than 2,000 lipedema surgeries. The Roxbury Institute is now one of the world's most comprehensive centers for not only surgical but pre- and post-operative care as well as ongoing treatment planning. A patient advocate, Dr. Amron created the Lipedema Society to encourage public advocacy, awareness, education, support and resources for those affected by lipedema. The Lipedema Society also sponsors a fellowship program to train qualified surgeons from around the world in lipedema surgery. His protocols and programs will be presented at the FDRS Conference. According to Dr. Amron, "Integrated albeit modified forms of advanced liposuction to remove the diseased fat is the best treatment available and starts a healing cascade. We identify and remove the diseased fat from the patient relieving pain and increasing mobility, but as a result, the body then restores metabolic, hormonal and endocrine systems towards normalcy, giving the patient a chance to systematically normalize and heal physically, mentally and emotionally." An estimated 17 million women in the U.S. alone suffer from this often debilitating, painful and life-threatening syndrome as well the isolation, depression, and stigma of the disease. Annually the FDRS conference brings together the world's top physicians, clinicians, researchers, nutritionists and patients with compression and lymphatic drainage experts as well as hormone, fitness and inflammation specialists to educate the medical community as well as patients and caregivers to increase awareness of lipedema, Dercums Disease and other related fat disorders. For more information please visit https://www.fatdisorders.org. For more information on Dr. David Amron and the Roxbury institute please visit https://www.theroxburyinstitute.com/ To attend the conference or for more information, feel free to reach out to: Media Contact: Jill Eistenstadt [email protected] 310.201.8222 About the Roxbury Institute: Founded by Dr. David Amron a top dermatologic surgeon, liposculpture and body contouring expert and a lipedema treatment pioneer, the Roxbury Institute offers a world class diagnostic, medical treatment, and educational facility along with comprehensive services in state-of-the-art anti-aging and non-invasive cosmetic aesthetics, plastic surgery, naturopathy and regenerative care. Located in Beverly Hills, the Roxbury Institute offers the most extensive treatment protocols for patient care in an exceptional facility. Dr. Amron recently established the Advanced Lipedema Treatment Program at The The Roxbury Institute which is a comprehensive program that addresses all critical areas of lipedema treatment and involves a range of services including diagnosis, medical therapy, nutritional counseling, MLD/decongestive therapy, stem cell therapy, lymphatic sparing liposuction, plastic and reconstructive surgery, and pre/post surgical IV therapy. The Roxbury Institute is also the home to a first-of-its-kind lipedema surgical fellowship program focusing on teaching the surgical methods for treatment and ongoing care. Regarded globally for standards of excellence, the Roxbury Institute, founder Dr. David Amron and his leading practitioners have been featured on the Doctors, ABC, FOX, NPR, The Huffington Post, Today and more. SOURCE Roxbury Institute With more than 780 dealerships in 90 countries around the world, Ducati has extended its global reach to unprecedented levels, and Ducati New York promises to be a global beacon for the brand among the growing number of outposts the Italy-based manufacturer has recently established. "The opening of this new Monobrand Ducati Store represents a further step forward in the process of continuous improvement of the quality of our network internationally," said Claudio Domenicali, Chief Executive Officer of Ducati. "Riders here are enthusiastic and passionate about their bikes, and the riding terrain is very diverse, from the urban landscape here in the city to the rural roads a few hours away. We feel this new showroom will be a location where motorcyclists of all skills can gather as a community, experience our new models in a fresh space, and head out to their favorite riding roads." Strategically located at 155 6th Avenue in SoHo, Ducati New York was recently converted to an exclusive Ducati dealership, with a renovated showroom of more than 7,500 square feet at a fashionable address. The Manhattan showroom is redesigned to accommodate new models in an environment matching the Italian style and modern aesthetic of Ducati, with a comprehensive Ducati apparel display, dedicated Ducati accessories showroom, customer lounge, and refreshed Ducati service department. Ducati New York is also the home of Scrambler Ducati, the free-spirited Ducati endorsed brand, with a dedicated Scrambler Camp featuring motorcycles, apparel and accessories inspired by Ducati's past but with modern technology and premium details. "This new facility is giving us the chance to offer our customers the best service possible with a wide selection of Ducati's new offerings," said Steven Radt, General Manager and Owner of Ducati New York. "The location has always been easily accessible, right in the heart of the city, but now focused as an exclusive retailer we're fully invested in sharing our singular passion for the Ducati brand with loyal clients as well as new riders eager to join the Ducati family." The 2018 Ducati lineup was on display during the event, including the new Scrambler 1100 and the flagship superbike, Panigale V4, which is the next evolution of Ducati's heritage, bringing racing technology to the streets. Ducati has expanded into new motorcycle categories in recent years, with diverse offerings ranging in categories from touring bikes like the new Multistrada 1260 to the Monster 821 - which comes on the heels of the Monster's 25th anniversary in 2018. Ducati now offers 37 different models, ranging from Adventure, Touring, Sport & Fun, Lifestyle and Racetrack styles. SOURCE Ducati North America NEW YORK, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Ed Slott and Company, the nation's leading provider of technical IRA education for financial advisors, CPAs and attorneys, has made its "Instant IRA Success" eSeminar available on demand, allowing financial professionals access to online education anytime, anywhere. The program is comprised of seven web-based sessions that provide education on IRA distribution planning topics and include critical 2018 IRA updates, such as strategies for planning under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and changes to the estate tax exemption. "Education is more important than ever, as we currently have the largest opportunity in our industry's history: a volatile stock market, a newly-implemented tax code that few understand and a surge of Baby Boomers transitioning into retirement and seeking guidance," said Ed Slott, CPA, a nationally recognized IRA expert, founder of Ed Slott and Company and creator of irahelp.com. "Consumers are searching for the most competent advisors to help them navigate the complexities of retirement planning, and advisors are eager for the advanced knowledge needed to serve them. Our recent in-person workshop covering this material was completely sold out, so providing the content in an on-demand format will make it even more accessible to advisors nationwide." Completing this course from America's IRA experts will equip financial professionals to answer clients' most pressing retirement questions. Highlights include: The latest updates to tax and IRA regulations and the impact of the new tax laws on retirement accounts and planning strategies IRA essentials, including details on stretch IRAs, beneficiary form planning and employer plan rules A Roth IRA action plan to implement with clients and prospects 25 powerful IRA rules every financial advisor must know Rules for naming trusts as IRA beneficiaries Guidance on key rollover decisions and early distributions The seven sessions included in the eSeminar are available to purchase as a group or separately so that financial professionals can listen at their own pace. Each session comes with a 40-plus page manual that can be used as a reference guide. For more information or to sign up for the eSeminar, visit irahelp.com/eseminar. Completion of the "Instant IRA Success" eSeminar qualifies financial professionals to join Ed Slott's Elite IRA Advisor GroupSM. This exclusive organization is comprised of nearly 400 of the nation's top financial professionals who are dedicated to being leaders in the IRA industry. Members of this group have year-round access to Ed Slott and Company's team of retirement experts for consultation on advanced planning topics and receive proprietary access to a wealth of additional resources to use when working with clients. ABOUT ED SLOTT AND COMPANY, LLC: Ed Slott and Company, LLC is the nation's leading provider of technical IRA education for financial advisors, CPAs and attorneys. Slott is a nationally recognized IRA distribution expert, bestselling author and professional speaker, and he has hosted several public television specials, including his latest, "Retire Safe and Secure! with Ed Slott." Slott is the creator of Ed Slott's Elite IRA Advisor GroupSM, a prestigious ongoing study group for serious financial professionals who are dedicated to the mastery of advanced retirement account and tax planning laws and strategies. Visit irahelp.com for more information. CONTACT AdvisorPR (702) 685-7450 SOURCE Ed Slott and Company, LLC Related Links http://www.irahelp.com BIRMINGHAM, Ala., April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Encompass Health Corporation (NYSE: EHC), a national leader in post-acute care, offering facility-based and home-based patient care through its network of inpatient rehabilitation hospitals, home health agencies and hospice agencies, today reported its results of operations for the first quarter ended March 31, 2018. "We're off to a good start in 2018 as both segments generated strong volume, revenue, and earnings growth. Based on the strength of these results, we made upward adjustments to our full-year 2018 guidance ranges," said Mark Tarr, President and Chief Executive Officer of Encompass Health. "We also made solid progress on our strategic initiatives during the first quarter including portfolio growth in both segments, implementation of our rebranding and name change, increasing clinical collaboration between our two segments, and the development of enhanced patient navigation and post-acute network management tools through the Post-Acute Innovation Center. Initiatives such as these serve to enhance our position as the post-acute provider of choice with healthcare systems, physicians, patients, and payors." Consolidated results Growth Q1 2018 Q1 2017 Dollars Percent (In Millions, Except per Share Data) Net operating revenues $ 1,046.0 $ 957.1 $ 88.9 9.3 % Income from continuing operations attributable to Encompass Health per diluted share 0.85 0.70 0.15 21.4 % Adjusted earnings per share 0.93 0.70 0.23 32.9 % Cash flows provided by operating activities 216.3 180.8 35.5 19.6 % Adjusted EBITDA 223.3 200.8 22.5 11.2 % Adjusted free cash flow 170.2 147.5 22.7 15.4 % Revenue growth was driven by volume and pricing growth in the inpatient rehabilitation segment and volume growth in the home health and hospice segment. See the "Other Information" section of this release for discussion of the Company's adoption of a new accounting standard for revenue recognition. The increase in income from continuing operations attributable to Encompass Health per share and adjusted earnings per share resulted primarily from increased revenue and a lower effective tax rate resulting from income tax reform. Growth in cash flows provided by operating activities and adjusted free cash flow resulted primarily from revenue growth and favorable working capital changes. See attached supplemental information for calculations of non-GAAP measures and reconciliations to their most comparable GAAP measure. Inpatient rehabilitation segment results Growth Q1 2018 Q1 2017 Dollars Percent Net operating revenues: (In Millions) Inpatient $ 817.1 $ 752.7 $ 64.4 8.6 % Outpatient and other 23.2 25.1 (1.9) (7.6) % Total segment revenue $ 840.3 $ 777.8 $ 62.5 8.0 % (Actual Amounts) Discharges 45,108 42,259 2,849 6.7 % Same-store discharge growth 4.8 % Net patient revenue per discharge $ 18,114 $ 17,812 $ 302 1.7 % (In Millions) Adjusted EBITDA $ 223.8 $ 205.4 $ 18.4 9.0 % Revenue - Revenue growth resulted from volume growth and an increase in net patient revenue per discharge. A heavy incidence of influenza at acute care hospitals and the timing of discharges around Easter and Passover contributed to discharge growth. Discharge growth from new stores resulted from the Company's joint ventures in Gulfport, Mississippi ( April 2017 ), Westerville, Ohio ( April 2017 ), and Jackson, Tennessee ( July 2017 ), as well as a wholly owned hospital in Pearland, Texas ( October 2017 ). Growth in net patient revenue per discharge primarily resulted from an increase in Medicare reimbursement rates and a year-over-year reduction in bad debt, which is now a component of revenue (see the "Other Information" section of this release). The decrease in outpatient and other revenues primarily was due to the continued closures of hospital-based outpatient programs. Adjusted EBITDA - The increase in Adjusted EBITDA primarily resulted from revenue growth. Expense ratios in the first quarter of 2018 compared to the first quarter of 2017 benefited from a year-over-year reduction in bad debt, which is now a component of revenue (see the "Other Information" section of this release). Salaries and benefits as a percent of net operating revenues benefited from labor management and higher volumes. Other operating expenses as a percent of net operating revenues increased primarily due to increases in contract services. Home health and hospice segment results Growth Q1 2018 Q1 2017 Dollars Percent Net operating revenues: (In Millions) Home health $ 185.2 $ 163.7 $ 21.5 13.1 % Hospice and other 20.5 15.6 4.9 31.4 % Total segment revenue $ 205.7 $ 179.3 $ 26.4 14.7 % Home Health Metrics (Actual Amounts) Admissions 33,855 30,810 3,045 9.9 % Same-store admissions growth 7.4 % Episodes 56,658 49,260 7,398 15.0 % Same-store episode growth 12.7 % Revenue per episode $ 2,934 $ 2,978 $ (44) (1.5) % (In Millions) Adjusted EBITDA $ 33.5 $ 23.9 $ 9.6 40.2 % Revenue - Revenue growth was driven by volume growth. Revenue per episode was negatively impacted by an approximate $4 million reserve for a Zone Program Integrity Contractor, or ZPIC, audit. Excluding this reserve, revenue per episode would have increased by 0.7% as changes in patient mix offset the impact of Medicare reimbursement rate cuts. Hospice and other revenue increased primarily due to same-store volume growth and acquisitions in 2017. Adjusted EBITDA - Growth in Adjusted EBITDA primarily resulted from revenue growth and improvements in caregiver productivity and efficiency. Corporate general and administrative expenses Q1 2018 % of Consolidated Revenue Q1 2017 % of Consolidated Revenue (In Millions) General and administrative expenses, excluding stock-based compensation $ 34.0 3.3% $ 28.5 3.0% General and administrative expenses increased as a percent of consolidated revenue due to expenses associated with the Company's rebranding and name change. During the first quarter of 2018, the Company invested $3.6 million in its rebranding and name change, all of which was included in general and administrative expenses. During the first quarter of 2017, the Company invested $0.5 million in its rebranding and name change. 2018 guidance Based on its results for the first quarter of 2018 and its current expectations for the remainder of 2018, the Company is increasing its full-year guidance ranges for 2018. Full-Year 2018 Guidance Ranges Previous Guidance Updated Guidance (In Millions, Except Per Share Data) Net operating revenues $4,080 to $4,190 $4,110 to $4,210 Adjusted EBITDA $830 to $850 $845 to $865 Adjusted earnings per share from continuing operations attributable to Encompass Health $3.25 to $3.40 $3.30 to $3.45 The above guidance ranges are inclusive of the previously announced definitive agreement to acquire Camellia Healthcare, which is expected to close prior to June 1, 2018. For additional considerations regarding the Company's 2018 guidance ranges, see the supplemental information posted on the Company's website at http://investor.encompasshealth.com. See also the "Other Information" section below for an explanation of why the Company does not provide guidance for comparable GAAP measures for Adjusted EBITDA and adjusted earnings per share. Earnings conference call and webcast The Company will host an investor conference call at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time on Friday, April 27, 2018 to discuss its results for the first quarter of 2018. For reference during the call, the Company will post certain supplemental information at http://investor.encompasshealth.com. The conference call may be accessed by dialing 877 587-6761 and giving the pass code 7575309. International callers should dial 706 679-1635 and give the same pass code. Please call approximately ten minutes before the start of the call to ensure you are connected. The conference call will also be webcast live and will be available for on-line replay at http://investor.encompasshealth.com by clicking on an available link. About Encompass Health As a national leader in post-acute care, Encompass Health (NYSE: EHC) offers both facility-based and home-based patient care through its network of inpatient rehabilitation hospitals, home health agencies and hospice agencies. With a national footprint that spans 127 hospitals and 236 home health & hospice locations in 36 states and Puerto Rico, the Company is committed to delivering high-quality, cost-effective care across the post-acute continuum. Driven by a set of shared values, Encompass Health is the result of the union between HealthSouth Corporation and Encompass Home Health & Hospice, and is ranked as one of Fortune's 100 Best Companies to Work For, as well as Modern Healthcare's Best Places to Work. For more information, visit encompasshealth.com, or follow us on Twitter and Facebook. Other information The information in this press release is summarized and should be read in conjunction with the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2018 (the "March 2018 Form 10-Q"), when filed, as well as the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K filed on April 26, 2018 (the "Q1 Earnings Form 8K"), to which this press release is attached as Exhibit 99.1. In addition, the Company will post supplemental information today on its website at http://investor.encompasshealth.com for reference during its April 27, 2018 earnings call. During the first quarter of 2018, the Company adopted a new accounting standard (ASC 606 - Revenue from Contracts with Customers) which clarifies the standards for recognizing revenue. The impact to the Company's financial reporting was that amounts previously presented as provision for doubtful became a component of net operating revenues. This had the effect of reducing net operating revenues but was neutral to Adjusted EBITDA and adjusted earnings per share. The Company retrospectively adopted the new standard during the first quarter of 2018, which means previously reported quarterly and full-year results for 2017 have been updated to reflect the requirements of the new standard. For additional information, see the supplemental information posted on the Company's website at http://investor.encompasshealth.com. The financial data contained in the press release and supplemental information include non-GAAP financial measures, including the Company's adjusted earnings per share, leverage ratio, Adjusted EBITDA, and adjusted free cash flow. Reconciliations to their most comparable GAAP measure, except with regard to non-GAAP guidance, are included below or in the Q1 Earnings Form 8-K. Readers are encouraged to review the "Note Regarding Presentation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures" included in the Q1 Earnings Form 8-K which provides further explanation and disclosure regarding the Company's use of these non-GAAP financial measures. Excluding net operating revenues, the Company does not provide guidance on a GAAP basis because it is unable to predict, with reasonable certainty, the future impact of items that are deemed to be outside the control of the Company or otherwise non-indicative of its ongoing operating performance. Such items include government, class action, and related settlements; professional feesaccounting, tax, and legal; mark-to-market adjustments for stock appreciation rights; gains or losses related to hedging instruments; loss on early extinguishment of debt; adjustments to its income tax provision (such as valuation allowance adjustments and settlements of income tax claims); items related to corporate and facility restructurings; and certain other items the Company believes to be non-indicative of its ongoing operations. These items cannot be reasonably predicted and will depend on several factors, including industry and market conditions, and could be material to the Company's results computed in accordance with GAAP. However, the following reasonably estimable GAAP measures for 2018 would be included in a reconciliation for Adjusted EBITDA if the other reconciling GAAP measures could be reasonably predicted: Interest expense and amortization of debt discounts and fees - estimate of $147 million to $157 million Amortization of debt-related items - approximately $7 million The Q1 Earnings Form 8-K and, when filed, the March 2018 Form 10-Q can be found on the Company's website at http://investor.encompasshealth.com and the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. Encompass Health Corporation and Subsidiaries Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations (Unaudited) Three Months Ended March 31, 2018 2017 (In Millions, Except per Share Data) Net operating revenues $ 1,046.0 $ 957.1 Operating expenses: Salaries and benefits 570.2 530.1 Other operating expenses 141.2 127.8 Occupancy costs 18.6 17.9 Supplies 39.9 37.0 General and administrative expenses 61.1 36.5 Depreciation and amortization 45.9 45.2 Total operating expenses 876.9 794.5 Interest expense and amortization of debt discounts and fees 35.6 41.3 Other loss (income) 0.1 (1.0) Equity in net income of nonconsolidated affiliates (2.3) (2.1) Income from continuing operations before income tax expense 135.7 124.4 Provision for income tax expense 30.0 39.7 Income from continuing operations 105.7 84.7 Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax (0.5) (0.3) Net income 105.2 84.4 Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests (21.4) (17.6) Net income attributable to Encompass Health $ 83.8 $ 66.8 Weighted average common shares outstanding: Basic 97.8 88.8 Diluted 99.4 99.0 Earnings per common share: Basic earnings per share attributable to Encompass Health common shareholders: Continuing operations $ 0.86 $ 0.75 Discontinued operations (0.01) Net income $ 0.85 $ 0.75 Diluted earnings per share attributable to Encompass Health common shareholders: Continuing operations $ 0.85 $ 0.70 Discontinued operations (0.01) Net income $ 0.84 $ 0.70 Cash dividends per common share $ 0.25 $ 0.24 Amounts attributable to Encompass Health common shareholders: Income from continuing operations $ 84.3 $ 67.1 Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax (0.5) (0.3) Net income attributable to Encompass Health $ 83.8 $ 66.8 Encompass Health Corporation and Subsidiaries Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited) March 31, 2018 December 31, 2017 (In Millions) Assets Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 86.4 $ 54.4 Restricted cash 69.4 62.4 Accounts receivable 463.1 472.1 Other current assets 89.6 113.3 Total current assets 708.5 702.2 Property and equipment, net 1,554.3 1,517.1 Goodwill 1,973.1 1,972.6 Intangible assets, net 396.1 403.1 Deferred income tax assets 68.5 63.6 Other long-term assets 239.1 235.1 Total assets $ 4,939.6 $ 4,893.7 Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity Current liabilities: Current portion of long-term debt $ 32.7 $ 32.3 Accounts payable 83.1 78.4 Accrued expenses and other current liabilities 456.2 406.8 Total current liabilities 572.0 517.5 Long-term debt, net of current portion 2,544.4 2,545.4 Other long-term liabilities 183.8 185.3 3,300.2 3,248.2 Commitments and contingencies Redeemable noncontrolling interests 198.6 220.9 Shareholders' equity: Encompass Health shareholders' equity 1,197.0 1,181.7 Noncontrolling interests 243.8 242.9 Total shareholders' equity 1,440.8 1,424.6 Total liabilities and shareholders' equity $ 4,939.6 $ 4,893.7 Encompass Health Corporation and Subsidiaries Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited) Three Months Ended March 31, 2018 2017 (In Millions) Cash flows from operating activities: Net income $ 105.2 $ 84.4 Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax 0.5 0.3 Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities Depreciation and amortization 45.9 45.2 Stock-based compensation 26.1 8.0 Deferred tax (benefit) expense (3.0) 49.0 Other, net 1.6 2.5 Change in assets and liabilities, net of acquisitions Accounts receivable 8.3 (3.6) Other assets 14.2 (16.4) Accounts payable 1.3 (1.7) Accrued payroll (9.5) (3.0) Other liabilities 26.4 16.5 Net cash used in operating activities of discontinued operations (0.7) (0.4) Total adjustments 110.6 96.1 Net cash provided by operating activities 216.3 180.8 Cash flows from investing activities: Purchases of property and equipment (59.9) (41.2) Acquisitions of businesses, net of cash acquired (0.6) (16.4) Other, net (0.1) 8.5 Net cash used in investing activities (60.6) (49.1) Cash flows from financing activities: Borrowings on revolving credit facility 95.0 55.0 Payments on revolving credit facility (95.0) (122.0) Repurchases of common stock, including fees and expenses (18.1) Dividends paid on common stock (25.4) (22.2) Purchase of equity interests in consolidated affiliates (65.1) Proceeds from exercising stock warrants 26.6 Distributions paid to noncontrolling interests of consolidated affiliates (15.4) (11.5) Other, net (10.8) (14.1) Net cash used in financing activities (116.7) (106.3) Increase in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash 39.0 25.4 Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at beginning of period 116.8 101.4 Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at end of period $ 155.8 $ 126.8 Reconciliation of Cash, Cash Equivalents, and Restricted Cash Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period $ 54.4 $ 40.5 Restricted cash at beginning of period 62.4 60.9 Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at beginning of period $ 116.8 $ 101.4 Cash and cash equivalents at end of period $ 86.4 $ 61.2 Restricted cash at end of period 69.4 65.6 Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at end of period $ 155.8 $ 126.8 Encompass Health Corporation and Subsidiaries Supplemental Information Earnings Per Share Three Months Ended March 31, 2018 2017 (In Millions, Except Per Share Data) Adjusted EBITDA $ 223.3 $ 200.8 Depreciation and amortization (45.9) (45.2) Interest expense and amortization of debt discounts and fees (35.6) (41.3) Stock-based compensation expense (26.1) (8.0) Noncash (loss) gain on disposal of assets (0.8) 0.5 114.9 106.8 Certain items non-indicative of ongoing operating performance: Transaction costs (1.0) SARs mark-to-market impact on noncontrolling interests 1.0 Change in fair market value of equity securities (0.6) Pre-tax income 114.3 106.8 Income tax expense (30.0) (39.7) Income from continuing operations (1) $ 84.3 $ 67.1 Basic shares 97.8 88.8 Diluted shares 99.4 99.0 Basic earnings per share (1) $ 0.86 $ 0.75 Diluted earnings per share (1) $ 0.85 $ 0.70 (1) Income from continuing operations attributable to Encompass Health Encompass Health Corporation and Subsidiaries Supplemental Information Adjusted Earnings Per Share Q1 2018 2017 Earnings per share, as reported $ 0.85 $ 0.70 Adjustments, net of tax: Mark-to-market adjustments for stock appreciation rights 0.08 0.02 Transaction costs 0.01 Income tax adjustments (0.03) Adjusted earnings per share(1) $ 0.93 $ 0.70 (1) Adjusted EPS may not sum due to rounding. Encompass Health Corporation and Subsidiaries Supplemental Information Adjusted Earnings Per Share For the Three Months Ended March 31, 2018 Adjustments As Reported Mark-to- Market Adjustment for Stock Compensation Expense Income Tax Adjustments Transaction Costs Change in Fair Market Value of Equity Securities As Adjusted (In Millions, Except Per Share Amounts) Adjusted EBITDA(1) $ 223.3 $ $ $ $ $ 223.3 Depreciation and amortization (45.9) (45.9) Interest expense and amortization of debt discounts and fees (35.6) (35.6) Stock-based compensation (26.1) 11.6 (14.5) Loss on disposal of assets (0.8) (0.8) Transaction costs (1.0) 1.0 SARs mark-to-market impact on noncontrolling interests 1.0 (1.0) Change in fair market value of equity securities (0.6) 0.6 Income from continuing operations before income tax expense 114.3 10.6 1.0 0.6 126.5 Provision for income tax expense (30.0) (3.0) (0.2) (0.3) (0.2) (33.7) Income from continuing operations attributable to Encompass Health $ 84.3 $ 7.6 $ (0.2) $ 0.7 $ 0.4 $ 92.8 Add: Interest, amortization, and loss on extinguishment of convertible debt, net of tax Numerator for diluted earnings per share $ 84.3 $ 92.8 Diluted earnings per share from continuing operations(2) $ 0.85 $ 0.08 $ $ 0.01 $ $ 0.93 Diluted shares used in calculation 99.4 (1) See reconciliation of net income to Adjusted EBITDA (2) Adjusted EPS may not sum across due to rounding. Encompass Health Corporation and Subsidiaries Supplemental Information Adjusted Earnings Per Share For the Three Months Ended March 31, 2017 Adjustments As Reported Mark-to-Market Adjustment for Stock Appreciation Rights Income Tax Adjustments As Adjusted (In Millions, Except Per Share Amounts) Adjusted EBITDA(1) $ 200.8 $ $ $ 200.8 Depreciation and amortization (45.2) (45.2) Interest expense and amortization of debt discounts and fees (41.3) (41.3) Stock-based compensation (8.0) 3.3 (4.7) Gain on disposal of assets 0.5 0.5 Income from continuing operations before income tax expense 106.8 3.3 110.1 Provision for income tax expense (39.7) (1.3) (2.6) (43.6) Income from continuing operations attributable to Encompass Health $ 67.1 $ 2.0 $ (2.6) $ 66.5 Add: Interest on convertible debt, net of tax 2.5 2.5 Numerator for diluted earnings per share $ 69.6 $ 69.0 Diluted earnings per share from continuing operations(2) $ 0.70 $ 0.02 $ (0.03) $ 0.70 Diluted shares used in calculation 99.0 (1) See reconciliation of net income to Adjusted EBITDA (2) Adjusted EPS may not sum across due to rounding. Encompass Health Corporation and Subsidiaries Supplemental Information Reconciliation of Net Income to Adjusted EBITDA Three Months Ended March 31, 2018 2017 (In Millions) Net income $ 105.2 $ 84.4 Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax, attributable to Encompass Health 0.5 0.3 Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests (21.4) (17.6) Provision for income tax expense 30.0 39.7 Interest expense and amortization of debt discounts and fees 35.6 41.3 Depreciation and amortization 45.9 45.2 Net noncash loss (gain) on disposal of assets 0.8 (0.5) Stock-based compensation expense 26.1 8.0 Transaction costs 1.0 SARs mark-to-market impact on noncontrolling interests (1.0) Change in fair market value of equity securities 0.6 Adjusted EBITDA $ 223.3 $ 200.8 Reconciliation of Segment Adjusted EBITDA to Income from Continuing Operations Before Income Tax Expense Three Months Ended March 31, 2018 2017 (In Millions) Total segment Adjusted EBITDA $ 257.3 $ 229.3 General and administrative expenses (61.1) (36.5) Depreciation and amortization (45.9) (45.2) (Loss) gain on disposal of assets (0.8) 0.5 Interest expense and amortization of debt discounts and fees (35.6) (41.3) Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests 21.4 17.6 SARs mark-to-market impact on noncontrolling interests 1.0 Change in fair market value of equity securities (0.6) Income from continuing operations before income tax expense $ 135.7 $ 124.4 Encompass Health Corporation and Subsidiaries Supplemental Information Reconciliation of Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities to Adjusted EBITDA Three Months Ended March 31, 2018 2017 (In Millions) Net cash provided by operating activities $ 216.3 $ 180.8 Interest expense and amortization of debt discounts and fees 35.6 41.3 Equity in net income of nonconsolidated affiliates 2.3 2.1 Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests in continuing operations (21.4) (17.6) Amortization of debt-related items (1.0) (3.5) Distributions from nonconsolidated affiliates (1.2) (2.1) Current portion of income tax expense (benefit) 33.0 (9.3) Change in assets and liabilities (40.7) 8.2 Cash used in operating activities of discontinued operations 0.7 0.4 Transaction costs 1.0 SARs mark-to-market impact on noncontrolling interests (1.0) Change in fair market value of equity securities 0.6 Other (0.9) 0.5 Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA $ 223.3 $ 200.8 Encompass Health Corporation and Subsidiaries Supplemental Information Reconciliation of Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities to Adjusted Free Cash Flow Three Months Ended March 31, 2018 2017 (In Millions) Net cash provided by operating activities $ 216.3 $ 180.8 Impact of discontinued operations 0.7 0.4 Net cash provided by operating activities of continuing operations 217.0 181.2 Capital expenditures for maintenance (36.1) (22.2) Distributions paid to noncontrolling interests of consolidated affiliates (15.4) (11.5) Items non-indicative of ongoing operations: Transaction costs and related assumed liabilities 0.4 Cash paid for SARs exercise 4.3 Adjusted free cash flow $ 170.2 $ 147.5 For the three months ended March 31, 2018, net cash used in investing activities was $60.6 million and primarily resulted from capital expenditures. Net cash used in financing activities during the three months ended March 31, 2018 was $116.7 million and primarily resulted from purchasing one-third of the Rollover Shares held by members of the home health and hospice management team, cash dividends paid on common stock, and distributions paid to noncontrolling interests of consolidated affiliates. For the three months ended March 31, 2017, net cash used in investing activities was $49.1 million and resulted primarily from capital expenditures and acquisitions of businesses. Net cash used in financing activities during the three months ended March 31, 2017 was $106.3 million and resulted primarily from net debt payments, cash dividends paid on common stock, repurchases of common stock in the open market, and distributions paid to noncontrolling interests of consolidated affiliates offset by proceeds from the exercising of stock warrants. Encompass Health Corporation and Subsidiaries Forward-Looking Statements Statements contained in this press release which are not historical facts, such as those relating to financial guidance and assumptions, balance sheet and cash flow plans, and anticipated acquisitions, are forward-looking statements. In addition, Encompass Health, through its senior management, may from time to time make forward-looking public statements concerning the matters described herein. All such estimates, projections, and forward-looking information speak only as of the date hereof, and Encompass Health undertakes no duty to publicly update or revise such forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Such forward-looking statements are necessarily estimates based upon current information, involve a number of risks and uncertainties, and relate to, among other things, future events, Encompass Health's plan to repurchase its debt or equity securities, dividend strategies, effective income tax rates, its business strategy, its financial plans, its future financial performance, its projected business results or model, its ability to return value to shareholders, its projected capital expenditures, its leverage ratio, its acquisition opportunities, and the impact of future legislation or regulation. Actual events or results may differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of factors. While it is impossible to identify all such factors, factors which could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those estimated by Encompass Health include, but are not limited to, the price of Encompass Health's common stock as it affects the Company's willingness and ability to repurchase shares and the financial and accounting effects of any repurchases; any adverse outcome of various lawsuits, claims, and legal or regulatory proceedings involving Encompass Health, including its pending DOJ and HHS-OIG investigations and any matters related to yet undiscovered issues, if any, in acquired operations; Encompass Health's ability to attract and retain key management personnel; any adverse effects on Encompass Health's stock price resulting from the integration of acquired operations; potential disruptions, breaches, or other incidents affecting the proper operation, availability, or security of Encompass Health's information systems, including unauthorized access to or theft of patient, business associate, or other sensitive information or inability to provide patient care because of system unavailability as well as unforeseen issues, if any, related to integration of acquired systems; the ability to successfully integrate acquired operations, including realization of anticipated tax benefits, revenues, and cost savings, minimizing the negative impact on margins arising from changes in staffing and other operating practices, and avoidance of unforeseen exposure to liabilities; Encompass Health's ability to successfully complete and integrate de novo developments, acquisitions, investments, and joint ventures consistent with its growth strategy; increases in Medicare audit activity resulting in additional unpaid reimbursement claims and an increase in the backlog of appealed claims denials; changes, delays in (including in connection with resolution of Medicare payment reviews or appeals), or suspension of reimbursement for Encompass Health's services by governmental or private payors; changes in the regulation of the healthcare industry at either or both of the federal and state levels, including as part of national healthcare reform and deficit reduction (such as the home health groupings model and other payment system reforms); competitive pressures in the healthcare industry and Encompass Health's response thereto; Encompass Health's ability to obtain and retain favorable arrangements with third-party payors; Encompass Health's ability to control costs, particularly labor and employee benefit costs, including group medical expenses; adverse effects resulting from coverage determinations made by Medicare Administrative Contractors regarding its Medicare reimbursement claims and lengthening delays in Encompass Health's ability to recover improperly denied claims through the administrative appeals process on a timely basis; Encompass Health's ability to adapt to changes in the healthcare delivery system, including involvement in coordinated care initiatives or programs that may arise with its referral sources; Encompass Health's ability to attract and retain nurses, therapists, and other healthcare professionals in a highly competitive environment with often severe staffing shortages and the impact on Encompass Health's labor expenses from potential union activity and staffing shortages; general conditions in the economy and capital markets, including any instability or uncertainty related to armed conflict or an act of terrorism, governmental impasse over approval of the United States federal budget, an increase to the debt ceiling, or an international sovereign debt crisis; the increase in the costs of defending and insuring against alleged professional liability claims and Encompass Health's ability to predict the estimated costs related to such claims; the impact of the ongoing rebranding and name change initiative on existing operations, including the ability to maintain or grow patient referrals as well as the associated costs of rebranding; and other factors which may be identified from time to time in Encompass Health's SEC filings and other public announcements, including Encompass Health's Form 10K for the year ended December 31, 2017 and Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2018, when filed. Media Contact Casey Lassiter, 205 447-6410 [email protected] Investor Relations Contact Crissy Carlisle, 205 970-5860 [email protected] SOURCE Encompass Health Corporation Related Links http://www.encompasshealth.com Ms Doris Ho, President & Chief Executive Officer of Magsaysay Group of Companies was presented with the Seatrade Personality of the Year Award and Ms Katie Men, Managing Director of Iseaco Investment Pte Ltd was awarded the Seatrade Young Person of the Year. The Seatrade Lifetime Achievement of the Year Award was presented to Ms Tan Beng Tee, Assistant Chief Executive, Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), in recognition of her contribution in developing and promoting Singapore as an International Maritime Centre (IMC). "In line with the IMO's programme on the Integration of Women in the Maritime Sector, we are especially pleased to have three outstanding female executives winning major Awards this year. The Seatrade Maritime Awards Asia has the very important mission of recognising and honoring outstanding achievements by individuals and companies across the maritime industry," said Chris Hayman, Chairman, Seatrade UBM EMEA. Apart from these three individual award recipients, Mr Marcel Leidts, Chief Operating Officer, Anglo-Eastern Group Ltd was awarded the inaugural Dedication to the Maritime Industries Award. Winners from the 13 competitive award categories were also unveiled on the night of the presentation ceremony. The full list of the highly deserving Seatrade Maritime Awards Asia category winners can be found below: Categories Winners Education & Training Award Singapore Maritime Academy, Singapore Polytechnic Green Shipping Award Orient Overseas Container Line Ltd Technical Innovation Award ClassNK Corporate Social Responsibility Award Thome Group Safety Initiative Award Sembcorp Marine Ltd Ship Manager Award Fleet Management Ltd Ship Owner/Operator Award APL Ports & Terminals Award PSA Singapore (PSA Corporation Ltd) Maritime Law Award Allen & Gledhill LLP Ship Finance Award Stephenson Harwood Ship Repair & Innovation Award Keppel Shipyard Limited Fuel Efficiency Award The China Navigation Company Pte. Ltd Communications at Sea Award Singapore Telecommunications Limited Dedication to the Maritime Industries Award Marcel Liedts Seatrade Young Person of the Year Award Katie Men Seatrade Personality of the Year Award Doris Ho Seatrade Lifetime Achievement Award Tan Beng Tee For more information, please contact: Daphne Yuen Joelle Quah Phone Number: +65-6233-6754 Phone Number: +65-6233-6755 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] About UBM plc UBM plc is the largest pure-play B2B Events organiser in the world. In an increasingly digital world, the value of connecting on a meaningful, human level has never been more important. At UBM, our deep knowledge and passion for the industry sectors we serve allow us to create valuable experiences where people can succeed. At our events, people build relationships, close deals and grow their businesses. Our 3,750+ people, based in more than 20 countries, serve more than 50 different sectors from fashion to pharmaceutical ingredients. These global networks, skilled, passionate people and market-leading events provide exciting opportunities for business people to achieve their ambitions. For more information, go to www.ubm.com; for UBM corporate news, follow us on Twitter at @UBM ,UBM Plc LinkedIn Please visit www.ubm.com/global-reach/UBM-Asia for more information about our presence in Asia. About the Singapore Maritime Week 2018 (21st 27th April 2018) Seatrade Maritime Awards Asia is held in conjunction with the Singapore Maritime Week 2018 (SMW). SMW is the leading maritime event in Singapore driven by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore. SMW gathers the international maritime community in Singapore for a week of conferences, dialogues, exhibitions and social events in celebration of all things maritime. These events reflect the vibrancy and diversity of Singapore as a major international maritime centre. SOURCE Seatrade Communications Related Links http://www.sea-asia.com ARDMORE, Pa., April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board announced that winemaker Filippo Zardetto will host a special tasting and sign bottles of his family's prosecco at Fine Wine & Good Spirits Premium Collection in the Ardmore Plaza Shopping Center, 62 Greenfield Ave., Montgomery County, on Sunday, April 29, from noon to 2:00 PM. Filippo Zardetto comes from a long, proud, and accomplished line of winemakers. Filippo's great-great grandfathers were award-winning winemakers, and it was his grandfather who founded the Zardetto winery and began to produce prosecco back in 1969. In 1982, Filippo's father Fabio joined the company and now, 35 years later, Zardetto Prosecco, once only known in Milan, Bologna, and Rome, can be enjoyed in cities around the world. After graduating with honors from Venice Business School, Filippo became involved in marketing and sales at Zardetto. Filippo will offer samples of Zardetto Prosecco Brut ($14.99) to those 21 years of age and older. He will also sign pre-purchased bottles, answer customers' questions, and share stories, history, and interesting facts about his company. The PLCB regulates the distribution of beverage alcohol in Pennsylvania, operates more than 600 wine and spirits stores statewide, and licenses 20,000 alcohol producers, retailers, and handlers. The PLCB also works to reduce and prevent dangerous and underage drinking through partnerships with schools, community groups, and licensees. Taxes and store profits totaling $15.8 billion since the agency's inception are returned to Pennsylvania's General Fund, which finances Pennsylvania's schools, health and human services programs, law enforcement, and public safety initiatives, among other important public services. The PLCB also provides financial support for the Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement, the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs, other state agencies, and local municipalities across the state. For more information about the PLCB, visit www.lcb.pa.gov. MEDIA CONTACT: Shawn M. Kelly, 717.783.8864 SOURCE Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board Related Links http://www.lcb.pa.gov AKRON, Ohio, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) has named Samuel Pierre-Louis vice president, Information Technology, effective May 14, 2018. In this role, Pierre-Louis is responsible for the strategic planning and day-to-day management of FirstEnergy's information technology (IT) organization, including security, infrastructure, business system software and hardware, network engineering and operations. "With more than 20 years' experience in information technology services, strategic planning and organizational management, Sam is an excellent addition to FirstEnergy's IT leadership team," said Bennett Gaines, senior vice president, Corporate Services and chief information officer for FirstEnergy. "His knowledge of technology infrastructure and strong background in security will help ensure the company's information systems remain robust and secure." Pierre-Louis joins FirstEnergy from Providence St. Joseph Health in Irvine, Ca., where he was vice president, chief information security officer. He also has served as technology director and chief information security officer at University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center and as an information security consultant at IBM Internet Security Systems. Pierre-Louis holds Bachelor of Science degrees in mechanical engineering and materials science engineering from The University of Connecticut and a Masters of Business Administration in finance and information systems from The University of Texas at Dallas. He is currently pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in system and engineering management from Texas Tech University. FirstEnergy is dedicated to safety, reliability and operational excellence. Its 10 electric distribution companies form one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, serving customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and New York. The company's transmission subsidiaries operate more than 24,000 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. Visit FirstEnergy online at www.firstenergycorp.com and follow on Twitter @FirstEnergyCorp . Editor's Note: A photo of Pierre-Louis is available for download on Flickr. SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp. Related Links http://www.firstenergycorp.com "I am honored to be recognized by the Chamber of Commerce of the Palm Beaches, and I accept this honor on behalf of my entire family and our company's longstanding commitment to economic development and prosperity of our community," said Alfonso Fanjul, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Florida Crystals. "Palm Beach County is our home. West Palm Beach is our home base, where our headquarters are located. I'm proud to have built a business right here and to be a part of this wonderful business community." Alfonso Fanjul and his family founded Florida Crystals in 1960 as a sugarcane farming and milling company in western Palm Beach County. Over the last six decades, the Florida division of the company has grown to include two sugar mills, a sugar refinery, a rice mill, a packaging and distribution center and the largest biomass renewable power plant in North America. Florida Crystals also pioneered farming and milling of organic sugar in the United States and continues to be the only producer of organic cane sugar products 100 percent made in the U.S. grown and milled in Florida. In addition to providing good jobs and economic activity, Alfonso Fanjul takes pride in Florida Crystals' steadfast commitment to the environment. As stewards of the land, Florida Crystals farms using the most advanced and sustainable techniques, including Precision Agriculture and Best Management Practices, to grow more food to feed the rising global population, while offering the highest-quality care for the environment. During his acceptance Wednesday, Alfonso Fanjul said, "As a lifetime farmer, I can tell you that farming is only as good as the land and resources you have, and what you have, you must protect. Air, land and water. Any farmer would tell you that. Our commitment to our land and environment could not be stronger." About Florida Crystals Corporation Florida Crystals Corporation is a fully integrated cane sugar company, guiding its sugar from the farm to the table. Florida Crystals farms 190,000 acres in Palm Beach County, Florida, where it also owns two sugar mills, a sugar refinery, a packaging and distribution center, a rice mill and the largest renewable power plant in North America. Its renewable energy facility delivers clean power to its sugar operations. Florida Crystals is the only producer of certified organic sugar grown and harvested in the United States. Its subsidiary, ASR Group, which is owned in partnership with Sugar Cane Growers Cooperative of Florida, is the world's largest cane sugar refining company, with cane sugar refineries in Louisiana, California, New York, Maryland, Canada, Mexico, England, Italy and Portugal. Its products are marketed through its brand portfolio: Domino, C&H, Redpath, Tate & Lyle, Sidul and Florida Crystals. Through its FCI Residential Corporation subsidiary, Florida Crystals develops, constructs and manages luxury apartment homes and extraordinary communities in urban and in-fill areas. The company currently has more than 4,500 units in the development throughout Florida. Florida Crystals is headquartered in West Palm Beach, Florida. Media Contact : rbb Communications Sloane Fistel 305-249-1171 [email protected] SOURCE Florida Crystals Corporation NEW YORK, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Rose & Company announced today that Blair Mutschler has joined the firm as Managing Director in the New York office. Mr. Mutschler joins Rose & Company from Barclays, where he served as Head of the Global Equity Sales Desk. He held broad responsibilities at Barclays, including building and managing a sales team that delivered the firm's platform and marketed corporate issuers to institutional investors globally. Prior to joining Barclays in 2009, Mr. Mutschler worked in the institutional Equity Research Sales group at Morgan Stanley for 10 years. At Morgan Stanley, he managed institutional relationships with mutual fund and hedge fund investors and created sales products to better leverage the firm's global resources for its client base. "Blair is an important addition to our growing team," said Simon Rose, Chief Executive Officer of Rose & Company. "He brings to the firm an intimate knowledge of the rapidly evolving equity sell-side and buy-side ecosystem developed over two decades at bulge-bracket institutions. His global perspective, strong industry relationships, and deep understanding of the capital markets will be tremendous assets to our firm and our clients." Mr. Mutschler commented: "I am pleased to join a growing firm with a unique and thoughtful approach to delivering value-added services to high-quality corporate issuers. The experience of the firm's principals combined with the breadth of its service offering will greatly benefit companies as they navigate evolving and increasingly complex capital markets." About Rose & Company Rose & Company is a strategic advisory firm dedicated to helping clients successfully navigate the global capital markets. We work with our clients to evaluate, define and execute strategies to enhance their presence in increasingly globalized and complex capital markets. For more information, please visit www.roseandco.com. SOURCE Rose & Company Related Links http://www.rosecoglobal.com WASHINGTON, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Harris Faulkner, anchor of Fox News Channel's Outnumbered Overtime with Harris Faulkner and co-host of the network's talk show Outnumbered, will share her new book 9 Rules of Engagement: A Military Brat's Guide to Life and Success at a National Press Club Headliners Book Event on Thursday, June 14 at 6:30 p.m. in the club's conference rooms. Faulkner's story centers on the military ideals instilled in her by her father, a decorated career officer who served three tours of duty in Vietnam, and how her military upbringing shaped and prepared her for life's challenges. Faulkner supplements her own story by conducting original interviews with other current and former military families to illustrate how the mission and values of the military can have a tremendous impact on soldiers and civilians alike. This event will feature a discussion with the author, an audience question-and-answer session, and a book signing. Tickets are $5 for National Press Club members and $10 for the general public. When purchasing tickets for this event online, buyers will also have the option of purchasing copies of the book at check-out. To purchase tickets and copies of the book, please click here. Books will also be available for purchase at the event. Proceeds from book sales will benefit the non-profit affiliate of the Club, the National Press Club Journalism Institute, so we kindly ask that you leave all outside books and memorabilia at home. Contact: Lindsay Underwood, [email protected], (202) 662-7561 SOURCE National Press Club Related Links https://www.press.org/ LAS VEGAS, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Immaculee Ilibagiza regarded as one of the world's leading speakers on faith, hope and forgiveness will share her powerful story with attendees at the MGM Resorts Foundation's 12th annual Women's Leadership Conference (WLC). The conference will be held Aug. 27 & 28 at MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, NV. "Every day in my life, I strive to pass on the many lessons I have learned through the most difficult times," Ilibagiza said. "I am humbled to have the opportunity to share my story with the attendees of the Women's Leadership Conference." Dawn Christensen, conference organizer and Executive Director of National Diversity Relations for MGM Resorts International, said of Ilibagiza: "Her story of survival and resilience serves as an example for all people. We are all going through something, and her willingness to share her story will give our attendees hope when it comes to their own personal battles. We are honored to have her presence at WLC 2018 and there's no doubt she will leave an indelible mark on our attendees." Ilibagiza was born and raised in a small village in Rwanda, Africa. In 1994, while she was home from college on Easter break, the Rwandan President's plane was shot down, sparking months of massacres throughout the country. To protect his only daughter from rape and murder, Ilibagiza's father told her to run to a local pastor's house for protection. She and seven other women hid in a 3 x 4 ft. bathroom for three months. During that time, Ilibagiza taught herself English using only a bible and a dictionary. After 91 days, Ilibagiza emerged from the small bathroom weighing just 65 pounds. She discovered that, except for one brother who was studying abroad, her entire family had been brutally murdered. Nearly one million fellow Rwandans including her extended family, friends and neighbors had been massacred during those three months. After the genocide, Ilibagiza came face-to-face with the man who killed her mother and one of her brothers. She was able to offer the unthinkable, telling the man, "I forgive you." In 1998, she emigrated from Rwanda to the United States where she continued her work for peace through the United Nations. During that time, she shared her story with co-workers and friends who were so impacted by her testimony they insisted she write it down. Three days after finishing her manuscript, she met best-selling author Dr. Wayne W. Dyer, who, within minutes of meeting her, offered to publish her book. Ilibagiza's first book, Left to Tell; Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust (Hay House) was released in March of 2006. Left to Tell quickly became a New York Times Best Seller. To date, it has been translated into seventeen languages and has sold over two million copies. Ilibagiza's story has also been made into a documentary entitled The Diary of Immaculee. She has appeared on 60 Minutes, The CBS Early Show, CNN, EWTN, CBS Evening News, The Aljazeera Network as well as in The New York Times, USA Today, Newsday, and many other domestic and international publications. She was recently featured in Michael Collopy's Architects of Peace project, which has honored legendary people like Mother Teresa, Jimmy Carter, Nelson Mandela and the Dalai Lama. Ilibagiza has received honorary doctoral degrees from the University of Notre Dame, Saint John's University, Seton Hall University, Siena College, Walsh University and the Catholic University of America. She has been recognized and honored with numerous humanitarian awards including The Mahatma Gandhi International Award for Reconciliation and Peace, the American Legacy's Women of Strength & Courage Award and the 2015 National Speaker's Association's Master of Influence Award. Left to Tell has received a Christopher Award "affirming the highest values of human spirit," and part of the curriculum for dozens of high schools and universities, including Villanova University, which selected it for their "One Book Program," making Left to Tell mandatory reading for its 6,000 students. Ilibagiza has written six additional books in recent years - Led by Faith: Rising from the Ashes of the Rwandan Genocide, Our Lady of Kibeho, If Only We Had Listened, Visit from Heaven, and The Boy Who Met Jesus, and The Rosary. A major motion picture about her story is under production with an international release in theaters in 2019. Conference background: The 2018 Women's Leadership Conference theme is "Women Inspiring Women." Early registration pricing of $399 runs through April 27; after that, the cost will increase to $499. Registration includes the two-day conference and all workshops and lectures, a networking reception, and continental breakfasts and lunches catered by MGM Grand Hotel & Casino. Time is also allotted for attendees to build key professional relationships with others. The mission of the WLC is to provide women, and men who attend, the developmental tools they need to continuously advance their lives and careers. Through WLC, women from all walks of life are offered a variety of ways to impact their personal and professional lives, including networking opportunities, educational workshops and exposure to other women who can serve as role models, heroes or mentors. The conference will offer a wide range of learning opportunities, career guidance and personal growth tools, including: Exposure to diverse and nationally recognized speakers and accomplished women role models. Two days of career-oriented workshops that will give women hands-on opportunities to develop skills based on their career needs. Three distinct learning tracks: Emerging Leaders, Emerging Executives and Executives. Workshops for entrepreneurs who are well-established or just thinking of starting their own businesses. The conference is open to women of all ethnicities, professions and social backgrounds, locally and nationally, and men who support them. The MGM Resorts Foundation is the conference's presenting sponsor. Each year, proceeds from the conference after costs, are donated to one or more local nonprofit agencies devoted to the welfare and development of women and children. Participating sponsorships are available to organizations or companies who share the vision and goals of this conference. For more information about WLC, please visit mgmresortsfoundation.org/WLC. About the MGM Resorts Foundation The purpose of The MGM Resorts Foundation is to collect and distribute monies and assets donated by employees of MGM Resorts (NYSE: MGM) for the aid and support of qualified community nonprofit programs, agencies or organizations designated exclusively by MGM Resorts' employees. In addition, the Foundation collects and distributes donations to the Foundation by third-party non-employees to support charitable, scientific, literary, and educational activities approved by the Foundation's Board of Directors and organized by MGM Resorts employees to benefit qualified non-profit charitable organizations designated by the Foundation's Board. SOURCE MGM Resorts Foundation Related Links http://www.mgmresortsfoundation.org NASHVILLE, Tenn., April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Gibson Brands Inc. ("Gibson") today called a statement by Tronical GmbH that it may seek $50 million from Gibson in Germany for its alleged breach of an "exclusive research and development agreement with Tronical" a public relations stunt. The company said that it believed the statement by Tronical and its CEO, Chris Adams is an attempt to hide the fact that Tronical and Mr. Adams were sued last year by Gibson, alleging that they currently owe Gibson several millions of dollars in damages. The lawsuit, which details the allegations, is case 3:17-cv-01542, and is currently pending in U.S. District Court for Middle District of Tennessee. Over the course of several years, Gibson provided Tronical and CEO Chris Adams with more than $13.5 million dollars in funding to create and develop auto tuners exclusively for Gibson. Despite the millions that Gibson previously paid Tronical and Mr. Adams, they have been unwilling or unable to account for the monies provided by Gibson, have failed to fulfill agreed-upon orders for products, and have failed to return money that was prepayment for goods never delivered. In December of last year, Gibson sued Mr. Adams and his companies in the United States for fraud, breach of contract, and unfair and deceptive business practices. Instead of supplying the product or returning Gibson's money, Tronical retaliated by filing its own lawsuit in Germany and is attempting to avoid appearing in the United States to address the merits of Gibson's lawsuit. Now, in its press release, Tronical claims damages that are unsubstantiated by any court filings in either Germany or the United States. Gibson is confident it will ultimately prevail in its lawsuit against Tronical and Mr. Adams. Gibson believes that Tronical's claims are without merit and intends to vigorously defend against such claims as well as continue to pursue the Company's significant claims against the Tronical entities and Mr. Adams in the U.S. litigation. ABOUT GIBSON Gibson Brands, one the fastest-growing companies in the music and sound industries, was founded in 1894 and is headquartered in Nashville, TN. Gibson Brands is a global leader in musical instruments, and consumer and professional audio, and is dedicated to bringing the finest experiences by offering exceptional products with world-recognized brands. Gibson has a portfolio of over 100 well-recognized brand names starting with the number one guitar brand, Gibson. Other brands include: Epiphone, Dobro, Valley Arts, Kramer, Steinberger, Tobias, Slingerland, Maestro, Baldwin, Hamilton, Chickering and Wurlitzer. Audio brands include: KRK Systems, TASCAM, Cerwin-Vega, Stanton, Integra, TEAC, TASCAM Professional Software, and Esoteric. All Gibson Brands are dedicated to innovation, prestige and improving the quality of life of our customers. SOURCE Gibson Brands Inc. SAN DIEGO, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Shareholder rights law firm Johnson Fistel, LLP has launched an investigation into whether the board members of Globalstar, Inc. (NYSE: GSAT) ("Globalstar") breached their fiduciary duties in connection with the proposed sale of the Company to Thermo Acquisitions, Inc. ("Thermo Acquisitions"). Globalstar provides mobile satellite voice and data services worldwide. On April 25, 2018, Globalstar announced that it had signed a definitive merger agreement with Thermo Acquisitions. Under the terms of the agreement, the following assets will be combined with Globalstar: metro fiber provider FiberLight, LLC, 15.5 million shares of CenturyLink, Inc. common stock) and $100 million of cash and minority investments in complementary businesses and assets of $25 million in exchange for Globalstar. Thermo Acquisition, Inc. is controlled by Jay Monroe, Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer of Globalstar. At closing, the parent company will be renamed Thermo Companies, Inc. The investigation concerns whether the Globalstar board failed to satisfy its duties to the Company shareholders, including whether the board adequately pursued alternatives to the merger If you are a shareholder of Globalstar and believe (1) the merger benefits management more than the shareholders, and (2) you're interested in learning more about the investigation or your legal rights and remedies, please contact lead analyst Jim Baker ( [email protected] ) at 619-814-4471. If emailing, please include a phone number. About Johnson Fistel, LLP: Johnson Fistel, LLP is a nationally recognized shareholder rights law firm with offices in California, New York and Georgia. The firm represents individual and institutional investors in shareholder derivative and securities class action lawsuits. For more information about the firm and its attorneys, please visit http://www.johnsonfistel.com . Attorney advertising. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Contact: Johnson Fistel, LLP Jim Baker, 619-814-4471 [email protected] SOURCE Johnson Fistel, LLP Related Links http://www.johnsonfistel.com DETROIT, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- General Motors Co. (NYSE: GM) today announced first-quarter 2018 results reflecting profitability in all operating segments and record earnings in China and from GM Financial. Income from continuing operations was impacted by a $0.9 billion special charge related to Korea restructuring. Income from continuing operations and EBIT-adjusted reflect the impact of planned production downtime in preparation for the company's all-new full-size Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra truck launches later this year. First-quarter 2018 results: EPS-diluted of $0.77 and EPS-diluted-adjusted of $1.43 and EPS-diluted-adjusted of Revenue of $36.1 billion GM North America EBIT-adjusted of $2.2 billion and margin of 8.0 percent and margin of 8.0 percent GM North America is on track to sustain 10 percent full-year margin is on track to sustain 10 percent full-year margin GM International EBIT-adjusted of $0.2 billion , includes record equity income in China of $0.6 billion , includes record equity income in of GM Financial EBT-adjusted of $0.4 billion , nearly double year over year For complete details and to see reconciliations of non-GAAP measures to their most directly comparable GAAP measures, click here to download the full press release, or visit the GM Investor Relations website. Investor analyst conference call GM Chairman and CEO Mary Barra and Executive Vice President and CFO Chuck Stevens will host a conference call for investor analysts at 9:30 a.m. EDT today to discuss first-quarter business results. The call will include introductory remarks followed by a question and answer session for analysts. Journalists who wish to listen to the call may dial in using the following numbers: United States: 1-888-808-8618 International: +1-949-484-0645 Name of Call: GM Earnings Call General Motors Co. (NYSE:GM) has leadership positions in the world's largest and fastest-growing automotive markets. GM, its subsidiaries and joint venture entities sell vehicles under the Chevrolet, Cadillac, Baojun, Buick, GMC, Holden, Jiefang and Wuling brands. More information on the company and its subsidiaries, including OnStar, a global leader in vehicle safety, security and information services, can be found at http://www.gm.com. SOURCE General Motors Co. Related Links http://www.gm.com Prior to North American Bancard, Rowe held C-level positions at Great Lakes Business Credit, Key Bank, First National Bank of Colorado, PMFCU, Arvest Bank and others. He started in commercial banking after earning his degree in Economics at the University of Michigan and soon followed with an MBA in Finance from the University of Detroit. Through his tenure, he has been known to be innovative and never settling for status quo for his clients and teams. "Rhett is a well-regarded leader with 25-plus years of experience propelling sales and growth in B2B and B2C lending across several dimensions," said Steve Brown, President & Chief Strategy Officer, GMA. "It's an exciting time at GMA as we go through a period of rapid growth to broaden our suite of financing products. We are thrilled to have him join the team to help us scale the businesses globally as we harness the combined powers of programmatic and machine learning to deliver significant lifts in specialty finance delivery performance and ROI." "The move to apply the full depth of my lending skills and experiences to broaden GMA's product line is awesome -- no one will be doing it more successfully than GMA," said Rowe. "I'm honored to be leading the sales teams hereforging new partnerships to ensure ongoing growth for the company and the platforms at-large." In addition to his position at GMA, Rowe is active in ACG, TMA, CFA/IFA as well as RMA chapters. Rowe will continue as president of Milford Presbyterian Church and chairman of the Howell Nature Center. About GMA GMA is transforming the way the world experiences financial services. We meet consumer and small business owners with attractive financing solutions: Factoring Merchant Cash Advance Hard Money Real Estate Asset Based Lending (ABL) A subsidiary, CoreFund Capital, is purpose-built to effectively deliver invoice factoring within the Transportation vertical, and soon to include Energy, Staffing and General industry types. GMA is trusted by thousands of companies. SOURCE GMA Fund Related Links http://www.gmafundingsolutions.com SAO PAULO, April 25, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- GOL Linhas Aereas Inteligentes S.A. ("GLAI") (NYSE: GOL and B3: GOLL4), Brazil's #1 airline, announces its 1Q18 earnings release schedule. 1Q18 Earnings release May 9, 2018 (before trading hours). The release will be available on our website www.voegol.com.br/ir. Quiet period In accordance with fair disclosure and corporate governance best practices, GOL begins its quiet period, and will end immediately after the earnings call on May 9. Conference Calls: English Portuguese May 9, 2018 May 9, 2018 11:00 a.m. (US EDT) 12:30 p.m. (US EDT) 12:00 p.m. (Brasilia time) 1:30 p.m. (Brasilia time) Phone: +1 (412) 317-5453 Phone: +55 (11) 3193-1001 +55 (11) 2820-4001 Code: GOL Code: GOL Replay phone: +1 (412) 317-0088 Replay phone: +55 (11) 3193-1012 Replay code: 10119227 Replay code: 223821# Webcast: click here Webcast: click here Participants are requested to connect ten minutes prior to the time set for the conference calls. Slides and webcast: A slide presentation will be available for viewing and downloading in our website www.voegol.com.br/ir and MZiQ platform (www.mziq.com). The conference calls will be live broadcast over the internet on the same website, remaining available after the event. Replay: A conference call replay facility will be available for 7 days. CONTACT Investor Relations [email protected] www.voegol.com.br/ir +55(11) 2128-4700 About GOL Linhas Aereas Inteligentes S.A. Brazil's largest airline group. GOL is Brazil's largest airline, carrying 33 million passengers annually on more than 700 daily flights to 66 destinations, 55 in Brazil and 11 in South America and the Caribbean, on a fleet of 120 Boeing 737 aircraft, with a further 120 Boeing 737 MAX on order. GOLLOG is a leading cargo transportation and logistics business serving more than 2,400 Brazilian municipalities and, through partners, 205 international destinations in 95 countries. SMILES is one of the largest coalition loyalty programs in Latin America, with over 13 million registered participants, allowing clients to accumulate miles and redeem tickets for more than 700 locations worldwide. GOL has a team of more than 15,000 highly skilled aviation professionals delivering Brazil's top on-time performance, and an industry leading 17 year safety record. GOL's shares are traded on the NYSE (GOL) and the B3 (GOLL4). For further information, visit www.voegol.com.br/ir. SOURCE GOL Linhas Aereas Inteligentes S.A. Related Links http://www.voegol.com.br/ir Part of the royal vision and strategy to modernize the public security services and enhance their efficiency, King Mohammed VI inaugurated Tuesday a new Specialized Training Institute housed under La Direction Generale de la Surveillance du Territoire (DGST), a counter-intelligence agency. The Specialized Training Institute, set up part of the development of the intelligence training system, is an integrated security complex, built over 35,000 square meters. It feature a conference hall, 12 classrooms, a foreign languages teaching laboratory, a library, in addition to infrastructure for trainers and administrative staff, housing accommodations, and leisure facilities. The complex also has an armory that meets the required standards for sensitive security buildings, an ammunition warehouse, a shooting range, and a jumping course for the exercises and endurance training. Part of Moroccos unfailing commitment to South-South cooperation, the institute reserves a residence wing for nationals of sisterly and friendly countries, particularly African countries, who are welcome to benefit from the advanced training in intelligence matters dispensed by the institute. During the visit to the headquarters of the DGST, the Monarch heard explanations on the new infrastructures set up in line with the royal vision to modernize the public security service and consolidate the principles of the new security governance, including the Central Office of Judicial Investigations (BCIJ). The BCIJ, which enjoys national territorial jurisdiction, deals exclusively with the crimes and cases provided for in Article 108 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, such as terrorism and crimes against state security, criminal networks, assassination and poisoning, kidnapping and hostage taking and drug, psychotropic substances and weapons trafficking. The monarch also inquired about the units of the Rapid Response Task Force and reviewed the equipment, vehicles, and logistics used in security operations to foil the dangers of terrorist threats and other forms of organized crime, including cross-border crime. He was also briefed about the activities of the central directorates of operations, particularly those responsible for combating extremism, terrorism and the various forms of organized crime. He heard explanations on the work methodologies and investigation techniques, which make it possible to establish peace in its broadest conception, to anticipate the dangers and to face the challenges, which threaten the security of the Kingdom and the citizens. During the visit, King Mohammed VI expressed thanks to the DGST members for the tireless efforts and considerable sacrifices made by the members of this security institution, to guarantee citizens peace and security, to protect their property and to preserve peace, stability and public safety. The King also commended the spirit of mobilization, vigilance, and resolve shown by the DGST members in order to anticipate and defeat all terrorist and criminal conspiracies against the country. The monarchs visit translated his resolve to provide the security body with all necessary means to fulfill its national and professional mission. VANCOUVER, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ - GoldMining Inc. (the "Company" or "GoldMining") (TSX-V: GOLD;OTCQX: GLDLF) is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement (the "Agreement") with an arm's length vendor (the "Vendor") to indirectly acquire the Narrow Lake property ("Narrow Lake" or the "Property"). The Property includes the N1 and N2 claims, which cover a total area of 618 hectares and are contiguous with the southern boundary of the Company's Nicholas Lake-Ormsby property, one of the four properties that comprise the Yellowknife Gold Project ("YGP"). With this latest acquisition, the YGP will have an expanded total area of 12,120 hectares upon closing. The YGP has been the subject of substantial drilling, underground development, metallurgical testwork and historic gold production from the high-grade Discovery Mine, which the Company acquired in July 2017. Agreement Pursuant to the Agreement, GoldMining will pay $50,000 cash and issue $38,000 in common shares of GoldMining ("GOLD Shares") on closing and an additional $100,000 in cash or GOLD Shares, at the Company's discretion, on the first anniversary of the closing date, in consideration for the Property. The number of GOLD Shares issuable shall be based on the volume-weighted average price of GOLD Shares on the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSX-V") for the ten trading days immediately prior to the date of such payment. GoldMining granted the Vendor a 1% net smelter royalty with respect to the N1 and N2 claims upon commercial production. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including, among other things, receipt of requisite approvals. The parties currently expect closing to occur by the end of May 2018. Narrow Lake Narrow Lake was part of the Morris Lake Project that was explored by Viking Gold Exploration Inc. from 2009 to 2010. Exploration programs included geological mapping, rock and lake sediment geochemistry, geophysics (ground magnetic and electromagnetic surveys) and shallow diamond drilling (2,539 metres in 12 holes), which identified several conductors on strike with the Ormsby gold deposit. The Property has potential for both, bulk mineable gold mineralization as outlined at the Ormsby deposit, located approximately 300 metres to the northeast, and high-grade gold mineralization, as mined from underground at the Discovery Mine located 3 kilometres to the northeast. The Ormsby deposit was the focus of extensive exploration by previous operators, including surface and underground drilling (120,760 metres), underground development (1,579 metres), bulk sampling and metallurgical testwork. The Discovery Mine was in operation from 1949 to 1968 with estimated production of one million ounces of gold. Reference to historical production at the Discovery Mine is for informational purposes only and is not indicative of the Companys potential future results at the YGP. Future exploration programs would be designed to examine the potential for these styles of mineralization on the YGP and at Narrow Lake. Shares for Debt The Company has, through a subsidiary, entered into a debt settlement agreement and will issue 34,188 GOLD Shares in satisfaction of $40,000 of debt owed by the subsidiary to an arm's length creditor, at a deemed price of $1.17 per GOLD Share. Such GOLD Shares will be subject to a four month and one day hold period from the date of issuance. The transaction will be completed on or about the date hereof upon receipt of TSX-V approval. Qualified Person Paulo Pereira, President of GoldMining Inc. has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this news release. Mr. Pereira holds a Bachelors degree in Geology from Universidade do Amazonas in Brazil, is a Qualified Person as defined in National Instrument 43-101 and is a member of the Association of Professional Geoscientists of Ontario. About GoldMining Inc. GoldMining is a public mineral exploration company focused on the acquisition and development of gold assets in the Americas. Through its disciplined acquisition strategy, GoldMining now controls a diversified portfolio of resource-stage gold and gold-copper projects in Canada, U.S.A., Brazil, Colombia and Peru. Additionally, GoldMining owns a 75% interest in the Rea Uranium Project, located in the Western Athabasca Basin of Alberta, Canada. Forward-looking Statements This document contains certain forward-looking statements that reflect the current views and/or expectations of GoldMining with respect to its business and future events, including expectations and future plans respecting the completion of the acquisition of the Property and its projects. Forward-looking statements are based on the then-current expectations, beliefs, assumptions, estimates and forecasts about the business and the markets in which GoldMining operates, including that the acquisition of the Property will complete as contemplated and that the conditions under the Agreement will be satisfied. Investors are cautioned that all forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including: that the parties may not satisfy all of the conditions under the Agreement, the inherent risks involved in the exploration and development of mineral properties, the uncertainties involved in interpreting drill results and other exploration data, the potential for delays in exploration or development activities, the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits, the possibility that future exploration, development or mining results will not be consistent with GoldMinings expectations, accidents, equipment breakdowns, title and permitting matters, labour disputes or other unanticipated difficulties with or interruptions in operations, fluctuating metal prices, unanticipated costs and expenses, uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of financing needed in the future, including to fund any exploration programs on its projects, and that GoldMining may not be able to confirm historical exploration results. These risks, as well as others, including those set forth in GoldMinings filings with Canadian securities regulators, could cause actual results and events to vary significantly. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and information. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information, or the material factors or assumptions used to develop such forward looking information, will prove to be accurate. GoldMining does not undertake any obligations to release publicly any revisions for updating any voluntary forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable securities law. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange, nor its Regulation Services Providers (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. SOURCE GoldMining Inc. Related Links www.goldmining.com (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/682910/European_Business_Awards.jpg ) The 11 businesses were chosen by a panel of independent judges, including senior businesses and academic leaders as the best in the Awards' categories, and they will now go on to represent their country in the final stage of the competition. At the event, business leaders came together to celebrate and network with their peers after being successfully named as 'Ones to Watch' in a list of business excellence published in December last year, all hoping to be named National Winners. The National Winners are: Company Category Socialab The Award for Innovation EpsilonNet The Digital Technology Award ELVIAL The ELITE Award for Growth Strategy of the Year The Germany Trade & Invest Award for IKTINOS HELLAS SA International Expansion The Business of the Year Award with Turnover of Koukakis Farm S.A. EUR0-25m The Business of the Year Award with Turnover of medbest EUR26-150m The Business of the Year Award with Turnover of Attica the department store EUR150m or higher REZOS BRANDS S.A. The Customer and Market Engagement Award Owiwi Private Company The New Business of The Year Award The Social Responsibility and Environmental AB Vasilopoulos Awareness Award AKROLITHOS The Workplace and People Development Award British Ambassador, Kate Smith CMG said: "We were delighted to host the European Business Awards Event at the British Residence, with guest speaker Kyriakos Mitsotakis. It was a great opportunity to celebrate some of Europe's most innovative, successful, responsible and extrovert companies - who also happen to be Greek - and to emphasise the strong business links between our two countries." RSM firms provide audit, tax and consulting services to clients across the globe. Within Europe, RSM firms have experts in 43 countries who work as an integrated team, sharing skills, insight and resources, as well as a client-centric approach that's based on a deep understanding of clients' businesses. Mr Athos Stylianou, Managing Partner, RSM Greece said: "The fact that 11 Greek companies are National Winners this year in such an esteemed competition, demonstrates the high level of Greek entrepreneurship and for this we are very happy and proud. "For a rather small country like ours, to have 11 National Winners across the whole of Europe is without a doubt a significant success. Greece is amongst very few countries which have more than 10 winners and we have the same number of winners as Germany, France and Sweden. Best of luck to all National Winners and Congratulations for coming this far!" The National Winners will face further judging in their chosen category, and the final category winners will be announced at the European Business Awards Gala Final in Warsaw, Poland on 23 May 2018. Separately companies in the competition are also competing in a public vote to be named 'European Public Champion' at the Gala Final. The public vote is open and reaches people from across the globe. Last year the public vote generated almost 250,000 votes. To view the videos and vote for your favourite company please go to: http://www.businessawardseurope.com The European Business Awards is now in its 11th year and its primary purpose is to support the development of a stronger and more successful business community throughout Europe. Last year it engaged with over 33,000 businesses from 34 countries. Sponsors and partners include RSM, ELITE, Germany Trade & Invest and PR Newswire. About the European Business Awards: The European Business Awards' primary purpose is to support the development of a stronger and more successful business community throughout Europe. The European Business Awards programme serves the European business community in three ways: It celebrates and endorses individuals' and organisations' success It provides and promotes examples of excellence for the business community to aspire to It engages with the European business community to create debate on key issues The European Business Awards is now in its 11th year. Last year it engaged with over 33,000 businesses from 34 countries. Sponsors and partners include RSM, ELITE, Germany Trade & Invest, PR Newswire, Bureau Van Dijk, SDL Managed Translation. http://www.businessawardseurope.com. Twitter: @rsmEBA Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/businessawardseurope LinkedIn: the company page "The European Business Awards" About RSM: RSM is the sixth largest network of independent audit, tax and consulting firms, encompassing over 120 countries, 800 offices and more than 43,000 people internationally. The network's total fee income is US$5.1 billion. As an integrated team, we share skills, insight and resources, as well as a client-centric approach that's based on a deep understanding of our clients' businesses. This is how we empower them to move forward with confidence and realise their full potential. RSM is a member of the Forum of Firms, with the shared objective to promote consistent and high quality standards of financial and auditing practices worldwide. RSM is the brand used by a network of independent accounting and advisory firms each of which practices in its own right. RSM International Limited does not itself provide any accounting and advisory services. Member firms are driven by a common vision of providing high quality professional services, both in their domestic markets and in serving the international professional service needs of their client base. http://www.rsm.global About ELITE: ELITE is a full-service programme designed to share best practice and increase growth opportunities for fast growing companies, with a focus on understanding the capital markets. ELITE is an innovative programme based on exclusive training and a tutorship model, supported by access to the business and financial community. Its aim is to prepare companies for their next stage of growth and investment. For further information on the programme, companies and the full list of partners, please go to: http://www.elite-growth.com About PR Newswire: PR Newswire is the leading global provider of PR and corporate communications tools that enable clients to distribute news and rich content. We distribute our client's content across traditional, digital and social media channels in real time with fully actionable reporting and monitoring. Combining the world's largest multi-channel, multi-cultural content distribution and optimisation network with comprehensive workflow tools and platforms, PR Newswire enables the world's enterprises to engage opportunity everywhere it exists. PR Newswire serves tens of thousands of clients from offices in Europe, Middle East, Africa, the Americas and the Asia-Pacific region. For more information on PR Newswire please visit http://www.prnewswire.co.uk About Germany Trade & Invest: Germany Trade & Invest is the economic development agency of the Federal Republic of Germany. The company helps create and secure extra employment opportunities, strengthening Germany as a business location. With more than 50 offices in Germany and abroad and its network of partners throughout the world, Germany Trade & Invest supports German companies setting up in foreign markets, promotes Germany as a business location and assists foreign companies setting up in Germany. Other partners and sponsors: Bureau Van Dijk: Bureau Van Dijk is a Moody's Analytics company which captures and treats private company information for better decision-making and increased efficiency. With information on over 275 million companies in all countries worldwide it is the resource for private company data. Certainty is a highly-prized commodity in business and BVD provides its customers with the best quality data available. Register for a free trial at http://www.bvdinfo.com SDL Managed Translation: SDL is the global innovator in language translation technology, services and content management. For the past 25 years, SDL has created transformative business results through nuanced digital experiences with customers around the world. For more information about language services and technology, or with help going global quickly and efficiently, please email [email protected] or visit http://www.sdl.com/managed-translation Founder Patrons: The four Founder Patrons are AirX, Megazyme, Alpha Trains Group and Remedica; all members of the European Business Awards community. These successful businesses are gleaming examples of the Awards' core values: Success, Innovation and Ethics. Through patronage, they help to foster and create more successful companies and business communities in Europe. For more information about the founder patrons please visit https://www.businessawardseurope.com/patrons SOURCE European Business Awards and RSM EDISON, N.J., April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Hackensack Meridian Health is proud to announce that Co-CEO Robert C. Garrett, Andrew Pecora, M.D., president of Physician Enterprise and chief innovations officer and Bonita Stanton, M.D. founding dean of the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine at Seton Hall University, will be featured panelists at the prestigious Fourth International Vatican Conference, Unite to Cure: A Global Health Care Initiative. "We are thrilled to be part of this global event to join forces to improve health care around the world, to make it more patient-centric and accessible,'' said Robert C. Garrett, co-CEO of Hackensack Meridian Health, who will address a panel moderated by Dr. Mehmet Oz. The historic event from April 26-28 in Vatican City will gather the world's leading scientists, physicians, patients, families, ethicists and leaders of faith, government, business and philanthropy to discuss the latest innovations and hope for the future in health care. Experts will explore the theme: "How Science, Technology and 21st Century Medicine Will Impact Culture and Society.'' "It's a Davos for health care, and over the course of three days we will rally the world around a very simple idea,'' said Dr. Robin Smith, president of The Cura Foundation. "That tomorrow's cures are just around the corner, and by uniting together and understanding the challenges that lie ahead, we can speed the delivery of cures and foster great hope for patients all over the world suffering from deadly diseases and dangerous medical conditions." The 2018 event will have a unique focus on advancing breakthrough technologies and disseminating knowledge that improves human health, prevents disease and protects the environment. "We are in such an exciting time in science and this conference will help us share the stunning innovations that are changing peoples' lives and the new strategies in development that will revolutionize medicine,'' said Dr. Andrew L. Pecora, president, Physician Enterprise and chief innovations officer. "This is a profound privilege to engage with global experts with whom we share a sacred mission: improve health care for all and strive to reach true equality in health care delivery,'' said Dr. Bonita Stanton, founding dean of the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine at Seton Hall University. ABOUT HACKENSACK MERIDIAN HEALTH Hackensack Meridian Health is a leading not-for-profit health care organization that is the most comprehensive and truly integrated health care network in New Jersey, offering a complete range of medical services, innovative research and life-enhancing care. Hackensack Meridian Health comprises 16 hospitals from Bergen to Ocean counties, which includes three academic medical centers Hackensack University Medical Center in Hackensack, Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, JFK Medical Center in Edison; two children's hospitals - Joseph M. Sanzari Children's Hospital in Hackensack, K. Hovnanian Children's Hospital in Neptune; 11 community hospitals - Ocean Medical Center in Brick, Riverview Medical Center in Red Bank, Mountainside Medical Center in Montclair, Palisades Medical Center in North Bergen, Raritan Bay Medical Center in Perth Amboy, Southern Ocean Medical Center in Manahawkin, Bayshore Medical Center in Holmdel, Raritan Bay Medical Center in Old Bridge, and Pascack Valley Medical Center in Westwood, JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute in Edison and Shore Rehabilitation Institute in Brick. Additionally, the network has more than 160 patient care locations throughout the state which include ambulatory care centers, surgery centers, home health services, long-term care and assisted living communities, ambulance services, lifesaving air medical transportation, fitness and wellness centers, rehabilitation centers, and urgent care and after-hours centers. Hackensack Meridian Health has 33,000 team members, and 6,500 physicians and is a distinguished leader in health care philanthropy, committed to the health and well-being of the communities it serves. The Network's notable distinctions include having one of only five major academic medical centers in the nation to receive Healthgrades America's 50 Best Hospitals Award for five or more consecutive years, four hospitals among the top 10 in New Jersey, including Hackensack University Medical Center which is ranked No. 1 by U.S. News and World Report. Other honors include consistently achieving Magnet recognition for nursing excellence from the American Nurses Credentialing Center, recipient of the John M. Eisenberg Award for Patient Safety and Quality from The Joint Commission and the National Quality Forum, a six-time recipient of Fortune's "100 Best Companies to Work For," one of the "20 Best Workplaces in Health Care" in the nation, and the number one "Best Place to Work for Women." Hackensack Meridian Health is a member of AllSpire Health Partners, an interstate consortium of leading health systems, to focus on the sharing of best practices in clinical care and achieving efficiencies. For additional information, please visit www.HackensackMeridianHealth.org. To learn more about Unite To Cure: The Fourth International Vatican Conference, please visit: http://vaticanconference2018.com. Or, you can follow the event on Twitter @CuraFdn and on Facebook at facebook.com/TheCuraFoundation, and join the conversation with #UnitetoCure. The Cura Foundation leads a major global health movement, with the passionate purpose to improve human health. Cura unites public and private sectors, partnering with doctors, patients, business leaders, philanthropists and thought leaders to collaborate and create breakthroughs around the world. The foundation drives change by raising awareness of scientific advancements in genomics, emerging technologies and bigdata to usher in the future of medicine. Cura helps people live longer, better lives free from suffering. The Cura Foundation is a nonsectarian, nonpartisan, public and tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. For more information, please visit: https://thecurafoundation.org SOURCE Hackensack Meridian Health Related Links http://www.HackensackMeridianHealth.org WASHINGTON, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Delphi Behavioral Health Group ("Delphi" or "the Company"), a leading substance abuse treatment provider, announced today it has merged with Summit Behavioral Health ("Summit") to expand its service offering to more individuals struggling with substance use disorder and addiction. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Delphi is majority-owned by The Halifax Group, which recapitalized the Company in October 2017. Summit, headquartered in Princeton Junction, NJ, operates a network of treatment centers that offer drug and alcohol medical detox, residential, and outpatient services. Summit's integrative treatment combines cognitive-behavioral and rational emotive behavioral therapy techniques with 12-step facilitation and relapse prevention. The combined corporate company, which will be called Delphi, will be led by current Delphi CEO, Dominic Sirianni, and headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, FL. Summit's centers will retain their current Serenity at Summit branding, as well as their core leadership and operational staff. Together, the Company will operate 14 facilities across six states. Summit co-founder David Sears will remain active with the Company and will serve on the Board of Directors. "Addiction is in the headlines every day. It is now part of the national zeitgeist. Countless families, communities and workplaces across the country are burdened by its consequences; it is imperative that individuals be offered treatment that can turn their lives around," said Mr. Sirianni. "With the support of The Halifax Group, Delphi continues to build a national platform that can help address this enormous need. The Summit team brings a level of clinical excellence and dedication that matches perfectly with the Delphi vision and mission." "We are excited to partner with Delphi, which shares our desire to build a national leader in the addiction treatment space. Together, we are committed to providing greater access to the highest standard of care for the many thousands of individuals struggling with addiction," said Mr. Sears. About Summit Behavioral Health Summit Behavioral Health programs are based on the fundamental belief that no single treatment philosophy or approach is best for everyone. The staff collaboratively creates individual treatment plans to reflect each client's unique needs and empower him or her to succeed. Summit partners with the individual to begin a transformational journey from hope to healing and beyond. Summit operates three outpatient facilities and one detox facility in New Jersey, a detox and residential treatment facility in Massachusetts, and an outpatient facility in Pennsylvania. For more information, please visit www.summitbehavioralhealth.com. About Delphi Behavioral Health Group Delphi Behavioral Health Group was created with the goal of fostering long-term recovery for individuals suffering from substance abuse and chemical dependence. Addiction specialists and trained medical professionals use proven methods to heal individuals in a variety of settings designed to address the core issues behind this chronic disease. Delphi's programs are Joint Commission accredited, have high clinician-to-patient ratio and deliver personalized care. The Delphi family of brands includes Palm Beach Institute, which was founded in 1970, making it the first private program in Southern Florida, and Arete Recovery, a new, 39-bed detox and residential facility which opened in 2016. Later this year, Delphi plans to open Maryland House near Baltimore, which will be the first detox licensed in the state in nearly 20 years. For more information, please visit www.delphihealthgroup.com. About The Halifax Group The Halifax Group is a private equity firm that partners with managers and entrepreneurs to recapitalize and grow lower middle-market businesses with total enterprise values generally between $50 million and $250 million. Halifax invests across a variety of industries, including health and wellness, outsourced business services, franchising and infrastructure. The firm maintains offices in Washington, D.C.; Dallas, TX; and Raleigh, NC. For more information, please visit www.thehalifaxgroup.com. Contact: Caroline Luz Owen Blicksilver Public Relations, Inc. 203-656-2829 [email protected] SOURCE The Halifax Group Related Links http://www.thehalifaxgroup.com FORT WORTH, Texas, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Higginbotham and Butler Carson Tate Insurance announced today the merger of their operations in Lubbock, Texas. This is Higginbotham's second office in Lubbock, having entered the market in 2015 when it merged with another locally managed independent insurance agency. The two offices and their combined 18 insurance and financial services professionals will work in unison to deliver a single source solution to west Texas businesses and families. Higginbotham is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, and ranked by revenue as the largest independent insurance broker based in the state. It operates 29 offices in Texas and Oklahoma City, most of which were established agencies that joined the firm to draw on their collective strength to service customers. "Higginbotham's reputation as a Texas-centric firm resonated with me," said Butler Carson Tate Insurance President James Tate. "It's a reputation I came to know through working on cases with Brent Aycock, who merged with Higginbotham a few years ago for similar reasons. We have the same dedication to protecting Texas businesses, supporting our employees and nurturing our community. Partnering with Higginbotham multiplies our ability to do all those things while staying personally involved with every customer we service." Brent Aycock, a managing director with Higginbotham in Lubbock, said, "Our practice has taken off since joining Higginbotham because we can do so much more for our customers, from the range of coverage we offer to the risk management and employee benefit services we perform in-house. I expect further growth as a whole from teaming up with Butler Carson Tate Insurance and bringing Higginbotham's solution to even more customers." Butler Carson Tate Insurance will expand services to include group life, health and disability plans by collaborating with employee benefits broker and Managing Director Jeff Fowler at Higginbotham in Lubbock. Tate will continue supervising Butler Carson Tate Insurance as managing director with John Carson as vice president at 4505 82nd Street. Higginbotham is located at 9816 Slide Road. About Butler Carson Tate Insurance Butler Carson Tate opened in 1973 to broker business and personal property/casualty insurance in Lubbock, Texas. It represents multiple insurers and has niche expertise in covering the oil and gas, distribution center, auto dealer, manufacturing and construction industry risks. Visit www.bctagency.com for more information. About Higginbotham Higginbotham is a single source for insurance and financial services that brokers business insurance, employee benefits, retirement plans, executive benefits, life insurance and home/auto insurance from more than 250 regional and national carriers. It supplements coverage with in-house risk management and benefit plan administration services. The firm was founded in 1948 and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, with 28 additional offices serving domestic and international customers. Higginbotham ranks by revenue as the nation's 27th largest independent insurance brokerage firm, making it the largest Texas-based broker (Business Insurance, July 2017). Visit www.higginbotham.net for more information. SOURCE Higginbotham Related Links http://www.higginbotham.net WASHINGTON, April 25, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- On Thursday, April 26, Hillsdale College's Allan P. Kirby, Jr. Center for Constitutional Studies and Citizenship will host a lecture from Manhattan Institute senior fellow Max Eden as part of the AWC Family Foundation Lecture series. Eden's lecture, titled "How the Department of Education Makes Schools Less Safe," draws on his experience as an education policy scholar to explore the current school safety and gun control debate. Mr. Eden is a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute studying federal education policy, school choice and early education. He was previously the education policy studies department program manager at the American Enterprise Institute and is a co-editor, alongside Frederick M. Hess, of The Every Student Succeeds Act: What It Means for Schools, Systems and States. His work has also been published in academic journals and national media outlets, including Journal of School Choice, Encyclopedia of Education Economics and Finance, The Washington Post, U.S. News and World Report, The Weekly Standard, National Review and Claremont Review of Books. He earned his bachelor's degree in history from Yale University. The lecture is free and open to the media, but space is limited. Attendees are encouraged to register by visiting the event's ticketing site here. WHEN: Thursday, April 26, 2018 6 p.m. EDT Doors Open 6:30 p.m. EDT Lecture // Reception to follow WHERE: Allan P. Kirby, Jr. Center for Constitutional Studies and Citizenship 227 Massachusetts Avenue NE Washington, D.C. 20002 WHO: Max Eden, senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute About the Kirby Center The Allan P. Kirby, Jr. Center for Constitutional Studies and Citizenship is an extension of the teaching mission of Hillsdale College to Washington, D.C. Its purpose is to teach the Constitution and the principles that give it meaning. Through the study of original source documents from American historyand of older books that formed the education of America's foundersthe Center seeks to inspire students, teachers, citizens and policymakers to return the Constitution to its central place in the political life of the nation. About Hillsdale College Hillsdale College is an independent liberal arts college located in southern Michigan. Founded in 1844, the College has built a national reputation through its classical liberal arts core curriculum and its principled refusal to accept federal or state taxpayer subsidies, even indirectly in the form of student grants or loans. It also conducts an outreach effort promoting civil and religious liberty, including a free monthly speech digest, Imprimis, with a circulation of more than 3.7 million. For more information visit hillsdale.edu. SOURCE Hillsdale College Related Links http://www.hillsdale.edu Captium connects equipment, electronics and vehicle networks so responders can easily share key data and mission-critical information via an intuitive web and mobile-friendly dashboard. This new smart vehicle platform allows for safer, more efficient operations and supports increased on-demand service to drive maximum vehicle uptime. Sean Tillinghast, IDEX Fire & Safety Group Vice President, explains, "We have centuries of experience equipping fire and rescue teams, so we know the demands of the fire service and the expectations of the communities they serve. The Captium-connected equipment of our legacy brands of Akron Brass, Class 1, Hale and V-MUX, enables them to monitor the health of their vehicles and make proactive decisions to avoid costly repairs." Several industry-leading fire truck manufacturers in collaboration with IDEX Fire & Safety will be the first to adopt Captium as a standard offering on their fire trucks and ambulances. Jeff Zook, Marketing Manager for Connected Solutions at IDEX Fire & Safety, states, "We are pleased to share a similar vision of creating equipment that brings new levels of support based on intelligence inside the vehicles. Real-time access to the health of networked electrical controllers, multi-plexing systems and water flow components can help save valuable time." IDEX Fire & Safety has partnered with Microsoft for its secure cloud platform. IDEX Fire & Safety has built the Captium platform on the Microsoft Azure Government cloud platform for two fundamental reasons: scalability and security. Richard Zak, Director Justice & Public Safety Solutions at Microsoft and also a member of the fire service, states, "Responding to citizens in need requires highly trained people with the right vehicles and equipment. IDEX Fire & Safety is leading the way by leveraging Microsoft Azure Government to make fire vehicles smarter and better able to support the fire service mission." Jim MacLennan, Chief Information Officer at IDEX shares, "IDEX makes thingslots of thingsthat solve critical challenges and improve people's lives. So, it just makes sense to add our products to the Internet of Things. Incorporating connectivity and capturing data will allow IDEX businesses to add information and insights as impactful new capabilities for our products. Captium is a leading-edge example for us. We are excited about the positive impact that Captium will have for our customers and the people they serve." Learn more about Captium at captiumconnect.com. About IDEX Fire & Safety: IDEX Fire & Safety represents a collaboration of global brands that deliver trusted solutions to help emergency responders save lives. For centuries, customers have relied on the brands of IDEX Fire & Safety to provide quality equipment and service. Our brands include Akron Brass, AWG, Class 1, Dinglee, Hale, Hurst Jaws of Life, Godiva, Lukas, Vetter and Weldon. The IDEX Fire & Safety brands represent business units of IDEX Corporation [NYSE: IEX], an applied solutions company specializing in fluid and metering technologies, health and science technologies and fire, safety and other diversified products. For more information on IDEX Fire & Safety, visit idexfiresafety.com. SOURCE IDEX Fire & Safety Related Links https://www.idexfiresafety.com WOOSTER, Ohio, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- IDEX Fire & Safety, global leader in highly engineered fire and life safety solutions, announced the alignment of 10 brands to offer a unified equipment and service solution for the fire and emergency market. IDEX Fire & Safety brings together people and customers under a legacy of innovation, quality and exceptional workmanship. Together with its collective purpose and through the excellence of its teams, IDEX Fire & Safety is now uniquely positioned to solve even more innovative, mission-critical problems to help save lives. "Uniting these ten companies under one brand enables us to leverage the synergies of our collective expertise," said Uwe Kirchner, Group President of IDEX Fire & Safety. "As we advance together, we are best positioned to deliver solutions that harness technology to help save lives." The brands of IDEX Fire & Safety include Akron Brass, AWG, Class 1, Dinglee, Hale, Hurst, Jaws of Life, Godiva, Lukas, Vetter and Weldon. This brand announcement supports the company's dedication to growth and investment in innovative products and technologies. IDEX Fire & Safety continues to build upon a culture of excellence and deliver superior performance to customers worldwide. About IDEX Fire & Safety: IDEX Fire & Safety represents a collaboration of global brands that deliver trusted solutions to help emergency responders save lives. For centuries, our customers have relied on us independently to provide quality equipment and service. These brands include Akron Brass, AWG, Class 1, Dinglee, Hale, Hurst Jaws of Life, Godiva, Lukas, Vetter and Weldon. The IDEX Fire & Safety brands represent business units of IDEX Corporation [NYSE: IEX], an applied solutions company specializing in fluid and metering technologies, health and science technologies and fire, safety and other diversified products. For more information on IDEX Fire & Safety, visit idexfiresafety.com. SOURCE IDEX Fire & Safety Related Links https://www.idexfiresafety.com PUNE, India, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a new market research report "Industrial Filtration Market by Type (Air and Liquid), Technology, Product, Filter Media, Industry (Manufacturing, Power Generation, Metals & Mining, Oil & Gas, Pharmaceuticals, and Process Industry), and Region - Global Forecast to 2023", published by MarketsandMarkets, the global market is expected to grow from an estimated USD 25.89 Billion in 2018 to USD 35.47 Billion by 2023, registering a CAGR of 6.50% during the forecast period. This growth is primarily due to the growing industrialization and urbanization, stringent regulations pertaining to emissions and treatment of industrial waste, and requirement of safe working environment in industrial facilities. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/660509/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg ) Browse 107 Tables and 33 Figures spread through 169 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Industrial Filtration Market" https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/industrial-filtration-market-81304454.html Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report On the basis of industry, the manufacturing segment is expected to hold the largest share of the market The manufacturing industry dominated the Industrial Filtration Market in 2017. This segment includes machinery & equipment, chemical, electrical & electronics (includes semiconductors), and pulp & paper industries. Industrial filtration is gaining its importance across all end-use markets due to strict environmental regulations and enforcement of cleaner processes and technologies. Furthermore, the market for the manufacturing segment will be driven by the Asia Pacific region, particularly increasing manufacturing hubs in the Southeast Asian countries, along with China, which is already the world's leading country in the manufacturing sector. Ask for PDF Brochure @ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownload.asp?id=81304454 The nonwoven fabric, by filter for industrial filtration is expected to be the fastest-growing segment of the market The nonwoven fabric, by filter media, for industrial filtration is expected to grow at the highest CAGR from 2018 to 2023. These nonwoven fabric filter bags are made from nonwoven Polypropylene (PP) fabric and are durable, reusable, water-resistant, hypoallergenic, fire-resistant, soft, light, and sometimes washable. These bags are used in various end-user industries, such as pharmaceuticals and mineral processing Asia Pacific: A leading market for industrial filtration In this report, the Industrial Filtration Market has been analyzed with respect to 5 regions, namely, North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, South America, and the Middle East & Africa. Asia Pacific was expected to account for the largest market share of the global Industrial Filtration Market in 2017. Emission regulations accompanied with the need for clean indoor air facilities is one of the major factors that drives this market. The growth in manufacturing, power generation, oil & gas, and food & beverage industries has laid a great influence in the economic development of the countries in the region. China accounted for the largest share of the Industrial Filtration Market in Asia Pacific in 2017. Power generation is one of the major end-user industries for industrial filtration and is a critical element. Filtration is carried out in power plants either for filtration of boiler feed water, preventing the discharge of fly ash from the chimneys of coal or other sources of solid fuels or for maintaining the performance of turbines. Furthermore, there are strict regulations for emissions for which filtration plays a vital role. Almost all the countries in the region are investing in its manufacturing, power generation, process industry, and pharmaceuticals industry to advance its economic growth, which is likely to drive the growth of the Industrial Filtration Market in Asia Pacific. To enable an in-depth understanding of the competitive landscape, the report includes the profiles of some of the top players in the Industrial Filtration Market. These players include Alfa Laval (Sweden), Ahlstrom-Munksjo (Finland), Donaldson (US), Eaton (Ireland), Freudenberg (Germany), Mann+Hummel (Germany), Pall Corporation (US), and Parker Hannifin (US). The leading players are trying to increase their regional presence in the developed economies and are adopting various strategies to increase their market shares. Know more about the Industrial Filtration Market https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/industrial-filtration-market-81304454.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, "Knowledge Store" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets. Contact: Mr. Salgarkar MarketsandMarkets INC. 630 Dundee Road Suite 430 Northbrook, IL 60062 USA: +1-888-600-6441 Email: [email protected] Visit Our Blog @ http://www.marketsandmarketsblog.com/market-reports/energy-and-power Connect with us on LinkedIn @ http://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsandmarkets SOURCE MarketsandMarkets Morocco raised its automotive industry target to 1 million vehicle by 2025 in light of the positive results shown by the sector. Minister of Industry Moulay Hafid El Alamy voiced confidence in achieving such a goal, which could generate 200 billion dirhams. He said the current performance of Moroccos car industry is moving at a faster pace to achieve the goal of 600,000 cars and 100 billion dirhams by 2020. In 2017, Moroccos two leading car factories by Renault and PSA Peugeot in Tangier and Kenitra respectively achieved a joint output of 376,000, worth 70 billion dirhams. Between 2014 and 2017, total jobs created in the automotive sector rose to 83,845. INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Infosys to build state-of-the-art training and residential center for employees and clients to prepare workforce for the jobs of the future; Commits to 1,000 Additional American Jobs Infosys (NYSE: INFY), a global leader in consulting, technology and next-generation services, announced it will establish its U.S. Education Center in Indianapolis to train American workers and arm them with skills for the digital future. The company also announced that it has expanded its hiring plans for Indiana from 2,000 to 3,000 new jobs by the end of 2023. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/633365/Infosys_Logo.jpg ) Infosys will provide an initial investment of $35 million to create the first 125,000 sq. ft. of development to transform the 70.5-acre site at the old Indianapolis airport terminal into its U.S. Education Center. Infosys will break ground on this initial phase before the end of 2018 and anticipates its completion by the end of 2020. The initial phase will comprise of a training center and will accommodate a 250-person residential facility. The Center will also serve as a hub for development of next-generation digital technologies. "Today's announcement with Infosys is a big win-not just for Indiana but for the nation as a whole, which is why I'm glad Vice President Pence was able to join us," Governor Eric J. Holcomb said. "Infosys' state-of-the-art training facility will teach thousands of folks across America right here on Indiana soil. And, it will help prepare more current and future Hoosiers for success in our rapidly evolving, global economy." Infosys' vision for the finished site includes regeneration of the area to feature walkways, green spaces and recreational facilities. Using learnings and best practices from Infosys' Global Education Center in Mysore, India-the world's largest corporate university-and partnerships with academia and education providers, the initial training programs at the visionary U.S. Education Center will combine classroom-based and immersive, real-world learning focused on key competencies such as user experience, cloud, big data, and core technology and computer science skills. "We are excited to partner with Indiana to grow our U.S. presence by building our U.S. Education Center here, which is dedicated to continuous learning and incubating the skills of the future," said Ravi Kumar, President, Infosys. "At Infosys, we have always invested in advanced technology and skills and bring deep experience from running the largest corporate training facility in the world. Our new Indianapolis facility will prepare our American employees-and those of our clients-to master the kinds of advanced skills that are now required to succeed in our digital future." This announcement is part of Infosys' commitment to hire 10,000 American workers over the next two years and invest in training to ensure that the U.S. workforce has the essential skills required for the digital economy. For more information please visit: https://www.infosys.com/american-innovation/Pages/in.aspx About Infosys Infosys is a global leader in technology services and consulting. We enable clients in 45 countries to create and execute strategies for their digital transformation. From engineering to application development, knowledge management and business process management, we help our clients find the right problems to solve, and to solve these effectively. Our team of 200,000+ innovators, across the globe, is differentiated by the imagination, knowledge and experience, across industries and technologies that we bring to every project we undertake. Visit http://www.infosys.com to see how Infosys (NYSE: INFY) can help your enterprise thrive in the digital age. Safe Harbor Certain statements in this press release concerning our future growth prospects are forward-looking statements regarding our future business expectations intended to qualify for the 'safe harbor' under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties relating to these statements include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding fluctuations in earnings, fluctuations in foreign exchange rates, our ability to manage growth, intense competition in IT services including those factors which may affect our cost advantage, wage increases in India, our ability to attract and retain highly skilled professionals, time and cost overruns on fixed-price, fixed-time frame contracts, client concentration, restrictions on immigration, industry segment concentration, our ability to manage our international operations, reduced demand for technology in our key focus areas, disruptions in telecommunication networks or system failures, our ability to successfully complete and integrate potential acquisitions, liability for damages on our service contracts, the success of the companies in which Infosys has made strategic investments, withdrawal or expiration of governmental fiscal incentives, political instability and regional conflicts, legal restrictions on raising capital or acquiring companies outside India, and unauthorized use of our intellectual property and general economic conditions affecting our industry. Additional risks that could affect our future operating results are more fully described in our United States Securities and Exchange Commission filings including our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2017. These filings are available at http://www.sec.gov Infosys may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and our reports to shareholders. In addition, please note that any forward-looking statements contained herein are based on assumptions that we believe to be reasonable as of the date of this press release. The company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements that may be made from time to time by or on behalf of the company unless it is required by law. SOURCE Infosys NEW YORK, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Jewish Religious Equality Coalition (J-REC), a wall-to-wall coalition of Modern Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, and Reconstructionist communal leaders and organizations, strongly opposes the proposed conversion bill currently under consideration by the Israeli government. J-REC has long believed that the unofficial monopoly enjoyed by the Chief Rabbinate on matters of personal status, including conversion, undermines American Jewish connections to, and identification with, Israel as nation-state of the Jewish people. The overwhelming percentage of conversions performed in the Diaspora occurs under the auspices of Conservative and Reform rabbis, and the bulk of American Jewry identifies with those two movements. To delegitimize Conservative and Reform conversions performed in Israel is to suggest that their rabbis are not rabbis and that their Judaism is rejected by the Jewish state. The proposed bill, to be sure, attempts to broaden conversion within Israel by extending the authority to perform conversions to Orthodox rabbis outside the parameters of the Chief Rabbinate. Although, in principle, this may appear to constitute a more inclusive measure, in practice it solidifies de jure an Orthodox monopoly over conversion. The Rabbinate has long believed that its operational control over conversion needs to be established legislatively. Moreover, the Chief Rabbinate retains its control over marriage, meaning that children of these converts may well discover that they remain ineligible for marriage, given the strictures and power of the Chief Rabbinate. Finally, we have already experienced the specter of a "blacklist" of Modern Orthodox rabbis, whose bona fides are rejected by the Chief Rabbinate. For all these reasons, we find the proposed "compromise" over conversion to be unacceptable. We urge that the bill be shelved immediately, and that a forum for dialogue, including all major sectors of the Jewish people, be established to advance reasonable solutions, inspired by an ethos of genuine compromise, to these challenging questions of personal status. J-REC Chair Dov Zakheim said, "The apparent concession to Modern Orthodoxy attempts only to divide Modern Orthodoxy from the Conservative and Reform movements. Moreover, given that the Chief Rabbinate retains its monopoly over marriage, the Rabbinate may well delegitimize even some Modern Orthodox conversions by refusing to marry converts' offspring." Dr. Steven Bayme, National Director of AJC's William Petschek Contemporary Jewish Life Department, said, "We had and still have hopes for a reasonable compromise over conversion to Judaism within Israel. But this proposed Bill does not do the job. It excludes the liberal religious movements, enshrines the Orthodox monopoly legislatively and will only further divide the Jewish people. Conversion to Judaism strengthens the Jewish people. We need a process that both facilitates conversion and recognizes diverse modes of entry into the Jewish covenant." The Jewish Religious Equality Coalition (J-REC), created and spearheaded by AJC in 2014, is a broad-based coalition of American Jews, Israelis, and Jewish organizations dedicated to the realization of full religious equality in the Jewish state, and is mobilizing support for the creation of alternatives to the Chief Rabbinate on personal status issues. SOURCE American Jewish Committee Related Links http://www.ajc.org NESS ZIONA, Israel, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Israeli biotechnology company Kadimastem (TASE: KDST) announced today the enrollment of the first patient for its clinical trial in ALS patients, using the cell therapy product developed by the company, AstroRx. The phase I/IIa clinical trial is being conducted by the Department of Neurology of the Hadassah Ein-Kerem Medical Center, and it is expected to include 21 patients. The objective of the trial is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of AstroRx in patients. Interim results of the trial are expected within the coming year. Professor Michel Revel, the company's Chief Scientist, said: "Kadimastem's commencement of the clinical trial in ALS, according to the clinical protocol, is a significant milestone in the company's clinical program. Thanks to the full cooperation provided by the physicians responsible for the trial at the Department of Neurology of the Hadassah Medical Center and the teams involved in the trial, the quick enrollment of the first patient was made possible. We strongly believe in the success of the trial according to the set timeframe, for the benefit of the patients." Yossi Ben-Yossef, CEO of Kadimastem, added: "After obtaining the approval of the Ministry of Health for the AstroRx clinical trial in ALS patients, Kadimastem quickly organized for the commencement of the trial. I hope and believe that AstroRx will likely improve the condition of the patients participating in the trial. In recent years, the cell therapy field has greatly accelerated globally. With the commencement of the clinical trial, Kadimastem joins a select group of biotechnology companies worldwide, that have the know-how and technological capability to bring advanced treatments based on pluripotent stem cells to the clinical trial stage. I believe that the advancement of the clinical program will significantly reinforce Kadimastem and position it as a leading company in the cell therapy field." About AstroRx AstroRx is an innovative cell-based treatment for ALS, which consists of brain supporting cells (astrocytes), designed to replace the astrocytes whose functionality was damaged in ALS patients. AstroRx is manufactured by Kadimastem from pluripotent stem cells using a unique technology developed by the company. Currently, there are only two FDA-approved drugs for the treatment of ALS, and they are only able to slightly slow down the progression of the disease. The advantage of AstroRx is in replacing the patient's malfunctioning astrocytes with healthy cells. AstroRx has several mechanisms of action protecting the damaged motor neurons simultaneously, as opposed to currently available treatments which use a single mechanism. The unique properties of AstroRx are expected to significantly slow down the progression of the disease, as demonstrated by the company in its pre-clinical trials. About Kadimastem Kadimastem (www.kadimastem.com) is a clinical stage biotechnology company that develops industrial regenerative medicine therapies based on differentiated cells derived from Human Embryonic Stem Cells (hESCs) to treat neuro-degenerative diseases such as ALS, as well asDiabetes. The company was founded in August 2009 by Professor Michel Revel and Yossi Ben Yosef, and is traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE: KDST). The company's chairman is Dr. Eli Opper, formerly the Chief Scientist of the Israeli Ministry of Industry, Labor and Trade. The company's investors, in addition to the founders, include Altshuler Shaham Investment House, foreign investors (Julien Ruggieri and Avi Meizler), and additional institutional investors. Kadimastem was founded based on patent protected technology that was developed at the Weizmann Institute of Science. Based on the Company's unique platform, Kadimastem is developing technology for regenerative medicine, which repairs and replaces organs and tissue by using functioning cells differentiated from stem cells. The Company focuses on transplanting healthy brain cells to support the survivability of nerve cells as cell therapy for ALS, and transplanting insulin-secreting pancreatic cells for the treatment of insulin-dependent diabetes. Kadimastem has an extensive scientific advisory board, featuring prominent scientists and pioneers: in the embryonic stem cells field, Professor Benjamin Reubinoff, Director of the Hadassah Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research Center and Senior Physician at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Hadassah University Medical Center; Professor Joseph Itskovich, world renowned expert and pioneer in pluripotent stem cell research and former head of Obstetrics and Gynecology at RAMBAM Medical Center; in the neurodegenerative disease field, Professor Tamir Ben-Hur, Head of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Hadassah University Medical Center; and in the diabetes field, Professor Shimon Efrat, professor of Human Molecular Genetics and Juvenile Diabetes at Tel Aviv University and a world renowned expert in cell replacement therapy for diabetes and Professor Eddy Karnieli, former Director of the Institute for Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism at the RAMBAM Medical Center, and a world renowned expert in these fields. Contact: Yehuda Feinberg Tel: +972-73-7971604 Email: [email protected] SOURCE Kadimastem The pitch competition gave participants an opportunity to present their sales pitch to a panel of investors and the event attendees. The pitching company representatives delivered their messages in rapid-fire succession while the judges and audience members entered their scores through a mobile app. "Early stage start-ups seeking to raise awareness, sign new clients, and find funding always appreciate the opportunity to test their message," said Katzcy CEO Jessica Gulick. "The CyberOPSTunity event was structured to provide them real-time feedback from their peers, their prospective customers, and investors who are always seeking their next opportunity to help innovative firms grow." "Our mission is to pair technology start-ups who need expert help and money with those individuals who can bring them one or the other or both," said Standish Cyber Corporation CEO Mary Beth Borgwing. "This event brought camaraderie with just a touch of competition that we have found accelerate relationships." The event winner, ClearForce CEO Tom Miller, agrees: "Employees can be an organization's most valued asset and biggest risk. ClearForce goes beyond pre-hire screenings to provide continuous alerting of employee misconduct and high-risk behaviorreducing significant business risk. The CyberOPSTunity pitch event was the perfect opportunity for us to raise awareness of our company and mission in front of an audience of investors, peers, and clients." Other companies pitching include: Interfocus Technologies, an endpoint management and security solutions provider King & Union, a cybersecurity analysis collaboration platform Hideez, a single digital key with RFID, a hardware 2FA, and a password manager UniquID, a decentralized platform providing digital keys via Blockchain to secure devices Special thank you to our sponsors Interfocus Technologies and King & Union. About Katzcy Consulting Katzcy is a woman-owned growth consulting firm with a focus on helping technology entrepreneurs and executives craft their positioning, approach, and messaging in a complex and busy market. We bring extensive experience and a hands-on, strategic approach to aid our clients in planning a successful launch and continued growth. Learn more at www.katzcy.com. SOURCE Katzcy Consulting Related Links http://www.katzcy.com Recently in Vietnam, the largest ICO scam in history was recorded as some 32,000 investors lost a total of over $660 million USD for the Modern Tech exit scam. In related news, three of the co-founders of the Centra ICO, a well-known project with celebrity backing, have been charged with fraud. According to market research organization Token Data, among the 902 ICOs conducted last year, 276 or over 30%, failed to reach commercialization after achieving their investment goals. ESC LOCK was created to address these issues in the ICO market where investors lack protection. ESC LOCK only deposits the investment to the ICO company if certain required conditions are met. If these conditions are not met in full, the investment is returned to the investor, minimizing investor loss. Conditions for deposit of the investment to the ICO company are 1. being listed on an exchange 6 months after the ICO, 2. maintaining a fixed price 1 month after listing, 3. and achieving over 50% of the escrow amount through a standard ICO. The exchanges where the listings are recognized are limited to the top 30 Korean and foreign exchanges established by the ESC LOCK review committee. In addition to the basic conditions listed above, investors can set further options such as development and business progress to further secure their investments. As Ethereum (ETH) is predominantly used for ICO investments, the Korea M&A Center will immediately convert the invested ETH into cash and deposit it into a bank escrow account to eliminate the risks and damages of price fluctuation. This structure allows investors to receive a return on the amount of ETH invested even if the ICO fails or the price drops after listing. In addition, the opportunity to participate in ESC LOCK is only granted to select ICO companies that have completed a strict pre-verification process by the ESC LOCK review committee, so investors are provided with a safe investment opportunity and do not have to worry about choosing a proper ICO to invest in. From the perspective of ICO companies, ESC LOCK has a number of benefits. First, with the secure investor protection devices in place, it is easier to raise investment funds because investors can rely on the ICO company. In addition, it is also possible to stabilize prices by distributing the amount of cryptocurrency open to the market after being listed, and to immediately raise additional funds when successful development or business is completed. The structural stability of ESC LOCK makes it highly attractive to companies and funds that have previously been hesitant about participating in the ICO market. The investment base is expected to expand to the general public, those with no ICO investment experience, by providing a foundation for the entire market where scam companies cannot enter. ESC LOCK is not only able to fundamentally prevent scam ICOs that have been spreading recently, but is also structured so that the immediately escrowed full investment amounts are refunded if a problem occurs. The Korean M&A center will hold a public briefing session on May 10th at the Dongjak Art Hall near Seoul Station in Seoul, Korea to officially launch ESC LOCK as the world's first ICO scam prevention model both domestically and globally. At this public briefing session, which will be held with the "29th Win-Win Matching Conference", the first ICO companies to adopt the ESC LOCK service will also present their business models to the audience. Sean Ryu, the CEO of the Korea M&A Center stated, "As many investors, both domestically and globally, have become victims of failed ICOs, unrealistic White Papers, and ICO scams, the need for a service that provides advantages to ICO companies while also protecting investors has never been more important. ESC LOCK is a patented financial model (Application No. 10 -2018-0045475) that does this. In the recently subdued ICO market, ESC LOCK will become a major power in the further development of the blockchain ecosystem and a safe ICO investment culture. The Korea M&A Center is a specialized M&A and investment platform dedicated to create a sound M&A ecosystem and virtuous investment structure. The Korea M&A Center has introduced 'Win-Win Crowd Funding', a protection system for start-up investors that is a financial patent model integrating investment and M&A. Since 2015 has held over 30 Win-Win Matching Conferences and IR seminars. Although it has succeeded in Win-Win Crowdfunding, the Korea M&AS Center has also created a stir among crowdfunding investors by returning the investment capital and interest of a recently closed startup to investors on behalf of the start-up. SOURCE Korea M&A Center WASHINGTON, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- American Federation of Government Employees National President J. David Cox Sr. today issued the following statement expressing AFGE's solidarity with striking teachers in Arizona and Colorado: "Like all working people employed in the public and private sectors, teachers and their families have seen their living standards decline while all the benefits of economic growth are grabbed by the wealthiest corporations and individuals. "Arizona has some of the most poorly funded schools in the nation and pays its teachers far below the national average. Colorado's schools also have suffered from years of underfunding, depriving teachers of the resources they need to provide students with the education they deserve. "When West Virginia's teachers and school staff began demanding better conditions for themselves and the children they teach, they sparked a movement that has spread to Oklahoma, Kentucky, and now Arizona and Colorado. "Teachers across this country are telling lawmakers that our children deserve well-funded schools, with decent class sizes, up-to-date textbooks and computers, furniture that isn't falling apart, and regular classes in art, music, and physical education. Our children need teachers who aren't exhausted from having to moonlight with extra jobs to make ends meet for their own families. "Starving our schools of the resources they need to function does a grave disservice not just to our students and educators but to the future of our country. Our teachers and our children deserve much better, and we are indebted to the teachers who have taken great risks to force attention to this most important issue." The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) is the largest federal employee union, representing 700,000 workers in the federal government and the government of the District of Columbia. For the latest AFGE news and information, visit the AFGE Media Center. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. SOURCE American Federation of Government Employees Related Links http://www.afge.org EL SEGUNDO, Calif., April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Legendary artist John Van Hamersveld, known for creating the iconic The Endless Summer poster collected by the Museum of Modern Art, will unveil this Saturday, a one-of-a-kind 510-foot round mural in a tribute to the city of El Segundo and local surf legends. On a site with sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean, the striking graphic-driven mural marks the completion of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power's (LADWP) Scattergood tank renewal project. Bruce Brown Films LLC. Designed by John Van Hamersveld, collected by MOMA, NYC The mural is located on a LADWP-owned tank on west-east-running Grand Avenue, which extends through the city of El Segundo from the Pacific coastline to the Pacific Coast Highway and beyond. This artwork is composed of 51 visually-striking, colorful panels (10-foot by 32-foot each), and incorporates Van Hamersveld's signature style and iconic imagery. Central to the theme are 15 bright, bold waves and symbols and images of Van Hamersveld's life experiences and pop culture, including a Volkswagen to represent his drive along the coast to El Segundo High School from his home in Palos Verdes, and aviation imagery representing El Segundo as the aerospace capital of the world. An El Segundo High School graduate and inductee in the school's Hall of Fame, Van Hamersveld was inspired by his formative years in El Segundo. The mural is dedicated to surf culture legends Hap Jacobs and Dale Velzy, who had a large impact on Van Hamersveld's life. "Jacobs created my first surfboard that took me on an adventure of a lifetime. Velzy and Jacobs immersed me in the myth and legend of the California surf lifestyle," shares Van Hamersveld. "El Segundo is where my career started as a surfer and artist. This piece is a monument to modern surfing, and brings to life surfing as a lifestyle and surfing as art." "My El Segundo High School art teacher Al Tahti, my mother, and supportive mentors helped guide and focus me into becoming an artist and encouraged me to incorporate the life lessons and philosophies of the ocean and surf," comments Van Hamersveld. "For that, this beachside city holds a special place in my heart." "John is a champion and an artistic visionary for El Segundo. We are so proud of this beautiful and momentous work of art he created. As much as El Segundo had an impact on him, he's now helped establish our city as an artistic 'must-see' for residents, Southern California visitors and surf enthusiasts the world over," says El Segundo Mayor Suzanne Fuentes. The mural project became a reality with the vision, persistence and teamwork of the city of El Segundo and LADWP. The project came to life after El Segundo resident and CEO of Venice Baking Co., Jimmy DeSisto, asked El Segundo Mayor Pro Tem Drew Boyles whether something could be done to improve the appearance of the tank. Boyles and City Manager Greg Carpenter met with LADWP COO Marty Adams, who supported the idea of transforming the tank into a piece of art. Boyles states, "El Segundo is a resourceful city, where elected officials are easily accessible and responsive. This is a shining example of a resident voicing a concern and the city council working with stakeholders to develop a truly beautiful outcome." Fuentes led the charge in securing Van Hamersveld, and the El Segundo Arts and Culture Committee advised on the selection of the art. The team worked for several months with LADWP and contractor TRC to transform the tank by the power plant. "We want to thank Marty and the Scattergood tank renewal team, as well as, TRC for partnering with the city on this ambitious project," says Fuentes. The prepress process for the El Segundo mural combined vector drawings and patterns arranged in a composition of layers to compose the forms and color in a balanced piece. The El Segundo mural is larger than the 360-foot-long mural Van Hamersveld created for the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games. The El Segundo mural was produced by Spin Imaging. About the City of El Segundo: The city of El Segundo is a coastline community in the south bay region of Los Angeles County. Recognized as the aerospace capital of the world, it is renowned for maintaining a quaint, small town atmosphere as well as a thriving business environment that caters to some of the world's most prestigious corporations. El Segundo is home to the Los Angeles Lakers, the Los Angeles Kings, Los Angeles Air Force Base and the award-winning Los Angeles Times. About Los Angeles Department of Water and Power: LADWP is the nation's largest municipal utility, providing reliable, sustainable and cost-effective water and power to the city of Los Angeles. Currently, LADWP has a 7,880 MW electric capacity and serves an average of 438 million gallons of water per day to the 4 million residents and businesses of L.A. About TRC: A pioneer in groundbreaking scientific and engineering developments since the 1960s, TRC is a global engineering, environmental consulting and construction management firm that provides integrated services to the energy, environmental, infrastructure and pipeline services markets. TRC serves a broad range of commercial, industrial and government clients, implementing complex projects from initial concept to delivery and operation. TRC delivers results that enable clients to achieve success in a complex and changing world. Media contact: Kristen Bergevin o: 310-752-4456 c: 310-663-4290 [email protected] SOURCE The City of El Segundo Polisairo leadership and proponents have often claimed to represent the population of the Sahara, despite the fact that Sahrawis have never voted for the separatist militia neither in the Tindouf camps nor in the Sahara provinces, which usually register higher turnout in Moroccos local and general elections. This Polisario anomaly was recently laid bare in an analysis published by the UKs leading think tank Chatham House. The article, signed by Senior Chatham House researcher Claire Spencer, says that Morocco could have scored precious points if it exposes the despotic character of the Polisario, which has never held transparent elections in Tindouf and has never been voted for by the Population of the southern provinces. One avenue the Moroccan authorities have failed to explore fully is the extent to which the Polisario Front speaks for the totality of Sahrawi people, Spencer said. She said that Moroccans have often said that Polisairo leades are not transparently elected, given the pressures exerted on the refugee populations in Algeria; their electorate self-evidently does not include the vote of the Sahrawi population. To counter the separatists claims, Morocco has incorporated in its official delegation representatives of the local population in the southern provinces as well as victims of the Polisarios inhumane treatment who managed to flee the Tindouf camps in Western Algeria to Morocco. The Chatham House researcher also said that it is in the interest of Morocco to offer more explicit evidence to the UN to demonstrate how autonomy will improve the lot of the Sahrawi population living there, she said. That could generate just the kind of new dynamic that Horst Kohler has called for, she added. MUNDELEIN, Ill., April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Barry MacLean, Chairman, MacLean-Fogg Company, a worldwide enterprise with 26 global manufacturing facilities, annual sales of over one billion (USD), and a workforce of over 3,200, announced that George Cook will retire from the company at the end of August 2018. "For twenty-four years, George has been my partner and confidant, as we have together built MacLean-Fogg into the global enterprise it is today. George's tireless effort, superior leadership skills, strategic analysis, and outstanding banking acumen have been a critical asset to the MacLean family and the MacLean-Fogg Board of Directors. As needed, George will continue to provide financial counsel to the company and the Board of Directors." George Cook will retire from the MacLean-Fogg Company at the end of August 2018. George was appointed CFO in 1994. George received his MBA in 1979, MS degree in Taxation in 2003, and became an Illinois CPA in 1974. George has served as board member on several non-profit organizations. George served as past president of Financial Executives International and is currently serving on boards of three industrial companies. Contact George at 708-404-4299. George joined the MacLean-Fogg Company as CFO in early 1994 when the company consisted of only a handful of operations. George commented, "I am honored to have been part of the team responsible for growing the company to its current size. The larger scale made more growth and improvement initiatives possibleexpansion for new products and facilities, investment in areas such as ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) and Operational Transformation (OT). Most notably, the growth and profitability enabled MacLean-Fogg to hire great people. These critical points strengthened MacLean-Fogg's competitive advantage in the industries served. I look forward to following the company's progress in the years to come." About George Cook George was appointed CFO in 1994. Prior to his employment with MacLean-Fogg, he was CFO of Boulevard Bancorp (1989-1994), a bank holding company, worked in private equity, and held executive financial management positions with CR Industries (1984-1989), and Worthington Group at McGraw-Edison Company. George received, from Northern Illinois University, an MBA with a Marketing concentration in 1979 and an MS degree in Taxation in 2003. He became an Illinois CPA in 1974. George earned BS degrees in Accounting and Finance from Southern Illinois University in 1973. George has served as board member on several non-profit organizations including Condell Medical Center (Libertyville, IL) and Southern Illinois University's College of Business. George also served as past president of Financial Executives International. George is currently serving on boards of three industrial companies. Contact George at 708-404-4299. About MacLean-Fogg MacLean-Fogg provides, through MacLean-Fogg Component Solutions, a primary business, www.macleanfoggcs.com, engineered metal and plastic components to the industrial, automotive, and military markets and, through MacLean Power Systems, a primary business, unique devices used in the transmission and distribution of electrical power. www.macleanpower.com. For more information, visit www.macleanfogg.com or [email protected]. SOURCE MacLean-Fogg Company Related Links http://www.macleanfoggcs.com CLEVELAND, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- McDonald Hopkins, a business advisory and advocacy law firm, recently held a discussion examining the impact of tariffs on the development of U.S. solar energy and the challenges facing the industry. The event, U.S. Solar Development in a Tariff World, was moderated by Michael Wise, co-chair of McDonald Hopkins' Energy Practice Group, with a panel which included Chad Arfons, a solar development attorney at McDonald Hopkins; Steve Chun, the chief financial officer for DEPCOM Power; Richard Dovere, managing member at C2 Energy Capital; and Michael Heise, the director of business development for American Electric Power. During the discussion, Wise, Arfons, Chun, Dovere and Heise provided insightful information and answered questions on a wide range of topics such as how new solar panel tariffs are impacting project pricing, how federal tax reform is impacting tax equity and how Opportunity Zones can be leveraged to help finance solar projects. The Energy Forum can be viewed by visiting mcdonaldhopkins.com/videos. Furthermore, the Energy Practice Group will host another Energy Forum on Wednesday, June 20, 2018, titled Powering the Energy Economy of the New Millennium, which will cover renewable energy storage and the future of the renewable energy industry. About McDonald Hopkins Founded in 1930, McDonald Hopkins is a business advisory and advocacy law firm with locations in Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus, Detroit, Miami, and West Palm Beach. With more than 50 service and industry teams, the firm has the expertise and knowledge to meet the growing number of legal and business challenges our clients face. For more information about McDonald Hopkins, visit mcdonaldhopkins.com. CONTACT: Deborah W. Kelm McDonald Hopkins LLC 600 Superior Avenue, East, Suite 2100 Cleveland, Ohio 44114 Phone: 216.348.5733 Email: [email protected] SOURCE McDonald Hopkins Related Links http://www.mcdonaldhopkins.com SANTA BARBARA, Calif., April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- InTouch Health, the leading enterprise virtual care platform, today announces McLaren Health Care, a Michigan-based integrated health network, has expanded its telehealth offerings to implement InTouch Health's new Consumer solutions. McLaren Health Care's virtual care expansion also coincides with the health system's three-year anniversary of its work with InTouch Health to deliver acute telehealth services for stroke, neurointensive care, ICU, pulmonary, and cardiology specialist consults. "InTouch Health has demonstrated their virtual care expertise through our work together these past three years, and with their new Consumer solutions, we will be able to leverage our telehealth infrastructure investment to streamline our services on a single platform," said Cheryl Ellegood, VP Corporate Service Lines at McLaren Health Care. "We selected InTouch Health to expand our telehealth services to low-acuity care to create a seamless experience for nearly any patient care solution via the web using mobile devices or a desktop. We are excited to offer our patients an on-demand virtual care option to make it easier for them to seek care, wherever they may be." "We are honored McLaren Health Care, a leading healthcare provider, continues to put their trust in InTouch Health to manage their multi-specialty enterprise telehealth programs," said Joseph M. DeVivo, CEO at InTouch Health. "We know health systems want a single, enterprise-wide virtual care solution for a multitude of reasons from streamlining the clinician and patient user experience, to managing a single partner rather than several, and to build upon one telehealth infrastructure. We're pleased to continue our work together to advance our shared vision for virtualizing care." McLaren Health Care will use the InTouch Direct-to-Patient Solution for scheduled follow-up visits with primary care physicians and specialists, and for scheduled consults with specialists. This will allow rural satellite clinics within the McLaren Health Care network to provide better and more timely access for patients who need specialist consults with the added convenience of remaining in their communities. McLaren's use of the InTouch Direct-to-Consumer Solution will enable patients throughout the state of Michigan to initiate on-demand virtual care anytime, anywhere. "As patients increasingly expect access to telehealth services, we are expanding our work with InTouch Health to provide our patients with more convenient ways to access care, and to give our clinicians a secure and reliable tool to reach patients anywhere," said Mark S. O'Halla, Executive Vice President and COO at McLaren Health Care. "Our relationship with InTouch Health truly has been a partnership, and we look forward to continuing our work together to provide patients with the best telehealth experience possible." "We're thrilled McLaren Health Care has expanded their partnership to leverage the InTouch Virtual Care Platform to drive consumer engagement throughout Michigan," said Steve Cashman, EVP Marketing and Consumer Solutions at InTouch Health. "InTouch Health tackled the toughest challenge first by pioneering acute care telemedicine. Having McLaren align with our single platform philosophy to displace other telehealth companies who started in low acuity is powerful validation." InTouch Health will be providing demos of its Consumer solutions at the American Telemedicine Association Annual Conference in Chicago. InTouch Health will also be showcasing the configurable InTouch Operating System and turnkey virtual care solutions for stroke, specialist follow-up, cardiology, behavioral health, and employer clinic. Visit booth #2002 at ATA18 for demos of these latest solutions. About InTouch Health InTouch Health, the 2018 KLAS Category Leader for Virtual Care Platforms, delivers its HITRUST CSF Certified telehealth services to health systems with a full range of solutions to efficiently deliver Consumer, Specialty, and Emergent virtual care in any care environment. InTouch Health provides the most reliable, dedicated cloud-based network and virtual care solutions that ensure connectivity for health systems, providers, and patients at all times. Today, InTouch Health supports more than 1,950 care locations around the world including many of the top 20 health systems as they deploy telehealth programs across their enterprises. InTouch Health has surpassed 1.84 million network sessions, which includes 940,000 telehealth virtual care sessions over the InTouch Telehealth Network. To learn more, please visit: www.intouchhealth.com. About McLaren Health Care McLaren Health Care, headquartered in Grand Blanc, Michigan, is a fully integrated health network committed to quality, evidence-based patient care and cost efficiency. The McLaren system includes 14 hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, imaging centers, a 490-member employed primary and specialty care physician network, commercial and Medicaid HMOs covering more than 620,000 lives in Michigan and Indiana, home health and hospice providers, retail medical equipment showrooms, pharmacy services, and a wholly owned medical malpractice insurance company. McLaren operates Michigan's largest network of cancer centers and providers, anchored by the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, one of only 49 NCI-designated comprehensive centers in the U.S. McLaren has 26,000 employees and more than 52,500 network providers. Its operations are housed in more than 350 facilities serving the entire Lower Peninsula along with a portion of the Upper Peninsula. Learn more at www.mclaren.org. SOURCE InTouch Health Related Links http://www.intouchhealth.com CEO Marco Dunand and President Daniel Jaeggi discussed the company's continued expansion and investment in the United States and the importance of American exports in the energy sector. Further, the company highlighted its commitment to expanding its signature Swiss-style apprenticeship program for American veterans at its U.S. facilities. "Since our founding, America has played an important part of our growth. As our company grows, we expand our workforce and find the means to increase America's export capacity," said Marco Dunand, CEO. "Increasingly, America is an important supplier for the world's energy needs. American energy exports create jobs, balance trade flows, and grow the economy. Mercuria is doing its part to make this a reality." Recently, Mercuria announced its intention to further expand into the Chinese oil market, an important destination for American crude, by investing in China National Chemical Corporation's refinery system as one of the first outside companies to gain access to China's domestic refinery system. Mercuria will invest in ChemChina's refining system, which has nine plants that can process about 25 million tons of oil each year. It is particularly well suited to accepting U.S. crude oil production. Mercuria will, in part, meet this need by harnessing the power of its American base of operations. "We need a skilled workforce in America to meet our growing needs around the world," said Daniel Jaeggi, president of Mercuria. "As part of our growth strategy, we are training and recruiting the best talents to fulfill our role in America's expanding energy economy. People with skills, a healthy business environment and a growing American footprint are the key tenets to our expansion." In Switzerland, Mercuria was instrumental in developing trainee positions for students who have been accepted to study in the master's program in commodities trading. Mercuria worked extensively with authorities in the United States and Switzerland to create an apprenticeship program in the America, which was modeled on its historic Swiss concept. More than 30 Swiss companies are now involved in bringing and expanding their model of apprenticeship to their U.S. facilities. Mercuria is a proud partner of the program, which was recognized by President Trump in a White House ceremony in June 2017. Mercuria is one of the biggest independent commodities and energy groups, handling gas and power and more than 2.2 million barrels of crude and petroleum products each day. The company trades along the entire commodities value chain and focuses on three key areas of asset development, structured trade financing solutions and physical commodities trading. The company has significant investments and assets in American energy infrastructure in Colorado, Indiana, Louisiana, Montana, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Texas, West Virginia, and Wyoming with trading hubs in Houston; Greenwich, Connecticut; and Denver. SOURCE Mercuria Energy CHICAGO, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Mesirow Financial acted as the exclusive financial advisor to Pactech Packaging LLC ("Pactech" or the "Company"), on its sale to ProAmpac LLC ("ProAmpac"), a company owned by PPC Partners. Headquartered in Rochester, NY, Pactech is a leading provider of innovative, custom-engineered flexible packaging solutions. The Company is a premier converter of high-quality pouches, with capabilities spanning a wide range of materials and fitments. Chad Buchta, CEO of Pactech, commented, "We are excited to be partnering with ProAmpac and PPC Partners, and want to thank Mesirow Financial for their expert guidance and dedicated service from start to finish." Louis Mitchell, managing director of Mesirow Financial's Investment Banking group, stated, "We were honored to advise Pactech on this transaction. Our strong experience and relationships within the flexible packaging industry allowed us to pair Pactech with the ideal strategic partner for continued strong growth." The transaction represents another successful assignment completed by Mesirow Financial's Investment Banking group. Mesirow Financial is one of the most active advisors in the paper, plastics, packaging and specialty printing sectors, having completed over 100 transactions in recent years. About Pactech Packaging LLC Pactech is a Rochester, New York-based manufacturer specializing in pouch converting. Started in 1993, the company has expertise in pouch fitment and dispensing technology. To learn more, please visit pactechpackaging.com . About ProAmpac LLC ProAmpac is a leading global flexible packaging company with a comprehensive product offering unparalleled in the industry. We provide creative packaging solutions, industry-leading customer service and award- winning innovation to a diverse global marketplace. We are guided in our work by four core values that are the basis for our success: Integrity, Intensity, Innovation and Involvement. To learn more, please visit P roAmpac.com . About PPC Partners PPC Partners acquires and operates North America-based middle-market companies with leading positions in the manufactured products, services and healthcare sectors. Led by Tony Pritzker and the former investment and operating professionals of Pritzker Group Private Capital, the firm's differentiated, long-duration capital base allows for efficient decision making, broad flexibility with transaction structure and investment horizon, and alignment with all stakeholders. PPC Partners builds businesses for the long-term and is an ideal strategic partner for entrepreneur-and family-owned companies. To learn more, please visit p pcpartners.com . About Mesirow Financial Mesirow Financial is an independent, employee-owned firm founded in 1937. As specialists in investment, risk management and advisory services, we are committed to helping our institutional, corporate and individual clients achieve their objectives. Our professionals are inspired by an entrepreneurial desire to develop tailored solutions designed to deliver measurable results. To learn more, please visit mesirowfinancial.com . 353 North Clark Street, Chicago, Illinois 60654 n 312.595.6000 Media contact: Nancy Gonzales Mesirow Financial 312.595.8115 [email protected] Michael Herley/Peter Hill Kekst 212-521-4897/4859 [email protected] [email protected] SOURCE Mesirow Financial Related Links https://www.mesirowfinancial.com MIAMI, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Miami International Airport got off to a strong start in 2018 with a 3.79-percent increase in passenger traffic and four-percent growth in freight tonnage through March, compared to the same period last year. International travelers rose 4.64 percent to 5.5 million passengers, while domestic traffic increased three percent to six million passengers, for a total of 11.5 million travelers at MIA in the first quarter. International freight traffic rose 1.8 percent to 491,264 tons and domestic freight jumped 19.1 percent to 84,180 tons, for a combined 575,444 tons through March. The upward trend is expected to continue into the second quarter, when four airlines will launch new Miami service and the busy summer travel season begins. LATAM Airlines will begin a weekly flight to Salvador, Brazil MIA's ninth Brazilian destination - on April 29; Bahamasair will launch four weekly flights to Bimini MIA's seventh route in the Bahamas; Air Italy will enter the Miami market with four weekly flights to Milan on June 8; and American Airlines will launch daily service to Savannah, Georgia on June 7, as well as a weekly flight to Bonaire, Lesser Antilles on June 9. Later this year, Brazilian low-cost carrier GOL will return to MIA with daily flights to Brasilia and Fortaleza on November 4, and American Airlines will launch new service to Georgetown, Guyana and Pereira, Colombia in December. "It is extremely encouraging to see MIA have a strong start to 2018, even before a number of new service launches kick off our peak summer travel season," said Miami-Dade Aviation Director Lester Sola. "Of particular significance is expanded service to Brazil - our top international market - as well as new service to Europe, the Caribbean and South America. MIA continues to be Florida's busiest airport for international travelers, as well as America's busiest for flights to Latin America and the Caribbean, and we look forward to expanding that role in 2018." Miami International Airport offers more flights to Latin America and the Caribbean than any other U.S. airport, is America's third-busiest airport for international passengers, boasts a lineup of more than 100 air carriers and is the top U.S. airport for international freight. MIA, along with its general aviation airports, is also the leading economic engine for Miami-Dade County and the state of Florida, generating business revenue of $33.7 billion annually and welcoming 70 percent of all international visitors to Florida. MIA's vision is to grow from a recognized hemispheric hub to a global airport of choice that offers customers a world-class experience and an expanded route network with direct passenger and cargo access to all world regions. MIA is committed to sustainable practices. Learn more at www.MIAefficiency.com. Follow us online: https://www.facebook.com/IflyMIA/ https://mobile.twitter.com/iflymia https://www.instagram.com/iflymia/ http://www.miami-airport.com/ MEDIA CONTACT: Greg Chin 305.876.7017 [email protected] www.miami-airport.com SOURCE Miami International Airport Related Links http://www.miami-airport.com/ AUGUSTA, N.J., April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Grammy winners, New Orleans music legends and Louisiana style dishes are featured at Michael Arnone's 29th Annual Crawfish Fest, June 1 - 3, 2018 at the Sussex County Fair Grounds in Augusta, NJ. The festival features 23 artists on three stages playing 28 sets of music throughout the weekend. Two-time Grammy winner Taj Mahal headlines the Main Stage with Samantha Fish opening for Taj on Sunday. Saturday's Main Stage headliner is Louisiana Music Hall of Fame inductee Tab Benoit. Michael Arnone's 29th Annual Crawfish Fest June 1-3, 2018. Augusta, NJ (Credit: Bob Adamek) Michael Arnone's 29th Annual Crawfish Fest June 1-3, 2018. Augusta, NJ The Crawfish Fest has a variety of Louisiana cuisine. Every dish is priced at $12 or less and brings to New Jersey the great flavors of Louisiana that are hard to find elsewhere in the northeast: Jambalaya, Boiled Crawfish, Oyster Po-Boys, Grilled Alligator Sausage, Southern Fried Chicken, Crawfish Etouffee, Boudin, Char-Grilled Oysters, Red Beans and more. New this year is a Crab Cake Eggs Benedict. Our special guest, Louisiana Lt. Governor and Director of The Louisiana Dept. of Recreation, Culture and Tourism, Billy Nungesser will visit our festival on June 2nd. 2018 sponsors: Bud Light, Bulleit Bourbon, Twisted Tea, LivingstonTourism.com, Louisiana Office of Tourism, Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board, Barenjager Honey Bourbon, Chateau Ste. Michelle, New Jersey Lottery, Crystal Hot Sauce, Service Electric Broadband Cable, Ketel One, Captain Morgan, 84RV.com and Holiday Inn Budd Lake. Social Media links and Tickets: Crawfishfest.com In depth detailed Press Release About The Festival What started as a small crawfish boil for 70 people in New Jersey homesick for Louisiana crawfish and jambalaya in 1989, has turned into Michael Arnone's 29th Annual Crawfish Fest. Featuring the best Music and Food that Louisiana and New Orleans has to offer. 23 bands of Cajun, Zydeco, Delta Blues, New Orleans R&B, Brass, Gospel and Jazz on 3 Stages. SOURCE Michael Arnone's Crawfish Fest Related Links http://www.crawfishfest.com MINNEAPOLIS, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton has declared today, April 26, 2018, "University of Minnesota Medical School Day," in recognition of the 130-year anniversary of its founding by the University Regents. On April 26, 1888, University Regents formally fulfilled the founding intentions of the University of Minnesota by adding the College of Medicine and Surgery to the curriculum offered to students in the state. At the time, the students followed a rigorous course of lectures lasting a little over one year to complete their education. By October of that year, classes began with 116 students following the merger of three private medical school programs in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Today, the University's Medical School has an entering class of nearly 232 students on its Twin Cities and Duluth campuses, and continues to fulfill its land-grant mission of preparing physicians to care for Minnesota families and communities. In addition, its faculty discovers and delivers innovative treatments and cures through research and provides care through a network of clinics and hospitals. About the University of Minnesota Medical School The University of Minnesota Medical School is at the forefront of learning and discovery, transforming medical care and educating the next generation of physicians. Our graduates and faculty produce high-impact biomedical research and advance the practice of medicine. Visit med.umn.edu to learn how the University of Minnesota is innovating all aspects of medicine. Contact: Krystle Barbour [email protected] 612-626-2767 SOURCE University of Minnesota Medical School Related Links http://med.umn.edu Moroccan security and customs services have foiled in a couple of days smuggling attempts at Guerguarate crossing point, in the southernmost tip of the country on the borders with Mauritania. In the night from Wednesday to Thursday, they blocked a drug smuggling attempt and seized 653 kg of cannabis on board a truck transporting goods. The truck, which belongs to a Spain-based company, was heading from Agadir to an African country, Moroccan police said Thursday in a statement. The two Mauritanian drivers, as well as people in charge at the transport and customs clearance companies, were brought before the competent security service for investigations. Two days earlier, customs officers thwarted at the same Guerguarate border crossing point an operation to smuggle in Morocco prohibited and undeclared goods, including drones, expandable batons, GPS, cameras The items seized, worth 920,000 Dhs, were detected when the lorry was scanned, the Regional Customs Directorate in Laayoune said in a statement. The items seized included 120 drones, 150 GPS (Global Positioning Systems), 60 spy cameras, 1,150 expandable batons, 1,200 smart watches, and 70 endoscopic cameras for mobile phones among others, the statement said. In the Summer of 2016, Morocco had stepped up vigilance to counter trafficking on its Southern Borders and to clear the border area with Mauritania of all trafficking, including of drugs and weapons, and of illegal commercial activities. Moroccan security services, in close cooperation with Mauritanian peers, tried to clear the areas, long considered by traffickers as a no mans land, by building and securing a road linking the border post of Guerguarate to Mauritania. Many observers had then noted that the Algeria-backed Polisario front is one of the biggest losers of any operation aiming to curb trafficking in North Africa. It is established that the separatist militia is engaged in all sorts of illicit activities, including arms trafficking PHILADELPHIA, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- MRP, a global account-based marketing platform leader, will participate and host an event during Technical.ly Philly's Philly Tech Week presented by Comcast. On May 2, 2018, MRP will lead a panel discussion called "Learning to Trust the Machine" at its new Philadelphia headquarters. "MRP is native to Philadelphia and we're honored to be involved in the city's largest technology conference, now in its eighth year," said James Regan, CMO of MRP. "In the near future, artificial intelligence will be non-negotiable for sales and marketing professionals. Technology leaders in the Philadelphia area already have a stake in AI and will discuss its future at our new headquarters during Philly Tech Week 2018." MRP's event, "Learning to Trust the Machine," will bring technology and artificial intelligence (AI) thought leaders from across the city together to unpack myths about AI, discuss the adoption of AI for business and how it's already being used. Panelists include: Bruce Alperin , associate vice president of marketing at Aramark , associate vice president of marketing at Aramark Ethan Lyon , innovation lead at Seer Interactive , innovation lead at Seer Interactive David McLaughlin , CEO of QuantaVerse MRP Chief Marketing Officer James Regan will lead and moderate the discussion that will also touch upon how companies can effectively implement and use AI and what the risks and rewards of an AI-powered future might entail. MRP's predictive analytics platform, powered by Kx technology, uses AI to help sales and marketing teams drive revenue. The eighth annual Philly Tech Week, April 27 through May 5, 2018, is a weeklong conference highlighting technology and innovation in the Greater Philadelphia region. The week consists of events, discussions, demonstrations and more from various organizations in the Philadelphia area. Learn more about MRP's event, "Learning to Trust the Machine," at www.2018.phillytechweek.com. About MRP MRP provides predictive customer acquisition software and services. For 15 years, clients have relied on MRP to help them achieve their revenue goals by combining cutting-edge predictive analytics with a full suite of account-based marketing services to acquire new customers, faster. MRP has 10 offices, 550 employees and covers over 100 countries around the globe. Visit http://www.mrpfd.com/ for more information. About Kx Kx is a division of FD, a global technology provider with 20 years of experience working with some of the world's largest finance, technology, retail, pharma, manufacturing and energy institutions. Kx technology is a leader in high-performance, in-memory computing, streaming analytics and operational intelligence. Kx delivers the best possible performance and flexibility for high-volume, data-intensive analytics and applications across multiple industries, including sales and marketing as evidenced by MRP's predictive analytics model. For more information about Kx please visit www.kx.com. For general inquiries, write to [email protected]. Kx and MRP are subsidiaries of First Derivatives plc (FD), a global supplier of software and consulting services. The Group operates from 14 offices across Europe, North America and Asia Pacific, including its headquarters in Newry, and employs more than 2,000 people worldwide. SOURCE MRP FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich., April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Tyrone Hamilton says he feels a special connection to seniors in assisted living. The 64-year-old musician has been blind since birth and understands the vulnerability of depending on others for daily tasks. Hamilton plays the piano and does his Ray Charles impersonations at local festivals and special events and is a regular on the roster at Courtyard Manor, an assisted living community for seniors with dementia. Music stimulates brain activity. Research shows it has a positive effect on people with Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia. It can improve mood and relieve stress-induced agitation. Familiar songs can even evoke emotional memory in some patients. Hamilton performs a lot of music that residents might recognize from their younger years. On his YouTube channel he covers Mack Rice's Mustang Sally and Bobby Darin's Mack the Knife. He learned piano from his father who played with blues musician Bobby Blue Band when they served together in the army during the Korean War. An active community member, Hamilton serves on many committees for local agencies including the Senior Alliance in Wayne and The Salvation Army Visually Impaired Camp in Echo Grove. Every year, Hamilton and his family perform at the Black History Celebration in Greenfield Village. Hamilton says he'll never retire. He wants to continue to bring his music to seniors who aren't as mobile as they once were. Courtyard Manor is a family-owned, assisted living and memory care community with 3 locations in Southwest Michigan. They specialize in the care of seniors with Alzheimer's disease, dementia, and challenging behaviors that other communities may not be able to manage. In addition to Hamilton's music, Courtyard Manor offers other daily activities to strengthen memory pathways: group walks, chair volleyball, and bible study. SOURCE Courtyard Manor BRIARCLIFF MANOR, N.Y., April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Academy of Management, the largest global association devoted to management and organization research, published a new study that found the success of female CEOs can be influenced by their mostly male predecessors. Under specific conditions and by leveraging their own status and power within an organization, predecessor CEOs can be a formidable force in facilitating the subsequent success of female CEOs. Published by the Academy of Management Journal, the study "Gender-Inclusive Gatekeeping: How (Mostly Male) Predecessors Influence the Success of Female CEOs," was written by professor Priyanka Dwivedi of Texas A&M University, Mays Business School and professors Aparna Joshi and Vilmos F. Misangyi of Pennsylvania State University, Smeal College of Business. They studied how several facets of predecessor CEOs and the succession context combine to influence the incoming female CEOs' post-succession performance. The authors conclude that although female leaders were not solely reliant for their success on their male predecessors, predecessor CEOs can potentially leverage varying levels of influence and power within an organization to craft structures and display behaviors that counteract the long-standing gender stereotypes in the workplace and contribute to incoming female CEOs' success. The authors conducted a case study of every CEO succession event involving women at the largest corporations in the United States over 20 years. Although not all predecessors were gender inclusive, through their research, the authors identified three formulae unique to female CEOs and were not found among a comparable set of male CEOs. These three formulae incorporate a complex set of factors that combine to ensure gender-inclusion in the upper echelons: Handing over the legacy: A powerful, long-term predecessor sponsors a long-serving female successor from within the firm, completely hands over the reins of power to her and then leaves the company. A powerful, long-term predecessor sponsors a long-serving female successor from within the firm, completely hands over the reins of power to her and then leaves the company. Partnering the legacy: A long-term predecessor transitions their CEO role to a long-serving female successor who he has sponsored from within the firm, but remains on the company's board of directors (often as Chairman) to serve as a partner to the female successor. A long-term predecessor transitions their CEO role to a long-serving female successor who he has sponsored from within the firm, but remains on the company's board of directors (often as Chairman) to serve as a partner to the female successor. Turning around the legacy: A powerful, long-term predecessor transitions the CEO role of a poorly performing firm to a long-term female protege successor, and continues to act as a mentor to the female successor while maintaining their role as Chairman of the Board. "We operate in a world where just 5 percent of Fortune 500 CEOs are women," said Dwivedi. "CEO successions are challenging separate and apart from gender dynamics and our research demonstrates that it is crucial for male CEOs and boards to ensure a culture of inclusivity at the highest levels of an organization when passing the reigns to a female successor in order to set her up for success." The research can be found in the April issue of the Academy of Management Journal. Media can request copies of the research and interviews with the authors at [email protected]. About Academy of Management Academy of Management is the most well-established and largest global association devoted to management and organization research, with 20,000 members from more than 120 countries across six continents. The Academy publishes six top-rated journals with the most authoritative and diverse management research findings. For more information, visit www.aom.org. Media Contact Kerry Lange, 312-548-7428 [email protected] SOURCE Academy of Management Related Links http://www.aom.org SEATTLE, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Kv1.3 Therapeutics, Inc. (Kv1.3 Therapeutics), a Seattle-based, clinical stage biopharmaceutical company, today announced the presentation of new data from sporadic inclusion body myositis patients (sIBM) at the American Academy of Neurology Meeting that identified high expression of the Kv1.3 ion channel on lymphocytes from skeletal muscle biopsies obtained from patients with this progressive and debilitating degenerative musculoskeletal disorder. Kv1.3 is frequently found on T effector memory cells, a population of immune cells implicated in many T cell mediated autoimmune disorders including rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and multiple sclerosis. Identification of Kv1.3, an important regulator of T effector memory cell activity, on lymphocytes in sIBM patients provides support for the potential treatment of this disease with Kv1.3 Therapeutics's drug therapy, dalazatide, which studies indicate is a highly selective and a near irreversible inhibitor of the Kv1.3 ion channel. The data was presented by Dr. Tahseen Mozaffar, Professor of Neurology at the University of California, Irvine, at the Annual American Academy of Neurology meeting in Los Angeles. Dr. Mozaffar reported that patients with IBM have high Kv1.3 expression on effector memory T cells in their skeletal muscle biopsy samples. "The abundance of Kv1.3 channels at the site of both active inflammation and where we also observe the hallmark markers of sIBM muscle damage and destruction provides us with a compelling hypothesis to evaluate the impact of targeting these cells. Dalazatide has demonstrated pre-clinical activity in multiple pre-clinical animal models of T cell autoimmune disease and has been found to be safe in early clinical trials," said Dr. Mozaffar, the lead investigator on this research. "We look forward to clinical trials of dalazatide in sIBM patients." "Kv1.3 Therapeutics is preparing for Phase II clinical studies of dalatatide in the sIBM setting," said Craig W. Philips, Chief Executive Officer of Kv 1.3 Therapeutics. "We've also engaged BTIG to assist us with evaluating strategic opportunities to accelerate the development of dalazatide in sIBM and other T cell autoimmune disorders with high un-met medical needs." IBM is a degenerative autoimmune disease which is estimated to affect over 16,000 people in the US. The number of people affected by this disease is expected to increase over the next decades with some estimates suggesting that it will double by 2030. Currently, no drugs are FDA approved for this disease and patient management is primarily focused on supportive care. Link to Poster Kv1.3 Expression on Effector Memory T-Cells in Sporadic Inclusion Body Myositis: Potential for Targeted Immunotherapy with Dalazatide. Tahseen Mozaffar MD , Marie Wencel BS, Namita A. Goyal MD, Craig W Philips* BSc, MBA, Chelsea Olsen* PhD,Karissa Munoz BS, Ali Mannaa, Armando Villalta PhD. University of California, Irvine, CA and *Kv1.3 Therapeutics, Inc., Seattle WA. Link to Abstract (#437 Session P3, American Academy of Neurology). About Dalazatide Dalazatide is a novel Kv1.3 blocker, a first-in-class drug being developed initially for rare autoimmune diseases including as a potential treatment of myositis a rare autoimmune disease with significant unmet medical need. Dalazatide is the lead drug in Kv1.3 Therapeutics's patent-protected family of Kv1.3 blockers and has demonstrated activity in a variety of autoimmune disease models and a proof-of-concept prototypical autoimmune disease Phase 1b clinical trial. In addition to showing clinical activity in an autoimmune patient population, additional studies have also reinforced the immune sparing features of this drug. Kv1.3 Therapeutics's products provide potentially breakthrough solutions in the toolkit for physicians managing patients with certain rare and debilitating autoimmune diseases. About Kv1.3 Therapeutics, Inc. Kv1.3 Therapeutics is a Seattle-based, clinical stage biopharmaceutical company. The company is committed to transforming treatment alternatives for patients with rare and autoimmune diseases. The company is focused on developing a unique group of Kv1.3 blockers for potential management of rare diseases such as myositis, a rare and debilitating disease which affects over 16,000 Americans. Kv1.3 Therapeutics actively collaborates with private, academic and industry partners to advance research and clinical activities in rare diseases. For more information please visit us at Kv13Therapeutics.com. Contact For more information please contact; Kv1.3 Therapeutics Craig Philips [email protected] 206-812-1405 BTIG Gregory Wade Ph.D. Managing Director, Healthcare Investment Banking [email protected] 415-248-5543 NOTICE: This document contains certain forward-looking statements, including without limitation statements regarding Kv1.3 Therapeutics, Inc.'s plans for pre-clinical and clinical studies, regulatory filings, and anticipated drug effects in human subjects, business performance and investment performance. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties inherent in Kv1.3 Therapeutics's business which could significantly affect expected results. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement, and Kv1.3 Therapeutics undertakes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the issuance of this press release. SOURCE Kv1.3 Therapeutics, Inc. Related Links http://www.kv13therapeutics.com PLANTATION, Fla. and LAS VEGAS, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Deutsche Post DHL Group, the world's leading logistics company, today announced that it has accepted an exclusive invitation to partner with Magento, the worldwide leader in cloud digital commerce innovation, as Premier Partner for Shipping. Magento's Premier designation recognizes global leaders and brings close collaboration in key categories of interest to e-commerce merchants. "Magento connects merchants and shoppers. DHL connects shoppers with their goods," said John Pearson, CEO Europe and Global Head of Commercial, DHL Express. "Our collaboration will provide Magento merchants with industry-leading international shipping and value-added shipping features from DHL that easily and flexibly connect shoppers with their goods." Accepting the Magento partnership emphasizes again Deutsche Post DHL Group's intention to be the leading global provider in e-commerce logistics. The Group's divisions together comprise the most international company in the world, present in 220 countries and territories, allowing online merchants to leverage the Group's unsurpassed global reach to execute their e-commerce strategy. Online retailers connected with the Magento platform will be able to select from a range of DHL shipping services, with the partnership expected to expand over time to include an increasing portfolio of parcel, express, freight and other logistics services provided by the different DHL divisions. "Commerce is no longer just about the "buy button" and our merchants are looking to meet their customers when and wherever they want to engage, buy, and receive their purchases," said Mark Lenhard, Senior Vice President of Strategy and Growth at Magento Commerce. "By partnering with DHL, our joint merchants will be able to offer improved customer experiences and grow their business by providing their customers with the fast, convenient shipping options they expect." As a Premier Partner, DHL will connect with merchants through strategic placement on Magento properties and the core product merchant administration panel. In addition, DHL will have the opportunity to educate merchants on shipping integration best practices and how to increase cross-border shipping via the Magento Community online, webinars, thought leadership pieces, events including Imagine and MagentoLive, and in one-to-one meetings. DHL will also have early access to Magento product roadmaps so as to improve integrations and the merchant experience. "We're particularly excited about the potential of Magento Shipping, and will integrate our most advanced shipping solutions there," said John Pearson. "Deutsche Post DHL Group has a history of working with leading technology partners like Magento. We will maintain our global leadership position only by innovating and adopting new technologies. Magento is at the leading edge of e-commerce technology, and DHL is the global logistics leader. Our association is sure to benefit both organizations most importantly our e-commerce customers." Media Contact: DHL Express Media Relations Robert Mintz Phone: (425) 984-4249 E-mail: [email protected] Die Post fur Deutschland. The logistics company for the world. Deutsche Post DHL Group is the world's leading mail and logistics company. The Group connects people and markets and is an enabler of global trade. It aspires to be the first choice for customers, employees and investors worldwide. The Group contributes to the world through responsible business practice, corporate citizenship and environmental activities. By the year 2050, Deutsche Post DHL Group aims to achieve zero emissions logistics. Deutsche Post DHL Group is home to two strong brands: Deutsche Post is Europe's leading postal service provider. DHL offers a comprehensive range of international express, freight transport, and supply chain management services, as well as e-commerce logistics solutions. Deutsche Post DHL Group employs approximately 520,000 people in over 220 countries and territories worldwide. The Group generated revenues of more than 60 billion Euros in 2017. Die Post fur Deutschland. The logistics company for the world. SOURCE DHL Dr. Raetz, professor in the Department of Pediatrics, returns to NYU Langone, where she was previously a faculty member, from the University of Utah and Primary Children's Hospital. There, she served as a clinical professor in the Department of Pediatrics, director of the Leukemia Program, and investigator at the Huntsman Cancer Institute. Her current research addresses the fundamental challenges associated with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, a type of childhood leukemia , and the development of novel strategies to improve outcomes, particularly for children with recurrent and high-risk forms of the disease. Dr. Nicolaides, assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics, joins NYU Langone from University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), where he was an assistant professor in residence in the Division of Hematology/Oncology in the Department of Pediatrics and director of the UCSF Brain Tumor Research Center Preclinical Core. Dr. Nicolaides focuses on discovering novel ways to treat people with brain tumors, while preserving their mental capacities and enabling normal development. Dr. Raetz and Dr. Nicolaides will treat patients at the Stephen D. Hassenfeld Children's Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, one of the nation's leading facilities for the research and treatment of childhood cancer. With the anticipated opening in June 2018 of the new, state-of-the-art Hassenfeld Children's Hospital, "it is an exciting time to welcome both Dr. Raetz and Dr. Nicolaides," says Catherine Manno, MD, the Pat and John Rosenwald Professor of Pediatrics and chair of the Department of Pediatrics. "Both are proven leaders with extensive clinical and research experience in their fields. Their compassion, energy, and vision will be significant assets as we advance our mission to provide world-class care to patients and their families." "Dr. Raetz and Dr. Nicolaides have strong backgrounds in cancer research, which they bring in addition to their leadership roles," says Benjamin G. Neel, MD, PhD, director of Perlmutter Cancer Center. "Their work at Hassenfeld Children's Hospital and Perlmutter Cancer Center will help to advance the field of pediatric cancer care, improving the standard of care and the quality of life of our patients." About Dr. Raetz Dr. Raetz received her medical degree from University of Wisconsin, where she completed her internship and residency, followed by a fellowship in pediatric hematology and oncology at University of Utah. An accomplished physicianresearcher, Dr. Raetz has authored more than 80 peer-reviewed publications, and has authored or co-authored more than 40 reviews, books, and book chapters. Dr. Raetz's published studies have appeared in leading peer-reviewed journals, including Journal of Clinical Oncology, Blood, and The Lancet Oncology. Dr. Raetz also holds memberships in the American Society of Hematology, the American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, and serves on the International Society of Paediatric Oncology Scientific Program Advisory Committee. She has been actively involved in the Children's Oncology Group (COG) Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Disease Committee for the past 15 years, and presently serves as Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Committee Vice Chair, overseeing clinical trials development. "I am thrilled to return to NYU Langone to lead the Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology," says Dr. Raetz. "I look forward to reconnecting with the faculty, staff, and families at Hassenfeld Children's Hospital, and continuing my strong collaboration with William L. Carroll, MD, the Julie and Edward J. Minskoff Professor of Pediatrics, and colleagues working to further increase our success rates in treating acute lymphoblastic leukemia in children and young adults." About Dr. Nicolaides Dr. Nicolaides received his medical degree from NYU School of Medicine, where he also completed his residency in pediatrics. He completed a pediatric hematology/oncology fellowship at UCSF and was recruited to the faculty there, where he also received a National Institutes of Health K award. Dr. Nicolaides has authored publications in several leading journals, including Neuro-Oncology, Oncotarget, and Cancer Discovery. He holds memberships with the American Association for Cancer Research, the Society for Neuro-Oncology, and the International Society of Pediatric Oncology. "I am honored to join an institution with such a longstanding reputation as a leader in the treatment of brain tumors and skull base tumors, both at Hassenfeld Children's Hospital and the Brain Tumor Center at Perlmutter Cancer Center," says Dr. Nicolaides. "NYU Langone's commitment to pairing translational research with world-class clinical care mirrors my own, and I look forward to seeing what further strides we can make in developing new targeted therapies for pediatric brain tumor patients." Media Inquiries: Ryan Dziuba Phone: 212-404-4131 [email protected] SOURCE NYU Langone Health WASHINGTON, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A construction company, Weil Construction, Inc. from Albuquerque, N.M. and Evans Capacitor Company, a firm responsible for the development of capacitor technology for the defense and aerospace industry, from East Providence, R.I., have been named the National Prime Contractor of the Year and National Subcontractor of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration. These businesses, along with other national winners and finalists for the National Small Business Person of the Year, will participate in a recognition ceremony at the U.S. Institute of Peace on April 30, during National Small Business Week in Washington, D.C. SBA Administrator Linda McMahon will present the awards. The federal government awarded over $99 billion of all federal contracts to small businesses in FY16, which translates to more than 537,000 jobs supporting revenue in the U.S. economy. The two small businesses were selected from among a strong field of candidates submitted by SBA's ten regional offices. The awards honor small businesses that provide outstanding goods or services to the federal government as prime contractors or as subcontractors. Details on this year's winners are: Small Business Prime Contractor of the Year: Weil Construction Inc., of Albuquerque, N.M. Prior to founding Weil Construction in 2005, Chris Weil worked as a senior project manager for one of New Mexico's oldest and most established construction companies building schools, community centers and judicial facilities throughout New Mexico and Arizona. Weil's expertise helped him launch Weil Construction Inc., a construction company and small disadvantaged business certified in SBA's 8(a) and HUBZone programs. The company specializes in new construction, renovations, remodels, tenant improvements, facility repairs and systems upgrades. Weil Construction benefitted from the assistance of an SBA-backed loan, SCORE and a Small Business Development Center. Weil participated in SBA's Emerging Leaders Program and graduated in 2016. Weil Construction has 45 employees, satellite offices in Colorado Springs, Colorado , Fort Worth and San Antonio, Texas and made $13 million in revenues in 2017. The company specializes in federal and non-federal projects. Its federal clients include GSA, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Federal Aviation Administration and the National Park Service. Prior to founding Weil Construction in 2005, worked as a senior project manager for one of oldest and most established construction companies building schools, community centers and judicial facilities throughout and Arizona. Weil's expertise helped him launch Weil Construction Inc., a construction company and small disadvantaged business certified in SBA's 8(a) and HUBZone programs. The company specializes in new construction, renovations, remodels, tenant improvements, facility repairs and systems upgrades. Weil Construction benefitted from the assistance of an SBA-backed loan, SCORE and a Small Business Development Center. Weil participated in SBA's Emerging Leaders Program and graduated in 2016. Weil Construction has 45 employees, satellite offices in , and and made in revenues in 2017. The company specializes in federal and non-federal projects. Its federal clients include GSA, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Federal Aviation Administration and the National Park Service. Small Business Subcontractor of the Year: Evans Capacitor Company of East Providence , R.I. Before co-founding Evans Capacitor Company with Charles Dewey in 1996, David Evans led the engineering group that developed processes and material for hermetic packaging of capacitors and novel capacitor technologies. Dewey later joined Evans in launching Evans Capacitor to develop capacitor technology for the defense and aerospace industry. Prior to joining Evans Capacitor, Dewey held various management positions in production management, technical marketing and finance with several companies. Evans Capacitor developed the machining process used in high capacity capacitors and was one of the early developers of high energy density capacitors employing an electrochemical cathode and electrolytic anode. Evans continues to invent, research and develop the capacitor technology while leading the engineering team at Evans Capacitor and Dewey provides oversight and direction of operations. The company delivers high power density capacitors to over 100 customers annually, including every major U.S. defense contractor. It has production facilities in Rhode Island and Maine. In 2010, Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control honored Evans Capacitor for its 100 percent quality and delivery ratings. Before co-founding Evans Capacitor Company with in 1996, led the engineering group that developed processes and material for hermetic packaging of capacitors and novel capacitor technologies. Dewey later joined Evans in launching Evans Capacitor to develop capacitor technology for the defense and aerospace industry. Prior to joining Evans Capacitor, Dewey held various management positions in production management, technical marketing and finance with several companies. Evans Capacitor developed the machining process used in high capacity capacitors and was one of the early developers of high energy density capacitors employing an electrochemical cathode and electrolytic anode. Evans continues to invent, research and develop the capacitor technology while leading the engineering team at Evans Capacitor and Dewey provides oversight and direction of operations. The company delivers high power density capacitors to over 100 customers annually, including every major U.S. defense contractor. It has production facilities in and Maine. In 2010, Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control honored Evans Capacitor for its 100 percent quality and delivery ratings. SBA's 8(a) Business Development program is a nine-year program which provides socially and economically disadvantaged firms access to government contracting opportunities and specialized business training and counseling to help them become viable competitors in the federal marketplace. 8(a) Graduate Firm of the Year: Carlos Del Toro , a 27-year Navy veteran and White House Fellow, founded SBG Technology Solutions Inc. in 2004. SBG provides IT solutions, program management services, enterprise engineering, cyber security services, software development, call center technology and services and training to federal and commercial clients nationwide. It has 180 employees and has generated more than $30 million in revenues in 2016 alone. Del Toro credits the 8(a) Business Development program with not only refining SBG's business practicesa result critical to the firm's initial growthbut also positioning it for continued success after graduation from the program. Since graduating from the program, SBG won a highly competitive contract valued at more than $50 million to provide engineering services to the U.S. Navy. The final procurement award includes: The Dwight D. Eisenhower Award for Excellence, recognizes large prime contractors that have excelled in utilization of small businesses as suppliers and subcontractors. The recipient is: Construction: Mr. Brad Lewis Corporate Director of Supplier Diversity Hensel Phelps Construction Co. Greeley, Colorado For more than 80 years, construction has been the core of Hensel Phelps's business. It offers a full range of construction services combined with the latest technology and world-class craftsmanship. As Corporate Director of Supplier Diversity, Brad Lewis works with the company's nine district offices nationwide to support subcontractors' growth, encourage small business outreach, promote mutually beneficial partnerships for small and minority-owned businesses and provide training. Hensel Phelps regularly relies on the SBA, Small Business Development Centers and Procurement Technical Centers to advertise subcontracting opportunities. In FY 2017, Hensel Phelps awarded 70.9 percent of subcontracts totaling $147.3 million in subcontracting dollars to small businesses, $51.7 million in subcontracting dollars to small disadvantaged businesses, $71.7 million in subcontracting dollars to women-owned businesses, $35.1 million in subcontracting dollars to HUBZone small businesses and $40.4 million in subcontracting dollars to veteran-owned businesses. Service disabled veteran-owned small businesses received $37.9 million in subcontracting dollars. For additional information on National Small Business Week, please visit www.sba.gov/nsbw About the U.S. Small Business Administration The U.S. Small Business Administration makes the American dream of business ownership a reality. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start and grow their businesses. It delivers services to people through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov. Contact: [email protected] Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Blogs & Instagram Release Number: 18-31 SOURCE U.S. Small Business Administration Related Links http://www.sba.gov PLATTSBURGH, NY, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ - Nova Bus, Volvo Group's North American bus division, is proud to announce it has been awarded a five year contract to supply replacement public transit buses for use in Monroe County, NY by Regional Transit Service (RTS). The contract calls for an initial base order of up to 15 diesel fueled, 40-foot buses with up to a total of 85 over the life of the contract. The new vehicles will be fully assembled in Nova Bus' Plattsburgh plant, with first deliveries expected in 2019. "We are delighted to welcome RTS among our new customers. Our presence in New York State is constantly growing, mainly due to the quality of our buses, as well as to the level of support our service department provides. We are also very proud to offer transit users in Monroe County, buses that are entirely assembled in New York State," said Martin Larose, Vice President and General Manager of Nova Bus. "After a comprehensive evaluation process, Nova Bus rose to the top and we are happy to enter into this contract with them," said RTS CEO Bill Carpenter. "We look forward to working with Nova Bus over the next few years to replace buses in our fleet that have reached the end of their useful life and make it easier for our customers to enjoy the ride." This order comes after a rigorous tendering process that included a visit to the Nova Bus manufacturing plant to better understand its assembly line and quality assurance processes. The assessment team was able to observe the quality of the product, the complexity of its design, its physical features, and the training and technical support Nova Bus provides customers. Nova Bus is the only transit bus manufacturer with a plant in New York State. It generates nearly 300 direct jobs in the region and supports many indirect jobs, working with a network of more than 100 local suppliers in New York State. Its geographic proximity to Rochester and understanding of the business environment further strengthen relations between Nova Bus and public transit authorities across North America. About Nova Bus Nova Bus is a leading provider of sustainable transit solutions in North America. Its portfolio includes hybrid electric buses, high-capacity vehicles and integrated intelligent transportation systems. Following its Electro MobilityTM strategy, Nova Bus is moving forward with the electrification of its vehicle key components to reduce fuel consumption and emissions. Nova Bus is part of the Volvo Group. For more information regarding Nova Bus products and services, please visit www.novabus.com. SOURCE NOVA BUS Related Links http://www.novabus.com/ PROVO, Utah, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc. (NYSE: NUS) today announced first-quarter financial results and increased its annual guidance. Executive Summary Q1 2018 vs. Prior-Year Quarter Revenue: $616.2 million, +24% +7% fx impact Earnings Per Share (EPS): $0.64, which includes a $0.12 negative impact associated with the settlement of a convertible note and a $0.03 charge from purchase accounting, compared to $0.51 Sales Leaders: 63,500, +16% Customers: 1,086,000, +11% "We delivered strong first-quarter results highlighted by 24 percent growth in revenue, which included a 7 percent foreign currency benefit," said Ritch Wood, chief executive officer. "Our revenue growth was driven by an 11 percent increase in customers and a 16 percent improvement in the number of sales leaders. We are encouraged by the early execution of our growth strategy centered on engaging platforms, enabling products and empowering programs." Q1 2018 Year-Over-Year Operating Results Revenue: $616.2 million compared to $499.1 million Gross Margin: 76.3% compared to 77.7% Gross margin of core Nu Skin business was 77.9% Selling Expenses: 41.8% of revenue compared to 41.9% G&A Expenses: 24.9% of revenue compared to 26.6% Operating Margin: 9.6% compared to 9.3% Other Income / (Expense): $1.2 million income compared to ($4.6) million expense Income Tax Rate: 41.0% compared to 34.1% EPS: $0.64, which includes a $0.12 impact associated with the settlement of a convertible note and a $0.03 charge from purchase accounting, compared to $0.51 Stockholder Value Dividend Payments: $19.8 million Stock Repurchases: $17.4 million; $110.6 million remaining in authorization Q2 and Full-Year 2018 Outlook Q2 2018 Revenue: $630 to $650 million, 15% to 18% growth Approximately +5% fx impact Q2 2018 EPS: $0.86 to $0.91 which includes an estimated $0.05 purchase accounting charge 2018 Revenue: $2.51 billion to $2.56 billion, 10% to 12% growth Approximately +3% fx impact 2018 EPS $3.45 to $3.65 which includes the first quarter $0.12 convertible note impact and an estimated $0.16 purchase accounting charge for the year "Based on the strength of first-quarter results and our initiatives for the remainder of the year, we are increasing our annual revenue guidance by $70 million," said Wood. "We remain focused on building momentum and executing our customer growth strategy by increasing social sharing capabilities with additional training and tools, driving innovation with ageLOC LumiSpa and other new products, and continuing the roll out of Velocity, our enhanced sales compensation program." "We generated 24 percent year-over-year revenue growth and strong earnings performance in the quarter," said Mark Lawrence, chief financial officer. "As previously disclosed, we incurred a charge associated with the early conversion of our convertible note, which was not included in our original guidance and negatively impacted first-quarter earnings by $0.12 per share. In addition, due to purchase accounting, we incurred a $0.03 charge related to the amortization of intangibles from our recent acquisitions. "For the year, we are increasing our annual revenue guidance to $2.51 billion to $2.56 billion with earnings per share of $3.45 to $3.65. This earnings guidance reflects the $0.12 negative impact related to the convertible note and approximately $0.16 of estimated amortization of intangibles from the acquisitions which were not included in our previous guidance. The most significant impact of the amortization will be in 2018. We are projecting second-quarter revenue of $630 to $650 million and earnings per share of $0.86 to $0.91," concluded Lawrence. Conference Call The Nu Skin management team will host a conference call with the investment community on April 26, 2018, at 5 p.m. (ET). Those wishing to access the webcast, as well as the financial information presented during the call, can visit the Investor Relations page on the company's website at ir.nuskin.com. A replay of the webcast will be available at the same URL through May 10, 2018. About Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc. Founded more than 30 years ago, Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc. develops and distributes innovative consumer products, offering a comprehensive line of premium-quality beauty and wellness solutions. The company builds upon its scientific expertise in both skin care and nutrition to continually develop innovative product brands that include the Nu Skin personal care brand, the Pharmanex nutrition brand, and most recently, the ageLOC anti-aging brand. The ageLOC brand has generated a loyal following for such products as the ageLOC LumiSpa skin cleansing and treatment device, ageLOC Youth nutritional supplement, the ageLOC Me customized skin care system, as well as the ageLOC TR90 weight management and body shaping system. Nu Skin sells its products through a global network of sales leaders in Asia, the Americas, Europe, Africa and the Pacific. As a long-standing member of direct selling associations globally, Nu Skin is committed to the industry's consumer guidelines that protect and support those who sell and purchase its products through the direct selling channel. Nu Skin is also traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "NUS." More information is available at nuskin.com. Important Information Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: This press 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, that represent the company's current expectations and beliefs. All statements other than statements of historical fact are "forward-looking statements" for purposes of federal and state securities laws and include, but are not limited to, statements of management's expectations regarding the company's performance, growth, strategies and initiatives; projections regarding revenue, earnings per share, foreign currency fluctuations, tax rates and other financial items; statements of belief; and statements of assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. In some cases, you can identify these statements by forward-looking words such as "believe," "expect," "project," "anticipate," "estimate," "intend," "plan," "continue," "targets," "likely," "will," "would," "could," "may," "might," the negative of these words and other similar words. The forward-looking statements and related assumptions involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and outcomes to differ materially from any forward-looking statements or views expressed herein. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the following: adverse publicity related to the company's business, products, industry or any legal actions or complaints by the company's sales force or others; risk that direct selling laws and regulations in any of our markets, including the United States and Mainland China, may be modified, interpreted or enforced in a manner that results in negative changes to our business model or negatively impacts our revenue, sales force or business, including through the interruption of sales activities, loss of licenses, imposition of fines, or any other adverse actions or events; any failure of current or planned initiatives or products to generate interest among the company's sales force and customers and generate sponsoring and selling activities on a sustained basis; risk of foreign currency fluctuations and the currency translation impact on the company's business associated with these fluctuations; uncertainties regarding the future financial performance of the company's recent acquisitions; risks related to accurately predicting, delivering or maintaining sufficient quantities of products to support our planned initiatives or launch strategies, and increased risk of inventory write-offs if the company over-forecasts demand for a product or changes its planned initiatives or launch strategies; regulatory risks associated with the company's products, which could require the company to modify its claims or inhibit the company's ability to import or continue selling a product in a market if it is determined to be a medical device or if it is unable to register the product in a timely manner under applicable regulatory requirements; unpredictable economic conditions and events globally; uncertainties related to interpretation of, and forthcoming regulations under, the recently enacted U.S. tax reform legislation; the company's future tax-planning initiatives; any prospective or retrospective increases in duties on the company's products imported into the company's markets outside of the United States ; and any adverse results of tax audits or unfavorable changes to tax laws in the company's various markets; and continued competitive pressures in the company's markets. The company's financial performance and the forward-looking statements contained herein are further qualified by a detailed discussion of associated risks set forth in the documents filed by the company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements set forth the company's beliefs as of the date that such information was first provided and the company assumes no duty to update the forward-looking statements contained in this release to reflect any change except as required by law. Non-GAAP Financial Measures: Constant-currency revenue growth is a non-GAAP financial measure that removes the impact of fluctuations in foreign-currency exchange rates, thereby facilitating period-to-period comparisons of the company's performance. It is calculated by translating the current period's revenue at the same average exchange rates in effect during the applicable prior-year period and then comparing this amount to the prior-year period's revenue. The Company's revenue results by segment for the three-month periods ended March 31 are presented in the following table (in thousands). % Constant Currency 2018 2017 Change % Change Mainland China $ 197,531 $ 150,004 32% 22% Americas/Pacific 92,289 71,425 29% 32% South Korea 88,930 82,471 8% 1% Southeast Asia 70,860 63,025 12% 7% Japan 63,224 61,156 3% (2%) EMEA 44,981 34,064 32% 15% Hong Kong/Taiwan 40,992 35,948 14% 11% Other 17,412 1,006 1,631% 1,631% Total $ 616,219 $ 499,099 24% 17% The company's Customers and Sales Leaders statistics by segment for the three-month periods ended March 31are presented in the following table. 2018 2017 % Increase (Decrease) Customers Sales Leaders Customers Sales Leaders Customers Sales Leaders Mainland China 200,000 27,000 176,000 19,100 14% 41% Americas/Pacific 246,000 8,200 191,000 6,900 29% 19% South Korea 179,000 7,300 189,000 8,000 (5%) (9%) Southeast Asia 118,000 6,600 98,000 6,200 20% 6% Japan 129,000 6,200 132,000 6,400 (2%) (3%) EMEA 142,000 4,300 124,000 4,100 15% 5% Hong Kong/Taiwan 72,000 3,900 70,000 3,900 3% Total 1,086,000 63,500 980,000 54,600 11% 16% _____________________ "Customers" are persons who purchased products directly from the company during the previous three months. "Sales Leaders" are independent distributors, and sales employees and independent marketers in China, who achieve certain qualification requirements. NU SKIN ENTERPRISES, INC. Consolidated Statements of Income (Unaudited) For the First Quarters Ended March 31, 2018 and 2017 (in thousands, except per share amounts) 2018 2017 Revenue $ 616,219 $ 499,099 Cost of sales 146,281 111,266 Gross profit 469,938 387,833 Operating expenses: Selling expenses 257,702 209,008 General and administrative expenses 153,246 132,563 Total operating expenses 410,948 341,571 Operating income 58,990 46,262 Other income (expense), net 1,207 (4,567) Income before provision for income taxes 60,197 41,695 Provision for income taxes 24,658 14,206 Net income $ 35,539 $ 27,489 Net income per share: Basic $ 0.66 $ 0.52 Diluted $ 0.64 $ 0.51 Weighted average common shares outstanding: Basic 53,997 52,678 Diluted 55,959 54,057 NU SKIN ENTERPRISES, INC. Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited) (in thousands) March 31, 2018 December 31, 2017 ASSETS Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 421,484 $ 426,399 Current investments 8,615 11,847 Accounts receivable 54,014 33,196 Inventories, net 282,983 253,454 Prepaid expenses and other 66,705 52,893 833,801 777,789 Property and equipment, net 508,476 464,587 Goodwill 187,423 114,954 Other intangible assets, net 100,601 67,647 Other assets 144,368 164,895 Total assets $ 1,774,669 $ 1,589,872 LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY Current liabilities: Accounts payable $ 62,253 $ 50,341 Accrued expenses 309,536 319,189 Current portion of long-term debt 362,659 77,840 734,448 447,370 Long-term debt 107,275 310,790 Other liabilities 133,818 127,116 Total liabilities 975,541 885,276 Stockholders' equity: Class A common stock 91 91 Additional paid-in capital 523,233 466,349 Treasury stock, at cost (1,280,586) (1,304,694) Accumulated other comprehensive loss (55,474) (66,318) Retained earnings 1,611,864 1,609,168 799,128 704,596 Total liabilities and stockholders' equity $ 1,774,669 $ 1,589,872 Nu Skin Social Media Channels fb.com/nuskin twitter.com/nuskin instagram.com/nuskin SOURCE Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc. Related Links http://www.nuskinenterprises.com WALLDORF, Germany, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- SAP SE (NYSE: SAP) today announced the five-year anniversary of the openSAP platform, an online learning platform that has trained more than 630,000 individuals from over 200 countries. One of the first providers of massive open online courses (MOOCs), openSAP originally offered just three courses. Today it has grown to offer more than 140 courses, available free of charge, and has spurred over 2.5 million course enrollments. Hosted and run by the Hasso Plattner Institute (HPI), openSAP was recently recognized as one of the top 100 brands for digital transformation based on industry research from Onalytica. "Five years ago, I envisioned SAP sharing knowledge freely through interactive social media systems. With the collaboration between SAP and HPI, we have realized this and reached 630,000 people globally," said Professor Hasso Plattner, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of SAP SE. "We originally adopted MOOCs, currently counting 200,000 learners with 500,000 enrollments on the openHPI platform at Hasso Plattner Institute for academic learning. It is incredible how the SAP ecosystem has embraced this platform for enterprise learning. Through users providing their open feedback on both the platform and the solutions, and latest innovations they're learning about, we can continue to improve and deliver to meet their needs." Through the openSAP platform, learners have access to peers and SAP experts as well as the most up-to-date information on SAP solutions and digital technologies. The platform has bolstered knowledge, fueled innovation and facilitated collaboration across cultures. In March, openSAP reached a milestone of 630,000 unique students from over 200 countries. Moreover, the learning experience provided by openSAP achieved a 98 percent satisfaction rate. "Our dream for openSAP was to break down the barriers of digital learning, giving everyone the tools to lift themselves up through free education," said Bill McDermott, CEO and Member of the Executive Board of SAP SE. "Five years and 2.5 million course enrollments later, I'm incredibly proud of the team's achievements to make that dream a reality. We want to be the voice of the intelligent enterprise where people come to learn, grow and unleash their amazing potential and with openSAP, we're only getting started." Ever evolving, openSAP will take advantage of SAP Leonardo Machine Learning capabilities to tailor course content to individual needs by integrating German, French and Spanish subtitles into English video content and transcripts. Upon successful course completion, learners will be able to collect digital badges that can be displayed on social media and professional profiles to showcase proficiency in subject areas specific to SAP innovations. To celebrate this five-year achievement of openSAP, a new slate of courses with subtitle options will be available in the coming months. They include: Climate Change, Risks, and Challenges (Short Track Version) ( April 19 ): Produced by World Wide Fund for Nature Germany in cooperation with Deutsches Klima-Konsortium, this course explores how global warming is affecting our world and what we can do to slow it down. ( ): Produced by World Wide Fund for Nature Germany in cooperation with Deutsches Klima-Konsortium, this course explores how global warming is affecting our world and what we can do to slow it down. Managing Java Systems on SAP NetWeaver ( May 2 ): Focused on the runtime environment for SAP software systems based on SAP NetWeaver Application Server for Java, this course enables learners to run applications based on this technology platform in a secure, stable and performant manner. ( ): Focused on the runtime environment for SAP software systems based on SAP NetWeaver Application Server for Java, this course enables learners to run applications based on this technology platform in a secure, stable and performant manner. SAP Business ByDesign Project-Based Services ( May 8 ): Learners are exposed to customer-facing and internal project-based services in the SAP Business ByDesign solution, including tight process integration with other areas such as sales, invoicing, purchasing and financials. ( ): Learners are exposed to customer-facing and internal project-based services in the SAP Business ByDesign solution, including tight process integration with other areas such as sales, invoicing, purchasing and financials. Introduction to SAP HANA Dynamic Tiering ( May 15 ): Users learn to implement the SAP HANA dynamic tiering platform to scale SAP HANA software. The course includes demonstrations highlighting key aspects and hands-on exercises to reinforce learning. ( ): Users learn to implement the SAP HANA dynamic tiering platform to scale SAP HANA software. The course includes demonstrations highlighting key aspects and hands-on exercises to reinforce learning. Object-Oriented Programming in Java ( June 13 ): Colleagues from Hasso Plattner Institute lead this course to help students understand key concepts of object-oriented programming (OOP) as well as fundamental programming techniques. Their knowledge will be tested with hands-on exercises in the Java programming language. To help connect people with information to address some of the world's needs, such as IT skills, courses given on the openSAP platform that focus on digital transformation will be available through theskillset.org. This is the official platform for the IT Industry Skills Initiative launched during the 2018 World Economic Forum. Visit the SAP News Center. Follow SAP on Twitter at @sapnews. About SAP As market leader in enterprise application software, SAP (NYSE: SAP) helps companies of all sizes and industries run better. From back office to boardroom, warehouse to storefront, desktop to mobile device SAP empowers people and organizations to work together more efficiently and use business insight more effectively to stay ahead of the competition. SAP applications and services enable more than 388,000 business and public sector customers to operate profitably, adapt continuously, and grow sustainably. For more information, visit www.sap.com. Any statements contained in this document that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "forecast," "intend," "may," "plan," "project," "predict," "should" and "will" and similar expressions as they relate to SAP are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. SAP undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations. The factors that could affect SAP's future financial results are discussed more fully in SAP's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), including SAP's most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the SEC. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of their dates. 2018 SAP SE. All rights reserved. SAP and other SAP products and services mentioned herein as well as their respective logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of SAP SE in Germany and other countries. Please see http://www.sap.com/corporate-en/legal/copyright/index.epx#trademark for additional trademark information and notices. For customers interested in learning more about SAP products: Global Customer Center: +49 180 534-34-24 United States Only: 1 (800) 872-1SAP (1-800-872-1727) For more information, press only: Martin Gwisdalla, SAP, +49 (6227) 7-67275, [email protected], CET SAP News Center press room; [email protected] Erin Albright, FleishmanHillard, +1 (617) 692-0543, [email protected], ET SOURCE SAP SE Related Links http://www.sap.com UPPSALA, Sweden, April 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Q1 2018 highlights Total net revenues of SEK 139.7 million , up 9.7 percent from Q1 previous year Zubsolv US net revenue of SEK 131.1 million , up 14.9 percent in SEK and 26.2 percent in local currency compared to the same period last year EBITDA of SEK -16.6 million , in line with guidance Cash flow from operating activities of SEK 106.0 million , building a cash balance of SEK 437.5 million Pipeline update, two more projects disclosed Earnings per share, before dilution SEK -0.75 (-1.00), earnings per share after dilution SEK -0.75 (-1.00) SEK million, if nothing else is mentioned 2018 Jan-Mar 2017 Jan-Mar 12 mth Apr 2017- Mar 2018 12 mth Apr 2016 - Mar 2017 Net revenues 139.7 127.4 656.0 682.3 wherof Zubsolv US net revenue 131.1 114.1 502.8 497.5 Cost of goods sold -48.4 -46.2 -166.6 -163.3 Operating expenses -113.1 -104.4 -430.6 -464.3 EBIT -21.8 -23.2 58.8 54.7 EBIT margin, % -15.6 -18.2 9.0 8.0 EBITDA -16.6 -18.1 79.7 74.4 Earnings per share, before dilution, SEK -0.75 -1.00 0.92 0.84 Earnings per share, after dilution, SEK -0.75 -1.00 0.92 0.84 Cash flow from operating activities 106.0 28.2 224.4 150.9 Cash and cash equivalents 437.5 250.6 437.5 250.6 Promising start for 2018 As I have indicated previously, the improved US market access delivered strong growth and Zubsolv broke its volume record and delivered a revenue growth of 26 percent in local currency. We also generated new early-stage projects leading to an update of our development pipeline. The financial position continued to improve, fueled by yet another strong cash-generating quarter. Since we received confirmation of our improved market access position in the US from January 2018, I have had high expectations of Zubsolv sales growth in the first quarter of 2018. The main driver has been the new exclusive contracts implemented during the quarter. However, I am also encouraged by the growth seen in the competitive non-exclusive segments of the business. Our new preferred position with CVS Caremark has been a key contributor, despite the intense competition from other branded and generic products with similar preferred status. In the overall market, Zubsolv was the only branded product to gain market share in the quarter. Building on the strong financial result in 2017, we continue to strengthen our financial position. I am pleased that our net cash improved by more than SEK 100 million during the quarter. The positive cash flow is explained by positive contributions from working capital. A key target for the company is to improve the profit contribution from our core business i.e. Zubsolv in the US. Adjusting for the expenses involved in setting up our new supply chain, which will generate an expected improvement in the cost of goods, and applying future expected cost of goods, we would have been profitable this quarter. Hence, I expect this investment to positively impact the profitability in the second half of 2018 and beyond, further reinforcing our expectations of a positive EBITDA for the full year. With confidence in our financial position we continue to invest in broadening our pipeline and to pursue new business development opportunities. The focused work of developing and expanding our pipeline in recent years has started to show results. Based on positive in vitro data, we have decided to progress another early-stage project to the clinical stage. The new project is a naloxone rescue medication, with the aim of having superior attributes compared to products available today on the market or in development. Finally, we have also identified an opportunity to develop a new NSAID formulation which might have the potential to replace opioids for acute treatment of moderate to severe pain. These are early development programs and although there is need for more work, I am pleased that we now can report an expanded development pipeline. Regarding OX382, where we aim to develop a swallowable formulation of buprenorphine, we conducted our first clinical trial in humans. We have just received the results and we will need to continue the pharmaceutical formulation work before we can progress this project further. Due to the high activity in our pipeline and due to priority reasons we have decided to park the OX51 project. Hence it will not be disclosed in our pipeline overview after this report. The business has started positively in 2018 and we will continue to focus all our attention on improving business performance even further, which makes me excited about Orexo's future prospects. Nikolaj Srensen President and CEO For further information, please contact Nikolaj Srensen, CEO and President or Henrik Juuel, EVP and CFO Tel: +46 18 780 88 00. Email: [email protected] Presentation At 3.00 pm CET, the same day as the announcement of the report, Orexo invites analysts, investors and media to attend an audiocast with a web presentation where Nikolaj Srensen, CEO, and Henrik Juuel, CFO, will present the report. After the presentation a Q&A will be held. Questions can also be sent in advance to [email protected], no later than 11.00 am CET. Please view the instructions below on how to participate. Internet: https://tv.streamfabriken.com/orexo-q1-2018 Telephone: (SE) +46 856 642 664 (UK) +44 203 008 9802 (US) +1 855 753 2235. The presentation material will be available on Orexos website one hour prior to the audiocast This information is information that Orexo AB (publ.) is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact persons set out above, at 8.00 am CET on April 26, 2018. This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com http://news.cision.com/orexo/r/interim-report-q1-2018,c2505882 The following files are available for download: SOURCE Orexo NEW YORK, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM), operator of financial markets for 10,000 U.S. and global securities, today announced Carter Bank & Trust (OTCQX: CARE), a state-chartered community bank headquartered in Martinsville, Virginia, with branches in Virginia and North Carolina, has qualified to trade on the OTCQX Best Market. Carter Bank & Trust upgraded to OTCQX from the Pink market. Carter Bank & Trust begins trading today on OTCQX under the symbol "CARE." U.S. investors can find current financial disclosure and Real-Time Level 2 quotes for the company on www.otcmarkets.com. "Carter Bank & Trust has 109 branches in Virginia and North Carolina and $4.1 billion in assets," said Jason Paltrowitz, Executive Vice President of Corporate Services at OTC Markets Group. "Trading on OTCQX will allow Carter Bank & Trust to build visibility and provide an investor-friendly trading experience. We look forward to supporting the bank and its shareholders." Litz H. Van Dyke, Chief Executive Officer, stated, "OTCQX is a great fit for our company as it will improve our visibility to investors who are interested in community banks, while providing a source of liquidity to our current shareholders. As we move the bank forward with our transformation initiatives, it is the perfect time to bring our bank's story to the forefront." Carter Bank & Trust was sponsored for OTCQX by Raymond James & Associates, Inc., a qualified third-party firm responsible for providing guidance on OTCQX requirements and recommending membership. About Carter Bank & Trust Headquartered in Martinsville, Virginia., Carter Bank & Trust is a state-chartered community bank in Virginia with $4.1 billion in assets and 109 branches with nearly 1,000 employees in Virginia and North Carolina. For more information, visit, www.CarterBankandTrust.com. About OTC Markets Group Inc. OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM) operates the OTCQX Best Market, the OTCQB Venture Market and the Pink Open Market for 10,000 U.S. and global securities. Through OTC Link ATS and OTC Link ECN, we connect a diverse network of broker-dealers that provide liquidity and execution services. We enable investors to easily trade through the broker of their choice and empower companies to improve the quality of information available for investors. To learn more about how we create better informed and more efficient markets, visit www.otcmarkets.com. OTC Link ATS and OTC Link ECN are operated by OTC Link LLC, member FINRA/SIPC and SEC regulated ATS. Subscribe to the OTC Markets RSS Feed Media Contact: OTC Markets Group Inc., +1 (212) 896-4428, [email protected] SOURCE OTC Markets Group Inc. Related Links http://www.otcmarkets.com NEW YORK, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- OUTFRONT Media Inc. (NYSE: OUT) announced today that the Board of Directors of the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District ("BART") has awarded it the advertising franchise for BART's rapid transit system, subject to the execution of a definitive agreement, for a period of 10.75 years with two additional one-year options. This award compliments OUTFRONT Media's existing partnerships with other Bay Area transit agencies, presenting advertisers and municipalities with broad opportunities for real-time intelligent communications to customers. "We are excited to partner with BART to make the commuting experience more inviting and informative for its diverse and tech-savvy riders," said Jeremy Male, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of OUTFRONT Media. "This completely reimagined digital media infrastructure, when combined with our new data-driven sales approach, will expand the pool of potential advertisers by including additional local businesses as well as national brands." Working together with BART, we will deploy over 600 ON Smart Liveboard digital displays and four large format LED displays. San Francisco is the eighth largest U.S. DMA according to Nielsen Media Research, and BART's system totals more than 100 miles of track and 46 stations. The agreement encompasses BART's expansion, including 775 new train cars. "This project will be the largest deployment of digital out-of-home media in the Bay Area. Combined with our other installations in top U.S. markets, these new locations add to the overall platform's network effect," said Andy Sriubas, Chief Commercial Officer of OUTFRONT Media. "We will leverage that network on behalf of our advertisers to dramatically increase non-fare revenue for BART and the system's utility for its customers." About OUTFRONT Media Inc. OUTFRONT Media connects brands with consumers outside of their homes through one of the largest and most diverse sets of billboard, transit, and mobile assets in North America. Through its ON Smart Media platform, OUTFRONT Media is implementing digital technology that will fundamentally change the ways advertisers engage people on-the-go. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements We have made statements in this document that are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. You can identify forward-looking statements by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "will" or the negative of these words and phrases or similar words or phrases that are predictions of or indicate future events or trends and that do not relate solely to historical matters. You can also identify forward-looking statements by discussions of strategy, plans or intentions related to the BART franchise agreement and any potential benefits of the franchise agreement, our capital resources, portfolio performance and results of operations. Forward-looking statements involve numerous risks and uncertainties and you should not rely on them as predictions of future events. Forward-looking statements depend on assumptions, data or methods that may be incorrect or imprecise and may not be able to be realized. We do not guarantee that the transactions and events described will happen as described (or that they will happen at all). The following factors, among others, could cause actual results and future events to differ materially from those set forth or contemplated in the forward-looking statements: our ability to execute a definitive agreement with BART in a timely manner on favorable terms, or at all; our ability to implement our digital display platform and deploy digital advertising displays to our transit franchise partners; and other factors described in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), including but not limited to the section entitled "Risk Factors" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017, filed with the SEC on February 28, 2018. All forward-looking statements in this document apply as of the date of this document or as of the date they were made and, except as required by applicable law, we disclaim any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement to reflect changes in underlying assumptions or factors of new information, data or methods, future events or other changes. SOURCE OUTFRONT Media Inc. Related Links http://www.outfrontmedia.com Over Half Of Future Retirees Will Rely On Social Security As Their Main Source Of Retirement Income New Nationwide Retirement Institute survey also finds older adults lack understanding and confidence when it comes to Social Security benefits HARRISBURG, Pa., April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Department of State held a demonstration of new voting systems that provide a paper record from five vendors today at the Farm Show Complex. Earlier this month, Acting Secretary of State Robert Torres informed counties they will need to select a new voting system that provides a paper trail by the end of 2019, and preferably have a system in place by the November 2019 general election. "This demonstration gives everyone an opportunity to learn about the potential voting system options available to counties," Acting Secretary of State Robert Torres said. "We want to ensure that the public understands these options that will provide enhanced security and will make it easier to audit election results." Vendors participating were Unisyn Voting Solutions, Dominion Voting Systems, Election Systems & Software (ES&S), Hart InterCivic and Clear Ballot Group. Ultimately, counties will have their choice from among any of the voting systems that achieve certification from both the federal Election Assistance Commission and the Secretary of the Commonwealth. Only one of the systems displayed today is currently certified for use in Pennsylvania. Several others are expected to complete the certification process later this year. Pennsylvania will receive nearly $13.5 million from Congress' recent appropriation of $380 million for election security under the Omnibus Appropriations Act of 2018. The funding is being distributed under provisions of the Help America Vote Act of 2002. Each state's allocation requires a 5-percent state match, bringing Pennsylvania's total funding package to $14.15 million. The administration is committed to working with the legislature to help fund these voting system upgrades, including but not limited to the consideration of future year cost-sharing arrangements which could use local, state, and federal dollars. NOTE: Video, audio, and photos from this event will be available for download later today in an email from the Pennsylvania Internet News Service (PINS). To register for PINS emails, [email protected]. MEDIA CONTACT: Wanda Murren, 717-783-1621 SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of State Related Links http://www.state.pa.us BEIJING, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Phoenix New Media Limited ("Phoenix New Media", "ifeng" or the "Company") (NYSE: FENG), a leading new media company in China, today announced that it filed its annual report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017 (the "2017 20-F") with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 26, 2018. The 2017 20-F can be accessed on the Company's investor relations website at http://ir.ifeng.com. The Company will provide a hard copy of its audited consolidated financial statements contained in the 2017 20-F, free of charge, to its shareholders and ADS holders upon request. Requests can be directed to Nicole Shan, Phoenix New Media Limited, Sinolight Plaza, No. 4 Qiyang Road, Wangjing, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100102, People's Republic of China. About Phoenix New Media Limited Phoenix New Media Limited (NYSE: FENG) is a leading new media company providing premium content on an integrated Internet platform, including PC and mobile, in China. Having originated from a leading global Chinese language TV network based in Hong Kong, Phoenix TV, the Company enables consumers to access professional news and other quality information and share user-generated content on the Internet through their PCs and mobile devices. Phoenix New Media's platform includes its PC channel, consisting of ifeng.com website, which comprises interest-based verticals and interactive services; its mobile channel, consisting of mobile news applications, mobile video application, digital reading application, fashion application and mobile Internet website; and its operations with the telecom operators that provides mobile value-added services. For investor and media inquiries please contact: Phoenix New Media Limited Nicole Shan Email: [email protected] ICR, Inc. Rose Zu Tel: +1 (646) 405-4883 Email: [email protected] SOURCE Phoenix New Media Limited TOLEDO, Ohio, April 25, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- ProMedica, a mission-based, not-for-profit healthcare system focused on improving health and well-being across the care continuum, announced today it is planning to acquire HCR ManorCare, the nation's second largest provider of post-acute services and long-term care. The partnership will enable ProMedica to gain immediate scale in the fast-growing home health and post-acute care markets, obtain a best-in-class portfolio of assets staffed by highly trained and dedicated healthcare professionals, and develop a diversified business that can better evolve with the current healthcare industry. "We want to take down the wall between traditional hospital and post-acute care services in an effort to enhance the health and well-being of our aging population," said Randy Oostra, ProMedica president and CEO. "The lines are blurring between where health care begins and stops. This acquisition provides us the platform to think differently about health and aging." Individuals in their 70s and 80s are the fastest growing segment of the U.S. population, yet the current senior care environment is fragmented, costly and inefficient. Nearly eight million patients are using post-acute care services, presenting a significant opportunity to coordinate those services with healthcare systems to improve quality and reduce the overall cost of care. HCR ManorCare, based in Toledo, Ohio, has more than 50,000 employees providing services in 450 assisted living facilities, skilled nursing and rehabilitation centers, memory care communities, outpatient rehabilitation clinics, and hospice and home health agencies operating under the respected names of Heartland, ManorCare Health Services and Arden Courts. Through this transaction, ProMedica, which operates in six states, will expand its footprint into 30 states, employing approximately 70,000 people with projected annual revenues of $7B. ProMedica and Welltower (NYSE: WELL), the world's premier health care real estate investment trust (REIT) and leading owner of senior living residences, entered into a strategic joint venture agreement to facilitate the acquisition of HCR ManorCare and Arden Courts real estate assets from Quality Care Properties, Inc. (NYSE: QCP). The resulting partnership will redefine the skilled nursing value paradigm and connect the continuum of care for the patients in the communities we serve. "This is an exciting opportunity for Welltower and singularly validates our strategy of partnering with major health systems to drive health care delivery to lower cost settings while improving health outcomes," commented Welltower CEO Tom DeRosa. "This acquisition will enable ProMedica to expand their service offering beyond acute care hospitals to include home health, post-acute care and residential memory care. ProMedica's unique wellness focused strategy and investment commitment to the HCR ManorCare assets will make them more consequential sites of care and enhance their value. We are very happy to be the real estate capital behind this transformative transaction." "We are thrilled to have a successful outcome for our shareholders, HCR ManorCare employees and provide continuity and stability for the more than 200,000 of HCR ManorCare patients and residents," said QCP CEO Mark Ordan. "ProMedica and Welltower together are redefining the settings where health care will be delivered and ProMedica is committed to the investment necessary to enhance the HCR ManorCare platform. QCP is happy to have played a part in facilitating this exciting next chapter for HCR ManorCare." About ProMedica ProMedica is a mission-based, not-for-profit integrated healthcare organization headquartered in Toledo, Ohio. It serves communities in Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. To date, the organization offers acute and ambulatory care, an insurance company with a dental plan, and post-acute and academic business lines. The 13-hospital system has more than 17,000 employees, 2,700 physicians and advanced practice providers with privileges, and more than 900 healthcare providers employed by ProMedica Physicians. Driven by its Mission to improve your health and well-being, ProMedica has been nationally recognized for its advocacy programs and efforts to address social determinants of health. For more information about ProMedica, please visit www.promedica.org/aboutus. About Welltower Welltower Inc. (NYSE: WELL), an S&P 500 company headquartered in Toledo, Ohio, is driving the transformation of health care infrastructure. The company invests with leading seniors housing operators, post-acute providers and health systems to fund the real estate infrastructure needed to scale innovative care delivery models and improve people's wellness and overall health care experience. Welltower, a real estate investment trust (REIT), owns interests in properties concentrated in major, high-growth markets in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, consisting of seniors housing and post-acute communities and outpatient medical properties. More information is available at http://welltower.com/. Forward-Looking Statements and Risk Factors This press release contains "forward-looking statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When Welltower and ProMedica use words such as "may," "will," "intend," "should," "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "project," "estimate," or similar expressions that do not relate solely to historical matters, they are making forward-looking statements. In particular, these forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, those relating to Welltower and ProMedica's ability to close the HCR ManorCare joint venture transaction on currently anticipated terms, or within currently anticipated timeframes; the expected performance of Welltower, ProMedica, and HCR ManorCare's operators/tenants and properties; Welltower, ProMedica, and HCR ManorCare's expected occupancy rates; and Welltower and ProMedica's ability to access capital markets or other sources of funds. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that may cause Welltower and ProMedica's actual results to differ materially from their expectations discussed in the forward-looking statements. This may be a result of various factors, including, but not limited to: the satisfaction of closing conditions to the HCR ManorCare joint venture transaction, including the receipt of regulatory approvals and lender or third-party consents; the respective parties' performance of their obligations under the HCR ManorCare joint venture transaction agreements; the receipt of applicable healthcare licenses and governmental approvals; unanticipated difficulties and/or expenditures relating to the HCR ManorCare joint venture transaction; the status of the economy; the status of capital markets, including availability and cost of capital; changes in financing terms; competition within the health care and seniors housing industries; negative developments in the operating results or financial condition of operators/tenants, including, but not limited to, their ability to pay rent and repay loans; operator/tenant or joint venture partner bankruptcies or insolvencies; the cooperation of joint venture partners; and other risks described in Welltower's reports filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Finally, Welltower and ProMedica undertake no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether because of new information, future events, or otherwise, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements. CONTACTS: Mary Cunney Ogilvy 212-884-4038 [email protected] Tim McHugh Welltower 419-247-2800 [email protected] Tedra White ProMedica 419-262-0371 [email protected] SOURCE ProMedica; Welltower SAN FRANCISCO, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The momentum of angel investing in deep technology startups showed increase in the participation of investors, startups and industry experts on the Propel(x) online investment platform from January through March of 2018. Deep technology companies are pioneering innovations such as new forms of clean energy, life-saving treatments, new methods of space exploration, and artificial intelligence, amongst others. Analyzing use of the Propel(x) platform showed: Amount invested increased five-fold over 1Q2017; Propel(x)'s Expert Community has exceeded 1,000 industry specialists actively assisting investors evaluate deep tech investment opportunities; Expansion of the Propel(x) Industry Council, a network of corporate leaders with interests in mentoring, investing in, and possibly partnering with emerging deep tech innovations. Responding to users' feedback, Propel(x) introduced "Direct Investing" capabilities to the platform in 2018. Until recently, accredited investors could only participate via syndicates for as little as $3,000. Now Propel(x) investors can invest directly into startups; without having to participate via Syndicates. As a business plan objective, with the introduction of Direct Investing capabilities, the company anticipates the majority of its dollars may be Directly invested by the end of 2018. "Introducing Direct Investing added momentum to our business this year," said Swati Chaturvedi, co-founder and chief executive officer of Propel(x). "As interest is waning in apps and low-tech solutions, investors are now looking for companies that are making breakthroughs in the sciences and technologies shaping our 21st century economy. Deep tech companies have intellectual property. The increase in Propel(x) participation may be a strong indicator of where investor dollars are moving." Recent Successful Capital Raises Propel(x)'s early 2018 successes included Pointcloud recently closing $3,300,000 in a round led by Baidu Ventures, with $1,500,000 raised on the Propel(x) platform. Founded by silicon photonics integration experts, the startup is developing next generation 3D imaging solutions based on LiDAR (light detection and ranging) technology dramatically improving 3D perception for robotics, autonomous navigation, and a variety of consumer and industrial applications. "Propel(x) helped accelerate our fundraising process and broaden our investor base," said Remus Nicolaescu, chief executive officer of Pointcloud. "The platform gave us access to a diverse network of high quality investors with strong understanding of frontier technologies and the importance of high performance 3D imaging solutions in the future." Artificial intelligence pioneer InsightFinder completed $2,000,000 pre-Series A financing led by Eight Roads Ventures. The company's breakthroughs in unsupervised behavior learning (UBL) improves an enterprise's ability to intelligently predict and prevent system anomalies and disruptions. "In addition to a continued strong showing of life sciences and energy focused startups raising funding on Propel(x) in Q1, we have seen more startups on our platform that leverage breakthroughs in artificial intelligence and high definition 3D sensing to bring efficiency and productivity in areas like enterprise software, industrial robotics and autonomous transportation," said Lisheng Wang, co-founder of Propel(x). "There is clearly a demand in investing a diverse set of deep technology areas from our platform investors and we are excited to bring to them the right opportunities." Wang also noted that not all capital raises are successful. About Propel(x) Propel(x) is an online investment platform capitalizing Deep Technology. Propel(x) connects investors to industry experts and Deep Tech startups. Startups featured on the platform are pioneering innovations such as new forms of clean energy, life-saving treatments, new methods of space exploration, and artificial intelligence, amongst others. As the premier platform for Deep Tech innovation, Propel(x) seeks to change the world by helping the next generation of great companies. Disclaimer Securities offered through North Capital Private Securities, member FINRA / SIPC. All of the investments offered on the Propel(x) platform are private offerings, exempt from registration with the SEC. These investments carry the risk of complete loss. The investments are also illiquid, with undetermined holding periods and no real preset liquidity terms. These offerings are also only available to accredited investors. Testimonials may not be representative of the experience of other customers and are no guarantee of future performance or success. Media Contact Carla Schlemminger (415) 562-5667 Propel(x) [email protected] SOURCE Propel(x) Related Links http://www.propelx.com On October 12, 2018, ACTA will present President Daniels with the 2018 Philip Merrill Award for Outstanding Contributions to Liberal Arts Education. The selection of President Daniels, recommended by a committee of distinguished educational and civic leaders from around the country, specifically recognizes his instrumental role in promoting uncompromising freedom of expression on campus; maintaining rigorous academic standards; creating the Purdue Polytechnic High Schoolan innovative STEM preparatory charter school in Indianapolis ; ; and managing a tuition freeze for all undergraduates at Purdue University for seven consecutive years, from the 2012-13 academic year through at least 2019-20. Daniels is the 12th president of Purdue University and the former governor of Indiana. In recognition of his leadership in both offices, he was named among the World's 50 Greatest Leaders by Fortune magazine in 2015. As a result of President Daniels's vision and guidance, tuition at Purdue has been held in check at a time when elsewhere, national higher education costs and student debt loads have escalated out of control. Through at least 2020, students at Purdue will pay less in tuition and fees than they were in 2012, and five graduating classes will have earned their Purdue degrees without ever experiencing a tuition increase. President Daniels was also highly influential in building a culture of freedom of expression at Purdue, making it the first public university to adopt the Chicago Principles, forging a lasting partnership between students and University leaders, and becoming the first public university to earn the top rating for the protection of free speech from the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE). ACTA President Michael Poliakoff observed, "Mitch Daniels has demonstrated how, with strong leadership and vision, a great university can reach new heights of excellence in teaching and learning, safeguard freedom of expression, expand opportunities for disadvantaged students, and still succeed in keeping college affordable. He inspires colleges and universities to see that both excellence and affordability can be within reach." The Philip Merrill Award will be presented to President Daniels on October 12 at an evening gala following ACTA's annual ATHENA Roundtable conference at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, DC. The award reflects and honors the legacy of the late Philip Merrill, a distinguished public servant, publisher, businessman, and philanthropist who served as a trustee of numerous universities and cultural institutions. Throughout his career, Mr. Merrill was a passionate proponent of academic excellence and an articulate spokesman for the importance of liberal education in a free society. Previous Merrill Award recipients are: 2017Robert Zimmer, president of the University of Chicago 2016Niall Ferguson, senior fellow, Hoover Institution at Stanford University , & Ayaan Hirsi Ali , human rights advocate and former member of the Dutch Parliament , & , human rights advocate and former member of the Dutch Parliament 2015Hank Brown, former U.S. senator and president emeritus of the University of Colorado and University of Northern Colorado and 2014Louise Mirrer, president and CEO of the New-York Historical Society 2013Gary W. Gallagher, John L. Nau III Professor in the History of the American Civil War at the University of Virginia 2012Thomas M. Rollins , founder of The Teaching Company , founder of The Teaching Company 2011David McCullough, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and author 2010Benno Schmidt, past president of Yale University and past chairman of the Board of Trustees of the City University of New York (CUNY) and past chairman of the Board of Trustees of the (CUNY) 2009Robert "KC" Johnson, distinguished scholar of 20 th century history and professor at Brooklyn College and the CUNY Graduate Center century history and professor at and the 2008Donald Kagan, author of the magisterial four-volume history of the Peloponnesian War and Sterling Professor Emeritus of History and Classics at Yale University 2007Gertrude Himmelfarb, professor emerita of history at the CUNY Graduate Center 2006Harvey C. Mansfield , William R. Kenan, Jr. , Professor of Government at Harvard University , , Professor of Government at 2005Robert P. George, McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence and director of the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions at Princeton University . ACTA is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to academic freedom, academic excellence, and accountability in higher education. We receive no government funding and are supported through the generosity of individuals and foundations. For more information, visit GoACTA.org, follow us on Facebook or Twitter, and subscribe to our newsletter. MEDIA CONTACT: Doug Sprei [email protected] PHONE: 202.467.6787 ext. 107 SOURCE American Council of Trustees and Alumni Related Links http://www.goacta.org HOUSTON, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Quanta Services, Inc. (NYSE: PWR) announced today that it will release first quarter 2018 financial results on Thursday, May 3, 2018, before the market opens. In conjunction with the press release, Quanta has scheduled a conference call for 9:00 a.m. Eastern time on Thursday, May 3, 2018, which also will be broadcast live over the Internet. What: Quanta Services First Quarter 2018 Earnings Conference Call When: Thursday, May 3, 2018 9:00 a.m. Eastern time How: Live via phone By dialing (201) 689-8345 or (877) 407-8291 and asking for the Quanta Services First Quarter 2018 Earnings Conference Call at least 10 minutes prior to the start time. Live over the Internet by logging on to the website at the following address: http://investors.quantaservices.com For those who cannot participate live, an archive of the webcast will be available shortly after the call on the company's website at http://investors.quantaservices.com and dial-in information for a replay of the call will be available in the upcoming earnings release. For more information, please contact Kip Rupp at Quanta Services at (713) 341-7260. About Quanta Services Quanta Services is a leading specialized contracting services company, delivering infrastructure solutions for the electric power, oil and gas and communications industries. Quanta's comprehensive services include designing, installing, repairing and maintaining energy and communications infrastructure. With operations throughout the United States, Canada, Latin America, Australia and select other international markets, Quanta has the manpower, resources and expertise to safely complete projects that are local, regional, national or international in scope. For more information, visit www.quantaservices.com. Contact: Kip Rupp, CFA Quanta Services, Inc. (713) 341-7260 SOURCE Quanta Services Related Links http://www.quantaservices.com STOCKHOLM, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- QuizRR, an Edtech company offering innovative training solutions to advance corporate responsibility and worker well-being, raised $1.3 million in a financing round led by Norrsken Founders Fund and Working Capital. The funding will be used to expand the company's offering into new markets and further develop and optimize its technology platform to increase its social impact. Global companies are increasingly required to demonstrate ethical performance to meet regulatory requirements and the interest of conscious consumers. QuizRR offers innovative training solutions that allow corporations to take practical steps towards responsibility, and to engage workers in dialogue to ensure their rights are protected. "Our partnership with Norrsken Founders Fund and Working Capital enables us to strengthen our organization with key competences, expand on existing markets, and enter new ones. Since the start, we have trained 45,000 factory workers and our goal for 2020 is to have trained 2 million workers around the world and contributed to long lasting positive change," said Sofie Nordstrom, co-founder and deputy CEO at QuizRR. One key to sustainably improving working conditions is to involve those who it concerns the most - the workers. QuizRR's digital trainings provide both workers and managers with increased knowledge regarding their rights and workplace responsibilities, how to create and maintain a healthy dialogue and engagement at the workplace, and how to manage wages. All training results are saved and displayed on a web portal, making it possible for brands and suppliers to measure and share their progress. This creates measurability and transparency which is crucial for sustainable supply chains. Tove Larsson, Investment Manager at Norrsken highlights that "QuizRR's digital training solutions and web portal create better working conditions and safer workplaces which increase workers' well-being. This enables global brands and suppliers to proactively uphold their social responsibility. "We believe in the great potential of the QuizRR team and the scalability of their solutions to contribute to improved living conditions for millions of workers and their families." "We see partnering with QuizRR as an opportunity to improve the way workers are engaged in global supply chains," said Dan Viederman, Managing Director of Working Capital. "In order for workers' rights to be respected in the global economy, and for working conditions to be improved, workers themselves have to be provided with knowledge, skills, and opportunity. It's innovative solutions like those developed by QuizRR that our fund was created to support. We look forward to working with QuizRR to deepen their impact and expand their promising offerings." "We are proud to call these two influential, socially-minded organizations, our partners. Besides important capital that enables us to expand both our business and impact, they will contribute with knowledge, contacts, and experience. QuizRR is ready to take the next step in our growth journey and with the support of these global funders, we are well equipped to do so," states Jens Helmersson, co-founder and CEO at QuizRR. About QuizRR QuizRR is a Swedish EdTech company that offers innovative training solutions to advance corporate responsibility and capacity building in global supply chains. Founded in 2013, by Sofie Nordstrom and Jens Helmersson, QuizRR uses digital training solutions to educate employees in global supply chains on right and responsibilities, safety and health, workplace dialogue and wage management. QuizRR now has a team of 20 people in Sweden, China, Bangladesh and Hong Kong, working with 40 global brands and 200 factories in China, Bangladesh and Mauritius to enable improved working conditions and safe workplaces for all employees in global supply chains through education. About Norrsken Founders Fund Norrsken wants to create a world that is optimized for both people and planet. We believe that entrepreneurs building rapidly scalable businesses are the best bet to solve some of problems facing our world. That's why we're using our experience from founding and leading startups to support the best impact entrepreneurs across the world. Norrsken is an ecosystem consisting of Norrsken House, a coworking space for over 350 impact entrepreneurs in Stockholm, and our seed fund Norrsken Founders Fund which invests in companies with the potential to radically improve the world. About Working Capital Working Capital is an early stage venture fund that invests in scalable innovations to meet the growing corporate demand for more transparent and ethical supply chainsaddressing the urgent need to protect vulnerable workers and source responsibly. It was created by Humanity United, part of The Omidyar Group, a diverse collection of organizations, each guided by its own approach, but united by a common desire to catalyze social impact. SOURCE QuizRR Related Links https://www.quizrr.se SAN MATEO, California, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Qure.ai (http://www.qure.ai), a healthcare AI startup, today launched a new AI-powered technology to accurately identify bleeds, fractures and other critical abnormalities in head CT scans. Qure.ai has also released the results of an unprecedented clinical validation study confirming its algorithms' near-radiologist performance on 21,000 patients and has made a dataset of almost 500 AI-analyzed head CT scans available for download. A CT scan of the head is usually the first diagnostic test patients undergo if they have a head injury or symptoms suggesting stroke. The problem, however, is that radiologists might not be immediately available to read a scan or might have many scans pending. Prompt reading of the CT scan is critical for stroke patients, as every minute that goes by, brain cells die. "Qure.ai's new head CT scan technology rapidly screens scans in under 10 seconds to detect, localize and quantify abnormalities, as well as assess their severity," said Prashant Warier, Co-Founder and CEO, Qure.ai. "This enables patient prioritization and the appropriate clinical intervention." Qure.ai trained the new AI using a collection of 313,318 anonymized head CT scans, along with their corresponding clinical reports. Of these, 21,095 scans were then used to validate the AI's algorithms. Finally, the AI was clinically validated on 491 CT scans, with the results compared against a panel of three senior radiologists. The panel of radiologists included Norbert G. Campeau, M.D., a senior neuro-radiologist from the Mayo Clinic's Department of Radiology. The validation study found that Qure.ai's AI was more than 95% accurate in identifying abnormalities. The results have been published today in a research paper on Cornell University's online distribution system for research, arXiv.org. The paper is titled "Development and Validation of Deep Learning Algorithms for Detection of Critical Findings in Head CT Scans." The Mayo Clinic's Dr. Campeau co-authored the paper with Qure.ai. Additional co-authors hailed from the CT & MRI Center, India and the Centre for Advanced Research in Imaging, Neurosciences and Genomics. Further details are available here: http://headctstudy.qure.ai. "This is important new technology," said Dr. Campeau. "The strong results of the deep learning system support the feasibility for use of automated head CT scan interpretation as an adjunct to medical care. This improves the quality and consistency of radiologic interpretation." In addition to the study, Qure.ai has made a dataset of 491 AI-interpreted head CT scans, as well as the corresponding interpretations from the three radiologists, publicly available for download. This dataset is from the Centre for Advanced Research in Imaging, Neurosciences and Genomics, and includes both out-patient and in-patient scans from 7 centers. To download the full dataset, visit: http://headctstudy.qure.ai. "We are releasing these scans so that others can compare and build on the results we have achieved," added Warier. "We encourage others to explore the data, review our work, and consider possibilities for the future." "We are delivering near-radiologist accurate AI to support radiologists, physicians and healthcare providers," said Sasank Chilamkurthy, AI Scientist, Qure.ai. "Our deep learning algorithms can accurately detect and highlight head CT scan abnormalities, reducing the chances of missing a diagnosis. Our technology can also localize the brain regions affected and quantify the bleed regions in a fully-automated report." Qure.ai's new solution can automatically generate abnormality reports. These automated reports are a first-to-market capability in the AI and radiology category, helping radiologists and hospitals prioritize care, make smarter and faster diagnoses and reduce costs. To date, Qure.ai has delivered AI-powered chest, abdomen and musculoskeletal image interpretation technology. With today's launch, Qure.ai is launching capabilities for head and brain CT scans for the first-time. Founded in 2016, Qure.ai is funded by Fractal Analytics, a global leader in artificial intelligence and analytics that powers decision-making in Fortune 500 companies. For more information about Qure.ai, please visit, http://www.qure.ai. About Qure.ai Qure.ai's mission is to make healthcare affordable and accessible using the power of artificial intelligence. Qure.ai's deep neural networks can understand and interpret medical images with unprecedented accuracy and enable machines to perform routine diagnostics, thus improving healthcare outcomes and costs. Qure.ai was founded in 2016, with funding from Fractal Analytics, and has a team comprising computer scientists, deep learning experts, medical practitioners and bioinformaticians. SOURCE Qure.ai NEW YORK, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- With the World Health Organization estimating the number of cancer diagnoses to rise by about 70 percent over the next two decades, biopharmaceutical companies around the globe are increasing investment in and production of innovative cancer drug treatments. By analyzing both their impact on prolonging life and their cost-effectiveness, groundbreaking research from Columbia Business School looks at the overall impact of recently developed cancer-fighting drugs. "Cancer has become a huge focus of pharmaceutical innovation in recent years," said Frank Lichtenberg, author of the study and Courtney C. Brown Professor of Business at Columbia Business School. "While we hear a lot about the cost of drugs, their actual value is less often discussed." Indeed, over the past four decades, nearly 200 new cancer treatments have been launched worldwide. In 2010, for example, the cost of oncology therapeutics and supportive care was $84 billion, compared to a staggering $107 billion globally in 2015. This upward trend comes at a time when the number of new drugs launched for other diseases has decreased. Lichtenberg added: "What this study and my larger body of research on pharmaceutical innovation does is measure the significance of new cancer drugs over time and, particularly, how they have actually affected cancer mortality rates." New Drugs Have Cumulatively Added Millions of Years of Life to Patients Lichtenberg's study tracks the impact of new drug launches on potential years of life lost (the average number of years a person would have lived if he or she had not died prematurely) from 19 types of cancer in 36 countries. His findings indicate that cancer drugs produce the most value in terms of the largest declines in premature mortality 5-10 years after their launch. This is due, at least in part, to the fact that newly-minted drugs typically have lower rates of utilization in their first several years on the market because of a number of factors including price, marketing by pharmaceutical companies and habit formation of doctors. For example, according to the research, cancer-fighting drugs launched during 2006-2010 reduced the number of life-years lost to cancer by about 8.7 percent in 2015. Had these new drugs not been on the market, Lichtenberg concludes that there would have been millions of additional years of life lost for cancer patients, specifically: 4.51 million additional years of life lost before age 75 and 2.52 million additional years of life lost before age 65 in 2015 alone. "These findings show that drugs launched at least 5 years earlier, and especially drugs launched 5-10 years earlier, significantly prolonged the lives of millions," said Lichtenberg. Since more new cancer drugs were launched during 2011-2015 than were launched during 2006-2010, Lichtenberg predicts an even larger9.9 percentreduction in mortality in 2020 from cancer drugs launched 5-10 years earlier. The research goes one step further, measuring the cost-effectiveness of new cancer drugs as they correlate with life-years gained as a result of the investment in the new drugs. For example, estimated expenditure in 2015 on drugs launched during 2006-2010 per life-year gained in 2015 ranged between $1635 to $2820 - figures that the vast majority of health economists would define as highly cost-effective. Implications for Pharmaceutical Companies and Policymakers Lichtenberg's findings have important implications for pharmaceutical companies and policymakers because they indicate a very real and measurable value to continuing to expand cancer drug expenditure. By demonstrating the relationship between financial investment and years of life gained due to new treatments, the discourse on cancer drugs can move beyond cost to include an assessment of treatment value. Given the proven reduction of the overall years of life lost from cancer due to new drug launches over time, Lichtenberg also stresses that policymakers need to seriously consider whether their citizens have adequate access to these new therapies and, if not, what barriers stand in the way. "Access to these new and effective drugs is much more limited in some countries than it is in others," said Lichtenberg. "As the research shows, in such cases, cancer mortality is much higher in countries with inadequate access." Lichtenberg cautions, however, that while it is an international study, the findings do not simply say that, for example, because the United States has more drugs than Peru, there are better treatment outcomes in America. His conclusions are based on an analysis of relative mortality from different types of cancer in different countries, not on the average cancer mortality rates of those countries. Contributions to Pharmaceutical Research This study builds on a larger body of Lichtenberg's research on the impact of pharmaceutical innovation on longevity. With 684 observations, 19 cancer sites and 36 countries, the sample size is considerably larger than those used in previous studies. It also includes a larger set of measures of the burden of cancer. Lichtenberg has received numerous honors for his research including the 2003 Milken Institute Award for Distinguished Economic Research for the paper, Pharmaceutical Knowledge-Capital Accumulation and Longevity, and Research!America's 2010 Garfield Economic Impact Award for the paper, The effect of new cancer drug approvals on the life expectancy of American cancer patients, 1978-2004. To learn more about the cutting-edge research being conducted at Columbia Business School, please visit www.gsb.columbia.edu. About Columbia Business School Columbia Business School is the only world-class, Ivy League business school that delivers a learning experience where academic excellence meets with real-time exposure to the pulse of global business. Led by Dean Glenn Hubbard, the School's transformative curriculum bridges academic theory with unparalleled exposure to real world business practice, equipping students with an entrepreneurial mindset that allows them to recognize, capture, and create opportunity in any business environment. The thought leadership of the School's faculty and staff, combined with the accomplishments of its distinguished alumni and position in the center of global business, means that the School's efforts have an immediate, measurable impact on the forces shaping business every day. To learn more about Columbia Business School's position at the very center of business, please visit www.gsb.columbia.edu. SOURCE Columbia Business School Related Links http://www.gsb.columbia.edu COSTA MESA, Calif., April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Retail bank investments in technology are paying off in the form of substantial numbers of digital-only bank customers, but some of that growth may be coming at the expense of customer satisfaction. According to the J.D. Power 2018 U.S. Retail Banking Satisfaction Study,SM released today, 28% of retail bank customers are now digital-only, but they are the least satisfied among all customer segments examined in the study. "There is no doubt that digital banking channels give banks an enormous opportunity to reduce costs, but the risk is that those cost savings come with lower levels of customer engagement," said Paul McAdam, Senior Director of the Banking Practice at J.D. Power. "Right now, retail banks need to address the growing digital divide that is emerging within customer segments. Successfully navigating that transition will require banks to provide better, more personalized advice that is consistent across both digital and branch interactions and to ensure that customer needs are met, regardless of channel." Following are some key findings of the study: Digital-only and branch-only customers are least-satisfied customer segments: Overall satisfaction is lowest among retail bank customers who exclusively used online or mobile banking channels during the past three months (791 on a 1,000-point scale). Customers who exclusively used a branch are slightly more satisfied (804). The segment with the highest level of overall satisfaction823is branch-dependent digital customers, the group that used the branch two or more times in the past three months and also used online or mobile banking. This group is followed by digital-centric branch-using customers (808), who used the branch once in the past three months and used online or mobile banking. Overall satisfaction is lowest among retail bank customers who exclusively used online or mobile banking channels during the past three months (791 on a 1,000-point scale). Customers who exclusively used a branch are slightly more satisfied (804). The segment with the highest level of overall satisfaction823is branch-dependent digital customers, the group that used the branch two or more times in the past three months and also used online or mobile banking. This group is followed by digital-centric branch-using customers (808), who used the branch once in the past three months and used online or mobile banking. Communication is where relationships fall short : The lower satisfaction scores found among digital-only customers are largely driven by weaker performance across three factors in the study: communication and advice; products and fees; and new account opening. : The lower satisfaction scores found among digital-only customers are largely driven by weaker performance across three factors in the study: communication and advice; products and fees; and new account opening. Digital divide largest among Millennial 1 and Gen X bank customers: The gap in satisfaction between digital-centric and branch-dependent customers cuts across all generations of retail bank customers, but it is most pronounced among Millennials (35-point satisfaction gap) and Gen X (24-point satisfaction gap), bucking the conventional wisdom that younger banking customers do not like to use branches. The gap in satisfaction between digital-centric and branch-dependent customers cuts across all generations of retail bank customers, but it is most pronounced among Millennials (35-point satisfaction gap) and Gen X (24-point satisfaction gap), bucking the conventional wisdom that younger banking customers do not like to use branches. Big banks lead the way on digital transformation: Big banks have the largest concentration of digital-centric customers (47%). Within the big and regional bank segments, Capital One and Bank of America have the highest percentages of digital-centric customers (55% and 53%, respectively), giving them a significant lead in digital transformation. "While the retail banking industry has a great deal of work to do to bridge the growing digital divide, some leaders have already begun to make huge progress on the digital learning curve," McAdam said. "Some of the best practices being pioneered today by digital leaders include highly personalized digital interactions along with branch transformation efforts that serve the needs of both digital-centric and branch-dependent customers." Study Rankings The study measures customer satisfaction with banks in 11 regions of the United States. The scores reflect satisfaction of the entire retail banking customer bases of these banks, representing a broader group of customers than just the branch-dependent and digital-centric segments. The J.D. Power award recipients with the highest retail banking customer satisfaction scores by region are: California Region: U.S. Bank (824) Florida Region: TD Bank (844) Mid-Atlantic Region: Northwest Bank (840) Midwest Region: First National Bank of Omaha (845) New England Region: Bangor Savings Bank (862) North Central Region: City National Bank (W.V.) (854) Northwest Region: Banner Bank (838) South Central Region: Trustmark National Bank (856) Southeast Region: United Community Bank (854) Southwest Region: MidFirst Bank (877) Texas Region: Frost Bank (873) The 13th annual U.S. Retail Banking Satisfaction Study measures satisfaction in six factors (listed in alphabetical order): channel activities; communication and advice; convenience; new account opening; problem resolution; and products and fees. Channel activities include seven subfactors (listed in alphabetical order): assisted online service; ATM; branch service; call center service; IVR/automated phone service; mobile banking; and online banking. The study is based on responses from more than 88,000 retail banking customers of 200 of the largest banks in the United States regarding their experiences with their retail bank. It was fielded in quarterly waves from April 2017 to February 2018. For more information about the U.S. Retail Banking Satisfaction Study, visit http://www.jdpower.com/resource/us-retail-banking-satisfaction-study. See the online press release at http://www.jdpower.com/pr-id/2018053. J.D. Power is a global leader in consumer insights, advisory services and data and analytics. These capabilities enable J.D. Power to help its clients drive customer satisfaction, growth and profitability. Established in 1968, J.D. Power is headquartered in Costa Mesa, Calif., and has offices serving North/South America, Asia Pacific and Europe. J.D. Power is a portfolio company of XIO Group, a global alternative investments and private equity firm headquartered in London, and is led by its four founders: Athene Li, Joseph Pacini, Murphy Qiao and Carsten Geyer. Media Relations Contacts Geno Effler; Costa Mesa, Calif.; 714-621-6224; [email protected] John Roderick; St. James, N.Y.; 631-584-2200; [email protected] About J.D. Power and Advertising/Promotional Rules www.jdpower.com/about-us/press-release-info NOTE: 11 charts follow. J.D. Power 2018 U.S. Retail Banking Satisfaction StudySM Rankings Retail Banking Satisfaction Index Ranking JDPower.com Power Circle Ratings (on a 1,000-point scale) for consumers: California U.S. Bank 824 5 Chase 817 4 Region Average 800 3 Bank of America 797 3 Bank of the West 797 3 Citibank 792 3 Union Bank 788 2 Wells Fargo 781 2 Florida TD Bank 844 5 Chase 837 4 Regions Bank 829 4 PNC Bank 822 4 SunTrust Bank 821 4 Fifth Third Bank 819 3 Region Average 816 3 Citibank 811 3 BB&T 809 3 Wells Fargo 807 2 Bank of America 800 2 Power Circle Ratings Legend 5 Among the best 4 Better than most 3 About average 2 The rest J.D. Power 2018 U.S. Retail Banking Satisfaction StudySM Rankings Retail Banking Satisfaction Index Ranking JDPower.com Power Circle Ratings (on a 1,000-point scale) for consumers: Mid-Atlantic Northwest Bank 840 5 Community Bank 839 5 Dollar Bank 839 5 TD Bank 822 4 S&T Bank 820 4 Huntington 818 4 PNC Bank 817 4 Chase 816 4 Citizens Bank 815 4 Union Bank & Trust 815 4 Fulton Bank 810 3 NBT Bank 809 3 Region Average 804 3 Capital One 803 3 M&T Bank 803 3 Valley National Bank 802 3 Bank of America 801 3 SunTrust Bank 799 3 New York Community Bank 798 3 First Commonwealth Bank 797 3 Apple Bank for Savings 791 3 Citibank 790 3 BB&T 789 3 Wells Fargo 788 3 KeyBank 786 3 First NB of Pennsylvania 778 2 Santander Bank 768 2 HSBC 737 2 Power Circle Ratings Legend 5 Among the best 4 Better than most 3 About average 2 The rest J.D. Power 2018 U.S. Retail Banking Satisfaction StudySM Rankings Retail Banking Satisfaction Index Ranking JDPower.com Power Circle Ratings (on a 1,000-point scale) for consumers: Midwest First National Bank of Omaha 845 5 Wintrust Community Bank 836 4 Regions Bank 826 4 First Midwest Bank 818 4 Bremer Bank 817 4 PNC Bank 816 4 U.S. Bank 813 4 Commerce Bank 812 4 Great Southern Bank 811 4 UMB Bank 809 4 BMO Harris Bank 808 4 Chase 808 4 Citibank 805 4 MB Financial Bank 803 3 Associated Bank 802 3 Region Average 797 3 Bank of America 795 3 Fifth Third Bank 786 3 Bank of the West 784 3 Great Western Bank 772 2 TCF National Bank 771 2 Wells Fargo 769 2 New England Bangor Savings Bank 862 5 Rockland Trust Co 852 4 Eastern Bank 837 4 TD Bank 821 4 Chase 802 3 Webster Bank 802 3 Region Average 797 3 People's United Bank 797 3 Citizens Bank 796 3 Santander Bank 788 3 Bank of America 782 3 Wells Fargo 781 3 KeyBank 776 2 Power Circle Ratings Legend 5 Among the best 4 Better than most 3 About average 2 The rest J.D. Power 2018 U.S. Retail Banking Satisfaction StudySM Rankings Retail Banking Satisfaction Index Ranking JDPower.com Power Circle Ratings (on a 1,000-point scale) for consumers: North Central City National Bank (W.V.) 854 5 Huntington 847 5 Chase 836 4 Fifth Third Bank 822 3 Region Average 821 3 First Financial (Ohio) 820 3 PNC Bank 820 3 U.S. Bank 820 3 Regions Bank 819 3 Bank of America 809 3 BB&T 808 3 Peoples Bank 806 2 WesBanco Bank 805 2 KeyBank 804 2 Comerica Bank 803 2 Flagstar Bank 803 2 Citizens Bank 798 2 Wells Fargo 790 2 Chemical Bank 786 2 Old National Bank 782 2 TCF National Bank 780 2 Northwest Banner Bank 838 5 Chase 809 4 Columbia State Bank 807 4 Umpqua Bank 805 4 KeyBank 803 4 Region Average 795 3 Bank of America 787 3 U.S. Bank 784 3 Wells Fargo 772 2 Power Circle Ratings Legend 5 Among the best 4 Better than most 3 About average 2 The rest J.D. Power 2018 U.S. Retail Banking Satisfaction StudySM Rankings Retail Banking Satisfaction Index Ranking JDPower.com Power Circle Ratings (on a 1,000-point scale) for consumers: South Central Trustmark National Bank 856 5 PNC Bank 849 4 Arvest Bank 848 4 Chase 841 4 Whitney Bank 839 4 Capital One 832 3 Regions Bank 832 3 Region Average 829 3 Wells Fargo 822 3 First Tennessee Bank 821 3 U.S. Bank 821 3 SunTrust Bank 818 2 BB&T 817 2 BBVA Compass 817 2 BancorpSouth Bank 814 2 Simmons First Bank 812 2 Bank of America 804 2 Southeast United Community Bank 854 5 TD Bank 848 4 Regions Bank 836 4 BB&T 834 4 Synovus Bank 833 4 PNC Bank 828 4 First Citizens Bank & Trust 827 4 Chase 824 4 Wells Fargo 817 3 Fifth Third Bank 816 3 Region Average 816 3 Bank of America 807 3 SunTrust Bank 807 3 South State Bank 804 2 Capital Bank 802 2 Power Circle Ratings Legend 5 Among the best 4 Better than most 3 About average 2 The rest J.D. Power 2018 U.S. Retail Banking Satisfaction StudySM Rankings Retail Banking Satisfaction Index Ranking JDPower.com Power Circle Ratings (on a 1,000-point scale) for consumers: Southwest MidFirst Bank 877 5 BancFirst 856 4 Nevada State Bank 839 4 Bank of Oklahoma 838 4 Arvest Bank 828 4 Chase 819 4 FirstBank (Colo.) 817 4 U.S Bank 810 3 Bank of the West 805 3 Region Average 804 3 Zions First National Bank 797 3 Bank of America 789 3 Wells Fargo 783 2 BBVA Compass 780 2 Texas Frost Bank 873 5 Woodforest National Bank 847 4 Prosperity Bank 841 4 First Financial Bank 829 4 Chase 821 3 Capital One 820 3 BBVA Compass 819 3 Region Average 819 3 Comerica Bank 813 3 Amegy Bank 809 3 Bank of America 808 3 Wells Fargo 807 3 Power Circle Ratings Legend 5 Among the best 4 Better than most 3 About average 2 The rest Media Relations Contacts Geno Effler; Costa Mesa, Calif.; 714-621-6224; [email protected] John Roderick; St. James, N.Y.; 631-584-2200; [email protected] About J.D. Power and Advertising/Promotional Rules www.jdpower.com/about-us/press-release-info 1 J.D. Power defines generational groups as Pre-Boomers (born before 1946); Boomers (1946-1964); Gen X (1965-1976); and Gen Y (1977-1994). Xennials (1978-1981) and Millennials (1982-1994) are subsets of Gen Y. SOURCE J.D. Power Related Links http://www.jdpower.com RUI'AN, China, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- SaintyCo, a leading manufacturer of pharmaceutical equipment and machines, today published a Cartoning Machine Ultimate Buying Guide. It has nine chapters that cover every detail about cartoning machines. The publication is available on the Saintytec.com/cartoning-machine section of the company's website for free. It is a simple guide authored by the SaintyCo technical team to help both beginners and professionals have a better understanding of the cartoning machine. SaintyCo "For more than three years now, we have been working on creating free online resource centers on Saintytec.com, Saintyco.com and Capsulefiller.com websites," said Mr. Tony Zeng, SaintyCo export manager. "Education is deep in SaintyCo's DNA and these online resource centers will help students, technicians and engineers get relevant information on pharmaceutical machines and equipment. You can learn everything you wish to know about cartoning machines on this guide." Among the key subjects on this Ultimate Buying Guide on Cartoning Machine include: Cartoning machine definition: It gives a brief introduction and overview of different types of cartoning machines. Benefits of cartoning machine: The section explores all possible benefits of cartoning machines as an ultimate packaging solution in production and manufacturing industries. Main parts and working principle of cartoning machines: This section covers the main parts of a cartoning machine. It later explores the working principle of a cartoning machine. Features and classification of cartoning equipment: Expect to learn more about innovative technological advances on cartoning machines. Besides, the section explores how different features of cartoning machines affect its unit cost. Cartoning machine FAQ guide: This section has a list of all possible lists of questions and answers about cartoning machines. It is a quick way to know a range of critical aspects about cartoning machines such as design, troubleshooting, quality control, etc. Cartoning machine applications: It is a quick way to know whether you may need a cartoning machine or not. In addition to these, the Ultimate Buying Guide on Cartoning Machine also covers the series of SaintyCoCartoning Machines. It is a quick way to explore various solutions that SaintyCo offers in the industrial packaging niche. About SaintyCo SaintyCo researches, designs and manufactures foodstuff and cosmetic machines. For over 15 years, SaintyCo has expanded to over eight factories that deal in capsule filling, blister packing and film coating machines, amongst others. All machines and equipment are CE and cGMP compliant. Media Contact: Contact Person: Tony Zeng (General Manager) Email: [email protected] Tel: +86-577-66612826 Website: https://www.saintytec.com/cartoning-machine/ Related Images cartoning-machine-buying-guide.jpg Cartoning Machine Buying Guide cm001-cartoning-machine.jpg cm001 Cartoning Machine saintyco-cm-100-cartoning-machine.jpg SaintyCo CM-100 Cartoning Machine cm-200-horizontal-continuous.jpg CM-200 Horizontal & Continuous Cartoning Machine Related Links SaintyCo Cartoning Machine Related Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5e2STA_sVA SOURCE SaintyCo Special Counsel Robert Mueller. Photo: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images The Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday approved a bill that would prevent President Trump from firing Special Counsel Robert Mueller, a largely symbolic move that is unlikely to go any further in Congress. Four Republicans Iowas Chuck Grassley, North Carolinas Thom Tillis, South Carolinas Lindsey Graham, and Arizonas Jeff Flake joined all ten Democrats to approve the bill by a 147 vote. But that is the last vote it will get if Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell keeps his pledge to not bring it before the full Senate. Last week, McConnell said the bill would not be heard on the Senate floor because it is unnecessary since there is no indication Trump is angling to fire Mueller. That is, of course, not true, and Trump provided a reminder Thursday morning during a rant on Fox & Friends in which he said he wont interfere with the Russia probe, for now. I have decided that I wont be involved, he said. I may change my mind at some point because whats going on is a disgrace. In a statement after the bill was approved by the committee, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer suggested that Trumps comments Thursday morning made a full Senate hearing even more necessary. Given President Trumps statement just this morning that he may interfere with the special counsels investigation, its become even more of an imperative that Leader McConnell put this bill on the Senate floor for a vote immediately. Rather than waiting for a constitutional crisis, the full Senate should act now, Schumer said. As McConnell has suggested though, even if he does bring the bill before the Senate, and even if it passes, its unlikely to make it through the House and even less likely to be signed into law. Under the measure, a special counsel would have ten days after being fired to challenge the removal in court. The court could then overturn the firing if it is found to have not been for good cause. Among the senators who voted against sending the bill out of committee was Utah Republican Orrin Hatch, who called it an unconstitutional infringement on executive power. Still, he warned that Trumps firing Mueller would have disastrous consequences. Firing Mueller would cause a firestorm and bring the admin[istrations] agenda to a halt it could even result in impeachment, he said. BETHESDA, Md., April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- To address the increase in industrial threats, SANS Institute, the global leader in cyber security training, today announced significant updates to its ICS515: ICS Active Defense and Incident Response course. While the ICS515: ICS Active Defense and Incident Response course is periodically updated to remain current, this is the first time a significant portion of the course has been updated all at once. New tools, techniques and skills for operating in an ICS environment are some of the things students can look forward to in addition to a whole new lab environment. "In the past year alone we've seen two really concerning pieces of malware, CRASHOVERRIDE which targeted the Ukraine power grid and Trisis targeting a petrochemical facility. We are also seeing new threat groups starting in the industrial sector," said Robert M. Lee (@RobertMLee), CEO of Dragos and a SANS Instructor and author of the ICS515 course. "The updates to this course are significant and timely as there is a lot to learn from these attacks. We have taken what we know and codified this knowledge to better prepare ICS professionals for the increased level of attacks on industrial environments." ICS515: ICS Active Defense and Incident Response is the only training in the world that certifies a person's knowledge in hunting and responding to threats in an ICS environment. It is quickly becoming an industry standard for ICS monitoring and incident response. The updated aspect of this course provides a more robust training opportunity than ever before. Over 40 percent of the course has changed including an extremely complex new water utility lab that takes students through four days of dealing with their own incidents in a real, controlled environment. There is a corresponding GIAC Certification available for the ICS515 course. The exciting GRID Certification is for professionals who want to demonstrate that they can effectively perform Active Defense strategies specific to and appropriate for an Industrial Control System (ICS) network and systems. Get more information here: www.giac.org/u/Dg7 For additional information on the newly updated ICS515: ICS Active Defense and Incident Response course, or to register for an upcoming course run, please visit: www.sans.org/u/Dds About SANS Institute The SANS Institute was established in 1989 as a cooperative research and education organization. SANS is the most trusted and, by far, the largest provider of cyber security training and certification to professionals at governments and commercial institutions world-wide. Renowned SANS instructors teach over 60 different courses at more than 200 live cyber security training events as well as online. GIAC, an affiliate of the SANS Institute, validates a practitioner's qualifications via over 30 hands-on, technical certifications in cyber security. The SANS Technology Institute, a regionally accredited independent subsidiary, offers master's degrees in cyber security. SANS offers a myriad of free resources to the InfoSec community including consensus projects, research reports, and newsletters; it also operates the Internet's early warning system--the Internet Storm Center. At the heart of SANS are the many security practitioners, representing varied global organizations from corporations to universities, working together to help the entire information security community. (www.SANS.org) SOURCE SANS Institute Related Links http://www.sans.org WASHINGTON, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- SBA Administrator Linda McMahon will recognize the 2018 National Small Business Week resource partner award winners in Washington, D.C. on Sunday, April 29 to kickoff day one of National Small Business Week celebrations, taking place across the nation. Administrator McMahon will present awards to a Pittsburgh Women's Business Center, a Virginia Veterans Business Outreach Center, a Colorado Small Business Development Center and a Pennsylvania SCORE Chapter for their positive impact on the creation and growth of small businesses in the U.S. Administrator McMahon will take part in the national awards ceremonies before embarking on a multi-city bus tour to highlight the nation's most outstanding business owners during National Small Business Week, April 29-May 5. Each year, the SBA counsels, trains and advises more than one million entrepreneurs and small business owners, with the help of its resource partners that provide access to capital, invaluable resources, business know-how, and the right expertise for each stage of a business's lifecycle. Their exceptional efforts provided to entrepreneurs help to power the engine of the nation's economy. It is shown that entrepreneurs receiving resource partner assistance are more likely to start a business and successfully obtain financing necessary for business growth. Key factors in determining the resource partner award winners were excellence and innovation in assisting small businesses, overall client satisfaction and collaboration with local, state and other entities, market penetration, and outreach in providing strong education efforts and relevant counseling and training services to small businesses. The 2018 resource partner award winners are: Women's Business Center of Excellence Award Chatham's Women's Business Center Anne Flynn Schlicht, WBC Director Pittsburgh, Pa. Veterans Business Outreach Center Excellence in Service Award Veterans Business Outreach Center at Community Business Partnership Charles McCaffrey, Executive Director Springfield, Va. Small Business Development Service Excellence and Innovation Award Boulder Small Business Development Center Sharon King, Executive Director Boulder, Colo. SCORE Chapter of the Year SCORE Lancaster-Lebanon Robert (Bobb) S. Bewley, Chapter President Julie E. Poland, District Director Lancaster, Pa. Each year since 1963, the president has issued a proclamation calling for the celebration of National Small Business Week. This year National Small Business Week will be recognized April 29 May 5, with events planned in Washington, D.C., Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina. The Washington, D.C. award ceremonies and workshops on digital commerce and social media will be livestreamed at www.facebook.com/sbagov. In addition, there will be a free Virtual Conference during National Small Business Week, May 1 May 3 between 12:306:30 p.m. EDT. The Virtual Conference offers all the best parts of an in-person conference, but without traveling. Virtual Conference viewers will be able to watch educational webinars, get free business advice and network with fellow business owners. For more information on National Small Business Week events, visit www.sba.gov/nsbw . About the U.S. Small Business Administration The U.S. Small Business Administration makes the American dream of business ownership a reality. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start and grow their businesses. It delivers services to people through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov. Contact: [email protected] (202) 401-3059 Release Number: 18-30 Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Blogs & Instagram SOURCE U.S. Small Business Administration Related Links http://www.sba.gov BOCA RATON, Fla., April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Seeman Holtz Property & Casualty, Inc. is pleased to announce the acquisition of Elton Porter Insurance Agency business out of Houston, Texas. Members of the sales and service team also will be coming aboard to continue the growth of this significant block of marine and motorcycle insurance business. The addition of this specialized market to Seeman Holtz's broad clientele provides an excellent opportunity for Seeman Holtz to bring their decades of insurance expertise to these new thousands of clients. Seeman Holtz Property & Casualty, Inc. continues to target high-quality independent agencies for geographic expansion and continued growth throughout the United States. With the addition of this acquisition, Seeman Holtz Property & Casualty, Inc. will continue to reach new and current clients by helping them protect their most important valuables with not only the right coverage but with the right service for each client. SHP&C offers: Homeowner's Policy Automobile Insurance Renter's Policy Private Client Umbrella Coverage Commercial and Employee Coverage Personal Liability Coverage Marshal Seeman, President of Seeman Holtz Property and Casualty, stated, "We are happy to have completed this acquisition. This is a really strong niche book of business with a concentration in motorcycle and marine. We are always looking for niche market opportunities to add to our family of companies." Brett Williams, Vice President, added, "The acquisition of this book of business allows us to apply our proactive client service model to access other business opportunities with these new clients." About Our Company: The Seeman Holtz family of companies provides comprehensive financial and insurance advice to clients across the country. Contact: Eric Holtz Seeman Holtz Property & Casualty 844.255.6639 [email protected] SOURCE Seeman Holtz Property & Casualty, Inc. AUSTIN, Texas, April 25, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Sendero Health Plans, Travis County's community-based health maintenance organization (HMO), announced a new pilot project to help members keep track of their immunization records through Texas' Immunization Registry. Sendero is the first and only health plan in Texas to offer its adult members the opportunity to opt-in to the state's registry - ImmTrac2. Registering with ImmTrac2 provides numerous community benefits, as adults continue to receive vaccines throughout their lives. Sendero is Central Health's nonprofit HMO providing quality health coverage to Travis County residents since 2012. "Helping track immunization data through the state registry is a win for Sendero members and the community," said Wes Durkalski, Sendero CEO. "Sendero has built a bridge with Austin Public Health and the Texas Department of State Health Services, and we are helping our members access their immunization data to make sure they're up-to-date, which helps with workplace and school requirements, and better protects our members and the community from infectious diseases during a disaster." Last fall, Central Texas helped people displaced from Hurricane Harvey. "During disasters such as this, immunization records play a key role in providing appropriate care," said Durkalski. "With Sendero members' participation, we can better protect them, their families, and neighbors from disease during a public health emergency." Based on the success of the pilot project, which more than tripled ImmTrac2 enrollment expectations, Sendero is expanding the program during 2018 open enrollment this fall to include enrollment options for adults and children. Managed by the Texas Department of State Health Services, ImmTrac2 is a tool to help public health officials allocate resources to support 'herd immunity' (slowing contagious diseases by increasing vaccinations), identify vulnerable populations at risk for acute vaccine-preventable diseases, and contribute to evidence-based practice for providing services to marginalized, underserved, and underrepresented populations. In addition, it informs decisions about where to allocate our health resources and to tailor health education and promotion programs to educate the public about how to protect their families against infectious and chronic diseases. About Sendero Health Plans Formed in 2011, Sendero Health Plans, Inc. is a community-based nonprofit Health Maintenance Organization owned by Central Health that is dedicated to improving the health of the community by providing affordable, quality healthcare coverage, especially for Travis County residents with low income. Sendero offers its IdealCare plan on the Federal Health Insurance Marketplace. Media Contact: Rodolfo Ybarra, Sendero Health Plans, 512-978-8205 [email protected] SOURCE Sendero Health Plans NEW YORK, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- This month, Curlkit has collaborated with Shea Moisture and the top hair care brand is exclusively taking over Curlkit's April 2018 subscription box with its New Red Palm Oil Collection. Shea Moisture is known for its commitment to ethical sourcing and the Community Commerce Program which creates opportunities for social and economic empowerment of the communities that they are involved in. Their program focuses on and encourages entrepreneurship, women's empowerment, education, and wellness. Shea Moisture Red Palm Oil Is Taking Over Curlkits April 2018 Subscription Box Shea Moisture released the Red Palm Oil collection to help give length and volume to healthy afros and curly-coily hair, which are more prone to shrinkage. The revolutionary products in this line combine effective, powerful and soothing natural essential oils and ingredients such as Red Palm Oil, Cocoa Butter, and Flax Seed - promise to "transform shrinkage-prone hair into luxurious, elongated locks." Like the other products from the Shea Moisture brand, the new Red Palm Oil collection is chemical free with no parabens, sulfates or animal testing and offers top quality ingredients to promote healthy and great-looking hair. Curlkit members will receive Red Palm Oil Detangling Shampoo, Red Palm Oil Leave-In Or Rinse Out Conditioner, Red Palm Oil Styling Gelee, Red Palm Oil Curl Stretch Pudding and the Red Palm Oil Reshaping Shine Butter. The Shea Moisture Red Palm Oil Takeover Curlkit box is available Exclusively this month only! For more information on CurlKit and to sign up for a subscription, please visit: www.curlkitshop.com. Notes to Editors About CurlKit CurlKit is a complete solution for women with naturally curly hair of various textures. They provide exclusive services, products, tutorials, videos, how-to manuals and information to help lifelong naturals, as well as women who are choosing a newly natural hairstyle. CurlKit had their premier launch in March 2012, opening Curlkit.com to customers in United States, Canada, Hawaii and the US Virgin Islands. In September 2012, they expanded their market share to over 30 countries worldwide accomplishing one of their first-year goals ahead of schedule. Contact: Heather Cummings [email protected] Phone: 609-791-9449 SOURCE CurlKit, LLC Related Links http://Curlkit.com For Sheboygan County, the small footprint and compact design is what set the ClearVote system apart. Jon Dolson, Sheboygan County Clerk, said "Clear Ballot was chosen for Sheboygan County because of its innovation in the industry. Clear Ballot started from scratch designing that new generation, when it seemed the old guard manufacturers were simply updating old equipment, old methods, old processes, and not much seemed to change. Clear Ballot is clearly different in a good way." "It has been gratifying to work with Jon and his team at Sheboygan County and to see their excitement over the practical innovations we've brought to elections," said Larry Moore, Clear Ballot's founder and CEO. "Voters appreciate the shorter lines that higher performance brings, poll-workers enjoy easier setup, the warehouse staff likes smaller and easier to program equipment, and financially, Clear Ballot adds functionality over time without requiring new hardware purchases." ClearVote allows election officials to view ballot images in ways that have never been possible before. For example, large-scale 100% independent audits can be conducted with ease, and close elections can be resolved with full confidence in minutes. Election officials can now have a new class of visual tools to strengthen public trust. ClearVote is made up of the following components: ClearCount: a high-speed tabulation and real-time reporting system that scans ballots with commercial-off-the-shelf scanners and allows election officials to visualize voter intent on every ballot. ClearCount will change the way election officials process write-in votes, reducing the human error inherent in ballot handling and therefore increasing efficiency in election administration. a high-speed tabulation and real-time reporting system that scans ballots with commercial-off-the-shelf scanners and allows election officials to visualize voter intent on every ballot. ClearCount will change the way election officials process write-in votes, reducing the human error inherent in ballot handling and therefore increasing efficiency in election administration. ClearDesign: a ballot design and layout tool that is intuitive and fast. The user interface allows ballot designers to create, proof and generate ballots quickly with familiar formatting tools including modern text editors. ClearDesign includes modern language and audio handling capabilities to aid jurisdictions of all sizes. a ballot design and layout tool that is intuitive and fast. The user interface allows ballot designers to create, proof and generate ballots quickly with familiar formatting tools including modern text editors. ClearDesign includes modern language and audio handling capabilities to aid jurisdictions of all sizes. ClearCast: the precinct scanner of the future. The commercially available components that comprise ClearCast improve the speed and reliability of precinct voting. ClearCast produces archival quality ballot images in a compact machine that reduces the cost and burden of transportation and storage. the precinct scanner of the future. The commercially available components that comprise ClearCast improve the speed and reliability of precinct voting. ClearCast produces archival quality ballot images in a compact machine that reduces the cost and burden of transportation and storage. ClearAccess: an in-person ballot marking system designed to ensure accessibility for all voters. Developed with feedback from voters at the Perkins School for the Blind, ClearAccess captures voters' choices and prints machine-readable ballots that can be scanned and tabulated within the same processing stream as voter-marked ballots. ClearAccess is the only accessible voting solution to use the Anywhere Ballot, developed by the Center for Civic Design with a grant from the EAC. ClearVote is certified in Ohio and Wisconsin. Much of ClearVote is certified in Oregon, Washington and Colorado for vote-by-mail, significantly improving the efficiency and transparency of their election processes over multiple election cycles. ClearCount is certified in New York for central count absentee and audits. Clear Ballot also conducts statewide audits in Maryland and Vermont as well as parts of Florida. About Clear Ballot: Clear Ballot is the leader in election innovation. We have introduced a new class of tools and a modern approach to voting, enabling unprecedented speed, accuracy, and transparency that officials and the voting public have sought for decades. Designed for ease-of-use, Clear Ballot's browser-based software, used in conjunction with commercially available scanning hardware, scales to election jurisdictions of all sizes, and responds directly to the budgetary realities of counties and municipalities. Our election technology has been used in six states, and is federally certified as of February 2018. Contact Hillary Lincoln Clear Ballot 617-842-5127 [email protected] SOURCE Clear Ballot Related Links http://www.clearballot.com The session started with the large-scale art installation depicting Earth Day, "Time Zones in Future", co-created by the International Green Economy Association, Wang Han and Milan-based designer Mellinda. The organizers, guests and participants from around the world made known their wishes as to what could be done to protect the environment against the backdrop of the art installation. The installation, consisting of seven squares of fabric, each one representing a country in a different time zone, demonstrates by way of a novel yet elegant approach what people of different races, backgrounds, jobs and ages imagine as a future environmentally-friendly lifestyle. Wang Han shared her opinions concerning the art work and articulated her Seven Promises, followed by former United Nations Under Secretary General's expression of wishes for a greener world representing China's time zone and the time zones of countries that followed China as they entered the new day, setting the stage for the start of an animated discussion with the attendees. Under the guidance of Wang Han, guests and attendees made their wishes for an environmentally-friendly lifestyle based on seven units of time - what could be achievable within an hour, a day, a week, a month, a season, a year and seven years - and followed these with wishes from guests visiting from France, the UK, Germany, Italy, Spain and Norway, to form a complete "earth consisting of wishes" as an expression of their hopes for world peace. Gifts in the form of a "time coin" give-away at the event acted as a simple reminder for each and every one of us to protect our great planet. SOURCE Free Will (Beijing) Culture & Technology Co., Ltd. NASHVILLE, Tenn., April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Shorr Packaging Corp. ("Shorr"), a national and independent packaging supplier, announced the expansion and new location of their distribution and warehouse facility in Nashville, TN ("La Vergne, TN"). "Shorr needed a larger facility to support our continued growth and to help operate more efficiently," explained Craig Funkhouser, Chief Executive Officer. "We will continue to focus efforts on providing high service levels for all our customers. The larger facility will help us gain advantages within the region, which can be passed on to help provide better service to our national, multi-location customers." Located with easy access to I-24 and close to I-840, transportation for Shorr's vendors, carriers and customers will be effortless. The new facility, which is 1.6 miles away from the previous location, is only 12 miles from Downtown Nashville. It will continue to service the same areas in Tennessee and Kentucky primarily the Nashville, Bowling Green and Knoxville areas. "Shorr is excited to be expanding our footprint in the Nashville market," says Bob Jorgensen, Regional Director of Operations East Coast. "We continue to see new business and organic growth throughout the middle Tennessee and surrounding region. With this expansion, Shorr will be able to bring additional jobs to the local area and increase our value-added service initiatives to our customers." By combining multiple warehouses and 3PL locations within the area to a single warehouse, the new Tech Park facility will have easier and quicker access to customer-dedicated inventory and specific stock items, such as corrugated boxes and stretch film. This location will also offer kitting and co-packing services similar to those at Shorr's Chicago, IL (Aurora) facility. Positioned in Tech Park, the new 125,000 square-foot facility will provide Shorr over three times the amount of space previously utilized. Moving forward with a sustainable "green" initiative, the new location has energy efficient T-5 lighting with built-in motion sensors through the entire warehouse and utilizes new, more efficient air conditioning units. Randy Whiteaker, Regional Sales Manager, stated, "We are excited to add to our growing commitment to the Southeast and specifically Middle Tennessee. The new facility in the Nashville area will serve as Shorr's Tennessee Center of Operations and allow for increased service levels to our existing customers, as well as, our future business partners. As an ESOP Company, it is important that we build assets in strategic markets and we see 'Music City' as just that." This location marks the sixth expansion for Shorr within a two-year span, not including the additions of other new buildings and building extensions, to accommodate for overflow. About Shorr Packaging Corp. Shorr Packaging Corp. is one of the nation's oldest and largest independent distributors of packaging materials and equipment. Headquartered in Aurora, Illinois, Shorr Packaging is a 100% employee-owned company specializing in comprehensive packaging solutions for businesses of any size and industry. Shorr represents automated equipment lines from industry leaders such as 3M, Lantech, Combi, Sealed Air and Wexxar/BEL that utilize state-of-the-art technology to streamline the entire packaging process. Shorr's wide selection of packaging and shipping supplies includes corrugated products, carton closure, pallet unitization products, protective packaging and flexible packaging, plus extensive capabilities in customized corrugated design. For more information about Shorr's packaging solutions, visit www.shorr.com. News Media Contact: Cassie Spenny Marketing Specialist 630-499-3029 [email protected] This press release was issued through 24-7PressRelease.com. For further information, visit http://www.24-7pressrelease.com. SOURCE Shorr Packaging Corp. Related Links http://www.shorr.com NEW YORK, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Shutterstock, Inc. (NYSE: SSTK) (the "Company"), a leading global technology company offering high-quality assets, tools and services through its creative platform, today announced financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2018. Commenting on the Company's performance, founder and CEO Jon Oringer said, "We had a strong start to the year and we are seeing promising operational and financial returns on the investments we have made in our technology and product offerings. We continue to expand our customer base, as our continued work to add features and functionality to our platform and enhance our workflow tools is driving sustained customer engagement across the Shutterstock platform. During the first quarter we were proud to celebrate an important milestone, reaching over 1 billion content licenses sold since the Company was founded in 2003. "Our customers are responding to the many ways we are enhancing their experience and providing them with the content and tools they need, and we are confident that execution of our key strategic initiatives and our focus on delivering efficiency on operating costs will continue this momentum throughout the year." First Quarter 2018 highlights as compared to First Quarter 2017: Key Operating Metrics. Paid downloads increased 0.5% to 43.7 million. Revenue per download increased 16.8% to $3.40 . . Image collection expanded 41.6% to 187 million images. Video collection expanded 45.1% to 10 million clips. Financial Highlights Revenue increased 17.5% to $153.0 million . . Income from operations decreased 56.4% to $4.5 million . . Net income increased 393.4% to $32.6 million , which includes $27.9 million relating to the gain on the Sale of Webdam. , which includes relating to the gain on the Sale of Webdam. Adjusted EBITDA decreased 4.9% to $22.1 million . . Diluted EPS was $0.92 per share, which includes $0.79 per diluted share relating to the gain on the Sale of Webdam. FIRST QUARTER RESULTS Revenue Revenue of $153.0 million for the first quarter of 2018 increased $22.8 million, or 17.5%, as compared to the first quarter of 2017, driven by continued growth in our customer base resulting from the ongoing expansion of our product offerings to meet the needs of a more diverse customer base and increased activity by our enterprise customers. These factors also drove a 16.8% increase in revenue per download. Excluding the impact of foreign currency movements, revenue growth was approximately 12.8% in the first quarter of 2018, as compared to the first quarter of 2017. Revenue generated through our e-commerce platform increased approximately 11.3% as compared to the first quarter of 2017, to $89.7 million, representing 58.6% of total revenue in the first quarter of 2018. Revenue from enterprise customers increased approximately 31.2% as compared to 2017, to $60.6 million, representing 39.6% of total revenue in the first quarter of 2018. On February 26, 2018, the Company completed a sale transaction, pursuant to which the buyer in the transaction acquired certain assets and assumed certain contracts and liabilities which constituted the Company's digital asset management business (the "Sale of Webdam"). Revenue from Webdam for the period from January 1, 2018 to February 26, 2018 was $2.7 million, compared to revenue for the full first quarter of 2017 from Webdam of $3.5 million. Income from Operations Income from operations of $4.5 million for the first quarter of 2018 decreased $5.8 million, or 56%, as compared to the first quarter of 2017. Our operating expenses increased $28.6 million, or 24% as compared to the first quarter of 2017, primarily due to increased expenditures for royalties, compensation, sales and marketing and costs associated with our product development enhancements, including depreciation. The increase in operating expenses were partially offset by the income generated from the increase in revenue. Net Income Net income of $32.6 million, or $0.92 per diluted share, for the first quarter of 2018 increased $26.0 million, or 393%, as compared with $6.6 million, or $0.19 per diluted share, in the first quarter of 2017. This increase is due primarily to a gain of approximately $27.9 million, or $0.79 per diluted share, net of tax, related to the Sale of Webdam, partially offset by the decline in income from operations. Adjusted EBITDA Adjusted EBITDA of $22.1 million for the first quarter of 2018 decreased $1.1 million or 5%, as compared to the first quarter of 2017 driven primarily by the increase in costs related to the continued investment in our technology and infrastructure. We define adjusted EBITDA as net income adjusted for foreign currency transaction gains and losses, expenses related to long-term incentives and contingent consideration related to acquisitions, interest income and expense, income taxes, depreciation, amortization, non-cash equity-based compensation, and the gain on Sale of Webdam. Adjusted Net Income Adjusted net income was $10.6 million, or $0.30 per diluted share, for the first quarter of 2018 as compared to $11.0 million or $0.31 per diluted share, in the first quarter of 2017. We define adjusted net income as net income excluding the impact of one-time tax charges related to the enactment of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act ("TCJA"), non-cash equity-based compensation, amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets, expenses related to long-term incentives and contingent consideration related to acquisitions, the gain on Sale of Webdam, and the estimated tax impact of such adjustments. LIQUIDITY Our cash and cash equivalents increased by $31.5 million to $284.9 million at March 31, 2018 as compared with $253.4 million at December 31, 2017. This increase reflects approximately $21.1 million of net cash generated by our operations and approximately $42.3 million of net proceeds to date from the Sale of Webdam, which were partially offset by approximately $15.0 million of capital expenditures and approximately $15.0 million of equity investments. We had a net tax refund of $1.8 million in 2018, compared to cash taxes paid of $2.1 million in 2017. Free cash flow was $5.5 million in the first quarter of 2018, an increase of $2.5 million from the first quarter of 2017. This change was primarily driven by increased cash from operations, which was partially offset by increases in capital expenditures and cash used to acquire content. Free cash flow is defined as cash provided by operating activities adjusted for capital expenditures and content acquisition. STOCK REPURCHASE PROGRAM During the first quarter of 2018, we did not repurchase shares of our stock pursuant to our existing stock repurchase program. From the inception of this program through March 31, 2018, we have repurchased 2.6 million shares of our stock for a total of $100.0 million under the stock repurchase program at an average per-share price of $39.09. As of March 31, 2018, there remains $100 million available for purchases under our share repurchase program. The stock repurchase program, which commenced in November 2015, authorizes the Company to purchase shares from time to time through open market purchases or privately negotiated transactions at prevailing prices as permitted by securities laws and other legal requirements. The timing and amount of any future share repurchases will be determined by our management based on its evaluation of market conditions and other factors. The repurchase program may be modified, suspended or discontinued at any time. OPERATING METRICS Three Months Ended March 31, 2018 2017 (in millions, except revenue per download) Number of paid downloads 43.7 43.5 Revenue per download (1) $3.40 $2.91 Content in our collection (end of period)(2): Images 186.9 132.0 Videos 9.9 6.9 (1) Revenue per download metric excludes the impact of revenue not associated with content downloads. (2) Represents images (photographs, vectors and illustrations) and video clips available on shutterstock.com at the end of the period. We exclude content that is not uploaded directly to our site but is available to our customers through an application program interface and certain images that may be licensed for editorial use only. FIRST QUARTER 2018 STRATEGIC TRANSACTIONS On January 4, 2018, the Company invested $15.0 million in convertible preferred shares issued by ZCool Network Technology Limited ("ZCool"), which is equivalent to a 25% fully diluted equity ownership interest, to further expand the Company's presence in fast-growing markets. ZCool's primary business is the operation of an e-commerce platform in China that lets customers pay to license content contributed by creative professionals. ZCool has been the exclusive distributor of Shutterstock creative content in China since 2014. On February 26, 2018, we completed the Sale of Webdam. Cash received, net of a closing-date working capital adjustment and transaction costs paid, was $42.3 million. We expect additional net proceeds of $2.0 million from the sale, resulting from the final working capital adjustment, receipt of funds in escrow, and transaction costs expected to be paid subsequent to March 31, 2018. We recognized a pre-tax gain on the sale of approximately $38.6 million. FINANCIAL OUTLOOK The Company's current expectations for the full year 2018, excluding the contribution of Webdam, remain unchanged as follows: Revenue of $625 - $635 million , representing growth of approximately 15% - 17%. - , representing growth of approximately 15% - 17%. Adjusted EBITDA of $105 - $110 million , representing growth of approximately 19% - 25%. - , representing growth of approximately 19% - 25%. Income from Operations of $30 - $35 million . - . Non-cash equity-based compensation expense of approximately $28 million . . Capital expenditures, including capitalized labor, of approximately $48 million . . Effective tax rate in mid-20's%. NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES In addition to reporting results in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), Shutterstock also refers to adjusted EBITDA, adjusted net income, revenue growth on a constant currency basis, adjusted EBITDA margin, adjusted EBITDA growth on a constant currency basis and free cash flow. Shutterstock defines adjusted EBITDA as net income adjusted for foreign currency transaction gains and losses, expenses related to long-term incentives and contingent consideration related to acquisitions, interest income and expense, income taxes, depreciation, amortization, disposals and non-cash equity-based compensation, and the gain on the Sale of Webdam; adjusted net income as net income excluding the impact of one-time tax charges related to the enactment of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act ("TCJA"), the impact of non-cash equity-based compensation, the amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets, the gain on the Sale of Webdam and expenses related to long-term incentives and contingent consideration related to acquisitions and the estimated tax impact of such adjustments; revenue growth on a constant currency basis (expressed as a percentage) as the increase in current period revenues over prior period revenues, utilizing fixed exchange rates for translating foreign currency revenues for both periods; adjusted EBITDA margin (expressed as a percentage) as the ratio of adjusted EBITDA to revenue; adjusted EBITDA growth on a constant currency basis (expressed as a percentage) as the increase in current period adjusted EBITDA over prior period adjusted EBITDA, utilizing fixed exchange rates for translating foreign currency revenues and expenses for both periods; and free cash flow as cash provided by/(used in) operating activities adjusted for capital expenditures and content acquisition. These figures have not been calculated in accordance with GAAP and should be considered in addition to results prepared in accordance with GAAP and should not be considered as a substitute for, or superior to, GAAP results. We caution investors that non-GAAP financial measures are not based on any standardized methodology prescribed by GAAP and are not necessarily comparable to similarly-titled measures presented by other companies. Management believes that adjusted EBITDA, adjusted net income, revenue growth on a constant currency basis, adjusted EBITDA margin and adjusted EBITDA growth on a constant currency basis are useful to investors to provide them with disclosures of Shutterstock's operating results on the same basis as that used by management. Additionally, management believes that adjusted EBITDA and adjusted net income provide useful information to investors about the performance of the Company's overall business because such measures eliminate the effects of unusual or other infrequent charges that are not directly attributable to Shutterstock's underlying operating performance and, with respect to revenue growth and adjusted EBITDA growth on a constant currency basis, provide useful information to investors by eliminating the effect of foreign currency fluctuations that are not directly attributable to Shutterstock's business. Additionally, management believes that providing these non-GAAP financial measures enhances the comparability for investors in assessing Shutterstock's financial reporting. Management believes that free cash flow is useful for investors because it provides them with an important perspective on the cash available for strategic measures, after making necessary capital investments in property and equipment to support the Company's ongoing business operations, and provides them with the same measures that management uses as the basis for making resource allocation decisions. Shutterstock's management also uses the non-GAAP financial measures adjusted EBITDA, adjusted net income, revenue growth on a constant currency basis, adjusted EBITDA margin, adjusted EBITDA growth on a constant currency basis and free cash flow, in conjunction with GAAP financial measures, as an integral part of managing the business and to: (i) monitor and evaluate the performance of Shutterstock's business operations, financial performance and overall liquidity; (ii) facilitate management's internal comparisons of the historical operating performance of its business operations; (iii) facilitate management's external comparisons of the results of its overall business to the historical operating performance of other companies that may have different capital structures and debt levels; (iv) review and assess the operating performance of Shutterstock's management team and, together with other operational objectives, as a measure in evaluating employee compensation and bonuses; (v) analyze and evaluate financial and strategic planning decisions regarding future operating investments; and (vi) plan for and prepare future annual operating budgets and determine appropriate levels of operating investments. A reconciliation of the differences between adjusted EBITDA, adjusted net income, and free cash flow, and the most comparable financial measure calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP, is presented under the heading "Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Information to GAAP" immediately following the Consolidated Balance Sheets. We do not provide a reconciliation of adjusted EBITDA guidance to net income guidance, as the impact of net non-operating foreign currency exchange gains or losses which are excluded from adjusted EBITDA is inherently uncertain and difficult to estimate and is unavailable without unreasonable efforts. In addition, we believe such reconciliations would imply a degree of precision that would be confusing or misleading to investors. EARNINGS TELECONFERENCE INFORMATION The Company will discuss its first quarter financial results during a teleconference today, April 26, 2018, at 8:30 AM ET. The conference call can be accessed in the U.S. at (844) 634-1442 or outside the U.S. at (615) 247-0239 with the conference ID# 5787719. A live audio webcast of the call will also be available simultaneously at http://investor.shutterstock.com. Following completion of the call, a recorded replay of the webcast will be available in the investor relations section of Shutterstock's website. A telephone replay of the call will also be available until May 3, 2018 in the U.S. at (855) 859-2056 or outside the U.S. at (404) 537-3406 with the conference ID# 5787719. Additional investor information can be accessed at http://investor.shutterstock.com. ABOUT SHUTTERSTOCK Shutterstock, Inc. (NYSE: SSTK), directly and through its group subsidiaries, is a leading global provider of high-quality licensed photographs, vectors, illustrations, videos and music to businesses, marketing agencies and media organizations around the world. Working with its growing community of over 400,000 contributors, Shutterstock adds hundreds of thousands of images each week, and currently has more than 190 million images and more than 10 million video clips available. Headquartered in New York City, Shutterstock has offices around the world and customers in more than 150 countries. The company also owns Bigstock, a value-oriented stock media agency; Shutterstock Custom, a custom content creation platform; Offset, a high-end image collection; PremiumBeat a curated royalty-free music library and Rex Features, a premier source of editorial images for the world's media. For more information, please visit www.shutterstock.com and follow Shutterstock on Twitter and on Facebook. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS Statements in this press release regarding management's future expectations, predictions, beliefs, goals, intentions, plans, prospects or strategies, including statements regarding Shutterstock's future financial and operating performance on both a GAAP and non-GAAP basis, statements regarding Shutterstock's future growth and profitability such as Shutterstock's expectations regarding financial outlook and statements regarding expected net proceeds from strategic transactions may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors including risks related to any unforeseen changes to or the effects on liabilities, financial condition, future capital expenditures, revenue, expenses, net income or loss, synergies and future prospects; our inability to continue to attract and retain customers and contributors to our online marketplace for creative content; competitive factors; our inability to innovate technologically or develop, market and offer new products and services; unforeseen costs related to infringement claims, indemnification claims and the inability to prevent misuse of our digital content; our inability to increase market awareness of Shutterstock and our products and services; our inability to effectively manage our growth; our inability to grow at historic growth rates or at all; technological interruptions that impair access to our websites; assertions by third parties of infringement of intellectual property rights by Shutterstock, our inability to effectively manage risks associated with operating internationally; our exposure to foreign exchange rate risk; our inability to address risks associated with sales to large corporate customers; government regulation of the internet; increasing regulation related to the handling of personal data; actions by governments to restrict access to our products and services; our inability to effectively expand our operations into new products, services and technologies; our inability to protect the confidential information of customers; increased tax liabilities associated with our worldwide operations, including our exposure to withholding, sales and transaction tax liabilities; the effect of the TCJA; general economic and political conditions worldwide; our inability to successfully integrate acquisitions and the associated technology and achieve operational efficiencies; and other factors and risks discussed under the heading "Risk Factors" in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, as well as in other documents that may be filed by Shutterstock from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. As a result of such risks, uncertainties and factors, Shutterstock's actual results may differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements discussed in or implied by the forward-looking statements contained herein. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made only as of this date and assumes no obligation to update the information included in this press release or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as required by law. Shutterstock, Inc. Consolidated Statements of Operations (In thousands, except for per share data) (Unaudited) Three Months Ended March 31, 2018 2017 Revenue $ 153,019 $ 130,224 Operating expenses: Cost of revenue 64,490 52,411 Sales and marketing 40,368 32,503 Product development 16,448 11,044 General and administrative 27,224 23,963 Total operating expenses 148,530 119,921 Income from operations 4,489 10,303 Gain on Sale of Webdam 38,613 Other income (expense), net 802 455 Income before income taxes 43,904 10,758 Provision for income taxes 11,323 4,155 Net income $ 32,581 $ 6,603 Earnings per share Basic $ 0.94 $ 0.19 Diluted $ 0.92 $ 0.19 Weighted average common shares outstanding: Basic 34,784 34,597 Diluted 35,318 35,595 Shutterstock, Inc. Consolidated Balance Sheets (In thousands, except par value amount) (Unaudited) March 31, 2018 December 31, 2017 ASSETS Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 284,882 $ 253,428 Accounts receivable, net 44,583 49,932 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 33,575 37,109 Total current assets 363,040 340,469 Property and equipment, net 88,190 85,698 Intangibles assets, net 32,180 34,197 Goodwill 89,641 98,654 Deferred tax assets, net 9,247 9,761 Other assets 24,249 8,997 Total assets $ 606,547 $ 577,776 LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY Current liabilities: Accounts payable $ 8,705 $ 7,160 Accrued expenses 55,043 58,734 Contributor royalties payable 23,189 20,088 Deferred revenue 139,498 157,803 Other liabilities 4,486 1,957 Total current liabilities 230,921 245,742 Deferred tax liability, net 1,235 1,486 Other non-current liabilities 17,227 15,963 Total liabilities 249,383 263,191 Commitment and contingencies Stockholders' equity: Common stock, $0.01 par value; 200,000 shares authorized; 37,439 and 37,270 shares issued and 34,881 and 34,712 shares outstanding as of March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively 375 373 Treasury stock, at cost; 2,558 shares as of March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017 (100,027) (100,027) Additional paid-in capital 275,395 272,657 Accumulated other comprehensive loss (2,482) (3,557) Retained earnings 183,903 145,139 Total stockholders' equity 357,164 314,585 Total liabilities and stockholders' equity $ 606,547 $ 577,776 Shutterstock, Inc. Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Information to GAAP (In thousands, except per share information) (Unaudited) Adjusted EBITDA, adjusted net income and free cash flow are not financial measures under United States generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). Such non-GAAP financial measures should not be construed as alternatives to any other measures of performance determined in accordance with GAAP. We caution investors that non-GAAP financial measures are not based on any standardized methodology prescribed by GAAP and are not necessarily comparable to similarly-titled measures presented by other companies. Three Months Ended March 31, 2018 2017 Net Income $ 32,581 $ 6,603 Add/(less): Depreciation and amortization 10,943 6,956 Non-cash equity-based compensation 5,606 5,956 Other adjustments, net (1) 233 (455) Provision for income taxes 11,323 4,155 Gain on Sale of Webdam $ (38,613) $ Adjusted EBITDA $ 22,073 $ 23,215 Three Months Ended March 31, 2018 2017 Net income $ 32,581 $ 6,603 Add/(less): Non-cash equity-based compensation 5,606 5,956 Tax effect of non-cash equity-based compensation (2) (1,276) (2,189) Acquisition-related amortization expense 1,086 1,022 Tax effect of acquisition-related amortization expense (2) (247) (376) Acquisition-related long-term incentives and contingent consideration 1,035 Tax effect of acquisition-related long-term incentives and contingent consideration (274) Gain on Sale of Webdam (38,613) Tax effect of gain on Sale of Webdam 10,733 Adjusted net income $ 10,631 $ 11,016 Adjusted net income per diluted common share $ 0.30 $ 0.31 Weighted average diluted shares 35,318 35,595 Three Months Ended March 31, 2018 2017 Net cash provided by operating activities $ 21,094 $ 17,185 Capital expenditures (14,975) (13,466) Content acquisition (635) (753) Free cash flow $ 5,484 $ 2,966 (1) Included in other adjustments, net is foreign currency transaction gains and losses, expenses related to long-term incentives and contingent consideration related to acquisitions, and interest income and expense. (2) Estimated tax effect of adjusted net income adjustments reflects the consolidated blended tax rate as applied to the taxable portion of the adjustment. Shutterstock, Inc. Supplemental Financial Data (Unaudited) Historical Operating Metrics Three Months Ended 3/31/18 12/31/17 9/30/17 6/30/17 3/31/17 12/31/16 9/30/16 6/30/16 3/31/16 (in millions, except revenue per download) Number of paid downloads 43.7 43.9 41.9 42.7 43.5 42.1 41.2 43.4 41.2 Revenue per download (1) $ 3.40 $ 3.33 $ 3.23 $ 3.05 $ 2.91 $ 3.01 $ 2.91 $ 2.81 $ 2.77 Content in collection (end of period): (2) Images 186.9 170.1 155.8 144.7 132.0 116.2 102.7 92.1 81.0 Videos 9.9 9.1 8.3 7.6 6.9 6.2 5.4 4.9 4.2 Historical Revenue by Sales Channel(3) Three Months Ended 3/31/18 12/31/17 9/30/17 6/30/17 3/31/17 12/31/16 9/30/16 6/30/16 3/31/16 (in millions) E-Commerce $ 89.7 $ 87.8 $ 81.8 $ 82.2 $ 80.6 $ 81.4 $ 78.1 $ 81.4 $ 78.0 Enterprise 60.6 59.3 55.1 48.1 46.2 45.4 42.1 40.5 36.4 Webdam 2.7 4.7 4.2 3.7 3.5 3.3 2.9 2.5 2.3 Total Revenue $ 153.0 $ 151.8 $ 141.1 $ 134.0 $ 130.2 $ 130.2 $ 123.1 $ 124.4 $ 116.7 (1) Revenue per download metric excludes the impact of revenue not associated with content downloads. (2) Images (photographs, vectors and illustrations) and video clips available on shutterstock.com at the end of the period. We exclude content that is not uploaded directly to our site but is available to our customers through an application program interface, custom content and certain images that may be licensed for editorial use only. (3) Effective January 1, 2018 we adopted Accounting Standard Update 2014-09 using the modified retrospective approach. Historical revenue totals reflect those previously reported and have not been restated. Historical presentation of the allocation of revenue by sales channel for periods prior to January 1, 2018 has been adjusted to conform to current presentation. SOURCE Shutterstock, Inc. Related Links http://www.shutterstock.com Good thing they cant convict a president and his lawyer for the same crime. Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images The Trumps are probably best understood as a real-life Bluth family with no Michael, but since no one in Trumps orbit ever watched Arrested Development, they instead make repeated references to the Mafia. Trump has alleged ties to crime families in New York and Philadelphia, and former FBI director James Comey said being around the president gave him a flashback to my days investigating the Mafia, La Cosa Nostra. Trumps associates have also invoked the mob metaphorically. Within the Trump Organization fixer Michael Cohen was nicknamed Tom after Tom Hagen, the consigliere in The Godfather. And in a recent interview Trump attorney Jay Goldberg expressed concerns about Cohens loyalty by noting, The mob was broken by Sammy The Bull Gravano caving in out of the prospect of a jail sentence. The president hasnt embraced this comparison himself, but Cohen is now engaged in behavior the president once attacked as moblike and incriminating. In a Wednesday court filing, Cohen said he intends to invoke his Fifth Amendment right not to incriminate himself in a lawsuit filed against the president by porn star Stormy Daniels. Cohen is trying to delay the California civil suit, which Daniels hopes will void a nondisclosure agreement in which she received $130,000 to keep quiet about her alleged affair with Trump. In the filing, Cohen said that if called as a witness, I will assert my Fifth Amendment rights in connection with all proceedings in this case due to the ongoing criminal investigation by the FBI and U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. Its common for civil proceedings to be put on hold if defendants are also facing criminal prosecution, as the civil suit could yield incriminating information. In this case, by citing the Fifth Amendment, Cohen can avoid giving a deposition and turning over sensitive information that could be used in the federal case, which was revealed when the FBI raided his home and office earlier this month. S. James Otero, the judge in the civil case, said last week that since Cohen is seeking a stay in the case (and ideally wants it sent to private arbitration) the burden is on his attorneys to prove that theres sufficient overlap with the criminal case. Federal officials are said to be looking at the payments Cohen facilitated to Daniels and other women who claim they had sexual encounters with Trump, but as Otero noted, the scope and breadth of the criminal investigation remain a mystery. Pleading the Fifth may be a wise legal move for Cohen, but in the past Trump has been highly critical of the tactic (though he used it himself to avoid answered questions about other women during his divorce from first wife Ivana Trump). Nevertheless, during the presidential campaign he hammered former Hillary Clinton staffers who took the Fifth during the investigation of her private email server. The mob takes the Fifth, he said at an Iowa campaign rally in September 2016. If youre innocent, why are you taking the Fifth Amendment? TRUMP in September 2016: "The mob takes the Fifth. If youre innocent, why are you taking the Fifth Amendment?" pic.twitter.com/xuta4kGVuz Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) April 25, 2018 In his first debate with Clinton, he attacked her for her staffers use of the Fifth. When you have your staff taking the Fifth Amendment, taking the Fifth so theyre not prosecuted, when you have the man that set up the illegal server taking the Fifth, I think its disgraceful, he said. As the Washington Post notes, in June 2016 Trump even speculated that the Clinton aide who took the Fifth might be informing on her. Did you see her IT specialist? Hes taken the Fifth, Trump said. The word is hes ratting her out like you wouldnt believe it. Presuming Trump doesnt lash out at his former fixer for using this disgraceful tactic, it certainly wont be the first time hes taken a hypocritical stance. For example, take a look at Trump and Cohens effort to keep materials seized in the FBI raid from federal prosecutors. U.S. District Judge Kimba Wood rejected Trump and Cohens request to take the first crack at whats protected by attorney-client privilege, but shes ordered the attorneys to appear in court on Thursday for a hearing on whether they should be reviewed by a team of prosecutors not connected to the case, or an independent special master. While Trumps attorneys once argued that hes too busy to sit for an interview with Special Counsel Robert Mueller, on Wednesday his legal team in the Cohen case said hed have plenty of time to review documents. Our client will make himself available, as needed, to aid in our privilege review on his behalf, his attorneys said in their filing. Either Trump just realized that livetweeting Fox & Friends isnt an essential part of his schedule, or hes pretty worried about the Cohen case. NEW YORK, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Society of Plastic Surgical Skin Care Specialists (SPSSCS) announced Donna Erb, of Wyomissing, PA as its new President today at the 24th annual meeting of the Society. SPSSCS is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the promotion of education, enhancement of clinical skills, and the delivery of safe quality skincare provided to patients from the offices of board-certified plastic surgeons. Donna has been a member of SPSSCS for the past 12 years, has been an SPSSCS Board member for the last 4 years and is also a member of the Aesthetics Leadership Community. Ms. Erb has been employed at Berks Plastic Surgery since 2005 as a licensed aesthetician and skin care counselor. With more than 20 years of experience in the field of aesthetics, she finds immense pleasure in educating her clients with information regarding nonsurgical services such as microneedling, laser hair removal and targeted treatments for rosacea. She has completed training in Obagi systems and specializes in advanced laser techniques. "I am honored to be selected by my peers as President of SPSSCS and excited about our meeting this year where subjects including whether or not anything can treat cellulite and loose skin, how to combine treatments like radiofrequency and microneedling and customizing injection techniques for the male patient will be covered, among countless others in the aesthetic space." "Donna will bring to SPSSCS the same energy and intelligence that she brings to her patients as a successful aesthetician who is always seeking out new treatments and education to enhance her practice," says Cindy Steele, immediate past-president of SPSSCS. The annual meeting of the SPSSCS is held each spring in conjunction with the annual meeting of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) and the Aesthetic Surgery Education and Research Foundation (ASERF). This year, scientific presentations and instructional courses will help advance knowledge and skills in plastic surgical skin care. SPSSCS develops a curriculum addressing topics from cutting edge skin treatments to advanced pre- and post-operative clinical skin care. About SPSSCS The Society of Plastic Surgical Skin Care Specialists (SPSSCS) was founded in 1994 by a group of renowned plastic surgeons, members of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS), who recognized the need to educate and provide clinical skills to skincare specialists who provide treatment to patients in the offices of board-certified plastic surgeons. The SPSSCS is uniquely positioned as the only national skin care specialty organization aligned with the plastic surgery specialty. The Society is comprised of 350 members who are either nurses or aestheticians. For more information visit www.spsscs.org. Follow SPSSCS on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SPSSCS Join SPSSCS on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spsscs About ASAPS The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS), is recognized as the world's leading organization devoted entirely to aesthetic plastic surgery and cosmetic medicine of the face and body. ASAPS is comprised of over 2,600 Plastic Surgeons; Active Members are certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (USA) or by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and have extensive training in the complete spectrum of surgical and non-surgical aesthetic procedures. International Active Members are certified by equivalent boards of their respective countries. All members worldwide adhere to a strict Code of Ethics and must meet stringent membership requirements. Website: www.surgery.org Follow ASAPS on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ASAPS Become a fan of ASAPS on Facebook: www.facebook.com/AestheticSociety Follow ASAPS on Instagram: www.instagram.com/TheAestheticSocietyASAPS Join Smart Beauty Guide: www.smartbeautyguide.com Locate a plastic surgeon in your area: http://www.smartbeautyguide.com/select-surgeon Media Contacts: Leigh Hope Fountain 562-799-2356 [email protected] or [email protected] SOURCE Society of Plastic Surgical Skin Care Specialists Related Links http://www.spsscs.org Stay Social with Sorelle by Visiting: http://www.sorellegallery.com/social-media/ Painter Deladier Almeida is renowned for his gestural, expansive aerial landscapes. A master of composition, beautifully rural 'everyday' trees, hills and roads of Tuscany and California transform into mesmerizing passages of color and shape. His study at the University of California, Davis, alongside acclaimed Bay Area artists Wayne Thiebaud and Ronald Petersen, continues to inform his painting methods. Select exhibitions include the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Caldwell Snyder gallery in San Francisco, the Campton gallery in New York City, the Bennington Center for the Arts in Vermont, and the Albemarle Gallery in London. Wilton, Connecticut artist Roger Mudre uses the circle to depict limitless space and endless possibility. Painting in jewel-toned acrylics, he builds sheer layer upon layer of color over a hand-applied metal leafed surface, creating a picture plane that shifts and shimmers in changing light. Influences include Joseph Albers, for his experiments with adjacent color relationships; Mark Rothko's emotionally charged color field paintings; and conceptual art star Sol LeWitt. Hotel Zero Degrees, Frontier Communications, the Energizer Corporation, and others, comprise his corporate collectors. McBrien Interiors is a boutique full service interior design firm specializing in distinctive and curated residential projects for successful clients across the country. Their stunning Sorelle Gallery designer vignette is inspired by a relaxing landscape painting by Elwood Howell: 'Slow Morning'. A soft palette echoes through this comfortable yet luxurious lounge area. An unexpected rattan and seagrass lounge chair make the space approachable while shiny assorted metal finishes and sumptuous accessories add an air of luxury. Furniture and accessories provided by Schwartz Design Showroom. Soft accessories from Rosemary Hallgarten. Rug supplied by Kebabians. Sorelle Gallery Fine Art: Sorelle Gallery Fine Art specializes in a wide variety of contemporary, modern and traditional art from over 40 established artists. With access to Sorelle's consultation and advisory service, art-seekers looking for a personal, professional touch have their wish lists fulfilled; from first meeting, to art installation. SOURCE Sorelle Gallery Fine Art Related Links www.sorellegallery.com Brewer is a proven C-suite executive with more than 30 years of experience leading some of the world's largest and most recognized public companies. Throughout her distinguished career she has achieved several notable firsts, including being the first woman and first African American to hold the role of COO at Starbucks. She also made history when she joined Sam's Club in 2012, the $56 billion members-only warehouse channel of Walmart Inc., by becoming the first woman and first African American to lead a Walmart division. She has repeatedly been named one of the world's most powerful women by Fortune and Forbes, ranking No. 19 and No. 57 respectively in 2016. She also serves on the board of directors for Starbucks and chairs the Spelman College Board of Trustees. "Rosalind Brewer is a stellar example of the Spelman woman, one who has made a significant impact not only as a business woman, but as a global citizen," said Spelman President Mary Schmidt Campbell, Ph.D. "She has forged a path that has led to numerous successes in corporate America and has served as an exceptional chair of the Spelman College Board of Trustees. We are pleased to have someone who confidently knows her own voice and strengths, and who as STEM major and Spelman alumna, can share her experience with the class of 2018." Brewer helms Starbucks operating businesses across the Americas (Canada, U.S. and Latin America) as well as the global functions of supply chain, product innovation and store development organizations. In addition to serving as president and CEO of Sam's Club, her past senior leadership positions include six years in executive roles for Walmart and 22 years at Kimberly-Clark where she worked her way up from scientist to president of the Global Nonwovens Sector. As a corporate leader and mentor, Brewer has been intentional in her efforts to create roadmaps and reduce barriers for those within her sphere of influence as it relates to the success of the organizations where she's held leadership roles. "I count among my successes the individuals who have been promoted, the entrepreneurs who now own their own businesses and the executives who are now corporate leaders in their own right," she said. She also views her fellow alumnae and Spelman trustees as an integral part of her circle of champions. "During my time on the board of trustees, I have had the opportunity to serve alongside Spelman alumnae including Yvonne Jackson, C'70, Jerri DeVard, C'79, Lovette Russell, C'83, and Celeste Watkins-Hayes, Ph.D., C'96," said Brewer. "These women modeled, far beyond our graduation, the lessons we learned at Spelman about the power of sisterhood, authenticity and truth in the face of adversity. These lessons and their faith in me and words of advice and encouragement helped me to stand in my truth at some of the most challenging times in my career." Brewer earned a bachelor's degree in chemistry from Spelman in 1984 and attended Wharton's Advanced Management Program and Stanford University's Directors' College. The recipient of the Spelman College Legacy of Leadership award, she continues to give back her alma mater in numerous ways, including establishing the Rosalind Gates Brewer Scholarship in 2013, which has supported nine first-generation college students to date, serving on the class of 1984's Reunion planning committee and working with the College on student recruitment and mentoring initiatives. Honorary Degree Recipient - Bryan Stevenson, founding executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative Bryan Stevenson, founding executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative in Montgomery, Alabama, and a professor of law at New York University School of Law, will receive an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree. He has won relief for dozens of condemned prisoners, argued five times before the Supreme Court, and won national acclaim for his work challenging bias against the poor and people of color. He has received numerous awards, including the MacArthur Foundation "Genius" Grant. He is the author of "Just Mercy," and through the Equal Justice Initiative, the force behind the new National Memorial for Peace and Justice and the Legacy Museum: From Enslavement to Mass Incarceration in Montgomery. National Community Service Award Recipient - Lonnie G. Bunch III, director of the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture Lonnie G. Bunch III, historian, acclaimed author, and director of the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture, will receive the National Community Service Award. The museum is a place of collaboration that reaches beyond Washington, D.C. to engage new audiences and to work with the myriad of museums and educational institutions that have explored and preserved African American life, history and culture. As the museum's director, Bunch develops exhibitions and public programs and coordinates the museum's fundraising and budget development. Under Bunch's leadership, the museum opened seven exhibitions in its gallery located in the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History. The museum's traveling exhibition, "Changing America," will be exhibited at 50 venues across the country through 2018. Baccalaureate Service Calvin O. Butts, III, D.Min., president of State University of New York College at Old Westbury and pastor of the nationally renowned Abyssinian Baptist Church in the City of New York, will serve as baccalaureate speaker to the class of 2018. As president of The College at Old Westbury, Dr. Butts works continuously to create an invigorating environment dedicated to academic excellence and the development of leadership qualities in students. Baccalaureate service will be held on Saturday, May 19, at 9 a.m., on the Spelman Oval. To learn more about Spelman's 131st Commencement, click here. About Spelman College Founded in 1881, Spelman College is a leading liberal arts college widely recognized as the global leader in the education of women of African descent. Located in Atlanta, the College's picturesque campus is home to 2,100 students. Spelman is the country's leading producer of Black women who complete Ph.D.s in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). The College's status is confirmed by U.S. News and World Report, which ranked Spelman No. 61 among all liberal arts colleges and No. 1 among historically Black colleges and universities. The Wall Street Journal ranked the College No. 3, nationally, in terms of student satisfaction. Outstanding alumnae include Children's Defense Fund Founder Marian Wright Edelman, Starbucks Group President and COO Rosalind Brewer, former Acting Surgeon General and Spelman's first alumna President Audrey Forbes Manley, global bioinformatics geneticist Janina Jeff and author Pearl Cleage. For more information, visit www.spelman.edu. SOURCE Spelman College Related Links http://www.spelman.edu ROHNERT PARK, Calif., April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- When financial matters require advice or help from others, it's more than a comfort to know that help is coming from a real person. A recent article exposed that a certain student loan expert had been created to represent the group of people who had created the website on which he reported the news. While the information presented was still rooted in personal experiences, many might find it troubling that the advice, stories, and interviews came from a fictional man with a fabricated backstory. Student loan borrowers who are struggling with their federal loans might find solace in speaking with real people at Ameritech Financial, a private document preparation company that helps its clients understand and apply for income-driven repayment plans. "Student loans feel like a personal problem to many, and it can be hard to ask for help," said Tom Knickerbocker, Executive Vice President of Ameritech Financial. "Our Account Specialists understand what it's like to have loans you don't understand. They empathize with our clients and help them understand the details of their loans and how they fit into the bigger picture." Confused borrowers searching for clear information online may locate some helpful websites. While no website can provide personalized advice for borrowers, the best online advice comes without bias or agenda. It may outline several options for dealing with the issue at hand, but should not steer the visitor in any direction. Additionally, affiliation with a for-profit company mentioned in an article or interview should be disclosed. Ameritech Financial is a private company not affiliated with any federal entity or loan servicer. While the company specializes in knowledge of federal income-driven repayment plans (IDRs), its Customer Service Representatives analyze each client's financial situation to help them determine if enrollment in an IDR would be the best route for them. If they decide to pursue an IDR, Ameritech Financial assists them with the necessary application and recertification paperwork for continued enrollment as long as the borrower wishes to remain in the program. "Our clients talk to real people, many of whom have personal experiences with student loans and expertise about the programs we provide assistance in applying for," said Knickerbocker. "Our primary goal is to help borrowers who have not received the support they need for success in repayment to apply for federal IDRs that are intended to help. We give each client the time and attention their situation requires." About Ameritech Financial Ameritech Financial is a private company located in Rohnert Park, California. Ameritech Financial has already helped thousands of consumers with financial analysis and student loan document preparation to apply for federal student loan repayment programs offered through the Department of Education. Each Ameritech Financial telephone representative has received the Certified Student Loan Professional certification through the International Association of Professional Debt Arbitrators (IAPDA). Ameritech Financial prides itself on its exceptional Customer Service. Contact To learn more about Ameritech Financial, please contact: Ameritech Financial 5789 State Farm Drive #265 Rohnert Park, CA 94928 1-800-792-8621 [email protected] Related Links Ameritech Financial home page SOURCE Ameritech Financial Related Links https://ameritechfinancial.com SAN FRANCISCO, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Valimail, the world's only provider of fully automated email authentication, today released research showing that federal agencies in the United States are far ahead of their private sector counterparts when it comes to email fraud prevention. In examining the DNS records of thousands of domains across several industry cohorts including Fortune 500 companies, healthcare firms, and global media companies, Valimail found that the overwhelming majority of organizations remain completely susceptible to "spoofing" of their own email domains, also known as impersonation attacks. Valimail's Email Fraud Landscape report for Q1 2018 specifically looks at how organizations have adopted the Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting and Conformance (DMARC) authentication standard, which detects and prevents email spoofing. By deploying email authentication through DMARC, and by configuring DMARC to a policy of enforcement (which directs receiving mail servers to reject or quarantine unauthorized messages), companies can substantially improve their cybersecurity defense posture, protect themselves against phishing, and shut down email-based impersonation and fraud. The U.S. federal government leads the way in DMARC adoption with 68 percent usage, in large part due to the Department of Homeland Security's October 2017 directive mandating that all federal agencies adopt the standard. However, while some organizations in both the private and public sectors have taken the initial step of implementing DMARC, very few are actually able to prevent phishing attacks because they have not set their DMARC policies to enforcement. In fact, of all the industry cohorts that Valimail examined, no category has even achieved a 20 percent enforcement rate. Other findings from the report include: Suspicious email comes from all over the globe, but the leading source by far is the United States 14 billion fraudulent messages are sent worldwide every day one out of every 20 emails Five billion inboxes support DMARC (75 percent of the world's total) U.S. media companies have the lowest rates of DMARC adoption Denmark and the Netherlands lead globally in corporate use of email authentication "Rarely a week goes by when we don't read about a successful phishing campaign costing businesses and even governments untold sums of money and breaches of trust with customers," said Alexander Garcia-Tobar, CEO and co-founder of Valimail. "The results of our study are clear: without real policies in place to ensure that email senders are who they claim to be, businesses and consumers remain wide-open to impersonation and fraud." "While we're encouraged by the increase in DMARC adoption, particularly within the U.S. federal government, overall there is still much work to do," said Shehzad Mirza, Director of Operations at the Global Cyber Alliance. "All industries need to understand how vulnerable they are to simple-to-execute phishing attacks and embrace email authentication to prevent them from happening. Domain owners adopting DMARC with enforcement will be critical for increasing the security of the email ecosystem worldwide." To view Valimail's full Email Fraud Landscape report visit https://go.valimail.com/email-fraud-landscape-FY18Q1.html. About Valimail Valimail provides the first and only truly automated email authentication solution for brand protection and anti-fraud defense. Valimail's patented, standards-compliant technology provides an unrivaled one-click solution for DMARC enforcement to stop phishing attacks, increase deliverability, and protect organizations' reputations. Valimail authenticates billions of messages a month for some of the world's biggest companies, in finance, government, transportation, health care, manufacturing, media, technology, and more. Valimail is based in San Francisco. For more information visit www.Valimail.com. Media Contact Dylan Tweney Head of Communications, Valimail [email protected] SOURCE Valimail Related Links http://www.Valimail.com SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Sutro Biopharma, Inc. has begun dosing patients in its initial clinical trial of its potential first-in-class antibody drug conjugate, or ADC, product candidate, STRO-001, targeting CD74, a protein highly expressed in B-cell malignancies such as myeloma and lymphoma. The Phase 1 clinical trial of STRO-001 is the first clinical trial to be conducted with a product candidate created using cell-free protein synthesis. With the commencement of patient dosing with STRO-001, Sutro seeks to establish itself as a leader in cell-free protein synthesis for the discovery and development of cancer therapeutics. STRO-001 is Sutro's first internally-developed antibody drug conjugate product candidate. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted Sutro permission to proceed with the study in January 2018. Sutro expects to enroll up to 220 patients in the open-label, multicenter, dose escalation and dose expansion study across approximately 50 sites in the United States and Europe. The primary outcome measures are safety and tolerability of STRO-001 in dose escalation and preliminary anti-tumor activity in dose expansion. "Based on preclinical research findings, we are hopeful that this Phase 1 study will demonstrate that STRO-001 has preliminary activity in patients with multiple myeloma and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma with progressive disease following standard of care therapies," said Bill Newell, Sutro's Chief Executive Officer. Preclinical research findings presented by Sutro at the American Society of Hematology's 2017 annual meeting and at other scientific meetings last year highlighted the specificity of STRO-001's anti-CD74 antibody component, the high prevalence of CD74 expression in myeloma and lymphoma tumor samples, STRO-001's potent in vitro cytotoxicity in multiple B-cell tumor cell lines and its anti-tumor activity in multiple myeloma and lymphoma xenograft models. "Ultimately, we aim to demonstrate that STRO-001 can be an important new treatment option to address an unmet need for targeted therapies for patients who have multiple myeloma and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma," Mr. Newell added. Building a Better ADC "The launch of our first Phase 1 clinical trial is a milestone in Sutro's evolution from a platform company to a clinical-stage drug developer," said Dr. Arturo Molina, a medical oncologist and Sutro's Chief Medical Officer. Nirav Shah, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Lymphoma/BMT program at Medical College of Wisconsin said, said: "As lymphoma and multiple myeloma progress, it becomes harder to find well tolerated treatments that effectively target the tumor. I'm hoping that this clinical trial, like the preclinical studies before it, will demonstrate that STRO-001 may be a potent new option for targeting tumors with greater precision." STRO-001 was developed with Sutro's proprietary cell-free protein synthesis and site-specific conjugation platforms, which facilitate precision design and rapid empirical optimization of ADCs. Sutro's platform enables design and manufacture of a highly optimized single molecular species within the product, rather than the usual mixture of imprecisely conjugated antibodies that comprise an ADC development product using conventional cell-based manufacturing platforms. "Sutro's XpressCF+ platform enabled us to design STRO-001 to directly and highly efficiently target cancer cells to deliver a cytotoxic payload," Dr. Molina added. "The XpressCF+ platform allows the incorporation of non-natural amino acids into specific positions on the generated antibody, allowing for site-specific conjugation of cytotoxins with a linker and warhead to enable consistent, stable, pinpoint placement of STRO-001's toxic payload resulting in highly efficient delivery of cytotoxin to tumor cells," said Dr. Trevor Hallam, Sutro's Chief Scientific Officer. "By contrast, earlier generations of ADCs result in products that can have unpredictable and sub-optimal pharmacologic properties, resulting in the potential for sub-optimal stability, compromised efficacy and poor tolerability for patients." Sutro's technology enables the company to iteratively discover and test molecules preclinically in a cycle of weeks rather than months to more rapidly determine the optimal molecular attributes for safety and potency. Sutro's manufacturing center in San Carlos, California, the world's only cGMP cell-free manufacturing facility, is built to maximize the speed and efficiency of XtractCF cell-free extract and protein production. XtractCF is manufactured by a multi-day continuous process producing cell-free extract for large scale XpressCF and XpressCF+ reactions. This past October, Sutro received a manufacturing milestone payment from Celgene for successfully scaling-up production in its cGMP manufacturing facility, from which Sutro has generated the XtractCF cell-free extract and antibody for its STRO-001 Phase 1 clinical trial materials. About Sutro Biopharma Sutro Biopharma, located in South San Francisco, has pioneered a compelling and unique way of discovering, developing and manufacturing therapeutics. Sutro's focus is primarily next generation cancer therapeutics antibody drug conjugates, or ADCs, bispecific antibodies, and engineered cytokines and cytokine conjugates. Unconstrained by traditional methods of cell-based methods for protein discovery, Sutro is working to design and develop targeted medicines by efficiently combining both recombinant and synthetic components in drug design, with the goal of establishing a new drug discovery and development paradigm. Sutro believes its approach to discovery is also transcending the limitations of biologics manufacturing. Sutro's state-of-the-art manufacturing facility confers an important competitive advantage as Sutro initiates its first clinical trial. In addition to developing its own oncology pipeline, Sutro is collaborating with select pharmaceutical and biotech companies to discover and develop novel, next generation therapeutics. As the pace of clinical development accelerates, Sutro and its partners are demonstrating a more efficient approach to killing tumors without harming healthy cells. Follow Sutro on Twitter, @Sutrobio, and at www.sutrobio.com to learn more about our passion for changing the future of oncology. Media Contacts David Schull Russo Partners (212) 845-4271 [email protected] Amiad Finkelthal Russo Partners (646) 942-5626 (917) 217-1838 mobile [email protected] SOURCE Sutro Biopharma Related Links https://www.sutrobio.com PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y., April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Systemax Inc. (NYSE: SYX) today announced that it will release financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2018 on Tuesday, May 1, 2018 after U.S. market hours. Management will provide pre-recorded remarks on the Company's first quarter 2018 results at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on May 1st. To access the remarks please dial (412-717-9224) ten minutes prior to the start time. The pre-recorded remarks will also be available via webcast on the Company's website at www.systemax.com in the investor relations section. If you cannot listen to the call at its scheduled time, the webcast will be archived on www.systemax.com for approximately 90 days. About Systemax Inc. Systemax Inc. (www.systemax.com) is a provider of industrial products in North America and technology products in France, going to market through a system of branded e-Commerce websites and relationship marketers. The primary brands are Global Industrial and Inmac Wstore. Investor/Media Contact: Mike Smargiassi The Plunkett Group 212-739-6729 [email protected] SOURCE Systemax Inc. Related Links http://www.systemax.com PLANO, Texas and MUMBAI, India, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), (BSE: 532540, NSE: TCS) a leading global IT services, consulting and business solutions organization, today welcomed more than 200 new employees to its ranks in Plano, Texas, as part of its groundbreaking agreement with Transamerica to transform the administration of its U.S. insurance and annuity business lines. TCS will occupy several floors of the Transamerica building at 2700 W Plano Parkway, as part of a multi-year agreement to rapidly enhance its digital capabilities, simplify the service of more than 10 million policies into an integrated modern platform, and drive growth opportunities through superior customer service. More than 200 former Transamerica employees now work for TCS at this Plano facility, as part of TCS recruiting and protecting more than 2,200 Transamerica jobs across the U.S. in multiple locations. Texas is a key U.S. business hub for TCS, with more than 3,500 employees currently working across the state. In addition, the new Plano office will mark the company's third location in Texas, with existing TCS offices in Dallas and Houston. "Tata Consultancy Services' expansion in the Dallas-Fort Worth area represents a historic new collaboration with Transamerica and shows their commitment to strengthening their economic relationship with Texas," said Texas Governor, Greg Abbott. "This expansion presents enormous opportunity for the community and will create jobs for hardworking Texans. I thank TCS for their investment and welcome them to Plano as they continue their great success." Looking beyond the business impact, TCS also plans to add Plano to its flagship goIT education programs that currently run in San Antonio, Dallas, Houston, and Austin, aimed at inspiring young people from underserved parts of the community into diverse technology careers. Last October, TCS also announced a partnership with the Dallas Independent School District for its Ignite My Future in School program, which provides free professional development and resources for educators to integrate computational thinking a foundational skill for 21st century careers into core subjects. So far, more than 100 Dallas-based educators have been trained and 2,300+ students engaged. Nationally, Ignite My Future in School aims to reach 20,000 educators and one million students over a five-year period. "TCS has consistently been a leading industry employer in the U.S., focused on attracting the best talent. We are proud to welcome more than 200 Texans to our workforce and look forward to partnering with the state, city and local organizations to improve economic and social outcomes for the community," said Suresh Muthuswami, President and Global Head, Banking, Financial Services and Insurance Platforms, TCS. "We have been helping American businesses grow and transform for more than 40 years and our relationship with Transamerica will enhance their customer experience in a digitally enabled way." TCS has invested nearly $3 billion in the U.S. over the past three years and has been among the top two IT services job creators in the U.S. It is also one of America's 50 most community-minded organizations, engaging nearly two million Americans through its extensive nationwide STEM education programs, academic partnerships and endowments to schools such as Carnegie Mellon University, Cornell Tech and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. About Tata Consultancy Services Ltd. (TCS) Tata Consultancy Services is an IT services, consulting and business solutions organization that partners with many of the world's largest businesses in their transformation journeys. TCS offers a consulting-led, Cognitive powered, integrated portfolio of IT, Business & Technology Services, and engineering. This is delivered through its unique Location Independent Agile delivery model, recognized as a benchmark of excellence in software development. A part of the Tata group, India's largest multinational business group, TCS has over 394,000 of the world's best-trained consultants in 46 countries. The company generated consolidated revenues of US $ 19.09 billion for year ended March 31, 2018 and is listed on the BSE (formerly Bombay Stock Exchange) and the NSE (National Stock Exchange) in India. For more information, visit us at www.tcs.com . To stay up-to-date on TCS news in North America, follow @TCS_NA. For TCS global news, follow @TCS_News. SOURCE Tata Consultancy Services Related Links http://www.tcs.com SPRING, Texas, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Vitamin K2 Association announced its formation to promote and steward the vitamin K2 category globally. Leading vitamin K2 manufacturer Kappa Bioscience has joined as a Founding Executive Board Member. Vesta Ingredients and Xsto Solutions have also joined as members and Flora Research Laboratories and Nutrasource have joined as Associate Members. The Vitamin K2 Association will work to provide a measure of assurance of the level of quality in the Vitamin K2 marketplace through ingredient and product testing, and to continue to raise awareness and education of the benefits and science supporting this product. "Kappa Bioscience is a category leader, and we are thrilled to have them join as a Founding Executive Board Member," said Vitamin K2 Association Executive Director Len Monheit. "A primary focus of the association will be to establish quality standards and to promote these standards to the market and other key stakeholders. We will also work to provide a measure of assurance of the level of quality in the Vitamin K2 marketplace through ingredient and product testing, and to continue to raise awareness and education of the benefits and science supporting this product." "The formation of this association is an important step in the continued, healthy growth of a K2 market. We are proud to be among the founding members," said Egil Greve, President and CEO of Kappa Bioscience. "Through promotion of transparency, quality standards and agreed testing parameters, brands and consumers can be assured of quality K2 products that deliver on promise and value." All Vitamin K2 Association members commit to a Code of Ethics and adhere to the USP Monograph for Vitamin K2. The association will raise awareness of Vitamin K2, the science supporting the category, and reach out to a broad range of associations, academia and media, working with government groups, the healthcare community and the industry - globally. The association will work to provide a measure of assurance of the level of quality in the Vitamin K2 marketplace through ingredient and product testing, and to continue to raise awareness and education of the benefits and science supporting it. Learn more about the Vitamin K2 Association at VitaminK2Association.org. Media Contact: Traci Kantowski, Communications Director, 630-923-0211 [email protected] SOURCE Vitamin K2 Association Frances president Emmanuel Macron addresses a joint meeting of Congress. Photo: Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images The affection between French president Emmanuel Macron and Donald Trump has been on full display this week, with the two world leaders unable to keep their hands off of each other. But the relationship thats been called a transcontinental bromance may turn cool Wednesday after Macrons address to Congress, which included a handful of jabs at Trumps policies and preferences. Macron began his speech with a lengthy rundown of the historical connection between France and the U.S., eventually working his way to the present. Thats when he began criticizing Trump without using his name. Macron said the world must embrace multilateralism and reject isolationism, withdrawal, and nationalism. In a clear rebuke of Trumps America First tendencies, he added: It can be tempting to us as a temporary remedy for our fears. But closing the door to the world will not stop the evolution of the world. He went on to criticize leaders who attempt to capitalize on fear and anger, a group that would include both President Trump and Marine Le Pen, Macrons right-wing opponent in the 2017 election who won Trumps support. On the issue of climate change, Macron did not mince words. We are killing our planet, he said. Lets face it: There is no Planet B. His play on words drew a standing ovation from Democrats, while Republicans remained seated. Macron then used Trumps own campaign slogan to advocate for transitioning to a low carbon economy and fighting the disastrous effects of climate change, which Trump has called a hoax. Let us work together in order to make our planet great again and create new jobs and new opportunities, ones that guard the Earth. One day, the United States will come back and join the Paris agreement and I am sure we can work together, Macron said. On trade, Macron emphasized the need for free and fair trade while turning up his nose at Trumps tariffs. Commercial war is not the proper answer, he said. He also reaffirmed Frances support for the Iran nuclear deal, which Trump has called insane and terrible. Despite the jabs, Macron was sure to end the speech on a friendly note, saying, This is a time of determination and courage. What we cherish is at stake. What we love is in danger. We have no choice but to prevail. And together we shall prevail. HAMILTON, Bermuda, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Third Point Reinsurance Ltd. (NYSE: TPRE) ("Company") today announced that it is planning to release its first quarter 2018 financial results after the market close on Wednesday, May 9, 2018. The Company will also hold a conference call to discuss its financial results at 8:30 am (Eastern Time) on Thursday, May 10, 2018. The conference call can be accessed by dialing 1-877-407-0789 (domestic) or 1-201-689-8562 (international) and asking for the Third Point Reinsurance First Quarter 2018 Earnings Call. A telephonic replay will be available approximately three hours after the call and can be accessed by dialing 1-844-512-2921, or for international callers 1-412-317-6671, and providing the passcode 13678226. The telephonic replay will be available until 11:59 pm (Eastern Time) on May 17, 2018. Interested investors and other parties may also listen to a simultaneous webcast of the live conference call by logging onto the Investors section of the Company's website at http://www.thirdpointre.bm/. The online replay will be available on the Company's website immediately following the call. About the Company The Company is a public company listed on the New York Stock Exchange which, through its wholly-owned subsidiaries Third Point Reinsurance Company Ltd. and Third Point Reinsurance (USA) Ltd., writes property and casualty reinsurance business. Third Point Reinsurance Company Ltd. and Third Point Reinsurance (USA) Ltd. each have an "A-" (Excellent) financial strength rating from A.M. Best Company, Inc. Contact Third Point Reinsurance Ltd. Manoj Gupta Head of Investor Relations and President, Third Point Reinsurance (USA) Ltd. +1 441-542-3333 [email protected] SOURCE Third Point Reinsurance Ltd. Related Links http://www.thirdpointre.bm SAINT PETERSBURG, Russia, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- On the 26th of February, Tissura hosted the representative of a French lace manufacturer Solstiss, Mr. Mark Barbesan, who demonstrated the new collection of exclusive fabrics and trims. Elegance, novelty and passion - these are the prime features of Solstiss laces that make them highly favoured by the world's leading couturiers. However, the new collection that is already available for Tissura customers brings these characteristics on an absolutely new level. Tissura According to Mr. Barbesan, the new collection represents the manufacturer's new move towards the fusion of its traditional lace design with the contemporary fashion spirit: "Our collection is a bit mix of tradition, as we are a traditional company. We are producing everything in France; our collection has been very formal for many, many years, and we are trying to implant new techniques." The new collection of Solstiss laces at Tissura is intended to rock the imagination of the most refined fashionista. The manufacturer's integral approach to lace design resulted in such offbeat combinations as the mix of lace with fabrics, lace with ostrich feathers, metallic fibres, or one big flower with 60 cm repeat. In general, the Solstiss lace collection 2018 can be described with the following features: Spring/summer season: fresh and vibrant colours: from apricot to forget-me-not. lightness, Autumn/winter 2018/2019 season: floaty motifs, Metallic-inspired colour schemes, wavy designs, Gold, silver, copper-coloured threads About Tissura Fabric Shop: Tissura is a global network of fashion fabric shops and showrooms located in Hong Kong and major Russian cities. Established in 1998, the company has gained a strong leadership on the local market, and has been partnering with Solstiss for almost 20 years. On a global scale, Tissura is renowned for its online shop tissura.com, where the world's greatest textile chef-d'oeuvres from France, Italy, Switzerland, Austria and Belgium can be ordered for shipping to any part of the world. Media contact: Customer Service [email protected] +852 2763 5668 SOURCE Tissura (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/682876/Traackr_Management_Platform.jpg ) In 2017, 86 percent of marketers reported using influencer marketing, but measuring the ROI of influencer programs was the top challenge facing marketers. Traackr's data-driven software solution enables global brands to scale influencer programs by consolidating discovery, management and performance analytics all in one system. Through targeted searches and customizable analytics, marketers are able to identify and partner with more relevant influencers to win the hearts and minds of their customers. "Influencer marketing has become so important today but most businesses are still not approaching it at an enterprise level," said Pierre-Loic Assayag, founder and CEO of Traackr. "That's what we deliver with Traackr, a technology platform and system of record that allows major global brands to manage, expand, validate and scale their influencer marketing and ultimately deliver a better ROI." Global brands such as Microsoft, L'Oreal, SAP, Travelocity, Honda and the Coca-Cola Company already use Traackr to structure and grow their influencer marketing programs across departments and geographies. "Influencer marketing is one of the key pillars of our digital transformation to build 'love brands.' It requires agility and real-time data," said Marc Duquesnoy, Social Media Performance Director, Global CDO Team, L'OREAL Group. "The influencer landscape is transforming every day - like the rise of fake followers and inauthentic profiles - which can make analyzing influencer marketing effectiveness increasingly difficult. We trust Traackr's solution, as their platform provides the real-time intelligence we need to activate beauty influencers who resonate the most with our fans." Traackr will use this round to fuel sales, marketing and customer success across the globe, with over 80 percent of current revenue coming from Fortune 1000 companies/industries. Increasing the depth of data and range of platforms covered will also be a priority for Traackr's product and engineering teams. "We're excited about our company building partnership with the Traackr team," said Dave McLean, co-founder and General Partner at Workhorse Capital. "We are drawn to rapidly growing and fiscally disciplined SaaS businesses like Traackr that solve fundamental problems for their customers. We embrace the opportunity to roll up our sleeves, supporting the Traackr team in pursuit of their goals." Strategic partner You & Mr Jones, a brandtech group, adds Traackr to its roster of visionary technology company investments - such as the Amplify, Pinterest, Niantic (creator of Pokemon Go), MOFILM, Gyfcat and Zappar - revolutionizing how brands connect with people. "We're very big believers in people-powered marketing and in particular the power of influencer marketing," said David Jones, founder and CEO of You & Mr Jones. "Traackr is unique as they have built a fantastic SaaS platform that makes the discovery, management and measurement of influencer relationships seamless while using data to help quantify the impact of those relationships across the customer journey. They are a great fit with the other influencer businesses in our portfolio, and we're excited to be part of their journey." To date, Traackr has raised a total of $14.4 million, including financing from original investors. "We are very fortunate to have found the team at Workhorse Capital, who understand our customer-focused approach, recognize that we've achieved a great deal in a short period of time-and recognize the team's ability to grow the business exponentially, on a global scale," said Robbie Vann-Adibe, chairman of the board, Traackr. "With the addition of You and Mr Jones as strategic investors, who truly understand the seismic shifts technology is driving in the world of marketing, we feel that we have a group able to take the business to substantial new heights." About Traackr Traackr builds influencer relationship management technology that enables brands to effectively manage, measure and scale influencer strategies, while cutting through the noise on social media. The platform gives CMOs and their teams the ability to partner with influencers along the customer journey, impacting buying decisions through trustworthy and authentic conversations. Traackr powers influencer marketing programs for beloved global consumer and B2B brands, such as L'Oreal, The Coca Cola Company, Microsoft, Intel and SAP. Traackr is an international company with offices in San Francisco, Boston, New York, Paris and London. About Workhorse Capital Workhorse Capital is a Denver-based growth equity firm that invests in bootstrapped software and technology-enabled services companies. Workhorse is an intellectually-engaged partner with management teams who aspire to accelerate the organic growth of their already successful business. For more information, please visit workhorsegrowth.com About You & Mr Jones You & Mr Jones, the majority owner of Mofilm, is the world's first Brandtech group. Its mission is to help businesses build brands better, faster, and cheaper using technology. It was founded in June 2015 by former Havas Global CEO and Facebook Client Council founding member David Jones. You & Mr Jones sits at the intersection of the dramatic growth in mobile, a tech revolution that has empowered people to create, produce and share unprecedented amounts of content, the impending revolution in AI, AR, and VR, and frustrated global companies looking for brand- and tech-literate partners, and have acquired 5 companies, invested in 18 and launched two start-ups. Group clients include Airbnb, Netflix, Facebook, Accenture, Unilever, Google, Sony, Coca-Cola, Coty, Richemont, Emirates, Mastercard, Diageo, Danone, Samsung, AXA, Orange, Renault, Ferrero, Lacoste, BNP Paribas, Europcar, and Total. You & Mr Jones is headquartered in New York and has offices in 12 cities including San Francisco, London, Bangalore, Sao Paulo, Los Angeles, Shanghai, Sydney, Mexico City, Cape Town, Hong Kong, and Paris. SOURCE Traackr ATLANTA, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Triad Advisors, LLC ("Triad" or "the Firm"), a wholly owned subsidiary of Ladenburg Thalmann Financial Services (NYSE American: LTS, LTS PrA) and a leading independent advisory and brokerage (IAB) firm supporting independent hybrid financial advisory practices and registered investment advisory (RIA) firms, today announced that it has successfully recruited Cirrus Wealth Management ("Cirrus") to join its broker-dealer and hybrid RIA custodial platforms. Located in Cleveland, Cirrus Wealth Management is an independent financial advisory firm with approximately $325 million in total advisory and brokerage client assets as of April 1st, 2018. The practice's areas of focus include holistic financial planning, investment management and retirement planning for high-net-worth individuals and small- to mid-size business owners. Cirrus also assists clients with complex needs such as estate and tax planning. The practice encompasses 4 financial advisors and 4 support staff. Nathan Stibbs, Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer at Triad Advisors, said, "We are pleased to welcome Joe Heider and the rest of the Cirrus Wealth Management team to our platform. The firm has established a reputation as not only a top-tier client service provider but one that can deliver a wide range of solutions and strategies capable of addressing even the most complex financial planning needs. Triad is delighted Cirrus has chosen to join us, and we look forward to helping them reach the next stage in their growth." Joseph P. Heider, Founder and President of Cirrus Wealth Management, said, "As we sought a new strategic partner to help us take the next step in our firm's growth, considerations like technology, product selection and gaining added flexibility played a huge part in our decision. Equally important, however, was finding a partner that was a good cultural fit. From our very first meeting, it was clear that Triad Advisors offered a compelling partnership model that matched our future goals as a hybrid RIA. We are thrilled to be working with Triad as we embark upon the next stage in our evolution." Stibbs concluded, "Cirrus Wealth Management's decision to join Triad Advisors is further evidence of the strong momentum we have generated over the last year, and demonstrates that our platform, flexibility and extensive expertise in supporting hybrid RIA practices continues to represent a compelling value proposition for firms looking to accelerate their growth. Firms are clearly drawn to our unique ability to provide advisors with a boutique, close-knit service culture combined with the world-class resources afforded to them by our publicly traded parent company, Ladenburg. We look forward to working with Cirrus Wealth Management in the years ahead." About Triad Advisors Headquartered in Atlanta, GA, Triad Advisors, LLC is a national, independent advisory and brokerage firm as well as a multi-custodial SEC-Registered Investment Adviser (RIA) that is an early pioneer and continued leader in the Hybrid RIA marketplace. The company provides a comprehensive platform of products, trading and technology systems, as well as customized wealth management solutions. Recognized as one of the most successful and fastest-growing independent firms in the industry (including being named the leading firm for Hybrid RIAs eight years in a row by Investment Advisor magazine), Triad Advisors is a wholly owned subsidiary of Ladenburg Thalmann Financial Services Inc. (NYSE American: LTS, LTS PrA). For more information, please visit www.triad-advisors.com. About Cirrus Wealth Management Cirrus Wealth Management is a Cleveland, OH-based financial advisory offering individuals and families comprehensive retirement, estate, tax and business planning. For over 30 years, Joe Heider, founder and president, has worked with clients to provide sophisticated strategies and solutions for all aspects of their financial life. For more information about the firm visit www.cirruswealth.com. About Ladenburg Thalmann Ladenburg Thalmann Financial Services Inc. (NYSE American: LTS, LTS PrA) is a publicly-traded diversified financial services company based in Miami, Florida. Ladenburg's subsidiaries include industry-leading independent advisory and brokerage (IAB) firms Securities America, Triad Advisors, Securities Service Network, Investacorp and KMS Financial Services, as well as Premier Trust, Ladenburg Thalmann Asset Management, Highland Capital Brokerage, a leading independent life insurance brokerage company, Ladenburg Thalmann Annuity Insurance Services, a full-service annuity processing and marketing company, and Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. Inc., an investment bank which has been a member of the New York Stock Exchange for over 135 years. The company is committed to investing in the growth of its subsidiaries while respecting and maintaining their individual business identities, cultures, and leadership. For more information, please visit www.ladenburg.com. Media Contacts: Joseph Kuo / Michael Dugan Haven Tower Group 424 652 6520 ext. 101 or 424 652 6520 ext. 106 [email protected] or [email protected] SOURCE Triad Advisors Related Links http://www.triad-advisors.com KENT, Wash., April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- When most travelers think of the Pacific Northwest they think of Seattle and Portland, but just 15 miles from Sea-Tac Airport is Kentthe fastest growing city in Washington state. The influx of residents is bringing some of the region's most creative brewers, distillers, chefs and artists to this under-the-radar town. Bring an appetite, sense of adventure and check out what is quickly making Kent a can't miss destination: CLEVELAND, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- US phosphate rock demand is forecast to total 28.9 million metric tons in 2022, according to Phosphate Rock: United States, a report recently released by Freedonia Focus Reports. Increasing demand for US-produced fertilizer in export markets and an uptick in domestic fresh vegetable production will support gains. Demand for phosphate rock in fertilizers is projected to remain the largest of any segment through 2022. Advances will be driven by an expected uptick in fresh vegetable, fruit, and nut production projected through 2022. More information about the report is available at https://www.freedoniafocusreports.com/Phosphate-Rock-United-States-FF65020/ These and other key insights are featured in Phosphate Rock: United States. This report forecasts to 2022 US phosphate rock demand and mine production in metric tons. Total demand is segmented by market in terms of: diammonium phosphate (DAP) fertilizer monoammonium phosphate (MAP) fertilizer other fertilizers such as triple superphosphate (TSP) and ammonium polyphosphate animal feed other markets such as food and beverage, and industrial applications To illustrate historical trends, total demand, total mine production, and the various demand segments are provided in annual series from 2007 to 2017. Each month, The Freedonia Group a division of MarketResearch.com publishes over 20 new or updated Freedonia Focus Reports, providing fresh, unbiased analysis on a wide variety of markets and industries. Published in 20-30 pages, Focus Report coverage ranges from raw materials to finished manufactured goods and related services such as freight and construction. Additional Energy & Resources reports can be purchased at Freedonia Focus Reports or MarketResearch.com. Analysis is intended to guide the busy reader through pertinent topics in rapid succession, including: total historical market size and industry output segmentation by products and markets identification of market drivers, constraints, and key indicators segment-by-segment outlook in five-year forecasts a survey of the supply base suggested resources for further study Press Contact: Corinne Gangloff +1 440.684.9600 [email protected] SOURCE The Freedonia Group NEW HAVEN, Conn., April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Surrounded by the best in Connecticut Entrepreneurialism, New Haven-based Valisure won the category for Pre-Revenue Venture of the Year at the 2018 CT Entrepreneur Awards at an event held at the Gateway Community College in New Haven on April 20, 2018. The 220 finalists represented more than 60 Connecticut cities and towns. Nominations began in January 2018 and a panel of 14 expert judges from 13 states evaluated the finalists to identify the winners. David Light, Founder and CEO of Valisure, was also recognized with an Honorable Mention for Entrepreneur of the Year for Best Scalable Venture. "It's a tremendous honor to have won Pre-Revenue Venture of the Year, in addition to our honorable mention," said David Light, founder and CEO of Valisure. "We at Valisure are absolutely thrilled to be celebrated for our hard work to bring patients the highest quality medications." The CT Entrepreneur Awards identify, recognize, and celebrate Connecticut's leading entrepreneurs, ventures, and ecosystem elements that support them. About Valisure Valisure is developing cutting edge, laser-based technology to address rising medication quality concerns over counterfeits, generics and overseas manufacturing. This state-of-the-art process will ensure that consumers receive consistent medications that are screened and validated, assuring quality and consistency. Based in New Haven, Connecticut, Valisure was founded at Yale Science Park by a team of Yale University alumni with expertise in the fields of chemistry, molecular biology, pharmacology, and statistics. Valisure has ISO 17025 accreditation and is DEA and FDA registered. For more information, please visit www.valisure.com or follow @Valisure on Twitter. RUBENSTEIN PUBLIC RELATIONS CONTACT: ALEXANDRA JIRSTRAND (212) 805-3022 [email protected] SOURCE Valisure Related Links http://www.valisure.com U.S. Marine Corps wounded warrior Bryan Johnson and his fiance Jessica Ayers attended the workshop as support for veteran couples who are just beginning their healing journeys. As a peer support couple, Bryan and Jessica are further along in their own recovery and can listen and provide feedback to couples who are dealing with similar relationship issues due to combat stress. "As a couple, we were at rock bottom," said Bryan Johnson, who lives in Jacksonville, Florida. "We could only go up from there, so we wanted to attend and see what we could learn." Through its Combat Stress Recovery Program, WWP offers specialized programs and services that address veterans' post-combat mental health needs. Thanks to generous donors, all are tailored to each warrior's specific needs and free of charge. One such program is its multi-day veteran mental health workshops (https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/programs/combat-stress-recovery-program/project-odyssey) that are offered as all-male, all-female, or all-couples. Couples workshops provide safe, private environments for warriors and their significant others to express themselves and share how their relationships are impacted by combat experiences. At the end of the workshop, couples share lessons learned from the activities they feel will most significantly affect how they will handle stressors once they return home. They also set achievable goals for a bonded recovery. As couples brave challenges and activities, they are learning to be vulnerable to the unknown and each other and how to identify and work through anxieties together. "Coming full circle as a peer support couple really lets us see the growth in our own journey this past year," Bryan said. "I think it's really great to see other couples coming to these workshops, and hopefully we are able to help them on their paths to recovery." To learn and see more about how these workshops connect, serve, and empower wounded warriors, visit http://newsroom.woundedwarriorproject.org, and click on multimedia. About Wounded Warrior Project Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) connects, serves, and empowers wounded warriors. Read more at http://newsroom.woundedwarriorproject.org/about-us. SOURCE Wounded Warrior Project Related Links https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org CHICAGO and LONDON, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Vyaire Medical (the "Company"), a global leader in respiratory care, today announced that it has acquired Acutronic Medical Systems and, separately, entered into a definitive agreement to acquire imtmedical. Acutronic, a Switzerland and Germany-based leader in the design and manufacture of neonatal ventilation equipment, is globally recognized for its innovative ventilation solutions designed for both neonatal and pediatric intensive care units. imtmedical, based in Switzerland, is a developer, manufacturer and distributor of acute care mechanical ventilation products utilized in acute care centers, long-term care facilities, home healthcare as well as the emergency services and transport markets. The imtmedical transaction, which is subject to customary regulatory and other approvals, is expected to close in the second quarter. The Acutronic and imtmedical acquisitions immediately enhance Vyaire Medical's product offering, complementing investments made by the Company through internal development programs. In combination, these investments have allowed Vyaire Medical to completely renew its ventilation portfolio within the past 18 months. Dave Mowry, Vyaire Medical's President and Chief Executive Officer, said, "The transactions we are announcing today, along with our own internal development efforts, underscore our commitment to positioning Vyaire Medical as a global respiratory care leader. Our acquisition of Acutronic and imtmedical immediately enhance our product portfolio, expand intellectual capital and broaden our technological capabilities; all of which will accelerate Vyaire Medical's growth. We could not be more excited about taking these amazing products, in combination with our own, to market to advance our mission of improving patient outcomes and providing increased value to our customers." Vyaire Medical also announced today that funds advised by Apax Partners (the "Apax Funds") have completed their purchase of Becton, Dickinson & Company's remaining stake in the Company. Vyaire Medical is now an independent, standalone company owned by the Apax Funds. Steven Dyson and Arthur Brothag, Partners at Apax Partners, said, "These new acquisitions are exciting steps forward for Vyaire Medical and build on the strong progress made by the Company's management over the past year and a half. We join Dave Mowry in welcoming both the Acutronic and imtmedical teams to the Vyaire family and are excited about our joint future. We look forward to our ongoing work with Vyaire Medical as it continues to grow as the leader in respiratory care." About Vyaire Medical Vyaire Medical supports and improves the lives of patients with a laser-focus on improving patient outcomes and increasing value for customers. The Chicago, IL-headquartered company was formed in October 2016 to serve healthcare customers with innovative device and service solutions across the respiratory and anesthesia continua of care. Vyaire's brands have a 65-year track record of pioneering, innovating, and advancing respiratory diagnostics, ventilation, and anesthesia delivery & patient monitoring. From industry-pioneering brands that include Bird, Bear, and Jaeger to respected industry leaders AirLife, Vital Signs, Viasys, and many others Vyaire Medical has nearly 27,000 distinct part numbers recognized, trusted and preferred by specialists in the respiratory therapy and anesthesiology healthcare markets worldwide. Learn more at www.vyaire.com. About Apax Partners Apax Partners is a leading global private equity advisory firm. Over its more than 35-year history, Apax Partners has raised and advised funds with aggregate commitments of over $50 billion. The Apax Funds invest in companies across four global sectors of Healthcare, Tech & Telco, Services and Consumer. These funds provide long-term equity financing to build and strengthen world-class companies. Apax Partners has a strong track record in corporate carve-outs, supported by its Operational Excellence Practice, a team of dedicated operating specialists who support deal teams and drive value creation in the portfolio. For more information see: www.apax.com. About Acutronic Medical Systems Acutronic is a Switzerland and Germany-based global leader in the area of neonatal ventilation equipment, offering innovative solutions for the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). Over the course of its long history, Acutronic has established itself as a pioneer within the neonatal monitoring and ventilation segment of the respiratory markets. Acutronic's products and solutions consistently earn high praise and accolades from customers and are well-respected across the broader markets by key opinion leaders around the globe. Learn more at: www.acutronic-medical.ch. About imtmedical imtmedical is known for its world class developments in medical ventilator and testing devices and its internationally renowned medical ventilation experts. imtmedical brings continuous efforts to improve and protect its substantial R&D activities, its innovative solutions, and thereby supporting its leading position in the marketplace as an innovative company providing highest quality and leading medical ventilators to its customers. Learn more at: www.imtmedical.com. Media Contacts For Vyaire Medical: David Stafford | +1 872-757-0300 | [email protected] For Apax Partners: Global Media: Andrew Kenny, Apax | +44 20 7 872 6371 | [email protected] USA Media: Todd Fogarty / Aduke Thelwell, Kekst | +1 212-521 4800 | [email protected] UK Media: Matthew Goodman / James Madsen, Greenbrook | +44 20 7952 2000 | [email protected] SOURCE Vyaire Medical Related Links http://www.vyaire.com Natalie Portman with former Israeli president Shimon Peres in 2015. Photo: Ahmad Gharabli/AFP/Getty Images This month, Israeli snipers shot hundreds of Palestinian protesters including one journalist wearing a vest marked PRESS who posed no life-threatening danger to them, or to the people theyre meant to protect. Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman then justified these shootings on the grounds that there are no innocent people in the Gaza Strip, suggesting that the areas 1.8 million Palestinian men, women, and children are all legitimate targets of state violence. Meanwhile, Israel reneged on an agreement with the United Nations to grant legal status to 40,000 African asylum-seekers (whom the Netanyahu government had previously intended to jail en masse or deport), leaving those long-suffering refugees in a state of limbo. And then, Natalie Portman did something controversial. Last Friday, the Israeli-American actress abruptly canceled plans to accept a prestigious award in Jerusalem. Initially, this decision appeared to be an endorsement of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement; the organization behind the Genesis Prize said that Portman had declined their honor because she does not feel comfortable participating in any public events in Israel. But the actress promptly denied that claim, and detailed her true rationale in an Instagram post: I chose not to attend because I did not want to appear as endorsing Benjamin Netanyahu, who was to be giving a speech at the ceremony. By the same token, I am not part of the BDS movement and do not endorse it. Like many Israelis and Jews around the world, I can be critical of the leadership in Israel without wanting to boycott the entire nation. I treasure my Israeli friends and family, Israeli food, books, art, cinema, and dance. Israel was created exactly 70 years ago as a haven for refugees from the Holocaust. But the mistreatment of those suffering from todays atrocities is simply not in line with my Jewish values. Because I care about Israel, I must stand up against violence, corruption, inequality, and abuse of power. Portmans statement is a model of liberal Zionist dissent. It focuses its fire on Israels elected leadership, while evincing love for its people; insists that one need not choose between the Jewish value of empathy for the marginalized, and support for the Jewish state; and frames her criticism of Israeli policy as a defense of Israels own best interests all while explicitly disavowing the BDS movement. For decades, progressive Jews have been assured that such sentiments are kosher. The notion that there is a fundamental distinction between the righteousness of Israeli policy and Israels right to exist as a Jewish state has enabled countless American Jews to reconcile their liberal values with unconditional support for the latter premise. Radicals might have insisted that illiberalism and state Zionism were inextricable; that the maintenance of a majority-Jewish nation in a predominantly Muslim region would inevitably require discriminatory policies. But liberal Jews knew better; they could support both the Israelis and Palestinians one day, there would be two states for two peoples, Zionism and democracy, from the river to the sea. In the wake of Portmans protest, the Israeli government rushed to assure such Jews that they were wrong. Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz said Portmans actions bordered on anti-Semitism; security minister Gilad Erdan argued that she had turned to the Dark Side (just like Anakin Skywalker before her); and an ally of Netanyahu in the Israeli parliament called for stripping the Jerusalem-born actress of her citizenship. The overriding implication of all these statements was the same: One cannot claim to be pro-Israel and publicly criticize its atrocities. This response was indicative of the Netanyahu governments broader disinterest in keeping up the pretenses that sustain liberal Zionism. No longer content with maintaining de facto apartheid rule in the occupied West Bank, Israeli lawmakers are moving to establish the de jure variety. As Israeli civil rights lawyer Michael Sfard recently explained in The New York Review of Books: Temporariness is one of the qualities that distinguishes the regretful, yet legal, reality of occupation from the illegal act of annexation by force. The policies that evolved over decadesa creeping process of de facto annexationstopped short of a wholesale application of Israels sovereignty over the Occupied Territories; the legal and political distinctions between the West Bank and Israel were preserved. Now, this crucial legal-political status is being dismantled. [T]he ruling parliamentary coalition has put its lawyers to work drafting numerous annexationist bills. Their latest accomplishments include a law, enacted last year, which instructs the army to confiscate private Palestinian land and assign it to the intruding Israelis who have put up settlements there. This law is not only a naked sanction of land theft; it is also an unprecedented imposition of Knesset legislation on Palestinians who have no parliamentary representation. Justices in the Supreme Court, housed in a hilltop building that faces the Knesset, have set precedents of their own: last November, three judges ruled that the settlers constitute a local population in the West Bank, and that therefore, under certain conditions, private Palestinian land can be temporarily allocated to serve their needs. Their judgment overturned a principle, upheld for over forty years, that barred the use of private Palestinian land for settlement expansion. Within days of the ruling, the attorney general authorized the army to consider the expropriation of private land owned by Palestinian farmers to pave a settlement road. Liberal Zionists have long argued that failure to make peace with the Palestinians would eventually force Israel to choose between its Jewish and democratic character. But the Netanyahu regime is perfectly comfortable dispensing with the latter. Israels deputy defense minister, MK Rabbi Eli Ben-Dahan, recently called for the formal annexation of the West Bank as soon as possible. They want to scare us, that maybe soon we will not be a majority and therefore we have to abandon Judea and Samaria [the West Bank]. This is a grave mistake, Ben-Dahan told the far-right Israeli newspaper Arutz Sheva. Even if we apply Israeli law in Judea and Samaria, full civil rights are not just given, and certainly not on the first day. We will have to wait several years as is customary in every country. Natalie Portman is a no radical anti-Zionist. Just a few years ago, she served as a research assistant on a book defending the Jewish state against its left-wing critics. But like most American Jews, she does subscribe to the concept of universal human rights. Her decision to decline the Genesis Award and the vituperative reaction to that act of dissent reflects the reality that the Israeli government is no longer interested in indulging the diasporas effete concern for the Palestinians welfare. And all signs suggest this will remain the case for the foreseeable future. The Israeli left is in tatters, while the steady growth of Israels settler and ultra-Orthodox populations appear destined to fortify the states commitment to annexationist policies in the years to come. Thus, to remain conventionally pro-Israel, American Jews are going to need to evermore tightly quarantine their liberalism to domestic politics even as developments in domestic politics exacerbate the difficulty of that task. There have always been tensions between liberal universalism and Jewish nationalism. But the rise of the Trumpist right has heightened such contradictions. To remain true to both AIPAC and progressivism, a liberal Zionist must now lament border walls in Texas but defend them in the West Bank; condemn Republicans who suggest that nonwhite babies pose a threat to American civilization as proto-Nazis and endorse Israels right to defend itself against the demographic threat that is Palestinian children; decry Donald Trumps ban on Syrian refugees and apologize for Israels imprisonment of African ones; abhor the presidents indifference to civilian casualties and ignore that Israels defense minister believes every man, woman, and child in the Gaza Strip is an enemy combatant. And they must do all this while Netanyahu and his allies all but encourage American Jews to draw analogies between Trumpism and (actually existing) Zionism, by publicly aligning themselves against Barack Obama and with Donald Trump. Even before Israels rightward shift accelerated over the past year, younger American Jews were growing more estranged from the Jewish state. Pew data from 2013 found that only a third of Jews under 49 believed that Israels government was making a sincere attempt at peace with the Palestinians, while a quarter of those between 18 and 29 felt that the U.S. government was too supportive of Israel among Jews between the ages of 30 and 49, that figure was only 12 percent; among those above 65, it was just 5. In all likelihood, the political developments of the last five years have further dampened enthusiasm for Israel among the rising generation of American Jews. The prospect that young American Jews would lose interest in Zionism had long been a source of anxiety for Israeli policymakers. And many interpreted the Israeli governments hysterical response to Portman as a testament to that fear. But the opposite interpretation seems just as plausible that the Israeli Establishment is no longer afraid of losing the affections of the Natalie Portmans of the world. And why should they be? Between Americas Christian right and growing population of deeply conservative Orthodox Jews, there is a strong base of support in the United States for an unapologetically illiberal and undemocratic Greater Israel. And for now, the vast majority of liberal Jews remain reflexively supportive of the Jewish state, while most who arent decline to translate their qualms into political action. Thus, while senior officials in the Israeli government were explicitly endorsing the annexation of the West Bank over the past year, the leadership of the Democratic Party didnt merely keep silent they pushed legislation that would make boycotting Israeli goods in protest of annexation (or anything else) a federal crime. Meanwhile, the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates have ostensibly decided that it is better to have Israel as an ally in the fight against Iran, than to have the Palestinian cause as a domestic political distraction. And as an authoritarian China rises, and right-wing populism spreads through the West, it seems plausible that Israels occupation might outlive the liberal order that was supposed to (eventually) render it illegitimate. Liberal Zionists have traditionally leavened their moral objections to Israels occupation of the West Bank (and blockade of Gaza) with an appeal to pragmatism: Making painful concessions for peace wasnt just the right thing for Israel to do, but one necessary for ensuring its long-term survival. For the moment, the Israeli right has reason to view that sentiment as a bluff it wisely called. It is still possible that liberal Zionists warning will prove prescient, that Israel will eventually be forced to either abandon its illiberalism or forfeit its existence. But its hard to see how that will happen, unless American Jews are willing to put their liberalism above their Zionism and to work to force that choice. EXTON, Pa., April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. (NYSE: WST) today announced its financial results for the first-quarter 2018 and reaffirmed financial guidance for full-year 2018. Executive Summary First-quarter 2018 reported net sales of $415.7 million grew 7.2% over the prior-year quarter. At constant currency, organic sales growth was 0.2%. grew 7.2% over the prior-year quarter. At constant currency, organic sales growth was 0.2%. First-quarter 2018 reported-diluted EPS was $0.58 . Excluding restructuring and other costs, first-quarter 2018 adjusted-diluted EPS was $0.62 , as compared to $0.81 in the prior-year quarter. Tax benefits associated with share-based payment transactions were $0.03 in the first-quarter 2018, below our expectations of approximately $0.05 and below the $0.21 impact in the same quarter last year. . Excluding restructuring and other costs, first-quarter 2018 adjusted-diluted EPS was , as compared to in the prior-year quarter. Tax benefits associated with share-based payment transactions were in the first-quarter 2018, below our expectations of approximately and below the impact in the same quarter last year. The Company is reaffirming full-year 2018 net sales guidance range of $1.720 billion to $1.730 billion . This assumes a translation exchange rate of $1.20 per Euro, unchanged from prior guidance. This represents a conservative assumption given current spot rates. to . This assumes a translation exchange rate of per Euro, unchanged from prior guidance. This represents a conservative assumption given current spot rates. The Company continues to expect 2018 organic sales growth to be within a range of 6% to 8%. The Company is reaffirming full-year 2018 adjusted-diluted EPS range of $2.80 to $2.90 . "Adjusted-diluted EPS," "net sales at constant currency" and "organic sales" are Non-GAAP measurements. See discussion under the heading "Non-GAAP Financial Measures" in this release. Executive Commentary "Our first-quarter 2018 results were in line with our expectations given the headwinds that we addressed in our last earnings release," said Eric M. Green, President and Chief Executive Officer. "We were pleased to see continued momentum in our Generics market unit and our Contract-Manufactured Products segment. After experiencing customer inventory management issues for much of 2017, our Generics team posted high-single digit organic sales growth, representing the third consecutive quarter of accelerating performance. Contract-Manufactured Products again saw strong growth led by diagnostic devices and injection devices associated with diabetes. Mr. Green concluded, "We are reaffirming our full-year 2018 financial guidance. We anticipate accelerating organic sales growth over the remainder of the year, as the order flow in our Pharma market unit is expected to follow a similar pattern of improvement that we are experiencing in our Generics market unit. We continue to be the leader in the containment and delivery of injectable biologics and expect a return to normal long-term growth rates in the back half of the year. With sales growth returning to expected levels, gross and operating profit margins should improve as well. We remain on track for initial commercial sales from our Waterford facility later this year and are adding manufacturing capacity to address a growing demand for our administration systems." First-Quarter 2018 Financial Results (comparisons to prior-year period) First-quarter 2018 reported net sales of $415.7 million grew 7.2% over the prior-year quarter. At constant currency, organic sales growth was 0.2%. The deconsolidation of operations in Venezuela and the loss of a consumer-product contract manufacturing customer negatively impacted organic sales growth by 390 basis points. Proprietary Products segment organic sales declined by 1.8%. The impact from the Venezuela deconsolidation negatively affected organic sales growth by 310 basis points. By market unit, first-quarter 2018 Proprietary Products segment sales growth was led by high-single digit growth in Generics, offset by a low-single digit decline in Biologics and a high-single digit decline in Pharma. The Pharma market unit experienced strong growth in the first-quarter last year, which made for an unfavorable growth comparison in Q1 2018. Contract-Manufactured Products segment organic sales growth was 7.9%, despite the loss of a consumer-product contract manufacturing customer. First-quarter 2018 gross profit margin was 32.3%, compared to 34.6% in the same period last year, a decline of 230 basis points. Two main drivers of this decline were the deconsolidation of Venezuelan operations and the loss of a consumer-product contract manufacturing customer, which cumulatively accounted for $10.7 million of gross profit in the first quarter of last year and adversely affected gross profit margin by 150 basis points. Additionally, under-absorbed overhead from our Waterford facility more than offset gross profit margin improvement from higher efficiencies and price increases. Effective January 1, 2018, the Company adopted the new accounting rules, which require an acceleration of the timing of revenue recognition on the sale of certain products and tooling agreements in both segments of our business. The cumulative effect had an immaterial negative impact to first-quarter 2018 net sales of $3 million. For the full-year 2018, the Company expects a reduction of $6 million to expected net sales. The Company has also adopted the new rules for pension accounting. Instead of recognizing pension gains or losses in the "Selling, general and administrative expenses" line on the income statement, these gains or losses are now located "below the line" in non-operating income. The Company has restated Q1 2017 and full-year 2017 results to allow year-over-year comparisons with 2018 performance. The impact on the first-quarter 2018 from this pension accounting change was the reclassification of $1.6 million to Other Non-Operating Income. For the full-year 2018, we estimate that the total reclassification will be approximately $7 million. In February 2018, the Company announced a restructuring program, expected to be implemented over the following twelve to twenty-four months, that will help streamline our manufacturing plant network and enable us to make investments to drive our high-value proprietary products and healthcare-related contract manufacturing business, and drive margin expansion. The plan will require restructuring expense in the range of $8.0 million to $13.0 million and capital expenditures in the range of $9.0 million to $14.0 million. Once fully completed, we expect that the plan will provide the Company with annualized savings in the range of $17.0 million to $22.0 million. During the three months ended March 31, 2018, the Company recorded $3.3 million in restructuring and related charges. First-quarter 2018 operating profit margin was 12.8%. On an adjusted basis (excluding restructuring and related charges), operating profit margin was 13.6%, compared to 15.6% in the same period last year. The decline was primarily caused by lower gross profit margin. For the first-quarter 2018, income tax expense was $12.5 million. Excluding restructuring costs and a net tax charge related to U.S. tax reform, the adjusted effective tax rate was 22.5%, compared to 3.6% in the same period last year. Tax benefits from stock-based compensation were $2.1 million in the first-quarter 2018 as compared to $15.9 million in the same period last year. Excluding benefits from stock-based payments, the effective tax rate was 26.3% as compared to 30.2% last year, which reflects the lower U.S. tax rate enacted at the end of 2017. During the first-quarter 2018, the Company repurchased 540,000 shares of common stock at a cost of $47.9 million under its buyback program. There are up to 260,000 additional shares available to be repurchased under the program authorized by our Board of Directors that expires in December 2018. Full-Year 2018 Financial Guidance The Company continues to expect 2018 organic sales growth to be within our long-term projected 6-8% range. Excluding sales that will not recur in 2018 ($32.6 million of 2017 sales will not recur in 2018 due to the loss of a consumer-product contract manufacturing customer and deconsolidation of our Venezuelan operations), the Company expects 2018 organic sales growth to be at the higher end of that range. The Company is reaffirming full-year 2018 net sales guidance range of $1.720 billion to $1.730 billion. This assumes a translation exchange rate of $1.20 per Euro. Given recent volatility in currency exchange rates, the Company believes it is prudent to use a conservative exchange. Full-year 2018 adjusted-diluted EPS is expected to be in a range of $2.80 to $2.90. The Company estimates its 2018 capital spending will be less than $150 million. First-Quarter Conference Call The Company will host a conference call to discuss the results and business expectations at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time today. To participate on the call please dial 877-930-8295 (U.S.) or 253-336-8738 (International). The conference ID is 9889627. A live broadcast of the conference call will be available at the Company's website, www.westpharma.com, in the "Investors" section. Management will refer to a slide presentation during the call, which will be made available on the day of the call. To view the presentation, select "Presentations" in the "Investors" section of the Company's website. An online archive of the broadcast will be available at the website three hours after the live call and will be available through Thursday, May 3, 2018, by dialing 855-859-2056 (U.S.) or 404-537-3406 (International) and entering conference ID 9889627. Forward-Looking Statements Certain forward-looking statements are included in this release. They use such words as "expected," "continue," "increase," "will," "estimated," "believe," "expect," "estimate," "see," "continued," "anticipate," "remain," and other similar terminology. These statements reflect management's current expectations regarding future events and operating performance and speak only as of the date of this release. There is no certainty that actual results will be achieved in-line with current expectations. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties. The following are some of the factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed in or underlying our forward-looking statements: customers' changing inventory requirements and manufacturing plans; customer decisions to move forward with our new products and product categories; average profitability, or mix, of the products we sell; dependence on third-party suppliers and partners; interruptions or weaknesses in our supply chain; increased raw material costs; fluctuations in currency exchange; and the ability to meet development milestones with key customers. This list of important factors is not all inclusive. For a description of certain additional factors that could cause the Company's future results to differ from those expressed in any such forward-looking statements, see Item 1A, entitled "Risk Factors," in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017. Except as required by law or regulation, we undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Non-GAAP Financial Measures This press release and the preceding discussion of the Company's results, financial guidance, and the accompanying financial tables use the following financial measures that have not been calculated in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), and therefore are referred to as Non-GAAP financial measures: Net sales at constant currency (organic sales growth) Adjusted operating profit Adjusted operating profit margin Adjusted income tax expense Adjusted net income Adjusted diluted EPS Net debt Total invested capital Net debt-to-total invested capital The Company believes that these Non-GAAP measures of financial results provide useful information to management and investors regarding business trends, results of operations, and the Company's overall performance and financial position. The Company's executive management team uses these financial measures to evaluate the performance of the Company in terms of profitability and efficiency, to compare operating results to prior periods, to evaluate changes in the operating results of each segment, and to measure and allocate financial resources to its segments. The Company believes that the use of these Non-GAAP financial measures provides an additional tool for investors to use in evaluating ongoing operating results and trends in comparing its financial measures with other companies. The Company's executive management does not consider such Non-GAAP measures in isolation or as an alternative to such measures determined in accordance with GAAP. The principal limitation of these financial measures is that they exclude significant expenses and income that are required by GAAP to be recorded. In addition, they are subject to inherent limitations as they reflect the exercise of judgment by management about which items are excluded. In order to compensate for these limitations, Non-GAAP financial measures are presented in connection with GAAP results. The Company urges investors and potential investors to review the reconciliations of its Non-GAAP financial measures to the comparable GAAP financial measures, and not to rely on any single financial measure to evaluate the Company's business. Net sales at constant currency translates the current-period reported sales of subsidiaries whose functional currency is other than the U.S. dollar at the applicable foreign exchange rates in effect during the comparable prior-year period. In calculating adjusted operating profit, adjusted operating profit margin, adjusted income tax expense, adjusted net income and adjusted diluted EPS, the Company excludes the impact of items that are not considered representative of ongoing operations. Such items may include restructuring and related costs, certain asset impairments, other specifically-identified gains or losses, and discrete income tax items. A reconciliation of these adjusted Non-GAAP measures to the comparable GAAP financial measures is included in the accompanying tables. The following is a description of the item excluded from adjusted operating profit, adjusted income tax expense, adjusted net income, and adjusted diluted EPS for the three months presented in the accompanying tables: Restructuring and related charges During the three months ended March 31, 2018, the Company recorded $3.3 million in restructuring and related charges, consisting of $2.0 million for severance charges, $0.1 million for non-cash asset write-downs, and $1.2 million for other non-cash charges. Tax law changes During the three months ended March 31, 2018, following additional analysis, the Company recorded a net tax charge of $0.3 million for the estimated impact of U.S. tax reform. During the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2017, the Company had recorded a provisional charge for the estimated impact of U.S. tax reform, based upon its then-current understanding of the U.S. tax reform and the guidance available at the time. The Company will continue to actively monitor the developments relating to U.S. tax reform, and will adjust its estimate as necessary during the one-year measurement period. WEST PHARMACEUTICAL SERVICES, INC. CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (UNAUDITED) (in millions, except per share data) Three Months Ended March 31, 2018 2017 Net sales $415.7 100% $387.7 100% Cost of goods and services sold 281.3 68 253.5 65 Gross profit 134.4 32 134.2 35 Research and development 9.6 2 10.3 3 Selling, general and administrative expenses 68.3 16 62.5 16 Other expense, net 3.1 1 0.9 - Operating profit 53.4 13 60.5 16 Interest expense, net 1.3 - 1.8 - Other nonoperating income (1.6) - (0.8) - Income before income taxes 53.7 13 59.5 16 Income tax expense 12.5 3 2.2 1 Equity in net income of affiliated companies (2.4) - (3.6) 1 Net income $43.6 10% $60.9 16% Net income per share: Basic $0.59 $0.83 Diluted $0.58 $0.81 Average common shares outstanding 73.9 73.3 Average shares assuming dilution 75.5 74.9 WEST PHARMACEUTICAL SERVICES REPORTING SEGMENT INFORMATION (UNAUDITED) (in millions) Three Months Ended March 31, Net Sales: 2018 2017 Proprietary Products $326.2 $308.8 Contract-Manufactured Products 89.5 79.1 Eliminations - (0.2) Consolidated Total $415.7 $387.7 Operating Profit (Loss): Proprietary Products $62.8 $65.1 Contract-Manufactured Products 9.5 8.8 U.S. pension expense (2.4) (2.3) Stock-based compensation expense (3.4) (3.5) General corporate costs (9.8) (7.6) Adjusted Operating Profit $56.7 $60.5 Adjusted Operating Profit Margin 13.6% 15.6% Restructuring and related charges (3.3) - Reported Operating Profit $53.4 $60.5 Reported Operating Profit Margin 12.8% 15.6% WEST PHARMACEUTICAL SERVICES RECONCILIATION OF NON-GAAP MEASURES (UNAUDITED) Please refer to "Non-GAAP Financial Measures" for more information (in millions, except per share data) Reconciliation of Reported and Adjusted Operating Profit, Net Income and Diluted EPS Three months ended March 31, 2018 Operating profit Income tax expense Net income Diluted EPS Reported (GAAP) $53.4 $12.5 $43.6 $0.58 Restructuring and related charges 3.3 0.6 2.7 0.03 Tax law changes - (0.3) 0.3 0.01 Adjusted (Non-GAAP) $56.7 $12.8 $46.6 $0.62 Reconciliation of Net Sales to Net Sales at Constant Currency (1) Three months ended March 31, 2018 Proprietary CM Eliminations Total Reported net sales (GAAP) $326.2 $89.5 $ - $415.7 Effect of changes in currency translation rates (23.2) (4.1) - (27.3) Net sales at constant currency (Non-GAAP) (1) $303.0 $85.4 $ - $388.4 (1) Net sales at constant currency translates the current-period reported sales of subsidiaries whose functional currency is other than the U.S. dollar at the applicable foreign exchange rates in effect during the comparable prior-year period. WEST PHARMACEUTICAL SERVICES RECONCILIATION OF NON-GAAP MEASURES (UNAUDITED) Please refer to "Non-GAAP Financial Measures" for more information (in millions, except per share data) Reconciliation of Reported-Diluted EPS Guidance to Adjusted-Diluted EPS Guidance Full-Year 2018 Guidance(2) (3) Reported-diluted EPS guidance $2.66 to $2.81 Restructuring and related charges 0.08 to 0.13 Tax law changes 0.01 Adjusted-diluted EPS guidance $2.80 to $2.90 (2) See "Full-Year 2018 Financial Guidance" and "Non-GAAP Financial Measures" in today's press release for additional information regarding adjusted-diluted EPS. (3) Guidance includes various currency exchange rate assumptions, most significantly the euro at $1.20 for the remainder of 2018. Actual results will vary as a result of exchange rate variability. WEST PHARMACEUTICAL SERVICES CASH FLOW ITEMS (UNAUDITED) (in millions) Three Months Ended March 31, 2018 2017 Depreciation and amortization $26.4 $23.3 Operating cash flow $45.0 $20.7 Capital expenditures $28.0 $37.5 WEST PHARMACEUTICAL SERVICES FINANCIAL CONDITION (UNAUDITED) (in millions) As of March 31, 2018 As of December 31, 2017 Cash and cash equivalents $199.8 $235.9 Debt $198.0 $197.0 Equity $1,305.3 $1,279.9 Net debt-to-total invested capital (4) N/A N/A Working capital $480.1 $464.0 (4) Net debt and total invested capital are Non-GAAP measures. Net debt is determined by reducing total debt by the amount of cash and cash equivalents, and for purpose of measuring net debt to invested capital, total invested capital is the sum of net debt and shareholders' equity. Please refer to "Non-GAAP Financial Measures" in this release for additional information regarding those measures. Trademark Notices Trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc., in the United States and other jurisdictions, unless noted otherwise. Investor Contact: Quintin Lai Vice President, Investor Relations (610) 594-3318 [email protected] SOURCE West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. Related Links http://www.westpharma.com NEW YORK, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Wheels Up, the fastest growing membership-based private aviation company, is a preferred partner of Ocean Reef All Charities, the charitable arm for the Ocean Reef Club located in Key Largo, Florida. In the past three years, Wheels Up has made meaningful contributions to Ocean Reef All Charities. The Ocean Reef All Charities foundation funds a range of community programs, including a recent hurricane cleanup initiative that gave $2.3 million to residents of the Florida Keys community outside of Ocean Reef's gates. "We are committed to giving back to the communities where we operate," said Justin Firestone, Founding Partner at Wheels Up. "Philanthropy has always been an important part of our business model, and we are proud to partner with Ocean Reef to provide vital resources to the Florida Keys." One of the top-rated private clubs in the country, Ocean Reef boasts exclusive amenities, including a private airport for the exclusive use of its members. Since initiating this unique partnership, more than 150 Ocean Reef Members have joined Wheels Up. "Wheels Up is a great company and a model member of the community," said Michael Berman, Co-Director of Ocean Reef All Charities. "We are so thankful to Wheels Up for its ongoing support, which allows us to fund programs in education, youth programs, arts, culture and more." Wheels Up can arrange flights to the Ocean Reef Club from cities across the United States including Atlanta, Chicago, Washington, D.C., Dallas and Cincinnati, among others. About Wheels Up Wheels Up is a revolutionary membership-based private aviation company that significantly reduces the upfront costs to fly privately, while providing unparalleled flexibility, service and safety. Created and led by renowned entrepreneur Kenny Dichter, Wheels Up offers guaranteed access up to 365 days a year to a private fleet of new Textron King Air 350i and Citation Excel/XLS aircraft to individual, family and corporate members. With the cutting-edge Wheels Up mobile app, members can seamlessly book flights, manage their accounts, participate in ride-share opportunities and select Hot Flights, a selection of one-way "empty leg" flights that are posted daily to the app and updated in real time. Members also have access to Wheels Down, a program featuring exclusive events and experiences, unique partner benefits and a full-service luxury concierge. *Wheels Up does not operate aircraft; FAA licensed and DOT registered air carriers participating in the program exercise full operational control of all flights offered by or arranged through Wheels Up. All aircraft owned or leased by Wheels Up are leased to the operating air carrier and are operated exclusively by that air carrier. For details regarding specific Wheels Up programs, please visit wheelsup.com. Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Google Contact: Erin Mandzik JConnelly 646-922-7768 [email protected] SOURCE Wheels Up Related Links http://wheelsup.com TEL AVIV, Israel, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- WhiteSource, the leader in continuous open source security and license compliance management, announced today the launch of its Contextual Pattern Matching (CPM) Engine. The patent-pending technology, enhances capabilities for pinpoint accuracy in detection and association of source files to source libraries. The CPM Engine for open source component detection and association automatically matches source files to open source libraries faster and more accurately than previous generation solutions. The process of accurately detecting and associating source files to source libraries has been an ongoing challenge for Software Composition Analysis (SCA) solutions. WhiteSource has been evolving its detection capabilities, using diverse factors like: multiple hashes, file metadata, full dependency resolution or package manifests, to provide best-in-class detection. The new engine's CPM capabilities improves accuracy levels even further, reducing sensitivity to local files edits, copying files between different systems, and various minor changes. Customers that have upgraded to the new engine reported experiencing a substantial boost to productivity due to WhiteSource's quicker and more accurate process. Preliminary analysis of the new engine shows an overall 80% improvement in associating source files accurately to source libraries, resulting in a fully automated process for detecting open source components in real-time. In addition, the CPM Engine is the first programming language agnostic matching engine, which supports more than 200 different programming languages out of the box. "The CPM engine technology powering the WhiteSource open source management solution will enable our customers to take their open source vulnerability, licensing, and quality management to the next level," said David Habusha, VP Product at WhiteSource. "Our state of the art technology covers even more open source files and boosts file detection and accurate association to open source libraries, providing faster and more precise results." About WhiteSource WhiteSource is the leader in continuous open source security and license compliance management. Its vision is to empower businesses to develop better software by harnessing the power of open source. Industry leaders like Microsoft, IBM, and hundreds more trust WhiteSource to secure and manage the open source components in their software. The company has been recognized by Forrester as the best current offering in their Software Composition Analysis (SCA) Wave report in 2017. For more information, please visit www.whitesourcesoftware.com Media Contact Head of Communications Gabriel Avner [email protected] https://www.whitesourcesoftware.com/ SOURCE WhiteSource Related Links http://www.whitesourcesoftware.com FELTON, California, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Global Yeast Market is segmented on the basis of type, application, specialty yeast and geography. Yeast is used in the process of fermentation for its abilities in imparting better aroma, aiding carbon release, taste, texture and flavor to food. Yeast is important ingredient in the bakery industry and globally increasing demand for bakery goods, especially in the developing economies such as China, India, countries in South America, Africa and other regions is expected to significantly boost the volume use of yeast. Further, the increase in global consumption of alcohol has resulted in increasing production of alcoholic beverages such as beer and wine. The major factors driving the growth of the yeast market are positive trend in consumption of alcoholic beverage, increasing demand for functional bakery products, and enhanced production of animal feed augmented with minerals. However, growing competition for basic raw materials is one the major hindrances in the growth of the yeast market. In the years to come, yeast market will have a huge opportunity with respect to replacement of molasses with filtered dates and also from increasing concerns over the usage of artificial flavor enhancer. Based on type, the yeast market is segmented into baker's yeast, brewer's yeast, wine yeast, feed yeast, bio-ethanol yeast, nutritional yeast, supplement yeast, industrial yeast and so on. Baker's yeast accounted for the biggest share; followed by brewer's yeast in 2015. In the same year, Europe did account for the greatest share in baker's yeast. North America did contribute for the second-largest share. The demand on the part of baker's yeast is driven by the increasing demand for high-value baked goods such as cookies and cakes that are marketed at the global level by large companies. Browse 134 page research report with TOC on "Global Yeast Market" at: https://www.millioninsights.com/industry-reports/yeast-market Based on application, the yeast market is segmented into food & beverage sector, feed sector, pharmaceutical & industrial sector and so on. Based on form, the yeast market is segmented into dry yeast, instant yeast, fresh yeast and other includes bread machine yeast and rapid-rise yeast. The "fresh yeast" market's growth is directly proportional to the trend shifting toward fast and processed food consumption, bakery items in particular. Fresh yeast is broadly used in bakery products such as pastries and breads as it has good fermenting qualities and does provide an excellent taste. Europe was the biggest market for fresh yeast and accounted for maximum share in 2015. Asia Pacific is, at present, one of the most promising markets for fresh yeast, as the demand is continuously increasing with increase in population and altering demand for processed food products. Based on speciality yeast, the yeast market is segmented into yeast extracts, yeasts autolysates, yeast beta-glucan, yeast derivatives (includes yeast flavor enhancers, yeast saccharides and yeast pigments), nucleotides, minerals, vitamins and so on. Based on geography, the yeast market is segmented into Europe, Latin America, Asia Pacific, North America and Middle East & Africa. The North America and Europe are the market leaders but in future competition is likely to increase in the market of Asia Pacific region. The key players of yeast industry are Angel Yeast Co. Ltd., Alltech, Associated British Foods Plc, Chr. Hansen A/S, Koninklijke DSM N.V., Lallemand Inc., Leiber GmbH, Lesaffre Group, Sensient Technologies, Oriental Yeast Co. Ltd., Cargill, Ab Mauri, Ab Vista, Bio Springer S.A., Bio Springer S.A., Angel Yeast Co. Ltd. and Synergy Flavors. Browse reports of similar category available with Million Insights: This report studies Yeast in Global market, especially in North America, Europe, China, Japan, India and Southeast Asia, focuses on top manufacturers in global market, with sales, price, revenue and market share for each manufacturer, covering AB Mauri India AB Vista Lallemand Lessafre Group AHD International Algist Bruggeman Alltech Angel Yeast Associated British Food Bio Springer Biorigin Biotec Pharmacon Cargill Chaitanya Chr. Hansen Crystal Pharma Danish Yeast DSM N.V. Kerry Group Kothari Fermentation and Biochem Leiber Minn-Dark Yeast Oriental Yeast PAKMAYA Sagar Chemicals Suboneyo Chemicals Pharmaceuticals Synergy Market Segment by Region, this report splits Global into several key Region, with sales, revenue, market share and growth rate of Yeast in these regions, from 2011 to 2021 (forecast), like North America China Europe Japan India Southeast Asia Split by product type, with sales, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, can be divided into Instant Yeast Dry Yeast Fresh Yeast Other Yeast Split by application, this report focuses on sales, market share and growth rate of Yeast in each application, can be divided into Food and Beverage Sector Feed Sector Others Sector About Million Insights: Million Insights, is a distributor of market research reports, published by premium publishers only. We have a comprehensive market place, that will enable you to compare data points, before you make a purchase. Enabling informed buying, is our motto and we strive hard to ensure that our clients get to browse through multiple samples, prior to an investment. Service flexibility & the fastest response time are two pillars, on which our business model is founded. Our market research report store, includes in-depth reports, from across various industry verticals, such as healthcare, technology, chemicals, food & beverages, consumer goods, material science & automotive. Contact: Ryan Manuel Research Support Specialist, USA Million Insights Phone: +1-408-610-2300 Toll Free: 1-866-831-4085 Email: [email protected] Web: https://www.millioninsights.com/ SOURCE Million Insights The price gap between houses in Melbourne and Sydney is at its narrowest in four years, according to the Domain March Quarter 2018 House Price Report. Sydney house prices have reported the largest quarterly decline since December 2015. In the March 2018 quarter, Sydney houses fell 2.6 percent, with the median price now just over $1.15 million. House prices in Sydney fell 1.4 percent annually, marking the city's first annual decrease since mid-2012. House prices in Melbourne increased again, reaching $914,518 in March, a 0.1 percent quarterly increase. It marked 22 consecutive quarters of growth for the Victorian capital. Following a 15-month stretch of double-digit annual growth, however Melbourne house prices growth slowed to a three-year low of 8.8 percent year on year. The $ price difference for houses is now $200,000. Back in 2015 when Sydney went through the $900,000 barrier, the price gap was $260,000, with Melbourne house's sitting at $638,000. At Sydney's peak in the June quarter 2017, the median house price stood at $1,178,417, a price difference of $312,705 to Melbourne's $865,712 median. Click here to enlarge. Sydney units also slipped back closer to Melbourne. They fell 0.5 percent in the March quarter and 0.6 percent annually. The move marks almost a decade since both house and unit prices in Sydney decreased over the quarter and year. Domain's Dr Nicola Powell said the trend was identified late last year. Following marginal quarterly growth in December, house and unit prices in Sydney continued to soften over the March quarter, a trend first identified in September 2017. "Although both house and unit values declined, units softened moderately compared to house prices in March, demonstrating the impact of the affordability hurdles of purchasing a home in the Harbour City. New South Wales is experiencing an increase in first home buyer activity, which is being driven by government incentives. "The increased demand at the entry-level price point may support price increases at the lower end of the market. "However, it remains to be seen whether the Banking Royal Commission will prompt stricter mortgage lending standards, making credit harder to attain." Melbourne unit prices delivered another quarter of improvement, rising 0.7 percent to reach a median value of $505,861. Melbourne was the only capital city with unit growth over the March quarter. Annually, units in Melbourne rose 7.9 per cent. "While Sydney is currently dealing with the impacts of decreased investor activity, Melbourne has always been an owner-occupier led market, and is somewhat less exposed to investor movements relative to Sydney," Powell said. Ongoing price growth in the Victorian capital is being supported by the citys rising population, strong employment growth and lower affordability hurdles. "Although there are certain pockets of Melbourne impacted by heightened unit supply, overall the city delivered the strongest annual growth in eight years." The publicly listed Perth-based real estate and financial services group, The Agency Group, formerly known as Ausnet, has dropped their underwriter for the proposed 550 million share issue which was to help buy a burgeoning Sydney based estate agency. The company announced it had dropped the underwriter, CPS Capital Group, just seven weeks after their appointment which advised "the acquisition of Top Level was firmly on track." The proposed raising of $10 million at 2 cents a share was to be used to assist the acquisition of Top Level Real Estate, trading under licence as the The Agency East Coast which is headed by Matt Lahood, and other McGrath rebels, Ben Collier, Shad Hassen and Stephen Chen. The shares were trading at 1.6 cents today, as boss Paul Niardone indicated he hoped the termination allowed for "greater scope and additional capacity to raise additional funding." Click here to enlarge. Attempting to become a national group, The Agency which is headed by Paul Niardone, saw its shares initially close down by 12 per cent at 1.5 cents. The Fairfax Media business gossip column, CBD published an unconfirmed suggestion The Agency principals "have had to stump up their own cash to keep the operation afloat." The Perth-originated Ausnet leadership have long aspired to secure the east coasters, but been unable to pull it off. The last official update had indicated the east coast Top Level with some 90 agents was achieving "exceptional results." The shareholders were told the east coast team had 380 settled sales, for the 11 month period from April 2017. It had "achieved exceptional results with total sales of $695 million, total commissions of $10.2 million and 380 settlements for the year up to March 2018." Click here to enlarge. The Agency Group utilised the shell company Namibian Copper, for its late 2016 ASX listing as Ausnet. The company raised $5.8 million as part of a backdoor listing and recapitalisation with shares initially trading at 3.3 cents on its 2016 listing. They shortly after hit 4 cents after the raising jointly underwritten by Patersons Securities and Transocean Securities and backed by retail finance broker Finsure Group, which took an initial 8 per cent stake in Ausnet. Click here to enlarge. The group has expanded mostly in WA with the SLP group now incorporated into its results. Click here to enlarge. The Agency opened the doors of its Bondi Beach office early last year, billed as a disruptive and fast growing real estate sales and property management business. It represented an experimental break from the traditional franchise model - aiming to be a true one-stop shop offering selling agents, property management services, as well as mortgage-broking services, settlement agents and insurance brokers. The stockmarket has been told agents have been referring around 60% of all sales for financing broking. But the big difference was in contrast to the traditional franchise agency model, The Agency offered lucrative commission splits for the agents. Franchise agencies usually take a 50:50 split on all the agents sales commissions, rarely with more generous 60:40 splits in the agents favour.However, The Agency offered agents a starting split of 75:25 split in the agents favour, rising to 80:20 and 85:15 as and when higher targets were met. Agents are also offered a buy-in on the property management income stream. That split lured top-performing selling agents away from leading east coast franchise groups. On the announcement of CPS agreeing to get The Agency's fundraising underway, Paul Niardone said CPS Capital Group had "a strong track record of fundraising success and to have them support our capital raising is a significant milestone in the advancement of this transaction. We recently undertook a roadshow to meet with, and present to, a range of Australian small cap funds, institutions, and received overwhelmingly positive feedback." But is appears the group is struggling to get east coast credibility. Established in 1996, its aim has been to become the "most reliable and trusted real estate and financial services company in the Asia Pacific region." Subject to successful completion of the proposed capital raising, CPS Capital Group was to receive 6% of the underwritten amount, plus 2,000,000 ordinary shares in the company. (An earlier version of this article indicated the Agency had lost its underwriter. It actually terminated its underwriter.) If you are new to iQ you can schedule a demo and learn more about this opportunity. PSFK iQ - Where Innovators Turn for Research. Our professional-grade research platform is designed specifically for Retail and CX leaders who want to know whats next. Whether youre staying current on trends or need a real-time research partner to help you get ahead, count on PSFK iQ to deliver the info you need to make your next move. Targeting a children's niche in the growing audiobook market, Triangle Interactive, a licensing and distribution entity of Book Buddy Media, has released an initial list of 1,000 English and Spanish-language read-along children's e-books from a variety of publishers. Brett Hodus, president and cofounder of Book Buddy Media and Triangle Interactive, said Triangle Interactive was launched to support the production and distribution of read-along audio e-books for kids. Read-along e-books feature animated text enhanced with synchronized audio that allows the reader to see the words visually highlighted in the text narrative and hear the words as they are pronounced vocally. The immediate goal is to expose young people to great fiction and nonfictionbut to do so in a format that allows them to flourish independently, by incorporating simple digital support tools that enhance the reading experience, Hodus said. More Triangle read-along e-titles will be released monthly beginning in the summer. Hodus also pointed to the popularity of read-along e-books among English learners overseas. To reach that potential group of customers, the company is partnering with library vendor OverDrive to release 200 read-along e-books in the Chinese market. Triangle Interactive offers publishers free conversion of their e-books into read-along titles using the ePub3 format which can support a variety of embedded interactive features including video and sound. Conversion to the ePub3 fromat, Hodus said, provides the publishers with a ubiquitous file that can be opened on virtually any device. Triangle is a subsidiary of Book Buddy Media, a packager founded by Hodus in 2008 that specializes in book production, editorial services and workflow design, in addition to offering digital/audio conversion and access to a team of audio engineers and voice actors. Although Hodus said the rights to the initial group of the 1,000 read-along e-books are generally owned by one publisher, Triangle is designed to support publishers whose e-books rights are split between the house (text) and an audiobook licensee, such as Recorded Books or other audio vendors. Triangle, Hodus said, will stitch the rights together, to allow the production of the read-along e-books as well as to support mass distribution to the trade, library and educational markets. Triangle Interactive, Hodus said, brings the text and audio rights together, provides free conversion to ePub3, and shares the revenue from sales with each of the rights holders. Hodus said while read-alongs are in demand from educators and librarians, most retailers don't always offer them as a separate category. Triangle has partnered with OverDrive to publicize the read-along category. Among the rights holders whose books are part of the existing read-along e-books are August House, Charlesbridge, Sleeping Bear PRress, Rourke Educational Media, North Star Editions, and Full Tilt Press. Librarians and schools dont want to deal with each individual publisher, Hodus said. We combine the rights and can offer the read-along e-books through all the usual platformsOverDrive, Apple, Google Play, Hoopla, Kobo, and others. Hodus said Triangle Interactive worked with educators on the read-along e-books to avoid falling victim to the lure of adding distracting high-tech features. He added: Were trying to offer a consistent definition of read-along e-books that is focused on reading. Elliott Advisors, a U.S. investment firm, has agreed to buy U.K. bookstore chain Waterstones, which operates 283 bookstores in the U.K, with a handful of branches in Ireland, Holland and Belgium. Waterstones reported sales of more than 400 million ($557 million) in the fiscal year ended last April and employs more than 3,000 people. The final sale price was undisclosed. When Lynwood Investments bought the chain in 2011 it paid 53 million. Lynwood will retain a minority stake in Waterstones. James Daunt, who is credited with having returned the chain to profitability after he joined the company in 2011, will remain as CEO. Paul Best, who is Elliott Advisors head of European Private Equity, will be working with Daunt. "He has done quite a bit of retail, said Daunt, who described Best as extremely sensible." In interviews with the U.K. press, Daunt has given reassurances that there will be no store closures or layoffs. There is an agreement about operational strategy between the bookseller and the hedge fund, Daunt told the U.K. publishing newsletter BookBrunch, and the focus will remain on bookselling and giving stores more independence. Daunt also sees opportunities for expansion, including abroad. Were a retailer thats doing well on a high street which isnt doing very well, Daunt said, during an interview with the Press Association following the sale. Whilst of course we dont like seeing companies, other fellow retailers, going out of business, it is giving us quite a lot of opportunities to expand which we frankly havent had in the recent past because theyve been very limited availability of new shops. There has been speculation that Elliott Advisors may have acquired Waterstones to flip it in a sale to Amazon in the future, a rumor Daunt dismissed. I think thats nonsense, he told the Press Association. I cant see that Amazon would wish to run the sort of shops that we do. The final sale is expected to be complete next month. Kyrsten Sinema, senator-in-waiting. Photo: Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call,Inc. This November was supposed to be a bloodbath for Senate Democrats. With ten of the partys incumbents staring down tough reelection bids in pro-Trump states including conservative bastions Montana, Missouri, West Virginia, North Dakota, and Indiana the question wasnt whether Republicans would retain control of the upper chamber, but exactly how much larger Mitch McConnells majority would grow. Then, the president spent his first 15 months in office doing just about everything in his power to mobilize the Democratic base and harden the opposition of his skeptics; congressional Republicans decided to make taking health-care benefits from working families and giving tax breaks to the rich their top two legislative priorities; conservative voters in Alabama nominated an ephebophilic theocrat to be their standard-bearer; Bob Corker decided to take his tax-cut money and run; and Missouris governor decided to bring his partys reputation down with him. And now, Chuck Schumer is dreaming the impossible dream: Thanks to Doug Joness victory in Alabama, Democrats need to net just two seats this fall to take Senate control and thereby, stave off another two years of Trump packing the judiciary with Federalist Society fanatics. New polling from Axios suggests that ambition is within reach, as the partys candidates in Arizona, Tennessee, and Nevada are all in position to remove seats from Mitch McConnells column. Tennessee is obviously the biggest reach for Team Blue. But with the states popular former governor Phil Bredesen as its standard-bearer, Democrats have a real shot at regaining a foothold in the Volunteer State. Meanwhile, Sinemas early strength could prove particularly significant. With John McCain still sidelined by brain cancer, theres a good chance that two Senate seats might be up for grabs in Arizona this fall. Sinemas polling advantage combined with Democrats strong showing in a high-turnout special election earlier this week suggests that the party could theoretically mine all the pickups it needs from the Grand Canyon State. Meanwhile, a Quinnipiac poll released this week shows progressive Democrat Beto ORourke trailing Ted Cruz just by 3 percent in Texas. ORourke has proven himself a superlative fundraiser, notching an eye-popping $6.7 million in campaign donations over the first quarter of this year. All of this said: The safe bet is still that Mitch McConnells majority will survive the coming storm. A set of Axios/SurveyMonkey polls released last month found four red-state Democrats trailing generic Republican opponents, while Missouris Claire McCaskill came in eight points behind the states Republican attorney general Josh Hawley. The stakes of Senate control arent lost on big-dollar conservative donors. They know a Democratic sweep this fall could get Trumps next Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland-ed. And if retaining the House starts to look like a lost cause, the GOP donor class will be able to concentrate its considerable resources on reminding conservative voters in deep-red battlegrounds that control of the high court is on the ballot this autumn. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has one essential purpose: collective defense. As NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg observed recently, all the issues that at times divide members of the Alliance, even taken in total, cannot outweigh this one mission: What I can say is that we have seen, throughout the history of NATO, differences between NATO allies on different issues, including trade issues; but we have always been able to avoid these differences [undermining] the unity of the Alliance when it comes to the core task of NATO that we protect and defend each other. What the Secretary General identified as NATOs core task is as important today as it was when the Alliance was founded on April 4, 1949. Then, the danger was from a massive Soviet conventional military presence in Eastern Europe and Germany. Today, the threat is from a smaller Russian military, but one that has substantially modernized air, naval and ground forces. This new Russian military is designed to conduct short, rapid conventional offensives under the umbrella of an integrated air defense system, whose reach extends into much of NATO airspace. Supporting this new conventional military is a massive arsenal of long-range rockets, ballistic and cruise missiles and advanced strike aircraft. But Moscows military modernization effort has not stopped with improving its capability for conventional conflict. Russia is upgrading and even expanding its entire nuclear arsenal, including all its strategic nuclear forces and its massive inventory of land, air and sea-based low-yield nuclear weapons. Nuclear-capable Iskander theater missiles have been deployed to Kaliningrad. Russian leaders have repeatedly sought to intimidate NATO by threatening the first use of nuclear weapons in the event of a conflict. The Alliance is responding to this clear and growing danger. Almost a year ago, President Trump called on the Alliance to invest more in defense. At the time, only five nations the United States, Greece, Britain, Estonia and Poland - were meeting NATOs target of spending 2 percent of their respective GDPs on defense. In response, several member states, including Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Romania, Bulgaria, Portugal and Hungary, immediately increased their defense budgets. Others have plans to do so in their next defense budgets. Although most NATO members are still well short of the desired target, they are on a path that will allow them to reach this goal in the not-to-distant future. Increased expenditures on defense are an important indicator of a nations commitment to its security and to that of collective defense. More important is how those resources are spent. NATO members need to reverse more than two decades of disinvestment in their militaries and acquire modern, combat-capable forces. In order to ensure it possesses a credible deterrent to conflict, NATO needs to make strategic investments in virtually all mission areas. Given the central role played by nuclear weapons in Moscows planning for potential conflicts as well as its current attempts at political intimidation, nuclear deterrence must be the first priority of NATO modernization. Only a credible threat of nuclear retaliation based on the capability for extended deterrence can offset the Kremlins efforts to gain political advantages by brandishing its nuclear saber, as well as deny Moscow any chance of a swift, painless military option against the Alliance. The U.S. is taking steps to ensure that its nuclear forces are modernized. There are programs underway to replace all three legs of the strategic triad. The only deployed theater nuclear system, the B-61 gravity bomb, is being refurbished and upgraded. The recently released Nuclear Posture Review called for the development of two new capabilities: a low-yield warhead for the Trident submarine-launched ballistic missile to ensure a prompt response option that can penetrate adversary defenses and a nuclear-armed sea-launched cruise missile. NATO allies must also do their part to ensure the credibility of extended deterrence. The first step in this process is for the German Luftwaffe to choose a new aircraft as the replacement for its aging force of nuclear-capable Tornado strike aircraft, which are slated to begin retirement in the next few years. In reality, there is only one choice available: the F-35. The current plan by the Joint Program Office is to begin deployment of a nuclear-capable variant of the F-35A by the early 2020s. The only other option, a variant of the Eurofighter Typhoon, would take years to design and produce and cost a great deal, given the limited size of a potential buy. Moreover, the Typhoon lacks the F-35s advanced stealth features, avionics, electronic warfare systems and surveillance capabilities that make the latter a credible first day of the war nuclear weapons delivery platform. Taking a leaf from Vladimir Putins playbook, some in Europes aerospace and defense industry have warned of dire consequences should Germany break with recent practice and acquire a limited number of F-35s to fulfill its commitments under NATOs nuclear-sharing agreement. The claim that buying the F-35 instead of a less capable European aircraft would end cooperation among European countries for future fighter programs is unbelievable in light of the sheer size of Germanys defense budget and that nations continuing investments in European defense products. More important, the Russian threat is too dire and the need to restore the credibility of NATOs extended deterrent too pressing to tolerate industrial base arguments, however specious. NATO solidarity, the sanctity of the collective defense commitment and the need to prioritize modernization of the Alliances nuclear deterrent trump outdated demands to support European industrial production. The stakes involved are too great for such a small-minded approach to choosing the next nuclear-capable aircraft. Daniel Goure, Ph.D., is a vice president at the public-policy research think tank Lexington Institute. Goure has a background in the public sector and U.S. federal government, most recently serving as a member of the 2001 Department of Defense Transition Team. You can follow him on Twitter at @dgoure and the Lexington Institute @LexNextDC. Read his full bio here. France holds a unique place in the collective military psyche. Once the military paragon of Europe, the French seem to have been doomed to an inexorable decline since Napoleons defeat at Waterloo.[1] Frances recent expeditionary achievements in Mali are praised, but within the range of small-scale operations. When it comes to major wars, many Americans remember Frances military collapse in 1940 and assume it was inevitable, since the French were stuck in the obsolete tactics of Verdun. This is not some kind of a post-2003 French non-interventionism bashing. Rather in Europe, the most severe critics are often the French themselves. French Marshal Ferdinand Foch (Wikimedia) Surprisingly, it is seldom emphasized that the French could quite possibly have imagined something close to the Blitz if they had been not just one but two wars behind in 1939. Indeed, before 1914 they were the strongest advocates of the offensive, which had been taught for years at the Ecole de Guerre by future Marshal Ferdinand Foch, and theorized by the influential Colonel Louis de Grandmaison to the point of the offensive a outrance (attack with no limit). The latter was much criticized later for having inspired the bloody and failed offensives of 1914-1916. But that does not erase the fact that, in the dialectic of the cannonball and the cuirass, the advantage goes successively from one to the other. Hence, the concept of lightning war was really nothing new in 1940, especially to the French. Today, Western armies see the blitzkrieg as the quintessence of military art because it splendidly combined technological innovation with the culture of mission command. GERMAN TACTICAL GENIUS COULD ONLY DELAY THE OVERWHELMING FORCE OF A MASS EVEN LARGER THAN THEIR OWN. Yet, the purpose of the military is not to win battles but wars. And in this respect, it is notable that Frances military defeat of 1940 did not prevent her from standing among the victors of 1945, while Germany, however innovative her forces were, ultimately capitulated. Yes, quantity more than quality crushed the Germans. But that is precisely the point: German tactical genius could only delay the overwhelming force of a mass even larger than their own. Therefore, the Second World Wars lessons are of no interest unless they are put into perspective with this: victory comes from a combination of mass, space, and time in which a military, sanctioned by society and led by politicians, maintains its will to to hold longer than its adversary. This is precisely why superior militaries have lost many a time against non-conventional forces which they viewed as as amateurs, like the English during the Hundred Years War, Napoleon in Spain, and the Soviets in Afghanistan. Hence, as Europeans rediscover the possibility of a major war due to Russias aggressive activity in their neighborhood, and Americans worry about near-peer threats, strategists should look again at what happened in 1940. If we considerwithout the comfort of knowing what actually happenedthe strategic context of the time, we might come to a more balanced judgment. For it is not fanciful to assume that we might act today exactly like the French did in the 1930s, and for very good reasons. INNOVATION AND STRATEGIC COHERENCE IN 1940 Maginot Line in France. (Wikimedia) In the 1920s, Ferdinand Fochs followers praised maneuver and aggressiveness, while Philippe Petains disciples preached firepower and defense. But by this time, they all had integrated innovations from the first World War, although they stressed different lessons and periods. Petains vision finally prevailed because it better suited Frances diplomatic posture, which was rooted in the pre-carre policy imagined by Vauban, from which only the Revolution and Napoleon had ever strayed. Without strategic depth and suffering from a demographic imbalance of one to two with Germany, France refused to appear the aggressor for the sake of her international alliances. Instead, France tried to compensate for those limitations with technology and hence built the Maginot Line, a jewel of innovation and the pivot of her defensive plan. France modernized the other components of its military as well. The Navy had been strictly limited by the Treaty of Washington in 1922: the agreement limited Frances tonnage which put her in the fourth position among her peers, behind the United States, the United Kingdom, and Japan, at the same level as Italy who needed maritime reach essentially in the Mediterranean sea, in contrast to France and her colonial Empire. Paris nonetheless managed to develop an efficient navy force to support her worldwide commitment, and disposed in 1939 of three battlecruisers, a dozen heavy cruisers and 78 submarines.[2] In fact, the French Navy performed decently in Narvik and fought fiercely during the evacuation of Dunkirk. Char B1 bis on display at the Musee des Blindes in Saumur. (Wikimedia) Hence, French passivity is in many ways a cliched myth. Military critics have pointed to the linear scattering of heavy assets like the monstrous B1 bis tanks, which lacked the effectiveness of the lighter but more concentrated German tanks. Indeed, compared to the ten mobile Panzer divisions, the four slow-moving Divisions Cuirassees were just too little, too late. But this is where the syllogism slips. The French were not guilty of incompetence because they privileged linearity and firepower. In the context of the interbellum, it was not absurd: they knew at the operational level the Germans would try to breach the border from several directions. They were therefore in reaction, which does not mean that they were inert, since they intended to channelize the Germans in Flandersthanks to the Maginot Lineand launch a decisive counterattack. To achieve this, in addition to their four Division Cuirassees, they had three light mechanized divisions equipped with SOMUA tanks, which outclassed German tanks both in mobility and armor penetration. Two of those divisions were grouped together into a cavalry corps. The only armies who ever disposed of such large armoured units during World War II were, besides the French, the Wehrmacht and the Red Army. So contrary to the belief the French missed the train of mechanized warfare, they were in fact closer to J.F.C. Fullers ideal than the British themselves. It is easy to roll the dice once across the Rubicon. Liddell Hart, post factum of course, did not miss the chance to blame the battle of annihilation the French were expecting as being completely outdated by the indirect approach of the blitzkrieg.[3] But the Maginot Line actually proved its efficacy when assaulted. German propaganda, more than German warfare, made it look useless. Additionally, the alpine portion of the line was completely successful, and the Italians were routed when they tried to cross it. Indeed, when the French managed to maneuver in accordance with their doctrine, they did better than match their adversaries. Gembloux on May 15 and 16, 1940, is a prime example of this where the French tactically won the biggest tank battle ever fought until that time, although their victory could not be exploited as the front had been breached at Sedan.[4] German tanks in Belgium, May 1940. (German Federal Archive/Wikimedia) WHEN CULTURE DISRUPTS DOCTRINE In 1940, the French improperly fought their geometrical warfare with a romantic style. Professional militaries, whatever the nation and the time period, are inspired by two traditions: one is romantic and the other is rationalist. They combine them in viewing combat as both art and science. Yet, cultural bias may unbalance this equilibrium. The French used to love style and flamboyance, even when it was tactically absurd: recall Agincourt. Hence, in 1914 many believed in unrestricted offensives. But by the end of 1918, the rule of industrial firepower in military affairs had disqualified the panache of dArtagnan and led the French to conceptualize geometrical warfare. The French Navy had no concerns with this new paradigm: her environment was already by nature technical. Yet the Army, by its very nature a human force, refused to disappear in the anonymous equation of fire and steel. Not surprisingly, this tension was also expressed in the new airpower literature: while Douhet developed strategic bombing, air aces like Manfred von Richthofen or Eddie Rickenbacker were viewed as the latest form of heroism. A French postcard from 1914 showing troops attacking a loutrance. (The Drinks Business) This cultural resistance was not a nostalgic posture: it was also inspired by colonial warfare. In 1939, as in 1870 and 1914 (as well as 2018), the experience of many French officers was forged by overseas wars, not homeland defense. The young cadre were more attracted by the Foreign Legion or the Marines than by the boredom of training conscripts. The challenge of controlling vast territories with a handful of troops enhanced a culture of initiative and risk taking. Although efficient in Africa and the Levant, this philosophy of autonomy contributed to the disruption of the Army in 1940. The bottom-up fascination for audacity, converging with the top-down political drive to back the Belgians immediately, intoxicated the French General Staff. Generalissimo Maurice Gamelins eagerness to seize the initiative led him, against his own doctrine and basic principles of war, to commit all his strategic reserves into Belgium. This commitment was further than what the French governments policy demanded, and far from what was actual German main effort in the Ardennes. Ironically, the Ardennes was not neglected: prior to the Dyle-Breda plan, the reserves were located in Mourmelon, at about a hundred kilometers from Sedan. This fatal miscalculation, as French Marshall Alphonse Juin later stated, was a faute contre lesprit (a fault against the spirit), of the French plans and strategic design.[5] SIGNIFICANCE FOR TODAY: WHAT HAPPENED IN 1940 COULD HAPPEN AGAIN, AND NOT ONLY TO THE FRENCH Mass, time, and space matter. As in the 1930s, new strategic domains nourish the belief that technology will condition resilience. But the fall of France and the survival of Great Britain or the Soviet Union have shown that geography matters as much if not more than capabilities. The Meuse River is not the Channel, and even less the Atlantic or the Pacific Oceans. The Americans, contrary to the French, have a maritime depth, one far greater than that of Great Britain. While both had the ability to prioritize their force development on a cost-effective wait and see approach. They enhanced their thalassocracy while not particularly innovating in land power, even losing the advances they had gained: the British Army did not perform well in 1940. But by 1942, this approach had saved enough time to challenge the Wehrmacht again in Africa. Facing a different geographical situation, pre-war France stove to compensate for their lack of mass and depth with sophisticated equipment. Today, tightened by budgets and demographic limitations, western armies have entered a similar technological race, with the same assumption that firepower and quality will balance quantity, as if assets like nuclear weapons, cyber or special forces would allow downsizing conventional forces. This remains a gamble. ...IN TODAYS CONTEXT OF HYPER-INFORMATION AND SOCIAL MEDIA, POLITICAL LEVELS ARE MORE LIKELY TO MICROMANAGE THEIR STRATEGIC CORPORALS THAN OFFER THEM BLANK-CHECKS. Modern avatars of Auftragstaktik may provide adaptability in combat but do not always translate to success in war.[6] Western militaries have concluded from the German example that success relied upon empowered execution rather than centralized control. Not surprisingly, Auftragstaktik is praised among Western officers, for it combines rational and romantic answers to friction, paying tribute to a commanders intuition and the staffs science. Moreover, the experience of decades of expeditionary wars has promoted the concept to a leadership philosophy within U.S. Army doctrine. Yet, nothing is more relative: Auftragstaktik led the Germans to success in 1940, but also to defeat on the Marne in 1914 and at Kursk in 1943. Moreover, in todays context of hyper-information and social media, political levels are more likely to micromanage their strategic corporals than offer them blank-checks. Hence, praising a culture of initiative in tactical organizations might again dig a gap between the way warfare is envisioned and the way it will actually be led. Therefore, militaries should integrate the political and social dimension of their service. General de Gaulle is credited for placing France, against the odds of 1940, among the winners in 1945. General de Gaulle was a defender of political control of the military, who claimed to be the true French government in 1940, because he was under-secretary of defense not because he was a general. Nonetheless, he never limited his role as an officer as the blind sword of his political masters. He knew that mass, in the long term and when animated by a will, would eventually defeat any military prodigy. France had to regain such a mass, and de Gaulle achieved this by sending the Free French to fight with the Allies, but even more by using officers as synergizing agents of national cohesion, especially to organize the Resistance and avoid a civil war. Today, threats similar to those of 1940 might reappear. Again, success will not only be a matter of mere military adaptability, but above all the result of a political, popular, and military convergence, especially if reserves or conscripts are to be used as force multipliers.[7] Therefore, officers should develop a political understanding of their profession within society: although very touchy, the question of influencing policy makers by advising, but also by drawing public attention to the issues should be a part of their education. Like Admiral Mahan said: "An Officer should have political courage. Political courage, to be well based, requires political knowledge as well."[8] Louis-Guilhem Larchet is a French officer. The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and do not represent those of the French Army, Ministry of the Armed Forces, or the French Government. This article appeared originally at Strategy Bridge. If American, Japanese, and emerging economies policymakers had hoped to pressure the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) to drop their policies of refusing to fund coal power projects, they were ultimately disappointed. Instead, the World Bank and IMF spring meeting ended on April 22 with the announcement that the World Banks capital would see an increase of $13 billion to mobilize finance for development of countries in need of long-term sustainable growth. However, with coal energy seen as a major development enabler, Washington, Tokyo, and others can now be expected to lobby the two financial institutions to invest parts of the new capital into the financing of coal plants in developing countries. The decision not to fund new coal plants, enacted almost five years ago to drive investment in renewable energy, has drawn increasing scrutiny. Observers have emphasized that it keeps more than 1.2 billion people worldwide 600 million of which are in Africa in the dark. Deprived of electricity, people cook and heat their homes using open fires, burning a lethal combination of wood, dung, and crop waste the toxic fumes from which kill an estimated 3.5 million each year. Even as a variety of innovative projects, including small-scale off-grid solar systems, are deployed, Africa continues to fall behind on its electrification targets. Progress would slow still further if coal, which continues to account for almost one-third of global energy production, was taken out of the picture. U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry has been adamant that the U.S. and other developed nations have a responsibility to pursue renewable energy in a way that will not compromise efforts to expand access to electricity in emerging economies. At an energy summit in March, Perry called any policy which hampers universal electrification in favor of avoiding fossil fuels immoral. As part of his efforts to find an approach that reduces emissions while still ensuring widespread access to affordable electricity, Perry has proposed a global alliance of countries interested in developing low-emission fossil fuel projects. Perrys idea has engendered its share of pushback from environmental lobbyists. His position has also gathered significant support, both within the United States and abroad. The White House wants to steer the UN Green Climate Fund in the direction of high-efficiency plants employing carbon-capture technology. Philanthropist Bill Gates, who launched a $1 billion clean energy fund in 2016, pointed out: Even as we push to get serious about confronting climate change, we should not try to solve the problem on the backs of the poor. They cant afford todays expensive clean energy solutions, and we cant expect them to wait for the technology to get cheaper. Japan has committed to ensuring countries such as India and Indonesia have access to the latest, most efficient coal technologies, enabling them to simultaneously expand access to cheap fuel while still meeting global targets for reduced carbon dioxide emissions. Policymakers from developing nations have welcomed this help, as they have progressively lost patience with what Indias chief economic adviser has termed the wests carbon imperialism. Kenyas first-planned coal power plant part of the countrys plans to double its generating capacity is a perfect example of the double standard to which developing nations have been subjected. The plant in Kenya, which is being funded by China and the African Development Bank (ADB) after the World Bank and IMF refused to support it, has attracted tremendous attention and pressure from Western institutions. The European Union, for instance, has pushed African countries to invest in renewable energy instead. Besides being tone deaf, these exhortations ignore the fact that Western emissions dwarf those in emerging economies. The European Union, for example, emits over 21 times more CO2 per capita than Kenya. The EUs Ambassador to Kenya Stefano Dejak asked: Coal has fallen out of favor in the modern market, why would Kenya want to go down that route? Kenyans could no doubt provide many answers to that condescending question. Unlike the Ambassadors native Italy, Kenya has not yet achieved 100 percent electrification, but has only recently managed to connect 55 percent of its population to the grid. Whats more, renewables only make up 39 percent of the Italian energy mix, while as much as 87 percent of Kenyas electricity is generated from renewable sources thanks to its strong geothermal and hydro sectors. The ADBs decision to step in and fund the coal plant in Kenya, along with similar projects in Nigeria and Senegal, suggests that Africa is not willing to stand idly by as power shortages trim more than 2 percentage points from the continents GDP growth every year. As ADB President Akinwumi Adesina remarked last year: Africa has energy potential but we need to unlock that potential. And we must do so quickly, because Africans are tired of being in the dark. Numerous African countries, including Botswana, Tanzania, South Africa, and Nigeria, are reportedly interested in joining the fossil fuel alliance Secretary Perry proposed. The latter two have been particularly vocal in their criticism of the World Banks funding policies. Not too long ago, even World Bank President Kim would have agreed with them. In 2014, Kim called energy poverty in Africa tantamount to energy apartheid and insisted that it was impossible to take a position where we say no coal, no nuclear, no hydro. Hopefully, the U.S and leaders of emerging economies will be able to remind Kim of his own wisdom. Matthew Summers is an independent financial consultant, currently based in London, who maintains a blog at The Market Mogul. President Trump created a minor kerfuffle last week with his tweet about the growing rebellion within California against the states efforts to protect illegal immigrant criminals and thwart federal law. He wrote, There is a Revolution going on in California. Sooo many Sanctuary areas want OUT of this ridiculous, crime-infested & breeding concept. Many Trump skeptics, including April Ryan of the White House press corps, asked if the president purposely used breeding as a dog-whistle slur of Latinos. I argued on CNN that he surely meant no ethnic animus, but rather referred to the breeding of crime, a phrase hes frequently used in describing so-called sanctuary jurisdictions. Ill concede his phrasing was inartful and gives ammunition to his obsessed skeptics who regularly ascribe the most nefarious possible intentions into any utterances from our commander-in-chief. But the much larger point is that the president is precisely correct the madness of this movement to promote and protect illegal immigrant criminals puts Americans at grave risk, and especially so federal agents charged with the important and dangerous job of enforcing our borders and laws. Even within solidly blue California, the backlash grows, as 14 different cities and two counties have now passed official measures to obstruct the states new policies. Los Alamitos moved first and instructed its police to defy California Senate Bill 54 and instead follow clear federal law stipulating communication and cooperation between local law enforcement and ICE when a known illegal alien is arrested for other crimes. Mayor Troy Edgar said about SB54: As a U.S. Navy veteran and council member for 12 years, I feel very strongly that this is constitutionally wrong. Orange County, home to over 3 million legal American citizens, voted to join the federal lawsuit filed by Attorney General Jeff Sessions vs. the state, and its sheriffs department has already started posting the names of all incarcerated individuals along with their release dates so ICE can track and apprehend dangers to the community. Paradoxically, politicians like Gov. Jerry Brown argue that theyre protecting Hispanic communities with these policies, but as ICE Director Tom Homan explained, the California law essentially requires his agents to conduct large-scale arrests in neighborhoods instead of focusing on arrests at jails and prisons where transfers are safer for ICE officers and the community. Adding to the inanity of this policy, consider that many, if not most, of the victims of dangerous illegal immigrants are themselves Hispanic, simply by nature of where these illegals live and operate. For example, five-times previously deported criminal Estuardo Alvarado, in the sanctuary jurisdiction of Los Angeles, was speeding away from authorities when he struck and killed Sandra Duran, a young Hispanic mother and U.S. citizen. Sandras sister, who happens to work for the Los Angeles Police, said that this could have been prevented. Political correctness is not just dumb, it can be deadly. How many more Kate Steinle and Jamiel Shaw tragedies will we accept before putting the safety of our citizens first? In California, there is no sanctuary for the cops and victims forced to deal with dangerous people who dont even belong in our country. These Outlaw Cities must be reined in. If Gov. Brown and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti want to change federal immigration laws, I say give it a shot! I would love to campaign in 2020 for President Trumps re-election opposing such open-border fantasies from the left. President Trump attacked Sen. Jon Tester Thursday for his role in investigating and releasing allegations against Trumps pick to run the Department of Veterans Affairs, saying the lawmaker should have a big price to pay in his home state. Tester, the top Democrat on the Veterans Affairs Committee, detailed allegations of misconduct leveled privately against Adm. Ronny Jackson, Trumps pick to run the VA. Jackson, the current White House doctor, withdrew his nomination Thursday morning, and Trump blamed Tester, who is running for re-election in Montana, a state the president won by 20 percentage points. They love me and I love them and I want to tell you that Jon Tester, I think this is going to cause him a lot of problems in his state, Trump said in an interview on Fox News Thursday morning. The allegations, according to a summary released by Testers office earlier this week, included that Jackson would give White House staff prescriptions without paperwork, that he ran a hostile work environment, and that there were multiple instances where he was drunk on duty during overseas trips. Jackson called the allegations "completely false and fabricated" but said they had become a "distraction." Trump called them all false accusations and defended Jacksons character and experience. For him to be doing this to this man and this family, I think Jon Tester has to have a big price to pay in Montana, Trump said. I dont think people in Montana -- the admiral is the kind of person that they respect and admire and they dont like seeing whats happened to him. Tester, in a statement following Jacksons withdrawal, thanked those who came forward with the information and defended his work vetting Jackson as a nominee. It is my Constitutional responsibility to make sure the veterans of this nation get a strong, thoroughly vetted leader who will fight for them, Tester said. The next Secretary must have a commitment to reform a strained health care system and a willingness to stand up to special interests who want to privatize the VA. My sleeves are rolled up and ready to work with Chairman [Johnny] Isakson to vet and confirm a Secretary who is fit to run the VA. Tester has focused on veterans issues in the Senate and made that work a key issue in his re-election campaign. He has had eight veterans-related bills signed into law by Trump, something he highlighted during his first campaign ad, released last month. Several Republican senators, however, agreed with Trump that the allegations against Jackson were not handled properly. John Cornyn, the second-ranking Republican senator, called releasing the information publicly reckless and irresponsible and said Tester put a target on his back. My wife asked me this morning, Why would anybody want to serve if they know theyre just going to get chewed up by rumors and hearsay? Cornyn said. I think the country is worse off because of that. Sen. Jerry Moran said he thought there should have been a hearing examining the accuracy of the allegations, but said he had no criticism of the way Tester handled the vetting. Sen. Thom Tillis, a North Carolina Republican, said he thought the matter was handled improperly, but doubted Tester would pay a political price for it. I think that at the end of the day this election is going to be determined on economic performance and stuff that weve done here, Tillis said. When you talk about what youre going discuss on the stump, I dont necessarily see this as one of the things I would have in my stump speech. Tester told reporters that his focus is on the next VA secretary. Asked about criticisms that the allegations should not have been aired publicly, he said he was absolutely comfortable with his decision. It was very, very clear, Tester said. These came from people from the military. WASHINGTON -- When August 2016 began, Paul Manafort was about 11 weeks into his job as chairman of Donald Trump's campaign. But despite the political tumult, Manafort found time that month to meet at a swank Manhattan cigar bar with someone the FBI has suggested has ties to Russian intelligence. By the time August ended, Manafort was gone -- having resigned after allegations that he had received millions of dollars "off the books" to support pro-Russia figures in Ukraine. On the very day he was forced out, the financially strapped Manafort created a shell company that received $13 million in loans over the next few months from people or financial institutions with links to Trump. The machinations of that August illustrate why Manafort is a central figure in special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation. And they show why the probe has deep roots -- in evidence already made public, cases filed and plea deals won -- that will persist even if Trump moves to fire Mueller. Manafort has pleaded not guilty to tax and bank-fraud charges and making false statements, and his attorneys have argued that Mueller's allegations are outside his jurisdiction in the Russian election-meddling probe. Mueller's team fired back in a court hearing last Thursday. "He [Manafort] had long-standing ties to Russia-backed politicians," said Justice Department attorney Michael Dreeben. "Did they provide back channels to Russia? Investigators will naturally look at those things." The story begins with Thomas J. Barrack Jr., a billionaire real estate financier close to both Manafort and Trump. After hearing Manafort's ideas for boosting the campaign in February 2016, Barrack forwarded Manafort's suggestions to Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner. What's astonishing, in hindsight, is that after Barrack's initial introduction, nobody from the Trump campaign attempted any serious vetting of Manafort's background. This lack of review is surprising, given that the FBI had investigated Manafort's Ukraine activities back in 2014, according to a source familiar with the bureau's probe who wasn't authorized to discuss it publicly. For the Trump campaign, it was "plug and play," one campaign insider recalled, with "no process" for background checks. Even as Manafort joined the campaign on March 29, he wanted some prominent Russians to know he was in the catbird seat. On April 11, he sent an email to his Ukrainian partner Konstantin Kilimnik to alert him to what Manafort called the "OVD operation," according to emails reported first by The Washington Post and later The Atlantic. Mueller's court filings help decode these references. Kilimnik matches the "Person A" described in a startling passage in a Mueller sentencing memo in a separate case: FBI agents "assess that Person A has ties to a Russian intelligence service and had such ties in 2016." (Kilimnik has denied any intelligence ties.) And who was the "OVD" whom Manafort was so eager to impress? According to The Post and The Atlantic, which cited people familiar with the emails, it was Oleg V. Deripaska, a billionaire Russian oligarch Manafort had been courting for more than a decade. As Trump neared the nomination in July, Manafort emailed Kilimnik to propose "private briefings" for an unnamed person whom people familiar with the discussions told me was Deripaska. A Deripaska spokeswoman has denied that the Russian tycoon received any offer of a briefing from Manafort. Manafort continued his contacts on the eve of his political demise. On Aug. 2, he met with Kilimnik at Manhattan's Grand Havana Room. Among the subjects they discussed were "the perception of the U.S. presidential campaign in Ukraine," Kilimnik told The Post last June. Manafort had serious money problems, too, during his turbulent months running the campaign. They also came to a head in August, when a lender filed default notices on about $15 million in Manafort-family loans. Manafort created a shell company on Aug. 19 (with the ironically sunny name, Summerbreeze LLC), which received loans that eased the crunch. The loans included $13 million from two financial institutions whose senior executives had ties to Trump. The final rupture came on Aug. 19, when Trump "accepted" Manafort's resignation as campaign chairman, five days after a New York Times story alleging he had received $12.7 million to help Ukraine's pro-Russia president, Viktor Yanukovych. Manafort vanished after his firing. It turns out he went vacationing with his old friend Barrack, who was cruising off the Greek coast and invited a "depressed" Manafort to join him The Manafort case illustrates how hard it will be for Trump to dispel the allegations that swirl around the Mueller investigation. The president might want to rid himself of the special counsel, but he can't make the evidence disappear. (c) 2018, Washington Post Writers Group The Red & Black will be following results of the general, primary and special election as they are announced throughout the day. Reporters Got some scoop for our reporters or editors? Click on the link below to send us your information. Send your news Newly confirmed Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will now have a difficult job managing problems from Foggy Bottom to North Korea. Photo: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images CIA Director Mike Pompeo was confirmed by the Senate today as Rex Tillersons successor as aecretary of State by a 5742 vote. Seven Democrats joined all 50 Republicans in voting to let the hawkish Kansan join Trumps Cabinet. Indeed, the timetable for confirmation was moved up a day so that Pompeo could be sworn in immediately and then attend a Friday meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Brussels. Any real chance to defeat this nomination faded when Rand Paul abruptly announced a reversal of his prior objection to Pompeo (mostly because the nominee was reluctant to admit the Iraq War was a mistake), clearing his approval by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. And then, bending to the inevitable, red-state Democrats up for reelection this fall began announcing their support for confirmation. In the end 2018 candidates Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota, Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Joe Donnelly of Indiana, Claire McCaskill of Missouri, Bill Nelson of Florida, and Angus King of Maine (technically an independent caucusing with Democrats) voted for Pompeo, as did Doug Jones of Alabama, who isnt up until 2020 but is from the reddest state of them all. And Republicans stayed in the party harness after Paul was talked out of blocking the nomination (by Trump himself, among others). You can make the case that in a foreign policy apparatus led by Trump and at least partially steered by John Bolton, Pompeo looks a whole lot less dangerous than he might have appeared in a normal Republican administration. Indeed, his close relationship with the boss leads some to think he can operate as a moderating influence. Its an open question as to whether he can do a better job than Tillerson in getting along with his own employees and filling urgently needed foreign-policy posts. More immediately, of course, he will be credited or blamed for whatever happens in Trumps upcoming summit meeting with Kim Jong-un. Even his and Trumps bitterest domestic enemies hope that event does not become a fiasco. A lot goes on around Athens and UGA campus, and sometimes it can be hard to keep up. From students in Clarke County Schools participating in t Survivors of sexual assault are amplifying their voices louder than ever. In the wake of this cultural movement, listen to the stories sexual assault survivor's are telling. It takes courage to do so. The semester is coming to an end, and University of Georgia seniors are getting ready to graduate and enter a new phase of life outside of the You may be wondering how you'll burn up vacation time this year (if you have some to burn, that is). Some might visit family, or head for typical U.S. tourist spots. But some might want to take it to another level and get to work on that bucket list. A Pentagon watchdog faulted the World Bank and Afghanistan's government for failing to shield billions of dollars in aid from potential waste or misuse, saying that long-identified weaknesses remain in a program that provides 40 percent of non-military expenditures in the country. "The Afghan government is not meeting its responsibilities to account for how it uses ARTF funding and to safeguard the funds from risks of misuse, waste, and fraud," according to the report on the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund by the Defense Department's special inspector general. "The World Bank's lack of transparency limits donors' and the public's knowledge about ARTF progress and results reported." The fund was established in 2002 to provide for the rebuilding of Afghanistan after the U.S. invasion in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Supported by 34 nations and administered by the World Bank, the fund is designed to bolster government and economic development programs and to protect civilian rights. Of the $10 billion contributed to the fund since 2002, the U.S. has provided more than $3 billion, making it the single largest donor. The report by the watchdog, known as the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, is another sign of the troubles the U.S., its allies and President Ashraf Ghani's government are having in improving governance while staving off advances by the Taliban and Islamic State. About 60 people were killed and more than 120 were wounded in a bombing over the weekend at a voter registration center in Kabul. Islamic State claimed responsibility for the suicide attack. Afghanistan's central government has been losing control of swaths of territory to Taliban and other forces for years. According to the Pentagon, as of October 2017, about 56 percent of Afghanistan's population lived in areas under government control, with 14 percent controlled by insurgents and the remaining 30 percent in contested areas. A January report by the Pentagon watchdog, known as SIGAR, said that despite $8.7 billion spent on counter-narcotics efforts in Afghanistan, opium production was up 87 percent in the first 11 months of 2017 from the same period a year earlier, an all-time record. President Donald Trump agreed last year to a Pentagon request to send 4,000 additional U.S. troops, including special forces, to Afghanistan. He also gave commanders in the field more authority to strike the Taliban as well as Islamic State and al-Qaida terrorists. But those efforts don't appear to have turned the tide against the insurgents in what has become the longest war in U.S. history. The latest SIGAR report said the World Bank has made changes to its oversight of the reconstruction fund, but cited the effort for a lack of transparency and effective monitoring. The bank "will be unable to determine the impact that about $10 billion in donor funding has had in improving Afghan development," according to the report. In a letter responding to the report, the World Bank said it agreed with most of SIGAR's recommendations but not its call to cancel or adjust the scope of projects deemed to be failing or to withhold or recover money from the Afghan government. Shubham Chaudhuri, the World Bank's country director for Afghanistan, called most of the findings "somewhat anecdotal" and said that while they showed a lapse in reporting at a particular moment, they were not necessarily "recurrent weaknesses that were never addressed." Separately, the World Bank said in a statement on its website Wednesday that it is working with the Afghan government to strengthen the program. In its assessment, the watchdog said it selected six of 51 completed and ongoing projects for review but, due to "a lack of transparency and records," couldn't determine the extent to which the World Bank was monitoring the projects to determine if they were meeting their objectives. The six projects represented more than $2.25 billion in ARTF funds, according to SIGAR. As an example of the problems with reporting and monitoring, SIGAR said the World Bank doesn't require its third-party monitoring agent to verify that employees whose salaries are paid through the fund actually exist, despite identifying risks associated with "ghost workers" who exist only on paper. U.S. contributions to the fund are administered by the U.S. Agency for International Development. According to the watchdog's report, officials from USAID said they would reduce future 2018 contributions to the trust fund if the World Bank and Afghan government don't take steps to correct the issues. On Wednesday, May 16th at 12:50 p.m., Salisbury Central and Lee Kellogg School will present a collaborative performance of students from combined schools with Grumbling Gryphons in the production The Ghost Net: An Environmental Musical of the Sea. The performance will be held Wednesday, May 16, 12:50 p.m., at Salisbury Central School and involves all K-8 students from both schools. Grumbling Gryphons received a special regional grant (REGI) from the Connecticut Office on the arts to stage this production with both schools participating in a partnership learning experience. The play was written and directed by Leslie Elias, Grumbling Gryphons artistic director from West Cornwall. Elias applied for the state grant in 2017 to be implemented in spring of 2018. On Monday, May 14th, Grumbling Gryphons actors and musical director will conduct pre-performance drama, dance and music workshops at Salisbury Central, preparing these students to take part in the final performance. On Tuesday, May 15th, Grumbling Gryphons actors and musical director will conduct pre-performance drama, dance and music workshops at Lee Kellogg School. On the third and final day, May 16, Lee Kellogg students will travel to Salisbury to take part in the production together with Salisbury Central school students. Elias, with input from marine biologists and environmentalists created the play in 1990 to help develop public awareness of environmental issues facing our fragile oceans and the effect of pollution on marine life. With the invaluable input by marine biologist Barbara Whitman and other environmental educators this musical continues to serve as a powerful vehicle to help promote awareness of our planets rapidly depleting oceans and endangered marine life. As a unique contribution to the theater world, Grumbling Gryphons includes participation for every student in the school through pre-performance drama workshops throughout the day with the actors, director and musical director preparing them for their individual parts in the final performance. In the play, Marina, a young teenage heroine takes a fantastic voyage into the sea. Colorful characters are encountered throughout the sea odyssey including Dr. Calamari, a wise old giant squid, an injured horseshoe crab, a grandmother humpback whale and a friendly dolphin named Sea Magic . Humor and music abound as Sludge does a rap song, a black-backed gull sings the blues, and tropical fish dance and sing calypso. There are hazards in the sea, including plastic trash, enveloping oil spills, garbage, and a deadly drifting ghost net. The play ends on an upbeat note as Marina and the students learn how they can take personal responsibility and help clean up the sea. The message is delivered through hands-on participation and not merely by passive on-lookers. Ellen Moon of Cornwall Bridge and Jude Streng of Falls Village designed the patterns, masks and costumes for the production. A professional cast of four portrays 30 different characters in this lively dramatic production! Dale Adams, jazz keyboardist and musical director from Harwinton, CT provides live music. This program is made possible with the support of the Department of Economic and Community Development, Office of the Arts, which also receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. Salisbury School SOAR, Salisbury School PTO provided additional matching funds . Additional organizations and individual donors have all helped to match the REGI state grant, required for the project. 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. Since 1990 the show has toured the United States. 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, Elias said. The Ghost Net was chosen to be the kickoff event for New Englands Coast Weeks as part of National Beach Cleanup Campaign. Grumbling Gryphons Traveling Childrens Theater is the winner of the 2003 CT Governors Arts Award, the highest award given to the arts in the state of Connecticut. Grumbling Gryphons Traveling Childrens Theater has performed for over 38 years in such places as Lincoln Center, South Street Seaport Museum, The American Museum of Natural History in New York City, The Science Center in Hartford, CT., The Philadelphia Museum of Art, The Maine State Music Theatre and Miami Book Fair International. For information, contact Leslie Elias at grumblinggryphons@gmail.com, call 860-672-0286, or visit Grumblinggryphons.org Salisbury Forum welcomes journalist Ray Suarez FALLS VILLAGE Veteran journalist Ray Suarez will present Getting Ready for the Next America: The Fight Over Who We'll Be on Friday, April 27 at 7:30 p.m. for the latest Salisbury Forum, which will be held at the Housatonic Valley Regional High School on Route 7 in Falls Village. Suarez will discuss the battle over America's racial and ethnic future. The two elections of Barack Obama may have convinced you the path to majority-minority America was going to go one way. President Trump, nativism, and Charlottesville may be a signal that it's going to be a much more complicated transition, he said. Suarez is the John J. McCloy Visiting Professor of American Studies at Amherst College. He has more than 30 years experience in the news business as a reporter for CNN and ABC, a correspondent for the PBS Newshour, and the host of Talk of the Nation on NPR. As a longstanding member of the Washington press corps, he covers everything from the White House and Congress to the role of the media in shaping policy. He is known for his expertise on American issues, including demographics, religion, and race. Suarez is a critically-acclaimed author of The Old Neighborhood: What We Lost in the Great Suburban Migration, The Holy Vote: The Politics of Faith in America, and Latino Americans: The 500-Year Legacy That Shaped a Nation. All Salisbury Forum programs are free and everyone is invited. A Q&A session will follow the presentation. Local Purple Heart recipents sought TORRINGTON The City of Torrington and the Military Order of the Purple Heart are seeking Purple Heart recipients, Gold Star Families and relatives of any Litchfield County resident who has received a Purple Heart from the United States Government, including current, past or posthumous recipients. Mayor Elinor Carbone, and the City of Torrington wants to honor these recipients by designating Torrington as a Purple Heart City. Call Maurette Wall at the Office of the Mayor at 860 489-2228 and provide the name of the person to be honored and the contact information for that individual, their family member or friend. Mayor Carbone will invite them to an informal meet and greet scheduled for April 26, and provide information regarding the event where Torrington will be proclaimed a Purple Heart City. Where it all went down. Photo: SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images Since President Obama put her on the Supreme Court, Justice Elena Kagan has emerged as one of the leading questioners on the bench, dispensing with nonsense and equivocations with hypotheticals that cut right to the core. And on Wednesday, as she and her colleagues relished the opportunity to weigh the legality of Donald Trumps third, and hopefully final, version of a travel ban targeting predominantly Muslim countries, she again illuminated the central issue in the long-simmering case: Is this president just like any other before him, with broad discretion to set immigration policy, no matter the incompetence and malevolence driving his actions? In any other presidency, the presumption of regularity or the principle that courts shouldnt second-guess the wisdom of a presidents carefully considered policy choices would spell the end of any attempt to put a stop to an executive order anchored in firm statutory authority. But Trump is different. And to this day, the nations highest court has yet to say much of anything about what his abnormal presidency means vis-a-vis other administrations that are more or less average and stick to regular order. Weve never had a candidate win the White House on an unconstitutional pledge to shut out every Muslim on the planet, on the basis of their faith alone, from entering the country. Whats a court to do when the promise becomes policy? To get to the bottom of that question, Kagan prompted Noel Francisco, the Trump administrations solicitor general and top advocate before the Supreme Court, to imagine a future time in our nations history, when a passionate electorate, oblivious to the lessons of today, nonetheless will have chosen to send to the White House a vehement anti-Semite, bent on fulfilling his campaign promise that no one should enter from Israel. Call it a Jewish ban, if you will. And to make sure it passes judicial scrutiny, Kagan added, this future presidents administration will dot all the Is and cross all the Ts and abide by the established interagency protocols immigration law demands. What then? Would such a ban survive the Constitutions bar on religious discrimination? Theres no need to go to the future to answer Kagans hypothetical. Like it or not, the signature policy initiative that will define Trumps chaotic presidency will be his hastily conceived, campaign-promised executive order barring entry into the U.S. of native travelers from predominantly Muslim countries. From the get-go, even after much trial and error, this so-called travel ban was a constitutional farce. In the year-plus period that its legality has been the focus of litigation every iteration of it has been blocked or ruled unlawful by courts far and wide the Supreme Court has come ever so close to rendering a definite judgment on it. But something more litigation, a new version of the ban, other contingencies kept the justices from dealing with it head on. Today, the executive order isnt even called that. Instead, its a proclamation a mere shadow of the original restrictions that, when issued only a week after Trump took office, stranded families, brought chaos to airports, and prompted lawyers and courts to rise to the occasion and bring a modicum of order and process where there was none. Rudy Giuliani, now a member of the presidents legal defense team, infamously gave away Trumps game on Fox News mere days after the first travel ban took effect, leaving little doubt about what the executive order was really about. When he first announced it, he said Muslim ban, Giuliani told the network. He called me up and said, Put a commission together, show me the right way to do it legally. Doing so has been elusive for the president. And one of the chief concerns for the Supreme Court in Trump v. Hawaii, as the travel-ban controversy is now known, is whether such a wholesale restriction on travel can ever be legal under this president. Hence Kagans hypothetical, which Francisco acknowledged was a tough one. Disinclined to give an inch, he responded that even such an invidiously anti-Semitic travel order would be allowed if the president of the future, on the wise counsel of his advisers, pushed a valid national security justification for it. The president would be allowed to follow that advice, even if in his private heart of hearts he also harbored animus, Francisco said. Justice Anthony Kennedy went ahead and called Kagans hypo extreme. But he too seemed concerned about the First Amendment implications of a candidate relying on religious prejudice for later shaping national security policy. Suppose you have a local mayor and, as a candidate, he makes vituperative, hateful statements. Hes elected, and on day two, he takes acts that are consistent with those hateful statements. Whatever he said in the campaign is irrelevant? Kennedy asked. Repeatedly through the travel-ban litigation, the Justice Department has pushed the notion that Trump became a new man the moment he took the oath of office that none of the hateful things he said or tweeted in the lead-up to the election can be imputed to him because he became a different person the moment Chief Justice John Roberts solemnly swore him in to lead the free world. Francisco continued that trend: We do think that oath marks a fundamental transformation, he said (with a straight face), adding that anything before that was just a private citizen exercising his free-speech rights. Seizing on this point, Roberts pondered, lightheartedly, whether theres a statute of limitations for how long campaign statements are fair game to use against a president in constitutional litigation. Would the taint last for the entirety of his administration? Thats a valid line of inquiry Trumps defenders like to raise. Can he ever issue a valid travel ban affecting specific countries without being branded a bigot? Or what about a different kind of presidential order targeting Muslim countries? What if the military advisers tell the president that, in their judgment, the president ought to order an air strike against Syria, and the president says, Well, does that mean [I] cant because you would regard that as discrimination against a majority-Muslim country? Roberts asked, seemingly wary that an anti-Trump carveout could undermine future presidents. The presumption of regularity in action. Theres little argument that Congress has given presidents nearly unfettered authority over how to manage Americas byzantine immigration system especially the decision of whom to allow in or keep out. Its the reason Trump and the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security have been able to get away with a long list of policies and practices that arent just effective at making life hard for immigrants, but also indisputably lawful under statutes already on the books. In short, Trump has already managed a lot with the laws he already has at this disposal. But there have been exceptions when courts have had process objections to some of these otherwise cruel and inhumane decisions and others may well violate higher principles of constitutional law. Among those higher principles is the Constitutions blanket prohibition on favoring or disfavoring one religion over another. We cannot be anything but neutral with respect to religion or its practice, Justice Sonia Sotomayor reminded Francisco, echoing her own sentiments in a fiery dissent she issued last summer in a key church-and-state case. The Hawaii plaintiffs, she continued, are saying that that negative religious attitude is stopping them from doing things that they would otherwise be able to do: To associate with scholars from these countries, to bring in students, to have family members join them. If the Supreme Court is feeling coy about a sweeping First Amendment judgment against Trump, it can always fall back on immigration law itself. Hawaiis main contention, as presented by Neal Katyal, himself a former acting solicitor general, is that Congress in the same laws where the president enjoys broad authority placed legal constraints that limit his ability to discriminate on the basis of nationality. And that Trump did exactly that when he haphazardly selected a number of Muslim-majority countries from out of a hat to then target for exclusion. Congress rejected exactly what theyre trying to propose here, which is a flat nationality ban on who gets a visa, Katyal said. He added later in the oral argument that if the Supreme Court were to accept the legality of Trumps proclamation at face value, it would be giving the president a power no president in 100 years has exercised an executive proclamation that countermands Congresss policy judgments. Maybe. But if history serves as a guide, the Supreme Court has found ways in the past to give the president a pass whenever he claims national security is at stake. As legal twists would have it, it fell to Katyal during the Obama administration to confess error on behalf of the Justice Department for its defense of shameful policies that resulted in the detention and internment of tens of thousands of Japanese-Americans during World War II. The circumstances surrounding the Korematsu case, in which the Supreme Court largely upheld those policies, didnt come up during Wednesdays hearing a missed chance to revisit the specter of a case that looms large over the travel bans existence. Whats more, there was hardly an urgency to the justices attitude toward Trumps excesses, which may mean that, in the end, history is bound to repeat itself. And Trump, rather than be treated like the aberration that he is, will be treated, at least in this one case, like all the presidents who came before him. Colorado teachers arent striking at this point, but thousands will use personal leave to join protests for better pay and school funding. Photo: David Zalubowski/AP/REX/Shutterstock The strike announced by Arizona teachers last week formally began today with no clear signs of any resolution of their dispute with Republican lawmakers in sight. And teacher unrest has spread to Colorado, where an estimated 10,000 teachers are using personal leave today and tomorrow to go to the state capitol to lobby for better pay and restoration of education funding cuts, leading to widespread school closings. Both sides in the Arizona dispute appear to be hunkering down for the long haul, as the Arizona Daily Star reports: Leaders of Arizona Educators United, the grass-roots group pushing for more education funding, have been noncommittal about how long the strike will go on and what realistic solution could bring it to a close, saying those decisions are going to have to come from the teachers themselves and that the organization is taking it day by day. Gov. Doug Ducey has ignored the groups demands to meet with him. Lawmakers have shown no real effort to approve the more than $1 billion in new revenue educators are demanding to bring education funding back to pre-recession levels. Ducey, as it happens, doesnt really have his own partys legislators in line to support his earlier offer of a 20 percent teacher pay raise phased in over the next few years, which was deemed unacceptable by teachers because it was unfunded, did not address broader education spending, and did not include non-classroom school employees. So it looks like a battle for public opinion will play out for a while. Colorados teacher action is not, the Colorado Education Association (the states NEA affiliate union) makes clear, any sort of formal strike; under the states decentralized teacher employment system, a strike could lead to serious legal consequences for those deemed to be in violation of their contracts. But that could change with provocations from hostile Republican legislators, two of whom have introduced legislation imposing sanctions and even jail time for teachers who strike or try to organize a strike. The political environment in Colorado is fundamentally different from those in the previous states West Virginia, Kentucky, Oklahoma, and Arizona with major teacher protests and strikes this year. Unlike those states, Colorado has a Democratic governor, and Democrats also control the lower chamber of the state legislature. But like those states, Colorado has underfunded education in recent years, and teacher pay has lagged behind the national average. Democrats may be in a position to broker a deal between teachers and Republicans, but its a tricky situation, particularly given lame-duck governor John Hickenloopers efforts to deal with a solvency problem in the states teacher retirement fund in ways that are making teachers nervous. Another complication is created by Colorados infamous TABOR (Taxpayers Bill of Rights) constitutional provision, which requires that state revenue surpluses be rebated to taxpayers. That makes it extremely difficult for even the friendliest-to-education state government to play fiscal catch-up and restore past cuts. Giving Colorado teachers what they want could well require a ballot initiative to get around TABOR. But developments in Colorado do signal that a backlash against erosion of teacher pay and education funding is going to be a nationwide issue in state elections this fall. And that could represent a serious threat to GOP hegemony in the states after the partys many years of efforts to cut taxes and shrink the public sector. The governments of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) must intervene to end Cambodias ongoing slide from a democracy into a dictatorship, several human rights organizations said, as member states kicked off the 32nd ASEAN Summit in Singapore. In a letter addressed to Singapores Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan issued late on Wednesday, seven Cambodian and international rights groups noted that nine of ASEANs 10 members signed the 1991 Paris Peace Agreement ending Cambodias civil war, obligating them to address the severe deterioration in the state of human rights and democracy in Cambodia in recent months. Under the agreement, Cambodia is required to respect human rights, according to international standards, and adhere to a system of liberal democracy on the basis of pluralism through which all citizens enjoy a full and fair opportunity to organize and participate in the electoral process. Since September last year, Cambodias Supreme Court ruled to dissolve the main opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) amid claims by Prime Minister Hun Sen that it sought to topple his administration, authorities arrested the CNRPs President Kem Sokha on charges of treason, and the government has launched a crackdown on NGOs and the independent media. Wednesdays letter, signed by groups including ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) and New York-based Human Rights Watch, said the actions by Cambodias government had effectively transformed the country into a one-party state ahead of a July 29 general ballot that appears guaranteed to keep Hun Sen and his ruling Cambodian Peoples Party (CPP) in power. These and previous actions by the Cambodian government are in disharmony with ASEANs core principal to promote regional peace and stability through abiding respect for justice and the rule of law, and should be seen as nothing less than a clear violation of the spirit and letter of the 1991 Paris Peace Agreement, the letter said. We appeal therefore to request for the reconvening of such a conference or one similar in nature that will outline concrete collective actions to reverse course in Cambodia, ahead of the elections in July. Election credibility The groups said that Cambodias election has no chance for legitimacy if present circumstances persist, and suggested that ASEAN members use all diplomatic channels to call on Phnom Penh to reverse course. Among the conditions the groups called necessary for credible elections to be held are the reinstatement of the CNRP, the immediate release of Kem Sokha and all political prisoners, allowing media outlets to operate free of violence and intimidation, and restoring the right to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association. When the conditions are met, they said, domestic and international election observers should be granted free access to monitor all aspects of the electoral process, and a new election commission should be formed that includes members of the opposition. The international community and the Cambodian people have invested a great deal in efforts to build a stable, democratic and prosperous Cambodia since 1991, and we urge the ASEAN community to stand by the Cambodian people to exercise their legitimate civil and political rights as important elections approach, the letter said. Also on the first day of the April 25-28 ASEAN Summit, APHR issued a letter to Singapores Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, urging leaders of ASEAN member states to address pressing regional human rights concerns, including by taking steps to reform and strengthen their groups human rights mechanisms. As regional integration proceeds, it is imperative for ASEAN to ensure that a focus on human rights is included in all pillars and sectors of the organization, the letter read. ASEAN must also strengthen the protection mandates of its human rights bodies, if it seeks to be seen as a credible and outward-looking regional bloc. APHR specifically raised what it termed an unprecedented assault on independent civil society and the opposition in Cambodia, with the groups chairperson Charles Santiago lamenting that ASEAN has largely stood by silently as problems there and in other parts of the region have mounted. Parties react On Thursday, the Cambodia National Rescue Movement (CNRM), a group formed by exiled leaders of the CNRP in response to their partys dissolution, issued a statement applauding the call by the seven rights organizations for ASEAN governments to intervene in Cambodias backsliding on democracy. We hope the ASEAN governments will live up to their earlier commitments to uphold peace and stability in Asia, CNRP Vice President Mu Sochua said, adding that its of the utmost urgency that the entire region act for democracy and human rights in Cambodia. Julys elections are a breaking point for Cambodian democracy and stability in the region. Mu Sochua said that if Hun Sen heeds international calls to allow free and fair elections in July, he could restore power to the people of Cambodia, but if he maintains his current crackdown, the country will continue its descent into dictatorship. We must ensure these elections are free and fair, and the international community must play its part to hold Mr. Hun Sen and his regime accountable, she said. The CPP on Thursday dismissed concerns over human rights and democracy in Cambodia, with party spokesperson Sok Eysan saying the issues had been raised during the ASEAN Summit for the political gains of the opposition party. International NGOs do not understand the ASEAN Charter regarding its principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of each member state, Sok Eysan said. The idea that [our internal affairs] affect regional security is a one-sided opinion, and these groups only seek to frighten ASEAN members by raising this issue [during the summit], he said. I am of the opinion that the 10 ASEAN members are not naive enough to be moved by the instigation and lobbying of these biased NGOs. Last month, 45 countries signed a joint statement on the human rights situation in Cambodia, urging Hun Sens government to reinstate the CNRP and allow the participation of all opposition parties in the July elections. Both the U.S. and EU have withdrawn donor support for Cambodias elections, citing government actions seen as limiting democracy in the country, including the banning of the CNRP and the arrest of Kem Sokha. Reported by RFAs Khmer Service. Translated by Sovannarith Keo. Written in English by Joshua Lipes. Slain Cambodian environmental activist Chut Wutty was honored today in a low-profile ceremony held in the capital Phnom Penh on the sixth anniversary of his still-unsolved murder, Cambodian sources said. Shot to death on April 26, 2012 while investigating illegal logging in Mondul Seima district of southern Cambodias Koh Kong province, Chut Wutty had been active in organizing communities to protect Cambodian forests against land grabs. He had also campaigned against the governments granting of land concessions in national parks and wildlife sanctuaries. Speaking to RFAs Khmer Service on Thursday, the sixth anniversary of Chut Wuttys death, Cambodian Youth Network president Tim Malay said that pressure from authorities had forced them to hold todays observance in a small, private space. Due to political oppression, we were not able to commemorate the anniversary in public, and we had to hold the event at our office, attended by just a few people. Others were too intimidated to join us, Tim Malay said. But we will not be frightened away from carrying on Chut Wuttys work protecting the environment and [Cambodias] natural resources, he said. Also speaking to RFA, Chut Wuttys eldest son Chheuy Udom Reaksmey said on Wednesday that a ceremony honoring Chut Wuttys life and work will be held by this coming weekend in Stockton, California. Cambodians who love democracy and my fathers work have wanted to commemorate his death each year by arranging observances in different parts of the United States, he said. It is very paradoxical that [Cambodian] Prime Minister Hun Sen, who says that he loves and protects our countrys natural resources, has blocked commemorations of the death of a well-known environmental activist like my father. He should reconsider this, he said. Noting that an official investigation into his fathers death was closed in October 2013 when a court in Koh Kong province abruptly ended its proceedings, Chut Wuttys son vowed to continue to fight for justice in his fathers case. We have no faith in the findings of the Koh Kong court, he said. As his son, I have to continue the fight for justice. Reported by RFAs Khmer Service. Translated by Nareth Muong. Written in English by Richard Finney. An undated photo by Cambodian Police of members of the Khmer National Liberation Front with founder Sam Serey (center, standing). Sam Serey, the founder of the banned Khmer National Liberation Front and a critic of the Cambodian government, is headed to Denmark on Thursday after being held briefly in Thailand with visa issues, he told RFAs Khmer Service. I will leave for Denmark tonight, he told RFA early on Thursday by Skype from the Bangkok International Airport. Sam Serey, who earlier this month was accused without evidence by Prime Minister Hun Sen of plotting bomb attacks at Cambodian temples, was detained in Thailand on Wednesday for overstaying his visa. Khieu Sopheak, spokesman for Cambodias Ministry of Interior, was quoted by the Phnom Penh Post as saying We are considering a request for his extradition. It was unclear if Thailand, which is under military rule and has sent political refugees back to authoritarian countries in the past, had received a Cambodian extradition request or if Bangkok did, why it didnt heed it. A close associate of Sam Serey who asked not to be named told RFA via telephone Wednesday that the United Nations and Denmark government were helping in the case to make sure that he would be sent back to Denmark. The Cambodian government considers the KNLF a hostile political group that seeks to topple Hun Sen and the ruling Cambodian Peoples Party (CPP) government. In 2016, Sam Serey, who received political asylum in Denmark, was sentenced in absentia by Cambodian court to nine years of imprisonment over the alleged attempts to attack the government. Hun Sen has accused Sam Serey of committing treason. According to the Phnom Penh Post, more than 20 affiliates of Sam Serey have been arrested in recent years, but none have ever been found with weapons. On April 10, Hun Sen also accused Sam Serey and several other people including a Buddhist monk of plotting to set a bomb at Wat Phnom and Siem Reap during the Khmer New Year. Hun Sen, however, failed to show any evidence of the plot except a leaked recorded phone conversation with a Buddhist that was published on the government-aligned online newspaper FreshNews of unconfirmed authenticity. Sam Serey denied such accusation during an interview with RFA. The Buddhist monk who was implicated in the audio recording also denied the allegations. Reported by RFA's Khmer Service. Translated by Sovannarith Keo. Written in English by Paul Eckert. Activists are calling for the release of a former journalist detained after he penned two short stories about a character strikingly similar to Pan Gang. the chairman of Yili Group, China's largest dairy producer. Liu Chengkun, a former journalist for state media who runs the financial news service Tianlu Caijing on social media, was detained by police from Inner Mongolia's regional capital Hohhot on April 2 on suspicion of "libel." Liu wrote two short stories featuring a fictional "Mr. Pan" and posted them on Tianlu Caijing. The stories were later deleted and reposted to the Sina.com finance channel, the New York-based Committee to the Protect Journalists (CPJ) reported. Two lawyers hired by Liu's family were allowed to visit him in the Hohhot No. 1 Detention Center on , where he told them the stories were works of literature, and denied committing libel. "When the lawyers met with him, he said he had been criticized by the authorities but not mistreated or tortured in any way," Liu's wife, who gave only her surname Li, told RFA on . "The lawyers told me ... his mood is unstable because he is worried about us back home." "He wrote a statement telling everyone that he is innocent, and asking me to take good care of our kid and elderly parents," she said. One of the lawyers, Wang Lei, told RFA that Liu's stories had come entirely from his imagination. "Nothing Liu Chengkun did amounts to a crime," Wang said on . "The stories made it clear that they were a work of imaginative fiction, and the average person wouldn't have thought they were referring to a specific individual." "Also, there was no intent to libel, from his point of view," he said. "There is also the free speech angle, which is to say that even if the stories alluded to [Pan], this is also all right ... that is the free speech part of [our argument]." A former colleague of Liu's who gave only his surname Deng said the journalist's family and supporters had only decided this week to go public with the details of his case, following the meeting with his lawyers. He said Liu had dismissed warnings about possible retaliation over the stories by saying that they were clearly creative works. "I told him to be careful, but he said ... the stories included a disclaimer saying that the stories weren't about anyone in particular," Deng said. Deng said Liu was among a number of people detained around the same time at the apparent instigation of Pan Gang, including Zou Guangxiang. Zou, who ran a financial news blog titled Guangxiang Caijing, was detained on Mar. 28 at his home in Beijing for "spreading rumors," state-run media reported at the time. His detention came two days after he published an article on his blog about tense relations between Pan and the ruling Chinese Communist Party. Zou wrote that Pan was secretly running his business remotely from the United States for nearly six months and was taken away by authorities right after his recent return to China, according to CPJ. Yili Group's board of directors said in a Mar. 27 a statement saying that the company is operating normally and denied that Pan was being investigated by the authorities. Reported by Wong Siu-san and Wen Yuqing for RFA's Cantonese Service, and by Yang Fan for the Mandarin Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. Lam Wing-kei, one of five Hong Kong booksellers detained by the Chinese authorities for selling "banned" political books to customers across the internal border in mainland China, says he will open a new bookstore on the democratic island of Taiwan later this year in a bid to keep selling and publishing freely, something that is no longer possible in his home city of Hong Kong. Lam, who has been the most outspoken of the detainees, speaking out in defiance of gag orders imposed by Chinese police, fled to Taiwan after giving a large number of media interviews, amid concerns that he may be detained again or kidnapped. He has also sought to warn the island's 23 million residents what Beijing really means when it offers Taiwan "reunification" along the same lines as Hong Kong's "one country, two systems" arrangement: ever-increasing control by the ruling Chinese Communist Party over every aspect of its citizens' lives. While Lam announced he would open the bookstore last month, he has yet to find adequate funding for his new enterprise, or even suitable premises, and hopes to raise enough money using online crowdfunding for the project. Even so, he doesn't expect to be able to open the store, which he hopes to locate in Taiwan's old-town district of Ximending, until September. "Our aim with this bookstore is to raise consciousness among the general population, their general level of education, [that] there is a shared issue that is common both to Hong Kong and Taiwan: forcible control by mainland China," Lam said in a recent interview with RFA. He said issues still remain around funding and finding a venue for the new Causeway Bay Books store. "Some people in Taiwan suggested this as a way of widening participation to include people from Taiwan, Hong Kong, and mainland China," Lam said. Focus for opposition Lam would like the new incarnation of Causeway Bay Books to be a focal point for anyone opposed to the Communist Party regime in Beijing, its growing control of Hong Kong and its creeping influence in Taiwan. "If mainland China is a dictatorship, then of course we want to oppose it," Lam said. "We should do this under the banner of universal values [of democracy and human rights], and oppose anything that contravenes those values." "Right now, China is anything but open, and a lot of people are saying that it is reversing recent progress," he said. "China is becoming something we don't want to see, so we ought to get to work on that." Lam said that life hasn't been all plain sailing since he arrived in Taiwan, however. Initially, the authorities were reluctant to allow him in at all, which he puts down to growing pressure from Beijing, Taiwanese democracy notwithstanding. "I hadn't expected there to be so many people here in Taiwan who are subject to the mainland's influence, because maybe they have various transactions going on there," Lam said. "But I also understand it." Many willing to help Lam has also found plenty of people willing to support his mission. "There are a lot of people willing to help in Taiwan, and many of them are very talented," he said. Two of Lam's colleagues at the now-shuttered Causeway Bay Books store, Lee Bo and Gui Minhai, are foreign passport-holders who went missing outside China's borders: Lee Bo from his workplace in Hong Kong and Gui Minhai from Thailand. Colleagues Lui Por and Cheung Chi-ping, like Lam, were detained as soon as they crossed the border into China. Gui was released from his initial sentence and house arrest in the eastern city of Ningbo, but was later snatched by state security police from a train, where he was en route to Beijing in the company of two Swedish diplomats. He now faces fresh charges of supplying state secrets to overseas organizations. Controls in Hong Kong Lam thinks Causeway Bay Books is unlikely to be allowed to go home to Hong Kong, where he says Beijing has failed to uphold promises of continued freedoms of expression and association enshrined in the city's mini-constitution, the Basic Law. "If mainland China were to respect the Basic Law, and if we had genuine freedom of publication, and if the mainland no longer interfered in the running of Hong Kong, then there would be no problem," Lam said. "But everyone is very clear about the extent to which mainland China interferes in Hong Kong," he said. Lam said the new store is also unlikely to continue shipping books to mail-order customers in mainland China, the very thing that prompted the cross-border detentions of him and four of his colleagues, starting with the kidnapping of publisher Gui Minhai from his holiday home in Pattaya, Thailand, in October 2015. "There are bound to be restrictions: for example, no books that mention Taiwan independence, or self-determination for Hong Kong, or books about Tibet," he said. Traditional thinking Lam is also unsure about Taiwan's possible future now that China's rubber-stamp parliament has voted to allow indefinite rule by President Xi Jinping. "He's not going to care about what people think now that he's been made emperor," Lam said. "Their thinking is still very traditional. You may think China has been modernizing, but Chinese people's thinking is still exactly the same as it was in the past." Asked if he believes Xi will try "reunification" with Taiwan, which has never been ruled by the Chinese Communist Party, by force, Lam said he is unsure. "It's possible that he won't make any big moves, but he could make war in smaller ways," Lam said. "I think we will likely see bigger and bigger military operations against Taiwan in the next decade or so." "But I can't afford to look too far into the future. I have to deal with what's in front of me right now," he said. Reported by Lam Kwok-lap for RFA's Cantonese Service, and by Hwang Chun-mei for the Mandarin Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. More than 160 nongovernmental organizations on Thursday urged Myanmars government to immediately release two Reuters journalists and set up a committee to investigate their case, following claims that the pair had been set up by police. In an open letter to President Win Myint, the 163 NGOs said authorities had no right to arrest reporters Thet Oo Maung, also known as Wa Lone, and Kyaw Soe Oo, who were taken into custody while investigating the murders of Rohingya Muslims by Myanmars military during a crackdown in Rakhine state. Police arrested the pair of reporters on Dec. 12 on the outskirts of Yangon shortly after they had dinner with two police officers who gave them documents related to the crackdown. They were formally charged on Jan. 10 with obtaining state secrets and face up to 14 years in prison if found guilty. We are calling for the immediate release of the detainees, said Thursdays letter, signed by groups including Community Response Action Group (COMREG), the Burmese Womens Union (BWU), Generation Wave, and the Association of Human Rights Defenders and Promoters (HRDP). COMREG spokesperson Thatoe also called on the president to launch a probe into their case, lest trust in the judicial system be damaged. He noted that Win Myint had once pledged to make the countrys court system more just, fair, and free from bias. The government should ensure that the reporters families receive social security and that their rights are protected while they are detained, Thatoe said, adding that the letters signatories would closely monitor the outcome of their case and would increase our action if necessary. Thursdays letter also called on Win Myint to release Captain Moe Yan Naing, who was arrested in December after being identified as one of two policemen allegedly involved in the case and faces up to two years in jail and dismissal on police misconduct charges. A day after Moe Yan Naings April 20 testimony in Yangons Northern District Court that Police Brigadier General Tin Ko Ko ordered officers to set up the two reporters, authorities ordered his wife and three children to move out of a police housing complex. He has been denied visits from family members. The appeal for the release of the two Reuters reporters came a day after New York-based Asia Society announced that they had been named finalists for its 2018 Osborn Elliot Prize for Excellence in Journalism on Asia, citing the pairs coverage of the anti-Rohingya violence which it called courageous and risk-taking in its real-time chronicling of mass atrocities. Press freedom ranking It also came a day after Paris-based media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said Myanmar dropped six places to 137th out of 180 nations in its 2018 World Press Freedom Index, compared to its ranking a year ago. Following a four-point drop from 128th to 131st noted in last years report, which cited frequent self-censorship in reporting on government figures and the countrys powerful military, RSF knocked Myanmar down further this year, saying its government had lost all credibility in regards to its obligation to defend the role of the media in a functioning democracy. On Thursday, local reporters told RFAs Myanmar Service that a lack of access to information is one of the greatest difficulties they face in the country while trying to do their jobs. According to the media law that was released under former President Thein Sein [2011-2016], it was clearly written that journalists must have the right to information, and that ministry spokespersons must answer reporters questions for the sake of the country and its citizens, Zaw Thet Htway of the Myanmar Press Union said. In reality, very few government officials answer questions from the media. In particular, the Home Affairs Ministry, the military and the police force dont take phone or in-person interviews. It is very difficult to get them to speak, and I think that is why Myanmars ranking in the press freedom index dropped. Kyaw Min Swe, chief editor of the Voice Weekly newspaper, said that the governments attitude toward the media has changed, noting that an increasing number of journalists have been arrested and convicted since it took power in 2016 under the de facto leadership of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi. Access to information is still difficult and state-owned media remains strongthey get more information, earlier, about everything the government and military does, he said. It is unfair not only in terms of right to information, but also for business. It also hurts press freedom indirectly. Myanmar dropped to 137th from 131st because of these points, I think. In this years report, RSF noted that Myanmars worst violations took place after the start of the Rohingya crisis in August 2017, when nearly 700,000 refugees were forced to flee violence in Rakhine state to southeastern Bangladesh. The international community now knows that elements of genocide and ethnic cleansing occurred, to use the U.N.s terms. But proper reporting on this tragedy from within Myanmar is still impossible because the military continue to deny access. Reported by Kyaw Zaw Win and Khin Khin Ei for RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Khet Mar. Written in English by Joshua Lipes. NATO says it could provide additional security during Afghanistan's parliamentary elections, amid increasing attacks in the country ahead of the October polls. "Our main contribution to make sure that the elections can be held in a safe and secure way is to continue to provide support to the Afghan security forces with training, with advice and also with funding," alliance chief Jens Stoltenberg told reporters in Brussels on April 26, on the eve of a meeting of NATO foreign ministers. But Stoltenberg said NATO's involvement would be limited. "Having said that, I also envisage a limited role for NATO forces to help to make sure that elections can be held in a safe way," he said. Stoltenberg was speaking after 60 people were killed in a suicide attack on a Kabul voter-registration center on April 22, and just one day after the Taliban announced their annual spring offensive. The Western-backed government in Kabul has been struggling to fend off the Taliban and other militant groups since NATO's mission handed over responsibility for security in Afghanistan to local forces at the end of 2014. The alliance still maintains a 13,000-strong training and support mission in the country, and it is also in the process of expanding its Resolute Support mission by 3,000 troops. "The Taliban have to understand they can never win at the battlefield," Stoltenberg said. "We will continue to train, to advise and to support Afghan national security forces and that will provide the framework, the conditions for the Taliban at some stage to sit down and negotiate for a peaceful solution." Highlighting security concerns surrounding Afghanistans election process, Taliban militants ambushed and killed the deputy governor of the eastern province of Logar on April 26. The attack that killed Qamar-u-din Shakeb and at least one of his bodyguards occurred in the Mohammad Agha district of the province, police said. "He was on his way to Kabul when he was attacked," police official Asmatullah Alizai told RFE/RL, adding that his bodyguard was also seriously injured. The Taliban insurgents, who control large swaths of Logar Province, claimed responsibility for the assault. In another attack claimed by the Taliban, at least seven security officers were reported killed in raids against military checkpoints in the northern province of Kunduz. With reporting by AFP, AP, and dpa Trumps friends. For President Trump, the territory doesnt get any friendlier than Fox & Friends. But thats not how he treated the show that helped launch his political career during an unhinged interview Thursday morning. Instead of limiting his remarks to self-aggrandizement and exaggerated claims of his success, Trump treated the American public to the type of angry rant were used to hearing about secondhand from sources. Even when the hosts tried to steer him toward lighter topics, such as Kanye Wests recent embrace of MAGA, Trump insisted on rehashing grievances about James Comey and the Department of Justice. He also may have done something hes done before: create legal problems by running his mouth. Here are highlights from the interview: He undermined his claims to attorney-client privilege. On Thursday, lawyers representing Trump will be in court to explain how they plan to quickly and efficiently review documents seized from Michael Cohen, Trumps personal lawyer, in order to identify those protected by attorney-client privilege. Trump made their jobs harder Thursday morning when he attempted to distance himself from Cohen by claiming that the lawyer performs only a tiny, tiny little fraction of his legal work. Prosecutors with the Southern District of New York are already using those words against him, arguing that Trumps claim about Cohen means that its unlikely that many of the lawyers documents are privileged. Now: SDNY says Hannity, Trump statements about ties to Michael Cohen 'suggest that the seized materials are unlikely to contain voluminous privileged documents' https://t.co/SnN3l2M0Pj pic.twitter.com/Y65a88spil Mike Scarcella (@MikeScarcella) April 26, 2018 He admitted that Cohen represented him in the Stormy Daniels deal. Three weeks after denying all knowledge of Cohens $130,000 hush payment to adult-film star Stormy Daniels, Trump appeared to change his story Thursday when he admitted that Cohen represents him with this crazy Stormy Daniels deal. Danielss lawyer Michael Avenatti called the admission a gift from the heavens. He went on: Its a hugely damaging admission by the president because according to what he said on Air Force One a few weeks ago, he didnt know anything about the agreement, he didnt know anything about the payment We now find out thats bogus. He admitted to staying a night in Moscow. The question of whether Trump spent a night at the Ritz-Carlton in Moscow while in town for the 2013 Miss Universe pageant is central to the most salacious allegation in the Steele dossier. For some reason, Trump brought it up Thursday. While branding former FBI director James Comey a liar, Trump admitted that he did in fact spend the night in Moscow during the 2013 Miss Universe pageant, contradicting what Comey said Trump told him. Of course I stayed in Russia overnight, Trump said, adding that Comeys memos about their conversations are phony. Comey maintains that Trump denied spending the night in Moscow and, on Wednesday, when Anderson Cooper asked why Trump might lie about such a thing, Comey speculated that it could reflect a consciousness of guilt. He threatened to upend the DOJ. At the end of the interview, before Fox all but cut Trumps mic to prevent him from digging himself into a deeper hole, Trump threatened to force the Department of Justice to stop investigating him and to focus instead on his political opponents. A lot happened in that interview, but for my money the most important thing was Trump saying that "our Justice Department -- which I try and stay away from, but at some point I won't -- our Justice Department should be looking at "corruption at the top of the FBI." pic.twitter.com/Nc4jMhM0Am Matthew Gertz (@MattGertz) April 26, 2018 He graded himself. He got an A+, of course. Taliban insurgents have ambushed and killed the deputy governor of Afghanistan's eastern Logar Province, police say. The attack, which killed Qamar-u-din Shakeb and at least one of his bodyguards, occurred on April 26 in the Mohammad Agha district of the province, police said. He was on his way to Kabul when he was attacked," police official Asmatullah Alizai told RFE/RL. Alizai said Shakeb's bodyguard was also seriously injured in the attack. There was no immediate claim of responsibility. Taliban insurgents control large swaths of eastern Logar Province, and frequently attack Afghan security forces. With reporting by AP President Armen Sarkisian took office in early April, shortly before a wave of mass protests forced the prime minister to resign. In an interview with RFE/RL Armenian Service Director Harry Tamrazian on April 26, Sarkisian said that Armenia is involved in a democratic process that could lead to new elections and legislative changes. He also dismissed speculation about foreign influence in this month's events. YEREVAN -- Armenian opposition leader Nikol Pashinian has dismissed any compromise with the ruling Republican Party (HHK) and claimed he is the only legitimate candidate for the prime minister's post, while the country's president refused to take sides but told RFE/RL that Armenia was on the path to becoming a "real democratic state." Earlier on April 26, Armenia's parliament speaker said lawmakers would vote on May 1 for the country's next prime minister following the resignation of Serzh Sarkisian this week after 11 days of protests. Speaker Ara Babloian announced the special parliamentary session as the HHK came under growing pressure to hand over power to Pashinian while the Caucasus state struggles through its biggest political crisis in years. In an interview with RFE/RL, President Armen Sarkisian, who is not related to the former prime minister, did not offer support to any candidate, but said recent actions show the country is on the road to becoming a "new Armenia" with a "huge spectrum of opinions." "Armenia today is not like the country we had even a couple of weeks ago," he also said. Pashinian told a rally of supporters gathered on Yerevans central Republic Square that "I either will be elected prime minister through the people, by their demand, and with their support, or no prime minister at all will be elected in the republic of Armenia." "There can be no compromise with the corrupt and antinational system," he added. Pashinian said he had invited acting Prime Minister Karen Karapetian to a meeting at noon on April 27 at Yerevans Marriott Hotel. He insisted that the talks take place in front of the media. Despite Sarkisians resignation on April 23 and the departure of the junior partner from the HHKs governing coalition two days later, the HHK still controls a majority with 58 lawmakers in the 105-seat parliament. It remains uncertain whether Pashinian would be able to garner the 53 votes needed to win the prime ministers post. He would need the support of all opposition deputies and at least six HHK lawmakers. Pashinian spent April 26 meeting with other parliamentary factions in a bid to secure support for his candidacy, including a session with Gagik Tsarukian, the leader of parliaments second-largest faction -- the Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK). The BHK on April 25 told its members to take to the streets and join Pashinians protest movement. But it has yet to officially confirm whether its deputies will vote to elect Pashinian. Tsarukian said his faction would formally announce its position after negotiations are completed. "One thing is absolutely clear. In our decisions we will be guided by the voice of the people, by the people's will," he said. The Armenian Revolutionary Federation, also known as Dashnaktsutyun, said after leaving the governing coalition that the parliament should elect a prime minister who "enjoys the peoples confidence." Several Dashnaktsutyun lawmakers publicly expressed support for Pashinian and the street protests he has been leading for the past two weeks. Three ministers from Dashnaktsutyun -- the acting ministers of education and science, environmental protection, and territorial governance -- resigned on April 26 along with two regional governors from Dashnaktsutyun. Meanwhile, two key officials in the HHK -- acting Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian and acting Deputy Prime Minister Armen Gevorgian -- met with officials in Moscow to discuss the implications of the political crisis in Yerevan. Russia 'Won't Intervene' Russia's Foreign Ministry said Nalbandian met with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. And a Kremlin statement late on April 26 said Putin told Karapetian in a phone call that the political standoff in Armenia should be solved only through legal means. Russia, Armenias main ally, has said it would not intervene in the standoff. The HHK has indicated it plans to replace Serzh Sarkisian as party chairman, but did not say who the new leader would be. It said the situation would be discussed during a meeting of party leaders on April 27. The HHK also said it was ready to discuss "any issue" with Pashinian "without preconditions." Supporters of Pashinian, who leads the opposition Civil Contract party, continued their street protests on April 26. 'The People's Victory' In a late rally on Republic Square, Pashinian insisted on "unconditional recognition" by the HHK and all other political parties and alliances in parliament of "the peoples victory." He vowed that no secret talks would take place and that "no deal can be struck behind the peoples back." We expect that all parliamentary factions will recognize the people's victory unconditionally, without conditions, without preconditions, he told the crowd, saying there was "no other option." In a rally on April 25, Pashinian, apparently referring to himself, said, "The Armenian people have a candidate for prime minister, and the National Assembly factions must reckon with this political reality and nominate that candidate by consensus." In his interview with RFE/RL, Armen Sarkisian said "the outcome of this debatewill be resolved at the parliament with the election of the new prime minster, later the new government. And maybe parliament will also vote to have new elections in the near future." "What is happening in Armeniaafter several years of demonstrations, is [that] now we are going toward a democratic process," Sarkisian also said, speaking in fluent English for the second half of the 30-minute interview. The president said that "the outcome of this debatewill be resolved at the parliament with the election of the new prime minster, later the new government. And maybe parliament will also vote to have new elections in the near future." "If we manage this properly, all the problems which were raised during the demonstrations will be resolved according to the constitution and inside the parliament," he added. "Then we all can be proud that we are on the real path to making Armenia a real democratic state." Pashinian has insisted that the HHK was responsible for vote-rigging in previous elections and should not be allowed to remain in power while early parliamentary elections are being organized. "Don't get me wrong," he said. "This is not about my election as prime minister, but about the elimination of the corrupt system." He called for Armenia's current election laws to be reformed, saying they do not promote free, fair, or transparent elections. Armen Sarkisian, in his interview with RFE/RL, speculated that the parliament could ''vote to change the election code" or other laws but was not more specific. The catalyst for the recent protests was Sarkisian's shift to the newly powerful post of prime minister after a decade as president -- a move critics charged was a blatant bid to cling to power when he reached the limit of two straight presidential terms. Pakistani authorities have exhumed the body of an Italian woman to determine whether she was killed by members of her family for refusing an arranged marriage, officials said on April 25. Sana Cheema, 25, an Italian citizen of Pakistani descent, died on April 18 in the city of Gujrat in eastern Punjab Province while visiting relatives. The case came to light this week after friends shared posts about her death on social media, prompting police to investigate. Police earlier in the week detained Cheema's father and uncle for questioning. Pakistani police said a local magistrate attended the exhumation of Cheema's body so an autopsy could be performed. Her relatives claim she died of an unspecified illness, but police are investigating suspicions that she was killed after refusing to marry a man her family had chosen for her. Cheema graduated from high school in Brescia, Italy, and received Italian citizenship in September. Italian media reported she was in love with a man from Brescia who she wanted to marry. If confirmed, her case would be the second recently publicized "honor killing" in Punjab involving Western women of Pakistani descent. A father and the ex-husband of a British-Pakistani woman, Samia Shahid, were charged in 2016 over her murder. Hundreds of women are killed every year in Pakistan in so-called honor killings for violating conservative Pakistani traditions on love, marriage, and public behavior. Pakistan's parliament passed legislation against honor killings in 2016, introducing tough punishment and removing a loophole in the law that allowed killers to walk free if pardoned by family members. Police in Punjab, Pakistan's most populous province, said recently the number of honor killings has fallen since the law was introduced. Based on reporting by AP, AFP, and Reuters BRUSSELS -- Dozens of lawmakers in the European Parliament have called on the European Union to adopt legislation that would punish Russian businessmen for money-laundering activities within the bloc that they said are used to back the Kremlins "antidemocratic" moves. The lawmakers made the call in a letter dated April 26 and addressed to European Council President Donald Tusk, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, EU foreign-policy chief Federica Mogherini, and the heads of states and governments of the 28 EU member states. So far, 44 lawmakers have signed the letter, which was seen by RFE/RL. They called for an EU version of the U.S. Magnitsky Act, originally introduced in 2012 to target Russians deemed by Washington to be complicit in human rights abuses. EU member states Estonia, Lithuania, and Britain have since adopted similar legislation named after Russian anticorruption lawyer Sergei Magnitsky, who died in a Moscow prison in 2009. The EU lawmakers said a European Union version of the U.S. law should target "Russian tycoons and oligarchs, who shelter and launder illicit funds in Member States helping [President Vladimir] Putin to enable his antidemocratic activities." They cited "election meddling, cyberattacks, fake news, and propaganda campaigns." The lawmakers said that "strong measures" should be taken to fight against "illegal money laundering activities and schemes" in EU member states that enable "Russian tycoons and oligarchs to attack our European democracies from within." The letter also called on the European Union to start consultations both internally and with the United States aimed at "synchronising the lists of additional EU restrictive measures" with those recently adopted by the United States under the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA). The CAATSA was overwhelmingly approved by Congress and reluctantly signed into law by President Donald Trump last August. It was adopted in response to a U.S. intelligence community finding that Putin had ordered a clandestine campaign to influence the U.S. presidential election to benefit Trump. The European Union has so far sanctioned 150 separatists and Russian officials, as well as 38 entities for Russia's aggression in Ukraine. These measures have been prolonged every six months since 2014, as has the bloc's economic sanctions that targets the Russian banking and energy sector. EU officials familiar with the matter who can't speak on the record told RFE/RL that the economic sanctions are set to be prolonged again when EU leaders meet in Brussels in June. They said the restrictive measures could be extended by 12 months instead of the customary six. French President Emmanuel Macron said he does not expect U.S. President Donald Trump to continue honoring the Iran nuclear deal because of his campaign pledge to do away with it. Speaking near the end of a three-day state visit to Washington late on April 25, Macron said Trump "will get rid of this deal on his own, for domestic reasons" and because of his "campaign commitment" to withdraw from the deal. Macron spent hours with Trump during his visit and for months has sought repeatedly to persuade Trump to continue honoring Iran's landmark 2015 agreement with world powers, which granted Tehran sanctions relief in exchange for curbs on its nuclear activities. On April 24, the two leaders said they wanted to forge a new, broader deal going beyond the nuclear agreement to address concerns Trump has raised about Iran's ballistic-missile development and involvement in the Syrian and Yemen civil wars. But while Trump said at the time that he was open to such a broader agreement encompassing and going beyond the nuclear deal, he continued to voice strong opposition to the deal as he did during the campaign, calling it "insane" and "ridiculous." "I have no inside information" on what decision Trump will make, Macron told journalists after making an address to the U.S. Congress late on April 25 in which he strongly urged legislators to stand by the nuclear accord. "I listen to what President Trump is saying and it seems to me that he is not very eager to defend" the deal, Macron said. "The rational analysis of all his statements does not make me think that he will do everything to maintain it." Asked whether a Trump decision to withdraw would signify a personal failure for him, Macron said that his role "is not to try to convince President Trump to walk away from his campaign commitments." German Chancellor Angela Merkel is also expected to make a last-ditch effort to persuade Trump to honor the deal in a visit to Washington on April 27. Trump must decide by May 12 whether to continue waiving U.S. sanctions on Tehran as required under the deal. If he does not, it would be a breach of the agreement that Iran has vowed to reciprocate, opening the door to the unraveling of the deal. Macron's comments came as the aircraft giant Boeing announced it has delivered several passenger planes intended for Iran to other buyers as a result of Trump's withdrawal threat. The plane purchases were authorized and licensed to be delivered to IranAir under one of the provisions of the nuclear accord that envisioned the sale of hundreds of U.S. and European aircraft to Tehran, which has an aging and deteriorating fleet of passenger aircraft it is seeking to replace. "We have no Iranian deliveries that are scheduled or part of the [production] skyline this year, so those have been deferred in line with the U.S. government process," Boeing Chief Executive Dennis Muilenburg told a conference call on April 25. Because of a pickup in demand for 777 jetliners elsewhere around the world, Muilenburg said he is no longer as concerned as he once was that a collapse of the deal could force Boeing to cut production and eliminate hundreds of jobs for American workers. Boeing agreed in December 2016 to sell 80 aircraft to IranAir. It was expected to deliver 15 777 long-range jets to Iran and had obtained U.S. export licenses to carry out the sales. Three of the 777s were tentatively set for delivery this year, but the company said it has now shifted those deliveries to other buyers. Muilenburg said Boeing will not have to trim production of the $347 million jet even if all of its Iranian sales are canceled as a result of a Trump withdrawal. "The production rate that we have put in place is not dependent on the Iranian orders," he said. "If those orders do come to fruition, if we do ultimately deliver airplanes, those represent opportunities for us. But we are going to follow the U.S. government's lead and we have ensured that...we are not dependent on those aircraft," he said. Iranian officials have accused Washington of hampering not only the delivery of the U.S. aircraft but also hamstringing Iran's plans to purchase dozens of European planes as authorized under the accord. IranAir ordered 100 Airbus jets and 20 Franco-Italian ATR turboprops. It has taken delivery of three Airbus jets and eight ATRs. The European firms must get U.S. export licenses to complete their deals because their planes include component parts made in the United States. So far, Washington has issued licenses covering a period that would allow about one-third of the Airbus deliveries to go ahead. It is unclear how a U.S. withdrawal would affect those sales. With reporting by AFP, AP, and Reuters TBILISI -- Billionaire and former Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili will retake control of the ruling Georgian Dream party, which he founded. Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili, who is the current leader of the party, told reporters in Tbilisi on April 26 that Ivanishvili agreed to take over Georgian Dream after Kvirikashvili and other party leaders asked him to. The center-left Georgian Dream coalition was formed by Ivanishvili, who led it to victory over the long-dominant United National Movement party of Georgia's former President Mikheil Saakashvili in a 2012 parliamentary election. Ivanishvili served as prime minister for a year after his party's victory before he announced he was leaving politics and ceded the post to an ally. He is widely believed to have continued to wield a powerful influence on Georgian Dream from behind the scenes. Dozens of Saakashvilis allies were placed under investigation for corruption and abuse-of-office charges and some jailed since Georgian Dream took power in 2012. Iranian authorities have canceled a license that allowed local internet providers to host content by the popular messaging app Telegram. Iran's Telecommunication Infrastructure Company said in a statement issued on April 26 that the order was issued by Irans Internet regulator, the Supreme Cyberspace Council. The statement said that the decision could affect the "quality" of the use of Telegram inside the country. It said all inbound traffic must now be routed through Iran's "international" Internet communications channels. The move comes after Iranian authorities last month said Iran would block Telegram, thought to be used by an estimated 40 million Iranians, by the end of April, for reasons of national security. The authorities temporarily shut down Telegram in January in an effort to contain antiestablishment protests across the country. In recent weeks, the authorities have been encouraging Iranians to use domestic alternatives to Telegram. Abolhasan Firouzabadi, the council's secretary, said on April 25 that Telegram use declined 27 percent in recent weeks. Iran's move comes after a court in Russia last week ordered Telegram, set up by Russian entrepreneur Pavel Durov, to be blocked after the company refused to share its encryption data with the country's security services. Based on reporting by IRNA and AP British-Iranian scientist and peace campaigner Abbas Edalat has been arrested in Iran for his alleged role in an "infiltration network," Iranian media confirmed on April 25. An unnamed source quoted by the Fars news agency said, "Recently, members of an infiltration network affiliated to Britain have been arrested." Fars is viewed as close to Iran's powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC). The Fars statement, which mentioned Edalat by name, confirmed earlier reports by a human rights group and friends of his family. The New York-based Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) on April 25 first identified the detained man as Abbas Edalat, a professor of computer science and mathematics at Imperial College in London. "Iran's continued arbitrary arrests of dual nationals without transparency and lack of due process is extremely concerning," said Hadi Ghaemi, CHRI's executive director. Edalat traveled to Iran from his home in London at an unknown date to attend an academic workshop, according to family friends and the rights group. British authorities said they were "urgently seeking" information about Edalat's situation. The British Foreign Office said in a statement that it was "urgently seeking information from the Iranian authorities following reports of the arrest of a British-Iranian dual national." The CHRI described Edalat as the founder of the U.S.-based Campaign Against Sanctions and Military Intervention in Iran, a group that opposes foreign intervention in Iran. Iran's IRGC has arrested at least 30 dual nationals since 2015, mostly on spying charges, according to Reuters. At least two other British-Iranian citizens are known to be held in Iran. One unidentified British-Iranian man was sentenced in March to six years in prison on spying charges. With reporting by The Wall Street Journal and Reuters "They taught [us]...not to be Muslims." Thirty-year-old Kayrat Samarkan is an ethnic Kazakh from China. He has just received citizenship in Kazakhstan, after living there since May 2009. But he almost didn't make it. On February 15, Samarkan was released from a "reeducation" facility in China's western Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. Beijing's reeducation campaign has been under way in Xinjiang for many months, and targets mainly the Turkic Muslim peoples whose ancestors inhabited the area for many centuries. U.S. acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Laura Stone said in Beijing on April 18 that the number of people detained in Xinjiang and sent to reeducation centers was "at the very least in the tens of thousands." The campaign initially targeted Uyghurs, the largest Muslim group living in Xinjiang, but later Chinese authorities included other Muslim peoples: Kyrgyz, Kazakhs, and even Dungans (who are actually ethnic Chinese Muslims). Samarkan has told RFE/RL's Kazakh Service, known locally as Azattyq, that he returned to Xinjiang in October 2017 to sell his home and land there. The police in Samarkan's native Buryltogay district called him in for questioning. "They asked me: 'What kind of work do you do in Kazakhstan? Who is there with you? Do you attend Namaz?'" Samarkan says. "They questioned me for three days they didn't give me a chance to sleep." 'Political Education' The police detained him and ordered him sent to a reeducation facility for three to nine months, and four days after he first appeared at the police station he was transferred to the "center for political education" in the Buryltogay district. "They took my clothes and brought me in handcuffs and leg shackles to my cell," he says. "There, they shaved my head." Samarkan says there were three categories of prisoners at the facility. "The first category was people connected to religion; the second was those who had gone abroad; the third were those who had violated social order." He was detained for being part of categories two and three. The lessons began. "They taught us to keep safe the domestic secrets of the People's Republic of China, not to divide peoples by nationality, not to divulge [information] about the internal affairs of China, not to be a Muslim," Samarkan recalls. Inmates also studied the text from the XIX Communist Party Congress that China held in October 2017. Samarkan says inmates had to pay for food rations -- 20 yuan (about $3.15) per day -- for "two pieces of bread and watery rice." He says he thinks there were some 5,700 inmates in the facility where he was kept. "Among them, more than 3,000 were Kazakhs, 2,000 were Uyghurs, and 200 were Dungans," he estimates. Can't Leave China Behind Samarkan says there were two other Kazakhs there who had emigrated to Kazakhstan and were detained when they returned to Xinjiang for what they thought would be brief visits. One was serving a four-year sentence in the reeducation facility, the other a seven-year sentence. This has been a problem for some of the "Oralman," ethnic Kazakhs living outside Kazakhstan but invited by the Kazakh government to come to their "homeland." More than 1 million have done so, and the largest number came from China. However, according to Chinese authorities, some did not complete all the paperwork needed to officially renounce Chinese citizenship, which leaves them open to arrest and confinement when they return to Xinjiang on business, to visit family, or, as in Samarkan's case, to settle unfinished matters back in Xinjiang. Samarkan tells Azattyq he was so despondent that he contemplated suicide. He started beating his head against the wall to convince his captors he was psychologically unwell. One day in February when he was standing in line with other inmates, he said his legs just weakened and he fell, striking his head on a wall. He lost consciousness for about 15 minutes and was taken to a hospital. He was freed after that but told not to leave China. When he pleaded that his wife and child were in Kazakhstan, the authorities agreed he could return to Kazakhstan for one month. "As soon as I got to Kazakhstan I received citizenship, since my waiting period [for citizenship] had just finished," Samarkan says. Azattyq attempted to contact the Chinese Embassy in Kazakhstan for comment on Samarkan's story and the existence of reeducation facilities in Xinjiang, but those calls went unanswered. Kazakh authorities are aware of problems for Oralmans in Xinjiang. Kazakh Foreign Minister Kairat Abdrakhmanov sent a diplomatic note to the Chinese Foreign Ministry in February 15, the same day Samarkan was freed from custody. Kazakh First Deputy Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tleuberdi just visited Xinjiang on April 17 to 19 to meet with officials there. China's fears don't appear to be figments of the imagination. Uyghur militants in the Middle East have released videos threatening bloodshed in China. And as militant groups there continue to lose territory to the wide array of international forces that have massed in Syria and Iraq, some of these Uyghurs now seem to be in Afghanistan. China has boosted its cooperation with the Afghan and Tajik governments in an effort to prevent these Uyghur militants from returning to China. And Beijing has cracked down on Xinjiang's Muslims, closing down mosques, greatly restricting religious practices, banning clothing deemed to be in some way Islamic, banning beards for all but elderly men. The ripples from the campaign in Xinjiang are increasingly felt in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, where Sinophobia has already been increasing in recent years. Azattyq just reported on rising Sinophobia in Kazakhstan, and tales such as the one Samarkan tells are only going to fuel this sentiment. Based on reporting by Azattyk's Nurtai Lakhanuly. The views expressed in this blog post do not necessarily reflect the views of RFE/RL Mike Pompeo and Kim Jong Un. Photo: The White House The White House on Thursday released photos from this months meeting between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and recently sworn-in Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. The pictures show the similarly shaped men shaking hands during Pompeos secret trip to North Korea over Easter weekend. On Thursday morning, during his stream-of-consciousness rant on Fox & Friends, Trump filled in some missing details about the meeting. The sit-down lasted for more than an hour, Trump said, and came together at the last minute. He wasnt supposed to meet with Kim Jong Un, but he did, Trump said. Mike Pompeo and Kim Jong Un. Photo: The White House/Getty Images They got along, Trump added. They spoke, and [Pompeo] also spoke with his counterparts in North Korea. They had a great meeting. He then left. It was very, very secret. Very, very quiet. Trump did not mention any topics discussed during the meeting, but it was previously reported that Pompeo raised the issue of three Americans who are currently imprisoned in North Korea. In a press conference last week with Japanese president Shinzo Abe, Trump said the U.S. is currently negotiating the release of the Americans. Previous American prisoners in North Korea have been treated harshly, most recently Otto Warmbier, the 22-year-old who died last year after he was released from a Pyongyang prison. On Thursday, Warmbiers parents sued North Korea in federal court, accusing Kims regime of taking their son hostage, torturing him and killing him. Arrested in 2016 for attempting to steal a propaganda poster from a hotel, Warmbier spent 17 months in a North Korean prison before he returned home last June. He was in a coma when he arrived in the U.S. and North Korea shirked responsibility, saying he contracted botulism after taking a sleeping pill. North Korea has repeatedly lied about the causes of Ottos condition and refuses to acknowledge its abhorrent actions, the suit says. Cynthia and Frederick Warmbier are seeking damages to be determined by the court and also, Frederick said in a statement, to hold Kim accountable. Kim and his regime have portrayed themselves as innocent, while they intentionally destroyed our sons life, he said. This lawsuit is another step in holding North Korea accountable for its barbaric treatment of Otto and our family. The suit shines a light on Kims human-rights abuses at a key moment in U.S. relations with North Korea, and it does not paint a pretty picture of how the regime treats its prisoners. Otto was blind and deaf, when he returned to the U.S., the suit says. He had a shaved head, a feeding tube coming out of his nose, was jerking violently and howling, and was completely unresponsive to any of [his parents] efforts to comfort him. After examining him, doctors found an extensive loss of brain tissue, a scarred wound on his foot, and teeth that had been forcibly misaligned inside his mouth. The White House reportedly supports the lawsuit, but did not coordinate with the Warmbiers. BISHKEK -- Kyrgyz former Prime Minister Sapar Isakov says he has been questioned by investigators over an incident that left parts of the capital without heating last winter. Isakov, who was fired by President Sooronbai Jeenbekov earlier this month, told journalists on April 26 that he was questioned as a witness in the case for about an hour at the Kyrgyz State Committee for National Security (UKMK) headquarters in Bishkek. He said the case is related to an accident that occurred at the city's heating center earlier this year. Isakov did not elaborate, but said that "everything is okay." The development comes days after Isakov and his government were sacked on April 19, hours after lawmakers passed a no-confidence motion initiated by opposition lawmakers following criticism of the government's annual report by opposition parties. In an unexpected move, the ruling coalition led by former President Almazbek Atambaev's Social Democratic party abruptly withdrew its backing for Isakov, prompting his cabinet's fall. Isakovs successor, Mukhammedkalyi Abylgaziev, and his government were sworn in on April 25. Earlier in April, Jeenbekov sacked several Atambaev allies, including Prosecutor-General Indira Joldubaeva and UKMK head Abdil Segizbaev, who had been criticized for a crackdown on opposition politicians and independent journalists. Atambaev kept a low profile for several months after leaving office five months ago, but has recently begun publicly criticizing his former protege and anointed successor. Kyrgyzstan, a country of 6 million that hosts a Russian military base, is widely seen as the most democratic but also the most politically volatile of the five Central Asian states that gained independence in the Soviet breakup of 1991. Antigovernment protests toppled presidents in 2005 and 2010. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in say they are committed to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula after a historic summit on April 27. Kim became the first North Korean leader to set foot on South Korean territory since the end of the Korean War in 1953, after he crossed the heavily fortified demarcation line at 9:30 a.m. local time. "South and North Korea confirmed the common goal of realizing, through complete denuclearization, a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula," they said in a joint statement. However, the statement did not provide any new specific measures North Korea would take toward denuclearization. The summit -- the third after meetings in 2000 and 2007 -- precedes a meeting between Kim and U.S. President Donald Trump, expected to take place next month or early June. The two Korean leaders also said they will jointly push for talks with the United States and also potentially China to put an official end to the Korean War. The conflict was stopped after an armistice was reached in 1953, but the two Korean states are still technically at war. "As I stand here today I can see that South and North Korea are the same people, the same blood -- they cannot be separated," Kim said in his address during the summit. In response to the statement, Trump tweeted, "KOREAN WAR TO END! The United States, and all of its GREAT people, should be very proud of what is now taking place in Korea!" In a separate tweet sent minutes earlier, Trump said that "good things are happening, but only time will tell." Moon has also agreed to visit Pyongyang sometime later this year, and also agreed to open a permanent communication office in the North Korean town of Kaesong and the resumption of temporary reunions between relatives separated by the war. NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg also welcomed the summit as "encouraging," but urged caution. "This is a first step, it is encouraging, but we have to realize there is still a lot of hard work that lies ahead of us," Stoltenberg said at a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Brussels. Stoltenberg comment echoed the warning he issued the previous day, when he said the international community must maintain sanctions on North Korea until "concrete changes" in its actions were visible. "Until we see a concrete change in North Korea's actions we must continue to put pressure on North Korea and continue with the sanctions," Stoltenberg said on April 26. Tensions in the region escalated last year after North Korea test-launched several ballistic missiles and performed a nuclear test, while Kim and Trump traded threats and insults. But at the beginning of this year Kim launched an unexpected program of diplomatic outreach, which included the North's attendance of the Winter Olympics in South Korea. The North Korean delegation also includes Kim's sister, Kim Yo Jong, who in February attended the Pyeongchang Olympics opening ceremony. The two leaders will plant a pine tree dating from 1953 when the Korean War armistice was signed, before an agreement is signed and announced. Kim and Moon will later attend a banquet, to be followed by a farewell ceremony. With reporting by dpa, BBC, AP, and Reuters A Pakistani court has disqualified Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif from parliament for holding a work permit for the United Arab Emirates. The decision deals a blow to the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party ahead of general elections likely to be held in July. It was not immediately clear if Asif, a close ally of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, would also have to step down from his post as foreign minister. On April 13, the Supreme Court disqualified Sharif from politics for life. Sharif, 68, a three-time former prime minister, was disqualified and removed from office last year on corruption allegations against his family. The charges stemmed from leaked documents known as the Panama Papers. Since then, confusion has persisted about whether he can run for office again. Sharif and other senior PML-N officials have accused the judiciary of targeting the party ahead of the election. With reporting by Reuters and AFP YAKUTSK, Russia -- Police are conducting searches in the building of the regional parliament, or Il Tumen, of Russia's Far Eastern region of Sakha-Yakutia. Local media reports quote sources in Il Tumen as saying searches are being conducted in the offices of three lawmakers -- Yury Nikolayev, Aleksandr Uarov, and Dmitry Savvin -- who are suspected of alleged bribe-taking. The searches are being conducted while the Il Tumen deputies are holding a working session. Nikolayev, the chief of the finances and taxes committee; Uarov, the chief of the parliamentary control committee; and Savvin, the chief of the committee for agriculture, are not present. Sakha-Yakutia is Russia's largest region by territory but has a population of less than 1 million people, half of which are the region's indigenous Turkic-speaking Yakuts. With reporting by Aartyk.ru, Vesti Yakutii, and news.ykt.ru The U.S. Senate has confirmed former CIA Director Mike Pompeo as secretary of state. Senators on April 26 voted 57-42 to approve Pompeo as the top U.S. diplomat, the second of Donald Trump's presidency. He was later sworn in by Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito. In a statement, Trump applauded his new secretary of state as someone who "will always put the interests of America first." Pompeo has become one of Trump's most trusted advisers during his 15 months as CIA director. Most recently, he has been deeply involved in preparations for Trump's summit with Kim Jong Un, including meeting with the North Korean leader three weeks ago. The approval comes in time for Pompeo to attend a NATO foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels on April 27. The State Department said he will then visit three U.S. allies in the Middle East: Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan. Democrats have accused Pompeo of being too hawkish and they worried about previous harsh statements he has made about Islam. Trump fired his first secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, last month, citing differences over key policy questions, including whether to continue honoring the Iran nuclear deal. Based on reporting by AP, the BBC, and Reuters Macedonia and Greece are "very dedicated" to resolving their long-running name dispute, a UN mediator said on April 25 following talks between the two countries' foreign ministers in Vienna. "We discussed the open issues between the parties, including the name issue," Matthew Nimetz said after a meeting in Vienna between Nikos Kotzias of Greece and his Macedonian counterpart, Nikola Dimitrov. "It was an intense discussion, very cordial and...both sides are very dedicated to reaching a solution. The process will continue in the next weeks," the veteran American diplomat told reporters. Macedonian leaders are hoping to resolve the dispute this year to accelerate the country's bid to join the European Union. Greece, an EU member, has for years blocked Macedonia's membership in the bloc, as well as in NATO, over the name dispute. The dispute arose in 1991 when Macedonia declared independence following the collapse of communist Yugoslavia. Athens objected to its northern neighbor using the name Macedonia because it has a northern province by the same name and feared Macedonia's move implied territorial claims on that province. Negotiations over the matter languished for years but made progress after Macedonia in February agreed to change the name of the capital's Alexander the Great airport to Skopje International Airport in a goodwill gesture to Greece. The motorway linking Macedonia with Greece was also renamed the Friendship Highway. Several possible new names have been floated for the Balkan country, with Gorna Makedonija or Upper Macedonia the most frequently mentioned. "I believe that we have never had better circumstances to find a complete solution that will last for centuries and will remain forever," Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev told AFP earlier this month. Greek officials have also expressed optimism that the dispute might be resolved this year. Based on reporting by AP and AFP The Russian military has said it will soon deliver new air-defense systems to Syria in light of missile attacks launched on alleged Syrian chemical-weapons facilities by the United States, Britain, and France nearly two weeks ago. Russian General Staff Colonel General Sergei Rudskoi said on April 25 that Moscow will supply Syria with "new missile-defense systems soon," though he did not specify the type of weapons. His remark follows Russian media reports saying Moscow is considering selling its sophisticated S-300 surface-to-air missile systems to Syria. In the days since the April 14 Western air strikes, top Russian officials have said they may reconsider a pledge Moscow gave a decade ago not to provide Syria with the S-300 system. The Western strikes were in retaliation for a suspected chemical-weapons attack in the town of Douma that killed more than 40 people on April 7. The Western allies blamed the incident on President Bashar al-Assad's government. Russia and Syria denied that Damascus was behind the attack. They also claimed to have shot down most of the Western missiles launched on April 14 -- a claim denied by the Pentagon. Aside from raising the risk of any future Western missile attacks over alleged chemical-weapons incidents, Russia's move to transfer upgraded air-defense systems to Syria could be seen as threatening to Syria's neighbor Israel. Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman warned on April 24 that if Syria uses Russian-made air-defense missiles against Israel, it will strike back. "What's important to us is that the defensive weapons the Russians are giving Syria won't be used against us," Lieberman told the Israeli news website Ynet. "If they're used against us, we'll act against them." Israel has not taken sides in the Syrian civil war, but its air force has carried out dozens of air strikes during the fighting, most of them believed to have been aimed at suspected arms shipments to Hizballah militias allied with Iran. Israel has recently warned Iran against any moves to augment its military presence in Syria, where Iranian military advisers and militias have long provided critical support to Assad in his seven-year civil war against Sunni rebels. In February, Israel shot down what it said was an armed Iranian drone that penetrated its airspace from Syria. Israel responded by carrying out air strikes in Syria. Israel and Russia have maintained close contact to prevent any clashes between their forces in the skies over Syria. Lieberman told Ynet that Russia already has air-defense systems in Syria. He said Israel is concerned about moves by Iran and Syria, not Russia. "For several years, we've been constantly in coordination and able to avoid friction with the Russians," he said. "The only ones to act against us are the Syrians." With reporting by Reuters, AP, RIA Novosti, and TASS Serbia has barred Croatian Defense Minister Damir Krsticevic from entering the country until further notice, following a similar action by Zagreb. The Serbian government imposed the ban on April 26 against Krsticevic, who is also a deputy prime minister, saying the move was a "reciprocity measure." On April 22, Croatia said Serbian Defense Minister Aleksandar Vulin was not welcome to make a visit to a memorial service for the victims of a World War II concentration camp in Jasenovac. Zagreb accused Vulin of undermining its sovereignty with a statement in which he claimed that his right to travel to Croatia was not up to the Croatian government. In a statement, Serbia's government said Croatias move was "against good neighborly relations and respect for basic European values, which include the freedom of movement." "The government of Serbia remains committed to preserving peace and stability in the region and respecting European standards and values, in the interest of the citizens of Serbia and the region," it added. Vulin has called Croatias decision an attempt "to silence those speaking about the crimes committed at Jasenovac, where around 100,000 Serbs, Jews, Roma, and anti-fascist Croats were killed by the Ustashe regime, a quasi-protectorate under Fascist and Nazi patronage. Relations between EU candidate Serbia and Croatia, which is a member of the bloc, have been strained since Croatia's declaration of independence from the former Yugoslavia in 1991, which set off a four-year conflict with rebel ethnic Serbs supported by Belgrade. On April 18, a Croatian parliamentary delegation cut short a visit to Belgrade after nationalist politician Vojislav Seselj, recently convicted of war crimes by a United Nations court, reportedly stamped on the Croatian national flag and cursed the visitors. With reporting by Reuters, AP, and dpa TASHKENT -- Shuhrat Abbosov, a prominent theater and film director known as one of the founders of Uzbek cinema, died on April 25 at the age of 87. Abbosov's relatives told RFE/RL that the film director died peacefully in Tashkent. Abbosov started his filmmaking career at the Uzbekfilm studio in 1959. His movies issued from the 1960s to the 1980s were very well-known across the former Soviet Union. Among his most popular works are such films as The Makhalla Rumors, You Are Not An Orphan, Tashkent: The City Of Bread, The Roads Of Fire, and A Little Man In A Big War. Many of his movies have been included into the Russian Cinema Academy's Golden Fund of Soviet Cinemas Classics. Britain and France have denounced as a "stunt" and "masquerade" a move by Russia and Syria to produce Syrian witnesses to support claims that there was no chemical attack in the city of Douma earlier this month. Russian and Syrian officials on April 26 presented several unharmed people from Douma, near Damascus, at the headquarters of the Organization for the Prohibition for Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in The Hague. Russia also held a press conference later in the day to present "evidence" that allegations of the chemical attack were "completely null and void," according to Russia's representative to the OPCW, Aleksandr Shulgin. The U.K. representative to the OPCW, Peter Wilson, said Britain and its allies would not attend the briefing, saying in a statement that "the OPCW is not a theater." "Russia's decision to misuse it is yet another Russian attempt to undermine the OPCWs work, and in particular the work of its Fact Finding Mission investigating chemical-weapons use in Syria," he added. "This obscene masquerade does not come as a surprise from the Syrian government, which has massacred and gassed its own people for the last seven years," said Philippe Lalliot, the French ambassador to the Netherlands. The United States, Britain, and France fired more than 100 missiles at Syrian facilities on April 14 in response to what Western officials say was an April 7 chemical attack that killed dozens of civilians in Douma. Damascus and Moscow, which has given Syrian President Bashar al-Assads government crucial support throughout the seven-year war that has killed hundreds of thousands of people, deny that a chemical attack took place in Douma. On April 25, OPCW inspectors made a second visit to Douma, collecting samples from a new location that will be sent to designated labs for analysis. Also on April 26, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that the foreign ministers of Russia, Iran, and Turkey were scheduled to meet in Moscow on April 28 to discuss Syria and the nuclear deal between Iran and world powers. Iran, along with Russia, backs Assad in the war in Syria, while Turkey supports opponents seeking to oust him. The three countries launched a negotiations process last year in the Kazakh capital, Astana, which is running parallel with the UN-sponsored peace talks in Geneva. Speaking to reporters in Brussels on April 25, EU foreign-policy chief Federica Mogherini called on the three countries to do more to scale down the fighting in Syria, saying they shared a "special responsibility" to ensure the conditions for a cease-fire and for Assad's government to return to the negotiating table. Its slightly embarrassing, but works wonders. You know those Febreze commercials where blindfolded volunteers sit on a couch and describe the lovely, fresh scents they smell? While the viewer can see theyre actually in a dungeon of filth that looks like a Saw set? Well, I had a similarly uncanny experience when I took my two cats to their current veterinarian for the first time. As a lifelong pet owner, I know vets offices usually smell exactly how youd expect a small space stuffed with furry animals to smell not so pleasant. But when the elevator opened, a blindfolded me wouldve assumed Id hit the wrong floor. Instead of pet odor, the aroma of orange blossoms and Aperol spritzes filled the air. I wasnt in an Italian apricot orchard though. I was most definitely in a vets office, and yet it smelled like a day spa. I had to ask the doctor what sorcery he used to create this olfactory oasis. Its the Pet Odor Exterminator Candle, he said, gesturing to an unassuming glass-jar candle on a shelf. He explained that it works not by filling the air with a new scent to overpower the stink, but by releasing a blend of natural enzymes the titular exterminator that break down airborne animal odors at a molecular level. Could this, lets just say it, ugly candle with bad font really work better than others Ive tried? Better than expensive versions from Diptyque and Byredo? I ordered the Orange Lemon Splash the vet had been using, and it worked just as well in my apartment as it did in his office. I keep one in the bathroom where the litter boxes live and another in the kitchen or living room to neutralize smells of feline food and fur lingering in the air. Cat odors no longer assault visitors as they walk through the door, and new guests often cant believe I even own cats. All the other scents Ive tried, like the clean-laundry-smelling Clothesline Fresh and the autumnal Harvest Cider, are equally effective. I doubt Ill use any other candle again, and with more than 30 varieties available, Ill never get bored of the same smell. Next up: Hippie Love and Sugar Skull. get the strategist newsletter Actually good deals, smart shopping advice, and exclusive discounts. Email This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Terms & Privacy Notice By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice and to receive email correspondence from us. The Strategist is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Some of our latest conquests include the best acne treatments, rolling luggage, pillows for side sleepers, natural anxiety remedies, and bath towels. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change. Every editorial product is independently selected. If you buy something through our links, New York may earn an affiliate commission. Ukraine is marking the 32nd anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster on April 26 with a memorial service and a series of events in remembrance of the world's worst-ever civilian nuclear accident. In neighboring Belarus, an opposition-organized event will also be held to commemorate the disaster. In Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, hundreds of people marched at midnight to the Memorial Hill of Chernobyl Heroes where they laid flowers and lit candles. At 1 a.m. on April 26, an Orthodox service and a prayer to commemorate Chernobyl victims were performed at the site. President Petro Poroshenko, on April 26, wrote on Facebook that Chernobyl "will forever remain an open wound for us." "Today, we have to do everything to prevent a repetition of that tragedy... the Chernobyl zone must now become a place of new technologies, a territory of changes,' Poroshenko wrote. In Belarus, the opposition plans to hold a march in Minsk known as the "Chernobyl Path" later on April 26. The march has been held in the Belarusian capital since 1988 to commemorate the disaster in neighboring Ukraine, which also contaminated large swaths of territory in Belarus. An explosion on April 26, 1986, blew the roof off the building housing a nuclear reactor and spewed a cloud of radioactive material high into the air -- drifting across Ukraine's borders into Russia, Belarus, and across large parts of Europe. About 30 people died in the immediate aftermath and thousands more are feared to have died in the years that followed from the effects of the disaster -- mainly exposure to radiation. On April 25, the Vienna-based UN Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation said that around 20,000 thyroid cancer cases were registered between 1991 and 2015 in the area surrounding the reactor, which takes in all of Ukraine and Belarus, as well parts of Russia. The UN scientists said that since the accident, 1-in-4 thyroid cancer cases have been caused by radiation in the region. In November 2016, a huge arch was placed over the stricken reactor to prevent further leaks of radiation. The project -- funded by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development -- cost $1.6 billion. With reporting by RFE/RL's Belarus Service, 112 Ukrayina, and pravda.ua The U.S. Justice Department has opened an investigation into suspected violations of Iran sanctions by China's Huawei Technologies, U.S. media reported on April 25. The Justice Department probe comes after subpoenas were issued to the company by the U.S. Commerce and Treasury departments over sanctions-related issues, according to Reuters, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and other media, which cited anonymous officials. Reuters reported that since at least 2016, U.S. authorities have been probing Huawei's alleged shipping of U.S.-origin products to Iran in violation of U.S. sanctions law. It said the probe of Huawei is similar to one that China's ZTE Corp. says is now threatening its survival. The United States last week banned U.S. firms from selling parts and software to ZTE for seven years. Washington imposed nearly $1 billion of fines on ZTE for allegedly illegally shipping U.S. goods to Iran. Huawei -- one of the world's largest telecommunications equipment and service providers -- has been under scrutiny in the United States because of its alleged close links to the Chinese government, which U.S. officials say make it a security risk. The company's U.S. business has been tightly constrained by worries it could undermine U.S. competitors and that its cell phones and networking equipment, used widely in other countries, could provide Beijing with avenues for espionage. Last month, U.S. regulators proposed restricting small telecom carriers from purchasing "equipment or services from companies that pose a national security threat." Huawei spokesman Charles Zinkowski said in a statement that the company "complies with all applicable laws and regulations where it operates, including the applicable export control and sanction laws and regulations of the UN, U.S., and EU." Based on reporting by AFP and Reuters Chicken and chips may whet your appetite, but this is a different serving; the unusual name is for an NTV Uganda show airing every Sunday at 1:30pm. And no; it is not a cooking show either. It is a youthful puppetry edutainment series focusing on topics that touch the challenges of our society. The show includes real-life conversations that are then played out by puppets, as well as asking Ugandans on the street about sensitive topics, mostly about relationships, which many of us want to ask, but are afraid to ask out loud. The show covers topics such as sex, marriage, relationships, gender roles, taboos, bullying and abuse, how to stand up for yourself, and tackling social norms and expectations. One of the segments is called Katwe Corner and is made up of recorded, unscripted and uncensored live discussions. The Popcorn Video includes trivia, humour and useful factoids that pop up in your favourite Ugandan hit videos, while Talk of the Town interviews Ugandans on the streets, asking them thought-provoking personal questions whose answers end up being very funny. The Social Experiment employs hidden cameras to observe how ordinary people behave when they are confronted with dilemmas that make them reveal their attitudes and make tough choices. The show is hosted by the charming puppet Kiki Love voiced by Fun Factory comedian and KFM presenter, Veronica Mustapha Tindichebwa aka Tindi. barangasam@gmail.com The high prevalence of malaria parasites in blood for transfusion in Sub-Saharan Africa could be a major setback in the fight against the disease in the region, a study suggests. The study, presented this month (15-20 April) at the 7th Multilateral Initiative on Malaria (MIM) Pan African Malaria Conference in Dakar, Senegal, was a systematic review of the risk of transfusion-transmitted malaria from blood donors in Sub-Saharan Africa. Selali Fiamanya, a co-author of the study and a research fellow at the Worldwide Antimalarial Resistance Network (WWARN), says his team assessed the presence of malaria parasites in 22,508 potential blood donors in 24 studies conducted in nine countries of Sub-Saharan Africa from 2000 to 2017. Without better vigilance, children receiving transfusions to address malarias impacts risk exposure to more malaria-causing parasites. Selali Fiamanya The study assessed the presence of malaria parasites in blood bags. Prevalence ranged from 6.5 per cent to 74.1 per cent in different study sites, Fiamanya says, noting that most of the studies were conducted in Central and West Africa, including more than ten studies from Nigeria. The researchers pooled data from individual studies to generate an estimate of the presence of malaria parasites in blood donations across the region. Based on the 24 studies, they estimated that malaria parasites could be detected in 23 per cent of donor blood. Malaria can be transmitted by blood transfusion, and efforts to combat it should include investigation into blood products, an important often life-saving intervention which is conducted across the world, Fiamanya tells SciDev.Net. According to Fiamanya, who is also a research fellow at UK-based Oxford Universitys Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, the blood bank burden of malaria in Sub-Saharan Africa means pregnant women and children are being exposed to malaria parasites through transfusions. Our research is only the first line of inquiry needed to better understand the risk for pregnant women and children who receive the majority of transfusions in this region, he says. The same investigations need to be done in Latin America and Asia to investigate the blood bank burden of malaria in these regions too, as it is likely there is also a hidden source of infection. Philippe Guerin, a co-author of the study and the director of WWARN, says: The technical challenges of diagnosing Plasmodium parasites from blood donation products require attention, as does further exploration to better understand this risk and [how to] mitigate it. Policy makers in Sub-Saharan Africa need to know about the possibility of a high risk of malaria transmission through their blood banks, says Guerin. We recommend further research into novel ways to screen and treat blood bank supplies, such as trials into the treatment of blood bags before patients receive a transfusion. He calls for closer collaboration between malaria researchers and the blood banks to further develop approaches to respond to these risks. In another study conducted from June to September 2017 in Equatorial Guineas capital, Malabo, and presented at the same meeting, researchers indicated that out of 200 blood samples collected at the citys blood bank which were deemed to be malaria-free using rapid diagnostic tests, malaria parasites were found in 29.5 per cent. Claudia Daubenberger, a co-author of the study and a researcher at the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, says the study used highly sensitive methods to detect all six malaria species that can infect humans. Currently the used rapid diagnostic tests are not sensitive enough to detect low levels of Plasmodium falciparum infections and non-falciparum malaria species. Douglas Oimeke, a senior resident at the department of family medicine at The Aga Khan University East Africa, Kenya, tells SciDev.Net that any transfusion of blood, and blood products that contain red blood cells, carries with it the risk of malaria transmission with the risk being more clinically significant in endemic areas. Clinically, all patients receiving blood transfusions containing red blood cells are supposed to be monitored for any features suggestive of malaria parasites transmission, explains Oimeke. Signs and symptoms include but are not limited to fever, chills, headache, yellowness of eyes and dark urine. This piece was produced by SciDev.Nets Sub-Saharan Africa English desk. Searches involving multiple websites can quickly get confusing, particularly when performed on a mobile device with a small screen. A new web browser developed at Carnegie Mellon University now brings order to complex searches in a way not possible with conventional tabbed browsing. The Bento browser, inspired by compartmentalized bento lunch boxes popular in Japan, stores each search session as a project workspace that keeps track of the most interesting or relevant parts of visited web pages. It's not necessary for a user to keep every site open to avoid losing information. "With Bento, we're structuring the entire experience through these projects," said Aniket Kittur, associate professor in the Human-Computer Interaction Institute (HCII). The projects are stored for later use, can be handed off to others, or can be moved to different devices. "This is a new way to browse that eliminates the tab overload that limits the usefulness of conventional browsers." Someone planning a trip to Alaska with a conventional browser, for instance, might create multiple tabs for each location or point of interest, as well as additional tabs for hotels, restaurants and activities. With Bento, users can identify pages they found useful, trash unhelpful pages and keep track of what they have read on each page. Bento also bundles the search result pages into task cards, such as accommodations, day trips, transportation, etc. The project could be shared with other people planning their own trips. Kittur's research team will present a report on their mobile web browser at CHI 2018, the Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, April 21-26 in Montreal, Canada. A research version of the Bento Browser for iPhones is available for download from the App Store. Mobile devices now initiate more web searches than do desktop computers. Yet the limitations of conventional browsers become more acute on mobile devices. Not only is screen size limited, but mobile users are more often interrupted and distracted and have more difficulty saving and organizing information, said Nathan Hahn, a Ph.D. student in HCII. In user studies that compared Bento with the Safari browser, users said they preferred Bento in cases where they wanted to continue a search later and wanted to pick up where they left off. They also said Bento kept their searches better organized. Though most participants found it easier to learn how to use Safari, they found Bento more useful for finding pages and believed that Bento made their mobile searches more effective. One goal was to design Bento to work in a way that complements the way the mind works. "If we get a lot of people using it, Bento could serve as a microscope to study how people make sense of information," Kittur said, noting people who use the research version are asked to consent to their searches becoming part of the research data. "This might lead to a new type of artificial intelligence," he added. Bento Browser is now a search app for iPhones, but its capabilities for organizing searches and helping people resume searches also could benefit people using desktop computers. To accommodate those users, Kittur's team is now preparing a Bento plug-in for the Chrome browser. Joseph Chee Chang, a Ph.D. student in CMU's Language Technologies Institute, also is part of the Bento team and a co-author of the CHI paper. More information is available at https://bentobrowser.com/. Speaking in Kampala, South Sudan officials signalled at a three-day high level meeting of the eight-nation Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (Igad) that the newest member of the bloc wants a law barring its political opponents from getting asylum in the region. In his speech at the opening of the meeting of Igad officials and member states in Kampala yesterday, South Sudan foreign affairs minister Dr Martin Elia Lomuro warned that rich South Sudan politicians residing in the regions capitals could wage war against his government. Second day of the South Sudan national consultative meeting on free movement of persons. Photo: Mehari Taddele Some of them (politicians) have huge properties and investments inappropriately earned from South Sudan. This undeserved wealth is used to advocate violence and war against South Sudan, Lomuro said in his remarks to the high level experts discussing the ratification of IGADs Protocol on Free Movement of Persons at Sheraton hotel, Kampala. Lumuro wants such political refugees expelled from Igad member nations. These kind of people cannot just be treated like ordinary asylum seekers because according to the IGAD Instrument of Establishment no member state should harbor rebels or allow such negative elements to use its territory against member states, he charged. Previously, Riek Machar, the main political nemesis of South Sudan president Salva Kiir, lived in Uganda and Ethiopia, which are key members of the Igad. He has, however, since relocated to South Africa. Lumuros concerns are expected to form the basis for conclusions from the high level experts meeting, which concludes on April 26. Top officials including foreign and internal affairs ministers, MPs, and immigration experts from the Igad attended the meeting. There are also representatives from partner UN agencies such as the International Organisation for Migration, the UNHRC (refugees), UNILO (labour) and the European Union (EU), who facilitate the Igad secretariat work on immigration projects. The meeting is a follow-up on first consultations, which Igad held with South Sudan government officials and other national stakeholders in Juba last year. Resolutions on the provisions of the protocol will provide a political endorsement to fast-track its negotiation and adoption. The Igad Protocol on Free Movement of Persons to enhance regional economic integration and development. Once adopted, the protocol will also help in regulating the high volume of informal movement which currently takes place in the Igad region. Rocked by civil war since 2013, South Sudan has more than two million refugees living in the Igad nations, which include; Uganda, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Somalia and The Sudan. Uganda alone hosts an estimated 1.3 million South Sudan refugees. mugalu@observer.ug Some people are worried about the future consequences of climate change, while others consider them too remote to have an impact on their well-being. Researchers at the University of Geneva (UNIGE), Switzerland, examined how these differences are reflected in our brains. With the help of neuro-imaging, the scientists found that people deemed "egotistical" do not use the area of the brain that enables us to look into and imagine the distant future. In "altruistic" individuals, on the other hand, the same area is alive with activity. The research results, published in the journal Cognitive, Affective & Behavioural Neuroscience, may help psychologists devise exercises that put this specific area of the brain to work. These could be used to improve people's ability to project themselves into the future and raise their awareness of, for example, the effects of climate change. The concerns experienced by human beings are built on their values, which determine whether individuals prioritize their personal well-being or put themselves on an equal footing with their peers. In order to encourage as many people as possible to adopt "sustainable" behaviour, it is thus necessary that they feel the consequences of climate change are relevant to them. Some individuals -- who are more self-centred -- do not worry about the consequences, believing that these potential disasters are too far off. "We wondered what magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) could teach us about how the brain processes information about the future impact of climate change, and how this mechanism differs depending on the self-centeredness of the individual," says Tobias Brosch, professor in the Psychology Section at UNIGE's Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences (FPSE). Are egoists only afraid of what directly concerns them? The UNIGE psychologists turned to the report drawn up by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, where they identified predictions about the outcomes of climate change, such as a reduction in drinking water supplies, an increase in border conflicts and a spike in natural disasters. They then assigned a year in the future to each of these effects, stating when it would come to pass. Brosch's team invited a panel of participants to complete a standardized questionnaire to measure the value hierarchies, marking the selfish or altruistic tendencies of each individual. One by one, the participants underwent an MRI before being shown the dated consequences of the events; they then had to answer two questions on a scale of 1 to 8: Is it serious? Are you afraid? "The first result we obtained was that for people with egotistical tendencies, the near future is much more worrying than the distant future, which will only come about after they are dead. In altruistic people, this difference disappears, since they see the seriousness as being the same," explains Brosch. Selfishness makes the brain lazy The psychologists then focused on the activity in the ventromedial pre-frontal cortex (vmPFC), an area of the brain above the eyes that is used when thinking about the future and trying to visualize it. "We found that with altruistic people, this cerebral zone is activated more forcefully when the subject is confronted with the consequences of a distant future as compared to the near future. By contrast, in an egotistical person, there is no increase in activity between a consequence in the near future and one in the distant future," says Brosch. This particular region of the brain is mainly used for projecting oneself into the distant future. The absence of heightened activity in a self-centred person indicates the absence of projection and the fact that the individual does not feel concerned by what will happen after his or her death. Why, then, should such people adopt sustainable forms of behaviour? Set your projection capabilities to work These outcomes, which can be applied to areas other than climate change, demonstrate the importance of being able to think about the distant future in order to adapt one's behaviour to the future constraints of the world. "We could imagine a psychological training that would work on this brain area using projection exercises," suggests Brosch. "In particular, we could use virtual reality, which would make the tomorrow's world visible to everyone, bringing human beings closer to the consequences of their actions." A University of Cincinnati geology student is helping NASA determine whether life existed on other planets. Doctoral candidate Andrew Gangidine is working with UC geology professor Andrew Czaja to develop a marker for ancient bacterial life on Mars. The research could help scientists put to rest one of our most fundamental mysteries. "We're trying to answer the question: How rare is life in the universe?" Gangidine said. Czaja, an assistant professor in UC's McMicken College of Arts and Sciences, serves on a NASA advisory committee that will decide where on Mars to send the next remote-controlled rover. Among other objectives, the rover will look for evidence that life once existed on the red planet. The advisory committee has narrowed the list of landing-site candidates to three and will recommend a finalist later this year. Meanwhile, Gangidine is studying microbial life in silica hot springs to come up with a useful indicator of life on Mars. For the past two years, he has conducted fieldwork in the geyser basins of Wyoming's Yellowstone National Park to examine what elements are associated with bacteria that live in these geothermal pools. "We want to remain objective. Some people think there has to be life on Mars," Gangidine said. "Others think there certainly isn't life on Mars. And either side has a good chance of being correct. Both have valid arguments. Which is why if we go there and don't see anything, it won't be 'mission fail.'" Gangidine presented his research April 25 at the Second International Mars Sample Return conference in Berlin, Germany. advertisement Today, we know that life cannot exist on Mars, at least not on its dry surface. Solar radiation split most of its surface water into its elemental parts nearly 3 billion years ago when the red planet lost its protective magnetic field. But scientists are debating whether life might exist somewhere deep underground, among pockets of water trapped around geothermal areas similar to Yellowstone's geysers. Finding evidence of life on Mars is surprisingly complicated. If Mars ever sustained life, it's possible that it was wiped out when most of its atmosphere vanished in the solar wind, Czaja said. So NASA scientists must be prepared to look for fossil evidence of bacterial life dating back that far. Gangidine said the good news is that similar fossils of early bacterial life more than 3.5 billion years ago have been found on Earth. This makes him optimistic that if similar life ever existed on Mars, NASA has a chance of finding a fossil record of it. advertisement "We can look at life being preserved in these silica deposits today. We have evidence of this happening throughout geologic time," Gangidine said. "What we're trying to do is catch fossilization as it happens. What happens to the microbes themselves? And what happens to the trace elements we think are associated with them while they're alive?" To unearth clues about ancient life on Mars, geologists look to hot springs such as those found in America's first national park. Gangidine and his colleagues need permits to collect samples in the park's backcountry. But exploring the geyser basins can be tricky and dangerous. A tourist died in 2017 after falling into one of the basin's boiling pools while hiking off-trail. "These things really can strip the flesh off your bones," Gangidine said. "At the bottom of hot springs we study you see skulls of bison and other animals that were unfortunate enough to wander too close." Gangidine's team includes an experienced backcountry field researcher, UC postdoctoral fellow Jeff Havig who is now with the University of Minnesota. They pick their way carefully across the caldera. Sometimes, they can see where a bison's hoof has broken through the thin crust to reveal steaming mud. The geology work takes them across "quaking bogs," a thin layer of peat and grass covering deep shifting mud. Gangidine was walking alongside a colleague on one such hike when he sank above his knees in the treacherous mire. "Luckily, that place wasn't super hot. But I was walking just a foot away from someone else. The ground can really change quickly," he said. "When we go into these settings, we have to be very careful." Boiling acid and lava-like mud aren't the only hazards for researchers in the geyser basins. They also have to be careful not to spend too long around the steam vents, which contain a mix of gases such as carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide and methane that can asphyxiate a person under the right conditions. The U.S. Geological Survey documented this phenomenon in 1888 in part of the park nicknamed "Death Gulch," a natural depression between two steep hills where toxic gases bubble up from Cache Creek. Harvard University geologist T.A. Jaggar Jr. returned to the area in 1899 and found six bears, an elk and various small animals that died apparently after succumbing to the toxic fumes. But even in the fresh air, the gas rising from the ground can have a cumulative effect, Gangidine said. "These hot springs emit a lot of gases you don't want to breathe in. They bind to the hemoglobin that carries oxygen through your body. Breathing that in, you get very fatigued," Gangidine said. "That's why we try to schedule a day out of the field for every three days we work in the field. If you're there for four days, you can really feel like a zombie. It's really hard to think, hard to move." As a biology undergraduate at UC, Gangidine worked with UC biology professor Dennis Grogan to examine microbial life called extremophiles that live in hostile places such as Yellowstone's acidic or alkaline hot springs. Now as a geologist, Gangidine is studying the fossils these hardy single-celled creatures leave behind. "Hot springs make silica deposits that preserve life really well," Gangidine said. "When left exposed on a planet's surface, it doesn't crystallize and doesn't metamorphose. So these samples should be relatively well preserved if we find them." In UC professor Czaja's geology lab, Gangidine peers through a microscope at slides he prepared from chunks of Yellowstone silica he took from a mountainous steam cone geyser. The bacterial filaments from samples taken at the top of the geyser are full of color. But the older samples, some perhaps thousands of years old, are colorless, even if they hold their shape. So for more clues about this basic form of life, Gangidine subjects the bacterial samples to elemental analysis using a secondary ion mass spectrometer. The analysis renders the elements in vivid color: deep yellows, reds and greens representing chromium or gallium perhaps associated with the bacterial life. If Gangidine finds a correlation between the concentrations and spatial distributions of particular elements and the bacteria, it might serve as a biosignature that scientists can use to identify past life on Mars. "The reason we chose gallium is it's not known to be associated with life. But when we look at the fossilized bacterial samples, we find it, so there must be something going on," Gangidine said. "Do the bacteria store certain elements preferentially as opposed to what you would find elsewhere in these rocks?" Gangidine is working with researchers in Australia, home to some of the world's oldest fossils, some dating back 3.5 billion years. "If I want to create a biosignature, I have to prove that it persists throughout time," Gangidine said. "It exists in these relatively younger samples. But does it exist in these ancient samples, too? That will be crucial to figure out." Gangidine also plans to build an artificial hot spring in a lab aquarium using similar elements found in geysers. By introducing a super-saturation to the water, the excess silica will precipitate much the same way it does in nature. Then he can add trace chemicals associated with life and study what happens in a miniature world absent of life. "To prove we found a biosignature, we have to prove the signature doesn't occur without life," he said. "Gallium is the one we were surprised by," Czaja said. "It is associated with silica near the bacteria but isn't in the bacteria." Like Gangidine, Czaja got his start in the sciences by studying biology before pursuing a career in paleontology. Czaja's NASA advisory committee will meet in October to decide where on Mars they would like to send the rover among the three preferred destinations. The rover is tentatively slated for launch in July or August of 2020, arriving on Mars about seven months later. "NASA tends to like to go new places to push the frontier. Geologists like to go back to the same places over and over to ask new questions," Czaja said. The rover will collect samples in sealed containers for shipping back to Earth in a later mission. So it could be many years before geologists such as Czaja and Gangidine know whether their hunches about where best to look for life on Mars were correct. Helping to frame a question that you may never live to see answered is one of science's most selfless pursuits, Czaja said. "One thing I like about these NASA missions is the long-term thinking and planning," he said. "People working on these projects now may never see the results. But they're still willing to put in the work because it's such a fascinating question." The Mars 2020 mission will not be a failure if scientists find no evidence of life. Quite the contrary, Gangidine said. "If we find it, we can say maybe life is not that rare among planets," Gangidine said. "But if we don't find life in places that would be the most ideal and best preserved candidates, then maybe life is pretty rare." But if NASA does find evidence of life on Mars, that might suggest that sparking life from a primordial soup isn't so extraordinary after all. And the first question will be how life on Mars compares to life on Earth, Czaja said. Was there a common ancestor? "Maybe we're all Martians," Czaja said. Any claim about the existence or absence of life on Mars will be subjected to worldwide scrutiny and skepticism. Czaja said researchers must be prepared to provide a wealth of evidence to fortify their findings. "It's not nearly enough to find something that looks like a bacterial cell," Czaja said. "There are nonbiological things that could look like that. But if you have a cascade of traits -- this and this and this added together -- it's hard to explain it any other way except for life." A University of Delaware researcher investigated the relationship between midday-napping behaviors and neurocognitive function in early adolescents and found some keys to helping the teens battle fatigue. In a study funded by the National Institutes of Health, School of Nursing assistant professor 's Xiaopeng Ji and principal investigator Jianghong Liu (University of Pennsylvania) turned to the Chinese classroom. With participants from schools in Jintan, she measured midday napping, nighttime sleep duration and sleep quality, and performance on multiple neurocognitive tasks. Ji is interested in the relationship between sleep and cognition. Because of the intensive learning and education demands, the adolescent population is key. Neurocognitive functioning is essential for learning, emotion and behavior control. Her findings suggest that an association between habitual midday napping and neurocognitive function, especially in China, where midday napping is a cultural practice. "Daytime napping is quite controversial in the United States. In Western culture, the monophasic sleep pattern is considered a marker of brain maturation," Ji said. "In China, time for napping is built into the post-lunch schedule for many adults in work settings and students at schools." Ji has studied the circadian rhythm of sleep (a person's 24-hour cycle). A developmental change takes place in circadian rhythm during adolescence; teenagers' rhythm shifts one to two hours later than the preadolescent period. "This phase delay is biologically driven in adolescents," Ji said. "Think about that in a school schedule. Teenagers have to get up early for school. And, with this phase delay of going to bed later, they are at-risk for chronic sleep deprivation." Ji explained that these adolescents may experience impaired neurocognitive function, which makes paying attention in school even more difficult. Memory and reasoning ability also suffer. advertisement A circadian dip occurs daily from 12 to 2 p.m. During that period, adolescents are more likely to fall asleep. In a U.S. school, a student does not have a formal opportunity to do so. "Throughout childhood, U.S. kids experience decreases in napping tendencies. Kids are trained to remove their midday napping behavior," said Ji. "Conversely in China, the school schedule allows children to maintain it." Researchers have taken a friend or foe mentality towards napping. Many consider a midday snooze as needed compensation for nighttime sleep deprivation; another faction believes daytime napping continually interferes with nighttime sleep. Many studies invite people to a lab setting -- experimentally imposing the nap -- and find the aforementioned cognitive benefits. But Ji said that's difficult to correlate with habitual sleep at home. "The results from lab studies may be different from what the population is habitually doing at home -- sleeping in their own bed," Ji said. Lots of research exists on adults, but that's not the case for adolescents. This lack of literature motivated Ji to take on the task. And since the American school schedule was a barrier to finding more information, researchers used Chinese data in the University of Delaware and University of Pennsylvania collaborative study. advertisement Key findings Ji investigated two dimensions of nap behavior -- frequency and duration. Routine nappers, who napped five to seven days in a week, had sustained attention, better nonverbal reasoning ability and spatial memory. How long to nap is also an important question? The sweet spot is between 30 to 60 minutes. A nap longer than one hour interferes with circadian rhythm. Participants who slept between 30 to 60 minutes produced better accuracy in attention tasks as well as faster speed. She recommends not to nap after 4 p.m., nor over-nap. Researchers were surprised to find a positive relationship between midday napping and nighttime sleep, which is different than the literature. Habitual nappers (who napped more often) tended to have a better nighttime sleep. "That's different than the findings in the United States, where napping may serve as a function to replace sleep lost from the previous night. Consequently, that may interfere with the following night's sleep," Ji said. "In China, a midday nap is considered a healthy lifestyle. Routine nappers are more likely to experience healthy nighttime sleep. So routine nappers are essentially trained to sleep well and sleep more at night." Ji was clear that this study was observational. At this point, she cannot conclude causality. She hopes this line of research can inform future studies and public health policy. An innovative, eel-like robot developed by engineers and marine biologists at the University of California can swim silently in salt water without an electric motor. Instead, the robot uses artificial muscles filled with water to propel itself. The foot-long robot, which is connected to an electronics board that remains on the surface, is also virtually transparent. The team, which includes researchers from UC San Diego and UC Berkeley, details their work in the April 25 issue of Science Robotics. Researchers say the bot is an important step toward a future when soft robots can swim in the ocean alongside fish and invertebrates without disturbing or harming them. Today, most underwater vehicles designed to observe marine life are rigid and submarine-like and powered by electric motors with noisy propellers. "Instead of propellers, our robot uses soft artificial muscles to move like an eel underwater without making any sound," said Caleb Christianson, a Ph.D. student at the Jacobs School of Engineering at UC San Diego. One key innovation was using the salt water in which the robot swims to help generate the electrical forces that propel it. The bot is equipped with cables that apply voltage to both the salt water surrounding it and to pouches of water inside of its artificial muscles. The robot's electronics then deliver negative charges in the water just outside of the robot and positive charges inside of the robot that activate the muscles. The electrical charges cause the muscles to bend, generating the robot's undulating swimming motion. The charges are located just outside the robot's surface and carry very little current so they are safe for nearby marine life. "Our biggest breakthrough was the idea of using the environment as part of our design," said Michael T. Tolley, the paper's corresponding author and a professor of mechanical engineering at the Jacobs School at UC San Diego. "There will be more steps to creating an efficient, practical, untethered eel robot, but at this point we have proven that it is possible." Previously, other research groups had developed robots with similar technology. But to power these robots, engineers were using materials that need to be held in constant tension inside semi-rigid frames. The Science Robotics study shows that the frames are not necessary. advertisement "This is in a way the softest robot to be developed for underwater exploration," Tolley said. The robot was tested inside salt-water tanks filled with jelly fish, coral and fish at the Birch Aquarium at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego and in Tolley's lab. The conductive chambers inside the robot's artificial muscles can be loaded with fluorescent dye (as shown in the video accompanying the study and this release). In the future, the fluorescence could be used as a kind of signaling system. Next steps also include improving the robot's reliability and its geometry. Researchers need to improve ballast, equipping the robot with weights so that it can dive deeper. For now, engineers have improvised ballast weights with a range of objects, such as magnets. In future work, researchers envision building a head for their eel robot to house a suite of sensors. The research was supported with a grant from the Office of Naval Research. Christianson is supported by a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship. Videos: http://bit.ly/eelbot (feature) http://bit.ly/UCSDScienceRobotics (research video) The World Bank is forcing Uganda the to take a $40million (about Shs 185 billion) loan to fight gender based violence (GBV), Finance minister, Matia Kasaija has said. The loan, expected to increase participation in gender-based violence prevention programmes and utilisation of multi-sectoral services for survivors of gender-based violence in targeted districts, was approved by the cabinet on Monday. But according to Kasaija, the World Bank forced the government to accept this loan. Finance minister Matia Kasaija "When the government started dragging its feet, World Bank warned that it would be hard for Uganda to get support for other projects," he explained. Kasaija said in the course of negotiating for the loan, World Bank suspended funding on the FortPortal-Kamwenge road citing environmental concerns and allegations of sexual misconduct by the contractors. He added that the Bank also suspended loan agreements for two other projects, pushing the government into a fix. World Bank later set conditions which the government fulfilled, but Kasaija said, the Bank returned saying the government was not handling the issue of gender based violence satisfactorily. They suggested a loan offer to address the issue. Kasaija admitted that government was not convinced that it needed this loan. He added that the World Bank country director Christina Malmberg told him that Uganda would be acclaimed as an exemplary country borrowing to address an issue considered important by the Bretton Wood institution. But Kasaija further revealed, Christina told him that if the government refused to take the loan, it would be hard to lobby for other loans. "We discussed this loan not only from here but we even went to cabinet just last Monday. Your view is as strong as our view, some of us. When this matter was brought to my ministry here, I started asking our people here; surely we should borrow money to educate our people here?' I did not feel convinced. But when I called the World Bank representative, he said, 'youre being acclaimed as an example of a country which wants to address an issue which is uppermost in the World Bank. The question of environmental and gender based issues and please if you dont take this loan, we dont know if we shall find it easier to campaign for you to get more loans or loan grants for support.' To them it is very big issue." Kasaija said. Kasaija said cabinet directed the ministry of Finance to renegotiate with World Bank on the loan usage. "Rather than using it for midomo-midomo (sensitization), it should be used for education projects," he said adding that sensitisation is not a sustainable solution for gender-based violence. When more and more girls and boys are educated, Kasaija said gender-based violence becomes less and eradicated in the long term. "Cabinet has decided rather than get the money and do sensitisationcabinet has directed me to renegotiate the usage of that money. The more our girls and boys are educated, the less you will get incidences of violence. We thought it is a question of lack of education." By the end of 2022, more than 56,000 children in Karamoja sub-region will have access to clean water and sanitation facilities thanks to the new $10 million project launched today. The Shs 37 billion project is funded through a partnership between the United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef) and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and is targeting 88 primary schools and 12 secondary schools in the districts of Abim, Amudat, Kaabong, Kotido, Moroto, Napak and Nakapiripirit. The project was launched today by Unicef Uganda country representative Doreen Mulenga (R) and Kim You-Churl, the Ambassador of Korea to Uganda (C) It is envisaged that by the end of the programme, all selected schools will have latrines, a solar-powered water system and hand washing facilities. The package will help schools in Karamoja to meet the recommended national standard of one latrine for every 40 pupils, up from the current ratio of one latrine for every 70 students in Karamoja. It will also reduce the distance that children have to cover to access safe water to within 500 meters, a significant reduction from the more than 30 minutes it presently takes the majority of children across Uganda to access safe water. Unicef Uganda country representative Doreen Mulenga says that the choice of Karamoja for the services was based on the current economic restraint and hardship that the region is facing. It is envisaged that by the end of the programme, all selected schools will have latrines, a solar-powered water system and hand washing facilities. The package will help schools in Karamoja to meet the recommended national standard of one latrine for every 40 pupils, up from the current ratio of one latrine for every 70 students in Karamoja.It will also reduce the distance that children have to cover to access safe water to within 500 meters, a significant reduction from the more than 30 minutes it presently takes the majority of children across Uganda to access safe water.Unicef Uganda country representative Doreen Mulenga says that the choice of Karamoja for the services was based on the current economic restraint and hardship that the region is facing. "If you look at the indicators, it [Karamoja] is doing worse. Whether youre looking at poverty, whether youre looking at school attendance, whether youre looking at children coming up to school and being able to transition to involvement. All those indicators are bad in Karamoja. So this is why we are focusing on Karamoja to see whether if some of these interventions, the well being of the community [and] the children can help uplift them out of poverty," said Mulenga. Mulenga says that due to a lack of toilets in the region, many school-going children are forced to remain home rather than go to school. Data from the Unicef shows that the provision of WASH facilities in schools reduces absenteeism in schools by 43 per cent. Kim You-Churl, the Ambassador of Korea to Uganda says that they are willing to work with Uganda to improve the lives of Ugandans. "We are not very rich like China and Japan but we have the heart to provide safe water, adequate sanitation and effective hygiene services to tens of thousands of vulnerable school going children in Karamoja." As part of the project, local government leaders in the respective districts will receive mindset change training at KOICA's National Farmers Leadership Center in Mpigi and in Korea. Other interventions of the programme include the provision of life skills education for girls, including menstrual hygiene management; social mobilization campaigns to accelerate positive behaviour change among individuals and broader social change among communities; and district-level advocacy. Conservative groups at UC Berkeley can sue the school over the restrictions it placed on high-profile speakers after violent protests over the planned appearance of right-wing firebrand Milo Yiannopoulos, a federal judge has ruled. U.S. District Judge Maxine Chesney of Oakland on Wednesday upheld the universitys contention that it was motivated by security, not liberal bias, when it scheduled talks by other conservative luminaries in smaller and more remote campus locations than the speakers preferred. But Chesney said the Berkeley College Republicans and Young Americas Foundation could proceed with their suit over university standards for high-profile speakers, imposed after the Yiannopoulos protests and over alleged discrimination in security fees. Yiannopoulos February 2017 speech was canceled after a student demonstration was taken over by masked protesters who smashed windows and set fires. He then spoke for a few minutes on campus in September in an event that conservatives had promoted as free speech week. The conservative groups said two more planned speakers, writer David Horowitz and author and television commentator Ann Coulter, had to cancel their appearances last year because university officials rescheduled their evening talks to daytime hours at buildings far from the center of campus. Radio host Ben Shapiro, supported by the same groups, spoke at UC Berkeley in September after paying a security fee that was challenged in the suit. The suit alleged that the university adopted an unwritten high-profile speaker policy in March 2017 that allowed officials to effectively censor conservative speakers by choosing the time and place of their appearance. The school contends it is entitled to determine the need for security measures, but Chesney said the conservative groups can try to prove that the policy gives officials too much leeway to restrict free expression. The policy, as described in the lawsuit, contains no standard for determining what events fall under the policy, at what locations events may be held, and what, if any, security fee may be imposed, the judge said. She rejected claims that the university discriminated by allowing former Mexican President Vicente Fox and Maria Echaveste, a former aide to President Bill Clinton, to speak at better locations and more convenient times than the conservatives. Neither of them posed the security concerns that school officials cited for Yiannopoulos and like-minded speakers, and there are no allegations suggesting those concerns were unfounded, Chesney said. But she refused to dismiss a claim of discrimination based on a $9,162 security fee for Shapiros talk, compared with a $5,000 fee for a 2011 speech by Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor. The two spoke at the same location, and Sotomayor may have had a larger audience because the balcony was closed for Shapiros appearance, Chesney said. Harmeet Dhillon, a lawyer for the conservative groups, said she was generally pleased with the ruling. It means the case will go forward, she said. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. But UC Berkeley spokesman Dan Mogulof said the ruling had upheld the campus current policy on speakers and security, adopted publicly last year. He said the university could defend the security fee charged to Shapiro in light of the more than $800,000 the school spent on safety measures for the speech. As for the allegations of an unwritten policy that gives officials unlimited authority to regulate speakers, Mogulof said, The campus strongly denies that any such secret policy exists and it will continue to dispute any claims related to that issue. Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter:@BobEgelko Critical delays. Dismissive and rude comments. A seeming unwillingness to take seriously their reports of sexual assaults. On Wednesday, a dozen women and advocates stood before a panel of San Francisco supervisors to describe how key city agencies have been mishandling rape cases, leaving those who report such crimes feeling mistreated and discarded by those who are supposed to help. What I experienced was 4 years and counting, today, of negligence and incompetence, said Rachel Sutton, whose sexual-assault investigation was detailed in The Chronicle. Going through this process is not liberating or freeing. Victims, like myself, get nothing. San Francisco General Hospital officials said that reports to the hospital of sexual assault have risen by 21 percent from 2015-17. But in many cases, victim advocates said, people wont report assaults because they dont know the process, or have heard complaints from others who did report. At San Francisco General, women said, they waited hours before being examined and having blood and urine samples taken delays that could have affected the evidence in their cases. Subsequent police investigations seemed to be lacking, they said, with key witnesses not being swiftly interviewed and evidence going uncollected. Cases that were finally sent to the district attorneys office languished as well, they said, with prosecutors unwilling to pursue charges that might not result in convictions. There is a pattern of negligence and mistreatment that I consider abusive toward rape victims, Supervisor Hillary Ronen said at the Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee hearing. These are our city employees who are blaming victims for their own assaults, disregarding the severity of these rapes, and denying survivors their right to an objective and thorough investigation. Jessica Christian / The Chronicle Representatives from San Francisco General, the Police Department and the district attorneys office acknowledged failings and promised to invest more in staffing and training to improve the intake, investigation and prosecution of sex assaults, particularly those perpetrated with the use of drugs or alcohol. Its been an incredible opportunity for us to hear what we can do better and should do better, San Francisco police Cmdr. Greg McEachern told the committee. What we are hearing today is: Oftentimes something that is said to a survivor, and the manner it is said, and how it is received by them, is less than an acceptable manner. Cristine DeBerry, chief of staff in the district attorneys office, echoed the sentiment. I do want to offer a sincere apology ... for anybody who was treated with less than the utmost dignity, DeBerry said. That is abhorrent, and not the standard we hold ourselves to. Catherine Classen, division head of Trauma Recovery Services at San Francisco General, said the hospital has tried to address concerns, including a new policy that calls for the collection of blood and urine samples within 30 minutes of a sexual-assault victims arrival. But she said more resources would be needed for staffing changes, such as providing mental health services outside of business hours during the week. We do our best, Classen said. But staffing is, I have to say, a real challenge for us. ... Yesterday, we had four sexual-assault survivors showing up, so it is an ongoing problem. Sexual-assault cases can be challenging to investigate and prosecute, according to experts. But even when there is little physical evidence, a victims statement is often legally enough for a district attorney to file charges. Nationwide, however, very few rapes are prosecuted. That is likely due, in part, to skepticism over alleged crimes involving acquaintances and alcohol, according to a 2012 article in the peer-reviewed journal Violence Against Women. Women who spoke on Wednesday said they often felt blamed by the police officers who took their reports. After she reported being drugged and raped by an acquaintance in 2016, Tiffany Tonel said, a police investigator told her that the success of her case would come down to her state of mind. My state of mind? What does that mean? Tonel said. Sex is consensual; rape is not. I could not consent in the state I was in. Jessica Christian / The Chronicle Jane Manning, a former New York City prosecutor who specializes in crimes against women and director of advocacy for Womens Justice NOW, said there is a tendency to fault victims who report having been drugged if they had been drinking socially beforehand, even when there is corroborating evidence. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. Manning has recently advocated on behalf of six women in San Francisco, including Sutton and Tonel, who have alleged that their sexual-assault investigations were mishandled and never charged. Two cases are currently being re-reviewed by the district attorneys office. At the hearing Wednesday, Manning called for better tracking and availability of data on how sexual-assault cases progress through the criminal justice system. Many sexual assaults are challenging cases, but they are also winnable cases, Manning said. Supervisor Jeff Sheehy, a former victims advocate in the district attorneys office, agreed. We are not taking these crimes seriously, Sheehy said. I think we are worried too much about our 100 percent conviction rate, and not enough about the people. McEachern and DeBerry said their offices are already implementing training, increasing staffing and seeking expert advice on dealing with drug-facilitated sexual assaults, in particular. They said they are looking for more ways to collaborate with advocates and to understand the concerns of those who come forward to report sexual assault. Ronen indicated she will also be looking for ways to address the problems through new legislation. This blaming the survivor for rape, whether it is language talking about how much she drank, or her need to take responsibility, is outrageous, Ronen said. I have to say, I am angry. I am upset. And I am appalled. ... Something has got to give, and it has got to give right now. Cynthia Dizikes is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: cdizikes@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @cdizikes CITRUS HEIGHTS, Sacramento County Jeannie and her husband, Bob, were nervous Wednesday as they waited to hear back from their daughter. Standing on a crowded residential street here, several doors down from the brown house blocked off by police tape, they still hadnt figured out how they would break the news to her. How does one tell a daughter that she babysat for a man accused of being one of the most prolific serial killers and rapists in California history? Im just anxious to talk to her, said Jeannie, who asked to withhold the familys name to protect privacy. She didnt just babysit for him once. At a news conference an hour later in Sacramento, authorities announced murder charges against 72-year-old Joseph James DeAngelo, a Navy veteran and former Auburn (Placer County) and Exeter (Tulare County) police officer suspected of at least 12 murders, 45 rapes and 150 burglaries from 1976 to 1986. DeAngelo was arrested early Wednesday after authorities determined he was the East Area Rapist, also known as the Golden State Killer and the Original Night Stalker. DNA evidence allegedly links him to two brutal murders, one in Sacramento County and another in Ventura County. Now Playing: East Area Rapist/Golden State Killer Video: San Francisco Chronicle Jeannie, Bob and their daughter knew DeAngelo simply as Joe, the man who seemed a little odd but always stopped to say hello if he saw them. She enjoyed babysitting for him as far as we know, Bob said of his daughter. Now, DeAngelo is being held without bail in Sacramento County Jail, to the relief of an untold number of families that were terrorized over the course of a decade more than 30 years ago. Bob and Jeannie moved to the Citrus Heights neighborhood in 1982, four years before DeAngelos last alleged attack. He was always a little different, Bob said, shrugging. He would always ask how my daughter was doing and how she did a good job babysitting. DeAngelo was divorced, Jeannie and Bob said, and his two daughters were about 6 to 8 years old at the time their daughter looked after the children. They were there most of the time, Bob said. Seemed like normal kids. Both of them moved out. One of his daughters has already had kids. DeAngelo apparently had the babysitter at his house for a few hours in the evening but never overnight, Jeannie said, adding that her daughter never raised any concerns. Jeannie couldnt help but worry, and hopes that her daughter would feel comfortable enough to tell her if something did happen. Our daughter is a quiet kid, Jeannie said softly. She liked his kids. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. DeAngelo recently retired after working out of a Save Mart distribution center, according to aSacramento Bee report. He often spent time in his garage fixing up his motorcycle and boat, leaving the light on at night and the door open, his neighbors said. He once told me, I dont have a TV, I just like to keep busy, Bob said. He was kind of loud as far as his voice. We kind of thought we remembered him yelling at his kids. Oh, but you know, we used to do that, Jeannie said. Its one of those things that happens. FBI investigators set up a tent outside DeAngelos house on Canyon Oak Drive and investigators shuffled in and out of the front door as Bob, Jeannie and other neighbors kept their distance a few houses down from the crime scene. Then they walked back to their home built in the same fashion as DeAngelos, minus his extra garage so they could wait for their daughters call. Correction: Joseph James DeAngelos work history has been updated to note he most recently worked for Save Mart, instead of another company noted by his nieghbors. Sarah Ravani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sravani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SarRavani A 67-year-old woman was killed Tuesday morning after an unlicensed driver crashed into seven cars on the wrong side of the road in Petaluma, authorities said. The incident occurred about 7:15 a.m. when the 19-year-old driver of a Chevrolet Silverado drove over solid double yellow lines into oncoming traffic on Lakeville Highway, according to the Petaluma Police Department. Javier Rodriguez Lopez, of Pittsburg, was identified as the driver and reportedly told authorities in the hospital he couldnt remember anything before the collision. Police said he told them he didnt go to sleep until 1 a.m. and was potentially tired before the crash. Lopez reportedly took the California drivers test in 2017, but he didnt pass. His father, Jguadalupe Rodriguezsolis, also of Pittsburg, was a passenger in the vehicle at the time of the crash, police said. He reportedly has a valid drivers license. Susan Williams, of Bodega Bay, was identified as the victim of the crash. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Lopez was transported to the hospital with serious, but non-life-threatening injuries. The driver of another vehicle involved in the crash, a Honda Accord, was transported to the hospital and treated for facial and head lacerations. Alcohol and drugs were not present in Lopezs system, authorities said, and he told police he was not using a cell phone at the time of the crash. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. Authorities are still determining if Lopez will face charges. Sarah Ravani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sravani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SarRavani Another decades-old California mystery may be on the brink of being solved: The identity of the Visalia Ransacker. Investigators and amateur sleuths have long speculated the man who burglarized nearly 100 Visalia homes in the mid-1970s was the infamous East Area Rapist. Dubbed the Visalia Ransacker, the man prowled neighborhoods and stole a hodgepodge of items from early 1974 until late 1975. On Wednesday, the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department arrested Joseph James DeAngelo of Citrus Heights. At a press conference, they announced DeAngelo's DNA linked him to multiple crimes attributed to the East Area Rapist, also known as the Golden State Killer. In an email to SFGATE, the Visalia police department confirmed they believe their ransacker spree "is linked to the Golden State Killer cases." Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas also affirmed at a news conference Wednesday that DeAngelo is a person of interest in Tulare County. DeAngelo appears to have a connection to the area. According to a 1973 wedding announcement in the Auburn Journal, DeAngelo was living in Exeter at the time, a town some 15 minutes away from Visalia. Like the man also known as the Golden State Killer, the Visalia Ransacker preferred stealing items of sentimental, rather than monetary, value. He took children's piggy banks, personalized jewelry and Blue Chip Stamps books. He also left a chilling calling card: He was known to rip up family photos and leave the pieces for the homeowner to later find. ALSO: The terrifying 10 months when the East Area Rapist emerged in the Bay Area "There has long been a belief that the Golden State Killer and Visalia Ransacker are one in the same and we are working with those investigators in hopes of bringing resolution to a case that has long been of interest here in Visalia," Visalia police chief Jason Salazar told the Visalia Times Delta. The Visalia burglar is also suspected in one murder in the region. On Sept. 11, 1975, a masked man broke into the home of the Snelling family. While prowling through the home, he came across the sleeping teen daughter. He dragged her into the backyard at gunpoint. The struggle woke her father, College of the Sequoias professor Claude Snelling, who ran into the yard to help his daughter. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. The prowler shot Snelling dead and escaped. He's never been apprehended. Now Playing: East Area Rapist/Golden State Killer Video: San Francisco Chronicle Witnesses in Visalia reported the suspect had brown hair, weighed about 180 pounds and was about 5-foot-10. Footprints found at scenes were also a size 9, the same as the East Area Rapist. DeAngelo, who was a police officer in Auburn and Visalia, has been charged in connection to four of the East Area Rapist's 12 suspected murders. He is believed to have raped at least 45 women in California from 1976-86. Visalia police ask anyone who knew DeAngelo during his time in Tulare County to contact them at 559-713-4132. California utility regulators on Thursday penalized Pacific Gas and Electric Co. $97.5 million over improper back-channel communications with their own agency following the deadly 2010 San Bruno pipeline blast. The penalty, unanimously approved by the California Public Utilities Commission, will require PG&E to pay $6 million each to the cities of San Bruno and San Carlos, as well as $12 million to the states general fund. In addition, PG&E will forgo $63.5 million in revenue it would otherwise have collected from its customers in 2018 and 2019. The company will also forgo another $10 million, spread out over three years, the next time the commission sets PG&Es rates. PG&E, Californias largest utility, will not be able to pass on to its customers the costs of paying the fines, nor can it deduct those penalties from its taxes. PG&E spokesman Paul Doherty said the company was committed to making sure its communications with government regulators followed all relevant rules. California regulations allow private communications between utility executives and commission officials during some regulatory proceedings, but they ban it in others and generally require that the communications be reported to the public. If we fall short of that commitment, well hold ourselves accountable, Doherty said. The commission already fined PG&E $1.6 billion over the Sept. 9, 2010, explosion of a PG&E natural gas pipeline beneath San Bruno. Eight people died in the blast. In 2016, a federal court jury convicted PG&E of five felony charges of failing to properly inspect and repair its aging pipelines and a sixth charge of interfering with the federal investigation of the blast, a verdict that led to a $3 million penalty. PG&E agreed last year to the basic outline of Thursdays penalty, hammered out with the cities of San Bruno and San Carlos, commission staff and The Utility Reform Network consumer group. The company will also be required to train its staff on the regulations governing communications between utilities and their state regulators. Investigations into the explosion revealed improper private talks and emails between PG&E executives and two former commissioners, as well as their staff. The city of San Bruno, in court, forced PG&E to disclose thousands of emails between its executives and the commission, and some messages showed a close relationship between the company and its government regulators. In one exchange, for example, a high-ranking commission staff member advised a PG&E executive on ways to evade a public records request related to San Bruno. The PG&E executive replied, Love you. Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes Another exchange described former commission President Michael Peevey discussing business with PG&Es vice president of regulatory affairs at the time over some good pinot at a Sonoma County resort. Several PG&E executives lost their jobs as a result. Peevey stepped down when his term expired at the end of 2014. The Legislature pushed through a series of bills to reform the commission, including shifting some of its responsibilities to other agencies. The commissions vote on Thursday did not entirely put to rest the issue of PG&Es back-channel communications. In September, while discussions on the penalty were under way, PG&E disclosed to the commission a new set of emails, from 2013 and 2014, that might violate the rules. Rather than delay the entire proceeding, the commission decided to look at those emails separately. As a result, the commissions decision Thursday warned that PG&E could still face further fines over improper emails. David R. Baker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: dbaker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @DavidBakerSF The Silicon Valley Community Foundation, a major force in regional philanthropy, has placed its CEO on paid administrative leave as an investigation continues into a workplace culture that former employees say allowed bullying and sexual harassment. The foundation said Thursday that Emmett Carson, who has led the organization since 2007, would step away until further notice and be replaced on an interim basis by a former board member, Greg Avis. The decision comes after the board received a letter from a group of employees asking for Carson to be put on leave during the investigation, which two outside law firms are conducting. A major donor has called for Carsons resignation, saying he should have been aware of the problems in the workplace and done more to prevent them. The investigation began after a report by the Chronicle of Philanthropy, in which numerous former employees alleged that a top executive at the foundation, Mari Ellen Loijens, harassed and bullied them. Loijens resigned from the foundation last week. Neither Carson nor Loijens responded to a request for comment Thursday. People did not feel safe at the Community Foundation, and that definitely came from the top, said Patti Pace, a former corporate philanthropy manager at the foundation. The Silicon Valley Community Foundation bills itself as the largest community foundation in the world. It has grown dramatically under the leadership of Carson, one of the most prominent African American voices in philanthropy nationally. Its assets under management soared to $13.5 billion last year, overtaking the Ford Foundation up from $1.7 billion in 2007, when Carson took over. But many former employees have said that despite the success, working at the foundation could be unpleasant. Loijens, they have alleged, made off-color or inappropriate remarks labeling employee outfits as sexy, for example and berated people to the point where it was insufferable. Steve Kirsch, who has donated more than $10 million to the foundation, said Carson should step down. He called the boards action to put Carson on leave long overdue. If Emmett didnt know what was going on, he should be fired, Kirsch said. If he did know what was going on and didnt stop it, he should be fired. Hes in a no-win situation as far as I can see. Last week, Carson tweeted that as CEO, he is responsible for workplace culture. I am deeply troubled and regret that former staff felt they could not report inappropriate behavior and urge any other staff to come forward, he wrote. Listening and fixing this is Priority#1. The law firms hired by the foundation will evaluate management processes, claims of inappropriate behavior, the workplace environment and how reports of misconduct have been handled. The foundation acknowledged this week that we may have a larger culture issue that needs to be addressed. On Wednesday, board member Julie Kwon, a partner at law firm McDermott Will & Emery, confirmed receiving a letter from the foundations staff. We are reviewing it and we want to respond pretty immediately, she said, prior to the announcement that Carson would step aside. A day later, the foundation put Carson on paid leave. His salary is $892,689 according to a 2016 form filed with the IRS. He also received $56,490 in other compensation from the organization and related groups, according to the form. A significant portion of the Silicon Valley Community Foundations assets are in donor-advised funds, which are individual accounts that allow donors such as people or companies to recommend what charities should get grants from their fund. The foundation provides grants to nonprofits, commissions research and works with other organizations on projects such as an examination of the Bay Areas job growth, population and housing that it recently did with the Silicon Valley Leadership Group. Carl Guardino, CEO of the leadership group, said he was stunned and saddened to hear about the allegations of misconduct at the foundation, but did not think it will affect his groups future work with the foundation. All of us deserve a nurturing, positive, caring and professional work environment, he said. Greg Avis, a founding board member and former chairman will become the foundations interim CEO. Avis, who could not be reached for comment, is a managing partner at private investment firm Bangtail Partners and serves on dozens of company boards. Carson came to the Silicon Valley Community Foundation after spending 12 years as CEO at the Minneapolis Foundation, which administers charitable funds and makes investments to shape public policy. Hes also on The Chronicles VisionSF nominating committee, which chooses candidates for the papers Visionary of the Year Award. In Minnesota, Carson was known as a champion of low-income people, and sought to support groups that addressed gang violence, among others. Hes somebody that has a lot of empathy for the plight of people who are less fortunate than he is, said Gary Cunningham, a trustee of the Minneapolis Foundation. Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes The Silicon Valley foundations success in fundraising its donors include Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and GoPro CEO Nick Woodman may have caused its leaders to overlook alleged inappropriate behavior by Loijens, according to Kyle Mayer, an associate professor of strategy at the University of Southern California. In most organizations, the more talented you are, the more leeway you get to be rough around the edges, Mayer said. The board will need to determine whether Carson will be able to gain the trust and support of employees (more than 200 as of 2016) and donors, Mayer said. At Uber another recent case of workplace misconduct CEO Travis Kalanick was forced out when the board was not convinced he could change the culture, Mayer said. Cunningham cautioned that the investigation has just begun. We live in a society where youre not tried before the investigation is over, Cunningham said. You should be innocent until proven guilty. Wendy Lee and Trisha Thadani are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: wlee@sfchronicle.com, tthadani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @thewendylee, @trishathadani Largest grants from the Silicon Valley Community Foundation in 2016 Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Inc. (Palo Alto): $550 million NewSchools Venture Fund (Oakland): $68.4 million Charter School Growth Fund (Broomfield, Colo.): $26.5 million Goldman Sachs Philanthropy Fund (New York, N.Y.): $25 million SACRAMENTO She didnt hear him come in. But there he was, standing in the doorway of her bedroom. He had a ski mask on and a knife in his hand when he jumped on her bed, said the woman. Its believed she was the first victim of the East Area Rapist, a serial rapist and killer who has eluded authorities for four decades. On Wednesday, the FBI released a newly recorded statement by the woman leading up to the 40th anniversary of that first attack, in the eastern Sacramento County city of Rancho Cordova. There would be many more brutal crimes: The East Area Rapist is believed to have been responsible for 12 killings and 45 rapes over a decade starting in 1976. In May 1986, he mysteriously stopped. FBI and local law enforcement officials dont know if hes still alive, but theyve never stopped trying to bring him to justice and on Wednesday, they offered a $50,000 reward and issued a fresh appeal for the publics help in identifying him. Obviously, with the 40th anniversary, this is a time we want to take to acknowledge this serial offender who was probably one of the most prolific, certainly in California, possibly in the United States, but also to let the victims know that well never give up, said Sgt. Paul Belli, the Sacramento County Sheriffs Department detective assigned to the case. The first attack was on June 18, 1976, when the assailant broke into the home of the Rancho Cordova woman, tied her hands and raped her in her bed. In the recording, she said she had waited for what felt like forever before getting help, fearful he was still in her home. She said the rape changed her to an outsider who always looks over her shoulder. I dont want him to be dead, because I think that wouldve been the easy way out for him, and I dont want that, the woman said. Police have given the East Area Rapist other names, including the Golden State Killer and the Original Night Stalker, to distinguish him from Richard Ramirez, a break-in specialist who murdered 13 people in the 1980s. Distinctive method DNA evidence links the East Area Rapist to many of the crimes, and his unusual method of toying with and torturing his victims connects him to the rest. He often lingered in the homes of his victims for hours, sometimes eating their food. At first he targeted single women, but he then began breaking into homes where couples lived. He would tie up the man and place dishes on him, then rape the woman in another room. If the man tried to break free, the crash of dishes would give him away. He used shoelaces to tie up his victims, in some cases with elaborate diamond knots. He was an unusual serial criminal in another respect: His rape victims spanned a fairly wide age range, from 13 to 41. In addition to rapes and killings, he was a prolific burglar. Police say he is suspected of more than 150 residential break-ins and that those crimes often were followed by clusters of sexual assaults. He was white, and if hes still alive, hed be 60 to 75 years old. Victims described him as about 5 foot 9, with blond to light brown hair. At the time the crimes started, there were two military installations in the Sacramento area, McClellan and Mather air force bases. One theory is that he was affiliated with one of the bases: Some of his crimes revealed an interest or training in military or law enforcement techniques, authorities say. And he was clever enough to avoid being caught. Detectives think the East Area Rapist lived in the Sacramento area until at least 1978, because thats where the sexual assaults began. They say in February 1978 he committed his first killings, shooting Mather Air Force Sgt. Brian Maggiore and his wife, Katie, as they were out walking their dog in Rancho Cordova. Sacramento County District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert was 12 years old and living in the area when the crimes began. She remembers the atmosphere of fear. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. It was a time when in essence a community was taken hostage, Schubert said. It was on the news every night. And all they knew at the time was it was a white male. The rapes spread to Davis, Modesto and Stockton. Then, for about a year starting in October 1978, the rapist assaulted women in the Bay Area in Danville, Walnut Creek, Fremont and San Jose. The fear lingered long after he moved on. In December 1979, he showed up in Goleta, on the coast north of Santa Barbara, where he broke into a home and tied up a man and woman. The couple managed to escape, and the assailant fled. The East Area Rapist went on to commit a string of especially savage attacks in Santa Barbara and Orange counties that left 10 people dead. His last known crime was May 5, 1986, when he bludgeoned 18-year-old Janelle Cruz to death in her parents Irvine home. End of the trail There, the trail stops. Maybe he moved to another state and resumed his attacks there one of the reasons authorities went to the public Wednesday was to spread the word beyond California, to a place where someone might recognize one of the sketches of the attacker. One hope is that the East Area Rapist held onto some of the items he stole from his victims homes rings, earrings, even the womens drivers licenses. Anyone who comes across such a stash, they said, could hold the key to identifying the killer. The answer is out there, Schubert said. We need a name. When we match that name to that (DNA) profile that journey for justice will come to an end. People with information about the case are asked to call the FBI at (800) 225-5324, or submit tips online at tips.fbi.gov. Melody Gutierrez is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mgutierrez@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: MelodyGutierrez A batch of 22 internationally certified welders for the oil and gas sector have been passed out. The 22 trained as trainers of trainees, were unveiled Thursday on the second day of the 4th Oil and Gas Convention in Kampala. Uganda's first certified welders being unveiled. Photo: @PaulEkudu The group underwent a one-year training programme run by Chicago Bridge and Iron Inc. a large American engineering, procurement and construction company that specialises in projects for oil and gas companies. The training was supported by GIZ, a German development organisation operating in Uganda. A consulting firm Q-Sourcing sourced the 22 welders who were taken from various welding workshops in the country and then subjected to rigorous training, both in Hoima, the epicentre of oil and gas activities, and at Uganda Petroleum Institute Kigumba, by The Assessment of Skills Centre (TASC). The welders were then subjected to an independent verification of their welding knowledge and skills through an internationally recognised test administered by the Egyptian Welding Agency in conjunction with the American Welding Society, who flew in certification experts. The welders were also subjected to another independent certification test by Veritas, and international certification firm now operational in Uganda. While unveiling the certified welders, Mike Cleaver, the vice president of Chicago Bridge and Iron, said the 22 welders are some of the very best welders in East Africa and the continent. Cleaver said the objective is for the trainers of trainees to transfer their knowledge and skills to other welders. One of the welders, Milton Kisolo, told URN that the welding training experience was, "totally different because it was much more than the welding we know here in Uganda." "We really thought we were welders, but when you reach there; you realise things are totally different compared to what they call international standard levels. We did what they call coded welding which we did not know about. [It] is about welding pipes and tanks specifically for oil and gasthe welding is totally different from what people know out here. Until youre in, you cant know what it takes." said Kisolo. Kisolo said welding, as a profession, is too deep and wide and involves many layers which many ordinary welders in Uganda do not know about. According to Kisolo, the government needs to invest in and promote welding as an important element of industrialisation. Asked what he intends to do with the newfound knowledge and skills, Kisolo said he wants to undergo more skilling so that he increases his chances of benefiting from the oil and gas sector, including the possibility of starting his own welding firm. Lack of certified welders had become the mantra whenever there is talk about Ugandans lacking requisite skills for the oil and gas sector. Joseph James DeAngelo, accused this week of being the notorious East Area Rapist, took a terrorizing swing through the Bay Area in 1978 and 1979, according to authorities. DeAngelo, 72, was arrested Tuesday in Sacramento by investigators who believe he committed at least 12 murders and 45 rapes over a 10-year period starting in 1976. In the first two years of his alleged crime spree, he is suspected of committing at least 39 sexual assaults in the greater Sacramento area and other parts of the Central Valley. As the incidents stacked up, authorities became increasingly concerned that the East Area Rapist would turn his attention in a new direction. In August 1978, Sacramento County sheriffs officials traveled to Contra Costa County to warn law enforcement. Now Playing: East Area Rapist/Golden State Killer Video: San Francisco Chronicle Larry Crompton, a former deputy in Contra Costa Countys crime lab, recalls the meeting at which he and his colleagues were warned. At that time, few were aware of the extent of the East Area Rapists crimes. They said, We feel he will be coming to your area, said Crompton, who is now retired and living in Oregon. At that time we thought, Why would he come to our area? Within two months, the East Area Rapist had made his move. On Oct. 7, 1978, DeAngelo allegedly raped a woman in Concord. Six days later, police say, he was in Concord again, where they say he gagged a 29-year-old woman and her husband and locked their 8-year-old child in the bathroom while he raped the woman. DeAngelo was then a police officer in Auburn (Placer County). Now Playing: Chronicle staff Video: San Francisco Chronicle Later that month, on Oct. 28, a man believed to be the East Area Rapist struck in San Ramon, raping a 23-year-old woman in her home. The man raped again a week later in San Jose, police said, and a month after that an intruder pried open a sliding glass door at Heidi and Clark Tojos home in San Jose and raped Heidi Tojo, Crompton wrote in Sudden Terror, a book about the East Area Rapist. The man forced Heidi Tojo to tie her husbands hands behind his back before raping her, Crompton wrote. Throughout the assault, the attacker threatened to shoot the victims. Within a week, the East Area Rapist was apparently in Danville. A woman who had fallen asleep reading poetry in her home awoke to discover a man wearing a ski mask who demanded money and food before he raped her, Crompton wrote. Another sexual assault linked to the spree occurred in San Ramon 10 days later, authorities said. On April 4, 1979, a man believed to be the East Area Rapist struck again, entering a home in the Mission San Jose area of Fremont. He tied up a womans boyfriend before raping her at gunpoint, The Chronicle reported at the time. The rapist tied up the boyfriend in a prone position, then placed dishes on the mans back as a crude alarm system, the story said. The attacker apparently moved on to Walnut Creek two months later, targeting a 17-year-old babysitter. And nine days after that, he entered a home outside Danville through an open window and threatened the house occupants before raping the woman, The Chronicle reported. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. Two weeks later in Walnut Creek, a man believed to be the East Area Rapist attacked a 13-year-old girl in the Rancho San Miguel neighborhood. On Wednesday, 39 years after the attack, that woman told the San Jose Mercury News that the attacker had held a knife to her throat. On July 12, 1979, Danville saw the last of the East Area Rapists known Bay Area crimes, an attempted sexual assault. The incidents created widespread fear. A Chronicle article from Oct. 19, 1978, noted that Concords police chief had warned residents to arm themselves. He also stoked controversy when he told girls at a junior high school to stop wearing provocative clothing. DeAngelo was fired from the Auburn Police Department in the summer of 1979, and investigators believe he moved to Southern California and committed a series of killings and sexual assaults that drew national attention and were later linked to the spree up north. Its unclear whether any of the Bay Area cases will result in charges. Sean Webby, a spokesman for the Santa Clara County district attorneys office, said no charges can be filed in the two San Jose cases because the statute of limitations has passed. Scott Alonso, a spokesman for the Contra Costa County district attorneys office, said his office is evaluating the same issue. Were working with the local law enforcement cases in the nine cases, and so far no cases have been filed, Alonso said. Sophie Haigney and Jenna Lyons are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: sophie.haigney@sfchronicle.com, jlyons@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SophieHaigney @JennaJourno The University of California wont raise tuition next year for now, and neither will California State University. Thursdays announcement that the UC regents have abandoned plans to vote on a nearly 3 percent price hike in May came a week after CSU officials made a similar decision. The happy news for students comes as healthy state revenues have soared at least $3.3 billion beyond what was projected in January and the cash from Aprils tax influx hasnt even been counted yet, said H.D. Palmer, spokesman for the state Department of Finance. UC and CSU officials had expected to raise tuition because, they said, Gov. Jerry Browns proposed 3 percent funding increase was too low for their needs. Now there appears to be a growing enthusiasm among state lawmakers for allocating more money to the universities as the Legislature hashes out the state budget for the 2018-19 fiscal year beginning July 1. I am happy with their decision, Assemblyman Jose Medina, D-Riverside, said Thursday of the universities announcements. Medina, who chairs the Assemblys Higher Education Committee, said he hopes lawmakers will not simply buy out the tuition increases, but fully fund the UC and CSU. For UC, that would be $140 million above Browns proposal in January, and $171 million more for CSU, according to a letter sent by Medina last month to state budget leaders and signed by 30 lawmakers. Students have joined lawmakers in advocating loudly at press conferences and on lobbying field trips to Sacramento for more state funding and no tuition hikes. We are cautiously optimistic that our continued advocacy with the Legislature will build the support necessary to fully fund the UC and CSU systems this budget year, said UC student regent Paul Monge. If the budget allocation for UC remains too low, however, the university says it may still consider a modest tuition increase for next year, most likely at the regents meeting in July. This year, California residents pay $13,887 in tuition and mandatory fees at UC. COVID Resources Coronavirus Map Tracking COVID-19 cases across the Bay Area and California. At CSU, annual tuition and fees are roughly $7,000, depending on the campus. Californias economic picture is particularly strong, so we feel that the resources are available to adequately fund the CSU, said Mike Uhlenkamp, CSUs spokesman. Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, a UC regent, also praised UCs decision to cancel the tuition vote. This is another step in the right direction, Newsom said in a statement. But I hope that this is not the end of the discussion. Both the CSU and the UC must work with the legislature on a multi-year funding agreement with structural reforms so that this impasse isnt repeated again and again, year after year. Nanette Asimov is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: nasimov@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @NanetteAsimov In the thick of environmental crisis, when nationalism and xenophobia threaten to push the planet and humanity down a dangerous path, said Susie Gelman, where the erosion of civil discourse is being promulgated by the current administration, the Goldman Environmental Prizes are an expression of optimism. Gelman, who was the first speaker at the awards ceremonies and the most outspoken about political matters, is the president of the foundation that has awarded the prizes for 29 years. Shes the daughter of Richard and Rhoda Goldman, who founded the awards, and her brothers, Doug and John Goldman, are vice presidents of the foundation. The accomplishments of the awardees prove the power of one, said master of ceremonies Pam Moore, who introduced the winners and the videos that outlined their struggles. The first on the program was Claire Nouvian of France, whose work led to a ban on deep-sea trawling for seafood. Her remarks were revolutionary what most fans have come to expect from Goldman winners. Nouvian said she was fighting mighty corporations and immoral individuals. ... Wed rather die than to cave in to the rampant corruption of systems. But this year, it seemed to be emphasized that while all the winners had overcome adversity, some had done so with the help of their governments. Manny Calonzo of the Philippines thanked his countrys government for passing legislation to ban lead paint, and the industry that had adopted this change; Khanh Nguy Thi of Vietnam partnered with state officials, according to the program, to reduce coal dependence and move toward a greener energy future. Their accomplishments were no less heroic than had they been a result of opposition to government, but their gratitude for government support seemed something of a departure from the feelings of previous winners, and as euphoric audience members left the Opera House for the post-ceremony reception at City Hall, this was reflected in the buzz of their comments. Also much discussed: Out of seven winners this year, six were women. The selection of award winners takes place in November. As we went through the nominees, there was no consciousness of gender ... until we went through the final selection, and we were thrilled, said John Goldman at the reception. We could not be happier. John Killacky, who was head of Yerba Buena Center for the Arts before he became a program officer for the San Francisco Foundation, and then left in 2010 to head the Flynn Center for the Arts in Burlington, Vt., has announced his candidacy for Congress in Vermont. Before becoming an arts administrator, Killacky was a dancer and filmmaker. He continues making films, but his dancing career ended when he became disabled after spinal surgery. Upon taking the job in Vermont, he told The Chronicle that it allowed him to serve a community. Thats what I feel is my job in the world, to serve artists. Che Fico, a new Italian restaurant on Divisadero, has drawn the likes of Gwyneth Paltrow, who posted on Instagram that the food was extraordinary, and Anderson Cooper, a friend of the owner, who Instagrammed that it is a really great, new pizza place ... and a fun, casual vibe. Not so casual, though, that its easy to get in. Although theres a place for Gwyneth and Anderson, reservations are elusive to locals whove endeavored to make them with the online reservation service OpenTable, the electronic gnomes of which seem to be laughing at ones attempt. Gabrielle Lurie / The Chronicle Eighty-five Bay Area staff and community members from Glide Memorial Church, the progressive Jewish community the Kitchen, the Rafiki Coalition of Bayview/Hunters Point, and students and faculty of Stanford University traveled to Montgomery, Ala., this week for the Thursday, April 26, opening of the Equal Justice Initiatives Legacy Museum and National Memorial for Peace and Justice. This is a museum that focuses on lynching and racism. The project grew out of a visit to Glide from Montgomerys Bryan Stevenson, who founded the initiative in 1989 and is its executive director. The nonprofit aims to end mass incarceration and protect human rights. At first, it was thought that 10 or 15 people would go, and then it expanded to the notion of a pilgrimage, said Rabbi Michael Lezak of the Kitchen, which was preceded by five preparatory classes. Glide participants are supported by anonymous donors. James Lin of Glides Center for Social Justice said the journey is a model for how we will mend our own fractured communities. Leah Garchik is open for business in San Francisco, (415) 777-8426. Email: lgarchik@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @leahgarchik Public Eavesdropping She traded in her Fitbit for a Life Alert. In Godard Mon Amour, writer-director Michel Hazanavicius takes everything great about the French director Jean-Luc Godard and uses it to explain everything thats wrong with him. Like the best of Godards own work, this new movie has the humor and briskness of a comedy, while telling a serious story of an artists self-delusion and decline. Hazanavicius is not a household name in the United States, but his silent movie, The Artist, won the best picture Oscar for 2011. Done in the style of the 1920s, The Artist was so specific in its details that it didnt look like some generic silent film, but like something Paramount might have made circa 1927. Godard Mon Amour pays a similar attention to detail. In color, style and humor even in its graphics and editing its very much like a Godard film from the mid-1960s. Thus, the experience is like watching an actual Godard film the first great Godard film since Masculin Feminin in 1966. Alas, the real Godard has made many movies in the decades since, but he has never been able to match or even approach the quality of his output in the first years of the 1960s. Godard Mon Amour goes some distance toward explaining why thats the case. Based on the memoir by Godards ex-wife, Anne Wiazemsky, Godard Mon Amour takes place during the first year of their marriage, when the director was having an artistic crisis, one aggravated by his adoption of radical politics. At the start of the film, the young wife only 20 when the marriage began idolizes her 36-year-old husband, who is recognized everywhere as one of the most brilliant and innovative film directors in the world. But gradually, through Stacy Martins quietly reactive performance, we see doubt enter her eyes, then disillusionment and then frustration and anger. Godard is played by French matinee idol Louis Garrel, but here he changes his look and manner. His hair is thinned out, and he adopts Godards distinctive lisp, though Garrel exaggerates it a bit. Garrels blank-faced cool is subtly transformed into an introverted paranoid gaze. He presents a man who considers himself on the cutting edge of the coming revolution, and thus, he has no respect for his friends films or even his own previous work, which includes classics such as Breathless, My Life to Live and Contempt. Yet despite his almost obsessive commitment, it doesnt take long to realize that Godards politics are ridiculous, grounded more in an emotional need to be accepted by young revolutionaries than in any thought. Godard may think hes being chic when he identifies anything he doesnt like as fascist (Advertising is fascism), but he becomes flummoxed when a journalist asks him, What is fascism? He counts himself a Maoist and resolves to make Maoist cinema, but when he shows his latest film, La Chinoise, at a festival, even the festival organizer falls asleep. A consistently funny feature of Godard Mon Amour is found in scenes in which Godard seeks acceptance by radicals and ends up making a fool of himself, either for seeming like what he is, a poseur who was born wealthy, or for making idiotic pronouncements such as The Jews have become Nazis. The radicals, almost as deluded as he is, are the only ones willing to tell him what an idiot he has become. His friends, meanwhile, tolerate him when he berates strangers in restaurants or sagely announces that Jean Renoirs films were bourgeois. Godard Mon Amour is refreshing in its presentation of bullying political correctness as a dead end, intellectually and artistically. Yet even more arresting are the films insights into Godard. At one point, Godard bemoans his age and indicates that he wishes he could fit in more with the young. Perhaps, the movie suggests subtly, Godards early work was tied, in some way, to youthful exuberance, and he sensed that his inspiration was waning. Thus, his attraction to a movement he associated with youth. Hazanavicius irreverence toward a living icon is unexpected, but appropriate. Yet the movie also pays tribute to Godard by imitating the loose playfulness of his early work. At one point, Godard and Anne are undressing as they discuss whether nudity is ever warranted onscreen. Garrel and Martin perform the scene while completely naked. Its the kind of daring, fourth-wall-breaking joke Godard himself might have made, and it puts you in the mood to revisit Godard at his best. Mick LaSalle is The San Francisco Chronicles movie critic. Email: mlasalle@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @MickLaSalle Godard Mon Amour Comedy-drama. Starring Louis Garrel and Stacy Martin. Directed by Michel Hazanavicius. In French with English subtitles. (Unrated. 105 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. The man charged with being the Golden State Killer, who killed a dozen people and raped dozens of women in California decades ago, worked quietly for years in a supermarket warehouse. Save Mart spokeswoman Victoria Castro says Joseph DeAngelo worked at the distribution center in Roseville near Sacramento for 27 years before retiring last year. Castro says none of his workplace actions would have led the company to suspect him of a link to the crimes. DeAngelo, who's 72, was taken into custody Tuesday as he left his Sacramento-area home. Now Playing: East Area Rapist/Golden State Killer Video: San Francisco Chronicle Authorities say they suspect he's the man who terrorized people across the state with killings, rapes and burglaries in the 1970s and 1980s. So far, he's been charged with eight murders. ___ A California sheriff says a former police officer accused of being a serial killer and rapist was taken by surprise when deputies swooped in and arrested him as he stepped out of his home. Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones said deputies planned to arrest Joseph DeAngelo when he left his home on Tuesday rather than burst in or knock on the door of the suburban home. Jones said DeAngelo appeared surprised that he was being arrested in decades-old crimes and appeared to briefly contemplate some sort of plan. Jones said DeAngelo then told deputies he had a roast in the oven. Jones said DeAngelo was taken into custody without incident. ___ 5:30 p.m. A man accused of committing serial killings and rapes in the 1970s and '80s in California has been charged with four more counts of murder. Orange County prosecutors said Wednesday that Joseph James DeAngelo, a 72-year-old former police officer, was charged in the 1980 killings of Keith and Patrice Harrington in Dana Point. He's also charged with raping and killing 28-year-old Manuela Witthuhn in 1981 and 18-year-old Janelle Cruz in 1986. Police have said they believe DeAngelo is the so-called Golden State Killer who is suspected of committing at least 12 homicides, 45 rapes and dozens of burglaries across California. DeAngelo was taken into custody Tuesday as he left his Sacramento-area home. He's been charged with eight murders. ___ 3:50 p.m. Comedian Patton Oswalt is crediting his late wife for her work in pursuit of the so-called Golden State Killer. In an Instagram video on Wednesday, Oswalt says: "You did it, Michelle." Michelle McNamara had made it her mission to find the person responsible for at least 12 murders and 50 rapes throughout California in the 1970s and 80s. McNamara died in her sleep at the age of 46 in April 2016 before she could finish the book she was writing about the case. Oswalt helped finish the book and it became a No. 1 New York Times best-seller. On Wednesday, authorities said a DNA match led them to arrest Joseph James DeAngelo, a 72-year-old former police officer, as a suspect. Police say the book had no information that "directly led to the apprehension." ___ 3:40 p.m. Neighbors say a man who authorities suspect of being a serial killer in the 1970s and '80s was prone to angry, profanity-filled outbursts if he couldn't find his keys or something else set him off. Natalia Bedes-Correnti said Wednesday that Joseph James DeAngelo never yelled at people but would be on "his driveway yelling and screaming, looking for his keys." Kevin Tapia, now 36, said when he was a teenager, DeAngelo falsely accused him of throwing things over their shared fence, prompting a heated exchange between DeAngelo and Tapia's father. Tapia says DeAngelo was a "weird guy" and kept to himself. DeAngelo has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the 1980 killings of a couple. An attacker known as the Golden State Killer or East Area Rapist is accused of at least 12 homicides, 45 rapes and dozens of burglaries across California. ___ 1:25 p.m. California authorities say they studied the behavior of a man they suspect of being a serial killer in the 1970s and '80s and surprised him with arrest. Sacramento County Scott Jones told reporters that Joseph James DeAngelo was taken into custody without incident Wednesday as he left his Sacramento-area home. He was a former police officer in the city of Auburn. Jones said DeAngelo also was an officer in Exeter, in Southern California, from 1973 to 1976 "around the time of the Visalia Ransacker cases." That serial criminal was tied to burglaries and one killing. Sacramento County District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert says DeAngelo's name hadn't been on authorities' radar before last week in connection with the "East Area Rapist" case. That serial killer is tied to at least 12 homicides, 45 rapes and dozens of burglaries across California. ___ 12:55 p.m. A family member of a couple who were victims of a California serial killer decades ago said the arrest of a suspect has brought closure. Bruce Harrington, whose brother and sister-in-law were killed in 1980 in Orange County, told reporters Wednesday that it's time for victims' families to grieve and "bring closure to the anguish that we all suffered for the last 40 odd years." He cheered the work of law enforcement, who said they arrested Joseph James DeAngelo on Wednesday after DNA helped solve the case. Prosecutors say Harrington's brother, 24-year-old Keith Harrington and his wife, 27-year-old Patrice Harrington, were killed in 1980 in their home. DeAngelo has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the 1980 killings of a couple in Ventura County. An attacker who became known as the "East Area Rapist" is accused of at least 12 homicides, 45 rapes and dozens of burglaries across California. ___ 12:45 p.m. California authorities say a man they suspect of being a serial killer tied to dozens of slayings and sexual assaults in the 1970s and '80s has been charged with murder. Ventura County District Attorney Greg Totten told reporters Wednesday that his office charged Joseph James DeAngelo with two counts of first-degree murder in the 1980 killings of a couple. Totten says prosecutors will seek the death penalty against the former police officer. Authorities in Sacramento County also have arrested DeAngelo on suspicion of murder in the slayings of married couple Brian and Katie Maggiore in 1978. Sacramento County District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert says DNA helped solve the case. The attacker who became known as the "East Area Rapist" is accused of at least 12 homicides, 45 rapes and dozens of burglaries across the state. ___ 12:35 p.m. California authorities say DNA in two 1978 killings in Sacramento led to the arrest of a man suspected of being a serial killer tied to dozens of slayings and sexual assaults in the 1970s and '80s. Sacramento County District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert told reporters Wednesday that the DNA helped solve the case in the last six days. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. She said the "answer was always going to be in the DNA" and the connection came in the slayings of Brian and Katie Maggiore. Authorities say a serial killer committed at least 12 homicides, 45 rapes and dozens of burglaries across the state. The attacker became known as the "East Area Rapist." ___ 12:25 p.m. California authorities say the arrest of a suspected California serial killer who's accused of dozens of slayings and sexual assaults in the 1970s and '80s comes after tireless work. Sacramento County District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert told reporters Wednesday that dozens of people committed their professional lives to the search and spent hundreds of hours seeking "justice for these victims and their families." Authorities say a serial killer committed at least 12 homicides, 45 rapes and dozens of burglaries across the state. The attacker became known as the "East Area Rapist." ___ 11:30 a.m. A law enforcement official has identified a suspected California serial killer as 72-year-old Joseph James DeAngelo, a former police officer. The official confirmed the identity on condition of anonymity before an official news conference planned for noon Wednesday. Sacramento County jail records show DeAngelo was arrested overnight on suspicion of two counts of murder cited in a Ventura County warrant. The FBI says it has a team gathering evidence at a Sacramento-area home linked to DeAngelo. Authorities say a serial killer committed at least 12 homicides, 45 rapes and dozens of burglaries across the state in the 1970s and 1980s. The attacker became known as the "East Area Rapist." __ This story has been corrected to say DeAngelo's age is 72, not 77. __ 11 a.m. A victim of a notorious Northern California serial killer and rapist says she's overjoyed after learning that police believe they've arrested the man responsible. Jane Carson-Sandler says she received an email Wednesday from a retired detective who worked on the case telling her they identified the man and have him in custody. She says she's ecstatic to have closure and to know her attacker is in jail. Carson-Sandler, who now lives near Hilton Head, South Carolina, was one of dozens of women raped by an elusive serial killer police say killed at least 12 people. She was attacked in her Citrus Heights, California, home in 1976. She and her three-year-old son were snuggled in bed together one morning after her husband left for work when the man broke into her house. She says she hopes she'll have the opportunity to face her attacker in person. She says she has a lot of questions for him. __ 9 a.m. The Sacramento County District Attorney's Office plans to make a 'major announcement" in the case of an elusive serial killer they say committed at least 12 homicides, 45 rapes and dozens of burglaries across California in the 1970s and 1980s. District Attorney's spokeswoman Shelly Orio says a news conference will be held Wednesday afternoon in Sacramento to make "a major announcement." FBI and California officials in 2016 renewed their search for the suspect dubbed the East Area Rapist and announced a $50,000 reward for his arrest and conviction. He's linked to more than 175 crimes in all between 1976 and 1986. A woman who was sexually assaulted by a man believed to be the East Area Rapist in 1976 and now lives in South Carolina tells The Island Packet newspaper Wednesday that she has been contacted by two detectives about an arrest. __ This story has been corrected to say DeAngelo's age is 72, not 77. The Punjab National Bank (PNB), it seems, is leaving no stone unturned to recover the dues which have been classified as NPAs. The second largest public sector lender is soliciting services of detective agencies to get hold of absconding loan defaulters. The significant move comes amid reports that diamantaire Nirav Modi may be hiding in New York. The celebrity jeweller who owns Firestar Diamond is the main accused in the Rs 13,700-crore fraud at the Punjab National Bank. In an advertisement posted on the PNB's website, the bank lists out locating 'untraceable' loan borrower(s), guarantor(s), mortgagor(s) and their legal heirs both within and outside India as one of the objectives of PNB's latest policy on engagement of detective agencies. The hired sleuths will be tasked with ascertaining leads on the whereabouts of NPA defaulters who are not available at the addresses given in the bank's records. The empanelled agencies will submit their report along with the supporting papers, photographs, audio/video recording. Detectives are also expected to dig into details such as their current occupation, businesses, income streams, assets, bank accounts maintained by the defaulting borrowers and guarantor, including their legal heirs. However, there is one critical condition for detective agencies vying for this job. The private detective firm must be member of 'Association of Private Detectives & Investigators' of India or APDI. Another important eligibility criteria is that the agency must also have minimum 3 years of experience. The detective agency will be paid up to Rs 30,000 for giving information on the whereabouts of the absconding borrowers and guarantors. In a bid to find other properties owned by such loan defaulters, PNB said it will pay a fees of up to Rs 1.5 lakh for locating properties other than details of which are available in the bank's records. The hired detective agencies will also inform the bank on whether the defaulter has availed credit facilities from other banks. Moreover, to protect the bank from any legal wrangle, PNB said that the hired agency shall not resort to use of coercive methods or commit any wrongful act or offence against person or property of the borrowers, guarantors or any other liable parties, while collecting the information. The private detective agency will also gather any other information which the PNB cannot access by utilizing normal channels like CIBIL/internet/local enquiries and which may be considered necessary by the bank for recovery of the dues, the advertisement policy stated. Mark Stone has apologized after witnesses say he used a racial slur at Cornology, the gourmet popcorn shop in Emeryville. Witnesses said he shouted ns at a group of black juveniles in his store Sunday. I have great remorse and much regret in the way I reacted to a robbery taking place in the store on Sunday, Stone, the companys founder, said to me in an email Wednesday afternoon. I reacted unprofessionally in the heat & extreme stress of the moment. For that I seek forgiveness from GOD, my family and friends. What Stone describes as a robbery, witnesses say was merely 10 black juveniles entering the store, their presence setting off Stone. Whats more, Stone, in his initial interview with my colleague Justin Phillips, said an employee used the racial slur. But there was no employee, only him, the CEO of Cornology, a public official later told Phillips. This wont go away because Stone is sorry. This is something the community has to talk about, because thats the only way to eradicate racism. Yes, even the Bay Area, home to the Free Speech Movement and progressive politics, isnt immune to racism, because structural and institutional racism is sewn into the fabric of America like stars in a flag. Heres what I know about the experience of being black in America: It means at times living in fear that your life may be cut short because of the color of your skin. This countrys prosperous foundation was forged by the labor of millions of black slaves, which means this country wont be relieved of its demons until racism is something that can be discussed openly in schools, offices and, of course, coffee shops. Racism exists because some people are afraid to confront it. Some people would rather confront a black man at a coffee shop than confront the reasons why seeing a black man at a coffee shop could make someone uncomfortable. The Cornology incident follows the abrupt closing on Friday of Elmwood Cafe, a Berkeley coffee shop, after an old controversy was revived, dragging the business into the current conversations about racial bias. In 2015, W. Kamau Bell, a black Bay Area comedian and CNN host, was told to leave the cafe after an employee suspected he was bothering four white women seated at an outdoor cafe table. One of the women happened to be his wife. Three years later, he was reminded of the incident when Starbucks announced the closing of more than 8,000 stores across the nation for a day of racial-bias education for its employees after a Starbucks employee at a Philadelphia location called police on two black men who were sitting at a table waiting for an acquaintance to arrive. Some have criticized Bell for rekindling the Elmwood Cafe story. Bell said that the cafes owner, Michael Pearce, promised a wide-reaching education campaign, but Pearce didnt follow through. Bell was right to talk about his experience then and now. He has the platform to speak truth to power. I believe Bell, a nationally known personality, is obligated to speak for the black men who get harassed, assaulted, arrested and killed just for being black. I wasnt speaking out for me me and my family will be fine, Bell told me during an interview Wednesday. I was speaking out for people who dont have the platform to speak out. I just know if its happening to me, its happening to other people and those who dont have a platform. I went to Elmwood Cafe Tuesday night. Peering inside the cafes window, I could see the stacked chairs once used for outdoor seating. There were blue and yellow Post-it notes on the cafes doors, covered in butcher paper. Riley Byrne and Meghan OConnell, both juniors at UC Berkeley, stopped to read the messages on their way home following an evening run. So unfair you did so much good and that should be recognized. Please reopen! read one Post-it note. Closing down is the wrong response, another message read. Talking and listening is a much better one. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. I asked Byrne and OConnell, who are white, if I could ask them questions. We ended up having a conversation about race, the kind of dialogue Bell was seeking. I mean, if its us, were both white women coming here, we can be like, Yeah, its not racist, Byrne, 22, said. Were not experiencing anything. People like to be comfortable. This was their spot. Its easier not to have that discussion, OConnell, 21, said. Its so easy to disregard the experiences of people of color whove felt the lashes of discrimination and racism. No one wants to acknowledge that they have these prejudices, and no one wants to talk about that, Oh, this could happen in our community, Byrne said. Because then you actually have to face the fact that somethings wrong in the community. And something is wrong. Cornology was open for business at 10 a.m. Wednesday, and the smell of fresh popcorn wafted out of the stores open door. Whats the penalty, if any, for making racist statements? Being racist doesnt shut businesses down in America, Bell said. In fact, its helped build many businesses in America. Thats why saying sorry isnt enough. San Francisco Chronicle columnist Otis R. Taylor Jr. appears Mondays and Thursdays. Email: otaylor@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @otisrtaylorjr The cost and shortage of housing and quality child care are both significant issues in San Francisco. Its unfortunate that voters must choose between them in deciding which one to address with a new surtax on commercial rents. The decision should not hinge just on which is the greater need, but on which ballot measure is the more carefully calibrated to deliver on its promises without having a detrimental effect on businesses. By that yardstick, it is no contest. Proposition D (a 1.7 percent surtax on commercial rents) is a better crafted, relatively modest plan to address specific needs in housing and homelessness; Prop. C (a 3.5 percent surtax on commercial rents) is a much more ambitious but far less-thought-out effort to subsidize child care programs. Among the many problems with Prop. C is its obliviousness to the reality of commercial real estates volatility. To link an expensive new program to a revenue source that is certain to shrink in the next downturn is simply irresponsible. There is also a cynical political element in Prop. C: 15 percent of its revenue, about $20 million a year, would be set aside for the general fund where it could be spent for any purpose, a provision that sponsoring Supervisor Jane Kim acknowledged was a concession to the San Francisco Labor Council. Under the measure, fully subsidized child care would be provided for the 2,500 low-income families who are currently on a waiting list. It also would offer subsidies to middle-income families and increased compensation for child care professionals and staff. The hefty 1,100 percent gross-receipts tax increase in Prop. C could be a tipping point for some commercial tenants to leave San Francisco. It is noteworthy that the city controllers office has projected that the Prop. C surtax would have a negative net economic cost with a drop in employment and disposable income per capita. Meanwhile, revenue from the more modest Prop. D surtax is laser focused on what the citys homeless czar Jeff Kositsky called gaps in the system: rent subsidies for low-income seniors, rehabilitation of single-room-occupancy units, supportive housing for people with severe mental illness or substance abuse, and navigation centers, including one specifically for homeless youth. While targeting one sector to bear the burden of a government initiative is not an ideal way to make public policy, in this case there is a reasonable nexus between the payers and the beneficiaries of the tax. The pervasiveness of homelessness and the affordability of housing for employees has no small impact on businesses renting commercial space. Housing affordability is the issue in San Francisco. Prop. D is not a panacea much more government investment and regulatory relief will be required but it represents a sensible and strategic move on discrete aspects of the crisis. If people cant live in the city, everything else is secondary, said Supervisor Ahsha Safai, sponsor of Prop. D. If both C and D pass, only the proposition with the higher vote total becomes law. Vote yes on D. This commentary is from The Chronicles editorial board. We invite you to express your views in a letter to the editor. Please submit your letter via our online form: SFChronicle.com/letters. Mick Mulvaney was never the right choice to run a consumer agency he despises. Now hes showing even more contempt for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau by asking bankers to help gut the agency and revealing his pay-to-play mind-set. Mulvaney, who is President Trumps budget director and interim head of the consumer bureau, spoke to a gathering of banking officials, a group hes charged with policing. Keep up the pressure on lawmakers, he urged them, adding, They will never know as much about your issues as you do. Join him in supporting changes proposed in Congress to sever the bureaus financial independence and curb its power, Mulvaney encouraged the bankers. Two black men, Rashon Nelson and Donte Robinson, were escorted out of a Philadelphia Starbucks in handcuffs April 12. The video of the incident is just the latest evidence of racial bias against communities of color by businesses and law enforcement. However, the part not caught on camera was the beginning of their story, where Nelson entered the Starbucks and asked the manager to use the bathroom. The managers answer: Bathrooms are for customers only. While an incident like this does not always end in arrest, it is not a rare occurrence. Every day, restrooms for customers only policies prevent individuals who are homeless or do not appear to have the funds to patronize a business from using its restrooms. These policies, in conjunction with an absence of publicly funded restrooms and laws that criminalize urinating or defecating in public, deny homeless individuals the ability to perform a life-sustaining activity they have no choice but to carry out. Many municipalities operate public restrooms, but those bathrooms do not serve the needs of unsheltered individuals. For example, very few public restrooms are open 24 hours a day. Moreover, many are located in government buildings that have security preventing people from entering without identification or based on perceived financial status. Cities such as San Francisco and Portland dedicate significant resources to the problem but are not doing enough. San Francisco operates 28 public restrooms that are open all day, which amounts to one for every 267 homeless individuals. In Portland, there are 15 24-hour restrooms one for every 278 homeless individuals. As a point of reference, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees requires one communal latrine for every 20 refugee camp residents. Meanwhile, the hepatitis A outbreak in Southern California is due, in part, to its lack of public bathrooms. In Los Angeles, there are nine 24-hour restrooms for the 1,777 unsheltered residents of Skid Row a small fraction of the more than 34,000 homeless individuals in the city. In San Diego, there are seven 24-hour bathrooms for the countys 9,000 homeless residents. Compounding the problem, many municipalities criminalize urinating, defecating and even washing in public. These laws initially result in a citation. San Francisco, for example, fines individuals between $50 and $500. While California now mandates that courts consider an individuals ability to pay in assessing the fine, the ability-to-pay standards are applied inconsistently throughout the state. In California and other states that do not consider an individuals financial capacity, a failure to pay the fine can lead to a criminal charge and up to six months in jail. While most people would agree that these laws address a public health concern, we must ask ourselves whether enforcing them absent meaningful access to bathrooms is a worthwhile use of our criminal justice system. One solution, however, is hidden in plain sight. Federal law requires workplaces to maintain restrooms for their employees, and state and municipal laws frequently require businesses of public accommodation, such as restaurants, to provide restrooms for their customers. The infrastructure is there. The question therefore is whether we have the will to demand that private businesses accommodate people who are poor, like we have in the past for people of color and individuals with disabilities and the way we hopefully will in the future for transgender individuals. In fact, it should come as no surprise that homelessness and race, disability and gender are interrelated. Communities of color account for 61 percent of homeless individuals, 39 percent are disabled and approximately 40 percent of homeless youth identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. Businesses will undoubtedly object to a proposal that requires them to open up their bathrooms to everyone. They will argue that it is too costly to maintain. However, a law that requires all businesses to open up their bathrooms minimizes the cost for any one business. They will argue that providing access to public bathrooms is the responsibility of government and not private business. Yet this proposal simply capitalizes on infrastructure that federal and local law already requires. Finally, they will argue that it will discourage patrons from frequenting their businesses, to which we must reply that the days in which businesses are permitted to exclude one class of people to ensure the comfort of another are behind us. Banning for customers only policies will not, in and of itself, solve the problem of access to bathrooms. However, it is the quickest and most cost-effective way to ameliorate the crisis, while protecting the health and dignity of homeless individuals everywhere. Ron Hochbaum is a clinical teaching fellow at Loyola University Chicago School of Law, a former attorney with the Homeless Action Center and a public voices fellow with the OpEd Project. Congressional Republicans would be more willing to stand up to Donald Trump if their major financial backers big business and Wall Street had more backbone. Ever since 1971, when then-future Supreme Court Justice Lewis Powell urged corporations to mobilize politically, corporate money has flooded Washington most of it into Republican coffers. Today, big corporations and Wall Street essentially own the Republican Party. In the 2016 campaign cycle, they contributed $34 to candidates from both parties for every $1 donated by labor unions and all public interest organizations combined. They donate far more to Republicans than do extremists such as the Koch brothers and have far more influence over the GOP than does the Tea Party. Which means the CEOs of Americas largest firms have the power to constrain the most dangerous, divisive and anti-democratic president ever to occupy the Oval Office. So why dont they? What explains their silence? Consider Jamie Dimon, chairman and CEO of JPMorgan Chase, the largest bank in the United States. Dimon also chairs the Business Roundtable the most influential confab of major CEOs in America, founded in 1972, just after Powell urged CEOs to mobilize. Dimon has gone out of his way not to criticize the mad king. While he strongly disagreed with Trumps equating white supremacists to protesters in Charlottesville, Va., last summer, he also counseled not to expect smooth sailing in the first year of a new administration. Now well into Trumps second year, with the sailing more treacherous than ever Trump has fired most of the adults around him and grown even more erratic and unhinged Dimon is even more conciliatory. Asked this month how Trump is doing, Dimon gushed. Regulatory stuff, good. The potential summit with North Korea, a great idea. He regrets his 2017 prediction that Trump would be a one-term president, telling Fox Business, I wish I hadnt said it, I was talking probabilistically. Dimons reluctance to criticize Trump is particularly curious given Dimons public laments about widening inequality, the explosion of student debt, Americas growing racial divide, the failure of urban schools and the expenditure of trillions of dollars on wars. One obvious explanation is found in the money rolling in from the GOPs new tax law and Trumps frenzy of deregulation. Profits have soared at JPMorgan and at other big banks and corporations. Compensation for Dimon and other CEOs has exploded. Never underestimate the power of a fat compensation package to buy up scruples. From the perspective of Dimon and other CEOs, whats not to like about Trump and the GOP? It turns out, plenty. As the Republican Party moves toward Trumps looniness his xenophobia, isolationism, attacks on the media and on truth, conflicts of interest, anti-Muslim and racist provocations, climate-change denials, proposed cuts in Medicare and Medicaid, the dismantling of the Affordable Care Act, and the evisceration of the constitutional divide between church and state Dimon and his ilk could come out big losers. Let them try to sustain corporate profits as America slides toward authoritarianism. Let them try to maintain comfortable lifestyles as America descends into angry populist tribalism. Dont Dimon and other CEOs have a moral responsibility to sound the alarm? Im old enough to recall a time when CEOs were thought of as corporate statesman with duties to the nation. As one prominent executive told Time magazine in the 1950s, Americans regard business management as a stewardship, acting for the benefit of all the people. CEOs of that era formed the Committee for Economic Development to champion causes such as universal pre-kindergarten and campaign-finance reform. Todays CEOs finance a larger part of our political system, yet they wont take a stand to save it. The socially conscious Committee for Economic Development has withered, while the profit-obsessed Business Roundtable has become dominant (along with its louder cousin, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce). The corporate statesmen of the mid-20th century have been replaced by sycophantic Dimons of the 21st at a time when we need statesmen more than ever. Democracy is fragile. Two weeks ago, Hungarys far-right governing party, Fidesz, gained a huge victory in national elections, further tightening Prime Minister Viktor Orbans grip on power, and signaling an end to Hungarys independent media and a deepening threat to its democracy. If the leaders of American business remain silent about what Trump is doing to American democracy, they will be complicit in its demise. 2018 Robert Reich Robert Reich, a former U.S. secretary of labor, is professor of public policy at UC Berkeley. To comment, submit your letter to the editor at SFChronicle.com/letters. Come Saturday, anglers across California will try to turn their fishing rods into magic wands. At many lakes and streams, they just might be able to do it. Unlike a year ago, conditions are good for the most part for this years opening of trout season. The official opener takes place at most streams in the Sierra Nevada and Northern California, and lakes in the Eastern Sierra. The date is a symbolic rite of passage, even at streams below dams that are open year-round, as well as lakes across the Bay Area and the foothills of the Sierra, Cascade and Siskiyou ranges. After warm weather Wednesday with high temperatures in the high 70s in the mountains and 80s in the foothills, the forecast Saturday is for party cloudy skies with high temperatures in the mountains ranging from mid-50s to low-60s. In Northern California, where the best prospects are, a low-pressure system could drop the high temperature to 50 degrees with a chance of showers. The best destination is where Fall River, Upper Sacramento River, Hat Creek and other streams are in good shape, with moderate flows and good clarity, though cold water temperatures. The Lower Sac, from the Posse Grounds in Redding on downstream, open year-round, has been fishing good all month on float trips with drift boats. In addition, many lakes with good trout fishing are in great shape, 90 percent full or higher. Campgrounds are open at lakes and streams across the foothills up the mountain slopes into national forest to roughly elevations in the 4,500-foot range, with some exceptions by region. In the Bay Area, trout plants are at a years peak and bonus trout programs are in place at 10 lakes in Alameda and Contra Costa counties. Great start to summer To put the conditions of this years opener in perspective, just remember what we faced one year ago on this date: a mammoth snowpack, high, muddy and cold rivers, many unfishable, with water temperatures and radical weather a better fit for Admiral Byrd than trout anglers. The recent weather has been radical in the mountains: It snowed a week ago, approached 80 on Wednesday, and will be followed with a chance of rain Saturday. Of the prospects for the opener, one of the best examples and destinations for Saturday is along the Sacramento River corridor. Above Shasta Lake, the river looks great from Pollard Flat to Vollmers, as well as from Sims to Pollard. In Dunsmuir, the stream has been planted for the opener. Stream flows have been steady this week at 725 cubic feet per second (cfs), ideal for fishing, though the water is cold, as is typical for the early season, and if you dont adjust to lighter takes, you can get the ki-bosh. Access is good at many spots from cutoff spurs off Interstate 5, but by raft, you can hit all the spots unavailable to those who wade. Last year, the Upper Sac hit flows as high as 32,000 cfs in the floods and ran 3,000 cfs to 5,000 cfs for most of the early spring. Downstream, Shasta Lake is gorgeous, 92 percent full of cool, clean water. Trout fishing is good trolling up the lake arms, best well up the Pit Arm, as well as along the Shasta Caverns on the McCloud arm and up the Sacramento River arm at OBrien. Below Shasta Lake, some guided trips in drift boats out of the Fly Shop have reported some mind-boggling catch-and-release numbers this month. Its best side-drifting from the Posse Grounds in Redding on downstream. Open/closed Another prospect is Hat Creek in eastern Shasta County. Along Highway 89, the Department of Fish and Wildlife has stocked it twice, and on Wednesday, the National Forest Service opened the campgrounds along the stream here. The Wild Trout Section of Hat Creek, near Highway 299, is expected to be crowded with flyfishers at the best riffles. In the north Sierra, the open/closed line is at about 4,500 feet elevation. At Stumpy Meadows Reservoir, the beautiful lake at 4,200 feet in Eldorado National Forest, the Forest Service will open its campground this week. Yet up the hill from Placerville, at the Crystal Basin Recreation Area, the Forest Service plans to open the campgrounds at Camino Cove at Union Valley Reservoir (4,870 feet elevation) and Gerle Creek Reservoir on May 18. The other campgrounds at Union Valley, plus the camp at Ice House Reservoir, is scheduled to open the following week, on May 24. Loon Lake (6,410 feet) isnt planned to open until June 15. In the Bay Area, 10 lakes have trout programs, most where anglers pay a daily trout-fishing fee and that money is used to stock trout beyond that provided by the Department of Fish and Wildlife. Those 10 lakes are Del Valle, Chabot, Shadow Cliffs, Don Castro and Temescal in Alameda County, and Los Vaqueros, San Pablo, Lafayette and Contra Loma in Contra Costa County. Tom Stienstras Outdoor Report can be heard at 7:35 a.m., 9:35 a.m. and 12:35 p.m. Saturdays on KCBS (740 and 106.9). Email: tstienstra@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @StienstraTom Fly-fishing technique Cold water temperatures in mountain streams can require flyfishers to use a technique called short-line nymphing. You tie a strike indicator to where your leader is tied to your fly line. From your leader, tie on a No. 16 Prince nymph. From the hook of the nymph, tie on another 10 inches of leader (5X fluorocarbon) a No. 18 Copper John (as a dropper). Make very short casts above pocket water and design perfect drifts right in front of you, where the flies drift downstream as if no line is attached. Other good patterns include rubberlegs, golden stones, midges and others. Every stream and river have their favorites. Tom Stienstra Trout opener Opening Saturday: Most of the states trout streams, all lakes in the Eastern Sierra . Opening Memorial Day weekend: Eagle Lake Open year-round: All lakes in Bay Area (San Pablo Res. closed in winter), all reservoirs in Northern California, most rivers below dams. Trout streams Best for opener: Fall River, Shasta County; Lower Sacramento River, Redding; Carson River, Mono County; Upper Sacramento River, Sims to Pollard Flat. North state: Fall River/Big Lake (best by small boat); Upper Sacramento (access along I nterstate 5, but best if floated); Pit River Powerhouse areas 4, 5 and 1 (difficult wading, cold); McCloud (cold water, crowded, access quota on best area that requires hike); Hat Creek (crowded, planted twice at campgrounds along Highway 89); Lower Sacramento River, Redding, need drift boat to do it right, launching from Posse Grounds in Redding. Central Sierra: Carson River, vicinity of Highway 120 and U.S. 395 (good shape for early season), Truckee (easy access, but high and cold); Merced (west of Yosemite, high and cold); Stanislaus (small fish); Tuolumne (difficult access to best areas). North Sierra: Middle Fork Feather (flows still high, when flows right, excellent by raft or hike-in); Yuba River (very cold, easy access along Highway 49, small fish); Deer Creek (easy access, mostly locals); Grizzly Creek (mostly locals). Online reports: The Fly Shop, www.theflyshop.com; Jack Trout Guide Service, www.jacktrout.com; Northern California Fishing News, www.norcalfishingnews.com; Western Outdoor News, www.wonews.com; The Fish Sniffer, www.thefishsniffer.com. Bay Area trout plants This months trout plants at Bay Area lakes, reported by the Department of Fish and Wildlife, East Bay Regional Park District and Contra Costa Water District, and concessionaires: Alameda County: 750 pounds of rainbow trout at Lake Chabot near Castro Valley, 3,950 pounds at Del Valle Reservoir near Livermore, 750 pounds at Horseshoe Lake/Quarry Lakes in Fremont, 1,750 pounds at Shadow Cliffs in Pleasanton, 750 pounds at Lake Temescal in the Oakland hills, 750 pounds at Don Castro in the Hayward hills. Contra Costa County: 3,000 pounds at Los Vaqueros north of Livermore, 750 pounds at Contra Loma near Antioch, 3,000 pounds at San Pablo in El Sobrante, 1,750 pounds at Lafayette Reservoir near Highway 24. Marin County: 750 pounds at Bon Tempe Lake near Fairfax. San Francisco: 750 pounds at Lake Merced North. Santa Clara County: 750 pounds at Sandy Wool Lake at Levin Park near Milpitas. Sonoma County: 750 pounds at Ralphine Lake near Santa Rosa. Lake levels North s tate: Antelope (103 percent full), Shasta (92), Lewiston (91), Whiskeytown (90). North Sierra and foothills: Frenchman (101), Davis (99), Bullards Bar (94), Englebright (92). Central Sierra and foothills: Pardee (99), Don Pedro (91), Stampede (90), Camanche (88), New Melones (86), Beardsley (81). Projection: Lake levels will peak in late May and through June for lakes in the Sierra foothills and at higher elevations in national forest, respectively. Al Madrigal and Aparna Nancherla are scheduled to perform at the Comedy Night for Immigrant Rights on Saturday, April 28, a fundraiser celebrating the 100th anniversary of the International Institute of the Bay Area. The nonprofit IIBA provides legal help, education and other services for immigrants, refugees and their families in the Bay Area. With six weeks to go until the June 5 primary, a new poll suggests that it's a three-man race to be the next governor of California. A poll of 520 likely primary voters released by SurveyUSA and sponsored by KABC-TV Los Angeles, KFSN-TV Fresno, KGTV-TV San Diego, KPIX-TV San Francisco and the San Diego Union-Tribune found that Gavin Newsom, Antonio Villaraigosa and John Cox are all within 6 percentage points of one another. Newsom led the field with 21 percent of the vote, but was followed closely by fellow Democrat Antonio Villaraigosa with 18 percent. Republican John Cox came in third with 15 percent, and was followed by fellow Republican Travis Allen at 10 percent and Democrat John Chiang at 9 percent. RELATED: Gavin Newsom says alcohol isn't a problem anymore: 'A little wine' is fine No other candidate received more than 5 percent support; 17 percent of the poll's participants were undecided. Now Playing: Six leading candidates for California governor agreed that it's too hard to build new homes in California and offered wide ranging solutions to rein in exploding housing costs and rising homelessness. The candidates spoke separately Thursday at a housing conference in Sacramento. For decades, California has failed to build enough homes to meet demand, particularly in popular coastal cities such as San Francisco. Video: KCRA The top two finishers in the June 5 primary will go on to face each other in the November general election, regardless of political party. The poll also found that 66 percent of Californians support sending troops from the California National Guard to the Mexican border. 30 percent of participants said they support sending troops to "patrol for people attempting to cross the border illegally," and an additional 36 percent said they support sending troops to the border as long as they "only focus on gang and drug activity." MORE: John Cox's interview with Laura Ingraham goes off the rails after guest insults Cox, Ingraham Just 27 percent of the poll's participants said that National Guard troops shouldn't be sent to the border, while 7 percent were undecided. In the Senate race, the poll found that Dianne Feinstein maintains a large lead over her many primary challengers. Feinstein leads the way with 39 percent, and the next closest contender is Republican Patrick Little, with 18 percent. State Senate leader Kevin de Leon garnered just 8 percent support. It can be a lonely experience, knocking on doors in the Bay Area on behalf of the most conservative Republican among the six major candidates for governor. Its especially depressing when the liberals who answer one door after another have never even heard of your guy, Orange County Assemblyman Travis Allen. The good news for Allens volunteers is that most havent heard of the other candidates, either. Isnt Newsom running for something? a retired union worker asked the three Allen supporters on his Concord doorstep the other morning. Yes, he is. Gavin Newsom, the Democratic lieutenant governor and former San Francisco mayor, is the anti-Allen. Its a comparison that both men would take as a compliment particularly Allen, who brags that hes the only candidate in the race who voted for President Trump. He cant stop talking about Newsom usually to say, Bay Area liberals like Gavin Newsom have ruined California. Or, The streets in Gavin Newsoms San Francisco glitter with glass from all the car break-ins. Conservatives love Allen because nobody rips liberals like he does. With his short spiky hair and perpetually open collar, he may look every bit the OC surfer he is. But he attacks like a barroom brawler. Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf should be arrested for issuing a public warning of federal immigration raids in February, Allen says. Attorney General Xavier Becerra is the criminal attorney general for his support of a state law limiting employer cooperation with immigration authorities. University of California President Janet Napolitano should be out of job for allowing so many students to be homeless. Hes not just out of step with most Californians politically, said former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, a Democratic rival in the race. He is from another planet. Paul Chinn / The Chronicle Allens more immediate problem is that most people havent heard of his message or his swipes at Democrats. Hes in the middle of the pack in most polls, drawing 10 percent in a nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California survey this month. And unlike fellow Republican John Cox, a San Diego County businessman who has put $4 million of his own money into his race, Allens campaign is checking under the sofa cushions for quarters and dimes. So supporting Allen in the Bay Area is a leap of political faith. Those who take the extra step of seeking out converts are part cultural support group, part guerrilla fighters behind enemy lines. The Allen campaign has tapped into the 4.4 million Californians who voted for Trump to harvest what they say is a network of 40,000 volunteers statewide. Yet most of the dozen canvassers who fanned out in a Concord neighborhood of teachers and factory workers and middle managers came to the campaign not through their love of Trump, but through their frustration with California. Many, like Allen, are native Californians whose families and friends have left the state the candidates parents moved to Oregon. Several of the canvassers said they, too, will join the exodus if Allen isnt elected. The taxes are too high. The schools are a mess. Their gun rights are being threatened. And Californias sanctuary laws make them feel like their police officers cant do their jobs. Family aside, theres less and less keeping us here, said Brandon Wood, a canvassing organizer who lives in Oakley, a small town in the former farmlands of eastern Contra Costa County. Paul Chinn / The Chronicle Wood, a father of three with a fourth on the way, runs a small cabinet refinishing business. He and his employees haul cabinetry to and from customers all over the Bay Area in three diesel-powered vehicles. But a 20-cent-per-gallon state tax on diesel fuel that went into effect in November is going to cost him $3,000 a year or more, Wood said, and it is probably going to come out of raises for everybody. Allen is pushing a proposed November ballot measure that would repeal the tax, which the state is using to pay for road improvements. Woods parents grew up in Contra Costa and still live there, but theyre looking at states where life is cheaper and simpler. And Im looking at Idaho or Montana, he said. Michele Guerra hears the same thing from family and friends. Her dad, a lifelong Californian, is ready to move. Another relative has already left and opened up a gun shop in another state. I found out about Travis in December, after I saw a clip of him on Facebook, said Guerra, a Vacaville resident. She said this is her first involvement in politics. Allen is just saying what so many of us feel, Guerra said. One Allen volunteer asked to be identified only by her first name, Jennifer. Im in sales it could kill me if her Bay Area customers knew her politics, she said. She was having dinner with friends a couple of weeks ago when one said, Oh, dont listen to her. She voted for Trump. Its like I dont count around here, Jennifer said. The Concord canvassers did find a few receptive listeners and like Jennifer, some are worried about what their acquaintances will think. Some people dont want to hear what I have to say, said one woman, who wanted to be identified only as Laura. And Laura has plenty to say. When are we going to get rid of these teachers who arent teaching? she asked, rhetorically, to the canvassers on her doorstep. And welfare? Its two years and youre done. And only one kid. If you get pregnant again before that youre done. Guerra nodded and assured her that Allen has never voted for a tax increase in the Assembly. And hes got a zero percent rating from Planned Parenthood they dont like him at all, Guerra said. So, do you think Travis can count on your vote? Laura grabbed an inch-high stack of Allen flyers. Ive got a bunch of people at my church who would be interested in reading these, she said. Without much money for TV commercials, thats one way Allen can gain traction in Californias liberal territory: word-of-mouth from one closeted conservative to another. Joe Garofoli is The San Francisco Chronicles senior political writer. Email: jgarofoli@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @joegarofoli A new U.S. Senate poll that shows a Republican hopeful leaping into a near dead heat for second place may say more about the state of the GOP than it does about little-known and under-financed James P. Bradley. While the poll by the Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies found Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein on top with 28 percent support among likely voters, Bradley, a Laguna Niguel (Orange County) businessman, moved into third at 10 percent, just a tick behind Democratic state Sen. Kevin de Leons 11 percent. Why Bradley and not the other 10 Republicans running for Senate? asked Mark DiCamillo, the polls director. Thats the big question. There might be an easy answer. Since the poll was conducted online, it could include the list of all 32 candidates for Senate, rather than the much smaller number of selected front-runners used in telephone polls. The candidates were listed in alphabetical order, and Bradley was second on the list of 11 GOP contestants. And the first Republican on that list? Arun K. Bhumitra, a teacher/engineer/businessman from Torrance (Los Angeles County). Neither Bhumitra nor any GOP candidate other than Bradley received much more than 2 percent in the poll, suggesting that people looking to vote Republican just picked someone with a name they liked from high on the list. DiCamillo doesnt see it that way, arguing that theres no evidence of an ordering effect in the polling, since the first five names listed were all Republicans and that only one of them received significant support. Bradley, who is running on a President Trump-style America First platform, has not even been a blip in previous polls. So far, he hasnt collected the $5,000 in contributions that would require him to file a financial statement with the Federal Election Commission. The long list of Senate candidates might have been intimidating to voters who havent paid much attention to the contest, DiCamillo said. That probably would include plenty of Republicans, because the party hasnt been able to recruit a big-name candidate for the race. I thought going in that Republican voters would naturally gravitate toward the 11 Republicans, said DiCamillo, who noted that 43 percent of GOP voters remain undecided. But I thought they would divide the vote. They didnt, which gives Bradley at least a moment in the political sun. The poll is based on an online survey of 1,738 likely voters, taken April 16-22. The margin of error for the poll is plus or minus four percentage points. John Wildermuth Paul Chinn / The Chronicle Fight for second: Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom remains comfortably ahead in the June 5 primary race for governor, according to a new poll, but a pair of Republicans, businessman John Cox and Orange County Assemblyman Travis Allen, now are in a dogfight for second place and a spot on the November ballot. The whole race is boiling down to a contest for second place, said Mark DiCamillo, director of the poll for the Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies. Newsom has seen his numbers rise from 26 percent in the institutes December poll to 30 percent in the new survey. But the two Republicans made the biggest jump, with Cox now second at 18 percent and Allen third at 16 percent. Both were at 9 percent in December. Republican voters seem to be moving to those two GOP contenders, DiCamillo said. While 36 percent of likely Republican voters were undecided in December, thats now 11 percent. Jessica Christian / The Chronicle The new poll is terrible news for Democrat Antonio Villaraigosa, former mayor of Los Angeles. Since December, hes dropped from second place at 16 percent to fourth place at 9 percent. Hes also the only major candidate for governor with more likely voters viewing him unfavorably (36 percent) than favorably (27 percent). Most of Villaraigosas decline has come from Democrats, DiCamillo said. In the December poll, Villaraigosa trailed Newsom among Democrats, 38 to 26 percent. But that gap has widened dramatically in the latest survey, with 51 percent of likely Democratic voters backing Newsom, compared with 14 percent for Villaraigosa. Villaraigosas team shrugged off the poll numbers. Another poll this week showed the race Newsom 21 and Villaraigosa 18 nearly tied for first, said Luis Vizcaino, a spokesman for the former L.A. mayor. The polls bounce around. The poll found Democrat state Treasurer John Chiang at 7 percent and Democrat Delaine Eastin, former state schools chief, at 4 percent. The poll is based on an online survey of 1,738 likely voters, taken April 16-22. The margin of error for the poll is plus or minus four percentage points. John Wildermuth Chiang makes a move: State Treasurer John Chiang, a Democratic candidate for governor, dropped his first statewide TV ad Thursday, painting himself as the man who made the tough calls. And brought California back from the brink of financial disaster because you trusted me to manage our economy. Liz Hafalia / The Chronicle Chiang is referring to financial decisions he made during the recession that prevented the states credit rating from tanking. Hes using this 30-second spot titled Quiet Storm to try to make his series of low-profile but important statewide jobs he has served as treasurer, controller and a member of the Board of Equalization sound a bit sexier in a race where he is competing against two candidates who led big cities, former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and former San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom. Chiang is hoping those explanations sink in fast, because he remains stalled in the polls, clocking in with only 7 percent of the vote in a survey released Thursday by the nonpartisan Berkeley IGS Poll. Chiang supporters say they expect him to move in the polls once the ads start airing. This is a six-figure ad buy, compared with the seven-figure buys recently from pro-Newsom and pro-Villaraigosa camps. Could be a start. Joe Garofoli John Wildermuth and Joe Garofoli are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: jwildermuth@sfchronicle.com, jgarofoli@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jfwildermuth, @joegarofoli In the midst of the #MeToo movement and revelations of sexual harassment in Silicon Valley, its an interesting time for a female Silicon Valley executive to pen a book about her life in the inside track. Anna Yen who grew up in Woodside and Saratoga, and spent decades working in investor relations for Pixar and Tesla and has several start-ups under her belt hasnt written a Brotopia tell-all. Just the opposite: a humorous, fictionalized autobiography that has all the makings of a (tech) chick-lit summer hit. Sophia of Silicon Valley, (William Morrow; 368 pages; $17.99), released April 10, does give a picture of Yens struggles in juggling big egos who have big demands as they push for big results. We see it through the eyes of Sophia, a twentysomething trying to please her Taiwanese immigrant parents, who want her to go to college and marry well. As Sophias career unfolds, her promotions and firings are sparked by her propensity to speak in blunt, unfiltered terms. (Yen leaned in long before Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg was urging women to make themselves heard at the table). Many characters and firms are loosely disguised (or composites of) Steve Jobs, Elon Musk, and the law firm of Wilson, Sonsini, Goodrich & Rosati, while the names of actual watering holes like the Rosewood Sand Hill hotel, the Dutch Goose restaurant and Blue Line Pizza are sprinkled throughout. Unlike many women in the real Silicon Valley, Sophia has no difficult encounters with sexism, but she does battle several life-threatening medical conditions, wrestle with relationship troubles and copes with a death before finally achieving an equilibrium by defining personal and professional success on her own terms. Yen, a managing director at Ellipsis, a San Francisco investor relations firm, appears at Keplers bookstore in Menlo Park on Thursday, April 26, with Jon M. Chu, the director of the upcoming film Crazy Rich Asians, in a chat led by Michael Whalen, professor of communications at Santa Clara University. Q: Whered the idea come from and why did you write this? A: I wrote it probably three years ago. It was after Steve Jobs had died and I read the obituaries. I did not read the Walter Isaacson book (Steve Jobs, Simon & Schuster, 2011). But I did hear how people reacted to it, especially some of the Pixar folks that I knew. My memory of him was very different from what was portrayed about him in the book. I thought it would be good to one day tell the story of my experience in a voice and through a lens that very few other people would see. And I feel very fortunate that the people who did really know him felt I really nailed him the character of Scott Kraft (based on Jobs) was the person I really knew. I met someone at a dog park who happened to be a literary agent. She said it sounded great. It gave me the confidence to go forward. Steve was very much about what his legacy was going to be. So now, as an older adult with no children, I wanted to leave something for my nieces, in particular, who I wanted to be strong. Q: Are you as unfiltered and blunt as Sophia? How has that worked for or against you? A: It makes me feel a heck of a lot better. I say what I think. If you want to talk to me about it, youre going to get a straight answer. That came from my mother and father. I dont know if Im stereotyping, but theres no filtering in our house. Its You look fat, or Those pants make you look squatty. As you see in the book, it gets me in a lot of trouble Ive been fired so many times. It underscores the fact that its hard to be a woman in the valley. If a man had been that direct, it may have been taken another way. Q: Im halfway through the book, which is full of high-powered men. Will I find any high-powered females? A: The women in the book are all strong women. Theyre not Sheryl Sandbergs. But all the characters are inspired by people who have mentored me. Its a collection of stories and characters from my life. I have three sisters, two of whom are CEOs. Ones the CEO of a billion- dollar hedge fund; the other is CEO of Blue Line pizza. The other one is the VP of quality assurance at Willow. It won Time magazines innovation of the year. Its a wireless, tubeless breast pump. She was doing it at Thanksgiving. You wouldnt know youre pumping. It doesnt make any noise. The editors cut out the sisters from the book, except for one, and most of the friends. Q: Weve seen a lot of women coming forward in recent years about the sexism in Silicon Valley. Emily Changs book Brotopia hit a nerve. What was your experience? A: I have had a Cinderella career, for the most part. When I worked for my boss at the law firm, or reported to the CFO or CEO, youre generally very protected. If the CEO and CFO respect you and dont treat you poorly, then no one else will. Have I seen it happen? Absolutely. Ive seen men and women treat men and women poorly. Im not intelligent or intellectual enough to pontificate about this. Its not my jam; its not my thing. But I do want to say Ive seen it happen. I think why people are so caught off guard about Silicon Valley is that weve always known there were glass ceilings on Wall Street and sexism in Hollywood, but Silicon Valley is supposed to be a place where you could be and do anything. This is where we create things that change the world, where geeks in high school became billionaires. Its utopia. What alarms people is that they learn, when they get here, its actually not true. Thats what shocked people and why Brotopia had such an impact. Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more. Q: What career or life advice would you give women reading the book? A: This is for women or men: 1. Take things six minutes at a time. I got that from my time working at a law firm. You bill in six-minute increments. I was so busy, Id start to spin my wheels. I had too many clients; Id get overwhelmed. Id become completely unproductive, running here running there, trying to stay above water. If I focused on, What do I have to do right now? it got me into a mind-set, and rather than panic about the 1,800 things I had to do, Id do one of them. 2. Youve got to just go jump, close your eyes and jump. Dont be afraid. Because nothing has to be forever, if you dont want it to be. Thats true if youre contemplating a new career or anything. Dont be afraid to do it you dont want to be sitting there a year later wondering if you should do the same thing or not. But so many people do it. 3. Expectations kind of ruin everything. Just take it as it comes. Go enjoy or not enjoy. Expectations dont help you. Carolyne Zinko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: czinko@sfchronicle.com Sophia of Silicon Valley chat: Anna Yen will be at Keplers bookstore in Menlo Park on Thursday, April 26, with Jon M. Chu, the director of the upcoming film Crazy Rich Asians, in a chat led by Michael Whalen, professor of communications at Santa Clara University. For ticket information, go to www.keplers.com. There you are, out on the freeway, hauling to work in your new Lexus -- or Volvo, Audi, BMW, pick your posh-mobile -- and all is bliss. The air conditioning quietly cools the cabin, the CD system has a zillion speakers, and when the big rig veers into your lane, there are antilock brakes and airbags to save your life. It's fine, it's comfortable. It's the same as every other car. It's boring. Ahh, but try this in a 1977 AMC Gremlin. A yellow 1977 Gremlin, with an AM radio and the "Weather Eye" heating system (sorry, no A/C). Boring it is not. We are driving around downtown Burlingame in the yellow Gremlin belonging to Anthony "Tony the Car Guy" Leopardo, who says that he's had at least 1,000 cars drift in and out of his collection over the years. Among them, proudly studding the roster of all those otherwise fabulous autos, are what he and others call "the orphan cars." "They're oddball cars," he says, "on the weird tangent of basic transportation." Leopardo, who publishes a Web site for gearheads called autowire.net, has had many of these gems -- think of the Chevrolet Vega (1971 to 1977), with its aluminum and cast-iron engine that kept breaking, or the Ford Pinto (1971-1980), infamous for its lethally exploding gas tank. There are the popular also-rans such as the Yugo, the perennial butt of jokes, and at the bottom of the heap the truly esoteric awful car, an East German model called the Trabant, whose two-stroke, two-cylinder engine spewed smoke and whose body was laced for a time with rat poison. But it is the Gremlin, the Vega, the Pinto and a handful of others that still turn heads. As many owners of these old cars will attest, they've become the kind of car that conjures up another era, a time when cars were basic, uncomplicated and plain. Most of them were cheap to buy (under $2,000 for the six-cylinder Gremlin), and, well, cheaply made. This was before the Japanese carmakers taught Detroit a harsh lesson about quality. Leopardo parks the Gremlin at a meter on Burlingame Avenue. It takes about 10 seconds before someone stops. "I remember them from when I was little," says a smiling Tracy Sirianni, 37. "It kind of looks like the Pinto -- the ones that would explode -- but it's not." Actually, the Gremlin, designed by the late Richard Teague on the back of a Northwest Airlines air-sickness bag, looks more like a shortened version of its sister car, the Hornet (both were made by the long-defunct American Motors). "It's the classic Gremlin," says another bystander, David Siegel, 43. "The fact that it starts is positive." His friend Steve Rogers, 41, warming to the subject of orphan cars, mentions his old one. "I had a Vega. I used to keep a case of oil in the back; it used a quart every time I filled it with gas." Nearly 30 years after they went out of production, Vegas do not exactly leap out from the nation's used-car classifieds. Of the ones that survived, some are prized by race car freaks who stuff hopped-up V-8s into the engine bays. The ones that do end up at used-car lots don't exactly move like a Honda Accord or a Toyota Camry. In San Jose, Ernie Cassetta ("Ernie's Auto Sales"), now in his 80s, says he has had an orange 1974 Vega station wagon hanging around his lot for more than 10 years. He wants $2,995 for it. It's still on the lot. "This Vega is a novelty to me," Cassetta says. Back when it was made, he said, "it was a deadbeat automobile. No one wanted it." John Marks of Pacifica says he drives his 1976 Vega "maybe three or four times a week" and finds that "when you go through a Burger King or something, people ask what kind of car it is." Well, John, what kind of car is it? "It's really cheaply made," he says. "It's not very powerful. The way the rubber gaskets on the windows and on the body of the car are fitted, they leak. I don't know. . . . They're just cheaply made cars." But it has its allure. Asked why he likes it, Marks says quickly, "It's a cool car. It's a conversation piece. It's rare, and nobody has them." Unlike the Ford Pintos, which, like Richard Nixon clawing his way back to respectability post-resignation, are now enjoying something of a niche renaissance. Of course, their numbers pale in comparison with the wildly popular mid-'60s Mustangs. And the Pintos still carry the 1970s disgrace as a rolling advertisement for fire extinguishers -- when hit from behind, the gas tanks on the old Pintos were prone to rupture by intruding metal parts and then catch fire. "The Pinto is going to carry the stigma forever," says Brad Fagan, one of the administrators of the fordpinto.com Web site, which is not affiliated with Ford Motor Co. "It's a car known as the rear explosion car. It's not funny, but you can't get away from it." Fagan says that now, however, long after Ford recalled 1.5 million Pintos and new ones stopped rolling off assembly lines, the car is sought after both as a pristine carcass for hot-rodding applications and, in the larger scheme of things, as part of our cultural memory. "When we go to car shows," Fagan says from his home in San Diego, "nine out of 10 people will say, 'Hey, I used to have one of those, and my aunt still has one of those.' At the show, there'll be 500 Mustangs and eight Pintos. And everyone hovers around those eight Pintos." Lucky for him. He owns a car that was designed and made in the United States. He can find parts, and, through the Internet, he can find a lot of people to talk Pinto to. But how about a car that was a hybrid (no, not that kind of hybrid) design, cobbled up partially in Italy and the rest in Yugoslavia? Yes, the Yugo. The Department of Yugo Jokes is now open. ("Why do Yugos have heated rear windows? To keep your hands warm while you're pushing them in the winter.") Dan Yee of Foster City has heard all the jokes and smiles patiently. "Awful cars?" he says, his hand protectively on the flank of his 1988 Yugo GVX. "Sure. But not to me." Yee, a civil engineer by trade, loves this mutation of a Fiat 128. (Fiat designed and made the engine as well as the rest of the car's mechanicals, and then Zastava, a Yugoslavian factory, designed the body.) "They're fun cars to drive, they're peppy, they're light," Yee says. When it's suggested that he has just described a Honda Civic, he says, "Yes, but they're a dime a dozen. When I first got the Yugo, my kids didn't think much of it. Now they all think it's cool. I've owned Alfas, Triumphs, Renaults, Peugeots. It seems like they're neglected cars, and I like to save unusual cars." Yugos were imported to the United States in the 1980s by entrepreneur Malcolm Bricklin -- in the 1970s, he gave us the Bricklin, another orphan car -- and, quite simply, couldn't compete in a market dominated by durable and inexpensive imports from Japan. But at least the Yugo had a place at the table, a nibble, if not a full- fledged bite of the multibillion-dollar American car market. Not so for the Trabant, the weird little East German car that could well be dubbed the pinnacle, if that's allowed, of basic transportation. Affectionately known as the "Trabi," millions of these tiny cars were produced by VEB Sachsenring, Automobilwerke Zwickau. Because of the shortage of steel in East Germany, the Trabant's body was made of Duroplast, a combination of wood and cotton pulp mixed with resin. "That's where you get the phrase 'cardboard cars,' " says Rod Dahlgren, a Napa auto appraiser who owns three Trabants. At one point, the automakers learned that rats and other rodents would chew at the Duroplast body, so in the next batch of car bodies the Trabant people mixed in some rat poison. "The rats stopped chewing on the bodies," Dahlgren says, "but the manufacturer realized this (use of rat poison) was not such a good idea." Dahlgren found his Trabis during a business trip to Germany in 1989, when the Berlin Wall was being torn down. "I didn't pay anything for them," he says of his forlorn orphans. "I found the owners of one of the cars and they said, 'You want it? Take it. I don't understand what you're going to do with it. We're just happy to get it out.' Now they've become collector (cars) and you can get one for about $1,000. " Dahlgren said the car is quite fragile -- one of his Trabis glided slowly into a stand of oleander trees recently and came away with a dent in the bumper. There's a hole in one car's left door, put there when "a lawnmower threw up a rock and it punctured the door." The car has no gas gauge (but there's a handy little measuring stick to put in the gas tank, which is under the hood), and will go no more than about 55 mph. Nonetheless, it's street legal and licensed for California roads. All in all, Dahlgren says cheerfully, "it's probably the most unsafe car made in the last 20 to 30 years. They fail crash tests miserably." And "it's environmentally unsound." Is there such a thing, then, as an awful car? "Yes, there is," Dahlgren said without hesitation, looking at one of the Trabis. "That one." Local club adopts and pampers oddball autos The Bay Area, perhaps because it's such an eclectic place, is a welcoming home for the odd automobiles among us, the cars that have long been out of production and are remembered only in old car magazines or in the garages of those who still fiddle with them. Nearly a quarter of a century ago, Paul Cowden and his brother Greg, along with and a friend, Tom DeJohn, formed the Arcane Auto Society in San Francisco. The three car guys owned, respectively, a 1958 Fiat 600 Multipla, a 1962 Citroen Deux Chevaux and a 1969 Subaru 360. Not exactly your everyday rides. Since then, the club has grown to about 100 members from all over the Bay Area, with a few sprinkled in such hinterlands as Washington state and Southern California. On weekends, the car lovers get together in their old, mostly extinct automobiles -- if there's a loose criterion for membership, it's basically that the car is kind of 1950s and newer and no longer made -- and putt out to not-too-far-away places like Napa, Santa Cruz and Sacramento. Each year, Paul Cowden, who owns an automobile repair business in San Francisco, hosts a meeting of the society in his spacious commercial garage, where the members display their cars and chomp on a potluck lunch. This year, it's from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 2 at Cowden Automotive, 875 Folsom St., San Francisco. More details about the organization may be found at www.arcaneauto.org. The day before his retirement, Paul Holes parked a white Ford Taurus outside the Citrus Heights home of James Joseph DeAngelo. At that time, neither he nor DeAngelo knew the latter would be arrested at the same house a month later, his DNA and other evidence allegedly connecting him to 12 slayings and 45 rapes in California from 1976 to 1986. It was the end of March, and Holes a longtime cold-case investigator for the Contra Costa County district attorneys office was a central member of a multiagency team that had narrowed down the list of suspects in the case of the East Area Rapist, also known as the Golden State Killer, to a handful of men. The team had taken a novel approach, running crime-scene DNA against consumer genealogical websites in a bid to find the killer or his relatives. Holes had been involved in the case for 24 years, and this was the closest investigators had ever been. Or maybe not. DeAngelo was the only man in the small group of suspects Holes visited. The day before he turned in his department firearm, something brought him to the modest one-story home of the 72-year-old ex-cop and grandfather. DeAngelos age and other traits seemed to fit, and his past locations appeared to correlate with the series of rapes and homicides across California, Holes said. At that point, literally, I was just curious, Holes said by phone Thursday, a day after authorities announced DeAngelo had been arrested and was being charged with murder in multiple counties. Where is this guy living? At that point, he was just one of several. Hes just a maybe. Holes wrestled with whether to knock on the door and ask DeAngelo, Can I get your DNA? But he didnt. He drove away and retired the next day. Now, Holes said, hes glad he sat in his car. Theres no telling what would have happened, and it turned out that knocking on the door wouldnt be necessary. Sacramento County sheriffs deputies began surveilling the home last week and were able to obtain two surreptitious samples from DeAngelo, meaning they waited for him to discard something perhaps a cup or bottle with his DNA on it, officials said. The first sample was too weak, Holes said, so investigators got another and tested it, finding a match to the killers DNA. It was an exhilarating peak for Holes in a chase that began in the 1990s, when he worked on the case in the early years of DNA evidence. Its been very frustrating. You have your moments of highs thinking you got the guy, and then you crash when the DNA evidence eliminates him, Holes said. The frustration just builds. To finally get to the point where you find the right guy, it is a very good feeling. The cold case was not only Holes most difficult it was his first. He began looking for the East Area Rapist in 1996. A year later, DNA evidence definitively linked three Contra Costa County rapes two in Danville and one in San Ramon to a serial killer and rapist who had started out in Sacramento County, though detectives had already made the connection based on the suspects methods, Holes said. He then sought to connect the crime spree in Northern California to similar attacks in Southern California. The use of DNA in forensics was in its infancy, and it took four years before investigators verified in 2001 that the rapes and killings were committed by the same person, Holes said. In 2016, law enforcement officers from around the state formed a task force to hunt for the East Area Rapist. Holes colleagues are now marveling that his dogged work finally paid off. But he declined to describe the critical break in the case how investigators used the genealogical websites to find DeAngelo. Those types of details Im not at liberty to comment on, he said. We were leveraging anything we could. Jenna Lyons is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jlyons@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JennaJourno CITRUS HEIGHTS, Sacramento County The ex-cop and retired grandfather accused of terrorizing California with a series of rapes and killings spurring a decades-long manhunt that ended this week committed most of his homicides during a rampage that began three months after he was fired from his job as a police officer in Placer County, police said. Investigators in several counties were building cases Thursday against Joseph James DeAngelo, who was named a day earlier as the notorious Golden State Killer and East Area Rapist, but they could not explain why he allegedly launched into his prolific spree or why he apparently stopped cold more than 30 years ago. They believe the 72-year-old Vietnam veteran set to make his first court appearance Friday in Sacramento crisscrossed the state from 1976 to 1986, selecting and stalking victims before raping or killing them. They believe he left behind his terrible pastime to grow older in the quiet Sacramento suburbs, work at a Save Mart distribution center and raise at least one daughter and granddaughter. How the serial killing suspect managed to lay low for three decades after committing so many chilling crimes is one of many questions detectives across California are trying to answer. DeAngelo was known among neighbors for bouts of anger some called him Freak, others referred to him as Crazy Joe but they had no idea he could be linked to one of the nations worst unsolved crime cases. James Reavis, a forensic psychologist in San Diego who has studied serial killers, said a firing can trigger rage in psychopaths who extend preexisting sexual sadism into homicidal violence. Rage killings can happen on occasion with normal people, he said, but it wouldnt go on and on and on unless there was something wrong internally. DeAngelo, arrested Tueday at his home, is scheduled to appear in a Sacramento County courtroom Friday to face two murder charges. Hes accused of shooting to death a young couple near their Rancho Cordova home in 1978 as they walked their dog. DeAngelo is expected to face a litany of criminal counts filed by prosecutors across the state. Investigators say they connected him to 12 slayings and 45 rapes after tracking him down by running crime-scene DNA against consumer genealogical websites, giving them possible relatives of the target, then building a pool of suspects and narrowing from there. The district attorneys offices in Ventura County and Orange County announced that they also would be filing murder, rape, robbery and other charges in at least six other killings. In some counties, including in the Bay Area, prosecutors said they may not be able to file rape charges because the statute of limitations has passed. As prosecutors made their decisions, a chilling picture emerged of a sadistic killer. DeAngelo grew up in Bath, N.Y., graduated from Folsom Senior High School in 1964 and served 22 months in combat in Vietnam, according to a 1973 story in the Exeter Sun. He received a bachelors degree in criminal justice at Sacramento State University and began working as a police officer in Exeter, in Tulare County, in 1973. The clean-cut, baby-faced DeAngelo is pictured in the Exeter Sun after he was hired. Police believe he may have begun his crime binge as the Visalia Ransacker, who broke into 85 homes in Tulare County from 1974 to 1976, though the evidence is not as strong. The ransacker was also suspected of killing a college professor, according to the Visalia Times Delta. DeAngelo was hired in 1976 as a police officer in Auburn, in Placer County, and investigators say he left behind his uniform while committing rapes in the Sacramento area as well as the Bay Area in Danville, Walnut Creek, San Jose, Fremont and San Ramon. He was fired from the Auburn force in 1979 after he was charged with stealing a hammer and dog repellent from a drugstore, officials said. A string of savage attacks began three months later in Santa Barbara and Orange counties that left 10 people dead. As the spree went on, it saw chilling behavior from the man also known as the Diamond Knot Killer and the Original Night Stalker. The assailant reportedly cried, I hate you, Bonnie. I hate you, as he raped one of his victims, according to a book on the case written by Richard Shelby. DeAngelo was briefly engaged to a woman named Bonnie Jean Colwell when he was 24. The killer was known to stake out his victims and break into homes before the carefully planned assaults, which usually occurred at night. A couple who once questioned the existence of the rapist at a town hall meeting became victims of the rapist, who was apparently listening, the Sacramento Bee reported. He often tied up the male victims and stacked dinner plates on them, and told couples he would kill them both if he heard the plates fall while he was raping the woman, investigators said. That is just classic psychopathy, Reavis said. In the moment, he is the evil genius, omniscient, omnipotent and he holds this persons life in his hands. My guess is that would be incredibly exciting to him and also sexually arousing. Its classic predatory aggression. According to investigators, DeAngelo took a five-year break from preying on victims after his daughter was born in 1981, and then, after a rape and murder in Orange County in 1986, apparently stopped altogether. He appears to have been living a relatively normal life at the time of his arrest. He was retired and living in the Citrus Heights suburb of Sacramento after working at a Save Mart distribution center for nearly three decades. Joe DeAngelo was a 27-year employee of the Roseville distribution center, having retired last year, Victoria Castro, a spokeswoman for the company, said in a statement. None of his actions in the workplace would have led us to suspect any connection to crimes being attributed to him. Reavis, like detectives, could not explain DeAngelos alleged pattern. When I read that he had stopped, I thought that he was probably incarcerated, but that doesnt seem to be the case, he said. It could be the intensity of his sexual fantasies may have gone down with increasing age. Youd also have to consider whether there were more murders ... that were not aware of. In addition to the homicides and rapes, authorities suspect DeAngelo committed more than 150 home break-ins across the state. On Thursday, FBI investigators searched DeAngelos garage, along with a blue Volvo, white Toyota and silver fishing boat with Klamath painted in white letters on the side. Neighbors said he lived with a grown daughter and a granddaughter in recent times. Neighbors said DeAngelo kept his yard immaculate and often could be seen working on his cars or his boat. They described the neighborhood as quiet, but said DeAngelo was loud. We used to always just call him Freak,, said Natalia Bedes-Correnti, 47, who has lived across from DeAngelo for 20 years. He used to yell and curse and curse and yell. He liked the f-word. Shawna Silva, 28, grew up down the street from DeAngelos house and spent most of her childhood playing with neighborhood kids in the street. She said DeAngelo had three daughters, but that she avoided the children of the man she called Crazy Joe. She said DeAngelos wife left him to raise the kids alone. Sandy Valdez had a more positive impression of DeAngelo. She said her granddaughter was a friend of DeAngelos granddaughter, and even attended sleepovers at his house, where she said he was very congenial. I can remember him coming to the door and saying, Well, Im grandpa, Valdez recalled. He looked like a grandpa, sounded like a grandpa and I identified him as such. When news broke of the arrest, Valdez said her daughter questioned her granddaughter to make sure nothing inappropriate had happened at DeAngelos home. She told my daughter that he was always nice and pleasant and took them out to eat, Valdez said. He was just a regular grandpa. Sarah Ravani, Peter Fimrite and Sophie Haigney are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: sravani@sfchronicle.com, pfimrite@sfchronicle.com, sophie.haigney@sfchronicle.com LONDON The British parliaments media committee demanded that Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg appear before the panel after lawmakers said the senior executive who testified Thursday failed to fully answer their questions about the data protection scandal that has engulfed the company. Committee members didnt hide their frustration with Facebook Chief Technical Officer Mike Schroepfer, who was forced to defend the company against suggestions that it was cavalier with user data and has done little to stem the spread of fake news. Facebook dispatched the unassuming engineer to London despite a previous request for Zuckerberg to appear. During a four-hour-plus session that covered many of Facebooks perceived sins, lawmaker Julian Knight accused the company of bullying journalists, threatening academic institutions and impeding investigations by legal authorities, before declaring the company to be a morality-free zone. Schroepfer said he respectfully disagreed with such characterizations. Immediately after the session, committee Chairman Damian Collins issued a statement saying that said Schroepfer answers fell short on 40 separate points, particularly in regard to Cambridge Analytica and associated companies, which allegedly misused data from 87 million Facebook accounts. The committee asked Zuckerberg to appear on May 24, during what it described as a planned trip to Europe to give testimony to the European Parliament. As an American citizen living in California, Mr. Zuckerberg does not normally come under the jurisdiction of the U.K. Parliament, but he will the next time he enters the country, Collins said. We hope that he will respond positively to our request, but if not the committee will resolve to issue a formal summons for him to appear when he is next in the U.K. Collins sharply worded statement came after a session in which lawmakers demanded specificity, particularly in regard to the Menlo Park companys actions on elections and alleged Russian interference. In one moment of candor, Schroepfer acknowledged that he himself was disappointed with Facebooks handling of Russian disinformation campaigns. We were slow to understand the impact at the time, and I am way more disappointed in this than you are, Schroepfer said to laughter from the room. Its a high bar, Collins retorted. Im sorry, I shouldnt have said that, Schroepfer replied. Its something were working very hard on. Danica Kirka is an Associated Press writer. BEIJING Chinas vibrant technology scene is searching for people like Shen Yue. Qualifications: Must be attractive, know how to charm socially awkward programmers and give relaxing massages. Shen is a programmer motivator, as they are known in China. Part psychologist, part cheerleader, the women are hired to chat up and calm stressed-out coders. The jobs are proliferating in a society that largely adheres to gender stereotypes and believes that male programmers are zhai, or nerds who have no social lives. They really need someone to talk to them from time to time and to organize activities for them to ease some of the pressure, said Shen, 25, who has a degree in civil engineering from a university in Beijing. Chinese women have made great strides in the workplace. The country has the worlds largest number of self-made female billionaires, while many startups have women in senior roles. But at a time when the United States and other countries are directly confronting the #MeToo movement, the inequalities and biases in China are rarely discussed openly and remain firmly entrenched. The countrys laws against gender discrimination are not often enforced. Many companies are direct in their job ads. Males preferred. Only good-looking women need apply. With programmer motivators, it is more explicit, putting women in subservient positions to men. While Chinas tech scene has produced companies that rival Facebook, Google and Amazon in power and wealth, the work culture in many ways trails even bro-dominated Silicon Valley. In tech, men dominate the top ranks. Just one woman sits on the 11-member board of Alibaba, the e-commerce giant. At Baidu, a search company, one of its six board members is a woman. At Tencent, a games and social media conglomerate, there are none. By comparison, Twitter has three women on its nine-person board. At Facebook, two of its nine directors are women. Like many other businesses, Chinas tech companies are blunt about gender bias in their job ads. Baidu, Alibaba and Tencent have repeatedly published recruitment ads boasting that there are beautiful girls working for the companies, according to Human Rights Watch, a New York-based rights watchdog. In January, Alibaba said it was seeking a sales manager for Taobao, its e-commerce platform. Women were preferred, ages 28-35, with a good personal image and class. In November, Baidu advertised for a marketing position. Men were preferred because of business travel and other reasons. Both companies have since removed the references to specific genders in those ads. Alibaba said the company has clear guidelines on providing equal opportunity regardless of gender and will conduct stricter reviews of the recruiting advertisements to ensure compliance with our policy. It also said that one-third of the 18 founders of Alibaba are women and that female leaders account for one-third of the companys management positions. Baidu said that 45 percent of the companys 40,000 employees are female, which is reflected in midlevel and senior positions. We value the important work that our female employees do across the organization, the company said in an emailed statement, adding that it had removed the offending job ads. In a statement, Tencent said it values diverse backgrounds and apologized for the ads It is unclear how many companies employ programmer motivators. According to Baidu Baipin, a job search website run by Baidu, just seven companies are currently advertising for these jobs, mostly at smaller startups. There used to be more. Alibaba advertised for a programmer motivator with recognizably good looks in 2015 but deleted the ad after being criticized by Chinese internet users. Shen started work at Chainfin.com, a consumer finance company, in October. She declined to disclose her salary, but Zhang Jing, a human resources executive who hired Shen, said it was around $950 a month. Shen came to Beijing from the northeastern province of Heilongjiang. She has long black hair and pale skin and wears red eye shadow to the office, where she always has a ready smile for her colleagues. They call her by her nickname, Yueyue, which translates to Joy. At Chainfin.com, the bulk of her work is tending the front desk, organizing social events, ordering snacks for tea breaks and chatting with the programmers. She may call a programmer to a conference room and ask him, Did you have to work overtime? before listening to his various frustrations. I thought it was really novel, Shen said, because I had never seen such a job before. On a recent Friday, she approached Guo Zhenjie, 28, who has a foldout bed next to his desk. Shen asked whether his waist was still hurting from the long hours at his desk. He said, yes, he had been working till 10 or 11 for the past few nights. The companys intention is for me to give you a massage, though my technique might not be great, Shen told Guo. Both of them broke out in giggles. Shen stood over a seated Guo and started kneading his shoulders. It really does feel good, Guo said, as Shen gently whacked his back with a massage clapper device. For some startups, having a programmer motivator on staff is one of the many perks to attract male coders, a job that is in high demand in Chinas booming tech scene. Feng Zhiyi, 31, who works in research and development at Chainfin.com, said he was envious when photos of female programmer motivators fanning male employees appeared on the internet. And now we have one, too, Feng said. Feng said Shen had improved the work environment by organizing birthday parties and getting the programmers active with games such as tug of war or sack races. He said he was open to the idea of male programmer motivators but somewhat skeptical. A man chatting with another man, its like going out on a date with a guy, Feng said. A little awkward, isnt it? Zhang, the human resources executive who was part of the panel that hired Shen, stressed that it is important for a programmer motivator to look good. She said the applicants needed to have five facial features that must definitely be in their proper order and speak in a gentle way. They should also have a contagious laugh, be able to apply simple makeup and be taller than 5 feet 2 inches. Her position is at the front desk, isnt it? Zhang said. It may be that people wont be able to see her if they walk in. Shen said that does not consider her job to be sexist. Many feminist ideas are too extreme now, she said. I think women should be independent, self-reliant and have self-respect. And thats enough. Xu Jiaolong, one of Chainfin.coms few female programmers, who gets massages from Shen, did not see anything wrong with the job. The way she saw it, it was a mere division of labor. But, with a smile, she said the company could consider hiring a man to motivate female programmers, too. Chinas tech industry is beginning to question such practices. Wang Jie, 40, the chief executive of Shanbay.com, an app that helps people learn English, has been vocal about the objectification of women by other startups. He was so disturbed that some tech companies were using beautiful women to draw male programmers to their companies that he wrote a post last October on Zhihu, Chinas version of Quora, the question and answer site, saying that Western companies would be sued back home if they posted similar ads. But Wang has found that attitudes are difficult to change. Several people responded to his post, saying he was making a mountain out of a molehill. The men said: If there are more beautiful women, Ill be happier in my job. Whats the issue?' Wang said. And some women said: As a woman, I dont think this is a problem at all.' This article originally appeared in The New York Times. Ever since Southwest Airlines first announced its plans to start flying to Hawaii, everyone has wondered exactly which routes it will fly, when the service will start, and what it will cost. This week, the company answered a part of the first question but none of the others. In discussing Southwest's first quarter financial results, CEO Gary Kelly revealed that the airline will fly to four Hawaiian airports: Honolulu on Oahu, Kona on the Big Island, Kahului on Maui, and Lihue on Kauai. TravelSkills with Chris McGinnis sponsored by See More Collapse But he didn't say which mainland cities would get the new service, or when it would start, or what it would cost to fly to the islands. The four airports Kelly mentioned aren't exactly a surprise, since they are the destinations for most flights to Hawaii. "The California gateway cities news is still forthcoming," a Southwest spokesman told us, and so is fare and schedule information. He also said he couldn't share any information on speculation that Southwest might begin inter-island flights in Hawaii as well. At least his reply suggests that all of Southwest's initial flights to Hawaii will be from California airports. And in that case, the most likely candidates would be those where Southwest has the bulk of its operations in the state Los Angeles, San Diego, Oakland and San Jose. As for when it might start, Kelly reiterated that Southwest still expects to begin selling tickets to Hawaii sometime this year. In January, he had said that the goal was to start flights by the end of 2018. The airline is still working with the FAA to gain certification for its aircraft to operate the long over-water flights. Ever since Southwest announced its intentions to fly to Hawaii last year, roundtrip fares have tumbled well below the $400 or so average that held for years. In a few rare cases, fares went as low as $200 round trip in recent months. Southwest is likely to begin the Hawaii service with its existing 737-800s, but soon transition the flights to new Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. Those planes have a greater range, and could permit service from Southwest strongholds outside California, like Denver. Kelly also confirmed that Southwest will be increasing its East Coast operations thanks to airport slots it is acquiring from Alaska Airlines, including 12 at New York LaGuardia and eight at Washington Reagan National. But he didn't say how the airline will use those slots. "These opportunities complement our network and fit within our 2018 growth plans," Kelly said, "with available seat-miles expected to increase in the low five percent range year-over-year." Will you fly Southwest to Hawaii? Why or why not? Please leave your thoughts in the comments or on our Facebook page. Read all recent TravelSkills posts here Get twice-per-week updates from TravelSkills via email! Sign up here Chris McGinnis is the founder of TravelSkills.com. The author is solely responsible for the content above, and it is used here by permission. You can reach Chris at chris@travelskills.com or on Twitter @cjmcginnis. In 2009, Kholoud Al-Faqih became the first female judge in the Palestinian Shariah (or religious) court system. As Erika Cohns fascinating documentary The Judge shows, al-Faqih has fought for justice for Palestinian women ever since. Or men, if it happens to be the case, al-Faqih points out in the documentary, since she is there to uphold the law, not pursue an agenda. But men usually have an advantage and women a disadvantage in Shariah courts handling domestic issues such as divorce and spousal support. Iran President rejected rewriting nuclear deal with world powers TEHRAN: Irans President Hassan Rouhani rejected any hopes of rewriting a nuclear deal with world powers on Wednesday, after the leaders of the United States and France suggested a new pact covering Tehrans missile programme and regional interventions. We have an agreement called the JCPOA, said Rouhani in a fiery speech, using the technical name for the 2015 deal that curbed Irans nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief. It will either last or not. If the JCPOA stays, it stays in full. He was responding to statements in Washington by French President Emmanuel Macron and his US counterpart Donald Trump, in which they proposed a new deal with tougher restrictions on Iran. Trump called the existing accord insane and ridiculous, despite European pleas for him not to walk away, and demanded fresh curbs on Irans ballistic missile programme and support for militant groups across the Middle East. Macron said a new agreement should include a settlement on Syria, where Iran backs President Bashar al-Assad. In Iran, Rouhani responded by ridiculing Trump, saying: You have no expertise in politics, nor in law, nor in international accords. A trader, a businessman, a high-rise builder, how can he judge about global issues? Iran has the support of all other parties to the accord, who say it is working and Tehran has stuck to its commitments. On Wednesday, EU diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini insisted the deal must be maintained. On what can happen in the future well see in the future, but there is one deal existing, its working, it needs to be preserved, the former Italian foreign minister said as she arrived for a donor conference on Syria in Brussels. Moscow also reiterated its support, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov telling reporters: We believe that no alternative exists so far and demanding that Iran be involved in any further discussions. Macron, who has built a warm rapport with Trump, has positioned himself as an emissary for European officials seeking a compromise that allows the mercurial US president to claim a public victory, while keeping the deal intact. The Europeans appear to be hoping they can sell Trump on the idea of broader regional settlement with Iran that would complement, rather than replace, the existing nuclear deal. The biggest priority is maintaining the existing nuclear accord. It was negotiated by seven countries and the EU and cant be renegotiated by one or other party, said German foreign spokesman Rainer Breul. President Macron ... spoke of the need for supplementary agreements. The question is whether, and in what circumstances, Iran would be ready to enter into such a process, he added. German Chancellor Angela Merkel is expected to press the European case again when she visits Washington on Friday. For now, Macron admitted he could still not read whether Trump would simply walk away from the existing deal when it comes up for renewal on May 12, as he has threatened. True to his background in reality TV, Trump has kept everyone guessing. This is a deal with decayed foundations, he said. Were going to see what happens on the 12th. Iran has warned it will ramp up enrichment if Trump scraps the accord, prompting a blunt warning from the US leader. Theyre not going to be restarting anything. If they restart it, theyre going to have big problems, bigger than they ever had before. And you can mark it down, Trump said. Blockers: Leslie Mann, John Cena and Ike Barinholtz play parents who find out that their daughters have a pact to lose their virginity on prom night, and so they go out and try to block the sex from happening. Theres lots of crude humor, and not all the jokes land, but the movie has many hilarious moments. Rated R. 102 minutes. Mick LaSalle I Feel Pretty: An insecure woman becomes suddenly convinced that she is beautiful and irresistible and this change in attitude transforms her life. Its an ideal vehicle for Amy Schumer, a comedy thats broadly funny, but also endearing and humane. Rated PG-13. 110 minutes. Mick LaSalle Little Pink House: Catherine Keener stars in this real-life story about the events leading up to a major court case involving eminent domain, with Keener as a woman who finds that her dream house and her neighborhood are threatened when Pfizer decides to build its plant in her town. Not rated. 98 minutes. Mick LaSalle 1945: This evocative drama concerns a Hungarian village that is turned upside down when two mysterious Jewish men visit in the months after World War II. Its a compelling tale of guilt and greed. Not rated. 91 minutes. In Hungarian with English subtitles. David Lewis The Rider Intense and elegaic, this is a character study of a young rodeo cowboy of Lakota heritage who has suffered a devastating accident he was trampled by a horse during a competition, and now has a steel plate in his head. He has been told his riding days are over. The film remarkably melds documentary and fictional elements the cowboy is portrayed by Brady Jandreau, who in real life suffered the same injuries. Jandreaus real-life father and sister are also in the movie, essentially playing themselves. The film was directed by the exceptionally gifted Chloe Zhao (Songs My Brothers Taught Me). Rated R. 104 minutes. Walter Addiego WASHINGTON Lawmakers assailed Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt on Thursday for the ethics and spending scandals that have prompted bipartisan calls for his ouster. On the defensive, the EPA chief said half-truths and twisted allegations were an effort to undermine the Trump administrations antiregulatory agenda. The public grilling at a House hearing came as support has eroded for Pruitt among fellow Republicans after a nearly month-long hammering of negative headlines about outsized security spending, first-class flights and a sweetheart condo lease. Even Republicans who heartily support Pruitts policy agenda said his apparent lapses had to be put under scrutiny. Democrats excoriated him as the hearing opened. You are unfit to hold public office, said Rep. Frank Pallone of New Jersey. Rep. Paul Tonko said of the allegations, the more we have learned, the worse they get, and told Pruitt he was never fit for this job. Republican Rep. John Shimkus of Illinois, chairman of the panel questioning Pruitt, called the allegations a distraction but one this committee cannot ignore. Republicans on the panel, though, generally rallied to Pruitts defense. Mocking Pruitts opponents, Rep. Kevin Cramer of North Dakota said that as far as the EPA chiefs critics were concerned, I think the greatest sin youve done is, youve actually done what President Trump ran on. Pruitt gave clipped, bureaucratic answers to questions on the many financial allegations against him, relaxing when Republicans on the panel gave him openings to expand on his policy steps at EPA. President Trump has continued to stand by his EPA chief, but behind closed doors, White House officials concede Pruitts job is in serious jeopardy. In the past week, a growing list of Republican lawmakers has joined the chorus of Democrats calling for new investigations into Pruitts actions. Pruitt addressed the allegations only in passing in his opening statement, acknowledging merely that theres been a learning process, and adding, Facts are facts, fiction is fiction. Pruitt has faced a steady trickle of revelations involving pricey trips in first-class seats and unusual security spending, including a $43,000 soundproof booth for making private phone calls. He also demanded 24-hour-a-day protection from armed officers, resulting in a swollen, 20-member security detail that blew through overtime budgets and racked up expenses approaching $3 million. Pruitts troubles began in earnest last month, when ABC News first reported he had leased a Capitol Hill condo last year for just $50 a night that was co-owned by the wife of a veteran fossil fuels lobbyist whose firm had sought regulatory rollbacks from EPA. Michael Biesecker and Ellen Knickmeyer are Associated Press writers. NORRISTOWN, Pa. Bill Cosby was convicted Thursday of drugging and molesting a woman in the first big celebrity trial of the #MeToo era, completing the spectacular late-in-life downfall of a comedian who broke racial barriers in Hollywood on his way to TV super-stardom as Americas Dad. Cosby, 80, could end up spending his final years in prison after a jury concluded he sexually violated Temple University employee Andrea Constand in his suburban Philadelphia mansion in 2004. He stared straight ahead as the verdict was read but moments later lashed out loudly at District Attorney Kevin Steele after the prosecutor demanded Cosby be sent immediately to jail. Steele told the judge Cosby has an airplane and might flee. Cosby angrily denied he has a plane and called Steele an hole, shouting, Im sick of him! Judge Steven ONeill decided Cosby can remain free on $1 million bail while he awaits sentencing but restricted him to Montgomery County, where his home is. No sentencing date was set. Cosby waved to the crowd outside the courthouse, got into an SUV and left without saying anything. His lawyer Tom Mesereau declared the fight is not over and said he will appeal. Shrieks erupted in the courtroom when the verdict was announced, and some of Cosbys accusers whimpered and cried. Constand remained stoic, then hugged her lawyer and members of the prosecution team. Justice has been done! celebrity attorney Gloria Allred, who represented some of Cosbys accusers, said on the courthouse steps. We are so happy that finally we can say women are believed. The jury of seven men and five women deliberated 14 hours over two days. The verdict came after a two-week retrial in which prosecutors had more courtroom weapons at their disposal than they did the first time: They put five other women on the stand who testified that Cosby, married for 54 years, drugged and violated them, too. At Cosbys first trial, which ended in a deadlocked jury less than a year ago, only one additional accuser was allowed to testify. After the verdict, the district attorney commended Constand for what he said was courage in coming forward. As Constand stood silently behind him in a bright white blazer, Steele apologized to her for a previous DAs decision in 2005 not to charge Cosby. Steele said Cosby was a man who had evaded this moment for far too long. He used his celebrity, he used his wealth, he used his network of supporters to help him conceal his crimes, the district attorney said. Now, we really know today who was really behind that act, who the real Bill Cosby was. Cosby could get up to 10 years in prison on each of the three counts of aggravated indecent assault. Michael R. Sisak and Claudia Lauer are Associated Press writers. President Trumps pick to lead Veterans Affairs, Ronny Jackson, withdrew Thursday in the wake of late-surfacing allegations about overprescribing drugs and poor leadership while serving as a top White House doctor, saying the false allegations against him have become a distraction. Trump selected Jackson, a rear admiral in the Navy, to head the VA last month after abruptly firing former Obama administration official David Shulkin following an ethics scandal and mounting rebellion within the agency. But Jackson, a surprise choice who has worked as a White House physician since 2006, faced immediate questions from Republican and Democratic lawmakers as well as veterans groups about whether he had the experience to manage the massive department of 360,000 employees serving 9 million veterans. Russia probe President Trump insisted Thursday that he wont be involved in the special counsel investigation into Russian election meddling, even as he warned he could change his mind. Trump, who has reshaped his legal team while considering whether to be interviewed by special counsel Robert Mueller, called the investigation a disgrace and excoriated federal agents for executing search warrants on his longtime personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, and his ex-campaign chairman, Paul Manafort. Protecting Mueller Bipartisan legislation to protect special counsel Robert Mueller now lies in the hands of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell after the GOP-led Senate Judiciary Committee voted Thursday to advance it. McConnell, R-Ky., has said the bill is unnecessary and he wont let it reach the Senate floor. But the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee added to the pressure on McConnell by voting for the measure and saying McConnell should change his mind. While my constitutional concerns remain, I believe this bill should be considered by the full Senate, said Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa. Republicans have split on the issue amid President Trumps repeated criticism of Muellers Russia investigation. That break was apparent Thursday as four Republicans joined Democrats in the 14-7 vote to pass the legislation from committee. Giuliani meeting Rudolph Giuliani, the new head of President Trumps legal team, met with the special counsels office Tuesday as he tries to expedite the end of the far-flung inquiry into possible collusion between the 2016 Trump campaign and Russian officials, three people familiar with the meeting said. The three people briefed on the sit-down the first since the former New York City mayor joined the legal team last week described it as a productive effort to reopen negotiations over a possible interview that special counsel Mueller is seeking with the president. Praise for CNN: President Trump has found something to like about CNN Anderson Cooper. For an hour, at least. The president has been a relentless media critic during his time in office, particularly toward CNN. But he said in an interview with Fox & Friends on Thursday that he watched Cooper host a town hall meeting with former FBI director James Comey the night before. Anderson Cooper was surprisingly tough and he did a good job, Trump said. Rapper has good taste: President Trump praised Kanye West on Thursday for having good taste for supporting the president. Trump said in an interview with Fox & Friends that he knew the rapper a little bit and always got along with him, and said West has noticed the low unemployment rate for black Americans. Chronicle News Services PHOENIX A sea of teachers clad in red shirts and holding Money for Schools signs reached the Arizona Capitol to press lawmakers for action Thursday, a key event in an unprecedented walkout that closed most of the states public schools and built on an educator uprising that bubbled up in other parts of the U.S. Tens of thousands of teachers and their supporters headed through downtown Phoenix to a rally to demand increased school funding on top of big pay hikes offered by the Republican governor. Widespread walkouts also were under way in Colorado, where teachers protested at their own Capitol and some schools were shut down. Educators in both states want more classroom resources and have received offers either for increased school funding or pay, but they say the money isnt guaranteed and the efforts arent enough. The walkouts are the climax of an uprising that spread from West Virginia, Oklahoma and Kentucky. A lack of resolution led Arizona educators to launch the first statewide strike to force their demands. It comes as about half of all Colorado students will see their schools shuttered over two days as teachers take up the Arizona movements #RedforEd mantle. I feel like funding for the schools should be at the top of the list, said Brandon Hartley, a charter school teacher from the Phoenix suburb of Peoria who brought his 7-year-old son to the rally at the Arizona Capitol. Other parents who brought their children to the Phoenix protest expressed their support despite school closures that led makeshift day care operations to open at schools and recreation centers to help working parents. Food banks and some schools also were providing free meals that many students rely on. The state Department of Public Safety estimated the crowd size at 40,000. In Colorado, protests are expected to draw as many as 10,000 demonstrators. Republican Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey has proposed 20 percent raises by 2020 and said he has no plans to meet with striking teachers and or address their other demands, including about $1 billion to return school funding to pre-Great Recession levels and increased pay for support staff. Melissa Daniels is an Associated Press writer. Conservative groups at UC Berkeley can sue the school over the restrictions it placed on high-profile speakers after violent protests over the planned appearance of right-wing firebrand Milo Yiannopoulos, a federal judge has ruled. U.S. District Judge Maxine Chesney of Oakland on Wednesday upheld the universitys contention that it was motivated by security, not liberal bias, when it scheduled talks by other conservative luminaries in smaller and more remote campus locations than the speakers preferred. But Chesney said the Berkeley College Republicans and Young Americas Foundation could proceed with their suit over university standards for high-profile speakers, imposed after the Yiannopoulos protests and over alleged discrimination in security fees. Yiannopoulos February 2017 speech was canceled after a student demonstration was taken over by masked protesters who smashed windows and set fires. He then spoke for a few minutes on campus in September in an event that conservatives had promoted as free speech week. The conservative groups said two more planned speakers, writer David Horowitz and author and television commentator Ann Coulter, had to cancel their appearances last year because university officials rescheduled their evening talks to daytime hours at buildings far from the center of campus. Radio host Ben Shapiro, supported by the same groups, spoke at UC Berkeley in September after paying a security fee that was challenged in the suit. The suit alleged that the university adopted an unwritten high-profile speaker policy in March 2017 that allowed officials to effectively censor conservative speakers by choosing the time and place of their appearance. The school contends it is entitled to determine the need for security measures, but Chesney said the conservative groups can try to prove that the policy gives officials too much leeway to restrict free expression. The policy, as described in the lawsuit, contains no standard for determining what events fall under the policy, at what locations events may be held, and what, if any, security fee may be imposed, the judge said. She rejected claims that the university discriminated by allowing former Mexican President Vicente Fox and Maria Echaveste, a former aide to President Bill Clinton, to speak at better locations and more convenient times than the conservatives. Neither of them posed the security concerns that school officials cited for Yiannopoulos and like-minded speakers, and there are no allegations suggesting those concerns were unfounded, Chesney said. But she refused to dismiss a claim of discrimination based on a $9,162 security fee for Shapiros talk, compared with a $5,000 fee for a 2011 speech by Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor. The two spoke at the same location, and Sotomayor may have had a larger audience because the balcony was closed for Shapiros appearance, Chesney said. Harmeet Dhillon, a lawyer for the conservative groups, said she was generally pleased with the ruling. It means the case will go forward, she said. But UC Berkeley spokesman Dan Mogulof said the ruling had upheld the campus current policy on speakers and security, adopted publicly last year. He said the university could defend the security fee charged to Shapiro in light of the more than $800,000 the school spent on safety measures for the speech. As for the allegations of an unwritten policy that gives officials unlimited authority to regulate speakers, Mogulof said, The campus strongly denies that any such secret policy exists and it will continue to dispute any claims related to that issue. Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter:@BobEgelko Sindh budget will be limited to three months: Murad Ali Shah 26 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 KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said on Wednesday that the budget for 2018-19 would be limited to three months only and the next government could bring changes in view of its priorities after the general elections. He, however, said that allocations for development and non-development expenditures, including salaries, would be made for the whole financial year in the budget, but the authentication to utilise it would only be given by the Sindh Assembly up to September. The CM said this while talking to reporters after inaugurating the China-Pakistan Skilled and Technical Education International Conference here. Elaborating on the new budget strategy, he said there would be two parts of the budget, which he said would be presented in the Sindh Assembly on May 5. The first part would be supplementary which deals with the expenditures of the current financial year. Normally, the assembly passes the grants and if the amount of the grants exceeds the approved budget the sitting government is responsible to get them approved from the assembly before the end of June, the CM said, adding that his government would present the supplementary budget in the assembly. Similarly, we will allocate budget for the ongoing development schemes for the whole financial year 2018-19 so that the schemes could be completed, but again, the authentication for their utilisation will be made only for three months, up to September only, he said. The CM added that it would help the next government to make budgetary changes in accordance with its priorities. Responding to a question about his walkout along with two other chief ministers from the meeting of the National Economic Council (NEC), CM Shah said the NEC was a constitutional body and bound to advise the provincial and federal governments for balanced development based on regional equity. He said that the federal government wanted to approve the new public sector development programme (PSDP) and for this it had played a game with smaller provinces, particularly with Sindh. He explained that the federal government had allocated Rs15 billion for the National Highway Authority but earmarked a mere Rs4bn for Sindh. Similarly, he said, the water sector/irrigation had been given Rs27.5bn but the share of Sindh was restricted to just Rs300 million. The Higher Education Commission had 22 new schemes of Rs6bn and Sindh was given only Rs250m from them. A sum of Rs6bn was allocated for new schemes in which Sindhs share was only Rs125m, he added. The chief minister said that this showed that they had a plan to deprive smaller provinces in the new PSDP. He said he along with two other chief ministers [of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan] walked out from the meeting because of this injustice. Earlier, speaking at the conference, the CM hoped that the moot would help different technical institutes of the province to work with leading Chinese Institutes as their partners. The CPEC and its projects are going to create employment opportunities. Therefore, there would be a dire need of skilled staff and specialists or experts to establish and run the new projects, he said. He added that our new generation must learn the Chinese language along with English language so that the gap of communication could be filled between the two nations. The chief minister also performed the groundbreaking of the new Convent of Jesus & Mary school. Speaking on the occasion, he said he was feeling proud to be part of this ceremony since his leader Benazir Bhutto studied there. He appreciated the efforts, hard work and dedication of Principal Sister Mary Langan, headmistress Sister Berchmans and their team for maintaining the standard of education. The CM signed a memorandum of understanding for further cooperation in education, energy, oil and gas, textile, water filtration and pharmaceutical sectors with Vice Governor of St Petersburg Sergej N. Movchan. A statement from the CM House said that the objective was to create business linkages to enhance bilateral trade leading to meaningful cooperation. The CM said that in the emergence of a multipolar world and changing power configurations worldwide and also in the South Asian region, Pakistans close association with Russia was very important and cooperation between the two countries would bring prosperity to the entire region. In the meeting, it was agreed that St Petersburg would provide technical assistance and technology in the treatment of waste water and desalination of seawater. The chief minister also invited the Russian business community to invest in Thar coal mining and power generation. He also added that Russians had expertise in ports and shipping sector and the Sindh government was interested to develop its Keti Bandar port. The mathematical (and other) thoughts of a (now retired) math teacher, Colombia Hoy Para nunca olvidar Paginas vistas en total 'Parasite' painted on a statue of Queen, Elizabeth in Kent, England Sin palabras La UE le apunta a la paz Cada vez mas solo Precio del Brent To get the BRENT oil price, please enable Javascript. Precio del WTI To get the oil price, please enable Javascript. Dolar USA Vs Euro Precio del Oro To get the gold price, please enable Javascript. LULA y su Pueblo Bye Bye Homenaje al genial Quino Fueron ellos Una imagen que resume Tan bajo ha caido que se deja tocar el trasero? Porky y el Nene (archiconocido narcotraficante) Ladrones al poder Asi mira el perrito a su amo Crazy Clamor popular La nueva inquisicion Bolivia Chile Hoy Eso es todo amigos! Piensalo! Pinerachet No More Trump Adios Macri, hasta nunca La Marioneta se desinfla Asi o mas cinico Almugre Mexico en 1794 Mas arrastrado imposible Hasta cuando! La pura verdad Solidaridad con Palestina Serie Capitalismo Espejismos de la clase trabajadora Asi es! Comerciantes o delincuentes No pasaran! Asi es la vida USA HOY 01/01/1959 La avaricia no tiene limites AYUDA HUMANITARIA? Chile Hoy Asi son las cosas Mapa Electoral de Venezuela Patagonia argentina? Un aniversario mas del mayor genocidio de la Humanidad Retrato del franquismo en Espana Visca Catalunya! El Chulo de Madrid Cuando la policia se roba la democracia Una imagen dice mas que mil palabras La purita verdad Asi gobierna la maldita burguesia Mi pobre clase media Como Chavez nadie Comparte La Colmena via twitter Twittear Programa de la MUD Asi o mas clarito Por que Trump no ataco Corea del Norte? Hace 15 anos Por que la OEA no se pronuncio? Una verguenza nacional La luz que nos guia La Union Europea Premio Nobel de la Paz? Feudalismo ayer y hoy Obama, el mentiroso Curiosa coincidencia Un mundo de cerdos No es extrano? La Marioneta Los ricos protestan, los pobres celebran MARICORI Y OBAMA Cuantas muertes este ano? 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Por culpa de Chavez Cerveza Polar Algun dia Colombia volvera a la ideologia de Bolivar Translate LOS REVOLUCIONARIOS NO TOMAN CACA-COLA No se trata solamente de un capricho, sino de una sana actitud en todos los sentidos. Desde la solidaridad con el pueblo colombiano donde la empresa Caca-Cola ha cometido los mas grandes abusos contra sus trabajadores incluyendo el presunto secuestro y asesinato de los dirigentes del sindicato, hasta la proteccion de la salud de nuestros hijos, enviciados por ese jarabe de cola y azucar, que les produce obesidad prematura. Pensemos tambien los revolucionarios, que ese dinero que gastamos en los refrescos es utilizado por esas empresas para financiar el terrorismo en nuestro pais. Es cierto, no se trata solo de la Caca-Cola, sino tambien de la cerveza, de los cigarrillos y todos esos articulos innecesarios y mas que eso, daninos para nuestra salud. Podriamos incluso pensar en un dia de parada para cada uno de ellos. Es cuestion de irnos organizando. Pero para empezar, que tal si dejamos de comprar Caca-Cola y sus similares? Cuando lo extraordinario se vuelve cotidiano... Discurso del Acto de Grado en Barinas en 12 de Febrero del 2005 Queridos Graduandos: Mas que un discurso, quiero dirigirles algunas palabras que escribi anoche, despues de visitar en las clinicas, a los estudiantes heridos, a consecuencia de los enfrentamientos con la policia de hace apenas dos dias. Me ha tocado por razones del destino, ser la persona que les otorgue el titulo que bien merecieron con sus estudios. Y me siento sumamente orgulloso de serlo. Me consta que la Universidad de Los Llanos Occidentales Ezequiel Zamora, a pesar de lo dicho por los enemigos de esta universidad, es una universidad de primera. No tendremos la mejor planta fisica, en los salones hace calor. En el comedor hace calor. Pero no es en lo material que las cosas deben valorarse. El mayor capital es el ser humano. Y en eso, nuestra UNELLEZ, lo digo con conocimiento de causa, esta sobrada. Los llaneros venezolanos son nobles, valientes, de coraje. En la UNELLEZ hacen vida, en este momento, aproximadamente 67000 personas. El 97% de ellas son estudiantes. Jovenes que, como Ustedes hasta el dia de hoy, buscan ese titulo, que constata los anos de dedicacion y de estudio. Los jovenes son el rio de la vida, ustedes graduados deben ser los capitanes de esos barcos que naveguen por el rio de la vida. Nuestra Patria atraviesa momentos muy dificiles porque decidio dejar de ser esa matrona de edad vetusta y complaciente, para ser joven, rebelde y altanera. Nuestra imagen ya no es la de una acaudalada ricachona mayamera. En nuestro rostro brilla ahora la sonrisa del Che Guevara, con su diente delantero torcido, su pelo largo y su boina con la estrella. Entender esto, a mi me ha tomado practicamente toda la vida. Tengo 53 anos, y ya perdi mi oportunidad de derramar sangre joven a causa de un ideal. Ustedes son jovenes, estan en la flor de la vida. No cometan por favor el error de renunciar a su instinto de rebelion. El Che Guevara fue Ministro de a Economia en Cuba. Los billetes y las monedas se adornaban con su rostro. Nada de eso le importo. Primero fue a Angola donde paso un penoso ano de combate. Despues se fue a Bolivia, donde encontro la muerte. El Che era el ultimo que comia, el que cargaba la mochila mas pesada. Siempre se sacrificaba por los demas en un estoicismo que mas parecia fervor religioso que ideologia marxista. Si quieren un modelo de vida. Ahi lo tienen. Dije hace unos momentos que el 97% de la poblacion de la UNELLEZ es estudiante. Se imaginan Ustedes la Universidad que podriamos tener si todos los estudiantes tuvieran la abnegacion, la combatividad del Che? Los momentos que se avecinan van a requerir de una gran unidad del pueblo venezolano. La alternativa de continuar siendo libres o regresar a la pobreza se nos planteara en los proximos dias de forma enmascarada, o quizas peor, desenmascarada, vestida con uniforme de soldado del Imperio. Por nuestra parte podemos esperar lo mejor. La macroeconomia no podria ir mejor, la justicia social ha mejorado notablemente. Las misiones ocupan un papel muy importante en el pago de dicha justicia social. Aqui en Barinas ya hemos cumplido con dos de las misiones, la mision Robinson y la mision Sucre. No hay analfabetismo y no hay exclusion en la educacion superior, en estas tierras de Zamora. Pero ay malhaya! Son precisamente estos exitos los que nos hacen mas antipaticos al Imperio. Para ellos, somos inclusive un mal ejemplo que se esta contagiando al resto del continente y cuidado sino al resto del mundo. Nunca venceremos al Imperio. Estara siempre ahi, acechando. Por lo menos hasta que el mismo no se autodestruya. Porque, sepanlo senores, el neoliberalismo es canibal. Cuando le ataque el hambre, se devorara a si mismo. Ustedes, queridos graduandos, a partir de hoy pasan a conformar la elite profesional que debe sostener este pais en los proximos cuarenta o cincuenta anos. Anos decisivos para el logro de nuestra libertad y del rescate de nuestra Soberania. No se dejen comprar. No se dejen corromper. No se dejen gritar. No se dejen pisar. Que nadie les diga que comer, o que vestirse, o que leer. Sean siempre autenticos, rebeldes, contestatarios. Pero eso si, profundamente patriotas, dignos de ser hijos de Bolivar. Muchas gracias y que Dios los bendiga. Alguna duda? Medio siglo de Holocausto Palestino Oscar Zanartu Nacio en Caracas en 1960. Ha realizado exposiciones individuales en las galerias Minotauro, Clave y San Francisco, y en salas de Coro, estado Falcon, y Puerto Ordaz, estado Bolivar. En Paris su obra ha sido exhibida en el Centro Cultural Tanagra, en la Exposicion Cite Internationale des Arts, en las galerias De Mars y Arver Space, al igual que en la Galeria Municipal Levallois, en Levallois Perret (Francia). En muestras colectivas, su obra se ha expuesto en Belgica, Francia, Estados Unidos y Venezuela; en Caracas intervino en la exposicion "Del genesis a la memoria", 1995, organizada por la Fundacion La Previsora. En 1982 obtuvo el Premio Nacional Critven y en 1990 la Mencion de Honor Jose Antonio Paez, en la Embajada de Venezuela en Paris. En 1991 se le concedio el primer premio de Pintura Itinerante, en Levallois Perret, Francia. OZ1 OZ2 OZ3 OZ4 Homenaje a Jason Galarraga La Victoria de Samotracia Odalisca Mas fotos de la nevada del pasado agosto 2008 La Sierra Nevada de Merida Nuestro precioso Churum Meru Homenaje a Picasso Autoretrato Sabes lo que bebes en una Coca-Cola? La formula de la Pepsi tiene una diferencia basica con la de la Coca-Cola y es intencional, para evitar el proceso judicial. La diferencia es a proposito, pero suficientemente parecida como para atraer a los consumidores de Coca-Cola que prefieren un gusto diferente con menos sal y azucar. Mi profesion? Tuve que aprender quimica, entender todo sobre componentes de gaseosas, conservantes, sales, acidos, cafeina, enlatado, produccion, permisos, aprobaciones y muchas otras cosas. Monte mi propio mini-laboratorio de analisis de productos. Sal en la Coca Cola? A patadas. El Cloruro de Sodio no solo refresca sino da mas sed, como para pedir otra gaseosa. Y no resulta desagradable porque la sal mata literalmente la sensibilidad al dulce... del que por cierto tambien tiene mucho: 39 gramos de azucar. De los 350 gramos de producto liquido, mas del 10% es azucar, o sea que en una lata de Coca-Cola mas de un centimetro y medio es puro azucar en polvo. Aproximadamente tres cucharadas soperas llenas de azucar por lata!!La formula de la Coca Cola es muy sencilla: Concentrado de azucar quemado caramelo- para dar color oscuro y gusto Acido fosforito (para darle el sabor acido) azucar (HFCS-jarabe de maiz de alta fructosa) Extracto de hojas de la planta de Coca (Africa e India) y otros pocos aromatizantes naturales de otras plantas Mucha Cafeina Conservante que puede ser Benzoato de Sodio o Potasio Dioxido de Carbono en cantidad para sentir freir la lengua cuando se bebe Sal para dar la sensacion de refrigeracion El uso del acido fosforito y no del acido citrico como en todas las demas gaseosas, es para dar la sensacion de dientes y boca limpia al beber. El acido fosforito literalmente frie todo y dana el esmalte de los dientes, cosa que el acido citrico lo hace en menor grado.Trate de comprar acido fosforito para ver las mil recomendaciones de seguridad que te dan para su manipulacion (quema el cristalino del ojo, quema la piel, etc...). Esta prohibido usar el acido fosforito en cualquier otra gaseosa; solo la Coca Cola tiene permiso. Porque claro, sin el acido fosforico, la Coca Cola sabria a jabon.El extracto de coca y otras hojas casi no cambia en nada el sabor. Es mas bien un efecto cosmetico. El extracto forma parte de la Coca-Cola porque legalmente tiene que ser asi. Pero sin el, no se nota ninguna diferencia en el gusto, que esta dado basicamente por las cantidades diferentes de azucar, azucar quemada, sales, acidos y conservantes.Sabor a que...? ja, ja, ja. Aqui en Bartow, sur de Orlando, hay una empresa quimica que produce aromatizantes y esencias para zumos. Envian diariamente camionadas de sales concentradas y esencias para las fabricas de helados, gaseosas, jugos, enlatados y comida colorida y aromatizada.Cuando visite por primera vez la fabrica, pedi ver el deposito de concentrados de frutas, que deberia ser inmenso, especialmente los de naranja, pina, fresa y tantos otros. El encargado me miro, se rio y me llevo a visitar los depositos inmensos... pero de colorantes y componentes quimicos. Las gaseosa de naranja no contiene naranja. En los zumos dizque de fresa, hasta los puntitos que quedan en suspension estan hechos de goma (una liga quimica que envuelve un semi-polimero). Pina, es un popurri de acidos y goma. La esencia para helado de aguacate usa peroxido de hidrogeno (agua oxigenada) para dar la sensacion espumosa tipica del aguacate. Bebidas Light? Quieres saber la cantidad de basura que tiene un refresco 'light'? Yo ni siquiera los uso para destapar mi lavaplatos pues temo que danen los tubos de PVC. Los productos endulzantes 'ligth' tienen una vida media muy corta. Por ejemplo el Despues de toda mi experiencia con la produccion de bebidas embasadas, puedo afirmar sin dudar un segundo: la mejor bebida es el agua, como tambien los jugos exprimidos de naranja o limon. Nada mas, cero azucar y cero sal. Publicado por loretahur En realidad, la formula secreta de la Coca-Cola se puede detallar en 18 segundos en cualquier espectrometro optico, y basicamente la conocen hasta los perros. Lo que ocurre es que no se puede fabricar igual, a no ser que uno disponga de unos cuantos millones de dolares para ganarle la demanda que te metera la Coca-Cola ante la justicia (ellos no perderian).La formula de la Pepsi tiene una diferencia basica con la de la Coca-Cola y es intencional, para evitar el proceso judicial. La diferencia es a proposito, pero suficientemente parecida como para atraer a los consumidores de Coca-Cola que prefieren un gusto diferente con menos sal y azucar.Tuve que aprender quimica, entender todo sobre componentes de gaseosas, conservantes, sales, acidos, cafeina, enlatado, produccion, permisos, aprobaciones y muchas otras cosas. Monte mi propio mini-laboratorio de analisis de productos.A patadas. El Cloruro de Sodio no solo refresca sino da mas sed, como para pedir otra gaseosa. Y no resulta desagradable porque la sal mata literalmente la sensibilidad al dulce... del que por cierto tambien tiene mucho: 39 gramos de azucar.De los 350 gramos de producto liquido, mas del 10% es azucar, o sea que en una lata de Coca-Cola mas de un centimetro y medio es puro azucar en polvo. Aproximadamente tres cucharadas soperas llenas de azucar por lata!!La formula de la Coca Cola es muy sencilla:Concentrado de azucar quemado caramelo- para dar color oscuro y gustoAcido fosforito (para darle el sabor acido)azucar (HFCS-jarabe de maiz de alta fructosa)Extracto de hojas de la planta de Coca (Africa e India) y otros pocos aromatizantes naturales de otras plantasMucha CafeinaConservante que puede ser Benzoato de Sodio o PotasioDioxido de Carbono en cantidad para sentir freir la lengua cuando se bebeSal para dar la sensacion de refrigeracionEl uso del acido fosforito y no del acido citrico como en todas las demas gaseosas, es para dar la sensacion de dientes y boca limpia al beber. El acido fosforito literalmente frie todo y dana el esmalte de los dientes, cosa que el acido citrico lo hace en menor grado.Trate de comprar acido fosforito para ver las mil recomendaciones de seguridad que te dan para su manipulacion (quema el cristalino del ojo, quema la piel, etc...). Esta prohibido usar el acido fosforito en cualquier otra gaseosa; solo la Coca Cola tiene permiso. Porque claro, sin el acido fosforico, la Coca Cola sabria a jabon.El extracto de coca y otras hojas casi no cambia en nada el sabor. Es mas bien un efecto cosmetico. El extracto forma parte de la Coca-Cola porque legalmente tiene que ser asi. Pero sin el, no se nota ninguna diferencia en el gusto, que esta dado basicamente por las cantidades diferentes de azucar, azucar quemada, sales, acidos y conservantes.Sabor a que...? ja, ja, ja.Aqui en Bartow, sur de Orlando, hay una empresa quimica que produce aromatizantes y esencias para zumos. Envian diariamente camionadas de sales concentradas y esencias para las fabricas de helados, gaseosas, jugos, enlatados y comida colorida y aromatizada.Cuando visite por primera vez la fabrica, pedi ver el deposito de concentrados de frutas, que deberia ser inmenso, especialmente los de naranja, pina, fresa y tantos otros. El encargado me miro, se rio y me llevo a visitar los depositos inmensos... pero de colorantes y componentes quimicos.Las gaseosa de naranja no contiene naranja.En los zumos dizque de fresa, hasta los puntitos que quedan en suspension estan hechos de goma (una liga quimica que envuelve un semi-polimero).Pina, es un popurri de acidos y goma.La esencia para helado de aguacate usa peroxido de hidrogeno (agua oxigenada) para dar la sensacion espumosa tipica del aguacate.Quieres saber la cantidad de basura que tiene un refresco 'light'? Yo ni siquiera los uso para destapar mi lavaplatos pues temo que danen los tubos de PVC. Los productos endulzantes 'ligth' tienen una vida media muy corta. Por ejemplo el aspartamo , despues de tres semanas mojado, pasa a tener gusto de trapo viejo sucio.Para evitar eso, se agregan una infinidad de otros productos quimicos, uno para alargar la vida del aspartamo, otro para neutralizar el color, otro para mantener el tercer quimico en suspension porque sino el fondo de la gaseosa quedaria oscuro, otro para evitar la cristalizacion del aspartamo, otro para realzar el sabor, dar mas intensidad al acido citrico o fosforito que perderia su sabor por el efecto de los cuatro productos quimicos iniciales... y asi sucesivamente.Un consejo final !!Despues de toda mi experiencia con la produccion de bebidas embasadas, puedo afirmar sin dudar un segundo: la mejor bebida es el agua, como tambien los jugos exprimidos de naranja o limon. Nada mas, cero azucar y cero sal.Publicado por loretahur MARGARINA o MANTEQUILLA La margarina fue producida originalmente para engordar a los pavos; cuandolo que hizo en realidad fue matarlos.Las personas que habian puesto el dinero para la investigacion quisieronrecobrarlo asi que empezaron a pensar en una forma de hacerlo.Tenian una sustancia blanca, que no tenia ningun atractivo como comestible,asi que le anadieron el color amarillo, para venderselo a lagente en lugar de la mantequilla.Que tal esa?... Ahora han sacado algunos nuevos sabores para vender mas alos incautos como usted y yo.CONOCE USTED la diferencia entre la margarina y la mantequilla?Siga leyendo hasta el final... porque se pone bastante interesante!Comparacion entre mantequilla y margarina: 1.- Ambas tienen la misma cantidad de calorias. 2.- La mantequilla es ligeramente mas alta en grasas saturadas: 8 gramos,comparada con los 5 gramos que tiene la margarina. 3.- Comer margarina en vez de mantequilla puede aumentar en 53% el riesgo deenfermedades coronarias en las mujeres, de acuerdo con un estudiomedico reciente de la Universidad de Harvard. 4.- Comer mantequilla aumenta la absorcion de gran cantidad de nutrientesque se encuentran en otros alimentos. 5.- La mantequilla provee beneficios nutricionales propios mientras lamargarina tiene solo los que le hayan sido anadidos al fabricarla. 6.- La mantequilla sabe mucho mejor que la margarina y mejora el sabor deotros alimentos.7.- La mantequilla ha existido durante siglos mientras que la margarinatiene menos de 100 anos. Ahora... sobre la margarina: 1.- Es muy alta en acidos grasos trans. (Si, esos que recien ahora loscientificos descubrieron que son malisimos y los gobiernoscomenzaron a prohibirlos) . 2.- Triple riesgo de enfermedades coronarias. 3.- Aumenta el colesterol total y el LDL (el colesterol malo) y disminuye elHDL (el colesterol bueno). 4.- Aumenta en cinco veces el riesgo de cancer. 5.- Disminuye la calidad de la leche materna. 6.- Disminuye la reaccion inmunologica del organismo. 7.- Disminuye la reaccion a la insulina. Y he aqui el factor mas inquietante (AQUI ESTA LA PARTE MAS INTERESANTE! ):A la margarina le falta UNA MOLECULA para ser PLASTICO...!!Solo este hecho es suficiente para evitar el uso de la margarina de porvida, y de cualquier otra cosa que sea hidrogenada (esto significaque se le anade hidrogeno, lo cual cambia la estructura molecular de lassubstancias).Usted puede ensayar lo siguiente:Compre un poco de margarina y dejela en el garaje o en un sitio sombreado.Dentro de unos dias notara dos cosas: * No habra moscas; ni siquiera esos molestos bichos se le acercaran (esto yale debe decir a usted algo). * No se pudre ni huele mal o diferente porque no tiene valor nutritivo; nadacrece en ella. Ni siquiera los diminutos microorganismos puedencrecer en ella.Por que? Porque es casi plastico!! No a la guerra, Si a la Paz Misterios de la ciencia... Los costos de la guerra medicos y capitalismo... Capitalismo... medicos (2) Quien educa a nuestros hijos? Los Medios... Sin Palabras... Chistes feministas - Cual es el problema, Eva? - Se que me has creado, que me has dado este hermoso jardin, todos estos maravillosos animales y esa serpiente con la que me muero de risa... pero no soy del todo feliz... - Como es eso, Eva? - replico Dios desde las alturas. - Me encuentro sola, y ademas estoy harta de comer manzanas... - Bueno Eva, en tal caso, tengo una solucion... creare un hombre para ti. - Que es un hombre? - Un hombre sera una criatura imperfecta, con muchas artimanas. Mentira, hara trampas, sera engreido... vamos, que te va a dar problemas... Pero, va a ser mas fuerte y rapido que tu y le gustara cazar y matar cosas... Tendra un aspecto simple, pero como te estas quejando, le creare de tal forma que satisfaga tus... eh... necesidades fisicas... Y tampoco sera muy listo, y destacara en cosas infantiles como pegarse o dar patadas a un balon... Necesitara tu consejo siempre para actuar cuerdamente. - Suena bien - dijo Eva, mientras levantaba la ceja ironicamente. - Cual es el truco?. - Pues... que lo tendras con una condicion. - Cual? - Como te decia, sera chulo, arrogante y muy narcisista... asi que le tendras que hacer creer que le hice a el primero... recuerda... es nuestro secreto... de mujer a mujer. Por que a los hombres no les puede dar la enfermedad de las vacas locas? Porque todos son unos cerdos Un dia, en el Paraiso, Eva llamo a Dios: Tengo un problema.- Cual es el problema, Eva?- Se que me has creado, que me has dado este hermoso jardin, todos estos maravillosos animales y esa serpiente con la que me muero de risa... pero no soy del todo feliz... - Como es eso, Eva? - replico Dios desde las alturas.- Me encuentro sola, y ademas estoy harta de comer manzanas...- Bueno Eva, en tal caso, tengo una solucion... creare un hombre para ti.- Que es un hombre?- Un hombre sera una criatura imperfecta, con muchas artimanas. Mentira, hara trampas, sera engreido... vamos, que te va a dar problemas... Pero, va a ser mas fuerte y rapido que tu y le gustara cazar y matar cosas... Tendra un aspecto simple, pero como te estas quejando, le creare de tal forma que satisfaga tus... eh... necesidades fisicas... Y tampoco sera muy listo, y destacara en cosas infantiles como pegarse o dar patadas a un balon... Necesitara tu consejo siempre para actuar cuerdamente.- Suena bien - dijo Eva, mientras levantaba la ceja ironicamente.- Cual es el truco?.- Pues... que lo tendras con una condicion.- Cual?- Como te decia, sera chulo, arrogante y muy narcisista... asi que le tendras que hacer creer que le hice a el primero... recuerda... es nuestro secreto... de mujer a mujer.Por que a los hombres no les puede dar la enfermedad de las vacas locas? Porque todos son unos cerdos Ellas... Ellas (2)... Tres venganzas femeninas VENGANZA NUMERO 1 Hoy mi hija cumple 21 anos y estoy muy contento porque es el ultimo pago de pension alimenticia que le doy, asi que llame a mi hijita para que viniera a mi casa y cuando llego le dije: -Hijita, quiero que lleves este cheque a casa de tu mama y que le digas que: Este es el ultimo maldito cheque que va recibir de mi en todo lo que le queda de su puta vida!!! Quiero que me digas la expresion que pone en su rostro. Asi que mi hija fue a entregar el cheque. Yo estaba ansioso por saber lo que la bruja tenia que decir y que cara pondria. Cuando mi hijita entro, le pregunte inmediatamente: -Que fue lo que te dijo tu madre? -Me dijo que justamente estaba esperando este dia para decirte que no eres mi papa! VENGANZA NUMERO 2 Un hombre que siempre molestaba a su mujer, paso un dia por la casa de unos amigos para que lo acompanaran al aeropuerto a dejar a su esposa que viajaba a Paris. A la salida de inmigracion, frente a todo el mundo, el le desea buen viaje y en tono burlon le grita: - Amor, no te olvides de traerme una hermosa francesita Ja ja ja!! Ella bajo la cabeza y se embarco muy molesta. La mujer paso quince dias en Francia. El marido otra vez pidio a sus amigos que lo acompanasen al aeropuerto a recibirla. Al verla llegar, lo primero que le grita a toda voz es: - Y amor me trajiste mi francesita?? - Hice todo lo posible, - contesta ella - ahora solo tenemos que rezar para que nazca nina. VENGANZA NUMERO 3 El marido, en su lecho de muerte, llama a su mujer. Con voz ronca y ya debil, le dice: - Muy bien, llego mi hora, pero antes quiero hacerte una confesion. - No, no, tranquilo, tu no debes hacer ningun esfuerzo. - Pero, mujer, es preciso - insiste el marido - Es preciso morir en paz. Te quiero confesar algo. - Esta bien, esta bien. Habla! - He tenido relaciones con tu hermana, tu mama y tu mejor amiga. - Lo se, lo se Por eso te envenene, hijo de puta!!! machismo y cibernetica Chiste machista La NASA ha enviado al espacio una mision experimental tripulada por dos monos y una mujer.Apenas abandona la atmosfera, se establece comunicacion con Houston. -Atencion, simio 1, verifique sistemas hidraulicos, controle adecuada presion de los propulsores de arranque. A 60.000 pies disminuya un 25% la velocidad. El simio hace la sena de OK. -Atencion, simio 2, nivele al cruzar la estratosfera y active sistemas anticongelantes. No olvide monitorear sistemas de comunicacion e indicadores de presion. Comprendido?. El simio hace la sena de OK. -Atencion, Houston llamando a mujer: no se olvide. -Mujer: Si, si, ya se! -interrumpe enojada- que no me olvide darles de comer a estos monos de mierda y que no se me vaya a ocurrir tocar nada!. .Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti. Un abogado mantiene un romance con su secretaria.Al poco tiempo, esta queda embarazada y el abogado, que no quiere que su esposa se entere, le da a la secretaria una buena suma de dinero y le pide que se vaya a parir a Italia.Esta pregunta: Y como voy a hacerte saber cuando nazca el bebe ? El abogado responde: Para que mi mujer no se entere, tan solo enviame una postal y escribe por detras: Spaghetti. Y no te preocupes mas, que yo me encargare de todos los gastos. Pasan los meses y una manana la esposa del abogado lo llama al bufete, algo exaltada: Querido, acabo de recibir el correo y hay una postal muy extrana viene desde Italia. La verdad, no entiendo que significa.El abogado, tratando de ocultar sus nervios, contesta:Espera a que llegue a casa, a ver si yo entiendoCuando el hombre llega a casa y lee la postal, cae al suelo fulminado por un infarto.Llega una ambulancia y se lo lleva. Ya en el hospital, el jefe de cardiologia se queda consolando a la esposa y le pregunta cual ha sido el evento que precipito tan masivo ataque cardiaco. Entonces la esposa saca la postal y se la muestra diciendole: No me explico, doctor; el solamente leyo esta postal. Vea usted mismo lo que trae escrito.Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti."Tres con salchicha y albondigas y dos con almejas Gol !!!! Chistes de Borrachos Entra un borracho a su casa todo manchado con lapiz labial por todos lados hecho un desastre, y la mujer le pregunta:-Hombre que te paso?Y el borracho le responde:-No me vas a creer, me pelee con un payaso! Este es un borracho que entra en un bar y le dice al camarero:-Me da cinco copas de whisky?Al rato:-Me da cuatro?Al rato:-Me da tres copas?Despues:-Me da dos copas?Luego le dice:-Me da una copa?Y le dice al camarero:-Ves? Cuanto menos bebo, mas borracho estoy! A person wanted by Hayward police is in custody following a shooting this evening in the area of the Hayward BART station, BART officials said. Reports of shots fired came in at 7:28 p.m. in the area of the station at 699 B St. MILPITAS (BCN) Police have reported that an 81-year-old man went missing from Milpitas Tuesday. William David Andrews suffers from dementia and walked away from his home on Seacliff Drive on Tuesday at 2:45 p.m., according to police. Employees at Outback Steakhouse at 1245 Great Mall Drive last saw Andrews at about 11 p.m., but police said they were unable to locate him. Andrews may have become disoriented and could be in need of medication, according to police. He is 5 feet 9 inches tall, weighs 170 pounds, has brown eyes and gray hair. He was last seen wearing a green jacket with a blue shirt underneath, black pants and black shoes. Anyone who has seen Andrews or knows his whereabouts can call Milpitas police at (408) 586-2400 or reach a local police department at 911. ### SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) Activists and family members of a homeless Mexican man killed by police in 2016 in San Francisco's Mission District began holding a 24-hour vigil this evening outside of the Hall of Justice to demand that charges be filed against the involved officers. The family of Luis Gongora Pat has been rallying outside of the Hall of Justice at 850 Bryant St. on a daily basis for two weeks, to demand that District Attorney George Gascon file murder charges against the two officers who fatally shot Gongora Pat on April 7, 2016, near 19th and Shotwell streets. During a Feb. 28 meeting between Gascon and Gongora Pat's family, Gascon told the family he would make a decision in six to eight weeks, with today being the deadline. Coincidently, today is Gongora Pat's birthday. He would be 38. "We are very upset because a murder has been committed. And George Gascon has all the evidence, all the witnesses, at his finger tips and he won't bring charges against the officers," Gongora Pat's cousin, Luis Poot Pat, said. "He lacks courage and he's become an accomplice... by protecting the killer officers, the same officers who killed my cousin," Poot Pat said. "Gascon said he would give us a decision and he still hasn't." The family said Gascon hasn't reached out to them since the initial Feb. 28 meeting. Earlier this month, Gascon denied setting a deadline for making a decision on whether charges would be filed against the officers, saying, "I won't compromise the integrity of an investigation because of a deadline." "In this case, concerning the death of Luis Gongora Pat, Gascon is unwilling to even give his family an opportunity at justice... When we know in this community people are tried for a whole lot less," said attorney Adante Pointer, who is representing the family in a civil wrongful death lawsuit. "Not only will he not prosecute, with the excuse that it's a hard case, but right up the street here, somehow the U.S. Attorney has found it in his skill to prosecute the very police officers that Gascon gives a pass on," Pointer said, referring to the civil suit. The civil suit, however, won't be heard in federal court until May 2, 2019, Pointer said. "It's not about it being too difficult or too hard, it's about you not having the courage and the willpower to do it. So if you don't have the heart, you shouldn't be in this position," Pointer said. Gongora Pat was an indigenous Mayan man who had emigrated from the Mexican state of Yucatan more than a decade ago and spoke little English or Spanish. After working for sometime as a dishwasher, he had become homeless and was living at an encampment near where he was killed. According to police, homeless outreach workers initially called police on April 7, 2016 after allegedly seeing Gongora Pat swinging a large kitchen knife. The officers allegedly found him seated on a sidewalk with the knife in his hand. After ordering him in both English and Spanish to put the knife down, they fired beanbag rounds at him, but police said he then stood up and ran at the officers with the knife in his hand. Sgt. Nate Steger and Officer Michael Mellone both shot him and Gongora Pat later died at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, police said. The entire encounter lasted around 30 seconds. The civil suit filed by the family contends that Gongora Pat never got up and the officers shot him while he was still seated on the sidewalk, never giving him a chance to comply. In addition to justice for Gongora Pat's death, the family is also honoring the 24 people who have been killed by San Francisco police without charges being filed against the officers since 2011, when Gascon first took office. Each hour of the vigil is meant to represent each person killed at the hands of police. The family of Jesus Adolfo Delgado-Duarte, a 19-year-old killed by police in March in the Mission District, also attended the vigil, in addition to Mesha Irizarry, the mother of Idriss Stelley, 23, killed by San Francisco police on June 13, 2001. The vigil is set to culminate Thursday at 6 p.m. ### Santa Clara County officials and employees who work closely with sexual assault survivors held a news conference at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose this morning to discuss the potential of speeding up testing of evidence kits to solve the cases. In February, Supervisor Cindy Chavez directed the District Attorney's Office to bring back information on how the county could pay to shorten the time it takes to process the kits. Santa Clara County's current average for processing Sexual Assault Response Team kits is 94 days. Chavez aims to use county funding to add three analysts whose only job will be to go through the exams in order to expedite the process to 30 days or less. Chavez's original request was 15 days or less, but after consulting crime lab staff, she found that to be less realistic. Currently, the county's crime lab has 18 DNA analysts and three supervisors that handle any kind of DNA processing, not just SART kits, Chief Assistant District Attorney Jay Boyarsky said. "The biggest benefit from the process that we've gone through is that its brought attention back to the issue of sexual assault," Boyarsky said. "By dedicating more resources to it, it reinforces the message that there is nothing more important that we could be doing." The state of California has a standard of no more than 120 days, Chavez said, but she wants Santa Clara County to be a leader and show the nation what is possible when it comes to prioritizing the kits and emphasizing their importance to survivors. Kim Walker, the SART nurse coordinator at Valley Medical Center, showed what the assault kits looked like and how they were used, from when a paper is laid on the floor to catch all possible DNA during examination to when the box is sealed up with swabs inside. Walker said when people who have been sexually assaulted have to wait for their kits to be processed and hear back that they still have not been completed, it adds to the trauma they already face. Boyarsky said he felt as though adding more staff would make kit processing more consistent, as police departments in the county have been able to do a great job in solving high-profile assault cases when the suspect is a stranger but more resources would allow victims who know their abuser to get justice with the same sense of priority. He said he has put SART analysts on the witness stand before to testify about kits as evidence and more kits processed in a quick manner would provide even more of an opportunity to do so and make all survivors feel important. Chavez estimated that additional staff would cost the county about $400,000 annually. Though Boyarsky said that the District Attorney's Office has been working with Chavez for the last year, this initiative has been a long time coming, the supervisor said. In 2013, Chavez said, the average time for a SART kit processing was over 500 days. She commended the District Attorney's office for bringing that number down. The county now has an estimated backlog of about 200 kits, according to Boyarsky. Most of those kits consist of cases where the suspect of the assault is already known. If the county supervisors vote on May 8 to approve funding for extra analysts, the queue will be cleared out in two to three months by sending the kits to other certified labs in the state, Boyarsky said. Chavez and fellow speakers organized today's news conference to discuss efforts to move kits forward faster on National Denim Day, the day designated on a Wednesday in April for the last 19 years in honor of Sexual Violence Awareness Month, according to Chavez's office. National Denim Day, a campaign established by non-profit organization Peace Over Violence, was inspired by an Italian Supreme Court ruling in which justices overturned a rape conviction because they felt that the victim's jeans were too tight to remove without help, an insinuation that the assault was consensual. The day following the hearing, women in the Italian Parliament came to work wearing jeans in solidarity with the victim. The campaign is used now to honor the activism surrounding the gesture. Activism like National Denim Day is the reason why Chavez focused on SART kit testing in the first place, she said. Not long after being elected, she received a letter from a constituent writing about having watched a documentary about the state's delay in getting kits processed and wanted to know the county's status with the issue. "You want to reach out to local government, because we do respond," Chavez said. "In an era where at a federal level we have a leader that has shown incredible disrespect for women, at a local level, we can do better," Chavez said. "We are going to demonstrate through policies and practices that we really do respect them." ### PETALUMA (BCN) An unlicensed 19-year-old Pittsburg man said he did not get much sleep the night before a fatal collision involving seven vehicles on Lakeville Highway in Petaluma on Tuesday, according to police. Javier Rodriguez Lopez, the driver of a Chevrolet Silverado, and his 50-year-old father, a passenger, were traveling west on Lakeville Highway around 7:15 a.m. when the Silverado crossed solid, double-yellow lines, Petaluma police said. The truck struck a Toyota Prius head-on, killing marine biologist Susan Lynn Williams, 66, of Bodega Bay, and a Honda Accord. Four other vehicles were damaged in the collisions, police said. Lopez and his father suffered serious injuries and were taken to a hospital. Lopez told investigators he did not get much sleep the night before because he did not go to bed until 1 a.m. Tuesday and was potentially tired, police Sgt. Ron Klein said. Lopez also said he failed the California driver's test in 2017, and police confirmed he was unlicensed. Lopez's father is a licensed driver, Klein said. Lopez said he does not remember anything before the collision. There are no indications alcohol or drugs played a part in the collision, Klein said. Lopez also said he was not using his cellphone, Klein said. Investigators recovered the phone from the Silverado and are determining whether it was in use at the time. Williams was a marine biologist and past director of the University of California at Davis Bodega Marine Biology Laboratory in Bodega Bay and a distinguished professor at the university's Department of Evolution and Ecology. ### SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) A former real estate developer from Portola Valley has been sentenced in federal court to one year and six months in prison for conspiring to commit bank fraud and providing false statements in connection with four properties in Hawaii and the Bay Area. Mark Migdal, 72, was sentenced on Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria in San Francisco. Chhabria also ordered Migdal to pay $2 million in fines and restitution, including a $1 million fine, $460,214 in restitution to three banks and forfeiture of $539,785 worth of property. Migdal pleaded guilty in July to one count of conspiring to commit bank fraud through short sales of two condominiums in Hawaii in 2009 and two counts of making false statements to a bank concerning properties he owned in Portola Valley and Mountain View. The prison term and the $2 million penalty were agreed to in Migdal's plea bargain with federal prosecutors. In exchange, prosecutors agreed to dismiss two additional counts of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft in a 2017 indictment. The conspiracy conviction concerned two condominiums Migdal bought in Kihei, Hawaii, in 2006 for $521,500 and $511,708, with the help of mortgage loans from two banks. In 2009, he sold them for slightly more than half that amount -- $228,000 and $207,00 respectively - in so-called "short sales" to a fictitious buyer created with the stolen identity of a deceased person. Migdal admitted in his guilty plea that he controlled and rented the properties in the name of the stolen identity and later transferred them back to himself, according to U.S. Attorney's Office spokesman Abraham Simmons. At the time, Migdal was caught up in the real estate crash of 2008, according to a defense sentencing brief. In the other two counts, Migdal pleaded guilty to making false statements to JP Morgan Chase Bank, formerly Washington Mutual, on mortgage modification applications for a condominium he owned in Mountain View and his home in Portola Valley. In 2009, he falsely told the bank the Mountain View unit was his principal residence and in 2010 he falsely said he had a job and had rented out part of the Portola Valley house. The restitution includes $239,519 to Fannie Mae, successor to a deed of trust held by EverBank, and $202,491 to Bank of America in connection with the Hawaii properties, plus $18,205 to JP Morgan Chase. Migdal was born in a Soviet labor camp in Siberia, was raised in Leningrad and left Russia at the age of 30, according to the defense sentencing brief. After living in Israel, Canada and Germany, he came to the Bay Area in 1991 and worked as a petroleum engineer and then a real estate developer until the real estate crash. Prosecutors alleged in a sentencing brief this month that Migdal continues to control the Hawaii, Mountain View and Portola Valley properties as well as three Palo Alto townhouses, a cabin at Martins Beach and a property in Tel Aviv. Charges remain pending against Migdal's co-defendant in the bank fraud conspiracy, Naum Morgovsky of Hillsborough. Morgovsky and his wife, Irina Morgovsky, are also accused in the same indictment of conspiring to violate a U.S. arms export control law by exporting components of night vision rifle scopes to Russia without a license. They are scheduled to go on trial in Chhabria's court on June 13. There are only a handful of the rare eggs in existence. The Buffalo Museum of Science knew this, so they settled for a fake model of one of the massive eggs to add to their rotation of displays. Elephant birds are flightless and only found in Madagascar. For years, the museum displayed the egg as a cast model of an actual Elephant Bird egg. There are fewer than 40 intact elephant bird eggs in public institutions around the world, the museum said. The foot-long egg from an elephant bird is fully intact and weighs three pounds, 5 ounces, the Buffalo Museum of Science said in a statement. Headlines about the rare find of an elephant bird egg inside a locked cabinet in a storage room at the Buffalo Museum of Science is catching the attention of the nation. Zoology Collections Manager, Paige Langle, was helping modernize the museum's catalogue system. Apparently when the museum opened in its current location in 1929, there was a huge push to fill it with collections. FIFA World Cup: A tournament for everyone There are just too many teams, too many leagues, and too many competitions to keep up-to-date with all the major events and news. You can catch the best players, you can catch those players notorious for on field antics and also off field antics. George RR Martin lanzara nuevo libro, precuela de Game of Thrones Una de las ilustraciones de Doug Wheatley. "No, el invierno no se acerca.al menos no en 2018", escribio. Y si, Martin tambien confirmo que en este nuevo libro tendremos la aparicion de muchos Dragones . DFSS protests against impeachment motion on CJI The Congress party's argument that they are making vague allegations which can only be proved in an inquiry is not tenable. The Parliament is supreme in its own jurisdiction. "Its process can not be subjected to judicial review", Mr Jaitley said. After the Art Conservation Department at SUNY Buffalo State analyzed the egg, her theory was confirmed. "This egg is the equivalent of about 150 chicken eggs", said Leacock. Langle serendipitously stumbled upon the egg during inventory, while she was going through old ledges and cards to update the museum's digital catalog. The museum's archival record revealed the egg was purchased from Edward Gerrard & Sons - a taxidermy shop London - in 1939. Leacock said there's evidence the white spots are bone fragments, a potential goldmine for researchers. The nearest elephant bird egg - found floating in the Indian Ocean off Madagascar - is at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh. "The conservators and our team believe ... there's a possibility this may be a fertilized egg", Leacock said. Museum staff also found a letter written by a curator at the time, in which an elephant bird egg was listed among the items he wanted to acquire for an exhibition on birds. "We are super excited that the Buffalo Museum of Science is in that select group", Leacock said. Curators at the Buffalo Science Museum in NY have made a surprising and very fortunate discovery. According to Kathy Leacock, Director of Collections, that isn't hard to do considering that the museum has over "seven hundred thousand items in their collection". SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) The California Supreme Court in San Francisco today unanimously upheld the death penalties of a Sacramento couple for the murder, kidnapping and rape of a 22-year-old Pleasanton woman in 1997. James Daveggio, 57, and Michelle Michaud, 59, were given the death penalties in Alameda County Superior Court in 2002 for kidnapping Vanessa Lei Samson on the morning of Dec. 2, 1997, raping her with modified curling irons and murdering her by strangulation with a rope. During the sentencing, Superior Court Judge Larry Goodman called the murder "vile, cruel, senseless, depraved, brutal, evil and vicious." The couple abducted Samson into Michaud's green Dodge minivan as she walked to her job at an insurance company and assaulted her during a trip to Lake Tahoe. Samson's body was found two days later, in the snow on an embankment along state Highway 88 in Alpine County. Daveggio and Michaud were also convicted in the 2002 trial of the oral copulation of Daveggio's daughter, then 16, and the daughter's friend, then 17, on Nov. 3 and 27, 1997. Prosecutors alleged the crimes were part of a spree of "utter depravity" in which the two sexually assaulted a series of girls and young women during their 13-month relationship in 1996 and 1997. Goodman allowed prosecutors to present testimony during the trial from four other alleged victims of 1997 assaults that were not charged in the Alameda County case, but he excluded evidence of alleged sexual attacks on 11 other victims whom prosecutors had hoped to bring to the stand. Two of the alleged victims who did testify were Michaud's daughter and a friend of the daughter, who were 12 and 13 when they were allegedly forced into sexual acts by the couple in the fall of 1997. Another victim who testified was a then-20-year-old Reno college student who was kidnapped and assaulted on Sept. 29, 1997. Like Samson, she was abducted into the van as she walked by the side of a road. Although that case was not charged as part of the Alameda County trial, Daveggio and Michaud were separately convicted of kidnapping in federal court in Reno in 1999. The two were arrested by the FBI on Dec. 3, 1997, the day after Samson's murder, on kidnapping charges in the Reno case. After being convicted in the federal case, they were transferred to Alameda County for trial on the state charges. In a 98-page decision, the state high court rejected a series of appeal arguments, including the defendants' claim that evidence from the uncharged cases should not have been allowed. The court said the testimony was admissible to show the distinctive characteristics of the couple's motive and methods. Justice Leondra Kruger, the author of the court's opinion, wrote, "The evidence concerning the uncharged incidents shed light on whether Daveggio and Michaud had a propensity to commit acts of sexual misconduct." The couple's direct appeal to the California Supreme Court was the first step in the death penalty appeal process. They can continue appeals through habeas corpus petitions in the federal court system. Michaud is one of 23 women among the 746 inmates on death row in California. Executions in the state have been on hold since 2006 because of a federal lawsuit challenging execution procedures. ### 666-9960 Janyce Blair, attorney for Michaud on appeal (310) 606-9262 A man accused of being a serial rapist and murderer known as the "Golden State Killer" was arrested Tuesday in Sacramento County, law enforcement officials announced Wednesday. Joseph James DeAngelo, 72, began targeting his victims more than 40 years ago. DeAngelo allegedly committed 51 rapes and 12 murders across 10 different California counties between 1976 and 1986. Between 1978 and 1979, the Golden State Killer struck in Concord, San Ramon, San Jose, Danville, Fremont and Walnut Creek. He was arrested and charged after officers linked his DNA to the 1978 Rancho Cordova murders of Katie, 20 and Brian Maggiore, 21, Sacramento County District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert said at a news conference in Sacramento. The decades-long case culminated in a six-day surveillance operation at DeAngelo's home in the Citrus Heights area of Sacramento County. There, officers obtained discarded DNA, submitted it to the crime lab and obtained a search warrant. Deputies waited for DeAngelo to exit his home and took him into custody. "He was very surprised," Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones said. "We found the needle in the haystack, and it was right here in Sacramento," Schubert said. DeAngelo was a police officer from 1973 to 1979 in two separate law enforcement agencies, according to Jones. His tenure as a Visalia police officer from 1973 to 1976 overlapped with his suspected attacks as the "Visalia Ransacker." He then served as an Auburn police officer from 1976 to 1979, Jones said. Jones confirmed that DeAngelo was fired from the Auburn department after he shoplifted two items: dog repellent and a hammer. Multiple agencies are currently filling in timeline gaps between his firing and his arrest, Jones said. DeAngelo had a family and adult children, according to Jones. He did not confirm whether the family was living at the house. Jones said family members have been interviewed and it's "quite a shock to them." Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O'Malley spoke at the news conference Wednesday, saying she was a college student and a rape crisis center volunteer in Contra Costa County in 1977. The Golden State Killer struck several times that year and O'Malley said she sat with survivors who had been assaulted by the man. Her experiences pushed her to change the "paradigm" of injustice in sexual assaults, she said, and provided a stark example for why rape kits should be tested in a timely manner. The Ventura County District Attorney's Office has filed capital murder charges against DeAngelo for the March 1980 murders of Charlene, 33 and Lyman Smith, 43. The charges have enhancements for multiple murders, murder during rape and murder during a burglary. Officials from multiple counties, including Sacramento, Alameda, Ventura and Contra Costa, attributed the arrest to modern advancements in DNA testing and a joint-agency task force established in 2014. "For us here in Sacramento, it was a time of innocence in 1976," Schubert said. "No one locked doors, kids rode bikes to school, parents let their children play outside." She said the investigation is ongoing and there are many questions that will be answered in the upcoming days. Officials have not yet determined where DeAngelo will be prosecuted, or any additional charges that will be filed against him. Tetra Tech, a firm contracted by the U.S. Navy to clean up radiation at San Francisco's Hunters Point Shipyard, said Wednesday it would pay for retesting at the site by an independent third-party contractor following accusations that the firm falsified data. "We want to assure the residents and neighbors at Hunters Point that what we did was proper and followed all Navy and regulatory guidelines, protocols and work plans," Tetra Tech's chief engineer Bill Brownlie said Wednesday morning. "We believe that any false claims that have been made can be addressed by re-sampling and analyzing the areas in question. Therefore, Tetra Tech is proposing to pay for an independent third party contractor to validate our work and to demonstrate that it was performed properly and to the Navy's specifications," Brownlie said. "We're fully confident that a scientific fact-based and independent resampling analysis will prove that the claims against us are false," he said. Pasadena-based Tetra Tech Inc. first began cleaning up radiation at the former Hunters Point Naval Shipyard in 2002. The area had been slated for redevelopment and was divided up into parcels. However, starting in 2010, workers contracted by Tetra Tech claimed that data on the firm's cleanup had been falsified and manipulated in order to minimize evidence of soil contamination, according to the environmental watchdog group Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility. In September, the Navy released a preliminary analysis of the cleanup specifically at two of the site's parcels and determined that nearly half of the samples taken from the site had in fact been falsified or manipulated. In the Navy's findings, 15 percent of the soil samples at Parcel B needed retesting, while 49 percent of soil samples at Parcel G were in need of retesting. Then in December, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, along with the California Department of Toxic Substances Control and the California Department of Public Health, independently reviewed the Navy's report and found further signs of potential falsification, manipulation and data quality concerns at the parcels. The agencies recommended resampling for roughly 90 percent of Parcel B and resampling for about 97 percent of Parcel G. "In summary, the data analyzed showed a widespread pattern of practices that appear to show deliberate falsification, failure to complete the work in a manner required...or both," John Chesnutt, a regional EPA Superfund manager, wrote to the Navy on Dec. 17. Chesnutt's letter to the Navy was made public earlier this month by PEER after the organization obtained it in a Freedom of Information Act request. Wednesday, in response to Tetra Tech's proposal to pay for an independent third party contractor, Derek Robinson, the Navy's coordinator of the cleanup, issued a statement. "Independent retesting is a critical element of the Navy's Hunters Point reevaluation work plan. Its purpose is not to exonerate the contractors involved, but to offer a comprehensive, credible data set to reassure the community about their safety, determine the extent of any remediation activities needed, and complete the cleanup of HPNS," Robinson said. "We are in receipt of a letter from Tetra Tech and will be evaluating the appropriate course of action to support the success of the Hunters Point cleanup program and ensure the safety of the Hunters Point community," he said. Robinson added that he hopes the resampling work would begin by the end of this summer. Bradley Angel, executive director with Greenaction for Health and Environmental Justice, said "Greenaction has been calling for this, to look into their apparent fraud, for years." "They need to be held accountable," Angel said. "We're applauding the fact that our state and federal agencies are finally starting to do their job and see that it's worse than first alleged," Angel said. "Tetra Tech needs to go away and the government needs to stop giving them contracts." The area, closed as a Navy shipyard in 1974, was designated in 1989 as an EPA Superfund site, having priority as one of the most toxic cleanup sites in the nation. The radiation contamination stemmed from the use of the yard to clean ships exposed to atom bombs and for research on defense against nuclear weapons. Other contaminants from shipyard operations included petroleum compounds, mercury and lead. Supervisor Malia Cohen, whose district contains the site, has called for a hearing on the matter. The hearing will be held at the Board of Supervisors Land Use and Transportation Committee on May 14, according to Cohen's office. Santa Clara County officials and employees who work closely with sexual assault survivors held a news conference at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose Wednesday morning to discuss the potential of speeding up testing of evidence kits to solve the cases. In February, Supervisor Cindy Chavez directed the District Attorney's Office to bring back information on how the county could pay to shorten the time it takes to process the kits. Santa Clara County's current average for processing Sexual Assault Response Team kits is 94 days. Chavez aims to use county funding to add three analysts whose only job will be to go through the exams in order to expedite the process to 30 days or less. Chavez's original request was 15 days or less, but after consulting crime lab staff, she found that to be less realistic. Currently, the county's crime lab has 18 DNA analysts and three supervisors that handle any kind of DNA processing, not just SART kits, Chief Assistant District Attorney Jay Boyarsky said. "The biggest benefit from the process that we've gone through is that its brought attention back to the issue of sexual assault," Boyarsky said. "By dedicating more resources to it, it reinforces the message that there is nothing more important that we could be doing." The state of California has a standard of no more than 120 days, Chavez said, but she wants Santa Clara County to be a leader and show the nation what is possible when it comes to prioritizing the kits and emphasizing their importance to survivors. Kim Walker, the SART nurse coordinator at Valley Medical Center, showed what the assault kits looked like and how they were used, from when a paper is laid on the floor to catch all possible DNA during examination to when the box is sealed up with swabs inside. Walker said when people who have been sexually assaulted have to wait for their kits to be processed and hear back that they still have not been completed, it adds to the trauma they already face. Boyarsky said he felt as though adding more staff would make kit processing more consistent, as police departments in the county have been able to do a great job in solving high-profile assault cases when the suspect is a stranger but more resources would allow victims who know their abuser to get justice with the same sense of priority. He said he has put SART analysts on the witness stand before to testify about kits as evidence and more kits processed in a quick manner would provide even more of an opportunity to do so and make all survivors feel important. Chavez estimated that additional staff would cost the county about $400,000 annually. Though Boyarsky said that the District Attorney's Office has been working with Chavez for the last year, this initiative has been a long time coming, the supervisor said. In 2013, Chavez said, the average time for a SART kit processing was over 500 days. She commended the District Attorney's office for bringing that number down. The county now has an estimated backlog of about 200 kits, according to Boyarsky. Most of those kits consist of cases where the suspect of the assault is already known. If the county supervisors vote on May 8 to approve funding for extra analysts, the queue will be cleared out in two to three months by sending the kits to other certified labs in the state, Boyarsky said. Chavez and fellow speakers organized Wednesday's news conference to discuss efforts to move kits forward faster on National Denim Day, the day designated on a Wednesday in April for the last 19 years in honor of Sexual Violence Awareness Month, according to Chavez's office. National Denim Day, a campaign established by non-profit organization Peace Over Violence, was inspired by an Italian Supreme Court ruling in which justices overturned a rape conviction because they felt that the victim's jeans were too tight to remove without help, an insinuation that the assault was consensual. The day following the hearing, women in the Italian Parliament came to work wearing jeans in solidarity with the victim. The campaign is used now to honor the activism surrounding the gesture. Activism like National Denim Day is the reason why Chavez focused on SART kit testing in the first place, she said. Not long after being elected, she received a letter from a constituent writing about having watched a documentary about the state's delay in getting kits processed and wanted to know the county's status with the issue. "You want to reach out to local government, because we do respond," Chavez said. "In an era where at a federal level we have a leader that has shown incredible disrespect for women, at a local level, we can do better," Chavez said. "We are going to demonstrate through policies and practices that we really do respect them." A former real estate developer from Portola Valley has been sentenced in federal court to one year and six months in prison for conspiring to commit bank fraud and providing false statements in connection with four properties in Hawaii and the Bay Area. Mark Migdal, 72, was sentenced on Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria in San Francisco. Chhabria also ordered Migdal to pay $2 million in fines and restitution, including a $1 million fine, $460,214 in restitution to three banks and forfeiture of $539,785 worth of property. Migdal pleaded guilty in July to one count of conspiring to commit bank fraud through short sales of two condominiums in Hawaii in 2009 and two counts of making false statements to a bank concerning properties he owned in Portola Valley and Mountain View. The prison term and the $2 million penalty were agreed to in Migdal's plea bargain with federal prosecutors. In exchange, prosecutors agreed to dismiss two additional counts of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft in a 2017 indictment. The conspiracy conviction concerned two condominiums Migdal bought in Kihei, Hawaii, in 2006 for $521,500 and $511,708, with the help of mortgage loans from two banks. In 2009, he sold them for slightly more than half that amount -- $228,000 and $207,00 respectively - in so-called "short sales" to a fictitious buyer created with the stolen identity of a deceased person. Migdal admitted in his guilty plea that he controlled and rented the properties in the name of the stolen identity and later transferred them back to himself, according to U.S. Attorney's Office spokesman Abraham Simmons. At the time, Migdal was caught up in the real estate crash of 2008, according to a defense sentencing brief. In the other two counts, Migdal pleaded guilty to making false statements to JP Morgan Chase Bank, formerly Washington Mutual, on mortgage modification applications for a condominium he owned in Mountain View and his home in Portola Valley. In 2009, he falsely told the bank the Mountain View unit was his principal residence and in 2010 he falsely said he had a job and had rented out part of the Portola Valley house. The restitution includes $239,519 to Fannie Mae, successor to a deed of trust held by EverBank, and $202,491 to Bank of America in connection with the Hawaii properties, plus $18,205 to JP Morgan Chase. Migdal was born in a Soviet labor camp in Siberia, was raised in Leningrad and left Russia at the age of 30, according to the defense sentencing brief. After living in Israel, Canada and Germany, he came to the Bay Area in 1991 and worked as a petroleum engineer and then a real estate developer until the real estate crash. Prosecutors alleged in a sentencing brief this month that Migdal continues to control the Hawaii, Mountain View and Portola Valley properties as well as three Palo Alto townhouses, a cabin at Martins Beach and a property in Tel Aviv. Charges remain pending against Migdal's co-defendant in the bank fraud conspiracy, Naum Morgovsky of Hillsborough. Morgovsky and his wife, Irina Morgovsky, are also accused in the same indictment of conspiring to violate a U.S. arms export control law by exporting components of night vision rifle scopes to Russia without a license. They are scheduled to go on trial in Chhabria's court on June 13. Activists and family members of a homeless Mexican man killed by police in 2016 in San Francisco's Mission District began holding a 24-hour vigil Wednesday evening outside of the Hall of Justice to demand that charges be filed against the involved officers. The family of Luis Gongora Pat has been rallying outside of the Hall of Justice at 850 Bryant St. on a daily basis for two weeks, to demand that District Attorney George Gascon file murder charges against the two officers who fatally shot Gongora Pat on April 7, 2016, near 19th and Shotwell streets. During a Feb. 28 meeting between Gascon and Gongora Pat's family, Gascon told the family he would make a decision in six to eight weeks, with Wednesday being the deadline. Coincidently, Wednesday was Gongora Pat's birthday. He would have been 38. "We are very upset because a murder has been committed. And George Gascon has all the evidence, all the witnesses, at his finger tips and he won't bring charges against the officers," Gongora Pat's cousin, Luis Poot Pat, said. "He lacks courage and he's become an accomplice... by protecting the killer officers, the same officers who killed my cousin," Poot Pat said. "Gascon said he would give us a decision and he still hasn't." The family said Gascon hasn't reached out to them since the initial Feb. 28 meeting. Earlier this month, Gascon denied setting a deadline for making a decision on whether charges would be filed against the officers, saying, "I won't compromise the integrity of an investigation because of a deadline." "In this case, concerning the death of Luis Gongora Pat, Gascon is unwilling to even give his family an opportunity at justice... When we know in this community people are tried for a whole lot less," said attorney Adante Pointer, who is representing the family in a civil wrongful death lawsuit. "Not only will he not prosecute, with the excuse that it's a hard case, but right up the street here, somehow the U.S. Attorney has found it in his skill to prosecute the very police officers that Gascon gives a pass on," Pointer said, referring to the civil suit. The civil suit, however, won't be heard in federal court until May 2, 2019, Pointer said. "It's not about it being too difficult or too hard, it's about you not having the courage and the willpower to do it. So if you don't have the heart, you shouldn't be in this position," Pointer said. Gongora Pat was an indigenous Mayan man who had emigrated from the Mexican state of Yucatan more than a decade ago and spoke little English or Spanish. After working for sometime as a dishwasher, he had become homeless and was living at an encampment near where he was killed. According to police, homeless outreach workers initially called police on April 7, 2016 after allegedly seeing Gongora Pat swinging a large kitchen knife. The officers allegedly found him seated on a sidewalk with the knife in his hand. After ordering him in both English and Spanish to put the knife down, they fired beanbag rounds at him, but police said he then stood up and ran at the officers with the knife in his hand. Sgt. Nate Steger and Officer Michael Mellone both shot him and Gongora Pat later died at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, police said. The entire encounter lasted around 30 seconds. The civil suit filed by the family contends that Gongora Pat never got up and the officers shot him while he was still seated on the sidewalk, never giving him a chance to comply. In addition to justice for Gongora Pat's death, the family is also honoring the 24 people who have been killed by San Francisco police without charges being filed against the officers since 2011, when Gascon first took office. Each hour of the vigil is meant to represent each person killed at the hands of police. The family of Jesus Adolfo Delgado-Duarte, a 19-year-old killed by police in March in the Mission District, also attended the vigil, in addition to Mesha Irizarry, the mother of Idriss Stelley, 23, killed by San Francisco police on June 13, 2001. The vigil is set to culminate today at 6 p.m. An ex-convict was arraigned Wednesday on a murder charge for the fatal shooting of a 25-year-old man in Oakland 10 days ago. Julio Rodriguez, 34, is scheduled to return to Alameda County Superior Court on May 3 for a pretrial hearing in connection with the fatal shooting of Daniel Cordova in the 2700 block of East 10th Street at 1:23 a.m. on April 15. Witnesses identified Rodriguez as the man who used a pistol to shoot and kill Cordova, Oakland police Officer Yun Zhou wrote in a probable cause statement. According to Cordova's obituary, he was born in Hayward, graduated from high school in South Dakota, lived in Oakland and worked in security and maintenance. In addition to murder, Rodriguez is charged with attempted murder for allegedly shooting another man who was injured in the incident, being an ex-felon in possession of a firearm, possession of an assault weapon, possession of methamphetamine for sale and possession of cocaine for sale. Prosecutors allege that Rodriguez was convicted of possession of marijuana for sale in Alameda County in 2007. A second suspect, Jesus De Leon Jr., 39, was charged with attempted murder and being an accessory after the fact to murder. Prosecutors say De Leon was convicted of possession of concentrated cannabis in Alameda County in 2012. De Leon is also scheduled to return to court on May 3. San Francisco Mayor Mark Farrell Wednesday pledged to clean up unsanitary streets with nearly $13 million in investments over the next two years. In response to public outcry from residents regarding feces, used needles and overall grunge on San Francisco sidewalks, $12.8 million in new initiatives will go toward efforts such as employing 44 "block sweepers" and deploying them throughout each of the city's supervisorial districts, according to Farrell's office. In addition to the sweepers, a new street cleaning program will be created specifically for the city's South of Market neighborhood, operating five days a week. "Everyday I hear from residents, visitors and business owners who are complaining about street cleanliness - we are taking decisive measures now to fix those problems," Farrell said in a statement. "This is an issue that affects communities across San Francisco and it is unacceptable. We will combat cleanliness problems plaguing our streets, and we will do so in an aggressive, targeted and smart manner," Farrell said. The funds will also go toward expanding the city's public toilet program, with increased hours at five current Pit Stop locations and the creation of five more facilities. According to the mayor's office, the Pit Stop program has been a major factor in reducing human waste on city sidewalks and streets. "The increase in manual block sweeping - an initiative that has proven successful in other major cities across the globe - and the expansion of the Pit Stop program will make a meaningful impact on the cleanliness of our neighborhoods," Department of Public Works director Mohammed Nuru said in a statement. In addition to the new budget investments, Farrell announced the expansion of the city's Fix-It-Team, a multi-agency unit tasked with responding to concerns from residents regarding things such as broken streetlights, unpainted curbs and graffiti. The Fix-It-Team will increase operations from 25 zones in the city to 35 zones. Earlier this week, Farrell announced the creation of a new rapid response team of public health professionals who would be charged with cleaning up discarded syringes throughout the city. Ten new workers would be hired for that effort, contracted through the San Francisco AIDS Foundation. Based on data gathered from complaints called into 311, the team would conduct needle sweeps at identified hot spots, the mayor's office said. BART trains are now stopping at the Hayward Station as it re-opened around midnight after a shooting at the station on Wednesday evening closed it, forcing trains to pass through for a few hours, according to the transportation agency. On Wednesday evening, a suspect was arrested after allegedly shooting at a police officer this evening in the area of the Hayward BART station, BART officials and Hayward police said. Reports of shots fired came in at 7:28 p.m. Wednesday in the area of the station at 699 B St. The station was closed, though trains are running through the station. A bus bridge has been set up to get passengers around Hayward station. No injuries have been reported and no threat to public safety exists, according to police and BART officials. An 81-year-old Milpitas man who was reported missing on Tuesday has been found safe in San Jose on Wednesday night, according to police. Milpitas police said William David Andrews, who suffers from dementia, has been reunited with his family after walking away from his home on Seacliff Drive on Tuesday at 2:45 p.m., according to police. Employees at Outback Steakhouse near the Great Mall last saw Andrews around 11 p.m. on Tuesday, but police said they were unable to locate him then. A man was shot and suffered injuries not considered life-threatening late Wednesday afternoon in Vallejo, police said. Reports of shots fired at the Marina Vista Apartments at 201 Maine St. came in at 4:57 p.m. Wednesday, police Lt. Herman Robinson said. Officers who responded found a man down in a parking lot just west of the R building at the apartment complex. Robinson said the man suffered multiple gunshot wounds to his extremities. The man was taken to a hospital. Robinson described the suspect as a black man in his 30s wearing a blue sweater, black do-rag and red hat. The victim and suspect were apparently involved in an argument before the shooting. ### 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 Donnell Rawlings joins comedians Dave Attell and Jeff Ross for the Bob Woodruff Foundations Stand Up for Heroes benefit scheduled for May 17. Bill Burr had been originally announced as a headliner, but can no longer attend, organizers said Wednesday, May 9. He will be replaced by Rawlings, the actor and comedian best known as a cast member on the Comedy Central sketch comedy series Chappelles Show and the HBO drama The Wire. With six weeks to go until the June 5 primary, a new poll suggests that it's a three-man race to be the next governor of California. A poll of 520 likely primary voters released by SurveyUSA and sponsored by KABC-TV Los Angeles, KFSN-TV Fresno, KGTV-TV San Diego, KPIX-TV San Francisco and the San Diego Union-Tribune found that Gavin Newsom, Antonio Villaraigosa and John Cox are all within 6 percentage points of one another. Newsom led the field with 21 percent of the vote, but was followed closely by fellow Democrat Antonio Villaraigosa with 18 percent. Republican John Cox came in third with 15 percent, and was followed by fellow Republican Travis Allen at 10 percent and Democrat John Chiang at 9 percent. RELATED: Gavin Newsom says alcohol isn't a problem anymore: 'A little wine' is fine No other candidate received more than 5 percent support; 17 percent of the poll's participants were undecided. The top two finishers in the June 5 primary will go on to face each other in the November general election, regardless of political party. The poll also found that 66 percent of Californians support sending troops from the California National Guard to the Mexican border. 30 percent of participants said they support sending troops to "patrol for people attempting to cross the border illegally," and an additional 36 percent said they support sending troops to the border as long as they "only focus on gang and drug activity." MORE: John Cox's interview with Laura Ingraham goes off the rails after guest insults Cox, Ingraham Just 27 percent of the poll's participants said that National Guard troops shouldn't be sent to the border, while 7 percent were undecided. In the Senate race, the poll found that Dianne Feinstein maintains a large lead over her many primary challengers. Feinstein leads the way with 39 percent, and the next closest contender is Republican Patrick Little, with 18 percent. State Senate leader Kevin de Leon garnered just 8 percent support. Welcome Guest! You Are Here: This article has been corrected from its original version. Iris Canada who became the poster elder for property disputes when she lost her ownership rights in her Lower Haight apartment a few years ago died in May at age 100. But the fight over the future of her former home continues. On Thursday the Planning Commission is expected to rule on whether Peter Owens, the co-owner of 670 Page St., will be permitted to convert the building into condominiums. Owens became the target of housing activists in 2016 after moving to evict Canada, who had lived in the building from the 1950s to 2012. Owens, who said she forfeited her ownsership rights at that point, bought into the building in 2002 with the goal of converting it to tenancy-in-common units and eventually to condos. Though the other tenants moved out, Canada resisted and eventually won a life estate agreement, where she was allowed her to remain in the unit until she died. But in 2016 Owens argued that she had actually been living elsewhere with family for six years, rather than in the Page Street flat. It doesnt look too promising for Owens. Planning staff is recommending that the commission reject the conversion request. At a January hearing, Commissioner Dennis Richards stated that he found the whole case distasteful. Whats going on in this city kind of makes me sick, Richards said. Its so selfish and so money-oriented. J.K. Dineen Registration required? A former legislative aide for San Francisco Supervisor London Breed is facing a city ethics complaint for failing to register as her campaign consultant, after receiving $2,583 from Breeds Democratic County Central Committee campaign account as payment for consulting services. Gabrielle Lurie/Special to The Chronicle Conor Johnston left Breeds office last year to become a consultant for the cannabis industry, specializing in government relations. He also describes himself as a periodic adviser to Breed. Filings from Breeds 2016 DCCC campaign account show five payments to Johnston last year, amounting to $1,000 for campaign consulting and $1,583 for content creation and editing, services usually provided by campaign consultants. San Franciscos ethics rules require anyone who is paid $1,000 or more for campaign consulting in a calendar year to register with the city. Johnston pushed back Wednesday, characterizing the complaint as a bogus political ploy from backers of Mark Leno, one of Breeds leading opponents in the mayoral race. The Ethics Commission is barred from commenting on the complaint, which was filed Tuesday by Castro district resident Aaron Stella, who described himself as a fan of Leno. Should the commission pursue the case, it could fine Johnston $5,000 or three times the amount of money he failed to report whichever is greater. Rachel Swan Making space: The citys much-hyped effort to create housing by allowing property owners to convert basements, storage spaces and laundry rooms into legal apartments is being strangled by red tape, and Supervisor London Breed says that is unacceptable. Stephen Lam/Special to The Chronicle There are 419 accessory dwelling unit ADU projects in the planning pipeline. Many are proposing multiple units, which means that the number of individual units pending approval is actually 1,100 ADUs. Thats a lot of housing the equivalent of about three Rincon Hill apartment towers. But only about a quarter of those projects have been issued permits so far, and only 23 have been completed. Whats the holdup? We made ADUs legal, so why is it taking so long to implement? said Breed, who is running for mayor and positioning herself as the most pro-housing candidate in the race. Its been two years. There is too much bureaucracy. To get to the bottom of the delays, Breed is proposing an ADU task force that would include officials from the Planning Department, Department of Building Inspection and Fire Department. The working group would go through the cases in the backlog and figure out which applications can be sped up. ADUs are a creative way to produce more housing in a market that desperately needs it, she added. We need to get these units to the market sooner rather than later. J.K. Dineen Add a 56-year-old London architect to the long list of experts who know what's best for Millennials. Patrik Schumacher of prestigious Zaha Hadid Architects, which designed the London Aquatics Centre for the 2012 Olympics, has determined that 18- to 34-year-olds do not need living rooms in their apartments. According to the Daily Telegraph, Schumacher said a hotel-sized room is enough for young professionals "out and about networking 24/7." Schumacher wants to see "outdated" London regulations requiring 409 square feet of floorspace in new units revised downward. He argues they clash with the priorities of Millennials, many of whom, he says, would welcome smaller apartments. Hotel-sized studios in central London would cost less to rent or buy, reduce commuting costs and enable more Millennials to enter the housing market. The Daily Telegraph quoted Schumacher as saying London Millennials now pay up to 80 percent of their income on housing in the central portion of the city. California's space requirements are significantly less restrictive than London's. Even a 160-square-foot unit in San Francisco qualifies as legal. Turning a living room into a bedroom in order to house an extra roommate is nothing out of the ordinary. But on social media, Schumacher's recommendations were mostly met with scorn by Millennial Brits. Twitter user @CatoHeresy wrote, "How depressing. Just put us all into a pod at work with an IV drip overnight, that way we wont waste any more time or space for our elitist classes. I bet this architect would not dream of putting his son/daughter into a shoebox flat. ..." Raiko Aasa tweeted, "Essentially a kennel." Hannah Shaw-Williams saw a trend developing: 2018: "Millennials don't need living rooms." 2019: "Millennials don't need kitchens." 2020: "Millennials don't need bathrooms." 2021: "Come on, Millennials, do you really need a whole room just for your bed?" 2023: "Generations Z don't need coffin linings." But Schumacher has his defenders as well. Sophie Jarvis, a policy adviser at the Adam Smith Institute, said that relaxing sizing rules would ease the housing shortage forcing young people farther and farther out of the capital, according to The Week. Schumacher, something of a lightning rod in urban planning circles, sees high property prices as a threat to cities' ability to attract the best and brightest. "People are moving out of LA, out of the Bay Area. They have to create other tech clusters because of land prices," he told the Guardian. "Now that's a tough choice for a young startup to swallow these huge prices or to pull away. But pulling away means being less connected, being less productive potentially. "My staff here in the firm young professionals they know they have to be close. They can't afford to live miles away. They need to be in the pub afterwards debating issues. They need to slip over to the exhibition opening or that university lecture close by. ... They have to be in the center." RIO DE JANEIRO With former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva behind bars, the people of Latin Americas largest nation are pondering how Octobers presidential election will be affected by the jailing of the poll front-runner. Questions and confusion about his future come as Brazil remains deeply divided over his conviction, whether he should be allowed to run and whether the sprawling Car Wash corruption investigation that has ensnared many in the countrys political and business elite has gone too far. Three weeks have passed since da Silva began his 12-year sentence for a corruption conviction, yet leaders of his leftist Workers Party still insist the once widely popular leader will be on the ballot as their candidate. Though there is a narrow path by which that could happen, legal and political experts say it is unlikely. To get on the ballot, da Silva would need an avalanche of favorable legal decisions in a justice system that is notoriously slow. Yet there seems a large possibility that da Silva, who is called Lula by many Brazilians, could get out of prison within the next several months. That is because Supreme Federal Tribunal justices who recently denied his request to remain free while appealing his conviction are rethinking their interpretation of when a person convicted of a crime should be forced to start serving a sentence. I could see a situation where Lula could be at home during the presidential elections, but not on the ballot, said Mauricio Santoro, a professor of international relations at the State University of Rio de Janeiro. Either way, da Silva would likely have a big influence in the vote. A Datafolha institute poll released April 15 said at least 30 percent of voters would back da Silva, double the support for the closest contender, Congressman Jair Bolsonaro, a former army captain who speaks nostalgically about the countrys 1964-1985 dictatorship. If da Silva is barred from running, two-thirds of his supporters said they would vote for whomever he endorsed. Peter Prengaman is an Associated Press writer. DUBAI, United Arab Emirates A British-Iranian university professor who actively campaigns against military action targeting his homeland has been detained in Iran by the countrys hard-line Revolutionary Guard, a semi-official Iranian news agency reported Thursday, becoming the latest dual national held there since the 2015 nuclear deal. Computer scientist and mathematician Abbas Edalat was one of several people arrested by the Guard over accusations of being part of a network affiliated with Britain, the Fars news agency said. Fars, believed to be close to the Guard, cited an unnamed source that accused the group of leading 2009 unrest in Iran surrounding the disputed re-election of hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Fars offered no evidence supporting the allegation. The British Foreign Office said late Wednesday night it was urgently seeking information after the New York-based Center for Human Rights in Iran first reported Edalat had been detained. Its unclear what charges he faces, though typically those arrested by the Guard face espionage or security-related charges and closed-door trials where guilty verdicts come down without the opportunity to defend themselves. Edalat is a professor at Imperial College London, a famed British university that Fars described as playing a special role in training spies in different disguises to launch espionage operations inside Iran. Fars offered no evidence to support the allegation. In a statement, Imperial College London said Edalat had worked there since 1989 and was a valued colleague. We are understandably concerned for his welfare, the school said. Edalat traveled to Iran for an academic workshop and was arrested April 15, according to the Center for Human Rights in Iran. Analysts and family members of dual nationals and others detained in Iran say hard-liners in the Islamic Republics security agencies use the prisoners as bargaining chips in negotiations with the West. Iran and Britain have been discussing the possible release of some 400 million pounds held by London since the 1979 Islamic Revolution for a tank purchase that never happened. Jon Gambrell is an Associated Press writer. TIJUANA, Mexico About 130 Central Americans, mostly women and children, have arrived at the U.S. border with Mexico in a caravan of asylum-seeking immigrants that has drawn the fury of President Trump. Two busloads arrived late Tuesday in the Mexican border city of Tijuana at two migrant shelters just steps from one of the most fortified stretches of border separating the U.S. from Mexico. They joined another 50 or so who arrived in Tijuana over the past week or two. MORE IN IMMIGRATION: ICE chief in SF apologizes for social media post seen as offensive Four more busloads of about 200 Central Americans mostly women and children but including some men were expected to arrive in Tijuana Wednesday, said Alex Mensing, project coordinator for Pueblos Sin Fronteras, which is organizing the effort. U.S. lawyers planned to lead clinics later this week on U.S. asylum law to tell the immigrants what to expect when they seek asylum. The first groups plan to try to enter the U.S. on Sunday at San Diegos border crossing. Trump and senior aides have portrayed the caravans and the asylum seekers as evidence of a dysfunctional border and a serious threat. The president tweeted this week that he has issued orders not to let these large Caravans of people into our Country. It is a disgrace. ALSO ON THE AGENDA: Trump puts aside criticism of Apple ahead of meeting with CEO Tim Cook The caravans have been a fairly common tactic for years among advocacy groups to bring attention to Central American citizens seeking asylum in the U.S. to escape political persecution or criminal threats from gangs. But the latest one drew more attention because of Trumps comments from almost the moment it began March 25 in the Mexican city of Tapachula, near the Guatemalan border. And while it slowly traveled across Mexico, Trump used it as an example to try to win more support for his planned border wall even though the asylum-seekers plan to turn themselves in to border inspectors. This caravans numbers pale compared to the roughly 200,000 people who were arrested at the border in Texas Rio Grande Valley during the spring of 2014 during the administration of President Barack Obama, many of them Central American women and children. Elliot Spagat is an Associated Press writer. Associated Press ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia The hair of a long-dead emperor and an intricate golden crown are among the artifacts Ethiopias government is demanding to be returned from British government institutions and private collections, as more countries seek to reclaim heritage they say was taken decades, even centuries, ago. We have submitted a letter to the relevant officials in Britain to return the looted items and we are waiting for their reply, said Ethiopias minister for culture and tourism, Hirut Woldemariam. We will use whatever legal and diplomatic instruments we have at hand to secure their return. PARIS Frances Emmanuel Macron left Washington looking like a superstar whether or not he changed President Trumps mind on staying in Syria, how to contain Iran or anything at all. Macron upped his global status by standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the American president amid all the pageantry of a state visit. Then he attacked Trumps policies head-on in a speech to Congress, and defended his own vision of a globalist world order. And he wrapped up the trip by rolling up his sleeves and stunning Georgetown students by telling them: You dont always have to play by the rules. Thats bulls---, he added. Now, back to the reality of fixing France. After blow-by-blow coverage of Macrons Washington trip for three days, the French media turned quickly to domestic issues upon his return Thursday damaging train strikes, crime-ridden housing projects, lagging school results. The overall French verdict on his trip? He passed the test, said RTL radio commentator Olivier Mazerolle. Le Parisien said ultimately nothing budged in the two presidents disputes over the Middle East or climate change. The public intimacy between the two men including Trumps out-of-nowhere comment about Macrons dandruff drew some online ridicule. But French attention quickly pivoted to the substance of the visit. Macron defended his strategy of befriending Trump even as other leaders see him as a danger to the international world order. Its part of his outreach strategy with world leaders from Russian President Vladimir Putin to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, and his argument that engaging with people like Trump is more productive than snubbing them. After Macron criticized Trump policies in his speech to Congress, theres always a risk that Trump could turn against him in a nasty tweet. But after the speech, Macron insisted that their relationship on a personal and national level is excellent. Macrons spotlight-grabbing, ceremonial state visit is likely to contrast with German Chancellor Angela Merkels lower-profile working visit to Washington on Friday. Merkel is expected to focus on changing Trumps mind on trade and the Iran nuclear deal and discussing other hard policy issues. And while Macron and his wife received a glitzy three-day state visit this week, Merkel gets a 20-minute private chat Friday in the Oval Office followed by a working lunch. Angela Charlton is an Associated Press writer. Page Content Employers should think twice before drug-testing every job applicant, according to Secretary of Labor Alexander Acostaadvice many companies already are following in light of the patchwork of state laws affording rights to medical marijuana users and increased use of pot, experts say. Acosta made his remark at a House Ways and Means Committee hearing April 17. Marijuana use by adults in the U.S. almost doubled between 1984 and 2015, according to a 2017 study. Michael Clarkson, chair of Ogletree Deakins' drug-testing practice group in Boston, said one of his clients couldn't staff its third shift if it screened for marijuana and was considering stopping the testing. "I'm sure they're not alone," he said. Despite Acosta's statement, marijuana use remains illegal under federal law, but there is a "march toward legality" across the country under state law, a conflict that is "confusing to employers," Clarkson noted. Safety First, a drug-testing division of Behavioral Health Systems, has had clients remove marijuana from their testing panels as a direct result of changes in state law, said Judi Braswell, vice president of business development with the parent company, headquartered in Birmingham, Ala. She added that some in certain industries, such as hotel and hospitality, don't implement marijuana-testing programs due to concerns that firing those who test positive would cause significant staffing issues. Even New York City's fire department has loosened its zero-tolerance policy on drugs, according to Yahoo. James Reidy, an attorney with Sheehan Phinney in Manchester, N.H., noted that when he spoke at this year's Society for Human Resource Management Employment Law & Legislative Conference, he asked the more than 300 attendees whether they still drug-tested applicants. More than half the crowd raised their hands. He said the reasons vary. Some test because it's required by law, such as with Department of Transportation-covered employees, or because the position is deemed to be safety-sensitive. Others test because they've always tested. [SHRM members-only HR Q&A: What laws should companies be aware of when implementing a drug testing program?] But he said that many employers in or near states where marijuana has been legalized increasingly are dropping marijuana from drug-test panels. He noted that attitudes about the use of marijuana are changing, with a recent national poll suggesting that 60 percent of people in the U.S. favored the legalization of marijuana. Some employers don't test for marijuana because it remains in the body for weeks. So a positive test result may not necessarily mean that an employee is impaired at work, noted Jennifer Mora, an attorney with Seyfarth Shaw in Los Angeles. State-Law Patchwork In several statesincluding Connecticut, Maine and Massachusettscourts have ruled that an employee testing positive for marijuana has a viable claim against an employer for enforcing drug-free workplace policies, Clarkson said. In 12 statesArkansas, Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New York, Pennsylvania and Rhode Islandmedical marijuana users have certain job protections, so pre-employment screens or random screens could trigger job protections in those states, he said. That doesn't mean an employer can't screen for it, pull a job offer or terminate for a positive marijuana test result, he said. In deciding how to respond to a positive marijuana test, Clarkson recommended talking with a job candidate or employee about when they used marijuana, how they used it and whether they used it at work. While 11 of the 12 states' protections for medical marijuana users were based on statutes, Massachusetts' was judicially created, he observed. This area of the law is moving quickly. He noted that at least 17 other states have legalized medical marijuana but don't yet have anti-discrimination provisions, he said. Nine states and Washington, D.C., have legalized the use of marijuana use for any reason, but so far Maine is the only state protecting recreational marijuana users in the workplace, he added. Utah and Oklahoma are considering legalizing medical marijuana, and Michigan has a ballot initiative to make marijuana use legal for any reason, notes The New York Times. Changing Views in the White House? While many states are moving toward legalizing marijuana use, it's unclear if President Donald Trump's administration will embrace such legalization. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has historically been a "strong advocate" for federal laws prohibiting marijuana use, Braswell said. In January, Sessions rescinded the federal government's former, relaxed marijuana enforcement framework under the Obama administration with a memo granting prosecutors the authority to go after anyone violating federal drug laws, Mora noted. But in March, Sessions clarified that he would focus on drug gangs, stating that federal prosecutors "haven't been working small marijuana cases before" and "are not going to be working them now." Kathryn Russo, an attorney with Jackson Lewis in Melville, N.Y., said that since January, "we have not seen the DOJ [Department of Justice] take any real actions to enforce the law." Trump has promised Sen. Cory Gardner, R-Colo., that Colorado's legal marijuana industry won't be affected by Sessions' actions, according to Gardner. "Yet any conversation between the senator and the president doesn't change the fact that marijuana remains a Schedule I controlled substance and thus illegal under federal law," Mora said. Additional Steps to Take Clarkson said that steps HR should take when it comes to marijuana use include: Identifying safety-sensitive jobs. Training supervisors to spot high workers. Ensure that managers who want to fire individuals for marijuana use are current on changes in the law. Provide an employee assistance program for those who want to be drug-free. To continue, please log in, or sign up for a new account. We offer one free story view per month. If you register for an account, you will get two additional story views. After those three total views, we ask that you support us with a subscription. A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means youre helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our society. Thank you very much! The Financial Planning Association urged the royal commission to keep the identity of celebrity planner Sam Henderson confidential, partly in an attempt to protect his reputation. The royal commission into banking misconduct on Thursday dug further into a complaint against Mr Henderson, who the commission heard on Tuesday had instructed his employees to impersonate a client and misrepresented his tertiary qualifications. Henderson Maxwell chief executive Sam Henderson Credit:Stefan Postles A client of Mr Henderson's, Fair Work Commissioner Donna McKenna, lodged a complaint with the Financial Planning Association last year after Mr Henderson provided her with advice she described as "risible," and which would have cost her half a million dollars if implemented. Senior counsel assisting Rowena Orr, QC, on Thursday revealed the FPA wrote to the royal commission earlier this month, saying that the complaint was "ongoing" and that Mr Henderson should not be identified publicly. The banking and finance royal commission has cast light on a new type of poverty to emerge in our society: middle class poverty. To understand it, we have to go back to an earlier government inquiry: the 1972 Commission of Inquiry into Poverty, conducted by Professor Ronald Henderson. That commission had no real policy impact, but its cultural impact was profound. It gave prominence to the Henderson Poverty Index: a measure of consumption described by Henderson as so austere that it was unchallengeable. Updated versions of this index remain a standard benchmark of poverty. But more than 45 years on, the royal commission into finance is revealing that poverty is no longer just about low income. The commission has heard that Australian banks have adopted actual lending practices (as distinct from their official lending policies) that claim so much household income for contract payments that borrowers are left without enough money to fund basic consumption levels: they are living in poverty. Pressure is mounting on the AMP board as investors are lining up against the re-election of directors and the companys proposed executive pay package at the annual general meeting next month. The Australian Shareholders Association is the latest to announce it plans to wield votes against the company at its May 10 meeting in the wake of damning evidence at the Hayne royal commission. AMP's annual general meeting will be held in Melbourne in May. AMP last week announced chief executive Craig Meller would step down and that the company would undertake a governance review after the royal commission heard it had misled customers and regulators. The commission also heard that chairman Catherine Brenner requested edits to an "independent" report into the firm's financial planning division by law firm Clayton Utz. Late on Tuesday influential proxy adviser CGI Glass Lewis reversed its previous position of support and recommended against renewing the terms of all three AMP directors up for re-election. CGI Glass Lewis still favours passing AMPs remuneration package. Investors have wiped $9.1 billion off the combined market value of the big four banks, amid fresh concerns about the quality of their lending practices in the wake of the Hayne royal commission. Westpac shares were hardest hit, tumbling 3.6 per cent, after UBS analyst Jonathan Mott recommended clients "sell" the stock, citing documents the bank has been forced to hand over to the royal commission into financial misconduct. UBS said data uncovered by the royal commission raised "concerns" about the quality of Westpac's mortgage portfolio. Credit:James Alcock Westpac's rivals were also punished, with shares in ANZ and National Australia Bank falling 2.1 per cent, and Commonwealth Bank shares losing 1.7 per cent, as investors fret that sloppy lending could come back to bite the whole industry if the economy suffers a shock. The drop in bank shares came as the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority scrapped a 10 per cent speed limit on bank lending to property investors, saying the cap has served its purpose and improved credit standards. Independence should be restored to the workplace umpire, according to unions who are calling for it to be empowered to arbitrate industrial disputes to reduce lengthy and costly delays in the courts. Australian Council of Trade Unions secretary Sally McManus will deliver a speech on Friday calling for the Fair Work Commission's independence and authority to be restored to deliver fairness for working people. In her speech to think tank Per Capita, Ms McManus will say the Fair Work Commission should be empowered to settle industrial disputes that are currently resolved with lengthy delays and higher costs in court. ACTU Secretary Sally McManus says the independent umpire has "lost its power to arbitrate". Credit:AAP Ms McManus said the independent umpire "should be there to knock heads together". Vera has the ability to speak Russian or English at different speeds and sound like a man or a woman, depending on her employer's preference, Kostarev said. He said the software is most effective for companies engaged in mass recruitment for blue-collar jobs, such as sales clerks and construction workers. The company's clients include retail and distribution companies and banks, Kostarev said. The process starts when companies provide Vera with a job description and interview questions tailored to their employee search. The robot is linked to sites with job postings like CareerBuilder, Avito and Superjob, allowing her to review online CVs and cover letters and match them with job openings. Once a match occurs, Vera calls the candidate. "When you answer the phone, she says 'Hi, my name is Vera, and I am a robot - are you still looking for a job?' " Kostarev said. "If the answer is 'yes,' Vera can conduct an interview over the phone or by video interview." Interviews last about eight minutes. Vera is also often able to answer candidates' questions, as well, Kostarev said. Right now, he noted, the software is able to respond accurately 82 per cent of the time, a number the company expects to increase to 85 per cent in the next few months. Afterward, promising candidates are passed to human recruiters, who make the final hiring decisions. The technology's primary benefit is that it saves recruiters time. Kostarev said a large portion of the CVs posted to job sites belong to people who are no longer looking for employment. Human recruiters waste hours filtering through candidates who aren't available. Kostarev said recruiters must make 100 phone calls just to get 20 eligible candidates. Passengers are paying higher airfares than they should because of the high fees Sydney Airport and the country's three other largest airports slug airlines, the competition tsar has warned. The amount Sydney Airport reaps in so-called aeronautical revenue rose by more than 4 per cent to $18.30 per passenger last financial year, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's annual report card on the airports shows. The ACCC says passengers are paying more for fares because of the fees Sydney Airport slugs airlines. Credit:Peter Braig Airports earn most of their aeronautical revenue from charging airlines for aspects such as using runways, parking bays, aero-bridges and terminals. ACCC chairman Rod Sims said a rise in profits per passenger at each of the country's four largest airports also meant travellers were paying for it through ticket prices. Facebook recorded strong revenue growth for the first quarter of 2018, brushing off concerns advertisers were spooked by the data scandal that rocked the company. The social media giants user numbers were up 13 per cent year on year, with 2.2 billion monthly active accounts counted by the end of the quarter despite revelations in mid-March that billions of peoples personal data had been harvested by political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica. The scandal has resulted in some advertisers contacting Facebook, chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg said at the companys earnings call on Thursday. In the immediate days of the concern we heard from a handful of advertisers who paused send, one of whom has already come back. Australia's second-largest private hospital company, Healthscope, has given a cool reception to a $4.11 billion takeover proposal from a private equity consortium featuring its biggest shareholder AustralianSuper. The proposed deal, which was announced on Thursday, would be AustralianSuper's biggest ever private equity play and is seen as a significant departure from the historical investment approach of the $130 billion superannuation fund. The proposal would see Healthscope paid $2.36 in cash per share which is a premium of about 16 per cent to its closing price on Tuesday. Sources close to the bid argued the premium was about 23 per cent compared to the average of the past three months. Healthscope has become a takeover target. Credit:Nic Walker AustralianSuper is part of consortium led by newly established private equity outfit BGH Capital, Singaporean sovereign wealth fund GIC, the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan Board and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board. Sydney based developer Mirvac is not proceeding with the purchase of two large, adjoining industrial sites, surrounded by parkland, in inner north Brunswick. Mirvac had quietly secured rights just over a year ago for two parcels totalling about 7000 square metres at 395 and 397-401 Albert Street, about six kilometres from the CBD. The agreement coincided with a now-approved council plan to rezone a 1.7 hectare stretch of Albert Street, configured as industrial sites, terrace homes and a timber yard, to allow for the construction of buildings, presumably apartment towers, rising eight storeys. It was speculated Mirvac was paying the two property owners a total of about $33 million for its supersite. News Corp has entered into discussions to sell some of its community and regional mastheads, with numerous parties approaching the publisher about parts of its portfolio. While approaches had been made in the past by "numerous parties" since reforms of media ownership rules came into effect late last year, there has been resurging interest in some of the publishers titles, an announcement to staff by News Corp executive chairman Michael Miller said. News Corporation Australasia chairman Michael Miller told staff conversations had begun to potentially sell some regional and community titles. Credit:Daniel Munoz While previously we have not considered in-bound approaches, since media reform changes late last year and subsequent renewed interest in some of our regional and community mastheads, we are now obliged to understand the options in more detail, Mr Miller said in the email. In particular we want to weigh up the long term impact to the News Corp portfolio, values proposed, and the impact to the communities we have invested in. The 2017 Human Rights Commission survey of more than 30,000 students found one in five international students had been sexually harassed at their university in 2016. About 5 per cent of international student respondents were sexually assaulted in 2015 or 2016. The report found international students were more likely to say they didn't know where to report instances of sexual assault or harassment, or that they felt too ashamed or embarrassed to report the behaviours. Female international students Al Jazeera spoke with said they'd been fetishised by Australian men. The country's drinking culture and openness around sex had come as a confronting shock, some said. End Rape on Campus founder Sharna Bremner said more needed to be done in not only preventing rape but supporting students who had been sexually assaulted. "When we work with international students who have been sexually assaulted theres a huge fear about telling anybody because there are so many concerns about what that will mean for their visa, what that will mean for their future education, they dont want to tell their parents because their parents have paid a lot of money for them to be here, they dont want to go home," Ms Bremner said. The Berejiklian government has evaded a parliamentary order requiring it to produce the business case that justifies the relocation of the Powerhouse Museum to Parramatta. Coalition backbencher Matthew Mason-Cox risked suspension from the Liberal Party room to cross the floor of the Upper House in support of a Greens' motion to have the critical set of documents released within 14 days. The Powerhouse Museum in Ultimo. Credit:Louise Kennerley At the close of business on Thursday night, the secretary of the Premier and Cabinet, Tim Reardon, asserted to the Parliament that no documents covered by the resolution were held by the Office of the Premier, the Office of the Minister for Arts, Department of Planning and Environment, including Create NSW, and Infrastructure NSW. This seems at odds with Arts Minister Don Harwin's own statement to the Herald earlier this month in which, through a spokesman, he said: "The business case was delivered to the government in December, and has since been going through a number of assurance processes that need to be completed before an informed decision can be made." Jacob Collier's response to Quincy Jones's offer to produce his first album was certainly novel: "Can we just be friends?" This was a London kid, whose ingenious reimagining of such songs as Stevie Wonder's Isn't She Lovely? had gone viral on YouTube, knocking back the producer of all those Michael Jackson hits, and the man whose management company can turn bedroom stars into real ones. The exuberant Collier was hugely flattered by Jones's offer, but, despite his youth (then 19, now 23), he had worked by himself for so long that he was wary of outsourcing any control over his music. Jacob Collier, the boy who knocked back Quincy Jones. "It was just a matter of Quincy's got his world and I've got mine, and I want to make sure that mine is safe," he explains on the telephone. He did, however, let Jones book his debut gig nothing less than opening for Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea at the 2015 Montreux Jazz Festival. "It was absolutely crazy," says Collier, "because I'd never really done a show before. It was a 30-minute set, and I had nothing other than the idea that I wanted to do something on my own. Losing weight and saving money are still top of the nation's New Year's resolution list but many people are embracing a new challenge this year waste reduction. The ABC's War on Waste brought the issue vividly to life, inspiring many to change their ways if they just knew where to start. It doesn't help that the waste-free lifestyle is often associated with expensive organic bulk food stores or articles about people who can fit all their rubbish for the entire year in a tiny jar. It may seem like you can only achieve this if you have cash to spare and hours on hand to make your own soap. But others argue that waste-free living actually saves money. What's the truth of it? Hannah Thiem, 21, from Camperdown in Sydney, has been trying to reduce her waste for the past three years with varying success. Mothers have spoken about their experiences at Centenary Hospital for Women and Children following concerning allegations made by clinical staff of overcrowding, under-staffing, and misleading inspectors. As revealed by the Canberra Times on Thursday, an anonymous letter - understood to be written by senior nurses and midwives - outlined a raft of issues which staff said were "putting mothers and babies at risk". A letter raised concerns about the hospital. Credit:Craig Sillitoe The letter said short staffing, overcrowding, daily over bookings of inductions, and poor management are chronic issues in the maternity unit at the hospital. It said while staff were committed to providing quality care they are often unable to and as a result patients are neglected. While the federal government's decision not to proceed with its bid to increase the Medicare levy will be welcomed by millions of taxpayers who would have been slugged up to $600 each a year in extra payments, it raises more questions than it answers. The most significant is whether or not the proposed hike was justified in the first place. Treasurer Scott Morrison originally told voters the cash was absolutely necessary if the cost imposed on the budget by the National Disability Insurance Scheme was to be met. Labor, which has successfully stymied every attempt by the government to get the increase in the levy from 2 per cent to 2.5 per cent through the Senate, cried foul. It has always said the NDIS was fully funded under the Gillard-Rudd government. ACT police have seized trafficable amounts of cannabis after executing search warrants in Chisholm, Monash and Duffy last week. Police said officers seized a number of jars containing cannabis head and cannabis plants from a home in Chisholm on April 16. Some of the cannabis seized by police in a number of searches across Canberra last week. Credit:ACT Policing ACT Policing seized a trafficable amount of cannabis in a number of searches last week. Credit:ACT Policing The following day, a number of cannabis plants and drying cannabis were seized from homes in Monash and Duffy. The developer of the derelict Giralang shops site has lodged plans for a new four-storey development that includes a 1000 square-metre supermarket and 50 residential apartments. After more than a decade of failed redevelopment bids, the new plans have been generally well received by residents in the north Canberra suburb, which has been without a shopping centre since developer Nikias Diamond first submitted plans to redevelop the site in 2005. A 3D artist's impression of the proposed Giralang shops redevelopment. The new development application seeks permission for a 1000 square-metre supermarket on the ground floor, along with five smaller commercial or community tenancies, which the project design team hopes will include a cafe, bakery and restaurant or takeaway outlet. The top three storeys, including a loft, would house 50 apartments, ranging from one- to three-bedroom configurations. Residents would have access to 92 parking spaces in the basement, with 22 underground parking spots for shoppers. A further 50 spaces for shoppers would be available on ground level. Just as wealthy property developer Ron Medich has been jailed for the murder of Michael McGurk, the man who organised the hit for him, has served his time and is demanding to be released. Fortunato Lucky Gattellari could have been released earlier this month after serving a non-parole period of 7 years for being an accessory before the fact to the 2009 contract killing of Michael McGurk. Behind bars: Ron Medich. Credit:AAP On Monday, 70-year-old Medich was found guilty of ordering and paying $500,000 for McGurks murder and the subsequent intimidation of his widow Kimberley. Gattellari received a 60 per cent discount on his sentence for becoming the Crowns star witness against Medich, his once good friend and benefactor. The court set April 13, 2018, as Gattellaris earliest release date. "We have a massive problem." It was the afternoon of September 12, 2016, and Roberto Zalapa was expecting a package to be delivered to a home at Adamstown Heights, near Newcastle. The 33-year-old was tracking 16 kilograms of cocaine, which was sent to the address from Los Angeles. Personal trainer Craig Phelps, 31, of Wamberal, was waiting outside with a fake ID ready to collect the package. Cocaine seized as part of the investigation. Credit:AFP The men did not know the shipment had been intercepted by Australian Federal Police, who swapped the cocaine worth $3.8 million for an "inert substance" and were ready to pounce once the package was delivered. Controversial former Auburn deputy mayor Salim Mehajer has lost a Federal Court bid to delay his bankruptcy while he fights to have the orders overturned, with his bankruptcy trustee describing him as displaying "extreme optimism" in the face of adversity. The Federal Court heard an urgent application by Mehajer on Thursday for temporary orders to halt or stay his bankruptcy, pending the hearing of an application to cancel the orders permanently. Salim Mehajer and his lawyer Zali Burrows outside the Federal Court in Sydney on Thursday. Credit:AAP Roger Marshall, SC, acting for Mehajer's trustee in bankruptcy, told the court the property developer exhibited a "Panglossian" view of his circumstances, meaning he displayed "extreme optimism in circumstances of unrelieved adversity". Federal Court Justice Michael Lee agreed this "may be an apposite description". Dressed in a dark suit jacket, tight black jeans and a razor-sharp haircut, George Gerges looked every bit the east Sydney cocaine socialite as he strolled up the steps of the Downing Centre on Thursday morning. Full of remorse, the 33-year-old Bondi man knew all too well that he would be walking into a prison sentence, swapping fashionable attire for prison rags over his role in a syndicate that dealt the recreational drug. Gerges, who frequently flaunted his buff physique on Instagram, became embroiled in a social scene that would see him acquire an expensive addiction. The only way that he could reduce his debts, he said, was by working them off as a driver for the operation, whose customers would request "rock show tickets", "tickets" or "beers", then be delivered a half-gram bag of cocaine for $200. A Gold Coast grandmother who told police she needed to get her eyes fixed after firing a shot and missing her son-in-law has been jailed. Miriam Annette Eason was sentenced to 2 years' imprisonment at the Southport District Court on Thursday for the March 2016 incident. Eason must serve a mandatory minimum period of 18 months in prison before the remainder of her sentence is suspended for three years in August 2019. The 53-year-old fired a shot at her son-in-law outside her daughter's Nerang home in the mistaken belief her granddaughter was in danger. The shot missed and the man fled inside the home before Eason could fire again. A food market concept has been ditched and impractical public transport options included in Brisbane City Council's latest plan for the $100 million transformations of the 20-kilometre Oxley Creek corridor. The council released its draft Oxley Creek master plan on Thursday, but several details were missing from the 60-page document. Lord mayor Graham Quirk at the edge of Oxley Creek within the Oxley Creek Transformation project redevelopment area. When the $100 million, 20-year plan was first revealed in December 2016, lord mayor Graham Quirk said the master-planned precinct would have world-class recreation facilities, including Brisbanes first public aviary and new Eat Street style market. There was no mention of both of those would-be attractions in the draft master plan released on Thursday. A fundamental right we all have is to go to work and come home at the end of our day alive and safe. But this right, fought for and won by workers and their unions over years of struggle, is under threat from forces determined to put profits before the lives of people. One worker killed is one too many. Credit:Graham Tidy The risk of death and injury at work is real for all workers, whether in construction, transport, agriculture or forestry, to teaching, nursing, arts and retail. Helping keep workers as safe as they are is the constant vigilance and preparedness for action of workers and their unions. This year we mark International Workers Memorial Day on Friday, April 27 - a day where the community comes together to mourn the dead and vow to fight for the living. Melbourne Express, Friday, April 27, 2018 Were sorry, this service is currently unavailable. Please try again later. Dismiss Paralympian and disability rights advocate Kurt Fearnley has hit out at the Turnbull government's decision to scrap a $8 billion increase to the Medicare levy designed to fund the National Disability Insurance Scheme, issuing a plea for long-term certainty. While Treasurer Scott Morrison has promised funding for the scheme can now be assured without a tax increase because of the strength of the economy, Mr Fearnley said this commitment does not guarantee the money. Paralympian Kurt Fearnley. Credit:Jonathan Carroll "While we are arguing about certainty and funding, we are not getting to the real issues that will deliver real benefits to the community," he told Fairfax Media. "If it came from the Medicare surcharge, fantastic. If it comes from general revenue, fantastic. Lets move on. But until we get the certainty locked in, were are going to be having this argument in two, three years time. We are going to be having this same old groundhog day." The onscreen experience isn't always as slick as you might hope. Ask for a recipe from Taste and Alexa shows the list of ingredients on screen but doesn't automatically scroll down as she reads it aloud. This list stays on the screen while she talks you through the recipe, rather than showing each step. Unfortunately, unlike Google Assistant, Alexa still can't recognise different voices in Australia. This means when other members of your household speak to Alexa they're accessing your calendar and personal music library. The Spot can also act as a digital photo frame, scrolling images stored in your Amazon account. Beyond this you can watch video news clips or tap into the Amazon Prime Video library if you have a subscription. The screens colours, contrast, detail and viewing angles are surprisingly good but you obviously wouldn't want to watch your favourite shows on such a tiny display when you probably have a larger smartphone screen in your pocket. On the clock By default the screen displays a customisable clock face, reinforcing the idea that the Spot might best be put to use as a smart bedside alarm clock; like a throwback to the old Chumby which was superseded by the smartphone. You can ask Alexa to set one-off or recurring alarms, then use voice commands or the touchscreen to cancel or snooze the alarm in the morning. Aside from a normal alarm, the Spot can wake you with your favourite track from Amazon Music Unlimited or Spotify, or your favourite online station from iHeartRadio or TuneIn. You can also schedule Night Mode, which dims the screen but perhaps not as much as you'd like. You can ask Alexa to disable the screen completely, which is fine unless you want to mute the microphone as this reawakens the display. One of the Spot's most obvious uses is as a smart alarm clock. Unfortunately the Spot can't be programmed via the touchscreen when you're trying to slip into bed without waking your partner, but thankfully you can set the Spot's alarm using your smartphone. It's a shame you can't use the Spot's screen to silently control smarthome gear. Of course many people have already abandoned a traditional alarm clock in favour of their smartphone so switching to the Spot might feel like step backwards. Despite the built-in microphone, the Spot lacks the sleep tracking features offered by smartphone and smartwatch apps like Sleep Cycle. You can set the Spots alarm to gradually grow louder, but there's no intelligent snooze so each delay buys you another nine minutes in bed. Look sharp If none of this is enough to win Amazons Echo Spot a place in your home, its final trick is the ability to make and receive video calls, thanks to a camera above the screen. You can call other Spots or the Alexa smartphone app, either around your house or in other people's homes. You can "call" friends and wait for them to answer, with the Echo speakers around their home announcing the incoming call. Or they can give you permission to "drop in" on their Spot which means the call answers automatically with a subtle chime, although the video is blurred for 10 seconds. Video calls are neat, but not the best quality. Voices are clear but the picture quality isn't as good as you'll get on your smartphone. The camera also has a narrow field of view, only letting you squeeze in two people. Apart from video calls, you can also use the Spot to see the view from your security cameras and baby monitor. Apple revitalised the phone space with the first iPhone, and for the first couple of years of the iPhone's existence, there was the iPhone, and then a big air gap... and then its Android competitors. Android phones were the enclave of the geeky enthusiasts (hey, I'm one of those and we can smell our own) who enjoyed the challenge of a somewhat raw and often unrefined interface that let you do all sorts of things that Apple would never let its users do. In many cases that's still true, but the first Samsung Galaxy handset started a tilt towards smartphones that weren't only functional, but also beautiful objects of desire. In its early iterations, the Galaxy S was bigger and more powerful than Apple's phones. Credit:Reuters The smartphone market was for a long time Apple's to lose, and Samsung went at it full tilt with yearly upgrades to its premium Galaxy S line, plus innovations like the first Note "phablet" phone. At the time it was a huge phone, but now it would barely raise an eyebrow against a sea of 6-inch handsets. Samsung's latest handsets, the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+, are undeniably excellent devices that hold their own against Apple's iPhones, and in many ways exceed them. Jakarta: A fire erupted at an illegal oil well site in Indonesia's northernmost province on Wednesday, killing at least 18 people and injuring about 40 others, some of whom were badly burnt, authorities said. The fire broke out around 1.30am at a backyard well in a village in Aceh province, on the northern tip of Sumatra Island, according to the National Disaster Management Agency. Authorities were still trying to determine what had caused the fire. Local news reports said it may have started with a spark from a blowtorch or a worker smoking a cigarette. Television news footage and photos showed flames rising at least 10 metres into the air in the farming village of Pasir Putih in East Aceh district, which is about 1600 kilometres north-west of the Indonesian capital, Jakarta. We are talking about Periplaneta Americana, or the American cockroach, and we are standing inside the worlds largest cockroach factory, in the Sichuan mountain town of Xichang. There are at least 3.6 billion cockroaches hiding in racks in rooms along this corridor, I am told. News of the existence of the cockroach breeding factory caused a sensation on social media last week after a Hong Kong newspaper got hold of a research paper and reported (with slight exaggeration) that the company was using artificial intelligence to manage a cockroach colony larger than the worlds human population. The mind boggled what if they escaped? Cockroach stack. Credit:Sanghee Liu Fu Neng Geng, the president of Good Doctor, a Chinese medicine and health product company, has invited Fairfax Media and the Hong Kong newspaper inside so we can take a rare look for ourselves. He wants to sort internet myth from reality. The reality is also mind-boggling. This is the only government-certified cockroach lab in the world. The artificial intelligence system the company has developed with Zhejiang University wont be put into practice until next year, when a new lab is built. Cockroach output is expected to triple, he says. For now, the larvae are reared on milk powder and egg in a breeding room. When mature, they are moved to this dank, dark, multi-storey building, where they are fed on grain and plants. The best temperature range is 28 to 32 degrees, says Geng, nodding to a sensor which shows 32.3 degrees. I have been offered a face mask for the stench it smells like an old chicken shed while a white lab coat and plastic shoe coverings are compulsory for anyone entering the building. The cockroaches must be kept pristine, because they are for human consumption. Periplaneta Americana cant fly, so to prevent escapes, the building is surrounded by a one-metre wide moat of water, full of fish. Geng demonstrates, scooping up a getaway and dropping it into the water. Fat carp leap out to eat it, thrashing their tails. The cockroach breeding and processing centre. A moat surrounds the building to stop escapes. Credit:Sanghee Liu A pictorial tribute to the cockroach dominates the building's foyer as old as dinosaurs, this creature withstood the Hiroshima nuclear blast and can survive a week after its head is cut off. Periplaneta Americana has a 2000-year documented history in Chinese medicine to treat injuries, Geng says. Good Doctor supplies its cockroach potion to thousands of Chinese hospitals and pharmacies. It's used to treat diabetic ulcers and severe skin wounds. Last year the company made 6.3 billion Chinese yuan ($1.3 billion) in total sales. The best seller, worth a billion yuan, was the cockroach Recovery New Potion, which can be drunk or used on the skin. A skin cream called Rainforest Regeneration is sold in glossy blue and gold packaging with no mention of cockroach. To keep disturbances to a minimum, staff enter the rustling cockroach rooms once a day to clean out droppings caught in nets under the racks. Checking the health of the latest crop during the once-daily visit. Credit:Sanghee Liu A cockroach life cycle here is six to eight months. When it is time, the insects are attracted with heat to one part of the room, blasted with steam, then super heated to kill them. No chemicals are used. They are washed and crushed and sent to the extraction lab, which is all gleaming metal, with the appearance of a distillery. The mixture is piped to the bottling room, and more sterilisation. Process workers wear blue hospital-style gowns. The corridors are also reminiscent of a hospital, a stark difference to the dark horror house next door. Sixty thousand bottles rattle off the line each day. Bottles of cockroach essence "healing potion" make their way through the production line. Credit:Sanghee Liu Research and development chief, Ma Xiuying, says some people have questioned if the company intentionally conceals that the main ingredient of its best selling product is cockroach. We dont. We have to list the Chinese medicinal name on the package, so thats what we list, she says. Mr Geng, sitting in his boardroom, declares he wants to build a cockroach monument as big as the 20-person board table. It is a good insect, he declares. For millions of years the cockroach has been unaffected by the diseases, bacteria and viruses that humans carry, and he believes this is because of the cockroachs anti-inflammatory qualities. Personally, he eats 10 a day. The finest Sichuan cooking: a dish of fried American cockroaches at a local restaurant. Credit:Sanghee Liu His factory shows that Chinese medicine production can be transparent and semi-automated, he says. AI will take the next step. But the key to Chinese medicine is that it has a long history showing effectiveness, even if western scientists cant be sure of why, he says. If we could isolate the active ingredient we would produce a synthetic chemical instead, he says of the cockroach potion. But they cant, so the business of farming billions of cockroaches continues, providing valuable employment opportunities for the Yi ethnic minority in Sichuan. London: Do you know what will eventually do in social media? The health issue: it's killing us, mind and body. As I predicted that on Sky News the other day, it occurred to me that, in a previous decade I would've said it with a cigarette on the go, the interviewer pausing to offer me a light. But just as health scares stopped smoking in public, so social media will eventually become a taboo, even a matter for state regulation. I for one will be very happy. I wish we could uninvent it altogether. Not a week goes by without another story of its deficiencies. Mark Zuckerberg is as responsible for what's posted on his site as I would be for permitting racist haikus to be painted on my roof, and it's time to stop passing the buck. Facebook: Is it a health issue? Credit:AP We've had the conversation about how individual users need to learn to be nicer online and, thanks to other legal actions, we're slowly getting there - but there will always be extremists, fake news and frauds, and these platforms ought to have found a better way of weeding them out by now. The NATO nations divided for the exercise into 22 teams competing for the title of best defender - are trying to assess the nature of the threat and its origin, so they can tell their political masters who are screaming for answers. At the same time, theyre trying to win back control of their countrys critical infrastructure, simulated in a virtual firing range. Locked Shield is run by NATO with partners from around the world. This is the first year Australia has had an official observer. Credit:NATO/CCDCOE Red Team leader Mehis Hakkaja doesnt like their chances. Hes been chief baddy in this annual exercise since 2010, and in between he runs a commercial computer penetration testing company. There are two types of cyber victims, those who have already been compromised and those who will be, he says, a joke he clearly tells regularly to his corporate clients. He cant tell me much about what he has planned, so as not to tip off the defenders. Locked Shields 2018 in Tallinn, Estonia is the world's biggest 'live fire' cyber war exercise. Credit:NATO/CCDCOE But somewhere in this virtual cyber firing range a secretary in an office, maybe in a power station, or a water plant, is going to click on a link in an email thats going to let more of Hakkajas team of hackers into Berylias systems, worming their way from the ground floor to the executive suites. Theyre going to steal some sensitive data, maybe customer data, and publish it on the internet. But thats just a distraction. In the meantime, theyre working their way through the network to their real goal. We do these things in real life as well, Hakkaja says, referring to penetration testing. It is fairly easy to totally destroy an organisation or their credibility. We as the Red Team get a little bit scared of how effective that can be. Australia is about to officially sign up to the CCDCOE, the NATO centre that runs Locked Shields. This year we have an observer in Tallinn, next year we hope to have a full team taking part. Lieutenant Colonel Franz Lantenhammer, chief of staff at the CCDCOE, says he expects Australia to learn a lot (most nations dont do very well their first time at Locked Shields). But the centre will gain as well. A soldier in simulated battle at Locked Shields 2018. Credit:NATO/CCDCOE Australia is a very valuable member. Its part of the Five Eyes [surveillance network], its one of the seven MNNA [major non-NATO ally] nations. Australia has a very experienced cyber defence community, they have faced a lot of challenges from their part of the world which is completely different to what we have here in Europe or in the United States. Loading Every year the centre discovers new challenges and new defence deficiencies which appear as soon as they think theyve solved the old ones. He is also looking to bring in a reactive, rather than purely defensive element to the centre. Though NATO is a strictly defence-oriented pact, its members have offensive cyber capabilities, and sometimes these can or should be used to deter threats, or take out attacking forces. The biggest rule of Locked Shields appears to be dont mention the Russians ask about the Kremlin and you just get a weary sigh - but everyone knows who is most likely to pose this kind of threat. One of the attacks in this years scenario is modelled on an attack that crippled Ukraines power network two years ago. This is the first year Australia has had an official observer, next year the country hopes to compete to protect 'Berylia' from the 'Crimsonia' menace. Credit:NATO/CCDCOE Aare Reintam, director of Locked Shields, says its as cool as a movie, though one starring tech geeks. But everyone says that, once in a while, they imagine what it would be like if it was real. In the main control room, lights are going out on the power grid: a hospital is in trouble, the Apple factory could be next. A man walks just metres away from where the alleged chemical weapons attack occurred in the town of Douma. Credit:AP Beirut: A Syrian filmmaker says Russian state media outlets have used images from the set of his movie to claim that video footage from an April 7 suspected poison gas attack in Syria was staged. Humam Husari describes it as a "desperate and cheap attempt by Russian TV to deny the obvious attack on Douma." Russian filmmarker Humam Husari. Credit:Twitter The April 22 reports by Russia's Rossiya-1 and Channel One appear to back up the Russian and Syrian government's narrative that there was no chemical weapons attack in Douma, and that videos purporting to show victims of the attack were faked. Dubai: A New York-based rights group says a British-Iranian university professor has been detained in Tehran by the country's hard-line Revolutionary Guard. The British Foreign Office said late on Wednesday night, London time, it was "urgently seeking information" after the Centre for Human Rights in Iran said computer scientist and mathematician Abbas Edalat had been detained. Professor Abbas Edalat is a British-Iranian national. Iranian state media did not immediately report on Edalat's case. It's unclear what charges he faces. Edalat is a professor at Imperial College London. The university did not respond to requests for comment. Phoenix: A sea of teachers clad in red shirts flowed toward the Arizona Capitol on Thursday for an unprecedented walkout that closed most of the state's public schools, part of an educator uprising that bubbled up in other parts of the nation and spread west. Waving signs and red balloons, tens of thousands of teachers and their supporters headed through downtown Phoenix for a rally at the state Capitol to demand a 20 per cent raise for teachers, about $US1billion to return school funding to pre-Great Recession levels and increased pay for support staff, among other things. Stefanie Lowe, a teacher at Tuscano Elementary School, smiles as she joins other teachers, parents and students as they stage a "walk-in" for higher pay and school funding in Phoenix. Credit:AP Widespread protests also were underway in Colorado, where some schools have shut down. Teachers in both states want more resources in the classroom and have received offers either for increased funding or raises. But teachers say the efforts aren't enough, with Arizona educators launching the first-ever statewide strike to press lawmakers to meet their demands. But in a bromance, opposites attract. Trump must crave some of Macron's youth and trim vigour. He most likely feels an ineffable pang (to which he will not be able to put a name) when confronted by someone with a sense of style and taste he could never emulate. What's more, Macron comes from a country anathema to Trump's electoral base, a nation of effete, snobbish, cheese-eating "surrender monkeys", whose refusal to back the invasion of Iraq in 2003 resulted in French Fries being renamed Freedom Fries in congressional cafeterias. In person, Macron is dapper, suave, reads philosophy and listens to classical music. He married an older woman because he loved her. He's the anti-Trump. But why Macron, when the American President could have his pick of strongmen and nationalists among the world's leaders to single out for a special relationship? The two disagree on policy in Iran and Syria, over climate change and trade. And consider the other men Trump loves. His sons Donald Jr (just 10 days younger than Macron) and Eric Trump look like botched wannabe versions of Macron and his daughter Ivanka's husband Jared Kushner. Trump detests effeminacy in men - it should be noted Steve Bannon and Sean Spicer had to go when Rosie O'Donnell impersonated them on Saturday Night Live. Macron's contained masculinity is appealing. Plus Macron is an outsider: unlike so many insiders, he will not "betray" this sensitive, snowflake president. As a compulsive creator of chaos, Trump will also envy the apparent order of Macron's domestic record so far: imagine if the worst thing you had to worry about was a strike by rail workers, rather than mass shootings, a nascent race war and Stormy Daniels. Trump may also covet the appeal of a man who, like him, was elected by a groundswell movement that came seemingly from nowhere, but who is popular rather than merely populist. Finally, it's worth noting that Trump is a prime candidate for a bromance, as he seems to view women as commodities or sex toys, rather than human beings he could truly relate to. Which may make it awkward when it comes to Prime Minister May's relationship with the hyper-masculine Trump. Can you imagine him tucking an out of place hair behind her ear? Exactly. Of course, there have been other great bromances on the world stage. The one between Prince Harry and Barack Obama is ongoing; the one between Tony Blair and George W Bush was the opposite of Trump and Macron, with the younger, eager European the suppliant partner to the swaggering older American. We can see how bromances have flourished throughout history and in literature, too. Shakespeare's plays are full of men who strike up sudden, passionate relationships, as are the Greek myths. Again, here, it is perhaps useful to draw a distinction between bromance, and sexual love. Achilles was "in love" with Patroclus during the Trojan War, just as Antonio is in love with Sebastian in Twelfth Night. Hamlet and Horatio are friends, as are Ant and Dec and Socrates and Plato. But Falstaff and Prince Hal have a bromance, as do Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson. However, unless it develops into a proper friendship (see Barack Obama, again, and Joe Biden) a bromance will rarely last. It burns too hot and brightly to endure and can end in tears. Asuncion: Protesters stormed and set fire to Paraguay's Congress on Friday after the Senate secretly voted for a constitutional amendment that would allow President Horacio Cartes to run for re-election. The country's constitution has prohibited re-election since it was passed in 1992 after a brutal dictatorship fell in 1989. A protester carries a chair to a fire outside the Congress building in Asuncion, Paraguay, on Friday, March 31, 2017. Credit:AP "A coup has been carried out. We will resist and we invite the people to resist with us," said Senator Desiree Masi of the opposition Progressive Democratic Party. Firefighters managed to control the flames after protesters left the Congress building late on Friday night. How to build smarter, more secure cities from the ground up Today, we live in a technology-obsessed age. Whichever way you look, its hard to avoid the increasing number applications, products and solutions that continue to redefine the boundaries of what we previously thought possible. From autonomous vehicles and edge computing to 5G and the Internet of Things, all facets of our lives are continuing to evolve, thanks to an endless stream of differentiated innovations. In this article, well be focusing on the latter of these - the Internet of Things (IoT). Deployment of IoT technologies Smart homes, smart utilities, smart retail, smart farming, smart supply chains and many of the other smart versions of sectors that were already familiar with, are all called as such because of the implications of IoT. Indeed, it is a technology that has manifested itself in billions of devices, which today underpin the truly transformational levels of connectivity that we see across industries of all shapes and sizes. The statistics speak for themselves. According to Statista, over US$ 1 trillion is expected to be spent on IoT technology worldwide, in 2022. Be it added convenience, efficiency, productivity or intelligence, many benefits are poised to emerge from this spike in IoT-related activities. Yet to say this digital transition is going to be entirely positive would be naive. Threats faced by smart cities It is said that by 2040, 65 per cent of the worlds population will be living in cities Lets consider smart cities. It is said that by 2040, 65 per cent of the worlds population will be living in cities. To accommodate such an influx, without facing significant logistical issues, with limited space and infrastructure, policy makers have begun to recognise that these urban environments need to become not only larger, but smarter as well. As a result, the global smart cities market is on the rise. Statista states that, globally, technology spending on smart city initiatives is expected to double from US$ 81 billion in 2018 to US$ 189.5 billion in 2023. Threat of attackers with expanding IoT landscape The challenge here is that such a stark uptick will drastically expand the IoT landscape, presenting more opportunities than ever to threat actors. As connectivity and computing power is distributed more widely across large-scale outdoor networks, hackers will scale-up their own operations in tandem. According to a Nokia report from October 2020 (based on data aggregated from monitoring network traffic on more than 150 million devices globally), IoT devices now account for roughly 33 per cent of all infected devices, up from the 16 per cent estimated in 2019. Whats more concerning is how these figures are translating into real world events. 2021 alone has already witnessed an attack on a water plant in Oldsmart, Florida, which was designed to poison residents drinking water. Furthermore, Colonial Pipeline, one of the largest fuel pipelines in the US was also hacked, earlier this year, resulting in major shortages across the countrys East Coast. Security through IoT authentication From weak password protection, a lack of regular patch updates and insecure interfaces, to insufficient data protection, poor IoT devices management and an IoT skills gap, there are plenty of weaknesses existing within the IoT ecosystem, which continue to provide open goals for attackers. To defend against such lethal threats, security-by-design and open standards should be the guiding principles of IoT, working to prioritise security, interoperability and robust, internet-based protocols to mitigate risks. Device authentication and encryption A sound place to start is to make device authentication and encryption the central pillars of your IoT security architecture A sound place to start, in this regard, is to make device authentication and encryption the central pillars of your IoT security architecture. The goal is to be able to prove that each and every device joining a network is not malicious, with tell-tale signs being rogue code, for example. By ensuring each device is uniquely identifiable with digital certificates and therefore, properly authenticated when joining a network, you can ensure no tampered devices are able to infiltrate your overarching network. Using technologies, such as Hardware Secure Element Critically, passwords should be avoided altogether, these vulnerable to being stolen and cracked. And, while a similar vulnerability lies in the fact that all secure devices contain a private key, you can leverage technologies, such as Hardware Secure Element (a chip designed specifically to protect against unauthorised access, even if the attacker has physical access to the device), as an extra layer of defence. Digital certificates are not the only option available in protecting those IoT devices that, if tampered with, could become the cause of physical threats. Physical Unclonable Function (PUF) can also be used to prevent tampering. Physical Unclonable Function (PUF) Through Physical Unclonable Function (PUF), a form of IoT device fingerprint is developed from the unique make up of a piece of silicon, which can be used to create a unique cryptographic key. Unlike digital certificates, a secure infrastructure can be achieved through PUF, without the need for any additional hardware, as the key is not only stored securely, but it also becomes invisible to hackers, when the device is not running. The importance of encryption Use of AES encryption within radio chips, to scramble messages on the move, is the method adopted at Wi-SUN Alliance Now, lets turn attentions to encryption. The use of AES encryption within radio chips, to scramble messages on the move, is the method that we have adopted here at Wi-SUN Alliance. Its a means of maximising data security, but also reducing power consumption in the devices themselves. Beyond AES encryption, its also worth considering topography at the design stage. Indeed, mesh networks are advantageous for several reasons. They are more reliable, allowing data to be re-routed, should devices lose contact unexpectedly. Transmissions usually travel shorter distances, which improves power efficiency and performance, and frequency hopping functionality prevents attackers from jamming signals, which could deny the service altogether. Open standards and interoperability But where do open, interoperable standards fit in? As is defined by the European Committee for Interoperable Systems (ECIS), interoperability enables a computer programme to communicate and exchange information with other computer programmes, allowing all programmes to use that information. Open standards then allow any vendor of communications equipment or services to implement all standards necessary, to interoperate with other vendors. This is incredibly useful from a security perspective. It means that all specs are stress-tested and verified by many users, and that any vulnerabilities are quickly detected, and remediated, enhancing security and reliability. Need for open standards Equally, open standards can accelerate time-to-market, reduce costs and ensure products are usable, with a variety of manufacturers processors and radios, with a steam of publicly available protocol stacks, design information and reference implementations available that can help build and future-proof secure products. Indeed, large-scale corporate IoT networks alongside smart cities, smart utilities, and other key smart infrastructure will only continue to evolve, in the coming years. With the immense threats of attackers in mind, these systems must prioritise security-by-design, both now and in the future. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close The Canadian Space Agency, established in 1989, is responsible for coordinating all government-funded space activities in Canada. Some of the CSA's more high-profile projects include its robotics, most famously the Canadarm and Canadarm2. Additionally, several Canadian astronauts have flown in space. The most recent was Chris Hadfield, who commanded the International Space Station in 2013. David Saint-Jacques is the next astronaut slated to fly; his launch is scheduled for November 2018. Canadian space critics often point to the CSA's challenge in trying to deliver programs with a budget that has remained pretty flat for the last few years, save for rounds of stimulus funding from time to time. (Its projected budget for 2018 was $349 million in spending.) A few years ago, the agency received a boost of stimulus funding to fund rovers and robotics projects. A 2012 report, however, said the agency lacked long-term funding stability and urged the government to provide more money for the CSA's activities. Since then, Canada has committed to funding its share of the ISS through 2024, matching the aims of NASA and several other space agencies. Canadian space before the CSA Government-funded civilian space activities long predate the formation of the CSA. For example, the first Canadian satellite, Alouette, went into space in 1962. Sounding rockets were also used regularly to do upper atmosphere research. Five years after the first satellite launch, a government-sponsored report led by John Chapman outlined the space activities of the country in universities, private companies and government departments, of which there were many. NASA invited Canada's government to join the shuttle program in 1969, which eventually resulted in the development of the Canadarm a robotic arm capable of manipulating satellites in space. The project was led by SPAR Aerospace and initially funded by Canada's National Research Council (NRC). The Canadarm made it into space for the first time in 1981, for the second shuttle mission (STS-2). It so impressed NASA that the agency invited Canada to send astronaut applications. Canada's first astronaut, Marc Garneau, flew aboard the space shuttle Challenger on STS-41G in 1984. As Canadian space activity increased, the government passed an act of Parliament in 1989 establishing the CSA, whose mandate was to "promote the peaceful use and development of space for the social and economic benefit of Canadians," according to the Canadian Encyclopedia. With its payload bay open, Canadarm robotic arm deployed and window covers removed, space shuttle Atlantis is ready for its public debut on June 29, 2013 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. (Image credit: collectSPACE.com /Robert Z. Pearlman) Evolution of astronauts and the Canadarm The first Canadian astronauts were payload specialists, meaning that they were responsible for certain experiments on the shuttle and did not perform duties such as spacewalks. As the program matured, however, NASA invited the Canadians to train as mission specialists. Garneau and Hadfield, who was a part of the second Canadian astronaut selection in 1992, were the first to receive this training. In the 1990s, Canada racked up a series of astronaut milestones: first woman (Roberta Bondar, 1992), first Canadian on space station Mir (Hadfield, 1995), first Canadian to operate the Canadarm (Hadfield, 1995) and first Canadian to visit the International Space Station (Julie Payette, 1999). Since then, Canadian astronauts have gone on to do spacewalks (Hadfield was the first, in 2001) and more complex duties on the space station. This culminated in 2013 when Hadfield became the first Canadian commander of the station. Canada currently has four astronauts: Jeremy Hansen and David Saint-Jacques (selected in 2008), and Joshua Kutryk and Jennifer Sidey (selected in 2017). Saint-Jacques is assigned to Expedition 58/59, which is scheduled to begin in November 2018. Hansen has not flown yet, but media reports have said it may be around 2021 or 2022. Kutryk and Sidey are both in basic astronaut training and will not be eligible for flights until at least 2019, although they likely will not fly until sometime in the 2020s. Robotics The Canadarm was used during space shuttle missions to deploy and capture satellites, such as the Hubble Space Telescope. Astronauts also used it during spacewalks to move astronauts and equipment. After the ISS began operations in 1998, Canadarm was used regularly for space station construction activities. The arm was also repurposed after the Columbia space shuttle disaster of 2003, which killed seven astronauts during the shuttle's re-entry. Because the cause came in part due to missing protective tiles on the shuttle's belly, Canadarm (including a long extender) was used to scan the bottom of each shuttle with a camera, shortly after arriving in orbit. Meanwhile, the Canadarm's success prompted the CSA to fund two new projects built by Macdonald, Dettwiler and Associates, which by then had bought out SPAR. Canadarm2 was first installed on the space station in 2001, during Hadfield's mission. It had a better ability to move around the station, and a greater length than its predecessor. The robotic arm was originally designed for spacewalks and moving equipment around. Another use was added starting with the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft in 2012 helping to berth certain spacecraft to the space station. The cargo ship approaches the ISS and just before arriving, astronauts on board use the Canadarm2 to guide the ship to a berthing. MDA also constructed Dextre, a robotic hand that has been used for satellite refueling tests since it arrived on station in 2008. [Photos: Next-Generation Canadarm] Dextre passed 10 years of service in 2018 and the CSA plans to equip it with a new camera in the near future. Canadian Astronaut Chris Hadfield looks on at a demonstration of the Next-Generation Canadarm Small Canadarm prototype during a visit to the NGC prime contractor, MDA of Brampton, Ontario, in September 2012. (Image credit: Canadian Space Agency) Other CSA activities Robotics and astronauts take the lion's share of CSA attention, but the agency also has hands in other types of space work. The David Florida Laboratory in Ottawa, Canada, is a test bed for satellites before they reach space. Satellites there are shaken, baked and put through electronic interference tests to make sure they are ready for launch. The agency also funded a suite of Earth observation satellites that monitor the surface for natural disasters, changes in agriculture and even ship activities. The latest generation of its famed Radarsat series, called Radarsat Constellation, initially had a delay that prompted military concerns out of worries it wouldn't launch before Radarsat-2 failed. The satellite series is now scheduled to launch in 2018. Payloads from CSA-funded projects have also travelled into other locations. The Mars Curiosity Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (funded by CSA) has been analyzing the composition of rocks on the Red Planet. A Canadian laser is on its way to asteroid Bennu aboard NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission. Several Canadian experiments are on the International Space Station, including several examining the relationship between aging on Earth and the effects of weightlessness. More Canadian experiments will be taking place in connection with Saint-Jacques' flight in 2018. Closer to Earth, the AuroraMAX camera provides live views of auroras taking place in Yellowknife, Canada. In Earth orbit, the SCISAT satellite examines the ozone layer and its depletion, particularly over Canada's north. Aboard NASA's Terra satellite, the MOPITT (Measurements of Pollution in the Troposphere) atmosphere examines atmospheric pollutants in Earth's atmosphere. In 2018, the CSA was also running a competition for students to design their own CubeSat experiments for launch from the International Space Station. The CSA also had a laser measurement system on board ASTRO-H/Hitomi, a Japanese space observatory that launched in February 2016. Controllers lost contact with the satellite in late March, and the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) ceased efforts to retrieve Hitomi in April. NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, which is expected to launch in 2020, includes participation from the CSA. Canada provided the fine guidance sensor for the telescope to point in space, as well as a near-infrared imager and spectrograph. Author and futurist Isaac Asimov's "Foundation" trilogy was launched aboard SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket. The text was encoded by inventor Peter Kazansky in a high-storage, ultrastable quartz disc with a lifetime of millions to billions of years. Celebrated science fiction author Isaac Asimov is as legendary as the stories he crafted. His numerous books sparkled with riveting characters, engrossing worlds, and thought-provoking themes, crafted from the raw ingredients of intellect and experience, and welded together with immense dedication. This dedication extended beyond his books and biochemistry lessons (Asimov was a professor at Boston University) to the great many people who reached out to him in some fashion. "My estimate is that Isaac received about 100,000 letters in his professional career," his brother Stanley wrote in 1996. "And with the compulsiveness that has to be a character trait of a writer of almost 500 books, he answered 90 percent of them." One of these correspondences was with a self-described "English Lit major" who challenged what he perceived as Asimov's intellectualy superior ignorance for expressing "a certain gladness at living in a century in which we finally got the basis of the universe straight." The young specialist in English Lit, having quoted me, went on to lecture me severely on the fact that in every century people have thought they understood the universe at last, and in every century they were proved to be wrong. It follows that the one thing we can say about our modern "knowledge" is that it is wrong. The young man then quoted with approval what Socrates had said on learning that the Delphic oracle had proclaimed him the wisest man in Greece. "If I am the wisest man," said Socrates, "it is because I alone know that I know nothing." The implication was that I was very foolish because I was under the impression I knew a great deal. Asimov recounted his reply to the English Lit major in an essay published to The Skeptical Inquirer in fall of 1989. My answer to him was, "John, when people thought the earth was flat, they were wrong. When people thought the earth was spherical, they were wrong. But if you think that thinking the earth is spherical is just as wrong as thinking the earth is flat, then your view is wronger than both of them put together." You see, knowledge, in Asimov's view, is not relegated to the black and white world of right or wrong, it is ever-evolving from one stage of wrongness to another. Ideally, knowledge advances by moving from wrong, to less wrong, to even less wrong, and so on and so forth. He elucidated his point with the example of Flat Earth theory. Thousands of years ago, many considered the world to be flat, a patently ridiculous observation by modern standards, but not unreasonable back then. After all, Earth's surface curves a mere eight inches per mile, so it's tough to fault our forebears for missing this discrepancy with their limited measuring tools. Later on, learned figures like Aristotle reasoned that Earth was a sphere. Asimov described their observations. First, certain stars disappeared beyond the Southern Hemisphere as one traveled north, and beyond the Northern Hemisphere as one traveled south. Second, the earth's shadow on the moon during a lunar eclipse was always the arc of a circle. Third, here on the earth itself, ships disappeared beyond the horizon hull-first in whatever direction they were traveling. But guess what? They were wrong, too! The Earth is not a perfect sphere. "Isaac Newton first proposed that Earth was not perfectly round," Charles Choi wrote for Scientific American. "Instead, he suggested it was an oblate spheroida sphere that is squashed at its poles and swollen at the equator. He was correct and, because of this bulge, the distance from Earth's center to sea level is roughly 21 kilometers (13 miles) greater at the equator than at the poles." Nice job, Newton! But sorry, you're technically wrong, too! We now know that Earth isn't just oblate at the equator; it's actually a bumpy, shifting, sphere-shaped mass, uneven and occasionally off-kilter, and this is just the least wrong description so far. But still, we are far closer to being right than when we started! This is how science-based knowledge advances! "Once scientists get hold of a good concept they gradually refine and extend it with greater and greater subtlety as their instruments of measurement improve. Theories are not so much wrong as incomplete," Asimov wrote. In short, my English Lit friend, living in a mental world of absolute rights and wrongs, may be imagining that because all theories are wrong, the earth may be thought spherical now, but cubical next century, and a hollow icosahedron the next, and a doughnut shape the one after. But we cannot choose what is truth. We can, however, choose to be less wrong. Originally published on RealClearScience. An experiment that involved shooting meteorite-like projectiles at volcanic rocks has revealed how high-velocity asteroid impacts could have delivered water to Earth. During the experiment, conducted at the Vertical Gun Range at NASA's Ames Research Center in California, scientists fired marble-sized projectiles at the targets at speeds of 11,200 mph (18,000 km/h). These projectiles had a similar composition to carbonaceous chondrites, a group of meteorites that come from ancient, water-rich asteroids. In the early stages of Earth's evolution, these asteroids frequently hit the planet at very high speeds. The experiment, described in a paper published online today (April 25) in the journal Science Advances, revealed that during such collisions, up to 30 percent of the water from the asteroid could get trapped in the debris created by the impact. [Photos: Asteroids in Deep Space] "The origin and transportation of water and volatiles is one of the big questions in planetary science," said Terik Daly, who's now a postdoctoral researcher at Johns Hopkins University but led the study while completing his doctorate at Brown University. "These experiments reveal a mechanism by which asteroids could deliver water to moons, planets and other asteroids," Daly said in a statement. These close-up images show samples of impact glass created during impact experiments with a cannon designed to mimic asteroid strikes. (Image credit: Terik Daly) Astronomers originally thought that Earth's water came mostly from comets. However, recent research has pegged asteroids as the probable main delivery system. Measurements have shown that water found on Earth has a similar composition of isotopes variants of the same chemical element that differ in the number of neutrons as water contained in carbonaceous asteroids. But it wasn't clear how those asteroids could have delivered their water to what was once a completely arid Earth. "Impact models tell us that impactors should completely devolatilize at many of the impact speeds common in the solar system, meaning all the water they contain just boils off in the heat of the impact," study co-author Peter Schultz, a professor in Brown's Department of Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences, said in the same statement. "But nature has a tendency to be more interesting than our models, which is why we need to do experiments." When the researchers shot their mini-meteorites at the mini-Earths, they observed that a significant proportion of the water from the projectiles got trapped in rock both in the stuff that was melted by the heat of the impact and in the material that coalesced from the jumble of impact debris, a type of rock known as a breccia. "What we're suggesting is that the water vapor gets ingested into the melts and breccias as they form," Schultz said. "So even though the impactor loses its water, some of it is recaptured as the melt rapidly quenches." The researchers said the process could also explain the presence of water in the lunar mantle and some other areas of the moon, such as Tycho Crater. "The point is that this gives us a mechanism for how water can stick around after these asteroid impacts," Schultz said. "And it shows why experiments are so important, because this is something that models have missed." Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+. Originally published on Space.com. For billions of years, Earth has rotated in the same direction as the sun but what if that direction were reversed? Deserts would cover North America, arid sand dunes would replace expanses of the Amazon rainforest in South America, and lush, green landscapes would flourish from central Africa to the Middle East, according to a computer simulation presented earlier this month at the annual European Geosciences Union General Assembly 2018 in Austria. In the simulation, not only did deserts vanish from some continents and appear in others, but freezing winters plagued western Europe. Cyanobacteria, a group of bacteria that produce oxygen through photosynthesis, bloomed where they never had before. And the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), an important climate-regulating ocean current in the Atlantic, faded away and resurfaced in the northern Pacific Ocean, scientists reported at the conference. [What If the World Stopped Turning?] During Earth's yearlong orbit around the sun, our planet completes a full rotation on its axis which runs from the North Pole to South Pole every 24 hours, spinning at a rate of about 1,040 mph (1,670 km/h) as measured at the equator. Its rotation direction is prograde, or west to east, which appears counterclockwise when viewed from above the North Pole, and it is common to all the planets in our solar system except Venus and Uranus, according to NASA. As Earth rotates, the push and pull of its momentum shapes ocean currents, which, along with atmospheric wind flows, produces a range of climate patterns around the globe. These patterns carry abundant rainfall to humid jungles or divert moisture away from rain-parched badlands, for example. Going retro To study how Earth's climate system is affected by its rotation, scientists recently modeled a digital version of Earth spinning in the opposite direction clockwise when viewed from above the North Pole, a direction known as retrograde, Florian Ziemen, co-creator of the simulation and a researcher with the Max Planck Institute for Meteorology in Germany, told Live Science in an email. "[Reversing Earth's rotation] preserves all major characteristics of the topography like sizes, shapes and positions of continents and oceans, while creating a completely different set of conditions for the interactions between the circulation and the topography," Ziemen said. This new rotation set the stage for ocean currents and winds to interact with the continents in different ways, generating entirely new climate conditions around the world, the researchers reported in a project overview. Spin cycle To simulate what would happen if Earth were to spin backward (retrograde instead of prograde), they used the Max Planck Institute Earth System Model to change Earth's relationship to the sun and reverse the Coriolis effect, an invisible force that pushes against objects traveling over a rotating planet's surface. Once those alterations were in place and the model showed Earth spinning in the opposite direction, the researchers observed the changes that emerged in the climate system over several thousand years, as feedback among the rotation, atmosphere and ocean went to work on the planet, the scientists wrote in a description of the work, which they are currently preparing for publication. Overall, the researchers found that a backward-spinning Earth was a greener Earth. Global desert coverage shrank from about 16 million square miles (42 million square kilometers) to around 12 million square miles (31 million square km). Grasses sprouted over half of the former desert areas, and woody plants emerged to cover the other half. And this world's vegetation stored more carbon than our forward-spinning Earth, the researchers discovered. However, deserts emerged where they never had before in the southeastern U.S., southern Brazil and Argentina, and northern China. Turn, turn, turn The change in rotation also reversed global wind patterns, bringing temperature changes to the subtropics and midlatitudes; continents' western zones cooled as eastern boundaries warmed, and winters became significantly colder in northwestern Europe. Ocean currents also changed direction, warming seas' eastern boundaries and cooling their western ones. In the simulation, AMOC the ocean current responsible for transporting heat around the globe disappeared from the Atlantic Ocean, but a similar and slightly stronger current arose in the Pacific, carrying heat into eastern Russia. This was somewhat unusual, as a prior study that modeled a reverse-spinning Earth did not see this change, Ziemen told Live Science in an email. With retrograde rotation, a vast desert belt would form in the Americas (left), compared with its present position in Africa and the Middle East (right). (Image credit: Courtesy of Florian Ziemen) "But as the AMOC is the result of many complex interactions in the climate system, there can be a lot of reasons for this difference," he said. [Earth Pictures: Iconic Images of Earth from Space] Altered sea currents in the Indian Ocean also allowed cyanobacteria to dominate the region, which they have never managed to accomplish while the Earth spins in its current direction, the researchers discovered. But for Ziemen, the greening of the Sahara was the most intriguing change that appeared in their "backward" model of Earth. "Seeing the green Sahara in our model got me thinking about the reasons why we have a desert in the Sahara, and why there is none in the retrograde world," Ziemen said. "It is this thinking about the most basic questions that fascinates me about the project." Original article on Live Science. Artist's illustration of NASA's Orion spacecraft launching aboard its Space Launch System rocket. Orion will loop around the moon for the first time during Exploration Mission-1, currently targeted for the end of 2019. With the moon as its immediate goal, NASA is pushing hard on deep space exploration. In a press conference from Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston today (April 26), NASA officials talked through the status of their deep space exploration program and the upcoming launches of the agency's Orion spacecraft around the moon. A NASA report last year suggested the launch date could slip to June 2020. However, JSC Director Ellen Ochoa confirmed that NASA is still pushing to use the massive Space Launch System to send Orion around the moon for the first time, on the uncrewed Exploration Mission-1, by the end of 2019. "Launch [is] hopefully at the end of 2019. That is the goal we're keeping toward," Ochoa said at the press conference. "We've done an in-depth assessment of that, and likely it will be in early 2020, but we are keeping pressure on our agency and our folks to try and launch in December of 2019, to make sure that we put our best foot forward and do our best to meet those deadlines." [How the Orion Space Capsule Works (Infographic)] EM-1, the spacecraft for that first test flight, is already being assembled at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Ochoa said, and awaiting the European Service Module, which should arrive at the center this summer. (That module will sit below the Orion spacecraft, with the abort system attached above.) In the meantime, EM-2 the spacecraft for the second Orion flight, and Orion's first crewed mission around the moon is already being assembled at the Michoud Assembly Facility in Louisiana. It will make its way to Florida later in the summer. Before EM-1 almost exactly a year from today, Ochoa said NASA will test the spacecraft's abort system after a launch to a point more than 6 miles (9.7 kilometers) high in a short, but intensive test called Ascent Abort-2. "It's just a 3-minute test, but it will be an exciting 3 minutes," Ochoa said. Once Orion has reached the moon, NASA plans to spend a significant amount of time there honing systems and creating an orbiting outpost called the Deep Space Gateway, according to Vanessa Wyche, director of the Exploration Integration and Science Directorate at NASA. "Building on the transportation elements being developed today, the Space Launch System and Orion and using the International Space Station as a platform to test technologies in LEO [low Earth orbit], we're working with commercial industry and our international partners to build and assemble a crew-tended spaceport in orbit around the moon in the 2020s," Wyche said at the conference. "NASA and its partners will use the Gateway for deep-space operations including missions on the moon with decreasing reliance on Earth. "We'll use the lunar orbit as a place to stage where we'll actually build up a small, crew-tended spaceport that will then do testing. We will learn about what's going on at the moon. We'll do testing on the moon's surface, and then we will build up, do other testing and move on to Mars," she added. Wyche said that NASA will learn much more about the moon in the coming decade, not just through the Orion program. The agency's Science Mission Directorate will open an opportunity for people to evaluate samples brought back from the moon on Apollo missions that haven't previously been analyzed, taking advantage of modern technology to analyze the samples more deeply. NASA will send more robotic missions to the moon to learn about its surface. And the Gateway will enable communications for missions to the moon's far side, allowing for more in-depth investigations in that less-explored area, Wyche said. [NASA Shapes Science Plan for Deep-Space Outpost Near the Moon] "For a few years, we've been really planning to spend the decade of the 2020s in the lunar vicinity anyway, because we believe there's a lot we need to test and learn before we actually head to Mars," Ochoa added. "As we do spend time around the moon and on the moon, a lot of what we're thinking about is what it is that we need to accomplish there in order to move on to Mars after that." But before that, the teams will have to finalize Orion, get EM-1 launched and then launch EM-2, sending humans on a loop around the moon that will take them farther than people have ever traveled into space 40,000 miles (64,000 km) past the moon. Near the end of the conference, NASA astronaut Nicole Stott shared some of her experiences working with the nitty-gritty testing that will make sure Orion and its procedures work. "Right now, we're doing a lot of the testing where I would be in a suit and with four crewmembers, we're strapped in to [a mock-up of] Orion," she said. "And we have a smoke machine, and they set off smoke, and they close the hatch. We're looking at, can we get out of this vehicle? How are we going to unstrap? How is the flow of us getting out?" Just last week, Stott said, they tested escaping from the docking hatch at the top of Orion in the event that the side hatch is inaccessible; a ladder came down that they had to climb up after throwing rafts out of the vehicle's top. "You can put all that in a very detailed plan, and the engineers do a great job of developing that [but] human-in-the-loop testing and finding those things that you didn't think about because you have humans involved in this expedition is critical in the early development of this program," she said. Email Sarah Lewin at slewin@space.com or follow her @SarahExplains. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com. Although weve come to the end of the road, still I cant let go How does one bid farewell to something that youd dedicated a significant portion of the last six years of your life to without jacking it up? Its a question that Shonda Rhimes and her team of writers likely asked themselves, and is one that Ive pondered while trying to work out how to approach this final Scandal review. The only answer I could come up with is that you do the best that you can and hope that it resonates with your audience. In Shondas case, she delivered a series finale that was a mixed bag of the good, the bad, and the perplexing. In other words, the show ended in typical Scandal fashion. Thanks to the live table read that the cast performed in front of an audience at El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, we know that much of the finale was left on the cutting room floor likely due to time constraints. ABC frankly should have given the show an extra episode so that this finale would have been two hours, but whatever. Its done. All we can hope for at this point is that the powers that be release this (and last) season on DVD and include an extended finale. Anyway, lets get into this bad boy. Stepping Into the Light The episode opens up with Olivia showing up at a warehouse upon being summoned there by Lonnie Mencken. She steps out of the freight elevator and approaches the special prosecutor, who is standing off in the far distance. Olivia makes it halfway and then stops. Assessing Lonnie, she verbalizes her read of his body language, stating that he will not be investigating B613. Lonnie says that hes been too compromised and that he would be a liability. Olivia asks why it is that he had her come all the way out there in the middle of the night just to share this with her, and then tells him not to bother giving her an answer since he has wasted enough of her time. As she starts back towards the elevator, Lonnie calls out to her and says that he can get her a Senate hearing, but only if she guarantees him that gun control will be made a priority should Mellie remain President. Though perplexed by the request, Olivia replies that should Cyrus and Jake go to jail, and B613 is eliminated, then she will guarantee that gun control will move to the top of the Grant Administrations agenda. Satisfied with her answer, Lonnie thanks her and then pulls out a gun! Olivia backs away from him as she asks what it is that he is doing, and Lonnie replies that he is getting her her Senate hearing. Lonnie then proceeds to put the gun in his mouth and pull the trigger! Poor Lonnie. The loss of his child to gun violence is what placed him on this path and a gun is what ends up taking him off of it. What a sad end to a once honorable man. And Olivia...Geez Louise. Surely, shes going to need some therapy at some point in her future, right? I mean, how much trauma can ones psyche take? The following day, Sally Langston is reporting on the formation of a Select Committee by the Senate to investigate B613. She states that this development has come about due to the suicide of Lonnie Mencken. She says that his death sent shock waves through Washington and that it confirms that weve got rats in our nations basement. As she speaks, we see Cyrus walking down a hall in the White House and then disappearing into Jakes office. Flash over to the Capitol and we see former Governor, now Senator Samuel Reston speaking with reporters. He says to those gathered that the questions raised by Sally regarding Lonnies death are serious ones that he as head of the Select Committee intends to get answers to on behalf of the American people. He continues by saying that if getting those answers means he has to question old political rivals, then so be it. (Reston sure would get a kick out of putting Olivia and the Grants in the hot seat.) Restons statement is what Jake is watching on the television when Cyrus comes into his office to tell him that he needs to create kill folders on every single member of the Committee. Jake doesnt understand what Cyrus is so worked up about, given that Lonnie is dead. He says that the mans conscience wont be a problem anymore and that the Committee will amount to nothing without the backing of the Justice Department. Cyrus asks Jake who it is who runs Justice, and Jake thinks about it a moment before saying that said person had to recuse himself from the case. Cyrus tells him that that applied when they were dealing with the plane hijacking, but now, the focus is on B613. This shift means that David is now back in charge. Over at QPA, David is informing Olivia and the gladiators that the Committee has scheduled a closed-door session where they and other subpoenaed persons will testify in front of the Committees 15 members. Once everyone has been questioned, the Committee will make their recommendations to David as to which charges ought to be filed. Olivia says to the group then that they all are to keep their answers short and straightforward, that a tenth of what they know should be enough to force action on B613. Abby asks David then what would happen to Jake and Cyrus, and David replies that exposing B613 in turn would expose Jake and Cyrus, so they will essentially be up shites creek. Huck asks what is to happen to them, considering that they will all be confessing to some pretty bad things. He wants to know if they, too, will be floating up the river, but David is unable to answer. The only logical answer he could have given them was: possibly. They all agreed on their own to join up with Olivia without knowing where her quest would lead, but this was also when Lonnie was independently leading the investigation. Now things have changed and the query is now in the hands of the Senate. They may not have considered the very real consequences that would come from them serving as witnesses, but they sure are thinking about them now. Next we see Rowan showing up to meet with Olivia where she sat waiting on a park bench along the Potomac. When Rowan asks why it is that he has been summoned, Olivia tells him that she is the one responsible for exposing B613. Rowan states that now Olivia is going to testify about the spy agency, and she says that she is. He asks if she wants his blessing, and she replies that she doesnt, which prompts Rowan to chuckle to himself in relief. Olivia tells him that she wants his help instead, saying that he can join them and help hand the country back over to the people. Rowan stops laughing then and hands an envelope over to Olivia. He explains that it contains the deed to his house, keys to a safety deposit box in Alexandria (Virginia), and the account number for a trust that he had set up for her when she was a child. Olivia asks him why he is giving those items to her and he says that it is because he is leaving. He tells her that if she wants to fix the current saga, she is going to have to do it herself. He then gets up and starts away. Before he can get far, Olivia asks him what it is that he wants from her. She is genuinely at a loss as to what it is that she could do that would ever receive this mans approval. She explains that this is her opportunity to start over, live in the light, stand in her truth, and become the person that he raised. Rowan laughs at this and says that the person that he raised doesnt hold out her hands and smile while she is being shackled. Thats what a slave does. (Here we go.) He remarks on how he has watched his child enslave herself in order to fix massas problem and how she has this unyielding desire...to fix everybody elses problem, and he wonders what it is that he did wrong in raising her. (Should we really count the ways?) Olivia is now a slave to massa, huh? Sounds an awful lot like what Maya had said back in S3 (315) when she classified Olivia as the help and not seen as real family to the people that she works so hard to protect. (Maya was referring to the Grants.) Olivia had gotten all in her feelings about that then, but that isnt the case here. She tells her father that what he did with B613 to the protect of the Republic is no different from what she is doing now. He did their dirty work for their government, and that, she says, was him leading by example. She asks him then to explain what the difference is between his work with B613 and what she is attempting to do now, and Rowan states that it wasnt their government that he was protecting, that it was his . (Okay) He says that it was he who was in charge and the one who made the rules, but he stayed in the shadows because at the end of the day, they dont care what happens to them. Now worked up, Rowan asks Olivia if she thinks that because they tell her that she is smart and pretty that she matters to them. As Olivia defiantly stares at him, Rowan continues by saying that her placing herself in the light allows them to stay in the dark. (Yall should know who the folks in the quotes are. Ima just leave it at that.) Olivia replies to him then, stating that the conclusion of the investigation will get everyone out of the shadows. There will be no more tricks, no dirty little secrets, no more B613. Everyone, she says, will be equal and that the country will be better for it. When Rowan asks her if she is sure about this theory of hers, Olivia shows her first sign of uncertainty and Rowan leaves her with that question to contemplate. This scene is like watching an argument between Hotep Twitter and Equal-Rights-For-All Black Twitter. One is arguing that you leave massas house to burn, while the other is pointing out that they are all standing in said house. Keep this scene in mind for later. Outside of the Capitol, there is a small crowd gathered and it is being reported live that today is the day that the Senates closed-door hearings are to begin. No one knows who is testifying, but the reporter says that if the rumors are true, some of Washingtons highest and mightest have some explaining to do about...B613. Flash over to the White House and Mellie is in the East Wing admiring a portrait of herself when Marcus comes into the room. He stops short when he sees the portrait, reacting with a giant wow, and Mellie explains that the National Portrait Gallery decided to postpone its unveiling because of everything that is currently going on, so she told them to send the painting to her. Marcus tells her that it is beautiful, and Mellie replies that the person depicted is not her, that it is the First Lady. She says that years from now, it is the only depiction of Mellie Grant that people will see. Marcus tells her that she is the President and that people will know who she is and what she has done, and Mellie counters by saying that they will know that she was impeached. Following her testimony, she predicts that the House will move to impeach her and that the Democratic majority in the Senate will throw her out. When Marcus attempts to say something here, Mellie waves him off and says that she didnt invite him there for a pity party. She starts off by saying that for so long she has been afraid of making a mistake and afraid of just existing in the present with him. Marcus steps forward then, and the two of them kiss like one would kiss their nanna, but a kiss is a kiss. Over at QPA, Olivia, the gladiators and David sit in the conference room in tense silence. Olivia is in an intricately designed jacket that is white with black and tan interwoven. Underneath, she is wearing all black. Huck is fiddling nervously with the collar of his shirt when Quinn, in frustration, reaches over and straightens his tie in order to keep him still. Olivia recognizes that shes cracking and calls out to her, and this prompts Quinn to share whats on her mind. She says that shes voluntarily marching herself into prison and her baby hasnt even taken her first steps yet nor said her first word. Shes troubled by the fact that shes going to miss all of these milestones and that Robin is about to grow up with two convicts as parents. Olivia says to her then that shes doing all of this for Robin, and before she can say more, Quinn tells her to shut up! (Oooo.) Olivia is taken aback by the outburst, but she doesnt say anything further. Quinn apologizes for being rude, but she maintains that she still needs Olivia to be quiet. She tells her that she doesnt need to be talked into what they are doing, that she is already in. She explains that shes scared and needs Charlie, adding that her fiance doesnt even know that she is doing this. Abby pipes up then to say that at least Quinn doesnt have to worry about Charlie ever leaving her or moving on to someone who isnt in jail. David looks at her with a quizzical look and asks her what shes talking about, and Abby tells him that shes sure that David will be nice initially, but then she asks him what will happen a few months into it when shes covered in prison tats and hes tired of talking to her through bulletproof glass. (Abby with tats? LMAOOOO!) She predicts that hell visit her once a week, then only on her birthday, and then not at all. She envisions herself waking up one day and finding out that he married a nice Jewish girl that his grandmother loves. (Aww) Huck expresses his own concern then, which is that he has to talk in front of 15 people!! (LOL!) Everyone is on edge. In comparison, Olivia is relatively calm. Her phone dings, and she looks down at it before informing the group that their transportation has arrived. There are some worried glances about the table before everyone starts to move. The inquiry into the existence and activity of B-6-1-3 by the Select Committee, which is comprised entirely of white men, begins with each witness being asked to introduce themselves for the record. The first witness, of course, is Olivia Pope. Then there is Tom Larsen, Diego Munoz (Huck), Abigail Whelan, Quinn Perkins (aka Lindsay Dwyer), Fitzgerald Grant, Melody Grant, and well. Hollis Doyle. When he is asked his name, he replies that there isnt anybody within 20 klicks of the Potomac [who] dont know Hollis Doyle by sight or sound. (LMAO!) The questioning begins with Reston asking Olivia how she knows that Jake killed Rashad, phrasing it as it being a case of her bearing witness to him doing it, and Olivia says that she knows that he did it because she ordered him to do it. This answer causes a few gasps to go up in the room from shocked committee members. (Clutch your pearls, gentlemen.) Reston then asks how many people his witness was ordered to carry out on behalf of B613, and we see Quinn answer that she carried out only one. Huck is next seen thinking hard, trying to calculate how many he actually carried out. Hes nervous as he reaches for the glass of water in front of him for a drink before simply saying, A lot. (Haha!) Mellie is next seen reluctantly admitting that she was aware of B613. Fitz then admits the same. Reston then states to his next witness that Cyrus personally ordered him to kill President-elect Frankie Vargas, and Tom Larson states that Cyrus is too crafty and too evil to leave a trail behind. (Is Tom here as payback?) Next we get Hollis who is stunned to learn that the hijacking was fake. His response? Damn. Thats good. Compared to that, all I did was tilt a few pinball machines at the arcade. I cant with this man. I literally cannot. Mellie testifies that Cyrus staged the hijacking for his own political benefit, and Olivia continues by saying that he and Jake proceeded to frame Mellie for it. Abby adds that there isnt any evidence linking Cyrus to the hijacking, but that there is evidence of a coverup. Soon, the voices of the various witnesses start to overlap where it is hard to make out what each person is saying. Then its back to Hollis who says that he pleads, the Fifth. The First. The Second. Hell, every damn amendment. Any further questions, talk to my lawyer, or yall can come find me at the Gettysburger down on D and 8th. (LOL!) Ah, that was brilliant. The Price of Doing the Right Thing With their testimonies complete, the gladiators, Fitz, and David Rosen congregate at Olivias apartment. Everyone looks even more tense than they had prior to testifying. Fitz asks whats to happen now, and David replies that now they wait. He tells them that once the committee completes their deliberation, they will reach out to him with their recommendations. He says that since those recommendations could mean jail time for some of them, he advises that they use the next 24 hours to get their affairs in order and say their goodbyes. Quinn is looking particularly sadat this point. David asks the group if they have any questions, and Olivia looks from Quinn who is staring out into middle space, to Abby and then to Huck who gives her a subtle nod. Olivia tells David that there arent any questions, but that they have a favor to ask of him. Flash over to a prison and Charlie is seen being escorted to a visitors area. There waiting for him are Quinn, Olivia, Huck, and Abby. Once his cuffs are removed and he steps into the room, he orders Quinn to get her butt over to him, and she runs over and hops into his arms. The two latch onto each other for dear life and get to kissing like two people who have been drowning without the other. Abby, who has a bouquet of flowers in her arms, chuckles to herself over the reunion, and Olivia steps up to tell the lovebirds that they only have 10 minutes for this visit. When the two finally pull apart, Charlie asks about their daughter, and Quinn gives him a quick update as she pulls out her phone to show him the latest pictures of little Robin. Charlie then assumes that they have come to see him because hes about to be executed. Quinn tells him that that isnt why they are there, and she proceeds to tell him that she testified about B613 that morning. Huck adds that they all did, and Abby says that everything is now all out in the open. To this, Charlie revises his statement to say that it is they who are being executed. (LOL!!) Olivia speaks up to say that no one is being executed, at least not today, and Quinn tells Charlie to just shut up and let her marry him. Charlie is confused as Quinn goes on to say that this may be their last chance to make their union official. At this point, she takes off the coat she is wearing to reveal a white dress! Abby heads her the bouquet as Quinn asks Charlie if hes down with marrying her. As Stevie Wonders For Once in My Life starts to play, Charlie says that he will marry her! Yay! Quinn pulls him along so that they can get the party started. Huck steps forward then to start the ceremony! (Hahaha!) He doesnt get beyond dearly beloved before Charlie stops him to ask if this marriage will actually be official, and Huck replies that he registered online to be able to do this. (Oh boy...LOL!) He continues on with the ceremony with Olivia and Abby standing by as witnesses. He asks Charlie what his legal name is, and Charlie replies that his alias is fine. Huck gives him a sideways look, which leads Charlie to reluctantly reveal that his name is Bernard Gusky. Bernard who? Yall should see Abbys face! LMAOOOOO! Shes struggling like a mickey flick to keep this tight smile on her face so as to not totally lose it over Charlies real name. Quinn is like WTF! Charlie explains that its a family name, and Quinn shakes out of stunned state to say that Bernard is a good name. The ceremony carries on at this point, and as Charlie is placing a ring on Quinns finger, he says to her that she isnt Robin, but Batman. (Awww!) Huck is emotional, his voice shaky as he asks Quinn if she takes Charlie to be her lawfully wedded husband. As Quinn says her own I do and slides Charlies ring on, she promises to never hack [him] without cause, to help [him] hide the bodies...and to always have [his] six til the day [she dies] for real. (Haha!) Huck pronounces them husband and wife, and Charlie and Quinn kiss to seal the deal. Sigh. So odd and yet so sweet. Completely fitting for Charlie and Quinn. Was this a call back to the pilot episode (101) where Olivia helped Stephen in picking out a ring for Georgia? Here, she is the one who provides the rings as she had with Stephen, but this time, she is rejoicing with the couple. In the pilot, she broke down in a coat closet upon witnessing the proposal because what Stephen was doing was something that she desired to have with Fitzgerald. This could be a reach on my part, but what have I got to lose here? Its the last ever Scandal! Next we see David walking through a parking garage. He is on the phone with Abby who is filling him in on what happened at the wedding and learning Charlies real name. He says that he is sad that he missed the moment, and when he turns a corner and lifts his head, his face shifts into one of concern and he tells Abby that hell call her back. Standing in front of him is Jake Ballard. Jake remarks on David looking happy when the sky is literally falling. David points out that the sky isnt literally doing anything and then he states that he is merely doing his job. Jake then says to David something that he said to him back in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (314) after he shot James Novak. His words are almost verbatim as he says that he had always liked David and that he seems smart. David replies that flattering him isnt going to lead to Jake being spared, and Jake tells him that he wasnt being literal, that hes actually threatening him. (Of course.) Jake goes on to say that David should imagine that the gun thats in his waistband is no longer there, but was instead pointing at Davids head. He asks if that description jogs any memories for him and he again repeats what he said about always liking David and how he seems smart. As realization comes to David, Jake remarks that the expression on his face is the one that he remembers David having after he shot [Davids] pal James. (ARGH!) Jake again poses the question to David about whether he is smart and reaches for his gun. In response, David drops his bag onto the floor and spreads his arms out to the side. Jake asks him what it is that he is doing, and David says that he isnt giving in, backing down, nor running. He tells Jake that he isnt going to shoot him in the back like he did James. Jake pulls out his gun and directs it at David, asking him if he is ready to die, and David exclaims that he isnt and asks what kind of crazy person is ready to die? He tells Jake that he is simply sick of all of this and asks if he is supposed to cry and run because he is seen as Jakes bitch. David exclaims that he isnt Jakes bitch, that as Attorney General, he is the bitch of the United States of America, and that him refusing to stand down is him acting like it. (YESSS, David! No more being pushed around!) Jake tells him that he sounds ridiculous, and David in turn asks why would Jake understand what he means. He then asks what it is that Jake stands for, what he cares about. He asks who cares about him and if anybody would miss Jake, and Jake tells Rosen to shut up. (Stuck too close, did he?) But David doesnt shut up. He instead goes on to say that there are people who will miss him, people who care about him. He states that there are people out there that he loves. He asks Jake what and who does he love, and Jake again tells David to shut up while threatening him with his gun. David continues by saying that its Jake whos the bitch, that he has always been someones bitch. This time around, Jake is Cyruss bitch. (Welp. How many people have pointed this out to him now?) David tells him then to go ahead and do what Daddy told him to do. He spreads his arms out wider and closes his eyes in wait for the moment a bullet is to pierce his body. Jake cocks the gun and points it at David for a long moment. David adds then that Jake has the option of trying on the white hat and see how it feels for the first time in his life. He says that Jake could decide to care about something for no other reason than because it is the right thing to do. Jake continues to hesitate, and when nothing seems forthcoming, David announces that he is grabbing his things. He carefully lowers himself enough to pick up the things that he dropped and then tells Jake that hes leaving. He says that Jake can go ahead and shoot him in the back if he so desires, that its kind of [his] thing. (Eek!) David then starts away from him and after a couple of steps, he turns around only to find that Jake has disappeared. Good on you, Rosen!! Later back at the White House, Jake is sitting in contemplation in his office when Cyrus comes to get an update on their David Rosen situation. Jake says that he went to see David, but then he offers nothing else. He instead says that he is going home. Cyrus switches positions so that he is directly in front of Jake, and he asks if Jake had handled their Rosen problem. Jake stands up to leave, and Cyrus grabs him by the arm, demanding an answer. Jake orders him to get his hand off of him, and Cyrus obliges before he asks why it is that Jake couldnt handle David. He reminds Jake that the committee makes their recommendation the following day, and if David is still the Attorney General when that happens, they are both finished. He asks Jake if this is what he wants, and Jake steps up to him then to say that he is a killer and that he would be able to kill David and not lose a wink of sleep. He tells Cyrus that he couldnt do what it is that he has done, that Cyrus thinks himself a killer, but he has never actually gotten his hands dirty. (Truth.) He states that without him, Cyrus is nothing but a whiny seal barking orders behind a desk. (Ouch.) Jake then tells him that until he has put a bullet in someones head or snapped someones neck while they breathe their last breath through your fingers, Cyrus isnt ever to question him. He then reiterates that he is going home and finally departs from his office. (Okay then.) Flash over to David and Abby lying in bed, and David is relaying to her what happened between he and Jake. He says that he never stands up to anyone because as a lawyer, he is always thinking about the legal ramifications of doing so would mean. He states that this time, standing up to Jake and being able to walk away from it felt good. Abby isnt giving him much attention, her thoughts on what is due to happen to her when the Committee issues their recommendation the next day. She asks David what time he thinks their answer will come, and he replies that he could have the recommendation by lunchtime. Abby tries to make light of the situation by asking by what time should she expect to be in prison after that. Recalling her earlier fear, David tells her that he will never leave her nor marry a nice Jewish girl named Jennifer. He says that he will wait for her for as long as it takes. (Awww) Just then, Davids phone starts to vibrate and he reaches over to the nightstand to pick it up. He reads the message on it, and when Abby asks him what its about, he replies that it is Cyrus and he wants to cut a deal. David hops right out of bed to go meet up with Cyrus. (Hmm.) Jumping forward a bit, David is now in Cyruss home. He is saying to Cyrus that he will enter the confession that he has prepared into the official record in the morning. David reads from the document, asking if Cyrus is prepared to admit to the hijacking and framed Mellie for the crime, and Cyrus says that he is...among other things. He then segues into asking David if he wants a drink. He invites him to have one with him, and David says that hed rather not. Cyrus coaxes him into accepting one by saying that this is the end of the road for him, and that David is going to have him arrested once their meeting is over. It is at this point that I was yelling at my television for David NOT TO DRINK WHATEVER CYRUS IS OFFERING!!! WHO GOES INTO THE PIT OF A SNAKE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT WITHOUT THE EXPECTATION OF GETTING BIT?! David Rosen, thats who. His acceptance of the drink was dismissive and he was admittedly focused on the task at hand, but come on Attorney General of the United States! Have you learned NOTHING hanging around Olivia and company?! As Cyrus pours out the drinks, he says to David that he isnt a bad person, and David replies that he wouldnt exactly call him a good person either. Cyrus then states that he never really understood the value of good people, finding them to just be people without goals, drive, will. He hands David his drink and they clink glasses together before David takes a sip and Cyrus reclaims his seat. The dark lord continues by saying that he may not be a good person, but that there is a reason to everything that he does. He states that some may find it to be sick and twisted, but his ploys are always thought out and never executed out of spite or malice. He is never hasty. He watches David closely as he adds that he himself is consistent and does what needs to be done. At this point, David is starting to sweat and he lets out a cough as Cyrus drones on about how he will do what other people are unwilling to do. He says that he is relentless in pursuit of the things that he wants and that he will not anyone stand in his way. With him being inches away for the Oval and being able to taste his dream, Cyrus informs David that he is standing in his way. David looks down into his cup then and realizes that he has been poisoned! Right as the glass drops out of Davids hand, Cyrus tells him that there are no hard feelings. David collapses onto the floor then and his grabbing at his throat as he struggles for breath! Cyrus watches the man struggle and looks to be distressed by what he is witnessing, and he momentarily turns away from a suffocating David. He then suddenly grabs one of the pillows on the sofa and presses it over Davids face!! David struggles for a bit, but it is all for naught. David I am the law, the law is me Rosen is dead. WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS, SHONDA?! WHYYYYYYYYYY? Of all the people you would kill off on this show, you choose to go with David Rosen?! How is he dead while Jake Ballard still walks among the living?! And Cyrus Rutherford Beene. Jaysus He finally did what he never could before and killed a person with his own two hands. I dont think that even he can believe what he had done. He pulls that pillow away from Davids face with some trepidation, and then he just stares at his prone body before he starts yelling for help. And he did this all because he wanted the power that came with being President of the United States? Wow. Im...wow. My eyes are hardcore struggling with the sweat right now, mayne. The Dark Cloud of Despair Next we see Abby, Quinn, Huck, and Olivia in the morgue. Abby is in a daze as she stands next to Davids body. Olivia looks shaken as she tells the others that it was concluded that David died of a heart attack. Huck says that this was the handiwork of Cyrus and Jake, and Olivia watches him close because his tone does not bode well for their attempt to remain squarely on the moral side of the fence. Quinn steps up to Olivia to rhetorically ask what David was doing at the Naval Observatory in the first place, stating that you dont just go meet up with the person that you are threatening to take down. (Hello!) Abby chimes in then to say that Cyrus told David that he wanted to cooperate, and that this was a trap. Everyone is stunned silent for a moment as that bit of information sinks in. Quinn then wonders aloud if this is it then, if this means that the monsters win. She asks what else is there for them to do, stating that Charlie is still imprisoned and the one good guy that was left is now dead. In grief, Quinn quotes a few of Davids favorite lines and Abby cuts her off to say that now is not the time to be saying such things. Olivia attempts to comfort her friend, but Abby warns her and the others to not look at or touch her. They all look down or away from her then as she tells them to not cry or she will start and wont be able to stop. She says that right then was the time for them to do something. They are to act now and cry later. After a beat, Huck says in a low voice that he will take care of it. Olivia quickly rejects this, telling him that no more blood is to be spilled. She says that with David gone, they are now the good guys, that they are the only white hats left. What a mess. Following the visit to the morgue, Quinn is seen at Rowans house. She is asking him to help her, Robin and Charlie disappear to parts unknown. She says that it doesnt matter where it is as long as it is far away from D.C. As she is talking, Rowan is busy packing up his own things. He then stops and turns to her to ask if she thinks him to be a travel agency, and she shushes him to keep his voice or hed risk waking the baby. Setting the child right outside of the living room, Quinn pleads once more with Rowan and he asks her if shes looking to have him risk his own freedom on her behalf. He tells her that she and Charlie would be the most wanted fugitives in the country. He says that if they find her and they following the trail, it will lead back to him. (Come on, Rowan. You know how to cover your tracks.) Quinn stresses that she is going to prison forever and asks if he really wants Robin to grow up without parents. Rowan tells her that she blindly and stupidly followed Olivia out of the trenches and into the firing line and that what happens to Quinn and her family because of it is not his responsibility. Rowan says that he is retired and is therefore responsible only to himself. I mean, he does have a point. Did none of them think through their decision to serve as witnesses in this B613 inquiry? Olivia throwing B613 into the light was done with the best of intentions, but the price of doing so is proving to be too high. What else is about to be lost? Rowan returns to packing up his belonging and Quinn makes one more attempt at trying to get through to him. She says that all she has and all that she is now is a parent. She tells him that she cant retire. Rowan stares at her for a long moment and then wishes her the best of luck. (Thats cold. Wasnt she your surrogate daughter for about 5 minutes?) Seeing that there was no help to be gotten from him, Quinn turns away and departs with her daughter. Elsewhere in D.C., Olivia is in her apartment pouring herself and Fitz some of the heavy stuff out into glasses. Fitz is casual as heck in jeans, a white tee and a gray sweater. He looks like hes been chilling on her sofa for some time. Olivia is in all black loungewear. She toasts to them losing, and Fitz rejects that, saying that Cyrus doesnt just get to walk away from all of this. Olivia says then that if David were still alive, he would have made sure that Cyrus didnt. She states that Cyrus has the Deputy Attorney General in his pocket, so that means that Mellie is going to be impeached, and that they are all going to jail. She adds that it also means that Cyrus will get the Oval. Fitz starts to say that they need to make sure that that conclusion doesnt happen, but Olivia is good and worked up now as she asks why it is that she even thought that she could fix any of this or fix anything at all. She says that her father was right, and that while Fitz believes her to always be right, she isnt. (Duh.) Unable to remain seated, Olivia gets up from the sofa with her drink. Fitz calmly calls out to her and points out that shes presently grieving and is therefore not thinking clearly, but Olivia tells him that her thoughts have never been more clear. She says that she didnt fix anything here, that all she did was make it worse. Fitz pushes back on this, stating that she has to know that she did the right thing in pursuing this strategy. At this point, he is now also standing. When he asks her to tell him that she knows that she did the right thing, Olivia tells him to stop saying that and then she asks of who even knows what is right. She says that she managed to take down everyone that she cares about and asks Fitz if he thinks that that was the right thing to do. Fitz starts to say that that isnt what happened, but Olivia cuts him off to say that she dragged everyone down with her, and again asks if this was the right thing to do. Fitz is finally able to get a whole sentence in as he exclaims that everyone did what they did on their own. Olivia then says that she destroyed a legacy that he spent a lifetime forging, and Fitz replies that that isnt on her, that he willingly joined up with her on this. Im going to pause here for a minute to say that I think the two of them are talking about different things here. Olivia seems to be talking about the negative impact that she has had on all of these peoples lives while Fitz is speaking only of the present situation. The woman is adamant about what she is saying, even as Fitz attempts to dissuade her from placing the blame for all that is happening on herself. With Fitz saying that he went over the cliff with her of his own volition, Olivia states that he didnt exactly have a choice (there is always a choice, Liv) and that he made a mistake for following her over into the abyss. Fitz asks how she could think this, and Olivia says that it is because she was the problem. And at this point, The Light starts to play and I lose whats left of my shit. Fitzgerald pulls back a bit from her then as what she has been saying this whole time dawns on him. Olivia grabs her drink and crosses to the other side of the living room to put some distance between them. She says that Fitz followed, relied on, and trusted her when she was the problem the whole time. It was me. Thats how its always been. Its been me. I realize that now. If this isnt the end of the AU (610), I dont know what is! Olivia Carolyn Pope has finally accepted that she has been her own problem all along and is openly admitting that. I think I heard a choir of angels singing somewhere in the background. This woman has been a master at deflecting blame for her own issues and choices during the course of this series, she often justifying her bad behavior by claiming that she did what she did in order to protect another or to give them that which they desired. Just think of what she has literally done to every single person that she cares about. And dont even get me started on how quickly shell blame someone else when shit hits the fan, especially relationship wise. Fitzgerald done be through it, yall! It is truly a marvel that this mofo is still around with his nose wide open. That mans a special breed. Speaking of which, back to the present. Fitz attempts one last time to argue against what she is saying, but Olivia stops him and tells him that before he goes further, she wants him to realize she is going to jail tomorrow and that this moment most likely will be the last time that they will ever be in the same room alone together. Because of this, she says that they have a choice to make: they can keep talking and having feelings or they can do.something else. Something else, you say? Now both of them are emotional AF because this really could be the last night that they get to spend together. (This also happens to be Kerry Washington and Tony Goldwyns last filmed scene together, so that fact probably bled into this moment as well.) Olivia offers feelings as option A and something else as option B, and asks Fitz which it is going to be. When he calls out for her, she again asks him which option he is going with. She then impatiently asks him over and over if hes opting for A or B, and when Fitz calls her name again, she yells for him to pick one. She is desperate for an answer at this point and starting to fall apart. This moment reminds me of the end of the AU after Fitz owns up to being the problem in their relationship and says that he still wants to be with her if shell still have him. Olivia had A and B choices then, too: she could divorce Fitz or she could commit fully to their marriage and get that house in Georgetown. Olivia had chosen option B. Back to the present, Olivia watches Fitz watch her as he takes his sweet time in deciding which he is going to go with. (Everyone knows which Fitzgerald is going to go with. Come on!) Finally, in response to her question, Fitz tells her to take off your clothes. Chile. Come through, call back to The Trail (106)! How apropos that this memorable line, which he said to her the first time they make love, is what he says here during what they believe will be their last time together. Quite the bookend. (Random other factoid is that that episode also happens to be the first one that Tom Verica ever directed of Scandal, and hes the director of this finale.) Olivia doesnt miss the significance of the line or the option he has chosen. She hurries over to him and kisses him. Hot, desperate, hungry kissing. This is the last time that well ever get to do this kissing. I love you so much I could die from these emotions type kissing. Olivia pulls away for a brief moment to look at him as if trying to seal this moment forever in her memory, and then theyre back at it. Clothes start getting pulled off...and then the scene ends. ENDS! WHAT THE FUG?! We havent had an Olitz sexy ALL GATDAMN SEASON and in the finale, in the ONE episode where you could have given it to me, you choose to cut it?! And THEN we learn (thanks to the live table read and a Twitter Q&A session with Verica) that the scene was actually longer and was everything that my Olitzer heart could have hoped and dreamed?! Yall aint right for this. And yall bet not hold out on us. Do yourselves a favor, Shonda and ABC, and release the bloody DVD with this finale extended. Yes, please, and thank you. Ill have 5 copies if you dont mind. The Sun Comes Out of Hiding The following morning, Rowan is packing up the last of his things at his workspace when a news report comes on announcing the death of David Rosen, who is said to have suffered a massive coronary at the home of Vice President Cyrus Beene. Rowan may have been facing the television, but he looked lost in his own thoughts over this latest development. Next we see Olivia coming awake in her bed. She takes a glance over her shoulder and sees that Fitz isnt next to her. Flashing ahead a bit, Olivia is now in dressed in a robe as she pads her way from her bedroom to the living room. There Fitz is speaking with someone on the phone. He is confused as to what he has just been told by the other person. When he ends the call, Fitz turns around to find Olivia standing a short distance away. She asks him if the Committee has made their recommendations, and Fitz replies that they hadnt, that theyve postponed their decision. Now it was Olivias turn to be taken aback, and she asks why the postponement, and Fitz says that the Committee apparently has a new witness! We soon see that the new witness is actually Rowan! This is one of my favorite scenes from this episode simply because Rowan is doing what Rowan does best. Also, he is finally stepping up and doing right by his child by following through on what she had asked of him earlier. Reston starts off by addressing him as Mr. Pope and Rowan interrupts to say that Eli Pope is a civilian and that he does not come to them as such. He states that the man before them now is Rowan, Command of B613. Reston offers a facetious apology before asking if his alias is his spy name. Some of the men on the committee openly chuckle as if Rowan is a bad joke someone told at a frat party. When Rowan replies to say that the alias is his kill name, the smile gets wiped off of those mens smug faces. Reston proceeds to ask by way of statement if Rowan was saying that he alone was responsible for B613, and Rowan says that what he said was that he built the organization from the ground up all on his own. He adds that he did this in response to a need, stating that he did so because of you. Reston mistakes this as Rowan referring to him specifically, but Rowan clarifies that he means all of them. He gestures to the all-male, all-white committee and says that B613 was created in response to the white men who are in charge, whose complacency and privilege left the nation in a state of neglect. He compares them to children who didnt appreciate their toys and left them out in the rain to decay. He tells them that he was not born with their privilege, so he was taught to respect the things that he had, to care for and nurture them, which he says he has done for the past 30 years. Ray Charles rendition of America the Beautiful begins to play as Reston asks Rowan if his version of nurturing includes engaging in terrorist activity, rigging elections, and assassinating of foreign leaders. Rowan simply answers, Yes. He then says that Reston had asked him if he alone was responsible for B613, and Rowan replies that he was not. He places the blame for the existence of B613 on them, stating that they bear that responsibility with their privilege. He tells them that what he is responsible for is every decision to go to war, every President sitting in office, every soldier brought home in a casket, every citizen who sleeps free and easy in their beds. He also claims the credit for keeping the stock market afloat and the countries shores at peace. He says that he is responsible for the fact that this nation still stands and that he wakes up every morning and makes America great. (Tell em, Rowan.even though I cant stand you most of the time!) Im lowkey mad (as in floored) by how Shonda turned B613s existence into possible commentary on the role that Black people have played in keeping the United States stable and moving in a forward direction. This could be another one of my reaches, but yall are just going to have to let me live. Reston says to Rowan that it sounds as if he wishes to have a parade in his honor, but Rowan says that he wants his face be on Mount Rushmore, a statue that would dwarf the Washington Monument, his name uttered by every American from sea to shining sea. He states that he wants to see the face of every white, complacent, privileged man who believes that he is in a position of power when he hears the news that a Black man has been running this country for the past 30 years, that he only wields his power because [Rowans] Black power allows him to. The committee members get to conferring with one another then, and seeing this, Rowan calls their attention back to him. He tells them that they need to give America someone on who to blame B613 on. He says that they need to give them Command, but that this doesnt mean that they need to give the people he himself. (Oh ho!) With them all staring at him in stunned silence, Rowan nods to himself in satisfaction. Game, set, match. These fools werent about to admit to the nation that a Black man has been running the country under all of their noses this whole time, and Rowan knew that as well as he knew that theyd take whatever alternative he offered them instead. Flash over to Mike of the BNC reporting that the Select Committee has stunningly confirmed the existence of B613 and revealed the identity of its commanding officer. As Olivia watches the breaking news report, a handcuffed Jake is seen being taken into custody by FBI agents. Mike reports that Jake is due in court to face allegations that he alone is responsible for the assassination of President Rashad and the attempted assassination of Cyrus Beene. Daaaaang. Rowan really came through on this one. This is how Jake goes out? He should have known better than to had threatened Olivias life the way he had in the last episode. Rowan probably played the detached, unconcerned old guy as some way to teach everybody a lesson, but he thankfully relented and committed one final (maybe?) act as Command. Given all that he said to the Committee and what we have seen of him in the past, we know that Rowan is dedicated to protecting the Republic no matter the cost, and since he cannot put the genie back in the bottle with regards to B613, he opted instead to stem the bleeding. Recall also that Rowan considers Olivia to be his personal republic (613), so he was going to protect her as well. She, after all, is his legacy. What he did here by having the Rashad assassination pinned on Jake and Jake alone is give the public what they want without completely sending the country into chaos. It took Olivia out of the equation altogether, ensuring that her future is not marred by the dark turn that she took and later tried to rectify. There likely wont even be a record that she ever served as Command, let alone knew about B613. Rowans name will probably be struck from the record as well. Having Jake be blamed for a hijacking that he had no hand in was another stabilizing tactic by Rowan. It absolved Mellie of any responsibility and left the publics perception of Cyrus in tact. No one need know that the Vice President plotted his own hijacking and then set up the President to take the blame for it so that he can slide into her seat. Who would have faith in their government after learning of such a thing?? By making this a B613 issue, the treasonous acts are neatly contained and the public made to believe that this is something that can be cut out like a cancerous tumor. Give the body some radiation and recovery will proceed. Rowans gambit also freed Charlie and gave the gladiators a second chance. He used his power this time to give his daughter what she wanted (and needed) in order to move forward, and in the process may have earned himself a second chance as well. With B613 exposed, Rowan was able to finally unlock the cage in which he has resided for 30+ years and step out into the light. In so doing, he granted himself and the country their freedom. America is now back in the hands of her people! I hope. Rowan did express a desire to retire Over at QPA, the gladiators are watching the breaking news report featuring Jakes arrest, and a relieved Quinn directs a suck it, Jake! at the television. (Ha!) She then turns to Abby to announce that their nightmare is over. Charlie is about to be free and they arent going to jail! She says that their entire testimony at the hearing is going to be redacted. Huck exclaims then that they are free! When Quinn states that finally the good guys win, Abby shakes her head at that and tearfully says that the good guy is dead. Abby breaks down into body wracking sobs then. (Aw, man) Next we hear a loud buzzer and the clanking over the closing of a cell door as the camera comes to focus on Jake Ballard. He is sitting on the cot in his cell and staring out at nothing in particular. The sound of approaching heeled footsteps draws his attention to the present and he looks out towards the bars holding him in right as Olivia appears. (Girl, why is you here?!) The two of them stare at each other a moment before Olivia remarks that the guard told her that Jake will be transferred in about an hour to the place hell call home for the rest of his life. Jake nods and says that hes going to the Supermax Federal Penitentiary in Illinois of all places. He states that he has spent his whole life trying to get out of the corn belt only to be sent right back there. When Olivia doesnt say anything to this, Jake asks her why she is there and tells her that she didnt have to come. (Thats what Im saying!) Olivia steps forward then and says that she wanted to show up for him one last time. She has tears in her eyes as she expresses regret with how things have turned out, stating that if she had let him stay on the island and hadnt made him return with her to D.C., if she had been able to let him go altogether, that maybe things would have been different for him. She adds that she made Jake step out of the sun, and then offers him an apology. (Wow.) Cue their dopey ass music. Olivia really has done some reflecting because even I can admit that this woman has treated this man like a garbage disposal. She should have done us all a favor and left him on that island. We wouldnt have had to been subjected to four seasons of the character being shoehorned into places that make no sense. This apology was necessary more so for Olivia than it was for Jake. In order for Liv to move forward, she has to come to terms with everything, including her ambiguous (and sometimes bizarre) relationship with Jake and the role she played in it. I do understand why Olivia feels terrible over what has become of him since much like she was for the gladiators, she was his leader (if you will) and she did have an obligation to do right by those who followed her. The fish rots from the head, right? That said, Olivia isnt why Jake is in prison now. No, that is squarely on Jake and the choices that he made. Please dont infantilize him and rob him of his own agency. Hes a grown ass man, and while Olivia may have led him to the stream, she didnt force him to drink. Jake tells Olivia that she need not be sorry. He says that he loved her, so she ought not to ever be sorry for that. (Girl, you really ought to be very sorry for that.) He continues by saying that he got something out of their relationship, that for a short time, he was someone good. Olivia says then that he isnt the only one who did things wrong, but that he is the only one losing his freedom. For this, she again apologizes. So Livvie, you aint going to try to fight to have him freed? No throwing of tantrums? I mean, him being behind bars while the rest of you go on with your lives isnt fair, is it? But here you are not tossing yourself into the fire in order to save him. This really is a new day. Jake says to Olivia then that prison is nothing, and then he goes on to paraphrase something that Rowan said to him in Dog Whistle Politics (504), in which Rowan states that power and freedom are never lost, he is always free and that nobody can cage him. Eyes shimmering with unshed tears, Olivia affirms that no one can cage Jake. She then briefly sets her hand on top of his before taking it away. Jake thanks her for showing up for him and Olivia bids him goodbye. Aww...some closure for fans of the ship with a Titanic sized hole in its side. It was a moment that brought with it some measure of peace for and resolution to both Olivia and Jake. They could have sacrificed a good half of this scene and given me all of the Olitz one, but whatevs. In a sense, Jake is going down as something of a hero, but not by his own choice. By him being the sacrificial lamb in this B613 fiasco, everyone else is allowed to live. Jake had long been that guy who desired to be a hero, so in a roundabout way, he finally got that. And the girl that he claims to have loved gets a chance to live her best life, as do the others. So thanks, Jake? I still wish you were dead. Flash over to Sally and she is reporting that the shadow government has been put to bed as has any talk of impeaching Mellie. In her typical Sally way, she prays that Mellie leads the country forward to a new day and that her enemies face the judgement of their maker in heaven.or in hell. (LOL!) Over at the White House, Cyrus steps into the Oval Office to find Olivia there alone. He is with a glass of alcohol. Olivia is dressed in this banging ass pristine white jacket that is paired up with a black top and slacks. (This white over black motif seems to be a theme the entire episode. A representation of Olivia striving for and doing good, though darkness still lingers on the inside?) He is one of the few remaining hurdles that she has to deal with. When Cyrus asks of Mellie, Olivia tells him that she is back to focusing on being the President, and then she motions for Cyrus to shut the door. He does as directed and comes further into the room. Olivia presents him with his resignation letter, which is to be effective immediately. Cyrus takes a moment before he says to her that he wasnt charged with anything, and Olivia agrees that this is true, but that his options here are to continue to fight and tarnish his reputation or he can sign the letter and enjoy whatever peace he can find. Girl, what?! After the stunt that he pulled AND the killing of David Rosen? Nah, bruh. Youd have to give this man a one way ticket to eternal damnation. It is in no way sufficient that Cyrus is given the option to walk away from this and only lose his job. David is dead, Jakes in jail, and this dude is free? Cyrus takes a seat on one of the sofas then and lets out a shaky breath before he asks Olivia if she can still enjoy a drink. Olivia is quick to say that she isnt having a drink with him (LMAO!), and Cyrus states that he isnt asking her to have drink with him, that he knows that she wouldnt after everything that has happened. (Ya think?) He goes on to say that a strong drink had always been the only way that he could calm his mind, stop the gears from turning, hold the darkness at bay. But now, he says, the drink has no effect. The things he successfully numbed with it are now immune from its effect. He relays that nothing can quiet these things now, guessing that even the presidency would fail to do the trick. Olivia stares at him with some an expression that looks like a cross between pity and horror. Is she seeing the display in front of her as what she could have ended up being if she hadnt pumped the brakes? Cyruss stuttering speech is having an effect on her if those tears in her eyes are any indication. (Lots of emotion from this woman all episode.) Cyrus asks her if she can still enjoy a drink, and when Olivia doesnt answer, he concludes that she can. To this, he says that he is glad for her. He proceeds to set his glass down on the table in front of him and approaches her. Olivia gives him the letter and a pen, and he signs off on the letter. Cyrus is in a daze as he momentarily sets a hand on Olivias wrist in a silent goodbye and then turns away to leave. His eyes fall on the seal on the carpet and he stands there for a while just staring at it. He then gives Olivia one last glance before leaving the Oval Office and the White House for good. Cyrus is but a shell of the man he used to be. He has taken a beating for years now, but he has finally done enough to destroy himself. He really thought he could killed and be unaffected by it, huh? Not everyone can kill and feel no remorse after it. Tried his hand at playing Jake Ballard, and his conscience wont stop screaming at him over it. Too bad, so sad. He shouldnt be roaming the streets, but given how hes meandering about, he just might do himself in. Later up on the Truman balcony, Olivia is sitting with Mellie, who says that they need to talk about what happens next. She asks how it is that they are to restore the publics trust in Americas institutions, and Olivia tells her that she is sure that Mellie will figure it out. She then gives Mellie a knowing look to which Mellie states that she was hoping that theyd work together on it. Olivia thanks her for the offer, but tells her no. (YESSSSS!!) Mellie is stunned as Olivia adds that she feels that she has spent more than enough time helping people clean up their messes. (Speak that, gurl!) Mellie says that this may be true, but that she needs her. Olivia counters by telling Mellie that she doesnt actually need her. She states that Mellie has always wanted to stand on her own and run the country in the way that she knows that it ought to be run, and she says that she wont be getting in the way of that. Good for you, Livvie!! Let go and let God. Olivia tells Mellie that she will be great and that she cant wait to watch Mellie do it. (Aww...thats sweet.) Still perplexed by Olivias decision, Mellie asks her former Chief of Staff what it is that she will do instead, and my juvenile mind says: Fitzgerald. Olivia doesnt appear to have thought that far ahead, giving a little shrug of uncertainty before saying with a liberating giddiness that she will do whatever she wants. Scandal and its parallels. Olivias response here harkens back to one that she gave when she surprised Fitz on this very balcony at the end of the S4 finale (422). He had asked her what happens now? and she had replied with whatever we want. Yes, please. Do whatever you want, Livvie! And far away from that White House. Stevie Wonders Future Sunny Days starts to play as we see Olivia strutting down Pennsylvania Avenue with a content look on her face. Shes in a white trench coat that is reminiscent of the one that she work in the pilot episode. Her Prada Saffiano is black. She pauses briefly to take one last look at the White House and then she continues on, not a regret in sight as she leaves the halls of (one form of) power behind. At this point in the episode, there are some flash forwards mixed in with present day. We see two girls walking through the National Portrait Gallery, and one of the areas that they go through features the portrait of George Washington, but they dont stop to admire it. They press forward. Next we see Charlie getting released from prison, and Quinn and Baby Robin are there to greet him. We then get a flash of Fitz having his portrait unveiled and the woman artist (yay, Fitz for going with a woman) has depicted the former President staring out of his favorite window. The bars of the window pane make him look as if he is in a prison, apropos for a man who had many a times considered the White House to be the crown-jewel of the American prison system (202). Next we see Mellie signing into law The American Assault Weapons Control Act of 2021 to much fanfare. (Olivia did succeed in fulfilling the promise that she made to Lonnie Mencken!) Standing behind Mellie are members of Congress and Marcus is one of them! Holy smokes, the brother done gotten an upgrade. Since hes from D.C., who is he representing, Maryland or Virginia? In any case, Mellie stands to take a photo with the group, and she shakes hands with Marcus while posing for the cameras. Their body language suggests that they are quite possibly still a thing. We next get flashed to Olivia lounging on the beach (401) before it is revealed that its merely Jake returning to his happy place as he relaxes on his cot in his prison cell. Its rather sad that his time on the island is the only bright spot in all of his life. Dream away, Jake. And goodbye. Olivia is seen having (presumably) Sunday dinner with her father. They appear to be on far better terms than they have been on it a long time. Id have rather Olivia had cut ties with the man, but he did come through for her and her family, so I guess he can get a chance to start over with his kid. She has longed for a better relationship with him, so have at it. Its 30 years overdue, but It would have been nice if Olivia had been able to mend things with her mother, but I guess Maya decided that Paris was a better option for her. Abby is seen visiting Davids grave and his headstone reads simply, David Rosen, Attorney General of the United States. (Hahaha! They ran with this AG thing all the way to the end, didnt they?) The camera pans out and we see that Abby is not alone, that she is visiting the grave with Huck. Huck fiddles with something in his hand a moment before he steps forward and sets it atop of the tombstone. Its a small rock. Abby soon follows suit and does the same thing. (The placing of a rock on the tombstone of a loved one is a Jewish custom. I love that they included this detail in the moment.) We get flashed back to the two girls at the National Portrait Gallery, and they have finally arrived at their destination. The oldest of the two (who is played by Shondas daughter Harper!) looks the portrait over with a critical eye and the younger girl stares as if mesmerized. Back we go to Olivia in present day and shes making her way across the street just as these lyrics to Stevies Scandal-exclusive jam (WHAT?!) are sung: 'Cause I've opened up my eyes Looked in the sun And felt the joy of being free Oh, yes, I threw away my fears Cried happy tears And told myself a new has just begun Olivia makes it to the other side of the street right as two black SUVs pull up to along the curb. Out of one of them pops Fitzgerald (!!!) and Olivia comes to a stop directly in front of him. And a voice inside me said It was time to get out my own way Fitz greets her with a Hi and Olivia returns it with an enthusiastic Hi of her own, and now Im mush because (1) this moment is happening out on the street and in full view of everybody, (2) the mutual Hi means that thangs are popping with Olitz (let me have this, people!), and (3) this one word said by these two particular characters is the last thing said ever on Scandal. So I've made my own decision My assignment here is done And I won't let your karma rain on my future sunny days With as often as his music has been featured on this show, I assume that Stevie Wonder is a fan of the show. I mean, who goes out of their way to write a song specifically and with this exact context for the series finale if they arent a gladiator?! While Olivia and Fitz standing out in the open is not the final scene of the episode, it is the last one to feature any of the cast. The final scene belongs to those two girls in the gallery, and we finally see the portrait that they are looking at. Its of Olivia Pope! WHAAAAAAT?? tweet from Shonda, she had already made a note to have this scene happen only to have an identical moment happen in real life when a little girl was captured staring at the portrait of Michelle Obama the very next day. If that isn't some crazy type of coinkadink. Is this a case of art mimicking life or life mimicking art? Per a, she had already made a note to have this scene happen only to have an identical moment happen in real life when a little girl was captured staring at thethe very next day. If that isn't some crazy type of coinkadink. As for Olivia's portrait, it is absolutely stunning. Its Olivia as we have never seen her before. She is featured without her trademark tailored armor and straightened hair. Instead, she stands as regal as a queen with her hair in its natural curly state and she dressed in this billowing gorgeous blue skirt and simple white blouse. Her belt is red and she has on a bangle that looks like it is Africa-inspired. She is feminine, fierce, fearless. Her image is overlaid with the Constitution, which is a rather ironic inclusion, given that the founders hadnt considered those who looked like Olivia to be full human when this was written. To top it off, this document only applied to men. If you were black? Forget it. If you were black and a woman? Just ghost yourself, sis. Taking into account Olivias attire, one can say that she is representative of America herself. It is within the wombs of and upon the backs of enslaved black women that this nation came to be, so Olivia making it into the highest echelons of a country that has yet to value her as a person is monumental. It is as significant as her rejecting the power structure that had been crafted by and for white man specifically. There is a free contentment and easy confidence that Olivia exudes in this portrait that had not been seen with her at any point in the entire course of the series. Some have speculated that her presence in the Gallery signifies that she becomes President in the future, but I dont get that vibe at all. Sure, her portrait hangs alongside those of past presidents, but the Gallery features persons who have made significant contributions to the nation, and in this regard, Olivia more than qualifies. Ill just leave it at that. Shonda clearly intended for us to draw our own conclusions, and here you have mine. Im content with how this wrapped up, even though I wish that there was more time to address a number of loose ends, but more time still wouldnt have been sufficient. Its never easy saying goodbye, but this is me signing off. It has been an immense honor and privilege to have served as your Scandal recap-reviewer over these past three seasons. I am thankful that a significant number of you joined me on this ride and shared in the ups and downs of this unforgettable show together. You have enriched me in immeasurable ways. I will miss all of your insightful comments and lively conversation. Mucho thanks to SpoilerTV for giving me the opportunity to ramble on to my hearts content about a show that I fell in love with 6 years ago. You accorded me a small piece of real estate in your world, and I hope that I did my time here justice. You have my eternal gratitude. You know the drill, folks. This is the conclusion of the recap-review of Scandal episode 718! Whoo hoo!! (Mama, I made it!) Share your likes and dislikes about the finale in the comments section below. Indicate what you wish you had gotten closure on or what you (or someone you know) will do to flesh out certain plot points via fanfiction! (Dont front. I know yall read em.) You also can hit me up on Twitter with your thoughts. 8th January 2019 - Project Shelved I hear S.J. Clarkson was recruited by HBO for Game of Thrones prequel after she recently became available. Earlier this year, Clarkson was the first female director to be tapped to direct a Star Trek movie when she was hired to helm the fourth feature in the current series. That project has since been shelved. Source: Deadline I hear S.J. Clarkson was recruited by HBO for Game of Thrones prequel after she recently became available. Earlier this year, Clarkson was the first female director to be tapped to direct a Star Trek movie when she was hired to helm the fourth feature in the current series. That project has since been shelved. 10th August 2018 - Chris Pine & Chris Hemsworth's Star Trek Universe Future in Doubt as Talks Fall Through Chris Pine and Chris Hemsworth were in negotiations to star in Star Trek 4 but sources say that talks between the two actors and the companies making the new installment, Paramount Pictures and Skydance Media, have fallen apart, with both sides walking away from the table. Dealmaking with other returning castmembers including Zoe Saldana, Zachary Quinto, Karl Urban, Simon Pegg and John Cho was expected to follow. The deal points came down to the usual suspect: money. Pine and Hemsworth, among Hollywoods A-list when starring in DC or Marvel movies, are said to be asking the studios to stick to existing deals. Paramount, according to insiders, contends that Trek is not like a Marvel or Star Wars movie and is trying to hold the line on a budget. The actors, according to sources, insist they have deals in place and that the studios are reneging on them, forcing them to take pay cuts as they try to budget a movie that is following a mediocre performer. Source: Read More on The Hollywood Reporter Chris Pine and Chris Hemsworth were in negotiations to star in Star Trek 4 but sources say that talks between the two actors and the companies making the new installment, Paramount Pictures and Skydance Media, have fallen apart, with both sides walking away from the table.Dealmaking with other returning castmembers including Zoe Saldana, Zachary Quinto, Karl Urban, Simon Pegg and John Cho was expected to follow.The deal points came down to the usual suspect: money. Pine and Hemsworth, among Hollywoods A-list when starring in DC or Marvel movies, are said to be asking the studios to stick to existing deals. Paramount, according to insiders, contends that Trek is not like a Marvel or Star Wars movie and is trying to hold the line on a budget.The actors, according to sources, insist they have deals in place and that the studios are reneging on them, forcing them to take pay cuts as they try to budget a movie that is following a mediocre performer. 12th July 2018 - Danai Gurira Circling Role Sources say Danai Gurira (Black Panther, The Walking Dead) is also circling the next Star Trek film at Paramount, the one that brought on S.J. Clarkson to become the first woman to helm a film in the vaunted Trek series. She directed the David Hare-scripted Collateral with Carey Mulligan starring for Netflix. Source: Deadline Sources say Danai Gurira (Black Panther, The Walking Dead) is also circling the next Star Trek film at Paramount, the one that brought on S.J. Clarkson to become the first woman to helm a film in the vaunted Trek series. She directed the David Hare-scripted Collateral with Carey Mulligan starring for Netflix. 26th April 2018 - S.J. Clarkson in Talks to Direct Sources tell The Hollywood Reporter that Paramount is deep in the hunt for a female director, a mandate that comes from the top, to helm Star Trek 4, the new installment of the rebooted film series that stars Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto. S.J. Clarkson, the woman who directed the pilot for Netflixs acclaimed Marvel-based series Jessica Jones, is in talks to helm the new installment. The studio does not have acting deals with the castmembers, which also include Simon Pegg, John Cho, Zoe Saldana and Karl Urban. Fresh contracts would have to be drawn up, making the project pricey, but Star Trek is a crown jewel for Paramount. Source: The Hollywood Reporter Sources tell The Hollywood Reporter that Paramount is deep in the hunt for a female director, a mandate that comes from the top, to helm Star Trek 4, the new installment of the rebooted film series that stars Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto.S.J. Clarkson, the woman who directed the pilot for Netflixs acclaimed Marvel-based series Jessica Jones, is in talks to helm the new installment.The studio does not have acting deals with the castmembers, which also include Simon Pegg, John Cho, Zoe Saldana and Karl Urban. Fresh contracts would have to be drawn up, making the project pricey, but Star Trek is a crown jewel for Paramount. While details on Star Trek 4 are vague, sources say a key plot point sees Pines character running into his father (Hemsworth) in a time travel ploy. Source: Variety Paramount Pictures announced at CinemaCon in Las Vegas that the studio was planning a fourth movie with Chris Hemsworth, who appeared as Chris Pines father in 2009s Star Trek. Zachary Quinto is also set to return. Paramount is developing another Star Trek film from J.J. Abrams and Quentin Tarantino, but sources say it is still being written and would come after the fourth movie.While details on Star Trek 4 are vague, sources say a key plot point sees Pines character running into his father (Hemsworth) in a time travel ploy. 19th July 2016 - J.J. Abrams Won't Re-Cast Anton Yelchin's Role I would say theres no replacing him, Abrams told the Toronto Sun. Theres no recasting. I cant possibly imagine that, and I think Anton deserves better. The late Anton Yelchin, who died June 19 in a freak accident, had played the Chekov character in the three reboots. The third film in the revamped franchise premieres on Wednesday at Comic-Con in San Diego and opens in theaters on Friday. Abrams told the newspaper he could not disclose if the next Star Trek film would include the death of Chekovs character. I have thought about it, were working on it, and its too early to talk about it, he said. Source: Variety I would say theres no replacing him, Abrams told the Toronto Sun. Theres no recasting. I cant possibly imagine that, and I think Anton deserves better.The late Anton Yelchin, who died June 19 in a freak accident, had played the Chekov character in the three reboots. The third film in the revamped franchise premieres on Wednesday at Comic-Con in San Diego and opens in theaters on Friday.Abrams told the newspaper he could not disclose if the next Star Trek film would include the death of Chekovs character. I have thought about it, were working on it, and its too early to talk about it, he said. 7th May 2018 MOVIES: Sherlock Holmes 3 - Releasing Christmas 2020 Warner Bros. has just made it official that theyre releasing Sherlock Holmes 3 on Dec. 25, 2020. Robert Downey Jr. has been talking about a threequel in the press and the project is bound to happen with Jude Law also returning. No word yet on whether Guy Ritchie is set to return as director. Chris Brancato is credited as screenwriter with Joel Silver, Susan Downey and Lionel Wigram returning as producers. Source: Deadline Warner Bros. has just made it official that theyre releasing Sherlock Holmes 3 on Dec. 25, 2020.Robert Downey Jr. has been talking about a threequel in the press and the project is bound to happen with Jude Law also returning. No word yet on whether Guy Ritchie is set to return as director.Chris Brancato is credited as screenwriter with Joel Silver, Susan Downey and Lionel Wigram returning as producers. MOVIES: Adrift - Final Trailer feat Shailene Woodley & Sam Claflin Big Little Lies - Season 2 - Poorna Jagannathan to Recur Gypsy and The Night Of alumna Poorna Jagannathan is set for a recurring role in the second season of HBOs Emmy-winning limited series Big Little Lies. Jagannathan will play Katie Richmond, a new character. Source: Deadline Gypsy and The Night Of alumna Poorna Jagannathan is set for a recurring role in the second season of HBOs Emmy-winning limited series Big Little Lies.Jagannathan will play Katie Richmond, a new character. MOVIES: Bright 2 - Evan Spiliotopoulos to Pen Script for Netflix Sequel Netflixs sequel to Bright, the digital streamers Will Smith-starring action fantasy, is moving ahead with a new writer. Evan Spiliotopoulos, who worked on Disney's live-action Beauty and the Beast as well as the Snow White-centric fantasy The Huntsman: Winter's War, has been tapped to pen the script for the followup, which will once again be directed by Ayer. Source: The Hollywood Reporter Netflixs sequel to Bright, the digital streamers Will Smith-starring action fantasy, is moving ahead with a new writer.Evan Spiliotopoulos, who worked on Disney's live-action Beauty and the Beast as well as the Snow White-centric fantasy The Huntsman: Winter's War, has been tapped to pen the script for the followup, which will once again be directed by Ayer. MOVIES: The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard - The Hitman's Bodyguard Sequel Announced Millennium Films is lining up further assassination hijinks with a sequel to its 2017 hit The Hitman's Bodyguard. Titled The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard, the film is being touted on posters in Cannes, alongside other major franchise titles "coming soon" from the action specialists, including Angel Has Fallen, The Expendables 4, Rambo V and Mechanic 3. While no script is yet available, The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard is described in the Cannes market catalog as "The Good. The Bad. And the Batshit cray." Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L. Jackson are believed to be reprising their roles, although the casting hasn't been confirmed, while Patrick Hughes is thought to be returning to the director's chair. Source: The Hollywood Reporter Millennium Films is lining up further assassination hijinks with a sequel to its 2017 hit The Hitman's Bodyguard.Titled The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard, the film is being touted on posters in Cannes, alongside other major franchise titles "coming soon" from the action specialists, including Angel Has Fallen, The Expendables 4, Rambo V and Mechanic 3.While no script is yet available, The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard is described in the Cannes market catalog as "The Good. The Bad. And the Batshit cray." Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L. Jackson are believed to be reprising their roles, although the casting hasn't been confirmed, while Patrick Hughes is thought to be returning to the director's chair. Final Space - Renewed for a 2nd Season by TBS Thanks to Nao for the heads up. TBS Renews Epic Space Romp "Final Space" for Second Season Network's Youngest-Skewing Original Series Has Reached More Than 20 Million Viewers Chookity Pok! TBS has renewed its original animated series Final Space for a second season. Born from a seven-minute pilot created by "Tennessee wonder child" Olan Rogers, the intergalactic space saga is TBS' youngest- skewing original series to debut on the network, reaching more than 20 million viewers across TBS' linear, VOD and digital platforms. The series pick-up is the latest in a string of renewals for the network, which saw every original series renewed for additional seasons in the last year. Final Space is created by Olan Rogers, an independent filmmaker, actor, comedian and entrepreneur with close to a million YouTube subscribers. Rogers starred in season one alongside Fred Armisen, Tom Kenny, David Tennant, Tika Sumpter, Steven Yeun and Coty Galloway. Rogers and David Sacks are writers and executive producers for the TBS original, which is produced by Conan O'Brien's Conaco, New Form and in association with Turner's Studio T. Source: TBS Network's Youngest-Skewing Original Series Has Reached More Than 20 Million ViewersChookity Pok! TBS has renewed its original animated series Final Space for a second season. Born from a seven-minute pilot created by "Tennessee wonder child" Olan Rogers, the intergalactic space saga is TBS' youngest- skewing original series to debut on the network, reaching more than 20 million viewers across TBS' linear, VOD and digital platforms. The series pick-up is the latest in a string of renewals for the network, which saw every original series renewed for additional seasons in the last year.Final Space is created by Olan Rogers, an independent filmmaker, actor, comedian and entrepreneur with close to a million YouTube subscribers. Rogers starred in season one alongside Fred Armisen, Tom Kenny, David Tennant, Tika Sumpter, Steven Yeun and Coty Galloway. Rogers and David Sacks are writers and executive producers for the TBS original, which is produced by Conan O'Brien's Conaco, New Form and in association with Turner's Studio T. Unapologetic with Aisha Tyler - Dietland Aftershow Announced by AMC AMC GREENLIGHTS "DIETLAND" COMPANION TALK SHOW, "UNAPOLOGETIC WITH AISHA TYLER" Series Airs Mondays Beginning June 4, Immediately Following Episodes of New Original Series "Dietland" NEW YORK, NY - May 7, 2018 -- AMC announced today that it has greenlit a "Dietland" companion talk show, "Unapologetic with Aisha Tyler." Produced for AMC by Embassy Row ("Talking Dead," "Beyond Stranger Things," "Watch What Happens Live"), the unscripted series hosted by Tyler ("Criminal Minds," "Archer") will air live on Mondays beginning June 4, immediately following episodes of AMC's new original series "Dietland." The first episode of "Unapologetic with Aisha Tyler" will air on Monday, June 4 at 11:00 pm after two back-to-back episodes of "Dietland," and will then move to its regular weekly timeslot of 10:00 pm ET the following week. Unlike a conventional after show confined to the companion series itself, "Unapologetic" will feature Tyler leading a topical discussion around the broader, female-centric issues and themes that "Dietland" explores. Tyler will be talking with celebrity fans, series actors and producers, as well as relevant journalists, writers, comedians and other tastemakers. Embassy Row's Michael Davies and Amanda McPhillips serve as executive producers. "'Dietland' is an incredibly well-timed series that focuses on a multitude of critical issues facing women today. We know 'Dietland' will be a launchpad for conversation and this companion series makes room for these important discussions to happen," said David Madden, president of original programming for AMC, SundanceTV and AMC Studios. "We couldn't be happier to have the extraordinarily smart and talented Aisha Tyler leading the conversation for this series, which will be topical, issue-oriented, unfiltered and funny, just like its scripted sibling." "The issues of identity, sexuality, body image and self-actualization raised in 'Dietland' are more urgent than ever. Our dynamic, rapidly evolving cultural climate demands a frank, no-holds-barred exchange about the ideas and questions raised by the book and series, and the real-world events and issues women face every day. I'm looking forward to expanding the #metoo conversation in funny, honest and engaging ways. It's about time," said Tyler. Based on Sarai Walker's 2015 best-selling, critically acclaimed novel of the same name, "Dietland" is a wickedly funny and extraordinarily timed satire about Plum Kettle, a ghost-writer for the editor of one of New York's hottest fashion magazines. Struggling with self-image and fed up with how she's treated by her boss and society, Plum sets out on a wildly complicated road to self-awakening. At the same time, everyone is buzzing over news reports about men, accused of sexual abuse and assault, who are disappearing and meeting untimely, violent deaths. Plum finds herself in the middle of two warring factions - one sisterhood who may be responsible for the attacks on male harassers, and the other which preaches female empowerment. She straddles these two groups, trying to make sense of the changing world and her part in it. The series stars Joy Nash ("The Mindy Project," "Twin Peaks") as Plum Kettle, and Golden Globe(R) and Emmy(R) Award-winner Julianna Margulies ("The Good Wife," "ER") as Kitty Montgomery. Marti Noxon ("Mad Men," "UnREAL,") serves as executive producer, writer, showrunner and directs multiple episodes on the series. Source: AMC Series Airs Mondays Beginning June 4, Immediately Following Episodes of New Original Series "Dietland"NEW YORK, NY - May 7, 2018 -- AMC announced today that it has greenlit a "Dietland" companion talk show, "Unapologetic with Aisha Tyler." Produced for AMC by Embassy Row ("Talking Dead," "Beyond Stranger Things," "Watch What Happens Live"), the unscripted series hosted by Tyler ("Criminal Minds," "Archer") will air live on Mondays beginning June 4, immediately following episodes of AMC's new original series "Dietland." The first episode of "Unapologetic with Aisha Tyler" will air on Monday, June 4 at 11:00 pm after two back-to-back episodes of "Dietland," and will then move to its regular weekly timeslot of 10:00 pm ET the following week. Unlike a conventional after show confined to the companion series itself, "Unapologetic" will feature Tyler leading a topical discussion around the broader, female-centric issues and themes that "Dietland" explores. Tyler will be talking with celebrity fans, series actors and producers, as well as relevant journalists, writers, comedians and other tastemakers. Embassy Row's Michael Davies and Amanda McPhillips serve as executive producers."'Dietland' is an incredibly well-timed series that focuses on a multitude of critical issues facing women today. We know 'Dietland' will be a launchpad for conversation and this companion series makes room for these important discussions to happen," said David Madden, president of original programming for AMC, SundanceTV and AMC Studios. "We couldn't be happier to have the extraordinarily smart and talented Aisha Tyler leading the conversation for this series, which will be topical, issue-oriented, unfiltered and funny, just like its scripted sibling.""The issues of identity, sexuality, body image and self-actualization raised in 'Dietland' are more urgent than ever. Our dynamic, rapidly evolving cultural climate demands a frank, no-holds-barred exchange about the ideas and questions raised by the book and series, and the real-world events and issues women face every day. I'm looking forward to expanding the #metoo conversation in funny, honest and engaging ways. It's about time," said Tyler.Based on Sarai Walker's 2015 best-selling, critically acclaimed novel of the same name, "Dietland" is a wickedly funny and extraordinarily timed satire about Plum Kettle, a ghost-writer for the editor of one of New York's hottest fashion magazines. Struggling with self-image and fed up with how she's treated by her boss and society, Plum sets out on a wildly complicated road to self-awakening. At the same time, everyone is buzzing over news reports about men, accused of sexual abuse and assault, who are disappearing and meeting untimely, violent deaths. Plum finds herself in the middle of two warring factions - one sisterhood who may be responsible for the attacks on male harassers, and the other which preaches female empowerment. She straddles these two groups, trying to make sense of the changing world and her part in it.The series stars Joy Nash ("The Mindy Project," "Twin Peaks") as Plum Kettle, and Golden Globe(R) and Emmy(R) Award-winner Julianna Margulies ("The Good Wife," "ER") as Kitty Montgomery. Marti Noxon ("Mad Men," "UnREAL,") serves as executive producer, writer, showrunner and directs multiple episodes on the series. MOVIES: Peter Rabbit 2 - Sequel Announced; Coming 2020 Peter Rabbit will be up to old tricks again, and hopefully bring more lettuce, for Sony Pictures. Off the surprise success of the CG/live-action hybrid, Sony has announced its intent to make a sequel, dating the next installment for Feb. 7, 2020. The movie will open March 27, 2020 in the United Kingdom. Will Gluck, who directed the first movie, will return to write and direct the sequel. The movie, which saw James Corden voice the popular character from the Beatrix Potter books and also starred Domhnall Gleeson, proved to be an under-the-radar hit when it was released Feb. 8. The movie grossed $115 million in the U.S. and is, per Sony, the studios biggest ever non-James Bond film in the UK, with a $55.7 million cume in that country, where it held the number one spot for four weeks in a row. It grossed $325 million worldwide. The movie went after the same audience as Paddington 2, another CG/live-action movie that was based on an iconic British literary property. Paddington 2 has a 100 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes while Rabbit a 62 percent, but, as Sony boasted in its announcement, Rabbit surpassed the lifetime goal of both Paddington movies. (Despite universal acclaim, Paddington 2 made only $40 million in the US, and $225 million worldwide.) Source: The Hollywood Reporter Peter Rabbit will be up to old tricks again, and hopefully bring more lettuce, for Sony Pictures.Off the surprise success of the CG/live-action hybrid, Sony has announced its intent to make a sequel, dating the next installment for Feb. 7, 2020. The movie will open March 27, 2020 in the United Kingdom. Will Gluck, who directed the first movie, will return to write and direct the sequel.The movie, which saw James Corden voice the popular character from the Beatrix Potter books and also starred Domhnall Gleeson, proved to be an under-the-radar hit when it was released Feb. 8.The movie grossed $115 million in the U.S. and is, per Sony, the studios biggest ever non-James Bond film in the UK, with a $55.7 million cume in that country, where it held the number one spot for four weeks in a row. It grossed $325 million worldwide.The movie went after the same audience as Paddington 2, another CG/live-action movie that was based on an iconic British literary property. Paddington 2 has a 100 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes while Rabbit a 62 percent, but, as Sony boasted in its announcement, Rabbit surpassed the lifetime goal of both Paddington movies. (Despite universal acclaim, Paddington 2 made only $40 million in the US, and $225 million worldwide.) NCIS - Season 16 - David McCallum Returning NCIS veteran David McCallum has closed a deal to return to the venerable CBS drama series next fall for its recently ordered 16th season. With Pauley Perrette leaving the crime procedural at the end of the current fifteenth season, McCallum and NCIS star Mark Harmon are now the only remaining original cast members. Both are set to come back next season; Harmons new contract sealed NCIS Season 16 renewal last month. With the exception of Perrette, all NCIS cast members are expected to continue. Source: Deadline NCIS veteran David McCallum has closed a deal to return to the venerable CBS drama series next fall for its recently ordered 16th season. With Pauley Perrette leaving the crime procedural at the end of the current fifteenth season, McCallum and NCIS star Mark Harmon are now the only remaining original cast members. Both are set to come back next season; Harmons new contract sealed NCIS Season 16 renewal last month. With the exception of Perrette, all NCIS cast members are expected to continue. Arrested Development - Season 5 - Jeffrey Tambor to Appear Despite the swirl of harassment allegations against him, actor Jeffrey Tambor will appear in the upcoming fifth season of Arrested Development, Variety has learned. A Netflix spokesperson confirmed the news about Arrested, which is set to return to the streaming service later this month. Source: Variety Despite the swirl of harassment allegations against him, actor Jeffrey Tambor will appear in the upcoming fifth season of Arrested Development, Variety has learned. A Netflix spokesperson confirmed the news about Arrested, which is set to return to the streaming service later this month. Younger - Season 5 - Laura Benanti to Guest in 2 Episodes Tony Award winner Laura Benanti, currently a series regular on TBS The Detour, will appear in two episodes of the TV Land comedys upcoming season, playing a self-made billionaire named Quinn, TVLine has learned. The character, whos slated to be introduced in August, pitches a book to Millennial on her every-woman-for-herself approach to business. Source: TVLine Tony Award winner Laura Benanti, currently a series regular on TBS The Detour, will appear in two episodes of the TV Land comedys upcoming season, playing a self-made billionaire named Quinn, TVLine has learned. The character, whos slated to be introduced in August, pitches a book to Millennial on her every-woman-for-herself approach to business. MOVIES: Descendants 3 - Jamal Sims & Jadah Marie Join Cast as The Princess and the Frog's Dr. Facilier and His Daughter Thanks to Alex for the heads up. The Disney Channel Original Movie is going to New Orleans for some new faces for its third outing, bringing aboard The Princess and the Frogs voodoo villain Dr. Facilier and his daughter Celia, EW can exclusively reveal. Newcomer Jadah Marie will play Celia, while Jamal Sims joins the cast as Facilier. Sims also already serves as choreographer on Descendants 3, working with executive producer and director Kenny Ortega. Source: Entertainment Weekly The Disney Channel Original Movie is going to New Orleans for some new faces for its third outing, bringing aboard The Princess and the Frogs voodoo villain Dr. Facilier and his daughter Celia, EW can exclusively reveal. Newcomer Jadah Marie will play Celia, while Jamal Sims joins the cast as Facilier. Sims also already serves as choreographer on Descendants 3, working with executive producer and director Kenny Ortega. American Woman Trailer Lovecraft Country - Wunmi Mosaku Joins HBO Series Wunmi Mosaku (Kiri) is set as a lead opposite Jonathan Majors and Jurnee Smollett-Bell in HBOs high-profile straight-to-series drama Lovecraft Country, from Oscar winner Jordan Peele and his Monkeypaw Productions, J.J. Abrams Bad Robot, Misha Green and Warner Bros Television. Penned by Green based on the 2016 novel by Matt Ruff, Lovecraft Country follows Atticus Black (Majors) as he joins up with his friend Letitia (Smollett-Bell) and his Uncle George to embark on a road trip across 1950s Jim Crow America in search of his missing father. Thus begins a struggle to survive and overcome both the racist terrors of white America and the terrifying monsters that could be ripped from a Lovecraft paperback. Mosaku will play Rudy Dandridge, a hustler just like her half-sister Leticia, only her hustles havent paid off. Her family ties are tested when shes presented with an offer she cant refuse. Source: Deadline Wunmi Mosaku (Kiri) is set as a lead opposite Jonathan Majors and Jurnee Smollett-Bell in HBOs high-profile straight-to-series drama Lovecraft Country, from Oscar winner Jordan Peele and his Monkeypaw Productions, J.J. Abrams Bad Robot, Misha Green and Warner Bros Television.Penned by Green based on the 2016 novel by Matt Ruff, Lovecraft Country follows Atticus Black (Majors) as he joins up with his friend Letitia (Smollett-Bell) and his Uncle George to embark on a road trip across 1950s Jim Crow America in search of his missing father. Thus begins a struggle to survive and overcome both the racist terrors of white America and the terrifying monsters that could be ripped from a Lovecraft paperback.Mosaku will play Rudy Dandridge, a hustler just like her half-sister Leticia, only her hustles havent paid off. Her family ties are tested when shes presented with an offer she cant refuse. MOVIES: Robin Hood - Teaser Trailer Starring Taron Egerton, Jamie Foxx, Jamie Dornan DC Reveals Logos & Streaming Service Name "DC Universe" MOVIES: A Simple Favor - Teaser Trailer feat Anna Kendrick & Blake Lively MOVIES: Dora the Explorer - Isabela Moner to Star in Live-Action Adaptation Paramount Players has announced that Isabela Moner will star in the title role of their live-action feature Dora the Explorer based on the long-running hit Nickelodeon animated series. Pic will follow Dora as a teenager accompanied by her best friend, the monkey Boots, and her cousin Diego on an adventure. James Bobin is set to direct from a script by Nick Stoller and Danielle Sanchez-Witzel for a release on Aug. 2, 2019. We are thrilled to have found our Dora in Isabela, said Brian Robbins, President of Paramount Players in a statement. Dora has long been a celebrated, strong heroine in animated television, and like Dora, Isabela has an incredible spirit and is an advocate for positive values. With our partners at Nickelodeon, we look forward to continuing Doras story for generations to come. Added Moner: Im honored and excited to bring Dora to life. I grew up watching the show, and for me, especially as a Latina, Dora was an amazing role model she is a strong, adventurous and fun-loving girl. I cant wait to put on the backpack and begin her next adventure! Source: Deadline Paramount Players has announced that Isabela Moner will star in the title role of their live-action feature Dora the Explorer based on the long-running hit Nickelodeon animated series. Pic will follow Dora as a teenager accompanied by her best friend, the monkey Boots, and her cousin Diego on an adventure. James Bobin is set to direct from a script by Nick Stoller and Danielle Sanchez-Witzel for a release on Aug. 2, 2019.We are thrilled to have found our Dora in Isabela, said Brian Robbins, President of Paramount Players in a statement. Dora has long been a celebrated, strong heroine in animated television, and like Dora, Isabela has an incredible spirit and is an advocate for positive values. With our partners at Nickelodeon, we look forward to continuing Doras story for generations to come.Added Moner: Im honored and excited to bring Dora to life. I grew up watching the show, and for me, especially as a Latina, Dora was an amazing role model she is a strong, adventurous and fun-loving girl. I cant wait to put on the backpack and begin her next adventure! Are You Sleeping - Thriller Drama Starring Octavia Spencer Ordered to Series by Apple Thanks to Ron for the heads up. Apple has given a 10-episode series order to Are You Sleeping, a thriller drama starring Oscar winner Octavia Spencer (The Help, Hidden Figures), which hails from Reese Witherspoons Hello Sunshine and the scripted drama venture of Peter Chernins Chernin Entertainment and Endeavor Content. Are You Sleeping, created and written by Nichelle Tramble Spellman (The Good Wife, Justified) based on true-crime novel by Kathleen Barber, had originally been put in development at Apples video programming unit. It is the first project bought by Apple to be developed for straight-to-series consideration to get a green light. Are You Sleeping provides a unique glimpse into Americas obsession with true-crime podcasts and challenges its viewers to consider the consequences when the pursuit of justice is placed on a public stage. Sarah Koenig, host, creator and producer of the true-crime podcast phenomenon Serial, whose breakout success helped fuel that obsession, will consult on the series. Source: Deadline Apple has given a 10-episode series order to Are You Sleeping, a thriller drama starring Oscar winner Octavia Spencer (The Help, Hidden Figures), which hails from Reese Witherspoons Hello Sunshine and the scripted drama venture of Peter Chernins Chernin Entertainment and Endeavor Content.Are You Sleeping, created and written by Nichelle Tramble Spellman (The Good Wife, Justified) based on true-crime novel by Kathleen Barber, had originally been put in development at Apples video programming unit. It is the first project bought by Apple to be developed for straight-to-series consideration to get a green light.Are You Sleeping provides a unique glimpse into Americas obsession with true-crime podcasts and challenges its viewers to consider the consequences when the pursuit of justice is placed on a public stage. Sarah Koenig, host, creator and producer of the true-crime podcast phenomenon Serial, whose breakout success helped fuel that obsession, will consult on the series. MOVIES: Ibiza - Trailer feat Gillian Jacobs, Richard Madden, Vanessa Bayer & More MOVIES: The Kissing Booth - Trailer fear Joey King MOVIES: Happy Death Day 2 - Jessica Rothe, Israel Broussard Returning; Suraj Sharma & Sarah Yarkin Join Sequel EXCLUSIVE: While its been inevitable that Blumhouse would go forward with Happy Death Day 2 after the first installment raked in close to $123M worldwide, casting is in place for a production start on May 10. Jessica Rothe is returning for the Christopher Landon-directed sequel as well as Israel Broussard. Fans could have guessed this, and theres a lot out there, but this is certain now. In the first movie, Rothes sorority girl Tree Gelbman relives the day of her murder in Groundhog Day style. She ultimately tries to beat the time loop by discovering who her killers identity is. Broussard plays Carter, the cute guy Tree keeps waking up alongside. Landon has said in reports that the sequel will answer questions to the first installments endless time loop while Rothe has mentioned that part 2 will pick up where the first film left off in a Back to the Future-like style. We also hear that Life of Pi and Homeland actor Suraj Sharma is also joining to play Samar Ghosh, a science enthusiast and geek who enjoys coding in his spare time. Sarah Yarkin, whose previous credits include American Horror Story, The Middle and the Gunpowder & Sky feature Eat, Brains Love is playing Dre Morgan, a science geek and tom-boy with a sleepy feline gaze who is Samars partner-in-crime. Source: Deadline EXCLUSIVE: While its been inevitable that Blumhouse would go forward with Happy Death Day 2 after the first installment raked in close to $123M worldwide, casting is in place for a production start on May 10.Jessica Rothe is returning for the Christopher Landon-directed sequel as well as Israel Broussard. Fans could have guessed this, and theres a lot out there, but this is certain now. In the first movie, Rothes sorority girl Tree Gelbman relives the day of her murder in Groundhog Day style. She ultimately tries to beat the time loop by discovering who her killers identity is. Broussard plays Carter, the cute guy Tree keeps waking up alongside. Landon has said in reports that the sequel will answer questions to the first installments endless time loop while Rothe has mentioned that part 2 will pick up where the first film left off in a Back to the Future-like style.We also hear that Life of Pi and Homeland actor Suraj Sharma is also joining to play Samar Ghosh, a science enthusiast and geek who enjoys coding in his spare time.Sarah Yarkin, whose previous credits include American Horror Story, The Middle and the Gunpowder & Sky feature Eat, Brains Love is playing Dre Morgan, a science geek and tom-boy with a sleepy feline gaze who is Samars partner-in-crime. Salma Hayek to Star in Comedy Eyeing Pilot Commitment to Series at Amazon EXCLUSIVE: In her first U.S. TV starring vehicle, Salma Hayek Pinault is set to topline and executive produce a comedy series project executive produced and directed by Paul Feig. The comedy, from Imagine Television, is in negotiations at Amazon. I hear it is eying a pilot commitment to series. Written by Patty Breen (HBOs Divorce), the potential series takes place in London and is set in the world of international diplomacy, with Hayek Pinault in an ambassador-type role. Source: Deadline EXCLUSIVE: In her first U.S. TV starring vehicle, Salma Hayek Pinault is set to topline and executive produce a comedy series project executive produced and directed by Paul Feig. The comedy, from Imagine Television, is in negotiations at Amazon. I hear it is eying a pilot commitment to series.Written by Patty Breen (HBOs Divorce), the potential series takes place in London and is set in the world of international diplomacy, with Hayek Pinault in an ambassador-type role. Arrested Development - Season 5 - Coming Soon; Season 4 to be Recut and Rereleased On the next... Arrested Development pic.twitter.com/NjP26k9KE7 Arrested Development (@arresteddev) May 1, 2018 MOVIES: Teen Titans Go! To the Movies - Trailer Man of the House - Jimmy Kimmel Joins ABC Comedy Pilot as Narrator Promising news for one of ABC's comedy pilots: As the broadcast network starts mulling pickups for the 2018-19 season, Jimmy Kimmel is joining Man of the House. The Jimmy Kimmel Live host and go-to ABC emcee is lending his voice to the Frank Pines and Vijal Patel project, serving as the off-camera narrator a grown version of the character Bradley, played onscreen by Jake Short. "Ive often thought of myself as an 'Older Bradley,'" said Kimmel, "so that works out well." Man of the House stars Alyson Hannigan and Leslie Bibb as dissimilar divorced sisters who move in together to raise their children. The pilot, a multi-/single-camera hybrid, is inspired by Pines' real life being raised by his mother and aunt. Kimmel and Short's Bradley is the lone male of the cast who juggles his life at home with the two matriarchs, a sister (Reece Caddell) and a cousin (Jenna Ortega) and the masculine word of football at school. Source: The Hollywood Reporter Promising news for one of ABC's comedy pilots: As the broadcast network starts mulling pickups for the 2018-19 season, Jimmy Kimmel is joining Man of the House.The Jimmy Kimmel Live host and go-to ABC emcee is lending his voice to the Frank Pines and Vijal Patel project, serving as the off-camera narrator a grown version of the character Bradley, played onscreen by Jake Short. "Ive often thought of myself as an 'Older Bradley,'" said Kimmel, "so that works out well."Man of the House stars Alyson Hannigan and Leslie Bibb as dissimilar divorced sisters who move in together to raise their children. The pilot, a multi-/single-camera hybrid, is inspired by Pines' real life being raised by his mother and aunt. Kimmel and Short's Bradley is the lone male of the cast who juggles his life at home with the two matriarchs, a sister (Reece Caddell) and a cousin (Jenna Ortega) and the masculine word of football at school. MOVIES: The Grudge - Jacki Weaver, Betty Gilpin, William Sadler & Frankie Faison Join Remake EXCLUSIVE: Sony is firming up the cast for its remake of The Grudge with the addition of two-time Oscar nominee Jacki Weaver, Betty Gilpin, star of the Netflix series GLOW, William Sadler, and Frankie Faison. The group joins previously announced cast Andrea Riseborough, Demian Bichir, John Cho and Lin Shaye as filming is scheduled to start in May. Nicolas Pesce is attached to helm the piece, a reimagining to 2004 version (based on the 2002 Japanese original Ju-on) that starred Sarah Michelle Gellar as a nurse in Tokyo who is afflicted by a curse that created uncontrollable homicidal rage. Source: Deadline EXCLUSIVE: Sony is firming up the cast for its remake of The Grudge with the addition of two-time Oscar nominee Jacki Weaver, Betty Gilpin, star of the Netflix series GLOW, William Sadler, and Frankie Faison. The group joins previously announced cast Andrea Riseborough, Demian Bichir, John Cho and Lin Shaye as filming is scheduled to start in May.Nicolas Pesce is attached to helm the piece, a reimagining to 2004 version (based on the 2002 Japanese original Ju-on) that starred Sarah Michelle Gellar as a nurse in Tokyo who is afflicted by a curse that created uncontrollable homicidal rage. Black Earth Rising - John Goodman & Michaela Coel to Star in BBC & Netflix Series Roseanne star John Goodman and Chewing Gum creator Michaela Coel are among the A-list names to join Netflix and BBC drama Black Earth Rising. The pair are to star in the series, which was initially known as The Forgiving Earth when it was commissioned last year, alongside Noma Dumezweni (Harry Potter & the Cursed Child), Harriet Walter (The Crown, Downton Abbey), Tamara Tunie (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit), Lucian Msamati (Taboo) and Abena Ayivor (A United Kingdom). The story, which is set across the UK, Europe, Africa and the U.S., centers on Kate Ashby, played by Coel, who was rescued as a young child during the Rwandan genocide and adopted by Eve Ashby, played by Walter, a world class British prosecutor in international criminal law. Kate was raised in Britain and, now in her late twenties, she works as a legal investigator in the law chambers of Michael Ennis, played by Goodman. When Eve takes on a case at the International Criminal Court, prosecuting an African militia leader, the story pulls Michael and Kate into a journey that will upend their lives forever. Source: Deadline Roseanne star John Goodman and Chewing Gum creator Michaela Coel are among the A-list names to join Netflix and BBC drama Black Earth Rising.The pair are to star in the series, which was initially known as The Forgiving Earth when it was commissioned last year, alongside Noma Dumezweni (Harry Potter & the Cursed Child), Harriet Walter (The Crown, Downton Abbey), Tamara Tunie (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit), Lucian Msamati (Taboo) and Abena Ayivor (A United Kingdom).The story, which is set across the UK, Europe, Africa and the U.S., centers on Kate Ashby, played by Coel, who was rescued as a young child during the Rwandan genocide and adopted by Eve Ashby, played by Walter, a world class British prosecutor in international criminal law. Kate was raised in Britain and, now in her late twenties, she works as a legal investigator in the law chambers of Michael Ennis, played by Goodman. When Eve takes on a case at the International Criminal Court, prosecuting an African militia leader, the story pulls Michael and Kate into a journey that will upend their lives forever. MOVIES: Book Club - Final Trailer feat Mary Steenburgen, Diane Keaton, Jane Fonda and Candice Bergen The Boys - Dan Trachtenberg to Direct Premiere Episode of Amazon's Superhero Series Dan Trachtenberg will direct the first episode of the upcoming Amazon superhero drama The Boys. Trachtenberg recently directed the hit film 10 Cloverfield Lane for Paramount and JJ Abrams Bad Robot. He also directed the episode Playtest in Season 3 of the acclaimed series Black Mirror. Dans a massive fan of the comic like us, and were massive fans of his, so were excited to have his more talented skill set brought to the show, said series executive producers Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg. The pair was originally set to direct the first episode but were forced to step down due to scheduling conflicts. Source: Variety Dan Trachtenberg will direct the first episode of the upcoming Amazon superhero drama The Boys.Trachtenberg recently directed the hit film 10 Cloverfield Lane for Paramount and JJ Abrams Bad Robot. He also directed the episode Playtest in Season 3 of the acclaimed series Black Mirror.Dans a massive fan of the comic like us, and were massive fans of his, so were excited to have his more talented skill set brought to the show, said series executive producers Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg. The pair was originally set to direct the first episode but were forced to step down due to scheduling conflicts. 02:40 - MOVIES: Annabelle: Creation - Sequel in Development Gary Dauberman, the writer behind the Annabelle movies, will make his directorial debut with an untitled Annabelle project, the newest installment of New Lines horror franchise based on a devil doll from The Conjuring cinematic universe. The project, which Dauberman is also writing, will once again be produced by James Wans Atomic Monster and the Peter Safran Co., the banners that produce what has become a billion-dollar franchise and among the most profitable movies ever made. Details are being kept secret but the story will once again focus on the porcelain doll that is possessed by a demonic force. The new Annabelle installment is on the fast track for New Line, which has set the films release for July 3, 2019. Source: The Hollywood Reporter Gary Dauberman, the writer behind the Annabelle movies, will make his directorial debut with an untitled Annabelle project, the newest installment of New Lines horror franchise based on a devil doll from The Conjuring cinematic universe.The project, which Dauberman is also writing, will once again be produced by James Wans Atomic Monster and the Peter Safran Co., the banners that produce what has become a billion-dollar franchise and among the most profitable movies ever made.Details are being kept secret but the story will once again focus on the porcelain doll that is possessed by a demonic force.The new Annabelle installment is on the fast track for New Line, which has set the films release for July 3, 2019. 08:20 - Mrs. Fletcher - Casey Wilson, Owen Teague, Jackson White & Jen Richards Join HBO Comedy Pilot Jackson White (The Middle), Marry Me and Happy Endings alumna Casey Wilson, Owen Teague (Bloodline) and Jen Richards (I Am Cait) are set as series regulars opposite Kathryn Hahn in Mrs. Fletcher, HBOs comedy pilot based on The Leftovers author Tom Perrottas bestselling novel. Written by Perrotta and to be directed by Nicole Holofcener, Mrs. Fletcher is about an empty-nest mom, Eve Fletcher (Hahn), and her college-student son, Brendan Fletcher (White), who embrace their newfound freedom with mixed results. Whites Brendan is a popular though sometimes clueless jock and aspiring frat boy who finds college a little more complicated than he expected. Wilson is Jane Rosen, a happily married mother of academically gifted twins. She is Eves close friend, a reliable source of emotional support and unsolicited advice. Teague portrays Julian Spitzer, a high school classmate of Brendans, a smart but underachieving skater whos stuck in his hometown after graduation, trying to figure out what happens next. Richards, a transgender activist, writer, actress and producer, plays Margo Fairchild, a trans woman who teaches a community college course on Gender and Society. Having recently transitioned, Margo is still in the process of adjusting to her new identity. Source: Deadline Jackson White (The Middle), Marry Me and Happy Endings alumna Casey Wilson, Owen Teague (Bloodline) and Jen Richards (I Am Cait) are set as series regulars opposite Kathryn Hahn in Mrs. Fletcher, HBOs comedy pilot based on The Leftovers author Tom Perrottas bestselling novel.Written by Perrotta and to be directed by Nicole Holofcener, Mrs. Fletcher is about an empty-nest mom, Eve Fletcher (Hahn), and her college-student son, Brendan Fletcher (White), who embrace their newfound freedom with mixed results.Whites Brendan is a popular though sometimes clueless jock and aspiring frat boy who finds college a little more complicated than he expected.Wilson is Jane Rosen, a happily married mother of academically gifted twins. She is Eves close friend, a reliable source of emotional support and unsolicited advice.Teague portrays Julian Spitzer, a high school classmate of Brendans, a smart but underachieving skater whos stuck in his hometown after graduation, trying to figure out what happens next.Richards, a transgender activist, writer, actress and producer, plays Margo Fairchild, a trans woman who teaches a community college course on Gender and Society. Having recently transitioned, Margo is still in the process of adjusting to her new identity. 08:20 - Friends from College - Season 2 - Sarah Chalke Cast in Major Recurring Arc in Netflix Series Sarah Chalke is expanding her relationship with Netflix, signing on for a season-long major recurring role on the upcoming eight-episode second season of the Internet networks comedy series Friends From College. Chalke will play Merrill Morgan, a Park Avenue WASP personified. Shes a divorced mother of a teenage boy named Prescott, and she is Alpha to everyone she meets beautiful, direct, confident; Gwyneth Paltrow minus the West Coast mellowness. She and Nick Ames (Faxon) briefly dated in college, and in the first episode of the season they reconnect at a party. The friends all agree that she and Nick were born and raised to be together. How will Nick handle the pressure of dating an appropriate woman? Source: Deadline Sarah Chalke is expanding her relationship with Netflix, signing on for a season-long major recurring role on the upcoming eight-episode second season of the Internet networks comedy series Friends From College.Chalke will play Merrill Morgan, a Park Avenue WASP personified. Shes a divorced mother of a teenage boy named Prescott, and she is Alpha to everyone she meets beautiful, direct, confident; Gwyneth Paltrow minus the West Coast mellowness. She and Nick Ames (Faxon) briefly dated in college, and in the first episode of the season they reconnect at a party. The friends all agree that she and Nick were born and raised to be together. How will Nick handle the pressure of dating an appropriate woman? 08:20 - Stranger Things - Season 3 - Now In Production Featurette 08:20 - Family Crimes - Drama from David Ayer Passed on by Starz Starz has opted not to proceed with Family Crimes, its drama series project from Suicide Squad writer-director David Ayer, and Jerry Bruckheimer Television. The pay cable network landed Ayers hot spec script in a competitive situation last November with a production commitment. While the project was not formally ordered to series, that was reportedly the intention at Starz, which is in the straight-to-series business. I hear Family Crimes already had a writers room up and running, with writers churning out scripts, and a casting director had been hired and working when Starz on Monday notified the producers of its decision not to move forward with the series, citing creative reasons. There had been some production planning done for the series but no formal production dates had been set yet. (Family Crimes had been eyeing a summer 2018 shoot.) Source: Deadline Starz has opted not to proceed with Family Crimes, its drama series project from Suicide Squad writer-director David Ayer, and Jerry Bruckheimer Television.The pay cable network landed Ayers hot spec script in a competitive situation last November with a production commitment. While the project was not formally ordered to series, that was reportedly the intention at Starz, which is in the straight-to-series business. I hear Family Crimes already had a writers room up and running, with writers churning out scripts, and a casting director had been hired and working when Starz on Monday notified the producers of its decision not to move forward with the series, citing creative reasons. There had been some production planning done for the series but no formal production dates had been set yet. (Family Crimes had been eyeing a summer 2018 shoot.) 04:00 - MOVIES: Kin - Trailer feat Jack Reynor, Myles Truitt, Zoe Kravitz, Dennis Quaid, James Franco, Carrie Coon 09:00 - Trollhunters - Season 3 - Tatiana Maslany, Diego Luna & Emile Hirsch Join Final Season; Tatiana Maslany & Diego Luna to Star in Dreamworks Spinoff, 3 Below on Netflix Former Orphan Black star Tatiana Maslany, Diego Luna (Narcos) and Emile Hirsch (The Chinese Widow) have joined the third and final season of Netflixs Emmy-winning original series DreamWorks Trollhunters, from Oscar-winner Guillermo del Toro. Maslany and Luna will voice Aja and Krel, two mysterious new students who unknowingly come to the aid of the Trollhunters team in the fight against Morgana. The duo will also reprise their roles and serve as the leads of the next installment in the Tales of Arcadia trilogy, DreamWorks 3 Below, set to debut on Netflix later this year. Hirsch takes on the role of Jim Lake, Jr., originally voiced by the late Anton Yelchin. Yelchin completed his work on the first two seasons and a considerable portion of season three before his unexpected passing in 2016. Del Toro and his creative team found a unique way to incorporate a voice transition organic to the story and create a path for Hirsch, a dear friend of Yelchins ,to carry on his legacy and role. Yelchins performance has been left intact where possible and some portions have been merged with Hirschs performance to complete season three, according to Netflix and DreamWorks. Source: Read More on Deadline Former Orphan Black star Tatiana Maslany, Diego Luna (Narcos) and Emile Hirsch (The Chinese Widow) have joined the third and final season of Netflixs Emmy-winning original series DreamWorks Trollhunters, from Oscar-winner Guillermo del Toro.Maslany and Luna will voice Aja and Krel, two mysterious new students who unknowingly come to the aid of the Trollhunters team in the fight against Morgana. The duo will also reprise their roles and serve as the leads of the next installment in the Tales of Arcadia trilogy, DreamWorks 3 Below, set to debut on Netflix later this year.Hirsch takes on the role of Jim Lake, Jr., originally voiced by the late Anton Yelchin. Yelchin completed his work on the first two seasons and a considerable portion of season three before his unexpected passing in 2016. Del Toro and his creative team found a unique way to incorporate a voice transition organic to the story and create a path for Hirsch, a dear friend of Yelchins ,to carry on his legacy and role. Yelchins performance has been left intact where possible and some portions have been merged with Hirschs performance to complete season three, according to Netflix and DreamWorks. 09:00 - MOVIES: Chicken Run - Sequel in Development Almost 20 years after Chicken Run became the most successful stop-motion animated film of all time (a record it still holds to this day), The Hollywood Reporter has learned that Aardman Animations is officially working on a sequel. Details of the film are scarce at the moment, with the project not yet ready to hit markets. But THR understands that the U.K. animation powerhouse is developing the film alongside StudioCanal, with which it has partnered on its most recent titles, and Pathe, which co-financed the original with DreamWorks Animation and distributed it in Europe. Source: Read More on THR Almost 20 years after Chicken Run became the most successful stop-motion animated film of all time (a record it still holds to this day), The Hollywood Reporter has learned that Aardman Animations is officially working on a sequel.Details of the film are scarce at the moment, with the project not yet ready to hit markets. But THR understands that the U.K. animation powerhouse is developing the film alongside StudioCanal, with which it has partnered on its most recent titles, and Pathe, which co-financed the original with DreamWorks Animation and distributed it in Europe. 09:00 - MOVIES: Cloverfield - 4 Installment in Development Contrary to rumors, J.J. Abrams said Overlord will not be the fourth film in the Cloverfield series. Instead, the horror film about World War II soldiers who find out the Nazis are using supernatural forces and engaging in gruesome experiments, will be Bad Robots first R-rated movie. Its bat shit crazy, Abrams said in taped remarks for Paramount Pictures CinemaCon presentation on Wednesday. But fans of the popular horror series need not fear. Abrams said that were actually developing a true, dedicated Cloverfield sequel and unlike the most recent film in the series, which was sold to Netflix, this one will screen in theaters. Source: Variety Contrary to rumors, J.J. Abrams said Overlord will not be the fourth film in the Cloverfield series. Instead, the horror film about World War II soldiers who find out the Nazis are using supernatural forces and engaging in gruesome experiments, will be Bad Robots first R-rated movie.Its bat shit crazy, Abrams said in taped remarks for Paramount Pictures CinemaCon presentation on Wednesday.But fans of the popular horror series need not fear. Abrams said that were actually developing a true, dedicated Cloverfield sequel and unlike the most recent film in the series, which was sold to Netflix, this one will screen in theaters. 09:00 - Yellowstone - Trailer feat Kevin Costner Source: DC Throwback Thursday is a weekly article in which we look back at our favorite TV episodes from over the years. Welcome to another edition of Throwback Thursday. This week I chose to write about one of my favorite ER episodes Old Times. I admit that it was difficult choosing what episode I wanted to write about. There are probably 50 episodes of ER that stand out in my mind, but Old Times was one that I remember being very special. Old Times originally aired in 2009 which to me doesnt feel like that long ago, but so much has changed in TV since then. Before this episode aired NBC ran promos all week long telling us that all of our favorites would be there. However, George Clooney was never pictured, and there was nothing online about his return. So we all waited and wondered if George Clooney really would reprise his role as Dr. Doug Ross.At the beginning were reminded that Dr. Carter needs a kidney transplant and is waiting in a hospital. Hes originally told that hes being sent home to wait, but then another doctor comes in and informs Carter that a kidney is on its way. Then we cut to the University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle where where we see someone walking. We know its woman since she has on heels, but we dont see her face. But then she says, Hi. Im Carol Hathaway.There are several doctors waiting for organs including Neela and Sam from County who are waiting on a heart. The organ donor is a boy named Billy who was hit while on his bicycle. There has been a delay in the transplant because the grandma felt him squeeze her hand. Its a spinal cord reflex, but now shes changed her mind. As Carol explains this, Doug walks in. Doug Ross. Attending Physician.Even though this episode aired 9 years ago I still remember how excited I was that Doug Ross was back. And I was really impressed that NBC kept this a secret from everyone. Im not sure something like that could be done today.More tests are being run on Billy to confirm what the doctors already know: he's brain dead. Carol tells Doug they are trying to find the Billys mother, and she goes to check on the grandma. The grandma is played by none other than Susan Sarandon which I thought was great casting. When the tests come back Doug informs her that her grandson is brain dead. But the grandma just keeps saying that his mother needs to be there.Doug grabs a cup of coffee and talks to Sam and Neela. He asks them where they work in Chicago, and when they say County he says that he did his residency there. Is Kerry Weaver still kicking around? They tell him that she left a couple of years ago. He asks about Peter Benton and Susan Lewis, and they ask about Abby Lockhart and Greg Pratt. I think this conversation showed how much the show changed throughout the 15 years it was on the air. Then Doug asks if Anspaughs still there. They tell him yes, hes still there.The show now cuts to Carters hospital room where hes sucking on ice chips waiting on his surgery. We see Dr. Peter Benton walk into his room.Benton comments on Carters socks and tells him he looks ridiculous. They catch up for a few minutes, and we learn that Reese is 13 now. Benton needs to get back to work, but hell check back later. They shake hands, and Carter says that it was good to see him. I always liked the relationship between Carter and Benton and was nice to see that again.The episode moves back to Seattle where we learn that Billys mom left years ago, and they dont know where she is. The grandma talks about how kind and caring Billy is. When Doug asks if he was generous, the grandma says yes. She agrees to the transplant and tells Billy goodbye. This was a sad moment but the acting was terrific.Benton spends more time with Carter while he waits for the transplant, and he teases Carter by eating an energy bar. Benton asks him about his time in Africa, and then Carter shows him a picture of Kem. Carter gets moved after Sam drops off his kidney, and Benton tells Carter he should call her. Then Benton decides to stick around for Carters surgery.Before being put under Carter complains about it taking so long. Hes cold and hungry, but Benton tells him to stop being a baby. The transplant surgeon wants to start the surgery, but Benton makes him complete a pre-surgery checklist. There ends up being a complication with Carters kidney, and they have to take it out and start over again. They have to use some sort of solution on the kidney that they had available because it was on the checklist. Benton makes a snarky comment about how it was good that they just had some lying around. I laughed when one of the younger surgeons asked where he could get a copy of the checklist.The woman who received the heart makes it out okay, too, and Neela comes out of the OR and asks the ladys daughter if she wants to see her. I wasnt as emotionally invested in this story, but I was happy that a young girl didnt lose her mother. Their reunion at the end was very touching.Carter wakes up from his surgery and comments on Benton still being there. Benton says that he didnt want to miss all the fun. Carter asks Benton get to his phone out of his bag, and he calls Kem. He says that he has some really good news.At the end of the episode Doug and Carol are in bed together as her phone rings. She answers it and its someone from the hospital telling her that Chicago called and the heart worked. She tells Doug that the heart went to a 36 year old woman with a daughter, and the kidney went to some doctor. They kiss and tell each other they love each other, and then Carol turns off the light and the episode ends.There were other scenes in this episode that actually happened at County General, but I wasnt as concerned about those. I do want to mention that Angela Bassett and John Stamos did a wonderful job with their roles. John Stamos character helped an elderly couple, and Angela Bassetts helped save a baby and give advice to a young mother. The show always did a good job of picking great actors.I was just so impressed thatwas able to bring back Doug, Carol, Carter, and Benton and make the episode believable. Doug and Carol had no idea the kidney went to Carter, and that was realistic. It had been years since these four characters had been on television, but Carter and Bentons banter and snark was still there as was the fantastic chemistry between Doug and Carol. It felt like we were just dropping in on old friends to see what their lives were like, and I appreciated the show letting us have these moments. "Archer," a cartoon most fans probably still think of as a spy movie parody, debuted its ninth season on FXX Wednesday. But things looked a little different - yet again. The show has consistently reinvented itself during the past few seasons in an attempt to avoid the diminishing returns that plague many shows in their middle age. In Season 5, the cartoon stepped away from the secret agent world and rebranded itself as "Archer: Vice," which found our heroes as cocaine dealers. Season 6 brought the crew back as a spy agency, but the seventh found them in Los Angeles for a comedic take on a 1970s Hollywood thriller. The eighth season, "Archer: Dreamland" found them in a 1940s noir. Wednesday's premiere of the show, now redubbed as "Archer: Danger Island," makes the biggest leap yet. The new season doesn't just change the year, characters' jobs, or even mental states. It changes the setting (a French-owned Polynesian island in 1939 centered on a hotel owned by Mallory on the edge of a terrifying jungle) and, in one case, a character's species (Dr. Krieger is now a macaw named Crackers who annoys everyone with his intentionally dull quips, such as when he accuses Pam of being racist for using the word "goose bumps," because "all birds have bumps"). So why all the changes? After all, "Archer" premiered in 2010 with a simple premise: Its central character Sterling Archer was a spoof of James Bond. He was an often-tuxedoed spy who, despite clearly suffering from sex addition and alcoholism, was surprisingly adept at his job. The show found success - and a large fan base - by mocking all the regular trappings of a secret agent movie. The agency (the International Secret Intelligence Service or, erm, ISIS) was run by his overbearing mother, Mallory, and featured a cast of wacky characters that worked as analogues to those in Bond movies. There was the mad scientist who makes nifty gadgets (but this one loved Rush and dated a hologram of an anime girl), the clueless assistant (but this one turned out to be insanely wealthy, owned an ocelot and had extreme sadomasochistic sexual fantasies) and the archenemy who at one point defected to the KGB (but this one was a cyborg with an anger problem who ended up floating in space). The show trafficked in lightning-quick dialogue, gross-out humor (often sexual or scatological), inventive expletives and recurring jokes (which often concerned grammar). At its heart, though, was a sendup of the type of espionage films that were popularized in the 1960s. By the end of the fourth season in 2013, series creator and showrunner Adam Reed felt the premise might be wearing thin. Meanwhile, the Islamic State, the extremist group known as ISIS, began dominating the news due to the violent acts of terrorism around the world for which it took responsibility. It gave Reed an idea. "The other ISIS, as I call them, sort of happened right at a crucial inflection point for the show," Reed told The Washington Post. He wanted the show "to continue but they can't be called ISIS anymore." Instead of changing the name of the central agency, Reed changed the entire concept of the show. "Well, if we're going to" change the name, Reed said, "why don't we just spend a season selling cocaine?" Hence the birth of "Archer: Vice," the show's first true departure from its central conceit. It returned to the spy agency for one more season, but Reed realized he was invigorated by the idea that "Archer" could truly be anything, so long as it's filtered through the lenses of his established characters. After Season 6, "we missed being able to take them into these other genres, so we veered back into that direction," Reed said. "Once we started making them, and having a good time making them, [we thought] 'what are some other things we can do now that the boundaries have sort of been passed?'" The ideas flowed out of him, such as "King Archer," which would be "'Archer' as Arthurian legend," or "Archer Gulch," which "would just be a western" featuring cowboy Archer. With that in mind, the show could continue indefinitely. Reed said that on the morning of this season's premiere, he "brewed a pot of coffee and started writing the first episode of season 10." The show's future beyond that remains unclear, though he said that even if he steps away, he wouldn't mind someone else taking the show's reins. Such extreme changes, though, could alienate fans. Mileage on the new season, for example, will likely vary depending on if you prefer the original premise of "Archer" or its characters and style of humor. The dialogue is still fast, and the show does its best to mine the setting (in time and place) for comedy. Sometimes it fails, such as when it nods to the then-strange idea of Japan attacking the United States. Other jokes land, though, such as when Pam tells Archer, "This is a real Catch-22," to which he responds, "Uh, I don't think that's a thing yet." But, much like the past few seasons, it still feels like a different show than the original "Archer." Reed said he knows some purists might not like the shifts, but that's a chance he's willing to take, even if it's difficult for him: He admitted he used to "obsessively lurk in the fan comment sections of some criticism websites" but that he's mostly kicked the habit. He said the change is worth it. "I'm sure some people have turned off the TV in anger and never turned it back on again, and I like to think we're replacing those viewers," Reed said. "My fear is always that we can't churn out the same show every time. People are going to get bored and quit watching." Finding a good doctor is only part of achieving good health. You also need to be vigilant about what you eat, focusing on foods and drinks that fuel a healthy lifestyle, not inhibit it. But, let's be honest, so-called "health food" doesn't have the best reputation when it comes to taste. You want nutritious foods that also please the palate. Here we offer dining locations around the state where the food is both good and good for you. Just remember: You are what you eat. A post shared by Three Girls Vegan Creamery (@threegirlsvegan) on Aug 27, 2017 at 4:55pm PDT So big was the buzz behind this maker of nut-derived vegan "cheese" that when it opened a shop in a small plaza in Guilford last summer, people waited for more than an hour to have at the vegan selection. Some of the cheese-but-not-cheese varieties include mozzarella "di Bufala" pearls and nacho cheese sauce, both made from cashews, as well as almond ricotta. Simply put, this is the place for people who love cheese, but can't or won't eat the real thing. Meat lovers, too, likely will find something to their liking, with products such as maple bacon made from coconuts, and smoked pastrami made from beets and mushrooms. Three Girls also offers an array of prepared options such as a meatball grinder, lasagna and biscuits and gravy. In addition to their Guilford space, Three Girls products can also be found at several Connecticut food stores and online. 203-896-0411 New Morning Market, Woodbury A post shared by New Morning Market (@newmorningmarket1971) on Mar 8, 2018 at 8:53am PST New Morning Market has been fighting the good-food fight since way back in 1971, long before local and organic was hip. Its current location is a 32,000-square-foot space that serves as an inviting hub of local and sustainable food and culture. The market is also home to The Provender, an award-winning, fresh-food counter, and a full coffee bar that also offers fresh organic juices and smoothies, as well as kombucha tea. A vitality center on the second floor offers yoga classes, hosts special events and provides guests the option of scheduling appointments with a nutritionist, massage therapist and other wellness professionals. 203-263-4868 Bloodroot, Bridgeport Ned Gerard Housed in a converted machine shop on the water in Bridgeport, this is a classic Connecticut restaurant with a healthy vibe all its own. Billed as a feminist vegetarian restaurant, Bloodroot has no waitstaff; everyone orders at the counter and clears their own tables. The ultra-political spot is also a bookstore, but its the wide variety of salads and nut-and-seed meat substitutes that make this a must-try for the health conscious. Eating vegetarian food isnt always healthier, but eating more vegetables generally is. 203-576-9168 A post shared by Nature's Temptations (@naturestempt) on Dec 14, 2017 at 7:01am PST On a wooden sign, just inside the door at Natures Temptation, the words local, sustainable and organic are written in large, bold letters. These words act as the mantra for the natural grocery store, deli and juice bar. In the shop youll find items such as 100-percent grass-fed beef, local milk and a variety of herbs, spices, oils and vinegar all unrefined and organic. These ingredients also power the full-service deli and the juice and smoothie bar. Theres even a naturopathic doctor on staff to help answer nutrition questions customers might have. 203-438-5443 Photo courtesy of Jeff Skerik Nestled in the crook of East Main and Chestnut streets, G-Zen is a vegan beacon for health-focused and environmentally friendly folks with a taste for award-winning fine dining. But the philosophy of husband-and-wife chefs and owners Mark Shadle and Ami Beach Shadle is that their job isnt over when the meal is finished. Sustainability is of the utmost importance. Their solar-powered family farm in Durham provides organic ingredients for the restaurant and their Gmonkey food truck, and the waste material becomes compost for the next crops. The menu changes daily, but the mission remains the same. 203-208-0443 Catch a Healthy Habit Cafe, Fairfield Ned Gerard Specializing in raw (rawking) foods, Catch a Healthy Habit offers fruit- and vegetable-forward dishes with an array of vegetarian and gluten-free options. Superfoods nutrient-rich foods that are particularly good for us power many of the smoothies and dishes. Regardless of whether health is your main concern when deciding where to eat, its hard not to have your stomach rumble when you see descriptions of foods such as chia and chocolate pudding, carrot ginger soup and the popular nut-and-seed veggie burger. 203-292-8190 Heirloom Food Company, Danielson A post shared by Heirloom Food Co (@heirloomfoodco) on Mar 8, 2018 at 8:19am PST One way to tell if an eatery serves up healthy fare: food with vibrant color. And no, were not talking about the unnatural orange of cheese snacks. One look at the Instagram page of this spot in Connecticuts rural East provides a kaleidoscope of colors. While many dishes at Heirloom are vegetarian or vegan, its this organic cafe and juice bars dedication to local sourcing that should appeal to all tastes. With a chalkboard menu and a website that list the ingredient-supplying local farms, Heirloom offers an array of mostly vegan and gluten-free items (aside from tuna and turkey options). Standouts include the Beta Burger, featuring a patty of lentils, beets, brown rice and almonds, and the Avocado Detox salad with mixed greens, chopped apples and sliced avocado topped with sesame seeds, walnuts, cranberries and lemon juice. 860-7793373 Claires Corner Copia, New Haven Catherine Avalone Another institution on this list, Claires has been serving up vegetarian and vegan food to Yale kids and other New Haven residents for 40 years. Claires offers vegetarian dishes with a sort of Tex-Mex twist, from burritos to quesadillas. Tofu abounds. Its also located on one of the nicest street corners in New Haven, diagonally across from the Green at the corner of Chapel and College streets. Big windows offer great people-watching opportunities. 203-562-3888 ION Restaurant, Middletown Catherine Avalone Its Only Natural has been on Middletowns Main Street for over a generation, serving up vegetarian and vegan cuisine long before it was cool or in vogue. Perhaps thanks to cohort after cohort of environmentally conscious and hip kids up the hill at Wesleyan, ION has grown and expanded over the years, and is now affiliated with a natural foods grocery store, also on Main Street. A lot of vegetarian and vegan places have fairly limited offerings some combination of rice, beans and lentils to supplement the veggies and make the dish something other than a salad. But IONs menu is full of adventurous concoctions. Theyve been doing it for some 30 years, so you can bet they have figured out how to keep people coming back. 860-346-9210 The Sweet Beet, Granby A post shared by @thesweetbeet on Apr 5, 2018 at 7:26am PDT While not every item on the menu here contains beets, everything at The Sweet Beet is vegan and gluten free. And those with food allergies will be happy to know that neither soy nor peanuts are used. Its all part of a clean eating philosophy that has gained a loyal following at this cafe and bakery near the Massachusetts line. Primarily a takeout spot with a cooler of prepared foods, The Sweet Beet offers a few sandwich options (No Egg Salad with chickpeas, onions, dill and seasonings), made-to-order salads (The Sweet Beet Salad with greens, carrot, shredded beet, cucumber, tomato, pea shoots and house-made shallot vinaigrette), soups such as bean chili, several creative juices (Beetlejuice with beet, cucumber, apple and ginger), and baked goods such as mini cupcakes. 860-653-2338 This article appeared in the April 2018 issue of Connecticut Magazine. STAMFORD A Hartford man felt the sign he was carrying downtown was an expression of his free speech, but the citys police chief considered it offensive. Michard Picard and Dawud Talib staged a protest on Thursday outside the Stamford courthouse, where their friend appeared before a judge for allegedly interfering with a distracted driving checkpoint in Springdale recently. After a few minutes, Picard carrying a sign reading F*** Free Speech - Stamford PD and Talib took their protest to the nearby police station. They were confronted by Police Chief Jon Fontneau, who warned Picard he would be arrested and charged with disorderly conduct if he failed to put his sign down. When Picard refused, Fontneau had him arrested in front of the police station. Picards attorney, Joseph Sastre, said the arrest violated his clients right to free speech. It seems to me, Michael was arrested for holding a sign, which is a form of speech and that is his right, Sastre said. Fontneau disagreed. I found the sign to be offensive in front of police headquarters as people are coming in and out, Fontneau said. I dont think our day-to-day residents should have to put up with something like that. Fontneau said he conferred with Stamford States Attorney Richard Colangelo before placing Picard under arrest. Picard, 29, was released after Talib posted his $500 court appearance bond. Picard, who declined to comment about the charges, described himself as a liberty activist and supports the open carrying of guns and he disapproves of checkpoints. They have a checkpoint for everything nowadays, he said. They cant stop infringing on your rights. Picard said he has protested dozens of checkpoints by warning drivers of crackdowns ahead. The man he was supporting with his sign in front of the courthouse, Michael Friend, of Stamford, was arrested April 12 after holding his own sign. Friend held a handwritten message on a piece of paper, reading Cops ahead near a distracted driving checkpoint on Hope Street. The police have been participating in a monthlong U Drive, U Text, U Pay campaign and have written hundreds of tickets for distracted driving, seat belt and other violations. Talib, who is also an open carry and anti-checkpoint activist, said he has warned many drivers about checkpoints, sometimes while openly wearing a gun in a holster with an oversize Uncle Sam hat on his head. Picard is facing infractions for warning drivers of a DUI checkpoint conducted by state police on Interstate 84 in West Hartford in 2015. He has filed a federal lawsuit against the troopers, who he recorded allegedly discussing how to concoct charges against him. Sastre, who is also supporting Friend with his legal issues, said Friend did not make a plea to his charge on Thursday, but filed a motion for police to return two cellphones. Friend used one of them to record his interaction with police on April 12. Sastre, who practices law in Bristol, said Friend sees the distracted driving details and other DUI enforcement measures as a way for a municipality to make money and raise revenue. Sastre said the arrest was a violation of Friends free-speech rights. According to Connecticut statute, the state is required to return 25 percent of the fine to the municipality where the ticket was issued. jnickerson@stamfordadvocate.com A group of New Haven ministers, charging that state Democrats are ignoring people of color, is calling for the resignation of the party chairman. A leader of the organization, however, is on the payroll of an upstart candidate for governor who is boycotting next months state convention. The Rev. Boise Kimber, pastor of the First Calvary Baptist Church, said Thursday that he did not influence the request for the ouster of Nick Balletto, chairman of the Democratic State Central Committee, over an alleged lack of transparency, and inadequate minority representation in the pre-convention committee process. Where do people of color fit into the fabric of the Connecticut state party? he said in an interview, stressing that he is only one of about 40 members of the Joshua Generation Clergy Association, which issued a statement on Wednesday calling for Ballettos removal. Kimber is on the payroll of Guy Smith, the Greenwich business executive who is funding his own campaign for governor. According to the latest financial reports to the State Elections Enforcement Committee, Smiths campaign paid Premier Consulting Services, LLC, Kimbers company, $48,400 in the first quarter of 2018. Kimber said that the pre-convention Rules Committee has only one African American member. Party officials said Thursday that there are two African Americans on the 20-member pre-convention committee, all selected by Balletto. Local caucuses choose those for the larger committee that meets at the convention to discuss and possibly ratify the decisions of the pre-convention group. Smith, whose platform includes legalizing recreational marijuana, said Thursday that while he agrees that Balletto should be pushed from the leadership position, Kimber and the clergy group - organized in 2017 to combat urban violence - are not acting on his behalf. Its not like were a fringe operation, Smith said, charging that the Democratic State Central Committee prevented him from obtaining lists of convention delegates. This is a rigged system and brother Balletto is just trying to fix it so Ned Lamont can be the nominee, Smith said of another self-funding Greenwich candidate. On April 11, Smith, a former executive with Diageo the international alcohol distributor, who is in his first campaign for office, withdrew from the convention process charging that it was not fair. On May 1, he will begin to circulate petitions aimed at gathering 15,500 signatures to get on the ballot for the partys August primary. Going forward we want to see a process put in place that is fair, equitable and representative of every community statewide, said the Rev. Charles H. Brewer III, president of the Joshua Association, said in the Wednesday statement. This manipulation of process appears to be designed to prevent new blood, new ideas, and not to mention diversity from being an important part of the Democratic Party process in Connecticut. Christina Polizzi, communications director for the Democratic State Central Committee, said that the party has made unprecedented steps to provide public information on delegates. The reality is that the Connecticut Democratic Party's Convention Rules Committee is elected by the caucuses across our state, she said. Our pre-convention rules committee meetings are where recommendations are made to the elected body to make the final decisions on behalf of the party, and even those are open to the public and our party has taken the extra step of ensuring that all candidates participating in this convention process are notified so that they can hear the discussions. The party with gather in Hartford on May 18 and 19 to nominate statewide candidates. kdixon@ctpost.com Twitter: @KenDixonCT STAMFORD The sounds, dances and cuisine of India will be coming to the city to benefit the education of people living in rural areas of the South Asian country. The Ekal Connecticut chapter is throwing its annual Ekal Charity Fundraiser at 5 p.m. Saturday at Rogers International School. Ekal Connecticut is part of a larger national movement that aims to improve education in rural India. For every $365 donated, the group is able to run a school in rural India. The group finds buildings to use for free and hires teachers with the money raised. This is a charity organization who supports education for the rural and tribal part of India, said Ashok Jha, lead Ekal Connecticut volunteer. We throw (a fundraiser) every year to support education there. Theres going to be food and a concert. Itll raise funds for the less fortunate. The Connecticut chapter reports 400 local schools and the organization as a whole has 1.8 million students enrolled in 67,000 schools across India and Nepal. The Connecticut chapter of Ekal was started 10 years ago and has more than 50 family volunteers. We want to spread the word for education, Ekal Connecticut volunteer Nita Singhal said. We want each and every person to be educated so they can get above the poverty line. Singhal added students not only get a basic education, but are taught skills like sewing so they can make a living. The fundraiser on Saturday will feature an Indian music concert. Dancer Aditi Bhagwat will perform a classic Indian Kathhak and Kunal Om will join her in a fusion dance combining a flamenco. The performances are preceded by a hotel roundtable-style Indian dinner. Child care is also available. According to Singhal, each years fundraiser has a different theme such as 100 years of Bollywood. Ekal teachers and volunteers come to America to perform at different chapter fundraisers over the course of several months. It was very connecting because they were from the grounds where the EKAL schools are from, Singhal said. The charity fundraiser is EKAL Connecticuts largest event for the year, but there are also a 5K run and bake sales as ways to bring awareness. While Singhal said most of the members of the group are Indian, they draw support from all over the community. Last years fundraiser generates more than $100,000 for the group for more than 275 schools. Everyone has to be educated, Singhal said. The role of education is so important. You need to spread education to everybody. The more you spread, the more you gain. For tickets to the fundraiser, visit https://www.EKAL.org/us/ticket/stamford. For more information, contact Nita Singhal at 475-200-0198 or ekalct@gmail.com erin.kayata@stamfordadvocate.com; (203) 964-2265; @erin_kayata STAMFORD In his first state-of-the-city address since winning a second term, Mayor David Martin lauded quality-of-life efforts and the strength of the community, but warned of upcoming traffic headaches and improvements needed to continue growing. (Stamford is) the most successful city in the state, Martin said Thursday at a Stamford Chamber of Commerce luncheon at the Stamford Marriott. Our financial status is strong and improving. In a free-wheeling speech that included the mayor donning a Home Depot hard hat recognizing the long-awaited opening of a West Side location Martin told some 200 attendees that the city remains a business destination and safe place to live even as the states economic outlook appears bleak. He also pointed out how other large cities like Hartford had 30 homicides in 2017, while Stamford has not had one in more than a year. We remain the safest city in New England, Martin said. Martin said long-planned traffic projects and developments, some discussed for decades, are now underway and he praised his staff for launching the work. Weve been slow to handle traffic and transportation in the city in the past few decades, Martin said. Instead of just talking about it, were trying to get it done. But its not all good news. Martin explained how the Atlantic Street underpass downtown will soon be closed for eight months while the state replaces the Interstate 95 bridge. Its going to be very bad, the mayor said to a room full of gasps. Other projects include revamping intersections in the Waterside neighborhood, where the city is installing its first roundabout on Greenwich Avenue and Pulaski Street. That project and the long-derided vacant lot known as downtowns hole in the ground are finally getting done, he said. The hole in the ground, theres no hole there anymore, Martin said. Theres steel in it. A new apartment complex is slated to rise on the site. But Martin warned of the states fiscal problems, and the issues they cause Stamford. For example, Stamford budgeted for about a $2 million reduction in state aid and received $4.3 million less, causing the city to hold off on several hires. Martin expects even more cuts this coming year. Martin also called for renewed attention to the citys transportation center and infrastructure, which he said are integral to Stamfords future. Ive been disappointed in the pace of progress in the transportation center, he said. It is not well planned for the 21st century. He also said he hopes to see the University of Connecticut expand its Stamford campus footprint, adding that he wants more dorms downtown. Establishing a strong academic base in Stamford is what will make us succeed in the future, the mayor said. barry.lytton @stamfordadvocate.com; 203-964-2263; @bglytton KOLKATA, India - The 21-year-old Hindu college student was having a quiet breakfast with her mother when her phone pinged with a terrifying message. Her name was on a hit list. She and her Muslim boyfriend had been targeted publicly on Facebook along with about 100 interfaith couples - each of them Muslim men and their Hindu girlfriends. She immediately called her boyfriend to warn him. The Facebook post included instructions: "This is a list of girls who have become victims of love jihad. We urge all Hindu lions to find and hunt down all the men mentioned here." At least two followers heeded the call. The phrase "love jihad" is meant to inflame dark fears that Muslim men who woo Hindu women might be trying to convert them to Islam - a prejudice that the Hindu right has tried to stoke for nearly a decade. But use of the term has spread on social media with the rise of the Hindu nationalist party of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, at a time when religious hatred is growing on Facebook in India, its largest market. Facebook is facing rampant criticism that hate speech spread on the platform has fueled ethnic and religious violence in Asia, in places such as Myanmar and Sri Lanka. During his appearances before Congress April 10-11, Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg said the company was "working" on a way to remove hate speech within 24 hours of its appearance and adding dozens of new Myanmar-language content monitors. "It's clear now we didn't do enough" to prevent the platform from being "used for harm," Zuckerberg said in his statement. But the company has said little about its prevention efforts in India, its largest market of more than 240 million users. The list of Hindu-Muslim couples was posted by Satish Mylavarapu, a mild-looking sales and marketing manager in Bangalore who propagates militant Hinduism to thousands of followers in Facebook groups and elsewhere. "It's a matter of Muslims taking over our blood and taking over our wombs - the wombs that would give Hindu children," he said. Highly motivated Hindu extremist "volunteers" across India assembled the list by meticulously plotting the locations of mosques and girls schools and colleges around the country and combing young women's profiles for photos or posts that would link them with Muslim men. "You cannot defend such a sick love," Mylavarapu said. "This too is a kind of terrorism." - - - The young couple's romance began in the online space that would be its unraveling. They met in 2016 through a student Facebook group for the Communist Party, which is active in some parts of India. He was immediately enchanted by her blue eyes - contact lenses - and her earrings - silver circles with a likeness of Che Guevara that she made herself. Their relationship soon blossomed in real life, and they met in Kolkata's tea stalls or along its lovers' riverbank promenade, Prinsep Ghat, holding hands and even kissing. "We don't believe in religion. We believe in humanity," said Ramiz, a 26-year-old English honors student, sitting in a coffee shop with his girlfriend at his side. "So there is no question of conversion." Because of the threat, Ramiz asked to be identified by only his first name and his girlfriend by her family nickname, Lisa. Yet tension was unavoidable in a deeply traditional society riven by caste and religion. His parents, a clerk and a social worker, grudgingly accepted their relationship, although they made it clear they prefer a Muslim daughter-in-law; Lisa's mother lent her support only if Ramiz gets a good job. Meanwhile, conservative Hindu groups supporting Modi's powerful Bharatiya Janata Party began pushing into areas in India's east and south traditionally dominated by other languages and regional parties, including the couple's home state of West Bengal. In recent days, West Bengal has been roiled by riots between Hindus and Muslims that followed sword-waving devotees marching in honor of Lord Ram - a Hindu deity who is not normally worshiped in the region. At least four people died. The couple, upset over the perceived threat that the Facebook hit list posed to India's secular ideals, filed a complaint with the Kolkata police's cyber division in February, saying they had been subjected to death threats. "This has never happened in West Bengal," Ramiz said. "Bengal is very beautiful - our society, our culture. This is the place of poets. We don't believe in this kind of thing." Facebook took down Mylavarapu's threat page a few days after his Jan. 28 post caused an uproar on social media, but took longer to track and remove hundreds of duplicate versions posted by others. Civil society groups have charged that Facebook has not acted quickly enough in such instances to curb the hate speech that inflamed tensions throughout Asia, including Muslim-Buddhist riots in Sri Lanka and Myanmar's exodus of more than 850,000 Rohingya Muslims into Bangladesh. Facebook was dubbed the "beast" in that crisis by a United Nations monitor. In India, a March study by the Observer Research Foundation, a think tank based in New Delhi, showed that religion is increasingly used as a basis of hate speech on Facebook, a jump of 19 to 30 percent between 2016 and 2017. "I don't think Facebook has a clue how to monitor hate speech," said Maya Mirchandani, a senior fellow who co-wrote the study. She said that more proactive text monitoring systems are not in place, including among its rapidly growing non-English speaking audiences. "Maintaining a safe community for people to connect and share on Facebook is absolutely critical to us," a Facebook spokesman said in a statement. "We have policies that prohibit hate speech and credible threats of harm, and we will remove this content when we're made aware of it." - - - About two weeks after they filed the police report, Ramiz said he was coming home in the evening when two men grabbed him, roughed him up and tore his shirt collar. "Why did you report us?" they hissed, he said. And, "why are you dating a Hindu girl?" Ironically, the couple have been dealing with relationship problems in the new year; Lisa, who works part time at an event management company, wanted Ramiz to get a job, saying he was spending too much time smoking and talking politics with his friends. "She wants somebody perfect, perfect, and I am not," he said. "We're still very good friends," Lisa said. "I'm not sure if we're in a relationship at the moment." This was the type of tension that Mylavarapu had hoped to provoke when he posted the list of names. He has been using Facebook to promote an extremist Hindu agenda since 2012, according to the Indian data and fact-checking website Boom Live. Before Mylavarapu was banned from Facebook "indefinitely" in February, he was the administrator of at least two Facebook pages, including "Extreme Hinduism - The Only Way of Survival" (11,000 members), and a member of "Rearming Hinduism" (156,000 members), the Boom analysis showed. He remains active on Twitter. He said in one post his favorite boots are made of "pure sunni skin," a reference to the Sunni branch of Islam. In another, he urged Hindus to keep swords in their homes for protection and practice killing goats and chickens to get used to the sight of blood. He warns of "love jihad," which until recently had been generally thought of as fearmongering and given little credence by police and courts. But the idea that Muslims may be actively working to convert Hindus figured prominently in the recent debate over the case of a woman in the southern state of Kerala who converted to Islam and married a Muslim over the objections of her family. On March 8, India's Supreme Court upheld the woman's right to choose her faith and partner. But India's National Investigation Agency, which investigates and prosecutes terrorism, is continuing its investigation into the case, saying it has seen an "organized effort" by Muslim activists linked to the Islamic State to convert Hindus, a spokesman said. Mylavarapu is associated with a fringe Hindu group called Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha, whose members revere the assassin of Mohandas "Mahatma" Gandhi, whom they blame for the bloody 1947 partition that created the nations of India and Pakistan. "He's a staunch Hindu and he's functioning because of our support," said the group's state president, N. Subramanya Raju. "If there is any threat from a jihadi, we will protect his life." Mylavarapu said volunteers are continuing their online research into Hindu-Muslim couples - and will hold on to the data they find until the next good opportunity. He said many of those on the original list have already split up. Mylavarapu said he relishes the demise of these relationships. "We succeeded," he said in a tweet. "Their deceptive love could not withstand the pressure we created." - - - The Washington Post's Kalpana Pradhan in Kolkata and Swati Gupta in Bangalore contributed to this report. Dominos Pizza paid out $180,000 to a former employee who was injured while transporting 400 pounds of cheese into one of the chains restaurants in East Granby about two years ago. Mohamed Hassan, a 55-year-old Meriden resident, was unloading boxes of cheese from a truck on a rainy day in June 2016, when his hand truck slipped under the weight of the food, according to the Connecticut Law Tribune. The hand truck landed on Hassan after he fell onto his back, and he injured his ankle, knee and back, according to his lawyer Brooke Goff. W here to eat Nolita is a must for fine dining in a relaxed atmosphere. Chef Jacek Grochowina combines classical Polish influences with cutting-edge cuisine. I love this place for the simple decor and amazing dish presentation. The table by the kitchen is the best seat in the house as you can see the chefs in action. Polish cuisine is exciting, rich and delicious. Perhaps its not the worlds most famous food, but its certainly one worth trying. Nolita Where to visit Be sure to see the exhibition pavilion (above) at the Museum of Modern Art next to the Copernicus science Center and Vistula River. The area by the river wasnt popular for years, but with all the new developments it has become super trendy. Visiting the exhibitions together with a stroll along the shore and a drink in one of the summer bars is a perfect way to spend an afternoon. The pavilion is a unique, wooden, modular construction designed by the brilliant Austrian architect Adolf Krischanitz. It was also designed so that the facade can be used as a canvas by artists. Where to shop Top of my list is Mokotowska Street, one of the most beautiful Warsaw thoroughfares that survived the Second World War and preserved its old character. Its perfect for window shopping as its full of small boutiques such as Wonders or the best flower shop in town, Bukieciarnia. Try Przegryz for Warsaws best pierogi or Sodki Sony if you are a fan of all things sweet, including traditional Polish yeast cakes. Another great place is the concept store Galilu, which offers niche cosmetics and perfumes. It is one of the only places in Warsaw that sells my favourite skincare brand, Omorovicza. Where to drink Cocktail bar Charlie is a hidden speakeasy situated on the first floor of a beautiful old apartment building offering great music and real Warsaw society. The cocktails (below) are addictive, but the most interesting aspect is the subconscious menu, from which clients can order mystery drinks based on their scent. The music changes with a new daily theme, playing everything from indie pop to slow jazz recently it held a Gatsby night. Few people know about the bar, so you will often find the cool kids of Warsaws creative scene there. Magda Butrym / Magda Butrym Where to stay The fin-de-siecle landmark Hotel Bristol was gutted during the Second World War, but sensitive renovation has restored many of its art nouveau flourishes. Its location, between the old town and historical shopping street, Nowy Swiat, is ideal. Look out for the beautiful Column Bar or Cafe Bristol, which is one for those with a sweet tooth. Rooms from 75 (hotelbristolwarsaw.pl) A London PR agency has set up a memorial bursary in tribute to a former executive who took her life aged 28. Suzy Brown, of Chiswick, was found dead below cliffs a day after being signed off work with stress, an inquest heard. Her partner told the coroner he would never understand why she would commit suicide. Scott Poulton said: It was a busy time at work and she was finding it hard but she seemed upbeat. Her family reported her missing after she failed to meet her sisters for dinner last October. The inquest in Eastbourne, East Sussex, heard she had driven to Beachy Head, where her body was discovered. Mr Poulter found a suicide note torn up in a bin in their flat. Coroner Alan Craze concluded she had taken her life. Mason Williams, the award-winning PR agency based in Bermondsey, has set up a bursary in her name. Rita Rowe, managing director, said: Suzy was a successful, beautiful and popular young woman, and an inspiration to her colleagues. The bursary will help one young entrant every year start their career. After leaving Mason Williams, Miss Brown joined Holborn agency Grayling. Chief executive Sarah Scholefield said an annual award to recognise outstanding achievement was being set up in Ms Brown's name: Suzy was a hugely valued and popular colleague, and had been identified as a rising star in our business. She is greatly missed by us all." T heresa May was today warned the Government cannot run for ever from a crunch vote on whether Britain stays in a customs union after Brexit. Shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer urged the Prime Minister to face up to the scale of opposition to her stance that the UK will not remain in a customs union. He issued the warning as Culture Secretary Matt Hancock admitted the killer question still needed to be resolved over how Britain can trade freely with the EU after Brexit and also strike new trade deals with other nations. The Government was due to come under fresh pressure today during a backbench Commons debate on a post-Brexit customs union. Chief Whip Julian Smith has been telling Tory MPs they can go campaigning for the local elections rather than turn up for the debate today. Ahead of it, Sir Keir told BBC radio: This is a big decision and the Government needs to face up to the fact that there is huge opposition to its position on a customs union. The Government looks as if it is running away from that... but it cant run for ever. Todays debate is non-binding and No 10 has played down its significance. The motion calls on the Government to include as an objective in negotiations with the EU the establishment of an effective customs union between the two territories. Signatories to the motion tabled by parliamentary committee chairs include four senior Tories: Bob Neill, Sarah Wollaston, Nicky Morgan and Dominic Grieve. Sadiq Khan: Local elections are last chance to stop hard, chaotic Brexit Ministers have been accused of putting off a vote on a customs union, which could follow amendments to the trade and customs bills, until autumn. Mr Hancock stressed: We want to be a global trading nation, trading both freely and effectively with the EU but also with our big partners like our biggest trading partner, the United States, and the very fast-growing parts of the world. But the killer question is how we can make sure that we are free trading both with the EU and... striking trade deals around the world. Key Brexit Players - In pictures 1 /6 Key Brexit Players - In pictures David Davis Reuters Michel Barnier AP Tim Barrow AFP/Getty Images Oliver Robbins Sabine Weyand Didier Seeuws AFP/Getty Images Adding to the pressure on the Government, a leaked letter from Northern Irelands top civil servant, David Sterling, shows it was warned about significant problems with its Brexit plans last August. A Government source said: We have been very clear that we are leaving the single market and the customs union. S adiq Khan has warned Donald Trump he is set to face protests in London as thousands pledged to take to the streets after a date was set for the US Presidents visit to the UK. Mr Trump will come to Britain on Friday, July 13, for a working visit rather than a full-blown "state visit" previously expected, it was announced on Thursday. The US President and London Mayor Mr Khan have publicly clashed over issues including terrorism and Islamophobia since Mr Trump took office. And after the date for the visit was revealed, Mr Khan suggested the Republican president should be braced for demonstrations against him. "If he comes to London, President Trump will experience an open and diverse city that has always chosen unity over division and hope over fear," Mr Khan said. "He will also no doubt see that Londoners hold their liberal values of freedom of speech very dear." Thousands of people have already pledged to take to the streets in protest when the President visits London in July. More than 80,000 people have signalled their interest in an online Facebook event titled "Stop Trump's visit". And social media was flooded with people vowing to make their voices heard during the UK visit. Donald Trump held Theresa May's hand during her visit to the White House / EPA Many promised a carnival of resistance on the streets of London, while the Stop Trump campaign group posted: Friday the 13th: unlucky for some. We're going to make it very unlucky for one Donald Trump. Shaista Aziz, from the Stop Trump Coalition, added: "If Trump actually comes to London, we could be looking at a march of millions. This wont just be a movement against the Presidents visit it will become a movement against racism, anti-migrant bigotry, sexism, transphobia and far right politics in the UK." Maz Saleem, from Stand Up to Trump, said before the date was confirmed: Donald Trump is an open racist and sexist, a volatile and dangerous character who seems set on taking the West into further wars. Together we will put on a massive united show of opposition to him if Theresa May goes ahead with plans for a visit. Mr Trump and Mr Khan have had an acrimonious relationship in the past 18 months, with the US leader singling out the Mayor for his response to last years London Bridge terror attack in which eight innocent people died. Mr Khan also criticised Mr Trump's Muslim travel ban, and said of his rival candidate Hillary Clinton ahead of the 2016 election: "I hope she trounces him". Mr Khan's predecessor in City Hall, Boris Johnson, now Foreign Secretary, welcomed the visit. He tweeted: "FANTASTIC news that President @realdonaldtrump will at last come to Britain on 13 July. Looking forward to seeing our closest ally and friend on the GREATest visit ever." A previous planned visit to the UK by Mr Trump was cancelled amid suggestions he was keen to avoid being seen attracting large-scale protests. T heresa May has told Donald Trump of her "deep concern" regarding his plans to introduce tariffs on US steel imports. The Prime Minister spoke with Mr Trump in a phone call on Sunday, telling him that "multilateral action" was the only means of solving the ongoing dispute between him and the EU. The two leaders also discussed the future of Syria, highlighting the need for humanitarian action by the Assad regime and its ally Russia. A Downing Street spokesman said: "The Prime Minister raised our deep concern at the president's forthcoming announcement on steel and aluminium tariffs, noting that multilateral action was the only way to resolve the problem of global overcapacity in all parties' interests. The pair discussed Russia's forthcoming role in Syria / Getty Images "They [also] discussed Syria...[and] agreed it was a humanitarian catastrophe, and that the overwhelming responsibility for the heartbreaking human suffering lay with the Syrian regime and Russia, as the regime's main backer. "They agreed that Russia and others with influence over the Syrian regime must act now to cease their campaign of violence and to protect civilians." The US President faced global backlash after he said steel imports would face a 25 per cent tariff and aluminium 10 per cent. Mr Juncker warned Mr Trump of retaliatory action / AFP/Getty Images Australia's trade minister Steven Ciobo said the tariffs would distort global trade and ultimately cost jobs. "My concern remains that on the back of actions like this we could see retaliatory measures that are put in place by other major economies. That is in no-one's interest, he said. Toyota said the move would "adversely impact automakers, the automotive supplier community and consumers". European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said the European Union would take retaliatory action if Mr Trump went ahead with his plan. He said: "We strongly regret this step, which appears to represent a blatant intervention to protect U.S. domestic industry." Mr Juncker vowed Europe "will not sit idly while our industry is hit with unfair measures that put thousands of European jobs at risk." Mr Trump responded by threatening to "simply apply a tax" to cars made in Europe if the EU retaliated to his tariffs. He wrote: "If the EU wants to further increase their already massive tariffs and barriers on US companies doing business there, we will simply apply a Tax on their Cars which freely pour into the US. "They make it impossible for our cars (and more) to sell there. Big trade imbalance!" White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said the Presidents decision to impose tariffs on imports of steel and aluminium "shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone." T he father of seriously ill toddler Alfie Evans has attempted to bring a private prosecution against doctors at Alder Hey hospital for conspiracy to murder. Lord Justice McFarlane revealed Tom Evans had made a bid to launch legal action against three doctors treating his 23-month-old son. The medics, who cannot be named, have been accused by Mr Evans of conspiracy to murder. The revelation came as Mr Evans and Alfies mother Kate James on Wednesday failed in a last ditch attempt to have the tot flown to Italy for treatment for a mystery illness. Terminally ill toddler Alfie Evans / PA Three Court of Appeal judges rejected the latest plea from the couple after their son came off life support on Monday. Kate James and Tom Evans, the parents of 23-month-old Alfie Evans / PA Paul Diamond, lawyer for Mr Evans said following the decision that Alfie shouldn't be "kept prisoner" since there is "alternative" care for him. "We submit there is a likelihood of Alfie having some pleasure in life," he said. "That is beyond our knowledge." Alfie Evans: The story so far A lawyer for Alfie's mother Kate James told the court Wednesday that the child was "struggling" and needed immediate intervention if he is to survive much longer. Judges are said to have expressed concerns over the pairs separate legal representatives. Police outside Liverpool's Alder Hey Children's Hospital / PA Jason Coppel QC was been appointed at the 'last minute' for Alfie's mum, while Mr Diamond - who is standing council to pro-life Christian Legal Centre (CLC) appears to represent Mr Evans. Mr Evans and Miss James, who are both in their early 20s and from Liverpool, maintain that life-support treatment should continue to be provided. A spokesman for the couple said on Thursday that they will meet with doctors to discuss taking their son home. Alfie Evans protesters try to storm hospital 23/04/2018 1 /6 Alfie Evans protesters try to storm hospital 23/04/2018 Police block protesters from the entrance to Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool PA Police block protesters from the entrance to Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool PA Protesters gather outside Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool PA Police block protesters from the entrance to Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool PA Police block the entrance to Alder Hey Children's Hospital PA Police block protesters from the entrance to Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool PA His parents have now lost two rounds of fights in the High Court, Court of Appeal, Supreme Court and European Court of Human Rights. They are now keeping a bedside vigil beside their son. In posts on Facebook, a family member said Alfie, who is at Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool, was "doing good", more than two days after he was taken off a ventilator. The case has sparked tensions between staff at the childrens hospital in Merseyside and campaigners calling for Alfie to be given more treatment. Piers Morgan passionately defends parents of Alfie Evans The hospital said staff had experienced "unprecedented personal abuse". Hospital workers said they had been subject to "a barrage of highly abusive and threatening language and behaviour" in person, via phone and online, while there were reports of unauthorised members of the public attempting to enter the hospital. "Having to carry on our usual day-to-day work in a hospital that has required a significant police presence just to keep our patients, staff and visitors safe is completely unacceptable," the hospital's chairman, Sir David Henshaw, and chief executive Louise Shepherd said in an open letter. T he father of seriously ill toddler Alfie Evans has said doctors will decide today if his son can be taken home. Tom Evans told reporters outside Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool that his son no longer needs to be in intensive care. He said on Thursday morning: "We got rejected yesterday to go to Italy unfortunately. We could take it further but would that be the right thing to do, would there be more criticism? Tom Evans holds up up an image of his son Alfie / Anthony Devlin/Getty Images "So what we do today is we have a meeting with the doctors at Alder Hey and we now start asking to go home." Tom Evans, the father of 23-month-old Alfie Evans, speaks to the media / Getty Images e added: "Alfie doesn't need intensive care anymore. Alfie is lying on the bed with one litre of oxygen going into his lungs and the rest is him. Some people say it's a miracle, it's not a miracle, it's a misdiagnosis." Mr Evans said 23-month-old Alfie had been off a ventilator for three days and theres been no deterioration. He said: "He hasn't woke up, he's still a little bit weak but what we ask for is to go home to sustain his life." Doctors will decide on Thursday if Alfie Evans is to go home / PA He added that Alfie was "still fighting" and was "comfortable" and "content" with a stable heart rate. He said Alder Hey doctors were "wrong" and added: "Alfie lives, comfortably, happily, without ventilation, without any form of ventilation. "That must be enough for you now to consider that Alfie may prove you wrong." Doctors say Alfie has a degenerative neurological condition that is destroying his brain and believe there is no cure and no hope for the toddler. Alfie's parents Tom Evans and Kate James / PA Mr Evans went on to say that the family had "appeals to explore". He said: "All I ask for now is for this meeting to be a positive one and I hope to have Alfie, on the terms of mine and Alder Hey, to be home within a day or two. "If the meeting doesn't go well today, well then I'll go back to court." On Wednesday he and Alfies mother Kate James failed in a last ditch attempt to have the tot flown to Italy for treatment. Three Court of Appeal judges rejected the latest plea from the couple after their son came off life support on Monday. Mr Evans added: "As I sit next to Alfie's bedside, every second of every day, it encourages me more and more that he will live for 'x' amount of months, possibly years." He said he hoped to be able to make arrangements with the hospital to get a care plan in place today and told reporters Alfie was "not suffering" and "not in pain". It was revealed earlier on Thursday that Mr Evans has attempted to bring a private prosecution against doctors at Alder Hey for conspiracy to murder. Lord Justice McFarlane revealed Tom Evans had made a bid to launch legal action against three doctors treating his 23-month-old son. P olice have vowed to tackle online threats against those treating Alfie Evans after hospital staff said they had suffered unprecedented personal abuse. Merseyside Police said officers are monitoring posts being shared on social media in relation to the case of the seriously ill boy, warning that any malicious communications will be acted upon. The forces chief inspector Chris Gibson on Wednesday said: Merseyside Police has been made aware of a number of social media posts which have been made with reference to Alder Hey Hospital and the ongoing situation involving Alfie Evans. Alfie Evans protesters attempt to storm Alder Hey Children's Hospital I would like to make people aware that these posts are being monitored and remind social media users that any offences including malicious communications and threatening behaviour will be investigated and where necessary will be acted upon. Sir David Henshaw, chairman of the Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust, and chief executive Louise Shepherd had said in an open letter that the events of recent weeks had "deeply affected" staff. Alfie Evans' life-support machine was switched off on Monday / PA The statement came as three Court of Appeal judges rejected the latest plea from Tom Evans and Kate James after their son came off life support on Monday. The chairman's letter read: "Alfie Evans has deeply affected us all at Alder Hey. There isn't one member of our staff untouched by his desperate story, the facts of the case and the publicity surrounding it. "All of us feel deeply for Alfie and his whole family and we continue to do everything we can to support them as best we can, just as we have for the last 17 months. "Yet in the last two weeks we have found ourselves at the centre of a social media storm that has included many untrue statements about our work and the motivations of our staff. Alfie Evans protesters try to storm hospital 23/04/2018 1 /6 Alfie Evans protesters try to storm hospital 23/04/2018 Police block protesters from the entrance to Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool PA Police block protesters from the entrance to Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool PA Protesters gather outside Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool PA Police block protesters from the entrance to Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool PA Police block the entrance to Alder Hey Children's Hospital PA Police block protesters from the entrance to Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool PA "This has led to often inappropriate interventions from a range of external bodies and individuals, some of which have caused significant disruption to our children, families and staff. Judges have heard that Alfie, born on May 9 2016, is in a "semi-vegetative state" and has a degenerative neurological condition doctors have not definitively diagnosed. T he parents of severely ill toddler Alfie Evans have called for calm after hospital staff said they had suffered "unprecedented personal abuse". Police have vowed to tackle online threats against those treating the seriously ill boy , warning any "malicious communications" would be acted on. Speaking outside Alder Hey, Alfie's father Tom Evans made a statement on behalf of himself and Alfie's mother Kate James. "Our lives have been turned upside down by the intense focus on Alfie and his situation. Alfie Evans protesters attempt to storm Alder Hey Children's Hospital "Our little family along with Alder Hey has become the centre of attention for many people around the world and it has meant we have not been able to live our lives as we would like. "We are very grateful and we appreciate all the support we have received from around the world, including from our Italian and Polish supporters, who have dedicated their time and support to our incredible fight. Alfie Evans protesters try to storm hospital 23/04/2018 1 /6 Alfie Evans protesters try to storm hospital 23/04/2018 Police block protesters from the entrance to Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool PA Police block protesters from the entrance to Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool PA Protesters gather outside Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool PA Police block protesters from the entrance to Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool PA Police block the entrance to Alder Hey Children's Hospital PA Police block protesters from the entrance to Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool PA "We would now ask you to return back to your everyday lives and allow myself, Kate and Alder Hey to form a relationship, build a bridge and walk across it. "We also wish to thank Alder Hey staff at every level for their dignity and professionalism during what must be an incredibly difficult time for them too. Experts say Alfie's brain has been 'eroded' / Alfies Army Official "Together we recognise the strains (that) recent events have put upon us all and we now wish for privacy for everyone concerned. "In Alfie's interests we will work with his treating team on a plan that provides our boy with the dignity and comfort he needs. Alfie's parents Tom Evans and Kate James / PA "From this point onwards there will be no more statements issued or interviews given. We hope you will respect this. Thank you." Sir David Henshaw, chairman of the Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust, and chief executive Louise Shepherd had said in an open letter that the events of recent weeks had "deeply affected" staff. The chairman's letter read: "Alfie Evans has deeply affected us all at Alder Hey. There isn't one member of our staff untouched by his desperate story, the facts of the case and the publicity surrounding it. "All of us feel deeply for Alfie and his whole family and we continue to do everything we can to support them as best we can, just as we have for the last 17 months. "Yet in the last two weeks we have found ourselves at the centre of a social media storm that has included many untrue statements about our work and the motivations of our staff. "This has led to often inappropriate interventions from a range of external bodies and individuals, some of which have caused significant disruption to our children, families and staff. Specialists say Alfie's brain has been "eroded", but his parents Tom Evans and Kate James, who are in their 20s and from Liverpool, insist their son is not experiencing pain or suffering. T housands of Donald Trump's British detractors are planning to turn out en masse during his trip to the UK in July - promising a "carnival of resistance". The US President's long-awaited and controversial trip is expected to be a "working visit" rather than a full-blown state occasion. Downing Street confirmed plans for the trip on Thursday, saying Mr Trump would hold "bilateral talks" with Theresa May during his visit. Within hours of the announcement more than 80,000 people signalled their interest in an online Facebook event titled "Stop Trump's visit". Theresa May and Donald Trump at joint press conference at the White House in 2017 / PA Organiser Owen Jones said: "It's official: Donald Trump is visiting the UK on July 13 - Everyone out on the streets!" London Mayor Sadiq Khan said on Twitter: "If he comes to London, President Trump will experience an open and diverse city that has always chosen unity over division and hope over fear. "He will also no doubt see that Londoners hold their liberal values of freedom of speech very dear." Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said word of the visit was "fantastic news" that he was making the trip "at last" and it would be the "greatest visit ever". World War Two veteran and Labour activist Harry Leslie Smith, 95, said he would also be out on the streets, comparing Mr Trump to Hitler. He said: "As I am 95 years old, I know what fascism looks like that's why when Donald Trump comes to visit Britain, I'll be out on the streets protesting because his politics is the same politics as Mussolini and Hitler's." Mr Johnson once joked he would not visit parts of New York because of the "real risk of meeting Donald Trump". Huck Magazine editor and Labour activist Michael Segalov added: "It's official, Trump is coming to the UK...it's in my diary, now it in yours. Let's show him he's not welcome." Anti-Trump protests 1 /19 Anti-Trump protests Protesters burn trash on the road at K Street Northwest outside the offices of The Washington Post REUTERS Seattle Police officers dressed in protective gear stand outside Kane Hall on the University of Washington campus AP A group of demonstrators protest against the inauguration of US President Donald J. Trump in Mexico City, Mexico EPA A protester is treated after being pepper sprayed by police at the University of Washington REUTERS Protesters outside the offices of The Washington Post REUTERS Police deploy a chemical irritant and flash bang grenades at the intersection of Southwest Morrison and 5th Avenue as a crowd marches through the streets of Portland AP Protesters march through downtown Athens, Georgia AP Police fire smoke grenades to disperse protesters in Washington DC AP A police officer holds zipties to restrain people during the protest AFP/Getty Images A line of protesters confronts police AP Smoke bombs were hurled at police officers during protests on the parade route AP Police prepare to launch concussion and pepper grenades during clashes with protesters in downtown Washington AP Lines of police officers fill Pennsylvania Avenue in preparation for the inaugural parade EPA Police officers provide security as they wait for the Presidential Inauguration Parade AFP/Getty Images A demonstrator is arrested by police AFP/Getty Images Police officers pepper spray a group of protesters AFP/Getty Images A police officer carrying pepper spray is pictured during a protest before the parade AFP/Getty Images Heavily armoured police officers stand guard on the parade route AFP/Getty Images Police officers fire pepper spray at protesters AP Meanwhile activist Shaista Aziz promised Mr Trump he would face a "carnival of resistance on the streets of London". Filmmaker Amrou Al-Khadi said: "[Donald Trump] will be met with a ferocious fire that will once and for all show him how deeply despised and unwanted he really is." rump protest Anti-Trump protest at the new US Embassy Nageeb Hasson added: "I think we should show Trump exactly the same hospitality as the people from banned countries get when arriving to America." Mr Trump cancelled a visit to the UK to open the new American embassy, criticising its move from Grosvenor Square in the prestigious Mayfair district of central London to an "off location" at Nine Elms, south of the Thames. 'Special relationship': Donald Trump and Theresa May hold hands 1 /13 'Special relationship': Donald Trump and Theresa May hold hands US President Donald J. Trump holds hands with British Prime Minister Theresa May EPA US President Donald J. Trump holds hands with British Prime Minister Theresa May EPA US President Donald J. Trump holds hands with British Prime Minister Theresa May EPA US President Donald J. Trump holds hands with British Prime Minister Theresa May AP Prime Minister Theresa May and US President Donald Trump walk along the White House Colonnade PA British Prime Minister Theresa May laughs during a news conference with President Donald Trump AP Prime Minister Theresa May meeting US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office PA President Donald Trump reaches out to shake hands with British Prime Minister Theresa May AP Prime Minister Theresa May with US President Donald Trump during their joint press conference PA Prime Minister Theresa May meeting US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House PA Prime Minister Theresa May meeting US President Donald Trump by a bust of Sir Winston Churchill in the Oval Office PA Prime Minister Theresa May meeting US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House PA White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer posted this photo on Twitter. PA The president blamed the cost of the new embassy and its location south of the River Thames, saying it was a "bad deal". Plans for a working visit to the UK in 2018 were announced when Mr Trump met Mrs May at Davos in January. T orrential downpours are set to batter parts of London over the weekend forcing the Met Office to issue a yellow alert for rain across a huge swathe of the south east. Brits face a washout with gale force winds and plunging temperatures predicted to set in later today. Forecasters have issued a yellow weather warning for rain from Sunday evening until midnight on Monday for parts of London and the South East and parts of East Anglia . As much as 70mm of rain is expected to fall between 9pm on Saturday and midnight on Monday in some places. Motorists have been warned of floods on parts of busy roads and dangerous conditions due to the rain. Downpours will be accompanied by gale force northerly winds and forecasters have even said that there could be the potential for some snow on areas of higher ground as temperatures fall. Hot Weather: April 2018 - In pictures 1 /27 Hot Weather: April 2018 - In pictures People sit in St James Park on a sunny day in London EPA People relax in the sunshine beside the River Thames in Richmond upon Thames Reuters Jade Newsome nd Kate Whitfied from London, enjoy the hot weather on Richmond riverside PA People sit on deckchairs on a sunny day in London EPA Hercules the Blackpool horse cools down in the sea with rider Tyrone, on what is believed to be the hottest day of the year so far PA People punt along the River Cam in Cambridge PA A group of friends kick a ball in Greenwich Park as London has clear blue skies and temperatures rise Getty Images People relax in the sunshine on Primrose Hill Reuters A woman reads a book in the sun at Green Park in London PA Sunshine on Primrose Hill Jeremy Selwyn People enjoy the hot weather in St. James's Par PA Glorious sunshine in central London Alex Lentati People enjoy the hot weather in St James's Park, London PA A couple enjoy the sun at Green Park in London PA Runners enjoy a warm morning in St James's Park Alex Lentati Londoners enjoy a sunny view from Primrose Hill Jeremy Selwyn A couple enjoy the warm weather at Green Park in London PA St James's Park dazzles in the sunshine Alex Lentati Londoners bask in soaring temperatures Jeremy Selwyn The sun rises over London Jeremy Selwyn Emma Peleshok enjoys the flowers in St James's Park Alex Lentati Members of the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery ride out in front of Buckingham Palace en route to Green Park for the 53 Gun Salute which will mark the official opening of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. PA Horse Guard's Parade pictured in the sunshine Alex Lentati Long awaited warm weather pleased Londoners Alex Lentati The mercury could hit 28C today Alex Lentati Sunrise at Hyde Park Jeremy Selwyn PA This miserable weather may come as a shock for Londoners who were enjoying the hottest day in April for 70 years last week when temperatures soared to 29C. Londoners can expect outbreaks of rain as early as Friday morning, forecaster Luke Miall told the Standard. Much of the day will be characterised by rain, he said. It wont be particularly inspiring as we are coming to the end of April. Moving into Saturday it will be a damp start in the capital with rain easing up into lighter showers expected to persist throughout the day. Mr Miall said that temperatures will peak at 12C on Friday, but by Sunday the mercury will struggle to reach 7C. Elsewhere in the country it will be brighter and clearer in the north west of England and the west of Scotland with some frost expected in the morning. On Sunday more rain is expected as temperatures continue to fall across the country. Heading into next week Mr Miall said: Temperatures are expected to fall to 8C in south east and central England, which is well below normal for this time of year. U niversities should not report students to the police or exclude them from courses for possessing illegal drugs, the National Union of Students (NUS) has said. Simply disciplining students "fails to recognise the complex reasons that lead people to use drugs", it claimed in a new report. Instead, it suggests, students should be supported and given advice and information. Almost two fifths (39 per cent) of students currently use drugs, and 17 per cent have done so in the past, according to a survey of around 2,800 people conducted by the NUS as part of the report. It defines drugs as illegal substances, such as cannabis, ecstasy and cocaine, as well as non-prescribed drugs and so-called "legal highs". The survey indicates that the majority of those polled (62 per cent) do not have a problem with students taking drugs recreationally, while many believe that universities and colleges should not punish those that do. Overall, nearly half (47 per cent) agreed that institutions should not penalise students who take drugs, with 27 per cent disagreeing. "The findings from our study call into question both the effectiveness and fairness of a punitive approach when addressing student drug use," the NUS said. "Policy responses that focus solely on disciplining students fail to recognise the complex reasons that lead people to use drugs and therefore there is a risk that they may only serve to further marginalise certain groups of students, such as poorer students and those from a liberation background." It goes on to argue that "students should not be disciplined for drug-related behaviour that does not constitute a criminal offence" such as possessing drug paraphernalia. And the union says that students "should not be reported to the police or permanently excluded" for possessing an illegal drug. "If a student is reported to the police for a suspected or alleged drug offence (eg supplying a controlled drug), they should be signposted to legal advice and information services," the report adds. T he lawyer representing Bill Cosby's sexual assault victim said the former TV star "showed his true colours" in a string of angry outbursts following his conviction. Once an American national treasure, Cosby, 80, was found guilty of drugging and sexually assaulting Andrea Constand in 2004 by a jury of seven men and five women. After the judge granted Cosby bail, district attorney Kevin Steele demanded he be sent immediately to jail - leading to Cosby calling him an "a-hole" and shouting: "I'm sick of him!" The judge decided Cosby can remain free on $1 million bail while he awaits sentencing but restricted him to Montgomery County, where his home is. No sentencing date was set. Bill Cosby convicted of drugging and sexually assaulting woman The jury reached a verdict after deliberating 14 hours over two days, vindicating prosecutors' decision to retry Cosby after his first trial ended with a hung jury less than a year ago. Cosby could get up to 10 years in prison on each of the three counts of aggravated indecent assault. Cosby leaves the Montgomery courtroom with his publicist / Getty Images He is likely to get less than that under state sentencing guidelines, but given his age, even a modest term could mean he will die behind bars. Testifying under oath in 2005 as part of Constand's civil suit against him, Cosby said he had obtained several prescriptions for quaaludes from his doctor in Los Angeles in the 1970s, ostensibly for a sore back. The long-married comedian said he never took the drug, instead giving it to women he wanted to have sex with "the same as a person would say, `Have a drink."' Cosby acknowledged giving pills to Constand before their sexual encounter. But he identified them as the over-the-counter cold and allergy medicine Benadryl and insisted they were meant to help her relax. A scheme launched by tech startup businesses in China to hire attractive women to comfort overworked male coders has been branded "sexist" and "wrong". Some companies are employing what they call programming motivators whose responsibilities include socialising with male workers, buying them breakfast and giving them massages, the New York Times reported. The scheme faced backlash from people who claimed it was "misogynistic" and called for the companies to hire female coders instead. One person tweeted: Chinese startup tech companies are hiring attractive women to help "reduce stress" for the men who are coding. You know what would really help? Hiring female coders to split the work and reduce the stress that way. I don't know. Just a less misogynistic thought. Another said: I hope that all women someday have the ability to advance past being objects for male sexual gratification and domination. A third added: "Good god, patriarchy needs to die." One shocked man wrote on Twitter: "This is SO incredibly sexist and wrong, I dont even know where to begin." At least seven companies are looking for "programming motivators", according to the New York Times. One company, retail giant Alibaba, reportedly deleted an ad seeking female employees with recognisably good looks. Such language is said to be commonplace in Chinese job listings. Some companies boast about the presence of beautiful women at their companies to attract top male talent, the report added. Chen Yue, a 25-year-old programming motivator who works at Chainfin.com, told the New York Times that male employees often vent to her about work frustrations something they feel less comfortable doing with male co-workers. Ms Yue, who has a degree in civil engineering, said she is expected to give massages to stressed-out coders and arrange social functions for the company. China has the worlds largest number of self-made female billionaires, while many startups have women in senior roles, according to the report. Alibaba said in a statement: "Alibaba exemplifies one of the best practices in our industry when it comes to gender equality. One third of the 18 founders of Alibaba are women and one third of the 36 partners in the Alibaba Partnership are women. "47% of our employees are women and women leaders account for one third of our management positions. Our track record of not just hiring but promoting women in leadership positions speaks for itself. D onald Trumps travel ban is likely to be upheld by the US Supreme Court after conservative judges showed support for the presidents controversial plans. Those challenging the ban will most likely need the support of Chief justice John Roberts and Justice Anthony Kennedy if the court is to strike down the policy. But neither appeared receptive to arguments made by lawyer Neal Katyal, representing the ban's opponents, that Trump's rule stems from his campaign pledge to keep Muslims out of the country. It comes after the justices in December allowed the ban, which Mr Trump first imposed by executive order as one his first moves as leader, to take full effect despite an on-going legal fight. Protesters rally outside the US Supreme Court while the court justices consider the case / REUTERS The US leader's plans, which Mr Trump will hope survive the ongoing Supreme Court review, were heard for the first time in open court on Wednesday. The court is now considering the third version of the travel ban, which bars or limits entry to citizens of five Muslim-majority countries Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria and Yemen as well as North Korea. Human rights groups and other critics have branded Mr Trumps proposals as an unmistakable attempt to make good on his campaign pledge to ban all Muslims from entering the US. N ewly unearthed DNA evidence tied a former police officer to a series of crimes committed by a California serial killer in the 1980s. The "Golden State Killer" is believed to be behind 12 murders and 45 rapes throughout the states between 1979 and 1986. Joseph James DeAngelo, 72, who was fired from the Auburn Police Department, was arrested after a DNA sample came back as a match to the Killer. DeAngelo was arrested on suspicion of committing four killings in Sacramento and Ventura counties and charged with two counts of murder in the Ventura case. Anne Marie Schubert, Sacramento county district attorney, said: "We knew we were looking for a needle in a haystack, but we also knew that needle was there...The answer was always going to be in the DNA." Armed with a gun, the masked attacker terrorised communities by breaking into homes while single women or couples were sleeping. He sometimes tied up the man and piled dishes on his back, then raped the woman while threatening to kill them both if the dishes tumbled. He often took souvenirs, such as coins and jewellery, from his victims, who ranged in age from 13 to 41. DeAngelo was fired from the Auburn Police Department in 1979 after he was arrested for stealing a can of dog repellant and a hammer from a drug store, according to Auburn Journal articles from the time. The FBI says it had a team gathering evidence at a Sacramento-area home linked to DeAngelo. He was dubbed the East Area Rapist after his start in Northern California, the Original Night Stalker after a series of Southern California slayings, and the Diamond Knot Killer for using an elaborate binding method on two of his victims. Authorities decided to publicize the case again in 2016 in advance of the 40th anniversary of his first known assault in Sacramento County. T he US Senate has confirmed former CIA director Mike Pompeo as the next Secretary of State. Republican senators, who control the upper chamber, voted unanimously to confirm Mr Pompeo's appointment on Thursday. The Senate voted 57-42 to approve him as America's top diplomat after his predecessor Rex Tillerson was sacked last month by President Donald Trump via Twitter amid a personality clash. Following the announcement, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders released pictures of Mr Pompeo's secret meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jon Un. Posting the images on Twitter, she wrote: Great to have Secretary Pompeo confirmed. He will do an excellent job helping @POTUS [President Donald Trump] lead our efforts to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula. Mr Pompeo flew to North Korea for talks with the countrys leader, a visit which raised hopes of a breakthrough in the tense stand-off between America and the rogue state over its nuclear weapons programme. Mr Pompeo has been arranging a possible summit between Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un / Twitter/White House President Trump confirmed the meeting, which occurred over Easter, last week on Twitter after having disclosed earlier that he had initiated direct talks with the North Korean regime. Mr Pompeo has been arranging a possible summit between Mr Trump and Kim Jong-un, a meeting that could happen in the coming months. The approval of Mr Pompeo as secretary of state comes in time for the ex-CIA boss to lead a US delegation to Nato foreign minister talks in Brussels this weekend. Mr Trump applauded his new secretary of state, saying he is someone who will always put the interests of America first". K anye West has appeared to throw his support behind Tristan Thompson in the wake of infidelity allegations. The NBA star, 27, was accused of cheating on Wests sister-in-law Khloe Kardashian days before she gave birth to their first child together, daughter True Thompson. West proved hes still a fan of the Cleveland Cavaliers player, tweeting: Thats the last tweet of the day. I did that one for my god-brother Puff. Now ima go watch the Cavs. Thompson has faced a slew of cheating allegations after video footage emerged earlier this month appearing to show him kissing a woman at the PH-D Lounge in New York. The pair were then reportedly spotted returning to The Four Seasons together before later emerging in different outfits. Allegations: Khloe Kardashian and boyfriend Tristan Thompson / Splash News He was also accused of cheating with a woman who he has allegedly been spotted with on multiple occasions from as far back as November 2017. Wests tweet is the latest in a string of controversial posts which have seen him voice his support for President Donald Trump and explain the decision to sack his music manager Scooter Braun. Khloe Kardashian names baby girl 'True' His erratic tweets sparked health concerns, with some sources suggesting he is heading for a breakdown. But his wife Kim Kardashian slammed the claims, accusing the media of demonising her husband who she described as a free thinker. She tweeted: To the media trying to demonize my husband let me just say this... your commentary on Kanye being erratic & his tweets being disturbing is actually scary. So quick to label him as having mental health issues for just being himself when he has always been expressive is not fair. Mental Health is no joke and the media needs to stop spitting that out so casually. Bottom line. Users on the social media site claim to have used various checker sites to see who no longer followers the rapper after he tweeted his support of President Donald Trump. The list of those knocking West off their timeline is said to include his own sister-in-laws Khloe and Kourtney Kardashian and Kylie Jenner. West returned to the social media site after a period of absence last week, with a stream of tweets telling fans not to follow the crowd and that he was beginning to write a book in real time. Other recent posts have included revelations of new music and collaborations. But, on Wednesday, the Life Of Pablo artist fired up his account again but this time used his words to praise the US President, who he called his "brother. Snap happy: Kim Kardashian has shared a picture with her growing brood with Kanye West / Instagram/ Kim Kardashian West initially tweeted to his more than 18 million followers: You dont have to agree with trump but the mob cant make me not love him. We are both dragon energy. He is my brother. I love everyone. I dont agree with everything anyone does. Thats what makes us individuals. And we have the right to independent thought. West and Kardashian have three children together, four-year-old North, two-year-old Saint and Chicago, born in January via a gestational carrier. A -List actresses Meryl Streep and Jennifer Lawrence are reportedly owed over $100,000 each by Harvey Weinsteins production company. The Weinstein Company, which filed for bankruptcy last month, feature the Oscar-winning stars on their list of creditors along with hundreds of other Hollywood names. Jennifer Lawrence is reportedly owed over $102,000, according to legal documents obtained by The Blast, while Meryl Streep is obligated to a staggering $143,000. Founded by the disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein and his younger brother in 2005, The Weinstein Company has been plagued with financial trouble since its principle founders wave of sex scandals rocked Hollywood late last year. Meryl Streep is reportedly owned money by the Weinstein Company / Getty Images Both Streep and Lawrence have criticised Weinsteins lawyers for using passing comments they made in the past as part of the film producers defence case. Harvey Weinstein and his company are continuing to do what they have always done which is to take things out of context and use them for their own benefit, Lawrence said in a statement. While I was not victimized personally by Harvey Weinstein, I stand behind the women who have survived his terrible abuse, she continued. I applaud them in using all means necessary to bring him to justice whether through criminal or civil actions. Times up. Rose McGowan says Harvey Weinstein tried to contact her since she went public with allegations against him Streep also issued a statement which read: Harvey Weinstein's attorneys' use of my statement -- that he was not sexually transgressive or physically abusive in our business relationship -- as evidence that he was not abusive with many other women is pathetic and exploitive. Despite denying they had any awareness of Weinsteins misconduct, the board The Weinstein Company agreed that they could not fire the movie mogul for his misconduct as long as he paid off both the victims and the company. In 2017, The Weinstein Company profited $1 million for each of Weinsteins offences. Jennifer Lawrence - style file 1 /49 Jennifer Lawrence - style file July 11, 2008 At the 2008 Summer TCA Tour Turner Party at the Beverly Hilton Hotel Stephen Shugerman/Getty August 29, 2008 At the 'The Burning Plain' photocall during the 65th Venice Film Festival Pascal Le Segretain/Getty August 29, 2008 At the 'The Burning Plain' premiere during the 65th Venice Film Festival Pascal Le Segretain/Getty August 31, 2008 Arriving by boat during the 65th Venice Film Festival Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty September 18, 2008 At the 6th Annual Teen Vogue Young Hollywood Party at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art Michael Buckner/Getty September 14, 2009 At the 'The Burning Plain' film premiere at Bond Street Thompson Beverly Hills Frederick M. Brown/Getty March 11, 2010 At the premiere of Apparition's 'The Runaways' held in Los Angeles Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty June 8, 2010 At the launch of MARKTBeauty.com Stephen Lovekin/Getty January 8, 2011 At the 22nd Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards Gala Alexandra Wyman/Getty January 14, 2011 At the Eleventh Annual AFI Awards at the Four Seasons Hotel Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty January 14, 2011 At the 16th annual Critics' Choice Movie Awards in Los Angeles Christopher Polk/Getty January 16, 2011 At the Golden Globes Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty January 30, 2011 At the 17th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards held in Los Angeles Frazer Harrison/Getty February 13, 2011 At the BAFTAs at The Royal Opera House Chris Jackson/Getty February 25, 2011 At QVC Red Carpet Style Party in Los Angeles Valerie Macon/Getty February 27, 2011 At the 83rd Annual Academy Awards held in Hollywood Kevork Djansezian/Getty March 12, 2012 At the premiere of 'The Hunger Games' in Los Angeles Jason Merritt/Getty September 8, 2012 At the 'Silver Linings Playbook' premiere during the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival Terry Rice/Getty November 19, 2012 At the Screening of 'Silver Linings Playbook' in Beverly Hills Frederick M. Brown/Getty January 12, 2013 At the 38th Annual Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards Paul A. Hebert/Getty January 13, 2013 At the 70th Annual Golden Globes Jason Merritt/Getty February 24, 2013 At the Oscars Jason Merritt/Getty July 1, 2013 At the Christian Dior show during Paris Fashion Week Haute-Couture AW13 Pascal Le Segretain/Getty November 11, 2013 At the world premier of 'The Hunger Games: Catching Fire' in Leicester Square Andrew Cowie/AFP/Getty November 18, 2013 At the premiere of 'The Hunger Games: Catching Fire' in Los Angeles Getty Images January 12, 2014 At the Golden Globes Getty Images March 2, 2014 At the Oscars Getty Images July 7, 2014 At the Christian Dior show during Paris Fashion Week Haute Couture AW14 Pascal Le Segretain/Getty September 19, 2014 At the 2014 iHeartRadio Music Festival in Las Vegas Mark Davis/Getty November 10, 2014 At the World Premiere of 'The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1' at Leicester Square Dave J Hogan/Getty November 17, 2014 At the premiere of 'The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1' in Los Angeles Kevin Winter/Getty May 4, 2015 At the 'China: Through The Looking Glass' Met Gala Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty November 5, 2015 At the UK Premiere of 'The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2' in central London Justin Tallis/AFP/Getty November 9, 2015 At 'The Hunger Games' photocall in Paris Bertrand Guay/AFP/Getty November 16, 2015 At the premiere of 'The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2' in Los Angeles Mark Davis/Getty November 18, 2015 At the "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay- Part 2" New York Premiere Getty Images December 13, 2015 At the "Joy" New York premiere in New York Getty Images January 10, 2016 At the Golden Globes Getty Images February 25, 2016 At the Dinner For Equality co-hosted by Patricia Arquette and Marc Benioff Getty Images for Weinstein Carne February 26, 2016 At the Ninth Annual Women In Film Pre-Oscar Cocktail Party Getty Images for Perrier-Jouet February 28, 2016 At the Oscars Getty Images February 28, 2016 At the Oscars AFP/Getty Images April 16, 2016 At the the New York premiere of "A Beautiful Planet" Getty Images May 23, 2016 On the Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon Getty Images September 30, 2016 At the Christian Dior 2017 Spring/Summer show AFP/Getty Images October 28, 2016 At the AMD British Academy Britannia Awards Getty Images November 29, 2016 At the photocall for her lastest film "Passengers" in Paris AFP/Getty Images December 1, 2016 At the photocall for the film "Passengers" at Claridge's Hotel Getty Images December 2, 2016 At the photocall for "Passengers" in Berlin Getty Images for Sony Pictures In the weeks following the scandal, The Weinstein Company faced multiple lawsuits including a $5 million case from actress Dominique Huett, who claims Weinstein invited her into his hotel room under the guise of a business meeting, as well as a civil rights lawsuit from the New York Attorney General for allegedly violating the states human rights law. O ne of the UKs growing challenger banks Revolut has raised $250 million (179 million) in Series C funding and is now worth $1.7 billion (1.2 billion). This new valuation means the fintech start-up is officially a unicorn a company that is worth over $1 billion. Its an impressive feat for the company, which was last valued at about 300 million in 2017. It began three years in the new wave of fintech (financial technology) companies hoping to challenge the status quo of UK banking. What makes Revolut different is that its card users can spend abroad in over 150 currencies with no fees. Using the Revolut app, you can transfer money into different currencies, locking in a decent exchange rate. In recent months, the start-up has added cryptocurrency capabilities, as well as safety features such as disposable virtual cards to prevent online fraud. As a result, the start-up now has nearly 2 million customers and says it is signing up between 6,000 and 8,000 customers a day. Nik Storonsky, founder and CEO of Revolut, says the companys focus has always been to do everything opposite to traditional banks. We build world class tech that puts people back in control of their finances, we speak to our customers like humans and were never afraid to challenge old thinking in order to innovate, he said. Banking has historically avoided disruptions by technology, but that is all about to change. Revolut's founder and CEO Nik Storonsky (Revolut ) / Revolut Its this attitude which has impressed investors across the world to invest $340 million into Revolut since it started. As well, unlike many start-ups, Revolut recently reported it was now breaking even, no mean feat for a tech company under the age of five. The recent round of $250 million saw new and existing investors put money into the company, including Hong Kong-based DST Global and Index Ventures. Revolut says it will use the money for global expansion, to the US, Canada, Singapore, Hong Kong and Australia. Tom Stafford, managing partner at DST Global, said: Revolut is developing and delivering technology that reduces the complexity and cost of financial services for consumers and small businesses. "We are delighted to support Nik and the Revolut team as they continue to innovate, roll out new services and expand geographically. If anything, this sudden rise in Revolut's status demonstrates how keen investors are on fintech. Earlier this year, the Japanese mega-investor SoftBank said it wants to put at least $200 million into the growing sector, in order to take on the slow-moving banks. For Revolut's competitors, including Starling and Monzo, this will not be good news that they have been overtaken so quickly. H ome speakers brand Sonos is making some changes to its new range: its going to be introducing support for Apples AirPlay2. Not heard of AirPlay 2 before? This is the Wi-Fi audio streaming tech from the iPhone maker. When you play music from your iPhone for example, you will be able to select which of your home speakers you want to play the audio. And, this integration with Sonos means you can send audio from any app on your Apple device to a Sonos speaker. As well, you can tell Siri to play Apple Music tracks on Sonos too. Whilst the speaker doesnt support specific integration with Apples AI assistant, instead focusing on the Amazon Alexa, AirPlay 2 is a way to get around this. This is exciting for Sonos owners and improves one of the biggest drawbacks with its own smart speaker, the Sonos One. When the speaker first launched last year, you could only play music through Amazons Music service when using voice command requests. With the AirPlay 2 integration, however, you will be able to request Siri to play Apple Music tracks through voice command, expanding out Sonoss smart capabilities. But, theres a catch. We dont yet know when Apple is going to launch AirPlay 2 as it is currently still in beta testing. The company will be hosting its Worldwide Developers Conference in early June in San Francisco so the new software may be officially unveiled here. What we do know is that Sonoss new speakers will have AirPlay 2 support thats the Sonos One, the second generation Play:5 and Playbase. Another AirPlay 2 feature thats worth noting is it will enable multi-room support for AirPlay speakers. This means you will be able to integrate Sonos speakers with other devices linked up by Airplay 2, including the Apple HomePod. Even though the HomePod was supposed to be a direct competitor to Sonos One, if you have both devices in your home you might as well get them connected together. Countries & Areas Search for country or area A Afghanistan Albania Algeria Andorra Angola Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Australia Austria Azerbaijan B Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Brazil Brunei Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burma Burundi C Cabo Verde Cambodia Cameroon Canada Central African Republic Chad Chile China Colombia Comoros Costa Rica Cote dIvoire Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czechia D Democratic Republic of the Congo Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic E Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Eswatini Ethiopia F Fiji Finland France G Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Greece Grenada Guatemala Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana H Haiti Holy See Honduras Hungary I Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Israel Italy J Jamaica Japan Jordan K Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Kosovo Kuwait Kyrgyzstan L Laos Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg M Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Mauritania Mauritius Mexico Micronesia Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Morocco Mozambique N Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria North Korea North Macedonia Norway O Oman P Pakistan Palau Palestinian Territories Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Poland Portugal Q Qatar R Republic of the Congo Romania Russia Rwanda S Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Korea South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Sweden Switzerland Syria T Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Tuvalu U Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom Uruguay Uzbekistan V Vanuatu Venezuela Vietnam Y Yemen Z Zambia Zimbabwe The bond offering of the Bucharest City Hall has been oversubscribed by almost 50pct, Gabriela Firea, General Mayor of Bucharest, said on Thursday at the Bucharest Stock Exchange. "The trading of the bonds issued by the Bucharest Municipality is inaugurated today. As a first, the Bucharest Municipality has received a premium of nearly 3 million lei, which is to be appreciated. The investors were interested - commercial banks, investment, pension funds, insurers - and the issue was subscribed by over 50pct," Firea said. According to her, Bucharest is the largest economic growth pole in Romania, contributing almost 25pct to the GDP of the country."Bucharest, with all its problems, is the biggest economic growth pole in Romania. It contributes almost 25pct to the country's Gross Domestic Product and represents 10pct of the population. For the first time since taking office, I have talked about the metropolitan area and the need for a law of the capital and the metropolis, a document that is under work and will bring a better life for all the inhabitants," said the mayor of Bucharest.A new municipal bond issue of 555 million lei issued by Bucharest City starts trading on Thursday on the Bucharest Stock Exchange (BVB) Regulated Market.According to an announcement by the operator of the capital market, the bonds mature on April 23, 2028 (maturity at 10 years) and it is about 55,500 bonds with a nominal value of 10,000 lei. The coupon rate is 5.6pct.At present, four issues of bonds launched by the City of Bucharest are traded on the Bucharest Stock Exchange. AGERPRES . National Defence Minister Mihai Fifor Thursday told AGERPRES that the Deveselu base is "perfectly operational" and is at the same time a key-element for NATO's eastern flank defence. Minister Mihai Fifor's reaction comes upon the affirmations of former premier Adrian Nastase who stated that the Deveselu shield is allegedly obsolete as compared to Russia's military hardware. "I have the utmost respect for president Adrian Nastase. I do not comment his affirmations, I have not commented upon nor do I intend to comment upon president Vladimir Putin's statements. I can, in full certainty, tell you that the military base at Deveselu is perfectly operational; it is key-element base for the defence of this flank of the North-Atlantic Alliance. We are currently perfectly operational and I do not believe that the issue might be put in those terms, ever. As a matter of fact, all the endowments the Romanian Army has with its strategic partnership are perfectly operational and I am telling you that through everything that we have been doing since Romania's Government allocated 2 percent of the GDP for the Army's endowment we have shown that we want to implement the 8 major programmes for the endowment of the Army, so as to raise the Romanian Army's capability and reaction force as partner of an extremely solid Alliance," National Defence Minister Mihai Fifor stated for AGERPRES Former premier and leader of the Social Democratic Party Adrian Nastase stated for adevarul.ro that "the shield at Deveselu is an outdated matter, which will probably be taken over by the Technical Museum in the nearby future."Minister Fifor was present, Wednesday through Thursday, in Neamt county, where he visited a military unit and a spa resort in Baltatesti, under the Army's administration. President Klaus Iohannis on Thursday specified that he will ask Prime Minister Viorica Dancila, at their meeting on Friday, about her visit to Israel, while pointing out that the one who is the President of the Republic, in charge with the country's foreign affairs, is him. "Be sure that I will ask Mrs Dancila about what determined her to pay a bilateral visit to Israel without even saying a word, without calling me out of politeness or paying me a visit, in the context in which, even if the PSD [Social Democratic Party] doesn't like it, I am the one who is the President of the Republic, which means that I am the one who is in charge with the country's foreign affairs," Iohannis stated in Bacau. Romania's Prime Minister Viorica Dancila has been presented with a "Cross of Merit of the Holy Sepulcher Order," the highest distinction of Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem , according to a press statement released on Thursday by the Romanian Government. According to the statement, Dancila received the distinction at a meeting with Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem in Jerusalem on Thursday. "The discussions highlighted the good relations between the Patriarchate of the Romanian Orthodox Church and the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, as well as promoting tolerance and interdenominational dialogue, combating negative and dangerous stereotypes regarding religions, races and genders, as well as the security of Christians in conflict regions, especially in the Middle East and North Africa," the statement said.At the same time, Dancila commended the fact that Romanian pilgrims have always been allowed access to the holy places."The meeting was followed by a brief visit to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the place where Jesus Christ rose, considered the centre of Christendom."Also Thursday, Dancila met Archimandrite Teofil Anastasoaia, the representative of the Romanian Patriarchate at the Holy Places. President Klaus Iohannis stated on Thursday that he is concerned with "the secrecy" of the Prime Minister Viorica Dancila's visit to Israel and underscored that the PM doesn't speak for Romania. "This visit that the PM is paying to Israel and, it looks like the Speaker of the Deputies' Chamber too, has some peculiarities. They didn't come to talk, the PM didn't leave with any mandate. Therefore, she only spoke on behalf and for the Government, and not for Romania. But this isn't the thing that concerned me most, but the secrecy in which this departure was organised. I have never seen before for a prime minister of Romania to leave for a visit in a foreign country, after announcing it late at night, before departure, and without announcing the agenda, without letting us know what she actually is doing there," Iohannis stated after touring the Aerostar-Grup Industrial Aeronautic Bacau. The proposal regarding the relocation of Romania's Embassy to Jerusalem taking into account the internal consultation, the strengthening of bilateral cooperation, the military and strategic area were included on the agenda of the talks between the Romanian delegation with the President and Prime Minister of the State of Israel. According to a release of the Chamber of Deputies sent to AGERPRES, Speaker Liviu Dragnea , Prime Minister Viorica Dancila and Foreign Minister Teodor Melescanu had a meeting on Thursday with Israel's President Reuven Rivlin, occasioned by the visit of the Romanian delegation to Israel. "Speaker of the Deputies' Chamber stated that he endorses the proposal regarding the relocation of Romania's Embassy to Jerusalem, taking into account the internal consultations. The decision was hailed by Israel's President Reuven Rivlin. In this context, Prime Minister Viorica Dancila conveyed to the Israeli side that the Government proposed the future ambassador of Romania to Israel, but the appointment decision rests with the president. The Romanian officials showed that one of our country's priorities is strengthening the bilateral cooperation and reiterated the wish to make progresses towards the strategic dimension of the Romanian-Israeli relationship. During the talks, the important role of the Israeli community of Romanian ancestry in building the modern state of Israel, as well as in strengthening the relations between the two countries was highlighted," reads the release.On Thursday also, Speaker Liviu Dragnea met with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu The Chamber of Deputies informs that the discussions focused on assessing the Romanian-Israeli bilateral relations in the context of celebrating 70 years of uninterrupted diplomatic relations, with an emphasis on identifying new opportunities to additionally capitalise on co-operation in areas of shared interest.A special attention was granted to the military area and discussions on strategy. The meeting also reaffirmed the interest in strengthening cooperation in the area of new technologies, with an emphasis on the cyber security sector.The relocation of Romania's Embassy to Jerusalem was also on the meeting agenda. In this context, the Israeli PM hailed the launching by the Government in Romania, of the domestic debates on this topic. Another topic tacked during the talks was connected to the structured inter-parliamentary dialogue (P2P) between Romania and Israel, throughout 2018, giving that there will take place several contacts at parliamentary delegations and also between different parliamentary committees of the two countries.The two officials also underscored the valuable contribution brought to the bilateral relationship by the Israeli community originating from Romania and the Romanian community in Israel. In this context, the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies reiterated Romania's commitment to sanction all forms of anti-Semitism and denial of the Holocaust," the press release mentions. The fish poaching phenomenon risks to ruin the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve (RBDD), on Thursday told AGERPRES this body's governor Malin Musetescu, who added that since the commencement of the fish prohibition period this year, the watchdog bodies have seized over 1,400 kilos of fish and over 400 fishing tools, have completed four criminal files and have given fines were worth 33,000 lei (rd 7096 euro). Seven of the eight institutions with attributions in fish poaching gave last year 2,462 fines worth 574,600 lei, drafted preliminary documents for 305 criminal files and seized 24.9 tonnes of fish, 166.3 kilos of fish eggs, 16.9 tonnes of crabs and rapane (rapa whelks), 9,123 fishing tools, 89 boats, 63 boat engines, five vehicles and four fuel tanks. "These figures demonstrate that we are facing an assault of the criminal actions against the Delta's fish resource. The phenomenon has an unbelievable broadness, and the figures show but 20-30 percent of the reality. The phenomenon risks to get out of total control and basically destroy this corner of the country we put our hopes in, that it would launch in tourism, it would be able to uphold the legitimate need of a better life for its inhabitants. It's serious, because even commercial fisher-persons are caught, too," governor Musetescu said.Since the fish ban kicked off on 7 April, the RBDD governor's mobile watchdog drafted the preliminary documents for 4 criminal files, gave fines worth 33,900 lei and seized 888 kilos of fish, 2 boats and 2 boat engines. In the same period, in the strictly protected areas the Reserve's green agents have taken to seize 72 nets whose use is banned in the Delta, bearing 96 kilos of fish.Moreover, the integrated control Commissariat in the Danube Delta has seized 360 fishing tools, one boat, one boat engine and 439 kilos of fish."Anywhere else around thew world, at such figures the poaching would have been eradicated for good. Here, it looks that it felt no serious hit. If we don't have a common attitude against this phenomenon, and here I'm talking about the local population and the authorities, there will be no future in the Delta, because without the fish resource, there is no life in the Delta," governor Musetescu stressed.He added that a draft law exists by which the integrated control Commissariat in the Delta attached to the RBDD Administration is abolished, and the only entity with verification abilities in fish poaching will be the Danube Delta Police Service (SPDD).The mackerel is a sturgeon species whose capture has been forbidden in the Romanian territorial waters ever since 2006, following the decline in the populations of these species. In parallel, the Romanian authorities have conducted several actions to restock the Danube with baby sturgeons. AGERPRES Tyler DURDEN Until very recently, China's paramount worry regarding the Korean Peninsula involved the possibility that the "cold" war that has endured since the 1953 armistice could might erupt into an all-out nuclear conflict. But since Kim Jong Un signaled his willingness to negotiate with the US and consider abandoning its nuclear program, China has become more concerned about a suddenly US-allied North Korean reunifying with the South or worse, pointing its missiles toward Beijing. Ahead of talks between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un set to begin Friday talks that are widely viewed as a preamble to negotiations with Trump expected to take place roughly one month later the Financial Times reported Wednesday that China is worried about being outflanked by the US in the ongoing battle of influence over the peninsula that started with the Korean War. "Any bilateral deals could take place at Chinas expense if Beijing doesnt have a seat at the table," said Zheng Yongnian, director of the East Asian Institute at the National University of Singapore and an expert on Chinese foreign policy. The paranoia gripping Beijing is being articulated by China's cohort of geopolitical analysts, whose public views often mirror the privately-held beliefs of China's leadership. Since the US and North Korea first announced their intentions to engage in diplomatic talks, China has expressed cautious optimism over the prospects for a peaceful outcome. But Chinese officials have also insisted that the dialogue be replaced with the resumption of negotiations between Moscow, Beijing, Seoul, Tokyo and Washington also known as the "six-party talks" which were last held in 2007. "Many Chinese experts are worried about a re-unified Korea with a security alliance relationship with the United States and with US troops to stay on the peninsula," he said. Although observers say such an eventual outcome is highly unlikely, Chinas guard is up. Since the planned talks between Mr Trump and Mr Kim were announced in March, Chinas mantra has been that it welcomes dialogue, but bilateral talks with Pyongyang should soon be replaced with a resumption of negotiations that include Moscow, Beijing, Seoul, Tokyo, and Washington. Known as the six-party talks, these were last held in 2007 and could be restarted as early as this summer, diplomats say. [] With China excluded from the bargaining table, any number of outlandish scenarios seem possible in the fevered dreams of the Chinas analyst community: from a reunification of North and South Korea under a US security umbrella to a suddenly pro-American North Korea with nuclear weapons pointed at China. As the FT reminds us, China's worries aren't without precedent: Russia accused the US of breaking pledges it made during the reunification of Germany back in 1990 a grudge the country's leadership harbors to this day. Meanwhile, some analysts have cited the increase in oil supplies flowing to the North in violation of US sanctions as evidence that the North is still economically dependent on its historical benefactor. Wang Chong of the Charhar Institute in Beijing, said the meeting between the two leaders meant "the settlement of the peninsula issue cannot be reached without Chinas contribution I do not think China is excluded. Only some countries take turns being out in front." Mr Kim has gone out of his way to reassure China. Evoking their common socialist roots, a North Korean troupe performed a Chinese Cultural Revolution ballet called The Red Detachment of Women in Pyongyang last week. [] When a busload of Chinese tourists crashed in Pyongyang on Sunday, killing 32, Mr Kim met with the Chinese ambassador in Pyongyang to deliver condolences, and then went to the hospital to meet survivors an unheard of step for the leader. [] More likely than any grand bargain, say diplomats, is incremental progress towards dismantling its nuclear weapons programme and lifting of sanctions. "Kim is doing everything to secure his regime he is not going to suddenly throw it all away for unification,"said one diplomat from an Asian country. Not to mention the fact that China is still responsible for roughly 90% of the foreign trade flowing in and out of the reclusive Communist state. The leaders of the world's second-largest economy have also been engaged in a battle of wills with President Trump over the US's demands that China abandon its purportedly "unfair" trade practices. However, others are more suspicious of the North's motives. One analyst suspects the North is trying to play the US and China off each other and hoping the benefit by securing more flexibility for its nuclear program. After all, China has become steadily more critical of the North's nuclear ambitions in recent years as the country's scientists have come incredibly close to being able to manufacture a nuclear warhead capable of fitting atop one of the North's intercontinental ballistic missiles. But in the latest sign that the North's sudden willingness to negotiate with the US might be some kind of geopolitical ploy, reports surfaced Wednesday morning that a crucial tunnel in the North's Punggye-ri nuclear test site had finally collapsed. This immediately aroused speculation that Kim might've had an ulterior motive for proclaiming the tests had been suspended. But at the very least, it calls into question Kim's motives for seeking the talks in the first place. So, is China right to worry about Pyongyang cozying up to the US? Or is it Trump who is underestimating Kim's cunning. What do you think? zerohedge.com Preparations for the meeting between Kim Jong-un and Donald Trump are for the moment continuing without a hitch. The next step is the historic meeting between Moon Jae-in of South Korea and his North Korean counterpart. On the table are several possibilities. Pyongyang's strategy seems to be much more refined than it may seem. The news surrounding the negotiations on the North Korean peninsula continues to appear promising, with all the parties involved remaining relatively optimistic. Important words coming from Pyongyang have been heard in recent weeks. The North Korean leadership has recently established some guidelines regarding internal social and economic development over the coming years. Once complete nuclear deterrence has been achieved, the objective then becomes the development of the economy and an improvement in the material wellbeing of North Koreans. The renunciation of its nuclear status is part of a broader plan that brings with it some essential requirements, such as the reunification of the two Koreas, a peace treaty with the United States, and the withdrawal of foreign troops from the peninsula. The possibility of achieving economic wellbeing for North Koreans is subject to the success of meeting these requirements. In this sense, the planned meeting between Moon Jae-in (President of South Korea) and Kim Jong-un opens up new possibilities, given the good will of the leadership of both countries to resolve their long-standing problems. Proceeding according to the timeline presented above, the meeting between the two leaders should take place in May, paving the way for the much more critical meeting between Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un in a place yet to be decided, but one which would have high symbolic value. Avoiding excessive optimism, despite the obvious improvements in tone, rhetoric and actions compared to a year ago, the overall US strategy in the region should be considered. We have learned in recent months that the incumbent of the Oval Office has little influence over the dictates of the foreign-policy establishment, the deep state call it what you like. This is a toxic concoction of industrialists, politicians, think-tank experts, former politicians, soldiers, and philanthropists dedicated solely to the preservation of the role of American primacy, with aspirations to global hegemony, dictated by the (wrong) belief that America is an exceptional country (see parts1, 2, 3, and 4). In this sense, as highlighted by the Nuclear Posture Review, Washington has to deal with two peer competitors (China and Russia) and two minor opponents (Iran and North Korea) and plans its actions in the long term. The US troops stationed in South Korea reflect the desire of policy-makers to surround the Heartland and its periphery to contain the two powers that occupy this geographical space: Russia and China. The presence of American troops in South Korea is part of this geostrategic project and is crucial to the balance of power. All of these factors, in addition to the need to keep the flow of South Korean money into the coffers to US defense companies, indicate how the talks initiated by DPRK, South Korea and the United States are anything but straightforward. Observing the general picture of the region and the recent news released by Pyongyang, the question arises as to whether North Korea possibly pursued its nuclear-weapons program only in order to renounce it for the purposes of gaining important concessions from the Americans in the process? Regardless, obtaining a nuclear deterrent has its own inherent logic, in light of the danger posed by Washington and its aggressive imperialist foreign policy. But as we know, the real deterrent against any American invasion of the peninsula, or a decapitating first-strike against Pyongyang's leadership, lies in North Koreas possession of a huge and impressive conventional arsenal that is lined up along the demilitarized zone (DMZ). I pointed out in my previous article how the consequences of a war on the peninsula, even when not involving nuclear weapons, would represent a red line that could not possibly be crossed. The firepower directed against the forces stationed in South Korea by the DPRK would oblige the US to enter into a total war with the North, bringing about an irreparable crisis with Seoul, which would see hundreds of non-interceptable missiles launched against its city and troops. The obvious consequence would be a diplomatic break between South Korea and the United States, since Seoul would be forced to surrender/negotiate with the North. This would result in a disaster for US policy-makers, who use the Korean peninsula to station troops and military equipment (such as THAAD) as a launchpad for containing China. Realistically, however, what appears to be emerging is very similar to a strategy cleverly developed by the North Korean leadership over a number of years. As Pyongyang needed to bring the United States to the negotiating table, while at the same time guaranteeing its survival, it pursued its nuclear-weapons program. Since Washington seems to have understood that a military solution is not practicable, especially given the pressure brought to bear by its allies all too cognizant of a nuclear-armed DPRK, Pyongyang is now willing to display its good will, deciding to surprise the world by embarking on negotiations, with the renunciation of its nuclear weapons as a major bargaining chip. Under these conditions, Pyongyang is willing to cooperate, and South Korea welcomes the initiative with open arms, accelerating the meeting between the two leaders and paving the way for peace on the peninsula. The People's Republic of China applauds the diplomatic efforts and encourages South Korea, and later America, in these diplomatic efforts. Seoul, Beijing and Pyongyang have every interest in reaching an all-encompassing deal, with or without Washington. The diplomatic ability of this trio has managed to leave the United States with its back against the wall, first of all obliging it to sit down at the negotiating table (something already revolutionary for reasons explained above), and then requiring it to ease sanctions considerably. Otherwise, North Korea would be seen as the party that is willing to achieve peace, while Washington is left isolated and looking like the warmonger. North Korea finds itself in a win-win situation. If sanctions are eased and peace talks are managed in the right manner, then the process of socio-economic rebirth, which Kim Jong-un considers a priority, can begin. Should the rhetoric of war prevail in Washington, then Washington would find itself at odds with its main ally, Seoul. It is likely that China could even justifiably renounce its sanctions against the DPRK, blaming the US for not making any progress in the face of extraordinary offers by Kim Jong-un to renounce his nuclear weapons. Washington would come across as the uncooperative party, and this would free the relevant parties, including allies, from taking the United States into consideration. Beijing would easily take the place of Washington as a mediator between North and South Korea, starting tripartite talks, taking into account everyones interests but Washingtons. The focus of the United States will be on achieving the least negative outcome for itself, given that it knows it has one of the weakest hands to play at the negotiating table. The Spanish Army has ordered 17 American CH-47F transport helicopters for $76.5 million each. That includes spare parts, maintenance equipment and tech support. The Spanish Army already has 17 older CH-47s, delivered in several purchases from 1973 through the mid-1990s. These were all upgraded to CH-47Ds by 2011 although two were lost in service. Spanish CH-47s served in Afghanistan several times, starting in 2007. Spain has climate and geography (hot and high) similar to Afghanistan and the Spanish pilots quickly adapted to the Afghan conditions. The Spanish used their CH-47s a lot throughout the years and that made it more practical to buy new CH-47Fs rather than upgrade the current ones. Meanwhile, the United States has many more recent CH-47s being upgraded to the F standard in addition to ordering some new CH-47Fs. The development of the F model was the result of discovering that the huge projected cost of developing a new transport helicopter was not worth it compared to spending $11.4 billion dollars to refurbish its fleet of existing CH-47s instead. This decision was driven largely by the success of the CH-47F model, which first flew in 2001 and by 2003 demonstrated that a new helicopter design would not be practical in the face of the much cheaper F model. None of the proposed CH-47 replacements was dramatically better than an upgraded CH-47. This upgrade effort has led to a U.S. Army fleet of 513 CH-47F helicopters (including 397 rebuilt CH-47D choppers, 55 new build 47Fs ones, plus some special versions). The CH-47F has been so successful that the army was able to persuade Congress to allow the fleet to be expanded with more new choppers as well. The rebuilt CH-47Ds became CH-47Fs that are good for another twenty years of service. The F model CH-47 has up-to-date digital communications, is easier to maintain, and cheaper to operate. The CH-47F can carry up to 55 troops and has a maximum range of 426 kilometers. Its max speed is 315 kilometers an hour. Typical missions last no more than 2.5 hours. In 2010 the CH-47F helicopter got its first sustained experience in a combat zone and performed well. This was a major factor in getting the money to buy more of them. A company of 20 CH-47Fs arrived in Afghanistan during 2009, and soon found themselves often flying eight missions a day, day after day. The CH-47Fs had a 90 percent availability rate. Although the CH-47F has been flying since 2001 and were first delivered to the army in 2009, it takes sustained use in a combat environment to smoke out the last bugs and maintenance problems. In Afghanistan, there were some problems with the flat panel displays, but these were quickly worked out. There were several other minor problems, mostly having to do with all the dust in the environment and the temperature extremes (often below freezing in Winter and over 45 degrees/113 Fahrenheit in Summer). This was tough on the maintainers and manufacturers' reps initially, but after a year maintenance problems were no longer an issue. This is important because in Afghanistan the CH-47 is a critical form of air transportation, including combat assault. Since the 1990s, the U.S. Army had used UH-60 "Blackhawk" helicopters for combat assault missions, while the larger CH-47 "Chinook" was used just for moving cargo. But the army found that, in the high altitudes of Afghanistan, the more powerful CH-47 was often the only way to go in the thin mountain air. While doing that the army found that the CH-47 made an excellent assault helicopter. In many ways, it was superior to the UH-60, mainly because the CH-47 carries more troops and moves faster and farther. The CH-47F has even more powerful engines and is even more valuable for high altitude assaults. It is the best helicopter for use in Afghanistan, having proved able to deal with the dust and high altitude operations better than other transport choppers. The first CH-47s entered service in 1962, able to carry only five tons. Some 750 saw service in Vietnam and 200 were lost in action. During 1982-94, 500 CH-47s were rebuilt to the CH-47D standard. SOCOM operates 31 MH-47Ds and Es, which have additional navigation gear. These are being upgraded to MH-47F standards and the fleet expanded to 61 helicopters. As a result of all this, the CH-47 will end up serving at least 75 years. The original CH-47F upgrade program and new builds will not be completed until 2018. A new contract extends production into the 2020s. Russia is hustling to carry out some damage control in Syria after two embarrassing defeats. First, there was the loss of several hundred Russian military contractors during a failed February attack on American and Kurdish forces in eastern Syria. In April there was the U.S., British and French attack on Assad chemical weapons facilities with 105 smart bombs and missiles. The Syrian air defense system, using recently updated equipment, failed to stop any of the incoming missiles, all of which apparently hit their targets and did so nearly simultaneously. Russia later admitted it did not use its S-400 air defense system in Syria because the incoming missiles, as per previous agreements, avoided all Russian facilities. Russia still insists that the Syrian air defense system shot down a lot of the incoming missiles but has not provided any proof. Such proof would be easy to locate and display if it existed, but it doesnt and Russia is left insisting that its S-400 system, which it recently sold to Turkey, could have shot down the incoming missiles. Meanwhile, Russia says it is sending some S-300 batteries to Syria to upgrade the Syrian air defenses and that these would also knock down incoming missiles. It is uncertain when the S-300 systems will arrive in Syria, or whether they will be sent at all. The fact remains that Russia had a chance to demonstrate the effectiveness of the S-400 and refused to engage. Finally, there was the event that triggered the American led missile attack and that was the frequent recent use of nerve gas by the Assad government. Russia denies this is happening but the UN investigators are convinced and this puts a bad light on the Russian effort in 2013 to avoid Western air attacks on Assad by guaranteeing that the Assads would dismantle their chemical weapons facilities and account for all their chemical weapons so they could be destroyed. The continued use of nerve gas and other chemical weapons by the Assads shows the 2013 Russian guarantee to be worthless. Russia says it is all part of a NATO plot to discredit Russia. Despite the confrontational situation leading up to the missile attack and its aftermath (Russia insisting the gas attack was staged by Britain) the Russians and Americans kept their liaison channels open and active. Some with Russia and Israel. There is a growing list of failures outside of Syria. Russia recently told Angola it would build them to new communications satellite to replace the one lost during a late 2017 effort to get it into orbit. There have been a number of embarrassing failures in their space program and Russia admits it is losing satellite launch business to China and the United States (with their cheaper SpaceX tech). Russia has also been canceling ICBM programs for lack of cash and qualified technical personnel. Same thing with their warship construction efforts. Aircraft development is doing no better. India recently withdrew from the joint development agreement for the Su-57 stealth fighters. This project is way behind schedule while the Chinese already have one stealth fighter in service and others about to be. The American F-35 is getting good reviews and Russia is getting a close up view because Israel recently put its first F-35s into service. Meanwhile, the Russian GDP ($1.3 trillion) is stagnant and the population continues to shrink because more people are leaving and not enough children are being born. Few want to move to Russia, at least not for economic opportunities. Russia projects a more powerful image than it can sustain. Russia needs a win but so far can only manage some feeble spin. Russia is trying to dissuade Israel and its Western allies from attacking more Syrian targets, especially those that harm the many Iranians and Iranian mercenaries supporting the Syrian forces. Russia also does not want to put its high tech weapons to the test because so far these electronic and anti-aircraft systems have proved ineffective against Israeli attacks and probably wont do much better against the Americans. This is bad for business, as Russia has been touting the combat experience in Syria to get more sales for their new stuff. It would also be disastrous for Russian diplomacy which has presented Russia as a powerful and technically advanced ally for Syria, Iran and Turkey. Although Russia talks tough against Israel and the Americans it does not want to take this any further, nor does it want to appear like Russia is backing off. Russia is in an embarrassing situation and not getting much sympathy from anyone, not even Russians. The Invisible War In March 2018 a cell phone photo of a Russian Mi-8 helicopter equipped with the new Rychag-AV appeared on the Internet. This Mi-8 was operating in northwestern Syria, where it would be used to jam enemy aircraft and missiles that depend on wireless communications. Russia first announced the Rychag-AV jammer in 2015 and in 2016 Russia announced that a custom version of the M-8 transport helicopter (Mi-8MTPR-1) equipped with Rychag-AV was delivered to army units operating near Ukraine. In 2017 Mi-8MTPR-1 was seen operating over Crimea and local Ukrainian hackers, using custom hardware and software they had built, reported details of Rychag-AV in operation over Crimea. Russia claims Rychag-AV can automatically detect and jam enemy radar and other electronic signals up to 400 kilometers away. Rychag-AV is designed to be operated from aircraft, trucks and ships but it can detect more signals and farther away if airborne or having its sensors and jammers mounted on a high portion of a ship (where radars have long been mounted). In addition to the Ukrainian hackers, NATO has had EW (Electronic Warfare) personnel in Ukraine for several years to monitor local Russian EW efforts. Not many details of what these monitors detected is made public since EW works best if its capabilities are a surprise. It is unknown if Russia has actually used Rychag-AV in Syria or Ukraine. Or if they did use it was it on a sustained basis (required to disrupt a large scale air operation, like the April 13 attack on Syrian chemical warfare facilities) or for short periods, just to test the equipment. Because EW is largely invisible it doesnt get much media attention. Yet the most active form of combat the Russians engage is EW and it is an area where they feel they are competitive. Problem is, the more you use it the more you erode your opportunities to surprise your opponent. The opportunity to test new EW gear and tactics was too great to pass up and, as the Russians have discovered, it may be the only military edge they have in Syria (and the world). Moreover, Syria is the only place where Russia can confront their two most powerful potential EW opponents (the United States and Israel). Syria is second to Donbas as an area where Russia is honing its new EW hardware and how best to use it. Russia could still turn an EW edge into a more visible victory but at the moment EW is the only edge they have and these invisible battles continue. Iraq The New Customer Iraq ordered 73 Russian T-90 tanks in mid-2017 and 36 arrived in February. The rest were to arrive by the end of April. The T-90 is one of many upgraded T-72s available on the market. Until 2003 the Iraqi Army operated hundreds of older T-72s, which proved no competition for the American M-1. The T-90 has been produced in large quantities since the 1990s but not for Russia. It is mostly an export item. The T-90 was a late 1980s project that was to incorporate T-80 features into many upgrades of the T-72. Originally it was designated the T-72BU but when Russia finally began production in 1993 it was renamed the T-90. That succeeded in making the tank an export success with most (84 percent) of those produced going to export customers. In fact, India and Algeria each have more T-90s in service than Russia. Worse Russia has quietly put over a third of its 550 newly built T-90s into reserve. While the T-90 was loudly proclaimed to be the next big thing the Russian army preferred the refurbished T-72s in the form of the T-72B3. These proved to be cheaper and more reliable than T-90s, something that got little publicity. While all the upgrades (new engine, gun, fire control and protection) made it nearly as expensive as the T-90 it was preferred by the troops and the older officers quietly agreed that it was a better tank than the new T-90/T-72BUs. This apparently has something to do with the design of the T-72BU (trying to merge T-80 elements into the T-72 design) and the decline in manufacturing quality in Russian the defense industry after the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991. Since the T-72B3 was introduced in 2013 it has been produced in far greater numbers than any other tank and that continues. Especially telling was how T-90s began to be taken out of service (and put in reserve) as soon as enough T-72B3s became available. At the same time, the most popular Russian tank for export customers is the T-72B (a B3 with fewer of the upgrades) and these cost nearly two million each but can be delivered in a few months after the contract is signed. The T-72B3 has been so popular with Russian troops that the government is giving it more publicity in the state-controlled mass media. India The Former Customer India has, in turn, bought less from Russia, long the main supplier, and depended more on Western nations (mainly the U.S. and Israel). China has become a major threat to customers Russia long believed they had a lock on. China can offer a wider range of inexpensive weapons similar to what Russia has long offered but deliver stuff of higher quality, higher quantity and customized to customer requirements. Moreover, China turns around these orders more quickly. There are still some Chinese weapons suppliers who have acquired some of the bad Russian habits but these are usually bottom feeders supplying the lowest cost stuff to the most desperate customers. China encourages its arms manufacturers to take the high road, except when it comes to practical measures like paying bribes to get the sale and get it delivered. If India and China did not have some many border disputes India would be buying Chinese weapons in place of the increasingly shoddy ones Russia is offering. Ukraine The war in Donbas drags on without much result. The Russians are keeping the conflict going but holding back on any decisive moves because of the more volatile situation in Syria and the fact that the Ukraine related sanctions are a continuing headache that cannot be easily solved. Russia says the government has managed to overcome the ill-effects of the sanctions but the government knows better. Efforts to impose more control over the Internet and electronic communications has had some impact but has largely failed. One benefit of all this is steady intel reports (from the FSB and the censors) about what Russians really think in this neo-Soviet police state. Most Russians are not happy. They know they are suffering from lower living standards because of the sanctions and persistent corruption. Government efforts to mask economic failures with claims of foreign victories are not working. Most Russians are against foreign military adventures and the government already acknowledges that by minimizing the number of Russian troops sent to Syria or Donbas and keeping military casualties low. The recent death of over 200 Russian military contractors in Syria did not trigger calls for revenge among Russians. Instead, the attitude was that these guys took a chance to make a lot of money and it didnt w0rk out. There are a lot of dangerous jobs in Russia that pay well to compensate for the risk. Those who do that work are opportunists, not patriots. So the government has to go easy in Ukraine and Syria. Russians can take some comfort that the corruption in Ukraine is worse, even though the country is under attack. The extent of the damage can be seen in the higher rate of population loss in Ukraine than in Russia. Both countries are losing many of the young people, especially those with skills that are needed elsewhere and provide the migrants with jobs, higher living standards and more personal safety than back home. Its mostly about the corruption, which most former parts of the Soviet Union have been unable to control. There are exceptions. The Baltic States have coped, as have most East European nations. But the Soviet Union collapsed mainly because of uncontrollable corruption. The problem is still with the post-Soviet states. April 24, 2018: Israeli leaders again publicly warned Russia not use their air defense systems against Israel because if that happened Israel would retaliate (go after those air defense systems). The Israelis have developed SEAD (Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses) techniques for the latest Russian air defense systems (S-400) but would rather not use them because that would reveal surprises that the Russians could develop countermeasures for. That would be a consolation prize because if the Israel SEAD worked it would make the S-400 a difficult export sale. Israel makes these threats to make sure potential export customers are reminded of what is at stake here. April 23, 2018: There was a massive and unexpected disruption of Google services in Russia. This was related to Russian attempts to shut down the encrypted messaging app Telegram in Russia. The company that runs Telegram refused to provide the Russian government with a way to read encrypted Telegram messages. The government ordered hundreds of IP addresses blocked, believing that would block Telegram. It did, but not for everyone. An unexpected side effect of this censorship campaign was to disrupt a lot of vital (for many Russian users) Google services. Telegram was founded by a Russian entrepreneur after he fled Russia in 2014 because of disagreements with the government over censorship and corruption. April 22, 2018: Using security system video and records of Russians entering and leaving the country British investigators believe they can identify which Russians were involved with the use of nerve gas to try and murder Sergei Skripal on March 4th. Skripal was a former Soviet intelligence officer, who worked for Britain as a double agent. He was found unconscious on March 4th, with his adult daughter, on a park bench near a British pub they had visited. The two were hospitalized and survived what was apparently an assassination attempt using a form of nerve gas developed in Russia and, as far as anyone knows, not possessed by anyone but Russia. Three of the police officers who responded to the call about the unconscious people on the park bench also fell ill, one of them seriously. Everyone recovered and provided information on what happened. Britain expelled 23 Russian diplomats suspected of being intelligence agents and Russia responded by expelling 23 British diplomats. More nations said they would expel Russian diplomats. This assassination effort was nothing new for Russia. Skripal was still working for British intelligence when he was arrested in Russia at the end of 2004 and prosecuted for espionage. He was sent to prison in 2006 but got out in 2010 when Russia agreed to use him as one of the three imprisoned spies to get back several Russian illegals who were caught in the United States. Russia was reluctant to part with Skripal, who had apparently done enormous damage to Russian overseas spying efforts. But they wanted their imprisoned agents in the U.S. back. This was not the first time Russia had gone after people like Skripal in Britain. This sort of thing has happened elsewhere in Europe before and after the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991. Russia insists that it does not do this and have been saying that since the Soviets started hunting down and killing traitors overseas back in the 1930s. British police and intelligence officials continue to compile proof that senior officials of the Russian government are responsible for death squads operating in the West, in order to kill defecting Russian officials and businessmen with intimate knowledge of corruption in Russia. Several victims who survived these assassination attempts in Britain (a favorite refuge for exiles) have provided British police with details of how government tolerated (or sponsored) corruption works in Russia. April 21, 2018: In the south (Dagestan) police, acting on a tip, raided two locations where Islamic terrorists were said to be planning major attacks. The information was correct but the Islamic terrorists refused to surrender and after gun battles, nine of them were killed. Weapons, documents and bomb components were seized. India revealed that it had, in February, withdrawn from the joint development and manufacturing agreement with Russia regarding their Su-57 stealth fighter. That agreement committed India to eventually contribute over $8 billion to developing and building Su-57s. India said they might still purchase the Su-57 once it is ready for sale and might even rejoin joint development efforts. But for now, India is writing off nearly $300 million it has already invested but is no longer obligated to spend over $8 billion to develop and manufacture an aircraft they have lost confidence in. April 20, 2018: In a continuing effort to discredit claims that Russian air defense systems failed in Syria a Russian official revealed that Russia had told the Americans where Russian forces were in the area where the missile attack was aimed and the American, British and French missiles avoided the Russian forces. This has been the agreement with Russia in Syria for years. The Americans have observed this protocol although the Russians have violated it a few times. Meanwhile, American military analysts are openly claiming that the Russian air defense systems did not perform and the Russians want to counter this any way they can. April 19, 2018: So far in 2018, the Russian navy has received a refurbished Delta IV class SSBNs (ballistic missile nuclear subs, or boomer) and many other new ships. The Delta IVs are getting old, and the six ones remaining in service were not expected to last much beyond the early 2020s. The two year refurbishment and upgrade of this Delta IV will keep it in service at least until 2030. A new class of Borei SSBNs is under construction but are having reliability problems. There are also problems with the new Bulava SLBM (sea launched ballistic missile) for the Boreis. So refurbishing the remaining Delta IVs makes sense. The navy also received 46 new Kalibur submarine launched cruise missiles so far this year. The Kalibur has proved particularly effective and has been used frequently against targets in Syria. So far this all of the other new ships the Russian navy has received are small coastal patrol types. April 18, 2018: The Ukrainian government released the results of their investigation of Russian military contractor firm the Wagner Group. Ukraine has captured a number of Wagner Group contractors operating in eastern Ukraine and some have been forthcoming with details of how Wagner operates. For example, Russia transported a number of Wagner Group men via the Russian missile cruiser Varyag. This is a large ship (11,000 tons) with a crew of 480. The Russian navy has been short of sailors and many ships go to sea short 10-20 percent of their crew. So it made sense that the government could fill some of those empty berths with Wagner men which Russia wanted to keep quiet about. Many more Wagner men were flown to Syria via a Syrian airline that operated a flight to Rostov-on-Don, an out of the way city where it is easier to hide things. April 17, 2018: Russia has launched an effort to persuade Russians studying overseas to return to Russia to complete their education. At its peak, in 2014, some 60,000 Russians were studying abroad. Some are believed to work part time for Russian intelligence. Because of economic problems, the number of Russians studying abroad has declined since 2014. April 16, 2018: South Korean officials meeting regularly with their North Korean counterparts report that North Korea leaders were impressed with how the Americans and their European allies launched a missile attack on Syrian chemical warfare facilities and blew right past Russian and Iranian defenses. It was also noted that the Americans were abandoning the 2015 treaty that lifted sanctions on Iran in return for abandoning their nuclear and missile programs. The Iranians cheated, as far as the Americans are concerned, and that means the 2015 deal is history. The North Koreans take this as an example of how the Americans will deal with similar behavior on the part of North Korea. April 15, 2018: A Russian Alligator class amphibious ship as well as a Ro/Ro cargo ship were seen headed for Tartus with a cargo of armored vehicles (mostly various wheeled armored vehicles), heavy trucks, at least one coastal patrol boat, electronic gear, engineering equipment and much more. Israel has told Russia that the proposed sale of S-300 systems to Syria was unacceptable for Israel and would not be allowed. April 14, 2018: The United States, Britain and France launched 105 cruise missiles and glide bombs at three Syrian facilities that developed, produced and stored Syrian chemical weapons. Satellite photos later showed that all of the missiles and smart bombs apparently hit their targets. This was backed up by cell phone photos that got out of Syria showing the damage in great detail. Russia had immediately announced that the Russian supplied Syrian air defense system had performed as designed and shot down 71 of the missiles. This was an attempt to protect the reputation of the Russian air defense systems and even though there will be no wreckage of the 71 missiles Russian insists their systems shot down they will continue with the invented story. The Americans revealed that the Syrian air defense system went into action after the missiles hit and the coordinated attack had all the missiles hitting their targets with a few minutes of each other. French, British and American aircraft delivered some of the missiles and they all returned safely. There was no response from Russian naval forces against the American and British warships that launched most of the missiles. The attack used a clever deception by pretending an attack would be launched by American and allied warships in the Mediterranean. The Russians fell for this and tried to harass these ships. But in the meantime, another force of warships was moved into the Red Sea and launched most of the missiles from there or from warplanes flying in from outside the region. The only one to keep believing the Russian version are many Russians who depend on state controlled media for all their news. There Russians are also told that the Syrian use of chemical weapons in Douma was a hoax perpetuated by the British, as was the earlier incident in Britain where someone (apparently a Russian agent) tried and nearly succeeded in killing a former Russian intelligence agent who had defected to the British. The failure of Russian air defense systems in Syria is going to cost Russia export sales as well as much embarrassment. All Russian claims about the success of their new weapons in Syria will be devalued. This is something Russia cant even discuss publicly because the official Russian position is that none of their systems have failed. Iran has been a big customer for Russian air defense systems and Turkey has indicated interest in buying the S-400 system. Turkey and Iran have to reconsider in light of recent experience. So far Iran and Turkey are officially believing the Russian version of what happened. The Syrian government considers the loss of their chemical weapons facilities a minor setback. Russia or Iran will pay to have the facilities replaced. Meanwhile, the April 7th chemical weapon attack on Douma caused rebel resistance in the area to collapse and within a few days, Syrian troops were able to move in, even though that violated terms of a peace deal the Russians had worked out. That was nothing new, Syria had regularly violated the Russian peace deals and it was no secret that the Russians created these ceasefires and safe zones mainly as propaganda and never as something that would prohibit Syrian forces from advancing. The civil war is not over but there is little to stop Assad from regaining control over most of Syria. Russia continues pushing the accusation that the Syrian chemical attack on Douma was actually a fake. Syria has joined in and made a film about this fraud. But the Syrian video was quickly exposed as providing fake evidence of the staged attack when it was pointed out that the video proof the Syrians broadcast was from an earlier Syrian propaganda film that was presented as staged. The Russians were somewhat more successful as they unleashed an enormous bot campaign in support of its conspiracy theory. This bot campaign could be seen throughout the English language web as robotic accounts quickly provided scripted messages in support of the conspiracy theory in any public site where people were discussing the Syrian chemical attacks and using certain words and phrases that the Russian Internet monitoring system was set to seek out so the bots (programs pretending to be people posting messages) could be sent to support the claim that the chemical attack was faked to justify illegal air strikes on Syrian. It was an impressive disinformation campaign and part of a larger Russian effort to distract those asking why Russian air defense systems failed to perform when the air strikes hit and have been similarly ineffective against Israeli attacks. April 12, 2018: in the east (Yekaterinburg) a Russian journalist, Maksim Borodin, died after he fell, or was pushed, from his fifth floor balcony. He was found unconscious and died, without regaining consciousness, three days later. The government ruled it a suicide but a friend of Borodin got a call from him the night before the fall. Borodin said it appeared his apartment building was surrounded by masked military men and feared he was going to be arrested, or worse. Thats because Borodin had investigated Russian government use of military contractors, especially the Wagner group. Borodin knew this was dangerous because several other journalists had, since the 1990s, investigated and reported on matters the government found embarrassing. These journalists tended to have fatal accidents. This discouraged many Russian journalists from doing similar investigations and Borodin was reminded by friends and associates that his work was probably still dangerous. April 11, 2018: The Turkish foreign minister accused the Assad government of having killed over a million Syrians since 2011 and that it had no legitimate claim on being the government of Syria. Turkey has never had good relations with the Assads but was thought to have eased up a bit to get along with their Russian and Iranian allies, who are strong supporters of the Assads. But now Turkey has reverted to its normal attitude, that the Assads are a bunch of opportunistic, unreliable and murderous thugs. The current Turkish government has been unpredictable but the distrust of the Assads is a lot older than the Erdogan government, which took power in 2003. The Turks later elaborated that they are still Russian allies, aside from the support for Assad issue. The Turks would be pleased if the Russians arranged some other group to take control of the Syrian government. Russia has to proceed with care here because the Iranians are big fans of the Assads which may play a role in Turkish attitudes. Turkey and Iran have been foes for centuries and most of the time Iran got the worst of it. That sort of thing is not forgotten, especially in this part of the world. At the moment Turkish and Iranian troops are stalemated in northwest Syria where Iran is backing Assad efforts to take control of the area. The Turks refuse and, as it has for centuries, that causes mighty Iran to pause. Russia resumed commercial flights to and from Egypt after a two year suspension because of ISIL getting a bomb aboard a Russian airliner in 2015. That brought down the aircraft and killed 224 Russians returning from vacations. Egypt has handled ISIL and improved security since 2015 April 10, 2018: In Syria, Russian ships have left the Russian naval base at Tartus. This is considered a standard move if major attacks are expected. European air control warned airlines to be careful over the eastern Mediterranean for the next 72 hours because there might be more air or missile strikes that would result in electronic countermeasures that could disrupt commercial navigations systems on airliners. Russia admitted that its electronic countermeasures were unable to stop the missiles, which they say were launched over Lebanon by Israeli F-15Is, during an earlier attack. April 9, 2018: In central Syria, several missiles hit the Iranian T4 airbase near Palmyra. Four Iranian IRGC personnel were killed, including a colonel known for his work with Iranian UAVs. There were at least ten other dead, all believed to be Iranian mercenaries. This is where Iran moved its UAV operations after its original UAV base in Syria was destroyed by an Israeli airstrike on February 10th. The Americans said they had advance warning of todays attack while Russia complained that it was not advised even though it has some personnel at the T-4 base. Israel did not take credit for the attack, which is how Israel handles most of its airstrikes in Syria. Russia later revealed that its electronic jammers, which were supposed to disrupt the guidance systems of missiles attacking Syrian bases failed to do so during the T-4 attack. Details were not given, only that the Russian jammers were interfered with by external forces. April 7, 2018: In Syria, an airstrike against Douma, a rebel held town east of Damascus, apparently involved some type of chemical weapon. Medical aid workers report at least 70 dead, including many civilians. The airstrike, like many Syria, carries out against pro-rebel civilians, involved a barrel bomb (an empty oil barrel filled with explosives and whatever else was available). These are pushed out of helicopters or transports and are equipped with a contact fuze so they explode on impact. Russian and Iranian military personnel work closely with the Syrian air force and know what goes on (and into barrel bombs). Iran has military advisors assigned to all the senior Syrian military commands and many of the lower level ones. Syria has been accused of using primitive (World War I type) chemical weapons that attack the respiratory system. These older chemical weapons are often nothing more than industrial chemicals (like chlorine) in large (and dangerous) doses. But this new attack and one before it apparently also included some nerve gas. Russia believes that industrial chemicals (like chlorine) dont count as chemical weapons (according to the 2013 Russian brokered deal to rid Syria of chemical weapons) and the Iranians apparently dont care. When prodded Iran will blame Israel or the Americans. In response, the United States said it would retaliate if the Douma attack did involve any kind of chemical weapon. The evidence indicates that the Douma attack involved a combination of chlorine and a nerve gas. Israel fears Iran is permitting Syria to use these chemical weapons to test their effectiveness and the degree of international outrage. Israel has always believed Iran planned to provide Syria and Hezbollah with chemical weapons for use in a major attack on Israel. April 5, 2018: In Syria Turkey, Russia and Iran again agreed to put aside their differences and help each other in order to defeat the remaining rebels while also preventing Syrian Kurds from controlling any part of the country. The three agreed to tolerate Turkish operations (to build a Turkish controlled buffer zone on the Syrian side of the border) and cooperate to force American forces out of Syria. While this session was held in Turkey this is an extension of the talks that began in late 2017 in the Central Asian city of Astana (the capital of Kazakhstan). There the pro-Assad coalition of Russia, Turkey, Iran and the Assad government began their negotiations (also called peace talks) with each other about how to achieve everyones goals. From the beginning, Iran wanted access to the Israeli border and suppression of the Syrian Kurds. Turkey wanted an end to Kurdish autonomy in northern Syria. Russia wants to get whatever it can at the least cost. The public sessions were propaganda and details of the private meetings, the ones that mattered, were largely kept secret but it has always been clear that the Astana talks are about how to restore Assad rule to Syria, or at least most of it. March 30, 2018: Ukrainian officials revealed that they had earlier arrested several Iranians, including at least one diplomat, after catching them trying to smuggle Kh-31 missile components and technical documents back to Iran. The Kh-31 was originally developed in the 1980s as an anti-ship missile. The Russians quickly realized that, with a different seeker, the missile would also work well as an ARM (anti-radiation) weapon. The anti-ship version has a range of 50 kilometers, while the ARM version is good for 110 kilometers. The 600 kg missile has an 87 kilogram (191 pounds) warhead and is used by Russia, China, Serbia and India. Ukraine inherited some Kh-31s when the Cold War ended but never put them into service. In the Persian, Gulf Kh-31s would make Iran even more of a threat to commercial and military shipping. Aid organizations report that continued fighting in South Sudan is hindering the delivery of humanitarian aid. In northeast South Sudan (Upper Nile state) this continues to be a serious problem. Since January fighting in Upper Nile between government and rebel forces has been quite heavy. Combat and refugee movements have disrupted convoy and delivery operations. At the moment aid organizations estimate 4.8 million people in South Sudan are food insecure -- which means the people do not have consistent access to food required to survive. April 25, 2018: President Kir of South Sudan refused to consider demands that he, and he main rebel leader Riek Machar, no longer participate in the peace negotiations. That would mean Kir resigning as president. The rivalry between Kir and Machar triggered the civil war and to a large extent kept it going. While Kir is still in power Machar is more of a figurehead among the many rebel factions. Foreign observers agree that real peace would probably be more likely without Kir and Machar involved. Kir refuses to leave office. April 23, 2018: The government of South Sudan has rejected demands by opposition parties to "overhaul" the country's security forces and reorganize the government. The government says it has already agreed to make institutional reforms. If the civil war ends, rebel fighters will be able to re-integrate into society. One demand by the political opposition and the armed rebel (SPLM-IO) does seem to have significant support. The opposition parties want the government to disband the 32 states that now exist and return to the previous ten state structure. April 22, 2018: Sudan and Ethiopia have refused an Egyptian request to resume discussions about the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) project. Egypt fears the dam will reduce the amount of Nile River water it receives. April 21, 2018: In western Sudan, the Darfur rebel Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM-AW) claimed government forces attacked its fighters in the northern Jebel Marra. There have been at least three "fierce" firefights in the area. One firefight occurred in Katti. The SLM-AW also claimed that on April 20 government militiamen burned four villages in the area: Sankara, Hilla Hajja Madina, Loki Warrro, and Gharab Waffir. April 20, 2018: Sudan accused Egypt of letting people living in a disputed border area vote in the March Egyptian presidential elections. Sudan lodged an official protest with the UN Security Council. The voting was held in the Halayeb triangle, a border zone claimed by both Sudan and Egypt. In South Sudan, the American embassy announced increased security measures because of renewed fighting between soldiers and rebels outside the capital. April 19, 2018: In South Sudan army the army and rebel forces are fighting in at least two areas. A major battle is occurring in the town of Gezira (100 kilometers southeast of the capital). The government claims the rebels are trying to seize it before a new ceasefire is implemented. April 18, 2018: The ambassadors to Sudan and South Sudan from the EU and five "donor" European nations have ended a two-day long visit to the disputed (between Sudan and South Sudan) Abyei region. Ambassadors from Britain, France, Italy, Norway and Sweden met with leaders from the Ngok Dinka, Dinka Agok and Misseriya tribes as well as officials from the peacekeepers and border monitoring force. The ambassadors showed their support for a peaceful resolution of the Abyei dispute. Both Sudan and South Sudan claim the area. The East African IGAD (Intergovernmental Authority on Development) announced another postponement of South Sudan's "peace implementation" talks. The ceasefire signed in December 2017 is the basis for the talks. The ceasefire, however, was violated by both sides in the ceasefire's first 12 hours. Sudan accused the Darfur JEM rebels of failing to agree to reasonable compromises proposed by international mediators. The government, the JEM and the SLMMM (Sudan Liberation Movement-Minnni Minnawi) rebels met for two days in Berlin to discuss a framework for future negotiations to end the war in western Sudan (Darfur). The war began in 2003 and Sudan wants to use the DDPD (Doha Document for Peace in Darfur) as a basis for negotiation. Neither rebel faction agrees. They demand a new approach. The Doha agreement was made in July 2011 with several other Darfur rebel organizations. The African Union is sponsoring the talks. Diplomats thought a "pre-negotiation agreement" was possible. April 14, 2018: In Sudan RSF (Rapid Support Forces) leaders asked the EU to pay them for guarding the Sudan-Libya border and preventing migrants from reaching the Mediterranean Sea. An RSF commander said his units are defending the EU. The RSF has been accused of committing atrocities and now they are trying export some money from the EU for preventing illegal migrants from reaching Europe. April 13, 2018: In northern South Sudan (Northern Liech state) government forces were accused of attacking rebels for no reason. Several attacks were launched on April 4 on rebel positions in Boaw and Nhialdiu. Other government forces struck rebel positions in Rukuai. Fighting continued through today. In southern South Sudan, there was a similar battle in Yei state. April 10, 2018: Sudan promised to continue to participate in the Arab coalition fighting Yemeni rebels. Saudi Arabia leads the coalition. Sudan made the pledge after a rebel ambush killed "several dozen" Sudanese soldiers recently. April 9, 2018: In northeast South Sudan (Bieh state) rebels claim the captured of 61 South Sudan soldiers who promptly went over to the rebels. The soldiers were preparing to attack a rebel position in Bieh state and were armed with new AK-47 type rifles. In South Sudan Paul Malong, former chief of staff of the army announced that he is forming SS-UF (South Sudan United Front) a rebel movement that will stop the fighting in South Sudan. Malong accused the current government leaders of "looting" the country. Malong said his new organization will join forces with SSOA (South Sudan Opposition Alliance), a rebel group formed in late December 2017. April 6, 2018: South Sudan rejected accusations Sudan made yesterday that South Sudan was supporting Sudanese rebel groups and letting the rebel groups use bases in South Sudan. South Sudan pointed out that it was trying to eliminate all rebels in South Sudan. In Yemen Arab coalition troops from Sudan were ambushed by rebels who opened fire on several trucks loaded with Sudanese soldiers, killing over 30 of them. These were the heaviest losses suffered by the Sudanese troops since they arrived in 2o15. The ambushed Sudanese troops were part of the reinforcements being sent north, from quieter areas in the south, to push the rebels away from the Red Sea. April 4, 2018: In northeast Congo, a search is on for who has supplied warring ethnic groups with light weapons. The weapons may have come from South Sudan, a side effect of the civil war there. South Sudan has become a major market for blackmarket arms dealers as well as a transshipment point for new weapons headed for other customers in central Africa. At a meeting in Niger Libya agreed with its three southern neighbors (Sudan, Niger and Chad) to reestablish joint border controls so the Libya will cease being a lawless area where all sorts of criminal operations can operate freely. Another meeting will be held in a month to start working out the details and the rules that all will follow. April 3, 2018: In southern Sudan the government extended its unilateral ceasefire in what the government calls the Two Areas (South Kordofan and Blue Nile states). A government ceasefire in western Sudan (Darfur) will also continue. The ceasefires will last through the end of June. April 2, 2018: In northeast South Sudan (Upper Nile state) rebels claim they defeated government attacks in the Ketbek and Padanyang. The first attack was launched on March 31 and then another major attack came on April 1. In the south (Central Equatoria state) rebels reported pro-government forces also attacked a pro-rebel village. TICKERS: Source: Streetwise Reports (4/25/18) Canaccord Genuity analyst Eric Zaunscherb relayed where this company stands with respect to building its mine and plant. In an April 23 research note, Eric Zaunscherb, an analyst with Canaccord Genuity, reported that eCobalt Solutions Inc. (ECS:TSX;ECSIF:OTCQX;FRA:FCO) provided a progress update on its advanced-stage Idaho cobalt project, currently in the preconstruction phase. Numerous efforts in that regard have begun and are underway. Concerning the water treatment plant, contracts were awarded for its construction, Zaunscherb indicated, and components of the plant are being delivered. In general, contracts were given for construction of infrastructure, earthworks and concrete. The advanced roaster is being design engineered based on pilot tests. Key staff positions, such as mine manager, superintendents and metallurgists, continue being filled. Construction should move into full swing this summer, Zaunscherb noted. Before that, however, in Q2/18, eCobalt is expected to release its optimized feasibility study on Idaho. What Canaccord anticipates seeing in that study is "production ramping up from 2020 and achieving steady state of about 900 tons per annum cobalt in cobalt sulphate at a cash cost of US$15 per pound the following year," Zaunscherb outlined. This cost compares to the current $44 cobalt price, according to the Metal Bulletin. ECobalt stock is currently trading at CA$1.40 per share. However, a rerating should occur, Zaunscherb opined, once the company completes the feasibility study and obtains financing for development. On eCobalt, Canaccord Genuity has a CA$1.80 price target and a Speculative Buy rating. Want to read more Energy Report articles like this? Sign up for our free e-newsletter, and you'll learn when new articles have been published. To see a list of recent articles and interviews with industry analysts and commentators, visit our Streetwise Interviews page. Disclosure: 1) Doresa Banning compiled this article for Streetwise Reports LLC and provides services to Streetwise reports as an independent contractor. She or members of her household own securities of the following companies mentioned in the article: None. She or members of her household are paid by the following companies mentioned in this article: None. 2) The following companies mentioned in this article are billboard sponsors of Streetwise Reports: eCobalt Solutions. Click here for important disclosures about sponsor fees. 3) Comments and opinions expressed are those of the specific experts and not of Streetwise Reports or its officers. 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Disclosures from Canaccord Genuity, eCobalt Solutions Inc., Flash Update, Apr. 23, 2018 Analyst Certification: Each authoring analyst of Canaccord Genuity whose name appears on the front page of this research hereby certifies that (i) the recommendations and opinions expressed in this research accurately reflect the authoring analysts personal, independent and objective views about any and all of the designated investments or relevant issuers discussed herein that are within such authoring analysts coverage universe and (ii) no part of the authoring analysts compensation was, is, or will be, directly or indirectly, related to the specific recommendations or views expressed by the authoring analyst in the research. Analysts employed outside the US are not registered as research analysts with FINRA. These analysts may not be associated persons of Canaccord Genuity Inc. and therefore may not be subject to the FINRA Rule 2241 and NYSE Rule 472 restrictions on communications with a subject company, public appearances and trading securities held by a research analyst account. Required Company-Specific Disclosures (as of date of this publication): eCobalt Solutions Inc. currently is, or in the past 12 months was, a client of Canaccord Genuity or its affiliated companies. During this period, Canaccord Genuity or its affiliated companies provided investment banking services to eCobalt Solutions Inc. In the past 12 months, Canaccord Genuity or its affiliated companies have received compensation for Investment Banking services from eCobalt Solutions Inc. Canaccord Genuity or one or more of its affiliated companies intend to seek or expect to receive compensation for Investment Banking services from eCobalt Solutions Inc. in the next three months. Disclosures are available here. Judge Jamaluddin acquitted Kumar along with six other accused including Alam Khan and Feroz Khan due to lack of evidence. The trial was conducted over two years. The men were arrested in connection with Singhs killing. The deceased, a PTI leader and adviser to the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa chief minister, was killed on April 22, 2016 in his native Buner village. Singh was elected to the KP Assembly on a seat reserved for minorities. Kumar ranked second on the list. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) notified the latter as MPA following Singhs killing. Kumar has not been sworn in despite PHC, ECP directives ordering otherwise. His brother Tilak said Kumar remained imprisoned for two years on mere allegations. French President Emmanuel Macron says his country will not leave the Iran nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), amid US efforts to persuade European parties to the agreement to withdraw from it. Speaking at the US Congress Wednesday on the final day of a three-day state visit, Macron said the JCPOA was not addressing what he called all concerns but stressed that the deal could not be ditched. "We signed it, both the United States and France." "We should not abandon it without having something substantial and more substantial instead. That's why France will not leave the JCPOA, because we signed it," he said. He also vowed that Iran will "never" be allowed to develop atomic weapons. "Our objective is clear. Iran shall never possess any nuclear weapons. Not now. Not in five years. Not in 10 years. Never," Macron said. Trump has often vowed to pull the United States out of the 2015 nuclear pact between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries, which was negotiated under his predecessor, Barack Obama. Back in January, Trump said it was the last time he was extending the sanctions relief for Iran as part of the nuclear agreement, giving the European signatories a May 12 deadline to fix what he claimed to be the flaws in the agreement or he would refuse to waive those bans. Iran has repeatedly warned that any failure to respect the multinational agreement would have grave consequences, stressing that there is no alternative to the nuclear accord. 'Trade war' Elsewhere in his remarks, the French president also warned against a trade war between allies and asked for a free and fair global trade. "We need a free and fair trade, for sure," Macron said. "A commercial war opposing allies is not consistent with our mission, with our history, with our current commitments for global security." Macrons remarks came as US trade sanctions on European steel and aluminum will enter into force in coming weeks unless Trump agrees to sign a waiver. Paris climate agreement On climate, Macron told US lawmakers there was "no Planet B," acknowledging a disagreement with Trump, who pulled his country from the landmark Paris accord on climate change. "Let us face it. There is no Planet B," Macron said. "We have disagreements between the United States and France. It may happen, like in all families," he said but added that such differences would be short-term. "We're just citizens of the same planet," Macron said. He said he was confident the United States would come back and join the Paris agreement." Trump said last year that his country would withdraw from the accord, which aims to reduce damaging emissions and was signed by almost 200 countries. Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says Iran will mostly likely abandon the 2015 nuclear deal should the United States choose to withdraw from the multilateral agreement. In an interview with The Associated Press on Tuesday, Zarif stressed that if US President Donald Trump reinstates sanctions against Iran, which were lifted under the nuclear pact, he is basically killing the deal, thus Tehran will no longer be bound by the accords limits on its activities. If the United States were to withdraw from the nuclear deal, the immediate consequence in all likelihood would be that Iran would reciprocate and withdraw, Zarif said. There wont be any deal for Iran to stay in. Trump has been a vociferous critic of the Iran nuclear agreement, which was negotiated under his predecessor, Barack Obama. He has called the agreement the worst deal ever and even threatened to tear it up. Back in January, Trump said it was the last time he was extending the sanctions relief for Iran as part of the nuclear deal, giving the European signatories a May 12 deadline to fix what he claimed to be the flaws in the agreement or he would refuse to waive those bans. However, Iran insists there is no way it will renegotiate the nuclear pact, officially called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and endorsed by UN Security Council Resolution 2231. During a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday, Trump reiterated his hostile stance on the JCPOA and described it as a bad deal with decayed foundations, noting, Nobody knows what Im going to do on the 12th. Zarif further said a US pullout would undermine Trumps dialog with Pyongyang by proving that Washington is not a trustworthy, reliable negotiating partner. Theyre prepared to take everything that youve given, then renege on the promises that they have made in the deal, Zarif said. That makes the United States a rather unlikely partner in any international agreement. And unfortunately this track record is not just limited to the nuclear deal. It includes the Paris climate agreement, the Trans-Pacific Partnership, and a lot of other freely undertaken commitments of the United States, he pointed out. Bay of Plenty Film will be hosting international location scouts as part of regional film forum Te Ata, being held at Otamarakau Marae next month. On Tuesday May 1, three internationally-recognised location scouts from America will be arriving in the Bay of Plenty for a four-day tour, visiting the best locations the Bay offers around Rotorua, Taupo, Tauranga and Whakatane. Their itinerary wraps up at regional film forum Te Ata on Saturday May 5, where they will join other renowned guests presenting to the Bays screen media industry. The award winning scouts have worked on significant Hollywood productions all over the world and have been invited here by Bay Of Plenty Film, who are proactively raising the profile of the Bay and the assets we offer the industry, says BOP Film CEO Anton Steel. Their itinerary includes visits to White Island, Mt Tarawera, the Redwoods Tree Walk, Aratiatia Rapids, the Chateau and Mt Ruapehu, McLarens Falls, the Mount, Maketu and Kawerau Mercury Energy Powerstation. Anton says there will be plenty of time for networking and dream casting at the film forum, as well as celebrating the Bays achievements onscreen in the evening with a screening of locally produced short films, which is open to the public. Reservations can be made by emailing kristy@bopfilm.nz Location Scouts attending Te Ata: Lori Balton winner of four COLAS (Califorina on Locations Awards) her jobs include The Lion King (2019), Dumbo (2019), Godzilla (2019), Hot Wheels (2018), Jungle Cruise (2018), A Wrinkle in Time (2018), War for Planet of the Apes (2017), Pirates of the Caribbean (2017). Dow Griffith works include Mulan (2020), Ghost in the Shell (2017), The Promise (2016), After Earth (2013), The Bourne Legacy (2012). Kent Matsuoka Bumblebee (2018), The Nun (2018), Under the Silver Lake (2018), War for Planet of the Apes (2017), + TVCs for Apple, Ford, Hyundai, Nike, Pepsi. TCL has emerged in recent years as one of the premiere entry-level television manufacturers and its upcoming 6-Series line looks to cement the companys position. Introduced at CES in January, the 6-Series line is the successor to 2017s P6-Series and features a slim metal design, Dolby Vision HDR, integrated Roku smart TV technology, 802.11ac Wi-Fi, Ethernet connectivity and a trio of HDMI 2.0a ports. TCL said last month that it planned to launch the new 6-Series line on May 1 but neglected to pin a price tag on them. Now, the Chinese electronics maker has filled in the missing piece of the puzzle. The 55-inch (55R617) set will retail for $649 while the larger 65-inch model (65R617) will command $999. The TVs also feature TCLs Contrast Control Zones technology which identifies bright and dark areas in each frame of content and adjusts the visuals accordingly. The 55-inch model boasts 96 zones while the 65-inch set now features an impressive 120 zones, TCL says. According to an NPD report, TCL achieved the number two TV unit sales position in the US last September, besting competitors Vizio and LG for the spot. Samsung was the top-ranked television brand during the five-week report period. TCLs 49S405 was featured as the top value pick in our recent article on recommended 4K TVs that can effectively be used as desktop PC monitors. The border had been closed since February 2019, due to threats to undermine Venezuelan territorial integrity. | Read More The banking royal commission was dramatically interrupted on Thursday when a key witness, the head of Dover Financial Terry McMaster, collapsed while giving evidence. Mr McMaster's collapse came after a strong exchange with counsel assisting Mark Costello where Mr Costello had accused Mr McMaster of giving a misleading answer and Commissioner Kenneth Hayne warning the the boss of one of Australia's biggest planning outfits that a key document was misleading and deceptive and thus in breach of the law. But when Mr McMaster collapsed Commissioner Hayne quickly ceased the hearing, saying: "Adjourn and call an ambulance. Get an ambulance pronto. Move." Shocked bankers, lawyers and staff from the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (one of whom was due to give evidence after Mr McMaster) filed out of the court room as Mr McMaster lay on the floor next to the witness box. Macquarie Group's embattled head of US sales for cash equities has accused the bank of expelling her from the office and putting her reputation in the industry at risk -- all in retaliation for the sexual-harassment suit she filed against her former boss. But Macquarie says Khristina McLaughlin asked to go on paid leave and then tried to back out at the last minute. After being locked out, the bank claims McLaughlin got on Macquarie's New York trading floor to attend a morning meeting and, after being confronted, sat in the lobby to create a "public spectacle." Macquarie Group is locked into a legal battle with its head of US sales for cash equities in New York. Credit:Tamara Voninski The duelling versions of events are described in two letters to US District Judge Ronnie Abrams: one from McLaughlin on April 20 and another from the bank three days later. McLaughlin seeks a court order requiring the bank to reinstate her and stop retaliating, while Macquarie says McLaughlin despises the bank and doesn't want to be there. Abrams set a hearing for April 27 in federal court in Manhattan. Shannan Judge, principal of Ermington West Public School, says the philosophy of BEcoME is very much aligned with the school's vision and culture. The BEcoME program, which is accessible via a web app and in-school workshops, aims to prepare young people for jobs of the future, many of which have not yet been invented. Waiting until high school to start thinking about future career pathways is a big mistake, according to the brains behind a groundbreaking program that is geared towards primary school students. The BEcoME program instils hope and aspiration for children at a very critical time, when they are developing their self-worth and perspective of where they fit into the world, Judge says. At Ermington West PS the BEcoME program tied in perfectly with our Kids Curriculum, a primary school electives program where students enrol in a variety of courses. The school kicked off 2018 with the two-day Design Your Life workshop, followed up by access to the digital tools for all stage three students. Judge says the momentum has gathered from there. An important element of this program is leading from strength, Judge says. The program shows primary school students how they can identify and use their strengths and passions. The students at Ermington West PS identified careers that they were interested in, explored others that they had no idea existed and captured those that held no interest for them at all. Through fun, interactive activities, students are shown how to look at the 'invisible jobs' all around them every day. They also learn to recognise the stereotypes and influences that are shaping their own ideas. The constant addition of new careers as time goes by is shown as proof that they will always have choices as long as they have the curiosity and skills to navigate the new world of work. Waiting until high school to give career advice limits a student's scope for imagination and exploration, Judge says. We know that the perceptions children have about certain jobs and careers are formed at a young age and can be influenced and/or restricted by gender stereotyping, socio-economic background and, importantly, who they know. Australia is on track to match Qatar as the world's biggest liquefied natural gas exporter next year. The boost to the budget bottom line? Virtually nil. While the Persian Gulf nation is forecast to rake in as much as $26.6 billion in fiscal 2020 from taxes on the fuel, Australia is set to reap a paltry $800 million, according to analysis by the Tax Justice Network's Australian office. Australia is on track to match Qatar as the world's biggest liquefied natural gas exporter next year. Credit:Michele Mossop Australia's Petroleum Resource Rent Tax levies 40 per cent on profits after company tax has been paid, a system that works pretty well for oil projects but is a poor fit for LNG projects. That's because an oil venture can be cash positive within a few years of production, while LNG requires significantly more capital expenditure, prolonging the time before it generates enough cash to pay tax, a government report found. Melbourne could get its own version of New York's iconic High Line park in a contentious plan made by lord mayoral candidate Sally Capp. The project, estimated at $300 million, would see parkland built on huge decks above rail yards in the city. Lord mayoral candidate Sally Capp wants a High Line park in Melbourne. Credit:Justin McManus They would begin near Federation Square, stretch down the Yarra River past Flinders Street Station to Southern Cross station and end near Etihad Stadium. Connecting the new open spaces would be 2.5 kilometres of elevated walking paths and bike lanes to fix the gap in the Capital City Trail and aim to get cyclists off the Southbank promenade. An Australian-first pill testing trial will go ahead at the Groovin the Moo music festival in Canberra on Sunday, after a last-minute breakthrough in negotiations. ACT Minister for Health Meegan Fitzharris confirmed the event's promoter Cattleyard Promotions had given the green light for the trial on Thursday. "The trial does not condone illicit drug use, however will provide an opportunity to encourage people who are considering using illicit drugs to modify their behaviour in ways that reduce risks of harm to their health," she said. The crowd enjoys The Wombats at Groovin the Moo 2017. Festival-goers at the sold-out event at the University of Canberra will see a new tent in the crowd, where free pill testing will be run by the independent Safety Testing Advisory Service at Festivals and Events (STA-SAFE) consortium. Reverend Fred Nile has long held the view the NSW upper house would benefit from a name change, so he and his parliamentary colleagues might be conferred with the grander title of state senator. As the longest serving member of the Legislative Council, he was particularly keen to end the confusion that transpired when he travelled to America on parliamentary business where he "found it embarrassing to have to explain my title". They think that we represent a town council or some similar body and do not equate our position with theirs, he told the chamber in November. His comments were in support of his 2015 State Senate Bill, which proposed to give members the option of using the title "state senator" and "state Senate" when referring to their role and the Legislative Council - the lesser known chamber in NSWs bicameral parliament. A senior member of the Lone Wolf bikie gang has been charged after detectives allegedly came across child pornography on his computer. Ex-Turkish soldier Erkan Keskin, 41, was arrested at his Millers Point unit on Thursday morning and appeared in Central Local Court on a charge of possessing child abuse material. Erkan Keskin is a high-ranking member of the Lone Wolf bikie gang. Credit:NSW Police Detectives allegedly came across the material. At the time, detectives raided Mr Keskin's Millers Point unit and seized several items including a computer. Months later, after forensically going through the computer, they came across images on the hard drive that allegedly constituted child abuse material. Two crashes blocked lanes on the M1, creating almost 30 kilometres of southbound congestion for the run home on Thursday. An initial crash at Helensvale caused 20 kilometres of congestion, which hadn't cleared by the time another crash at Yatala happened and stretched delays another eight kilometres. The heavy congestion through Helensvale on Thursday evening. Credit:Department of Transport and Main Roads Police said there were no injuries as a result of the two-vehicle Helensvale crash, which happened close to 2.30pm and about one kilometre north of exit 62. Australian Traffic Network reporter Ben Mihan said the left lane was blocked for an hour before the vehicles were cleared and by 4pm traffic was back more than 20 kilometres to Stapylton. He hasn't been seen by his family for the past two weeks but police aren't yet sure whether Yiwei "Carl" Chu wanted to disappear, or if something more sinister has happened. Mr Chu, from Mount Waverley, hasn't contacted his wife or family since he was seen buying lunch at Hungry Jack's on Stephensons Road in Notting Hill in the city's south-east about midday on Wednesday, April 11. His car is missing, his bank and social media accounts have not been touched and his phone and credit cards have not been used. His last known contact with anyone was a text to his wife Emma Wang at 2.30pm. High-speed trains linking Melbourne and Geelong is the government's new plan for the booming west, despite the multibillion dollar Regional Rail Link opening three years ago. The Andrews Government will set aside $50 million in the 2018/19 state budget for detailed planning to investigate a fast rail link connecting the two cities, with a business case set to follow. The trains under consideration would be capable of travelling at speeds of 250 to 300 kilometres an hour. A map of the proposal shows the Geelong line connecting to Melbourne Airport via a new rail link from Sunshine. A man has handed over a large amount of cash after allegedly being blackmailed over his use of a dating app. The 29-year-old man was messaging people on the app earlier this year when another man threatened to expose his behaviour to one other person. The victim met with the man at Southern Cross Station just after 4pm Friday, March 2 and gave him a substantial amount of cash. Police have released images and CCTV footage of the man they want to speak to but said they would not be releasing the name of the app. Australia likes to think of itself as a diverse, multicultural, egalitarian country. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has even described Australia as the most successful multicultural nation in the world. The reality, however, is that we are still far from it. The revisited Leading for Change report issued by the Human Rights Commission this year shows there continues to be a lack of cultural diversity within senior positions in Australian businesses, politics, the public sector and universities. Penny Wong is one of the few MPs in parliament with non-European heritage. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen As an Asian Australian and a long-time political party member, the data on under-representation in politics was not a surprise but still a depressing read. While we have some federal MPs with non-European heritage such as Penny Wong, Anne Aly and Lucy Gichuhi, they are the exception rather than the rule. Currently, no federal ministers are from a non-European background and only 4.1 per cent of members of the federal Parliament are from a non-European background. This compared to an estimated 21 per cent of the Australian population which has a non-European background. A woman charged over a so-called "dine and dash" crime spree is failing to comply with her reporting conditions while on bail, a Perth court has been told. Lois Clover Loder, 44, appeared in the Perth Magistrates Court on Thursday morning. Lois Loder will next face court in June. Credit:Facebook She is facing 30 charges in total. Ms Loder was most recently arrested on April 22 and charged with a string of stealing and fraud-related offences from as far back as mid-2017. Australia faces many more months without a United States ambassador with acting top envoy Jim Carouso acknowledging Washingtons vetting processes are slow and a top analyst saying the Trump administration will have to start the new search from scratch. As the dust settled on news that Donald Trumps pick as ambassador to Canberra, Admiral Harry Harris, would instead be posted to South Korea, Mr Carouso said the Trump administration had been left with no choice as events on the Korean peninsula had unfolded swiftly. Mr Carouso said there is no one else but Admiral Harris who could quickly fill the crucial job of ambassador to South Korea as the Trump administration works towards historic talks to unwind the rogue North Korean regimes nuclear program. He said he did not know the exact situation with regard to an alternative to Admiral Harris for the Canberra post, which has already been vacant for 18 months, but had been told it was the top priority to get the next person out here as quickly as possible. A plan to exhume thousands of bodies buried beneath the Queen Victoria Market car park to create underground parking was among a slew of bold promises made on Thursday at a forum of candidates for Melbournes next lord mayor. Candidate Gary Morgan, a pollster and businessman, made the pledge to dig up more than 6000 skeletons buried beneath the 140-year-old market . Other candidates promised to dump the mayoral chauffeur, run a "blind recruitment trial" for council jobs and build a deck over the Jolimont railyard a project promised by someone every five years or so for almost a century. But Mr Morgan's enthusiasm for disinterment took the award for the most unexpected. Gary Morgan (standing) was among key lord mayoral candidates to make their pitch for votes at a Melbourne Press Club lunch on Thursday. Credit:Justin McManus I am going to exhume the 6000-plus unmarked graves for DNA analysis and I am going to allow the descendents to decide where they go, said the pollster, whose key campaign pledge is to halt the controversial redevelopment of the market. No, you wouldnt do that, youre not a monster. Then, on their 18th birthday, you boot them out of the family home. Victoria turns off support to young people in state care when they turn 18. Credit:Angela Wylie Until your little duck reaches adulthood you house them, clothe and feed them, schlep them to school and do everything within your power to give them a decent start in life. But we (the collective state) do it with the young people legally in our care. Thats terrible parenting. Victoria turns off support to young people in state care when they turn 18, despite a wealth of economic, social and even neurological evidence for a more generous approach. For all the talk of our progressive state, we should be embarrassed that we now lag behind Tassie and South Australia, which have both recently announced bipartisan support for extending state care until 21 years of age. Each year, about 500 young Victorians leave care and many are poorly equipped for the challenges of adult life. Overwhelmingly, theyve lived in unstable, often dangerous, settings. And they have endured trauma often due to child abuse and neglect before they entered care, and sometimes while in care. In principle, both Trump and Moon have agreed to Abe's requests. But given how unpredictable at least two of the players are, Japan is by no means assured it will be happy with the outcome. In general, the Japanese are skeptical that North Korea would stick to any deal, given its history of going back on commitments to stop its nuclear program. South Korean activists wearing masks of South Korean President Moon Jae-in, left, and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un welcome the planned summit between the leaders. Credit:AP "We never trust the words of North Korea," said Tsuneo Watanabe, a senior research fellow at the Sasakawa Peace Foundation in Tokyo. "What we can trust is the actions of North Korea. That is probably a sentiment shared among all Japanese, including ordinary citizens." And while Japan is accustomed to dealing with mercurial North Korean leaders, Trump represents a new volatility from the American side. "With this President Trump, there is a sense in Japan that he has a little bit different sense of the alliance," said Fumiaki Kubo, a professor of political science at the University of Tokyo. Under presidents Barack Obama, George W Bush and Ronald Reagan, Kubo said, the sense was that "if your ally is in trouble, you feel that you must help your ally. But in this president, if your ally is in trouble, it might suggest that this is a good time for him to exploit this ally." Analysts said Japan's biggest worry might be an impulsive desire on Trump's part to declare a quick victory, even at the cost of Japan's or the region's security. Though Trump has said he is committed to North Korea's complete denuclearisation, Japan is concerned he might accept something short of that. "I think it may be that the Abe Cabinet is still a little nervous that Trump is still going to say, 'See, I did it,' claim a win and walk away," said Sheila Smith, a Japan expert at the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington. Kim's recent announcement that North Korea no longer needs to test nuclear weapons or long-range missiles has left Japan acutely concerned that the North intends to keep what nuclear weapons it has and to maintain its arsenal of short and medium-range missiles that can reach Japan. An editorial in the right-leaning newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun called Kim's announcement "a tactic to weaken the pressure of the international community's sanctions," adding that "there was no mention of any intention to abandon nuclear and ballistic missiles" in the statement. Japanese officials "are trying to keep the conversation focused on what 'denuclearization' means," Smith said. "The experts that have been here before have had these conversations multiple times. They understand that when Kim Jong-un is talking about denuclearisation he doesn't necessarily mean the same thing that we mean, so there's a lot of pressure to just put the brakes on, be cautious, make sure you know what you're doing." Commentators in Japan speculated that Trump might also see some value in keeping Japan nervous. "For President Trump, it may be favourable to keep Japan feeling left behind and facing a threat," Park Il, an economics professor and expert on the Korean Peninsula at Osaka City University, said on a Tokyo Broadcasting System news program. "Japan will possibly have to buy more weapons for whatever price the United States sets." Besides the security concerns, the return of the Japanese citizens who were abducted by North Korea in the 1970s and '80s is a top priority of Japan and Abe in particular. Abe scored what appeared to be a diplomatic victory in Mar-a-Lago when Trump promised he would raise the issue directly with Kim. "We're going to do everything possible to have them brought back, and bring them back to Japan," Trump said in a joint news conference with Abe. "I gave you that promise." Analysts said that the most Trump could do is mention the abductees, and that it was extremely unlikely he would insist on any specific action. "You had Trump voicing and saying the words that Abe wanted him to say," said Jeffrey Hornung, a political scientist at the RAND Corp. But if Kim offered, for example, to extend a testing freeze for a year but insisted the United States set aside any demands about the abductees, "would Trump say, 'Nope, sorry, you've got to do the abduction issue too?'," Hornung said. "I can't imagine Trump, who wants a success here and who really wants the big win, throwing away any big deal on denuclearisation or missiles for the sake of a Japanese priority," he said. Moon has also said he would raise the issue of the Japanese abductees in his meeting with Kim on Friday. But with South Korea talking about negotiating a peace treaty to formally end the Korean War, analysts said Japan would be watching closely for signs of concessions on a bigger issue: the US military presence on the Korean Peninsula. Although Kim has said he would not demand the withdrawal of American troops as a prerequisite for discussing the North's nuclear program, some supporters of Moon's liberal administration have long wanted the United States to reduce or withdraw its presence in the South, where about 28,500 American troops are stationed. Such a move would alarm Japan, which benefits from US military protection in the region. Analysts in Japan also worry that South Korea, in an effort to unify the peninsula, could start to pull away from the United States and be drawn further toward China, a North Korean ally. "If South Korea becomes a Chinese ally in the most extreme scenario, how can we defend ourselves?," asked Narushige Michishita, director of the Security and International Studies Program at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies in Tokyo. "We would be put in a very, very difficult position. If the Korean Peninsula gets inside the Chinese sphere of influence and there are no US forces on the peninsula, life for the US and Japan would be very difficult, but especially for Japan." Hoping to have some say in the course of events, Japan has been seeking to set up its own summit meeting between Abe and Kim. So far, the North has not responded. Analysts said Japan may get its moment if the North indeed comes out of isolation, and starts looking for financial support to fulfill Kim's promise of building the country's economy. "If North Korea is serious about having a totally different life from now on, they need some financial help from someone and it must be, in the end, Japan," said Kubo. Japan, which until its defeat in World War II ruled the Korean Peninsula as a colony, paid reparations to South Korea in 1965 but has yet to pay any to the North, Kubo noted. Washington: French President Emmanuel Macron has sharply contrasted with US President Donald Trump's world view, laying out a firm vision of global leadership that rejects "the illusion of nationalism" in a counterweight to Trump's appeal to put "America first". French President Emmanuel Macron speaks to a joint meeting of US Congress. Credit:Bloomberg In the spotlight of a speech to the US Congress on Wednesday, US time, Macron was courteous but firm, deferential but resolute as he traced the lines of profound division between himself and Trump on key world issues: climate change, trade and the Iran nuclear deal. A day after the French leader had put on a show of warmth and brotherly affection for Trump at the White House, his blunt speech prizing engagement over isolationism reinforced the French leader's emerging role as a top defender of the liberal world order. "We can choose isolationism, withdrawal and nationalism. This is an option. It can be tempting to us as a temporary remedy to our fears," Macron said. Washington: US President Donald Trump acknowledged on Thursday for the first time that his long-time lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen represented him in efforts to silence Stormy Daniels, the adult film actress who has alleged a sexual encounter with Trump more than a decade ago. Trump earlier this month denied any knowledge of the $US130,000 payment to Daniels that was arranged by Cohen and is subject of a federal investigation, telling reporters: "I don't know" about the payment or where Cohen got the money. The White House has repeatedly insisted that Daniels' allegations that she had a sexual encounter with Trump in 2006 were false. Donald Trump, attorney Michael Cohen and adult film actress Stormy Daniels. Credit:AP But in an interview with Fox News on Thursday morning local time, Trump appeared to reveal that he had knowledge of Cohen's payment to Daniels. "Michael represents me, like with this crazy Stormy Daniels deal, he represented me," Trump said. "And from what I've seen, he did absolutely nothing wrong. There were no campaign funds going into this." AUTO LAB Talk Radio - LIVE from NYC Saturday Morning 7-9 AM April 28, 2018 Auto Lab Talk Radio on New York City's WNYM Radio AM 970 and Streamed Worldwide On The Auto Channel This Weeks Show: Broadcast Date: April 28, 2018 Car Question or Concern? Call Toll Free 888-692-7234 Auto Lab is a 28 year old interactive automotive-focused New York area radio call-in show hosted by Professor Harold Wolchok. Each week a cadre of experienced hands-on automotive experts are in-studio with advice for the New York area's 12 million people, providing listeners with honest, practical and street-smart car repair and buying advice. Auto Lab is also about the automotive industry, its history, and its culture, presenting the ideas and advice of leading college faculty, authors, and automotive practitioners in a relaxed, conversational interactive format. Listeners can hear the past 18 years of archived Auto Lab shows as simulcast on www.theautochannel.com. Auto Lab Page includes Audio-on-Demand Archives, Auto Programs at Community College Database, Guests Pictures This Weeks Show: April 28, 2018 IN STUDIO: Auto Lab's Real World Experts Answer Your Questions; Discuss: Repairs, Second Opinions, Regular Maintenance, How To's, Safety, Used and New Car Buying, Ombudsmen Suggestions Harold Bendell - Major Auto Fred Bordoff - Bronx Community College's Automotive Technology Department-CUNY Tim Cacace - Master Mechanix Audra Fordin - Great Bear Auto Repairs & What Women AUTO Know David Goldsmith - Urban Classics Joseph Guarino-Joe Guarino's Auto Repairs Jerry Pastore - D & J Diagnostics Johanna Pastore - D & J Diagnostics Joanne Porcelli, Esq. Michael Porcelli - Automobile Services Nicholas Prague - MTA Auto Lab Correspondents Remote Interviews: Featuring Auto Safety News, New Car Reviews, Technology and Latest Auto World Information That Will Effect You! Robert Erskine, Senior European Correspondent, Suffolk England DESIGN - ORIGINAL IS ALWAYS BEST! John Russell- Senior Correspondent 2018 MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER Russ Rader, Senior Vice President IIHS ROAD TO ZERO Robert Sinclair AAA Northeast HIT AND RUN CRASHES INCREASING Tesla Deep Dive - Learning the Secrets of the Country's most Innovative Upstart Auto By Martha Hindes Senior Editor Michigan Bureau The Auto Channel Ask some unenthusiastic observers and they might tell you a common joke about all those bundles of double A batteries tied together to provide electricity to propel the electric super car down the road. Ask enthusiasts and it might be the innovative technology that makes it essentially a supercomputer with four wheels attached. Ask Sandy Munro and he might tell you the only way to find out is to pretend you are a five-year-old with a new toy and immediately take it apart to see what's inside. Munro has a long history of automotive engineering wearing the title CEO and Design Prophet. He knows that feeling exactly. That's what Munro and his team are doing with an early edition of the Tesla Model 3 the lower cost, so-called populist Tesla meant to draw in buyers who can't afford the upscale models but want to share in the futuristic vehiclular dreams of super visionary Elon Musk who is dedicated to putting transportation on a 22nd Century path. Munro is the somewhat reticent founder and head of Munro & Associates, Inc., of Auburn Hills, Michigan. That is one of the Automation Alley communities home to many of the state's automotive support industries, and an expanding home of the industry's need for advanced technologies as it morphs beyond the internal combustion engine. In an uncharacteristic gesture of visibility, Monro opened the doors of his benchmarking facility to members of Detroit's Automotive Press Association (APA) this week to show us the Teslas innards. It wasn't easy getting a new Tesla Model 3 to pick apart. You don't just drive up to a Tesla dealer and put your cash on the line. There simply aren't any to be had. And, telling the company you want one of their vehicles to take apart like opening a can of tuna isn't likely to extricate one from inventory. Instead, Munro was able to find one an early adopter who had put some $78,000 in cash up front to be first to own one. When Munro made the offer to buy it from him, the guy said yes. He needed the money, said Munro. Walking through Munro's facility you might not realize you are looking at parts of a disembodied future car meant to change the driving and vehicle ownership habits of the more average American. Tables were laden with pieces of the entire drawn-and-quartered Model 3. They included drivetrain components, interior appointments such as vegan (non-animal) luxury seat covers, electronic brains, automatic braking elements and mismatched front and rear brake calipers. They showed every aspect of the vehicle that Tesla predicts will sell in volume. (Apparently Michigan-based Meijer superstores feel the same way, as they are installing banks of Tesla-only electric vehicle charging stations outside some of their mega stores.) Going beyond perceived packs of AA batteries might seem like a stretch. But Mark Ellis, one of the technical wizards who is part of the team, showed how the little battery rolls each about the size of a prescription bottle are welded together with an advanced super glue into bricks of 46. Those bricks then are aligned into four panels that lay flat on an undercarriage base, then completely covered. No matter where one is seated in the Model 3, he or she is sitting over a section of battery pack. It's eerily reminiscent of GM's experimental Skateboard architecture of the early 2000s that never made it to production. Everything in the Tesla is glued together, said Ellis. And he can attest to its toughness compared with welding or bolting parts together. He had to use chisels and a lot of muscle to break components apart. That also means that the battery packs in the platform are there for good. There's no swapping out an individual dead battery within the array for a new one. But he said that each battery cell is so small that if one did fail it would have virtually no impact on the total electrical charge propelling it. Munro's reverse engineering technique is meant to learn how the Tesla, and other subjects of their interest, are made. Each of the findings is assigned a specific number from 1 to 5 to indicate how poorly or well it is designed or made. The numbers are as objective as they can them, indicating quality of design, materials, assembly and, most important, their cost. One is low man on the totem pole, indicating that component has been poorly envisioned or executed. Five, however, shows leading-edge design, effective applications and, on some occasions, a good sense of humor. One set of circuitry boards had Batman and Robin designed into them with those names etched into the board in case it wasn't obvious. Munro said the Tesla has both 1s and 5s with advanced technology rating a 6, for its off-the-scale future thinking. Body in White scored way low having unnecessarily excessive amounts of steel in odd places that added to weight, sharp edges from welding leakage and unnecessary complexity in assembly, including oddly mismatched attachment applications. Musk was recently quoted admitting they use too much robotics in the Model 3 assembly. Those factors seem to have added to Tesla's ongoing problems with fit and finish, about which many Tesla owners have complained. But, the electronic systems scored very high. Other numbers were all over the place. The benchmarking of the Model 3 was not commissioned nor authorized by Tesla, so Munro has no need to provide a report of its ultimate findings to the company. But, Munro is free to sell the study in total or in parts to any OEM or other buyer interested in a copy. That includes Tesla. He calls it a payment of $78,000 for a million dollars-worth of research. That brings up a couple of questions for the future. Since the Model 3 won't have a model year assigned to it, that could complicate things for the collector who might want to get a permanent historic license plate some years down the road. Those are based on the model year. (That's a 25-year-old model in Michigan.) And what happens if the battery packs finally do the dreaded deep six and the Tesla Model 3 becomes an expensive garage filler? The general consensus: You buy a new Tesla. Martha Hindes, The Automotive Bureau A Niverville couples humorous true story is reaching an international audience after being ladled into the latest volume of a popular and long-running book series. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 26/4/2018 (1257 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. A Niverville couples humorous true story is reaching an international audience after being ladled into the latest volume of a popular and long-running book series. Jan Kendall St. Cyr said she learned in January that her husbands tale of hair lost and hair found would be one of 101 short stories included in Chicken Soup for the Soul: My Crazy Family. Published earlier this month, the book is the latest in a series of more than 250 titles that together have sold over 100 million copies in Canada and the United States, according to publisher Simon & Schuster. St. Cyr said she heard more than 6,000 submissions from across North America were considered for My Crazy Family. The publication is the latest professional success for the mother of four and grandmother of six, who has journalled nearly her entire life but only began writing for public consumption two years ago, when she seized an opportunity to pen a monthly column in the Niverville Citizen. Around the same time, she began submitting writing samples online to writers and workshops offering advice. The process of editing and receiving feedback proved valuable last summer, when she decided to submit three compositions to the Chicken Soup website, which was seeking lighthearted stories of family life for its upcoming volume. "We have a wacky family, so theres lots of fodder there for this kind of submission," St. Cyr said this week. After waiting more than four months, she was thrilled to be notified one of her submissions made the cut. Set eight years ago, the story revolves around her husband of 38 years, Gerry, and his new strategy to combat baldness. While hair loss can be a sensitive topic for many men, St. Cyr said her husband had no qualms about publicizing his follicle folly. "I definitely asked him permission," she said. "He graciously let me tell this story." St. Cyr said working with Chicken Soup was "a great learning experience" that taught her more about storytelling, including how to write visually, frame past experiences, and consider audience concerns. "Even if its about you, you cant make it about you," she observed. It also boosted the confidence of someone who, by her own admission, was more accustomed to supporting her familys creative endeavours than indulging her own. "It was actually very difficult for me to receive this (success). Id always been the wind under everybody elses wings," she said. Since receiving her copy of My Crazy Family, St. Cyr said she has enjoyed reading her story to friends and family. "I hope people take away the truth that we need to lighten up and learn to laugh at ourselves," she said. "Humour is a great way to overcome certain things." Stay informed The latest updates on the novel coronavirus and COVID-19 delivered to your inbox every weeknight. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. St. Cyr said she hopes to use her Chicken Soup experience as a stepping stone to other work for Simon & Schuster, and encouraged fledgling writers to read writers whose prose they admire. "Reading is, I think, the most essential part of being a writer," she said. She also stressed the importance of fine-tuning first drafts. "This one I probably rewrote 20 times," she noted. Part of a musically gifted family, St. Cyr also drew parallels to songwriting. "Learning how to write a song is really learning how to write a short story," she said. "It teaches you that you have to get to the point very quickly." Photo: Michael Loccisano/Getty Images Russell Simmons will be facing one less sexual-assault lawsuit. In January, a documentary filmmaker named Jennifer Jarosik filed a $5 million lawsuit against Simmons, alleging that he lured her to his home with the promise of discussing a film project, and then raped her. (In an official response to the court filing earlier this month, Simmons claimed he had a consensual sexual relationship with Jarosik.) On Wednesday, Jarosik dropped her claim, and the parties filed a joint stipulation of dismissal with prejudice, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Simmons still faces another $10 million lawsuit for raping an unnamed accuser. He has denied all of the many sexual-misconduct claims made against him. Joseph James DeAngelos mugshot. In the 1970s and 80s, a serial rapist and killer terrorized California, eventually earning the moniker the Golden State Killer. He allegedly committed at least 12 murders, 45 rapes, and burglarized over 100 homes between 1976 and 1986 and police may have finally arrested a suspect in the case. Per the Daily Beast, the Sacramento County Sheriffs Department arrested 72-year-old Joseph James DeAngelo on two counts of murder on Wednesday. Billy Jensen, who recently worked on a book about the case, told the outlet that DeAngelo is indeed a suspect in the decades-old mystery. One of the three main suspect sketches used by the FBI. According to an FBI wanted notice, the Golden State Killer also known as the East Area Rapist, Original Night Stalker, and the Diamond Knot Killer would pry open windows or doors while his victims slept. He would then shine a flashlight into the face of his victims, tie up the female victim and, if a male victim was present, tied him up as well before raping the female victim and burglarizing the house. Victims also said that he would call them after the fact. The rapes and burglaries began in 1976, while the murders didnt start until 1986. The bureau renewed the search for the killer in 2016, and crime writer Michelle McNamara focused on the investigation in the aforementioned book, Ill Be Gone in the Dark which was published posthumously in February and became a number one New York Times best seller. Update, 3:43 p.m: In a press conference on Wednesday afternoon, police confirmed that, thanks to DNA evidence, DeAngelo a former police officer has been arrested and charged with the 1978 murder of Brian and Katie Maggiore and the 1980 murder of Lyman and Charlene Smith. Here is the complete list of crimes the Golden State Killer is believed to have committed. Photo: John Springer Collection/Corbis via Getty Images In 2001, at the urging of her patients, clinical sex therapist Dr. Rosemary Basson published a diagram she had been using in her sessions. The diagram showed a relatively new model of sexual interest called responsive desire, a slower version that emphasized the many factors that help us get in the mood. In contrast with the notion of lust as a spontaneous drive that hits us out of nowhere the sudden I-need-to-get-busy urge familiar from passionate Hollywood make-out scenes Basson had noticed over the decades that her patients, particularly women in long-term relationships, often take a while to get warmed up. Although it was consensual (they were indeed interested in slowly initiating sex with their partner) they didnt feel physical, sensual desire until some sufficiently pleasant erotic talking, cuddling, touching, or even fantasizing was under way. We see women who say, When I get into (sex), everythings fine. I just dont have that hunger that makes me yearn for the next time, says Basson. Previously, that kind of gradual response especially common in women after the novelty of a relationships honeymoon period has worn off got labeled by therapists as a sexual dysfunction, often garnering the old diagnosis of frigidity. Basson reassured her patients that they were normal, helping women shed unneeded labels. Responsive desire became incredibly influential. It turns out, however, that we only understood half the story. The media mostly cast responsive desire as a womens issue. Yet Basson said from the beginning that men also feel this slow kind of desire. Close to two decades later, its a misunderstanding shes still eager to correct. Basson, who is now director of the University of British Columbias Sexual Medicine Program in Canada, joined other sexologists in challenging the reigning model of human sexual response proposed by famed research team William Masters and Virginia Johnson in the 1960s, and refined by researcher Helen Kaplan. According to Masters & Johnson, sex was a linear journey. There was a start, a middle, and a finish line. First came desire for sex, then came stimulation and arousal, then a short plateau, and finally orgasm and resolution (i.e. taking a nap). Along with other researchers such as Dr. Beverly Whipple, Basson realized this model didnt match a lot of peoples experience. She created a circular diagram to show how sex was cyclical: desire often comes in response to something else, like a touch or an erotic conversation. If the sex is good, even the flickering memory of it could become motivation for more sex later on. (Sex never ends, basically.) Finally, encounters dont have to end with a mutual orgasm. They end with satisfaction, however a couple defines that, whether thats five orgasms or none. Sex therapist Dr. Rosemary Basson created a circular diagram to show that sexual encounters dont all begin and end the same way. Photo: Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy If desire isnt always present at the beginning of sex, then why do people do it? We have many motivations for sex other than lust emotional bonding, wanting to feel attractive, because it felt good last time, and others. A famous 2007 study by Cindy Meston found 237 reasons that people have sex, from relieving boredom to giving someone a gift to wanting to get warm because they felt cold. If sexual touching feels good, then wanting can arise in the middle of sex the desire to keep going. The two most commonly repeated reasons in the Meston study were still sexual enjoyment and intimacy. The subjects were both undergraduate men and women, however meaning a large number of young dudes were in it for the intimacy. Some young men, probably not in long-term relationships, their reasons for being sexual were often just as based on intimacy as on the expectation of sexual pleasure, says Basson. This means a lot of men are out there having sex without lusting after it. Why did this get edited out of the story? Basson says that her work got a deluge of attention from medical journals on womens health (which were no doubt overjoyed to see any research being done on womens sexuality, which has historically been neglected). But also, its more jarring or going against the grain to say that spontaneous desire isnt the whole thing (for men), she explains. It may be more difficult to accept that (emotional intimacy) is as important in men as it is in women. She points out that the male libido is typically viewed as an innate, automatic, animal drive always ready to be aroused. Admitting that that isnt always true might feel threatening to our concept of masculinity. Guys only want one thing, amirite? Responsive desire looks just the same in men, she says. If a woman wanted to be sexual, she might talk lovingly and erotically to her partner, and if the partners a man, the man might then forget his stressful day at work and get his thoughts organized and be willing to respond to her talking and her kisses. Maybe hed respond quicker than she would, but otherwise, its the same. The only difference between female and male desire, in this case, is that men, on average, go from noticing a sexual stimulus (like a sexy image) to feeling turned on more quickly than women do. Its a matter of time, in our perception of how long it takes, she says. What all this really means is that spontaneous wanting is a bit of misnomer. Although over-represented in our culture in romantic movies, people lunge at each other and start kissing desire is never truly spontaneous. Almost everyone has that memory of lust seemingly arising out of nowhere both women and men. But its just happening so fast that we cant always be aware of what our motivations and triggers are. Something very minimal, like just remembering sex that was enjoyable, maybe just for a second, that can trigger the desire to be sexual, says Basson. Some argue that everything is responsive desire. Even if its just responding to a barely-conscious memory or a fleeting fantasy. Basson says she continues to talk about spontaneous desire mainly because her patients respond to the idea particularly when complaining that its not there anymore. They often talk about memories of feeling lust hit them unbidden; something they imagined they used to have and has faded as the years have gone by. Shes there to tell them that desire is still there its just slowed down. Spontaneous desire is like a myth or a construct of some kind, she says. To patients it feels innate: That hunger is gone and Im missing it. A photograph of Anne Marie DAmico, a victim of Alek Minassians attack, shown at a vigil on April 24, 2018, in Toronto, Canada Photo: Cole Burston/Getty Images By now, most of North America has heard about Alek Minassians killing spree in Toronto on Tuesday, when he deliberately plowed his rented van into a crowd of pedestrians and killed ten people, most of whom were women. Police are still investigating the horrific attack, but much evidence points to the 25-year-old being motivated by misogynistic beliefs held by incels, short for involuntary celibate, an online subculture of angry, sexually frustrated men who blame women for their lack of a sex life. Minassian is currently in police custody awaiting trial. Since the horrific attack, many have expressed shock and dismay at the fact that something like this could happen in Canada a relatively nonviolent country that experiences almost none of the gun violence the U.S. routinely does. And yet, not only can it happen, it has happened time and again. In fact, Canada has a long history of gender-based mass killings; three of its worst mass murders committed in the last 30 years have been motivated by hatred of women. In 1989, Marc Lepine walked into a classroom at Montreals Ecole Polytechnique armed with a rifle and a hunting knife, separated the male and female engineering students, and, after declaring that feminism had ruined his life, opened fire on the latter. By the time he turned the gun on himself, a total of 14 women had died and another ten women and four men had been injured. The murders left the entire country reeling with disbelief. In 1996, Marc Chahal walked up to the home of his estranged wifes family in Vernon, British Columbia, as relatives gathered for a wedding, and opened fire killing the bride-to-be, his wife, and seven other family members. Chahal, who had been physically abusive to his wife during their marriage and had repeatedly threatened her since their separation, promptly returned to his motel room and killed himself. There have been others. While not a single-event mass murderer, serial killer Robert Pickton is largely considered to be Canadas most heinous criminal. Pickton was a pig farmer who bragged about killing close to 50 women (he was eventually charged with the murders of six) and feeding their bodies to the pigs on his farm. Pickton largely preyed on sex workers and drug addicts, prompting some to accuse the police of a different kind of misogyny dragging their feet on these investigations because many of the murdered women were indigenous and their files not treated with the respect and seriousness they deserved. Indigenous women have long been targets of violence in Canada. Between 1989 and 2018, 18 young women (most of them indigenous) went missing or were found murdered along highway 16 in British Columbia; a highway known as the Highway of Tears. The Highway of Tears is part of a larger, national crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG). In 2015, after years of repeated requests, the Canadian government finally launched a national inquiry into these cases. While many disagree on the exact number of victims, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) acknowledged in a 2014 report that it hovers around 1,200. Dawn Lavell-Harvard, former president of the Native Womens Association of Canada, refers to MMIWG as a national tragedy and a national shame. Canada has a well-deserved reputation for being an enviable, peace-loving, nonviolent, progressive place to live. Its Charter of Rights and Freedoms protects gender equality, more women than men are graduating from Canadian universities, and womens reproductive rights really arent up for political debate. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is a self-proclaimed feminist who gave the country its first gender-equal Cabinet. But misogyny runs deep and even a pro-womens-rights and nonviolent country is not immune to the kind of woman-focused hate that can be radicalized and weaponized by online forums or an overwhelming sense of toxic male entitlement for status, power, or love. And yet, despite all of this violence, Canadian society continues to display a strange reticence to refer to misogyny as a hate crime and continues to treat these mass shootings as isolated and exceptional incidents that in no way resemble a pattern. Instead, we see the Lepines, Minassians, and the Chahals of the world as committing confused acts of emotionally disturbed, socially awkward men who simply needed someone or something to blame for a life that didnt turn out the way they had hoped. Given the prevalence of online misogyny, gender-based violence, and the continued online radicalization of disturbed young (predominantly white) men, isnt it high time we started discussing the redefinition of terrorism? Why cant we admit that misogyny, too, is an ideology? What is gender-based violence if not a form of terrorism? It took years for the Montreal Massacre to be officially designated as a hate crime. Its too soon to classify the Toronto van attack as such, but one thing remains clear: the mass murder is part of a long line of tragic events in Canada to target women. In this sense, and despite its progressive, feminist international image, Canada is no different than America. Violent acts that are motivated by misogyny and toxic masculinity repeatedly happen in both our nations. It is, perhaps, in the way that each country chooses to tackle the problem and stem the violence that any differences will eventually be found. Photo: Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images In between the well-worn recitations of regret in public letters released Tuesday by New York Public Radio CEO Laura Walker and her board of directors I accept responsibility; we as an organization have fallen short and must do better were sentences that sounded more like sighs of relief, or hands brushing off the last motes of blame. The occasion was the public release of an independent investigation into a conflagration sparked last December by Suki Kims damning story on harassment and bullying by John Hockenberry at The Takeaway leading quickly to the firing of two other prominent hosts, Leonard Lopate and Jonathan Schwartz. The new report, written by two investigators with the law firm Proskauer Rose with no involvement from management, presumably looked into those cases though we dont know, because there are no names in it and found no systemic discrimination or harassment at the public-radio behemoth. As the investigation indicated, Walker wrote in yesterdays letter, I took prompt and significant action when learning of discriminatory behavior, but we need to take further steps. The boards letter expressed its full support of the stations first and only CEO, whose leadership was deeply shaken by a sense that, for years, employee concerns were subordinated to the demands of growth. In February, Walker announced the demotion of her chief content officer, Dean Cappello, along with many initiatives to address what she acknowledged was a broken office culture. My own reporting on that culture two months ago revealed a history of distrust between employees and a human-resources department that seemed more concerned with policing staff than protecting them. Proskauer Rose acknowledges that distrust head-on, but never identifies its source: Whatever the merits of the concerns about the human resources department, it is important that employees have confidence that it will protect their right to a respectful and discrimination-free work environment. Isnt it also important to determine what the merits of those concerns are? Employees told me repeatedly told each other, too that HR didnt seem eager to help, and that even when they tried, they didnt seem to know what they were doing. Proskauer says they were understaffed, which is surely true. But they were also highly effective at resolving sticky situations such as the three black co-hosts in a row whom Hockenberry bullied out of their jobs in favor of the management-mandated status quo. To its credit, Proskauer Rose highlights many of the concerns employees brought up to me including a lack of clarity on whether harassment reporting is mandatory (it is); what constitutes actionable behavior; and what happens in the course of an HR investigation. Some of its findings are refreshing, including the assertion that being an equal opportunity abuser is no excuse for behavior, like Hockenberrys, that disproportionately hurts minorities. Others are depressingly overdue. I wasnt surprised to learn that WNYC was terrible at communicating about its protocol for harassment investigations; I was shocked to learn that that was because no such written protocol exists. Its difficult to take on faith the parts of the Proskauer report that absolve leaders of responsibility. One of its essential findings is that complaints werent dealt with because lower-level managers didnt send them up the chain of command though when they did, everything supposedly worked fine. Senior management is only mentioned in the course of exonerating it. Never mind that Walker did know about Hockenberrys bullying and some of his harassment, yet almost nothing was done for years. The board wrote Tuesday that it had been briefed in detail concerning specific allegations but decided to protect employee privacy and comply with legal obligations by stripping the report of any detail. As with, say, redacted government documents, its impossible to parse whether information was left out to protect victims or to protect the institution from embarrassment. Its telling that Proskauer, which has a reputation for siding with management in cases like this, proposes many fixes often in the service of limiting liability without seriously assessing culpability. Its also telling that only 36 people were interviewed fewer people than I spoke to, and far fewer than work on shows where harassment has occurred. Among the employees past and present whove openly expressed their disappointment on social media was former Takeaway producer Kristen Meinzer. She helped start this conversation in December by telling Suki Kim about Hockenberrys unwelcome advances. But Proskauer didnt talk to her. (WNYC reporters soon discovered that she was sent a message, but she never saw it and there was no follow-up.) Meinzer was far from the only accuser they didnt hear from. One of the employees in my piece, whod complained fruitlessly for months about a co-worker having vocal phone sex, wasnt interviewed either. After reading the investigations results, she wrote to me that she was infuriated and insulted by the report. Im not sure how they could find that there was not a systematic problem through a sample size of THIRTY-SIX people. This employee is one of several womenas many as tenwhove left WNYC since the beginning of the year. Many of those who remain are reportedly dismayed at the reports lack of accountability. But again as in February, when Cappello was sidelined but not fired and Walkers position reaffirmed its hard to say a tipping point has been reached, or a mass exodus imminent. Maybe its just a matter of expectations. Disappointed but not surprised, texted one employee who had considered leaving and may still, but not yet. It didnt say anything we dont already know. Americas Fallen Police Deserve Eternal Honor Once again, the heart of America is wounded, this time with the senseless murder of two Florida sheriffs deputies. The tragedy illuminates the ongoing dangers faced by all who take the sacred oath to protect and serve our communities. This contemptuous attack demands that we pause to reverently honor these fine men. We must also fully dedicate ourselves to a national commitment to foster iron-clad police-community unity. Honoring the Gilchrist County Fallen On April 19, 2018, two Gilchrist County Sheriffs Deputies were shot and killed on duty while eating in a Florida restaurant. Sgt. Noel Ramirez, 30, and Deputy Taylor Lindsay, 25, were shot without warning through a window from outside the restaurant. Read More Fallen Police Officers: Honoring American Sentinels Ramirez was a seven-year veteran of law enforcement who had a wife and two young children. Lindsay, a three-year veteran, was not married but left behind a girlfriend. Sheriff Bobby Schultz referred to the two deputies as the best of the best. He also stated that theyre men of integrity, theyre men of loyalty. Theyre God-fearing, and they loved what they did. And were very proud of them. The sheriff added the only thing these men were guilty of was wanting to protect you and me. They just wanted to go get something to eat. And they just wanted to do their job. Read More Fallen Officers Demand Americas Reawakening According to a Gilchrist County Sheriffs Office Facebook post, Sgt. Noel Ramirez and Deputy Sheriff Taylor Lindsay were the first line of duty deaths in Gilchrist County since 1956. Tragically, throughout America we are witnessing attacks against those who deserve our respect, honor, and gratitude. Preliminary 2018 Law Enforcement Officer Fatalities The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF) memorializes law enforcement fatalities. The preliminary fatalities from Jan. 1, 2018April 23, 2018 reflect a 64 percent increase in firearms-related fatalities compared to the same time-span last year. The public is immediately informed when an officer is killed in the line of duty. This takes place through a Fallen Hero Alerts program, along with posting details on their website. Besides the tragic loss of Sgt. Ramirez and Deputy Sheriff Lindsay, here are some additional officers who have offered the ultimate sacrifice this year as detailed by the NLEOMF. Police Officer Tamby Yagan, Paterson (NJ) Police Department End of Watch: April 22, 2018 Police Officer Tamby Yagan was killed in an automobile crash when his patrol car collided with a parked vehicle. Officer Tamby is the 14th law enforcement officer to be killed in a traffic-related incident this year and the second officer fatality from the state of New Jersey in 2018. Police Officer Sean Gannon, Yarmouth (MA) Police Department End of Watch: April 12, 2018 Police Officer Sean Gannon was shot and killed while assisting with serving a warrant. Officer Gannon and his canine partner were searching the home and located the suspect when he was struck by gunfire. Officer Gannon is the 21st officer to be shot and killed this year and the first officer fatality from the state of Massachusetts in 2018. Police Officer Phillip Meacham, Hopkinsville (KY) Police Department End of Watch: March 29, 2018 Officer Phillip Meacham of the Hopkinsville Police Department was shot and killed by a man impersonating a police officer. The man had attempted to conduct a traffic stop on Officer Meacham, who was off-duty, driving his personal car. Officer Meacham is the 20th law enforcement officer to be shot and killed in 2018 and the second from the state of Kentucky. Special Agent Melissa Morrow, U.S. Department of Justice-Federal Bureau of Investigation End of Watch: March 22, 2018 Special Agent Melissa Morrow succumbed to her illness on March 22, 2018, stemming from her assignment to aid in the search and recovery efforts at the Pentagon following the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Special Agent Morrow is the second officer fatality from a U.S. Federal Agency in 2018. Police Officer Christopher Ryan Morton, Clinton (MO) Police Department End of Watch: March 6, 2018 Police Officer Christopher Ryan Morton was shot and killed when he and two other officers responded to a scene involving a disturbance. Officer Morton succumbed to his injuries and the other two officers were wounded. Officer Morton is the 16th law enforcement officer to be shot and killed in 2018 and the first officer fatality from the state of Missouri in 2018. Final Reflections America must eternally honor all who protect and serve our nation. Read More Honoring Americas Fallen Police Officer Heroes This sacred call to serve American in law enforcement represents the character of the nation. May each of our fallen be eternally remembered and may we be forever mindful of the immortal verse that There is no greater love than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:13) Vincent J. Bove, CPP, is a national speaker and author on issues critical to America. Bove is a recipient of the FBI Directors Community Leadership Award for combating crime and violence and is a former confidant of the New York Yankees. His newest book is Listen to Their Cries. For more information, see www.vincentbove.com Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Big Explosion at Wisconsin Refinery, Casualties Reported An explosion rocked a refinery in Wisconsin, leaving more than a dozen people injured. A fire official told WSMV-TV that the blast took place at Husky Energy oil refinery at around 10 a.m. local time. At least 20 people were injured, the Superior Fire Department said, KDLH-TV reported. At least five people were transported to hospitals in Duluth, Minnesota. #BREAKING: An explosion at Husky Energys refinery in Superior, Wisconsin, injured multiple people, as smoke billowed into the sky over the facility. https://t.co/FK7c24p7vj Globalnews.ca (@globalnews) April 26, 2018 Superior Fire Chief Steve Panger told The Associated Press that he wasnt sure of the extent of the injuries. There were no known deaths. Four people were being treated at nearby Essentia Health-St. Marys Medical Center and a fifth was on the way, said a hospital spokeswoman. She described their injuries as varied, but said she could not offer further details, Reuters reported. The whole building shook. The lights flickered three times and the whole building shook, Jim Ronning, owner of Hudys Tavern in Superior, located about a mile from the facility. A contractor said that the explosion sounded like a sonic boom, and it happened as crews were shutting the plant down for repairs, WSMV quoted him as saying. A fire was also reported at the refinery, but it was put out at 11:20 a.m. local time. Panger confirmed that a tank exploded, saying it was either oil or asphalt. Police in Superior have urged locals to stay away from the area. Roads around the refinery were closed off, but there have been no neighborhood evacuations. The company was responding to an incident at the refinery and emergency crews were on site, Husky spokesman Mel Duvall said, adding, We are aware an individual has been transported to the hospital, according to Reuters. It shook our store. Everyone was wondering what was going on. You could see the lights flickered, it knocked out one of our computers, it shook the ceiling, said Tammie Carroll, an employee at Super One Foods, located nearby, was quoted by Reuters saying. The refinery, the only one in Wisconsin, has approximately 180 employees. Reuters contributed to this report. Recommended video: I was a Communist slave Bill Cosby Gets the Worst News of His Entire Life: Hes Convicted Bill Cosby, the longtime comedian and TV legend, was convicted of sexual assault in a retrial, said reports on Thursday, April 26. Cosby, 80, best known for The Cosby Show in the 1980s, was convicted of drugging a friend in 2004 before assaulting her. After the conviction, he now faces a prison term of up to 10 years for three counts of aggravated indecent assault against Andrea Constand, 45, after a three-week-long trial at the Montgomery County courthouse in Norristown, Pennsylvania. For Cosby, who is elderly and in poor health, a 10-year-long prison term is essentially a death sentence. About 60 women have publically accused Cosby over five decades of being a sexual abuser. Due to the statute of limitation, only one charge was brought against him. Its a victory not just for the 62 of us who have come forward but for all survivors of sexual assault, female and male, Cosby accuser Lily Bernard told reporters, Reuters reported. I feel like my faith in humanity is restored. At the start of the retrial, it was revealed that Cosby had paid Costrand $3.4 million as part of a civil settlement in 2006, the BBC reported. Tom Mesereau, Cosbys lawyer, told reporters that the fight is not over, saying that he thinks the comedian is innocent. Cosby has said any sexual encounters were consensual, and his lawyers portrayed Constand as a pathological liar who falsely depicted their romantic relationship as an attack. Five other women also testified to similar treatment from Cosby, whose lawyers argued that the women were fabricating stories in search of wealth and fame, according to Reuters. But a jury sided with Constand, who testified that she went to Cosbys house to discuss a potential career change when he gave her three blue pills he said would relax her. She said the pills made her feel woozy, and that Cosby walked her to a sofa and laid her down. Then, she said, he assaulted her. Prosecutors said that the $3.4 million is evidence that Cosby needed to silence Costrand. In a victory for the defense, the judge allowed the testimony of Margo Jackson, who said Constand once told her it would be easy to fabricate an accusation of sexual assault against a celebrity to make money. You have sacrificed much, but you have sacrificed in the service of justice and in this country and this Commonwealth and this county, Judge ONeill said, talking to the jury, USA Today reported. That is important. RAINN, the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, also pleased with the decision. There are many forces that discourage victims from reporting these crimes. Lets hope the legacy of this case is that victims feel empowered to come forward, knowing that it can truly make a difference in bringing perpetrators to justice; said Scott Berkowitz, who is the chief of the network, according to USA Today. Recommended video: I Was a Communist Slave Reuters contributed to this report. British PM May Feels More Heat Over EUs Customs Union LONDONBritish lawmakers will step up pressure on Prime Minister Theresa May over her Brexit strategy on Thursday, criticizing her refusal to pursue a customs union with the European Union. In a showdown in parliament, lawmakers, including some members of her Conservative Party, will press the government to include the establishment of an effective customs union in its negotiating stance on Britains future relationship with the EU. The, or a, customs union is one of the main flashpoints in the Brexit debate. While any vote in parliament on Thursday is symbolic and not binding on the government, it will be another blow to May if supported by Conservative lawmakers. May says Britain must leave the EUs customs union, which sets external tariffs for goods imported into the bloc, so that it can negotiate trade deals with other countries. Brexit supporters say remaining in any EU grouping will force Britain into becoming a vassal state. Conservative lawmaker Sarah Wollaston said last week she was supporting the motion in what is called an opposition day debate because it is an opportunity for MPs (members of parliament) to express their view. Im not voting to make my constituents poorer and to prevent businesses being able to trade as quickly and smoothly with their biggest market, she wrote on Twitter after the motion was published. If government can produce convincing evidence that their new deals will replace what is lost then lets see it. She is joined by other Conservative lawmakers, who have long said that Mays insistence that Britain will leave the EUs single market and customs union could isolate and harm the worlds fifth largest economy. They have been emboldened after Britains upper house of parliament, the House of Lords, also challenged sticking to what some of her critics say is an unnecessary red line one which may mean the return of a hard border with EU member Ireland. The EU has added its weight to the argument, with diplomats and officials saying they would offer Britain a closer relationship if it stays in the customs union, which would help break the latest stalemate in talks. But May and her ministers have stuck to their position, forced to repeat their mantra almost daily that Britain will be leaving the customs union and will be free to strike our own trade deals around the world. Border May is all but trapped by the deep divisions that have widened since Britain voted in June 2016 to leave the EU. Since losing her Conservatives majority in parliament in an ill-judged election last year, the prime minister is dependent on a small Northern Irish party which opposes a backstop agreement with the EU that would see the province become more aligned with the bloc than with mainland Britain. The Democratic Unionist Partys Nigel Dodds told the Conservativehome website on Wednesday that was a red line. The governments well aware that when it comes to Brexit and the United Kingdom, the United Kingdom has to leave the European Union and all its institutions together, he said. Vocal pro-Brexit campaigners have also held her to her position on the customs union, leaping to protest at any hint she could seek a compromise on ties to prevent a return of a hard border that may reignite sectarian violence. May is before anything a unionist, her aides say, and will not want to be the prime minister that splits the United Kingdom, with one suggesting she had looked at some form of customs deal along the lines of a union. But for now, the position is the same. The government has proposed two ways of overcoming the difficulties of leaving the customs union a customs partnership and a streamlined customs arrangement, and has yet to offer anything new despite criticism from the EU. We think that both of the options that weve put forward can address the issue of the Irish border and of facilitating a smooth customs arrangement with the European Union, Mays spokesman said earlier this week. Airplane Emergency Landing on Canadian Street Caught on Camera An aircraft carrying six people had to make an emergency landing on a street in Calgary, Canada, moments after radioing a control tower to say the plane had a problem. The pilot of the Piper Navajo airplane contacted air traffic control on Wednesday morning, April 25, to report engine trouble. Ive just lost the right fuel pump, thats why were requesting 35 right, the pilot can be heard saying on a recording, according to this report by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). Security camera footage featured in the video report below shows the plane making its descent in the moments before touching down. No injuries were reported. CBC reported that the plane skimmed past eyewitness Jarrett Stobbe, who was on his way to work when he saw the plane immediately overhead. I heard this loud noise and looked up, and it came right over my head, he said. It was coming in at kind of an angle and clipped that light post, then landed. The pilot did a heck of a job to get it down like that. The plane sustained minor damage when it clipped a light pole shortly before landing. The small plane was inbound to Calgary International Airport with six people aboard just after 5:30 a.m. Acting District Chief Jason Graham of the Calgary Fire Department said the pilot did an amazing job in bringing the plane down safely. The twin-engine plane was approaching Calgary International Airport at around 5:30 am local time with six people onboard. Super T Aviation, the company that owns and operates the airplane, said the pilot was highly experienced. A statement by the carrier said the emergency landing was caused by a loss of power of unknown cause. The Transportation Safety Board of Canada said more time would be needed to pinpoint the reason for the incident. We will be collecting data, well conduct witness interviews, well examine and photograph the wreckage, said Mike Adam, an investigator with the Transportation Safety Board of Canada, CBC reported. Well also examine the maintenance history, meteorological conditions, operation of the equipment, operation policies, and regulation requirements. Local resident Jamal Hammoud thought the emergency lights he spotted out of the window of his home overlooking 36th Street were due to a traffic accident. I thought it was a C-Train accident, he said, according to this Calgary Herald report. When I looked, I couldnt see the CTrain, but (I saw) an airplane. Hammoud told the paper that he then checked security camera footage to see if the incident had been caught on tape. I saw the airplane landing, just missing a car, he said. Footage in the news report above shows the moment the plane landed on the street. Recommended Video: Sleepy Truck Driver Causes Multi-Vehicle Crash California Faces Backlash Over Sanctuary State Laws Local cities and counties are opting out of sanctuary status in favor of public safety WASHINGTONAs the Trump administration has worked to cinch up the porous southern border and remove illegal aliensespecially convicted criminalsCalifornia has deliberately moved in the opposite direction. But now the state is facing a backlash, as cities and counties within the Golden State are rising up against its sanctuary policies. President Donald Trump is calling it a revolution. Several cities and counties have passed resolutions to sue California for its sanctuary state bill, SB 54, which came into effect on Jan. 1. SB 54 forbids local and state law enforcement to communicate and cooperate with immigration authorities, with few exceptions. Law enforcement officers are subject to civil action if they violate SB 54, including by communicating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) about illegal aliens in their custody. I understand that we have a wide variety of political opinions out there on immigration. But the law is in the books and its purpose is clear. Jeff Sessions, U.S. attorney general The Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against California on March 6, saying three California bills, including SB 54, intentionally obstruct and discriminate against the enforcement of federal immigration law. On March 19, the small city of Los Alamitos in Orange County kicked off a wave of anti-sanctuary defiance by passing a resolution that allows city residents and agencies to ignore the states sanctuary laws. Orange County, which is just south of Los Angeles, was quick to follow suit. County Supervisor Michelle Steel said she has instructed the county council to look into which option is better: joining the Department of Justice in its lawsuit against California, or suing the state independently. The local police officers hands are tied because of SB 54, she said on April 20. Usually when they are illegal criminals, we hand them to ICE. But due to SB 54, she said, instead of transferring prisoners to ICE for deportation, the county sheriff has had to release 172 criminal aliens into the county from Jan. 1 through March 19. I dont want this to happen in Orange County, because public safety is most important and a governments priority is protecting its own citizens, Steel said. She said most of her constituents support the resolution, but she has been called a racist, and worse, by critics who say she is immigrant bashing. Its not. This just totally comes down to public safety, she said. Steel is a first-generation Korean-American immigrant. On March 26, the Orange County Sheriffs Department said it was going to start posting publicly the dates it intends to release inmates. This action will enhance communication between the Sheriffs Department and our law enforcement partners to remove dangerous offenders from our community, the statement said. SB 54 makes local law enforcements job more difficult and requires bureaucratic processes that could allow dangerous individuals to fall through the cracks of our justice system, said Sheriff Sandra Hutchens, in the press release. My department, however, remains committed to cooperating fully with federal authorities in all areas where I have discretion to remove serious criminals from our community. Orange County is now bracing for a lawsuit from the American Civil Liberties Union, which has already sued Los Alamitos, only days after the citys resolution was passed. Los Alamitos Mayor Troy Edgar started a GoFundMe page to raise money for legal fees. It had raised more than $20,000 of its $100,000 goal by April 23. So far, five other countiesSan Diego, Tehama, Kern, Siskiyou, and Shastahave joined Orange County in passing non-sanctuary resolutions. A sprinkling of cities are also taking action against SB 54, including Huntington Beach, Aliso Viejo, Mission Viejo, San Juan Capistrano, Lake Forest, Laguna Niguel, Yorba Linda, and Dana Point. Huntington Beach Mayor Mike Posey announced on April 3 that his city council is the first to file a lawsuit directly against the state, calling SB 54 an unconstitutional overreach. Mayor Pro Tem Peterson and I both believe in the sanctity of the Constitution and its applicability, and that all Huntington Beach residents are deserving of protections under the California and U.S. constitutions, Posey said in a statement, adding that Huntington Beach law enforcement policies remain unchanged. Trump tweeted his support for San Diego County on April 19 after it joined the anti-sanctuary movement. Thank you San Diego County for defending the rule of law and supporting our lawsuit against Californias illegal and unconstitutional Sanctuary policies, he wrote. Californias dangerous policies release violent criminals back into our communities, putting all Americans at risk. Thank you San Diego County for defending the rule of law and supporting our lawsuit against California's illegal and unconstitutional 'Sanctuary' policies. California's dangerous policies release violent criminals back into our communities, putting all Americans at risk. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 19, 2018 Federal Versus State California Gov. Jerry Brown, a Democrat, and Trump are at loggerheads over immigration enforcement and frequently trade barbs over Twitter. On March 31, after Brown pardoned five convicted alien criminals, which shields them from deportation, Trump wrote in a tweet: Governor Jerry Moonbeam Brown pardoned 5 criminal illegal aliens whose crimes include (1) Kidnapping and Robbery (2) Badly beating wife and threatening a crime with intent to terrorize (3) Dealing drugs. Is this really what the great people of California want? Brown accused Attorney General Jeff Sessions of basically going to war with California, after the Justice Department lodged its lawsuit against Californias sanctuary policies. Sessions traveled to Sacramento on March 7 to announce the lawsuit and ripped into Brown and other pro-sanctuary politicians. I understand that we have a wide variety of political opinions out there on immigration. But the law is in the books and its purpose is clear, Sessions said. There is no nullification. There is no secession. Federal law is the supreme law of the land. If a jurisdiction wont accept the deportation of someone who enters illegally and then commits another crime, then who do they think should be deported? he said. Aside from SB 54, the Justice Department is suing California for two other sanctuary bills. One is Assembly Bill 450, which prohibits private employers from voluntarily cooperating with federal immigration officials. California Attorney General Xavier Becerra warned business owners that they face a fine ranging from $2,000 to $10,000 if they cooperate with ICE. The other, Assembly Bill 103, imposes a state-run inspection and review scheme of the federal detention of aliens who are held in state and local facilities. California had already instituted policies to go easy on illegal aliens. In 2014, Brown signed a bill that reduced the maximum sentence of a misdemeanor to 364 days, down from 365. Immigrantslegal and illegalare subject to expedited deportation if they receive a sentence of 365 days or more. Becerra, a Democrat, has been outspoken against the administrations attempts to enforce immigration laws, saying it erodes public safety. California laws and policies do not provide sanctuary for criminals, Becerra said in a statement on March 14. We aggressively go after criminals, regardless of their immigration status. He said, What we do not do, though, is the job of federal immigration agents. Were in the business of public safety, not deportation. However, Sessions said he just wants California to stop intentionally obstructing the enforcement of federal immigration law and let ICE do its job. We are not asking you or anybody else to enforce our immigration laws for us, he said. Both pro-sanctuary and anti-sanctuary advocates say their approach enhances public safety. Oakland Warning Citing public safety, Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf sent out a public alert on Feb. 24 to warn illegal immigrants that ICE was preparing an immigration operation in the area. Schaaf said she was sharing the information not to panic our residents but to protect them. I know that Oakland is a city of law-abiding immigrants and families who deserve to live free from the constant threat of arrest and deportation, Schaaf said. I believe it is my duty and moral obligation as mayor to give those families fair warning when that threat appears imminent. But Jessica Vaughan, director of policy studies at the Washington-based Center for Immigration Studies, said a warning like that from a public official is very irresponsible. ICE is targeting primarily criminals who have been released by sanctuary policies in the Bay Area, and so the mayor is really tipping off criminals that ICE is seeking, Vaughan said on Feb. 26. The ironic thing about officials like this mayorwho implement sanctuary policiesis that they say they do it because they want all immigrants in the community to feel safe, she said. Well, this has the opposite effect. They feel less safe because they feel they are vulnerable to an enforcement action that is probably not even directed at them. Its only directed at the criminals, in most cases, or people with egregious immigration violations. Days after Schaaf sent out her alert, ICE arrested 150 individuals in the San Francisco area who were in violation of immigration laws. About half of those arrested had criminal convictions, including convictions for assault and battery, crimes against children, weapons charges, and driving under the influence, according to ICE. But about 860 criminal aliens and public safety threats remained at large in the community, said Acting ICE Director Tom Homan. I have to believe that some of them were able to elude us thanks to the mayors irresponsible decision, Homan said in a statement on Feb. 27. Homan has been outspoken about Californias sanctuary status and has pledged to dedicate more ICE resources to sanctuary jurisdictions. On April 13, the Justice Department issued a further warning to Oakland, as well as Seattle, the District of Columbia, and the state of Vermont. The department had already sent out 23 similar letters in January, including nine to jurisdictions in California, as well as to the state itself. The department is seeking proof from the jurisdictions that they do not unlawfully restrict information sharing by their law enforcement officers to federal immigration authorities. If the jurisdictions violate 8 U.S. Code 1373a federal statute that promotes information sharing related to immigration enforcementthey may be ineligible for federal Byrne JAG award funding, which contributes to public safety operations. The Justice Department said part of the Oakland Police Department Policy Manual appears to violate 1373. The manual states, in part: Officers shall not share non-public information about an individuals address, upcoming court date, or release date with ICE or CBP [Customs and Border Protection]. Officers shall respond to an ICE or CBP request for non-public information only when a judicial warrant accompanies the request. If Oakland is found to be at odds with 1373, it may also have to repay any Byrne JAG funding it received in fiscal year 2016 and fiscal year 2017. For now, without any substantial immigration reforms passed by Congress, the Trump administration is trying to plug the gaps within its reach, while issues are battled out in court. Falun Gong practitioners in Sydney, Australia, gather in a candlelight vigil to continue their journey of peaceful appeal for freedom of belief in China. (Linda Zhang/The Epoch Times) Candlelight Vigil Marks 19th Year of Peaceful Appeal, Receives Strong Support From Sydneysiders More than 300 Falun Gong practitioners sat quietly outside Hyde Park alongside Elizabeth Street Tuesday evening in flickering candlelight. The meditators were holding candles in a solemn vigil to mark the 19th commemoration of what is known as the largest peaceful appeal in modern Chinese history. A prominently displayed banner at the entrance of Hyde Park read: April 25, 1999: Over 10,000 Falun Gong meditators gathered quietly in Beijing. They had come to the central appeals office to ask the government to stop escalating its harassment of fellow meditators, and to uphold their right to freedom of belief. What followed was a nationwide persecution leading to the imprisonment, torture and death of potentially hundreds of thousands. This genocide still continues today. Some onlookers stopped to learn more, while others accepted informational leaflets and lent their support by signing a petition addressed to Parliament. Those who are tech-savvy also helped to spread the message of the commemoration by taking photos of themselves at the vigil and posting their photos on social media. Andrew, a public servant said he was aware of the persecution of Falun Gong in China. I think its very bad, he said. I, myself, am not interested in meditation, but I think people should not be persecuted because they practice meditation. I think its terrible what the Chinese governments doing, and our government should be telling the Chinese government to stop persecuting and stop harvesting the organs of those people. Andrew said he became aware of reports of forced organ harvesting from prisoners of conscience in China when he signed a petition in Martin Place last year. The Chinese government is behaving in a terrible, terrible way, he added. Cassia, a biologist by profession, noticed the candlelight vigil on her way home and took a photo to raise awareness on social media. I have not heard about the persecution before, this is the first time for me to know it, she said. Jessica, a musician, said she was moved by the music that was playing at the vigil and had stopped to reading the information. She said had heard of the meditation discipline Falun Gong but had no idea it is being persecuted in communist China. I am so sad that this would be happening in todays age, she said before taking a photo to share on her social media, as her way to help get the word out. It is absolutely heartbreaking awful! Im so sorry to hear this. Karen, a yoga teacher who was passing by Hyde Park, said it is a joke that such innocent meditators, much like herself, could be treated as criminals. Everybody knows that meditation is peaceful, she said. The reality of the persecution is a nightmare! Karen suggests that not only Australians but the whole world should stand up in solidarity against the persecution. Amy from the United Kingdom signed a petition and asserted that live organ harvesting must stop. She mentioned that her grandfather went to the controversial Real Bodies exhibition at Moore Park, which is blacklisted in France and Israel, and had a horrible feeling. He felt there must be a terrible story behind how the bodies, many of them from young people, came to be there. A French lady, Jessica, said: I think everyone should be allowed to do the things they wish to do. Referring to the persecution of Falun Gong, she said, That is very sad. Much like how Hong Kongs Victoria Park will be illuminated with candlelight this coming June 4 in the 29th commemoration of the Tiananmen Square Massacre when more than 10,000 democracy-seeking Chinese were killed by the Chinese Communist Party Falun Gong practitioners continue their annual nonviolent appeal to the CCP for their right, and the right of all Chinese people, to the freedom of belief. They also commemorate their fellow practitioners who have been killed by the CCPs brutal persecution campaign of close to 19 years, and which still continues today. Recommended video: Memoir of a Communist Slave President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump wait for the arrival of President of France Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron at the White House in Washington on April 23, 2018. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times) Court Ruling Deals Minor Blow to Trump on DACA, but Opens Door to Victory on Appeal A federal judge ruled Tuesday that President Donald Trump does not have the power to legally end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, insisting that protections for these young illegal immigrants must stay. U.S. District Judge John Bates called the presidents decision to end DACA arbitrary and capricious because the department failed adequately to explain its conclusion that the program was unlawful, according to a memorandum opinion. The judges decision appears to imply that Trump cannot undo executive orders issued by his predecessors, but Bates left an opening for Trumps administration to appeal the decision by providing an adequate explanation for ending the DACA program. This is a huge victory for DOJ. By providing a modified justification, this can save the case on appeal, Josh Blackman, a prominent constitutional-law professor at the South Texas College of Law in Houston, wrote on Twitter. I have long called on DHS to issue a revised memo w/ clearer justification for DACA recision. They havent done so for political reasons, or otherwise. Now J. Bates has given them a perfect opportunity to do so, Blackman continued. And it may actually moot other litigation based on the initial memo. This latest ruling is the third in recent months to block the Trump administrations rollback of the program. Two other judges in California and New York had previously ruled it as illegal, even after a judge in Maryland ruled last month that Trumps phaseout of the program was legal. But both of those rulings have been appealed to circuit courts. Todays (Tuesday) order doesnt change the Department of Justices position on the facts: DACA was implemented unilaterally after Congress declined to extend benefits to this same group of illegal aliens, Devin OMalley, a spokesman for the department said in a statement. The Justice Department will continue to vigorously defend this position. OMalley also called the DACA injunction an unlawful circumvention of Congress that was vulnerable to the very challenges that ended the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans, also known as DAPA. DACA was first created by Janet Napolitano who was then the Homeland Security Secretary in 2012 under the Obama administration. It was meant to work as a temporary measure designed to shield individuals brought to the United States as children by their illegal immigrant parents by giving them work permits. From NTD.tv Recommended Video: The National Guard Has Started Deploying Troops to the U.S.Mexico Border Minister of Public Safety Ralph Goodale addresses the media during a press briefing in Toronto on April 23, 2018. (The Canadian Press/Chris Young) Do Better Job of Combating Vile Material, or Else, G7 Tells Internet Companies TORONTOCanada and its G7 partners have warned the worlds biggest internet companies to do a better job of deleting vile material from their platforms and dangled the threat of forcing them if they fall short. Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale said he and his fellow G7 security ministers delivered that message in their April 24 meeting with Google, Facebook, Twitter, and Microsoft: do more to prevent their platforms from being exploited by terrorists, sexual predators, human traffickers, and purveyors of fake news. The message is: lets pick up the pace on the improvement that we need to see to get rid of this vile material, Goodale said. And if we dont see the pace improving fast enough, then we reserve the right to take other action. And I think the companies heard that message loud and clear. The G7 security ministers meeting in Toronto focused on addressing violent extremism and preventing the internet from being used as a tool for training, propaganda, and financing. But it was also overshadowed by the deadly van attack on April 23, in which a rental van barrelled through a crowd of people on a north Toronto sidewalk, killing 10 pedestrians and injuring 15. The internet giants addressed the G7 ministers last fall in Italy, but the ministers wanted to hear from them again to measure their progress. Facebook, said Goodale, reported that in the first quarter this year it took action on 1.9 million pieces of content from the Islamic State and Al-Qaidatwice as much as in the quarter before that. The G7s response was thank you very much, Goodale said. Some progress is being reported. We need to see more, he added. Were all in this together. Its not a case of us against them. Goodale stopped short of saying what action the governments might take, but the meetings German participant offered a glimpse. The German government has taken a hard line against internet providers and what they can disseminate through a network enforcement law that is not popular in some quarters, said Gunter Krings, the parliamentary state secretary for Germanys interior ministry. Certainly, the companies didnt like it so much. But its also clear that the standards of what can be communicated on the internet cant be set by the terms and conditions of private contracts, Krings said in an interview. These standards have to be set by democratically elected lawmakers, who decide on what is libel, what is defamation, and how far can you go in even an open society. Goodale said cybertechnology has become a disruptive force with the potential to harm critical infrastructure and the power to more easily conceal identities. Internet companies not only need to work faster to remove offensive material, they need to play a broader role in disseminating counter-narratives including to those searching terrorist-related material, he said. Companies and governments also need to do more to improve the level of digital literacy among citizens so that people can be more proactive themselves in identifying fake news, for example, and dubious sources of information. The ministers also discussed how to guard against ongoing domestic threats, as the Toronto attack gave new urgency to a discussion of fortifying so-called soft targets. Goodale pointed to the dump trucks and cement barricades that were erected near Torontos Union Station and Air Canada Centre following the attack. Though nothing has emerged so far to link the events in Toronto to extremism, the use of a vehicle as a weapon against pedestrians is something that Goodales British, French, American, and German counterparts are all too familiar with. The discussions yesterday afternoon and this morning were overshadowed, of course by the terrible tragic incident here in Toronto, said Krings. Krings said the Toronto attack was similar to one in the German city of Munster three weeks ago that killed two people and wounded dozens more. The fear was that its a terror attack, but it also turned out to be a mentally ill person, Krings said, stressing that he didnt want to leap to any conclusions about the Toronto attack. Krings said the incidents show that countries face serious security threats and not just from terrorism. He and several other ministers around the table never lost sight of a key point: We might be, on a professional level, relieved that theres no nexus, connection to a national security terrorist question. For the people that die, for their family, for the injured people, it really doesnt matter. From The Canadian Press Foreign affairs committee members and witnesses take part in the Canadas Engagement in Asia hearing in Ottawa on April 24, 2018. (Jian Ren/The Epoch Times) Engagement in Asia Committee Hearing Gets an Earful About China Witnesses warn about everything from lack of rule of law, to forced organ harvesting, to the communist countrys increasing influence in the world OTTAWAAlthough the topic at a House of Commons foreign affairs committee hearing on April 24 was Canadas Engagement in Asia, most of the witnesses focused their testimony on China. Pitman Potter, a professor at the University of British Columbias A. Allard School of Law, said its important for Canada to understand that the rule of law in Chinaor the absence thereofmeans something very different from that in this country. Testifying via video conference, Potter said that for Canadians, the rule of law means things like the protection of citizens rights and limitations on government action, but the rule of law in China is a Socialist rule of law established by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Law in Chinadespite the term rule of law and the deliberate attraction of expectations about what the rule of law meansis something quite different altogether, and it really is submission to Party rule, he said. What is described in China as the rule of law is more, in fact, the rule by lawin other words, the use of formal rules, statutes, institutions, and so on to carry out policies, Potter explained, adding that Chinas rule of law is nothing more than an instrument for carrying out Party purposes. This, in effect, is an absence of the rule of law. So when I think about what the implications of this are for Canada, its important to note that this is not simply a domestic matter. This affects Chinas treaty compliance, Chinas respect for its own laws, its respect for international treaties, and things like human rights, ethnic minorities, and trade, he said. So the absence of the rule of law in China affects all aspects of Canadas relations with China. Potters advice to Ottawa was to know the rules when engaging with China. He said when the Chinese leadership talks about protecting the legal rights of foreign investors, we may be comforted by that reference of legal rights, but it is incumbent on us to understand what it means in a Chinese context, and it means something very different than does oursit means whatever the Party wants it to mean. Transplant abuse Winnipeg-based international human rights lawyer David Matas, who was present at the hearing, began his testimony with this question: What form should engagement of Canada with China take in light of the evidence of organ transplant abuse in China? Matas went on to explain his work with former MP David Kilgour to expose the crime of forced organ extraction from Falun Gong prisoners of conscience in China. He noted that since he and Kilgour released their first report 12 years ago, evidence has accumulated and other researchers have engaged the issue, including U.S. investigative journalist and China expert Ethan Gutmann. A joint report with Gutmann released in June 2016 found that the volume of transplants in China was up to 100,000 a year, and that the bulk of the sources were prisoners of conscienceTibetans, Uighurs, house Christians, and primarily practitioners of Falun Gong, Matas said. The evidence of this abuse, by now, is overwhelming, he said, noting that the abuse is a black market with an unusual featureit is institutionalized, state-run. Matas said that when it comes to engagement with China, the mass killing of prisoners of conscience for their organs cannot just be put to one side. Engagement with China calls for engagement on this issue. He made several suggestions on what Ottawa can do to help curb forced organ harvesting, including acting on statements endorsed by the Subcommittee on International Human Rights in 2013 and 2015. Both statements called on medical and scientific professional and regulatory bodies to name, shame, and ostracize individuals, institutions, and their affiliates involved in the forced harvesting and trafficking of human organs, Matas said. Right now there is an active debate within the international transplant profession about whether to engage or ostracize the Chinese transplant profession in light of the Chinese official opacity about transplantation and the overwhelming evidence of continuing transplant abuse Matas noted. I support ostracism, as the subcommittee did, because engagement removes the lever of peer pressure which, historically, when there has been ostracism, has had an impact. The government of Canada should be supporting the voices for ostracism as the subcommittee did. Matas also said Canada should call on Beijing to cooperate with an independent international investigation into organ transplant abuse in China. That sort of request has been made by the United Nations Committee against Torture, the United States House of Representatives, and the European Parliament. Given the widespread support for this investigation, there is no reason why Canada cannot join the chorus. The China Dream The others who testified were Charles Burton, an associate professor of Political Science at Brock University; Paul Evans, interim research director of the Institute of Asian Research and a professor at the Liu Institute for Global Issues at UBC; Ngodup Tsering with the Office of Tibet in Washington, D.C.; and Chen Yonglin, a former Chinese diplomat who defected to Australia in 2005. Speaking via video conference, Chen noted that China has ambitions to become the worlds superpower by 2049, in keeping with Party leader Xi Jingpins initiation of China Dream 2049. Beijing has become more aggressive in working to achieve that, he said. In the last 25 years, the Chinese authorities have silently infiltrated major Western democracies, including Australia and the U.S. Australia has been a testing ground for Chinas soft power, which has had great success. Chen referred to the book Silent Invasion: Chinas Influence in Australia, an expose of the CCPs extensive infiltration of Australia written by Clive Hamilton. It is almost too late for Australia to defend itself against Chinas interference, Chen said. In the eyes of the Chinese authorities, Canada is in a similar position to Australia. Both countries are seen as weak links in the Western democracy alliance, where China can snitch high tech and exert influence. Chen said China has exercised its overall diplomacy with Canada since the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, noting that Canada was the first Western country to decouple its human rights policy from its trade policy. He also noted that the appeasement of Western countries helped China join the WTO without completely fulfilling its obligations. That enabled Chinas economy to benefit from free trade without making the slightest move towards democracy, he said. EU To Extend Arms Embargo On Burma BRUSSELSThe European Union will extend its arms embargo on Burma for another year this week and may then move to target more Yangon generals with fresh sanctions, EU diplomats and officials said. Burma has been accused by the United Nations, EU and United States of serious human rights violations and ethnic cleansing following a military operation in the countrys northwest last year that sent nearly 700,000 Rohingya fleeing to neighboring Bangladesh. It was triggered by an attack on 30 government posts across the Rakhine state by insurgents of the Muslim Rohingya minority under the banner of the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA). Yangon rejects these accusations. The EU arms embargo is now in place until the end of April and the diplomats and officials said it would be extended for another year before that deadline expires. It will also be expanded to cover already limited training for the Burmese military, they said. Last October, the EU decided to shun Burmese generals over the operation in Rakhine state. The U.S. government is now conducting an intensive examination of alleged atrocities against the Rohingya that could be used to prosecute Burmas military for crimes against humanity, officials told Reuters. EU sources said the bloc might slap visa bans and asset freezes on more Burmese military figures in May or June, with Major General Maung Maung Soe being one name on the list. Last December, the United States levied sanctions on the man who had been in charge of the crackdown on the Rohingya minority in Rakhine. Canada followed suit in February when Reuters also reported on what had taken place in the village of Inn Din, where 10 Rohingya men and boys were hacked to death by Rakhine Buddhist villagers or shot by security force members. The killings were part of the larger army crackdown on the Rohingya. Two Reuters journalists were jailed while reporting the story and remain in prison in Yangon, where they face up to 14 years in jail for violating Burmas Official Secrets Act. The EU is considering six other members of the military as well, the diplomats and officials said, though that has not yet been discussed by all 28 member states who must reach a unanimous decision to introduce sanctions. The West has been more critical of Burma since the August 2017 crackdown in the Rohingya despite the Southeast Asian country making a partial shift to democratic governance in recent years. By Gabriela Baczynska Recommended video: Memoir of a Communist Slave Knife Crime Rises by 22 Percent in England and Wales Knife crime surged by almost a quarter in England and Wales in 2017, according to the latest figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS). Nearly 40,000 offences involving a knife were recorded by police in the year ending December 2017, a rise of 22 percent. The figures also revealed that gun crime went up by 11 percent to 6,600. Alexa Bradley, who focuses on Crime Statistics and Analysis for the ONS, said that most crime remains stable compared to the peak seen in the mid-1990s. But she said that the statistics show an increase in high-harm offences, such as homicide, knife crime, and gun crime, which she said was a trend that has been emerging over the previous two years. According to the data, recorded homicides rose by 9 percent to 653 from 599, year on year. When including deaths from terrorist attacks and events at Hillsborough in 1989, 688 homicides were recorded. The ONS warned of a genuine increase in violent crime. Offences were mainly concentrated in London and other large cities, but the majority of police forces across the country also saw a rise. The statistics showed an increase in vehicle-related theft, up 17 percent, burglary, up 9 percent and robbery, up 33 percent. Violence against the person was up to 1.3 million, an increase of a fifth compared to the previous year. Meanwhile, the Metropolitan Police released their own crime figures, that revealed murder had risen by 44 percent in the capital, up from 109 to 157. Sex offences are up by 11 percent from 17,880 to 19,854 offences, which includes 7,707 cases of recorded rape, up by 18.39 percent. The statistics come at a time when figures showed that more murders were committed in London in February and March compared to New York, with a spate of stabbings driving the increase. Assistant Commissioner Martin Hewitt said he was very concerned about the rise of crime in the capital. My thoughts are with the victims families of these tragic and horrific crimes which have brought untold misery to countless people, he said. We are strengthening local policing by bringing specialist officers closer to communities, and have increased the number of neighbourhoods officers dedicated to particular areas to engage with the public and work with them to keep them safe. Overall crime in London was up by 6.4 percent, knife offences increased by 21 percent, but gun crime was down by 4.6 percent, the figures show. Crimes committed via a scooter, moped, and motorcycle peaked in July 2017, but have since decreased after police adopted new techniques to combat the crime, including the use of forensic tagging spray, lightweight police motorbikes, and remote-controlled stingers. The Met outlined plans to reduce crime, including weapon sweeps and an increase in the use of stop and search tactics. Key Figures: Police Recorded Offences of 2017 22 percent increase in offences involving knives or other sharp instruments, up to 39,598 11 percent increase in firearms offences, up to 6,604 33 percent increase in robbery offences, up to 74,130 54 more homicides than the previous year, to 653, when excluding the terror attacks and Hillsborough Mike Pompeo at an event marking the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) in Washington on June 16, 2017. (Win McNamee/Getty Images) Senate Easily Confirms Mike Pompeo as Trumps Secretary of State The Senate voted to confirm CIA Director Mike Pompeo to be the Secretary of State on Thursday with a comfortable vote of 54-41. The swearing-in ceremony was expected right after the vote, according to the New York Times. Pompeo would then race to a plane waiting to take him to Belgium for a NATO meeting. Pompeo managed to score one of the most significant achievements for an American diplomat in the North Korean crisis before he was confirmed. According to President Donald Trump, Pompeo secretly met with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un earlier this month. Having a patriot of Mikes immense talent, energy, and intellect leading the Department of State will be an incredible asset for our country at this critical time in history, Trump said in a statement. He will always put the interests of America first. He has my trust. He has my support. Trump nominated Pompeo for the job upon firing Rex Tillerson, who served as secretary of state since Trumps nomination. Pompeos replacement at the CIA, Gina Haspel, became the first woman nominated to head the agency after Trump announced her selection. Several Democrats running for re-election in states won by Trump voted for Pompeo. Heidi Heitkamp, a Democrat representing North Dakota, was the first to announce she intended to confirm Pompeo. Senators Joe Manchin III of West Virginia and Joe Donnelly of Indiana also promised their votes. Pompeo enters his role as the top American diplomat amid a rapidly changing geopolitical landscape, with major political shifts in North Korea, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Venezuela, and China. The deadline for Trump to renew the Iran deal is approaching and the president is expected to meet with Kim in May or June. Meanwhile, the relationship with Moscow, in Trumps own words, is at worse-than-Cold War levels. The United States issued several rounds of sanctions against Russia. The latest sanctions targeted Russian billionaires and their companies and caused the Russian stock market to collapse and the ruble to plummet. In Saudi Arabia, Trump has forged a surprise alliance which has led to a battery of historic changes. The oil-rich nation became a key military ally in the Middle East alongside Israel. From North Koreas nuclear threats to Irans aggression, Mikes confirmation as Secretary of State comes at a critical time for U.S. foreign policy, said Ed Royce (R-CA), the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. In times such as these, its clear that we need a stronger, more vibrant State Department to work with and lead our other national security agencies. Recommended Video: President Donald Trumps Weekly Address, April 13, 2018 Tech Company Accused of Helping Oppressive Regimes Crack Down on Free Speech A Canadian tech company is under fire because it allegedly assists repressive regimes in clamping down on free speech in cyberspace. The services of Netsweeper Inc., an Internet content filtering company, are being used in 10 countries with significant human rights, insecurity, or public policy issues. This is the claim made by Ronald Deibert, Director of the Citizen Lab, Munk School of Global Affairs, University of Toronto, supported by the findings in a new report on Netsweeper technologies. These, Citizen Lab alleges, are used in states that routinely violate human rights in areas of free expression and are more likely to abuse filtering technologies to restrict access to political or human rights content. The 10 singled out are Afghanistan, Bahrain, India, Kuwait, Pakistan, Qatar, Somalia, Sudan, UAE, and Yemen. A press release announcing the report alleges that the technology supplied by the Waterloo, Ontario, firm is being used to conduct widespread filtering of political, religious, and LGBTQ content. While Internet filtering services have many legitimate uses, like blocking access to pornography in libraries or other public spaces, the problem arises when they are used by large Internet Service Providers that control national-level Internet connectivity in countries facing insecurity, conflict, human rights abuses, or corruption. In these cases, Deibert writes, Netsweepers services can easily be abused to help facilitate draconian controls on the public sphere by stifling access to information and freedom of expression. While consumer-facing network operators in offending countries can manually configure their systems to block specific websites or applications, the task can be time-consuming, complicated, and ineffective, the report reads. So Internet filtering companies like Netsweeper offer do this for them, at a potentially great profit. The online content filtering market is tipped to hit $3.8 billion USD by 2022, according to an industry report. By facilitating these practices, Netsweeper is profiting from the dark curtain being drawn over the Internet for a large number of users around the world, Deibert says. So with tools like those provided by Netsweeper, authoritarian regimes can far more effectively than they otherwise could clamp down on legitimate expression and so stifle dissent. Citizen Lab reached out to Netsweeper prior to publishing its report, and received this reply. In it, Netsweeper essentially states that they are not responsible for how customers use their technology. Netsweeper cannot prevent an end-user from manually overriding its software, the company said. This a dilemma shared by every major developer of IT solutions including globally renowned corporations that make the internet work. The company adds that to deny dictators its technology would be even worse and result in complete Internet cut-off. The ultimate effect of what Mr. Diebert and his interests propose would be the full-scale shut down of the internet in multiple jurisdictions worldwide, the company states. Netsweeper also insists they have done nothing to break Canadian law. But Diebert argues that the use of Canadian technology for Internet censorship in authoritarian regimes undercuts Canadas own foreign policy and commitment to human rights and that Canada should change the law. What we recommend that [the government] could be doing is to impose some regulatory standard on the company, Deibert said, according to Vice. In other words, theyd have to go through an export licensing process that would tie their ability to get a license to Netsweeper undertaking certain kinds of due diligence. Recommended Video: How Doctors in China Turn into Murderers U.S. Navy Admiral Harry Harris Jr, head of the Pacific Command, attends at a Fullerton Lecture on "Challenges, Opportunities and Innovation in the Indo-Asia-Pacific", in Singapore Oct. 17, 2017. (Reuters/Edgar Su) Trump Administration Plans to Nominate Harry Harris as South Korea Envoy WASHINGTONThe Trump administration plans to nominate Admiral Harry Harris to fill the long-vacant post of ambassador to South Korea, U.S. officials said on Tuesday. As head of the U.S. Pacific Command, Harris had already been nominated early in the year to be the next U.S. ambassador to Australia. President Donald Trumps nominee to be secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, had asked Harris to take the key post in Seoul, which has been vacant since Trump took office in January last year, a source with knowledge of the situation said. Three U.S. officials confirmed the plan to nominate Harris, who was in Washington on Tuesday for a Senate committee hearing on his Australia nomination. That hearing was postponed indefinitely. The national security situation on the Korean Peninsula is of the highest priority, one of the officials said when asked to confirm the switch in nominations. Our relationship with Australia is and remains steadfast. The sources spoke on condition of anonymity. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Trump nominated Harris, who is known for hawkish views on Chinas military expansion, to serve as ambassador to Australia in February, but filling the Seoul post has become more of a priority as diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis over North Koreas nuclear weapons intensified. South Korean President Moon Jae-in is due to meet North Korean communist dictator Kim Jong Un on Thursday and Trump has said he will hold an unprecedented summit with Kim himself in May or June. Pompeo told his Senate confirmation hearing this month that filling Seoul and a handful of other diplomatic posts required immediate attention. I will find what I believe to be the best fit to execute Americas diplomatic mission around the world, he said. The White House said in February it was no longer considering Victor Cha, a former official. Harris told the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee last month that he was encouraged by the prospect of a Trump-Kim summit, and that Washington must go into the talks with North Korea with eyes wide open. Harris said he believed Kim would like to see a reunification of the Korean peninsula during his rule, and sought respect, status, and security through the possession of nuclear weapons. Trump said on Tuesday Kim had been very honorable and discussions on a planned summit were going well. Andrew Shearer, a former Australian national security adviser now at Washingtons Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank, said there would be intense disappointment in Australialike South Korea, a U.S. allyabout the switch in nominations. Harris is well known and highly respected there, and his nomination enjoyed strong bipartisan support. Theres no doubt he would have been a highly effective advocate at a time when there is growing debate in Australia about the U.S. alliance and its implications for the countrys substantial economic interests in China. No-one doubts the urgency of the North Korea threat and Canberra has little choice but to take it on the chin, he said. By David Brunnstrom and John Walcott Recommended Video: President Donald Trumps Weekly Address, April 13, 2018 The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco on June 12, 2017. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) Trump Faces Tough Opportunity of Rebalancing Left-Leaning 9th Circuit Court President Donald Trump has an opportunity to breathe conservative air into the halls of the notoriously left-leaning Ninth Circuit Federal Court of Appeals. But the job may prove challenging. Trump has run into his share of problems with the court, which, among other things, blocked his executive order to pause immigration from terrorism- and war-stricken countries. The order was reinstated by the Supreme Court, but not before significant delays. It just shows everyone how broken and unfair our Court System is when the opposing side in a case (such as DACA) always runs to the 9th Circuit and almost always wins before being reversed by higher courts, Trump wrote on Twitter on Jan. 10. It just shows everyone how broken and unfair our Court System is when the opposing side in a case (such as DACA) always runs to the 9th Circuit and almost always wins before being reversed by higher courts. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018 The Supreme Court has reversed over 78 percent of Ninth Circuit decisions sent its way between 2007 and 2016, based on data collected by SCOTUSblog. Only the Sixth and Eighth Circuits top such a reversal rate. Most of the Ninths decisions, however, never make it to the Supreme Court and remain in place. The San Francisco-based court is the largest in the country, with 29 active judges, and has a reputation for some far-left opinions. It has, for example, ruled in recent years that the 2nd Amendment does not confer the right to carry a concealed weapon and that undocumented immigrants who are arrested have a constitutional right to a bond hearing, wrote Ben Feuer, chairman of the California Appellate Law Group, in a Los Angeles Times op-ed. A courts political leaning is commonly appraised by the ratio of judges appointed by presidents of either party. The Ninth Circuit stands at 16 Democrat-appointed and 6 Republican-appointed. The courts left-leaning history dates back to 1970s as its expansion allowed President Jimmy Carter, a Democrat, to appoint 15 judges. President Bill Clinton then restocked the bench with 14 judges, while Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama picked seven each. Trump now has a chance to fill seven vacancies. So far, hes nominated two judges. In addition, one more judge is set to retire in August. Unfortunately for Trump, its Norman Randy Smith, a Republican. Still, adding seven conservatives would almost balance the court. [T]he Ninth Circuit would suddenly become a very different animal, wrote Ilya Shapiro, a senior fellow in constitutional studies at the libertarian Cato Institute, in an article for National Review. The trouble is, Trump needs to have his candidates confirmed by the Senate, where Republicans only hold a 51-49 majority. Moreover, the candidates first have to be approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee, where Republicans only hold an 11-10 majority. Also, Senators from the state where the nominee resides can ask the committees chairman to reject the nominee through a so-called blue slip, though this is an informal courtesy and the chairman, currently Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), retains the option to break with the tradition. The midterm elections scheduled on Nov. 6 may also mix up the odds as nine Republican-held, 24 Democrat-held, and two independent-held Senator seats are up for grabs. It really depends on whether the Republicans keep the Senate in November, Erwin Chemerinsky, dean of the UC Berkeley School of Law, told Fox News. If they do, I think ultimately Trump will get his picks through unless they are unqualified or very objectionable. But if the Democrats take the Senate in November, I think it will be very difficult for him to get anyone confirmed. Recommended Video: The National Guard Has Started Deploying Troops to the U.S.Mexico Border US-China Trade Fight Reaches Top American Court in Antitrust Case WASHINGTONThe United States trade imbalance with China moved inside the white marble walls of the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday, where lawyers for both countries faced off over whether Chinese companies can be held liable for violating U.S. antitrust laws. The nine justices heard arguments in an appeal by two American companies of a lower court ruling that threw out price-fixing claims against two Chinese vitamin C manufacturers based on submissions by the Chinese state explaining the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) regulations. Many of the justices signaled skepticism toward that ruling. The hearing gave both countries a chance to air their differences over an fundamental aspect of their trade relationship that CCP laws force Chinese companies to comply with government-mandated pricing in contrast to Americas free market stance. The Supreme Court took the unusual step of letting the Chinese state present arguments even though it is not an official party in the case. The worlds two economic superpowers are engaged in an escalating trade fight. The United States, accusing China of unfair trade practices and theft of intellectual property, has threatened to impose tariffs on up to $150 billion of Chinese imports. China has threatened comparable retaliation against U.S. exports. None of the heated rhetoric over tariffs trickled into Tuesdays arguments, which remained respectful. The lawyer representing China, Carter Phillips, urged the justices to defer to Chinas explanation about Chinese regulations. A U.S. Justice Department lawyer, Brian Fletcher, said such deference comes with limits. The weight U.S. judges should give legal views expressed by foreign governments in U.S. courts is pivotal to determining whether Chinese companies can escape liability for anticompetitive conduct mandated by Chinas Communist Party. The case began in 2005 when U.S. vitamin C purchasers Animal Science Products Inc, based in Texas, and The Ranis Co Inc, based in New Jersey, accused Chinese manufacturers including Hebei Welcome Pharmaceutical and North China Pharmaceutical Group of antitrust violations. China intervened in the case, asking the trial court to dismiss the allegations in part because its laws had forced Chinese companies to comply with state-mandated pricing regimes. A federal judge questioned the credibility of the Chinese submissions and, after a 2013 jury trial, awarded the two U.S. companies $147.8 million in damages. The New York-based 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned the judgment in 2016, saying that when a foreign government directly participates in a case, American courts are obligated to defer to that countrys characterization of its own laws. During the Supreme Court argument, Fletcher called that 2016 ruling too rigid and said deference should be decided on a case-by-case basis. Fletcher acknowledged that some deference to other countrys laws may be warranted, but said that if respect is taken too far, it can be detrimental to U.S. companies. This was the first time China intervened in a U.S. court to present its views as a non-party in a legal dispute. By Andrew Chung Recommended: Death By China The Huawei logo is seen during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, on February 26, 2018. (Yves Herman/File Photo/Reuters) US Probing Chinese Tech Firm Huawei for Possible Iran Sanctions Violations: Sources NEW YORK/LONDONProsecutors in New York have been investigating whether Chinese tech company Huawei violated U.S. sanctions in relation to Iran, according to sources familiar with the situation. Since at least 2016, U.S. authorities have been probing Huaweis alleged shipping of U.S.-origin products to Iran and other countries in violation of U.S. export and sanctions laws, two of the sources said. News of the Justice Department probe follows a series of American firms actions and U.S. government concerns that seek to reduce Huaweis access to the U.S. economy amid allegations the company could be using its technology to spy on Americans. The probe into Huawei is similar to one that its domestic competitor, Chinese smartphone maker ZTE, says is now threatening its survival. The United States last week banned American firms from selling parts and software to ZTE for seven years. Washington accused ZTE of violating an agreement on punishing employees after the company had illegally shipped U.S. goods to Iran. In 2017, ZTE had pleaded guilty to federal court charges and paid $890 million in fines and penalties. The Justice Department probe is run out of the U.S. attorneys office in Brooklyn, the sources said. John Marzulli, a spokesman for the prosecutors office, would neither confirm nor deny the existence of the investigation. The probe was first reported by the Wall Street Journal on April 25. Huawei, the worlds largest maker of telecommunications network equipment and the No. 3 smartphone supplier, said it complies with all applicable laws and regulations where it operates, including the applicable export control and sanction laws and regulations of the U.N., U.S. and EU. U.S. authorities have subpoenaed Huawei seeking information related to possible export and sanctions violations, two sources said. The New York Times reported last April about the U.S. Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control subpoena, issued in December 2016, following a Commerce Department subpoena that summer. Both ZTE and Huawei have been under scrutiny by U.S. lawmakers over cybersecurity concerns. In February, Senator Richard Burr, the Republican chairman of the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee, cited concerns about the spread of Chinese technologies in the United States, which he called counterintelligence and information security risks that come prepackaged with the goods and services of certain overseas vendors. Huawei and ZTE have denied these allegations. Republican Senators Marco Rubio and Tom Cotton have introduced legislation that would block the U.S. government from buying or leasing telecommunications equipment from Huawei or ZTE, citing concerns that the Chinese companies would use their access to spy on U.S. officials. In 2016, the Commerce Department made documents public that showed ZTEs misconduct and also revealed how a second company, identified only as F7, had successfully evaded U.S. export controls. In a 2016 letter to the Commerce Department, 10 U.S. lawmakers said F7 was believed to be Huawei, citing media reports. In April 2017, lawmakers sent another letter to Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross asking for F7 to be publicly identified and fully investigated. 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. Reuters also previously reported on suspicious activity related to Huawei. In January 2013, Reuters reported that a Hong Kong-based firm attempted to sell embargoed Hewlett-Packard computer equipment to Irans largest mobile-phone operator, which has much closer ties to Chinas Huawei than was previously known. By Karen Freifeld and Eric Auchard Epoch Times staff member Annie Wu contributed to this report. Recommended Video: Business is War Why Does North Korea Have No Choice but to Suspend Nuclear Tests? The content is not available due to expiration. Boehringer Ingelheim will continue its pursuit of treating and preventing human diseases by committing more than $24 billion by 2025 to develop human pharmaceuticals, the company announced this week. BIs R&D strategy has the potential to deliver 15 new medicines for approval by 2025, company officials said. Also, of the 80 clinical and preclinical projects in the companys pipeline, many are first-in-class, or unique, and breakthrough, meaning they would be used to treat a serious condition. The FDA typically accelerates the development and review of breakthrough drugs. Entitled Transcending Disease Boundaries, the press conference was held at company headquarters in Ingelheim, Germany. BI is one of greater Danburys largest employers with its U.S. headquarters in Ridgefield and Danbury. The most ambitious goal for researchers is to achieve a medical breakthrough for patients from our over 80 clinical and preclinical projects, said Michel Pairet, who is in charge of BIs Innovation Unit. Transcending disease boundaries is about looking at R&D with fresh eyes. The 15 drugs that could be approved by 2025 are in the fields of immunology, oncology, respiratory, central nervous system and cardiometabolic diseases. In the past four years, BI received 14 regulatory approvals, including four breakthrough designations by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. In the last 10 years, more than 500,000 patients have participated in nearly 1,300 clinical trials. To reach its goals stated Wednesday, BI officials said it will dig deep into the mechanisms of diseases by using scientific and technological advances and working with partners for the discovery and delivery of medicines. BI partners with more than 70 universities, scientific institutions and biotech companies. It works with partners on about half of its projects. Our worldwide team of 8,000 scientists, medical doctors and other contributors is truly motivated by our pipeline, its progress and what this could mean for patients. Christopher Corsico, chief medical officer at BI, said. We look forward to bringing years of health and improved quality of life to millions of people. A solid 2017 BI on Wednesday also reported full-year 2017 financial results and its 2018 outlook. Calling it a very successful 2017 financial year, BI announced that all of its business segments contributed to 15.7 percent net sales growth. Net sales in 2017 were nearly $22 billion. Our human pharmaceuticals business in particular exceeded our expectations, said Michael Schmelmer, a member of the board of managing directors. The main growth drivers here were our business in the U.S. market and emerging markets. It also announced more than $3 billion in R&D spending, most in the human pharmaceuticals area. There are still more questions than answers in medicine, said Hubertus von Baumbach, chairman of the board of managing directors. We want to continue putting all our efforts into tackling the challenges in research. A high level of investment in R&D therefore reflects our corporate identity. For the financial year 2018, BI said it expects slight growth in net sales BI employs nearly 50,000 worldwide, including about 2,000 locally. The writer may be reached at cbosak@hearstmediact.com; 203-731-3338 We learned Wednesday that were not going to have a matchup of candidates who lost family members in horrific crimes vying for Connecticuts 5th U.S. House district, the seat Rep. Elizabeth Esty is vacating. A race with Republican William Petit Jr. against either Mark Barden or Nicole Hockley, one or the other running as a Democrat from Newtown, would have featured smart candidates with a sharp focus on gun violence and victims rights. Its already a race of national interest because its a toss-up, and their tragic pasts would have made it tabloid fodder. Petit, a physician and state representative from Plainville, announced Wednesday hell bid for re-election instead of running for Congress. We dont know how his status as the lone survivor of the 2007 home invasion murder of his wife and two young daughters in Cheshire played into his decision, but since that tragedy, he has moved forward in his public life. Barden and Hockley are still considering a run. They co-founded Sandy Hook Promise after they each lost children Daniel Barden, 7, and Dylan Hockley, 6 among the 20 first-graders and six educators killed in Newtown in December 2012. While theyre weighing their options, I offer this unsolicited advice: Dont run. Keep doing what youre doing. Simply put, Barden and Hockley have not done what it takes to run for Congress, and they are still totally linked to the tragedy in the public eye. I dont doubt they have what it takes, having watched them in action and followed their resilience, which few of us could hope to match. But thats not the same as laying the groundwork to run as a multifaceted candidate. And the difference matters when we have a dangerous man-child in the White House who needs to be kept under control by Congress. Maybe name recognition alone is enough and one or the other would win. With due respect to Democrat Mary Glassman, the capable, former Simsbury first selectman who launched a bid while Esty was still clearing her throat to bow out, no one in this weird scramble for candidates is exactly lighting up the joint. Still, Barden and Hockley, while holding our deep sympathy and respect, would wear the tag of a one-issue politicians. They and Connecticuts 5th District deserve more. Thats especially true since gun violence prevention falls behind the economy as Issue No. 1, specifically raising up working families prosperity in todays finance-driven Gilded Age. Theyre both doing yeoman work as co-managing directors of the high-profile Sandy Hook Promise, which isnt just another gun-control group. The nonprofit occupies important middle ground, making a difference in ways the gun industry, Second Amendment advocates and gun-control activists can agree education on how to identify and stop lone mass murderers before they act. Barden and Hockley are the sometimes tearful, sometimes smiling, always gut-wrenching faces of the movement. And theyre good at it, Barden as a guitarist-composer by trade before the Sandy Hook killings, Hockley as a strategic communications professional. As a basic rule in the economy, we dont hold back people doing a great job just because we need them to stay put. But lets compare Barden and Hockley with Doc Petit, who publicly considered a run for the seat in 2014. I wasnt the only person who suggested to his face that he not do so, for the same reasons Im saying Barden and Hockley shouldnt run now. Petit, at that point, had already spent decades in health policy as president of the Hartford County Medical Society, corporator at Bristol Hospital and other positions. Instead of running for Congress, he ran two years later for state representative, where he conducts endless constituent service and sits in endless meetings on the appropriations committee, the commerce committee and of course, the public health committee. Thats broad groundwork. Nowadays, when I see Doc Petit, I no longer instantly think of the Cheshire home invasion. Thats still there and always will be, but I think of the moderate Republican who wears blue boating shoes with his suits. He smiled and flashed those shoes from under his Capitol desk when I mentioned it Tuesday, before he decided not to run. Petit wouldnt comment on Hockley or Barden running. Connecticut shouldnt, and probably wont, elect a Republican unless that candidate condemns President Donald Trump, but thats not the point here. The point is that Hockley and Barden and I hate to keep referring to them as a unit because theyre very different people have not yet demonstrated the breadth a candidate for Congress should have. For example, they dont understand hardball politics. If they did, they would have already talked with Eric Paradis, Democratic town chairman in Newtown, and Nick Balletto, the Democratic state chairman. Both said theyve yet to hear from either Hockley or Barden, and both represent the path to win the seat. I dont think anyone in any of the Democratic town committees is in the loop at all, Paradis said, when it comes to the Sandy Hook Promise leaders, who said they were approached by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Paradis and Balletto said they didnt feel slighted. Both were quick to say Barden or Hockley could be great candidates. Theyre probably more passionate and qualified than half the people elected to Congress already, Balletto said. Most people have gotten involved in an issue and thats where they got their start in politics. And Balletto said, Petit weighing a run for an occupied seat is not the same as anyone looking at a rare open seat. Fair points. Neither Barden nor Hockley, nor the national campaign committee returned calls and emails seeking comment. Hockley, to her credit, told my colleague Rob Ryser that the temptation of an open seat is not by itself a good enough reason to run. We could certainly do worse, much worse than these two exemplary activists. But a Hockley or Barden candidacy would be less than ideal for the Connecticut Democratic Party and perhaps less than ideal for their nonpartisan struggle to end gun violence. dhaar@hearstmediact.com HARTFORD In a historic vote, the House on Wednesday joined the state Senate in passing landmark legislation that allows undocumented immigrants to get state financial aid at Connecticuts colleges and universities. The Dreamers are some of the finest students, said state Rep. Gregg Haddad, D-Mansfield, using a popular term to describe young undocumented immigrants. They camped out in the Capitol, Haddad said, referring to a four-year lobbying effort. In their hearts and minds they are Americans. The bill passed the House by a vote of 91-59, with 13 Republicans in support, and now heads to Gov. Dannel P. Malloys desk for an expected signature. The state Senate passed the bill last week by a 30-5 vote. Najey Clavijo, an undocumented student at Danbury High School, said shes now one step closer to paying for college. The Trump administration has tried to bury immigrant youth, Clavijo said. Ive been studying hard to graduate in two months and juggling a 35-hour workweek to help my mom with rent and bills, Clavijo said. Its been difficult, but Im one step closer to realizing my dream of studying computer engineering. Trump blocked The vote marked an end to four years of debate over whether Dreamers children brought to the U.S. illegally by parents or relatives at a young age should receive state financial aid funded by tuition paid by all students. The legislation mostly follows the provisions of the federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, policy, which allows young illegal immigrants to remain in the country if certain requirements are met. A U.S. District Court on Wednesday blocked President Donald Trumps cancellation of DACA last year, saying the decision to phase out the program was backed by meager legal reasoning and the protections must be reinstated. Under the bill, undocumented applicants for state financial aid the legislation does not apply to federal financial aid cannot have a felony on their record, must have graduated or attended a state high school and must seek citizenship as soon as legally possible. The less than 1,000 undocumented college students in Connecticut can tap into the states $140 million financial aid fund beginning in January 2020. The financial aid ranges from a few hundred to several thousand dollars a semester. Dreamers are part of the fabric of this state, Malloy said. Yet until now, they have not had access to the very financial aid that they pay into at our colleges and universities. Malloy said. The legislature has rightly taken long overdue action to correct this injustice, and I applaud the members who supported this commonsense legislation. Done everything right The nearly nine-hour House debate encapsulated much of the ongoing argument over immigration, Dreamers and financial aid. Some lawmakers maintained that basic fairness dictated passage of the bill while others said undocumented residents should not be given special treatment, and worried that legal students would lose financial aid. State Rep. Joe Polletta, R-Watertown, said his family came to the U.S. illegally and worked hard to obtain legal status. He said the bill could take limited financial aid away from legal students. To hand out any dollar, and to take away from someone here legally, is in my opinion wrong, Polletta said. Camila Bortolleto, an undocumented Danbury resident and campaign manager for CT Students for a Dream, said Connecticut succeeded where Washington, D.C. failed. (Wednesday) was a landmark moment for Connecticut, Bortolleto said. While DC has failed again and again to support immigrant youth since the end of DACA, we saw that Connecticut can do better we can rise above the partisanship of Washington and protect our people. State Rep. Tim LeGeyt, R-Canton, said undocumented students had no say in the decision to bring them to the U.S. They almost qualify as victims in that regard, LeGeyt said. They have become part of our culture; they have done everything right and are making all the right moves to comply as best they can. To deny them, I think that is wrong. State Rep. Charles Ferraro, R-West Haven, said he has spoken with constituents who do not favor sharing financial aid with undocumented studen ts. The dissatisfaction was universal, he said. bcummings@ctpost.com NORWALK Count Norwalk Republican Marc DAmelio is back in the 2018 race for the 25th District seat in the Connecticut State Senate. I re-entered the race because the stakes are too high for me to sit on the sideline and watch the city and state I love decimated by our current leadership and their policies, DAmelio said. Sometimes you have to put the needs of others ahead of your own. He hopes to unseat Democrat Bob Duff, a Norwalk Democrat who has represented the district since 2005 and is currently majority leader in the state Senate. Duff couldnt be reached immediately for comment Thursday afternoon, but said in early February that he felt honored to represent the people of Norwalk and Darien and believes he could contribute to the good of the district and the state and want to keep fighting for a better Connecticut. DAmelio, a businessman and former Norwalk Board of Education candidate, registered himself as a candidate with the Secretary of the States Office on Jan. 27. Citing career and family commitments, he withdrew a week later. His re-entry into the race comes amid new leadership in the Norwalk Republican Town Committee. On March 19, local Republicans elected Mark Suda a longtime Norwalk police officer to head their party. Suda said he sat down with DAmelio, explained his game plan and the type of candidates the party is trying to attract. Marc fit that mold to a T, Suda said. Hes a born-and-raised Norwalk kid. He went to Norwalk schools. He then put himself through UConn. Hes a super successful businessman hes done very well for himself. Hes a family man. He has all the Republican core values instilled in him. His work ethic is second to none. In January, Duff filed paperwork with the Secretary of the States Office, declaring himself a candidate for the district, which covers Norwalk and part of Darien. DAmelio this week questioned voters loyalty to Duff and linked him to Democratic Gov. Dannel Malloy. It is time for Norwalkers to ask themselves why they are so loyal to him, DAmelio said of Duff. He has not been able to deliver for Norwalkers even as his political career has flourished. Norwalk gets less than 10 cents for every dollar we send to Hartford. What exactly do we have to lose by sending someone new to Hartford? He described Duffs support for Malloy, who isnt seeking re-election this November, as unwavering and presented his candidacy as critical to Republican efforts to gain control of the state Senate. The Connecticut State Senate is currently tied 18 to 18, so this is one of the most critical races if we are to turn the state around, DAmelio said. I am ready to be part of the team that will accomplish that for Connecticut. The Norwalk Republican said hell unveil a compressive platform and plan in the coming weeks. He described his philosophy as simple: When elected, I will place the people of my district ahead of politics. I do not have a personal political agenda, therefore, if it is wrong for my constituency, it is wrong for me. DAmelio was the top vote-getter among Republicans running for four at-large school board seats last November but lost by placing fifth in the overall race. Suda said Wednesday that DAmelio raised $3,500 since re-entering the state Senate race earlier in the week and is well on his way to raising the nearly $16,000 needed to qualify for public financing for his campaign. DAmelio plans to be at the Blind Rhino in SoNo on Friday evening as part of an event organized by the College & Norwalk Republicans. NORWALK Amid growing local pressure, the Connecticut Department of Transportation is considering a request for a train station of some sort in the Wall Street. Sought is a train stop in the city-owned Mechanic Street parking lot off Wall Street, across the Norwalk River from Freese Park. We met with the Wall Street Neighborhood Association and discussed the possibility of establishing a station at that location, wrote John Bernick, of the DOTs Bureau of Engineering and Construction, in an email Thursday. The Association described the possibility of a public-private partnership and committed to provide additional details for discussion. CTDOT will be providing background information on the specifications for a station for their use. The State Bond Commission, Bernick continued, has approved $275,000 to commission a study of a Wall Street Station Stop. The DOT will coordinate further with all stakeholders as that study is initiated, he added. Bernick met Wednesday with Wall Street Neighborhood Association members Michael McGuire and Jason Milligan at DOT headquarters in Newington. In an earlier email to Mayor Harry Rilling, state Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff and other officials, Milligan included photographs of the prospective train stop in the Wall Street area, the existing station at Merritt 7, and Metro-North Railroads schedule for the latter location. He has asked the officials to consider allowing construction of a sidewalk and installation of lighting in the Mechanic Street lot, alongside Metro-Norths Danbury Line tracks, to allow the embarking and disembarking of passengers. The association maintains the train stop could be built with private funding at minimal costs. Milligan, owner of Milligan Real Estate on nearby Belden Avenue, described the meeting with Bernick on Wednesday as insightful. Theres some hope but theres also roadblocks and there would have to be some changes. To get a new stop, there would have to be a lot of support at a lot of different levels, said Milligan, before describing the nature of the requested train stop. Were looking at safe and practical luxury, no thank you. We went up there to learn. I dont know everything. What I know is a train stop would be helpful. I believe we could build it. During a transportation forum at Norwalk City Hall in March, McGuire asked DOT Commissioner Jim Redeker about the prospects of bringing train service back to Wall Street. Redeker said a Wall Street train station would not be eligible for federal funding as part of the Walk Bridge replacement, adding that state dollars are lacking. Earlier, during his presentation, Redeker cited Connecticuts dwindling transportation fund as a major impediment to funding roads, rail, bridge and other transportation infrastructure projects. DOT officials also pointed out that Norwalk already has four train stations: South Norwalk, East Norwalk, Rowayton and the Merritt 7 office complex. A stop in the Wall Street area would be a fifth station. All the better, according to McGuire, principal of the Austin McGuire Company, a commercial real estate consulting firm based on Wall Street. The best tonic for getting the Wall Street area vibrant and thriving again is to reactivate a Wall Street Train Stop, McGuire wrote in a recent email to Hearst Connecticut Media. You can apply all the incentives as noted in the Innovation District but they will only go so far, plus you get a huge pushback from taxpayers that dont want to subsidize businesses. Its never a good plan politically to alienate your voters when a simple, elegant solution that would make you look like a star is available. The train stop request comes as the city reviews a proposed Wall Street-West Avenue Innovation District with tax incentives to spur development. McGuire described the Wall Street neighborhood as the third-largest central business district in Fairfield County, in terms of total office space and residential housing units, surpassed only by Stamford and Bridgeport for sheer size. The Wall Street Neighborhood Association formed this spring to offer the city help and input on restarting the stalled redevelopment project known as Wall Street Place. Cinco de Mayo is about a week away on a Saturday this year. Ostensibly a celebration of the Mexican armys unexpected victory over the French in 1862, its really a celebration of Mexican culture, which always includes tequila. Tequila is the drink most closely associated with Cinco de Mayo parties, easy-to-drink cocktails, and (perhaps) some youthful overindulgence. Theres no quicker way to gather a crowd than to say come over for some margaritas. Made from the agave plant only in Mexico under strict rules, tequila has come a long way in recent years. From college bar excess and dispenser frozen margaritas, it has morphed into a sophisticated, high-quality liquor commanding more and more retailer shelf space and restaurant back bar slots across the country. By law, tequila can only be made from blue agave in the region around the city of Tequila in the state of Jalisco. It can take more than a decade for the plant to reach its mature weight of 100 pounds or more. The harvested agave hearts, with their leaves cut off and looking a little like giant pineapples, are slowly roasted to bring out their fermentable sugars. The juice, extracted by crushing, is then double distilled to yield a clear spirit that can be bottled right away or aged in wooden barrels. Clear tequila labeled Silver, Plata, or Blanco with a bit of natural sweetness is the most popular. It should have the distinctive agave aroma and flavor: fruity, herbal, with a spicy kick, and maybe the slightest hint of smoke. Reposado (rested) is aged in white oak barrels for at least two months acquiring a touch of color and barrel flavor. Anejo (aged), rested at least a year in the barrel, can drink like a fine cognac. All tequilas should be around 40 percent alcohol and say 100 percent agave on the label. Mezcal, tequilas close cousin, comes from a wider geographic region and can be made from any of 30 types of agave. But the big difference is that mezcal agave is cooked over a wood fire, giving it the smoky aroma and flavor so prized by its fans. Mezcal also comes clear (jovan), reposado, and anejo, although the aging times are typically longer. In Mexico, tequila and mezcal are usually drunk straight, but here theyre mostly mixed into cocktails with the ever-popular margarita leading the pack. Lime juice (fresh squeezed is best), orange liqueur (triple sec, Cointreau, etc.), a little sweetener, and the tequila are all shaken and served up or on the rocks in a salt-rimmed glass. Ive seen tequila, lime, triple sec ratios from 3:2:1 to 1:1:1 and everything in between. Some recipes call for sugar, simple syrup, or agave syrup while others dont include any sweetener at all. We settled on 2 ounces of tequila, 1 ounce lime juice, 1/2 ounce of simple syrup, and 1/2 ounce of triple sec for a basic recipe and tried two different tequilas. Espolon Blanco had a bright, verdant, agave flavor. Hornitos Cristalino, a clear anejo, had a rounder, smoother character. The tequila brand and type makes a big impact on the flavor but the liqueur can make a difference too. Try different brands of orange liqueur or experiment with another flavor like blood orange, elder flower, or raspberry. Try some herbs like basil of thyme. Adjust the sugar for the sweetness of liqueur. The fun is in experimenting. Tequila is a bartenders favorite, with a much broader range of cocktails than just the margarita. The Paloma is grapefruit based. Colorful and tasty, a Tequila Sunrise has been around for a long time. Bartenders are getting creative with tequilas complex flavors. The La Gracia with reposado, Benedictine, sherry, and mole bitters is a good example. Mezcal is cocktail friendly, too. A mezcal Manhattan with Cointreau and vermouth occupies the space somewhere between a margarita and a traditional Manhattan. At Stew Leonards wines, JoAnn LoGiurato and Wilson Giraldo told me both tequila and mezcal are growing categories. Don Julio is their best seller, but customers are also moving up to brands like Espolon and Herradura. Even George Clooney has jumped on the bandwagon with his ultra-premium Casamigos brand. Super-premium, well-aged, collectible anejos can go for $100 or more, but theres plenty of quality tequila in the $25 to $40 range. Tequila and mezcal offer a wide range of flavors and a good bang for the buck. Cinco de Mayo is a good excuse to stock up, but youll enjoy the spirit of Mexico all summer long. Frank Whitman can be reached at NotBreadAloneFW@gmail.com. NORWALK Police canines are used for sniffing out bombs and narcotics, searching for missing people and catching criminals. Those duties are demanding, and despite their gruff exteriors, the animals need a lot of TLC. To that end, Norwalk Veterinary Hospital, where local police service dogs receive their medical care, will hold a fundraiser to benefit both the Norwalk and Fairfield police K-9 units, along with animal rescue organization Animal Nation. We are hosting our second annual fundraiser on April 28, at the St. Ann Club, said event organizer Sue Gabriele. Last year we were able to give each of these groups over $10,000. Gabriele hopes to exceed that goal and raise $15,000 or more for each group this year. We at the hospital provide care for these service dogs as well as their family pets at discounted rates, said veterinarian Janice Duffy. We also provide discounted care for all the animals brought in by Animal Nation so that we can assure the animals are healthy prior to being adopted by families. Proceeds from the fundraiser will go toward veterinary care, food, training for officers and dogs and safety vests for the canines. Norwalk police Sgt. Garrett Kruger, who handles German shepherd Kimbo and black Lab Indy, said that the city of Norwalk provides some of the funding for the departments dogs, but the balance is funded by donations and fundraisers such as this one. Norwalks K-9 Unit is comprised of three teams. All of the dogs are cross-trained for patrol and narcotic detection. They live with and are cared for by their handlers. Grant funding from the Department of Homeland Security was used to purchase Norwalks canines. The Fairfield police K-9 Unit is run solely run on donations. Norwalks unit has a small budget yet increasing their budget will allow for increasing the number of dogs in the unit and helping increase the safety of the community,Gabriele said. Fairfield recently received a donated dog from the Hometown Foundation/Petitte Family in honor Marine Corps veteran Jake Petitte of Fairfield. After serving two tours of duty in Afghanistan, he came home struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder and eventually committed suicide. The new dog Jake will be used a tracking dog and therapy dog and will help bring awareness to PTSD. One of fundraisers goals is to purchase a vehicle for this officer and dog. The Fairfield K-9 Unit was established in 2010, and is entirely funded by corporate and private donations. A donation box has been placed at Planet Pizza, 607 Main Ave., Norwalk, to collect pet toys and equipment which will be made into gift baskets to be raffled off at the fundraiser. Gabriele said organizers are still seeking local businesses to place ads in the program and donate silent auction items. The fundraiser is at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, April 28, at the St. Ann Club, 16 Hendricks Ave. in Norwalk. Tickets are $85 per person. A table of 10 is $800. The event includes appetizers, dinner, beer/wine and dessert. There will be a DJ, a 50/50 raffle, silent auction, and participants can meet the K-9 dogs. For more information, call Sue Gabriele at 203-984-3169 or Janice Duffy at 203-767-5787. Chihuahua: $100 (listing in program); Pug $200 (1/4 page ad in program) Pointer: $500 (half page ad, two tickets to dinner); Labrador: $1,000 (full page ad, four tickets to dinner) Golden Retriever: $2,500 (table of 10, full page ad) German Shepherd: $5,000 (two tables of 10 and inside cover full page ad.) Make checks payable to: Fairfield Police K9 Unit/NVH Attn: Sgt. Hector Irizarry, 100 Reef Rd, Fairfield, CT 06824 All donations and tickets are tax deductible and the organization will be sending donor letters for tax purposes. WESTPORT With five applications for medical marijuana dispensaries in the mix, the debate over where, if at all, to put a medical marijuana dispensary in town has heightened. At the Planning and Zoning Commissions public hearing on April 19, most residents in attendance voiced their opposition to a dispensary at 1505 Post Road East. With the public hearing period for that application now closed, the P&Z will decide whether to approve or deny it. The other four applications for medical marijuana dispensaries at 345 Post Road West, and 833, 1803, 1835 and 1460 Post Road East are still in the public hearing stage. Per P&Z zoning regulations passed over the summer, two medical marijuana dispensaries can operate in nonresidential districts and at least 1,000 feet from any school, place of worship, public park, public building or public recreation area. Central to the debate about the 1505 application is whether the property obliges with the regulation for medical marijuana dispensaries to be at least 1,000 feet away from a school. Eric D. Bernheim, the attorney for Acreage Connecticut LLC/Todd Corp., the applicant for 1505, argued Kidville Westport, which lies within 1,000 feet of 1505, is not a school because it does not have the permits to classify it as a school. Berheim called upon the plain language rule, which he said requires the P&Z to interpret the definition of school literally. However, several members of the P&Z and many town residents argued the commission has the discretion to look at the spirit of the regulations, and, by interpreting the spirit of the law, must see Kidville as a school, thus denying the 1505 application. Its hard to believe were having this conversation as to what the definition of a school or nursery school is, because Kidville is populated with hundreds of kids less than a thousand feet from 1505, Caitlin Burke, who lives near 1505, said. She asked the P&Z to consider the spirit of the regulations and classify Kidville a school. Other neighbors of 1505 said they oppose the application because a medical marijuana dispensary, specifically the drop-off of medical marijuana and potential presence of guards at the property, will cause security concerns that may run into the abutting residential neighborhood. We all came to this town, and I came a year ago, for safety, security, being around good people, and getting the highest level of education. I cant stay here in this town, and I wont stay here, if that goes up. Ill put my house up for sale. Im not going to sit here and have my 2-year old children in a situation where theyre potentially around armed guards and deliveries of cash or deliveries of drugs at any time, said Brian Wornow, a resident who lives near 1505. svaughan@hearstmediact.com; 203-842-2638; @SophieCVaughan1 If you rip pages out of business schools textbooks, you'll find they echo a similar sentiment: Outsourcing is in. The commonly read book, The E-Myth, helped popularize this idea that entrepreneurs should outsource as many parts of a company as possible. You've probably also heard the old admonishment about working on your business instead of in it. Tim Ferriss's famous The 4-Hour Workweek reinforced this idea, putting a modern spin on the perks of outsourcing. Related: 3 Surprising Ways to Unlock Your Creativity Not surprisingly, then, outsourcing has become a popular approach among entrepreneurs. Not only does the practice take obligations off the leaders plate, it also saves money, at least initially. Instead of paying someone the locally mandated minimum wage, entrepreneurs who go through third parties gain access to a pool of employees thousands of miles away who will work for as little as $2 an hour. Accordingly, this choice seems like a no-brainer, but I am going to propose the radical idea that paying more for your team and insourcing will yield a higher profit. A 2017 study from Pew Research Center underscored this belief. It found that 30 percent of Americans surveyed believed that outsourcing jobs was having a negative impact on their own jobs and livelihood. As an entrepreneur, you'll find that your employees can be your biggest assets; so ignoring their concerns about outsourcing isn't the most intuitive step to take. I can confirm this lesson from personal experience: Having learned it the hard way, Ive come to agree that insourcing can actually save time and money and build a culture that lasts. Out of sight, out of mind My first attempt at outsourcing occurred when my company was very small. I opted to hire a virtual assistant in a different country thinking I'd found a cost-effective way to increase my productivity. The problem with a virtual assistant is that he or she doesnt know you and will only do the work that you send over. A motivated in-house assistant, on the other hand, can walk around the office and organically recognize business opportunities to bring to you. In other words, he or she finds work and offers ideas you might never think of on your own. The need to continually provide work for my virtual assistant, along with the obstacles formed by the language barrier and cultural differences between us, ended up creating more work for me. Today, I have an insourced in-house assistant. Not only is she forward-thinking and creative, but she also knows my wife and kids (including their schedules), as well as my managers and their communication styles. She produces high-quality work; and hiring her has been a vastly superior investment. Insourcing as an investment and its three powerful benefits In my experience, insourcing and adding capable team members whom you can interact with on a daily basis will help your business reach a new level of success. Here are three benefits businesses stand to gain from insourcing that cant be realized by taking the outsourcing shortcut: 1. You create a collaborative environment. Collaboration breeds creativity, and creativity is the only real equity value companies have in the modern economy. According to a World Economic Forum report, The Future of Jobs, creativity is the third most important skill for employees to have, having risen to the No. 10 spot in 2015. In turn, creativity requires the kind of fostering environment that leads to company profits. Despite these findings, businesses continue to outsource their call centers to places like India, so they never have to think about them. The problem is that those employees arent thinking about your business, either. Every day, customers call them with questions and complaints, and these outsourced employees stick to the script because thats what their roles require. Don't let a call center happen to your business: Cultivate a collaborative environment by insourcing talent close to home, and encourage your team members to share their big and small ideas alike. Often, small iterations can yield the biggest creative breakthroughs. Hundreds of small tweaks over a longer period of time are what separate a good business from an outstanding company. Related: 10 Tips for Retaining Top Talent 2. You increase the depth of your roster. Talent is incredibly important and increasingly rare. What occasionally goes unmentioned is that talent takes time to cultivate. Instead of hiring from outside of your company, why not utilize the skills of your employees youve already invested in? Hiring internally provides you with employees who understand how your business operates. More than 45 percent of our team members started in hourly positions. As new opportunities became available, and these team members demonstrated they could win at the role in front of them, they then transitioned into positions with increased responsibilities and higher compensation. Consequently, when you insource, you add depth to your roster of talent. According to Gallup, only 32 percent of American employees are engaged in their work. However, insourcing team members and then promoting those individuals within your company can populate your talent bench and increase engagement. To do this, surround yourself with people you can rely on, and reward the most deserving team members by moving them into roles that match their passions and talents. Recognizing the achievements of your team members increases the motivation of the entire team. 3. You construct an impactful culture. At our company, anyone who interacts with a client knows what our company is about. These employees attend meetings on a weekly and monthly basis and come to understand that our core values matter. Company culture is the soul of a business. When you outsource work, you miss out on that; and the decision you've made may have severe consequences. The American Institute of Stress, for example, produced a study showing that an unstable culture results in an increase in voluntary turnover of almost 50 percent. Meanwhile, companies such as Nike, which was voted as having the best company culture in 2017 by Indeed, have low turnover rates and are highly desirable places to work. Nike's coveted culture includes advancement opportunities, and the belief that every individual counts and more. The alternative is that you have to hunt for new team members, and that costs time and money. You can avoid these expenses by insourcing and developing a supportive culture with attractive values. Begin by being honest about your team's talents, and then find roles that allow people to do work they love. Related: How 5 Companies Found the Perfect Company Culture Within Their Business On the surface, outsourcing seems like an ideal way to run a business. Many business owners -- myself included -- have been lured into outsourcing by the promise of lower costs and fewer worries. Ultimately, though, outsourcing usually turns out to be a bigger headache than expected, and you give up the benefits that come with adding employees to your team. The next time youre faced with the option to outsource, consider the investment that insourcing provides to your business's collaborative ideas, talent retention and overall culture. Then look inside for your next personnel need. Related: Outsourcing Is a Shortcut; Insourcing Is an Investment Key Areas to Outsource When Launching a Startup on a Shoestring Budget Why You Should Think Twice Before Getting Office Space Copyright 2018 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved NORWALK Talks were at an impasse between Norwalks First Taxing District and New Canaan officials when the threat of eminent domain brought everyone back to the table to discuss the future of a 200-year-old house. New Canaan residents in favor of preserving the 1802 Grupe-Nichols-Browne House owned by Norwalks First Taxing District asked town officials to intervene in negotiations to save the house at 1124 Valley Road. Spurred on by a looming demolition deadline, New Canaan First Selectman Kevin Moynihan floated the idea of using eminent domain to obtain the four-acre property during a New Canaan Town Council meeting on April 19. Eminent domain is the governments ability to acquire private property for public use, while paying fair market value for it. The taxing district acquired the four-acre property abutting the Grupes Reservoir in 2006 for $2.25 million, according to tax records. The most-recently appraised value, according to tax records, is $1.6 million. (The First Taxing District) will tear the house down, Moynihan said. We want to preserve open space. A demolition application was filed in mid-February, but a Historic Review Committee meeting enacted a 90-day demolition delay. First Taxing District General Manager Dominic DiGangi said the district will not tear down the house if negotiations are still ongoing at the end of the demolition delay on May 12. But he also said the districts Water Department has an obligation to its customers. We can sympathize with the (preservationists) but we still have to do whats in the best interest of the ratepayers, DiGangi said Thursday. We cant give the house away, because the ratepayers paid for it. There is no mortgage on the house. We paid for it outright, so the ratepayers and the electors need a fair return. Chris Schipper, a member of the Land Trust and the Conservation Commission, said the Land Trust along with the Historical Society and the Preservation Alliance approached the First Taxing District to purchase the house and the land. We made a fair market offer of $1.2 million and they just rejected it and said it was worth more than that, Schipper said. DiGangi said the taxing district paid $2.5 million for the property and rented the house three separate times before determining it was a liability and trying to sell it. He identified maintenance and heating as the primary expenses. Heating the uninsulated structure in January, he said, can run more than a $1,000. He said the land upon which the house sits has potential for further improvements to the districts water-delivery system, which extends into New York State. A $3 million overhaul of the Grupes Dam is under design and will go out to bid in about six months. To the south, the district owns a filtration plant that was built in 1938. Were right now considering the reconstruction of the filter plant, DiGangi said. Its possible this property might be useful. In a letter dated Monday, April 23 and addressed to DiGangi, Moynihan made official the offer to purchase the four-acre property for $1.2 million. The Town has an interest in the property to provide open space and preserve and protect the Grupe-Nichols-Browne house, Moynihan wrote. Executing eminent domain would be a last resort if talks do not move forward. According to Moynihan, to enact eminent domain would require two independent appraisals of the four-acre property, followed by legal proceedings. Moynihan said if eminent domain was indeed enacted, the Land Trust would sign an agreement to donate $1.2 million to the town, the amount originally offered by the group to Norwalk. The town would be the owner of the land, Moynihan said. We want to own open space and the preservationists want to maintain the building. Earlier this month, the New Canaan Town Council unanimously voiced support for the first selectman to negotiate with the First Taxing District on behalf of the town. Town Council Chairman John Engel said any monetary offer made on behalf of the town by the first selectman is subject to approval by the funding bodies. In this case, the Town Council wanted to get on record as being 100 percent in favor of (Moynihans) efforts to secure the house and four acres, he said. American Consumer News, LLC dba MarketBeat 2010-2021. All rights reserved. 326 E 8th St #105, Sioux Falls, SD 57103 | U.S. Based Support Team at [email protected] | (844) 978-6257 MarketBeat does not provide personalized financial advice and does not issue recommendations or offers to buy stock or sell any security. Our Accessibility Statement | Terms of Service | Do Not Sell My Information 2021 Market data provided is at least 10-minutes delayed and hosted by Barchart Solutions. Information is provided 'as-is' and solely for informational purposes, not for trading purposes or advice, and is delayed. To see all exchange delays and terms of use please see disclaimer. Fundamental company data provided by Zacks Investment Research. 1 hour ago Biden tells GOP to 'get out of the way' on debt limit WASHINGTON (AP) President Joe Biden on Monday urged Republican senators to get out of the way and let Democrats suspend the nations debt limit, hoping to keep the U.S. government from bumping dangerously Read Article Southwest Airlines Co. dropped after warning that its first passenger fatality has reduced customer bookings. Revenue from each seat flown a mile, a gauge of pricing power, will decline 1 per cent to 3 per cent in the current quarter, the discount carrier said in a statement Thursday. Southwest blamed as much as two percentage points of the decline on weak sales after an accident in which an engine exploded in flight this month, piercing the plane and killing a passenger. The sober outlook contrasted with those of rival airlines, which have predicted increases in the revenue gauge of as much as 5 per cent. Southwest also faces pressures from aircraft retirements and fare battles with competitors. United Continental Holdings Inc. has been boosting seating capacity in some domestic markets where it faces off against Southwest. Read more: Before calmly landing the Southwest flight, she broke barriers as a fighter pilot Passenger on fatal Southwest Airlines crash live-streamed sheer panic on flight One passenger dead after Southwest Airlines plane blows engine, makes emergency landing The shares fell 3.8 per cent to $51.80 (U.S.) before the start of regular trading in New York. Southwest tumbled 18 per cent this year through Wednesday, the biggest decline on a Standard & Poors index of major U.S. airlines. Southwest Chief Executive Officer Gary Kelly said the weak bookings were expected and partly because the airline halted marketing efforts after the accident. I dont expect the softness to last very long, he said in an interview. We will be getting back to the market this week and well be preparing for our normal booking campaigns. Aircraft shifts The carrier has moved to quickly shore up its fleet following the mass retirement of its oldest airplanes last year. But the gap in the interim has forced the airline to fly earlier and later each day unpopular times with customers. That contributed to the decline in fares, a pressure that is continuing this quarter. The revenue environment remains a challenge for Southwest as the company has seen competitive growth in their West Coast markets, Helane Becker, an analyst at Cowen & Co., said in a note to investors. Meanwhile, the suboptimal flight schedule continues to put pressure on yield. Southwest said it has exercised options to acquire 40 more Boeing Co. 737 Max 8 aircraft, adding 10 planes to those the airline has already scheduled to take each year 2019 through 2022. Deliveries of five Max 8s will be accelerated to this years final quarter from 2019. Southwest expects to have 752 aircraft in its fleet by year-end, up from 717 at the end of March. First-quarter profit rose to 75 cents a share, a penny more than the average of analysts estimates compiled by Bloomberg. Revenue increased 1.9 per cent from a year earlier to $4.9 billion, while analysts expected $5 billion. A reduction in its federal income tax rate significantly increased first-quarter net income, Southwest said. The Dallas-based carrier is still working through the aftermath of the first passenger fatality in its 47-year history. Engine investigation U.S. regulators ordered emergency inspections of certain CFM International Inc. engines after a fan blade broke loose during an April 17 flight from New York to Dallas. The engine explosion hurled shrapnel against the fuselage of the Boeing 737-700 and destroyed a window. A woman was partially sucked through opening and killed. Southwest has completed inspections of all 265 engines in its fleet covered by a Federal Aviation Administration emergency order. Im pleased with the results were seeing so far, Kelly said. The National Transportation Safety Board continues to investigate the incident, the first fatal accident involving a U.S. passenger airline since 2009. Read more about: CALGARY Ethan Brookes doesnt want to show his face. Seated at a picturesque home that backs onto a lake in a quiet cul-de-sac in the Edmonton suburb of Sherwood Park, Ethan chooses his words cautiously and often stares at the floor as he speaks. No one talks about it because youd lose your job, he said. You never think its going to happen to you, right? In speaking to StarMetro about his struggles with opioids, Ethan requested a pseudonym in order to protect his employment. Ethan is one of thousands of Canadians who never thought theyd be in the throes of a substance-use disorder. But unlike many, hes still here to tell his story. Read more: Albertas opioid battle: Contact with drugs making first responders sick Calgary police officer describes her close call with possible secondhand opioid exposure Opioid crisis pushes first responders to adapt After the United States, Canada is the second-highest per capita consumer of opioids in the world. Nearly 3,000 Canadians died from opioid-related conditions in the first nine months of 2017, and at least 687 of those people were in Alberta, according to the most recent numbers from the provincial health ministry. And in the provinces two biggest cities last year, there wasnt a single neighbourhood without at least one overdose death. (The Alberta Health reports cited in this article note the final numbers may change, as certification of deaths by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner can take six months or longer.) In Calgary, the most populous city in the province, firefighters are administering the overdose-reversing medication naloxone once a day on average. Its impossible to predict who will need reviving next, according to Calgary fire department Chief Steve Dongworth, who recently spoke to StarMetro for a series on the impact the opioid crisis is having on front-line workers in Alberta. The kind of people you come across whove overdosed on fentanyl people stereotype what that might look like, in terms of what part of the city theyre in, what kind of people they may be, Dongworth said. In fact, what we see is people across the city, from the richest neighbourhoods to those who are more socio-economically challenged ... regular families. Ethan started experimenting with party drugs as a teen but didnt dip into opioids until his 20s. His first taste of heroin came when a work friend wanted to smoke some after a shift. Its like being wrapped in a warm blanket, he said when asked to describe the experience. It makes all your stresses go away temporarily, of course. Over the years, Ethan dabbled with prescription medication diverted to the street market OxyContin, Percocet and Dilaudid but his use really ramped up during a drug-related stint in jail, mostly due to the availability of drugs and boredom of incarceration. There were two fatal overdoses while he was behind bars, by his account. Once he was out of jail, Ethan started working as a manager in the hospitality industry. He began using OxyContin before, during and after work. The pills he now figures they were mostly fentanyl made long hours in the kitchen easier. And when Ethan suffered a severe burn to his wrist at work, he didnt take any time off; the drugs helped him manage the pain. Thats when his life spiralled out of control. I went from spending $10 a day to $150 a day, Ethan said. I had to do more and more just to not get sick. When someones brain has developed a dependence on opioids, getting dopesick or experiencing symptoms of withdrawal which can include anxiety, muscle cramps, agitation, vomiting and diarrhea can start within a few hours from the last dose. According to Ethan: You basically just want to crawl out of your own skin. An injury can lead anyone to dependence. Just ask Jessica Holtsbaum. Her brother, Nathan Huggins-Rosenthal, was given a perfectly legitimate OxyContin prescription when he hurt his back. But two years later, Holtsbaum said she hardly recognized him. He wasnt taking care of himself; he wasnt communicating with us, Holtsbaum said. It was just devastating, and we had no idea what to do. Huggins-Rosenthal died at home from a fentanyl overdose in February 2016. He was 34. More than half of all fatal opioid overdoses in Calgary and Edmonton last year took place at the victims home address. The deaths were concentrated in four of Calgarys inner-city areas Centre, Centre-North, East and West Bow yet 58 per cent of all deaths were outside these core areas. A similar story played out in Edmonton: 76 per cent of fatal opioid overdoses happened outside the central Eastwood area. There are no typical users ... A lot of these people are dying alone, Holtsbaum said. Thats why trying to have open and honest conversations about drug use is so important, even if theyre uncomfortable. Elaine Hyshka, an assistant professor at the University of Albertas School of Public Health and co-chair of Albertas Opioid Emergency Response Commission, said the prevalence of fentanyl is a big driver behind the growing number of opioid-related deaths. Traffickers are increasingly cutting the extremely potent fentanyl into other substances to extend their profit margins. The overwhelming majority of people who overdosed on opioids in Alberta last year (589) had fentanyl in their system, and 81 per cent of those people lived in urban areas. Before, a lot of people would use the drugs and they wouldnt really develop significant problems or a lot of them would age out of those problems over time, Hyshka explained. But now, because fentanyl and opioids on the street are so toxic, theyre not allowed that opportunity. Holtsbaum, who co-founded the Alberta Foundation for Changing the Face of Addiction in her brothers memory, imagines he felt a lot of shame about his addiction because he hid it for as long as he could. The stigma of addiction is brutal because it makes people feel like theyre lesser, like theyre not worth it, she said. They get pushed further and further and further into the dark because they dont want anyone to know theyre struggling. Maybe they dont want to worry their parents or their partner. In Ethans case, his mother Evelyn (also a pseudonym) found out about his addiction through his girlfriend. With treatment, in part at a private detox facility in Alberta, Ethan was able to get off fentanyl. Yet even today, after being in recovery for several months, most of his extended family have no idea what he went through. Evelyn recently joined Moms Stop The Harm, a Canada-wide advocacy group that, among other concerns, wants to see addiction and drug use destigmatized in the interest of preventing more overdose deaths. She feels the opioid crisis is shifting how addiction is perceived by society albeit slowly. I think this epidemic has really pushed the envelope in terms of the traditional treatment, Evelyn said. Its a medical condition like other medical conditions. And it needs to be treated that way. As a former mental-health practitioner, she knows the general consensus used to be that a person with substance-use disorder had to hit rock bottom before they would accept help. Shes glad Ethan never reached that point. The thing about fentanyl, Evelyn said, is rock bottom means youre dead. With files from Helen Pike Read more about: HALIFAXPolice in Halifax are investigating a threats call involving a student at a Bedford school. Halifax Regional Police say at just after 10 a.m. Thursday, officers were called to Rocky Lake Junior High School at 670 Rocky Lake Dr. Staff were reporting that a student had received threatening messages involving a firearm, a statement reads. Police said the threats, received via social media, were directed at an individual student and were from people who do not attend the school. It's upsetting to the parents and staff and students, police spokesperson Const. Carol McIsaac in an interview. We take anything like this very seriously and we put all of the necessary resources in it. Police sent out a statement just before 3 p.m. saying they were no longer on the scene, and that no charges had been laid. - with files from Taryn Grant Read more about: HALIFAXDefence lawyer Peter Planetta has told the jury at Nicholas Butchers second-degree murder trial the law school graduate was acting in self-defence when he killed Kristin Johnston. Planetta delivered his closing arguments at the trial Thursday and told the 13-member Nova Scotia Supreme Court jury that Butcher did not intend to kill the Montreal-born yoga instructor on March 26, 2016. Planetta suggested Johnston was acting erratically after she returned home from a trip to Costa Rica and following the closing of her yoga business in Halifax. Read More: Closing arguments to begin Thursday at Nicholas Butchers murder trial in Halifax She tried to murder me, Nicholas Butcher says as defence closes its case Nicholas Butcher says he fatally stabbed Halifax yoga instructor by accident He said Johnston went and got a knife as Butcher slept and stabbed him in the neck, and that he was acting in self-defence when he fought back. Meanwhile, the Crown argued Butcher deliberately killed Johnston after realizing their relationship was deteriorating. Justice Joshua Arnold will deliver his closing instructions Friday morning, after which the jury will begin deliberating. In her closing address, Crown lawyer Carla Ball suggested Butcher stabbed Johnston to death, and then tried to kill himself with the same knife before cutting off his right hand with a mitre saw. You might find yourself contemplating, Who stabs themselves in the neck 13 times? Ball asked the jury. The answer: the same person who progresses from a razor blade to a power saw in a desperate attempt to quickly and efficiently end their life, and the same person who murders the woman they supposedly love and watches them die within five minutes the exact same way and with no way out. Ball said the blood stain patterns inside the bedroom, the weapon, his suicide attempts, the defensive wounds on Johnstons hands, and the lack of defensive wounds on Butchers hands all point towards him being guilty of second-degree murder. This case is about a man who had significant financial challenges. He was highly educated, but underemployed. It caused him significant upsets leading up to March 25, 2016, said Ball, referring to Butchers $200,000 debt from law school. And if that wasnt enough... he realized that the investment that he put into the relationship with Kristin Johnston deteriorated in a blink of an eye. These factors built up like a constellation until he decided that if he could not have Kristin Johnston, no one else could have her. Planetta suggested to the jury that Johnston was acting quite erratically in the days before her death because of the stress she felt after her yoga studio shuttered. You could say almost losing her grip because of the pressure shes under, Planetta said, referring to messages Johnston sent friends about her feeling trapped in Halifax. Those are her words describing how she felt on March 25, 2016. Shes panicked, she could get sick, shes smothered, shes trapped. That, I would submit, shows someone going through a hard time and not handling it well. The trial has heard Butcher called 911 and told the dispatcher he had killed his girlfriend and tried to kill himself. He cut off his hand with a mitre saw, but it was surgically reattached. Butcher the defences only witness told the jury he fatally stabbed the 32-year-old woman when he awoke to someone stabbing him in the throat with a knife. The 36-year-old man testified it was dark and he couldnt see who it was, but managed to grab the knife and fight back realizing seconds later hed killed Johnston. Before closing arguments started, Arnold told members of the jury that one juror had been discharged, although it was not explained why. Read more about: WAIGEO ISLAND, IndonesiaWhen I enter the rainforest of Indonesias Waigeo Island, the first thing I notice is the equatorial air. Its so thick, I feel as if Im walking through a cloud. The next thing that hits me is the deafening hum of cicadas. They drown out the noise of my feet crunching leaves as I step ever closer to my destination: a tiny thatched-roof hut in a muddy riverside clearing. Its hard to imagine spending a single night here, much less two months, but thats exactly what British naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace did in 1860 while studying birds-of-paradise, an aptly named group of 40 species whose lavish plumage and elaborate courtship dances helped inform early research on evolution. Few people realize that there were actually two men who co-founded the theory of evolution through natural selection. Charles Darwin and the Galapagos Islands are familiar names, but Wallace and the isles he studied (such as this one in the Raja Ampat archipelago) have largely been lost to the sands of time. Intrigued by the story of this unheralded thinker, I set off on a trip to West Papua, Indonesia, on the western half of the expansive island of New Guinea, for a cruise with SeaTrek Sailingwhich runs educational and excursion-heavy 10-day trips on small, two-masted sailboats to remote Indonesian islands (all-inclusive Jewels of Raja Ampat cruise from $5,350). My goal was to trace Wallaces journey through the four main islands of Raja Ampat and find his beloved birds-of-paradise. Along the way, I would discover a startlingly virgin archipelago that remains little changed in the 150 years since Wallace left. The 1,500-odd islands (mostly islets) that make up Raja Ampat are at the centre of the Coral Triangle, a hot spot of marine biodiversity at the crossroads of the Pacific and Indian oceans thats often called the Amazon of the sea. This wild frontier lies off the west coast of New Guinea, the worlds second-largest (and some say least explored) island, and has been an in-the-know spot within the scuba community for about a decade. Divers from around the world flock here to swim with massive manta rays and glide through undersea forests of brain corals, blue staghorns and orange sea whips. In recent years, the islands have emerged as a trendy destination for nondivers too, with new live-aboard expedition boats, eco-resorts and village homestays (with over-the-water bungalows for less than $25 a night). Two new airports one in West Papua and one on Waigeo, the largest of Raja Ampats islands have made it more accessible than ever. Foreign visitor numbers climbed to 13,000 in 2016, a big jump from fewer than 2,000 a decade ago. I began my own journey here in the port city of Sorong, a haphazard collection of basic homes, modern energy-company offices and karaoke bars at the tip of New Guineas Birds Head Peninsula. With little to hold my attention, I set sail the following morning toward Misool, the Raja Ampat island at the heart of a 300,000-acre marine reserve. Foliage clings, improbably, to dramatic karst formations that rise out of the sea like shards of green glass on Misools edge. Many of these formations hide turquoise lagoons that are so crystal-clear you can see blue sea anemones swaying in the water as you glide above. The lagoons are a favourite hangout spot for hornbills, who fill the air with their guttural moans as they whoosh overhead like helicopters en route to coconut palms. I sailed north from Misool to the Fam Islands, where pincushions of bush-clad rock jut out from the sea, forming a labyrinth of earth and water. Then it was off to investigate Papuan culture at Arborek Tourism Village and, eventually, find Wallaces cabin on the nearby island of Waigeo. Now, on my penultimate day in Raja Ampat, Im finally ready to find the birds that helped Wallace cement his groundbreaking theories. To do so, I must wake up at the uncomfortable hour of 4 a.m. and prepare myself for an hourlong hike into the jungle. A full moon sends icicles of white light across the sea as I motor away from the sailboat to a small dock. All I can make out in the distance is a tiny cove and the perky shadows of palm trees. As we get closer, I spot my bird guide, Daniel, waving a flashlight. Papuans have a reputation among other Indonesians as fierce, man-eating warriors. Yet Daniel, like everyone else Ive met in Raja Ampat, is all smiles and high-fives as I exit the boat onto the south side of Waigeo and head into the rainforest. We hike together under the soft glow of a flashlight, stepping over rocks, roots and moss-covered logs on our way to a crude viewing blind in a hilltop forest 200 metres above the sea. A cacophony of birdsong greets us as we rise higher into the jungle. Though my eyes can see only a few feet ahead of me, my ears are flexing their muscles. Im reminded that Wallace collected 73 species of birds on Waigeo, 12 of which were entirely new to science. I manage to reach the viewing blind by sunrise and survey my surroundings. There are sturdy buttress roots below and pen-thin palms towering above the forest canopy. Vines swirl around a nearby eucalyptus tree, choking it. I spot the first signs of movement in a distant branch. It takes a few long minutes, but a creature finally emerges from the leaves. It has an elaborate outfit that even a peacock would envy: crimson red wings, emerald green cheeks, yellow shoulder tufts and wispy purple tail feathers that curve away from its body. It truly is paradise embodied. (Indonesia has 29 species of birds-of-paradise, nine of which are found only in this country, according to experts at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in New York.) Its not long before more birds-of-paradise arrive, heeding the bleating calls of their brethren. They hover around what appears to be the mating branch where, one after another, males congregate to woo females with their decadent plumes and elaborate dances. One bird twists his way up and down as if playing a game of hopscotch on the branch. Another taps his wings and gyrates his tail feathers. Each male seems to have his own signature move. By 7 a.m. the sun has crested above the horizon and the birds, like clockwork, dissipate into the forest in search of food. For Wallace, this would mark the end of a productive day and the return to his meager hut. For me, its the culmination of a long journey to a faraway archipelago I wont soon forget. Read more about: ROGERSVILLE, N.B. A 100-year tradition will come to an end at a New Brunswick monastery Thursday when 80 head of cattle will be taken to neighbouring Nova Scotia for auction. The Cistercian-Trappist Monastery in Rogersville, N.B., has decided to end its dairy operation because of financial problems. Brother Stephan Hewitt, who has been in charge of the herd for 35 years, told Global News that we dont make a big profit with the dairy. Hewitt, who is one of eight monks remaining at the monastery, says it will continue its poultry raising operation, which he says is much more lucrative. Six of their 14 employees will lose their jobs because of the change. The monks plan to look at future ventures such as beer brewing or cheesemaking. The monastery has already auctioned off 82 cattle and the remaining 80 will be sold in Truro, N.S., on Thursday. Hewitt said he plans to accompany the cattle to the auction. I want to see the girls off one last time, he said. Give them a last hug. Read more about: MONTREAL A Quebec judge has authorized a class-action lawsuit against the federal government related to the troubled Phoenix pay system. The suit alleges some employees were paid too much before being forced to reimburse the difference, while some others were not paid at all or did not receive the proper remuneration. Lawyers are seeking a base amount of $500 for all those admissible to join the lawsuit and an additional $1,000 for people who had mistakes in their pay, regardless of whether they received too much money or not enough. Read more: Phoenix pay system problems drop slightly, but bigger decline unlikely until late spring IBM execs defend company over botched rollout of the federal governments Phoenix payroll system Federal government to temporarily halt collection of Phoenix overpayments The amount would be higher for anyone who did not receive at least half of their pay during at least two consecutive pay periods. When we speak to people, we realize that even just being employed in the civil service during the period caused them prejudice, Julien Fortier, a lawyer with the Sarailis Avocats law firm, said in an interview. The lead plaintiff is Ezmie Bouchard, who worked at Passport Canada between January and August 2016. She alleges several mistakes were made on her pay and that when she left she was owed $4,800. The court document states Bouchard ended up receiving $1,000 too much and had to pay it back. Quebec Superior Court Justice Jean-Francois Emonds ruling does not apply to all employees affected by the Phoenix fiasco. He excluded employees who, under federal labour laws, have recourse to a grievance. That includes unionized and non-unionized employees. Emond said the people eligible to join the lawsuit are primarily students, retirees and casual workers. Sarailis said it is looking at the possibility of filing an appeal of the limits imposed by the judge. Our team is concerned about the excluded members access to justice, especially for non-unionized employees such as managers, the law firm said in a statement. Without access to a form of collective representation or to independent arbitration of their claims, these persons will form a sizable but largely silent subgroup. Fortier said he believes between 40,000 and 70,000 people across Canada could meet the criteria set out by the judge. Asked on Wednesday about the lawsuit, the parliamentary secretary to Public Services and Procurement Minister Carla Qualtrough did not want to comment on a matter that is before the courts. (But) I dont think weve ever hesitated in saying this should have been settled a long time ago and that it shouldnt have happened, said Steven MacKinnon. All available human, financial and technological resources are being used to solve the problem. It is so far estimated that the total cost of the debacle, from the creation of Phoenix to dealing with its problems, will reach or exceed $1 billion by the end of this year. When the system was first adopted, the previous Conservative government had predicted it would save taxpayers $70 million annually. Read more about: OTTAWAThe federal government has agreed to expand the scope of a landmark deal to financially compensate members of the military and other agencies who were investigated and sometimes fired because of their sexual orientation. A revised version of the class-action settlement over the so-called gay purge explicitly includes people whose careers suffered as early as 1955 seven years prior to a previously agreed date. In addition, the settlement creates an exceptions committee that will look case-by-case at those who might otherwise fall through the cracks. Read more: Veteran Affairs minister says LGBTQ apology was also about shame Conservative MPS say Trudeau strayed too far from history wrongs in LGBTQ apology Liberals to introduce bill erasting unjust convictions against LGBTQ community They could include people affected before 1955, individuals who worked for agencies not listed in the settlement, or those who were targeted even though they were not gay or lesbian. An agreement in principle in the court action was drafted last November, just days before the government delivered a sweeping apology for decades of discrimination against members of the LGBTQ community. However, a number of people seeking redress fell outside the parameters of the original agreement, including some who were singled out by superiors because they were perceived as gay, or because they vocally stuck up for colleagues, said Doug Elliott, a lawyer behind the class action. Those people were really victims of the purge, too and we felt if there were such people that they ought to be included, because even though they were not gay, they were suffering because of this anti-gay policy, Elliott said in an interview. A former Air Force member who was investigated in the late 1950s and forced out in the early 60s represents one of the earliest cases in the legal action, Elliott said. I really didnt expect there was going to be anyone around who was going to put their hand up from that earlier period and say that they had been purged. But a few elderly people did come forward. The settlement, still subject to Federal Court approval, includes at least $50 million and up to $110 million in total compensation, with eligible individuals each expected to receive between $5,000 and $175,000. The first phase of a program to notify potential members of the class action is underway. Hundreds of people have already joined, and Elliott has a working estimate of up to 2,000 participants. I expect that it will probably exceed a thousand. But how far north of that it will go is very difficult to predict. Elliott said one theory holds that gay people dont like to admit they were in the military and military members dont like to acknowledge theyre gay, something called the double-closet phenomenon. In addition, the AIDS epidemic took its toll on many members of the gay community. Despite the governments great efforts to create a list of every homosexual in Canada, they never succeeded, Elliott said with a chuckle. So we dont know who these people are. Even if we knew who they are, we dont know how many of them are still alive. And among those who were affected and still alive, we dont know if they will step forward. He personally knows two eligible men who have not yet signed on. And I think in their cases, that its because this is a horrible experience they had in their past. No amount of money in the world is enough to make them revisit it, they just want to forget about it. There will also be several reconciliation and remembrance measures, including a national monument, a Canadian Museum for Human Rights exhibition, declassification of archival records and a citation akin to a medal for affected people. Elliott said the citation is extremely important to many of his clients, particularly former Armed Forces members. When they went into the military, thats one of the things they were looking forward to, was earning a medal one day, he said. And then they never got a chance. So this is some small recognition of the fact that they too served and that they suffered in the service of their country. The Liberal government has also introduced legislation that would allow people to apply to have their criminal convictions for consensual sexual activity between same-sex partners erased from the public record. The Expungement of Historically Unjust Convictions Act would provide for the destruction and removal of records for the offences of gross indecency, buggery and anal intercourse. At a Senate committee studying the bill Wednesday, Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale called it an important and overdue step in the right direction. Read more about: OTTAWAThe Canadian whistleblower at the centre of the Cambridge Analytica scandal says the companys early focus was voter disengagement. Christopher Wylie told U.S. lawmakers that Steve Bannon, a former top advisor to President Donald Trump and ex-chair of the conservative Breitbart website, was interested in using Cambridge Analytica to suppress Democratic votes. After Steve Bannon took over (in 2014) the research streams that the company then shifted to were much more focused at exploring what types of discontent may be in certain discrete populations of the United States, Wylie told a closed-door meeting of House Democrats Wednesday, according to a partial transcript. There is one document which I have that specifically says, in bold terms, voter disengagement as an objective in the United States. Wylie called Cambridge Analytica the U.K.-based consultancy firm now being investigated by politicians in Canada, the U.K., and Britain a full service propaganda machine. Negative ads have long been a mainstay of Western political campaigns. But the notion of using data-driven campaigning and micro-targeted advertising to actively suppress the vote of political opponents is relatively new. Wylie is expected to testify next month at the House of Commons ethics and privacy committee, which wrapped up its second week of testimony on the Cambridge Analytica/Facebook scandal on Thursday. The committee heard Tuesday from AggregateIQ, a Victoria-based firm that has been connected to Cambridge Analytica and Wylie himself. AggregateIQ co-founder Jeff Silvester downplayed his firm as simply a modern update to traditional electioneering practices. But Wylies testimony to U.S. lawmakers Wednesday suggested those tools can be used for more than just promoting political messages or attacking political opponents. Raj Saini, a Liberal MP that sits on the ethics committee, told the Star Thursday that using high-tech tools to try and de-motivate voters is dangerous for democracy. Any time you are conveying information which is either not accurate or which is negative, there is always a danger where some people are going to get frustrated and not exercise their right to vote, Saini told the Star. And I think thats not good for us as a democracy and also thats not good for us as a country. Because the wider participation we have from the electorate, it makes our democracy strong, it makes our country strong. Read more about: City council has agreed to spend up to $1.46 billion for a diminished version of the transit plan that formed the cornerstone of Mayor John Torys 2014 election campaign. The decision to move ahead with SmartTrack had broad support, and was approved in a vote 37 to 6 on Wednesday despite some members concerns about the high cost of the proposed stations and uncertainties about the plan to finance the project. In a speech before the vote, Tory described the approval as a landmark for Torontos transit ambitions. Read more: City staff adjusted numbers to boost case for GO station promised by John Tory, documents show Cost of Mayor John Torys SmartTrack plan could rise, report shows Scarborough residents criticize SmartTrack plan at public meeting This is the stage at which we are moving forward to start to build transit stations within the city of Toronto, he said. Citing the projected 33 million trips that will be taken using SmartTrack by 2041, he argued the investment represented the cheapest transit were ever going to get inside the city. SmartTrack piggy backs on a previously planned expansion of GO Transit service known as regional express rail (RER). As part of SmartTrack, the city will pay Metrolinx, the provincial agency in charge of GO, to include six new SmartTrack-branded stations within Toronto. The city is expected to raise $878 million of the $1.46-billion cost itself, and tap a federal transit fund to cover the remaining $585 million. The plan is less ambitious than the version the mayor made the basis for his campaign four years ago, which proposed 22 new stations. The original plan also included a new heavy rail spur to Pearson Airport that has since been replaced by a proposed extension of the Eglinton Crosstown LRT. Like most critics of SmartTrack on council, Councillor Gord Perks (Ward 14 Parkdale-High Park) said he agreed it was a good idea to add stations on lines that pass through Toronto neighbourhoods to provide residents with local access to GO. But he argued the province, not the city, should pay for it. The question we have to ask is, if you had a billion-and-a-half dollars, would building six GO stations be the best investment you can make to improve transit in the city of Toronto? he asked. The answer to me is, compared to other options we should be considering, no. Councillor John Campbell (Ward 4 Etobicoke Centre) asked why the new GO stations, which are typically cheaper than subway stops, will be so expensive. The six SmartTrack stations could cost an average of more than $240 million, while the six stations on the recently-opened Spadina Subway Extension cost an average of just $215 million, and that included some tunnelling work. How can I as a councillor have confidence that were not getting taken to the cleaners on this? Campbell asked. City planners said the cost of the SmartTrack stops was higher because theyre being built in densely populated urban areas. Other councillors expressed doubts about tax increment financing (TIF). Tory initially told voters the largely untested financing mechanism could be used to pay for the entire SmartTrack cost, but it will now be counted on to raise just $292 million. A consultant report warned the development projections the TIF scheme relies upon could be out of date and its methodology undocumented. The city plans to use development charges and a special fund created through property tax increases to pay the rest of its share. Tory has denied that this means he has broken his promise not to raise property taxes to pay for SmartTrack, on the grounds the fund was established last year for the purpose of funding transit in general, not SmartTrack specifically. The success of Torys plan hinges heavily on Ontario government policy. On top of the provinces planned RER expansion, its ridership projections rely on the Ontario Liberals pledge to lower GO fares within Toronto to $3 starting next year, which would make it equal to the cost of riding the TTC. Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam (Ward 27 Toronto Centre-Rosedale) raised the possibility that everything that were discussing at this moment in time could entirely change if another party wins the Ontario election in June. In a statement, a spokesperson for the Ontario NDP said the party is committed to RER and the $3 GO fares. A spokesperson for Ontario PC leader Doug Ford wouldnt commit to supporting SmartTrack. Doug Ford has spent his whole career fighting to (build) more subways and transit in the city of Toronto. Folks across the province know that he (supports) the modes of transit that will actually relieve congestion and get people moving, she said. Josh Colle, the TTC Chair and councillor for Ward 15 Eglinton-Lawrence, told his colleagues they were right to scrutinize the SmartTrack plan. But argued healthy skepticism shouldnt derail the proposal, which he described as one of several pressing transit priorities. We need to build it all, he said. We no longer have the luxury of not building transit in every corner of this city ... We have taken too many years off. We know what the consequences of that are. Read more about: Alleged mob boss Rocco Zito was called a snitch and a rat in Italian moments before he was shot to death in his family home by his son-in-law after a dispute over Zitos will, court heard Wednesday. Zitos daughter Laura Scopelliti told a University Ave. courtroom that her then-husband, Domenic Scopelliti, 54, and her 87-year-old father had an ugly verbal exchange on Jan. 29, 2016, the last day of Zitos life. Domenic Scopelliti is charged with murder in Zitos death. Read more: Family of reputed mobster Rocco Zito not sure how he earned $1M he had in bank account, court hears Reputed mobster Rocco Zitos household was tense before he was shot dead, court hears Slain reputed mobster Rocco Zito had guns, cash hidden all over house, court hears Domenic Scopelliti called your father, a prominent figure in the Italian Mafia, a snitch? A rat? defence lawyer Brian Ross asked Laura Scopelliti. Your father was offended, right? I dont know what he felt, Laura Scopelliti replied. The verbal confrontation took place in the family home shared by Zito and the Scopellitis on Playfair Ave. near Caledonia Rd. and Lawrence Ave. W. Domenic Scopelliti was in the basement of the family home and Zito was at the top of the stairs on the first floor, court heard. Zito was unable to go downstairs because of health issues. Your father said after that, If youre a man, come upstairs? Ross continued. Im not sure if he said that, she replied. He might have said that, yes. The last thing you heard your father say was, Ill make you pay for this? Ross said. Yes, thats correct, she replied. Ross told her that theres no disagreement over who killed her father. Its certainly not an issue in this case that Domenic Scopelliti shot and killed your father, Ross said. Shortly after their verbal exchange, Domenic Scopelliti fired a shot at the top the stairs, Laura Scopelliti said. Her then-husband ran up the stairs after firing the initial shot. Seconds later, she heard three more gunshot sounds, she said. I was shocked, she told the court. I didnt believe what I was seeing. I was frightened. I was alone. She said she could hear her sister Angie shouting Go! Just go away! Just leave! from the kitchen seconds before the final three gunshot sounds. He (Domenic Scopelliti) responded Move. Move, she said. After that, I heard the three shots, one after another. She said she divorced Domenic Scopelliti after the fatal shooting. She said her former husband was upset with her father shortly before the shooting about Zitos will. Court heard that Zito had a mortgage-free house and more than $1 million in the bank. Laura Scopelliti said she and family members found at least $100,000 in a duffle bag in Zitos bedroom after his death. Ross asked if there was any legal way her father might have made that money. Maybe he helped a friend and the friend paid him back, she replied. She earlier testified her former husband hadnt held down a full-time job and lived for their entire marriage in Zitos home, where they had a basement apartment. She said her former husband did some work in sales and on the stock market. She said she rushed up the stairs after hearing the shots. I kneeled down to him, she told the court. I held his hand. I caressed his face and I said, I love you papa. Not long after that, she shouted at Domenic Scopellitis mother over the phone. I yelled out to my mother-in-law in Italian, Your son shot my father, she said. The agreed statement of facts in the case notes that Zito had served time for a debt-related manslaughter and was considered by police throughout his adult life to be a figure of significant power and authority within organized crime, specifically the Italian Mafia. She said that her former husband and father both tended to chickens in the family backyard, but that her former husband talked about poisoning the fowl. He (Domenic Scopelliti) said, You know. I dont like these chickens. What if I poisoned them? I said, Youd better not do such a thing, she said. He says, You know I tried to poison your father but it didnt work. I was shocked. About five days before the fatal shooting, Domenic Scopelliti ordered her to stay in their basement apartment and stop talking to her father, who lived upstairs, she said. Court heard tensions between the two men heightened after Zito went to Italy in the summer of 2015. She said her ex-husband heard talk that Zito called him a bum and said that he would like to kill him. The day before the shooting, Domenic Scopelliti showed her a bullet and made a cryptic comment, Laura Scopellit said. He says, Im not worried, Laura Scopelliti said of her ex-husband. If anything goes wrong, Im ready. I was disgusted, she said. Was intimidated. I was disgusted I couldnt stay in the same room as him. In the wake of a tragic van rampage that left 10 dead and 14 injured, fundraising campaigns have cropped up in support of the victims. The various organizations and groups have one mission: to support victims and their families, as well as first responders and those affected by trauma. The city has partnered with the Toronto Foundation to create a fund called #TorontoStrong. Victim services will also receive a portion of the funds. Further recipients will be announced in the coming days. Due to a huge number of GoFundMe campaigns, the Toronto Foundation has paired up with the crowdsourcing websites head office to see how they may co-ordinate their efforts, said Julia Howell, a representative for the Toronto Foundation. A number of the funds will be directed to #TorontoStrong when their campaigns close, Howell said. Since the fundraisers are in their early stages, it is still unclear exactly which campaigns will donate to the citys formal efforts. Canada Zakat, which was the first to launch a GoFundMe for the survivors, has paired up with the city and has raised more than $150,000. Its goal is to raise $1 million. The group previously raised $800,000 for victims of the shooting at a Quebec City mosque last year, according to Howell. As of now, #TorontoStrong has raised more than $63,000 from more than 430 unique donations. In addition, the foundation has received commitments from several organizations. Howell said $50,000 has been pledged from Canadian National Rail. CIBC has also pledged $50,000. Another $100,000 each has been pledged by RBC and TD Bank. The LCBO also announced it will be allowing shoppers to make donations at 157 LCBO stores throughout the Central Region with proceeds will be going toward the #TorontoStrong fund. Howell said they dont yet know where the fundraiser will lead. The Toronto Foundation hasnt handled anything of this magnitude before, she said. Its a first for us, but its also an unprecedented event for the city. Islamic Relief Canada has also launched a campaign for victims of the rampage and has raised more than $6,000. The campaign states that it will also be passing along the money raised to the #TorontoStrong fund. We are working closely with the Toronto Foundation to ensure those general funds reach the victims and families, said Rachel Hollis, a spokesperson for GoFundMe Canada. We have a dedicated team that works around the clock to monitor campaigns set up to support the families of the Toronto van attack and they are reviewing all campaigns. We guarantee all money goes to victims and families. Hollis said money raised on GoFundMe is only released after the company has verified the campaigns. Funds are collected by our payment processors, held, and then released only to the person named as the beneficiary (the person or group a campaign is intended to benefit), the organization said. Several private fundraisers have been established via crowdsourcing websites such as GoFundMe. The website has dozens of active campaigns in support of the victims. Friends of van rampage victim Anne Marie DAmico have established a campaign for her funeral fees. They will be donating proceeds from their campaign to the DAmico family. The group is also planning a candlelit vigil in her honour Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at 55 Dundas St. W. in front of Ryerson Universitys Ted Rogers School of Management, where DAmico is an alumni. A GoFundMe has also been set up for Renuka Amarasinghe, a mother of a 7-year-old boy, who was fatally struck during the rampage. With a goal of $150,000, family, friends and the community have already raised more than $85,000. Family members of Amaresh Tesfamariam, who is among 14 injured in the van rampage, have set up a fundraising campaign for her recovery. Also among the injured is Amir Kiumarsi. A GoFundMe has been established to help Kiumarsi with recovery expenses, and to assist his family. The Ontario Court of Appeal will release its decision Monday in Const. James Forcillos appeal of his 2016 conviction for attempted murder for the 2013 shooting of Sammy Yatim. The Toronto police officer also appealed the six-year prison sentence handed down by the trial judge, Justice Edward Then, which was one year more than the mandatory minimum sentence for attempted murder with a firearm. Yatim, 18, was shot to death by Forcillo on a downtown streetcar on July 27, 2013. The teen died moments after exposing himself and wielding a small knife on the busy Dundas West streetcar, prompting the occupants to rush off when the streetcar stopped near Grace St. Less than a minute after arriving on scene, Forcillo fired at Yatim in two distinct volleys. The first three rounds including a fatal shot to Yatims heart were followed less than six seconds later by six more shots. The separation was vitally important to Forcillos conviction: a jury found the officer not guilty of second-degree murder in connection to the first volley, but convicted him of attempted murder for the second, which Forcillo fired as Yatim lay on the floor of the streetcar, paralyzed and dying. At a Court of Appeal hearing last fall, Forcillos lawyers argued the shooting should have never been divided into distinct charges, because it was one continuous event. What came to be known as the two volleys of shots were so inextricably intertwined that they formed part of a single continuous transaction, lawyer Michael Lacy argued before the panel in requesting an acquittal or a new trial. Crown lawyer Susan Reid countered that an acquittal of second-degree murder and conviction of attempted murder were not inconsistent in the case, noting that the defences are different and the circumstances were different. Forcillos lawyers made a series of other arguments before the Court of Appeal, including that Forcillos six-year sentence was unconstitutional. They argued that the mandatory minimum sentence of five years for attempted murder with a firearm was never intended for a scenario like a police-involved shooting, but rather to combat gun violence by what his lawyers called the criminal element. Forcillo was armed as a result of his employment, Lacy said. Barring an acquittal or the ordering of a new trial, Forcillo has asked the appeal court for a suspended sentence. His lawyers also requested that the court consider allowing fresh evidence to be heard at a new trial, citing a recent study examining Toronto police officers stress response in dangerous situations. They said the study may have helped the jury better understand Forcillos perception that Yatim was getting off the floor of the streetcar and rearming himself immediately before Forcillo fired the second volley of shots. Had the jury had the benefit of the evidence, the jury would have been more likely to accept that (Forcillo) honestly was mistaken about (Yatim)s movement prior to the second volley, the lawyers wrote. Forcillo had been granted bail pending the appeal, but is currently behind bars after being charged late last year with breaching his bail conditions. The officer was found at fiancees apartment when he should have been at home. His bail was then revoked, and a few weeks later he was charged with perjury and attempting to obstruct justice. He is currently suspended without pay from the Toronto police force. Mel Lastman Square was filled with therapy dogs from St. Johns Ambulance on Thursday morning, offering comfort to passersby. For Marjan Iravani, it was an antidote a moment to let her emotions bubble up, after days thinking about the moment she stepped outside on Yonge near her home on Olive St. and saw a body on the ground. She thought it was an accident. Then she saw more. Iravani had tears in her eyes as she stroked and clung to Buddy, a nearly 2-year-old golden retriever whose tail wagged at the squeals and cuddles from people walking in the square, just south of Park Home Ave. This is Buddys job, and hes been doing it for a year now. I felt so bad after the accident. It got worse day by day, Iravani said. But sitting quietly, with a hand on one of the nearly 20 dogs in the square, gave her some peace. I think they do an amazing job, she said. Thank you for all of their help. Thank you so much. READ MORE: Sohe Chung the latest victim identified Fund raises more than $700,000 in two days Judy Rateau, who works at the nearby Toronto District School Board office and was in the area Monday, sat with Iravani. The two women chatted about simple things how sweet the dogs were, how much it helped. The dogs helped heal the shock of what happened, Rateau said, by offering a distraction. To just forget, or just to not be reliving this incident for a few minutes, Rateau said. This helps actually, so we can think of something else. Irka Skrtic with St. Johns Ambulance said they had 15 dogs signed up for Thursday, but that more had shown up theyve seen an increase in a desire to volunteer all across the board. When the employees at the nearby civic centre heard about the visitors, they all rushed outside, administrative assistant Emily Greco said. She sat happily, petting a pup named Dexter while similar scenes played out around her. Yonge St. had been quite sombre since Monday, she said. Bringing these dogs in is so therapeutic, Greco said. They bring so much joy to a community thats at present time grieving. Barbara Ruhr, Buddys handler, has another dog named Charley who just turned 12. Hes been working as a therapy dog for much longer than Buddy has. Ruhrs dogs work anywhere from spaces with the sick, elderly or lonely to childrens rehabilitation facilities. Sometimes, she said, people will want to chat with her while they visit with Buddy or Charley. But other times, people are searching for silent, loving and non-judgmental comfort. There are no words, because dogs communicate in non-verbal ways, she said. And they assume a lot of the stress. Thats why we have to be really careful with our dogs not to overwork them. Another handler, Linda Sleigh, watched as her rescue yorkie-shitzu, Benji, greeted visitors in the square. Benji visits seniors every Tuesday, and has for three years. He also sits with special needs students in Grade 2, while they read. Sleigh said she was often asked what Benjis job was, exactly and how she knew if he was doing it right. And I say to them, youre smiling. Hes doing his job. The dogs will be back in the square Friday at 11 a.m. Earlier Thursday morning, the square was filled with the echo of kids voices. Students in grades six, seven and eight at nearby St. Edward Catholic School where a teacher lost her sister to the crash stood solemnly in front of a pile of flowers and tributes. They sang the prayer of St. Francis: Make me a channel of your peace; where theres despair in life, let me bring hope. Where there is darkness, only light. And where theres sadness, ever joy. Anne Marie DAmico, sister of Grade 7 teacher Frances DAmico, was one of the 10 people killed in the deadly van rampage down Yonge St. on Monday. Her class was among the crowd of students singing. We want to share the message of kindness, teacher Laura Novello said. Their students had taken some time to process what happened, and were being very brave, their teachers said. With files from Alexandra Jones Mohammed Alhasan breathed a sigh of relief when he landed in Montreal earlier this year, fleeing the violence in Syria. The refugee claimant decided Toronto would be his new home: a big city touted for its sanctuary status and better access to services for newcomers. But ever since he arrived in late March, Alhasan has been trapped in the citys shelter system alongside thousands of other refugees, who have nowhere else to stay while they wait for their claims to be approved. We come here to try to save our lives, Alhasan said. But, as a refugee, my hope is almost gone now. Read more: Halifax exhibit challenges Canadians to walk the path of a refugee Opinion | Vicky Mochama: Canada is not doing its part to ease the global refugee crisis Editorial | Ottawa must do more to help Toronto welcome refugees As of this month, refugees make up nearly 38 per cent of Torontos shelter population on any given night, according to city data. Thats up from 11.2 per cent two years ago. The sharp increase worries city staff, already dealing with a continuing crisis of capacity that has not relented even though temperatures have warmed. At a Thursday morning press conference, Mayor John Tory and city officials said the status quo will not suffice and that help is needed immediately from other governments so the city can continue to welcome refugees. The City of Toronto is here to help. We are committed to providing shelter and support to all those who need it, Tory said at city hall. But we can no longer do it alone. Knowing no one, Alhasan arrived in Toronto after a five-hour bus ride one frigid night with just a phone number for the citys shelter program. They told him the only location with space was the Better Living Centre, pressed into service this winter as a 24-7 cold-weather respite centre. I was in shock, said Alhasan. Very nasty place. The centre was overcrowded. Fights would break out. Some people used drugs and left needles in bathrooms. He continues to bounce from shelter to shelter while he waits for the federal government to process his claim. Government-assisted refugees automatically find accommodation through settlement services, and privately sponsored refugees are housed by families or community organizations. But refugee claimants such as Alhasan are increasing in number and find themselves stuck in the citys shelters. The city spent or budgeted $64.5 million for the shelter and housing of refugee claimants in 2017 and 2018, including staff, food and motel spaces, city staff said. These shelters are more crowded than we want them to be, said Patricia Anderson, manager of the citys shelter, support and housing administration. She said the Better Living Centre has security conducting regular patrols to minimize violence and drug use. The city now counts 6,740 beds in its emergency shelter system, including 2,283 rented in motels. At last count, Torontos shelter system was at 96-per-cent capacity; the council-set standard is 90 per cent, which has never been met. Space for refugee families is in particularly high demand; the citys drop-ins and respite centres, which were about 85 per cent full, normally cant accommodate families. This winter, at the urging of front-line advocates, the city sought and gained access to the armoury in Moss Park and opened other temporary locations as 24-hour winter respites to deal with the lack of space. The province also renovated a former youth jail. Two centrally located respite sites are scheduled to close next month, and two city-run hockey rinks outside the core will open to replace them. We want refugees to be as big a success story for themselves and for Canada as have been prior generations of refugees, Tory said Thursday morning. But that goal is simply not achievable if the other governments, especially the federal government, dont step up and take much greater responsibility and help us in an area of their jurisdiction. The city is asking the provincial and federal governments to reimburse costs; provide continuing financial support; make new non-municipal facilities available, with staff to operate them; and co-ordinate placement of refugees in regional locations outside the citys shelter system. Premier Kathleen Wynne responded by saying the provincial government will absolutely work with the city. One of the things we can do we have already done, but can do more of is look for provincial buildings, provincial spaces that can be used as shelter space, she told reporters after making a child-care announcement at Torontos King Edward public school, near College and Bathurst Sts. I dont want to pre-empt that process, and I know that our officials will work with city officials, she said. We also need to call on the federal government to work with us. We need all these levels (to work together), to make sure that these people have a decent space to be in, that they get all the protections that they need. The citys statement Thursday was a response to Quebecs recent decision to close off its 1,850-bed shelter system to new refugee claimants. According to the provincial government, Quebec is overburdened by the number of people that continue to cross the border from the U.S. The federal government has said it is working on a triage plan to shuttle those claimants to Ontario, although details are not yet clear. Paul Raftis, interim general manager for the citys shelter, support and housing administration, said 400 refugee claimants are expected to arrive daily in Toronto from Quebec. Francisco Rico-Martinez, who runs the FCJ Refugee Centre in Toronto, said one of the reasons behind the refugee increase is illegal border-crossing by people fleeing U.S. President Donald Trumps immigration policies. In the beginning, people were assuming that everybody is going to stay in Quebec, but many of those who speak English are coming to Toronto, Rico-Martinez said. His centre, which assists families with the shelter and application process, has seen its intake increase to about 60 cases every Monday for the past several months. Before 2016, they would receive between 10 to 20 cases. Its overwhelming, but this is the new reality. The situation in the United States its not a place for migrants anymore, he said. People are going to keep coming. With files from Kris Rushowy and Allan Woods Read more about: Progressive Conservative Leader Doug Ford says he will launch an independent commission of inquiry into Ontarios books in the wake of a damning auditor generals report into the Liberal government. Ford said Thursday that budget watchdog Bonnie Lysyks finding that the deficit is at $11.7 billion, not $6.7 billion, has exposed a betrayal of the public trust. Premier Kathleen Wynne, however, countered that the larger shortfall calculated by Lysyk stems from a dispute thats been going on between professional accountants for a couple of years now. We appreciate her perspective and I think that that disagreement, that dispute, between the accountants will go on for some time, said the premier. There are two key points of contention between the government and Lysyk. The auditor is concerned about the way the Liberals have structured the Fair Hydro Plan that borrows money to reduce electricity rates by 25 per cent, but is kept off the books because it is bankrolled through government-owned OPG Trust. She also disputes whether $11 billion in government co-sponsored Ontario Public Service Employees Union Pension Plan and Ontario Teachers Pension Plan holdings should be counted as assets. While Ford promised his own hydro scheme to replace the Liberals rate cut, he pointedly would not rule out a future PC government booking the pension billions against the bottom line. The auditor general performed a valuable public service and uncovered one of the largest financial scandals in Canadian history, he told reporters at the Hilton Hotel on Richmond St. W. We now know that, in their desperation, Kathleen Wynne and the Liberals cooked the books, The consequence of Kathleen Wynnes desperation is now clear: we cannot trust anything about Liberal estimates or projections, and their budget is no longer worth the paper it was printed on, the PC leader said. I know that people are angry and want answers. Were going to get those answers, he said, adding outside auditors would be hired to complement Lysyks work on a publicly funded commission of inquiry. That commission would be expected to report back quickly and could lead to accounting changes at the province. In her pre-election report to the Legislature, the auditor general estimated the deficit for next year at $12.2 billion, not the $6.6 billion Finance Minister Charles Sousa forecast. In 2020-21, she said it would be $12.5 billion, not $6.5 billion. Ford said the Tories would soon release a costed plan for the June 7 election. While he vowed to find four per cent in efficiencies, which would necessitate slashing spending by at least $6 billion a year, he admitted he would be unable to balance the budget right away. It wont be in the first year. Were going to do this in a modest and responsible fashion, the Tory chief said. I dont believe in the word cuts. Ive never said the word cuts, but were going to find four per cent (in) efficiencies throughout the system, he said. I can promise you one thing and you can take this to the bank we will be balancing the books. With Ontarians voting in a provincial election six weeks from now, Wynnes Liberals have warned Fords budget cuts will mean job losses. Thats because about 85 per cent of public spending is on salaries for doctors, bureaucrats, nurses, police officers, teachers, fire fighters and other civil servants. Read more about: When Jennair Gerardot found out her husband was cheating on her, she came up with a plan of revenge, one that would lead to a bloody murder-suicide and stun a quiet Pennsylvania town, authorities said Tuesday. The victim was her husbands 33-year-old mistress, Meredith Chapman, police said. She was a lot like Gerardot a successful, driven, marketing professional in the Delaware area. She also happened to have worked with Gerardots husband at the University of Delaware. After finding out about the affair, Gerardot plotted a calculated attack, police said. There were emails and text messages indicating what she planned to do, Radnor Township Police Superintendent William Colarulo said in a news conference Tuesday. On Monday, Gerardot took a train from Delaware to Chapmans new home in a tranquil residential neighbourhood in Radnor, Pennsylvania, possibly wearing a wig in disguise, Radnor Township Police Lt. Christopher Flanagan said in the news conference. Gerardot broke through Chapmans front door, stopping to clean up the shards of broken glass off the floor. With her Taurus Tracker .357 revolver in hand, she waited for Chapman to get home. As soon as Chapman walked through the door, police said, Gerardot shot her. Then, Flanagan said, Gerardot turned the gun on herself. When police arrived in response to 9-1-1 calls, both women were lying dead near the kitchen. Melissa DeJoseph, 40, who lives two doors down from Chapmans residence, told the Philadelphia Inquirer she saw Chapman walking out of her Audi and into her house Monday evening just before she heard the loud sound. In my head, I was like, Is that a gunshot? No it cant be a gunshot, she said. Outside the bloody scene, police came across the man who brought the two women together Gerardots husband, Mark. My wife might be inside, he told police. Mark Gerardot, who lived with his wife in Wilmington, Delaware, was supposed to meet Chapman for dinner that night. When she hadnt shown up, he became concerned and showed up at her house in Radnor, police said. The tragedy rocked the world of the township and the surrounding neighbourhood, Flanagan said, describing it as a tight-knit community with many children and families. Nobody wants to see something like this happen in their neighbourhood, Flanagan said. But it also shocked the marketing, political and higher education worlds in the Delaware area, industries in which the Chapmans and Gerardots both found some prominence. Chapman had recently left her job at the University of Delaware and began working as an assistant vice president of marketing and creative services at Villanova University. A former broadcast journalist in Philadelphia, Chapman served as a communications manager on Capitol Hill for former Rep. Michael N. Castle. At the University of Delaware, she worked as a senior marketing director and taught classes to students at the undergraduate, MBA and continuing education levels, according to her website. In 2016, she also unsuccessfully ran for a Delaware state Senate seat as a Republican. She was married to Luke Chapman, a former member of the city council in Newark, Delaware, and wrote proudly on Facebook about his work. But she had just recently moved into the three-story brick residence in Radnor alone, no longer living with her husband, police said. Meredith was a beacon of light to anyone who was fortunate enough to meet her, a spokesperson for the Chapman family said in a statement to the News Journal. She loved her family fiercely, was a compassionate friend and among the most talented and innovative professionals in her field. Her death was sudden and tragic, but will not define who she was to the thousands of people who loved her. Her family is devastated, heartbroken and requests privacy and respect as they grieve. Erik Raser-Schramm, the chairman of the Delaware Democratic Party, released a statement Tuesday saying he was devastated to learn of the tragic loss of a dear friend. In the hours since receiving the news, it has been impossible for me to imagine our Delaware without someone so transcendent and committed to service, he said. Everyone who knew and worked with Meredith is heartbroken, the University of Delaware said in a statement to WHYY. As a proud alumna of UD, her commitment to her work was exceeded only by her boundless energy. She believed earnestly in the power of communication to bring people together, whether to achieve their collective goals or simply to share their stories. We will miss her. Mark Gerardot reported to Chapman at the University of Delaware, working as a creative director. The university told the News Journal he left the job there earlier this month. The Gerardots had been married since 1993, according to Indiana State Library records, the News Journal reported. They lived and worked together in Indiana at a branding and package design agency called Gerardot & Co., co-founded by Mark. Jennair Gerardot, who was in her late 40s, described herself on her website as a confident, creative and resourceful marketer with more than 16 years of experience. The softer side of this highly-driven businesswoman also likes exploration and travel; and is an avid animal and nature lover, she wrote. She would often post photographs with her husband, holding hands on the beach walking their golden retrievers. Her husband often posted photographs of her on his Instagram. My birthday present 24/7. Im a lucky guy, Mark wrote alongside a photo of his wife on Instagram in October 2015. He also doted on his wife on his website: On the personal side, my wife and golden retriever are the centre of my universe and the reason I get up every morning. 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Rescue workers, soldiers and volunteers in helicopters, jeeps, rubber boats and on foot frantically searched for the missing teenager as night fell in Wadi Tzafit, a popular hiking destination in dry weather that can become a death trap with little warning in a rainstorm. Two youths were hospitalized for hypothermia and other injuries, and 13 were rescued unharmed, officials said. The fatalities were reported by Zaka, an Israeli rescue and recovery organization. Eight of the teenagers who died were women and one was a man, according to Israeli media reports. The trip was led by Bnei Zion, a Tel Aviv-based leadership academy for high school graduates waiting to be called for military service. But Channel 12 in Israel reported that many in the group, including some who were killed, were prospective participants in the program who were still in their final year of high school. All told, about 25 young people had been hiking in the riverbed in a canyon with very deep slopes, said Nadav Eylon, chief security officer for the Central Arava Regional Council, which oversees an area south of the Dead Sea. Eran Doron, head of the nearby Ramat Negev Regional Council, described the site as a canyon where the moment a flash flood comes, there is no way out. There are walls of rock between 4 to 20 meters high on the sides of the canyon, Doron added. Officials said survivors reported that they heard the sound of rushing water only about a minute before being hit by the flash flood. Police spokesperson Merav Lapidot suggested that the youth group had disregarded police warnings, telling the Mako news site that, to our regret, these incidents take place when orders are not followed. She said police had posted roadblocks in many areas warning of danger but could not be expected to close off every river in the country. Eylon, speaking to the Ynet news site later, described the search and rescue effort. We began combing the area and slowly found members of the group, he said. Some were wounded, some healthy and some in more serious condition. We found them in little groups, pairs and on their own. This is a complicated, grooved riverbed. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a statement, called the calamity a grave disaster, adding, We all pray for better news. The hike was meant to be a bonding experience for the participants, officials said. An Israeli lawmaker, Yehudah Glick, said he had visited Bnei Zions offices and found its staff members, and other teenage participants who had not been on the trip to Wadi Tzafit, in tears and in shock. Everybodys trying to collect crumbs of information that are coming in from all over, and mostly theyre trying to collect themselves and put themselves together, and really try to keep themselves in one piece, because theyre broken theyre very, very much broken, Glick said. These are students that spent the last eight months together, almost 24 hours a day, and theyre close friends. Glick said the academy existed to let Israeli teenagers postpone their military service by a year and spend that time studying Israeli history, Zionism and other topics to make their army service more meaningful. Most are nonreligious, but theyre very much active in social issues, trying to help people who are suffering, and really involved on the most emotional level with Israeli society, he said. Police promised a full investigation, but early indications suggested that the academy and its outings fell in regulatory gray area, with neither the Education Ministry nor the Defense Ministry providing oversight. Read more about: Fragmented portrait of suspect emerges, April 25 This latest tragedy in Toronto highlights a truth about our society that we must address, as individuals and as a community. As a social worker, I witness it on a daily basis: how our stressed-out, hurried, preoccupied society fosters isolation, loneliness, anxiety and a sense of being adrift in a world that no longer provides a strong moral compass for its people. Add mental illness to this environment and the potential for violence is very real. As a society, we need to become more mindful, compassionate and more responsive to others pain and suffering, be it physical, emotional or mental. Too many of us live beside people for years without any neighbourly contact. Our obsession with our cellphones doesnt help the situation. This lack of genuine community is bringing about more isolation and a feeling of being disconnected. If we want to change this trend, we have to find a way to slow down, embrace the values that make for a kinder, more humane world, and reach out to each other. Sandy Amodio, Burlington As details emerge about the behaviour and mental-health issues of the man accused in Mondays attack, we need to be careful not to stigmatize people living with mental illness or blame the mental-health system for what happened. A study published recently in the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry examined homicide rates in Ontario from 1987 to 2012 and found only 3.7 per cent of homicides were committed by people with mental illness, and that there was no increase associated with reductions in inpatient hospitalization. Although the study did show that untreated psychosis was a factor, this suggests that our focus should be on early identification and intervention, rather than the mental-health equivalent of lock them up. It will take time for all the facts to emerge. In the meantime, we should try to help Toronto heal and not demonize our fellow citizens who live with mental illness. Steve Lurie, Canadian Mental Health Association, Toronto History, like politics, has a way of repeating itself. Especially at election time. In opposition 15 years ago, Ontarios Liberal Party smelled a rat. They accused the Tory government of the day of cooking the books. Playing the reformist card in the 2003 campaign, Dalton McGuintys Liberals proposed that all future pre-election budgets be reviewed by the auditor. Upon winning power, McGuinty ordered a special audit that uncovered a deficit of more than $5 billion hidden by the previous Progressive Conservative government. Fast forward to 2018, with a new cast of characters and the roles reversed. Now, the PC opposition is accusing the governing Liberals of playing with numbers and this time, the auditor general of the day, Bonnie Lysyk, is on their side. Read more: In scathing pre-election report, Ontario auditor general says deficit is $11.7B, not $6.7B Ford promises outside audit of Wynnes Liberals if he wins June election Auditor takes aim at Wynnes government over spending, waste, lax oversight Lysyk held a news conference Wednesday to declare the Liberals are understating the true deficit by $5 billion in their pre-election budget, and by billions more in future years. Familiar number, recurring theme. The law of unintended consequences has a way of catching up to you. All that Liberal reformist zeal from 2003 is now fresh ammunition for the PCs as they accuse McGuintys successor as premier, Kathleen Wynne, of fudging the numbers. There is nothing new in the auditors latest report, which is merely a summation and compendium of her previous complaints about Liberal bookkeeping. But in auditing as in politicking, timing is everything. Which makes the Liberals electorally unlucky. Few paid the auditor much heed two years ago when Lysyk suddenly declared she was reversing the accounting rules established by previous auditors: Accumulated surpluses in major public sector pension plans could no longer be counted on the governments books as budgetary assets, as they had been since Tory times. The effect of her ruling was to produce a gaping multi-billion-dollar hole in the governments accounting framework at the very moment they were striving to meet a 2017-18 target for deficit elimination. The government convened an outside panel of accounting and pension experts, who declared that Lysyk couldnt have it both ways: Just as pension shortfalls count as a liability on the balance sheet, a pension surplus should count for something not nothing, as the auditor insisted. Lysyk still wouldnt budge. But Bay Street didnt bite, ignoring the auditors alarm bells. Credit rating agencies also looked at the books but didnt buy into her alarmist assessments. But if the pension fight was a professional disagreement that eroded Lysyks credibility, the next battle over an ambitious borrowing scheme to reduce hydro rates was more complicated. Under opposition pressure, Wynnes Liberals dreamed up a refinancing plan that would put off todays bills for tomorrow, supposedly smoothing out the cost curve. Politically, the plan had some success because it dialled down the pressure on a red hot issue. But fiscally, the plan looked like aggressive accounting, by offloading the debt onto a new financing arm of Ontario Power Generation. Their proposed rate-regulated accounting where utilities bank on regulated rates that guarantee reliable cash flows is widely used in the U.S., but Lysyk cried foul because it is more novel in Canada (though hardly unprecedented). The auditor generals proof point that shes right and everyone else is wrong. Her opponents are in the pay of the Liberal government from the public servants contesting her arguments, to the private auditing firms and outside experts who disagree with her: They paid their advisers well, she said dismissively at a news conference Wednesday. Which suggests that any auditor or accountant who charges a fee has been bought lock, stock and budget. Except for Lysyk, who boasts of her independence as an officer of the legislature. The opposition PCs and New Democrats have embraced the auditors critique, but not her numbers. They should be careful what they wish for. The NDPs campaign platform uses the governments fiscal framework as its starting point, and so did the PC Peoples Guarantee released last November (suspended after the partys leadership race). If the opposition parties abide by the auditors latest analysis, that means they too will have to explain how they will handle deficits that are billions of dollars higher than they were banking on, for years to come. Does that mean more program cuts? Reduced campaign promises? Pretending that pension surpluses dont exist, until they do? An arcane accounting dispute is now a pressing political issue on the eve of the campaign, and may well be in the aftermath: The new PC leader, Doug Ford, is taking a page from the McGuinty Liberals of 2003 by promising to bring in an outside auditor to settle the budget question that Lysyk has thrown into such confusion. The Tories know well their political history. As they should, given the budgetary events of 15 years ago, when they were last in power. Martin Regg Cohn is a columnist based in Toronto covering Ontario politics. Follow him on Twitter: @reggcohn Read more about: VANCOUVERB.C. has asked the provinces Court of Appeal to decide whether the B.C. government can enforce regulations aimed at protecting its coast from the threat of a heavy oil spill. The provinces has asked its highest court to examine whether B.C. can require companies to obtain a permit before transporting any increased volume of hazardous materials, including diluted bitumen, through the province. A second question asks whether hazardous materials coming from another province could be subject to a permit and a third asks if federal legislation could override B.C.s requirements. We believe British Columbia has the legal authority to regulate the movement of such substances through the province by permit. Others disagree, Attorney General David Eby said Thursday. The B.C. government announced its plans for the reference case in February after Alberta raised serious concerns about regulations B.C. proposed to regulate the increased flow of diluted bitumen through an expanded Trans Mountain pipeline. Alberta said the proposed regulations were unconstitutional and implemented a ban on B.C. wine in response. Speaking to reporters Thursday, Premier John Horgan said his government believes the province of British Columbia has every right to protect its citizen, to protect its environment and to protect its economy. Tens of thousands of jobs, billions of dollars in GDP depend on a clean and pristine environment here in British Columbia, he said. Read more: B.C. seeks court ruling on whether it controls Trans Mountain oil shipments Meanwhile, in Alberta, Premier Rachel Notley said shes confident the case will be dismissed. If the courts determine B.C. has the powers its seeking free trade in this country would grind to a halt faster than you could say the phrase free trade, she said. In a statement, a spokesperson for federal Environment Minister Catherine McKenna said her government believes the powers in question are within their jurisdiction. In 2016, we approved the TMX project with 157 stringent environmental conditions, in the context of Canadas climate plan, with a world-leading Oceans Protection Plan, based on science and evidence, in consultation with Indigenous peoples, the statement from Caroline Theriault said. The controversial pipeline, which would double the 1,100-km pipeline and nearly triple the flow of diluted bitumen to B.C.s coast, has pitted the B.C. government against the Alberta and federal governments, which are adamantly in favour of the $7.4-billion-project. Tensions between the three governments have increased since Kinder Morgan announced it was pulling back non-essential spending on the Trans Mountain pipeline due to uncertainty created by B.C.s opposition to the project. The company said if theres no agreement on the project by the end of May, it could mean an end for the project. Notley, who called the reference case a backhanded attempt to kind of harass the project and create uncertainty, said she thinks its reasonable investors would be nervous. While its unlikely the B.C. Court of Appeal will reach a decision on the reference case before the companys deadline, that doesnt appear to be a major concern for Horgan. I dont work for Kinder Morgan. I work for the people of British Columbia and we said in February, were going to refer this question to a higher court to confirm our jurisdiction, he said Thursday. The fact that a press release was issued from a Texas boardroom giving a deadline to parties in British Columbia is entirely their business and I have no quarrel with that. The reference questions ask the B.C. Court of Appeal the highest court to which the province can refer this case to review proposed amendments to the Environmental Management Act to regulate heavy oils. The amendments, as written, would require a company to show it has plans in place to prevent a spill of the substance being transported; that it has measures in place to minimize damage from a spill; has the capacity to respond effectively to a spill; it has the financial resources to respond to a spill and to pay compensation for a spill before a permit is granted. The law, if allowed, would apply to substances transported by pipeline, rail or trucks. In January, the province also announced plans to establish a science advisory panel to ensure they have the knowledge they need to ensure safe transportation of heavy oils and effective cleanup in the event of a spill. Ahead of the B.C. governments announcement Thursday, McKenna suggested a joint science panel to conduct further research on oil spills. B.C. Environment Minister George Heyman said that was essentially an acknowledgement that there are significant gaps in our understanding of the risks associated with a diluted bitumen spill, including how it would behave in water and differing weather conditions. We know that British Columbians have a deep personal connection with our coast, a deep connection with our fish, our wildlife, he said. Its our responsibility to defend the interests of British Columbians. Thats what weve proposed to do. Ainslie Cruickshank is a Vancouver-based reporter covering the environment. Reach her at ainslie.cruickshank@metronews.ca Read more about: As the WestJet pilots union takes steps towards a possible strike, some travellers are feeling unsure about their summer bookings with the airline. The Air Line Pilots Association, the union representing WestJets 1,500 pilots, opened a 15-day vote Wednesday to authorize a strike. If members agree, the union will be permitted to strike after a 21-day cooling-off period beginning Friday. Its always stressful flying with children, so this just adds some more stress to it, said Angela Oschefski, who booked a summer family vacation to Cabo San Lucas with WestJet. A strike, if it took place, could affect 80 WestJet departures scheduled from Vancouver every day. Thats the airlines third biggest hub after Calgary and Toronto. Oschefski said shes concerned about the outcome of the bargaining, but optimistic that the airline will work hard to get to the bargaining table. Thats in the best interests of their customers and their employees too, she said. For Mihaela Craciun, the stakes are high. The Medicine Hat woman is travelling on WestJet to Vancouver with a team of 17 gymnasts between the ages of 6 and 35 for a world-qualifying competition in June. Her first reaction to news of the strike authorization vote was panic. Most teams have been planning for this event for a year, Craciun said. The gymnastics team is hopeful for a resolution, so its not making any immediate changes to its travel plans. But, Craciun said, as we get closer to the date of travel well be forced to bring it up with parents. Rob McFadyen, chairman of WestJets ALPA Master Executive Council, who represents the union in negotiations with the company, said the parties are still far apart on bargaining issues, having resolved only 11 of 30 articles brought to the table. But McFadyen said he spoke to Edward Sims, WestJets president, Thursday. We made a commitment to each other to make our teams available to each other to negotiate, McFadyen said. WestJet pilots are fairly new to bargaining, having certified their union in May 2017. McFadyen said theyre pushing for a contract for pilots thats on par with pilots contracts with other airlines. Job security and benefits for their families are top concerns. Lauren Stewart, a WestJet spokesperson, said the airlines flight operations are unaffected by the strike vote. We remain committed to working with ALPA and continuing the momentum we have achieved through the bargaining process, Stewart wrote in a statement to StarMetro. Stewart declined on behalf of WestJet to comment on the bargaining process itself. Gabor Lukacs, the founder non-profit Air Passenger Rights group, said he supports the pilots move, and thinks a good deal for them should be considered good for passengers, too. Airlines like to present it as a dichotomy between cheap prices and payment to crew, Lukacs said. We would like to make sure that the people who are there to deal with us are properly looked after. Read more about: ALTON Employees of MedExpress Urgent Care, which closed Friday, were offered to take positions at other MedExpress locations within about one hour of the Homer Adams Parkway location but no positions were open, a recent Alton employee told The Telegraph. MedExpress spokesperson Kelly Sorice told The Telegraph last Thursday that the urgent care facilitys approximate 20 employees all were extended the opportunity to work at one of three Illinois locations nearest to Alton. Those locations are Collinsville, mainly in Madison County, and partially in St. Clair County; and, in Swansea and OFallon, both in St. Clair County. The Alton location opened in July of 2016. We were working to find positions for team members, not that they were guaranteed positions, Sorice clarified on Friday to The Telegraph. Weve given all employees a list of openings available. We started this process about a month ago, making sure we could help them find openings. Those who either arent selected for roles at centers nearby or dont wish to go these roles are given separation packages in alignment with our core values. I didnt mean to imply we guaranteed anything, simply that we were working with team members to see if they could be placed. At that time, Sorice also said it was a difficult decision to close the Alton location because MedExress Urgent Care had really good reception from the community. They are terrific employees, she said last week. We made a very difficult decision to close this location after careful consideration of the communitys current health care needs and the availability of other existing health care options, which could continue to serve Alton patients. Employees were provided written references to use in search of new employment, the former Alton MedExpress employee told The Telegraph last Friday. She asked to remain anonymous because she now is actively seeking new employment. She said employees were given three-weeks to three-months severance packages, depending on the individual. We were told we could transfer, but theres no positions open, she said. She said the employees who lost their jobs due to the Alton closing are upset, some left in difficult situations, such as being unable to secure a home loan that was in process. A MedExpress located in Normal, Illinois, also closed Friday. Sorice said that Alton MedExpress patients received information about how to access their medical records and transfer those records to primary care physicians or other entities that would need those records. Reach Jill Moon at 618-208-6448 and Twitter @jill_moon. ALTON The office of state Rep. Monica Bristow, D-Godfrey, will be partnering with the Illinois State Treasurers office to host their monthly I-Cash event on Tuesday, May 8. Ive made it a regular event to partner with the Illinois State Treasurers office to provide residents easy access to the I-Cash program, said Bristow. Since 2015, this program has helped connect residents with over $300 million in unclaimed assets, so I encourage everyone to take advantage of this free program to find out if they have unclaimed property. ALTON Visitors poured into Christmas Wonderland in near record numbers in 2017 and that success means financial gifts to area organizations have increased. Over $45,000 in donations has been distributed to more than 60 civic organizations courtesy of the Grandpa Gang and Christmas Wonderland, a direct result of strong holiday seasonal visitors to the landmark Alton attraction. The annual event, spearheaded by the volunteer Grandpa Gang, features more than 4 million lights strung throughout Rock Spring Park, and includes visits with Santa Claus in the Enchanted Forest. We are so pleased with the support Christmas Wonderland has received, head Grandpa Al Cowgill said. That support means we can help others in our surrounding communities and that is the true meaning of the holiday season. As part of the annual holiday event, area organizations also vie for top honors in the annual Christmas Tree Decorating contest in the Enchanted Forest. The contest is judged by visitors to the park. This years first-place winner is Girl Scout Troop #71. Second place went to Toddletown. Third place was awarded to Montessori School and East Alton Middle School Student Council. The Grandpa Gang, a group of retirees and volunteers, organizes and designs the Christmas spectacular of cascading lights, tunnels and displays known as Christmas Wonderland. Each evening during the holiday season, the park sparkles against the night sky with millions of glistening lights, all hung by volunteers and the gang. Christmas Wonderland warms the hearts and helps families and friends capture the holiday spirit. Each year, the Grandpa Gang takes time to give back to the community with a portion of the attractions seasonal revenue donated to local charities. Volunteers are always needed to help with Christmas Wonderland projects. Volunteer informational meetings are held in August. The transformation of Rock Spring Park begins in September. Volunteers typically work three to five days a week from 8 a.m. to noon helping with tasks like setting up wooden displays and hanging lights throughout the park. To volunteer, contact Al Cowgill at 618-401-2939. For the Telegraph JERSEYVILLE Talent director Alex Foster has said that any eligible resident of Illinois may enter the 23rd Annual Jersey County Fair Talent Competition which will take place Tuesday, July 10 at the fairgrounds Grandstand. The contest is no longer only open only to Jersey County residents. Even previous first-place recipients may enter again since the state rules have changed to allow champions to return to state-level competition. First-place winners in both divisions will represent Jersey County at the Illinois Association of Agricultural Fairs (IAAF) State Talent Competition in Springfield in January 2019. Guwahati : Security forces had apprehended two militants belonging to NSCN (K) and recovered huge cache of arms and ammunition in Nagaland. According to the reports, the Zunheboto battalion of Assam Rifles under the aegis of HQ IGAR (North) on Wednesday had conducted an operation alongwith police representative based on specific information regarding extortion, tax collection in general area Longkhim town and during the operation Assam Rifles troops apprehended two NSCN(K) militants alongwith illegal arms and incriminating documents. The nabbed militants were identified as Kanato Sema.and Hukheto Sema. Security forces had recovered one point 32 pistol with magazine, 25 extortion slips, GPRN/NSCN(K), 49 leaves GPRN/NSCN(K) identity cards for non locals. Later, the apprehendee alongwith recovered items was handed over to Longkhim police station for further investigation. On the other hand, the Dimapur battalion of Assam Rifles had conducted an operation alongwith police representative based on specific information in general area Sovima village, Dimapur and apprehended an individual in possession of illegal weapons and ammunition. The individual was identified as Vikuosa Mepfhuo and security personnel had recovered one AK 56 Rifle, one point 303 Rifles with magazine and bayonet, two point 22 mm Rifles, two 12 Bore Gun Single barrel, one 9mm pistol with magazine, one point 32 mm Pistol Beretta, two magazine AK 56 Rifle , two magazine point 32 mm Pistol, eleven Live rounds of point 22 mm Pistol, four Live rounds of 7.62 mm, four Live rounds of 7.65 mm, 32 Live rounds of 12 Bore Gun, two fired case of 12 Bore Gun. The apprehendee alongwith recovered items was handed over to Diphupar Police Station, Dimapur for further investigation. While tourists from across the world come to Goa to enjoy on its picturesque beaches, the locals have, of late, been holidaying in the state's hinterland to get respite from the summer heat and humidity. Several Goans have been rushing these days to the river fronts in the rural talukas of Sanguem in South Goa district and Sattari in North Goa district, thus encouraging a new trend of 'agro-tourism' in the state. There are at least 100 farms in Goa, which operate seasonally, mostly in summer, away from the beaches, a senior state tourism official said. "While foreign and domestic tourists enjoy on the beaches, the locals in the beach belt try to search for something else. The agro-tourism has, thus, come as a good alternative," Goa's tourism minister Manohar Ajgaonkar said. The state government plans to provide all possible help to boost this hinterland tourism, he said. "We aim to provide a diverse experience to the visitors. They should know all facets of Goa, right from beaches to our green hinterland," Ajgaonkar said. Prashant Desai, the son of former panchayat minister Venkatesh Desai, has turned a bushy patch at Advai village in Sattari into an agro-tourism destination. "The initial concept was to have modern farming with the cross plantation of banana, areca nut, coconut, papaya, lemon and other trees. But, a few of my well-wishers suggested that I should develop this place into a farm to attract tourists," he said. Now, the locals in large numbers throng the place, famous as the 'peacock farm'. "My weekends since last four months have been full and now with the vacations on, we have advanced bookings even on weekdays," Desai said. He claimed that about 90 per cent of the people coming to his farm were locals, while 10 per cent were visitors from other places, including Mumbai, who got to know about it through the social media. In the hinterland, one can also find inspirational stories of aspiring tourism entrepreneurs. Ramchandra Salgaoncar, who manages a papaya farm at Bhironda village in Sattari, left his cushy corporate job to venture into 'agro-tourism'. "I left my job in October last year and since then have been associated with this project of agro-tourism. It is a satisfying experience," Salgaoncar said. While Goa has the image of being a beach destination, several hotel owners from the coastal belt drive to Salgaoncar's farm to enjoy a quiet vacation during weekdays. "The hoteliers are busy during weekends at their own resorts, so they can spare time to visit the farm only on weekdays," he said. The agro-tourism concept has been welcomed by professionals from various fields in the state and also young students, who prefer to skip weekends and get some discounts during weekdays to enjoy at these farms, Salgaoncar said. "The concept of tourism has changed. Now, people don't want to go to public places with their families. They want a private space where their families can safely enjoy. That is where small farms like ours flourish," he said. The Tanshikar farm in Sanguem taluka has been among the first few 'agro-tourism' ventures. Chinmay Tanshikar, who turned his ancestral farm into a tourist attraction, claimed that the number of visitors to his place has been increasing every year. "The word of mouth publicity works better than any other media campaign," he said. During the last two years, the Indian passenger vehicle segment registered a growth of between 1-1.2 per cent. And in the same time, Ford India's sales grew by 10 per cent - with the popular EcoSport triggering the compact SUV rage and accelerated sales numbers. This time, with the Ford Freestyle, too, the company hopes to have a similar winner at hand. "The EcoSport was catering to the market between Rs 10-Rs 12 lakhs. With this car we will create a segment of utility vehicles (UV) and in the Rs 5-7 lakh," said Anurag Mehrotra, president and managing director of Ford India, launching the Ford Freestyle UV in petrol and diesel variants at a price starting from Rs 5.09 lakh to Rs 8 lakhs. Ford assess that at a time when most of its competitors who offers in the crossover hatch segment, tend to keep a higher price range between Rs 7.8 lakh to Rs 9.9 lakh. "The consumer simply did not have any option to upgrade in the Rs 5-7 lakh. I think we wanted to fill that gap," says Mehrotra. The company says that it has put its 'heart and soul' while building the car. The design of the car was done at the Australia design studio of Ford Motors, which caters to the company's Asia-Pacific market. But the car was tested in India and almost 70 per cent of its engineering is done in India. The Ford Freestyle will be made out of Ford's Sanand plant, the same plant which makes the existing Ford Figo and Ford Figo Aspire models. Gaurav Gill, international WRC rallyist from India, tested the car in Tamil Nadu's Kolli Hills. The 1,300 metre climb uphill included 70 hairpin curves. The 26.7 kilometre stretch, part of the Kolli Malai road was covered by the rallyist in just under 18 minutes, under test conditions performed by experts. The company has not done any advance bookings of the car but most dealers would be accepting bookings from April 27. The car, built on the Ford Figo platform, adds on a lot of improvement, and the company is treating the Freestyle by all means as a new car, and not as another model of the Figo. Gill and others who have driven the car, said they are excited about the capabilities of the car to handle bad roads. The Ford FreeStyle has a ground clearance of 190 mm, compared to 174mm in the Ford Figo. Ford Freestyle comes with a sporty grille and 190 mm ground clearance, a segment-first | Soumik Dey It gets a new improved manual gear which is lighter and shifts faster. However, an AMT option is not available. The topmost Titanium+ model comes with a new dual suspension and better body roll control of Active Rollover Prevention (ARP) which does selective braking of tires. But with improved suspensions and a responsive steering, the car comes with four airbags, also a first in the segment. The Freestyle is likely to take you across bad roads with ease and comfort, promises a dual tone interiors and panel work inside. With all this, the crown jewel that sits inside the car is the brand new flat 6.6-inch touchscreen infotainment system, which is small but adequate while driving. The system is compatible with Apple Carplay as well as Android Auto. The boot space is significant though a bit smaller (257 litres) than Ford's earlier hatchbacks (300 litres). All-in-all Ford feels that it has a good package in hand. The introductory prices, the company says, are starting from Rs 5.09 and goes up to Rs 6.94 lakh for the top-variant petrol and Rs 7.89 lakh for diesel. The company promises a fuel economy of 19.9 kmpl for its 1.2 litre petrol engine while an average of 24.4 kmpl for the 1.5 litre diesel, producing 96 Nm and 100 Nm of torque respectively. Indian mobile manufacturing industry is expected to touch Rs 132,000 crore by the end of 2018, Electronics and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said on Thursday. India manufactured about 110 million mobile phones in 2015-16 as compared to 60 million in 2014-15, a growth of over 90 per cent. In value terms, India's mobile manufacturing industry produced mobile phones worth Rs 54,000 crore in FY15-16, compared to Rs 18,900 crore in FY14-15. This touched Rs 94,000 crore by the end of 2017, the minister said. He was speaking at an event organised by MeitY, ASSOCHAM and Ericsson. In terms of volume, in 2014 India produced 5 crore mobile phone made locally in India, which reached 15 crore in 2015-16. In 2017 the Indian mobile manufacturing industry produced 22 million mobile phones. "The industry would produce 50 million mobile phones by 2020," said the minister. In terms of electronics manufacturing units, the minister said that within three years, the industry added 120 such units. Two-third of these were mobile manufacturing units and there were 54 such units in Noida alone. These industries employ 5 lakh people, he added. After IT major Wipro announced a fall in its net profit which fell around 20.3 per cent to Rs 1,803 crore in the Q4 of FY ending March 2018 experts are saying that the growth engine for Wipro is challenged and it is not only for the present quarter but it has been happening over the last few years for the company. The experts with whom THE WEEK spoke to said that the company may have to face serious growth challenges if steps are not taken to steer the growth strategy for the company in the near future. The company has attributed the main reason for this poor quarterly performance due to the bankruptcy of its telecom client Aircel and the British energy client Carillion. Wipro is facing client related challenges and its growth engine is challenged. I feel that the company at the same time has not been able to manage its client portfolio well, as they did not foresee the future possibilities of their clients going bankrupt. Bankruptcy of its two clients may not have happened immediately and it would have been a result of months of challenges for its clients and so it was not an overnight phenomenon. They did not see that happening and suffered. The new financial year started on a challenging note and they will continue to have a tough time over the next few more quarters and it will take time for them to stabilize. It will have an affect on its stock performance also, Amit Chandra IT analyst at Mumbai-based HDFC Securities told THE WEEK. Another expert Kris Lakshmikanth, CEO and founder of Head Hunters India Limited, said that the poor growth performance of Wipro has been happening for quite some time and the previous CEO T.K. Kurien and its present CEO Abidali Neemuchwala has not been very successful in steering the growth for the company, though they have tried to implement their growth strategies but they have not been successful. The present management will not take Wipro anywhere because they have been struggling to get good business. I feel that the company's management lacks an aggressive marketing strategy and needs to up its spend more on marketing activities. I feel that Wipro's choice of Neemuchwala as its CEO has not translated into good business and there also needs to be a few management changes to steer growth in the company, said Lakshmikanth. Experts such as Alok Shende of Mumbai based Ascentius Consulting feel that the growth for the company is not coming and the company has not balanced its client portfolios well and they need to have a diversity in terms of portfolio of clients from all the verticals and not just concentrate on a limited number of verticals. Bankruptcy of a client can derail the complete growth performance of a company and can also drastically affect its bottom line also. I feel that their present and past strategies have not helped the company in achieving growth. I feel that with the improvement in the global economy, there can be some signs of improvement for the company this year, said Shende. As senior advocate Indu Malhotra's appointment to the Supreme Court was cleared by the Centre, the focus was on Justice K.M. Joseph, whose name had been recommended along with Indu Malhotra to be appointed as judge of the apex court. The file regarding Justice Joseph's elevation to the top court has been sent back by the Narendra Modi government to the Supreme Court collegium. The collegium had, on January 10, 2018, recommended Malhotra and Joseph to be appointed as Supreme Court judges. However, the Centre did not act on the recommendations for close to four months. Modi government's critics attacked it for allegedly being vindictive towards Justice Joseph, who is the Chief Justice of Uttarakhand High Court. It is said Justice Joseph's appointment to the Supreme Court was not cleared since he had struck down President's rule in Uttarakhand, allowing a petition by former chief minister Harish Rawat of the Congress. The delay in clearing Indu Malhotra's name was seen in terms of the difficulties of de-coupling the two recommendations. Clearing the file pertaining to Indu Malhotra's appointment, while keeping the recommendation regarding Justice Joseph pending, would have led to questions about why his name was not being cleared. Sending Justice Joseph's file back to the collegium would have led to a situation wherein the panel of apex court judges could have reiterated the recommendation, and then it would have been binding on the government to clear it. Justice Joseph's name had, in 2016, been recommended by the collegium for transfer to the Andhra Pradesh and Telangana High Court. That file was never cleared. However, the Centre has now bitten the bullet and sent back the file regarding the recommendation of Joseph's name to the collegium, setting the stage for the next level in the tussle between the government and the judiciary. The government has sent back Justice Joseph's name, refusing to clear his appointment based on the argument that there is already adequate representation from the Kerala High Court in the Supreme Court and among Chief Justices in the high courts. Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, in a letter to Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra, also wrote that Justice Joseph's elevation to the Supreme Court would breach the norm of seniority amongst judges of the high courts. There has been a sense of outrage in the higher judiciary with regard to the government sitting on recommendations of the collegium, and the instances of Malhotra and Joseph were often cited. Misra's colleagues in the collegium have taken up the issue of the government biding its time over proposals for appointment to the higher courts. Criticising the government for returning to the collegium the file pertaining to Joseph, the Congress said the Modi regime was threatening the independence of judiciary by not clearing appointments to the high courts and the Supreme Court. The government sits on recommendations of names that it feels are not suited to its interests. It wants to pack the high courts with its own people, said senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal. If the judiciary does not speak in one voice and does not stand up to protect its autonomy, democracy is in danger, he said. Rural internships, will now be applicable for students across all streams. While the government has not made it mandatory, students from 750 higher education institutions will go to rural areas to understand the problems of rural population, under Phase 2 of Unnat Bharat Abhiyan. The programme that was launched on Wednesday will eventually be extended to all higher education institutions. To cover the 45000 villages of the country under this movement, we need the participation of 8252 institutions of higher education. Higher education institutions are largely funded by government and peoples money and their participation in this campaign will be a payback time, said secretary, higher education, R. Subrahmanyam. Unnat Bharat Abhiyan is a flagship programme of the Ministry of Human Resources Development, with the intention to enrich rural India. The knowledge base and resources of the premier institutions of the country are to be leveraged to bring in transformational change in rural developmental process. Under the Unnat Bharat Abhiyan 2.0, the institutions have been selected on a Challenge Mode and the scheme has been extended to 750 reputed higher educational institutes both public and private of the country. Also, scope for providing Subject Expert Groups and Regional Coordinating Institutes to handhold and guide the participating institutions has been strengthened. IIT Delhi has been designated to function as the National Coordinating Institute for this programme. Each selected institute would adopt a cluster of villages/panchayats and gradually expand the outreach over a period of time. Institutes through their faculty and students, will carry out studies of living conditions in the adopted villages, assess the local problems and needs, workout the possibilities of leveraging the technological interventions and the need to improve the processes in implementation of various government schemes, and prepare workable action plans for the selected villages. The institutes would be expected to closely coordinate with the district administration, elected representatives of panchayat/villages and other stakeholders and will become very much a part of the process of development planning and implementation. In this process, faculty and students of such institutes would be re-oriented and connected to the rural realities so that their learning and research work also becomes more relevant to the society. Dr Satya Pal Singh, Minister of State for Human Resource Development appealed to the professors and students of the higher education institutions to motivate the rural public, particularly, the young generations for socio-economic development of the villages through various schemes and initiatives of rural development. In a major accident, at least 13 children were killed when the school van they were travelling in collided with a train at an unmanned rail crossing at Behpurva in Kushinagar district of Uttar Pradesh. The children, students of Divine Public School, were on their way to school on Thursday morning when the Thawe-Kapatanganj passenger train crashed into their van. According to reports, most of those killed are aged below 10. Several children were injured in the accident and rushed to a nearby hospital. Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of Kushinagar district, Akhilesh Kumar told a news agency that one child and the driver of the van were in critical condition. "It was an unmanned level crossing gate at Behpurva, with Gate Mitra deployed there. He tried to stop but unfortunate incident happened at unmanned gate 45 near Dudhi station in Banaras division," Ved Prakash, spokesperson for Railways said. An accident relief medical train from Gorakhpur has been dispatched to the site, he said. There were nearly 25 people in the van. The train was on way to Gorakhpur from Siwan. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath declared an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh to the families of each of the victims and directed an inquiry into the accident. Yogi expressed deepest condolences on this very unfortunate incident and also directed the district administration to provide all help and medical aid. Railway Minister Piyush Goyal also said that he had asked senior officials to conduct an inquiry into the incident. "Railways will provide an ex-gratia amount of Rs 2 lakh each to families of the deceased," he tweeted. Guwahati : A hardcore militant of banned outfit NDFB (S) had fled from the police custody in Assam's capital city Guwahati on Wednesday evening. According to the reports, the Bodo militant identified Kamakhya Daimary alias Kwnasong alias Konkor alias Kanta, who was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in 2015 in connection with the case no RC-01/2015 registered at NIA, Guwahati office had managed to flee from the police custody, while police taking him to produced before the NIA court in Guwahati. The Bodo militant was involved in the mass killing incident at Pakriguri village under Serfanguri police station in Kokrajhar district on December 23, 2014, where NDFB (S) militants had killed five innocent villagers and injuring four others. The NIA had arrested Kamakhya Daimary and 14 other militants in connection with with the mass killing case. The US government is conducting an intensive examination of alleged atrocities against Myanmars Rohingya Muslims, documenting accusations of murder, rape, beatings and other possible offenses in an investigation that could be used to prosecute Myanmars military for crimes against humanity, US officials told Reuters. The undertaking, led by the State Department, has involved more than a thousand interviews of Rohingya men and women in refugee camps in neighboring Bangladesh, where almost 700,000 Rohingya have fled after a military crackdown last year in Myanmars northwestern Rakhine State, two US officials said. The work is modeled on a US forensic investigation of mass atrocities in Sudans Darfur region in 2004, which led to a US declaration of genocide that culminated in economic sanctions against the Sudanese government. The interviews were conducted in March and April by about 20 investigators with backgrounds in international law and criminal justice, including some who worked on tribunals for Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia, the US officials said. The information will be analyzed in Washington and documented in a report to be sent to the State Departments leadership in May or early June, the officials said. Its unclear whether the Trump administration will publicly release the findings, or whether they will be used to justify new sanctions on the Myanmar government or a recommendation for international prosecution. The purpose of this investigation is to contribute to justice processes, including community awareness raising, international advocacy efforts, and community-based reconciliation efforts, as well as possible investigations, truth-seeking efforts, or other efforts for justice and accountability, said a document used by the investigators in the sprawling refugee camps and reviewed by Reuters. Three US officials in Washington and several people involved in the investigation on the ground in Bangladesh disclosed details of the fact-finding operation to Reuters. A State Department official, asked to confirm the specifics of the investigation conducted in the refugee camps as reported by Reuters, said the program details are accurate. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the US government was using all available information and a wide range of tools, but added: We cannot get ahead of the deliberative, policymaking process. As of publication, the Myanmar government and military had not responded to questions from Reuters. Myanmar has said its operations in Rakhine were a legitimate response to attacks on security forces by Rohingya insurgents. The interviewers in the camps asked the refugees basic demographic questions, the date the person left Myanmar, and to recount their experiences during the wave of violence unleashed against the Rohingya in Rakhine State by the Myanmar military and local Buddhist residents. The investigators also asked refugees to describe the battalions and weaponry used by the Myanmar military in Rakhine State during operations against the Rohingya, said one person involved with the investigation in the camps, which are located in the Coxs Bazar district in southern Bangladesh. The investigators have received names of individual perpetrators and the identities of specific battalions allegedly involved, this person said. A second person involved in the project on the ground said 1,025 refugees have been interviewed and the assignment may include a second phase focused on military units. Zohra Khatun, 35, a Rohingya refugee in the camps, said she told investigators that soldiers waged a campaign of violence and harassment in her village in Rakhine State starting last August. They made arrests and shot several people, driving her and others to flee, she said. One military officer grabbed me by the throat and tried to take me, she told Reuters, clutching her shirt collar to demonstrate. The military, she said, burned homes in the village, including hers. The investigation coincides with a debate inside the US government and on Capitol Hill over whether the Trump administration has done enough to hold Myanmars military to account for brutal violence against the largely stateless Rohingya. The Rohingya are a small Muslim minority in majority-Buddhist Myanmar. Though they have been present in whats now Myanmar for generations, many Burmese consider them to be interlopers. Violence against them has increased in recent years as the country has made a partial shift to democratic governance. In November, following the lead of the United Nations and the European Union, then-Secretary of State Rex Tillerson declared that the Rohingya crisis constituted ethnic cleansing, a designation that raised the possibility of additional sanctions against Myanmars military commanders and increased pressure on its civilian leader, Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi. The Myanmar government has denied the accusations. The United States responded in December by imposing targeted sanctions on one Myanmar general and threatening to penalize others. Washington has also scaled back already-limited military ties with Myanmar since the Rohingya crisis began. Human rights groups and Democratic lawmakers in Washington have urged the Republican White House to widen sanctions and designate the violence as crimes against humanity, a legal term that can set the stage for charges at the International Criminal Court in The Hague. No decisions have been made on that front, but its something being looked at very carefully, a senior Trump administration official told Reuters. A Reuters investigation published in February provided the first independent confirmation of what had taken place in the village of Inn Din, where 10 Rohingya Muslim men and boys were hacked to death by Rakhine Buddhist villagers or shot by security force members. The story was based on accounts not only from Rohingya refugees but also from soldiers, police officers and Buddhist locals who admitted to participating in the bloodshed. Pictures obtained by Reuters showed the men and boys with their hands tied behind their backs and their bodies in a shallow grave. Two Reuters journalists were jailed while reporting the story and remain in prison in Yangon, where they face up to 14 years in jail on possible charges of violating Myanmars Official Secrets Act. So far, there has been resistance by lawyers in the White House and State Department to adopt the terms crimes against humanity or genocide in describing deaths of Rohingya in Myanmar, the US officials said. The State Department itself has been divided over how to characterize or interpret the violence against the Rohingya, the officials said. The East Asian and Pacific Affairs Bureau, staffed largely by career diplomats and representing the view of the embassy in Myanmar, has held at times to a success narrative on Myanmar since the lifting of sanctions was announced in October 2016 and the strong public role played by the US government in the historic 2012 opening of the country after decades of military rule, one official said. Diplomats in Yangon have also been reluctant to jeopardize Washingtons relationship with Suu Kyi, a democratic icon who has faced criticism for failing to do more to rein in the violence against the Rohingya. Some senior US officials still believe Suu Kyi remains the best hope for a more democratic Myanmar, one official said. They are reluctant to upset that relationship. That contrasts with the State Departments Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, based in Washington, which has pushed for tougher sanctions, the officials said. Bridging that gap has been made more difficult because the State Department under President Donald Trump has yet to fill many important diplomatic positions, the officials said. Officials described the process in the refugee camps of documenting the abuses as rigorous. Each interview was coded with key words according to the alleged crime, such as killing, rape, sexual violence and lynching. Different categories of alleged perpetrator also have codes from civilians to insurgents, Myanmar military personnel and police. After the 1,000 interviews and statistical analysis, we can draw certain conclusions about the perpetrators of crime and patterns of crime, one official said. The official said one possible result from the documentation of abuses against the Rohingya could be a vote by the United Nations General Assembly to establish an international body to investigate the most serious crimes committed against the Rohingya, similar to what its done with Syria. The State Department did not respond to questions about divisions within the administration over how to characterize the violence and criticism that the administration was too slow in acting to halt abuses. Subiya Khatun, 29, who fled her Rakhine home in September and reported seeing three dead bodies in a canal on her way to the Bangladesh border, said she hoped for justice and a safe return to Myanmar. They said they have come from America. This investigation will be used for your help, she said she was told by the people who interviewed her in the camps. If Allah wishes, we will get justice and our demands will be fulfilled. -Reuters Kathmandu, Nepal: Nepali Nationals living in the US under Temporary Protected Status (TPS) have been lobbying to extend for a time being after the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) initiated process to cancel the temporary residency permits of about 9,000 Nepali immigrants. The US government has already initiated process to expel foreigners including Nepalese living in the US with some form of provisional status like TPS. Quoting to the Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, various media have reported that the Trump administration is planning to give the Nepalese a one-year grace period to prepare for their departure or face a forceful deportation after June 24, 2019. The US government had extended the TPS for about one year period to the Nepalese nationals living in the US after devastating earthquake on April 25, 2015 in Nepal. As there is no reason to seek extension of the TPS, Nepal government would not seek a TPS extension to the 9,000 Nepali nationals living in the United States, though they have been lobbying from different channels, an officials at Ministry of Foreign Affairs MoFA) said preferring anonymity. To, The Prime Minister of India, Prime Ministeras Office, South Block, Raisina Hill, New Delhi 110 001. 21 April 2018 Mr Prime Minister, We are academics and independent scholars from India and abroad, writing to express solidarity with, and to endorse the sentiments expressed by, forty-nine retired civil servants in their open letter to you of April 16th 2018. Along with these civil servants and countless other citizens of India and the world at large, we wish to express our deep anger and anguish over the events in Kathua and Unnao and the aftermath of these events; over the efforts, in both cases, of those administering the relevant States to protect the alleged perpetrators of these monstrous crimes; over the subsequent profoundly distasteful efforts of rationalisation, deflection and diversion that have been so much in evidence in the reactions of your partyas spokespersons in the media; and finally over your own prolonged (and by now familiar) silence that was broken only recently with wholly inadequate, platitudinous, and non-specific assurances of justice for the victims. Kathua and Unnao are not isolated incidents. They are part of a pattern of repeated targeted attacks on minority religious communities, Dalits, tribals and women, in which rape and lynching have been employed as instruments of violence by gau rakshaks and others, in a sequence of events spread across Dadri in Uttar Pradesh (2015), Udhampur in Jammu and Kashmir (2015), Bijapur and Sukma in Chhattisgarh (2015-16), Harda in Madhya Pradesh (2016), Latehar in Jharkand (2016), Una in Gujarat (2016), Rohtak in Haryana (2017), Delhi (2017), Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh (2017), and now Jammu and Kashmir and Uttar Pradesh (2018). Many of these events have occurred in States with BJP Governments, and all of them after the BJP assumed power at the Centre. This is not to associate violence exclusively with your party and with State governments presided over by your party. But there is an undeniable association with the ruling dispensation. There is little evidence, in government action, of an appreciation of the importance of providing assistance to vulnerable sections of the society a whether through promotional measures aimed at enabling tribals and nomads to have access to forest and common property rights, or through preventive measures aimed at discouraging blatant breaches of the rule of law. Even the Allahabad High Court on April 12th 2018 observed: aIf this is the conduct of the police in the state, whom will a victim approach to register a complaint? If this is the stand you are repeatedly taking then we will be forced to observe in our order that law and order has collapsed in the statea . We send you this letter because it is our duty to do so; so that we are not guilty of silence; and so that callousness and cowardice might finally draw the line at the broken body of a little girl and the rape of a young woman. Signed: List of signatories N Abhilaasha, Centre for Urban Equity, Ahmedabad Lila Abu-Lughod, Columbia University, New York, USA Arnab Acharya, Independent researcher, Washington D.C. Anindita Adhikari , Brown University, USA Tanvir Aeijaz, Ramjas College, Delhi Farzana Afridi, Delhi Aftab Ahmad, Columbia University, New York, USA Huma Ahmed-Ghosh, San Diego State University, CA, USA Aniket Alam, International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad Seema Alavi, University of Delhi, Delhi Meena Alexander, Hunter College/Graduate Center, CUNY, New York, USA Dibyesh Anand, University of Westminster, UK Anandhi, Chennai. Krishna Ananth, SRM University a AP Amaravati Mary Anderson: Harvard University and Boston Psychoanalytic Society and Institute, USA Aneesh, K.A., Jawaharlal Nehru Institute, New Delhi Gil Anidjar, Columbia University, New York, USA Anitha Kumary L, Trivandrum Sundari Anitha, University of Lincoln, United Kingdom Annamalai, University of Chicago, USA Shaik Dawood Ansari, Open Campus Madang, University of Papua New Guinea Arjun Appadurai, New York University, New York, USA Anjali Arondekar, UCLA, USA Balveer Arora, Emeritus Professor and Chairman, Centre for Multilevel Federalism P K Yasser Arafath, University of Delhi, Delhi Shoba Arun, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK Arunima, JNU, New Delhi Nina Asher, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, USA Kiran Asher, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA Prashanth Asuri, Santa Clara University, USA Jayadev Athreya, University of Washington, USA Venkatesh Athreya, Social Activist and Retired Academic, Chennai Madhav Badami, McGill University, Montreal, Canada Amiya Kumar Bagchi, (Emeritus), Institute for Development Studies, Kolkata Barnita Bagchi, Utrecht University, Netherlands Neha Bagle, IIM Ahmedabad Vidura Jang Bahadur, University of Chicago, Chicago, USA Amit R. Baishya, Assistant Professor, Department of English, University of Oklahoma Mira Bakhru, Retd faculty, IIM Bangalore, Bnagalore. Aparna Balachandran, University of Delhi, Delhi Radhika Balakrishnan, Rutgers University, U.S.A Sai Balakrishnan, Harvard University, Cambridge MA, USA Sujata Balasubramanian, Hong Kong University of Science & Technology, Hong Kong Swethaa S. Ballakrishnen, New York University Abu Dhabi, UAE Sibaji Bandyopadhyay, Retd Professor, Centre for Studies in Social Sciences, Calcutta Abhijit Banerjee, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA Arindam Banerjee, Ambedkar University, Delhi Chinmoy Banerjee, Emeritus, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada Sukanya Banerjee, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, USA Sumanta Banerjee, Independent Researcher, Hyderabad Parama Barai, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur. Syamal Kumar Basak (Retd), Presidency College/University, Kolkata Rakesh Basant, Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad Alaka Basu, Cornell University, U.S.A Amrita Basu, Amherst College, Mass, USA Deepankar Basu, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst MA, USA Kunal Basu, University of Oxford, UK Lopamudra Basu, University of Wisconsin-Stout Kanika Batra, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas, USA Amita Baviskar, Institute of Economic Growth, Delhi Rana P. Behal, University of Delhi, India. Jyothsna Belliappa, Bangalore Yael Berda, Hebrew University and Harvard University, USA Amit Bhaduri, (Emeritus), JNU, New Delhi. Monika Bhagat-Kennedy, University of Mississippi Manu Bhagavan, Hunter College and the Graduate Center-CUNY, New York, USA Alok Bhalla, Former Professor of English, English and Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad. Sheila Bhalla, (Emerita): Jawaharlal Nehru University, and Visiting: Institute of Human Development, New Delhi Brenna Bhandar, SOAS, University of London, London UK Gauri Bharat, CEPT University, Ahmedabad Ira Bhaskar, JNU, New Delhi Saurabh Bhattacharjee, The WB National University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata Baidik Bhattacharya, University of Delhi. Delhi Neeladri Bhattacharya, Retd from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi Sucheta Bhattacharya, Jadavpur University, Kolkata Debjani Bhattacharyya, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA Devaki Bhaya, Stanford, CA, USA Bhangya Bhukya, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad Akeel Bilgrami, Columbia University, U.S.A. A K Biswas, Former Vice-Chancellor, B R Ambedkar Bihar University, Muzaffarpur, Bihar BAnil Biswas, Ambedkar University, Delhi Moinak Biswas, Professor, Jadavpur University, Kolkata Cavery Bopaiah, Bangalore Mita Bose, retired, Indraprastha College, Delhi University and currently Adjunct faculty at ICFAI Business School, Gurugram, Haryana Tirthankar Bose, Simon Fraser University, Canada Saronik Bosu, New York University, New York, USA Guillaume Boucher, UniversitA de MontrAal, Montreal, Canada Milind Brahme, Chennai, India Vacha Brat, IIM, Ahmedabad Carmen Bugan, writer and independent scholar, Long Island, USA Eleanor Byrne, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK Maya Chadda, William Paterson University, NJ, USA Kunal Chakrabarti, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. Achin Chakraborty, Institute for Development Studies, Kolkata Chandrima Chakraborty, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada Lekha Chakraborty, National Institute of Public Finance and Policy, New Delhi Madhurima Chakraborty, Columbia College Chicago Pinaki Chakraborty, New Delhi Rudrashish Chakraborty, Kirori Mal College, Delhi Shouvik Chakraborty, PERI, University of Massachussetts Amherst, U.S.A Ranabir Chakravarti, JNU, New Delhi Paula Chakravartty, New York University, New York, USA Mrinalini Chakravorty, University of Virginia, USA Barnali Chanda, Techno India University, Kolkata Sudhir Chandra, Historian Vinita Chandra, Ramjas College, Delhi P. Chandrasekhar, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. Tarun Chandrayadula, IIT Madras, Chennai Charusheela, University of Washington Bothell, USA Sayaka Chatani, National University of Singapore, Singapore Amita Chatterjee, Retired Professor of Philosophy, Jadavpur University Ananya Chatterjea, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA Indrani Chatterjee, University of Texas at Austin, USA Sreeparna Chattopadhyay, Bangalore Suchetana Chattopadhyay, Jadavpur University, Kolkata Ruchi Chaturvedi, University of Cape Town, South Africa Amit Chaudhuri, Writer, Calcutta Aparna Chaudhuri, Harvard University, Cambridge, USA Rosinka Chaudhuri, Centre for Studies in Social Sciences, Calcutta Sudip Chaudhuri, Indian Institute of Management, Kolkata. Sukanta Chaudhuri, (Emeritus), Jadavpur University, Kolkata Supriya Chaudhuri, (Emeritia). Jadavpur University, Kolkata Wendy Chavkin MD, MPH, Columbia University, New York, USA Ying Chen, New School for Social Research, New York, USA Anuradha Mitra Chenoy, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi Kamal Mitra Chenoy, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi Dolores Chew, Concordia University, Montreal, Canada Anita Chikkatur, Carleton College, Northfield, MN Camille Cole, Yale University, U.S.A Andrew Cornford, Geneva Finance Observatory, Switzerland Amrita Chhachhi, International Institute of Social Studies, The Hague, The Netherlands Jagdeep Chhokar, Professor (Retired), Indian Institute of Management,Ahmedabad Sarah E. Chinn, Hunter College, CUNY, New York, USA Deborah Choate, MD, Boston Psychoanalytic Society and Institute, Boston, USA Noam Chomsky, ( Emeritus) Massachussetts Institute of Technology, and University of Arizona, U.S.A Deepta Chopra, Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK Elora Halim Chowdhury, University of Massachusetts Boston, USA Indira Chowdhury Bengaluru, India Indranil Chowdhury, University of Delhi, Delhi Nusrat S Chowdhury, Amherst College, Massachusetts, USA Sayandeb Chowdhury, Ambedkar University, Delhi Francis Cody, University of Toronto, Canada Karen Coelho, Madras Institute of Development Studies, Chennai Camille Cole, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA Jonathan R. Cole, Columbia University, New York, USA Andrew Cornford, Geneva Finance Observatory, Switzerland Romar Correa, (Retd from) University of Mumbai, Mumbai Vedita Cowaloosur, Charles Telfair Institute, Mauritius Vasudha Dalmia, (Emerita), University of California, Berkeley Katyayani Dalmia, The New School for Social Research, New York, USA Sumangala Damodaran, Ambedkar University, Delhi Vinita Damodaran, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK Bijay K Danta, Tezpur, Assam Jane DaArista, U/Mass, Amherst, USA Debapratim Das, Guwahati Debarshi Das, IIT Guwahati Mausumi Das, Delhi School of Economics, Delhi Raju J. Das, York University, Toronto, Canada Samantak Das, Jadavpur University, Kolkata Shinjini Das, University of Oxford, UK Amlan Dasgupta, Jadavpur University, Kolkata Anirban Dasgupta, South Asian University, New Delhi Indraneel Dasgupta, Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata Sunanda Dasgupta, Brandenburg University of Technology, Cottbus-Senftenberg, Germany Sejuti Das Gupta, Michigan State University, USA Tanya Das Gupta, Toronto, Canada Minati Dash, ICSSR, New Delhi. Manipadma Datta, TERI School of Advanced Studies( Deemed University), New Delhi Ruth Davis, Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, CA, USA Subah Dayal, Tulane University, New Orleans, USA Rohit De, Yale University, New Haven, USA Ananya Debnath, Jodhpur, Rajastahn Sowmya Dechamma C C, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, India Narayana Delampady, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala Minoo Derayeh, Toronto, Canada Manisha Desai, University of Connecticut, Storrs, USA Radhika Desai, University of Manitoba, Canada Jigna Desai, CEPT University, Ahmedabad. Jigna Desai, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA Miki and Madhavi Desai, Ahmedabad Renu Desai, Ahmedabad Anirudh Deshpande, Department of History, Delhi University Ashwini Deshpande, Delhi School of Economics, Delhi Satish Deshpande, Delhi University, Delhi Sudhanva Deshpande, LeftWord Books, New Delhi Peter Ronald deSouza, CSDS, Delhi Sanchia deSouza, University of Toronto, Canada Devika, J. Centre for Development Studies, Thiruvananthapuram Ritu Dewan, Centre for Development Research and Action; Centre for Study of Society and Secularism, Mumbai Bikramjit Dey, The West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata Meena Dhanda, University of Wolverhampton, U. K Biswajit Dhar, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi Anubha Dhasmana, Bangalore Roopa Dhawan, Ramjasa College, Delhi University Jean Dreze, (Visiting): Ranchi University Rohan DaSouza, Kyoto University, Japan Prasenjit Duara, Duke University, Durham, USA Navroz K. Dubash, New Delhi Vebhuti Duggal, Ambedkar University, Delhi Durga Bhavani, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad Madhumita Dutta, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA Nandini Dutta, Miranda House, Delhi Souraj Dutta, St Andrews University, UK Nata Duvvury, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland Carolyn Elliott, Professor Emerita, University of Vermont Meher Engineer, All India Forum on the Right to Education, New Delhi Gerald Epstein, University of Massachusetts Amherst, USA Pradeep Esteves, Context India, Bangalore Richard Falk, (Emeritus): Princeton University, U.S.A Alfredo Saad Filho, Department of Development Studies, SOAS University of London Michelle Fine, CUNY, New York, USA Nancy Folbre, PERI, University of Massachussetts Amherst, U.S.A Geraldine Forbes, Distinguished Teaching Professor Emerita, State University of New York Oswego, USA Colm Fox, Singapore Management University, School of Social Sciences, Singapore Smitha Francis, New Delhi Karen Gabriel, St Stephenas College, Delhi Rahul K Gairola, Murdoch University, Perth, Australia Toral Gajarawala, New York University, New York, USA Rajmohan Gandhi, Gurgaon Lata Gangadharan, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia Gangadhar, All India Forum for Right to Education Debjani Ganguly, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, USA Geetanjali Shree, Writer Maitreesh Ghatak, London Shool of Economics, U.K Saran Ghatak, Professor, Keene State College, USA Asher Ghertner, Rutgers University, USA Professor Aisha K. Gill, University of Roehampton, UK. Sayantan Ghosal, University of Glasgow, UK Arunabh Ghosh, Harvard University, U.S.A Devleena Ghosh, University of Technology, Sydney, Australia Jayati Ghosh, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi Partha Ghosh, Institute of Social Sciences, New Delhi Suman Ghosh, Florida Atlantic University , USA Geetha Gokul, St. Thomasa College, Trichur, Kerala Priyamvada Gopal, University of Cambridge, UK Radha Gopalan, Independent Researcher and Educationist, Goa Gayatri Gopinath, New York University, New York, USA Manu Goswami, New York University, New York, USA Gregory Goulding, University of Pennsylvania, PA, USA Paul Greenough, University of Iowa, USA Sumit Guha, University of Texas at Austin, USA Tapati Guha-Thakurta, Centre for the Study of Social Sciences, Calcutta, Kolkata Akhil Gupta, University of California, Los Angeles Bishnupriya Gupta, Warwick University, UK Ruchira Gupta, New York University and University of California at Berkeley, U.S.A Sayan Gupta, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai. Smita Gupta, independent economist, New Delhi Vikas Gupta, Department of History, Delhi University, Delhi Vishal Gupta, Ahmedabad Dean Gupta-Casale, Kean University, NJ, USA Nira Gupta-Casale, Kean University, NJ, USA Jaideep Gupte, Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex UK Shubhra Gururani, York University, Toronto, Canada Abha Dev Habib, Miranda House, Delhi John Harriss, Simon Fraser University and Centre for Modern Indian Studies, Goettingen, Germany Farhat Hasan, University of Delhi, Delhi. Zoya Hasan, (Emerita): Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi Rim Hassen, Warwick University, UK Neeraj Hatekar, University of Mumbai, Mumbai John C. Hawley, Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, CA, USA Himanshu, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. Indira Hirway, Center For Development Alternatives, Ahmedabad Nalini Iyer, Seattle University, USA Priyadarshini Iyer, IIM a Ahmedabad Srikanth Krishnan Iyer, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore Vijay Iyer, Harvard University, Cambridge, USA Krati Jain, CEPT University, Ahmedabad, India Sanjay Jain, University of Oxford, UK Sarandha Jain, Columbia University, New York, USA Sheena Jain, formerly Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi Kathleen James-Chakraborty, University College, Deublin, Ireland Sadia Jamil, Islamabad, Pakistan Russell Janis, J.D., University of Massachussetts Amherst, U.S.A Niraja Gopal Jayal, JNU, New Delhi Jayaraj, retired economist, Chennai Rajshri Jayaraman, ESMT Berlin, Germany Katherine Jellison, Ohio University, USA Praveen Jha, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi Gita Johar, Columbia University, New York, USA May Joseph, Pratt Institute, New York, USA Yogi Joseph, Concordia University, Montreal, Canada Chitra Joshi, Delhi University, New Delhi Rutul Joshi, CEPT University, Ahmedabad Amalendu Jyotishi, Amrita School of Business, Bangalore Tanishka Kachru, National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad K K Kailash, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad A. Kalam, C. K. Prahalad Centre for Emerging India, Loyola campus, Chennai Vidya Kalaramadam, Willliam Paterson University of New Jersey, USA Sangeeta Kamat, University of Massachusetts Amherst, USA Uma S Kambhampati, University of Reading, Reading, UK Milind Kandlikar, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada, Kalpana Kannabiran, Council for Social Development, Hyderabad. Ankur Kapoor, Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad Geeta Kapur, independent art critic, New Delhi Manju Kapur, writer and ex faculty Miranda House College, Delhi University, Delhi Ajit Karnik, Mumbai/Dubai Massoud Karshanas, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, U.K Malavika Kasturi, University of Toronto, Canada Nilofer Kaul, Delhi Nitasha Kaul, University of Westminster, UK Rajender Kaur, William Paterson University, New Jersey, USA Mukul Kesavan, Jamia Milia Islamia, New Delhi Prashant Keshavmurthy, McGill University, Montreal, Canada Rana Khan, Toronto, Canada Stuti Khanna, IIT Delhi, Delhi Sushil Khanna, (Retd.), Indian Institute of Management, Kolkata. Reetika Khera, IIT, Delhi Ateya Khorakiwala, Princeton University, NJ, USA Ayesha Kidwai, , Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi Viktoriya Kim, Osaka University, Japan Praveena Kodoth, Centre for Development Studies, Trivandrum Dean Kotlowski, Salisbury University, MD, USA Ashok, Kotwal, (Emeritus): The University of British Columbia, Vancouver B.C, Canada Ashutosh V. Kotwal, Duke University, Durham, USA Astrid von Kotze, University of the Western Cape, South Africa Jane Krishnadas, School of Law, Keele., UK Preeti Krishnan, Bengaluru Radhika Krishnan, IIT Hyderabad Aishwary Kumar, School of Humanities and Sciences, Stanford University, USA Arun Kumar, Institute of Social Sciences, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi Avinash Kumar, Jawaharla Nehru University, New Delhi. Deepak Kumar, JNU, New Delhi Nita Kumar, Claremont McKenna College, Claremont, CA, USA Udaya Kumar, Centre for English Studies, JNU, New Delhi. Rachel Kurien, International Institute of Social Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands Somjita Laha, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa Nayanjot Lahiri, Ashoka University, Delhi Vinay Lal, University of California, Los Angeles, USA Rachel Lee, Institut fAr Kunstgeschichte, Munich, Germany Roselyn Lemus, Mexico City, USA Mark Liechty, The University of Illinois at Chicago, USA Cynthia A. Leenerts, East Stroudsburg University, PA, USA David Lelyveld, New York, USA Karen Leonard, University of California at Irvine, CA, USA Jinee Lokaneeta, Drew University, Madison, NJ, USA Ania Loomba, University of Pennsylvania, USA David Ludden, New York University, New York, USA Ritty Lukose, Associate Professor, New York University, USA. Anuja Madan, Kansas State University, Kansas, USA. Punnappurath Madhavan, English and Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad Aruna Magier, New York University, New York, USA Darshini Mahadevia, CEPT University, Ahmedabad Swadesh M Mahajan, University of Texas at Austin, USA Ram Mahalingam, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor Durairaj Maheswaran, NYU, New York, USA Pushkar Maitra, Monash Business School, Monash University, Australia Bipasha Maity, Ashoka University, Sonepat, Haryana Rochona Majumdar, The University of Chicago, USA Anshu Malhotra, University of Delhi, Delhi Meenakshi Malhotra, Hansraj college, Delhi Ashok Malla, McGill University, Canada Mukul Mangalik, Ramjas College, University of Delhi Anandi Mani, University of Oxford, UK Preetha Mani, Rutgers University, USA Nissim Mannathukkaren, Dalhousie University Canada. Anuradha Marwah, Zakir Hussain College, New Delhi Raveena Mascarenhas, Mangaluru Manu V. Mathai, Bengaluru John Mathew, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune Shency Mathew, Gulati Institute of Finance & Taxation, Thiruvananthapuram Navdeep Mathur, Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad Deepak Maun, Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad. Ranjani Mazumdar, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. Lyla Mehta, Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex UK Rushi Mehta, Utrecht, Netherlands Uday S. Mehta, Graduate Center, CUNY, New York, USA Gayatri Menon, Azim Premji University, Bengaluru Kalyani Devaki Menon, De Paul University, Chicago, USA Ritu Menon, Women Unlimited, New Delhi Kalyani Menon-Sen, Independent Researcher, New Delhi. Tushar Meshram, Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad Zain R. Mian, McGill University, Montreal, Canada John Miller, Wheaton College, Massachussetts, U.S.A Raza Mir, William Paterson University, NJ, USA Payoshni Mitra, Independent researcher and activist, London, UK Siddhartha Mitra, Jadavpur University, Kolkata Sona Mitra, Centre for Budget and Governance Accountability, New Delhi Gautam Mody, New Trade Union Initiative Nasreen A. Mohamed, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA Chandra Talpade Mohanty, Syracuse University, NY, USA Mritiunjoy Mohanty, Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, Kolkata Himansu S. Mohapatra, Bhubaneshwar, Odisha Bidisha Mondal, National Institute of Public Finance and Policy, New Delhi Radhika Mongia, York University, Canada Dilip Mookherjee, Boston University, Boston MA, USA Sripad Motiram, University of Massachussetts, Boston, U.S.A Sharun Mukand, University of Warwick, UK Projit Bihari Mukharji, University of Pennsylvania, USA Ankhi Mukherjee, University of Oxford, UK Arun P. Mukherjee, Professor Emeritus, York University, Toronto, Canada. Ashesh Mukherjee, McGill University, Montreal, Canada Debashree Mukherjee, Columbia University, New York, USA Debraj Mukherjee, Ramjas College, Delhi Sajni Mukherji, Retd. Professor, English dept., Jadavpur University, Kolkata Sanjukta Mukherjee, DePaul University, Chicago, USA Upamanyu Pablo Mukherjee, Warwick University, UK Harbans Mukhia, Former Professor of History and Rector, JNU, New Delhi Akshaya Mukul, Delhi Angelie Multani, Academic, New Delhi. Kanta Murali, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada Maroona Murmu, Jadavpur University, Kolkata Hema A Murthy, Dept. of CS&E IIT Madras Ishwar Murthy, IIMB, Bangalore M V N Murthy, Professor Emeritus, The Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Chennai Rajluxmi Vaish Murthy, IIMB, Bangalore Milind Murugkar , researcher, Nashik , India Barnali Nag, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur Richa Nagar, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, USA Nagaraj, Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research, Mumbai Harini Nagendra , Bangalore Ratna Naidu, Professor (retd.) University of Hyderabad and former Vice Chancellor, SPMVV, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh A Metro-North Commuter Railroad spokesman said Friday that the line expected to meet regulators' deadline to install positive train control equipment, after the Federal Railroad Administration questioned its progress. Metro-North tracks also carry Amtrak trains from Albany along part of their route to New York City. Metro-North had installed just 63 percent of the required hardware for positive train control, a system designed to prevent collisions and derailments, by the end of last year, Federal Railroad Administration Administrator Ronald L. Batory wrote to Catherine Rinaldi, president of Metro-North. But an updated scorecard on PTC progress presented at an MTA board meeting last week shows the railroad now has 81 percent of the installed hardware and 84 percent of its employees trained on the system. No PTC segments are yet in operation, the scorecard shows. But Metro-North said it expects to begin so-called "revenue service demonstrations" on its routes by the end of the year. It also has acquired all the radio spectrum needed to operate PTC. Both of those achievements would appear to qualify it for an extension of the deadline for full implementation of PTC, according to regulators. The FRA, in a letter to Metro-North on Wednesday, said it believed Metro-North is "at risk" of not being able to qualify for an extension of the deadline. That in turn could affect Amtrak's operations on the Empire Corridor. "Getting PTC installed as soon as possible should be at the top of Metro-North's priority list," U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer said Thursday. He had helped secure a nearly $1 billion low-cost loan to pay for the PTC project. "With a mandated deadline quickly approaching, it's alarming that the Federal Railroad Administration is still raising concerns about the pace of progress at Metro-North." The National Transportation Safety Board first called for PTC in 1970, and in 1990 the technology was added to its most wanted list. After a commuter train in September 2008 ran through a stop signal in California and struck a freight train head-on, killing 25 people, Congress passed legislation requiring PTC by the end of 2015. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Under pressure from railroads, the deadline was moved to the end of 2018. Officials have said PTC likely would have prevented a Metro-North derailment in 2013 that killed four people after the engineer headed into a curve at excessive speed and two Amtrak derailments also caused by speeding on curves, one in Philadelphia in 2015 that killed eight and another this past December in Washington state that killed three. Amtrak trains use Metro-North tracks between Poughkeepsie and New York City. On Thursday, an Amtrak spokesman said only that the railroad was "working with our various hosts and tenants as they install and test the necessary PTC hardware." Schenectady The New York BizLab, the start-up incubator on State Street in downtown Schenectady, is celebrating three years in existence this week. By historical standards, the project, backed by Transfinder owner Antonio Civitella and operated by Rick D'Errico, his public relations director, has been extremely successful. The New York BizLab officially opened on April 24, 2015. "On that day, it began to snow and we had an outdoor ceremony, complete with Congressman Tonko, Angelo Santabarbara, even the head of the StartUp NY program at the time, Leslie Whatley," D'Errico recalls, thinking back to the day when it all began. The BizLab already had its first tenant in place, SureDone, a software company from New York City that had moved in the month before. Since then, a lot has been accomplished. A year-and-a-half later, the BizLab graduated its first company, Lottery Rewards, a lottery affinity web site that got a $1.9 million investment from the Bala brothers and their firm Velan Ventures. The Balas moved Lottery Rewards to their offices in Troy where they have their own start-up video game company that may one day rival their previous company, Vicarious Visions of Menands. Next month, a company that makes gun locks called Vara USA, will make the BizLab home, the ninth company to do so. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. And the BizLab has been about more than just getting start-up companies off the ground. D'Errico, a former journalist who is the managing director of the BizLab in addition to his job at Transfinder, has also helped launch a funding network to provide financing to companies and has brought in many different professionals to lend their expertise to tenants on everything from legal issues to marketing. The BizLab also features speakers in a lunchtime series launched with Clarkson University. "This month marks the one-year anniversary of the BizLab-Clarkson Lunchtime Entrepreneurship Series," D'Errico said. Speakers have included local entrepreneurs Frank Poore, who just sold CommerceHub for $1.1 billion, Brian Corrigan, who sold MadGlory, a video game company, for an undisclosed sum, Vikram Agrawal, who sold healthcare software company eTransmedia, also for an undisclosed sum, and Guha and Karthik Bala of Velan Ventures. On Thursday, it hosted Lisa Avila, CEO of Kitware, a Saratoga County software company. MILTON The anonymous donor who was willing to give the town $500,000 to buy Boyhaven and preserve it as a park has withdrawn his offer. Town Planning Board Chair Larry Woolbright, who has been working with the Twin Rivers Council of the Boy Scouts of America since July 2017 on the purchase, said Wednesday night at the Town Board meeting that the donor withdrew after his name was leaked and the Ballston Journal's blog questioned where the donor gets his money. The withdrawal of the donation threatens the purchase, which was already on shaky ground because the town missed its Dec. 31, 2017 to give the Boys Scouts a closing date. It will miss its second deadline Thursday, April 26 because of the lost donation. "It's a beautiful place and would have made a spectacular park for generations to come," Woolbright said. "A civic minded individual was willing to donate $500,000, but because someone put out his name, the donor has taken the money off the table. The situation looks bleak." The room full of residents gasped when Woolbright announced the donor was backing out. Most there came in support of the park along on Middle Grove Road and Route 29. Many on the board were also upset. Councilman Benny Zlotnick wondered how the deal can be salvaged or if the donor might be persuaded to come back. Woolbright thought it was unlikely, again, fearing that his identity would be revealed. Councilwoman Barbara Kerr thought the board should demonstrate its commitment to the Boy Scout council and vote to approve the sale and figure out the financing later. Supervisor Scott Ostrander who has been reluctant to take on Boyhaven, filled with trails and a swimming lake, said the town cannot do that. "How can we come up with another $500,000?" he said. "We need to keep this place afloat. People complained that we doubled their taxes last year. And now we have to come up with probably another $600,000." Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Boy Scout Council member Drew Chesney said that missing the deadline means that the Scouting group can go out to bid again. A developer is interested in the property, but the council would not reveal who the developer is. Everyone who spoke was in favor of the town figuring out a way to come up with the money. The only person to speak again the Boyhaven park was Frank Rossi Jr., whose father is a developer. "It's a shell game," Rossi said. "This is a lot of damn money to spend." Zlotnick emphasized that the town has to stop stalling and move quickly. He called for an emergency meeting. One is scheduled at 7 p.m. Tuesday. "No one cares if their taxes are going up," Zlotnick said. "The only thing I hear from people is when are we going to get the 300 acres. It's incumbent upon us to act." ALBANY - Democrats in the state Senate, buoyed by the results in Tuesday's special election including a decisive win in Westchester County said they remain confident about their chances to gain control of the chamber in the November elections. Their chest thumping came as state Sen. Kathy Marchione, R-Halfmoon, told the Saratoga County GOP Committee on Wednesday night that she would step down at the end of the year and will not seek another term. Marchione was elected to the state Senate in 2012 and previously served as Saratoga County clerk and Halfmoon town supervisor. Her abrupt exit will set off a scramble by Republicans to find a new candidate for the Senate district that includes Columbia and parts of Saratoga, Rensselaer and Washington counties. It was not immediately clear what prompted Marchione's departure or whether the battle for control of the Senate was a factor in her decision. Sen. Mike Gianaris, who oversees the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee, issued a Tweet Wednesday morning with an image from the movie about the doomed Andrea Gail fishing vessel as it climbed a towering wave on its way to sinking in the North Atlantic during the Perfect Storm of 1991. "Great pic of Senate Republicans from last night," he wrote in the Tweet. Gianaris later predicted that Tuesday's enthusiasm will translate to a November turnout by Democrats that could be comparable to a presidential election year. In 2008 and 2012, the Democrats were able to ride presidential turnout to a numerical majority in the state Senate. Senate Republican spokesman Scott Reif fired back, maintaining that the GOP can combat national trends with good candidates. "Our incumbents are well known, well liked and have a record of delivering for their constituents," he said. Republicans are downplaying the significance of Tuesday and said that they've weathered political waves in the past to hold the Senate chamber. Still, the Democrats said a 15-point victory in the contentious Westchester Senate race, narrow defeats in Capital Region GOP strongholds and an 18-point upset win in a Long Island Assembly race are evidence of their momentum, and a new political calculus that puts suburban voters in their camp. Democratic consultant Bruce Gyory said the special elections continued a national trend from 2017 of suburban voters moving away from Republicans. While Republican voters still support their candidates, he said the past 16 months have indicated Democratic voters are more enthusiastic and independents aren't embracing Republicans on the ballot. In addition to liberal activists, he believes the movement is being driven by moderate and college-educated women in the suburbs turned off by the Republican brand led by President Donald Trump. "It's way too early to count the Republicans out in the state Senate, but there is something in the political water of suburban districts and that is where the future control of the state Senate will be decided," Gyory said. Even Tuesday's results in the Capital Region, where Republicans held on to two Assembly seats by less than 600 votes combined, indicates a trend in favor of the Democrats. "If you take a district that you normally lose by double digits and turn it into a photo finish that's a major accomplishment, even if you lose," Gyory said. Democratic Targets Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Democratic sights are now set on the Hudson Valley and Long Island, where they have an enrollment edge in Republican-controlled districts. A main target is the 6th Senate District, which includes portions of Nassau and Suffolk counties, and almost slipped away from Republicans in 2016, when incumbent Carl Marcellino held on by one point. The district includes a portion of the 10th Assembly District, which was held by Republicans for more than three decades and won handily by the Democrats on Tuesday. Democrat Jim Gaughran, who took Marcellino to the brink two years ago, is running again. In the Hudson Valley, Democrats will likely compete in a handful of seats, but Gyory believes their focus should be on replacing William Larkin, who represents parts of Rockland, Orange and Ulster counties. Democrats have about a 14,000 voter-enrollment edge over Republicans, but Larkin has beaten back spirited challenges in the past, including two years ago when he won by more than 17,000 votes. The map of potential Democratic challenges could also shift if Republican incumbents choose not to run, which has been happening with a number of Republicans in Congress. "If you have surprise retirements that could change the calculation," Gyory said Republicans on Offense Republicans believe they can also make inroads into Democratic territory, but it remains unclear which areas may be vulnerable. Top of the list is the Long Island seat Democrat John Brooks won by 314 votes in 2016 after the Republican incumbent's father was indicted on corruption charges days before the vote. Prior to the indictment, Republicans were expected to hold the seat and they're counting on Massapequa Mayor Jeffrey Pravato to get it back. This November could also put the seats held by former Independent Democratic Conference members David Valesky and David Carlucci in play for Republicans. When the rogue Democrats were part of the Republican's majority coalition there wasn't an enthusiasm to challenge them, but local Republicans in those areas are ready for battle. SCHENECTADY Police charged two Delaware men with the 2016 murder-for-hire of 49-year-old Charles Dembrosky by tracing digital clues left by cell phones, surveillance camera footage and secretly recorded phone conversations of the alleged killers, a prosecutor told jurors Thursday. "When each of these pieces is fit together, you will be led to one inescapable conclusion: Joevany Luna and Kyshaan Moore killed Charles Dembrosky," Assistant District Attorney Peter Willis said. Luna, 42, the alleged triggerman known as "Moon," and Moore, 27, the alleged getaway driver, both from Wilmington, are on trial in Schenectady County Court charged with the first-degree murder of Dembrosky during the predawn hours of Nov. 19, 2016. Dembrosky, known as Chuck, was discovered by his friend and roommate on the steps of his Campbell Avenue home the victim of a single shot to the neck, Willis said in his opening statement. Police found no signs of a struggle or robbery, but discovered a cell phone in the victim's back pocket containing three calls just hours earlier from a "484" area code, Willis said. In a half-hour opening statement, Willis explained that police learned the phone had been used by Luna to call Dembrosky's friend, Tarchand Lall, repeatedly from the end of October 2016 up until the night of the slaying. The prosecutor said the men killed Dembrosky as a contract hit for Lall, who had taken out a $150,000 insurance policy on Dembrosky's life. "They did it in the expectation of being paid $10,000," Willis said. Before the murder, Lall received a $10,000-plus check from his attorney and put half of it into cash on Nov. 10, then withdrew the other half on Nov. 16, Willis said. He said that was the amount of money Luna told someone he was being paid to kill a person in upstate New York. The evidence against the defendants includes a wiretap of "these two defendants talking to each other about the crime," Willis said. Willis said two days before the murder, Luna text-messaged the name of "Brandi Moore, Wilmington, Delaware," to Lall. The prosecutor said a friend of Lall texted him saying, "I just sent the money" and "I also sent the information to Brandi." Willis said it was a reference to Brandi Moore, Luna's girlfriend at the time. He said two days before the murder, Lall asked a friend to send $700 to Brandi Moore in Wilmington as pre-payment in "expenses" to Luna. Brandi Moore, now an ex-girlfriend of Luna, is expected to testify that, the day after the slaying, Luna returned home with a gun and asked her for bleach to soak it in, Willis said. Police also discovered that several hours before the homicide, that same cell phone was recorded by cell phone towers in Delaware, New Jersey, the Hudson Valley and Schenectady, Willis said. The car was last seen in the Bellevue neighborhood where Dembrosky lived and was shot. The vehicle was owned by a girlfriend of Kyshaan Moore, Willis said. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. "She will testify that Kyshaan Moore told her he was in that car that night and that he was at the scene of a shooting," Willis said. "And when she pressed him for more information, she'll testify he said, 'The less you know, the better.'" Willis said evidence includes surveillance footage of a four-door red 2015 Mazda driving on the Thruway and and in and out of Schenectady including arriving at Lall's home for about 10 minutes about an hour before the murder, he said. Michael Mansion, the attorney for Moore, reminded jurors the burden of proof lies completely on the district attorney's office. He stressed that his client and Luna are being tried in separate trials even though at the same time. In an opening statement of more than four minutes, Mansion told jurors to focus not on the evidence but the lack of it against Moore. Mark Juda, the lawyer for Luna, quickly attacked the prosecutor's case. "Ladies and gentlemen, if things were as simple as Mr. Willis made out for you, I submit to you we wouldn't be here," Juda told jurors. Willis objected to Juda's commentary, which Judge Matthew Sypniewski sustained. The trial is expected to last about two-and-a-half weeks. The defendants are also charged with conspiracy and weapon possession. If convicted of the first-degree murder charge they face life in prison without the possibility of parole. This afternoon will see a very significant announcement in relation to the former Lisheen Mine site just outside Thurles - an initiative that Deputy Michael Lowry, former Environment Minister Alan Kelly, and Deputy Jackie Cahill have all been central to advancing. Independent Deputy Michael Lowry has confirmed that EU Commissioner Phil Hogan will today formally announce the sanction and funding of up to 30 million for a revolutionary bio-economy research project led by Glanbia Ireland. This exciting development will be based at the former Lisheen Mine Site which has been designated as a green energy hub. This project has huge prospects for full time employment and it is conservatively estimated that it has the potential to create 300 permanent jobs. The initial site preparation and construction phase of the development will employ both directly and indirectly up to 160 people. The project will involve the development of a new bio-refinery and will use technology which has been developed by Glanbia Ireland. When completed the bio-refinery will help in tackling the current environmental crisis created by waste plastic across the Country and the World. "I am pleased to have made my contribution to ensure that this key development would be located at the former Lisheen Mine Site and I compliment all the agencies involved in the partnership which delivered this significant bio-refinery project. I wish to thank Commissioner Phil Hogan and Minister Heather Humphreys for their support, cooperation and assistance throughout this complex and lengthy process," Deputy Lowry said. Labour party Deputy Alan Kelly Deputy Kelly has been a driving member of the high powered group tasked with finding an alternative industry for the site and was instrumental in having Lisheen designated a bio-energy hub - the only one of it's kind in Ireland, and one of only three in Europe. Meanwhile Fianna Fail Deputy Jackie Cahill has also played a key role in this development and has pushed for an agri-based industry which has the potential to create hundreds of jobs. "This is tremendous news for mid Tipperary and for the county at large because basically we will be able to create products from waste from the agri industry and that's very positive," he said. Deputy Jackie Cahill Next week the fifth annual Horrorant Film Festival tours Greece, bringing an eclectic lineup of local and international titles with it. The first wave of titles announced at the beginning of the month had a number of familiar titles from the LatAm region. There were also some good films from the European region as well. As the festival draws near the complete lineup has been revealed and so much goodness awaits genre fans in Greece. To start with the opening and closing films, the terrific vampire flick Mon Mon Mon Monsters will open the festival and Jenn Wexler's The Ranger shows no signs of slowing down, continuing its blinding festival circuit run when it closes this festival. Helping round off the LatAm content in the fest is one of my favorite films, Aterrados (Terrified). I might have written about it once or twice (cause it's damned good!). There is also other vampire related flicks in the lineup as well. Living Among Us by Brian A. Metcalf crosses over into the found footage genre along with prior mentioned Cold Ground by Febien Delage, which features another classic monster. There is The Wanderers: The Quest of the Demon Hunter by Dragos Buliga, a Romanian vampire-esque film starring Armand Assante (find the trailer and tell me he doesn't look like he's headed out to a Hard Target cosplay event). Another treat for the Horrorant audience will be the special program, a tribute to author HP Lovecraft. The program features screenings of From Beyond and In The Mouth of Madness among others. Find all the films included in this year's festival below! The Court of Appeal has increased prison sentences handed down to two men jailed for a fatal burglary at the home of a 62-year-old after finding that their original three-and-a-half year jail terms were too lenient. Cousins Michael Casey (34), with an address at Clonlong Halting Site, Southill, in Limerick and David Casey (23), with an address at Carragh Park, Belcamp, Dublin 17, had pleaded guilty to a series of burglaries, including one at the home of John O'Donoghue at Toomaline, Doon, on August 27, 2015. Mr O'Donoghue collapsed and died as he was about to confront the two intruders, who ran away without offering assistance. Judge Tom O'Donnell sentenced both men at Limerick Circuit Criminal Court to four-and-a-half years imprisonment with the final year suspended on December 15, 2016. The Court of Appeal found the men's sentences to be unduly lenient following a review of sentence brought by the Director of Public Prosecutions and they were both resentenced on Thursday to seven years imprisonment with the final eight months suspended. In seeking a review of the Caseys' sentences last December, counsel for the DPP, Thomas O'Malley BL, submitted that the Caseys had targeted four residential properties and entered three. He said the Caseys had embarked on a burglary spree which was pre-planned and premeditated. Pic: Michael Casey (left) and David Casey (right) Mr OMalley said residential burglary, when carried out in isolated rural areas, as these ones were, were a matter of intense social concern. Sentences for such offences, Mr OMalley submitted, must include an element of general deterrence to send the message out to the general public that such a course of offending will not be tolerated. There was no suggestion the Caseys intended to kill or cause serious injury to Mr ODonoghue and it was accepted that they were genuinely remorseful for what happened. However, Mr OMalley submitted, an accused must take his victim as he finds him and he referred to the serious harm caused in the case of the O'Donoghue burglary. He said crimes such as these had many victims, not only the individual whose property was taken but others living in the area may be frightened and may have their quality of life reduced by being compelled to move out of their homes and into sheltered accommodation. Giving judgment, Mr Justice George Birmingham said the late Mr ODonoghue had lived with his sister and, on the day in question, they had both gone to Tipperary town to do some shopping. When they returned home that afternoon, Ms ODonoghue noticed a black car across the road and that the gate to their property was ajar. They became suspicious that somebody was inside the house and it became evident the front door had been broken. The driver of the car across the road began beeping his horn. The late Mr ODonoghue got a shovel from a shed and took up a position near the door of the house. His sister noticed he didnt appear to be looking well. At that stage, Mr ODonoghue collapsed and died. Ms ODonogue actually called on the intruders for assistance but none was forthcoming, the judge said. Gardai and an ambulance were called. Despite efforts to revive Mr ODonoghue he was pronounced dead at the scene. A post-mortem examination indicated that the late Mr ODonoghue had an enlarged heart and there was significant coronary artery disease and scarring of the heart muscle which meant he was at an increased risk of sudden collapse and death. The State Pathologist, Dr Marie Cassidy commented that while Mr ODonoghue did not have direct contact with the intruders, the stress of the situation would have caused an increase in his heart rate and his blood pressure and the psysiological effects of the situation would have precipitated his death as he was at risk of developing a fatal cardiac arrhythmia in those circumstances. While of less significance in the context of what occurred, Mr Justice Birmingham said a number of items of property were stolen from Mr ODonoghues home as well as a small amount of cash. Michael Casey, a married father-of-two, was 33 at the time of sentencing and had 44 previous convictions including one for robbery. Mr Justice Birmingham said the significance and relevance of Michael Caseys previous conviction was illustrated by his actions at the initial sentence hearing when it was disputed that it related to him. It was claimed it related to a different Mr Michael Casey in Limerick before it was eventually accepted that it related to him. David Casey lived with his mother in Coolock and had 14 previous convictions. He was on bail at the time of the spree in respect of a burglary he had committed in Galway for which he subsequently received a six month sentence. He was additionally on station bail in respect of another burglary for which he subsequently received a two month suspended sentence. Neither Casey had any history of being in gainful employment. Probation reports described both men as being at high risk of reoffending. Mr Justice Birmingham said the Court of Appeal had no hesitation in concluding that the Caseys sentences were unduly lenient to an appreciable degree. He said the offending involved in the Caseys conduct was in the high range. The principle reason being that it was a burglary spree, a planned and premeditated one. It was carried out by a group and that aggravating factors were present, particularly in respect of the ODonoghues home but also in the home that was ransacked - ransacking specifically being identified by the court as an aggravating factor to add to the list of possible aggravating factors in burglary. Also, the court considered the Caseys relevant previous convictions. Mr Justice Birmingham said the events of the day in question required an aggregate pre-mitigation sentence of not less than ten years. This was reduced to seven on account of the Caseys guilty pleas, their admissions and remorse which appeared genuine. The court further suspended the final eight months of the sentence because the Caseys were being resentenced, rather than being sentenced at first instance, and that carried an additional hardship. Mr Justice Birmingham, who sat with Mr Justice Alan Mahon and Mr Justice John Edwards, resentenced the cousins to seven years imprisonment with the final eight months suspended for the burglary of the ODonoghue home. They were given concurrent terms of three years for the ransacked home, two years for the other burglary and 12 months on the criminal damage matter. All sentence were to run concurrently. The Caseys made no reaction when the judgment was delivered. The Caseys spree that day first involved a burglary at Dromsallagh, Cappamore where the homeowner returned from his morning chores at 2pm and noticed there was damage to the front and rear doors of his home but entry had been unsuccessful. This gave rise to criminal damage. The second incident occurred at Kyle, Cappamore, Co Limerick, where the home of a woman was ransacked. Approximately 500 cash and jewellery worth 1,000 was taken some of which was also of sentimental value. The next incident occurred at Portnard, Cappamore, Co Limerick where a neighbour had heard noise or voices nearby and then saw a male coming out the front window of the house. Finally, the ODonoghues home was targetted. In a rare more earlier this year, the Director of Public Prosecutions asked the Court of Appeal to set guidelines or sentencing parameters for the offence of burglary in Ireland. Counsel for the DPP, Thomas OMalley BL, submitted a number of factors that would put a burglary into the mid-range and upper end of the mid-range category. These were: Planning and pre-meditation; Two or more participants acting together; The targeting of residential properties, especially in rural areas; The targeting of residential property because the occupant was known to be vulnerable on account of age, disability or some other factor; The taking of poerperty which had a high monetary value or high sentimental value. The DPP also identified factors that would tend to place a burglary in the most serious category. These were: Ransacking of a dwelling; Entering during the night a dwelling known to be occupied especially of the occupant is alone; The use or threat of violence; The cause of significant injury, whether physical or pshycological, or serious trauma. To that list, Mr Justice George Birmingham said the Court of Appeal would add the presence of relevant previous convictions as an aggravating factor. Furthermore, a confrontation with an occupant of the dwelling would be also an aggravating factor. The more aggressive the confrontation the greater the aggravation. Evidence that an intruder equipped himself with a weapon while in the dwelling, rather than bringing one in, would also be a serious aggravating factor, the judge said. In considering the significance of a particular aggravating factor, Mr Justice Birmingham said it would be necessary to view the significance of each aggravating factor in the context of the case. He said the presence of a number of these factors would place the offence in the middle range at least and usually above the mid-point in that range. The presence of a considerable number of these factors or, if individual factors were present in a particularly grave form, will raise the offence to the highest category. Mr Justice Birmingham, in a judgment with Mr Justice Alan Mahon and Mr Justice John Edwards, said the Court of Appeal would suggest mid-range offences to merit sentences (pre-mitigation) in the range of four to nine years and at the highest end, sentences (pre-mitigation) of nine to 14 years. He said the Court of Appeal recognised that the circumstances surrounding individual offences can vary greatly, even before one comes to consider the circumstances of an individual offender. While a consistency of approach to sentencing is highly desirable, it is not to be expected that there will be a uniformity in terms of the actual sentences that are imposed. There are just too many variables in terms of the circumstances of individual offences, but even more so in terms of the circumstances of individual offenders, for that to happen. Again, the court recognises that there is no clear blue water between the ranges. He said the difference between labelling an offence high-end or mid-range was often a fine call and the judges legitimate margin of appreciation may well straddle both. In that event, how it was labelled may in fact not impact greatly on ultimate sentence, Mr Justice Birmingham said. Mr Carter A brand new musical takes to The Abymill stage in Fethard from 3rd to 6th May. Music lyrics and scripted by Stefan J doyle of JW Productions. Set in 1940,s New York this is a foot tapping hand clapping show with some great performers from around the country as well as some local stars. Mr Carter tells the story of a failed director who has one last stab at a new show. Joined by his long suffering wife and a cast made up of the best he can find... He decides to cast a musical This has a wonderful cast from all corners of Ireland and they deserve your support. Don't miss it! Booking on 0860834208 Bealtaine at Roscrea Library As part of the annual Bealtaine festival, Roscrea Library are hosting a number of events. The first event is a Line Dancer tasting class with Ray Cahill on Friday May 4th from 3 to 4 pm. So why not dust of those boots and get your weekend off to a great start. Booking is advisable and admission is free. On Friday 11th May at 3pm, Trudi OLeary of Roscrea Travel will be giving a talk about travel for seniors. If you are interested in a cruise or even a travel adventure, come along to get some advice and tips from Trudi. Booking advisable and admission is free. Dancing Diary Dancing in The Premier Ballroom Thurles on this Sunday night, 29th April, to Finbarr Dennehy. Dancing is from 8.30pm to 11.30pm. The admission price is 9 and includes tea and biscuits. Aslan Christy and the band ASLAN will be playing in the Golden GAA complex on Saturday 4th August. Tickets 20 on sale from May 1st. The Matchmaker Back by popular demand, for one night only, The Matchmaker based on the novella Letters of a County Matchmaker by John B. Keane one of Irelands most celebrated writers, will play at Nenagh Arts Centre on Saturday May 26. Tickets cost 22 plus booking fee. Time 8pm. With the Moto G Power, Motorola has latched onto a winning formula for budget phones. Since it's impossible for a phone that costs less than $300 to be all things to all people, the key is to find a feature or two that truly matters to people and absolutely nail it. In the case of the Moto G Power, that feature is battery life. The past two iterations of this phone the Moto G7 Power and last year's Moto G Power delivered on the promise of a long-lasting phone. And this year's version is just as impressive. Moto G Power (2021) specs Price: $199, $249 Screen size: 6.6 inches (1600 x 720) CPU: Snapdragon 662 RAM: 3GB, 4GB Storage: 32GB, 64GB Rear cameras: 48MP (f/1.7) main; 2MP (f/2.4) macro; 2MP (f/2.4) depth Front cameras: 8MP (f/2.0) Battery size: 5,000 mAh Battery life (Hrs:Mins): 14:04 Size: 6.5 x 3 x 0.37 inches Weight: 7.3 ounces Our Moto G Power (2021) review finds a phone that continues to go a long-time on a charge and took home top honors in the Tom's Guide Awards 2021 for best phone battery life. Along the way, this attractively priced phone has picked up a few other tricks that will appeal to bargain hunters. Editor's note: We crowned our picks in the Tom's Guide Awards 2021 for phones. The Moto G Power (2021) won the award for best phone battery life. Moto G Power (2021) review: Price and availability The 64GB Moto G Power (2021) costs $249 and is now on sale unlocked at Motorola.com; it's one of the best unlocked Android phones you can buy. Carriers offering the phone include Boost Mobile, Cricket, Consumer Cellular, Google Fi, Republic Wireless, US Cellular and Xfinity Mobile. In addition to that $249 version, which comes with 4GB of RAM, you'll be able to buy a 32GB Moto G Power (2021) with 3GB RAM for $199 at Best Buy. You can expand the storage on both new Moto G Power models via a microSD slot on the phones. Moto G Power (2021) review: The best features Having spent some time testing the latest version of the Moto G Power, there are several things I like about the phone, including a couple of key areas where this version is a definite improvement over its predecessor. Here's why the Moto G Power (2021) is the phone to get if you're looking for the best a budget handset can offer. Moto G Power (2021) top feature: The price Phone prices have a tendency to creep upward, so it's good to see Motorola continue to hold the line on the Moto G Power's price. The 2021 costs the same as last year's model, which was one of the best cheap phones we reviewed. We can say the same for the Moto G Power (2021). (Image credit: Tom's Guide) Even better, Motorola has found a way to cut the price of the G Power even lower, though you will have to settle for less memory and storage. Still, a phone that promises multi-day battery life for less than $200 is well worth those compromises, particularly if you're watching your budget. Moto G Power (2021) top feature: Long battery life Let's not beat around the bush. You turn to the Moto G Power (2021) because you want a phone that goes a long time on a charge, and with a 5,000 mAh battery, this is a phone that can deliver on that promise. (Image credit: Tom's Guide) How long does the Moto G Power (2021) last on a charge? So long that when we originally published our Moto G Power (2021) review, the phone was still plugging away on our battery tests, in which we have a fully charged phone surf the web continuously over cellular until it runs out of power. We run that demanding test several times and average out the result to see just what kind of battery life you can expect, and the Moto G Power (2021) doesn't disappoint. It lasted an average of 14 hours and 4 minutes, which means you can get through the day and probably longer without having to charge your phone. Fans of last year's Moto G Power will remember that phone lasted a record-setting 16-plus hours. But the new Moto G Power outlasted all but one other phone we've looked at in the last year and a half, and it deserves a place on our list of the longest phone battery life. Don't expect a fast recharge time with the Moto G Power. After 30 minutes of recharging a drained phone, we were back to 22% of the battery's capacity. The iPhone SE, which is not exactly a recharging speed demon thanks to its 5W charger, got back to 29% in that time. Moto G Power (2021) top feature: The phone's design You don't expect a $249 phone to look like a million bucks, but while the 7.3-ounce Moto G Power feels, a little chunky, Motorola clearly put some effort into giving this phone a look that transcends its budget roots. The flash gray model I tested has a lovely spiral pattern on its back, and I like the centered placement of the rear camera array just above the subtle Motorola batwing logo. (Retail versions of the phone will come in Polar Silver and Glowing Blue options.) (Image credit: Tom's Guide) Bezels on the front of the phone are minimal thanks to a circular camera cutout on the upper left corner of the display and the lack of a fingerprint sensor. Instead, the power button on the new Moto phone does double duty, with a built-in fingerprint reader that I found responsive in my testing. Motorola also added a Moto Action that lets you launch apps by tapping the power button twice. (You will need to enable this feature first, though in the Moto G Power's Settings app.) The Moto G Power (2021) also retains a 3.5mm headphone jack on the top of the phone, so you won't be forced to pick up a pair of wireless earbuds in addition to your new device. Moto G Power (2021) top feature: Camera performance The $349 Pixel 4a proves that you don't have to spend big bucks to get a phone that produces outstanding photos, which puts pressure on lower-cost devices like the Moto G series to up their camera game. Motorola responded by turning to a more powerful lens with this year's version of the Moto G Power you've got a 48MP camera compared to the 16GB main shooter on last year's phone. A 2MP macro lens and 2MP depth sensor join that main camera. (Image credit: Tom's Guide) The results are a mixed bag, with the Moto G Power (2021) producing very good shots in some areas, while falling short in others. The Pixel 4a produces much better shots, but it also costs $100 more than the Moto G Power. For what you're paying for Motorola's, the resulting photos are more than adequate. In some cases, the Moto G Power really shines, particularly when it comes to those extra rear lenses. I'm no fan of macro lenses I'd prefer that budget phone makers scrap them entirely, actually but if every macro lens performed as well as the Moto G Power's did, I'd rethink my position. This close-up of a camellia produces bright colors I find lacking from the OnePlus Nord N10 5G's much darker effort. Similarly, the Moto G Power's depth sensor produces some nice portrait shots for a sub-$300 phone. The Moto G Power did an excellent job making my daughter stand out from the orange tree behind her, making sure not to lose her hair in the background. The Nord N10 loses some detail just over her left shoulder, though I think the OnePlus camera better captures her gray beret. Overall, though, the Moto G Power has the more effective background blur. Things are less impressive when you rely on the Moto G Power's main lens, which produced an accurate shot of this plate of lasagna, but one that pales next to the warmer colors that the Nord N10 5G reproduces. The table in the Moto shot is more washed out, and the glass of wine in the background lacks any hint of red. I know which photo I'd be more likely to share, and it's not the one the Moto G Power took. Even lower cost phones offer low-light photo features now, and the Moto G Power is no exception with its Night Vision mode. The results will do in a pinch, though it falls well short of the standard set by Google's Night Sight. (In this comparison, I used a Pixel 4a 5G, as it was the least expensive Google phone I had on hand.) You can see the pink stuffed animal and the bowl of citrus fruit that might otherwise be lost in the shadow of this shot, but the focus of the photo isn't exactly sharp. The over-processing on the photo also washes out some of the detail of the back wall, which is not a problem in the Pixel photo. Up front, you get an 8MP selfie cam on the Moto G Power (2021). It takes decent self-portraits I like the more colorful cast to the Moto shot but Motorola gets overly aggressive with the face-smoothing. As a result, my face has an unnatural cast to it in the Moto G Power selfie, while the OnePlus Nord N10 provides a more accurate view of my mug, flaws and all. Moto G Power (2021) top feature: Moto's My UX Software Motorola's well-deserved reputation for producing a clean version of Android for its phones continues with this year's Moto G series. And Motorola's gesture-based shortcuts are back, letting you do things like turn on the phone's flashlight with a chopping motion. A new Moto gesture is bound to impress some Moto G Power users dragging your finger back and forth across the phone's display triggers a split-screen effect so you can run two apps at once. It should come in handy if you want to watch a video while texting a friend, or tap out some notes while reading a web page. Moto G Power (2021) review: Features that come up short As impressive as Motorola's new phone is in all those areas, I did encounter a few flaws in testing for my Moto G Power (2021) review. The biggest areas of concern are the phone's display it's a bit dim and the picture isn't always the most colorful and a processor that doesn't deliver the best performance compared to other low-cost phones. Moto G Power (2021) flaw: A dim display The 6.6-inch LCD panel that Motorola uses for the G Power's display is certainly big enough, but don't expect bold colors or a bright view. In our tests, the Moto G Power reproduced 96% of the sRGB color spectrum, and that was in saturated mode. The OnePlus N10 5G, in contrast, has the more colorful screen with 124.8% of the same spectrum. OnePlus' display was more accurate, too, with a Delta-E rating of 0.22. The Moto G Power (2021) turned in a 0.37 rating in saturated mode, which improved to 0.25 when we switched to natural mode. (Numbers closer to zero are better.) (Image credit: Tom's Guide) The raw numbers were reflected by my viewing experience with the Moto G Power. The darker scenes in the No Time to Die trailer looked especially dark, with Daniel Craig and Lashana Lynch nearly lost in shadow at times. Things were brighter when streaming The Simpsons on Disney Plus, thanks to that animated show's more cartoony color scheme the Simpsons themselves were a recognizable shade of yellow while Krusty the Clown's hair was its usual shade of bluish-green. I've seen brighter displays than what the Moto G Power offers, as it topped out at 438 nits when we measured with a light meter. Last year's Moto G Power hit 500 nits, so this is a step back, especially when you compare it to phones like the iPhone SE (653 nits) and Pixel 4a (638 nits). At least the Moto G Power outshines the OnePlus Nord N10 5G (405.7) and TCL 10 5G UW (385 nits), and maxing out the display brightness helped me see the screen outdoors. Moto G Power (2021) flaw: Overall performance You're not going to pick up the Moto G Power if you want the latest and greatest processor, and the Snapdragon 662 chipset powering the phone is certainly adequate for most tasks. I never had a problem jumping between apps, streaming videos and even playing demanding games, though I've seen sharper graphics in PUBG Mobile sessions on other phones. (Image credit: Tom's Guide) That said, the Moto G Power's benchmark scores are a little anemic when compared to phones that are only slightly more expensive. On Geekbench 5, the Moto G Power's multicore score of 1,437 trailed the Nord N10's result of 1,843. In graphics testing with 3DMark's Wild Life benchmark, the Moto G Power recorded 367 frames, or 2.2 frames per second. The OnePlus Nord N10 managed to more than double that result. Moto G Power (2021) flaw: No 5G The Snapdragon 662 chipset in the Moto G Power also means that the phone tops out with LTE connectivity there's no 5G to be found here. I don't think this is a show-stopping omission by any means, given that 5G is still an emerging technology and not yet ubiquitous. But prices of 5G phones are falling the OnePlus Nord N10 5G is just $50 more than the Moto G Power so the "you have to pay up for 5G" excuse doesn't hold as much water as it did a year ago. You're probably safe on skipping 5G compatibility if you're upgrading phones this year. But networks are going to continue evolving, and if you're the sort who holds onto a device for two years or longer, you'll be giving up that improving performance. (That said, LTE speeds are likely to improve as 5G becomes widespread, as the faster network will help ease congested 4G traffic.) Moto G Power (2021) flaw: Limited upgrades One trade-off you make by buying a lower cost Android is that the phone maker will only offer a limited number of software updates. That's also the case with the Moto G Power (2021), as Motorola is committing to supporting just one Android update, along with two years of security patches. From left to right: Moto G Stylus, Moto G Play and Moto G Power (Image credit: Tom's Guide) The lone Android update stings a lot more than it normally would, as the Moto G Power ships with Android 10 installed, and not Android 11, which came out in September. That means once your phone gets the Android 11 update, that's it even with Android 12 coming down the pike later this year. Moto G Power (2021) review: Verdict Any sub-$300 phone is going to involve some compromises, and fortunately, the ones that the latest version of the Moto G Power makes aren't going to put many budget shoppers off. Yes, there are more powerful phones with better displays that don't cost that much more than the Moto G Power (2021). But the long-battery life of Motorola's phone continues to carry the day, especially for a phone that you can find for $250 or less. The cameras on the Moto G Power aren't world-beaters, but it'll produce good shots. And I actually like the look and feel of this phone a surprise given the G Power's budget roots. Still, the reason to consider past Moto G Power models was its epic battery life, and I'm happy to report that continues with the 2021 edition of this popular budget phone. Microsoft is a big believer in immersive technology, and the company is always working to improve the immersive computing experience. A team of Microsoft researchers recently revealed an interaction technique called MRTouch that would enable tactile touch for mixed reality content on the Hololens (as well as other devices, eventually). In 2016, Microsoft released the HoloLens headset, which was our first introduction to the companys mixed reality aspirations. The HoloLens headset features environment mapping and hand tracking technology, and it enables you to interact with 3D virtual objects with a real-world space. HoloLens supports gesture, gaze, and voice-based input, but those methods arent as intuitive as we would like. Gestures dont offer a tactile response to user interaction, and although gaze and voice interactions can be helpful, they arent suitable as universal interaction methods. Most people are accustomed to touch-based interaction from using smartphones, tablets, and to a lesser extent, touchscreen computer monitors. Microsofts experimental MRTouch software brings touch interaction into mixed reality environments by taking advantage of the HoloLenss advanced environment mapping and hand tracking technology to pinpoint flat surfaces that you can use as a virtual input device. The Microsoft HoloLens headset features two environment tracking modes. The long-throw tracking mode uses the on-board camera to map the space around you, including the walls of the room and the physical objects in that space. The headset also operates in short-throw mode, which is used for gesture tracking and features a maximum tracking distance of one meter. The MRTouch application uses the HoloLenss short-throw tracking mode, because the long-throw tracking isnt accurate enough for finger tracking. Microsofts researchers combined the short-throw depth camera information with the infrared camera feed to provided accurate mapping of flat surfaces without relying on information from the long-throw depth camera. The researchers said this enables to MRTouch software to operate without a full 3D map of the environment around you. With MRTouch, you can use any flat surface, such as a countertop, your desk, or the wall, as a tactile touch surface. To open an app with MRTouch, touch the surface you wish to work with and drag your finger down to the right, which will create a virtual window that you can open the application. The physical surface enables you to feel the virtual buttons when you press them, but it also enables more precise input. In-air gestures work for simple interactions, but its hard to work with a virtual menu when you cant tell when youve pressed a button. Further, in-air interactions are limited to single input points, whereas MRTouch enables multi-touch interactions with up to all 10 of your digits. The tracking pipeline for the MRTouch software operates at 25fps and features three components: the Image Streamer, Tracker Engine, and Client Library. The Image Streamer exports the data from the infrared and depth cameras and sends it via a TCP socket to the Tracker Engine. The MRTouch Tracker Engine receives that data from the Image Streamer and uses it to maintain a list of known tracking surfaces and their coordinates. Like any application in Microsofts Windows Mixed Reality platform, MRTouch windows remain anchored in their position while you move around the space. The third component of the MRTouch system is the Client Library, which opens a TCP connection to the Tracker Engine to receive the position data and touch information. The Client Library then translates that information into a format that the application can interpret. The MRTouch software operates on Microsofts HoloLens Mixed Reality headset, but the team said that it created a custom API to build the software, which means it would be easy to port the app to other mixed reality devices. However, MRTouch is currently unavailable. Microsoft didnt say when, or if, MRTouch would be offered publicly. However, if you wish to learn more about the process, the teams leader, Rober Xiao, published a research paper that details the methods used to make MRTouch work. Were hopeful that this project will progress into marketable software, because tactile interaction in mixed reality is something we desperately want to see available. Oath, Verizons online content subsidiary, which owns both Yahoo and Aol, has published a new privacy policy. The policy waives users rights to sue the company in a class action lawsuit. Oath also notes that this new change is an important part of its relationship with you. The company's new terms will also give it the right to fully analyze all of your emails and share "individually identifiable" data with Verizon and hundreds of third-party companies. Yahoo And Aol Are Merging Infrastructures Oath recently announced that it will be merging the email infrastructure of Aol and Yahoo. The company will use Yahoos back-end infrastructure to power the Aol email system, too. Last year, we learned that Yahoo suffered the largest data breach in history, which exposed three billion user accounts. We also know from previous reports that Yahoos former CEO, Marissa Mayer was often in conflict with the company's security team, so the infrastructure was likely not as secure as it could have been. Reuters also reported that Yahoos leadership may have also allowed an NSA backdoor to reside on its servers, giving the NSA search access to its email database. Oath Waives Right To Launch Class Action Lawsuit Oaths new terms and policies disallow users from suing the company in a class action lawsuit, if they agree to these terms. However, if they dont agree, the users will soon no longer be able to use their Yahoo accounts (Aol had already instituted a similar policy before Verizon purchased it). For the moment, users can skip the message, but it seems to appear on almost every interaction with the Yahoo Mail service. In its new Terms of Service (ToS), Oath included the following: You understand that by agreeing to these terms, arbitration or a small claims action will be the sole and exclusive means of resolving any dispute between us. You also understand that by agreeing to these terms, you and Oath are giving up the right to bring a claim in court or in front of a jury (except for matters that may be brought in small claims court), and that you and Oath are giving up the right to proceed with any class action or other representative action. Oath arbitrations will be handled by the American Arbitration Association. Collective arbitration will not be allowed, which means each user will have to make their case against Verizon/Oaths top lawyers and hope to win. In some cases, companies are not allowed to force users into arbitration. Therefore, Oath also says in its ToS that if the dispute proceeds in court, the users will agree that there will not be a jury trial--only a trial by court. Although the new changes will affect users that now agree with the terms, a federal judge had already ruled last month that a class action lawsuit over the previous data breach must still go through. In that lawsuit, Yahoo is being sued for negligence in handling user data, breach of contract, and failure to disclose the breach in a reasonable amount of time. The breach happened in 2013, but Yahoo didn't disclose it until 2016. The users suing Yahoo also argued that the breach put them at risk of identity theft, which required them to spend money on credit freeze, monitoring, and other protections. Oath To Share Individually Identifiable Data The new privacy policy will give Oath permission to mine your Yahoo and Aol emails for advertising purposes. Yahoo had to settle a lawsuit in 2016 over its similar practices at the time. However, the company agreed to only analyze emails that were opened by users. Oath is taking all of that back, and will analyze every email, including information you get from your bank and the EXIF data of images and videos, location information, and more. Additionally, Oaths new ToS says that your Yahoo/Aol data will be shared within Oath, with Verizon and its affiliates, and over 100 third parties such as analytics companies, social widget companies, advertising technology companies, content and video content providers, game developers, and others. The new privacy policy and ToS looks quite aggressive in terms of how little control it gives users, so it remains to be seen how the EU will respond once the GDPR passes. In the United States, the CONSENT Act may protect users against most of the potential abuses, if it passes. Although Oath is owned by Verizon, its still an edge provider itself, so it should still fall under the same regulations. Shipping containers are now such a thing that in Denmark, they are putting them in glass cases. I have had a troubled relationship with shipping containers since I was ten, when my dad went into the container biz. They were made in the USA and Canada then and were really expensive; you wouldn't think of living in them. But every now and again he would get sent a photo of some shipping container in Africa that fell off a truck and had windows and doors cut into the walls. Lloyd Alter I had some fun with them in University, designing a summer camp for temporary use that folded out of a forty footer. Because you would never actually use a container empty; the dimensions are lousy for people and the flooring was treated with insecticides and the paints were designed to last through ten years on the high seas, so are seriously industrial. It may have been a really bad career choice not sticking with containers, but my moves into modular construction and tiny homes were not too successful either. The Issue With Shipping Container Housing Perhaps the lesson is that when it comes to housing, technology, or lack thereof, is not the fundamental problem. After watching all the coverage of shipping container schemes with some bemusement, I asked Does Shipping Container Architecture Make Sense? a few years ago, but now, in response to the same architectural competition I covered here, Architect Mark Hogan of OpenScope Studio comes up with his own list of questions. He speaks from some experience, having actually built a container project, and notes that "For sites where on-site construction is not feasible or desirable, fitting a container out in the factory can be a sensible option." But for housing? On his personal website, Mark makes some very good points. Here are some of the most interesting. Shipping Containers Have Structural Problems Housing is usually not a technology problem. All parts of the world have vernacular housing, and it usually works quite well for the local climate. There are certainly places with material shortages, or situations where factory built housing might be appropriate- especially when an area is recovering from a disaster. In this case prefab buildings would make sense- but doing them in containers does not. Here I might argue that the great genius of shipping containers is not the box but the handling systems; there are ships, cranes, trucks and trains all designed around them. So if you do want to deliver stuff fast after a disaster, there is no better form than the shipping container. He then goes through the fundamental problem of width, which is just too narrow really, Insulation, which is a huge problem, and for once, somebody understands about structure: Ganti & Associates Youve seen the proposals with cantilevers everywhere. Containers stacked like Lego building blocks, or with one layer perpendicular to the next. Architects love stuff like this, just like they throw around usually misleading/meaningless phrases like kit of parts. Guess what- the second you dont stack the containers on their corners, the structure that is built into the containers needs to be duplicated with heavy steel reinforcing. The rails at the top and the roof of the container are not structural at all (the roof of a container is light gauge steel, and will dent easily if you step on it). If you cut openings in the container walls, the entire structure starts to deflect and needs to be reinforced because the corrugated sides act like the flange of beam and once big pieces are removed, the beam stops working. All of this steel reinforcing is very expensive, and its the only way you can build a double-wide. They Present Challenges for Utilities And then there is one that I have never thought about but is important: In a large building, youll still need a lot of space to run utilities. Because of the problems with insulation mentioned above, you will need to install a very robust HVAC system to heat and cool the building (that Mumbai tower shown above would literally be a deathtrap without cooling). You will have a hard time taking advantage of passive strategies like thermal mass if you maintain the container aesthetic. Youll also end up with low ceilings, as even high cube containers are only 9-6 (2.9 m) in overall exterior height, so any ductwork or utilities start cutting in to headroom. OpenScope Studio They Waste Space Finally Mark mentions the issue of recycling. I have looked at this in the past, with the Upcycle House which had " the ambitious goal of being the first house build only from upcycled and environmentally sustainable materials." I did a calculation to determine if using two shipping containers as the structure of the house was actually the highest and best use: An empty 40' shipping container weighs 8380 pounds. A galvanized steel stud weighs a pound per linear foot. These two containers, melted down and rolled and formed, could have been upcycled into 2,095 8' long steel studs. Framing the walls instead of using shipping containers would have used about 144 of them. Using shipping containers as structural elements for a one storey building is downcycling and wasting of a resource. There is a lot more steel in a shipping container than you actually need for a building; that's so they can be stacked full nine high and get tossed around the ocean and thrown on trucks and trains. It's really being wasted when it's put into a house. And as Mark notes, you can probably build it faster and cheaper than bringing in a welder and mucking up a shipping container. Relatively untrained people can build a room that size of simple wood framing in a day without needing to rent a crane or learning how to weld for about the same cost (or less) than buying a used container. Shipping Containers Don't Make Good Homes Don't get me wrong; I love shipping container architecture that moves, plugs in, that takes advantage of the tremendous infrastructure. I agree with Mark that it is terrific for temporary or emergency uses. But does it make good housing? I don't think so. Perhaps after all these years I am still missing something. Do you have a news tip? Want to share good news story, or do you have information that should see the light of day? Then we want to hear from you. 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PD is where the reef tours leave from, and is a fun tourist town with a lot of restaurants and a nice pub. (Also, I really like the Sunday Market if you are there on a Sunday). Palm Cove is much smaller with a nice selection of hotels and very pretty beach front and although I prefer PD, it is very nice for a honeymoon. It does put you 30 mins fuether away from most of your tourist destinations though. Hamilton Island is not Cairns region, it is Whitsundays which you don't have time to include as well. Cheers. Matthew, be aware that Khushbu has never actually been to Australia. He is right, though, in that the CBD is very central. There is a Free Tram Zone you can take advantage of wherein any tram journey begun and completed within the zone does not require payment; for longer journeys you would need a Myki card as there is no provision for one off payments. For one passenger, you can get to the Southern Cross Station (which is in the CBD) on the SkyBus, which includes a free shuttle service to most hotels in the CBD. For multiple passengers a taxis is more cost effective. There is a cheaper suburban bus route which is a bit fiddly and takes over an hour if cost is that important that you are willing to waste time noodling all around the suburbs. My family (two 70 year old parents, three thirty-somethings, and two teenagers) will be traveling to Australia for 2 weeks, arriving 12/24 and returning on 1/5. These are the only dates we can go, and I realize this is a peak (expensive) time to go, but my in-laws are graciously paying for most of the trip, so the dates are set in stone. I'm being tasked with creating much of the itinerary. I was actually born and raised in Melbourne and haven't been back there or seen most of my relatives in 30 years. In addition, my father-in-law lived in Brisbane during high school, so part of the purpose of the trip is a homecoming/reunion for both of us. With that in mind, here are the only requirements we have so far: -Spend Xmas with my aunt, uncles, and cousins about 2 hrs outside Melbourne (Shepparton), and visit my former hometown (Sunbury) -Visit my father in law's former hometown just outside Brisbane -Visit another aunt and uncle in Gold Coast -Visit the Great Barrier Reef Other than that, we don't have any specific agenda or must-dos. Given the requirements we do have, I see at least 3 "bases" of where we'll be traveling: Melbourne, Brisbane/Gold Coast, and Cairns or Port Douglas. My wife would like to visit Sydney too, and so would I, but I feel trying to squeeze Sydney in would be a bit too ambitious, especially with seniors and teenagers coming along. On the flip side, I feel that going to only the aforementioned three places may be too much time in each location? Obviously we haven't thought much about specific activities yet, but I think we first need to figure out where we're going. Thoughts? Deputy PM leads high level delegation to ROC (Taiwan) Social Share A HIGH LEVEL delegation from St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) headed by Sir Louis Straker, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Commerce visited the Republic of China (Taiwan) recently. The team included: Lady Lynda Straker, wife of Sir Louis; St Clair Prince, Minister of Education, Reconciliation and Ecclesiastical Affairs; Naomi Dasilva-Prince, wife of St Clair Prince; Sandy Peters-Phillips, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Commerce; and Annette Mark, Executive Director Invest SVG. The purpose of the visit was to build on the excellent relations between SVG and Taiwan and to explore additional opportunities for training, trade and investment between both countries. While in Taiwan, the delegation met with TsaiIng-wen, President of the Republic of China (Taiwan); Dr Jaushieh Joseph Wu, Foreign Minister of the Republic of China (Taiwan); and Pan Wen-ghung, Minister of Education. The delegation also visited the External and Trade Development Council and the Kaiping Culinary School. During meeting with the Taiwanese President there were discussions on increasing opportunities for Vincentians to study in Taiwan. Subsequently in meeting with the Foreign Minister of Taiwan, Dr Jaushieh Joseph Wu, both sides discussed enhancing co-operation in education particularly securing more scholarships for Vincentians and increasing support in the area of vocational and technical education. Additionally, further support was requested from Taiwan toward the Zero Hunger Initiative which aims at achieving some of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to hunger and poverty. In addition to the bilateral discussions, Sir Louis received the Medal of Honour for the Parliamentary Diplomacy Order of the Brilliant Star, for his commitment and involvement in strengthening ties and expanding exchanges between the two countries. Since establishing diplomatic relations in 1981, SVG and Taiwan have forged fraternal bonds and strong co-operation mechanism in various areas of national interest. Deputy Prime Minister Sir Louis Straker and wife Lady Lynda Straker (left), sharing toast with Foreign Minister of Taiwan, Dr Jaushieh Joseph Wu and President of the Republic of China (Taiwan) TsaiIng-wen, Hello, It was our first experience with Motorhome Republic and it will be surely the last one (better rent directly). And silly us, we should have read better the reviews on Tripadvisor some of which are quite bad about Motorhome Republic. Stay away from them ! We found out on the pick-up day and after we had signed the contract that we were given a different campervan than the one we booked and paid for. And we suspect that our Motorhome Republic representative (Bruno) knew from the beginning that the vehicle we paid for was not available. We booked a Britz Explorer 4 berth for a 2 weeks road trip in western Australia in April 2018. Pick up and drop off both at Perth At the depot in Perth, we signed the contract and we were lead to the vehicle. But much to our surprise, we were given a Maui Frontier 6 berth. Some people would consider it as an upgrade as the Maui brand is usually of higher standard. But the reason why we chose the Britz Explorer 4 berth was its big rectangular 1.6 m bed at the back, so one adult can sleep with 2 young kids at the back (one of our sons has sleep issues). And the reason why we did not chose Maui was their smaller bed at the back and also the not rectangular shape that makes it quite uncomfortable to sleep for 1 adult + 2 young kids (3.5 and 5 years old). Bruno was fast in replying to all our emails and that was the nice part of the process. He sent us a proforma invoice for the Britz Explorer 4 berth. But when we wanted to book it a few days later, it was said not to be available anymore when i tried to click on the option. I talked to Bruno who told me that he sorted this out with Britz and that we could go ahead with the booking confirmation. While we were discussing with Motorhome Republic, we were also talking with another rental and holidays agent (DETOUROZ) and the lady told me that she had double checked and that only Maui campervans were available at our dates and with our requirements. So she confirmed to me that no second category campervan like Britz Explorer 4 berth was available at our requested dates. All this makes us think : 1. That Motorhome Republic knew from the beginning that the campervan we booked was not available. 2. That the depot shop at Perth seems not to be at fault. As we complained loudly in front of other customers, they ended up offering us a bottle of wine and apologizing saying that they understood our anger but that they do not understand what has happened ! I thought that maybe Motorhome Republic offers vehicles that other small agencies don't. That's why we booked with Motorhome Relublic. But that was a big mistake. I should have believed DetourOz and not Motorhome Republic. When we complained to the lady at the depot shop in Perth, she told us quite in a rude way " You take this vehicle or not. That's it". Of course we did not have any choice but take this vehicle. We paid 3,460 AUD for a 2 weeks rental (including the all inclusive package + Express return + cancellation insurance). And we were with 2 young and tired kids. Of course we were not going to walk away from the vehicle and giving up our trip. They knew we had no choice. Shame on Motorhome Republic for not being reliable at all and doing business this way !!! We wrote to the customer service one week ago and we are waiting for their feedback. We also sent a complain email to the commercial which we did the booking with and did not get a word from them so far. And on top of that, Motorhome Republic charge all customers a hefty 3% of the total amount for all credit card transactions which you cannot of course avoid when you live abroad ! They do inform you upon booking but still, that's a quite high surcharge ! Renting a big campervan is not cheap and when the customers pays that kind of price he expects to get what he had paid for. The 2 issues we had with the vehicle itself and the equipment : - the main switch in the campervan went off by itself once, so we could not charge while we already plugged the electricity from the caravan park. And the main switch was not where it was supposed to be as mentionned in the manual guide. We spent some time looking for it. - we got 2 booster seats. One was not safe at all when our kid sat on it. He would fall on the side all the times. So our older son did the whole trip on a big pillow. With the amount we paid for the campervan maybe the company should invest in newer and safer booster seats. A cheap way to do business ! Oh i was also advised by a friend to look at for campervan rental... and while trying to book, this website sent me to the motorhome republic page ! Just for other people to know that Motorhome Republic operates under different names. There was a thread a Tripadvisor about the different names this company is using to do its business ! Just google "Motorhome Republic reviews" and you will get the links to the bad reviews about this company on Tripadvisor. We sent an email to their commercial and customer services. Still waiting for MHR feedback with a clear explanation. Re: Has Vietnam changed in the last 5 years? 4. Re: Has Vietnam changed in the last 5 years? The annual figures for travelers given by the Department of Tourism show 7.5M (2013) vs. 13M (2017l), so not quite doubling. But the same goes for most SEA countries. I think the conditions in other parts of the world (terroris) play a good part for the increase. That and it's still rather inexpensive. The number of boats in Ha Long hasn't changed much though since they had put in a cap of sort, and it's a bit cleaner (less dirty) in the bay. I was last there in Dec 2017. In Hanoi, the Old Quarter hasn't changed much, but traffic is bad at times trying to get to it. Still, overall, the road in from the airport is better and it takes less time with the new bridges. The airport has a new terminal; that helps with the paperwork - when it's not peak time). The TSN airport has seen some changes as well. You won't recognize it. The airports in Hue and Da Nang also went thru extensive renovations; they are practically brand new. More airports had come into operation throughout the country, making it easier to move around. Cheers, John -:- Message from Tripadvisor staff -:- This topic has been closed to new posts due to inactivity. We hope you'll join the conversation by posting to an open topic or starting a new one. To review the Tripadvisor Forums Posting Guidelines, please follow this link: http://www.tripadvisor.com/pages/forums_posting_guidelines.html We remove posts that do not follow our posting guidelines, and we reserve the right to remove any post for any reason. Hi there, My family (4 adults) will be in Japan for our summer holiday trip from June 14 untill June 24 2018. We will be arrive in Tokyo and fly back home from Osaka . This will be our third time visiting Japan, we have been visiting Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, so this time we would like to visit Hokkaido If it is possible. Is 3/4days enough to visit Hokkaido then coming back to Tokyo for 3 days and continue spend the rest of our days in Osaka? What are best places to see in Hokkaido in 3/4days? Any feedback will be very much appreciated. Thanks. Vonny. My family and I are travelling to Japan this summer for a month. I have the entire trip planned so far, except for 5 days at the end. We are doing Kyoto, Hiroshima, Fukuoka & Kumamoto, Tokyo and Hakone so far, and fly out to Osaka. I have 5 days after Hakone and before Osaka to fill. My ideal place would be one that is laid back, with lovely nature and scenery, fairly easy to get to and also a good spot for some day trips. I really want to do Kanazawa, but it seems like quite the trek to get to from Hakone. Then thought Nagoya would be a good base for day tripping, but I don't really want to be in another large city. I will be with out two young boys, so also want someplace that has enough to keep kids entertained. Anyone have any suggestions?? Wondering if I cancel Hakone, and just do Kanazawa instead from Tokyo for a week. Would love any input. THanks! Re: Suggestions for the Evening of our Arrival in NYC 9. Re: Suggestions for the Evening of our Arrival in NYC -:- Message from Tripadvisor staff -:- This topic has been closed to new posts due to inactivity. We hope you'll join the conversation by posting to an open topic or starting a new one. To review the Tripadvisor Forums Posting Guidelines, please follow this link: http://www.tripadvisor.com/pages/forums_posting_guidelines.html We remove posts that do not follow our posting guidelines, and we reserve the right to remove any post for any reason. - Wamwere had earlier penned a scathing piece outlining reasons why he will not vote for Ruto - One of the reasons he gave was that the deputy president doesn't believe in democracy - Wamwere reiterated his position on Ruto's presidency when he recently appeared on a local TV - Ruto is the Jubilee Party's presidential candidate and is seen by a section of Kenyans as the top contender in 2022 Political activist Koigi Wa Wamwere has once again poured cold water on William Ruto's presidential bid saying the deputy president doesn't have what it takes to become the next President of Kenya. Wamwere wants Kenyans to be careful with Ruto because he thinks the deputy president is too ambitious and hungry for power. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens Human Rights Activist Koigi Wa Mweri had earlier gave 10 reasons why he thinks DP William Ruto should never become the next president of Kenya. Photo:TUKO. READ ALSO: Ruto not fit to be president and I will not vote for him - Koigi wa Wamwere " I do not believe Ruto has everything wrapped up for him to be president. If you see someone too ambitious for power, be very worried," Wamwere said when he appeared on Citizen TV's JKL programme on Wednesday, April 25. A few days earlier, the veteran politician declared he will not vote for Ruto and warned Kenyans against supporting the DP in 2022. In a hard-hitting opinion article seen by TUKO.co.ke on April 16, Wamwere cited lack of integrity, commitment to the democratic process, failure to end corruption and negative ethnicity, and use of government projects to seek votes as some of the reasons why he thinks Ruto will not be a suitable presidential candidate. READ ALSO: DP Ruto reveals his 2022 running mate "The next President must be an individual who is totally committed to the elimination of corruption and negative ethnicity. But from his history, Ruto is not a leader of integrity, and cannot be relied upon to develop Kenya by eradicating graft," Wamwere argued. The deputy president is expected to take over from President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2022 after he supported Uhuru both in 2013 and 2017. Rift Valley, the DP's stronghold, overwhelmingly voted for Uhuru in both elections. READ ALSO: William Ruto is a sure bet for 2022 - Moses Kuria Ruto is therefore expecting Uhuru to rally the Mount Kenya region to support his ambitious presidential bid in 2022. He will, however, need support from other parts of Kenya, besides Central and Rift Valley regions, to become president. Though a section of leaders from the Mt Kenya region had vowed to support the DP, others like Wamwere and Martha Karua are of the view that the Kikuyu community must not be made to feel obligated to vote for Ruto. Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news. Stanley Njindo Matiba's final journey - On Tuko TV Source: Kenyan Breaking News - Miguna was reacting to David Ndii's position on the Uhuru-Raila handshake - Ndii said the handshake was about correcting the sins committed by the forefathers - According to Ndii, Raila and Uhuru had taken personal responsibility to make things right - Miguna did not buy any of it and as one would expect he made his case clear A heated exchange of words erupted between lawyer Miguna Miguna and NASA coalition's top strategist David Ndii over the famous Harambee House handshake deal between President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM party leader Raila Odinga. It all started when Ndii shared a post indicating the peace agreement was a move towards rewriting the wrongs that were committed by the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga and Mzee Jomo Kenyatta. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens READ ALSO: Rafikiye Matiba atoa orodha ya wanasiasa 13 waliomdhulumu marehemu Lawyer Miguna Miguna and NASA coalition's top strategist David Ndii clash over the famous Harambee House handshake deal between Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila Odinga.Photo:TUKO. READ ALSO: Miguna is nothing but a cheap drama queen -Mutahi Ngunyi "The handshake is about dynasties. Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila Odinga have taken personal responsibility for, and committed to correct, the sins of their fathers," Ndii said in a Twitter post seen by TUKO.co.ke on Thursday, April 26. The NASA strategist also appeared to suggest the Deputy President William Ruto, who has over the years packaged himself as the leader of the hustler nation, was fighting a losing battle in his ambitious quest for the presidency. "The hustler (Ruto) is flogging a dead horse," he said. READ ALSO: NASA's strategist David Ndii sensationally claims Kenya's president should be in rehab Ndii's post received quite some reactions from Kenyans on Twitter and most notably grabbed Miguna's attention. The barrister completely disagreed with Ndii's point of view and restated his previous position on the Uhuru-Raila handshake deal, which he was against from the onset. "A correction Dr David Ndii: There are no "sins" Jaramogi committed against Kenyans for which Raila Odinga needs to "take personal responsibility." The sins Jomo Kenyatta and Uhuru Kenyatta committed against Kenyans are self-evident. Be honest. The handshake was a betrayal! he said. READ ALSO: Miguna Miguna letter accusing NASA CEO of plans to kill NRM Interestingly, this was not the first time Miguna was taking a swipe at Ndii, especially with regards to his role as a strategist in the NASA coalition. In February 2018, Miguna penned a peppered letter alleging that Ndii, alongside NASA CEO Norman Magaya, conspired with the Jubilee government to throw the coalitions activities into disarray because they allegedly did not believe in NASA's ideals. "I detest very strongly the habitual opportunism and selfish caninbalism that your behaviours are symptomatic of. Liberation wars are not fought and won on deception and opportunism. I will not allow you to impose yourselves on the NRMKe," Miguna said. The two, Miguna and Ndii, appear to have radically different political views in general. Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news. Top 5 Facts About Uhuru Kenyatta - Raila Odinga Pact - On Tuko TV Source: Tuko.co.ke - Matiba served under Moi's one party State regime and was silent on atrocities committed to leaders with dissenting views - Matiba only differed with Moi after he was rigged out of the 1988 Kanu grassroots elections -Kenya became a multiparty State when he was still detained - If the State would not have interfered with his quiet life out of politics he would not have stood up to fight for multiparty democracy When veteran politician Kenneth Matiba breathed his last on Sunday, April 15, after a long period of poor health, people from all walks of life eulogised him as the hero of multiparty democracy in Kenya. President Uhuru Kenyatta, his deputy William Ruto, Opposition leader Raila Odinga and his co-principals in the National Super Alliance (NASA) among other leaders unanimously said Matiba solely championed for Kenya's multiparty democracy. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens READ ALSO: Rafikiye Matiba atoa orodha ya wanasiasa 13 waliomdhulumu marehemu Many leaders, in apparent references, pointed an accusing finger at retired President Daniel Moi for the woes which stuck on Matiba until his last day. The late Kenneth Matiba only opposed retired President Daniel Moi after he was rigged out of party nominations. Photo: Raila Odinga/Twitter However, a look down the books of history which never lie Matibas contribution to attaining multiparty politics in Kenya is minimal, if any. READ ALSO: Matiba send off: Uhuru, Kibaki attend requiem mass in Nairobi Born in 1932 in the old Muranga district, Matiba was first elected into parliament in 1983 to represent Mbiri Constituency and served for five years until December 11, 1988. Within the first five years he was appointed by Moi as minister for Transport and Communications which just shows how close the two were since such appointments were usually rewards by the president to his loyal 'soldiers'. It is clear when Matiba was in government as a minister, his boss Moi presided over what can be referred to as the worst regime under which numerous detentions of individuals with dissenting voices occurred. The late Kenneth Matiba (left) with retired President Mwai Kibaki who was his friend. Photo: Daily Nation During this time, vocal critics of the Nyayo regime like lawyers Gitobu Imanyara, John Khaminwa, Paul Muite and politicians like Raila and many others had been detained for advocating for human rights which the leadership of the time had trampled on. READ ALSO: Preparations underway for late Kenneth Matiba's cremation Opposition leader Raila for example was incarcerated on July 5, 1990 just a day after the arrest of Matiba by the regime which he had been part of for over five years. When all those inhuman acts against government critics happened, Matiba saw no evil and did nothing to reverse the situation, at least, none has been historically documented. Matiba seems to have only realised the oppression of Mois regime when he was rigged out in the general elections of 1988 commonly known as mlolongo (voting on a queue). After the elections Matiba went silent and became inactive in politics and was only brought back to politics by his oppressor Moi in 1990s. The casket containing the body of the late Kenneth Matiba. Photo: The Star Briefly, on April 23, 1988, Matiba served as minister under Mois regime and was rigged out of the Kanu grassroots elections on September 13, 1988. READ ALSO: There is no leader like late Kenneth Matiba, they are all gone - Uhuru Kenyatta On December 6, 1988 Matiba opted out of Kanu grassroots repeat elections and resigned as minister on December 11, 1988 before the partys governing council kicked him out a day later losing his MP seat. The politician went silent until March 20, 1990 when he was summoned to the dreaded Nyayo House for interrogation over his visits to Rwanda and London where he had met Social Democratic Party MP David Owen. It is only this day when Matiba was linked with the advocacy for multiparty democracy popularly referred to as the second liberation. I decided to stand up and call for a multiparty system of government when the State followed and harassed me when I had chosen to stay away from politics. I knew leaders with opposing views to the State would never find space to express their views, Matiba said then. Four months later on July 4, 1990, Matiba was arrested and detained after defiantly planning for the famours Saba Saba rally at Kamukunji grounds, a name derived from the date of the rally, Jyly, 7. Kenya became a multiparty State when he was still in detention and this begs the question, how long did Matiba contribute to the fight for multiparty democracy? If he had not been rigged out of the KANU grassroots elections and the State interfered with his quiet life on March 20, 1990, Matiba may not have been associated with the second liberation. If he would not have fallen out with Moi, he would still support the one party State in which he served. Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news. Top 5 Facts About Uhuru Kenyatta - Raila Odinga Pact - On Tuko TV Source: Tuko Kenya Gulf Insurance sponsors SVG Gospel Fest 2018 Social Share LOCAL INSURANCE COMPANY, Gulf Insurance Limited, is getting involved in the staging of this countrys premier gospel festival. Branch supervisor Michele Morthely handed over a check for $2,000, to Michael Peters, co-ordinator of SVG Gospel Fest, which will go towards the staging of the 2018 SVG National Gospel Showcase. The 2018 festivities will officially climax this Sunday evening at the Victoria Park. The program will feature performances in song, dance and drama from some of the most outstanding artistes coming out of the zonal showcases held last weekend. Among persons scheduled to appear will be: Ekklesia Gospel Band, Jeneshia Kelly, Vermont Miracle Church Dancers, Warriors for Christ, Gospel Hall Dancers and Janet Jackson. Special guests for that evening will be leading Caribbean gospel artiste Blessed Messenger of Trinidad, Second Chance of the USA and Vincentian cultural ambassador evangelist Bridget Blucher, who is celebrating 20 years in gospel ministry. The 2018 Digicel SVG Gospel Festival is being celebrated under the theme: A Glorious Celebration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The festival is into its 16th year. The opposition UNC is urging the population to stand up and fight for their rights. During this morning's weekly press briefing, one opposition Senator and an opposition member of the house highlighted issues of mandatory vaccination and the PSC fiasco. Seven countries have already expressed interest in holding talks on the purchase of Ukrainian Vilkha missile complex. "The testing was attended by President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko, military leaders, experts and military attaches from seven world countries, who expressed their interest in holding talks on the purchase of new powerful Ukrainian weaponry," the press service of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine reports. However, despite the great interest of foreign partners, "the priority for us is to provide domestic Armed Forces with the missile complexes," said Oleksandr Turchynov, the Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine. Turchynov noted that the mass production of the missile would start in 2018. "This is the great joint success of Ukrainian scientists, designers, industrialists and military personnel, who managed to fulfill the most ambitious task in the shortest possible time," he said. ol Eight Ukrainian soldiers were wounded and other three servicemen were injured in the anti-terrorist operation (ATO) area in eastern Ukraine over the past day. Ukrainian Defense Ministry's Spokesperson Maksym Prauta said this at a press briefing on Thursday, an Ukrinform correspondent reported. "As a result of enemy shelling, fortunately, there were no losses among Ukrainian military, but eight defenders were wounded, and other three servicemen were injured, he said. Prauta added that all wounded and injured soldiers were immediately taken to medical institutions, where they were provided with medical assistance. ish In 2017, open data enriched Ukrainian economy by more than $700 million, so this area needs to be developed. Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Groysman informed this on Facebook. "In 2017, open data enriched the Ukrainian economy by more than $700 million. If the movement for open data in Ukraine continues to gain momentum, this figure will be able to reach $1.4 billion by 2025. The Economic Potential of Open Data for Ukraine research presented such results today," Groysman wrote. According to him, the G20 countries have long considered open data as raw materials for the enrichment of their economies. On this basis, new products, services, business models can be created. "Therefore, I consider that the results of the research need careful study not only by journalists, activists, business analysts and IT industry specialists but also by all representatives of state and local authorities," the premier stressed. The Government will continue to work on expanding the list of data sets that are subject to publication. The task of the authorities is to achieve the maximum economic benefit from the use of open data in Ukraine and to create for Ukrainian developers the necessary conditions for their activities. ish Ukrainian Finance Minister Oleksandr Danyliuk has said he hopes that the European Parliament will consider at a plenary meeting in June the issue of providing up to EUR 1 billion worth of macro-financial assistance to Ukraine. The minister said this on Wednesday, April 25, following his visit to the EU's legislative body, Ukrinform's correspondent in Brussels reported. "Now the key issue is time. I think, and everyone is working on it now, that we should have this issue discussed at a plenary meeting in June. This is rather an ambitious schedule, but this can be achieved. I think it's realistic," he said. Danyliuk noted that the conditions for providing grants would be discussed after the approval of the program at the level of the European Parliament. "Now we are working on the fulfillment of those conditions that did not allow us to receive the previous tranche," he said. He recalled that four out of the 21 conditions put forward by the EU had not been fulfilled: "As for the two, we have found a solution. We are working on two of them," Danyliuk said. In particular, the issue concerns the introduction of an automated system for checking electronic income declarations of officials and the opening of registers of final beneficiaries of companies. "We are working on this without waiting for the approval of the program," the minister said. In addition, he said, the mandatory conditions for the allocation of macro-financial assistance by the EU is the resumption by Kyiv of the program of cooperation with the IMF. "All mechanisms of support as part of this package are oriented at the IMF program," Danyliuk said. As Ukrinform reported, in early March, the European Commission approved and made a proposal to launch a new, fourth macro-financial assistance program for Ukraine amounting to EUR 1 billion for economic stabilization and structural reform. All tranches of financial assistance may be paid after the Ukrainian side fulfills certain conditions, among them implementing economic reform and taking further steps to intensify the fight against corruption. op Invest SVG, CEDA host one-day sensitization workshop on DAGS Social Share INVEST SVG and Caribbean Export Development Agency Host Direct Assistance Grant Scheme Sensitization Workshop Invest SVG and the Caribbean Export Development Agency (CEDA), in their quest to support business growth and exports, hosted a one-day sensitization workshop on the Direct Assistance Grant Scheme (DAGS). The workshop was held on Friday, April 20, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs conference room. To this end, several small and medium enterprise owners were present at the sensitization workshop. Deputy Director, Invest SVG Nadine Agard-Juillerat said one of the challenges business owners face in St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) is access to finance and the grant scheme is one way that they can access funds. Agard-Juillerat expressed thanks to enterprise owners for their interest in the workshop. She urged participants to ask questions and to make full use of their time. She also announced that three small business enterprises will be mentored by Invest SVG over the next two years. They are: LinkUp, Olive Art Designs, and Grenadine Sea Salt. According to Agard-Juillerat, they were chosen via a partnership with the Caribbean Export Development Agency. Director of Trade in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Commerce Okolo John-Patrick, said the Direct Assistance Grant Scheme is funded by the European Union under the 11th EDF private sector development programme. She added that it presented a very important prospect for small and medium size enterprises in SVG. We are anticipating that under the 11th EDF, the grant contracts will increase and more Vincentian businesses will be able to benefit from the grant scheme, she said. Manager, Competitiveness and Export Promotion of the Caribbean Export Development Agency Christopher McNair was one of the main facilitators at the workshop. He presented on the application and evaluation process for the Direct Assistance Grant Scheme, the diagnostic tool and the reimbursement process. The workshop was also facilitated by Keisha Phillips, Centre for Enterprise Development (CED) Inc. and Country Advisor to the Direct Assistance Grant Scheme. Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine Pavlo Rozenko instructed to speed up the dialogue with Egypt on trade and economic and scientific and technical cooperation. He said this at a meeting of the Ukrainian part of the Ukrainian-Egyptian intergovernmental commission on trade and economic and scientific and technical cooperation, the Governmental portal reports. "Today, we have all the opportunities for intensifying the negotiations, to find the common ground that will enable us to start a new page in Ukraine's cooperation with the Arab Republic of Egypt. We have the issues to discuss in agriculture, energy, industry, tourism, pharmaceutical, innovation and other promising areas," Rozenko said. The Vice Prime Minister instructed to implement all the necessary measures to prepare a joint meeting of the Ukrainian-Egyptian intergovernmental commission. "We should have an active dialogue with the Egyptian side to hold a joint meeting of the intergovernmental commission in a few months," Rozenko said. ol Ukraine is working on the signing of a number of international contracts in the aerospace sector. Ukrainian Deputy Minister for Economic Development and Trade Yuriy Brovchenko, who heads the Ukrainian delegation at the 2018 ILA Berlin Air Show, told this to Ukrinform's correspondent in Germany. "We are reaching the finish line in terms of signing some contracts, procedures for joining the working groups," Brovchenko said. He did not disclose the details, saying only that "there are concrete offers from our partners, including from Germany and Spain," but this process requires time. In particular, he said, on the first day of the air show, the delegation held talks with representatives of the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and colleagues from Spain. "Ukraine now occupies a leading place in the development of the aerospace industry," he said, adding that the Ukrainian Economic Development and Trade Ministry and the Cabinet of Ministers as a whole are currently discussing the concept of a new state program for the development of the space industry. According to Brovchenko, the president and the government are making every effort to support the space industry, despite the rather difficult budget financing of this area and "certain problems in personnel policy." Brovchenko drew attention to "large-scale opposition to Ukraine," in particular fake news stories that have been spread in the last few days. "We understand why this is happening, and Ukraine will do everything to become a truly powerful airspace state," he said, adding that Ukraine would actively oppose such attempts of influence. He noted the presence at the exhibition of the world's largest aircraft - the Ukrainian Mriya. "All those present here will see our capabilities in the air and space industry," Brovchenko said. In addition to the Mriya with representatives of Antonov Airlines, Ukraine is also represented by the State Space Agency, Pivdenne Design Bureau, Pivdenmash (Yuzhmash), Hartron, as well as OJSC Motor Sich (Zaporizhia) and others. The Berlin Air Show brought together representatives of nearly 1,100 companies from 41 countries, which are showcasing about 200 aircraft. Over 150,000 people from around the world are expected to attend the air show within five days. op The leadership of the Ukrainian aerospace industry has a busy agenda at the ILA Berlin Air Show 2018. "We need to develop our cooperation with European organizations and enterprises. We have scheduled more than two dozen different meetings both at the level of space agencies and at the level of enterprises within the framework of this show," head of the State Space Agency of Ukraine Pavlo Dehtiarenko said in a commentary to an Ukrinform correspondent. Dehtiarenko stressed that the European direction is of the greatest importance for the Ukrainian space industry. Consequently, the Berlin Air Show, which takes place every two years, is the most important from the point of view of cooperation with the space agencies of European countries, the European Space Agency, the European enterprises of the rocket and space industry, he said. "The rocket and space market in the world in general and in Europe in particular is very small, so it is very difficult to gain authority in it. The fact that the European partners buy our components and acquire our technologies shows that the Ukrainian space industry has really reached world class," the head of Ukraines Space Agency said. ol The Foreign Ministry of Ukraine calls on Russia to let Ukrainian doctors visit jailed activist Volodymyr Balukh, who was sentenced in Crimea, and release him. "We call on the Russian Federation to let Ukrainian doctors visit political prisoner Volodymyr Balukh, who has been on hunger strike since March 18. We demand his immediate release," Spokeswoman for Ukraines Foreign Ministry Mariana Betsa wrote on Twitter. The Federal Security Service of Russia detained Volodymyr Balukh on December 8, 2016. The FSB officers claimed that they had found 90 cartridges and several TNT blocks in the attic of his house. March 14, the Kremlin-controlled Supreme Court of Crimea changed the verdict in the case of Ukrainian activist Volodymyr Balukh. The court excluded the paragraph on purchase of ammunition from the verdict and sentenced the activist to 3 years and 5 months of imprisonment in a penal colony settlement and fined him about UAH 4,600. In August 2017, another criminal case was opened against Balukh. This happened after Balukh and his lawyer filed a complaint with the police about the actions of Valeriy Tkachenko, the chief of the Razdolnensky temporary detention facility. In response, Tkachenko filed a complaint against Balukh, claiming the activist beat him. According to the lawyers of the activist, Tkachenko himself attacked Volodymyr Balukh, namely: hit him, insulted with swear words and humiliated him on a national basis. On March 19, the Kremlin-controlled Razdolnensky district court chose a pre-trial restriction for Volodymyr Balukh in form of detention until June 19, 2018. ol The foreign ministers of the NATO member states will discuss Ukraine's Euro-Atlantic aspirations for membership in NATO. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said this at a press conference on Thursday, Ukrinforms correspondent in Brussels reported. "Ukraine has also announced its aspirations for NATO membership, and the foreign ministers will raise this issue," the head of the Alliance said on the eve of the meeting of foreign ministers. ish Contradictions between Ukraine and Hungary on the language issue should be resolved at the level of two countries. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said this at a press conference on Thursday, Ukrinforms correspondent in Brussels reported. "We could not hold a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission at the ministerial level, because Hungary blocked the meeting as it did not agree with the Ukrainian language law. Ukraine and Hungary themselves should resolve the contradictions regarding the rights of national minorities," the head of the Alliance said. He expresses hope that these contradictions between the parties will be resolved as soon as possible. Stoltenberg stresses that Ukraine is an important partner of NATO, and the Alliance provides powerful political and practical support to Kyiv under the conditions of Crimeas annexation by aggressive Russia and destabilization of the situation in eastern Ukraine. As reported, Hungary blocked the holding of a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission at the ministerial level for the third time, thus expressing its claims regarding the language article of the Ukrainian law on education. ish The United States supports Ukraine's Euro-Atlantic aspirations for membership in NATO. U.S. Ambassador to NATO Kay Bailey Hutchison said this at a briefing on Thursday in Brussels, an Ukrinform correspondent reported. "We support the aspirations of Ukraine to become a member of NATO," the ambassador assured. The ambassador welcomes the Euro-Atlantic aspirations of Ukrainians who do not want to be dependent on Russia. She also stresses that Ukraine has made progress on the path of reforms necessary for membership in NATO, but she urges to keep moving. Kay Bailey also says that the United States hopes that meetings of the Ukraine-NATO Commission at the ministerial level, which are currently being blocked by Hungary, will resume. The ambassador assures that the American side is actively working on this issue. As Ukrinform reported, the foreign ministers of the NATO member states will discuss the Euro-Atlantic aspirations of Ukraine for membership in Alliance on Friday. At the same time, Hungary has blocked the holding of a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission at the ministerial level for the third time, thus expressing its claims regarding the language article of the Ukrainian law on education. ish The Foreign Ministry of Ukraine strongly condemns the unlawful raids in the annexed Crimea and promises to submit the evidence of crimes of the occupation authorities to the international courts. "We strongly condemn new unlawful raids in occupied Crimea. Discrimination of Crimean Tatars. Evidence of the crimes will be submitted to the international courts," Spokeswoman for Ukraines Foreign Ministry Mariana Betsa wrote on Twitter. As reported, large-scale raids on homes of Crimean Tatar entrepreneurs, patrons and activists took place in the occupied Crimea on Thursday morning. ol The Ukrainian government continues improving legislation on radioactive waste management. President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko said this during the working trip to the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. "I want to emphasize that we will continue improving the Ukrainian legislation on radioactive waste management together with experts from the Netherlands, France, Germany, Spain and Sweden," Poroshenko said. The Head of State expressed his gratitude to the European Commission for joining the project of international technical assistance, which is now one of the components of the continuous aid package to Ukraine from the world community. ol Ukraines Minister of Education and Science Lilia Hrynevych and Bulgaria's Minister of Education and Science Krasimir Valchev signed a declaration on the implementation of the language article of the law on education. This is stated in a statement by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine. "Our goal is to provide equal opportunities to all schoolchildren. The law on education guarantees that Ukrainian children belonging to national minorities will receive a sufficient level of knowledge in both native and state languages for the realization of their constitutional rights. We propose to introduce gradually more subjects in the state language from the fifth grade. The number of subjects studied in Ukrainian will gradually increase each year in order to achieve the proportion of 60% of subjects in Ukrainian and 40% of subjects in minority language in the 11th grade. This model is successfully used by EU countries. This is a necessary step from the educational point of view," Hrynevych said. She also stresses that Ukraine is implementing all the recommendations of the Venice Commission. In particular, the roadmap, which contains a list of legislative and other measures for the gradual introduction of the language article, has been already prepared. The document also stipulates that Ukraine and Bulgaria will work on a new protocol for cooperation and exchange between the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine and the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Bulgaria for 2019/2020, 2020/2021, 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 academic years. ish Local Internet Society hosting training sessions for parents Social Share A local Chapter of the Internet Society has been formed. The Internet Society (ISOC) is an American non-profit organization, founded in 1992 to provide leadership in Internet-related standards, education, access, and policy. Its mission is ato promote the open development, evolution and use of the Internet for the benefit of all people throughout the worlda. It was July of 2017 that a group of 43 professionals formed a Chapter in St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG), under the leadership of Roxanne John. The Internet Society seeks to improve the quality of peopleas lives in all parts of the world, by providing them meaningful access to an open, trusted, and global Internet. As part of the local chapteras mandate it has developed its first project to assist citizens of SVG called a Chapterthon, mainly in the Sandy Bay and Canouan areas. For this project, training sessions will be held for young parents (aged 15-35) on what is the Internet, its use; teaching parents to assist their children in research and study on the Internet; and other interesting topics. The project theme is, aDigital skills empowerment for young parents in the two underserved areas.a The training will take place in October 30 a November 3, 2017, simultaneously. The target will be 50 parents and two sessions, one in Canouan and the other in Sandy Bay. SVGas ISOC Chapter has partnered with Jax Enterprises, Digicel and NTRC for the success of this programme. A Chapterthon is a global Internet Society (ISOC) Chaptersa marathon, where ISOC Chapters can participate by developing a project within a timeline and budget to achieve a common goal for the development of education and the Internet. We have always seen the Internet as a critical enabler for sustainable development and believe that access to it will help accelerate the achievement of all of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). (Contributed by Kerry Kerr) Reports about the detention of a Czech diplomat have not been confirmed. A Czech citizen was detained in Ukraine on Monday on suspicion of unlawful use of technical devices, and a court in Kyiv decided on Wednesday that he will be released on bail of an equivalent of EUR 4,500, Czech Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Irena Valentova has told CTK. The Info.cz server, citing trustworthy sources, wrote that the detained Czech is Ludek Vokal, who used to be a high-ranking officer of the Czech police former organised crime squad, whom the General Inspection of Security Corps (GIBS) suspects of several crimes, the Prague Daily Monitor said citing the Czech News Agency. Valentova said Czech diplomacy had been informed about the man's detention by the Ukrainian security service. "We are in contact with the person and his family," she said. Valentova said the Czech man should not leave Ukraine for a period of two months and he should cooperate with the authorities dealing with his case. According to Info.cz, Vokal's arrest in Ukraine is linked to his current activities in the security field, in which he keeps working although prosecution has been launched against him in the Czech Republic. In early April, the GIBS proposed that Vokal be charged with abuse of power for leaking information about a planned police raid within the Vidkun case of suspicious ties between police officers, entrepreneurs and politicians. Besides, Vokal has been accused of having leaked information from files of the anti-drug police unit to criminal underworld protagonists in 2010-2015, and information from police databases to CEZ energy utility head Daniel Benes and controversial lobbyist Roman Janousek. He is also suspected of having helped delay a police crackdown on suspected blackmailers and securing a Czech residence permit for an underworld boss's girlfriend. Info.cz wrote that together with Vokal, the Ukrainian police detained a Czech diplomat, who, however, was subsequently released after producing his diplomatic passport. Valentova did not confirm the information about the detention of a diplomat. She said the ministry has no such information. The foreign ministers will meet on Friday, April 27, 2018, to prepare for the NATO Summit in July. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg says that NATO Foreign Ministers are to address Ukraine's aspirations for membership of the Alliance. "Ukraine has also expressed its aspirations for membership, and I expect ministers will want to address that," he said at a press conference in Brussels on April 26, according to an UNIAN correspondent. The foreign ministers will meet on Friday, April 27, 2018, to prepare for the NATO Summit in July. Read alsoNATO doesn't change policy vis-a-vis Ukraine, acknowledges its aspirations for accession The ministers' four working sessions will focus on Russia, the Middle East and North Africa, Afghanistan, and the Western Balkans / NATO's Open Door policy. Friday's ministerial meeting will be the last in the current NATO headquarters, which has housed the Alliance for 50 years. When Allied Defense Ministers gather in June, they will meet in NATO's new headquarters, which Secretary General Stoltenberg called "a new home for a modern and forward-looking Alliance." As UNIAN reported, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko on March 28 signed a decree "On the Approval of the Annual National Program under the Auspices of the Ukraine-NATO Commission for 2018." The presidential decree states that the medium-term goals of developing relations with the Alliance include measures to "ensure preparations for gaining by Ukraine of membership of NATO and receiving an invitation to participate in the NATO Membership Action Plan." Sobchak is scheduled to take part in a business training event in Crimea. The SBU Security Service of Ukraine says it does not object to a visit by ex-candidate in recent Russian presidential elections Ksenia Sobchak to Russian-occupied Crimea if she abides by the laws of Ukraine. "If she does not violate the rules of [border] crossing, if she does not say anything that may pose a threat to the national interests of Ukraine, then what does the SBU have to do with it?" SBU spokesperson Olena Hitlyanska said in a comment to the Ukrainian news outlet Obozrevatel. Read alsoRussian presidential candidate Sobchak calls occupied Crimea "Pandora's box" (Video) Regarding the fact that Sobchak is on the stoplist of the Ukrainian website Myrotvorets (Peacemaker), Hitlyanska explained that the SBU does not rely on this database in its decision making. "The Myrotvorets database has nothing to do with the SBU, so one should correlate a decision by the Security Service with Myrotvorets," she said. Media outlets earlier reported that Sobchak would arrive in Russian-occupied Crimea on April 28 to participate in a business training event. "As scheduled, she is flying from Moscow to Kyiv on April 27-28, after that she is travelling to Kherson by car and then, she is getting to the border with Crimea. There are informal agreements that the Ukrainian authorities and law enforcement agencies will not block Sobchak's trip to Crimea via Ukrainian territory," the Russian-registered Crimean-based news agency Kryminform reported, citing its own source. The historian recalled that the controversial UPA had fought against Nazism and that there were Jews in its ranks. Director of the Ukrainian Institute of National Remembrance Volodymyr Vyatrovych has commented on the letter signed by more than 50 U.S. congressmen, addressed to the U.S. State Department, on "anti-Semitism" in Ukraine. Speaking with RFE/RL, the historian branded the move "a mix of incompetence and deliberate distortion of information." "It's strange that such a large number of respected American politicians put their signature under such a document," Vyatrovych said. In particular, he recalled that the UPA members had fought against Nazism. "When they call out as an example of glorifying collaborators the name of Stepan Bandera, a prisoner of the Sachsenhausen Nazi camp, or Roman Shukhevych, who in 1943 got to the helm of one of the largest anti-Nazi resistance movements in Europe, occupied by the Third Reich, this only shows, to say the least, poor knowledge of the matter on the part of the people who put their signature," said the historian. "As an example of our pro-Nazi or collaboration propaganda, our information campaign was named, dedicated to the Ukrainian Insurgent Army [UPA]. The campaign included two exhibits "UPA: the Response of the Unconquered Nation," with one of them precisely telling about the massive anti-Nazi struggle of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army. One of the stands at the exhibit, in particular, told about Jews who fought Nazism in UPA ranks, and then fought Communism, too," Vyatrovych said. As reported earlier, some 56 Members of Congress appealed to the U.S. Department of State with a letter expressing concern over the "government-supported" distortion of facts and Holocaust denial "taking place in Europe, particularly in Poland and Ukraine." Among other things, the letter asserts that Ukraine glorifies "Nazi collaborators Stepan Bandera, Roman Shukhevych, and the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN), as well as the Ukrainian Insurgent Army." "These paramilitaries and individuals in some cases collaborated with the Nazis and bear responsibility for the murder of thousands of Jews, 70,000-100,000 Poles, and other ethnic minorities between 1941 and 1945," the letter reads. Read alsoHolocaust program may move to Ukraine due to Polish bill on Nazi crimesThe document also mentions a number of crimes committed in Ukraine triggered by anti-Semitism, notes torch-lit nationalist marches, where anti-Semitic slogans are chanted, and points at the activities of the "neo-Nazi Azov Battalion, which was "incorporated" into the Ukrainian National Guard. The document will be used to introduce new sanctions and prolong the ones previously introduced against Russia. The resolution earlier adopted by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, which recognized that the part of Donbas is "effectively controlled" by the Russian Federation, will become a base for international suits and sanctions against the aggressor state, according to a Ukrainian MP, PACE Vice-President Heorhiy Lohvynsky. Lohvynsky noted that the resolution establishes Russia's responsibility for violating the norms of international and national law, and recognizes that the Ukrainian Donbas is under the effective control of the Russian Federation, according to the press service of the People's Front, the party Lohvynsky represents as an MP. "It's Russia that is responsible for the armed seizure of our territory, it's Russia that is responsible for the lives of our citizens in this territory, for violating human rights in that territory which it effectively controls via its puppets," he said. Read alsoPACE passes resolution on countering Russian propagandaAccording to the deputy, the document will be used to introduce new sanctions and prolong the ones previously introduced against Russia. Lohvynsky also recalled that in Ukraine, there are already 2 million internally displaced persons who have lost their property, and it's Russia that must compensate for all losses. "This is the point [in the PACE resolution] saying that the responsibility is on Russia, which was supposed to ensure human rights. They never allowed for it to happen so they must be punished and bear legal responsibility for these actions," the PACE vice-president said. As UNIAN reported earlier, on April 24, PACE adopted a resolution recognizing that parts of Donbas are "effectively controlled" by Russia. The agreement also provides for ensuring the right of representatives of Bulgarian national minority to study in and learn their native language. Ukraine and Bulgaria have signed a Declaration on the implementation of the language clause of the law on education and guaranteeing the rights of the Bulgarian national minority. The document was signed off by Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine Liliya Hrynevych and her Bulgarian counterpart Krasimir Valchev, the press service of the Ukrainian education ministry reports. The document provides that, along with learning the state language, representatives of Bulgarian national minority should have conditions for learning their native language and studying in their native language. The Declaration also provides that Ukraine and Bulgaria will work on a new protocol on cooperation and exchange between the education ministries for 2019/2020, 2020/2021, 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 academic years. Read alsoHungary unhappy with Ukraine's plans to sanction dual nationality"We suggest that we gradually introduce more classes taught in the state language starting grade 5. The number of classes taught in Ukrainian will gradually increase grade by grade to reach a 60% share of classes in Ukrainian and 40% in those taught in the minority language," said Hrynevych. She also said that Ukraine had already drafted a "road map" containing a list of legislative and other measures for the gradual implementation of the language clause in line with the relevant recommendations of the Venice Commission. As UNIAN reported earlier, the new law on education, which entered into force on September 28, 2017, introduces a 12-year secondary education system in Ukraine with Ukrainian being used as the language of tuition. Read alsoUkraine, Romania agree to seek compromise on education lawChildren representing national minorities can be taught in their mother tongue at classes (groups) along with the national language. Yet, Poland, Romania, Hungary, Greece and Bulgaria expressed concern over the language provisions of Article 7 of the law. The Venice Commission issued recommendations on December 8, 2017, that the Ukrainian authorities should balance the language provisions. On February 14, 2018, government officials in Ukraine extended until 2023 the transition period for the introduction of the language provision of the education law. Poroshenko pointed out that the Kremlin regards the Moscow Patriarchate as one of the key tools of influence over Ukraine. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko announced on April 17 that Ukraine might have an independent, unified Ukrainian Orthodox Church as early as July 28the anniversary of Kyivan Rus adoption of Christianity. He made the prediction after the Ukrainian parliament voted to support the presidents efforts to convince Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to grant autocephalous status to the combined Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC)-Kyiv Patriarchate and Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church, John Coyle wrote in an op-ed for the Atlantic Council. During an official state visit to Istanbul, Poroshenko met with Patriarch Bartholomew on April 17. The two leaders held seven hours of closed-doors discussions before the president announced Ukraine is as close as ever to the emergence of its own Unified Orthodox Church. Ukrainian nationalists have been trying to establish an autocephalous church since 1992, when Patriarch Filaret broke with the Moscow Patriarchate and established his own congregation, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Kyiv Patriarchate. The Moscow church banned Patriarch Filaret, excommunicated him, and eventually declared him anathema for his action. For the nationalists, however, it is a question of politics, not theology. Unity is our main weapon in the fight against the Russian aggressor," Poroshenko told the parliament. This question goes far beyond the ecclesiastical. It is about our finally acquiring independence from Moscow. Read alsoRFE/RL: Ukrainian Orthodox Church under pressure in CrimeaPoroshenko pointed out that the Kremlin regards the Moscow Patriarchate as one of the key tools of influence over Ukraine. His thoughts are echoed by Archbishop Zoria Yevstratiy of the Kyiv Patriarchate, who said that the differences arent about faith. Moscow is using its influence over Ukraine in the church as an instrument of hybrid warfare against Ukraine, said the prelate. The author notes that within Ukraine itself, the Kyiv Patriarchate is clearly winning over their Moscow-controlled counterparts. As expected, the bid for independence from the Moscow Patriarchate faces stiff ecclesiastical opposition from the Moscow church. They point out that Moscow annexed Kyivs Metropolitan in 1686, and that Ukrainian clerics are therefore under Moscows authority, and not Constantinoples. Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew therefore lacks the authority to grant Ukraine an independent status. Archbishop Yevstratiy dismisses these arguments. He claims that the 1686 annexation was accomplished by use of force, already a violation of canonical law. He recalled that the ecumenical patriarch had granted autocephaly unilaterally to Orthodox churches in Estonia in 1996, Bulgaria in 1998, and the Czech Republic and Slovakia in 2014. Thus, the practice of granting Tomos (an official Church declaration) on autocephaly by Constantinople in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries confirms that the Ecumenical Patriarchate alone makes this decision, without the need for prior agreements with other Churches. Read alsoUkraine's parliament backs appeal to Bartholomew to create independent UOC"What happens among the various Orthodox communities is worth watching, as it impacts questions of Ukrainian sovereignty, the influence of Moscow, and the ecclesiastical legitimacy of the congregations. Poroshenkos July 28 deadline might be rushed, however," the author wrote. To avoid making a decision on autocephaly, the Ecumenical Patriarch referred the recognition question to a study group two years ago. Without additional knowledge of what occurred between Patriarch Bartholomew and the president, it is impossible to state with any certainty if the patriarch has come to a decision. As UNIAN reported earlier, on April 22, The Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate has accepted an appeal by President Petro Poroshenko and Ukrainian Orthodox clerics on granting autocephaly to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and "made corresponding decisions." On April 19, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine endorsed the appeal to Patriarch Bartholomew on granting autocephaly to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. The only political forces refusing to support the move were the Opposition Bloc and Vidrodzhennia Group. The enemy resorted to multiple rocket launchers, 152mm and 122mm artillery systems, 120mm and 82mm mortars. Russian-led forces widely use proscribed weapons in Donbas with 76 attacks mounted on the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the past day. "Eight Ukrainian soldiers were wounded in action, another three sustained combat-related injuries," the press center of the headquarters of Ukraine's military operations reported on Facebook on Thursday morning. Read alsoEnemy Grads shell Ukraine forces in Donbas in brutal violation of Minsk agreements "In particular, the aggressor used multiple rocket launchers, 152mm artillery systems, 120mm mortars and cannons of tanks in the Luhansk sector to shell [the Ukrainian] positions near the village of Novoluhanske. Also, 152mm artillery systems and 82mm mortars were used by the enemy near the town of Svitlodarsk and 122mm artillery systems, 120mm and 82mm mortars and cannons of infantry fighting vehicles (IFV) near the villages of Luhanske and Novhorodske. The village of Zaitseve was attacked with the use of 122mm artillery systems and the village of Troitske with the use of 120mm and 82mm mortars," it said. In addition, the defenders of the village of Novozvanivka came under fire from 120mm mortars, cannons of infantry fighting vehicles, grenade launchers and large-caliber machine guns, while a tank attacked the Ukrainian positions outside the village of Novoselivka, which was also under fire from 82mm mortars, grenade launchers and IFV weapons. The enemy opened fire from small arms near the village of Malynove. In the Donetsk sector, the enemy resorted to 120mm mortars and grenade launchers, used to shell the village of Verkhniotoretske, Butivka coal mine, the villages of Vodiane and Hnutove. "The occupation forces also used 82mm mortars, grenade launchers of various systems and small arms to shell the defenders of Avdiyivka; IFV weapons were used to attack the villages of Talakivka, Bohdanivka and Butivka coal mine; grenade launchers were used near the village of Kamianka, heavy machine guns near the villages of Pavlopil, Hnutove, Slavne, Nevelske, Verkhniotoretske, Pisky, and the town of Krasnohorivka. Fire from small arms was opened to attack the defenders of the villages of Shyrokyne, Lebedynske, Hnutove, and Pyshchevyk. In addition, the enemy used an anti-tank missile system in the area of Talakivka and Hnutove," it said. Access to basic necessities, such as water, food and medicine, is threatened by, among others, the lack of measurable steps to cease fire, withdraw weapons, disengage, and de-mine. Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine Ertugrul Apakan says the protection of civilians living in Donbas, eastern Ukraine, must be paramount, as the security situation there remains volatile and unpredictable. Apakan also paid tribute to SMM colleague Joseph Stone, who was killed one year ago when an SMM armored vehicle was struck by an explosion, most likely caused by an anti-tank mine in the non-government controlled area near Pryshyb, Luhansk region, the OSCE said in a statement on April 26. "The one-year anniversary was a solemn reminder of the risks our monitors continue to face," Apakan said in his address to the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna on April 26. "There remains no higher priority for the Mission than the safety and security of our staff." He called on those on the ground to respect the work of the SMM, and to ensure its safety and security as they have committed to do upon signing the Minsk agreements. Read alsoDonetsk filtration station resumes water supplies to Avdiyivka Referring to the recent disruption in the operations of the Donetsk Filtration Station which followed the wounding by gunfire of a number of its employees, he added that "the human cost of the conflict cannot be counted by casualties alone." Access to basic necessities, such as water, food and medicine, was, he said, threatened by, among others, the lack of measurable steps to cease fire, withdraw weapons, disengage, and de-mine. From day-start, militants shelled 21 times positions of Ukrainian forces in Donbas from mortars and grenade launchers. As a result of hostilities on Thursday, four Ukrainian military were reported wounded in action. On the Donetsk line, militants shelled Ukraine's positions near Novotroyitske, using 120 mm mortars banned by the Minsk agreements, weapons installed on infantry fighting vehicles, as well as grenade launchers and small arms, the press center of government forces headquarters wrote on Facebook. Invaders engaged Ukrainian soldiers near Lebedynske from 120 mm and 82 mm mortars, and from grenade launchers of various systems and small arms - in the vicinity of Avdiyivka, Maryinka, and Kamenka. Read alsoEnemy Grads shell Ukraine forces in Donbas in brutal violation of Minsk agreementsMilitants employed heavy machine guns near Nevelske and Talakivka, small arms in the areas of Lomakine and Opytne, and near Novomikhaylivka a sniper was active. On the Luhansk line, terrorist fired on Ukrainian fortifications near Zaitseve from banned 120-mm mortars, heavy machine guns and anti-tank weapons. As UNIAN reported earlier, as a result of the morning militant shelling of the village of Zaitseve in Donetsk region, nine households had been damaged. Man inflicts chop wounds on childhood friend Social Share ONE MANWAS ORDERED to pay for his animalistic behaviour, in delivering three chops to his longtime friend over a disagreement about his dog, at the end of a trial last Tuesday. Jomerlay Parris had previously been charged, and pleaded not guilty, to the wounding of VINLEC employee Ronnie David on September 30 of last year. The two men had apparently never been in an altercation before then, and they have known each other since they were in primary school. However, resentment had sunken its teeth into their friendship; Parris bristling at the treatment he received from Davids canine. On September 30, Parris was apparently on his way home, and Davids dog rushed after him. Parris said he threw a stone at the dog and continued walking. David, realizing what had happened, came outside after him and the two exchanged words. Parris, who lived up the road from David, reached home, changed, and decided to head back out at 4:30 a.m., for what he said was to buy a Busta. In order to buy this Busta, his brother accompanied him, and Parris also took along a cutlass. David had been sitting on a wall further down the road with his dog. The stories vary on what happened after this, Parris saying that the dog rushed out at him, he tried to chop the dog and David jumped off the wall and got in the way. Parris said that while wrestling with cutlass in his hand, David received two other chops. David on the other hand, spoke of being held by approximately four persons and being chopped by Parris, on his left wrist, eye and right shoulder. The complainant spoke of his injuries when he was on stand, looking sadly at his left wrist which had required surgery, and saying without moving his eyes away from it, that he could not move it upwards anymore. No matter how hard I try, he said, with a heavy voice and giving a small sigh afterwards. On the stand, he said he was able to recognize who chopped him, because he had known Parris since primary school, and he was right up in his face. Parris accused David of being drunk that night and not knowing where he was chopped. David, in response, said he had had two beers, but wasnt drunk. Parris story was less strong under cross examination. At one time the defendant had said that he took the cutlass because he had been arguing with David, at another, he said he took the cutlass with him because of the dog. Dog name boy nuh? Prosecutor Corlene Samuel asked him. Your brother custom follow you to buy juice? she asked him. Parris replied no, but because the argument had come up, he did. Parris had said he had walked on the same side of the road that David was sitting. Therefore, Samuel commented, You and a man just had a confrontation you afraid of the dog, but you walk right next to the dogthats what you want the court to believe? The trial also saw police officers as witnesses and the defendants brother. Senior Magistrate Rickie Burnett found Parris guilty and fined him $2,500, $1,500 to be paid forthwith and the rest by June 29. Any compensation was ordered to be sought civilly. The concerns have been heightened following the poisoning in the UK of a former Russian spy, Sergei Skripal, and his daughter, who is a Russian citizen. Among the dozens of Russian diplomats the U.S. expelled last month were suspected spies who U.S. law enforcement and intelligence officials believe were tracking Russian defectors and their families who had resettled in the U.S. In at least one instance, suspected Russian spies were believed to be casing someone who was part of a CIA program that provided new identities to protect resettled Russians, the officials said, CNN wrote. Read alsoG7 countries urge Russia to urgently address all questions related to Salisbury incident That episode and other U.S. intelligence raised concerns that the Russians were preparing to target Russian emigres in the U.S. labeled by the Kremlin as traitors or enemies, law enforcement and intelligence officials said. The CIA declined to comment. The White House declined to comment. The Russian embassy did not respond to a request for comment. The concerns have been heightened following the poisoning in the UK of a former Russian spy, Sergei Skripal, and his daughter, who is a Russian citizen. British and U.S. officials have blamed Russian intelligence for the use of a nerve agent in the attempted poisoning. Read alsoPolice identify key suspects in nerve agent attack on Sergei Skripal The Telegraph The White House last month said it was expelling 60 Russians as a measure of solidarity with the UK over the Skripal poisoning case. Officials in both the U.S. and UK have warned that the Russian government appears emboldened to carry out assassinations in western Democracies. Democrats on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee produced a report earlier this year raised the issue of the suspicious deaths of more than two dozen critics of Russian President Vladimir Putin during his time in power. The Russian security services are suspected in many of the deaths, the report said, noting a Russian law passed "in July 2006 that permits the assassination of 'enemies of the Russian regime' who live abroad." "The trail of mysterious deaths, all of which happened to people who possessed information that the Kremlin did not want made public, should not be ignored by Western countries on the assumption that they are safe from these extreme measures," said the Senate Democrats in their report. The judges confirmed the decision of the lower instance Ostrava court ruling illegal all operations of the "organization" and ordering that it be liquidated. The Supreme Court of the Czech Republic has liquidated the so-called "DPR [Donetsk People's Republic] Representative Center" in the city of Ostrava, Ukrainian Ambassador to the Czech Republic, Yevhen Perebeynis wrote on Twitter. "The fake 'representative office' of the Russian occupation administration in Donbas has finally been liquidated in the Czech city of Ostrava. Today, the Czech Supreme Court confirmed last year's decision of the Ostrava court on the illegality of activities and liquidation of this 'organization'," the envoy wrote. As UNIAN reported, on September 1, 2016, representatives of the "DPR" terrorist organizations staged in Ostrava the opening of their "representative center," which they called "their first diplomatic institution" in Europe. Read also"DPR" representation opening in France as "public association"The Czech Foreign Ministry assured that the institution enjoys no diplomatic powers and is registered as a public association. Czech diplomats then reported they would seek liquidation of the organization in court. In June 2017, the court of the city of Ostrava liquidated the so-called "DPR Representation" branding it an illegal organization. Pompeo is now expected to travel to Brussels for the NATO Foreign Ministerial meeting on Friday. The Senate approved Mike Pompeo's nomination as the next secretary of state on Thursday, installing the former CIA Director as the nation's top diplomat at a time when several high stakes negotiations are underway around the globe. The vote was 57-42, CNN reports. The State Department confirmed soon after the vote that Pompeo is expected to travel to Brussels for the NATO Foreign Ministerial meeting on Friday. Read alsoCIA Director Pompeo met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un over Easter weekendPresident Donald Trump fired his first Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in a Twitter message in March. He tapped Pompeo, a former Congressman, to take the job after the two developed a close relationship during his tenure as the chief intelligence officer, during which Pompeo personally delivered the daily briefings at the White House. The fifth Pakistan-Japan High Level Economic Policy Dialogue to look into the areas of bilateral interest and search for new opportunities to further improve the existing economic relations was held here on Thursday. Islamabad, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 26th Apr, 2018) : The fifth Pakistan-Japan High Level Economic Policy Dialogue to look into the areas of bilateral interest and search for new opportunities to further improve the existing economic relations was held here on Thursday. Secretary Economic Affairs Division (EAD), Syed Ghazanfar Abbas Jilani led the Pakistani side comprising highest level of representation from the relevant Ministries and Divisions. Senior Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Yamazaki Kazuyuki led the Japanese side consisting of the senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and key Japanese stakeholders based in Japan and Pakistan respectively. Secretary EAD Syed Ghazanfar Abbas Jilani speaking on the occasion, emphasized the need to give a new impetus to the economic and commercial ties between the two countries as there exists enormous opportunities available in Pakistan in the wake of sustained economic turnaround and improved security environment. Dilating upon the investment opportunities in the country, he elaborated that Pakistan's investment policy, characterized by steady liberalization, privatization and deregulation, is one of the most liberal and investor-friendly in the region. He also recommended that starting a few flagship projects by the Government of Japan contributing towards socio-economic development of the masses at the grass roots level would definitely be a timely intervention to emphasize upon the strong relationship between the two countries. It was highlighted that Japan is a promising market for Pakistan's exports. In this regard, the Secretary EAD also stressed the importance of the early convening of the Joint Government business Dialogue to further the dialogue on trade and investment issues. Japanese side expressed that they will facilitate the Joint Government Business Dialogue, which is planned to be held later this year. Both sides noted the need for further enhancement of Japanese investment in Pakistan keeping in view the improved economic environment. For future Japanese investment, the Pakistani side identified the emerging sectors of automobile, auto parts, electric cars, electronics, solar panels, chemicals and plastics. Japanese side highlighted the importance of enhancement of investment as already there are profitable businesses by many Japanese companies in Pakistan. The Japanese side informed the Pakistani side that Japan is enhancing the assistance in the area of human resource development in order to contribute to the industrial development of Pakistan in terms of human capacity development as well. Both sides discussed enhancement of economic cooperation in the sectors of energy, infrastructure and transport. The Senior Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Yamazaki, Kazuyuki noted that Pakistan is a significant partner and Japan attaches high importance to its relationship with Pakistan. He underscored the importance of further strengthening the long standing trade, economic investment relationship between Japan and Pakistan and said that the revival of the High Economic Policy Dialogue would go a long way in deepening economic engagement between the two countries. The dialogue, it may be added is of immense significance as it primarily deals with major policy matters regarding trade, investment and development cooperation and more importantly it is held after a gap of more than seven years indicating the fact that both the countries are recognizing the need to enhance bilateral economic relationship to the next higher level. The fourth round of Bilateral Political Consultations (BPC) between Pakistan and Tajikistan was held here on Thursday, where the two sides reviewed their bilateral relations and examined the prospects of cooperation in areas of trade, economy, investment, culture, education, science & technology, defence, parliamentary exchanges, humanitarian issues and people-to-people contacts. ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 26th Apr, 2018 ) :The fourth round of Bilateral Political Consultations (BPC) between Pakistan and Tajikistan was held here on Thursday, where the two sides reviewed their bilateral relations and examined the prospects of cooperation in areas of trade, economy, investment, culture, education, science & technology, defence, parliamentary exchanges, humanitarian issues and people-to-people contacts. According to foreign office statement here, Pakistan delegation was headed by the Special Secretary (ME, ECO & CARs), Aitzaz Ahmed while the Tajik delegation was led by the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, Nizomiddin Zohidi. Both sides expressed satisfaction at the close fraternal relations and progress made thus far. It was agreed to further consolidate the bilateral relations in all areas of mutual importance. The sides expressed satisfaction at their ongoing collaboration at the UN, ECO, SCO and OIC. The two sides discussed the evolving peace and security situation in the region. The Special Secretary briefed the Tajik side on Pakistan's efforts aimed at promoting peace and security in the region, Pakistan-India relations and human rights violations in the Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. The Tajik Deputy Foreign Minister also called on the Foreign Secretary and exchanged views on mutual interest. He also delivered a lecture at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI). It was decided to hold the fifth round of consultations in Dushanbe in 2019, it added. (@ChaudhryMAli88) Senate Deputy Chairman Saleem Mandviwalla has underscored the need for more close collaboration in the fields of trade, business, science and technology and other sectors to provide level playing field to the investors and business communities of Pakistan and China for mutual benefit. ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 26th Apr, 2018 ) :Senate Deputy Chairman Saleem Mandviwalla has underscored the need for more close collaboration in the fields of trade, business, science and technology and other sectors to provide level playing field to the investors and business communities of Pakistan and China for mutual benefit. He expressed these views in meeting with a seven member business delegation from China headed by CETC Chairman Zhu Chong at the Parliament House on Thursday, a press release said. The deputy chairman said friendship between Pakistan and China is time tested and the two sides place the bilateral relationship at high esteem. He said Pakistan offers a conducive environment for investment and Chinese conglomerates need to explore opportunities for business and trade. "State companies of China need to invest in private sectors in Pakistan by engaging with companies and launching joint ventures in different fields," Mandviwalla said. He said Pakistan and China have a history of friendship and this historic friendship has remained beneficial for both in economic and strategic fields and initiatives like CPEC have added further impetus to bilateral relations between the two sides. He also emphasized the need for increased exchange of visits at the business community level for exploring new avenues. The deputy chairman said people of Pakistan are proud of China's socioeconomic progress and looking forwards for further strengthening their mutually beneficial cooperative partnership. Leader of the delegation agreed with the views of Mandviwalla and underscored the need for more enhanced cooperation between Pakistan and China. (@ChaudhryMAli88) The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training and Government of Pakistan Thursday signed a plan for operating a Korean funded "Girls' Right to Education Programme" in Bahawalpur and Muzaffargarh districts in South Punjab and Astore and Ganche in Gilgit-Baltistan. 3.4 million dollar funds of Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) will support national capacity building to realize girls' right to education in Pakistan's Punjab province and Gilgit-Baltistan, through interventions targeting education officials, community leaders, teachers and parents, a press release issued here said on Thursday. ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 26th Apr, 2018 ) :The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training and Government of Pakistan Thursday signed a plan for operating a Korean funded "Girls' Right to Education Programme" in Bahawalpur and Muzaffargarh districts in South Punjab and Astore and Ganche in Gilgit-Baltistan. 3.4 million Dollar funds of Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) will support national capacity building to realize girls' right to education in Pakistan's Punjab province and Gilgit-Baltistan, through interventions targeting education officials, community leaders, teachers and parents, a press release issued here said on Thursday. "The Republic of Korea's support to UNESCO, especially in education, is extremely valuable in expanding the "Malala Girls Right to Education Programme" in four new districts for promotion of access and quality of girls' education," the minister for Federal Education and Professional Training, Muhammad Baligh-Ur-Rehman said. . "It is encouraging that donors are showing interest in education sector in Pakistan, which is a testimony of their confidence in the present government's efforts for promoting education in the country," he added. Vibeke Jensen, UNESCO representative in Pakistan expressed her gratitude to the people of the Republic of Korea for supporting girls' education in Pakistan. This support will enable UNESCO to expand the outreach of its exiting "Girls Right to Education Programme" in additional districts in Punjab and Gilgit-Baltistan where the indicators for girls' education are very low. She appreciated the Ministry of Education and Professional Training for its unwavering support and ownership of "Girls Right to Education Programme" in Pakistan. Chung Jong Hyon, Country Head KOICA, expressed his pleasure in collaboration with the Government of Pakistan and UNESCO for promoting girls education in most needy areas of the country. He assured his continued cooperation for promoting the cause of education in Pakistan. The Government of Pakistan contributed 10 million Dollars to the "Malala Funds in Trust for Girls Right to Education" established in 2012, of which $ 7 million are earmarked for the "Girls' Right to Education Programme" in Pakistan. areas. (@FahadShabbir) Mayor of Islamabad Sheikh Anser Aziz has said that data collection should be carried out in Rawalpindi and Islamabad to achieve desired results from the Polio Campaign. Islamabad, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 26th Apr, 2018) : Mayor of Islamabad Sheikh Anser Aziz has said that data collection should be carried out in Rawalpindi and Islamabad to achieve desired results from the Polio Campaign. He said that administrations of the twin cities through mutual consultation should finalize the arrangements of polio campaign being commenced from May 07, 2018. He said that review meetings before and after the campaign should be organized to discuss resources and issues faced during the campaign so that next campaign could be made more effective. The Mayor Islamabad expressed these views while chairing a meeting of task force constituted on the directions of Prime Minister of Pakistan under his chairmanship. Representatives of Islamabad and Rawalpindi Administrations, District Health Officers and officers of the other concerned formations attended the meeting. Sheikh Anser Aziz said that main objective of the task force is to establish effective liaison between the twin cities and formulate coordinated policy so that menace of the polio could be completely eradicated. He said that polio teams from Rawalpindi Administration will administer polio drops in the area which are in the jurisdiction of Rawalpindi police while the areas falls under jurisdiction of Islamabad police would be covered by teams of Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI) and Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Administration. The Mayor Islamabad said that due to unclear boundaries of the twin cities many children are left without administering polio drops. He said that boundaries of the 07 union councils of Islamabad are common with Rawalpindi while boundaries of 30 union councils of Rawalpindi are common with Islamabad city, therefore, clear cut demarcation is necessary so that every child under the age of 05 years could be administered with polio drops. Sheikh Anser Aziz said that registration of the child under the age of 5 years complete and complied data of polio campaign is guarantee of success. He directed the Rawalpindi and Islamabad Administrations and health departments of both cities to ensure true implementation of plan for polio campaign being started from May 07, 2018. He directed to call meeting of the task force on the conclusion of campaign so that success of the campaign evaluated and problems faced during the campaign could be discussed. The Mayor of Islamabad said that local elected representatives have an important role, therefore, they should play their role in administering polio drops in their respective union councils. He said that in order to curb polio completely new recruitment is also being made, and advertisement in this regard has been issued in the newspapers and soon newly recruited staff will be available to carry out this campaign. He further stated that it is our national responsibility to fight with this deadly disease until its complete illumination so that our next generation could be saved. (@ChaudhryMAli88) A new wave of unprovoked firing by the Indian troops at the Line of Control (LoC) in Chamb sector of Bhimbher district Thursday resulted in killing of two civilians and injuring of two others. MIRPIR (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 26th Apr, 2018 ) , :A new wave of unprovoked firing by the Indian troops at the Line of Control (LoC) in Chamb sector of Bhimbher district Thursday resulted in killing of two civilians and injuring of two others. India resorted to unprovoked shelling in the wee hours of Thursday at the forwards areas along this side of the LoC Chamb sector located in Barnala tehsil of Bhimber district leaving two civilians martyred and two others injured," said Chaudhry Guftar, Deputy Commissioner Bhimber when contacted. DC Bhimbher told APP Thursday night that the deceased were identified as Rafique, son of Sharif, and Wazir, son of Allah Rakha. The injured were identified as Jannat Bibi and her teenage son Mohammad Usman, he said. One of the minor injured was relieved from the hospital after Medicare, whereas the only seriously injured was admitted to DHQ Hospital Bhimbher. The military band from Pakistan enthralled the audience with its exquisite and stunning performance by playing tunes of different national and traditional folk songs at Pakistan Embassy here on Thursday morning. BEIJING, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 26th Apr, 2018 ) :The military band from Pakistan enthralled the audience with its exquisite and stunning performance by playing tunes of different national and traditional folk songs at Pakistan Embassy here on Thursday morning. Pakistan Ambassador to China, Masood Khalid was the chief guest on the occasion. Defence Attach Brig Ahmed Bilal, senior diplomats, military officials, teachers, students and a large number of Chinese and Pakistani communities witnessed the performance. The military band started its performance with playing national anthem of Pakistan and then presented some melodious tunes including 'Jeevay Jeevay Pakistan', Aiy Puttar Hattan Tey Nahin Vikday.' The audience also appreciated famous tunes of traditional folk songs of Punjabi, Pushto, Sindhi and Kashmiri languages. Speaking on the occasion, Ambassador Masood Khalid highly lauded the band led by Honorary Captain Ghulam Ali for its performance which was a rare and unique opportunity for the gathering. He informed that this band has represented Pakistan at a very important international event of the meeting of the Defence Ministers of the SCO wherein eight member-states of SCO participated including host country China. They gave their performances at such iconic places like Great Wall and Olympic Stadium. "They not only won the hearts of the Chinese people by rendering beautiful Chinese tunes, Pakistan national and folk songs but also they have dominated the media headlines,' he added. He said all the tunes were excellent and outstanding but one which rounded of this programme was beautiful as it revived our patriotic spirit. Master Ghulam Ali said it was his third visit to China and added last year his band participated in 4th SCO Military Bank Festival in Shanghai last year. He said the performance of Pakistan band was applauded by Chinese brethren everywhere in China. The 50-member tri-service military band is on a -seven-day visit of China to participate in the 5th "Horn of Peace" Military Band Festival of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in the Chinese capital. Military bands from eight countries, namely, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India and Belarus are participating in the festival. The opening ceremony of the festival was held at a square of the Juyongguan Pass of the Great Wall in Beijing on April 24, which was followed by the first official performance of the festival. The eight participating military bands gave a parade performance at the Beijing Olympic Park on morning of April 25 and staged the second official performance at the Juyongguan Pass of the Great Wall in evening on same day. The 1st SCO Military Band Festival was held in 2014, and it has become a cultural gala of SCO and a bridge linking the friendship between servicepersons of the armed forces of the SCO member states. It is worth mentioning that, this year's SCO Military Band Festival has been joined by three newcomers, and they are the military bands from Uzbekistan, India and Belarus. New religion on rise in SVG Social Share A RELIGION, NEW to this country, is taking root here and Kingstown Park resident, Noladmechadash Ben Israel, formerly Winford Roberts, is encouraging persons to come on board. The groups name is Israel United in Christ or IUIC, and Noladmechadash says their teachings are being shared in many countries including Barbados, Trinidad, Jamaica, Cuba and Venezuela. The local group is an offshoot of the United States based Israel United in Christ which was founded in 2003, by Natanyel Ben Israel because he wanted to resurrect the Twelve Tribes of Israel. Noladmechadash said they are not yet fully affiliated to the parent group, but are hoping to become a full member soon and open a school here. We are teaching people that we are the direct descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. We aint Africans The group believes that the descendants of the lost 12 tribes of Israel and true biblical Jews are the Black Americans/Negros, West Indians, and Native Americans of North and South America and those scattered throughout the whole planet. Locally, the group has 12 members and Noladmechadash told SEARCHLIGHT that the group is growing as they meet with persons regularly to spread their message. We are teaching people that we are the direct descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. We aint Africans, Noladmechadash told SEARCHLIGHT while adding, they taught us we are Africans in school because our foreparents bring us from Africa in the Atlantic Slave Trade, but they never taught us where we came from and who we were before that. The Kingstown Park resident said that most of the black mans history starts with slavery and that is wrong. He said that he was once a Christian and later moved to Rastafarianism but abandoned that way of life also after coming across the teachings of IUIC. Noladmechadash said the group is for everyone, any age and sex and that their youngest member is 24 and the eldest is close to 50 years old. Persons interested in joining the group may call 498-1223. The group meets every Saturday at the home of any one of its members and they will also soon hold sessions on Wednesdays for bible study and fellowship. Currently the local chapter has no leader. NOLADMECHADASH BEN ISRAEl, formerly Winford Roberts (@mahnoorsheikh03) Misbah denies allegations, says she is only married to Atif Nawaz Lahore (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News 26th Apr, 2018) Four husbands of a woman went to Lahore High Court on Thursday seeking justice. According to media reports, Khalid, Sabir and Atif belonging to Sialkot and Gujarat were looted by the same girl. Khalid said that 15-year-old Misbah looted jewelry worth lacs and left after just three days of marriage. Second husband Sabir told that Misbah fled after taking Rs 3 lac while the third husband Atif said that she ran after taking costly jewelry. The three husbands said that their deceitful wife is now living with fourth husband. Sabir said that he had filed a petition against his wife in Lahore High Court. However, Misbah has filed a petition to dismiss the case. She says that she got married to Atif Nawaz when she was 14-years-old. The other three men are making baseless allegations on her. They showed her pictures in the court and made fake marriage contracts. She said that Sabir wanted to marry her but her mother got her married to Atif. Watch the following video: (@ChaudhryMAli88) The police claimed on Thursday to have arrested 21 drug pushers and recovered narcotics, liquor and illegal weapons from their possession. SARGODHA, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 26th Apr, 2018 ) ::The police claimed on Thursday to have arrested 21 drug pushers and recovered narcotics, liquor and illegal weapons from their possession. The teams of different police stations conducted raids within the areas of their jurisdiction and arrested 21 accused and recovered 2.185 kg Hashish, 1. 1 kg heroin, 110 gram opium, 660 bottles liquor, 4 guns, a rifle and 7 pistols from them. They were identified as Asghar Ali, Niamat Masih, Bilal Ahmed, Muhammad Asif, Rashid Ali, Gul faraz, Tanveer Ahmed, Muhammad Shoaib, Shahid Ali, Muhammad Zafar, Muhammad Shahnawaz, Dani Masih, Imran Ali and others. Police have registered cases and started investigation. (@rukhshanmir) Belgium Ambassador to Pakistan Frederic Verheyden visited Sialkot international airport on Thursday SIALKOT, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 26th Apr, 2018 ) ::Belgium Ambassador to Pakistan Frederic Verheyden visited Sialkot international airport on Thursday. He appreciated the Sialkot exporters for establishing the international airport on self help basis, besides providing the world class aviation and cargo facilities to the passengers at the airport. The Belgian Ambassador also discussed in detail the matters of mutual interest during an important meeting with the management of Sialkot International Airport Limited (SIAL). On this occasion, Chairman SIAL Khawar Anwar Khawaja gave a detailed briefing to the visiting Belgian Ambassador about the mega project of Sialkot international airport. SIAL CEO Maj Gen (Retd) Mir Haider Ali Khan said that Sialkot exporters had set a unique example of self help by establishing the grand project of Sialkot international airport. He said that Sialkot exporters had been playing a pivotal role in strengthening the national economy by earning foreign exchange to the tune of US$ 2 billion annually. SIAL Vice Chairman Muhammad Suhail Asghar added that the project of Sialkot international airport was moving towards the goal success and excellence besides striving to open the new vistas of socio-economic and human development here. The Belgian Ambassador said that Belgium would help to boost SMEs sector in Pakistan besides encouraging the regular exchange of the mutual trade delegations between Belgium and Pakistan. British High Commissioner to Pakistan Thomas Drew called on Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, here on Thursday. LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 26th Apr, 2018 ) :British High Commissioner to Pakistan Thomas Drew called on Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, here on Thursday. On the occasion, different matters of mutual interest including promotion of Pak-UK relations and expansion of bilateral cooperation in different sectors came under discussion. The British HC appreciated the development process in Punjab, saying that chief minister's development vision is praiseworthy. "Under your leadership, the Punjab government has shown performance in different sectors. The performance of the Punjab government in health, education and other sectors is laudable and a result-oriented strategy has been adopted for the development of different sectors of life. Alongside, your efforts for improving the quality of life of the people and bringing composite development in the province are praiseworthy and the reforms programme aimed at prosperity of the people is worth-following," he added. He said that Britain gives great importance to its relations with Pakistan and added that collaboration with the Punjab government would be further promoted. Cooperation with Punjab government in health, education, skills development and other social sectors will be promoted, he added. Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that new chapters of transparency, speed and high-quality had been written in development projects. Pakistan which was envisioned by Father of the Nation, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, is moving towards its real destination and the consensus decisions reached upon by the political and military establishment had yielded positive results, he said. He said as a result, unprecedented successes had been achieved in war against terrorism and Pakistan of 2018 was much more peaceful, secure and economically viable than before. Pakistan has achieved important successes in war against terrorism and as a result, incidents of terrorism have been sufficiently decreased, he added. He said that thousands of megawatts of electricity was being included in the national grid due to the energy plants set up in Punjab with a cost of billions of rupees. This is also boosting business and trade activities, he added. He pointed out that there were vast opportunities of investment available for British investors in different sectors in the Punjab. Pakistan's bilateral relations with the UK span over many decades and British cooperation in different sectors is appreciable. In future, relations between Punjab government and the UK will be further promoted, concluded the Chief Minister. Shehbaz Sharif also hosted a lunch in honour of British High Commissioner. China, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Tajikistan under a multilateral framework will carry out joint exercise and training on the counter-terrorism focussing on real combat experiences this year, Spokesman of Chinese Defence Ministry, Senior Colonel Wu Qin said on Thursday. BEIJING, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 26th Apr, 2018 ) :China, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Tajikistan under a multilateral framework will carry out joint exercise and training on the counter-terrorism focussing on real combat experiences this year, Spokesman of Chinese Defence Ministry, Senior Colonel Wu Qin said on Thursday. "We will organize several joint exercises and training focusing on real combat experiences and carry out cooperation within multilateral framework such as China, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Tajikistan cooperation and coordination on joint counter-terrorism as well as Shanghai Coordination Cooperation (SCO) in joint efforts to further promote and press for fruits out of substantial cooperation between the two sides in various areas," he said while responding to a question asked by APP Correspondent during a monthly press briefing held here. The spokesman informed that this year, the Chinese and Pakistani armed forces will maintain the good momentum of high-level exchange and actively carry out mechanized exchanges between the services and institutions. About the meeting between Defence Minister Engr Khurram Dastgir and his Chinese counterpart, Wei Fenghe on the sidelines of the Defence Ministers meeting, he said that he noticed that the defence ministers of two countries met during the just concluded defence ministers meeting of SCO member-states. He said both the ministers exchanged views in-depth and reached a broad consensus on the bilateral and military to military relations between the two sides, regional security situation and other issues of mutual concerns. "As this well known to the world, China and Pakistan are reliable neighbours, brothers, tested by the events of the international community, trusted friends of each other and partners seeking common development," he added. On the outcome of Defence Ministers meeting of the SCO, he said, it was first meeting after the inclusion of Pakistan and India as full members in the organization. Wu Qian said that Chinese State Councilor and Minister of National Defense General Wei Fenghe presided over the meeting and delivered a keynote speech. Leaders of the defence ministries and militaries of SCO member states including Russia, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, as well as representatives of the SCO Secretariat and the Executive Committee of the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure of the SCO attended the meeting. The Belarusian Defense Minister attended the meeting as a special guest. He said the topic for the summit was building a community with a shared future for mankind while seeking development through innovation and cooperation, as General Wei Fenghe pointed out during his speech. Chinese President Xi Jinping, along with leaders from other countries, has put cooperation in security as the top priority, which has, in turn, made the SCO an important force for maintaining world peace and stability. Gen.Wei Fenghe said that we must earnestly implement the consensus reached by the heads of various states and constantly improve the level of defence and security cooperation. The Chinese Defence Minister also pointed out that building a community with a shared future for mankind is China's wisdom and plan that focuses on solving human development issues and improving the global governance environment. As the largest comprehensive regional organization in the world today, we must establish the concept of a shared future for mankind and work hard to build shared security for all. The "Shanghai Spirit" should be well-preserved, while pragmatic cooperation is strengthened in areas such as high-level exchanges, joint military drills, and education, among others. Wei said that we need to establish a united front in the fight against terrorism and jointly safeguard peace in the region and the world. The spokesman said during the conference, defence leaders summed up the results of cooperation since the 2017 meeting, stressing that the SCO countries should enhance cooperation between defence departments and armed forces to deal with rising threats and challenges in international societies. The Defence Ministers of SCO Countries Joint Communique was signed at the conference, while the defence minister from Uzbekistan signed a collaboration agreement with other SCO country's defence ministries. Medals of strengthening friendship and cooperation among SCO member states were awarded during the conference. Wei met with defence ministers of Pakistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and India to exchange views on deepening military exchange and cooperation, and they participated in the opening ceremony of the 5th "Fanfare for Peace" military music festival, he added. (@ChaudhryMAli88) Ministry of Commerce here on Thursday organized a consultative seminar on draft National Tariff Policy being formulated for five years, 2018-23. RAWALPINDI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 26th Apr, 2018 ) :Ministry of Commerce here on Thursday organized a consultative seminar on draft National Tariff Policy being formulated for five years, 2018-23. The consultative seminar was organized to take input of the stakeholders including business community, industrialists, representatives of chamber of commerce and industry, gems and jewelry and others on the draft National Tariff Policy. Director General, Trade Policy, Ministry of Commerce Muhammad Ashraf, Secretary, Trade Development Authority of Pakistan Inam Ullah Khan, Secretary Ministry of Commerce, Muhammad Younas Dagha, Member National Tariff Commission, Tippu Sultan and Member National Tariff Commission, Madam Robina were present on the occasion. A large number of businessmen, industrialists, representatives of Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, gems and Jewelry Associations and other stakeholders attended the seminar. Muhammad Ashraf addressing the participants while presenting a presentation on the draft National Tariff Policy highlighted salient features of the policy. He said, during the last five years, the economic indicators have consistently improved, GDP growth has increased from 3.65 percent in 2012-13 to 5.28 percent in financial year 2017 and expected to be around 5.8 percent in FY 2018, workers' remittances have grown by 39 percent and revenues have increased by 66 percent. He said, effectively employed, the tariffs play an important role in allocation of resources, protection of the domestic industry against foreign competition, improving competitiveness of the domestic industry, generating employment opportunities, attracting and protecting investment, improving balance of payments, serving as a source of revenue and income distribution by levying higher import duties on luxury goods and lowering tariffs on raw materials and intermediate goods. On the other hand, employed excessively, the tariffs erode competitiveness of industry by increasing cost of inputs and cause de-industrialization by making industrial investment less viable due to eroded competitiveness. In Pakistan, the import tariffs are traditionally employed as a revenue generation tool rather than instrument of trade policy as import tariffs are easy to levy and administer than direct taxes. To facilitate the manufacturers-cum-exporters, a number of schemes are in place to waive/reimburse the import duty on their inputs; however, the benefits of such schemes are availed only by very few exporters. Many exporters especially SMEs often fail to avail the benefits of such exemption schemes or duty drawbacks. He also spoke on Pakistan's tariff regime and current duty slabs, issues in tariff regime, regional trends, tariff policy and its objectives. The DG said, the tariff policy aims to achieve the objectives including to make the tariff structure a true reflection of trade policy priorities, to improve competitiveness of manufacturing especially the export sector through duty free access to imported raw materials and intermediate goods, to rationalize the tariff structure for enhancing the efficiency of the existing domestic activities, especially in the manufacturing sector and for improving the resource allocation. Similarly, to reduce the relative 'disincentive' for the exporting activities, to improve the growth potential of the country and increase employment opportunities by attracting investment into efficient industries and reduce the burden of protection on the end users, to encourage value addition through the principle of cascading of tariffs and to remove anomalies in the tariff structure which is causing distortions between sectors and in the value chain of the same sectors. He said, the tariff policy will be employed as an instrument of trade policy rather than revenue. The tariff structure will be simplified by reducing exemptions and concessions. The domestic industry will be provided 'strategic protection' against the foreign competition during the infancy phase keeping in view the cost of doing business. The protection will be time-bound and phased out so as to make the industry globally competitive. The policy recommendations will be implemented in a period of five years starting from the budget 2018-19. The duty on more than 450 tariff lines, comprising raw materials, intermediate goods and machinery for export oriented industries, will be reduced in 2018-19. The tariff slabs will be re-fixed. Madam Robina in her concluding remarks said that this is first draft of the policy and this is not final. She said all stakeholders are being taken onboard and sector wise consultation would also be started soon. A schedule in this regard would be announced within a month and also uploaded on the Ministry's website, she added. She said, the draft National Tariff Policy has been uploaded on the ministry's website and invited the stakeholders to give their suggestions in this regard. The participants appreciated the consultative seminar and said this was a very useful session and a good initiative taken by the Ministry of Commerce. Minister of State for Information, Broadcasting, National History and Literary Heritage Marriyum Aurangzeb has said that it was imperative to connect children with their roots, ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 26th Apr, 2018 ) :Minister of State for Information, Broadcasting, National History and Literary Heritage Marriyum Aurangzeb has said that it was imperative to connect children with their roots, culture, language and heritage with a view to develop their personality and mindset. Speaking as a chief guest at the 30th anniversary celebrations of a private school system here Wednesday night, she said schools should regularly organize curricular and extra-curricular activities aimed at promoting indigenous culture, heritage and national language. She said that urdu was not only the Lingua Franca of Pakistan but also had a very strong bond with the culture of the country and as such needed to be promoted. The minister said, "I have been saying, as is happening all around the world, schools should give their students short film and documentary projects so their linkage with their language and culture is restored and they become more aware of the landmarks of their country." Marriyum said during the last 30-35 years due to terrorism, children of Pakistan were deprived of screen tourism, and they were watching a lot of foreign content on television. The minister said that with a view to strengthen the bonds of the new generation with their culture, cultural heritage and national language, the Ministry of Information was going to introduce 'Summer Internship Project" on Radio and tv under which the students (both male and female) would be able to participate in the competition for makingshort documentary films and photo projects on those subjects.She invited the schools to participate in the project. The minister while stressing the importance of English language in the global competitive era, advised the parents to keep their kids rooted in the native culture and values as thatwas the only way to bridge the missing link. She said the Roots School System was vision of a lady named Ms Mushtaq and observed : "Her presence here itself is a testimony of her commitment, passion, and contribution to quality education in Pakistan and she deserves a great tribute from all of us. I have seen it with my own eyes how Ms Mustaq worked hard to lay foundation of the first Roots school. Today I can see her hard work in each one of the students who performed at the stage. I am delighted to see how her teachers are carrying forward her legacy." She also appreciated the hard work put in by her daughter Khadija Mushtaq for providing education and experiential learning to the young students. The minister commended the principal and teachers for putting together a well researched grand show. "It was great to see the segment of Indus civilization and the children who participated in it. My suggestion to the teachers for the next annual day is to also have some performances in Urdu as it will strengthen our roots with the national language and landmarks," she added. The minister said that the principals, teachers, parents and children of Roots School System had created an ideology and quality of education in line with the standards and requirements of competitive education. She said that the standard of education had improved a lot during the current democratic dispensation as credible efforts had been made to provide congenial and enabling environment to all the educational institutions. During the event, Roots IVY showcased "Story of Civilizations ! A riot of colours , festivity and creativity". The Roots IVY Riverview campus reverberated with exuberance and creativity of the IBPYP students who put forth a commendable display of "Civilizations of the World". The students showcased their year long journey by presenting broadway styled performances on the IB Trans-disciplinary theme, "The World Around Us". The Annual Day opened with the enthralling perspectives from the Roots IVY class of 2018 pertaining to phenomenal acceptances from 3 IVY Leagues and countless other top ranked universities of the world. This was followed by well synchronized performances by Early Years on the themes 'life begins' and 'early humans'. The IB early years also presented a touching tribute to mothers. The students presented spectacular performances on ancient Egypt, ancient China, Indus valley, Ancient Greece and Modern age. The ardent young IVIANs expressed their patriotic fervour through an awe-inspiring tribute to Pakistan. The Annual day culminated in an elegant prize distribution ceremony where the minister awarded the IB Learner Awards. (@ChaudhryMAli88) Internal Publicity Wing of Ministry of Information,Broadcasting,National History and Literary Heritage on Thursday advertised the post of Chairman Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) According to the advertisement published in national daili ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 26th Apr, 2018 ) :Internal Publicity Wing of Ministry of Information,Broadcasting,National History and Literary Heritage on Thursday advertised the post of Chairman Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) According to the advertisement published in national dailies, the tenure of the next Chairman PEMRA would be four years and the applications could be submitted till May 9.The candidate should be an eminent professional of known integrity and competence having substantial experience in media, business management,finance,economics or law. As per the advertisement, the applicants should have at least masters degree in media studies, business administration,management, finance,economics or law from Higher education Commission recognized university of Pakistan or an equivalent degree from abroad. The age limit for the post has been maximum 61 years. The government employees fulfilling the criteria could also apply. It is worth a mention that the decision for advertising the post was taken in the search committee meeting held under the chairmanship of Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Sartaj Aziz. The committee was constituted on the Supreme Court directives. The post fell vacant in December last year when Lahore High Court declared the appointment of Absar Alam as chairman PEMRA illegal. Jammu and Kashmir remains the most dangerous place on earth because torture, injury through deadly pellet guns, rape and extrajudicial executions of innocent Kashmiris by the Indian Armed Forces have increased exponentially Islamabad (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 25th Apr, 2018 ) Jammu and Kashmir remains the most dangerous place on earth because torture, injury through deadly pellet guns, rape and extrajudicial executions of innocent Kashmiris by the Indian Armed Forces have increased exponentially. What is needed is an all-of-Pakistan approach for this issue. Unless, there is national consensus and an aggressive media campaign to support the Kashmiris, there can be no way forward. The Government of Pakistan should use all means necessary including negotiations, arbitration, legal recourse, diaspora, and diplomacy to highlight Indian Occupied Kashmirs nonviolent struggle. While maintaining detente with India, the countrys policy-makers and thought leaders should also approach the international community at all forums to highlight its human right violations and uncompromising and hostile attitude in Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan also needs to set its own house in order because only then it can impress upon the global community, and India, that it is in the mutual interest of both countries that their disputes, especially Kashmir, are resolved to herald an era of goodwill, peace and progress in South Asia. These were some of the issues discussed at the One-Day Conference on Pakistan-India Dialogue: Imperatives and Prospects organized by the Islamabad Policy Research Institute, here in Islamabad today. Dr Farhan Hanif Siddiqi, Associate Professor from the Quaid-i-Azam University argued that relations between India and Pakistan can be characterised as one of frenemies alternating between periods of peace and conflict. Dr Siddiqi pointed out that now, however, conflict has become an overarching feature of their bilateral relationship with New Delhi claiming 860 ceasefire violations in 2017, and Pakistan blaming India for 1,970 ceasefire violations in the same year. The situation has not abated even in 2018, with India blaming Pakistan for 633 violations, while Pakistan blaming India for more than 400 ceasefire violations in the first two months alone, he shared. The speaker was of the view that in order to move forward with peace, both countries need to look towards absolute gains with economic overtures and regional connectivity mechanisms such as CPEC and OBOR. Unfortunately, the shadow of the future is still cast in strategic terms making it impossible for larger peace initiatives to be implemented and reciprocated by either side. If both India and Pakistan do not do so, and continue to engage in strategic games and relative gains, the opportunity of increased economic development promised by the ruling elites of these countries to their masses will be easily challenged and forfeited, he concluded. Dr Muhammad Mujeeb Afzal from the Quaid-i-Azam University presented his paper on Making Pakistan-India Dialogue Possible and Sustainable: A Way Forward for Shared Future and highlighted that the space for negotiations in India is shrinking with the spread of the Hindutva ideology due to which there is greater animosity towards Pakistan, and Muslims in particular. This extremist ideology is why it is so easy to equate terrorism with the freedom struggle in Kashmir, he remarked. The hawkish elements in Modis administration want to restore Indias pride and hegemony, and this does not involve giving any concessions, rather it wants to isolate, encircle and weaken Pakistan, besides tempering its linkages with traditional allies, neighbours and potential friends. Lt General (Retd) Asif Yasin Malik, HI (M), Former Defence Secretary, Government of Pakistan, gave a historical overview of the Kashmir issue starting with the 1948 local armed uprisings that flared in various parts when the princely state was asked to join either India or Pakistan. He lamented that despite peace pledges and confidence building measures to settle differences bilaterally through peaceful means, hardly any progress has been made. No meaningful bilateral discussions have taken place and the Kashmir dispute continues to fester. The problem has been that having a good Pak-India relationship has been the corollary for the resolution of Kashmir, whereas it should be the resolution of Kashmir which should lead from the front. He stressed that it has never been the military which has impeded the peace process, rather the most out-of-box solutions to this conflict came from a military government. It is the lack of political will and wisdom on both sides that has been the problem. Under Modis Mahabharat, there is no space for liberation of Kashmir. Apart from strategic reasons, Modi has made Kashmir a question of Indias survival as a state. Due to such an egoistic attitude, India cannot accept a group of people separating from it; nor a small country like Pakistan getting away with its campaign, he explained. The sad irony is that the people of Kashmir have become secondary in this conflict, even though they are ones who are paying its price with their lives, and the lives of their women and children. Lt General (R) Malik outlined that hopes for peace remain grim because in the global environment, there is utter apathy towards Kashmir as they do not see it as a problem, and are only concerned about nuclear war between India and Pakistan. There is also negativity in the regional environment with SAARC sitting almost next to its grave thanks to being scuttled by Modi, he remarked. What is needed is an all-of-Pakistan approach for this issue. Unless, there is national consensus and an aggressive media campaign to support the Kashmiris, there can be no way forward. A ten-year clear and robust strategy is needed which includes an institutional mechanism within Pakistan to resolve this issue, not just a Parliamentary Committee which has unlimited resources and no capacity and teeth. Membership of the Parliamentary Committee on Kashmir needs to either be re-vamped altogether or reformed so that it can actually have greater impact. Giving its chairmanship to a competent person is of utmost importance, he said. Earlier, Ambassador (R) Abdul Basit, President of IPRI, welcomed the participants and highlighted that Jammu and Kashmir is not a territorial dispute between Pakistan and India, it is a political and humanitarian one. It is primarily about the Kashmiri peoples right of self-determination as granted to them under several United Nations Security Council resolutions, which have been accepted by previous Indian governments. He called for greater will on the part of the government and the people of Pakistan to find a way towards Kashmirs peaceful resolution. A special envoy to coordinate all matters related to the Kashmir dispute should be considered, he recommended. In the interactive and packed Q/A session, a lawyer from Jammu and Kashmir urged that the Pakistani government needs to move cases of Indian brutalities to the International Criminal Tribunal since time for talks have now passed and failed, with India changing the very demographics of the region. With Kashmir now having one of the worlds largest population of blind people due to Indian pellet gun attacks and the increasingly draconian laws being implemented by the Indian Armed Forces, urgent action needs to be taken, participants stressed. Pakistan Tourism Developement Corporation (PTDC) and Iran would start joint venture projects particularly gas pipelines and to invest in tourism and cultural sector of Pakistan which would enhance relations between the two countries. ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 26th Apr, 2018 ) :Pakistan Tourism Developement Corporation (PTDC) and Iran would start joint venture projects particularly gas pipelines and to invest in tourism and cultural sector of Pakistan which would enhance relations between the two countries. Managing Director, PTDC, Chaudhry Abdul Ghafoor on Thursday called on Vice President of Islamic Republic of Iran Ali Asghar Moonesan said a press release issued here. Vice President Iran said cooperation between two brotherly countries is ideal, Iranian government will explore the possibilities to invest in Pakistan. Chaudhry Abdul Ghafoor Khan said strengthening bilateral relations between two brotherly countries is important. Earlier, he attended Tabriz city official celebrations, nominated by Organization of Islamic Conference for 2018. Ghafoor said the efforts of the OIC to promote tourism in Muslim countries are delightful, due to which people of the Muslim Brotherhood will get the opportunity to get closer. "Tourist promotion is in interest of the OIC's 57 member states that can bring tourism revolution in these countries", he said. Tourists flow will also increase the economic activities and such celebrations. Chaudhry Abdul Ghafoor Khan stressed that Lahore city of Pakistan should be nominated as OIC City of Tourism for the year 2019. RSVGPF receives new bullet-proof vests Social Share THE ROYAL ST VINCENT and the Grenadines Police Force (RSVGPF) received 17 new bullet-proof vests on Tuesday, compliments Lantie Castello, a Vincentian residing in New York. Castello, who has worked as a police officer in the New York City Sheriffs Department for the past 28 years, said that he sees the need for the RSVGPF to keep up with 21st century law enforcement. He referred to previous conversations with Deputy Commissioner of Police Frankie Joseph about acquiring enhanced body armour for the police, a mission which took him one year to achieve. Castello expressed the view that saving the life of even one police officer is a good thing and as law enforcement officers, they are all in it together. In accepting the donation, deputy commissioner Joseph conveyed thanks on behalf of Commissioner of Police Colin John and the rank and file of the RSVGPF. Joseph said it is always a good thing when citizens of St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) give back to the police. He stated that if the police have to fight crime alone, then the organization would not be as successful as it would want to be. The deputy commissioner reflected on the issue of crime in SVG over the past few years and highlighted the rise in gun crimes throughout the country. He pointed out that most of the homicides committed now are done through the use of firearms and therefore praised Castello for his timely and much needed donation. Joseph stated that the safety of police officers is paramount and there are times when the men and women within the police force are short of, or do not have the necessary protective armour, but still have to risk their lives to go out and ensure that the citizenry is safe. He opined that the donation will go a long way in protecting police officers whilst on duty. Joseph stated that with the donation of the vests, he is sure that the police officers will feel much safer carrying out their duties, knowing that they are protected and will definitely put an extra effort in performing their duties. In commending Castello for his kind donation, the deputy commissioner said he hopes that business houses in SVG would feel motivated to make similar and other donations to the police to assist with fighting crime. SOME of the new bullet proof vest VINCENTIAN RESIDING in New York Lantie Castello (right) hands over new bullet-proof vest to Deputy Commissioner of Police Frankie Joseph (@FahadShabbir) The participants of Senior Management Course led by Maj (R) Attique Arshad visited National Highway Authority head office on Thursday. ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 26th Apr, 2018 ) :The participants of Senior Management Course led by Maj (R) Attique Arshad visited National Highway Authority head office on Thursday. NHA's Member Planning Asim Amin gave a detailed briefing to the visiting guests on working of the Authority, said a press release. It was told that NHA controls 13,070 km long road network, which is only 4.6 percent of the total roads of the country. However 80 percent of commercial traffic is attached to NHA's network. Presently worth of NHA's schemes across the country is about Rs 1400 billion, while projects to the tune of Rs 373 billion are underway with the participation of private sector which mainly includes Karachi-Hyderabad Motorway and Lahore-Sialkot Motorway. It was further informed that sick projects like Lowari Tunnel and Lyari Expressway have also been completed and opened to traffic. During the last four and a half years, NHA has completed 28 road projects at cost of Rs 235 billion plus with total length of 2520 km. Asim Amin informed that under western route of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Khujrab is being linked up with Gwadar via Hakla D.I Khan-Zhob, Quetta-Sorab-Hoshab and Gwadar with total length of 2463 Kms. Out of 13 motorway projects, Peshawar-Islamabad-Lahore-Pindi Bhattian-Faisalabad and Faisalabad-Gojra and Khanewal-Multan Motorways have already been completed and opened to traffic while work on Gojra-Shorkot-Khanewal motorway, Lahore-Abdul Hakeem, Sukkur-Multan and Thakot-Havelian is in progress at a rapid pace. Maj (R) Attique appreciated the performance of NHA and both the sides exchanged shields on the occasion. Ambassador of Romania to Pakistan Nicolae Gola called on Federal Minister for Defence Production, Rana Tanveer Hussain here on Thursday. ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 26th Apr, 2018 ) :Ambassador of Romania to Pakistan Nicolae Gola called on Federal Minister for Defence Production, Rana Tanveer Hussain here on Thursday. During the meeeting, bilateral relations and issues of mutual interest between Pakistan and Romania also came under the discussion, said a press release. Minister expressed the desire to further strengthen bilateral relations with Romanian defence industries. He felt the need of regular exchanges with Romania on issues of mutual interest. He also emphasized on exploring potential for joint collaboration and mutual cooperation in defence production. He expressed his satisfaction over the headway in construction of offshore patrol vessels for Pakistan Navy. The Minister thanked the dignitary profusely for his visit and expressed best wishes for the people of Romania. Romanian Ambassador said that his country wanted to further promote defence ties with Pakistan. He said partnership between the two countries would be further strengthened in all fields. Pakistan is extremely important country with a rich culture, working democracy, vibrant economy and hospitality, he added. Women constitute about 49 % of country's population while Vision 2025 includes Gender Equality and Women Development as an important element and recognizes as key contributor to the country's economic future. ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 26th Apr, 2018 ) :Women constitute about 49 % of country's population while Vision 2025 includes Gender Equality and Women Development as an important element and recognizes as key contributor to the country's economic future. According to the Economic Survey of Pakistan 2017-18 launched by Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance, Miftah Ismail here Thursday said that Pakistan is committed to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) including the Goal-5 i.e. Gender Equality and Ending all forms of discrimination against women and girls. He said that the government has internalized Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as National Goals. The participation of women in the development process of Pakistan has been recognized as an important element. The indicators of women development are gradually improving but not yet sufficient to achieve gender parity that remains elusive in school enrollment, labour market share and in decision making arena, he added. The government, he said, is well aware of this issue and is making sincere efforts to provide an enabling environment and equal opportunities to women so that they may enjoy the benefits of economic growth, prosperity and social development. Miftah claimed that initiatives have been taken for women development and empowerment. He said as a result, women's employment is encouraged and the government has fixed 10 percent quota for women in public sector employment; Punjab raised this to 15 percent and in Sindh job quota for women in police has been increased from 2 percent to 5 percent. He said that 184 posts for women have been created at different tiers, and 70 percent of jobs in primary education have been earmarked for women. He informed that Punjab Fair Representation of Women Act 2014 ensures 33 percent representation of women on all boards of statutory bodies, public sector companies etc, adding women participation in Prime Minister's Youth Loan Schemes was encouraged by 50 percent. Miftah said Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), a flagship social protection programme of the government is providing social assistance to women. BISP also gives interest free financial assistance to the female beneficiaries under their Waseela-e-Haq (Micro-Finance) programme to start their own business, he said. He said Vocational and technical training of one month to a year's duration, to the female beneficiary or her nominee has been provided under the Waseela-e-Rozgar (Technical & VocationalTraining) programme (target is 150,000 beneficiaries) with Rs 6,000 monthly stipend for each trainee. Waseela e-Sehat (Life and Health Insurance) programme subsidized health care for beneficiaries and life insurance to one million women while the premium is paid by the program, he added. Waseela-e-Taleem (Primary Education), he said, encourage the beneficiaries families to send their children of 5-12 years age to school through a co-responsibility cash transfer of Rs 200/- per child (limit to three per family). He said that the government has taken measures to ensure women's rights as envisaged in the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). Acknowledging 'Honor Killings" as a critical problem, he said, the present government has enacted effective legislation to address women's issues with a view to safeguard their rights i.e. "Criminal Law (Amendment) Offences in the name or pretext of Honour Act, 2016" and "Criminal Law (Amendment) Offences Relating to Rape, Act 2016". He claimed that several institutions have contributed in securing and promoting women's rights and National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW) is one of them. He said the NCSW has prepared a comprehensive roadmap defining goals, priorities and strategies for empowerment of the women with special focus on issues of home based/informal sector workers and their inclusion in the labour force, affirmative actions for reservation of quotas in the government jobs including minority communities and initiatives for legislation. He said that the present government has taken various steps to achieve women's empowerment through awareness raising campaigns and allocation of budget. Funds amounting to Rs 254 million, he said, have been allocated in PSDP 2017-18 to four new development schemes of Ministry of Human Rights including Implementation of Action Plan for Human Rights in Pakistan, Institutional strengthening of Ministry of Human Rights, Acquisition of land for construction of building for National Institute of Human Rights and Construction of working women hostel in Islamabad. He further said that in addition to that an amount of Rs 52 million has been allocated for two ongoing development schemes of Ministry of Human Rights i.e. Helpline for legal advice on violations of human rights with an allocation of Rs 25 million and establishment of National Institute of Human Rights with an allocation of Rs 27 million. He said the government in order to promote innovative ideas based on business plans leading to solution of social problems has established a Centre for Social Entrepreneurship at a cost of Rs178.43 million focusing on women entrepreneurship. The project is unique in nature for addressing social issues through innovative business plans and women are especially encouraged to grow as an entrepreneur, he added. He said Prime Minister's Youth Programme is a revolutionary programme of the government for the socio-economic development of youth to combat unemployment in the country. The main objective, he said, of the scheme is to enable youth and poor segments of population, to get good employment opportunities, secure economic empowerment, acquire skills to improve their livelihood, have access to higher education and IT tools and provision of opportunity on-the-job training/internship for young graduates to improve the probability of getting a productive job. This year, the World Day for Safety and Health at Work (Safe Day) on 28 April 2018 and the World Day against child labour (WDACL) on 12 June 2018 are coming together in a joint campaign to improve the safety and health of young workers and end child labour. Islamabad, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 26th Apr, 2018) : This year, the World Day for Safety and Health at Work (Safe Day) on 28 April 2018 and the World Day against child labour (WDACL) on 12 June 2018 are coming together in a joint campaign to improve the safety and health of young workers and end child labour. The campaign aims to accelerate action to achieve Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target 8.8 of safe and secure working environments for all workers by 2030 and SDG target 8.7 of ending all forms of child labour by 2025. Achieving these goals for the benefit of the next generation of the global workforce requires a concerted and integrated approach to eliminating child labour and promoting a culture of prevention on occupational safety health (OSH). The 541 million young workers (15-24 years old) - which includes 37 million children in hazardous child labour - account for more than 15 per cent of the world's labour force and suffer up to a 40 per cent higher rate of non-fatal occupational injuries than adult workers older than 25. Many factors can increase youth vulnerability to OSH risks, such as their physical and psychological stage of development, lack of work experience and lack of training, limited awareness of work-related hazards and a lack of bargaining power that can lead young workers to accept dangerous tasks or jobs with poor working conditions. The 2018 SafeDay campaign highlights the critical importance of addressing these challenges and improving safety and health for young workers, not only to promote decent youth employment, but also to link these efforts to combat hazardous and all other forms of -child labour. Jazz, Pakistans number one digital company, recently started a nationwide campaign to promote its Super 4G service Karachi (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 26th Apr, 2018 ) Jazz, Pakistans number one digital company, recently started a nationwide campaign to promote its Super 4g service. Extending this campaign in to Karachi, Jazz is carrying out massive on-ground activities to ensure Karachiites realize the benefits of an always on, fast internet connection in the shape of Jazz 4G. For this purpose, Jazz Super 4G caravan is going around Karachi and creating excitement amongst the locals with a host of fun-filled activities, along with a chance to win tickets to the Jazz Super 4G Concert, featuring contemporary classical musician Ali Sethi. People today expect a super-fast, reliable internet connection which compliments their on-the-go, social lifestyle. Jazz Super 4G offers exactly that and through our activities in Karachi, we are looking to ensure Karachiites realize that their digital lifestyle is about to change, said Kazim Mujtaba, Head of Marketing Jazz. Jazz Super 4G caravan along with some renowned social media Influencers is visiting three universities College of business Management, Iqra University, and Institute of Business Management. Moreover, the Caravan will be visiting various public places, such as popular malls and eateries. The activities also include car honk shows conducted at various places to entertain the audiences. The idea behind this campaign is to raise awareness amongst the public of how a super-fast, always on 4G connection can change ones digital experience. This citywide activity sees Jazz offering Karachiites a fully immersive experience of Jazz Super 4G through virtual games and live photo booths. To build up excitement, Jazz is offering those who upload their selfies using the hashtag #JazzSuper4G to win free tickets to the Jazz Connect Concert feat Ali Sethi happening on 27th April, 2018 in Karachi. On social media, several celebrities are using the hashtag urging their fans to be part of the Jazz 4G celebrations to not only win a chance to participate in the concert, but also experience the power of a fast, always connected mobile broadband. Those uploading their selfies with the hashtag #JazzSuper4G can collect their free concert tickets from the Jazz Super 4G Caravan itself or the Jazz Booth at Dolmen Mall Clifton. Jazz Super 4G is available on Jazz 4G SIMs, Jazz Wi-Fi device and Jazz 4G wingle, all of which are available at Jazz outlets and franchises nationwide. The Telco is also offering affordable monthly data bundles of 15GB, 36GB, and 75GB. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Thursday called on the world Muslims to withstand what he called the "bullying" policies of the United States. TEHRAN, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 26th Apr, 2018 ) ::Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Thursday called on the world Muslims to withstand what he called the "bullying" policies of the United States. "For about 40 years (since the establishment of the Islamic republic in 1979), the Iranian nation has resisted bullying attempts by arrogant powers thanks to the teachings of holy Qur'an," Khamenei's remarks were broadcast from Iranian state IRIB tv. He urged for "solidarity" and "connection" among the world Muslims and asked them to refrain from making friends with the "pagans" like Israel. Khamenei said that "today calamities in Yemen, Afghanistan and Syria are the outcome of Muslims' inaction vis-a-vis teachings of holy Qur'an." Khamenei made the remarks at a meeting with competitors of the 35th edition of International Holy Quran Contest in Tehran on Thursday, Xinhua reported. (@rukhshanmir) Nairobi, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th Apr, 2018 ) :A Burundian activist was sentenced Thursday to 32 years in prison for taking part in protests against President Pierre Nkurunziza, sources said, a punishment rights groups said was "eminently political". Germain Rukuki was given "32 years of penal servitude" at Bujumbura's district court, a civil society member who was at the hearing told AFP on condition of anonymity, adding that neither Rukuki, who is in detention, nor his lawyers were present at the hearing. A judicial source confirmed to AFP Rukuki was convicted for "having participated in an insurrectional movement in order to change the constitutional regime, to have participated in the assassination of police and soldiers from May 13, 2015 and to have defaced both public and private property". Burundian authorities use the term 'insurrectional movement' to describe the unrest against the controversial decision of President Pierre Nkurunziza to run for a third term in 2015, which he won in July that year. Hundreds of Burundians have since been convicted on the charge. The announcement of Nkurunziza's candidacy in April 2015 plunged Burundi into a political crisis that has left at least 1,200 people dead and more than 400,000 displaced, and on which the International Criminal Court has opened an investigation. Prosecutors on 6 April called for Rukuki to be given a life sentence, while his defence lawyers pleaded for his acquittal. Rukuki was arrested on 13 July 2017 by the feared National Intelligence Service (SNR) and held in isolation in Bujumbura for over a month before being transferred to Ngozi Prison in the north of the country, where he has been detained ever since. Justine Duby from the International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH) said: "The conviction of Germain Rukuki for 32 years in prison is one of the heaviest sentences ever pronounced in Burundi against a human rights defender and this decision, which falls three years to the day after the outbreak of the Burundian crisis, is eminently political. "It is a message from the authorities to all those who dare to oppose the regime and denounce the crimes it commits, one month before a highly disputed constitutional referendum." The referendum, scheduled for May 17, would allow 54-year-old Nkurunziza, president since 2005, to stay in power until 2034. (@ChaudhryMAli88) Lima, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 26th Apr, 2018 ) :An escaped bull wreaked havoc in the Peruvian city of Cusco as it ran through the streets and into a shopping mall, injuring eight people in its path. The animal suddenly appeared loose in the Andean city's Santiago district Tuesday, where it took out a man distracted by his cellphone, according to local television images. As it continued its bid for freedom, the bull charged into a shopping center and lunged at several people, resulting in minor injuries. The commotion finally ended when the exhausted creature paused, allowing a young man to secure it to a pole, according to the newspaper La Republica. It was later returned to its enclosure by city officials. The fiasco was caught on CCTV cameras in the city, the former capital of the Inca empire and now one of Peru's top tourist destinations. (@rukhshanmir) Beirut, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 26th Apr, 2018 ) :Fresh young faces may be campaigning to win a seat in Lebanon's parliament next month, but their family Names are anything but new. For decades the same families have played a pivotal role in the small middle Eastern country, officially ruled by a parliamentary democratic system but where political power is still informally handed down through generations. As Lebanon finally heads to the legislative polls after a nine-year hiatus, several candidates hail from a third -- or even fourth generation -- of the same political clans. There are such cases in almost all of the 18 religious communities represented in Lebanon's complex confessional system. Faced with accusations of "nepotism" and "feudalism", these sons and daughters of influential men have defended what they say is a genuine desire for reform. Incumbent candidate Nadim Gemayel was elected a member of parliament in 2009, but politics have decades-old roots in his family tree. United Nations, United States, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th Apr, 2018 ) :Ivory Coast will send 450 troops to the Central African Republic to serve as UN peacekeepers in one of the most demanding missions, the foreign minister said Thursday. The announcement from Ivorian Foreign Minister Marcel Amon-Tanoh came after Gabon last month announced that it was pulling out its 450-strong contingent from the MINUSCA mission in the Central African Republic. "Ivory Coast will soon send a contingent of 450 soldiers," the foreign minister told reporters at UN headquarters. The United Nations is also looking for 900 extra troops to beef up MINUSCA, which the Security Council authorized in November amid fears that the country was sliding toward further violence. MINUSCA has 12,000 troops and police deployed in the impoverished country, which has been struggling since it exploded into bloodshed after the 2013 overthrow of longtime leader Francois Bozize. There have been a number of deadly clashes between peacekeepers and militia in car in recent weeks and MINUSCA blue helmets have faced a wave of allegations of sexual abuse. Gabon announced it was pulling out following allegations of sex abuse and other misconduct by its troops. VINLEC to launch drive to collect CFL bulbs Social Share VINLEC WILL BE hosting activities to commemorate Environmental Health and Safety Awareness month throughout May to raise public awareness about safety procedures. At a press conference at VINLECs corporate headquarters in Kingstown on Wednesday April 25, Chief Executive Officer Thornley Myers said among the activities, there would be a drive to collect used Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFL) or energy saving bulbs, which pose serious environmental risks if not disposed of properly. Compact Fluorescent Lamps are more efficient than incandescent lamps but they come with their problems. They pose environmental challenges. We should really avoid putting CFLs in the garbage. CFLs have mercury. We are going to have a campaign to the public/ homeowners to return their [unused] CFLs to VINLEC, Myers said. The chief executive officer also explained that the manner in which broken CFLs are handled is also critical in terms of maintaining ones health. He said the company will be providing safety tips on how to dispose of CFLs safely via radio and television. He asked persons who have used and unwanted CFLs to place them either in a box or a transparent bag and return them to VINLECs headquarters. The CFL initiative is being carried out in collaboration with Central Water and Sewage Authority (CWSA), which will use its equipment to safely dispose of the bulbs. Throughout the month of May, VINLEC will host a series of internal training sessions to heighten awareness among workers about safety measures. The 315 staff members will also be asked to pledge in writing that they will desist, without fear of being reprimanded, from procedures that are hazardous to their well-being and safety. Myers explained that although VINLEC has strict safety procedures, there have been incidences of injury at work. He said he hoped that the months activities would result in more safety conscious employees. The opening ceremony for the month of activities will be held on Wednesday, May 2, at the VINLEC Cane Hall compound from 4 pm, with Dr Del Hamilton as guest speaker.( CB) VINLEC CEO Thornley Myers (@rukhshanmir) AMMAN, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th Apr, 2018 ) :Jordan on Thursday inaugurated a solar power plant with a total capacity of 103 megawatts at a total cost of 120 million U.S. Dollars. The solar plant, which is located in Al Queira area, is financed by the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development. At the inauguration ceremony, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Saleh Kharabsheh stressed the importance of the power plant, which he said will reduce pressure on Jordan amidst rising demand on electricity. The plant falls in line with Jordan's strategy to increase renewable energy contribution to the overall energy mix to 20 per cent by 2020, he said. The minister added that there are solar and wind energy projects with total capacity of 700 megawatts that are already operational in Jordan. He said that by 2020 there will be renewable energy projects with total capacity of 2,000 megawatts operational. The minister voiced appreciation to the UAE for its support to Jordan, adding that the project is funded by a grant from the UAE. The solar plant in Al Queira was built by a consortium of Spanish and UAE companies. Jordan, which imports 97 per cent of its energy needs, is working on several energy projects including oil shale, renewable and nuclear reactors to face rising need on energy. (@FahadShabbir) BAJARAWIYA, Sudan, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 26th Apr, 2018 ) :Archaeologists in Sudan have reopened an ancient pyramid and extracted bones and artefacts, in order to carry out further examination including DNA tests. The items were found in one of three burial chambers in Meriotic pyramid number 9 in Bajarawiya, a UNESCO World Heritage site where a king from the Nubian period is believed to be buried. "Pyramid number 9 belongs to King Khalmani who reigned between 207 BC and 186 BC," Mahmoud Suleiman, the head of a team of archaeologists, told journalists in Bajarawiya, about 250 kilometres (155 miles) north of Khartoum, late Tuesday. The bones so far discovered are believed to have belonged to more than one person and have been shown to journalists, including an AFP reporter, by a team of archaeologists in Bajarawiya. DNA tests should shed light on the relation between the bones, while further items are expected to be recovered from another of the pyramid's chambers, the team said. "In the coming days we will open" another of the three burial chambers, said Murtada Bushara, a second archaeologist from the team. This chamber "contains a coffin," Bushara added. The dig is raising hopes that the remains of King Khalmani himself may be uncovered. This is not the first time the pyramid has been the site of significant activity. American archaeologist George Reisner presided over a dig in 1923 and took artefacts back to Boston. Sudan's remote pyramids are not as grand as their better-known cousins in Egypt. The first archaeological digs in Sudan took place only about 100 years ago, much later than in Egypt or Greece. A military fence covered in peace ribbons at a park near the Demilitarised Zone dividing North and South Korea (AFP or licensors) The Korean Conference of Religions for Peace has called on other governments to support the move for reconciliation on the divided peninsula By Philippa Hitchen Religious leaders in Korea have appealed to the United States. China, Russia and Japan to support this weeks summit between Seoul and Pyongyang. In a statement, the Korean Conference of Religions for Peace (KCRP), supported by Archbishop Kim Hee-joong, president of the Catholic bishops conference, said the country is longing for the arrival of a springtime of peace. Ahead of Fridays meeting between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and South Korean president Moon Jae-in, the statement recalls that the division between the two parts of the peninsula is the last barrier left by the Cold War. Pursue dialogue and understanding The religious leaders call on the governments of the north and south to fulfil their obligations to pursue dialogue and mutual understanding. The statement urges the North Korean leadership to take advantage of the opportunity to break the chains that have bound and limited this land for over seventy years. They also appeal to all political leaders involved in the rapprochement process to back these efforts at reconciliation, adding that the United States is a key country for bringing peace to the Korean Peninsula. They call on the U.S., China, Russia and Japan to support the summit, as well as a planned meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and the North Korean leader next month. Listen to our report Pope prays for reconciliation On Wednesday Pope Francis also prayed for a successful outcome of this weeks encounter, describing it as an opportunity for transparent dialogue and a concrete path to reconciliation in order to guarantee peace on the peninsula and throughout the world. Speaking at his general audience in St Peters Square, the Pope assured the people of Korea of his prayers, adding that the Holy See accompanies, supports and encourages every useful and sincere initiative to build peace and friendship between peoples. He urged all political leaders to have the courage of hope and to become builders of peace. Meeting in Demilitarised Zone Kim Jong-un is due to meet Moon Jae-in at 9.30 in the morning local time (just after midnight GMT), marking the first time a north Korean leader has crossed the military demarcation line since the end of the Korean war over 60 years ago. The two will meet in the Demilitarized Zone between their two countries, which are still technically at war since a peace treaty was never signed when the war ended in 1953. Nigerias Catholic Bishops have strongly condemned Tuesdays attack on a Catholic Church and subsequent assaults on communities by suspected herdsmen. They described the attacks as horrendous, barbaric and satanic. By Fr. Paul Samasumo At least 19 persons including two priests were killed when suspected Fulani herdsmen opened fire at a Church in Ayar Mbalom community of Gwer East Local Government Area of Benue State, Nigeria. Speaking to Vatican News in an exclusive interview, four Bishops of Nigerias Middle Belt described the attacks as, horrendous, barbaric and satanic. The herdsmen launched the deadly Tuesday attack on parishioners towards the end of early morning Mass. Speaking to Fr. Paul Samasumo of Vatican News, in the presence of new President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, Archbishop Augustine Akubeze, the prelates say the unprovoked attacks on their people, have left them devastated. The four Middle Belt of Nigeria Bishops are Wilfred Anagbe, CMF of Makurdi Diocese; Peter Adoboh, the Bishop of Katsina-Ala; William Avenya, the Bishop of Gboko and Michael Ekwoy Apochi, the Bishop of Otukpo. The prelates observed that this was the second major attack after the one of New Years Eve when herdsmen killed 72 persons. Terrorists have infiltrated herdsmen The Nigerian Bishops are convinced that terrorists and mercenaries have infiltrated Fulani herdsmen. They wondered how these attacks could continue to happen in broad-daylight and perpetrators almost always never brought to account for their deeds. The government apparatus is completely, as it seems to us, helpless, dysfunctional or deliberately helpless and deliberately dysfunctional, said Bishop Avenya on behalf of the other Bishops present. The Bishops want the world to pay attention to what is happening The Bishops say that the world needs to pay attention to what is happening in the Middle Belt of Nigeria where those under attack are predominantly minority Christians. The world is not hearing us. It started like this in Rwanda; the world did not hear. It started like this many years back in Germany. The world was deaf. This is what is happening to us, and the world needs to know that we are in trouble! Bishop Avenya said. IDP camps need humanitarian assistance According to Bishops Peter Adoboh and Wilfred Anagbe, there was also the urgent need for clean water and humanitarian aid to the camps for the Internally Displaced Persons. As people flee attacks, several camps have sprung up in the Middle Belt. This area is predominantly rural, and the people who are there have no voice anywhere. If the Church cannot give them a voice, then we are in trouble. The Church is making efforts that they should be heardthis pathetic situation should be heard. The world should know that genocide is (beginning to happen against the) predominantly minority tribes in the Middle Belt and in the north, Bishop Avenya said. Christians are people of the Resurrection In the end, the Bishops said as pastors and shepherds they want to encourage the people, priests and religious not to lose hope. We are a people of the Resurrection, they said, and we have hope. On Thursday morning, the Bishops of Nigeria met Pope Francis and reported to him, in person, on the state of the Church in Nigeria. The visit to the Vatican is a routine visit made by all Catholic Bishops, ideally every five years, in what is known as an Ad Limina visit or "Ad Limina apostolorum." Ahead of such visits, Bishops are required to compile detailed reports about their respective dioceses, which provide a comprehensive insight into the state of the Church in their country. Along with seeing the Pope, the bishops also meet various dicasteries of the Holy See. World-renowned comedian and actor Kevin Hart made a special appearance at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino for his epic birthday celebration at Vanity Nightclub on Saturday, July 8 and Las Vegas hottest dayclub, Rehab Beach Club, on Sunday, July 9 (Photo credit: Brenton Ho / Kabik Photo Group). Photo credit: Jeff Ragazzo / Kabik Photo Group The notorious funny-man also hosted a book signing for his new memoir, I Cant Make This Up: Life Lessons, inside Vanity Lounge before his nightclub appearance. Photo credit: Jeff Ragazzo / Kabik Photo Group Legendary rapper and hip hop artist, Fabolous, also celebrated with Hart at Rehab Beach Club on Sunday, July 9. Photo credit: Brenton Ho / Kabik Photo Group Photo credit: Brenton Ho / Kabik Photo Group Photo credit: Jeff Ragazzo / Kabik Photo Group Stormy Daniels, the woman whose name has made an indelible mark in the history of U.S. politics, made a surprise visit to celebrated gentlemens club, Crazy Horse III, late last night. Daniels, wearing a low-cut fitted black dress paired with black heels and silver jewelry, partied the night away in the clubs VIP lounge with an intimate group, sipping on Grey Goose cocktails. Daniels has remained at the top of national headlines as she and fights a legal battle with President Donald Trump over a confidentiality agreement related to their alleged affair. Daniels story gained new life after reports stated that Trumps lawyer arranged a payment of more than $130,000 to Daniels. Crazy Horse III is consistently named the top gentlemens club in Las Vegas, with recognition from Maxim, Cigar Aficionado and the Las Vegas Review-Journal, among others. VINCI Airports enlarges its network of airports in the United States, the United Kingdom, Costa Rica and Sweden - Signature of an agreement to acquire the portfolio of Airports Worldwide, comprising two freehold property airports, three airports under concession and four under full management contracts as well as three partial management contracts in American airports1 - A strategic move into the USA, the world's largest air transport market, that also bolsters our presence in Europe and Central America - A worldwide network expanded to 45 airports welcoming more than 182 million passengers per year2 VINCI Airports, a VINCI Concessions subsidiary, is acquiring nine new airports (two freehold property, three concession, four management contracts) and three partial management contracts in American airports following acquisition of the airport portfolio held by Airports Worldwide1. The operation boosts VINCI Airports' global network, which now includes 45 airports in 11 countries and on three continents. It also increases the number of passengers welcomed in its airports by 25.6 million to more than 182 million per year. The portfolio acquired by VINCI Airports consists of: - Two freeholds property: VINCI Airports is acquiring a 100% stake in Belfast International Airport in Northern Ireland, which welcomed 5.8 million passengers in 2017, and a 90.1% stake in Skavsta Airport near Stockholm, Sweden, which welcomed 2.1 million passengers in 2017. - Three airports under concession: VINCI Airports is acquiring a 100% stake in Orlando-Sanford International Airport (Florida, USA), which welcomed 2.9 million passengers in 2017, under a concession contract covering operation of the current terminal and car park with a residual term of 21 years; together with co-control stakes in Costa Rica's two major airports, i.e. a 48.75% stake in Juan Santamaria International Airport in San Jose and a 45% stake in Daniel Oduber Quiros International Airport in Liberia, which served 4.8 million and 1.1 million passengers in 2017 respectively, under concession contracts with residual terms of eight and 13 years. - Four full management contracts covering Hollywood Burbank Airport, which welcomed 4.7 million passengers in 2017, and Ontario International Airport, which welcomed 4.2 million passengers in 2017, in California; and Macon Downtown Airport and Middle Georgia Regional Airport in Georgia3. - Three partial management contracts covering US airports: Atlantic City International Airport in New Jersey, Raleigh Durham International Airport in North Carolina, and part of the international terminal at the airport in Atlanta, Georgia, the worlds largest airport in terms of traffic. This acquisition allows VINCI Airports to make a strategic move into the USA, giving it an entry point into the world's largest air transport market. It also strengthens VINCI Airports' presence in Europe, where the group already operates 12 airports in France and 10 in Portugal, plus the Nikola-Tesla airport in Belgrade, Serbia, for which VINCI Airports signed a concession contract on 22 March this year. Lastly, the acquisition of the two main airports in Costa Rica, an increasingly popular tourist destination, strengthens VINCI Airports' positions in South and Central America, where it manages the airports in Santiago, Chile and Salvador, Brazil, together with six airports in the Dominican Republic including the airport in Santo Domingo. 1 Agreement subject to the approval of the relevant authorities and the partners. 2 In comparison with 156,6 million passengers welcomed in 2017, including traffic of fully consolidated companies and 100% of equity accounted companies held on January 1, 2017 on a full-year basis, plus Salvador airport, which VINCI Airports has been managing since January 2, 2018, but excluding Kobe (Japan) and Belgrade (Serbia) airports. 3 Macon Downtown Airport is a business airport; Middle Georgia Regional Airport welcomes some 2,000 passengers per year. About VINCI Airports VINCI Airports, a top 5 global player in the international airport sector, manages the development and operation of 36 airports located in France, Portugal (including the Lisbon hub), Cambodia, Japan, Chile, Dominican Republic and Brazil. Served by around 250 airlines, VINCI Airports' network handled 157 million passengers in 2017. Through its expertise as a comprehensive integrator and the professionalism of its 12,000 employees, VINCI Airports develops, finances, builds and operates airports, leveraging its investment capability, international network and know-how to optimise the management and performance of existing airport infrastructure, facility extensions and new-build construction projects. In 2017, its consolidated revenue amounted to 1.4 billion. www.vinci-airports.com About VINCI VINCI is a global player in concessions, construction and energy businesses, employing more than 217,000 people in some 100 countries. We design, finance, build and operate infrastructure and facilities that help improve daily life and mobility for all. Because we believe in all-round performance, we are committed to operating in an environmentally, socially responsible and ethical manner. And because our projects are in the public interest, we consider that reaching out to all our stakeholders and engaging in dialogue with them is essential in the conduct of our business activities. Based on that approach, VINCIs ambition is to create long-term value for its customers, shareholders, employees, partners and society in general. Despite recent tensions over North Koreas nuclear and missile tests, life is actually quite normal for American military families living at Camp Humphreys in South Korea, the largest overseas U.S. Army installation in the world. VOAs Brian Padden reports from Camp Humphreys that the increased threat of military conflict with North Korea has not altered the family friendly environment on this growing base, located just 100 kilometers from the heavily fortified inter-Korean border. Armenias acting prime minister has said the country will hold new elections if all parties agree to it, prompting celebrations Wednesday on the streets of the capital, Yerevan. Protests have been building for the last two weeks over an alleged power grab by former prime minister Serzh Sargsyan, who resigned Monday. His acting replacement, the former deputy prime minister, Karen Karapetyan, said Wednesday all parties should negotiate new elections. If they decide that there is a necessity for a snap election, if they set a timeline so that they have enough time to prepare so that everyone is under the same game rules if they decide so, we will move forward based on that, Karapetyan told reporters. Opponents had accused Sargsyan of clinging to power by manipulating the constitution, allowing him to move from the position of president to prime minister. On the surface, the show of people power in this former Soviet state has striking similarities to the ouster of pro-Russian leader Viktor Yanukovych in Ukraine in 2014, or Eduard Shevardnadze in Georgia in 2003. There are differences, however, argues Moscow-based political analyst Karine Gevorgyan. In Armenia, in particular, this situation is not linked with being oriented either to the West or to the East, like it was in Ukraine, but with being tired of inefficient, counterproductive power in government, Gevorgyan told VOA in an interview. No Moscow puppet Anahit Shirinyan of the policy institute Chatham House agrees and says Sargsyan was not Moscows puppet. He was also very much acceptable for the West up until recently because he was thought to have tried to diversify Armenias foreign policy. He made this rather bold move toward Turkey back in 2008, with this rapprochement with Turkey, he tried to sign the Association Agreement, a cooperation treaty, with the EU back in 2013, said Shirinyan. Under pressure from Moscow, that EU Association Agreement failed and Armenia instead joined the Russia-focused Eurasian Economic Union. But Moscow has failed to build influence in Armenia, argues analyst Gevorgyan. I think it has happened because Russia itself has abandoned this political space in Armenia. Meanwhile, other countries, including the United States, as well as other Western countries, acted quite diligently and subtly to fill that space, said Gevorgyan. Now Armenia finds itself at a geopolitical crossroads, adds Shirinyan of Chatham House. It has an opportunity to get closer to the West, to the EU, because I think that particularly the EUs support will be crucial in the next stage of reforming the country, said Shirinyan. Russia has offered little official response. Moscow has a military base in the country, along with historic and economic ties. Analysts say the strength of the protests likely will prompt a cautious response from all sides. If you are currently a print subscriber but don't have an online account, select this option. You will need to use your 7 digit subscriber account number (with leading zeros) and your last name (in UPPERCASE). Armenia's acting prime minister said the country will hold new elections if all parties agree, prompting celebrations in the streets of Yerevan. Protests have been building for two weeks over an alleged power grab by former Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan, who resigned Monday. As Henry Ridgwell reports, inevitable comparisons are being made with recent revolutions in other former Soviet states, but analysts argue there are key differences, and the outcome of the political turmoil remains unclear. U.S. comedian Bill Cosby was convicted Thursday of drugging and molesting a one-time friend in 2004, which could send him to prison for the rest of his life. The 80-year-old Cosby now faces up to 10 years in prison for each of three counts of aggravated assault after a Pennsylvania jury convicted him of an attack on Andrea Constand, now 45. At the time of the assault, she was an administrator for the women's basketball team at Temple University in Philadelphia, Cosby's alma mater. Cosby, best known as the lovable dad on his 1980's television hit The Cosby Show, was convicted by a jury of seven men and five women after a two-week trial, not quite a year after another jury was unable to reach a verdict on the charges and a mistrial was declared. Cosby stared straight ahead when the jury announced its verdict after deliberating 14 hours over two days. But moments later Cosby lashed out at District Attorney Kevin Steele, calling the prosecutor an "asshole" after he asked that Cosby be immediately jailed because he might flee. The judge, however, decided Cosby could remain free pending sentencing. A Cosby defense attorney said the entertainer continues to believe he did nothing wrong. "The fight is not over," the lawyer said. WATCH: Cosby's Verdict Provokes Emotions on Both Sides In the retrial, unlike in the first trial, prosecutors introduced testimony from five women who said that Cosby, married for 54 years, drugged and violated them. One of them, through tears, asked him, "You remember, don't you, Mr. Cosby?" Constand told jurors that Cosby knocked her out with three blue pills he called "your friends." She testified that Cosby penetrated her with his fingers as she lay immobilized, unable to resist or say no. Cosby's conviction came in one of the first celebrity sexual-assault cases of the MeToo era in the U.S., in which dozens of powerful men in the corporate world, the film industry, media circles and academia have been accused by women of years of repeated behind-the-scenes sexual misconduct. Cosby's first trial ended just before women leveled a flood of accusations against the rich and famous, including powerful Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, television anchors Matt Lauer and Charlie Rose, and Senator Al Franken. Many of the men apologized for their misconduct, some resigned from their jobs, and others were fired. In all, more than 60 women have accused Cosby of sexual assaulting them over several decades. Gloria Allred, a lawyer who represented one of the women who testified against Cosby, said, "We're very, very happy and proud of the result. Women were finally believed. And we thank the jury for that." About 130 Central Americans, mostly women and children, have arrived at the U.S. border with Mexico in a caravan of asylum-seeking immigrants that has drawn the fury of President Donald Trump. Two busloads arrived late Tuesday in the Mexican border city of Tijuana at two migrant shelters just steps from one of the most fortified stretches of border separating the U.S. from Mexico. They joined another 50 or so who arrived in Tijuana over the last week or two. Four more busloads of about 200 Central Americans, mostly women and children but including some men, were expected to arrive in Tijuana Wednesday, said Alex Mensing, project coordinator for Pueblos Sin Fronteras, which is organizing the effort. U.S. lawyers planned to lead clinics later this week on U.S. asylum law to tell them what to expect when they seek asylum. The first groups are expected to try to enter the U.S. on Sunday at a border crossing in San Diego. WATCH: Asylum or Not: Migrants at the US/Mexico Border Consider Choices Trump tweets Trump and senior aides have portrayed the caravans and the asylum seekers as evidence of a dysfunctional border and a serious threat. The president tweeted this week that he has issued orders not to let these large Caravans of people into our Country. It is a disgrace. The caravans have been a fairly common tactic for years among advocacy groups to bring attention to Central American citizens seeking asylum in the U.S. to escape political persecution or criminal threats from gangs. But the latest one drew more attention because Trumps tweets from almost moment it began March 25 in the Mexican city of Tapachula, near the Guatemalan border, and while it slowly traveled across Mexico. Trump used it as an example to try to win more support for his planned border wall, even though the asylum-seekers plan to turn themselves in to border inspectors. Taxi driver Jovanne Torres from El Salvador said Wednesday after arriving in Tijuana Tuesday that Trumps attacks on the caravan makes him doubt whether hell succeed in getting asylum for himself, his wife and his daughters ages 4 and 10 months, but he still plans to try. Torres, 37, said he fled his hometown near the countrys capital of San Salvador and joined the caravan days after a gang threatened to kill him and his wife after he refused to give a free ride to a gang member. He thinks hes almost certain to be killed if he goes home and decided against seeking asylum in Mexico because he wants to join relatives in Houston. Trumps words have made it difficult for us, he said. Numbers pale to 2014 This caravans numbers pale compared with roughly 200,000 people who were arrested at the border in Texas Rio Grande Valley during the spring of 2014 during the administration of President Barack Obama, many of them Central American women and children. And thousands of Haitians seeking to enter the U.S. turned themselves in to U.S. border inspectors at the Tijuana-San Diego border crossing, the nations busiest. U.S. Customs and Border Protection has space to hold about 300 people at the crossing, said Pete Flores, director of the agencys San Diego field office. It turns them over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to determine if they should be held long-term of if they can be released while their cases are pending, often wearing ankle monitors that track their movements. The San Diego border crossing was so overwhelmed by Haitians in 2016 that U.S. officials worked with their Mexican counterparts to create a ticketing system that let the Haitians in over time. Some waited their turn in Tijuana more than five weeks. More recently, asylum seekers have had to wait at most only a few hours, never overnight, Flores said. If asylum-seekers make it through initial screenings with asylum officers by establishing credible fear of being returned to their homelands, they are allowed in and face what can be lengthy proceedings before U.S. immigration judges. Concerns 'overblown' Ginger Jacobs, a San Diego immigration attorney who helped Haitians seeking entry into the U.S. in 2016, said Trumps concerns about a rush of Central Americans seeking asylum were completely overblown. I dont see this caravan thing being a big deal, she said. I see it as something the port will be able to handle competently and professionally. Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen said Monday that U.S. authorities may detain asylum-seekers while their claims are adjudicated efficiently and expeditiously. Others will be criminally prosecuted for illegal entry, she said. U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions said he may assign additional immigration judges to handle caravan cases. The Juventud 2000 migrant shelter, on the edge of Tijuanas red-light district, is filled with dome-shaped tents to accommodate more than 200 arrivals. Its director, Jose Maria Garcia Luca, said two previous caravans in May and November of last year had about 100 people each. Those who sought asylum reported no significant delays entering the U.S. This is nothing like the Haitians, Garcia Luca said. That was chaos. China is intently watching this weeks historic meeting between North and South Korea, hopeful that crucial steps will be taken towards peace on the Korean peninsula, but also anxious, analysts say, about the role it can play as talks move forward. The direct talks on Friday and an expected summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and the Norths Kim Jong Un on a future date have raised the prospect for peace. But it has also meant that Beijing has had to take a step back and watch a key regional security and geopolitical issue develop from a distance. Lu Chao, a North Korea expert at Liaoning Academy of Social Sciences, said China is hopeful about the prospect of the North and South creating more stability on the peninsula. We are also worried because North and South Korea have been at odds with one another for more than half a century and that has led to some huge contradictions, which cannot be resolved in just one meeting, Lu said. A pivotal role Professor Steve Tsang, director of the China Institute at Londons School of Oriental and African Studies, said China hopes Fridays meeting will pave the way toward a successful summit for President Trump and Kim. He added Beijing will be looking for ways that it can keep playing a pivotal role in the peninsulas affairs. The Chinese government I think is very keen to make sure that China will be seen to be playing a significant role in the eventual solution, said professor Steve Tsang, director of the China Institute at Londons School of Oriental and African Studies. They would prefer not to be responsible for any meeting between these top leaders not going well, but they would not want to be excluded. To make sure that does not happen, Beijing reinserted itself last month into the dramatic shift of events on the peninsula by taking the unprecedented step to secure a meeting with Kim Jong Un, his first visit to China since coming to office. Analysts said President Xi is expected to visit North Korea this summer after Kim meets with Trump. There is no way that Chinas interest or the role that it plays in this issue will diminish, said Lu Chao. The progress of a peace solution on the peninsula is closely connected to Chinas interests and there is no way that China will hide on the sidelines and just be an observer. Meeting venue To keep itself more directly involved in the process, China is pressing for the Trump-Kim meeting to be held in the capital of Beijing, but few analysts think that is likely to happen. At the moment it would appear that Kim Jong Un is not terribly keen to involve the Chinese in a very, very, heavy way, said Tsang. He would like to, if you like, play China against the United States and the United States against China so that North Korea plays that proactive key role in any solution. State media and Chinas Foreign Ministry have repeatedly noted the important role Beijing has played on the peninsula and that it should continue to play. Chinas military backed North Korea against South Korea and U.S-led United Nations forces during the Korean War. Beijing was one of the signatories of an armistice agreement that ended broader hostilities but that did not result in a peace agreement. In a recent article in the Chinese language version of the Financial Times, Liu Ming, a senior researcher at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences Institute of International Relations, argued that Trump needs to acknowledge Chinas importance. If he doesnt, Liu said, Washingtons position in the negotiations would be weakened. He also said cooperation and support from third-party stakeholders is necessary for the meeting to produce results. But such an arrangement would be similar to the six-party talks, a grouping of six-nations that previously tried but failed to keep Pyongyang from developing nuclear weapons. New approach The Trump administration has shown little interest in following old approaches and has also said it will not weaken sanctions or reduce its maximum pressure until significant progress is made toward denuclearization. Beijing, however, is pressing Washington to not only give North Korea security assurances but to ease off on sanctions as well in response to the Norths recent pledges to halt nuclear and missile tests. However, how soon anything could happen is uncertain. What is clear is that things are changing rapidly now. Tsang notes that it wasnt long ago that President Trump was describing Kim Jong Un as a rocket man on a suicide mission. A long-anticipated visit by U.S. President Donald Trump to the United Kingdom has been set for July 13. It will be a "working visit," however, and not a more formal state occasion during which the president would have met Queen Elizabeth. The announcement was made Thursday, separately by White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders and 10 Downing Street, the office of British Prime Minister Theresa May. "It's been a tortuous and very difficult process" to arrange a Trump trip to Britain, according to Andrew Marshall, the Atlantic Council's vice president of communications. "This visit was born under a bad sign," amid unhappiness over comments made by the president on social media, including criticism of London Mayor Sadiq Khan. A planned visit to Britain by Trump was canceled earlier this year, during which he was to open the new U.S. embassy in London, a $1 billion cube-shaped building surrounded by sunken trenches and raised terraces that the president criticized as too expensive. U.K. conservative groups, which support Trump, previously urged the president to avoid going to London because of a risk of "major protests, crime and disorder." The organizations, in a letter, suggested instead that Trump visit his "ancestral home" of Scotland and if there were to be an official state visit, he should meet the queen at her castle in Balmoral. The president's mother was born in the Outer Hebrides archipelago on the Isle of Lewis. Trump, as a private businessman, visited Scotland frequently. No location for the visit has yet been announced and speculation is widespread that it will occur outside London, perhaps at the prime minister's country estate at Chequers, 65 kilometers from the capital. Trade will be a major topic on the working visit's agenda, with the British prime minister eager to move toward a new economic pact with the United States, one of its main trading partners. It's politically and economically important for May "in terms of what she's staked her future on, which is a good, safe and prosperous future for the U.K. outside the European Union," Marshall told VOA. The U.S.-U.K. alliance is usually among the closest between any two nations, and U.S. leaders traditionally make visits to England early in their presidencies. Officials on both sides of the Atlantic will be looking to resolidify that relationship with the Trump visit. "At the moment, the U.K. is maybe standing a little aside from that role. We've just seen President [Emmanuel] Macron of France come here and absolutely wow Washington. Many noses will be out of joint in Downing Street and elsewhere about that. There's a friendly rivalry with the French," Marshall, a former foreign editor of The Independent newspaper in London, told VOA. So far, though, with Trump and May "that chemistry is not there," according to Marshall, who contrasts the president's "forthright, direct and outspoken" personality with the prime minister "a contained figure who looks sometimes like she's walked out of a Jane Austen novel." U.S. Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt told lawmakers who are angry about allegations of ethics and spending missteps during his tenure he had "nothing to hide" and added the accusations are meant to derail President Donald Trump's agenda. "Let me be very clear: I have nothing to hide as it relates to how I've run the agency for the past 16 months," Pruitt told a subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Pruitt added, "Those who attack the EPA and attack me are doing so because they want to attack and derail the president's agenda and undermine this administration's priorities. I'm simply not going to let that happen." Legislators from both the Republican and Democratic parties lashed out at Pruitt. Democrat Frank Pallone told Pruitt, "You should resign and you are undeserving of public trust." Pruitt went before two House of Representatives subcommittees for hearings about the agency's budget, and lawmakers sought answers about his spending on first-class air travel, his security detail and a lease of a room in Washington. The Government Accountability Office said earlier this month the EPA violated the law when it approved a $43,000 soundproof privacy booth for Pruitts use. The agency has defended the spending as necessary for Pruitt to be safe from public threats and to carry out confidential work. Some Republican members of Congress have joined a much larger group of Democrats in calling for investigations into Pruitts actions and for his ouster. White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Trump administration officials are evaluating these concerns and we expect the EPA administrator to answer for them. Pruitt is one of President Donald Trumps most controversial appointments and has done what he said he would when Trump named him to oversee the countrys environmental regulations - dismantle many of the restrictive policies on the environmental practices of businesses imposed by the administration of former president Barack Obama. Trump has on several occasions given Pruitt a vote of confidence, including in early April when he said he thinks Pruitt has done a fantastic job. Tech giants such as Facebook and Google must step up efforts to tackle the spread of fake news online in the next few months or potentially face further EU regulation, as concerns mount over election interference. The European Commission said on Thursday it would draw up a Code of Practice on Disinformation for the 28-nation EU by July with measures to prevent the spread of fake news such as increasing scrutiny of advertisement placements. EU policymakers are particularly worried that the spread of fake news could interfere with European elections next year, after Facebook disclosed that Russia tried to influence U.S. voters through the social network in the run-up to the 2016 U.S. election. Moscow denies such claims. "These [online] platforms have so far failed to act proportionately, falling short of the challenge posed by disinformation and the manipulative use of platforms' infrastructure," the Commission wrote in its strategy for tackling fake news published on Thursday. "The Commission calls upon platforms to decisively step up their efforts to tackle online disinformation." Advertisers and online platforms should produce "measurable effects" on the code of practice by October, failing which the Commission could propose further actions, including regulation "targeted at a few platforms." Companies will have to work harder to close fake accounts, take steps to reduce revenues for purveyors of disinformation and limit targeting options for political adverts. The Commission, the EU's executive, will also support the creation of an independent European network of fact-checkers and launch an online platform on disinformation. Tech industry association CCIA said the October deadline for progress appeared rushed. "The tech industry takes the spread of disinformation online very seriously...when drafting the Code of Practice, it is important to recognize that there is no one-size-fits-all solution to address this issue given the diversity of affected services," said Maud Sacquet, CCIA Europe Senior Policy Manager. Weaponizing fake news The revelations that political consultancy Cambridge Analytica - which worked on U.S. President Donald Trump's campaign - improperly accessed the data of up to 87 million Facebook users has further rocked public trust in social media. "There are serious doubts about whether platforms are sufficiently protecting their users against unauthorized use of their personal data by third parties, as exemplified by the recent Facebook/Cambridge Analytica revelations," the Commission wrote. Facebook has stepped up fact-checking in its fight against fake news and is trying to make it uneconomical for people to post such content by lowering its ranking and making it less visible. The world's largest social network is also working on giving its users more context and background about the content they read on the platform. "The weaponization of online fake news and disinformation poses a serious security threat to our societies," said Julian King, EU Commissioner for security. "The subversion of trusted channels to peddle pernicious and divisive content requires a clear-eyed response based on increased transparency, traceability and accountability." Campaign group European Digital Rights warned that the Commission ought not to rush into taking binding measures over fake news which could have an effect on the freedom of speech. King rejected any suggestion that the proposal would lead to censorship or a crackdown on satire or partisan news. "It's a million miles away from censorship," King told a news conference. "It's not targeting partisan journalism, freedom of speech, freedom to disagree, freedom to be, in some cases, a bit disagreeable." Commission Vice-President Andrus Ansip said there had been some debate internally over whether to explicitly mention Russia in the fake news strategy. "Some people say that we don't want to name just one name. And other people say that 'add some other countries also and then we will put them all on our list', but unfortunately nobody is able to name those others," the former Estonian prime minister said. A man once sworn to protect the public from crime was accused Wednesday of living a double life terrorizing suburban neighborhoods at night, becoming one of Californias most feared serial killers and rapists in the 1970s and 80s before leaving a cold trail that baffled investigators for more than three decades. Former police officer Joseph James DeAngelo, 72, was arrested at his home after DNA linked him to crimes attributed to the so-called Golden State Killer. He was charged with four counts of murder and could face dozens more, authorities said. The culprit also known as the East Area Rapist, among other names, is suspected of at least 12 slayings and 50 rapes in 10 counties from Northern to Southern California. The armed and masked prowler sneaked in through windows at night and surprised sleeping victims who ranged in age from 13 to 41. When encountering a couple, he was known to tie up the man and pile dishes on his back. He threatened to kill both victims if he heard plates crash to the floor while he raped the woman. He then ransacked the house, taking souvenirs, notably coins and jewelry before fleeing on foot or bicycle. Needle in a haystack Despite an outpouring of thousands of tips over the years, DeAngelos name had not been on the radar of law enforcement before last week, Sacramento County District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert said. We knew we were looking for a needle in a haystack, but we also knew that needle was there, she said. It was right here in Sacramento. A break in the case and the arrest came together in light speed during the past six days, Schubert said, though authorities refused to reveal what led to DeAngelo. Sacramento Sheriff Scott Jones said detectives with dogged determination were able to get a sample of DNA from something DeAngelo discarded, though he wouldnt say what the item was. The genetic material was not a match, but there were enough similarities for investigators to return for more and they said they were able to get a conclusive match. After watching DeAngelo for several days, deputies took him by surprise Tuesday. It looked as though he might have been searching his mind to execute a particular plan he may have had, but never had time to act, Jones said. DeAngelo was arrested on suspicion of committing four killings in Sacramento and Ventura counties, officials said. Ventura County District Attorney Gregory Totten said prosecutors would seek the death penalty. Former police officer, sailor DeAngelo, who served in the Navy, was a police officer in Exeter, in the San Joaquin Valley, from 1973 to 1976, at a time a burglar known as the Visalia Ransacker was active, Jones said. He transferred to the force in Auburn in the Sierra foothills near where he grew up outside Sacramento. About 50 crimes, including two killings, were attributed to the East Area Rapist during the three years DeAngelo worked in Auburn, but Jones said it wasnt clear if any were committed while on duty. DeAngelo was fired from the Auburn department in 1979 after being arrested for stealing a can of dog repellant and a hammer from a drug store, according to Auburn Journal articles from the time. He was convicted of the theft and fined $100. Ten slayings occurred after he was fired and all took place in Southern California. Spree ended in 1986 Although its unusual for serial killers to stop, Jones said they have no reason to think DeAngelo continued to commit crimes after 1986, when the last rape and killing occurred in Orange County. We have no indication of any crimes with a similar or at least a close enough link to his MO and other things that hes done in the past to link him to anything from 86 on, Jones said. We just have nothing at this point. Jones said he always thought the rapist was alive but might be in prison. For the prosecutors and investigators, the arrest not only marked a significant professional achievement but also a personal one that had touched their formative years and early careers. Alameda County District Attorney Nancy OMalley was a college student volunteering at a rape crisis center and sat with survivors who had been assaulted by this guy. Innocent era gone The wave of horrifying crimes had brought an end to a more innocent era in the Sacramento suburbs when children rode bicycles to school, played outside until dark and people didnt lock their doors, Schubert said. It all changed, said Schubert, who was 12 at the time. For anyone that lived here in this community, in Sacramento, the memories are very vivid. You can ask anyone who grew up here. Everyone has a story. Totten said he was a young law clerk in the office during the investigation into the 1980 slayings of Lyman and Charlene Smith that struck terror in the hearts of Ventura residents. We had no idea this killer was connected to so many other crimes, Totten said. DNA link In 1999, Orange County sheriffs homicide detectives were able to use DNA to link the Irvine slaying of Keith and Patrice Harrington to nine other slayings in Orange, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. The genetic evidence was later used to connect the same suspect to dozens of rapes in Northern California. Harringtons brother, Bruce, helped bankroll a successful 2004 ballot initiative campaign to take DNA from all convicted felons and some arrestees. To the victims, sleep better tonight, he isnt coming through the window, Bruce Harrington said at the news conference announcing the arrest. Jane Carson-Sandler was one of the first victims when she was sexually assaulted in 1976 in her home in Citrus Heights, the same community where DeAngelo was arrested at home. She said she received an email Wednesday from a retired detective who worked on the case telling her they identified the rapist and hes in custody. I have just been overjoyed, ecstatic. Its an emotional roller-coaster right now, Carson-Sandler, who now lives near Hilton Head, South Carolina, told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. I feel like Im in the middle of a dream and Im going to wake up and its not going to be true. Its just so nice to have closure and to know hes in jail. Well-kept house, explosive temper FBI agents and other investigators were gathering evidence Wednesday at DeAngelos neatly kept home. Jones said they were looking for mementos that may have been stolen from victims. Neighbors said DeAngelo took meticulous care of his house, which was always perfectly painted and his lawn manicured. But he was known for an explosive temper and loud cursing. Kevin Tapia said when he was a teenager, DeAngelo falsely accused him of throwing things over their shared fence, prompting a heated exchange between DeAngelo and his father. No one thinks they live next door to a serial killer, Tapia said. But at the same time Im just like, he was a weird guy. He kept to himself. When you start to think about it youre like, I could see him doing something like that, but I would never suspect it. The U.N. envoy for the Middle East peace process warned Thursday that the Gaza Strip could erupt into conflict and urged de-escalation. "Gaza is coming apart as we speak under the pressure of an explosive combination of negative humanitarian, security and political factors," Nickolay Mladenov told the U.N. Security Council's monthly meeting on the Palestinian-Israeli issue. "If another conflict between Hamas and Israel were to erupt, this would have devastating consequences for Palestinians in Gaza," he said of Hamas, the U.S.-designated terrorist group that has run the Gaza Strip for the past decade. Two million Palestinians live in Gaza in increasingly poor conditions. Gaza has experienced conflict four times in the past 12 years. For the past month, thousands of Palestinians have been protesting each Friday at the security fence that separates Gaza from Israel. The protests, largely peaceful, have sometimes turned violent, with some demonstrators throwing Molotov cocktails and attempting to breach the fence. The Israel Defense Forces have responded with force. The U.N. says 35 Palestinians have been killed and scores have been injured since the protests began. Israel's anniversary The demonstrations are taking place in the lead-up to the 70th anniversary of Israel's creation on May 14. Palestinians mark the following day, which they call al-Nakba or "the disaster," commemorating the mass displacement of Palestinians after Israel's independence. "As these protests continue, tension and the potential for serious incidents and further casualties will increase," Mladenov warned. He urged Israel to "calibrate its use of force" and minimize its use of live ammunition, and he said Hamas should keep Palestinian demonstrators away from the fence and prevent violent provocations. Mladenov also called for the protection of children, who he said are "at grave risk" and "must not be intentionally put in danger or targeted." At least four children have been killed by Israeli fire. "Anyone who truly cares about children in Gaza should insist that Hamas immediately stop using children as cannon fodder in its conflict with Israel," said U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley. "The international community must demand answers from Israel," Palestinian U.N. envoy Riyad Mansour said. "The Security Council's failure to address this situation cannot be justified." "Israel will never apologize for defending our country," its envoy, Danny Danon, told council members. He said Israel had an obligation to protect its citizens and would do so while minimizing civilian casualties to the other side. He blamed Hamas for using women and children as human shields. "This is evil in its purest form," Danon said. Palestinian refugee funding U.N. envoy Mladenov also warned council members that the U.N. agency that cares for Palestinian refugees, known as UNRWA, was at risk of running out of money by the summer. "Shutting down or reducing services at this critical time would further destabilize the region," Mladenov said. He said in Gaza alone, the agency was a lifeline for 1 million people, providing them health care, education and food assistance. "Without those services, we should anticipate a dramatic increase in social unrest, in poverty, in hunger and in psychological problems," he said. In January, the United States, the single largest contributor to UNRWA, announced that it would withhold 83 percent of its 2018 annual contribution , or about $300 million, throwing the agency into a financial crisis. An international pledging conference in Rome last month raised $100 million, but the agency is still struggling to fully fund its operations, which care for 5 million registered Palestinian refugees across the Middle East. U.S President Donald Trump Tuesday praised the strength of America's partnership with France and the personal friendship he has developed with his French counterpart. President Emmanuel Macrons visit to Washington will be closely followed by the arrival of German Chancellor Angela Merkel later this week. And, as Henry Ridgwell reports from London, the two European leaders are lobbying hard for Trump to shift his position on trade tariffs and the Iran nuclear deal. After years of local, judicial and international criticism, Hong Kongs legislature will consider a bill that aims to halt widespread trafficking and abuse of migrant workers and domestic helpers. A draft of a bill would create a commissioner who would investigate and prosecute cases of slavery and human trafficking. The office also would conduct research and coordinate with international agencies about trafficked workers. Bill to address migrant worker abuse The draft is scheduled to be discussed on May 4 at a legislative security panel, whose members debate policy. That would be a preliminary step, and does not ensure that the draft bill will move forward. The simple truth is that the current system does not allow for effective protection, investigation, prosecution, relief or reform. The motivation to ignore the problem by the government is admitted: they wish to make HK a hostile place for unwanted migrants, said attorney Azan Marwah, one author of the draft bill. Investigations are hampered because responsibility is diffuse, said Marwah, who represented a Pakistani immigrant whose complaints about abuse were acknowledged last year in the citys High Court. In Mr. ZN's case, the assaults and non-payment and immigration offenses were all reported to the relevant agencies, but none of them considered them together as a totality. As a result, the case was not taken seriously and no investigations or prosecutions were launched. A reluctant city government One hurdle will be to convince the citys chief executive, Carrie Lam, that such legislation is needed. All legislation must originate with that office and the city has been reluctant to offer greater rights to migrant workers, who number an estimated 336,000, according to the Justice Centre. I think the government made it quite clear it will not think about legislation and it probably only will when theyre told they must by the courts, said Patricia Ho, a lawyer who helped author the draft. I think with the encouragement or pressure of the international community that the Hong Kong government is setting up to realize the scale and seriousness " of the problem. Several local and international organizations have found widespread problems with workers brought into Hong Kong, some who were then moved to other countries. The Hong Kong government says it has plan to explore the problem, but admits it does not include legislation that specifically addresses the forced movement and detention of workers. At present, our legislation has provided an adequate and solid legal framework to effectively combat TIP crimes, Lawrence Li, a spokesman for Hong Kongs security bureau, wrote in an emailed statement, referring to trafficking in persons. He acknowledged that Hong Kong does not have a single piece of legislation prohibiting the illegal holding or movement of workers. Marwah sharply disagreed that the government measures are adequate. Hong Kong law does not expressly prohibit slavery, trading in slaves, forced marriage, money laundering related to trafficking, he said. Pressure is building Hong Kongs government has been under pressure in recent years to stop the illegal trade in migrant workers, many of whom work as domestic servants in middle class and wealthy households. In 2016, the city high court found that ZN, the Pakistani migrant who had been beaten and unpaid by his employer, was denied help sought from official agencies, including the police. The ruling judge found that he had been a victim of human trafficking and that the citys moves had failed to achieve even the most basic objectives. Last year the U.S. State Department listed Hong Kong in August on a watch list of countries that did not meet UN standards to stop trafficking, such as prosecuting traffickers or identifying victims, inaction was also found in countries such as Afghanistan and Pakistan. The report urged the Chinese territory to pass an anti-trafficking law. The citys government then rejected the conclusions saying they were unfair and not objective. A study has detailed abuse In addition, the Justice Centre, a Hong Kong human rights center, found in a study released in 2016 that many migrant workers in Hong Kong reported that most workers pay thousands of dollars each to secure employment in the city. Once in Hong Kong, they have limited freedom to move and communicate. Many are asked to work excessive hours, suffer physical or sexual violence or threats, and have their mobile phones and travel documents confiscated. Critics say Hong Kong migrants are tied to their employers because many do not feel free to quit and find new jobs for fear that their visas will be canceled or that they will be unable to repay thousands of dollars to placement agencies. Researchers found that such migrants worked an average week of 71.4 hours, or nearly 12 hours a day, six days a week. Some workers earned as little as $523 (HK$4,110) a month. The abuse of domestic workers in Hong Kong became an international story in 2014 when online photos showed a bruised and emaciated Erwiana Sulistyaningsih, a 21-year-old Indonesian woman. She came to Hong Kong to earn money for college. She was forced to work in households where she was unpaid, starved, beaten, deprived of sleep and bathroom breaks. The widespread use of underpaid domestic workers is one of the more uncomfortable and visible facets of life in Hong Kong. Their visas require that they live with their employers. Each Sunday, tens of thousands of the workers spend their one free weekly day amassing in public parks and plazas. French President Emmanuel Macron called for closer coordination and transparency in fighting terrorist financing Thursday as he closed a two-day international conference in Paris that focused on two of the biggest threats al-Qaida and Islamic State. Officials from more than 70 nations and hundreds of experts heard Macron outline several areas the international community should tackle to help close the financial spigot flowing to terrorist groups. He called for better control of anonymous financing, bogus charities and crowd funding; supporting vulnerable states; and freezing assets of individuals implicated in terrorist financing. Macron said the terrorist threat would not go away soon. Al-Qaida and Islamic State will continue to attack and destabilize countries and kill innocent people, he said, the the global community's determination to respond must be absolute. The French leader speaking hours after returning from talks with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington, in which fighting terrorism ranked among the top subjects also called for greater international support for the Financial Action Task Force, an international body fighting money laundering and terrorism. Experts note terrorist financing is taking on new and more complex forms, even as terrorist attacks like plowing vans through crowds are increasingly cheaper to carry out. Even so, both IS and al-Qaida need substantial sums to exist and spread. In an interview with VOA, David Lewis, executive director of the Financial Action Task Force, said more needed to be done in terms of information sharing and technological innovations to track terrorist funding. "What we are actually seeing is that most countries now have the laws in place, the tools to do the job, but they are not actually doing the job," Lewis said. "So what is required is a greater level of political commitment to attach the right priorities to this and the right amount of resourcing so intelligence agencies and police forces can get on and use the powers they now have to make a real dent into this problem." France has weathered a number of terrorist attacks in recent years. Paris prosecutor Francois Molins said that during the past two years, the country had identified 416 terrorist funders locally and 320 collectors of terrorist funding, mostly based in Turkey and Lebanon. Media rights group Reporters Without Borders says Iran has remained one of the worlds most unsafe countries for journalists in part because there is no Iranian association to defend them. In its annual World Press Freedom Index published on Wednesday, the Paris-based group gave Iran a ranking of 164 out of 180 a one-point improvement from the previous year. The Reporters Without Borders (RSF) index ranks countries according to the level of freedom available to journalists. Iran has been stuck in the bottom 15 places since RSF began issuing the rankings more than 20 years ago. In an interview with VOA Persians Early News program on Wednesday, the head of the rights groups Iran desk, Reza Moini, said one factor in Irans continued low press freedom score is its lack of any domestic organization to advocate for media rights. Iranian authorities shut down the last organization, the Association of Iranian Journalists, in 2009 after years of harassing it under the conservative presidency of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Iranian journalists created the association in 1997 at the start of the reformist presidency of Mohammad Khatami. The Iranian government is an enemy of democracy and independent organizations, so it not only refuses to authorize an organization like RSF, but also prevents pro-government reformist associations from operating, Moini told VOA Persian. Moini said the group, also know by its French name Reporters Sans Frontieres, or RSF, has no contact with the Iranian government but maintains a close dialogue with independent Iranian journalists in the country. RSFs annual ranking note on Iran says its Islamist leadership keeps a tight grip on most media outlets and never relents in its persecution of independent journalists and citizen-journalists (subjected to) intimidation, arbitrary arrest, and long jail sentences imposed by revolutionary courts at the end of unfair trials. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani promised to defend free speech and media freedom in his successful 2013 election campaign for the presidency. VOA Persians Afshar Sigarchi contributed to this report. Iranian Kurdish shopkeepers have extended a strike in a northwestern border town to an 11th day as they protest Tehrans policies in the region, causing some distress within the local community. Residents of Baneh who contacted VOA Persian via social media shared images of stores remaining closed Wednesday, as part of a strike that began April 15. Shop workers are protesting the Iranian governments monthslong closure of border footpaths that they rely upon for trade with Iraqs Kurdistan region. Banehs economy is dependent on the sale of imported products from Iraq. Residents have said their inability to import has crippled economic activity. But some locals said the prolonged closure of Banehs stores has raised tensions between supporters of the strike and people who want to buy and sell everyday goods. They said groups of strike supporters have searched for store owners who opened for business and pressured them into closing under threat of taking pictures of the open stores and sharing them on social media. Some shopkeepers have complained of losses from food products that have spoiled during the closure. Other residents said that when people need to buy food, they contact shopkeepers covertly and make purchases at night under cover of darkness. But they said many locals are sympathetic to the strikers. This report was produced in collaboration with VOAs Persian Service. Michael Lipin contributed additional reporting from Washington. Thousands of civilians remain displaced in northern Myanmar amid renewed fighting in recent weeks, many with little access to aid, bringing fresh concerns that the countrys peace process has stalled under the current government. Fighting between the Myanmar army, known as the Tatmadaw, and the Kachin Independence Army, has seen local residents flee in at least three townships in Kachin State in recent weeks, local sources told VOA. Others have been pinned down by the fighting. More than 150 people have been unable to leave an area of heavy fighting near Hpakant, a remote area renowned for the quality of its jade, local parliament representative Oo Choo told VOA by telephone. They havent been able to leave for a week, he said. Humanitarian aid David Baulk, a human rights specialist with Fortify Rights, said thousands have been displaced by fighting in the past month. A lot of Kachin State is a war zone right now, and thats whats leading people to run for their lives, Baulk told VOA. The real issue when it comes to displacement in Tanai and other areas of Kachin State, is that the Myanmar government continues to systematically prevent aid groups from visiting these areas to provide basic services to people. Knut Ostby, United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Myanmar, released a statement last week condemning the latest violence in Kachin. I appeal to all parties to the conflict to allow displaced people and other civilians who may remain in the areas of conflict to be permitted to move to a more secure location of their choice and to allow for humanitarian assistance to reach these populations as a matter of urgency, he said in the statement. But government spokesperson Zaw Htay denied the military was denying access to aid for civilians caught up in the conflict. The government is already supporting humanitarian assistance for the Christians in the conflict, he told VOA by telephone, before referring further questions to the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement, who could not be reached for comment. War crimes On April 23, a coalition of more than 30 Kachin civil society groups published a letter urging the United Nations Security Council to refer the Myanmar army to the International Criminal Court for its actions in the state. Despite their obligations, the international community, including members of the United Nations Security Council, have failed in their duty to uphold international law, said the statement, which claimed that Kachin people had been subjected to numerous violations of international law. The statement also claimed that at least three Kachin civilians, as well as one Karen community leader, had been killed in recent weeks. These are war crimes, but not one country has condemned these killings and promised to take action in response, the statement said. Peace process at a standstill Since the National League for Democracy came to power two years ago, there has been little progress on the peace process, an issue that State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi said she would make a priority. In February, two relatively small ethnic armed groups agreed to join the governments Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA), but much of that progress has been offset by renewed fighting in Kayin State, home of the Karen National Union, perhaps the most influential of the two groups to have signed the NCA in October 2015. It has been almost a year since the government last held its flagship event for the peace process, the 21st Century Panglong Union Peace Conference, the second such event held under the NLD. It has been rumored that the next event will take place in May, but that is yet to be confirmed. Holding a successful [Union Peace Conference] will require overcoming several obstacles, particularly lack of trust among the different parties, Richard Horsey, an independent analyst, told VOA. Without a sense of shared commitment to a process and negotiated outcome, it will be hard to revitalize the peace process and convene the next conference. Horsey said the peace process had stagnated and that there was frustration among signatories to the NCA, and skepticism among non-signatories towards signing the accord until there are signs of greater political motivation and commitment to a negotiated political settlement. Nicola Williams, peace team leader at The Asia Foundation, agreed there had been a stalemate in political dialogue in recent years. She said that, while there had been much focus on the process of peace negotiations and cease-fire monitoring, there has been a lack of emphasis and momentum on negotiations to build policy solutions and the content of a peace accord. Nonetheless, while the peace process can seem like its on life support, outside of the headlines, outside of the political statements and stalemates, ethnic armed groups and conflict parties are making quite diligent efforts to discuss a lot of the core peace process issues, and to develop draft principles in preparation for the UPC, she told VOA. Former world chess champion Garry Kasparov is today one of the most renowned figures of the Russian opposition and was the organizer of the recently concluded Free Russia Forum in Vilnius. In an exclusive interview with Voice of America's Russian service about the latest dramatic events in Yerevan, he said that the will of the people in Armenia for change was a key factor in the development of the situation in that country. "History is not over, but there is one very important lesson we can learn from there: When people are lied to, they get tired of it; when they are ready to defend their freedom and their right to choose who will lead them, power retreats," said Kasparov, who is half-Armenian. "The main lesson is that it's a demonstration of the unity of the nation. When we see students, workers, priests, some in the military [participating in the protest], it makes it impossible for the authorities to suppress it by force." Armenian Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan resigned unexpectedly Monday after days of protests against him by opposition supporters who claimed he was clinging to power after serving the maximum 10 years as president. Armenia's turmoil deepened Wednesday as tens of thousands of people took to the streets after the opposition accused the ruling Republican Party of refusing to cede power following Sargsyan's departure. Later in the day, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation, the Republican Party governing partner, announced that it had quit Armenia's ruling coalition, calling for the election of a prime minister with "the people's confidence." Domestic focus, honest elections In a region dominated by "strongman" politics, the grass-roots demonstrations, which protest leaders have been careful not to paint as pro-Western or anti-Russian, are focused on a domestic agenda led by honest elections. Armenia, which seceded from the Soviet Union in 1991, has, like neighboring Caucasus nations, struggled to overcome the legacy of central planning and remains dependent on Russia for aid and investment. But Kasparov believes that prevailing conditions in Armenia are nonetheless specific to that country. "It is a special situation there: a practically monoethnic state, three decades of war one day sluggish, another day turning into a more acute phase," he said. "There is the Karabakh clan [Karabakh military], and there is the Yerevan party that is, there are many specific factors that do not apply to Russia." The opposition figure also noted that Russia's powerful influence on the situation in Armenia continued. Russia, which maintains a military base in the country, has said that it is "very attentively observing what is happening in Armenia," but ultimately considers the unrest a domestic issue. On Wednesday, Russia's Foreign Ministry issued a statement calling on political forces in Armenia to engage in dialogue and act within the law to resolve the situation. They also dismissed any parallels to events that inspired Ukraine's 2014 Maidan revolution. The United States responded to developments by thanking Sargsyan for his many years of service and called for a transparent democratic process to determine his successor. Russian influence "Armenia is effectively under the all-powerful influence of [President Vladimir] Putin's Russia, and it is clear that the majority of enterprises are one way or another controlled by Russian oligarchs. These ties were formed over a very long time, including military ties," Kasparov said. "Armenia, unlike Ukraine, has no borders with the West. It is trapped between Azerbaijan, Turkey; Iran, Georgia are also there; you can't go too far [without reaching] either Turkey or Russia, if we talk about the border." Nevertheless, according to Kasparov, Sargsyan's resignation is a bellwether for Russia. "Today, the whole world is in motion. Revolutionary changes are taking place everywhere," he said. "Many of them are negative and destructive, but it is clear that we have entered a period of change. Armenia, I think, is a bellwether, showing that attempts to preserve the situation in Russia, attempts to return to the past ... all the same end with a revolutionary explosion. Armenia is simply this bellwether indicating that change is inevitable. And the question is how peaceful and nonviolent these changes will be. WATCH: Armenia's 'Velvet Revolution' Prompts Comparisons With Ukraine, Georgia "Armenia has avoided, largely due to its national peculiarity, bloodshed and violent confrontation/ The extent to which this is possible in Russia is difficult for me to say. I fear that we missed the possibility for such a peaceful, nonviolent transition in 2011-2012, and that the changes in Russia will, of course, be more volatile." Thus, he said, it is necessary to prepare for such changes. "It is necessary now, it seems to me, to think about what will happen in Russia when the day comes that patience completely runs out," Kasparov said. "Why will that happen? There are landfills that make it impossible to breathe, corruption is monstrous, a sharp deterioration in living standards, banking collapses. There are many examples in history when such a combination of factors produced this explosive combination. And what needs to be done, I think, is what we talked about at the last Free Russia Forum in Vilnius: We need to prepare for this moment in order to propose a plan of action." Darker outlook for Russia While former Soviet republics such as Armenia may see long-term political changes emerge from this week's protests, Kasparov believes that the situation in which changes could arrive in Russia is less favorable than the collapse of the Soviet Union. "We cannot again, as in 1991, be caught by surprise. That will be unforgivable," he said. "Because if at that time it was unexpected and any change then seemed good then today Russia has no such window of opportunity. There is no such upside. There was still economic and industrial potential then, but today the situation is different. It is much worse. Russia is mired in corruption, industrial devastation and wars. And its international reputation is actually much worse than it was 27 years ago. And society does not have the potential for change, the desire to make the country better, the desire to become part of the civilized world." "The most important task now is to talk seriously about constitutional reform, about what Russia should look like, what will be the path of this transition," Kasparov said. "We have our own economic, political, social and foreign policy factors, and we need to take them all into account in order to have a sufficiently well-articulated program of action that can be proposed. The person that offers a program of action even if it is, as articulated, radical in the opinion of many is usually the one that inspires the people to follow." This story originated in VOA's Russian Service. Kim Jong Un will be in uncharted territory Friday when the third-generation autocrat crosses into the southern half of the Demilitarized Zone separating the rival Koreas, possibly on foot, and greets South Korean President Moon Jae-in. Cameras wielded by one of the most aggressive media contingents on the planet will fire live images of a man used to controlling every aspect of his public persona into the homes and onto the phones of millions of people around the world, though its not yet clear if it will be seen instantly in North Korea. But as Kim navigates this minefield (figuratively; hes not passing through that part of the DMZ) at the third-ever inter-Korean summit, he may have an ally of sorts in Moon. Choreographing the media Despite an announcement that some bits of the summit will be shown live, and the possibility of a joint news conference, Moon seems intent on keeping the North Korean leader at ease, and an aggressive local media at bay, while engineering a summit meant to move the Koreas from what seemed like the brink of war last year to the engagement that the liberal Moon has always dreamed of. This mindset could make it hard for Moon, keen on creating a legacy-defining moment that will set up Kims summit with President Donald Trump in the coming weeks, to resist whatever media controls the North demands. The South Korean government is so anxious and invested to ensure the Kim-Trump summit happens, and isnt a failure, that acceding to media choreography is a very small price to pay when Kim and Moon meet, Vipin Narang, a Koreas specialist at MIT, said by email. If Kim asks for it, I dont see the South Koreans pushing back too hard. Three days of rehearsals At home, thousands of people work to craft Kims image. Even when Kim traveled to China earlier this month, the self-censoring Chinese media and the autocratic government in Beijing helped cloak the trip in secrecy; the North then later packaged a sanitized video presentation of the visit for state-controlled TV. While Kim may not be able to control every aspect of what happens on the South Korean side of the DMZ, Seoul seems eager to make sure things go smoothly, even preparing a banquet that includes dishes from Switzerland, where Kim studied during his teens. Seoul has also planned three days of extensive, closed-door dress rehearsals, one of them involving North Korean officials, leading up to the summit Friday. The rehearsals are reportedly timed for the exact, as-yet-unrevealed moment Kim will cross the border so that the angle of the sunlight will hit the participants in the same way. Another clue indicating the level of micromanagement in the summits planning: The table between the leaders measures exactly 2018 millimeters. The information the world receives will also be closely controlled: Except for a group of pool reporters at the summit, whose access may be extremely limited, journalists will be sequestered at a media center well away from heavily guarded Panmunjom, the border village where the summit will take place. Im sure part of the ground rules for the North-South meeting will be tight controls on the South Korean press, Ralph Cossa, president of Pacific Forum CSIS and a longtime Koreas expert, said in an email. Besides that, Pyongyang will have total control over how the meeting is portrayed in the North so the risk is minimal. Kim Jong Un seems to exude great self-confidence so he may think he is prepared to take on the South Korean press, but I assume he and his handlers will be very cautious on this point. Avoiding human rights issues Moon, ahead of the summit, has faced media reports that his government allegedly pressured prominent defectors and conservative analysts to stay out of the press, presumably because they might anger the North, which keeps a close eye on such things, accusations the government in Seoul has strongly denied. South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-hwa seemed to indicate that Seoul wont raise at the summit what the U.N. says is Kims pattern of starving and abusing his people, despite being pressed by activists to do so, when she told reporters that to include the (human rights) issue in the inter-Korean dialogue now is something that will require more preparation. And in what critics took as an attempt to muzzle dissent, Moon this week asked that our political circles halt their political warfare at least during the summit. It is understandable that Seoul wants to avoid annoying Pyongyang ahead of the April 27 inter-Korean summit. But in order for its policy to work, the government must open its ears to various voices on North Korea, the conservative Korea JoongAng Daily recently wrote. The president cannot push ahead with (his) rapprochement policy if (he) does not gain support from the people. Many conservatives believe the government is too soft toward Pyongyang. Hundreds of people lined up in the rain to get a first look at a lynching memorial and museum that opened Thursday in Montgomery. The National Memorial for Peace and Justice commemorates 4,400 black people who were slain in lynchings and other racial killings between 1877 and 1950. Their names, where known, are engraved on 800 dark, rectangular steel columns, one for each U.S. county where lynchings occurred. A related museum is also opening in Montgomery, called The Legacy Museum: From Enslavement to Mass Incarceration. Many visitors shed tears and stared intently at the commemorative columns, many of which are suspended in the air from above. Toni Battle drove from San Francisco to attend. "I'm a descendant of three lynching victims," Battle said, her face wet with tears. "I wanted to come and honor them and also those in my family that couldn't be here." Angel Smith Dixon, who is biracial, came from Lawrenceville, Georgia, to see the memorial. "We're publicly grieving this atrocity for the first time as a nation. ... You can't grieve something you can't see, something you don't acknowledge," she said. "Part of the healing process, the first step is to acknowledge it." Shame, fear The Reverend Jesse Jackson, a longtime civil rights activist, told reporters after visiting the memorial that it would help to dispel America's silence on lynching. "Whites wouldn't talk about it because of shame. Blacks wouldn't talk about it because of fear," he said. The crowd included white and black visitors. Mary Ann Braubach, who is white, came from Los Angeles to attend. "As an American, I feel this is a past we have to confront," she said as she choked back tears. Launch events include a "Peace and Justice Summit" featuring celebrities and activists, including Ava DuVernay, Marian Wright Edelman and Gloria Steinem. The summit, museum and memorial are projects of the Equal Justice Initiative, a Montgomery-based legal advocacy group founded by attorney Bryan Stevenson. Stevenson won a MacArthur Foundation fellowship, known popularly as a "genius" grant, for his human rights work. The group bills the project as "the nation's first memorial dedicated to the legacy of enslaved black people, people terrorized by lynching, African-Americans humiliated by racial segregation and Jim Crow, and people of color burdened with contemporary presumptions of guilt and police violence." French President Emmanuel Macron said Wednesday he believes U.S. President Donald Trump will pull the United States out of the Iran nuclear deal with Tehran to restrain its nuclear weapons development. "I don't know what the American decision will be but the rational analysis of all President Trump's statements does not lead me to believe that he will do everything to stay in the JCPOA [Iranian nuclear deal]," Macron told a news conference at the conclusion of his three-day state visit. Asked if such a decision would indicate a personal failure, Macron said his role was not to convince Trump to "walk away from campaign commitments, but rather to prove that the agreement makes sense. Earlier Wednesday, Macron urged U.S. lawmakers to ensure the United States does not to abandon the Iran nuclear deal. "Iran shall never possess nuclear weapons, not in five years, not in 10 years, never," Macron declared in a ringing , 49-minute speech to both chambers of the U.S. Congress. Trump is set to decide next month whether to renew sanctions relief for Iran. The agreement lifts sanctions on Tehran in exchange for limits on the country's nuclear development. The U.S. president called the agreement "insane" and "ridiculous" and has threatened to withdraw from it. Instead Macron, as he did in talks with Trump on Tuesday, called for negotiations for a new agreement with Iran over Tehran's ballistic missile tests and military involvement in Syria, Yemen, Lebanon and Iraq. Lawmakers from both chambers cheered robustly as Macron praised Americas history of multilateralism, saying Europe and the United States must together face the "new threats and challenges" of the 21st century. "We can choose isolationism, but it will not stop the evolution of the world," he said. Western allies cannot let nationalistic impulses take over and "undermine the liberal order we set after World War II. It is a critical moment," said Macron. "I thought on balance his speech was right on target and he had the courage not to trim on issues which he thought were important," House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer told reporters shortly after the speech. Rep. Chris Collins, a Republican from New York and the first member of Congress to endorse Trump in 2016, told VOA he saw Macrons comments as a positive step in addressing the problems with the Iran nuclear deal. "Now that we've got France saying yeah, we can negotiate a better deal I think that's in response to Trump's position," Collins said Wednesday. But Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Wednesday rejected the idea of a new deal or any changes current pact negotiation by the Obama administration and Britain, Germany, Russia, China, France. Trump stands alone among the signatories to the Iran deal in opposing it. "He's a businessman," University of Denver international affairs professor Jonathan Adelman told VOA. "For him, what you put forth at first is not necessarily what you get at the end." Adelman said Macron did well in his speech, and that he thinks the most likely path forward is a supplemental agreement to the original nuclear deal. The French president also pressed lawmakers to support a return to the Paris Climate Agreement, saying "there is no Planet B." Trump withdrew from the accord in 2015, following an intense effort by the Obama administration to strike the sweeping agreement. "I'm sure one day the U.S. will come back again to join the Paris agreement," Macron predicted. Congressional correspondent Katherine Gypson, Ken Bredemeier and Victor Beattie contributed to this report. An American German-Catholic woman who converted to Islam decided to design modest clothes after she couldn't find them in stores. Macy's, the nationwide department store, is now carrying her designs on its website. But some people's idea of fashion options is being viewed by others as condoning the repression of women. In her first television interview, designer Lisa Vogl talks about why she designed her fashion line. VOA's Carolyn Presutti has our story. "6 Months Since Trump Declared an Opioid Emergency, What's Changed?" ... other than AG Sessions "strongly" encouraging capital prosecutions? | Main | Federal criminal justice reform bogs down again in fight over whether prison reform or broader sentencing reform moves forward As reported in this AP piece, a "prisoner on Texas death row for killing a 5-year-old girl and her grandmother in a gang-related shooting at a child's birthday party in Fort Worth a decade ago was executed Wednesday evening." Here are a few more details about the execution and the defendant's crimes: Erick Davila received lethal injection for using a laser-sighted semi-automatic rifle to spray bullets at about 20 people more than a dozen of them children. Annette Stevenson, 48, and her granddaughter, Queshawn Stevenson, were killed and four others were wounded, including the girl who was celebrating her 9th birthday. Davila, 31, belted to a gurney in the Texas death chamber, offered no apologies. He appeared almost cocky as several relatives of his victims entered the witness area of the death chamber, raising his head off the gurney and acknowledging some that he appeared to know. "I may have lost the fight but I'm still a soldier," he said when asked by the warden if he wanted to make a statement. "Take it as it is. To my supporters and family, y'all hold it down. Ten toes down. That's all I got to say." He was pronounced dead at 6:31 p.m. CDT, 14 minutes after the lethal dose of the powerful sedative pentobarbital was administered. Davila was the ninth prisoner executed in the U.S. this year, five of them in Texas. Authorities said the April 6, 2008, attack was in apparent retaliation for a previous run-in Davila had with the slain girl's father, who was attending the party. The U.S. Supreme Court rejected an appeal from Davila's lawyers about 30 minutes before the punishment was carried out.... Defense lawyers at Davila's trial tried to show he didn't intend to kill multiple people, a criterion for the capital murder charge. They argued he instead only intended to kill Jerry Stevenson, whose daughter and mother were shot to death. Authorities said Stevenson belonged to a rival gang and that Davila believed members of that gang shot him in 2005. Stevenson denied belonging to the gang. Davila was accused but not tried in another fatal shooting just days before the birthday party slayings. While awaiting trial for capital murder, he also attacked Tarrant County jailers and maintenance workers during an escape attempt. He previously served prison time for a 2004 burglary in Tarrant County and was released after about a year. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis says there has been no decision made on any U.S. withdrawal from the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement but Washington is working with its European allies to see if there are ways to improve the pact. "The decision has not been made whether we can repair it enough to stay in it, or if the president is going to decide to withdraw from it," Mattis told a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing Thursday. He said the U.S. recognizes the nuclear pact was an "imperfect arms control agreement." "It is written almost with the assumption that Iran would try to cheat. So the verification, what is in there, is actually pretty robust," Mattis said. "Whether or not that is sufficient, I think that is a valid question." French President Emmanuel Macron, who just wrapped up a U.S. visit, said Wednesday he believes U.S. President Donald Trump will pull the United States out of the nuclear agreement. "I don't know what the American decision will be but the rational analysis of all [of] President Trump's statements does not lead me to believe that he will do everything to stay in the JCPOA (Iran nuclear deal)," Macron told a news conference at the conclusion of his three-day state visit. Trump faces a May 12 deadline on whether to reimpose some of the economic sanctions that were lifted on Iran in exchange for limits on the country's nuclear development, as part of the 2015 deal. Asked whether such a decision would indicate a personal failure, Macron said his role was not to convince Trump to "walk away from campaign commitments, but rather to prove that the agreement makes sense." On Wednesday, Macron urged U.S. lawmakers to ensure the United States does not to abandon the Iran nuclear deal. "Iran shall never possess nuclear weapons, not in five years, not in 10 years, never," Macron declared in a ringing, 49-minute speech to both chambers of the U.S. Congress. The U.S. president has called the agreement "insane" and "ridiculous" and has threatened to withdraw from it. Instead Macron, as he did in talks with Trump on Tuesday, called for negotiations for a new agreement with Iran over Tehran's ballistic missile tests and military involvement in Syria, Yemen, Lebanon and Iraq. Israel's ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, called on Trump Thursday to "change the course" on the current nuclear deal with Iran, saying the agreement's expiration date must be extended or eliminated, and changes implemented in order to end "Iran's role as the largest state-sponsor of terrorism in the world." "Iran must end the development and testing of its advanced ballistic missile program," Danon told the U.N. Security Council. "We must increase monitoring and oversight of Iran's finances, which have grown significantly since the JCPOA released the sanctions." Iran was also a focus of talks later in the day, when Defense Secretary Mattis met with Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman at the Pentagon. Mattis said the U.S. and Israeli militaries have never worked as closely together as they do now, calling the cooperation critical to making a stable and secure Middle East a reality and stopping Iran from spreading its malign influence. And when asked by reporters about weapons shipments from Iran to Syria and whether they were intended for striking Israel, Mattis replied, "I can't think of any other purpose for them right now." Much remains to be done before a new North American Free Trade Agreement is reached, Mexican Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo said Thursday, tempering hopes for a quick deal as ministers met in Washington for a third successive day. Negotiators from the United States, Mexico and Canada have been working constantly for weeks to clinch a deal, but major differences remain on contentious topics such as autos content. Complicating matters, the Trump administration has threatened to impose sanctions on Canadian and Mexican steel and aluminum on May 1 if not enough progress has been made on NAFTA. President Donald Trump, who came into office in January 2017 decrying NAFTA and other international trade deals as unfair to the United States, has repeatedly threatened to walk away from the agreement with Canada and Mexico, which took effect in 1994. "It is going, it's going, but not easy too many things, too many issues to tackle," Guajardo told reporters after a meeting with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer. Now under way for eight months, the talks to revamp the accord underpinning $1.2 trillion in trade entered a more intensive phase after the last formal round of negotiations ended in March with ministers vowing to push for a deal. Lighthizer is due to visit China next week, and when asked if a deal was possible before the USTR left, Guajardo said: "It will depend on our abilities and creativity. We are trying to do our best, but there are still a lot of things pending." Although Washington is keen for an agreement soon to avoid clashing with a July 1 Mexican presidential election, the three NAFTA members remain locked in talks to agree on new rules governing minimum content requirements for the auto industry. Still, Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland rejected the notion that discussion of the so-called rules of origin for the automotive sector was holding up the process. "I would very much disagree with the characterization of the autos conversation as being log-jammed," she said as she entered the USTR offices. "This is a week when very good, significant progress is being made on rules of origin for the car sector." Freeland said she would skip a planned visit to a NATO summit in Brussels on Friday, and vowed to stay in Washington for "as long as it takes." Guajardo, too, said he was ready to remain in Washington this week for more talks. Disagreements The three sides are also trying to settle disagreements over U.S. demands to change how trade disputes are handled, to restrict access to agricultural markets and to include a clause that would allow a country to quit NAFTA after five years. Bosco de la Vega, head of Mexico's National Agricultural Council, the main farm lobby, said he believed the three would be able to reach an agreement on agricultural access. But the auto sector rules were still contentious, he added. "It's the most important issue there," he said, adding that he had earmarked May 10 as the deadline for a quick deal. Separately, Canada on Thursday unveiled details of how it plans to prevent the smuggling of cheap steel and aluminum into the North American market in a bid to avoid the U.S. tariffs. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who announced the plan last month, said Ottawa would hire 40 new trade officers to probe complaints, including those related to steel and aluminum. Flash floods killed nine Israeli teenagers who were hiking south of the Dead Sea on Thursday, Israel's rescue service said. The casualties were all 18 years old. Israeli media said eight of the fatalities were female and one was male. Police said another hiker is still missing. Earlier, spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said 25 students in a pre-army course were caught off guard and some were washed away by heavy rains while they were hiking in the area. He said 15 people were rescued. The downpour caused parts of Israels security barrier with the West Bank to collapse, Rosenfeld added. Police and army helicopters were deployed to search for the missing member of the group. But search operations were suspended by nightfall until the morning due to harsh conditions, police said. The Dead Sea, the world's lowest point at about 1,400 feet below sea level, is surrounded by desert and generally arid cliffs. Rain can come rushing down the steep descents, causing sudden and violent torrents in otherwise dry spots. Heavy rainfall has fallen sporadically over the past two days. Final preparations are underway for Fridays historic third summit between the leaders of North and South Korea. In the morning, North Korea Leader Kim Jong Un will cross the military demarcation line that divides the two Koreas at the village of Panmunjom, the historic site where the Korean War armistice was signed in 1953. He will be met by South Korean President Moon Jae-in on the South Korean side of the heavily fortified demilitarized zone. This will be the third inter-Korean summit, but it will be the first time that a leader from the communist North will enter the democratic South. The summits in 2000 and 2007 were held in North Korea. Kim will travel with an official delegation that includes his sister, Kim Yo Jong, who led the Norths delegation to the Winter Olympics in South Korea, Kim Yong Nam, the Norths nominal head of state, and Kim Yong Chol. Kim Yong Chol was previously the head of the Norths military intelligence agency and has been named by South Korea as being responsible for ordering the deadly 2010 sinking of the Cheonan, a South Korean navy vessel. It is unclear if Kim Jong Uns wife, Ri Sol-ju, will be part of the official delegation from the North. She recently traveled with Kim when he visited Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. Pomp and circumstance South Korea will hold a welcoming ceremony for the North Korean leader that will include a military honor guard review. During past summits, North Korea also organized the same level of ceremonial guard used to underscore friendly relations with an important visiting head of state. The two leaders will pose together for pictures, and plant a pine tree in the DMZ to symbolize Korean reconciliation. The leaders from the North and South may also walk together along a historic footbridge called the Bridge of No Return that was used for prisoner exchanges at the end of the Korean War. Moon and Kim will hold direct talks in the Peace House conference hall, both in the morning and the afternoon, but the North Korean delegation will return to their side of the border for lunch. Denuclearization substance This first inter-Korean summit in over a decade marks a dramatic turn toward diplomacy to resolve the growing North Korean nuclear threat, after a two-year period of continuous North Korean nuclear and missile tests. Kim has suspended further tests and declared in November that North Korea achieved its goal of developing the capability to target the U.S. mainland with intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM.) The U.S., however, argues that further testing is needed to demonstrate operational ICM capability. Also in the last year, U.S. President Donald Trumps maximum pressure campaign led international efforts to impose tough sanctions restricting most North Korea exports, that may have forced Kim to pursue talks to seek sanctions relief. Recently North Korea announced it would close its Punggye-ri nuclear test site, but analysts are skeptical that these measures would lead to any permanent reduction in the countrys nuclear capabilities. This year North Korea participated in the recent Olympics in South Korea, and Kim subsequently expressed a willingness to engage in denuclearization talks. Joint statement The inter-Korean summit is expected to produce a joint statement committing to the denuclearization of the Korea Peninsula, and also a clear definition of what a denuclearization outcome would entail. It is very difficult to know at what level they will agree on. This is more so because it is not something that can be fully completed at the summit between two Koreas, said the Inter-Korean Summit Preparation Committee chairman. While North Korea will only make a nuclear deal with the United States, President Moon wants to use the inter-Korean summit to create a framework for talks between Kim and Trump, who are expected to meet in May or June. For President Moon Jae-in, he would like to see a substantial improvement in relations between the U.S. and North Korea by serving as a mediator, said Kim Yong-hyun, a professor of at Dongguk University in Seoul. The U.S. has demanded the complete dismantlement of the Norths nuclear arsenal before reducing sanctions. Pyongyang wants a more step-by-step approach that would likely provide some sanctions relief for freezing its current nuclear capabilities. The leaders from North and South Korea are also expected to endorse pursuing a peace treaty to replace the 1953 armistice to end the Korean War, but such a measure will require the participation of the U.S. and China as signatories to the truce. Within the DMZ, security was tight Thursday, the day before the summit. About 2,800 journalists have registered at the main press center to cover the summit. Lee Yoon-jee in Seoul contributed to this report. A high court in Pakistan has removed and debarred the countrys foreign minister from holding public office for life for concealing his foreign assets. The verdict announced Thursday against deposed Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif came nine months after a landmark Supreme Court ruling ousted former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on similar grounds. A three-judge panel of the Islamabad High Court unanimously found Asif guilty of hiding his employment contract with a United Arab Emirates-based company for which he was receiving a large salary in an undeclared foreign bank account. Under Pakistani election laws, candidates have to declare local and foreign assets in their nomination papers to qualify for elections. Asif, a close aide and stalwart of the ousted Sharifs ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, or PML-N, has vowed to challenge the verdict in the Supreme Court. But legal experts have ruled out relief for the ousted foreign minister, citing constitutional provisions the high court used to debar Asif from politics for life. Sharif, 67, resigned from office in July after the top court found him guilty of concealing a foreign source of income and de-seated him from parliament. A Supreme Court ruling earlier this month said anyone disqualified from public office under the provisions in question will stand debarred from politics for life. Thursdays judicial order dealt another major blow to Sharifs ruling party as it completes its mandated five-year term in June, before Pakistan holds new elections later this year. The PML-N party has witnessed defections of key members in recent weeks. The ruling party elected Sharif aide Shahid Khaqan Abbasi as his successor to enable it to complete its legal term. Sharif and his party loyalists reject the judicial ruling against him. They indirectly accuse the Pakistani military of orchestrating the proceedings to oust the former prime minister from national politics, charges judiciary and military officials reject. Sharifs dismissal was based on corruption charges stemming from the 2016 Panama Papers, leaked documents from the Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca. The papers contained names of three of Sharifs six children heading offshore companies that purchased four London luxury flats. The Sharif family has maintained the companies were set up with legally obtained money and an anti-corruption court is investigating the claims under direction from the Supreme Court. Back in January, when a human rights activist Gul Bukhari tweeted pictures of a dead body, which seemed to have torture marks on it, to challenge the local polices narrative that the death was natural, Twitter changed her settings. Effectively my voice had been muted, she said. She found out about the change from her followers who complained that they could not view the content she was sharing with them. In a subsequent email, Twitter told her that her account was reported, without telling her who reported it. She was allowed to change her settings back to normal with a warning that if she continued to tweet sensitive images, she would not be able to reset again. Twitters published rules describe graphic violence to be any form of gory media related to death, serious injury, violence, or surgical procedures. While Bukhari continues to tweet on issues, she now has to be careful with her choice of words or images. Going forward I do have that sword hanging over my head, she said. Tools to fights back In a country like Pakistan where mainstream media often gives in to pressure to avoid certain issues, social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter are seen by activists as tools to fight back. However, digital rights activists complain that space on these avenues is shrinking due to exploitation of their policies either by the government or other actors trying to muzzle free speech. On Tuesday, the Twitter account of a young activist Manzoor Pashteen, who seems to be facing a blackout on mainstream TV channels due to his anti-military rhetoric, was temporarily blocked. While the published guidelines by most social media sites are seemingly clear as to what is considered unacceptable content, the descriptions become murky when dealing with issues like the one Bukhari faced, in which the image of a dead body with alleged signs of torture, something that could fall under Twitters graphic content definition, was an effort to point out possible human rights violations. The ambiguity, activists complain, allows room to censor political dissent or legitimate free speech. In addition, governments can request these platforms for removal of content based on local laws. Facebooks most recent transparency report, for example, show that it restricted 177 pieces of content at the request of Pakistan government between January and June 2017, up from only six in the preceding six-month period. Based on legal requests from the Pakistan Telecom Authority and Federal Investigation Agency, we restricted access to items that were alleged to violate local laws prohibiting blasphemy and condemnation of the country's independence, Facebook said in its report. Lack of transparency Activists say the government has introduced vague terms like the glory of Islam or the integrity, security or defense of Pakistan into a controversial cybercrime law passed in 2016, which are then used to censor criticism or political dissent. The problem is that neither PTA (Pakistan Telecommunications Authority), nor the social media platforms disclose the reasons for blocking a user or some content. Its all very opaque, said Haroon Baloch of Bytes for All, a digital rights group based in capital Islamabad. His group monitors social media closely using digital tools. They write to the appropriate platforms when they think legitimate speech has been censored, and sometimes get relief. They do try to keep human rights activists on board, he said. Still, he believed, sometimes government pressure and business concerns won. In 2016, Google opened YouTube again in Pakistan after a ban of several years when it offered a Pakistan-specific version of the service which removed the content the government considered blasphemous. Farieha Aziz, the director of a digital advocacy group Bolo Bhi, which literally means speak up in English, is against such tailoring of content. Foreign platforms restricting some pieces of content, so that their entire website doesnt get shut down, is similar to our corporate media censoring and self-censoring to keep shop open, she said. The parents of U.S. college student Otto Warmbier have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against North Korea, saying its government tortured and killed their son. Fred and Cindy Warmbier filed the lawsuit Thursday in the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C. The lawsuit seeks compensation for the death of Otto Warmbier, who was arrested by North Korean authorities in January 2016 for stealing a propaganda poster and sentenced to 15 years in prison. He died in June 2017, days after he was repatriated to the U.S. with severe brain damage. Fred Warmbier said in a statement that his son was taken hostage, kept as a prisoner for political purposes, used as a pawn and singled out for exceptionally harsh and brutal treatment by Kim Jong Un. A high court in Peru ruled Thursday that former President Ollanta Humala and his wife must be freed from prison while prosecutors investigate their alleged involvement in multimillion-dollar kickback schemes. Humala and Nadine Heredia were sent to separate prisons last summer as prosecutors investigated them for allegedly taking money from Odebrecht, the Brazil-based multinational construction company that has admitted to bribing dozens of politicians in Latin America. But with prosecutors still not pressing formal charges against the couple, Peru's Constitutional Court ruled that their arrest and imprisonment failed to comply with due process laws. The ruling comes on the heels of the resignation of President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, who stepped down last month after a group of opposition congressmen published documents that showed one of his companies had done consulting work for Odebrecht. Former President Alejandro Toledo is also wanted by Peruvian prosecutors for allegedly taking $20 million in bribes from the Brazilian company in exchange for a highway contract. Toledo claims he is innocent and is currently at large in the United States, where he has argued that the investigations of him are politically motivated. The corruption scandals have upended Peruvian politics and led to calls for swift action against the country's political elite. But on Thursday, Peru's high court encouraged prosecutors to be more careful in how they proceed with graft cases. "We need to make sure our fight against corruption is legal, so that it does not lose legitimacy," said the court's president, Ernesto Blume. Washington's efforts to denuclearize North Korea and Iran are expected to face close scrutiny soon. That's because a deadline that would allow the U.S. to back out of the international Iran nuclear deal is fast approaching. Washington is also working toward finalizing a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, which President Trump says could take place as early as June. Nuclear diplomacy was the subject of this week's "Plugged In With Greta Van Susteren" on VOA. Robert Raffaele has more. The URL has been copied to your clipboard The code has been copied to your clipboard. Scientists in Kenya believe they have discovered a new way to combat malaria. As Faith Lapidus reports, a common medication, already used to treat a host of illnesses, makes people's blood poisonous to the anopheles mosquito, which spreads the deadly disease. The following is the full text of the Joint Statement. JOINT STATEMENT BY THE REPUBLIC OF SINGAPORE AND THE SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM ON THE OCCASION OF THE OFFICIAL VISIT OF HIS EXCELLENCY NGUYEN XUAN PHUC, PRIME MINISTER OF VIETNAM TO SINGAPORE (25-27 APRIL 2018) 1 At the invitation of His Excellency Lee Hsien Loong, Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore, His Excellency Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and Madam Tran Nguyet Thu made an official visit to Singapore from 25 to 27 April 2018. The visit was a key highlight of the celebrations for the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations and the 5th anniversary of the establishment of the Strategic Partnership between Vietnam and Singapore in 2018. During the visit, Prime Minister Phuc was accorded a ceremonial welcome and had a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Lee who also hosted an official dinner in Prime Minister Phucs honour . Prime Minister Phuc also called on Her Excellency Madam Halimah Yacob, President of the Republic of Singapore. 2 The two Prime Ministers witnessed the signing of the following Memoranda of Understanding (MOU): (i) MOU on Technical Cooperation in the Protection of Environmental and Water Matters between the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of Vietnam and the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources of Singapore; (ii) MOU on Collaboration for Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) between Enterprise Singapore and the Department of Oil & Gas under Vietnams Ministry of Industry & Trade; (iii) MOU on Collaboration for Renewable Energy in Vietnam between Enterprise Singapore and the Electricity and Renewable Energy Authority of Vietnam; (iv) MOU on Cooperation in Standards and Conformance Areas between Enterprise Singapore and the Directorate for Standards, Metrology and Quality of Vietnam; (v) MOU on Cooperation and Exchange of Information in Banking Supervision between the Monetary Authority of Singapore and the State Bank of Vietnam; and (vi) MOU on Cooperation in the Area of Financial Innovation between the Monetary Authority of Singapore and the State Bank of Vietnam. 3 Both Prime Ministers had a wide-ranging discussion on bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual interest. They welcomed the substantial progress in bilateral relations achieved since both countries established diplomatic relations in 1973 and since the establishment of the Strategic Partnership in 2013. In particular, both Prime Ministers noted that mutual trust between the two countries has deepened and bilateral cooperation has strengthened in all areas, including economic cooperation, capacity building, defence , security, culture, and people-to-people links. 4 The two Prime Ministers noted with satisfaction that the two countries are entering a new phase of strategic cooperation given the new opportunities presented by strong economic growth in the two countries and the region, as well as the ASEAN Community and the newly signed Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), among others. 5 Both Prime Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to maintain frequent high-level exchanges between the leaders and officials of the two Governments, ruling Parties, Parliaments and through people-to-people links. Both sides also agreed to create more opportunities to exchange views, ideas and initiatives on strategic issues through consultation. 6 Both Prime Ministers welcomed the commemoration of the 45th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations and the 5th anniversary of the establishment of the Strategic Partnership, and agreed that both sides should organise events in 2018 on this occasion to strengthen political, trade/economic and people-to-people exchanges, in order to further promote mutual understanding. 7 Both Prime Ministers noted that the extensive investment and trade ties form a key pillar of the bilateral relationship and agreed on the importance of creating a pro-business environment such as through the enforcement of regulations and consistent government policies, strengthening business-to-business links and facilitating the expeditious resolution of challenges faced by businesses. Highlighting that Singapore is the third largest investor in Vietnam, Prime Minister Phuc welcomed more investments from Singapore, particularly in the privatisation of Vietnam's state-owned enterprises and in the fields of energy (including LNG and renewable energy), tourism (including cruise development, product management and marketing), infrastructure (including highways and seaports), urban solutions, science and technology, high-tech parks, smart cities (in the areas of public safety and security, smart mobility and digital infrastructure), and in the digital economy (including tie-ups between Singaporean and Vietnamese start-ups). Prime Minister Phuc will witness the signing of several MOUs at the Vietnam-Singapore Business Dialogue on 26 April 2018. 8 Recognising the existing value of two-way bilateral trade in agricultural commodities including fresh fruit and vegetables, forestry products and fisheries for the economies of both countries, the two sides prioritised efforts to strengthen collaboration in the agriculture sector through trade, investment and other business links. The two Prime Ministers encouraged joint business initiatives to capitalise on Singapores innovative technologies and agri-business expertise. 9 Both sides acknowledged the deepening financial cooperation ties between Singapore and Vietnam with the Monetary Authority of Singapore and the State Bank of Vietnam enhancing bilateral collaboration through the signing of two MOUs on financial innovation and banking supervision. Financial linkages between both sides have also increased with the growing presence of Singapores banks in Vietnam, and the increasing interest of Vietnamese enterprises to cross-list on the Singapore Exchange to access Singapores capital market for funding and to raise their profile. Singapore has also continued to provide capacity building assistance to Vietnam in sharing experiences in financial regulation, supervision and financial stability surveillance. 10 The two Prime Ministers affirmed the commitment for the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore and the Vietnam National Office of Intellectual Property to collaborate with each other to leverage on innovation and intellectual property (IP) to promote economic growth. The 2018 Implementation Workplan, established under the Memorandum of Bilateral Cooperation between the two national IP offices, will provide for deeper cooperation in the areas of IP commercialisation , patent work-sharing and IP training. 11 Both Prime Ministers agreed to actively promote connectivity between the two countries as a means to boost business and people-to-people linkages. Both sides agreed that there was potential to enhance air connectivity and grow passenger and cargo traffic between and beyond Singapore and Vietnam, and looked forward to a progressive liberalisation of the bilateral Air Services Agreement towards this end. Both sides agreed to actively consider activities to further promote connectivity between the two countries including in sea transport and logistics. Singapore also reaffirmed its commitment to provide training for civil aviation and maritime personnel from Vietnam. The two Prime Ministers welcomed the potential launch of direct flights between Singapore and Nha Trang. 12 The two Prime Ministers acknowledged the significant progress made in defence ties and reaffirmed their commitment to advancing cooperation through high-level visits and defence policy dialogues, bilateral military-to-military interactions, and exchanges of junior military officers and port calls. 13 Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to work together closely to strengthen the regional security architecture through strategic dialogue on the ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting (ADMM) and the ADMM-Plus. Both sides also agreed to enhance practical cooperation through the ADMM-Plus Experts Working Groups activities, such as workshops and exercises. 14 Both Prime Ministers highlighted the importance of enhanced security and intelligence cooperation to combat terrorism, extremism, and transnational crime, as well as closer cooperation on issues related to cyber security etc. Singapore also stood ready to assist Vietnam with its capacity building in the areas of immigration management, crime database and confidential information protection. 15 Prime Minister Phuc expressed his appreciation for Singapores continued assistance in human resource development, through programmes such as training conducted under the auspices of the Agreement on the Study Visit Programme and Executive Education Programme for Senior Communist Party of Vietnam Officials (2017 2019). Singapore will continue to encourage its educational institutions and service providers in Singapore to consider participating in suitable education development projects implemented by Vietnam. Both sides also pledged to work actively to strengthen cooperation and linkages between their respective vocational training institutions, including joint programmes aimed at enhancing exchanges between the young people of both countries. 16 Both Prime Ministers noted the importance of preserving and protecting the environment to ensure the well-being of their peoples. They agreed to continue addressing international and regional challenges, including those that are transnational in nature, such as air and haze pollution, water quality management, coastal and marine pollution and climate change. The two leaders acknowledged the strong potential for Singapore and Vietnam to cooperate to respond to environmental challenges, in areas including solid and hazardous waste, air and water quality and noise management. Prime Minister Phuc affirmed Vietnams support for Singapores initiative on the Special ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Climate Action that will be held in July 2018. 17 Both Prime Ministers noted with satisfaction the excellent cooperation between both countries in regional and international fora, such as in ASEAN and related forums, APEC, ASEM and the UN. Prime Minister Lee thanked Prime Minister Phuc for Vietnams strong support for Singapores ASEAN Chairmanship in 2018 to achieve a Resilient and Innovative ASEAN. 18 The two countries agreed to maintain regular consultation on regional issues and coordinate closely to further consolidate ASEANs unity, solidarity and centrality, as well as to ensure the effective implementation of the ASEAN Vision 2025. 19 The two Prime Ministers reiterated the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the region and the freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea. The two countries underlined the importance of the peaceful resolution of disputes, including full respect for legal and diplomatic processes, without resorting to the threat or use of force, in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The two sides reaffirmed their support for the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea and the early conclusion of an effective and binding Code of Conduct in the South China Sea. 20 As Chairman of ASEAN 2018, Singapore reaffirmed its support for continued assistance to CLMV in narrowing the development gap, through the Singapore Cooperation Programme and the Initiative for ASEAN Integration. 21 Prime Minister Phuc expressed gratitude for the warm hospitality extended to him and his delegation and looked forward to welcoming Prime Minister Lee and other leaders of Singapore to visit Vietnam at a mutually convenient time. Vietnamplus In Paris, authorities are probing allegations that the holding company of tycoon Vincent Bollore used favors to win lucrative port contracts in West Africa. Bollore presides over a massive media, logistics and transportation empire on the continent, even as Frances clout in Africa is waning. French investigators are probing allegations that Vincent Bollores holding company was given lucrative port concessions in Togo and Guinea in exchange for undercharging the current leaders of both countries for advertising work during their election campaigns. The Bollore Group has denied all wrongdoing, and said the inquiry will give 66-year-old Bollore a chance to answer what it describes as "unfounded accusations." France continues to be a major economic and political player in West Africa, especially in its former colonies. But its influence has declined in the face of more recent competitors like China and Turkey. Even so, the Bollore Group remains a formidable player. Its interests include logistical operations, railways, ports, and media interests that turn over billions of dollars a year. Interviewed on French TV, journalist Nicolas Vescovacci, who wrote a book about Bollore, describes the Bollore Groups Africa interests as an "empire" that spans 46 countries and employs 25,000 people. Vescovacci says the businessman controls what enters into the African ports his group controls, and at least part of local economies in countries like Guinea, Togo and Ivory Coast. Bollore also has forged ties with powerful figures in both France and in Africa. He is friends with former French president Nicolas Sarkozy, who is now being probed over alleged Libyan campaign funding for his 2007 election. Journalist Vescovacci says Bollore has a network of relationships that range from former spies and policemen to politicians from the left, as well as from the right. Now Bollores relationship with two of them, Guinean President Alpha Conde and Togolese leader Faure Gnassingbe, is under scrutiny. French investigators are probing accusations Bollores advertising company Havas, now run by one of his sons, provided discounted services to both men during their election runs in exchange for port contracts. In France, Bollore is a controversial figure. Over the years, he has launched a number of defamation suits against media investigating his groups various business activities. Streets were quiet in Tanzania on Thursday after authorities pledged to beat anyone trying to follow through with planned nationwide protests. The tension points to deeper concerns over the governments efforts to curb free speech and stifle dissent. Residents of Dar es Salaam mostly avoided their work stations Thursday. Instead there was heavy police presence in the capital and other cities across the country to stop demonstrations against alleged political repression. Today is not the same like the previous union day celebrations. For us business people we celebrate the day and also do our business. But this one there have been planned protests, there is no business and the city is quiet. People are afraid to come out, said Juma Yusuf, a businessman in Dar es Salaam. Since President John Magufuli took power in 2015, Tanzanians have been complaining about the shrinking space of freedom of expression and political freedom. Legislators have passed laws that target media organizations, and several news outlets have been suspended or shut down. Two opposition politicians were jailed for allegedly insulting the president. In March, legislators passed a law requiring bloggers and other running online platforms to get a license. With these regulations, people have started feeling they are in an environment where they can't express themselves freely, but theres been more and more movements within the parliament that has sort to repress the opposition's influence and that has also led to a lot of people thinking that there is no freedom, said Maria Sarungi, a local political activist. Also, some musicians have been arrested for posting videos that officials called "obscene" and not fit for public consumption. A regional police chief said Wednesday his country was ready for "work, celebrations and not protests," and warned that those found in the streets demonstrating will be beaten like stray dogs. Amina Hersi, who works with Amnesty International, says the government cannot ignore peoples grievances. It will be good for the Tanzanian authorities to allow people to air their opinions and their problems so that it can be addressed rather than being stifled, said Hersi. Sarungi hopes that after Thursdays event the government will review some of its laws that threaten peoples freedom. I think the good news is there is some possibility for the government to review and to see whether the actions that have happened so far has really had unwanted influence or effect, she said. Tanzanian authorities have insisted the laws passed are to fight hate speech, obscene behavior and protect national security. Khaleed Abubakar contributed reporting for this story from Dar es Salaam. NATO foreign ministers meet Friday in Brussels, where tensions with Russia are set to top the agenda. The summit comes weeks after Western countries accused Moscow of poisoning a former spy in Britain. Tensions were further increased following Russia ally Syrias alleged chemical weapons attack, and the retaliatory airstrikes by the United States, France and Britain. While that military action was not organized through NATO, the bloc offered its approval at the time. Fridays summit will be the last big meeting in NATOs old Brussels building before its international staff and 29 embassies move to a new $1.5 billion headquarters in June. The same challenges remain, however. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Thursday that the primary focus would be what he called Moscows dangerous behavior. This includes the illegal and illegitimate annexation of Crimea, the destabilization of eastern Ukraine, meddling in democratic processes, cyberattacks and disinformation, Stoltenberg told reporters. Foreign ministers will also discuss security in the Middle East and north Africa, especially Iraq. We are currently planning for a training mission of several hundred [people]. They will train Iraqi instructors and help build Iraqi military schools, added Stoltenberg. WATCH: Russia Tensions to Dominate NATO Meeting, as Ukraine Pushes to Join New U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is headed to Brussels for the NATO talks ahead of a trip to the Middle East. Pompeo, who was sworn in on Thursday, succeeds Rex Tillerson, whom President Donald Trump fired last month. Trump is expected at the leaders summit in July. Analysts say NATO allies will be hoping for further reassurances of U.S. commitment. Enlargement also is on the summit agenda, with Ukraine restating its ambitions to join the organization. At a Kyiv security conference last week, NATOs deputy secretary-general, Rose Gottemoeller, offered measured encouragement to her hosts. "I think those are very important and realistic goals but Im not going to hide from you that you have a lot of heavy lifting to do before you are ready for NATO membership. Important reforms have to be carried out. They are the reforms of defense institutions, the security institutions, said Gottemoeller. The conflict with Russia has driven a big change in Ukrainians attitudes toward NATO, according to Orysia Lutsevych of Chatham House, a London-based policy institute. If you compare the public support before the war with Russia and now, it almost doubled. So, theres also a public support for that policy. Now again, as with many things in Ukraine, the devil is in the implementation. And if Ukraine manages to pool all the necessary human, financial resources and proper coordination, then I think it has a success story to tell to its NATO partners, said Lutsevych. Ukraines admission would open up a new NATO border with Russia in a highly volatile region, and the process is expected to take years or decades. NATOs secretary-general emphasized Thursday that dialogue with Moscow was crucial, adding that the organization was working toward a meeting of the NATO-Russia Council. That forum was suspended in 2014 following Russias forceful annexation of Crimea. President Donald Trump often likes to point out how different he is from his White House predecessors in terms of style and substance. But it is unlikely any past president would envy the legal challenges facing Trump, from the Russia investigation to Stormy Daniels to the scrutiny law enforcement is giving his personal lawyer, Michael Cohen. On Tuesday it was a night of pomp and glamor at the White House as President Donald Trump and Mrs. Trump welcomed French President Macron and his wife for a state dinner. The two presidents got along famously during their White House meetings. The only damper on the day came when both men were in the Oval Office and a reporter asked Trump about the legal difficulties facing his longtime personal attorney, Michael Cohen. "Mr. President, what about Michael Cohen? Are you considering a pardon for Michael Cohen?" asked ABC correspondent Jonathan Karl. After a pause, the president responded. "Stupid question," he said dismissively. Presidential frustration Cohen is under scrutiny for a payment to an adult film star. Stormy Daniels says it was hush money to keep her quiet about a brief affair she had with Trump in 2006, a claim the president has denied. Trump has frequently complained about the recent FBI raids on Cohen's home and office and the ongoing Russia probe led by special counsel Robert Mueller. Earlier this month Trump spoke up during a meeting with military officials at the White House. "Here we are talking about Syria, we are talking about a lot of serious things with the greatest fighting force ever, and I have this witch hunt constantly going on for over 12 months now." Cohen's secrets Several legal analysts have said the increased scrutiny of Trump's long relationship with Cohen could become a serious problem for the president. "There has been no suggestions that Cohen has nothing that he could say, which suggests that they know that Cohen actually does possess information that could be damaging to Trump or the Trump organization more generally as a legal matter," said George Washington University Law Professor Paul Schiff Berman. Cohen likely faces great pressure to cooperate with prosecutors, noted defense attorney Alan Dershowitz. "This is an epic battle for the soul and the cooperation of Michael Cohen, and prosecutors have enormous weapons at their disposal," Dershowitz told ABC's This Week. But White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders insists the president is not worried. "The president has been clear that he has not done anything wrong. I think we have stated that about a thousand times." A federal judge in New York is considering who will have the job of reviewing the materials seized from Cohen. Judge Kimba Wood is expected to announce next month whether a special team of Justice Department lawyers will look at the material or whether a so-called special master should be appointed to carry out the task, as Cohen's attorneys have requested. Mueller's fate Members of Congress seem more concerned with protecting the Russia probe and continue to warn the president against firing special counsel Mueller. "There is nothing more important right now than protecting our democracy and protecting the rule of law, which is what America stands for," said Tennessee House Democrat Steve Cohen. Huckabee Sanders said the fear is misplaced. "As we have said many times before, we have no intention of firing the special counsel. We have been beyond cooperative with them. We are continuing to cooperate with them." The Mueller probe has already led to several indictments and guilty pleas from two Trump associates for lying to federal investigators about their contacts with Russia. The investigation could go on for another year, according to Paul Schiff Berman. "So the question of whether the president can literally be indicted or not, I think, is less important than the fundamental question of whether our institutions of government and our law enforcement authorities are allowed to do their business without fear and without influence from the president," he said. The president recently added former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani to his legal team, hoping to add fresh star power after some high profile departures. Former CIA Director Mike Pompeo was sworn in as U.S. secretary of state Thursday after a divided Senate voted 57-42 to confirm President Donald Trump's nominee, with all Republicans backing him and all but six Democrats and one independent lawmaker opposed. Trump hailed the confirmation and congratulated Pompeo on becoming the 70th person to be named America's top diplomat. "Having a patriot of Mike's immense talent, energy and intellect leading the Department of State will be an incredible asset for our country at this crucial time in history," the president said in a statement. Pompeo replaces Rex Tillerson, who was fired last month by Trump. His assumption of duties allows him to attend a NATO meeting Friday in Brussels, and hold bilateral talks with Turkish and Italian foreign ministers. WATCH: New Secretary of State Pompeo Gets Right To Work The new secretary of state then heads to Israel, Saudi Arabia and Jordan. State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said the stops were chosen to reflect their "importance as key allies and partners in the region." The trip comes just hours after a contentious confirmation vote in the U.S. Senate. While Republican lawmakers were united behind Pompeo, most Democrats bemoaned what they saw as the nominee's history of warmongering rhetoric and antipathy to Muslims and gay people. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee's top Democrat, Bob Menendez of New Jersey, said he doubted Pompeo "would be willing to push back against the president's worst instincts" on world affairs. As an example, Menendez noted key American allies are absorbing millions of refugees, and asked, "What will he [Pompeo] credibly say as this administration slashes our own refugee program, once a crown jewel of our foreign policy?" Republicans, meanwhile, hailed Pompeo's resume and life accomplishments, from graduating at the top of his class at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point to studying law at Harvard to years representing Kansas in the House of Representatives. Trump recently dispatched Pompeo to hold discussions with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un ahead of a planned Trump-Kim nuclear summit. Montana Republican Steve Daines said Pompeo already proved his worth as part of an administration that helped engineer what could prove to be a historic diplomatic opening. "The administration's resolve and their diplomacy is what has brought Kim Jong Un to the negotiating table," Daines said. "The administration is moving toward a denuclearized North Korea, and Mike Pompeo has played a critical role in those efforts." Republicans repeatedly urged strong bipartisan backing for Pompeo, pointing out that only two of their members voted against former President Barack Obama's first secretary of state nominee, Hillary Clinton, in 2009, and only three Senate Republicans voted against John Kerry for the post in 2013. Connecticut Democrat Chris Murphy insisted his decision to oppose Pompeo was not taken lightly. "I do believe in a substantial amount of deference to the president in the choices that he makes to serve him in his administration," Murphy said before giving his reasons for voting against confirmation. "You need a secretary of state who truly believes that diplomacy can be a viable path out of very complicated problems ... I do not believe that Director Pompeo measures up." Earlier this week, Pompeo risked becoming the first secretary of state nominee in modern times to fail to get a favorable recommendation from the Foreign Relations Committee. But Republican Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky reversed his opposition to Pompeo shortly before the panel voted Monday, giving the nominee narrow majority support. A bipartisan group of senators pushing legislation to protect special counsel Robert Mueller's job are trying to win over reluctant Republicans ahead of a crucial committee vote. The Senate Judiciary Committee was expected to vote Thursday on the bill, which would give any special counsel a 10-day window to seek expedited judicial review of a firing. Two Republicans and two Democrats introduced it earlier this month as President Donald Trump publicly criticized Mueller, who is investigating potential ties between Russia and Trump's 2016 campaign as well as possible obstruction of justice by the president. The bill has divided Republicans, with a handful supporting the legislation and most opposing it, arguing that it is unconstitutional or unnecessary. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has argued that Trump won't move to fire Mueller and has insisted he will not hold a full Senate vote on the legislation. If Republicans support the bill, some may be at risk of angering Trump and some of his supporters they represent. But the four lawmakers who wrote the bill - GOP Sens. Thom Tillis of North Carolina and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Democrats Chris Coons of Delaware and Cory Booker of New Jersey - are hoping to win enough bipartisan support to move it out of committee. Then, they say, they could try and find enough support in the full Senate to persuade McConnell to change his mind. The bipartisan group has been negotiating in recent days with Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, who had floated an amendment that included increased reporting to Congress by the special counsel. Democrats had initially opposed Grassley's amendment, saying it could undermine the investigation if the special counsel had to reveal too much to Congress. But a revised Grassley amendment released Wednesday evening appeared to be a potential compromise, dropping a section that would have required the special counsel's office to report to Congress if the scope of the investigation changed during the investigation. The revised amendment would only require that reporting after the investigation was done. Republicans opposing the bipartisan bill are expected to vote for an alternative resolution that would express a ``sense of the Senate'' that Mueller should be left alone to do his job. Texas Sen. John Cornyn, the No. 2 Republican in the Senate and a member of the Judiciary panel, endorsed that idea Wednesday, saying it had a more realistic chance of passing than the bipartisan bill. He is expected to propose the resolution at Thursday's vote. The resolution "may be a way forward because it avoids the unconstitutionality issue on a bill that the president won't sign and the House won't pass,'' Cornyn said. "So that may be a place for us to land, because, as I have said, I think it would be a mistake'' for Trump to fire Mueller. He added, "I think if we can come to some common ground on a resolution that may be the way forward.'' Trump's legislative director, Marc Short, said in a broadcast interview Sunday that "as far as I know, the president has no intention of firing'' either Mueller or Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who oversees Mueller's investigation. Short said he couldn't rule it out in the long term, though, because it's not known "how far off this investigation is going to veer.'' The bipartisan group of four senators introduced two separate bills last August when Trump first started to criticize Mueller publicly. That legislation stalled for months, but was revived and the two bills were combined two weeks ago as Trump fumed about a raid of his personal lawyer's office, in an investigation overseen by federal prosecutors in New York. After the raid, Trump said the Mueller investigation is "an attack on our country'' and is "corrupt.'' A senior Afghan provincial official has been killed in eastern Afghanistan after militants attacked his vehicle, Afghan officials told VOA. Qamaruddin Shikib, the deputy governor of eastern Logar province, was traveling to the capital, Kabul, when his vehicle was ambushed in Mohammad Agha district of eastern Logar province. In a statement released Thursday, the Independent Directorate of Local Governance (IDLG), a government institution overseeing local governance, condemned the attack and confirmed the death of Shikib. Abdul Wali Wakil, a member of Logars provincial council, told VOA that Shikib was on his way to Kabul for official business when he was attacked by a group of unknown armed men. The deputy governor reportedly was traveling with Haqiq Rahman, a provincial judiciary official, a driver and two bodyguards. His driver was reportedly killed in the attack and the two bodyguards and the judiciary official have been wounded. There also were unconfirmed reports that Saleem Khan Saleh, the provincial governments spokesperson, was traveling with the deputy governor and had been killed. The news of Salehs death has not yet been confirmed by authorities. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but officials suspected it was carried out by the Taliban. A top adviser to Iran's supreme leader said on Thursday Tehran would not accept any change to its nuclear deal, as Western signatories prepare a new package in the hope of persuading U.S. President Donald Trump to stick with the accord. A May 12 deadline is looming for Trump to decide on whether to re-impose U.S. economic sanctions on Tehran. French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday he had discussed a new deal with Trump in which the United States and Europe would tackle outstanding concerns about Iran beyond its nuclear program. "Any change or amendment to the current deal will not be accepted by Iran," said Ali Akbar Velayati, a senior adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the semi-official Iranian news agency Fars reported. "If Trump exits the deal, Iran will surely pull out of it... Iran will not accept a nuclear deal with no benefits for us," Velayati told journalists. Under Macrons proposal, the United States and Europe would agree to block any Iranian nuclear activity until 2025 and beyond, address Irans ballistic missile program and generate conditions for a political solution to contain Iran in Yemen, Syria, Iraq and Lebanon. Trump has said that unless European allies fix the terrible flaws in the Iran nuclear deal by May 12, he will refuse to extend U.S. sanctions relief on oil-producing Iran. Under Iran's settlement with the United States, France, Germany, Britain, Russia and China, Tehran agreed to curb its nuclear program to satisfy the powers that it could not be used to develop weapons. In exchange, Iran received relief from sanctions, most of which were lifted in January 2016. Regional influence The EU says it is in full agreement with China and Russia over the need to preserve the deal, but has expressed concerns about Irans missile program and its role in the Middle East. "Keeping sanctions on Iran, under any name or pretext, will be unacceptable by Tehran," Velayati said, adding that making changes to encourage Trump to stay in the deal would make it "ineffective." The collapse of the multinational accord could trigger an arms race in the Middle East. Velayati said Iran had no intention of reining in its influence across the region, as demanded by the United States and its European allies. "This is our region. We are in our own region and it is legitimate," he said. Shi'ite Muslim Iran backs President Bashar al-Assad in Syrias civil war, Shiite militias in Iraq, Houthi rebels in Yemen's conflict and Lebanons Hezbollah. Trump sees Iran as a rising threat and has pledged to work with Gulf Arab states and Israel to curb its regional influence. Israel and Sunni Muslim Saudi Arabia have welcomed Trumps opposition to the nuclear deal. A judge ruled Thursday that an independent official called a special master should be the first to examine documents seized by FBI agents from U.S. President Donald Trump's personal lawyer, Michael Cohen. Barbara Jones, a former federal judge in the Southern District of New York who has overseen cases ranging from organized crime to corporate compliance, will decide which of the documents should be handed over to prosecutors. Jones will review the documents and determine which may be shielded by attorney-client privilege. The FBI raided Cohen's office and home on April 9, an action that infuriated Trump. Prosecutors said they have been investigating the lawyer for months, largely over his business dealings rather than his legal work. Trump on Thursday in an interview with Fox News said Cohen had handled only "a tiny, tiny little fraction" of his overall legal work. But Trump and Cohen have sought to limit what documents prosecutors could see, citing attorney-client privilege. The prosecutors initially said the documents should be reviewed by lawyers within their own office, who would be walled off from the main prosecution team. Cohen argued that his lawyers should get a first look. In the end, U.S. District Judge Kimba Wood decided at a hearing Thursday to opt for a special master, something that both sides had indicated they would be open to. Prosecutors have said they do not believe the papers are likely to contain many privileged documents related to Trump. In a court filing Thursday morning, they cited Trump's comment that Cohen handled only a small part of his legal work. "The letters I received from counsel for Mr. Cohen and the intervenors has convinced me that this process can go quickly with the special master," Wood said. Cohen sat in court to hear the decision, wearing a dark suit, white shirt, and pale yellow tie. Stephen Ryan, a lawyer for Cohen, called Jones "a wonderful choice" to be special master. Jones was not among the seven proposed candidates for special master recommended by prosecutors and Cohen's lawyers. 'Crazy deal' In the Fox News interview, Trump said that he had nothing to do with the criminal investigation into Cohen. The probe "doesn't have to do with me," Trump said. "They're looking at something having to do with his business. I have nothing to do with his business." Trump also confirmed for the first time that Cohen had represented him in "this crazy Stormy Daniels deal," referring to an adult-film star who says she had a one-night stand with Trump in 2006. Prosecutors are investigating Cohen for possible bank and tax fraud, possible campaign law violations in connection with a payment to Daniels, and perhaps other matters related to Trump's presidential campaign, a person familiar with the probe has said. The investigation stemmed in part from Special Counsel Robert Mueller's probe into possible collusion between Trump's 2016 presidential campaign and Russia, something that Trump has repeatedly denied. Cohen has admitted paying $130,000 to Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, before the 2016 election to secure her silence about the one-night stand she said she had with Trump. Cohen said the payment was legal, and Daniels has sued to end her nondisclosure agreement. Trump, who has denied having an affair with Daniels, said Cohen did nothing wrong in representing him in the Daniels case. International donors pledged an estimated $4.4 billion in humanitarian aid for Syria and neighbors sheltering its refugees in 2018. The amount pledged at a conference in Brussels Wednesday falls short of the more than $7 billion the United Nations is seeking. Meanwhile, a U.N. official for humanitarian affairs told the U.N. Security Council in New York the escalation of attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure in Syria is creating a new humanitarian crisis. VOA's Zlatica Hoke reports. Tanzania is trying to avert mass demonstrations planned for Thursday, organized through social media to protest curbs on political and press freedoms imposed since President John Magufuli assumed power three years ago. Officials have warned residents against street protests in the East African nation, one of the continent's most peaceful countries. The protests also are planned at the country's foreign embassies, including in Washington, where at least a dozen people staged an early demonstration Wednesday morning. Some wore masks as they circled outside the embassy in light rain, carrying signs with messages such as "Magufool must go!" "Everybody is scared of the president and the establishment," said Mange Kimambi, a California-based political activist who is promoting the protests from her popular Instagram account. "So I came here to extend support to them and to encourage them to continue standing for their rights and struggle to remove him from power." Tanzania's ambassador to the U.S., Wilson Masilingi, was unavailable to comment to VOA. The main protests are set for Thursday, Tanzania's Union Day. The holiday commemorates the 1964 merging of Tanganyika and the Republic of Zanzibar. On Tuesday, police already were conducting exercises on the streets of Moshi, a stronghold of the main opposition party Chadema, local media reported. In Dar es Salaam, the former capital, Police Chief Sweethbert Njewele said security forces were poised to deploy. But, according to The Citizen, a news website, he assured a local business group Wednesday that "there will be no demonstrations. Everyone should go about their work as they usually do." The U.S. Embassy there issued an alert Tuesday, advising that Tanzanian officials had threatened "serious consequences" for protesters and that police previously had used tear gas and live ammunition to quell demonstrations. The alert also noted that "the U.S. government has restricted the movement of Peace Corps volunteers throughout Tanzania" but that no other Americans there on official duty faced such limitations. Magufuli, since taking office in 2015, has rolled out tough economic reforms and cracked down on corruption. He also has suspended the licenses and operations of news organizations seen as critical of his administration. Last Friday, Tanzania's regulatory agency for communications ordered the operators of online platforms to register for a license for a fee of roughly $900 or face fines and up to a year in jail. Those operators have until May 5 to register. One of Magufuli's chief critics is Kimambi, who lives in Los Angeles. The 38-year-old mother of three uses her Instagram account to berate the Tanzanian government, its president and other officials, and to rally her 1.8 million followers to demonstrate Thursday in Tanzania and at its embassies around the world. Magufuli has warned that security forces would clamp down on "illegal" demonstrations. "Some people have failed to engage in legitimate politics; they would like to see street protests every day. Let them demonstrate and they will see who I am," the president said at a public event in early March in northwestern Tanzania, Reuters news service reported. Outside Tanzania's embassy in Washington on Wednesday, Kimambi invoked the name of Tanzania's first president. "Mwalimu [Julius] Nyerere once said that if you have a leader who is not following the rule of law and respecting the constitution, our duty is to contain him," she said. "Even if it means paying a price by taking risks, notwithstanding such threats from the authorities." On Tuesday, Kimambi claimed on Instagram that representatives of the FBI and the Los Angeles Police Department intercepted her at the Los Angeles airport, as she was getting ready to board, to caution her about threats to her safety in Washington. She posted a photo of FBI and LAPD business cards, set on an aircraft tray table, with individuals' names and contact information redacted in black. She also wrote that she was trembling because of the threats. Laura Eimiller, a spokeswoman for the FBI field office in Los Angeles, told VOA that it's against agency policy to confirm or discuss whether the agency had made such overtures. Kimambi strongly supported candidate Magufuli during the 2015 election. But, after he took office, she turned against him for measures such as banning opposition parties from conducting political activities and for ending live broadcasts of parliamentary proceedings. This report originated in VOA's Swahili Service. A sea of teachers clad in red shirts and holding "Money for Schools" signs reached the Arizona Capitol to press lawmakers for action Thursday, a key event in an unprecedented walkout that closed most of the state's public schools and built on an educator uprising that bubbled up in other parts of the U.S. Tens of thousands of teachers and their supporters headed through downtown Phoenix to a rally to demand increased school funding on top of big pay hikes offered by the Republican governor. Widespread walkouts also were under way in Colorado, where teachers protested at their own Capitol and some schools were shut down. Educators in both states want more classroom resources and have received offers either for increased school funding or pay, but they say the money isn't guaranteed and the efforts aren't enough. The walkouts are the climax of an uprising that spread from West Virginia, Oklahoma and Kentucky. A lack of resolution led Arizona educators to launch the first-ever statewide strike to force their demands. It comes as about half of all Colorado students will see their schools shuttered over two days as teachers take up the Arizona movement's #RedforEd mantle. "I feel like funding for the schools should be at the top of the list," said Brandon Hartley, a charter school teacher from the Phoenix suburb of Peoria who brought his 7-year-old son to the rally at the Arizona Capitol. Other parents who brought their children to the Phoenix protest expressed their support despite school closures that led makeshift day care operations to open at schools and recreation centers to help working parents. Food banks and some schools also were providing free meals that many students rely on. Mariaelena Sandoval brought her 11-year-old daughter and held a sign that said, "I'm a Republican, I'm voting and I'm #RedforEd." She said she had a "wake-up call" for school funding when she learned about a teacher paying out of pocket for a field trip. "I'm walking for her," Sandoval said of her daughter. The crowd, many of whom carried water jugs and umbrellas, walked 2 miles in heat that reached the mid-90s as employees at courthouses and office buildings left work to watch. The state Department of Public Safety estimated the crowd size at 40,000. In much cooler Colorado, several thousand educators rallied around the Capitol, with many using personal time to attend two days of protests expected to draw as many as 10,000 demonstrators. They chanted, "Education is our right" and "We're not gonna take it anymore," drawing honks from passing cars. Lawmakers there have agreed to give schools their largest budget increase since the Great Recession. But teachers say Colorado has a long way to go to recover lost ground because of strict tax and spending limits. Arizona proposal Republican Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey has proposed 20 percent raises by 2020 and said he has no plans to meet with striking teachers or address their other demands, including about $1 billion to return school funding to pre-Great Recession levels and increased pay for support staff. Teachers and some lawmakers say the proposal relies on rosy revenue projections. A key legislative leader says a budget deal that could provide money for teachers is likely still at least several days away as lawmakers work out issues over how Ducey's plan will be structured. Joe Thomas of the Arizona Education Association, the state's largest teacher membership group, has said the walkout has no end date, and educators may have to consider a ballot initiative seeking education funding if lawmakers do not come up with their own plan. School districts across Arizona have closed, including the state's largest three. Teachers also protested on both sides of the state. South in Tucson, they waved signs on sidewalks and corners at a downtown intersection, while up north, protesters marched to Flagstaff City Hall and others gathered on the Navajo reservation. More than 840,000 Arizona students were expected to be out of school Thursday, according to an analysis from The Arizona Republic that tallied up at least 100 school districts and charter schools that are closing. Some went to day camps and other care options at community organizations. Addie Martinez dropped off her 9-year-old son and 6-year-old daughter at a Phoenix Salvation Army that is offering child care before she rushed to her medical assistant job. The facility has room for up to 100 kids and provides breakfast, lunch and snacks for $25 per child. Martinez said she was prepared to take her children back Friday and next week to the center, which offers activities that include arts and crafts and dodgeball. Despite the inconvenience, she said she supported the teachers because "they are educating our future." U.S. President Donald Trump seemingly suggested Thursday he could change his hands-off approach toward the Justice Department, which is overseeing the special counsel investigation into possible collusion between his presidential campaign and Russia. "Because of the fact that they have this witch hunt going on with people in the Justice Department that shouldn't be there, they have a witch hunt against the president of the United States going on," Trump said in an interview with Fox News Channel, "I've taken the position, and I don't have to take this position, and maybe I'll change that I will not be involved with the Justice Department." Trump also sought to distance himself from Michael Cohen, his embattled long-time personal attorney who faces a lawsuit that was filed against him by pornographic film actor Stormy Daniels. The president told Fox News he did nothing wrong and that Cohen handled only "a tiny, tiny little fraction" of his legal work. "This doesn't have to do with me. Michael is a businessman. He's got a business. He also practices law. And they're looking at something having to do with his business. I have nothing to do with his business." Trump said Cohen represented him on "this crazy Stormy Daniels deal" and "from what I see, he did absolutely nothing wrong." Cohen said Wednesday he plans to assert his constitutional right against self-incrimination in the civil suit filed by Daniels, who claims Cohen paid her $130,000 before the 2016 election for her silence about a 2006 affair she allegedly had with Trump. The president has denied having an affair with Daniels and has said he had no knowledge of the payment. Trump also told Fox News he is considering as many as four dates and five locations for a planned meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, and left open the possibility that the meeting would not take place at all. "It could be that I walk out quickly, with respect, but ... it could be that maybe the meeting doesn't even take place," he said. "Who knows? But I can tell you right now, they want to meet." CIA Director Mike Pompeo, Trump's Secretary of State nominee, met with Kim in North Korea a few weeks ago. Trump said the meeting was unplanned but "more than a hello." The president's planned meeting with Pyongyang is aimed at persuading Kim to give up his nuclear missiles that are capable of striking the U.S. A meeting between Trump and Kim would be the first between a U.S. president and a North Korean leader. The president has said he plans to meet with Kim in May or June. Citing national security and foreign affairs interests, U.S. President Donald Trump has decided to further delay the public disclosure of documents related to the 1963 assassination of President John Kennedy. Trump said in White House statement Thursday the Archivist of the United States, the agency responsible for maintaining the records, agreed with the president's proposal to withhold "certain information" due to "national security, law enforcement, and foreign affairs concerns." The statement said the concerns are "of such gravity" that they outweigh "the public interest in immediate disclosure." The president said the the records should not be withheld from the public no later than October 26, 2021, but left open the possibility of further delays "only in the rarest cases." The delay was announced the day Trump authorized the release of more than 19,000 other assassination records. The U.S. government released more than 13,000 records related to Kennedy's assassination in November 2017, the fourth release of the year. Most of the collection of about five million pages has been publicly released, but some have been withheld over the years to protect individuals, intelligence sources and methods, and national security. Trump had ordered the release of all of the documents on October 27, 2017, one day after nearly 3,000 records were released, but he postponed that decision with Thursday's announcement. A law signed by President George H.W. Bush on Oct. 26, 1992 required all records related to the assassination be released within 25 years of that date. U.S. President Donald Trumps personal lawyer plans to assert his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination in a lawsuit filed against him by adult-film star Stormy Daniels. Michael Cohen said in a brief filed Wednesday in a California court that he decided to invoke his constitutional right after the FBI raided his home, office and hotel room earlier this month. The raids sought documents relating to Daniels and other matters. Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, is suing Cohen for defamation for suggesting that she lied about an alleged affair with Trump. Cohen has admitted paying Daniels $130,000 in hush money just weeks before the 2016 presidential election. Cohen has said he paid Daniels out of his own pocket and that then-candidate Trump had no knowledge of the transaction. Some legal experts said the payment could be construed as an illegal campaign contribution. Trump denied knowing about the payment and has also denied there was an affair. WATCH: Scrutiny of Trump Lawyer Cohen Adds to President's Distractions Daniels is suing Trump and Cohen in hopes of being freed from a nondisclosure agreement. Her lawyer, Michael Avenatti, had previously told reporters that he expected Cohen to plead the Fifth Amendment, but it was not official until the court filing Wednesday. Along with making the payment to Daniels, Cohen also negotiated a $150,000 payment in 2016 to Karen McDougal, a Playboy model who also says she had an affair with Trump. U.N. officials say 10 aid workers are missing in South Sudan in what has been described as unclear circumstances. The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, or OCHA, said the workers went missing early Wednesday outside of Yei town, the capital of South Sudans Yei River State. OCHA said their convoy was headed to Tore County from Yei town to conduct a humanitarian needs assessment at the time. The missing workers were from OCHA, along with the U.N. childrens agency or UNICEF, the Association of Christian Resources Serving Sudan, known as ACROSS, Action Africa Help, Plan International, and the South Sudanese Development Organization, or SSDO. The workers are all South Sudanese. SSDO Executive Director Stephen Luga told VOA's South Sudan in Focus program he lost contact with his team at around 11 a.m. local time Wednesday. They are presumed to have been kidnapped. My team was going to do assessment on issues related to water and sanitation and we dont know who has taken them. My appeal is that they should release them so that we will continue to help people who are suffering, he said. The U.N. humanitarian coordinator for South Sudan, Alain Noudehou, said earlier he is deeply concerned about the well-being of the aid workers and demanding their immediate release without preconditions. He condemned the presumed abductions and called on all parties to the conflict to ensure a safe and secure environment for humanitarian workers. Aid workers are often targeted by armed groups in South Sudan, which has been in the midst of a war between supporters of President Salva Kiir and those of his former deputy, Riek Machar, since 2013. Army spokesman Brigadier General Lul Ruai Koang said he has yet to receive any official communication about the situation, but accused opposition groups led by Machar and former SPLA Deputy Chief of Staff Thomas Cirilo of abducting the workers. The area around Yei has been crossed by rebel groups and they have been involved in the kidnapping of aid workers and therefore the international community should contact Riek Machar to ensure that these humanitarian workers are released, Koang told South Sudan in Focus, adding they should be held accountable because they have been interrupting humanitarian operations. Colonel Lam Paul Gabriel, deputy military spokesman of the SPLA-in Opposition faction allied to Machar, confirmed fighting has occurred in the area. We clashed with forces under the command of Joseph Palako of NAS (National Salvation Front). It is possible that the SPLA-IO is not part of that incident and lets not rule out the possibility of other armed groups responsible for this, Gabriel told South Sudan in Focus. Heskia Jonathan, deputy chairman of the Relief and Rehabilitation Commission in Yei River State, condemned those responsible for the disappearance of the aid workers. If we dont allow these people to go do the humanitarian work, many people returning from Congo to Tore County will die and this act is hurting the people and we wish that they release these people, Heskia told VOA. Hundreds of South Sudanese refugees have fled to the Democratic Republic of Congo to escape fighting. This marks the second time aid workers have been abducted by armed groups this month and the third time in the last six months in South Sudan. U.N. investigators have uncovered what they believe to be five mass graves in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, the scene of nearly 20 years of fierce ethnic fighting. A new report says U.N. peacekeepers found the suspected mass burials last month in Ituri province, where a recent surge in violence left towns and villages in ruins and more than 260 people dead. Congolese officials say they have no knowledge of mass graves and are asking the U.N. for a copy of its report. Fighting over land use, politics and other differences between ethnic Hema cattle herders and Lendu farmers erupted in the eastern part of the country in 1999. Hundreds of thousands of Hemas have fled their homes across Lake Albert into neighboring Uganda, while others sought refuge in other Congolese villages. The Hemas largely blame the Lendu farmers for the attacks, saying they use spears, bows and arrows, machetes, and guns. The Lendu have accused Hemas of planning a genocide. U.S. prosecutors have charged an American of Iranian origin with assaulting and kidnapping staff at Iran's diplomatic office in Washington in an apparent act of revenge against Tehran. Alireza Fakhar, 55, appeared in a Washington court on Thursday to hear the charges related to the previous day's violent incident at the Iranian Interests Section in a northwest Washington office building. Prosecutors filed three charges against the Fairfax, Virginia, resident, including assault with a dangerous weapon, kidnapping, and damaging property owned by a foreign government. In a criminal complaint submitted to the court, a U.S. Secret Service agent said a review of security footage showed Fakhar entering the first floor of the office and hitting an employee on the head with a BB gun. Fakhar was seen directing the employee up to the second floor, where Fakhar brandished the gun and a knife and yelled at other staff members, who locked themselves in a bathroom and behind shatterproof glass, the agent said. The agent said the video also showed Fakhar using the knife and a chair to smash two TV screens, several trophy cases and a computer monitor, causing at least $9,000 worth of damage. The complaint said Fakhar dropped the gun as two security agents approached and apprehended him. It said he later told police that he had gone to the Iranian office to scare the staff and seek "revenge" for the Iranian government's treatment of his people. The employee struck by the gun was sent to a hospital with head wounds. If convicted, Fakhar could face up to life in prison for kidnapping, and up to five and 10 years for property damage and assault, respectively. This report was produced in collaboration with VOA's Persian service. After an intense oral argument over President Donald Trumps travel ban Wednesday, the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to answer in June whether or not the executive order exceeded the authority the president has over immigration. The challengers in Trump v. Hawaii have said that Congress created a system of laws that address the security concerns the president addressed in his executive order limiting travel from certain countries. Solicitor General Noel J. Francisco told the justices the president is well within his power to issue the proclamation after a worldwide multi-agency review. WATCH: Supreme Court Hears Arguments in Travel Ban Case The presidents acting Homeland Security Secretary recommended that he adopt entry restrictions on countries that failed to provide the minimum baseline of information needed to vet their nationals, Francisco explained. Neal Katyal, arguing on behalf of the respondents, said the executive order is unlawful because it conflicts with laws set by Congress, violates the first amendment, and defies the bar on nationality. Congress has already specified a three-part solution to the very same problem the order addresses. Aliens have to go through the individualized vetting process When countries cooperated, theyd get extra credit, a track faster track for admission. Congress was aware circumstances could change on the ground, so it required reporting to them so it could change the law, Katyal said. The nine justices will try to answer four questions on their upcoming June ruling: Did the president act within his authority under the Immigration Nationality Act? Does the proclamation violate the First Amendment's Establishment Clause which prohibits the government from favoring one religion over another? Can the federal courts hear the plaintiffs case? Did the lower courts make a mistake in issuing a nationwide injunction? If the court does decide in favor of the government in June, it would be a big boost to the Trump administrations efforts to cut down legal immigration. The back and forth Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and Justice Anthony M. Kennedy appeared to be leaning toward upholding President Donald Trumps travel ban limiting travelers from mostly Muslim-majority countries Iran, Libya Syria, Somalia and Yemen, as well as from North Korea and Venezuela from coming to the U.S. Either Roberts or Kennedy would have to join the courts liberal contingent to find the ban unconstitutional. Some of Kennedys comments gave the impression of supporting Trumps ban when he talked about the part of the immigration act that says the president can ban certain aliens for a period as he deems necessary, and he can have continuing supervision over whether its still necessary. We wouldnt have a problem with that if it was tailored to a crisis, Katyal said, Thats not what this says. This is about a perpetual problem. To which Kennedy replied So you want the president to say, Im convinced that in six months were going to have a safe world? Well, no, Justice Kennedy, thats not our argument. Our argument is the president is identifying something that is a perennial problem, Katyal said, adding the argument of countries not cooperating with the U.S. goes back 100 years. And the solution has always been for Congress not to have a flat ban but instead to have a fine-grained vetting system to balance these considerations, he said. Outside the court Since taking office, Trump has issued three versions of his travel ban. The previous two versions were temporary. The current ban has no expiration date. The so-called travel ban spent most of last year in and out of courts where its legality was called into question by immigration advocates who say the ban amounts to a Muslim ban. But the government argues the order is not a ban on Muslims since it says there may be case-by-case waivers when appropriate in individual circumstances. Solicitor General Francisco said in court that if people meet the criteria for a visa waiver, then they would not be denied a visa entry to the U.S. But the waiver program did not help Yasis parents visit when she was expecting a daughter. Yasi was outside the court with her eight-month-old child and did not want to share her last name. She is a student from Iran at George Washington University whose parents tried to apply for a nonimmigrant visa recently at the U.S. Embassy in Abu Dhabi but were denied. This (travel ban order) was really stressful. We didnt know at first whats going to be for us, and how is going to affect our lives. After that, I got pregnant, she said. She has been living in the U.S. since 2012 and has not seen her parents since. Yasi fights tears when she tells about it. Its not fair. You know youre not going to see your parents. They cant come visit. They cant come visit (my) child. Its not easy at all, she told VOA. Liberal Justice Stephen Breyer questioned the waiver program, citing complaints from families, the business and academic community, and people seeking medical treatment who have been denied entry. Without offering a time frame, Francisco said the most current number on waivers is about 400. All right. Thats 400 out of 150 million (people), Justice Breyer said. Saying the case was well argued on both sides, Georgetown University Law Center professor Joshua A. Geltzer said the key issue is the presidents power over immigration and whether the travel ban exceeds it. If the justices were to decide that it does, that would end the case. There would be no need to reach the constitutional question and it will be up to the president what he wants to do next. Conceivably he could go to Congress and try to talk about changing the law. Something he hasnt tried to do a year plus despite claiming some sort of threat or emergency, he told VOA. The White House physician, Rear Admiral Ronny Jackson, dropped his bid Thursday to head the country's Veterans Affairs agency as lawmakers probed allegations of professional misconduct and excessive drinking. As he withdrew, Jackson described the attacks on him as "false allegations," but said they had "become a distraction" to President Donald Trump's effort to improve health care for U.S. veterans. Trump, in an interview on his favorite news talk show, "Fox & Friends," continued to defend Jackson, his personal physician, saying, "He runs a fantastic operation." Trump blamed Senator Jon Tester, a Montana Democrat, for the demise of Jackson's nomination to the Cabinet position to oversee a department that serves 13 million U.S. veterans and has 377,000 employees. Tester said Wednesday that 20 current and former members of the military familiar with Jackson's office had told lawmakers that he drank on the job, oversaw a toxic work environment and handed out drug prescriptions with little consideration of a patient's medical background. "They're trying to destroy a man," Trump said. "There's no proof of this." He said Tester "has to have a high price to pay" politically for his comments on Jackson. The U.S. leader said he now has "somebody with a political background" in mind to name as a replacement for Jackson to head the Veterans Affairs agency. Jackson said if the allegations "had any merit, I would not have been selected, promoted and entrusted to serve in such a sensitive and important role as physician to three presidents over the past 12 years. Going into this process, I expected tough questions about how to best care for our veterans, but I did not expect to have to dignify baseless and anonymous attacks on my character and integrity." He concluded, "While I will forever be grateful for the trust and confidence President Trump has placed in me by giving me this opportunity, I am regretfully withdrawing my nomination to be Secretary for the Department of Veterans Affairs." Trump said in the Fox interview he had told Jackson "a day or two ago I saw where this was going," with him dropping his effort to win Senate confirmation, but had left it up to Jackson to decide whether to do so. Jackson was fast losing support in Congress. Both Republican and Democratic lawmakers indefinitely postponed Jackson's scheduled Wednesday confirmation hearing as they investigated the allegations. Several news outlets reported that Jackson was known as the "candy man" for over-prescribing drug prescriptions, while CNN said that in one 2015 incident Jackson drunkenly banged on the hotel room door of a female employee in the middle of the night on an overseas trip. The U.S. Secret Service intervened to stop Jackson, according to the report, so then-President Barack Obama, sleeping in another hotel room, would not be awakened. Jackson gained a degree of fame unusual for White House physicians earlier this year when he took questions from the White House press corps on national television, gushing at length about Trump's health after conducting the president's physical exam. Trump, the oldest first-term president in American history, was plagued at the time by questions about his physical health, weight and mental stability. But Jackson gave the president a top rating. "The president's overall health is excellent," Jackson declared at the time. Trump unexpectedly picked Jackson to replace a holdover from the administration of former President Obama, David Shulkin, whom Trump fired. Several lawmakers have complained that the White House did not properly vet Jackson's background before Trump announced Jackson's appointment. This year marks the 35th anniversary of the discovery of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Visiting Malawi this month, one of the pioneers of that research, the American scientist Jay Levy, said Malawi could be among the countries in Africa on track to eradicate the virus. Stratovolcano 3,763 m / 12,346 ftGuatemala, 14.47N / -90.88W(4 out of 5)1581, 1585, 1586, 1587, 1614, 1617, 1620, 1623, 1629, 1679(?), 1685, 1686, 1689(?), 1699, 1702, 1705, 1706, 1709(?), 1710,1717,1730, 1732, 1737, 1751(?), 1765(?), 1773(?), 1799, 1826, 1829, 1850(?), 1852(?), 1855, 1856, 1857, 1860, 1861(?), 1867(?), 1880, 1896, 1932, 1944, 1949, 1953, 1955, 1957, 1962, 1963, 1966, 1967, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1987, 1999, 2002 - ongoingDominantly explosive, construction of lava domes and extrusion of viscous lava flows. In near constant activity, at least during the past centuries.(15-day study trip and expedition to Guatemala's volcanoes)(8-day volcano tour to Pacaya and Fuego, Guatemala) If you havn't done it yet,to get one of the fastest volcano news online: The activity of Mexico's most active and largest volcano has been picking up gradually during the past months. If you like to join a small group of volcano enthusiasts, join us, stay 5 nights near the volcano and move around for extended day- and night-time observation. One of our best volcano expeditions! Stay 3 full days / nights at the active lava lake of Erta Ale, explore the wonders of Dallol and the Danakil desert in northern Ethiopia. 14 days expedition during Nov-March, small groups, guided by geologist. Our YouTube channel: volcanic activity world-wide shown through videos taken during our volcano tours and expeditions complimented by some time-lapse videos from webcams. We offer you a fine selection of photo tours to exceptional places guided by experienced photographers. These tours are ideal if you are interested in learning or improving photography or, if you are an experienced photographer yourself, to get to the best locations at the best times. Support us - Help us upgrade our services! Maintaining our website and our free apps does require, however, considerable time and resources. We're aiming to achieve uninterrupted service wherever an earthquake or volcano eruption unfolds, and your donations can make it happen! Every donation will be highly appreciated. Improved multilanguage support Tsunami alerts Faster responsiveness Earthquake archive from 1900 onwards Detailed quake stats Additional seismic data sources Download and Upgrade the Volcanoes & Earthquakes app to get one of the fastest seismic and volcano alerts online: Android | IOS to get one of the fastest seismic and volcano alerts online: We truly love working to bring you the latest volcano and earthquake data from around the world.We need financing to increase hard- and software capacity as well as support our editor team.If you find the information useful and would like to support our team in integrating further features, write great content, and in upgrading our soft- and hardware, please PayPal or Online credit card payment )., these features have been added recently: Stratovolcano 3562 m (11,686 ft)Ecuador, -0.08S / -77.66W(4 out of 5)1541, 1590, 1691, 1748, 1797, 1802, 1843, 1843, 1844, 1856, 1871, 1894, 1898-1906, 1912, 1926, 1929, 1936, 1944, 1955, 1957, 1960, 1972, 1973-74, 1976, 2002 (large eruption), 2004 (Nov) - 2005 (Jan), 2005 (June) - 2006 (March), 2008 (July) - ongoingExplosive and effusive.(5 days expedition to Ecuador to observe volcanic activity from close) If you havn't done it yet,to get one of the fastest volcano news online: Photos taken on our our tours. - volcano adventures, group photos, expedition and camp life, people and impressions. A new lava dome grew inside the crater lake during the effusive eruption in late 2007, replacing most of the lake. Watch the birth of a new mountain! Find out all there is about a particular volcano An intense seismic crisis started at Bardarbunga volcano on 16 August 2014 and is continuing at the time of writing (23 Aug). It may or may not lead to a volcanic eruption, possibly under the Vatnajokull ice cap.Follow updates as news come in! Support us - Help us upgrade our services! Maintaining our website and our free apps does require, however, considerable time and resources. We're aiming to achieve uninterrupted service wherever an earthquake or volcano eruption unfolds, and your donations can make it happen! Every donation will be highly appreciated. Improved multilanguage support Tsunami alerts Faster responsiveness Earthquake archive from 1900 onwards Detailed quake stats Additional seismic data sources Download and Upgrade the Volcanoes & Earthquakes app to get one of the fastest seismic and volcano alerts online: Android | IOS to get one of the fastest seismic and volcano alerts online: We truly love working to bring you the latest volcano and earthquake data from around the world.We need financing to increase hard- and software capacity as well as support our editor team.If you find the information useful and would like to support our team in integrating further features, write great content, and in upgrading our soft- and hardware, please PayPal or Online credit card payment )., these features have been added recently: Baubeach - a summer haven for Romes dogs - celebrates 20 years. Baubeach, Romes beach designated exclusively for dogs and their owners has reopened for the summer season and this year celebrates its 20th anniversary. The 7,000-sqm stretch of sand known as Baubeach is located near Fiumicino airport in the Maccarese area west of the city and can be reached from Via Praia a Mare. Each day from 09.00 until dusk dogs can play and run around freely, with drinking water provided, while owners are offered refreshment areas serving health foods as well as workshops in canine first-aid. A novelty this year is BauMood, a 3,000-sqm area between the beach and the scrubland which will offer a broad range of services for dogs as well as a children's play area. Dogs can even accompany their owners to yoga, meditation and pilates classes and there is a beach-side restaurant offering exclusively vegan cuisine. A few simple rules apply: only non-aggressive dogs are welcome and generally are not required to be kept on a leash, puppies under three months and female dogs in heat are not permitted, dogs must possess their required identification microchip, and owners must present an up-to-date record of each dogs vaccination history. Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue. The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website: We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service. Todays Headlines The most important news stories of the day, curated by Post editors and delivered every morning. Email address By signing up you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy WESTPORT Westport is up for the challenge: the sustainability challenge. The Board of Selectmen voted at the end of March to join Sustainable CT, a new initiative with 40 participating municipalities which provides a detailed menu of sustainability best practices, tools, and resources. Westport has been a leader in sustainability actions, as the first Connecticut town to pass a legislative resolution to achieve Net Zero by 2050 and the first town east of the Mississippi to ban single-use plastic bags, as examples. We look forward to working with the Sustainable CT program and other municipalities, using the program as a road map towards increased resiliency and sustainability, Westport First Selectman Jim Marpe said. Westport Green Task Force Vice-Chair Pippa Bell Ader said the initiative will help Westport catalog and recognize sustainability initiatives already in place, such as towns Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) program that enables commercial property owners to put the cost of energy efficiency upgrades toward the assessed value of their building and thus pass on the cost of the upgrade if the property is sold. When municipalities achieve different sustainability goals outlined in the Sustainable CT program, they will be awarded points that will go toward a certificate. Bronze and Silver are the only certification levels thus far, Adler said, and was modeled after the Sustainable New Jersey program, which began with two levels of certification and has since grown to include more levels. Although sustainability is often associated with environmental preservation, Ader said the program encourages sustainability in many areas, from support for arts, creative culture, and local businesses. Sustainable CT communities strive to be thriving, resilient, collaborative, and forward-looking. They build community and local economy. They equitably promote the health and well-being of current and future residents, and they respect the finite capacity of the natural environment, the Sustainable CT vision statement reads. Inspired by the vision of Sustainable CT, Ader said Westport not only wants to catalog its current accomplishments, but plan for future sustainability projects, all beginning with a renewed effort to benchmark Westports energy, water and waste in order to better quantify Westports current consumption and use it to measure progress into the future. svaughan@hearstmediact.com; 203-842-2638; @SophieCVaughan1 Absolute Hell has had a troubled history. When it first appeared in 1952, as The Pink Room, it was panned by the critics and its failure led to a permanent breach between its author Rodney Ackland and the playwright Terence Rattigan, who produced it. One critic branded its portrayal of the group of drinkers gathered in a crumbling club on the days surrounding Labour's victory in the 1945 General Election as a "libel on the British people." Ackland retired from playwriting, bruised. Then in 1987, three years before Ackland's death, the Orange Tree Theatre rediscovered the play, presenting it in a much-reworked version which made explicit the homosexuality and bisexuality suppressed in the '50s thanks to fears of the Lord Chamberlain's censorship. This version, renamed Absolute Hell, was acclaimed as a bold breakthrough; a subsequent revival in 1995 at the National Theatre, directed by Anthony Page and starring Judi Dench as the disenchanted, terrified club proprietor Christine, still brings happy tears of remembrance to the eyes of those who saw it. Now it is back, directed by rising director Joe Hill-Gibbins, and with a distinguished cast headed by Kate Fleetwood and Charles Edwards (of Downton Abbey fame) filling the play's 20 speaking parts. I was excited to see it but I found the results, well, absolute hell. The play as presented here seems brave but not really very good. It runs to more than three hours, with an interval and a pause. Annie Baker's John, a play with exactly the same running time recently presented at the same address, passed in the blink of an eye as far as I was concerned. This tragi-comedy seems a sprawling mess, shooting in all directions for a very long time. The basic set up is very simple. At the dog end of the war, members of all types of British demi-monde society gather together in a club called La Vie en Rose which, with heavy-handed symbolism, bathes its dilapidated rooms in a rosy lamp-lit glow. All are, in some ways, refugees from reality, drinking hard to forget their current state. There's a bankrupt novelist (Edwards), his mother (Joanna David), a brash film producer (Jonathan Slinger) a lost old lady (Patricia England) and a shifting cast of aimless GIs. In this production, they meet and shout at each other, while surrounded by a large chorus of characters who rush from the back of the stage to the front to watch the action, swaying gently through particular scenes. In an already busy and confusing drama, the effect is to make the action even busier, distracting from the scraps of story, highlighting the play's deficiencies while seeking to disguise them. There are songs and dances. Fifi the prostitute walks endlessly around the square of Lizzie Clachan's set, which plonks a massive stairwell in the centre of the stage, cramming characters into a small central bar area, which is impossible to see from the side of the Lyttelton's stalls. It is this basic lack of stagecraft that baffles me. I am prepared to accept that there is a brutal new fashion which seeks to bring classic plays up to date by throwing them in your face very loudly. I noted Labour's promise to build new homes, on a poster on the wall, in the election office we glimpse upstage; I recognised both the contrast with the frightened pointless bohemians milling around too drunk to take action, and the relevance of the play's themes about fear and apathy to today's Britain. But I can't understand decisions that mean the leading characters are constantly upstaged by the people around them, or that tender scenes between the novelist and his lover, who is trying to go straight, are played at the edge of the stage, halfway under a staircase. Little things bothered me. Why is Sinead Matthews, playing an heiress whose discovery of a friend's death in a concentration camp marks the play's emotional climax, landed with a handbag she never puts down in even the most upsetting scenes? Why, though the action takes place over more than a month, does no one ever change their clothes? I suppose it is symbolic: they are trapped in a hell of their own making. But it strips Ackland's meandering text of any basic reality. In the same way the ceaseless movement seems to maroon actors who are normally excellent, to pinion them in one aspect of their character, without ever allowing them to develop or to make us care about them. Perhaps that is deliberate too, but it makes for a curiously chilly evening. Edwards has his moments as the self-pitying novelist, but the characters who emerge best are Patricia England's batty Julia, lost in her own world, and Martins Imhangbe's straight-up GI Sam Mitchum, who eventually seeks enlightenment in India. In the way of the play, that decision is neither prepared for nor explained. On this showing, it is so far from a masterpiece that it is best left as a brave curiosity in the drawer marked history. A record 4.3 million passengers passed through the Richardson International Airport terminal building in 2017 and the expectation of continued growth has attracted at least one new tenant. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 25/4/2018 (1258 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. A record 4.3 million passengers passed through the Richardson International Airport terminal building in 2017 and the expectation of continued growth has attracted at least one new tenant. Thursday is the grand opening of a new restaurant, called Flight Club, a full service, 120-seat restaurant outside the security zone on the arrivals level. BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS WAA President and CEO Barry Rempel, right, addresses the Winnipeg Airports Authority annual public meeting held at the Winnipeg Richardson International Airport, Wednesday. Flight Club is owned by the same company that operates the Plaza Premium Lounge. There are 169 Plaza Premium lounges in four continents -- including at the Richardson International Airport -- but the Winnipeg restaurant will be only the fourth in the chain joining locations in London, Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur. Song Hoi See, the founder and CEO of the Hong Kong based company, Plaza Premium Group, was in Winnipeg Wednesday for the Winnipeg Airports Authority annual meeting. He said even though Winnipeg fell short of the five million annual passenger mark that he thought would be necessary for such a restaurant, his belief in the growth of air transportation in Winnipeg is what made the difference. "Barry Rempel is a super salesman and managed to convince me," Song said in reference the Winnipeg Airports Authority CEO, Barry Rempel. "They are very forward looking at this airport and I think it can grow." At the annual meeting, Rempel was not able to talk about any new routes to add to the 59 direct destinations currently operating out of Winnipeg. The biggest win on the route servicing front in the last year was decisions by Air Canada and WestJet to start using larger planes out of Winnipeg on some of their routes. For instance, Rempel said, the frequency of flights to Toronto has not changed, but rather than flying smaller Bombardier CRJ's Air Canada is now using full-sized Airbus 320s on the route. "We were able to show them they where missing opportunities (to carry more passengers) and they're now using a bigger plane," he said. In 2017, the 20th anniversary of the WAA taking control of the airport, it commissioned a new economic impact study that showed that it is responsible for $3.4 billion in economic impact and more than 17,000 jobs, compared to $384.2 million in economic impact and 7,000 jobs in 1997 an average increase of nearly $150 million in economic impact and 500 jobs annually. That economic impact is going to be increasing in the coming years. Rempel said an announcement will be made in a couple of months about new developments on the east side of the airport campus, including a couple of new buildings requiring about $30 million each to develop. One will be a garage of sorts to house the airport's ground transportation vehicles that will create greater efficiencies by allowing vehicles to remain inside the security clearance areas rather than having to cross security and then re-enter adding as much as a half hour to vehicle round trips. The other building will likely be required to provide warehouse and sorting facilities for DHL, the global postal and logistics leader which began daily weekday service connecting Winnipeg to its hub in Cincinnati, Ohio, last fall. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. In addition to those new buildings, planning is on-going for a new 105,000-square-foot Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada that looks like it will be located south of the Greyhound bus terminal. In further developments, Rempel is excited about the possibilities of establishing a pre-clearance pilot project for FedEx cargo planes from Winnipeg to Memphis. It would mean custom clearance would be assured before the plane took off from Winnipeg meaning nothing would be held up once the plane landed in the U.S. "The Canadian government has bought in and FedEx is working with us to talk to U.S. government," Rempel said. "It's looking promising." martin.cash@freepress.mb.ca Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 26/4/2018 (1257 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. The Manitoba Nurses Union is renewing calls for the province to legislate minimum staffing at personal care homes. An MNU report released on Thursday sounds the alarm about nursing shortages, patients with increasingly more complex and chronic needs, and what the union says is the inadequate funding of long-term care. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Sandi Mowat, Manitoba Nurses Union president. Although the union has published several similar reports in the past, president Sandi Mowat said this one originated last fall after long-term-care nurses began raising concerns about not having enough time to spend with their patients. Those concerns escalated last month when the Manitoba government announced funding for long-term care services in 2018-2019 at $644.3 million, a drop of $2.3 million from the previous year. "Where are they cutting that $2.3 million from?" Mowat wondered. "Our biggest concern is that were hearing these rumours that theyre looking at nursing care hours and thats a huge concern, because we believe they should actually be higher." In a statement, Health Minister Kelvin Goertzens press secretary said the change in funding is "largely attributable to the annual adjustment to residential charges, which are based on the income of the resident and adjusted each year based on changes in residents incomes. This adjustment is not unusual." He also noted theres no plan to change patient care levels. Per the provincial guideline, staff must be able to give 3.6 hours of paid care to each resident per day, which is lower than the expert-recommended 4.1 hours cited in the report. As it stands, Mowat said, some nurses report spending even less than 3.6 hours directly with patients. "Because theyre guidelines, some of the long-term care facilities dont actually follow them," she said. "They dont replace sick calls, they dont replace vacancies, vacation time, etc." The unions report is based on a review of literature as well as surveys of staff and focus groups with staff in Brandon and Winnipeg. According to the survey, conducted by Viewpoints Research in January 2017, only a quarter of long-term care nurses believe the care their facility is providing is "excellent." Thats the same as in a 2006 survey. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Of the more than 500 long-term-care nurses surveyed, 64 per cent believed there had been "very few to no improvements" in their facility when it came to care quality and 56 per cent said they didnt think staffing levels were adequate. Further to that, the report says nurses spoke of a "perceived reluctance from the employer to address chronic nursing shortages." The union is laying out six recommendations for the government, including amending staffing guidelines and legislating them so they are stronger. This is not the first time MNU has asked for such legislation, nor is it the only union to do so. The Canadian Union for Public Employees (CUPE) Manitoba made a similar recommendation in 2015. MNU also wants the government to do a full review of current and future personal care home beds and implement a health human resource strategy by April 1, 2019. The union wants each personal care home to report resident data to the province so that information can be publicly shared on an annual basis. Mowat hopes the government is paying attention. "We want them to take a really serious look at what were recommending," she said, "we want to make sure that theyre not looking at decreasing the time that the nurses are spending with patients." jane.gerster@freepress.mb.ca OTTAWA The federal Liberals might finally heed to Manitobas longstanding request for millions of dollars to help pay for settling asylum seekers, now that Quebec has issued a similar demand. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 25/4/2018 (1258 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. OTTAWA The federal Liberals might finally heed to Manitobas longstanding request for millions of dollars to help pay for settling asylum seekers, now that Quebec has issued a similar demand. The Pallister government confirmed Wednesday its in talks with Ottawa, asking them to make up for the cost of feeding and housing the influx of asylum seekers who are crossing near Emerson. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang The office of Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen said hes seriously considering Manitobas request. Last week, Ottawa pledged to sit down with Quebec and go over its costs for the tens of thousands of asylum seekers who continue to cross into that provinces. But Manitoba doesnt want to be short-changed. "We are seeking assistance, and have been engaged in a productive dialogue with the federal government for some time," wrote Andrea Slobodian, the spokeswoman for provincial Education Minister Ian Wishart, who also handles immigration issues. The office of Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen said hes seriously considering Manitobas request. "We recognize that this is a challenging situation for many provinces and we'll continue to work closely with them to address the situation," wrote spokesman Mathieu Genest. "We will continue to collaborate with all provinces to uphold our humanitarian commitments and ensure an orderly migration." It appears Ottawa has not yet provided a major allocation of funds to Manitoba to deal with its spike in asylum claims. In March 2017, Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr announced $30,000 for Emerson-area firefighters, who kept being called to respond to people who crossed the border. At the time, Premier Brian Pallister said that much more was needed, noting his government had boosted funding for the Welcome Place shelter in Winnipeg. A month ago, Quebec warned it desperately needed federal help, because the influx of refugee claims in that province has not slowed, despite a decrease in Manitoba. Last weekend, Hussen pledged his staff would go over Quebecs expenditures and see if Ottawa should be picking up the tab. Its unclear whether Ottawa intends to help with provincial costs like housing and education, or if it will strictly look at things under its purview. For example, RCMP are supposed to intercept people who cross illegally into Canada and refer them to border guards, but its unclear if theyve had to rely on municipal or provincial police. Ottawa pays all medical expenses for people claiming asylum, but its possible some provincial insurance plans have picked up the tab in some cases. Media reports suggest Quebec has asked for $146 million in support, but Hussens office said it has not received a formal figure. If that number is accurate, Manitoba will likely be requesting millions of dollars. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Last year, the RCMP intercepted 18,836 asylum-seekers in Quebec, versus 1,018 in Manitoba. If the Pallister government used that ratio, and weighed it against the rumoured Quebec request, it would put Manitobas demand at $7.9 million. But the province has not provided any range on what it is requesting, saying its still negotiating a dollar figure. "We hope to have more concrete news in the coming weeks," Slobodian wrote. Ottawa could consider the ratio of asylum claims per capita. Even with Manitobas smaller population, there are still three times as many asylum seekers per person in Quebec. In this springs budget, Ottawa allocated $173 million over the next two years for security operations at the border and for processing asylum claims. But that money isnt meant for the associated housing, welfare and healthcare costs. In March, 53 people crossed on foot into Canada to claim asylum status near Emerson, a steady rise since January but a far cry from the spike of 170 crossings recorded in March 2017. dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca It may be some time before we hear the full story from the Toronto police constable who apprehended the suspect in Mondays van attack that left 10 people dead and several others injured. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 26/4/2018 (1257 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Opinion It may be some time before we hear the full story from the Toronto police constable who apprehended the suspect in Mondays van attack that left 10 people dead and several others injured. But many are rightfully praising the policemans actions, and at the same time comparing them to the actions taken in other situations that have had significantly different outcomes. This raises the question: why didnt the police officer, now identified as Const. Ken Lam, shoot the suspect? The suspect appeared to be wielding a weapon as he walked toward Lam, and at one point even pleaded with the police officer to shoot him. As a former police officer and someone who studies police issues including use of force this situation is a case study on how things can go very right. My initial reaction to the videos of the van drivers arrest was that the police officer was professional and acting within his own assessment of the situation. This is critical. Canadas Criminal Code provides the legal authority for the use of force, but it does not tell an officer what to do in each situation. Likewise, police use-of-force models provide a framework for training and assistance in decision-making. But like the Criminal Code, they dont provide a legal basis or a rationale for the use of force in any particular situation. When faced with the threat of death or grievous bodily harm, a police officer is authorized to use force to protect themselves or others, up to and including deadly force. With this authority comes significant responsibility. Just because youre authorized to use deadly force doesnt mean you always should. There are many times when police officers could legally use deadly force, but dont. Most of these situations do not show up in the news that evening. These situations mostly pass by unnoticed and unreported. This case made international headlines due to the nature of the crimes being investigated, and the presence of video footage of the arrest. What went right this time? First, you had a clearly well-trained police officer who was acting in a professional manner. This is what we expect from our police. The suspect had everything going for him in order to survive his arrest. It took place in bright sunlight, but without the sun shining in the officers eyes. The suspect was silhouetted against a white van, which likely provided a clearer outline of the object in the suspects hands. The suspect did not take a typical shooting stance, but stood upright with his shoulders back. He was not aiming an object, but pointing it from the shoulder. From the video, it appears the suspect was yelling for the police officer to shoot him. He dropped his arm to his side and brought it back up again as if pointing a weapon at the police officer. Again, it he was not a typical shooting stance. This officer clearly had de-escalation in mind. He recognized his car siren was on and went back to turn it off. This shows that he did not have tunnel vision or hearing. With the siren off, clearer communications were possible. With a good visual of the subject, the actions of the suspect, his calls to be shot and the artificial manner in which he was standing and threatening, the police officer clearly made a decision that the use of deadly force, while authorized, was not immediately needed. I do not know what the police officer was thinking, but what came to my mind was an attempt by the suspect of a "suicide by cop." This is a situation where a suspect tries to goad the police into using deadly force. This by itself does not negate the risk to police and others. There are occasions when the use of deadly force is appropriate even when it is a purposeful attempt to have someone else kill them. Some suspects do follow through on their threats in order to goad police into the use of force. But not this time. Risk assessment for police officers The use-of-force models used by police include a risk assessment that asks the officer to take into account the following: Situational factors: These include the environment, the number of suspects, the perception of the suspects abilities, knowledge of the suspects background, time and distance from the suspect and threat cues given by the suspect. Tactical considerations: Is there cover, is backup available? Subject behaviour: Are they threatening and how are they threatening? Officers perceptions: Their own assessment of the situation and their abilities to handle it. This risk assessment, however, does not provide "the answer" to an officer regarding shoot or dont shoot, or any other use of force. What it does provide is a framework for decision-making. This is all part of professional police training. I faced a situation early in my service with the RCMP when I had a male in the sights of my pistol. It was a tense situation, and I felt that the use of deadly force was likely. But my training, in a fraction of a second, took me through an assessment of the situation. I held my fire because I could not see the weapon that was being threatened, and I was behind cover. I held on until the suspect gave up. He was unarmed. I have also worked with officers who had the misfortune to have had to resort to deadly force to save their own lives. It is not a decision that is easily made and its one that can be very personal to the officer in the situation. Their own perception, their own confidence, their training, their reaction to the situation all have an impact on the outcome. The courts have sided with police in this decision-making process, ruling that the courts must take into account the reasonably held assessment of the circumstances and dangers they find themselves. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. So in this case, we had a trained officer, acting calmly and professionally, with a clear view of the suspect and the object in his hand, indications of an attempt at "suicide by cop," de-escalation techniques used and a quick surrender. It all led to a successful arrest without the use of deadly force. One small change in the circumstances, and the outcome could have been very different. Police do not use deadly force because of the crime the suspect is alleged to have committed, but only due to the threat posed. This police officer made a heroic call. Const. Lam risked his own life to preserve anothers, even when that person was the suspect in a horrendous act that took so many innocent lives. Glenn Hanna is Assistant Program Head, Justice Studies, at the University of Guelph-Humber. This article was originally published on The Conversation. On Saturday, families of workers who have been killed or injured on the job will be commemorating their loved ones on the annual Day of Mourning, and many will join Canadas unions again in calling for better protections for the living. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 26/4/2018 (1257 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Opinion On Saturday, families of workers who have been killed or injured on the job will be commemorating their loved ones on the annual Day of Mourning, and many will join Canadas unions again in calling for better protections for the living. In the age of #MeToo and #TimesUp, this important tradition takes on an added dimension, providing the opportunity to more widely address violence and harassment in the workplace. For decades, the focus of this solemn day understandably has been on workplace accidents and exposure to dangerous materials such as asbestos. According to the Association of Workers Compensation Boards of Canada, there were 905 reported workplace deaths in 2016, and more than 241,508 claims accepted for lost time due to work-related injury or disease. Many tragic stories of loss and hurt will be highlighted on the Day of Mourning, including ones such as those currently featured by Ontarios Workplace Safety and Insurance Board. The stories recall a pilot whose plane crashed during a routine flight, a young woman who fell off a scaffold to her death and a father who succumbed to cancer after a tiny piece of asbestos entered his body. Far too many workers have perished on the job. One way we honour their memories is to do all we can to make sure no one elses family has to say goodbye prematurely, or struggle to care for a loved one. It also means we must break the silence on violence and harassment in the workplace to better understand and prevent the full range of harmful behaviour that can occur. Without these critical conversations, employers and governments will have little incentive to act. Take the heartbreaking case of the late Eric Donavan of Hazelbrook, P.E.I. The 47-year-old man had worked for more than 17 years with a non-profit organization. By all accounts, he loved his work until a supervisor began to bully and harass him severely. He became increasingly anxious and stressed, eventually dying as a result of cardiac arrest. After a three-year battle, the Workers Compensation Board of Prince Edward Island accepted the arguments of Donovans wife and doctor and awarded the family compensation. His case represents one of the rare glimpses into understanding the toll that workplace bullying and harassment can take. "Its astonishing how many people are saying that they have been in workplaces where there has been consistent, health-threatening and health-injurious bullying and where nothing has been done by supervisors," said the familys lawyer, James W. Macnutt. Earlier this year, a Saskatchewan family similarly received compensation after arguing that workplace bullying led to their loved ones suicide. The situation is acute for female workers, many of whom are working in caregiving professions including nurses, personal support workers and teachers. Women are too often the target of workplace violence and harassment, including sexual and physical harassment or violence. Another risk is that domestic violence may also follow women to work. For some, the outcome can be fatal. On this Day of Mourning, Canadas unions are urging workers to seek support if they are the victims of violence and harassment. This impacts every sector. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. For instance, a 2017 Public Service Employee Survey found that 18 per cent of public servants reported being harassed at work in the preceding two years. For frontline workers including bus drivers, paramedics, flight attendants, call-centre workers and many others, particularly those who work alone the dangers are significant. Working with Canadas unions and employers, the federal government has developed strong regulations on workplace violence. Federal Bill C-65 promises, finally, to address sexual harassment as a workplace hazard. However, workers also are calling for other new measures: whistleblower protection, to protect complainants from reprisal; the hiring of properly trained federal health and safety officers in appropriate numbers; and the recognition of domestic violence as a workplace hazard, as Ontario explicitly wrote into legislation following the workplace murders of Lori Dupont and Theresa Vince. Its time collectively to renew our commitment to ensuring that all workers are safe and supported at work. Hassan Yussuff is president of the Canadian Labour Congress. Twitter: @Hassan_Yussuff For many of us, the events on Monday in Toronto introduced a new word into our vocabulary: incel, or involuntarily celibate. The 25-year-old Toronto area man accused of killing 10 people after a van plowed into a busy sidewalk apparently self-identified as an incel. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 26/4/2018 (1257 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Opinion For many of us, the events on Monday in Toronto introduced a new word into our vocabulary: "incel," or involuntarily celibate. The 25-year-old Toronto area man accused of killing 10 people after a van plowed into a busy sidewalk apparently self-identified as an "incel." In a Facebook post, Alek Minassian stated: "The Incel Rebellion has already begun! We will overthrow all the Chads and Stacys! All hail the Supreme Gentleman Elliot Rodger!" Rodger, another incel advocate, was a man who in 2014 killed six people and then himself in California. And once again, questions are being raised about the culpability of social-media sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Reddit for their role in this violence. Reddit is a media site that allows individuals to chat on all manner of topics. Reddit bills itself as "the front-page of the Internet," providing people with the opportunity to chat about areas of interest. Reddit claims that in November 2017 it banned the community dedicated to the involuntarily celibate, which was about 40,000 strong, because of a policy change to prohibit content that "encourages, glorifies, incites or calls for violence or physical harm against an individual or group of people." However, still thriving and readily accessible are other sub-Reddit groups, including one called TheRedPill with more than 250,000 subscribers, which uses the same language of incels, espousing hatred toward women and in particular feminists, and envy toward men who are successful with them. "Chads" are men attractive enough to have sex. "Stacys" are the female equivalents. They are the target of much derision from incels, painted as the enemy. In the sub-Reddit world of TheRedPill, its all about dominating Chads and Stacys with descriptions that are written like porn fantasies. Then theres MGTOW, another sub-Reddit group, which stands for "men going their own way," which calls itself a hospital for the male spirit, but is in reality a depressing series of expletive-laden complaints about women and marriage, calling women "femnoids" and calling out feminists for lying about the pay gap, lying about domestic violence, lying about rape and lying about the #MeToo movement. Vocal Twitter users took to that social-media site to ask immediately for the government to implement enforced marriage laws and to drop the age of consent. This appears to be a recurring theme among followers of these groups. Their problems would disappear if women were just sexually compliant. Thankfully, there was immediate pushback on Twitter. But the fact that people felt they could voice these opinions with impunity is shocking, to say the very least. The language used in this one small corner of the internet environment, which I accessed within 30 seconds of trying, is nothing short of frightening. If this were a religious organization, particularly a non-Christian religious organization, it would have been shut long ago and investigated by police as hate speech. Instead, it operates in full view of Canadians because it talks about only women in a deprecating way. In short, this is radicalization but its radicalization that is misogynistic, and its normalizing toxic masculinity under the guise of free speech, much in the way the Ku Klux Klan normalized racism. On Dec. 6, 1989, Marc Lepine walked into LEcole Polytechnique in Montreal and killed 14 women, wounding another 10 women and four men. He claimed that feminists had ruined his life. In California, Elliot Rodger killed six people, two of them women, because women wouldnt have sex with him, and for that he blamed women and feminism. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. In 2017, Quebec mosque shooter Alexandre Bissonnette also was interested in Rodger. Less than 24 hours before the mosque shooting in January, he typed "Elliot Rodger" into Google. When will we start talking about hatred toward women and feminists in the same way we talk about the Islamic State group and other radicalized organizations? And when will social-media sites such as Reddit, Facebook and Twitter take responsibility in how hatred toward women is spread? Shannon Sampert is an associate professor in the department of political science at the University of Winnipeg. s.sampert@uwinnipeg.ca @paulysigh The following companies are subsidiares of InterContinental Hotels Group: 2250 Blake Street Hotel LLC, 24th Street Operator Sub LLC, 36th Street IHG Sub LLC, 426 Main Ave LLC, 46 Nevins Street Associates LLC, Allegro Management LLC, Alpha Kimball Hotel LLC, American Commonwealth Assurance Co. 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Operating Corp., Inter-Continental Florida Investment Corp., Inter-Continental Florida Partner Corp., Inter-Continental Hospitality Corporation, Inter-Continental Hoteleira Limitada, Inter-Continental Hotels (Montreal) Operating Corp., Inter-Continental Hotels (Montreal) Owning Corp., Inter-Continental Hotels (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Inter-Continental Hotels Corporation, Inter-Continental Hotels Corporation de Venezuela C.A., Inter-Continental Hotels of San Francisco Inc., Inter-Continental IOHC (Mauritius) Limited, Inter-Continental Management (Australia) Pty Limited, InterContinental (Branston) 1 Limited, InterContinental (PB) 1, InterContinental (PB) 2, InterContinental (PB) 3 Limited, InterContinental Berlin Service Company GmbH, InterContinental Brasil Administracao de Hoteis Ltda, InterContinental Gestion Hotelera S.L., InterContinental Hotel Berlin GmbH, InterContinental Hotel Dusseldorf GmbH (Germany), InterContinental Hotels (Puerto Rico) Inc., InterContinental Hotels Group (Asia Pacific) Pte Ltd, InterContinental Hotels Group (Australia) Pty Limited, InterContinental Hotels Group (Canada) Inc., InterContinental Hotels Group (Espana) SA, InterContinental Hotels Group (Greater China) Limited, InterContinental Hotels Group (India) Pvt. Ltd, InterContinental Hotels Group (Japan) Inc., InterContinental Hotels Group (New Zealand) Limited, InterContinental Hotels Group (Shanghai) Ltd., InterContinental Hotels Group Customer Services Ltd., InterContinental Hotels Group Healthcare Trustee Limited, InterContinental Hotels Group Operating Corp., InterContinental Hotels Group Resources Inc., InterContinental Hotels Group Services Company, InterContinental Hotels Group do Brasil Limitada, InterContinental Hotels Italia S.r.L., InterContinental Hotels Limited, InterContinental Hotels Management GmbH, InterContinental Hotels Nevada Corporation, InterContinental Management AM LLC, InterContinental Management Bulgaria EOOD, InterContinental Management France SAS, InterContinental Management Poland sp. z.o.o, InterContinental Overseas Holding Corporation, Intercontinental Hotels Corporation Limited, KG Benefits LLC, KG Gift Card Inc., KG Liability LLC, KG Technology LLC, KHP Washington Operator LLC, KHRG 11th Avenue Hotel LLC, KHRG 851 LLC, KHRG Aertson LLC, KHRG Alexandria LLC, KHRG Alexis LLC, KHRG Allegro LLC, KHRG Argyle LLC, KHRG Austin Beverage Company LLC, KHRG Baltimore LLC, KHRG Born LLC, KHRG Boston Hotel LLC, KHRG Canary LLC, KHRG Cayman Employer Ltd., KHRG Cayman LLC, KHRG DC 1731 LLC, KHRG DC 2505 LLC, KHRG Donovan LLC, KHRG Employer LLC, KHRG Goleta LLC, KHRG Gray LLC, KHRG Gray U2 LLC, KHRG Hillcrest LLC, KHRG Huntington Beach LLC, KHRG King Street LLC, KHRG La Peer LLC, KHRG Miami Beach LLC, KHRG Muse LLC, KHRG NPC LLC, KHRG Onyx LLC, KHRG Palladian LLC, KHRG Palomar Phoenix LLC, KHRG Philly Monaco LLC, KHRG Pittsburgh LLC, KHRG Reynolds LLC, KHRG Riverplace LLC, KHRG SFD LLC, KHRG Sacramento LLC, KHRG Savannah LLC, KHRG Schofield LLC, KHRG Sedona LLC, KHRG State Street LLC, KHRG Sutter LLC, KHRG Sutter Union LLC, KHRG Taconic LLC, KHRG Tariff LLC, KHRG Texas Hospitality LLC, KHRG Texas Operations LLC, KHRG Tryon LLC, KHRG VZ Austin LLC, KHRG Vero Beach LLC, KHRG Vintage Park LLC, KHRG WPB LLC, KHRG Wabash LLC, KHRG Westwood LLC, KHRG Wilshire LLC, KHRG Zamora LLC, Kimpton Hollywood Licenses LLC, Kimpton Hotel & Restaurant Group, Kimpton Hotel & Restaurant Group LLC, Kimpton Phoenix Licenses Holdings LLC, Kimpton Sedona Licenses LLC, Louisiana Acquisitions Corp., MH Lodging LLC, Mercer Fairview Holdings LLC, PML Services LLC, PT SC Hotels & Resorts Indonesia, Pollstrong Limited, Powell Pine Inc., Priscilla Holiday of Texas Inc., RM Lodging LLC, Regent Hotels and Resorts, Resort Services International (Cayo Largo) L.P., SBS Maryland Beverage Company LLC, SC Cellars Limited, SC Hotels International Services Inc., SC Leisure Group Limited, SC NAS 2 Limited, SC Quest Limited, SC Reservations (Philippines) Inc., SCH Insurance Company, SCIH Branston 3, SF MH Acquisition LLC, SPHC Group Pty Ltd., SPHC Management Ltd., Semiramis for training of Hotel Personnel and Hotel Management SAE, Six Continents Corporate Services, Six Continents Holdings Limited, Six Continents Hotels Inc., Six Continents Hotels International Limited, Six Continents Hotels de Colombia SA, Six Continents International Holdings B.V., Six Continents Investments Limited, Six Continents Limited, Six Continents Overseas Holdings Limited, Six Continents Restaurants Limited, SixCo North America Inc., Solamar Lodging LLC, Southern Pacific Hotel Corporation (BVI) Ltd., Southern Pacific Hotels Properties Limited, Universal de Hoteles SA, White Shield Insurance Company Limited, and World Trade Centre Montreal Hotel Corporation. The following companies are subsidiares of IQVIA: 159 SOLUTIONS, 159 Technology Solutions Private Ltd, AHM Global Operations Inc., AHM Global Services LLC, AHM Logistics Inc. (Canada), AIECO IT Solutions India Private Ltd., ALIMED Egeszsegugyi Szolgaltato Kft., Advanced Health Media LLC, Advanced Health Media Services, Aileron Solutions, Albatross Financial Solutions Limited, Appature, Ardentia International Limited, Ascott Sales Integration, Asesorias IQVIA Solutions Chile Limitada, Asserta Centroamerica Medicion de Mercados, BUZZEOPDMA LLC, Battaerd Mansley Pty. Ltd., Benefit Canada, Benefit Holding, BioFortis, CDS - Center de Service SAS, COORDINATED MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, CRM Health Korea Ltd., CSD Health Korea Ltd., Cambridge Pharma Consultancy, Cambridge Pharma Consultancy Limited, Cegedim Venezuela C.A., Cenduit (India) Services Private Company Limited, Cenduit Limited, Cenduit Mauritius Holdings Company, Clinical Financial Services, Clinical Lab Minority Shareholder Limited, Coordinated Management Holdings L.L.C., Cote Orphan, Cote Orphan Consulting UK Limited, DATA NICHE ASSOCIATES, Datadina Ecuador S.A., Dataline Software Limited, Datec Industria e Comercio, Dimensiions Healthcare LLC, Drug Dev Inc., DrugDev, DrugDev Limited, EA Institute L.L.C., ENTERPRISE ASSOCIATES, EPS Research Limited, EPS Software Limited, Epernicus, Forcea NV, Foresight Group International UK LTD, Foresight Group Japan G.K., Foresight IT Solutions Consulting India Private Limited, GRACE DATA CORPORATION, Global Crown Investment Limited, HIGHPOINT SOLUTIONS, Hospital Marketing Services Ltd., Hotel Lot C-8B, IMS (GIBRALTAR) HOLDING LIMITED, IMS (UK) Pension Plan Trustee Company Limited, IMS AB, IMS CHINAMETRIK INC., IMS HEALTH GROUP LIMITED, IMS HEALTH KOREA LTD, IMS HEALTH KOREA LTD., IMS HEALTH PUERTO RICO INC., IMS HEALTH TAIWAN LTD., IMS Health (Australia) Partnership, IMS Health Analytics Services Private Limited, IMS Health Bangladesh Limited, IMS Health Bolivia S.R.L., IMS Health Cyprus LTD, IMS Health Egypt Limited, IMS Health Information Solutions Argentina S.A., IMS Health Information Solutions Australia Pty. Ltd, IMS Health Information Solutions India Private Ltd., IMS Health Information Solutions Japan K.K., IMS Health Lanka (Private) Limited, IMS Health Networks Limited, IMS Health Pakistan (Private) Limited, IMS Health Paraguay SRL, IMS Health Surveys Limited, IMS Health Technology Solutions (China) Co. Ltd., IMS Health Technology Solutions Australia Pty. Ltd, IMS Health Technology Solutions Colombia Ltda., IMS Health Technology Solutions Holdings AB, IMS Health Technology Solutions Hungary Ltd., IMS Health Technology Solutions India Private Ltd., IMS Health Technology Solutions Japan K.K., IMS Health Technology Solutions Kazakhstan, IMS Health Technology Solutions LLC, IMS Health Technology Solutions Sweden AB, IMS Health Technology TUNISIA, IMS Health Tunisia sarl, IMS Health Uruguay S.A., IMS Health de Venezuela C.A., IMS Holdings (U.K.) Limited, IMS Hospital Group Limited, IMS Information Solutions Medical Research Limited, IMS Information Solutions UK Ltd., IMS International (Proprietary) Limited, IMS Market Research Consult (Beijing), IMS Meridian Limited, IMS Meridian Research Limited, IMS Republica Dominicana, IMS SOFTWARE SERVICES LTD., IMS Technology Solutions UK Limited, INTERCONTINENTAL MEDICAL STATISTICS INTERNATIONAL, IPP Informacion Promocional y Publicitaria S.A. de C.V., IPP Technology Solutions Mexico SA de CV (FKA Cegedim Mexico SA de CV), IQVA Romania S.R.L., IQVIA (Thialand) Co. Ltd., IQVIA AB, IQVIA AG, IQVIA AG (Mexico Branch), IQVIA AG (UK Branch), IQVIA Adriatic d.o.o. za Konzalting, IQVIA Asia Pacific Commercial Holdings LLC, IQVIA Beteiligungs-gesellschaft mbH, IQVIA BioSciences Holdings LLC, IQVIA CHINAMETRIK INC., IQVIA COMMERCIAL FINANCE INC., IQVIA COMMERCIAL INDIA HOLDINGS CORP., IQVIA COMMERCIAL LICENSING ASSOCIATES LLC, IQVIA COMMERCIAL SERVICES LLC, IQVIA COMMERCIAL TRADING CORP., IQVIA Clinical AB, IQVIA Commercial Deutschland GmbH, IQVIA Commercial GmbH & Co. OHG, IQVIA Commercial I LLC, IQVIA Commercial Software GmbH, IQVIA Commercial Sp. z.o.o., IQVIA Commerical Consulting Sp. z.o.o., IQVIA Consulting Solutions bvba, IQVIA Consulting and Information Services India Private Limited, IQVIA Finance Ireland Designated Activity Company, IQVIA GOVERNMENT SOLUTIONS INC., IQVIA Healthcare QFC branch, IQVIA Hellas Technology Solutions S.A., IQVIA Holdings France SAS, IQVIA IES (UK) Limited, IQVIA IES Brasil Ltda., IQVIA IES Europe Limited, IQVIA IES European Holdings, IQVIA IES Italia S.r.l., IQVIA IES OY, IQVIA IES Overseas Holdings Limited, IQVIA IES Portugal, IQVIA IES Portugal Unipressoal Ltda., IQVIA IES Puerto Rico Inc., IQVIA II Technology Solutions Portugal, IQVIA INC., IQVIA INFORMATION MEDICAL STATISTICS (ISRAEL) LTD., IQVIA Information, IQVIA Information Solutions (China) Co., IQVIA Information Solutions GmbH, IQVIA Informations Solutions France SAS, IQVIA Istanbul Saglik Hizmetler Arastirma ve Danismanlik Limited Sirketi, IQVIA Korea Co. Ltd., IQVIA LTD, IQVIA Market Intelligence LLC, IQVIA Marktforschung GmbH, IQVIA Maroc SARL, IQVIA Mauritius Holdings, IQVIA Medical Communications & Consulting, IQVIA Medical Development (Dalian) Co., IQVIA Medical Education Inc., IQVIA Medical Radar AB, IQVIA Operations France SAS, IQVIA PHARMA Inc., IQVIA Partners AS, IQVIA Pharma Services Corp., IQVIA Pharmaceutical Marketing Services Ltd., IQVIA Phase One Services LLC, IQVIA RDS (India) Private Limited, IQVIA RDS (Pty.) Limited, IQVIA RDS AG, IQVIA RDS Argentina S.A., IQVIA RDS Asia Inc., IQVIA RDS Austria GmbH, IQVIA RDS BT Inc., IQVIA RDS Brasil Ltda., IQVIA RDS Bulgaria EOOD, IQVIA RDS Canada ULC, IQVIA RDS Chile, IQVIA RDS Colombia S.A.S., IQVIA RDS Consulting Inc., IQVIA RDS ESTONIA OU, IQVIA RDS East Asia Pte. Ltd., IQVIA RDS Eastern Holdings GmbH, IQVIA RDS Finland OY, IQVIA RDS France SAS (formerly, IQVIA RDS Funding LLC, IQVIA RDS GesmbH, IQVIA RDS GesmbH Greek Branch, IQVIA RDS Guatemala S.A., IQVIA RDS Holdings, IQVIA RDS Hong Kong Limited, IQVIA RDS ISRAEL LTD., IQVIA RDS Inc., IQVIA RDS Ireland (Finance) Ltd., IQVIA RDS Ireland Ltd., IQVIA RDS Italy Srl, IQVIA RDS Latin America LLC, IQVIA RDS Latvia SIA, IQVIA RDS Magyarorszag Gyogyszerfejlesztesi es Tanacsado Kft., IQVIA RDS Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., IQVIA RDS Moscow, IQVIA RDS Novosibirsk, IQVIA RDS Panama Inc., IQVIA RDS Peru S.r.l., IQVIA RDS Philippines Inc., IQVIA RDS Poland Sp. Zoo, IQVIA RDS Pty. Limited, IQVIA RDS Slovakia s.r.o., IQVIA RDS Spain, IQVIA RDS Spain S.L., IQVIA RDS St. Petersburg, IQVIA RDS Support Sarl, IQVIA RDS Switzerland sarl, IQVIA RDS Taiwan Ltd., IQVIA RDS Transfer LLC, IQVIA RDS UAB, IQVIA RDS UK Holdings Ltd., IQVIA RDS and Integrated Services Belgium NV, IQVIA RDS d.o.o. Beograd, IQVIA SOLUTIONS ASIA PTE. LTD., IQVIA SOLUTIONS CANADA INC., IQVIA SOLUTIONS JAPAN K.K., IQVIA SOLUTIONS OPERATIONS CENTER PHLIPPINES INC., IQVIA SOLUTIONS PHILIPINES, IQVIA SOLUTIONS PHILIPPINES, IQVIA Services Japan K.K., IQVIA Solutions (NZ) Limited, IQVIA Solutions (Pty.) Ltd., IQVIA Solutions Argentina S.A., IQVIA Solutions Australia Holdings Pty. Ltd., IQVIA Solutions Australia Pty. Ltd., IQVIA Solutions B.V., IQVIA Solutions Belgium S.P.R.L., IQVIA Solutions Bulgaria EOOD, IQVIA Solutions Colombia S.A., IQVIA Solutions Consulting Myanmar Company Limited, IQVIA Solutions Denmark AS, IQVIA Solutions Enterprise Management Consulting (Shanghai) Co., IQVIA Solutions Finance B.V., IQVIA Solutions Finance UK I Ltd., IQVIA Solutions Finance UK II Ltd., IQVIA Solutions Finance UK III Ltd., IQVIA Solutions Finance UK V Ltd., IQVIA Solutions Finland OY, IQVIA Solutions Global Holdings UK Ltd., IQVIA Solutions GmbH, IQVIA Solutions HQ Ltd., IQVIA Solutions Holdings (Pty.) Ltd., IQVIA Solutions Hong Kong Limited, IQVIA Solutions Ireland Limited, IQVIA Solutions Italy W.r.l., IQVIA Solutions Kazakhstan LLC, IQVIA Solutions LLC, IQVIA Solutions Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., IQVIA Solutions Norway AS, IQVIA Solutions Pharmaceutical SRL, IQVIA Solutions Portugal, IQVIA Solutions Regional Pte. Ltd., IQVIA Solutions Services Ltd., IQVIA Solutions Sweden AB, IQVIA Solutions UK Investments Ltd., IQVIA Solutions UK Limited, IQVIA Solutions a.s., IQVIA Solutions del Peru S.A., IQVIA Solutions do Brasil Ltda., IQVIA Solutions s.r.o., IQVIA Solucoes de Tecnologia DO Brazil Ltda., IQVIA Staff Services Sp.A., IQVIA TRANSPORTATION SERVICES CORP., IQVIA Technology Services Ltd., IQVIA Technology Solutions Egypt LLC, IQVIA Technology Solutions Finland OY, IQVIA Technology Solutions Poland SP. z.o.o., IQVIA Technology Solutions Romania Srl, IQVIA Technology Solutions S.R.O. Branch Bulgaria, IQVIA Technology Solutions Ukraine LLC, IQVIA Technology Solutions s.r.o., IQVIA Technology and Services AG, IQVIA Tibbi Istatistik Ticaret ve Musavirlik Ltd. Sirketi, IQVIA Trading Management Inc., IQVIA World Publications Ltd., IQVIA Zagreb d.o.o., Iasist Holdco Limited, Iasist Potugal, Iasist SAU Agencia en Chile, Iasist Sociedad Anonima Unipersonal, Impact RX, Infocus Health Limited, Infopharm Ltd., Innovex Holdings I LLC, Innovex Merger Corp., Innovex Saglik Hizmetleri Arastirma ve Danismanlik Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Innovex Saglik Urunleri Pazarlame ve Hizmet Danismanlik Anonim Sirketi, Institute of Medical Communications NCO, Interstatistik AG, Kun Tai Medical Development Hong Kong Limited, Kun Tuo Medical Research & Development (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Laboratorie Novex Pharma Sarl, Laboratorio Commuq Pharma SL, Linguamatics, M&H Informatics (BD) LTD., M-TAG Australia Pty. Ltd., MED-VANTAGE, MG Recherche, Mecurial Insights Holding Pty. Ltd., Mecurial Insights Pty. Ltd., Mercados Y Analisis, Meridian Research Vietnam Ltd., Nordisk Medicin Information AB, Novella Clinical LLC, Novella Clinical Ltd., Novex Pharma Gmbh, Novex Pharma Laboratorio S.L., Novex Pharma Limited, Nuevo Health Pty Ltd, Onkodatamed GmbH, Operaciones Centralizadas Latinoamericana Limitada, Optimum Contact Limited, Outcome Sciences LLC, PILGRIM SOFTWARE HOLDING B.V., POLARIS MANAGEMENT PARTNERS LLC, POLARIS SOLUTIONS LLC, PR Editions S.A.S., PT IMS Health Indonesia, PT Quintiles Indonesia, Penderwood Limited, PharmARC Consulting Services GmbH, PharmARC Inc., Pharma Deals Limited, Pharma Strategy Group Ltd., Pharmadata s.r.o., Pharmaforce, Pilgrim Quality Solutions EMEA BV, Pilgrim Software Asia PVT, Polaris Solutions BV, Polaris Solutions Ltd., Primeum IQVIA SAS, Privacy Analytics Inc., Professional Pharmaceutical Marketing Services (Pty.) Ltd., Pygargus AB, Q Squared Solutions (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Q Squared Solutions (India) Private Limited, Q Squared Solutions (Quest) LLC, Q Squared Solutions (Quest) Limited, Q Squared Solutions (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Q Squared Solutions B.V., Q Squared Solutions BioSciences LLC, Q Squared Solutions China (Quest) Limited, Q Squared Solutions China Limited, Q Squared Solutions Expression Analysis LLC, Q Squared Solutions Holdings B.V., Q Squared Solutions Holdings LLC, Q Squared Solutions Holdings Limited, Q Squared Solutions K.K., Q Squared Solutions LLC, Q Squared Solutions Limited, Q Squared Solutions Proprietary Limited, Q Squared Solutions Pte. Ltd., Q Squared Solutions S.A., Q2 Metrics, Q2 Solutions, QIMS Pharma Services SA DE CV, QUINTILES MEXICO, QUINTILESIMS EUROPEAN HOLDINGS II C.V., Qcare Site Services, Quintiles B.V., Quintiles Benin Ltd., Quintiles Clindata (Pty.) Limited, Quintiles Clindepharm (Pty.) Limited, Quintiles Clinical and Commercial Nigeria Limited, Quintiles Commercial ApS, Quintiles Commercial Germany GmbH, Quintiles Commercial Rus LLC, Quintiles Commercial South Africa (Pty) Limited, Quintiles Commercial US. Inc., Quintiles Costa Rica S.A., Quintiles Czech Republic, Quintiles Denmark, Quintiles East Africa Limited, Quintiles Egypt LLC, Quintiles Enterprise Management (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Quintiles Finance Sarl, Quintiles Finance Uruguay, Quintiles GmbH, Quintiles Holdings S.a.r.l., Quintiles IMS European Holdings C.V., Quintiles Lanka Private Limited, Quintiles Latin America Inc., Quintiles Luxembourg European Holding, Quintiles Luxembourg European Holding S.a.r.l., Quintiles Luxembourg France Holdings SARL, Quintiles Medical Development (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Quintiles Netherlands, Quintiles New Zealand, Quintiles Norway, Quintiles Phase One Clinical Trials India Private Limited, Quintiles Russia LLC, Quintiles S.a.r.l., Quintiles Site Services, Quintiles South Africa (PTY.) Limited, Quintiles UK (Japan Holdings) Limited, Quintiles Ukraine, Quintiles Vietnam, Quintiles West Africa Limited, RX India LLC, Radar Acquisition Blocker, Redsite Limited, Reportive SA, STI Technologies Limited, Schwarzeck Verlag GmbH, Secureconsent, Shanghai IMS Market Research Co. Ltd., Source Informatics Limited, Spartan Leasing Corporation, Statfinn Oy, Strategique Sante, THE AMUNDSEN GROUP, Targeted Molecular Diagnostics, Tarius A/S, Temas Srl - Societa Unipersonale, TforG Connect BVBA, Themis Limited, UAB IQVIA Commercial, VALUEMEDICS RESEARCH, VCG&A Inc., and iGuard. Phoenix Group Holdings plc engages in the long-term savings and retirement busines in Europe. The company operates through UK Heritage, UK Open, Europe, ReAssure, and Management Services segments. It engages in the management of insurance policies, which include active and closed life insurance products. The company also provides workplace pensions, and customer savings and investments products under the Standard Life brand. Its retirement solutions business includes vesting annuities and bulk purchase annuity business, where it acquires annuities and deliver the financial stability for secure pensions. The company also offers a range of financial products for the over 50s market under the SunLife brand, which cover life cover, equity release, funeral plans, and home insurance. Phoenix Group Holdings plc has a strategic partnership with Standard Life Aberdeen plc. The company was formerly known as Pearl Group and changed its name to Phoenix Group Holdings plc in March 2010. Phoenix Group Holdings plc was founded in 1782 and is based in London, the United Kingdom. Read More Unit Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the exploration, acquisition, development, and production of oil and natural gas properties in the United States. It operates through three segments: Oil and Natural Gas, Contract Drilling, and Mid-Stream. The Oil and Natural Gas segment explores for, acquires, develops, and produces oil and natural gas properties. Its producing oil and natural gas properties, unproved properties, and related assets are primarily located in Oklahoma and Texas, as well as in Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Louisiana, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming. The Contract Drilling segment is involved in the contract drilling of onshore oil and natural gas wells for a range of other oil and natural gas companies primarily in Oklahoma, Texas, Wyoming, North Dakota, Colorado, and Utah. It has 55 drilling rigs in its fleet. The Mid-Stream segment buys, sells, gathers, processes, and treats natural gas for third parties. This segment operates 3 natural gas treatment plants, 14 processing plants, 22 gathering systems, and approximately 1,475 miles of pipeline in Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. Unit Corporation was founded in 1963 and is headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Read More Valvoline, Inc. is engaged in producing, marketing and supplying of engine & automotive maintenance products and services. The company operates through three segments: Quick Lubes, Core North America and International. The Quick Lubes segment provides services to passenger car and light truck quick lube market through company-owned and independent franchised retail quick lube service center stores and independent express care stores that service vehicles with valvoline products. The Core North America segment sells engine and automotive maintenance products in the United States and Canada to retailers, installers, and heavy-duty customers to service vehicles and equipment. The International segment sells engine and automotive products in more than 140 countries outside of the United States and Canada for the maintenance of consumer and commercial vehicles and equipment. Its products include motor oil, gear oil, pro-v racing and antifreeze and radiator. Valvoline was founded in 1866 and is headquartered in Lexington, KY. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of BorgWarner: B80 Italia S.r.l., BERU AG, BW El Salto S.A. De C.V., BWA Receivables Corporation, BWA Turbo Systems Holding LLC, Borg Warner Europe Holdings (PDS) B. V., BorgWarner (China) Investment Co. Ltd., BorgWarner (Reman) Holdings L.L.C., BorgWarner (Thailand) Limited, BorgWarner Aftermarket Europe GmbH, BorgWarner Alternators Inc., BorgWarner Arden LLC, BorgWarner Arnstadt RE GmbH & Co. KG, BorgWarner Asia Inc., BorgWarner Automotive Asia Limited, BorgWarner Automotive Components (Beijing) Co. Ltd., BorgWarner Automotive Components (Jiangsu) Co. Ltd., BorgWarner Automotive Components (Ningbo) Co. Ltd., BorgWarner Automotive Components (Tianjin) Co. Ltd., BorgWarner Automotive Components (Wuhan) Co. Ltd., BorgWarner Brasil Ltda., BorgWarner Chungju Co. LLC, BorgWarner Comercial e Distribuidora de Pecas para Veiculos Automotores Ltda., BorgWarner Comercializadora PDS S. de R.L. de C.V., BorgWarner Componentes PDS S. de R.L. de C.V., BorgWarner Cooling Systems (India) Private Limited, BorgWarner Cooling Systems GmbH, BorgWarner Diversified Transmission Products Services Inc., BorgWarner Drivetrain Engineering GmbH, BorgWarner Drivetrain Management Services de Mexico S.A. de C.V., BorgWarner Drivetrain de Mexico S.A. de C.V., BorgWarner Electric Motors L.L.C., BorgWarner Emissions Systems (Ningbo) Co. Ltd., BorgWarner Emissions Systems (Ningbo) Co. Ltd., BorgWarner Emissions Systems Holding LLC, BorgWarner Emissions Systems India Private Limited, BorgWarner Emissions Systems LLC, BorgWarner Emissions Systems Portugal Unipessoal LDA, BorgWarner Emissions Systems Spain S.L.U., BorgWarner Emissions Systems of Michigan Inc., BorgWarner Emissions Talegaon Private Limited, BorgWarner Engineering Ketsch RE GmbH & Co. KG, BorgWarner Engineering Kibo RE GmbH & Co. KG, BorgWarner Esslingen GmbH, BorgWarner Europe GmbH, BorgWarner Europe Holding S.a. r. l., BorgWarner Gateshead Limited, BorgWarner Germany Holding GmbH, BorgWarner Germany Holding Services GmbH, BorgWarner Germany REH GmbH, BorgWarner Germany REM GmbH, BorgWarner Germany Verwaltungs GmbH, BorgWarner Global Holding S.a. r. l., BorgWarner Heidelberg I RE GmbH & Co. KG, BorgWarner Heidelberg II RE GmbH & Co. KG, BorgWarner Heidelberg REH GmbH, BorgWarner Heidelberg REM GmbH, BorgWarner Holding Inc., BorgWarner Holdings Limited, BorgWarner Hungary Kft., BorgWarner IT Services Europe GmbH, BorgWarner India Holdings Inc., BorgWarner Investment Holding Inc., BorgWarner Ithaca LLC, BorgWarner Ketsch Plant RE GmbH & Co. KG, BorgWarner Ketsch REH GmbH, BorgWarner Ketsch REM GmbH, BorgWarner Kft., BorgWarner Kibo RE GmbH & Co. KG, BorgWarner Korea Holdings (PDS) B.V., BorgWarner Korea Holdings LLC, BorgWarner Korea LLC, BorgWarner Limited, BorgWarner Ludwigsburg GmbH, BorgWarner Ludwigsburg RE GmbH & Co. KG, BorgWarner Markdorf Plant RE GmbH & Co. KG, BorgWarner Markdorf REH GmbH, BorgWarner Markdorf REM GmbH, BorgWarner Massachusetts Inc., BorgWarner Mauritius Holdings Ltd., BorgWarner Mexico Holding BV, BorgWarner Mexico Holdings II LLC, BorgWarner Mexico Holdings LLC, BorgWarner Morse Systems India Private Limited, BorgWarner Morse Systems Italy S.r.l., BorgWarner Morse Systems Japan K.K., BorgWarner Morse Systems Mexico S.A. de C.V., BorgWarner Muggendorf RE GmbH & Co. KG, BorgWarner NW Inc., BorgWarner Netherlands Holdings (PDS) B.V., BorgWarner Oroszlany Kft., BorgWarner PDS (Anderson) L.L.C., BorgWarner PDS (Changnyeong) LLC, BorgWarner PDS (Indiana) Inc., BorgWarner PDS (Livonia) Inc., BorgWarner PDS (Ochang) LLC, BorgWarner PDS (Thailand) Limited, BorgWarner PDS (USA) Inc., BorgWarner PDS Brasil Produtos Automotivos Ltda., BorgWarner PDS Irapuato S. de R.L. de C.V., BorgWarner PDS Mexico Holdings S. de R.L. de C.V., BorgWarner PDS Technologies L.L.C., BorgWarner Poland Sp. z o.o., BorgWarner Pyongtaek LLC, BorgWarner Romeo Power LLC, BorgWarner Rzeszow Sp. z o.o., BorgWarner Shenglong (Ningbo) Co. Ltd., BorgWarner South Asia LLC, BorgWarner Southborough Inc., BorgWarner Spain Holding S.L.U, BorgWarner Sweden AB, BorgWarner Systems Lugo S.r.l., BorgWarner Thermal Systems Inc., BorgWarner Thermal Systems of Michigan Inc., BorgWarner TorqTransfer Systems Beijing Co. Ltd., BorgWarner Tralee Ltd., BorgWarner Transmission Products LLC, BorgWarner Transmission Systems Arnstadt GmbH, BorgWarner Transmission Systems GmbH, BorgWarner Transmission Systems Korea LLC, BorgWarner Transmission Systems Tulle S.A.S., BorgWarner Trustees Limited, BorgWarner Turbo & Emissions Systems France S.A.S., BorgWarner Turbo Systems Engineering GmbH, BorgWarner Turbo Systems GmbH, BorgWarner Turbo Systems LLC, BorgWarner Turbo Systems Worldwide Headquarters GmbH, BorgWarner Turbo Systems of Michigan Inc., BorgWarner Turbo and Emissions Systems de Mexico S.A. de C.V., BorgWarner UK Financing Ltd., BorgWarner UK Holding and Services Ltd., BorgWarner US Holding LLC, BorgWarner USA Industries L.L.C., BorgWarner United Transmission Systems Co. Ltd., BorgWarner Waterloo Inc., BorgWarner Wrexham Limited, Cascadia Motion LLC, Creon Insurance Agency Limited, Delphi Technologies, Dytech ENSA, Gustav Wahler GmbH u. Co. KG, Haldex, Kuhlman LLC, Kysor Europe Limited, M. & M. Knopf Auto Parts L.L.C., NSK-Warner (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., NSK-Warner K.K., NSK-Warner Mexico S.A. de C.V, NSK-Warner U.S.A. Inc., New PDS Corp., Old Remco Holdings L.L.C., Old Remco International Holdings L.L.C., Remy International, SeohanWarner Turbo Systems LLC, Sevcon, Sevcon New Energy Technology (Hubei) Company Limited, and Transmission Systems AutoForm LLC. William Lyon Homes (NYSE:WLH) released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, November, 6th. The construction company reported $0.37 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $0.30 by $0.07. The construction company earned $466.90 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $487.15 million. William Lyon Homes had a trailing twelve-month return on equity of 6.98% and a net margin of 3.04%. The company's quarterly revenue was down 12.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $0.68 EPS. View William Lyon Homes' earnings history. The following companies are subsidiares of The Procter & Gamble: "Procter & Gamble Services" LLC, "Procter & Gamble" LLC, Agile Pursuits, Agile Pursuits Franchising, Arbora, Arbora & Ausonia, Arborinvest, Billie, Braun (Shanghai) Co., Braun GmbH, Braun-Gillette Immobilien GmbH & Co. KG, Celtic Insurance Company, Compania Procter & Gamble Mexico, Compania Quimica S.A., Corporativo Procter & Gamble, Cosmetic Products Pty. Ltd., Detergent Products B.V., Detergent Products SARL, Detergenti S.A., Eurocos Cosmetic GmbH, FPG Oleochemicals Sdn. Bhd., Fameccanica Data S.p.A., Fameccanica Industria e Comercio Do Brasil LTDA., Fameccanica Machinery (Shanghai) Co., Fater S.p.A., Fountain Square Music Publishing Co., Gillette (China) Ltd., Gillette (Shanghai) Ltd., Gillette Aesop Ltd., Gillette Australia Pty. Ltd., Gillette Canada Holdings, Gillette Commercial Operations North America, Gillette Diversified Operations Pvt. Ltd., Gillette Egypt S.A.E., Gillette Group UK Ltd, Gillette Gruppe Deutschland GmbH & Co. oHG, Gillette Holding Company LLC, Gillette Holding GmbH, Gillette India Limited, Gillette Industries Ltd., Gillette International B.V., Gillette Latin America Holding B.V., Gillette Management LLC, Gillette Nova Scotia Company, Gillette Pakistan Limited, Gillette Poland International Sp. z.o.o., Gillette Poland S.A., Gillette U.K. Limited, Gillette del Uruguay, Giorgio Beverly Hills Inc., Hyginett KFT, Industries Marocaines Modernes SA, LLC "Procter & Gamble Novomoskovsk", LLL "Procter & Gamble Distributorskaya Compania", Laboratorios Vicks, Liberty Street Music Publishing Company, Limited Liability Company 'Procter & Gamble Trading Ukraine', Limited Liability Company with foreign investments Procter & and Gamble Ukraine, MDVIP, MERCK KGAA NPV, Marcvenca Inversiones, Modern Industries Company - Dammam, Modern Products Company - Jeddah, New Chapter, New Chapter Canada Inc., Olay LLC, Oral-B Laboratories, P&G Distribution Morocco SAS, P&G Hair Care Holding, P&G Industrial Peru S.R.L., P&G Innovation Godo Kaisha, P&G Israel M.D.O. 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Rumours about alleged cases of corruption in the German city of Bremen during decisions on applications for asylum have been used over recent days to launch a right-wing campaign against supposedly unlawfully-issued asylum decisions and to further curtail the already heavily restricted right to asylum. A closer inspection shows that the accusations are groundless. The floodgates were opened by a report published last Friday morning in the daily Suddeutsche zeitung, and broadcasters NDR and Radio Bremen. Under the sensationalist title Suspicions of wide-ranging corruption scandal at the Federal Office for Immigration and Refugees, the nominally liberal Suddeutsche reported in its online edition that the head of the Federal Offices Bremen division allegedly granted asylum in around 2,000 cases between 2013 and 2017 although the legal prerequisites were not present. The incident, which the Bild tabloid blew up into a major corruption scandal, was not even a storm in a teacup. In reality, the case does not involve any corruption, since the head of the Bremen office neither received money nor benefits in kind for herself or a third party, or any unlawfully issued positive asylum decisions. Those involved in the overwhelming majority of the cases being called into question are members of the Yazidi religious group who were forced to flee Syria and Iraq, and are guaranteed a right to protection under German asylum law. The Yazidis, who lived in northern Syria and Iraq, were brutally persecuted during the early stages of the advances of the so-called Islamic State, which was initially backed by the imperialist powers, particularly the United States. They were systematically enslaved, raped, abused, and executed. Yazidis were recognised as having refugee status in Germany according to the Geneva Convention and European Convention of Human Rights in well over 90 percent of the cases. The civil servant is therefore merely being accused of taking control of the decision-making process, even though the Bremen office was not responsible for the cases, and of failing to inquire systematically as to whether the applicants had previously filed asylum applications in another European Union state. Nonetheless, the Bremen state prosecutor is investigating the civil servant, as well as three lawyers and an interpreter, for alleged bribery and conspiring as a criminal gang to encourage the filing of abusive asylum applications. Private apartments and lawyers offices were raided, and the Suddeutsche rushed to report that a weapon with ammunition had been found, as if the group under investigation was a bunch of mafia gangsters. In reality, the civil servant in Bremen acted out of humanitarian considerations. She had been closely following the fate of the Yazidis and positively cited reports from the refugee aid organisation ProAsyl on Twitter. This humane reaction to the plight of refugees is now being turned into a criminal offence. The goal is to make an example of her to prohibit similarly humanitarian responses to those seeking sanctuary. It is significant that the Federal Office for Immigration and Refugees became aware of the case when the Bremen office was able to stop the deportation of a Kurdish family to Iraq at the last minute. Boris Pistorius, the Minister for the Interior in the state of Lower Saxony, wrote a sharply-worded letter to the Federal Offices then head, Frank-Jurgen Weise, in which he bitterly complained about the failure to carry out the deportation because the Kurdish family had received a positive asylum decision from the state of Bremen. The procedural manner of the Bremen offices decision is totally incomprehensible, raged Pistorius, according to the Suddeutsche Zeitung. Yet the scandal is not the recognition of asylum claims from people who are fleeing war, persecution, and misery. Rather, the scandal is that German authorities, and state and federal governments refuse to grant these desperate people refugee status and ruthlessly deport them. According to the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Federal Interior Minister Horst Seehofer was deeply affected by the case. He announced the formation of an investigative commission to find out if there are systemic shortcomings in asylum decisions. In other words, the aim is to apply even more pressure to asylum decision-makers so that they issue as few positive decisions as possible. The manufactured corruption scandal was accompanied by a report in the Bild newspaper that the Immigration and Refugee Office had stopped working with 2,100 interpreters because accumulated violations had taken place in many cases. Others had their employment terminated due to a lack of expertise. The report was intended to suggest that the interpreters, by providing false translations, caused the authorities to make incorrect asylum decisions. This gross accusation is utterly false from a technical standpoint. In reality, only 30 interpreters will no longer participate in asylum hearings because they violated the Offices code of conduct, although it remains entirely unclear what they were accused of doing. All other cases result from the wave of job cuts currently being implemented across the Federal Office for Immigration and Refugees. The interpreters are not employed directly by the Federal Office, but are hired from a pool on an hourly or daily basis. When thousands of asylum applications were being processed in 2016 and 2017, the authorities expanded the pool and reduced the qualification requirements to join it. However, interpreters must now produce evidence that they have sufficient knowledge of the German language. On this basis alone, the number of interpreters dropped by around a third to roughly 5,200. The sensationalist articles calling positive asylum decisions into question and spreading lies that are being enthusiastically adopted by the nominally liberal media serve a definite political purpose. A systematic propaganda campaign against refugees and immigrants is being whipped up. While the 1,200 cases from Bremen fill the newspapers and commentators demand a tough clampdown (Suddeutsche Zeitung), or that the relaxed mentality towards asylum seekers must fundamentally change (Westfalen-Blatt), the high number of wrongly-rejected asylum applications is barely being reported on. It was revealed a month ago that in 2017, the courts upheld appeals from asylum seekers against the rejection of their application in 32,000 cases. Appeals by Syrian and Afghan refugees were upheld in around 60 percent of cases. The Bremen case is being used as a pretext to establish a commission to review positive asylum decisions. By contrast, the government commented on the high number of appeals upheld by the courts against negative asylum decisions with the laconic remark that they represented no indication of the correctness or incorrectness of the Federal Offices asylum decisions. However, the high number of successful appeals to the courts can only lead to the conclusion that negative decisions are being intentionally produced by the Federal Office. This is also in keeping with Seehofers urging, during a visit to the Federal Office for Immigration and Refugees earlier this month, to move towards the creation of arrival, decision-making, distribution, and repatriation (Anker) centres. He summed up their purpose with the statement, Arrival, decision, repatriation. The concept apparently does not allow for the refugees to remain. Officials of the Federal Office for Immigration and Refugees will work closely with federal police officers and administrative court judges in the Anker centres, even though such collaboration between executive and judicial branches violates the constitution. The up to 1,800 refugees confined in the camps will be denied basic rights during the decision-making process. They will not be permitted to receive unrestricted legal representation for their asylum case, will not receive a work permit, and children will generally not be allowed to attend school. Instead, they will be permanently watched over by security forces, subjected to unannounced searches, and thus constantly bullied and intimidated. In the coalition agreement, the Christian Democratic Union, Christian Social Union, and Social Democrats largely adopted the demands of the far-right Alternative for Germany on immigration policy, and they are now taking steps to implement them. The attack on the right to asylum, and the propagandising against Muslims, refugees, and immigrants is part of a comprehensive programme to strengthen the states repressive apparatus directed at the working class. Germanys ruling class is ever more explicitly resorting to the fascistic traditions of its past. Germany is rearming its military and pursuing an aggressive great power policy. This foreign policy transformation is being accompanied by the construction of a police state and the destruction of democratic rights, which initially impacts the most vulnerable sections of society. Three thousand graduate student workers at Columbia University in New York City went out on strike Tuesday, building on the growing wave of education workers struggles taking place nationally and internationally this year. Like their counterparts in West Virginia, Oklahoma and elsewhere, striking teaching and research assistants at the elite private university are battling over low wages and inadequate healthcare coverage, along with other workplace and social issues. The immediate trigger for the walkout was the Columbia administrations refusal to bargain with the recently certified union, Graduate Workers of Columbia-United Auto Workers (GWC-UAW) Local 2110. The university refuses to recognize student workers as employees, claiming their status as students precludes them from also being employees. The National Labor Relations Board ruled to the contrary in 2016 in its most recent determination. However, the NLRB has reversed itself repeatedly depending on its political makeup, with Democratic administrations authorizing unionization and Republicans ruling against it. Columbia administrators again this year refused to bargain, emboldened by the Trump administrations likely hostile stance towards unionization. Columbia University has followed the broader trend within higher education of relying upon highly exploited, part-time labor for a growing share of university work. Average earnings for teaching assistants, under $23,000 a year, places them below New York Citys official poverty threshold for an individual. New York Citys metric is more accurate than federal thresholds in that it considers the higher cost of housing and other expenses in New York. The struggle of part-time workers to maintain a decent standard of living stands in stark contrast to the wealth of Columbia University and its top administrators. Lee Bollinger, Columbias president, takes in $1.4 million a year, a level once unheard-of for a college administrator. Columbia, which holds an endowment of around $10 billion, is engaged in a multibillion-dollar expansion, which is transforming upper Manhattan and driving up rents far beyond the means of the areas working-class residents. A large percentage of the graduate student workers at Columbia are international students. Typically prohibited from taking on other jobs, these students are often wholly dependent on the university to stay in the country and have little recourse for unpaid or delayed stipends, a common complaint among student assistants. Under conditions of a brutal crackdown on immigrants, many international students live in fear of being expelled. Columbia has denied undocumented students access to summer housing, threatening some with homelessness, according to a spokeswoman from the student group UndoCU. The World Socialist Web Site spoke with striking workers and supporters on the picket line and during a rally Wednesday. Amy, a philosophy graduate student and striking worker, explained, What is happening at Columbia is part of a broader movement thats happening across the country where education labor is exercising its power by going on strike and demanding the labor rights deserved by the workers. Im on strike as a participant in that broad movement. Specifically, at Columbia, what Im on strike for has to do with two general principles, she said. One is the fact that the administration is violating the democratic mandate of the graduate workers, who voted by 72 percent to form a union. Another reason Im on strike is because I want a contract. As a graduate student at Columbia I experience a lot of forms of job insecurity. So, despite the fact that nobody has graduated from my particular program in philosophy within five years for over a couple of decades, were only given five years of funding. Its basically expected that after your fifth year you have to get external funding. This often becomes very precarious. There are a number of graduate workers who havent managed to get that funding for the last couple years of the program, so have had to go home or find funding elsewhere. Ned, a creative writing undergraduate student at Columbia and a work-study student, came out to support striking student-workers. The university is trying to say they are students and not workers, he said. As an undergraduate who is taught by graduate workers and who sees what they do, I want to say they are workers. We are here to show we support them and encourage them and hope the university will realize their position as it should be. A lot of eyes are on Columbia now because this is going set a precedent in the national political context in terms of what people want and how they want to get it. It also sets a precedent on how the universities have to act when students decide to strike, want to bargain, and what the repercussions are if they dont. The GWC-UAW has already pledged to conclude the walkout on April 30, the last day of classes. The Columbia administration is prepared to ride out the week of job action, rescheduling classes to off-campus locations with the blessing of the union, resuming full operations when finals begin next week. As the struggles of teachers across the country have demonstrated, the role of the unions has been to contain the strivings of workers, isolate individual walkouts and prevent the development of a nationwide struggle to defend education and those that provide it. In New York, the unions are allied with Governor Andrew Cuomo who has waged a vicious attack on teacher tenure rights by imposing a punitive evaluation system to facilitate the firing of teachers in so-called failing schools, thus scapegoating educators for problems caused by decades of school funding cuts and the growth of poverty. In exchange for the unions collaboration, Cuomo has just signed a bill that will facilitate efforts by unions to recruit new members and increase their dues base. To carry the struggle forward, student workers must take the conduct of the struggle out of the hands of the unions through the election of rank-and-file committees, and reach out to the millions of workers in the New York City area to defend their struggle. Teachers in Jersey City, New Jersey, voted April 19 to approve a deal by the Jersey City Education Association (JCEA), which was used to shut down the one-day March 16 strike by 4,000 teachers and school employees. The delay of a month was likely necessary to bully teachers and sell the deal, which did not meet their main demand to end soaring out-of-pocket medical costs under New Jerseys health care plan known as Chapter 78. Rank-and-file teachers launched the strike only two weeks after West Virginia teachers walked out, also over the health care issue. The unions were determined to shut down the strike in a major urban area in order to block the growing momentum of teacher struggles, which spread from West Virginia to Oklahoma and now Arizona and Colorado. In late February, the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers also blocked the first school strike in that city in 40 years, and then delayed a ratification vote for more than a month. In reality, the chief factor for the spread of strikes in states like West Virginia, Oklahoma and Arizona is precisely the weakness of the grip of the unions whose main function is to stifle and suppress the resistance of teachers and other workers while working with both parties to impose austerity. Of the 75 percent of the Jersey City teachers who voted, 81 percent voted in favor. Both the union and the school board sought to blackmail teachers to accept the deal with threats of impending budget cuts and the possible layoff of over 300 teachers. The 19 percent opposition, plus 25 percent abstention, indicated deep dissatisfaction. The passage of Chapter 78 in 2011 was part of a bipartisan assault on public employees living standards by the Democratic-controlled state legislature and Governor Chris Christie, a Republican. The New Jersey Education Association (NJEA) is allied with the state Democrats, which have attacked teachers and public employees just as viciously as the Republicans, and backed current Democratic governor, Phil Murphy, a former Goldman Sachs banker. In addition to increases in pension contributions, the teacher union acknowledged, Chapter 78 also mandated that employees pay a percentage of their health insurance premium. Depending on plan choices, level of coverage, and salary, the employee contribution ranges from 3% of the premium to 35% of the premium. When an employees salary increases, the contribution may jump to another level of premium sharing, resulting in the pay raise being reduced, negated, or, even worse, decreased, according to the unions web site. Subsequent premium increases further reduced public employees take-home pay. Many teachers have had to increase credit card debt in order to meet payments. The agreement between the union and board of education gives no more than a temporary abeyance of Chapter 78 cost increases, perhaps only partially in many cases. The teachers, who had wages frozen for the last eight months, will receive a 3.5 percent increase, retroactive to September, and a 2.75 percent increase for the 2018-2019 school year. In addition, the teachers will receive a check in December as a rebate to freeze the Chapter 78 costs for this year. Teachers individually insured would receive a stipend for 1.75 percent of their salary, two-adult and parent-child plans would receive a 2 percent stipend, and those with family plans would receive a 2.25 percent stipend, according to The Jersey Journal. Predictably, JCEA President Ron Greco told the Jersey Journal the deal was a fair and equitable agreement with the district. The insulting pay raises will do little for teachers who live in the New York metropolitan area, one of the most expensive regions in the world. Moreover, like the deals the unions reached in West Virginia and Oklahoma, the raises will be paid for through regressive taxes, in this case a local tax levy of two percent, that will hit working-class residents the hardest. While the unions and the media have largely blamed the wave of teacher strikes on right-wing Republicans in Red States, the actions of the Jersey City mayor and Democratic-controlled school board in Jersey City revealed that anti-working-class character of the Democrats. Mayor Steven Fulop (also a Goldman Sachs alumnus) obtained a court injunction on the same day of the teachers strike. A 12-year teacher told the WSWS the impetus for the strike came from rank-and-file teachers in the schools and not the union leadership. Members started the morning walks at the schools. It was not directed by the union. The strike was worth it. There has been an attack on public education for years. We need more walkouts and job actions. People across the country are fed up. The wealthy get a huge tax break while they say the pot of money dries up. The struggles will keep spreading especially in right-to-work states. He also voiced the distrust of the unions common to many Jersey City teachers. You cannot depend on the politicians or your own leaders. It is the grassroots who will start to walk out. We live in an oligarchy. A performing arts teacher at Snyder High School who said she had reluctantly voted for the deal told the WSWS, We still have to struggle. We are not getting our way on Chapter 78. It is a legislative fight, but I agree that the state and federal governments are cutting and a national link-up of teachers is a good idea. The ranks started the strike. Dori, teaching film making for 11 years at Snyder, said, I think the problem is more over health care for a lot of us. We need relief from the state level. We are seeing this across the United States. We continue to make less even if they give us a pay raise. My mother and grandmother were teachers. They did not make a lot of money, but they had benefits like health care. The state needs to be creative, like maybe have a loan forgiveness program. Otherwise, they are not going to retain good teachers. Another teacher told the WSWS, The agreement is not what we asked for. But this is an uphill journey. I expect the struggle to continue because the agreement is only for two years. If it had been for longer, we might have had to continue to strike. It does include the option to go back and open it. Chapter 78 relief was the main issue. Veteran teachers pay a lot and every year there has been a rise in health costs. It is time for teachers to rise up. The rich keep getting richer and the poor poorer. The needs of students are not considered. A teaching assistant at Snyder High School complained, As a substitute I do not have permanent status. A whole lot needs to be done in the schools. Teachers go above and beyond. I have no benefits and if there is no school, I do not get paid. I have no sick days. A maintenance worker said he supported the teachers. It is the little man who is not making money. So how can the rich keep making money? We definitely have to unite. More than a fifth of Jersey Citys 250,000 residents are living below the official poverty level. At the same time the city, located just five miles across the Hudson River from New York City, is home to one of the largest financial centers in the US outside of New York CityExchange Place, also known as Wall Street West. Tuesday evening was the occasion of a contentious meeting called by Kentuckys Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) board of education. Hundreds of parents, teachers, principals and community members, urging against a state takeover of the school district, turned out on the eve of a two-day tour and review of the district by Wayne Lewis, the newly-appointed commissioner of education. Also attending the meeting was a contingent from the Kentucky Pastors in Action Coalition, who favor a state takeover, which could herald the first charter schools opening in the Commonwealth. The Jefferson County district is the largest in the state, encompassing 172 schools, 6,600 teachers and 101,000 students, throughout the Louisville metropolitan area. Lewis has begun announcing changes, according to an April 24 article in the Lexington Herald-Leader. The article, headlined New education commissioner making changes. Is action on charter schools next? mentions Lewis decision to spend Wednesday and Thursday touring schools throughout JCPS, which has been under a state audit since 2016. The author then poses the question: Will re-energizing Kentuckys stalled charter school effort be his next step? The drive for charter schools is now on the fast track. Also on Tuesday, the Louisville Courier-Journal reported that the Kentucky Pastors in Action Coalition, alongside the right-wing libertarian Bluegrass Institute, held a press conference announcing their support for a state takeover of JCPS. The pastors coalition advocated for the passage in 2017 of a controversial charter school billwhich was signed into law last yearand supported other school-choice initiatives, including a scholarship tax credit program and publicly funded vouchers for preschool, according to the Courier-Journal . Kentucky educators, inspired by the rebellion of rank-and-file teachers in West Virginia last month, fought against the attempts by Republican Governor Matt Bevin to eviscerate the cost-of-living escalator of retired teachers and mobilized over 5,000 at the state capital in Frankfort on April 2. The Kentucky Education Association (KEA) moved in to prevent a statewide strike and instead used an April 13 Day of Action to promote the election of Democrats in the November elections. The KEA focused all its efforts on pushing the state legislature to override Governor Bevins veto of the budget and tax bill, both of which had been passed by the Republican-majority state House and Senate. Once the overrides passed the legislature, on their last day in session, the KEA swiftly demobilized the teacher protests, and celebrated the victory that the original bills would now become law. The bills provided meager increases for public education, which will be paid for by gutting other state programs, cutting higher education and preschool by 6.25 percent, and implementing regressive taxes placing the heaviest burden on the working class. Students from Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) on Monday held a mock funeral for higher education at the Capitol rotunda. EKU has eliminated over 150 teaching positions in the fall and will be shutting the theater, nursing and economics degree programs. With the legislative session over and the teachers back in the classroom, the governor moved quickly in what has been characterized by one Democratic state senator as a carefully orchestrated coup to take over the state Board of Education. Governor Bevin installed seven new members to the state Board of Education (BoE) on Monday, April 16. While posturing as defenders of public education and school teachers, the Democrats have in fact served as accomplices in the decimation of the school system. Bevins Democratic predecessor, two-term governor Steve Beshear, carried out some of the deepest cuts in Kentucky history, including to public education, after the 2008 financial crash. On Tuesday, April 17, the commissioner of education, Stephen Pruitt, resigned under pressure following a four-hour closed-door meeting with the new 11-member BoE, now all Bevin appointees. Pruitt was appointed education commissioner in 2015 by Beshear, just two months before Bevin was elected, and publicly opposed the expansion of charter schools. Many of the outgoing BoE members, whose four-year terms had just expired, expressed shock at the rapidity with which Pruitt was ousted. The newly appointed board elected Milton Seymore as their new chair, who promptly appointed Wayne Lewis as interim commissioner. Lewis had been a non-voting adviser to the state BoE for the past year and was a staunch ally of Governor Bevin. Lewis is notorious for his advocacy of charter schools. He is chair of the Kentucky Charter Schools Advisory Council and authors a blog called Education Policy Matters, which campaigns for charter schools. Former Kentucky BoE chairman Roger Marcum told a reporter for Insider Louisville he believes Pruitts resignation indicates Governor Bevin will push for a state takeover of JCPS. Until last year, Kentucky was one of only seven states that did not allow charter schools. On March 22, 2017, Bevin signed the establishment of charter schools into law, but their funding was not secured, and the recent legislative budget failed to fund charter schools. The back door is now open. Why is Wayne Lewis, the new commissioner of education, spending two days visiting JCPS? He intends to announce his decision no later than Monday on the result of a state audit of the district, initiated by his predecessor Stephen Pruitt in February 2017. A decision must be made whether or not to place the district under state control. State takeover of a school district the size of JCPS has never been carried out in Kentucky. State management would allow the commissioner to appoint a district manager who would hold all the powers currently held by the superintendent and school board. Those responsibilities include control over the districts finances, administration, personnel and operations, according to a report in the Louisville Courier-Journal last February. The commissioner would have the power to fire the district superintendent and board officers, and effectively wield dictatorial power over the district for a period up to three years. Teachers in Kentucky need to study the lessons of the state takeover and dismemberment of the Detroit Public Schools in 2016. The district had been under the most recent direction of an emergency manager since 2009. After teetering on the edge of bankruptcy, with the enthusiastic support of the Democratic Party and the Detroit Federation of Teachers, the 174-year-old Detroit Public Schools district was dissolved, and Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) emerged under the state-appointed manager, Stephen Rhodes. Rhodes was the US bankruptcy judge who oversaw the terms of the city of Detroit bankruptcy in 2013, which set a precedent for the destruction of public worker pensions and the privatization of public utilities. The creation of DPSCD allowed for hiring non-certified teachers; gave the state the right to close failing schools; established the precedent to hire teachers and administrators based on performance and accomplishments not steps and lanes; and allowed for further charterization of schools. Over 50 percent of Detroit students now attend a charter school, 80 percent of which are run by for-profit companies. As teachers are well aware, charter schools siphon off both funds and personnel from the public-school system. The conduct of the struggle must be taken out of the hands of the KEA, which functions not to lead the resistance of teachers but to smother and kill it. In every school and community teachers should elect rank-and-file committees to unite all teachers, appeal for the active support of all workers, and fight for a general strike by teachers and all workers across the US to defend public education and every social right of workers. Kentucky educators are encouraged to participate in the World Socialist Web Site call-in meeting Thursday, April 26, 7:00 p.m. MST (Phoenix), 9:00 pm CDT, 10:00 pm EDT To join, call (669) 224-3412 and enter access code 313-814-669 From your computer: https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/313814669 Demonstrations in Nicaragua paused Tuesday after the Sandinista Front for National Liberation (FSLN) government of President Daniel Ortega released groups of arrested demonstrators and abstained from violently breaking student barricades with lethal force. Roughly 30 people have been killed in ongoing protests so far. Following Mondays mass demonstrations in the capital Managua and across the country, the government and business groups have agreed to enter into negotiations in an effort to reduce tensions and bring the mass discontent to heel. Protests began last Wednesday as public university students, workers and pensioners expressed outrage at the governments implementation of dramatic pension cuts and an increase in worker contributions to the Social Security Instituto (INSS). The plan also demanded increases in employer contributions, and so the main business groups in the country have also intervened to both contain the demonstrations and channel discontent behind their own right-wing austerity demands. The pension reform plan was supported by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Wall Street credit agencies. The Trump administration is increasingly concerned about the growth of opposition among the impoverished masses of Nicaragua and is intensifying its intervention in order to solidify its iron grip on Central America. On Tuesday, a senior advisor of the State Department, Michael Kozak, warned that Washington will put more and more pressure on the Nicaraguan government, including economic sanctions. Kozac postured as supportive of demonstrations, claiming the administration was supporting the people in those countries that are trying to bring about change, and we try to do that through a variety of means. The former deputy and assistant secretary of state described the developments in Nicaragua as a long litany of torture [and] extrajudicial killing. Washingtons hypocrisy is extreme, as usual. Kozak himself served as the special presidential envoy to Panama during the 1989 invasion during which US forces extrajudicially killed thousands of Panamanian civilians, intentionally targeting slum neighborhoods to have maximum impact on the government of Manuel Noriega. There is growing concern that massive levels of social inequality and violence are creating conditions that could produce a Latin American version of the 2011 Arab Spring demonstrations, which sent tens of millions of workers and youth into the streets. Ortegas decision to brutally repress demonstrations against pension cuts has underscored the reactionary, pro-capitalist character of self-proclaimed socialists like Ortega. Across Latin America, the anti-worker, capitalist policies and collaborationist policies vis-a-vis US imperialism have discredited all the governments that comprise the so-called pink-tide movement of left bourgeois rule. These fears on the part of US imperialism were reflected in two editorials in leading US publications. The Washington Post wrote an editorial Tuesday asserting that protests have taken on a life of their own and reflect frustrations much wider than the social security cutbacks Even if Mr. Ortega and [vice-president] Ms. Murillo ride out this short-term crisis, their people will not soon forget what they have just experienced. The editorial issued a half-criticism, noting that order and a growing economy are this regimes justifications for denying liberty. Over the weekend, the New York Times also noted worriedly that the Roman Catholic Church provided refuge to students as it became increasingly unclear whether the church, the business community or any other interlocutor could step in and resolve the growing crisis. Similarly, Nicaraguas conservative press fears Ortega has lost all political capacity and moral authority to keep ruling, like La Prensa wrote on Monday. The Washington Post suggested that Ortega should not cling to power until it is too late. Nicaragua serves as a key strategic battlefield between the United States, which has dominated the region for over a century (including before and during the Nicaraguan civil war when the US supported dictator Anastasio Somoza and then backed anti-Sandinista death squad contras throughout the 1980s), and China, which has made key investments in the country in recent years. Ortega has made efforts to appease US imperialism. In November 2017, the FSLN-dominated National Assembly approved a significant defense initiative with the United States. The deal allowed an unspecified amount of US military equipment to be donated to Nicaragua for military security and to combat drug trafficking. The deal also sent 12 US training advisors, 40 soldiers from Joint Task Force-Bravo, two Black Hawk and two Chinook helicopters, as well as additional advisors. In other words, the equipment once used by the contras to massacre peasants and assassinate workers is now being used by the Nicaraguan military, which fired upon workers in the streets throughout the country last week. The relationship that Nicaragua has sought to develop with US imperialism is not without complications. In February, the South China Morning Post reported that the Chinese-led Nicaragua Canal project is going ahead slowly. Though the canal is only getting underway, the Morning Post noted that it would give China a major foothold in Central America, a region long dominated by the United States. The project was launched on Ortegas initiative in 2013 to challenge US control of the Panama Canal to the south. At the same time, Nicaragua has at times denied Chinese corporations permission to continue building the canal in a further sign that the US is bringing its pressure to bear on the country. The relative calm across Nicaragua yesterday is an indication that US imperialism is working out a new framework which it will force Ortega to accept if he wishes to remain in power. All indications are that Ortega will accept whatever new demands are placed on him by the Trump administration. On Monday and Tuesday, dozens of students that were detained in previous days were freed, some with their heads shaved and without shoes. Many described getting beaten up by the guards. By Monday, the previously censored channels were back on air. Elementary and high schools resumed classes on Wednesday. The president of the main business confederation, Cosep, declared Tuesday that Ortega had fulfilled their demands, adding, Now we are just waiting for the Episcopalian Conference to make its decision to convoke the dialogue, referring to Ortegas announcement that the Catholic Church will mediate the talks. The countrys public university students have rejected the government and big businesses detente. Having suffered the brunt of the repression, the Polytechnic University (Upoli) students that have occupied the University formed a group called the Self-convoked University Community of April 19, which published a statement on Tuesday. In the statement, the students insist that protests began peacefully against the INSS reform. The students denounce the government repression that has killed 29, including students. The students have called for a national university strike in the main public and private universities across the country to demand the release of all protesters, an end to the repression, freedom of expression and the resignation of the police chiefs, Daniel Ortega and his wife and Vice President Rosario Murillo. Regardless of whether the Ortega-US-Cosep strategic retreat causes demonstrations to subside, mass working class anger against growing inequality has not subsided. This anger provoked the largest demonstrations since the 1978-79 uprising which ousted the Somoza dictatorship. A warning must be made to workers across Latin America. Spontaneous opposition to inequality and imperialism, however legitimate, can be manipulated by American imperialism and the corrupt national bourgeoisie to bring about an even further shift to the right in the politics of any country. There is no substitute for revolutionary leadership. The World Socialist Web Site calls for workers and youth to contact the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI) and construct sections of the Socialist Equality Party (SEP) throughout Central and South America. The Rail and Maritime Transport Union (RMTU) this month pushed through another agreement, covering over 400 rail workers, with transnational transport companies Transdev and Hyundai Rotem (THR), which operate Wellingtons commuter rail service. The RMTU announced the ratification of the Multi-Employer Collective Agreement (MECA), originally meant for renewal in July 2017, in a one-page notice on April 9. It asserted that 97.9 percent of members voted to accept the recommended settlement and the proposed settlement is deemed ratified. In fact, the RMTU has no mandate to impose the new contract. The ratification is a fraud, achieved through an anti-democratic secret ballot in which unreturned voting papers were shamelessly counted as in favour of the union-company deal. The RMTU issued 380 voting papers by post and reportedly received eight votes against the agreement. The vote was carried out after the union sent text messages to workers that an agreement suddenly had been reached, following months of silence and behind-closed doors negotiations. The RMTU called a solitary 24-hour strike last November to corral workers anger over a company 1.3 percent wage increase offer and demands for cuts to penalty rates for Hyundai Rotem workers. The union never put in an actual figure for a wage claim. The clawback threat to penalty rates was subsequently dropped, enabling the union to falsely declare a victory and call off a second 24-hour strike planned for early December. The RMTU was assisted by the pseudo-left International Socialist Organisation, which declared on February 28 that rail workers had won after only one day on strike. In fact the renewed MECA includes a miserly pay increase of 2 percent, backdated to July 2017, the same as the expired 2016 contract. It is well below the soaring living costs hitting the working class. A union-company Terms of Settlement, accompanying the contract, seeks to deceive workers by stating that THR should aspire to become a living wage employer. This refers to a bogus campaign mounted by some trade unions to establish a minimum living wage of $20.55 an hour. Most of THRs proposed clawbacks have been shelved only temporarily. The union agreed to a change in wording to the vehicle allowance, when THR requires workers to use their own vehicle for business purposes, and to medical certificates being required for absences of more than five days or in frequent short illnesses or repeated absenteeism. There are new pay scales for train examiners, engineers, store persons, team leaders and other staff. The agenda behind the agreement is to pave the way for wage controls, reduced staff, job cuts and redundancies. On April 19, management and union delegates privately advised about a dozen full-time passenger operators that their jobs will be eliminated in July. They were told their role has become superfluous to the needs of the company and they will be offered voluntary redundancy, part-time passenger operator employment or unspecified redeployment. Transdev staff engagement meetings between a manager and small groups of workers did not mention this decision. The union-company statement had falsely insisted there was no intention to reduce pay or conditions or to make employees compulsorily redundant as a result of any changes to on-board train staffing levels. The document refers to staffing levels on trains as a challenging issue to be worked on between the RMTU, Transdev and an agreed third party facilitator. Wellington passenger trains always run understaffed, particularly on busy peak-hour services, saving the company thousands of dollars. Since the 19841990 Labour government began cutting thousands of jobs at NZ Rail, KiwiRails 1980s predecessor, in preparation for privatisation, successive governments and operators have relied on the unions to push workers into taking so-called voluntary redundancies, or be fired, to slash costs and boost profits. The Labour and Green Party-dominated Greater Wellington Regional Council (GWRC) privatised the Wellington regional rail service in 2016 through a 15-year deal with THR to save $100 million at the expense of wages, penal rates and job conditions. The Socialist Equality Group (New Zealand) warned last month that the renewal of the existing employment contract would mean the continuation of the assault on jobs, wages and conditions, with the collaboration of the RMTU. This has been entirely vindicated. The GWRC is now seeking to change train timetables in July, and impose a new roster system for locomotive engineers, train managers and other staff. This will mean more train services with shorter breaks between rosters, longer hours and disruptive shift work. Meanwhile, in Auckland, Transdev and the Labour Party-run city council are demanding around 200 job cuts and the introduction of driver-only operated (DOO) trains. The RMTU claims to oppose DOO-job cuts, but on March 5 the union called off a limited overtime ban and released a joint statement announcing a collective agreement that commits the union to ongoing discussions over staffing. The RMTU has opposed the unification of rail workers struggles in Auckland and Wellington, despite the fact that Transdev runs both systems. The experience of New Zealand rail workers mirrors that of their counterparts in the Australian state of New South Wales. Workers there recently took to social media to condemn an agreement imposed by the Rail, Tram and Bus Union and the Combined Rail Unions, covering around 9,000 train staff. The Australian unions pushed through the sellout deal in a postal ballot that concluded on March 23. The agreement, which will intensify the assault on workers jobs and conditions, was reportedly passed by a razor-thin margin after a months-long campaign by the unions to suppress widespread anger among rail staff. Rail workers who want to defend their wages, jobs and conditions must launch a rebellion against the pro-capitalist trade union bureaucracy and the Labour Party by taking the initiative and forming new rank-and-file workplace committees, completely independent of the unions, democratically controlled by the workers themselves. These committees must unite with bus drivers and transport workers throughout New Zealand, Australia and internationally who are coming into struggle. To defeat capitalist governments and transnational corporations requires an international fight imbued with a socialist perspective and a party that seeks to abolish the capitalist system and establish workers governments, as the basis for socialism. We appeal to rail workers who agree with this political perspective to contact the SEG, which is fighting to build a section of the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI) in New Zealand. The author also recommends: A reply to the RMTU on the anti-working class record of the New Zealand rail unions [29 September 2017] With the world media focused on the discussions in Washington between US President Donald Trump and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron concerning the Iranian nuclear agreement, the Israeli government has adopted an increasingly provocative posture toward Iran while carrying out a buildup on its northern border in preparation for a military confrontation. Macron bowed to Trumps demand for an aggressive policy toward Iran aimed at further curtailing not only the countrys nuclear program, but also its conventional weapons, and rolling back its influence throughout the Middle East. Nevertheless, the reaction in Tel Aviv to the Franco-American summit was largely negative. The Israeli perception is that Macron might succeed in brokering a deal that would deter the American president from the outright repudiation of the JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action), the nuclear deal reached between Iran and six major powersthe US, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germanyin 2015. Trump faces a May 12 deadline for deciding whether to scrap the agreement and reimpose unilateral US sanctions against Iran. This would place Washington on a direct trajectory toward war with Iran, the preferred outcome of the Israeli government. Israeli Intelligence Minister Israel Katz said in a radio interview Wednesday that the Iranian nuclear deal had to be fundamentally amended, and if not, cancelled. He warned that Macron and other European leaders had to understand that putting pressure on Iran today can prevent violence and perhaps war tomorrow. The warning of a potential war made by the Israeli minister was by no means hypothetical. Israel has sharply escalated the danger of an all-out military confrontation with Iran. Largely overshadowed by the April 14 US-British-French missile strikes launched against Syria on the phony pretext of a chemical weapons attack was an Israeli attack carried out against Syria six days earlier, with potentially even more far-reaching consequences. The April 8 strike, a direct violation of international law and a violation of the sovereignty of two countries, was launched by US-supplied F-15 fighter jets flying over Lebanon against Syrias T4 Air Base in the central province of Homs. The victims of the Israeli missiles included over a dozen military personnel, including seven Iranian military advisers, apparently the intended targets. Iranian personnel are in Syria to support the government of President Bashar al-Assad, Tehrans closest ally in the Arab world, against the bloody seven-year-old war for regime change orchestrated by the CIA and Washingtons regional allies. Tehran responded to the Israeli attack with an implicit threat of retaliation. When a regime assumes the right to violate another countrys airspace in a planned move and also targets forces fighting with terrorism, it should definitely consider its consequences and retaliatory actions, the secretary of Irans Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), Ali Shamkhani, told reporters on Tuesday. The Israeli government has answered Tehran with declarations that it is prepared for war. The IDF (Israel Defense Forces) and the security forces are ready for any development, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared recently. We will fight whoever tries to harm us. We are not put off by the price and will exact a cost from those who want to harm us. Israeli army units have reportedly been reinforced on the Syrian and Lebanese borders, and the countrys air force has been placed on high alert. The Western media has cast the escalating confrontation as pitting an aggressive Iran against a besieged Israel. This is nonsense. While Iran bowed to US and European pressure to limit its peaceful nuclear program, Israel remains the regions sole nuclear power, with an arsenal estimated at 200 to 400 warheads. With the backing of Washington and its allies, Tel Aviv has steadfastly refused to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Meanwhile, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, Saudi Arabia, which has emerged as the key regional ally in the US-Israeli axis against Iran, spent five times more than Tehran on military hardware in 2016. Iran is a target because, as a regional power, it presents an obstacle to the US drive to exert undisputed hegemony over the oil-rich Middle East. Iranian influence, including in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon, has been strengthened by the catastrophic consequences of a quarter-century of US wars in the region. The threat of an Israeli war against Iran has been underscored by a flurry of meetings between the US and Israeli military establishments. Gen. Joseph Votel, the chief of the US Central Command, which oversees military operations in the Middle East, paid a visit to Israel on Monday, the first ever by a Centcom commander. His mission was apparently to assure the Netanyahu government that the US would not be carrying out Trumps recent promise to withdraw American forces from Syria. Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman then flew to Washington on Wednesday for talks with US officials, including Defense Secretary James Mattis and National Security Adviser John Bolton. The agenda, according to the Israeli government, was countering Irans expansion in the Middle East, and especially in Syria. There are, no doubt, divisions within the ruling establishment both in Washington and in Europe over Israels drive toward war with Iran. As the Washington Post reported, [S]ome foreign policy figures in Washington seem keen on letting Israel continue its covert campaign against the Iranians. They see Israeli strikes as necessary at a time when Mr. Trump wants to disengage from the Syrian conflict... On Wednesday, the daily Telegraph published an article drafted by Gen. Richard Dannatt, former chief of the British general staff, titled War between Iran and Israel is comingand Britain must take a stand against the formers terrorist proxies. General Dannatt argues that we now face a situation where Iran, if left unchecked, will be the cause of a potentially devastating new war with Israel in the region. The former British commander makes the case that Israel faces an intolerable threat in Syria and Lebanon, concentrating his fire on Lebanons bourgeois Islamist Hezbollah movement, which he repeatedly charges with embedding its arms and fighters among the civilian population, providing a preemptive alibi for a future massacre of Lebanese civilians by the IDF. We must be prepared to expect Israel to defend its vital security interests robustly, writes the British general. Many criticize the IDF for being heavy-handed, but having quizzed their chiefs of staffs personally, I believe they would act within acceptable legal and moral standards. These standards have found recent expression in the IDFs slaughter of unarmed demonstrators on the Israeli border with Gaza, where at least 40 have been shot dead and several thousand wounded. A major factor driving Tel Avivs escalation toward war against Iran is the growth of social tensions within Israel. The most socially unequal of the so-called advanced countries after the United States, Israel is gripped by unending corruption scandals. Under these conditions, the Israeli government has ample motive for directing internal tensions outward in the form of war. Similar motives underlie the support in Washington and among the other major imperialist powers for Israeli aggression and a far wider war in the Middle East. The reckless policies being pursued by Israel and its backers in Washington, London and elsewhere threaten to trigger a region-wide conflict that could quickly draw in all of the major powers, including the worlds largest nuclear powers, the US and Russia. The only means of preventing such a catastrophe is the development of a mass movement of the international working class against war and the capitalist system that produces it. Mark Rudd, the most prominent leader of the student protests at Columbia University in April 1968, one the seminal events of the 1960s radicalization in the United States, has written a thoroughly dishonest and politically reactionary commentary on that experience in an op-ed column published Monday by the New York Times. Under the headline, The Missing History of the Columbia 68 Protests, Rudd briefly describes the protests directed against the universitys collaboration with the US war in Vietnam and its plans to expand into nearby Harlem at the expense of the black working class residents of that Manhattan district. Students occupied five buildings, but were eventually driven out by a police assault in which hundreds of students and supporters were beaten and tear-gassed and more than a thousand arrested. Students occupying building at Columbia University,1968 Rudd goes on to bemoan the alleged neglect of the role of black and female students in both contemporary and historical accounts of the Columbia events, writing that this history which privileges the actions and concerns of white students like myself, is incomplete. If the main purpose of this account were to rewrite 1968 from the perspective of identity politics, it would be of little interest. Such efforts are pervasive in academia and the media. They are politically aligned with the focus on race, gender and sexual orientation used by the Democratic Party for the past four decades to disguise its steady shift to the right and its increasingly overt hostility to measures that would improve the living standards and social conditions of working people. But Rudd concludes his column with a remark that explains why the New York Times chose to run his column. As for myself, he writes, after a rocky few years pursuing the fantasy of anti-imperialist and socialist revolution, I settled into a lifetime of teaching and organizing. This passage is an oblique reference to the authors role in the Weatherman organization, set up by former leaders of the Students for a Democratic Society. Under the influence of Maoism, they fought in street battles with the police, went underground, and engaged in sporadic bombings, mainly notable for killing three of their own members, who died in a Greenwich Village townhouse in an accidental blast in 1970. Rudd resurfaced in 1977 and turned himself in to the police. He was sentenced to probation but no jail time since he had not actually participated in any of the bombings. He has spent his life since then as a teacher of remedial mathematics in the New Mexico community college system, retiring a few years ago. Despite its radical pretensions and glorification of violence, the Weatherman organization had nothing whatever to do with socialist revolution. It was based on a politically illiterate amalgam of Maoism and anarchism that was clear on only one question: the rejection of Marxism and its orientation to the working class as the leading revolutionary force in modern society. The founding document of the Weathermen, adopted in the summer of 1969, declared: [A]ny conception of socialist revolution simply in terms of the working people of the United Statesis a conception of a fight for a particular privileged interest (cited in A Hard Rain Fell: SDS and Why It Failed, by David Barber, 2010). Instead, the Weathermen glorified the individual violence of a handful of radicalized young people, most of them, like Rudd, drawn from privileged layers of the middle class, and some, like co-founder Bill Ayers, literally the children of the ruling class (his father was CEO of Commonwealth Edison). In his 2010 memoir, Underground: My Life with SDS and the Weathermen, Rudd wrote what could serve as his own political obituary: Much of what the Weathermen did had the opposite effect of what we intended. We de-organized SDS while we claimed we were making it stronger; we isolated ourselves from our friends and allies as we helped split the larger antiwar movement around the issue of violence. In general, we played into the hands of the FBI. We might as well have been on their payroll. While Rudd, Ayers & Co. were indeed acting out a fantasyguerrilla warfare within the belly of the beastthe political conditions prevailing in the United States and worldwide in the period that opened up in 1968 were indeed pregnant with revolution. Governments around the world were shaken by mass revolts, and in many cases toppled altogether. The year began with the Tet Offensive in Vietnam, which shattered the claims of the Johnson administration that it was winning the war against the National Liberation Front, leading to a political crisis within the Democratic Party and Johnsons announcementonly three weeks before the Columbia protests beganthat he would not run for reelection. Only a few days after the Columbia events, the French working class erupted in the greatest general strike in modern historyMay-June 1968, in which 10 million workers seized virtually every factory in the country. Socialist revolution in France was derailed only by an all-out effort of the Stalinist French Communist Party, and even so, President Charles DeGaulle was ousted within a year. There followed, over the next seven years, mass strike movements in Italy and Germany (the latter marking the coming to power of the Social Democrats for the first time in 40 years); the Prague Spring movement in Czechoslovakia, ultimately suppressed by an invasion by the Stalinist Warsaw Pact countries; the ousting of the Tory government in Britain by a nationwide coal miners strike; the collapse of the regime of Greek colonels; and the revolution in Portugal that put an end to 50 years of fascist autocracy. Outside Europe, the period 1968-1975 saw colonial revolutions in Angola and Mozambique and mass upheavals across Latin America, including the near-revolution in Chile that was drowned in blood by Pinochets CIA-backed coup, in another colossal betrayal by Stalinism. In the United States, the Watergate crisis culminated in the forced resignation of President Richard Nixon in 1974, followed by the final humiliation of US imperialism in Vietnam with the collapse of the puppet regime in Saigon in April 1975. The capitalist rulers survived this period only thanks to the betrayals of Stalinism, social democracy and the trade union bureaucracies, supplemented by the political disorientation engendered by the leaders of the New Left and the Pabloite opponents of Trotskyism, who either glorified the Stalinist regimes in China and Vietnam or simply dismissed the central problem of building a new revolutionary leadership in the working class. The real history of this period is a closed book to demoralized ex-radicals like Rudd. Having sowed a few wild oats in their youth, they have long since made their peace with American capitalism and the Democratic Party. In an interview in 2016, Rudd paid tribute to Bernie Sanders, declaring, Bernies candidacy absolutely shook the Democratic Party to its neoliberal roots. Imagine what we could accomplish if we had a real socialist movement, not just a single courageous, tireless old guy running for the presidency. We could turn the Democratic Party into a party of the people. Rudd looks back on 1968a year when revolution was truly in the air, from Chicago and New York to Paris, Prague and Berlinand dismisses socialist revolution as an impossibility. But it is the perspective of transforming the political sewer of the Democratic Party, infested by billionaires, spies and union bureaucrats, into a party of the people that is truly a fantasy. As for the Times editors who solicited Rudds demoralized screed, they have more contemporary concerns. They fear the specter of social revolution, not 50 years ago, but today, when the working class around the world is beginning to break free of the old parties and union apparatuses that have suppressed the class struggle for nearly half a century. The US Supreme Court yesterday heard oral arguments in the case of Trump vs. Hawaii, the legal challenge by the state of Hawaii to the third version of Trumps travel ban, which bars citizens of Somalia, Libya, Iran, Yemen, Syria, North Korea and many Venezuelans from traveling to the United States. The court is not expected to reach its verdict until June. In December 2017, however, the court voted to overturn a temporary stay on the ban by lower courts, thus allowing it to stay in force until the court reaches a decision on the policys legality. This ensures that in the meantime, an unknown number of refugees will continue to die without being able to reach the US. The latest version of the travel ban was announced by Trump in September 2017. The first version, which Trump signed into law on January 27, during the first week of his presidency, was subjected to numerous lawsuits on the grounds that it blatantly discriminated against Muslims, targeting seven Muslim-majority countries and providing exceptions for religious minorities. The administrations subsequent efforts to redraft the measure, the handiwork of Trumps fascistic advisor Stephen Miller and his former Chief Strategist Steve Bannon, are transparently aimed at providing it with a pseudo-legal cover. The administration has dropped Iraq from the ban and added additional countriesNorth Korea and Venezuelaas well as Chad, which has since been removed. As a result, the measure is now even more expansive than the first ban, and prevents as many as 100 million people around the world from traveling to the US based on their country of origin. The arguments by the Trump administration and its representative, Solicitor General Noel Francisco, before the court yesterday underscored the fascistic aims and pedigree of the policy. In the course of his remarks, Francisco was asked by Justice Elena Kagan to comment on a hypothetical case of a virulently anti-semitic president, who says all kinds of denigrating comments about Jews and, in the course of that, asks his staff or his cabinet members to issue recommendations so that he can issue a proclamation banning immigration from Israel. Francisco responded by declaring that such an action would be entirely legal, so long as Trumps cabinet were to come to him and say, Mr. President, there is honestly a national security risk here and you have to act. The fact that the travel ban is targeted against Muslims and is aimed at whipping up anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim chauvinism is understood both among its supportersincluding the fascist Daily Stormer and Breitbart Newsas well as its opponents in the overwhelming majority of the US and world population. Throughout his presidential campaign in 2016, Trump repeatedly shouted at his election rallies that there must be extreme vetting of Muslims traveling to the country, and called for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States, as part of his efforts, which have continued into his presidency, to whip up a far-right and fascistic base of support. The administrations lawyers absurdly argued yesterday, however, that these statements had no significant bearing on the policy, because campaign statements are made by a private citizen before he takes the oath of office, and that there is a fundamental transformation from being a private citizen to the embodiment of the executive branch. In the wake of yesterdays hearings, legal commentators have noted, based on the arguments and line of questioning by the Supreme Court justices, that the court will more likely than not uphold Trumps ban. This would represent a further historic milestone in the evisceration of basic democratic rights in the United States and the march toward the erection of an authoritarian police state by the American ruling class. The questioning by the Republican-appointed conservative judges on the bench, as well as Anthony Kennedy, considered to be the swing voter more likely to side with the courts nominally liberal wing to prevent the ban, supported the governments argument that the determination of threats to national security, used as a pretext for the ban, is not subject to judicial review. Moreover, the courts so-called liberal wing has itself repeatedly voted to allow the basic framework of Trumps reactionary travel ban to go into effect. In June 2017, the court voted unanimously to allow the second version of Trumps temporary 90-day Muslim ban, drafted in March, to go into force. In December, the court voted 7-2 to allow the latest iteration of the ban to continue, with votes in support by Obama nominee Elena Kagan and Clinton nominee Stephen Breyer. These decisions have been based on the same pseudo-legal argument of national security considerations that the administration is using in the current case. In fact, none of the terrorist attacks carried out in the United States since 2001 have been carried out by individuals from the countries targeted in the latest bans. The fact that the Trump administrations travel ban has been able to even be implemented and reached the Supreme Court is a product of the role played by the Democratic Party, which has systematically worked to demobilize popular opposition to Trumps anti-immigrant policies since the election and the mass demonstrations of millions of people at airports around the country in January last year opposing the signing of the ban. The Democrats have not mounted any campaign against Trump over his attacks on immigrants, his tax cuts for the financial elite, his bombing of Syria or threats of war against Iran and North Korea. They have instead attacked Trump from the right, for being supposedly soft on Russia, as part of their efforts to force the administration to adopt a more aggressive posture toward Moscow. The Democratic Party has moreover acquiesced to all of the most reactionary elements of Trumps anti-immigrant policy, including the construction of a wall along the Mexico border and the permanent detention of immigrants who seek to cross the border, and the planned deportation of DACA recipients. US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin will travel to China for trade discussions, possibly next week, ahead of the planned imposition of tariffs on up to $150 billion worth of Chinese goods, due to come into effect by the end of May. Speaking on the negotiations during a press briefing with visiting French President Emmanuel Macron, President Donald Trump said there was very good chance of making a deal. But if no agreement were reached, the US would proceed with very substantial tariffs on Chinese imports. Mnuchin first raised the possibility of a visit during the International Monetary Fund meetings last weekend. According to a Wall Street Journal report, he initially planned to make a visit on his own. But the negotiating team will include US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and possibly White House trade adviser Peter Navarro, both of whom are regarded as hawks on the issue of China trade. According to the Journals report, the composition of the team reflects divisions within the administration. Mnunchin regarded as significant the recent speech by Chinese President Xi Jinping, offering concessions on restrictions on foreign auto firms and investment rules, while Lighthizer and Navarro considered that view to be naive. In the event, Mnuchin heads the team but he will be accompanied by what could be described as minders. The divisions are such that Scott Kennedy, a China specialist at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies, said his concern was that the primary negotiations in Beijing will be between members of the American team rather than between the Americans and Chinese. There is considerable doubt as to whether the talks will produce anything of substance and avoid the measures and counter-measures being put forward by both sides. A decision on the imposition of the initial tariffs on $50 billion worth of Chinese goods is set to be made on May 22. Proposals are also being drawn up for the imposition of tariffs on an additional $100 billion worth of goods, foreshadowed by Trump following Chinas counter-measures directed against US agricultural products. A report by Bloomberg said that if recent history is a guide, the trip may be long on ceremony and short on concrete outcomes. It noted that a 100-day action plan announced during a summit between Trump and Xi last year did little to address trade imbalances and that a two-way formal economic dialogue had been suspended. Michael Hirson, head of China research at the Eurasia Group and formerly the US Treasury Departments chief representative in Beijing, told Bloomberg it was unlikely the talks would prevent the tariffs taking effect, given the credibility each has staked in showing resolve. Beijing will not make steep and immediate concessions. Xi is too confident in his political strength vis-a-vis Trump and too determined to avoid vindicating Trumps pressure tactics. Similar views were voiced in the Financial Times by Mei Xinyu, a strategist for the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, described as being known for his hawkish views. That the US is willing to send people over is progress, but I think we need to set some conditions, that the US should act according to WTO [World Trade Organisation] regulations and not US domestic law, Mei said. Talks shouldnt mean the US unilaterally imposing its demands. If the US wants to wield its domestic law unilaterally it should withdraw from the WTO. The US measures are being introduced under section 301 of the 1974 Trade Act, which authorises a president to take action against trade practices deemed to be unjustified or that burden or restrict US commerce. The Trump administration is eschewing any moves within the WTO because it regards that body as a barrier to US interests. Publicly, Trump rails against the US-China trade deficit$375 billion last year and potentially even higher this year. But the administration regards Chinas Made in China 2025 program of developing capacities in high-tech areas, such as communications, robotics and artificial intelligence, as more significant, threatening US economic and even military dominance in these key areas. Further moves are being considered on this front. The Wall Street Journal reported that the US Justice Department is considering whether the giant Chinese communications firm Huawei has violated US sanctions related to Iran. No details were provided on how far the probe has advanced and what specific issues are being investigated. But the report said a worst case scenario could entail Huawei suffering the same fate as smaller Chinese rival ZTE which lost access to US-made components in a similar probe. The Trump administration has banned US companies from supplying components to ZTE for seven years under a finding that ZTE breached an agreement reached over its alleged violations of sanctions on North Korea and Iran. Any action against Huawei would not be directed against its sales of products to the US. It barely has a US market for its goods, having been previously barred on national security grounds. But Huawei is a very significant player in the international telecommunications market, with major interests in the UK. It is the worlds largest maker of cellular-tower electronics and other equipment. Huawei featured in a key decision by the Trump administration earlier this year to ban the takeover bid by Broadcom for Qualcomm, a major manufacturer of chips and other high-tech products. The basis for the decision was that if the takeover went ahead, Broadcom would cut back on research and development expenditure in order to finance the deal, and this would advantage Huawei in the race to develop 5G phone technology. Placed within the broader context of the mounting US measures aimed at Chinas development of high-tech products, which it regards as a longer-term existential threat, the trade talks scheduled to take place in Beijing parallel the negotiations with North Korea, That is, they are not so much aimed at averting a trade war but rather are part of the preparations for the launching of a conflict should it be considered necessary. The Trump administrations Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has separated more than 700 children, including infants, from their families at the US-Mexico border since October, according to a New York Times investigation. The Trump administration had declared previously that it was considering taking children away from parents as a deterrent to immigration. While officials have stated that the number of families separated in this fashion is low, immigrant rights groups have sought official data to determine how many families have been broken up. New data obtained by the Times shows that of those separated in this fashion, more than 100 are under the age of four. The data was released by the Office of Refugee Settlement, a division of the Department of Health and Human Services, which detains children who have been removed from their parents custody. While DHS officials initially denied the numbers were so high, a spokesman confirmed there were approximately 700. While the DHS denied that it was separating families to deter immigration, John Kelly, Trumps chief of staff who served last year as Homeland Security secretary, publicly floated the idea late last year. Kelly proposed to shut down immigrant detention camps designed for families and replace them with separate camps for adults and children. The White House supported the idea and convened several government agencies to investigate the possibility, but the DHS denied it was ever adopted it as official policy. Typically, children who are taken away from their families are sheltered by nongovernmental organizations where workers can see if a relative or guardian living in the US can take care of them. But this process is especially difficult for those without documents, and children can languish in these shelters for years. In fact, Border Patrol officials told the Times that there is no firm process to determine whether children were separated from their legitimate parents, or even to reunite children who were mistakenly separated from their families. The Times cited the case of Mirian, an immigrant who is suing the government with support from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) to prevent families from being separated at the border. Mirian was held in three detention centers in Texas, without ever being told why her son was being taken away from her. Since February the only word she received of his whereabouts came from a case manager in San Antonio, where he is being held. She was told her son asked about her and cried all the time while dealing with an ear infection and a cough. The DHS has defended its cruel and inhumane polices by pointing to allegations of fraud, in which immigrants were supposedly caught crossing the border with other peoples children in the hope that they would be given lenient sentences. The DHS undersecretary Kirstjen Nielsen has sought new ways to discourage immigration, in addition to a policy of family separation. Now, even immigrants with old deportation orders that were never enforced are being detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) despite being married to a legal citizen or permanent resident for years. The Times featured an interview with Karah de Oliveira, a woman from Massachusetts who has been married to Fabiano de Oliveira from Brazil and has a five-year-old son with him. Fabiano had no prior criminal conviction but was ordered back to Brazil 13 years ago. When the couple decided to officially get married in order enjoy the usual privileges of naturalized citizens, like buying a house and boarding an airplane, they went to the immigration office in Lawrence, Massachusetts only to meet two ICE agents with handcuffs. Ms. de Oliveira told the Times, He got caught because he was trying to do the right thing, adding, it was like a setup. While in years past, being married to a US citizen was a near guarantee against deportation, immigrants with homes, families and even businesses are finding themselves deported despite having no criminal record. Perhaps most disturbing is that immigrants who show up to routine ICE appointments are being arrested. Meanwhile immigrants who have past deportation orders have few, if any, real prospects to avoid arrest. Last fall, a Mexican man from Denver who was trying to get a green card from his daughter at Yale was arrested at his residency interview. In San Francisco earlier this year, a Sudanese man was arrested at his interview for political asylum. Even though he overstayed his visa, he had no criminal record or deportation order. The latest developments reported by the Times underscore the grave threat to immigrants living in the US. While the Trump administration has greatly increased immigration arrests, which have grown by 40 percent increase since 2017, both Democrats and Republicans are to blame for the attacks on immigrants. The Obama administration deported some 3 million immigrants, more than all previous US presidents combined. 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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 By Zachary Fagenson MIAMI (Reuters) - John Hoatson's home is a shrine to Princess Diana, with everything from a wedding day portrait to a plush doll and miniature replicas of her wedding shoes. Hoatson's passion for all things Diana began when he was 8 and shows no signs of fading at the age of 45, with Diana's son Prince Harry scheduled to wed retired American actress Meghan Markle on May 18 at Windsor Castle. The wedding will give Hoatson the opportunity to add to a collection that numbers 13,000 items. A museum valued it at about $500,000 in 2011, he said. As a child, Hoatson was an American history buff, collecting antiques related to the first U.S. president, George Washington. He became hooked on the royal family and Diana after seeing her wedding to heir-to-the-throne Prince Charles on July 29, 1981. "My mother woke me up the morning of the royal wedding of Charles and Diana and told me I needed to watch it for historical reasons," he told Reuters during an interview in his home surrounded by objects from his collection. "I was fascinated how they still used all the carriages and still had all that pomp and pageantry even after so many centuries," said Hoatson, who is single. One wall in his small Pompano Beach, Florida, home is covered by a black-and-white photo of Diana gazing into the camera. A wall-covering portrait of Diana and Charles from the wedding day hangs nearby and a National Geographic documentary about her life plays on a loop on his television. Other items include signed cards, handwritten notes to her staff, porcelain trinkets bearing the Windsor family crest, the tiny replica shoes, the plush doll in a powder blue satin dress and sparkling tiara, and coffee mugs, plates, and bowls bearing Diana's image. He even has a bar of soap Diana used on a Caribbean vacation. Hoatson considers his prized possession a sliver of fruitcake in its original box from the wedding day, which he acquired in 2004 from an auction house for $300. "That was when Diana became a member of the royal family," he said. Now, Hoatson is organizing an office watch party for Prince Harry's nuptials and plans to begin adding mementos from the day as soon as they become available. (Reporting by Zachary Fagenson; Editing by Ben Klayman) French President Emmanuel Macron has been notably active on the national scene since his election last year, launching initiatives aimed at modernizing France. He has also applied the same energy to foreign policy, with a global strategy dubbed France is back. Since his election a year ago, Emmanuel Macron has improved Frances image around the world and re-established mutual trust with foreign countries, deputy director Bruno Tertrais of the Paris-based Foundation for Strategic Research said. PHOTO: French President Emmanuel Macron waits before delivering his speech at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, April 17, 2018. (Patrick Seeger/EPA-EFE via REX/Shutterstock) ANALYSIS: How the US helped to defuse Saudi Arabia's dangerous gambit with Lebanon What France expects from 1st state visit hosted by Trump A novice on foreign affairs, the French president, amid a state visit this week to the United States, has thrown himself into putting France at the center of the international stage. "Emmanuel Macrons foreign policy is realistic but not cynical, Tertrais said, and he has a good understanding of the worldwide balance of power. Others share that sentiment. When comparing Emmanuel Macrons foreign policy with his two predecessors -- Nicolas Sarkozy and Francois Hollande -- there is a contrast, Thomas Gomart, director of the French Institute for International Relations, said. He wants to enhance the stature of the French president by giving more significance to his addresses and his behavior. At home, the 40-year-old Frenchman has taken advantage of British Prime Minister Theresa Mays struggles with Brexit and German Chancellor Angela Merkels national political turmoil to become the main voice of the European Union. He is pushing for E.U. reforms and advocating deeper cooperation and integration among the 28 member states. On the military front, Macron has committed to promoting the G5 Sahel, an African regional security bloc comprising Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Burkina Faso and Niger fighting terrorism in northern Africa. The French president mobilized the international community to help finance the G5 anti-terror military force. Story continues Dozens of men, women and children were massacred using chemical weapons in Douma on Saturday, 7 April. The red line has been crossed. I have therefore ordered the French armed forces to intervene.https://t.co/mezFfV1Hh9 pic.twitter.com/7lVhMjhx9I Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) 14 avril 2018 In Syria, the French president proved his capacity to coordinate with his U.S. and British counterparts earlier this month during a joint military operation targeting the Syrian regimes chemical facilities. On climate change, Macron declared last year that he wanted to make our planet great again after President Donald Trump decided to pull out of the Paris Climate Accord. He has since taken the lead on the issue by mobilizing public and private funding in the fight against global warming. During the One Planet Summit in Paris in December, banks and companies announced billions of dollars of intended divestment from coal, oil and gas. PHOTO: French President Emmanuel Macron delivers a speech at the One Planet Summit in this Dec. 12, 2017 file photo at La Seine Musicale venue on l'ile Seguin in Boulogne-Billancourt, west of Paris. (Ludovic Marin/AFP/Getty Images, FILE) Finally, Macron has also played the role of mediator on the international stage by personally helping to resolve a political crisis between Lebanon and Saudi Arabia in November 2017. We have to assess foreign policy on the long term, Gomart, of the French Institute for International Relations, said. But, undeniably, Frances foreign policy is now more articulated, credible and serious. Despite all his efforts, however, the French president failed to persuade Trump to stay in the Paris Climate Accord. The U.S. president also threatened to pull out of the Iran nuclear deal, an agreement supported by France. On both issues, Macrons diplomatic skills will be tested more than ever in efforts to reverse Trumps positions. Tucked in the middle of the Korean demilitarized zone, villagers in Taesung Freedom Village hold high hopes for Fridays planned summit between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The village of 193 people, living in 47 households, has a strict limit on entering and exiting town. Under the jurisdiction of the United Nations Command in South Korea, even the residents are restricted from moving around freely during the night.The South Korean government provides villagers the right to cultivate land, which is located in the South Korean part of the demilitarized zone (DMZ). And to help compensate for such inconveniences, the village is exempt from military duties and national income tax. PHOTO: South Korea's Taesung Freedom village, April 24, 2018, in Paju, South Korea. (Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images) Only direct descendants of the original residents can live in the special village, also known as Tae Sung Dong, where everyone engages in rice farming because there are no commercial facilities. A majority of villagers have lived in the village for generations. North Korea says it is suspending nuclear tests ahead of much-anticipated talks 'Obviously, Kim Jong Un has learned about public relations' with suspension of nuclear tests: Senator The village dates back to July 1953, stemming from a ceasefire agreement between the two Koreas in which both sides kept a single village in the demilitarized zone. The village on North Koreas side of the DMZ is called Kijong. PHOTO: South Korean children take a class at the Taesung elementary school, April 24, 2018, in Paju, South Korea. (Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images) Taesung Freedom Mayor Kim Dong Ku, elected in 2012, was born and raised in the border town. Kim, 50, has two children who attend the villages only elementary school, where DMZ also stands for the Dream Making Zone. Im glad to see peaceful atmosphere building up, Kim said. I want the townspeople to live in a stable status, farming like they always have. The military broadcast towards North stopped since yesterday evening and we appreciate this silence. PHOTO: South Korea's Taesung Freedom village, April 24, 2018, in Paju, South Korea. (Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images) There were days when villagers felt anxious as military tensions rose between Pyongyang and Seoul. But since a recent mood of reconciliation, the village, too, has become more jubilant than before. Story continues The two leaders from the North and South are scheduled to meet Friday at the demilitarized zone's "Peace House" in Panmunjom, less than a mile from the Taesung Freedom Village. PHOTO: Military stand guard at their check area at Taesung Freedom village in the Demilitarized Zone, South Korea. (Ryu Seung-il/Polaris) Mayor Kim is looking forward to the inter-Korean summit, he said, adding that the atmosphere has improved dramatically since the past two summits. I have not experienced the Korean War firsthandedly, he said. But the ancestors who lived in this area even before the war said they used to take a walk to the Northern town across the borderline. If there is a chance in the future, I would do the same. A 72-year-old former police officer has been arrested in the decades-old "Golden State Killer" case in California, according to officials in Sacramento. The "Golden State Killer" is believed to have killed at least 12 people, raped at least 45 people and committed multiple home burglaries in the 1970s and 1980s in crime sprees throughout California. His "reign of terror," Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas said Wednesday, spanned from the Sacramento area in Northern California down to Orange County in Southern California. The suspected serial killer, Joseph James DeAngelo, was surprised when he was confronted by officers and arrested on Tuesday afternoon in Citrus Heights in Sacramento County, said Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones. DeAngelo was taken into custody without incident. DeAngelo's name never came up in the investigation until last week, Sacramento District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert said. PHOTO: Joseph James Deangelo, known as 'The Golden State Killer,' is seen in this police booking photo, April 25, 2018, after being apprehended. (Sacramento Police Department) It was discarded DNA that confirmed, "We had our man," Jones said at a news conference Wednesday. "We found the needle in the haystack," Schubert said. DeAngelo, who has adult children, was a police officer in Exeter in central California from 1973 to 1976, officials said. He was then a police officer in Auburn in Northern California from 1976 to 1979 until he was fired, officials said. DeAngelo was fired in 1979 after he allegedly stole a hammer and a can of dog repellent, The Associated Press reported, citing Auburn Journal articles from the time. Patton Oswalt reacts to arrest in 'Golden State Killer' case, made famous by his late wife's book In this June 15, 2016 photo law enforcement drawings of a suspected serial killer believed to have committed at least 12 murders across California in the 1970's and 1980's are displayed at a news conference in Sacramento, Calif. (Rich Pedroncelli/AP, FILE) "For over 40 years, countless victims have waited for justice," Schubert said. "Over these years, hundreds of individuals have sought justice for these victims and their families." An arrest warrant was issued Tuesday and a complaint was filed charging DeAngelo with two counts of murder with special circumstances for the murder of a Sacramento couple in 1978, said Schubert. He was also charged with the capital murders of a couple killed in March 1980 in Ventura County, California. The crimes span 10 counties; charges are expected in more counties soon. Story continues PHOTO: An evidence room from the 'Golden State Killer' investigation. (Courtesy FBI ) Bruce Harrington, whose brother and sister-in-law were killed in 1980 allegedly by the "Golden State Killer," said at the news conference, to the "ladies who were brutally raped in these crime scenes, sleep better tonight. He isnt coming through the window. Hes now in jail and hes history." The terror started with burglaries and rapes in the Sacramento suburbs in summer 1976. PHOTO: FBI sketch for the 'Golden State Killer.' (FBI) PHOTO: FBI sketch for the 'Golden State Killer.' (FBI) The "Golden State Killer" would break into his victims' homes by prying open a window or door while they slept, the FBI said. He would then shine a flashlight into their faces, tie them up, ransack the house, and rape female victims, the FBI said. Sometimes he would take jewelry, identification, cash, and coins from the victims' homes. PHOTO: Ransacked drawers after an attack by the 'Golden State Killer.' (Courtesy FBI ) Some victims said the suspect called them after the crimes, the FBI said. In 1978, the "Golden State Killer" was believed to have shot and killed a couple walking their dog in the Sacramento area. PHOTO: FBI sketch for the 'Golden State Killer.' (FBI) That crime was followed by rapes in the Northern California area, including Stockton, Modesto, Davis, and the East Bay. Between 1979 and 1981, the "Golden State Killer" was suspected of rapes and murders in Southern California. The FBI said the victims were tied up in the same way and had their homes ransacked in the same way as the Sacramento area victims. The final crime tied to the "Golden State Killer" was the May 1986 rape and murder of an 18-year-old woman in the Southern California city of Irvine, the FBI said. Washington DC Fire and EMS crew Making the decision to go to the ER isnt always black and white, especially if you have a chronic illness or live with chronic pain. You might ask yourself if the pain is actually bad enough to go to the ER or could the issue wait for a phone call to your doctor tomorrow? Now, a triage nurse working with 911 dispatchers may be the one making that decision. In Washington D.C., a triage nurse now works alongside 911 dispatchers to take calls about medical emergencies. If someone calls 911, the caller will first talk to a dispatcher, who may transfer the call to the triage nurse if the call is deemed by an algorithm unlikely to be an immediate emergency. The goal of the triage nurse is to place callers with non-emergencies in more appropriate places like urgent care, community clinics or follow-up appointments with their doctor. Non-emergency calls could include a sprained ankle, a minor cut or a viral infection like the common cold. Related: New Medicare Proposal Will Require Hospitals Post Their Prices Online Once the nurse decides what type of treatment a caller needs, the nurse can then give the location of a clinic. If the caller is a Medicaid-recipient, the nurse can coordinate a free ride with Lyft to the clinic and a pharmacy after the visit if needed. The Right Care, Right Now program is used every day from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. 911 Calls before or after these hours will be given to dispatchers. I do know how much of a sense of calm I feel when I speak with a medical provider versus someone that simply works in a hospital or medical office, Kat Harrison, a member of The Mightys chronic illness community, said. For instance, there is a huge difference in speaking to the receptionist at the ER who typically hands you generic paperwork and reviews your insurance information versus entering that triage station, where there is likely a nurse who can briefly note and evaluate your symptoms. I feel like having nurses as a part of the 911 process can only help (with a few caveats) in assuring that patients receive the most accurate and differentiated care that they need. Story continues Related: If You're Prone to Excessive Sweating, These 18 Memes Are for You One caveat Harrison mentioned is how the new system would affect people with chronic illnesses. It isnt uncommon for people with chronic illnesses to use the ER during flares. If someone with a chronic condition goes to the ER frequently, they are sometimes accused of being drug-seeking or attention-seeking. Sometimes, theyre labeled as frequent fliers and arent taken as seriously as other patients. My primary concern is if a nurse was to deem a patients health concern as a non-emergency and that therefore results in not sending an ambulance, and the patient further suffers, or worse, dies, Harrison said. I feel like this system is best suited for patients who are able to be their own advocates and who are able to self-triage in a way that alerts a nurse to send the appropriate type of care. Doug Buchanan, chief communications officer for DC Fire and EMS Department, told The Mighty calls that fall into a gray area or calls that cannot be confirmed as non-urgent would typically still be transported to the ER. This would include people with chronic conditions who may be experiencing a higher level of pain or concerning symptoms. Related: 22 Products That Help People With Chronic Illness Manage Skin Irritations The implementation of a triage nurse is a part of D.C.s Right Care, Right Now program, which works to connect people to providers and community clinics in the area. Approximately 70 percent of Medicaid recipients in D.C. do not have a primary care provider and D.C. has the highest call volume per capita in the country. Ways to prevent overuse of emergency rooms and cut costs isnt new. Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield has started to deny claims in some states for emergency room visits for visits deemed non-urgent. Read more stories like this on The Mighty: 19 Tools That Can Help You Live Alone With Illness or Disability Mans Eyes Turn Blue After 15 Years on Antibiotic for Arthritis Today I Realized I Am Mighty Deadliest Catch fisherman Hank Todd was hoping to catch crabs in the Bering Sea, but instead he caught a 1,200-pound block to the head. Todd is a deck hand on the Brenna A fishing vessel, captained by Sean Dwyer. The seas were particularly bad during the 2017 king crab season, when this episode was filmed. The 1,200-pound block, used to pull up crabbing pots from the murky deep, is attached to the end of the crane. Bad weather and large swells made the boat, which caused the block to swing and smash the fisherman in the head. The vicious hit knocked Todd several feet. After the other deck hands helped him to his feet, Todd initially seemed woozy. But the rugged worker told the captain he was all right, and he continued to fish. One of the deck hands said, You know youre a tough crab fisherman when you get hit in the head, knocked all the way down, get right back up and keep working. Deadliest Catch airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on Discovery. Watch as an injured fisherman is rescued by the Coast Guard: Read more from Yahoo Entertainment: Tell us what you think! Hit us up on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram or leave your comments below. And check out our host, Kylie Mar, on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that about 1 in 59 children in the U.S. has been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Yet despite improvements, people with autism are still relatively underrepresented in the realm of film, TV and literature. In honor of Autism Awareness Month, we compiled a list of childrens books that feature characters on the spectrum and tackle issues related to autism. While some speak from the perspective of a child with autism, others show the perspective of a neurotypical sibling or friend. All promote understanding and acceptance for kids on the spectrum. Were Amazing, 1, 2, 3! This Sesame Street storybook focuses on a recent character addition -- Elmo's friend Julia, who has autism. (Written by Leslie Kimmelman. Illustrated by Marybeth Nelson.) My Brother Charlie Actress and advocate Holly Robinson Peete collaborated with her daughter Ryan to write My Brother Charlie, which is based on Ryan's experience having a twin brother with autism. (Written by Holly Robinson Peete and Ryan Elizabeth Peete. Illustrated by Shane W. Evans.) The Girl Who Thought In Pictures: The Story of Dr. Temple Grandin The Girl Who Thought In Pictures tells the inspiring story of world-renowned scientist Dr. Temple Grandin, who grew up at a time when society doubted people like her would accomplish anything. (Written by Julia Finley Mosca. Illustrated by Daniel Rieley.) Ethan's Story: My Life With Autism Eight-year-old Ethan Rice shared his story with others to raise awareness and show what autism means to him. (Written by Ethan Rice. Illustrated by Crystal Smalls Ord.) Different Like Me: My Book Of Autism Heroes This book highlights famous people who didn't quite fit into society from the perspective of a young boy on the spectrum. (Written by Jennifer Elder. Illustrated by Marc Thomas and Jennifer Elder.) Autism Is...? In this book, a grandmother explains to her grandson, who is on the spectrum, what autism is. (Written by Ymkje Wideman-van der Laan. Illustrated by Rob Feldman.) All My Stripes: A Story for Children With Autism All My Stripes tells the story of a zebra named Zane who has autism and worries about not fitting in. (Written by Shaina Rudolph and Danielle Royer. Illustrated by Jennifer Zivoin.) Tacos Anyone? This bilingual book follows the story of Michael, a 4-year-old with autism, and his older brother, Thomas, who must learn to understand his atypical behavior. (Written by Marvie Ellis. Illustrated by Jenny Loehr.) My Friend With Autism This book grew out of Beverly Bishop's desire to educate her sons classmates about autism by promoting a sense of tolerance and understanding. (Written by Beverly Bishop. Illustrated by Craig Bishop.) Cooper and the Big Apple Featuring illustrations by her daughter who is on the autism spectrum, Camille Cohn's book tells the story of a cat with autism who reluctantly travels to New York City with his best friend. (Written by Camille Cohn. Illustrated by Riley Cohn.) Hello, My Name Is Max and I Have Autism: An Insight Into the Autistic Mind Max Miller, a 12-year-old boy on the spectrum, shares about what life is like with autism through his words and drawings. (Written and illustrated by Max Miller.) Slug Days Slug Days follows a girl on the spectrum named Lauren and provides insight into the way she sees the world. (Written by Sara Leach. Illustrated by Rebecca Bender.) A Friend Like Simon This book details the friendship between a child with autism and his neurotypical classmate. (Written by Kate Gaynor. Illustrated by Caitriona Sweeney.) Uniquely Wired Young readers can gain understanding and empathy from this book about Zak, a boy with autism who shares his interests, quirks and point of view. (Written by Julia Cook. Illustrated by Anita DuFalla.) Leah's Voice Leah's Voice tells the story of two sisters, one of whom has autism. (Written by Lori Demonia. Illustrated by Monique Turchan.) I Love Being My Own Autistic Self! Landon Bryce draws on his experience having autism and introduces a group of characters to explore. (Written by Landon Bryce.) Noah Chases the Wind Noah Chases the Wind celebrates the curious nature of a little boy named Noah, who has autism and sees the world a little differently. (Written by Michelle Worthington. Illustrated by Joseph Cowman.) This story has been updated to include the CDCs new statistics about the prevalence of autism. Related Coverage The Brain Difference That Allows People With Autism To Pick Up Tiny Details What Parents Of Kids With Autism Wish You Knew 11 Photos That Show What Autism Looks Like This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated. 32nd anniversary of Chernobyl nuclear disaster An employee walks at the control center of the stopped third reactor at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Chernobyl, Ukraine, April 20, 2018. (Photo: Gleb Garanich/Reuters) On April 26, 1986, reactor number four at the Chernobyl plant, some 100 kilometers north of the capital Kiev, exploded during a botched safety test. The reactor burned for 10 days, sending radioactive elements into the atmosphere that contaminated three-quarters of Europe, according to some estimates. Soviet authorities tried to cover up the accident. Sweden was the first to raise the alarm after scientists detected a spike in radiation levels on April 28. Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev did not make a public statement until May 14. The number of deaths directly due to the accident is still a matter of debate, with estimates varying from around 30 to one hundred thousand. In November 2016, a massive metal dome was erected over the remains of the reactor paid for with 2.1 billion euros ($2.5 billion) in international funding to stop future leaks and ensure the safety of Europeans for generations. (AFP) Heres a look at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant 32 years later. See more news-related photo galleries and follow us on Yahoo News Photo Twitter and Tumblr. 8K TVs are coming, but you dont waste your money. ROME If the 8,294,400 pixels of resolution on an Ultra High Definition television just dont seem to convey enough detail, fear not: The electronics industry has heard your cry. Even as UHD TVs, often called 4K TVs for their nearly 4,000 pixels of horizontal resolution, approach half of display shipments in the U.S., set manufacturers have been stepping up their demos of 8K sets that, with their 7680-by-4320 resolution, pack in a full 33,177,600 pixels. And Sharp is now expanding its distribution of one such set, the 70-inch LV-70X500E. Following its October debut in China and subsequent arrivals in Japan and Taiwan, this 8K display will go on sale across Europe at the end of April for 11,199 about $13,800 at current exchange rates. Sharp hasnt announced anything about U.S. availability, but during a conversation at CES in January, Sharp marketing vice-president Rey Roque said an American price for this set would be in the low five figures. That, apparently, is supposed to be a reasonable price for a set that supports a video format that offers next to nothing to watch, that cant be streamed on most broadband connections or fit onto Blu-ray discs and which cant even be properly appreciated unless you get a set too big to fit in many living rooms. An upsell based on upscaling Sharp laid out its pitch for 8K TV last week at the IFA Global Press Conference, a spring event hosted by the organizers of the IFA electronics trade show that runs in Berlin each summer. One thing it doesnt include: Having lots of video to watch in 8K. Sascha Lange, Sharps European vice president for marketing and sales, instead emphasized how this and other 8K sets could electronically upscale 4K content (although even that remains scarce, especially for live programming like sports) and could show still images at their full resolution. Actual 8K video will be a small part of the picture at first. The Japanese broadcaster NHK has been testing 8K transmission over the air as well as via cable and satellite, but it stands alone in that respect. Story continues Blu-ray discs now support 4K video, but they wont be able to accommodate 8K, predicted Mark Vena, senior analyst at Moor Insights & Strategy. For that, youd need really high-density drives, he said. Streaming allowed 4K video to find an audience without the cooperation of cable and satellite firms. But while, for instance, YouTube has offered 8K video since 2015, video at that resolution demands far faster download speeds than 4K streaming. The highlights reel playing on a demo unit of Sharps 8K set required 300 megabits per second of bandwidth to stream, said Adrian Wysocki, group product manager at UMC, the Sharp-owned firm that builds TVs in Poland for the company. He suggested in a conversation Friday that more efficient formats could cut that to 100 Mbps. Only 23.2% of U.S. fixed-broadband connections hit that speed at the end of 2016, according to to the Federal Communications Commissions latest report on internet access services. Wysocki added that an 8K display can also show four 4K streams at once, a possibility Sharp demonstrated at CES in January. He allowed that Sharps 70-inch set was not really a product for average consumers but would definitely appeal to the right sort of videophile. If youre a freak and if you have enough money, of course you will want to have this at home Youre going to need a bigger living room Sharp also emphasized that 8K will make bigger screens possible which is another way of saying that youll need giant screens to appreciate 8Ks extra resolution, much as 4Ks added pixels cant be seen from most couches unless the screen is bigger than 50 inches or so. It enables larger screens at home, said Sharps Lange during the presentation. 8K is the technological condition to start selling and enjoying more 70-inch-plus screens at home. But as set sizes increase, so do their costs, warned analyst Paul Gray of IHS Markit. Ultra-large TVs incur shipping, delivery and installation costs that dont apply to smaller sets. Between 65 and 75, the volume of the box goes up by a factor of four, Gray said, noting the extra reinforcement required for the larger display to survive shipment. Installation of something that wont fit in a car and may not fit through some doors adds to the expense. Its got to be delivered by two people, when the owner is in, and its probably gotta be installed by them, Gray said. Some people will probably buy this The entire 8K concept something that Sharp has been pushing since CES 2012 can seem like one of the electronics industrys more annoying exercises in fetishizing newness over convenience or cost. Think of Apple (AAPL) dropping the headphone jack, but with much larger price tags all around. But 8K probably will draw some shoppers. IHS Markit predicts that China will be an early success for it, thanks to an enormous and expanding market of early adopters of technology. The firm projects 8K will account for 9% of the display market there by 2021, versus just over 2% in North America. And a flood of 8K content may not be necessary for 8K to secure a niche as a luxury product if just bringing more pixels to the party can suffice. Or as Gray summed up: Its numbers marketing. (Disclosure: The conference organizers covered most of my travel expenses, along with those of a large group of journalists and analysts.) More from Rob: Email Rob at rob@robpegoraro.com; follow him on Twitter at @robpegoraro. An Indiana school district has issued an apology after a middle school teacher was accused of letting her disdain for President Trump and Fox News influence her teaching. As Fox News Insider reports, Sarah Ford, an eighth-grade Spanish teacher at Blackhawk Middle School in Fort Wayne, Ind., allegedly assigned a student a report on Trumps many lies. The student, Jacob Hein, told his father about the homework, prompting an official complaint. According to Todd Hein, his son was given the assignment after the teacher rejected and reportedly ridiculed his translation of a Fox News article for class on March 20. She came up to him in class in front of everybody and said, I noticed that you cited Fox News on your last article, and I want you to know that Fox News is fake news, the elder Hein said during an appearance on Fox & Friends Wednesday. Its full of lies, and youre no longer to use Fox News as a source for any of these assignments. Teacher allegedly bullies student for citing Fox News as a source for an assignment https://t.co/v4NMHZPkSt FOX & friends (@foxandfriends) April 25, 2018 In a meeting with Hein and school officials, Ford allegedly admitted that shed let her political beliefs sway her students schoolwork. She later apologized to Jacob Hein in class, but the family isnt ready to make amends. They dont need to listen to that in a Spanish class, of all things, his father told Fort Wayne radio station WOWO. I mean, theres no other word to describe it. She bullied our son over Fox News. The school district has issued a statement regarding the matter, but hasnt specified what, if any, punishment Ford might face. According to Hein, she was not fired. Fort Wayne Community Schools does not condone the kind of behavior detailed by this parent, a spokesperson said. When we were notified, we immediately investigated and took appropriate action. Because this is a personnel matter, I cannot provide details of the outcome of the investigation. Story continues Jacob Hein has since swapped the honors Spanish class for creative writing. According to local newspaper News-Sentinel, the decision to pull him from class came three days after the meeting with Ford, who then tasked students with writing reports on Trumps lack of response to Puerto Rico in the months since Hurricane Maria. A student was reportedly asked to write about the many lies of President Trump. (Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) This isnt the first time a teacher has been accused of bashing Trump. Last month, a student recorded her teacher making anti-Trump statements in class. And in February, California students in a Spanish class were filmed hitting a pinata in the presidents likeness, resulting in a school investigation. Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle: Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. BERLIN (Reuters) - Airbus and Dassault Aviation have signed an initial agreement to cooperate on Europe's Future Air Combat System (FCAS), the two companies said on Wednesday. They are awaiting details from the French and German governments on the exact requirements for the programme, which is set to include a fighter jet, unmanned aerial vehicles, connectivity and secure communications. "It's a really important moment to stabilise the European defence industry and work together in a structured manner," Airbus Defence and Space CEO Dirk Hoke told reporters at the Berlin air show. Germany and France have agreed on the central requirements for a new fighter jet to replace Eurofighter Typhoon and Rafale warplanes beginning in 2040, and officials from the two countries will sign an outline document on the sidelines of the show, military sources said on Tuesday. The two companies want to ensure that Europe retains control over its future weapons systems, Eric Trappier, CEO of Dassault Aviation said. "I don't feel that if other European countries buy off the shelf American products that you contribute to strategic autonomy," Trappier said. Whether the French and German governments decide to involve Britain in future projects would likely depend on the conditions around its exit from the European Union, Hoke said. France is working with Britain on an unmanned combat aerial vehicle, but that project has not yet progressed as expected. "It was supposed to go up to the extent of joint demonstrator. For some reason this has not yet been decided," Trappier said. He said the Franco-German cooperation was different, with it being for a larger system for a manned fighter, whereas the Franco-British project was for an unmanned aircraft. The two companies have not yet announced who will lead the partnership for the Franco-German FCAS. Trappier said they would each decide who had the best skills and competencies to lead each part of the system. Story continues "The role on both sides is to find the right compromises. If we play egos we will end up with a project that won't be successful," Hoke said. Airbus and Dassault said it was important for France and Germany to launch an initial joint study this year so they could get demonstrators done for 2025. The fighter aircraft will replace the current generation of Eurofighter and Rafale aircraft. Trappier said it would not be a copy of the U.S. F-35 fighter, but would be more ambitious. Hoke said if Germany decided to buy the F-35 to replace its Tornados, that would mean the FCAS would no longer be feasible. (Reporting by Victoria Bryan; Editing by Maria Sheahan and Jane Merriman) Amazon (AMZN) posted first-quarter 2018 earnings on Thursday afternoon that blew past Wall Street expectations. The Seattle tech giant reported earnings of $3.27 per share on $51 billion in revenues for the quarter. Wall Street analysts were generally expecting $1.27 per share on revenues of $49.96 billion. In the same quarter last year, earnings were $1.48 per share on $35.7 billion in revenue.ca The stock surged over 6% in after-hours trading. Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos pointed to Amazon Web Services, or AWS, as one of the companys ongoing, key revenue drivers. The rapidly evolving service remains one of the most widely used go-to cloud computing services for over 1 million businesses and organizations, including McDonalds (MCD), Netflix (NFLX), Spotify (SPOT), and UnderArmour (UAA). AWS had the unusual advantage of a seven-year head start before facing like-minded competition, and the team has never slowed down, Bezos said in the earnings release published on Thursday . As a result, the AWS services are by far the most evolved and most functionality-rich. AWS lets developers do more and be nimbler, and it continues to get even better every day. Thats why youre seeing this remarkable acceleration in AWS growth, now for two quarters in a row. A huge thank you to all our AWS customers, and you can be sure well keep working hard for you. One of the biggest bit of news Amazon dropped on Thursday? Itss raising the price on its popular Amazon Prime program, from $99 a year to $119 a year, effective May 11. Previously, the company announced Prime had over 100 million subscribers. The last several months have been busy for Amazon. In late March and early April, President Trump criticized Amazon via Twitter and said Amazons agreements with the U.S. Postal Service are not a level playing field and that Amazon is putting many thousands of retailers out of business. Amazon stock temporarily took a hit in the immediate wake of President Trumps unfavorable tweets but has since recovered. Story continues President Trumps current anti-Amazon stance could affect AWS odds of landing an exclusive 10-year multibillion-dollar contract its competing for alongside Alphabet (GOOG, GOOGL) and Microsoft (MSFT) that would modernize the U.S. Department of Defenses information technology system. In an interview with Yahoo Finance this month, Amazon CTO Werner Vogels declined to offer an update on the process, other than to suggest that the company remained unfazed by Trumps attacks. Regardless, Amazons chances of scoring the government contract are pretty good, given the company already hosts classified systems with the CIA, as well as other top defense contractors like Lockheed Martin. Amazon executives have also been preoccupied in recent months with its ongoing search for a second U.S. headquarters, dubbed HQ2. Since Amazon announced last year it planned on opening a new $5 billion headquarters outside of Seattle, the company has narrowed its search down from 238 U.S. cities and towns to 20 finalists, with news outlets speculating Washington D.C. and Boston could have the edge, based on those markets local talent pool, Amazons significant presence in those areas, not to mention the fact Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos purchased a $26 million home in D.C. JP Mangalindan is the Chief Tech Correspondent for Yahoo Finance covering the intersection of tech and business. Email story tips and musings to jpm@oath.com. Follow him on Twitter or Facebook. More from JP Over 600 NAS members called out the Trump Administrations denigration of scientific expertise A giant puppet depicting EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt is carried among demonstrators during a Peoples Climate March, to protest U.S. President Donald Trumps stance on the environment, in Washington, April 29, 2017. Photograph: Mike Theiler/Reuters Anyone who has read this column over the past five years knows that I tend to be unfettered in my criticism of people who lie and distort climate science to further their political ideologies. At the same time, I believe that the majority of climate sceptics are not willfully wishing to damage this precious Earth that we call home. I believe that there are common areas we can all agree on to take meaningful action to protect the Earths environment and build a new energy future; even for people who do not understand climate change or climate science. But with the election of Donald Trump and his ushering in people who are openly hostile to the planet and future generations, my position has been strained (to say the least). We have had more than a year to observe President Trumps efforts to roll back Obama-era regulations on pollution from coal plants, weaken pollution standards for motor vehicles, become the only country in the world to reject the Paris climate accord, and gut our climate science budget so that we become blind to what is actually happening. We have to believe Trump when he says that he thinks climate science is a hoax and we have to expect he will act according to this belief. Under Trump, the USA has become a pariah nation. It hurts me to say this, because I love the USA and what it stands for. But regarding the environment, we are the worst of the worst. Some people will claim I am unpatriotic or unAmerican to criticize my country. My response is, I am honest. A patriot is someone who loves their country and wants their country to meet the ideals that are the foundation of that nation. Patriotic means you want your country to be better; you want your country to make a positive impact. I believe that turning a blind eye to your countrys faults is a most deeply unpatriotic act. I want my country to excel, I want my country to lead, I want my country to be a shining light on a hill. If my country fails or falters in that endeavor, I will work tirelessly to correct our path. That, in my mind is patriotism. Story continues President Trump has installed radical science deniers in his administration to obstruct climate science research, to stop development in clean and renewable energy (the economic growth engine of the future), and to attack scientists for doing their jobs. Among Trumps most harmful acts was to appoint Scott Pruitt to head the EPA. Scott Pruitt does not understand even basic climate science, and he doesnt comprehend that climate change will be bad for human society. But it isnt just Trump and Pruitt that are a problem. Everyone in the Trump administration seems hell-bent on damaging the planet. Recently, climate change denier Jim Bridenstine was confirmed by Senate Republicans to lead Nasa one of the two most important climate science organizations in the country. Trump has brought with him a swamp filled with anti-science staff whose goal is to handicap the US and permanently remove us from any leadership role in the world. To be clear, Trump, Pruitt, the entire administration, and those who support him will inherit a terrible legacy that we will not forget. These people will be known for willfully trying to destroy the planet that we rely on for health and prosperity. Despite the attacks from the Trump/Pruitt Administration, some scientists have begun to speak out. This speaking out takes courage. I have the luxury of being unbridled in my work. My livelihood does not depend on federal research grants; I have no boss in Washington DC that can threaten me; Scott Pruitt cannot attack me; nor can President Trump. For a scientist like me, speaking out is low-risk. But many of my colleagues are not so fortunate. Many of my colleagues, who have dedicated their lives to understanding the Earths environment, are employed by Washington. That is, they are able to carry out research by obtaining federal grants. These grants pay for their instruments (satellites, sea level gauges, weather balloons, supercomputers, etc.), their offices, salaries, and so forth. And when these scientists speak out, it is an act of courage and selflessness. This week, many of these scientists have spoken out. In an open letter, over 600 scientists from the prestigious National Academy of Sciences (Americas best scientists) wrote the following: In September 2016, over 375 members of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences (NAS) signed an Open Letter calling attention to the dangers of human-induced climate change. The letter warned that U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Accord would have negative consequences for the worlds climate system and for U.S. leadership and credibility. In the intervening 15 months, these negative consequences have become more obvious. Human-caused climate disruption is leading to suffering and economic loss. Suffering and loss are not future hypotheticals. They are happening now. Despite these serious negative consequences, the present Administration has fulfilled its threat to initiate U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Accord. The United States is the only nation in the world that has taken this action. The decision to withdraw is symptomatic of a larger problem: The Trump Administrations denigration of scientific expertise and harassment of scientists. The dismissal of scientific evidence in policy formulation has affected wide areas of the social, biological, environmental and physical sciences. It has been particularly egregious in climate science. A recent instance of this is the intention of the Administration to assemble a Red Team/Blue Team to re-litigate all aspects of climate science. Such an exercise seeks to foster the erroneous impression of deep uncertainty concerning the reality and seriousness of anthropogenically driven climate change. Scientific evidence and research should be an important component of policymaking. We therefore call on the Federal Government to maintain scientific content on publicly accessible websites, to appoint qualified personnel to positions requiring scientific expertise, to cease censorship and intimidation of Government scientists, and to reverse the decision to withdraw the United States from the Paris Accord. My country has withdrawn from the most significant multinational agreement to stop climate change, has attacked scientists funding and censored scientists and threatened them to stay quiet, and has actively enacted measures to encourage pollution both in the US and worldwide. This is not the USA I know in my heart. This is not the world leader I believe my country to be. This is a pariah nation led by a small number of people who are getting rich at the expense of public and environmental health. For those who support these policies shame. There is no ethical or moral justification to value polluters profits more than the health of the planet and the inheritance of future generations. Thats just greed, plain and simple. For those who voted for Trump and who vote for other deniers of climate change, you can no longer say I just didnt know. Now is the time to acknowledge you were lied to. It is never too late to change course. But it is untenable to say you care about future generations yet still support politicians and policies that lead to future destruction. You have to choose one or the other; there is no middle ground, and we need to quit pretending there is. (TIJUANA, Mexico) About 130 Central Americans, mostly women and children, have arrived at the U.S. border with Mexico in a caravan of asylum-seeking immigrants that has drawn the fury of President Donald Trump. Two busloads arrived late Tuesday in the Mexican border city of Tijuana at two migrant shelters just steps from one of the most fortified stretches of border separating the U.S. from Mexico. They joined another 50 or so who arrived in Tijuana over the last week or two. Four more busloads of about 200 Central Americans mostly women and children but including some men, were expected to arrive in Tijuana Wednesday, said Alex Mensing, project coordinator for Pueblos Sin Fronteras, which is organizing the effort. U.S. lawyers planned to lead clinics later this week on U.S. asylum law to tell them what to expect when they seek asylum. The first groups are expected to try to enter the U.S. on Sunday at a border crossing in San Diego. Trump and senior aides have portrayed the caravans and the asylum seekers as evidence of a dysfunctional border and a serious threat. The president tweeted this week that he has issued orders not to let these large Caravans of people into our Country. It is a disgrace. The caravans have been a fairly common tactic for years among advocacy groups to bring attention to Central American citizens seeking asylum in the U.S. to escape political persecution or criminal threats from gangs. But the latest one drew more attention because Trumps attention from almost moment it began March 25 in the Mexican city of Tapachula, near the Guatemalan border, and while it slowly traveled across Mexico. Trump used it as an example to try to win more support for his planned border wall even though the asylum-seekers plan to turn themselves in to border inspectors. Taxi driver Jovanne Torres from El Salvador said Wednesday after arriving in Tijuana Tuesday that Trumps attacks on the caravan makes him doubt whether hell succeed in getting asylum for himself, his wife and his daughters ages 4 and 10 months but still plans to try. Story continues Torres, 37, said he fled his hometown near the countrys capital of San Salvador and joined the caravan days after a gang threatened to kill him and his wife after he refused to give a free ride to a gang member. He thinks hes almost certain to be killed if he goes home and decided against seeking asylum in Mexico because he wants to join relatives in Houston. Trumps words have made it difficult for us, he said. This caravans numbers pale compared to roughly 200,000 people who were arrested at the border in Texas Rio Grande Valley during the spring of 2014 during the administration of President Barack Obama, many of them Central American women and children. And thousands of Haitians seeking to enter the U.S. turned themselves in to U.S. border inspectors at the Tijuana-San Diego border crossing, the nations busiest. U.S. Customs and Border Protection has space to hold about 300 people at the crossing, said Pete Flores, director of the agencys San Diego field office. It turns them over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to determine if they should be held long-term of if they can be released while their cases are pending, often wearing ankle monitors that track their movements. The San Diego border crossing was so overwhelmed by Haitians in 2016 that U.S. officials worked with their Mexican counterparts to create a ticketing system that let the Haitians in over time. Some waited their turn in Tijuana more than five weeks. More recently, asylum seekers have had to wait at most only a few hours, never overnight, Flores said. If asylum-seekers make it through initial screenings with asylum officers by establishing credible fear of being returned to their homelands, they are allowed in and face what can be lengthy proceedings before U.S. immigration judges. Ginger Jacobs, a San Diego immigration attorney who helped Haitians seeking entry to the U.S. in 2016, said Trumps concerns about a rush of Central Americans seeking asylum were completely overblown. I dont see this caravan thing being a big deal, she said. I see it as something the port will be able to handle competently and professionally. Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen said Monday that U.S. authorities may detain asylum-seekers while their claims are adjudicated efficiently and expeditiously. Others will be criminally prosecuted for illegal entry, she said. U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions said he may assign additional immigration judges to handle caravan cases. The Juventud 2000 migrant shelter, on the edge of Tijuanas red-light district, is filled with dome-shaped tents to accommodate more than 200 arrivals. Its director, Jose Maria Garcia Luca, said two previous caravans in May and November of last year had about 100 people each. Those who sought asylum reported no significant delays entering the U.S. This is nothing like the Haitians, Garcia Luca said. That was chaos. A self-declared Bible researcher and conspiracy theorist who has predicted a number of failed doomsday dates is trying a new tack. Instead of giving a date, hes giving a range. David Meade, whose views fall well outside mainstream Christianity, told the Guardian that the biblical rapture will take place at some point between May and December of this year. When that happens, the world wont end but rather the faithful will be plucked off the Earth, leaving the rest behind for seven years of tribulation. Then, he said, there will be 1,000 years of peace and prosperity before the world actually ends, which would occur by the year 3025, give or take. So the world isnt ending anytime soon in our lifetimes, anyway, Meade assured the Guardian. Meade previously predicted the world would end on Sept. 23, 2017. At the time, he didnt offer a specific form of apocalypse. In the past, however, Meade has used numerical codes found in the Bible and claimed that a secret planet called Nibiru was on a collision course with Earth. Zero astronomers believed Meades theory. There is no factual basis for these claims, NASA said in a statement when doomsday predictions involving Nibiru made headlines in 2012. Mainstream Christians have also distanced themselves from Meade. Whenever someone tells you they have found a secret number code in the Bible, end the conversation, Ed Stetzer, director of Wheaton Colleges Billy Graham Center for Evangelism, wrote last year in Christianity Today. Everything else he or she says can be discounted. (h/t Patheos) Also on HuffPost 100,000 Cosmic Dots -- All Stars-Suns, With Planets Too Small To See We begin here with a LOT of cosmic dots -- about 100,000 of them. Hubble Space Telescope snapped this 2009 image of a panoramic colorful assortment of 100,000 stars in the core of a giant star cluster called Omega Centauri -- which is just one of about 200 star clusters in our Milky Way galaxy. According to NASA project scientist and planet-hunter Natalie Batalha, "Every star in the sky has at least one planet, so instead of seeing stars in the sky, we're looking at other solar systems." First Image Of Earth Showing Our Home World As A Disc Not quite a dot, this is the first picture (from May 8, 2003) of Earth that actually shows our home world as a planetary disk. Image was taken by the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft at a distance of 86 million miles from Earth. Earth Viewed Through Saturn's Rings 2006 This beautiful image of Saturn and its rings was captured by Cassini's wide angle camera on Sept. 15, 2006. It's a composite of 165 separate pictures and, wouldn't you know it -- Cassini also caught Earth almost a billion miles away visible through the ice and dust of Saturn's rings. Earth is that tiny dot to the left of the rings. The next slide is a close-up of our home. Earth Viewed Through Saturn's Rings 2006 (2) In this close-up of the previous slide, little planet Earth is seen in the far distance. The Planet Earth Dot Beyond Saturn's Rings (1 of 2) In this rare image taken by the wide angle camera of NASA's Cassini spacecraft on July 19, 2013, Earth (denoted with an arrow) is pictured with Saturn's rings in the foreground. The Planet Earth Dot Beyond Saturn's Rings (2 of 2) In this close-up of the previous slide, the moon can be seen as a faint appendage off Earth's right side. Twinkle, Twinkle, Tiny Earth From Mars Just after sunset on Jan. 31, 2014, the Curiosity Rover on Mars captured Earth and the moon 99 million miles away. The Pale Blue Dot Of Earth (1of 2) Story continues This is perhaps the most famous image of Earth that could liken it to the vision of an exoplanet. On Feb. 14, 1990, as the Voyager 1 spacecraft was about to leave our planetary neighborhood, astronomer Carl Sagan suggested that mission engineers have Voyager 1 (about 4 billion miles away) take one last picture of Earth which was captured in the center of scattered solar light rays. Our planet appears as the tiniest possible point -- not even a dot of light. If you have trouble seeing Earth, the next slide is a close-up. The Pale Blue Dot Of Earth (2 of 2) This close-up of the previous slide depicts Earth as a tiny speck of dust photographed by Voyager 1 as it left our cosmic neighborhood. Astronomer Carl Sagan wrote: "From this distant vantage point, the Earth might not seem of particular interest. But for us, it's different. Consider again that dot. That's here, that's home, that's us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives... Every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there -- on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam." Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. When North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in meet for their summit on Friday, they will dine on cold noodles made by a special machine and a fried potato dish from Kims youth, officials announced. Preparations are being finalized for the first meeting between the two leaders, which is set to take place within the Demilitarized Zone, the heavily fortified border that separates their countries. Seouls presidential Blue House announced the menu for the summit this week, and each course appears to carry significant meaning emblematic of the region. Dishes include staples from the hometowns of three South Korean presidents, a potato rosti that is meant to pay homage to the time Kim spent studying in Switzerland and a bibimbap made with greens grown in the DMZ. The cold noodle dish, called naengmyun, will be made by one of Pyongyangs star chefs. He and his staff will use a noodle-making machine to create the dish. President Moon had requested Pyongyang-style cold noodles from Okryu Gwan be included on the menu and North Korea gladly accepted, a spokesman for the Blue House told Reuters. Okryu Gwan is a well-known restaurant in the North and has branches in China. No schedule has been released for Fridays meeting, but the two leaders are expected to issue a joint statement signaling the Norths willingness to abandon its nuclear weapon program. Although experts have remained skeptical that the country will do so easily, Moon has touted his optimism in the lead up to the summit. We are at the crossroads where it will be decided whether denuclearization and permanent peace is possible by peaceful not by military means, Moon said on Monday, per The New York Times. Related... South Korea To Resume Propaganda Broadcasts Across Border With North Korea 14 Chilling Photos Of The Difference Between North Korea And South Korea North Korea Accepts Offer For Dialogue From South Korea Also on HuffPost North Korean leader Kim Jong Un shakes hands with a member of the special delegation of South Korea's President in this photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on March 6, 2018. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un meets members of the special delegation of South Korea's President. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un greets a member of the special delegation. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un meets members of the special delegation. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un shakes hands with a member of the special delegation. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (not in picture) meets members of the special delegation. A dinner is prepared for members of the special delegation of South Korea's President. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un meets members of the special delegation. Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. A mother in Florida has warned fellow parents about the dangers of so-called dry drowning, following an incident in which her 4-year-old daughter was hospitalized after swallowing pool water. Elianna Grace was blowing water out of a pool noodle toy at her grandparents house in Sarasota, Florida, on a Saturday afternoon in April when she "dry drowned." By 100 percent freak accident, Elianna put her mouth to blow out at the same time someone blew in the other end, causing the water to shoot directly down her throat, her mother, Lacey Grace, wrote in a Facebook post. Trending: Iranian Messaging App Has 'Death to America' Emoji The 4-year-old vomited immediately afterwards, but was totally fine 30 minutes later, according to her mother. jelleke-vanooteghem-405592-unsplash Jelleke Vanooteghem/Unsplash By Monday, Elianna had developed a fever, and slept for most of Tuesday. The following day her school contacted her parents to alert them the fever had returned. I kept replaying that pool scene in my head and remembered reading a story last year about a dad in Texas whose son passed away because he went untreated after inhaling a bunch of pool water, wrote Grace, referring to the case of four-year-old Francisco Delgado Jr., who died a week after a family trip, CBS News reported. I wasnt going to let that be Elianna," said Grace. Don't miss: Who Killed Kim Wall? Peter Madsen Is Guilty of 'Brutal Crime', Danish Court Rules Eliannas family took her to urgent care, hoping she had a common virus. We were there about 10 minutes when the doctor said to get her to the nearest ER as soon as possible. Her heart rate was crazy high, her oxygen was low and her skin was turning purple, which suggested chemical infection, she said. Hospital tests revealed the pool chemicals had caused inflammation and an infection in her body. Rushed to a larger hospital so specialist childrens doctors could monitor her, Elianna was diagnosed with chemical pneumonitis, aspiration pneumonia and perihilar edema. Doctors hooked her up to oxygen to help her breathe. Story continues At least two doctors now have told us 'thank God you got her here when you did.' All the major things going wrong are things you would NEVER notice by looking at her, wrote Grace. We dont know how long the road will be but I thank my lucky stars that I read that article of the little boy." Most popular: Delta Staff Tied Passenger With Multiple Sclerosis to Her Wheelchair, Family Claims So-called dry drowning or secondary drowning are not medical terms, but are used to describe incidents where water enters the body through the mouth, but the resulting symptoms occur even if the person is not submerged. The terms are sometimes used interchangeably. However, according to WebMD, dry drowning generally describes when water does not reach the lungs but causes the vocal cords to spasm, making it difficult to breathe immediately afterward the incident. Secondary drowning, meanwhile, is often associated with complications that occur after water gets into the lungs and irritates the lining. The buildup of fluidcalled an edemacan make it difficult to breathe. When the condition is acute, symptoms can include a sudden shortness of breath, wheezing, sweating and coughing up pink frothy spit. The skin can turn gray, and dizziness can be a sign of a lowered blood pressure. Symptoms of these forms of drowning can include coughing, chest pain, difficulty breathing, tiredness and changes in behavior, which could indicate oxygen is not reaching the brain. Dr. Mark Reiter, former president of the American Academy of Emergency Medicine, told WebMD that parents should keep watch of their children 24 hours after they experience difficulties in the water. Problems are generally treatable if medical care is sought right away. This article was first written by Newsweek More from Newsweek By Noel Randewich SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Shares of Apple Inc dropped nearly 2 percent on Tuesday as investors worries intensified about soft demand for iPhones after a warning from a company that supplies components for smartphones. South Korean chipmaker SK Hynix Inc said following its quarterly report that it expected smartphone demand to stagnate, echoing a similar warning last week from Apple supplier Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd. Concerns ahead of Apple's quarterly report next Tuesday have shaved 9 percent from its stock price in the past five sessions, erasing $80 billion of its stock market value. "The bar may not have been set low enough," Wedbush senior trader Joel Kulina said of Wall Street's declining expectations for iPhone shipments. "There's still no visibility, and that's going to keep a lot of money on the sidelines." SK Hynix sells memory chips across the smartphone industry, as well as to companies making laptops, servers and other kinds of computers. Also rattling Apple investors, European chipmaker AMS on Monday warned of a downturn owing to weak orders from one of its main customers. AMS did not name the customer, but analysts estimate that Apple is responsible for half of the Austrian company's revenue. GBH analyst Daniel Ives said in a client note on Tuesday he now expects Apple to ship 212 million iPhones in fiscal 2018, down from a previous estimate of 221 million. Apple and investors had been betting that the high-end iPhone X, released last November, would rejuvenate iPhones sales in a global smartphone market that has become saturated in recent years. "It's not a flop, but it's a mild disappointment relative to previous upgrade cycles, said Canaccord Genuity analyst Michael Walkley. Smartphones account for two thirds of Apple's revenue, about the same as three years ago, despite Chief Executive Tim Cook's attempts to expand further into markets like music and smart watches. When Apple reports next week, investors will look for details about how much of Apple's repatriated foreign cash it will give to investors through dividends and share buybacks. Story continues Apple in January said it would make about $38 billion in tax payments to bring profits kept overseas back to the United States under new federal tax laws, suggesting it may repatriate around $245 billion. Analysts on average expect Apple's March-quarter revenue to expand 15 percent to $61 billion, with adjusted earnings per share of $2.69, according to Thomson Reuters data. (Additional reporting by Stephen Nellis in San Francisco; Editing by David Gregorio) By David Schwartz PHOENIX (Reuters) - Tens of thousands of teachers in Arizona and Colorado walked out of public school classrooms on Thursday to demand better pay and more education funding, in the latest revolt by educators that has spread to the U.S. West. At least 50,000 teachers and their supporters wearing red T-shirts streamed down city streets in Arizona's capital of Phoenix, carrying placards reading "35 is a Speed Limit NOT a Class Size" and "The Future of Arizona is in my Classroom." The teachers are demanding an immediate 20 percent increase to salaries which are among the lowest in the country, increased pay for support staff, restoring education funding to 2008 levels, and a freeze on tax cuts until the state's education budget reaches the national average. Arizona Governor Doug Ducey, a Republican, has offered a cumulative 20 percent pay rise by 2020 to be largely paid for by growth. He says the state needs low taxes to attract employers, and has pledged $371 million over the next five years for school infrastructure, curriculum, school buses and technology. "We've all been listening - but now, it's time to act," Ducey said in a statement, as he pushed lawmakers to fund his plan. "My No. 1 focus right now is passing a 20 percent pay raise for Arizona teachers. This raise is earned, and it is deserved." Teachers say the governor's budget promises are too optimistic and a deal with lawmakers could be years in the offing. Encouraged by similar protests in West Virginia, Oklahoma and Kentucky, organizers said the job action would send a message to state political leaders about their dissatisfaction. Colorado public school teachers announced a two-day walkout for Thursday and Friday and around 3,000 people marched on the state capitol in Denver to demand additional funding, according to protest organizers. The vast number of Arizona's more than 200 public school districts with roughly 1.1 million students have canceled classes for Thursday and Friday. Story continues "Today will forever be remembered as the day that Arizona educators, after decades of being ignored, stood up and said ENOUGH," tweeted Noah Karvelis, a music teacher and leader of the grassroots Arizona Educators United, a coalition of teachers and education professionals. By early afternoon, rally organizers adjourned the event as a precaution due to high temperatures. TEACHERS PAY MOVEMENT Arizona state schools superintendent Diane Douglas has asked the teachers not to leave their classrooms and allow state leaders to work out a solution. She feared the job action would only hurt students and parents. One critic of the walkouts said it sets a bad precedent for other public service groups such as police and firemen and that a better solution is to redirect money from school administration to teachers. "Before demanding more of Arizonans meager paychecks, our education community should reallocate the dollars they already spend," wrote Jon Gabriel, a Mesa resident, and editor-in-chief of Ricochet.com, a conservative discussion forum. The protests in Colorado, where Republicans control the senate but Democrats hold the governor's office and control the lower house, marked a political shift for the teachers' pay movement. Up till now, demonstrations have been limited to Republican-controlled states where public sector unions are weak. The Colorado walkout forced the state's two largest school districts, in Denver and neighboring Jefferson County, to cancel classes. The teachers' union said it expected between 10,000 and 15,000 teachers to descend on the capitol over the two days. "We welcome teachers to the State Capitol! We are listening - lets work on this together," Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper tweeted. Colorado is enjoying an economic boom but teachers say they have to work second jobs and buy school supplies out of their own pockets after a $6.6 billion cut in funding over the past decade. Low pay means the state is short 3,000 teachers, according to Kerrie Dallman, head of the Colorado Education Association, a statewide federation of teachers' unions. "School districts and public school supporters end up begging for the leftover money at the end of every legislative session," said Dallman, whose group organized the march on the capitol. (Additional reporting by Keith Coffman in Denver; writing by Andrew Hay; editing by Bill Tarrant and Richard Chang) Yerevan (AFP) - Armenia's protest leader Nikol Pashinyan on Thursday ruled out any possibility of compromise with authorities, saying he should be elected prime minister in a vote next week. Earlier in the day Armenia's parliament set May 1 as the date to elect a prime minister in a bid to defuse escalating tensions and Russian leader Vladimir Putin stressed the "importance" of the vote in phone talks with the acting head of government. Observers have warned the crisis could destabilise the Moscow-allied nation which has been involved in a decades-long territorial dispute with Azerbaijan. Addressing supporters at a rally in the capital Yerevan, Pashinyan said he was the only suitable candidate for prime minister and rejected the possibility of any backroom deals with the ruling Republican Party. "If I am not elected prime minister, then Armenia will not have a prime minister at all," said the 42-year-old former newspaper editor. "Get me right -- the issue is not about getting me elected prime minister, it's about getting rid of the corrupt system." After electing a prime minister Armenia is expected to hold new parliamentary elections. The opposition accuses the ruling party -- which controls a majority in parliament -- of being unwilling to cede power after the country's leader Serzh Sarkisian quit his new post of prime minister earlier this week after days of protests. The Yelk opposition bloc nominated Pashinyan for prime minister, but he was 13 votes short of a majority on Wednesday. A candidate would need 53 votes to get elected. Pashinyan called a temporary halt to protests across the country and said he was willing to hold talks with acting head of government Karen Karapetyan on Friday in front of journalists. An attempt to hold such negotiations earlier in the week collapsed. Russia - which has a military base in Armenia -- has pledged it would not intervene but its top officials welcomed counterparts from the South Caucasus nation for talks on Thursday and Putin discussed the crisis with Karapetyan. Story continues "It was stressed that the settlement of the crisis situation in Armenia should be conducted solely within the legal framework," the Kremlin said after the phone talks. Speaking earlier in the day, Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov urged the importance of "compromise." In Moscow, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met with his Armenian counterpart Eduard Nalbandyan while Kremlin officials also held talks with the country's acting Vice Premier Armen Gevorkyan. Foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the top diplomats from Russia and Armenia discussed the situation around Nagorny Karabakh, a breakaway statelet with an Armenian ethnic majority that is internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan. Officials from the Russian embassy in Yerevan have also met with Pashinyan. The country's leader Serzh Sarkisian stood down Monday from his new post of prime minister after days of largely peaceful protests in the impoverished country of 2.9 million people. The opposition had accused 63-year-old Sarkisian of wanting to extend his grip on power after serving a decade as president, saying he failed to tackle a litany of problems including poverty, corruption and the influence of tycoons close to power. Analysts said the situation in Armenia was hugely unpredictable. "It's impossible to tell if the country will come out of this chaos on May 1," analyst Ervand Bozoyan said, adding that frantic backdoor negotiations were under way among political parties. Analyst Stepan Safaryan said that, while the core of the Republican Party has no intention of backing down, he did not rule out that some of the party's lawmakers would vote for Pashinyan. Protesters said Thursday it was time for the Republican Party to give way to new political forces and warned of the risk of clashes. "Everything has been peaceful so far, but there still is a risk of turmoil, even violence," said Iren Vakhtangyan, a 28-year-old historian. Hayk Gevorkyan, a 58-year-old economist, said the old elites cannot stay in power any longer. "They must go! There is no time for political manipulations and power struggle," he told AFP. "We also fear that Pashinyan could make a deal with oligarchs. If he disappoints the people, we will get rid of him just as we got rid of Serzh." Lauren Evans shares the story of how she graduated college at 26. (Photo: Instagram/lauren_evans91) It has been said that college isnt for everyone, which can serve as reassurance for teenagers who feel the pressure to make higher education the immediate next step after graduating from high school. For Lauren Evans from Detroit, pursuing college wasnt something she was sure she wanted to do. The lack of motivation in high school left her with a 1.5 GPA and no prospects for a university education. My parents were in the middle of a divorce when I was in eighth grade, so I got tied up in that and stopped focusing on school, Evans tells Yahoo Lifestyle. Entering high school and taking it as a joke, I knew my only remedy was to just to be with my friends, and youre just kind of winging it at that point. But when Evanss mother gave her the opportunity to take some time off after graduating high school and work instead, the teens hiatus lasted only a year before she decided she was ready for college. I went to North Carolina, where I had a great-aunt who I hadnt seen in years, she says. At the time, I was going out of town to go to community college, which made me embarrassed. Needless to say, I kept going. Through her time at a community college in North Carolina, Evans says that she became inspired being part of the local culture away from home. This motivated her not only to do well in school but also to pursue any opportunity that would allow her to make up for lost time in high school. Soon enough, she met her boyfriend Jeremy, who would play a defining role in her life. We just connected, Evans says about herself and Jeremy. We had an excellent vibe. It was my first adult relationship. We were together for around two years, when I went out of town for Thanksgiving. I was on the phone with him saying, See you tomorrow, and tomorrow never came. Jeremy was shot in the home that they shared in North Carolina, leaving the then-21-year-old Evans reeling from the loss of the person she called her best friend. The case remains unsolved, and the only information provided to her from the homicide detective was that Jeremys death was instant. Story continues I didnt know anything else, she recalls. I had just that [information] when I was 21. Im 26 years old [now], and I still dont have the answer. However, from that trying time, she learned that she had to continue pursuing a higher education and a life for herself with a fulfilling career, since Jeremy wasnt able to do so himself. Jeremy was just 25 at the time he was killed and hadnt even graduated high school, which Evans says drove him to encourage her through her studies. This is for me and him right now because hes my angel, she said to herself at the time, and now Ive got to get a degree for me and my angel. After three years at community college, Evans began applying to various out-of-state universities, and received multiple acceptances. She reflects on the opportunity to choose a school in comparison to having no options following high school and calls it a privilege. Ultimately the young woman moved to Baton Rogue, La., to attend Louisiana State University, where more obstacles would come her way. Yet Evans knew that after facing the death of her boyfriend, nothing could challenge her more than what shed already been through. When I went to college, I dealt with the issues of college that everybody forgets to tell you. It was a struggle within itself, Evans admits. And the closer I got, it was like the most hurdles would come. I just continued to go. I had to load up on classes. I worked two jobs. Anything I had to do at that point, I was going to make it to the end. In August 2017, Evans ended up graduating with a degree in child and family studies, which she is planning to use when she pursues law school in the near future. In an effort to help others achieve goals that they never dreamed of achieving, the 26-year-old thinks shes the perfect fit. During the process of going to school, going through life, taking a break, and sometimes taking the longer route, I found my purpose within all of that, she says. Before that, I just knew college was something I was supposed to do because everyone else was doing it. I didnt know Laurens way. After sharing her story in an Instagram post, Evans is already inspiring followers and others who come across her page. We dont like to share our scars, Evans says. But luckily she did. Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle: After losing both parents before she was 19, this young woman shares her college graduation with them Mother of 5 proudly poses with children in law school graduation photos: We did it Viral photo of Afghan mother caring for her baby while taking a college exam is so inspiring Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. A quarter-century ago the nation fixated on President Bill Clintons proposal to enact a dont ask, dont tell policy for the U.S. Military. The bitter controversy erupted in the national media Jan. 30, 1993, when three Camp Lejeune Marines and the patrons of a gay bar named Mickey Ratz in Wilmington, N.C., went to battle. The bar fight and the injuries sustained by one of the patrons, Crae Pridgen Jr., who recently died and once lived in Dallas for a brief time, dominated the headlines. Since then, the event that garnered so much notoriety at the time has faded in history. Everyone has forgotten that the LGBT community celebrated Pridgen -- who suffered cuts, bruises, a black eye, a cut lip and a lost tooth -- as a star in the aftermath of the bar melee. Back then his appearances in restaurants and bars frequented by the LGBT community anywhere in the country triggered crowds of admirers and best wishers. The Human Rights Campaign penned a fundraising letter under his name, he appeared at the March on Washington as a headliner and the Southern Poverty Law Center filed a lawsuit against the Marines on his behalf. He also made an appearance on the Today show. It proved to be a short-lived celebrity. All changed in April 1993 when a judge in Wilmington acquitted the Marines on assault charges after a six-day trial covered live on television. The judge ruled the prosecutors failed to meet the burden of proof, and that she believed the Marines had acted in self-defense. The Marines claimed they were taunted by gay patrons while Pridgen maintained that the military men, who entered the club with their girlfriends, attacked and yelled Clinton must pay, an alleged reference to the new military policy allowing gay and lesbian soldiers to serve. The loss of the criminal case devastated Pridgens civil suit, and it later was settled out of court. The three Marines signed a statement saying that harassment is wrong, and they made a $100 contribution to the American Foundation for AIDS Research. Pridgen found it difficult to find employment after the debacle of the criminal trial, and his church expelled him from the congregation. He endured widespread criticism in his hometown, and nationwide from straight conservatives. As is the case with victims of violence, Pridgen suffered the classic symptoms of post-traumatic stress syndrome, such as anxiety and depression. Pridgen attempted to relocate to other cities. He spent some time in Montgomery, AL, the home of the Southern Poverty Law Center, before returning to North Carolina. While in Alabama he served as a volunteer lobbyist for the newly-formed Gay and Lesbian Alliance of Alabama. Pridgen, who relocated to Fort Lauderdale in 1999, died March 2 at the age of 53. He appears to have lived a much quieter life in his final years in comparison to his former high media profile. His obituary in the Wilmington Star News said that he died unexpectedly at Florida Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale. During his time in Florida, Pridgen worked as a mental health technician. He also became active in Lambda South, a 12-step recovery program for LGBT people, and in Florida Roundup, a statewide conference of LGBT recovery groups, as the chair of various committees. Few people today remember him, but Pridgen should be recognized by the LGBT community for bringing widespread attention to the ongoing effort to combat hate crimes and promote tolerance. He gave all he had to give, and he paid a heavy price for his contribution. David Webb worked at the Southern Poverty Law Center as a writer and researcher at the time the organization represented Crae Pridgen. Webb was assigned to Pridgens case and worked with him closely. Photo: Getty Images A discriminatory letter demanding that the family of an autistic teen move away has gone viral during Autism Awareness Month, no less. Leah Solomon is the mother of 16-year-old Batsheva, who has severe autism and has the intelligence quotient of a 4-year-old, according to a report from Miami affiliate NBC6. She also has an 18-year-old with Asperger syndrome. Last week Leahs husband found a letter on their apartment door at the Plaza, the condominium complex in Bal Harbour, Fla., where theyve lived for two years, and they were shocked by its contents. Claiming it was written on behalf of 300 neighbors, the letter demands the removal of the family because of Batshevas behavior. The letter called the teen large framed and hefty and stated that she has major issues. Her lack of impulse control, her screaming and outbursts are not acceptable to the residents in this building, the letter reads. We are not responsible for your daughters diagnosis. And you have no right to burden us with her diagnosis. The hurtful letter also claims that Batsheva cannot socialize with others and that she disturbs neighbors with her jumping, beginning at 5:30 AM every day. The letter also states that the senders have sought out legal counsel. The choice is yours, the note reads. Either you move out of the building on your own volition, or the residents of this building will take action and you will be forced to move. The letter insensitively suggests that the parents move their daughter to a facility that can accommodate disabled people, where you would not be infringing upon the quality of life of others. MY CHILD WITH AUTISM BEING DISCRIMINATED AT THE PLAZA OF BAL HARBOUR.Well this is in deed the most in humane letter I Posted by Leah Solomon on Wednesday, April 18, 2018 Leah tells Yahoo Lifestyle that while shes received a few complaints from neighbors because of her daughter in the past, as soon as they saw she was a special needs child, they understood. Story continues According to the local ABC network, the mother of four shared the letter on Facebook because she wasnt getting an answer from management last week. MY CHILD WITH AUTISM BEING DISCRIMINATED AT THE PLAZA OF BAL HARBOUR, she wrote. No wonder the world is so real seriously f&&&&d up. There is no human dignity or love or empathy towards the neighbors. Her story has received a ton of attention; a handful of local news stations have picked it up, and the mayor of the Miami-Dade County village, Gabriel Groisman, also shared the story. Groisman called the letter despicable, and promised to stand behind the family. I can confirm that law enforcement is looking into this incident, and everyone must know that this hatred and discrimination has no place anywhere, and certainly not in Bal Harbour, he wrote on Facebook. This week a despicable incident occurred at The Plaza at Bal Harbour. A family, who has a beautiful 16 year old child Posted by Gabriel Groisman, Mayor of Bal Harbour on Friday, April 20, 2018 Building management says it had nothing to do with the letter, according to Leah, and that it and the condo board do not support it. But Leah begs to differ. [M]y husband immediately after receiving it went downstairs to the management office where the property manager acknowledged the letter, she wrote on Facebook the next day. The management is denying it, they are blaming a tenant, and we have no idea who that is, Leah tells Yahoo Lifestyle. We are 100 percent sure the association/landlord/landlord rep is behind it. A woman answering the phone in the buildings management office tells Yahoo Lifestyle the office had nothing to add to the story, and that managers are working with our attorneys and the authorities and are providing the paperwork theyve asked us for. Leah confirmed that she and her family are planning to move. We got served an eviction notice on [April 20] from our landlord, who, she says, owns about 10 apartments in the building. He placed this apartment for sale three weeks ago, Leah explains, adding that it happened when her husband was a week behind on the rent because he was recovering from open-heart surgery. We got a call from the landlords rep telling us they were going to put a three-day notice on our door, and it was best for us to go quietly. Instead, Leah tried reaching the landlord to ask for an extension, and then voila, this letter appeared on the apartment. While the family doesnt have the funds to move and Leah says she has proof of the landlords unfair treatment toward them on other occasions, her focus right now is to get her children in a place where they feel safe. So Leah has set up a GoFundMe page to help with the cost of relocation. People have donated almost $1,000 so far, while others are showing their support on Facebook. Your heartless letter needs to be put in the hands of an attorney do proper actions can be taken. Shame on these people!! one follower commented. She is beautiful. The whole Autism community is behind you. I was so angry when I read that letter. I have an 8 year old son who has Autism and the hatred in that letter made my blood boil. I really hope you get to the bottom of it and find out which disgusting person had the cheek to write that. How small minded some people are, education and awareness is the key. I am so sorry you and your family have been put through this, wrote another. And it seems Leahs neighbors arent all bad. The neighbors started circulating a letter stating that they had no part in this and they were ashamed of what was being done to us, she says. Some of them have shown us loving support, even placed cards in our door, looking for our daughter to go with her to the pool and see who would complain. As of now, the Bal Harbor Police Department has taken over the case, Leah says. They have reached out to the state attorney to process this as a crime. The mayor has used this as an opportunity to educate. With their blessing, and with the skills of our very own Bal Harbour Police Department and Bal Harbour Village Government we will be creating an awareness and education initiative to teach people about Autism, as this kind of action is most prevalent amongst those who are ignorant. Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle: Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. By Jorge Silva MAE HONG SON, Thailand (Reuters) - Golden umbrellas draped in beads and flowers provide shade for boys as young as seven riding on their fathers' shoulders in a procession through the mountain town of Mae Hong Son on Thailand's northern border. Dressed in clothes dominated by neon pinks and greens with elaborate headgear, their lips and cheeks brightly rouged for the most important day of their short lives, about 50 boys advance to the lively beat of drums, cymbals and gongs. The event is a rite of passage to initiate the boys as Buddhist novices, the highlight of an annual celebration by the Shan ethnic group that lives mainly in neighbouring Myanmar, but is also spread through China, Laos and Thailand. (Click https://reut.rs/2FgiZ1Q to see a picture package of this Buddhist celebration.) "I was overwhelmed with happiness and excited about the ceremony," said Kasen Kongtui, 58, a Thai trader who sponsored the participation of a 12-year-old family friend, Poo Sit, from Myanmar. "He told me: 'Grandfather, I want to become a novice!' So we helped him," Kasen told Reuters. "I did it to make merit." To fulfil the dream of a son's participation in the prestigious event, parents willingly scrimp for a long time, others accept relatives' donations to defray costs, and the poorest may even send offspring to live with wealthier families. The rite of Poy Sang Long, as the celebration is known, represents the early childhood of the founder of Buddhism, Siddharta Gautama, who was born a prince about 2,600 years ago. He is said to have given up a life of royal splendour to live as a holy man after witnessing sickness and death outside the palace. The boys' ordination is thought to bring honour to their families, and the event runs for a week during the dry season before the traditional Thai New Year, when most villagers are home for the holiday and children are on a school break. Story continues For these 'beloved princes' of the Shan families, the ceremony runs through several stages, from the shaving of their heads, with the shorn locks wrapped in lotus leaves by their mothers to be saved as a keepsake, to a bath in scented water. They dress in white and have dazzling patterns drawn on their faces and heads with a yellow cosmetic paste made from ground-up thanaka bark thought to have protective properties. From now until the end of the festival, the boys are believed to have acquired semi-divine status, and are not allowed to touch the ground or walk by themselves. The parade takes place the next day, preceding a more contemplative period on the third day, when the boys visit relatives' homes to pray for their families. After the week is up, the boy novices live at a temple for one or two months during school holidays, studying Buddhist scripture. "I like having my head shaved," said August, a smiling 8-year-old clad in red and gold, with an ornate hat that featured pink flowers and diamante trim, as he described his favourite part of the rite. "When I saw my friends doing this, I decided to become a novice. I want to be the Buddha's representative. I want to be a good person." (Editing by Amy Sawitta Lefevre, Karishma Singh and Clarence Fernandez) Bill Cosby convicted in sexual assault retrial Actor and comedian Bill Cosby departs the courthouse after he was found guilty in his sexual assault retrial, Thursday, April, 26, 2018, at the Montgomery County Courthouse in Norristown, Pa. (Photo: Matt Slocum/AP) Bill Cosby was convicted Thursday of drugging and molesting a woman in the first big celebrity trial of the #MeToo era, completing the spectacular late-in-life downfall of a comedian who broke racial barriers in Hollywood on his way to TV superstardom as Americas Dad. Cosby, 80, could end up spending his final years in prison after a jury concluded he sexually violated Temple University employee Andrea Constand at his suburban Philadelphia mansion in 2004. The former TV star stared straight ahead as the verdict was read but moments later lashed out loudly at District Attorney Kevin Steele after the prosecutor demanded Cosby be sent immediately to jail. Steele told the judge Cosby has an airplane and might flee. Cosby angrily denied he has a plane and called Steele an ahole, shouting, Im sick of him! The judge decided Cosby can remain free on $1 million bail while he awaits sentencing but restricted him to Montgomery County, where his home is. No sentencing date was set. (AP) See more news-related photo galleries and follow us on Yahoo News Photo Twitter and Tumblr. A Boston commission has approved the Red Soxs request to change the name of Yawkey Way to Jersey Street. (AP) Yawkey Way is no more. On Thursday, Bostons Public Improvement Commission unanimously approved Boston Red Sox owner John Henrys request to change the name of Yawkey Way, according to the Boston Globe. The street will now be known as Jersey Street, its original name. The reason behind the change, which Red Sox owner John Henry requested back in February, was inclusivity. Yawkey Way is named after former Red Sox owner Tom Yawkey, and Yawkeys Red Sox were the last team in the majors to promote an African-American player. They didnt do it until 1959, 12 years after Jackie Robinson made his debut. At the time, Yawkey was accused of being a racist. The name change certainly wont wipe away the teams racial past, which Henry has said still haunts him, but it does publicly show that the Red Sox dont support the kind of retrograde thinking that Yawkey was accused of representing. The Yawkey Foundation isnt thrilled with the name change, though, which was clear in the statement it released on Thursday. NEW: Statement from Yawkey Foundations on decision to change name of Yawkey Way outside #FenwayPark to Jersey Street. "This a sad day for all of us at the Foundations."@boston25 #boston#RedSox pic.twitter.com/L2uSlqgINz Peter Wilson (@PetesWire) April 26, 2018 The original statement the Red Sox released in February praised all the charitable work the foundation has done, and made clear that the name change was not an indictment on the foundation itself. Story continues Liz Roscher is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at lizroscher@yahoo.com or follow her on twitter! Follow @lizroscher More from Yahoo Sports: Offensive tweets from Josh Allen surface Griffin will likely have long wait in NFL draft Audio of confidential NFL players-owners meeting leaks LeBrons buzzer-beating 3-pointer sinks Pacers London (AFP) - A senior British minister cast doubt Thursday on the government's plans not to be in a customs union with the EU after Brexit, as MPs stepped up the pressure for a change in strategy. Interior minister Amber Rudd told reporters at a lunch in London: "We still have a few discussions to be had... to arrive at a final position". But Prime Minister Theresa May's spokesman insisted Britain would be leaving the European Union's customs union after Brexit in March 2019. "We are leaving the customs union and won't be joining a customs union," he said, repeating that such an agreement would constrain Britain's ability to sign its own trade deals. Rudd later clarified her position, saying she had been reluctant to be drawn on "ongoing cabinet discussions about our future trading relationship". Speculation is growing however about the government's position as the clock ticks down to October, its self-imposed deadline for agreeing the outline terms of a new trade deal with Brussels. Pro-European MPs say there is growing support for a change of tack, and many took part in a House of Commons debate Thursday backing a customs union. Supporters -- including the opposition Labour party and the CBI business group -- say it would help maintain free trade with the EU. It would also help avoid new checks on goods crossing the border between Northern Ireland and EU-member Ireland, which some fear could upset the fragile peace on the island. But hardline Brexit supporters say the move is an attempt to thwart Britain's withdrawal, and Rudd's slip drew anger from eurosceptics. One MP in the ruling Conservative party, Peter Bone, tweeted: "We cannot have (the) home secretary not supporting this key plank of Brexit!" - Parliamentary votes loom - The Commons motion urged ministers to make "the establishment of an effective customs union" one of their objectives in Brexit negotiations. Story continues "It seems rather perverse that at a time when we want to increase free trade, we're going to put up a whole load of barriers to stop access in that best free trade area that is existing in the world," said Conservative MP Anna Soubry. Few pro-Brexit lawmakers attended and it did not go to a vote, but the debate was viewed as a dress rehearsal for other looming parliamentary battles. Brussels has indicated it is open to London changing its negotiating position, and pro-Europeans in Britain have become increasingly bold in recent weeks. MPs will hold a binding vote in May or June on a customs union amendment tabled by the unelected upper House of Lords to the EU (Withdrawal) Bill last week, which sets the legal framework for Brexit. Ministers are more worried about an amendment tabled to the government's long-delayed trade and customs bills, demanding ministers take "all necessary steps" to continue in a customs union. The amendment is signed by 10 Conservative MPs, with at least another three said to be supportive, risking the government's slim parliamentary majority. - Threat over Irish border - Supporters believe a new customs union is the only way to resolve the Irish border issue, dismissing the government's proposals for a technological solution. Britain has agreed to a "backstop" solution whereby Northern Ireland would align its customs rules with those of the EU if there is no other way to avoid frontier checks. But the Democratic Unionist Party, whose 10 MPs are vital to May's majority in parliament, has warned it would withdraw its support if Northern Ireland was given separate status. "For us that would be a red line, which we would vote against the government," senior DUP lawmaker Nigel Dodds told the ConservativeHome website. Ottawa (AFP) - Canada on Thursday rolled out funding and stepped up efforts to prevent the transshipment of foreign steel and aluminum into the United States and dumping in this country. The measures, announced by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in March, include more than Can$30 million (US$23 million) over five years for increased border checks, and the hiring of 40 new officers to investigate trade complaints. The Canada Border Services Agency will also gather more accurate data on imports "to help better monitor trade trends and better protect our industries and workers against unfair trade," said a statement. In March, Trudeau pledged to strengthen measures to block backdoor steel shipments after US President Donald Trump announced import duties of 25 percent on steel and 10 percent on aluminum. Canada, as the top exporter of steel and aluminum to the US market, along with Mexico had been exempted from new US tariffs. But on Thursday, the US neighbors were lumped in with the EU, Brazil, South Korea and others in an order lifting the exemptions at month's end, unless each makes trade concessions to the US. Ottawa (AFP) - Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland will skip a NATO summit in Brussels in order to continue continental trade negotiations with the US and Mexico in Washington, her office said Thursday. This comes as Washington upped the pressure on its neighbors to reach a deal on the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) by May 1 or face tariffs on steel and aluminum. "The minister will remain in Washington for all of Thursday to continue NAFTA negotiations," Freeland's spokesman Adam Austen told AFP. She will be represented at the NATO meeting by her parliamentary secretary, Omar Alghabra. Major differences remain to be settled in the NAFTA negotiations, but Freeland said late Wednesday that good progress had been made on the issue of auto parts. She also underscored Canada's strong objection to inserting a clause into the agreement that would allow a party to exit the pact after five years, saying it would create uncertainty for investors. Earlier, senior White House advisor Larry Kudlow said the United States would continue to exempt allied economies from new steel and aluminum tariffs -- if they make concessions on trade. Canada and Mexico -- as the main suppliers to the US -- had been exempted indefinitely from the punishing import duties of 25 percent on steel and 10 percent on aluminum. But Washington on Thursday lumped them in with the EU, Brazil, South Korea and others in an order lifting the exemptions at month's end. The parties had previously said they hoped to reach a new NAFTA deal before campaigning revs up for US midterm and Mexican presidential elections later this year. The latest US move to push for a quick deal comes also as the United States now looks to focus on its trade disputes with China. Its chief NAFTA negotiator, US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, is to travel next week to Beijing for talks. US President Donald Trump triggered renegotiation of NAFTA last year after labeling it a "disaster" that has destroyed US jobs. He has repeatedly threatened to leave the pact if a satisfactory deal is not reached. Bouake (Ivory Coast) (AFP) - Earlier this year, Cape Town grabbed the world's headlines as it careened towards a water armageddon. Crippled by a three-year-long drought, the South African city braced for a complete shutdown of domestic water supplies. In the event, Cape Town dodged the immediate bullet. But thousands of kilometres (miles) away, another African city has had far less luck -- and much less attention for its ordeal. "We haven't had a drop from our taps for three weeks," said a resident of Bouake, Ivory Coast's second largest city, while she awaited her turn to draw water from from a well. "The situation is catastrophic," said an employee of the state-run water distribution company, Sodeci, who asked not to be named. Located in grassy savanna around 400 kilometres (250 miles) from the Ivorian economic capital of Abidjan, Bouake is a city of more than half million souls, with a million more in surrounding territory. The area has been hit by a double whammy. The dammed lake that supplies 70 percent of the city's water has run dry. One factor is an unprecedented drought that has gripped the region -- a phenomenon in line with expert warnings about climate change. But another, says the territory's director for water affairs, Seydou Coulibaly, is the impact of unregulated sand quarrying, which has altered the course of waterways feeding the reservoir. "We are struggling to get clean water for drinking and cooking," computer technician Eliezer Konan told AFP. "Washing has become difficult. It's a real ordeal." In a bid to bring some relief, the city has begun drilling wells to obtain fresh water. "We have finished a first operation and we'll be moving on to the second site in two to three hours," Hassane Cousteau Cissoko, director of the drilling firm Foraci, said last Thursday in the Houphouetville district. In all, 10 wells will be linked by pipes to a Sodeci water tower, which will then be able to distribute two million litres (more than half a million gallons) of water per day. Story continues This will "relieve the population" but is far from enough to replace the usual supply from the Loka dam, Cissoko said. - 'Praying to God' - For now, Bouake hospital is being supplied by tanker trucks, along with the city's two prisons and the university campuses. Heavy rain fell one night last week, to the joy of many. "We collected lots of water that night. The heavy rain allowed us to fill all our receptacles," said Awa Coulibaly in the Belle Ville 1 district. "But once we've used up this hoard, what's going to happen then? We should go on praying to God for rain every day." In the Sokoura district, the owner of a car wash made the most of the downpour, selling jerrycans of 20 litres of water for 500 CFA francs (0.76 euro or $0.93) apiece. He was swiftly overwhelmed. No rain has fallen since, but in any event rainwater and tanks "are insufficient", said another resident, Mariam Konate. "The government must deal with this problem head on." Some people, however, long ago started to take precautionary measures. Aramata Toure, who sells vegetables in Dar-Es-Salam 1 district, has dug her own water supply. "Around here, it's the well water that we use, along with our neighbours," she said. But that is not a long-term solution for everybody. "Even the wells start to dry up when lots of people rush for water," said Amoin Konan of the Ahougnanssou district. The following is the first in a series of articles examining how LGBT candidates and organizations are positioned to help Democrats take back the majority of the U.S. House and Senate this year. Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan stunned many people with his announcement April 11 that he would retire from office next January. But he was just following a crowd of Republicans in Congress (more than three dozen) who had already decided they would not run again. Their mostly unspoken motivations seemed clear: They either felt they could no longer support their partys leader President Trump or feared they could not be re-elected. Ever since President Trump took office, polls have shown that voters would prefer that Democrats controlled the House and Senate. Asked which partys candidate they would support in a Congressional election, they said Democrat. Even the Fox News poll said so. The implications for LGBT people of having Democrats win control of even one chamber are profound. The Republican majority Congress has completely blocked any consideration of pro-LGBT legislation, has approved anti-LGBT judicial nominees, and advanced bills with language that eliminates many protections for LGBT people. For example, the House approved a funding bill that included language reaffirming an executive order from President Trump that allows religious exemptions to federal non-discrimination policies. And Republican leadership in the House orchestrated the defeat of a funding bill with pro-LGBT language. The Senate confirmed a U.S. Supreme Court nominee (Neil Gorsuch) and 11 federal appeals court nominees opposed by LGBT legal groups. LGBT candidates vying to be part of Congressional change are all Democrats, but one. Some quick numbers: Republicans currently hold 237 of the Houses 435 seats; Democrats hold 193; and there are five vacancies. More than 10 percent of House Republicans (27) have announced, like Ryan, that they will not seek re-election in November. (That compares to five percent of Democrats (11).) Four Senate seats are being vacated by incumbent Republicans (compared to one Democrat). To become the majority in the House, either party needs 218 seats. So, for Democrats to become the majority, they need a net gain of 25 in November. There are 18 LGBT Congressional candidates this yearfour incumbents and 14 newcomers. All but one of the newcomers are Democrats; none are Republicans; one is Green Party. The chances for success by the newcomers can be calculated on such things as whether they are running to fill a vacant seat or against a strong incumbent, what the demographic and political make-up of their district is, whether they have put together a strong and well-funded campaign; and whether they have run for or held elective office before. So far, at least seven of the 14 show a strong chance of winning in November: Matt Heinz, Arizona (2nd district) Katie Hill, California (25th) Lauren Baer, Florida (18th) David Richardson, Florida (27th) Angie Craig, Minnesota (2nd) Chris Pappas, New Hampshire (1st) Gina Ortiz Jones, Texas (23rd) While the other seven have significant obstacles to overcome, most have developed impressive campaigns and are still very much in the running: Jim Gray, Kentucky (6th) Pat Davis, New Mexico (1st) Rick Neal, Ohio (15th) Lorie Burch, Texas (3rd) Mary Wilson, Texas (21st) Eric Holguin, Texas (27th) James Partsch-Galvan, Texas (29th) The next primary coming up is Rick Neals, in Ohio May 8. A newcomer to politics and a former Peace Corps worker, hes raised an impressive $396,000, according to the Federal Elections Commission. His Democratic opponent has not reported any income yet to the FEC. But whoever wins the primary faces incumbent Republican Rep. Steve Stivers, who is unopposed in the GOP primary and has already raised more than $2 million for his re-election. Stivers is only a two-termer, but hes already chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee. Neal has an uphill battle. Six LGBT candidates have important primary races May 22. Five of them are in Texas, where they each won the most votes in the first primary but not enough to win the nomination outright. Of those five, Gina Ortiz Jones has the best odds of winning. She won 41 percent of the vote, while her nearest competitor (and May 22 opponent) won only 17 percent. Her latest report to the FEC showed almost $600,000 but in November, shell be up against an incumbent Republican who has raised twice that. But she and Minnesotas Angie Craig-- have also caught the attention and support of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committees efforts to win over Republican-held districts. Two other LGBT Texas primary candidates May 22 are going into their run-offs having won the largest percentage of vote in the original primary. Lorie Burch won 49.6 percent of the vote and the endorsement of the Dallas News. Eric Holguin came in second in his original Democratic primary, but the configuration of his district in Texas (the 27th) is in the unusual position of being challenged in an appeal before the U.S. Supreme Court April 24. Plus, the incumbent Republican resigned April 6 due to a sex scandal. Lots can happen between April 24 and May 22 to affect that primary. The fifth Texas LGBT candidate is James Partsch-Galvan, running as a Green Party member. Also, facing a primary opponent May 22 is Jim Gray, the openly gay Mayor of Lexington, Kentucky. Gray ran for the U.S. Senate seat held by Rand Paul two years ago and lost by a significant margin. But hes probably the best known among the six Democrats on the May 22 primary ballot. If he wins, hell face a Republican incumbent, Andy Barr, and the Cook Political Report predicts Gray could give Barr a tough reelection race. What all these candidates need is money. Some of them are getting small contributions from several LGBT political action committees. A very few, like Craig and Jones, are getting help from the Democratic Party. Individual citizens from any state can contribute to these campaigns. For donations of $200 or more, the candidate must report the name, address, occupation, and employer of the individual contributor to the Federal Elections Commission. Federal law limits how much any one person can give to any one candidate: $2,700 per primary and $2,700 per general election. Individuals can also give $5,000 per year to a political action committee, and that committee can then give $5,000 per primary and $5,000 per general election to individual candidates. If five or six newcomer LGBT Congressional candidates win this fall, they will comprise the largest number of openly LGBT members of Congress in history. Currently, there are six such members in the House; but two of those, Rep. Jared Polis of Colorado and Rep. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, are running for other offices (Polis for governor and Sinema for the U.S. Senate). The newcomers, if successful, will join the existing four LGBT incumbents, who are all running for re-election and have strong chances of returning to office: David Cicilline of Rhode Island Sean Patrick Maloney of New York Mark Pocan of Wisconsin Mark Takano of California. Yaounde (AFP) - The Roman Catholic church should mediate in the crisis in the English-speaking regions of Cameroon, where separatists and security forces are embroiled in a dangerous conflict, a thinktank urged Thursday. "The Catholic Church could help break this dangerous stalemate," the International Crisis Group (ICG) said in a report. "Other than the Catholic clergy, there are few prospective peacemakers," it said. "If no-one fills that role, the separatist sentiment already voiced by many anglophones will continue to grow, fuelling further violence and exacerbating the ongoing insurgency in the anglophone regions, with elections in late 2018 a flashpoint." The crisis began in 2016, when activists in Cameroon's anglophone minority stepped up a campaign for greater autonomy. Their demands were rejected by President Paul Biya, prompting radicals to make a full-blown declaration of independence last October. Since then, 31 members of the security forces have been killed by separatists, according to an AFP toll based on official figures. The number of armed separatists or civilians killed by police and troops is unknown. At the same time, humanitarian needs in the anglophone regions have grown. According to UN estimates, tens of thousands of people have been displaced by the fighting. The ICG said the church could help by stating "its impartiality" on the big question facing anglophone regions -- federalism versus decentralisation. "A clergy able to project a position of neutrality could work with other trusted actors to mediate between anglophone leaders and the state and stem a dangerous and growing crisis," it said. The church is one of Cameroon's strongest institutions, as it is present in all of the country's 10 regions and nearly a third of the population is Catholic, the report said. It cautioned though that the church also had to overcome its own divisions between French- and English-speaking clergy. Story continues Cameroon's Northwest and Southwest Regions are home to most of the country's anglophones -- a minority of about 20 percent in the predominantly French-speaking country of 23.4 million. Within the minority, a perception of injustice has grown that anglophones suffer discrimination in the economy, education and the judicial system at the hands of the francophone majority. The anglophone presence is a legacy of the colonial period in Africa. France and Britain divided up the former German colony under League of Nations mandates after World War I. A year after the French-ruled territory became independent in 1961, the southern part of British Cameroons was integrated into a federal system. Federalism was then scrapped 11 years later for a "united republic" -- a centralised system that 85-year-old Biya, in power for more than 35 years, has said will not be changed. The ICG warned last October that "murderous repression" by the authorities would only feed secessionism -- a warning that the government lashed as an attempt to destabilise the country. Caracas (AFP) - US energy giant Chevron will maintain its operations in Venezuela despite the recent arrests of two of its employees, the company said Wednesday. Carlos Algarra and Rene Vasquez, who work for Petropiar -- joint-owned by Chevron and state oil firm PDVSA -- were reportedly arrested on April 16 after refusing to sign a supply contract with PDVSA due to high costs and a lack of competitive bids. "Chevron has an executive team in Venezuela. Our operations will continue," a company source told AFP. Venezuelan authorities last August launched a drive against corruption within PDVSA, with around 80 officials taken into custody -- among them 22 executives and two former presidents. Although admitting he did not know the Chevron case in detail, Venezuelan foreign minister Jorge Arreaza defended the attorney general's actions to combat corruption in the oil industry and promised respect for due process. "If you have to prove innocence, you have to do it in front of the authorities and not flee," he said in New York, referencing Chevron's evacuation of executives in the wake of the arrests. The attorney general's office did not respond to AFP's requests for comment. In a statement, Chevron said last week that it is governed by "a code of business ethics," which complies with all relevant Venezuelan and US laws. "The company is in contact with Venezuelan authorities. Our priority is the security of the employees and their prompt release," the source said. "We are cooperating with Venezuelan authorities to understand the process. We don't know the basis of the accusations." The socialist government of President Nicolas Maduro has admitted that corruption, mismanagement and falling oil prices led to oil production falling to the lowest levels in three decades, compounding the country's liquidity problems. "Unfortunately in our oil industry, and as a result in our relationships with other businesses, cases of corruption emerged," Arreaza said Wednesday. According to the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), production dropped in March to 1.5 million barrels per day, compared with 2.23 in March 2017. Venezuela, which is the most oil-rich country in the world but has been in recession since 2014, earns 96 percent of its income from oil -- with the fall in revenue aggravating its economic crisis. Chevron, the second-largest U.S. oil company, evacuated executives from Venezuela after the countrys government arrested two workers, according to a report Wednesday. The arrests, part of a raid by national intelligence officers, were made in connection with a contract dispute between Chevron and state-owned oil producer PDVSA, Reuters said. The workers reportedly could face charges of treason if they dont sign a PDVSA supply contract for furnace parts. Chevrons staff rejected the contract due to high costs and a lack of competitive bids. It was unclear how many employees Chevron pulled out of Venezuela. Chevron has asked employees who remain in the country to avoid facilities that are part of the joint venture with PDVSA. The California-based company has a staff of about 30 people in Puerto la Cruz, Venezuela. "Chevron has an executive team in place in Venezuela. Our operations continue," the company said in a statement. Political and economic upheaval in Venezuela has made it difficult for U.S. businesses operating in the country. Last year, Venezuela seized a factory run by General Motors, which subsequently exited its business there. Reuters reported that Chevron currently has no plans to exit Venezuela. This story has been updated. Related Articles The Daily Beast GEORGES GOBETFour Italian men between the ages of 40 and 70 perished while producing wine from their family vineyard over the weekend, according to Italys fire brigade.The menSantino and Massimo Carnevale, aged 70 and 45, and brothers Giacomo and Valerio Scofano, aged 70 and 50 were all related and taking part in an annual winemaking tradition near the city of Paola in the southern region of Calabria. One of the victims, Valerio Scofano, was not supposed to be in the shed, having been condemn Sixty-five years after the Korean War's guns fell silent, Chinese army veteran Yu Jihua still shudders in the dark of night when a plane rumbles overhead, triggering traumatic memories of death-dealing US bombers. Like shrapnel that was never extracted, the lack of a formal peace treaty ending the conflict has festered among many of the Chinese soldiers who saw much of the war's bloodiest fighting. But Yu, 86, and his ageing comrades are hopeful that closure is near, with a historic inter-Korean summit set for Friday that has fuelled speculation that a long-delayed final peace can be achieved. "At 86, I still wake up in terror at night. The war did a lot of harm to me," said Yu, who fought for two years in the 1950-53 conflict and is now retired in a quiet Shanghai suburb. "I hope one day to go to North Korea and sweep the tombs of my brothers in arms and tell them that our sacrifice was worth it, and that this day (peace) has finally arrived." The North's Kim Jong Un will cross Korea's heavily fortified Demilitarised Zone on Friday to meet the South's President Moon Jae-in. High on the agenda will be Pyongyang's nuclear arsenal, but a peace treaty -- and the powerful signal of reconciliation it could send -- may also be discussed. Yu has been plagued for decades by the sense that, with a state of war still technically in place, hostilities could flare again, subjecting his offspring to the horrors of conflict. "In my heart, I hope that we no longer use war to resolve conflicts between nations. This has been on my mind all these decades," said Yu, still spry and passionate about the subject. - 'Chaos of war' - China threw hundreds of thousands of soldiers up against a militarily superior American-led UN coalition in what Chinese still call the "War to Resist US Aggression and Aid North Korea." These "human waves" turned the tide, sending UN forces retreating southward after they had pushed invading North Korean troops back nearly to the Chinese border. Story continues The fighting stopped in a stalemate, with little achieved. Chinese war deaths are variously estimated at 180,000 by Chinese sources, and up to around 400,000 by Western tallies. Some Chinese survivors, huge numbers of whom were merely teens, are said to suffer post-traumatic stress, exacerbated by the lack of closure and modern-day tensions sparked by Pyongyang's pursuit of nuclear weapons. Yan Huaijian was a teenage tank driver until shrapnel ripped into his back. "I have shrapnel in my body, in my left lung. It aches on cloudy or rainy days. So I often think about the wounds from this war," said Yan, 86. "War is extremely cruel, not only for me, but everybody. It is the ordinary people, women and children, who suffer the most from the chaos of war." Friday's meeting in the 38th-parallel truce village of Panmunjom is intended to pave the way for a highly anticipated encounter between Kim and US President Donald Trump. "If they are able to sign a US-North Korean peace agreement, it will be good for northeast China, northeast Asia, and for people around the world," Yan said. "Peace is extremely precious. More than 180,000 (Chinese) martyrs were sacrificed in the Korean War. They were all young." - Hard lesson - China's entry into the war on behalf of its ally North Korea, which launched the conflict, is held up as proof of a bond said to be "as close as lips and teeth." But Chinese patience has been tested by North Korean bellicosity, and Beijing has signed on to a series of escalating UN sanctions to punish Pyongyang for its nuclear and missile tests. Kim, meanwhile, is a frequent target of derision on China's tightly controlled social media, the country's main source of public expression. Like most veterans, Yan still adheres to Mao-era views of the war as a just battle against US aggression, and views Kim favourably. But he insists North Korea must abandon its nukes to ensure lasting peace. The war was bittersweet for Yu as it allowed him to meet his wife Dai Fanli, a wartime secretary in an artillery command centre. "The war caused me so much pain, but also brought me happiness," Yu said. For decades, they have been involved in efforts to preserve memories of the sacrifices of war veterans, a cohort that is rapidly fading away with time. Despite the war's seeming pointlessness, Dai is philosophical, saying there is little bitterness among veterans, and that a peace treaty will lay old demons to rest. "Of course the (war's) outcome wasn't as good as expected. But this was a lesson, a process," said Dai, 83. "What's important is that we don't wish to see anymore war." By Luis Jaime Acosta BOGOTA (Reuters) - After four years negotiating a peace accord that ended a five-decade conflict with Marxist FARC rebels, presidential candidate Humberto De La Calle said late on Wednesday he will ensure the Andean nation does not return to the nightmare of war if he wins office. Center-left De La Calle, a 71-year-old lawyer and former vice president, represented the government as chief negotiator in talks with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). His efforts helped bring an end to the FARC's part in a conflict that has killed more than 220,000 people and displaced millions. But after the signing the agreement in late 2016, De La Calle says peace could be threatened by problems in implementing the accord and by promises by right-wing candidate Ivan Duque to make changes to the agreement. "I am committed to peace in Colombia, I ended the conflict and now it's time for peace, a firm peace," De La Calle told Reuters, warning that it would be a "perverse" error to change agreements. "A government that does not fulfill its word commits an act of perfidy, it's enormously serious," said the Liberal Party candidate. He also participated in failed talks with the FARC back in 1991. While De La Calle is trailing fourth behind rival candidates, with Duque in the lead, he hopes to pull out a surprise win to defend the peace agreement and promote the economic and social reforms the country needs to reduce poverty and inequality. De La Calle, who favors reducing taxes on businesses to increase productivity, said he would review tax breaks and fight tax evasion to try to bring a further $2 billion annually into the economy. De La Calle also recognized the need to improve education and health for the poorest of Colombia's population of 50 million. "This is one of the most unequal societies ... something that does not match the capacity of the economy," said the father of three. He said he would maintain good relations with the United States but not allow ties to be based mainly on the issue of drug trafficking. He also said he wold seek to avoid any confrontation with Venezuela's "dictator," President Nicolas Maduro. In the event De La Calle does not meet the more than 50 percent threshold in May to go through to the second round of voting in June, his party could be decisive in tipping the balance in favor of one or other of the candidates. (Reporting by Helen Murphy) London (AFP) - A British and Dutch-led operation on Wednesday brought down a website linked to more than four million cyber-attacks around the world, with banking giants among the victims, Britain's National Crime Agency said. "Authorities in five countries including the Netherlands, Serbia, Croatia and Canada, with support from Police Scotland and Europol, targeted six members of the crime group behind webstresser.org," the NCA said in a statement. Cyber-criminals used the website's services, which could be rented for as little as $14.99, to launch so-called distributed denial of service (DDOS) attacks, which swamp targets with traffic and disable their IT systems. British police searched an address in Bradford, northern England, and seized a number of items, while Dutch police, with assistance from Germany and the United States, seized servers and took down the website. Police believe an individual linked to the address used the site, the world's largest illegal DDOS seller, to hit seven of Britain's biggest banks in November, forcing them to reduce operations. "Stressers" services give users the ability to stress-test the resilience of servers, causing disruption to the target. "A significant criminal website has been shut down and the sophisticated crime group behind it stopped as a result of an international investigation," said the NCA's Jo Goodall. "The arrests made over the past two days show that the internet does not provide bullet-proof anonymity to offenders and we expect to identify further suspects linked to the site in the coming weeks and months as we examine the evidence we have gathered," she added. Dutch National Police's Gert Ras was quoted in the NCA statement as saying that the operation had "made an unprecedented impact on DDOS cyber-crime." "This is a warning to all wannabe DDOS-ers... we will identify you, bring you to court and facilitate that you will be held liable by the victims for the huge damage you cause". Theresa May was accused of being a lesbian for voicing regrets over the U.K.s anti-gay laws in former colonies. Paul Onomuakpokpo made the claim in a column titled "Theresa Mays search for a Lesbian Wife," according to PinkNews. In the piece, the writer said May should search for a Nigerian bride and break up with her husband Philip because of her calls to end laws against gay marriage. Obviously, May is ruing her mistake of ever getting married to a man, Onomuakpokpo wrote. "She would have preferred to be a lesbian-husband with a wife. The opinion article later questions her straightness by the fact that she does not have children and that she said that she is a Christian, but accepts same-sex marriage. Onomuakpokpo claims that former colonies need to make a push to avoid being forced to accept same-sex marriage by western countries. London (AFP) - The father of a terminally ill British boy said Thursday he wants to rebuild his relationship with the hospital against which he has been waging a long-running legal battle over treatment. Tom Evans has been fighting Alder Hey Children's Hospital in court to take toddler Alfie Evans to Rome for continued medical care, but vowed to now work with doctors to give him "the dignity and comfort he needs". The 21-year-old, whose son suffers from a rare neurological disease, lost a series of appeals against the decision by the hospital in Liverpool, northwest England, to withdraw life support for Evans. The 23-month-old had his ventilator removed late on Monday after his parents exhausted all legal avenues to stop a February court ruling permitting the move, but has continued breathing independently this week. His parents suffered their latest court defeat Wednesday, when three judges rejected taking the boy to Rome for treatment, despite high-profile interventions in the case from Pope Francis and the Italian government. However, the trio ruled Evans could be taken home. Tom Evans said he and mother Kate James, 20, now hoped to have a "positive" meeting to discuss their son's care with doctors and praised the "professionalism" and "dignity" of staff. The tone was in marked contrast to previous instances when the pair have hit out the hospital. Police remained outside the hospital on Thursday, after supporters of the parents have been massing in recent days to protest. Alder Hey issued an open letter Wednesday saying its staff had experienced a barrage of "unprecedented personal abuse". Bradley Taylor, one of the protesters, told AFP he believed the hospital was in the wrong. "It's not even withdrawing help anymore, they're leaving him to die, they're causing suffering. "What type of country are we living in?" Josh Mazaros, another protester outside Thursday, accused the hospital of "hiding something". Story continues "Since he's been off the life support, he has proved every doctor and every judge wrong," he said. In a statement Tom Evans said he was grateful for all the support but asked people "to return back to your everyday lives and allow myself, Kate and Alder Hey to form a relationship, build a bridge and walk across it". "We also wish to thank Alder Hey staff at every level for their dignity and professionalism during what must be an incredibly difficult time for them too," he added. The Palestinian engineer assassinated in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday was an expert in drone warfare and had helped negotiate deals to smuggle North Korean weapons into the Gaza Strip for use by Hamas, intelligence officials have told the New York Times. Fadi al-Batsh died in a hail of bullets fired by two mysterious men riding a motorcycle in a suburb of the Malaysian capital city. Police found the vehicle used and circulated computer-generated images of both suspects and a real image of one, but are yet to make any arrests. They believe the perpetrators are still in the country. On Saturday, Malaysias Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the suspects were Europeans with links to a foreign intelligence agency. We know of a country in the Middle East that will do anything to deny the potential of the Palestinian people. They target Palestinians who have certain expertise, so that they can quell the possibility of an intifada happening there before it can even begin, Hamidi said. Trending: North and South Korea Summit: Every Little Detail You Want to Know Fadi al-Batsh MANAN VATSYAYANA/AFP/Getty Images The engineering lecturer was a member of the Islamist group Hamas, which control the Gaza Strip. He was reportedly working on weapons research on behalf of the group, and had previously written academic papers on the nature of drone warfare. Batshs family accused Israeli secret service Mossad of being behind the hit, a possibility echoed by experts and the media in the days after the shooting. It is believed Batsh was the latest in a string of Hamas-linked weapons experts targeted by Israel in recent years. Reports have now emerged that Batsh was part of a Palestinian team acquiring North Korean weaponry for use in Hamas rockets. Don't miss: Bodies Covered In Mold Found in Michigan Funeral Home An article published by the Times quotes Middle Eastern intelligence officials who said the killing was part of an umbrella operationordered by Mossad Director Yossi Cohentargeting Hamas scientists and experts living abroad. Story continues Although Israels Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman denied his countrys involvement, intelligence sources say Batshs work on aerial and naval drones made him a high-value target. Another intelligence official said Batsh was part of the team that negotiated the Hamas purchase of North Korean communications components for use in guided rockets. The components were later seized by Egyptian forces en route to Gaza. Hamas rockets REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa Most popular: U.S. Sanctions on Russia Hit McDonald's French Fries According to the Times, Batsh was involved in a Turkey-based Hamas operation to recruit foreign scientists to undertake research for the group. He had been due to travel to Istanbul on the day he was shot, the newspaper said. A 2017 United Nations report alleged that the North Korean military has set up a shell company to dodge international sanctions and sell military equipment from Kuala Lumpur, which is a known smuggling hub. Malaysia is one of the few countries that maintain relations with the hermit state, and its citizens can travel to each others countries without a visa. Batshs killing seems to fit an emerging trend among expat Hamas scientists. Another drone expertMohamed Zouariwas killed in 2016, ambushed in Tunisia by gunmen using silenced pistols as he got into his car. In January this year, Hamas official Mohamed Hamdan was injured in Lebanon by a bomb planted on his car. He was said to be setting up a workshop producing missile parts and drones. In 2011, a Palestinian engineer was abducted from a train in Ukraine and wound up in an Israeli jail nine days later. Dirar Abu Sisi was later jailed for 21 years on charges of assisting Hamas in its missile production program. This article was first written by Newsweek More from Newsweek Republicans hope to avoid another upset loss in Arizona's 8th District House special election. Republican Debbie Lesko is running against Democrat Hiral Tipirneni on Tuesday. Lesko appears to have an advantage based on early voting trends. However, even a loss for Tipirneni could be good news for Democrats, depending on the margin. Democrats aim for another special election upset in a red area, this time in Arizona, but Republicans appear poised to avoid their second national debacle in two months. Even if Republicans on Tuesday hold on to the House seat outside of Phoenix, Democrats hope they can add to a string of races in which they outperformed 2016 results in GOP-leaning pockets of the country. The ability to improve in red regions is critical for Democrats as they try to win the 23 GOP-held House seats needed to take a majority in the chamber in November. Demographics and strong Republican leanings give the GOP a strong cushion in its effort to hold on to Arizona's 8th District House seat. The office was vacated when Republican Rep. Trent Franks who held it since 2003 resigned amid a sexual harassment scandal . The election pits GOP state Sen. Debbie Lesko against Democratic former physician Hiral Tipirneni. Polling of the race has been limited and results have varied, but early voting patterns appear to favor Lesko. While Tipirneni had raised more money and had more cash on hand than Lesko as of earlier this month, the Republican got a boost from national GOP groups trying to avoid another upset. Sensing a possible threat following a Democratic special election win in Pennsylvania, national Republicans injected some cash into the race. Outside organizations including the National Republican Congressional Committee have spent about $740,000 supporting Lesko, while groups have put just under $50,000 toward opposing her, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. Meanwhile, outside groups have dropped more than $500,000 in anti-Tipirneni spending, compared with only about $230,000 spent to back her campaign. National Democratic Party groups have not gotten involved. Story continues Early voting favors Lesko in red district Democratic Rep. Conor Lamb's triumph in Pennsylvania's 18th District, which President Donald Trump won by about 20 percentage points in 2016, gave Democrats fresh hopes about their ability to compete in areas the president carried easily. The House election followed Democratic Sen. Doug Jones ' win in a special election in deep red Alabama last year. But the dynamics in Tuesday's Arizona race pose a more serious challenge for Democrats. Trump won about 57 percent of the vote in the district during the 2016 election, compared with about 36 percent for Democrat Hillary Clinton, according to Cook Political Report. Franks won re-election that year with more than 68 percent of the vote. Those figures bear some similarities to Pennsylvania's 18th District: former Rep. Tim Murphy carried the district unopposed in 2016 while Trump won the area easily. However, the districts have at least one key difference: More voters are registered as Democrats in the Pennsylvania district than as Republicans. Arizona's 8th District, on the other hand, has about 80,000 more registered Republicans than registered Democrats, according to nonpartisan elections site Sabato's Crystal Ball . The 150,000-plus early votes cast in the special election echo those divisions. Nearly half of the voters who have cast ballots in the district so far are registered Republicans, according to data from the state of Arizona . That compares with only about 28 percent registered as Democrats and roughly 23 percent registered as independents. Of course, a Republican registration does not necessarily mean the voter casts a ballot for Lesko. Tipirneni would need independents and Republicans to vote Democratic to have any chance of winning. But the voters so far have leaned older. The median age of the early voters is 67 years old, while the average age of voters is about 64 years old. Older voters tend to lean Republican. The trends so far suggest a comfortable margin of victory for Lesko, according to Chuck Coughlin, president and CEO of Arizona-based consultancy firm HighGround. Even if Tipirneni outperforms the presidential results by 10 percentage points or more, which would be consistent with special elections since Trump won the White House, Lesko could win by a solid margin. A Lesko win in a district Trump won by more than 20 percentage points is not necessarily bad news for Democrats. The party has dozens of chances to pick up districts either won by Clinton in 2016 or carried by Trump but with a tight margin of victory. The candidates Both the Pennsylvania and Alabama special elections featured some form of a disparity between candidates that helped Democrats win. In Pennsylvania, Lamb easily raised more money than his opponent, Republican Rick Saccone, forcing outside GOP groups to spend heavily to keep up. In Alabama, Republican candidate Roy Moore faced allegations of sexually abusing teenagers decades ago. No major difference in campaign or candidate quality exists in the Arizona race. Tipirneni has outraised Lesko by about $170,000. Lamb more than tripled Saccone's fundraising haul in Pennsylvania. Lesko, who has represented parts of the 8th District at the state level, has espoused views largely in line with mainstream Republicans. She has supported higher military spending, limited physical barriers on the U.S. border with Mexico and tax cuts and simplification. Lesko has endorsements from law enforcement groups, the anti-abortion group Susan B. Anthony List and the pro-business U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Tipirneni's views, meanwhile, align largely with mainstream Democrats. She pledges to protect Social Security and Medicare, opposes major tax cuts for corporations and supports the expansion of Medicaid, the federal and state health-care program for low-income people. She has gotten endorsements from Emily's List, an organization that aims to elect pro-choice women , and former and current members of Congress such as Gabby Giffords. More From CNBC FE_Watergate_01 Encouraged by the controversial presidency of Donald Trump, Democrats are predicting a rout in Novembers midterm elections. If they are fortunate, that electoral wave could be as large as the one that swept across the country in the fall of 1974, when Dems took 49 seats in the House and five in the Senate from Republicans. Those Democrats were liberals, and they were young, like many of the candidates hoping to win a seat in Congress later this year. I literally looked up the word Democrat in the phone book to find the local headquarters, said Bob Edgar, who came to Congress in 1974 from Pennsylvania. Back then, idealism whisked newcomers like Edgar into the U.S. Capitol. But once there, the class of 74 discovered that politics is the art of the possible, and that what is possible is often far less than what was promised. Todays hopefuls, primed for an auspicious November, may wind up learning the same lesson. Trending: Fortnite Switch Rumors Include Cross-Platform Play and Exclusive Items We were a conquering army, recalled George Miller, who was elected to the House from Northern California in 1974. But Capitol Hill proved a remarkably sturdy redoubt, despite its well-chronicled flaws. The class of 74 was known as the Watergate Babies; the election that ushered them into office took place some three months after President Richard Nixon resigned in disgrace to avoid impeachment after the sabotage efforts against his Democratic rivals during the 1972 presidential campaign. They promised to serve as a check on Nixons successor, Gerald Ford, but also to restore Congress to its proper constitutional rank as a co-equal branch of government, as The New York Times wrote. FE_Watergate_02_515451050 Bettmann Archive/Getty John Lawrence came to Washington with the Watergate Babies, as an aide to Representative Miller. He would remain a Miller staffer for the next three decades, before becoming chief of staff to Nancy Pelosi, the California Democrat and current minority leader. This made Lawrence the highest-ranking staffer in the House of Representatives, as The Washington Post described him. Story continues D.C. is a small town, and the Hill is a particularly crowded knoll where faces quickly become familiar. I knew most of these people, Lawrence says of the men and women who came to Washington after the Democratic wave of 1974. We spoke in the Statuary Hall of the U.S. Capitol. It was a blustery winter afternoon, and Congress was trying to avoid yet another government shutdown, but he wasnt especially concerned: These marbled halls are not his workplace anymore. Lawrence, who retired in 2013, now teaches at the University of Californias outpost in Washington. And he was about a month from publishing The Class of 74: Congress After Watergate and the Roots of Partisanship, his timely book on the uses and abuses of congressional power. In 2014, Henry Waxman became the last of the class to leave the Hill. The California congressman, one of the most accomplished liberals in the House, had exhausted his political energies. I have confidence that Congress is going to get straightened out, he told the Los Angeles Times. They cant say no to everything. But federal lawmakers kept doing just that, even as the White House has switched from Democratic to Republican control. For his book, Lawrence talked to Waxman and some 40 members of the class and their high-ranking aides. Many of them really never had an opportunity to tell their story, Lawrence says. Many were also dying. And he disliked the moniker Watergate Babies. It felt like a smear. The pejorative characterization had always bothered me, he says. Don't miss: Greatest Royal Rumble Betting Odds: Who is Favored to Win 50-Man Rumble? FE_Watergate_06_136128979 Sam Wolfe/For The Washington Post/Getty The class of 74 came to Congress with a sense of idealism rare for anyone in Washington old enough to drive a car. But they did not ultimately usher in a glorious era of liberalism. Sooner or later, this place gets the best of you, lamented Toby Moffett, a member of that class, to The New York Times. You get tired. You get cynical. I think even the best of us get worn down, sidetracked, compromised to death. His weariness is remarkable only because it came after a mere three years in Congress. Jerry Ambro, a Democrat from New York, offered Lawrence a blunter assessment of his congressional classmates: The grandiose plans never got anywhere. The 94th Congress didnt save the Democratic Partys soul, but the idealists did enliven it. The new liberals removed three committee chairs, all of them conservative Democrats, and made chairmanships a function of caucus votes, not seniority. They gave more power to subcommittees too. In practice, this meant that younger members of Congress could bring issues of no interest to older Democrats from the Souththe environmental movement, civil rights, the gender pay gapto the fore. Everybody got the message that you were now accountable to the caucus, Lawrence says. This committee, or this subcommittee, was not your personal purview anymore. In retrospect, those were significant changes. But they werent what had been promised in the run-up to Novembers landslide. Reforming the Congress was not particularly high on my list, Tom Downey, a New York Democrat who was the youngest member of the class of 74, tells me. Downey was among those who stayed in the House, retiring in 1993 to become a lobbyist. Another member of that class, Gary Myers, a Republican, went back to Pennsylvania, to the steel mill where hed once worked. Robert Cornell, a Democrat, returned to Wisconsin, to the Catholic Church in which hed been raised. FE_Watergate_07_481489548 Chip Somodevilla/Getty Others scrambled to higher political ground. Chris Dodd of Connecticut became a U.S. senator and, in 2008, a presidential candidate. Congress rewards those who stick around. The greatest legacy of the class of 74 may not be what it accomplished but whom it minted, including Democratic leaders like Waxman and Dodd (the class was, as Lawrence acknowledges, largely composed of white men). Wave elections provide opportunities for people to move to Congress, explains Norman Ornstein, a congressional expert at American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank. That election was a springboard. Most popular: Bernie Sanders Jobs Program Is Destined to Fail | Opinion Those who stayed experienced some success. Waxman helped pass important legislation on the environment and health care, including the Affordable Care Act, which he helped write. Dodd, meanwhile, co-sponsored the 2010 financial reform act that bears his name, and which Republicans are eager to repeal. The class of 1974 also pioneered the art of self-promotion. Defying the norms of previous generations, they eagerly sought out the press, unwilling to play the role of silent backbenchers. Lawrence explains that many of the Democrats new to Congress had come out of the movement against the Vietnam War, as well as the civil rights and womens equality movements. These had all relied on media attention, pegged to charismatic leaders able to articulate their points, especially on television. But the reformist spirit was largely spent playing defense. Instead of advancing new liberal policy, its members were forced to shield existing ones against an organized conservative assault. Ford was a largely ineffectual president, but so was his Democratic successor, Jimmy Carter, whose listless term Downey calls a gigantic missed opportunity for liberals. There werent many opportunities after that, not during eight years of Reaganism, whichdespite continuing Democratic majorities in the Houseefficiently eroded the legacies of liberalism. We were busy fighting rearguard actions to preserve elements of the New Deal and the Great Society, says Downey. FE_Watergate_08_97969025 Win McNamee/Getty In their resistance to Ronald Reagan, Democrats employed the kind of tactics the Watergate Babies came to renounce. Jim Wright of Texas, the house speaker from 1987 until 1989, made no apologies for resorting to the very power plays the class of 74 decried. He undermined Reagan in holding his own peace talks with Nicaragua, and on the domestic front he used parliamentary tactics to such masterful effect that Dick Cheney, the future vice president, called him a heavy-handed son of a bitch who would do anything he can to win at any price, including ignoring the rules. Wright was eventually toppled by an ethics investigation, but not before proving an effective foil for Republican legislators. His foremost nemesis was a former historian from Georgia whod come to Washington a decade before, promising Republican victories: Newt Gingrich. If Wright ever consolidates his power, Gingrich warned in 1987, he will be a very, very formidable man. We need to take him on early to prevent that. Seven years later, Gingrich led a Republican revolution and the GOP took control of the House, ending four decades of nearly uninterrupted Democratic control. Gingrich ushered in a new type of politicsand the nation has never recovered. He attacked the Congress that he wanted to lead, says Waxman, who now runs a lobbying company. He was successful in using a very sharp edge in describing Democrats as not Americans. In 1990, a Republican organization disseminated a guide to legislators who, the publication claimed, sounded an increasingly loud refrain: I wish I could speak like Newt. They have been speaking like him ever since, even though Gingrichplagued by ethical troubles and dissatisfaction from fellow Republicanshas long since left the Hill to ply his rhetorical trade on Fox News. A second Republican revolution occurred in 2010, this one powered by the Tea Party, which succeeded in undermining President Barack Obama. The Republicans who have maintained control of the House since that election (they took control of the Senate in the 2014 midterms) have routinely bickered about the most basic procedural matters. They shut down the government. They dedicated more than eight years to repealing the Affordable Care Act, but werent able to do it. And they held exhausting hearings on the attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya, which even House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy has said were a ploy to harm the presidential prospects of Hillary Clinton. FE_Watergate_09_908387480 Ethan Miller/Getty Trump promised to bring his managerial skills to Washington, but his tweets seem to routinely scuttle legislative business, leaving House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell confused. The House Intelligence Committees investigation into Russian electoral meddling turned into a battle of competing memoranda, one issued by Republicans, the other by Democrats. Last years tax reform bill, its merits aside, was further evidence of how little Congress prizes cooperationand how thoroughly it rewards partisan rancor. So its not surprising that Congresss popularity is only 18 percent, according to Gallup; whats surprising is that it isnt lower. Lawrence, however, remains an optimist. The nation got through Watergate. It will get through thiswhatever this supremely strange moment in American politics ends up being. The rumors of the death of democracy, he says, are very much exaggerated. This article was first written by Newsweek More from Newsweek Look! Up in the sky. Its a bird. Its a plane. Its a gondola? The Los Angeles Dodgers want to ensure their fans never get caught in traffic again, and they think a gondola is the way to go. [Still not too late to join a Yahoo Fantasy Baseball league] A company has proposed building a gondola that would take fans from Union Station to Dodger Stadium in five minutes, according to the Los Angeles Times. Oh, and about that company its funded by former Dodgers owner Frank McCourt. Its an unusual idea, but all parties seem to be seriously considering it. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti is on board and the Dodgers endorsed the project as an important and innovative project. If the project moves forward, the cost of the gondola is expected to be privately financed, according to the Los Angeles Times. The gondola line, which could ferry passengers above the traffic-choked 110 Freeway, is one of several major infrastructure investments proposed in Los Angeles County that would not be built by Metro or funded by taxpayers. McCourts company would fund a portion of the $125 million estimated cost. The rest would be privately financed. While those involved havent set an official price for taking the gondola to the park, a ticket is expected to be less than it would cost to park at the stadium. Its a pretty bold proposal for Los Angeles, which is known for having terrible traffic. While there are still plenty of hurdles to clear here, at least one thing is certain: With a gondola, Yasiel Puig would never be late for a game again. The Dodgers have a bold, new idea to get around traffic jams on the way to the park. (AP Photo) Chris Cwik is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at christophercwik@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Chris_Cwik More from Yahoo Sports: More from Yahoo Sports: Altherr becoming a fantasy threat Red Sox best team in baseball right now Harvey doesnt want to talk about bullpen move Dusty Baker doesnt believe hell manage again Tim Draper, an early investor in tech companies like Skype and Tesla (TSLA), reiterated his distrust in the existing financial system and belief in decentralization and deregulation. Central bank always gets it wrong. When youre in recession, they shove you further into a recession. When youre in a boom, they push you higher in a boom because they move so slowly, said Draper during a debate hosted by Intelligence Squared U.S. and Adam Smith Society on Saturday. Were ready for a new [financial system] that system is not working. The long-time Silicon Valley venture capitalist and bitcoin evangelist argued that the current system where a third-party like banks hold your currency is antiquated compared to the revolutionary bitcoin. Cryptocurrency could eventually replace fiat money, according to Draper, but the regulatory environment makes it difficult. They add more regulations when youve already got both hands tied behind your back and youre trying to feed your family, said Draper about the government. Not a dime in China Venture capitalist Tim Draper maintains his bullish call on bitcoin. REUTERS/ Stephen Lam He also said poor regulation scares talent away, citing China as an example. Since September, some cryptocurrency and blockchain startups have moved out of the country as the Chinese government started cracking down on the industry. While Draper was an early backer in Chinas search giant Baidu (BIDU), he pulled his money out of China because of stricter rules on capital outflows. Individuals in China are not allowed to transfer more than $50,000 out of mainland China each year. This year, that rule was stepped up further with the capping of overseas withdrawals using China-issued bank cards at $15,800 (100,000 yuan) per year. Draper also doesnt approve of Chinas President Xi Jinping strong leadership style. As long as he is the president, I dont want to invest a dime in this country, he said on Saturday. Draper foresees similar problems in the U.S., as the Securities and Exchange Commission creates these huge dark clouds by not having clear rules on cryptocurrencies. We have a new currency. This thing is awesome, and your government is getting a little heavy-handed, he said. Story continues Despite his concern over regulation, Draper remains bullish on cryptocurrency. He predicts bitcoin (BTC) will reach $250,000 by 2022. This is bigger than the internet, said Draper, who bought nearly 30,000 bitcoin during the U.S. Marshals Service Silk Road auction. Krystal Hu is a technology and economy reporter at Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter Read more: Bitcoin miner: I havent paid for heat in three years How Chinese bitcoin buyers are getting around the government ban This farming county in Washington is a bitcoin mining hub By Valerie Volcovici and Richard Cowan WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt on Thursday rejected a litany of ethics complaints against him as lies intended to derail President Donald Trump's agenda, and put much of the blame for any agency missteps on his staff. During two tense congressional hearings, Pruitt faced tough questions from Democrats and even some fellow Republicans in marathon high-stakes testimony as he seeks to avoid becoming the latest in a long list of Cabinet members and senior White House officials to have either been fired by Trump or quit. "Facts are facts and fiction is fiction," the embattled agency chief told a House of Representatives panel. "And a lie doesn't become true just because it appears in the front page of the newspaper." "Those who attack the EPA and attack me are doing so because they want to attack and derail the president's agenda and undermine this administration's priorities," Pruitt testified. The hearings were scheduled to discuss the EPA budget, but mainly focused on Pruitt's performance. Trump's inner circle has become frustrated by the torrent of news reports about Pruitt including his costly first-class air travel and around-the-clock security, pay raises given to aides and his rental of a room in a high-end Washington condo linked to an energy lobbyist. Pruitt remained even-tempered and unapologetic throughout more than five hours of testimony, often avoiding being pinned down on specifics or deflecting responsibility for clear missteps onto his staff - a strategy that drew mixed reviews. It remains to be seen how Trump will view his performance. "It's never good to blame your staff. If you do it, do it behind closed doors," said Republican Representative John Shimkus of Illinois after the first hearing. Democrats were more blunt. "You are unfit to hold public office," Representative Frank Pallone of New Jersey told Pruitt. Democratic Representative Paul Tonko of New York ripped Pruitt for his "seemingly endless misconduct" and "what appears to be a propensity for grift." Democrats also castigated Pruitt for rolling back environmental regulations the Trump administration has said hinder economic growth. There are nearly a dozen pending investigations of Pruitt's conduct covering a range of allegations. The Government Accountability Office completed one this month that said the EPA violated two laws by installing a $43,000 soundproof phone booth for his office without telling lawmakers first. Pruitt testified he requested the secure line, but said his staff never told him the cost and that he would not have made the expenditure had he known. Pruitt has been among Trump's most controversial Cabinet members. He has drawn praise from conservatives and scorn from environmentalists for rolling back Democratic former President Barack Obama's policy to curb greenhouse gas emissions from power plants and other green regulations opposed by industry. The tumult in the Trump administration was underscored on Thursday when the president's physician Ronny Jackson withdrew from consideration to head the Department of Veterans Affairs amid allegations of misconduct. 'INNUENDO AND MCCARTHYISM' Some 170 Democratic lawmakers have demanded Pruitt's resignation. Five Republican lawmakers joined the call in recent days. But several Republicans expressed support for Pruitt at the hearings, praising his EPA accomplishments. Representative David McKinley of West Virginia called the criticism of Pruitt a "classic display of innuendo and McCarthyism," a reference to a 1950s-era campaign to root out communists. Fellow Republican Gregg Harper of Mississippi decried the "political bloodsport" of going after Trump administration officials. But Harper, like several Democrats, raised concerns about reports that whistleblowers who brought some of Pruitt's spending issues to light were removed or reassigned. "There's no truth to the assertion that positions have been reassigned. I'm not aware of that ever happening," Pruitt said. Republicans Ryan Costello of Pennsylvania and Leonard Lance of New Jersey quizzed Pruitt on EPA spending for his first-class flights - estimated to have cost taxpayers more than $100,000 - and security team. "I've reviewed your answers and find some of them have been lacking or insufficient," Costello said. Pruitt said he recently decided to stop flying first-class despite the EPA previously saying it was a necessary measure to protect him from the public. And he justified his 24-hour security team by reciting some of the personal threats he has received. He said the EPA inspector general's office has documented the threats and deemed them "unprecedented." Pruitt also deflected a flurry of questions about his role in granting big raises to two of his aides - one of them amounting to more than 50 percent - over objections from the White House. Pruitt said he had given his chief of staff authority hand out salary increases without White House approval under an obscure provision of a clean water regulation, but was unaware of any of the other specifics. Regarding his $50-per-night condo lease from an energy lobbyist's wife, Pruitt said the arrangement received ethics approval and noted that the EPA inspector general's office had found it to be roughly market rate. The EPA's inspector general's office has since said its review was based on incomplete information, and did not address the question of whether the lease broke other federal ethics regulations. During the second hearing, Ohio Democrat Marcy Kaptur raised Pruitt's first-class 2017 travels to Italy and Morocco, and questioned why he declined an invitation to visit Ohio to discuss pollution in Lake Erie. "Do you know how much a flight to Toledo costs?" Kaptur asked. (Reporting by Valerie Volcovici and Richard Cowan; Additional reporting by Steve Holland and Timothy Gardner; Editing by Will Dunham and Diane Craft) Tempers flared as Scott Pruitt, the embattled administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), sat down Thursday before two congressional panels for a long day of questioning about his policies and the way he runs his agency. Pruitts close ties to the fossil fuel industry, efforts to roll back environmental regulations and readiness to deny climate change have made him a longtime target of Democrats and environmentalists. Though he is praised by conservatives for those same reasons, Pruitts support among Republicans has recently dropped amid allegations of extravagant spending and other ethics violations. Pruitt was already on the defensive as he settled into his chair to testify before the House Energy and Commerce subcommittee at 10 a.m. He will also appear before a House Appropriations Committee panel around 2 p.m. But the person he needs to impress the person who can decide Pruitts fate will be watching from the White House. Rep. Frank Pallone, D-N.J., a ranking member of the Energy and Commerce subcommittee, was among Pruitts fiercest critics. Im confident that these investigations will affirm what I have come to believe is true: that youre unfit to hold public office and undeserving of the public trust, Pallone said. And I dont say those words because I particularly dislike you or hold you in ill repute. I just think that every indication we have is you really should resign and you are undeserving of the public trust. He called Pruitt out for allegedly creating an environment of fear of reprisal at the agency, which has caused public servants to flee and important initiatives to stall most notably a proposed ban on a deadly chemical in common paint removers thats still claiming lives. He harshly criticized Pruitts opening statement in which he rationalized not resigning by saying hes the only person who can carry out President Trumps agenda of deregulation. I actually disagree with that. I think your actions are an embarrassment to President Trump and distract from the EPAs ability to effectively carry out the presidents mission, Pallone said. And if I were the president, I wouldnt want your help. Id just get rid of you. Story continues EPA chief Scott Pruitt, accompanied by Holly Greaves, EPA chief financial officer, testifies about the EPA budget during a hearing of the House Energy and Commerce subcommittee Thursday on Capitol Hill. (Photo: Alex Brandon/AP) Pallone referred to reports that Pruitt even retaliated against EPA employees for questioning his spending patterns or management style, and sidelined staffers who tried to advance important measures to safeguard the public health. When asked whether these reports were true or false, Pruitt responded, I dont ever recall a conversation to that end. Pallone also asked Pruitt about reports that he removed an official who disputed Pruitts assertion that he needed a larger security detail because he faced death threats. When asked whether it was his policy to fire people who disagree with him, Pruitt said, Congressman, the inspector general himself has noted that the threats against me are unprecedented, with respect to the quantity and type of threats. Well, youre not answering yes or no, Pallone said. Six staffers is a pattern. I think you need to start taking responsibility. You say youre going to take responsibility, but you dont. The New Jersey lawmaker expressed concern that Pruitt had created a fear-of-retaliation environment at the EPA, which has caused career officials to leave only to be replaced by industry lobbyists. To illustrate his point, Pallone referenced the case of Wendy Cleland Hamnett, the former top official of the EPAs chemicals and pesticides office. Her resignation on Aug. 24, 2017, after 38 years with the agency created a leadership vacuum. Hamnett, an expert on toxic substances, had been fighting to finalize a ban on methylene chloride also known as dichloromethane a dangerous chemical found in common paint strippers that has been linked to fatal poisonings. The New York Times and other outlets have reported that her efforts were hindered by the chemistry industry lobbyist whom Pruitt tasked with regulating chemicals: Nancy B. Beck. Under Pruitts administration, the EPA has abandoned its proposal to ban methylene chloride. Rep. Frank Pallone, D-N.J., a ranking member of the Energy and Commerce subcommittee, was among EPA chief Scott Pruitts fiercest critics at Thursdays congressional hearing. (Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images) Pallone said that manufacturers of methylene chloride paint stripper have been aware of deaths linked to its use for more than 28 years but continued to produce it. He criticized Pruitt for not implementing the proposed ban. Pallone shared several stories about young men who died after using methylene chloride. A small-business owner, Drew Wynne, 31, died in October 2017 after using a common paint stripper. Then in February 2018, another young man, Joshua Atkins, 31, died after using a common paint stripper on his bike. Pallone said Atkinss mother sent him a deeply touching letter, in which she expressed the hope that her son would be the last person to die from using this chemical. Pallone added that letter to the record. Mr. Pruitt, your deregulatory agenda costs lives. Real people with names, with mothers, with brothers, said Pallone. You have the power to finalize the ban on methylene chloride now and prevent more deaths, but you havent done it. Do you have anything to say to these families? Congressman, as I was trying to indicate earlier, there is a proposed ban in place that we took comment on that were reviewing presently. There has been no decision at this time, Pruitt said. Obviously, you have nothing to say to these families, Pallone shot back. Look, you say youre going to do something but these chemicals are still on the shelves, and they make a mockery of Lautenbergs TSCA reform legislation that this committee worked so hard on. It makes a mockery of the EPA. The Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act, which passed Congress in 2016, amends the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) from 1976. It requires the EPA to assess existing and new chemicals for risks with clear and enforceable deadlines and provide transparent chemical information to the American public. EPA chief Scott Pruitt testifies before the House Energy and Commerce subcommittee hearing. (Photo: Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP) According to the EPA fact sheet on methylene chloride, the compound poses unreasonable risks to the health of consumers, workers and bystanders in homes or workplaces where its been used. Short-term exposure can result in damage to the central nervous system. Long-term exposure can cause lung cancer, liver toxicity and liver cancer. The congressional hearing was nominally about the EPAs budget. However, the cloud hanging over each exchange was the allegedly profligate manner with which Pruitt spent taxpayer dollars particularly on himself. Ana Unruh-Cohen, the director of government affairs for the Natural Resources Defense Council, said this is a critical, make-or-break hearing for Pruitt. Weve had months of both members of the House and Senate looking at whats happening over at EPA on the spending front as well as numerous media investigations, she said. In any other administration given the ethical questions around his actions I think its pretty likely hed already be gone. But since it appears the president is satisfied with what hes doing on the policy side of things, hes still around. Unruh-Cohen said its hard for Republicans to take the constant headlines about Pruitt spending taxpayer dollars on lavish, unnecessary things. Trump ran, in part, against Washington, D.C., and the swamp. Protestors hold up signs and message T-shirts behind EPA chief Scott Pruitt, and Holly Greaves, EPA chief financial officer, as they testify at a hearing of the House Energy and Commerce subcommittee. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Now Republicans are in a position where theyre forced to ask tough questions of Pruitt because the constant headlines make it seem as if hes not a trustworthy steward of taxpayer dollars even if they like his policies. Theres a long history of voters getting fed up with things that seem like lavish government spending on their dime, Unruh-Cohen said. Theyre the ones paying taxes. Democrats clearly dont like his policies. This just adds his wasteful in some places, allegedly illegal use of funds, which underscores their concern for him. Read more from Yahoo News: By Gabriela Baczynska BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union will extend its arms embargo on Myanmar for another year this week and may then move to target more Yangon generals with fresh sanctions, EU diplomats and officials said. The EU accuses Myanmar of "serious and systemic" human rights violations in a military operation in the country's northwest last year that sent nearly 700,000 Rohingya Muslims fleeing to neighboring Bangladesh. The EU arms embargo is now in place until the end of April and the diplomats and officials said it would be extended for another year before that deadline expires. It will also be expanded to cover already limited training for the Myanmar military, they said. Last October, the EU decided to shun Myanmar generals over the operation in Rakhine state, which the United Nations denounces as ethnic cleansing. Yangon rejects these accusations. The U.S. government is now conducting an intensive examination of alleged atrocities against the Rohingya that could be used to prosecute Myanmar's military for crimes against humanity, officials told Reuters. EU sources said the bloc might slap visa bans and asset freezes on more Myanmar military figures in May or June, with Major General Maung Maung Soe being one name on the list. Last December, the United States levied sanctions on the man who had been in charge of the crackdown on the Rohingya minority in Rakhine. Canada followed suit in February when Reuters also reported on what had taken place in the village of Inn Din, where 10 Rohingya Muslim men and boys were hacked to death by Rakhine Buddhist villagers or shot by security force members. The killings were part of the larger army crackdown on the Rohingya. Two Reuters journalists were jailed while reporting the story and remain in prison in Yangon, where they face up to 14 years in jail for violating Myanmar's Official Secrets Act. The EU is considering six other members of the military as well, the diplomats and officials said, though that has not yet been discussed by all 28 member states who must reach a unanimous decision to introduce sanctions. The West's relations with Myanmar soured over the crackdown on the Rohingya despite the Southeast Asian country making a partial shift to democratic governance in recent years. (Reporting by Gabriela Baczynska; Editing by Mark Heinrich) 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. By Fred Greaves SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Reuters) - An elderly former policeman has been arrested and charged with eight murders attributed to the Golden State Killer, a serial criminal responsible for dozens of rapes and slayings that terrorized parts of California during the 1970s and 1980s, authorities said on Wednesday. The suspect was identified at a Sacramento news conference as Joseph James DeAngelo, 72, in a case officials said was finally solved by DNA evidence about two months after gaining renewed attention in the bestselling book, "I'll Be Gone in the Dark." Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones credited the book with helping to generate new tips but said no information was "extracted from that book that directly led to the apprehension." The Federal Bureau of Investigation has previously said that the man sought in the 40-year-old case was tied to 12 slayings, 45 rapes and more than 120 burglaries in and around Sacramento, the eastern San Francisco Bay area and Southern California. The crime spree spanned 10 California counties in all, said Sacramento County District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert, who recalled she was 12 in 1976 when a wave of violent home invasions shattered a "time of innocence" in which area residents routinely left their doors unlocked. The suspect, also dubbed by investigators as the "East Area Rapist" and the "Original Night Stalker," is considered one of the state's most prolific serial killers, the FBI said. "Finally, after all these years, the haunting question of who committed these terrible crimes has been put to rest," Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas told reporters. DeAngelo was living in the Sacramento suburb of Citrus Heights when arrested on Tuesday. He had been under surveillance for a few days and was taken into custody without incident as he emerged from his house, Jones said, adding that the suspect appeared "surprised" when confronted. Story continues He is due to be arraigned in Sacramento, the state capital, on Friday. Jones said DeAngelo was an officer in two small-town California police departments during the 1970s - Exeter and Auburn. DeAngelo was fired from the Auburn force in 1979, Jones said, after being accused of shoplifting a hammer and dog repellant from a store. Authorities had long speculated the killer had some military or law enforcement training because of his proficiency with firearms and ability to elude capture for so long. Jones acknowledged that some of the earlier crimes were committed while DeAngelo was a policeman. But authorities said his name had never surfaced as a suspect prior to the latest break in the case, which they said came from a "discarded DNA sample" obtained by investigators. Efforts to capture the killer were renewed in June 2016, when the FBI offered a $50,000 reward for the suspect, who was known for creeping into the homes of couples at night, tying them up and raping the woman before killing both victims. Between 1976 and 1978, he committed a wave of burglaries, rapes and killings in the Sacramento area, then centered his attacks in the East Bay before moving on to Ventura and Orange counties to the south, according to the FBI. He was formally charged in Sacramento County this week with two counts of murder for the February 1978 killings of Brian Maggiore and his wife, Katie, who were on an evening walk with their dog when they were chased down and slain in what became the first homicide linked to an earlier series of East Bay rapes. Two additional murder charges were filed in Ventura County and four more were brought in Orange County. The killings were intensively explored in Ill Be Gone in the Dark, published in February. Author Michelle McNamara died in 2016, and the book, which topped the New York Times bestsellers list, was finished by a writer hired by her husband, comedian-actor Patton Oswalt. Oswalt, best known to television audiences from the hit CBS sitcom "King of Queens," said in a video posted on social media on Wednesday, "I think you got him, Michelle." (Reporting by Fred Greaves in Sacramento; Additional reporting by Dan Whitcomb and Steve Gorman in Los Angeles; Writing by Steve Gorman Editing by Cynthia Osterman, Toni Reinhold) Facebook (FB) will announce its first-quarter earnings on Wednesday afternoon following one of the most difficult and controversial periods in the social networks history. Investors will pay very close attention to whether Facebook profits took a hit in the wake of revelations that Cambridge Analytica, a voter profiling company, harvested the data of up to 87 million Facebook users without their consent. The scandal spooked investors and continues to do so: Facebook stock is down 13.7% since the news broke in mid-March. However, RBC Capital Markets Mark Mahaney expects the social network to report solid earnings of $6.5 billion on revenues of $11.6 billion, with profits potentially slightly lower than expected because its investing in beefing up employee headcount and technologies on its security and content reviewing teams. They keep using Facebook Another area investors will scrutinize? User engagement, and whether that area suffered during the first quarter. Mahaney doesnt generally expect a material long-term impact stemming from data privacy concerns, and if there is a short-term dip, he predicts a potentially small decline in Facebook daily active users from 184 million in North America to roughly 180 million in March. The vast majority of people just sailed right through the Cambridge Analytica stuff, Mahaney told Yahoo Finance. They keep using Facebook because of its ease of use. WASHINGTON, DC APRIL 10: Facebook co-founder, Chairman and CEO Mark Zuckerberg arrives to testify before a combined Senate Judiciary and Commerce committee hearing. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) That supports what Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said on a call with reporters in early April contending the data scandal had no meaningful impact on users engaging with the social network. Indeed, even several users affected by the Cambridge Analytica data breach recently told Yahoo Finance they had no plans of actually deleting their Facebook accounts. Those Facebook users were unequivocally unhappy with how their data was misused but apparently not enough to sever ties with the social network. Mixed feelings from advertisers Advertiser sentiment may be somewhat mixed, depending on whom you ask. Story continues If there is any good news to come out of all of the events of the last month or so, it is that all of the conversations we have had with advertisers suggested none of the user data issues had really changed their willingness to allocate budgets to Facebook, Credit Suisse analyst Stephen Ju wrote in his most recent report, published last Friday. But while Facebook ad budgets may remain unchanged, advertisers appear somewhat mixed in their feelings towards the social network. In a survey published by RBC Capital Markets and Ad Age in late March that surveyed over 750 advertising professionals, 58% of those surveyed said they planned on increasing their Facebook ad spending down from the 66% who expressed similar sentiments last September. Likewise, those same ad professionals generally agreed their perceived ROI on Facebook from ads was lower, although the survey did not discuss specifics. All of this makes us incrementally less bullish on FB, though one survey does not a trend make, Mahaney wrote in the survey results at the time. What keeps us still bullish is that FB still ranks as the highest ROI platform and has intrinsically one of the most positive Spend intentions skews. The heightened scrutiny around Facebook stems from reports that emerged in mid-March that Cambridge Analytica had abused Facebooks terms of service and harvested the data of 50 million users a number the social network eventually revised to 87 million users as part of a targeted advertising campaign to help elect President Donald Trump. Facebook managements initial delay in addressing the controversy head-on stoked the publics outcry for increased data privacy and government regulation. Well-crafted regulation is necessary Apple CEO Tim Cook has been surprisingly candid on the topic. I think that this certain situation is so dire and has become so large that probably some well-crafted regulation is necessary, Cook said at the annual China Development Forum in Beijing in last month. The ability of anyone to know what youve been browsing about for years, who your contacts are, who their contacts are, things you like and dislike and every intimate detail of your life from my own point of view it shouldnt exist. Likewise, Ginni Rometty, CEO of IBM (IBM), also stated at the same event in Beijing that companies dealing with customer data have to be transparent in how they use and allow third-parties to use that data so they should never be surprised. The brouhaha culminated in two days of hearings in mid-April that saw Zuckerberg grilled by senators on the Senate Judiciary and Commerce Committees, as well as representatives from the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committees, on a number of issues, including the recent Cambridge Analytica scandal, the companys role in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, and its position on government regulation regarding user privacy. Although the 33-year-old Facebook executives testimony was well-received, Zuckerberg also left a number of questions unanswered. To that end, Facebook has a long road ahead, which includes hiring more than 20,000 employees and contractors by the end of 2018 to shore up security and privacy, as well as rebuilding public trust with disillusioned politicians on the Hill and disaffected users. The social networks first-quarter 2018 earnings report may prove another step in accomplishing the latter. JP Mangalindan is the Chief Tech Correspondent for Yahoo Finance covering the intersection of tech and business. Email story tips and musings to jpm@oath.com. Follow him on Twitter or Facebook. More from JP The suspect in the deadly van attack in Toronto posted a chilling Facebook message just minutes before plowing into a crowded city sidewalk, authorities said Tuesday, raising the possibility that he may have nursed grudges against women a possible echo of a 1989 massacre of 14 women that remains one of Canadas most traumatic acts of violence. The 25-year-old suspect, Alek Minassian, was charged Tuesday with first degree murder in the deaths of 10 pedestrians he mowed down in the rented van he sent careening along the busy walkway. Fourteen others were injured. Toronto Police Services Det. Sgt. Graham Gibson told a news conference that those killed and injured were predominantly women, though he declined to discuss a possible motive. All the lanes are open with this investigation, said Police Chief Mark Saunders. Authorities have not yet released a list of victims. Those known to have been killed include a 30-year-old woman from Toronto, Anne Marie DAmico, who was active in volunteer work, as well as a female student at Seneca College, which Minassian also attended. A Jordanian citizen and two South Koreans were also among those killed. The gender issue arose because of what police called a cryptic Facebook message posted by Minassian just before the incident that suggested he was part of an online community angry over their inability to form relationships with women. The now-deleted post saluted Elliot Rodger, a community college student who killed six people and wounded 13 in shooting and stabbing attacks near the University of California, Santa Barbara, in 2014. Calling Rodger the Supreme Gentleman, the Facebook post declared: The Incel Rebellion has already begun! We will overthrow all the Chads and Stacys! Rodger had used the term incel for involuntarily celibate in online posts raging at women for rejecting him romantically. Like-minded people in internet forums sometimes use Chad and Stacy as dismissive slang for men and women with more robust sex lives. Story continues The anti-women sentiment recalled the 1989 massacre at the Ecole Polytechnique, an engineering college in Montreal, when 25-year-old Marc Lepine entered a classroom, separated the men from the women, told the men to leave and opened fire, killing 14 women before killing himself. In a suicide note, he blamed feminists for ruining his life. Since then, there have been sporadic mass shootings in Canada, but none with a higher death toll reinforcing the view among many Canadians that their country is less violent than the United States. Canadians dont know who they are, but they know who they are not theyre not Americans, said Nelson Wiseman, a political science professor at the University of Toronto. They perceive that Canada, relative to the U.S., is a peaceable kingdom. This isnt to say everythings hunky dory in Canada, Wiseman added. But we dont have this constant string of mass shootings that keep happening, and then nothing changes. Wendy Cukier, a professor of justice studies at Torontos Ryerson University and president of Canadas Coalition for Gun Control, said Canada may avoid some types of violence because its social programs are stronger than those in many U.S. states and it has less income inequality. But the main difference, she contends, is tighter gun regulations in Canada. If you take guns out of the mix, Canada and the U.S. are identical, she said, citing statistics indicating the two countries have similar rates of non-firearm homicides. Although police say Mondays rampage does not appear linked to international terrorism, the use of a vehicle to kill mirrored tactics used by terrorists in France, Germany, Spain, New York City and elsewhere. Since 2014, there have been at least two terror-related cases in Canada of vehicles being used as weapons they caused several injuries and one death. But overall, Canada has been spared high-casualty terror attacks; its most striking incidents of violence over the past 50 years have varied widely in nature. In 2014 a Muslim-Canadian gunman killed a member of the honor guard at Ottawas national war memorial, then stormed Parliament, where he was shot dead by a sergeant-at arms. Last year, a French-Canadian man shot dead six Muslim men during evening prayers at a mosque in Quebec City. Back in 1972, 37 people died in a Montreal cafe deliberately set on fire by three men who had been refused entry. In Toronto, Canadian rapper Maestro Fresh Wes returned Tuesday to the scene of the rampage, pausing by a newly erected memorial. Wes, who lives nearby, was strolling down Yonge Street, heading to his barber to get a haircut when he saw a body bag on the ground. Yesterday was the most beautiful day of the year and then look what happened, he said. Toronto is a safe city but things could happen anywhere. When these things happen, you have to reflect. Also revisiting the site was Saman Tabasinejad, a New Democrat Party politician who was canvassing in the area when the attack occurred. I saw shattered glass everywhere, a fire hydrant knocked over and then five body bags, she said. People were holding others and I saw solidarity all over, people trying to help others. When something like this happens, you think people are going to run away from the tragedy but people didnt, they ran towards it to try to help others, she added. It shows that something like this could happen at the hands of one person, but so many more stand against it and show their humanity. London (AFP) - Facebook on Thursday said that it would be extending a raft of measures to allow its users to identify the source of political adverts that appear in their feed to Britain next year. The US social media giant's Chief Technology Officer Mike Schroepfer appeared before a British parliamentary committee probing the role of fake news in recent votes, and how data gathered from the network was used to target potential voters. Schroepfer admitted that Facebook had been "slow" in realising how its data was being used following revelations that British communications firm Cambridge Analytica mined information on around 90 million users. "We didn't understand the threat," he said. "I can't fix that back then, but I can devote my time and energy to two things: one is, with the specific acts, we build every defence we can, and then two, we do a deeper more rigorous forward looking... proactive defence." Under new plans to be implemented in Britain next year, those seeking to run political adverts will need to be authorised and ads that are political will be required to be labelled as such, along with details of who funded them. Any ad labelled political will be available for seven years in Facebook's archive, which will allow users to search the amount spent on the ad and the number of views it received. The changes were introduced in the US earlier this month. Schroepfer admitted that Facebook had not read the terms and conditions of the app, developed by academic Aleksandr Kogan's research firm Global Science Research (GSR), used to harvest its data. Conservative MP Julian Knight slammed the social media giant, accusing it of being "a morality-free zone." Schroepfer replied that he would "respectfully disagree with that assessment." Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg previously blamed Kogan for the data breach, telling US lawmakers that he had broken the rules by selling the data to CA. Kogan, who teaches at Cambridge University, told the committee on Tuesday that he did not sell data, and said the US social media giant was scapegoating him as it was in "PR crisis mode". Drew Cloud was known as an expert on student loans. He was cited in publications like CNBC, The Washington Post and The Boston Globe, as founder of a site called The Student Report. He was also not real. In a stunning revelation by The Chronicle of Higher Education on Wednesday, it was revealed he was a totally fabricated person, and demonstrates how easy it is to fool so many (particularly in the media) with a professional looking website, catchy stats, an an authoritative voice. Getty Images The Chronicles report found that The Student Loan Report was created by New Jersey-based LendEDU, a marketplace for student loans and student loan refinancing. The Student Loan Report published its own articles offering student loan advice, and peddled Drew Cloud as its chief expert, pitching surveys to news outlets, purporting dubious statistics: 20% of student borrowers used financial aid money to buy cryptocurrencies; somewhat less than half (27% to 43%) would trade their debt for contracting the Zika virus, 10 years without sex, five years without toilet paper (or moist wipes) or a hookup with Caitlyn Jenner. LendEDUs CEO, Nate Matherson, posted an apology on its website Wednesday. LendEDUs apology letter on its website. We used this character of Drew Cloud as the primary author of the site a shared pen name through which we could share experiences and information related to the challenges college students face while funding their education, Matherson wrote. How did LendEDU get its fake expert past so many? The Student Loan Report began posting various articles and survey findings under Clouds name. And to further boost his credibility, they put up a picture of a real person which the founder said they had obtained with permission from a college friend. The picture would, according to them, would round out the pen name. Screenshot of a Google search of Drew Cloud still shows a fake bio. Clouds posts ranged from survey findings to studies evaluating college programs. The two surveys that were picked up the most included one on how 20% of college students were funneling their financial aid money into cryptocurrency to quickly pay off their student debt. Cloud opined to reporters who picked up the survey that college students would be better off using that money on what it is supposed to be used on: living expenses. Story continues Mark Kantrowitz, publisher of PrivateStudentsLoans.guru, and a 20-year veteran in the student loan industry, who has also testified for student loan publicly in Congress on the student loan crisis in 2008, said that he saw the warning signs from this particular survey. Surveys do not have a tendency to report percentages to decimal points. Legitimate surveys dont go down to that detail especially if you have such a small percentage size. (The survey stated that 21.2 percent of students had used aid money to fund a cryptocurrency investment.) When Kantrowitz was interviewed for the first time about this survey, he knew something was off. He did some quick math to figure out that if the results were true, then youd have millions of students investing in Bitcoin. But there was absolutely no evidence of this. The survey was bogus this cant be possibly be true. The other survey was titled 18 Insane Things Graduates Would Do to Get Rid of Their Student Loan Debt. The list included the statistics about trading debt for the Zika virus, and more. Cloud even wrote articles for The Columbus Ledger-Enquirer in Georgia, with headlines like, Millennials buried under student debt may get some relief from employers, or How changes to bankruptcy code could affect your student loans. When people reached out to Cloud about student debt, he would suggest that they refinance their loans which was one of the services offered by LendEDU, according to The Chronicle. Questionable surveys While the company has issued an apology for using a pen name, Kantrowitz noted they havent yet admitted to fabricating a lot of their survey results. Yahoo Finance confirmed with Matherson on Wednesday that the survey results, at least to him, were accurate. Since the results were collated and published as licensed by a web survey company called Pollfish, it would be difficult to confirm the credibility of the respondents. Screenshot of LendEDUs Pollfish survey results, courtesy of Nate Matherson Matherson said the company was currently trying to contact the websites that quoted Drew Cloud, but said it would take time. The profusion of surveys and studies also makes it easier to get questionable ones through. Joseph Orsolini, president at College Aid Partners, said that in the student loan industry, he sees a lot information passed off as knowledge, but the ulterior motive behind it is a marketing purpose. Anytime someone is quoting these oddball statistics, you need to take a look at it with a jaded eye. So how are consumer advocacy groups responding to this? Christopher Peterson, a senior fellow at the Consumer Federation of America, and a law professor at the University of Utah, said this incident highlighted the lack of transparency in the student loan industry. The point to draw from this is that often times its very difficult for the public to discover whether there are conflicts of interest between the websites. The ownership of these websites is very opaque, so its very easy to establish companies, said Peterson. But even if its easy to set up a company, not very many companies are enduring enough for consumers to recognize. With few established brand names in the industry, consumers are more likely to rely more on relatively unknown companies like LendEDU and Student Loan Report, which could market and sell loan products of dubious quality and not meet their needs, said Peterson. Related coverage: Madrid (AFP) - Five migrants have died trying to cross the Mediterranean, the Spanish coastguard said Thursday after rescuing more than 180 others, while they searched for another two boats with dozens aboard. Rescue boats, helicopters and planes from southern Spain carried out a series of rescue operations late Wednesday and Thursday, a spokeswoman said. Since Wednesday evening, 185 people in five boats had been rescued. But at least one boat had capsized, and four migrants were already dead in the water some 40 kilometres (25 miles) off Morocco's coast when rescuers arrived, she said. Another of those rescued died later of cardiac arrest. On Thursday, the coastguards were searching for another two boats in the Mediterranean with at least 45 people on board. Initially, helicopters and planes had been grounded because of bad weather but they were eventually able to fly, joining rescue boats in the search. The news came as police said they had arrested 19 people for illegally transporting migrants across the Strait of Gibraltar to Spain using jet skis or small inflatable boats. They allegedly charged 4,000 euros ($4,900) per crossing and another 500 euros if the person trying to get to Europe needed lodging once in Spain, police said in a statement. Spain is the third busiest gateway for migrants arriving in Europe, still far behind Italy but catching up fast with Greece. Many Africans undertaking the long route to Europe are choosing to avoid crossing danger-ridden Libya to get to Italy along the so-called central Mediterranean route, choosing instead to get there via Morocco and Spain. According to the International Organization for Migration, more than 22,400 people arrived in Spain by sea last year, nearly triple the number for 2016. Some 223 people died along the way. So far this year, at least 3,778 migrants have arrived in Spain, with more than 180 losing their lives trying to cross the Mediterranean. WASHINGTON (Reuters) - FLIR Systems Inc will pay $30 million to settle government allegations it violated a U.S. law restricting military-related exports, the U.S. State Department said on Wednesday. FLIR Systems, which makes infrared cameras and thermal imaging systems, allegedly violated the Arms Export Control Act by transferring defense items to dual national employees of Iran, Iraq, Lebanon and Cuba, which are restricted from receiving U.S. arms exports, the department said in a statement. Under the terms of the four-year consent agreement Oregon-based FLIR Systems will pay a civil penalty of $30 million, conduct two external audits and improve its compliance program, the statement said. "We accept responsibility for our actions leading to these penalties," FLIR Systems Chief Executive Officer James Cannon said in a statement, adding that the company is "fully committed to complying with U.S. export control laws." (Reporting by Eric Beech; Editing by Lisa Shumaker and James Dalgleish) There have been some big, bold announcements by motor manufacturers over the last few months, and most of them have been to do with electrification and the general demise of the diesel engine. Although the way the industry is changing is very much behind Ford's latest big announcement, it's not harmful emissions that have led to the decision to stop selling Ford branded saloon cars in North America. In fact, it's being driven by a cost-cutting agenda and the fact that sales of saloon cars are nosediving, as crossovers, pickups and SUVs continue to dominate the auto landscape. In its latest quarterly financial report published yesterday, Ford confirmed what many have suspected for a while now -- that it will not be investing in a next generation of saloon cars for its North American market. Although other markets such as Europe are not shunning cars to the same extent as North America, it's hard to believe that elements of a cost-cutting plan, which has just had its target almost doubled for the period leading to 2022, won't be copied to some extent elsewhere. A key part of the statement from Ford reads: "Over the next few years, the Ford car portfolio in North America will transition to two vehicles the best-selling Mustang and the all-new Focus Active crossover coming out next year." It goes on: "The company is also exploring new 'white space' vehicle silhouettes that combine the best attributes of cars and utilities, such as higher ride height, space and versatility." The company anticipates that by the year 2020, some 90 percent of its North American portfolio will be made up of pickup trucks, SUVs and commercial vehicles. This is being driven mostly by consumer demand, but also by the profitability of such vehicles. The bottom line here is that cars are not profitable enough for Ford anymore and that means the end of the Fiesta, the Fusion and the Taurus in North America. All three will be discontinued over the next few years, and the production capacity that it frees up in factories in Mexico and Chicago will be used for other models. A new-generation of the Fiesta has recently gone on sale around the world and it's little more than a week since an all-new Focus was unveiled. There's no suggestion that either of those models are under any sort of threat in markets outside North America, although the Fusion's European cousin the Mondeo might not want to be making too many long-term plans for its future. Photo credit: Ford From Road & Track If you live in North America, say goodbye to the lovely Fiesta ST and Focus RS (pictured above). In its 2018 quarter-one earnings call today, Ford announced that it's going all in on SUVs and trucks here, and it plans to kill most of its car lineup by 2022. At that point, the only cars it'll sell in North America are the Mustang, and the not-yet-revealed Focus Active crossover-esque hatch. That means the Fiesta, Focus, Fusion, and Taurus will all disappear in favor of the SUVs and trucks customers demand, which are more profitable than Ford's cars anyway. Ford says that by 2020, 90 percent of its offerings will be "trucks, utilities, and commercial vehicles." The Dearborn company also says it's exploring potential new models that "combine the best attributes of cars and utilities, such as higher ride height, space and versatility." Photo credit: Matt Tierney In a statement, Ford CEO Jim Hackett explained the move away from sedans and hatchbacks "We are committed to taking the appropriate actions to drive profitable growth and maximize the returns of our business over the long term," Hackett said. "Where we can raise the returns of underperforming parts of our business by making them more fit, we will. If appropriate returns are not on the horizon, we will shift that capital to where we can play and win." In layman's terms, Hackett is saying that Ford isn't really making money off cars like the Fiesta, Focus and Fusion, so it's shifting its focus to trucks and SUVs. All of this is part of a plan to cut $5 billion in planned spending from 2019 to 2022. It makes sense, but enthusiasts who've grown to love Ford's hot-hatches like the Fiesta and Focus ST, plus the Focus RS won't like this news. Oh well, at least we're getting the Edge ST and upcoming Explorer ST here. And we'd throw a fit if the Mustang died. Ford hasn't announced a specific timeline for when each car will disappear from the North American market, so we reached out to the company for clarification. You Might Also Like The first stars in the universe blazed to life about 200 to 400 million years after the big bang. Observing those very first individual stars across such vast distances of space normally would be a feat beyond any space science telescope. However, new theoretical work suggests that under the right circumstances, and with a little luck, NASA's upcoming James Webb Space Telescope will be able to capture light from single stars within that first generation of stars. "Looking for the first stars and black holes has long been a goal of astronomy. They will tell us about the actual properties of the very early universe, things we've only modeled on our computers until now," said Rogier Windhorst of Arizona State University, Tempe. Windhorst is lead author of the paper that appeared in the Astrophysical Journal Supplement. "We want to answer questions about the early universe such as, were binary stars common or were most stars single? How many heavy chemical elements were produced, cooked up by the very first stars, and how did those first stars effect star formation?" added co-author Frank Timmes of Arizona State University. The key will be to look for a star that has been gravitationally lensed, its light bent and magnified by the gravity of an intervening galaxy cluster. But not just any gravitational lensing will do. Typical gravitational lensing can magnify light by a factor of 10 to 20 times, not enough to make a first-generation star visible to Webb. But if the distant star and closer galaxy cluster line up just right, the star's light can be amplified 10,000 times or more, bringing it within the realm of detectability. This could be done via so-called cluster caustic transits, where the light from a first star candidate could be enormously magnified for a few months due to the motion of the galaxy cluster across the sky. The chances of such a precise alignment are small, but not zero. Astronomers recently announced that Hubble spotted a super-magnified star known as "Icarus." Although it was the farthest single star ever seen, it was much closer than the stars Webb might locate. With Webb, the team hopes to find a lensed example of a star that formed from the primordial mix of hydrogen and helium that suffused the early universe, which astronomers call Population III stars. In addition to the first stars, Windhorst and his colleagues investigated the possibility of seeing accretion disks surrounding the first black holes. Such a black hole, formed by the cataclysmic death of a massive star, could shine brightly if it pulled gas from a companion star. The longer an object shines, the more likely it will drift into alignment with a gravitational lens. First-generation stars are expected to have been both massive and short-lived, lasting for just a few million years before exploding as supernovae. In contrast, a black hole stripping a companion star could shine for 10 times longer, feeding from a steady stream of gas. As a result, Webb might detect more black hole accretion disks than early stars. The team calculates that an observing program that targets several galaxy clusters a couple of times a year for the lifetime of Webb could succeed in finding a lensed first star or black hole accretion disk. They have already selected some of the best target clusters, including the Hubble Frontier Fields clusters and the cluster known as "El Gordo." "We just have to get lucky and observe these clusters long enough," said Windhorst. "The astronomical community would need to continue to monitor these clusters during Webb's lifetime." Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook. BRASILIA (Reuters) - Former Brazilian Finance Minister Antonio Palocci has struck a plea deal with federal police, newspaper O Globo reported on Thursday, raising the stakes in a corruption scandal engulfing high-ranking politicians and prominent businessmen. Representatives for Palocci and the federal police were not immediately available for comment. Palocci served as Finance Minister under former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is currently serving time for taking bribes, and as chief of staff under Lula's successor Dilma Rousseff. He was arrested in September 2016 and sentenced to 12 years in prison for corruption and money laundering. His testimony could fuel new investigations and lead to arrests, O Globo said, citing an unnamed source close to the matter. (Reporting by Bruno Federowski; Editing by Hugh Lawson) Beirut (AFP) - Fresh young faces may be campaigning to win a seat in Lebanon's parliament next month, but their family names are anything but new. For decades the same families have played a pivotal role in the small Middle Eastern country, officially ruled by a parliamentary democratic system but where political power is still informally handed down through generations. As Lebanon finally heads to the legislative polls after a nine-year hiatus, several candidates hail from a third -- or even fourth generation -- of the same political clans. There are such cases in almost all of the 18 religious communities represented in Lebanon's complex confessional system. Faced with accusations of "nepotism" and "feudalism", these sons and daughters of influential men have defended what they say is a genuine desire for reform. Incumbent candidate Nadim Gemayel was elected a member of parliament in 2009, but politics have decades-old roots in his family tree. He is the youngest son of late president-elect Bachir Gemayel, killed in 1982, and the grandson of Pierre Gemayel, who founded the Phalangist (Kataeb) Party in which Nadim is now a leading official. "The reason I'm involved in politics is of course linked to Bachir's assassination and to the values that got him killed," says Gemayel. "But it's also tied to my own frustration at seeing my country so badly managed," the 36-year-old says. "Being someone's son is not necessarily something negative or anti-reform," he adds. "New generations can bring to life projects that are in the public interest that were developed by their forefathers -- and adapt them to evolving times." - 'Forged my own path' - First-time candidate Zaher Eido rejects any accusations his surname might have "parachuted" him into circles of power. He is running in Beirut just over a decade since his father, also a lawmaker, and older brother died in a car bomb in the capital. Story continues "Sure, I may have inherited a political past, but I'm also interested in politics," says Zaher, who like his father is a member of the leading Future Movement. The 44-year-old banker says he wants to apply his professional experience towards passing new legislation to fight money laundering. "Over 11 years, I've forged my own path, built my own career and personality... And if I can't make things evolve, I'll resign," he pledges. Eido and Gemayel are part of a familiar pattern in Beirut. Michelle Tueini, 31, has already partially followed in the footsteps of her father Gebran as a journalist after he was assassinated in 2005. She is now also running for parliament like him, taking over from her elder sister Nayla, a lawmaker for the past nine years. The country's own prime minister Saad Hariri ascended to power after his father Rafik -- assassinated in 2005 -- held the post for years. Hariri's campaign posters, plastered across Beirut, feature portraits of his father. The list goes on: candidate Taymour Jumblatt is the child of Lebanon's Druze leader Walid and the grandson of Kamal, who founded the Progressive Socialist Party. Tony Franjieh is the fourth generation of his political family: his great-grandfather Suleiman was elected head of state in 1970 and his own father was in the running for the presidency in 2016. Even current President Michel Aoun's nephew and two sons-in-law are running for parliamentary office. - 'Pseudo-feudalism' - Fadia Kiwan, politics professor at the Saint Joseph University, says patriarchy and the cult of the leader are still largely ingrained in Lebanese society, which keeps hereditary politics in place. While some families follow "strict centuries-old feudalism, a pseudo-feudal system has taken root in other communities since the emergence of modern Lebanon", she says. Many of those who founded today's political dynasties once headed armed groups during Lebanon's civil war from 1975 to 1990. Political power being handed down across generations has long angered scores of Lebanese voters, and rivals have taken note of their scorn. Kulluni Watani, a reformist coalition, has put forward 70 candidates across the country that it pledges will break the pattern. "Unfortunately, this blend of inherited power and nepotism applies to all political parties in power," says Wadih al-Asmar, a strategist for Kulluna Watani. "It's simply unacceptable, whatever the abilities of those concerned," he says. Slamming the current system as "sclerotic and out-of-breath," Asmar says Kulluna Watani's struggle "aims to give rise to a much more progressive and modern political era." But Gemayel says change takes time. "Lebanon's political system is not meritocratic, I've never pretended it is. It's a blend of cronyism and confessionalism," he admits. "Traditional (political) families and parties must modernise so they don't miss the boat and end up forgotten," Gemayel tells AFP. "But it cannot happen overnight." ROME (Reuters) - Italian police have arrested an immigrant from Gambia suspected of planning an attack on behalf of the Islamic State (IS) militant group, a prosecutor said on Thursday. Alagie Touray was arrested on April 20 as he was leaving a mosque in Licola, near the southern city of Naples, after local authorities received a tip off from Spanish intelligence. Prosecutor Giovanni Melillo said investigators had found a video of Touray swearing allegiance to IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. "This gesture is often followed by a terrorist attack," Melillo told reporters. Touray, 21, wrote on the Telegram messaging service that he was "on a mission" and asked others to pray for him, Melillo said. He told police that he had received a "request" from a fellow Gambian to drive a car into a crowd of people, but said he had no intention of doing so. Touray arrived in Italy in March 2017 after being rescued in the Mediterranean from a boat packed with 638 other migrants. He was subsequently taken to a migrant center in Licola and had applied for political asylum. His request is still pending. More than 600,000 immigrants have come to Italy over the past five years, most of them from sub-Saharan Africa. The influx has become a major political issue, helping to fuel support for the far-right League, which became the second largest party in the lower house of parliament following last month's election. "This is how this immigrant wanted to pay us back for asking for political asylum, poor fellow. Stop the invasion before it is too late," League leader Matteo Salvini wrote on Twitter shortly after Touray's arrest was announced. (Reporting by Crispian Balmer, Editing by William Maclean) Erick Davila has spent nine years on death row after using a laser-sighted semi-automatic rifle to spray bullets at about 20 people (file photo): Texas Department of Criminal Justice via AP A former gang member sentenced to death for killing a five-year-old girl and her grandmother when he opened fire at a childs birthday party is to be executed in Texas. Erick Davila has spent nine years on death row after used a laser-sighted semi-automatic rifle to spray bullets at about 20 people more than a dozen of them children in apparent retaliation for an attack by one of the people attending the party. Annette Stevenson, 48, and her granddaughter, Queshawn Stevenson, were killed in the 6 April 2008 attack and four others were wounded, including the girl celebrating her ninth birthday. Davila is due to be executed by lethal injection, but lawyers in Fort Worth have asked the US Supreme Court for a stay of execution. If the execution goes ahead, Davila, 31, would be the fifth Texas inmate executed this year, and the ninth in the US. Queshawn Stevensons sister, then aged 11, testified she saw a man inside a dark car holding a gun with a red dot and a short time later saw him standing next door and shooting. Davila was caught the next day after a brief police chase. Lawyers for Davila argue his execution should be stopped because it was improper for his trial judge, Sharen Wilson, now the Tarrant County district attorney, to request an execution date. They also questioned the role of a lawyer working with Ms Wilson on capital appeals cases who had represented Davila in an earlier appeal. Prosecutors withheld information that Davila was so high on drugs during the shooting he was likely intoxicated to the degree that it would have rendered him temporarily insane, lawyer Seth Kretzer told the high court in a legal document. He argued the detail could have influenced jurors to decide on a lesser penalty. State attorneys said Ms Wilson never represented Davila and state law and court rulings allow her office to represent the states interests in the case. Prosecutors also argued Ms Wilson prohibits assistants from participating in cases where they were defence lawyers and that the court followed the states capital sentencing procedure. Story continues They said evidence shows Davilas trial attorneys were provided notes from police investigators, that voluntary intoxication is not a defence under Texas law and that the shootings were intentional and deliberate. Katherine Hayes, an assistant Texas attorney general, told the justices Davila told detectives he went to a shoot em up". was trying to get the guys on the porch and never mentioned any intoxication to police. Defence lawyers at Davilas trial tried to show he did not intend to kill multiple people, a criterion for the capital murder charge. They argued he only intended to kill Jerry Stevenson, whose daughter and mother were shot to death. Authorities said Stevenson belonged to a rival gang and that Davila believed members of that gang shot him in 2005. Stevenson denied belonging to the gang. Davila was accused but not tried in another fatal shooting just days before the birthday party killings. While awaiting trial for capital murder, he also attacked Tarrant County jailers and maintenance workers during an escape attempt. He previously served prison time for a 2004 burglary in Tarrant County and was released after about a year. Associated Press contributed to this report A second Gazan journalist has died after being shot by Israeli soldiers during ongoing protests along the Gaza Strip-Israel border fence. Photojournalist Ahmed Abu Hussein, 24, was shot in the stomach while covering the demonstrations on April 13, Reuters reported. Israel had granted permission for Hussein to travel from Gaza to the West Bank for treatment. Subsequently transferred to Israel, Hussein succumbed to his wounds on Wednesday afternoon at the Sheba Hospital near Tel Aviv, AFP said. His body will be transferred to Gaza for burial. Trending: Snapchat Update: What Are Snappables, New AR Games in App? The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) has warned Gazans that anyone approaching the fence would be putting themselves in danger. According to Haaretz, Hussein was shot even though he was a permissible distance from the border. Israel said Hussein was a Hamas member though offered no evidence, The Times of Israel reported. Gaza journalists SAID KHATIB/AFP/Getty Images Palestinian demonstrators are calling for the right of return for refugees and their relatives who fled or were forced to leave their homes after the creation of Israel in 1948. At least 39 people have been killed since the demonstrations began on March 30, with hundreds more injured. The protests will end on May 15, the anniversary of the establishment of Israel known as the Nakbaor catastropheby Palestinians. Hussein is the second journalist to be killed by Israeli snipers while covering the demonstrations, dubbed The Great March of Return by its organizers. The firstphotojournalist Yaser Murtaja, 30died on April 7, one day after having been shot. Photos of Murtaja as he was being evacuated showed him wearing a blue flak vest clearly marking him out as a member of the press. Four other journalists have been injured during the confrontations, one critically. Story continues Don't miss: Russia's New Nuclear Torpedo May Be Able to Consume U.S. Cities with Giant Radioactive Waves, Experts Say After Murtaja was shot, an IDF statement said its troops do not intentionally fire on journalists. The circumstances in which journalists were hit, allegedly by IDF fire, are unknown to us and are being examined. Israel Gaza protests SAID KHATIB/AFP/Getty Images It was later suggested that Murtaja was a Hamas member who was flying a drone over Israeli positions. Israels Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman said, Whoever flies a drone over [Israeli] forces, over our soldierswe won't take any chances. Two journalists with Murtaja on the day he was shot denied he had been using a drone, and Israeli authorities have not provided any evidence of Murtajas alleged Hamas membership. The Palestinian journalists union said Hussein and Murtaja were both deliberately targeted, Reuters reported, and vowed that the leaders of the occupation would be brought to justice. Most popular: Artificial Intelligence Could Result in Catastrophic Nuclear War by 2040, Think Tank Warns Israel has suggested that Hamasthe Islamist group that controls the Gaza Strip and its 2 million peopleis using the protests as cover for attacks on the border fence and Israeli positions. The IDF says it has only targeted those deemed a threat to the fence or its troops. Palestinians kite bomb MOHAMMED ABED/AFP/Getty Images Israeli forces have accused protestors of attempting to tear down, blow up and set fire to the border fence. There have also been allegations that firebombs attached to kites and decorated with swastikas have been floated across the border into Israeli territory. Various human rights groups have condemned Israel's use of live ammunition. Human Rights Watch accused the IDF of using lethal force outside of life-threatening situations in violation of international norms while Amnesty International demanded an immediate end to excessive and lethal force used against protestors. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for an independent and transparent investigation into the shootings and urged restraint on both sides. This article was first written by Newsweek More from Newsweek After Patton Oswalts wife, writer Michelle McNamara, died in her sleep in 2016, he spent the better part of two years helping to finish her final book, Ill Be Gone in the Dark. The book, which has been on the New York Times bestsellers list since it was released in February, traced the so-called Golden State Killer, who is suspected of 12 killings, 45 rapes, and dozens of home burglaries between 1976 and 1986. On Wednesday, officials from Northern and Southern California announced that they had arrested Joseph James DeAngelo, 72, and that hes being held on suspicion on at least four counts of murder. They noted the usefulness of both DNA evidence and the publics unrelenting interest in the case for helping them to solve it. Oswalt didnt hold back his excitement, even before the scheduled news conference to make the announcement. I think you got him, Michelle, he said proudly on Twitter. During that press conference, a reporter asked Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones whether McNamaras book had affected the case. Jones said it had not. Im glad you asked that question, because its a question weve gotten from literally all over the world in the last 24 hours, Jones said, and the answer is no, other than the fact that it, like the media, kept this in the public eye, kept public interest. It kept interest and tips coming in. Other than that, there was no information extracted from that book that directly led to the apprehension. Oswalt, who live-tweeted the news conference, was quick to comment. It did, but #MichelleMcNamaradidnt care about getting any shine on herself. She cared about the #GoldenStateKiller being behind bars and the victims getting some relief. She was Marge Gunderson in FARGO, not Chilton in SILENCE OF THE LAMBS. https://t.co/krMOWaWh9m Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) April 25, 2018 Also, the cops will NEVER and HAVE NEVER credited a writer or journalist for helping them solve a case. But every time they said #GoldenStateKiller they credited the work of #MichelleMcNamara and #IllBeGoneInTheDark. Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) April 25, 2018 Oswalt married McNamara in 2005, and their daughter, Alice, was born four years later. McNamara, who had worked on her book throughout their marriage, died on April 21, 2016, of what was determined to be a previously unknown condition and a combination of prescription drugs. She was 46. Story continues Patton Oswalt and Michelle McNamara make an appearance on Nov. 5, 2011, in Los Angeles. (Photo: John Shearer/Getty Images for LACMA) The comedian was open about his grief following the death in his posts on social media, in interviews, and in his standup appearances. Funerals are final but theres no closure. Memorials are hopeful but they dont bring back the dead. pic.twitter.com/K8Ss7DejEj Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) May 23, 2016 More than a year after McNamaras death, in October 2017, Oswalt told Vulture that he was coming to terms with what had happened. He was married again, to actress Meredith Salenger, in November. Im waking up every day and living, he said. Its hard to describe it as healing. Its more like youre evolving. You know, you never truly heal. But you do evolve into someone different, someone who can still live life and experience joy. Fans of the book Oswalt helped to complete lauded him and McNamara after reports about the arrest in the high-profile case broke. Sorry to poorly paraphrase @pattonoswalt: but all Michelle McNamara wanted was to see the bracelets put on this guy. And its a good day if theyre on him. https://t.co/1WdpEYlzuJ John Mulaney (@mulaney) April 25, 2018 Thanks, in big part, to #MichelleMcNamara who was dedicated to making sure this mystery was solved . https://t.co/H5F3mDIYLM Kathryn K (@Katkentfl) April 25, 2018 This is incredible. TY @Billyjensen for tying up the loose ends & finishing #MichelleMcNamaras #IllBeGoneInTheDark. Keeping pressure on is what drove this monster into the light! And TY @pattonoswalt for carrying on w/ Michelles message & making sure it was heard. #gsk Kim Skubic (@KimSkubic) April 25, 2018 At the end of his thread of tweets about the twist in the final story McNamara documented, Oswalt wrote sweet words to his new wife. I love you, baby. My darling be home soon. https://t.co/7soiekvzpJ Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) April 25, 2018 Read more from Yahoo Entertainment: Don Blankenship, a former coal CEO turned Republican U.S. Senate candidate, is seen during a campaign event in West Virginia in February. (Photo: Bloomberg via Getty Images) Don Blankenship, a Republican U.S. Senate candidate in West Virginia, suggested that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) may have conflicts of interest in foreign relations because his father-in-law is a wealthy Chinaperson. The coal baron, who recently served a year in prison for his role in a deadly mining explosion in 2010 that he refuses wrongdoing in, made the bizarre racial remark on a radio program on Monday. (Blankenships comments begin around the 1:06:05 mark.) Blankenship, whose fiancee was reportedly born in China, began by telling host Dimitri Vassilaros he doesnt have any problem with China. But I have an issue when the father-in-law is a wealthy Chinaperson and theres a lot of connections to some of the brass, if you will, in China, he said, targeting the father of McConnells wife, Elaine Chao, who is the U.S. secretary of transportation. Chaos father, James Chao, was born in China but launched his shipping company, the Foremost Group, in New York. Elaine Chao is seen being sworn in as the transportation secretary with her father, James Chao, holding a Bible. Her husband, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, bears witness. (Photo: NurPhoto via Getty Images) Blankenship, Massey Energys former CEO, went on to criticize Elaine Chao, accusing her of once being part of an environmental extremist group that he claims damaged West Virginia and the permitting process for coal and energy. The transportation secretary, until 2015, served on the Bloomberg Family Foundations board of directors. The foundation worked to help cities transition away from coal use and instead toward energy sources that limit carbon emissions. Though Blankenship tried to throw scrutiny over McConnells extended family and his ties to China calling it one small example of conflicts of interest seen in Washington he has many ties of his own. A protester holds a sign behind Don Blankenship, who had been chairman and CEO of Massey Energy Co. until a deadly explosion at one of his mines killed 29 people. (Photo: Scott J. Ferrell via Getty Images) Blankenships fiancee is Farrah Meiling Hobbs, who was born in Beijing and moved to the U.S. in 1996 where she founded her second trading company, according to The New York Times, citing a website belonging to her. In 2009, Blankenship also discussed with the Charleston Gazette-Mail his desire to move to Asia and seek dual citizenship in China. He also praised Chinas government, saying: Americans confuse the words communism and dictatorship. Story continues Despite these contradictions, Blankenship, who is an outspoken supporter of President Donald Trump, said on Monday that hes read books that criticize McConnell as being too soft on China. Though he added that U.S. senators need to be more transparent about their business ties, last week he reportedly told the Times that he believes nobody should have to disclose private information. That statement came amid scrutiny over the Senate candidate listing a $2.6 million mansion outside Las Vegas as his primary residence in 2016. He has defended that its not uncommon for people in the coal industry to own homes in different states. Also on HuffPost Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. New York (United Nations), April 2018 (SPS) The United States on Tuesday asked for the postponement of a draft resolution prolonging Minurso mandate in Western Sahara following important divergences about its content, while the negotiations within the Security Council on a new version continue. On Tuesday, the US mission to the United Nations justified its request for postponement by the need to grant the United States more time to examine all the proposals that emerged from the Security Council meeting on Monday. The United States delegation to the United Nations is planned to meet separately with some members of the Security Council to ensure that the various positions expressed on this project have been fully understood. The talks stumbled Tuesday on a second version of the draft resolution. The United States asked to postpone in the absence of consensus. Points of divergence: El Guergarat and many other elements contained in this text that are related to the UN process in Western Sahara, according to this second version seen by APS. The mission is set to submit on Wednesday a third version, taking into account the observations made by the various parties.SPS 125/090/700 Don Blankenship, a West Virginia Republican Senate candidate who spent a year in prison for his role in a mining accident that killed 10 miners, has little respect for the rules and decorum of the legislative body hes hoping to join, according to a Wednesday profile in the New York Times. The former coal baron has refused to file legally required personal financial disclosures with the Senate because, as he told the Times, there isnt much of a penalty for not doing so. He also attacked Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a fellow Republican, on Monday, telling a West Virginia radio show that McConnell might face a conflict of interest with regards to China because his father-in-law is a wealthy Chinaperson. McConnell is married to Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao. Theres a lot of connections to some of the brass, if you will, in China, said Blankenship, who is himself married to a Chinese immigrant. Despite his harsh words for McConnell, Blankenship has shown great admiration for the Chinese government and contemplated moving to China at one point in time. Trending: Watch: Pit Bull Attacks Woman On NYC Subway The Chinese are running a dictatorial capitalism and its very effective, Blankenship told the Times. Thats the way corporations are run. Corporations are not a democracy. GettyImages-926087652 Spencer Platt/Getty Images Blankenship is currently in a three-way race for the right to face off against West Virginia Democratic Senator Joe Manchin this November. While recent polling has suggested he is currently in third place, the prospect of Blankenship winning the nomination, and losing to Manchin, has spooked Washington D.C. Republicans enough to begin attacking his candidacy on West Virginia airwaves. A Super PAC linked to Mitch McConnell has spent more than $740,000 on ads opposing Blankenship, federal election filings show. Story continues Don't miss: 6 Best Dressed Looks At Time 100's 2018 Gala 2018 Blankenship has previously called McConnell the swamp captain and compared him to the Russians for interfering with the West Virginia election. "The Republican Party swampers in Washington have come to the surface to oppose my candidacy for the U.S. Senate. They are swamp creatures who pretend to be conservatives but are instead liberal big spenders," Blankenship said last week. McConnell has downplayed any feud with Blankenship, while making clear his preference for Blankenships Republican competitors. Well wait and see who the nominee is and get behind a Republican candidate and hopefully it will be one whos actually electable, he told reporters last week. This article was first written by Newsweek More from Newsweek ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece is remaining calm in the face of 'dangerous provocations' from Turkey, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said on Thursday. Tsipras, who was hosting EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, said Greece could play a central role in elevating the role of the 28-member bloc into a force for peace and security. "We are proving that by being decisive and also calm in dealing with dangerous provocations in the Aegean by Turkey towards our sovereign rights," Tsipras said. The two NATO partners have long been at odds over issues ranging from airspace over the Aegean Sea to mineral rights in the same region, and ethnically-split Cyprus. Rhetoric between the two has recently sharpened after the arrest of two Greek soldiers by Turkey, and Greece's refusal to hand over eight Turkish commandos who fled to the country in the wake of an abortive coup against Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan in July 2016. (Reporting By Michele Kambas) Guillermo del Toro is mourning the deaths of three film students from his hometown of Guadalajara, Mexico. Aspiring directors Javier Salomon Aceves Gastelum, Daniel Diaz, and Marco Avalo went missing on March 19 while filming a project near the city of Tonala during their Spring Break vacation. All three filmmakers were students at the Universidad de Medios Audiovisuales. Authorities confirmed this week the students were kidnapped, tortured, and murdered by the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), which is one of the largest drug gangs in all of Mexico. CJNG gunmen reportedly confused the teenagers with members from a rival gang. The students bodies were dissolved in acid. Words are not enough to understand the dimension of this madness, del Toro wrote on Twitter after the tragic deaths were confirmed. Three students are killed and dissolved in acid. The why is unthinkable, the as is frightening. Read More:Guillermo del Toro Picks 11 Criterion Collection Movies You Need to See The Oscar-winning filmmaker has used his social media page over the last month to raise awareness about the three students disappearance. Kidnappings in the state of Jalisco (Guadalajara is the capital) are all too common, with 5,000 disappearances reported as of February 2018, according to NBC News. Reports estimate that 36% of all missing peoples are ages 16 to 28 years old. Apparently students being disappeared and dissolved in acid in Mexico is so normal that the fact that Jalisco government has declared this was the fate of Javier, Marco & Daniel has barely made international headlines and caused little stir in national ones, read a tweet that del Toro shared to his 1.4 million followers. Del Toro has been using the hashtags #NoSonTresSomosTodxs (which means were not three, its all of us) and #LosTresEstudiantesDeCine (which means the three film students) in an attempt to make the news story a trending topic around the world. His Twitter page is full of news stories about the murdered students and re-Tweets sharing information about the tragedy. Story continues The director shared a tweet by British journalist Duncan Tucker: Apparently the film students were shooting a homework project at a property in Guadalajara, which, unbeknownst to them, was a cartel safe house. It seems thats all it takes to get you killed and dissolved in acid in Mexico today. The disappearances of the students launched numerous protests and calls to action in Jalisco over the last month. Other students at the Universidad de Medios Audiovisuales published a video online on March 23 asking for help in finding their classmates. Both Avalo and Diaz were 20 years old, while Salomon was 25. Las palabras no alcanzan para entender la dimension de esta locura. 3 estudiantes son asesinados y disueltos en acido. El porque es impensable, el como es aterrador. Guillermo del Toro (@RealGDT) April 24, 2018 Sign Up:Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here. Launch Gallery: 'The Shape of Water': 16 Beautiful Shots That Prove Guillermo Del Toro Is A Fairy Tale Master Related stories Jordan Peele Honors Guillermo del Toro in TIME 100 Essay: 'To Watch His Masterpieces Is an Experience in Wonder' Guillermo del Toro Makes Fox Searchlight His Studio Home Following 'The Shape of Water' Oscar Wins 'Pacific Rim Uprising' Review: This Bland Sequel Is Only a Minor Improvement on Guillermo del Toro's Original With Hulus The Handmaids Tale set to return on Wednesday, fans of the Emmy-winning adaptation of Margaret Atwoods novel will finally get to see what the Handmaids acts of resistance lead to next. In the first season, as protagonist June (Elisabeth Moss) learned of the underground Mayday movement among her fellow Handmaids fertile women essentially imprisoned as sex slaves in a society plagued by barrenness viewers likewise learned that the dystopian near future in which the story is set was never without brave individuals pushing back against the ruling theocracy. The second season picks up after a wave of such acts (Alexis Bledels Emily having mowed down a soldier; June, also known as Offred, having led the Handmaids in refusing to stone to death one of their own) and takes the resistance to a new level of fearlessness. Though the society of Gilead and its Handmaids system are fictional, Atwood made a point of drawing on real history when she crafted that world. So its no surprise that this ever-present resistance does have parallels in American history. When the government has regulated womens bodies and sexuality, they have fought back, says Scott W. Stern, whose new book The Trials of Nina McCall: Sex, Surveillance, and the Decades-Long Government Plan to Imprison Promiscuous Women zeroes in on one piece of that history. Sterns book focuses on the American Plan, one of the largest and longest quarantines in U.S. history. Under the plan, tens of thousands of women suspected of being promiscuous were incarcerated, just as women on The Handmaids Tale can be sent to labor camps for similar reasons. The mass imprisonment was justified on the grounds of ensuring national security during the two world wars by protecting the troops from sexually transmitted infections. In addition to being a time of military fear, the context for the plan was one in which women were pushing back against old restrictions. As more women in the early 20th century advocated for education and work and political rights, others worried that women would lose their way and succumb to indecency. Story continues Detention facilities sprung up, specially designed to reform women suspected of committing vaguely defined moral crimes such as vagrancy and disorderly conduct through a paradoxical curriculum of physical labor and domestic arts. Stern says efforts to lock up women for suspected moral crimes was a way of controlling womens sexual agency [at] a time when women were banding together politically, beginning to get educated formally, and that was threatening to those in power, so this was really a way of controlling women which is exactly what the whole Handmaids system is in the show. Inmates were largely forbidden from speaking to each other an aspect of discipline that has direct parallels on The Handmaids Tale because authorities were really scared of women teaming up together, banding together for resistance, Stern says. There are records of government hearings where officials talked about [how] women arent allowed to talk to each other or smile at each other, except for a couple minutes a day, which is eerily and possibly unintentionally parallel. Get your history fix in one place: sign up for the weekly TIME History newsletter And yet the women still managed to fight back. In real female prisons under the American plan and in womens prisons in general there were huge numbers of riots, says Stern. There were huge, truly mind-numbing numbers of women who escaped. In Seattle, there were stories of escapees covering guards in sheets, leaping out windows, breaking through plate glass, clogging toilets, destroying the sewing machines that had been installed for vocational training and refusing to go to breakfast. Inmates torched five of the 43 federally funded detention houses and reformatories that were housing women with STIs. City Farm of Houston burned down twice, while the one in Newport News, Va., burned down five months after opening its doors in 1919. A woman imprisoned under the American Plan in San Diego staged a three-day hunger strike in an effort to be released. More than 300 women imprisoned in Ponce, Puerto Rico, rioted and refused to take their mercury injections (an early treatment for some STIs). There were 80 escapes at the female-run detention facility known as The Hospice in Jacksonville, Fla., from 1919 to 1921, and one inmate per week broke out of the Alabama State Training School For Girls. But, Stern says, there is one noteworthy difference between The Handmaids Tale and the real history of resistance to the American Plan. Though the fictional Handmaids are drawn from all walks of life the only qualification being their fertility the primary rebels who are seen to be leading the charge are mostly college-educated, white women. (In fact, they are targets because of their level of education.) But in reality, the American Plan did not apply equally to all sectors of American society. The women who were targeted under the program were disproportionately non-white, working-class and immigrant. And those imprisoned during that time who actually did work in the sex industry did so in a labor market in which skin color could be a disqualifying factor from many other jobs. Bearing that difference in mind in some ways only serves to underscore the link: the idea of imprisoning women over promiscuity appears on the show as well as in real life, and in both cases the women, regardless of education or privilege, are likely to fight back. The really big parallel between real life and show, Stern says, is the active resistance. Navy Admiral Harry Harris, commander of U.S. Pacific Command, could become the next ambassador to South Korea. That's if CIA director Mike Pompeo, tapped for the role of Secretary of State, has his way. The news, first reported by The Washington Post columnist Josh Rogin citing several unidentified White House sources, came as Harris was in Washington to attend a Senate committee hearing on his nomination as ambassador to AustraliaPresident Donald Trump's original plan. That hearing has since been postponed. "At the request of the administration, the hearing has been postponed until early May," said Micah Johnson, a spokesperson for Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Bob Corker, as quoted by CNN. Trending: Mountaineers Caught in Canadian Avalanche Saved After Calling Poland for Help Australian foreign minister Julie Bishop confirmed that Harris is no longer expected in Canberra. "While we would have welcomed Admiral Harris as ambassador here in Australia, we understand there are significant challenges for the United States on the Korean peninsula, she told reporters after a service to commemorate ANZAC Day in Sydney, as quoted by Reuters. "Any announcement of a nomination for the post of U.S. ambassador to the Republic of Korea would come from the White House. We have no information on such an appointment at this time," a spokesperson for the U.S. embassy in Seoul told Newsweek. The role of ambassador to South Korea has been vacant for nearly a year and a halfsimilarly to that of ambassador to Australiawith Charge dAffaires Marc Knapper leading the embassy in the meantime. 02_15_Harris_Trump Jonathan Ernst/Reuters Don't miss: YouTuber Count Dankula Who Taught Dog Nazi Salute Raises $100,000 to Pay Legal Fees Story continues The White House began vetting former National Security Council official Victor Cha for the role in Seoul, but he was dropped for reasons that remain unclear. They may be related to his objection to a pre-emptive strike on North Korea, as Cha seemed to suggest in an opinion piece for the Post in January. Pompeo's urgency at filling the ambassador position in Seoul is dictated by the rapid diplomatic developments sweeping the Korean peninsula, from the inter-Korean summit scheduled for Friday to the proposed meeting between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Trump. On the subject of North Korea, Harris expressed caution in falling for the country's so-called "charm offensive," indicating Kim's regime as the most immediate threat to both the U.S. and South Korea during a House Armed Services Committee hearing in February dedicated to security issues in the Indo-Pacific region. According to Harris, Kim's desire is to reunite the peninsula under a single communist system. Hes on a path to achieve what he feels is his natural place, he said. He championed the strengthening of the U.S. missile defense system as well as economic and diplomatic pressure to "bring Kim Jong Un to his senses, not his knees. Most popular: Top 50 Highest Grossing Movies Adjusted for Inflation 04_24_Harris_Trump Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images Born in Japan from a Japanese mother and an American father who also served in the Navy as an officer, Harris became the first Asian-American to reach a four-star rank in the Navy in 2013 and the first to head the Pacific Command in 2015. Trump tapped him for the position of ambassador to Canberra in February. The reported change surprised Australian commentators, some of whom took the decision as undermining Australia's position as a U.S. ally. "Australia, from President Trump's perspective, is a second-class ally," former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). "Pulling Harry Harris from the ambassador to Australia job just hours before his hearing is a sign of administration dysfunction in foreign policy and urgency of North Korea. It's not meant as a slight on Australia, but many here will still be galled by the news," Ashley Townshend, foreign policy and defense director at the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney, tweeted on Wednesday. Bishop dispelled the idea that her country took offense. We of course have a very strong and deep relationship with the United States and I am sure they will choose a very appropriate ambassador to take his place in due course," she said. This article was first written by Newsweek More from Newsweek [caption id="attachment_5163" align="aligncenter" width="620"] Photo: Diego M. Radzinschi/ALM[/caption] The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday turned back a constitutional challenge to inter partes review, the administrative procedure for challenging patent validity at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. IPRs, as they are known, can be decided in executive agencies rather than Article III courts because patents are public rights, not private rights, Justice Clarence Thomas wrote for a 7-2 majority. Plus the PTO is essentially reconsidering its decision to issue a patent in the first place. "Congress has permissibly reserved the PTOs authority to conduct that reconsideration," Thomas wrote in Oil States Energy Services v. Greene's Energy. "Thus, the PTO can do so without violating Article III." The decision removes a cloud that's been hanging over the Patent Trial and Appeal Board since the Supreme Court granted certiorari last spring. It will probably lead to a bump in filing activity, as a lot of would-be petitioners have been waiting for the case's outcome, said Latham & Watkins partner Robert Steinberg, the outgoing president of the PTAB Bar Association. But it does not mean business as usual. Thomas' opinion came with a couple of big caveats, including that the decision does not necessarily cover patents issued before the 2012 passage of the America Invents Act, which created the IPR process. "Nor has Oil States raised a due process challenge," Thomas added. "Finally, our decision should not be misconstrued as suggesting that patents are not property for purposes of the due process clause or the takings clause. Justice Neil Gorsuch dissented along with Chief Justice John Roberts. Foley & Lardner partner Christopher Kise had the winning argument for Greene's Energy. He said he wasn't surprised that Thomas wrote the majority opinion. He said he had developed some of the briefing and arguments with Thomas in mind, given observations the justice had made in past dissents. "We believed he would adhere to his prior views as to the history and nature of patent rights in the United States," Kise said. Deputy Solicitor General Malcolm Stewart also argued in support of Greene's Energy and the PTO. Morgan, Lewis & Bockius partner Allyson Ho represented Oil States. The Oil States decision shifted the spotlight to a companion case also issued Tuesday, SAS Institute v. Iancu. In that case the court did order significant changes to how the Patent Trial and Appeal Board adjudicates validity challenges. Under PTO rules, the board had the option of picking and choosing from an IPR petition, which challenged patent claims it believed to be worthy of adjudication. The court ruled 5-4 that AIA requires the board to adjudicate all of the claims challenged in a petition if it decides to review any. "Whatever its virtues or vices, Congresss prescribed policy here is clear: the petitioner in an inter partes review is entitled to a decision on all the claims it has challenged," Gorsuch wrote in SAS. Jones Day partner Gregory Castanias, who had the winning argument for SAS, said the decision will ultimately force petitioners to choose between the PTAB and district court. "The claims are likely to be litigated in a single stop, rather than in a piecemeal fashion," he said. "It's going to be a new era at the PTAB," Steinberg said. Former PTO Director Michelle Lee said the decision will add to the expense of litigating IPRs, both for the PTAB and litigants. "You're just pushing forward a larger case," she said. But Lee added that the decision might lead to efficiencies in patent litigation overall if, for example, district courts will now be more likely to stay parallel litigation. The Oil States constitutional challenge was years in the making. The AIA reorganized the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) and gave it the power to re-evaluate the validity of previously issued patents. The PTAB began conducting inter partes reviewan adversary proceeding that culminated in an oral hearing before a tribunal of three PTAB judgesin 2012. The proceedings quickly became popular with companies accused of patent infringement. IPRs proved to be a quick, inexpensive way to challenge patent validity. It's considered one of the primary patent reforms that have reduced the leverage of nonpracticing entitiessometimes called patent trolls. Patent owners quickly began raising constitutional arguments. Oil States argued that IPRs bear all of the hallmarks of litigation, but without its constitutional safeguards. Instead of life-tenured judges presiding over a panel of impartial jurors, IPRs are decided by administrative judges beholden to the expediences of the executive branch, they argued. Gorsuch picked up those themes in his dissent. "Today, the government invites us to retreat from the promise of judicial independence," he wrote. "Until recently, most everyone considered an issued patent a personal rightno less than a home or farmthat the federal government could revoke only with the concurrence of independent judges." Thomas disagreed. "Patents convey only a specific form of property righta public franchise," he wrote. With the decision in the books, Lee said the focus is likely to shift back to PTO rules governing IPRs. "You're going to see stakeholders turn to the agency for refinements," she said, "and that's appropriate to make them stronger and fairer." As for both decisions, PTO spokesman Paul Fucito said the agency is "carefully considering the Supreme Courts decisions and determining their impact on various proceedings at the PTAB." Read the decision: [falcon-embed src="embed_1"] Before he allegedly drove a van into a Toronto crowd, killing 10 people and injuring more than a dozen others, Alek Minassian made a Facebook post announcing (among other things) that The Incel Rebellion has already begun. It used a term that had many people scratching their heads. What was incel? And why would it incite such an act? Incel is an abbreviation for involuntarily celibate, a community that is almost exclusively male and frustrated with its lack of sexual experience and/or activity. Its a group that quickly veers towards misogyny, with anger focused on women as a gender. And, in some cases, that frustration and anger turn to violence, aimed at normies (people who have sex). In the now-deleted post, (which the social media service confirmed to a Toronto reporter was authentic), Minassian wrote: Private (Recruit) Minassian Infantry 00010, wishing to speak to Sgt 4chan please. C23249161. The Incel Rebellion has already begun! We Will overthrow all the Chads and Stacys! All hail the Supreme Gentleman Elliot Rodger. Thats a lot of unfamiliar terms. Heres a short breakdown of what he was talking about. 4chan A notorious message-board website that started as an image-sharing hub, but quickly devolved to a haven for online trolls. 00010 the trade number for the Canadian infantry. Minassian briefly served in the armed forces last year. Chads and Stacys Terms used for attractive men and women who have normal sex lives. Elliott Rodger In 2014, he killed six people and injured more than a dozen near the University of California, Santa Barbara campus in Isla Vista, Calif. before killing himself. He had a self-professed hatred for women and was frustrated by his own virginity. He is looked upon by the extreme corners of the incel community as a hero. The incel world has created several memes featuring him. In a video filmed before his rampage, Rodger complained about still being a virgin at 22, and described himself as a supreme gentleman. On top of its hatred for women, the incel community also uses plenty of racist language as well. And like many alt-right groups, its getting bolder. Following news that Minassian was allegedly part of the group, his hero status rose. And one user put out a call for other violent acts, ranging from acid attacks to mass rape. Incel, while its a group most people arent familiar with, isnt new. A Reddit group catering to the community had 40,000 users before it was banned in 2017. A Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21PF Sebastien Roblin Security, Asia On paper, the air war over Vietnam should have been a grossly one-sided contest. It wasn't always so. The Legend of the Vietnam Wars Mystery Fighter Ace (from Vietnam) Van Coc retired as Chief Inspector of the Vietnamese air force in 2002, while Duc Soat ended his career as Deputy Chief of the Army in 2008. Van Bay now grows mangos on a farm outside Ho Chi Minh City an account of his meeting with one of his former aerial opponents, Col. Ralph Wetterhahn, makes for fascinating reading. Unlike American pilots, most of whom returned home after a single tour of duty, many Vietnamese pilots served for most of the conflict. Because there were so many American planes and fewer Vietnamese fighters, the best pilots racked up more aerial victories. In all, there were 1 6 Vietnamese aces recognized in the war. Col. Nguyen Tomb or Toon is one of the names immortalized in military aviation, like Baron von Richthofen and Eddie Rickenbacker. I first encountered Tomb when I was 10 years old, playing Chuck Yeagers Air Combat on my dads computer. In one mission, you fly against the Vietnamese ace, infamous for having scored 13 air-to-air kills. Tomb was the only Vietnamese pilot named in the game, and I was curious, like many others before and since, to learn more about this mysterious aviator. The top-scoring American pilots in Vietnam, by comparison, had only five kills each. Recommended: China's H-6K: The 'Old' Bomber That Could 'Sink' the U.S. Navy Recommended: Why an F-22 Raptor Would Crush an F-35 in a 'Dogfight' Recommended: Air War: Stealth F-22 Raptor vs. F-14 Tomcat (That Iran Still Flies) On paper, the air war over Vietnam should have been a grossly one-sided contest. The U.S. Air Force and Navy, the strongest air arms in the world, opposed the jets of the Vietnam Peoples Air Force, averaging 70 warplanes in the early years of the air war, and peaking at 200 near the end. Story continues It was far from one-sided. The Vietnamese received extensive technical assistance, training and replacement aircraft from Russia and China. They also drew upon decades of experience fighting materially stronger opponents. Vietnamese MiG fighters launched hit-and-run attacks on U.S. attack formations that flew on predictable schedules, inflicting heavy losses even on supersonic F-105 Thunderchief bombers. Ground-based radars guided Vietnamese pilots into perfect ambush positions. American aviators, in turn, had rules of engagement prohibiting them from firing missiles at unidentified aircraft or attacking enemy airfields. The Vietnamese ultimately lost more aircraft than they shot down in air-to-air combat, but they forced many air raids to abort mission and ditch their bombs. NSA signals intelligence units spying on Vietnamese radio communications appear to be responsible for Tombs rise to fame. An NSA report made public through the Freedom Of Information Act, tells us how it began. the NSA could identify each North Vietnamese pilot by his own unique call sign suffix [] SIGINT analysts became familiar with many of the unseen North Vietnamese flyers and built case histories on individual pilots, their ranks, organizations, number of missions flown, even their combat records. This is how they discovered Tomb, an airborne outlaw in the image of a Wild West gunslinger and the first SIGINT-confirmed enemy ace. To clarify, an ace is a pilot who has shot down at least five enemy aircraft. In the NSAs account, Tomb was such a serious threat that the commander of the U.S. 7th Air Force was obsessed with shooting him down, and the NSA alerted the general everytime Tomb was scheduled to fly. The report concluded with a detailed account of how the Red Baron of North Vietnam single-handedly wrecked a strategic bombing mission. A photo also circulated of a MiG-17 numbered 3020 with over a half-dozen stars on its nose each star representing an American plane shot down. This could only be the fighter of the infamous Tomb himself. The MiG-17 Fresco evolved from the MiG-15 fighters flown extensively in the Korean War, featuring sharply swept back wings. It was a generation behind the F-4 Phantom, the top U.S. fighter of the time. While the F-4 flew faster than Mach 2, the MiG-17 could not quite reach Mach 1 in level flight. And unlike the MiG-21 fighters in Vietnamese service, the MiG-17 couldnt carry air-to-air missiles, relying instead on a heavy 37-millimeter and two 23-millimeter cannons. Nor did the plane have hydraulic controls, making it sluggish to handle at high speeds. But despite these disadvantages, the MiG-17 was exceptionally maneuverable at slower speeds. Earlier in the conflict, the F-4 was plagued by its dependency on unreliable air-to-air missiles . If a MiG-17 closed into dogfighting range, it could easily out turn an F-4 and shoot it down unless the Phantom pilot hit the throttle to disengage. Another photo that made an impression depicted a slender MiG-21 fighter, technologically a close match for the Phantom. It was numbered 4326 and had 13 victory stars under the canopy. This too was thought to be Tombs fighter, because who else could have scored so many kills? The Colonels Last Battle: In 1972, the United States began Operation Linebacker, an intense aerial bombardment campaign against North Vietnam that lasted six months. On May 10, 11 North Vietnamese fighters and four F-4 Phantoms were shot down in a series of sharp engagements. It was proving a good day for Navy Lt. Randy Duke Cunningham, and his back-seat radio intercept officer Lt. Junior Grade William Irish Driscoll. Both were graduates of the Navys Top Gun school, which taught advanced air combat tactics and they already had two kills to their names. As they flew their F-4J on a strike against the Hai Dong railyards, their formation came under attack by MiG-17s. Cunningham turned sharply toward one and shot it down with a Sidewinder missile. He then saw his wingman locked in a dogfight against eight MiG-17s. Several were on the tail of Cdr. Dwight Timms F-4. He got into firing position behind the 17s, but didnt shoot because his heat-seeking Sidewinder missiles might have locked onto the hot twin engines of Timms Phantom. Break! he barked at Timm. Timm complied with a sharp turn, giving Cunningham a clear shot for his second kill of the day. The outnumbered F-4 pilots then disengaged, throttling up their engines to head for home. Cunningham suddenly noticed a lone MiG-17 heading straight toward him. He decided to meet its approach a nearly fatal mistake as the MiG-17 spat cannon shells at him in a head on pass. Lacking a gun on his F-4, Cunningham swerved upwards. The MiG-17 peeled up in pursuit rolling over onto the Phantoms tail. With only a short distance between them, Cunningham could see the number 3020 on the MiG. He attempted to shake the nimble fighter with a rolling scissors maneuver, but the MiG pilot matched his Phantoms every move. The two aircraft burned up their energy in a series of tight turns, slowing further and further until the heavier Phantom was close to stalling. This kind of low-speed knife-fighting was the MiG-17s strength. Driscoll inquired nervously whether Cunningham shouldnt abandon the fight but Cunningham refused to give up. Instead, he lit his afterburners, making the engine gulp fuel at a prodigious rate, and surged two miles ahead before turning around for another head on pass at the MiG, this time at an angle so the MiG couldnt shoot back. It didnt work the MiG latched immediately back on his tail. So Cunningham disengaged and turned around a second time but this time, as the MiG began to line up on his tail after the pass, he cut the throttle and hit the airbrakes. Denied thrust, the Phantom fell behind the MiG-17. But Cunninghams fighter was too close for his missiles to lock onto the vulnerable MiG. The MiG pilot rolled into a steep dive toward the ground, the heat from which would soon mask him from heat-seeking missiles. As the MiG distanced itself from Cunningham, he fired a Sidewinder missile. It hit the MiG, which plummeted into the ground and exploded. There was no parachute in sight. Tomb had been defeated. Shortly afterwards, an SA-2 surface-to-air missile hit Cunninghams Phantom. Nursing his flaming fighter towards the coast, Cunningham and Driscoll ejected just over the waters edge and were rescued at sea. They had shot down three fighters in one day, and had become the first U.S. aces in Vietnam. Driscoll went on to work as an instructor at the Navys Top Gun school. Cunningham served 15 years as a Republican congressman for California before being jailed for corruption in 2005. Legend and Myth: As relations improved with Vietnam over the years, aviation historians began to inquire with Hanois top pilots, seeking to learn more about the legendary Col. Tomb. They all received the same reply Colonel who? None of the Vietnamese pilots had heard of Col. Tomb, and he was not in any of their records. Tomb and Toon are not even Vietnamese names. (Some argue the NSA may have misheard the names Tuan or Tonh.) Most Vietnamese aces flew MiG-21s, not the older MiG-17s, and didnt switch plane types back and forth. Logically, there doesnt seem to be any reason the Vietnamese air force would cover up its highest scoring ace such an individual would have been highly celebrated. And other pilots lost in action had been commemorated, not erased from history. Tomb wasnt a legend. He was a myth. But the Vietnamese disavowal didnt put an end to the legend. One theory was that Tomb was a Russian pilot. During the Korean War, Russian pilots had flown in Chinese and North Korean air force units. Thousands of Russian technical advisers assisted North Vietnamese forces during the Vietnam War. But post-war, no Russians have claimed to have flown in air-to-air combat in Vietnam. A U.S. pilot, Col. Jack Broughton, claimed in his memoir Thud Ridge that he had seen a Russian pilot in the cockpit of an opposing MiG-19 with blonde hair and blue eyes. It seems quite a feat of perception. There is one Russian credited with shooting down six American planes. But he was the commander of a surface-to-air missile battalion. Another theory is that Tomb was actually two pilots Din Tonh (hence Toon), and Dang Ngoc Ngu. The latter scored more aerial victories, while the former had a reputation as a maverick prone to lone wolf attacks. Supposedly, Din Tonh would sneak into formation alongside American fighters, waiting to see how long they took to notice his presence. But both pilots flew MiG-21s, not MiG-17s, and neither were present for the air battle on May 10, 1972. Another theory advanced by aviation historian Tom Cooper, a War Is Boring contributor, is that SIGINT picked up the call sign of Le Thanh Dao, a Vietnamese ace with six kills to his name, who was known to be flying on that day. But Le Thanh Dao flew a MiG-21, and was not shot down that day. And what does the NSA report have to say about Tombs fate? When the air war was at last winding down, Comrade Toon, decorated and promoted, was a forward ground controller, directing MiG reactions to U.S. air operations. So who was Cunninghams opponent? Some argue he was a senior officer of the 923rd Fighter Regiment with the authority to ignore orders to disengage. The Vietnamese air force claims he was a pilot named Nguyen Van Tho, and that he survived the loss of his plane which doesnt correspond to the explosion Cunningham witnessed. The Real Col. Tomb: To invert a popular saying the Americans didnt need to invent Colonel Tomb, because he already existed. Nguyen Van Coc, Hanois top-scoring ace, had nine air-to-air kills in his MiG-21. And the MiG-21 he flew? It was number 4326. The 13 stars tallied on his plane included the victories of other pilots who had flown it, as per Vietnamese air force custom. Nguyen Van Coc was 26 years old when he and a dozen other Vietnamese pilots trained in Russia in 1966 to operate the MiG-21 the hottest ride in the Soviet inventory at the time. In his youth, his father and uncle were members of the Viet Minh and were killed by the French. Van Coc was shot down before scoring his first kill on Jan. 2, 1967 in Operation Bolo, a U.S. aerial ambush. He went on to destroy an F-105 in an attack out of the sun on April 30, and then scored eight more kills through December 1969 using heat-seeking R-3 Atoll missiles. Of nine victories, two were drones, and for the aircraft, six of the seven can be confirmed in U.S. records making him the top-scoring pilot of the war no matter how you count it. Van Coc was then pulled out of frontline service to focus on training the next generation of Vietnamese pilots, who were heavily engaged in the air battles of 1972. His protege, Nguyen Doc Soat, went on to score six victories. Another Vietnamese ace, Nguyen Van Bay, scored his seven kills flying the older, slower MiG-17. His victims included Korean war ace Maj. James Kasler, and two Navy F-8 Crusaders much more agile aircraft than the F-4. He was one of the few pilots since World War II to successfully hit a U.S. Navy ship when he and his wingman Le Xuan Di bombed the USS Oklahoma City and USS Highbee, respectively. (Other attempted MiG attacks suffered heavy losses from naval SAMs.) All three of these aces survived the war. Van Coc retired as Chief Inspector of the Vietnamese air force in 2002, while Duc Soat ended his career as Deputy Chief of the Army in 2008. Van Bay now grows mangos on a farm outside Ho Chi Minh City an account of his meeting with one of his former aerial opponents, Col. Ralph Wetterhahn, makes for fascinating reading . Unlike American pilots, most of whom returned home after a single tour of duty, many Vietnamese pilots served for most of the conflict. Because there were so many American planes and fewer Vietnamese fighters, the best pilots racked up more aerial victories. In all, there were 16 Vietnamese aces recognized in the war. Tomb is a fascinating case of a hero enshrined in legend by his opponents in the conflict. In the end, searching for the real Col. Tomb may be a wild MiG chase but there were many Vietnamese pilots who lived up to his fearsome reputation. This first appeared in WarIsBoring here. Read full article United Nations (United States) (AFP) - Ivory Coast will send 450 troops to the Central African Republic to serve as UN peacekeepers in one of the most demanding missions, the foreign minister said Thursday. The announcement from Ivorian Foreign Minister Marcel Amon-Tanoh came after Gabon last month announced that it was pulling out its 450-strong contingent from the MINUSCA mission in the Central African Republic. "Ivory Coast will soon send a contingent of 450 soldiers," the foreign minister told reporters at UN headquarters. The United Nations is also looking for 900 extra troops to beef up MINUSCA, which the Security Council authorized in November amid fears that the country was sliding toward further violence. MINUSCA has 12,000 troops and police deployed in the impoverished country, which has been struggling since it exploded into bloodshed after the 2013 overthrow of longtime leader Francois Bozize. There have been a number of deadly clashes between peacekeepers and militia in CAR in recent weeks and MINUSCA blue helmets have faced a wave of allegations of sexual abuse. Gabon announced it was pulling out following allegations of sex abuse and other misconduct by its troops. Authorities in Maine are on the hunt for a 29-year-old man accused of shooting and killing a sheriffs corporal responding to a robbery Wednesday morning. John Williams, of Madison, was identified as a suspect in the death of 62-year-old Cpl. Eugene Cole of the Somerset County Sheriffs Office. Williams was described as being 5 feet 6 inches, weighing around 120 pounds, with brown hair shaved on the sides with a ponytail and blue eyes. Sheriff Dale Lancaster told reporters that Williams remained at large and is considered armed and dangerous. 31355355_2086084634740390_4184157382133629060_n Maine State Police Trending: Weapons Looted From Emirati-Run Military Training Site in Somalia Are Being Sold on the Black Market, Reports Say The fatal incident occurred in the early hours of Wednesday on U.S. Route 2 in Norridgewock, Maine, police said. Williams allegedly fatally shot Cole and then stole his police cruiser. According to Maine State Police, Williams drove to Cumberland Farms in Norridgewock and committed a theft. He later fled the convenience store in Coles cruiser. The marked cruiser was found abandoned shortly after 5 a.m. off of the Martin Stream Road in Norridgewock. We believe the suspect then fled the vehicle and is presently at large, Maine State Police said in a press release. The suspect should be considered armed and dangerous. During a press conference Tuesday, Sheriff Dale Lancaster called Cole an outstanding employee. Lancaster said Coles son, David, also works for the sheriffs office as a deputy. Don't miss: Winds of Winter Release Date 2018? Nope, but GRRM Reveals Fire & Blood A nationwide alert was issued for Williams, Lancaster told reporters. Authorities do not know of any vehicle the suspect may be using after reportedly leaving the police cruiser. Story continues The Somerset County Sheriffs Office is working with Maine State Police, Maine Game Wardens, U.S. Marshals and the FBI in the search for Williams. According to NECN, Mill Stream Elementary in Norridgewock was closed on police orders, as well as Route 2. Williams has had previous run-ins with law enforcement. In 2006, Williams was found guilty of a Class C felony burglary in Maine. He was ordered to serve 17 days in an unspecified correctional facility, be placed on probation for a year and required to pay $500 in restitution, Central Maine News reported. In June 2017, he allegedly committed a misdemeanor theft. He pleaded guilty the following month and served two days in jail and paid $200 in restitution. Most popular: Rachel Weisz on Filming Vulnerable Sex Scene with Rachel McAdams in Disobedience According to NECN, Williams was arrested on March 22 for multiple firearms charges and traffic violations in Haverhill, Massachusetts. Williams was found with a firearm in his possession without a license to carry after he allegedly drove off Interstate 495 and into a ditch. Williams was charged with possession of a firearm, improper storage of a firearm, possession of ammunition without an FID card, possession of a large capacity feeding device, negligent operation of a motor vehicle and a marked lanes violation. He was initially given bail set at $10,000 but that was later reduced to $5,000. The suspected was released on bail and was scheduled to appear for a pretrial hearing in court on Wednesday in Massachusetts. 30420055_2086084868073700_2833071540052172939_o Maine Police Department Anyone who sees Williams is urged to immediately call 911. Maine Police Lt. Col. John Cote asked residents to be aware of their surroundings and have a broad situational awareness because he does continue to post a risk. This article was first written by Newsweek More from Newsweek Get Out fans might have Kanye West to thank for a sequel. Jordan Peele, who wrote and directed the Oscar-winning horror thriller, joked that hes getting started on a followup after the rapper referenced the film in a Twitter post. Do this look like the sunken place, West, 40, asked fans, along with a photo of the inside of his cavernous house. *Gets inspired *Starts writing Get Out 2 https://t.co/zqOW6Xxx9v Jordan Peele (@JordanPeele) April 25, 2018 The sunken place is a reference to the 2017 horror film Get Out, in which (spoiler alert) a white family uses mind control to steal the bodies of black men. Its visually represented as deep, dark hole in the mind where the victim becomes trapped, unable to speak or control the body. The hypnotic state also functions as a metaphor, as Peele explained on Twitter. Were all in the Sunken Place, he wrote last March, later adding, The Sunken Place means were marginalized. No matter how hard we scream, the system silences us. Fans on social media have jokingly postulated that West has been trapped in the sunken place as a member of the Kardashian family. But in a video for Elle published in March, his wife called the reference dumb. Its like, people are so fing dumb and stupid, she said about the meme. Peele was nominated for three Oscars and took home the award for Best Original Screenplay, making history as the first African-American to win the honor. Jordan Peele (L) and Kanye West. Meanwhile, West has been on a tweeting storm of late. After explaining why hes cut ties with his managers and enthusiastically discussing his Yeezy apparel company on Wednesday, the 40-year-old rapper seemed to show some support for President Donald Trump. You dont have to agree with trump [sic] but the mob cant make me not love him. We are both dragon energy. He is my brother, he wrote. I love everyone. I dont agree with everything anyone does. Thats what makes us individuals. And we have the right to independent thought. A short while later, West said that he had spoken to his wife Kim Kardashian West about his previous tweets. My wife just called me and she wanted me to make this clear to everyone, he wrote. I dont agree with everything Trump does. I dont agree 100% with anyone but myself. (Photo: NBC NewsWire via Getty Images) The Daily Beast has suspended Joy Reids column amid mounting scrutiny of the MSNBC hosts claims that she was the victim of a cyberattack that posted dozens of homophobic statements on her former blog. In a letter to staff on Thursday, Daily Beast Executive Editor Noah Shachtman said that Kevin Poulsen and Max Tani respectively, the sites cybersecurity and media reporters were investigating Reids claims, CNN reported. In the meantime, were going to hit pause on Reids columns until were satisfied that Kevin and Maxs reporting has run its course, Shachtman wrote, adding, Weve all said and done things in our lives that we wish we hadnt done. We deserve the room to grow beyond our past. But these allegations are serious enough that they deserve a full examination. Daily Beast exec editor @NoahShachtman sent this note out to staff today regarding the @JoyAnnReid situation. He says reporters @kpoulsen and @maxwelltani are investigating her claims and examining her history: In the meantime, were going to hit pause on Reids columns... pic.twitter.com/eJwwFeHSCn Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) April 25, 2018 Shachtmans announcement follows Reids insistence that new screenshots of anti-gay posts shared on the now-defunct Reid Report were the result of a cyberattack. Reid apologized in December for writing homophobic posts about then-Florida Gov. Charlie Crist (R) between 2007 and 2009 after Twitter user @Jamie_Maz shared screenshots of those posts. Last week, @Jamie_Maz tweeted dozens more screenshots, also allegedly from Reids old blog, that included statements such as most straight people cringe at the sight of two men kissing and adult gay men tend to be attracted to very young, post-pubescent types. Story continues This time around, Reid has vehemently denied writing the posts, contending that her blog was hacked. But as HuffPost reported, only a pretty bizarre course of events would have led to the allegedly fraudulent posts. Reids attorney, John H. Reichman, said in a statement Wednesday that the FBI had opened an investigation into the alleged hacking. We have received confirmation the FBI has opened an investigation into potential criminal activities surrounding several online accounts, including personal email and blog accounts, belonging to Joy-Ann Reid, Reichman said. Our own investigation and monitoring of the situation will continue in parallel, and we are cooperating with law enforcement as their investigation proceeds. On Thursday night, The Daily Beast published a report on the hacking claims made by Reids cybersecurity consultant, Jonathan Nichols. Like HuffPost, Poulsen determined Nichols evidence of the alleged hacking didnt hold much water. Reid says a cybersecurity consultant has proof that her old blog has been hacked, Poulsen wrote. But that consultant, Jonathan Nichols, had trouble producing the promised evidence. And what he did produce failed to withstand scrutiny, according to a Daily Beast analysis. Reid dropped out of a panel she was slated to moderate in New York City on Thursday. She informed event organizers on Wednesday night that she would need to withdraw from the CAFE Change Summit, sources close to the event confirmed to HuffPost. The Change Summit was organized by former U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara and his media venture CAFE. Reid was set to moderate a panel featuring Pete Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Indiana; Ravi Bhalla, the mayor of Hoboken, New Jersey; and Washington state Lt. Gov. Cyrus Habib, according to BuzzFeed. A representative for Reid declined to comment on Reids withdrawal from the Change Summit and the suspension of her Daily Beast column. The LGBTQ advocacy organization PFLAG announced Tuesday that it was rescinding its Straight for Equality in Media award to Reid in light of the ongoing investigation into her blog posts. The story has been updated with The Daily Beasts decision on Reids column, the results of the outlets investigation and her attorneys statement. Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. Not even John Legend can talk sense into Kanye West. The friends and collaborators, who are tight enough to go on Waffle House dates with their wives, are now in a public dispute about Wests Donald Trump love during in his wide-ranging Twitter rant on Wednesday. Legend first posted several tweets online reacting to Wests support of the president. (Wests wife, Kim Kardashian, also said she disagreed with her husband.) Apparently, Legend or JL then reached out privately to West to ask him to reconsider all the MAGA talk. West not only wouldnt back down, but he took their private text exchange and posted it on Twitter today. John Legend and Kanye West have been friends forever. Will politics divide them? (Photo: Matthew Simmons/WireImage) It started with this vague tweet: People usually don't agree with people who don't agree with them KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) April 26, 2018 Then bam it got a lot more specific: He made it clear that he was unmoved: I tweeted the John text to show that there are people around me that disagree with me and voice their opinion. I respect everyone's opinion but I stand my ground. KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) April 26, 2018 if you feel something don't let peer pressure manipulate you KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) April 26, 2018 When Legend learned that West, who has produced many of Legends albums, had posted their text online, he continued to make his case and emphasize that the rappers opinions can have an impact on the masses. Story continues I really appreciate this dialogue with John Legend because I'm actually very empathetic. Im still the kid from the telethon. I feel when people think of MAGA they don't think of empathy. KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) April 26, 2018 This is year one. We can't ad empathy to MAGA by hating. We can only ad empathy with love and time and truly hearing all sides KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) April 26, 2018 Then Legend added a funny line promoting his single A Good Night. West was happy to emphasize that, adding a friendlier tone to the exchange. John Legend new single on line now KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) April 26, 2018 Legends wife, Chrissy Teigen, is the Twitter queen, so of course she was asked about it. She made it clear she didnt have much on the topic. She also made it clear that her husband wasnt aware that West was going to post their conversation online. Everyone keeps asking me to comment on shit. Comment on psycho Tami Lasagna, whom I refuse to give the joy to, say something about RHOA, speak up about kanye. When it comes to people we know, we DO speak up. To THEM. not on Twitter. And sometimes, I guess it makes it to Twitter. christine teigen (@chrissyteigen) April 26, 2018 After West posted part two of the text exchange, she posted again with a humorous tone. This is the most elaborate and complex google pixel phone ad I have ever seen. https://t.co/RYSZcJxUk3 christine teigen (@chrissyteigen) April 26, 2018 Kardashian, who generally defended her husband yesterday (minus his political preferences), then joined the conversation thanks to Teigen. @KimKardashian are we still doing dinner Friday or no lol christine teigen (@chrissyteigen) April 26, 2018 Kim K. made it clear things were good and joked about the drama that has been created by phones this week. Yes but maybe no phones https://t.co/zIEZS28DXC Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) April 26, 2018 Teigen then joked that she was going to invite one of Trumps biggest fans, the Happy Days star. So things definitely became playful and funny. can I bring my friend Scott Baio hes super chill christine teigen (@chrissyteigen) April 26, 2018 Meanwhile, a new story on TMZ suggests that West is creating all of this social media drama as a planned publicity blitz for his new music, and his behavior is actually the opposite of erratic. If this was so planned, maybe he could have someone check his spelling and grammar. Is this the end of their Waffle House double dates? Kardashian and West with Legend and Teigen at an Arizona Waffle House: Double date at the Waffle House A post shared by Kim Kardashian West (@kimkardashian) on Feb 1, 2015 at 1:24am PST West and Legend go way, way back. Legend explained that West is the cousin of one of his college buddies. He was performing in 2001, and West was invited along to check him out. West went on to produce several albums for Legend, and they have various song collaborations. Legend told Oprah in 2013 that while they obviously have very different personalities [Kanyes] a genius creatively and I think the public can see that. And he made clear that a lot of who he is in public is who he is in private. People also dont always see the generous side of him; they dont see the guy whos been working with me and contributing to my work for more than 10 years. This isnt the first time the men took their political disagreements public. After West visited a then-President-elect Trump at Trump Tower in late 2016, Legend said, I wont be used as a publicity stunt, and I think Kanye was used as a publicity stunt. He also said that he was pretty disappointed in Kanye that he would have voted for Trump. Read more from Yahoo Entertainment: Despite several years of escalating missile and nuclear tests, the outlook for peace on the Korean peninsular is rosier now than anytime since North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un took power in 2011. The 34-year-old despot has agreed to meet South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Friday and U.S. President Donald Trump in coming weeks to discuss denuclearization. Kim has pledged an end to weapons tests and agreed to dismantle the Punggye-ri nuclear testing site (though geologists report it may already have collapsed). He has indicated, according to South Korean interlocutors, that any agreement to denuclearize would not be contingent on U.S. troops leaving South Korea. In response, South Korea has halted the propaganda that blares over the demilitarized zone, or DMZ, which has separated the two states since the 1950-53 Korean War. Moon has also indicated he may submit a formal declaration of peace with North Korea the neighbors remain technically at war as only an armistice was ever signed at the U.N. General Assembly. Seoul has offered economic and political concessions if Pyongyang permits nuclear inspectors into its military facilities. But while the leaders of the two Koreas appear set for a love-in even a mango dessert served during a banquet will feature a map of the united peninsular talk of reunification is audaciously premature. Here are five major hurdles that would have to be overcome. Political Given that Kims priority is safeguarding his dynastic regime, its unlikely North Korea will agree to national reunification on terms that herald its own demise. And as freewheeling, democratic South Korea wont relish wallowing under Stalinist totalitarianism, mending the political divide remains a huge sticking point. One option maybe some form of one country, two systems arrangement, similar to how China and Hong Kong have two unique political systems under the umbrella of the same nation. However, Kim knows that relaxing internal controls such as exchanges of people, information, and capital enfeebles his own position as his 25 million impoverished subjects will no doubt begin agitating for economic parity with their sophisticated 50 million brethren across the DMZ. (The fall of the Berlin Wall is an example of just how this can manifest.) Story continues People hold hands behind a sign with cutouts of South Korea's President Moon Jae-in and North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un ahead of the upcoming summit between North and South Korea in Seoul, April 25. Economic Even backburnering the considerable political pitfalls, economic issues are no easy fix. Largely agrarian North Korea has a GDP less than 1% of the South, which is the worlds 11th biggest economy, boasting some of the top tech and engineering firms. As such, merging the two economies would wreak hardships many times worse than when East and West German united in 1990. (Even today, Eastern provinces lag behind in most developmental metrics.) Which is why the South Korean reunification plan is step-by-step over several decades, whereby economic incentives gradually bring Northern living standards to a practical level by which full assimilation is possible. Still, for South Koreans battling sluggish growth, record youth unemployment and an aging population this is still far from an attractive proposition. But while absorbing millions of uneducated North Koreans is a problem for the South, the perils go both ways. North Korean expert Andrei Lankov, who studied in Pyongyang in 1995 as a Russian exchange student, says resource speculations by rapacious South Korean businessmen is likely to be rife, and safeguards must be put in place to ensure guileless North Koreans are not duped out of their birthrights. In a photo taken on Nov. 19, 2017, a woman and child pull a cart loaded with wood along a road near Kiliju on North Korea's northeast coast. Social South Korea is one of the fastest-paced, kitschiest and most competitive environments in the world. Its spawned K-Pop and popularized Cosplay, boasts rage rooms for object-smashing stress relief, 24-hour video game parlors, and exotic animal cafes for snuggling with meerkats. But K-Wave culture hides a litany of social ills. South Koreans work the second longest hours of all developed nations, with even school kids studying for 16 hours a day in a bid to gain access to one of three top universities. It has the highest rates of cosmetic surgery and teen suicide in the world. The contrast between this dog-eat-dog, helter-skelter environment and collectivized North Korea could not be starker. While all South Korean men spend two years of military service, the norm for North Koreans is ten, with schooling under the regime little more than mind-numbing indoctrination. Little wonder North Korean defectors frequently struggle to assimilate, suffering depression, failing to find work, and sometimes even return back to the North. A colossal affirmative action program would be needed to give North Koreans the skills and opportunities required to compete with their Southern peers. But this risks stoking resentment and social unrest. Theres also a good chance that some North Koreans, especially military personnel with easy access to small arms, may resort to petty larceny to get ahead. Illuminated signboards light up a street in the evening in the Myeongdong district of Seoul, South Korea, on Feb. 27, 2014. Security North Korea is believed to have a standing army of 1.1 million troops along with 7.7 million reserves. According to a South Korean Ministry of National Defense report, Pyongyang boasts more than 1,300 aircraft, some 300 helicopters, 250 amphibious vessels, 430 combatant vessels, 4,300 tanks, 2,500 armored vehicles, 70 submarines, and 5,500 multiple-rocket launchers. And lest we forget the up to 60 nuclear bombs, a bevy of short and intercontinental-range missiles, and stockpiles of 2,500 5,000 tons of chemical weapons the regime wields. Preventing these assets being sold off or otherwise proliferated would be a priority for a unified Korean state. Unfortunately, the world knows very little about the location of the regimes arsenals or the chains of command that control them. But perhaps most worrying of all is the cabal of nuclear and missile scientists that would presumably find themselves out of work and with skills to sell perhaps even to criminal or terrorist groups. As TIME correspondent Simon Shuster recently reported, North Koreas own missile program was built on the back of jettisoned Soviet scientists recruited by the regime. This April 15, 2017 picture released from North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency shows Korean People's Army soldiers marching through Kim Il-Sung square during a military parade in Pyongyang. Geopolitical East Asias security architecture is delicately balanced, with South Korea and Japan the key U.S. allies, and North Korea backed by China and Russia (even if that support is fitful and waning). The North Korean threat is a large reason why the U.S. maintains some 40,000 troops in Japan and 28,500 in South Korea. Much of Chinese support for North Korea stems from its aversion to a united, U.S.-allied Korean peninsular possibly putting American troops on its border. Reunification or even a formal peace treaty between North and South would undermine Washingtons argument for its continued military presence. There would be voices raised with the question: why are the U.S. troops still here if we have a peace regime in North Korea? says Christopher Green, a senior researcher on the Korean Peninsular for the International Crisis Group. So it would certainly be politically very destabilizing for South Korea. Already, an increasingly assertive China under President Xi Jinping has taken aim at South Korea hosting the U.S. THAAD anti-missile battery. One might expect these complaints to amplify were the North Korean threat neutralized, boosting Chinas regional clout at the expense of the U.S. JERUSALEM (Reuters) - At least nine teenage seminary students died after they were swept away by a flash flood in the Negev Desert in southern Israel on Thursday, an ambulance service said. Military helicopters and search and rescue units scoured the Zafit river bed that flows into the rift valley at the southern end of the Dead Sea after a flash flood caught a party of 25 trekkers in the usually bone-dry area by surprise. Another student was unaccounted for and the search was suspended as night fell and heavy thunderstorms returned to the region, police said. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the event as a "terrible disaster" and praised rescuers for their efforts. After two days of heavy rainfall, normally arid river beds that run from west to east have filled up and deposited surges of water into the Dead Sea and the rift valley region that runs south along the Negev Desert. (Writing by Ori Lewis; Editing by Kevin Liffey) By Stephanie Kelly and Erwin Seba NEW YORK/HOUSTON (Reuters) - An explosion at Husky Energy's refinery in Superior, Wisconsin, injured at least 10 people, sent smoke billowing into the sky and prompted an evacuation of tens of thousands of residents, local and medical officials said on Thursday. At least 10 people were taken to area hospitals, one of whom was seriously injured, said a spokeswoman for Essentia Health-St. Mary's Medical Center, which operates hospitals in Superior and nearby Duluth, Minnesota. What ignited the blast was not clear. After an initial blaze was extinguished, a storage tank was punctured, and a second fire erupted, Husky Energy spokesman Mel Duvall said. There were no reports of fatalities, and all of the refinery's workers have been accounted for, Duvall said. Specialists from Williams Fire & Hazard Control of Port Arthur, Texas were hired by Husky Energy and were flying to the scene on Thursday to direct efforts to battle the blaze. While awaiting their arrival, firefighters were trying to prevent flames from spreading by spraying water on nearby tanks, manager Kollin Schade said at a briefing. The refinery, which can process up to 38,000 barrels of oil a day, had additional workers on site preparing for a plant-wide overhaul, he said. The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board has sent a four-person team to investigate. The non-regulatory federal agency investigates serious chemical accidents such as refinery fires. As a precautionary measure, local officials ordered all residents within a three-mile radius around the refinery to evacuate, Superior Mayor Jim Paine said at a briefing. The city of 27,000 would be evacuated as needed, he said. Friday classes were canceled in Superior and nearby Maple school districts. "The lights flickered three times and the whole building shook," said Jim Ronning, owner of Hudy's Tavern in Superior, located about a mile (1.6 km) from the facility. Story continues "You can still smell a real caustic smell in the air," said Sara Haugen, owner of Pudge's bar in Superior, located about 135 miles from Minneapolis, Minnesota. "There's a big black plume of smoke coming out. Husky purchased the refinery from Calumet Specialty Products Partners LP last year, saying at the time that it intended to keep all of its workforce of 180. It produces asphalt, gasoline, diesel and heavy fuel oils, largely using heavy crude oil imported from Canada. Husky shares fell 8 percent to C$17.54 on the Toronto Stock Exchange, the same day it reported financial results. (Reporting by Vijaykumar Vedala and Arpan Varghese in Bengaluru, Stephanie Kelly in New York and Liz Hampton and Erwin Seba in Houston; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama, Scott Malone and Cynthia Osterman) Republican Congresswoman Claudia Tenneys campaign sent out an email Tuesday calling on supporters to sign a petition to lock up former Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and former FBI Director James Comey. Tenney was one of 11 Republican House members to sign a letter last week asking the Department of Justice and the FBI to open an investigation into Clinton, Comey and others related to their activities both during and since the 2016 election campaign. Other individuals named by Tenney and the letter are former Attorney General Loretta Lynch, former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, as well as FBI agent Peter Strzok and FBI lawyer Lisa Page. All have been frequent targets of President Donald Trumps ire amid what he has slammed as an unfair focus on the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election and possible collision with the Trump campaign. But in an email that went out to supporters of her campaign for her re-election in New York, Tenney, in language at least, went a step further. Trending: Final NFL Consensus Mock Draft Results: Who's Going Where? ADD YOUR NAME: Lock Them Up! read a link calling on people to click to sign the petition. The URL for the petition web address also uses lock them up. Rep. Claudia Tenney's campaign has released a petition email calling for the imprisonment of Comey, Clinton et. al. pic.twitter.com/qVwXGoqZQ3 Nick Reisman (@NickReisman) April 24, 2018 Reached for comment, a spokesperson for the campaign said: "The email states that the individuals listed have been referred for criminal investigation. They should of course receive due process. Rep. Tenney's position is that no one is above the law." Don't miss: Syria Chemical Attacks Are Happening All the Time and Will Keep Happening, Says Journalist Who Exposed Assad Assaults Story continues Still, the phrase used echoes back to one that became synonymous with Trumps campaign. At Trump rallies across the country during his acrimonious battle with Clinton in 2016, chants of lock her up greeted the mention of his opponents name. hillary clinton Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images As recently as February, the chant was heard at the Conservative Political Action Conference when Clintons name was said on stage. Most popular: What Is an 'Incel?' Violent Misogynist Subculture Referenced by Toronto Van Attack Suspect Explained Of Clinton, the Tenney campaign email said that Clinton potentially broke the law when disguising payments to Fusion GPS, the firm that produced the Trump dossier, in violation of FECs mandatory disclosure rules. A watchdog group filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission last October alleging that the Clinton campaign attempted to hide payments related to the dossier. The law firm that facilitated the payments said that both the Clinton campaign and the Democratic National Committee complied with the law. Discussing the justification for investigating Comey, Tenneys campaign writes that he potentially broke the law when he chose not to seek charges against Clinton, leaked classified memos of his conversations to President Donald Trump to his friend Daniel Richman to give to the press, and blatantly lied to lawmakers." While the classified status of many of Comeys memos detailing his discussions with Trump remains in question, the one that was leaked to the media was unclassified. This article was first written by Newsweek More from Newsweek The days of a legendary harness racing venue are numbered, as the city of Montreal prepares to move forward with the demolition of the decaying Blue Bonnets racetrack. According to The Globe and Mail, the grounds of Blue Bonnets, which hosted harness racing from 1907 to 2009 when it closed as Hippodrome de Montreal, have been eyed for residential use. Various proposals have suggested anywhere between 3,000 and 8,000 condominium units on the property, which has remained almost entirely vacant for the past decade. Driver Sylvain Filion, now a regular competitor at Woodbine Mohawk Park in Campbellville, Ont., recounts his memories of racing in Montreal. There used to be a huge crowd there for Sunday afternoon racing, Filion told The Globe and Mail. You dont see crowds like that at the races any more. The ambience was just incredible. I never thought theyd demolish that place. At one point, it was one of the biggest tracks in North America. Despite proposals for the property to be repurposed as a residential area, the Office de consultation publique de Montreal will consult public opinions before moving forward with the project, as reported by the Montreal Gazette. The demolition process is expected to last the remainder of the year and is expected to cost $11 million. Chicago (AFP) - The 29-year-old man who confronted and stopped a gunman during a rampage at a Tennessee restaurant was hailed Tuesday as a hero by the US state's legislature. James Shaw Jr singlehandedly wrestled away the AR-15 semi-automatic rifle from the hands of Travis Reinking -- a fellow 29-year-old with a history of mental illness -- as he was allegedly reloading in the middle of a shooting rampage in the early morning hours Sunday. Four people were killed and two others wounded at the Waffle House restaurant in the city of Nashville, America's country music capital. But Shaw has been credited with saving many more lives. He suffered a graze wound from a bullet and burns on his right hand from grabbing the hot barrel of the gun. He has already been called a hero by the survivors of the Sunday shooting and their family members, as well as by many in the media. Shaw repeatedly has rejected the label, saying he acted for reasons of self-preservation. "I'm not a hero. I'm just a regular person" he said Sunday amid tears. "I did that completely out of a selfish act. I was completely doing it just to save myself." But the Tennessee legislature on Tuesday overruled him, passing a resolution to honor Shaw. Lawmakers also gave him two standing ovations. "No matter his motivations, Mr. Shaw is indeed a hero; his actions on that fateful morning are unfathomable to most," the resolution said. "Mr Shaw sprang into action and thus saved many lives." Reinking is in jail facing four murder charges. An earlier $2 million bail was revoked Tuesday, and he awaits his first court appearance on Wednesday. Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) signed into law on Tuesday an array of bills ushering in one of the most comprehensive packages of gun-violence legislation passed by any state this year. The legislation includes a ban on bump stocks and other similar devices that allow semi-automatic firearms to simulate automatic fire. Another bill expands law enforcements ability to confiscate guns from individuals labeled an extreme risk, a measure known as a red flag law. Both of those measures have garnered support in a number of states following deadly mass shootings in Las Vegas last year and Parkland, Florida, in February, but Maryland is one of the first to put both on the books. The Las Vegas gunman had outfitted bump stocks to a dozen semi-automatic rifles, allowing him to spray over 1,100 rounds into a crowd of concertgoers over the course of his 10-minute onslaught, killing 58 and injuring hundreds more. The Parkland shooter was known to local police as a gun owner with violent tendencies, but because he hadnt been convicted or even charged with a crime, law enforcement had no authority to confiscate his weapons before the massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, in which 17 people died. Red flag laws, also known as gun violence restraining orders, allow family members or law enforcement personnel to petition a court to temporarily remove firearms from individuals deemed to be dangers to themselves or to others. In the signing ceremony, Hogan hailed the new laws as common sense bipartisan measures that will keep guns out of the hands of the mentally ill and those with criminal backgrounds. Hogan also signed a bill to provide at least $5 million for public health and community-based gun-violence prevention programs. And other measures will strengthen an existing restriction on the purchase or possession of firearms by individuals convicted of domestic violence and revamp the appeals process for certain handgun permitting decisions. Story continues In the Republican wave that marked the 2014 elections, Hogan was one of the surprise winners in a heavily Democratic state (Hillary Clinton carried Maryland in 2016 presidential race by more than 26 percentage points). He is seeking a second term this November. Gov. Larry Hogan is the rare Republican elected to a statewide office in heavily Democratic Maryland. (Photo: The Washington Post via Getty Images) The new laws build upon previous legislation that had already made Marylands gun statutes some of the nations strongest. In 2013, the state enacted a ban on a number of semi-automatic rifles including certain types of AR-15s and AK-47s, often referred to as assault weapons, as well as high-capacity ammunition magazines. The slate of laws will address gun violence in a variety of forms, said Jen Pauliukonis, president of Marylanders to Prevent Gun Violence. Pauliukonis said a bump stock ban is necessary to try to prevent the type of mass slaughter seen in Las Vegas, but she acknowledged that such a measure would do little to address the sort of shootings that take place across Maryland each day. She said the broad spectrum nature of the gun bills suggests lawmakers were eager to look beyond the issue of mass shootings. And she said she believes the red flag law will be particularly valuable. It can stop those high-profile mass shootings, it can stop school shootings, it can stop interpersonal gun violence on the streets and it can stop gun suicides, she said of the legislative package. She added that suicides using firearms account for two-thirds of all gun deaths that occur in this country; there are over 22,000 gun suicides every year. The investment in community-based organizations and public health initiatives that already exist to stem gun violence also marks a different direction for Maryland. Only five other states have established this sort of fund, which is designed to give a financial injection to evidence-based services that address the root causes of gun violence. Some programs may work to identify at-risk youth and provide a path for them off the streets, or deploy mediators who can work to de-escalate violence before it erupts. Other programs are based in hospitals and provide continuing care to gun violence victims to prevent them from engaging in revenge violence or being re-victimized once theyre discharged. It can be hard to get official support for this sort of approach, even though the data suggests it can be effective, said Mike McLively, director of the Urban Gun Violence Initiative at the Giffords Law Center, a gun violence prevention group launched by former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) When states are thinking about the problem of gun violence, theyre usually thinking about law enforcement, he said. They think of this as a crime problem and really the main solution that comes to policymakers minds is investing more in law enforcement. A recent study by Giffords group calculated that about 1,672 shootings occur in Maryland each year, many of which are nonfatal. Together, they result in a direct measurable cost of over $1.3 billion. This bloodshed disproportionately affects communities of color based in a few urban areas, Baltimore and Prince Georges County. With those trends often ignored in the media or by policymakers claiming to be interested in putting forth solutions to gun violence, advocates say this sort of effort is long overdue. It speaks to the underlying issue of which lives matter and where were going to put our resources, Pauliukonis said. Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. Updated, 7:30 a.m.: This piece has been updated to include new details about Meghan Markles outfits. For the second time in a week, Meghan Markle was called on to pull together a somber look as part of her royal responsibilities. On Monday, the bride-to-be wore a black Hugo Boss dress for a memorial service marking the 25th anniversary of the death of Stephen Lawrence, the British teen whose racially motivated murder rocked the U.K. On Wednesday, she joined fiance Prince Harry for services to commemorate Anzac Day, which honors Australian and New Zealand servicemen and women. It also marks the contributions of the two countries in World War I. Markle paid her respects with somber style and a poppy pin. (Photo: Toby Melville/AFP/Getty Images) Markle first paid her respects and warded off the chilly temperatures by opting for a conservative look as she attended dawn services at Londons Hyde Park. Her long gray coat, designed by Smythe, echoed the days theme with its military-style buttons and was worn over a black dress. Her floppy black hat, meanwhile, added a boho note, while the former actress further accessorized with Sarah Flints Jay heels in black suede and Guccis Dionysus bag. The final touch was a poppy flower pin on her lapel, which symbolizes respect for those who serve and those who have died in battle. The couple visited Londons Hyde Park for the dawn service. (Photo: Tolga Akmen/AFP/Getty Images) The couple later moved on to Westminster Abbey, where they joined new dad Prince William for a second Anzac Day service. The event called for an outfit change, prompting Markle to swap her coat for a bespoke, midi-length Emilia Wickstead dress suit in black crepe. Echoing the white Stephen Jones hat she wore to the Abbey in March and exuding a classic Jackie Kennedy aesthetic with a dash of Parisian chic the Suits star sported a black beret from milliner Philip Treacy. Markle greeted Prince William outside Westminster Abbey. (Photo: Chris Jackson/Getty Images) The Kennedy vibe may not be incidental. Markle wore Black Halos Jackie-O belted dress to a reception with Prince Harry on April 20. Should we be keeping an eye out for a pillbox hat? Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle: The only color Meghan Markle has worn since becoming a royal figure is green Meghan Markle recycles a $1,995 Alexander McQueen jacket Meghan Markles sleeveless dress called inappropriate Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. Berlin (AFP) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel visits US President Donald Trump on Friday for a last-ditch European effort to prevent a transatlantic trade war and save the Iran nuclear deal. Merkel's working trip is expected to be far more business-like than this week's pomp-filled state visit by French President Emmanuel Macron, who has built a warm rapport with Trump despite stark policy differences. Trump's lavish welcome for Macron with hugs, much back-slapping and a state dinner, contrasted sharply with a tense White House event in March last year in which Trump appeared to ignore Merkel's offer of a handshake. Despite the more sober style of Merkel, who left for Washington Thursday, her objective will be the same as Macron's -- to persuade Trump to back off his dual threats of punitive measures that could spark a transatlantic trade war and scrapping the Iran nuclear deal. Trump last month announced tariffs of 25 percent on steel and 10 percent on aluminium, claiming foreign imports were harming US national security by undermining the domestic production needed for military readiness. After an outcry from US allies, Trump granted a temporary exemption to key partners including the European Union -- but this expires on May 1. On the eve of Merkel's US visit, Berlin's hopes were dim that the EU may be spared the sweeping customs duties, to which it has vowed to retaliate, potentially setting off spiralling counter-measures. "From today's perspective, we must assume that the tariffs will come on May 1," said a German government source. "And then we will see how we will handle it." Trump's National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow told CNBC Thursday that Washington would continue to exempt allied economies, including the EU, if they make concessions, citing the example of "equal treatment of automobiles". - 'Juggling act' - The next looming deadline is May 12, the date by which Trump has threatened to tear up the landmark 2015 agreement to stop Iran from developing nuclear weapons in return for relief from international sanctions. Story continues Trump has called the agreement, which Germany helped negotiate, "insane" and the "worst deal ever", demanding that its "disastrous flaws" be fixed. The EU and other signatory world powers have sought to convince Trump not to abandon the pact, warning that it was the best defence against a regional nuclear arms race. Macron pitched the idea of seeking a separate pact to curb Iran's ballistic missile programme and support for militias in the Middle East. The German foreign ministry has insisted that "the biggest priority is maintaining the existing nuclear accord", while Merkel has also called Iran's ballistic missile programme a "cause for concern". US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis on Thursday said no decision had been made on whether the United States would withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal. - 'Difficult partner' - The talks won't be helped by the rocky relations between Germany's veteran leader and the billionaire and former reality TV star in the White House. Trump has repeatedly berated the EU's top economy for its huge trade surplus with the United States and spending too little on NATO joint defence. He has criticised Merkel for opening German borders since 2015 to a mass influx of mostly Muslim refugees, while she watched with dismay Trump's decision to withdraw from the Paris climate accord. Merkel routinely praises the rules-based international order to tackle global problems from conflict and terrorism to environmental destruction, in stark contrast to Trump's "America First" stance. "Angela Merkel is on her third US president in her long tenure as chancellor of Germany," said think-tank the German Marshall Fund of the United States. "It is no secret that she sees the current resident of the White House as a 'difficult partner'. Her return to Washington this week, by all accounts, will be a juggling act." Merkel -- who developed close relationships with Trump's predecessors Barack Obama and George W. Bush -- this week stressed that, despite the differences, she wants to preserve the bedrock strategic partnership. "The transatlantic alliance, given the many non-democratic developments in this world," she said, "is a great treasure that I certainly want to cherish and nurture". The Berliner Zeitung daily, looking ahead to Merkel's tricky diplomatic mission just after Macron's charm offensive, said that "she can hardly follow Macron's best-buddy act, but she does need a strategy". After an arduous weeks-long journey across Mexico, as many as 130 Central American asylum seekers are expected to arrive at the U.S. border this weekend, despite warnings from the Trump administration that they could face arrest. Members of the caravan, who are currently at a shelter in the Mexican border town of Tijuana, are expected to make their way to the border en masse Sunday morning to make their asylum claims. Asylum seekers began arriving in Tijuana on Tuesday and are stationed just minutes away from the U.S. border. Some told Reuters they fled from Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras in fear of threats from gangs or political persecution. Many of the people traveling with the caravan are Hondurans seeking to escape the instability and violence that has followed in the wake of President Juan Orlando Hernandez's contested re-election last year. Trending: Remains of 140 Children Who Had Their Hearts Ripped Out Suggests Largest Child Sacrifice Event in History GettyImages-943918168 (1) ALFREDO ESTRELLA/AFP/Getty One Honduran, Angel Caceres, told the news agency he fled his country in early March after a brother and niece of his were killed and his 82-year-old mother was raped and strangled nearly to the point of death. The asylum seeker showed reporters images of his mother, brutally beaten and lying in a hospital bed. A number of immigration advocacy organizations say they plan to help asylum seekers make their way safely to the U.S. border, with advocacy group Pueblos Sin Fronteras, which organized the caravan, leading the group across the main pedestrian bridge into the country on Sunday. Jessica Morales Rocketto, the chair of We Belong Together, a women-focused immigration campaign launched by the National Domestic Worker Alliance, told Newsweek that volunteers are currently on their way to Tijuana to meet with asylum seekers and help them prepare to make their asylum claims. Story continues She said volunteers will also be positioned to the U.S. side ready to "welcome" people and even offer up their homes to asylum seekers. Don't miss: Hearthstone Monster Hunt Guide: How to Slay Hagatha Rocketto said as many as 200 people from a number of states, including North Dakota, South Dakota and Missouri have offered up their homes to those traveling with the caravan. "We want our people to be there to be helpful and also for people to know that they are welcome," Rocketto told Newsweek, adding that volunteers had a "real clarity that Trump wants to keep people out [of the U.S.], but they want to welcome people and they want the refugee caravan to know they are really welcome." U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen has said her agency would be monitoring the caravan and warned that the U.S. would prosecute anyone who tried to enter the U.S. illegally or who tries to make a "false immigration claim." The warning came after Trump repeatedly vowed to stop migrants traveling with the caravan from entering the country. Thousands of National Guard troops have been deployed to the U.S.-Mexico border in anticipation of the caravan's arrival. Rocketto said a "huge reason" for why volunteers from her campaign want to be at the U.S. border for when asylum seekers arrive is to "make sure the refugee caravan is protected." Most popular: Einstein's 'Spooky Action': Bizarre Quantum Phenomenon Demonstrated on Massive Scale in World First With Trump's immigration crackdown and the presence of National Guard troops at the border, Rocketto said she expected a "huge presence of anti-immigration forces." Migrant caravan defies Trump as hundreds arrive at border city to claim asylum in the U.S. She also said that she was prepared for the possibility that protesters rallying against the arrival of asylum seekers could also show up at the border on Sunday. "I've really seen the anti-immigrant sentiment get bigger and bigger," Rocketto said. "Particularly at the border, people are really passionate on both sides, but only one side is being really threatening to the other side. Only anti-immigrants are bringing guns and saying they're going to round us up," she added. A number of "welcome" groups have been organized for Sunday to greet asylum seekers at the border, with community organizers saying on a Facebook event page called Welcome the Refugee Caravan that they plan to have a "friendly encounter at the border and exchange welcoming words of solidarity and hope." Community members have been asked to wear white and are expected to be joined by a group of people who have been marching from Los Angeles to the U.S.-Mexico border since last Sunday in a show of support and solidarity with the caravan. The Seed Project, an advocacy group fighting for the permanent protection of undocumented youth in the U.S., said on its Facebook event page that it decided to launch the 7-Day March Without Borders "in the name of refugees who suffer repression and violence in their own country and for their human right to seek asylum in the country of their choice." This article was first written by Newsweek More from Newsweek Forget Valentines Day: Theres no day like today to take that special guy or gal in your life out on the town for a perfect date. Thats because today, April 25, literally is the perfect date. How do we know? Miss Congeniality told us, so it must be true. In Sandra Bullocks rom-com favorite from 2000, William Shatners beauty pageant emcee, Stan Fields, asked Miss Rhode Island (Heather Burns) to describe her idea of the perfect date. Thats a tough one. Id have to say April 25th, she replies, going on to lay out her eminently sensible reasoning. Its not too hot, not too cold. All you need is a light jacket. Lena Dunham was one of many to note todays perfect date: OK, maybe thats not the direction good ol Stan expected the answer to go. So 18 years later, Shatner is putting the question back in its original context. In an Instagram post Tuesday, the Star Trek icon revealed that hes partnering with the dating service Match to solicit fresh ideas for what would be considered the perfect date. And to avoid any confusion, this time he makes it clear hes talking about a romantic date rather than a calendar date. If youd like your own pageant moment, share your description of a perfect date on Twitter or Instagram, making sure to tag @WilliamShatner and @Match. And while love shouldnt cost a thing, theyre sweetening the pot with a cash prize of $500 to put toward making your ideal date a reality. Ill be monitoring all day long, and Ill be calling out some of my favorites, Shatner promises in his Instagram video. And people have taken him up on that offer, posting their romantic thoughts. Story continues My wife @nurse_becs and I took our Honeymoon in Spain and Portugal in 2007. We always said our perfect date would be to 1 day return to Spain and have dinner in one of the lovely restaurants we ate in. But for now well settle for a lovely Spanish restaurant right here at home! Jason Gilbert (@gilbertcrimlaw) April 25, 2018 My perfect date would be riding horses with @SamHeughan and @OutlanderCast in the Scottish highlands wearing a dress designed by Terry Dresbach and my husband in a kilt a girl can dream tish copeland (@tish_copeland) April 25, 2018 Its raining here in Connecticut today on April 25, so a #PerfectDate would be wandering through the casino in light jackets with no umbrellas so we can hold hands. A nice dinner someplace not too hot or too cold with lots of smiles and laughter. FluffyJobSeeker (@Janeen_FluffyJ) April 25, 2018 My perfect date? Being able to attend your show Captain @WilliamShatner (even at a distance) , asking questions (with the help of an interpreter) but above all listening to the stories of your life experiences @Match #PerfectDate Little (@Littleandshort) April 25, 2018 And to give people some inspiration, the actor who has been married to his fourth wife, Elizabeth, since 2001 provided Us Weekly with his own perfect date scenario: a morning horseback ride followed by an afternoon sail and dinner on the beach, chased down with either a movie or a play. Hmm to be honest, a date like that sounds like it requires warmer weather than we usually get in April. Maybe he can aim for June? Read more from Yahoo Entertainment: Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens speaks at a news conference about allegations related to his extramarital affair with his hairdresser, in Jefferson City, Mo., Wednesday, April 11, 2018. (Photo: Julie Smith/Jefferson City News-Tribune via AP) Embattled Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens is a textbook case, like President Trump, of the danger of political parties losing control over their primaries. When Greitens ran for governor in 2016, he promised in a TV ad to take dead aim at politics as usual and then shot a machine gun at a target that exploded and sent flames high into the air. The only thing exploding now, however, is his political career and the Missouri Republican Party with it. _____ Jon Wards Long Game podcast looks at Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens and how his rise to power as a first-time candidate with no connections or allegiances to the Republican party has made him impervious to appeals from the state GOP to resign for the good of the party. _____ Greitens faces the likelihood of impeachment by the state Legislature after being charged with two felonies over the past month: one involving accusations of blackmailing and physically abusing a woman he had an affair with and another related to allegations he improperly used the e-mail list of a nonprofit he founded to raise campaign funds. Greitens, who based his campaign around his service in the Navy SEALs, shows no indications of resigning. His woes threaten to drag down the entire slate of Republican candidates in the state this year, but this doesnt seem to factor into his thinking, since he is in a war of words with the Republican Attorney General Josh Hawley, who is running for the U.S. Senate. This guy doesnt care about the party, and he doesnt care about the (conservative) movement, Missouri Republican strategist Gregg Keller told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. I havent seen anything out of Eric Greitens that suggests he has any loyalty to the Republican Party, said GOP consultant Jon Prouty on This Week in Missouri Politics. This is because, as former Missouri Democratic chair Roy Temple told Yahoo News this week, Greitens had no connection to the state party, zero when he ran for the governorship. Story continues The Missouri governor, like Trump, received the support of only about one-third of Republican voters in the party primary. But like the president, Greitens was helped by a crowded primary field that splintered the two-thirds of establishment-minded Republican voters into fragments. Dark money was the other big reason Greitens won without any party support. Because campaign finance law has pushed political money outside of parties and into the more opaque world of unaccountable outside groups, state parties have lost much of their reason for existence. Greitens received a massive influx of cash directly from dark money groups that have no legal obligation to disclose their donors, and even more was spent on TV ads by similar groups. Scott Faughn, who owns the Missouri Times news site and hosts This Week in Missouri Politics, said that by his calculations, Greitens benefited from millions of dollars in dark money for television ads, in addition to the $32 million he received directly. The reason Eric Greitens exists and has brought the great shame and embarrassment to our state that he has is the amazing amount of outside money that was used in kind of a federal system, Faughn said. It just swamped the field. They probably spent 50 [million] of that in the primary, and he outspent the primary field 2 to 1, and it was very effective. Greitenss fundraising was also helped by his hiring national political consultants, such as Nick Ayers, a Georgian who learned the art of raising big money from former Republican national chair and Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour. Ayers is now chief of staff to Vice President Mike Pence. One dark money group even ran attack ads against two of Greitenss Republican primary opponents, under the name LG PAC. It made it look like the ads were coming from Greitenss third primary opponent, the states Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder. But LG PAC was backing Greitens, and through federal financial disclosure forms, Ayers has been connected to LG PAC. Before the McCain-Feingold legislation in 2003 limited donations to political parties, which was followed by the 2010 Citizens United Supreme Court case that led to an explosion in outside groups, Missouri politics was shaped by the two state parties. In 1998 to 2000, when I was executive director of the Missouri Democratic Party, issue ads flowed through the state parties, said Temple. So you had an enormous amount of money flowing through state parties and really big coordinated campaigns, and those created opportunities for coordination and collaboration and strengthening the party and that gave you residual ability to help out on other things and to facilitate conversations because you were a strategic partner in some of those things. Then you fast-forward to 2016, and you have as much going on through super PACs and independent expenditures, Temple said. And then youve got candidates who do not rely on the grassroots structures. A lot of it has been professionalized. In other words, Temple said, the whole business of finding and persuading and turning out voters for a candidate has been transferred from a state party that is connected to activists and volunteers, to a universe of private businesses who work for individual candidates. Over time, Temple said, candidates saw that it became much more important what your history was with potential funders than it was what your history was with party activists. Faughn said the state parties are now a homeless guy with a tin cup, begging for money. The state parties lack a clear purpose, Temple said. Are they registering voters? Are they turning out voters? Are they persuading voters? A lot of that is taken up inside campaigns and independent expenditures, he said. Now the people with the most influence over who wins primaries are nameless, faceless donors. You can say party insiders had too much authority or made decisions you wouldnt have supported, but at least they were democratically elected, Temple said. You could always become a member of your party organization and have a hand in who those people were. You cant decide who the rich people that Eric Greitens gives a damn about are. Missouri Republican Gov.-elect Eric Greitens delivers a victory speech alongside his wife, Sheena, and son Joshua Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016, in Chesterfield, Mo. (Photo: Jeff Curry/AP) Greitens, 44, had no previous experience in politics. He had never held elected office, run a campaign or worked in government. But he had long held political ambitions, and about a decade ago, he is said to have met with leaders from both the Democratic and Republican parties to plan a future candidacy. Its pretty clear he was shopping for a party, and it wasnt based on any sort of ideological positions that were taken. He wanted to find the best vehicle to get him into office, Prouty told Faughn on This Week. Having had nothing to do with getting him elected, the Republican Party establishment in Missouri can do little to persuade Greitens to step aside. Theres nobody who can put their arm around him and say, For the good of the cause, my friend, your time has come, Temple said. He feels no sense of responsibility, no sense of loyalty to any purpose larger than himself, Temple said. And so he is inflicting extraordinary harm, in my view, on the state and on his party, and he just doesnt give a damn because he doesnt have to. As long as he maintains relationships with people who will give him campaign contributions, he can do whatever he wants. _____ Read more from Yahoo News: In 2012, three-year-old pacing filly Malabrigo was the talk of more than just the Maritimes after winning all 16 of her sophomore starts and helping lift trainer-driver Marc Campbell to the national spotlight. More than five years after that award-winning season, Malabrigo is back with Campbell and it's like she never left. On Tuesday, participants in Prince Edward Island continued to prepare pacers and trotters for a return to the racetrack this Saturday (April 28) at Red Shores Racetrack & Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park. A familiar name resurfaced in one of the qualifiers: Malabrigo. The last time Malabrigo was at Charlottetown Driving Park was on November 10, 2012 for a retirement ceremony after her perfect sophomore season. The daughter of Western Paradise - Lots Abunny didn't taste defeat in 16 starts en route to Pacer of the Year honours in PEI. After a number of years in the broodmare shed, Malabrigo was entered in the 2017 Harrisburg Mixed Sale. There she spotted the eye of her former trainer and driver, Marc Campbell. Malabrigo Wins 16th Straight Start "We knew she was in the Harrisburg sale and we were going down anyway. We looked at some yearlings and got one. And I said we'd take a look at her down there...we actually looked at her yearling too," Campbell told Trot Insider. "We [Marc and wife Natasha] both had a little tear in our eye when we saw her. She had her head in the corner [of her stall] and I said 'hey, hey, Mum, come here' and she came right over to me." Campbell was scheduled to fly home when the broodmares were in the sale, but he and Natasha made plans to ensure that Malabrigo found a good home. "I knew she might not go for much and I knew where she'd probably end up if we didn't take her back and we couldn't let that happen," Campbell continued. "We were at the airport on our way home when she went through. A friend of ours, Chuckie Symes, was going to be there. We told him 'don't let her go for nothing; we'll buy her.'" So he called me and said 'we got her.' "He took her home for us and, really, she was only home a day or two and we started jogging her. And she was in really, really good shape...I was amazed at her shape, she was fit. She didn't look like a broodmare. So my father-in-law Darryl MacLean started jogging her at the home track and just kept going. I trained her back slow and she's got there." Campbell remarked that Malabrigo was in great physical condition at Harrisburg, looking more like the racehorse he knew than the broodmare her sale page noted. As her former trainer, he was also very aware that Malabrigo finished her racing career without physical issues precipitating retirement. "We've been training her back the right way. I trained her in 2:01 and a piece last Monday, and she was good there...her and the other filly I qualified today[Keepcalmndanceon] have trained down together the last three, four weeks, said Campbell after the qualifiers. "She's very competitive and she seemed very comfortable today." On Tuesday, Malabrigo went wire-to-wire for a win in 2:00.1 over a Charlottetown track that allowed one second. It was like she never left. "Our plan is that hopefully she's good enough to race in the open mares class down here...that's where we're aiming, anyway. She really likes her job, she's bouncing around and playing." No matter how Malabrigo fares on the racetrack, Campbell is more than pleased to provide a home for a horse that was instrumental in his career. "She helped me get my first O'Brien Award, no doubt. She went 16-for-16 that year, she always liked to win and she was put away sound at the end of her three-year-old year." "I think she'll have a good summer. I'm not saying she's going to go unbeaten by any means...I just hope we have some fun with her and win a few races here and there." Campbell noted that both Malabrigo and Keepcalmndanceon would be entered to race this Saturday at Charlottetown kicks off its spring harness racing meet. Those two horses will be the only ones dropped in the box by the Campbell stable as the horseman ramps up for his title defense as the reigning 'King of Island Racing.' Campbell won his second O'Brien Award of Horsemanship in 2017 and captured honours in PEI as well, awarded the Kentucky of Canada award by the Prince Edward Island Standardbred Horse Owners Association this past Saturday in recognition of his truly exceptional season. Team Campbell pictured with their trophies from the evening (Photo courtesy Gail MacDonald) Team Campbell pictured with their trophies from the evening (Photo courtesy Gail MacDonald) "That's all we have ready right now. We'll have another handful ready in a week and a half, we'll be qualifying a bunch more and we have a bunch of two-year-olds that will hopefully get there eventually. We're looking forward to getting back." Malabrigo will head back to the track this Saturday for Charlottetown's 12-race card. She has drawn Post 4 in Race 10, a conditioned race for Fillies & Mares pacers with a purse of $1,800. To view the entries for Saturday's card, click the following link: Saturday Entries - Charlottetown Driving Park. Wednesday, April 25, 2018 What to watch today (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Before the market opens, Twitter (TWTR), Boeing (BA), General Dynamics (GD), and Comcast (CMCSA) will be among the companies reporting earnings. And after the close, Facebook (FB), AMD (AMD), Visa (V), Chipotle (CMG), and eBay (EBAY) will report earnings. Facebook will be the main event, as investors will be closely tracking the social network for any signs that its recent problems with handling user data are impacting behavior on the website. Additionally, the companys outlook for expenses in 2018 which CEO Mark Zuckerberg has said are likely to rise in the quarters and years ahead will be a key metric for investors. Read More Top news Treasuries 3% milestone moment Interrupted by slumping stocks: The 10-year Treasury yield finally reached 3%, a milestone that bond traders were eyeing for months to guide their next moves. Then that pesky stock market got in the way. After all the hoopla surrounding 10-year yields touching the highest in four years, they arent much changed on the day. Thats in part because of the dive in equities, driven both by losses in technology shares and by Caterpillar Inc. (CAT), the biggest maker of construction and mining equipment, effectively saying its first-quarter profit will be as good as it gets in 2018. [Bloomberg] Pimcos new bond king could be a robot in Austin: Pacific Investment Management Co. used to rely heavily on one man to make many of its key investment decisions. Now its betting a big part of its future on millions of lines of software code. Pimco will open a new office in Austin, Texas, later this year to help recruit more tech-savvy workers who might otherwise spurn the bond manager for traditional software companies, people familiar with the matter said. [The Wall Street Journal] Shire willing to back $64B Takeda bid, market signals doubts: Rare disease specialist Shire said on Wednesday it was willing to recommend a sweetened $64 billion (45.8 billion pounds) offer from Japans Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. to shareholders, in what would be the biggest acquisition of a drug company this year. But shares in Takeda extended recent losses, tumbling 7% as investors fretted over its ability to buy a company twice its size, raising doubts about whether Shire shareholders will accept a bid that is 56% in new Takeda shares. [Reuters] Story continues Buffett: How you could have turned $114 into $400K: Many of us know the magic of investing money in the stock market just letting it sit and watching it grow but few of us really grasp just how powerfully enriching this can be. Not surprisingly, Warren Buffett, the worlds greatest investor, has a vivid example of this which he shared with Yahoo Finance Editor in Chief Andy Serwer during a visit earlier this year at Berkshire Hathaway (BRKA, BRKB) headquarters in Omaha. [Yahoo Finance] For more of the latest news, go to Yahoo Finance An Amazon warehouse worker shoots a selfie with an activist dressed as Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos during a protest gathering outside the Axel Springer building on April 24, 2018 in Berlin. Several hundred Amazon warehouse workers from Germany, Poland and Italy protested outside the Axel Springer building, where inside Bezos was scheduled to receive an award for innovation. The workers claim Amazon pays too little and offers too few benefits. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images) Yahoo Finance Originals 3 big changes coming from the Trump tax cuts How blockchain was deployed to combat Chinese censorship in a #MeToo moment The first college football video game since 2013 could be a huge recruiting tool Spotify is making two key upgrades to its free service Like what you just read? Get the Morning Brief sent directly to your inbox every Monday to Friday by 6:30 a.m. ET. And feel free to share it with a friend! The Morning Brief provides a quick rundown on what to watch in the markets, top news stories, and the best of Yahoo Finance Originals. By Thu Thu Aung YANGON (Reuters) - Myanmar civil groups signed an open letter to the country's president on Thursday, urging him to immediately release two Reuters reporters accused of possessing secret government papers and police officers involved in what it called an "obviously an unreasonable case". The letter, signed by 163 civil society groups, also asked newly-elected Myanmar President Win Myint to "seek justice and truth" and to set up an investigation committee to "reveal justice as soon as possible in order to maintain people's trust in the judiciary sector." Myanmar government spokesman Zaw Htay did not respond to requests for comment. He has declined to comment on the case after previous court hearings, saying the country's courts are independent. A court in Yangon has been holding preliminary hearings since January to decide whether Reuters reporters Wa Lone, 32, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, will be charged under the colonial-era Official Secrets Act, which carries a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison. Myanmar in December also arrested two police officers who were identified as "allegedly involved in the case". It has become a landmark press freedom case after a police officer told the court last week that a senior officer had ordered police to "trap" one of the two journalists arrested in December, telling police to meet reporter Wa Lone and give him "secret documents". At the time of the reporters' arrest, they had been working on an investigation into a killing of 10 Rohingya men and boys in Myanmar's western Rakhine state, during an army crackdown that United Nations agencies say has sent nearly 700,000 people fleeing to Bangladesh. Police Captain Moe Yan Naing, who described to the court how police planted secret documents on Reuters reporters, faces charges of violating police regulations and faces up to two years in prison and dismissal. His family was evicted from their home in police housing at the weekend, which has become front page news and was widely shared on social media in Myanmar. Many expressed sympathy for the family's plight. Police have said the eviction order was not related to Moe Yan Naing's testimony, without elaborating further. "We believe that this is not a fair case ... What we all want is truth and justice," said Thatoe Aung, a rights activist who helped organize the petition to the president. Senior U.N. officials, Western nations and press freedom advocates have called for the reporters' release. A judge will rule next week on whether the police captain was credible. (Writing By Yimou Lee, Editing by William Maclean) North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un personally saw off a train repatriating the bodies of dozens of Chinese tourists who were killed in a bus accident as he issued a fresh apology to Beijing over the tragedy, state media reported Thursday. Thirty-two Chinese tourists and four North Koreans perished when a bus they were travelling in plunged off a bridge south of Pyongyang Sunday night, according to Chinese officials. Two other Chinese nationals were injured. Beijing is the isolated regime's sole major ally, providing an important economic and political buffer against international opprobrium. The crash has sparked a series of rare mea culpas on North Korea's tightly controlled propaganda network in which Kim has taken centre stage both in responding to the crash and apologising to China. In two new dispatches on Thursday morning, the North's state-run KCNA news agency said Kim went to Pyongyang's station on Wednesday evening "to see off a special purpose train carrying the bodies of Chinese who were killed and the wounded in a tragic traffic accident". The KCNA report described Kim personally making arrangements for the train and offering "words of consolation" to the survivors. A separate report from KCNA carried a "message of consolation" from Kim to Chinese President Xi Jinping. "We make a deep apology to the Chinese comrades for the pain which cannot be alleviated with any word, consolation and compensation," KCNA quoted the message as saying. The train left at midnight, with high-level North Korean officials aboard along with China's ambassador and medical experts, said Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying. The train arrived in the northeastern Chinese city of Shenyang at 9:00 am local time where it was greeted by a vice minister. Local authorities will assist families of the victims, Hua said. KCNA ran a similar personal apology from Kim on Tuesday after the North Korean leader visited survivors in hospital and called on the Chinese embassy. Story continues Although such moves might be unsurprising in other countries, it is unusual for state media to portray Kim in this manner, with the North Korean leader usually shown presiding over formal meetings or visiting work or army units. North Korea state media rarely carries any negative news about the tightly controlled state or its leadership. The fulsomeness of Kim's comments reflects the importance of China -- and its tourists -- to his country and economy. China is by far the biggest source of tourists for the North, with direct flights and a long land border connecting the neighbours, and tens of thousands are believed to visit every year, many crossing via train through the Chinese border city of Dandong. Managua (AFP) - Nicaragua on Thursday was hanging on to the prospect of talks to calm anti-government sentiment behind a week of protests in which at least 37 people died, according to rights groups. Tensions in the poor Central American country remained high, though violent clashes and police repression that marked the early days of the protests had subsided. Managua's archbishop, Cardinal Leopoldo Brenes, said that, although President Daniel Ortega had called for talks, nothing had yet been decided -- not even the parties who would be involved nor the agenda to be discussed. "The details are still not defined. I think the government will have to call them to happen. It has invited us to participate in this dialogue," he told reporters. Ortega has met a range of demands by protesting students and the influential private business sector to allow the talks to happen. He has ordered dozens of the 200 protesters who were arrested during the clashes to be released, and lifted broadcasting curbs his government imposed on independent media. The powerful COSEP employers' union said it viewed those steps as conducive to the start of dialogue. The body, whose support has been crucial to economic stability during Ortega's first 11 years in power, had distanced itself from the 72-year-old president when security forces brutally cracked down on protesters. It was also behind an anti-government march on Monday that gathered tens of thousands of students, pensioners, employees and ordinary citizens. - Public resentment - The wave of unrest, the worst faced by Ortega under his current period as president, was triggered April 18 by pension reforms, but quickly broadened to include a raft of other public frustrations. They included resentment at the perceived authoritarianism and corruption of Ortega and his wife, Rosario Murillo, who is also his vice president. For many who had supported the left-wing Sandinista revolution that brought Ortega to power in 1979 -- and made him the country's leader for 22 of the past 39 years -- those issues were a betrayal of the popular values he had once promised to champion. Story continues The rough treatment doled out to the protesters hardened public opinion against the president. On Thursday, rights groups lodged an official complaint with prosecutors accusing Ortega and his officials of responsibility in the deaths and several disappearances that were recorded during the unrest. The Nicaraguan Center for Human Rights gave an updated death toll of 37, up from a previous figure of 34. It said the count included a youth Sandinista activist who burned to death in a fire set at a radio station in the northern city of Leon. Other rights groups gave higher numbers of people killed. The government has not revised its death toll since last Friday, when it said 10 people had been killed. On Thursday, the attorney general's office announced an investigation into the deaths and property damage, vowing to bring those responsible to justice and ensure that "these crimes do not go unpunished." - Hopes for talks - Hundreds of people, many of them youths wearing black and carrying Nicaragua's flag while yelling "Freedom!" and calling for Ortega's ouster, marched late Wednesday to demand justice for those killed and hurt during the protests. Some warned that they didn't see dialogue as possible yet -- not until Ortega made more concessions, such as having the protest deaths investigated. "Our dead don't negotiate," they yelled. Their procession in Managua passed off peacefully, with no intervention from police. Managua's archbishop was more emollient on Thursday, saying he believed that "the air has been cleared" sufficiently for talks to happen. "The important thing is that they start. As bishop, I am a man of hope, and I believe in dialogue. We know it is difficult and risky, but we accept the risk for love of Nicaragua," Brenes said. ABUJA (Reuters) - Nigeria's Senate on Thursday summoned President Muhammadu Buhari to testify about his administration's response to a spate of communal killings in central states. On Wednesday, lawmakers from the lower house of parliament also invited Buhari to discuss the clashes between semi-nomadic herdsmen and settled farmers in central states, in which hundreds of people have died this year. The violence has raised questions about the government's ability to maintain security in the country, putting pressure on Buhari less than a year before an election he is set to contest. (Reporting by Camillus Eboh; Writing by Paul Carsten) On Friday, history will be made as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un crosses the border for a highly-anticipated summit with the Souths President Moon Jae-in. Heres what you need to know about the high-stakes summit and its potential impacts on the peninsula and beyond. Where is the summit taking place? Fridays summit will take place in the Peace House in the village of Panmunjom, located in the heart of the demilitarized zone (DMZ) separating North and South Korea. A neutral, so-called truce town, Panmunjom was the location of the armistice signing that ended fighting in the 1950-53 Korean War, and has since been a site for inter-Korea talks and visits from world leaders. Its also a popular tourist destination, and plays host to visitors wishing to glimpse a view over the border to the secretive North. The two previous summits between the Korean leaders took place in Pyongyang, making Kims step into the South the first time a North Korean leader has crossed the border since his familys dynasty took power 65 years ago. Kims venture into the South shows balancing and reciprocity, and shows hes ready to do things in a different way and understands the symbolism, John Delury, Associate Professor at Yonsei University, tells TIME. A buffer between the North and the South, the DMZ is a heavily fortified, 160-mile long border, divided in two and patrolled by the armies of both countries. The middle of the DMZ feels like the Cold War; its very tense and very hostile, Delury says. By meeting there, Moon and Kim are going right to the centre of the problem and the hostility. The Inter Korean Summit meeting room is seen at the Peace House on April 25, 2018 in Panmunjom, South Korea. Who is going? All eyes will be on the meeting between Kim and Moon, whose one-day summit schedule includes two sessions of talks, a tree planting ceremony and a joint announcement, Reuters reports. Kim will be accompanied by nine high-ranking North Korean officials, among them his sister, Kim Yo Jong, who led the Norths delegation to the PyeongChang Winter Olympics in February, and Kim Yong Nam, the Norths nominal head of state. Story continues Kims meeting with Moon comes relatively early on in his tenure as the Norths leader. Since his father Kim Jong Il died in 2011, the younger Kims leadership has been marked by a ratcheting up of nuclear missile tests and strong rhetoric. However, the regime has been hit by international sanctions in recent months, with the intent to put pressure on North Koreas nuclear program. Given his long-term ambitions, he needs to get those economic sanctions lifted, says Delury, but on the other side of the equation is confidence, because hes come off a great year of demonstrating nuclear missile capabilities that gives him a lot of leverage. A son of North Korean refugees, Moon himself helped orchestrate the previous summit in 2007, and ran for the presidency on a platform of engagement with the North. Hes only a year into his term, is very popular and has a strong mandate, and so he comes into this meeting with a lot of political capital, says Delury. Have there been talks between the Koreas before? Leaders of the two Koreas have only met twice before, in 2000 and 2007. On both occasions, Kim Jong Il hosted leaders of South Koreas liberal government in Pyongyang. Both meetings made some progress on agreements to relieve tension on the peninsula, and former South Korean President Kim Dae-jung won the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in brokering the 2000 summit. But these agreements, part of the Souths Sunshine Policy of engagement, involved payments of billions of dollars of aid to the Norths regime, and yielded little in return in the way of peace on the peninsula. Duyeon Kim, Visiting Senior Research Fellow at the Korean Peninsula Future Forum, says Fridays meeting will differ from previous summits because of the Norths advances in nuclear technology, rising concerns of a U.S. military attack against the North and Moons ambition to be the South Korean president to finally bring peace to the peninsula. North Korean Leader Kim Jong-Il and South Korean President Roh Moo-Hyun (L) toast during a luncheon hosted by Kim for the inter-Korea Summit in Pyongyang, North Korea,on Oct. 4, 2007. What is the expected outcome? Analysts are not expecting a major breakthrough addressing the big questions of denuclearization or reunification on the peninsula as a result of this meeting. Moons challenge will be agreeing on a joint declaration that goes beyond feel-good rhetoric, says Duyeon Kim. While denuclearization will be high on the agenda, Delury says the meeting is more likely to act as a working summit, where possible steps to relieve tension and end the armistice may be discussed. Delury says the summit is also more likely to touch on other softer, lower hanging fruit on the cultural level, such as the reunion of divided families, tourism, and cultural exchanges such as those seen at the Olympics and the Souths recent artistic delegation to Pyongyang. The meeting will also be carefully monitored in the U.S., looking ahead to a highly-anticipated potential summit between Kim and President Donald Trump, slated to take place within the next two months. The real game will be between Trump and Kim on the nuclear issue, says Duyeon Kim. The Americans arent looking for a revelation, but an indication that Kim is serious, Delury agrees. Moons task will be to welcome Kim in historic style, while testing whether or not the Norths leader has the substance to live up to his word. A group of Chinese scientists believes that a large portion of North Koreas nuclear test facility is no longer usable after a weapon test damaged the integrity of the surrounding geography. North Korea undertook its largest-ever nuclear weapon test in September 2017 at its Punggye-ri underground facility, located in Mount Mantap. Researchers from the University of Science and Technology of China said a cavity in the mountain collapsed as a result. In an as-yet-unpublished report, the researchers said a similar test in the damaged area could cause an environmental catastrophe, The Wall Street Journal reported. Trending: Is Hal Cooper Black Hood? 'Riverdale' Theory Suspects Betty's Dad Some have suggested that the site's unreliability resulted in North Korean leader Kim Jong Uns overture last week to cease testing nuclear weapons and launching intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM). Last year, North Korea achieved a milestone in its missile program by demonstrating the theoretical ability to strike the U.S. with a ICBM. A supervisor for the study, Lianxing Wen, could not immediately be reached for comment by Newsweek, but told The Wall Street Journal that a version of the study is slated for publication in the American Geophysical Unions journal, Geophysical Research Letters. However, the study will not "include the wording about Mount Mantap being unusable for future tests, and the potential environmental catastrophe if it was." It's unclear why the language will be removed from the published research. Don't miss: Zeraoras Ability and Signature Attack Revealed in New Pokemon Ultra Sun and Moon Trailer A separate study by Chinese seismologists also concluded that a cavity in the mountain collapsed after the nuclear blast last year. GettyImages-851817462 KCNA/GETTY Story continues Other North Korea observers have pushed back against that assessment and said the site is still functional. Most popular: Joke About Trump Dying and Leaving Melania a Widow Is Not a Threat, Comedian Says North Korea analysis site 38 North, hosted by the U.S.-Korea Institute at John Hopkins University, published a commentary Monday that said the site was fully operational. 38 North, which has published satellite imagery of the site, noted that several of the entryways into the facility appear to be functional. Jeffrey Lewis, director of the East Asia Nonproliferation Program at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, noted on Twitter that a collapsed cavity it does not render the site wholly unusable. To sum up. Nuclear explosions make cavities. One of those cavities collapsed, which seismologists detected. Science is cool. But a cavity collapse does not mean the tunnel complex collapsed, let alone the whole mountain. 7/8 Jeffrey Lewis (@ArmsControlWonk) April 25, 2018 "At most, North Korea might shift big tests to neighboring mountains. Kim has agreed to stop nuclear testing because of the summit(s), not because his nuclear test mountain collapsed," wrote Lewis. Kim is slated to meet with South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Friday and potentially with President Donald Trump in the near future. This article was first written by Newsweek More from Newsweek An earthquake expert presents evidence of a seismic event at the nuclear test site near Mount Mantapsan in North Korea - AP Part of North Koreas main nuclear weapons testing site may not be usable for further trials following a collapse in the mountain above it, according to a report by a team of Chinese geologists. According to researchers at the University of Science and Technology (USTC) a collapse in a cavity at Mount Mantapsan, above northwest North Koreas Punggye-ri nuclear test site, occurred after the countrys latest nuclear tests in September 2017. A second Chinese study, including input from researchers from the China Earthquake Administration, also said that the collapse was due to the September aftershock. But it did not conclude that the site was now unusable. The findings come ahead of historic talks between the South and North on Friday, where the leaders are set to discuss denuclearisation on the peninsula. The USTC study led to speculation the collapse may have informed North Korean leader Kim Jong-uns decision on Saturday to suspend the countrys nuclear testing. When it was delivered, the announcement was widely perceived to have been an overture ahead of Fridays scheduled talks with Moon Jae-in, the South Korean President, and Kim. Pending the outcome of Friday's meeting, Kim is also due to meet with US President Donald Trump in late May or June, with Mr Trumps stated goal for Kim to agree to scrapping his nuclear weapons programme. Before and after images show the Punggye-ri test site where on September 3, 2017, North Korea claimed to have conducted the undeground explosion of a hydrogen bomb Credit: AFP/Planet Last September North Korea conducted what it claimed was a test of a thermonuclear bomb at Punggye-ri, which has hosted five of the countrys six tests, with the first taking place in 2006. Four earthquakes in the area were reported following the bomb test, the yield of which was estimated to be equivalent to over 100 kilotons of TNT: North Koreas biggest yet. The USTC report, which will be published in US science journal Geophysical Research Letters, said: The occurrence of the collapse should deem the underground infrastructure beneath mountain Mantap not be used for any future nuclear tests. Story continues The scientists said it was important to continue to monitor any leakage of radioactive materials that may have been caused by the collapse. Chinese authorities have conducted tests for radiation near Chinas border with North Korea, which is less than 100km from Punggye-ri, and have not reported any radiation risk. Both studies concluded that a first tremor was caused by an explosion and the second was caused by the collapse of damaged rock above the blast cavity inside the mountain. However, the second study did not say whether the site was still usable. Korea summit | Read more Please support us by disabling your adblocker We've noticed you're adblocking. We rely on advertising to help fund our award-winning journalism. We urge you to turn off your ad blocker for The Telegraph website so that you can continue to access our quality content in the future. Thank you for your support. Need help? Click here for instructions As the royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle approaches, you're bound to see lots of positive, feel-good stories about the royals popping up on your feed. You may like these stories, but statistically you probably feel totally indifferent. SEE ALSO: Denmark hired a tech ambassador. After what happened with Facebook, maybe every country should. But there are some people who would like to see the monarchy and with it royal clickbait abolished. Republic is an anti-monarchist group, with 5,000 paying members and 40,000 supporters. Their mission statement reads: "We want to see the monarchy abolished and the Queen replaced with an elected, democratic head of state." Mashable spoke to head of Republic Graham Smith, to ask what motivates him to oppose the monarchy so actively. "Its very simple," he said, "we think that we ought to take democratic principles seriously." Why does it still exist? For Smith, the reason the monarchy exists is largely down to public indifference. "Most people dont care that much," he said. "The idea that the British are in love with the royals is complete nonsense. Most people are completely indifferent and couldnt care less, but theyre happy to go along with it for the time being because they havent really stopped to think about why they should get rid of it." Image: Yougov However, Smith also believes an ascension to the throne could shake things up a bit. "A lot of that is bound up with the fact that almost none of us now can remember a time when there wasnt the Queen," he said. "When we witness a succession, thats going to make people sit up and think about how that works." Charles in particular is seen to pose a potential political problem. In the past he has been criticised for trying to influence public policy by privately corresponding with ministers, and some commentators speculate that if he continues that trend he could potentially trigger a constitutional crisis. Story continues Political implications Smith believes that a hereditary monarchy has no place in a modern society, but there's also more complex political reasons for wanting the institution dismantled. "Its about not only changing the person at the top," he said, "but also changing the way in which our constitution works and making it genuinely democratic." The UK has an unwritten constitution, which means it is made up of lots of different laws and conventions. The crown remains an integral part of that constitution, and in theory the Queen has the power to refuse any bill passed by the other two houses of Parliament (the House of Commons and the House of Lords). However she has never actually refused a bill; in fact, the last monarch to do so was Queen Anne in 1707. In practice she acts as a figurehead, because were she to use her authority to go against the government, she would risk Parliament dissolving of the monarchy. To Smith's mind the monarch's involvement in our political system poses a big problem to democracy in the UK, as it essentially confers a lot of crown powers (e.g. the ability to award lordships) upon the prime minister. This is called power of patronage. Crown powers wielded by the Prime Minister also include the power to go to war. This was in the news recently as pundits speculated whether Theresa May would consult Parliament about going to war in Syria. Points of view Mashable talked to a few more members of Republic to find out why they joined up. For 32-year-old Dani Beckett the issue is a mixture of symbolic and political. "All the things I care about changing in society; economic inequality, gender inequality, racism and poverty, seem to be epitomised by the monarchy," she said. "It seems ridiculous to me that in 2018, a diverse and democratic country should have an unelected head of state who holds enormous power over the decisions that are made that affect everyone's day to day lives. "They're far from it. The media like to make out that we all love the monarchy and can't wait for the royal wedding when actually over half of young people say that they couldn't care less." Image: Dani beckett "Many people say the the Queen never really interferes with the decisions of elected representatives, but the systems have no transparency so we really can't be sure of that. And I feel certain that when Charles inherits the throne he will jump at the chance to get involved." Beckett also finds the media representation of the royals troubling. "I find it frustrating how harmless the monarchy are portrayed to be in the British media," she added. For Beckett, the coverage of the royal baby encapsulated her concerns about the relationship between the media and the royals. "It's the epitome of hereditary privilege," she said. "There are parts of the UK where over half of children are living in poverty and yet there's been masses of saccharine coverage of this one child in the media. It's easy to get swept up in because a new baby is a lovely thing for the family, but you have to ask how many other babies were born [on April 23rd] without the privileged access to power that the royals have." Image: juan leahy 34-year-old Juan Leahy was a "casual republican" up until 2012. "The 2012 Jubilee blew my mind," he said. "I couldnt believe the adulation and flag waving for such an archaic institution. The monarchy doesnt reflect me at all and I couldnt get my head round the fanfare." Leahy stands against the symbolic significance of the monarchy, and feels it has a real knock-on effect. "Its existence hammers home the message that we are not equal," he said, "that we are not born equal and that some people deserve more power and respect than others." "That message filters down and all of a sudden we have a Cabinet stuffed with Eton-educated university chums who have long benefited from the privilege denied to everyone else." For 27-year-old Matthew Reilly anti-monarchism is a matter of political principle. Image: Matthew Reilly "No-one in a proper functioning democracy should enjoy the privilege of unchecked hereditary power. It's just not on. No-one should be 'born into' a position of such importance as head of state. And I am afraid there is simply not one good reason to keep things the way they are. "It's nothing personal to do with the royal family. I am sure they are perfectly nice people, but Britain is a modern country filled with lots of brilliant people who could be our head of state." "We should be trusted to elect our own head of state who acts as our ambassador around the world. Simply, we can do much better than a monarchy!" So as the royal wedding approaches, in midst of the usual media feeding-frenzy and interviews of tearfully excited visitors to Windsor, there'll be a substantial number of Brits turning off their televisions for the day. Post Time with Mike and Mike, presented by BetAmerica, is excited to announce their line-up for Thursday morning (April 26) at 10:30 a.m. Eastern. They will be joined by Jonas Czernyson of Team JC Stables; John Vernags, winner of the 2018 George Morton Levy Bracket Buster Contest; Pete Medhurst, the announcer at Rosecroft Raceway; and Matt Zuccarello and Charlie Longo of Winners Circle Ownership Group. Trainer Jonas Czernyson of Team JC Stables will join the program this week to talk about his upcoming 2018 campaign and some of the horses that bettors should watch out for. Jonas will also discuss his illustrious career, and the duo will find out what is next for the trainer. Team JC Stables also has some breaking news they will share with Post Time listeners for the very first time. Vernags, the winner of the George Morton Levy Bracket Buster, joins to discuss his handicapping tactics and how he won the contest in back-to-back years. Vernags will go in depth on how he handicaps each race to find the most value. Medhurst, the announcer at Rosecroft Raceway, will discuss the happenings at the 5/8-mile oval in Maryland. Medhurst will discuss some of the horses that are currently popping out during their spring meet. Matt Zuccarello and Charlie Longo teamed up to start Winners Circle Ownership Group in an effort to get new owners into the sport of harness racing. The pair will join the program to talk about what the future holds for the group and what their plans are for getting new owners interested in harness racing. Post Time with Mike and Mike, presented by BetAmerica, can be heard live every Thursday at 10:30 a.m. via their website posttimewithmikeandmike.com or on demand at betamerica.com/BARN. (Post Time with Mike and Mike) Former Rep. Blake Farenthold still hasn't paid back $84,000 in taxpayer money he used to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit. (Photo: Joshua Roberts / Reuters) WASHINGTON Theres a John Cusack movie from the mid-1980s, Better Off Dead, that features a crazed paperboy who will not leave Cusacks character alone until he pays the $2 his family owes for newspaper deliveries. The kid rolls up on his bike everywhere Cusacks character goes. At his front door. On a ski slope. On the roof of his piece-of-crap station wagon. Two dollars! the kid always shouts as Cusack flees. I want my two dollars! This is now the tale of former Rep. Blake Farenthold. The disgraced Texas Republican cannot escape people demanding he pay back the $84,000 in taxpayer money that he used to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit against him. The multimillionaire promised to repay it immediately in December, when news broke about the settlement. But he never did, and he spent the next four months ignoring pressure from the media and colleagues in both parties to do so. Three weeks ago, he abruptly resigned his House seat and went back to Texas, presumably hoping to put this chapter of his life behind him. But on Wednesday, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) showed up and demanded that Farenthold repay the $84,000 but not to the U.S. Treasury. The governor wants Farenthold to fork over the $84,000 as part of a larger payment to cover the entire cost of the June 30 special election being held to fill his congressional seat. I am writing to demand that you cover all costs for the called special election to fill the seat now vacated following your resignation, Abbott said in a sternly worded letter to Farenthold. While you have publicly offered to reimburse the $84,000 in taxpayer funds you wrongly used to settle a sexual harassment claim, there is no legal recourse requiring you to give that money back to Congress. Abbott also asked people on Twitter to join him in urging Farenthold to pay for the special election because of his disgraceful conduct. RT to tell Blake Farenthold to pay for the special election that had to be called to fill the seat he resigned from because of his disgraceful conduct. Taxpayers shouldnt have to pay for his misdeeds. #txlege @Elect_Blake https://t.co/TATimZEkaz Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) April 25, 2018 Its not clear how much the special election will cost, but the Victoria County elections administrator estimated it could be as much as $200,000. Story continues Abbott wrote Farenthold that he wants a response by May 2. This seat must be filled, and the counties and taxpayers in the 27th Congressional District should not again pay the price for your actions, he said. One of the candidates running for Farentholds seat has already endorsed Abbotts call. I wholeheartedly agree with Governor Abbott that this district needs leadership and #TX27 should not have to pay the price for his actions. I have felt this way since Day 1 and have been the only one in my race on record to ask him to repay the 84,000 back to the taxpayers. https://t.co/67Ic8VrAXG Bech Bruun (@bechforcongress) April 25, 2018 Farenthold is under no legal obligation to repay the $84,000, which he spent on a 2014 lawsuit involving allegations that hed told a female aide he had wet dreams and sexual fantasies about her. Its now a matter of people, including the Texas governor, shaming him into paying it back. Read Abbotts letter here: Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. The Hague (AFP) - Experts from the global chemical weapons watchdog Wednesday visited a second site in the Syrian town of Douma as they probe an alleged poison gas attack earlier this month, the body said. "Today, the FFM (fact-finding mission) team carried out a visit to a second location in Douma. It also collected samples at this site," the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) said in a statement. It is the team's second visit to Douma after they managed to gain access to the town on Saturday for the first time since deploying to Damascus on April 14. The mission came amid international outrage over images of adults and children appearing to be suffering from the effects of a toxic weapon attack. The gruesome footage from the apparent April 7 attack horrified the world and prompted unprecedented Western strikes on Syrian military installations. Along with the first samples taken at the weekend, all the evidence collected in Douma will be brought back to the OPCW's labs on the outskirts of The Hague. "They will be split and dispatched for analysis by the OPCW designated labs," the body said. The watchdog also confirmed that Russian diplomats are organising a briefing on Thursday in The Hague for OPCW member nations and would "bring some Syrians to speak about the reported Douma incident". The Russian embassy in the Netherlands said in a tweet that the briefing would involve "witnesses from Syria who were at the staged videos of #WhiteHelmets" -- a humanitarian organisation made up of some 3,000 volunteers working in rebel-held areas. On April 7, the Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS) and the White Helmets jointly said dozens of people died in a "poisonous chlorine gas attack" in Douma. The OPCW said it had urged the Russian delegation to allow its experts to interview the witnesses first, and to hold the briefing "once the FFM has completed its work". "Nevertheless, the Russian delegation stated that it would go ahead with the briefing and that its intention was not to interfere with the FFMs work," the OPCW statement added. By Saad Sayeed and Drazen Jorgic ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - A Pakistani court disqualified Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif from parliament on Thursday, striking another blow to the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party ahead of a general election due in a few months. The Islamabad High Court verdict against Asif is one of several judicial setbacks for the PML-N since the Supreme Court removed party founder Nawaz Sharif as prime minister in July. Asif told Geo TV he would challenge the decision in the Supreme Court. It was not clear if he would have to relinquish control of the foreign ministry, since he could remain in charge as an adviser to the prime minister. Asif, a close ally of Sharif, is one of the most high-profile PML-N figures in government and was among names tipped to replace Sharif when the three-time prime minister was disqualified by the Supreme Court over some undeclared income. Sharif and other top PML-N officials have complained that the judiciary is targeting the party ahead of the general election, which is expected in July. Usman Dar, a rival politician from Asif's constituency in the town of Sialkot, near the Indian border, filed a petition against Asif to have him disqualified over the possession of an "iqama", a work permit for the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The court ruled Asif did not fully disclose his status as an employee of a UAE company and therefore was "not qualified" to be in parliament. The court removed him using Article 62 of the constitution, which stipulates parliamentarians must be "honest and righteous" and which was also used to oust Sharif. "We have handed down this judgment with a heavy heart," the Islamabad High Court said in its verdict. "Not only because a seasoned and accomplished political figure stands disqualified but more so because the dreams and aspirations of 342,125 registered voters have suffered a setback," the court added, referring to Sialkot voters. Sharif, speaking shortly after the verdict against Asif was announced, urged party workers to mobilize ahead of the elections no matter what happens in the courts. Sharif and some family members are facing a Supreme Court-ordered trial in an anti-corruption court, which is expected to make a ruling as early as next month. Sharif could face prison if convicted. Sharif denies wrongdoing. "Even if I go to jail, no one should lose heart, he said. (Additional reporting by Asif Shahzad; Writing by Drazen Jorgic; Editing by Robert Birsel and Nick Macfie) GAZA (Reuters) - A Palestinian journalist, shot by Israeli forces while covering a protest along the Gaza-Israel border nearly two weeks ago, died of his wounds on Wednesday, Palestinian health officials said. Ahmed Abu Hussein, 24, worked for Gaza's Al-Shaab radio station and wore a protective vest marked "Press" at the protest on April 13, witnesses said. Photos of Abu Hussein lying wounded in his vest appeared on social media. He was the second journalist killed by Israeli gunfire since the weekly Friday protests, for a right of return of Palestinians refugees and their descendants to homes in what is now Israel, began on March 30. The health officials said a bullet penetrated Abu Hussein's side. He was moved from Gaza to a hospital in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and then transferred to a hospital in Israel, where he died. His death raised to 38 the number of Palestinians killed in the protests near the border. An Israeli military spokeswoman had no immediate comment on Abu Hussein's death. Yaser Murtaja, 30, a cameraman for Palestinian Ain Media, was shot on April 6 and died the next day. After his death, the Israeli military said it does not intentionally target journalists and that it would look into the circumstances of the shooting. The Palestinian journalists' union accused Israel of "deliberately" targeting Abu Hussein and Murtaja, vowing to seek to bring "leaders of the occupation" to justice. Abu Hussein will be buried in Gaza on Thursday. Israels live-fire response to the protests has drawn international criticism. Israel says it has been warning Gazans not to approach the border fence and that it is doing what is necessary to stop the barrier from being damaged or breached. The Palestinians said Israel, which has deployed army sharpshooters along the frontier, used "excessive force against unarmed protesters". Some protesters have hurled stones and rolled burning tyres towards the fence. Gaza is run by the Hamas Islamist movement, designated by Israel and the West as a terrorist group. (Reporting by Nidal Almughrabi; Editing by Jeffrey Heller/Mark Heinrich) Tuesday night, Patton Oswalt joined the family of his late wife, crime writer Michelle McNamara, at a promotional event north of Chicago to promote Ill Be Gone in the Dark, a new book about McNamaras scrupulous hunt for a serial killer who terrorized California in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Hes running out of time, the comedian recalled saying. Hours later, his line read as prophecy. On Wednesday afternoon, Oswalt watched with a breathless online community of true-crime enthusiasts as authorities in Sacramento, California, announced the arrest of a man believed to be the so-called Golden State Killer, who has eluded justice for decades. Joseph James DeAngelo, 72, was jailed without bail nearly two years to the day after McNamara died unexpectedly in her sleep. I think you got him, Michelle, Oswalt wrote on Twitter on Wednesday alongside a news article on the suspects arrest. Comedian Patton Oswalt with his wife, Michelle McNamara, in 2011. McNamara, a crime writer, died before her book about the Golden State Killer was published. (Photo: Jim Spellman via Getty Images) McNamaras book has become a bestseller since its Feb. 27 release. But asked whether it truly helped solve the case, an official at Wednesdays briefing said it had not but that the book kept the case top of mind. Oswalt suspects otherwise, writing on Twitter that his late wifes book did, in fact, play a part. [Michelle McNamara] didnt care about getting any shine on herself, he wrote. She cared about the Golden State Killer being behind bars and the victims getting some relief. It did, but #MichelleMcNamaradidnt care about getting any shine on herself. She cared about the #GoldenStateKiller being behind bars and the victims getting some relief. She was Marge Gunderson in FARGO, not Chilton in SILENCE OF THE LAMBS. https://t.co/krMOWaWh9m Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) April 25, 2018 He added: She was Marge Gunderson in FARGO, not Chilton in SILENCE OF THE LAMBS. Story continues Officials at the news conference credited the arrest to the diligent work of law enforcement, investigators and members of the public who sent in tips. Evidence from a discarded DNA sample provided the evidence needed, they said, without elaborating. They did not say McNamaras name, but Oswalt said he considered every mention of the Golden State Killer a term McNamara coined as a credit to her. Also, the cops will NEVER and HAVE NEVER credited a writer or journalist for helping them solve a case. But every time they said #GoldenStateKiller they credited the work of #MichelleMcNamara and #IllBeGoneInTheDark. Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) April 25, 2018 Throughout the day, the Emmy-winning comedian shared with his fans a number of heartfelt and humorous congratulatory messages directed at his late wife. Oswalt and fans were particularly struck by a final passage in Ill Be Gone in the Dark in which the author addresses the unknown killer in a letter ending, Open the door. Show us your face. Walk into the light. In an odd coincidence, police said Wednesday they apprehended DeAngelo by waiting for him to step outside. Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This #GoldenStateKiller thing is fascinating. It's like #MichelleMcNamara reached out from beyond, grabbed the killer by the collar and said, "Nope. You aren't going anywhere, asshole." Brian Lambert (@stink_dumb) April 25, 2018 But was DeAngelo ever actually on McNamaras list of suspects? Oswalt said her research partners are combing through her notes to find out. The man that McNamara dubbed the Golden State Killer has also been known as the East Area Rapist and the Original Night Stalker by various news outlets. He is thought to have committed about 50 rapes and 12 murders, in addition to more than 100 home burglaries from 1976 to 1986 across California. Related Coverage Patton Oswalt Celebrates 'Bittersweet' Grammy Win After Difficult Year The Book Michelle McNamara Wrote Before She Died Includes 'Letter To The Golden State Killer' Authorities Confirm Arrest Of Ex-Cop In 'Golden State Serial Killer' Case This article originally appeared on HuffPost. It was an exciting day for Patton Oswalt after Sacramento police arrested Joseph James DeAngelo in connection with the infamous Golden State Killer case that dates back to the 1970s. Oswalt's late wife, Michelle McNamara, had been following the case for years and was writing the book, I'll Be Gone in the Dark, when she died in 2016. Oswalt and others helped finish the book, which was published earlier this year and quickly shot to the top spot on the New York Times best-seller list. On Late Night with Seth Meyers, Oswalt read a portion of the Afterword called "A Letter to an Old Man," which was a letter McNamara wrote to the Golden State Killer. McNamara's letter was describing the authorities catching up to the killer, something she hoped would happen real life. On Wednesday, it seems that those words came true. Oswalt read, "One day soon, you'll hear a car pull up to your curb, an engine cut out. You'll hear footsteps coming up your front walk, like they did for Edward Wayne Edwards 29 years after he killed Timothy Hack and Kelly Drew in Sullivan, Wisconsin, like they did for Kenneth Lee Hicks 30 years after he killed Laura Billingsley in Aloha, Oregon. The doorbell rings. No side Gates are left open. Your long past leaping over a fence. Take one of your hyper-gulping breaths, clench your teeth, inch timidly toward the insistent bell. This is how it ends for you. 'You'll be silent forever and I'll be gone in the dark,' you threatened a victim once. Open the door, show us your face, walk into the light." Oswalt then added, "And that's what he did today." McNamara coined the term, Golden State Killer, and many people credit her for renewing interest in the case. But Oswalt made it clear that his late wife didn't want credit, she only wanted justice. He told Meyers, "She always said, 'I don't care about credit. I want to know that he's in jail.' And now he's -- he's caught, the bracelets are on, and it feels like this thing that she wanted so badly is now done." It was a rewarding day for Patton Oswalt after Sacramento police arrested Joseph James DeAngelo in connection with the infamous Golden State Killer case that dates back to the 1970s. Oswalts late wife, Michelle McNamara, had been following the case for years and was writing the book Ill Be Gone in the Dark: One Womans Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer when she died in 2016. Oswalt and others helped finish the book, which was published earlier this year and quickly went to the top of the New York Times bestseller list. Ill Be Gone in the Dark: One Womans Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer on sale at a bookstore in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu) On Late Night with Seth Meyers, Oswalt read a portion of the Afterword, A Letter to an Old Man, which McNamara wrote to the killer. It described the authorities catching up to him, something she hoped would happen in real life. On Wednesday, it seemed that those words had come true. A Letter to an Old Man Oswalt read, One day soon, youll hear a car pull up to your curb, an engine cut out. Youll hear footsteps coming up your front walk, like they did for Edward Wayne Edwards 29 years after he killed Timothy Hack and Kelly Drew in Sullivan, Wisconsin, like they did for Kenneth Lee Hicks 30 years after he killed Laura Billingsley in Aloha, Oregon. The doorbell rings. No side gates are left open. Youre long past leaping over a fence. Take one of your hyper-gulping breaths, clench your teeth, inch timidly toward the insistent bell. This is how it ends for you. Youll be silent forever and Ill be gone in the dark, you threatened a victim once. Open the door, show us your face, walk into the light. Oswalt added, And thats what he did today. Patton Oswalt and Michelle McNamara at the 17th Annual Critics Choice Movie Awards in 2012. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles, File) McNamara coined the term Golden State Killer, and many people credit her for renewing interest in the case. But Oswalt made it clear that his late wife didnt want credit, she only wanted justice. He told Meyers, She always said, I dont care about credit. I want to know that hes in jail. And now hes caught, the bracelets are on, and it feels like this thing that she wanted so badly is now done. Story continues Late Night With Seth Meyers airs weeknights at 12:35 a.m. on NBC. Watch clips and full episodes of Late Night for free on Yahoo View. Check out Seth Meyers talking about his wife giving birth in the lobby of their apartment building: Read more from Yahoo Entertainment: Tell us what you think! Hit us up on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram or leave your comments below. And check out our host, Kylie Mar, on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram. The Delaware wife believed to have travelled to Pennsylvania to shoot dead a woman she thought was having an affair with her husband desperately appealed for marriage counselors to help her relationship, just one month before the murder-suicide. Jennair Gerardot was found to have posted requests for recommendations for counselors onto the Nextdoor website in February and March, describing how she and her husband Mark were on the brink of divorce, reports Delaware Online. As recently as March 14, she asked for an excellent counselor for couples who have experience in infidelity, depression, traumatic experiences, child/parent dynamics, being accountable for actions. Trending: JFK Assassination Conspiracy Theory Debunked by New Gunshot Study She adds: We have gone to someone who I would not recommend at all and who is very damaging to our already volatile circumstances. It is unclear whether the pair ever did attend any counselling sessions. According to the Courier Express, the Gerardots were approaching the end of the six-month separation period required by Delaware state law to file for divorce. jennair-gerardot 11 Jennair Gerardot /LinkedIn The couples marriage troubles culminated in tragic national news, after police discovered the bodies of Jennair Gerardot and Meredith Chapman in the kitchen of a house in Radnor Township, Pennsylvania, on 23 April. Officers say Gerardot broke into Chapmans home after disguising herself with a wig and waited to ambush her that night. After shooting the 33-year-old dead, Gerardot is believed to have turned the gun on herself. Don't miss: Trump Confirms He Stayed Overnight in Moscow During Infamous Miss Universe Pageant, Denies Telling Comey Otherwise Story continues Its cleared as far as were concerned, Radnor Township Police Superintendent William Colarulo said. You had a man whos married whos having an affair with this other woman. His wife knew that. This was a calculated attack, he said. Officers are still investigating some elements of the case, including how long Gerardot had been in Radnor Township. Police have since discovered that she did not travel to Pennsylvania by train, as originally reported, but had rented out a black Cadillac found parked opposite Chapmans home, according to Philly.com. Despite some details still emerging, police believe they have already established the main events which led up to the deaths of the women. "We have given the media ample access and provided a press conference to answer any and all questions," Radnor Superintendent of Police Bill Colarulo said Wednesday. "We are no longer entertaining any inquiries on this matter." meredith chapmansenatede.com Most popular: American Airlines Passenger Finds Dead Rat in Suitcase, Health Inspector Warns of the Plague Chapman had just moved to Radnor Township to start her new job as assistant vice president in nearby Villanova University. Before that, she had spent several years living and working in Delaware, including unsuccessfully running for state Senate in 2016. She was still marriedbut separatedfrom her husband, Newark City Councilman Luke Chapman, when she moved to Radnor Township. Chapmans family issued a statement describing the 33-year-old as a wonderful daughter, sister, and devoted friend, reports Philly.com. We loved her very much, just as she loved all of us, and we are devastated by her death, the statement added. While her marriage to Luke had come to an end, it was gratifying to know that their separation and divorce was amicable, that they remained friends and confidants, and that each of them cared very much for the other. We understand that the circumstances of her death are the focus of news attention today, but we have chosen to refrain from participating in these stories because they do not and cannot capture the essence of her life. She was a vibrant, vital and caring woman of incredible talent, and we ask for the opportunity to mourn her in private, the statement said. This article was first written by Newsweek More from Newsweek Washington (AFP) - Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Thursday the Pentagon has started tackling the problems that led to a deadly attack in Niger that killed four US soldiers. Investigators have completed a comprehensive probe into the October 4 incident, and officials are expected to announce its findings in the coming days. Speaking to the Senate Armed Services Committee, Mattis said several factors contributed to the disaster. "We have found what we believe to be the crux of the problems -- not problem -- but problems that contributed to this," Mattis told lawmakers, saying the final report was 6,300 pages long. "We know immediately how to address (those problems) and we are doing that right now," he added. President Donald Trump last year gave military commanders around the world greater leeway to strike without first seeking approval from Washington, but Mattis said this "delegation of authority" was not an issue in this case. The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that poor training, complacency and a culture of excessive risk were in part to blame for the deaths of the four soldiers. Citing officials familiar with the report, the Journal said low-level commanders had taken liberties when describing the mission so as to get it approved by higher ups. The October attack occurred as a unit of American special forces soldiers together with 30 Nigerien troops returned from the village of Tongo Tongo, near the border with Mali. A day earlier, they had met local officials on what was considered a low-risk mission. But on October 4, they were ordered to look for Adnan Abu Walid Sahrawi, the leader of a group calling itself the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara, according to multiple US reports. The troops were clearly unprepared for the scale of the ambush, which saw them attacked by a group of some 50 jihadist fighters equipped with small arms, grenades and trucks mounted with guns. Video of the attack, captured by a fallen US soldier's helmet camera, shows them wearing only limited body armor, desperately seeking cover behind an unarmored SUV while coming under heavy fire. The United States currently has approximately 6,000 troops stationed across Africa, and Mattis said he did not anticipate that number growing much. "There could be temporary increases as we work with a counterterrorism force in one of the countries that need to be brought up to a higher level of capability," he said. It has been announced that former harness racing industry official Mary Jane Bernier Chester passed away on April 17 at the age of 75. Her life in harness racing began with being a parade marshal at Hinsdale, and ended with being a program director at many racetracks, including Foxboro Raceway and Pompano Park. Trot Insider has not received any additional details in regard to Bernier-Chesters passing, but will update this notice when complete information if it is received. Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the family and friends of Mary Jane Bernier Chester. (With files from Sharon Seanor) Always wanted to meet Melania Trump? Well, if a trip to the White House is out of reach, theres always Madame Tussauds. On Wednesday the famed wax museum recruited none other than former press secretary and Melissa McCarthy muse Sean Spicer to unveil the Give Melania A Voice Experience at its New York City location. The figure will speak, but what she says is up to the public. From now through May 31, Twitter users can share their suggestions with the hashtag #MTMelaniaMoments and the public certainly has some thoughts. Lima (AFP) - Peru's Constitutional Court on Thursday ordered that former president Ollanta Humala and his wife be released from preventative detention and allowed to remain free for his corruption trial, his lawyer said. Cesar Nakazaki said on Twitter the court had accepted a petition by Humala and his wife Nadine Heredia for a habeas corpus, allowing them to remain free while they attend trial. The pair have been in prison since July awaiting trial on charges of money laundering. They allegedly received millions of dollars in illegal campaign donations from Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht ahead of the 2011 election. In February 2017, Jorge Barata, Odebrecht's former Peru chief, told prosecutors he gave Humala $3 million in cash at the request of former Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who was himself jailed for corruption earlier this month. Several months later, Peruvian judge Richard Concepcion Carhuancho ordered that the couple be held in pre-trial detention on grounds there was a "high probability" they would try and evade justice. Humala, who ruled between 2011 and 2016, is one of four former Peruvian heads of state caught up in the vast Odebrecht corruption scandal that has engulfed Latin America -- although he is the only one who had been jailed so far. The other three also implicated in the scandal are Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, Alan Garcia and Alejandro Toledo, who is currently in the United States fighting off Peruvian efforts to have him extradited. Lima (AFP) - Prosecutors in Peru will indict former president Alberto Fujimori and three ex-ministers over the forced sterilization of five women while he was in office, a human rights group says. According to Milton Campos, who represents the Peruvian women's rights group DEMUS, at least 2,164 people have filed suit over enforced sterilizations during Fujimori's rule (1990-2000). "State prosecutor Luis Landa has ordered the start of proceedings against Fujimori and three former health ministers for their overall responsibility in the forced sterilization of Mamerita Mestanza, Celia Ramos and three other women, who suffered serious injuries and then died," Campos, a lawyer for the victims' families, told AFP late Wednesday. "The decision by prosecutor Landa shows that he is convinced there is enough evidence to prosecute former president Fujimori along with ex-ministers Marino Costa, Eduardo Yong and Alejandro Aguinaga, as well as other officials." In Peru, lawyers involved in such cases are notified ahead of time, before such decisions are made public. According to official data, some 300,000 women underwent surgery as part of the program, 18 of whom died during or after the procedures. In December 2016, the victims -- represented by DEMUS -- filed a motion against prosecutor Marcelia Gutierrez's decision to close several of the investigations. Most of those affected by the forced sterilizations were poor, indigenous Quechua-speaking woman from rural areas, DEMUS says. - 'Family planning program' - Victims first filed suit nearly two decades ago but it was only in 2015 that the Peruvian government opened a national register of victims. In 1996, at the start of Fujimori's second term in office, his government began a family planning and reproductive health program that included tubal ligation procedures that were supposed to be voluntary. Fujimori believed this would reduce the birth rate and help economic development. Story continues The issue hit the spotlight again ahead of the 2016 election campaign in which Fujimori's daughter, who was running for office, promised to compensate the victims without admitting the state was to blame. But she lost out to her rival, Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, who has described the sterilizations as "a crime against humanity." Although he promised the state would compensate the victims, that has yet to happen. Now 79, Alberto Fujimori is already behind bars, serving a 25-year sentence for massacres of alleged terrorists in the early 1990s and in February, a Peruvian court also ordered that he stand trial for the 1992 killings of six farmers. Boracay (Philippines) (AFP) - The Philippines shuttered its most famous holiday island Boracay to tourists on Thursday for a six-month clean-up, which the government has imposed with a muscular show of its security forces. Coast guard boats were on patrol and assault rifle-wielding police were posted at entry points to the once-pristine island that has become tainted by heavy commercialisation and overdevelopment. Regional police head Cesar Binag told AFP the shutdown began past midnight, with tourists barred from boarding the ferry that is the main way onto the island. "Boracay is officially closed to tourists. We are not closing establishments but tourists cannot enter. We are implementing the instruction of the president," Binag said. About 600 policemen were deployed, with some performing life-like drills including riot officers battling bottle-hurling protesters and mock hostage taking of sunbathers -- all before startled locals. "My nephews and nieces were afraid," Filipino tourist Tara Calcetas told AFP. "It was scary because there were people swimming yesterday (at the beach) and the police were firing guns as if there was a criminal here." The government conceded on Thursday there was no real threat, with interior ministry assistant secretary Epimaco Densing telling AFP the security presence was "just part of preparing for the worst". President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the shutdown this month after calling the resort a "cesspool", dirtied by tourism-related businesses flushing their raw sewage directly into the ocean. During the closure, only residents with ID cards are allowed to board ferries to Boracay, which is home to around 40,000 people. People on the so-called "party island" held a final bash on the beachfront on the eve of the closure, complete with a fireworks display and cheers of "Bye, Bye Boracay". But on Thursday, residents had the swaying palms, turquoise waters and usually mobbed white-sand beaches mostly to themselves. Story continues "This is what you call an island, a paradise. Boracay looks like its original beautiful self," said restaurant cook John Reymar. The Philippines has pledged to take advantage of the calm to spruce up the 1,000-hectare (2,470-acre) chunk of bruised paradise. There are plans to bulldoze illegal or dilapidated structures, to shore up the island's infrastructure and clean up the mess left by years of unchecked growth. However, plans to help the up to 30,000 people who had been employed by the island's bustling tourist trade were less clear. Though Duterte has promised some $38 million in funds to help workers, they say they haven't seen a cent yet. The workers were drawn by the relatively good wages on the island that has seen the number of visitors roughly quadruple to two million since 2006. Those tourists, a growing number of whom are Chinese and Korean, pumped roughly $1 billion in revenue into the Philippine economy last year. But its growth from a sleepy backpacker hideaway into a mass-tourism hub with fast food outlets on the beach has taken a toll. Unchecked construction has eaten away at the island's natural beauty, while slimy algae-filled waves in some areas and mountains of discarded drink bottles are problems acknowledged even by critics of the shutdown. "I'm all for rehabilitation and preserving it but clearly this is not the way to do it," Philippine politics expert Ashley Acedillo told AFP. He called the closure an "ill-thought through, unplanned and knee-jerk action" that did not take into account the economic impact on the island's workers and business community. Reymar, the restaurant cook, agreed: "But maybe without tourists, what is the use of having a beautiful island?" Manila (AFP) - Manila demanded an explanation Thursday after its ambassador to Kuwait was expelled, shocking Philippine authorities and deepening a diplomatic row over the treatment of domestic workers in the Gulf state. The two nations had been working to resolve differences sparked by the murder of a Philippine maid, whose body was found stuffed in her employer's freezer in Kuwait earlier this year. But relations plunged after the Philippines released videos last week of embassy staff helping Filipino workers flee from allegedly abusive employers, which Kuwait called a violation of its sovereignty. Philippine Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano apologised, but Kuwaiti officials announced Wednesday they were expelling ambassador Renato Villa and recalling their own envoy from Manila. "The department (foreign ministry) served a diplomatic note to the Embassy of Kuwait conveying its strong surprise and great displeasure over the declaration of Ambassador Renato Pedro Villa as persona non grata," the ministry said in a statement. In the note, Cayetano also demanded the Kuwaiti government explain "the continued detention of four Filipinos hired by the Philippine embassy and the issuance of arrest warrants against three diplomatic personnel". Manila has said its embassy hired three of the detained Filipinos for the rescues. Speaking to reporters in Singapore, Cayetano said he disapproved of the release of the videos but defended the action of the embassy staff, citing urgency. "We're still optimistic, we're hoping for the best but also preparing for the worst," he said late Thursday, adding there are around 262,000 Filipinos in Kuwait, nearly 60 percent of them domestic workers. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's spokesman Harry Roque said he hoped bilateral ties would not worsen further. Tensions rose earlier this year following the murder of maid Joanna Demafelis, prompting Duterte to ban Filipina workers from deploying to Kuwait for work. Story continues Duterte had alleged that Arab employers routinely rape their Filipina workers, force them to work 21 hours a day and feed them scraps. Relations appeared to recover after a Kuwaiti court sentenced to death in absentia a Lebanese man and his Syrian wife for Demafelis' killing. Following the verdict, Duterte this month announced plans to visit Kuwait to seal an agreement on workplace safety guarantees for the 252,000 Filipinos working in the Gulf nation. But Cayetano on Thursday expressed doubt about the deal because "the ambassador (of Kuwait)... was suddenly recalled and is not answering our inquiries at this point in time". The proposal sets terms for vacation leaves, food and custody of passports, Duterte's spokesman Roque said. Some 10 million Filipinos work abroad and the money they send home is critical to the Philippine economy. In this article: Meghan Markle may not be an official member of the royal family yet, but her wardrobe is definitely fit for a duchess. Since her engagement to Prince Harry at the end of 2017, the 36-year-old has embraced the hallmarks of royal style, such as fascinators, well-tailored coats and classically feminine silhouettes. (Perhaps shes even taken some style tips from the Duchess of Cambridge. Maybe one day theyll even share clothes.) The former Suits star has also shown us shes not afraid to break convention every once in a while. Remember the sleek pantsuit she wore for her first royal evening outing? On May 19, Markle will marry Prince Harry in what will surely be the wedding event of the year. If her style choices between November and now are any indication, the former actress will fit right in with the Windsors. Take a look for yourself: November 2017 During an official photo session to announce their engagement on Nov. 27 in London. December 2017 At a Terrence Higgins Trust World AIDS Day charity fair at Nottingham Contemporary on Dec. 1, in Nottingham, England. December 2017 At Christmas Day church service at Church of St. Mary Magdalene in King's Lynn, England. January 2018 Visiting Reprezent 107.3 FM on Jan. 9 in London. January 2018 At Cardiff Castle on Jan. 18 in Wales. February 2018 After attending the Endeavour Fund Awards Ceremony at Goldsmiths' Hall on Feb. 1 in London. February 2018 Visiting Social Bite, a cafe that donates all profits to social causes, on Feb. 13 in Edinburgh, Scotland. March 2018 After visiting Millennium Point with Prince Harry on March 8 in Birmingham, England. March 2018 At the 2018 Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey on March 12 in London. March 2018 Visiting the Crown pub on March 23 in Belfast, Nothern Ireland. April 2018 At the U.K. Team Trials for the Invictus Games Sydney 2018 at the University of Bath on April 6 in Bath, England. April 2018 At the Women's Empowerment reception hosted by Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting at the Royal Aeronautical Society on April 19 in London. April 2018 At a reception with delegates from the Commonwealth Youth Forum as part of Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting at the Elizabeth II Conference Centre on April 18 in London. April 2018 At the Invictus Games Reception at Australia House on April 21 in London. April 2018 Attending the queen's 92nd birthday party concert at Royal Albert Hall in London on April 21. April 2018 At the 25th Anniversary Memorial Service to celebrate the life and legacy of teen murder victim Stephen Lawrence at St. Martin-in-the-Fields on April 23 in London. April 2018 At an Anzac Day service at Westminster Abbey on April 25. April 2018 At an Anzac Day dawn service at Hyde Park Corner in London on April 25. Related... Here's How Meghan Markle Gets Her Signature Hairstyle Further Proof Meghan Markle Was Meant To Be In The Royal Family See Meghan Markle In A Wedding Dress Before The Royal Wedding Also on HuffPost August 2006 At the Coach Legacy Photo Exhibit by Reed Krakoff at Coach in East Hampton, New York. October 2006 On "Deal or No Deal." November 2006 At the George Lopez/Great Chefs of LA Event For The National Kidney Foundation at the Ritz-Carlton Marina del Rey in Marina del Rey, California. January 2007 At ABS/Allen Schwartz during Primary Action 2007 Golden Globe Suites in Los Angeles. August 2010 At the Some Kind-a Gorgeous Style and Beauty Lounge at the Chateau Marmont in LA. October 2011 At the Anti-Defamation League Entertainment Industry Awards dinner held at The Beverly Hilton hotel in Beverly Hills, California. January 2012 At the 13th Annual Warner Bros. and InStyle Golden Globe After Party held at The Beverly Hilton hotel in Beverly Hills, California. February 2012 At USA Network's and The Moth's Storytelling Tour "A More Perfect Union: Stories of Prejudice and Power" at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood, California. June 2012 At USA Network and Mr Porter.com Present "A Suits Story" in New York. November 2012 At TV Guide Magazine's 2012 Hot List Party at SkyBar at the Mondrian Los Angeles. January 2013 At The Paley Center for Media's presentation of An Evening With "Suits" in Beverly Hills, California. January 2013 At the Entertainment Weekly Screen Actors Guild Awards pre-party at Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles. May 2013 At USA Network's 2013 Upfront Event at Pier 36 in New York. June 2013 At the 2013 MuchMusic Video Awards at MuchMusic HQ in Toronto. September 2013 At the 2013 Novak Djokovic Benefit Dinner at Capitale in New York. September 2013 At the Tracy Reese show during Spring 2014 Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at The Studio at Lincoln Center in New York. October 2013 At the Gala Tribute to Cate Blanchett during the 51st New York Film Festival at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center. November 2013 At the U.K. Premiere of "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" at Odeon Leicester Square in London. January 2014 At the ELLE Women in Television celebration at Sunset Tower in West Hollywood, California. February 2014 At the Marc Jacobs Daisy Chain Tweet Pop Up Shop Party in New York. February 2014 At Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York. September 2014 At the Peter Som show during MADE Fashion Week Spring 2015 at Milk Studios in New York. October 2014 At the Elton John AIDS Foundation's 13th Annual An Enduring Vision Benefit at Cipriani Wall Street in New York. March 2015 At World MasterCard Fashion Week at David Pecaut Square in Toronto. May 2015 At the 2015 NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment Upfront at the Javits Center in New York. June 2015 At NBC's 2015 New York Summer Press Day at the Four Seasons Hotel New York. November 2015 At the 12th annual CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Awards at Spring Studios in New York. January 2016 At ELLE's 6th Annual Women in Television Dinner at Sunset Tower Hotel in West Hollywood, California. March 2016 At AOL Build Presents "Suits" at AOL Studios in New York. March 2016 Outside the "Today" show in New York. March 2016 Outside the "Today" show in New York. June 2016 At the Luminato Big Bang Bash 2016 held at the Hearn Generating Station in Toronto. July 2016 Entering a "Today" show taping at NBC Rockefeller Center Studios in New York. September 2017 At the opening ceremony of the Invictus Games Toronto 2017 at the Air Canada Centre. September 2017 With Prince Harry at the 2017 Invictus Games in Toronto. Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. By Stephen Nellis and Sonam Rai SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Qualcomm Inc's earnings call on Wednesday showed just how far the company is willing to go to preserve one of its core business practices of taking a cut of the selling price of phones. The San Diego-based chipmaker posted quarterly profit and revenue that topped Wall Street forecasts, suggesting that a slowdown in the global smartphone business might be less severe than feared after a string of weak forecasts from other industry suppliers. But Qualcomm's other line of business - licensing a trove of patents that help make smart phones work - has traditionally driven most of its profits. And that business has dropped sharply over the past year, as revenue attributable to Apple Inc iPhones is withheld amid a legal dispute. Qualcomm gave two indications on Wednesday it was prepared to accept lower revenue in exchange for maintaining the business structure and avoiding future customer disputes. Most Qualcomm licensing revenue is calculated as a percentage of the selling price of a smartphone. That so-called device-level licensing model has been at the center of regulatory disputes in China, Korea and the United States and also in its disputes with Apple. On Wednesday, Qualcomm said it would cap the phone price that is the basis of the revenue calculation at $400. More expensive phones, which can sell for $1,000, would still be treated as $400 for the purpose of the Qualcomm license fee. That move follows a Qualcomm decision in November to license some patents that are required for connecting to so-called 5G networks, the next generation of mobile data networks, at a rate of 3.25 percent. The net effect is that Qualcomm keeps its device-level licensing model and likely accepts less revenue, said Summit Insights Group analyst Kinngai Chan. "It's cheaper for most people," Chan said. "What Qualcomm is trying to do is ... get everyone to sign a licensing agreement with them so they don't have to worry too much." Story continues When Qualcomm executives were asked directly by an analyst on the post-earnings conference call whether the company would receive less revenue from 5G patents, they disputed the notion. "We're not getting paid less for it," said Alex Rogers, Qualcomm's licensing chief. "I think the best way to think about this is building a foundation for long-term stability" for Qualcomm's licensing business. Chan said that a recent deal with Samsung Electronics Co Ltd also appeared to show that the rate was lower. In February, Qualcomm said it had amended a 2009 Samsung agreement with a new licensing rate as part of a deal to settle a regulatory dispute in Korea. Qualcomm cut its licensing forecast by $300 million for the third quarter and Chief Financial Officer George Davis said just under half of the change was due to changes in arrangements with Samsung and other moves. That, said Chan, indicated a cheaper deal for Samsung. Samsung mentioned the late-January cross-licensing deal amendment with Qualcomm in earnings call on Thursday Asian time, but said it could not reveal any monetary figures due to confidential agreement. Samsung said that the effect will be limited to future revenue, and there were no one-off reversals of provisioning (during the first quarter). (Reporting by Stephen Nellis in San Francisco, Sonam Rai in Bengaluru and Ju-min Park in Seoul; editing By Peter Henderson and Darren Schuettler) Jerusalem (AFP) - Romanian Prime Minister Viorica Dancila said Thursday that she favoured moving her country's embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem but she had insufficent backing at home for such a move. "We are conducting consultations on this topic with all institutions in Romania," she said while meeting Israeli President Reuven Rivlin in Jerusalem. "This is our wish, but unfortunately we do not have support from all parties as we would like." Dancila, from the left-wing Social Democrats (PSD), met Wednesday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. A statement from Netanyahu's office said the two "discussed bilateral issues, strengthening cooperation and the holding of joint projects in -- inter alia -- security, health, technology and cyber defence." "Netanyahu expressed appreciation for the Romanian government's approval of a draft decision on initiating the transfer of the Romanian embassy to Jerusalem and welcomed the statements of the president of the parliament in support of the move," it said. The visit comes days after PSD party chief Liviu Dragnea kicked off a political row in Romania by announcing the government's "decision" to move the country's embassy from Tel Aviv to the disputed city of Jerusalem. The move would follow in the footsteps of US President Donald Trump, who took the controversial decision in December of recognising Jerusalem as Israel's capital. However, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, who is from the centre-right and has frequently clashed with the government, protested that he had not been informed and emphasised any such move could only happen after Israel and the Palestinians had agreed the status of Jerusalem among themselves. Caught in the middle of the argument between the two men, Dancila has said her government was trying simply to create a "platform for discussions" on the possible transfer of the embassy. Story continues Romania was the only country in the former communist bloc to maintain relations with Israel after the Six-Day War in 1967. Communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu also maintained close ties to the Palestine Liberation Organisation under Yasser Arafat. Israel occupied east Jerusalem in the Six-Day War and later annexed it in a move never recognised by the international community. It sees the entire city as its capital, while the Palestinians want its eastern sector as the capital of their future state. Officials in the race office at Woodbine Mohawk Park have informed Trot Insider that the draw results for Sundays program at Rideau Carleton Raceway and Mondays card at Woodbine Mohawk Park are now available online. To view the entries, please click on the links which appear below. Rideau Carleton Raceway Woodbine Mohawk Park Although the entries are now online, the officials have told Trot Insider that the phones in the race office are still not working. Technicians are doing what they can to rectify the issue. Please note that staff will be in the race office this evening during Mohawks live card. Driver changes for Rideaus Sunday card are due in the race office by 9 a.m. Friday morning. MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday the United States had no intention to leave Syria despite Washington saying it had such plans, the RIA state news agency said. Lavrov told reporters in Beijing he hoped it would become clearer how to cooperate on settling the Syrian issue after contacts with his counterparts from France. Commenting on foreign ministers from Group of Seven leading industrialized nations who united on Monday to condemn Russia, Lavrov said they had an obvious "Russophobic rationale," RIA added. (This version of the story was refiled to fix paragraph 1 mispunch to "no" instead of "to") (Reporting by Andrey Ostroukh; Editing by Clarence Fernandez) London (AFP) - Ruth Davidson, the gay Scottish Conservative leader, announced on Thursday that she is pregnant with her first child. The charismatic 39-year-old opposition leader, heralded a political pioneer for her progressive stances and seen as her party's saviour in Scotland after a period of decline, expects to give birth towards the end of the year. An outspoken advocate for gay marriage, she and Irish partner Jen Wilson were "delighted" about the news, Davidson said. "Like all new parents-to-be, we are excited -- and daunted -- about the months to come," she added in a statement. "Mostly, we are just overjoyed at the prospect of starting a family together." Davidson, who has been public about her desire to be a mother, found out in March that an IVF procedure had been successful. "We have always dreamed of starting a family and are so pleased to be able to share our happy news," she added Thursday. Davidson, elected the Conservatives' Scotland leader in 2011 when the party held just a single seat there, has since overseen its revival. She picked up 12 more constituencies in last year's snap general election, becoming an influential voice in British politics tipped as a potential future leader of Prime Minister Theresa May's national party. Davidson said her pregnancy would not result in any change "to my political commitment or plans to lead the Scottish Conservatives". "I'm simply doing what thousands of working women do every year: having a child, taking some time off, and then returning to work soon after," Davisdon said. She may draw inspiration from New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, who earlier this month began a European tour while seven months pregnant. Davidson's deputy, Jackson Carlaw, will temporarily take charge of the Scottish party during her maternity leave. Leading the messages of congratulations, Secretary of state for Scotland David Mundell paid tribute to Davidson and Wilson. "They are a great couple and I know they are going to make terrific parents." BELGRADE (Reuters) - Serbia barred Croatia's deputy prime minister and defense minister Damir Krsticevic on Thursday from entering the country until further notice, in a tit-for-tat move following a similar action by Zagreb last weekend. The two ex-Yugoslav republics, foes in the wars of the 1990s, began trading barbs last week when a Croatian delegation cut short a trip to Serbia after a Serbian ultra-nationalist lawmaker and convicted war criminal shouted insults at them and tried to rip up the Croatian flag. On Sunday, Croatia said Serbia's Defense Minister Aleksandar Vulin was not welcome to make a visit to an annual Serb Orthodox memorial service for the victims of a World War Two extermination camp in Jasenovac. EU candidate Serbia said it had decided to bar Krsticevic from entering the country in a reciprocal move. "The Serbian government believes that ... Croatia's moves are contrary to the spirit of neighborly cooperation and respect for basic European values that includes freedom of movement," it said in a statement. On Sunday, Croatia accused Vulin of undermining its sovereignty with a statement in which he said Zagreb had no authority to decide on whether he could visit Croatia or not. After Croatia's move, Vulin said Zagreb's barring of his visit to the memorial service in the village of Mlaka, near the site of the Jasenovac camp, was an attempt by Croatia, an EU member, to silence those speaking about the crimes committed there by the Nazi-backed Independent State of Croatia. (Reporting by Aleksandar Vasovic; Editing by Gareth Jones) BRATISLAVA (Reuters) - Slovak President Andrej Kiska named a leading ruling party figure as the new interior minister on Thursday despite his reservations amid public calls for an independent to guarantee a fair inquiry into the murder of an investigative journalist. Tens of thousands of Slovaks have protested since the killing of Jan Kuciak as he was looking into alleged corrupt links between politicians and businessmen. The protests led to the resignation of Prime Minister Robert Fico and the formation of a new cabinet by the same three-party coalition, with senior Smer member Peter Pellegrini becoming prime minister. Kiska was effectively forced to appoint deputy interior minister Denisa Sakova to the top post after she was nominated by the ruling Smer party under Fico, who remains party chief. Sakova has worked at the ministry for 10 of the past 12 years, most recently as deputy interior minister. "I will try to restore public trust in police that is currently missing," Sakova, who has overseen big IT projects at the interior ministry, told journalists after being sworn in. The mass demonstrations also forced the resignation of Fico's interior minister Robert Kalinak, and he was replaced in the cabinet reshuffle by non-partisan Tomas Drucker, but the latter resigned last week. Kiska, who had refused to appoint another Kalinak co-worker as interior minister in the cabinet shuffle last month, said on Tuesday that Sakova's nomination was a wasted opportunity to restore public trust but that he had no constitutional power to stop it. Smer's nomination of Sakova disappointed protesters, who have called a new rally on Friday to demand an early election. Organizers said they had already collected 80,000 signatures under the petition for early polls. Kuciak, 27, was shot dead along with his fiancee at home in February in what investigators suspect was a professional hit. His last story, published posthumously, investigated links between Italian businessmen in Slovakia, one of whom has since been charged in cases involving drug trafficking in Italy and abuse of EU subsidies in Slovakia, and two Slovaks who later went on to work in Fico's government office. All have denied any wrongdoing. The new interior minister will appoint a police chief to replace Tibor Gaspar, who will step down next month in the face of public pressure. (Reporting by Tatiana Jancarikova; Editing by Mark Heinrich) By Christine Kim and Josh Smith SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korean President Moon Jae-in will meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Friday as the latter crosses a military demarcation line to the South for the first summit between the two sides in more than a decade, South Korea said. South Korean honor guards will then escort the leaders to a welcome ceremony at a plaza in Panmunjom, the border village where the summit is to be held, the South's presidential chief of staff, Im Jong-seok, told a media briefing. Official dialogue between Kim and Moon will begin at 10:30 a.m. (0130 GMT) at the Peace House in Panmunjom, an hour after Kim is scheduled the cross the border at 9:30 a.m. (0030 GMT). After the end of the first session of talks, Kim and Moon will have lunch separately before holding a tree-planting ceremony in the afternoon, Im said. A pine tree will be planted on the demarcation line to symbolize "peace and prosperity", Im said, using soil from Mount Paektu in North Korea and Mount Halla in South Korea. Kim and Moon will water the tree with water brought from the Taedong River in the North and the Han River in the South, Im said. Afterwards, Moon and Kim will take a walk together in Panmunjom before beginning the next round of talks. At the end of talks, Kim and Moon will sign a pact and make an announcement, Im said. Later, they will have dinner on the South's side and watch a video clip themed 'Spring of One' before wrapping up, he added. (Reporting by Christine Kim and Josh Smith; Editing by Clarence Fernandez) By Christine Kim and Josh Smith SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korean President Moon Jae-in will greet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Friday as the latter crosses a military demarcation line to enter the South for the first summit between the two sides in more than a decade, South Korea said. South Korean honour guards will then escort the leaders to a welcome ceremony at a plaza in Panmunjom, the border village where the summit is to be held, the South's presidential chief of staff, Im Jong-seok, told a media briefing. Official dialogue between Kim and Moon will begin at 10:30 a.m. (0130 GMT) at the Peace House in Panmunjom, an hour after Kim is scheduled the cross the border at 9:30 a.m. (0030 GMT). "This summit will focus more on denuclearisation and securing of permanent peace than anything else," Im said on Thursday. "I feel North Korea is sending their key military officials to the summit as they too, believe denuclearisation and peace are important." Kim will be accompanied by nine officials, among them his sister, Kim Yo Jong, who led the North's delegation to the Winter Olympics in South Korea in February and Kim Yong Nam, the North's nominal head of state. In addition, there will be Kim Yong Chol, a former intelligence chief and Choe Hwi, the chairman of a sports panel. The North sent athletes to the Winter Olympics, where the neighbours also fielded a joint women's ice hockey team. Kim Yong Chol was previously chief of the Reconnaissance General Bureau, a North Korean military intelligence agency South Korea has blamed for the deadly 2010 sinking of the Cheonan, a South Korean navy corvette. Also in the delegation are Ri Su Yong, a member of the North's politburo and Ri Myong Su, the chief of the general staff of the Korean People's Army. Ministers on the trip include defence minister Pak Yong Sik, and foreign minister Ri Yong Ho, besides an official spearheading peaceful reunification efforts, Ri Son Gwon. Story continues South Korea's delegation is comprised of seven officials, including the ministers for defence, foreign affairs and unification. After the end of the first session of talks, Kim Jong Un and Moon will have lunch separately before holding a tree-planting ceremony in the afternoon, Im said. A pine tree will be planted on the demarcation line to symbolise "peace and prosperity", Im said, using soil from Mount Paektu in North Korea and Mount Halla in South Korea. Kim and Moon will water the tree with water brought from the Taedong River in the North and the Han River in the South, Im said. Afterwards, Moon and Kim will take a walk together in Panmunjom before beginning the next round of talks. At the end of the talks, Kim and Moon will sign a pact and make an announcement, Im said. Later, they will have dinner on the South's side and watch a video clip themed 'Spring of One', he added. (Reporting by Christine Kim and Josh Smith; Editing by Clarence Fernandez) By Christine Kim and Josh Smith SEOUL (Reuters) - The leaders of the two Koreas made their way to the heavily fortified demilitarized zone between the countries early on Friday, seeking to end their decades-long conflict and ease tensions over the North's nuclear weapons program. South Korea's Moon Jae-in will greet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at the military demarcation line at 9:30 a.m. (0030 GMT), making Kim the first North Korean leader to set foot in the South since the 1950-53 Korean War. The two are expected to talk denuclearization and exchanges between the Koreas and also will plant a memorial tree at the border truce village of Panmunjom as part of the first inter-Korean summit in more than a decade. Friday's summit will set the stage for Kim to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump in late May or early June, in what would be an unprecedented first encounter between sitting leaders of the two countries. Just months ago, Trump and Kim were trading threats and insults as North Korea's rapid advances in pursuit of nuclear-armed missiles capable of hitting the United States raised fears of a fresh conflict on the Korean peninsula. North Korea's official KCNA news agency said Kim had left Pyongyang for the "historical" summit in which he would "open-heartedly discuss with Moon Jae-in all the issues arising in improving inter-Korean relations and achieving peace, prosperity and reunification of the Korean peninsula." Just days before the summit, Kim said North Korea would suspend nuclear and long-range missile tests and dismantle its only known nuclear test site. Moon was also seen leaving the presidential office in a bulletproof sedan. He stopped briefly to greet dozens of summit supporters waving South Korean flags near the Blue House. Hundreds of demonstrators were seen gathering in downtown Seoul from early morning to protest or support the summit. Scepticism has been rampant about whether Kim is ready to abandon the hard-earned nuclear arsenal his country has defended and developed for decades as what it says is a necessary deterrent against U.S. invasion. The two neighbors expect to release a joint statement late on Friday - possibly called the Panmunjom Declaration - that could address denuclearization and peace, and an improvement in relations, South Korean officials said. UNENDING HOSTILITIES Impoverished North Korea and the rich, democratic South are technically still at war because the Korean War ended in a truce, not a peace treaty. The United States stations 28,500 troops in South Korea as a legacy of the Cold War conflict, which pitted the South, the United States and United Nations forces against the communist North, backed by China and Russia. On Thursday, Trump said he was considering three or four dates as well as five locations for his meeting with Kim, although once again he added that it remained unclear whether the meeting will occur. "It could be that I walk out quickly - with respect - but ... it could be that maybe the meeting doesn't even take place," he told Fox News by telephone. "Who knows. But I can tell you right now they want to meet." The White House released two photographs of then Secretary of State-designate and CIA chief Mike Pompeo's meeting with Kim in North Korea over the Easter weekend to discuss the planned summit. It was Kim's first known meeting with a U.S. official. The photos show Kim and Pompeo, who was confirmed as secretary of state on Thursday, shaking hands. In one they faced each other looking serious; in the other they both appeared to wear faint smiles. https://bit.ly/2KfRHN3 The latest summit has particular significance not least because of its venue: the Demilitarized Zone, a 160-mile (260-km) long, 2.5-mile (4-km) wide strip of land created in the 1953 armistice to serve as a buffer between the South and North. For the first time, key moments such as Kim crossing the border into the South, the two leaders shaking hands and walking to the Peace House for their talks, will be broadcast live. PRELUDE TO TRUMP SUMMIT Moon, who took office in May pledging to restore ties with the North and who has tirelessly called for dialogue, helped steer Kim and Trump toward meeting, a major coup for the liberal president. After dozens of missile launches last year, Kim embarked on a diplomatic offensive at the beginning of the year. Kim sent a delegation to the Winter Olympics in South Korea in February before Trump stunned the world by agreeing to meet Kim to discuss "denuclearization" of the Korean peninsula. Now comes the hard part. The history of failed nuclear negotiations with Pyongyang has made many U.S. officials skeptical of Kim's true intentions and suspicious of his recent overtures as more of a bid to win relief from wide-ranging U.N. sanctions and to divide Washington and its allies. There is also concern that North Korea could insist on taking incremental steps in return for simultaneous incentives from Washington, the kind of a phased approach that U.S. officials have rejected. (Reporting by Christine Kim and Josh Smith in SEOUL; Additional reporting by David Brunnstrom and Susan Heavey and Eric Beech in WASHINGTON; Editing by Lincoln Feast and James Dalgleish) By Sonya Dowsett and Inmaculada Sanz MADRID (Reuters) - Thousands of protesters took to the streets across Spain on Thursday after a court cleared five men of the gang rape of a teenager at the 2016 San Fermin bull-running festival in Pamplona. The court in the northern region of Navarra on Thursday convicted the men, who had recorded video of the attack on their mobile phones and laughed about the incident afterwards on a Whatsapp group, with the lesser crime of sexual abuse. The decision drew immediate criticism and outrage. Thousands gathered in cities across Spain from Seville to Barcelona and outside the Justice Ministry in Madrid bearing notices reading "I believe you sister" and chanting "It's not abuse, it's rape". In Madrid, men and women packed central streets chanting "Shame! Shame!" and "'No' means 'No'". In Barcelona, thousands packed into the central square banging pots and pans and jangling their keys in the air. The so-called "Wolf Pack" case had already sparked widespread anger around Spain following concern over increased reports of sex attacks at the annual festival and over the mistreatment of women in general. It has also drawn international attention, coming at a time of heightened global concern over the sexual abuse of women in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal. After a five-month trial held behind closed doors to protect the victim's identity, a judge read out the sentences in the court in the northern region of Navarra. The state prosecutor had asked for prison sentences of more than 20 years for each of the men. Instead they were given nine-year sentences. Under Spanish law, the lesser charge of sexual abuse differs from rape in that it does not involve violence or intimidation. The charge is used in cases of sexual activity between underage partners or those seen not capable of giving permission for sexual contact, such as those who are severely handicapped or under the influence of drugs or drink. Politicians across the political spectrum condemned the ruling. "As a citizen and as a father, I find it hard to understand this sentence," tweeted Albert Rivera, head of market-friendly political party Ciudadanos. "It seems to be saying to victims that if you don't take on five thugs double your size, putting your life at risk, it's not rape," said Pablo Iglesias, leader of left-wing Podemos. STOLEN PHONE The regional government of Navarra, where the San Fermin festival takes place, will appeal the ruling, a regional government spokeswoman said. The five men, including a former policeman and a former soldier, and the victim, who was 18 at the time of the incident, were not present in court. The men, dubbed by Spanish media "The Wolf Pack" after the name of their Whatsapp group, have been held in custody since July 2016. The judge, who did not give the reasoning behind the sentence, also ordered the men to pay the victim 50,000 euros ($60,825) in compensation. The ruling can be appealed in Spain's Supreme Court. The incident took place in the lobby of a building in the early hours of the morning at the San Fermin festival, which brings more than one million people to Pamplona for the nine-day-long festival in July. One of the men stole the woman's mobile phone following the attack, leaving her with no means of contacting the friend with whom she had come to the festival. She was found crying on a bench by a couple who rang the police when she said she had been sexually assaulted. She made a statement to the police, describing the five men who were later arrested. Fragments of video from the men's mobile phones taken at the scene were used as evidence in the trial, alongside witness accounts and biological tests. The defense team argued the incident was a case of consensual group sex. The Running of the Bulls involves hundreds of people dressed in white shirts and red neckerchiefs running down narrow streets in front of fighting bulls before ending in the city's bull-ring, where bullfights take place in the afternoon. The festival is just as famous for the drinking and revelry on the sidelines, with huge street parties, processions and firework displays. The event draws thousands of tourists from all over the world. Thousands of people took to the streets two years ago to protest against sexual assault at the festival and the Pamplona council has mounted a campaign against sexual harassment in recent years, increasing policing and encouraging women to report attacks. (Additional reporting by Raquel Castillo in Madrid and Sam Edwards in Barcelona; Editing by Peter Graff) Benghazi (Libya) (AFP) - Libyan military strongman Khalifa Haftar returned Thursday to the eastern city of Benghazi after a long stay abroad, including for treatment in a Paris hospital, an AFP correspondent reported. The 75-year-old, smiling and dressed in a black suit, greeted generals from his self-styled army after descending from a plane, in his first public appearance for weeks. After walking down the red carpet, Haftar entered the airport lounge where officers, politicians and tribal dignitaries gave speeches of welcome. "I assure you that I am in good health," he told the gathering, thanking them for their support and loyalty. Among them was his chief of staff, General Abdelrazak al-Nadhuri, who survived a car bombing in Libya's second city Benghazi on April 18. Haftar was hospitalised in Paris in mid-April for what his spokesman said at the time was "normal checkups" after he fell ill during a scheduled trip abroad. Conflicting reports on his absence fuelled rumours in the press and on social media in Libya about his health and possible death. Libya has been gripped by chaos since a NATO-backed uprising toppled and killed longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi in 2011, with rival administrations and multiple militias vying for control of the oil-rich country. Haftar supports a parliament based in the east of the country, while a UN-backed unity government in the capital Tripoli has struggled to assert its authority nationwide. Last summer, Hafter announced the "total liberation" of Benghazi, after a three-year campaign to seize the city from jihadists who had made it a stronghold following the revolution. He is accused by his rivals of wanting to establish a new military dictatorship in Libya. Jihadists with the Islamic State group remain active in central and southern Libya despite being forced out of their northern stronghold Sirte in 2016. The student was disciplined in March for wearing this Firearms Policy Coalition shirt. (Photo: Firearms Policy Coalition) Does a school ban on pro-gun T-shirts violate students First Amendment rights? Thats the crux of a federal lawsuit filed on April 24 by an eighth-grader in Reno, Nev., who was punished in two separate incidents for wearing shirts promoting a local gun store and a gun advocacy group. As the local Reno Gazette Journal reports, the dress code at Depoali Middle School and the greater Washoe County School District bans anything that promotes weapons. The student, who has only been identified by the initials G.M., violated the ban on Nov. 20, 2017, and on March 12, according to the lawsuit. Last fall he wore a shirt, which featured a rifle and handgun, advertising the Sparks Black Rifle gun store. In the second incident, his Firearms Policy Coalition T-shirt did not feature gun imagery, but referenced the Second Amendment and the phrase Dont tread on me. A teacher allegedly told him to cover the shirt, and said he could enjoy his Second Amendment rights when he turns 18, according to the lawsuit. But its the First Amendment that could make or break his case. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court by his parents, claims that the school district violated his right to free speech. The shirt did not promote or advocate illegal activity; it contained no violent or offensive imagery; nothing on it was obscene, vulgar, or profane, the lawsuit states. And yet [the student] was prevented from wearing his shirt based on school officials disagreement with the message they believe it conveyed. Story continues Any social studies teacher should know, the First Amendment protects students right to speak on political or social issues including the right to express what school officials may consider unpopular or controversial opinions, the boys attorney, David OMara, added, the Associated Press reports. The nonprofit gun rights organizations Firearms Policy Coalition and Firearms Policy Foundation are both supporting the lawsuit and have published materials to inform students who are pro-gun on how to best assert their rights in the wake of school walkouts. Public schools may not violate the civil rights of pro-gun rights students because they dont like the Second Amendment or people who support the fundamental, individual human right to armed self-defense, Firearms Policy Coalition president Brandon Combs said in a press release. It is beyond outrageous that a friendly, peaceful young man was targeted and punished by the same school district that days later went out of its way to support gun control, he added. The school told the Reno Gazette Journal that it is looking into the allegations. Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle: Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. An employee at Lucky Juju holds a JUUL vape in his hand. The store started stocking the vapes last month, and Purington said that they are flying off the shelves because they are discreet, easy to use, and powerful. (Photo: Getty Images) Its been a big month for the e-cigarette brand JUUL and not necessarily a good one. First there was the robust New York Times piece, detailing rampant teen use of the e-cigarette at schools nationwide. Next, news from the Food and Drug Administration that it was ramping up efforts to stem the tide. Today # FDA is announcing several new actions and efforts to stop youth use of, and access to, JUUL and other e-cigarettes, the FDAs head, Scott Gottlieb, said in a Twitter thread. We mustand willmove quickly to address the surging youth uptake of JUUL and other products. #FDAs actions on youth e-cigarette use include retailer blitz to crack down on illegal sale of JUUL to minors. Were also requiring JUUL Labs to submit important documents to better understand reportedly high rates of youth use/appeal of these products: https://t.co/vlwBMXvLK1 Scott Gottlieb, M.D. (@SGottliebFDA) April 24, 2018 Then on Wednesday came an announcement from the company itself that it will support raising the minimum purchasing age for tobacco to 21, as well as hand over $30 million over the next three years to fund independent research, youth and parent education, and community engagement efforts. Finally, in perhaps the most telling development of all, a letter from the companys CEO on its website. Let me be clear: we do not want teens or any other non-smokers to ever use our product. Im not only a JUUL employee, but more importantly I am a parent of teenagers, the letter from Kevin Burns reads. I never want my 18-year-old-son or 15-year-old daughter to try JUUL. The product was designed with adult smokers in mind and their need to break the grip of cigarette dependency. Whether or not the product was designed strictly for adults, as Burn alleges, remains to be seen. (The company had not responded to Yahoo Lifestyles request for more information at the time of publishing). But the claim is one critics have dismissed in the past. Who over 25 is looking for creme brulee as part of a smoking experience? a child psychiatrist said to the New York Times in February. Story continues But if the companys marketing techniques remain a mystery, their hold over young people does not. In some ways, the story of JUUL is one of a perfect storm. The product, created by the founders of the popular Pax (cannabis) vaporizer, hit the market in 2015, just one year after e-cigarette use surpassed all other forms of tobacco use among teens. When a survey at the time (later published in a 2016 Surgeon Generals report) asked teens why they were trying it, they answered: curiosity and flavor. Enter JUUL, an enticing nicotine alternative thateven todayis in a class all its own. The small device is affordable ($50), discreet, and incredibly potent. At 59 mg/mL of nicotine in each pod, it offers twice the nicotine of many e-cigarettesthe equivalent of a pack of cigarettes in 200 puffs. Add to that flavored cartridges, with names like cool cucumber and creme brulee, and youve got a fan base. The problem is, the things that make JUULing (the term now used for smoking JUULs) dangerous, are the same things that make it attractive. Its small, sleek design resembles a USB flash drive, allowing students to sneak it easily into school. Its powerful dose of nicotine creates only a tiny puff of smoke, making it easy for teens to use everywhere from the school bathroom to their own. For all of these reasonsand probably for others, too young people have been flocking to JUUL for years. But although it may appear like a safe, fun alternative to cigarette smoking, studies have shown that JUUL and other e-cigarettes come with their own risks. A report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine this year found that e-cigaretteswhile safer than cigarettesstill emit dangerous toxins and carcinogens. Another from the journal Pediatrics this April tied e-cigarette use among non-smoking teenagers to later, regular use of cigarettes in the same population. These studies, and the many that have preceded them, raise serious red flags about not only teen use of JUUL, but of other e-cigarettes. But these concerns, according to the New York Times piece this month, dont seem to worry their teen devotees. I like the feeling of it. The lightheadedness. It makes me feel sober and high at the same time, a high school student named Sebastian told the Times. Plus it looks sleek you smoke it, you look kind of bougie. Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle: Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. By Jon Herskovitz AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - Texas on Wednesday executed a man convicted of opening fire at a children's birthday party in 2008, believing a rival gang member was present and fatally shooting a woman and her 5-year-old granddaughter in a spray of bullets. Erick Davila, 31, died by lethal injection at Texas' execution chamber in Huntsville, a prisons official said. It was the ninth execution this year in the United States, and the 550th in Texas since the U.S. Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty in 1976, the most of any state. Texas has put five inmates to death this year. "I might have lost the fight but Im still a soldier. I still love you all. To my supporters and family, yall hold it down," Davila was quoted by prisons officials as saying in his last statement. Prosecutors said Davila was a member of the Bloods street gang and drove by the party in Fort Worth, believing that members of the rival Crips gang were there. Using a semiautomatic rifle with a laser scope, he fired numerous shots into the group while attendees were eating cake and ice cream at the "Hannah Montana"-themed party for a girl, killing Annette Stevenson, 48, and her granddaughter, Queshawn Stevenson, court documents showed. He also wounded three other children and one woman, according to the documents. It took jurors about four hours to convict Davila at his trial in 2009. Texas said he confessed to the killings and told investigators he intended to "have a shoot-'em-up" and kill the father of Queshawn Stevenson, a rival gang member who was not injured in the attack. Davila's lawyers had asked the U.S. Supreme Court to halt the execution, arguing in a last-minute appeal that prosecutors in his trial violated a court decision by hiding evidence favorable to the defense of Davila being high on drugs at the time of the shootings. They also said it was inappropriate for his former trial judge, now the prosecuting attorney, to seek his execution date. The court rejected the appeal without providing details, issuing its decision less than 15 minutes before the planned execution time. (Reporting by Jon Herskovitz; Editing by James Dalgleish and Peter Cooney) MUMBAI (Reuters) - Thirteen children in India were killed on Thursday when a train hit their school van at an unmanned crossing, the second major accident involving school children in a little over two weeks. Police were investigating the cause of the accident in Uttar Pradesh state but authorities said the van driver was responsible for safety at the unmanned crossings. "Railways is not responsible in case of unmanned level crossings," said Ashwani Lohani, chairman of the Indian Railway Board. Yogi Adityanath, the state's chief minister, told reporters at the site that the accident was possibly a result of negligence on the part of the van driver, who he said was wearing headphones at the time. Eight children and the driver were injured and taken to hospital, police said. There were 22 children in the vehicle. Railway Minister Piyush Goyal said an inquiry had been ordered and his ministry would pay 200,000 rupees ($3,000) to the families of those killed. Lohani said that in the long-term, the solution was the replacement of all unmanned crossing in the huge railway network with bridges or tunnels for roads. "We are working on it, but it will take time," he said. On April 9, at least 24 children and three adults were killed when a school bus plunged off a mountain road in the northern state of Himachal Pradesh. (Reporting by Swati Bhat; Additonal reporting by Neha Dasgupta and Malini Menon; Editing by Michael Perry, Robert Birsel) The suspect in the fatal van attack in Toronto wrote a Facebook post highlighting his violent misogynist tendencies prior to running down pedestrians on a walkway on Monday. Alek Minassian, 25, was charged with first degree murder in the deaths of 10 pedestrians after he plowed through a walkway. Most of his victims were women. While authorities have not yet announced a motive, police said Minassian posted a cryptic message on Facebook indicating he was a part of the incel community, or an online group of involuntary celibate men who blame women for rejecting them. In his post, Minassian praised Elliot Rodger, the man who killed six students and wounded 14 in a 2014 attack near the University of California, Santa Barbara. The Incel Rebellion has already begun, Minassian wrote in a since-deleted Facebook post. We will overthrow all the Chads and Stacys! All hail Supreme Gentleman Elliot Rodger! It is not immediately clear if Minassian posted on internet incel forums or what his motive for the attack was. The Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks the community of involuntary celibates as part of its watch on male supremacists, says the group looks at punishing women who reject them sexually or romantically as an act of heroism. Theyre being supposed gentlemen, and feel they should be rewarded for it, says Eric Mankowski, a psychology professor at Portland State University. When they perceive they are not being rewarded, they resort to a violent response to gain back what they think they are entitled to. Heres what to know about the term incel and the community it attracts. What are incels? Incels or involuntary celibates are misogynistic men who, feeling overlooked, invisible and disrespected, blame women for their lack of success in the bedroom, often resorting to violent and dehumanizing language, according to Mankowski. In their world, Chads are men who find success with women, while Stacys are the women who reject incels. Story continues Almost any man raised in contemporary society, where traditional definitions of masculinity still rule, is susceptible to being drawn into online incel communities, Mankowski says. I dont think its a question of a particular rare bad apple, but its really a question of: Why are we socializing boys and men to have ways of being and beliefs that are associated with acts of mass violence? The incel rebellion mentioned by Minassian refers to discussions among incels about an uprising led by beta males to take over feminisms oppressive control, the New York Times reports. How has misogyny driven other instances of mass violence? The attack by Minassian and his salute to Elliot Rodger immediately recalls the Isla Vista killings, in which the 22-year-old Rodger killed six people three men in his apartment and three women outside a sorority house and injured 14 others in May 2014. Rodger carried out his attack through stabbing, shooting and running people down in a vehicle. He was then found dead in his car with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Before carrying out the attack, Rodger uploaded a video to YouTube raging against women from a local sorority who he felt had rejected him, thus leaving him a virgin. Tomorrow is the day of retribution for the last eight years of my life, ever since Ive hit puberty, Ive been forced to endure and existence of loneliness, rejection, and unfulfilled desires I dont know why you girls are not attracted to me, but I will punish you all for it, Rodger said in the video, which YouTube later took down. Rodger, who referred to himself as an incel, detailed the plans for his attack in a lengthy, rambling manifesto, which, along with numerous Facebook posts, a blog and other videos, revealed his hatred for women and anger at seeing other couples interact with each other. The deadly van attack on Monday also recalls a misogyny-fueled massacre in 1989, when the 25-year-old Marc Lepine killed 14 women in a classroom at the Ecole Polytechnique engineering college in Montreal after asking all the men in the room to leave. Lepine shot the women before killing himself, saying in a suicide note that feminists had ruined his life. Other attacks that resulted in mass casualties have also been linked to violence against women. Most mass shootings between 2009 and 2016 had to do with domestic and family cases, according to Everytown for Gun Safety, a gun-violence prevention group. In 54% of incidents where four or more people were killed with a gun, an intimate partner or family member was a victim. And of 46 public mass shootings since 2009, 33% of the shooters had a history of violent behavior toward women, according to a TIME analysis of Everytown data. Mankowski says the general conversation about masculinity and violence needs to shift. When white men are found to be behind mass attacks, the reigning narrative focuses on their mental health problems, substance abuse issues or their romantic entanglements, rather than on the messaging boys and men receive about how to respond to their issues. Women, Mankowski notes, also suffer from mental health problems and romantic rejection and abuse substances, but its almost unheard of that they would commit mass violence, he says. The long-term strategy is examining the implied and taught messages on how to be men they comply with these messages about manhood because theres privilege and status and benefits that you garner if you perform the role as its being taught, he says. Incel is saying, Im doing the role and not getting the benefits, and Im particularly likely to respond with violence. How have self-described incels reacted to the Toronto van attack? Incels gather online in spaces like 4chan, an anonymous message board, after Reddit banned the community. While administrators of websites like incel.me have condemned the attack, many online users have heralded Minassian and condoned violence against women. Incels also valorize Rodgers and have also commended Nikolas Cruz, the suspect charged in the killing of 17 people in a mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in February. The constant torture that society puts us through every single day brews rightful hatred in our minds, reads one message posted on an Incel group on Wednesday. That is what happens when a man is put through so much bullying, ostracization, and persecution throughout his life. President Donald Trump says he was too busy to get first lady Melania Trump a present for her 48th birthday. When asked what he bought his wife to celebrate her April 26 birthday during a Thursday telephone interview on 'Fox and Friends,' the president answered, "Well I better not get into that because I may get in trouble." "Maybe I didnt get her so much. I got her a beautiful card," he continued. "You know Im very busy to be running out looking for a present." Trump also added that he got the first lady "some beautiful flowers," and heaped more praise on her for her "fantastic job" planning this week's state dinner to honor France. The president took to Twitter on Wednesday to sing the first lady's praises, writing, "@FLOTUS did a spectacular job hosting the President of France @EmmanuelMacron and his wife Brigitte. Every detail was done to perfection. The State Dining Room never looked more beautiful, and Washington is abuzz over what an incredible job Melania did." RELATED: Here are Melania's best looks as first lady: Last year on Melania's birthday, Trump raised eyebrows when he took to Twitter to share a special image to celebrate the day. Eagle-eyed Twitter users were quick to notice that the American flag on Trump's e-card only had 39 stars. The flag has had 13 stripes and 50 stars since 1960 but even more bizarre is the fact that the flag has never even had 39 stars. There were 39 states in the U.S. for only a brief moment on Nov. 2, 1889, North Dakota became the 39th state and, hours later, South Dakota became the 40th. Most Twitter users credited the minor error to the tiny size of the graphic. There is something soothing about Emmanuel Macrons state visit to Washington. For three spring days, we are engrossed not in the latest nastinesses surfacing in Donald Trumps Twitter feed but in weightier things. And lighter too. Things of pomp and tradition. Normal things. Maybe thats how its been in Britain this week. What better relief from the endless agony of Brexit and the shame of the Windrush deportations than the arrival of a Royal baby? Even those not normally predisposed to the monarchy can relish in the hospital-steps joy just for a minute. No babies here. Not even a baby elephant, which is what the then president of Sri Lanka gave Ronald Reagan when he passed through town in 1984. Thanks to the Washington Post for its comprehensive list of presents past. My favourites: a stuffed lion ceremoniously presented by Tanzanias head of state to George W. Bush and crocodile insurance for Barack Obama from Australia. Who told them crocs lurk in the street plumbing under Pennsylvania Avenue? Some reporter did attempt to disrupt the carefully choreographed Franco-American comity as the two leaders briefly welcomed the press to the East Room of the White House by daring to ask about Michael Cohen, Trumps personal lawyer who may or may not flip against him after having his office and home raided by the FBI. Trump wasnt playing. Stupid question, he said. No Cohen today, thank you. (And lets ignore until tomorrow the drinking-on-the-job rumours about Trumps personal doctor whom hes nominated to run the sprawling Veterans Affairs department.) We like state-visit rituals much better. They might almost have placed the state dinner menu an on easel in front of the White House. (Only the Brits do that sort of thing.) Et voila: Spring lamb, creme fraiche ice cream and wine from French vines planted in Oregon. And now we have a new entry into the lexicon of diplomatic watersheds. Nixon invented ping-pong diplomacy to woo China; Trump used dandruff detente to soften the hearts of France. Or may be not. Did you see that in full Gallic gush he flicks a fleck from Macrons left shoulder? We do have a very special relationship, in fact Ill get that little piece of dandruff off we have to make him perfect, he is perfect. Naughty Don. He owned little Macron in that moment. Story continues I did say weightier and the heavy-lifting was for Emmanuel. As the pair went behind closed doors for the business part of the visit, we hoped he proved more master than poodle. Trump has gone off the reservation in several areas and Macron had been drafted by European leaders as the only one among them sufficiently attuned to his whims possibly to bend his mind. The Iran nuclear deal above else. We are closing in on 12 May, the deadline for Trump deciding once more either to renew waivers on sanctions against Iran and thus keep the agreement alive or refuse to do so and kill it, instantly plunging the international community into fresh turmoil. The European argument remains that while the deal isnt perfect its better than no deal at all. Having great meetings and discussions with my friend, President @EmmanuelMacron of France. We are in the midst of meetings on Iran, Syria and Trade. We will be holding a joint press conference shortly, here at the @WhiteHouse. pic.twitter.com/ju1FXhgjaD Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 24, 2018 Macron emerged later expressing a willingness to help work on a "new deal" with Iran. We will see what that means but in the meantime Trump will surely keep the world on edge until the last moment as to his final intentions. Certainly, some of his pronouncements alnogside Macron didn't sound encouraging. He called the agreement terrible, insane and ridiculous. And he had a tough response to Irans suggestion that it would resume its activities if the deal collapses. If they restart their nuclear programme, they will have bigger problems than they have ever had before, Trump said. Trump seems unimpressed by the argument that he will lose leverage with North Korea if he vapourises the nuclear deal already struck with Iran. He is set to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, in hopes of striking the outlines of a denuclearisation deal with him, within weeks of decision-day on Iran. The bigger argument from Europe is this: things are so febrile in the Middle East already, why add new uncertainty by giving Iran license to unleash itself again? On Iran, we must contextualize this subject within the challenges of the region, Macron said in the East Room. There is the situation in Syria, there is security in the entire region and I think, in any case, we share a common goal of avoiding an escalation and proliferation of nuclear weapons in the region. So the question is what is the best path. Macron had much besides to tackle, from the viability of the Paris Agreement on climate change so long as the US continues to shun it to concern about Trumps temptation to withdraw his troops from Syria and European alarm at the 25 per cent trade tariffs placed by the United States on steel imports. All are issues that German Chancellor Angela Merkel will follow up with Trump in Washington at the end of this week though issue number one will be Iran again. State visits like this one are always a blend of pomp and portent. From frivolous to formal, ritual to wrangle. It will be that again when Macron addresses a joint session of the US Congress on Wednesday. He will note it is the anniversary to the day of Charles de Gaulle practising his oratory on Capitol Hill in 1960. Then he will return to the job of reminding the United States why it must do better in so many ways. And even when the subjects are serious we will continue to enjoy it all, because his visit has given everyone in Washington the illusion, at least, of normality. By Roberta Rampton and David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump and two top aides talked about trade issues with Apple Inc chief Tim Cook on Wednesday as the White House prepares to try to avert a trade war with China, a manufacturing hub for the iPhone maker. Cook, who has urged calm during the recent flare in U.S. trade tensions with China, held private talks with Trump in the Oval Office. He also spoke with the president's top economic adviser Larry Kudlow and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer. Trump is preparing to send a delegation to China to try to head off a trade war that stands to harm Apple, the world's largest technology company, and other hardware makers that build products in China. Trump has threatened a new round of $100 billion (71.74 billion) in tariffs on Chinese products that could target cellphones, computers and other consumer goods. China retaliated against an initial round of $50 billion in tariffs. The meeting, which the White House said had been in the works for a couple of weeks, came the day after Cook sat at Trump's head table at his first state dinner, held in honour of French President Emmanuel Macron. A White House official described the meeting as "good" but neither the White House nor Apple provided details of the discussions. Trump said earlier on Wednesday that he was looking forward to seeing Cook. "We will be talking about many things, including how the U.S. has been treated unfairly for many years, by many countries, on trade," he said on Twitter. Cook also had strong relations with Trump's predecessor in the White House, Democratic President Barack Obama. He sat at the head table for Obama's 2015 state dinner honouring Chinese President Xi Jinping. Cook has been to China at least three times since October, including paying a visit to Xi. 'GOOD GUY' Cook has become one of Trump's favourite CEOs to name-check in speeches. This was a surprising turn after a rocky start to their relationship. During his election campaign, Trump urged supporters to boycott Apple and criticized the company for making its products in China. Story continues As president, Trump has called Cook a good guy and mentioned him by name at least 10 times during public remarks, including during his speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos in January and during several high-profile interviews. The president frequently uses Cook and Apple as an example of how he says his tax cut package is creating jobs because it spurred the company to repatriate earnings it had held overseas. Trump has frequently said he would not consider his presidency successful unless Apple builds manufacturing plants in the United States. Apple has a market capitalisation of $835 billion and 123,000 employees, 84,000 of whom are in the United States. The company said in January it plans to spend $30 billion in capital expenditures in the United States over the next five years, $10 billion of that on data centres. Apple said its spending will create 20,000 new jobs through hiring at existing campuses in Cupertino and Austin as well as at a planned new campus. Cook has also developed ties with Trump's daughter Ivanka and son-in-law Jared Kushner, both senior advisers at the White House who work on tech training and government IT modernization issues. His praise for Cook aside, Trump, a Republican, has had a sometimes tense relationship with the U.S. technology industry, based in Democratic strongholds such as California's Silicon Valley and in Seattle. He has clashed with the tech sector on issues including trade, immigration and the environment. Cook has publicly objected to Trump's decision to end a program protecting from deportation young immigrants who were brought illegally to the United States as children. He was also among business leaders who criticized Trump after the president cast equal blame on white nationalists and anti-racism activists for violence last year in Charlottesville, Virginia. (Reporting by David Shepardson, Roberta Rampton, Jeff Mason and Susan Heavey in Washington and Stephen Nellis in San Francisco; Editing by David Gregorio, Jeffrey Benkoe and Frances Kerry) President Donald Trump admitted to staying overnight in Moscow during a 2013 visit, the week after a book and memos by former FBI chief James Comey said he previously denied doing so. I never said I left immediately, the president told Fox & Friends on Thursday. I went to Russia for a day or so, for a day or two, because I owned the Miss Universe pageant, so I went there to watch it because it was near Moscow. Trump visited Moscow in 2013 for the Miss Universe pageant, which he owned at the time. The trip became the subject of allegations in a controversial dossier compiled by Christopher Steele, a former British spy, which the FBI reviewed. The dossier contains unverified allegations about an apparent episode involving Trump and prostitutes in a Ritz-Carlton hotel room. Russian surveillance might have recorded the alleged episode, according to the dossier. Trending: When Will Chernobyl Be Livable? Facts on the Anniversary of the Soviet Nuclear Disaster Related: Trump Once Spoke with Newsweek in Moscow In his new book A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies and Leadership, former FBI Director James Comey writes that he and Trump discussed the dossier allegations, and that on at least two occasions, Trump told him he hadnt stayed overnight in the city during that trip. Comey said the same thing about those conversations in memos he wrote following meetings with Trump. The Department of Justice released those memos to Congress last week. News outlets published the memos following their release to lawmakers. During a private dinner between Trump and Comey, the president said he had spoken to people who had been onthe trip with him and they had reminded him that he didnt stay overnight in Russia for that, Comey writes in the book. Later, in the Oval Office, Trump apparently said that he hadnt stayed overnight in Russia during the Miss Universe trip, according to the book. Don't miss: What Is Pansexuality? Janelle Monae Told Us About Her Sexuality in 2010, but No One Noticed Story continues 04_26_Trump_overnight_Moscow LUDOVIC MARIN/AFP/Getty Since Comeys book came out last week, information had surfaced contradicting Trumps apparent comments to the former FBI chief, including flight records obtained by Politico, congressional testimony by Trumps bodyguard, photographs and social media posts, Politico reported Monday. The host of that years Miss Universe event, Thomas Ryan, also said Trump was in Moscow for at least one full night and at least part of an additional night, The Daily Beast reported Tuesday. So I go there to Russia. Now I didnt go thereeverybody knows, the logs are there, the planes are there, and he said I didnt stay there at night," Trump said on television Thursday. "Of course I stayed there. I stayed there a very short period of time, but of course I stayed. Well his memos said, I left immediatelyI never said that. Since the April 17 release of his book, Comey has embarked on a book tour and made numerous media appearances. The book sold 600,000 copies in its first week, his publisher, Flatiron Books, told news outlets. This article was first written by Newsweek More from Newsweek Viewers of Fox News Fox and Friends got a real treat this morning when President Trump called in for an exclusive interview. Trump rambled on for roughly 30 minutes, making several noteworthy remarks about his 2013 trip to Moscow, his controversial relationship with rapper Kanye West, and his feelings about the Justice Department. But the internet latched on to the presidents shocking confession concerning his former attorney Michael Cohen and the former adult-film actress Stormy Daniels. After Cohen confessed to paying Daniels $130,000 in hush money during the presidential election, Trump denied having any knowledge of the exchange. During the interview, however, he changed his tune. Michael would represent me, and represent me on some things, Trump told the morning show. He represents me, like with this crazy Stormy Daniels deal, he represented me. And you know, from what I see, he did absolutely nothing wrong. President Trump says Michael Cohen only handed a "tiny, tiny little fraction," of his legal deals. "He represents me like with this crazy Stormy Daniels deal, and .. from what I see, he did absolutely nothing wrong." pic.twitter.com/BRAqc0Aszo MSNBC (@MSNBC) April 26, 2018 The internet went crazy with Trumps admission, seemingly confessing he did know about the payment, for which Cohen is currently under investigation. Even Danielss attorney, Michael Avenatti, couldnt believe the development; he tweeted a thank-you to the Fox and Friends. Thank you @foxandfriends for having Mr. Trump on this morning to discuss Michael Cohen and our case. Very informative. Michael Avenatti (@MichaelAvenatti) April 26, 2018 The reactions that followed were a mix of shock and mockery. Story continues Wait wait wait. Trump just admitted on Fox and Friends that Michael Cohen represented him in the Stormy Daniels affair? pic.twitter.com/09EQymPTfz Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) April 26, 2018 Trump is so guilty he can't even make it through a Fox and Friends interview anymore. This is Apple Maps bad. Tea Pain (@TeaPainUSA) April 26, 2018 let's be fair, who among us hasn't called in to Fox & Friends and dug ourselves deeper into the legal hole we were already in Jeff Tiedrich (@jefftiedrich) April 26, 2018 That Trump managed to utterly destroy Cohen's argument that he was a major client AND completely undermine his own argument that he knew nothing about the Stormy Daniels's agreement in two sentences is damn impressive. Pe Resists (@4everNeverTrump) April 26, 2018 You know you're under investigation, right? Start listening to your lawyers and stop talking. Susan E. Kamman law (@SKamman_FamLaw) April 26, 2018 The White House has not issued a statement on Trumps long-winded interview. Watch: Jennifer Lopez strips to a thong for the Time 100 Gala Read more from Yahoo Entertainment: (Reuters) - President Donald Trump's lawyer Michael Cohen said on Wednesday he would assert his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination in connection with a lawsuit filed by adult-film star Stormy Daniels, who says she had an affair with Trump. In a filing in Los Angeles federal court, Cohen said he decided to invoke his constitutional right after the FBI raided his home, office and hotel room two weeks ago. The FBI search was partly a referral by the Office of Special Counsel, Robert Mueller, who is investigating alleged Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and possible collusion with the Trump campaign. Russia denies meddling in the election and Trump has denied any collusion. Last month, Daniels sued Trump and Cohen to end a non-disclosure agreement related to a $130,000 payment she received from Cohen before the 2016 election to keep quiet about her alleged one-night stand with Trump a decade earlier. Cohen has asked for the Daniels' case to be put on hold for 90 days. At a hearing last week, U.S. District Judge James Otero said he needed more time to review the request for a stay, but he told Cohen's attorney "there's some gaping holes" in the request. Lawyers for Trump and Cohen have said Daniels civil lawsuit overlaps the criminal probe of Cohens business affairs, and that letting her case proceed could both impair Cohens constitutional right against self-incrimination and make it harder for Trump to defend himself. (Reporting by Eric Beech in Washington; Editing by Dan Grebler and Peter Cooney) WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump may meet with South Korea's president before his summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to seek a denuclearisation deal, a White House official said on Wednesday. South Korean President Moon Jae-in is due to meet with Kim on Friday, and Trump has said he could have talks with the North Korean leader in late May or June. White House national security adviser John Bolton spoke with his South Korean counterpart, Chung Eui-yong, on Wednesday and they discussed "looking into a meeting between the two presidents that would take place before the United States-North Korea summit," the official said. The United States is pressing North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons and says it will keep up a policy of "maximum pressure" on Pyongyang through sanctions to achieve that goal. Moon said last week that North Korea had expressed a commitment to "complete denuclearisation" of the Korean peninsula, and Pyongyang said on Saturday it would immediately suspend nuclear and missile tests. (Reporting by Steve Holland; Writing by Eric Beech; Editing by Peter Cooney) Sydney (AFP) - Veteran Asia-hand Admiral Harry Harris is to be the new US ambassador to South Korea, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has confirmed, filling a post that has been vacant for 15 months. Harris, the commander of the US Pacific Command, who is known for his hawkish positions on China, had been due to become Washington's man in Canberra, until a late switch. The move comes with the Korean peninsula in sharp diplomatic focus, with the leaders of North and South due to hold a summit on Friday, and US President Donald Trump expected to meet Kim Jong Un in the next few months. Turnbull said he had been informed of the change of plans early this week, just as Harris was set to begin confirmation hearings in Washington. "I'm disappointed that Harry's not coming because he is a really good friend and I think Harry will be disappointed that he is not coming to Canberra too because he loves Australia," Turnbull said late Wednesday during a visit to France. But Harris "is a guy of enormous experience and ability and given the situation on the Korean peninsula, given the tensions there, I can well understand why the president has decided that the admiral's expertise and experience is going to be put to better use in Korea than in Australia." The ambassador's job in Canberra has been vacant for nearly a year-and-a-half but Turnbull was quick to play down any notion that the last-minute switch sending Harris to Seoul represented a snub to one of Washington's closest allies. "You know the relationship between Australia and the United States... is so deep, it's so intense it operates at so many levels," he said. The US charge d'affaires, Jim Carouso, said he shared Turnbull's disappointment that Harris would not be taking charge of the embassy, but acknowledged his skills were needed in Seoul as Trump prepares for an unprecedented meeting with North Korea's Kim. "I would have been honored to work with him," Carouso said of Harris on Sky News Thursday. "We need our best person immediately available to go (to South Korea) and handle what's going to be a difficult negotiation," he said. President Donald Trump boasted on air Thursday about his handling of a nuclear crisis with North Korea, saying it may have ended in catastrophe had a leader of less caliber been in the White House. Trump made the remarks while calling in live to Fox News's Fox & Friends, a show that the president often cites on Twitter. He discussed his upcoming summit with North Korean supreme leader Kim Jong Un, whose recent diplomatic overtures toward rival U.S.-backed South Korea and Washington came after a tense feud with Trump. Trump shared one of his favorite nicknames for Kim and recalled when the two spoke of their nuclear launch buttons at the beginning of the year. The exchange, in which Trump claimed his button was "bigger and more powerful," raised international concerns that have since been replaced by a cautious hope for peace. Trending: Caylee Anthony: 10 Years After Disappearance, Investigators Still Seek Answers "Look, it was very, very nasty, you know, with Little Rocket Man and with the buttons and you know my buttons bigger thaneverybody said this guys going to get us into nuclear war! Let me tell you. The nuclear war wouldve happened if you had weak people," Trump said via telephone. "We had weak people. This should have been settled long before I came into office. This is a much different ball game than if they did it five or 10 or even 20 years ago, this is a much more dangerous ball game now, but I will tell you it's going very well now." GettyImages-929484910 JUNG YEON-JE/AFP/Getty Images Trump has often criticized his predecessors' handling of foreign relations, including North Korea. In the decades following a violent three-year war with South Korea and a U.S.-led coalition in the 1950s, communist-backed North Korea began to develop nuclear weapons as a means to deter any foreign invasion. A number of U.S. administrations attempted to resolve the issue, but they ultimately failed to make any significant breakthrough with any of the three generations of the ruling Kim dynasty. Story continues Don't miss: Remember When Obama Called Kanye West a 'Jacka**' For Ruining Taylor Swift's VMAs Moment? When Trump came to office in early 2017, he quickly took a hardline stance, sending extra military assets to the Pacific. Kim went on to launch his country's first intercontinental ballistic missiles and conduct its sixth and by far most powerful nuclear weapons test. In the same New Year's speech in which Kim first brought up the nuclear button on his desk, he also reached out for peace and, since then, the two have engaged in a gradual, but promising dialogue. Kim was set to meet South Korean President Moon Jae-in Friday during a summit at the world's most heavily fortified border that separates the two Koreas. Related: Will Trump and North Korea's Kim Jong Un Make Peace? History Says No, Photos Say Maybe Following this, an even more highly anticipated meeting was set to take place. In March, Trump agreed to become the first sitting U.S. president to meet a North Korean supreme leader, initially saying he would do so by May and later suggesting it could happen sometime in early June. During his call-in to Fox & Friends on Thursday, he said there were three or four potential dates for the unprecedented talks, but also suggested they could possibly not happen at all. Most popular: The Expanse Season 3: Errinwright Shows His Hand in Assured Destruction "It could be that I walk out quickly, with respect, but it could be. It could be that maybe the meeting doesn't even take place. Who knows?" he said during the program. RTX5XZBO 2018 Inter-Korean Summit Preparation Committee/Reuters Trump told reporters last week that he would walk away from the meeting if it did not appear to be "fruitful." However, as of Tuesday, the Republican leader regarded Kim as "very open" and "very honorable," especially after the supreme leader announced Friday he would freeze tests of nuclear weapons and long-range missiles, as well as close down his only known nuclear testing site. The Trump administration has hailed its "maximum pressure" campaign of intense economic sanctions and military pressure against Pyongyang. Nevertheless, China and Russia demand that Washington respond to Kim's suspension of tests by halting U.S. military drills. North Korea has always argued its nuclear weapons are meant for defensive purposes and that it seeks global denuclearization, but only in exchange for the U.S. ending its "hostile policy" toward Kim's administration, a term that remains open to interpretation. This article was first written by Newsweek More from Newsweek Getty Donald Trump says he has decided not to be involved in the ongoing Justice Department Russia probe, but may change my mind. In an interview on Fox News in which he made a series of comments on wide-ranging topics, he attacked former FBI Director James Comey and said the -hands-off approach he had taken in regard to the Department of Justice given the ongoing probe of possible collusion between his election campaign and Moscow could change. Because of the fact that they have this witch hunt going on with people in the Justice Department that shouldnt be there, they have a witch hunt against the president of the United States going on, Ive taken the position and I dont have to take this position and maybe Ill change that I will not be involved with the Justice Department, he said, speaking on the show Fox and Friends. Phoning into the conservative networks morning show that he is known to be a regular viewer of, Mr Trump claimed that nobody had been tougher on Russia on me you can ask Putin about that. He added: Nobody has been tougher. There was no collusion.What Comey did was terrible, he leaked classified material. He leaked memos about me and they were phoney. Look, Comey is a leaker and a liar, but not only on this stuff. Mr Trump fired Mr Comey on May 9 last year, as he grew increasingly agitated about the direction being taken by the FBIs investigation into Russians alleged meddling in the 2016 election and possible collusion between Mr Trumps campaign and Moscow. Yet the decision to fire Mr Comey, whom he dismissed as a showboat, put in motion a series of events, including the decision by Attorney General Jeff Sessions to recuse himself from the matter, and the appointment of Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller. The investigation by Mr Mueller, himself a former FBI Director, has so far resulted in indictments being filed against four former members of the Trump campaign, including his one-time campaign manager Paul Manafort. Mr Mueller has also charged a Dutch lawyer and more than a dozen Russian individuals and companies. Mr Manafort has pleaded not guilty to more than a dozen charges. Story continues I will be interviewed on @foxandfriends at 8:00 A.M. Enjoy! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 26, 2018 Previously, Mr Trump had said he was prepared to speak to Mr Mueller, something his lawyers do not want him to do, because he believed such a move would help him. Last month, while appearing before the media for a ceremony at the White House in which he signed a memorandum directing the US Trade Representative to impose an estimated $50bn in tariffs on China, he was asked if he would like to testify, he replied: Yes. I would like to. In January he was asked by reporters if would testify under oath. He said: Im looking forward to it, actually. Mr Trumps comments came as the Senate Judiciary Committee is poised to vote on a bill to protect Mr Muellers job. There has been widespread speculation that Mr Trump has long wanted to fire him and has at several occasions been on the brink of doing so. Two Republicans and two Democrats introduced the bill earlier this month. The Associated Press said measure under consideration would give any special counsel a 10-day window to seek expedited judicial review of his or her firing and would put into law existing Justice Department regulations that a special counsel must be fired for good cause. A handful of Republicans have supported it, but most have opposed it, arguing that it is unconstitutional or unnecessary. The president seems to have a lot he wanted to get off his chest. And he did exactly that Thursday morning on Fox & Friends. President Trump called in to his favorite morning show for a wide-ranging interview during which the animated and at times angry commander in chief weighed in on several scandals swirling around his administration. Chief among them: special counsel Robert Muellers ongoing investigation into the Trump campaigns contacts with Russia. The president chastised the Justice Department for greenlighting the Russia probe into his campaigns alleged ties with Russia rather than pursuing a separate investigation into former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe. Our Justice Department which I try and stay away from, but at some point I wont our Justice Department should be looking at that kind of stuff, not the nonsense of collusion with Russia, Trump said. There is no collusion with me with Russia, and everyone knows it. Other topics covered by Trump during the 30-minute discussion: Michael Cohen and Stormy Daniels The president lamented the FBIs raid on his personal lawyers office and hotel. Asked about the extent to which Cohen handles his legal affairs, Trump characterized his involvement as a tiny, tiny little fraction. But there was a notable exception. He represents me, like, with this crazy Stormy Daniels deal, Trump said, marking the first time he had ever spoken the porn actresss name publicly. The disclosure also raised further questions about his earlier assertion that he had no knowledge that Cohen paid Daniels $130,000 in hush money during the 2016 presidential campaign. Danielss lawyer, Michael Avenatti, took note of the presidents appearance, tweeting, Thank you @foxandfriends for having Mr. Trump on this morning to discuss Michael Cohen and our case. Very informative. Dr. Ronny Jackson The president reacted to the decision by the embattled nominee for Veterans Affairs administrator to withdraw his name from consideration by blaming Democrats. The Democrats are obstructionists, Trump said. Its horrible what theyre doing. Jackson formally withdrew his name minutes before the interview started. Story continues On the Republican side, Trump said, are absolute warriors, including Reps. Jim Jordan and Mark Meadows and even Diamond and Silk. Theyve become amazing, the president said. These are all warriors. Photo illustration: Yahoo News; photos: AP (5), W.A. Thomson/AP, Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call/Getty Images, Chris Kleponis-Pool/Getty Images Trump directed his ire at Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., who said earlier this week that Jackson became known as the candy man inside the White House for handing out prescription drugs like they were candy. These are all false accusations, Trump said. Theyre trying to destroy a man. For Jon Tester to start [to] bring up stuff like candy man, and then say, Well, these are just statements that are made. Theres no proof of this. And [Jackson] has just a perfect record. Unblemished. His son is a wonderful boy, goes to Annapolis, at the top of his class. One of the finest cadets. For him to be doing this to this man and his family I think Jon Tester has to have a big price to pay in Montana. Trump said he has already circled a new candidate for nominee someone with the political experience Jackson lacked. James Comey Trump saved his strongest ire for former FBI Director James Comey, whom he called a liar and a leaker before launching into a rambling broadside about Comeys contemporaneous memos on his conversations with the president. He leaked classified information to get a special counsel and leaked the memos which are classified the memos were about me, and he didnt write those memos accurately. He wrote a lot of phony stuff, Trump said as the Fox & Friends hosts looked on in silence. For instance, I went to Russia for a day or so, a day or two, because I own the Miss Universe pageant, so I went there to watch it because it was near Moscow. So I go to Russia; now, I didnt go there everybody knows the logs are there, the planes are there. He said I didnt stay there a night. Of course I stayed there. I stayed there a very short period of time, but of course I stayed there. Well, his memo said I left immediately; I never said that. I never said I left immediately. Trump also said about Comey: I did a great thing for the American people by firing him. Kanye West, Chance the Rapper and Abraham Lincoln Trump was asked about the rappers unsolicited praise of him on Twitter. I have known Kanye a little bit. And I get along with Kanye, the president said. Kanye looks and he sees black unemployment at the lowest its been in the history of our country. He sees Hispanic unemployment at the lowest its been in the history of our country. He sees, by the way, female unemployment women the lowest its been now in almost 19 years. He sees that stuff, and hes smart and he says, You know what? Trump is doing a much better job than the Democrats did. Trump was also asked about Chance the Rappers assertion that black people dont have to be Democrats. People dont realize, you know, if you go back to the Civil War, it was the Republicans that really did the thing, Trump said. Lincoln was a Republican. I mean, somehow it changed over the years. And I will say I believe its changing back. Melania Trump Trump began the interview by wishing the first lady who turned 48 on Thursday a happy birthday. When asked what he got her for her birthday, the president dodged the question. Well, I better not get into that because I might get in trouble. Maybe I didnt get her so much, Trump said before adding: I got her a beautiful card. David Knowles contributed reporting to this story Read more from Yahoo News: By Roberta Rampton and Steve Holland WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump's physician Ronny Jackson, nominated to head the Veterans Affairs Department, met with White House officials on Wednesday night following a new round of allegations about questionable drug prescriptions and on-the-job drunkenness, a source familiar with the situation told Reuters. Jackson was weighing whether to proceed with congressional hearings or withdraw from consideration to lead the federal government's second-largest agency, the source said. The controversy over his nomination is the latest in a long series of chaotic personnel issues for Trump's White House. The meeting came after Democratic staff on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee compiled a two-page document describing allegations made by 23 unnamed colleagues and former colleagues, most of whom are still in the military. The document, reviewed by Reuters, accuses Jackson, a rear admiral in the Navy, of prescribing himself medications, getting drunk at a Secret Service party and wrecking a government vehicle. The document also said Jackson once could not be reached on a work trip to provide medical treatment because he was passed out drunk in a hotel room. Jackson told reporters at the White House earlier on Wednesday that he did not wreck a car, saying he did not know where the allegations were coming from. The sprawling Department of Veterans Affairs has long been under fire for the quality of healthcare it provides veterans, a group that carries considerable political clout in America. During his election campaign, Trump vowed to clean it up. Jackson's Senate confirmation hearing, originally slated for Wednesday, had already been postponed after senators from both parties said they wanted to examine allegations made by current and former colleagues to the committee. Even after reports about additional allegations emerged, Jackson told reporters earlier on Wednesday that he was moving forward with the confirmation process. Trump said on Tuesday it was up to Jackson to decide whether he would continue. 'CANDYMAN' The Iraq war veteran took on a higher profile when he gave a long and glowing news conference about Trump's health in January after his first presidential medical exam. Trump fired his first secretary for the Veterans Affairs Department, David Shulkin, in March after concerns about unauthorized travel expenses. He surprised many by picking Jackson as the replacement, given that the White House doctor had no experience running a large operation. The White House defended its vetting process, saying Jackson's background had been evaluated by three different administrations where he had worked closely with the presidents and their families. White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said Jackson had undergone four different background investigations, including a check by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and had received strong recommendations from his superiors, including former President Barack Obama. But Sanders said the White House was looking at the new allegations. After she spoke with reporters, the Democrats' document was released. It said Jackson was called Candyman because he would provide whatever prescriptions staff sought without paperwork. Sleeping pills and pills to wake up with were handed out on Air Force One without triaging patient history, the summary said. Jackson once provided a large supply of Percocet painkillers to a staff member without immediately recording the transfer, alarming the rest of the team about the sudden shortage. Trump's White House has made combating opioid abuse one of its top priorities. Jackson was described as unethical, explosive, toxic, abusive, volatile and someone who would have screaming tantrums and screaming fits, the document said. People working with Jackson noted a constant fear of reprisal, and the document did not identify his accusers because of that, it said. (Additional reporting by Susan Cornwell and Jeff Mason; Editing by Cynthia Osterman and Lisa Shumaker) * Lower courts had ruled against three versions of the ban * Conservative justices hesitant to second-guess Trump (Recasts first paragraph, adds quotes from Roberts, Hawaii's lawyer) By Lawrence Hurley and Andrew Chung WASHINGTON, April 25 (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court's conservative majority appeared poised to hand President Donald Trump a huge legal victory, signaling on Wednesday it was likely to uphold his contentious travel ban targeting several Muslim-majority countries. Conservative justices including Chief Justice John Roberts and Anthony Kennedy, a frequent swing vote on the nine-member court, indicated during arguments in the high-profile case their unwillingness to second-guess Trump on the national security justifications offered for the policy. Trump has said the ban is needed to protect the United States from attacks by Islamic militants. The challengers, led by the state of Hawaii, have argued the policy was motivated by Trump's enmity toward Muslims. Lower courts have ruled against each of the three versions put forward by Trump of the travel ban, concluding they violated federal immigration law and the U.S. Constitution's prohibition on the government favoring one religion over another. But with five conservatives on the nine-member Supreme Court, Trump seemed likely to be on the winning side when the justices issue their ruling by the end of June. "My only point is that if you look at what was done, it does not look at all like a Muslim ban," Conservative Justice Samuel Alito said. Some of the four liberal justices expressed sympathy toward Hawaii's arguments, although it appeared possible at least one might eventually side with Trump. Trump called for "a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States" as a candidate, and the travel ban has been one of the most controversial policies of his presidency. The current version, announced in September, prohibits entry into the United States of most people from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria and Yemen. No one from those countries has carried out an attack in the United States. Story continues The high court in June and December 2017 allowed two versions of the ban to take effect while court challenges ran their course. The justices had not until Wednesday heard arguments on the merits of the policy. The challengers said the U.S. Congress historically has rejected nationality bans in immigration laws, and that Trump's policy has circumvented that judgment. Roberts questioned whether the president could be restricted from taking "any targeted action" on foreign policy emergencies, such air strikes in Syria, affecting Muslim countries. "Does that mean he can't because you would regard that as discrimination against a majority-Muslim country?" Roberts asked. 'CONTINUING DISCRETION' Kennedy, who sometimes joins the liberals in major rulings, pushed back on the notion pressed by the challengers that the ban was permanent, noting that the policy includes a requirement for reports every 180 days that could lead to the removal of a targeted country. "That indicates there will be a reassessment," Kennedy said, "and the president has continuing discretion." Trump's conservative appointee to the court, Neil Gorsuch, suggested the lawsuits challenging the ban brought by Hawaii and others should not even have been considered by courts. Trump's hardline immigration policies have been a key part of his presidency. He also has moved to rescind protections for young immigrants sometimes called Dreamers brought into the United States illegally as children, acted against states and cities that protect illegal immigrants, intensified deportation efforts and pursued limits on legal immigration. Trump administration lawyer Noel Francisco said comments the president made as a candidate should be off-limits from court scrutiny because he had not yet taken office. Kennedy signaled courts should be able to review candidates' words, giving the example of a local mayor who makes discriminatory statements and then two days after taking office acts on them. "You would say that whatever he said in the campaign is irrelevant?" Kennedy asked Francisco. Liberal Justices Elena Kagan and Justice Sonia Sotomayor pressed Francisco on what kind of campaign trail behavior could be considered by courts. Kagan asked whether a hypothetical "out-of-the-box," vehemently anti-Semitic candidate would be subject to court review if upon taking office he announced policies targeting Israel. But Kagan also acknowledged the administration's concerns about courts judging national security decisions. Chad was on the list of countries targeted by Trump that was announced in September, but he removed it on April 10. Iraq and Sudan were on earlier versions of the ban. Venezuela and North Korea also were targeted in the current policy. Those restrictions were not challenged in court. Travel ban opponents who attended the argument compared a potential ruling upholding Trump's travel ban with the court's heavily criticized 1944 decision that endorsed the internment of Japanese Americans during World War Two. "I hope that as a country we will realize that would be shameful," National Immigration Law Center Executive Director Marielena Hincapie said. (Reporting by Lawrence Hurley and Andrew Chung; Editing by Will Dunham) Ankara (AFP) - Amnesty International on Thursday accused the Turkish government of creating a "chilling climate of fear" across society and curtailing the work of human rights activists since a failed 2016 coup. The rights group said freedom of expression and the right to a fair trial have been "decimated" under the state of emergency introduced five days after the attempted putsch on July 15, 2016. More than 1,300 associations and foundations have been shut down under the measures. In addition, more than 140,000 public sector employees have been sacked or suspended including judges over alleged links to putschists or Kurdish militants. Meanwhile, some 50,000 people have been taken into custody on terror charges. Last week parliament approved the seventh extension of the emergency laws which Amnesty said had undermined the country's "once vibrant independent civil society". The main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) staged nationwide rallies to protest the extension, with demonstrators in Istanbul shouting "No to emergency rule" and "Rights, law and justice". Ankara insists that it faces multiple terror threats and that the measures do not affect citizens' everyday lives. In a report titled "Weathering the storm: Defending human rights in Turkeys climate of fear", Amnesty lambasted the authorities' attacks on rights activists and their "abusive" use of the criminal justice system. "A chilling climate of fear is sweeping across Turkish society," the report said. The group cited examples of individuals it believes were being targeted and unfairly imprisoned including that of civil society activist Osman Kavala, who has been in prison since October. Amnesty has come under pressure itself since Taner Kilic, then the group's chairman in Turkey, was taken into custody last June. Kilic denies charges of belonging to the movement led by US-based Muslim preacher Fethullah Gulen, whom Turkey accuses of ordering the 2016 coup bid. Story continues "Under the cloak of the state of emergency, Turkish authorities have deliberately and methodically set about dismantling civil society, locking up human rights defenders, shutting down organisations and creating a suffocating climate of fear," Amnesty's Europe director, Gauri van Gulik, said in a statement. Amnesty also highlighted "unfair" restrictions on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) events in Turkey, with a ban in effect in the capital Ankara since November. "The blanket bans on activities threaten the very existence of these organisations and reverse these recent progressive steps to counter prevailing homophobia and transphobia," Amnesty wrote. Istanbul (AFP) - Turkish opposition newspaper Cumhuriyet's chairman Akin Atalay on Thursday joined a protest for free press and justice outside an Istanbul court, a day after he was released after serving over 500 days in prison. The contentious case, seen as a test of press freedom under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, saw a court Wednesday hand out multiple prison sentences to over a dozen Cumhuriyet staff for "aiding and abetting terror groups without being a member." They however remain free pending appeal. Atalay, who was the only journalist remaining behind bars as others were gradually freed during the trial, demanded justice outside Istanbul's main court Caglayan. "I am currently free but it is not over," Atalay told AFP. "We are one more now. The guards of justice here have won one more person but others will join in gradually," he said. Cumhuriyet, Turkey's oldest daily, has been a fierce critic of Erdogan, and a target of a series of legal actions which seen its staff often land in court. - 'Shame'- Atalay was upbeat despite the tough environment. "People say they are desperate but to the contrary, I am cheerful," he said, adding that the fight for justice and law cannot be led "scowlingly. "We are representing good people and that's why we have to be cheerful because we know the outcome: the good will win against the bad." After more than a year in jail, Atalay said he missed things such as chatting with close friends, eating in restaurants or going to the movies. "It is so nice even to take a breath outside. I experienced it last night." Atalay walked to the main office of his newspaper under tight protection. A giant banner outside the building bore his picture with the message: "You are not alone." "We will never succumb to fear," he told his colleagues, who warmly welcomed him with songs of freedom. The paper Thursday headlined the ruling on its front page as "shame", saying that the heavy sentences were a "black stain." "It is hard to do journalism in Turkey," Mert Gumus, one of the staffers, told AFP. "We are working under pressure and tough circumstances but when our colleagues were behind bars, we had to act responsibly and work even more," he said. Viewers of Fox News Fox and Friends got a real treat this morning when President Trump called in for an exclusive interview. Trump rambled on for roughly 30 minutes, making several noteworthy remarks about his 2013 trip to Moscow, his controversial relationship with rapper Kanye West, and his feelings about the Justice Department. But the internet latched on to the presidents shocking confession concerning his former attorney Michael Cohen and the former adult-film actress Stormy Daniels. After Cohen confessed to paying Daniels $130,000 in hush money during the presidential election, Trump denied having any knowledge of the exchange. During the interview, however, he changed his tune. Michael would represent me, and represent me on some things, Trump told the morning show. He represents me, like with this crazy Stormy Daniels deal, he represented me. And you know, from what I see, he did absolutely nothing wrong. The internet went crazy with Trumps admission, seemingly confessing he did know about the payment, for which Cohen is currently under investigation. Even Danielss attorney, Michael Avenatti, couldnt believe the development; he tweeted a thank-you to the Fox and Friends. Urged on by influential figures such as U.S. President Donald Trump, a growing number of world leaders are openly encouraging hostility toward the news media as journalists across the globe face increasing animosity for their work, according to a report by an international press watchdog organization. That is the conclusion from the 2018 World Press Freedom Index compiled by Reporters Without Borders, or RSF. The annual ranking, released on Wednesday and which also showed a big decline in freedom of speech across the world, dropped the U.S. two positions from its 2017 position, to No. 45 overall. Trump, who is just 15 months into his presidency, has popularized the phrase "fake news" as a reference to unflattering news reports. The phrase has become widely used by many of his supporters and, according to the RSF report, among a growing number of world leaders. "More and more democratically elected leaders no longer see the media as part of democracy's essential underpinning, but as an adversary to which they openly display their aversion," RSF said in a statement accompanying the release of its rankings. "A media-bashing enthusiast, Trump has referred to reporters as 'enemies of the people,' the term once used by (former Soviet leader) Joseph Stalin." Much like in 2017, European nations dominate the RSF rankings for having the most press freedom. Norway ranked No. 1 and Sweden finished No. 2 in the list. The Netherlands, Finland and Switzerland rounded out the top five nations. Canada rose four positions to No. 18 overall and was classified by RSF as having a "fairly good" press freedom climate. Of the 180 nations assessed, North Korea finished last, followed by Eritrea, Turkmenistan, Syria and China. By region, RSF ranked Europe as having the greatest press freedom, followed by the Americas, Africa, the Asia-Pacific, Eastern Europe/Central Asia and the Middle East/North Africa. Story continues The Middle East and North Africa experienced the biggest decline in freedom of speech by region in the world, as countries in the region struggle with war and political clashes. "Armed conflicts, terrorism charges against independent journalists and media, and growing online surveillance and censorship make reporting extremely dangerous for the region's journalists" according to the RSF report, which cited ongoing wars in Syria and Yemen, and the government use of terrorism charges in Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain as factors imperiling journalists. [ LEARN: The five countries that jail the most journalists.] Western democracies, however, provided the greatest alarm in the RSF report. Four of the five biggest declines in the index from the previous year are from European nations. Malta dropped 18 positions from its 2017 ranking to No. 65 overall; the Czech Republic dropped 11 slots to No. 34; Serbia fell 10 positions to No. 76; and Slovakia dropped 10 positions to No. 27. Statements by Trump are also responsible for the decline in media freedom around the world, the organization said. After Trump called CNN a fake news organization, some Libyan media outlets questioned the cable network's report on modern slave auctions in the country last year. "The U.S.' decline in press freedom is not simply bad news for journalists working inside the country; the downward trend has drastic consequences at the international level," RSF said. " 'Fake news' is now a trademark excuse for media repression, in both democratic and authoritarian regimes." Earlier this month, April Ryan -- the Washington, D.C. bureau chief for American Urban Radio Networks and a political analyst for CNN -- said she had received death threats after asking press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders whether Trump had considered resigning. "To me, this report shows how important it is for journalists everywhere to maintain the highest of standards, no matter whether the criticism of our craft is unwarranted. We need to be fair and transparent and never lose sight that what we do helps keep societies free and hold the powerful accountable," said investigative journalist Blake Morrison, an assistant professor at Columbia University in New York City and an instructor at a summer workshop for journalists in the Balkans. RSF said it compiled its ranking by sending out questionnaires to experts in journalism and the news media that included journalists, lawyers and academics. "This qualitative analysis is combined with quantitative data on abuses and acts of violence against journalists during the period evaluated," the organization said. See the top 10 countries for press freedom below, according to the 2018 World Press Freedom Index, and more country-related rankings can be found here. Country Press Freedom Rank Best Countries Overall Rank Norway 1 12 Sweden 2 6 Netherlands 3 10 Finland 4 14 Switzerland 5 1 Jamaica 6 N/A Belgium 7 N/A New Zealand 8 13 Denmark 9 11 Costa Rica 10 45 Zeinab Mohammed Salih is a Daniel Pearl Fellow with the Alfred Friendly Press Partners fellowship program. By Nate Raymond BOSTON (Reuters) - A federal judge expressed outrage on Wednesday that a U.S. immigration agent came to court to arrest a Chinese woman just as she was sentenced to probation for using a fake passport and visa to take a graduate school entrance exam for someone else. U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani in Boston said she was upset that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement had come to the sentencing of Xinyan Wang, 27, with the purpose of taking her into custody, assuming she was not sentenced to prison. She questioned why officials could not have reached out to her lawyer to allow Wang, who was not subject to an immigration hold, to turn herself in rather than take a step a longtime prosecutor handling her case said he not seen in three decades. "I see no reason for places of redress and justice to become places that people are afraid to show up," Talwani said. The prosecutor, Assistant U.S. Attorney David Tobin, said: "Maybe I should have stopped it." But following the hearing, an ICE agent escorted the former physics graduate student into a Ford Escape. ICE did not respond to a request for comment. Immigrant advocates have become increasingly alarmed about courthouse arrests under Republican President Donald Trump, which they say deter attendance at hearings and discourage witnesses from testifying about crimes. The arrest took place after Talwani sentenced Wang to 12 months' probation, rather than the three months in prison Tobin sought, after she pleaded guilty in January to charges she misused a passport and committed visa fraud. Her plea centered on a single Graduate Record Exam, or GRE, that prosecutors said Wang took on Oct. 20 in Boston using a counterfeit Chinese passport and a bogus visa in another person's name that contained photos that resembled her. But authorities said in court papers that Wang had from July to August taken the GRE or the TOEFL, the English-language exam used to assess foreign applicants, on five prior occasions under assumed names. Story continues She was previously a graduate student at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania, but after her adviser's laboratory's federal funding ran out, she enrolled in a nearby community college to keep her student visa, according to her lawyer, Syrie Fried. Her arrest in November came after federal prosecutors in Boston announced a similar case in which Chinese students, unable to pass college entrance exams, hired impostors to take them in their place to apply for admission to U.S. schools. (Reporting by Nate Raymond in Boston; Editing by Peter Cooney) By Michelle Nichols UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has tapped Switzerland's Ambassador to Germany, Christine Schraner Burgener, to be his special envoy on Myanmar, U.N. sources said on Wednesday. Myanmar has faced international criticism over a military crackdown that has sent nearly 700,000 minority Rohingya Muslims fleeing to Bangladesh. The United Nations, United States, Britain and others have described the operation as ethnic cleansing, which Myanmar has denied. In December the U.N. General Assembly adopted a resolution asking Guterres to appoint a U.N. special envoy on Myanmar, putting a special focus of the world body on trying to help resolve the crisis. Myanmar U.N. Ambassador Hau Do Suan did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday on Guterres' plan to appoint Schraner Burgener, who was previously Switzerland's ambassador to Thailand. U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said on Wednesday that he expected an announcement of an appointment "in the coming days." U.N. Security Council envoys are due to travel to Bangladesh and Myanmar shortly to assess the situation. Hau Do Suan told Reuters earlier this month that his country welcomed "any constructive engagement and counsel of any kind from the international community to advance human rights." However, he said Myanmar does not believe the appointment of a special envoy "will solve the multi-faceted and complex situation of Myanmar unless his or her mandate is carried out based on the principle of respect for the sovereignty and dignity of the country concerned, objectivity and impartiality." He noted that the position would need the full cooperation of the government and people of Myanmar to work. (Reporting by Michelle Nichols; editing by Clive McKeef) U.S. oil company Chevron evacuated its executives from Venezuela following the arrest of two employees by national intelligence authorities over an alleged contract dispute with Petroleos de Venezuela, the countrys state-owned energy company. Chevron also ordered other personnel to refrain from entering the facilities of its joint venture with PDVSA, sources told Reuters Wednesday. It was not immediately clear when Chevron ordered its executives to leave Venezuela. The company said Tuesday it would not comment on personnel matters, Reuters reported. Despite the legal dispute, Chevron has no plans to leave the country because it hopes that the country will find stability, Reuters said. The company announced last week that it was working to release Carlos Luis Algarra and Rene Vasquez, who were arrested April 17 in the coastal city of Puerto la Cruz. The arrested workers could face charges of treason after refusing to sign a contract for furnace parts because they claimed the price for the parts was too high. Trending: Weapons Looted From Emirati-Run Military Training Site in Somalia Are Being Sold on the Black Market, Reports Say Chevron-Venezuela Justin Sullivan/Getty Images This is not the first time the Maduro administration has clamped down on oil executives. In recent months, the Venezuelan attorney generals office ordered the apprehension of a dozen executives from PDVSA who were accused of bribery. President Nicolas Maduro has supported his administrations initiative to combat corruption within the oil sector, calling those involved in dubious activities traitors and thieves, Mexican newspaper Excelsior reported. At least 150 Chevron employees work in the Puerto la Cruz facilities, Reuters reported. The companys revenues in Venezuela plummeted 18 percent last year to $329 million, based on local reports, amid the country's growing economic woes, political turmoil and crippled infrastructure. The country's deteriorating living conditions have also forced other companies, such as France's Total and Italy's ENI, to reduce investment and personnel. Story continues Don't miss: Winds of Winter Release Date 2018? Nope, but GRRM Reveals Fire & Blood Chevron has faced legal disputes in Latin America in the past. Last week, a group of Ecuadorian indigenous people brought a case against Chevron Canada in an Ontario court, arguing that the plaintiffs should take over the subsidiary's shares to pay for the pollution its parent company allegedly generated in their country decades ago, the Toronto Star reported. Even though the plaintiffs do not blame Chevron Canada for the companys damages, they want the Canadian judicial system to enforce the Ecuadorian Supreme Court's 2011 ruling, which stipulated that Chevron had to pay $9.5 billion in reparations. Despite Ecuador's ruling in favor of the indigenous group, the company has not operated there for decades, and an American judge prohibited any U.S. court from enforcing the decision against Chevron. This article was first written by Newsweek More from Newsweek WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States will press NATO allies, especially Germany, to increase military spending while underscoring the heightened threat from Russia, a senior State Department official said on Wednesday before Friday's meeting of the alliance in Brussels. Asked whether U.S. Secretary of State nominee, Mike Pompeo, would attend the meeting if he was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on Thursday, the official said, "We are following this closely, but don't have anything to announce on that right now." As of now, Acting Secretary of State John Sullivan will attend the meeting of NATO foreign ministers, the official said. The meeting is a preview to a July summit of leaders from countries belonging to NATO, an organization founded on collective defense against the Soviet threat. "At no point since the Cold War has NATO been more relevant than it is today, we see this renewed relevance above all through the lens of Russian aggression," the official told reporters, speaking on condition of anonymity. "The Russian government has demonstrated its ability to threaten, coerce, undermine and even invade its neighbors," the official said, emphasizing that Moscow was a "destabilizing factor" in Ukraine, Georgia and Syria. The official said six NATO member countries had submitted spending plans to meet a target of 2 percent of economic output on defense every year by 2024. "It is time for the other 13 members of the alliance to step up, and especially Germany, NATO largest and wealthiest European member state of NATO," the official said. The official said the issue was likely to be raised during a meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Washington this week. The issue of low defense spending in Europe has long been an irritant in the United States, whose new national defense strategy centers on countering Russia after more than a decade of focusing on Islamist militants. By current standards, Washington funds about 70 percent of NATO spending and military analysts say Europe is now vulnerable to a range of threats, including Russias military modernization, Islamist militancy and electronic warfare on computer networks. Some Europeans say focusing on the 2 percent figure is misleading as it does not take into account how money is spent. (Reporting by Lesley Wroughton; Editing by Tom Brown) By Jonathan Stempel (Reuters) - A federal judge rejected the University of California at Berkeley's bid to dismiss a lawsuit claiming it discriminated against conservative speakers like Ann Coulter by imposing unreasonable restrictions and fees on their appearances. In a decision late Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Maxine Chesney in San Francisco said two conservative groups could pursue claims that the school applied its policy for handling "major events" and an earlier policy for "high-profile speakers" in a manner that unfairly suppressed conservative speech. But the judge also said she was "unpersuaded" by claims by the plaintiffs that the school engaged in intentional viewpoint discrimination, and that the major events policy was too vague. She said the plaintiffs could not seek punitive damages. The Berkeley College Republicans and the Young America's Foundation, a Tennessee group, had sued after the university canceled Coulter's scheduled speech last April 27, citing security concerns. Janet Napolitano, president of the University of California, was also named as a defendant. UC Berkeley is known as the birthplace of the student-led Free Speech Movement of the 1960s. Like other schools, it has tried to welcome different views without jeopardizing safety or its educational mission. The major events policy was adopted in July, and gave school officials discretion to take various steps to ensure security. Chesney said the plaintiffs may pursue an equal protection claim over a security fee charged for an appearance by conservative commentator Ben Shapiro that was well above a fee at the same venue for Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, part of the court's liberal bloc. In a statement on Thursday, UC Berkeley said it was pleased with Chesney's "core" ruling upholding the major events policy, and denied having previously had a "secret" policy for high-profile speakers. It also called the roughly $9,000 fee charged for the Shapiro appearance "lawful and appropriate." Story continues Harmeet Dhillon, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, also welcomed the decision. "It is good news that the case is going forward," Dhillon said in a telephone interview on Thursday. "The First Amendment is a core constitutional principle, and every government policy that restricts, censors or bars otherwise legal speech is unconstitutional." The case is Young America's Foundation et al v Napolitano et al, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, No. 17-02255. (Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by David Gregorio and Dan Grebler) By Andrea Shalal BERLIN (Reuters) - The U.S. government will reduce its administrative surcharge on foreign arms sales to 3.2 percent from 3.5 percent from June as part of a broader effort to make U.S. weapons more competitive internationally, a top U.S. official told Reuters on Wednesday. U.S. Lieutenant General Charles Hooper, director of the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, announced the change during an interview at the ILA Berlin Air Show, where Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N), Boeing Co (BA.N) and U.S. companies are showcasing helicopters, fighter jets and other military equipment. "This rate reduction will immediately reduce the cost of new business for our international partners," said Hooper, whose agency facilitates all foreign military sales. "We think this rate reduction will allow the U.S. to become more competitive in the global defence market." The U.S. government assesses the surcharge on the full value of all government-to-government foreign arms sales to cover its administrative costs and to avoid any charge to U.S. taxpayers for such transactions. The move comes days after the Trump administration announced an overhaul of U.S. arms export policy aimed at expanding sales to allies, saying it would bolster the American defence industry and create jobs at home. Hooper's announcement was welcomed at the biennial German air show, where U.S. companies this year are showcasing a wide range of military equipment, including Lockheed's F-35 stealth fighter jet and its CH-53K heavy-lift helicopter, and Boeing Co's CH-47 Chinook twin-rotor helicopter. STRENGTHENING ALLIES U.S. Air Force Deputy Undersecretary Heidi Grant told Reuters at the show that she saw strong demand for U.S. products and technology, given increasing concern about "the adversaries that are out there, Russia and China in particular." She said lowering the surcharge was part of the U.S. government's ongoing efforts to speed up the arms sales and policy-making process, noting that strengthening allies was now a stated priority of the U.S. national defence strategy. Story continues At the same time, she said, the Trump administration was also removing barriers and making it easier for companies to do business. "There's been a big focus on doing as much as we can for companies to make them more competitive," she said. Michael Hostetter, director of Boeing Co's (BA.N) Vertical Lift Programs in Germany, told Reuters the lower surcharge rate was good news for Boeing, the largest U.S. exporter. About 36 percent of Boeing's defence sales last year came from exports. "When you're talking about billions of dollars, a small change is a significant difference in the total price for our customer," he said. "It's a benefit to the Boeing Company." Frank St. John, who heads Lockheed Martin Corp's (LMT.N) Missiles and Fire Control division, welcomed U.S. efforts to accelerate the arms sales process, and said the decision to drop the administrative fee was significant. "On a $1 billion deal, that would be $30 million," he said. Speeding up approvals of arms sales and lowering costs would help U.S. firms and the allies that were buying equipment, while ensuring that military capabilities reached allies sooner, he said. "Everyone wins in that situation." (Reporting by Andrea Shalal, editing by Larry King) Heres a look at some of the companies the Yahoo Finance team will be watching for you. UPS (UPS) tops our list. The package delivery company beat on earnings and revenue for its first quarter. It also reported top-line growth across all its business segments, with 15% growth in its international segment. Dunkin Brands (DNKN) posted an earnings beat for its first quarter. Still, comparable store sales at the coffee chain and its Baskin-Robbins stores fell slightly. Dunkin also rolled out menu changes at all of its U.S. stores. The move is expected to improve customer service and profitability. BP (BP) has a new chairman, former Statoil and BG Group CEO Helge Lund. The move comes as the oil giant is still trying to find its footing following the worst oil spill on record in the Gulf of Mexico. Lund is succeeding Carl-Henric Svanberg, who is stepping down as BPs Chairman after eight years on the job. Its never a dull day at Tesla (TSLA). The electric car makers Autopilot head, Jim Keller, is leaving to work at Intel, according to the Wall Street Journal. Former Apple exec Pete Bannon will take Kellers place. Bannon has been with Tesla for over two years. A former Minnesota police officer who shot dead an unarmed Australian woman will plead not guilty and claim self-defense, according to court documents filed Wednesday. Mohamed Noor shot Justine Damond last July in the Midwestern city of Minneapolis after she called police to report a possible rape. She was shot as she approached the police car that arrived to investigate. Noor has been charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter, which respectively carry sentences of up to 25 years and up to 10 years in prison. In a court filing Wednesday, Noor's attorneys disclosed that he would plead not guilty and claim self-defense and the use of reasonable force. A court hearing is scheduled for May 8. Authorities allege Noor shot Damond in the abdomen from the passenger seat of a police cruiser as she approached the driver's side window when the car neared the end of a dark alley behind her home. The two officers in the car had been startled moments before by a sudden sound. Damond, who had twice called police with concerns of a potential sexual assault in the alley, died at the scene. When charging Noor in March, prosecutor Mike Freeman said "there is no evidence that Officer Noor encountered a threat... that justified his decision to use deadly force." Noor's attorney Tom Plunkett released a statement at the time claiming his client had "acted as he has been trained and consistent with established departmental policy." The shooting provoked outrage in the United States and in Damond's native Australia. Damond had moved to the US to marry her American fiancee, Don Damond, whose name she had already legally adopted. Her maiden name was Ruszczyk. The 40-year-old's Australian relatives and the country's prime minister demanded answers -- and protests in Minneapolis led to the resignation of the city's police chief. Caracas (AFP) - Venezuela and Panama on Thursday agreed to restore their respective ambassadors and reestablish air links as they sought to patch up a bitter diplomatic row, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said Thursday. "We have agreed to return ambassadors to Panama and Venezuela... and resume air links from tomorrow," Maduro told reporters after speaking by phone with his Panamanian counterpart Juan Carlos Varela. A Panamanian government source confirmed the agreement to AFP. Maduro said the conversation with Varela was mediated by the Dominican Republic's President Danilo Medina, who has also been facilitating talks between Venezuela's government and the opposition, which broke down in February. The diplomatic crisis erupted in late March when Panama said it had added a string of senior Venezuelan officials, including Maduro, to a list of individuals deemed at "high risk" of money laundering. On April 5, Maduro's government promptly suspended economic ties with around 100 Panamanian businesses, including Copa Airlines, one of the main carriers linking Venezuela to the rest of the region. "We are working to resume our operations to and from Venezuela as soon as possible," the airline said on Twitter. In a retaliatory move the same day, Panama ordered Venezuela's ambassador out and recalled its own envoy, as well as suspending flights. Police are investigating a pit bull attack on a New York City subway after video footage of the incident spread across social media Tuesday night. A spokesman for the New York City Police Department confirms to PEOPLE detectives are investigating the matter, but that no charges have been filed in the case yet. The NYPD confirms the incident is believed to have happened Friday. In the viral video footage, a man pulls on his dogs leash as the animals jaws are clenched around a womans foot. The man does not appear to command the animal to release the womans foot, which other subway riders note as the tension appears to escalate. The woman who was attacked winces, and pleads with the man to get his dog off of her. Other riders also come to the womans aid, and try to get the pit bull to let go of her shoe. Eventually, the woman is able to slip her foot from the sneaker, which the dogs owner pulls from its mouth before throwing it aggressively at other subway passengers. 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. Several people can be heard in the clip telling the man he should face charges and that his dog should be euthanized. In New York, only service animals are permitted on the subways. All other animals must be in a cage or carried in a manner which would not annoy other passengers, reads the statute. We dont know exactly where and when this video was shot. Our rules require non-service animals to be kept inside containers and not disturbing other passengers, reads a statement from a Metropolitan Transportation Authority spokesperson; the MTA operates the subways. Whats happening in this video is disturbing and a clear violation of our rules. We flagged this video for NYPD, which is responsible for enforcing Transit rules, the statement concludes. CBS News in New York spoke to witnesses, who say the dogs owner and the woman the dog attacked had a disagreement over seating on the subway just prior to the incident. Story continues The man, according to witnesses, had the pit bull sitting next to him, and the woman asked if he could move the dog to make room for her. The woman allegedly physically tried to force the dog from the seat. With reporting by Kelli Bender Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron could not keep their hands off each other during the French presidents US state visit. Mr Macron is spending three days as Mr Trumps guest in Washington, and the trip has been peppered with macho power plays involving handshakes, hand-holding, hugs and kisses. He was the first foreign leader to receive the full pomp of a state visit during the Republicans administration, and Mr Trump tweeted on Wednesday to say his French counterpart would be granted the further honour of addressing a joint session of Congress. During the visit the two presidents put on a display of friendliness that included Mr Trump wiping what he described as a piece of dandruff from Mr Macrons suit jacket. We have to make him perfect. He is perfect, the president said as the pair spoke in the White House. We do have a very special relationship. The cringe-inducing machismo had echoes of Mr Trumps visit to France last year and his baffling, 30-second-long handshake with Mr Macron on the Champs Elysee. Despite the appearance of pally joviality, however, the leaders disagree on a number of major foreign policy areas including the Iran nuclear deal and the Paris Agreement on climate change, which Mr Macron has tried to persuade his host to support. Mr Macron told reporters that he and Mr Trump would look at the Iran deal in a wider regional context, taking into account the situation in Syria. We have a common objective, we want to make sure theres no escalation and no nuclear proliferation in the region. We now need to find the right path forward, Mr Macron said. Mr Trump suggested he was open to doing something beyond the current Iran agreement as long as it was done strongly, having described the pact as insane and ridiculous. Additional reporting by agencies Doug Bandow Security, Asia Instead of focusing on predictable venues, the Norths supreme leader and Americas president should think creatively. Where Should the Kim-Trump Summit Take Place? Plans for a Trump-Kim summit continue apace. But one critical issue remains unresolved. Where will the two leaders meet? Guesses include the Korean Peninsula, China, and U.S. Pacific possessions, but sources claim none of these are on the final list. Europe supposedly accounts for six possibilities, led by Geneva. Mongolia, Thailand and Singapore allegedly also are being considered. The main problem with Europe is the fact that Kim lacks a plane that he can use to fly there without refuelinga significant embarrassment. Mongolia would be unusual, to say the least. After all, would the president be willing to stay in a yurt on the steppes? Bangkok is a messily complex, overcrowded metropolis. Singapore seems better suited for a serious meeting, though it is not typically known as a summit host. Why not the Korean Peninsula, which is well within the range of North Koreas Air Force One? Theres no luxury hotel at the Panmunjom crossing for President Trump. Pyongyang raises security concerns for the president. Seoul might be seen as biasing the proceedings toward America. Beijing would seem perfect, but Washington might fear that the Chinese authorities would influence the conference. Tokyo is close, but North and South Koreans share an intense hatred of Japan. Instead of focusing on predictable venues, the Norths supreme leader and Americas president should think creatively. Choose the right locale and everything else should fall into place. For instance, there is Tokyo Disneyland. It properly mirrors the otherworldly aspects of a meeting between the Donald, Americas most unusual president, and the thirty-four-year-old supreme leader of one of the strangest states on earth, one which should be preserved as a national theme park. The location also should hold fond memories for Kim. Hes never been there, but his older half-brothers attempt to visit using a forged passport helped knock the latter out of the race to succeed their father. Kim showed his appreciation by apparently ordering Kim Jong-nams assassination last year. Story continues Another option would be Xian, in Chinas Shanxi Province. This city is distinguished by the famed terracotta army, created by Emperor Qin Shi Huang who wanted to be protected in the afterlife. President Trump undoubtedly wants a royal welcome wherever he goes, and he can be told that these were assembled just for him: more than 2000 years ago the Chinese emperor was helpfully thinking of the American president. In contrast, Supreme Leader Kim can imagine that the assembled army will come to his defense if Washington violates its pacific promises and attempts coercion at some future date. Matamata, New Zealand, would be a nice location. With more sheep than people, New Zealand would take the contending leaders away from the hurly-burly of urban life. The two leaders could set up camp in the mountains where Lord of the Rings filmed the bucolic scenes involving the Shire in Middle Earth. Both Trump and Kim could imagine themselves battling great evil and banishing dangerous threats from their respective homelands. In Matamata they could easily go for a walk by themselves, far from the prying eyes of the international media. Monaco should be considered. The European microstate is a playground for the rich and not so famous. It would be a perfect destination for both leaders if their futures prove difficult. Can Kim retain control of his bizarrely ideological system if negotiation leads to greater openness to the West? Where might Trump go if he does get indicted? Monaco would welcome either leader if deposed. They could treat the summit as a scouting expedition. Moscow also would be a good fit. President Trump could make such a trip a twofer, seeing Russian president Vladimir Putin as well. Meeting with the latter wont take much time: this administration has been tougher towards Russia than its predecessor and has left very little room for improving relations. After just a few minutes both sides likely would be finished. Why force either the American or Russian president to make an unnecessary trip to see each other? A sojourn in Russias capital would remind Kim that he doesnt have many options for asylum if the result of acquiescence or submission to Washingtons demands leads to his overthrow. The city is nice in the summer. But fall is short and winter then hits brutally. In the latter season Moscow is frigid and dreary. Kims wife, the fashion-conscious Ri Sol-ju, might be particularly unhappy with such a home. For someplace really different the two leaders might consider Damascus. It would offer a powerful reminder on why a peaceful resolution of the Korean conflict is in everyones interest. The Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea would lose in any war, whether just limited strikes by Washington or the full-scale conflict likely to result from any outside attack. But the United States and South Korea would scarcely be winners. Moreover, a North Korean collapse could be even worse than a nuclear North: civil war, loose nukes, mass refugee flows, regional chaos. Still, the Vatican might be a better choice. Although the prospective summit offers an unusual opportunity to end more than seven decades of confrontation on the Korean peninsula, it also could explode spectacularly. If the president leaves feeling betrayed, he might return to his previous warmongering strategy. After all, that would be more consistent with sentiments expressed by National Security Advisor John Bolton and Secretary of State nominee Mike Pompeo. Proximity to the Pope would offer the potential for substantial prayer support. Heck, the Holy Father might call together a special meeting of bishops or cardinals to advance the cause of Korean peace. It wouldnt quite be a Papal Conclave, which chooses a Pope. But if the gathering helped push the two blustering, obnoxious, threatening leaders together, then it might go down in history for its accomplishment. Finally, why not Honolulu? It would be perfect. Beautiful, comfortable, and midway between the two capitals. Filled with people apparently fearful of being nuked by the DPRK. In truth, that was never likely. But bringing President Trump to Honolulu might remind him why war would be a stupid idea, even if he imagined it would be only over there in Northeast Asia. The sight of such a wonderful city might encourage Kim to think about retirement. Surely the Supreme Leader needs a break. Maybe the president would do the same. The prospective summit is a dramatic, unpredictable step that just might fix a problem that once appeared to be insoluble. The location of such a meeting should be equally unique. Geneva is predictable and boring, but that is not true of Xian, Damascus, and several other locations. Both President Trump and Supreme Leader Kim have a flair for the dramatic. Why shouldnt their location choice for the summit reflect a little daring? Doug Bandow is a senior fellow at the Cato Institute and a former special assistant to President Ronald Reagan. He is author of Foreign Follies: Americas New Global Empire. Image: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks as he hosts a joint press conference with Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (not pictured) at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, U.S., April 18, 2018. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque Read full article By Peter Szekely NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York's yellow taxi drivers on Wednesday joined with drivers for Uber and other app-based ride services at a rally to call for guaranteed minimum pay and limits on growth in the number of cars for hire in the largest U.S. city. In a steady drizzle outside City Hall in lower Manhattan, dozens of drivers carried signs with slogans such as "Respect the Drivers," and "Stop the Race to the Bottom," before presenting their demands to Mayor Bill de Blasio and the city council. "We want regulation that will create a ground so that people have a chance to stand on something and not just sink into a miserable poverty," said Bhairavi Desai, executive director of the 19,000-member New York Taxi Workers Alliance. The group represents all categories of for-hire drivers. Its demands include limiting the number of for-hire vehicles and ensuring that pay rates and regulations are the same for Uber[UBER.UL], Lyft and other app-based ride services as they are for yellow cabs, whose numbers are limited to about 13,600. Since Uber and other app-based services came on the scene about five years ago, their category has swollen to more than 100,000 cars, according to Taxi and Limousine Commission chair Meera Joshi. About 2,000 cars a month are being added, she said. Uber and Lyft said their services have improved travel options, while offering new jobs to New Yorkers. "Uber has grown the transportation pie, ensuring all New Yorkers can get a ride in minutes, particularly in neighborhoods outside of Manhattan yellow taxi have long ignored," said spokeswoman Alix Anfang. Lyft is in "ongoing conversations" with New York about its operations in the city, spokesman Campbell Matthews said in an email to Reuters. Drivers, including those with Uber and Lyft, said they were working longer and making less, and four drivers have committed suicide in recent months, some saying heavy debts drove them to despair. Story continues Inder Parmar, who has been driving for Uber for nearly five years, was among about a dozen cabbies who appealed to City Council Member Brad Lander for relief in a meeting shortly before the rally. "We are making less than minimum wage," said Parmar. The city's legal minimum is $13 an hour and will rise to $15 by the end of the year. Lander, a Democrat, hopes to propose legislation on Monday that would ensure a $15 hourly minimum for all drivers of for-hire vehicles. (Reporting by Peter Szekely; Additional reporting by Elly Park; Editing by Cynthia Osterman) 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. More than 211,000 people have been displaced, 72 people have died and 33 others have been injured by flooding in Kenya since March 2018. The current wave of flooding began around mid-April. In mid-March the country experienced flooding which left at least 15 people dead and displaced hundreds. At the beginning of March at least 7 people died during a period of heavy rain. In addition to huge cracks fissuring its ground, Kenya is currently experiencing a wave of deadly floods. The worst affected counties are Turkana, Tana River, Garissa, Isiolo, Kisumu, Taita, Mandera, Wajir, Marsabit, West Pokot, Samburu and Narok. About 50,000 people have had to leave their homes in Tana River County. Flooding has damaged or destroyed homes and infrastructure. Livelihoods have been severely disrupted, in particular farming communities. Wide areas of farmland are underwater and thousands of livestock have been killed. Dadaab refugee camps, which host over 225,000 refugees, have also been affected and there are concerns over cholera and other water-borne diseases. About 50,000 people are reportedly stranded in several villages in Moyale, near the border with Ethiopia, after a road linking them to the border town was cut off by floods. They have reportedly not been able to access food and water supplies for 10 days. Levels of the Masinga and Kamburu dams are now of major concern. Both are reaching dangerously high levels and if rains continue authorities may be forced to release water from the dams, which could have severe consequences for villages downstream in Tana River and Garissa. The Kenya Red Cross Society, the International Red Cross, Red Crescent Movement, UN agencies and NGOs partners, are assisting the national authorities to provide assistance and support the victims of this natural disaster. So far, more than 10,000 households have been assisted with shelter materials, and buckets, soap, blankets and some food items have been distributed to households in Turkana and Nandi counties. But the flooding and the suffering continue. By the way, why is this emergency disaster not making the headlines? Follow us: Facebook and Twitter ReliefWeb, Floodlist, Strange Sounds 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. Amna Freige, the daughter of Meretz MK Esawi Freige, says she had to go through a humiliating security check at Ben-Gurion Airport earlier this month because she is of Arab descent. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Freige and her friend Lina Jaries had booked flight tickets to Berlin for a vacation. They say they were harassment began as soon as they arrived at the airport. Their personal belongings were checked and they were asked to go through a full body scanner, just like other passengers. But then security personnel asked them to remove their bras. Amna Freige and Lina Jeries (Photo: Yariv Katz) According to Freige and her friend, the security team's shift manager threatened that if they don't comply with the security check, they would not be allowed to board their flight. At this point Amna called her father who recommended: "Just suck it up if you want to be on that flight." And so the young women had to go through the security check naked. They are currently preparing a lawsuit against the Israel Airports Authority, claiming there was no justification for that particular security check and that the entire incident was an unnecessary humiliation. The Israel Airport Authority said, "When we get a specific warning, a security check is required." In Southern California, the largest protest is in Los Angeles, a gathering that has typically drawn thousands of people. But demonstrations are planned throughout the region, from Orange County to the Inland Empire, from Redondo Beach to the San Gabriel... North Korean leader Kim Jong Un may have only agreed to denuclearization talks with the United States due to the fact that his nuclear facility is unusable, The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday, citing two separate groups of Chinese scientists studying the issue. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter One of the scientists told the Chinese newspaper, The China Morning Post, that the collapse of the underground Punggye-ri nuclear test site under Mount Mantap in North Koreas northwest accounts for Kim's surprise announcement. Punggye-ri nuclear test site Wen Lianxing, a geologist from the University of Science and Technology of China who is leading one of the two teams, said the collapse followed a nuclear test on September 3 in which the north detonated its most powerful thermal nuclear warhead. After the experiment, several earthquakes were registered on the mountain, and satellite images showed landslides in the area. According to estimates of the first tremor, shortly after the explosion, some of the collapse was caused inside the mountain. Last year, experts estimated that the site was suffering from a geological phenomenon know as the "tired mountain syndrome," which is caused by underground nuclear experiments and affects the rocks in the vicinity of the site, causing them to become more fragile and permeable. According to Lianxing, the explosion vaporized surrounding rocks and created a large pit inside the mountain that was up to 200 meters in diameter, and which shortly thereafter collapsed upon itself. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (Photo: Reuters) A second team of experts, led by Liu Junqing at the Jilin Earthquake Agency with the China Earthquake Administration, drew similar conclusions, adding the collapse may have created a "chimney" that might emit radioactive fallout into the atmosphere. "It is necessary to continue monitoring possible leaks of radioactive materials caused by the collapse incident," Lianxing's team said in the statement. The two groups agreed that the collapse of the site "places China and neighboring countries at unprecedented risk of exposure to radioactive radiation." The Wall Street Journal said experts warn that another explosion at the site would cause an "environmental disaster." Some two weeks after the September 3 test, Pyongyang announced it would no longer conduct land-based nuclear tests. At around that time, unverified reports said that some 200 workers were killed in the collapse. Then, in December, a North Korean deserter reported that Kim had ordered the execution of Park In Yang, who was the head of the Punggye-ri nuclear test site. Emergency food aid for around a million Palestinians in Gaza may run out from June if the UN agency for Palestinian refugees cannot raise another $200 million following a cut-off in US funding, the agency said on Tuesday. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Pierre Kraehenbuehl, who heads the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) providing aid for Palestinians across the Middle East, said US President Donald Trump had withheld $305 million in funding, far more than the $65 million reported in January. UNRWA food aid (Photo: AP) You already have a very, very fragile community (in Gaza), Kraehenbuehl said in an interview during an international donor conference in Syria in Brussels. So if you suddenly have no certainty about the amount of food aid coming from the UN for a million people ... you can just imagine the kind of effects it could have, he said, although he stressed he was not justifying any link to potential outbreaks of unrest. Gulf states, Norway, Turkey and Canada have stepped in with a total of $200 million to help meet a $446 million budget deficit for 2018. UNRWAs planned budget is over a billion dollars for 2018. The United States, long the biggest donor to the agency, is providing just $60 million of a promised $365 million, Kraehenbuehl said. That leaves a $200 million shortfall for funding Gaza and the West Bank and elsewhere in the Middle East. The UN agencys call for help is made harder by the competing demands on donors for crises in Syria, Yemen, Myanmar, Afghanistan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, among others. Kraehenbuehl warned of greater instability in Gaza in part because the economy is already suffering its deepest collapse after a decade of Israeli-led blockades, and internal Palestinian divisions in the coastal strip. Kraehenbuehl said the shortfall in funding for the agency could also mean there may not be enough money to re-open schools in August and September for the new academic year. This is our largest funding crisis ever, he said. More than two million Palestinians live in Gaza and while Israel withdrew its troops and settlers in 2005, it maintains control of Gazas land and sea borders. Egypt also restricts movement in and out of Gaza on its border. Ramadan donation? Trump withheld the aid to UNRWA in January after questioning the value of such funding, while the US State Department said the agency needed to make unspecified reforms. Many Western diplomats saw Trumps decision as a reaction to the condemnation across the Middle East of his December 6 decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israels capital and before any peace settlement between Israelis and Palestinians. The United Nations also voted to reject that recognition. Kraehenbuehl, a Swiss national, said he had enacted spending cuts to contain costs within the agency and was trying to find new donors in the private sector. Those could be in Gulf countries, or donations made in solidarity with the Palestinians during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Kraehenbuehl said that after donors such as Qatar, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates had come forward, he would now seek help from Germany, France, Sweden and Britain, traveling to Berlin later this week. Israel is not a contributor to UNRWA. Its a modest investment to preserving the region from future instability and uncertainty, he said. Bayit Yehudi MK Betzalel Smotrich's Twitter account was blocked for 12 hours after he tweeted that Palestinian teenager and convicted felon Ahed Tamimi should have been shot. Tamimi was sentenced to eight months in prison for her part in a scuffle with IDF soldiers late last year. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter In a response to journalist Yinon Magal, who expressed his relief over Tamimi's arrest, Smotrich wrote he would rather have seen her shot by the soldier she attacked. The original footage of Tamimi slapping the soldier X "In my opinion, she should have been shot, at least in the kneecap. It would have put her in house arrest for life," Smotrich tweeted. The MK then received a message from Twitter, reading: "We've temporarily restricted some of your account features, so you still have the ability to browse Twitter, but you're only limited to sending direct messages to your followers." MK Smotrich (L) was temporarily banned from Twitter for saying Ahed Tamimi should have been shot in the knee (Photo: Ishi Hazani, EPA) His ban was a warning, lasting only 12 hours. Nevertheless, Smotrich called the ban "a new record of stifling of speech," claiming that "freedom of expression is reserved only for one side of the political map," meaning the Left. "I stand behind every word of this tweet and the explanation for it was written extensively (Tuesday) on my Facebook page," he added. In his post on Facebook, Smotrich explained that actions such as Tamimi's could erode the IDF's power of deterrence, thereby causing further harm to Israeli citizens. Therefore, he opined, her actions should have been dealt with quickly and harshly. Tamimi was sentenced to 8 months in prison for slapping a soldier The MK wrote, "When children ... are not afraid to confront the soldiers, the deterrence of the IDF disappears (if children are not afraid then certainly older terrorists will not), and then we get stabbing and shooting attacks by lone terrorists that there is no way to prevent (because the infrastructure to gather intelligence in advance does not exist). "So an event like the one filmed in the video is a serious and dangerous event whose consequences are murder and injury. "In order to prevent the next murder, it is very justified to act in any way to restore the IDF's deterrence against the terrorists in Judea and Samaria. Were it up to me, each encounter would end with a sharp and painful decision. After a few of them are confined to wheelchairs for the rest of their lives, there are likely to be fewer who dare to do so and deterrence will be restored." Smotrich provided further comment on the matter in a Ynet studio interview earlier this week, in which he stated his temporary Twitter ban only helped get his message out to a wider audience. Tamimi in court (Photo: AFP) Asked whether he regretted the tweet in retrospect, the lawmaker said he absolutely did not and that he stood behind every word. "It should be remembered the IDF's defensive ability is predicated on deterrence, which can be achieved in a variety of wayspartly through concluding encounters between an enemy and our forces in a sharp, painful decision." Smotrich was pressed whether a slap in the face truly justified being shot, to which he reiterated that such photos and videos "seriously eroded" the IDF's deterrent capabilities. "When Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas and Judea and Samaria terrorists see images like that, deterrence is eroded," he explained. "When a girl isn't afraid, an adult man will not be afraid to take a car and run over soldiers or a knife and stab someone at a bus stop," he added. Confronted with the morality of such actions, their efficacy in restoring deterrence aside, the MK said the jeopardy to morality was "arguable," adding he considered Tamimi a terrorist that harms the state's security and endangers its citizens rather than an "innocent teenager guilty of mischief." Ahed Tamimi (R) and her mother Nariman in 2012. Nariman Tamimi was also sentenced to 8 months in prison (Photo: AFP) Smotrich also claimed during the interview that Tamimi16 at the time of the incidentshould not be considered a girl or even a teenager. "If Ahed Tamimi was walking around with an explosive vest at her age, would you still call her a girl or a teenager?" he wondered. "I think her and her friends' actions are perpetrated continuously and issue to the world images that highly erode the IDF's deterrent power, and are therefore a type of terrorist attack," he opined. Interviewers then asked Smotrich whether someone disseminating anti-IDF propaganda is also carrying out a terrorist attack and should be shot. "What Tamimi did certainly does not fall under freedom of speech, I hope," he replied. "She's at war with us. She supports terrorism, wants terrorism and calls for terrorism against IDF soldiers." His response prompted the interviewers to wonder how such actions serve Israel's interests in the Western world. "The world should be told there is a violent struggle between peoples herewith one side seeking to annihilate the other," the MK answered. "The service I seek to provide is to prevent soldiers from going into a situation in which they are beaten, cursed at and humiliated without being able to respond. They interest me a lot more than what someone in London thinks," he stated. Concluding the interview, Smotrich was asked whether he intended to change anything about this tweets now that he had been temporarily banned once. Offering quite an opposite response, the lawmaker said he owed Twitter "a bouquet of flowers." "The fact they acted as bullies and stifled speech is mostly an embarrassment to them. Only a handful of people defended the move. Most peoplefrom both the Left and the Rightthought this was a serious injury to freedom of speech, especially of MKs," he claimed. "The end result is that many more Israelis were exposed to my position on the matter. I have 80,000 Twitter followers, and welcome any new ones. I think many more people saw it on other media outlets. They ended up doing me a service," he said contently. The Persian Shah abandoned his country 39 years ago, and Tehran announced the establishment of an Islamic republic led by Ayatollah Khomeini. Its most salient characteristics were and remain religious totalitarianism, the supreme leaders cult of personality, absolute control of the economy by the state and its arms, and an ongoing oppression of freedom of opinion and speech. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter As far as Iran is concerned, Khomeini's revolution failed to achieve its goals and to create an attractive precedent for other nations. A huge failure. The real income per capita in Iran grew by an average of 0.5 percent a year since 1980 and hasnt grown at all in the past decade. What used to be an industrial-technological power turned into a junk yard and a black market of desired consumer goods from the West and from neighboring Arab countries. ranian President Hassan Rouhani at a Revolutionary Guards parade (Photo: AFP) Irans economy is fed by oil alone, and it still lacks investments (according to official statements) of approximately $200 billion to revive the neglected oil and gas industries. Its leaders craze to develop a nuclear weapon nearly destroyed the country, due to the international sanctions and the allotment of rare resources to a futile project. To the citizens disappointment, the lifting of sanctions in the past two years helped improve Irans situation only on the margins. Productive Western capital hasnt flow into Iran and its presence in global-civilian arenas has remained insignificant. This is hardly surprising: Forty-five percent of the Iranian economy is owned by the government, about one-third is owned by the Revolutionary Guards and about one-fifth is owned by corrupt, unsupervised religious associations that are subject directly to the supreme leader. The unemployment rate among young Iranians is nearly 28 percent, only 15 percent of women participate in the labor force, and the Iranian currencys exchange rate in the free market is dozens of percentage points lower than its official exchange rate. This has now been joined by further trouble, which somewhat explains the Tehran regimes nervous conduct: First, US President Donald Trumps threat to walk away from the international agreement to reduce the sanctions in exchange for a termination of the Iranian military nuclear program, a threat which is nudging the European partners into eyeing an agreement that will step up the sanctions; second, the anti-Iranian atmosphere in the Arab world in light of Tehrans support of Bashar Assad's murderous regime; and third, the reconciliation agreement that is taking shape between North Korea and the United States, under which Pyongyang will completely give up the development of a nuclear weapona considerable blow to Tehrans military programs. Add that to the problems in the Kremlin. Putins Russia is far from being a strong, stable and developed country. The scientific-technological gap between Russia and the West is much wider today than it was at the end of the communist era. President Vladimir Putins declarations about modern types of weapons his country is allegedly going to develop are pure illusions. Sooner or later, Putin and members of his close circle will realize that the Russian presence in Syria is a burden rather than an asset. Russias miserable failure to prevent the American-British-French attack on Assad's army and its desperate attempt to create a false cover story for the use of the chemical weapons are proof of that. Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (Photo: Reuters) In their time of need, the conservative elements in Iran (led by the Revolutionary Guards) may see a limited conflict with Israel as an escape from the isolation and internal weakness, as a way to gain the Arab masses sympathy and enlist Putin as a peace maker. On the other hand, a quick defeat in a conflict or an unexpected entanglement could lead to a collapse of the regime in Tehran, as history sometimes shows. Some experts on Iran believe that the military leaders stance differs fundamentally from the fiery stance of the Revolutionary Guards speakers. The latter are inclined to believe that its worth fighting for several bases in Syria to allow them to fulfill their old dream of turning Lebanon into an Islamic republic too. The former are aware of Israels military and intelligence abilities, arent looking for a conflict with us and understand that its a dangerous and unrealistic adventure, which will be bad for Iran. Israel, they warn, has already made it clear that it is determined not to allow the Iranians to entrench themselves on in Syria at all costs, and it is dead serious; and in the international arena, Putin is already starting to ingratiate himself with Trump. All this does not necessarily prevent a limited Iranian-Israeli conflict. Wars in the Middle East are unpredictable and are usually strategically irrational too. MOSCOW - Russia plans to deliver new air defense systems to Syria in the near future, Russias Defense Ministry said on Wednesday. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The ministry added it plans to study a US Tomahawk cruise missile captured by Syrian forces in a recent attack, in order to improve Russias own missiles. The head of the Main Operations Department at the Russian General Staff, Col. Gen. Sergey Rudskoi, confirmed to journalists that Moscow intends to arm its ally, Syrian President Bashar Assad. Russian S-300 system (Photo: AP) "Russian experts will continue to train Syrian military servicemen, particularly teaching them to use the new missile defense systems that are planned to be delivered to Syria in the near future," he said. While neither Rudskoi nor the Russian Defense Ministry made any mention of what air defense system they plan to supply Assad with, it is likely to be the advanced S-300 system. Earlier this month, Rudskoi said Russia may consider supplying S-300 missile systems to Damascus and other countries in the wake of the American, French and British air strikes on Syria On Monday, Russias daily Kommersant newspaper quoted unnamed military sources who confirmed Moscow was considering such a move in the wake of an attack on the T-4 airfield in Syria , which was attributed to Israel. Kommersant said that experts believed that Israel would react negatively to any decision to supply the missiles and might bomb the area where they would be deployed, warning against it. Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman said Israel would not hesitate to strike back if the Syrians use the Russian-made missiles against it. "What's important to us is that the defensive weapons the Russians are giving Syria won't be used against us," Lieberman told Ynet . "If they're used against us, we'll act against them." Israel is worried the advanced air defense system would hurt its air forces' aerial superiority in the area and would limit its freedom of operations. Jerusalem has asked Moscow several times to postpone the delivery of the S-300 to Assad, to no avail. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the Western strike on Syria's chemical weapons facilities had removed any moral obligation to wait on suuplying Assad with the air defense system. The recent assassination of Fadi Albatsh , a Hamas electrical engineer and drones expert, was part of a wide scale operation by the Mossad to sabotage projects, which may have been assisted by North Korea, aimed at developing and bringing advanced weapons to the Gaza Strip, according to a report in The New York Times. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The report cites Western and Middle Eastern intelligence officials to support the claim that Albatsh may have been involved in negotiating North Korean arms deals through Malaysia. Fadi Albatsh (Photo: Reuters) One of the intelligence officials added that Albatsh had helped broker the deal, which was exposed by Egypt when it recently seized a shipment of North Korean communications components used for guided munitions that were being transported to the Hamas-ruled coastal enclave. The Middle Eastern intelligence officials, the report continues, added that the killing was part of a broader operation headed by the Mossad chief, Yossi Cohen, aimed at subverting a Hamas program that entails the participation of Gazas foremost scientific experts in overseas projects to gather know-how and weaponry to fight Israel. Albatsh, 35, who co-authored an academic essay on the use of drones, was dispatched to Malaysia to research and purchase drones for his terror group back home. Malaysian police release facial composites of suspects in assassination (Photo: AP) According to officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, the Israeli intelligence agency has attached particular importance to monitoring Hamass clandestine drone project, which focuses on aerial and underwater vehicles capable of upgrading Gazas strategic offensive capabilities by enabling more accurate and effective homing in on Israeli targets than the rockets utilized in the last military conflicts. Malaysia, a predominantly Muslim-populated country, has backed the Palestinian cause throughout the years, has no diplomatic relations with Israel and its prime minister, Najib Razak, visited Gaza in 2013. The intelligence officials speaking to the New York Times said that Hamas began to see Malaysia as an ideal location to advance its research ambitions. One of the suspects in the hit (Photo: AP) In 2010, the country served as a training ground for Palestinian paragliders who were being prepared for use in future attacks on Israel, according to a statement cited in the report by the Israeli secret service. Malaysian officials denied any involvement in such a plot. The hit on Albatsh was not, however, the first attempt on his life, the report claims. Mr. Albatsh told friends in Malaysia that he had narrowly avoided an attempt on his life while still living in Gaza, it says. In 2014, his uncle, Tayseer Albatsh, the Gaza police chief, was nearly killed by Israeli airstrikes. Eighteen members of the Batsh family died in those raids. Inspectors from the Population and Immigration Authority arrested 26 foreign nationals from Georgia, the Ukraine and Russia in a Had HaSharon business after they were found to have no had valid stay permits. Among those arrested were 17 men and nine women. A police investigation for unlawful employment was opened against the business owner. An IDF force fired at two suspects throwing Molotov cocktails at a residential complex in the vicinity of Hebron. The suspects escaped. The force suffered no casualties and no damage was caused. Because I have had the honor of serving as a citizen-soldier of the State of Israel, because I have been privileged to found an organization that has brought Israels professional and strategic perspective to hundreds of campuses throughout the English speaking world, and because we have briefed, and arranged dozens of briefings for, members of the United States Senate and Congress, I know and recognize a true friend of the State of Israel when I meet one. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Lamentably, such friends are all the more notable because they are a rarity. Director Mike Pompeo, is one such friend. I speak on the absolute nature of his commitment to our country because I have had the pleasure of collaborating with Mr. Pompeo at key moments over a number of years. I first met him in November 2015, amidst the wave of lone wolf terror attacks that maimed and murdered innocent Israelis. In response to the delegitimization campaign against the Israeli police for the reasonable measures they employed to subdue the attackers, our organization brought about briefings in Washington DC, in Jerusalem and on select college campuses throughout the United States. The common element to that three pronged campaign was Mr. Pompeo. On the Hill, he was one of a three member panel of Representatives who attended a briefing by the foreign press spokesperson for the Israeli police. He insisted upon becoming fully acquainted with the facts and data presented, all while asking the most insightful of questions. As we adjourned, Mr. Pompeo informed me that he planned to travel to Israel in the coming days and asked what more he could do to get this story out there." It is worthy of note that while many of our own number were canceling their visits because of the terror threat, Mr. Pompeo remained resolute in his desire to come to Israel. He adjusted his schedule while there in order to visit the police command center where he viewed further footage of the terror attacks. He met with Israeli police officers in order to gain further insight into the challenges they were facing and he released a statement to the press based upon those meetings. Everything that Mr. Pompeo offered to do, he did. He did so of his own volition. For that alone, he should be applauded. Months later, our organization again partnered with the Israeli police to bring their Senior Legal Advisor to select law schools and to Washington DC. His presentations on the Hill centered around a bicameral, bipartisan briefing to legislators and their policy staffers. Not only did Mr. Pompeo host that briefing, he personally introduced the event, outlining the context of the talk for those in attendance, drawing upon his experiences in Israel as he did so. For that alone, he should be supported. Following his appointment as Director of the CIA, we had the pleasure of hosting Mr. Pompeo as the keynote lecturer for our organizational event in New York. While the content of his comments are not for public circulation, Director Pompeo's stated commitment to our country was unambiguous. His determination to ensure a secure future for the State of Israel was explicitly declared and emphatically conveyed and his recognition that the national interests of the United States are synonymous with a thriving Jewish State was apparent to all present. For that alone, he ought to be commended. And while the broader, domestic, American debate on the matter of who will be Secretary of State is not one in which I will engage, I do wish to address myself directly to some segments of the Jewish Diaspora, who claim that a secure Israel is central to their mission statement, but who vehemently oppose the nomination of Mr. Pompeo out of a stated deference to Jewish values. There exists an element within that group which has lost sight of its own priorities. They are in urgent need of a recalibration of their self espoused standards. Such groups cannot and must not be looked upon as the arbiters of which American policy is in the best interests of the State of Israel. In recent years I have lived through several memorable events resulting from policies affixed in Washington DC. I have done so wearing the uniform of a mobilized combat reservist on more than one occasion. I know that Secretaries of State can bring about a direct, sometimes immediate impact upon the lives of our young men and women in uniform and the citizens they are sworn to defend, therefore. I believe it to be high time that the holder of the office be someone who is a known friend of Israel, with policies toward our nation that are predicated upon realism, rather than someone whose view toward Israel is unclear and whose policies are predicated upon legacy-building obsessiveness. Benjamin Anthony and Supt. Micky Rosenfeld Brief then Congressman Mike Pompeo and Congressman Peter Roskam (Photo: OSS) The ascent of Mr. Pompeo is timely, appropriate and welcomed, therefore. Israelis seek someone whose reassurances ring true, rather than hollow. Recent bearers of the title have lacked that quality. Secretaries of State deal first and foremost in matters of foreign policy. It is therefore the members of the Jewish community in Israel, not the members of Jewish communities abroad, who will most immediately be affected, for better or for worse, by the actions of the individuals who hold this particular office. The words and attitudes of Secretaries of State can result in life or death for Israelis. They can embolden the world against us, or blunt the will of those countries who seek to do us harm; whether economically militarily or diplomatically. Heads of Diaspora Jewish organizations must be reminded of the centrality of a secure, self determining Homeland for the Jewish people, within the list of Jewish values. While they may be right to invoke the ethos of loving one's neighbor, of setting the world to rights, or of being a light unto the nations, they are categorically wrong to do so to the exclusion of the highest Jewish value of all; the value of self preservation - pikuach nefesh! Nothing is more central to the future of Jewish nationhood. It is with far too much abandon that certain groups ignore this reality. Their "leadership" would do well to recall some basic truths as they continue to oppose Mr. Pompeos nomination. Firstly, when they call for an alternative nominee, they do so in the absence of any individual with a stronger record of support for Israel. That reality should not be secondary in the considerations of Jewish groups, but primary. For while these groups may support the State of Israel, it will not be they who stand in the battlefield when the call to arms rings out. It will be we Israelis who do so, in Israel. While these groups may have a commitment toward the State of Israel, it will not be they who leave their loved ones in order to march into the unknown in the defense of their families. It will be we Israelis who do so, in Israel. And while such groups may view the State of Israel as their Homeland, it will not be their households that are imperiled when the rockets fly and the missiles launch. That will be the fate of Israeli households, in Israel. It will not be their country upon which the crosshairs of a nuclear Iran will be most immediately trained. It will be upon our country, Israel. It is out of deference to those truths, that the nomination of Mr Pompeo ought to be supported by groups claiming to champion the best interests of Israel. Their failure to do so constitutes a dereliction of their duties. Having worked with his good offices on several occasions, I am certain that Mr. Pompeo applies the same, reasoned, informed and principled approach to all peace-loving nations and peoples throughout the world. Those who seek a world of good neighborliness with the United States and her ally, Israel, will find a friend in Mr. Pompeo When he says he supports the State of Israel, is committed to our security and believes in taking all measures to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, I believe him. For in my experience with him, he has shown himself to be that rarest of individuals, a man for whom there is no disparity between his words and his deeds. Sadly, the same cannot be said for certain groups of my own number, who prioritize opposing his nomination above the security of the Israeli people. When they tell me they support Israel, wish to ensure a secure Israel and would do all that is necessary to prevent a nuclear armed Iran, I simply no longer believe them. I view them askance, and so should all who hold the future of the State of Israel dear to their hearts. They simply do not speak for me. I hope and expect Mr. Pompeo will indeed be confirmed within the coming days. Our countries and our peoples will be better off for it. BERLIN Proposals presented by French President Emmanuel Macron on Iran's nuclear deal are based on the existing international agreement but would add some new elements, a senior German official said on Thursday. Speaking before Chancellor Angela Merkel heads to Washington for talks with US President Donald Trump who has said he is not happy with the pact and may pull out of it, the official said: "The premise of Macron's proposal is that the agreement remains in its existing form and additional elements come on top." The official added: "In our view this agreement should be maintained." News In Brief Israel will hit Tehran if Iran attacks Tel Aviv Reuters, Riyadh Israel would retaliate against any Iranian attack on Tel Aviv by striking Tehran, Israel's defense minister said in remarks published on Thursday, as the arch-foes faced off over Syria. The comments by Avigdor Lieberman were an unusually explicit Israeli threat to take military action within Iranian territory. China circles Taiwan in military drill Reuters, Beijing Chinese aircraft flew around self-ruled Taiwan on Thursday, China's air force said, the latest in a series of exercises Taiwan has described as military intimidation. Kuwait expels Philippine envoy AFP, Manila Manila demanded an explanation on Thursday after its ambassador to Kuwait was expelled, shocking Philippine authorities and deepening a diplomatic row over the treatment of domestic workers in the Gulf state. Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman warned Thursday that if Iran attacks Tel Aviv, Israel will attack Tehran and destroy every Iranian military outpost in Syria threatening Israel, adding that the Islamic republic regime's days are numbered. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Speaking in an interview with the London-based online Elaf Saudi newspaper, Lieberman said that while Israel did not seek war with anyone, it will not tolerate an Iranian presence in Syriawhatever the cost may be. The rare interview with a Saudi newspaper came months after IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot also spoke to Elaf in November last year, calling for the creation of an international coalition against Iran. Other Israeli officials have also been interviewed by the paper. Defense Minister Lieberman and Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei (Photo: Avi Moalem, AP) We havent intervened in the war in Syria since it began seven years ago. The Iranians, Hezbollah, other militias, Russia and ISIS are there. Everyone is fighting each other and I wish them all success there, Lieberman quipped, before warning of Tehrans attempts to set up military bases in the war-torn country. We are not intervening, but Iran is trying to establish bases in Syria and arm them with advanced weapons, he said From there it wants to attack us. I cannot sit idly by while I watch Iran do that close to the Golan Heights, while it supports Hezbollah, Syria and Lebanon. The Syrian T-4 airbase that was attacked recently, allegedly by Israel, contained an advanced Iranian air-defense system that was recently installed, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal. Reiterating the point, the defense minister continued his tough talk against Iranian regime. I want to clarify: Every military outpost in Syria in which Iran seems to be trying to dig in militarily, we will destroy. We wont allow it, whatever the cost. We hear many threats. If they attack Tel Aviv, we will attack Tehran. If there is not silence in Tel Aviv and in Israel, there wont be in Tehran, Liberman warned, while noting that ongoing talks with Moscow would prevent any accidental clashes between Israel and Russian forces. I know what I am saying and I dont advise anyone to try us. We are ready for every possibility. The Russians know that we will not allow Iran to build bases in Syria and to transfer advanced weapons in order to attack us. There are talks and there wont be any clashes with them, he emphasized. Turning to the Iranian nuclear agreement, the fate of which currently hangs in the balance as US Donald Trump threatens to withdraw if its terrible flaws are not fixed, Lieberman insisted that it was in Irans own interests to keep the Washington on board. The Iranians are frightened of the US withdrawing from the deal. The Iranian economy will collapse. I watch the national protests against the regime, the same regime that caused the economic collapse in Iran. I see what is happening to the Iranian currency that is rapidly collapsing every day. They know that the Iranian regime is in its final days and will soon collapse, he continued Satellite image of Syrian air base allegedly used to field Iranian drones Lieberman also touched on diplomatic relations developing between Jerusalem and other Arab countries in the region. There are quiet and and in-depth conversations with a few Arab countries. These negotiations are moving in the right direction, he declared. However, he refused to confirm whether or not security cooperation existed between Israel and those states, something that was noted by Eisenkot during his own interview. It is safe to say that there is coordination. I call on them to come out into the light and to visit Israel like(former Egyptian president) Anwar Sadat did. Everyone will be welcomed, he promised. Agreements had been reached, he said, with the more friendly Arab states on seventy-five percent of the main issues. Theres about twenty-five percent left and they are more difficult, in my opinion. With the leadership in the Arab world the discussion is simple, but things are harder between the nations. I call on all Arab states: Come with us, with the start-up nation, with the high-tech technology. With your mens and economic power, we can create a change at the roots in the Middle East and the world, he concluded. An Israeli-Iranian showdown has loomed since February 10, when Israel said an armed drone sent from a Syrian base penetrated its air space. Israel blew up the drone and carried out a raid on Syrian air defences in which one of its F-16 jets was downed. The Jerusalem District Court convicted Thursday Ali Abu Hassan, a 20-year-old Hebron resident, for planning to carry out a terror attack using three pipe bombs in a crowded area of Jerusalem. In July 2016, Hassan travelled on a bus toward the center of the city and looked for a busy area to carry out the attack. WARSAW Poland's government is criticizing a claim by a US congressman that a new Polish law glorifies Nazi collaborators and denies the Holocaust. Andrzej Pawluszek, an adviser to Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, said Thursday the statement by Ro Khanna, Democrat from California was "irresponsible and shocking." On Wednesday Khanna tweeted: "Our government should be concerned with the resurgence of anti-Semitism in Ukraine and Poland. Both countries recently passed laws glorifying Nazi collaborators and denying the Holocaust." Khanna was referring to a new Polish law that criminalizes blaming Poland for the Holocaust crimes of Nazi Germany. The law has sparked widespread criticism, particularly in Israel, where some fear its aim is to quash discussions about wartime Polish anti-Semitic violence. However, it does not glorify Nazism or deny that the Holocaust happened. The Haredi mother who drowned her infant son in an Ashdod hotel room earlier this month was indicted for murder Thursday afternoon. She had been in police custody since April 2. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The Southern District Attorney indicted the mother at the Be'er Sheva District Court. The indictment said that a day prior to the alleged murder the defendant, a 27-year-old Beit Shemesh resident, arrived at the hotel with her husband, mother, children and other relatives. The couple and their infant son stayed in one room, whereas the other family members stayed in two additional rooms. The following day, possibly around noon, she went into the room's full Jacuzzi with the baby in her hands, released her grip and then left the Jacuzzi when his head was underwater, thereby allowing him to drown. Scene of the incident (Photo: Barel Efraim) She only came back several minutes later, during which time her family members banged on the door. She refused to open the door, however, telling them, "Not now," according to the indictment. Some time later the woman's mother and her husband found the baby and attempted to resuscitate him while simultaneously contacting emergency services to the scene. The infant was later declared dead at the Assuta Ashdod Medical Center, where he was rushed. The indictment then said the accused killed her child "in cold blood, under circumstances where she was capable of understanding the ramifications of her actions, having prepared both herself and the means to kill him. Her actions led to his premeditated murder." In her police testimony, the mother said she went into the Jacuzzi with her infant son to wash him. She claimed the Shekhinah (the divine presence of God in liturgical literatureed) then revealed itself to her, and pulled the baby under. She further maintained that she let go of the baby, allowing him to drown, so he can grow up to be the "King Messiah." After her interrogation, the mother reenacted the crime accompanied by police investigators. She also implicated her husband in the crime, and he was therefore arrested and interrogated as well. Haredim protesting baby's autopsy (Photo: Liran Tamari Meinat) The father's testimony was not congruent with testimonies collected from the mother and his mother-in-law, and he later admitted to having fabricated portions of his own testimony, alleging that he was protecting his wife. Additional testimony taken from the suspect's mother alleged the father, too shocked and distraught from the incident, broke down in tears instead of rushing to his son's aid. According to her, she went twice to the room during the morning hours, but her entry was denied each time on a different pretext. On her third visit, she opened the door and noticed the father sitting and weeping while the baby was face down in the water. She immediately took the toddler out of the water and began basic resuscitation attempts, ordering the father to call an ambulance. A group of youth from a pre-Military Academy (Mechina) were caught up in a northern Negev flash flood. At least seven girls were critically wounded and have been taken to Soroka Medical Center in Beer Sheva; 13 were extricated safely. Gaza Strip -- Israel's defense minister is denying that his country killed a Hamas-affiliated scientist who was gunned down last week in Malaysia. Avigdor Lieberman told the Arabic news site Elaph that "we did not assassinate him." When asked in the interview on Thursday who killed Palestinian engineer Fadi al-Batsh, the minister said: "Ask James Bond ... maybe James Bond killed him like in the movies." The body of a Hamas scientist gunned down in Malaysia last week has arrived in his native Gaza for burial. Relatives and Palestinian faction leaders gathered in a show of respect to greet the body of Fadi al-Batsh as it entered Gaza through the Egyptian border. Hamas has scheduled a funeral for Friday. Al-Batsh, who was working as a university researcher in Malaysia, was killed by a pair of assailants on motorcycles early Saturday as he was on his way to pray at a mosque in Kuala Lumpur. Hamas has identified him as commander in its military wing and accused Israel of killing him. But on Thursday, Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman said Israel did not do it. Israeli media have reported that al-Batsh was involved in Hamas' military drone program. A top adviser to Irans supreme leader said on Thursday Tehran would not accept any change to its nuclear deal, as Western signatories prepare a new package in the hope of persuading US President Donald Trump to stick with the accord. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter A May 12 deadline is looming for Trump to decide on whether to re-impose US economic sanctions on Tehran. French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday he had discussed a new deal with Trump in which the United States and Europe would tackle outstanding concerns about Iran beyond its nuclear program. Iranian President Hasan Rouhani (Photo: AFP) Any change or amendment to the current deal will not be accepted by Iran, said Ali Akbar Velayati, a senior adviser to Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the semi-official Iranian news agency Fars reported. If Trump exits the deal, Iran will surely pull out of it ... Iran will not accept a nuclear deal with no benefits for us, Velayati told journalists. Under Macrons proposal, the United States and Europe would agree to block any Iranian nuclear activity until 2025 and beyond, address Irans ballistic missile program and generate conditions for a political solution to contain Iran in Yemen, Syria, Iraq and Lebanon. Trump has said that unless European allies fix the terrible flaws in the Iran nuclear deal by May 12, he will refuse to extend US sanctions relief on oil-producing Iran. Under Irans settlement with the United States, France, Germany, Britain, Russia and China, Tehran agreed to curb its nuclear program to satisfy the powers that it could not be used to develop weapons. In exchange, Iran received relief from sanctions, most of which were lifted in January 2016. (Photo: Getty Images) Regional Influence The EU says it is in full agreement with China and Russia over the need to preserve the deal, but has expressed concerns about Irans missile program and its role in the Middle East. Keeping sanctions on Iran, under any name or pretext, will be unacceptable by Tehran, Velayati said, adding that making changes to encourage Trump to stay in the deal would make it ineffective. Leaders of US, Russia, China (Photo: MCT, Reuters) The collapse of the multinational accord could trigger an arms race in the Middle East. Velayati said Iran had no intention of reining in its influence across the region, as demanded by the United States and its European allies. This is our region. We are in our own region and it is legitimate, he said. Shiite Muslim Iran backs President Bashar al-Assad in Syrias civil war, Shiite militias in Iraq, Houthi rebels in Yemens conflict and Lebanons Hezbollah. Trump sees Iran as a rising threat and has pledged to work with Gulf Arab states and Israel to curb its regional influence. Israel and Sunni Muslim Saudi Arabia have welcomed Trumps opposition to the nuclear deal. US Ambassador to the UN Niki Haley said at a UN Security Council meeting that Hamas uses children as cannon fodder. Whoever really cares about children in Gaza must demand of Hamas to cease using children as cannon fodder in its conflict with Israel. The Palestinian UN ambassador is accusing Israel's military forces of targeting civilians in Gaza and has described their deliberate killing and wounding as "terrorism." Riyad Mansour told the UN Security Council on Thursday that "the international community must demand answers from Israel." The UN Mideast envoy, Nickolay Mladenov, said 35 Palestinians have been killed and "large numbers" wounded by Israeli military forces since protests along the Gaza-Israel border began on March 30. Mansour urged the Security Council to take immediate action "to de-escalate this dangerous situation." India-China summit expected to ease tensions over border Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi shaking hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping as he welcomes him at a hotel in Ahmadabad, India. AP, New Delhi : Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is meeting this week with Chinese President Xi Jinping, a visit that some experts believe could reset a complicated relationship that faced several tests last year, including a tense border standoff. The meeting between the leaders of the world's two most populous nations is to take place in the central Chinese city of Wuhan on Friday and Saturday. "Our common interests far outweigh our divergences," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said about the meeting's prospects. And the divergences are many, the most complicated being a lingering border dispute. The two countries fought a monthlong border war in 1962 and have been trying to settle the boundary since the 1980s. Each side accuses the other of occupying its territory. China claims some 90,000 square kilometers (35,000 square miles) of territory in India's northeast and cites the region's cultural affinity with Tibet as evidence that the area is part of what it calls "southern" Tibet. India says China occupies 38,000 square kilometers (15,000 square miles) of its territory in the Aksai Chin Plateau in the western Himalayas. Over the last three decades or so, officials have met at least 20 times to discuss the competing border claims. Minor skirmishes, often little more than shouting matches between soldiers, occur fairly regularly, but the most aggressive confrontation in decades took place last summer where the Himalayan borders of India, China and Bhutan come together. It started in June when Indian troops moved in to stop China from constructing a road in the Doklam region in Bhutan. For 10 weeks, soldiers from the two nuclear-armed nations eyeballed each other. The two countries finally agreed to pull back their troops on Aug. 28, though neither Beijing nor New Delhi offered any explanation of how the crisis was resolved. There are other annoyances too. Last year India refused to be part of Xi's grand initiative to build a "new Silk Road" of ports, railways and roads to expand trade in a vast arc of countries across Asia, Africa and Europe. India is unhappy that Chinese state-owned companies are working in the Pakistani-held part of Kashmir, the Himalayan region claimed by both India and Pakistan. Indian leaders see that as an endorsement of Pakistani control over the area. For India, China's ever-growing influence in the neighborhood, with significant strategic presences in Sri Lanka, Nepal and the Maldives and close ties with Pakistan, is a constant irritant. For Beijing, India's playing host to the Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan government-in-exile is a source of friction. "The goal of the meeting will be to put China-India ties on a better track as the relationship has been strained in recent years due to China's increased focus, investments, and activity in South Asia outside of India," the consulting firm Eurasia Group said. JERUSALEM -- Flash floods killed nine Israeli teenagers who were hiking south of the Dead Sea on Thursday, Israel's rescue service said. The casualties were all 18 years old. Israeli media said eight of the fatalities were female and one was male. Police said another hiker is still missing. Earlier, spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said 25 students in a pre-army course were "caught off guard" and some were "washed away" by heavy rains while they were hiking in the area. Rosenfeld said 15 hikers were rescued. The horrific incident was seen as a national tragedy in Israel. President Reuven Rivlin said on Twitter: "The state of Israel is mourning the loss of young promising lives in the heavy disaster." He said Israel "embraces" the grieving families and wished the injured a speedy recovery. WARSAW, Poland- Polish officials on Thursday criticized the claim of a US congressman that a new Polish law glorifies Nazi collaborators and denies the Holocaust. The charge was made by Ro Khanna, a Democrat from California, one of two congressmen leading a bipartisan effort urging the US State Department to pressure Poland and Ukraine to combat state-sponsored anti-Semitism. "Our government should be concerned with the resurgence of anti-Semitism in Ukraine and Poland. Both countries recently passed laws glorifying Nazi collaborators and denying the Holocaust," Khanna wrote Wednesday. In the Polish case, Khanna referred to a new law that makes it a crime to blame Poland for the Holocaust crimes of Nazi Germany. The law has sparked criticism in the US and particularly in Israel, where some fear its aim is to quash discussions about Polish anti-Semitic violence during the German occupation in World War II. However, even critics to date have not tried to argue that the law glorifies Nazism. News Rochester, Minnesota - All of us at Mayo Clinic are deeply saddened at the passing of Barbara Bush, an emeritus member of the Mayo Clinic Board of Trustees. We offer our deepest condolences to the Bush family at the loss of a woman whose kindness, grace and generosity have touched countless lives around the world. Mrs. Bush had a long, close relationship with Mayo Clinic as a friend and advocate over many years. From 1993 to 2001, Mrs. Bush served with distinction as a member of the Board of Trustees. She would later note the honor she felt in serving on the board, and she often shared her belief that Mayo Clinic is a special place. Mayo Clinic is stronger today in service to our patients as a result of Barbara Bushs many contributions to advancing our mission. As an enduring part of her legacy at Mayo Clinic, each year the Barbara Bush Distinguished Fellowship Award is given to an individual who represents the highest level of professional skills and humanitarian values. For 13 years, President and Mrs. Bush graciously opened their home at Walker Point in Kennebunkport, Maine, to host Mayo Clinic benefactors to help Mayo express our vision for the future of health care. In 2010, in honor of their commitment to Mayo Clinic, Mayo established an endowment in honor of President and Mrs. Bush: the George H.W. and Barbara P. Bush Strategic Initiative Fund in Education. Most recently, in 2017, President and Mrs. Bush established the George H.W. Bush and Barbara Bush Scholarship, which will be awarded to one student each year at the Mayo Clinic School of Medicine. Barbara Bush was a treasured member of the Mayo Clinic family and will be deeply missed. For so long, Ghanaian actress and model, Nana Akua Addo, has been the toast of fashion lovers with her unique clothes. Once again, Ghanas fashion queen is in the news for all the beautiful reasons, as she has shared a lovely photo of herself on social media. In her latest photo, she wore an all-black outfit which was matched with an elegant headgear to match it. READ ALSO: Slay queen flees after being captured on camera carrying gallons of water Looking queenly in the cloth, she stood elegantly in front of a vehicle and outdoored Africas fashion prowess for all to see. Social media users could not stop admiring her: @maame_efya002 exclaimed: "Omg, you always give it your best. And that's why we love you " @rose_obasi added: "I love your style ... when i grow up, i want to be just like you in dressing" @nana_akua_addo_addict also wrote: "All hail the Queen of Africa's fashion" and @1dapperjayden_ chipped in: "Still reminiscing over this outfit too gorgeous. I cant get over it. Why..why did you do this to me?? " The Ghanaian fashion icon has, for a long time now, been the cynosure of all eyes, with regard to her unique fashion taste. Her regularity in that respect has placed among the connoisseurs to expect the best from, with respect to fashion. Nana Akuas foray into the world of fashion has focused the limelight on Ghana as a country to look out for with respect to a wide range of options to choose from if one is desirous of stepping out in style. READ ALSO: I am single and free - Shatta Michy In this video, Ebonys father names some people he believes are guilty of his daughters death. The question of whether homosexuality should be legalized in Ghana becomes a bone of contention: We are looking for unique stories and photos about developments happening in your area. Get in touch with YEN on Facebook or Instagram Source: Yen.com.gh Respected Ghanaian highlife musician, Bisa Kdei, has disclosed that in spite of many jabs thrown at him by his senior colleague, KK Fosu he still loves him. According to Bisa Kdei, KK Fosu had attacked him on several platforms, saying he is a weak highlife artiste who wouldnt have made it to the limelight if he was still actively involved in music. Bisa Kdei, highlife musician READ ALSO: Slim Buster to 'strike' controversial gospel musician with 'deadly' court case The one time hitmaker, KK, is reported to have said that the Mansa hitmaker has weak stagecraft and fears his brand, hence wonders why he would continue being a highlife artiste. But speaking in an interview with Adomonline.com, Bisa Kdei eulogised KK Fosu, saying he respects him and didnt expect such demeaning statements about him in public. When asked what caused the feud between them, Bisa played down any such feud, insisting that he has no brawl with KK. Bisa Kdei in his interaction revealed that he would not hesitate to collaborate with KK Fosu since there is no need for him to keep matters at heart in showbiz atmosphere. I think KK Fosu is a legend. I dont think he should say things like that on radio. I see him as a big brother. Calling me for competition is not necessary because I rate him among the Daddy Lumbas so I respect and love him, Bisa said. READ ALSO: You're a terrible actor; Akrobeto is better than you Kofi Asamoah fires Ekow Blankson He also added that, It is not affecting me because everyone knows what he is doing. I am his junior brother and if anything he should call me. He can advise me but if he says things on radio like that then it means something else. I dont have any issues with him. Bisa Kdei has released his third album dubbed, Highlife Konnect, which has been described by many as indigenous and contemporary. The unveiling, which took place at the Airport Square in Accra, witnessed scores of industry players and other musicians who were all there to support the 2016 Highlife Artistes of the Year. Some of the artistes on the album include Sarkodie, Patoranking, Kumi Guitar, Yaa Yaa, Mayorkun, Reekado Banks, Zambias Oc Osilliation and Cameroonian Stanley Enow. READ ALSO: Police arrest Social Welfare officers for stealing and selling baby at a shocking price In this video, Ebonys father names some people he believes are guilty of his daughters death. The question of whether homosexuality should be legalized in Ghana becomes a bone of contention: Yen.com.gh is building a platform where Ghanaians can share local news and own experiences with each other. Witnessing an incident? Want to tell about a local problem? Know someone who is extremely talented and needs recognition? Your stories and photos are always welcome. Message us on Facebook. Source: Yen.com.gh - Lebanese national brags about how people at the seat of governments support his illegal mining activities - The illegal mining canker is being spearheaded by the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, John Peter Amewu A Lebanese national, who is involved in illegal mining, has bragged about his connections at the Presidency, insisting nobody can touch him. The claims were made public after he was secretly recorded by an undercover journalist who pretended to be a concessioner. In the said video, the Lebanese national, identified as one Mr. Yahaya, is captured bragging about his strong connections at the seat of government as he aims to acquire a land to mine. John Peter Amewu is the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources READ ALSO: First class travels, cars and fashionable dresses by Sandra Ankobiah Warned about his possible arrest if caught engaging in illegal mining activities, the Lebanese swept it off, saying he has people at the Jubilee House to help him out. According to him, not even the boss of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) can put him out of business because his connections at the Presidency are very strong. He, therefore, urged the concessioner to simply give him the number of the EPA boss, stressing his contacts at the seat of government will handle the rest. for this one I dont have any problem, you get me, nobody can touch me. Just give me the boss number and dont worry... I will let them come to the flag house (Jubilee House). As for connections, I have I have very good connections, nobody can disturb me, Mr. Yahaya said. He further revealed that he was in partnership with Aisha Huang, an alleged suspect who was earlier accused of being the leader of some Chinese galamseyers in the country. Join YEN on Instagram to be always informed and entertained! The concessioner then warned him about the existence of the Operation Vanguard team which has been put together to go after illegal miners. However, he shockingly boasted that the head of the Operation Vanguard team is his friend and would rather offer him protection when he acquires the concession to mine. Watch the trending news on YEN.com.gh this week: READ ALSO: Moesha's butt is artificial; Maame Dokono advises her to keep her body well Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish on YEN.com.gh? Please contact us on Facebook or Instagram now. Source: Yen Ghana - Prophet Nigel Gaisie, better known as the prophet who predicted Ebony's death, has responded to allegations that he took 'juju' from The Gambia to back his ministry - A woman, identified as Ama Born Again, who made the allegations claimed in a viral audio that she had personally led Prophet Nigel to acquire the occult powers - But Prophet Nigel has described the allegations as an attempt to bring him down just like it happened in the Bible with some prophets Founder and leader of the True Fire Prophetic Word Ministry (TFPWM), Prophet Nigel Gaisie has denied rumours that his powers are not from God. There had been claims by one woman who has come to be known as Ama Born Again, that she personally led Prophet Nigel Gaisie to a powerful 'juju' man in The Gambia to acquire his prophetic powers. According to Ama Born Again, Prophet Nigel Gaisie called on her and begged her to take her to a powerful oracle that can help him solidify himself as one of the greatest prophets in Ghana. READ ALSO: VIDEO: Slay queen with UK location flees after being spotted carrying water in Kufuor gallons By then, she was deep into the occultism world so she took him to a powerful juju man in The Gambia who granted him his wishes. But in a swift response, Prophet Nigel has described the allegations as false. Preaching the sermon in his church, Prophet Nigel stated that he was a true man of God stating that if he had wanted juju powers, he would not have gone to The Gambia. "What power is in Gambia?" he wondered. READ ALSO: Lil Win in big trouble for mocking former COCOBOD boss Opuni on TV Prophet Nigel cited instances in the Bible where attempts were made to pull prophets down but they never succeeded and will not succeed with him too. He rained curses on Ama Born Again and sent a strong warning to, Nana Yaw Sarfo, the host of the show where the allegations against him were made. Prophet Nigel Gaisie has become popular after it emerged that he had predicted death by accident on the Sunyani road for the late Ebony Reigns before her tragic accident. READ ALSO: Shatta Michy excited that her son Shatta Majesty doesnt look like Shatta Wale? In a video posted on Facebook on February 8, Prophet Nigel was indeed heard making such prophecies about Ebony and it shot him to prominence. Following that, Prophet Nigel released a video of him predicting a win for former President John Manama in the 2020 elections should the NDC field him as their candidate. This prophecy has, however, sparked a rift between him and Reverend Isaac Owusu Bempah, another one of the renowned prophets, who had earlier given a contrary prophecy. READ ALSO: Patapaa, Kuami Eugene, 3 musicians who have got into 'trouble' for their 'low' sense of fashion Prophet Nigel is also the same person who predicted death for Dancehall musician, Stonebwoy, between now and Easter in 2019, which the musician has brushed off. Check out some of the trending news in Ghana in YEN.com.gh's video below: Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish on YEN.com.gh? Please contact us on Facebook or Instagram now. Source: Yen - NPP's Bugri Naabu has suffered a serious car accident - It all happened when the Northern regional chair was returning to Tamale after a campaign - He is to undergo surgery Northern regional chariman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Bugri Naaaby is in intensive care at the Tamale Teaching Hospital after indulging in a near-death accident. Starr FM is learning that Bugri Naabu was returning to Tamale after a political campaign at Sawla and Bole, to seek re-election in the upcoming regional executives elections on Saturday, when his car crashed at Larbanga near Damongo in the West Gonja district. READ ALSO: Shatta Michy shakes social media with a new red photo and fans cant keep calm In fact, sources close to the Tamale Teaching Hospital have also confirmed that the NPP chairman undergo a surgery after which he would be flown to Accra for further treatment. So far, it remains unknown the level of damage the accident has had on Bugri Naabu but from all indications it is clear he might have suffered severe injuries. Ghana trends: Ebony's father names the guilty | Homosexuality legalized in Ghana? Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish on YEN.com.gh? Please contact us on Facebook now! Source: Yen DARK STARS Reza Noor : Mahmoud never thought that life would be like this; never imagined wherever he set his eyes there would be some vivid image, which would surprise his sense of wonder. He had completed Intermediate in Bangladesh, which means he is a college graduate; but in America he is not. In America, he is in the tenth grade at Easton High School in Easton, Massachusetts. He has his parents, a brother and a sister in his family. Before going to his first class in the school, Mahmoud asked his mother, 'Aammu, why did we come to America?' Mrs Mamtaz stared back at her son with a half-bloomed smile. Mamtaz falls into thought by the echo of her son's question. She avoided his curiosity the other day by her smile; but today, in the glimpse of the sunlight, she can envision her days in her native country as though they could be seen in a mirror. The weather is warm in this early October. She does not turn on the air conditioner, but rather opens the window. There is a tiny pine tree branch hanging over the window. It is swayed by a gentle wind. Its brush-like leaves tremble like an artist's hand on the papery sun-gleam. She lifts her eyes indifferently and a piece of sky shines through some rare clouds. She remembers her own blue sky when she was a little girl. That sky was bigger and perhaps bluer than this one. Those clouds used to listen to her if she called them or sang a song to them. A calling from behind breaks her nostalgia. Munia, her five- year old daughter, is coming down from upstairs. "What are you doing by the window, Aammu?" "Just looking outside." She replies. "Oh, I see. Mama, Tom and Jerry cartoon is not on the TV. There is a yellow square thing that looks like a sponge" Mamtaz bursts into laughter, "That's Spongebob, Munia,", she says, " you will like it." Munia goes back upstairs and Mamtaz opens the slider door of the living room. A big round table and some chairs are there.This usual morning's light and shade are playing on them. Mamtaz sits on a chair; gazes at the woods by their house. It is daytime here, but evening in Bangladesh. "Mama, mama!", Munia comes back calling her mother. She goes to school two hours later than her brother. She is in Kindergarten and is extremely fond of school. Within a couple of months arriving in America, she has a lot of friends to talk and play with. She has picked up English significantly and has an American accent. She is very good at drawing. In the recent art competition she drew the picturesque scenery of her village home: Jessore, Bangladesh. She drew the Kopotakkho river, with its boats, long grasses by the river bank, and the place where the horizon bends down to see the fields full of crops. She got the art paper in America but the brush in her mind from the country she left behind. The school bus stops at the end of Janet Street by the Route 138. Mamtaz walks along with her daughter. Munia does not want to hold her hand and wants to run ahead to the bus. The yellow colored bus looks like mustard fields to her. She can almost smell the freshness of those yellow mustard-flowers of the morning she used to go out with her father for walks. Mamtaz left her three-year old son, Saif at home because he was asleep. The extra ten minutes of sleep means he won't cry a lot when he awakes because his sleep hasn't suddenly been broken. Mamtaz heads back home as Munia gets onto the school bus. When she opens the door, she is greeted by a long weary crying. She runs up the stairs to find Saif is awake. He is crying, sitting on the bed. Mamtaz takes him in her lap and calms him. He goes back to sleep. Mahmoud and Munia like parahta, banana and milk for their breakfast. Her husband, Shiraz always has paratha , bhazee (fried vegetables) and fried egg while she enjoys hers with it a cup of tea. Mamtaz is having breakfast alone because Shiraz is at work now. He opens a grocery store nearby at 6 am. Saturday is his only day off. He is a hard-working man and takes good care of his family. He is a family man in every sense of the word. Shiraz is a likeable man; educated, understanding and full of thought about improving his quality of life and that of his children. He had a job in a bank in the small town close to his village home. Mamtaz worked as a teacher in a primary school. Life was not bad between their jobs, three children and some property. Now, all they want is a better education for their children. After finishing her breakfast, Mamtaz sips her cup of tea. And looking plainly at the stuff scattered on the dining room table; a half eaten paratha, a stain of the fried egg, half-empty glasses with crystal clear water. Her eyes stop on a drinking glass. She shifts her chair a bit to get comfortable and in doing so bumps the table with her elbow. The water in the glass begins to quiver. She picks it up and looks into it. The whole Bangladesh, as it were, trembles in front of her eyes. Before coming to America, they had all they could want, but winning the Diversity Visa Lottery put their life on a different track. Shiraz believes, this is the right decision for his family. Mamtaz thinks differently. She thinks things are not going to be the same. Their children still struggle to adjust to their new environment. Her husband does not say anything but she can see the thoughtfulness in the creases of his forehead. She herself misses her school, students and fellow teachers. If she were in Bangladesh she would be in the school now. She could almost hear the buzzing sound, like honeybees in her ear, of the little children gathering around her in the classroom. In the field under the shades of the big mango tree, the girls used to pluck the leaves by jumping up. Sometimes one girl would lift another by holding her by the waist. Mamtaz used to smile seeing their pretend picnic cooking. She let out a sigh. Saif wakes up. She has to feed him and start cooking lunch. Mahmoud started liking his new school. He doesn't mind that he is in the tenth grade whereas he could be studying in the university. A new avenue of knowledge has opened before him. He listens to the lectures of the teachers with an extra attention but everything is in English, which is a problem for him. He is getting it day by day and he too is almost catching an American accent. He likes the school and his classmates very much. They are very helpful and cordial. There is another reason that he loves his school: his classmate Stephanie, who sits next to him. He can ask her if he doesn't understand certain words and she always helps him with a smile. She never gets angry or annoyed with his questions. Usually he keeps his distance from the girls. He has a shyness, which normally does not go with the nature of boys; but his shyness fades away whenever he comes close to Stephanie. Her voice and way to talking are what attract him most. Every word she utters is a song, every gesture she makes with her hands are a pair of rivers that run side by side. Every time the wind blows, her hair is a tuft of clouds full of rain and whenever she smiles there is a new bright day. One day, Stephanie put her hand gently on Mahmoud's hand while they were talking. Mahmoud shivered inwardly. He looked at the place where her touch lay. He didn't dare to set his fingers there, lest her mild, blissful touch would be wiped away. He looked at his hand maybe a thousand times. He kept looking at it after coming home too. His mother asked him, "Is there anything wrong with your hand, son?' He says no, and smiles, turning his face aside. Shiraz comes home at around 7 that night. They have a good time after dinner. He plays with Saif and Munia. Mahmoud keeps busy with his homework and studying. The kids go to bed early. They are sleeping now. Mamtaz is watching TV. Shiraz goes outside for a walk. It is almost ten o'clock at night. Little breezy. The sky is clear. Sometimes, some lonely clouds fly lazily under the stars. As they disappear, the twinkling canopy of stars smile at him. The moon, peeping out from the edge of the woods, looks very skinny like a sickle of a farmer in Bangladesh. He lifts his head up a bit more. There are stars and stars all over. In this vast universe, how lonely a human being like him could be! He has everything- a wife, loving children, a job, a promising new life. The light of that life is oozing slowly on him. But still, a dense darkness is swaying before him from a horizon he does not know. n Reza Noor, a poet, short-story writer, novelist, and translator, was born on March 6, 1970 in Jessore, Bangladesh. An M.A. in English Literature, he served as a lecturer of English at Jhikorgacha Women's College, until he moved to the USA on November 16, 1996. He is the author of 15 books, including, 'Sweetheart in Solitude' (A collection of poetry, 2001), 'Once in the river Kopotakkho' (A collection of short stories, 2011); 'Known Fire' (novel, 2013); 'Smell of Evening (novel, 2009). He is the editor of a literary magazine in Bangla, Onurawnon (Echo). Reza lived in Astoria, New York for five years where he worked for The Weekly Bangladesh, as a staff writer and literary editor. He is currently living in South Easton, Massachusetts with his wife, Leena and three children: Deena, Samin and Ameera. Int'l confce on Geological Engineering ends at JU A two-day international conference on 'Geological Engineering and Geo-hazard and Development' concluded on Wednesday on the Jahangirnagar University (JU) campus. JU Geological Sciences department in association with International Association of Engineering Geology & Environment (IAEG) organised the conference at the seminar room of Zahir Raihan auditorium on the campus. JU Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Farzana Islam addressed the second day of the conference as the chief guest. Addressing the function, she said, "Such type of conferences will create opportunity to exchange the knowledge on geology between the researchers and experts." Presided over by Chairman of JU Geological Sciences department Professor Dr Mahfuzul Haque, Professor of DU Geological Sciences Dr Kazi Matin Uddin Ahmed and Director of Bangladesh Geological Survey Department Dr Rishad Md Ekram Ali addressed the function as special guest. On the concluding day, teachers and researchers presented their research papers at the various sessions of the conference. Govt to set up 4,500 more community clinics soon The government has taken an initiative to set up 4,500 more community clinics across the country soon to reach healthcare services to the doorsteps of all people. The information was revealed at a discussion at Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the city on Thursday marking the 18th founding anniversary of the community clinics. Health and Family Welfare Minister Mohammed Nasim addressed the discussion as the chief guest while Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) Director General Professor Dr Abul Kalam Azad was in the chair. Bangladesh Medical Research Council (BMRC) Chairman and former Health and Family Welfare and Social Welfare Affairs Advisor to Prime Minister Professor Dr. Syed Modasser Ali, Medical Education and Family Welfare Division Secretary Faiz Ahmed and Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA) President Dr Mostafa Jalal Mohiuddin addressed the function, among others. Line Director of the Community Based Health Care (CBHC) of the DGHS Professor Dr Abul Hasem Khan delivered the welcome speech in the function. Addressing the function, Nasim said in line with the dream of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, his daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has taken the initiative of setting up community clinics across the country to ensure health services for all in the country. "Sheikh Hasina always gives priority to the health sector," he said, adding as per her directives some 10,000 more doctors would be recruited gradually to further improve the standard of health services at the grassroots level. "We have already published a circular through Bangladesh Public Service Commission (BPSC) recently to recruit 5,000 doctors," the minister, also an Awami League Presidium Member said. He urged the community clinic service providers to serve the people with sincerity. Mentioning that the continuation of government is needed for the country's further development, Nasim urged the countrymen to vote for AL in the next polls to continue the ongoing development activities in the health sector and all other sectors. In his presidential speech, Dr Abul Kalam Azad said more than 13,500 community clinics on the basis of one for every 6000 persons have already been set up in the rural areas of the country to facilitate the countrymen with healthcare services. More 4,500 community clinics will be set up soon raising the total number of the clinics to 18,000, he added. After assuming the office in 1996 for the first time, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the first community clinic at Patgati of Tungipara in Gopalganj district in 1998. Sher-e-Banglas death anniv today BSS, Dhaka : The 56th death anniversary of Sher-e-Bangla Abul Kashem Fazlul Huq will be observed in the country in a befitting manner today. Different political parties and socio-cultural and professional bodies have chalked various programmes to observe the day. The programmes include holding discussions, placing wreaths and offering doa and munajat at Sher-e-Bangla's mazar in the city. President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages marking the death anniversary of Sher-e-Bangla. They paid glowing tributes to the late leader and recalled his struggle for economic freedom of the peasants and toiling people of this country. They also prayed for eternal peace of his departed soul. In his message, President Abdul Hamid said Sher-e-Bangla was an extraordinary talented political leader. The President recalled different steps taken by Sher-e-Bangla, including the formation of the Debt Settlement Board, for the welfare of the repressed and exploited farmers and the toiling masses. Ex-minister Shamsul Islam dies UNB, Dhaka : Former Information Minister M Shamsul Islam died at a city hospital on Thursday. He was 87. Shamsul Islam, also a former BNP standing committee member, breathed his last at United Hospital at 1:40 pm, said his personal secretary Kamrul Hasan. He said the former minister had been receiving treatment at the hospital for various old-age complications since April 17. He is survived by two sons and a host of relatives and admires to mourn his death. The BNP leader's first namaz-e-janaza was held at Gulshan Azad Mosque after Magrib prayers, and then his body was kept at United Hospital mortuary. Shamsul Islam's second janaza will be held at 9am on Friday at the South Plaza of Parliament Complex, while the third one in front of BNP's Nayapaltan central office at 10.am. From Nayapaltan, his body will be taken to his village home in Munshiganj. Armenia sets date for new election to defuse crisis Armenian opposition supporters demonstrate in downtown Yerevan. AFP : Armenia's parliament on Thursday set May 1 as the date to elect a prime minister in a bid to defuse rapidly escalating tensions, with protest leader Nikol Pashinyan locked in a battle of wills with the ruling party. But an end to the political crisis was nowhere in sight, with the protest leader lacking enough votes to get elected in a parliament still controlled by the ruling Republican Party. Several top Armenian officials turned to Russia for help as protesters in the capital Yerevan took to the streets for a fresh day of rallies. "I announce that the question of choosing a prime minister will be debated on May 1 ... at a special session of the National Assembly," parliamentary speaker Ara Babloyan said. Republican Party spokesman Eduard Sharmazanov said it was "realistic" that a new prime minister would already be elected on May 1. Serzh Sarkisian stood down Monday from his new post of prime minister after mass protests. He had served for a decade as president before that. The opposition had accused 63-year-old Sarkisian of wanting to extend his grip on power under a new parliamentary system, saying he failed to tackle a litany of problems including poverty and corruption. Armenian acting Vice Premier Armen Gevorkyan was in Moscow for talks on Thursday, his office said, in an apparent move to secure support from the Kremlin. The country's foreign minister Edward Nalbandyan was also believed to be in the Russian capital. Observers have warned the crisis could destabilise the Moscow-allied nation which has been involved in a decades-long territorial dispute with Azerbaijan. Russia has a military base in Armenia and President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday urged restraint when he spoke by phone to Armenian President Armen Sarkisian, who is no relation to Serzh Sarkisian, and is a ceremonial figurehead. The Russian embassy in Yerevan said Wednesday that its officials had met with Pashinyan. The protest movement headed by opposition lawmaker Pashinyan, 42, wants the Republican Party to hand power after Sarkisian quit. The Yelk opposition bloc nominated Pashinyan for prime minister, but he was 13 votes short of a majority on Wednesday. A candidate would need 53 votes to get elected. Protesters said Thursday they would be taking to the streets until the ruling elites were ousted. "If the Republicans do not want to leave themselves, we will force them," Anna Mkrtchyan, a 38-year-old hairdresser, told AFP in central Yerevan. "The people have already shown their force," she said. Levon Babayan, a 47-year-old engineer, added: "We came for them to realise that the people do not want them," he said. Pashinyan accuses authorities of wanting to nominate a Republican Party candidate for prime minister and has warned that the opposition could boycott snap parliamentary elections. He has insisted the new premier must be a "people's candidate" and not a member of Sarkisian's party, and said he was himself willing to lead. "In case the Republican party dares to nominate a candidate, the people will immediately surround the parliament," he said. Talks between Pashinyan and acting government head Karen Karapetyan to discuss a "peaceful" transfer of power were cancelled this week. US should consider Rohingya crisis on humanitarian ground REUTERS reported that the US government is conducting an intensive investigation of alleged atrocities against Rohingya Muslims, documenting accusations of murder, rape, beatings and other offenses that could be used to prosecute Myanmar's military for crimes against humanity. This is hopefully a good step to try the perpetrators who committed the worst exodus and genocide on the most persecuted people and snatch their citizenship. If other powerful countries, the member state of United Nations Security Council, truly take the side of oppressed, the plights of the Rohingya people would be ended. We ask Chinese and Russian governments not to support the atrocities as the inhumane genocide which triggered exodus and ravaged the Rakahine. The undertaking has involved more than a thousand interviews of Rohingya men and women in refugee camps in Bangladesh, where over 700,000 Rohingya have fled after a military crackdown last year in Myanmar's northwestern Rakhine State. The information will be analyzed in Washington and the report will be sent to the State Department in May or early June. It is anticipated that the purpose of this investigation is to contribute to justice processes, including community awareness rising, international advocacy efforts, and community-based reconciliation efforts, as well as possible investigations, truth-seeking efforts, or other efforts for justice and accountability. The investigation coincides with a debate inside the US government and on Capitol Hill over whether the Trump administration has done enough to hold Myanmar's military accountable for brutal violence against the stateless Rohingyas. In November, then-Secretary of State Rex Tillerson declared that the Rohingya crisis constituted "ethnic cleansing" though the Myanmar government denied the accusations. The US in December imposed sanctions on one Myanmar general and threatening to penalize others. Washington has also scaled back already-limited military ties with Myanmar since the Rohingya crisis began. Human rights groups and Democratic lawmakers in Washington have urged the Republican White House to widen sanctions and designate the violence as "crimes against humanity". We hope, the US effort to collect data should be used to prosecute the perpetrators, within government and military in Myanmar, send back Rohingyas to their homeland and return their citizenship. It's a humanitarian crisis. So, the US government's initiative should be on humanitarian ground. Buddhist monk hacked to death in Bandarban Staff Reporter : An 80-year-old Buddhist monk was hacked to death allegedly by a junior monk inside a temple in Bandarban Sadar upazila on Thursday. The body of Nainda Bhikku was found at a kitchen of Bakichhara Majer Para Buddhist Temple in the upazila on Thursday morning. Police arrested Chobida Sramon, 40, who primarily confessed to his involvement in the murder, said Golam Sarwar, officer-in-charge of Bandarban Sadar Police Station. The OC said they have already recovered a chopper from the temple area following information of the arrestee. The body was sent to Bandarban Sadar Hospital for autopsy, he said. U Panditha Bhikku, principal of the temple, said Chobida is mentally unstable as he attempted to kill his mother two years ago. Monk Kree Marma, who serves for the temple, said, "I saw Chobida fleeing from the temple around 5:30 am and found Nainda Bhikku' lying in a pool of blood in the kitchen." No army in GCC, KCC polls : EC Staff Reporter : Army will not be deployed during Gazipur and Khulna city corporation polls, said Election Commission Secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed. The EC secretary said it to the media at Election Commission office on Thursday. He said, generally army is not deployed during the local government polls. This time also won't be different. However, Police, RAB, BGB, Ansar will stay on the field. "The garment factories at Gazipur will remain shut. For this, the EC is trying to organize a view exchange programme with the Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMEA) and the Textile Manufacturers and Exporters' Association (BGMEA). EC will take a decision after a view exchange meeting with the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC). EC will also hold a view exchange meeting with the journalists as to how they will perform their professional duties. Replying the query, Helal Uddin said, every body is expecting a free and fair election at both Gazipur and Khulna City polls. Chief Election Commissioner K M Nurul Huda, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Javed Patwari and other election commssioners were present at the meeting. RAB, BGB, Ansar and other senior officials of different forces were present. It is mentionable that recently BNP has demanded deployment of army at Gazipur and Khulna City Corporation polls. No report of border killing this year: BSF Staff Reporter : There has been no report of killing any Bangladeshi national by the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) on the borders since January this year, claimed BSF Director General (DG) KK Sharma on Thursday. "We are very careful about violation of human rights," the BSF DG said in a briefing on the fourth day of the BSF and the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) Director General level meeting yesterday. The five-day talks began on April 23 in the Pilkhana Headquarters of BGB in Dhaka. Killing, abduction and detention of innocent Bangladeshi citizens on the border will dominate the meeting. Ain O Salish Kendra (ASK), however, claimed that three Bangladeshis were tortured to death, seven injured and three others abducted from January to March this year. Last year's statistics of the rights organisation also recorded 24 people were killed, 35 wounded and 40 abducted. BSF Director General KK Sharma is leading a 10-member Indian delegation, while BGB Director General Major Gen Md Shafeenul Islam leads15-member Bangladesh team. Other members include representatives from the Prime Minister's Office, foreign ministry, Home Ministry, Department of Narcotics Control, Joint River Commission and Survey of Bangladesh Both sides agreed to take effective steps to prevent human trafficking and illegal crossing, to enhance sharing of information regarding organised criminal activities and increased surveillance in areas vulnerable to crimes on the border, according to the press release. Imported LNG in pipeline from May Anisul Islam Noor : Imported Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) will start supply within a week through 91 km pipeline connection from floating station at Moheshkhali to Anwara in Chattogram, the project official said. State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid said LNG (Liquid Natural Gas) pipeline will be put into service from May 25-26 this year. He also said industries and factories of the country will be connected with LNG through the pipeline. Thus, it will create more employment, he hoped. The State Minister said it while addressing a Chevron-sponsored seminar held in a city hotel on yesterday. The country will enter in LNG era by supplying gas in the national grid. A regasification vessel arrived near Maheshkhali Island in Cox's Bazar on Tuesday to facilitate supply of 14.16 million cubic metre gas per day for the next 15 years, said Md Quamruzzaman, Managing Director of Rupantarita Prakritik Gas Company Limited, who is also head of LNG import project. The vessel, owned and operated by US firm Excelerate Energy, brought 60,000 tonnes of LNG in its storage at Moheshkhali, sources said. The contract also has a provision of unavailable service for 87 days a year. The 13 years old regasification vessel commissioned in 2005 with 25-30 years of economic life, would be handed over to Petrobangla after 15 years, when it would have almost no asset value, sources said. Energy Division official claimed that Petrobangla would be able to use the regasification vessel for the next 3-5 years after a major overhauling. Petrobangla would also receive a similar vessel from local firm Summit in October for LNG regasification near Maheshkhali Island for 15 years, according to another build-own-operate-transfer contract. On September 25, 2017, Petrobangla signed a 15-year contract with Qatar's state-run RasGas Company Limited to import 1.8 million tonnes of LNG a year for the first five years and 2.5 million tonnes for the next 10 years. On April 18, the cabinet committee on national purchase also approved the pricing formula for LNG imports from Oman. Qatar's LNG would cost 13 per cent of the three-month average of Brent crude in addition to 0.50 per cent LIBOR (London Interbank Offered Rate) per 28.32 cubic metres while Oman's gas will cost 11.9 per cent of Brent crude oil price in addition to $0.40. State minister for power, energy and mineral resources Nasrul Hamid admitted that the issues of remaining asset value with the two vessels or their remaining economic lives were not considered during the signing of the contracts. He, however, declined to reply why Petrobangla signed the contracts with the provision of transfer of the assets which would ultimately turn into a liability. The price of LNG re-gasification service might have been lower if it was a build-own-operate contract, said officials. In the wake of severe shortage of gas supplies, Petrobangla signed two terminal use agreements with Excelerate on March 31, 2016 and Summit on April 20, 2017 to facilitate LNG imports to increase gas supply by up to 28.32 million cubic metres per day. Petrobangla now supplies natural gas at the rate of about 76 mmcmd against a demand for 105 mmcmd. In March, the gas distribution utilities submitted proposals to the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission for fresh hikes in gas prices by 75 per cent on an average, from Tk 7.39 per cubic metre to Tk 12.95 to offset their potential loss for increasing gas supplies by 28.32 mmcmd from imported LNG. Earlier, the commission raised the gas prices by about 22 per cent on an average in two phases, from March 1 and June 1 in 2017. EU wants inclusive, credible polls in BD The European Union (EU) at a meeting here hoped that the government of Bangladesh will ensure conditions for credible, transparent and inclusive elections. At the meeting, Bangladesh also reiterated its commitment to provide all-out support to the Election Commission in holding free, fair, and credible election. The issues came up for discussions at the biennial meeting of the Subgroup on Good Governance and Human Rights in the framework of the EU-Bangladesh Cooperation Agreement (CA) held in Dhaka, said a joint press statement on Thursday. At the outset, the EU delegation appreciated the generous and humane role and action of the people and the government of Bangladesh for hosting the Rohingya people fleeing violence in Myanmar. The Bangladesh side requested the EU to keep providing political and other supports in returning the Rohingyas to Myanmar in safe, dignified and sustainable manner. The EU expressed its commitment to continue mobilising political support and humanitarian assistance to help bring a lasting solution to this crisis, including the safe, dignified and voluntary return of the Rohingyas. Both sides reaffirmed the commitment to strengthen cooperation in the field of human rights on the basis of shared principles and internationally recognised human rights standards. The EU recalled the importance of strengthening the rule of law, and both sides underlined the contribution of civil society to a functioning democracy. It raised concerns over the situation of human rights, in particular reports of 'extrajudicial killings' and 'enforced disappearances'. The Bangladesh side in response reiterated its 'zero tolerance' policy to violation of laws and human rights by law enforcing agencies and the government's commitment and continued efforts to ensure accountability, including through the capacity building of the LEAs. The two sides agreed to further enhance the promotion and protection of the rights of the persons belonging to minorities, ensuring non-discrimination in their exercise of political, economic, cultural and social rights. Bangladesh reiterated its promise to continue its engagements with the Human Rights Council, treaty bodies and other related UN mechanisms. They also discussed the link between the overall governance framework and the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development. To this end, the meeting acknowledged the government work and EU support on specific policies on public finance management and social protection as well as social security strategy. Five years after the tragedy of the Rana Plaza collapse, the EU noted the progress made so far under the Sustainability Compact, notably on safety of working places but said more needs to be done in terms of aligning Bangladesh labour legislation with international labour conventions and their implementation. It underlined the urgency to address the alleged acts of violence and harassments against trade unionists and the trade union leaders, and investigate those. The EU called on Bangladesh to ensure proper implementation of labour law in respect of registration of trade unions and urged to bringing in line with the ILO Convention on freedom of association, its draft law on Export Processing Zones. The issues related to labour rights will further be addressed during the High Level Sustainability Compact meeting to be held in June 2018 in Brussels. Both sides agreed to continue working together to address human rights challenges in the EU and Bangladesh. These issues will be discussed more at the EU-Bangladesh Joint Commission, to be held in Dhaka in the first half of 2019. Senior Secretary, Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division, Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Muhammad Shahidul Haque led the Bangladesh delegation. It included representatives from various ministries. The EU delegation was led by Head of Division, Regional Affairs and South Asia in the European External Action Service (EEAS) Caroline Vinot. Diplomats from several European Union Member States also attended the meeting as observers. The Undead Archives I have finally salvaged my pre-Blogger TDR archives and added them into Blogger. They are almost totally in the form of one giant post for each month. And the formatting strayed from the originals. Sorry. But historians everywhere can rejoice that this treasure trove of my thoughts is restored to the world. Yes, the decision belongs on the local level No, no one should be able to dictate whether people wear masks Vote View Results Gulf International Bank (GIB) has launched the digital retail banking services of meem, the regions first Shariah-compliant digital bank, in Bahrain. Rasheed Al Maraj, Governor of the Central Bank of Bahrain, attended the technology driven launch event as the guest of honour in the meem store at The Avenues, Bahrain. The Minister of Oil, HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, along with other dignitaries also attended the event. meem offers innovative straightforward financial solutions delivered through its convenient and simple to use mobile app. Al Maraj said: We are pleased to see meem digital banking begin its operations in Bahrain. The launch underlines the Central Bank of Bahrains ongoing commitment and success in attracting FinTech specialists to the Kingdom and strengthening the countrys FinTech ecosystem. meem offers a 24/7/365 service model on its innovative mobile app and web banking portal allowing customers to open and manage their accounts, conducting everyday transactions through its online channel, supported by services such as video contact centre, e-mail, web chat and social media. GIB Group CEO Abdulaziz Al-Helaissi said: We are very delighted to launch meem in Bahrain. meem offers convenient and straightforward banking for digital customers that rely on technology and appreciate the benefits of banking anywhere anytime. We aim to continue staying at the forefront of digital banking in the region by delivering innovative solutions to support the needs of our customers. GIB Group chief operating officer and Saudi Arabia country head Mushari AlOtaibi said: meem is a digital banking service committed to providing all banking services efficiently and according to the highest level of reliability and security. The launch of meem in Bahrain will reinforce the status of FinTech and digital banking in the finance sector of the Kingdom of Bahrain. Mohammed Al Garni, GIB Group head of Retail Banking added: We aim to provide a personal service to our customers, making it easy for them to manage their money efficiently. We would like our customers to think of meem as the smart digital Bank at the tip of their fingers. Overtime, customers in meem Bahrain and meem Saudi Arabia will benefit from the services offered in both countries where they can transact and operate their accounts in a unified banking channel. Bahrain customers may open a One Pack account; which combines the benefits of both current and saving accounts. The account comes with a debit card capable of linking to multiple foreign currency accounts. Other products such as online Murabaha term deposits, credit cards, and personal finance will be added in due course. meems Bahrain inauguration is a significant milestone for GIB as it paves the way for further expansion across the GCC. GIB initially launched meem digital banking in Saudi Arabia in 2015. TradeArabia News Service Mashreq, one of the leading financial institutions in the UAE, has posted a net profit of Dh598 million ($163 million) for the first quarter of the year, reflecting a yea-on-year increase of 9.5 per cent due to a 4 per cent increase in operating income. Net interest income and net income from Islamic Products is up by 6.7 per cent year-on-year, on the back of a 3.9 per cent loan growth in the first quarter, a statement said. Mashreqs CEO Abdul Aziz Al Ghurair said We are pleased to report strong financial results for Mashreq Bank in the first quarter of 2018. As the economic climate in the UAE continues to improve on the back of stabilizing oil prices, our net profit increased by 9.5 per cent year-on-year driven by a 4 per cent increase in operating income. Our earnings per share remain robust and we continue to maintain a strong liquidity position, as evidenced by our healthy loan-to-deposit ratio of 85 per cent. As customer demand begins to shift, technological innovation emerges as a key focus area for banks in the Middle East. I am proud to say that Mashreq is committed to maintaining its leadership position in digital banking across the region. With over 85 per cent of our transactions happening through digital channels already today, we are committed to developing new and innovative products to cater to the ever-evolving requirements of our customers. We will continue to pioneer financial solutions targeted at making the banking experience exceptional to our customers, he added. As we draw closer to EXPO 2020, we are excited to witness a period of accelerated growth in the nation, and we are fully dedicated to supporting Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoums vision for the UAE. Our solid financial performance puts us at the forefront of the banking industry not only locally, but also regionally, and I am confident we will be able capitalize on upcoming opportunities and maintain our momentum for the remainder of 2018, Al Ghurair concluded. TradeArabia News Service The 2021 annual meetings of the World Bank Group (WBG) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will take place in Marrakech, Morocco, in October 2021, following a vote by the Boards of Governors of the two institutions. The annual meetings bring together central bankers, ministers of finance and development, private sector executives, civil society, media and academics to discuss issues of global concern, including the world economic outlook, global financial stability, poverty eradication, inclusive economic growth and job creation, climate change, and others. The last time the annual meetings were held in Africa was in 1973, in Nairobi, Kenya. The announcement of Morocco as the next location of the meetings coincides with the 60th anniversary of the countrys membership of the WBG and the IMF. The annual meetings are usually held for two consecutive years at the WBG and IMF headquarters in Washington, D.C. and every third year in another member country. The 2018 Annual Meetings will take place in Indonesia in October of this year, at which time there will be an official signing ceremony for the 2021 Meetings in Morocco. TradeArabia News Service Taqaddam, the British Council and HSBCs life skills programme for 15-16 year olds in the Mena region, has been awarded runner up at the International Business Excellence Awards in the corporate social responsibility category. Gemma Barlow, British Council Head of Programmes, UAE, received the award on behalf of the British Council and HSBC at a ceremony in Dubais Jumeirah Beach Hotel. Now in its fourth edition, the International Business Excellence Awards recognise and celebrate workplace best practice from across the world. Taqaddam was one of eight initiatives shortlisted in the CSR category, the most competitive of the 35 categories in this years awards programme. Taqaddam, which means move forward in Arabic, equips students with a robust set of transferable life skills needed to be effective global citizens. The programme was developed by HSBC Middle East in partnership with the British Council and incorporates content prepared by The Goodall Foundation. In the three years since Taqaddam was launched, it has attracted the participation of 4,830 students and 326 teachers from 238 schools across seven Middle Eastern countries. The calibre of companies that presented this year has been truly inspiring. Our hope is that Taqaddam students will find themselves working within and contributing to such companies in the near future. We want the skills and experience theyve acquired through our programme to help them succeed across various workplaces and beyond, said Sabrin Rahman, HSBCs head of Corporate Sustainability for the Middle East region. Gail Campbell, British Council director Education, Mena said: We are honoured to receive an International Business Excellence Award for Taqaddam, especially given the high level of competition in our CSR category. Our success is testament to the team of students, teachers and volunteers who all inspire change through skills-based education in their communities. Since launching Taqaddam in 2015, we have partnered with educational stakeholders in each country to drive sustainable positive changes amongst schools. Taqaddam looks beyond traditional skills focusing on creativity, innovation and emotional intelligence to allow each student to shape their own learning and future. The British Council now plans to increase access and inclusion to Taqaddam by extending delivery in Jordan, translating it into Arabic, and offering adaptations for young people with learning support needs as well as Syrian refugees. TradeArabia News Service FedEx Express, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp a leading express transportation company, revealed that it is officially ranked amongst the Best Workplaces in the UAE for 2017-2018, by Great Place to Work. Great Place to Work is the global authority on high-trust, high-performance workplace cultures. It provides the benchmarks, framework, and expertise needed to create, sustain, and recognise outstanding workplace cultures. FedEx Express has achieved this recognition for the eighth consecutive year, said a statement. The FedEx People-Service-Profit philosophy is based on the belief that by taking care of our people, they will provide an outstanding level of service to customers, which leads to profit, that in turn can be invested back into the business and its people, it said. The company believes that team member development and growth are central to making this philosophy a reality. They work closely with their managers on individual development plans and are provided with tools to facilitate their growth, it added. Through the FedEx Virtual Academy, everyone working for FedEx Express can access a variety of training materials and courses to further their own skills. Additionally, FedEx Express team members can apply for the companys Tuition Assistance programme, which provides financial support to enable any team member to pursue further education. Jack Muhs, regional president of FedEx Express Middle East, Indian Subcontinent and Africa, said: Its an honour to be recognised by the Great Place to Work Institute, and a confirmation that by investing in our team members, we build a positive and successful workplace environment and culture. We are committed to putting our people first. We want to see our colleagues achieve their full potential, and we provide them with the means to do so through education support, mentoring, and more. Their accomplishments are our success, he added. TradeArabia News Service Redington Gulf, a leading distributor of technology and telecom products, launched the latest edition of Microsoft Surface - the Surface Laptop for its channel partners during an exclusive event held in Dubai, UAE today (April 26). Along with a demonstration of the Laptop, which is now available for distribution in the UAE, Redington Gulf also provided latest business updates for Microsoft Surface Pro with LTE Advanced and Surface Book 2 to its partners at the event. Redington Gulf had launched the new line-up of Microsoft Surface products in several GCC countries including Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain earlier this month in similar events. The Surface Laptop with Windows 10 Pro and Surface Pro with LTE for commercial customers is aesthetically designed and combines strength and functionality to create a thin and lightweight model to assist users in a vast range of functions. The laptop comes with an impressive 14.5 hour-long battery life, a vibrant 13.5-inch PixelSense touchscreen Display, OmniSonic speakers, best-in-class keyboard and a trackpad shielded in Alcantara material. Supported by the best product features of Microsoft, including Windows 10 Pro, the device offers more functionalities than a traditional laptop. Windows 10 Pro is the most-preferred version by customers as it is highly dependable and offers maximum productivity with security. In addition, it allows for faster user processing and keeps their information secure day in and day out, thereby boosting productivity significantly. Crafted with premium materials known for durability, beauty and luxurious texture, the Surface Laptop is a perfect balance of performance, weight, touchscreen and battery life. The other products within the Microsoft Surface family include Microsoft Surface Book 2 and Microsoft Surface Pro with LTE Advanced. The device offers fast, seamless and secured global connectivity and is the most secure device for executives who want to be connected at all times. The new Microsoft Surface products are capable of playing a significant role in modernizing workplaces across a vast range of industry segments including small-scale businesses, education, healthcare, government and financial sectors. Onur Altintas, senior product marketing manager - Surface, Microsoft Middle East & Africa, said: We are glad to partner with Redington Gulf to distribute Surface Laptop to meet the growing demand from large enterprise customers and SMEs who are looking to transform their businesses through innovation. I am confident Redington Gulfs extensive reach and sales expertise will help us grow market share in this segment. Aloysius Fernandes, president, Redington Gulf, said: We constantly focus on equipping our channel partners with best in class products and the right set of skills and capabilities to support them as they help companies in the region transform into modern workplaces. The new portfolio of Microsoft Surface products is specifically designed to aid and accelerate this transformation. We will also be running campaigns to highlight and promote the productivity features of Microsoft Surface products among SMEs in the region. Redington stocks Microsoft Surface products locally and this helps us meet customer demands at short notice. TradeArabia News Service UAEs National Media Council (NMC) has signed a strategic partnership with the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi (DCT) to offer strategic and media support to activities organised by the department related the publishing sector. The signing took place on the sidelines of the 28th edition of the "Abu Dhabi International Book Fair 2018," being April 25 to May 1 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, reported Emirates news agency Wam. The agreement was signed on behalf of the NMC by Dr Rashid Al Nuaimi, executive director of the Media Affairs Sector in the NMC, and by Abdullah Majed Al Ali, acting executive director of the National Library Sector at DCT Abu Dhabi, on behalf of DCT. The agreement offers the necessary support to the activities organised by the department for the publishing sector, including the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair. The NMC will offer strategic support out of its organisational and legislative role for the media and the publishing sector in the country. Al Nuaimi said that the NMCs strategic partnership with DCT confirms its commitment and contribution to developing and advancing the countrys publishing sector, to achieve the ambitions and aspirations of the wise leadership who have prioritised the publishing industry, due to its role in enriching and strengthening national identity and cultural heritage. He added that the NMC has worked over the last year on issuing 25,083 circulation permits and 1,392 printing permits while the number of requests it received through the countrys ports regarding books, publications and media materials reached over 6 million, which included 4,459,545 books, 1,760,698 brochures, catalogues and commercial publications, 123,906 artistic visual and audio works, 14,072 video games, 21,878 computer programmes and 28 film materials. Al Nuaimi explained that this data reflects the NMCs positive role in advancing the media and publishing sectors, and its electronic media content database contains many categories of books that comprise 80,000 titles, which is equivalent to 50 copies for every title. 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 The Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (Enec) is highlighting the importance of prioritising health and safety, during its participation in the EmiratesSkills 2018 National Competition, being held in Abu Dhabi, UAE. The event which opened on April 23, will conclude later today (April 25), at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. ENEC is the official Health and Safety sponsor and exhibitor, emphasising the importance of establishing a strong culture of safety in everyday life as well as in the workplace, said a statement. Around 600 UAE nationals are competing in the 2018 edition of the EmiratesSkills National Competition, which is held under the patronage of HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak, chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation and the head of the General Womens Union, it said. Participants will demonstrate their skills in 30 different categories in the fields of craftsmanship and technology, by challenging their peers based on the standards and criteria set out by WorldSkills International, it added. Enec is participating in EmiratesSkills with an interactive display stand, where attendees and participants will be able to learn about the strategic importance of the UAE Peaceful Nuclear Energy Program. Enec and its operating subsidiary Nawah Energy Company will demonstrate how the construction and commissioning of the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant are being done in accordance with the highest global standards of quality and safety. Enec will also promote the Higher Diploma in Nuclear Technology (HDNT) programme scholarships to develop qualified and reliable UAE professionals who will lead the nuclear energy industry, and contribute to the transformation of the UAE into a knowledge-based economy, in line with the Abu Dhabi Plan. Since its inception in 2009, Enec has focused on the safe delivery of the UAE Peaceful Nuclear Energy Program. The four units of the Barakah Nuclear Energy Program will deliver approximately 25 per cent of the UAE electricity requirements, providing clean, efficient and reliable electricity to the UAE grid while saving up to 21 million tonnes of carbon emissions each year, equivalent to removing 3.2 million sedan cars from the roads, it stated. TradeArabia News Service Plethora, a leading retailer and distributor of luxury goods, has launched its sixth store in the UAE, showcasing several global brands of fragrances from all over the world. The opening of the new Plethoras City Walk Boutique in Dubai was attended by legendary perfumer Ramon Monegal, a 4th generation Spanish master perfumer. Monegals extensive perfumery training comes from the House of Myrurgia, the official purveyor to the Spanish royal family. To date, Monegal has created seven exclusive collections of perfumes with a wide range of products from musks and ouds, to classics and traditional fragrances after travelling the world drawing inspiration and harnessing natural ingredients. Plethora stocks Monegals self-named brand Ramon Monegal throughout its boutiques across the UAE. Plethora sources the finest products from a variety of countries and perfumery experts in Spain, Italy, France, the UK, the US and the UAE. Aside from this City Walk Boutique Store, Plethoras other perfume lounges can be found in The Dubai Mall, Palm Strip Mall, Al Ain Mall, Bawabat Al Sharq Mall and Fujairah City Centre. TradeArabia News Service Swiss-Belhotel International, the award-winning global hospitality chain, announced today at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) in Dubai a major milestone of reaching 150 hotels in operation and development. Gavin M. Faull, chairman and president of Swiss-Belhotel International, said: Reaching 150 hotels opened or signed globally is a very important milestone for us and highlights our momentous growth. This achievement illustrates the strength of Swiss-Belhotel Internationals superb portfolio of brands delivering exceptional guest experience in every segment of the market with the support of our outstanding partners and a great team. Faull further added, Our global success is driven by our aggressive expansion strategy in high-growth markets. Moving forward, we remain committed to accelerate the growth of our brands and are eager to capitalise on the upcoming opportunities by leveraging on the synergies across our wide industry network. Swiss-Belhotel Internationals legacy dates back to the companys establishment in Hong Kong in 1987. The group currently operates 73 hotels worldwide and has 77 projects in the pipeline. It is counted among the top 100 hotel companies in the world offering a choice of 14 brands in 22 destinations across four continents with 10 regional offices. Since 2016, Swiss-Belhotel International started expanding aggressively in Australia and New Zealand where the group not only manages hotels but ventured into ownership of the management rights. Europe is also on the radar where the company recently signed a hotel in Italy and is considering four more projects in the region. The Middle East and Africa are strategic markets for Swiss-Belhotel International with 17 per cent of the global portfolio centered in the region. Laurent A. Voivenel, senior vice president, Operations and Development for the Middle East, Africa and India for Swiss-Belhotel International, said: We have got an extremely strong development pipeline in the Middle East and Africa with a portfolio of over 3,500 rooms across 12 cities. 2018 is a significant year for us with six new hotels opening in quick succession. In addition, we are in negotiations for various other projects that will see our business grow substantially in the region over the coming months. We expect to reach 30 hotels in the Middle East and Africa by 2020. - TradeArabia News Service Rotana, one of the leading hotel management companies in the region, has reaffirmed its position at the forefront of the hospitality sector by taking home a total of 16 awards at the World Travel Awards (WTA) Middle East Gala Ceremony 2018. Renowned as the Oscars of the travel world, the awards were presented at a glittering ceremony attended by industry leaders in Ras Al Khaimah on April 19. Now celebrating its 25th year, the World Travel Awards is globally recognised as the travel industrys most prestigious awards programme and rewards exceptional performers in the tourism, airline, hotel and hospitality sectors. Rotana secured the coveted title of Middle Easts Leading Hotel Brand for the 12th year in a row, in addition to winning major regional awards including Middle East's Leading City Hotel for Amwaj Rotana, Dubai; Middle East's Leading Corporate Resort for Beach Rotana, Abu Dhabi; and Middle East's Leading Luxury Hotel Apartments for Arjaan Dubai by Rotana. The company received a further 12 accolades in the country and city-based categories, while Rotanas chairman Nasser Al Nowais was recognised with a special Middle Easts Leading Travel Personality Award for his outstanding contributions to the industry. Guy Hutchinson, chief operating officer at Rotana, said: On behalf of everyone at Rotana, I would like to thank our guests from across the region and beyond for putting their trust in us and selecting Rotana as their hospitality partner of choice. We are delighted to accept these prestigious awards, which are a testament to the tireless efforts of our dedicated team members. Their contributions shape the world-class experiences enjoyed by our guests daily, and have played a key role in elevating the Rotana brand to the market-leading position it enjoys today. Hutchinson continued, We extend warm congratulations to our chairman Nasser Al Nowais on receiving a Middle Easts Leading Travel Personality Award. His visionary stewardship is an inspiration to us all as we strive to continue delivering on our promise of Treasured Time to our guests, employees and partners. We look forward to further successes to come as our portfolio expands throughout the region. The full list of awards won by Rotana at World Travel Awards Middle East 2018 is as follows: Middle East's Leading Hotel Brand 2018: Rotana Hotels Middle East's Leading City Hotel 2018: Amwaj Rotana, Dubai Middle East's Leading Corporate Resort 2018: Beach Rotana, Abu Dhabi Middle East's Leading Luxury Hotel Apartments 2018: Arjaan Dubai by Rotana Bahrain's Leading Hotel 2018: ART Rotana, Amwaj Island, Manama Iraq's Leading Hotel 2018: Erbil Rotana Jordan's Leading Conference Hotel 2018: Amman Rotana Jordan's Leading Serviced Apartments 2018: The Boulevard Arjaan by Rotana Lebanon's Leading Business Hotel 2018: Gefinor Rotana Oman's Leading Beach Resort 2018: Salalah Rotana Resort Qatar's Leading City Hotel 2018: City Centre Rotana Doha Saudi Arabia's Leading City Hotel 2018: Rosh Rayhaan by Rotana Saudi Arabia's Leading Budget Hotel 2018: Centro Shaheen by Rotana United Arab Emirates' Leading Business Hotel 2018: Park Rotana, Abu Dhabi United Arab Emirates' Leading Family Resort 2018: The Cove Rotana Resort Abu Dhabi's Leading Serviced Apartments 2018: Park Arjaan by Rotana Middle Easts Leading Travel Personality Award: Nasser Al Nowais, Chairman, Rotana Rotana has been consistently recognised for its commitment to raising standards within the hotel industry through its ever-evolving portfolio. Now entering its 26th year of operations in the region, the company has received more than 380 regional and international awards to date. Following the grand opening of the five-star Al Bandar Rotana and Al Bandar Arjaan by Rotana, Dubai, and The Pearl Rotana Capital Centre, Abu Dhabi in March, Rotana is looking ahead to further expansion with several upcoming developments in the pipeline. - TradeArabia News Service Muslim travellers will spend $157 billion by 2020, driven by millennial travellers and the top outbound market remains Saudi Arabia, which will grow 17 per cent over the next three years alone, to reach $27.9 billion, a media report said. The figures were released during Arabian Travel Markets Global Halal Tourism Summit 2018, which was held at the Dubai World Trade Centre, reported Emirates news agency Wam. During the first seminar, titled "Halal Tourism How far have we come?" Faeez Fadhlillah, founder and CEO of Salam Standard and Tripfez, highlighted the growing importance of Muslim millennial travellers illustrated by the changing global socio-economic trends and underscored the potential pent-up demand. "The biggest countries and some of the fastest growing economies in the world are found in Asia and the Middle East. These regions typically have large Muslim populations which are young with prosperous middle classes. "In addition, second and third generation Muslim communities in developed economies such as Europe and North America now have far more purchasing power and overall, their combined growth generates increased demand for faith-based travel and tourism," he said. During the second seminar, "Halal travel becomes mainstream" Omar Ahmed, founder and CEO of Sociable Earth, revealed some of the key results from a recent survey, in which 35,000 Muslim travellers participated. "Certainly, the halal travel market has graduated from its niche status to become an industry-shaping force, in its own right. It has become mainstream," said Ahmed. "It is also clear that mainstream travel and tourism organisations will now have to become far more pro-active if they want to attract increasing numbers of Halal travellers and tap into the potential of this massive market. Even destinations in western countries can do more. "The campaign that we managed for Geneva Tourism can now be used as a benchmark. Together we gained an additional 70,000 unique visitors to their website," Ahmed added. Another topic of discussion was about the interpretation of Halal tourism, which the panel agreed had so many different facets and the fact it meant different things to different people, depending on their own Islamic values whether conservative or more liberal. "We also have to keep educating travellers (and destinations) about the term "Halal Travel" as many are still unaware of what it actually means. This awareness campaign will always be ongoing, constant and forever changing," Ahmed said. The panel agreed that often destinations were, in fact, Halal friendly without actually realising it. According to Tamara Tawil, Market Manager, Geneva Tourism, this is where many European destinations go wrong, they just need to communicate more effectively she said. "An image driven campaign is key," Tawil said. "Muslim travellers want new experiences, so destinations should illustrate that. They certainly dont want to see stereotypical images that remind them of home. It is a fine line," she added. According to the Sociable Earth survey, one of the key findings was that respondents said non-Muslim countries should increase their variety of halal food in the hotel (61.3 per cent), list nearby mosques (61.1 per cent) and halal restaurants (55.2 per cent) and offer private pool villas (14 per cent) to attract more Muslim guests. Roda Hotels & Resorts, a Dubai-based hospitality management company and a subsidiary of Dubai International Real Estate, will be adding a new hotel to the UAE emirate's growing hospitality portfolio next month. Opening its doors on May 1, Roda Links Al Nasr will enter Dubai's four-star market and will target business and leisure travellers who are looking for comfortable, affordable yet chic accommodation in Dubai. The new hotel will bring the total number of properties that the group owns and manages to seven. Roda Links Al Nasr Dubai features 114 comfortable rooms with hip bars and fine dining outlets. The rooms and suites feature elegant contemporary decor with quality furnishings and state-of-the-art amenities. All rooms are equipped with satellite radio and TV channels, mini-bar, safety deposit box, ironing board and high-speed wireless internet connectivity. Amro Nagah, general manager of Roda Links Al Nasr, said: We are pleased to announce the opening of Roda Links Al Nasr, our seventh property in Dubai, and is a fantastic addition to our impressive portfolio of existing hotels and resorts serving varied market segments. Roda Links is our contribution to the mid-market sector which is a fast-growing segment in the industry. The property is an ideal option for business travellers, families and couples who demand comfort and personalised service at affordable rates and we are happy to develop a range of accommodation options for these travelers. Our focus will remain on delighting our guests with personalized Arabian hospitality and intuitive services and we are confident that Roda Links will deliver this. Situated in close proximity to Dubai International Airport, Oud Metha Metro Station, Downtown Dubai and various other local attractions, dining outlets in the hotel include 1971 an all-day dining restaurant serving international cuisine for breakfast, lunch and dinner and Brugges restaurant offering guests a selection of delicacies such as sharing platters, burgers and nachos. Guests can sip their drinks in the sophisticated atmosphere and simultaneously enjoy a great view of the city from Anees Pool Bar located at the rooftop of the hotel. Additionally, Roda Links offers guests the opportunity to stay on top of their fitness regime during their travel at Flow Health Club & Wellness Center. The health club leverages latest innovative cardio and strength training equipment. Guests can also indulge in one of the healthiest sports, swimming at the hotel's outdoor swimming pool. Roda Hotels and Resorts currently owns and operates six properties across Dubai namely, Roda Al Murooj, Roda Al Bustan, Roda Amwaj Suites JBR, Roda Boutique Villas Jumeirah, Roda Metha Suites and Roda Beach Resort. - TradeArabia News Service Marriott International has signed a distribution co-operation agreement with Al Tayyar Travel Group (ATG), allowing the Saudi group to pull inventory and rates in real time from Marriotts reservations systems. This agreement is mutually beneficial to both companies as Marriott International will have access to ATGs wide reaching network within Saudi Arabia and beyond. Neal Jones, chief sales and marketing officer Middle East & Africa at Marriott International, said: We are delighted to consolidate our partnership with this exciting new connectivity announcement. Al Tayyar Travel Group has invested significantly in technology and payment platforms, and Marriott International is extremely proud to be able to dynamically connect our reservation systems to the mutual benefit of our companies. This will ultimately provide better service and availability of inventory to the travel trade and consumers in the MENA region. Marriott International has enjoyed a partnership with Al Tayyar Travel Group in the region for many years. "Our partnership with Marriott International provides our customers with seamless access to a globally renowned hospitality company, and its wide-ranging offer of brands and properties, as well as the best available rates, said Abdullah Aldawood, CEO of Al Tayyar Travel Group. This agreement will further accelerate the growth of our company. We are delivering on our transformation strategy of being a leading online travel agency and holiday advisor in Mena, offering Omni-channel travel services. - TradeArabia News Service Leading travel commerce platform Travelport announced today new leadership for its Agency Commerce teams in the Americas and Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA). In the Americas, Simon Ferguson will become managing director, Agency Commerce for the region which spans the US, Canada, and Latin America. Ferguson takes over from Bret Kidd who will be taking an alternative role within Travelport. Ferguson will relocate from London, where he currently oversees Travelports Northern Europe region and will be based in Atlanta, Georgia from July 1. Ferguson is a graduate of Sheffield University whose earlier career included leadership positions in travel technology and media before joining Travelport in 2011. In 2017, Travelports revenue in the Americas was over $700m. In EMEA, Damian Hickey will take on the role of managing director, Agency Commerce following the departure of Rabih Saab earlier this year. Hickey will take up the role from June 1 and will relocate to Travelports Langley, UK base from Singapore, where he currently oversees Travelports Air Commerce business in the Asia-Pacific region. Hickey has been at Travelport since 2012 in a number of leadership roles. He is a graduate of Trinity College, Dublin and has worked in the travel technology sector for over twenty years. In 2017, Travelports revenue in the region exceeded $1 billion. Jason Clarke, managing director for Agency Commerce, commented: I would like to thank Bret for his contribution in leading the Americas over the past two years and congratulate Damian and Simon on their new roles. I am confident that leaders of their calibre will ensure we continue to meet the needs of our customers in these critical regions and help them improve their performance with the unique tools and differentiated content only Travelport offers. - TradeArabia News Service Gorakhpur/New Delhi (IANS): At least 13 school children were killed and 12 injured after a train rammed into their van at an unmanned railway crossing in Uttar Pradeshs Kushinagar on Thursday, an official said. According to a railway official, the incident occurred around 7.10 a.m., at the Behpurva railway crossing, around 100 km from Gorakhpur. Railways spokesperson Ved Prakash told IANS that the children of the Divine Public School died on spot when the Siwan-Gorakhpur passenger train crashed into the van at the crossing. Support TwoCircles According to a North Eastern (NE) Railway official, at least 25 people, mostly children below the age of 10 years were travelling in the van when the incident occurred. The train was on its way to Gorakhpur from Siwan. An accident relief medical train from Gorakhpur has been dispatched to the site, the NE official said. He also said that the several senior officials have rushed to the accident site. An inquiry has been ordered. According to Railway Ministry, it was an unmanned level crossing gate with Gate Mitra deployed there. Injured children have been rushed to Pandrauna Hospital which is 30 km from the accident site. Railway Minister Piyush Goyal expressed his grief over the accident and announced an ex-gratia of Rs two lakh each to the kin of the victims. I am saddened by the news of school children dying in a train accident. I have spoken to senior railway officials and ordered an inquiry into it, Goyal said in a tweet. By Sidharth Dhamma On Sunday, April 15, 2018, various progressive organizations from Silicon Valley, San Francisco Bay Area, USA organized a program to commemorate Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkars 127th birthday in Havana room of Stanford University Campus. The theme of the commemoration was Social Justice in Neoliberal Era. Kanakarajan, a member of Ambedkar King Study Circle (AKSC), moderated the program which started with a brief video introduction of Ambedkars work and his life. Mr.Pavan of Association for India (AID) co-hosted the event. Support TwoCircles Participants observed a moment of silence for victims of rape in Jammu and Kashmir and Uttar Pradesh, and for those 11 Dalits killed in violence unleashed by the Hindutva forces during the April 2, Bharat Bandh as a protest to Indian supreme courts ruling to dilute SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act. Karthikeyan, the secretary at AKSC, talked about Contradictions i.e. contradiction in social and economic inequality in the new liberal era. He quoted Ambedkars statement In politics, well have equality, but in social life, well have inequality, One man one vote, one value, but very structure of social economic condition, well continue to deny one man one vote. Karthikeyan expanded the Ambedkars idea of social justice from Annihilation of Caste and his party i.e. Scheduled Caste Federation (SCF) program, Dr. Ambedkar writes in Annihilation of Caste that democracy is associative living, respect, and reverence to the fellow human. In SCFs program, Dr. Ambedkar writes that we should put an end to exploitation man by man and class by class. Karthikeyan reiterated Ambedkars warning, How long well continue to live a social economic contradiction, we must remove the contradictions sooner else those who suffer from inequality will blow up very structure of democracy. Elancheran, an executive member of AKSC, shared his detailed study on Hindu Code Bill which Ambedkar introduced in the Constituent Assembly on April 11, 1947 and how it is dragged on for four years, in independent India parliament then killed and died there Unwept and Unsung. The Hindu Code Bill was killed by the so-called upper caste members of both in the constituent assembly and in the parliament. Elancharan put a very strong and valid argument that how many women from the privileged section of Indian society aware that Ambedkar fought for their property rights especially inheritance rights of daughters and wives, right to divorce under certain extreme conditions, abolishing polygamy law at all. Elancheran made a humble appeal to the audience, especially Indian women, to go through the Hindu Code Bill in general and start the discussion on the same in particular. The fact must be noted that Ambedkar resigned from Nehrus cabinet in September 1951 and said, In regard to this Bill I have been made to go through the greatest mental torture. Pieter Friedric of Organization for Minorities of India(OFMI) talked about the argument on policies and beliefs between Gandhi and Ambedkar on Caste issue. Sonali, from the Association for India as a Silicon Valley Techie, narrated her own personal experience. Thats how although she was born in middle class, yet how to begin born in so-called upper caste family gave privileges and advantage to get ahead of lower caste and untouchable people of India. She explained how the starting point ones life is very important for molding and shaping an individual. Sharat of SJPnJC started his argument with comparing Sun Yat-sen of China and Ambedkar of India. He walked through the audience through Yat-sens three principles namely nationalism, democracy and peoples livelihood (also as known as Just Society). He drew the parallel between Yat-sens democracy and just society with Ambedkars democracy and social justice. Sharat argued that both Sun Yat-sens and Ambedkars analysis of their respective countries are Marxist analysis where the most of the people think that their analysis is not Marxist. He continued that both of these leaders analyzed the social relations of production with respect to the conditions of their countries and thats what Marx did and thats what Marxism is. Sharat made an appeal to the elites among the Dalits, especially who have an opportunity to come to the USA, to be politically more responsible in fighting against all inequality since they have sufficient material condition to do so. Prof. Rajkumar Hans of Sri Guru Ravidass Sabha talked about fraudulent Gods of Hindu religion and religious false practices and how Ambedkar vehemently opposed Hinduism. He said that there are much-needed changes to our social system and that we deserve better future. He also went on to say that there is no room for social justice in Hinduism. There was an open discussion and Q&A as the last event in which audience shared their opinions. One of the audience, Pramela said that how caste made people exercise superiority by giving inferior treatment. Saswati raised a question which triggered good discussion. She asked, Why the reservation is only caste-based and economical condition too is not considered. A detailed explanation was given why reservation based on caste has to continue and some attendees proposed to come out with a details FAQ on the same. Asti, from the board of directors of AID, USA, delivered the vote of thanks. The program was jointly organized by Ambedkar King Study Circle (AKSC), San Jose Peace and Justice Center (SJPJC), Alliance for South Asians Taking Action (ASATA), Organizations for Minorities of India (OFMI), Sri Guru Ravidass Sabha, Ambedkar International Center (AIC), Association for Indias Development (AID) Bay Area Chapter and Asha for Education (Stanford Chapter). For decades Saudi leaders expressed in vituperative fashion an animus to the state of Israel as an illegal entity in what is assumed to be Arab land. While King Salman reaffirmed a steadfast position on the Palestinian issue and the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people to Jerusalem as their capital, he made an astonishing claim that the Jewish people have a right to a nation state in at least part of their ancestral home. Herbert London, president of the London Center for Policy Research, reports in his article A fresh wind in the Middle East for The Washington Times that on its face this may not seem as much, but based on commentary over the last 70 years this comment is extraordinary. Saudi Arabia, birthplace of Islam and home of its holiest shrines, does not recognize Israel. It has maintained that normalization of relations is dependent on Israeli withdrawal. While there are many conditions that have changed, arguably the most notable is the tension between Riyadh and Tehran that has fueled speculation Saudi Arabia and Israeli interests overlap. Both fear the Iranian imperial goal of a Shia Crescent, a land mass from Tehran to the Mediterranean that includes Syria and Lebanon. Recently, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the inauguration of Air India flights to Israel over Saudi Arabia creates huge potential for the future. Moreover, through back channels Saudi leaders continually consult with Israeli forces on the logistics necessary to thwart Iranian goals. It has also been reported that Israels Iron Dome or some version of it will be sold to Saudi Arabia to deal with Houthi-launched missiles into Riyadh that undoubtedly have an Iranian signature on them. The attention given Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has to some degree overlooked the important role of its Egyptian partner. For decades Egypt has maintained a peace treaty with Israel, even going so far as attempting to broker a peace arrangement between Hamas and Israel in the last war. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has made it clear that he will stand with Israel on border issues as well, notwithstanding internal criticism. Cooperation between Egypt and Israel over the war in the Sinai against surrogates for terrorist organizations is a barely concealed secret. In fact, one of the regrets I have with the Trump administration is that after the Riyadh speech in which the president vigorously outlined a defense pact led by Egypt and Saudi Arabia to counter Iranian goals, there has been little follow-through. One might even argue that the cut in foreign aid to Egypt (supposedly introduced by an Obama holdover at the State Department) has reduced American influence and prestige in Egypt. This issue might well be corrected, but the restoration of confidence wont be easy. Perhaps a Trump-led delegation to Cairo for a couple of days would be the appropriate curative gesture. Alas, the world does turn very often in directions that cannot be anticipated. The idea of Saudi-Israeli military co-operation in itself is enough to constitute a miracle. Where this will lead is anyones guess. One thing is certain, as long as Iran is a military threat cooperation between Israel and its Sunni neighbors is likely. The other wild card is an Iran in possession of nuclear weapons. Should that happen proliferation would become very difficult to stop. As the Saudi crown prince noted, if the Iranians have them, we should as well. Remarkably, a splinter of a nation with merely 8 million people has become the fulcrum on which all decisions turn. Europe is suffering from domestic challenges, identity problems, politicians trapped in short-term visions and shallow thinking, Turkish Daily Sabah writes. In the past, some European actors were anti-Turkey, while some others supported it. Those who prioritized rational and strategic thinking had been supporting Turkey and considered Turkish EU membership as one of the main instruments for transforming the organization into a global actor. On the other hand, those who had a civilizational European perspective "otherized" Turkey and strongly opposed its full membership. However, today we have a different picture. The EU governments have been divided into two camps about Turkey-EU relations: All of the governments and political actors are anti-Turkey, however, some of them are blatant while others are disguised. Turkey-EU relations have almost always been thorny and difficult throughout their history. However, we have been witnessing a paradigm shift in Turkey-EU relations due to recent developments both in the EU and in Turkey. There are two sets of changing conditions that determine this paradigm shift. The first set of conditions emanate from the EU. The EU institutionalization was at its peak after the collapse of the Cold War system and the EU enlargement toward Eastern Europe. Nevertheless, it faced important challenges stemming from new topics such as defense and foreign policy, and new members. As a result of these developments, the EU has lost its attractiveness for many European states. At last, the British decided to leave the EU. This was the first step back in the EU and most probably this backward tendency will continue. Other member states began to discuss both the future of the EU and their future in the EU.When looked closely, we can see that that there are too many fault lines inside of the EU. The EU faces difficulties in dealing with its domestic problems as well as external challenges. The biggest inner threat to the EU is the rise and normalization of racism, far-right political parties, ultranationalist feelings, xenophobia and Islamophobia. There is an increasingly effective wave of illiberal and anti-globalization actors throughout Europe. The second inner problem inside of the EU is the shallowness and mediocrity of European politics, that is to say, the new generation of European politicians lack the visionary outlook of the previous generations. They are mostly trapped in conjuncture policies and short-term concerns. That is, they just try to save the day. This new political elite in Europe does not believe in the EU values, and therefore they are hesitant in promoting these values to other countries. Third, some EU members are reluctant to share the burden of other members. Southern tier EU countries have been experiencing economic problems and struggling against a refugee influx, but the northern tier countries are relatively free of these problems and do not want to import these issues into their domestic politics. The second set of conditions that has determined the paradigm shift is related with Turkey and its policies. More specifically, Turkey has also been in a process of transformation. Unlike the previous politically dependent and economically vulnerable country, nowadays, Turkey is a politically stronger and economically solid country. In addition to European countries, Turkey has developed a complex network of foreign policy and accordingly improved its relations with Middle Eastern, Asian and African countries. Turkey has normalized relations with its long-time ignored partners and established an Ankara-centered perspective. It has diversified its bilateral relations and redefined its national interests. At this point, European countries were not accustomed to initiating healthy relations with this new Turkey. The old EU has been trying to continue its hierarchical approach toward Turkey. That is, the EU wants to continue giving instructions to Turkey and to dictate its domestic and foreign policy. With such thinking it becomes clear that the EU failed to accept the new Turkey and it has been following policies that are not only in contradiction with the democratic values that EU "so strongly supports," but directly threaten Turkish national security and interests. Once the biggest and most important motivation of the Turkish democratization process, the EU in recent years began to support anti-democratic actors in Turkey. European countries host members of terrorist groups and provide a safe heaven for coup plotters. European actors have been hesitant in defending democratic institutions against undemocratic forces. EU institutions and members opened their platforms for violent non-state actors and ignored the Turkish warnings and sensitivities. Ironically, European actors still expect from Turkey to take necessary measures in order to protect Europe against detrimental developments such as the refugee problem and international terrorism. Both the EU and Turkish sides are well aware that the full-membership perspective regarding Turkey-EU relations is lost. After the above mentioned developments, the small chance that used to exist now is totally lost. The two sides need to develop a new type of relationship a realistic, reciprocal, horizontal and strategic perspective. The EU and Turkey are two interdependent actors and it is impossible for them to neglect one another. The two sides have to redefine their bilateral relations and to prioritize a positive agenda, and most importantly, European countries have to stop instrumentalizing Turkey in their respective domestic politics. Negotiations over a transfer of power between the Armenian government and opposition broke down April 24, renewing the political crisis in the country and again sending tens of thousands of protesters out on to the streets, EurasiaNet reports.The leader of the protests, Nikol Pashinyan, was supposed to meet on the morning of April 25 with the acting prime minister, Karen Karapetyan, to discuss the road ahead after the resignation of longtime leader Serzh Sargsyan. But late the night before, Karapetyan announced that he was calling off the talks. The announcement came just hours after Pashinyan gave a press conference in which he stated unequivocally that no member of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia could remain in the country's leadership. I think that the revolution voiced a clear-worded message that a member of the Republican Party cannot possibly have power in Armenia any longer. Serzh Sargsyan stepped down, but the important thing is to strip the Republicans of power to prevent Serzh Sargsyan to govern the authorities in the shadow through Republicans, he said. If we managed to achieve Serzh Sargsyan's resignation, we are confident that we can also make the Republican Party obey the will of the people. If not, we will continue our actions on an even larger scale. Pashinyan, while he was leading the protests for Sargsyan to step down, presented that as the first step of a four-point agenda: 1. Sargsyan's resignation; 2. the election by parliament of a people's candidate for prime minister; 3. establishment of a transitional government; 4. new elections. He reiterated that agenda at the April 24 press conference. Given Sargsyan's resignation, the agenda item now is picking a new prime minister, and Pashinyan has been unclear about what exactly he means by a people's candidate. At the press conference he confirmed that he would accept the position if he were voted in. Pashinyan also had not previously explicitly addressed how he saw the fate of the Republicans, and Karapetyan accused him of dictating the terms of the negotiations. Pashinyan has unilaterally set forth new demands, particularly as regards the format, agenda and media coverage of the meeting. Karapetyan said in a statement. He proposed a list of people to attend the talks on our side, and announced that he would negotiate exclusively on his own agenda. Having some experience in negotiations, I can say that I have never heard of talks in such a format. The government named Karapetyan as acting prime minister after Sargsyan stepped down on April 23. It may have been expecting the appointment of the young, relatively well-respected Karapetyan to be acceptable enough to Armenians so as to take the momentum out of Pashinyan's protest movement. But Pashinyan continued to press his advantage, and when talks broke down he called on his supporters to take to the streets again. They did so, by the tens of thousands. Pashinyan led supporters on a march around the city, as they chanted Nikol Prime Minister! and Down with the Republicans! Sargsyan and the Republicans are one and the same, he is just a puppet, said one of the marchers, Vakhtang Stepanyan. Elsewhere around the city, protesters set up roadblocks in an effort to bring the city to a halt. At one such roadblock, on Tigran Mets Avenue, one of the young protest leaders, Varak Sisserian, said he was pleasantly surprised how quickly the protest movement regained energy. I was thinking that Karen Karapetyan might have more support than Serzh, both in the public administration and with the people. But from what I'm seeing today, people are perceiving him as a puppet, he said. Meanwhile, Pashinyan's allies are now working to lobby other members of parliament to ensure a majority for Pashinyan when a vote for a new prime minister comes up, which is expected in a week. There were signs of defections from some of the Republicans' erstwhile allies. Their partner in the government, ARF Dashnaktsutyun, announced it was leaving the coalition. Prosperous Armenia, a party led by oligarch Gagik Tsarukyan and representing a systemic opposition in the parliament, announced they were joining the protest movement. We stand by the people, so we urge all our members to mobilize and join the demonstrators in the streets in Yerevan and all Armenian marzes [regions], the party said in a statement. In another sign of a government in crisis, employees at a number of government agencies were told to stay home, Sisserian said, including the government-affiliated think tank where he works. They were told 'go home,' and we will tell you when to come back,' he said. The government is in chaos. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will visit Uzbekistan on April 29-30. From there he will head towards South Korea. In Tashkent, during the talks with President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, they will discuss cooperation in the chemical, pharmaceutical, food, textile, automotive and agricultural sectors. One of the main issues will be the issue of Turkish investments in Uzbekistan's economy. The parties are expected to sign agreements worth $1 billion in total. Turkey is confidently restoring the ties and positions in the East lost in the 1990s. Turkish experts believe that Ankara made a mistake, overestimating the prospects for joining the EU. Turkey's foreign policy was concentrated on the implementation of this plan back then. While Ankara unsuccessfully knocked at the European doors, its influence in the neglected Central Asia had been steadily weakening. Now it is trying to regain positions, by entering geopolitical competition with Iran and Saudi Arabia for a place in the Muslim world. Erdogan's first visit to Tashkent in November 2016 is regarded by experts as a reset of the Turkish-Uzbek relations. Turkey understands very well that Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan are the two key players in Central Asia, and if Turkey's relations with Astana have long been established in economic and political spheres, its relations with Tashkent are only being developed, in particular, a visa-free regime between them was introduced in February 2018. "Uzbekistan and Turkey are countries with two related peoples linked by a similar culture, language, customs and religion. The Turks call the modern territory of Uzbekistan "ataturk" - the land of their fathers and ancestors. At one time Turkey became one of the first countries to recognize independent Uzbekistan. The first diplomatic mission of the foreign state that opened in Tashkent was Turkish," Uzbek expert Abu-Ali Niyazmatov told Vestnik Kavkaza. According to him, since the first days of independence, Uzbekistan has adopted the so-called "Turkish model" for the development of its economy, and numerous representatives of the Turkish business have come to the republic. Turkish schools and lyceums were opened. The First President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Islam Karimov, visited Turkey four times from 1991 to 1998 on official visits. Turgut Ozal (1993), Suleyman Demirel (1996, 1999), Ahmet Necdet Sezer (2000) and Recep Tayyip Erdogan (2016) visited Uzbekistan with return visits. However, the dynamically developing Uzbek-Turkish relations for various reasons suffered decline by the end of the 1990s. After President Shavkat Mirziyoyev led the republic, the situation in relations with Turkey has started to change drastically. In October 2017, President Mirziyoyev paid a visit to Ankara. The inter-parliamentary group of Uzbekistan's Oliy Majlis (Parliament), headed by first deputy chairman of the Uzbek Senate Sadik Safayev, was established to cooperate with the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. "Turkey has always been the largest foreign trade partner of Uzbekistan. It ranked fourth in the foreign trade relations after Russia, China and Kazakhstan. By the end of 2017, the Uzbek-Chinese trade amounted to 1.5 billion dollars. But undoubtedly the existing trade potential between the two countries has not been fully realized. I think that bilateral relations between the countries will develop rapidly in the long term against the backdrop of liberalization of all spheres of Uzbekistan's life, initiated by Mirziyoyev," Abu-Ali Niyazmatov believes. According to him, during the visit of the Turkish President to Tashkent, a number of bilateral documents in the political, trade-economic, investment, transport-communication, educational and cultural spheres are expected to be signed. As a result, direct Turkish investments in the economy of Uzbekistan will increase. In short, Tashkent's expectations from the visit of the Turkish leader are very high. The plenary session titled 'Russian Revolution and History of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic: a look back a century later' took place at the History Faculty of the Moscow State University. Its participants discussed the historical destinies of Azerbaijan and Russia in the 19th and 21st centuries, the contribution of the leaders of the Azerbaijani Democratic Republic (ADR) to the formation of the Azerbaijani statehood, the problems of source study and historiography of the ADR, the Russian revolution and issues of national self-determination and education in the ADR, Transcaucasia in the conditions of the 1917-1918 civil war,as well as the importance of Russian education in the formation of Azerbaijan's secular intelligentsia. Doctor of Historical Sciences, senior scientist of the Institute of Economics at the Russian Academy of Sciences Valery Stepanov told about the role of oil during the ADR period. "Having received the Absheron Peninsula's oil resources, the government tried to use the national wealth of Azerbaijan, the government tried to use it to strengthen the economic and political situation of the republic. The government abolished all the innovations introduced to the oil business by the Soviet government, in particular, the industry nationalization act, and all industrial facilities were returned to former owners. In order to supplement the budget, they adopted a decree on imposing excises on oil and oil products. Regular trade exchange with Georgia was established. Azerbaijan traded oil supplies for food and essential goods. A similar barter was established with other countries, for example, Italy. The republic traded oil for this country's military uniforms and equipment. An agreement was signed with the US military mission on weekly supplies of fuel oil in exchange for food," Stepanov said. However, the ADR government was not fully competent to manage oil resources - it had to share oil reserves with allies that were guided by their national interests. "When the Turkish army entered Baku, the export of petroleum products began on the Transcaucasian railway through Batumi to Turkey. The volume of oil and oil products was so high that oil prices in Istanbul decline 10 times - an absolutely unprecedented case for that time. But the Turks did not stay long in the Baku region, they were quickly replaced by the British. The UK recognized the young republic, guaranteed its independence, but at the same time made very serious concessions in its favor - they established full control over transportation and sale of oil. British troops occupied Georgia's Tiflis and Batumi, which allowed them to control the Transcaucasian railway. Of all the oil products, only kerosene was allowed to enter the free market. But its sale could not cover the costs of oil companies, which suffered losses because of the policy of the British. The British bought oil at a price 25% below the world market and export it without paying excise, that is, they paid nothing to the republic's fund. They imposed own export duty on oil in Batumi, which was exported by private entrepreneurs with their permission. That is, they obtained a solid financial resource. The British did not seek to export the maximum amount of oil, which was hardly possible. They sought, above all, to meet their own needs in fuel. In particular, the British Mediterranean Fleet widely used Baku oil. At the same time, the British zealously guarded their oil monopoly in the Baku region. They prevented their allies, France, the United States and other countries from gaining access to Baku oil. Moreover, they banned their ally - the Volunteer Army - from accessing Azerbaijan. An official statement was made that all Russian enterprises, routes of communication, property located on the territory of ADR are under British jurisdiction. Of course, the British categorically forbade the export of oil to Russia, which was previously a traditional market for Baku oil." At the same time, Stepanov stressed that Azerbaijan has always been an integral part of Russia's economy: "Close economic ties were maintained with regular supplies to the Russian market. The loss of this market was hard for the Baku oil industry. But the Soviet Russia government did not seek any close contact with the young republic, since it did not recognize it and considered the territory of Azerbaijan an integral part of the RSFSR. Lenin's famous words on the fuel crisis, which must be overcome at all cost, apply to November 1919. They needed oil to put an end to economic disorganization. Baku oil was the Bolshevik regime's matter of survival, because it needed energy resources. Therefore, the April 1920 invasion of the ADR was undertaken despite the start of a difficult war with Poland, which required the mobilization of all Soviet forces. The news of the seizure of Baku was met with great enthusiasm in Moscow. On April 20, Lenin declared in one of his speeches: "We have the economic basis that can revitalize all our industry." The resources of the Baku oil district made it possible for the Bolsheviks to overcome the fuel crisis. In 1920, 148 million poods of oil and oil products were exported from Baku to Astrakhan. Azerbaijan's transformation into one of the Soviet socialist republics marked a new stage in its history and opened a new chapter in the development of the Baku oil region. " Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has arrived in the United Kingdom. As part of his visit, Ilham Aliyev met with Chief Executive Officer of BP Robert Dudley in London today. The sides exchanged views on the work carried out under the Shah Deniz project, as well as the opening of the TANAP project this June. They also noted the importance of speeding up works under the production sharing agreement signed on the Shafag-Asiman structure. In addition, Ilham Aliyev and Robert Dudley hailed the current level of long-term cooperation between Azerbaijan and BP. Azerbaijani President also met with Minister of State for Europe and the Americas at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office of the United Kingdom Alan Duncan in London. The British minister congratulated Ilham Aliyev on his re-election as the president of Azerbaijan and wished him success in his work. Duncan stressed that Ilham Aliyevs re-election will ensure the continuation of Azerbaijans rapid development. They also discussed bilateral and regional cooperation and other issues of mutual interest. The sides also exchanged views on the negotiation process for settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. President Aliyev also met with British MP, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Azerbaijan Bob Blackman, member of the House of Lords of the United Kingdom, Lord David Evans, and member of the House of Commons, Deputy State Minister for Northern Ireland David Morris. The British parliamentarians congratulated the him on his victory in the presidential election. David Evans and David Morris reminded that they monitored the electoral process in Azerbaijan, and noted that the election was held at a high level. President Aliyev expressed his gratitude for the congratulations, saying that all conditions were created for a free, transparent and democratic presidential election. At the meeting, it was noted that sustainable development was ensured in Azerbaijan. The sides further discussed cooperation with groups of friendship with Azerbaijan, operating at both chambers of the British Parliament. Supporters of the Armenian opposition resumed acts of civil disobedience this morning. Demonstrators blocked several streets in downtown Yerevan demanding that their leader Nikol Pashinyan be elected the countrys Prime Minister, TASS reported. According to local media, opposition marches and acts of civil disobedience have resumed in several cities throughout the country. According to the Aravot daily, several hundred people have gathered in the city of Gyumri. A similar situation is being observed in Vanadzor, Artashat and Maralik. Pashinyan earlier called on his supporters to bring traffic to a halt throughout the country for 20 minutes at 12:00 local time (11:00 Moscow time). Baku Formula 1 street circuit is unique, last years winner Aston Martin Red Bull Racing's Daniel Ricciardo said, the correspondent of Vestnik Kavkaza reported. "Baku is different to other street circuits because there are places where you can pass. Actually, lots of places where you can pass. As opposed to Monaco and Singapore where theres not many places to overtake really. The trickiest thing in Baku is braking. Theres so many braking points where you have to commit and you have to brake as late as you can but theres no room for error. Once youve committed to that braking point, if youve locked a wheel, youre in the wall. Id say the hardest part about Baku is finding the limit with braking, and just having that confidence," the driver shared his impressions. "You have Turn One, Turn Two and then the DRS straight. Were honking down there, and then you see the wall coming, coming, coming and your instinct is to brake, brake, brake, brake. You need a lot of confidence to leave it late. Thats the biggest challenge with Baku, being able to really attack the braking, its such a high-speed circuit. Monaco is not that high-speed, its more about cornering, and Baku is more braking," he explained. "With a street circuit you have to love it but you also have to respect it and understand it. I understand that, to be fast, you have to be on the limit but put yourself there and it can bite you," Ricciardo noted. "Last year Baku was crazy in so many ways for so many people. Just like last week in Shanghai the team had an awesome strategy and made some great calls in the race. Did I think we would carve our way all the way up to first, no way, but everyone in front was dropping like flies, I was making some good overtakes and there was just all this momentum keeping me going. Crossing the line I was a bit confused, thinking how did we just win that race but also ecstatic. It was crazy, fun race and definitely one to remember," Daniel Ricciardo concluded. In 2018, Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix will be held on April 27-29. The city track, located in Baku, is 6 km long and was designed by architect Hermann Tilke. The width of the widest part of the track is 13 meters, and the narrowest part is 7.6 meters between the turns 7 and 8. The Start and Finish lanes were located at the Azadlig Square. The Formula 1 Paddock, team garages and pit lanes were also located there. Today marks the 110th anniversary of famous writer and literary critic Mir Jalal Pashayev, who contributed a great deal to developing Azerbaijani literature, science and education. Mir Jalal Pashayev was born on April 26, 1908 in Ardabil (Southern Azerbaijan). He received his degree in education in 1928 in Ganja, two years later studied at Kazan University in Tatarstan. Later on Mir Jalal enrolled in the Institute of Higher Education of Baku. In 1933 he was working as researcher of Azerbaijani literary history at the State University of Azerbaijan. After writing a book on the Poetry of Fuzuli, the famous fifteenth century Azeri poet, as his Masters thesis, in 1947 he completed his doctoral dissertation on Literary Schools in Azerbaijan with special emphasis on the famous satirical journal Molla Nasreddin and its writers. It was in the same year that he became a professor at the State University of Baku and devoted his life to teaching and writing Pashayev co-authored the three-volume, "History of Azerbaijani Literature" (19571960) and wrote more than 50 books. Dried Up in Meetings is one of his most famous works describing how the main character's obsession with bureaucratic procedures makes him totally out of touch with the realities of his family life. His most popular books are:Resurrection Man (1936), Manifest of a Young Man (1938), Where Are We Going? (1957), People of the Same Age (1984). Pashayevs honors include: Honorary Art Worker of Azerbaijan (1969) and Laureate of Azerbaijan Komsomol Award (1968). Mir Jalal Pashayev passed away on September 28, 1978 in Baku. Founder of the Georgian Dream-Democratic Georgia party billionaire businessman Bidzina Ivanishvili plans to return to politics and become chairman of the ruling party. Georgia's Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili announced changes in the ruling party management at the briefing today. Kvirikashvili said that Ivanishvili agreed to take over Georgian Dream after Kvirikashvili and other party leaders asked him to. He noted that Ivanishvilis decision will have a positive influence on the countrys political life and will serve as a new stimulus for the party. The Georgian Dream political council meeting is planned to be held in few days which will be followed by the congress meeting where party members will vote for Bidzina Ivanishvili as a new chairman of the party. Ivanishvili founded and led the Georgian Dream coalition in 2011. The party won a majority of seats in the parliamentary election of 2012. Although Ivanishvili officially retired from politics in late 2013 with the election of Giorgi Margvelashvili, the opposition claims that he continues to have influence on Georgian Dream. The head of the Center for Global Studies, Nana Devdariani, speaking to Vestnik Kavkaza, noted that there can be two reasons of Bidzina Ivanishvili's return to politics, primarily the decline in support for the Georgian Dream among the population. "The presidential election is underway. The presidential team has certain problems with support. And now there is little that can help the Georgian Dream to push its candidate, except for Ivanishvili's personal authority, especially against the background of how much the authorities were disappointed in the previous presidential candidate, Margvelashvili, whom Ivanishvili almost imposed on the people," she explained. In this regard, there is a high probability that Ivanishvili will not just support a new presidential candidate, but may run himself. "This role is most suitable for him, because he does not want to engage in politics, but the presidential representative functions are quite suitable for him," Nana Devdariani said. A member of the Expert Club of Georgia Vakhtang Maisaya, in turn, expects that Bidzina Ivanishvili will head the government in the future. "A real political crisis has begun in Georgia. In fact, the ruling political party split into two parts, which was fraught with great consequences. If Mr Ivanishvili had not made the decision to return to politics now, political chaos could have erupted in the country," he noted. "Since Georgia's current Prime Minister is a technical prime minister and has no political weight, despite the fact that he was the chairman of the party, one should expect that Ivanishvili will replace him in the leadership position after he officially becomes chairman of the Georgian Dream. I don't think that Ivanishvili would limit himself to representational functions during the current crisis, I think he will take control of the country," Vakhtang Maisaya predicts. "The ground was prepared for Ivanishvili's return to the prime minister's chair, people in main positions in the government loyal to Kvirikashvili were removed from office, and the people loyal to Ivanishvili were appointed instead, for example, Maya Tskitishvili, who became the minister of infrastructure. Also, there's an option that the current Minister of Internal Affairs, Giorgi Gakharia, will become the Prime Minister," the political scientist concluded. Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian is in Moscow and intends to hold informal talks with representatives of the Russian government, sources in diplomatic circles said. It is also noted that the head of the Armenian top diplomat has arrived in the Russian capital yesterday. The talks will be devoted to the political crisis in Armenia and the development of Russian-Armenian relations against its background. The press service of the Armenian Cabinet added that the acting First Deputy Prime Minister Armen Gevorgyan will also hold a series of talks in the Russian capital, Interfax reports. In addition, Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone conversation with Armenian President Armen Sarkisyan yesterday evening. President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev had a telephone conversation with Armenian President Armen Sarkisyan, the press service of the Kazakh presidents office reported. During the conversation, the sides discussed the agenda of Armenia-Kazakhstan cooperation. Kazakhstan's President expressed concern over the situation in Armenia. The presidents shared the opinion that the existing issues should be solved in line with the laws and the Constitution,News.am reported. Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev decorated Chief of Azerbaijans presidential staff Ramiz Mehdiyev with the Order of Honor on Wednesday on the sidelines of 9th International Meeting of High Representatives for Security Issues, Russian Security Councils Spokesman Yevgeny Anoshin said. "During his meeting with the chief of presidential staff of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Nikolai Patrushev presented Ramiz Mehdiyev with the Order of Honor awarded by Russias president," TASS cited Anoshin as saying. The spokesman added that apart from that, Patrushev held talks with Kyrgyzstans Security Council Secretary Damir Sagynbayev. The two officials "discussed a wide range of Russian-Kyrgyz relations. Another meeting was with Uzbekistans Security Council Secretary Viktor Makhmudov, who focused on security interaction between Russia and his country during talks with Patrushev, Anoshin noted. Baku Formula 1 circuit is demanding so the drivers need confidence in the car to find the right rhythm already on Friday, Mercedes AMG Petronas Motorsport's Toto Wolff said, the correspondent of Vestnik Kavkaza reported. "We're going into the race weekend in Baku feeling excited about that unpredictability. It will be the first time the Azerbaijan Grand Prix takes place in April, with completely different conditions to the previous years when we went to the Caspian Sea in June. This is a demanding circuit where the drivers need confidence in the car to find the right rhythm - and you want to hit the ground running on Friday morning," he said. "Last year's race threw up a podium that nobody could have predicted and, as is the way with street courses, we can once again expect the unexpected," Toto Wolff stressed. "The 2018 Formula One season is set to be a celebration of everything we love about motor racing. Three teams are fighting fiercely for race wins," he continued. "Weve witnessed exciting races with nail-biting overtakes. The fastest F1 cars in history, driven by some of the best drivers this sport has seen." "So far, this year has all the ingredients for one of those legendary F1 seasons a season that fans will look back on with smiles on their faces in years to come," Wolff said. He admitted that both Red Bull and Ferrari will do everything they can to beat them. "Their cars, their teams, their drivers - all of them operate at a high level and will continue to put us under pressure. Not everyone likes this kind of challenge - but we love it. Each member of our team joined this sport for these moments. We're all together in an amazing battle in which every detail counts and with an outcome no-one can predict," the head of Mercedes AMG Petronas Motorsport concluded. In 2018, Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix will be held on April 27-29. The city track, located in Baku, is 6 km long and was designed by architect Hermann Tilke. The width of the widest part of the track is 13 meters, and the narrowest part is 7.6 meters between the turns 7 and 8. The Start and Finish lanes were located at the Azadlig Square. The Formula 1 Paddock, team garages and pit lanes were also located there. The radical Armenian opposition's calls to withdraw from the CSTO and expel the 102nd Russian military base from Armenia should not bother Moscow, since it will affect only Yerevan, the editor-in-chief of the newspaper 'Journalistic Truth' Vladislav Shurigin told Vestnik Kavkaza, commenting on the anti-Russian threats sounded in post-Sargsyan Armenia. "This base represent no real military value for Russia. It is cut off from the territory of Russia by the territory of Georgia. In fact, the 102nd base in Gyumri is a hostage of its location now. I recall that it was created only thanks to the efforts of former defense minister Pavel Grachev, who had very close relations with the Armenian leadership and business. In fact, its sole purpose has always been the stabilization of the situation in Armenia against the backdrop of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict," he pointed out. In this regard, Russia can rather safely leave this outpost in the South Caucasus. "If the new Armenian leadership is 'smart enough' to demand the withdrawal of troops, Moscow can do rather safely. Instead of it it will be better to open a new base in Vietnam, Cuba or another one in Syria. But Armenia should understand that then it will be alone with Azerbaijan in their war. I am 300% sure that no American or British special forces will come to save Yerevan in the case of worsening of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Moreover, in my opinion, it will be the best option for Azerbaijan - the demand for Armenia to withdraw the 102nd base from Gyumri and the actual withdrawal of Russian troops from its territory," Vladislav Shurigin warned. The editor-in-chief of the newspaper 'Journalistic Truth' recalled that Russia plays a stabilizing role in the South Caucasus. "Within the framework of the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement, Russia is fulfilling its strategic obligations as a peacekeeper to both countries. The presence of Russian troops in the region contains active hostilities and stabilizes the situation in Armenia. Obviously, if the Russians leave, there will be no restraining factor. In addition, Russia has very strong positions in Transcaucasia outside of military relations as well - dense work with Azerbaijan, as well as millions of Azerbaijanis and Armenians living in Russia," he added. HCM CITY Le Thi Thuy Ngan, a student at Viet Nam National University HCM City (UEL), has been named the winner of the CFO The Challenge IV 2018 contest. First organised by the financial/banking group UEL in 2014, the contest poses challenges to students who major in economics, focusing on their knowledge, vision and skills in handling financial situations. The contest has gained a reputation among the student community, attracting many reputable sponsors like Home Credit, FTMS, MBS and others. This years topic of mergers and acquisition (M&A) attracted 1,500 students from 10 universities in HCM City. Home Credit Vietnam, which has been the main sponsor for the event since 2014, also offered expertise consultancy to the contest. Tran Thi Thanh Thuy, head of Home Credit Vietnams legal and late collections, who took part as expertise counselor, offered students interesting practical knowledge at the M&A Trends and Potential workshop. The contest showed the outstanding quality of students in the banking and financial sector. This is a good sign for human resources training for the sector, she said. Besides being a responsible lender, Home Credit is known for its social responsibilities, especially in healthcare and education, and desire to improve the quality of life of the community. VNS The textile and garment industry earned US$31 billion from exports last year, a year-on-year increase of over 10 per cent. The Viet Nam Textile and Apparel Association believes exports will top $34-35 billion this year helped by many positive factors. Vu uc Giang, the associations chairman, talks to Viet Nam News s reporter Xuan Huong about this and the efforts made by the industry to enhance their competitiveness and add value to their products. What do you think about the textile industrys export prospects this year? The textile and garment industry earned nearly $8 billion from exports in the first quarter of the year, an increase of 13.5 per cent over the same period last year. This is the highest growth rate in the first quarter in the last four years. The exports in the second quarter are expected to be $8.5 billion and we forecast exports in the first half to go up by 14 per cent over the same period last year. We believe the industrys exports for the whole year will increase to $34-35 billion, and there are three factors that give us confidence. Firstly, free trade agreements, especially the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), have created a driving force for enterprises to penetrate markets where we previously had very small market shares such as Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Secondly, the Viet Nam-EU FTA, which is expected to take effect in 2019 or 2020, is also a spur for local and foreign investors to invest in core areas and areas that face a supply shortage such as yarns, fabric and other inputs. Promoting investments in production of fabrics and input materials will enable us derive greater benefits from FTAs. Once we can increase the supply of inputs, we will be more active in our development strategy of switching production methods from FOB to ODM (Original Design Manufacturing) to raise added value and competitiveness for the products. The third is the technology factor. Now our manufacturers are focusing much on technology, especially Industry 4.0 technologies. There are many kinds of modern machines and equipment in the textile, dyeing, and yarns industries. A machine that can replace two to three workers is the driving force for attaining higher labour productivity and shorter delivery times, which enable us to compete better in terms of prices. We also invest in 3D design software to facilitate making ODM products. Manufacturers have invested more in their factories and facilities to ensure a green and safe environment for workers and consumers. These are factors affecting the attractiveness of the products and importers assessment of Viet Nams textile industry. Can you tell us more about the benefits of Industry 4.0 technologies to manufacturers? There are many Industry 4.0 technologies. For instance, in the yarn sector, previously we invested in 50,000 spindles, we needed about 400 workers to handle them. But with the current technology we need just 100 workers, or even just 58, to handle a 50,000-spindle factory. In the weaving sector, previously one worker could manage four to five weaving machines, but with the current automated machinery, one worker can manage nine or 10 or 12 weaving machines. These machines are extremely modern and offer high productivity. Dyeing previously needed some manual work, but the dyeing process can now be done automatically through software. In design, previously a designer could make two designs or so a day. Now 3D design software can give us a design sample within 15-20 minutes or even less. The development of technology has helped manufacturers reduce their production time and consumers to access more new products. Does the growth of such technologies affect jobs? Not everything in the garment industry can be automated, not all products are produced automatically. Only a few products with simple seams can be automated. Products with complicated seams still need human hands to make them. Can you tell us about foreign direct investment in the textile and garment industry? Since the beginning of this year FDI in the textile and garment industry has been worth $1.1 billion. They invested mainly in yarns and textiles. The first quarter also coincided with the Lunar New Year, so foreign investors did not invest much in this period. The investment is expected to increase strongly from the second quarter onwards. China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, the US, the EU, and Russia have enhanced investment in Viet Nams textile and garment industry. The ASEAN-Hong Kong free trade agreement will enter into force in 2019. Do you think it will have big impact on the textile and garment industry? I think this FTA will not have much impact on the industry compared to other FTAs such as CPTPP or the Viet Nam-EU FTA because Hong Kong has a small population. What the textile industry looks forward to is the CPTPP. If the UK or South Korea join the agreement or the US comes back, it will be a great motivation for the Vietnamese textile and garment industry. VNS HA NOI Viet Nam s rice exports faced an unpredictable first quarter this year, increasing in January, declining in February and recovering in March, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. An estimated 524,000 tonnes of rice were exported in January, with a total value of $249 million, reported the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, representing a 49 per cent rise in volume and 51.3 per cent in value compared to December 2017. After declines in February, exports rose steeply in March, jumping 93.9 per cent in volume and 100 per cent in value to US$338.44 million month-on-month. The rice export price also surged in March by 3.3 per cent to $513.7 per tonne. The countrys overall rice exports in the first quarter of this year increased by 15.5 per cent compared to the same period in 2017. The average rice export price in the first quarter of the current year rose by 14.2 per cent year-on-year to $501 per tonne, reported cafef.vn. The rice export price was higher against most export markets during the same period last year, with the highest price reaching $834.5 per tonne for rice exported to Chile , a year-on-year increase of 114 per cent. However, rice exports to this market fell sharply by 95 per cent in volume and 90 per cent in year-on-year value. China has remained the largest export market for Vietnamese rice, accounting for 27.7 per cent of total volume during the first quarter of the current year. During the first quarter of 2018, 40 per cent of Viet Nam s major rice export markets saw a surge in terms of both volume and value, while 60 per cent saw a reduction in rice exports. Viet Nam s rice exports to Bangladesh increased 89 times in volume and 59 times in value. A similar but smaller-scale trend occurred in rice exports to Turkey , Iraq , Malaysia and France . However, rice exports to markets such as Argentina , Chile , Ukraine , Angola , Singapore , South Africa and the Netherlands plunged between 60 to 95 per cent in both volume and turnover over the same period last year. According to experts, Viet Nam will have greater opportunities when the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) comes into effect, helping rice exporters increase exports to countries that joined the agreement and demand high quality and food safety standards, such as Japan, Australia and New Zealand. Viet Nam s structure for exporting rice products has shifted to reducing middle and lower quality rice products while increasing high quality rice products annually. HCM CITY -- Shareholders of the Masan Group Corporation approved many ambitious targets for 2018 at the companys annual general meeting on Tuesday. The company expects to achieve revenues of between VN45.15 trillion (US$1.99 billion) and VN 47 trillion ($2.07 billion) this year, over 20 per cent higher than last year. The net profit after tax attributable to equity holders of the company is targeted to increase by 55-85 per cent to VN3.4-4 trillion ($149.8-176.2 million). Speaking at the meeting, the companys chairman, Nguyen ang Quang, said the ambitious goals had been set based on the positive results achieved last year and in the first quarter of this year thanks to changes in business strategies. Last year the corporations after-tax profit attributable to equity holders was VN3.103 trillion, a year-on-year increase of 11.1 per cent. In the first quarter of this year, though net revenues remained at a rather steady VN8.274 trillion, EBITDA rose by 39.9 per cent year-on-year to VN2.606 trillion. The net profit attributable to equity holders increased by 3.4 times to VN816 billion during the period. To achieve those results, Quang said member companies had made several drastic changes to their business strategies, and cited Masan Consumer as a typical example. He said the company stopped trade promotions and spent the first half of the year clearing out stocks with distributors and retailers. The company started communicating to customers again by revitalising power brands through effective communication, and scaled up its technological platform so as to be able to track inventories with distributors, he said. More importantly, we stopped wasting our time reading market research and guessing what out consumers want and need, and spent most of our time in the field and market to understand first-hand out consumers big unmet needs instead. To realise the double digit growth targets set for this year and the years to come, member companies of Masan Group would continue their own renovation strategies, he said. Indeed, Masan Resources would seek strategic partnerships to accelerate transformation from a miner into a value-added, global downstream tungsten industrial player, he revealed. This would de-risk the business and enable the company to produce stronger cash flows across commodity cycles, he said. Its turnover is projected to be VN8 trillion this year. Masan Nutri-Science seeks to focus on increasing the diversity of products made to meet the demand of consumers at home and abroad, to expand its market share and, together with the Masan Group, to achieve US$10 billion in turnover and $800 million in pre-tax profit by 2020. Techcombanks strategic plan this year is to further invest in technology in order to offer its services to everyone. This investment is expected to position the bank to grow efficiently for the foreseeable future on the back of financial inclusion. At the meeting, Masan executives said the company had earned VN1 trillion from selling Techcombank stocks before the bank launched initiative offerings, and explained that it had sold the stocks because the corporations ownership rate at the bank must be reduced from 31 per cent to under 20 per cent as required by the State Bank of Viet Nam. Masan shareholders also approved several other important proposals, one of which was an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) for staff of the company and its subsidiaries to recognise their contributions last year. The money raised from the issuance will be used to increase charter capital, for business requirements and supplementing working capital. Other proposals like payment of dividends to shareholders for 2018, making certain amendments to the Companys Charter and issuance of internal regulations on corporate governance were also approved by shareholders. Masan said it also plans to develop healthcare products through the acquisition of companies in the industry. VNS HA NOI Three big Thailand-based agriculture groups on Wednesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Vietnamese LINA Network to apply blockchain to make the source and quality of products transparent. The three are ChokChai, SAP Siam Food International and AIM Thai. Under the MoU, ChokChai Group the largest dairy cow breeding group in Southeast Asia will apply LINA Network into its dairy production and supply lines. SAP Siam Food International Co Ltd and AIM THAI Group will use the application to follow products processed from fruits. Speaking at the signing ceremony, Vu Truong Ca, chairman of the management board of LINA Network, said Lina Supply Chain has been part of the blockchain ecosystem along with suppliers and customers. The ecosystem was built based on Ethereum Blockchain, which has been the most popular and easy-to-use blockchain, to allow users to follow the source of a certain product in a real time. Ca said the application allows organisations in the supply chain to forecast the time of arrival of a product. For example, Toyota uses blockchain to follow thousands of its spare parts that are transported through many countries to maximise its automobile assembly process. Customers could be easy to trace the products source anytime and anywhere as data in blockchain is completely transparent and updated immediately. Blockchain has been applied in 26 sectors including agriculture, healthcare, transport and administrative management. VNS HA NOI Sri Lanka in Ha Noi: A Cultural Fiesta will give the Vietnamese a chance to discover the culture of the island country from April 27-29 at the Vietnamese Womens Museum. The cultural festival will include art exhibitions, food and beverages, film screenings and stalls featuring Sri Lankas handmade products, offering people a Sri Lankan experience in a Vietnamese environment. The festival has been organised by the Embassy of Sri Lanka to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the countrys independence as well as 48 years of diplomatic relations with Viet Nam, said Si Lankan ambassador to Viet Nam Hasanthi Vrugodawatte Dissanayake at a press conference on April 23. In collaboration with the Vietnamese Womens Museum and the Ha Noi Small and Medium Enterprises Association, the festival will bring together some small and medium enterprises of the two countries for the first time, Dissanayake said. Sri Lankan products of small and medium enterprises, especially handloom fabric, batik, tea, spices, handicrafts and gems, will be displayed and sold at the three-day festival. The Ha Noi Small and Medium Enterprises Association will also set up stalls to introduce special products to Sri Lankas trade partners. One of the stalls will be Paper Quilling Thuong Thuong by Nguyen Thi Thu Thuong. Thuong will sell souvenirs such as bookmarks and dolls handmade by people with disabilities at her small enterprise. The highlight of the festival will be photo and painting exhibitions by Vietnamese and Sri Lankan artists. Some 40 paintings and sketches by Sri Lankan artist Ravindra Ranasinghe will be on display. He is honorary assistant secretary of the Photographic Society of Sri Lanka and member of the Royal Photographic Society. He has been awarded many prizes in Sri Lanka and has won international awards, such as UGA Challenge Winner 2014 and FIAP gold medal. Renowned Vietnamese artist Van Duong Thanh will display some 45 paintings, including paintings on Sri Lanka. These paintings are selected from hundreds of artworks by Thanh during her 35-year career. Popular as one of Asias talented female artists, Thanh grew up in Ha Noi and studied at the Viet Nam University of Fine Arts. Her artworks were displayed at the Vietnamese National Museum of Fine Arts for the first time when she was 20. Another exhibition of photos by Vietnamese people who have been in Sri Lanka will be showcased at the festival, expressing reminiscence of their time in Sri Lanka. Documentaries and a motion picture will be screened to introduce the culture and tourism of Sri Lanka to visitors. At the inauguration ceremony on April 27, a travel book by popular Vietnamese travel writer Di Li, titled Binh Minh O Sahara (Sunrise on Sahara), which has a section on Sri Lanka, will be launched. The book will be introduced in Vietnamese by Saadi Salama, ambassador of Palestine to Viet Nam. The Vietnamese Womens Museum is located at 36 Ly Thuong Kiet Street, Hoan Kiem District, Ha Noi. VNS On April 27, the Dutch celebrate the birthday of their head of state, King Willem Alexander; the national holiday is known as Kings Day. Ambassador Nienke Trooster sends Viet Nam News readers a message on the occasion. Trade and innovation are a big part of the Dutch culture and mind-set, which is visible in the many free markets (flea markets) throughout the country on Kings Day. One in five Dutch citizens will participate by selling their second-hand goods for a bargain price, or try to earn some money with the most innovative ideas and games. Besides the markets, many concerts and special events are organised in public places. A free outdoor concert with world famous Dutch bands and DJs is held on Amsterdams Museumplein, where as many as 800,000 people gather. The Royal family visits a different city every year, where they participate in the local events, concerts and activities. This is broadcasted on national television and many Dutch people watch this either live or on the news. Those taking part in the Kings Day celebrations typically consume orange coloured food and drinks, wear orange clothing and other accessories, or even dye their hair orange in honour of the Royal family of the Netherlands, the House of Orange-Nassau. You might also see some Dutch people in Viet Nam wear orange these days, because the many Dutch people abroad will celebrate their national holiday anywhere. The Dutch Embassy in Ha Noi and the Consulate-General in HCM City will hold their Kings Day receptions on April 26. Most of their guests will also be wearing a touch of orange in their clothing. These festive occasions create an opportunity for Vietnamese contacts and the Dutch community to jointly celebrate the strong economic, social, cultural and political ties between the countries. The Kings Day receptions this year have a special significance, because 2018 is the year in which Viet Nam and the Netherlands look back on 45 years of diplomatic relations. This is why, in co-operation with the Ha Noi Peoples Committee, the Nhat Tan bridge will be lit spectacularly orange on Kings Day, April 27. The Kingdom of the Netherlands further marks this special year by organizing concerts of Dutch jazz duo Saskia Laroo/Warren Byrd on May 2, 4, 5 and 6; as well as by organising a number of Dutch Days in a Nang, a Lat, Hai Phong and Can Tho cities; and by bringing the World Press Photo Exhibition 2018 to Ha Noi (June 16-July 6). The World Press Photo Exhibition visits over 100 major cities around the world, and attracts 4 million visitors every year. The Netherlands in cooperation with the Viet Nam Journalists Association (VJA) is organising this exhibition on the occasion of 45 years of diplomatic relations with Viet Nam in 2018. The World Press Photo Exhibition is a world-famous exhibition of the best and most memorable press photographs from around the globe. The exhibitions showcase stories that make people stop, feel, think and act. For the first time in 15 years, the exhibition will visit Viet Nam. Other Asian destinations in 2018 include Singapore, Tokyo, Kyoto, and Macau. The exhibition this year consists of 130 photographs, in a number of categories (e.g. Contemporary Issues, Environment, General News, Nature, People, Sports, etc). Previous winners whose works were included in the World Press Photo Exhibition, and who might be known to the Vietnamese audience, include: Vietnamese-American photographer Nick Ut, who took the famous photo of Phan Thi Kim Phuc (1972); German photographer Carsten Peter who documented one of the first expeditions in Son Doong cave (2010); and Vietnamese photographer Maika Elan who focused on the personal life of gay couples in Viet Nam in her story The Pink Choice (2013). The 2018 winners of all categories were announced at the World Press Photo Awards Show on the evening of April 12 in Amsterdam; and Venezuelan photographer Ronaldo Schemidt was announced as the winner of the World Press Photo of the Year. -- VNS HA NOI Travel companies from Viet Nam and China held a conference yesterday in Ha Noi to discuss strategies to promote mutual co-operation in tourism and bring more tourists to each others market. The event was organised by the Fujian Provincial Tourism Development Commission and the Ha Noi Department of Tourism. Lin Yu, director of the Market Development Office (under the commission), said Viet Nam was an attractive destination for Chinese tourists and more and more travellers from Fujian wanted to visit a Nang, Nha Trang and HCM City. Viet Nam and China share a border and friendship, he said. With similar culture and customs, it is easy to share experiences and increase co-operation. Through the meeting, we want to boost mutual co-operation, bringing more tourists to Viet Nam and Fujian. Particularly, tourism agents will design new tours which are suitable for Vietnamese tourists. Representatives from Chinese travel companies promoted some beauty spots and attractive tours in Fujian, including Wuyi Mountain, Zhaixia Grand Canyon and Maritime Silk Road. Phan Huy Cuong from the Ha Noi Department of Tourism said currently there was no direct flight from Ha Noi to Fujian. Tourists from Ha Noi could reach Fujian by flying to Nanning and Guangzhou. In the near future, we will collaborate with airlines to set up direct flights between Ha Noi and Fujian to save time for travellers, he said. New flights planned include ones from a Nang and Nha Trang to Fuzhou and vice versa. Cuong revealed that Viet Nam received 670,000 tourists from Fujian last year. VNS In June and July the Indian-made ComBe Five vaccine will replace the Korean-made Quinvaxem against five common, potentially fatal diseases affecting infants diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, hepatitis B and haemophilus influenza type B. Assoc Prof Dr Tran ac Phu, head of the Ministry of Healths Preventive Medicine Department, speaks to Viet Nam News about it. Why does the Ministry of Health plan to replace Quinvaxem vaccine with ComBe Five? Berna Biotech Company no longer produces Quinvaxem. ComBe Five has the same quality and ingredients as the Quinvaxem vaccine including cellular components of whooping cough. This component leads to cheaper costs for the ComBe Five vaccine compared to other five-in-one vaccines with acellular components of whooping cough. So the country can afford to provide the vaccine free to 1.7 million newborn infants each year. Despite the lower cost, the ComBe Five vaccines immunity period is longer than other five-in-one vaccines with acellular components of whooping cough, which need a booster shot when children are at the age of 13, 14 or 15. If not, the risk of outbreaks of diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, hepatitis B and haemophilus influenza type B in future will be high. Before deciding to use the ComBe Five vaccine as a replacement for Quinvaxem in this years second quarter in the four provinces of Ha Nam, Binh inh, Kon Tum, and ong Thap first, the ministry consulted many experts and domestic as well as foreign organisations involved in immunisation. The vaccine has been assessed for efficiency by the World Health Organization and is used in 43 countries around the world, with more than 400 million shots given so far. Many parents with young children are worried about the change. What does the ministry do to assure them? This is not the first time this vaccine is being replaced. In the age of social media and the internet, it is highly necessary for the ministry to inform the public about the substitution and strengthen communication to help parents with young children get a thorough understanding. If the communication is not done well, parents are reluctant to bring their children to places offering vaccines, reducing immunisation coverage in the country. According to health experts, any vaccine for children causes reactions such as fever, swelling and others. These reactions should not cause any worry. Parents should not prevent their children from getting vaccinated just because they do not understand fully, leading to diseases which could spread in community. There are anti-vaccine groups in the countrys large cities like HCM City and Ha Noi. What does the ministry have to tell them? Opposing vaccinations could affect the countrys immunisation coverage and has forced the ministry to work with all relevant organisations and hospitals to work together to help propagate the benefits of vaccines. The anti-vaccine groups say their children do not get any disease despite not vaccinating. This is not right because they enjoy the benefits of the national immunisation programme, which has increased the immunity in the community to infectious diseases. However, more and more people are joining the anti-vaccine groups. It is very dangerous and poses the risk of disease outbreaks. What are the major achievements of the national immunisation programme? Vaccines have helped the country eliminate diseases such as smallpox, polio, measles, and rubella. In the programme, there are 10 types of vaccines against many dangerous diseases, including diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, hepatitis B, and haemophilus influenza type B, which are provided free to children. The Government wants more and more children to get more vaccines, but its finance is limited. So parents with the means should be encouraged to take their children to vaccine centres to get more shots outside the programme in order to protect their children from diseases. VNS Vice Chairwoman Tong Thi Phong meets Party General Secretary and President Bounnhang Volachith on Wednesday. VNA/VNS Photo Pham Kien VIENTIANE Party General Secretary and President Bounnhang Volachith and Prime Minister of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith hosted separate receptions in Vientiane on Tuesday for a high-level delegation from the National Assembly of Viet Nam led by Vice Chairwoman Tong Thi Phong. The Lao leaders spoke highly of the Vietnamese delegations official visit to Laos, expressing their belief that it will significantly contribute to enhancing the traditional friendship between the two Parties, States and people of the two nations. Party General Secretary and President Bounnhang Volachith said he was delighted to see the development of cooperative ties between Viet Nam and Laos in various fields, especially relations between the two legislative agencies thanks to the regular exchange of delegations, organisation of workshops to share experiences in law-making, and mutual assistance at regional and global forums. He took this occasion to thank the Party, National Assembly and Government of Viet Nam for their great assistance to Laos in the past, particularly in building a new National Assembly House for Laos and constructing schools in Bolikhamsay and Champasak provinces as gifts presented by Vietnamese Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and President Tran ai Quang. The top Lao leader also thanked Viet Nam for enabling Laos to develop wharves at Vung Ang port in the central province of Ha Tinh, which is vital for the shipment of Lao goods. For her part, NA Vice Chairwoman Phong affirmed that the visit aims to reinforce the long-standing friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Viet Nam and Laos as well as promote the sound collaboration between the two legislative bodies. She briefed the Lao leaders about the outcomes of her talks with Lao counterpart Sengnuon Sayalat and the discussion on sharing Viet Nams experience in taking votes of confidence on persons holding positions elected or ratified by the NA and the provincial Peoples Councils. The legislator thanked the Lao government for promptly removing difficulties for Vietnamese businesses to make long-term investments in Laos and providing more assistance for the Vietnamese community in Laos. VNS SINGAPORE Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and President Halimah Yacob and PM Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore have expressed their satisfaction with the vigorous growth in the two countries relations in recent years, especially since the establishment of a strategic partnership five years ago. The Vietnamese leader paid a courtesy call to the Singaporean President and had talks with his counterpart yesterday. At the events, the Singaporean leaders welcomed PM Phucs first official visit to Singapore, stressing that the trip is a milestone in the celebration of the 45th anniversary of the two countries diplomatic ties and five years of the strategic partnership. They congratulated Viet Nam on multiple development achievements and spoke highly of the countrys resolve to build an incorruptible and growth-enabling government. PM Phuc congratulated Singapore on remaining an economic highlight of the region and always taking the lead in new economic and scientific trends in the world. Both sides noted that their countries cooperation has developed in all aspects on the basis of the trustworthy political relationship. Singapore is always one of the top 10 trade partners and the third biggest investor of Viet Nam with 2,000 projects worth US$43 billion. During their talks, PMs Phuc and Lee sought ways to grasp opportunities of regional economic links generated by the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) to which both Viet Nam and Singapore are signatories and the fourth industrial revolution. Host and guest agreed to maintain political trust and ties through all-level delegation exchanges via the Party, State, Government, National Assembly and people-to-people exchange channels. The two sides will join hands to organise the 45th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties and the 5th anniversary of the strategic partnership, especially with cultural programmes and people-to-people exchanges. They will also increase consultations and expand cooperation between parties, while stepping up affiliation in national defence and security, with attention paid to practical collaboration between naval, aviation and search and rescue forces, and in defence technology. They agreed to coordinate with each other in settling common security challenges such as piracy and terrorism, ensuring navigation security and safety, as well as cybersecurity. In the sphere of economics, PM Lee Hsien Loong pledged that Singapore will increase its investments in Viet Nam in new, high-tech, high-value and environmentally-friendly areas like clean energy, waste treatment, water resources management, and high-tech park and smart city building. Singapore stands ready to share its experience with and support Viet Nam in building seaports and developing logistics services and high-tech agriculture, and invest in Vietnamese technological start-ups, he said, noting that Singapore will consider facilitating the access of Vietnamese exports, especially agro-forestry-fishery products, to the Singaporean market. Stressing the significance of cooperation in personnel training, the host affirmed that Singapore will increase scholarships for Vietnamese students and help with English language teaching and labour training. The two sides recognised the new strides in cooperation in connectivity promotion, finance and science-technology, which have greatly contributed to their countries economic development. They agreed to expand connections in these potential fields through increasing flights linking cities of Viet Nam like a Lat and Nha Trang with Singapore. They will further cooperate in the management of the financial and stock markets and support big Vietnamese businesses in listing on the stock market. The countries are also set to step up initiatives and joint projects on innovation and intellectual property while working together to commercialise intellectual property, share the application of patents, and provide training in intellectual property. Aside from bilateral cooperation, the two PMs also discussed international and regional issues of shared concern. They pledged to enhance bilateral ties at international forums, especially within the framework of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), and the United Nations. PM Phuc affirmed that Viet Nam supports and is ready to coordinate with Singapore in ASEAN Year 2018 to consolidate ASEANs solidarity and central role in the region, towards building a resilient, innovative and united ASEAN that plays a central role in the region and the world. At the talks, the two sides affirmed the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the region along with freedom of navigation and aviation in the East Sea, not threatening to use or using force, respecting all diplomatic and legal processes, peacefully resolving disputes on the basis of international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). They reiterated their support for the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and early finalisation of an effective and binding Code of Conduct (COC) of parties in the waters. The meeting and the talks took place in a friendly and straightforward manner with mutual understanding. On this occasion, the two PMs approved a joint statement on the visit and witnessed the signing of several cooperation deals, including a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on technical cooperation in environmental and water issues between Viet Nams Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and Singapores Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, and another MoU in the field of standardisation and suitability evaluation between Viet Nams Ministry of Science and Technology and Singapores Ministry of International Trade and Industry. The State Bank of Vietnam and the Monetary Authority of Singapore also signed an MoU on financial reform and another on cooperation and information exchange in banking inspection and supervision. Meanwhile, Viet Nams Ministry of Industry and Trade and Singapores Ministry of International Trade and Industry inked MoUs on cooperation in renewable energy and in investing and developing liquefied natural gas import projects. VNS HCM CITY The Ministry of Education and Training has permitted more private universities to offer medical courses starting in 2018-19. Nguyen Tat Thanh University was the first in HCM City to get approval, and it will take in 50 students this year. According to the universitys website, it is working with many city hospitals, including Cho Ray, Paediatrics Hospital 2, Tu Du Obstetrics Hospital, Military Hospital 175, Thu uc Hospital, to get internships for its students. This year the university has also added two other new faculties, medical physics and bio-medical engineering. According to Prof Nguyen Cong Khan of the Ministry of Healths Administration of Science, Technology and Training, the country faces a shortage of medical physicists even as many advanced techniques are being introduced in the country. Medical physicists play an important role in image diagnosis, radiotherapy, and nuclear medicine. Since 2014 the university has focused on research and setting up an international standard training programme for this. In August 2017 the ministry green lighted it. Nam Can Tho University in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho will also begin to admit 60 students to its medical faculty. All high school graduates can apply, and admissions will be based on the results in the upcoming national high school examination. Phan Chau Trinh University in Quang Nam Province, Tan Tao University in Long An, Duy Tan University in a Nang, the Ha Noi University of Business and Technology, and Vo Truong Toan University in Hau Giang Province are also admitting students to their medical course. According to the Ministry of Education and Training, the country had nearly 200 training facilities offering healthcare-related courses as of 2017. Of them 24, including six private ones, offer courses in general medicine. The number of doctors per 10,000 population in the country was eight last year. The Ministry of Health targets increasing the number to 10 by 2020. According to experts, Viet Nam is no longer in the list of countries with an alarming shortage of doctors. However, the quality of training for medical workers remains a cause for worry, they admitted. Tran uc Thuan, deputy head of the Health Strategy and Policy Institute, told Nhan Dan (People) newspaper that medical training programmes and methodologies are changing too slowly. Meanwhile, many advanced methods are being used in diagnosis and treatment, and this requires schools to update their training programmes frequently to remain abreast, he said. Schoolsfacilities for training have failed to meet the training need, he said. More and more medical universities have sprung up in recent times, making it a challenge and burden for hospitals to absorb the increasing number of interns, he added. VNS HA NOI With the mounting negative reports concerning activities from the controversial religious movement World Mission Society Church of God in the north of Viet Nam, the Governments religion authority has called for alertness and advised not to equate the movement with other legitimate Protestant groups with similar names in the country. Vu Chien Thang, head of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs, said that the committee is aware of and is keeping tabs on the Church of Gods movement. The new religious phenomenon that has drawn wide public attention in the recent weeks takes it root years ago with limited presence in the northern provinces of Hai Phong, Quang Ninh, and Thai Nguyen, but seems to have picked up speed in spreading to other localities in the country. Allegations of its cult-like conducts including deceptive recruitment, questionable and manipulative indoctrination, preaching of doomsday sermons and that salvation from a higher being is only possible by following the group, donating cash, and abandoning own families cropped up with increasing frequency on several media outlets and gained high view counts. These allegations, however, need to be carefully investigated and verified, to determine whether these activities are an organisational directive or just aberrant behaviours from certain individuals with ill intentions, Thang told Vietnam News Agency. With that being said, head of the religious affairs committee affirmed that any illegal actions that violate religious freedom and faith, public ethics, order and safety, or pose risks to individuals properties, health and life, as well as their honour and dignity, would be strictly punished in line with the law. The Vietnamese Government always respects and protects the right to freedom of religion and beliefs of all citizens, but does not allow abuse of those freedoms or exploitation of a belief or religion to violate the law, reiterated Thang. When the reports on suspicious activities of the Church of Gods movement emerged, the committee already requested all provinces and cities involved to keep track of the situation and increase awareness amongst its population. The committee will also work closely with local governments to manage the situation. According to Thang, several religious leaders in the country have already been vocal in their condemnation of the dubious tactics of the so-called Church of Gods society. Despite being individual voices from religious leaders, it helps the public understand that the reported activities of this movement are in fact anti-religious. We welcome such statements; however, when voicing protests, we insist that religious leaders and religious groups maintain civility and avoid discrimination and defamation against legitimate religious groups, Thang said. Previously, the education ministry and Youth Union have asked schools and educational institutions to deploy information measures in various channels to their students to resist the movements recruitment and immediately report suspicious activities to the schools managers. Vietnamese law does not allow the use of the names of already existing and legal religious organisations to conduct evangelism, however, many people in recent times were led to falsely believe that the World Mission Society Church of God movement is by the Government-approved Protestant groups. Protestantism, amongst the late arrival in Viet Nam, currently boasts a six-fold increase in the number of followers since the countrys reunification in 1975, with 1 million people from all walks of life participating in over 50 different denominations, the Voice of Viet Nam (VOV) reported. VNS On April 26, 1986 the world was shaken by a terrible tragedy an explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in northern Ukraine (then part of the USSR). This accident became the worst nuclear catastrophe in human history. The explosion caused the release of large quantities of radioactive materials into the atmosphere that spread over the western USSR and Europe. This radioactive contamination affected the lives of millions of people, and the world is still living with its consequences. The Chernobyl accident is considered the most disastrous nuclear power plant accident in history, both in terms of cost and casualties. It is one of only two nuclear energy accidents classified as a level 7 event (the maximum classification) on the International Nuclear Event Scale, the other being the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in Japan in 2011. Approximately 100,000 sq.km of land were significantly contaminated with fallout, with the worst-hit regions being in Belarus, Ukraine and Russia. Slighter levels of contamination were detected over all of Europe except for the Iberian Peninsula. The legacy of Chernobyl is of particular significance for Belarus. Despite the fact that the nuclear power plant was located on the territory of Ukraine, not far away from the city of Pripyat, more than 70 per cent of radionuclides settled in Belarus. Around 66 per cent of the total territory of Belarusmore than 13 million hectareswere contaminated with fallout, mostly cesium-137. On April 27, 1986, the day after the disaster happened, the city of Pripyat (47,500 people) was evacuated, and in the following days the entire population of the 10-kilometer zone around the Chernobyl nuclear power plant followed. During May 1986, more than 116,000 people were resettled from 188 settlements in a 30-kilometer exclusion zone around the station. Today, there is a 30-kilometer zone around the Chernobyl accident, called the Exclusion Zone, where residence is prohibited due to the high level of radiation. In 2016 the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution recognising the persistent legacy of the Chernobyl disaster and empowering the United Nations system to take meaningful steps aimed at achieving the Sustainable Development Goals in the Chernobyl-affected regions and communities. The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed April 26 as International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day. The Republic of Belarus can share with the world unique knowledge and experience in dealing with such disaster, with insights on permissible doses, zoning and peoples psychological rehabilitation. In order to overcome the long-term consequences of the Chernobyl disaster, in the middle of the Exclusion Zone Belarus created the State Radiation and Ecology Reserve Polessie, which marks its 30th anniversary this year. The Ecological Reserve covers an area of 216,000 hectares and contains 96 abandoned settlements, where more than 22,000 people lived before the accident. Reserve Polessie was created to enclose the territory of Belarus most affected by radioactive fallout from the Chernobyl disaster as well as for radiobiological and ecological research. Belarusian scientists use the Ecology Reserve as a site for research on the effect of radiation on plants, animals and environment itself The rehabilitation of contaminated territories, revival of the economy and ensuring safe living conditions for people in the affected areas are still pressing issues for the Government of Belarus as one of the most affected countries. We believe that there is still room for international cooperation on Chernobyl. The Republic of Belarus appeals to the world community to bear in mind awful long term consequences caused by the most disastrous nuclear power plant accident in history and admires those noble individuals, governments and international organisations that have remained compassionate and focused on the plight of the victims of Chernobyl over the last 30 years.Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affair GOYANG The historic summit between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will include various events apparently aimed at forming personal ties between the two leaders that may assist international efforts to rid the North of its nuclear weapons down the road, a detailed schedule of the meeting released on Thursday showed. The first inter-Korean summit in more than a decade will begin at 9:30 am Friday when the North Korean leader is scheduled to cross the heavily armed border to the Peace House, a South Korean facility located just south of the border at the joint security area of Panmunjom. "President Moon Jae-in and Chairman Kim Jong-un will begin their historic first meeting at the military demarcation line in Panmunjom at around 9:30 tomorrow morning," Moons chief of staff Im Jong-seok told a press briefing, referring to the North Korean leader by his official title as head of the state affairs commission. Kim will cross the inter-Korean border on foot, becoming the first North Korean leader to have stepped on South Korean soil since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War. The Moon-Kim meeting will mark the third inter-Korean summit, but the first to be held in South Korea. The two previous summits, in 2000 and 2007, were both held in Pyongyang. The two leaders will together walk a short distance from the border to the South Korean venue of their bilateral summit, in front of which they will jointly inspect a South Korean honor guard, again making Kim the first North Korean leader to do so, according to Im. Moons presidential office Cheong Wa Dae earlier said the country planned to welcome and treat Kim as a state guest, which will include an official welcoming ceremony. The leaders will begin their official dialogue at 10:30 am following a brief preliminary meeting at the Peace House, Im told a press briefing. They will have lunch separately, followed by a recess before they meet again to jointly plant a tree commemorating their first meeting. Along with the tree, a pine, the two leaders will lay a keystone that reads "Here we plant peace and prosperity," Fridays meeting follows a height of tension between the divided Koreas that technically remain at war. North Korea has staged nearly a dozen missile tests since the Moon Jae-in administration took office in May 2017, also conducting its sixth and most powerful nuclear test in September. Im said the top agenda items at the summit are the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula and the establishment of permanent peace. "The difficult part is how high an agreement the two leaders may reach and how such an agreement can be stipulated," he told the press briefing. Moon will apparently seek to form a personal relationship with Kim, with the leaders scheduled to take a brief stroll together before the countries announce the outcome of their one-day summit. The two may continue to hold talks in the future as the countries have already installed a new direct hotline between their leaders offices. The third inter-Korean summit will end after a welcoming dinner to be hosted by Moon. Im said it has still not been decided whether the leaders wives will also be present at the historic summit. YONHAP Its hard to believe that almost exactly ten years has passed since the legendary Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk was officially retired from active service. While the type will never make it into civilian ownership, let alone as an airworthy warbird, due to the sensitive nature of its technology, it is worth celebrating this fascinating, quirky-looking aircraft which first introduced the world to the wonders of Stealth Technology. We thought this recent U.S. Air Force article commemorating the type was worth repeating here WASHINGTON (AFNS) Its been 10 years since the F-117 Nighthawk retired, an aircraft so secret Nevada folklore labeled it a UFO. The Nighthawk pilots were known by the call sign Bandit, each earning their number with their first solo flight. Some of the maintainers were also given a call sign, said Wayne Paddock, a former F-117 maintainer currently stationed at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico. The people who maintained the coatings on the aircraft, radar absorbent material were classified as material application and repair specialists (MARS). MARS morphed into Martians, Paddock said MARS was a shred out from the structural repair/corrosion control career field. The technology for the F-117 was developed in the 1970s as a capability for attacking high value targets without being detected by enemy radar. It had up to 5,000 pounds of assorted internal stores, two engines and could travel up to 684 mph. It was the first airplane designed and built as a low-observable, stable and therefore precise platform, said Yancy Mailes, director of the history and museums program for Air Force Materiel Command at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, and a former F-117 maintainer. It was the marriage of the GBU-27 to the F-117 that had a laser designator in its nose that made it such a precise, deadly platform, Mailes said. It was best demonstrated during Operation Desert Storm when pilots snuck into Iraq and dropped weapons down the elevator shaft of a central communications building in Iraq. The first Nighthawk flew June 18, 1981, and the original F-117A unit, the 4450th Tactical Group (renamed the 37th Tactical Fighter Wing in October 1989), achieved initial operating capability in October 1983. The Nighthawk originally saw combat during Operation Just Cause in 1989, when two F-117s from the 37th TFW attacked military targets in Panama. The aircraft was also in action during Operation Desert Shield. Retired Col. Jack Forsythe, remembers being excited when he initially flew a Nighthawk while stationed at Holloman AFB in 1995. It was a unique experience, he said. Its probably the same feeling that a lot of our (single seat) F-22 (Raptor) and F-35 (Lightning II) pilots feel today. After 25 years of service, the Nighthawk retired April 22, 2008. Forsythe led the four-ship formation to Palmdale, California, where Lockheed Martin staff said their farewells. We lowered the bomb doors of each aircraft and people signed their names to the doors, Forsythe said. It was really just kind of neat; they had designed it, built it and maintained it for these 25 years, so it really hit home the industry and Air Force partnership that made the Nighthawk great. I think the four of us were just really struck by that and have some really great memories of that flight. The American flag was painted on the entire underside of his F-117 by the maintainers to help celebrate American airpower. I think we all recognized that this was something historic, he said. We retired an airplane that people still reference today. We really understood that so it was a sentimental flight to say the least. It was a great weapon system, very stable and easy to fly. Its still a memorable experience. As a related footnote, unlike all other U.S.Air Force aircraft retirements, the survivors from the orginal fleet of 64 Nighthawks are preserved in indoor storage (at the Tonopah Test Range in Nevada). There have been persistent and credible rumors that a handful of the aircraft, perhaps as many as six, have continued to fly on in test roles where a stealthy air vehicle is needed. They would prove very useful in this line of work, something for which more current stealthy types, like the F-35 or F-22, are either not available for, or simply too valuable an asset to use in this way. Reportedly, they are maintained and flown under contract by civilian crews, which has made the details easier to keep off military budgets, and therefore easier to keep out of the public eye. That being said, a number of sightings, some with photographic evidence, have occurred since the Nighthawks official retirement ten years ago, with the latest being in November, 2017. So it seems that darkness might not yet quite have fallen on the Nighthawk after all. 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05 (4) Oct 29 (1) Oct 01 (1) Jul 29 (1) May 11 (1) Jul 11 (1) I personally do not think that attacking USA ships in the Hormuz Strait could be an exciting vivid concept for Iran, however if the united states pulls out of the agreement with Iran (which Europe has indicated its going to not pull out, due to very good reasons), it would be but another instance to express the valuelessness of getting into concurrence with the United States of America in literally any form or function of international means and ways. The most disquieting instance in very pertinent times, of course is, being the unilateral selection by the USA to back out of the ABM Treaty. Which ended in Russian hypersonic missiles and equivalent weaponry to be brought forth from the drawing board, to reality.and we all know that China has gone hog wild in advancement in weapons I do not blame the Iranians, America simply does not fulfill her side of agreements and will undercut any agreement that she does not like.I give a hint in this too North Korea, Trust of America is lacking in almost all aspects when it comes to international issues (Much less internal issues within the USA!) The Iranians are definitely not introverts, as the Russians and Chinese are Wake up world WtR Yes, you can transfer your domain to any registrar or hosting company once you have purchased it. Since domain transfers are a manual process, it can take up to 5 days to transfer the domain. Domains purchased with payment plans are not eligible to transfer until all payments have been made. Please remember that our 30-day money back guarantee is void once a domain has been transferred. For transfer instructions to GoDaddy, please click here. We have already reported that Indias biggest motion picture, Baahubali The Conclusion, is all set for a humongous release in China on May 4. Expectations are quite high on the movie, following the grand success of some of the recent Indian movies that released in China. And ahead of its Chinese release, Baahubali 2 has set by a record for any Indian film that ever released in China. One of the films producers Shobu Yarlagadda revealed that Baahubali 2 will be the first Indian film to release in IMAX format in China. Shobu further said that China is a very tough market to crack and hoped that the film does well. Both Rajamouli and Shobu are currently in Japan to attend a special screening of Baahubali 2. Articles that might interest you: SS Rajamoulis magnum opus, Baahubali The Conclusion, released last year and ended up as the countrys biggest blockbuster. The film was dubbed in Japanese and released on December 31st last year. So far, Baahubali 2s Japanese version has collected nearly $1.5 million and is still having a steady run in Japan. Meanwhile, director Rajamouli and producer Shobu Yarlagadda have landed in Tokyo, Japan, to catch up with a special screening of Baahubali 2 that will take place tonight. The film has been receiving immense adulation from the Japanese audience ever since its release, opening the doors for Indian movies in The Land of Rising Sun. Articles that might interest you: Plus, Turkish rugs slay at omgee prices, Anna Sheffield brings her bling to town, and Malia Mills is in the swim. (Courtesy of Malia Mills) Make it a summer Reset this weekendwith a Malia Mills shopping spree. All hail the bra-sized bikini, mix-and-match swim separates and lingerie-inspired maillots. Check out the signatures of longtime designer-slash-goddess Malia Mills for yourself on Saturday and Sunday, April 28 and 29 (1 to 5pm). The M-squared trunkshow at the Reset pop-up in Hayes Valley features the latest styles in pop colors and sizes 116, cups AF. (We're stalking the vintage-y Majorette Bottom.) Libations, a DJ, makeovers from Lilah B, and shopping the Reset's own minimalist closet essentials round out the offerings. Splish-splash! // 445 Hayes St, (Hayes Valley), maliamills.com, thereset.com Warby Parker and SF Ballet pas de deux. When it comes to the new ballet Otherness, San Francisco Ballet is seeing cool. So are the dancers who are sporting Warby Parker sunglasses for all the performances, which run through May 4. The ballet, part of Unbound: A Festival of New Works, is an abstract Romeo and Juliet story set in a Wes Anderson-like world. "The way Warby Parker uses art and design to nurture and uplift the community aligns closely with my values and the San Francisco Ballet's. The eyeglasses symbolize the way we're programmed to see the world," explains choreographer Myles Thatcher. The shades of choice: the Haskell ($95), available for purchase in all WP's SF stores. See, who cares if you can't grand jeteyou can still look like a bunhead. // 357 Hayes St. (Hayes Valley) and 216 Stockton St. (Union Square), warbyparker.com (Courtesy of Anna Sheffield) Anna Sheffield freaks: Hightail it to No. 3. No. 3, Jenny Chung's sweet jewelry boutique in Russian Hill, is hosting a spring trunkshow with Anna Sheffield on Friday and Saturday, April 27 and 28. The preferred ring designer of cool girls from coast to coast will be on hand with a slew of her diamond rings and nesting bands. Now's your chance to discuss your dream bling with the master herself. Plus, there will be a selection of one-of-a-kind loose diamonds and unique settings so you can play designer, too. Bubbly will be served. RSVP/schedule a personal appointment at info@shopno3.com. Friday hours 5pm8pm; Saturday hours noon8pm. //1987 Hyde St. (Russian Hill), shopno3.com (Courtesy of And Comfort) Girls of all sizes need stylish essentials. And Comfort. A new SF fashion label called And Comfort just launched its first capsule collection made up of four easy pieces: a Mandarin collar tunic, pima cotton tee, apron dress, and wrap skirt. Styles are minimalist, sizes are 1028, and prices range from $45$140. The mission is to inspire women of varying shapes to delight in the everyday, to make dressing fun and, yes, comfortable. Everything is made from luxe natural fibers, including organic cotton poplin. Founder Karine Hsu was moved to create the line for modern plus-size women who don't have the wealth of clothing choices she thinks they should. Growing up, it was heartbreaking for Hsu to watch her mom struggling to find clothes that fit and that she loved. Clearly, no longer the case. // Shop online, andcomfort.com (Courtesy of Revival Rugs) Who says you have to travel to Turkey to get a deal on a great rug? Home design freaks and ordinary folk seeking quality vintage Turkish rugs need not look further than SF e-brand Revival Rugs. Like a jillion brilliant ideas before it, this one was born of a real-life problem: Cofounders and married couple Ben (also cofounder of Brooklinen) and Amber Hyman wanted to find a handmade rug at a fair price. No easy task, as it turns out, if spending thousands isn't part of the plan. A few months and a honeymoon trip to Istanbul later, Revival Rugs was born and connecting consumerssans middlemento beautiful one-of-a-kind, vintage rugs at reasonable prices (starting at $116). The all-important last piece of the puzzle? Revival's other cofounders, Joyce Kong and Kurt Korkmaz. They're based in Turkey and way hip to the ins and outs of the country's complicated modern-day antique rug market and the best sources. // Shop online revivalrugs.com and IRL at SF's Batch (1648 Pacific Ave.). Report to Shareholders for the Quarter Ended 31st March 2018 Melbourne, April 26, 2018 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Australian Securities and Frankfurt Stock Exchange cross listed iSignthis Ltd ( ASX:ISX ) ( FRA:TA8 ), the global leader in RegTech for identity verification and transactional banking/payments, is pleased to provide the following business update and Appendix 4C for the quarter ended 31st March 2018.Highlights:- Unaudited revenue of A$1.48m for the March quarter, representing a QoQ increase of 267%o Total unaudited revenue for the first three quarters of FY18 of A$2.28m- Cash Receipts increased to A$1.571m, representing approximately a 400% increase versus the December quarter (A$392k)- The Company continues to increase the value of its contracted GPTV, which is now in excess of AU$500m- Company continues research and development and extends IP portfolio with Chinese patent acceptance and filing of patents for new inventions.Summary of achievements this quarter include:- First four EU settlement merchants were contracted, with estimated GPTV book value in excess of EUR200m annually (+A$310m) and the first of those merchants was announced as "live" early in the month of March.- Late in the quarter, the Company reported total contracted GTPV book value for the global iSignthis group settlement merchants was in excess of A$400m, on an annualised basis with a Merchant Services Fee (MSF%) expected to average 100bps across the global GPTV, subject to traffic being processed via our network and primary supply agreements.- The Paydentity service was deployed to XM.com on a fully commercial basis for Chinese eKYC, which extends the scope of Paydentity(TM) eKYC from EU+UK to include China.- iSignthis eMoney (AU) Pty Ltd, a subsidiary of the leading RegTech payment and identity verification provider iSignthis Ltd, became an aggregator for American Express., one of the world's largest major card schemes.- Extending Intellectual Property Protection, including acceptance of Patent in China for our core technology.To view the full report, please visit:About iSignthis Ltd iSignthis Ltd (ASX:ISX) (FRA:TA8) is a hybrid monetary financial institution and also a RegTech leader in remote identity verification, payment authentication with deposit taking, transactional banking and payment processing capability. iSignthis provides an end-to-end on-boarding service for merchants, with a unified payment, electronic money and identity service via our Paydentity(TM) and ISXPay(R) solutions. By converging payments and identity, iSignthis delivers regulatory compliance to an enhanced customer due diligence standard, offering global reach to any of the world's 4.2Bn 'bank verified' card or account holders, that can be remotely on-boarded to meet the Customer Due Diligence requirements of AML regulated merchants in as little as 3 to 5 minutes. Paydentity(TM) has now onboarded and verified more than 1.5m persons to an AML KYC standard. iSignthis Paydentity(TM) service is the trusted back office solution for regulated entities, allowing merchants to stay ahead of the regulatory curve, and focus on growing their core business. iSignthis' subsidiary, iSignthis eMoney Ltd, trades as ISXPay(R), and is an EEA authorised eMoney Monetary Financial Institution, offering card acquiring in the EEA, and Australia. ISXPay(R) is a principal member of Mastercard Inc, Diners, Discover, (China) Union Pay International and JCB International, an American Express aggregator, and provides merchants with access to payments via alternative methods including SEPA, Poli Payments, Sofort, PRZ24 and others. Probanx Solutions Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of iSignthis Ltd, provides API based access to CORE Banking solutions, SEPA Core, SEPA Instant and SEPA business scheme, for neobanks, banks, credit unions and emoney institutions, and provides a bridge to the Eurosystem's Central Bank of Lithuania's CENTROLink service. REDDING, Calif - U.S. Military aircrafts from several different states participated in Wednesday recertification to practice inserting MAFFS into these aircrafts. Which then coverts them into fire fighting air tankers. "This was brought on in the early 70s for when the commercial air tanker fleet runs out or at capacity or there is an additional need for air tankers the fire service will supply them with tanks and they will drop fire retardant on fires," said Jeff Ridley , air tanker base manager. The MAFFS units can drop up to 3,000 gallons of fire retardant or water on wild fires. which can then spread over an area one quarter of a mile long by 60 feet wide in a matter of seconds, and although Wednesdays efforts were for practice crews say its extremely important to train with fire season right around the corner. "Yes, we've used them in local area forests in ther past even last summer," said Ridley. Nation Guard Aircrafts like these were used over 3000 times last year, on more than 24 wildfire here in California, including the Helena fire which burnt more than 21,000 acres. Crews say without these efforts incidents like those could become much worse. Crews will be here throughout the week and fire season practice will continue into next week with these events Below is the story of Alfie Evans, a UK Tot for whom life will not be a grand and soft as that for the young Prince just born. Alfie has what the media is calling "a mystery illness," struck down as an infant with seizures and "late development." Mitochondrial disease is in the equation. We will not diagnose this youngster with anything here at Age of Autism, nor will we interject about the possible causes of his illnesss. We will pray for his recovery. British courts have continued to rule against treatment for him. Read that again. The courts are ruling that this boy can not be saved, and so, should die. It's like a Dickens novel - the very worst of times. ### ALFIE Evans has been at the centre of a life support battle between his parents, health officials and the British justice system for several months. The tot's life support was switched off after his family lost the most recent of a series of legal appeals. Here is what you need to know about the heartbreaking case.... ...Writing after judges at the European Court of Rights rejected the case, Tom said that he and his partner were "in bits, distraught, in pain", and the decision meant their son was "about to be murdered". Tom and Kate have suffered a series of blows in their legal battles to keep Alfie alive. They had taken their battle to the Supreme Court after the Court of Appeal agreed with Alder Hey that Alfie "could not be saved" and that it would be "unkind" and "futile" to continue treatment, but their bid was dismissed. They had already lost a challenge at the Court of Appeal and failed to have the decision overturned at the Supreme Court and European Court of Human Rights. Read more here. Following one appeal, Lord Justice Davis, ruled that Alfie's life support must be turned off and told lawyers 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." Alfie's life support was eventually turned off at 9.17pm on the evening of Monday, April 23. However, the following morning his dad said that the little boy was still battling on and breathing unassisted hours later. Evidence of Normal Life Returns to Iraq, Syria, After 'Caliphate' Defeat Although hard work remains following defeat of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria's tyrannical self-proclaimed caliphate in Iraq and Syria, there are encouraging signs that life is returning to normal, the spokesman for Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve told Pentagon reporters today. On March 21, various groups across Iraq and Syria -- including Assyrians, Yezidis and Kurds -- celebrated Nowruz, the beginning of the Persian new year, free from ISIS, for the first time in years, Army Col. Ryan S. Dillon said from Baghdad. "In Mosul, the United Arab Emirates -- a valued partner in the coalition -- pledged to assist Iraq in reconstructing the Nuri Mosque and the Hadba minaret, which ISIS destroyed as it withdrew further into the city in June of last year," Dillon said. Security Aids in Rebuilding Iraqi security forces continue to provide the security that enables stability necessary for rebuilding and reconstruction, he added, noting that the U.S.-led coalition will continue to conduct operations that limit ISIS' freedom of movement and constrain their ability to build forces. In Syria in over the past week, the coalition conducted 14 strikes against ISIS terrorist fighters and defensive fighting positions. Additionally, the Syrian Democratic Forces recently announced the capture of Mohammed Haydar Zammar, a Syrian-born German national who worked as an ISIS recruiter, the spokesman noted. "The Syrian Democratic Forces continue to prove they are a capable force, defeating ISIS throughout most of north and eastern Syria, but also detaining hundreds of foreign terrorist fighters," Dillon said. SDF Stops Terrorists From Re-Forming Terrorist fighters in the region are attempting to sneak away to establish new safe havens or return to their home countries to recruit, plot and execute attacks, he said, adding that these terrorists' tradecraft, passports and relationships represent a global threat to the civilized world. "The SDF are denying ISIS the ability to do this," Dillon said. Also denying ISIS the ability to come back to liberated areas, the Raqqa Internal Security Forces continue to grow, improve and provide Raqqawis with security, he noted. The U.S.-led coalition has trained many of the security forces on the law of armed conflict, weapons familiarization, first aid and awareness of techniques to counter improvised explosive devices. Council Critical to Raqqa's Comeback The security forces are subordinate to the Raqqa Civil Council, a local body that is representative of Raqqawis and responsive to their needs, Dillon explained, adding that April 19 marked the first anniversary of the council's formation. The RCC has been instrumental in instituting stabilization projects to bring life back to Raqqa after the defeat of ISIS, he said. One such initiative is the restoration of the region's canal system, restoring water to tens of thousands of northeast Syrians. "According to the RCC, water services now flow as far east as Deir al-Zour province and supply hundreds of wheat farms throughout the region," Dillon said. "As summer approaches, the RCC aims to construct more than 20 water distribution points throughout the city, ensuring residents have access to clean water." Invasion, Occupation and ISIS: How Four Iraqi Women's Lives Have Changed in 15 Years Hero, Amena, Raja, Zaynab: Four women, four languages, four communities, four professions. Four wonderful courageous stories in four different cities in one country: war-torn Iraq. At the heart of the web documentary Women out of Darkness - the trailer for which you can watch at the end of this feature - are the stories of these four women told by journalist Sara Manisera and photojournalist Arianna Pagani. They perfectly intertwine these women's voices and lives in Iraq at different times and stages, from memories of Armenians' genocide, when the displaced found refuge in Iraq, to the recent occupation of the Islamic State group, where millions of Iraqis once again became refugees and displaced in their own country. The webdoc released on March 20, a significant date that marked the 15th anniversary of the US-led invasion of Iraq. "We chose stories where women are first of all the protagonists of their fate and not just mere victims," Sara Manisera told The New Arab. "We want to give a voice to different communities, even if they are not featured in the documentary, from Sunnis to Shias, to Christians and Kurds. We want to send the message that not only one community is suffering," Sara adds, noting the suffering of the Yazidi community, as well as the Mazdean, Turkmen and Shabak communities. Sara and Arianna, both contributors to The New Arab, first worked together in 2015 in Bosnia, 20 years after the end of the conflict there. "Even there we wanted to talk to and about women who wanted to cooperate and interact with people of different religions and communities after the war. We again wanted to focus on women out of the darkness of four different communities in the Balcans," Arianna Pagani told The New Arab. The journalist and the photographer, both from Italy, travelled together to Iraq in 2016 to cover the long battle for Mosul between the end of 2016 and 2017. Iraqi forces launched their campaign to recapture Mosul from the Islamic State group in October 2016. It was declared liberated in July 2017, after eight months of fierce fighting by Iraqi forces and a US-led coalition to oust the militants from their final stronghold in the country. The defeat was considered the biggest yet for the Islamic State group three years since it seized Mosul in a lightning offensive across much of the country's Sunni Arab heartland and proclaimed a "caliphate" straddling Iraq and Syria. The two journalists chose the format of a webdoc to allow readers and viewers to deepen their knowledge about Iraq. "Through videos, photos, texts, graphic maps and timelines, we encouraged readers to take their time and reflect on what they were reading. We wanted them to go back to stories and be able to learn more about what they were seeing," Sara said. "We also think this format is the future of journalism," she added. The voices Sara and Arianna first met Raja in December 2017 at a civil society conference in the capital Baghdad. The 42-year-old lawyer works for the Sharazade centre, listening to female victims of domestic violence and trying to empower women by informing them about their rights. Raja herself defied the norms of society and her family by divorcing her husband and instead choosing to dedicate her life to her daughter and her work as a lawyer. Together with the other women featured in the documentary, she is very active in Iraq's civil society, showing how wars, dictatorship, invasion and brutality has not prevented the people of Iraq from working together for a better common future. The women also spoke about living in constant vicinity of death due to the frequent explosions in Baghdad and in all Iraq. "A glass of water saved my life," Raja says. "I went back inside my home to get a drink when an explosion took place. If I had not gone back inside, it would have killed me." Sara and Arianna created a crowdfunding campaign to help them pay for their documentary expenses, including travel. Italian NGO Un Ponte Per [A Bridge To, or UPP] supported them in the development of their website and their travel to Mosul to meet Zaynab. UPP co-operated with the United Nations Population Fund [UNFPA] to implement a project in October 2017 in Mosul guaranteeing mental health and psychosocial support to women and girls who suffered gender based violence during the three years of the Islamic State group's occupation. It also aimed to support displaced women who have recently returned home to Mosul after the end of the battle. "In the first six months of the project, we were able to reach 2,500 women with the help of the local staff, including a psychologist and psychiatry," said Luigi Giorgi, project manager for UPP. "We will continue to enforce this." Zaynab is part of the UPP team and welcomes the everyday "safe space" created by the organisation. An informatic engineer graduate from the University of Mosul, Zaynab has survived three years under Islamic State rule, spending weeks in an underground refuge with her family during intense battles as the city was being devastated by coalition airstrikes. In the video documentary, she speaks in English, as she voices her enthusiasm for the future reconstruction of Iraq. "In Women out of Darkness, we travelled through different generations in Iraq," explains Sara, "From Amena in Qaraqosh, speaking Syriac, to engineer Zaynab, speaking in English." Amena is the daughter of an Armenian who escaped the genocide at the beginning of last century and found refuge in Qaraqosh, an Assyrian city in northern Iraq within the Nineveh Governorate. Amena lost her husband in the eight yearlong Iran-Iraq war, but said her grief ended when Saddam Hussein died. She then experienced her first displacement in old age when Islamic State group members invaded the city during the night of August 6, 2014. "Amena is part of the older generation and part of the Assyrian Christian ethnic minority. She decided to go back home to Qaraqosh after three years of displacement in Erbil, even though her sons are no longer there with her," explained Miriam Hayyate, another UPP project manager who has been working in Iraq since 2016. The documentary also takes viewers to Iraqi Kurdistan. Thirty years ago Saddam Hussein's war planes and artillery pounded the Kurdish town of Halabja in northern Iraq with mustard gas and the deadly nerve agent sarin, killing thousands of people. Both Sara and Arianna visited Sinjar, in the north, where thousands of Yazidi women were kidnapped and enslaved by the Islamic State group in 2014. "The media talks a lot about female Kurdish fighters. We also met them and told some of their stories," Arianna said. "But for our webdoc we met and interviewed Hero, a woman from Halabja who before being Kurdish and representing Kurdish autonomy or their cause, represents the will of dialogue, desire of peace and coexistence of different communities," in Iraq. Even if tragic events like war, dictatorship and massacres have destroyed their lives at different times, for Raja, Zeynab, Amena and Hero there is only one country: Iraq. These four voices are bringing hope for the future. They believe that by re-building the mosaic of communities in Iraq together, such darkness will never overcome them again. The LCGB union would like to enter into talks with Cargolux management after the airline announced record results which the trade body said was built on the back of staff working to their limits. Yesterday, the airline announced 2017 full year net profit after taxes reach $122.3m, compared with a prior year $5.5m for the European freighter aircraft operator. The LCGB union said this was the airlines best-ever result and could not have been achieved without the commitment of staff who worked up to legal limits. Staff at the airline were "pushed to their limits" the union said. "Above all, the constant commitment and unprecedented flexibility of the 1,400 employees employed in Luxembourg have enabled Cargoulux to achieve this excellent result," the union said. "It is mainly these employees who have made concessions at the level of the current collective agreement in order to guarantee the sustainable development of Caroglux." The union will like to begin talks over the renewal of the collective agreement, it added. "The LCGB is ready to tackle all these problems with the management in order to find solutions in the interest of the employees and to start constructive negotiations at the level of the renewal of the collective agreement," it said. "In view of Cargoluxs record profit, the LCGB is confident that management will be ready to begin negotiations with the same level of enthusiasm as the announcement of the record profit achieved through the commitment of all concerned. employees of the company." When announcing the results, Cargolux chief executive Richard Forson praised staff: "The outstanding results for 2017 are a reflection of Cargolux employees dedication, passion and commitment to make this year a successful one on all fronts. "Our employees are at the heart of Cargolux success and continually endeavor to ensure all requirements are met to provide customer satisfaction and ensure business sustainability." Last year it was revealed staff at the airline would each receive a bonus of 2,500 because of the strong performance of the airline. Read more freighter operator news By Nathan Gain French Air Force C-130H Aircrews are set to be partly trained in Belgium, according to a contract announcement issued today by the European "Tenders electronic daily" (Ted). A French Air Force C-130H airlifter (Credit: Armee de l'air, J. Fechter) Won by the CAE Center Brussels NV (Steenockerzeel), this 3.2M USD3.8M) contract involves "Full Flight Simulator (FFS) training in a C-130H full body simulator", says Ted. CAE Brussels training center is based in Steenockerzeel, neer the Brussels National Airport. Formerly Sabena Flight Academy, it is the sole CAE training center in Europe equipped with a Lockheed Martin L-100/C-130 Hercules FFS. Last year, a seven years contract was awarded to Sabena Technics for the training of SIAes C-130H B1 and B2 technicians. Starting July 2018, this training will be completed with detachments of expert staff, in Clermont Ferrand, to provide technical support for the first major checks. The French Air Force currently flies 7 C-130H and 7 C-130H-30, all operating from 123 Orleans-Bricy AB. In January, the FAF officially welcomed the country's first C-130J-30 Super Hercules aircraft. France will receive a total of four Super Hercules aircraft two C-130J-30 combat delivery airlifters and two KC-130J aerial refuelers through a Foreign Military Sale with the U.S. government, with deliveries taking place through 2019. The first of these aircraft (a C-130J-30 airlifter) was formally delivered to France in December 2017 at the Lockheed Martin facility in Marietta, Georgia, in the United States. Our children inspire us every day--to work harder, to love stronger, and of course, to dream bigger. In Bill Smith's case, his children inspired what would become a $550 million company. The Birmingham-based entrepreneur had just parted ways with his latest idea--a financial technology company called Insight that he sold to a public company in 2014--when his second child was born. Smith had been playing around with ideas for same-day delivery to meet the "need-it-now" evolution of market demand, including consumer research that called for grocery services, but the complexity of transporting food items made him cautious. It wasn't until a fateful trip to the supermarket that all the pieces came together. (Thanks to a little help from his little ones.) "My wife and I took our one-year-old and our newborn to the grocery store and it was a total nightmare," Smith says. "We abandoned the shopping trip with two screaming kids in our arms. We were standing in the parking lot when the lightbulb went off, and I told my wife that I was going to solve the grocery delivery dilemma." This wouldn't be his first rodeo, though. An entrepreneur from an early age, Smith got his start as a student at Homewood High School by selling cell phones to businesses. He would go on to build--and sell--a few companies before founding the one that would put him on the map: Shipt, a membership-based, online marketplace designed to deliver fresh foods and household essentials directly to its members' doorsteps. Having learned a thing or two from his previous successes, Smith didn't just rush into the next thing. He had to make sure this idea was a safe bet and a worthwhile investment. "We wanted to validate that this was a service that people want--and would pay for," Smith says. "I told the team that we weren't going to write a single line of code until we sold 1,000 memberships." One thousand memberships for a service that doesn't exist yet seems like a lofty goal, especially when you're equipped with a mere Facebook video to make the sale. But that's exactly what Smith and his Shipt team did--in just a few weeks. "That was when I knew this was something that could take off," Smith says. After launching in Birmingham, Shipt became a virtually ubiquitous presence at local grocery stores. "Shipt Shoppers," decked out in their green t-shirts emblazoned with the now-familiar extra-terrestrial logo, had become an army of convenience. Whether members were busy with family, with work, with friends, or with social events, Shipt became a reliable and necessary service--one that made so much sense that it felt like it'd always been around. It's no wonder, then, that Shipt grew rapidly and began expanding across the country. Smith and his team expanded the service to more than 70 cities, establishing a second office in San Francisco, California in the process. To outsiders, this may have seemed surprising--that a start-up based in Birmingham, Alabama could catch on so quickly and build such a strong, widespread network. After all, the Magic City isn't exactly known as a tech hub. But Smith and his team didn't see this as an obstacle--they saw it as an advantage. "It's not uncommon for Silicon Valley tech companies to overlook Middle America and smaller or second-tier cities and suburbs," Smith says. "But that's where we found some of our most loyal customers. Not early adopters who only sign up for a trial period, but people who could actually benefit from the service and incorporate it into their weekly routines." Shipt's earliest customers weren't just loyal subscribers, though. They became brand evangelists--the sort of publicity that start-up CEOs dream of. "When someone is happy with a service, they'll tell their friends and family," Smith says. "A lot of our initial growth was simply from word-of-mouth." Eventually, that word reached some of the most influential ears--like those of mega-retailer Target. By the end of 2017, it was official: Target had acquired Shipt to the tune of $550 million. This wasn't just another low-key move from the retail giant, though--it was one of Target's largest acquisitions in the company's history. What's more, Shipt's influence has already become an integral part of Target's evolving customer service model; as of February, Target had launched same-day delivery in more than 30 markets, and by the end of 2018, they'll be offering that same service in more than 170 markets, including all major U.S. cities. In other words, Shipt has changed the way we shop. "Same-day delivery is a service that our guests are asking for more and more often," says John Mulligan, Target's chief operating officer. "Beyond its remarkable same-day delivery network and operation, Shipt brings a differentiated, customer-focused approach. That's when we knew it was the right fit--they're completely in line with Target's commitment to delivering a convenient, exceptional experience for our guests." Smith won't just be handing over the keys to the kingdom, though. While Shipt is now a wholly owned Target subsidiary, the company will still be operating independently, and they'll still call Birmingham their home. As for the future of Birmingham's start-up community? According to Smith, it's growing rapidly and fostering an environment that encourages innovation. One company Smith is particularly excited about is Planet Fundraiser, which helps businesses organize and manage their philanthropy and fundraising efforts. "Giving back is extremely important to both me personally and to Shipt," Smith says. "As we've scaled the company, Planet Fundraiser has allowed Shipt to easily organize our charitable giving efforts across all of our markets." Smith is already investing in another local start-up as well: SimpleShowing, a company based out of Innovation Depot's Velocity Accelerator that, as Smith says, "[is] going to change the way people buy and sell homes." No matter what's next for Smith, it's clear that he's a rising (or already risen) star in Birmingham's business community, as well as the national start-up scene at large. And for Shipt customers--especially the parents of feisty toddlers and newborns--he's already made their lives a little bit easier. Details For more information on Shipt, or to purchase a membership, visit shipt.com. --By Jeremy Burgess This story appears in Birmingham magazine's April 2018 issue. Subscribe today! Ann Florie, the executive director of Leadership Birmingham, has announced she will retire from the position Sept. 1. Florie, 64, has held the post since 2004. She said today she felt it was time to make the move. "I've done this for 14 years, and I think if we've done our job well, there will be plenty of people out there who would be great at this," Florie said. "There are people who can take this to a whole different level. And I think it's just a good time. The city's in a really great place. We still get 200 people who apply every year, and the program always gets younger." Leadership Birmingham brings together 50 people within the community from diverse backgrounds to inform them about issues, encourage networking and foster qualities of leadership. A non-partisan group, Leadership Birmingham has graduated more than 1,500 people since its formation in the early 80s. Florie said she could not have done the job for as long without a dedicated community and a committed group of volunteers. From her vantage point, Birmingham has become a more mobile community, with a wider divergence of ages among applicants to the program each year. There's a strong, young professional community in the Birmingham area, she said, as well as younger retirees with resources who are still interested in contributing through service. The issues have changed too. "When I came into this job, it was pretty easy to design a day around a topic and know who to put on it," she said. "It's gotten more and more challenging to make sure people have a great experience. And it's about the relationships that people build. It's not about the information, or the connections, but the relationships that create those connections." Florie has variously served on and in leadership positions with the Mountain Brook Board of Education, Birmingham Water Works Board, Junior League, McWane Center, United Way of Central Alabama, Downtown Kiwanis Club and Jefferson County Personnel Board. A native of Weldon, Ark., Florie received her bachelor's degree in political science from Tulane University. She was in the Leadership Birmingham Class of 1996-97, and is also a graduate of the Leadership Alabama program. A search committee has been formed to find Florie's successor. One question she's gotten a lot today, she said, is what she'll be involved in going forward. "It's hard for me because it's a part of who I am," she said. "I care about issues. I think I'll find a way. I don't think I know what that is right now. I just won't be doing the day-to-day business of running an organization." Construction on Huntsville's $1.6 billion Mazda-Toyota manufacturing plant is scheduled to begin by Oct. 1. That's according to Gov. Kay Ivey, who returned today from a two-day trip to Japan to speak with executives of the two companies, as well as Honda. She also met with U.S. Ambassador to Japan Bill Hagerty. "I thoroughly enjoyed my visits with the ambassador as well as the company executives," Ivey said in a statement. "Their invitations to Japan is a sign they recognize the positive business climate we have created in Alabama and represents their desire to continue to be a part of our current economic momentum." According to a statement from Ivey's office, Mazda and Toyota executives told the Alabama team that the project remains on target, with construction work at the Limestone County site scheduled to begin by Oct. 1. The production facility site will be graded and prepared for construction by that time, state officials said. In addition, AIDT, the state workforce development agency, is working on a training program for employees at the plant. A meeting will be scheduled to "launch the process," Ivey's office said. Ivey and her team, which included Commerce Secretary Greg Canfield, also spoke with Tsutomu Morimoto, who became president of Honda Manufacturing of Alabama on April 1. Honda is currently in the midst of an $85 million expansion at the plant. The group were briefed on "new, advanced technologies" that could possibly be introduced at the plant. "With this mission, we strengthened our critically important partnerships with these automakers and continued to make clear our commitment to helping them create jobs and grow over the long term, not just in their current locations, but throughout Alabama," Ivey said. Gov. Kay Ivey and a state delegation wrapped up a whirlwind tour of Japan today following meetings with executives from automakers Toyota, Mazda and Honda. Ivey is expected back in Alabama today. Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, who is facing off against Ivey for the Republican gubernatorial nomination, was also be part of discussions with Mazda and Toyota executives, in the run-up to construction for the $1.6 billion joint manufacturing plant. Ivey's talks with Honda dealt with that plant's $85 million expansion and other issues. The purpose of the trip was largely to strengthen ties with Alabama's automakers and for briefings on Japan's business climate and trade developments. The group also met with U.S. Ambassador to Japan Bill Hagerty at the U.S. embassy in Tokyo. Along with Ivey, Battle and Canfield were Tennessee Valley Authority CEO Bill Johnson, Chip Cherry, president and CEO of the Huntsville/Madison Chamber of Commerce, Steve Pelham, Governor Ivey's chief of staff, and Hollie Pegg, assistant director of business development at the Alabama Department of Commerce. Mazda and Toyota announced their intention to build a joint manufacturing plant in Huntsville in January. While Alabama has a long-standing relationship with Toyota through its existing engine plant in Huntsville, Mazda has no manufacturing presence in the U.S. Today, I had the pleasure of meeting with Ambassador Bill Hagerty at the US Embassy in Tokyo. We discussed foreign direct investments, trade & Toyota-Mazda. I thanked @USAmbJapan for the critical role he plays in developing & maintaining great relations between Alabama & Japan. pic.twitter.com/LMRbb3rIjq Governor Kay Ivey (@GovernorKayIvey) April 25, 2018 Weve had a productive trip in Japanglad to continue furthering our friendship with the folks at Toyota & Mazda to provide more opportunities for Alabamians. I greatly appreciate their commitment to our state and, of course, for their hospitality at our breakfast. pic.twitter.com/ESBcFN43dh Governor Kay Ivey (@GovernorKayIvey) April 26, 2018 In an effort to continue bringing opportunities to every part of Alabama, I was proud to lead the state delegation in Japan today. Pleased AL Commerce Sec. @gregcanfield & I were able to meet with Honda to discuss bringing more growth to all of Alabama. pic.twitter.com/sTnP42zAI1 Governor Kay Ivey (@GovernorKayIvey) April 26, 2018 Waffle House says it is investigating the circumstances surrounding a video being shared on social media which purports to show a black woman denied entrance to a Pinson location of the chain. In the video, apparently taken on April 22, the woman, Jacinda Mitchell, shows the locked front door of the restaurant at night. Inside, activity appears to be continuing normally, with customers eating and employees cooking food. "They have the door locked and they have customers in here, and they're saying that they're closed," the woman says. "The customers are eating and they happen to be white customers, and I am an African-American...They have people that they're serving but they're telling me that they're closed." The woman who recorded the incident says in an accompanying social media post that "I initially record just to show corporate about the doors being locked. I don't need a lawsuit.... just needs to be brought to the public attention." Attempts to contact Mitchell were not immediately successful. Pat Warner, director of public relations and external affairs for Waffle House, said the company is investigating the incident. "We have launched an investigation to gather all of the facts," Warner said. "Waffle House is a welcoming place for everyone, and we are fortunate to enjoy a very diverse and loyal customer base who we do our best to serve every day. The employee involved should not have locked the front door at all and should have certainly opened the door for the customer when she arrived. We will get the facts and take appropriate action quickly." The incident happened before two high-profile incidents at Waffle Houses in Saraland and Nashville, Tenn. On Sunday morning, three white male Saraland police officers arrested black 25-year-old Mobile woman Chikesia Clemons in one of the company's two Saraland locations. Waffle House spokesman Pat Warner said via email Sunday evening that, though the company is "still obtaining and reviewing information," it believes there is reason to question Clemons's version of how the incident played out. Clemons' mother and a prominent civil rights attorney yesterday said she was "assaulted," "choked," and "brutalized," by law enforcement. Also on Sunday, a 29-year-old Illinois man with a history of mental health issues shot and killed four people and injured four others inside a Nashville, Tennessee Waffle House. If you can't picture John Travolta as an obsessive stalker, think again. That's precisely the character he plays in "Moose," a movie co-written and directed by Fred Durst and mostly filmed in Birmingham. The actor was spotted here in late February and early March, working on the movie in several downtown locations. Travolta, 64, didn't give media interviews during his stay in Birmingham, but fans reported congenial encounters with the star, who graciously posed for photos. Now Travolta has started to share his thoughts on "Moose," and he's offering high praise for Durst's skills behind the camera. During an encounter with TMZ outside the home of producer Oscar Generale, Travolta said working with Durst was "maybe my favorite experience I've had. He's so generous, and he's such an artist and he allowed me to create a character that nobody else would allow. I mean, it's really a wild character and I felt very free to do that." When asked if Durst, the former frontman of Limp Bizkit, gave him leeway as an actor, Travolta responded in the affirmative. "A lot of leeway," Travolta said. "But had great ideas and he already edited this film in his imagination, so he knows how he's going to put it together, so he knew how to let me (be) free within a boundary." (Watch the full TMZ interview in the video below.) Travolta was equally effusive about Durst's talents during a video interview with ET Canada. "I think Fred did an extraordinary job writing this and directing it," Travolta said. "He's a top artist. This guy is the real deal. Fred has the qualities, the attributes that all the great directors have. This movie, and this performance is like nothing I've seen before. And I just haven't read a script this interesting in years. ... I couldn't wait to do it. And it's been a long time where I couldn't actually wait to do something." Travolta stars as the title character in "Moose," which focuses on a "rabid film fan (who) stalks his favorite action hero and destroys the star's life," according to IMDB. The script was inspired by Durst's real-life experiences with a stalker, according to producer Generale. Canadian actor Devon Sawa, 39, plays the object of Moose's obsession, Hunter Dunbar. Apparently, the two characters have an encounter at an autograph convention that makes Moose feel slighted. This leads to "a home invasion and a VERY long night that changes both men irreparably," according to a synopsis on the movie's Instagram page. "(Moose is) so earnest about his love and fascination with the Hunter Dunbar character, which Devon Sawa plays so brilliantly," Travolta told ET Canada. "He plays this egocentric horror movie star that my character is obsessed with, and it's such a great interpretation he's done." Sawa -- known for his work in movies such as "Casper" and the TV series "Nikita" and "Somewhere Between" -- endeared himself to Alabamians during the filming of "Moose" with a series of positive comments on Twitter. Sawa's tweets praised the state and its people, and he was quick to respond when followers made recommendations for restaurants he might visit or activities he should try during his time here. Coming from LA to Alabama & talking to the locals is so refreshing. They look you in the eyes & ask you how youre doing before starting a conversation. They say please & thank you & appear to mean it. All done in their very soothing southern drawl. Its nice. And the food... devon sawa (@DevonESawa) February 23, 2018 Everyone keeps telling me this. And a Chinese restaurant called the Red Pearl. https://t.co/MmeQPr9kjp devon sawa (@DevonESawa) February 27, 2018 People here are as good as it gets. Thanks for letting me crash. #Alabama #bham https://t.co/E3WsReg2YX devon sawa (@DevonESawa) March 12, 2018 After the "Moose" stars left Birmingham in March, the movie continued to film in Los Angeles, producer Generale told AL.com. ET Canada's video interview with Travolta includes a shot or two of the actor on the California set, walking down Hollywood Boulevard and skirting a Marilyn Monroe impersonator. When asked if he might consider recording music with Durst, Travolta revealed that he tried out his skills as a rapper during the filming of "Moose." "I did a rap that I don't think we can use in the movie," Travolta said, "but I did an LL Cool J rap song as the character Moose and everybody loved it so much, but it might be an end-credit thing more than in the movie." An official release date hasn't been confirmed for "Moose," but Generale said he was targeting spring 2019. Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin is cutting 133 vacant jobs, saving the city $4.7 million in the proposed fiscal year 2019 budget. The mayor shared highlights of his $436 million operating budget with the city council on Wednesday. Woodfin's budget is $8 million larger than the current year's operating budget. "The budget we have created falls in line with our core values and commitment to neighborhood revitalization," Woodfin said to councilors. He said the budget will include additional funds for demolition of delipidated structures, weed abatement, sidewalks and street paving. The city will also invest in more shot spotters and other enhanced technology for Birmingham police and neighborhood lighting. City employees will see a 1 percent cost of living adjustment in Woodfin's proposed budget, and the continuation of longevity pay. Woodfin said the city will begin to tackle the 18-year underfunding of the pension program by contributing an additional $2.9 million this fiscal year. According to the city's annual financial report for 2017, the city's pension liability is about $684 million. During Wednesday's meeting, Councilor Hunter Williams asked Woodfin if he was going to start addressing this issue. "My point is that I would hope we would stop the bleeding this year instead of kicking the can down the road," he said. Woodfin said his staff is putting a plan together this year to address the problem, which could continue to hurt the city's credit rating. Though many city councilors expected to see a proposed budget on Wednesday, this is the earliest the mayor's office has shared details of a fiscal year budget with the council in recent years. Woodfin told city councilors he will present the 2019 operating budget to them during Tuesday's city council meeting. The capital fund budget will come at a later date, he said. Law requires the city council have copies of proposed operating and capital fund budgets by May 20. The new fiscal year starts July 1. Woodfin said his budget creates a preventive maintenance program for city infrastructure, which will be initially funded with $500,000. He said the city is working to reduce overtime costs "through efficiency and accountability." The mayor said non-city departments asking for funds will be required to submit budgets "that focus more on programs and services for the residents of our city and not primarily to support salaries." Woodfin also challenged neighborhood associations to open up their checking accounts and help the city invest in their neighborhoods. He said the city's 99 neighborhoods have more than $3.7 million in their neighborhood accounts. "I invite the neighborhood leadership to join us in such things as sidewalk repairs, beautifying parks, repairing pot holes," he said. Woodfin, who took office on Nov. 28, said the budget process began in January with the Budget Office review of revenues, expenses and positions. He said departments were told there are "no sacred cows" and to "prioritize needs over wants." Highlights of 2019 Proposed Operating Budget. by Erin Edgemon on Scribd Birmingham Neighborhood Association account balances by Erin Edgemon on Scribd A recent audit of the city of Birmingham's operations found up to $21 million in potential cost savings. Not all of the recommendations from Crowe Horwath LLP, a Chicago-based public accounting and consulting firm, will be implemented, according to the Birmingham mayor's office. The firm conducted the performance assessment from Feb. 6 to March 30 on nine city departments: police, public works, community development, finance, information management services, human resources, law, municipal court and planning, engineering and permits. The firm provided 33 recommendations to the city. The suggestions range from studying the closure of city jail and the privatization of garbage collection and landfills to the selling the naming rights to Legion Field and reducing overtime costs. Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin provided the 78-page Crowe Horwath document of recommendations to the city council on Wednesday. He didn't explain the findings to the council. In a memo to council, Woodfin said the recommendations in the report "are just that - recommendations. We found incredible value in many of their recommendations and we have already initiated implementation efforts. Some recommendations require more consideration and possible alterations to ensure solutions work well for the city of Birmingham." He said citizens and businesses have said "our city is not working well for them." The recommendations will help the city position itself "as a world-class service provider in competition for talent and economic opportunity for residents." Also, on Wednesday, the mayor provided the council with highlights of his forthcoming $436 million 2019 fiscal year operating budget. Woodfin said he cut 133 vacant jobs from the budget, saving $4.7 million. City pension The city needs to develop a plan to address the underfunding of the city's pension and post-employment benefit plan liabilities. The underfunded liability was approximately $330 million of as July 1, 2016, according to the report. The mayor's office said staff is working on a plan to address the issues. City jail According to the assessment, the city could save $1.5 million to $3 million per year and avoid $5.5 million in capital expenditures by transferring jail operations to Jefferson County. The firm recommended conducting a feasibility study to explore the option. The city currently spends $7.5 million a year on jail operations and has an average daily cost per inmate of $127. This is above county and national average. Alabama spends $42.54 per inmate per day, according to an AL.com report from 2014. The city jail's capacity is 406, but less than half of the beds are regularly used, according to Crowe Horwath's report. According to the mayor's office, this recommendation is still being discussed. Insurance Some of the biggest cost savings to the city could be in insurance, according to the report. The city could save up to $5.6 million through prescription drug price negotiations, claims management and other areas. This would take six to nine months to implement, according to the report. The mayor's office said staff are working to determine the timing of the implementation. Legion Field The performance assessment indicated that the city should explore naming rights partnerships with local and regional businesses for Legion Field to generate new revenue. According to the report, Legion Field maintenance and operation cost the city more than $5 million in fiscal year 2017. The stadium continues to experience "declining infrastructure and decreasing utilization." The city should explore creating a quasi-government authority to oversee all operations for sporting venues like Legion Field, according to the report. City employee wellness The performance assessment recommended transitioning management of the city-operated fitness centers to local vendors. The mayor plans to implement this recommendation. To operate one of the city's three fitness centers, cost the city $1 million in fiscal year 2017, the report stated, and the staffing of the fitness centers accounts for 30 percent of human resources total staff. Student interns Based on a recommendation from Crowe Horwath, the city plans to establish an internship program with area schools. This program should identify 20 to 40 positions within "high need areas" across all city departments. The mayor's office hasn't determined a timeline for starting this program. Garbage collection Crowe Horwath recommended the city look at optimizing garbage collection by reducing the frequency of pickups to once per week and biweekly or monthly for brush service. This will reduce the strain on fleet, conserve fuel, reduce costs and ensure efficient route management, the report stated. The firm also suggested the city study outsourcing garbage collection. Charging for garbage collection was also recommended. The city currently doesn't do this. Adding fees of at least $10 a month on 50,000 households could generate revenues of $6 million. That could rise to $36 million annually if a fee of $30 a month is charged to 100,000 households. The city is exploring the possible implications of this move, according to the mayor's office. Landfill operations The performance assessment recommended the city conduct a feasibility study to determine if outsourcing or privatizing the city-owned landfills would be more cost effective and sustainable solution. The city is spending $450,000 on plans for landfill expansion with an estimated $7 million of capital needed to construct. The city's landfill capacity is expected to last only four to six more years, and the city has no current plans to address waste management long term. The city is exploring the possible implications of moving forward with the recommendation, according to the mayor's office. Reduce overtime According to the report, the city spent nearly $21 million in overtime in fiscal year 2017, which was 255 percent over budget. The city been using overtime instead of filling vacant positions. This practice costs more than filling the position, the report stated. The city is already working to improve efficiency and reduce overtime, according to the mayor's office. Other recommendations Implementing a formal minority and women-owned business procurement program to expand vendor participate. Allow Birmingham's police academy to train officers for other police departments for a fee. Outsourcing printing services An Etowah County judge on Wednesday reduced the bond for an evangelist charged with sexual misconduct of five boys in two counties, so far. Acton Bowen has been held in the Etowah County Detention Center on $500,000 bond since his arrest last week on seven charges: second-degree sodomy, enticing a child to enter a vehicle or house for immoral purposes and second-degree sex abuse. Five of the charges are felony crimes, and two are misdemeanors. He was arrested the week before in Hoover on charges of second-degree sodomy, enticing a child to enter a vehicle or house for immoral purposes and second-degree sex abuse. At a Tuesday hearing, authorities said he is also under investigation by the FBI and in Orange Beach, as well as in Florida and Colorado. Circuit Judge David Kimberley on Wednesday reduced that bond from a $500,000 cash bond to a $445,000 property bond. As a condition of bond, the judge wrote, Bowen will remain under house arrest as his parents' Ashville home and he must, at all times, be supervised by an adult relative who is an occupant of the home. The youth ministry leader is also required to have court-approved monitored electronic GPS surveillance in place, which will be monitored by Etowah County Community Corrections. Bowen must also surrender is passport, his cell phone and all electronic devices. He is prohibited from possessing any pornographic material and must not have contact with anyone under the age of 18. Bowens' attorneys had sought the reduction, saying the amount was unconstitutional and unfair because of Bowen's lack of prior criminal history. Prosecutors, however, said argued the true extent of his crimes was not yet known and said he was "a danger to every child in this community." "Under the guise of leading children to the Lord, he was abusing them and leaving them more lost than ever before," said Deputy District Attorney Carol Griffith. Earlier this month, the self-described speaker, author and visionary, was arrested by Hoover police. The Hoover victim is a boy under the age of 16 and over the age of 12. Court records in the Jefferson County case say he engaged in deviate sexual intercourse with the teen boy, and also enticed him into getting into a 2010 Jeep Wrangler for the purpose of sodomy. Police have said the Hoover victim is a family acquaintance of Acton Bowen. A week later, Bowen was arrested on Etowah County charges in which some of the victims alleged the abuse went on for years. His wife, Ashley Nabors Bowen, filed for divorce days after his Hoover arrest. She is the daughter of Etowah Count District Judge Joe Nabors. Five Etowah County judges then recused themselves from the case. During the portion of the Tuesday's hearing dealing with bond, Bowen's attorneys called his father, Paul Bowen, to testify that he was not a flight risk. Paul said, if his son was released, Bowen would live at his home in St. Clair County. He said the family has received "hundreds" of messages of support for his son. During questioning by Griffith, Paul Bowen said Acton Bowen had made "dozens" of trips to different parts of the country and abroad with young men, but no young women accompanied. Acton also did not make any of these trips with his wife along, he said. Some young men had also spent the night at Paul Bowen's home, but he had "no reason to suspect" anything inappropriate had happened, he said. The first he heard of the Jefferson County charges, Paul said, was when Acton's father-in-law, Nabors, called to tell him. Griffith also asked if Paul Bowen was aware that his son had left his previous job at a Gadsden church because of allegations regarding pornography. He said that was the first time he'd ever heard of anything about his son and pornography. Bowen's attorneys are Richard Jaffe, Michael Whisonant Jr. and John Floyd. "Mr. Whisonant, Mr. Floyd and I are certainly glad that we were successful in getting the cash requirement for the bonds for Acton removed,'' Jaffe told AL.com on Wednesday. "We recognize that the allegations are disturbing and serious, but so is the presumption of innocence which is the hallmark of anyone accused of a criminal offense. We are still weighing our options with respect to the bond conditions and the recusal motion that we had previously filed." The father of a 5-year-old boy who was abducted from a Sylacauga bus stop earlier this week is now in charged for his role in the crime. Sylacauga Police Chief Kelley B. Johnson said Stephen Bradley Quintanilla, 27, is charged with interference with custody. He was taken into custody earlier this week when he and his son were found by lawmen in Mississippi. Malachi Quintanilla was taken from a bus stop near his Sylacauga apartment on Monday afternoon. Authorities initially said he was taken by a white female when he got off the bus near Autumn Trace Apartments, where he lives with his parents. At the time of his disappearance, authorities said they believed he may be headed to New Orleans, where his biological father lives. Malachi was found safe later that night in Lee County, Mississippi. On Thursday, the chief said Quintanilla is actually accused of taking Malachi that day, with plans of taking him back to Louisiana. "We believe he acted alone,'' the chief said. Sylacauga investigators teamed up with law enforcement agencies from all over the southeast and were able to work together to find the boy. That is when Quintanilla was arrested and taken into custody. He was initially held on a December 2017 charge, also for interference with custody. Authorities have not released details of that incident, and court records have not yet been made available. At the time of Quintanilla's arrest, Malachi was placed in the custody of Mississippi Child Protective Services, and then reunited with his mother the following day in a Mississippi courtroom. Quintanilla was extradited to Alabama Tuesday. On Wednesday, he was transferred from Coosa County to the Talladega County Jail on the Class C felony charge. On Thursday morning, a district judge set Quintanilla's bond at $50,000. If convicted, the chief said, Quintanilla could be sentenced anywhere from one to 10 years in prison. No additional charges are expected against Quintanilla or anyone else. A former lawyer was sentenced to prison today after a bizarre series of events. James William Woolley was found guilty by a jury last month on charges of robbery, kidnapping, and attempted murder in an incident that happened in January 2016. Thursday morning, Jefferson County Circuit Judge Clyde Jones sentenced Woolley to 20 years in prison for each count. The sentences will run concurrently. Woolley, 52, was charged and convicted of first-degree robbery, first-degree kidnapping, and attempted murder after a man said Woolley and another person beat him in the basement of an east Birmingham home and threatened to cut off his genitals with bolt cutters. According to court records and evidence revealed at trial, the victim was at his East Lake home on Jan. 25, 2016, when a woman he knew named Kimberly Murphy came over and asked him to come to her nearby house. The victim walked to her home, because he needed to get his piercing kit that he had left there. When he got to Murphy's home, the victim said he was told his kit was in the basement. He walked down the basement stairs and illuminated the room, when he saw Woolley and another man--later identified as Monique Antoine Roscoe--standing in the basement in hazmat suits. Information in trial showed those outfits could have also been painters suits, or possibly a chicken suit. The victim said he was ushered down the stairs at gunpoint and forced to sit in a chair. He said the ground was covered in plastic, and there were tools everywhere. The victim told police he was being questioned about $60 he supposedly owed, and said Woolley struck him over the head with a machete. Then, the victim said, Woolley pulled out bolt cutters and asked the victim to put his hand on the table and choose a finger to be cut off. The victim kept repeating he didn't know anything about the debt, and Woolley then put the bolt cutters onto the victim's penis "in an attempt to, or a threat to, remove it," Birmingham police said. While the victim was able to escape, Roscoe fired two shots at him while he ran out of the home. Roscoe pleaded guilty to first-degree robbery and second-degree attempted assault, and was sentenced to 20 years in prison, split three years to serve. Kimberly Murphy pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery. Assistant Alabama Attorney Generals John Kachelman and John Hensley prosecuted the case; Wilson Myers, Lois Beasley-Carlisle, and Henry Lagman represented Woolley. Barbara Murdock In August 2016, Barbara Murdock was named executive director of Birmingham Jefferson County Transit Authority after previously serving for more than two years as chief of staff to predecessor Ann August and later interim executive director. A month later, Murdock received two checks totaling $20,000--one for $18,000, the other $2,000--that were requisitioned under "Relocation Expenses," according to copies of the requisition forms and checks obtained by AL.com. Murdock had been living in Birmingham since moving to the area from Maryland in December 2013 to care for her ailing brother. In February 2014, she was hired by August and, according to sources, given a moving allowance of up to $5,000, for which receipts were submitted. Murdock is currently suspended without pay pending the results of an investigation by the state attorney general's office into allegations of improper usage of the BJCTA credit card. When reached by telephone on Thursday, Murdock, upon the advice of her attorney, would not talk about the two checks totaling $20,000. She also would not confirm whether receipts were submitted for the expenses. Requisition forms for $18,000, $2,000, respectively The $18,000 requisition form has Murdock's own signature, along with that of then board chair Patrick Sellers. The $2,000 requisition form carries the signatures of BJCTA finance director Karen Jacobs and Sellers. (The $18,000 form has Sellers' original signature, while the $2,000 form has a signature stamp.) Sellers, in a text message, said he's "not sure" the relocation expenses were specifically approved by the board, although they were "discussed during the [candidate] interviews". The compensation section of Murdock's employment agreement, a copy of which was obtained by AL.com, does not contain an allowance for relocation expenses. When asked if he signed the forms, Sellers said: "Yeah, I did." Adam Snyder, who served on the BJCTA board from November 2010 in October 2017, shared in an email: "As a member of the board at the time of Ms. Murdock's hiring as executive director, I do not recall the board voting on relocation expenses for someone who already lived in Birmingham. Had such an item been on the agenda, I would have strongly voiced my opposition and voted 'no' to such an egregious waste of tax payer dollars." Jacobs, in an email, said: "This matter is under an active investigation with the Attorney General. Until this process is done, I cannot comment." BJCTA board attorney Deborah Walker would not comment on the requisition forms or checks, also citing the "active investigation" by the attorney general's office. Two checks to Murdock, for $18,000, $2,000, respectively The BJCTA has confirmed that materials pertinent to the investigation have been turned over to the attorney general's office. The office, though, did not respond to emails asking confirmation that the investigation is underway. Murdock's attorney, Rod Cooks, said: "Stop the leaking and give the director her constitutionally guaranteed due process hearing." Story was updated at 3:17 p.m. to include comment from former board member Adam Snyder. Roy S. Johnson's column appears in The Birmingham News, the Huntsville Times, the Mobile Register and AL.com. Hit me up at rjohnson@al.com or/and follow me at twitter.com/roysj. The murder charge against an 18-year-old Birmingham man in the shooting death of Mike Gilotti, a Hoover veteran, was dismissed on Thursday. While the charges were dismissed against Darrian Bryant, who last week was denied youthful offender status in the case, he did plead guilty to nine counts of unlawful breaking and entering a vehicle. Bryant was one of four teens charged in the Jan. 5, 2016 shooting of Gilotti and previously testified against two of his co-defendants - Charleston Wells and Ahmad Johnson, but both were acquitted of murder in the veteran's death. "They were all involved in the murder and I'm not going to hold one responsible when juries failed to hold the other two responsible,'' Bessemer Cutoff Assistant District Attorney Lane Tolbert told AL.com shortly after Bryant's murder charge was dismissed at a Thursday afternoon hearing. Gilotti was shot to death about 4:55 a.m. that January day just outside his home in the 5500 block of Park Side Circle in Hoover's Lake Cyrus subdivision. He was heading to the gym for a morning workout when police say he encountered one or more suspects breaking into his car. According to the affidavit used to secure the murder warrant against Wells, his wife, Heather Gilotti, heard two gunshots and then heard a vehicle "with a large engine" pulling away from the scene. Gilotti collapsed on his doorstep. He was later pronounced dead on the scene. Gilotti's slaying came after a string of car break-ins across St. Clair, Jefferson, Shelby, and Tuscaloosa counties, police said. According to prosecutors, the four teens were members of a Bessemer-area street gang called "M-Tre," which stood for "Money Making Mafia." At both trials, Bryant said the four teens were in Hoover's Lake Cyrus community breaking into cars in that morning. When the group got into their vehicle-- which was stolen from another neighborhood-- they saw Gilotti walking out of his home. Gilotti, a 33-year-old father of two and Army veteran, was headed to the YMCA for a workout. Bryant testified that once the group saw Gilotti, Wells and Johnson exited the car and approached the man to ask for directions. After Gilotti pointed the teens back to the main road, Bryant said Wells "upped his gun" and fatally shot Gilotti in the back while Johnson stood nearby with another firearm. The teen claimed that he and another person charged, De'Ron Lucas, were inside of a vehicle when Gilotti was shot in front of his Lake Cyrus home. Wells testified at his own trial and placed the blame on Johnson and Bryant. Lucas has not yet gone to trial. Tolbert said though Bryant cooperated with the prosecution, he was caught lying on the witness stand. He was asked if he had been in possession of a gun before, or since, Gilotti's slaying, and Bryant said he had not. There was a photo, however, of Bryant holding a gun and pointing it toward the camera found on Johnson's phone that was taken on the day of Johnson's arrest. Prosecutors believe Bryant's lie hurt his credibility as a witness, and affected his ability to obtain youthful offender status, which included the condition that he testify truthfully. Had Bryant been granted youthful offender status, he would not have a felony conviction on his record and case documents would not be public. A youthful offender also can't be sentenced to more than three years in prison, can still hold public office and vote. Bessemer Cutoff Circuit Judge David Carpenter denied Bryant's youthful offender application. Under Bryant's plea to the unlawful breaking and entering cases, he received a 46-month suspended sentence with three years of supervised probation. His felony conviction will now go on his record. Bryant also was ordered to obtain his GED. A second suspect has been captured in connection with the robbery and fatal shooting of a Huntsville man, police said today. Fotino Davis Fotino Davis, 24, was taken into custody by U.S. Marshals this week in Memphis, Tennessee. Davis is held in the Shelby County, Tennessee jail, pending extradition back to Alabama. He's charged along with Charles Mosby in the Jan. 28 killing of Raemon Ross. Ross, 34, was shot multiple times at Spring Branch Apartments on Binford Drive in Huntsville. Ross was pronounced dead at the hospital. He was one of five people killed by gunfire in Huntsville during the first month of 2018. Lt. Michael Johnson said police still are seeking two other suspects in connection with Ross' slaying. As the investigation has progressed, police widened their search from two suspects to four. Police have described the case as a home invasion robbery. Mosby was captured in New Orleans, Louisiana in early March. Police tracked down an address there that was connected to Mosby and Davis. From New Orleans, police traced Davis to Memphis. Further details weren't immediately available. A formal complaint against Alabama Power's rates and policies for customers with rooftop solar panels has been filed with the Alabama Public Service Commission. Attorneys for the Southern Environmental Law Center filed the complaint Thursday, alleging Alabama Power's rates for residential solar customers are "unreasonable, unjust, discriminatory, contrary to the public interest and otherwise unlawful." The complaint singles out a fixed fee for customers who generate their own electricity, which was approved in Dec. 2012 meeting of the PSC, and went into effect in May 2013. The petitioners are asking the PSC to revoke that monthly fee, arguing it is discriminatory and based on factors not directly related to the cost of serving those customers with electricity. Keith Johnston, managing attorney of the SELC's Birmingham office, said a nearly identical fixed fee was proposed in Georgia in 2013, but the Georgia Public Service Commission rejected the charge. Now Johnston said he hopes Alabama will follow suit. "Georgia looked at the same thing in 2013 and decided that it was unjustified," Johnston said. "We don't think this fee is justified for solar customers here and we don't think it's reflective of the cost to provide service." Georgia Power, which proposed the rejected fee, is a subsidiary of Southern Company, as is Alabama Power. For most Alabama Power customers with solar, that fee is $5 per kilowatt, based on the size of their array. Under the first option, a customer with a five kilowatt solar array -- a fairly typical size for residential rooftop systems -- would have to pay $25 per month or $300 every year in fees to Alabama Power. Those fees are in addition to the customer's regular electric bill. "While Alabama Power has taken incremental steps toward investing in utility-scale and commercial solar projects, it is imposing significant roadblocks on homeowners and businesses who want the same benefits from investing in solar," said Katie Ottenweller, senior attorney at SELC and leader of the group's solar initiative. "This unwarranted fee is limiting Alabamians' rights to create solar power on their own properties and reduce their electric bills." The complaint was filed jointly by the SELC -- representing Birmingham-based environmental group Gasp -- and Ragsdale, LLC, a Birmingham-based law firm representing two individual Alabama Power customers who have been paying the solar fee. A spokesman for Alabama Power said the company was reviewing the complaint, which was filed Thursday. Alabama Power has previously said its fixed fee for solar customers, called the capacity reservation charge, is intended to cover the cost to the utility of having enough power ready to provide service for these customers when the panels are not providing power. "There's a cost to us to have that capacity available for whenever a customer with their own generation needs to be backed up," Alabama Power's director of regulatory pricing Christine Baker said in 2015. "That's the basis for having the charge in place is to cover those costs." The complaint, however, alleges that the utility did not adequately demonstrate why the fees were necessary, or as high as they are, before the Public Service Commission approved the policy. "Prior to the Commission's approval of the revisions to Rate Rider RGB, there was no evidentiary hearing, Company testimony, or public comment period," the complaint states. Two petitioners signed affidavits stating that they had not seen any public notification that the Public Service Commission was considering a fixed fee on solar panels prior to that Dec. 2012 meeting and that they would have voiced opposition at that time if they had known the policy was being considered. Teresa K. Thorne, a petitioner who is a retired captain with the Birmingham Police Department, signed an affidavit stating that she had not known about the capacity reservation charge before her system was installed, and only found out later after receiving a letter from Alabama Power. Thorne said the charge will add more than $7,000 in costs to her system over its 30-year expected life span. "If I had thought that the capacity reservation charge was applicable, I probably would not have installed my solar generating system," Thorne said in the affidavit. The attorneys for SELC also cited Alabama law stipulating that utility rates "cannot unjustly discriminate against particular customers or a class of customers," and that rates "must be based on the cost of providing electric service to each class." James Bankston, one of the Alabama Power customers who pays the charge being represented in the complaint, said customers shouldn't have to pay more because they're buying less electricity from the utility. "I was initially interested in installing solar panels because I wanted to reduce my energy use and monthly bills," Bankston said in a news release. "But this unfair treatment is an abuse of monopoly power that infringes on the rights of all customers. "You shouldn't be punished for attempting to curb your energy use, just as you wouldn't be punished for making your home more energy efficient." Just 44 customers pay the fee Alabama Power provides electrical service for more than 1.2 million residential customers, offering monopoly electric service across roughly two-thirds of the state. According to Alabama Power, only 44 of its customers are subject to the capacity reservation charge, paying an average of $24 per month. Four Alabama Power customers chose a different solar rate option in which they avoid the fixed charge but pay a rate of 70 cents per kilowatt-hour during peak usage hours in the summer, about six times the average retail rate. Forty-five Alabama Power customers do not pay the charge because they were "grandfathered in," having installed their solar arrays before the charge took effect. While Alabama's distributed solar growth has been sluggish over the past five years, nearby states like Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee have seen residential customers install solar arrays by the hundreds, creating jobs in the solar installation industry. According to the 2017 National Solar Jobs Census, Alabama had 488 people working in the solar industry in 2017, while Georgia had 4,310, Tennessee had 4,411 and South Carolina had 2,829. Claims from a solar trade group last year that the solar industry provides three times more jobs in the United States than coal mining was rated "mostly true," by Politifact. Alabama has mostly missed out on that expanding industry. "Really [the complaint] is about unleashing the solar potential in the state," Johnston said. "Alabama is lagging woefully behind on home solar installations and we think these fees are part of the problem. "We really want to see this market take off and see solar become something that's a real option here." According to the state rankings in the solar census, Alabama was the 49 th in per capita solar jobs and 44th in total solar jobs. Alabama's 488 solar jobs ranked barely ahead of South Dakota and lagged behind Idaho, Kansas and Delaware. "Neighboring states with pro-solar policies have now seen the unparalleled opportunities to create new jobs, generate local, clean energy, save customers and businesses money, and reduce impacts on human health," said Gasp executive director Michael Hansen. "If solar customers were treated fairly, Alabama would have the opportunity to reap these same benefits." While Alabama Power has engaged in creating large-scale solar projects at military facilities and the 1,100-acre AL Solar A facility in Chambers County - developed for Walmart - the company's policies toward individual homeowners or small businesses who wish to install smaller arrays on their properties are seen as among the most punitive in the nation. A 2017 survey by the Retail Industry Leaders Association listed Alabama last among states in how easily companies could acheive clean energy goals. The Center for Biological Diversity counted Alabama as one of 10 "sunny states blocking solar energy," in a 2016 report. Alabama Power also pays less than most utilities for excess energy fed back onto the grid when solar panels produce more energy than the customer is using. Alabama Power customers who put extra energy on the grid are credited only the avoided cost of generating that power, i.e. the amount it would have cost Alabama Power to generate that amount of power at one of its large coal or natural gas generating plants. There are various rate options available, but most Alabama Power customers who sell energy back to the grid do so at a rate of between three and four cents per kilowatt hour, while paying an average retail rate typically between 10 and 12 cents per kilowatt hour. Many states have enacted so-called net metering policies that require utilities to credit customers for extra energy returned to the grid at the same rate those customers are charged to take power off the grid. Some utilities, looking to increase the amount of solar energy they produce, pay more than the retail rate for solar energy put on the grid. Alabama Power has argued that paying customers more for electricity than it would cost the company to generate it, would shift cost burdens onto customers who did not invest in solar. Alabama Sen. Doug Jones joined 48 other Senators accusing Defense Secretary James Mattis of resurrecting 'don't ask, don't tell' regarding transgender service members. In a letter to Mattis, the Senators - all Democrats except for Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska - said recommendations to keep transgender troops out of the service are not supported by evidence and hearken back to the policy once used for handling gay military personnel. "The recommendations and report break faith with the men and women serving in our military by establishing a new "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" for transgender service members, permitting them to serve only if they are willing to forego any chance of living as their true selves," the Senators wrote. "Just as our mistaken policy regarding lesbian, gay and bisexual service members harmed readiness and ultimately was repealed, the implementation of your recommendations will also harm our nation's military," they added. The letter was organized by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-New York. You can read the full text here. Following on a recommendation from Mattis, President Donald Trump signed a memo last month banning most transgender people from serving in the military. Service chiefs, however, have testified transgender troops are serving without incident and have not pushed for the prohibition. Several court cases have been filed in connection to the ban. Gov. Kay Ivey is still talking about mountain oysters, making reference to the unique dish in a new campaign ad released Wednesday. "Don't give me a mountain oyster and tell me it's seafood," Ivey said. Mountain oysters, of course, is a dish of bull testicles that are usually deep fried. Ivey invoked mountain oysters in a campaign ad last year, too. In both ads, Ivey is telling about growing up on a cattle farm in Camden in rural Wilcox County. The ad closes with another cattle reference. "Alabama is working again," Ivey said in what's become a campaign slogan. "And that's no bull." Between the mountain oysters and the "no bull" conclusion, Ivey touts achievements from her year in office since replacing Robert Bentley. "I know corruption when I see and we are not having it," Ivey said in the ad. "We've cleaned up the mess and we're growing record jobs - 4,000 new jobs from Toyota Mazda, the lowest unemployment in Alabama history." The jobs from the January announcement that Mazda Toyota Manufacturing USA was bringing 4,000 jobs to Huntsville - which is expected to grow to as many as 10,000 jobs indirectly - has been a source of friction between Ivey and Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle. When Ivey released a campaign ad last month promoting her role in landing the state's largest economic development, Battle responded with an online ad days later that told the "real story" behind the deal. The state is providing about $390 million in incentives for the auto manufacturing facility - a $1.6 billion investment by Mazda Toyota Manufacturing. The city of Huntsville is doling out $320 million in incentives. This is at least the third television ad buy the Ivey campaign has made in recent weeks - a testament to her fundraising that far outdistances her opponents in the June 5 Republican primary. Ivey has raised more than $3.2 million, as of April 3. Battle, her next closest opponent in fundraising, has raised more than $1.8 million. Ivey is the only Republican gubernatorial candidate so far to release a TV ad. In 1981, 19-year-old Michael Donald's body was found dangling from a tree in Mobile. The murder, carried out by members of the Ku Klux Klan, is sometimes referred to as the last documented lynching in America. Michael Donald in an undated photo. But Donald's name isn't part of the new National Memorial for Peace and Justice, the Montgomery museum and memorial documenting America's history of racial violence and inequality. There are two reasons: timing and the outcome for the perpetrators. The new memorial covers the span of 1877 to 1950, the period from Reconstruction in the years after the Civil War to the earliest days of the civil rights movement. It was a time of extreme racial violence and scant justice: EJI documented 4,084 racial terror lynchings in 12 Southern states during the period. Donald's death took place decades after the marches through Montgomery and outside the timespan of the memorial. The murder On March 21, 1981, Donald was killed by Henry Hays and James Knowles, young KKK members incensed over the failure of a Mobile jury to convict an African American man charged with the murder of a white policeman. Hays' father, Bennie Jack Hays, second-highest-ranking official in the United Klans in Alabama at the time, was furious over the failed conviction and told the men "If a black man can get away with killing a white man, we ought to be able to get away with killing a black man." Spurred those words, Hays and Knowles kidnapped Donald, beat him, slit his throat and then hung his body from a tree in a Mobile neighborhood. The aftermath of Donald's death is the key difference from the crimes documented in the lynching memorial. Racial lynchings are defined as unprosecuted murders that occurred at the hands of mobs or unidentified people. In the case of Donald's death, the perpetrators were prosecuted, and the convictions made history. Police initially claimed Donald's death was over a drug deal gone bad, despite insistence from his mother, Beulah Mae Donald, that it wasn't true. Civil rights leader Jesse Jackson came to Mobile to lead protests; the FBI took over the investigation. Knowles later confessed to the murder, pleaded guilty and testified against Hays. Hays was sentenced to death and his 1997 execution in Alabama's electric chair was the first in the state since 1913 for a white-on-black crime. A third defendant, Benjamin Franklin Cox Jr., of Mobile, was convicted of being an accomplice and sentenced to life in prison. The elder Hays, charged as an accomplice for allegedly ordering the lynching, had his first trial end in a mistrial, and died before a second trial started. The criminal convictions weren't the end, however. With the help of Morris Dees, co-founder of the Southern Poverty Law Center, Mrs. Donald filed a civil suit against the local KKK and the United Klans of America. An all-white Mobile jury awarded her $7 million, forcing the bankrupted KKK to turn over the deed to its $225,000 national headquarters in Tuscaloosa. "The verdict marked the end of the United Klans, the same group that had beaten the Freedom Riders in 1961, murdered civil rights worker Viola Liuzzo in 1965, and bombed Birmingham's 16th Street Baptist Church in 1963," the Southern Poverty Law Center said in its description of the historic case. Donald sold the headquarters for a little more than $50,000, allowing her to move from the projects and into her own home before her death a year later. A string of violent episodes in Mobile from Tuesday night into Wednesday prompted Police Chief Lawrence Battiste to warn that "we won't tolerate vigilante justice." Lawrence said the slew of incidents, which saw one person killed and at least five more injured by gunfire, are still under investigation. He said much remained unclear as of Wednesday afternoon. He did not say for sure that some of the shootings were retaliatory, just that it was a possibility police were actively considering. He singled out four episodes at scattered locations: At about 8:30 p.m. Tuesday on Duval Street in the Maysville area -- north of I-10 off Michigan Avenue -- two people were injured by gunfire. Both were treated and released from medical care, Battiste said. Their ages were 17 and 20, he said. At about 10:30 p.m. Tuesday on Driftwood Drive North -- a street east of Dauphin Island Parkway, north of Dog River and south of the Brookley airfield -- shots were fired into a dwelling. One person was taken to USA Medical Center; Battiste said that at last report that person was in critical condition. An infant also was injured by debris from gunfire, the chief said. At about 8 a.m. Wednesday police responded to a call on North Kendall Court about a person shot in the hand. Police believe that wound was self-inflicted, Battiste said. That location is in the same general area as Driftwood Drive North. Around noon Wednesday, two people were shot near the intersection of Lafayette St. and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., north of Spring Hill Avenue in midtown Mobile. One was pronounced dead at the scene and another was treated at USA Medial Center for wounds that Battiste said were not severe. He said a woman and an infant were in or near the car in which the victims were shot. "Early on in the investigation, we have not made any particular correlation between the different incidents that I have described to you here," Battiste said. "What I will say is ... if these incidents are correlated in any kind of way, I want those individuals that are out there that are responsible to know that as we track down every possible lead that we can track down, if we can find anything that makes them responsible or that we can hold them accountable for these actions, we will do it. And once we arrest them we will use everything within our means to ensure that we prosecute them to the strictest letter of the law we possibly can. "Our community will not be held hostage and under siege by individuals that feel like the only way to get things done is by shooting it out." Battiste went on to criticize individuals and families who don't cooperate with investigators because they plan to take things into their own hands. "We're going to ask people that would typically ask law enforcement what they're doing, ask them what they're doing in their communities to hold these individuals accountable, in their neighborhoods. They know who these individuals are, they need to speak up. They need to do something to help us get these individuals off the street." The Skeleton Coast is the northern part of the Atlantic Ocean coast of Namibia and south of Angola from the Kunene River south to the Swakop River, although the name is sometimes used to describe the entire Namib Desert coast. The coast is normally associated with famous shipwrecks, and stories abound of sailors walking for hundreds of kilometers through this barren Namibian landscape in search of food and water. The name came from the bones that lined the beaches from whaling operations and seal hunts, but more than a few of the skeletons were human. Ever since European navigators first discovered it, ships have wrecked on it's off-shore rocks, or run aground in the blinding fog. While small boats could land, the strong surf made it impossible to launch, hence the stories of sailors walking through the murderous terrain. The coast is littered with scores of shipwrecks, some are barely recognizable, other are still in remarkably good condition. Perhaps these tragedies were meant to happen, as the wrecks provide excellent environments for Cape fur seals, living side by side with seabird colonies, offering unequaled maritime photographic opportunities. Some wrecks of note are the Dunedin Star (a crouching skeleton was found buried nearby) Islander, Suiderkus, Sir Charles Elliot and Kaio Maru. The Seal and Luanda can be seen near Toscanini and the Atlantic Pride lies near Torra Bay. On the coast the upwelling of the cold Benguela current gives rise to dense ocean fogs (called cassimbo by the Angolans) for much of the year. This fog and the constant, heavy surf on the beaches account for the many shipwrecks that occurred here. In the days of human-powered boats it was possible to get ashore through the surf but impossible to launch from the shore. The only way out was by going through a marsh hundreds of miles long and only accessible through a hot and inhospitable desert. The Bushmen of the Namibian interior called the region "The Land God Made in Anger", while Portuguese sailors once referred to it as "The Gates of Hell". Despite its arid and deadly appearance, the Skeleton Coast has a greater variety of species than many other parks in Southern Africa. Large mammals include Namibia's famous desert-adapted elephant, black rhino, lion, cheetah, giraffe, gemsbok, zebra, springbok and spotted and brown hyena, are found in the dry river beds which flow from the interior of Namibia, through the Namib Desert to the Skeleton Coast. The unique ecosystem has given life to the most unusual plants. The strange Elephants Foot plant anchors itself in rock crevices while desert succulents like lithops, look exactly like pebbles until a tiny yellow flower emerges. Photo credit Photo credit Photo credit Photo credit Photo credit Photo credit Photo credit Photo credit Thick morning fog on the beach. The fog is responsible for many shipwrecks. Photo credit Photo credit Photo credit Photo credit Photo credit Photo credit Photo credit Source: Namibian.org, Wikipedia Posted on: April 26, 2018 12:28 PM Christians in Asia are praying for the success of talks involving the leaders of North and South Korea. The talks are due to take place at 10.30 am tomorrow (Friday) KST (1.30 am GMT) in Panmunjom, a village in the demilitarised zone between the two countries. The Supreme Leader of the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (North Korea), Kim Jong-un, will become the first leader from the north to cross into the south since the end of hostilities in 1953 when he arrives in Panmunjom for tomorrows talks with the President of the Republic of Korea (South Korea), Moon Jae-in. It is expected that the two leaders will hold two rounds of talks during the day, with a break for lunch, during which the leaders will consult privately with their own delegations. Before the afternoon round of talks, the leaders will plant a pine tree using soil and water from both sides, as a symbol of peace and prosperity. It is hoped that the leaders will issue a joint statement in the evening ahead of a formal dinner. The talks follow a dramatic easing of tensions on the peninsula since officials from both sides met at the margins of the Winter Olympics in PyeongChang in January. It will be the third such summit between leaders from the two Koreas since hostilities ended. Previous talks were held in 2000 and 2007. Formally, the two countries remain at war. Kim Jong-un is due to hold an unprecedented meeting with US President Donald Trump in June. Last week, in an unexpected announcement, the Korean Central News Agency the North Korean state agency announced that the country would stop nuclear tests and missile launches; and said that the Punggye-ri nuclear test site would close. This week, the underground test site collapsed. It is our fervent prayer and hope that the North and South Korean leaders will work out a suitable solution based on equality, mutual respect, mutual benefit, and peaceful coexistence, the Christian Conference of Asias General Secretary, Dr Mathews George Chunakara, said. It is also our sincere hope that a successful inter-Korean meeting will pave the way for a highly anticipated encounter between the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and the US President Donald Trump. Dr Chunakara added: President Trumps support to North and South Korea to discuss the end of the war is a significant turning point in international relations and diplomacy. However, sustained efforts to keep the momentum of the new enthusiasm are vital to pursue the spirit of the new initiative. CCA and its member constituencies in Asia are encouraged that the two Koreas are forging a path towards peace. The CCA unswervingly reiterates its support to the call by the National Council of Churches in Korea (NCCK) and member churches to replace the 1953 Armistice Agreement with a Peace Treaty. CCA staff held a prayer meeting at their headquarters in Chiang Mai, Thailand, to pray for the success of the summit. The ecumenical body which includes most Anglican provinces in Asia is urging its members and all peace-loving people around the world to pray for the success of the inter-Korean summit, as the leaders of both Koreas are committed to work together this week towards reconciliation and peaceful coexistence in the Peninsula. Posted on: April 26, 2018 10:51 AM A priceless relic of the patron saint of Irelands capital city Dublin will be returned to the Anglican Christ Church Cathedral in the city tonight (Thursday), six years after it was stolen. The heart of St Laurence OToole also known as Lorcan Ua Tuathail was stolen from the cathedrals Saint Laud Chapel in March 2012. The heart, in a wooden heart-shaped box sealed within a small iron barred cage, had been in the cathedral for 800 years. It was recovered from Dublins Pheonix Park after a recent breakthrough in the police investigation, state broadcaster RTE reports. It is in an undamaged condition. Assistant Commissioner Pat Leahy of An Garda Siochana the Republic of Ireland police service will present the heart to the Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Michael Jackson, at a service of Choral Evensong at 6.00 pm this evening. The return of the heart of Laurence OToole to Christ Church Cathedral brings great joy to the people of Dublin as Dubliners, Archbishop Michael said. For those of us associated with the life of the dioceses, it brings again to the fore the close relationship between Glendalough and Dublin, a relationship of more than 800 years. Laurence left the monastic city of Glendalough of which he was Abbot to become Archbishop of Dublin, hence cementing a vibrant relationship that continues unabated to this day. Our deep thanks and warm appreciation go to all who have worked tirelessly to make this day of restoration possible, particularly the Garda Siochana. The Dean of Christ Church Cathedral, Dermot Dunne, expressed his delight at the recovery of the relic, saying: I am grateful to the Gardai for all the work they have done in recovering it. I said at the time it was stolen that the relic has no economic value but it is a priceless treasure that links the cathedrals present foundation with its founding father, St Laurence OToole. It gives joy to my heart that the heart has been returned to the city, he said. Assistant Commissioner Leahy described tonights handover as a privilege. He said: As Assistant Commissioner for Dublin it gives me enormous pleasure to return such a valuable relic to its rightful place among the people of Dublin. It is not very often that we get an opportunity to engage in such a positive activity that affects the citywide community and in that regard I am acutely aware of the privilege that has been bestowed upon An Garda Siochana on this occasion. It is appropriate to acknowledge the great work of individual Gardai who kept their radars on and their minds open in this ongoing investigation and I commend them for their commitment and diligence on this matter. I am personally delighted to return the relic to Christ Church Cathedral where it can again provide a most important and tangible link to our past. A potted history of Saint Laurence OToole by the education department of Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin Another relic of St Laurence OToole, this one containing his skull, from the Collegiale Notre-Dame et Saint-Laurent, in Eu, Normandy. Photo: Raimond Spekking / CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons) Laurence OToole is the Patron Saint of Dublin and is closely associated with the early years of Christ Church Cathedral. His feast day falls on 14 November. He was born at Castledermot, County Kildare, in 1132, the youngest of four sons of Maurice OToole, a Leinster chieftain, who was engaged in rivalry with the powerful Mac Murchada family. When he was 10 years old, Laurence was handed over to Diarmait Mac Murchada as a hostage for his fathers loyalty. When his father was suspected of treachery, Laurence was imprisoned and became very ill. He was eventually rescued and cared for by the Bishop of Glendalough and decided to join the church. He was ordained a priest and became abbot of the monastery at Glendalough at the age of 25. In 1161 he became Archbishop of Dublin and was consecrated the following year at Christ Church Cathedral. The Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland, led by Strongbow, in 1169 resulted in two sieges and a famine in Dublin. Laurence played an important part in defending the city, encouraging his congregation to resist the enemy and helping the wounded. He played an important part in the negotiations when an Anglo-Norman victory became inevitable. Laurence has traditionally been given credit for the rebuilding of Christ Church in the 1180s, although it is now considered more likely that his successor, Archbishop John Cumin, was responsible. In 1180, Laurence left Ireland for the last time to travel to Normandy after Henry II, for whom he was a trusted mediator. However, he became ill on arrival and was brought to the Abbey of St Victor at Eu where he died on 14 November 1180. He was made a saint in 1226. Following Laurences canonisation some relics of his were returned to Dublin where they lay in the cathedrals relic collection until the Reformation. The heart had been on display in the Chapel of St Laud in the cathedral until it was stolen. (by Cristiana Missori) Jordan "has taken in over 1.3 million Syrians since the start of the war" and has risen to the challenge "adequately thanks to help from our partners and international organisations", Jordanian ambassador to Italy Fayiz Khouri said at an ANSA Forum on Thursday. "However the situation remains extremely complex because the resources we receive cover less than 50% of our needs to support the refugees present on our territory," he added. The international community has mobilised, but the aid "is largely insufficient". Khouri also lamented the paralysis in the Middle East peace process, "in which Jordan has an active role". "We signed a peace agreement with Israel in 1994. However, since then we have seen little progress," he said. Amman's position is that of the Arab Peace Initiative led by Saudi Arabia, which foresees "an independent Palestinian State with East Jerusalem as the capital and clear borders". Without a clear and definitive framework there can be "no stability or development or security" for anyone. However, despite the deadlock Jordan "remains positive", Khouri said. In a region devastated by war and characterised by major instability the country remains relatively calm. This is because Jordan is "a moderate country, whose monarchy has managed to give it a balanced position on the international chess board". Though without resources of note, "we have managed to invest heavily in education, health, security and national cohesion", the ambassador said. The national economy is supported by tourism, "which has always represented approximately 12-15 per cent of GDP. Now we are at 10-11 per cent. And we would like to return to previous levels." Arrivals from Italy have shown a strong increase in the first four months of the year, he added. Khouri reported excellent relations with Italy, "our second trade partner in the EU after Germany". "Our aim is to increase our exports, particularly in the agrifood sector, but also our cultural exchange," the ambassador concluded. French bishop appeals for support to migrants crossing Alps 'Stop using migrants for political game-playing,' Malle says (ANSAmed) - Paris, April 26 - Xavier Malle, bishop of the French Roman Catholic Diocese of Gap and Embrun, has appealed to "national solidarity" in support of migrants crossing the Italian-French Alps. Recently the border has been at the centre of tension between pro- and anti-migrant activists. Last weekend members of the extreme right-wing group Generation Identitaire staged a protest at Colle della Scala on the Italo-French border, erecting a symbolic wall against migrants and clashing with no-border militants who instead invoke the abolition of Europe's internal frontiers. "Our mountains cannot be the terrain for political games where people on both sides face off by taking advantage of the migrants," said Malle. "The situation is complicated enough as it is, we really can do without it," he added. (ANSAmed) Migrant arrested in Naples over alleged terror plot Gambian national had requested political asylum (ANSAmed) - Naples, April 26 - State and Carabinieri police arrested a Gambian national in an antiterrorism operation in Naples on Thursday, sources said. The arrest comes after investigators found evidence the suspect was planning an attack, the sources said. The arrested man had made a request for political asylum and the application was still being considered by the authorities, according to the sources. (ANSAmed). Syrian army enters ISIS-controlled area near capital, SANA Hajar Al-Aswad under bombing for past week (ANSAmed) - BEIRUT, APRIL 26 - The Syrian army on Thursday penetrated into an area south of Damascus still under the control of the Islamic State (ISIS). The area has been subjected to heavy airstrikes and artillery shelling for the past week, reported state-run news agency SANA. The area, Hajar al Aswad, is near what is left of the Palestinian refugee camp Yarmouk, also in the hands of jihadists. SANA reported that dozens of IS militants had been killed and that government forces had retaken control of several buildings and tunnels used by the jihadists. A week ago government sources said that they had reached an agreement with IS, which had allegedly agreed to be evacuated to areas of Syrian territory still under IS control. Later, however, fighting began. (ANSAmed). Jordan welcomes Syrians, works for peace-ambassador to Italy 'Moderate country with balanced position on international stage' (by Cristiana Missori) (ANSAmed) - Rome, April 26 - Jordan "has taken in over 1.3 million Syrians since the start of the war" and has risen to the challenge "adequately thanks to help from our partners and international organisations", Jordanian ambassador to Italy Fayiz Khouri said at an ANSA Forum on Thursday. "However the situation remains extremely complex because the resources we receive cover less than 50% of our needs to support the refugees present on our territory," he added. The international community has mobilised, but the aid "is largely insufficient". Khouri also lamented the paralysis in the Middle East peace process, "in which Jordan has an active role". "We signed a peace agreement with Israel in 1994. However, since then we have seen little progress," he said. Amman's position is that of the Arab Peace Initiative led by Saudi Arabia, which foresees "an independent Palestinian State with East Jerusalem as the capital and clear borders". Without a clear and definitive framework there can be "no stability or development or security" for anyone. However, despite the deadlock Jordan "remains positive", Khouri said. In a region devastated by war and characterised by major instability the country remains relatively calm. This is because Jordan is "a moderate country, whose monarchy has managed to give it a balanced position on the international chess board". Though without resources of note, "we have managed to invest heavily in education, health, security and national cohesion", the ambassador said. The national economy is supported by tourism, "which has always represented approximately 12-15 per cent of GDP. Now we are at 10-11 per cent. And we would like to return to previous levels." Arrivals from Italy have shown a strong increase in the first four months of the year, he added. Khouri reported excellent relations with Italy, "our second trade partner in the EU after Germany". "Our aim is to increase our exports, particularly in the agrifood sector, but also our cultural exchange," the ambassador concluded. (ANSAmed). Libyan strongman Haftar expected to hold speech in Benghazi After weeks of medical treatment in Paris (ANSAmed) - ROME, APRIL 26 - Khalifa Haftar, commander of the Libyan National Army, is expected to return to Benghazi on Thursday after weeks of rumors about his failing health and the future of his powerful militia. Reports were from Libyan media, who said that the 75-year-old general wold be arriving from Cairo after treatment in Paris. They added that he is expected to hold a speech. It is unclear exactly what health problems he was suffering from but several international media reported that it was possibly a stroke. Haftar may stand as a candidate in the elections expected to be held in the coming months. A spokesman for the army had initially denied that Haftar was sick and only later admitted that he was under treatment in France. (ANSAmed). Turkey finds Cumhuriyet newspaper staff guilty of terrorism Erdogan cracks down 2 months ahead of elections (by Cristoforo Spinella) (ANSAmed) - ISTANBUL, APRIL 26 - Heavy sentences have been handed down in a trial in the spotlight of those monitoring press freedom in Turkey as the country drops even lower in Reporters sans Frontieres (RSF) rankings. The Silivri court in Istanbul on Wednesday issued sentences ranging from 2 to 7 years in jail for 13 journalists and editors of the oldest newspaper in the country, Cumhuriyet, on terrorism charges. Those found guilty remain free while an appeal is pending but several had already spent months in jail during the trial. The opposition newspaper is known for its strong stances against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The decision came two months ahead of key presidential and local elections in the country. A total of 20 people were targeted by the trial, including 18 current or former employees of Cumhuriyet, on charges of links with the network under imam-in-exile Fethullah Gulen, allegedly behind a coup attempt, and the outlawed PKK Kurdish separatist movement. The editor of the newspaper, Murat Sabuncu, and the chairman of the board, Akin Atalay, were sentenced to over 7 years in jail, was the investigative journalist Ahmet Sik. Two and a half years were handed down to op-ed writer Kadri Gursel, very well known in the country, and three years and nine months to cartoonist Musa Kart. Three of the journalists were acquitted. The heaviest sentence went to Mustafa Kemal Aydogdu, believed to be behind the anti-government Twitter account 'JeansBiri', who received a 10-year sentence. The court ruled the case against the prominent journalist Can Dundar, previously the newspaper's editor-in-chief who sought refuge in Germany just before the failed 2016 coup attempt, would continue separately in absentia, Cumhuriyet reported. There are also proceedings against columnist Ilhan Tanir, who lives in the US. Atalay, the only one who was still in detention as a preventative measure, will be released after over 500 days in jail. The sentences are against one of the few remaining independent voices in Turkish journalism, after the largest publishing group held by the opposition was purchased in recent weeks by someone with links to Erdogan, and came a few hours after RSF issued its annual report on press freedom, in which Turkey dropped to 157th place, below Belorussia and Rwanda and just above Iraq and Egypt. (ANSAmed). Not at all. It just seems like a lot of back-and-forth talk. Yes. I'm growing very worried over what might happen. If it keeps up, I might be a little more concerned. I think there are much larger things to concern us as a country. It's hard to tell; I can't take the leader of either country seriously. Vote View Results Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Etihad Airways leveraged its sponsorships of global fashion weeks and its Platinum Partner status of Louvre Abu Dhabi to launch a new Emirati designed loungewear collection at an exclusive reception held last night at the iconic cultural institution. The new line by Emirati brand A Friend of Mine by Xpoze will be offered to the airlines guests on all First Class flights, and also to those staying in The Residence on board the Airbus A380 fleet. The Night at the Museum event was jointly hosted by Etihad Airways and influential fashion luminary Lauren Santo Domingo, co-founder of online luxury fashion retailer, Moda Operandi, and attended by leading figures from the world of fashion including models Halima Aden and Eric Rutherford, as well as global fashion and lifestyle media. The loungewear collection was designed by A Friend of Mine by Xpoze following an extensive brief from the airline, which was seeking innovative and striking designs for inflight apparel which would be comfortable, functional, and would follow the same attention to detail and design principles held by Etihad Airways. Importantly, the creations would have to be high-quality, wearable onboard for relaxing and sleeping, yet be simple and stylish enough to be worn outdoors or matched with other items of clothing. Linda Celestino, Etihad Airways Vice President Guest Experience and Delivery, said: We are thrilled to be launching the new Etihad loungewear collection here at Louvre Abu Dhabi. This is after all an Abu Dhabi story. What the ladies at a Friend of Mine have managed to deliver is a testament to the tremendous talent and creativity which has become synonymous with our home city. In todays throw-away culture, it has never been more important for us to challenge the norms and to create clothing which can be enjoyed inflight, yet be strong and trendy enough to be kept and worn again as a bespoke item, whether relaxing at home or out with friends. By doing so we also present our guests with a long-lasting and valuable memento of their experience with us. This is something uniquely Etihad and reinforces our position as the airline of innovation and choice. Abu Dhabis Turbine Services & Solutions (TS&S) is counting on market demand to guide its development, and advanced technology to make it a success. Chuck Grieve reports. Growth is on the cards for the new deputy chief executive officer of Turbine Services & Solutions (TS&S), Mansoor Janahi, who joined the Abu Dhabi MRO in November. As the new head of a team of 300 employees, Janahi is already pursuing opportunities that will expand TS&S Aerospaces scope of operations and the way it works. We recently signed some exciting memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with global companies that promise to transform our future, he said. Chief among these are MoUs with IBM for the development of smart systems for service optimisation and predictive maintenance, and with Honeywell for capability on three Honeywell auxiliary power units (APUs). Janahi also drew attention to TS&S entry into the Southeast Asian market with a new partnership agreement between TS&S Industrial the sister business unit to TS&S Aerospace and Pt Multi Fabrindo Gemilang (Multifab) of Indonesia. He said: While this is specifically an oil and gas-related project, I look forward to expanding our client base across other industries and countries. Janahi said the TS&S business has expanded significantly since 2011. He watched its progress from his position as asset manager at Abu Dhabi Aircraft Technologies, another member of the Mubadala Group, which he joined in 2008 after graduating from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Before his new appointment, Janahi was vice-president of Mubadalas aerospace, renewables and ICT platform, where he spearheaded the units business development and asset management activities. Among his responsibilities was leading the Al Ain-based composite materials manufacturing joint venture project with Solvay. He said: We aim to expand our product portfolio in line with emerging market demands. Our focus is on implementing advanced technology solutions that optimise service offerings. Among plans are the establishment of a state-of-the-art facility for servicing new generation engines, such as the General Electric GEnx and Rolls-Royce Trent XWB, via an agreement with Mubadala and in partnership with current original equipment manufacturer (OEM) partners. The MoU with Honeywell will bring capability on three Honeywell APUs to the Middle East and allow TS&S to focus on different aspects of MRO, including spares pool management, predictive maintenance and associated connectivity, all of which would bring advanced technologies into our services portfolio, said Janahi. Cooperation with Honeywell may present opportunities with other Mubadala aerospace businesses, he said. We intend to explore aircraft engine and component leasing, as well as next generation air traffic management solutions and the manufacture of advanced materials in the region. This means there is potential to leverage synergies with Sanad Aero Solutions, an aviation leasing and financing company, and Strata Manufacturing PJSC, an advanced aero-structures manufacturing company. Such leverage is an integral part of promoting Abu Dhabis ambition of becoming a major aviation and aerospace services hub. TS&S actively supports the Abu Dhabi Vision 2030 in creating a knowledge-based economy in line with the nations diversification efforts, said Janahi. The company also takes seriously its duty to help bring young Emiratis into the industry. Since 2015, it has been in the vanguard of this effort with a two-year training programme called Fani Wa Aftekher I am a proud technician in Arabic that encourages young Emiratis to explore vocational education in applied aviation technical training. Working in partnership with Abu Dhabi Polytechnic, TS&S piloted the programme to attract secondary school graduates and encourage them to continue into higher education. Fani Wa Aftekher offers participants accredited vocational training at specialised institutions, as well as on-the-job training at TS&S workshops in Abu Dhabi. As of today, we have 25 students enrolled in the programme, said Janahi. Our aim is to encourage and develop Emiratis by providing them with training opportunities to gain solid engineering and technical skills en route to becoming qualified aviation technicians. Janahi said he was inspired by the capability and dedication of the TS&S workforce. There is no doubt that TS&S is among the leading MRO providers for turbines in the region, and it has given me great pride to join its leadership team. Fydubai has announced that flights to Sulaimaniyah, Iraq, will resume from 10 May 2018. The carrier now operates to five points in Iraq including Baghdad, Basra, Erbil and Najaf. The decision to relaunch the flights was taken following the Iraqi authorities announcement that that the airport reopened in March 2018. Ghaith Al Ghaith, chief executive officer of Flydubai, said: " We are pleased to see the direct air links between the UAE and Sulaimaniyah return after three years of suspension. flydubai first operated to the Kurdish city in 2010 and we have seen over the years the positive demand from the region. We look forward to further strengthening our network in Iraq, a key market that has been witnessing a rise in investment, trade and tourism. Sulaymaniyah's economy today relies on tourism, agriculture and a rising number of SMEs, most of which are involved in the building trade. The city is also home to the second biggest museum after the national museum in Baghdad, and hosts a number of Kurdish and ancient Persian artefacts dating back to 17921750 BC. Jazeera Airways has announced its financial results for the first quarter of 2018. The results showed double digit growth in both revenue and flown passengers, in addition to a significant improvement in the bottom line. The airline recorded an operating revenue of KD14.3 million, up 42.7% from Q1 2017, and a net result of -KD0.3 million, an improvement of KD0.636 million from Q1 2017. Jazeera Airways improved operational and financial performance were a result of the significant investments in customer experience enhancement, new routes launches, and higher asset utilization in 2017. The company had registered a net profit of +KD8.2 million for the year 2017. Q1 2018 Financial and Operational Highlights: Operating revenue: KD14.3 million, up 42.7% from Q1 2017 Operating profit/(loss): (KD0.46 million), an improvement of KD0.572 million from Q1 2017 Net profit / (loss): (KD0.3 million), an improvement of KD 0.636 from Q1 2017 Passengers: 403,863, up 43.1% from Q1 2017 Fleet utilization: 11.8 hours, up 25.7% from Q1 2017 Load factor: 75.8%, up 5.4% from Q1 2017 Jazeera Airways chairman Marwan Boodai said: Despite the first quarter being a low travel season historically, we saw a 43.1% increase in flown passengers this year, a 42.7% growth in topline earnings, and significant improvement in our bottom line earnings. The Board is pleased to see the efforts and investments throughout 2017 are creating a positive impact as early as the first quarter of 2018. Looking head, the rest of the year is looking incredibly exciting for our business with our very own dedicated terminal coming on-line in mid-May, in addition to new routes, and new additions to the fleet. Seawings Ras Al Khaimah new season snapshot tour has returned to target the growing tourist market to the Emirate. Seawings CEO, Stuart Wheeler, says Ras Al Khaimah has become one of the most exciting destinations to visit for thrill seekers, and strong visitor numbers indicate the time is right to bring back the snapshot flight. Our Ras Al Khaimah Snapshot tour not only adds to the activities people can do, but also showcases the natural beauty of the Emirate, he says. The thrilling 20 minute Ras Al Khaimah Snapshot flight tours key coastal areas and expansive mangrove lagoons, from Marjan Island north to Ras Al Khaimah city itself. Ras Al Khaimah has established itself as the Emirates adventure capital in recent years. The stunning beaches paired with the Emirates highest peak - Jebel Jais offers much to explore. Recently the Jebel Jais Zipline, made headlines for being the worlds longest, and helped to spark increased interest in the region. Seawings also offer a 45 minute flight from Dubai connecting the two Emirates and takes in iconic landmarks including the Palm Jumeirah, Burj Al Arab and Burj Khalifa before travelling north towards Ras Al Khaimah. To further support the new flight, Seawings has released a luxury travel guide on Ras Al Khaimah which is available for free download on the Seawings blog. Our travel guides are a way of adding value to our products, supporting our partners and encouraging visitors to spend even more time here experiencing the best of the Emirates,said Wheeler, Russian Central Military District special operations units have used Taifun-K armored vehicles for the first time during an exercise at the Shilovo training range in the Novosibirsk Region in West Siberia, the districts press office said. Kamaz-63968 Typhoon (Taifun-K) is a family of Russian multi-functional, modular, armoured, mine resistant MRAP vehicles. The Typhoon family is part of Russia's Typhoon program launched in 2010. KAMAZ-63968 Typhoon-K at Victory Day military parade rehearsal, April 2018. (Picture source Vitaly Kuzmin) "Under the exercises scenario, a group of special operators patrolling the route on two Tigr vehicles and a Taifun-K armored vehicle for a humanitarian convoy ran into an ambush prepared by a simulated enemys sabotage team," the press office said. "One of the Tigr vehicles covered the assault team getting out of the Taifun-K vehicle and provided fire support at the same time," the press office added. After the simulated enemys attack was repelled, the special operators practiced providing first medical aid to notionally injured persons and evacuating them. A batch of eight advanced Taifun-K armored vehicles was delivered to a Central Military District special operations large unit based in the Novosibirsk Region in early April under the state defense procurement program. The Taifun-K armored vehicle is designed to transport special operators. The vehicle is able to protect the crew, cargo, systems and units against 30mm rounds, landmines and explosive devices. The Taifun-K is a cross-country vehicle due to its 6x6 chassis. It has a maximum speed of 105 km/h (65 mph). The armored module has ports to fire small arms and can accommodate remote-controlled weapons. In todays Wall Street Journal I review the Broadway transfers of Travesties and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Heres an excerpt. * * * Tom Stoppards Travesties, in which James Joyce, Vladimir Lenin and Tristan Tzara, Dadas founding father, share a stage to lunatic effect, was the unlikeliest Broadway semi-hit of 1975 (it ran for 156 much-discussed performances). Some theatergoers found Travesties impenetrably complex, but everybody had an opinion about it, and Mr. Stoppard was thereafter viewed on this side of the Atlantic as a man of consequence. Now hes the greatest living English-speaking playwright, more or less, and Travesties is back on Broadway at last I couldnt begin to summarize Travesties accurately in a review three times as long as this one. Ill say only that its a whirligig variation on The Importance of Being Earnest in which Mr. Stoppard, having taken note of the unlikely but true fact that Messrs. Joyce, Lenin and Tzara (played here by Peter McDonald, Dan Butler, and Seth Numrich) were all in Zurich in 1917, uses that coincidence as the point of departure for a farce-flavored fantasy. In addition to the Broadway transfer of the original Royal Shakespeare Theatre production, Ive seen Travesties done twice, by New Havens Long Wharf Theatre in 2005 and Wisconsins American Players Theatre in 2014. All of those productions were extraordinarily fine, and so is this one, in which Tom Hollander is sensational as Henry Carr, the now-senile British diplomat in whose fast-disintegrating memory the events of Travesties take place Rarely has a show been less in need of good reviews, from me or anyone else, than Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, the latest line extension of J.K. Rowlings franchise of novels, films and theme parks, which has come to New York after a stupendously successful 2016 opening in London. This two-part, five-hour extravaganza is the most expensive non-musical production ever to open on Broadway, and every dollar of the $68.5 million ponied up by the producers is visible. The special effects are sensational, especially if you like theatrical black magic, and each one was dutifully applauded by the audiences at the previews I saw. Beyond that, I can do no more than to warn those who care that The Cursed Child plays like a musicalmost of the show is underscored and all of the putative song cues are self-evidentand might have been slightly more fun had it been one. * * * To read my review of Travesties, go here. To read my review of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, go here. A montage of scenes from Travesties: Hong Kong-listed Landing International Development Limited has announced unaudited revenue of HK$970 million at its Korean integrated resort Jeju Shinhwa World in 1Q18, including HK$650 million from the recently relocated Landing Casino. In a filing to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, Landing said it had also recorded total rolling chip volume of HK$16.2 billion for the period, which included the launch of its new casino on 25 February 2018. Landing Casino had previously been located at Hyatt Regency Jeju Hotel. Non-gaming revenue for the three months to 31 December 2018 totaled HK$320 million. From the beginning of 2018 and following the opening of the first phase of Jeju Shinhwa World, the group has taken steps to ramp up its sales and marketing efforts, Landing said. Among others, the group has entered into cooperation agreements with various travel agencies and online travel agencies in various key markets including mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan regions, Japan and Southeast Asia to leverage on their respective network to promote and market the resort to their customers. Jeju Shinhwa World, which currently incorporates Somerset Jeju Shinhwa World, Jeju Shinhwa World Marriot Resort and Jeju Shinhwa World Landing, boasts 1,400 hotel rooms and serviced apartments. The company said it welcomed over 100,000 domestic and overseas visitors to its Shinhwa Theme Park and YG Republique during the first quarter, primarily from mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea and Japan. Mazda Motor Corp is most exposed to any trade restrictions in the worlds biggest car market after China. Japanese automakers that rely heavily on exports to sell their models in the United States would be hardest hit by trade restrictions. Tokyo: Japanese automakers that rely heavily on exports to sell their models in the United States would be hardest hit by trade restrictions the country is threatening to impose, as rivals with more limited exposure focus on growing, niche markets. Many Japanese automakers count the United States as their biggest market, so would be impacted to a degree by any trade constraints put in place as a result of US President Donald Trumps hard line on the issue. Ahead of a flurry of Japanese automaker full-year results reports, analysts said Mazda Motor Corp is most exposed to any trade restrictions in the worlds biggest car market after China, and their knock-on effects. Mazdas operating profit could be cut by 8.5 per cent in the year to March 2019 as it faces risks from a stronger yen if the trade uncertainties weaken the US dollar, while any trade restrictions would raise the cost of imported cars from Japan, they said. Higher research and development costs and other capital spending could also weigh. One of Japans smaller brands, Mazda counts North America as a top market but does not produce any vehicles in the United States, making it vulnerable to currency swings and changes in trade rules. Japans Big 3 carmakers - Toyota Motor Corp, Nissan Motor Co and Honda Motor Co - face risks if an updated North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) raises tariffs on vehicles and parts made in Mexico, where all three operate plants, and Canada, where Toyota and Honda build vehicles. But their relatively higher US production levels than their smaller rivals and more diverse regional manufacturing and sales footprint could help to cushion any impact. Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S expect Toyota to see a 2.6 per cent slide in operating profit in the year to March 2019, a smaller decline than the one expected in Mazda results. Nissan and Honda, among the Japanese automakers with the most production in North America, could see profit rises of 9 per cent and nearly 6 per cent, respectively, they forecast. Trump, who withdrew the United States from multi-lateral TPP trade talks, wants to negotiate a bilateral trade deal with Japan. He is also pushing for new terms for the NAFTA and has been considering tougher environmental rules for imported cars to protect US automakers. Japanese automakers are already struggling with sluggish sales in North America due to falling demand for sedans, a mainstay of their offering, and deeper discounts to shore up sales are hitting margins. (W)e see risks to the sustainability of export operations at Mazda Motor and Mitsubishi Motors, which are highly exposed to exports and have no production bases in the US at present, Nomura analyst Masataka Kunugimoto said in a research note earlier this month. While analysts expect Mazda to post a median fall in operating profit of 8.5 per cent in the financial year underway, some forecasts are for a much steeper decline. A fall would reverse a 20 per cent rise forecast for the year ended March 2018 as a weaker yen boosted its earnings. Mazda sold roughly 1.6 million vehicles globally in the year to March 2017, nearly 20 per cent of them - all imported - in the United States. Both Mazda and bigger rival Toyota see roughly 30 per cent of their global sales from the United States, Canada and Mexico, but around 70 per cent of the nearly 3 million cars Toyota currently sells in North America are produced locally in North America. Mazda, which operates a factory in Mexico, announced earlier this year that it and Toyota would jointly build a manufacturing plant in Alabama, although vehicle production will not begin until 2021. Mitsubishi Motors Corps plans to grow U.S. sales from low levels in the coming years but tighter trade rules could stymie those plans. Id be surprised if we have a lot of companies forecasting significant growth, CLSA analyst Chris Richter said. Niche Asia markets: As US sales growth stagnates, Japanese automakers are focusing more on Asia. Mazda has been growing sales in China, which is set to overtake the United States as its biggest market in the year just ended. Nissan earlier this month launched its new Terra model, a crossover SUV designed specifically for the Asian market, while at the Beijing Motor Show this week, both Nissan and Honda showed new battery-electric models for the Chinese market which will go on sale later this year. Nomuras Kunugimoto and other analysts see brighter earnings prospects for Suzuki Motor Corp given Japans No 4 automaker counts on India for roughly half its total global vehicle sales and production. Suzuki does not market cars in the US market. Suzuki is set to outperform most of Japans major automakers, with a median consensus for a 6 per cent rise in operating profit in the year to March 2019, following an expected 33 per cent jump in the year just ended. Mitsubishi Motors is also benefitting from a long-standing focus on Asian. This week, it launched exports of its Xpander multi-purpose vehicle across Southeast Asia following strong demand for the Asian model, which debuted in Indonesia last year. Asia accounts for roughly a third of Mitsubishi Motors global vehicle sales and the automaker has been increasing production capabilities in Indonesia. Currency in circulation has risen by 33 per cent year-on-year to Rs 18.9 lakh crore as of April 20. Currency withdrawals in the January-March quarter were at Rs 1.4 lakh crore, about 27 per cent more than in the same quarter of 2016. New Delhi: Despite the governments advice against hoarding money, people continue to stockpile cash and have pulled out Rs 16,340 crore from banks bringing the total for the first three weeks of the month to Rs 59,520 crore, according to data released by RBI on Wednesday. In the previous three weeks, withdrawals were Rs 16,470 crore. Currency withdrawals in the January-March quarter were at Rs 1.4 lakh crore, about 27 per cent more than in the same quarter of 2016. The currency in circulation has risen by 33 per cent year-on-year to Rs 18.9 lakh crore as of April 20, higher than the pre-demonetisation level. But as a percentage of GDP, it remains lower prompting economists to suggest that circulation should be ramped up. On November 8, 2016, currency notes of denominations of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500, valued at Rs 15.4 lakh crore and accounting 86.9 per cent of the value of total notes in circulation, were demonetised. This month, an unusual spurt in demand for currency led to many ATMs and banks running out of cash in UP, MP, poll-bound Karnataka and some other states even as the government and the RBI assured that there was no currency shortage. RBI last week had said there was no shortage of currency even as it has ramped up printing of notes at all its four presses. The finance ministry too had said printing of Rs 500 notes was being increased five-fold. The currency supply by RBI has not kept pace with the growth in the economy and that is the reason the demand for cash has increased, said SBI chief economist Soumya Kanti Ghosh. According to a SBI note, RBI still had to print an additional Rs 70,000 crore to bridge the demand-supply gap. Meanwhile, banks credit rose 11.52 per cent year-on-year to Rs 84,78,459 crore in the fortnight ended April 13, RBI data showed. In the same period ended April 14, 2017, banks advances were at Rs 76,01,970 crore. In the previous fortnight ended March 30, 2018, banks loans grew by 10.32 per cent to Rs 86,50,714 crore from Rs 78,41,466 crore in the period ended March 31. Deposits grew at 7.96 per cent to Rs 113,77,729 crore in the period ended April 13, as against Rs 105,38,304 crore in the year-ago fortnight, according to the data. In the fortnight ended March 30, the deposits had increased by 6.66 per cent to Rs 1,14,74,989 crore from Rs 1,07,57,656 crore in the year-ago period. In February 2018, non-food bank credit increased by 9.8 per cent on a year-on-year basis as against an increase of 3.3 per cent in February 2017. Credit to agriculture and allied activities increased by 9 per cent in February 2018, same as in February 2017. It (NTP) will hopefully trigger innovation, will focus on Make in India and provide opportunities for partnering with lit of companies. The government is likely to release the draft of new National Telecom Policy on May 1 to seek public comments, Telecom Secretary Aruna Sundararajan said on Thursday. New Delhi: The government is likely to release the draft of new National Telecom Policy on May 1 to seek public comments, Telecom Secretary Aruna Sundararajan said on Thursday. "The direction of the new policy, that we hope you will see as early as on May 1, will be reform-oriented, it will be investor friendly and bring down the cost of compliances," Sundararajan said while speaking at the Annual General Meeting of US industry body Amcham. She mentioned that the proposed National Telecom Policy (NTP) 2018 will be placed for public comments for 15-20 days. "It (NTP) will hopefully trigger innovation, will focus on Make in India and provide opportunities for partnering with lit of companies,"Sundararjan said. After completion of public comments, the Department of Telecom will start inter-ministerial consultation on the policy and thereafter approach Cabinet for final approval, she said. Kalki Koechlin is listening to a lot of 'desi' rap as she gears up to record a song with co-star Ranveer Singh Mumbai: Kalki Koechlin is listening to a lot of 'desi' rap as she gears up to record a song with co-star Ranveer Singh for their upcoming film 'Gully Boy'. The film, starring Ranveer and Alia Bhatt in the lead roles, is based on the lives of rappers of Dharavi Vivian Fernandes aka Divine and Naezy known for their song 'Mere Gully Mein'. "We did not prepare much except that we listened to a lot of rap. I started listening to Divine, Naezy, and tried to understand where this voice was coming from. My character has studied music in Berkeley and she comes back and is producing a video, she also writes music as well," Kalki told PTI. "I listened to a lot of rap, especially to get into that zone because Ranveer and I have to sing a song together. Anand Tiwari, is doing the music of the film, so he is teaching me the song," she says. 'Gully Boy' is the second collaboration between Kalki and director Zoya Akhtar after 'Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara'. "I love Zoya, she is so much fun. She is tomboyish, playful on the sets. She has a great sense of humour and timing and that shows in her script. At the same time, she is specific with what she wants as a director," Kalki said. The upcoming musical drama is set to release on February 14 next year. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announces an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh to the kin of the deceased. Thirteen school children were killed and eight others injured as train hits school bus in Uttar Pradesh's Kushinagar district. (Photo: ANI/Twitter) Kushinagar: At least 13 school children were killed and eight others injured after a train hit a school bus in Uttar Pradesh's Kushinagar district, news agency PTI reported. The vehicle collided with the train at an unmanned crossing in Kushinagar. The children, students of Divine Public School, were killed on the spot when Thawe-Kapatanganj passenger train (55075) crashed into the van at an unmanned crossing gate at Behpurva, said Ved Prakash, spokesperson for Railways. There were at least 25 people, including children in the van, most of whom were children below the age of 10 years, the official said. The train was on the way to Gorakhpur from Siwan, Uttar Pradesh. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed his deepest condolences on the unfortunate incident and directed District Administration to provide all help and medical aid to the victims. He also declared an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh to the kin of the deceased and directed an inquiry into the cause of the accident. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed grief over the death of 13 school children, adding that the UP government and the railway department will take appropriate action in the matter. Railway Minister Piyush Goyal ordered an inquiry into the Kushinagar train-school van accident and announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh for the kin of the deceased. The minister also said that the Railways will provide an ex-gratia amount of Rs 1 lakh for those with serious injuries and Rs 50,000 for those simple injuries. "I received the unfortunate news of the death of school children. I have asked senior officials to conduct a probe into the incident. Railways will give a compensation of Rs 2 lakh to the kin of the dead over and above the aid announced by the Uttar Pradesh government," Goyal said in a tweet. The government feels that the SC collegium has disregarded seniority and regional representation. Justice KM Joseph is 42nd in the seniority list of 669 high court judges. (Photo: PTI/File) New Delhi: Following its decision to put on hold the elevation of Justice KM Joseph as a Supreme Court judge, the government on Thursday asked the apex court's collegium to reconsider its recommendation to elevate Joseph, government sources said. The Centre's move to hold the elevation of Justice KM Joseph and clear the appointment of senior advocate Indu Malhotra as a judge of the Supreme Court, has invited resentment from the opposition Congress and the legal fraternity. The Centre has put on hold the elevation of Justice KM Joseph, who heads the Uttarakhand High Court. The government feels that while recommending the name of Justice Joseph, the collegium has disregarded seniority and regional representation. Joseph is 42nd in the seniority list of 669 high court judges. On January 22, the apex court collegium's file recommending the elevation of Justice Joseph and Malhotra reached the Law Ministry. Also Read: Indu Malhotra will be first woman lawyer to be appointed as SC judge Sources said that Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad would now write to Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra about its decision to appoint only Malhotra. Reacting to the development, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram lashed out at the Centre asking what was holding up KM Joseph's appointment. He asked if the reason was his state, his religion or his judgement in the Uttarakhand case. "As the law stands now, the recommendation of the SC collegium is final and binding in the appointment of judges. Is the Modi government above the law?" Chidambaram tweeted. In a landmark judgement in 2016, Joseph had quashed President rule and revived the Harish Rawat-led Congress government in Uttarakhand. Supreme Court Bar Association President Advocate Vikas Singh also questioned the Centre's decision stating that he has a huge reservation at the attitude of the government. "There is no way by which they should not have cleared Justice KM Joseph's name," he said. By making one appointment and not making another, the government has interfered in the functioning of the judiciary, he said. "This is a very serious matter and should be taken up with the government very strongly," Singh added. The complaint had alleged that the respondents had defamed the Prime Minister in May 2016 on the issue of his educational degrees. Three persons had moved the court seeking an order asking the police to lodge an FIR against Kejriwal, Deputy CM Manish Sisodia and AAP leaders for allegedly defaming the Prime Minister. (Photo: File) New Delhi: A Delhi court has dismissed a plea seeking prosecution of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and others for allegedly defaming Prime Minister Narendra Modi by raising questions over his educational degree, saying only aggrieved persons can file defamation complaints. Three persons -- Yogesh Bhardwaj, Rakshpal Singh and Ijharul-Haq -- had moved the court seeking an order asking the police to lodge an FIR against Kejriwal, Deputy CM Manish Sisodia and AAP leaders Ashutosh, Raghav Chadha, Ashish Khetan and Jitender Singh Tomar, for allegedly defaming the Prime Minister. "Only an aggrieved person, that is a person who has been defamed, can prosecute for his defamation. Admittedly, the complainants are not the aggrieved/victims of defamatory statements, if any, made by the respondents (Kejriwal, Sisodia, Ashutosh, Chadha, Khetan and Tomar). Therefore, they have no locus to file and prosecute the present case as far as the offence of defamation is concerned," Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Samar Vishal said while summarily rejecting the complaint. The court also noted that the complainants had not given any thought on what offence they were alleging against the respondent's persons. "The complainants state in the heading of the complaint, the commission of following other offences, that is 504, 467, 465, 468, 469 and 34 (common intention) of Indian Penal Code but did not elaborate how these offences are made out in this case. All these offences except 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) of IPC relate to the offence of forgery," it said. The court also said that no offence for forgery could be attributed to the respondents as the complainants did not place on record the document which has been forged. Regarding section 504, the court said there was nothing in the complaint to substantiate this charge. "The complaint has no merits. Not only on merits that no case is made out, but also for want of locus to prosecute, I refuse to direct registration of FIR and refuse to take cognisance of the offence under section 499, 500, 504, 467, 465, 468, 469 and 34 of IPC against the respondents. The complaint is accordingly dismissed," the court said. The complaint had alleged that the respondents had defamed the Prime Minister in May 2016 on the issue of his degrees and tarnished his image by showing his false degrees in press conferences and print and other social media. However, the University of Delhi on May 11, 2016 made the Prime Minister's degrees public which had exposed the false propaganda of the accused persons, it had said. It revealed a person's bank account number, branch, fathers name, address, religion and caste, among other personal details. New Delhi: The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), the body that governs Aadhaar, has been claiming that Aadhaar data cannot be breached or misused. However, contrary to the UIDAI's claims, sensitive data containing details such as religion and caste of 1.34 lakh Aadhaar card holders was reportedly leaked from the Andhra Pradesh State Housing Corporation website. The leaked data was part of a list titled Beneficiary Details belonging to Entry Report for Scheme Hudhud on the website. The data leak clearly revealed details such as a person's Aadhaar number, bank branch, IFSC code, account number, fathers name, address, Panchayat, mobile number, ration card number, occupation, religion and caste, on a live website. The leak was reported by a cybersecurity researcher Srinivas Kodali. The UIDAI may not be doing it, but other government departments are. And the AP housing corporation website is proof. The UIDAI has no idea what information is being linked to the unique ID, Kodali said. "It is not illegal to collect data under the act but making it public is prohibited. Also, at the bottom of the website, the AP government has put in a disclaimer, which says, nobody is responsible if data is leaked, and no official can be penalised, Kodali added. According to an NDTV report, the Andhra Pradesh government said that it adheres to the rules and regulations of the Aadhaar Act 2016 and the orders from the Hon'ble Courts in the context of data privacy. "We are investigating into this report and once we understand the full situation we will update you," the government said. On Wednesday, a five-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra, was hearing a clutch of petitions challenging Aadhaar and its enabling 2016 law. The top court raised questions over the government's decision ordering mandatory seeding of mobile numbers with Aadhaar and said its earlier order on mandatory authentication of the users was used as a "tool". The attackers, who came on a black motorcycle, decamped with the cash box from the van which reportedly had Rs 11 lakh. The attackers fired at the cashier and the security guard about 18 to 20 times, police said. (Photo: Representational) New Delhi : Two bike-borne assailants shot dead a cashier of an ATM cash van and the security guard who was travelling with him on Thursday afternoon in Narela area of Delhi . The attackers, who came on a black motorcycle, decamped with the cash box from the van which reportedly had Rs 11 lakh. According to a report in NDTV, the attackers fired at the cashier and the security guard about 18 to 20 times, police said. The two attackers were wearing helmets to hide their faces, the report added. This medical negligence happened as the hospital authorities mistook the patient for another patient with almost a similar name. The man named Vijendra was admitted to get treated for head injuries, but the doctor instead operated on his leg, thinking him to be another patient, Virendra, who had a fractured leg. (Photo: ANI) New Delhi: Delhi Medical Council on Thursday took suo moto cognizance of the case, wherein a man's leg was wrongly operated upon at Sushruta Trauma Centre, while he was admitted with a head injury. The council came forward to rescue the man and has asked for a reply from the trauma centre within 10 days. The surgery was done on April 19. This medical negligence happened as the hospital authorities mistook the patient for another patient with almost a similar name. The man named Vijendra was admitted to get treated for head injuries, but the doctor instead operated on his leg, thinking him to be another patient, Virendra, who had a fractured leg. According to media reports, the doctor at the hospital has been barred from conducting surgeries with immediate effect following the incident. Asaram Bapu was sentenced to life imprisonment for the rape of a 16-year-old girl at his ashram in 2013. The verdict was pronounced by Judge Madhusudan Sharma inside the Jodhpur Jail due to security reasons. (Photo: PTI/File) Jodhpur: Self-styled godman Asaram appeared broken following his conviction in a rape case, Jodhpur Jail Superintendent Vikram Singh said on Wednesday. "Do something", the 77-year-old kept on muttering to his advocates during the hearing of arguments on the quantum of sentence, according to Singh. "Asaram seemed nervous on hearing the verdict," said a police officer present on the premises of the Jodhpur central jail where the judgment was pronounced. "Asaram appeared broken. He said he will now move a higher court," Singh said. Inside his cell, Asaram was restless and kept on lumbering for some time, he said. The Jodhpur Schedule Caste and Schedule Tribe Court on Wednesday sentenced self-styled godman Asaram Bapu to life imprisonment for the rape of a 16-year-old girl at his ashram in 2013. This is the second case of a powerful spiritual leader being convicted of a sexual offense in less than a year after Dera Sacha Sauda chief Ram Rahim. Apart from Asaram, two other accused were convicted by the special court and sentenced to 20 years each in jail. It acquitted two others. The verdict was pronounced by Judge Madhusudan Sharma inside the Jodhpur Jail due to security reasons. In the case registered in Rajasthan, a 16-year-old girl from Shahajahanpur of Uttar Pradesh had accused Asaram of raping her at his ashram in Manai village near Jodhpur on the night of August 15, 2013. The girl was brought to the ashram by her parents. Asaram was arrested in Indore and brought to Jodhpur on September 1, 2013. He has been under judicial custody since September 2, 2013. Asaram is also facing a rape case in Surat in which the Supreme Court earlier this month gave five weeks time to the prosecution to complete the trial. Two Surat-based sisters had lodged separate complaints against the self-styled godman and his son Narayan Sai, accusing them of rape. (With PTI inputs) The informal summit is being seen as a move by the two countries to get their ties back on track following the Doklam stand-off in 2017. The summit comes ahead of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Qingdao city in June. (Photo: PTI/File) New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will leave for China on Thursday evening to attend an informal summit, to be hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping in Wuhan city on April 27 and 28. This informal discussion will be taking place for the first time after 1954. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Sunday at the joint press conference with his Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj in Beijing, "We will make sure that the informal summit (between PM Modi and Chinese President Jinping on April 27-28) will be a complete success and a milestone in China-India relations." The informal summit is being seen as a move by the two countries to get their ties back on track following the Doklam stand-off in 2017, wherein troops from the two nations were engaged in an eyeball-to-eyeball standoff near Sikkim border between June to August. The summit comes ahead of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Qingdao city in June. No agreements will be signed between India and China and no customary joint press conference will be held during Prime Minister Modi's two-day visit. 'Foreign Policy by Narendra Modi, Foreword by Donald Trump,' Gandhi said mocking the government's diplomacy. Rahul Gandhi's remarks come amid Trump administration's plan to propose to end giving work permits to the spouses of H1-B visa holders to work in the US, a move that could have a devastating impact on tens of thousands of Indians. (Photo: PTI) New Delhi: Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Thursday described the proposed US visa rules as a "huge setback" for India, and in a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi said there were "some things a hug can buy", but for visas "you're on your own". Gandhi's remarks come amid Trump administration's plan to propose to end giving work permits to the spouses of H1-B visa holders to work in the US, a move that could have a devastating impact on tens of thousands of Indians. "New US Visa Rules, huge setback for India...," the Congress president said on Twitter. "There are some things a hug can buy. For visas, you're on your own," he said in a word play on the MasterCard ad campaign which says, "There are some things money can't buy. For everything else, there's MasterCard". "Foreign Policy by Narendra Modi, Foreword by Donald Trump," Gandhi said mocking the government's diplomacy. Gandhi has earlier also attacked the Prime Minister over what he termed 'hugplomacy' after Pakistan released 2008 Mumbai attacks mastermind and Lashkar-e-Taiba chief Hafiz Saeed from house arrest. The Trump administration's move to end the Obama-era rule could have an impact on more than 70,000 H-4 visas holders, who have work permits. H-4 is issued to the spouse of H-1B visa holders, a significantly large number of whom are high-skilled professionals from India. They had obtained work permits under a special order issued by the previous Obama administration. At least 13 school children were killed and eight others injured after a train hits a school bus in Uttar Pradesh's Kushinagar district. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath reached the accident spot after visiting the district hospital to meet the victims and their families. (Photo: PTI) Kushinagar (UP): Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who visited Kushinagar on Thursday to get a first hand account of the train-school van collision that left 13 children dead, got furious when he faced angry protests. "Narebazi band karo, nautanki band karo" (stop raising slogans, stop this drama). I have come here to express my sympathies," Yogi Adityanath told protestors after he failed to pacify them. The Uttar Pradesh chief minister reached the accident spot after visiting the district hospital. As soon as he reached there, an angry crowd raised slogans against railway and local authorities. However, the protesters were not satisfied and some of them squatted on the railway track. They demanded that railway personnel should be posted at the unmanned crossing to avoid such accidents. Also Read: Uttar Pradesh: 13 children dead, 8 others hurt as train hits school bus Responding to the reports of chief minister reprimanding the victims families, UP minister Shrikant Sharma said, Chief Minister went to the spot and hospital. He told people of Samajwadi Party-Bahujan Samaj Party not to politicise matter. It's being taken in different way. CM's intentions were clear. He had left all his work to go to accident spot. At least 13 school children were killed and eight others injured after a train hits a school bus in Uttar Pradesh's Kushinagar district. The children, students of Divine Public School, were killed on the spot when Thawe-Kapatanganj passenger train (55075) crashed into the van at an unmanned crossing gate at Behpurva, said Ved Prakash, spokesperson for Railways. Members of Bar Council, Kushinagar, also complained about the "irresponsible attitude" of the district hospital staff. "As soon as they saw 13 bodies, senior officials of district hospital at Kushinagar referred four injured children and the driver to BRD Hospital without even administering first aid," members of the Bar Council complained to the chief minister, according to an official. (With PTI inputs) The sex-for-grades and money scam is assuming huge proportions and seems to involve several teachers and officials in the university. Suspended assistant professor Nirmala Devi, the main accused in the scandal, has reportedly said that the other accused had instigated her to lure the students to extend sexual favours to university officials, in return for higher marks and money. (Photo: File) Chennai: A senior faculty member of the Madurai Kamaraj University (MKU) has been arrested, while a research scholar surrendered before a court on Thursday in connection with the sexual favours scandal involving a woman college teacher, police said. V Murugan, an assistant professor at the university, was arrested on Wednesday night and produced this morning before a court in nearby Sattur, which remanded him to a five-day custody of the CB-CID. Research student Karuppasamy of the university surrendered before a Madurai court and was remanded to judicial custody till tomorrow, the police said. The sex-for-grades and money scam is assuming huge proportions and seems to involve several teachers and officials in the university, CBCID sources said, emphasising that a few other faculty members of the university are also under the scanner. Suspended assistant professor Nirmala Devi, the main accused in the scandal, has reportedly told the CB-CID that Murugan and Karuppasamy had instigated her to lure the students to extend sexual favours to the officials of the university, in return for higher marks and money. Devi of the private Devanga Arts College in Aruppukottai was arrested on April 16, a day after an audio clip went viral in the social media, where she purportedly sought to persuade girls to consider extending sexual favours to senior MKU officials. The police have been probing allegations that the university and Devanga Arts College, where Devi worked, did nothing regarding harassment complaints submitted by the two girls against Devi and other persons, including Karuppusamy. We are looking for more complaints from the students and those associated with the three accused are under scanner, the police said. Meanwhile, the inquiry commission ordered by the TN Governor will begin its second phase of investigation at Aruppukotttai and will extend the inquiry to lecturers and students who were in touch with Nirmala Devi. The college management has said that she was suspended, pending inquiry, soon after a complaint was received from the students. The Congress government in Karnataka, he alleged, was responsible for tardy progress of the state. 'When elections come, they offer lollipops to a caste group so they get busy with it. But the BJP's priority is the politics of development,' Modi said. (Photo: Twitter | @BJP4India) Bengaluru: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday that development was his party's only agenda for the upcoming Karnataka Assembly election. He however, accused the state's Congress government of stalling its progress. Modi also accused the Congress of playing caste politics during elections. "BJP has a three-pronged agenda for Karnataka -- development, fast paced development, all round development," he told BJP leaders, office bearers and party workers via video conference. "Our agenda is Vikas (development), vikas, vikas," he said. Without naming the Lingayats, the Prime Minister accused the Congress government of doing caste politics. "When elections come, they offer lollipops to a caste group so they get busy with it. But the BJP's priority is the politics of development," he said. Also Read: Modi boosts morale of K'taka BJP, accuses Cong of tardy progress of state The Siddaramaiah government recently recommended religious minority status for the Lingayat and its sub-group Veershaiva Lingayat community. The move is seen as an attempt to divide the Lingayats, the bedrock of the BJP's voter base in the state. The Congress government in Karnataka, he alleged, was responsible for tardy progress of the state. With pre-poll surveys projecting a hung Assembly, Modi asked the voters to elect a BJP government with an absolute majority to give a boost to development in the state. The IAF chief said the neighbouring country has a "credible mix" of multi-role fighter and strike aircraft. New Delhi: Indian Air Force Chief B.S. Dhanoa on Thursday said China has been ramping up its aerial prowess in the Tibetan Autonomous Region bordering India and that the neighbouring country has a "credible mix" of multi-role fighter and strike aircraft. In an address at a think-tank, the Air Chief Marshal, while talking about requirement of his force, said that it needs 42 squadrons of fighter jets to carry out "full spectrum of operations in all contingencies". At present, the IAF has only 31 squadrons of fighters. At the same time, he, however, said the IAF has the ability to fight a short and "swift" war whenever required. Talking about Pakistan sponsored terrorism, he said the repeated strikes by terror groups indicate that the Indian deterrence in the sub-conventional domain is not working and emphasised on the need to enhance such capabilities to ensure a behavioural change in Islamabad's approach. On situation along the border with China, he said, "Over the past few years, we have seen a significant increase in deployment of Chinese aircraft and aircrew in Tibetan Autonomous Region from other military regions." The comments came on a day Prime Minister Narendra Modi left for the central Chinese city of Wuhan for a two-day-long informal summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The IAF chief said the neighbouring country has a "credible mix" of multi-role fighter and strike aircraft. The deployment of Sukhoi 27 and J-10 fleets for the continuous operations during the winter months affords them a credible all round capability. Many years back they used to only occupy the air field in summers," he said in an address to a select gathering at Vivekananda Foundation. Elaborating on IAF's needs, Air Chief Marshal Dhanoa said the force needs 42 squadrons of fighter jets to carry out "full spectrum of operations in all contingencies". At present, the IAF has only 31 squadrons of fighter jets. Air Chief Marshal Dhanoa also junked the concept of theatre commands, saying it was not required. Taking a dig at the military establishment in Pakistan, the IAF Chief said in most countries the state has an Army but in Pakistan the Army has a state. Interestingly, Mr Scindia had been named campaign committee chief ahead of the 2013 Assembly polls as well. New Delhi: Striking a balancing act and in a bid to contain factionalism, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday appointed senior party leader Kamal Nath as president of its Madhya Pradesh unit and Jyotiraditya Scindia as campaign committee chief ahead of the state Assembly elections expected later this year. The party has decided to go into the polls without any CM face. Another major potential aspirant for the top post, Mr Digvijaya Singh, told a television channel that he had opted out of the race. In a please all arrangement, both Mr Nath and Mr Scindia were given positions in the state unit while Mr Digvijaya Singh remains a general secretary of the party. Interestingly, Mr Scindia had been named campaign committee chief ahead of the 2013 Assembly polls as well. Insiders claim Mr Scindia was being considered for the post of state unit chief for a long time but in the end it was nine-term Lok Sabha MP Kamal Nath who made the cut. After the announcement, Mr Nath told reporters that the Congress will replace the Shivraj government in Madhya Pradesh... people are looking for an immediate change. He added there was no factionalism or division among the state leaders and the party was united in the state. Skirting the all-important issue of a CM candidate, Mr Nath said a decision on that would be taken by the Congress president. Besides the new state unit chief, the party named four new working presidents in a bid to give representation to all sides in the state unit. The working presidents are Bala Bachhan, Ramnivas Rawat, Jitu Patwari and Surender Chaudhary. Mr Patwari was also secretary in-charge of the AICC for the Gujarat assembly polls. Party sources said the appointments were a judicious mix of the young and the old. While Mr Bachhan hails from the Neemad region, Mr Choudhury is from Bundelkhand area. Similarly, Mr Patwari hails from the Malwa region while Mr Rawat belongs to the Gwalior-Chambal area. Mr Nath himself hails from the Mahakoshal region, while Mr Scindia is from the Gwalior-Chambal region. Mr Bachhan and Mr Patwari are seen as Nath loyalists, while Mr Choudhury and Mr Rawat are seen to belong to the Scindia camp. Incidentally, outgoing state party chief Arun Yadav and Congress Legislature Party leader Ajey Singh, who have been backed by former chief minister Digvijaya Singh, seemed to have been marginalised in the current rejig of the party. I will not contest elections. I will work for strengthening the organisation. I am ready to work under the new PCC president, Mr Yadav told reporters here. In another organisational reshuffle, the party appointed Girish Chodankar as Pradesh Congress Committee chief for Goa, replacing Shantaram Naik, who had resigned a few days ago. Mr Naik had forwarded his resignation to the Congress president after the AICC plenary, saying as he had turned 70, he was making way for the younger generation. He said instead, political parties rake up caste, religion, communal and community related issues. New Delhi: Rejecting opinion polls predicting a hung Assembly in Karnataka, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday claimed that the poll going southern state, currently under Congresss rule, has decided to go in for a parivartan (change). Asking BJP leaders and cadre not to bother will such conspiracies (poll predictions) or the lies spread by the Congress and its well wishers, Mr Modi asked the saffron party cadre to go with danke ki chot (full confidence) to the people with the NDA governments development card as development is measurable which is the reason why BJPs opponents refrain from highlighting development issues. He said instead, political parties rake up caste, religion, communal and community related issues. In a message to the people of Karnataka, Mr Modi said only a government with an absolute majority can change the states fortune. Mr Modi is expected to launch his campaign trail in the state from May 1 and will address nearly 16 rallies across the state. Interacting with the BJP leaders in the poll going state thorugh video conferencing, Mr Modi accused the states ruling Congress of playing caste politics during elections. He initiated his interaction in Kannada and said he could not learn the language despite wanting to. Without naming the Lingayat community, the Prime Minister said that the Congress has a habit of picking one caste in every poll and offering them a lollipop so that they remain busy with it. He said this bad practice in the Indian politics has been linked to the Congress and untill it is removed from the main political scenario of the country, the Indian politics cannot be purified. Congress knows it is not winning in Karnataka, which is why it is constantly spreading lies and playing divisive politics. Sadly for them, the people of Karnataka know the negative politics of Congress very well and will reject the party, Mr Modi later tweeted. The Siddaramaiah government recently recommended religious minority status for the Lingayat and its sub-group Veershaiva Lingayat community, which is seen as an attempt to divide the Lingayats, one of the core votebanks of the BJP in the state. BJP has a three-pronged agenda for Karnataka development, fast-paced development and an all-round development, asserted Mr Modi. He also said that the BJP has something which no other political party has which is sangathan ki shakti (organisational strength) and its strategies are decided by the feedback of its booth level cadre. Asking BJP cadre to be wary of the lies spread by the Congress and its well wishers, for which they even hire foreign agencies, Mr Modi asked saffron party cadre to go to the people with development facts as the BJP believed in the mantras of Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat and Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas. She also stressed upon him that the BSP-JD(S) combine should install a Dalit as the next chief minister of Karnataka. Bengaluru: With a strong possibility that Karnataka is heading towards a hung Assembly the question that Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati reportedly asked her ally former Prime Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) supremo H.D. Deve Gowda on the sidelines of her maiden rally in Mysuru on April 25, was whom he had decided to partner with, to form the next coalition government? According to sources, Mr Deve Gowda was reportedly not prepared for the salvo and very diplomatically skirted the issue. But Mayawati persisted and reminded him that JD(S) has to live up to its secular credentials and hence should stay away from the BJP. She allegedly told Mr Deve Gowda that he and his party have to play a larger role in the grand alliance of the Third Front in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections for a BJP Mukt Bharat (India free of the BJP). She also stressed upon him that the BSP-JD(S) combine should install a Dalit as the next chief minister of Karnataka. Though she publicly will not support the Congress, together the BSP-JD(S) will support senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge as the new CM, said the source. Te initial deal between the BJP JD(S) has failed and there are under the-table deals among all three parties, Congress, BJP and the JD(S) that have been kept in abeyance for May 15. While Mr Deve Gowda would like to partner with the Congress, his son and former chief minister is said to be inclined towards the BJP. The final outcome will depend upon the numbers that each of them cobbles up in the three cornered elections. If the JD(S) is able to get more than 50 seats then they will put the pressure on their ally to install their candidate as the CM, said a well placed source. Internal surveys by the JD(S) point to a rising popularity, the source added. Though Mayawatis rally in Mysuru was thinly attended because of a three hour delay, the joint BSP-JD(S) rally in Chitradurga on Thursday had attracted huge crowds. Morale also extended a formal invitation to smaller parties to come on board. New Delhi: Supporters of JD(U) rebel Sharad Yadav will form a new party named Loktantrik Janata Dal (LJD) on May 18, formalising their exit from the Nitish Kumar-led JD(U) in protest against Bihar chief ministers decision to join the NDA and leave the grand alliance last year. The announcement was made by LJD national secretary Sushila Morale at a press conference where Mr Yadav was also present, but he insisted that he was not yet a member of the new party as his legal claim to represent the JD(U) was still sub-judice. A national conference of the newly-formed outfit will be organised on May 18 and Sharad Yadav will be present for it as a margadarshak (mentor), said Ms Morale. However, she categorically stated that Mr Yadav would not be a part of the new party. Sources said that many small socialist parties from Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat would merge with the new party. Ms Morale also extended a formal invitation to smaller parties to come on board. A case is pending before the Delhi high court in connection with the claim staked on the JD(U)s arrow symbol by the Sharad Yadav-led faction after the Election Commission rejected its plea for granting it the symbol. Mr Yadav had also moved the high court seeking the setting aside of his disqualification from the Rajya Sabha. The senior leader had parted ways with Nitish Kumar after the Bihar chief minister left the Congress-led grand alliance and joined the NDA. According to researchers, these children show smaller vocabulary and poorer comprehension skills. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends screening new mothers for depression during the months after childbirth. (Photo: Pixabay) A mothers depression is linked with her childrens development from infancy through adolescence, according to a new study. Researchers studied 875 middle- or lower-class mothers in Chile and their healthy children over a 16-year period, evaluating participants roughly every four years. At any point during the study, about half of the mothers had symptoms of depression, and one-third was severely depressed, according to Patricia East of the University Of California San Diego School Of Medicine and her colleagues. At age five, children with severely depressed mothers had an average verbal IQ score of 7.3 (on a scale of 1 to 19), compared to a higher score of 7.8 in children without depressed mothers. The discrepancy might not seem like a big difference, but it is truly significant and important and highly meaningful for childrens learning skills, East told Reuters Health by phone. These children will have a smaller vocabulary and poorer comprehension skills, East said. The study team also found that depressed moms didnt interact as well with their children, East noted. Researchers had observed the mothers emotional and verbal communication with their children during spontaneous interactions in the home. They observed how often mothers praised their children, read to them, conveyed positive feelings and hugged their child, among other things. Highly depressed moms were less responsive, affectionate, loving and warm. They didnt invest emotionally or provide learning materials to their child as much as mothers who were not depressed, the authors write in the journal Child Development. They found that a mothers level of emotional, verbal and educational support was more strongly linked with her depression level as children got older. Michael Schoenbaum, senior advisor for mental health services, epidemiology, and economics at the National Institute of Mental Health in Bethesda, Maryland, told Reuters Health, I was persuaded before this study that maternal depression has various adverse effects on children over the course of a childs life in many different ways. This research reinforces that. However, he cautioned, the study cant prove that mothers depression was the cause of the childrens problems. Its bad for a child to have a mother with depression and its probably surely bad for a mother to have a child who isnt developing optimally, Schoenbaum told Reuters Health by phone. Im not comfortable concluding from their analysis, however carefully it was done, that we know the exact pathways that this happens. But this doesnt detract from the big picture that maternal depression is something we need to treat, said Schoenbaum, who was not involved in the study. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends screening new mothers for depression during the months after childbirth. Pediatricians are not only there to monitor childrens health, theyre interested in how well a family is adjusting to a new baby, said Nerissa Bauer of Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis, who serves on the AAPs section of developmental behavioral pediatrics. We want to make sure we can identify a parent who is not feeling good and has depression as soon as possible to get them the help they need and to support them, said Bauer. She was not involved in the research. Among the studys limitations, the authors note, is that it is based on Chilean women whose parenting style may be different than that of women elsewhere. Also, it did not examine the effect of fathers and extended family on children of depressed mothers. I hope if mom is depressed shell seek help or intervention so shell likely be a better parent and raise a child with higher verbal scores, said East. Grassy knoll theory centers around fact that president made back and to the left movement just after being shot. According to new calculations based on the video recordings of the assassination, the mysterious movement of the presidents head after being shot a crucial detail in the grassy knoll theory was the result of a recoil effect. (Photo: AP) It has been 55 years since US President John F Kennedy was assassinated. Countless conspiracy theories have, since then, surfaced in attempt to explain how the events really went down. The most famous of these is the grassy knoll theory. Despite the arrest of Lee Harvey Oswald and subsequent analyses that showed JFKs wounds lined up with the type of rifle Oswald owned, skeptics have proposed there was a second gunman standing on a hill to the front of the motorcade. However, a new study could finally help put the debate to rest. According to new calculations based on the video recordings of the assassination, the mysterious movement of the presidents head after being shot a crucial detail in the grassy knoll theory was the result of a recoil effect. The videos further show that the fatal bullet impact was immediately followed by a forward head snap, adding further proof that JFK was shot from behind, as the official autopsy indicated. According to the studys author Dr. Nicholas Nalli, this initial forward movement can be seen in the famous footage captured by civilian Abraham Zapruder, who filmed the doomed Dallas motorcade on November 22, 1963 using an 8-mm home video camera, and inadvertently recorded the assassination. The widespread grassy knoll theory centers around a number of oddities in the initial findings, which showed that the president made a back and to the left movement just after being shot. According to proponents of the second gunman explanation, this suggests JFK was shot from the front by a person standing on a small hill on the northwest side of Dealey Plaza, otherwise known as the grassy knoll. The new study published to the journal Heliyon, Nalli uses one-dimensional gunshot wound dynamics models to investigate these previously glossed over events in greater detail. The force calculations include known information from the crime scene, including bullet mass, speed, and diameter, as well as the camera shutter frequency and autopsy measurements and according to Nalli, the footage of the event supports the conclusion that Kennedy was shot from behind. According to the analysis, the bullet deformed after colliding with the skull, transferring most of its kinetic energy to the head. Some of this energy would have driven an impulse force immediately after, propelling the target forward about 2 inches (5 centimeters) over the course of one shutter cycle. The rest of the kinetic energy would have gone into the soft tissue, Nalli writes. A second backward acceleration seen in the Presidents upper body after the shooting was likely a nervous system reaction to the massive brain injury. Payment was pending for construction of party headquarters. New Delhi: After 12 years, the Delhi Congress has finally agreed to pay dues to the tune of Rs 55 lakh to contractors who had carried out construction work of the party headquarters at 2 Deen Dayal Uphadyay Marg in the national capital. The contentious matter was recently settled before the Delhi high court. The court had asked the Congress to pay Rs 55 lakh to the contractors within six weeks. Justice Valmiki J. Mehta made it clear that if the Congress fails to pay the settled amount within six week period, it will have to pay additional 18 per cent interest per annum to the contractors. The judge said if the due amount was not paid within six months, the entire impugned judgement and decree will revive as it is. The matter was also discussed recently by the Congress leaders at a meeting at the party headquarters where state president Ajay Maken said that he himself would be contributing Rs 5 lakh to settle the matter. Former city minister Narendra Nath also promised to donate Rs 1 lakh. Among others present in the meeting were former chief minister Sheila Dikshit and former city ministers Arvinder Singh Lovely and Haroon Yusuf. The Congress recently faced an embarrassing situation when a sessions court ordered attachment of the movable properties of the partys state headquarters in connection with a case in which it had failed to pay dues to the tune of about Rs 95 lakh to a private contractor. In all, the contractors had been demanding about Rs 1.30 crore dues from the party. A high drama unfolded at the Congress headquarters, where a police team along with a court official arrived to execute the judicial orders. However, to their utter surprise the state headquarters was found locked from inside. As a result, the attachment proceedings could not be carried out. The matter dated back to the time when late Ram Babu Sharma was the Delhi Congress president. It was during his tenure that the party headquarters was constructed about 14 years ago. Contractor Vinod Goyal had moved the court alleging that the party owed him about Rs 95 lakh towards the construction of the building. On February 23, the sessions court ordered that the movable properties of the party be attached. By the time the police reached the Congress headquarters, its main gate was found locked from inside. Some Congress workers, who had come to congratulate Mr Maken for successfully holding demonstrations against price rise of essential commodities in the city, started raising slogans against the contractor alleging he had filed the case to gain cheap publicity. The children are being treated at different hospitals in the city. The drivers of both the vehicles were detained. A milk tanker rammed into the school van on Thursday morning near Kanhaiya Nagar metro station in northwest Delhi. (Photo: ANI/Twitter) New Delhi: A seven-year-old girl died and 17 other students were injured after a milk tanker rammed into a school van on Thursday morning near Kanhaiya Nagar metro station in northwest Delhi, the police said. The children who were injured in the accident are being treated at different hospitals in the city. The seven-year-old who died in the accident was identified as Garima, the police said. The drivers of both the vehicles were detained, the police added CPI(M) plea turned down n Court says no scope to file nominations online. The CPI(M) took out a procession in the city to protest against the violence during the filing of nomination for the three-tier panchayat polls on Wednesday. Kolkata: The Calcutta high court on Wednesday rejected the CPI(M)s plea for allowing the candidates to file nominations by sending emails to the West Bengal state election commission (WBSEC) for the panchayat elections. The CPI(M) is now planning to move the division bench against the single benchs order. Inspired by justice Subrata Talukdars order to WBSEC to accept the nominations of a group of candidates at Bhangar in South 24 Parganas through WhatsApp on Tuesday, the CPI(M) appealed before the same judge that the nominations sent by mails to the WBSEC should be accepted. CPI(M) leader and party lawyer Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharyya filed the case referring to anarchy on the extended day of filing nominations in the state. He wondered when nominations sent through WhatsApp could be accepted, why the same can not be followed if they are sent through emails.The judge however refused to interfere in the petition. Later Trinamul Congress MP and party lawyer Kalyan Banerjee said, The high court termed the CPI(M)s petition seeking setting aside of the notification on March 31, stalling of the poll process and nominations filing by filing as not entertainable. It has not entertained their writ petition and disposed it of. He added, There is no scope of filing nominations online according to the West Bengal Panchayat Act. The high court also expressed its anguish over the political parties attempt to file cases one after another on the same issue and making the state poll panels officers wait. Countering Mr Banerjees version CPI(M) leader Rabin Deb who was present at the court said, Where will we seek justice? We have to knock the doors of the court because the state poll panel is not paying heed to us. There is an alternative which we however cannot undertake. That is not permissible in the Constitution or in democracy. He argued, That is why we are coming to the court repeatedly. There will be a great danger if it is said on behalf of the court that it cannot do anything. The judge said he would not interfere in our plea for online nominations. The CPI(M) also filed a contempt of court petition against the Mamata Banerjee government and the state poll panel forfailing to ensure peace during the filing of nominations. A special NDPS court ordered the attachment of Kulkarni's 3 flats in various areas of Mumbai, after she failed to appear before the court. Thane: A special NDPS court has ordered attachment of properties of former Bollywood actor Mamta Kulkarni, who is one of the key accused in the multi-crore drug racket case unearthed by the Thane Police in 2016. Special NDPS court judge, H M Patwardhan, last week ordered the attachment of three plush flats owned by Kulkarni in various areas of Mumbai, after she failed to appear before the court in connection with the drug case. The present value of these flats is said to be around Rs 20 crore. Special Public Prosecutor Shishir Hirey said the court directed for attachment of the three properties of Kulkarni after the prosecution moved an application for it. The court has declared Kulkarni as absconding as she failed to appear before it in connection with the nearly Rs 2,000 crore drug bust case. Kulkarni was two years back named as the prime accused in the drug racket linked to drug baron Vicky Goswami, with the police claiming that she was actively involved in illicit activities. A senior Thane police official had then said that they would initiate the process for extradition of Kulkarni and Goswami, who were said to be in a relationship and based in Kenya in Africa. On June 6, 2017, Goswami and Kulkarni were declared as proclaimed absconders by a Thane court and the police had subsequently moved the court to attach the actor's properties. Hirey said the application seeking attachment of properties was kept pending and an opportunity was given to both the accused to appear before the court. However, since later it became apparent that they were not likely to appear before the court, the judge directed for attachment of Kulkarni's properties. The drug racket came to light when police seized around 18.5 tonnes of ephedrine, worth approximately Rs 2,000 crore, after raiding the premises of Avon Lifesciences Ltd in Maharashtra's Solapur district in April 2016. According to the police, ephedrine, which is a controlled drug, was allegedly being diverted from the Solapur unit of Avon Lifesciences and sent abroad after processing. Ephedrine powder is used for sniffing and to produce the popular party drug methamphetamine. Just before the racket was unearthed, 100 kg of ephedrine was manufactured at Avon Lifesciences' premises and dispatched by air to Kenya. The payment for the same was sent by Goswami to Mukesh Jain, a director of the company, through hawala (an informal channel for transferring funds), the Thane police had said. Jain had gone abroad several times to meet Goswami, according to the police. District administrations may change office, school timings. Mumbai: The state government has issued a heat-wave advisory to all district administrations and suggested changes to the office and school timings. Several parts of the state, including Mumbai, have been experiencing scorching heat, due to dry and hot northerly winds from Madhya Pradesh. The government issued the alert after the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted an above-average rise in the temperature across Vidarbha and Marathwada in April and May. The advisory asked the district collectors to implement precautionary measures. The Disaster Management Unit (DMU) of the state has also launched an awareness campaign at the local level to prevent heat-related casualties. The authorities have warned district administrations about possible high temperatures, especially in May. IMD western region deputy director general K.S. Hosalikar told The Asian Age, IMD has predicted a steady rise in the temperature across Maharashtra The entire Vidarbha, Marathwada and parts of northern Maharashtra are likely to experience higher temperatures in the coming weeks. IMD scientist A. Kumar said, Temperatures can witness a slight rise maybe next week as the wind direction is probable to change leading to moisture supply which is going to be less. A DMU official said, The municipal corporations of these areas have changed the office timings and have also taken other measures to avoid casualties owing to the heat wave. When the temperature rises by 5 degrees Celsius above average for two consecutive days, it is considered a heat wave and the administration declares a high alert. The advisory talks about the dos and donts for the administrations and the citizens. Besides office timings, the administrations have also been advised to appoint nodal officers to implement the plan. The administrations have been directed to keep temples and public places open in the afternoon, the officer said. The meteorological department issued a heat-wave warning for some parts of Maharashtra. IMDs Colaba observatory recorded a maximum temperature of 33 degrees C, which was 0.4 degrees above normal, while the Santacruz observatory recorded 33.7 degrees C, which was 0.7 degrees above normal. C respectively. City gets some respite from sun The city saw a decrease in temperatures on Thursday after three days of scorching weather. The maximum temperature recorded for Thursday was 32.6 degrees, 3 degrees lower than the preceding days and one degree lower than the normal average. The minimum temperature recorded for the day was 23.4 degrees, two degrees lower than the average. Dos and Don'ts The Mi Pad 4 is also tipped to be fuelled by a 6000mAh battery. Xiaomi has really taken the world of technology by storm with its highly value-for-money smartphones across a wide range of categories. However, Xiaomi is more than just smartphones, as is evident from its range of laptops, fitness bands and audio accessories. Xiaomi also has a presence in the tablet segment in the Chinese market with their Mi Pad range of devices. The Mi Pad 3 is presently doing duties for the company in the tablet segment and now it seems that the company might be prepping a successor to the device very soon. Leaked firmware files discovered by chaps at XDA Developers suggest that Xiaomi is almost done developing the Mi Pad 4 and is planning to launch it pretty soon. The Mi Pad 4 has been spotted to be powered by Qualcomms Snapdragon 660 chipset the same chipset that powers the Mi 6X. The inclusion of the SD660 SoC suggests that Xiaomi might it pit against the base Apple iPad in the market. Since its a Xiaomi device, it will be running on MIUI 9 based on Android 8.1 Oreo. However, the Mi Pad 4 might claim its fame to be one of the first tablets in the world to sport an 18:9 display with narrow bezels all around. An 18:9 display could help Xiaomi reduce the footprint of the device. The display is however claimed to carry a pixel density of 320 DPI, which is pretty surprising for a tablet device. The leaked firmware files also reveal a 6000mAh battery keeping the tablet alive. Also, the rear camera will sport a 13MP sensor with f/2.0 aperture, which is claimed to be also capable of shooting portrait photos. The front camera will be a 5MP affair as usual. If the leaks turn out to be true, Xiaomi will be launching the Mi Pad 4 in the Chinese market pretty soon. However, Xiaomi has no presence in the tablet segment in India and it remains doubtful if they change their minds in the near future. (source) The timing of the migrants arrival could compromise a flurry of talks this week to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement. Migrants said they fled their homes in Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras because of death threats from local gangs, the murder of family members or political persecution. (Photo: AP) Tijuana, Mexico: Hundreds of Central American migrants from a caravan that crossed Mexico reunited in Tijuana on Wednesday and planned to cross the border together this weekend in defiance of threats by US President Donald Trump to repel them. The timing of the migrants arrival could compromise a flurry of talks this week to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which Trump has repeatedly threatened to scrap if Mexico does not crack down on the flow of Central Americans through its territory. Busloads of migrants began arriving on Tuesday at a shelter that was a five minute-walk from the border and within sight of a US flag waving under an overpass connecting the two countries. While many rested in tents after a month-long journey across Mexico, others wandered up to the border to contemplate the next stage in their journey. "The wall doesn't look that tall," said Kimberly George, a 15-year-old girl from Honduras as she looked toward a stunted barrier a few feet away. "I really want to cross it." Migrants said they fled their homes in Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras because of death threats from local gangs, the murder of family members or political persecution. Moving from town to town, the migrant caravan became a stumbling block for US-Mexico relations after Trump unleashed a series of tweets in early April, telling Mexican authorities to stop them. More busloads of migrants arrived during the course of the day, overflowing the first shelter. Local migrant aid groups said it was the biggest single group they had seen arrive together as they scrambled to find places in ten shelters. "Thanks to god we're here," said 34-year-old Aide Hernandez from Guatemala who had four children in tow. She said she planned to seek asylum in the United State. When asked why, she looked down, ashamed to detail a case of domestic abuse. Volunteers from US-based advocacy group Pueblos Sin Fronteras, which organized the caravan, addressed the migrants to discuss a plan to cross together the main pedestrian bridge into the United States on Sunday. Tensions flared after a Mexican immigration official suggested they go in smaller groups to the border station. Some 2,300 miles across the United States in Washington, DC, Mexican Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray met with US Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen to discuss Central American migration, the Mexican ministry said in a statement. Ministers from Mexico, Canada and United States also met in the US capital as they rushed to seal a quick deal on updating NAFTA. It was unclear if concerns about immigration could affect the talks. On Monday, Trump threatened to make immigration controls a condition in the NAFTA talks and demanded that Mexico stop people from crossing its territory to enter the United States. According to police, her husband, along with their 2 kids, managed to escape to India after allegedly killing and burying her in house. According to initial investigations, police suspect that the accused husband has two wives and before committing the crime, he sent one of them and his children with her to India. (Photo: ANI | Representational) Dubai: A decomposed body of a 36-year-old Indian woman was found buried in a room of her house in Maysaloon area of Sharjah, a media report said on Thursday, and police is suspecting that her husband may have killed her and escaped to India. According to police, her husband, a resident of Kerala, along with their two children, has managed to escape to India after allegedly killing and burying her in the house. He had also put up a 'For rent' sign on the door. The incident came to light on Wednesday after the woman's brother, who came from India searching for his sister, lodged a complaint with the police on April 9, after he could not find anyone at her house, a senior police official said. He came to Sharjah in search of his sister, with whom he used to talk everyday, after she did not respond to his several calls. "A missing person report was received from the woman's brother, who told police that he used to speak to his sister daily but one day, she stopped answering her phone," Commander-in-Chief of Sharjah Police, Major-General Saif Al Ziri Al Shamsi was quoted as saying by the Gulf News. Following the complaint, a police team went to the house after getting permission from the public prosecution. During a search, some ceramic tiles of the floor were found missing by the police, which suspecting some foul play, brought the sniffer dogs, which led them to the grave inside the house, the report said. When the team dug the area, the woman's decomposed body was recovered, which was identified by the woman's brother, and shifted to the forensic laboratory for an autopsy, police said. According to initial investigations, police suspect that the accused husband has two wives and before committing the crime, he sent one of them and his children with her to India. The suspect was identified through his fingerprints and iris scan and a warrant of arrest has been issued by the Interpol, the police said. Trump called the existing accord 'insane' and 'ridiculous', despite European pleas for him not to walk away. In Iran, Rouhani responded by ridiculing Trump, saying: 'You have no expertise in politics, nor in law, nor in international accords. A trader, a businessman, a high-rise builder, how can he judge about global issues?' (Photo: AP) Tehran, Iran: Iran's President Hassan Rouhani rejected any hopes of rewriting a nuclear deal with world powers Wednesday, after the leaders of the United States and France suggested a new pact covering Tehran's missile programme and regional interventions. "We have an agreement called the JCPOA," said Rouhani in a fiery speech, using the technical name for the 2015 deal that curbed Iran's nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief. "It will either last or not. If the JCPOA stays, it stays in full." He was responding to statements in Washington by French President Emmanuel Macron and his US counterpart Donald Trump, in which they proposed a new deal with tougher restrictions on Iran. Trump called the existing accord "insane" and "ridiculous", despite European pleas for him not to walk away, and demanded fresh curbs on Iran's ballistic missile programme and support for militant groups across the Middle East. Macron said a new agreement should include a settlement on Syria, where Iran backs President Bashar al-Assad. In Iran, Rouhani responded by ridiculing Trump, saying: "You have no expertise in politics, nor in law, nor in international accords. A trader, a businessman, a high-rise builder, how can he judge about global issues?" Iran has the support of all other parties to the accord, who say it is working and Tehran has stuck to its commitments. On Wednesday, EU diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini insisted the deal must be maintained. "On what can happen in the future we'll see in the future, but there is one deal existing, it's working, it needs to be preserved," the former Italian foreign minister said as she arrived for a donor conference on Syria in Brussels. Moscow also reiterated its support, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov telling reporters: "We believe that no alternative exists so far" and demanding that Iran be involved in any further discussions. Looming decision Macron, who has built a warm rapport with Trump, has positioned himself as an emissary for European officials seeking a compromise that allows the mercurial US president to claim a public victory, while keeping the deal intact. The Europeans appear to be hoping they can sell Trump on the idea of broader regional settlement with Iran that would complement, rather than replace, the existing nuclear deal. "The biggest priority is maintaining the existing nuclear accord. It was negotiated by seven countries and the EU and can't be renegotiated by one or other party," said German foreign spokesman Rainer Breul. "President Macron... spoke of the need for supplementary agreements. The question is whether, and in what circumstances, Iran would be ready to enter into such a process," he added. German Chancellor Angela Merkel is expected to press the European case again when she visits Washington on Friday. For now, Macron admitted he could still not read whether Trump would simply walk away from the existing deal when it comes up for renewal on May 12, as he has threatened. True to his background in reality TV, Trump has kept everyone guessing. "This is a deal with decayed foundations," he said. "We're going to see what happens on the 12th." Iran has warned it will ramp up enrichment if Trump scraps the accord, prompting a blunt warning from the US leader. "They're not going to be restarting anything. If they restart it, they're going to have big problems, bigger than they ever had before. And you can mark it down," Trump said. Oliver Stone 'shocked' The French president's pomp-filled, three-day visit was not welcomed by one long-time critic of US foreign policy, Oliver Stone, who happened to be in Tehran for a film festival on Wednesday. The director told AFP he was "particularly shocked" to see Macron standing alongside President Donald Trump, calling for a revision of the nuclear deal. "To see this young man, who doesn't have much of a sense of history or memory of the great traditions of France... was very depressing," Stone said. Hawkish American officials take the opposite view -- that the Europeans, particularly Germany, oppose a tougher stance against Iran to safeguard their business interests there. That is sharply rejected by European officials, who are increasingly frustrated at spending time handling Trump's complaints rather than focusing on the deepening crises of the Middle East. The disagreement threatens to plunge transatlantic relations to their lowest point since the Iraq War, despite the lavish welcome Trump put on for Macron's state visit. And meanwhile, Western countries have found themselves increasingly sidelined from issues such as the Syrian war -- underlined again on Wednesday when Iran, Russia and Turkey announced a new summit to discuss the conflict this Saturday in Moscow. by Shafique Khokhar Mgr Joseph Arshads proposal is meant to promote peace and harmony in the country. The National Justice and Peace Commission lists the most recent acts of anti-Christian violence. The countrys National Action Plan against terrorism must be changed. Lahore (AsiaNews) Mgr Joseph Arshad, archbishop of Islamabad-Rawalpindi and president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Pakistan, is behind the initiative to dedicate a day to prayer for the victims of religious intolerance and for peace and harmony in Pakistan. In a note issued by the National Commission for Justice and Peace (NCJP), which he chairs, the prelate calls on all Christians to gather in prayer next Sunday, 29 April. The reason for this event, says the note, "is the alarming increase in violent incidents of intolerance and extremism in our country". In the note itself, the NCJP lists the most recent cases. The latter include the suicide attack against the Bethel Memorial Methodist Church in Quetta; the inhumane treatment of Patras and Sajid Masih, two cousins accused of blasphemy in Lahore; the death of Suneel Masih in Lahore, beaten to death in a public hospital by doctors and nurses because he tried to defend his pregnant sister who was asking to see a gynecologist; anti-Christian attacks in Quetta over a two-week period; and the death of Asma Yaqoob, a Christian woman from Sialkot (Lahore) who was disfigured with acid by a Muslim suitor and died from her injuries on 22 April. For his part, Khalil Tahir Sindhu, Punjab Minister for Human Rights and Minorities, on Tuesday visited the family of the 25-year-old beautician. The Catholic politician announced a compensation offer of 500,000 rupees (US$ 4,300). "There is no more time to wait. The case will be brought before the Anti-Terrorism Court. My Ministry will pay for all the legal costs," Sindhu told AsiaNews. Meanwhile, Rizwan Gujjar, the Muslim man the victim had rejected, is locked up behind bars. In its statement, the NCJP also said that it was "very concerned about this new wave of attacks against minorities, attacked only because of their faith. This is not acceptable and the state must seriously change the National Action Plan to address the issue of extremism and terrorism." NCJP executive director Cecil Shane Chaudhry noted that the federal government recently issued Paigham-i-Pakistan, a fatwa against terrorism signed by 1,800 Muslim clerics. With it, political party leaders and imams call for unity and an unanimous narrative to counter terrorism. Now, "The government must set up an independent national minority rights commission to resolve the issue of minorities, said Fr Emmanuel Yousaf (Mani), NCJP national director. (Kamran Chaudhry contributed to this article) by Fady Noun The Vatican and the World Islamic League set up a working group on dialogue in the Saudi kingdom. Why cant something that was possible in past centuries, not be possible today?" the cardinal wonders. Opening places of worship to visitors is the type of spiritual hospitality that helps to promote mutual knowledge and friendship". Riyadh (AsiaNews) Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, visited Saudi Arabia (April 14-20), where he was received by King Salman. During his stay, the media described the visit as a "desire for rapprochement", as a "stage in the opening of the Saudi kingdom to other religions", as a "ripples of openness". However, Taurans own words were the most emblematic. For him, What is threatening all of us is not the clash of civilisations, but rather the clash of forms of ignorance and radicalism, words that describe in a nutshell all the religious tensions that afflict the world. The visit itself was the first by a high envoy of the Catholic Church to Saudi Arabia, cradle of Wahhabism, one of the most radical currents in Islam. During his stay, the prelate spoke about issues such as freedom of religion and equal rights for believers of all faiths. Even if he did not explicitly address the issue of allowing churches in the country or even letting Christians worship, the visit had, at least, the merit of "breaking a taboo" in this matter, this according to an observer, eventually paving the way for more open talk at a later stage. Strong symbolism The week-long visit was widely covered by Saudi media, and Cardinal Tauran, on his return to Rome, did not fail to salute its "extraordinary character". In addition to its heavy symbolic value, the visit ended with an agreement to set up a joint working group between the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue and the World Islamic League. This group will be chaired jointly by the head of the Council and the president of the Islamic League. It will hold a meeting, every two years, on a specific topic alternately in Rome and in a city chosen by the League. These meetings will be prepared by a coordination committee composed of two delegates from each party. This second body will meet annually. Cardinal Tauran and Sheikh Mohammad Abdel Karim al-Issa, Secretary General of the World Islamic League, signed the agreement. Al-Issa was received by Pope Francis in Rome on 21 September 2017. "What is threatening coexistence is first of all ignorance, noted the head of the Pontifical Council. In signing the accord, he said he hoped that it would advance a crucial cause, that of education. The cardinal praised the efforts of the Islamic League in favour of building bridges between religions. In its desire to open up interreligious dialogue, Saudi Arabia set up the King Abdullah Center for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue in Vienna (KAIICD) some ten years ago, in which the Vatican is an observer. Restoring the truth in school curricula "It will be necessary to choose the topic of the first meeting, something like education," Tauran told the Vatican News Agency, upon his return to Rome. It is necessary to restore the truth in school programmes, to make sure that one speaks well of Christians", he added. "I think all religions face two dangers, terrorism and ignorance. The future lies in education. I insisted a lot on that in my meetings. There is no other way," the French cardinal explained. "Non-Muslims are still second-class citizens, and it is on that's that we have to work a lot". On the chances of seeing such efforts succeed, Cardinal Tauran noted how, on the long run, Saudi Arabia is evolving towards greater openness to other religions. "What is needed, he said, is that everything we do, be concrete. Words, texts: We have hundreds of them. I think that the younger generation, which studied outside the kingdom, is not only ready, but also equipped for this kind of new relationship [. . .]. Why cant something that was possible in past centuries, not be possible today?" Spiritual hospitality As a sign of the times, the cardinal celebrated Mass in Riyadh on 15 April for Christian workers and members of the local Christian community, who usually have to worship in hiding. In his homily, he said he was convinced that "Christians and Muslims can live in peace with each other", adding that Muslims and Christians share the same virtues such as honesty, listening skills and the sense of hospitality". The cardinal also said that Christian holy places, whether "in the Holy Land, in Rome or in any place of the world, are always open to our Muslim brothers and sisters, to believers of other religions, as well as people of good will who profess no religion." Likewise, he noted that in many countries, mosques are open to visitors, and "this is the type of spiritual hospitality that helps to promote mutual knowledge and friendship and overcome prejudices." by Card. Andrea Yeom Soo-jung The archbishop of Seoul and apostolic administrator of Pyongyang celebrated a Mass for Reconciliation, praying for a successful outcome of the inter-Korean summit tomorrow. The commitment of the Korean Church and of Pope Francis. The protection of the Immaculate, Patron of the diocese. Seoul (AsiaNews) In anticipation of the inter-Korean Summit, which will see the historic meeting between Kim Jong-un and Moon Jae-in, Card. Andrea Yeom, Archbishop of Seoul and Apostolic Administrator of Pyongyang stresses the tenacity of Christians in wanting the unity of the Korean people and the reconciliation of the peninsula. It is an example, in addition to the charitable work of the Southern Church towards the people of the North, the commitment to prayer, with a Mass of Reconciliation that for 23 years is celebrated every week in the Cathedral of the Immaculate in Seoul. Two days ago, Card. Yeom presided over the 1163th celebration, in the presence of Msgr. Marco Sprizzi, in charge daffairs of the nunciature, the 3 auxiliary bishops, Msgr. Benedetto Son, Timoteo Yu, and Job Koo, and Fr. Achille Chung, head of the National Reconciliation Committee of the archdiocese. Here we publish the full text of the cardinal's homily. Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, This evening we are celebrating the Holy Mass for the reconciliation of our people divided between the South and the North. The faithful of our Diocese have never failed to gather together at this Cathedral of Myeong-dong to celebrate this Holy Mass regularly at 7 oclock every Tuesday evening over the past 23 years. Especially in recent years we used to celebrate this Holy Mass also with the additional intention to keep in our heart and pray for those 57 parishes which had been active in the North before the country was divided. In our Gospel reading today Jesus declares: The Father and I are one. (Jn 10:30) These words make us clearly aware of the reason why we have celebrated so ardently the Holy Mass for the national reconciliation. It intends to carry out the mission of the Church to work so that all of us may be one (Cf. Jn 17:21), just as the Father and the Son, our Lord, are one, that is to say, the mission of the Church to realize the reconciliation and unity of our people and their reconciliation and union with God (Cf. Lumen Gentium 1), just as the Father and the Son are one. This becomes clearer in the light of the Lords words pronounced at the Holy Mass of yesterday: A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy; I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly. (Jn 10:10) Yes, indeed, my dear Brothers and Sisters, the purpose to celebrate the Holy Mass for the national reconciliation is thus none other than to accomplish with ardent zeal the mission we have inherited from the Lord as His faithful disciples to work hard so that each and every one of our people in the Korean Peninsula might have life and have it abundantly. In observing the wind of peace blowing recently upon the Korean Peninsula, I, Archbishop of Seoul and Apostolic Administrator of Pyong-yang, cannot but express deep gratitude to God for such Providence that has made it possible, while reflecting upon the fact that God always remembers the fervent petitions we have offered Him though the Holy Masses, Rosaries and other prayers. Particularly in view of the recent fact that dark clouds of tension and unrest are hanging over the Korean Peninsula even with the risk of war due to the threat of nuclear arms, I believe that the South-North summit to be held in three days is a very precious opportunity of grace which God provides our people who are yearning so deeply for the true peace. I believe it is also owed 0to the intercession of Holy Mary who takes care of our people with a particular love. I sincerely thank her. And I sincerely thank the recent Popes for having urged the Authorities responsible for building peace in the Korean Peninsula to properly solve the current issues through dialogue, asking all people of good will in the world to pray for this intention, whenever the occasion arose. In particular, Pope Francis said during the homily of the Holy Mass for peace and reconciliation he presided over at this Cathedral of Myeong-dong to conclude his visit to Korea in 2014: Let us pray, then, for the emergence of new opportunities for dialogue, encounter and the resolution of differences, for continued generosity in providing humanitarian assistance to those in need, and for an ever greater recognition that all Koreans are brothers and sisters, members of one family, one people. They speak the same language. (18 August 2014) These were indeed prophetic words which still resound in my heart. At the beginning of this year, too, on the occasion of the exchange of new year greetings with ambassadors accredited to the Holy See, Pope Francis emphasized: It is of paramount importance to support every effort at dialogue on the Korean peninsula, in order to find new ways of overcoming the current disputes. (8 January 2018) I heartily thank our Holy Father. Now, the forthcoming South-North summit to be held in three days must be a historic opportunity on which the fate of our nation is at stake. The Authorities should focus on nothing else than coming to an agreement to promote together the common good of our people and on putting it into practice, disregarding their own political and party interests. They should above all bear in mind that peace, so desired by the entire people, is not merely the absence of war; nor can it be reduced solely to the maintenance of a balance of power between enemies. (Gaudium et Spes, 78) Therefore, peace in the Korean Peninsula cannot be maintained by the nuclear armament at all. It can only be realized by assuring that all people live a life truly worthy of a human being, trusting one another, on the basis of love and justice. Through this South-North summit, to be held as the third of its kind since the nation was divided 73 years ago, directly responsible Authorities must act with wisdom and discernment to plant the roots of true peace deeply in the Korean Peninsula. This amounts to building relationships of trust for our nation within the international community. (Cf. Pope Francis, Urbi et Orbi Message, Easter, 1 April 2018) and promoting the peace in Asia and in the world. Undoubtedly we do not expect that this will be realized in a day. It is necessary to keep the dialogue going with patience. I sincerely thank all those authorities who have made painstaking efforts to realize this historic meeting and dialogue of the top leaders of the South and the North. In addition, I wish that God may bless and guide all those who will be engaged in eliminating nuclear weapons and establishing true peace in this land, thereby promoting the peace in the world. In this undertaking, before anyone else, we, Christians, each and every one of us, should be an instrument of peace, which brings love, where there is hatred; pardon, where there is offense; union, where there is discord; truth, where there is error; faith, where there is doubt; hope, where there is despair; light, where there is darkness; joy, where there is sadness. (St. Francis, Prayer of Peace) Peace is above anything else a gift of God. Let us assure our Lord that we first will be the peacemakers(Matt 5:9) and together implore God through this Holy Mass so that this South-North summit may bring forth real and permanent fruits for true peace and authentic development of our people. And let us entrust such desire we have long cherished in our hearts to Holy Mary Immaculate, Patron of our Diocese, Mother of God, Mother of the Church, our benevolent Mother who loves our people. As Pope Francis said last January at the Basilica di Saint Mary Major: How often our heart is a stormy sea, where the waves of our problems pile up and the winds of our troubles do not stop blowing! Mary is our secure ark in the midst of the flood. It will not be ideas or technology that will give us comfort and hope, but our Mothers face, her hands that caress our life, her mantle that gives us shelter. Let us learn how to find refuge, going each day to our Mother. (Homily, Mass at Basilica of Saint Mary Major, Rome, 28 Jan. 2018) Beneath your protection, we seek refuge, O Holy Mother of God; do not despise our petitions in our necessities, but deliver us always from all dangers, O Glorious and Blessed Virgin. PRAYER TO OUR LADY FOR PEACE Holy Mary Immaculate, Patroness of our Diocese, thank you for always guiding us on the path of evangelization. You who are a beacon of hope and consolation for our people divided between the South and the North, look upon your children who suffer injustice and oppression. Grant us through your Son, Jesus Christ, wisdom and fortitude so that, as His faithful disciples, we can be tireless builders of reconciliation, unity and peace. Amen. Mary Queen of Peace, pray for us. Mary Queen of Peace, pray for peace on the Korean Peninsula "After the fear" young Christians, Yazidi and Sabei are returning "to crowd" the classrooms of the citys university. Many travel tens of kilometers to attend the lessons. Fr. Paul: economic problems remain, but people want to "go out, live". Emirates donate 50 million for the reconstruction of the great mosque of al-Nuri. Mosul (AsiaNews) - In Mosul and on the Nineveh Plain "life is slowly returning to normal". Young university students, Christians and not "every day make the journey" that separates them from their lodgings in the towns of the plain to the university, in the east of the metropolis of northern Iraq to follow courses and lessons. This is what Fr. Paul Thabit Mekko tells AsiaNews, describing the "slow but joyful" work of rebirth of Mosul and the Nineveh Plain , less than a year after the former stronghold and capital of the Islamic State (IS, ex Isis) was retaken. "Even the economic and commercial activities - he adds - even though they are going through a thousand hardships and difficulties, are starting up again". After years of violence and terror perpetrated by the Daesh militias [Arabic acronym for IS], today "in the eastern sector of Mosul life is normal" and it is also "much easier to move within the western districts". "Even in the Nineveh Plain - continues Fr. Paul - we have returned to live the Easter holidays as in the past. Crowded churches, packed processions. In Karamles we used a large hall for mass, because the church is not ready yet ". From university halls to factories, from commercial activities to small businesses, the rebirth of the north of the country passes through the revival of "school and work". "Years of violence, war, terror - says the priest - have created a huge gap. Some of the people are back, but they are not as before, the activities are slow and need a qualitative leap. Of course - he observes - the Iraqi economy in general is experiencing difficulties, but here the problems are greater". The poor rainfall in recent months has thwarted a large part of the harvest and the farmers do not hide their concerns. "Much of the harvest Fr. Paul confirms is gone" and this too "has a reflection on the economic situation. Factories for building materials are still too few and the funds are insufficient, many construction sites are at a standstill. For a true revival of Mosul and the Nineveh Plain it is essential that all those who have fled in the past return. Rebirth can and must be founded on people ". With a view to reconstruction, today the United Arab Emirates (Eau) announced the allocation of 50 million dollars to contribute to the reconstruction of the great mosque of al-Nuri, destroyed by the men of the Caliphate. This is where Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi delivered his famous speech and whichthe jihadists ravaged three years later, at the height of the Iraqi army offensive. What remains today of the structure are the base of the minaret and the dome with some columns. Meanwhile, the University of Mosul has resumed activities, welcoming Christian, Yazidi and Sabean students. After the bombs, the proclamations of the jihad and the repeated violations of human rights, today books, computers and students eager to build a future and participate actively in the revival of the country have returned. Each according to their own cultural, ethnic and religious tradition, to revive "that unique mosaic represented by Iraq" as defined by the Chaldean Patriarch Mar Louis Raphael Sako. Today there are at least 3 thousand young students from the religious minorities attending the University of Mosul, where signs of damage are still visible. Of course, less than there were before the rise of the jihadist militiamen but still a first step towards a return to normality. "The university has fully resumed activities - confirms the Chaldean priest - and the students, including Christians, hosted by the Archdiocese of Kirkuk in recent years, have returned to class". Some of make the 90-kilometer-long journey from Kurdistan to Mosul every day, while others are housed in dormitories and centers set up by the Church in the small towns of Nineveh, including Qaraqosh and Karamles. Fr. Paul recalls: "At the beginning the students were afraid of going back to university, they were worried about their safety. We encouraged them and after coming back they experienced new happiness. Now the name of Mosul is no longer a source of terror, they feel like university students from all over the world, busy studying to build a future. And even if the structure is not yet completely adequate, the desire to be reborn is evident and even the danger of attacks seems to be a thing of the past ". "People - he concludes - want to go out, live, attend cultural activities ... they want to leave Daesh in the past". (DS) France and the United States propose a new version of the agreement with more restrictive terms. Rouhani attacks Trump: a "merchant" without any experience in international treaties. And he assures: Iran does not want atomics. EU and Kremlin: the agreement "works and must be preserved". UN Secretary-General: Strengthening "non-proliferation" policies. Teheran (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron "have no right" to question the legitimacy of the nuclear agreement and to renegotiate the terms unilaterally says Iranian leader Hassan Rouhani. He was responding to the statements that emerged at the end of the recent summit between the presidents of the United States and France in Washington. The Iranian leader called the White House tenant as a "tradesman" not qualified to comment on global treaties. "You don't have any background in politics," he said. "You don't have any background in law. You don't have any background on international treaties." Rouhani's reaction is due to the fact that the White House would like to reintroduce new sanctions against Iran, and cancel the Iranian nuclear agreement (the JCPO) of 2015. After the meeting between them, US President Trump and French Macron have proposed a new version with more restrictive terms to Tehran, disavowing EU leaders call to save it. According to Macron, a new pact must revolve around four pivotal points: to block every atomic activity of Iran until 2025; make sure that there are no "long-term" activities; stop the development of ballistic missiles; find a "political solution" aimed at the "containment" of Iran in the Middle East. Rouhani's reply was not long in coming, and focused, first of all, on Tehran's commitment to defense and respect for the JCPO, which was certified on several occasions by international nuclear experts. "We have demonstrated to the world - added the Iranian president - our goodwill. We want to prove to everyone that Iran does not seek to equip itself with weapons of mass destruction ", erasing years of lies of Israel and the United States. Finally, he defined as "empty" the threats launched by Trump who intends to punish Iran in case of resumption of the nuclear program. "We will be taking very important steps regarding our nuclear technology," he added. "Our activities will be very different than the past, but will be peaceful". After years of embargo, Western economic sanctions against Iran were eased in 2015 in exchange for a deal over the countrys controversial nuclear programme, a move that was largely welcomed by the international community. However, the United States and critics of the deal, especially Israel have continued to back sanctions against Iran over its ballistic missile programme and its support for armed Shia movements in places like Yemen and Syria. On 12 January, US President Donald Trump extended the suspension of a series of sanctions against Iran for another 120 days but stressed that it would be "the last time". Any decision to reimpose sanctions would effectively kill the JCPOA. Tehran has in fact repeatedly said that it does not intend to accept additional obligations with respect to those already signed. European Union Foreign Policy chief Federica Mogherini has opposed Trump and Macrons stance, saying the goal is "to preserve the nuclear deal with Iran. We want to see the full compliance by all to all commitments included in the deal. At the same time, the EU will continue to closely monitor Irans behaviour, and plans to maintain sanctions already in place. Its "full implementation" is "essential" for the security of the Union. Mgr Joseph Vuthilert Haelom is the bishop. The new diocese created by the division of Chiang Mai covers an area of 37,839 km in northwestern Thailand. It is home to about 18,000 Catholics, almost all from tribal groups. Fr Maurizio Arioldi, superior PIME delegate in Thailand and Myanmar, shares the joy of the Institute and of the local Church. Bangkok (AsiaNews) Pope Francis has erected the new diocese of Chiang Rai, by dividing the existing diocese of Chiang Mai, making it suffragan to the metropolitan see of Bangkok. The Holy See made the announcement yesterday, noting that the pontiff appointed Mgr Joseph Vuthilert Haelom (pictured), hitherto vicar general of the archdiocese of the capital, as the first bishop of Chiang Rai. The newly-established diocese covers 37,839 km in northwestern Thailand, including four provinces (Chiang Rai, Nan, Phayao, Phrae), as well as Ngao district, Lampang province. The episcopal see is in Chiang Rai, whose parish church The Nativity of Our Lady becomes the cathedral of the new territory. About 18,000 Catholics live in the new diocese, almost all members of tribal groups, out of a population of more than 2.6 million people, divided into 16 parishes with six diocesan priests, 41 religious and missionaries, plus 51 nuns. Chiang Rai has only one major seminarian, plus 113 catechists and six Catholic schools. Mgr Joseph Vuthilert Haelom was born on 17 December 1951 in Lamsai, in the central province of Pathumthani (diocese of Bangkok). Following his studies at the minor diocesan seminary in the capital, he completed his philosophical and theological studies at the Lux Mundi National Seminary in Sampran before his ordination as a priest on 3 August 1980. He was incardinated in the archdiocese of Bangkok. After a stint as parochial vicar at the Assumption Cathedral in Bangkok for a year, he served as pastor in two churches between 1981 and 1989: St Teresa in Nongjok and Our Lady of Fatima in Bangkok. In the latter, he was the head master at St Joseph Upatham School and was deputy rector of the St Joseph minor seminary. From 1995 to 2000, he was director of the Diocesan Commission for Social Works and pastor at the Holy Rosary Church, after which he returned to Sampran to act as rector of the pastoral centre until 2004. Between 2004 and 2012, the prelate was parish priest at Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral in Chiang Mai, where he became vicar general in 2005, a position he also held in Bangkok starting in 2012 until his appointment as bishop of Chiang Rai. Fr Maurizio Arioldi, superior delegate of the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions (PIME) in Thailand and Myanmar, spoke to AsiaNews about the joy felt by the institute and the local Church for the creation of the new diocese Chiang Rai and the appointment of Mgr Joseph Vuthilert Haelom as its bishop. "He is someone we know. For many years, he was the vicar of the bishop of Chiang Mai, Mgr Francis Xavier Vira Arpondratana, who knows well the reality of local tribal populations. We are happy, because his appointment is a sign of continuity. Mgr Joseph Vuthilert Haelom is someone who keeps issues within boundaries. It is a pleasure to work with him." "I think that the creation of this new diocese can give a new impetus to evangelisation in the country, Fr Arioldi noted. The diocese of Chiang Mai, before the division, was too big to cover. "This has led to greater development around Chiang Mai, where most people are ethnic Karen, whilst in Chiang Rai, where other tribal groups live, people find it harder to accept the Gospel and evangelisation is a bit slow. "For this reason, the idea of dividing the area will make it possible to better follow people and give impetus to the work of the Church. Chang Rai is a diocese that borders Laos and Myanmar and is full of challenges for the future." The two leaders will meet tomorrow at 9:30 local time. The negotiation together with some protagonists of the detente. A "pine tree" as a sign of peace and prosperity using the earth and water of the two Koreas. In South Korea, flags depicting Korea are flown. Seoul (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Tomorrow, at 9:30 Seoul time, the two leaders Kim Jong-un and Moon Jae-in will meet on the border between the two Koreas, in the village of Panmunjom. It is the third inter-Korean summit since the 1950-53 Korean War, and the first in more than a decade and since Kim Jong-un took control of the country in 2011. After the handshake televised live, Kim and Moon will sit at the oval table of the "Peace House", flanked by their entourage. Among the faces present, some are known to the diplomatic ferment of recent months: the South Korean president will be accompanied by the two officials received by Kim in Pyongyang, while alongside the young North Korean leader will also be present Kim Yong-nam, president of the Supreme Assembly of the people, and Kim's younger sister, Kim Yo-jong: the two had led the Norths delegation at the opening of the PyeongChang Olympics. The denuclearization of the peninsula will be at the center of the dialogue and a necessary step to end the armistice in favor of "permanent peace" and the improvement of inter-Korean relations. Following the negotiations, the two leaders will have lunch on their own and will plant a pine tree as a sign of "peace and prosperity", using the land and water of both Koreas: from Mount Paektu on the northern border with China, and from the southern island of Jeju. It is possible that a "Panmunjom agreement" will be signed tomorrow and that Moon and Kim will issue a joint declaration. Regarding denuclearization, and Kim Jong-un's recent promise to stop all nuclear and missile tests, a clarification is needed that could explain the North Korean leader's change of course. According to the recent discovery by some Chinese scientists, the underground Punggye-ri nuclear test site, located below the Mantap mountain, has partially collapsed and is therefore unusable. The collapse is due to earthquakes caused by the tests. The University of Science and Technology of China, author of one of the two studies, states on its site that it is "necessary to continue monitoring possible losses of radioactive material due to collapse". Meanwhile, while the whole world is watching the village in the demilitarized area, in South Korea more and more "United Korea" flags are waving, already seen at the Olympics opening ceremony carried by Korean athletes, marching side by side . Throughout the country, local governments and civic groups raise the blue-white flags as a sign of hope for the success of the summit. In the city of Daejon, 615 buses have been driving the streets for two days, bearing the words: "South Korea and the North on their way to reunification hand in hand! Let's move on towards peace and prosperity! " The gathering of "reflection and prayer" set for July 7th. The leaders of the Christian Churches of the East will be present. Concern for the "dramatic situation in the Middle East that afflicts so many brothers and sisters in the faith". A phone call with the patriarch of Moscow Kirill. Vatican City (AsiaNews) - On July 7, Pope Francis will go to Bari for "a day of reflection and prayer on the dramatic situation in the Middle East that afflicts so many brothers and sisters in the faith", reports Vatican Press Office reports in a statement released yesterday afternoon. The communique specifies that "at this ecumenical meeting for peace he intends to invite the Heads of Churches and Christian communities of that region". The choice of Bari is significant, and in the Vatican statement the city is called a "window on the East". Bari is in fact the place where the remains of the bishop Saint Nicholas are venerated, much loved also in the Christian East and in particular in Russia. It is not yet clear who and how many patriarchs and bishops of the region will be able to participate. The situation in the Middle East, from Syria to Yemen, from Lebanon to Iran, to the Holy Land, continues to deteriorate, creating victims, refugees and every day misery affecting populations and Christian communities. On April 15, after the US, French and British bombardment against Syria, at the Regina Caeli, Francis said he was "deeply disturbed" by the lack of "common action in favor of peace in Syria" and denounced the "Difficulty in agreeing joint action" on the part of "the international community", despite having "tools available". The day before he had spoken on the phone with the Moscow Orthodox patriarch Kirill and other Middle Eastern patriarchs. Kirill explained to journalists: We took this initiative, knowing that Christians cannot remain indifferent to what is happening in Syria ... It was a very meaningful dialogue in favour of peace. We shared our common concern about the situation in Syria, and we talked about how Christians should influence this situation, to stop violence, war and so many tragic victims, such as we have seen in these days". In yesterday's statement it is stated that "from now on Pope Francis exhorts us to prepare for this event with prayer". On February 23rd, Pope Francis had already proposed a day of prayer and fasting for peace in Syria, South Sudan and Congo. Also in 2013 he launched a prayer vigil for Syria. I received an email from the immigration last week asking for my AFP Police Check and Medical Check I applied for a police check right away and just received the document today. However, it's missing my middle name. I have two given names, then my mothers maiden name (middle name), and my surname I remember that when I filled out the request form online, they asked for given name and other given name. Will this be a problem? Also, should I send a certified copy or just a coloured copy or the original? I am so confused right now and a little bit frustrated coz I just paid for my medical appointment and guuurrrrl it's not cheap so I really dont want to have to pay another 50 bucks for my police check. Photo: istockphoto.com/NicoElNino Corporate sustainability initiatives continue to be a strong trend at many companies, but this desire is tempered by the limited product availability of low- or no-emission vehicles that are capable of fulfilling a wide cross-section of fleet applications. Automotive Fleet surveyed a wide cross-section of fleet managers and suppliers on the topic of fleet sustainability and here are some of the challenges and opportunities they cited. The internal combustion engine has historically been the most cost-effective engine, and with low fuel prices the total cost of ownership model is very strong, said Tim Cengel, manager, manufacturer relations for Wheels. Manufacturer incentives are also stronger on gasoline and diesel models in comparison to electric or hybrid. Much of this is due to a lack of demand for hybrid and electric vehicles causing the OEMs to produce limited quantities. At a Glance There are six key factors that are driving fleet sustainability programs: Stakeholder pressure. Corporate social responsibility. Difficulty in developing a long-term fleet acquisition strategy. Limited green alternatives with medium- and heavy-duty trucks. Limited charging infrastructure keeps range anxiety a concern. Taking sustainability beyond the vehicle that incorporates fleet facilities. What is catching the attention of many has been the onslaught of future product announcements from OEMs on increased hybrids and battery-electric vehicles (BEV), with several OEMs stating that every model in their product lineup will have either a hybrid or BEV counterpart. In addition, a growing number of multinational companies have committed to become carbon neutral or go all electric in the next five to 10 years. Many U.S. fleets are being asked by their European-headquartered parent company to conform to corporate sustainability targets. One example is the EV100 initiative, which is a global business initiative designed to fast-track the uptake of electric vehicles and infrastructure. One fleet manager whose corporation has made a commitment to increase the number of EVs in fleet operation is struggling to meet corporate targets. It is a challenge to find an affordable means of introducing more electric and hybrid vehicles types into current fleet profile, said the fleet manager who wished to remain anonymous. One difficulty with a global sustainability program is to align governmental mandates with OEM product availability. There is a big lack of coordination between what a government makes mandatory and what manufacturers can actually produce, said Ralf Wessel, manager global security, global fleet and corporate facilities at AGCO Corp. Many countries seem to go their own way. Recent announcements by different automakers about future product plans indicate that there will be a wide availability of alternative-fuel powertrain options. Manufacturers are moving their businesses to more ecological and more electric solutions so fleet managers (and their companies) will soon no longer be able to use the manufacturers lack of product as a rationale for fossil fuel vehicles anymore; and costs will climb. Product will be there and fleet will need to understand how to choose the right solution, said Michael Bieger, global director of fleet for ADP. Implementation of alt-fuel vehicles in nationally dispersed fleets will be challenging due to regional variances. If you get past the budget concerns, policy issues surface particularly if you are considering implementation of EVs, said Sheri Hardesty, global fleet fleet leader at Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL).We are entering uncharted territory. How do you charge employees for their personal consumption of electricity in their EV or reimburse them for charging at home or elsewhere? If your company is really progressive and implements workplace charging stations how do you allocate or align their usage? A sustainability program requires in-depth planning to meet the companys long-term goals. As more efficient fleet vehicles are moving from the far to the near picture, are companies analyzing key variables, such as cost, productivity, and reputation, to make the best decision/strategy regarding sustainability? asks Joe Stergios, strategy and business development manager for Enterprise Fleet Management. And, to help them make those assessments, do their fleet management partners offer fleet emission reports and potential projections based on fleet models? The No. 1 stumbling block for fleets is uncertainty as to which alternative fuels will prevail and which will fade away. The challenge is determining the best road to sustainability. This is a broad category, and encompasses a number of challenges for fleet managers. It goes beyond just making the right choices from a fleet perspective, but more than many other issues, challenges fleet managers to respond to executive inquiries, stay on top of latest technology, and separating the want to have, from the reasonable alternatives, said Matt Betz, vice president of fleet channels for SambaSafety. This concern was echoed by one fleet manager of a Fortune 50 company, who wished to remain anonymous. We are not implementing long-term sustainability solutions because we need to allow for change in electrification and autonomous vehicle technology. There are financial risks to be ahead of the curve. Stakeholder Pressure Many companies, especially those that are publicly held, are experiencing pressure from stakeholders to reduce CO2 emission and increase fuel economy standards for the company vehicles they operate. For those customers looking to reduce CO2 and increase fuel economy, moving to a hybrid vehicle may make sense, said Cengel of Wheels. We also have customers who are receiving pressure from stakeholders to begin offering all-electric vehicles in their fleets. All-electric vehicles bring additional cost and challenges with charging and infrastructure. Drivers that bring their vehicles home may also need expensive charging stations installed in their homes. Limited Green Alternatives with Medium- and Heavy-Duty Trucks Many fleets operate a mix of light, medium-, and heavy-duty vehicles. The fleet as a whole is judged on its sustainability, but many products do not offer a green alternative. One challenge has been getting the OEMs to provide green vehicles in medium/heavy duty range, said Jim Bigelow, director, enterprise fleet for Cox Enterprises. It is a challenge in getting them to understand that this lack of product availability is hindering us from meeting our green goals. Corporate Social Responsibility Fleet plays an important role in maintaining good corporate citizenship. Clearly aligning a fleet policy with the corporate sustainability strategy is a requirement. Governmental regulations, employee and client perceptions of a companys attitude toward the environment are driving fleets to move quicker than the budgets or fleet policies are prepared for. Fleets must consider more eco-friendly vehicles when procuring new vehicles and incorporate reduced emissions and fuel consumption into the overall fleet strategy, but this requires alignment with policy and budget owners who may be less interested in sustainability, said Hardesty of JLL. If your company provides workplace charging to attract and retain progressive employees or to enhance a companys image or gain points toward LEED certification, the facilities team may be responsible for the installation of the stations, but ultimately the fleet manager will need to deal with challenges of utilization. Sustainability Beyond the Vehicle Fleets that operated in-house maintenance facilities are incorporating them into their corporate sustainability programs. One example is Cox Enterprises. We are greening all of our shops, said Bigelow. This includes all aspects of our fleet from cradle to grave. For example, we are working with OEMs and upfitters to manufacture/build a greener vehicle/upfit, which includes all components of the assembly. Long-Term Impact of Electric Vehicles Companies need to be prepared to look at the long-term benefits of electric vehicles instead of the upfront cost of the lease. EVs may cost more initially, but can turn out to be very beneficial to them and the environment in the long term. Only time will tell exactly how the EV landscape changes the industry, but companies need to be prepared for it regardless, said Carolyn Edwards, SVP, client success for LeasePlan USA. Difficulty in Developing a Long-Term Fleet Acquisition Strategy Clean air regulations and programs like the ZEV mandate that has migrated from California to nine other states are making it very difficult to build a long-term strategy for fleet acquisition. Not knowing for certain which states are going to require which propulsion systems or when they are going to require them is a real challenge, particularly for long-life vehicles, said Dave Meisel, executive VP - operations for Quanta Services. Many fleet managers cite uncertainty as to what is the best path to take and reluctance to making the wrong decision. For example, what power choices (gasoline, diesel, propane, or CNG) do I spec for my fleet given the fact that when it is time to take the vehicle out of operation some or all those power choices may be out of favor and will be like trying to sell a horse and buggy, said Ed Burke, general manager at VIP Truck Center in Livonia, Mich. All fleet managers say that alternative-fuel vehicle selection is very difficult, even as more alternative-fuel vehicles are offered every year. The reason for the difficulty is that the entry price points are still higher than the gasoline comparable model. The company wants fleet to demonstrate a favorable ROI of alternative-fuel vehicles, when comparing them to their gasoline comparable. This is very difficult to do with the premium entry-level price charged for alternative-fuel vehicle, which creates a price gap between the two, said another fleet manager who wished to be unnamed. Limited Charging Infrastructure Keeps Range Anxiety Alive The fueling infrastructure for electric, natural gas and hydrogen based propulsion systems are not expanding at the pace of the current vehicle sales, even though some states are mandating these new fuel types. Its just a matter of time before this becomes a big problem, said Meisel of Quanta Services. This concern was echoed by another fleet manager. Electric vehicles are becoming more common but the infrastructure and range anxiety make it difficult for fleets, said one fleet manager who wished to be anonymous. Photo: Merchants Fleet Management The Women in Fleet Profile series introduces fleet managers to some of the most influential women in fleet. Every month, we will get to know another positive force in fleet. This month, we spoke with Diana Holland, director of sales, northeast for Merchants Fleet Management. Getting into Fleet Holland has worked for Merchants for the past 20 years. She is currently responsible for a team of sales representatives in the northeast and key vertical markets in the fleet management space. Ive held numerous roles within fleet during my tenure. I started in entry-level administration and customer support roles. I then advanced to management in marketing and sales administration and subsequently to leadership roles in product development and sales, Holland explained. Hollands attraction to fleet can be attributed to a program that she participated in during her younger years. I interned at several organizations through Women in Technology designed to encourage young women to explore careers in engineering and technology fields. Through the program, I had the good fortune of participating in a roundtable discussion with President Clinton, where I vowed to become a strong, successful woman in a male-dominated field. Through my college years, I found that my core skills were better aligned with marketing and sales rather than engineering, so I pursued my education in that field, but sought out an industry that would allow me to stay closely connected with technology. Fleet was a natural fit, Holland said. Holland takes great pride in her contributions to Merchants, which helped transform the company from a regional lessor to a nationally recognized fleet management company. A good part of my career was spent listening to customers responsible for fleet, what works well for them and what doesnt. I took that feedback and launched the product offerings we have today. Standing those products up allowed me to contribute to our clients needs by improving some of the traditional offerings in the fleet management space, she said. Hollands work also introduced her to many industry partnerships, which served as a launch pad to participate in industry functions including NAFA local chapters, Automotive Fleet & Leasing Association (AFLA), the Women in Fleet Management (WIFM) task force, and more. Holland stays motivated to succeed through competition and being a role model. A core value of mine is to make it count in whatever it is that I commit to. Drive plays a huge role in what gets me moving in the morning. And, lots of coffee. Competition is also a great motivator. Im not afraid to roll up my sleeves and work hard. I dont want to just fill a need in fleet, I want to revolutionize the way we optimize the use of vehicle assets. I believe it is important to be a role model for the generation entering the workforce today. The best way to accomplish that is to lead by example, she said. Holland advises others in the fleet industry to look for a mentor; maybe even more than one. Your mentor can be someone you admire and aspire to be like or neither of those things. A mentor needs to be someone you are comfortable hearing uncomfortable things about yourself from. Rely on them for help with the things that challenge you the most and that keep you up at night, Holland advised. Get to Know Me Experience is only part of our story and what someone likes to read, watch, and listen to can help paint a fuller picture of their personality. Here are some of Hollands favorites: Faye Francy (left) of Auto-ISAC and Andrea Amico of Jack Cooper Logistics during the IARA townhall discussion on data privacy and cyber security threats to the remarketing industry. Photo by Andy Lundin. Tomorrows remarketers will face issues surrounding vehicle technology that past remarketers never would have dreamed of. A car knowing where you live, where you work, where your kids go to school, and where you like to have breakfast on the weekends would have been seen as a farfetched concept in the early days of the automotive industry. But, its a reality that were already living in. As technology continues to progress, the scope of personal data stored within a vehicle will only grow, and measures will have to be put in place to keep unscrupulous hands away from it. Thats part the Automotive Information Sharing and Analysis Centers (Auto-ISAC) mission statement. Auto-ISAC recently partnered with the International Automotive Remarketing Alliance (IARA) for support in this goal. At this years Conference of Automotive Remarketing (CAR), the IARA hosted Auto-ISACs executive director, Faye Francy along with Andrea Amico, president of Jack Cooper Logistics and chair of IARAs privacy and cybersecurity initiative, for a discussion about threats to data privacy and cyber security in the remarketing industry. I know where people live; I know where people take their kids to school. I know their pharmacy and where their office is, said Amico, discussing the type of information he acquired by looking at vehicles at various lots. This is the type of information that vehicles currently have on their drivers, he shared. The dangerous part of this is the fact that many people dont realize just how much data a car may have on them. In fact, the IARA conducted a study last year in collaboration with various auctions in the U.S. and Canada that looked at 400 cars, covering 12 manufacturers and 32 makes. In this study,the organization found that more than half of the vehicles had personal information in them. Its through this transitional period in vehicle technology, where people are still learning the extent of data that a vehicle collects, that the industry needs to find ways to safeguard personal information so cars being sent to auction arent full of personal data, Amico noted. Finding Ways to Bolster Data Privacy Amico noted a few steps that vehicle manufacturers could take to aid in this transitional period. One step that manufacturers could take would be a rework of the current vehicle dashboard, in order to simplify the process of clearing a vehicles personal data. A typical dashboard inside a vehicle today has anywhere between 30-60 buttons, he noted. One solution brought forth to aid data privacy was the implementation of profiles within vehicle dashboards. In order for a user to log into the vehicle, they would need to enter a PIN. DFA is in reference to Dual Factor Authentication This means that if an individual wants to attempt to clear the data on his or her vehicle, he or she would need to maneuver through all of these buttons to find the way to clear his or her data. The goal of a dashboards design should be to make it simple for a person to accomplish a task, not the opposite, he added. He said the design that manufacturers should mimic the design philosophy of an iPhone. It only has four buttons, so its simple to operate, and one of those buttons primary function is to lock the device, a function that has been missing in vehicles. If OEMs simplified their vehicle dashboards and incorporated more functions to secure the vehicle, the hurdle of clearing personal data on a vehicle would become that much easier to overcome for consumers. Privacy-by-design should be built into future cars, but the industry doesnt have to wait for the car of the future to start tackling this issue. Thats why IARA started the Privacy and Cybersecurity group, Amico noted. I dont think anybody in this room should ever be worried about having to delete information, Amico shared to a room of remarketing professionals at CAR. Amico noted that Francy has been able to get him in touch with some of the people designing vehicle dashboards at various OEMS. Another step that manufacturers could take to safeguard vehicle data would be instituting dual factor authentication, Amico added. By implementing dual factor authentication, a person would be required to enter a PIN in order to essentially log in to their vehicle. If an unauthorized user failed to enter the correct PIN multiple times, the system would lock and personal data could be reset. In order to accommodate vehicles with multiple drivers, such as a family car or a fleet vehicle, a profile system, similar to the one you find on Netflix, could also be added to vehicles, Amico noted. Drivers would have their own profile, as well as their own separate PIN in order to log into their respective profile. This would prevent unauthorized access to an individuals data, since each persons data would only be accessible by their respective profile, Amico added. Lastly, Amico stressed that all vehicle data should be encrypted and not easily accessed. Collaboration through Auto-ISAC There is plenty of work still ahead in order to make vehicle data as safe as it can be. But, Auto-ISAC, along with the private companies, industry organizations, and government agencies that it partners with, are continuously working to reach that goal. Through partnerships with industry associations like the IARA and NAFA, the knowledge base of Auto-ISAC will continue to grow, making that goal more attainable. However, not everyone in attendance was familiar with what an ISAC was or how they came to be. Francy took some time to explain the centers origin. The model for an ISAC (Information Sharing and Analysis Center) originated in 1998 under President Bill Clinton after he recognized that 80% of the critical infrastructure in the United States was owned or operated by the private sector, Francy explained. He had concern that the private sector did not have the same intelligence that the government did, so he wanted to help. This resulted in the ISAC model, which would give the private sector the ability to collaborate amongst themselves, but also with government agencies for additional data. The first ISAC that stood out was Financial Services ISAC, Francy noted. Today, there are roughly 23 ISACs in various fields such as IT, communications, and manufacturing. What we do is help to build the resiliency and see whats happening not only amongst the company, but across the sector, said Francy. The mission of the ISAC is really to be the independent broker of information to help each other understand what it is, and to really share data, threat intelligence, and mitigation techniques, if, in fact, there is a bad guy out there attacking our industry. As a partner with the IARA, Auto-ISAC will be working with the organization to share information and figure out how they can work together to help each other, and most importantly, the industry. Photo via MikiYoshihito/Flickr. Ride-hailing groups such as Uber, Grab, and Didi Chuxing will soon be getting a large influx of cash, as Japans SoftBank Group is poised to move more than $20 billion to its Vision technology fund, Business Standard reports. Saudi-backed Vision Fund, established last year with a $93 billion investment, is the worlds largest private equity fund. The funds transfer would give mobility services access to Vision Funds world-wide network of resources. Bakersfield, CA (93308) Today Some clouds. Expect widespread areas of smoke and haze, reducing visibility at times. Low around 65F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Some clouds. Expect widespread areas of smoke and haze, reducing visibility at times. Low around 65F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph. 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. WASHINGTON (AP) The Trump administration will end special protections for an estimated 9,000 Nepalese immigrants living in the United States, giving them until June 24, 2019, to leave or find another way to stay in the country, the Department of Homeland Security said Thursday. They were granted that status during the Obama administration after an April 2015 earthquake killed more than 8,000 people in Nepal, and it was extended for 18 months in October 2016. But DHS said that after a review of conditions in the country, Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen concluded the protections were no longer warranted. The "disruption of living conditions in Nepal from the April 2015 earthquake and subsequent aftershocks that served as the basis for its TPS designation have decreased to a degree that they should no longer be regarded as substantial," DHS said. The U.S. created Temporary Protected Status in 1990 to provide a safe haven for citizens of countries affected by war and natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods and hurricanes. The status currently shields several hundred thousand people from 10 countries. It generally includes authorization to work. The decision on Nepal probably will be felt most acutely in New York and the Dallas-Fort Worth area, which had the largest Nepalese immigrant communities in the United States in 2015 with 9,000 each, according to the Pew Research Center. Washington, San Francisco, Baltimore, Pittsburgh and Columbus, Ohio, also have large communities. They include Maya Gurung, 25, who came to the U.S. in 2011 to study international affairs at Skidmore College. She graduated in 2015, just after the earthquake, and has been a TPS holder since it became available. Gurung, who works with the Nepali community in New York as a part of Adhikaar, a nonprofit organization, said the decision was "sad news" for her and fellow immigrants. She said she would have to go back home if the decision isn't reversed because she doesn't want to be in the U.S. as an undocumented immigrant, but neither she nor her parents wanted her to. "They want me to be here and be safe," she said of her parents, who still live in Kathmandu. "They think it's still not safe for us to return back." Since taking office, Trump has ended special protections for citizens of several countries, including El Salvador, Nicaragua and Haiti after determining that once-perilous conditions no longer preclude citizens from returning home. Nielsen faces an early May deadline on whether to extend protections for an estimated 57,000 Hondurans living in the United States. Last year, the administration put a final decision on Honduras on hold. The decision on Nepal was met with anger from immigration activist, including Amanda Baran of the Immigrant Legal Resource Center. "This White House has yet again turned its back on vulnerable people that our nation pledged to protect," she said in a statement, adding that: "Terminating TPS for our Nepali brothers and sisters and forcing their return to a country still recovering from a devastating earthquake is unfounded and heartless." ___ Associated Press writer Deepti Hajela in New York contributed to this report. Spagat reported from San Diego. ___ Follow Spagat and Colvin on Twitter at https://twitter.com/elliotspagat and https://twitter.com/colvinj Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. A Bay area senior is thanking his local Winn Dixie Grocery Store for their help and generosity while uncovering that he had been the victim of a scam. Ralph Hough received scam call claiming an IRS debt Hough purchased $4,000 in Google Play cards to pay debt, as instructed Store staff member found purchases suspicious Representatives from the grocery store in Plant City presented a $4,000 check to customer Ralph Hough. Thats how much Hough lost when a caller claiming to be from the IRS scammed him. According to authorities, the caller demanded Hough buy $4,000 in Google Play Cards to pay an IRS debt. There was no debt, but the caller was convincing, so Hough went to Winn Dixie to buy the cards. When Hough returned later to buy more, a Winn Dixie cashier noticed. I said, 'Do you know who youre buying this for? said Assistant Manager Peggy Wade. He says, 'Its for my grandkids.' And I said, 'Thats a lot of money for Google Play cards.' Hough later told Wade about the calls he had been receiving, and she told him it was a scam. Plant City Police said it happens far too often. Often times a lot of victims are elderly, and the folks who are the scammers take advantage of their willingness to listen, said Plant City Police Sgt. Al Vanduyne. According to authorities, the scammer called from a non-listed cell phone with a New York area code, making them very difficult to track down. Hough was distraught, but Thursday representatives from Winn Dixie invited Hough back to the Plant City Store and gave the retired state trooper a $4,000 check to help out. Hough was surprised at the stores generosity. Thats amazing, Hough said. I wouldnt count on anything. Gods good. And while Hough wishes he would have done things differently, he said he learned something: not to give up, because there are people who will help you. Teen YouTuber Emma Mae Jenkins posted a video about her morning routine in order to inspire other young women. Unlike many YouTube videos about routines, Jenkins video was not about how she achieves perfect winged eyeliner or her secret to growing luscious hair. Jenkins morning routine focuses on God with prayer, praise and Scripture reading. In line with social media and Googles growing anti-Christian sentiment, Jenkins video came under fire from another YouTuber. YouTuber Cinnamon Toast Ken started out posting gaming videos to his channel. He took a break from this, however, to rip Jenkins to shreds. In an 11 minute video, Ken attacked Jenkins for everything from her faith to her appearance. The first thing she needs to ask Jesus for is some eyebrows, Ken sneered as his friends laughed and jeered. Kens mocking video was criticized by a number of people as it was clearly cyberbullying. Pastor Jarrid Wilson, for example, condemned both Kens video and YouTubes lack of response to the attacks on a teenage girl. Shame on @cinnamontoask for cyber-bullying @emmamaej99 because of her faith in Jesus. @YouTube gonna do anything about this? Wilson asked in his tweet. Others were swift to note that YouTube refused to remove Cinnamon Toast Kens video even after pressure began to build. Jenkins, however, has spoken out about how she deals with those who attack her because of her faith. I am human and words are powerful. You either have the power to speak life or speak death over someone. To receive those words that Im not pretty, and that Im not here for a reason, or that I need to not live anymore. Especially being a girl, too, with insecurities. Satan will definitely use that and highlight it. I will sometimes take a second look in the mirror, Jenkins admitted. Thats when it became so important that I have Gods word so deeply ingrained in who I ambecause thats not true. It is so crucial to have Gods word everywhere. Have it engraved upon your heart. Jenkins strength and deep faith has inspired many people despite Kens best attempts to tear her down, and Jenkins has no intentions of allowing herself to be cowed by such attacks. Ive read that my singing makes [peoples] ears bleed. Ive read that [people] wish I was dead, that my Jesus is fake and that Im not using my platform wisely. Ive been told that Im ugly. Ive heard words that I didnt even know those words existed, Jenkins said. If I use my social media just to post pictures of myself and see how many likes I get, then Ive completely missed the pointIf I didnt get made fun of and persecuted for my faith then I would be questioning my walk. Jesus said that if others hate you, if the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. That comes with the beauty of being His because He is different. For Immediate Release, April 26, 2018 Contact: Diana Dascalu-Joffe, Center for Biological Diversity, (720) 925-2521, ddascalujoffe@biologicaldiversity.org Peter Hart, Wilderness Workshop, (303) 475-4915, peter@wildernessworkshop.org Sarah Stock, Living Rivers Colorado Riverkeeper, (435) 260-8557, gractionnetwork@gmail.com Kyle Tisdel, Western Environmental Law Center, (575) 613-8050, tisdel@westernlaw.org Gabby Brown, Sierra Club, (202) 495-3051, gabby.brown@sierraclub.org. Lawsuit Targets Federal Shell Game Hiding Fracking's Harm to Colorado Communities, Wildlife DENVER Conservation groups today sued Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke and the Bureau of Land Management for approving new leases to allow fracking on more than 45,000 acres in western Colorado, including within communities and within a half-mile of a K-12 public school, without analyzing or disclosing environmental and public health threats as required by federal law. Fracking is a filthy, dangerous business, and dodging environmental analysis puts people and public lands at risk, said Diana Dascalu-Joffe, a senior attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity. The Trump administration is trying to ignore science, public health and climate change threats to enrich corporate polluters, but it cant shrug off the law. Todays lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Denver, challenges leases in and around the towns of De Beque, Molina and Mesa on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains. Fracking would be allowed near three state parks James M. Robb-Colorado River, Vega and Highline, a migratory bird hot spot and the site of the 18 Hours of Fruita mountain bike race. Leases also have been offered within a half-mile of a K-12 public school in De Beque and beneath Vega Reservoir, important for wildlife, recreation, irrigation and hydroelectric power. Not only did the Bureau of Land Management move forward with these lease sales without looking at the climate effects of fracking, the agency also failed to examine its likely public health risks, said Kyle Tisdel with the Western Environmental Law Center. In addition, the agency failed to analyze or acknowledge the enormous water depletion drilling will impose on the Colorado River, already in low-flow conditions. BLM is simply drilling in the dark on these lease sales. These areas would face toxic air pollution, industrialization and potential spills and groundwater contamination from fracking operations. The BLM is using a shortcut called a determination of NEPA adequacy to bypass analysis of fracking harms required under the National Environmental Policy Act. This cursory review, used with increasing frequency under the Trump administration, presumes that leasing complies with broad resource-management plans and delays site-specific review until drilling permits are requested, thereby ignoring NEPAs requirement to disclose impacts at the earliest possible time. The BLM routinely bypasses that promised review at the drilling stage and says that it cant block drilling once land has been leased to industry. BLM has reverted to a lease before you look policy that marginalizes the public, ignores environmental impacts, and violates the law all for the benefit of oil and gas companies, said Wilderness Workshops Peter Hart. We asked BLM to consider the impacts of these decisions and our requests were denied. Now were asking a federal court to order the agency to comply with its legal obligations. Once again, Ryan Zinke's efforts to please corporate polluters are leaving American communities to suffer the consequences, said Sierra Club associate attorney Marta Darby. Zinke wants to limit public input and hide the environmental and public health threats of this huge expansion of fracking in Colorado, but he is not above the law. We will continue to fight to ensure our communities are protected from the dangers of fracking. The areas to be fracked include habitat for rare wildlife like peregrine falcon, spotted leopard lizard and burrowing owl. It also includes critical habitat for threatened and endangered species, including the Colorado pikeminnow and two flowers, the Parachute beardtongue and DeBeque phacelia. Fracking, which can use more than 20 million gallons of water per well, would threaten the pikeminnow and the Colorado River with spills and water depletions at a time when climate-driven drought is already reducing river flows throughout the Colorado River Basin. The water of the Colorado River Basin is essential for the 40 million people relying it. The system is already strained from climate change and overuse, said Sarah Stock, program director with Living Rivers Colorado Riverkeeper. The last thing we need right now is to add more water hungry, polluting industry without the proper regulatory framework or public process in place to protect this priceless resource. The administrations oil and gas leasing shell game is consistent with Trumps new energy dominance edict and policies directing the BLM to avoid NEPA analysis by prioritizing the use of DNAs when issuing oil and gas leases. The policy also limits or removes public notice and gives the public only 10 days to raise concerns. Dascalu-Joffe and Kyle Tisdel of the Western Environmental Law Center are representing the Center, Wilderness Workshop, Living Rivers Colorado Riverkeeper and Sierra Club in the lawsuit. Celebrating African storytelling and craft Ciclope Africa judge, Mbithi Masya, a film director at Fat Rain Films, Kenya, talks to Bizcommunity.Africa about what Africa can bring to the international stage and how the continent's unique stories can add to the world. Mbithi Masya, film director at Fat Rain Films, Kenya. 10 April 2018, marked the first-ever African edition of the What is the relevance of Ciclope Africa to the continent? What is the relevance of Ciclope Africa to the continent? 10 April 2018, marked the first-ever African edition of the Ciclope festival a leading international awards show which recognises exceptional craft in moving image. The African festival, which received over 150 submissions across 16 categories, was hosted at Cape Towns new critically acclaimed Museum of Contemporary Art, Zeitz MOCAA. How would you rate the standard of work you judged? How would you rate the standard of work you judged? What stood out for you in the work? What stood out for you in the work? Please tell me about the industry in Kenya as it relates to craft and creativity. Please tell me about the industry in Kenya as it relates to craft and creativity. What does the African continent have to offer international filmmakers? What does the African continent have to offer international filmmakers? What can we learn from the rest of the world? What can we learn from the rest of the world? Where does the African film/production industry need to improve where craft is concerned? Where does the African film/production industry need to improve where craft is concerned? What takeout should the industry take home after Ciclope Africa? What takeout should the industry take home after Ciclope Africa? Please talk about the future of the industry and where craft is going. Please talk about the future of the industry and where craft is going. Louise Burgers' articles About Louise Marsland Louise Burgers (previously Marsland) is Founder/Content Director: SOURCE Content Marketing Agency. Louise is a Writer, Publisher, Editor, Content Strategist, Content/Media Trainer. She has written about consumer trends, brands, branding, media, marketing and the advertising communications industry in SA and across Africa, for over 20 years, notably, as previous Africa Editor: Bizcommunity.com; Editor: Bizcommunity Media/Marketing SA; Editor-in-Chief: AdVantage magazine; Editor: Marketing Mix magazine; Editor: Progressive Retailing magazine; Editor: BusinessBrief magazine; Editor: FMCG Files newsletter. Web: www.sourceagency.co.za. Louise Burgers (previously Marsland) is Founder/Content Director: SOURCE Content Marketing Agency. Louise is a Writer, Publisher, Editor, Content Strategist, Content/Media Trainer. She has written about consumer trends, brands, branding, media, marketing and the advertising communications industry in SA and across Africa, for over 20 years, notably, as previous Africa Editor: Bizcommunity.com; Editor: Bizcommunity Media/Marketing SA; Editor-in-Chief: AdVantage magazine; Editor: Marketing Mix magazine; Editor: Progressive Retailing magazine; Editor: BusinessBrief magazine; Editor: FMCG Files newsletter. Web: www.sourceagency.co.za. I believe Ciclope Africa will be a very important event on the continent moving forward. A bespoke event celebrating the craft that goes into some of the continent's best work will encourage even more of our industry players to push themselves further and hopefully we'll get to see more submissions from across the continent soon.The work was of a world class quality. Competing with the best work I've seen from the rest of the world.The storytelling in the work was of such high quality. Emotional and masterful. I was glad to see a focus on story in most of the work.I believe the work coming out of Kenya currently and in the coming months will surprise many. There's a creative burst going on in the country and the evidence lies in the international recognition our creatives and professionals in the craft have been receiving.Aside from various locales, I believe the continent also provides production support to rival any other region, worldwide. From crews, financial incentives and more.Most of the world has had industries built around film for about a century. I think we can learn from what those industries have been through but I think it's time for us to chart our own way forward as a continent. The world is changing and I believe the world is ready for a different type of storytelling.I think with more work being created, we'll keep improving. The skills available here are world class already. So I believe more work will allow us to be more experimental and explore our creativity much more.I think the industry should feel encouraged. The work we're creating is good. And the rest of the world is interested in it. Keep making.The world is changing and there are a lot more opportunities available to everyone. It means greater competition but I think this will only raise the quality of the work. It's up to us, the players in the industry to rise up to the opportunities presented and not cave into what's expected but keep pushing beyond that. I think it's an exciting time for the continent. D&AD has partnered with Guardian Media Group to establish a new global festival of creativity, exploring how creativity shapes culture, intersects with business and builds a positive future. Screenshot from The Guardian Media Group x D&AD Announce Partnership video Uniquely human quality of creativity This partnership combines the expertise of two of the most respected, long-running and trusted organisations in the creative economy. At a time when digital disruption, automation and AI are impacting every industry, it is clear that creativity no longer simply powers the worlds of media, advertising and design - it is an essential component of any businesss long-term strategy. We are thrilled to be working with D&AD, and together we plan to create an unrivalled festival of creativity, for the UK and the world. This new annual event will be a one-stop shop for anyone interested in creativity, innovation and contemporary culture. The world does not operate in silos. Our aim is to be an umbrella for all creative thinking, a platform for talent, and a place for business leaders, practitioners and the general public to be energised, invigorated and inspired to integrate creative thinking to achieve business success. There are few places on earth that can rival our city for its culture and creativity, so it makes perfect sense for London to host this new global festival. As one of the most diverse capitals in the world, London is an ideal place to unite different voices and ensure the best ideas to shape our changing world are given a global platform. "Design Matters! I have always been an advocate for the broader world of creative culture. This new partnership will not only benefit the design world but the wider creative and business sectors as well. D&AD and The Guardian's collective reach and the respect they garner will allow this to become a highlight of the global cultural calendar and bring people together to showcase and inspire the creative community." Hosted in London, the festival will bring together business leaders with the worlds foremost thinkers, practitioners and emerging talent from across the creative and cultural sectors including design, film, advertising, gaming, music, fashion and architecture. The festival will launch in 2019 with the aim of becoming a destination for curious, creative minds.With global debates increasingly dominated by the opportunities and risks created by automation and data, the festival will be an opportunity to recognise, celebrate and learn about how the uniquely human quality of creativity can help industries and businesses to innovate and grow in the face of disruption.The new partnership was announced at D&AD Festival 2018, on Wednesday, 25 April at 6:30pm in the Truman Brewery, Shoreditch.Chief executive of Guardian Media Group David Pemsel said:Tim Lindsay, CEO of D&AD, said:Justine Simons OBE, deputy mayor for Culture and the Creative Industries, said:Debbie Millman, designer, educator and podcast host: Agencies, schools and organisations in 20 cities around the world have signed up to host The One Club for Creativity's Portfolio Night 14, happening globally on 23 May 2018. http://portfolionight.com/14/ Portfolio Night website]]. Amsterdam, hosted by ADCN Atlanta, hosted by Edelman Beijing, hosted by Serviceplan Boston, hosted by Arnold Worldwide Buenos Aires, hosted by El Circulo de Creativos Argentinos Chicago, hosted by Chicago Portfolio School Cleveland, hosted by Brokaw Dubai, hosted by B&W Report Hamburg, hosted by Jung von Matt London, hosted by Wieden+Kennedy Los Angeles, hosted by Sid Lee Madrid, hosted by ZINK! Mumbai, hosted by Whyness Worldwide New York, hosted by Edelman Perth, hosted by the Perth Advertising & Design Club San Francisco, hosted by Edelman Sao Paulo, hosted by CP+B Shanghai, hosted by Serviceplan Stockholm, hosted by Perfect Fools Toronto, hosted by FCB Toronto Long recognised as the worlds largest advertising portfolio review program, Portfolio Night is a fast-paced evening of advice, networking and recruitment that takes place in numerous cities all across the globe on the same date to help the next generation of creative talent enter the industry.Tickets are now available by city here A highlight of this one-of-a-kind program is Portfolio Night All-Stars, where each city host selects the one outstanding young creative in their market with the best portfolio. These All-Stars will be flown to New York from around the world later this year, courtesy of The One Club, to work as a team on a creative brief for a major global brand.Portfolio Night 14 is happening on 23 May in the following cities:Portfolio Night enables the best of the present hundreds of renowned international creative directors to meet and mentor the leaders of the future thousands of aspiring young advertising creatives in industry hubs around the world.Portfolio Night is a unique global event that serves as a high-visibility opportunity for agencies to give back to the industry by guiding the earliest steps of future copywriters, art directors and technologists, said Kevin Swanepoel, CEO, The One Club for Creativity.Hosts also benefit as Portfolio Night is a crucial tool for agencies in recruiting top young talent, provides agencies with recognition from local industry peers and gives them a place on the global stage as the ad world tunes in to this one-of-a-kind event. Ogilvy Johannesburg appoints head of new business development Our ability to win new business is a key part of our long-term success as an agency. It is a critical part of the highly competitive market in which we find ourselves and it is a key part of our overall strategy as an agency in South Africa. This company article has been removed. Applications are now open for the second Deep Learning Indaba which aims to strengthen the foundations of African machine learning and to increase the participation of African researchers in the field. alphaspirit via 123RF Speakers The pan-African event, supported by Google DeepMind, will take place at Stellenbosch University from 9-14 September 2018. Applications are open to all students, postdoctoral fellows, researchers, and industry professionals from across Africa and the world.We are particularly looking for people with a passion for machine learning, and who are committed to our mission of strengthening machine learning in Africa. Last year we had nearly 300 participants, and this year we are hoping to double that figure, says Dr Willie Brink, an applied mathematician at SU and one of the organisers.To date, Africas attendance and participation in the internationally leading machine learning conferences have been extremely low or virtually non-existent.It is critical for the future trajectory of machine learning and artificial intelligence, for the types of teams we build and problems we address, that this imbalance and lack of representation be addressed. Africans must be contributors, shapers and owners of the coming advances in machine learning, says Shakir Mohamed, a South African research scientist at DeepMind.The list of confirmed speakers include Jeff Dean from Google, Moustapha Cisse from Facebook, Katja Hofmann from Microsoft, and Nando de Freitas from DeepMind. There's no lack of entrepreneurial spirit in SA, but start-ups and small businesses need skills, social capital and a supportive environment in order to succeed. Its a popular misconception that funding is the biggest hurdle in the way of small business success: in fact, knowledge and networks may be more important. This is according to small business experts and members of the Small Business Expo expert advisory board, speaking ahead of South Africas premier small business development platform Small Business Expo 2018.The expo, taking place from 6-8 September at the TicketPro Dome is an annual opportunity showcase and knowledge-sharing platform for local small and medium sized businesses, is presented by Reed Exhibitions in partnership with the Eskom Development Foundation. It is further supported by the Randburg Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Minara Chamber of Commerce; endorsed by the Black Management Forum (BMF) and approved by AAXO.According to Langa Manqele, FinTech businessman and chairman of the Black Management Forum (BMF) in Gauteng, entrepreneurial spirit is flourishing across South Africa, including in the townships and rural areas.A trend were seeing emerging is for entrepreneurs to launch small scale manufacturing and agro-processing operations around the country. This is in line with the governments hopes for a more industrial economy, and presents many opportunities for job creation, he notes.Unfortunately, though, many start-ups are failing to break through into big business, and many are failing to comply with testing and safety standards. This may be partly due to a lack of awareness and information, and also because safety and standards infrastructure is out of reach of rural business, as well as being prohibitively expensive.Manqele believes that stepped up information sharing, skills development and networking, such as that available at the Small Business Expo, may help these start-ups break through into the big business league.This is why the BMF is endorsing the Small Business Expo, he says. Because of its focus on the development of black business in particular, along with its three days of in-depth workshops and opportunities to network, we believe its an invaluable platform for small businesses to gain the knowledge and social capital they need to grow. Capacity building is a major challenge, and the number of startups able to be absorbed by incubators doesnt meet the national needs; therefore events like these fill the gap for critical business skills development.Linda Blackbeard, CEO of the Randburg Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI), which represents businesses in Randburg, Fourways and Lanseria, echoes this sentiment. Small businesses need partner networks in order to grow. Joint ventures, for example, allow them to take on bigger projects than they might manage alone. And through partnerships with large business, they stand to gain viable income streams. But many do not know how to tap in to this social capital or partner networks.Blackbeard says belonging to an industry body such as the local Chamber of Commerce is a key first step to expanding partner networks. Another is to participate in industry events.The Small Business Expo is a very important platform for networking, learning and skills development, she says. No matter how long youve been in business, systems and markets change and theres always something new for us to learn so that we can operate more effectively. She notes that marketing is another area where many small businesses fall short, making the networking and exposure opportunities at the Small Business Expo invaluable for small businesses.BMF and RCCI will be present at the Small Business Expo, where small business can discover the benefits of joining the organisations.Carol Weaving, MD of Reed Exhibitions, says building social capital and business capacity is the primary function of the Small Business Expo and co-located #BuyaBusiness expo. Empowering small businesses to grow, has always been the focus of this event, which is closely aligned with the work of show partner, the Eskom Development Foundation. As the expo has evolved, we have increased our efforts to deliver a practical development forum that delivers tangible results for all participants. This year, the programme has been shaped with input from business experts across small business umbrella bodies, chambers of commerce, banks and entrepreneurs, all working towards a common goal of growing businesses in South Africa.Small Business Expo will include multiple development forums and workshops, including the Creative Business Cup, Nedbank Money Matters Workshops; Standard Bank Women in Business Theatre; Eskom Powering your World Indaba and a Business Services Theatre. In addition, the expo will showcase the Business Services Expo & #BuyABusiness Expo as well as offersa #THEClub VIP investors programme, business speed dating, online business matchmaking and dedicated networking areas. This job expired on 26 May 2018. This job expired on 2 May 2018. This job expired on 15 May 2018. This job expired on 4 May 2018. This job expired on 24 May 2018. Teacher walkouts are happening in many states across the country Teachers in West Virginia and Oklahoma have walked off the job to demand increased funding for their classrooms. And teachers in Arizona are planning a scheduled walk off the job tomorrow ... and were holding walk-in protests outside public schools in the state today. Arizona Educators United says between 30 and 50 thousand are expected to participate in tomorrow's job action with 90 school districts expected to shut down. But what about here in South Dakota? South Dakota teachers have stayed in the classroom despite being near the bottom of teacher pay in the nation. And while the human resources manager for the Rapid City School district understands teachers work to earn a wage ... she says there is a bigger cause that pushes them to the classroom. Kristen Strissel says,'It's something that where you really hope that someday you will have the funding necessary to really make sure that education is absolutely able to stay stride for stride with other industries but you know know in the mean time that the people who are doing this are doing this because they are motivated by something that is soul deep.' Mary McCorkle is the president of the South Dakota Education Association ... and says she thinks it's sad that schools in some states are so underfunded that educators came to realize that walking out is what they had to do to make sure their students had educators. McCorkle says one of the things SDEA has prided itself on is the relationships they've built in the state ... including working with the blue ribbon task force and other community organizations. Indian and Chinese soldiers during the Hand-In-Hand joint military exercise in this file photo. NEW DELHI (PTI): Suspended after the Doklam face-off, the bilateral military exercise of India and China is likely to resume this year, in sync with renewed efforts by both the countries to reset ties hit by a tense standoff between their troops, government sources said Wednesday. The exercise 'Hand-in-Hand' between the armies of the two countries will take place within next 4-5 months in China and an announcement is likely to be made very soon, sources told PTI. It is learnt that the issue of resumption of the annual exercise had figured during talks between Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and her Chinese counterpart General Wei Fenghe in Beijing on Tuesday. Sitharaman was in Beijing to attend a meeting of defence ministers of SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation) countries. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is travelling to Chinese city of Wuhan on Friday on a two-day visit to hold an "informal summit" with Chinese President Xi Jinping, seen as an effort to build mutual trust between the two sides. Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Kong Xuanyou said the two leaders will try to reach important consensus to resolve outstanding issues and build mutual trust during their talks in Wuhan. The government sources said both sides want to resume the military exercise as it will act as a confidence building measure between the two armies. The annual exercise was to be hosted by China in 2017 but it did not take place due to the Doklam standoff. So far, both sides have participated in six editions of the exercise. India had hosted the exercise in 2016. Troops of India and China were locked in a 73-day-long standoff in Doklam from June 16 last year after the Indian side stopped the building of a road in the disputed area by the Chinese Army. The face-off was "resolved" on August 28 last year. The area in Doklam where China tried to construct a road is a disputed territory claimed by both China and Bhutan. India sent its troops to stop the Chinese construction activity, saying it could be a threat to its strategic interests in the region. NEW DELHI (PTI): The Indian and Malaysian armies will hold a two-week military exercise beginning April 30 in Malaysia as part of efforts to bolster defence cooperation. The joint exercise 'Harimau Shakti' will take place in the dense forests of Sengai Perdik in Hulu Langat district of Malaysia, the Defence Ministry said. "The exercise is aimed at bolstering cooperation and coordination between the armed forces of both the nations and to share the expertise of both the contingents in conduct of counter-insurgency operations in jungle terrain," it said. The Indian Army will be represented by 4 Grenadiers, one of the oldest infantry battalions which has rich operational experience in conventional as well as counter-insurgency warfare. The Malaysian contingent is being represented by soldiers from 1 Royal Ranjer Regiment and the Royal Malay Regiment, known for their experience in jungle warfare, said the Ministry. "This is the first instance wherein a joint training exercise of this magnitude involving Indian and Malaysian soldiers is being organized on Malaysian soil," it said. The GSAT-11 was scheduled for launch by European space transporter Arianespace from the Kourou spaceport in May 2018. BENGALURU (PTI): ISRO has rescheduled the high-profile launch of its advanced communication satellite GSAT-11, the heaviest made in India, from Kourou, French Guiana, for additional technical checks, and recalled the spacecraft. "The Indian Space Research Organisation's move to put off the May 25 launch comes weeks after the country's communication satellite with military applications GSAT-6A went missing after a perfect launch. ISRO Chairman K Sivan said they wanted to carry out some tests and the satellite was in the process of being shipped back. "We wanted to do some tests. That is all," he told PTI. Replying to a question, he said: "Right now, it is planned to bring the satellite back to India to carry out some tests and then we will be taking it back," he said, adding no time frame could be set for the process. "GSAT-11, with a lift-off mass of over 5,700 kg, was initially planned to ride piggyback with co-passengers on Ariane space rocket on its mission on May 25. "The launch of GSAT-11 scheduled during May 2018 from Kourou, French Guiana is rescheduled. The revised launch date will be communicated subsequently," the city headquartered ISRO said in a brief statement. The space agency's statement gave no reason for rescheduling the launch. "However, in a statement on its website, European space transporter Arianespace said the Ariane 5 launch numbered VA243 had been postponed due to additional technical checks the satellite needs to undergo. "It said the Ariane 5 launch was initially planned for May 25. "Arianespace was also scheduled to put into space Azerspace-2/Intelsat-38 along with GSAT-11, which is designed to provide 12 Gbps (gigabit per second) capacity and multi-spot beam coverage over the Indian mainland and nearby islands, bringing significant advantages to the user community. "GSAT-11 had arrived at the European spaceport in French Guiana in South America on March 30. According to ISRO, GSAT-11 is a multi-beam high throughput communication satellite operating in Ka and Ku-bands employing a new bus. It provides 32 user beams in Ku-band and 8 gateway beams in Ka-band. The payload includes Ka x Ku-band forward link transponders and Ku x Ka band return link transponders. ISRO had recently reported it had lost contact with GSAT-6A, which was launched on March 29, and was making efforts to link with it. The contact with GSAT-6A was snapped when ISRO scientists attempted to ignite the engine in the third and final move to put the satellite in its desired location after its textbook launch from the space port of Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh. In August last year, India's mission to launch its backup navigation satellite IRNSS-1H on board PSLV-C39 ended in a failure after a technical fault on the final leg following a perfect launch. People in Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge are being urged to have their say on the future of Somerset libraries services until Wednesday 13 June. Over 3,970 responses to the consultation have been received so far from across Somerset, but the Council says it wants to hear from more young people. As first reported by Burnham-On-Sea.com, Somerset County Council says Highbridge Library could close under its cost-cutting proposals unless local volunteers are found to keep it open. The consultation, which started in January, asks all Somerset residents to review proposals for the library they visit most, consider the options put forward for delivering library services in future, and give their feedback via an online questionnaire at www.somerset.gov.uk/librariesconsultation. There are nine area summaries available online and in all 34 Somerset libraries, covering proposals on how library services could be delivered in future. The proposals show that for 12 libraries, there will be no change. These include Burnham-On-Sea, Bridgwater, Chard, Frome, Glastonbury, Langport, Minehead, Taunton, Wells, Williton, Wincanton and Yeovil. For 15 libraries, the council says that community support may be required to keep the buildings open: Highbridge, Bishops Lydeard, Bruton, Castle Cary, Milborne Port, Nether Stowey, North Petherton, Porlock, Priorswood (Taunton), Somerton, South Petherton, Street, Sunningdale (Yeovil), Watchet and Wiveliscombe. The proposals also highlight that seven library buildings may remain unchanged or may require community support to remain open: Cheddar, Crewkerne, Dulverton, Ilminster, Martock, Shepton Mallet and Wellington. Where it is not possible to keep library buildings open in future, library services would instead be provided either through outreach in community venues or through additional mobile library stops. Councillor David Hall, Cabinet Member for Resources and Economic Development at Somerset County Council, said: Libraries are popular with pre-school children and wed encourage parents to use the consultation to tell us about what impact the proposals would have on their children, by filling in a questionnaire on their behalf and talking to their children about the proposals. Theres still time to give us feedback on our proposals and wed like to encourage everyone, including as many children and young people as possible, to let us know their thoughts on how we may deliver library services in future. A number of library consultation focus groups are taking place with young people as well as information included in college and youth newsletters, youth clubs, Early Years settings, young carers and the Youth Parliament to urge young people to help ensure their voice is heard. Ahead of the lenders' meeting on Friday, which may ask for fresh bids for the bankrupt Essar Steel's assets, Numetal on Thursday approached the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT). Numetal's application at NCLAT is aimed at pre-empting a possible move by the lenders to call for fresh bids as the two bids submitted peg the value of the assets only under 40 per cent of the Rs 450 billion that owes to over 30 lenders. The company is majority-owned by the Russian state-run lender VTB Bank's private equity arm VTB Capital and Ravi Ruia's son Rewant Ruia-controlled Aurora Trustss, which controls 25 per cent. "We have moved an application at the NCLAT, which will be heard tomorrow," a Numetal India official told PTI seeking anonymity. The official refused to share details saying the matter is subjudice. The Section 29A (c) of the revised Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) allows a defaulted promoter, if wants to bid for the asset through the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) to do so provided he clears the arrears and make the account standardised. Following last Thursday's direction by the Ahmedabad bench of the NCLT which had asked the lenders to reconsider the first bids submitted by Numetal and ArcelorMittal on February 12 and reject the second round of bids submitted by them on April 2 along with Vedanta, the bankers had met here on Tuesday but could not take a call as the bids submitted by them were reportedly valued very low. It had also asked the resolution professional (RP) and the lenders to give 30-days time to these bidders to clear their defaulted accounts. According to media reports, ArcelorMittal had quoted higher than Numetal, which still is below the fair value as it quotes only 40 per cent of Rs 450 billion due to them from Essar Steel, which runs a 10-million tonne steel plant at Hazira on the west coast of Gujarat. Bankers or the committee of creditors are expected to meet again tomorrow here to decide the next course of action. The bankers are debating whether they should call for a fresh round of bids, which has already evoked interest from JSW Steel in association with Numetal and Vedanta Resources. The first round of bids were rejected by the RP and the lenders, citing technical reasons or ownership issues (promoters of these bidders being related to the original defaulting promoters) leading to the re-bids, which had three bidders - Numetal-JSW, ArcelorMittal-Nippon Steel and Vedanta. Numetal was set up only last October by the Ruias - four months after the was sent to the NCLT in Mauritius. Originally, it was floated by various entities led by Aurora Trusts controlled by Rewant Ruia, who is a defaulter in Later, Rewant sold 75 per cent in the company to the private equity arm of the largest Russian lender VTB Bank (which took over the group's flagship refinery Essar Oil in Vadinar for $13 billion last year) and a Russian engineering firm TPE and some other investors. The company claims that Rewant does not enjoy any managerial position but is only an investor. But Aurora Trusts is in turn fully held by Aurora Enterprises, in which the ultimate beneficiary is only Rewant according to the company documents. Numetal had gone public saying that if eligibility was an issue because of Aurora Trusts, they were ready to buy out the Rewant but nothing to that effect has been done yet. What did in the bid by ArcelorMittal, which is the world's largest alloy maker, is that it had a joint venture with Uttam Galva Steel, which is also in the NCLT following a default of around Rs 60 billion loan. Following the rejection of their bid by RP on March 21, the Mittals sold their stakes in the Uttam Galva and KSS Petron in slump sales and then joined hands with the Japanese alloy major Nippon to re-bid. But what worked in their favour last Thursday at the NCLT was that the Clause C of the Section 29A of the IBC demands that the RP has to give up to 30 days additional time to the bidders/promoters to make the overdue amount and clear the account as standard. The 270-day period for resolution under the IBC is due to end on April 29. However, this has been extended by a month as the NCLT decided to exclude the period between March 20 and April 19 when the matter had been in court from the resolution period. 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 Search engine and technology giant Google on April 25 started pushing out a new Gmail web client with redesigned features and new upgrades centred on productivity, security and ease of use. The updated email client is currently rolling out in batches. But, you can try the new look by going to the settings (click on clog icon on top right) and selecting Try the new Gmail option. You can also move back to the old client, if you find the new look confusing, by going to the setting again and selecting Go back to classic Gmail. Here are the new features in the ... Infosys has said it its largest campus outside of India is going to be in Indianapolis, US. The company is already aggressively expanding its capacity in US while stepping up hiring to localise the workforce. The proposed campus, according to some local media reports, is expected to come up on around 125 acres, which the company will acquire from airport authorities, and would house as many as 3,000 employees. This, however, could not be independently verified. An announcement to this effect was likely to be made on Thursday afternoon, Indianapolis local time. Among others US ... The worst is probably over for Coca-Cola. Indias largest beverages maker, which had been facing faltering sales in terms of volumes for more than a year, is getting back its fizz as its multi-front strategy seems to be working. The firm now on a growth path was till recently looking for ways of addressing dipping sales of its popular drinks like Coca-Cola, Fanta and Thums Up. And demonetisation added to its woes. Sales in volumes, in the negative since July-September 2016, further slid by 4 per cent during January-March 2017. (It did not disclose the sales ... The latest amongst these incidents connected to the godman is the death of a third witness in criminal cases against him Kripal Singh, who was shot by two motorcycle-borne assailants in Puwayan in the Shajahanpur district of Uttar Pradesh. Even by the murky standards of Indias self-styled spiritual gurus, the allegations whirling around the 74-year-old Asaram are exceptional: suspected black magic and human sacrifice; the deaths of four young ... 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 At least 13 students under 10 years were killed when a speeding train rammed into their school van at an unmanned rail crossing in Kushinagar in Uttar Pradesh and halted only after dragging the mangled vehicle for some 100 metres. At least four students and the driver of the van, who Chief Minister Yogi Aditynath alleged had an earphone and was listening to music while driving, were among the injured, doctors and officials said. Two of them were in critical condition. The horrific incident took place around 7.10 am at the Dudhi Behpurva rail gate when the children ... The leaders of India and China are set to make their boldest attempt yet at rapprochement in talks this week just months after a dispute over a stretch of their high-altitude Himalayan border rekindled fears of war. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is flying to the Chinese city of Wuhan for two days of talks with President Xi Jinping from Friday, mostly without aides, officials say, aimed at ending decades of distrust that has deepened as China, with an economy five times bigger than Indias, asserts itself in the region. Their differences are significant: as well as disputes ... The Congress on Thursday hinted at intentional tampering with Congress President Rahul Gandhi's special flight to Hubli on Thursday. The flight, which took off from New Delhi around 9:20 am, faced unexpected technical errors. At around 10: 45 am the flight suddenly tilted heavily on the left side and the altitude dipped steeply, combined with the violent shuddering of the aircraft body. Rahul Gandhi's aide Kaushal Vidyarthee sent a complaint letter to Karnataka Director General of Police and Inspector General of Police Neelamani N Raju and demanded to investigate the incident and ground the aircraft till the investigation is completed. According to the complaint; along with Vidyarthee, Rampreet, Rahul Ravi and SGP official Rahul Gautam was travelling to Hubli from New Delhi on April 26, 2018, in a special flight (VT-AVH). It is to be stated that the weather outside was sunny, normal and not windy as per observation of the passengers and as per the forecast for the day," said the complaint. It added that a clanking sound was clearly audible from one side of the plane throughout the shuddering of the aircraft body. "It was also learnt that the autopilot of the aircraft was not functioning. After two attempts, the plane finally landed at Hubli around 11:25 am while continuously shaking and making unusual audible sounds," the complaint said. The complainant hinted at intentional tampering with the aircraft and demanded thorough investigation in this regard. "Serious questions related to intentional tampering with the aircraft cannot also be brushed aside and are required to be addressed and investigated," the complaint demanded. India will work to create a network with other major oil buyers in Asia, such as China, South Korea and Japan, to negotiate better terms with sellers, the countrys Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said in New Delhi on Thursday. I see bigger co-operation between four bigger economies of Asia... India will try to create a network between these four economies, he said. All the four major Asian economies should come together. And India will try to create a network for that within the four countries, he said, referring to a need to have a greater say ... Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to interact with the Karnataka faction of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday morning. The Prime Minister will be interacting with all the candidates, office bearers, elected representatives and party workers in poll-bound Karnataka via the Namo app. Prime Minister Modi, during his interaction, will encourage the party workers engaged in the Assembly poll campaign in the state, and also provide guidance to senior party leaders, MPs, and MLAs. As Karnataka is set to go to polls, Prime Minister Modi will be travelling to Udupi on May 1, where he will be visiting Shri Krishna Mutt, and will later address a massive public rally. On a related note, 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. Facebook Inc. said it will make sure political ads on its platform will be vetted and transparent in time for England and Northern Irelands 2019 local elections, the company has said. Only verified accounts will be allowed to pay for political ads, and users will be able to view all promotions paid for by a campaign not just those targeted to them based on their demographic or likes. Were going to provide a searchable archive of all of those ads, and show who paid for them, Facebook Chief Technology Officer Mike Schroepfer told a ... Clad in a dark shalwar kameez, with a red ethnic style cap on his head, Manzoor Pashteen took to the stage amid mad cheering. For many, April 22 was a regular Sunday in Lahore except the heat wasnt as unbearable as it can be during this time of year. But hot or not, the arena was packed. Several thousand reached the venue even before Pashteen arrived. Emerging as a huge celebrity in just a matter of a few months, Pashteen is slowly becoming somewhat of an icon in the country and is becoming known as a man who bluntly says what he wants to say. We are here to strip ... The government of Thailand is still to decide on whether to allow the resuming of shrimp import from India (and from Malaysia). Thailand accounts for about 13 per cent of the $1.7-billion (Rs13 bn) of Indian seafood export to Southeast Asia. The region has a share of about 30 per cent of the $5.7-bn Indian seafood export market. We have checked that the notification remains unchanged for now but there have been consultations with stakeholders to revise it and facilitate the trade, the Thai consulate at Chennai recently informed the Utkal Chamber of Commerce and ... Attorney General of India KK Venugopal on Thursday hailed the newly appointed Supreme Court judge Indu Malhotra, as a good and sensible lawyer. "Indu Malhotra is a good lawyer of the Supreme Court and it is good that she has directly been elevated as a Supreme Court judge from the bar," Venugopal told ANI. Venugopal added it was good for the Indian judiciary to have a good, sensible lawyer elevated to the Supreme Court as a judge. On Wednesday, Centre approved the Supreme Court collegium's recommendation to appoint senior advocate Indu Malhotra as a judge of the apex court Malhotra is the first woman lawyer to be elevated directly from the Bar to the Supreme Court. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Apollo Hospital on Thursday submitted a report to Madras High Court that they do not have any biological samples of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa. The court had sought reply on a petition filed by a woman S Amrutha, who claims to be Jayalalithaa's daughter. On January 12, the hospital, where the late AIADMK supremo was being treated during her illness two years ago, submitted treatment documents of the same to an inquiry commission, which was set up to probe her death. Following her death, allegations of foul play began to do the rounds and Tamil Nadu forest minister Dindigul Sreenivasan even claimed that all cabinet ministers had lied to the people about hospitalisation and death of the former chief minister Jayalalithaa. Jayalalithaa was admitted to the hospital on September 22, 2016. She suffered a cardiac arrest on December 4 and was declared dead the following day. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) August 28, 2021, Saturday The US Intelligence Community assesses that the origins of the novel coronavirus disease may never be definitively identified ... The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved an increase in the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for raw jute for the 2018-19 season. The MSP for Fair Average Quality (FAQ) of raw jute has therefore been increased to Rs.3700/- per quintal for the 2018-19 season from Rs. 3500/- per quintal in the 2017-18 season. The increase in MSP is expected to ensure appropriate minimum prices to the farmers and step up investment in Jute cultivation and thereby production and productivity in the country. The increased MSP is based on recommendations of Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) which while recommending MSP takes into account the cost of production, overall demand-supply, domestic and international prices, inter-crop price parity, terms of trade between agricultural and non-agricultural sectors and the likely impact of MSP on the rest of the economy. The Centre said the Jute Corporation of India would continue to act as the Central Nodal Agency to undertake price support operations in Jute-growing states. In January, the CCEA had approved the mandatory packaging of foodgrains and sugar in the jute material for the Jute Year 2017-18. The decision, the Committee claimed, would sustain the core demand for the jute sector and support the livelihood of the workers and farmers dependent on the sector. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) There are still educational institutions in ASEAN countries, excluding Singapore, that are partially insufficient in keeping up with the latest trends in mathematics and educational institutions in developed countries. The quality of teaching in the classroom needs to be improved. Japan's Casio Corp. is helping to improve mathematics quality in these countries. The company has been focusing on the development of a teacher's guide to demonstrate how to use a scientific electronics calculator in mathematics classes. It's the first time for emerging countries. To improve mathematics education, Casio invited mathematics teachers from around the world to attend the company's second scientific electronic calculator seminar held at its Tokyo headquarters in order to demonstrate how to use a calculator to improve mathematics skills. "Most importantly, we've learned that the calculator is not just a device for doing calculations, but is a device to help students to learn mathematics," said Barry Kissane. "By using calculator in my classroom, students are really know the deeper concept on mathematics through it," said a trainee from Indonesia. "In Bangladesh, mathematics teachers are little bit far from learning mathematics in a real life way. I think if Bangladesh mathematics teacher can teach mathematics by using scientific calculator, not just calculator as an educational tool, than I think the classroom is more effective and enjoyable," said a trainee from Bangladesh. As a result of their successful seminar in Tokyo, a teachers' guide was completed in Bangladesh ahead of other countries. To date, 40 seminars have been held in Dhaka. Teachers participating in the development of the teacher's guide have held lectures about the teacher's guidebook and scientific calculator classes for mathematics teachers at 430 schools. By using the guidebook and scientific electronic calculator, teachers learn how to use scientific calculator during the teaching. Also, scientific calculators are already being used in high schools in Bangladesh. "All of teachers after ending the workshop, they told me that they are very motivated by the workshop, and we can change our issue dynamically," the trainee from Bangladesh added. Naturally, Casio has made it a priority to support mathematic by cooperation with educational institutions and teachers in emerging countries. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A day after Centre approved senior advocate Indu Malhotra's elevation as a Supreme Court judge, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad lashed out at the Congress. "Congress Party has no moral authority or stand to ask questions about dignity of the judiciary from us. The whole record of Congress party is littered with repeated instances as to how the judiciary of India was supposed to be compromised," Prasad told ANI. Malhotra will be the first woman Supreme Court judge to be appointed to the top post directly from the bar. Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) said the government has meddled with the functioning of the judiciary by appointing senior advocate Indu Malhotra as a Supreme Court judge. However, the lawyers' body said Malhotra will prove to be a great judge. "Indu Malhotra is a fine lawyer and she will prove to be a great judge. I have a huge reservation at the attitude of the government, there is no way by which they should not have cleared Justice KM Joseph's name," SCBA chief advocate Vikas Singh told ANI. Singh also said the matter should be taken up with the government. "By making one appointment and not making another, the government has interfered in the functioning of the judiciary. This is a very serious matter and should be taken up with the government very strongly," he added. The government has decided to put on hold the elevation of Justice KM Joseph, who heads the Uttarakhand High Court. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Wuhan [China], April 26 (ANI): Several experts have exuded confidence that the informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping will strengthen bilateral relations. Rajiv Bhatia, ex-ambassador expressed his optimism on the Prime Minister's visit to China. Bhatia told ANI, "Both the countries have many differences but this will change for sure. Questions like Doklam and other border questions are complex and old questions but everything will be sorted out by sitting together." Pankaj Jha, an international relations expert, said that it seems Prime Minister Modi wants to take some political risk through this summit. Jha told ANI "In past 2-3 year nothing constructive has come out of the previous talks between the leaders. With respect to this summit in Wuhan, Prime Minister Modi wants to take some political risk either regarding the border or the trade issue." He further said that Prime Minister may also raise the Tibet issue to know Chinese President's views on the same. Anil Wadhwa, ex-ambassador to China, said that the summit is expected to bring out some positive results. "The timing of the summit is really good. Discussion will be held on all the bilateral issues," Wadhwa said. When asked about the allegation that India is frightened of China with respect to the Doklam issue, he said, "It is not right to say that. Prime Minister Modi had discussed this issue with Xi Jinping at the G-20 summit. Both the sides have maturely diffused the situation." Earlier in 2017 a face-off situation took place in the Doklam region between Indian and Chinese troop that was later resolved after 72 days following diplomatic discussions between both the nations. The meeting between the leaders of the two Asian giants comes after some hiccups in the bilateral relations between the two countries. China, a permanent United Nations Security Council (UNSC) member had vetoed the UNSC move to declare Pakistan- based Masood Azhar as a global terrorist and a fugitive. New Delhi accuses Azhar of launching several attacks on the Indian soil including the deadly 2016 Pathankot air base attack which left six security personnel dead and several others injured. The upcoming summit is expected to help in resolving these issues and further pave way for a healthier bilateral relationship between the two countries. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Searching anything on the Internet is so easy. You just go to Google, type your query and you have your results that are accurate, at least the first few ones. However, that's not always the case. Type 'India first PM' and Google is throwing up accurate results, with Jawaharlal Nehru's name appearing on the Wikipedia link. The only problem with this is the photo - it is of current Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Yes, Prime Minister Modi's picture is somehow appearing alongside Nehru's name on the Wikipedia link - 'List of Prime Ministers of India'. Going by the tweets, it seems that this anomaly was first noticed on Wednesday. When it got highlighted, many Twitter users started posting their reactions along with the screenshots. Some of them were quick to blame Google for the "error". But, we will leave it to the experts to say whether it was Google's or Wikipedia's error, if it all it was there any. Till then, here are some of the Twitterers' reactions. Mitron, who was India's first PM? pic.twitter.com/K8IQXgusx3 Salil Tripathi (@saliltripathi) April 25, 2018 Very strange type in google search "india first pm" the result will be this . Google showing pic of Narendra modi instead of Jawahar lal Nehru @GoogleIndia very unfortunate that such blunder is done by google pic.twitter.com/grrKhe0UKU #SK (@kauserseema) April 25, 2018 Delhi Medical Council on Thursday took suo moto cognizance of the case, wherein a man's leg was wrongly operated upon at Sushruta Trauma Centre, while he was admitted with a head injury. The council came forward to rescue the man and has asked for a reply from the trauma centre within 10 days. The surgery was done on April 19. This medical negligence happened as the hospital authorities mistook the patient for another patient with almost similar name. The man named Vijendra was admitted to get treated for head injuries, but the doctor instead operated on his leg, thinking him to be another patient, Virendra, who had a fractured leg. According to media reports, the doctor at the hospital has been barred from conducting surgeries after immediate effect following the incident. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Indian Air Chief B.S. Dhanoa on Thursday said India needs to build creditable deterrence capability to bring behavioural change in Pakistan's approach. Addressing a select gathering at Vivekananda Foundation on Pakistan, Dhanoa said, "Repeated terrorist attacks indicate our deterrence is not working in the sub conventional domain. We need to build conventional deterrence capability to affect a behavioural change in Pakistan." Alluding to the tensions between India and Pakistan after an attack on Indian Parliament in 2001, Dhanoa said the last time a behavioural change in Pakistan was affected in 2001 "when they were told that they should be ready to be bombed back to stone-age and they changed their behaviour". The Air Chief mocked Pakistan army by saying that in most countries the "state has an Army but in Pakistan the Army has a state." "If peace were to come, it (Pakistan Army) would lose several of it privileges. I can't afford to put my children in Ivy League colleges and settle down in London like many of their generals do," the Air Chief said. He also said that Pakistan will keep the pot boiling in Kashmir and will keep attacking the Indian military. "Any such attack may have unintended consequences which may result in an escalation," the Air Chief warned. He also said that China has increased deployment of aircraft and air crew in Tibetan Autonomous Region. He, however, added the geography works against China, especially in the Tibetan Autonomous Region. On the question about need for more funds, Dhanoa said, "If we spend all money on defence then our economy will be like that of our western neighbour (Pakistan). Talking about the recently concluded Gagan Shakti exercise, the Air Chief said, "It was not against any country. What we did in exercise Gagan Shakti is that we have walked the extra mile." The exercises had seen the IAF move its assets rapidly between the eastern and western sectors. It had also practiced maritime operations in conjunction with the Indian Navy. It had even demonstrated its ability to use fighter aircraft stationed in the eastern part of the country for operations on the western seaboard, over the Arabian Sea. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The two social problems in India - Poverty and Hunger go hand in hand. Not every poor person is hungry, but almost all hungry people are poor. So, to eradicate the problem, we need to start with its root cause. ISKCON Food Relief Foundation, Haryana currently serves midday meal to more than two thousand schools in Haryana. Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), R&D centre at Faridabad recognized the great work done by ISKCON Food Relief Foundation, Haryana (IFRF) in the field of Midday meal. Under its Corporate Social Responsibility scheme, the entire burden of Cooking gas and Delivery Vehicle's CNG will be borne by Indian Oil Corporation. On 23rd April, in the august presence of Honorable Minister of Industries and Environment (Government of Haryana), "Letter of Intent" was exchanged between IFRF's Vice Chairman-North India, Dhananjaya Krishna Das and TSR Gopalarao, IOCL-R&D's Chief General Manager. The domestic waste from the households of Faridabad will be picked, segregated and converted into Biogas by a unique "Bio-Methanation Patented Plant" conceptualized in-house by the IOCL's R&D centre. The amazing CSR activity is the result of a joint collaboration by IOCL with HUDA (Haryana Urban Development Authority), MCF (Municipal Corporation of Faridabad), Ecogreen Energy and IFRF, Haryana. Speaking on the occasion Vipul Goel - Minister of Industries and Environment described IFRF as the true and deserving recipient of the CSR activity. Also Dr. SSV Ramakumar, Director - R&D centre felt privileged to help ISKCON Food Relief Foundation, Haryana in feeding 60 thousand students of the Faridabad district. In regard to the alarming situation where 40 percent of all Indian children still remain malnourished, ISKCON Food Relief Foundation, Haryana with the motto "Food for Life" has started initiative #ZEROHUNGERHARYANA - an attempt to eradicate hunger and malnutrition to make Haryana - A Hunger Free State. With Act Social, one of the fastest growing cause marketing company as the program's implementing partner, ISKCON Food Relief Foundation (IFRF) shall endeavour to accelerate #ZEROHUNGERHARYANA as a state wise and then a country wise program. The campaign will enable and motivate children to go to schools regularly by providing them hygienic and nutritious food. Act Social, being the implementation partner contributes majorly towards developing a sustainable support system to the program. It will help in building the capacities and make channel to bring in units together to nurture the program. The prospective partners for this cause are the food serving establishments whether in a hotel/food court or in a standalone kiosk. #ZEROHUNGERHARYANA aims to become a much bigger platform for all F&B outlets, Influencers, Media and other Organisations to come together in action for a sustained and healthier world. ISKCON Food Relief Foundation, Haryana currently provides meals to Government Primary and Upper Primary Schools and is operational in four districts of Haryana - Gurugram, Palwal, Faridabad and Kurukshetra. With this, IFRF (Haryana) wishes to fill the hunger gap by serving sanctified food to the children in their growing years. With the aim to bring large number of individuals to make efforts together to stop hunger, ISKCON Food Relief Foundation, Haryana along with Act Social calls everyone to partner and assist for adequate fundraising towards feeding the children in need. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The swearing-in-ceremony of newly appointed Supreme Court judge, Indu Malhotra will be held on Friday morning, at the apex court. Senior advocate Indu Malhotra is the first woman lawyer to be elevated directly from the Bar to the Supreme Court. Her name was recommended by the Supreme Court's collegium in January, and approved by the Centre, on Wednesday. Uttarakhand Chief Justice KM Joseph was also recommended for elevation to the Supreme Court, but the Centre asked the collegium to reconsider it. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi left for China on Thursday evening around 5 Following a five-hour-journey, Prime Minsiter Modi will arrive at Tianhe International AAirport at 12:30 am (local time). Before his departure, the Prime Minister released a departure note underlining that the two Asian giants will be reviewing development in the relations from a strategic and long-term perspective. They will also be discussing their respective visions and priorities for development, particularly in the context of current and future international situation. The informal discussion to be held on April 27 and 28, will take place for the first time after 1954. Chinese President Xi Jinping has already reached Wuhan City. The informal summit is being seen as a move by the two countries to mend their ties following the Doklam stand-off last year, wherein troops from the two nations were engaged in an eyeball-to-eyeball standoff near Sikkim border between June to August. The summit comes ahead of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Qingdao city in June. No agreements will be signed between India and China and no customary joint press conference will be held during Prime Minister Modi's two-day visit. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Before departing for China to attend first of its kind 'informal summit', Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a statement, said the two Asian giants will review development in the relations from a strategic and long-term perspective. "President Xi and I will exchange views on a range of issues of bilateral and global importance. We will discuss our respective visions and priorities for national development, particularly in the context of current and future international situation," Prime Minister said in his departure note. The Prime Minister further asserted that both the leaders will exchange views on a range of issues of bilateral and global importance. "We will also review the developments in the India-China relations from a strategic and long-term perspective," the Prime Minister added. Prime minister Modi is soon going to depart from the Palam airport in New Delhi for the Wuhan City in Beijing. The meeting comes at a time when two sides are looking to "reset" ties, which suffered during the two-month Doklam standoff last year. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) One civilian got injured after terrorists fired upon a Road Opening Party of the Central Reserve Police Force and local Police at Lazibal Chowk in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district. The injured has been shifted to a hospital for medical assistance. A high alert has been sounded in the area and a manhunt has been launched to trace and apprehend the terrorists, who were travelling in a Hyundai Santro. Earlier, on Tuesday, Ajay Kumar, an Army personnel and Mohammad Latif, a policeman lost their lives in an encounter with terrorists in Lam village in Pulwama district. All the Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists involved in the encounter were soon gunned down by the security forces. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Harman International, a provider of connected technologies for automotive, consumer and enterprise markets, announced the launch of JBL Free, a wireless in-ear headphone for a completely hands-free experience, in the Indian market. "JBL Free truly steps up the listening experience with its superior sound, versatility and sleek looks. The cord-free earbuds encourage music lovers and executives to break up from wires and neckbands for truly unrestricted movement. We are excited to introduce the new in-ear headphone to add to their active lifestyle, give them high-quality audio and the freedom to experience audio in a completely new way," said Sumit Chauhan, Vice President - Lifestyle Audio, HARMAN India. JBL Free provides 24 hours of combined use; delivering continuous listening for up to 4 hours with 20 hours of backup power from the smart charging case. The lightweight case is equipped with a built-in battery, letting listeners recharge an entire hour of music playback in just 15 minutes. The earbuds are Bluetooth-enabled, thus permitting users to connect smart devices for a completely hands-free experience. JBL Free has a built-in microphone for uninterrupted, crystal clear calls at the touch of a button. Outfitted with comfort-stay secure fit ergonomics, JBL Free delivers long-lasting wear for maximum enjoyment throughout the day. Built with sweat and water-resistant materials, the earbuds withstand any situation. To ensure a secure fit, three comfort-fit ear tips, and two secure fit silicone sleeves are included. Users can interchange ear tips and sleeves for nine different size combinations. JBL Free, which is available in both black and white color variants in India, is priced at Rs. 9,999 and is available at the company's e-commerce platform, on various online and retail channels and at 350 key Samsung brand stores across the country. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court on Thursday will resume hearing the case of alleged rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl belonging to Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua area. The minor girl, who belonged to a nomadic Muslim tribe, was allegedly abducted, drugged, gang-raped, tortured and killed in January. In the wake of the incident, President Ram Nath Kovind, on April 22, promulgated the Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance, 2018, for effective deterrence against the commission of rape. The ordinance seeks the death penalty for the rapists of girls below 12 years of age and stringent punishment for perpetrators of rape particularly of girls below 16 years, thereby strengthening the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. On Tuesday, the Kathua Chief Judicial Magistrate rejected the bail application of the juvenile accused in the rape and murder of the aforementioned eight-year-old. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Madras High Court On Thursday ordered the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to probe the gutka scam. Tamil Nadu Health Minister C Vijayabaskar, who was found guilty in the gutka scam, denied the allegations and said that it is very common to accuse a public figure. "It is very obvious to level charges against any public figure. We have not done anything wrong, so we don't have to fear anybody," he said. Vijayabaskar along with Director General of Police TK Rajendran are suspected of being involved in the scam. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Lashing out at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for discrediting the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) victory in Tripura, the latter's Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb said the former "should get her brain examined in a hospital." The newly-elected chief minister further suggested that the Trinamool Congress (TMC) Chief should visit temples for "mental peace." "Mamata didi should go to a temple and then get her brain examined at a hospital," Biplab told reporters here. Earlier, Mamata in an interview had discredited the BJP for its victory in Tripura, and compared the saffron party's feat to "winning the municipal elections". She also reportedly claimed that the BJP's victory in Tripura was no cause for concern for her. The BJP- Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT) coalition defeated the Communist Party of India (CPI) with a two-thirds majority in the Tripura legislative assembly elections. The BJP won 35 of the 59 seats that went to polls in the Left bastion, ousting the CPI (M) which won only in 17 assembly constituencies. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Cancer Screening Mela was organised by the Department of Health, Government of Mizoram, in collaboration with the Public Foundation of India and Health Mission under the Swasth Uttar Purv scheme. The screening mela was funded by the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) in the state's Kolasib District. The event took place in the Diakkawn YMA Hall and saw huge support and participation of distinguished personalities from different walks of life. The teme of the event was "Come on Mizoram, together let's beat Cancer ". More than 1000 participants turned up for the screening and check up process. Miss Mizoram 2018 Thanthani & Miss India Mizoram 2018 Lily Darnei was present on the occasion. The mela was organised with an aim to raise awareness about cancer prevention, early diagnosis, early detection and management. Emphasis was placed on following a healthy lifestyle. Patients from various medical departments including eye, medicine, pediatric, ultrasound, ECG, ENT etc were present at the mela. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh suggested that the Kharif season this year would witness favourable produce, in lieu of suitable climatic conditions. "The Indian meteorological department has forecast a normal monsoon this year, which indicates the likelihood of good crop production in the coming Kharif season," he said while speaking at the conference on agriculture for Kharif campaign here on Wednesday. The minister further expressed confidence in the government with regards to doubling farmers' income by the stipulated 2022 deadline. To achieve this, he said the Ministry has been working to reduce the cost of farming, increase production through better productivity, ensure profitable returns and risk management given the uncertainty of weather. "Today, India is not only self-dependent but also an exporter of many agricultural products," he added. Singh also stated that the government aims to make agriculture-related policies and programmes income-oriented rather than production-oriented. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Leading fintech company, PayMe India, on Thursday went official about raising USD 2 million from Singapore-based Angel Investors. The investment round included the line of credit from multiple non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) and fresh cash in the equity round. Spearheaded by founders Mahesh Shukla and Sandeep Singh, PayMe India is bagging a ton of clients with quick loan approval, processing, and repayments services. For making the massive disbursal and evaluation processes easy to manage, the company is adapting to high-tech machine learning and artificial intelligence. "We have the right blend of and technical expertise and we are self-sufficient in meeting the demands of the which is growing by leaps and bounds. Our operational procedure is very much technical-intensive and where hybrid technology plays the key role to build our mobile app; the one single app supports Android as well as iOS listings. This funding round will help us to foster both capacity and market expansion for PayMe India," said Mahesh Shukla, founder of PayMe India. "India is on the verge of a financial revolution and I am very excited to be a part of PayMe's journey towards financial inclusion and independence for millions of unbanked professionals. Mahesh and his team have leveraged technology creating a platform aptly suited for the GenX professional," said Rishi Bhasin, associate director with Darashaw and Company and an active Angel Investor. PayMe India offers lending support to corporate individuals (salaried employees) on short-term as well as long-term basis. Unlike others, the company willingly offers the loans at a reasonable rate of interest and approves the loan in a fraction of minutes. As of now, the company relies on alternative data and information based on social media and mobile data for credit underwriting. PayMe India also claims to have built a proprietary underwing credit evaluation model to keep fraudulent applications and risk potential at the wayside. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pressing global issues and their outlook for the and each other's country may figure in the talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping during their two-day informal summit commencing from Friday. This has been told by India's Ambassador to China Gautam Bambawale, who spoke to ANI on Thursday. "There is no set agenda for talks. It will happen in a very informal setting, friendly setting," the envoy said, while adding that there won't be any exchanging of MoUs and release of any joint statement. Since there is no set agenda, so, they are free to talk on anything, and they probably will discuss these issues while walking in the park, or, during a boat ride on the East Lake, Bambawale said. This summit is probably the first of its kind, especially between the two Asian giants. The meeting comes at a time when two sides are looking to "reset" ties, which suffered during the two-month Doklam standoff last year. Troops of the two nations were engaged in an eyeball to eyeball situation near the Sikkim border after the Indian Army soldiers stopped a road construction activity undertaken by the People's Liberation Army in the area. However, Doklam issue and the thorny China-Pakistan Economic Corridor may not figure in the talks. The CPEC passes through a disputed part of Jammu and Kashmir that India has staked a claim to since1947-48. China's vetoing of a UNSC move to declare Pakistan- based Masood Azhar as a global terrorist and a fugitive from justice will also not come up for discussion specifically. The envoy said when two powerful leaders meet, they do not discuss "specific, micro issues"; they talk at a much larger level, he added. "They might talk about how India views China, how China views India," he said, while describing the talks as a "strategic communication at an over arching level". "We are hopeful there will be greater trust between our leaders and two countries," the envoy said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will leave for China on Thursday evening to attend an informal summit, to be hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping in Wuhan city on April 27 and 28. This informal discussion is going to take place for the first time after 1954. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Sunday at the joint press conference with his Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj in Beijing, "We will make sure that the informal summit (between PM Modi and Chinese President Jinping on April 27-28) will be a complete success and a milestone in China-India relations." The informal summit is being seen as a move by the two countries to get their ties back on track following the Doklam stand-off last year, wherein troops from the two nations were engaged in an eyeball-to-eyeball standoff near Sikkim border between June to August. The summit comes ahead of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Qingdao city in June. No agreements will be signed between India and China and no customary joint press conference will be held during Prime Minister Modi's two-day visit. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A group of people in the Pakistan Occupied Kashmir organised protests on Thursday to demand immediate suspension of the Deputy Commissioner of Rawalkot and punish those behind the killing of Late Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) activist Naeem Butt. The members of the JKLF, Jammu Kashmir National Awami Party (JKNAP) and Transport Union, together carried out a sit-in protest outside the District Collector's office situated in Rawalkot City. Earlier on March 16, a large mass of crowd conducted a demonstration against Pakistan army to express solidarity with the JKLF protestors who are fighting for the people suffering due to the continuous cross-LoC firing. Six people were injured in the firing which was supposed to be a peace march in Poonch. The march was taken out against the Pakistan initiated cross-border firings. Naeem Butt was also injured in the firing and was admitted to an Islamabad hospital who later succumbed to his injuries. Later, Kashmiri activists launched #JusticeForNaeemButt campaign and called for protests in future against the brutality of Pakistan's army and the police. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to stay the warrant of appointment of Indu Malhotra as a Supreme Court judge. Senior advocate Indira Jaising had prayed for a stay on Malhotra's elevation on the ground that Centre stalled the appointment of Uttarakahand Chief Justice KM Joseph. The top court was hearing a mentioning by a group of Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) lawyers, with 100 signatures, seeking a stay on the non-elevation of Justice KM Joseph to the Supreme Court. Jaising submitted to the Apex Court that the government is making pick and choose in selecting a judge, "We are only concerned with the independence of the judiciary." The three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dipak Misra and comprising Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachu rejected the plea and told Jaising, "If you are aggrieved, then you can file a petition and we will hear it in due course of time." The apex court bench observed it was "unimaginable, unthinkable, (and) inconceivable" that lawyers were filing a petition seeking a stay on the appointment of a member of the bar to the Supreme Court. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The ongoing visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Wuhan City adds another milestone to the long term bilateral relation, shared between India and China. The meeting comes in the backdrop of the efforts made by both India and China to move past the tensions, which rose out of last year's Doklam standoff. Starting from 1950, India became the first non-socialist bloc country to establish diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China, as reported in a press release by the Ministry of External Affairs. Further, then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi's visit in 1988 helped to thaw the Indo-China tensions following the 1962 conflict between the two countries. In 1993, an Agreement on the Maintenance of Peace and Tranquility was signed between India and China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) during the visit of then Prime Minister Narasimha Rao, which reflected the growing stability and substance in the bilateral ties. Further in 2003, former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee visited China, during which the two sides had signed a Declaration on Principles for Relations and Comprehensive Cooperation and also mutually decided to appoint Special Representatives (SRs) to "to explore the framework of a boundary settlement from the political perspective". In April 2005, former Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao visited India. The two sides established Strategic and Cooperative Partnership for Peace and Prosperity, while the signing of an agreement on Political Parameters and Guiding Principles. During former Chinese President Hu Jintao's visit to India in November 2006, the two sides issued a Joint Declaration containing a ten-pronged strategy to intensify cooperation. Former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh visited China in January 2008. A joint document, titled "A Shared Vision for the 21st Century" was issued during the visit, the statement read. During former Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's visit to India in December 2010, the two sides jointly set a bilateral trade target of USD 100 billion for 2015. According to the statement, over 60 percent of the agreements between the two Asian giants have been signed during the last decade. Till date, both the sides have established 36 dialogue mechanisms covering diverse sectors. In March 2012, then Chinese President Hu Jintao visited India for the BRICS Summit. In terms of defence exchanges, the fifth round of the Annual Defence Dialogue concluded in Beijing on 14 January 2013. Further in 2014, the present Chinese President Xi Jinping visited India. A total of 16 agreements were signed in various sectors- including commerce and trade, railways, space -cooperation, pharmaceuticals, audio-visual coproduction, culture, establishment of industrial parks, and sister-city arrangements. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the two countries to open an addtional route for Kailash Mansarovar Yatra in India through Nathu La pass in China. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had embarked on his maiden two-day visit to China in 2015. Prime Minister Modi and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang held bilateral talks. The two leaders had then welcomed the move to initiate a State/Provincial Leaders' Forum to advance the bilateral relationship between the two nations. This was part of record 24 bilateral agreements signed between the two neighbouring countries, amounting to USD 10 billion. The duo kick-started this forum by attending its first meeting held in Beijing. Further, Prime Minister Modi also announced the extension of the e-visa facility to Chinese nationals wishing to travel to India. Later in 2016, former Indian President Pranab Mukherjee visited China's Guangdong and Beijing to meet the Chinese leaders and attended a round table between Vice Chancellors and Heads of institutions of higher learning of the two countries. Ten MoUs, providing for enhanced faculty and student exchanges, were signed. The visit was to reciprocate the historic visit of President Xi Jinping to India in September 2014. He also delivered a key note at China's Peking University. The latest in the line of visits of the leaders of both countries was Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who visited China in 2017 to participate in the G20 summit in Hangzhou and September 2017 to participate in the BRICS Summit in Xiamen. The two leaders also met along the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Heads of States Summit in Tashkent in June 2016 and in Astana in June 2017. Earlier in 2016, President Xi Jinping visited India to participate in the BRICS summit at Goa. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Under acute drinking water crisis, a village in Madhya Pradesh's Tikamgarh town has been deprived of water for the past three long years. Villagers travel for almost five km every day to fetch water for their daily needs. With a population of 3,000, most people in this village are either farm labourers or petty traders. The schemes launched by both the Central and the State governments have failed to reach the villagers despite many attempts and complaints. "We have to walk till Uttar Pradesh border to get water. Our children can't go to school as all their time goes in fetching water. Due to non-availability of drinking water, womenfolk of the village walk five km every day through forest road to collect water," locals told ANI. "The district administration too has ignored our problems for the last three years," locals added. The village in Tikamgarh town also continues to be deprived of basic facilities such as school, all-weather road and electricity. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) United States President Donald Trump is set to visit the United Kingdom in July, according to two officials on Wednesday. The officials said that Trump's July visit was being formulated, although no words have come from White House and the British Embassy in Washington D.C. so far, CNN reported. According to sources, Trump's visit to the UK would be a working visit and not a bilateral visit. The officials added that plans for a state dinner or horse parade at the Buckingham Palace, meeting with Queen Elizabeth and British Prime Minister Theresa May and her ministers are currently on and has not been finalised yet. May, who became the first leader to visit the US last year, after Trump became president, had extended an invitation to him to visit the UK, adding that a new trade agreement with the US was on the cards, in a situation of uncertainty, where London is expected to leave the European Union (EU) in the next two years. The British Prime Minister also reiterated at the Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos in January that the US President would visit the UK soon. May underscored that Trump's visit to the UK would solidify the "special relationship" between the two countries. On a related note, Trump was supposed to visit London to attend the opening of the new US embassy in the city. However, he backed out after he expressed displeasure at the cost of the building. "Bad deal, Wanted me to cut ribbon-NO!," he wrote on Twitter. Trump and May initially clashed in November last year, when the latter condemned her decision to re-tweet anti-Muslim propaganda from a far-right group, Britain First. She said, in a rare public rebuke, "I am very clear that re-tweeting from Britain First was the wrong thing to do". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An Istanbul court sentenced at least 14 journalists from Cumhuriyet (Republic) daily, Turkey's oldest national newspaper to different prison terms over charges of terrorism on Wednesday. According to Anadolu news agency, Cumhuriyet Editor-in-Chief Murat Sabuncu, Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) Akin Atalay and Orhan Erinc, and three journalists - Ahmet Sik, Aydin Engin, and Hikmet Cetinkaya were sentenced to six to eight years of imprisonment on charges of "acting on behalf of a terrorist group without being members." However, the court granted bail to Atalay, who earlier spent 1.5 years in jail for the same. Another eight journalists from the Turkish daily - Bulent Utku, Kadri Gursel, Guray Tekin Oz, Haci Musa Kart, Hakan Karasinir, Mustafa Kemal Gungor, Onder Celik, and Yusuf Emre Iper were sentenced to four years in prison, as per the report. The Cumhuriyet daily was one of the few newspapers in Turkey which was critical of the views of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The convicted journalists were earlier indicted in July 2016 for sponsoring the PKK (Kurdistan Workers' Party), Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) and other terrorist groups through media coverage. The FETO and Gulen movement is responsible for a failed coup attempt to overthrow Erdogan, which claimed 250 lives and injuring over 2,000 others. The PKK, which is based in Turkey, Iraq and parts of Syria, has been involved in an armed conflict with Turkey for the past few years. It has been listed as a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the United States and the European Union. It is responsible for the deaths of more than 1,200 Turkish security personnel and civilians in the last few years. The Istanbul court also sentenced a Twitter user named Ahmet Kemal Aydogdu to 10 years to imprisonment, who was accused of having maintained a popular Twitter account @Jeansbiri, which was allegedly affiliated with the Gulen movement, the report said. In October 2016, Ahmet was detained on charges of spreading disinformation through the Internet. He was also charged for possessing a membership from an armed terrorist organisation. According to human rights organisation, Amnesty International, one-third of journalists, media workers and executives were jailed in Turkish prisons in 2016. Many international media experts and prominent journalists have criticised Ankara's media freedom law, adding that freedom of expression is under "sustained and increasing attack. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In the wake of the Kushinagar accident, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Uttar Pradesh Minister Shrikant Sharma, on Thursday, lamented the politicising of the issue. "It is unfortunate that people are politicising it. The accident is very unfortunate but what's worse is that attempts were made to block the CM's path when he went there and slogans were raised by SP-BSP," said Sharma. "The CM went to the spot and the hospital. He told people of SP-BSP to not politicise matter. It's being taken in a different way. CM's intentions were clear. He had left all his work to go to accident spot," he added. Earlier in the day, a school bus and a train collided at an unmanned crossing, resulting in the death of 13 students while many were left injured. The school bus ferrying 20 children belonged to Divine Public School. It was later revealed that the bus driver had earphones plugged in while driving the vehicle, thus could not hear the sound of the train, hence failing to prevent the mishap. The Chief Minister ordered to registered an FIR against the principal of the school, who has been detained by the police following an inquiry into the accident. Adityanath also ordered the immediate suspension of various officials, including the Basic Education Officer and Block Education Officers of Kushinagar and Dudhi, Road Transport Officer and Passenger Tax Officer. He had earlier announced an ex-gratia of INR 2 lakhs to the family of deceased. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The West Bengal Election Commission, on Thursday, issued a notice, declaring a single phase Panchayat election to be held in the state on May 14, with the counting of votes scheduled for May 17. Re-polling will be conducted on May 16 as and where required. State Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee asserted on her preference for a peaceful election, saying, "I want a peaceful poll. I appeal to all political parties to not make fake promises in the manifesto. The voting should be conducted in a democratic way. We will not allow people from other states and we will also protect our borders." Earlier, violence broke out in various parts of the state between Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supporters during filing of nominations for the elections. Clashes between the workers of the two parties also occurred in Murshidabad, Malda, South 24 Parganas, Jalpaiguri and Birbhum districts. The Panchayat polls were earlier due to take place between May 1 and May 7, with the counting earlier scheduled for May 8. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday arrived at Wuhan city in China ahead of his scheduled informal meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. President Jinping and Prime Minister Modi are expected to hold bilateral talks on Friday as part of the two-day informal summit between India and China. Later on Thursday evening, Prime Minister Modi will depart from New Delhi for Beijing to take part in the unprecedented summit between the two countries in China's commercial hub Wuhan. Though there is no set agenda for the meeting, the leaders are expected to hold talks on issues including how do India and China would view each other as strategic neighbours. Further, as per India's ambassador to China Gautam Bambawale, issues including the on-going Doklam standoff between India and China's vetoing of a UNSC move to declare Pakistan- based Masood Azhar as a global terrorist and a fugitive from justice will also not come up for discussion specifically. Earlier on Sunday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that China would make sure that the "informal summit will be a complete success and a milestone in China-India relations." The summit comes ahead of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Qingdao city in June. No agreements will be signed between India and China and no customary joint press conference will be held during Prime Minister Modi's two-day visit. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Seven Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) launched a new platform to enhance their collaboration on economic migration and forced displacement today on the margins of the IMF-World Bank Group Spring Meetings. The platform will advance strategic dialogue and operational coordination to maximize the impact of MDBs' growing engagement in these two areas. While economic migration and forced displacement are distinct issues and require a different response, each has emerged as a complex development challenge. There are an estimated 250 million international economic migrants worldwide, and roughly 66 million people are forcibly displaced as refugees or internally displaced persons fleeing conflict and persecution. The new platform represents a strong effort by MDBs to enhance cooperation to address these challenges, in response to a request made by the G7. After presenting a strategic framework for action at the G7 meeting in Bari, Italy, in May 2017, MDBs worked closely together to prepare specific initiatives under the new platform. Cooperation is ongoing. Since the platform was first announced in October 2017, MDB representatives have met several times to discuss respective approaches, results, and challenges. Four priority areas where there is high potential to increase impact have been identified to serve as the focus of the platform in the initial phase: 1. Refining the common framework for MDB engagement; 2. Advancing cooperation on knowledge, evidence, and data; 3. Ensuring strategic coordination on priority topics in coordination with governments, UN, and other partners; and 4. Deploying better-targeted instruments and products. Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank said, Building resilience for fragile communities is critical to reducing economic, social, and political exclusion. People may live in fragile communities, but they have hope and aspirations that cannot be extinguished. The African Development Bank has been investing heavily in fragile states in Africa, helping to build education, strengthen institution, and provide critical infrastructure, especially electricity, water, and sanitation. We are delighted with this new platform which will allow us to work with other multilateral development banks, using fragility lenses to drive inclusive development. Ingrid van Wees, Vice-President for Finance and Risk Management of the Asian Development Bank said, The platform's aim of fostering strategic alignment and operational coordination among MDBs is in line with ADB's principles of partnership and collaboration with multilateral institutions and member countries. We look forward to participating, to learning from the experiences of others, and to helping develop impactful responses to these urgent development needs. Sir Suma Chakrabarti, President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development said, Migration is one of the biggest global challenges. It is crucial to continue enhancing MDB coordination to provide economic help for refugees, particularly, and the countries which host them. Werner Hoyer, President of the European Investment Bank said, The challenge of forced displacement and economic migration is a shared challenge and a shared responsibility. That's why the European Investment Bank is committed to making this new platform a success. The world's Multilateral Development Banks can make a real difference through financing opportunity and key servicesbut only if we work together. Luis Alberto Moreno, President of the Inter-American Development Bank said, Migration and forced displacement are two issues very relevant for countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. We are actively working with our member countries to tackle the root causes of unsafe migration, particularly, from Central America by accelerating economic development, improving public services and strengthening relevant institutions. This platform provides a unique opportunity to join forces and learn from other experiences. Bandar Hajjar, President of the Islamic Development Bank said, We are expanding our operations by getting closer to our member countries so that we can strengthen the support we provide to the people in need, especially displaced people and economic migrants. The e-education strategy for Syrian refugees initiated by IsDB is one of the efforts of the bank to build capacity among economic migrants. Earlier this month, we have launched a $500 million fund (Transform) that will provide access to resources for SMEs and innovators. This fund would help address the challenges faced by displaced people. This is in addition to our partnership with TWAS to help refugee scientists. Kristalina Georgieva, Chief Executive Officer of the World Bank said, The world is becoming richer and more fragile at the same time. We at the World Bank Group are committed to supporting displaced people, migrants, and the communities that host them, and to multiplying our impact by working more closely with other multilateral institutions. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Towards strengthening the emerging biotechnology enterprise in India, Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science & Technology has initiated the Mission programme entitled: Industry-Academia Collaborative Mission for Accelerating Discovery Research to Early Development for Biopharmaceuticals - Innovate in India (i3) Empowering biotech entrepreneurs & accelerating inclusive innovation. The National Biopharma Mission is being implemented by Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) - a Public Sector Undertaking of Department of Biotechnology (DBT). This Mission of the Department was approved by the Cabinet in May 2017 and formally launched by Hon'ble Minister for Science & Technology on 30th June, 2017. The Mission has been approved at a total cost of US$250 million for five years with 50% funding through World Bank Loa,with an aim to make India a hub for design and development of novel, affordable and effective biopharmaceutical products such as vaccines, biologics and medical devices for combating public health concerns. This Programme of DBT would strengthen translational capability of academic researchers; empower bio-entrepreneurs and SMEs by decreasing the cost and risk during early stages of product development and also elevate the innovation quotient of the industry. The global experience of World Bank would be instrumental in building sustained global linkages, technical assistance and knowledge flow between public private partners for business promotion in biotech sector. The Legal Agreement with World Bank for flexible financing arrangements for this Mission of DBT was executed on April 24, 2018 between the project implementing agency - BIRAC a PSU of DBT, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Govt. of India and International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (on behalf of World Bank). This mission will mark the beginning of a new partnership between DBT and World Bank. It is envisaged that this programme will revolutionize the Biotech market. It will help deliver 6-10 new products in the next five years, create several dedicated facilities for next-generation skills, and hundreds of jobs in the process. It is anticipated that in the long term it would benefit the Indian population at large due to availability of affordable solutions and products relevant to Indian health needs. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Wipro lost 4.13% to Rs 275.35 at 09:19 IST on BSE after consolidated net profit fell 6.69% to Rs 1800.80 crore on 0.04% rise in total income to Rs 14304.60 crore in Q4 March 2018 over Q3 December 2017. The result was announced after market hours yesterday, 25 April 2018. On the BSE, 1.01 lakh shares were traded in the counter so far compared with average daily volumes of 1.43 lakh shares in the past two weeks. The stock had hit a high of Rs 279.80 and a low of Rs 274.40 so far during the day. Wipro's board of directors considered and approved a scheme of amalgamation (Scheme) providing for the merger of its wholly owned subsidiaries, Wipro Technologies Austria GmbH, Wipro Information Technology Austria GmbH, Newlogic Technologies SARL and Appirio India Cloud Solutions (Transferor Companies) with Wipro (Transferee Company). Wipro is a leading global information technology, consulting and business process services company. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Wipro's consolidated net profit fell 6.69% to Rs 1800.80 crore on 0.04% rise in total income to Rs 14304.60 crore in Q4 March 2018 over Q3 December 2017. The result was announced after market hours yesterday, 25 April 2018. The board of directors of the company considered and approved a scheme of amalgamation (Scheme) providing for the merger of its wholly owned subsidiaries, Wipro Technologies Austria GmbH, Wipro Information Technology Austria GmbH, Newlogic Technologies SARL and Appirio India Cloud Solutions (Transferor Companies) with Wipro (Transferee Company). ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company's net profit rose 17.93% to Rs 211.87 crore on 14.91% rise in total income to Rs 2148.81 crore in Q4 March 2018 over Q4 March 2017. The result was announced after market hours yesterday, 25 April 2018. Axis Bank, Biocon and Yes Bank will announce Q4 results today, 26 April 2018. Emami said that the meeting of board of directors of the company will be held on 3 May 2018, to recommend issue of bonus shares to the equity shareholders. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 25 April 2018. Zydus Cadila has received the final approval from the USFDA to market Methylprednisolone Tablets USP in the strengths of 4 mg, 8 mg, 16 mg and 32 mg. It is used to treat conditions suchasarthritis, blood disorders, severe allergic reactions, certain cancers, eye conditions, skin/kidney/intestinal/lung diseases and immune system disorders. It will be manufactured at the group's formulations manufacturing facility at Moraiya, Ahmedabad. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 25 April 2018. The board of directors of Kitex Garments decided to incorporate two wholly owned subsidiary companies, increasing the manufacturing capacities of the company to meet rising future demand and investing Rs 400 crore (Rs 200 crore each) in these companies from internal accruals and borrowings. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 25 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.) At least 24 militants were killed and 36 injured as Afghan forces targeted Taliban positions in Balkh province on Thursday, said an army spokesman. "The government forces from ground and air began attacking Taliban hideouts and positions at 1.30 a.m. on Thursday," Xinhua news reported quoted the spokesman as saying. Taliban militants launched their so-called spring offensive on Wednesday and since then they have been engaged with the government forces in parts of the country. --IANS and/ksk/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Three teenagers of a Chennai school who were here on a summer camp, have drowned in a village dam, a police officer said on Thursday. They were part of a team of around 20 boys from ECS Matriculation School, Chennai, who arrived here for the summer camp in Mulshi taluka, along with four teachers. Though the details of the incident were being investigated, police said the body of one victim was recovered, while search continues for the remaining two missing boys. According to Pune Rural Control, the drowning incident took place on Wednesday in a small village dam of Katarbhadak. The group from Chennai with the children aged between 13-16 was attending a week-long vacation camp at the Jackukine School of Thought, here. It was after completing the first day's activities that the children went to the dam and stepped in for a swim, when the tragedy struck. The Pune Police have identified the victims as: Danish Raja, Santosh K., and Sarvanna, all aged 13. Late on Wednesday the search teams recovered the body of Danish Raja and the hunt was resumed on Thursday to trace out the other two. Parents of the deceased students has been informed and were expected to reach here later. A police team, village divers and others are engaged in the search operation. --IANS qn/in (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) At least nine persons were killed in three separate road accidents in Jharkhand on Thursday, police said. According to the police, in Chatra district five persons were killed and more than 16 injured when a bus carrying around 27 members of a marriage party collided with a tree as the driver lost control over the vehicle. Of the 16, five injured have been admitted to a Chatra hospital and 11 others to a Ranchi hospital. The bus was on way to Itkhori in the district from Chatra town when the accident took place. In another incident in the same district, a youth was killed after his bike hit a tractor. In the third incident, three people of another marriage party were killed in Palamu district of the state when their vehicle met with an accident. More details are awaited. Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das has expressed grief over the deaths and directed officials to ensure proper treatment of the injured. --IANS ns/and/nir (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The AAP on Thursday slammed the Centre and the police in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh for their inability to arrest the accused in the rape of a 10-year-old who was rescued from a Ghaziabad madrassa. Aam Aadmi Party spokesperson Saurabh Bharadwaj told the media that it was "shameful" that Delhi Police and Uttar Pradesh Pradesh "have been unable" to catch the accused. "Its (BJP's) MPs and Delhi chief (Manoj Tiwari) are lighting candles as the police has not been able to arrest the accused. Nothing can be more shameful than this," he said. The minor girl was taken from her home in east Delhi's Ghazipur to the madrassa in Ghaziabad and raped there by a juvenile, police said. Police were informed on April 21 by the girl's father that his daughter had gone missing after she went to the market. Police registered a case and found a CCTV footage in which the accused was seen taking the girl with him. Bharadwaj said that if the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was petrified of the 'maulana' of the madrassa, "they should let somebody else run the government". --IANS mg/pgh/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) West Bengal will have a single-phase panchayat (rural body) polls on May 14, the State Election Commission announced on Thursday. Repoll, if needed, will be held on May 16. The counting will take place on May 17, the SEC said in a notification. The decision came after a recommendation from the state government that the polls be held on May 14. The elections were earlier slated to be held in three phases on May 1, 3 and 5. But the schedule was pushed back after the Calcutta High Court stayed the polling process on petitions moved by the opposition parties who complained that they were not being allowed to file nominations allegedly by armed miscreants owing allegiance to the ruling Trinamool Congress. Justice Subrata Talukdar then asked the SEC to extend the deadline for submitting nomination by a day. In conformity with the order, the SEC declared April 23 as the extended date for filing of nominations. Angry over the SEC announcement, the opposition parties said the state lacked adequate number of police personnel to provide fool-proof security and alleged the poll panel never discussed the matter with them, despite a direction from the high court. "The court had directed the SEC to hold discussions with all political parties. So far we have not received invitation for any such deliberations," said BJP leader Pratap Banerjee. "Secondly, the SEC should ponder over what kind of security it is providing the voters. There are around 58,000 polling booths. The total umber of personnel with the state police is also 58,000. Does that mean all police stations will be under lock and key, and all personnel will guard the booths? "Or will there be a jungle raj with all miscreants backed by Trinamool flexing their muscles at the booths? The Trinamool wants to prevent genuine voters from exercising their franchise, so that anti-socials can indulge in false voting," said Banerjee. Left Front chairman and senior CPI-M leader Biman Bose also pulled up the SEC for not talking to representatives of political parties before announcing the polling date. "The state government asked the SEC unilaterally to hold polls on May 14, and it has obliged. "It seems they want a blood-splattered polling day. The state government is leading the SEC through a road which can only push the state to the graveyard of democracy," said Bose. Former state Congress chief Pradip Bhattacharya said the ruling Trinamool was going ahead in its mission to create an "opposition-free" state. "The state government knows a single-day polling will lead to mayhem. The Trinamool-backed goons will capture booths and vote. This will only result in there being not a single opposition party among the elected representatives in the state. "This is unprecedented in India," said Bhattacharya, currently a Rajya Sabha member. --IANS ssp/vd (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.) To boost sub-regional economic cooperation, Bimstec Secretary-General Shahidul Islam on Thursday called for faster negotiations for the conclusion of a free trade agreement (FTA) within this grouping of South Asian and Southeast Asian nations. Speaking at the launch of report by industry body Ficci titled "Reinvigorating Bimstec: An Industry Vision for the Next Decade" here, Islam said that though a framework agreement was signed for a Bimstec FTA in 2004, negotiations have remained stalled for the last-two-and-a-half years. He called for specific steps to rejuvenate the regional grouping through greater political commitment, expeditious negotiations on Bimstec FTA, adequate funding, Bimstec special visas and closer people-to-people contacts. "The time now is to consolidate on the progress made in the last 20 years and take immediate steps to give Bimstec a distinct regional flavour," the Bangladeshi diplomat, who was appointed Bimstec Secretary-General last year, said. The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (Bimstec) came into existence in June 1997 through the Bangkok Declaration. It comprises seven countries lying in the littoral and adjacent areas of the Bay of Bengal - Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand. The main objective of Bimstec is technical and economic cooperation among South Asian and Southeast Asian countries along the rim of the Bay of Bengal. With the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) virtually rendered ineffective as a bloc, largely due to non-cooperation on the part of Pakistan in a number of areas, India has been giving more importance to Bimstec in recent times. The bloc brings together 1.5 billion people or 21 per cent of the world's population and has a combined GDP of $2.5 trillion. India is the lead country for cooperation in four priority areas: counter-terrorism and transnational crime, transport and communication, tourism and environment, and disaster management. In his speech, Islam said that at a Bimstec ministerial meeting held in Bangkok last year, four major pillars were identified on which economic cooperation between the member states rests. "First, closer public-private partnership to promote economic cooperation and to this end, creation of Bimstec Economic Forum to facilitate high-level exchange of views between policy makers and business community," he said. "Second, identification of sectors, sub-sectors and projects for economic cooperation. Initially five key sectors were identified, namely, textile and clothing, drugs and pharmaceuticals, gems and jewellery, horticulture and floriculture products, information technology products and services." Thirdly, he said, there should holding of senior economic officials' meeting to promote intra-regional cooperation on elimination of non-tariff barriers, market access issues and services. Fourthly, he mentioned infrastructure building with assistance of multilateral institutions, UN agencies, World Bank and ADB. Islam said that FTAs were no panacea for development, but they represented a crucial first step towards spurring growth and development in the region. Bangladesh, he said, had agreed to hold the next round of trade negotiations for concluding the Bimstec FTA which should be started without delay. The Bimstec Secretariat in Dhaka, he said, needed to be adequately financed as its present budget is a mere $1 million. The Ficci Knowledge report on reinvigorating Bimstec, prepared by a core group with former Indian diplomat Rajiv Bhatia as the Chair and Vikramjit Singh Sahney of Sun Group as Co-chair, suggests funding of $2 billion from India and $1 billion from other member states. "This is the kind of commitment required to give a fillip to generating meaningful activities in the region," Islam said. Ficci President Rashesh Shah said the Bimstec member nations together have untapped economic potential to catapult regional trade and investment to the next level and provide a framework to achieve sustainable development. "The Ficci core group report strives to understand the key drivers of the development paradigm for the region and identify the contours of an economically feasible and result driven approach for BIMSTEC to achieve sustained progress," Shah said. "To fulfill this vision, all stakeholders concerned have to work together for a stable, prosperous and integrated neighbourhood." Bhatia, who also served as India's Ambassador to Myanmar, said that with Saarc regional grouping facing difficulties, "we can work on revitalising Bimstec". "We should bring Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam into Bimstec and reconfigure it," he said. He also called for the holding of a Bimstec summit meeting at the earliest. --IANS ab/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A BJP delegation led by its leaders from West Bengal on Thursday met Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh to apprise them of the ongoing violence in the state ahead of the upcoming panchayat polls. The BJP leaders including General Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya, secretary Rahul Sinha, Rajya Sabha member Rupa Ganguly and Mukul Roy submitted a memorandum to Naidu appealing him to take serious cognizance. "Democracy is being slaughtered in West Bengal and we appeal to your high office to take cognizance of this acute assault on democracy by the ruling TMC. Lives, democratic rights, democratic space, Constitutional machinery and freedom are not safe anymore in the state," the memorandum read. Later, addressing a press conference at party headquarters in presence of the victims of the pre-poll violence, former Railway Minister Mukul Roy said in West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is the killer of democracy. "Bengal is quite different from other states. In other states, nobody raises a finger on democracy either in civic body or in general elections. But in Bengal election, Mamata has made a mockery of democracy," he said. Attacking Banerjee, Roy said she has encouraged Trinamool Congress (TMC) workers to create law and order problem across the state and intimidate candidates from other parties to stop them from filing their nominations. "The BDO office and the SDO office was totally blocked by the Trinamool goons under the leadership of Mamata Banerjee. Mamata was the designated Home Minister. She instructed all the SPs, BDOs and DMs not to intervene, so the police kept mum," he said. As per an announcement by the State Election Commission (SEC) on March 31, the dates for the three-phase polls were May 1, May 3 and May 5, with the last date of nomination being April 9. But several non-TMC candidates failed to file their nominations. Roy said after the intervention of the Supreme Court and the Calcutta High Court, the SEC extended the last date of filing nomination by a day. "But the order was passed after 9 p.m. and the (April) 10 morning we saw that the order was withdrawn," he said. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was forced to move the Supreme Court again which finally ended in the Calcutta High Court passing an order stalling all election process till April 12, said the BJP leader. As per the latest SEC notification, last date of filing was April 23 and April 28 for withdrawal. "After the process was stalled, after the hearing, after the extension of date for filing of nomination... What was happened is the entire Bengal is bleeding. Nobody was allowed to enter the BDO and SDO offices. Democracy became mockery and our five people were killed," he said. However, the BJP leader said the sacrifice of party workers who laid their lives would not go waste as people of West Bengal would teach the TMC a lesson. "One thing is very clear. This is the first time in Bengal's history that the fight is between Trinamool Congress and BJP, nobody (else) is there... The Bengal people will give a befitting reply to Mamata Banerejee in this panchayat election," he said. Rahul Sinha said that during the meeting with Rajnath Singh, they asked him to intervene into the matter. "The Home Minister has assured us of every possible action under the jurisdiction of the Constitution. The Vice President said he would refer the matter to the President." He said in West Bengal everybody, including former Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee, is demanding Article 356 be imposed in the state in the wake of incidents of violence. "But we are not to allow her be a 'martyr'. We will defeat her by the vote of the people. We will keep fighting against the violent form of Mamata Banerjee and the TMC on roads and even in courts," he said. --IANS mgu-bns/him/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Fortis Healthcare on Thursday said that its board of directors in a meeting held today could not deliberate upon the binding bids and will meet again on Friday to consider the same. Accordingly, the Fortis Healthcare's board will meet on Friday to deliberate upon the bids received by it for the proposed transaction of fund raising or re-structuring of the company. As per a BSE filing, the company said that the resignation of Renuka Ramnath from its "expert advisory committee" led the board to "to adjourn the meeting to be re-convened to April 27, 2018". The company's board had decided to constitute an "expert advisory committee" to evaluate all binding proposals for fund infusion. The panel is led by Deepak Kapoor, Former Chairman and CEO of Price Waterhouse Coopers, India. On Wednesday, the company informed the BSE that Ramnath who is a former MD and CEO of ICICI Venture has resigned from its "expert advisory committee". The company had, last Friday named Ramnath and Lalit Bhasin, President, Society of Indian Law Firms and Managing Partner, Bhasin & Co. as being part its "expert advisory committee". The company's Board has received offers from suitors such as Hero Enterprise Investment Office and the Burman Family Office, Fosun Health Holdings, IHH Healthcare Berhad, Manipal Hospital Enterprises and Radiant Life Care for infusion of funds. --IANS rv/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Australian actor Chris Hemsworth says he has to "pretend" to understand his wife Elsa Pataky when she tells their children off in Spanish because he is the only member of their household not to speak it fluently. "They're fluent in Spanish. I speak one sentence. I pretend to (understand) my wife will tell them off and it sounds like 'dghdghdgh' to my ear and I'm like, 'That's right... what did you tell them?' "You'd think (it would be easy to learn). When I hear the Spanish directed at me it's usually in pretty unfortunate, controversial, aggressive situations so I'm just thinking, 'What is she saying right now and what's my comeback?' When we're fighting basically. Which is never..." said Hemsworth, reports femalefirst.co.uk. While Pataky has been teaching their brood her language, the actor, 34, has been spending time teaching their children how to surf. After talk show host Ellen DeGeneres shared a video clip of him riding the waves with his daughter on his back, he said: "I occasionally get back problems and since I've started doing that it's got worse, 20 lbs of extra weight and you are getting choked out. I didn't think it would stick but they're like, 'More, more, more.' "They surf, tiny little waves. Big surfboards make it easy. They love it and where we live is perfect to do that, they are water babies." --IANS dc/nn/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress on Thursday complained to the Karnataka Police that the aircraft in which its party President Rahul Gandhi flew to Hubballi in the state earlier in the day suffered a snag mid-air. "The aircraft on a special flight (VT-AVH) from New Delhi to Hubballi suffered serious malfunction and tilted heavily to one side during the course of the flight," a party official and Gandhi's aide Kaushal Vidyarthee said in the complaint. The complaint, addressed to the state's Director General Neelamani N. Raju, requested the state police chief to "ground" the aircraft at Hubballi and investigate its malfunction. However, a Hubballi Police official told IANS over phone that no complaint has been received by the local police station on the issue so far. The complaint letter, also shared by the Congress through its official Twitter handle, however, does not mention the exact make of the aircraft the Congress President flew in and whose it was. According to the letter, there were a total of three other passengers in the aircraft besides Gandhi and the complainant Vidyarthee -- Rampreet, Rahul Ravi and Special Protection Group officer Rahul Gautam. Alleging the aircraft's auto-pilot mode was not functional and the aircraft could be landed only after two unsuccessful tries as it was "shaking and making unusual audible sounds", the letter pointed to a possible "intentional tampering" with the aircraft's functioning. "The technical snags coupled with the failed auto-pilot system raise issues of aviation safety and intentional tampering which endangered the life of the passengers," it added. Gandhi arrived at Hubballi airport at around 11.25 a.m. on Thursday on a two-day visit to the poll-bound state to launch the party's campaign for the May 12 legislative assembly elections in the coastal region. In New Delhi, Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said that demanded a thorough investigation into the "serious case of aviation mechanics failure", including the possibility of a "foul play". "Today Congress President Rahul Gandhi and other passengers were travelling by special flight from Delhi to Hubli. At about 10:45 am, the auto-pilot was lost off the flight. The flight tilted on one side and took a nosedive. "For a few minutes, this special flight was off-the-radar. There was a lot of shuddering, although the weather outside was normal and sunny. On the third attempt, the flight finally landed at Hubli," he said. "It was then informed that the auto-pilot had failed, also the radars of the flight had partially failed." Surjewala also pointed out that usually when an SPG protectee is travelling, the complete details of the pilotsand the aircraft are submitted to the DGCA and the SPG. "Only when all of these are cleared, then the flight plan is okayed. This is a serious case of aviation mechanics failure. --IANS bha-fb-sid/vd (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.) Ruling out the possibility of a hung Assembly in Karnataka, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday launched a scathing attack on the Congress, accusing it of spreading lies by hiring "foreign agencies" and dividing societies over religion and caste. In a 40-minute interactive session with BJP candidates, state office bearers and leaders of Karnataka via his mobile app, he said the problems in Indian were due to the "sins" of the Congress. Unless the Congress culture was ended, the problems will not be solved. "If you analyse the last few elections, you will realise how a few political parties have indulged only in dividing societies. They (Congress) play on religion, caste and creed and have nothing to do with the of development," he said adding that the BJP believed in the mantras of 'Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat' and 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikaas'. In an apparent attack on the Congress for declaring Lingayats a religious minority, Modi said that this was the working culture of the Congress in which they exploit emotions of a community before elections and forget it later. "They will never give an account of their work. They give lollipops to a certain community before elections and then forget them. When the new elections come they change their group of voters. "Can anyone deny that the mainstream politics of India is linked to the sins of the Congress? No on can deny this. This problem exists in other political parties too due to the political culture of the Congress. Political purity cannot be established till the Congress culture is finished from the mainstream," he added in his video address from Delhi. Hitting out at the Congress for spreading "rampant" lies, Modi asked the party workers not to fall for the opposition's falsehoods. "The Congress has resorted to rampant lying after a series of defeats in elections. Earlier, the Congress used to spread lies over five to 10 issues they raised. Now out of 50 issues, 40-45 are based on lies," the Prime Minister said. Modi told the activists to expose their lies and also fight the Congress way of deceiving people by "hiring foreign agencies". The Prime Minister said that other political parties hesitate to talk on development and were only creating divisions. Modi said the BJP-led NDA government was ahead of the Congress-led UPA on all parameters. He alleged that the "buzz" about a hung Assembly was a propaganda of the "well-wishers" of the Congress to disappoint people who want a change. "As the people of Karnataka have decided to bring about a change in the state, a lie is being spread by some people ... that there will be a hung Assembly this time. "Such lies were being spread even during the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. Till the results were out, they did this. This was nothing but a conspiracy to disillusion the people who wanted change. "We got the full majority government at the Centre after 30 years and we have been able to end policy paralysis by taking decisions and give a good name of the country." He said had the Siddaramaiah-led government not indulged in petty politics, the state could have achieved even better development figures. He urged BJP leaders to harp on development issues. "We must fight the upcoming elections on the issues of development and win people's trust," Modi said. The party's agenda for Karnataka was development -- "fast-paced" and "all-round", he stressed. Responding to a question from Udupi district, by outgoing MLA and candidate V. Sunil Kumar, Modi said the party must ensure that as many women cadres were employed as men. "Let each party worker visit a few families in each constituency and listen to their problems and being with them till they vote. There's no way we cannot win the election with this approach." Modi is likely to visit the state from May 1 to hold over a dozen rallies. He is expected to visit each of the state's four regions -- coastal, north, central and south -- besides Bengaluru and Mysuru, addressing at least two to three rallies a day till May 10. Polling will be held on May 12 for all the 224 Assembly seats. The votes will be counted on May 15. --IANS bns/mr (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 DNA test of a highly decomposed body found near Kovalam in Kerala last week confirmed on Thursday that it was of a Latvian woman who went missing last month. The DNA sample was matched with Iizie -- the sister of missing 33-year-old Liga Skromane -- who had earlier confirmed the body was her sister's. After meeting state police chief Loknath Behra, Ilzie told the media that she was content with the way the police were probing the case. "We are now waiting for final medical reports which will make everything clear," she said. The officials of Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology on Thursday submitted the findings at a court here and also conveyed it to the police probe team. Earlier, the police suspected that the death of the tourist was due to poisoning caused by eating a fruit found commonly in the marshy area where the body was found with the head severed from the body. The police have picked up a few people from the quiet and secluded place which is frequented by small-time drugs traders who supply it to tourists. Liga and Ilzie came to Kerala for ayurvedic treatment at a facility on the outskirts of Thiruvananthapuram. She went missing on March 14 and was last reported to have taken an auto-rickshaw to Kovalam. She was not carrying a passport or mobile phone with her. The auto-rickshaw driver who dropped her at Kovalam identified that Liga did not have any bag with her. He also said the jacket found with Liga was not the one she was wearing when she rode with him. --IANS sg/him/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In an apparent attack on the BJP, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said political parties should desist from spreading canards or fake posters as part of their campaign for the coming panchayat polls. Banerjee's remarks came a day after the BJP drew flak from the ruling part for using a photograph of violence in Bangladesh in its election manifesto. "We are proud of our panchayat system and Bengal's panchayats have done well. We want the polling process to be completed in a fair manner. We appeal to all the political parties not to spread fake posters, canard or propaganda but to show political curtsey and fight the elections in a democratic way," Banerjee told reporters at the state Secretariat Nabanna. She also welcomed the State Election Commission's announcement of single-phase panchayat Apolls on May 14. "We are happy. Democracy-loving people want elections and candidates must be elected through the electoral process," she said, while fuming opposition parties have threatened to move court against the poll schedule. Banerjee said the administration and the police would protect Bengal's border and ensure nobody could foment trouble by bringing people from other states. She had earlier accused the BJP of triggering trouble during the filing of nominations by roping in people from the neighbouring states. "We appeal to all the people to exercise their franchise peacefully. We will not tolerate any violence by bringing in people from other states and the state will protect its border," she added. --IANS bdc/ssp/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Samsung on Thursday said its smartphone "Galaxy J2 2018" will be available from April 27 pre-loaded with a new feature called "Samsung Mall." "Samsung Mall" is part of the "Make for India" initiative that uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) to deliver search results on the basis of a product picture clicked on or uploaded from the user's gallery, the company said in a statement. "Samsung Mall uses AI to revolutionise the way customers shop online with visual search," said Sumit Walia, Director, Mobile business, Samsung India. Priced at Rs 8,190, "Galaxy J2 2018" features a 5.0-inch "super AMOLED display, an 8MP rear camera and 5MP front camera -- both with LED flash. The device is powered by Quad-Core 1.4 GHz Cortex A53 processor paired with 1.5GB of RAM and 2600mAh battery. Additionally, Jio users who purchase "Samsung Galaxy J2 2018" can avail a cashback of Rs 2,750 in their "MyJio account" on recharging with a Rs 198 or Rs 299 plan. The cashback for Jio users comes bundled with an extra 10GB of 4G data on every recharge for the next 10 recharges. --IANS rp/na/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In an effort to mentor emerging start-ups, Google India hosted a four-day boot camp for the first 10 Indian startups as part of its 'Solve for India' programme. Launched last year as an India-only pilot for mentorship by Google Developers' "Launchpad" team, 'Solve for India' focuses on bringing the best of Google expertise to help emerging startups in Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) and build solutions for the country in varied fields. "We shortlisted 10 startups from 160 home-grown start-ups by travelling across 15 cities in India, and are now ready to scale this pilot as a dedicated programme for India," said Karthik Padmanabhan, Developer Relations Lead, Google India. The participants were the founders of startups, including Nebulaa, Slang Labs, PregBuddy, LegalDesk, PaySack, Vokal, FarMart, Meesho, Pratilipi and M-Indicator. "The quality insights received from mentors of diverse backgrounds has helped us rethink our approach of reaching out to millions of farmers in India," said Mehtab Singh Hans, Co-Founder, farMart. "We're delighted to share that we will be expanding the mentoring support beyond this boot camp, by launching a structured mentorship programme for startups who are using ML and AI to 'Solve for India,'" said Paul Ravindranath G, Programme Manager, Launchpad Accelerator, Google India. --IANS na/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Saudi-led coalition said on Wednesday that the rebels hinder the entry of humanitarian aids to the country, highlighting that 40 ships are waiting to access Al Hudaydah port, Al Arabiya news reported. The spokesperson of the coalition Col. Turki Al Maliki accused the militias of risking the security of Saudi Arabia and the navigation. He also revealed that his country has provided more than 3 million Yemenis with various assistance, citing that the captives are dealt with in accordance with the international law. Saudi Arabia and other countries are fighting in support of Yemen's exiled internationally-recognized government. Houthis also targeted Riyadh and other major cities with missiles, most of which were intercepted by the air forces. --IANS ahm/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Sunrisers Hyderabad failed to recover from the early blows from medium pacer Ankit Rajpoot (5/14) as Kings XI Punjab restricted the hosts to a paltry 132/6 in an Indian Premier League (IPL) match at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium here on Thursday. Ankit ran through the home batting line-up bagging the key wickets of skipper Kane Williamson (0), Shikhar Dhawan (11) and Wriddhiman Saha (6) off his first three overs before returning to pick Manish Pandey (54) and Mohammad Nabi (4) in the final over of the innings. Put in to bat, the hosts were saved from the blushes by Pandey's fighting 51-ball knock, laced with three fours and a six after Rajpoot reduced them to 27/3 in the first five overs. Rajpoot had almost jolted the hosts with the wicket of Shakib Al Hasan (28 off 29 balls; 4x3) on the very next ball only if Andrew Tye hadn't missed a dolly at mid-wicket. Shakib once again got a reprieve in the next over from left-armer Barinder Sran, who induced a thick edge off to third man, only for the umpires to call it a front foot no-ball. With the hosts finding themselves at a precarious 27/3, Shakib and Manish Pandey survived a few close calls, including a run-out attempt, to take the Sunrisers' to 57/3 midway into the innings. Ravichandran Ashwin's ploy to employ part-timer Manoj Tiwary misfired as the leg-spinner leaked 10 runs from his only over, forcing the Punjab skipper to bring his 17-year-old mystery spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman into the attack. Mujeeb responded in style by ending the 52-run fourth wicket stand, when he induced the Bangladeshi skipper with a wrong 'un to be comfortably caught by Mayank Agarwal at the mid-wicket fence. Shakib's dismissal brought in the experienced Yusuf Pathan (21 not out off 19; 4x1, 6x1) who was forced to curb his naturally aggressive approach by the Punjab bowlers, even as the home side managed to reach the three figures in 16.3 overs. Sensing emergency, Manish tried to change gears and got a life on 46 when he was dropped at deep mid-wicket by Mayank off Tye. Manish managed to take advantage of the life by sending Tye's slower one to the extra cover boundary and raise the second joint slowest 50 for the Sunrisers but the joy was short-lived as the right-hander fell prey to Rajpoot in the final over of the innings. Afghan all-rounder Nabi then joined Pathan for the final two deliveries but couldn't trouble the scorers much as Rajpoot had the last laugh to end the innings at 132. Brief Scores: Sunrisers Hyderabad 132/6 (Manish Pandey 54, Shakib Al Hasan 28; Ankit Rajpoot 5/14) vs Kings XI Punjab. --IANS tri/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An Iraqi court on Thursday sentenced five foreign women to death for joining the Islamic State (IS) terror group. "The Central Criminal Court sentenced three female Kyrgyz nationals and two female Azerbaijani nationals to death by hanging for joining the IS organisation," Xinhua news agency quoted a spokesman for Iraq's Supreme Judicial Council, as saying. He said the court sentenced five more foreign women: two Russians, two Azerbaijani citizens and one French, to life imprisonment. "The female convicts joined the IS terrorist organisation and were involved in criminal acts against Iraqi forces," the spokesman added. Despite its defeat in Iraq late last year, many IS members remain at large in the country. Death penalty in Iraq was suspended on June 10, 2003, but was reinstated from August 8, 2004. --IANS ksk/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Islamic State (IS) commanders fleeing Syria are conspiring with extremist groups in Africa to foment and infiltrate a new migration wave destined for Europe, the head of the UN World Food Programme has said. David Beasley, a former Republican governor of South Carolina, said Europe needed to wake up to the extremists' strategy in Africa's Sahel region, the Guardian reported on Thursday. Those forced out of Syria were uniting with local terrorist groups to use a lack of food as both a recruitment tool and a vehicle to push millions of Africans towards Europe, he said. Beasley told the Guardian: "You are going to face a similar pattern of what took place years ago, except you are going to have more Isis and extremist groups infiltrating migration. "What we are picking up is that they are partnering with the extremist groups like Boko Haram and Al Qaeda to continue to infiltrate and destabilise in the hope of creating migration into Europe where they can infiltrate and cause chaos. "My comment to the Europeans is that if you think you had a problem resulting from a nation of 20 million people like Syria because of destabilisation and conflict resulting in migration, wait until the greater Sahel region of 500 million people is further destabilised. And this is where the European community and international community has got to wake up." A four-year campaign against the IS has destroyed much of the group's so-called caliphate, confining it to a tract of land in the Euphrates valley near the border with Iraq and decimating the cities of Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor. But campaign officials have said that at least 2,200 fighters remain entrenched in the east of Syria. Beasley told the Guardian that the White House and Capitol Hill were "stepping up" their funding of the UN agency's work, with $3 billion expected this year, compared with $1.9 billion in 2016. Beyond the exploitation of the food crisis in the Sahel region, Beasley said there was a catastrophe in the making on Syria's southern border, where about 5.6 million refugees were struggling to survive. --IANS ksk/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) This year's newly-published SSC textbooks in Maharashtra have depicted a large portion of the border state Jammu and Kashmir out of the country, besides carrying a faulty picture of the national tricolour, Leader of Opposition Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil said here on Thursday. In a letter to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, he demanded a probe and immediate arrest of those found guilty of this grave faux pas in the Class 10 Geography textbook. Vikhe-Patil pointed out that these serious errors have come up in the textbooks recently published by the Maharashtra State Bureau of Textbook Production & Curriculum Research for the academic year starting 2018. "In chapter 3, page 24, a map of India is published but it is very erroneous as a large part of Jammu & Kashmir is not shown within the borders of the country," he said in the letter. Similarly, in chapter 2, page 9, the national flag has been published in which the colour of the Ashoka Chakra is wrong. He said the textbook had been kept for review in a seminar in Pune sometime ago when former school Principal K.U. Sonawane and others raised serious objections, both oral and written, to make the necessary corrections. "However, the required changes were not made and the textbooks carry the wrong images of India and the national tricolour, besides many other mistakes which have crept into the book," Vikhe-Patil said. Seeking complaints against the persons concerned and their immediate arrest, he demanded that after consulting experts, all the mistakes must be corrected and a revised version should be made available for the students from the next academic year. --IANS qn/him/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Japan has lodged a formal protest against Seoul's choice of dessert for Friday's historic summit between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korea's Kim Jong-un, the media reported on Thursday. Tokyo has protested about the mango mousse because the dish features a map of the Korean Peninsula that includes a contested island that is claimed by Japan, reports CNN. Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Wednesday that Kenji Kanasugi, the Director-General of the Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau, had told the South Korean Embassy that the inclusion of Takeshima, or Dokdo island, was "very regrettable" and "not acceptable". Japan says that South Korea is illegally occupying the rocky islands that lie east of the peninsula and it was an issue that has long soured relations between the two countries. South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha brushed off the complaint during an interview on Thursday, telling CNN that it was a "non-issue". Images released by South Korea on Wednesday show a similar map on the top of specially designed chairs which seat Moon and Kim when they meet at the southern side of the Demilitarized Zone that divides the two countries. The Japanese have complained about those as well, CNN reported. Seoul has spared no effort in its preparations for the summit, the first time the leaders of North and South Korea have met in more than a decade. In the room in the Peace House where they will meet meet, the normal rectangular table has been replaced by an oval one. Moon's office hopes the shape will encourage the summit's participants to talk candidly. Other design features focus on a shared history between the two countries, including incorporating elements of a Hanok, a traditional Korean house. At the dinner after the summit, each course on the menu comes with a heavy dash of symbolism. Guests will be served a dish from the hometown of the three South Korean presidents who will have hosted an inter-Korean summit. They will eat food from the Korean Peninsula's far north and south, including cold noodles, dumplings and barbecued beef. There will even be food sourced from the demilitarized zone itself. --IANS ksk/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Jammu and Kashmir Police on Thursday said that one of the four militants killed in Tuesday's gunfight in the Tral forest area was a Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) operational commander. State Director General of Police (DGP), S.P. Vaid said: "Operational commander of JeM Mufti Yasir was among those killed in the joint operation in upper reaches of Tral." Four JeM militants, one soldier and a state police constable were killed in the over eight-hour long gunfight. The DGP has also uploaded a picture on Twitter of the slain militant showing him alongside Masood Azhar, the founder of JeM. The picture had been taken in Pakistan few years ago by the media there. Azhar was released from Kotbalwal jail in Jammu district in 1999 and taken to Kandahar in Afghanistan where he was swapped with the 158 passengers of Indian Airlines flight IC 814 taken hostage. Two other militant commanders, Sheikh Omar and Mushtaq Ahmad Zargar were also swapped in addition to Azhar for the release of hostages. The flight was hijacked from Kathmandu and after a stopover at Amritsar it was taken to Kandahar. --IANS sq/in/ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Railway Board Chairman Ashwahi Lohani on Thursday said that the Indian Railways is committed to "eliminate unmanned level crossings" after 13 school children were killed and six seriously injured when a train hit their van at an unmanned railway crossing in Uttar Pradesh's Kushinagar. "We are trying to eliminate unmanned level crossings," Lohani told reporters while addressing a press conference here in New Delhi. He said that according to the latest reports, 13 school students died in a collision between a school van and train in Kushinagar. Lohani's remarks came after 13 children died when the school van in which they were travelling was hit by the Gorakhpur-Siwan passenger train around 7.10 a.m. The incident took place at the Dudhi Behpurva gate when the children were headed to the Divine Public School. The injured were rushed to Pandrauna Hospital which is 30 km from the accident site. Asking the commuters to be careful while crossing the unmanned level crossings, Lohani said, "Basically, people have to be careful while crossing rail tracks, there is no substitute for that. We cannot take any step that is fool-proof." Railways spokesperson Ved Prakash told IANS that the children died on the spot as the Siwan-Gorakhpur passenger train crashed into the van at the crossing, 100 km from Gorakhpur. According to railway ministry officials, the train which was on its way to Gorakhpur from Siwan, dragged the school van for over 100 meters before coming to a halt. Railway Ministry officials said that it was an unmanned level crossing with a Gate Mitra (rail volunteer) deployed there. "It was an unmanned level crossing gate at Behpurva, with Gate Mitra Arvind Kumar Bharti deployed there. He tried to stop the van but the unfortunate incident happened at unmanned gate 45 near Dudhi station in Banaras division," a railway ministry official said requesting anonymity. A North Eastern (NE) Railway official said that at least 25 people, mostly children below the age of 10 years were travelling in the van when the incident occurred. President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal expressed their grief over the accident. The Railway Minister announced an ex-gratia of Rs two lakh each to the kin of the victims, Rs one lakh to those who were critically injured and Rs 50,000 to those with minor injuries. "I am deeply anguished and pained by the loss of lives of young school children at an unmanned level crossing in Kushinagar. My thoughts are with families of the deceased and I pray for the early recovery of the injured," Goyal said in a statement. Goyal also said that he had ordered a senior-level enquiry into the incident. "We stand committed to take all possible steps to avoid such accidents in future," the Railway Minister said. An accident relief medical train from Gorakhpur was dispatched to the site, the NE official said. Several senior officials have also rushed to the accident site. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who visited the accident site and the hospital to meet the injured children directed the Divisional Commissioner of Gorakhpur to conduct a probe into the incident. He also announced an ex gratia of Rs two lakh each to the families of the deceased. After meeting the injured at the hospital, he said, "I am told that the van driver was wearing earphones while driving... this is a case of pure negligence." "An inquiry has been ordered and based on the investigation, the guilty will face the most severe punishment," he said. He also said that he had ordered the officials to register a case immediately over the incident. He said that 13 students have died while four students and the van driver are critically injured. "They have been admitted to BRD Medical College in Gorakhpur. An inquiry will be conducted to nab those responsible. I spoke to Railway Minister also about ways to man the unmanned railway crossings." Adityanath's office also instructed the district authorities to undertake rescue and relief operations immediately. --IANS aks/qd/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) French President Emmanuel Macron in a thinly veiled attack on his US counterpart Donald Trump's "America First agenda" denounced "extreme nationalism" and "isolationism" and said that he believes that Washington will pull out of the Iran nuclear deal "for domestic reasons". A day after showcasing his "bromance" with the US leader, Macron, while addressing a joint meeting of Congress on Wednesday, raised differences with Washington's policies on global trade, Iran and the environment. He urged the US to engage more with the world, step up the fight against climate change and stay in the Iran nuclear pact for now. Macron said isolationism, withdrawal and nationalism "can be tempting to us as a temporary remedy to our fears. But closing the door to the world will not stop the evolution of the world. It will not douse but inflame the fears of our citizens", the Washington Post reported. He added: "We will not let the rampaging work of extreme nationalism shake a world full of hopes for greater prosperity. The US had invented multilateralism and now needed to reinvent it." Talking about the Iran deal, Macron said: "My view is... that he will get rid of this deal on his own, for domestic reasons." Trump has until May 12 to decide on the deal, which aimed to prevent Iran acquiring nuclear weapons. The US leader has long criticised the agreement as being too soft on Iran. He earlier said he will refuse to sign the next round of waivers unless the agreement was amended to take a tougher stance, CNN reported. Macron's remarks appeared to be a concession that he may have failed to convince Trump to stay party to the agreement during his three-day visit to Washington. The French leader said he believed there was "a big risk" Trump would leave. He reaffirmed France's commitment to the Iran accord, saying that both his country and the US had signed it along with China, Russia, Britain and Germany, plus the EU. "That is why we cannot say we should get rid of it like that". In reference to Trump having pulled out the US from the Paris climate change agreement, Macron said changes in the US stance on several world issues might work in the short term but were "very insane in the medium to long term". He said the Trump administration was ignoring scientific consensus on global warming but he remained optimistic that "one day the US will come back and join the Paris agreement", which requires countries to limit the global rise in temperature attributed to emissions. He cast a sceptical eye at Trump's efforts to slap tariffs on imports from allies and undermine existing free-trade deals. To Macron, this bid to boost American manufacturing jobs at home was "counterproductive and shortsighted". The French President was given a three-minute standing ovation in the chamber. He hailed the "unbreakable bonds" of the US and France, forged in "liberty, tolerance and equal rights". --IANS soni/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Laying emphasis on the importance of the ongoing global digital disruption, software giant Adobe on Thursday said that creating a consumer-centric experience is one of the crucial key aspects of transforming businesses. "This is the dawn of the 21st century where art and science are fuelling explosive growth. This is an era of amazing experiences which is driven through digital transformation," Kulmeet Bawa, Managing Director for India and South Asia, Adobe, told reporters here at the "Adobe Symposium 2018". Bawa said this trend has a distinct wave in India because of the plethora of opportunities available. "India is the oldest civilization but the youngest nation with 65 per cent of the people still below the age of 35. We have the largest population of 'screenagers'. The amount of education opportunities around skill-building hold the recipe of the success in the country." He said that experiences were becoming the real differentiators for Indian customers and "this is a big shift for India". "India has a huge appetite and desire to be the best in the world. We see a lot of hunger in the C-suite of the country who wishes to move ahead from leaps and bounds. It is clear that digital experiences today have the power to change and transform the lives of businesses and individuals. "And perhaps Adobe is the only organisation that can actually help deliver these great experiences at every stage of the journey," the executive noted. Adobe recently celebrated 20 years in the country and one of the key differentiators contributing to the success was the role played by Adobe India's R&D division that is creating top-of-the-line intellectual property. The global software giant has a massive set-up in India, with over 5,200 employees spread across four campuses in Noida and Bengaluru, and its R&D labs claim a significant share of global innovations. Brad Rencher, Executive Vice President and General Manager Digital Experiences, emphasised that the company's offering "Adobe Experience Cloud" delivers a large opportunity for the leaders to digitally transform their businesses. "People buy experiences, not products. The consumers' expectations have escalated and businesses need to be ready to meet those expectations. They have to speak to the customers in unique ways to leave a lasting impression. It is time for enterprises to make experience their business'," Rencher added. "Adobe Experience Cloud" is a comprehensive set of Cloud services designed to give enterprises everything they need to deliver exceptional customer experience. With "Adobe Experience Cloud", any sector that got a large-scale customer data would be able to seamlessly deliver experiences to the end users. At the Adobe Summit in March in Las Vegas, Adobe unveiled innovations across "Adobe Experience Cloud", including advanced capabilities in Advertising Cloud, Marketing Cloud and Analytics Cloud, These enhancements would make it easier to unify data from disparate systems into an Experience Cloud Profile, enable data scientists and developers to better customise Adobe Sensei capabilities to suit their organisations' needs and expedite the deployment of custom code and workflows. The next-generation of Adobe Cloud platform includes a new unified customer profile, Adobe Sensei services and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) readiness, the company had said. Riding on the success of its Creative, Document and Experience Cloud portfolios, Adobe achieved a record $2.08 billion revenue (which represented 24 per cent year-over-year revenue growth) in the first quarter of fiscal year 2018 that ended on March 2. The Digital Media segment's revenue was $1.46 billion, with Creative revenue growing to $1.23 billion and Document Cloud achieving revenue of $231 million. The Digital Experience segment's revenue was $554 million, which represented 16 per cent year-over-year growth. --IANS sku/ksk/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Actress Mallika Sherawat has expressed her displeasure over increasing number of rape cases in India. She has said that from the land of Mahatma Gandhi, the country had become a land of gang rapists. Mallika was interacting with the media at the special screening of "Daas Dev" on Wednesday here. President Ram Nath Kovind on April 22 approved an ordinance to provide death penalty for those convicted of raping girls younger than 12 years. Mallika said: "I think what's happening with women and children of this country is absolutely shameful. "From the land of Gandhi, we have become a land of gang rapists and I think it's the media in the country that is really a strong force today. So all hopes are pinned on the media. "If it's not in the media, then nobody would know about these cases. I think because of pressure from the media, these new laws have been enforced. So we are really thankful to the media for this," she added. "We haven't been able to protect women and children of our country and I have been reading about such kind of crimes on a daily basis in newspapers." On Sudhir Mishra's directorial "Daas Dev", Mallika said: "I have seen the trailer of the movie. I am a fan of Sudhir Mishra's films and I love him as a director." On her upcoming projects, the "Murder" actress said: "There is one international show, of which I have acquired legal rights to remake in India... The same way as '24' (American) series was made in India. I will be making an announcement for that very soon. It is an Emmy Award-winning show." --IANS iv/nn/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday connected with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidates and cadres through his personal mobile app ahead of the May 12 Karnataka assembly elections. Modi made use of his 'Narendra Modi' mobile application to connect with BJP's 224 nominees for the polls, apart from hundreds of party cadres and booth-level workers in the poll-bound southern state. He told them how to campaign for the elections and to harp on development for the party's victory. "We must fight the upcoming elections on the issues of development and win people's trust," Modi told the party members from New Delhi through a 40-minute long digital interaction in chaste Hindi. The party's agenda for Karnataka was development -- "fast-paced" and "all-round", he stressed. "Our (party's) importance is for of development," he said. Accusing the ruling Congress in the state of spreading lies and making false promises to people in order to win the votes, the Prime Minister insisted the party workers stand their ground and expose the lies. "The Congress has resorted to rampant lying after a series of defeats in elections. BJP workers must stand their ground, expose their lies and also fight their means of deceiving people by hiring foreign agencies." Responding to a question from Karkala in Udupi district, by sitting MLA and candidate V. Sunil Kumar, on how the party members should campaign, Modi said the party must ensure that as many women cadres are employed as men. "Let each of the party worker attend few families of each constituency, by visiting them and listening to their problems and being with them till the time they vote. There's no way we cannot win the election with this approach," he said. The party workers should also wear the BJP's symbol 'Lotus' with pride till May 12, when the state elections will be held, he said. Karnataka has chosen a change in its government and wants to ride on the plank of development as the rest of the country, Modi added. "Our job as party members is to make sure that we reach each and every voter in the state." Modi is likely to visit the state tentatively from May 1 to hold over 10 rallies across the state before the election, the party's state spokesman S. Shantharam told IANS earlier. He is expected to visit each of the state's four regions -- coastal, north, central and south -- besides Bengaluru and Mysuru, addressing at least two to three rallies a day till May 10. Polling will be held in a single phase for all the 224 assembly seats, including 36 reserved for the Scheduled Castes (SCs) and 15 for Scheduled Tribes (STs). The votes will be counted on May 15. --IANS bha/pgh/in/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on early Friday arrived in the Chinese city of Wuhan for a two-day informal summit with President Xi Jinping. The two leaders will have several rounds of talks during the two-day summit. Modi and Xi will visit the Hubei Provincial Museum and have a one-on-one talk there. There will also be a meeting of delegations comprising one plus six on each side the same day. Besides, they will also have a boat ride and walk by the East Lake. The dinner will be at the guest house by the lake. They are scheduled to have more talks on Saturday. India and China will look to re-set their strained ties as during the informal Modi-Xi summit. (Gaurav Sharma can be reached at gaurav.s@ians.in) --IANS gsh/nir (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday left for Wuhan where he will take part in an informal summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The Prime Minister tweeted about the visit, saying he would review the Sino-Indians relations "from a strategic and long-term perspective". "President Xi and I will exchange views on a range of issues of bilateral and global importance. "We will discuss our respective visions and priorities for national development, particularly in the context of current and future international situation," he said. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman visited Beijing earlier this week for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation ministerial meetings. --IANS mg/him/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) South Korean President Moon Jae-in plans to greet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on the military demarcation line (MDL)dividing the two Koreas, the Blue House said Thursday. Presidential chief of staff Im Jong-seok, who is leading Seoul's preparation for the Moon-Kim summit, told the media that the two will make their first historic encounter at 9.30 a.m. on Friday on the MDL inside Panmunjom, a border village. Kim will cross the MDL, marked only by a low concrete slab, through a narrow aisle between the blue pavilions sitting in the middle of the border village and straddling the two Koreas, Xinhua news agency reported. The blue pavilions are used as the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission meeting room. --IANS in/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress on Thursday accused the RSS of getting a "motivated PIL" filed in the case of death of Judge B. H. Loya, saying it was filed by a BJP worker, Suraj Lolage, on the "directions" of RSS leader Bhaiyyaji Joshi, who asked him not to withdraw it before the Supreme Court. The party also said that it agreed with the Supreme Court observations in its verdict last week dismissing a petition seeking a SIT probe into the death of Judge Loya that a PIL can be misused to settle political scores. "We do agree with the Supreme Court that many of these Public Interest Litigations are being filed for purely political considerations and with the hope of an intended outcome," Congress leader Kapil Sibal said at a press conference at the party headquarters. Sibal said Suryakant Lolage alias Suraj Lolage filed the first Public Interest Litigation in the Nagpur Bench of Bombay High Court on November 27 last year following publication of a report in Caravan magazine a week earlier that Justice Loya had died in suspicious circumstances. He said Maharashtra government made a discreet inquiry on November 23 through its CID to arrive at a conclusion. Sibal said all other petitions relating to death of Justice Loya were filed in 2018, more than a month later. The Congress leader said that Lolage had accompanied lawyer-activist Satish Uke at an AICC press conference in January this year where the party had demanded a Supreme Court-monitored Special Investigation Team probe into the "suspicious" death of judge Loya in December 2014. Sibal said the party did not know Lolage's background and his "proximity" to BJP and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh at that time. "We later learnt that Bhaiyyaji Joshi had directed Suraj Lolage file the PIL and not to withdraw it before the Supreme Court. This aspect is clear from the telephone conversation between Suraj Lolage and Satish Uke's brother Pradeep Uke in February 2018," Sibal said. He said there was a conversation between Lolage and Pradeep Uke on February 3, and February 10, 2018. "This happened while the petitions on Judge Loya's death were being considered by the Supreme Court. The content of the conversations shows that Suraj Lolage was in touch with Bhaiyyaji Joshi through Kotekar, a member of the RSS and an office bearer of the BJP. In the conversation, Bhaiyyaji Joshi is referred to as the number two in hierarchy of the RSS," Sibal said. "In other words, this direction for initiating the PIL immediately after discreet inquiry on November 23, 2017 was initiated at the instance of Bhaiyyaji Joshi and the RSS and while he was being advised to withdraw the petition, he, in the conversation, reveals that he was directed not to withdraw it by Bhaiyyaji Joshi. "What does this show? Clearly, Bhaiyyaji Joshi and the RSS were very keen that this matter be heard in the Supreme Court as quickly as possible because they are the ones who initiated the Public Interest Litigation," he added. Sibal said there were two possibilities. "Either Bhaiyyaji Joshi of the RSS wanted that an enquiry into Judge Loya's death be conducted or wanted an outcome which ensures that the matter is closed without an inquiry," Sibal said. He said with the facts were now in public domain and "it is for the people of India to decide what the motive of RSS was." --IANS ps-sid-vsc/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Chinese geologists have claimed that North Korea's nuclear test in September 2017 was so strong that it caused an on-site collapse at the Punggye-ri site, the media reported on Thursday. Using high-quality seismic data to pinpoint the location of several tremors that followed the test, the geologists from the China University of Science and Technology warned that if North were to use the same area for another test, it could cause an "environmental catastrophe". "North Korea's past tests have altered the tectonic stress in the region to the extent that previously inactive tectonic faults in the region have reached their state of critical failure," CNN quoted the study's lead author, Wen Lianxing, as saying. "Any further disturbance from a future test could generate earthquakes that may be damaging by their own force or crack the nuclear test sites of the past or the present," he added. The international community and China have long been concerned that an accident or radiation leak at Punggye-ri could have consequences across the border, reports CNN. Punggye-ri is located 160 km from China and residents living along the border said they felt the powerful tremor caused by September's test. Last week, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said he was ordering the test site to be closed, declaring that Pyongyang no longer needed to test nuclear weapons. --IANS ksk/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a bid to give parents more control, YouTube Kids on Thursday announced three new features around the content available in the app. The new features include 'Collections' that will allow parents to choose only the channel collection and subjects they want their kids to view. The 'Parent Approved Content' feature empowers parents to handpick every video and channel available to their child in the app while an improved 'Search-off' control ensures more contained experience. "When we launched the YouTube Kids app three years ago, our goal was to give kids around the world a place to access videos that were enriching, engaging and allowed them to explore their endless interests," James Beser, Product Director for YouTube Kids, said in a statement. "One area of focus for us has been to build new features that give parents even more control around the content available in the YouTube Kids app so they can make the right choice for their unique family and for each child within their family," he added. With "Collections," YouTube Kids team and their partners will offer collections of trusted channels on a variety of subjects from arts and crafts and music to sports, learning and more. This will make it easy for parents to select only the channel collections and topics they want their kids to access. Parent need to go into "Profile" settings, and select from available collections such as Sesame Workshop and PBS KIDS. "For those parents who want even more control over the videos and channels in the YouTube Kids app, a special feature later this year will roll-out, that will allow parents to specifically handpick every video and channel available to their child in the app," YouTube Kids said. Starting this week, turning search off will limit the YouTube Kids experience to channels that have been verified by the YouTube Kids team. YouTube recently said it will hire 10,000 people to monitor and control violent extremism on the popular video streaming platform, along with curbing content that endangers children. In an interview to The Daily Telegraph, Susan Wojcicki, Chief Executive of the Google-owned video-sharing site, said that "bad actors are exploiting" YouTube to "mislead, manipulate, harass or even harm". YouTube had also announced it will remove content on the platform that attempts to pass as being "friendly for kids". "While some of these videos may be suitable for adults, others are completely unacceptable, so we are working to remove them from YouTube," Johanna Wright, Vice President of Product Management, YouTube, wrote in a blog post. With over 800 million learning video views per day, YouTube Kids is now live in 37 countries. --IANS na/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Nine Israeli youths were announced dead on Thursday evening after they were swept away in a flash flood in the Negev Desert in southern Israel, the police said. Another boy was announced missing and large forces of police, firefighters and army troops were still searching for him on Thursday evening, Xinhua reported. The teens were among a group of about 23 boys and girls from a pre-army preparatory course, who went hiking in the Tzafit wadi when a flooding began. About 15 youths were rescued, without suffering major injuries, a spokesperson with the Soroka Hospital in Beersheba said. The rescue operation includes three Yasur military helicopters, two Blackhawk helicopters, an Apache, and troops with the army's special Unit 669 rescue force. Police chief Roni Alsheich arrived at the scene to oversee the rescue efforts, who were expected to continue overnight in order to find the missing teen. Earlier in the evening, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was closely monitoring the rescue efforts. "I commend the security and rescue forces that are now working to save lives and locate the missing in the terrible disaster that took place today in Tzafit," he said in a statement released on his behalf. "We are all praying for better news." The flooding began amidst unusually heavy spring rains across Israel. The Hebrew-language Ha'aretz newspaper reported that the group went hiking in the wadi despite a statement issued by Nature and Parks Authority, warning floods are expected in the region. Following the incident, the Tamar Regional Council, where the wadi is located, issued a request not to reach the Dead Sea and Arava area due to the harsh weather conditions and floods in the area. Heavy bursts of rain started on Wednesday. The rains claimed the lives of a 17-year-old Bedouin teen and a female shepherd, who were swept away by a flash flood in the Negev on Wednesday. The rains caused also heavy traffic jams in central Israel and floods in major cities, including Tel Aviv. --IANS ahm/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Norwegian government said on Thursday it has proposed to ban child marriages and introduce an absolute minimum marriage age of 18 years. Currently, the marriage age in Norway is 18 years but persons between the age of 16 and 18 are eligible to apply to the county governor for permission to marry, Xinhua news reported. The proposal will be considered by the Parliament by the end of May, the Ministry of Children and Equality said in a statement. "We want to send a clear message, nationally as well as internationally, that we do not accept people under the age of 18 years getting married in Norway," Minister of Children and Equality Linda Hofstad Helleland said. "A child marriage may harm a child's rights to health, education, equality and a life free from violence and exploitation. A marriage should always be based on full, free and informed consent," she said. In 2012, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) reported that almost 400 million women between 20 and 49 years of age around the world had been married or had entered into a union before reaching 18 years of age. Data recently published by the world body showed a drop in the global number of child marriages. However, there is still a long way to go before the practice of child marriage is ended. --IANS and/ksk/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Veteran Congress leader Kamal Nath, who was Thursday appointed party chief in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh party chief, said he was not "hungry" for the Chief Minister's post and his selection came as the party believed he could "take everyone along". The former Union Minister also said that his selection did not mean he was the Congress Chief Ministerial candidate for the assembly elections slated towards the end of the year. In an interview to NDTV, Kamal Nath said he was named the party chief, succeeding Arun Yadav, only after discussion with other senior party leaders from the state. "The party felt I can take everyone along." Asked if his appointment meant he was the Chief Ministerial candidate, Kamal Nath replied: "Not necessarily so." "I am not hungry for the Chief Minister's post or for any other post. I am hungry to bring the state out of the morass it is in under the BJP government." Still asked if he should be looked at as the future Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, he said: "You are looking at the future of Madhya Pradesh with the Congress party." Kamal Nath said his name was selected after party President Rahul Gandhi held "wide discussions with the leaders of Madhya Pradesh" and after a meeting with him, former Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh and party MP Jyotiraditya Scindia. He said he was "sounded out" by Gandhi a month back. "I even made the statement that I am in full support of Jyotiraditya Scindia... Digvijaya Singh understands the state better than anyone else. I am sure Rahul Gandhi will find a role for him. Everybody has a role to play, we don't just need one face, but several," he said. Kamal Nath was all praise for Digvijaya Singh for his "padayatra", saying: "What he has done is humanly not possible. It requires a lot of sacrifice." Asked his view on his not being a pan-Madhya Pradesh leader like current Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, he said that this is something which the people of the state will decide. "In the end, the people will decide what I am. The people will decide what Shivraj Singh is... "Everybody is in distress. The farmers, the youth, traders, labourers... women are insecure... People are sometimes willing to be disappointed but they are not willing to be thugged... And people of Madhya Pradesh will ask this question whether they were thugged or not. "All that he (Chouhan) has promised, that he has delivered and not delivered is in the forefront. Why should Madhya Pradesh have the highest suicide rate of farmers, why should Madhya Pradesh have the highest amount of women atrocities in the country, why should the youth of Madhya Pradesh have the highest unemployment in the country. These are the questions he will have to answer," Kamal Nath said. --IANS vn/sid/him/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Painting is not just a process of self-expression but is also that of self-discovery -- and the subjects she chooses and the colours she uses also give her an insight into what she strongly feels for, says artist Sai Priya Mahajan, who has exhibited abroad at prestigious events and whose debut show is currently underway in Mumbai. "For me, painting is not just a process of self-expression but also that of self-discovery. The subjects I choose and the colours I use to paint them also give me an insight into what I am strongly feeling for, at that point," Mahajan told IANS in an email interview. "For instance, the last time I put up an exhibition, I had so many paintings that had a lot of natural, pretty subjects including riversides and picturesque city scenes, bringing out serenity, beauty and some mysticism. Looking back at the subjects and the cool shades I used to paint them, I got a sneak peak into the happiness, peace and quiet that I wanted to bring out through my work," added Mahajan, who has a degree in engineering from IIT-Bombay but found her true calling in art. This time around, Mahajan's "The Sound of Colour" show is dominated by warm colours -- reds, yellows and with strong contrasts of light and dark. The warm reds with stark contrasts reflect strong emotions, whether those are positive (passion, enthusiasm, strength, conviction, charm) or negative (anger, jealousy, resentment, scepticism). "For me, artwork through colours doesn't just convey a visual, it can also speak to you sometimes, tell you a story, convey a feeling, thought or emotion, and when it does that, it can transcend the boundary of being just a visual medium and step into a space where it also attempts to create an illusion of adding touch and sound to the mix, making it a multi-sensory experience," Mahajan said of the works that are on display at the Bajaj Art Gallery till April 28. Given that she has presented quite a lot of musicians and dancers as subjects, the theme is also a suggestion of the sound and music the performers seem to create while in action. "For instance, the painting 'Rhythm and Harmony' is an attempt to capture the quick movement of fingers, through blurring, and recreate the sounds of bols in the ears of the audience as the player strikes the tabla," Mahajan explained. How did her exhibitions come about? Last year, while visiting friends and family in the US, Mahajan realised how different the international art scene was from the local one, and decided to also venture out into that territory, whenever possible. "So when I came across the juried opportunities with Art Revolution Taipei and (New York's) Northeastern Watercolor Society, I readily applied and luckily got in. Getting accepted into such prestigious shows was a huge morale boost for me, and so was winning the Outstanding Watercolor Award at the BoldBrush contest," Mahajan said. BoldBrush is the world's largest free online art guild. What of the future? There's a lot in store, Mahajan said. "First up is the exhibition in Taiwan, which is a juried show. It's an amazing opportunity, not just to exhibit but also to network with 300 artists from 87 countries," she said. Second, she's also working on a series of colouring books for adults. These pattern-based designs have become hugely popular with adults as stress relievers, but there are not a lot of good options in the market to buy from. "The idea is to use art forms like Madhubani painting, zentangles, mandalas, et al, and create interesting stories for adults to colour or paint on, across three books," explained Mahajan, wwho will also be starting weekend workshops in Bengaluru. "Other than this, I'm now looking for opportunities to collaborate and work with other galleries, curators, artists and designers on all sorts of projects -- commissions, wall art, events and workshops," Mahajan concluded. (Vishnu Makhijani can be contacted at vishnu.makhijani@ians.in ) --IANS vm/bg/sac (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a blow to the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) ahead of general elections, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday disqualified Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif from Parliament for life for holding a work permit of the United Arab Emirates. The court announced its verdict on a petition stating that Asif did not mention his foreign employment in his nomination papers, the Pakistani media reported. Asif vowed to challenge the ruling and said he had never concealed his foreign work permit, the Express Tribune reported. A three-member special bench ruled that Asif had been proven dishonest under the country's Constitution because he did not fulfil constitutional requirements for a public office holder to disclose his all assets and sources of income. It also stated that he was not even qualified to contest the 2013 general elections. The disqualification petition was filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Usman Dar, who lost elections to Asif in 2013, Geo News reported. As per the petitioner, Asif was not entitled to be a Member of the National Assembly nor a federal minister under the unlimited term employment Contract between him and International Mechanical and Electrical Co (IMECO), a company in Abu Dhabi. Asif was hired as a full-time employee of IMECO on July 2, 2011 and held various positions, including those of the legal adviser and special adviser, the petition stated. It further said that since Asif did not declare the salary from the firm in the nomination papers while contesting the 2013 elections, he was not eligible to be elected as a member of the National Assembly. The petitioner said that Asif's work permit was renewed on June 29, 2017 and is valid till June 28, 2019. Asif admitted being employed as a legal advisor as stated in the employment form, however, he stressed that the business relationship between the company and the respondent was in accordance with the law. He said his association with the foreign firm did not relate to the national security or any matter which may be in conflict with his official functions as the Foreign Minister. It was not clear if Asif would have to step down from the post as Foreign Minister following the denotification from the Election Commission. Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's daughter and senior PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz said Asif was disqualified in a "fixed match". "Disqualify in a fixed match those you cannot face through the power of the vote. God willing, the people of Pakistan will vote for even the shadow of Khawaja Asif now," she tweeted. PTI chairman Imran Khan hailed the verdict on Twitter saying, "Another darbari of the godfather disqualified on the same pattern." --IANS soni/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Philippines' Boracay island has been closed to the public for six months starting from Thursday for sanitation and development work at the famous tourist destination. Beginning midnight, authorities banned visitors entry to the island, located about 300 km south of Manila, according to the Department of and Natural Resources. Local media reports showed images of heavy security at the island, reports Efe news. "We need to rehabilitate Boracay to make it a safe, living and environmentally sustainable island where people from all walks of life can enjoy the benefits its beauty can bring," Secretary Roy Cimatu said in a statement. Although there is no concrete plan for Boracay's rehabilitation, the minister pledged to start during the six months of closure a "first aid solution" to avoid waste dumped in the sea and improve infrastructure. "(We will) put sewage and solid waste systems in place; demolish illegal structures... set up rules and regulations to keep Boracay safe, including the use of jetty ports, vehicles and other means of transport, the entry and exit of people... And of course, the governance of the place," Cimatu said. During the closure, only residents with proper identification or people with government authorisation can access Boracay, one of the main tourist sites in the Philippines and which received 2 million visitors last year. In February, President Rodrigo Duterte called the resort a "cesspool" because of its water contamination and later ordered the total closure to the public for six months to resolve environmental issues. Employers and workers of Boracay staged several protests in the past weeks urging a partial, rather than a full shutdown. The livelihood of around 36,000 people will be affected by the closure of Boracay, while tourism industry losses could amount to 56 billion pesos ($1 billion) over nine months. --IANS ksk/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Surcharge on power for farmers has been waived off with immediate effect, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced on Thursday evening. Spending the night at a village in Amroha under the Bharatiya Janata Party's Gram Swarajya outreach to villagers, he urged the farmers to cooperate with the state government and in turn get the best from it. Also announcing the one-time settlement scheme for farmers, the Chief Minister also detailed various schemes of the Central and state BJP governments aimed at benefitting the villages and farmers. Adding that mass marriages will be conducted by the state government across the state, he also said that the state government was working on an action plan under which closed factories, projects and industries would be revived so that they can usher in development and create employment. At a point, during his address, some youths carrying placards demanded that Urdu teachers be regularized. While police and officials got jitters at this sudden protest, the Chief Minister himself handled the matter, assuring the youth that he was here to address their problems only and hence there was no need to protest. The youth then withdrew their protest. Pointing out the commitment of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to develop villages, Adityanath said that since his government was taken over, many works had been initiated in this direction. Underlining how he had given free hand to police to bring criminals to justice and to ensure safety and security to the people, he said that the rule of law had been established in the state and that all-round prosperity would soon be seen by the people. The Chief Minister also assured the youth present in the gathering that the state government would soon enroll 1.62 lakh people in the police and 1.32 lakh teachers will also be recruited. He announced that the crackdown on graft and corrupt officials will continue and added that properties and assets of such corrupt officials and government employees will be confiscated. --IANS md/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Thursday attacked Narendra Modi government's foreign policy and said "new US visa rules is a huge setback for India". "New US visa Rules, huge setback for India. There are some things a hug can buy. For visas, you're on your own," tweeted Gandhi, attaching a Times of India story with a headline "Startup visas, work permits for spouses of H-1B visa holders to go". "Foreign policy by Narendra Modi, foreword by Donald Trump," he added. --IANS sid/nir (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a scathing attack, Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Thursday dared Prime Minister Narendra Modi to clarify why the BJP gave tickets to Karnataka's tainted Reddy brothers to contest in the May 12 assembly elections. "Modi, who talks about fighting corruption, must explain to the people why he is supporting the corrupt Reddy brothers by giving ticket to contest in the state assembly polls," said Gandhi at a public meeting in this coastal town. The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) selected G. Karunakara Reddy and G. Somashekar Reddy, elder and younger brothers of the mining scam-tainted G. Janardhan Reddy, to contest from Harpanahalli and Ballari seats in the Ballari district. The party has also fielded Lallesh Reddy, nephew of the Reddy brothers, from the BTM Layout segment in Bengaluru against state Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy of the ruling Congress. Accusing Modi of allegedly changing the country's premier investigation agency CBI to "Central Bureau of Illegal Mining", Gandhi charged the Prime Minister with supporting the Reddy family in the state. "We want the people of Karnataka to be a part of the government and not of the Reddy brothers. Why is Modi supporting and protecting the corrupt? We will never allow them to loot the state," he said. Janardhan Reddy was arrested and jailed for about two years after the state's Lokayukta named him in the multi-crore iron ore mining scam in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh for about a decade (2001-10). Gandhi also accused Modi of allegedly writing off the loans of rich industrialists but being indifferent to farmers. "When I had asked Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to help farmers, he immediately waived off Rs 8,000 crore worth of loans," he added. Gandhi, who is on a two-day visit to the poll-bound southern state starting Thursday, launched the ruling party's campaign for the elections in the coastal region. He will release the party's election manifesto in the port city of Mangaluru on Friday, along with senior leaders like Karnataka in-charge K.C. Venugopal and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. --IANS bha/fb/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court on Thursday said it will shift the Kathua gang-rape and murder trial out of Jammu and Kashmir at the "slightest possibility of lack of a fair trial". A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice A.M. Khanwilkar and Justice D.Y. Chandrachud said its "real concern" was to see that a fair trial was conducted. The trial should be fair for the victim's family and for the accused, the bench added. At the outset, the Bar Council of India (BCI) Committee filed in a sealed cover a report before the apex court and supported the demand of the High Court Bar Association at Jammu and Kathua District Court Bar Association for a CBI probe into the case. The BCI also said the bar associations had neither obstructed the Crime Branch from filing the charge-sheet in the case nor the advocate representing the victim's family. However, senior advocate P.V. Dinesh, who had brought to the notice of apex court the alleged obstruction by lawyers, objected to the BCI panel's submissions, saying it was only tasked with the job of finding out whether the local lawyers had obstructed the trial proceedings and instead the panel seemed to have formed opinions on the investigation by the state Crime Branch. But the apex court said its primary concern at this point is to provide fair trial in the case and did not want to divert its attention from this aspect. "Let the main issue be not missed. Fair investigation, fair trial, appropriate legal guidance and representation of both the accused and the victim's family has to be there," the bench said. "Let us not get into what the Bar Council of India says... If we do, the victim goes away from our attention. Let us not digress from the real issue. The real issue is that how can we achieve justice," it added. "Our first concern and our constitutional concern is to ensure fair trial and procedure to provide protection to the victim's lawyer so there is no obstruction to justice and finally to transfer the case, if found necessary," the bench observed. Considering the issues of lawyers' alleged obstruction, the apex court said if the lawyers are at fault, they would be dealt in accordance with the law, and posted the matter for July 30. Senior advocate Indira Jaising, appearing for the victim's father, urged the court to monitor the trial. The bench said it could examine the prospect of fast-tracking the trial and oversee the progress of the trial. On April 13, the apex court took suo motu notice of an incident of lawyers of Jammu and Kathua bar associations preventing the victim's lawyer from appearing in the case. In January, an eight-year-old girl went missing while grazing horses in Rasana forest in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district. Her body was recovered a week later. The apex court agreed to hear a plea of two of the accused in the case, Sanji Ram and Vishal Jangotra, seeking transfer of the probe to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) besides seeking to be impleaded as parties in the petition filed by the father of the victim for transfer of case from Jammu and Kashmir to Chandigarh. The victim father's plea for transfer of case would be heard on April 27 by the apex court. --IANS gt/in/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Singapore Airlines is set to launch the world's first non-stop flight with almost 20 hours in the air, by the end of this year, the media reported on Thursday. Singapore Airlines' newest plane, the Airbus A350-900ULR -- for Ultra Long-Range -- will travel on a record-breaking, globe-spanning flight that will connect Singapore to New York, reports CNN, Earlier, the airline used to fly the gas-guzzling, four-engine A340-500 on the 9,500-mile route, with just 100 business-class seats on board. The service proved to be inefficient, and Singapore Airlines cancelLed the flights in 2013. Singapore Airlines is now taking delivery of Airbus' newest wide-body, the A350-900. It has 21 planes in its fleet, of an order for 67 aircraft. It has ordered seven of the Ultra Long-Range planes. On April 23, the plane had its first test flight, an almost five-hour round-trip that launched from the airframer's assembly plant in Toulouse, France. The Ultra Long-Range will be able to fly a remarkable 11,160 miles, an increase of more than 1,800 miles over the standard A350. It means that Singapore Airlines will reclaim the crown of running the world's longest non-stop air route. Keeping passengers' comfort in mind, the A350s share Airbus' design philosophy that makes the aircraft cabin feel more like a room, rather than a long tube. The plane has high ceilings, sophisticated LED lighting, almost vertical sidewalls and a low noise level. "The A350 is a clean-sheet design that has been designed for those long-range flights," Florent Petteni, Airbus' aircraft interiors marketing director for the A350, told CNN. The air circulation system on the A350 has also been designed to be quiet and draft-free. --IANS ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) It's a dispute that has been simmering for 65 years. The Kotia group of villages on the Andhra Pradesh-Odisha border is claimed by both states, and neither is willing to relent. The area comprises 21 villages. The dispute seems to be flaring up again. The latest spark was added in January this year when the Chandrababu Naidu-led Andhra Pradesh government started distributing freebies in the villages and issued Aadhaar cards to some of the locals. Now, it has started road construction in the area despite strident opposition by Odisha's Naveen Patnaik government, according to officials. "The Andhra Pradesh government doesn't have any right to the 21 villages as we are exercising political, legislative, administrative and other powers. Andhra is interfering in these areas by trespassing within Odisha territory and luring the people," Odisha Revenue Minister Maheswar Mohanty told IANS. Vizianagaram District Collector Vivek Yadav said he had visited the villages in January this year with other officials, but added that the visit was not aimed at raising any controversy or to whip up sentiments. The villagers apparently complained about lack of basic amenities and requested Andhra officials to arrange for laying roads in the area. However, the officials defended their right to visit the villages and said they needed no permission for this. "The entire matter has been brought to the notice of our government and we are waiting for their instructions," Yadav told IANS adding that he did not want to say anything more as the matter was "complicated and sensitive". The villagers have two ration cards, two job cards and are enrolled under different schemes of both the state governments. However, the villages are still lagging behind in development. There are no teachers in many schools and the villagers are not receiving any benefits, said an official of the Andhra Pradesh government who did not want to be named. The border dispute between the two states began soon after the formation of Andhra Pradesh in 1953. Both the states had knocked on the doors of the Supreme Court in 1968 claiming sovereignty over the villages. In 2006, the apex court, stating that adjudication of border dispute between the two states was not within its jurisdiction, gave the opinion that only Parliament could resolve the matter. It also directed the two states to maintain status quo on the issue. According to the Odisha government, the group of villages form part of the Koraput parliamentary constituency and the Potangi Assembly segment and general elections were being successfully conducted in the area. There are 2,448 voters and all of them have been provided EPIC (election photo identity cards) by the Koraput sub-collector. The state government has been conducting the general census in Kotia since 1951. The Odisha government has argued that after the formation of the province of Orissa in 1936, the state government had exercised jurisdiction over the disputed area since there existed no friction with the erstwhile Madras Presidency on the issue. Andhra Pradesh, however, has its own arguments. It holds that the dispute between the two states began after independence in 1947 and at that time, the position of the Governor-General had become obsolete and Parliament became the country's supreme lawmaking body. But politicians are not ready to sit down and resolve the issue. "The Odisha government is providing all possible facilities to the villages. I am the elected representative of the area, but, Andhra Pradesh is intruding into the Odisha border and illegally distributing freebies," said Potangi MLA Prafulla Kumar Pangi. "We are taking all steps to provide basic facilities to the locals. A team of officials had visited Kotia to take stock of the situation on the ground. The official team discussed with the district administration the intrusion by the Andhra Pradesh government," the Revenue Minister said. However, former Koraput MP and BJP leader Jayaram Pangi slammed the Odisha government for not implementing developmental programmes in the area, thereby making it easy for Andhra to "lure the tribals" by offering freebies. "AP officials have been undertaking welfare activities within the disputed area and the Odisha government has objected to it. The crucial issue here is to what extent either Odisha or AP governments are genuinely interested in promoting the welfare of the tribals in these villages," said E.A.S. Sarma, a former Union secretary and ex-Commissioner for Tribal Welfare of Andhra Pradesh. He said instead of getting bogged down in politics, the two states should realise that their topmost obligation to the tribals was to enforce the requirements of the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution and empower the Gram Sabhas by implementing the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996, and the Forest Rights Act. But for the moment all advice is falling on deaf ears. (Chinmaya Dehuri can be contacted at chinmay.d@ians.in <>) --IANS cd-ms/ssp/vm/hs/tb (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India on Thursday called for standardising punitive measures against states that use duplicity as policy by supporting or sponsoring "There are states who use terrorists as their first line of offence," Minister of State for External Affairs M.J. Akbar said in an obvious reference to Pakistan while addressing a conference on the fight against terrorist financing for the Islamic State and Al Qaeda organised by the French government. "Are there silent saboteurs who will undermine tomorrow the work we do today? "We need, therefore, to standardise punitive measures against those who use duplicity as policy. How? We must ensure, to begin with, that freezing of assets renders them unusable, effectively by prohibiting selling, removing, alienating, transforming, assigning, encumbering, taking over or similarly dealing with assets of a terrorist organisation, wherever situated," he said. Akbar said that the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) must completely shut loopholes that enable duplicity. An inter-governmental body, the FATF's objectives are to set standards and promote effective implementation of legal, regulatory and operational measures for combating money laundering, terrorist financing and other related threats to the integrity of the international financial system. Lamenting the fact that for more than two decades the UN has been unable to agree upon a definition of terrorism, Akbar said that "there often seems to be more cooperation between terrorist gangs, their sponsors and affiliates than between nations facing this existentialist challenge". "There is an urgent need to make bilateral requests under terms of UNSCR 1373 more effective; they need to be prioritised, without causing hindrance on the pretext that a request does not meet evidentiary standards," he said. Adopted in September 2001 after the 9/11 attacks, UN Security Resolution 1373 is aimed at hindering terrorist groups in various ways and encourages UN member states to share their intelligence on terrorist groups in order to assist in combating international The resolution also calls on all states to adjust their national laws so that they can ratify all of the existing international conventions on It states that all member states should ensure that terrorist acts are established as serious criminal offences in domestic laws and regulations and that the seriousness of such acts is duly reflected in sentences served. "Other excuses are also employed; for instance, that terror financing has not taken place in the country where the property is located; or that the subject is not a resident of that particular country," Akbar said. "In these matters, it is essential that the requests are executed, irrespective of the existence of MLAT or otherwise," he added, referring to a mutual legal assistance treaty (MLAT) or an agreement between two or more countries for the purpose of gathering and exchanging information in an effort to enforce public or criminal laws. Akbar said that the financial intelligence unit (FIU) of each country "must prioritise terror financing-related requests, put in place reasonable timelines for response". In an obvious reference to Hafiz Saeed, leader of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) that was behind the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks and is accused of collecting funds in the name of charity and using these to perpetrate terror attacks, he said that "it is deeply regrettable that even a great virtue like public charity is being exploited by the forces of evil". "Some so-called charities raise funds in the name of public good, and use them to perpetrate death," he said. "Worse, they get patronage from their authorities." --IANS ab/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Over 100,000 government employees and 40,000 pensioners in Manipur have rejected the terms and conditions spelt out by Chief Minister N. Biren Singh for implementing the recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission. On Thursday, employees of the Forest and the Economics and Statistics departments abstained from work and staged a sit-in protest. A leader of the striking employees said: "Conditions like setting up another fitment committee to examine the issue including source of additional fund are totally unacceptable to the government employees and pensioners." On the sidelines of a party function in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) office last week, Biren Singh said the government had agreed in principle to give enhanced pay and pension as recommended by the 7th Pay Commission. "But Manipur can't afford to arrange an additional fund of Rs 1,600 crore annually to pay the enhanced pay and pension. The committee shall examine all aspects," he added. L. Biken, Secretary of the Joint Action Committee spearheading the protests, said a committee had already been formed. "As such, it is a merely a delaying tactics." According to senior officials, the striking employees were reporting for duty on time but refusing to do any official work. --IANS il/nir/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An Army patrol on Thursday fired aerial shots after students of the Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST) at Awantipora in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district pelted stones at them. Police said the patrol was repairing communication cables outside the university when they came under attack. "Some shots were fired by the Army in the air after which they withdrew from the spot," a police officer said. "Police and the CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force) reached the spot and used tear smoke shells to quell the protests." --IANS sq/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The success of an energy policy depends on it being owned locally and decentralised, a top policymaker has said, adding: "Many economically underdeveloped regions in Germany are now earning money by tapping energy from renewables." The success lies in supporting citizen energy cooperatives, he said. "The core idea of our energy policy is a locally owned and decentralised energy transition, based on citizen engagement," said Thomas Griese, Secretary in the Rhineland-Palatinate State Ministry for Energy and In an interaction with IANS here, he said by earning money through energy production, formerly economically underdeveloped regions now have the possibility to invest in their infrastructure. Rhineland-Palatinate, a predominantly rural federal state in southern Germany but a leading one in terms of the use of wind power relative to its potential and also tapping solar for heating, has been a frontrunner in supporting citizen energy cooperatives. "Supporting cooperatives by the state is an important factor in many communities," said Griese, who belongs to the Green Party. Forty-two citizen energy cooperatives are federated and the Ministry of and Energy supports them financially. "We also support the transition of the energy system by funding local heat networks. To this day we have funded nine local heat networks with an investment of about 12.3 million Euros," said an optimistic Griese, who has been in office since 2011. After a first phase of energy transition from fossils to renewable energy, he said "it's necessary and important that we integrate them into our energy supply system. This should be as cost-effective and efficient as possible." According to Griese, energy transition also has to reach the heat sector. "We can only reduce our dependence on energy imports and climate-damaging emissions if we reduce the heat requirement in our buildings and if we use more renewable energy for heating." Forty-eight per cent of the power production in Rhineland-Palatinate is based on renewable energy, mainly wind power, which is significantly above German's average of 33 per cent as per 2017 government statistics. It was highly dependent on fossil fuels, mainly mineral oil and natural gas, which accounted for 41 percent and 38 percent of the state's primary energy consumption in 2015. "We have succeeded in becoming largely independent from power imports. Seventy per cent of the power we consumed is produced in the state itself. Only a few years ago this situation was reverse." "Through the development of renewable energy, more than 10,000 new jobs have been generated." On stepping up action for expanding renewable sources, he said: "I expect from the new (federal) government more courage and political commitment to regain global leadership not only to achieve the climate targets but also to gain back a leading position in technology." The Rhineland-Palatinate Energy Agency, a state-owned service provider, has been supporting municipalities, public institutions, businesses and citizens in their energy transition and climate protection efforts since 2012. While the new federal coalition government has just targetted the generation of 65 per cent of the electricity from renewable sources by 2030, Rhineland-Palatinate wants this figure to reach 100 per cent by 2030. (Vishal Gulati is in Germany for a media study tour of the Clean Energy Wire or CLEW. He can be contacted at vishal.g@ians.in ) --IANS vg/vm/tb (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President Donald Trump thanked rapper Kanye West for his public praise, including an assertion that the two were brothers who shared "dragon energy", the media reported. In a string of tweets on Wednesday that seemed to outrage and concern his fans, West tried to defend his admiration for the President from "the mob" of people who "can't make me not love him", reports The New York Times. "You don't have to agree with Trump but the mob can't make me not love him. We are both dragon energy. He is my brother. I love everyone. I don't agree with everything anyone does. That's what makes us individuals. And we have the right to independent thought," West tweeted along with a picture of his Trump-signed "Make America Great Again" hat. "I love Hillary (Clinton) too," he wrote in another missive, referring to the 2016 Democratic presidential nominee who lost to Trump. "Thank you Kanye, very cool!" Trump tweeted in response. The last time West and Trump met was at the Trump Tower in December 2016 to "discuss multicultural issues" and they haven't met lately, the White House confirmed on Wednesday night, reports Politico news. "I'll keep you posted if that changes," White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said. "I know they met during the transition. That's the only meeting I'm aware of that's taken place, or conversation, before everyone has a meltdown and thinks that we had a meeting last week." Trump called West "a good man" after the meeting and said the two have "been friends for a long time". West in 2016 said that if he had voted, he would have voted for Trump. The positive relationship West enjoys with Trump is glaring, particularly because the rapper has been vocal about how past presidents handled relations with African-Americans, reports The New York Times. West had once accused President George W. Bush on live television of not caring about black people, and he openly criticised President Barack Obama, who repeatedly called the rapper a "jackass". West has long appeared to be fascinated with the possibilities of the presidential platform: In 2015, he seemed to enjoy provoking the public into believing he was interested in a 2020 run. --IANS ksk/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two policemen and a civilian were injured in a grenade attack on the Kulgam police station in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam on Thursday, police said. Militants hurled a grenade at Kulgam police station and two policemen and the civilian were injured in the blast, a police officer said. The injured were taken to hospital and the area cordoned off for searches. --IANS sq/vd (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.) Omnicare Drugs India Pvt Ltd, a 100 per cent subsidiary of the UAE's largest pharmaceutical manufacturer Neopharma LLC, and ASKA Pharmaceuticals Co, a top pharma brand in Japan, will jointly set up a manufacturing facility in Visakhapatnam. The two companies on Thursday announced entering into an agreement to establish a joint venture (JV) in India for the purpose of manufacturing and marketing of pharmaceuticals to global market. The focus of this state-of-the-art facility, which will come up by 2020 at the cost of Rs 350 crore, will be to manufacture oral solid dosage forms, oral liquids and topical preparations. It will have a peak capacity to manufacture 3 billion tablets a year, said a statement. Neopharma and ASKA Pharma will be taking accreditation from all the major global health regulatory bodies. The manufacturing plant under this JV agreement will be based at JN Pharma City in Andhra Pradesh's Visakhapatnam. The project will go on floor next month while the operations are likely to start by 2020. The focus will be to manufacture products targeting chronic therapies in cardiovascular diseases, central nervous system and diabetes along with other drugs from key therapeutic classes targeting Japan and world market. "The partnership will enable us to transfer skills and knowledge locally," said B.R. Shetty, Neopharma Founder and Chairman. N. Suresh Kumar, Neopharma COO, said: "We are entering into a strategic relationship with ASKA Pharmaceuticals to accelerate growth in regulated markets of the US and the European Union and in the emerging markets Africa and Asia." --IANS ms/him/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The US Senate on Thursday narrowly confirmed Mike Pompeo as the new Secretary of State to replace Rex Tillerson. Pompeo, the outgoing chief of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), won 57 votes in support against 42 senators who opposed. Most Senate Democrats voted against him, for fear that his hawkish policy positions could dire US interests, Xinhua reported. The confirmation enabled Pompeo to represent the US to attend an upcoming NATO Foreign Ministers' meeting in Brussels, and would facilitate his communication with North Korea to lay the groundwork for President Donald Trump's direct talks with top Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Shortly after the confirmation, Trump said he was "pleased" with the Senate's confirmation of Pompeo to serve as the US 70th Secretary of State. In a statement issued by the White House, Trump noted Pompeo's "immense talent, energy, and intellect," saying these would be "an incredible asset for our country at this critical time in history." "He will always put the interests of America first. He has my trust. He has my support," Trump said. Trump confirmed on April 18 that Pompeo secretly met with Kim earlier this month, tweeting that the "meeting went very smoothly and a good relationship was formed." The Kim-Trump meeting was expected in May or early June. Trump on March 13 announced plans to replace Tillerson with Pompeo. Trump told media that Pompeo has "tremendous energy, tremendous intellect." "We're always on the same wavelength," he said. "The relationship has been very good and that's what I need as Secretary of State... I think Mike Pompeo will be a truly great Secretary of State." He added that Gina Haspel, Pompeo's deputy, will become the new director of the CIA as "the first woman so chosen." --IANS ahm/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US Department of State on Thursday confirmed on Twitter that President Donald Trump will visit Britain on July 13. The State Department retweeted the post of British top diplomat Boris Johnson that announced the visit, Xinhua reported. "Looking forward to seeing out closest ally and friend on the GREATest visit ever," said Johnson. The White House spokesperson Sarah Sanders was quoted by the US media as saying earlier on Thursday that the visit is "pretty exciting news". The visit was categorized as a "working visit", but the British media reported that besides meeting with Prime Minister Theresa May, Trump could also meet with the queen and royal family members. The visit would start after Trump attended the NATO summit slated for July 11-12 in Brussels. The two sides tried to patch up with their ties strained over a group of issues by jointly attacking Syria earlier this month. Trump made a sudden announcement on January 11 that he has cancelled his trip to Britain due to disappointment over the new location of the US embassy in London. The trans-Atlantic alliance between the United States and Britain has been shaky ever since Trump assumed the presidency last January. His proposal of a strict ban on Muslim immigration has sparked wide controversy in the island nation. Matters got even worse when Trump retweeted video posts of a British ultra-rightist group targeting Muslim immigrants in November. Under domestic pressure, May said that Trump's remarks were wrong, triggering the latter's retort demanding her not focus on him, but on anti-terrorism efforts in her own nation. Trump's statement further irritated London, as many people and government officials asked May to withdraw her invitation to Trump to pay a state visit. The two nations have also seen huge differences on multiple issues like Trump's retreat from the Paris climate accord, his decision regarding Jerusalem at the end of 2017 and his refusal to certify Iran's compliance with the historic Iran nuclear deal in October. --IANS ahm/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A voluntary code of conduct for industry towards greater transparency and better corporate governance is on high priority for the new CII President Rakesh Bharti Mittal in the wake of scams afflicating the banking sector regarding corporate loans. "We will be bring out voluntary codes of corporate governance for industry compliance -- one for large companies, another for smaller ones and one for the financial sector," Mittal told IANS in an interview here. The new president of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) -- an apex body -- said that doing business ethically and transparently, with social responsibility, featured high on the list of imperatives for Indian industry at the juncture. Noting that the low investment rate remains a deterrent to growth, Mittal said that bank NPAs, which had crossed a staggering level of Rs 9 lakh crore, and the "over leveraging" of corporate India, could constrain investments further. The CII's focus on governance comes in the backdrop of the recent Rs 13,600 crore fraud on state-run Punjab National Bank by the accused diamantaire Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi, who along with industrialist Vijay Mallya are currently absconding, even as the government has set in motion the process for bringing them back from overseas to stand trial. "We will also work with companies to develop governance in their supply chain. My theme for the CII this year is 'India Rise', where the 'R'is for 'Responsible India' and focuses on governance, transparency and social responsibility. The other letters in 'rise' stand for inclusive, sustainable and entrepreneurial India," he said. On corporate debt, he said that certain sectors were "overleveraged" but that the whole industry should not be painted with the same brush. "Corporate debt can be a result of bad business outcomes resulting from factors beyond the control of the company," he said. "The other category is that of fraud, where there is wilful default and both government and regulator should differentiate between the two. Any wilful defaulter should be given the maximum punishment as a deterrent," Mittal said, pointing out that the Insolvency and Banruptcy Code (IBC) "is addressing some of these NPAs". The government has embarked on a two-pronged strategy on bad loans. On the one hand, it has brought in the IBC which provides for a six-month time-bound insolvency resolution process, extendable by another 90 days. On the other hand, it has approved a Rs 2.11 lakh crore recapitalisation plan for state-run banks. Noting that "100 per cent losses are not being written off" in NPA resolution and "other businesses are being encouraged to revive stalled projects", Mittal pointed out that some of the stressed assets were drawing good bidder interest for revival, particularly in the steel sector, where the favourable short-term outlook has helped to raise steel prices. "Lending institutions will now be more cautious on loans which is a good thing," he said. He also said that the country's current falling investment rate of less than 30 per cent could be the result of the "change in dynamics of demography" whereby India is moving from "a saving to a spending economy", which is a positive in terms of demand. "The strength of our economy is in domestic demand," the CII President said. In this connection, he welcomed the government's resolve to double farmer incomes and the measures to help the stressed agriculture sector as outlined in the Budget for 2018-19. "Agriculture has been languishing too long on archaic policies. Time has come to rank the states on agri-reforms in the way they are competing on ease of doing business rankings," he said, adding that parametres for this should be land lease, high-value crops, water management, no free power and micro irrigation, among others." --IANS bc/hs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Controversial actress Rakhi Sawant is happy that self-styled godman Asaram has been "punished" for raping a minor girl but she wonders why he was given only a life sentence. A Special Court in Jodhpur on Wednesday convicted Asaram for raping a minor girl at his ashram in Rajasthan in 2013 and sentenced him to a prison term for life till his natural death. "I am very happy that Asaram has been punished. It sets a very good example for all potential sexual offenders in the country, especially those who think they are rich and powerful and can get away with violating our women and children," said Rakhi. "But why not the death sentence in this case? The girl is a minor...No bail, no life for child rapists." When a respected figure like an uncle or a spiritual guru "misbehaves with an innocent girl she is robbed of something far more valuable than her virginity. She loses trust in mankind". Producer Pritish Nandy tweeted: "And justice has been done. Finally. Asaram sentenced to life imprisonment for raping minor." Actor Rahul Dev is also with the verdict. "Justice prevails. Asaram 'Bapu' convicted for rape! His kind of fraud godmen/babas play with sentiments, emotions and belief of people. I salute the spirit of the family to fight for justice," he tweeted. Actor-filmmaker Farhan Akhtar wrote: "So, Asaram is a child rapist. And he has been found guilty. Good. But can people please stop sharing images of him with PM Modi. Patronising him before he was exposed to be a pervert is no crime. Let's be fair and give him the benefit of doubt that he, like us, did not know." --IANS skj/nn/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Amid speculation over Rajasthan's new Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) unit chief, Chief Minister on Thursday met BJP President Amit Shah in New Delhi and discussed the issue. Suspense, however, continued to prevail as both Raje and the BJP leadership were tight-lipped about the outcome of the meeting which lasted over three hours at BJP headquarters here. "Can't you can see my face," a smiling Raje told reporters after the meeting. Asked about the name, she maintained silence. Raje's statement is seen as she has been able to convince the central leadership about her apprehensions over the appointment of new party chief, to replace Ashok Parnam, who resigned from the post on last Wednesday. The discussions took place against the backdrop of Raje's apprehensions about Shah's choice for the post -- Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat. According to BJP sources, during her separate meetings with Shah, Ramlal (General Secretary, Organisation) and V. Satish (Joint General Secretary), Raje briefed them about her apprehensions about Shekhawat's appointment for the post. The decision to appoint a new party chief has been made keeping in mind the assembly polls slated for later in 2018. In recent by-polls in Alwar and Ajmer Lok Sabha constituencies and the Mandalgarh Assembly segment, the BJP had suffered a jolt as the voters of these constituencies elected Congress candidates. At least 13 children, aged between 7 and 11, were today killed when a train rammed into their school van at an unmanned railway crossing in Uttar Pradesh's Kushinagar area, around 50 km from Gorakhpur. Eight other children were injured in the accident that occurred early this morning, Principal Secretary (Information) Awanish Awasthi said. The children, students of Divine Public School, were killed on the spot when the Thawe-Kapatanganj passenger train crashed into the vehicle carrying them at the unmanned level crossing gate at Behpurva, officials said. The train was on way to Gorakhpur from Siwan.There were at least 25 passengers, including children, in the vehicle which was smashed under the massive impact of the accident. "It was an unmanned level crossing gate at Behpurva, with Gate Mitra (rail volunteer) deployed there. He tried to stop the vehicle but the unfortunate incident happened at unmanned gate 45 near Dudhi station in Banaras division," an official spokesperson said. The chief minister, who rushed to the accident site for an on-the-spot assessment, said prima facie the van driver appeared to be at fault. "He is said to have earphones on...all the facts will be known in the inquiry headed by the Commissioner Gorakhpur," he told newspersons after visiting the district hospital at Kushinagar where he met the injured. Expressing condolence, the chief minister announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the families of the victims and directed the Gorakhpur commissioner to conduct an inquiry into the accident, Awasthi told PTI in Lucknow. To questions, Adityanath said that four children and the van driver have been referred to BRD Medical College here and if required they will be sent to a speciality hospital for treatment. He said the state government will take strict action against all those found responsible for the laxity. Directives have already been issued to ensure safety of children to see that such incidents are not repeated and the inquiry report will find out where things had gone wrong in this case, the chief minister said. When pointed out that the school was unregistered, he said that all facts will be known in the inquiry. "I have met the family members of the victims and both the state government and Railways will extend financial help. An FIR was being lodged into the case," he said. The chief minister said he has spoken to the railway minister on the issue of train accidents at unmanned crossings and appealed to him to make them manned and if required ensure construction of railway overbridges. Railway Minister Piyush Goyal has announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh each for the kin of the deceased. "I received the unfortunate of the death of school children. I have asked senior officials to conduct a probe into the incident. Railways will give a compensation of Rs 2 lakh to the kin of the dead over and above the aid announced by the Uttar Pradesh government," he said in a tweet. Governor Ram Naik also condoled the death of minor children in the accident. Congress Legislature Party leader Ajay Singh Lallu also rushed to the accident site to supervise the relief work and demanded a compensation of Rs 50 lakh for the family of each deceased child. The deceased were identified as Hari Om (8 yrs), Ragini (7), Atiullah (8), Arshad (9), Anas Narod (8), Golu (8), Qamrool (10), Sazida (11), Tamanna (10), Miraz (8), Musquan (7), Santosh and Ravi - both ages not given. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A two-day cyber security summit -- a hackathon on the best practices to develop secure digital transactions --will be inaugurated here tomorrow. The summit on the of theme Responding to Emergent Global and Local Cyber Threats' will engage participants to effectively identify robust cyber security response strategies, a release issued by the government's media cell said. It will be inaugurated by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu. "It brings together global experts, government, law enforcement, think-tanks, consultants, civil society, start-ups, researchers, students and enthusiasts from across the globe at a common forum to share insights," the release said. CERT-In Director General Sanjay Bahl and Mastercard' Cybersecurity Evangelist Vice President Jon Brickey will take part in the event jointly organised by global payments technology major Mastercard and the state government. The AP government is bringing a new cyber security policy in order to provide security to government websites and information apart from attracting large quantum of investments in this sector," state minister Nara Lokesh said in the statement. Mastercard and the state government last year in October signed an agreement to create a "digital ecosystem" in the state. The two-year memorandum of understanding (MoU) 'Fintech Valley' was inked between Mastercard and Andhra Pradesh Electronics IT Agency (APEITA) to enable a safe and secure digital solution at the state level. The pact also includes collaboration on smart city and develop a smart transit solutions to help speed up daily commutes and bring efficiency across public transportation system. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan claimed today that Indian forces fired across the Line of Control, killing two civilians and wounding two others. Foreign Office spokesperson Mohammad Faisal said that Indian troops this morning resorted to "unprovoked firing" in Thub and Banchiran sub sectors of Padhar Sector and targeted village Bramla. Two civilians were killed and two others, including a woman, injured in the firing, he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A gas cylinder exploded in a labour colony in Giaspura area here this morning, injuring 24 persons, five of whom were stated to be critical, police said. Assistant Commissioner of Police Dharmpal and SDM (East) Amarjit Singh Bains told reporters that the cylinder explosion took place in a a house belonging to a man identified as Ashok Kumar in Smart Colony. The gas cylinder caught fire. As Ashok, his wife and some neighbours tried to put out the flames, the cylinder exploded causing injuries to those who had gathered around the spot. A portion of the building also collapsed. Sub Divisional Magistrate Bains said the injured included Ashok, his wife and a few women and children. He said the injured have been rushed to nearby hospitals. Smart Colony is home to migrant labourers. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 30-year-old man was arrested today for possessing 40 kg of ganja, reportedly smuggled from Andhra Pradesh and meant to be sold to students in the city, police said. Based on a tip off, a special team rushed to Ramanathapuram here and found the accused standing with a gunny bag, which contained 40 kg of ganja, they said. Preliminary inquiry revealed that the man hailing from Sivaganga district had brought the contraband from Andhra Pradesh, they said. One kg of Ganja is sold for Rs 10,000 to 15,000 and supplied all over the city and rural areas, police said adding a search was on for two of his accomplices. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two persons including a woman who claims to be from Tanzania were arrested by the Cyber Cell of Madhya Pradesh police today for allegedly blackmailing and extorting Rs 4 lakh from an Indore-based businessman. The Cyber Cell's Indore unit Superintendent of Police Jitendra Singh said the woman Saumu Shabani (38) and Sumit Prajapati (23), an Indian national, were arrested from Delhi. Shabani allegedly sent a friend request to the complainant, a furniture businessman, from a fake Facebook account last year and began to chat with him regularly, Singh said. She allegedly invited the businessman to her flat in Delhi in January, where she offered him a spiked drink. The businessman passed out after drinking it. When he gained consciousness, Shabani allegedly told him that she had shot an obscene video of him, and it would be uploaded on the Internet if he didn't pay her. Shabani allegedly took Rs four lakh in instalments from the businessman through bank and e-Wallet accounts of some Indian nationals, the SP said. One of them was Sumit Prajapati, a grocery shop owner, who allegedly allowed Shabani to use his bank account for commission, the police officer said. Police started probe after the businessman recently lodged a complaint. Shabani claimed to be from Tanzania, but hasn't yet produced her passport and travel documents, the SP said, adding that police were looking for some more accused. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh today launched a portal to facilitate export-import of seeds and planting material. A seed import-export portal has been developed for making the trade process easy, an official statement said. Singh said all prohibitions imposed on the export of seeds of different varieties have been removed so as to encourage export of seeds. With the launch of this portal, he said all organisations importing-exporting seeds will not be required to submit their applications in 20 copies. The employees of the department will also execute the process related to import-export applications in a smooth way. Through this portal, the remarks from the different departments will be achieved expeditiously resulting in a timely disposal of the applications, the statement said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Resident doctors at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) today declared an indefinite strike after one of their colleagues was assaulted by a senior doctor. The doctors have demanded immediate suspension of the senior doctor, who also heads a department at the premier institute. The Resident Doctors' Association (RDA) has also urged that the doctor in question should not be allowed to take in thesis candidates and conduct any kind of verbal or written examination. They also sought a written apology from the doctor concerned. In a letter to AIIMS Director Randeep Guleria, the RDA alleged that the senior doctor slapped a senior resident in front of the attendees, nursing staff and colleagues, and that the resident doctor was under depression and had gone home. The RDA said an atmosphere of fear existed in the department headed by the senior doctor, and that nobody protested as the chief threatened to fail the junior doctors. The resident doctors also raised the reported misbehavior of the senior doctor towards the female residents. "Dear Director sir, we talk about violence against doctors by relatives of patients, but this act has caused great anguish among residents and shattered the sacred student-teacher relationship," read the letter. "We expect an immediate and strong action from your side so that a message goes out that doctors are not here to be beaten," it said. As a mark of protest against the incident, the doctors today worked wearing helmets. In a late night statement, the AIIMS said the incident in question took place yesterday following which the senior doctor apologised to his junior. "On 25th April, an incident was reported wherein a faculty member had slapped a resident doctor in the AIIMS hospital. The faculty member apologised to the resident immediately," it said. The statement said the resident doctor had accepted the apology. The AIIMS director had also instituted a five member committee to be chaired by the Dean-Research to enquire into the incident. However, the strike was called by the Resident Doctors Association this evening, following which the medical services at the premier institute were affected. In the wake of the strike, the hospital has instituted contingency measures to take care of the admitted patients, including those in the ICUs and wards. The director has appealed the RDA to call off the strike in the interest of patient care. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) project of Amritsar city would be operating "full throttle" by September this year, it was informed in a meeting here today. The trial run will begin by June end. The decision was taken in a high-level meeting held here which was presided over by Local Government minister Navjot Singh Sidhu and Finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal. All senior officers of the Local Government, Transport, Punjab Infrastructure Development Board, Public Works Department and Amritsar District Administration were also present in the meeting, an official statement said. Sidhu said that approximately 1.25 lakh devotees come to pay obeisance daily at the Golden Temple, Amritsar. Keeping this aspect in mind, the prestigious project of the holy city would be run at all costs, he said in the meeting. He further said that it was decided that this project would be initiated full throttle by September, 2018 and all the buses would be run. To ensure the running of the project on firm footing the buses would be run on a trial basis in June this year. The Public Works Department officials informed the meeting that all the construction works concerning this project would be over by July. Sidhu told reporters that over Rs 500 crore has already been pumped into the project and nearly 100 buses have been gathering dust. Therefore, it has been decided to give the project another push, he said. Last month, Finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal had told the state Assembly that the Congress government in Punjab will try to run the "half-baked" and "ill-conceived" the Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) in Amritsar, as hefty sums of money have already gone into the project. Manpreet Badal had then said that a group of ministers will now suggest ways to take the project get back on track. Amritsar BRTS is jointly funded by the Centre and Punjab on equal sharing basis and the total cost of the project was nearly Rs 495 crore. In December, 2016, partial operations of the BRTS were started and presently only nine buses are plying, the state Assembly was informed. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Armenian parliament today called for an extraordinary session next week to vote for a new prime minister after the country was plunged into a political crisis with the abrupt resignation of its leader. Serzh Sargsyan, who ruled the country for 10 years, surprised many when he stepped down as prime minister Monday amid massive anti-government protests. Parliament said in a statement that a vote will be held on May 1 to elect a new leader, potentially spelling a way out of the post-Soviet nation's biggest political crisis in years. Nikol Pashinian, who leads the opposition and wants to be nominated for prime minister, held talks earlier Thursday with parliamentary factions to secure support for his candidacy. Sargsyan's party still holds a majority in the parliament, however. Sargsyan won two presidential terms by a landslide before moving to the role of prime minister earlier this year. The population of this impoverished nation, however, has been disappointed by the perceived cronyism of Sargsyan, and rampant corruption. The opposition rallies that began two weeks ago focused on protesting against what was seen as Sargsyan's attempt to stay in power indefinitely. Tens of thousands of opposition supporters rallied in the Armenian capital Yerevan yesterday, calling for Pashinian to become prime minister. Protesters today blocked traffic on major roads in and outside Yerevan before retreating. Pashinian is calling another major protest in Yerevan today as an apparent show of popular support for the opposition. "Protests will grow throughout Armenia until authorities can hear us," he said. The Kremlin is watching its small but strategic ally, where Russia has a military base, with concern. Moscow, however, has showed restraint in its reaction, insisting that the demonstrations are a domestic matter for Armenia to sort out. The Kremlin said today President Vladimir Putin discussed the crisis on the phone with Armenian President Armen Sarkisian, Sargsyan's ally. Yesterday, Russia's ambassador to Yerevan met with Pashinian. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Arunachal Pradesh State Board for Wildlife (SBWL) today approved the proposal for a comprehensive Red Panda Conservation Plan in the state. The Board in a meeting under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Pema Khandu also approved to celebrate the Pakke-Paga Hornbill Festival at Seijosa in East Kameng district, in the vicinity of the Pakke Tiger Reserve, as an annual event. The state boasts of the largest amount of potential Red Panda habitat in India and therefore a conservation plan is being pushed by World Wide Fun (WWF) India to preserve the endangered species, an official release said. WWF (India) has proposed to develop a state-level management plan for Red Panda based on advanced habitat analysis and stakeholder consultation and ensure its implementation through the state and Forest department. The plan will be first of its kind in the country and shall set a benchmark for all future conservation efforts for securing Red Pandas on a long term basis. The Pakke-Paga Hornbill Festival touted as the only wildlife conservation based festival of the state, which was being celebrated through community participation, will now be taken over by the state government. Khandu directed the amd Forest department to ensure establishment of required infrastructure for celebration of the festival annually and make it a global event. Arunachal Pradesh is home to various endangered faunal species like high altitude pheasants " Peacock, Monal and Tragopan. The Board approved a proposal for establishment of a High Altitude Breeding Center cum Aviary at a select location. It observed that the center will be not only significant in view of promoting tourism but also for education and interpretations and breeding of the pheasants. The Board also approved few other proposals related to wildlife clearance to allow land for construction of roads and defence establishments. The Board members also discussed in detail the prevailing menace of land encroachment and illegal activities within reserve forests. It was decided that the government will relook at the licenses provided for guns that can be used for hunting wild animals. The chief minister directed the Home department to study the menace of illegal use of gun licenses and submit a plan to deal with it to the cabinet. He also directed the department to issue strict directives to concerned DFOs and subordinate officers to physically inspect and check wherever there are complaints of illegal activities in reserve forests. Khandu requested the Board members to take up issues related to their respective wildlife sanctuaries with concerned deputy commissioners. "If issues are not resolved at the district level or no action is being initiated on their complaints, they may approach the CMO, he suggested," the release added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Enforcement Directorate today said it has attached fixed deposits (FDs) worth over Rs 143 crore in connection with a bank loan money laundering probe against a Chennai-based gold jewellery firm. The Kanishk Gold Pvt Ltd sold jewellery in the brand name of 'Krizz' and is accused of defaulting on a bank loan of Rs 824 crore. The agency said it attached the Rs 143.58-crore FDs after a similar attachment of assets (plant and machinery) worth Rs 48 crore was made against the firm two days back. The total attachment in this case is now Rs 191 crore, it said. The SBI first sent a compliant to the CBI in this matter. The ED office in Chennai issued a provisional order for attachment of the FDs under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The agency said it found that an amount of Rs 300 crore was sent by the firm to a jeweller's account and there was allegedly "no evidence" of receipt of gold sale in lieu of the said payment. Hence, they said, the FDs kept in this bank account were attached. The Enforcement Directorate registered a PMLA case against the company and its executives after taking cognisance of a CBI First Information Report (FIR) registered last month. "It was alleged that huge bank loans were obtained (by the firm) from a consortium of 14 banks with SBI as the lead bank for business purposes. "Credit facilities are secured by the securities such as raw materials, semi finished goods, finished goods, stores and spares showing huge stocks. "However, it was later realised that stock statements were fudged with the help of chartered accountants and on inspection by the banks in May 2017, it was found that no stocks existed and effectively all the operations came to standstill," the ED had said. The Enforcement Directorate said a forensic audit report of the firm showed "there are misrepresentation/falsification of records, diversion of funds and disposal of the stocks by the company." "The total loss caused to the banks due to the above fraud works out to the tune of Rs 824 crore which is outstanding as on December, 2017," it said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The West Bengal panchayat election would be held in a single-phase on May 14, the State Election Commission announced here today. Earlier, the elections were scheduled to be held in three phases on May 1, May 3 and May 5 and the counting was to take place on May 8. However, the Calcutta High Court had stayed the poll process and directed the SEC to reschedule the election dates after opposition parties submitted a plea, alleging that TMC members were not allowing them to file nominations. "The panchayat election will be held in one phase on May 14. Any re-poll, if needed, will be held on May 16. The date of counting will be notified later," SEC Secretary Nilanjan Shandilya told reporters. Shandilya said the poll panel had requested the state government to make sufficient security arrangements to ensure a free and fair poll. The SEC secretary, however, evaded a question on how would the state police be able to provide security if the election is held in a single phase at 58,467 polling booths spread across the state. "The state will look into the security arrangements," he said, while declining to take questions on the opposition parties' demand for deployment of central forces in the state for free and fair elections. Asked why the SEC decided on a single-phase polling, Shandilya said there were many reasons, including the month of Ramzan. Various Muslim organisations yesterday had met the SEC and urged it not to hold the polls during the month of Ramzan beginning May 16/17, as Muslims might find it difficult to take part in the polling process amid the fasting. The opposition parties in West Bengal lashed out at the State Election Commission for announcing single-phase elections in the state and said the ruling TMC was desperate to win the panchayat elections at any cost. The Congress, the CPI(M)-led Left Front and the BJP denounced the SEC for not consulting the stakeholders before announcing the poll date. "The SEC was supposed to hold discussions with all political parties before announcing the polling date. But the SEC didn't bother to do that. The SEC has turned into a back office of the Trinamool Congress. The TMC and the SEC are desperate to ensure that there is lawlessness on the day of poll," State Congress president Adhir Chowdhury said. West Bengal Left Front chairman Biman Bose also criticised the SEC and said the TMC was trying to write the epitaph of democracy in the state. "If the entire state police force is used to conduct panchayat polls, then who will man the police stations. The state police force is not at all sufficient to conduct elections on a single day at more than 58,000 booths across the state," Bose said. State BJP president Dilip Ghosh said the TMC wants to unleash violence on the day of polls. "The TMC wants to unleash violence on the day of poll as it did during the nomination process. But we will fight to ensure that people can exercise their democratic right," Ghosh said. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, however, expressed happiness with the announcement of the date of panchayat polls and hoped that it would be a peaceful election. The election on May 14 will be held from 7 am to 5 pm. The entire election process has to be completed before May 21, said a gazzette notification today. According to the West Bengal Panchayat Act, 2003, there has to be a gap of at least 21 days between the last date of filing of nominations and the date of polling. According to this rule, the election cannot be held before May 14. The nomination filing process for the panchayat poll was marred by violence and clashes between the ruling Trinamool Congress and opposition parties workers in the state, resulting in loss of a few lives. The Calcutta High Court had on April 20 directed the SEC to reschedule the dates for the panchayat polls. The nomination process for the panchayat polls had ended on April 9, but it was extended by a day by the SEC the same evening following a Supreme Court court order. The West Bengal government and the TMC had objected to the nomination date extension by the SEC, which had cited a Supreme Court direction to "allay the apprehensions of aspiring candidates" in its notification which had extended the nomination deadline by a day. The notification, which had referred to the apex court order, however, was withdrawn by the SEC on April 10 morning. This led BJP to move the Supreme Court on April 11 objecting to the recall of deadline extension, but it was asked to approach the high court with its grievances. The BJP subsequently moved the high court challenging the rollback of extended deadline, and Justice Subrata Talukdar stayed the election process on April 12. Apart from the BJP, the CPI(M) and the PDS, the Congress too had moved the high court separately challenging the SEC's decision to recall the nomination deadline extension. The SEC and TMC had challenged the petitions claiming they were not maintainable before the high court as the election process has started. Holding the petitions challenging the cancellation of notification as maintainable, Justice Talukdar, however, had asked the SEC to issue fresh notification extending the date for filing nominations. On the high court order, the SEC had announced April 23 as the extended date for filing nominations for the three-tier rural election. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The West Bengal panchayat election will be held in a single-phase on May 14, instead of the three-phase polling, scheduled for May 1, 3 and 5 earlier, the State Election Commission announced it here today. "The panchayat election will be held in one phase on May 14. Any re-poll, if needed, will be held on May 16. The date of counting will be notified later," SEC Secretary Nilanjan Shandilya told reporters. Asked if a foolproof security arrangements would be possible in case of a single-phase poll schedule, Shandilya said the poll panel has requested the state government to make sufficient security arrangements to ensure a free and fair poll. The SEC secretary, however, evaded a question on how will the state police be able to provide security if the election is held in a single phase in 58,467 polling booths spread across the state. "The state will look into the security arrangements," he said, while declining to take questions on the opposition parties demand for deployment of central forces in the state for free and fair poll. Asked why the SEC scheduled a single-phase polling, Shandilya said there are many reasons including the month of Ramzan. Various Muslim organisations yesterday had met the SEC and urged it not to hold the polls during the month of Ramzan beginning May 16/17, as Muslims might find it difficult to take part in the polling process amid the day-long fasting. According to the West Bengal Panchayat Act, 2003, there has to be a gap of at least 21 days between the last date of filing of nominations and the date of polling. According to this rule, the election cannot be held before May 14. The nomination filing process for the panchayat poll was marred by violence and clashes between the ruling Trinamool Congress and opposition parties workers in the state, resulting in loss of a few lives. The Calcutta High Court had on April 20 directed the SEC to reschedule the dates for the panchayat polls. The nomination process for the panchayat polls had ended on April 9, but it was extended by a day by the SEC the same evening following a Supreme Court court order. The West Bengal government and the TMC had objected to the nomination date extension by the SEC, which had cited a Supreme Court direction to "allay the apprehensions of aspiring candidates" in its notification which had extended the nomination deadline by a day. The notification, which had referred to the apex court order, however, was withdrawn by the SEC on April 10 morning. This led BJP to move the Supreme Court on April 11 objecting to the recall of deadline extension, but it was asked to approach the high court with its grievances. The BJP subsequently moved the high court challenging the rollback of extended deadline, and Justice Subrata Talukdar stayed the election process on April 12. Apart from the BJP, the CPI(M) and the PDS, the Congress too had moved the high court separately challenging the SEC's decision to recall the nomination deadline extension. The SEC and TMC had challenged the petitions claiming they were not maintainable before the high court as the election process has started. Holding the petitions challenging the cancellation of notification as maintainable, Justice Talukdar, however, had asked the SEC to issue fresh notification extending the date for filing nominations. On the high court order, the SEC had announced April 23 as the extended date for filing nominations for the three-tier rural election. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Bihar government today gave its nod for a scheme for the economic uplift of those sections of the society which have been traditionally dependent on manufacture and sale of country made liquor and toddy for their livelihood. The scheme, which would involve an expenditure of Rs 840 crore over the next three years, was approved at a meeting of the state cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, principal secretary, Cabinet Secretariat Department, Arun Kumar Singh told reporters. Kumar had announced a complete ban on sale and consumption of liquor in the state two years ago. The move, which has been appreciated by the state's women, has however drawn criticism from leaders like former CM Jitan Ram Manjhi who have underscored that a large section of the state's Dalits were adversely hit by prohibition. Opposition parties have also been alleging that most of the people who have been convicted by courts of law under the state's stringent prohibition law, belong to poor Mahadalit families. Other decisions taken at today's cabinet meeting include approval for establishment of "Biharsharif Smart City Limited Company", the principal secretary said. Biharsharif is the district headquarter of Nalanda, from where the Chief Minister himself hails. Development of the town as a smart city is expected to involve an expenditure of about Rs 1517 crore. The state government would contribute Rs 488 crore for the project, besides another Rs 2.50 crore for the company's registration, Singh said. Another key decision taken at the cabinet meeting was approval for raising Rs 968.88 crore through equity shares for AT and C losses suffered by the Bihar State Power Holding Company, the principal secretary added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) By projecting B Sreeramalu as the star poll campaigner, the BJP is playing the pro-tribal" card as it did in North-Eastern states to woo tribal votes, in"Karnataka, say political analysts. "After tasting a historic win in North-Eastern states like Tripura and Nagaland, BJP is now playing pro-tribal card to attract tribal votes in Karnataka," leading political scientist Sandeep Shastri told PTI here. "Hence, it is projecting Sreeramulu, a tribal leader belonging to Valmiki Nayak community, as star campaigner in the runup to the assembly election," he said. Sreeramulu has emerged as the star campaigner for BJP after the party decided to field him from Badami to give a tough fight to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who also has filed"nomination from there, apart from Chamundeshwari constituency. Sreeramulu is also contesting from Molakalmuru in Chitradurga district, a well-known Congress bastion. Another political analyst and professor of political science at Karnatak University Dr Harish Ramaswamy also agreed that the BJP was playing the N-E states pro-tribal card by" projecting Sreeramulu as star campaigner. The only challenge BJP faces is to garner tribal votes from North Karnataka belt, according to him. "Sreeramulu's influence and his presence is felt, stretching from Hyderabad-Karnataka to Chitradurga. He has been very popular face among tribals here. The only task Sreeramulu has on his hands is to create an army of people to see the tribal votes getting transferred to BJP from Congress," he said. "It is a difficult job though, but given Sreeramulu's approach and identity he develops amongst tribals might really help him," Ramaswamy said. Shastri said Jain-Lokniti-CSDS Survey done by his firm was already showing tribal votes shifting from Congress to BJP. "BJP expects to penetrate into tribal support base" including Chamarajnagar, Mysuru and Bagalkot districts," he" said. Shastri said though the tribal population in Karnataka was not as large as North-Eastern states and Jharkhand, their votes become important in the event of a stiff competition in the May 12 assembly election. "Tribals, in Karnataka, are dominating in 15 to 20 assembly constituencies, which becomes very much crucial, in the event of a stiff electoral battle," he said. Shastri said BJP was the only political party which has a different strategy for "wooing tribals, because unlike Dalits, they have completely different culture and identity." "Other parties keep Dalits and tribals in one basket, but BJP is the only party which has understood to have different strategies for these two communities, and they have been" successful doing that," he said. Tribals cannot be saffronised as BJP did to Dalits, bringing them back to the Hindutva fold, he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A British-Iranian university professor who actively campaigns against military action targeting his homeland has been detained in Iran by the country's hard-line Revolutionary Guard, a semi-official Iranian agency reported today, becoming the latest dual national held there since the 2015 nuclear deal. Computer scientist and mathematician Abbas Edalat was one of several people arrested by the Guard over accusations of being part of a "network affiliated with Britain," the Fars agency said. Fars, believed to be close to the Guard, cited an unnamed source that accused the group of leading 2009 unrest in Iran surrounding the disputed re-election of hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Fars offered no evidence supporting the allegation. The British Foreign Office said late last night it was "urgently seeking information" after the New York-based Center for Human Rights in Iran first reported Edalat had been detained. It's unclear what charges he faces, though typically those arrested by the Guard face espionage or security-related charges and closed-door trials where guilty verdicts come down without the opportunity to defend themselves. Edalat is a professor at Imperial College London, a famed British university that Fars described as "playing a special role in training spies in different disguises to launch espionage operations inside Iran." Fars offered no evidence to support the allegation. In a statement, Imperial College London said Edalat had worked there since 1989 and was a "valued colleague." "We are understandably concerned for his welfare," the school said. Edalat traveled to Iran for an academic workshop and was arrested April 15, according to the Center for Human Rights in Iran. He refused to post bail yesterday, arguing he is innocent of the unknown charges and should be freed, the center said. The Guard also raided his home in Tehran. "Iran's continued arbitrary arrests of dual nationals without transparency and lack of due process is extremely concerning," Hadi Ghaemi, the center's executive director, said in a statement. "The Iranian judiciary and the security establishment, particularly the Revolutionary Guard, are responsible for the well-being of these detainees." Iran does not recognize dual nationalities, so detainees like Edalat cannot receive consular assistance. A UN panel in September described "an emerging pattern involving the arbitrary deprivation of liberty of dual nationals" in Iran, which Tehran denied. Analysts and family members of dual nationals and others detained in Iran say hard-liners in the Islamic Republic's security agencies use the prisoners as bargaining chips in negotiations with the West. Iran and Britain have been discussing the possible release of some 400 million pounds held by London since the 1979 Islamic Revolution for a tank purchase that never happened. A prisoner exchange in January 2016 that freed Washington Post journalist Jason Rezaian and three other Iranian-Americans also saw the U.S. make a USD 400 million cash delivery to Iran the same day. That money too involved undelivered military equipment from the shah's era, though some US politicians have criticised the delivery as a ransom payment. Others with ties to the West detained in Iran include Chinese-American graduate student Xiyue Wang, who was sentenced to 10 years in prison for allegedly "infiltrating" the country while doing doctoral research on Iran's Qajar dynasty. Iranian-Canadian national Abdolrasoul Dorri Esfahani, a member of Iran's 2015 nuclear negotiating team, is believed to be serving a five-year sentence on espionage charges. Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a British-Iranian woman, also is serving a five-year prison sentence for allegedly planning the "soft toppling" of Iran's government while traveling with her young daughter. Iranian businessman Siamak Namazi and his 81-year-old father Baquer, a former UNICEF representative who served as governor of Iran's oil-rich Khuzestan province under the U.S.-backed shah, are both serving 10-year sentences on espionage charges. Iranian-American art dealer Karan Vafadari and his Iranian wife, Afarin Neyssari, recently received 27-year and 16-year prison sentences respectively. Iranian-American Robin Shahini was released on bail last year after staging a hunger strike while serving an 18-year prison sentence for "collaboration with a hostile government." Shahini is believed to still be in Iran. Also in an Iranian prison is Nizar Zakka, a US permanent resident from Lebanon who advocated for internet freedom and has done work for the US government. He was sentenced to 10 years last year on espionage-related charges. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Three school students suffered minor injuries when they were hit by a car in northwest Delhi's Bharat Nagar today, the police said. The incident took place when the vehicle was being driven in reverse. The driver has been arrested, the police said. In another incident today, a seven-year-old girl was killed and 17 students were injured after a private school van was hit by a milk-tanker near the Kanhaiya Nagar metro station in northwest Delhi. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A case has been registered against Telugu film actor and Jana Sena founder Pawan Kalyan for allegedly levelling allegations against a Telugu channel to defame it, police said today. Some members of the Telangana Union of Working Journalists in a complaint filed with Banjara Hills Police station on April 21 accused the actor of allegedly sharing a morphed video on social media which purportedly showed an actress making objectionable remarks against him. They said the channel had muted the (abusive words) in the video and telecast it and alleged that the actor and his followers had fraudulently deleted the censored objectionable remarks to defame them (the channel and journalists). Banjara Hills Police station Inspector K Srinivas said as per the complaint, the management and the staff of the channel were getting abusive and threatening calls from the actor"s fans. A case was registered under IPC sections 469 (Forgery for purpose of harming reputation)," 504 (Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and 506 (criminal intimidation) against Kalyan, the Inspector said. On April 21, scores of journalists had protested here against the actor for posting adverse comments against some media houses in his twitter account. The actress had on April 7 stripped in public and staged a protest in front of the film chamber office here, alleging that local artistes were not being given enough opportunities in the industry. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two custodians of a cash collection van were today shot dead by unidentified assailants, who robbed Rs 12 lakh from it, the police said. The robbery-cum-killing took place around 2.30 pm when the van had come to pick cash from a wine shop at DSIIDC (Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation) industrial area, in Narela, they added. According to police official, cashier Rajnikant and guard Prem Kumar was shot at by three unidentified motorcycle-borne persons. Both the victims succumbed to their injuries at Raja Harishchandra Hospital in Narela, the official added. Notably, on April 24 also some unidentified men made an attempt to rob a cash van in Rohini, but it was foiled by the cashier and security guard. However, both of them did sustain bullet injuries in the incident. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two custodians of a cash collection van were today shot dead by unidentified assailants, who robbed Rs 12 lakh from it in Narela, the police said. The robbery-cum-killing took place around 2.30 pm when the van had come to pick up cash from a wine shop at the DSIIDC (Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation) industrial area, they added. According to police official, cashier Rajnikant and guard Prem Kumar were shot at by three unidentified motorcycle-borne persons. The accused, who were wearing helmets to hide their faces, fired at the victims 18-20 times and then fled with the cash box containing Rs 12 lakh, police said. Both the victims succumbed to their injuries at the Raja Harishchandra Hospital in Narela, the official added. According to Rajneesh Gupta, deputy commissioner of police (Rohini), since the incident occurred close to the Haryana border, there is a possibility of Haryana-based criminals being involved. Police was also probing whether there was some insider's role since the accused were aware about the movement of the van. To solve it, the Delhi Police Crime Branch and Special Cell have also been associated with the case, said the DCP. Notably, on April 24 also some unidentified men made an attempt to rob a cash van in Rohini, but it was foiled by the cashier and security guard. However, both of them sustained bullet injuries in the incident. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 24-year-old disabled woman was allegedly raped by a priest on the campus of a temple in Chhattisgarh's Dhamtari district, police said today. The accused, identified as Ramashankar Vaishnav (28), was arrested today in connection with the alleged incident which occurred on April 24, they said. According to district police officials, the incident occurred when the woman, who has a limp in one of her legs, was returning her home in Dhamtari on Tuesday evening after attending a computer class. The woman alleged in her complaint that Vaishnav told her that her mother was working inside the temple. When she went inside the temple, the priest, who stays on the premises of the place, took her to his room and closed the door after her, police said. The woman said she fainted due to fear when Vaishnav took her inside his room. "When she regained consciousness, Vaishnav told her that he had raped her and he would kill her if she discloses the incident to anyone," a district police official said. After the woman told her parents about the incident, they took her to the police station and lodged the complaint. A case under IPC section 376 (punishment for rape) has been registered and further probe is on, police said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Indian Air Force Chief B S Dhanoa today said China has been ramping up its aerial prowess in the Tibetan Autonomous Region bordering India and that the neighbouring country has a "credible mix" of multi-role fighter and strike aircraft. In an address at a think-tank, the Air Chief Marshal, while talking about requirement of his force, said it needs 42 squadrons of fighter jets to carry out "full spectrum of operations in all contingencies". At present, the IAF has only 31 squadrons of fighters. At the same time, he, however, said the IAF has the ability to fight a "short" and "swift" war whenever required. Talking about Pakistan sponsored terrorism, he said the repeated strikes by terror groups indicate that the Indian deterrence in the sub-conventional domain is not working and emphasised on the need to enhance such capabilities to ensure a behavioural change in Islamabad's approach. On situation along the border with China, he said, "Over the past few years, we have seen a significant increase in deployment of Chinese aircraft and aircrew in Tibetan Autonomous Region from other military regions." The comments came on a day Prime Minister Narendra Modi left for the central Chinese city of Wuhan for a two-day-long informal summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The IAF chief said the neighbouring country has a "credible mix" of multi-role fighter and strike aircraft. "The deployment of Sukhoi 27 and J-10 fleets for the continuous operations during the winter months affords them a credible all round capability. Many years back they used to only occupy the air field in summers," he said in an address to a select gathering at Vivekananda Foundation. Elaborating on IAF's needs, Air Chief Marshal Dhanoa said the force needs 42 squadrons of fighter jets to carry out "full spectrum of operations in all contingencies". At present, the IAF has only 31 squadrons of fighter jets. Air Chief Marshal Dhanoa also junked the concept of theatre commands, saying it was not required. Taking a dig at the military establishment in Pakistan, the IAF Chief said in most countries the "state has an Army but in Pakistan the Army has a state." "Pakistan is a different kettle of a fish...I can't afford to put my children in Ivy league colleges and settle in London like many of their generals do," he said. He said India needs to work on deterrence on sub conventional domain to thwart terrorist attacks originating from Pakistan. In an apparent reference to the tensions between India and Pakistan after an attack on Indian Parliament in 2001, Dhanoa said the last time a behavioural change in Pakistan was affected in 2001 "when they were told that they should be ready to be bombed back to stone age and they changed their behaviour". "Hence we need to speak softly and carry a big stick," he said, On China bolstering its air defence in TAR, he noted that geography works against the Chinese Air Force there, adding it has an "inherent operational disadvantage" due to high altitude and very cold temperatures. "Modernisation plan of the PLAF (People Liberation Army Air Force) will ensure that more than 50 per cent of its fleet will comprise advanced multi role combat aircraft," he said. The Air Chief Marshal said he recently told a Chinese Air Force official that the two sides should meet more frequently to avoid conflict. This month the Indian Air Force carried 'Gaganshakti 2018', an extensive drill on its borders. Dhanoa said despite this there was not a single airspace violation from both sides and the two air forces share a healthy relationship. He said there is a misconception that the Air Force does not need 42 squadrons. "We have government sanction of 42 squadrons. When they (adversaries) go to fourth generation aircraft, we need a fourth generation aircraft to counter them. You are not fighting against vacuum," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) China has invested over USD eight billion in India, the highest so far, a top Chinese official today said, on the eve of the informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping in Wuhan. Last year, the bilateral trade between both the countries touched a historic high of USD 84.44 billion, and in the first quarter of this year, it witnessed a robust growth, netting USD 22.1 billion, up 15.4 per cent year-on-year. "By the end of 2017, Chinese investments into India added up to more than USD eight billion, as India has become an important market for infrastructure cooperation among Chinese companies and a major investment destination," Gao Feng, spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce said. Indian and Chinese officials have been quoting varied figures about China's investments in India. Officials say while Chinese private firms like Alibaba and Xiaomi were stepping up investments to cash in on the vast Indian market, but the big investments from the state-owned firms were yet to flow into India, despite the high profile campaign by New Delhi. Gao's announcement came ahead of tomorrow's two-day Modi-Xi summit in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, during which the trade related issues, including over USD 52 billion trade deficit, were expected to figure in their one to one talks. India has been asking China to increase the investments to compensate for the huge trade deficit. Gao said that as two large developing countries and major emerging market economies, China and India both have a huge domestic market. "The economies of both countries are highly complementary to each other, creating enormous potential for cooperation," the state-run Xinhua agency quoted Gao as saying. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A faculty member at a prestigious university in Shanghai says one of the vice-deans at the institution's media school has had his title revoked due to "inappropriate" behaviour toward female students. Wei Wuhui, an assistant professor at Shanghai Jiaotong University's School of Media and Design, told The Associated Press today that faculty was informed at a regular staff meeting that Xie Yungeng is no longer vice dean because of "inappropriate remarks and inappropriate actions toward female students." Wei also posted an account of the faculty meeting on his public WeChat account late Wednesday. Xie and the school's propaganda office did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Caixin, a prominent Beijing-based publication, also reported Wei's demotion. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union Minister Manoj Sinha today said considering the strategic importance of the north east, the Telecom Commission has approved a comprehensive strategy to implement BharatNet in the region. "Under this strategy all the uncovered gram panchayats in the region especially in " Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Manipur and Tripura will be linked through broadband connectivity on satellite media by December 2018 at an estimated cost of Rs 733 crore," the Communication minister. Sinha said that under the Comprehensive Telecom Development Project for North East, 6994 towers would be set up to provide connectivity to 8621 villages and along the national highways at a cost of Rs 5336 crore. "MoU has already been signed between BSNL and USO Fund to set up 2817 towers in Arunachal Pradesh and two districts of Assam, while the work of setting up of 2004 towers in six states has been initiated by Bharti Airtel since December last year, which is to be completed in 18 months," he said. Admitting slow pace of BharatNet project in North East, the Union Minister attributed it to capacity of the implementing agencies, developmental activities like expansion of National Highways besides hilly terrain, excessive rainfall and law and order related issues. "We are committed to partner with state governments of the region to accelerate the pace of implementation of the project," Sinha told reporters here after a review meeting here with Chief Minister Pema Khandu and other government officials. The meeting was held to review the implementation of BharatNet and other major telecom projects in the North Eastern states to realise Prime Minister Narendra Modi"s goal of Digital India by bridging the digital divide. He said the government had achieved a significant milestone under the project by completing Phase-I and connecting over one lakh gram panchayats across the country with high speed optical fibre network as per the declared deadline of December 31, 2017. He said, out of the 11,970 gram panchayats in North East, 5858 were taken up in the first phase and 2281 gram panchayats are Service Ready. "For Meghalaya, the Telecom Commission has recommended setting up of 2173 towers on 2G+4G technology at an estimated cost of Rs 3911 crore," the minister said. Sinha said in order to ensure reliability and redundancy in the transmission network and augmentation of transmission media between state capitals in the region and also between state capitals and district headquarters, BSNL would set up about 3000 km of OFC network at an estimated cost of Rs 295.97 crore. He said armed forces in the border areas and police would be provided satellite phones to cope up with natural calamities or any other eventualities. The minister during the day also handed over four satellite phones to the Khandu. The minister also launched mobile connectivity of unconnected villages of North East besides launching of satellite connectivity of gram panchayats under BharatNet, unveiling of vision document of "Ashtamangal" Phase II. "The second phase of BharatNet and Ashtamangal would be completed by December this year or March next year," Sinha added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress today demanded imposition of President's rule in West Bengal and urged Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh to send a team to assess the law and order situation in the state. Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, the president of the Congress in West Bengal, met Singh today and apprised him of the "deteriorating" law and order situation in the state. He told the home minister that the State Election Commission did not not even honour the Calcutta High Court order directing it to hold meaningful consultations with all stakeholders on security arrangements for the panchayat elections. "I demanded President's rule in West Bengal. The West Bengal chief minister has already said she has won 100 seats... Without imposing President's rule, no one will be able to exercise their democratic right. This is the need of the hour," Chowdhury told reporters after meeting Singh. Chowdhury has also urged the Centre to send a team to access the law and order situation in the state. "I want the central team to see how the cadres and goons of the state government are spreading violence and stopping the opposition and people to exercise their right to participate in the panchayat elections," he said. The Congress leader said that since West Bengal shares a porous border with Bangladesh, the deteriorating law and order situation threatens national security. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress today alleged an RSS hand behind a petition in the Supreme Court pertaining to judge B H Loya's death and said it was "politically motivated". Congress leaders Kapil Sibal and Vivek Tankha said they agreed with the Supreme Court's contention that PILs are filed for political considerations and with the hope of an intended outcome and alleged the current case was done on the directions of RSS leader Bhayyaji Joshi. They cited the case of Suraj Lolage, who filed a PIL in the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court on November 27, 2017 relating to the circumstances in which judge Loya died. The Congress has been demanding a fair probe into Loya's death with Rahul Gandhi telling the judge's family after the Supreme Court judgement that there is hope and India will not allow judge Loya to be forgotten. The BJP has been alleging that the petitions in the Loya case were filed on the instigation of the Congress chief in order to defame BJP president Amit Shah. Sibal alleged that Lolage was an RSS and a BJP worker and gave records of his conversations with the brother of RTI activist Satish Uke. He said Lolage also sought a party ticket for contesting civic polls and he was instigated by RSS leader Bhayyaji Joshi to file the PIL before the Supreme Court. "What does this show? Clearly, Bhaiyyaji Joshi and the RSS were very keen that this matter be heard in the Supreme Court as quickly as possible because they are the ones who initiated the Public Interest Litigation," Sibal said. He told reporters that "There are two possibilities. Either Bhaiyyaji Joshi of the RSS wanted that an enquiry into judge Loya's death be conducted or wanted an outcome which ensures that the matter is closed without an enquiry." "With the facts now being placed before you, it is for the people of India to decide what the motive of RSS was," he said. The Congress leader and former Law Minister said there is one other aspect of PIL, which suggests that this process may also be used for serving political ends. Incidentally, Lolage was also present along with Sibal and Congress leader Salman Khurshid, at a party press conference on January 30 and was seen sitting besides them and RTI activist Uke. Lolage filed the first PIL in the Bombay High Court on November 27, 2017, while all other petitions relating to the death of judge Loya were filed in 2018, more than a month later. The Congress also released a number of pictures showing his proximity to the BJP, including one with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. In a purported telephone conversation that is in Marathi, Lolage tells Uke that he was in touch with Bhaiyyaji Joshi through Kotekar, a member of the RSS and an office bearer of the BJP and he was being advised to withdraw the petition. The Supreme Court in its judgement on Loya death case stated that such petitions are also used to settle scores behind the facade of a PIL, be they at the behest of business or political rivals. "We believe this to be true," Sibal said. "We do agree with the Supreme Court that many of these PILs are being filed for purely political considerations and with the hope of an intended outcome," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The opposition Congress today slammed the BJP-led Maharashtra government for "frequently altering" the contours of the loan waiver scheme since its launch in June last year. Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) spokesperson Sachin Sawant said the state government was never serious about the implementation of the loan waiver. The Congress also questionned the state government's claim about the number of beneficiary farmers. "The state government had said that 89 lakh farmers will benefit from the Rs 34,000 crore loan waiver. The Congress has been saying that the number of farmers who have defaulted on loan payment is calculated since 2001. However, the government is lying by insisting that the number of farmers is calculated from 2012. "The government then included the defaulter farmers since 2009 and now from 2001 as the beneficiaries of the loan waiver. However, the number of beneficiary farmers remains the same," Sawant said. The state Cabinet on Tuesday approved extension of the loan waiver scheme to farmers who have defaulted on loans since 2001, as demanded by agitating agriculturists. The previous cut-off was 2009. He claimed only 38 lakh farmers have received the loan waiver of Rs 14.5 crore. "The number of beneficiary farmers will not be more that 40 lakh farmers. We call the government for a debate to prove how the loan waiver is not bogus," Sawant added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi today accused the Congress of spreading "lies and false" propaganda, and dividing society along caste lines, as he sounded the bugle for the bitterly contested Karnataka Assembly polls. He also asserted the development of the state was his party's only agenda. "BJP has a three-pronged agenda for Karnataka-- development, fast paced development, all round development," he told party leaders, office bearers and elected representatives through his mobile app. "Our agenda is vikas, vikas, vikas (development, development and development)," he said. Claiming that electors have resolved to usher in a change of government in the Congress-ruled state, he said those who wished that party well had started a debate about a hung Assembly. He said such "false" propaganda was spread even before the last Lok Sabha poll which the BJP won with an absolute majority. "A government with absolute majority is needed to change Karnataka's destiny. India is shining in the world today only because we have a government which has a complete majority at the Centre after 30 years," he said, and asked BJP workers to endeavour to achieve that goal in the only big state the Congress still rules apart from Punjab. Apparently referring to pre-poll surveys, the prime minister said "false propaganda" about a fractured mandate, with BJP as the single largest party, was being spread as part of a "conspiracy". These surveys have projected a cliffhanger of a contest in the only southern state where the BJP had its government once. They said the JD(S) of former prime minister H D Deve Gowda would play the role of a kingmaker after the polls. Rattling off figures about development work undertaken by the Centre in the state, he accused the Siddaramaiah government of stalling its progress, and spreading "falsehood". "So, you will have to fight against lies, false propaganda. As part of a conspiracy, efforts will be made to mislead you by hiring foreign agencies. Karyakartas (party workers) should not be shaken, their trust should not be shaken," he said. Modi was apparently referring to the Cambridge Analytica controversy over alleged attempts by the Congress to use the data firm to influence the outcome of elections in India. "The Congress, after repeated defeat in elections, is spreading lies. Earlier, out of 50 things they said there were 5-10 lies. Now, out of the 50 things they say, 40-45 are lies and the rest five would also lack clarity," he said. The prime minister said there was a need to cleanse Indian of Congress culture. "The mainstream of India's political culture is associated with Congress' misdeeds. Unless we liberate this mainstream from Congress culture, we cannot cleanse Indian politics," he said. Without naming the Lingayats, the prime minister accused the Congress government of doing caste "When elections come, these clever people (the Congress) offer lollipops to a caste group so they get busy with it and vote on emotion. "When the next election comes, they leave that community and get hold of another caste group or community and give them a new lollipop. They keep changing and giving new lollipops every time and run their without any accountability," he said. The Siddaramaiah government recently recommended religious minority status for the Lingayat and its sub-group Veershaiva Lingayat community. The move is seen as an attempt to divide the Lingayats, the bedrock of the BJP's voter base in the state. Seeking to strike a chord with BJP workers on the ground, Modi said, like them, he was also a "karyakarta". "Like you, I am also a karyakarta (worker) from Karnataka. Believe this and move ahead. I am also a Kannadiga. Believe this and move ahead. I will work with you shoulder to shoulder," he said. Modi began the interaction with opening remarks in Kannada where he welcomed the BJP leaders and workers. He was apologetic about not being able to learn Kannada language despite wanting so. "I'm sorry, despite having interest I could not learn Kannada," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Nationalist Congress Party today said it has demanded the Latur-Beed-Osmanabad"local bodies constituency from the Congress ahead of the May 21 biennial election to the Maharashtra Legislative"Council. "We want to contest from the three seats -- Raigad-Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg, Nashik and Parbhani-Hingoli -- which we currently hold, as well as from Latur-Beed-Osmanabad," state NCP chief Sunil Tatkare"said at a press conference here. His party has more numbers in the local bodies of Latur, Beed and Osmanabad"than the Congress, Tatkare claimed. "We hear that sitting Congress MLC Dileep Deshmukh, brother of late chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, is not keen on"re-contesting. This seat was"with us earlier, but when Vilasrao was chief minister, he wanted the seat for his brother," Tatkare said. "Dileep Deshmukh has held the seat for 18 years," the NCP leader added. Talks for alliance with the Congress for the May 21 polls are underway, he said. "Final decision will be taken in two days. We will abide by whatever decision our central leadership takes," Tatkare said. Elections for six council seats whose terms are expiring -- Amravati, Wardha-Chandrapur-Gadchiroli (both held by the BJP), Parbhani-Hingoli, Raigad-Ratnagiri "Sindhudurg and Nashik (all three held by the NCP) and Latur-Beed-Osmanabad (held by Congress) -- will be held on May 21. Asked whether the Shiv Sena, the bickering ally of the ruling BJP, would be a part of the Congress-NCP alliance in future, Tatkare said he saw no such possibility. "The Sena will have to make clear its political stand," he said. The new state NCP chief"will be chosen on April 29, Tatkare said. "I have been heading the state unit"for last four years. Groundwork for the next year's elections has been done. Now the reins should be given to some other competent leader," Tatkare said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Madras High Court today ordered a CBI probe into the multi-crore gutkha scam, allegedly involving a Tamil Nadu minister besides a former and a serving top police official. The case was being investigated till now by the Tamil Nadu police. The court, however, said this did not cast any aspersion on the probe by the state police or the state vigilance authorities. "The clandestine gutkha business is a crime against society, which needed to be curbed," the bench, comprising Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice Abdul Quddhose said, while issuing its directions on a plea by DMK MLA J Anbazhagan. "We, therefore, deem it appropriate to direct the CBI to investigate the illegal manufacture, import, supply, distribution and sale of gutkha and other forms of chewable tobacco... detect and take action against those involved in the offence... in connivance with public/government servants," the bench said. The scam came to light on July 8, 2017, when Income-Tax sleuths raided the godown, offices and residences of a pan masala and gutka manufacturer in Tamil Nadu, who had been facing charges of tax evasion to the tune of Rs 250 crore. The manufacture, storage and sale of the chewable forms of tobacco, including gutka and pan masala were banned by the Tamil Nadu government in 2013. During the raids, the department had seized a diary containing names of those, who had been allegedly paid by the gutka manufacturers. DMK had sought appointment of a special investigation team (SIT) headed by a retired judge of the high court and comprising CBI officials, to inquire into the matter. The counter-affidavits of the chairman, Board of Central Excise and Customs and the director general of Vigilance, Customs and Central Excise Intelligence and the additional director general of Central Excise intelligence have also been sought in the matter. This is to exercise the case of any complicity of Central Excise officers in the illegal manufacturing, distribution and sale of gutkha and other forms of chewable tobacco from the vigilance angle. The bench further said, "In our considered view the handing over of investigation to CBI only ensures co-ordinating investigation publicly in specified categories of serious offences having ramification in more than one state." The court said it neither casts aspersion on the mode and manner of investigation conducted by the state police or the state Vigilance authorities. It also does not necessarily reflect any finding even prima facie of interference of any Constitutional authority or any high official of the state government in such investigation, the court observed. The bench said, "Serious allegations inter alia against a high police officer with regard to the complicity and connivance in the illegal business are likely to give rise to doubts in the minds of general public with regard to the fairness, impartiality and the efficacy of the investigation. "It is therefore desirable that the investigation be handed over to an independent agency like the CBI," it said. Reacting to the court order, DMK called for 'removal' of those accused in the scam. Meanwhile, Health Minister C Vijayabaskar, who was reportedly under the scanner in the case, said the accusations and charges are generally levelled "against those in public life,"and added that it was the "job" of the opposition to level allegations. "Madiyil ganamillai, vazhiyil bayamaillai," (Nothing to hide, nothing to fear), he said quoting a Tamil adage, while speaking to reporters. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A decomposed body of a 36-year-old Indian woman was found buried in a room of her house in Maysaloon area of Sharjah, a media report said today, and police is suspecting that her husband may have killed her and escaped to India. According to police, her husband, a resident of Kerala, along with their two children, has managed to escape to India after allegedly killing and burying her in the house. He had also put up a 'For rent' sign on the door. The incident came to light yesterday after the woman's brother, who came from India searching for his sister, lodged a complaint with the police on April 9, after he could not find anyone at her house, a senior police official said. He came to Sharjah in search of his sister, with whom he used to talk everyday, after she did not respond to his several calls. "A missing person report was received from the woman's brother, who told police that he used to speak to his sister daily but one day, she stopped answering her phone," Commander-in-Chief of Sharjah Police, Major-General Saif Al Ziri Al Shamsi was quoted as saying by the Gulf Following the complaint, a police team went to the house after getting permission from the public prosecution. During a search, some ceramic tiles of the floor were found missing by the police, which suspecting some foul play, brought the sniffer dogs, which led them to the grave inside the house, the report said. When the team dug the area, the woman's decomposed body was recovered, which was identified by the woman's brother, and shifted to the forensic laboratory for an autopsy, police said. According to initial investigations, police suspect that the accused husband has two wives and before committing the crime, he sent one of them and his children with her to India. The suspect was identified through his fingerprints and iris scan and a warrant of arrest has been issued by the Interpol, the police said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Delhi court has discharged Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in a case of alleged rioting in front of the prime minister's house in 2012, noting that the protest march was peaceful and a citizen has a 'fundamental right' to assemble peacefully without arms and exercise his or her right of speech and expression. Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Samar Vishal granted the relief to Kejriwal and others after finding that the police order to impose section 144 CrPC, which was intended to protect public order, was without assigning any reason and the reasons disclosed later did not show any situation of emergency which warrants its imposition. "It is not the case of the prosecution that the citizens sought to be prosecuted were having arms or that they have any criminal intent in their assembly. It's also not the case of the prosecution that there was any general problem of traffic or that any inconvenience was caused to the other users of the road. "Whatever commotion happened there was due to the use of the force by the police and in consequent retaliation by the protesters," it said. The court said that while "the citizens had the fundamental rights to assemble peacefully without arms and to exercise their right of speech and expression", the public authorities too had a "right to maintain law and order". "Since the assembly in this case was not an unlawful assembly and has not committed any offence, I have no doubt in my mind to opt for upholding the fundamental rights of citizens under Article 19 of the constitution and finding that neither the prohibition of section 144 CrPC was valid nor validly communicated," the court said. According to the prosecution, on August 26, 2012, the volunteers of India Against Corruption held a demonstration against coal scam at the house of the prime minister and to stop them, water cannons were used due to which the volunteers became violent. Thereafter, police fired several round of tear gas and used to driving them off after that, certain mischievous elements attacked the police with the flag sticks. The barricade was damaged along with certain plants, the police said. An FIR was filed by the police against Kejriwal, Banwari Lal Sharma, Dalbir Singh, Mukesh Kumar, Mohan Singh, Balbir Singh, Jagmohan Gupta, Azad Kasana, Harish Singh Rawat and Anand Singh Bisht. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Economic losses to disasters in Asia and the Pacific could exceed USD 160 billion annually by 2030, the United Nations development arm in the region warned, urging greater innovation in disaster risk financing. The need is all the more pressing given that only eight per cent of region's losses are insured, said the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP). "The time for establishing solutions to these complex emerging challenges is now," underlined Shamshad Akhtar, the Executive Secretary of ESCAP, speaking at an event on financing for disaster risk reduction in Asia-Pacific here. The low insurance coverage has persisted in the region even though it has suffered nearly USD 1.3 trillion in losses over the last 50 years. The result is that individuals, businesses and governments are left to bear the staggering costs of natural calamities. And with extreme weather events increasing as the region's cities become more crowded, the gap could widen. Economic losses to disasters in Asia and the Pacific could exceed USD 160 billion annually by 2030, the ESCAP warned. "Business as usual is unsustainable policy makers and financial strategists in both the public and private sectors have to work together," Akhtar said. Akhtar outlined the opportunities offered by recent innovations such as catastrophe risk modelling, parametric insurance, a mix of traditional and global financial reinsurance, and concessional insurance. She also highlighted the role ESCAP which spans a geographic region from Turkey in the west to the tiny Pacific island of Kiribati in the east, and from Russia in the north to New Zealand in the south could play. "The provision of a regional platform for building capacity as well as mutual trust among countries is the key to successful sovereign risk pooling (and) ESCAP, whose primary mandate is regional cooperation, is well suited for this role," Akhtar said. Head of the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) Mami Mizutori highlighted the importance of both disaster risk financing and resources to reduce disaster risk to ensure resilient and sustainable development. "At present, we need both Let's face it: when natural hazards hit, without these mechanisms, we cannot cope with the aftermath," she said. Mizutori, who is also the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction, also highlighted the importance national strategies to strengthen resilience and mitigate natural hazard risks, a call made in the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Air India is in the process of hiring around 270 co-pilots in the reserved category at a time when the government has initiated the loss-making carrier's disinvestment process, sources said. Industry sources said the airline has also created a new post of chief pilot as well as two executive director-level positions in the IT and civil departments. When contacted, an Air India spokesperson defended the plan to hire pilots citing operational and regulatory requirements and also claimed that no new posts have been created at the airline. The recruitment of around 270 co-pilots also comes on the back of the airline hiring about 500 cabin crew weeks before the government came out with a preliminary information memorandum for the proposed 76 per cent stake sale in Air India on March 28. "Air India is in the process of adding 270 co-pilots when such crew is already in excess. And this hiring is being done in the reserved category and that too at a time when there is a big question mark on the issue of retention of the workforce post-privatisation," a source told PTI. At the end of December 2017, Air India had 11,214 permanent employees, including 2,056 on deputation to other companies and agencies. It also had 2,913 employees on contract and 2,661 on deputation from other group companies, as per the memorandum. On the hiring of so many pilots, the Air India spokesperson said that being a state-run entity, it is governed by Presidential directives. "Keeping this and operational requirements in view, a special recruitment drive is on and the airline is in the process for filling up the existing backlog of vacancies of pilots," the spokesperson said in a statement. Sources claimed that Air India recently created two executive director-level posts in IT and civil departments. "The creation of a new post for civil (department) is without any reason as the airline is in the process of getting rid of its real estate and it can't be understood why there has to be a post for such work," one of the sources said. However, the statement said "no new posts have been created". According to sources, the airline has created the post of chief pilot though there are already two occupants who are in charge of flight operations. There is already a director and an executive director and both positions are held by senior pilots. "Interestingly, one of the three contenders for the (chief pilot) post is a pilot who had failed the pre-and post-flight alcohol tests when he was the flight operations inspector and was suspended by the DGCA," one of the sources said. The airline's statement said the post of chief pilot is not new and is named as fleet captain as designated by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). "The selection process for this post is carried out as per the regulatory requirements and company policy and interviews for the post were held on April 23, 2018," it said. Under the disinvestment proposal, the government plans to sell 76 per cent stake as well as cede management control of Air India to private players. Besides, it would offload 100 per cent stake in low-cost international subsidiary Air India Express and 50 per cent stake in the ground handling joint venture AISATS. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The result of the DNA test on the samples taken from the body recovered from nearby Kovalam recently has confirmed it was that of Lithuanian tourist, Liga Skromene. The DNA test was conducted at the Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Bio-Technology (RGCB) here and the report was submitted in a sealed cover to the Sub-Judicial Magistrate court here, the institute sources said. Blood sample of the victim's sister, Ilze and a bone sample from the recovered body was tested at the RGCB. """" "It was a 100 per cent match," sources said. The bone sample was taken from the body as the tissues had decomposed. The forensic report was also expected soon, they added. Meanwhile, the State Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran handed over the amount of Rs Five lakh solatium announced by the Kerala government to the family of Liga Skromene. "" After accepting a cheque for the amount, IIze, sister of Liga, expressed satisfaction over the steps taken by the government in connection with the death of her sister. The highly decomposed body, with head severed, was recovered from Thiruvallam near Kovalam from a bushy isolated area near a mangrove forest on the banks of Karmana river on April 21. Liga's husband Andrews and sister Ilze and had recognised the body by the clothes and hair and had demanded a high level probe into the circumstances leading to her death. The Kerala police had set up a special investigation team to probe into the woman's disappearance and also announced a reward of Rs 2 lakh to anyone providing information about the missing woman. The state government had promised all help to the family to airlift liga's body to their native place for the final rites. Thirty three-year-old Liga who had come for Ayurvedic treatment for depression, went missing from Kovalam on March 14. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The DNA test results of the samples taken from a body recently recovered from nearby Kovalam have confirmed that the deceased was Liga Skromene, a Lithuanian tourist. The DNA tests were conducted at the Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Bio-Technology (RGCB) here and the report was submitted in a sealed cover to the Sub-Judicial Magistrate's court, sources in the institute said. The blood sample of Liga's sister, Ilze, and a bone sample of Liga's body were tested at the RGCB. "It was a 100-per cent match. The bone sample was taken from the body as the tissues had decomposed," the sources said. The forensic report was also expected soon, they added. The highly decomposed body, with the head detached from it, was recovered on April 21 from an isolated area near a mangrove forest, on the banks of the Karmana river, at Thiruvallam, near Kovalam. Liga's husband Andrews and sister Ilze had recognised the body by the clothes and hair and demanded a high-level probe into the circumstances leading to her death. The Kerala police had set up a special investigation team to probe the woman's disappearance and announced a Rs 2 lakh reward for any information about her. The state government had promised all assistance to the deceased's family in airlifting the body to their native place for the final rites. It had also promised to give Rs 5 lakh as an immediate relief. Liga (33), who had come to Kerala for Ayurvedic treatment for depression, went missing from Kovalam on March 14. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A special NDPS court here has ordered attachment of properties of former Bollywood actor Mamta Kulkarni, who is one of the key accused in the multi-crore drug racket case unearthed by the Thane Police in 2016. Special NDPS court judge, H M Patwardhan, last week ordered the attachment of three plush flats owned by Kulkarni in various areas of Mumbai, after she failed to appear before the court in connection with the drug case. The present value of these flats is said to be around Rs 20 crore. Special Public Prosecutor Shishir Hirey said the court directed for attachment of the three properties of Kulkarni after the prosecution moved an application for it. The court has declared Kulkarni as absconding as she failed to appear before it in connection with the nearly Rs 2,000 crore drug bust case. Kulkarni was two years back named as the prime accused in the drug racket linked to drug baron Vicky Goswami, with the police claiming that she was actively involved in illicit activities. A senior Thane police official had then said that they would initiate the process for extradition of Kulkarni and Goswami, who were said to be in a relationship and based in Kenya in Africa. On June 6 last year, Goswami and Kulkarni were declared as proclaimed absconders by a Thane court and the police had subsequently moved the court to attach the actor's properties. Hirey said the application seeking attachment of properties was kept pending and an opportunity was given to both the accused to appear before the court. However, since later it became apparent that they were not likely to appear before the court, the judge directed for attachment of Kulkarni's properties. The drug racket came to light when police seized around 18.5 tonne of ephedrine, worth approximately Rs 2,000 crore, after raiding the premises of Avon Lifesciences Ltd in Maharashtra's Solapur district in April 2016. According to the police, ephedrine, which is a controlled drug, was allegedly being diverted from the Solapur unit of Avon Lifesciences and sent abroad after processing. Ephedrine powder is used for sniffing and to produce the popular party drug methamphetamine. Just before the racket was unearthed, 100 kg of ephedrine was manufactured at Avon Lifesciences' premises and dispatched by air to Kenya. The payment for the same was sent by Goswami to Mukesh Jain, a director of the company, through hawala (an informal channel for transferring funds), the Thane police had said. Jain had gone abroad several times to meet Goswami, according to the police. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ruia family-owned Essar Oil and Gas will invest Rs 900 crore in drilling 150 more wells on its Raniganj CBM block in West Bengal to more than double gas output to 2.3 million standard cubic metres per day by 2021, its Managing Director and CEO Vilas Tawde said. Essar Oil and Gas Exploration and Production Ltd (EOGEPL) has so far drilled 348 wells on the blocks and is producing 1 mmscmd of gas from coal seams. "We have already invested about Rs 4,000 crore in the Raniganj East coal-bed methane (CBM) block in drilling wells, setting up supply infrastructure, and laying customer pipelines to Durgapur and nearby industrial areas. Another Rs 900 crore would be invested in drilling the additional 150 wells over the next two years," he said. The company is selling entire production of coal-seam gas or CBM from the block to state-owned GAIL India Ltd. "The April price is USD 8.164 per million British thermal unit on net calorific value (NCV) basis," he said. GAIL in February outbid Matix Fertilizers and Chemicals Ltd, Graphite India Ltd and Positron Energy Pvt Ltd to buy entire output from Raniganj. CBM is a natural gas stored or absorbed in coal seams and contains 90-95 per cent methane. According to the Directorate General of Hydrocarbons, India has the fifth largest proven coal reserves in the world and, therefore, holds significant prospects for exploration and exploitation of CBM. Raniganj East block is India's most prolific CBM block, holding 1 Trillion cubic feet of recoverable reserves. The firm is eyeing a turnover of Rs 600 crore from the CBN business in 2018-19 and expects it to double in next two years. Its CBM assets include five blocks, holding an estimated 10 Tcf of gas reserves spread over 2,700 square kilometres across West Bengal, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha. Raniganj East in West Bengal is the only block operational till now. Other four blocks are Rajmahal in Jharkhand, Talcher and Ib valley in Odisha and Sohagpur in Madhya Pradesh. Tawde said the company will begin drilling on its Sohagpur CBM block in Madhya Pradesh post monsoon. In all 25 crore holes and three test wells would be drilled. Rajmahal will begin production in five years, he said. Land acquisition approval for the Sohagpur minefield is pending from the Chhattisgarh government and the Petroleum Exploration Licence for the Talcher and Ib Valley coalfields is pending from the Odisha government. It is also on the lookout for CBM mining projects globally but will keep off "matured markets" like the US and Australia. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Officials of Intellectual Property Rights Enforcement Cell have seized fake parts, labels and die tool machines worth Rs 35 lakh during a raid conducted here recently. The IPR Enforcement Cell, Dindigul unit of Tamil Nadu Police along with officials of TVS Motor Company carried out a raid in some godowns in the district and recovered huge quantities of spare parts, unfinished counterfeit cannisters, die tool machines worth Rs 35 lakh, a press release said. Following the seizure, IPR Enforcement Cell officials initiated legal action against the company involved in the supply of fake spare parts under the provisions of Copyright Act, the release said. TVS Motor Company has taken up brand protection programme to ensure availability of genuine parts to consumers through its 4,000 touch points. The Chennai-based company has appointed over 100 authorised parts stockists to supply genuine parts in retail markets across the country, the release added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A major fire broke out after a blast at a chemicals factory in adjoining Raigad district today, a senior official said. Fire broke out at the factory of Privi Organics, which has two manufacturing plants in the MIDC area of Mahad, Raigad district collector Dr Vijay Suryawanshi told PTI. Privi Organics manufactures aromatic chemicals, the IAS officer said. There was a blast in one of the plants shortly after noon, Suryawanshi said. "The fire spread fast due to strong wind and engulfed the plant, spreading to a nearby industrial oil company," he added. There were no reports of any casualties, he said. Ten fire tenders from Mahad and adjoining areas were rushed to the site, he said. Water tankers, JCBs and dumpers with mud were also deployed, he said. The hydrogen tank in the Privi Organics plant was isolated to avoid a major mishap, Suryawanshi said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Five migrants have died trying to cross the Mediterranean, the Spanish coastguard said today after rescuing 54 others, while bad weather was hindering a search for another two boats with dozens aboard. Rescue boats and a helicopter from southern Spain carried out the rescue late Wednesday, a spokeswoman said. They spotted two boats but one had capsized, and four migrants were already dead in the water some 40 kilometres off Morocco's coast. Another of those rescued later died of cardiac arrest, the spokeswoman said. On Thursday, rescuers were searching for another two boats in the Alboran Sea between Morocco and Spain's Andalusian coast, with a total of 107 people on board. But the coastguard said helicopters were grounded because of bad weather and only rescue boats have been able to go out to sea. Spain is the third busiest gateway for migrants arriving in Europe, still far behind Italy but catching up fast with Greece. Many Africans undertaking the long route to Europe are choosing to avoid crossing danger-ridden Libya to get to Italy along the so-called central Mediterranean route, choosing instead to get there via Morocco and Spain. According to the International Organization for Migration, more than 28,700 people arrived in Spain by sea and land last year, double the number for 2016. Some 223 people died along the way. So far this year, at least 3,778 migrants have arrived in Spain, with more than 180 losing their lives trying to cross the Mediterranean. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former US president George H W Bush is "alert" and has been moved from an intensive care unit to a regular room as he recovers from an infection that had spread to his blood, a family spokesperson said. The 93-year-old former president was admitted to Houston Methodist Hospital on Monday, a day after his wife Barbara Bush's funeral. Barbara, the only woman to see both her husband and her son sworn in as US president, died last Tuesday and was laid to rest on Saturday. The couple were married for 73 years. He is "alert and talking with hospital staff, family and friends, and his doctors are very pleased with his progress," family spokesman, Jim McGrath, said in a statement, adding that Bush is expected to remain at the hospital for several more days. Bush is the US' oldest living president. He has a rare syndrome that mimics Parkinson's disease. Bush, 41st US president, was born June 12, 1924, in Milton, Massachusetts. He served as command in chief from 1989 to 1993, served as a congressman, CIA director and Ronald Reagan's vice president. "President Bush thanks everyone for their prayers and good wishes,"the statement said. "He also wants to assure everyone that, as good as he feels now, he is more focused on the Houston Rockets closing out their playoff series against the Minnesota Timberwolves than anything that landed him in the hospital," it said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union Minister Nitin Gadkari today asked automakers to work towards having safer designs and explore possibility of use of silicon in tyres as part of efforts to reduce road accidents. India Inc should encourage its members to adopt safe driving practices, the minister said. Gadkari also called for concerted efforts to minimise accidents on the pattern of South Korea, which has successfully reduced the number of accidents to 213 from 13,000 (annually) five years back. "Automobile makers should come forward in the initiative for reducing road crashes. There should be research and innovation," he said. "They can also explore the possibility of using silicon, if feasible, in tyres to minimise incidents like tyre bursts on highways like Yamuna Expressway due to increase in temperature," Gadkari said addressing an event on road safety. The road minister said vehicles should be designed in a way to prevent accidents, and truck bodies should have adequate safety features. He was addressing 'Conclave with Corporates on Road Safety' organised by his ministry in partnership with International Road Federation,(IRF) Ficci, CII, Siam and Assocham. "Indian Corporate sector should encourage its members to adopt safe driving practices to minimise road accidents," he said. He urged India Inc to teach their employees and their families to imbibe a culture on road safety and use their logistics and carriers to propagate the message of road safety. The minister enumerated the myriad steps taken by the government to reduce road fatalities. Health Minister JP Nadda said there is an urgent need for behaviourial and cultural change to imbibe a culture on road safety. Ministry of health has already trained one lakh people to provide first aid to accident victims and intends to train 10 lakh more by next couple of years, he said. Pradeep Parameswaran, head of operations, Uber India & South Asia said: "We believe improving driver wellness and health is critical to making roads safer as well as ensuring a comfortable driving experience. By rolling out free medical check-ups, for driver partners, we hope to strengthen existing efforts towards improving driver well-being. KK Kapila, Chairman IRF, was of the view that strict enforcement with appropriate penalties, accompanied by public awareness of laws will be a critical factor in reducing road traffic injuries and deaths. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The government would be bound to appoint Uttarakhand High Court Chief Justice K M Joseph as a Supreme Court judge if the collegium reiterates its recommendation, legal experts opine. Former High Court judges S N Dhingra, Ajit Sinha and senior advocates Vikas Singh and Dushyant Dave were concurrent in their opinion that it would be binding on the government to elevate Justice Joseph to the apex court if the collegium sticks to its recommendation. All of them were categorial that if any name on reconsideration is cleared, the government has to act on it. However, they said there was no mention of any time frame for the government to implement the collegium's recommendation. All of them said the government has to follow the guidelines laid down by the apex court in 1993 and 1998 judgement, referred as second and third judges case relating to appointment of judges to the higher judiciary. The third judges case -- a presidential reference of 1998 -- has a relevant para which reads, "However, if after due consideration of the reasons disclosed to the Chief Justice of India, that recommendation is reiterated by the Chief Justice of India with the unanimous agreement of the Judges of the Supreme Court consulted in the matter, with reasons for not withdrawing the recommendation, then that appointment as a matter of healthy convention ought to be made." Earlier in the day, the government returned the collegium's recommendation to elevate Justice Joseph as a Supreme Court judge, saying the proposal was not in accordance with the top court's parameters and there was adequate representation of Kerala in the higher judiciary from where he hails. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The government is considering a national policy on retail trade with a view to ensuring orderly growth of the fast growing sector. The commerce and industry ministry, a government official said, has written to the department of consumer affairs to set up a task force for framing the policy. In a letter to Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Minister Ram Vilas Paswan, Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu said the task force should have representations from different stakeholders. Retail trade is crucial for growth of Indian economy and the policy should be formulated to promote trade without sacrificing the interest of consumers. The Consumer Affairs Ministry is the nodal agency for regulating internal trade. The ministry is already in the process of formulating guidelines on e-commerce and hence it would be appropriate for the ministry to come out with a norms for retail trade, the official said. The commerce ministry should also take on board state governments while framing the policy norms as retail trade is also governed by the Shops and Establishment Act. The matter assumes significance as Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) have requested the government for the policy and formation of a separate ministry of internal trade. It has said that these steps will not only strengthen the domestic trade but also improve export performance of the country. According to them, over 6.5 crore small businesses are engaged in the sector across the country. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The CPI(M) has demanded immediate intervention of the President to ensure that laid-out procedure in the selection of judges is followed and the collegium's recommendation to elevate Justice K M Joseph to the Supreme Court is cleared. In a statement today, the Left party accused the BJP-led NDA government of "unwarranted intrusion" into the selection process. "The government has not cleared the appointment of Justice K M Joseph. This is an unwarranted intrusion into the selection process of a judge and will affect the independence of the judiciary. "The President of India must immediately intervene to ensure that the laid-out procedure is followed and the appointment of Justice Joseph is cleared, " the CPI(M) said. The government appointed senior advocate Indu Malhotra as a judge of the Supreme Court today and asked the collegium to reconsider its recommendation to elevate Justice Joseph, the Uttarakhand High Court Chief Justice, to the apex court. Both the names were recommended by the collegium earlier this year. The CPI(M) said that even though the collegium of the Supreme Court had forwarded the names of both Justice Joseph and Malhotra to be elevated as judges of the apex court, the government did not clear the appointment of Justice Joseph but only cleared the appointment of Malhotra after "considerable delay". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today assured the Odisha Assembly that his govermment would take all measures to ensure that the recent rape cases are tried expeditiously. Patnaik said this in the assembly while giving reply to the debate on demands for grants for Home and the General Administration and Public Grievance departments. His statement assumes significance as at least seven minor girls were raped last week and two such incidents have already taken place in last five days. However, unsatisfied over the chief minister's reply, opposition BJP members staged a walk out in the assembly. Dubbing the recent rape incidents as "highly condemnable", Patnaik said the police have taken timely action in arresting the accused persons in the shortest possible time. "I want to assure this august house that my government will spare no efforts in ensuring that they (rape cases) are tried expeditiously," Patnaik said adding that safety and security of women, children and other vulnerable groups remained the top priority of the state government. In a major development, 192 assistant public prosecutors have been recruited to strengthen the State Prosecution Service, the chief minister said and added that the Standing Committee's recommendations for initiating appropriate measures to increase the conviction rate is a welcome one. He said the law and order situation in the state has by and large remained peaceful. The overall crime situation is also well under control. No major Left Wing Extremism activity has been notices in the affected districts, the chief minister said. Patnaik said the recruitment to the Maoists organisation has declined and mass support base of the organisation has been rendered weak due to pro-active security measures and development interventions. "Our intelligence based operations have yielded siginificant results in 2018 with netralization of five hard core cadre and 12 arrests," Patnaik said. The Chief Minister also said the state government has placed emphasis on strenthening the capacity of the police by upgrading operational capability and providing requisite human resources and infrastracture. To enhance air connectivity within Odisha, the state govenrment has initiated action for upgradation of air strips at various places for which a provision of about Rs 100 crore has been made. Refering to anti-corruption activities, Patnaik said the state government has decided to set up a State vigilance Academy at Bhubaneswar for upgrading the professional knowledge and skills of the vigilance officers. He said, the state vigilance, during the year 2017 and till March 31, 2018, has registered 603 criminal cases and has also initiated 765 enquiries against the public servants. Two hundred seventy nine persons have been arersted in vigilance cases and 44 public servants have been dismissed from the government service. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Madras High court today issued notice to the state principal secretary on a plea seeking filling of vacancies in government high schools and higher secondary schools in the State. A division bench of Justices C T selvam and Justice A M Basheer Ahamed ordered notice to the official on a PIL filed by Karuppiah. The petitioner submitted that 2405 teacher posts and 884 Head Master (HM) posts were lying vacant in Government high schools across the state. Similarly, 1657 teachers posts and 34 HM posts were vacant in higher secondary schools,and this would affect the quality of in the schools, he said. The petitioner sought a direction to the government to fill the posts. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The ceasework by lawyers' associations that has crippled the Calcutta High Court for over a record two months, will continue till May 11 over demands for appointment of judges, the Bar Association said today. The Bar Association, which commands the affiliation of the majority of lawyers practising at the high court, has decided in a general body meeting that the ceasework will continue till May 11 and the decision will be reviewed on May 14, its general secretary Amol Mukherjee said. "The ceasework will, however, automatically stand withdrawn if appointment of new judges is notified in the meantime," Mukherjee said. The Bar Library Club, which is also participating in the ceasework, will meet on Monday to decide on its course of action with regard to continuation of the agitation. "Our members will hold a meeting on Monday to take an independent decision with regard to extension of the ceasework," Bar Library Club president Jayanta Mitra said. The previous longest strike was of 2 months in 2002 in protest against hike in stamp duty by the West Bengal government. It was observed across all courts in the state including Calcutta High Court. Though a miniscule percentage of petitioners have moved the high court in-person during the ceasework, which began on February 19, most of the cases pending before the court could not be heard as lawyers have not participated in proceedings. The associations have also demanded the appointment of a chief justice to the high court, which has been headed by acting chief justices for over three years with the exception of only three months. The high court at present has 33 judges, while the sanctioned strength is that of 72 judges. Thousands of litigants, whose petitions are pending before the high court, are at their wits' end as to when their cases would be disposed of given the uncertainty over when the ceasework would be lifted. Till the end of March, 2,23,921 cases are pending before the high court, according to official data. Very few new petitions have been filed since February 19 owing to the ceasework by lawyers, thus landing those who have urgent matters to be moved before the court in a soup. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Bombay High Court today pulled up the Maharashtra government for failing to set up civil prisons and keeping civil prisoners with criminal prisoners. Justice Gautam Patel also directed that Krishna Rana, who was sentenced to three months in civil prison by the high court for making false statements and not complying with court orders, should be released today itself, before his prison term ends. Rana had filed an application last week, claiming that though he was sentenced to civil prison, he was kept in the Byculla Jail here with criminal prisoners and was not allowed to meet his family since he surrendered 39 days ago. The government told the court that Rana was kept with only those who are convicted for petty offences. He could not be kept in civil prison due to space constraints, it said. The court refused to accept this contention, saying whether the cell-mates were accused of minor or heinous crimes was not the issue. "The separation is between civil and criminal prisoners and that is the end of it," the judge said. The Prisons Act clearly states that civil prisoners have to be separated from the criminal prisoners, the court said. Justice Patel also cited the Prison Manual Rules which state that civil prisoners are to be confined in a civil jail or a portion of a criminal prison set apart for that purpose, and not allowed to come in contact with criminal prisoners. "This is not a matter of discretion....the government has no choice whatsoever in this matter," Justice Patel said. "Either the government will provide for some other more modern method of restricted movement or home confinement as is done in jurisdictions overseas, employing appropriate technology, or it will follow these statutes and make available a proper civil jail," he said. "A period of 39 days in confinement is not a trivial length of time by any stretch of imagination. This is a matter of deprivation of liberty at some level and these matters are always to be taken seriously," the judge said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi High Court today sought a response from the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) and the Delhi government over a woman's plea seeking a CBI probe into the death of her 40-year-old son who allegedly jumped to death from the probe agency's office here. Gaurav Gupta, a Delhi-based jeweller, who was questioned at the DRI office in connection with a purported gold smuggling case, yesterday allegedly jumped to death from the probe agency's building in the CGO complex area here, according to an official statement. The plea has alleged that"suspicious circumstances" led to the death of Gupta. The court issued notices to the DRI and the Delhi government and sought status report from them by tomorrow. Justice Mukta Gupta also directed the DCP South to get a medical board constituted at AIIMS and get Gupta's autopsy conducted. The court also asked the police to preserve the CCTV footage of Gupta's shop and the DRI office or nearby areas, if available. Gupta was taken to the DRI office yesterday in connection with an alleged gold smuggling case after his shop and residence here were raided by officials, the plea filed by his mother, through advocate Vijay Aggarwal, said. Senior advocate Kirti Uppal, also appearing for the petitioner, alleged that soon the mother received a call from DRI demanding Rs 1.5 crores if she wanted to save her son from any torture. Later in the day, the family found out that Gupta died, it alleged, adding that the death took place under suspicious circumstances. The DRI officials had yesterday released a press note on the incident saying Gupta jumped from a window at 12 pm after he was brought to the probe agency office for questioning over gold and silver worth Rs 13 crores recovered from his shop and residence. Gupta was waiting in the visitors' room inside the DRI office before he jumped, the statement had said. He was rushed to Safdarjung hospital but could not survive, it had said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Observing that heinous offences like rape of a minor girl cannot be treated with laxity especially after the 2012 Delhi gang-rape incident, the Bombay High Court has upheld the conviction of a 37-year-old man for raping a teenager 18 years ago. In the order passed last week, Justice Bharati Dangre dismissed the appeal filed by the man, who was 19 years old at the time of the incident, challenging an order passed by the Pune sessions court that convicted him for raping the girl, who was 16 years old then. The sessions court, in its order passed in February 2002, had sentenced him to seven years jail in the case. The high court ordered him to surrender before the sessions court in Pune within a month to undergo his sentence period. The man in his appeal in the HC claimed that he was in a consensual relationship with the girl, who at that time was 18 years old. The prosecution, however, claimed that the girl was only 16 years old and that the accused had forced himself on her. It relied on the girl's statement to prove this. Justice Dangre, after hearing the arguments, observed that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and dismissed the appeal. "A heinous offence like rape committed on a minor girl cannot be looked at with laxity and merely because it was an offence involving only her body the same cannot be brushed aside lightly," Justice Dangre said in her judgment. It is well known that after the unfortunate Nirbhaya rape case, Parliament was justified in amending penal laws and made the offence of rape punishable with a higher penalty, the court said. "...since then the violation of a woman's right has been considered to be a gross violation of individual liberty and has been dealt with sternly," Justice Dangre said. In this particular case, the victim was a child of 16 years age, who enjoyed a right to blossom into a woman and to step into womanhood in a dignified and graceful way and not being trampled in the manner in which she was ushered into womanhood, the ruling said. "A girl child has a right to live her life with dignity. She has a right to good health, physical as well as mental, has a right to equal opportunity with the male child to develop into a matured independent woman," Justice Dangre said. She also has a right to make a decision or choice, which includes the right to deny sexual intercourse to a person, the court said. The court ordered the convict, who is out on bail, to surrender before the sessions court in Pune within four weeks to undergo his sentence period. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Police carried out extensive search of a private hospital here after a hoax call about bomb planted in the hospital, a police official said. According to Nayati Medicity hospital, the police was informed that one Sanjai Bhargava threatened hospital security manager Amit Singh on his mobile phone. We have planted five bombs from emergency to top floor and by 3.30 PM the hospital would blow off the caller," the man said over the phone. After thorough checking of the hospital for over four hours, nothing was found, however, the case has been registered against the impersonating caller, Deputy Superintendent of Police Rakesh Kumar said. He said, the real caller is being identified, meanwhile, the checking in the hospital was carried out by the bomb disposal squad. During checking, to avoid panic, the patients were informed that it was part of a mock drill and they should not get worried. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress President today described the proposed US visa rules as a "huge setback" for India, and in a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi said there were "some things a hug can buy", but for visas "you're on your own". Gandhi's remarks come amid Trump administration's plan to propose to end giving work permits to the spouses of H1-B visa holders to work in the US, a move that could have a devastating impact on tens of thousands of Indians. "New US Visa Rules, huge setback for India...," the Congress president said on Twitter. "There are some things a hug can buy. For visas, you're on your own," he said in a wordplay on the MasterCard ad campaign which says, "There are some things money can't buy. For everything else, there's MasterCard". "Foreign Policy by Narendra Modi, Foreword by Donald Trump," Gandhi said mocking the government's diplomacy. Gandhi has earlier also attacked the prime minister over what he termed 'hugplomacy' after Pakistan released 2008 Mumbai attacks mastermind and Lashkar-e-Taiba chief Hafiz Saeed from house arrest. The Trump administration's move to end the Obama-era rule could have an impact on more than 70,000 H-4 visas holders, who have work permits. H-4 is issued to the spouse of H-1B visa holders, a significantly large number of whom are high-skilled professionals from India. They had obtained work permits under a special order issued by the previous Obama administration. India today called for standardising punitive measures against states who use terrorists as their first line of offense and use duplicity as a policy. Speaking at a panel discussion at the Conference on fight against terrorist financing for Daesh and Al Qaeda, Minister of State for External Affairs M J Akbar said terrorism was becoming the dominant feature of conflict in the 21st century. "It is not simply the anarchists seeking chaos for the sake of chaos. It has serious political objectives. Terrorists, particularly those impelled by dated ideologies like faith supremacy, challenge the very concept of the nation state, and seek to replace it with faith-based space," he said. Akbar said terrorists do not believe in nations or national borders. He said for more than two decades the UN had been unable to agree upon a definition of terrorism. "How do we fight an enemy we cannot define?" he asked. "Indeed there often seems to be more cooperation between terrorist gangs, their sponsors and affiliates than between nations facing this existentialist challenge," he said at the Panel discussion on "Combating terrorist financing more effectively: what cooperation is needed?" He said there was a need for cooperation on a counteroffensive against a lifeline of terrorism that is finance, he said. "There are states who use terrorists as their first line of offense...We need, therefore, to standardise punitive measures against those who use duplicity as a policy," Akbar said. "We must ensure, to begin with, that freezing of assets renders them unusable, effectively by prohibiting selling, removing, alienating, transforming, assigning, encumbering, taking over or similarly dealing with assets of a terrorist organisation, wherever situated. Financial Action Task Force (FATF) must completely shut loopholes that enable duplicity," he added. FAFT is an international task force mandated to combat terror funding and money laundering. Akbar said FATF had played a crucial role in devising international standards to combat terror financing. "They must be mandatory. The UN Security Council, in its Resolution 1617, has already called upon the global community to implement the FATF standards. The World Bank, IMF and other international financial institutions should recognise and apply FATF standards. They must address concerns about countries not complying with terror financing standards. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India has handed over to Bangladesh a Mi-4 helicopter and two PT-76 tanks as part of the 1971 Liberation War memorabilia, officials said here today. "The gifts are to be showcased at the Bangladesh army and air force museums," a defence ministry spokesman said today. He said the helicopter and the tanks were part of gifts given by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj during her Bangladesh visit last year. The memorabilia included 25 weapons like pistol, rifles, machine guns and mortars alongside a large number of artefact, historical photographs, archival audio and video clipping, maps and battle records related to the 1971 Liberation War. "While most items of memorabilia have been handed over to the Bangladesh National Museum; the larger items ie PT-76 Tanks and Mi 4 Helicopter are now being handed over to the Bangladesh Army and Air Force," Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Harsh Vardhan Shringla said. The light amphibious PT-76 tanks were used by the Indian Army's armoured regiments in 1971 which played a crucial role in crossing rivers and water bodies during the war. Analysts said these tanks often outclassed a much larger force and technically superior M34 Chafee tanks, used by the Pakistani Army in the war. The Mi-4 transport helicopter was extensively utilised for heliborne operations by the India-Bangladesh joint forces in the eastern sector confirming early defeat of Pakistani troops in 1971. Indian air force earlier gifted Bangladesh one Hunter jet fighter, one Dakota transport air craft ahead of this helicopter while India's navy previously gifted memorabilia of its INS Vikrant, models of ships that took part in the war and archival photographs and its army gifts included six 3.7 Howitzer Guns. India backed Bangladesh's Liberation War, which began after the sudden crackdown at midnight past on March 25, 1971 in the erstwhile East Pakistan by Pakistani troops. On December 16, the same year as Pakistan conceded defeat and its troops unconditionally surrendered in Dhaka to the allied forces comprising the freedom fighters and the Indian Army. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Indian doctors in the UK who have worked for decades in Britain's National Health Service were today hailed for their contribution and building up the country's healthcare system. Britain's Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) launched a new exhibition to pay tribute to the Indian doctors who were the very "lifeblood" of the National Health Service (NHS) and were amongst its "architects". 'Migrants Who Made the NHS' is a celebration of thousands of doctors who came from South Asia to keep the UK's state-funded NHS afloat by working as general practitioners in some of the most deprived and far-flung areas of the country between the 1940s and 1980s. "General practice in the UK would not be what it is today without the hard work, innovation, and courage of our predecessors, and their dedication to delivering high-quality patient care. Indeed, without them, our profession and the NHS might not even exist at all," said Professor Mayur Lakhani, President of the RCGP. "Not only were they doctors, but they became highly-valued members of the communities in which they practised. Whilst many faced incredible challenges, our exhibition also documents the overwhelmingly positive and lifelong relationships they forged with their patients," he said. The exhibition, at the headquarters of the college in central London, marks the 70th anniversary year of the NHS and comes at a time when there is growing debate around its future staffing and funding needs. Based on the book 'Migrant architects of the NHS: South Asian doctors and the reinvention of British general practice (1940s-1980s)' by Dr Julian M Simpson, the new exhibition draws on archival research, photographs and oral history interviews with 40 general practitioners who moved to Britain from South Asia during that period, including some who are still practising today. "It's important to also remember that the National Health Service was established to make healthcare accessible to those who could not afford it. And for millions of people, particularly in working-class communities across Britain, accessing that care meant going to see a GP from the Indian subcontinent," said Simpson. "Doctors from the Indian sub-continent were therefore not just contributing to the NHS, they were its very lifeblood. We should acknowledge they were amongst the architects of the NHS," he notes. By the 1980s, around 16 per cent of general practitioners working in the NHS had been born in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh or Sri Lanka. They were responsible for delivering patient care to around a sixth of the British population. In some areas they made up more than half of the general practitioners population. "The NHS evolved during its first four decades into a system based around general practice and primary care. By becoming family doctors, South Asian doctors prevented a general practitioners recruitment crisis. Through their work, they shaped the field as it transformed itself into the cornerstone of the British healthcare system," Simpson explains. The new exhibition is aimed at demonstrating how doctors from the Indian sub-continent kept the family doctor service thriving in the UK, particularly for patients in working-class and inner-city areas. The South Asian doctors filled the void largely created by UK doctors choosing to work overseas, and before general practice gained belated recognition as a medical specialty on par with hospital medicine. Britain was a popular choice for South Asian doctors to practise medicine during the 1940s-80s, given the well-established links built during the British Empire. Medical training in the Indian subcontinent remained heavily under British influence after independence. The lack of UK-trained doctors wanting to work as general practitioners meant that it was an area of medicine where South Asian doctors could build good careers, the RCGP notes. This was particularly the case in poor, industrial areas where patient demand was high but general practitioners recruitment was difficult, and as a result, the presence of overseas general practitioners became very concentrated. There was also a wider impact and influence of migration from the Indian subcontinent on British medicine. There are today 1,724 doctors with the common Indian surname Patel on the General Medical Council's (GMC) list of registered medical practitioners, only slightly fewer than doctors with the common British surname of Smith (1,750). South Asian doctors often faced discrimination, racial and sexual, when applying for jobs and the exhibition also looks at the adversity they came up against. The Royal College of General Practitioners is Britain's professional membership body with a network of more than 52,000 family doctors. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) British Indian entrepreneur Sanjeev Gupta today strike a deal with Nigeria's Diamond Bank Plc to acquire its UK-regulated banking subsidiary, Diamond Bank (UK) Plc. The new bank, which, upon change of control, is intended to be renamed British Commonwealth Trade Bank (BCTB) to address gaps for trade in developing economies, particularly within the Commonwealth. "The acquisition of BCTB, with its particular global networks, breadth of experience and specialist expertise in developing economies, will enable us to focus on a very different market gap; providing tailor-made financial solutions that enable UK businesses to access specific fast-growing markets, especially within the Commonwealth," Gupta said. "Post Brexit, there will be a heightened need to provide competitive financing to British companies in the commodities and industrial sectors as they seek to grow in new markets globally. BCTB will aim to be a bridge' between borrowers and lenders for trade with these markets," he noted. The tycoon, who leads the GFG Alliance group of companies, announced today that a subsidiary of his family's Wyelands Trust has signed an agreement to acquire Diamond Bank UK, subject to approval from the UK's Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA). The Central Bank of Nigeria has already approved the transaction. "GFG's acquisition of Diamond Bank UK will go a long way in helping UK businesses access opportunities in some of the world's largest and fastest-growing markets. This includes the Commonwealth with a third of the world's population where the bank has a strong presence," UK Secretary of State for International Trade, Liam Fox said. The proposed acquisition is part of the UK-based businessman's strategy to expand the financial services activities of GFG Alliance, alongside its other business pillars of metals, industrials, power generation, infrastructure and property. The 47-year-old entrepreneur said: "GFG companies have a long history in trade with the Commonwealth and we hope to use both what we have learned and our worldwide contacts to help design a British bank focused on helping UK companies to access exciting new opportunities. "Britain is a nation of traders, and, with our government's new focus on international trade, we hope to play a key role in connecting UK businesses to customers and opportunities across the world, especially in the developing Commonwealth markets, where Britain has a long and rich history." Like Wyelands Bank, the new BCTB will be separately capitalised and independently governed and managed. Uzoma Dozie, CEO of Diamond Bank Plc, said: We feel the proposed sale of our UK subsidiary, DBUK, to the GFG Alliance will provide our UK clients, employees and stakeholders with a new shareholder committed to developing its activities and business. "Our particular attraction is the experience the GFG Alliance has in managing regulated businesses, as well as knowledge of Africa, which forms a key competency of DBUK. GFG has also been in the for its series of acquisitions in the steel industry around the world. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Indians now feel that the US is no longer immigrant-friendly country, a top Indian-American Congressman has said, amidst a series of controversial immigration policies by the Trump administration. President Donald Trump has been pushing for the merit-based immigration system to reduce overall immigration to the US and serve the country's national interest. A merit-based immigration system, the Trump administration feels would admit the best and the brightest around the world while making it harder for people to come to the country illegally. "One issue that certainly came up and is something that we all have to be mindful of is there's a sense in India that America is no longer immigrant- friendly," Indian-American Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi told PTI. The Democratic lawmaker from Illinois, Krishnamoorthi recently visited India as part of a Congressional delegation. "Whether you are going to America as a tourist, as a business visitor or whether you're coming here on an H-1B visa or whether you already are here and are seeking permanent residency, it's just a different place in the current landscape," Krishnamoorthi said, adding that this is the general sense about America in India now. The White House has said the current immigration system jeopardises the US' national security, reiterating its call to end the chain migration and visa lottery system. "So, we as lawmakers, have to make sure that we live up to the fundamental principles that made America a special place, namely, we welcome immigrants, we treat them with dignity, and we don't scapegoat any individual or group of people for any challenges that we may have economically. You have to pull together and grow forward in the same direction," he said in response to a question. "I think so. I think that there's a little bit more of that," he said when asked if people in India, based on his visit, think that US is now more of an anti-immigrant nation. "America's image is largely positive in India. The polling data and other evidence would indicate that. However, we have to be concerned when a young Indian no longer looked at America as the only place where you would go to start a business or pursue your graduate studies and build a more prosperous future for yourself and your family," he said. There are other alternatives that have been merged and those places have taken advantage of the changes that have happened in the US. "We have to be concerned because we want the best and the brightest to continue to come to America," he said. Krishnamoorthi said there's more of a competition. "I would like to think that the US is still a destination and is the most appealing or attractive destination. But on the other hand, if the Trump administration continues to make it more and more difficult for people to come here, whether it's just a visit or to study or to potentially enter the workforce and helping enrich our economy and help Americans; we are going to push people away," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Eight Taiwanese drug smugglers were sentenced to death by an Indonesian court today after being nabbed with over a ton of crystal methamphetamine in a country that has some of the world's toughest anti-drug laws. The men, who were arrested during raids last July when the narcotics network's suspected leader was killed in a shootout with Indonesian police, were sentenced at the South Jakarta District Court. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Senior advocate Indu Malhotra was today appointed a Supreme Court judge, making her the first woman lawyer to directly enter the top judiciary. A Law Ministry communique said: "In exercise of the powers conferred by clause (2) of article 124 of the Constitution of India, the President is pleased to appoint Ms Indu Malhotra, to be judge of the Supreme Court of India with effect from the date she assumes charge of her office." Malhotra, who was designated as a senior advocate in 2007, would be the first woman advocate to be directly appointed as the judge of the Supreme Court. Her name was cleared by the SC collegium on January 10 and a resolutionof the apex court said, "In our considered opinion, at present, Indu Malhotra, Senior Advocate, is eminently suitable for being appointed as a Judge in the Supreme Court." While Malhotra's name was recommended by the collegium for elevation along with that of Uttarakhand High Court Chief Justice K M Joseph, but the Centre has sought reconsideration of the proposal for the latter. Malhotra would be the seventh women judge in the top court since Independence as only six women judges have made it to the Supreme Court so far. Other women judges were elevated to the apex court from high courts. Currently, Justice R Banumathi is the lone woman judge in the apex court. Justice M Fathima Beevi was the first women judge of the apex court. She was appointed in 1989, 39 years after the Supreme Court was set up in 1950. Justice Beevi was elevated to the apex court after her retirement as judge of the Kerala High Court. After serving the top court till April 29, 1992, she was appointed the governor of Tamil Nadu. The second woman judge in the Supreme Court was Justice Sujata V Manohar, who started her career as a judge from the Bombay High Court and rose to become the chief justice of Kerala High Court. She was elevated to the apex court where she remained from November 8, 1994 till August 27, 1999. Justice Ruma Pal followed Jusitce Manohar after a gap of almost five months and became the longest-serving woman judge from January 28, 2000 to June 2, 2006. After her retirement, it took four years to appoint the next woman judge. Justice Gyan Sudha Misra was elevated to the Supreme Court from the Jharkhand High Court where she was the chief justice. Her tenure in the apex court was from April 30, 2010 to April 27, 2014. During her stint, she was joined by Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai, who served the apex court between September 13, 2011 to October 29, 2014. These two judges also created a history by holding court together as an all-women bench for a day in 2013. Justice Banumathi, who at present is the only sitting woman judge, had joined on August 13, 2014 and would retire on July 19, 2020. In the 67-year history of the Supreme Court, there have been only two occasions when it has had two sitting women judges together, the first being justices Misra and Desai and later justices Desai and Banumathi. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Senior advocate Indu Malhotra would be administered oath of office by Chief Justice Dipak Misra tomorrow morning at the Supreme Court, making her the first woman lawyer to enter the top judiciary directly. 61-year old Malhotra's name, cleared by the government, was one of the two recommended by the collegium to be elevated to the apex court bench. The list of the business of the apex court mentions that Malhotra will be sworn in tomorrow. Earlier in the day, a Law Ministry communique said: "In exercise of the powers conferred by clause (2) of article 124 of the Constitution of India, the President is pleased to appoint Ms Indu Malhotra, to be judge of the Supreme Court of India with effect from the date she assumes charge of her office." Her name was approved by the SC collegium on January 10, with a resolution of the apex court saying, "In our considered opinion, at present, Indu Malhotra, Senior Advocate, is eminently suitable for being appointed as a Judge in the Supreme Court." While Malhotra's name was recommended by the collegium for elevation along with that of Uttarakhand High Court Chief Justice K M Joseph, the Centre has sought reconsideration of the proposal for the latter. Malhotra would be the seventh women judge in the top court since Independence as only six women judges have made it to the Supreme Court so far. Other women judges were elevated to the apex court from high courts. Currently, Justice R Banumathi is the lone woman judge in the apex court. Malhotra joined the legal profession in 1983 and was enrolled with the Bar Council of Delhi. She qualified as an Advocate-on-Record in the Supreme Court in 1988 and has been dealing with several matters of constitutional importance. She was one of the prominent senior advocates regularly appearing in educational matters pertaining to medical and engineering colleges. Malhotra was one of the members of the Vishaka Committee on sexual harassment at workplaces, as also of a 10-member committee constituted by the top court to deal with complaints of sexual harassment within the court. She was appointed as the standing counsel for Haryana in the apex court from 1991 to 1996. Malhotra has represented various statutory corporations like Securities Exchange Board of India, Delhi Development Authority, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research and Indian Council for Agricultural Research, before the Supreme Court. She was designated senior advocate by the top court in 2007 and became the second woman to be designated as such by the apex court after a gap of over 30 years. Malhotra was born in Bangalore and after her schooling from Carmel Convent School in New Delhi, she did her B.A. (Hons.) in Political Science from Lady Shri Ram College. She obtained her law degree from the Faculty of Law in Delhi University. The first woman judge of the apex court was Justice Fathima Beevi who was appointed in 1989, 39 years after the Supreme Court was set up in 1950. Justice Beevi was elevated to the apex court after her retirement as judge of the Kerala High Court. After serving the top court till April 29, 1992, she was appointed the governor of Tamil Nadu. The second woman judge in the Supreme Court was Justice Sujata V Manohar, who started her career as a judge from the Bombay High Court and rose to become the chief justice of Kerala High Court. She was elevated to the apex court where she remained from November 8, 1994 till August 27, 1999. Justice Ruma Pal followed Jusitce Manohar after a gap of almost five months and became the longest-serving woman judge from January 28, 2000 to June 2, 2006. After her retirement, it took four years to appoint the next woman judge. Justice Gyan Sudha Misra was elevated to the Supreme Court from the Jharkhand High Court where she was the chief justice. Her tenure in the apex court was from April 30, 2010 to April 27, 2014. During her stint, she was joined by Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai, who served the apex court between September 13, 2011 to October 29, 2014. These two judges also created a history by holding court together as an all-women bench for a day in 2013. Justice Banumathi, who at present is the only sitting woman judge, had joined on August 13, 2014 and would retire on July 19, 2020. In the 67-year history of the Supreme Court, there have been only two occasions when it has had two sitting women judges together, the first being justices Misra and Desai and later justices Desai and Banumathi. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two persons were injured in firing by militants on a security forces check point in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir today, police said. One security forces jawan and a civilian sustained injuries in the firing incident, they added. According to the official, the security forces signalled a private car to stop for checking, but the militants onboard did not stop and opened fire. The police and CRPF had established a check point at Lazibal in Anantnag following information about movement of militants through the area, he said. An alert has been issued across south Kashmir to track down the militants, he informed. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The long-held conspiracy theory that former US President John F Kennedy was shot by a second gunman from the grassy knoll site is wrong, according to a new analysis of video footage of the shooting. The results, published in the journal Heliyon, support the official autopsy findings that Kennedy suffered a gunshot wound caused by the same type of rifle as that owned by Lee Harvey Oswald, fired from the vicinity of the Texas School Book Depository building located behind the motorcade. Kennedy was assassinated on November 22, 1963, while riding in a presidential motorcade at Dealey Plaza, in Dallas, Texas. Oswald was arrested shortly after the shooting. A now widespread conspiracy theory posits that Kennedy was actually shot from a different location - the grassy knoll. "The classified JFK files were recently released, and the fate of a few remaining files will soon be decided," said Nicholas Nalli, a senior research scientist at I M Systems Group, Inc. (IMSG) in the US. "Given the current trendiness of that are not based on facts, the study shows that thorough scientific investigation can make a difference in supporting one theory over another, and I therefore believe that the topic is as relevant today as it was nearly 55 years ago," he said. There were several video recordings of the incident, and one in particular shows the shooting in detail. A civilian bystander, Abraham Zapruder, filmed the motorcade with a 8-mm home movie camera, inadvertently recording an 8 second sequence of events that included a fatal gunshot wound to Kennedy in the head. The Zapruder film shows the President's head moving back and to the left, which Nalli suggests was due to a recoil effect. However, he also noted that observers had missed one vital part of the evidence: the forward head snap at the moment of the fatal bullet impact. When analysed using fundamental classical mechanics, the forward head snap, which is visible in the Zapruder film, provides proof that Kennedy was shot in the head from behind. "Rather than gloss over this fact, as has been done by most previous authors, including anti-conspiracy authors, I chose to study and model it explicitly," said Nalli. He developed a simple one-dimensional gunshot wound dynamics model to explain the movements observed in the film. The model makes explicit calculations of the forward head snap that occurred before Kennedy's head moved back and to the left after the gunshot. To do this, the model uses known parameters from the crime scene, including bullet mass, speed, and diameter, camera shutter frequency and autopsy measurements. This is the first time this aspect of the case has been considered so thoroughly and quantitatively. The calculations show quantitatively that Kennedy's reactions after being shot in the head, as seen in the film, are physically consistent with a gunshot wound caused by a high-energy Carcano military rifle, the evidence rifle owned by Oswald. The findings do not entirely rule out a conspiracy, but they do refute the most prominent theories that the fatal shot was fired from the grassy knoll. They also oppose the idea that the Zapruder film proves a conspiracy - in fact, the opposite appears to be true, researchers said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a stern warning, the Supreme Court today said it would transfer the Kathua gangrape and murder case from the local court in Jammu and Kashmir in the "slightest possibility" of lack of fair trial, saying the "real concern" was to hold proper prosecution. The observations by a bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra came amid a report filed by a Bar Council of India (BCI's) committee which supported the demand of the lawyers' body there for a CBI probe in the matter saying the bar associations in Kathua had not obstructed the police or the counsel representing the victim's family in any manner. The apex court, after perusing the report, said it would not "digress" from the main issue of ensuring a fair trial, not only for the accused but also for the victim's family. On the issue of alleged obstruction by lawyers in administration of justice in the case, the bench made it clear that if the advocates were "at fault, they will be dealt with in accordance with the law". The bench, also comprising Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud, said its constitutional obligation was to ensure a fair trial and proper legal assistance to the victim's family as well as the accused, along with protection to them and their lawyers. "If we find a slightest possibilty of lack of fair trial, we will transfer the case (out of Kathua)," the bench said, adding, "the real concern of this court is to see that a fair trial is done and the trial is fair to the accused as well as the family members of the victim". At the outset, the BCI filed in a sealed cover the enquiry report of its committee headed by former High Court judge Justice Tarun Agarwal, on the issue of alleged obstruction by lawyers in the case at Kathua. The report said the local lawyers' body had neither obstructed the Crime Branch of Jammu and Kashmir police from filing the charge sheet in the court, nor had the lawyers obstructed advocate Deepika Singh Rajawat, who is representing the victim's family, from appearing in the matter before the high court there. The panel, while claiming that media had "misrepresented" the reports, said the demand of Jammu & Kashmir High Court Bar Association, Jammu, and Kathua District Bar Association for a CBI probe in the matter "appears to be justified". However, advocate Shoeb Alam, appearing for the state, opposed the committee's report and maintained that the police team was heckled allegedly by the lawyers, due to which they could not file the charge sheet in the trial court. Alam referred to the separate reports of the high court and a district judge at Kathua, claiming that these had given scathing finding of "obstruction" of police officers and the justice administration system. To this, the bench observed, "Let the main issue be not missed. Fair investigation, fair trial, appropriate legal guidance and representation of both the accused and the victim's family has to be there." "Instead of getting into what the BCI report says and the lawyers say, let us not digress from the real issue. The real issue is that how can we achieve justice," it said. Senior lawyer Indira Jaising, appearing for the victim's father, told the bench that their prayers were for tranfer of case from Kathua to Chandigarh and monitoring of its trial by the apex court. "Monitoring of trial means we can fast track the trial," the bench said, adding that fast-tracking of case does not mean that proper opportunity should not be granted in accordance with the procedures to the accused and the victim's family. "Let us not get into what had happened in the bar. Let us stick to the victim's case," the court said and added that protection granted to the lawyer of the victim's family shall continue. The bench said the issue whether lawyers had allegedly created obstructions would be dealt with by it separately as it would take up the case of victim first and posted the matter for hearing on July 30. Earlier in the day, the bench agreed to consider a separate plea filed by two accused seeking that the trial in the case be held in Jammu and the probe handed over to the CBI. The court considered the plea of the accused, Sanji Ram and Vishal Jangotra, that they be impleaded as parties to the petition filed by the victim's father. The eight-year-old's father had moved the apex court earlier, apprehending threat to the family, a friend and their lawyer Rajawat. Expressing satisfaction with the probe conducted by the Jammu and Kashmir police in the case, the victim's father had sought transfer of trial from Kathua court to Chandigarh. However, the accused are asking for the opposite, seeking a CBI probe in the case and trial in Kathua district itself. The child from a minority nomadic community had disappeared from near her home in a village near Kathua in Jammu region on January 10. Her body was found in the same area a week later. The state police's Crime Branch, which probed the case, filed the main chargesheet against seven persons and a separate charge sheet against a juvenile in a court in Kathua district last week. The chargesheet revealed chilling details about how the girl was allegedly kidnapped, drugged and raped inside a place of worship before being killed. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Jammu and Kashmir government today opposed in the Supreme Court a plea filed by the father of the victim in the Kathua case for transfer of trial to Chandigarh saying the state was committed to ensure a "fair, expeditious and impartial trial". In an affidavit, the state said that the prayer for transfer of trial was "misconceived" and the court would have to consider that prosecution witnesses in the case were residents of Jammu and Kashmir and shifting of trial outside the state would cause "great inconvenience". It also denied the allegations that prime accused Sanjhi Ram was supported by government officials merely because he was a retired revenue officer. The affidavit was filed on a day when a bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra said that its "real concern" was to see that a fair trial was conducted in the case. "The real concern of this court is to see that a fair trial is conducted and 'fair trial' means fair to the accused as well as to the victims. In the present case, the victims are the family members of the deceased," the bench, which also comprised justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud, said while hearing the Kathua matter. "Apart from the fairness in procedure, the concept of speedy trial gets attracted. That apart, it is to be seen that both the sides are given protection and, if necessary, requisite legal assistance is provided. Keeping these aspects in view, we think it appropriate that the relief in the said case will be addressed first," the bench said. The affidavit by the state, filed through advocate Shoeb Alam, said, "the state is competent and fully equipped to provide adequate security to the victim's family, witnesses of the case, judges and/or any other stake holder in the case". "Every specific threat/credible request for protection has been duly responded by the state by providing security. The state, being aware of its constitutional duty, is duty bound and committed to ensure that the trial is not affected in any manner," it said. "The requisite state machinery will be put into motion to ensure the conduct of a fair, expeditious and impartial trial in the matter so that justice is dispensed to the victim while the human rights of the victim's family as well as the accused are protected in accordance with the law," the affidavit said. It further said that no grounds have been raised in the plea which may warrant transfer of trial outside the state. The state has said that Jammu and Kashmir has its own penal law, the Ranbir Penal Code, procedural law and law of evidence and transfer of trial outside the state might not be practical and may end up in creating more anomalous situation. It said that during the hearing before the top court, the petitioner's counsel had reposed faith in the comprehensive probe carried out in the case by a special investigation team of the Crime Branch of Jammu and Kashmir Police. "As such, the victim's family itself is satisfied with the probe conducted by the SIT," it said, adding that pursuant to the court's order, the advocate representing the victim's family and a friend of the family have been provided security by the state. It also said that security has been beefed up at the Juvenile Home, where an accused is currently lodged. "The allegations pertaining to the support by government officials to the accused Sanjhi Ram, merely because he was a retired revenue official, upon which the petitioner apprehends that the trial will not be conducted in a fair and transparent manner is false and is denied," the affidavit said. It said that a fair and impartial probe was done in the case, and even the policemen, who had allegedly committed the offences, were arrested and named in a charge sheet. The state maintained its stand that police officers were heckled and prevented, allegedly by protesting lawyers, from reaching the courtroom for filing a charge sheet in the case. The victim's father had moved the apex court apprehending threat to the family, a friend and their lawyer Deepika Singh Rajawat. Expressing satisfaction with the probe conducted by the Jammu and Kashmir police in the case, the victim's father had sought transfer of trial from Kathua court to Chandigarh. His petition is scheduled to come up for hearing tomorrow. The eight-year-old child from a minority nomadic community had disappeared from near her home in a village near Kathua in Jammu region on January 10. Her body was found in the same area a week later. The state police's Crime Branch, which probed the case, has filed the main charge sheet against seven persons and a separate charge sheet against a juvenile in a court in Kathua. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today ordered a magisterial probe into the school van-tanker accident in which a seven-year-old girl was killed and 17 students were injured. The chief minister has directed Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash to submit a report within three days. In his note to Prakash, Kejriwal said that it has been brought to his notice that a fatal accident involving a school van carrying students of Keshavpuram and a tanker has occurred near Kanhaiya Nagar metro station in which a large number of students are seriously injured, including young children. "The chief secretary is directed to get the magisterial inquiry conducted by concerned district magistrate/deputy commissioner and submit the report within three days," Kejriwal said in his order to Prakash. A seven-year-old girl was killed and 17 students were injured after a milk-tanker rammed into the school van this morning near the Kanhaiya Nagar metro station in northwest Delhi, police said. The school van was carrying children from two schools in Keshavpuram, they said, adding that the drivers of both the vehicles have been detained. The deceased was identified as Garima and the injured children are being treated at different hospitals, police said. Four children were admitted to the ICU of the Sushruta Trauma Centre. One of them has suffered stomach injury, while three others have suffered head injuries and shoulder fractures. Six other students are admitted in the Lok Nayak hospital. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad today asked Indian start-ups to leverage new-age technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and Machine-to-Machine communication to create innovative solutions in healthcare and education, particularly for rural areas. Terming India as being "innovative by temperament", the minister said start ups should look at new "out-of-the-box" solutions in demand-driven areas like cyber security and data analytics, that are increasingly relevant in the digital economy. "How can you leverage Artificial Intelligence, Machine to Machine communication and Internet of Things for healthcare, agriculture and education in rural areas...that is the challenge for you," he said after presenting the 'ICT start-ups awards by MeityASSOCHAMEricsson'. The minister said that start-up companies should utilise the existing network of Common Services Centres (digital kiosks that deliver digital services) as also BPOs that are coming up in smaller towns. "The digital aspiration of India is waiting to be explored," he said adding that India is well on its way to become USD 1 trillion digital economy over the coming years, generating 50 lakh to 75 lakh jobs. On the issue of data privacy, Prasad reiterated that while data is important for analysis and policy making, there has to be balance between data availability, its utility, innovation, anonymity and privacy aspects. "Data most be anonymous...It means data availability minus income details, medical profile and other such information," he said citing an example. The Minister outlined increasing adoption of the Umang (Unified Mobile Application for New-age Governance) app, Bharat Interface for Money (BHIM) app that enables secure cashless payments through mobile phones, and said India's digital clout is on the rise globally too given the large market it offers to businesses. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) French President Emanuel Macron today sought the American involvement to reinvent multilateralism, saying the US' role was decisive for creating and safeguarding today's free world. He said the US invented multilateralism, enganging countries for pursuing a common goal, and now it has to help to preserve and reinvent it. "We have to shape our common answers to the global threats that we are facing. The only option then is to strengthen our cooperation. We can build the 21st century world order based on a new breed of multilateralism, based on a more effective, accountable and result-oriented multilateralism, a strong multilateralism," Macron said in the joint address to the US Congress. He said the multilateralism will allow "our cultures and identities" to be respected and protected. "Why? Because precisely our own culture is based, on both sides of the Atlantic, on this unique taste for freedom, on this unique attachment for liberty and peace. This strong multilateralism is the unique option compatible with our nations, our cultures, our identities, the French President said. Seeking the US lawmakers participation in building the 21st century world order, Macron said America and Europe have a historical role in this respect. "Because it is the only way to defend what we believe in, to promote our universal values, to express strongly that human rights, the rights of minorities, and shared liberty are the true answer to the disorders of the world, he said. "I believe in the power of intelligently regulated market economies. We are experiencing the positive impact of our current economic globalisation, with innovations, with jobs creations. We see, however, the abuses of globalised capitalism and digital disruptions, which jeopardise the stability of our economies and democracies, he added. Asserting that facing these challenges requires the opposite of massive deregulation and extreme nationalism, he told the US Congress that commercial war was not the proper answer to this evolution. "We need a free and fair trade for sure. A commercial war opposing allies is not consistent with our mission, with our history, with our current commitments for the global security. At the end of the day, it will destroy jobs, increase prices and the middle class will have to pay for it," he said. "I believe we can build the right answers to legitimate concerns regarding trade imbalances, excesses and over capacities by negotiating through the World Trade Organization and building cooperative solutions. We wrote these rules. We should follow them, the French president said. Noting that the recent Facebook hearings highlighted the necessity to preserve citizens' digital rights all over the world, and protect their confidence in today's digital tools of life, Macron said the European Union has passed a new regulation for data protection. "I believe the United States and the European Union should cooperate to find the right balance between innovation and ethics, and harness the best of today's revolutions in digital data and artificial intelligence," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An additional zero in the insurance policy number made all the difference when the Thane Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) settled a claim filed before it for a minor girl's death. Finding the policy number with the additional zero as fake, MACT member and district judge K D Vadane absolved the insurance company in the case and directed the owner of the offending tempo to pay Rs 5 lakh to the parents of the girl, who died in a road accident in 2013. The claimants - Ganesh Ramulu Racha (33) and his wife Umalata Ganesh Racha (28) - residents of Padmanagar in Bhiwandi township here, told the tribunal that on November 2, 2013 their daughter Vaishnu (then aged 5) was crossing the Hanuman Tekadi road when a speeding tempo hit her. The three-wheeler, being driven in a rash and negligent manner, ran over the girl, who sustained severe injuries in the accident and died on the spot, they said. The tempo owner, who runs a textile firm, did not contest the case. However, the insurer made respondent in the case - the Bajaj Allianz General Insurance Company Ltd - pointed out that the nine-digit insurance policy number '000062633' mentioned in the claim was fake as it was never issued by it. The insurance company submitted that every policy issued by it had an eight-digit number. It also told the tribunal that a policy with number '00062633' was issued by it for another vehicle for the period of 29.07.2008 to 28.07.2009. The insurance firm further stated that the offending vehicle was not insured with it, and that the copy of policy mentioned on record by the applicants was fake. However, the applicants submitted that the insurance company had not sent any notice to the owner or driver of the offending vehicle, and no criminal complaint was filed by it in respect of the fake policy. Therefore, the evidence adduced by the insurance" company be discarded. But, the judge observed that not filing a criminal complaint was not a ground to discard the evidence of the insurance company. Moreover, the insurance company filed on record the extract of its policy register which shows that the offending vehicle was not insured with it for that period, he said. Also, it appears that the policy issued by the insurance firm ends with an eight-digit number and does not match with the policy certificate filed on record by applicants which has a nine-digit number (with four zeroes), the judge noted. In such circumstances, "I have no hesitation in accepting the contention of the insurance company and to conclude that the certificate-cum-policy schedule filed by applicants on record is a fake one," he said in his order on April 23, while relieving the insurance firm of the liability of paying the compensation. The judge then awarded a total compensation of Rs 5 lakh to the girl's parents and asked the tempo owner to pay it to them. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Maharashtra government today signed an MoU with the British Council to strengthen educational and cultural cooperation. The agreement was signed by Sumit Mullick, Chief Secretary, state government, and Alan Gemmell OBE, Director British Council India. "With this MoU, the British Council hopes to expand its existing work in the state, where in recent times, it has trained more than 100,000 teachers benefitting around five million learners," a release said. The areas of potential collaboration include developing further initiatives to improve English teaching and enhance employability skills in schools and training institutes, building capacity in higher and research and further co-operation on inspiring hundreds of thousands of people in the state through arts and culture, it said. Alan Gemmell OBE said, "We hope to support the chief minister's vision for the youth of the State to be more employable nationally and internationally, have better learning outcomes for school students, seek greater cooperation in the higher sector, and enhance cultural collaboration between Maharashtra and the UK". Mullick said the state government and the British Council have cooperated together very successfully over recent years, as witnessed by extensive programmes to develop English language teaching and learning, nascent programmes to build capacity in our universities and exciting programmes in the arts, such as the Museum of the Moon at the Gateway of India. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A special POCSO court here today awarded death sentence to a man for killing a four-year-old boy after sodomising him at a village in Jambusar taluka in the district two years back. Special POCSO court judge in Bharuch, H A Dave, awarded the sentence to Shambhu Padhiyar after finding him guilty under the Indian Penal Code Section 302 (murder) and under Section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO), which deals with 'aggravated penetrative sexual assault'. The incident had taken place in Piludara village on April 16, 2016. The four-year-old victim, son of a labourer, had gone missing on that day and his naked body was later recovered from the bushes. During the probe, local police had zeroed in on Padhiyar, a resident of the village, and subsequently arrested him on the charges of killing the boy after sodomising him. During the hearing, public prosecutor R J Desai told the court that Padhiyar had abducted the boy from near his house by offering to buy chocolates for him. Later, Padhiyar had dumped the boy's body in the bushes. The POCSO court accepted the arguments of the prosecution and held Padhiyar guilty. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 14-year-old girl was allegedly molested on a running train by a 33-year-old passenger today, police said. The accused, identified as Arvind Dutta, was arrested after the train reached the CSMT this morning. The girl was travelling in the Mumbai-bound Deccan Queen express from Pune along with her parents, a Government Railway Police (GRP) official said. He said Dutta allegedly touched the teenage girl inappropriately between Matunga and Dadar stations. The co-passengers tried to get hold of Dutta after the girl raised an alarm, however, he rushed to the washroom of the compartment and locked himself in, the official said. "As the train reached the CSMT, the parents of the girl informed the GRP. GRP personnel forced Dutta out of the washroom and arrested him," said the official. He has been booked under section 354 A (Sexual harassment and punishment for sexual harassment) of the IPC and under relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, he added. Further investigation is on. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Defense Secretary Jim Mattis today emphasized the value of certain aspects of the Iran nuclear agreement, even as President Donald Trump considers pulling out of the 2015 deal, which he has attacked repeatedly and this week called "insane." Without explicitly giving his opinion about whether the United States should stick with the agreement, Mattis said that after reading the full text of the deal three times, he was struck by provisions that allow for international verification of Iran's compliance. He said that since becoming defense secretary in January 2017, he also has read what he called a classified protocol in the agreement. "I will say it is written almost with an assumption that Iran would try to cheat," he said in testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee. "So the verification, what is in there, is actually pretty robust as far as our intrusive ability to get in" with representatives of the International Atomic Energy Agency to check on compliance. "Whether that is sufficient I think is a valid question," he said after Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, said the nuclear deal was not supported by the Congress. The committee's senior Democrat, Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island, told Mattis the Iran deal is "working as intended" and that withdrawing would ease Iran's path to nuclear weapons. Mattis said Iran's history of hiding a nuclear weapons program makes it "suspect," and he noted his concern about other Iranian activities, including its role in supporting Syria's president, Bashar Assad, and supplying its proxy forces in Yemen. The Pentagon chief said the administration was still considering whether the nuclear deal can be improved enough to persuade Trump it is worth preserving. "It's going on today as we speak," he said of the consultations. Trump has said he will decide by May 12. Mattis reiterated his view that the deal is "imperfect" and said "there are obviously aspects of the agreement that can be improved upon." The question being discussed within the administration, and between the U.S. and its European allies, he said, is "whether we can repair it enough to stay in it or if the president is going to decide to withdraw from it." He said Trump has not yet made a decision. After meeting with Trump at the White House this week, French President Emmanuel Macron made clear that France would not follow the U.S. lead if Trump decides to withdraw from the agreement. "We signed it at the initiative of the United States. We signed it, both the United States and France," Macron said Wednesday. "That is why we cannot say we should get rid of it like that. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Around 20 tonnes of rotten meat suspected to be of dead animals which was meant to be supplied to restaurants in and around the city, have been seized by the police from several areas here and the neighbouring North 24 Parganas district. One thousand meat packets weighing 20 kg each was seized from a cold storage at Narkeldanga area of the city by the Kolkata police and Diamond Harbour police of South 24 Parganas district late last night following a tip-off, a senior official of the state police said. Raids were also conducted in places like Tangra in the city and Kankinara in North 24 Parganaas district. Nine persons, including one from Bihar, have been arrested for their alleged involvement in supplying meat of dead animals to different restaurants, the police official said. "While six persons were arrested last night, three others including the main accused, who is a resident of Bihar"s Nawada district, were arrested this morning," Diamond Harbour police district Superintendent of Police Koteswara Rao Nalavath told PTI. "As per the main accused's admission and prima facie, the packaged meat was that of dead animals meant to be supplied to restaurants in these areas," he said. "We have arrested the entire gang involved in this crime. A couple of others who may be associated with the gang are absconding, but we will arrest them soon," Rao said. The state police is examining the seized meat, he said. Rao said that the accused persons reportedly used to collect carcasses from different places in and around the city and its surrounding districts, and processed it before supplying it in packets to different restaurants. "We are trying to find out to which restaurants they were supplying. That could lead us to a major breakthrough," he said. The matter came to light when two persons were arrested by the South 24 Parganas district police last week for their alleged involvement in supplying meat of dead animals to eateries. The two were nabbed by locals when they were carrying the meat carved from the carcasses left in a dumping ground in Budge Budge area in neighbouring South 24 Parganas district. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The prestigious Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET) is returning an idol of Goddess Durga to India. MET President and CEO Daniel Weiss signed a Memorandum of Understanding for return of the idol and handed it to India's Consul General in New York Sandeep Chakravorty. "Recovering priceless antiquitiesPresident & CEO of The MET Museum signed & handed over to CG Chakravorty the MOU for return of Durga Mahishasurmardini idol belonging to Chakravarteswara temple, Baijnath, Almora to ASI, India in presence of Minister KJ Alphons," the Indian Consulate here tweeted. Minister of State for Electronics & Information Technology and Tourism K J Alphons was also present on the occasion. A report in the art website Artnet quoted a statement from the MET, saying the idol was once enshrined in the Chakravarteswara temple at Baijnath. It was donated to the Museum in 2015. "Museum staff recognised it from the cover of a book" by K P Nautiyal titled 'The Arcaheology of Kumann' and contacted the Archaeological Survey of India in 2017. It is expected the sculpture will be returned to New Delhi this summer, the report said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The government's action of accepting only one of the two names recommended by the collegium for elevation as Supreme Court judges, today evoked sharp reaction with the apex court bar association chief terming it as "disturbing" and asking it to reconsider the name of Justice K M Joseph. Activist lawyer Prashant Bhushan shared the views of senior advocate Vikas Singh, the Supreme Court Bar Association President, even as BJP leader Subramanian Swamy, a regular petitioner in the apex court, said the Congress stand on the issue reflected its frustration. Swamy's comment assumes significance as the Congress leadership including P Chidambaram, himself a senior advocate, were critical of the Centre's decision and tweeted that the recommendation of the collegium was final and binding in the appointment of judges. "Is the Modi government above the law?" "What is holding up Justice K M Joseph's appointment? His state, or his religion or his judgement in the Uttarakhand case," Chidambaram questioned in a series of tweets. Swamy found support from former Delhi High Court judge S N Dhingra, who said the public had a right to know why the other high court judges, including chief justices, who were senior to Justice Joseph, were not recommended for elevation to the apex court. He termed as "out of turn" the recommendation for Justice Joseph and said the government wanted to know what special qualities he possessed. "Supreme Court has been doing this in the past as well, where without giving reasons it recommended the names. People have a right to know what special qualities Justice Joseph possesses. Are those senior to him and yet not recommended incapable? If yes, then why should they remain at their posts," he asked. Dealing a major blow to Modi government, a bench headed by Uttarakhand High Court Chief Justice K M Joseph in 2016 had quashed the imposition of President rule in the state and had revived the Congress government headed by Harish Rawat. The reactions of Chidambaram and others came amidst reports that the government had cleared the appointment of senior advocate Indu Malhotra as a judge of the Supreme Court, but not that of Justice Joseph. Malhotra will be the first woman judge to be appointed to the top post directly from the bar. Meanwhile, Law Ministry sources said the government has asked the collegium to reconsider the recommendation to elevate Justice Joseph as a judge of the top court. SCBA president Vikas Singh, speaking in his individual capacity, expressed concern over the delay in the appointment of Justice Joseph and said "this kind of interference by the executive is definitely uncalled for". "This elevation is very wrong as it disturbs the seniority in the Supreme Court. We have seen in recent past how important seniority is in the apex court. Judges are being labelled as junior judges and said that they were not fit to hear sensitive matters. So tomorrow if somebody says Justice Joseph is a junior judge and not fit to hear a particular matter, it will be very sad. "Government will be responsible. This kind of interference by the executive is definitely uncalled for. By delaying this, they have definitely interfered in seniority rules and in that sense they have interfered in the functioning of judiciary. A very serious matter. The civil society and the judges of the Supreme Court in full court should discuss and take it up with the government," Singh told PTI. Swamy said, on the issue of delay in Justice Joseph's appointment, that the Congress party is just frustrated. "On one hand, they accuse the CJI being inclined to BJP and on the other, they are saying we have ignored him. The Congress party is just frustrated," he said. Bhushan was vocal in criticising the Centre and alleged that the government was trying to erode and destroy the independence of judiciary by not appointing those recommended by the collegium. "Justice K M Joseph's instance is a very clear one, whose name has been stalled, which was recommended by the collegium four months ago. The name was unanimously recommended by the collegium and yet it has been stalled by the government because he gave a judgment in Uttarakhand case against the government. "It is very shameful and shocking for a government which talks about the independence of judiciary to try and erode the independence of judiciary by sitting on appointment of people that it doesn't like," Bhushan said. On January 22, the apex court collegium's file recommending the elevation of Justice Joseph and Malhotra had reached the Law Ministry. After processing the file in the first week of February, the recommendations were kept in abeyance as the government wanted to elevate only Malhotra. But now, the government has gone ahead with the appointment of Malhotra and asked the collegium to reconsider the elevation of Justice Joseph. The government feels that while recommending the name of Justice Joseph, the collegium has disregarded seniority and regional representation. He is 42nd in the seniority list of 669 high court judges. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A multiple-tier security arrangement comprising the Army, paramilitary forces and the Jammu and Kashmir Police will be put in place for the Amarnath pilgrimage starting June 28, officials said today. A high-level meeting, chaired by Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba, talked about the various aspects of the security set-up during the nearly 40-day pilgrimage to the cave shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva in the Himalayas in Jammu and Kashmir. A multi-tier security will be put in place for the smooth conduct of the pilgrimage which attracts a few lakh pilgrims every year, an official privy to the meeting said. Tracking of pilgrims' movement through satellites, installation of jammers, CCTV cameras and bulletproof bunkers, deployment of dog squads, quick reaction teams and thousands of security personnel will be a part of the security drill along the pilgrimage routes as the situation in Kashmir Valley continues to be volatile, another official said. Director General of Jammu and Kashmir S P Vaid, chief of CRPF R R Bhatnagar, representatives of other paramilitary forces, the Army and intelligence agencies were also present in the meeting. Around 35,000 to 40,000 troops were deployed during the Amarnath pilgrimage in 2017. A total of 2.60 lakh pilgrims offered prayers at the revered site that year. Situated in a narrow gorge at the farther end of Lidder Valley, Amarnath shrine stands at 3,888 metres, 46 km from Pahalgam and 14 km from Baltal in Jammu and Kashmir. As many as 60 incidents of terrorist violence have taken place in Jammu and Kashmir from January till mid-March this year. Fifteen security personnel and 17 terrorists were killed in such incidents, official data said. Earlier this month, an officer of the Jammu and Kashmir Police was badly injured in a stone pelting incident in Srinagar. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The family of a man who was killed allegedly in an accident in Dubai early this week has sought the help of the administration to bring back the body at Chhitka village in Nadia district. To that effect, Baburali Mondal, the father of one Mozammel Mondal (32) under Tehatta police station area, appealed through letters to the Tehatta BDO and also the district magistrate on Wednesday. Mozammel was killed allegedly in a crane accident in Dubai where he had gone there as a construction labourer on Monday evening. His employer informed the family on Tuesday, the victim's father alleged. His mother Tohara Bibi said,"the administration has assured us to provide help and cooperation to bring back the body." District Magistrate Sumit Gupta said he would forward the letter of the father of the deceased to the authorities concerned and provide help and cooperation to the family. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Observing that India-US economic ties have not matched the soaring rhetoric of strategic pronouncements, eminent American experts have pushed for trade negotiation that is broad enough to encompass fundamentals of bilateral economic engagement. The way forward is to begin now on serious negotiations for a US-India free trade agreement, said Raymond E Vickery, former US Assistant Secretary of Commerce and Trade Development. "As we look toward the future of our trade relationship and how it might be enhanced, the FTA is the end game and we all know it is an aspirational goal, said Susan Ritchie, a former State Department official who managed digital economy policy issues including Internet, data flows, privacy, e-commerce, trade and telecommunications. Vickery and Ritchie, who are now in private sector, pushed for India-US free trade agreement during a panel discussion on 'Economic and Immigration issues facing the US India partnership' organised by the US India Friendship Council at the US Capitol. Noting that the list of differences between the two countries have increased in recent years, Vickery said the only way that these myriad trade conflicts can be solved and freer economic engagement again become the engine that pushes the relationship forward is to have a trade negotiation that is broad enough to encompass the fundamentals of economic engagement between India and the US. "The resulting understanding can be called a 'free trade agreement', a 'trade and investment framework', 'trade promotion agreement', or one of the other euphemisms used to describe a freer movement of goods and services between the US and India. The important point is not what it is called, but what it does," Vickery argued. "Perhaps the way to go at this point is a bilateral approach that can flush out the alternatives and provide broad enough scope for the tradeoffs that will be necessary. The reality is that the US-India economic engagement is underperforming in spite of the progress that has been made over the past 30 years." "The best way to approach these seemingly intractable issues may well be to consider on a bilateral basis specific broad-based projects where benefits to the average citizen can be shown on both sides. Then steps can be agreed to lessen the trade impediments to the realisation of these projects, Vickery said. At least such an approach can move forward an economic relationship that is progressing in spite of trade discontinuities, he said. "The reality is that, long term, no number of military training exercises or exchanges of security personnel or sharing of intelligence is going to provide the close strategic partnership that both sides envisage without a stronger economic relationship, he argued. Observing that so far the discussion on FTA has stalled or been viewed as unrealistic due in large part to India's protectionist behaviour related to goods, Ritchie described this as a aspirational goal. The immediate goal is a Roadmap to an FTA, she noted referring to a similar remarks by the US Ambassador to India, Kenneth Juster. "I emphasise Roadmap as there is much work to be done to enhance the logistics of trade and there is even more work to be done to influence the current philosophy and policy around trade," said Ritchie, vice president, technology, media and telecommunications US India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF). Bilateral trade in services is a growth area for both countries. Total bilateral trade in services in 2017 was USD 51.8 billion, an increase of 11 per cent from the previous year. US exports at USD 23.1 billion are slightly behind the level of services imported from India, which was USD 28.7 billion in 2017, she said. "India is projecting a USD 1 trillion digital economy by 2025 an opportunity we must be in the position to leverage, she said. Bain & Company estimates that, within five to seven years, 600 million Indians will be consuming content and transacting digitally over smartphones. The strength of the IT services industry which serves as the world's back office as well as develops software as a service for the US and Europe -- is expected to double in the next seven years, she said. She told the audience to consider the market potential of selling to the public sector as India's state and central governments rapidly work to move government services online. "India is not just moving traditional government services online, but also looking to expand services for example, setting up cloud storage for citizens' use, initiating their own digital payments ecosystem and establishing data exchanges for sectoral use, such as health care," she said. "While the public-sector opportunity in its own right represents enormous potential as well as a sustainable business opportunity, we must consider how these government provided services can potentially crowd out private investment, Ritchie said. In the G20 digital economy taskforce, India is embracing best practices and supporting key concepts such as data flows across borders and an open Internet, she said. Last month, the Indian Department of Commerce released its draft National Strategy on Standards. The intent articulated is to build a culture of standards that align with International Standards setting processes and principles for conformity assessment, she added. "This is the type of philosophical change the US private sector will need to see reach implementation in order to increase investment and participation in the market. Change in protection and enforcement of Intellectual Property rights is long overdue, but we do see a philosophical shift as India realizes the benefits of strong IPR protections for its burgeoning start-up community, Ritchie said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The new President of Cuba, Miguel Daz-Canel, has "enormous" challenges before him, including lifting the US blockade, Cuban Ambassador to India Martinez Cordoves said here today. He added that the biggest challenge before Cuba was the "international instability" due to US President Donald Trump's policy. "The biggest challenge we have right now is the international instability due to the policy of US President Trump and the blockade. "He (Daz-Canel) is prepared and the Cubans are prepared for that," Cordoves said. The challenges for the first non-Castro president of the country also included lifting its economy and maintaining its legacy of revolutionary leaders, he added. Trump's policy was "blockade", "hostility" and "favouring" the Right-wing Cubans in the US, Cordoves said, adding that Cuba would like to normalise its relations with the "mighty" US. Talking about Cuba's relations with India, he hoped that Daz-Canel would be here on a visit. The Cuban ambassador also stressed on stronger ties between the two countries through an enhanced people-to-people contact involving tourism and underlined the need for a direct flight between India and Cuba. Daz-Canel (57) became the President of Cuba last week. He is the first president of the country who was born after the 1959 revolution and the first non-Castro head of the State. The Castro brothers, Fidel and Raul, had ruled the country for the last six decades. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The AAP government's failure to make non-plan fund allocations would "cripple" sanitation services of three municipal corporations in Delhi, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Vijender Gupta said today. Non-allocation of funds under different heads for 2018-19 would affect essential services such as door-to-door collection of garbage, maintenance of sanitary landfill sites, tipper-truck services, segregation of garbage, and improvement of roads by the three municipal corporations, the BJP leader said. "The gravity of the impact of financial denial by the Delhi government can be gauged from the fact that during 2017-18, these sectors received an allocation of Rs 1,228.42 crore. In place of increasing the allocation this year, the government reduced it to zero out of political ill-will," he said. Gupta alleged that the AAP government's move was an act of "revenge" as the party was defeated by the BJP in the municipal corporation elections last year. "It has been done with an eye on the 2019 Lok Sabha election to spoil image of the BJP which rules the three local bodies," he said. The Leader of Opposition said the BJP would approach court if the AAP government did not take any remedial measures to provide adequate resources to the civic bodies -- East Delhi, North Delhi and South Delhi municipal corporations. "It is a crude joke on the people of Delhi. BJP will meet the Lieutenant Governor and urge him to direct the Delhi government to restore the denied funds. If required, we will move the high court...," he said. In 2017-18, North and South Delhi Municipal Corporations received an allocation of Rs 472.56 crore each and East Delhi Municipal Corporation Rs 283.03 crore, he said. The urban development sector in North and South Municipal Corporations received an allocation of Rs 452.56 crore each, whereas East Delhi Municipal Corporation received an allocation of Rs 280.30 crore. In transport sector, North and South Municipal Corporations received an allocation of Rs 20 crore each, whereas East Delhi Municipal Corporation received Rs three crore. No budget estimates have been sanctioned to any local body for 2018-19 under urban development and transport sectors, he claimed. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Veteran actor Joanna Lumley says she fears that "all men are seen as bad'' in light of the Time's Up and #MeToo movements. The actor said women should be wary of making sweeping statements. ''This year I do feel the spirit of the suffragettes is with us and we're speaking out about women being treated badly around the world. That said, I am terrified that all men are seen as bad. ''We mustn't deride all men, as only the few are bad and we need to remember that, too. I love and respect men. I am married to one, I work with some wonderful men and I have a son," Lumley told Good Housekeeping magazine. Lumley, who most recently hosted the 2018 BAFTA Film Awards and wore black alongside the majority of attendees in support of the Time's Up initiative, praised the stars' decision to don the colour. "Even though they (the stars) were dressed in black, they looked wonderful. It felt right to wear black at the time in support of #MeToo. Anything that empowers women is to be supported," she said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress today accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of indulging in "revenge politics" by "refusing" to clear the elevation of the country's most senior chief justice, K M Joseph, to the Supreme Court. The judiciary is under the most vicious attack ever" and totalitarianism will stump democracy if the nation does not rise now, Congress communications in-charge Randeep Surjewala alleged. PM Modi's revenge politics' qua judiciary and conspiratorial suffocation' of Supreme Court exposed again," Surjewala said on Twitter, adding that Justice Joseph, who heads the Uttarakhand High Court, is India's most senior chief justice. "Yet Modi Government refuses to clear his elevation to SC as retribution for quashing presidential rule in Uttarakhand? he said. His remarks came amid reports that the government has cleared the name of Indu Malhotra as Supreme Court judge, while putting on hold the elevation of Justice Joseph. Modiji shredded Parliamentary privileges and supremacy. He road-rolled independent media. Democracy's last refuge i.e Judiciary is now under most vicious attack ever. If the Nation doesn't rise in unison now, totalitarianism will stump democracy, Surjewala tweeted. He accused the Modi government of being a habitual offender of trashing "judicial integrity" and the "constitutional supremacy" of institutions. In June 2014, it refused to clear noted jurist Gopal Subramaniam's name for elevation to the Supreme Court as he was a lawyer against Amit Shah and Co, the Congress leader said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A five-member Russian magic troupe will peform shows here between April 27 and May 13 bringing the latest 3D mapping magic stunts live for the people, an official of an Indo-Russian body said today. The troupe is led by Alex Black, a Russian magician noted for his range of "magic arsenal," Indo-Russian Cultural and Friendship Society, Secretary General, P Thangappan said. They are here at the invitation of the Indo-Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, he told PTI and added "this is the first time a Russian magic troupe is visiting south India since 1991." The attractions of the show, which will be held at the Russian Cultural Centre here include "3D mapping (a projection technology), big illusions, acrobatics, gymnastics and micromagics," he said. Russians are noted for professional magic and circus and are taught as regular courses in universities, the Indo-Russian Cultural and Friendship Society official said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) After his "Internet in the Mahabharata era" remark, Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb today claimed that the international beauty pageants were a farce and questioned the rationale behind crowning Diana Hayden "Miss World" 21 years ago. The BJP leader, however, was all praise for Aishwarya Rai, who won the Miss World crown in 1994, saying she "represents the Indian women" in the true sense. "Indian women did not use cosmetics in the old times. Indians did not use shampoo, they washed their hair with methi water and bathed with mud. These beauty pageant organisers are international marketing mafia, who spotted a huge market in the country. Today, there is a beauty parlour in every corner of the country," he said. Deb's comments came days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi cautioned the BJP leaders to steer clear of controversies and not offer "masala" to the media by making irresponsible statements. The Tripura chief minister also claimed that the international beauty contests were a farce as the results were all predetermined. "Whoever contested the international beauty pageants won. For five consecutive years, we won the Miss World/Miss Universe awards. Diana Hayden won it too. Do you think she should have won the title?" Deb said. Addressing a day-long design workshop on handlooms and handicrafts at the Prajna Bhavan here, Deb spoke in a mixture of Bengali and Hindi: "Bitorko ho jayega...Aap kya bolte ho Biplab Deb?" (There will be a controversy. What are you saying Biplab Deb?) "They make the girls walk with fabric on the ramps. Those who give the certificates are all international textile market mafia. They plan beforehand who will get the award and this is 100 per cent true," the BJP leader said. He said he failed to understand the "process of judgement" of the crowning of the Miss World contest in 1997, in which Diana Hayden had got the award. "We see women as goddess Laxmi, Saraswati. Aishwarya Rai represents the Indian women. She became the Miss World and that's all right. But I do not understand the beauty of Diana Hayden," Deb, who became the chief minister last month, said. "Why are there no more beauty pageant winners from India? They (the jury) have captured the market in the country and have gone elsewhere," he claimed. Earlier this month, Deb had claimed that Internet and satellite communication existed in the days of Mahabharata. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey's, the New York Times reporters who won a Pulitzer Prize for their expose of producer Harvey Weinstein, are now the subject of an upcoming Hollywood movie. Brad Pitt's Plan B and Annapurna Pictures have picked up the screen rights from the reporters and The New York Times to tell a behind-the-scenes account of one of the biggest sexual harassment scandals in Hollywood's history. The film will be in the tradition of journalism dramas such as "All the President's Men", which was about the Watergate scandal and "Spotlight", the Oscar-winning movie about The Boston Globe's investigation into child sex abuse by Roman Catholic priests. The film will focus on how the reporters worked in the face of threats and intimidation to bring out one of the most important stories of the decade. Kantor and Twohey's won a Pulitzer Prize for their coverage of Weinstein's alleged abuses that they shared with Ronan Farrow for his work for The New Yorker. The New York Times' story, which first appeared on October 5, with the headline "Harvey Weinstein Paid Off Sexual Harassment Accusers for Decades", had on the record quotes and investigative reporting on alleged sexual abuse and cover-up by Weinstein for close to three decades. The story had a massive impact with many big names in Hollywood opening up about their experiences with Weinstein and other abusers, leading to empowerment movements #MeToo and Time's Up. Following the expose, Weinstein was not only kicked out from the company he founded but also became a persona non grata from institutions such as the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Producers Guild of America and British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA). (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A seven-year-old girl was killed and 17 other students were injured after a milk-tanker rammed into a private school van this morning near the Kanhaiya Nagar metro station in northwest Delhi, prompting the city government to order a magisterial probe into the incident. The accident occurred due to the negligence of the two drivers, a senior police officer said. The driver of the private school van had his earphones on and was driving on the wrong side of the road. The milk tanker driver was allegedly under the influence of alcohol, he added. In another incident, three school children suffered minor injuries when they were hit by a car in northwest Delhi's Bharat Nagar. The driver has been arrested, the police said. The police said the two drivers involved in the accident near the Kanhaiya Nagar metro station were habitual offenders. While the driver of the private school van had been challaned eight times for various offences, the driver of the milk van had faced action on 17 occasions. The school van was carrying 18 children who were to be dropped at two schools in Keshav Puram -- Kendriya Vidyalaya and Sarvodaya Kanya Vidyalaya, No 1, the police said, adding that legal action was being taken against the drivers. The school van was hit by the other vehicle while taking a turn. All the children are aged between seven and 15. Most of them are residents of JJ Colony, Wazirpur. The deceased was identified as Garima, a Class 3 student of Kendriya Vidyalaya, Keshav Puram. Most of the injured children were admitted to the Deep Chand Bandhu Hospital. Later, they were referred to different hospitals, including AIIMS, Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital (LNJP), and Sushruta Trauma Centre. Four of the children are in the ICU of the Sushruta Trauma Centre. One of them suffered injuries to the stomach and is being operated on, while three others have suffered head injuries and shoulder fractures. Six students were admitted to the LNJP Hospital. "They have sustained multiple fractures and are undergoing medical investigations," said Dr J C Passey, medical director at the LNJP. Other injured students were undergoing treatment at the Deep Chand Bandhu Hospital. Witnesses claimed that the school van was carrying children beyond its capacity, while the milk tanker was being driven at a high speed. "We heard a loud noise when the milk tanker ploughed into the school van. The school van toppled over due to the impact. Some of the children lost consciousness, while others were bleeding and screaming for help," said an autorickshaw driver. Before the police could arrive, locals had begun the rescue work and the job of taking the children to a nearby hospital. Garima's father Sandeep said they received a call about the accident around 7.30 am. "We frantically scoured for our daughter in all the hospitals in the area. We later learnt that she was dead. We are in a state of shock," he said. "My child never told me that the driver would drive rashly. I have a three-and-a-half-year old son and I will be scared when he starts school. The drivers of both the vehicles should be given strict punishment so that it acts as an example for others who risk the safety of children," he said. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal ordered a magisterial probe into the incident and directed Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash to submit a report within three days. "The chief secretary is directed to get the magisterial inquiry conducted by the district magistrate/deputy commissioner concerned and submit the report within three days," Kejriwal said in his order to Prakash. The incident has again brought in the spotlight the issue of unregulated school transport in Delhi-NCR. According to Traffic police officers and transport department officials, the school vans parents hire at low monthly charges flout norms by carrying children beyond capacity. According to the data shared by the police, 3,807 school cabs were prosecuted last year, and as of April 25 this year, 875 vehicles have been prosecuted. "Parents are of course concerned about their child's safety, but the high amount charged by schools for providing transport at times forces them to choose private vehicles. Schools should also try to keep their transport charges minimum," said a member of All India Parents Association (AIPA). (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The organisations which do not understand"the value of human talent and capital are bound to fail, President and CEO of Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), Johnny C Taylor Jr said today. "Technology is changing the way we work today. Today one can work from anywhere, and at any time as per their convenience," he said. "Only those organisations that understand the value of human talent and human capital and innovate to attract the best talent will move forward, those who don't will face a difficult future," Taylor said in his address at the (SHRM) 4th HR Technology Conference here. The conference brought together top HR industry experts, influencers, business experts and decision-makers, HR professionals and technology creators on a common platform. CEO of SHRM India, Achal Khanna, while formally inaugurating the conference highlighted the need for businesses and HR teams supporting them to be at the forefront of HR tech innovations. In his keynote address on 'Organisational Transformation,' Vineet Nayar, Founder Chairman, Sampark Foundation and former CEO of HCL Technologies, drew upon his experience of transforming HCL technologies to provide deep insights into transformation as a structured, multi-layered process. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court today said its "real concern" was to see that a fair trial was conducted in the Kathua case after the Bar Council of India said the lawyers' body in the district had neither obstructed the Crime Branch from filing the charge sheet nor the advocate representing the victim's family. A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra said that if it finds the slightest possibility of lack of fair trial, it will transfer the case out of Kathua. The bench, also comprising Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud, said the trial should be fair not only for the accused but also for the victim's family and the protection to them and their lawyers should be ensured. The bench also considered the issue of alleged obstruction by lawyers in administration of justice in the case and said," if the lawyers are at fault, they would be dealt in accordance with law". During the hearing, the apex court said the real issue in the matter was to have a fair trial in the case. The matter will be next heard on July 30. At the outset, the Bar Council of India (BCI), filed in a sealed cover, its enquiry report related to the alleged obstruction by lawyers in the case at Kathua. The BCI report has said that lawyers' body had neither obstructed the Crime Branch of Jammu and Kashmir police from filing the charge sheet in the court concerned nor the lawyers had obstructed advocate Deepika Singh Rajawat, who is representing the victim's family, from appearing in the matter before the high court there. The report also said that the demand of J&K High Court Bar Association, Jammu and Kathua District Bar Association for a CBI probe in the matter appears to be justified. Meanwhile, Advocate Shoeb Alam, appearing for the state, opposed the BCI's report and maintained that the police team was heckled allegedly by lawyers due to which they could not file the charge sheet in the trial court. Alam told the bench that the report of BCI cannot be relied upon since no Crime branch officers, who were allegedly obstructed by agitating lawyers at Kathua, were heard. He pointed out to the report of the high court and drew the attention to a separate report of a District Judge at Kathua and claimed that the report gives scathing finding of the "obstruction" of officers and justice administration system. He pleaded the two petitions related to the alleged misconduct of lawyers and prayer of the father of victim seeking transfer of the case to Chandigarh be kept separate to ensure that the matter is not sensationalised. However, the bench observed,"let the main issue be not missed. Fair investigation, fair trial, appropriate legal guidance and representation of both the accused and the victim's family has to be there." "Instead of getting into what the BCI report says and the lawyers say, let us not digress from the real issue. The real issue is that how can we achieve justice," the bench said. Senior advocate Indira Jaising, appearing for the victim's father, told the bench that the case and its trial should be monitored by the apex court. The bench, however, said that fast tracking the trial doesn't mean that proper opportunity was not granted in accordance with the procedure to the accused as well as the victim's family. The child from a minority nomadic community had disappeared from near her home in a village near Kathua in Jammu region on January 10. Her body was found in the same area a week later. The state police's Crime Branch, 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 last week. The charge sheet revealed chilling details about how the girl was allegedly kidnapped, drugged and raped inside a place of worship before being killed. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Air Force Chief B S Dhanoa today said if Pakistan's fighter jet JF-17 is an aircraft of the present, then indigenously developed Tejas is the future. JF-17 is a lightweight, single-engine, multi-role combat aircraft developed jointly by Pakistan and China. "There is a very good article in one of the aviation journals. He (the author) says JF-17 is not as technologically advanced as Tejas. So, he said JF-17 aircraft is of today because they have fielded much more squadrons than us, and Tejas is the aircraft of the future. It has much better systems. "It depends on how we equip it. I am sure we can come out with a better plane," Dhanoa said in response to a question on which one is a better aircraft. Light Combat Aircraft Tejas, built by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), was inducted into the Indian Air Force in July 2016. It was also pressed into service during the Air Force drill "Gaganshakti 2018" held this month. Asked whether there were issues regarding Tejas during the exercise, Dhanoa responded in the affirmative. He said this could be because of moving the jets from Bengaluru, which has a temperate climate, to hot desert during the operation. "But HAL got it up in less than six hours and thereafter, Tejas matched with other aircraft detail for detail," he said. Replying to another question on whether Tejas can be compared to Rafale, the Air Force Chief said every fighter jet has different capability. "If all the fighter (jets) of the Indian Airforce were high-end fighters then we have to be very rich. You got to have fighter jets which are high end and medium capability and low-end. So, Tejas comes in the medium capability aircraft (category)," he said. Dhanoa added that the Air Force is moving towards making the aircraft better. On Lockheed Martin's F-35 fighter jet, Dhanoa said the IAF has not envinced any interest nor has it talked to anyone that is keen on this aircraft. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Amid continuing protests demanding its closure, the Sterlite Industries' copper smelter plant here came under a petrol bomb attack by unidentified persons in the early hours today, police said. The two-wheeler borne miscreants hurled the petrol bombs which, however, fell outside the plant and did not cause any damage, they said. Police said investigations were on into the incident, which came at a time when locals had been agitating against the plant and opposing its proposed expansion plan, citing environmental concerns. On April 4, the Madras High Court has ordered police to provide security to the Sterlite plant. MDMK chief Vaiko yesterday filed a PIL in the Madurai Bench of the high court seeking to restrain the plant from operating. The court today sought the response of the Central and Tamil Nadu governments to the plea. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A plane carrying Congress president Rahul Gandhi today developed a technical snag with the party demanding a probe into the "suspicious and faulty performance" of the aircraft before landing at the Hubballi airport in north Karnataka. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation said in New Delhi that it would examine the issue, while the police said they have registered a complaint. The plane suddenly tilted heavily on the left side and the altitude dipped steeply with violent shuddering of the aircraft body at 10.45 am, Gandhi's close aide Kaushal Vidyarthi wrote in a letter to state DGP Neelmani N Raju. The letter said the weather was normal and not windy according to the passengers. "It was apparent from the suspicious and faulty performance of the aircraft that the incidents of shuddering and altitude dipping were not natural or weather-related, but were due to some technical snag...," it said. "Serious questions related to intentional tampering with the aircraft cannot also be brushed aside and are requested to be addressed and investigated," the letter read. Gandhi is on a two-day visit to poll-bound Karnataka from today to campaign for the party candidates in the districts of Uttara Kannada, Dahskina Kannada, Kodagu and Mysuru. "Yes, we have received a complaint about some unexplained turbulence of the aircraft," Renuka Sukumar, DCP (Law and Order), Hubbali-Dharwad Police told PTI. She said, "We have registered a complaint under Section 287 (negligent conduct with respect to machinery) and 336 (act endangering life or personal safety of others) of the IPC." The complaint that names the two pilots was filed by KPCC General Secretary Shakir Sanadi, she said. The letter said multiple "unexplained" technical snags coupled with the failure of the auto pilot system raised serious issues of aviation safety and possible and intentional tampering with aircraft which endangered the life of its occupants. "A thorough examination of the structural and mechanical elements of the aircraft, the surrounding circumstances of the flight and the persons attached with maintenance of the aircraft is required in order to assess the incident," it said. The letter said a "clankish noise" was clearly audible from one side of the plane throughout the shuddering of the aircraft body. "It was learnt that the autopilot of the aircraft was not functioning," it said. The plane landed at the Hubbali airport around 11.25 am in the third attempt., according to the letter. "The crew was also apparently petrified and admitted that the flight was particularly frightening and uncommon," it said. A senior DGCA official said, "The operator has reported the incident to us (DGCA). According to the operator's report, it was a snag of auto pilot mode and the pilot shifted to the manual (mode) and landed (the aircraft) safely. "Shutdown of auto pilot (mode) incidents are not uncommon. For any VIP flight, the DGCA examines it in detail. We shall do that here also," the official told PTI. Citing the report from the Air Traffic Controller, a senior official at the Hubbali airport said the plane had landed safely. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The nomination of Mike Pompeo, the CIA Director, for the US secretary of state was today opposed by Democrats as they raked up his remarks on Indians, Muslims and other ethnic minorities. "These concerns are beyond policy disagreements, which alone are not a basis for rejecting a nominee," Senator Robert Menendez, Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said on the Senate floor as Senators debated on the Secretary of State nomination of Pompeo. Senator Charles Schumer, the Senate Minority Leader, said he asked Pompeo if he would recant what he had said about Muslims and Indian Americans, LGBTQ Americans, and women's rights, now that he was in line to be the US secretary of state and had to deal with countries that might be affected by his remarks. "Again, he demurred. So, with a clear conscience, I will be voting against Mr Pompeo's nomination. I still believe the president deserves his team, and that disagreements on policy alone are not a sufficient reason to reject a nomination," he said. "But I gave Mr Pompeo the benefit of the doubt and three chances to answer the questions that I thought were extremely important and assuage my broader concerns about his nomination, and [he] did not answer those questions in any way that was satisfying. So, with a clear conscience, I will be voting against his nomination," Schumer said. Another top Democrat Senator Robert Menendez also raised the issue. "On our own border, we simply cannot address the threat of drug traffickers or opioids without productive collaboration with Mexico. When the President wants to call Mexicans drug-traffickers and rapists, as our nation's top diplomat who during his confirmation hearing insisted his "record is exquisite with respect to treating people of each and every faith with the dignity they deserve" would Mr Pompeo advise the President not to? Or would it be the Pompeo who once called a political opponent a "turban-topper" prevail?" Menendez said. "How will he explain this kind of rhetoric to people of myriad different faiths who wear turbans whether millions of Sikhs, Punjabis or Muslims in India, a critically important ally or Orthodox Christians in the Horn of Africa, or tribal leaders in Afghanistan with whom we are trying to build constructive relationships based on values of democracy and human rights?" he asked. "What impact will his accusations that Muslim leaders in the United States are somehow "complicit" in devastating terrorist attacks have as he engages with Muslim leaders and citizens around the world?" Meneddez added. He said nearly two billion people in the world adhere to the Muslim faith, many in countries with whom the US has relationships critical to protecting and promoting its security. Schumer and Menendez were referring to the tweet that Pompeo's campaign made in 2010 against his then Indian-American political opponent Raj Goyale in the Fourth Congressional District of Kansas. His campaign tweeted "good read" a link to a blog that described Goyale as a "turban topper" who "could be a Muslim, a Hindu, a buddhist etc who knows. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Tripura CPI(M) today alleged that post-poll attacks on Opposition party workers and its offices continued despite assurance from Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb on containing such activities, and stringent action against those involved. CPI(M) state secretary Bijan Dhar claimed that 438 party offices have been attacked, since the Tripura election results were announced on March 3. "A five-member delegation of the Left Front met the chief minister on April 14 and sought his intervention to stop alleged attacks on Opposition party and trade union offices in the state. "He had assured us to look into the matter and would take all steps to maintain law and order, but there has been no improvement of the situation," Dhar told reporters. The Left Front leaders submitted three lists of alleged post-election violence by the BJP and IPFT supporters in Tripura, which claimed that 438 party offices were attacked. "Out of the 438 offices, 93 were gutted, 230 ransacked, 52 locked and 63 captured since March 3. Over 1,700 houses of Left supporters and leaders were also attacked," he said. Dhar also claimed that two party members were killed following the declaration of the poll results. He criticised the Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT) for "misguiding" youths of the state in the name forming a separate 'Twipraland'. The IPFT has been campaigning for 'Twipraland' for Tripura's tribal communities, which form one-third of the state's population. Dhar said it was an "implausible dream" of such political elements that wanted to divide the state. On the recently-concluded 22nd party Congress at Hyderabad, Dhar said the CPI(M) has taken a resolution to strengthen the Left and democratic front to fight the RSS and the BJP. "The party has fixed its political line for the next three years--there would be no alliance with the Congress, but inside the Parliament, we will fight against the BJP with all secular and democratic forces," Dhar said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Price competition in the Indian telecom market is expected to ease beyond the short term horizon as three large telcos emerge from consolidation, and the industry revenue is likely to grow in "mid single digits" this year, according to Fitch Ratings. In its latest note, Fitch also said that the combination of Bharti Infratel with Indus Towers, announced on Wednesday, reflected the "fierce price competition" in the Indian telecom market that has prompted consolidation and incumbents to sell assets to raise funds. "We do not anticipate any change in Bharti Airtel's...rating, as the deconsolidation of 54 per cent owned Bharti Infratel's USD300 million EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest Tax Depreciation and Amortisation (EBITDA) and USD 1 billion in net cash will be offset by cash dividends and greater liquid equity value in the merged tower entity," it said. Bharti Infratel and Indus Towers have agreed to merge in a deal that will create a USD 14.6 billion firm with world's second-largest number of mobile masts. The merged entity will have in its fold more than 1,63,000 towers across India - largest after China Tower. Airtel and Vodafone will jointly control the combined firm. Bharti Airtel had separately stated that it plans to engage with potential investors to evaluate a stake sale in the combined tower company. In its note, Fitch further said: "beyond the short term, we expect price competition in the Indian telecoms market to ease following the emergence of three large telcos - Bharti, Jio and the merged entity of Vodafone-Idea..." The three large operators are expected to control a revenue market share of about 90 per cent. "We expect industry revenue growth to be in the mid-single-digits in 2018, following a decline in 2017," Fitch added. On the mega tower deal, Fitch said that it expects some of the largest shareholders in the combined entity to sell down their stakes, or divest them entirely, post merger, which appears to be geared towards maximising equity valuations ahead of sales. "The merged entity will benefit from some economies of scale and will not face cash leakage through the dividend distribution tax, which is currently paid when Indus distributes dividends," Fitch noted. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The treasure chest ('Ratna Bhandar') of the famous Lord Jagannath Temple in Puri had over 149 kg of gold ornaments and 258 kg of silver utensils, according to a list prepared by the temple administration 40 years ago. The Odisha Assembly was informed this by Law Minister Pratap Jena, who did not say anything about the current status of the 'Ratna Bhandar' where precious jewelery and ornaments of the deities are kept. The 'Ratna Bhandar' was opened early this month after 34 years by experts from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to inspect its structural condition. "Over 12,831 bhari (one bhari equals to 11.66 gram) of gold ornaments fitted with precious stones were kept in Ratna Bhandar of Lord Jagannath," Jena said while replying a written question of BJP member Dilip Ray. This apart, the treasury also stored 22,153 bhari of silver utensils and other items, he said. The minister said his information was based on a list prepared and available with the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) after opening of the treasury in 1978. He said both the inner and outer chambers of the 'Ratna Bhandar' was opened and the items stored there were counted between May 15, 1978 and July 23, 1978. The temple administration had prepared a list of the items. Jena said there was no official record available with the administration about valuation of the items. The minister said that 14 items of gold and silver could not be weighed at that time and these items were not included in the 1978 list. Prior to the April 4 inspection of the 'Ratna Bhandar', it was opened in 1984, 1978, 1926 and 1905, temple administration sources said. In reply to another question by BJD's Aswani Kumar Patra, Jena said the people who inspected the structural condition of the 'Ratna Bhandar' had observed cracks in the wall and small pieces of stones lying on the floor. "The ASI will take required measures for the maintenance of the Ratna Bhandar," the minister said. On March 22, the Orissa High Court had ordered the ASI to inspect the structures of the 'Ratna Bhandar'. The high court is monitoring the repair works undertaken by the ASI in the 12th-century shrine since 2016, while adjudicating over a PIL seeking judicial intervention for effective repair and renovation of the temple. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Actor Rachel Weisz says her and husband Daniel Craig's children are "really excited" about having a new sibiling. The 48-year-old star has 11-year-old son Henry Aronofsky with director Darren Aronofsy and Craig has a 25-year-old daughter Ella Craig with Fiona Loudon. Last week, Weisz revealed that she and Craig are expecting their first child together. During a promotional event for her upcoming film, "Disobedience", the British actor, was asked if they are all geared up to welcome the baby into the world, to which she replied, "Yes we are ready. Very excited." She also said that both Henry and Ella are thrilled about having a sibling on the way. When asked if they were excited, Weisz said, "Yes, they are they are. They are really excited. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Hitting back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for levelling corruption allegations against the Siddaramaiah government in Karnataka, Congress president Rahul Gandhi today claimed that the BJP had given tickets to eight tainted candidates for the upcoming state Assembly election. Gandhi, back in Karnataka for the seventh leg of his poll campaign, questioned the prime minister's authority to speak on corruption while being surrounded by BJP leaders accused of financial wrongdoing. "Modiji comes here and speaks about corruption. When (fugitive diamantaire) Nirav Modi, whom Narendra Modi knows very well...knows by the first name, runs away with Rs 30,000 crore, he does not utter a word. "When he (Modi) stands on a stage, on his one side is Yeddyurappa, who has spent time in jail, on the other side there are four others, who have been to jail, and Modiji speaks about corruption," he told a gathering during a road-show. Modi has often targeted the Siddaramaiah-led Congress regime in Karnataka over alleged corruption, calling it a "10 per cent commission government". Without taking any names, Gandhi alleged that the BJP had given tickets to eight candidates, who were accused of corruption, for the May 12 Karnataka Assembly polls. "They have given tickets to eight corrupt persons. This is the truth," he said and referred to the controversial and influential Reddy brothers of Ballari, linked to the alleged iron ore mining scam. Two brothers of the alleged kingpin of the scam, G Janardhana Reddy -- Karunakara and Somashekhara -- are contesting the Karnataka polls on BJP tickets. "When in power, Yeddyurappa and Reddy Brothers looted Karnataka. Our Govt. brought them to justice. Now Mr Modi is trying to take 8 of them from jail, into the Vidhan Sabha. This is an insult to every honest citizen, to Karnataka and to the spirit of Basavanna (sic)," the Congress chief had tweeted yesterday. Gandhi, during his campaign, has frequently invoked Basavanna, the 12th-century social reformer who is worshipped by the numerically strong and politically influential Lingayat community in the state, for which the Siddaramaiah government has recommended a religious minority status, a move that has been dubbed by the BJP as an attempt to divide the Hindus. The Lingayats have hitherto largely backed the saffron party in elections. Terming the Karnataka polls a fight between two ideologies, Gandhi said on one side, there was the Congress, while on the other, the BJP-RSS. "Support the Congress and we will work for the poor and needy," he added. Insisting that government funds should reach the common man, who works hard to meet his day-to-day needs and contributes to the progress of Karnataka and the country, Gandhi claimed that the BJP-RSS did not believe so. "They feel that the money should go to the pockets of the five to 10 rich industrialists. This is the difference in ideology. We say the poor, the farmers, the marginalised and the people of Karnataka should get the benefits. They say the benefits should go to five to 10 rich businessmen," he said. The Congress chief also hit out at the Centre over the alleged waiver of huge bank loans of industrialists, a benefit denied to the farmers. "If you (Modi) don't want to waive the loans taken by the farmers, then make me understand, every year, why do you waive lakhs of crores of rupees of loans obtained by 10 rich industrialists of the country," he said and claimed that the Centre had waived loans amounting to Rs 2.5 lakh crore of 15 "super rich" people of the country. Claiming that the Congress and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had worked for the welfare of farmers and the poor, Gandhi accused Modi of making false promises and asked the people whether Rs 15 lakh had been deposited in their bank accounts, as promised by the prime minister in the run-up to the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Hitting out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the graft issue, Congress president Rahul Gandhi today accused him of supporting mining baron Reddy brothers and changing CBI into "Central Bureau of Illegal Mining." Gandhi, back in Karnataka for the seventh leg of his poll campaign, accused Modi of telling "lies one after the other" and spreading anger, hate and added, "this man cannot take this country forward." The Congress president said Modi comes to Karnataka and says he is standing against corruption "when on his one side is Yeddyurappa (state unit BJP chief) who had been to jail and on the other side four ministers who had been to jail.""This time full team is also there, Reddy brothers and their entire team have got five tickets (to contest the assembly polls). As soon as they came out of jail Modiji gave a clean chit," Gandhi said. "Earlier CBI was called the Central Bureau of Investigation. Modiji has changed its name into Central Bureau of Illegal Mining. Then he comes here and says, he is against corruption," Gandhi said addressing a public meeting at Bhatkal in Uttara Kannada district. He also asked the media to question Modi regarding "Central Bureau of Illegal Mining" and the Reddy brothers as to "why they were given tickets, why are they getting his support. But the press cannot ask him question. Modi only tells his Mann ki Baat..this is the truth." "Modi's aim is to give Karnataka's wealth into the hands of Reddy brothers, to give it to 5-10 rich people. Congress will never allow it to happen. Listen it is impossible," he said. Terming Modi's words as "hollow", Gandhi said the Prime Minister talked about "56 inch chest." "Modiji sat on a swing with China's President, then the Chinese President intruded his army into Doklam, 56 inch chest did not utter a word. Today he has gone to China in aeroplane." Referring to the incidents of rape, he said, "Modiji said Beti Bachao, Beti Padao, you see entire country Uttar Pradesh, Jammu Kashmir, Rajastan everywhere there are attacks on women and rapes are taking place." "Narendra Modi's party man in Uttar Pradesh indulges in rape and he does not utter a word. Earlier they used to say Beti Bachao, Beti Padao. Now they say Beti Bachao, they have forgotten Beti Padao...BJP se Bachao (save from BJP)." Earlier addressing a rally at Ankola, Gandhi termed the Karnataka polls a fight between two ideologies, saying, on one side, there was the Congress, while on the other, the BJP-RSS. "Support the Congress and we will work for the poor and needy," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Railway Minister Piyush Goyal today ordered an inquiry into the Kushinagar train-school van accident and announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh for the kin of the deceased. The minister also said that the Railways will provide an ex gratia amount of Rs 1 lakh for those with serious injuries and Rs 50,000 for those simple injuries. Thirteen children were killed and eight others injured when a train rammed into their school van at an unmanned railway crossing in Uttar Pradesh's Kushinagar area, around 50 km from Gorakhpur, this morning. In a statement, Goyal said he was deeply anguished and pained by the loss of lives of young school children at an unmanned level crossing (UMLC) in Kushinagar. "My thoughts are with families of the deceased and I pray for the early recovery of the injured. Ministry of Railways will provide an ex gratia amount of Rs 2 lakh for kin of the deceased, Rs 1 lakh for those with serious injuries and Rs 50,000 for those with simple injuries," the railway minister said in the statement. He said that he has ordered a high-level inquiry into the incident, adding "We stand committed to take all possible steps to avoid such accidents in future". Talking to reporters here, Railway Board Chairman Ashwani Lohani said there was a rail mitra (rail volunteer) at the spot, who tried to stop the school van, but the driver did not stop, adding that this is the first accident at an unmanned level crossing this year. Lohani said there are currently 3,479 unmanned level crossings on broad gauge of Indian Railways. The railway board chairman also said that a total of 109 accidents have taken place at unmanned level crossings in the country since 2014-15 and asserted that railways aim to eliminate unmanned level crossings by March 2020. In the accident, the children, students of Divine Public School, were killed on the spot when the Thawe-Kapatanganj passenger train crashed into the van at the unmanned crossing gate at Behpurva, said Railways spokesman Ved Prakash. The train was on way to Gorakhpur from Siwan. There were at least 25 passengers, including children who were below the age of 10, in the van, the official said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Asaram believed that sexual exploitation of girls is not a sin for 'Brahmgyani' or a highly enlightened person, a prosecution witness had deposed to the court during the trial that ended yesterday in a life-long jail term to the self-styled godman. Asaram also used to take medicines to increase sexual prowess, said prosecution witness Rahul K Sachar, an Asaram's follower, in his deposition forming part of the 453-page judgement convicting the godman and his two accomplices for raping a minor nearly five years ago. Sachar , who was close to Asaram and had access to his 'kutia' or abode, deposed that he had seen Asaram molesting girls in his ashrams in 2003 in Pushkar (Rajasthan), Bhiwani (Haryana) and Ahmedabad (Gujarat). For this purpose, he used to give signals to three girls, who used to stay with him, by throwing torch light. On getting the 'signal', the girls used to take the targeted girls to his room in Kutia. He used to roam around the ashram with the three girls for selecting the targeted girls, said Sachar. One evening in Ahmedabad, Sachar deposed, he climbed the wall of the 'kutia' and saw the godman molesting the girl. He then wrote a letter questioning why he was doing this to girls and handed over the letter to the cook. Asaram read the letter but ignored it. The follower sent a second letter to Asaram, but he chose not to respond to it, following which he forcefully entered the 'kutia' and asked why Bapu was quiet on his questions. The response of Asaram was, 'Brahmgiani ko ye sab karne se paap nahi lagta.' (It's not a sin for a 'Brahmgyani' or a highly enlightened person to do so). When he posed second question how a 'Bhramgyani' can have such desires, Asaram quietly went inside and asked his men and guards to throw the follower out of the 'kutia.' Sachar had further told the court that Asaram also used to take medicines for increasing his sexual power and used to consume opium. Codeword for opium was 'Panched Buti'. The prosecution witness had also disclosed to the court that the three girls staying with Asaram were also involved in abortion of the godman's victims. After leaving Asaram's company and his ashram, Sachar was also attacked in 2004, for which he had lodged a complaint with police but no progress ever took place. He was again attacked after giving statement in the Asaram sexual assault case. Asaram was arrested and was lodged in judicial custody since September 2013 in the case, in which he was awarded life-long jail term yesterday by the Jodhpur special POSCO court. PTI SDA --Sandeep Singhhttp://ptinews.com/images/pti.jpgWe bring the World to you"Disclaimer : This e-mail message may contain proprietary, confidential or legally privileged information for the sole use of the person or entity to whom this message was originally addressed. Please delete this e-mail, if it is not meant for you. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Resident doctors at Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) at Aurangabad today stopped working after one of the doctors was allegedly manhandled by a group of people accompanying a patient. There was no announcement of a 'strike' though, said one of the resident doctors, speaking on the condition of anonymity. A group of around 40 persons came with a patient who had a liver ailment early morning today, he said. When a doctor on duty asked them not to enter the emergency ward, they allegedly abused him and roughed him up. When other resident doctors learnt about the episode, they demanded the hospital management file a police complaint and decided to stop work till then, he said. Patients coming from various parts of Marathwada had a hard time as no doctors were available. The dean and the superintendent of GMCH were not available for comment. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The US today urged the Taliban to return to Afghanistan from their "foreign safe havens" and turn their bullets and bombs into ballots. The Taliban yesterday announced the commencement of their annual spring offensive in the war-ravaged country, in an apparent rejection of calls for the militants to accept the Afghan government's offer of peace talks. Reacting to the Taliban's announcement, the Acting US Secretary of State John Sullivan said that there was no need for a new fighting season, and that it was time for the Taliban to participate in the country's electoral process. "As President Ghani recently said, the Taliban should turn their bullets and bombs into ballots. They should run for office.They should vote," Sullivan said. "We encourage Taliban leaders to return to Afghanistan from their foreign safe havens and work constructively for Afghanistan's future," he said, apparently referring to the terror sanctuaries in neighbouring Pakistan. More violence will not bring peace and security to Afghanistan," he said. President Ghani, Sullivan said, recently extended an "historic invitation" to the Taliban to join the peace process. "There is no need for a new fighting season. Still, the Taliban announced another campaign of senseless violence targeting the democratically elected and internationally recognised Afghan government and their fellow Afghans," he said. Sullivan said the US stands with the Afghan people in response to the Taliban's announcement. "We support the brave Afghan security forces who are standing against the Taliban and terrorist groups that seek to destroy Afghan society. We commend the Afghan people, who are carrying on their lives, raising families, attending universities, building businesses, preparing for elections, and strengthening their communities despite violence and continued bloodshed," he said. The US-backed Afghan government is under pressure to curb growing deadly terror attacks. On Sunday, a suicide bomber blew himself up in a crowd outside a voter registration centre in Kabul, killing at least 60 people. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Assam government today told the National Green Tribunal that a budgetary allocation of Rs 11 crore has been cleared by the assembly to install sensor-operated automated traffic barriers to check accidental deaths of animals near the Kaziranga National Park. The state government informed a bench headed by acting NGT Chairperson Justice Jawad Rahim that the amount would be released immediately. The Assam government also said that the tendering process for installation of the barriers in six areas inside the park has already been initiated and the date of opening of tender is May 14. The matter will now be heard on July 18. The tribunal had earlier rejected the Assam government's proposal to engage manpower instead of installing sensor-operated traffic barriers to control the accidental deaths of animals near the Kaziranga National Park. The state government had proposed to engage additional manpower to monitor the animal corridor stretch of the NH-37 which passes from Jakhalabandha to Bokakhat along the reserve. It had last year told the tribunal that it had already spent an amount of Rs 1.45 crore on installation of animal sensor barriers at Malini in the national park stretch to check speeding vehicles on the NH-37. Another amount of Rs 39 lakh would be needed to purchase of two more thermal cameras for installation at the same place, it had said. Since required funds were not available in the budget, the state government had decided to submit a supplementary demand in the next session of the assembly. The tribunal was hearing a plea filed by wildlife activist Rohit Choudhury opposing the widening of NH-37 which passes from Jakhalabandha to Bokakhat along the reserve. The tribunal had earlier said that any vehicle found crossing the 40-km speed limit on the NH-37 will have to pay an compensation of Rs 5,000, besides a fine under the Motor Vehicles Act. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) South Korea's retail giant Lotte Shopping will sell some of its Chinese stores to a local chain after suffering huge losses due to a diplomatic row with Beijing over a US missile defence system, it said today. Lotte has been targeted by Chinese authorities after the group provided land to the South Korean government to host the high-tech US Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system, whose deployment infuriated Beijing. It has seen scores of its 120-plus outlets in China shut down, ostensibly over "safety issues", with angry protesters holding demonstrations against it. The Lotte crackdown was among a series of moves by Beijing seen as economic retaliation for the deployment of THAAD, including banning group tours to the South. Lotte affiliate Lotte Shopping Holdings said it will sell 87.38 percent of its shares in its northern China unit to Wumei, the Chinese firm that operates the Wumart chain, for 240 billion won ($175 million). The unit controls 21 Lotte shops in the Chinese capital. In the face of mounting losses in the world's second-largest economy, Lotte said in September it would put its Chinese retail unit up for sale. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) South Korean telecoms giant Samsung Electronics saw net profits leap by more than half in the first quarter, it said today, thanks to strong demand for memory chips and its latest high-end smartphone. The firm, the world's biggest maker of memory chips and the flagship subsidiary of the sprawling Samsung group, has recovered from a series of setbacks to post record profits in recent quarters. It faced an embarrassing global recall of the Galaxy Note 7 device over exploding batteries in 2016, and last year its vice-chairman Lee Jae-yong, scion of Samsung's founding family, was jailed for his part in the sprawling corruption scandal that brought down president Park Geun-hye. He has since been released after some of his convictions were quashed on appeal, and the firm's shareholders have seen its value soar. Net profit for the January to March period rose 52 percent to hit 11.69 trillion won (USD 10.8 billion), up from 7.68 trillion won a year earlier, the company said in a regulatory filing. Operating profit was a record 15.64 trillion won, in line with the estimate of 15.6 trillion won suggested in a preliminary guidance report released earlier this month. "The semiconductor business posted solid earnings -- 11.55 trillion won in operating profit on a 20.78 trillion won revenue -- on strong demand for memory chips," the company said in a statement. The semiconductor business' earnings performance was driven by demand for memory chipsets for high-value-added servers and graphics products. The global launch of its new flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S9, as well as strong demand for chips used for smartphones and crypto-currency mining also contributed to the rise in profitability. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Saudi Arabia has executed 48 people in the past four months, half on non-violent drug charges, Human Rights Watch said, urging the kingdom to improve its "notoriously unfair" criminal justice system. "Saudi Arabia has executed 48 people since the beginning of 2018," the US-based rights group said in a report published late last night. "Many more people convicted of drug crimes remain on death row following convictions by Saudi Arabia's notoriously unfair criminal justice system." The ultra-conservative kingdom has one of the world's highest rates of execution, with suspects convicted of terrorism, homicide, rape, armed robbery and drug trafficking facing the death penalty. Rights experts have repeatedly raised concerns about the fairness of trials in the kingdom, governed under a strict form of Islamic law. The government says the death penalty is a deterrent for further crime. "It's bad enough that Saudi Arabia executes so many people, but many of them have not committed a violent crime," said HRW's Middle East director Sarah Leah Whitson. "Any plan to limit drug executions needs to include improvements to a justice system that doesn't provide for fair trials." HRW says Saudi Arabia has carried out nearly 600 executions since the beginning of 2014, more than a third of them in drug cases. Last year, nearly 150 people were put to death in the kingdom, where convicts are beheaded using a sword. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, next in line to the throne, this month suggested the kingdom would consider changing the penalty from death to life in certain cases except murder in an interview with Time Magazine. The powerful prince is spearheading a drive to soften the kingdom's image as it looks to diversify its oil-dependent economy and attract international investors. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court today upheld the Delhi High Court verdict acquitting JMM supremo and former Union minister Shibu Soren in connection with the murder of his private secretary Shashi Nath Jha in 1994, saying there was no merit in the appeal. A bench of justices A K Goel and R F Nariman refused to interfere with the August 22, 2007, verdict of the high court which had set aside the trial court judgement holding Soren guilty in the case. Advocate Sanjeev Kumar, appearing for Soren, argued before the bench that there was no evidence to show that the body exhumed from a farmhouse on the outskirts of Ranchi was that of Jha or Soren had any motive to have the victim eliminated. Kumar submitted that Soren was falsely implicated in the case and the four DNA reports did not match with the DNA of Jha. He said that it cannot be said that the skeleton exhumed was of the victim. The bench, while dismissing the appeal of the Central Bureau of Investgation and Priyamvada Devi, mother of Jha, said that there was no merit in the appeal and upheld the verdict of the high court. The CBI and mother of the victim had challenged the high court verdict, which had held that the probe agency had miserably failed in getting evidence against the veteran tribal leader. The high court had also acquitted four of Soren's aides-- Nand Kishore Mehta, Shailendra Bhattacharya, Pashupati Nath Mehta and Ajay Kumar Mehta -- of all the charges on the same grounds. It had rejected the CBI's contention that Jha was abducted and killed by the former Union coal minister and his associates as he had threatened to expose Soren's alleged complicity in the JMM bribery case. A Delhi trial court had on November 28, 2006 convicted Soren and the four others for abduction and murder of Jha and awarded life term to him. Jha had gone missing from Dhaula Kuan area of south Delhi on May 22, 1994. He was last seen in Ranchi allegedly in the company of Soren's loyalists the next day. Soren, 74, had to quit as Union coal minister from the then UPA government following his conviction by the trial court and was shifted from the Tihar jail here to Dumka prison in Jharkhand. Soren, currently Jharkhand Mukti Morcha's Lok Sabha member from Dumka constituency, is a three-time chief minister of Jharkhand. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The CBI has booked top officials of two public sector banks, a former CMD of IDBI Bank, former Aircel promoter C Sivasankaran, his son and companies controlled by him in connection with a Rs 600-crore loan fraud, officials said today. The CBI has named 15 bank officials who worked at senior levels at IDBI Bank in 2010 and 2014 when loans were sanctioned to the companies controlled by Sivasankaran in its FIR registered on a complaint from the Central Vigilance Commission, they said. Managing Director and CEO of Indian Bank Kishor Kharat ( who was then MD and CEO of IDBI Bank) and his counterpart in Syndicate Bank Melwyn Rego (then Deputy Managing Director in IDBI Bank), along with then Chairman-cum- Managing Director of IDBI Bank M S Raghavan have been named in the FIR. "It was also alleged that the loans were granted to the companies by IDBI Bank at its highest decision-making level comprising senior most management and even Independent Directors, disregarding the existing guidelines, instructions and procedures," CBI spokesperson Abhishek Dayal said. Subsequently, various conditions were relaxed or all together ignored. This led to an alleged loss of approximately Rs 600 crore to the bank and public exchequer, he said. The case pertains to loans of Rs 322 crore and Rs 523 crore given to the companies of Sivasankaran, who was in the centre of Aircel Maxis probe for alleging that then Telecom Minister Dayanidhi Maran had put pressure on him to sell his company to a Malaysian telecom tycoon, a case in which Maran brothers have been discharged by a special court. The loans later turned non-performing assets or NPAs. The loan of Rs 322 crore was allegedly issued to Finland-based Win Wind Oy (WWO) by IDBI Bank in October, 2010 which turned into a non-performing asset three years later, the CBI has said in its FIR. "The performance of said company showed stress and it was eventually granted voluntary bankruptcy by a court in Finland in October 2013," he said. The holding company of the WWO is Siva Investments and Holdings Limited based in the Seychelles which is again controlled by Siva Group of Companies chaired by C Sivasankaran, the agency alleged. When WWO went into liquidation, IDBI Bank sanctioned another loan of Rs 523 crore to Axcel Sunshine Limited based in British Virgin Islands, a tax haven, in February 2014 which is also a company associated with Siva Group of Companies, it alleged. "This (Rs 523 crore loan) was allegedly used for repaying other loans of other associate companies of this group (including WWO) in flagrant violation of the regulatory guidelines of RBI on foreign investments in India. This loan also turned into NPA in 2015", Dayal said. The loan has been fully provided for and it has initiated actions to recover dues from the borrower in August, 2016, IDBI Bank said in a statement. The agency has also booked C Sivasankaran, his son Sivasankaran Saravanan, the then Directors of WWO Sanjeev Bafna, Tuomo Ronkko and Henry Grundsten, then Directors of Axcel Sunshine Nithyavathy Venkatesan, Gurunathan Pakkiriswamy, V Srinivasan and others. They said the agency carried out searches at 50 locations, including the residences of former and serving senior IDBI Bank officials. The searches were spread across Delhi, Faridabad, Mumbai, Gandhinagar, Chennai, Bangalore, Belgaum, Hyderabad, Jaipur and Pune, the officials said. They said 15 senior officers of IDBI Bank, including retired officials, and 24 private officials, including directors and chairmen, and their companies have been booked. Other bank officials booked by the agency are--Deputy Managing Director IDBI Bank G M Yadwadkar, former Deputy B K Batra, former Independent Directors of the bank P S Shenoy, S Ravi, Ninad Karpe, Executive Director (ED) Subroto Gupta, former EDs Viney Kumar and B Ravindra Nath, General Managers K Biju George, Venkata Krishnan, G Suneel Babu, then Regional Manager Manoj Alex (presently DGM). The companies also included in the FIR as accused British Virgin Islands-based Broadcourt Investments and Lotus Venture Investments, Mauritius-based Indian Telecom Holdings, Singapore-based Siva Palm Corp Ltd and India-based Siva Industries and Holdings Ltd, Win Wind Power, Planet Pickles, Sterling Agro Product and Processing Pvt Ltd and Siva Industries. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Supporters of JD(U) rebel Sharad Yadav today announced the formation of Loktantrik Janata Dal (LJD), a new political outfit that marks a formal split in the Nitish Kumar-led party. The announcement was made by LJD national secretary Sushila Morale at a press conference where Yadav was also present, but he insisted that he was not yet a member of the new party as his legal claim to represent the JD(U) was still sub-judice. Yadav, however, said that the LJD would have his blessings. A national conference of the newly-formed outfit will be organised on May 18 and Yadav will be present for it as a margadarshak (mentor), Morale told reporters here. However, she categorically stated that Yadav would not be a part of the new party. A case is pending before the Delhi High Court in connection with the claim staked on the JD(U)'s arrow symbol by the Sharad Yadav-led faction after the Election Commission rejected its plea for granting it the symbol. In December last year, Yadav had also moved the Delhi High Court seeking the setting aside of his disqualification from the Rajya Sabha. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Shriram City Union Finance today reported a 18.8 per cent increase in consolidated net profit at Rs 687 crore for the March quarter of 2017-18. The Chennai-based company's net profit was Rs 578.08 crore in the year-ago period. Revenue from operations for the January-March period soared to Rs 5,352.83 crore from Rs 4,703.57 crore, Shriram City Union said in a BSE filing. The company has recommended a final dividend of Rs 12, or 120 per cent, per equity share of Rs 10 each subject to the approval of the shareholders. Despite 2018 being a year of challenges, the company has done well on the growth front, especially in the small business loans segment, Shriram City CEO R Duruvasan said. "We have completed the transitioning of NPA recognition in line with RBI norms, and from here on, the company has an unhindered runway for growth," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress leader Girish Chodankar who was today appointed as the party's Goa unit chief, said the biggest challenge before him now was to strengthen the party in the state. Chodankar was appointed as the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chief for Goa earlier today, replacing Shantaram Naik, who had resigned from the post last month. Talking to PTI over the development, 50-year-old Chodankar, who is considered close to Congress chief Rahul Gandhi said, "The biggest challenge before me right now is to strengthen the party organisation in the state." "Gone are the days when people would come to a political party. Now it's the turn of the political parties to reach out to the people," Chodankar, a teacher by profession, said. His predecessor Shantaram Naik had resigned last month from the post after getting inspired by Rahul Gandhi's speech during a plenary session, where he had appealed to the elders to make way for the young blood to take over the party affairs. Chodankar was the national in-charge of the National Students Union of India (NSUI), the youth wing of the Congress, between 2011 and 2017. He moved back to Goa ahead of the last year's assembly polls, in which his party emerged as the single largest party, but failed to form the government. Chodankar said his seven-year-long stint in Delhi (as NSUI in-charge) and experience of handling various responsibilities will help him in heading the party's Goa unit. Although he had not contested the February 2017 assembly elections, he had unsuccessfully fought the by-election from Panaji constituency against Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar held in August last year. In the 2002 assembly polls, he had unsuccessfully contested from Margao assembly constituency against the then BJP candidate Digambar Kamat, who later joined Congress party. Chodankar was the president of Goa Pradesh Youth Congress Committee between 2000-2008. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Telangana government would extend full cooperation and support to the Karnataka government in the successful conduct of free and fair polls in that state on May 12, a senior official said today. Telangana Chief Secretary S K Joshi informed his Karnataka counterpart about this during a video conference, according to an official release. Joshi said 800 police personnel from Telangana would be deputed to Karnataka state as per the request of the state government. Increased vigil across the borders including strengthening of the check posts would be taken up by the state government in view of the polls in Karnataka, he said. Joshi also instructed the General Administration Department officials of the state to issue necessary instructions to the Collectors and SPs of the five neighbouring districts-- Mahaboobnagar, Gadwal, Sangareddy, Kamareddy and Vikarabad (in Telangana) in this regard. " He said liquor shops in all these districts in a five km radius from Karnataka border would be shut down for 48 hours before commencement of polling day. Telangana DGP Mahender Reddy said the Additional DGP (Law and Order) Jitender would be the nodal officer for coordinating with Karnataka. Chief Secretaries, DGPs and senior officials of Excise department of five neighbouring states of Karnataka attended the video conference, the release said. Karnataka Chief Secretary Ratnaprabha and DGP" " " " Neelamani Raju sought the cooperation of the neighbouring states for conducting polls in a peaceful manner, it added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Three students from a Chennai school, who had come to Pune in Maharashtra for a summer camp with their classmates, drowned in the Mulshi dam, located around 50 kms away from here, police said today. The deceased trio were part of a group of 20 students of Chennai's ECS Matriculation school who were visiting the dam along with their teachers yesterday. The incident occurred last evening after all students entered the backwater for swimming, said a senior officer of Paud police station. According to the officer, the students had just appeared for final examination for class 8 and are awaiting results. Yesterday was the first day of the summer camp, he added. "After their activities got over for the day, all the students were taken to the backwater for swimming. They were accompanied by four teachers," he said. He said the teachers had entered the water first to gauge its depth, and instructed the students not to enter deep water. "However, the three students, identified as Danish Raja, Sarvana Kumar and Santosh Ganesh (all 14 years), swam farther and got separated from the group," the officer said. When all the students came out of the water, the teachers realised that the three students were missing, he said, adding that the teachers looked for the trio, but as they failed to trace them, they informed the local authorities. "The local police reached the spot and with the help of villagers, launched a search in the backwater. Raja's body was fished out of the water last night," he said. On Thursday morning, local authorities contacted the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to search for two other students. "The bodies of Kumar and Ganesh were fished out by a team of 26 personnel from the NDRF this noon," the officer said, adding that the police are recording the statements of teachers and other students. "The parents of deceased students have been contacted. Further action will be taken once they reach Pune," he added. PTI"CORR added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With India being designated as a major defence partner by the US, it is time the two countries commit themselves to defense projects, a former Obama-era top Pentagon official has said. "Both governments need to make a programme decision and commit. These decisions need to be made at the highest levels in both governments with a clear timeline against which progress will be measured," said Keith Webster, who represented the Pentagon in the Defense Trade and Technology Initiative (DTTI) in the Obama administration. For taking the India-US defence relationship to the next level, Webster said a serious look must be given to a project or two under the DTTI. "Not only a look, but a joint commitment to develop, invest and field a joint capability. The US knows how to do this and has done so globally on select capability with mixed results," he said in his address to an event organised at the US Capitol by the US India Friendship Council. "On the table today are a host of opportunities if only both nations would commit. Opportunities not only include jointly developed capability such as next generation ground combat vehicles, but also include programs unique to GOI service requirements that provide India with the potential to develop, field and sell globally a unique capability," Webster said. To see tangible progress beyond a buyer seller paradigm, he argued that the Indian government must make a programme commitment with a 'Make in India' benefit. "Whether fighter aircraft, both proposals of which have a clear and significant Make in India payoff, or some other capability initiative, the GOI must make an investment decision," Webster said. In turn, the US then must without hesitation support such a decision by India, he said. "Once a programme is chosen and a political decision is made to move forward, both nations can then bundle and complete the remaining policy and agreement unfinished business which will be necessary to ensure programme success, while more clearly understanding the necessity to do so," said Webster, who currently is president, defense and aerospace export council US Chamber of Commerce. "Defined joint projects agreed to at the highest levels, with associated timelines against which progress can be measured, have often allowed for success in the past and will again in the future. As counter-terrorism efforts multiply, along with a focus on regional stability in the Indo-Pacific and specifically China, following this approach will be beneficial for the future of this bilateral relationship," he argued. Webster said the US and India are in an extremely unique and hopeful period of the relationship and defense cooperation remains the cornerstone. Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, India has tackled offset policies, foreign direct investment, and procurement procedures, seeking to harness the private sector's role in providing military capability as reflected in the 2016 Defense Production Policy (DPP) guidelines and as rumored to be further enhanced in the 2018 DPP currently being drafted, he said. The US has revised its technology transfer policies to place India on par with some of its closest allies and legally recognised India as a major defence partner in the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act. "Despite these significant steps forward, the challenge remains how to demonstrate the impact of these historic decisions especially with respect to "make in India" joint defense capability programmes," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee today accused the ruling Trinamool Congress of maligning the Panchayati Raj system in the state and called for defeating TMC and BJP in the upcoming rural polls in the state. The Left Front is the architect of the Panchayati Raj system and under the TMC regime the system has been "maligned due to rampant corruption and attack on democratic rights of the masses," Bhattacharjee said in a statement. Bhattacharjee, who has been ill for last six months, today appealed to the voters of the state to defeat the ruling TMC and the BJP in the upcoming ruling polls. "We have to defeat the ruling TMC and also ensure that BJP is defeated," he said. "I appeal to all the Left workers of the state to remain united. We have to reach out to the masses and that cannot be done by shying away from the masses. We have to resist the violence and move forward along with the masses," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) : Travel channel Travelxp, as part of its plan to reach a larger audience, would tap the digital platform for launching its service in the country, a top official said today. Currently, the channel is available across various television providers and globally it was reaching nearly 75 million homes, Travelxp Chairman and Managing Director, Prashant Chothani said here. "In the digital presence, you will hear from us very soon on the launch of service (in India)" he said, to a query, on whether the company was looking at unveiling the service currently offered by providers like Netflix, Amazon Prime. Chothani said it was under the initiative the company would foray into the United Kingdom market through the Freeview platform on its plan to reach 91 million homes. "We are currently available in several countries. Right now one team is shooting in Cyprus another in Aurangabad in India. We have filmed in over 50-plus countries across the globe and in India we are offering content in Hindi, Bengali, Tamil," Chothani told reporters here. The channel has produced more than 1,000 hours of original content, he said adding the content strategy was destination, food, nature, culture, heritage and lifestyle. With 60 per cent of the revenues contributed from licensing of the content to other channels globally, Chothani said they have started accepting television commercials as part of generating revenues. Referring to the foray into the UK market, he said, the channel would be available through the Freeview UK platform from April 30 onwards. "We are the first TV channel from India to launch in the UK for mainstream audiences," he said adding the company would set up a production house in London similar to the one present in Mumbai. Following a tie-up with Freeview which reaches nearly 16 million homes, the channel would be reaching 91 million homes globally, he said. Travelxp would also produce local content for the United Kingdom audiences and that would be headed by Travelxp, Europe, Managing Director, Sumant Bahl, he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President Donald Trump will visit the UK on July 13 for bilateral talks with British Prime Minister Theresa May, Downing Street announced today. There had been growing speculations that the visit would take place in July, after a planned visit in February to open the US Embassy in London was reportedly cancelled over fears of protests likely to greet Trump in Britain. "The President of the United States will visit the UK on 13 July. He will hold bilateral talks with the Prime Minister during his visit. Further details will be set out in due course," a Downing Street statement said. An anti-Trump campaign in London has been building up since the US President retweeted a string of unverified anti-Islamic videos posted by far-right group Britain First earlier this year. London mayor Sadiq Khan has repeatedly declared that the American leader is not welcome in the city. "It appears that President Trump got the message from the many Londoners who love and admire America and Americans but find his policies and actions the polar opposite of our city's values of inclusion, diversity and tolerance," Khan had said in a statement after Trump tweeted his decision to abandon a so-called "working visit" to London in February to open the new US embassy building. "His visit next month would without doubt have been met by mass peaceful protests," Khan had said. Downing Street was believed to have been caught off-guard by Trump's announcement to abandon his two-day UK visit, planned for February 26 and 27. Trump had said he pulled out because of cost overruns on the new mission. Mass protests that are likely to greet Trump in the July. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Embattled production house, The Weinstein Company, owes over USD 100, 000 each to Hollywood star Jennifer Lawrence and veteran actor Meryl Streep. According to court documents obtained by The Blast, the company, which was founded by disgraced producer Harvey Weinstein along with his brother Bob, owes USD 142,965 to Streep and USD 102,623 to Lawrence. The company worked with Streep, 68, on films such as "The Iron Lady" and "August: Osage County" while Lawrence starred in "Silver Linings Playbook", for which she won an Oscar for Best Actor. Other celebs who are owed money include John Legend, Julianne Moore, Pierce Brosnan, Jerry Seinfeld, directors Michael Bay and Sir Peter Jackson and author Stephen King. The company also owes money to Malia Obama, the daughter of former US President Barack Obama. Last month, TWC had filed for bankruptcy in the wake of a massive sexual harassment scandal involving co-founder Harvey Weinstein. The allegations against Harvey, first documented by the New York Times and then by The New Yorker, tipped the company into a death spiral. Harvey was fired from the company three days later, and subsequently resigned from his position on the company board but it failed to arrest the downfall of the production house. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Twitteratis today slammed Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb over his remarks questioning the rationale behind crowning Diana Hayden "Miss World" 21 years ago even as he praised Aishwarya Rai for the same award, saying she "truly represents the Indian women". Activist Kavita Krishnan termed his comments as "stupid, sexist and communal". "If biplab deb didn't exist, a comic writer would have invented him," columnist Salil Tripathi tweeted. Delhi CM advisor Nagendar Sharma in a tweet said, "Though we are still in April, this most likely could qualify for the most ridiculous quote of 2018." A senior journalist tweeted, "One reason for which I should cheer the verdict in Tripura is that the nation found a new entertainer." Deb's comments came days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi cautioned the BJP leaders to steer clear of controversies and not offer "masala" to the media by making irresponsible statements. The Tripura chief minister also claimed that the international beauty contests were a "farce" as the results were all predetermined. "Whoever contested the international beauty pageants won. For five consecutive years, we won the Miss World/Miss Universe awards. Diana Hayden won it too. Do you think she should have won the title?" Deb said. He said he failed to understand the "process of judgement" of the crowning of the Miss World contest in 1997, in which Diana Hayden had got the award. "We see women as goddess Laxmi, Saraswati. Aishwarya Rai represents the Indian women. She became the Miss World and that's all right. But I do not understand the beauty of Diana Hayden," Deb, who became the chief minister last month, said. "Why are there no more beauty pageant winners from India? They (the jury) have captured the market in the country and have gone elsewhere," he claimed. Earlier this month, Deb had claimed that Internet and satellite communication existed in the days of Mahabharata. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The UN's top Mideast envoy warned today that the Gaza Strip is "about to explode" and declared the world "must do everything possible to prevent another war" between Israel and the Palestinians as well as elsewhere in the Mideast. Nickolay Mladenov told the UN Security Council that prospects for an Israeli-Palestinian peace are slipping further away and with tensions mounting, the "Israeli-Palestinian conflict remains a perpetual source of oxygen for militants and radicals" in the region. His warnings came ahead of Friday's fifth weekly planned protests by Hamas, which controls Gaza, near the border fence with Israel, which has become a deadly flashpoint. Hamas says the protests are against a decade-long blockade of the isolated strip. Israel says it is defending its sovereign border and only targeting instigators and accuses Hamas of using the protests as a cover for attacks. So far, 35 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire and more than 1,500 have been wounded since the protests began March 30 a death toll that drew sharp criticism of Israel from many countries at Thursday's council meeting. Israel and its close ally, the United States, countered by accusing Hamas of using innocent civilians as human shields. Mladenov called Gaza a "powder keg" and told council members that "old wounds continue to bleed and deepen as we speak, risking the outbreak of another war." He also stressed there is no military solution to any Mideast conflict whether in Syria, Yemen or Gaza. De-escalation is critical "in this highly charged and dangerous environment," he said. "Everyone in the Middle East needs to step back from the brink." Describing the current situation in Gaza, Mladenov used some of his strongest remarks yet. "What is happening in Gaza is an injustice that no man, woman or child should have to endure," he said. "People should not be destined to spend their lives surrounded by borders they are forbidden to cross, or waters they are forbidden to navigate. They should not be destined to live under the control of Hamas, which invests in militant activities at the expense of the population." In addition to the killings by Israeli forces, he said there have been "an increasing number of dangerous incidents at the fence" by Palestinians, including planting improvised explosive devices at least one which exploded and throwing Molotov cocktails, as well as attempting to get through the fence. The UN envoy said he has engaged intensively with all sides to reduce "risks of friction" and welcomed efforts by Egypt and others. "Israel must calibrate its use of force and minimize the use of live fire. Lethal force should be used only as a last resort," Mladenov said. "Hamas and the leaders of the demonstrations must keep protesters away from the Gaza fence and to prevent all violent actions and provocations." Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian UN ambassador, accused Israel's military forces of targeting civilians in Gaza and called their deliberate killing and wounding "terrorism. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The United States will no longer turn a blind eye to the theft of American jobs, wealth and the intellectual property, President Donald Trump said today. Trump also proclaimed April 26 as the World Intellectual Property Day, 2018. Trump said that intellectual property theft is estimated to cost the as much as $600 billion a year. "Our country will no longer turn a blind eye to the theft of American jobs, wealth, and intellectual property through the unfair and unscrupulous economic practices of some foreign actors. These practices are harmful not only to our Nation's businesses and workers but to our national security as well, Trump said. "To protect our economic and national security, I have directed Federal agencies to aggressively respond to the theft of American intellectual property. In combatting this intellectual property theft, and in enforcing fair and reciprocal trade policy, we will protect American jobs and promote global innovation," he said. The United States continues to demand the protection of intellectual property rights abroad, he said adding that his Administration will also take steps to strengthen the patent system at home. The driver of the school van that was hit by a milk tanker, resulting in the death of a 7-year-old girl in northwest Delhi today, had been challaned by the city traffic police eight times under various offences. According to the police, the man was driving the vehicle under the influence of alcohol with headphones plugged in his ears, adding that the driver of the milk tanker was also challaned on 17 previous occasions. The police said the school van was also carrying children beyond capacity. A Delhi government officer said the van, a 2002 model private vehicle, was running illegally. Its driver, Vijay Kumar, did not fulfill the various norms required for driving school vans, he said. Kumar was also carrying a licence for driving private vehicles, the official said. According to the rules, vans used for carrying school children must be equipped with devices like Global Positioning System (GPS) and speed governors for the safety of children. The drivers of such vehicles also require to have their licence and badge verified by the police. "In this case, all these measures were absent since the van was a private vehicle and it was being used to carry school children," the officer said. The officials also blamed parents for opting for cheaper van rides for ferrying their children to schools. These vans charge less than the school buses, but these vehicles often flout safety norms by carrying beyond capacity, they said. "Parents have to ensure that their children travel safely. But it is a question of money. Schools charge a high amount for providing transport facility which forces parents to look for cheaper options, therefore, relying on such school cabs," a police officer said. "Such school vans put wooden benches inside vehicles and also make the children sit on CNG kits. These are recipes for disaster," he said. According to the data shared by the police, 3,807 school cabs were prosecuted last year and this year (till April 25), 875 school cabs had been prosecuted. The data said 586 school cabs were challaned for wrong parking last year and 103 were prosecuted for the offence till Aptil 15 this year. As many as 151 vehicles were challaned for dangerous driving in 2017 and 48 were challaned till April 15 this year, it said. The data also stated that 1,192 drivers were challaned for driving without seat belts last year and 253 drivers were challaned till April 15 this year. Thirty drivers were challaned this year till April 15 for permit violations, while 153 were challaned for the same offence last year, it added. In July last year, the transport department had carried out a drive against illegally running school vans in which over 750 vehicles were caught. However, associations of school van drivers met Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal after which the drive was stopped and they were given time till January this year to fulfill all the criteria required for operating school vans. The official claimed that despite the breather, most of the school vans and their drivers failed to fulfill the requisite norms. He said the transport department was planning another drive against illegal school cabs after the board examinations. Dependra Pathak, special commissioner of police (Traffic), said the traffic police had written to the department in 2014 and 2016, requesting them to ensure that school students do not travel in such unauthorised vehicles. He said they would write to the department again and work out a concrete plan to confiscate such vehicles. Another police officer suggested that the Delhi government take steps to ensure that the children can commute to their schools for free. A member of the All India Parents Association (AIPA) agreed that the schools should reduce the exorbitant transportation fees and play a better role in ensuring that the children commute safely. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) WASHINGTON/FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Bayer AG said on Thursday it had agreed to sell more crop science businesses to BASF in a deal that fulfils undertakings to the European Union and other regulators as part of its takeover of Monsanto Co.The package, being sold for up to 1.7 billion euros ($2.1 billion), includes its global vegetable seeds business, certain seed treatments and digital farming activities with total sales of 745 million euros in 2017."With this move, we are implementing the corresponding undertakings made to the European Commission and other regulatory authorities to allow the ... By Ron BoussoLONDON (Reuters) - BP named Helge Lund, a former head of Norway's Statoil, as its next chairman on Thursday, as the British oil major looks to extend a period of rapid growth after recovering from a deadly oil spill in 2010. Lund, who also led BG Group during its acquisition by rival Royal Dutch Shell, will replace Carl-Henric Svanberg, chairman of BP for almost nine years, at the beginning of next year.The 55-year-old Lund steered Statoil through its transformation from a state oil company into a leading global player, and is likely to have to navigate BP through the succession ... MUMBAI (Reuters) - The Central Bureau of Investigation said on Thursday it was investigating an alleged 6 billion rupee ($90 million) loan fraud at IDBI Bank, and former senior bank officials were among those being investigated.Searches were being conducted at 50 locations, including New Delhi and Mumbai, for evidence of fraud carried out through the loan accounts of a company registered in the British Virgin Islands and a Finnish firm, the CBI said in a statement.The case registered relates to criminal conspiracy, breach of trust by a public servant and cheating, according to the statement ... MUMBAI (Reuters) - The Central Bureau of Investigation said on Thursday it was investigating an alleged 6 billion rupee ($90 million) loan fraud at IDBI Bank, and former senior bank officials were among those being investigated.CBI officials said as many as 15 senior IDBI officials, including former chairman and managing director M S Raghavan, former deputy managing director M O Rego, and former chief executive officer Kishor Kharat, were under investigation, as well as the companies that took the loans and nearly two dozen other individuals.Raghavan, IDBI's former chairman, told Reuters he ... By Alistair SmoutLONDON (Reuters) - Facebook will introduce new measures to improve transparency around advertising in Britain and require political ads to be clearly labelled, an executive said on Thursday, as he faced questions in parliament over a data scandal.Facebook has said the personal information of about 87 million users might have been improperly shared with political consultancy Cambridge Analytical, which worked on Donald Trump's 2016 presidential election campaign.Facebook Chief Technology Officer Mike Schroepfer faced a day of questioning from a panel of British lawmakers in ... NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India will work to create a network with other major oil buyers in Asia, such as China, South Korea and Japan, to negotiate better terms with sellers, the country's Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said in New Delhi on Thursday."I see bigger co-operation between four bigger economies of Asia... India will try to create a network between these four economies," he said."All the four major Asian economies should come together. And India will try to create a network for that within the four countries," he said, referring to a need to have a greater say in importing crude oil ... By Anshuman DagaSINGAPORE (Reuters) - Goldilocks Investment Co. Ltd, a dissident shareholder of Noble Group Ltd, filed a lawsuit in Singapore on Wednesday against the commodities trader, seeking to prevent Noble from pursuing a debt restructuring.It also sought an injunction to stop Noble from holding a shareholders' meeting scheduled for Monday."Goldilocks Investment Company Ltd has filed legal action today in light of the continuing refusal by Noble Group Ltd to recognize legitimate legal rights of Goldilocks as a shareholder of Noble," the investment fund, which holds an 8.1 percent stake ... By Jussi Rosendahl and Eric AuchardHELSINKI/LONDON (Reuters) - Nokia posted a big drop in profits at its mainstay network equipment business as operators, particularly in North America held off spending, but it sees momentum building later in 2018 as the market for next-generation 5G networks takes off.The Finnish company reported operating profits at its network business tumbled 87 percent, and said that the business would likely remain soft during the current quarter. "We expect an atypical seasonal trend, with softness in the first half of the year, offset by a very dynamic second half," ... By Amanda CooperLONDON (Reuters) - Oil rose on Thursday, supported by expectations of renewed U.S. sanctions on Iran, declining output in Venezuela and ongoing strong demand.Brent crude oil futures were last up 60 cents at $74.60 a barrel at 0930 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were up 43 cents at $68.48 per barrel.The oil price has risen by 15 percent in the last four weeks thanks to expectations that the United States will re-impose sanctions against Iran, a major oil producer and member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). French ... By Ayenat MersieNEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil prices were mixed on Thursday as the market weighed up the risk of renewed U.S. sanctions on Iran and plunging Venezuelan output against a backdrop of strong demand, above all in Asia, the world's biggest oil-consuming region.Global benchmark Brent crude futures were up 39 cents at $74.39 a barrel at 11:36 a.m. EDT (1536 GMT), while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude slipped 13 cents to $67.92 a barrel."The turnaround from yesterday seems to be the re-pricing of geopolitical risk, especially of the United States potentially pulling out from the ... By Arpan VargheseBENGALURU (Reuters) - Rice export prices rose for a fifth straight week in Vietnam as demand remained robust and supplies thinned, but rates of Indian and Thai varieties dipped amid weakness in the local currencies of the top exporters.Vietnam's 5 percent broken rice prices rose to $445-$450 from $438-$440 previously."Demand is very high, while supplies are getting thin," a Ho Chi Minh City-based trader said. "The Philippines will meet exporters from Vietnam and Thailand on Friday to discuss a 250,000 tonne deal, and it may buy more for the rest of the year."The Vietnamese ... Elihu Yale, who was the Governor of Madras between 1687 and 1692 donated to the Collegiate School of Connecticut 5 bolts of Madras cotton to set up the Yale University. 2A company is named after this pre-Socratic Greek philosopher, mathematician, and astronomer who hailed from present-day Milet in Turkey. He was one of the Seven Sages of Greece who broke away from the tradition of using mythology to explain the ... 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 Sean ErikssonAviciis family has issued a second statement following the Swedish DJ/producers death last Friday at age 28. The cause of death for Avicii, birth name Tim Bergling, is not yet known, but in the latest statement, his family gives some insight into his state of mind in the time before he passed. Our beloved Tim was a seeker, a fragile artistic soul searching for answers to existential questions, reads the statement provided to ABC Radio. An over-achieving perfectionist who traveled and worked hard at a pace that led to extreme stress. The statement continues: When he stopped touring, he wanted to find a balance in life to be happy and be able to do what he loved most -- music. He really struggled with thoughts about Meaning, Life, Happiness. He could not go on any longer. He wanted to find peace, the family says. Tim was not made for the business machine he found himself in; he was a sensitive guy who loved his fans but shunned the spotlight. The statement concludes: Tim, you will forever be loved and sadly missed. The person you were and your music will keep your memory alive. We love you, Your family. Bergling was found dead in his hotel room in Muscat, capital of the Middle Eastern country of Oman. Copyright 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Mancho Bibixy appears handcuffed W. Musa The Military Court in Yaounde has on Wednesday April 25, 2018 found the Radio Animator cum Coffin revolutionist, Mancho Bibixy guilty of terrorism, secession, revolution, hostility, spreading false news, insurrection, contempt of authority, the court however acquitted him of civil war, destruction of properties, rebellion, non possession of ID card, looting, spreading fake news by electronic means. The courts hearing which lasted till around 9:30 PM also saw other detainees found guilty of crimes in the ongoing Anglophone crisis. Tsi Conrad was found guilty of hostility against the State, terrorism, non possession of ID Card, contempt, simple rebellion, murder spreading of fake news but not guilty of non destruction of public property, illegal detention of arms, rebellion, civil war, group rebellion and murder. On his part, Tha Emile was not found guilty of illegal detention of arms, spreading of fake news, spreading of fake news by electronic means, non possession of ID card, civil war and murder but found guilty of terrorism, hostility, secession, revolution, insurrection, looting and destruction of public property, rebellion, and contempt to civil servants. Tamngwa Malvin was found not guilty of illegal detention of arms, spreading of false news, spreading of false news by electronic devices, group rebellion, civil war, murder, non possession of ID card but found guilty of terrorism, hostility, secession, revolution, insurrection, looting, rebellion, contempt to authority, destruction of public property. Meanwhile Aselecha Martin according to the court is guilty of terrorism, hostility, secession, revolution, spreading of false information, spreading of false information by electronic devices, he was not found guilty of contempt, looting, rebellion, group rebellion and destruction of public property. Another detainee, Guingah Valentine was found guilty of terrorism, hostility, secession, insurrection, rebellion, false news, and contempt but not guilty of illegal possession of firearms, civil war, group rebellion, non possession of national ID card, looting, spreading of false news by electronic means. Lastly Awah Thomas Junior was found of terrorism, hostility, secession, revolution, insurrection, spreading of false information, spreading of false information by electronic means, contempt but not guilty of illegal detention of arms, group rebellion, civil war, looting and murder. The case was adjourned to May 8, 2018 while the civil party is claiming the sum of 356 million FCFA as damages. Zacheus Awanatio has been declared not guilty and acquitted. | BY Ricki Green | APD is continuing to make significant investments in its Australian business, hiring key talent to drive its vision of being a world-class digital transformation and marketing business. APD is a digital transformation business that integrates strategy, technology and digital marketing to drive growth for clients. With more than 300 people working in five countries, APD is the largest independent business of its kind in the APAC region. The new hires are Greg Skinner, who has joined APD as head of CX and Stuart Oliver who has been appointed head of sales. Both are based in Melbourne. In Sydney Kerry Boys has joined APD as head of strategic operations and Keith Dodds is appointed director, business consulting. All are national positions reporting to APD CEO Scott Player. Says Player: The talent we are bringing into APD in Australia and across the region is absolutely the best in the industry. These new executives bring a vast and broad skillset to our business, with over 60 years experience between them. Working with our existing teams, they will help accelerate our business to achieve new targets. Bringing this talent to APD demonstrates our commitment to strengthening our leadership capabilities, with Kerry coming from major media network IPG Mediabrands and Greg, Keith and Stuart all joining from global technology consultancy firm, ThoughtWorks. Boys specialises in driving organisational change and was responsible for driving change across 700 people in her previous role. She has 14 years in the marketing industry working in a broad range of strategic, client lead and operational roles. Skinner is a seasoned designer with more than 10 years experience across multiple industries based in the UK, China and Australia. Beginning as an architect, his career evolved to lead tier 1 human-centred transformations for organisations across Australia. Oliver has more than 15 years experience in the digital and software industry. Starting out as an entrepreneur, he has led sales and marketing teams across the APAC region and worked with executive teams in the retail, consumer and financial services industries. Dodds has more than 25 years experience working with large enterprises, helping improve their offerings and performance through the use of modern and digital technology. He has a focus on digital innovation and the creation of new business models, new management practices and service/product design. More announcements on further new hires will follow. | BY Ricki Green | Guardian Media Group and D&AD have today announced a partnership to establish a new global festival to celebrate the power of creativity and explore how it shapes culture, intersects with business and builds a positive future. Hosted in London, the festival will bring together business leaders with the worlds foremost thinkers, practitioners and emerging talent from across the creative and cultural sectors including design, film, advertising, gaming, music, fashion and architecture. The festival will launch in 2019 with the aim of becoming a destination for curious, creative minds. With global debates increasingly dominated by the opportunities and risks created by automation and data, the festival will be an opportunity to recognise, celebrate and learn about how the uniquely human quality of creativity can help industries and businesses to innovate and grow in the face of disruption. The new partnership was announced at D&AD Festival 2018, on Wednesday 25 April at 6:30pm in the Truman Brewery, Shoreditch. Says David Pemsel, chief executive, Guardian Media Group: This partnership combines the expertise of two of the most respected, long-running and trusted organisations in the creative economy. At a time when digital disruption, automation and AI are impacting every industry, it is clear that creativity no longer simply powers the worlds of media, advertising and design it is an essential component of any businesss long term strategy. We are thrilled to be working with D&AD, and together we plan to create an unrivalled festival of creativity, for the UK and the world. Says Tim Lindsay, CEO of D&AD: This new annual event will be a one stop shop for anyone interested in creativity, innovation and contemporary culture. The world does not operate in silos. Our aim is to be an umbrella for all creative thinking, a platform for talent, and a place for business leaders, practitioners and the general public to be energised, invigorated and inspired to integrate creative thinking to achieve business success. Says Justine Simons OBE, deputy mayor for culture and the creative industries: There are few places on earth that can rival our city for its culture and creativity, so it makes perfect sense for London to host this new global festival. As one of the most diverse capitals in the world, London is an ideal place to unite different voices and ensure the best ideas to shape our changing world are given a global platform. Says Debbie Millman, designer, educator and podcast host: Design Matters! I have always been an advocate for the broader world of creative culture. This new partnership will not only benefit the design world, but the wider creative and business sectors as well. D&AD and The Guardians collective reach and the respect they garner will allow this to become a highlight of the global cultural calendar and bring people together to showcase and inspire the creative community. Agency: Common Industry Director: Alyssa Boni via RSA/Black Dog Motion Graphics and Graphic Design: Studio Blackburn Sound Design: GCRS | BY Ricki Green | A pro-bono partnership between unique charity HeartKids and media agency Initiative has seen a 33% lift in revenue year on year for national fundraising campaign Sweetheart Day, for which Initiative was able to secure over $3 million worth of pro-bono media value. HeartKids is the only charity in Australia dedicated to supporting children, teens and adults affected by congenital heart disease. Congenital heart disease is the single largest killer of Australian babies. Eight babies are born with congenital heart disease every day in Australia and four of those lives are lost each week. People impacted by congenital heart disease face unique challenges for their entire lives. HeartKids provides dedicated support services throughout this whole life journey, whilst funding life-saving research and advocating for these families needs. Although congenital heart disease takes more babies lives in Australia than any other condition there is relatively low awareness amongst the general public of both congenital heart disease and the HeartKids brand. HeartKids faced a big challenge with their Sweetheart Day campaign, to cut through the clutter of the highly competitive charity market and raise awareness and funds with a very modest media budget. Initiative supports HeartKids pro-bono with media planning, implementation and reporting as well as contact with media owners who may offer free of charge inventory for the Sweetheart Day fundraising campaign. Initiative and HeartKids were brought together by UNLtd, the organisation focused on connecting the media, marketing and creative industry with charities, to create social change and shared value. Says Melissa Fein, CEO, Initiative Australia: There is massive enthusiasm in the agency for the work and results HeartKids achieves. Its very rewarding for our people bringing their skills to the table for this unique charity and this years record result is a great outcome. I am very proud of the team and we look forward to continuing our support for HeartKids into the future. Media owners oOh! Media, Val Morgan, TRSN and Southern Cross Austereo all made significant media contributions to the campaign. Says Mark Brooke, chief executive officer, HeartKids: We are incredibly grateful for the generous contribution Initiative and our other pro-bono partners made towards our Sweetheart Day campaign. One of our biggest challenges is to raise awareness of the fact that congenital heart disease is the single largest cause of death of babies in Australia. | BY Kim Shaw | By The Glue Societys Jonathan Kneebone, exclusive to Campaign Brief Diarrhoea (coincidentally pronounced dire rear) is seriously no fun at all. But let me tell you something else from experience. Its nowhere near as frightening as a severe case of the Trotts. The one called Dave in particular. Creativity isnt about doing what youre allowed to do. Creativity is finding a way to do what youre not allowed to do. Thats what will make your work different. The things that other people are too scared or too lazy to try. Thats will make your work stand out and get noticed. But that kind of work rocks the boat. Which means a lot of people wont want it to run. But youre supposed to get into trouble. Youre supposed to get banned. Yep, Dave Trott said that. Not in the 80s when the first agency with his name on it, GGT, was firing on all cylinders. He said it this very week at the D&AD Festival in London. It took a rather frightening 70-year-old (pictured left this week) to make the rest of us realise how safe the ad industry has become. And believe me, every one of the finest hipster arses in adland whod rocked up to the Old Truman Brewery in East London were not only riveted to their seats, they were quivering a little. Mavericks dont come more plain speaking than Trott. Even when he quoted Bernbachs famous expression that creativity is the last unfair advantage were legally allowed to take over the competition Trott gave it a sinister edge that made it feel more dangerous than a pitbull in a China shop. When D&AD attract speakers who deliver this kind of stomach-churning impact, its no surprise that The Guardian has now teamed up with them to take this global festival of creativity to the next level next year. This is going to be well worth the 17-hour direct flight from Perth. We need people like Trott to make us realise the value, power and potency of creativity. Just as we need the likes of Debbie Millman, Ben Priest, Jeff Goodby (pictured right at D&AD this week), Caroline Pay to inspire us to break the rules, challenge the system and realise that we all have it within us to make great work. Getting an injection of pure creativity is what we could all do with. But hang on, I hear you say isnt D&AD meant to be just about giving out Pencils? (Or not giving them out, as is more often the pencil case.) Au contraire, as they say in Cannes. D&AD exists to stimulate, enable and award excellence in design and advertising. And I can assure you, again from personal experience, under the inspirational leadership of Tim Lindsay, they are really determined to make a positive difference to this industry. With New Blood, RARE, Shift, Impact, Brief to Broadcast, Next, and now their Global Festival of Creativity, this charitable lot (for D&AD is a charity) arent just recognising and rewarding creative excellence, they are helping to foster an entirely new generation of creative folk to scare the living daylights out of those of us who were starting to think theyd got the hang of the business were in. Im not saying this because Im on the global advisory board of D&AD. Im saying it because its happening. And you know they are serious and authentic about creating change when the opening title slide of their entire festival is one which read Diversity drives creativity. But enough already, I hear you say what about the awards? What about the things that we pay shitloads to enter to help pay for all this do-goody stuff to happen? Well, after last years third place, this year Australia could only make number 6. We were beaten by Germany, France and Japan, in addition to the UK and USA, with a total of just 31 pencils out of the 721 awarded. Yet again, the Americans topped the bill (with 194). Thats two years in a row. So it seems despite or even because of Trump, US agencies did make America great again. But thats the less good news. The wonderful news is that Host/Havas were awarded one of just three Black Pencils handed out this year for their branding campaign for Palau. When you become aware of the level of scrutiny that is used to determine if something warrants even an entry in the annual (a wood pencil), this achievement needs to be recognised with sincere congratulations to every individual concerned. Truly brilliant stuff. To win one of these, first of all you have to go beyond earning next level Graphite to even rarer Yellow and then 60% of the Black Pencil Jury (pictured top) made up of all the jury chairs have to believe its truly good enough to clear the Black bar. The other two pieces of work given the rarest of collective seals of approval were Saatchi & Saatchi NYs film commercial work for their Its A Tide Ad for the Super Bowl, and McCann NYs Fearless Girl recognised for outdoor advertising. Creativity can inspire change. Whether thats a nation making it a visa requirement to sign up to an environmental pledge, a financial institution making a stand for diversity in the workplace or indeed just giving people a reason to laugh. And perhaps the Tide campaign may mark a turning point away from the emotional mood-film to us simply being entertainers again. It wasnt just a black pencil success for Host/Havas however. They actually received more entries in the annual than some countries not just small Micronesian Republics but also the likes of the usual heavy hitters of South Africa, Argentina and Thailand. Again, no mean feat. If you get the chance to judge at D&AD, you realise winning anything is a real achievement. While other shows make you think what shall we give this, this show makes you ask is there anything here worthy of anything? So while not everyone in Australia has got to continue the successes of Graham or Dumb Ways To Die with a black pencil, anyone who got Wood, Graphite or Yellow deserves a congratulatory email. A pat on the back. A nice comment on the blog. Or, heaven forbid, a pay rise from the boss. And for the hundreds or thousands of people whove been left with nothing to show for another year of effort? How about we just try to stop producing this endless stream of shit? | BY Ricki Green | Leo Burnett Melbourne has announced a new line-up in its creative department with the appointment of four new creative directors deepening the agencys core offering as a creative solutions company. Chris Jovanov, Jess Lilley, Jim Walsh and Daniel Pizzato join with a deep and diverse range of digital, creative and design experience. As digital creative director, Jovanov will continue to evolve Leo Burnett Melbournes substantial digital offering following the success of major projects like Reword that anchor technology in human behaviour. His background includes leadership roles at R/GA New York, AKQA Melbourne and Clemenger BBDO. Says Jovanov: Its great to be joining a genuinely nice, open and talented crew that understand how creativity and tech can positively engage with, and influence, our culture and behaviour. Creative duo Jess Lilley and Jim Walsh will head up a range of brands, with a focus on driving Leo Burnett Melbournes world class creative product. Most recently creative directors at J. Walter Thompson Melbourne, the move represents a coming home of sorts for Walsh, who enjoyed three years at Leo Burnett Sydney before heading to Colenso BBDO in 2013 and settling in Melbourne three years later. Lilley spent eight years in London working for independent agencies, including Naked, Profero and This is BD, before returning to Melbourne in 2013. She has since worked at Clemenger BBDO and JWT. Says Walsh and Lilley: Were happy to be joining an agency with such strong leadership and a genuine drive and enthusiasm to create brilliant work. Adds Lilley: Im personally impressed that the creative department is 50% very talented women still a rarity in agency world and a reflection on Leos commitment to equality and diversity. Pizzato has been promoted within Leo Burnett Melbourne. He is teamed with existing creative director, Michelle Walsh, to leverage his design, fashion and conceptual creative experience across major clients. Before Leos, Pizzato spent five years at TBWA where he was one of the creatives behind ANZs GAYTM campaign. Previously, Pizzato worked in luxury fashion in Europe with iconic brands such as Gucci, Alexander McQueen and London Fashion Week. Pizzatos focus at Leo Burnett is to help build the global LBD (Leo Burnett Design) offering. Says Pizzato: Design thinking and innovation need to drive everything we do. So its exciting to be working with such a great team to expand our design footprint even further. Says Jason Williams, CCO, Leo Burnett Australia: Were excited about these four appointments. Weve been building our offering as a creative solutions company in both Melbourne and Sydney for some time, and each of these four will bring fresh energy and firepower. | BY Kim Shaw | As part of a daily series Campaign Brief shines the spotlight on the top female executive creative directors and creative directors in Australia Nicole Hetherington is creative director at WiTH Collective, Sydney and Auckland. During her stint at Havas Sydney her Save Our Sons campaign ~ co-created with long-term creative partner Simon Fowler ~ picked up top honors around the globe, including Australias first ever D&AD Black Pencil for innovation. It featured a petition-signing robot ~ The Most Powerful Arm Ever Invented ~ created with Finch that hand wrote over 32,000 signatures on behalf of Jacob Lancaster, a Sydney boy with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Nicole started her career as a junior art director at Y&R Auckland and, off the back of winning the NZ Young Lions competition, moved to Ogilvy Sydney in 2010. In June 2012 she was hired by Havas Sydney and In March 2015 Nicole joined BMF Sydney. In October 2015 she made the move to WiTH Collective and in June 2017 was tasked with the co-CD role on WiTH Collectives newly won ASB business in New Zealand. In August 2017 she was promoted to creative director of WiTH Collective. Awards: 2014 D&AD Black Pencil Winner 2014 D&AD Yellow Pencil Winner 2014 One Show Bronze Pencil 2014 Young Guns Bronze 2014 Facebook Studio Awards Silver 2013 Cannes Lion Silver 2013 Cannes Lion Bronze 2013 Spikes Award Silver 2013 Ad News Charity Campaign of the Year 2013 PRIA Campaign of the Year 2010 Young Lion Winner Digital NZ news, latest-news What to do in Canberra this weekend. 1. DUTCH FESTIVAL Celebrate all things Dutch at the Dutch Food and Culture Festival on Sunday at Albert Hall. Taste your way through Dutch pancakes, Heineken and other Dutch treats, shop at the flea market or have a go at the escape room. There will also be games, a bike ride, giant kites and stalls. It's on from 10am 4pm and entry is free. For the full program see oranjefeestcanberra.org. 2. GROOVIN THE MOO Flight Facilities, Paul Kelly, Royal Blood, Vera Blue, and Duke Dumont are part of a huge lineup visiting Canberra on Sunday for music festival Groovin The Moo at the University of Canberra. Tickets are sold out, but if you managed to snag one, gates open from 10.30am, with the first bands on from 11am. For the lineup and information on how to get there, see gtm.net.au/canberra. 3. STYLE Q&A; Meet Jesinta Franklin at the Canberra Centre on Saturday, where she will share her tips on fashion and beauty. From 11.30am there will be canapes and drinks, plus a pamper and styling session, before Jesinta takes centre stage. Tickets are $50 which includes a $20 Canberra Centre gift card and a gift bag, from Eventbrite. 4. BLANC DE BLANC Expect vintage glamour, high-end spectacle and titillating acts when Blanc de Blanc, the headline show in the Spiegeltent Canberra outside of Canberra Theatre opens on Thursday night. Shows are on until May 20, and leave the kids at home for this one. Tickets at canberratheatrecentre.com.au/show/blanc-de-blanc/. 5. CANBERRA INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL The 2018 Canberra International Music Festival starts on Friday with 10 days of events, concerts and forums featuring classical music, folk, jazz and world. See the full program and buy tickets at cimf.org.au. /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/e4204174-5ae6-48a5-b7b2-77ea666a8b69/r0_184_2000_1314_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg news, crime ACT Labor politician Tara Cheyne has moved to distance herself from a Canberra cafe owner charged in connection with a drug trafficking ring, saying she was "shocked and disappointed" to learn of the allegations. O'Connor man Brendan Leigh Baker, 26, was one of five men arrested in police raids across Canberra last weekend. Mr Baker had claimed on social media ACT Labor politician Tara Cheyne was a good friend and mentor. "My dearest friends and family! As majority of you know I grew up in the district of Belconnen and hold it close to my heart!" Mr Baker wrote when he shared Ms Cheyne's campaign Facebook page on December 3, 2015. "It is with the greatest pleasure I'd like to say my good friend Tara Cheyne is stepping up to create a better Belconnen. If your [sic] supporter of community growth I prompt you to jump across and support her page so WE can give her the opportunity to make our city a better place!" Nine months later, Mr Baker posted a photo of himself with Ms Cheyne at one of her community stalls. "Had the greatest honour to help out my good friend Tara Cheyne with her campaign for the upcoming election!" Mr Baker wrote on August 17, 2016. "Early 2015 Tara sat down with me and discussed where I wanted to be in life. She helped me set goals for the years to come but better than that mentored me to achieve them!" However Ms Cheyne said her contact with Mr Baker had mainly been through social media. "I was shocked and disappointed when I read the news Mr Baker is facing serious criminal charges. I never had any idea that Mr Baker was involved in any alleged criminal activity," she said. "I have known Mr Baker for a number of years primarily and almost entirely through social media. Off the back of his knowledge of my blog, he first made contact in late 2015 to ask for recommendations on dog friendly cafes and good areas to walk his dogs. "During the 2016 election, Mr Baker occasionally published Facebook posts on his page promoting me as a candidate. He volunteered once on one of my street stalls at Jamison Plaza. We have had minimal direct contact in person or on social media since then." Ms Cheyne said Mr Baker did not provide her campaign with any money, or approach her to discuss government policy. She said she had not spoken with Mr Baker about the allegations, and first heard of them through the media. Mr Baker's social media shows a life most people his age could only dream of - a flashy Mercedes, spontaneous overseas holidays, and plans to build a six bedroom home on a large block of land in Taylor. However, police allege the Kingston Foreshore cafe owner funded his lifestyle by dealing drugs, and on Monday he was charged with importing a commercial quantity of drugs, as well as money laundering and drug trafficking. He was refused bail. Police seized an estimated $1.5 million worth of drugs and cash in 15 raids last weekend across Canberra. The haul included six vehicles, a gun and ammunition, a house, bank accounts and jewellery. /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/c2b7ddad-5cd5-4fbb-99b4-76bb5bbca388/r0_231_750_655_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg news, latest-news I love dancing: in my lounge room to Justin Bieber, to Wham! on the dance floor of 1980s-themed nightclub 88mph and in the car to Missy Elliott. I'm not very good, but I love it. And that's the point of Australian Dance Week, to get 40-year-old mums like me - and every other Australian, really - exploring and watching dance, getting out and about shaking their booties, and understanding the importance of movement. Australian Dance Week 2018 kicks off locally this Sunday with Big Dance, a giant performance on the forecourt of the National Portrait Gallery, starring - wait for it - anyone who wants to be in it. Canberrans can go online to learn the choreography, which is beautiful (and very simple) and has been put together by Bangarra Dance Theatre's Frances Rings, in conjunction with NZ choreographer Craig Bary. Big Dance has been designed for all ages, all abilities and all experiences. The Dance Week program for Canberra is packed but here are my top three picks: For more information and the full Dance Week program head to the Ausdance ACT Facebook page. To learn the Big Dance choreography for the event on Sunday, April 29, head to www.bigdance.org.au /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/4eded470-695f-4c9d-838c-5831c97a24ea/r0_286_5338_3302_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg news, latest-news Clinical staff at Centenary Hospital for Women and Children say mothers and babies' lives are being put at risk by chronic overcrowding within the maternity unit. It is understood senior nurses and midwives at the hospital - who remained anonymous - penned a letter and forwarded it to local politicians including the Minister for Health Meegan Fitzharris. As a result of the letter open meetings were held with ACT Health executives with staff invited to air their concerns. Some staff within the hospital - which is located at Canberra Hosptial campus - said there were still ongoing tensions with the letter causing uproar among staff and management. Ms Fitzharris told Canberra Times the contents of the anonymous letter were concerning. She said she immediately took action and asked ACT Health to follow up on the issues and claims it raised. The letter, which was delivered last week, claimed all areas of the maternity unit were consistently over capacity. It said there were daily over-bookings of labour inductions and not enough rooms in the postnatal ward to accommodate women after birth so women were forced to wait long periods in the waiting area. "Due to the lack of available beds, women and babies are discharged home inappropriately early with feeding, pain or health concerns," the letter said. "Babies are often re-admitted to [the hospital] due to excessive weight-loss as a direct result of being sent home early due to hospital capacity. "Staff are unable to provide adequate breastfeeding support in the brief period they are in the hospital and Midcall, the hospital postnatal home visiting service has been substantially reduced. "Staff are committed to providing quality care but are unable to, and patients are regularly neglected." Further allegations included that women were sometimes forced to wait in pain or miss out entirely on epidurals due to the high workload of the anaesthetists. They also alleged the hospital moved dirty and broken chairs as well as faulty equipment during the recent accreditation process as a matter of urgency, only to place them back after accreditation. The letter said over rostering was also implemented to give the illusion of appropriate staffing levels during the process. "Staff at [Centenary Hospital] need appropriate resources and support to provide adequate and safe care to women, babies and families across the board," the letter said. "All areas are severely lacking and bullying is ever present. The issues raised impact on the care of patients on a daily basis. "It is demoralising for staff who care so much about the job they do, and there are many of us. "It is frustrating and upsetting to feel so helpless in such a poorly managed and impossibly busy work environment, unable to provide the care we know we should and feeling consistently exhausted physically and emotionally. The negative effects on patients and staff are seen daily. "It is only a matter of time before there is an adverse outcome for a mother, baby or staff member. "Some may say this has already been the case." ACT Nurses and Midwifery Federation secretary Matthew Daniel said while he knew of the letter, he was not aware of all its contents. But he said he was aware of ongoing issues around workload for midwives at the hospital. "I do believe there's a genuine commitment to want to fix it," he said. Ms Fitzharris acknowledged there had been further strain placed on maternity staff - due to increased demand - at Canberra Hospital since Centenary opened in 2012. "To address this strain, the management team is committed to working through any issues staff may raise in a respectful and supportive way," she said. "ACT Health takes all allegations of bullying seriously and actively works to manage and prevent inappropriate behaviours in the workplace and has zero tolerance for such behaviour. "The ACT Health restructure will further provide an opportunity to really focus on service delivery, and staff feedback will be vital to this process over coming months." She said the hospital provided safe and high quality care for women and children and the feedback from patients was overwhelmingly positive. But Ms Fitzharris said she wanted to encourage more women to choose Calvary Hospital to have their babies to ease pressure on the hospital. She highlighted Calvary's newly refurbished maternity ward, increasing bed capacity from 15 to 18, which is expected to be finished in July. "I also want to be clear that women and babies are not sent home until they are well. Women receive post discharge support by domiciliary midwifery services and Maternal and Child Health Services," Ms Fitzharris said. Do you know more? Email daniella.white@fairfaxmedia.com.au. /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/1a5e34a0-3de3-4ad3-96cb-fa70c8d50415/r0_101_2000_1231_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg news, latest-news Almost every suburb in Tuggeranong recorded a decrease in the number of people who called the area home in 2016-17, as well as some suburbs in Belconnen and Red Hill in Canberra's south, but the drop is no need to panic. While Canberra overall is experiencing a boom in population, the 1.7 per cent growth experienced across the city is not felt evenly in all areas. Suburbs on the city's northern fringes have experienced astronomical growth, but others have experienced a drop in their populations. In Belconnen the suburbs of Charnwood, Fraser, Florey, Flynn and Cook recorded drops in population between 1.4 and 2 per cent. The population of Red Hill in Canberra's inner south dropped by 1.6 per cent. Most of the suburbs to experience decreases in population were in Tuggeranong, with Oxley, Conder, Bonython, Calwell, Macarthur, Monash and Fadden among the top 20 suburbs to finish 2016-17 with fewer residents than they started the year. Wanniassa, Chisholm, Gilmore, Theodore, Banks and Gordon experienced decreases of less than one per cent. While all suburbs in Canberra experienced an increase in residents who had migrated from overseas, most of the drop in residents was explained by internal migration - people moving out of the suburbs to other parts of Australia, which could include other suburbs of Canberra. In some suburbs, what is called a natural decrease, where more people die than are born, contributed to the decrease in population. Demographer at Australian National University Dr Liz Allen said the figures were overall positive for Canberra, and negative population growth in some areas was explained by development in other areas, and that the statistics were no cause for alarm. "Tuggeranong used to be at one point Canberra's Gungahlin, and so it was so called the 'nappy valley' because it was a new development," she said. "With new developments typically come young families or people setting up a home with the intent to start a family, because it's considered potentially cheaper housing and being able to build one's own home is desirable in some cases. So it's not surprising that with the way that government departments have moved, and ACT government departments have moved and shifted north, it's not surprising that living in Tuggeranong is not the best match for people travelling to employment." Dr Allen said one year of data didn't create enough of a picture to understand if changes were worrying in Canberra, but it was an opportunity to have a better conversation around where investments were made in the capital. "Canberra could be doing more to be attracting internal migration and international migration to the capital," Dr Allen said. "Google for example is looking for perhaps a place to go. Canberra might be able to entice particularly the global enterprises to come to Canberra, establish themselves, and if we build it they will come. The opportunities must be here for people to view Canberra as an option and the same goes for Tuggeranong. For people to view Tuggeranong as an option there must be opportunity there, whether those opportunities be in housing, in transportation, in education and the like." /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/d838c251-861b-466d-a8af-8cf51646e66e/r0_142_698_536_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg VIP Realty Group announced its top agents and sales teams for the month of March. Mary Lou Bailey had the top sales. Bailey, who attended Marquette University, has been the VIP All Company Number One Agent in Lee and Collier counties in 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2016. She has also served in several leadership positions with the Sanibel-Captiva Association of Realtors. Deb Smith had the top listings. A Florida Realtor since 1992, Smith has a background in accounting and holds the Second Home and Resort Specialist, the Sanibel/Captiva Island Specialist, the Accredited Buyers Representative and the Senior Real Estate Specialist designations. Dan Cohn was the top producer. Cohn has been a Certified Residential Specialist since 1990 and is a member of the Sanibel & Captiva Islands Board of Realtors, Florida Association of Realtors and Residential Sales Council. He has been top salesperson four times and top listing agent eight times. For more information, call 239-472-5187 or go to SanCapIslandRE.com. VIP Realty Group is at 1560 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel. Photo: Contributed Illegal entry into Canada was again a major point of debate in the House of Commons, this week. As you may recall, last year Prime Minister Justin Trudeau famously tweeted: To those fleeing persecution, terror & war Canadians will welcome you, regardless of your faith. Diversity is our strength #WelcomeToCanada More recently in Ottawa, an access to information request by a National Post journalist revealed this tweet from the Prime Minister resulted in a spike in inquiries from would-be refugees to Canadian embassies abroad, and resulted in confusion within the federal government As one communication from an immigration officer revealed: We are receiving an increasing number of enquiries from the public about requesting refugee status in Canada, and a number clearly having links with our Prime Ministers tweet this weekend." Last year, the RCMP intercepted over 20,000 illegal entries into Canada. In Ottawa, the Liberals refer to these incidents as irregular entries." In addition, we have learned that 80 Immigration officials were transferred from other files to deal with this influx of illegal entries requesting refugee status. As a result, I am seeing a trend where those who are attempting to legally come to Canada are having applications unfairly delayed or are being arbitrarily denied with little justification as to why. From my perspective as an MP, it is deeply troubling when illegal immigrants move to the front of the line, over those who are following all the rules to come to Canada legally. Yesterday, the Official Opposition tabled a motion that proposed several measures but can be best summarized as requesting the Liberals to table: a plan to (i) stop the influx of people illegally entering Canada from the United States, (ii) take appropriate measures to handle those who have already claimed asylum The motion also mentions the increased costs to provincial governments, who are providing social services and that this trend of illegal immigration is expected to increase given continued inaction from the Prime Minister. This year, there have been more than 6,300 illegal entries into Canada. The Prime Minister blames this recent problem on the former Conservative government, suggesting not enough funding was provided to the Canadian Border Services Agency. That's an interesting claim given that the illegal entries are intentionally not made at the border in order to avoid the Canada-U.S. Safe Third Country Agreement. The Safe Third Country Agreement states that refugee claimants are required to request refugee protection in the first safe country they arrive in. If the U.S. was their first point of entry, their refugee claim is in the U.S. However, a loophole to this agreement is entering Canada illegally through other points of entry that are not at an official border crossing. Ultimately, the Liberals and the NDP voted down the Conservative opposition motion. However, during Tuesday's Question Period, the Prime Minister was asked if he thinks it is wrong to illegally enter the country. If so, can he unequivocally state so, here today? For the record the Prime Minister refused to answer the question. This leads to my question today: With more than 20,000 illegal entries into Canada last year and so far over 6,300 illegal entries this year, do you believe that Prime Minister Trudeau is doing enough to come up with a solution for this problem? I can be reached at [email protected] or call toll free 1-800-665-8711. Photo: File photo A Kelowna judge found an RCMP officer breached an alleged drug dealer's Charter rights when he looked through his cellphone's text message history during his arrest two summers ago. The judgment came down Wednesday as part of a series of rulings on several alleged Charter breaches that Behrang Khosravi faced when he was arrested on July 27, 2016. Khosravi is facing three counts of possession of cocaine, methamphetamine and a mixture of heroin, fentanyl and methamphetamine, for the purpose of trafficking. While Justice Allan Betton decided the officer breached Khosravi's rights when he searched through his text message history, Betton ruled that the text message visible on the screen when the phone was picked up could be used as evidence. Betton said legislation around the search of cellphones is "part of an evolving body of law that recognizes the massive amount of highly personal information that can be stored by users on these types of devices." Khosravi's defence counsel, Jordan Watt, contended police did not have adequate grounds for Khosravi's arrest, a subsequent strip search wasn't justified, and that police did not have the right to enter Khosravi's hotel room before they had obtained a warrant. Betton sided with the Crown on those Charter challenges, ruling that several days of RCMP surveillance led to sufficient grounds for his arrest, and it was reasonable to think he may have been concealing drugs. Betton also sided with the Crown that police entered the hotel room at the Fairfield Inn and Suites prior to obtaining a warrant to ensure no evidence inside was being destroyed. Police didn't begin a thorough search of the room or seizure of any evidence until the warrant was granted. The case is expected to continue through this week. Khosravi is currently facing an additional charge of possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking in Vancouver in January 2016. He is scheduled to face trial on that charge in October. Additionally, Khosravi has been charged with assault causing bodily harm charge in Port Coquitlam, stemming from an incident last December. Photo: Correctional Service Canada Police are searching for a convicted killer who has escaped a minimum security prison in the Fraser Valley. Correctional Service Canada says staff discovered Ralph Morris was missing during a count Wednesday morning. The 83-year-old is serving a life sentence at Mission Institution for second-degree murder and escape from lawful custody. The correctional service says RCMP were contacted as soon as Morris's escape was discovered and a warrant has been issued for his arrest. Morris is described as 5-foot-7-inches tall, weighing 150 pounds and having a fair complexion, green eyes and grey hair. The correctional service says it will investigate "the circumstances of this incident." Photo: Contributed A tractor-trailer caught on fire on the Trans-Canada Highway near Chase on April 20. At about 11:20 a.m. Chase RCMP responded to a call of a tractor-trailer on fire about two miles east of Chase. The fire sparked in one of the trailers, according to police. The driver managed to unhook the tractor saving it from damage. Fire crews were not called to the scene because the incident occurred outside the fire protection area and it was left to extinguish on its own. One of the two westbound lanes was closed for the majority of the day to allow workers to safely access the vehicle. Photo: Twitter Seaspan's Victoria Shipyards is welcoming the extended stay of a guest from down under on Thursday when the New Zealand navy frigate Te Kaha is officially transferred for system upgrades. A news release announcing the handover says this is the first time a foreign warship has been modernized in Canada since the Second World War. And while that is good news for Canada's marine industry, it doesn't mean it will all be smooth sailing for the shipbuilding sector, says Prof. Jeffrey Collins, a research fellow at the Centre for the Study of Security and Development at Dalhousie University in Halifax. "It's a significant win for them, but Canadian shipyards historically have not done naval exports," he said in an interview Wednesday. "Usually, because the Canadian shipbuilding industry has gone through so many boom-and-bust cycles, the cost of building ships here has historically been high, and we never really maintain the type of expertise to attract companies or countries to send their ships here." The joint project between Lockheed Martin Canada and Seaspan will enhance surveillance, combat and self-defence systems on the New Zealand navys ANZAC-class frigates. It also includes a second ship, the Te Mana, expected at the Victoria shipyard in 2019 and finished a year later. Collins said the Canadian government's modernization of its 12 Halifax-class vessels between July 2007 and January 2018 was likely a strong contributor to New Zealand's decision to use a Canadian shipyard. The Halifax- and ANZAC-class ships entered service at roughly the same time in the 1990s and require similar upgrades, he said. The Canadian Navy project cost $4.3 billion and Collins said the work done on ships similar to the Te Kaha earned some international recognition. "Not only that, I think the project has been seen as one of those rare success stories in Canadian procurement. It was largely on time and largely on budget, and it was a very complex project," said Collins. Lockheed Martin Canada is responsible for supplying the weapon systems for the ships from New Zealand, while Seaspan is subcontracted to install the system upgrades onto the vessel platforms. The defence contractor was also responsible for the upgrades made to the Canadian warships. Photo: The Canadian Press Husky Energy Inc. reported a first-quarter profit of $248 million, up from $71 million a year ago, as it lowered its annual production guidance. The energy company says the profit amounted to 24 cents per share for the three months ended March 31, up from six cents per share a year ago. On an adjusted basis, Husky says it earned $245 million or 24 cents per share in the quarter, up from an adjusted profit of $73 million or seven cents per share in the same quarter last year. In its outlook, Husky says due to wide Canadian heavy oil differentials it will temporarily reduce heavy oil production and substitute discounted third-party crude as feedstock for its downstream operations. It also noted that its BD Project in Indonesia is ramping up more slowly than expected. As a result, the company is lowering its annual production guidance for 2018 by 10,000 barrel of oil equivalents per day and is now expected to average in the range of 310,000 to 320,000 boepd, exiting the year in the 330,000 to 340,000 boepd range. Husky says funds from operations for the year are still expected to be $4 billion. Photo: Correctional Service Canada An elderly convicted killer is back in custody after walking away from a minimum security prison in Mission. Correctional Service Canada says 83-year-old Ralph Morris was arrested late Wednesday afternoon. The arrest came about 12 hours after Morris was discovered missing during a head count at the Mission Institution. A news release from the correctional service says an investigation into the escape is underway. Morris has a long criminal record and is currently serving a life sentence for the second-degree murder of his wife in 1982. He escaped from a minimum security prison in the Fraser Valley in 2008 but surrendered to officials about two days later. Photo: CTV A massive fire destroyed a printing shop in East Vancouver overnight. The blaze erupted late Wednesday, and fire crews were on scene into Thursday morning as the fire flared up multiple times at Metropolitan Fine Printers on the 1400 block of East Pender Street. The front of the industrial building collapsed in the fire, CTV reports. Photo: The Canadian Press Coils of steel are seen at the Direct Strip Production Complex at Essar Steel Algoma in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., on Wednesday, March 14, 2018. The federal government is announcing $30 million in new money to crack down on companies that try to ship cheap foreign steel and aluminum through the Canadian market. The government announced last month it was taking the extra steps to investigate trade-related complaints involving steel and aluminum. The new, five-year spending commitment kicks in immediately and will be followed by annual increases of $6.8 million for the Canada Border Services Agency and Global Affairs Canada. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's office says the new measures will allow the hiring of 40 new officers to investigate complaints and ensure the collection of more accurate data on import trends. The regulatory changes come as differences over steel emerged once again this week as an irritant in the North American Free Trade Agreement renegotiation taking place in Washington. Differences of opinion have emerged on how to limit the trans-shipment of over-produced Chinese steel through Canada, into the U.S. Trudeau says the new money will help level the playing field for industries and workers and protect them from unfair trade practices. "Part of that includes making sure Canadian trade enforcement agencies have the resources they need to defend the competitiveness of our businesses and our important North American trading relationships," Trudeau said in a statement. "We will stand up for our workers and industries and do what is needed to preserve the fair and open trading environment they depend on." Photo: Contributed A Liberal-dominated House of Commons committee is calling on the Trudeau government to make Internet giants like Netflix collect and remit sales taxes on their services. The international trade committee's report on e-commerce issues, released today, recommends the government apply sales taxes "on tangible and intangible products" sold through online platforms, and tax the profits from those sales. Foreign-based streaming services without a physical presence in Canada don't have to collect or remit sales taxes, leaving it up to consumers to pay the sales tax to tax collectors something that, in reality, rarely happens. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been adamant that his government wouldn't increase taxes on online subscriptions, but his finance minister has suggested the Liberals want to ensure online firms pay their fair share of taxes. Conservatives on the committee say they want Trudeau to honour his pledge not to introduce a Netflix tax, writing in a dissenting report that such a tax would only create additional costs for consumers and hurt Canada's small businesses. New Democrats on the committee say the Liberals need to apply corporate income taxes on e-commerce profits earned in Canada by domestic and foreign sellers, provided the income exceeds a specific threshold. Photo: The Canadian Press New homes for sale are shown in Beckwith, Ont., on Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2018. For the seventh straight quarter, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation says the country is facing a high degree of vulnerability to market instability. The Crown corporation says Toronto, Hamilton, Vancouver and Victoria are of the most concern because of overvaluation and increasing home prices in the areas. Winnipeg, Ottawa, Quebec City, Moncton, Halifax and St. John's are faring much better, with the corporation giving their housing markets a low vulnerability ranking. Montreal also landed a low vulnerability ranking, but CMHC warned it might have to revise that assessment, given the rapid growth of house prices in some neighbourhoods. CMHC ranked Calgary, Edmonton, Saskatoon and Regina as having moderate vulnerability because of overbuilding in those markets. To make its quarterly assessment, CMHC says it analyzed the overheating of markets, the acceleration of home prices, overvaluations and overbuilding. By Pam Hersh In honor of Valentines Day, I declare my love for something that has sustained and inspired me during the darkest days of... Chino, CA (91710) Today Cloudy skies this evening. A few showers developing late. Thunder possible. Low around 65F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 30%.. Tonight Cloudy skies this evening. A few showers developing late. Thunder possible. Low around 65F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 30%. The canal plan and pier construction are expected to be complete by the end of the year, the city said in a news release last month. Funding comes from open space impact fees, which are generated by new residential development projects, the city said. She inherits stations with rich histories and loyal followings, but also some detractors. WTTW is a pioneering public TV station that predates PBS and continues to produce acclaimed programming that airs locally and nationally. At the same time, there are vocal critics who believe WTTW does not reflect the broader interests of Chicagoans. "My passion is seafood, but I didn't want to paint ourselves into a corner with just that," Welch said. "We wanted to do really nice things with pasta and things like that. For me, a little bit of it was springboarding off of what I did at Honey's. I wanted to pick up where I left off, with that same style." 2) Back for its second year, the day-long Sugar and Spice Summit connects women college students and young professionals interested food industry careers with influential women culinary professionals. The summit includes panels like "So You Want to Be Your Own Boss" and "The Politics of the Kitchen," plus breakout sessions, career workshops, and tastings. This year's keynote speaker is Kerry Diamond, co-founder of Cherry Bombe magazine and host of Radio Cherry Bombe. $20 to $35, starting 10 a.m. Saturday, at Savage Smyth, 920 N. Franklin, sugarandspicesummit.splashthat.com "It was kind of scary," said Nickson. "That was a big move for us, and there was nothing in the neighborhood back then. But we used to be able to close off the streets for block parties twice in the summer with just a phone call." He started with a distinct approach. While whiskeys are often produced by combining water and several different crushed grains before being distilled and aged, Hall produces his whiskey the same way a winemaker blends different varieties. He distills and ages each of the grains that make up his whiskey corn, rye and malted barley in separate barrels and then after six years or so (and often up to 10 years), he blends them. "That allows me to have the control to bring out the best characteristics of each grain," he says. Social media figures from journalist Wesley Lowery to Kim Kardashian West, wife of Kanye West, came into the fray with everything from interpretations to a defense. Kardashian's tweet said, " So quick to label him as having mental health issues for just being himself when he has always been expressive is not fair." "Many times I get this question, how do you pick artists?" she said. "To be honest with you, it's all about a gut feeling. It's a very organic thing. I look, I read, I visit, I talk. I try to be open to see as much art, as many artists, as I possibly can. I got very curious about Richard's work very early. I followed him. And then I decided that now it's time for me to ask if I can come and visit him in the studio." In 2016, Pietragallo and Whisman launched their maiden (and still ongoing) podcast, "Crime in Sports," which documents the misdoings of athletes, both famous (doomed pitcher Steve Howe) and infamous (misbegotten major league prospect Greg "Toe" Nash). "We took an ESPN '30 For 30,' sprinkled in a little 'America's Most Wanted,' maybe put some 'Dateline' on the edge of it, and molded that together to make a show," Whisman says. True-crime podcasts have been popular for as long as the format has existed; "Crime in Sports," like countless others, emerged in the wake of the success of "Serial." Both men had long been addicted to true crime. Pietragallo's mother "used to read me horrible true-crime books when I was a kid," he remembers, and Whisman never missed an episode of "Dateline." "Anything that has an eerie undertone to it, I was always a fan of," Whisman says. "We both like true crime, and we both like to make jokes about it." It's simply marvelous, and at times, laugh-out-loud funny, but for those of us who've been following Ekman, or at least the works of his which have been shown in Chicago, the last half hour of "Midsummer Night's Dream" feels like more of the same. Elements from Ekman's two original works for the Joffrey, "Episode 31" and "Joy," which premiered just last season, reappear here: there's a section of nearly-naked, hair down, coquettish pointe shoe dancing from the company's women, and Hansol Jeong standing at the front of a smooshed pack of still naked dancers, who gaze, mystified, at the audience and each other. We saw that in "Joy." At the height of his dream, Suluashvili walks the perimeter of the stage, slowly and methodically. One of the headless men carries a sign reading "THEATER DREAM" as he and Jaiani mock a classical pas de deux. We saw these things in "Episode 31," and "Tulle," which the Joffrey inherited in 2015. "A lot of my personal frustration, on a day-to-day basis, is with payers, because at the end of the day, they're standing in the way of patients getting treated," he said. "We also spend a lot of time sort of advising, or at least giving unsolicited advice to, pharmaceutical companies - that we need to keep costs in mind. Because it makes it really difficult for patients to use these medicines when they're so costly and the payers won't approve them." I can think of no other reason that Trump would go to such lengths to let Canadians know that America stands with them in the aftermath of the deadly van attack in Toronto that left at least 10 people dead, while saying nothing to console the families of the young adults killed last weekend on American soil. Chicago saw its highest level of carjackings in at least a decade in 2017. Through the third week of April, the number of carjackings for 2018 has been close to matching those for last year, according to city data. Ferguson's office said its interviews and review of Police Department records found no department directive advising officers how to determine if citizens posed a threat to themselves or the public. The report also determined that officers were never given any training on how to submit the necessary form called a "Person Determined to Pose a Clear and Present Danger" form to alert the state police. "I am completely disappointed that we are seeing more hit and runs now than ever," said Streetman, 41. "You would think that with two generations of us growing up in a 'Don't drink and drive' and 'Don't use cellphones while driving' kind of world, that we would be seeing accidents going down." She is black with brown eyes, brown hair and a medium complexion and wears glasses, police said. She is 5 feet 2 inches and weighs about 180 pounds. The officers, a man in his 40s and a woman in her 20s, both suffered concussions in the crash, the Fire Department spokesman said. The female officer also suffered a broken arm. They were listed in fair condition. Standing beside Trump as he signed the bill at the White House was Yvonne Ambrose, a Chicago woman whose 16-year-old daughter, Desiree Robinson, was found slain in a Markham garage in December 2016 after being sold for sex online. Prosecutors allege Robinson was killed by a Backpage customer after refusing his demand for free sex. An autopsy determined she was beaten and strangled and that her throat had been slit. J.B. said she was in a West Loop restaurant with a friend in July 2009 when she saw Winner. He invited the women to his apartment to use the restroom, and J.B. admitted she accepted "a small amount" of cocaine from him. When her friend left, J.B. said Winner dead-bolted the door and took her cellphone. He then grabbed her and took her back to his nearby apartment. Winner said Thursday that he had drinks with the woman and her friend, then went to his apartment near the tanning salon with them because the woman "wanted to do cocaine." The Senate voted 38-10 Thursday on Sen. Kwame Raoul's plan. It would outlaw the manufacture or possession of bump stocks or trigger cranks which turn rifles into assault-style weapons. It's the device the gunman used in the Las Vegas mass shooting last October. "It's the speaker's leftist, progressive, Chicago, Democratic machine agenda that (Rauner) has advanced. The governor ran and he lied to every Illinoisan," citing Rauner's support for expanded abortion, immigration and transgender rights after saying in 2014 that he had no social agenda. "If there is a pawn in this process, it's Rauner because no one has done more to advance the Madigan agenda than Rauner." "When he's looking at a general election, maybe it's not in his best interest (to veto the bill)," said Rep. Kathleen Willis, a Democrat from Addison who is carrying the bill in the House. "So maybe we do run another bill that takes in a little more compromise on some stuff and gather a few more members. It may not be a veto-proof majority, but maybe enough that it makes the governor say, 'In this climate, I don't want to veto it.'" The mayor also acknowledged the cards won't be a success unless lots of people get them and use them. The first 100,000 will be given out free. After that, cards will be $10 for adults, $5 for minors and free for residents 65 and older. Cardholders will be able to access many city services and can use the card to get married and file a police report, and to bank at a couple of financial institutions, according to City Clerk Anna Valencia's office. Evans had to cut costs after last year's repeal of the controversial pop tax, which took more than $200 million out of Preckwinkle's proposed budget. The County Board approved a final plan that called for Evans to lay off more than 155 workers nearly half of the 321 employees targeted for dismissal in the budget. But he went to court to block the layoffs. The county story on taxes could change in the 2020 budget year, given that five of 17 board seats are expected to change hands after the November general election. The two most outspoken Democratic opponents of the pop tax lost their primary races. Two other board members didn't run, and a fifth won the Democratic nomination for a congressional seat. (Hal Dardick) Educators in both states want more classroom resources and have received offers either for increased school funding or pay, but they say the money isn't guaranteed and the efforts don't go far enough. The walkouts are the climax of an uprising that spread from West Virginia, Oklahoma and Kentucky. Conroy is just the second Catholic priest to serve as House chaplain, after the Rev. Daniel Coughlin, who was chosen for the post in 2000 after a months-long protest by Catholic lawmakers. In late 1999, a bipartisan committee had recommended a different priest for the post, but the Republican leaders at the time chose a Presbyterian minister instead. After a protracted fight, Coughlin was chosen for the post, making history as the first Catholic chaplain. One possible explanation for the court's decision to allow same-day audio for the travel ban case is that it was asked to do by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee's subcommittee on the Constitution, and his Democratic counterpart, Sen. Mazie Hirono of Hawaii. In a letter to Chief Justice John Roberts in March, the senators cited "heightened national interest" in the case as a reason for same-day audio. But since when does the court do Congress' bidding? As part of their role, senators may ask hard questions in order to get the nominee on the record about his or her positions that may not yet be public. That way, they can hold the nominee accountable once he or she has been confirmed. Illinois has a strong state law on the collection of biometric data like our fingerprints and facial scans, which requires a consumer's informed consent before such information is collected. Laws like this represent a good foundation, but we need to do more, including at the federal level. When I questioned Zuckerberg at the hearing he said he thought everyone should have control over how her or his information is used. I agree, and I intend to introduce legislation to require companies that collect personal data on millions of Americans to proactively inform each of them at least once a year exactly how they can see all the information the company has collected on them and how that information is used. We should make it easy for Americans to regularly inspect what those companies collect, so consumers can make an informed decision as to whether to maintain or withdraw their consent for this data collection. In addition, the physical harm the DNC suffered damage to its servers took place within the U.S. According to the complaint, repair and remediation costs were over $1 million. Of all the harms the DNC pleads in its lawsuit, this is the one that most plausibly and directly links the Russian Federation to an act that occurred on domestic soil. If the infiltration of the servers rather than the alleged conspiracy were the predicate for the entire lawsuit, we would now be exploring a vital new area of law that could greatly influence the future. Instead, the DNC preferred a publicity stunt. The public can be forgiven for possessing a confused, at times contradictory notion of the Office of the First Lady. First ladies are unelected, unappointed, unpaid and unmentioned in the Constitution. They participate in cookie baking contests and respond to press inquiries on their fashion choices. After Trump's apparent plagiarism of a Michelle Obama speech, one columnist urged the public to "leave Melania alone," noting that she is "not a campaign adviser" and that "her speech would have been fluff even if it had been 100 percent original" a defense that manages to also feel like an insult. Beyond that, this issue shouldn't be part of a free trade negotiation. If anything, it's a domestic public health debate in the U.S. or any other nation. NAFTA talks should be designed to assure that U.S. companies are treated the same as foreign suppliers, not to micromanage whether the Trix rabbit or the M&M's mascots cavort on food packaging. The truth is that many lawmakers do not, in fact, want fair maps. They want maps that protect incumbents. They want maps that allow the party that draws them to maintain and increase its advantage. If that means busting your town or your block, or your condo building into pieces to dilute the opposing party's vote, too bad. If it means your district is a miles-long, inch-wide squiggle, too bad. Sen. Andy Manar, D-Bunker Hill, says he introduced the $40,000 minimum salary bill in the Senate to force a conversation on the teacher shortage, on disparities in teacher pay and on alternatives to attract young people to the profession. "The licensure process is overly burdensome and there are dozens of examples of that," he says. "That's one bucket. But there's also disparity in pay. I represent teachers who live under the federal poverty level." We're flabbergasted. Sure, we know that Chicago has a history as a Bermuda Triangle for mail letters and packages have been known to disappear without a trace. But the scale and boldness of this alleged operation who'd ever think this scheme could work? is breathtaking. Identity thieves and hackers steal credit card numbers and other personal information by the gazillions. Porch pirates often cruise neighborhoods to swipe packages delivered by UPS or other services. But stealing mail going to UPS? The Tribune reported on April 22 that the Willow Creek Elder Board has decided to conduct a new inquiry regarding the alleged inappropriate behavior of its now ex-pastor, Bill Hybels, as more and more women have stepped forward with charges against him. I felt a surge of hope that this messy #MeToo story involving one of the most influential churches in the United States was going to finally have closure. But then I read the promise the board made to the congregation regarding this new investigation: "We commit that making steps toward understanding and toward restoring relationship (sic) will be our primary goals." The elders are convinced that this whole mess is simply a disagreement among former friends and co-workers not a possible breach of power and spiritual authority to curry inappropriate sexual and emotional favor. It is usually not safe for a victim to have relationship restored with an abuser. Instead, the primary goal of this new inquiry must be to uncover the truth about what actually has happened. "Investors should be entirely skeptical of opportunities that present themselves on their own and require trading through markets with minimal listing requirements," says Mason. If you receive a communication that is unsolicited or is for a stock that doesn't meet the requirements for a U.S. stock exchange, investigate. Mason suggests turning to "FEMA FINRA, SEC, and other regulatory organizations, who provide simple guidelines for spotting scams and keeping your family secure in the wake of a devastating event." PHOTOS The 50 best photos in the month of September by Chicago Tribune photographers From the city to the suburbs and beyond, Chicago Tribune photojournalists visually document what is happening in our neighborhoods, tell the stories of those who live and work in our communities and show the impact that the arts, politics and sports have throughout northern Illinois. In this month's best photos of the month, you'll find great sports photography from the start of the Chicago Bears season at Solider Field, how the city commemorated the 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks and celebrations of Mexican Independence day along with many great moments that tell the story of the lives of people who live in the Chicagoland area. Pueblo man sentenced to life in prison for 2016 murder A Pueblo judge sentenced a man to life in prison for a 2016 killing. He was originally sentenced in 2018 for killing his ex-girlfriend's new partner By Mark Preen As the capital city of China, it is widely known that Beijing has a significant and central role in many aspects of modern day China. However, less is known about Tianjin and the Hebei province, which make up the region surrounding Beijing and are somewhat overshadowed by the capital. However, this is set to change, with the inclusion of Tianjin and Hebei province in a grand project that aims to create a world-class city cluster centered around Beijing. This project is known as the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Integration Plan, as well as Jing-Jin-Ji and the capital economy circle. Beijing is one of Chinas economic powerhouses, with a 2017 GDP of RMB 2.8 trillion (US$443.6 billion) and a population of over 21 million people. However, this pales in comparison to the wider Jing-Jin-Ji region. Currently, Jing-Jin-Jis combined GDP accounts for approximately 10 percent of Chinas total GDP and is made up over 100 million people eight percent of Chinas population and three times that of the Tokyo megalopolis. In addition to Beijing and Tianjin, there are 11 cities in Hebei province, with the whole region covering over 200,000 km2 more than twice the size of South Korea. This grand project has the full backing of the Chinese government and is one of several projects that will lead the way in Chinas next stage of economic development. Integration plans and opportunities The National and Development Reform Commission (NDRC) first proposed the Jing-Jin-Ji project over 10 years ago, and it later appeared in the 12th Five Year Plan (2011-2015). In recent years, however, integration plans have been accelerating. The Jing-Jin-Ji plan looks for different areas in the region to focus on their own comparative advantages so that duplication is avoided, areas complement each other, and synergies are maximized. Areas within the Jing-Jin-Ji region already have their own strengths in specific areas. Beijing is known as a political, educational, cultural, and R&D center; Tianjin is known as northern Chinas logistics center, with one of the busiest ports in the world; and Hebei province is known for its heavy industries, including steel production. Economic rebalancing However, the project will not be successful if the various cities are static and solely focus on their current strengths. The project will require resources within the region to be rebalanced more optimally, including from industries where there is overcapacity, and areas will need to become more dynamic by building upon and adapting their current strengths. This is also important more widely for Chinas next stage of economic development moving up the value chain. Hebei province will be required to move away from heavy polluting industries by upgrading and modernizing its industrial base, while Tianjin attempts to become an R&D center for manufacturing and a pilot area for financial innovation and reform. The Tianjin Free Trade Zone (FTZ) will play an important role in assisting Tianjin with this, as an area that benefits from policy experimentation and looser restrictions. Meanwhile, Beijing has already begun transferring some non-essential resources that do not enjoy a comparative advantage, including factories and wholesale markets, to Tianjin and Hebei. The decision to transfer non-essential resources out of Beijing also looks to alleviate the urban diseases the city is facing, including congestion and air pollution. As part of this campaign, Beijing seeks to limit its permanent population to 23 million by 2020. It is not just Beijing that is facing environmental problems eight of Chinas ten most polluted cities are in the region. Therefore, to make the whole regions economic development more sustainable, Hebei province will become an important ecological protection area, with national and forest parks surrounding the capital. Business Intelligence from Dezan Shira & Associates To this end, last year Chinese President Xi Jinping announced the creation of the Xiongan New Area. Xiongan is poised to become an innovative testing ground for pilot reforms and new technologies, like the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone and Shanghais Pudong New Area before it. One of the roles of Xiongan, which is located about 100 km southwest of central Beijing, will be to act as an eco-friendly smart area. To work towards greater sustainability, the region has already coordinated its environmental management with the wider region, including with the Jing-Jin-Ji Plan for Prevention and Control of Air Pollution. China also recently announced that it aims for Xiongan to run on 100 percent renewable energy. The project also strives to make economic development in the region more inclusive. Social and public services, including hospitals and education, will be developed outside of Beijing, in areas that are generally poorer than the capital city. In the case of Hebei, these services will contribute to the provinces industrial upgrading and modernization. The Beijing municipal government will also transfer some government administrative buildings to Tongzhou, which will create more jobs outside of the capital. Both will help to ease Beijing of its urban diseases and further urbanize the areas around Beijing. These new urban centers outside of Beijing will act as urbanization demonstration areas, offering opportunities for businesses that are able to offer innovative of improving social and public services, and ease urban transitions. Further to this, if the project is successful at rebalancing resources and integrating the region, then businesses should see the creation of bigger mass markets and an increase in demand due to higher incomes. Infrastructure development Physical infrastructure will play an important role in integrating the cluster, including for integrating supply chains and the labor market. To reduce train travel times, nine additional intercity railway lines (spanning 1,100 km) will be built by 2020, which the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) estimates will require a total investment of RMB 247 billion (US$ 39.30 billion). By 2020, the region will consist of 9,500 km of railways and 9,000 km of expressways, which means that travel times between any of the major cities in the region will be under one hour by train and three hours by car. Furthermore, an additional 16 intercity railway lines will be added by 2050. Travel within the region will also be made more efficient with the use of a single transport card that can be used on buses and metros across the Jing-Jin-Ji region. In addition to rail and road infrastructure projects, the region will be further internationalized with the construction of the Daxing International Airport. The airport is currently being built next to Daxing district in Beijing and Langfang in Hebei province, and is expected to open in 2019. By 2050, it will be able to carry 120 million passengers per year. RELATED: China to Establish Hainan Free Trade Zone Integration challenges A successful cluster requires not only a strong core city, such as Beijing, but also satellite cities to be economically strong and sufficiently integrated to support the whole cluster. However, this is currently not the case in Jing-Jin-Ji, and there are concerns that the region lacks the ability to achieve this in the future. One of the concerns is that the disparity in resources and development between the areas is too great to overcome. This disparity is particularly prominent in Hebei province, which had a GDP per capita of only 36.4 percent of that of Beijing and 37.4 percent of Tianjin in 2016. Hebei is also at a different stage of industrialization compared to Beijing and Tianjin. Hebei is known for its heavy and lower value adding industries, whilst Beijing and Tianjin are known for their light and higher value adding industries. There are therefore questions about whether the clusters local supply chains can properly integrate with and complement each other. For example, car manufacturers in Beijing currently prefer to source parts from the Yangtze River Delta cluster rather than from Hebei province as Hebei relies too much on low-value production and lacks competitiveness with other more vibrant regions. Moreover, some critics of the Jing-Jin-Ji project say that it is too centered on Beijing and that the city is merely dumping its problems onto its neighbors. In response to this criticism, Beijing government representatives have stated that Hebei and Tianjin have benefited from technology transfers and industrial upgrading. In 2016, Beijing transferred technologies worth about RMB 15.4 billion (US$2.39 billion) to Hebei and Tianjin, an increase of 38.7 percent compared to the previous year. Another concern with the Jing-Jin-Ji region is that it is not sufficiently internationalized and therefore not sufficiently integrated into global supply chains. This lack of internalization is apparent when the region is compared with other clusters in China, namely the Yangtze River Delta region around Shanghai and the Pearl River Delta area in South China. In 2012, exports accounted for 15 per cent of the Jing-Jin-Ji areas GDP, compared to 60 per cent in the Yangtze River Delta cluster and 63 per cent in the Pearl River Delta cluster. RELATED: How Beijing is Making Doing Business Easier An ambitious project The Jing-Jin-Ji integration project is clearly ambitious, and offers great potential with its promotion of sustainable and inclusive development and infrastructure investment. However, the project also faces many challenges, which appear to be even greater than those faced by the more dynamic Yangtze River Delta and Pearl River Delta clusters. If the ambitions and potential of this grand project are to be realized, then cooperation and skillful coordination by government actors will be required. This will be a challenge in itself, as there is a tradition of regional governments competing for projects and investment opportunities. Although Jing-Jin-Ji must overcome its fair share of hurdles for successful integration, the plan presents interesting and novel opportunities for stimulating the North China region. The ninth New Zealand Film Festival, a biennial event to exchange cultures, will delight Chinese moviegoers with 12 acclaimed flicks from the country. With support from China's top movie regulator, as well as jointly sponsored by the Pacific Culture and Arts Exchange Center in New Zealand and the Beijing-based China Film Archive, the festival is screening the films in Beijing, Chengdu in Sichuan province, and Erdos in the Inner Mongolian autonomous region. Kiwi comedy Pork Pie, about a trio of accidental outlaws, was screened at China Film Archive on April 17 as the festival's opening film. The other 11 New Zealand films being screened are Chronesthesia, The Changeover, One Thousand Ropes, 3 Mile Limit, Kiwi Christmas, Three Wise Cousins, The Stolen, Possum, Restoration, Utu Pihikete and Cradle. "The Changeover is about a poor girl from a broken family who discovers her power in a fantastic journey," said Erana James, an actress in The Changeover, who came to Beijing as a member of the 14-person New Zealand delegation. She says New Zealand films have a uniqueness in movies, as Maori actors are cast to display their distinctive culture. Matt Murphy, director of Pork Pie, also attended the opening ceremony. He said the 105-minute feature -- starring Dean O'Gorman and James Rolleston -- is a remake of a 1979 Kiwi movie. "I have to come up with new characters and fresh contemporary ideas for my film, but the inspiration is from the old movies, which has an interesting potential as an action comedy," Murphy said during a sideline interview with China Daily. He explained Kiwi movies refer to those shot in New Zealand, which are rebellious, funny, romantic stories with a lot of comedic actions. Now there are approximately 25 to 30 movies released annually, Murphy said, adding that New Zealand filmmakers also are skilled at making epic movies. "Between the late 1970s and early 1980s, (our local) movie industry boomed. Before that, we only had a handful of films," he says. You are here: Arts The 15th "Chinese Bridge" competition, a contest for foreign students on their Chinese proficiency, concluded Tuesday at the University of Latvia with a record number of contestants. With 68 contestants, the competition was divided into three groups -- adult group, secondary school group and elementary school group. The secondary school group attracted the most with 32 contestants, followed by the elementary group with 19 participators and the adult 17. It shows that more and more people started to learn Chinese at a younger age. Professor Peteris Pildegovics and Professor Shang Quanyu, the Latvian and Chinese Directors of the Confucius Institute at University of Latvia, mentioned in their speeches that the increasing number of young people and children taking part in the competition was the biggest achievement of this year's "Chinese Bridge" competition. They said that the Confucius Institute at the University of Latvia will continue its efforts to promote Latvian's Chinese teaching. Chinese language teaching has made remarkable progress in Latvia since the Chinese language teaching center in the Baltic region was established. The holding of the 15th "Chinese Bridge" competition has pushed the Chinese language promotion in Latvia to a new level. Some of the winners will later be representing Latvia at the 2018 "Chinese Bridge" Universities and Middle Schools Students Chinese Competition, where they will meet excellent Chinese language learners from all over the world and compete for a chance to obtain 2017-2018 Chinese Government Scholarships. China will make further tax cuts worth over 60 billion yuan (about 9.5 billion U.S. dollars) to drive innovation and entrepreneurship and boost the development of small and micro businesses, a State Council executive meeting presided over by Premier Li Keqiang decided on Wednesday. The move aims to reduce the cost for innovation and entrepreneurship, energize small and micro businesses and spur job creation. As part of efforts to implement blueprints set out by the Central Economic Work Conference and the Government Work Report, the annual taxable income threshold of small and micro businesses eligible for halved income tax will be raised from 500,000 to 1 million yuan. The per unit value of newly-purchased research and development (R&D) instruments and equipment eligible for one-time tax deduction will be raised from 1 million to 5 million yuan. These two measures will be effective from Jan. 1, 2018 to Dec. 31, 2020, the meeting decided. In his Government Work Report delivered in March this year, Premier Li said that the government will further lighten the corporate tax burden. Far greater numbers of small low-profit businesses will see their income tax halved and the ceilings on deductible business purchases of instruments and equipment will be significantly raised. The pilot preferential tax policies for venture capital investment and angel investment will be extended nationwide, he said. According to a decision at the meeting, the tax incentive enjoyed by venture capital firms and angel investors that sees 70 percent of their investment deducted from the taxable income of the seed and early stage high-tech startups they finance will be extended nationwide. This policy has been piloted in the China's eight innovation and reform experimental zones, including the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei area, Shanghai and Guangdong, as well as in Suzhou Industrial Park. Such tax cuts will be implemented from Jan. 1 for corporate income tax and from July 1 for personal income tax this year. The meeting also decided to abolish the preclusion of the expenses of commissioned overseas R&D from additional tax deduction. The time limit for the capital loss carryover of high-tech firms and technological small and medium-sized firms (SMEs) will be extended from 5 to 10 years pending approval by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress. All enterprises will see the tax deduction for employee training costs raised from the current 2.5 percent to 8 percent, the same rate as high-tech companies enjoy. These three measures are effective from Jan. 1 this year. Li said that while this round of tax cuts is targeted at small and micro businesses to spur innovation, the whole economy stands to benefit. Though being the biggest job providers, small and micro businesses have long had difficulty in accessing affordable financing. Supporting their development is critical to ensuring employment. The meeting also adopted measures of stamp duty relief for books of account starting from May 1, 2018. All the above mentioned measures are expected to reduce corporate tax burden by over 60 billion yuan. The move follows a 400 billion yuan tax cut package for 2018, which was decided at a State Council executive meeting on March 28. Li stressed that while established firms receive due attention, greater support must be extended to all growth enterprises, including SMEs and micro businesses. "Tax cuts and fiscal input are like the two sides of a coin. Both can catalyze innovation," he said. The premier once again called for full implementation of the above policies to deliver concrete benefits to all businesses. A total of 287 overseas institutions have received quotas amounting to 99.5 billion U.S. dollars under China's Qualified Foreign Institutional Investors (QFII) program to move money into the country's capital account, the State Administration of Foreign Exchange said Wednesday. As of April 24, the quota in the RMB Qualified Foreign Institutional Investors (RQFII) program came in at 614.9 billion yuan (97.6 billion U.S. dollars). China's currency, the yuan, is convertible for trade purposes under the current account, while the capital account, which covers portfolio investment and borrowing, is largely run by the state in an effort to control capital flows in and out of the country. To gradually open the capital account, the government introduced the QFII and RQFII programs in 2003 and 2011 respectively. They give foreign investors the right to move money into the account to encourage controlled flows. The RQFII program is currently open to countries and regions including the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Britain, Singapore, France, the Republic of Korea, Germany, Qatar, Canada, Australia and Luxembourg. Wednesday's data also showed the quota under the Qualified Domestic Institutional Investor program, a scheme that allows domestic investors to access foreign assets, totalled 98.3 billion U.S. dollars. President Xi Jinping has urged stronger independent innovation capacity for China during an inspection to the Three Gorges Dam, saying the country must master the core technology of high-end equipment. China must rely on its own efforts, Xi said Tuesday at the dam, which lies on the Yangtze River near Yichang City, central China's Hubei Province. As the world's largest hydropower project, the Three Gorges project is a multi-functional water control system consisting of a dam stretching 2,309 meters long and 185 meters high, 32 hydropower turbo-generators, a five-tier ship lock and a shiplift. China would not have its leading ability if it had relied on others to build the dam, said Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission. The great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation can only be achieved through untiring struggle, he said. Xi inspected the ship lock, the shiplift and the power plants on the northern bank of the Yangtze River, and listened to reports about work on topics including construction, power generation, navigation and environmental protection. During an inspection to a new material industrial park on the Yangtze River, Xi stressed coordination in ecological protection and economic development. Ecological restoration should be the top priority, Xi said, noting China's mother river must be protected, and any exploitation that is destructive to the environment must be forbidden. China will push for industrial transformation and upgrades in the region, and foster suitable sectors under the precondition of ecological protection, to achieve high-quality development in a scientific, orderly manner, Xi said. You are here: China China's top legislature began its bimonthly session on Wednesday, with amending the Criminal Procedure Law and several other pieces of legislation on the agenda. Li Zhanshu, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, presided over the meeting, which was attended by 169 committee members. DEFAULT JUDGMENT A highlight of the session is the draft revision to the Criminal Procedure Law. Shen Chunyao, chairman of the Commission for Legislative Affairs of the NPC Standing Committee, said the revision would codify default judgment, and leniency for guilty pleas, as well as expedite trial practices. The default judgment, for example, will be used against suspects and defendants in corruption or bribery cases who have fled abroad as authorities step up the fight against corrupt fugitives. The legislation plans to strengthen efforts to catch overseas fugitives. "China's international hunt of fugitives and stolen assets has made great progress since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. It has won broad support from the public," Shen said. According to a government white paper, from 2014 to mid-October 2017, 3,453 fugitives were brought back from more than 90 countries and regions. Illegal assets worth 9.5 billion yuan (around 1.5 billion U.S. dollars) were recovered. "In the past, fugitive officials can only be tried after being repatriated," said Chen Weidong, a professor at Renmin University of China. "With default judgment in place, they will be punished by law even if they escape to the farest corner of the world." Leniency for guilty pleas allows suspects and defendants to be considered for mitigated punishment if they voluntarily confess and sign affidavits. Also added is the practice of expedited trial at primary people's courts, involving mostly petty criminal offenses. Both leniency for guilty pleas and expedited trial have been tested in pilots. The revision will also adjust certain provisions of the Criminal Procedure Law to avoid conflict with the Supervision Law. The Criminal Procedure Law was created in 1979 and underwent two major revisions, in 1996 and 2012. LAWS ON ASSESSORS, HEROES AND MARTYRS A draft law on "people's assessors" and another to protect the reputation and honor of heroes and martyrs were tabled to the legislature for second readings. The first legislation will give assessors a bigger role to play, including in cases in which the death penalty is possible and cases which cause "severe social impact." Zhou Guangquan, deputy chairman of the NPC Constitution and Law Committee, said the bill was now ready for a vote. The second legislation adds punishment for people who "glorify wars of invasion" and disturb the social order. Hu Keming, another deputy chairman of the NPC Constitution and Law Committee, said the bill was meant to protect public interest and promote socialist core values. "The legislation is very necessary and the text is now mature enough to be adopted," Hu said. President of the Supreme People's Court Zhou Qiang briefed the legislature on a decision to set up a special Shanghai Financial Court to deal with finance-related commercial and administrative cases in the city. "The court will bolster the international influence of China's financial justice, forestall financial risks and steer the financial sector to serve the real economy, and to build Shanghai into an international financial center by 2020," Zhou said. Justice Minister Fu Zhenghua explained a motion to revise seven laws. The revisions will bring the laws in line with a State Council institutional reform adopted at the NPC annual session in March. On Wednesday morning, the top legislature also heard reports on environmental protection, supply-side structural reform in agriculture, rights protection for overseas Chinese and a pilot reform of the people's assessors system. Panel discussions were held on Wednesday afternoon. Li, the NPC Standing Committee chairman, also took part in the discussions. The legislative session will run until Friday. Two 6-month-old giant pandas born at the Shanghai Wild Animal Park finally have names for themselves. Xue Bao was the name given to the male giant panda cub, suggesting pure and precious Xue means snow and Bao is baby in Chinese. It also suggests good wishes for fertility. Qian Jin is homophonic for "apple of the eye" in Chinese and is usually given to a daughter. Qian means lush growth of trees and grass. It signifies vitality, modesty, freshness, elegance and beauty, the park said yesterday. The name also reflects the peoples affection for the female giant panda. Both the names carry one character from their mothers names Si Xue and Qian Qian. The names were picked after a public vote. More than 5,000 names were submitted by people online. Out of that, 20 names were picked before deciding on the two names. Xue Bao was born on October 4 last year, and Qian Jin six days later. Both of them are in good health, the park said. Xue Bao weighed 171.8 grams three days after birth and opened his eyes 40 days later. He started crawling on the 115th day, and now weighs 19.5 kilograms. Qian Jin weighed 168.5 grams three days after birth. She opened her eyes on the 50th day and started crawling on the 112th day. She weighs 16.9kg. With Xue Bao and Qian Jin, the number of giant pandas born in the park is seven. Xue Bao is active and extroverted, its handler said. He likes to explore and has adapted well to the environment. Qian Jin is quiet but smart, and keen to try out new things. Both of them are in the most active period of their growth. The zookeepers often take the cubs outside for walks, attracting visitors. The park has made a video about them, which is screened at the giant panda pavilion. The park was designated a giant panda reserve in 2016. A pigeon pair a male and a female was born in the park in October the same year. A primary concern of a sound government is the prosperity of its people, and high employment is crucial to this end. No society can thrive on low employment, which tends to bring forth a loss of trust in the government and can eventually cause social unrest and political instability. The big success story of China has been the extensive employment growth it's generated since opening up its economy and becoming a manufacturing-driven and export-lead powerhouse. The vision behind the introduction of the historic reforms that led to China's economic boom was that the country should function for the sake of "The People," rather than for the sole gain of big corporations and individual entrepreneurs. At the outset of the reforms in 1978, China was a poor country. It had a GDP per capita less than half of the Asian average and a third of the African average. Since then, 800 million people have been lifted out of poverty -- an unparalleled achievement in the history of humankind that was attained with a massive increase of employment sustained by a growing domestic market and large volumes of exports, particularly to Europe and the United States. China has become the world's second largest economy by nominal GDP, but it also has the world's biggest population, which means that it must divide its wealth among almost 1.4 billion people. This and other factors have to be taken into account to make a considered judgement about President Trump's claims against China regarding tariffs and trade. The United States has a large trade deficit with China ($375 billion in 2017), but a lot of imports from China are made by U.S. manufacturing companies that send raw materials and unfinished products to China for low-cost assembly, which are considered imports when shipped back to the U.S. China is one of the largest providers of foreign direct investments (FDI), which means that a significant part of the profits made from exports helps the economies of the rest of the world. Between 2005 and 2016 China's total global investment and construction activities amounted to a value of about $1.2 trillion, the largest part of which went to Asia, followed by sub-Saharan Africa, Europe and North America. A big slice of China's FDI comes in the form of development finance. Huge investments for BRI (Belt and Road Initiative) are generating inclusive growth and development across Central Asia. In Latin America, China has outstripped the loans given by the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank combined. China has practically doubled the available financial capital for development finance globally over the past decade and accounts for more such loans than the world's six major multilateral institutions combined. Another aspect to be considered is that a great deal of the U.S. trade deficit is financed by China itself. Chinese loans to the U.S., through the purchase of U.S. treasury bills, enable Americans to buy Chinese products at a cheap price. It's a win-win situation, as China gets a huge market for its products and the U.S. benefits from the economical prices of Chinese goods. Beyond President Trump's boasting, both nations are locked in a state of interdependence from which they both benefit and which is likely to continue. Indirectly addressing President Trumps complaints, China's President Xi Jinping, with his customary foresight, hosed the dispute down announcing a number of anti-protectionist measures that will further open up the world's number two economy. Speaking recently at the Boao Forum for Asia on the southern island of Hainan, he said that China intends to go ahead with market reforms. He reiterated that "economic globalization is an irreversible trend of the time" and unambiguously declared that "China will take down its trade barriers because it is the right thing to do." Some Western commentators have suggested that Chinese officials have promised many of the measures in the past with little action. Washington says it has grown tired of China's unfulfilled pledges, but they forget that China is a socialist market economy and any economic reform affecting employment requires a gradual and judicious implementation. Elenoire Laudieri Di Biase ( Twitter account: @ElaudierLaudier ), is a sinologist and Scholar from the university of Ca' Foscari and Melbourne University, Australia. The author is an expert on international diplomacy and psychoanalysis. Chief Chinese Analyst on China at the Nato Defense College Foundation & Foreign Affairs Writer. Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors only, not necessarily those of China.org.cn. Flash Without directly chiding Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday forcefully challenged many of his U.S. counterpart's policies, urging Washington to embrace multilateralism and economic globalization. In a speech to a joint meeting of Congress, Macron called on American lawmakers to construct a "new breed of multilateralism" in the face of urgent global threats -- from climate change to terrorism. His emotional appeal to U.S. lawmakers, as well as the broader American public, came as he capped a three-day state visit to the United States that also included closed-door negotiations on the fate of the Iran nuclear deal. Multilateralism VS isolationism In his speech, Macron advocated multilateralism, which his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump has not been quite a fan. "We can choose isolationism, withdrawal and nationalism. This is an option. It can be tempting to us as a temporary remedy to our fears," he said. "But closing the door to the world will not stop the evolution of the world. It will not douse, but inflame the fears of our citizens." "I'm convinced that if we decide to open our eyes wider, we will be stronger, we will overcome the dangers, we will not let the rampaging work of extreme nationalism shake a world full of hopes for greater prosperity," he said. "It is a critical moment. If we do not act with urgency as a global community, I am convinced that the international institutions, including the United Nations and NATO, will no longer be able to exercise a mandate and stabilizing influence," he added. In the speech, Macron promoted what he called "a new breed of multilateralism." "We can build the 21st century world order based on a new breed of multilateralism, based on a more effective, accountable and results-oriented multilateralism, a strong multilateralism," he said. "This strong multilateralism will not outshine our national cultures and national identities. It is exactly the other way around: A strong multilateralism will allow our cultures and identities to be respected, to be protected and to flourish freely together." Despite his apparent failure to convince Trump back to the Paris climate accord, Macron said "I'm sure one day the United States will come back and join the Paris Agreement." "I'm sure we can work together to fulfill with you the ambitions of the global compact on the environment," he added. Economic globalization VS "commercial war" Speaking of the tilt towards trade protectionism that Washington has been increasingly interested in, Macron defended globalization against nationalism. "I believe in the power of intelligently regulated market economies. We are experiencing the positive impact of our current economic globalization, with innovations, with jobs creations," he said. "We see, however, the abuses of globalized capitalism and digital disruptions." He urged "the opposite of massive deregulation and extreme nationalism" to counter these challenges. "Commercial war is not the proper answer to this evolution," he said. "A commercial war ... is not consistent with our mission, with our history, with our current commitments for the global security. At the end of the day, it will destroy jobs, increase prices and the middle class will have to pay for it." He believed that the two nations can build the right answers to Trump's concerns regarding trade imbalances, excesses and overcapacities by negotiating through the World Trade Organization and building cooperative solutions. "We wrote these rules. We should follow them," said the French leader. New Iran Deal In his address, Macron urged the United States not to walk away from the Iran nuclear agreement and, again, advertised his proposal to work with Russia and Turkey to forge a new deal on the Iran nuclear issue. Saying the new deal "more comprehensive," Macron highlighted again its four "pillars" -- to block any nuclear activity of Iran until 2025, to make sure that there is no Iranian nuclear activity in the long run, to put an end to Tehran's ballistic activities in the region, and to generate the conditions for a political solution to "contain" Iran in the region. "These four pillars ... cover the legitimate fears of the United States and our allies in the region," he said. "I think we have ... to be sure that whatever the decision of the United States will be, we will not leave the floor to the absence of rule, we will not leave the floor to this conflict of powers in Middle East." Saying that "Iran shall never possess any nuclear weapons," Macron noted that the West's policy "should never lead us to war in the Middle East. We must ensure stability and respect sovereignty of the nations, including that one of Iran." "Let us not replicate past mistakes in the region. Let us not be naive on one side. Let us not create new walls ourselves on the other side," he said. The statement echoed his words at Tuesday's joint press conference with Trump, when he said that "we do not want to repeat the mistakes of the past. Each time we tried to unilaterally replace the sovereignty of the people, we brought about some more terror." He also defended the existing framework of the Iran nuclear deal, or the JCPOA, saying it worked to control the nuclear activity of Iran. "We signed it at the initiative of the United States. We signed it, both the United States and France. That is why we cannot say we should get rid of it like that," he said. "We should not abandon it without having something substantial and more substantial instead ...That's why France will not leave the JCPOA." You are here: World Flash The Iranian president on Wednesday ruled out any change to the 2015 nuclear deal which ended international disputes over the country's nuclear program. "We will not add anything to the deal or remove anything from it, even one sentence," said Hassan Rouhani. The Iranian president also lampooned U.S. President Donald Trump's capacity as a politician, saying Trump is "just a businessman," "a tower builder." Trump is expected to decide by May 12 whether to pull the U.S. out of the nuclear deal reached between Iran and six major world powers in 2015. Under the deal, the U.S. president must sign a waiver suspending the American sanctions on Iran every 120 days. Trump, however, has said he would not extend the waiver. He has repeatedly criticized the landmark nuclear pact in which the West promised to relieve sanctions on Tehran in exchange for a halt in Iran's efforts to develop a nuclear weapon. The United States is the only side that has threatened to scrap the nuke pact. Flash China and Myanmar have pledged to further boost bilateral cooperation and party-to-party exchanges. The pledge was made while Myanmar President U Win Myint and State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi respectively met with Song Tao, head of the International Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee on Tuesday and Wednesday. U Win Myint said at the meeting that the Myanmar government attaches great importance to relations with China and hopes for enhanced high-level exchanges and strengthened practical cooperation between the two countries. While meeting Song, State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi, also chairperson of Myanmar's National League for Democracy, thanked China for its support for Mynamar's peace process as well as its social and economic development. Suu Kyi expressed the hope that the two countries should promote cooperation in major projects, deepen party-to-party exchanges and further enhance bilateral ties. For his part, Song said China cherishes China-Myanmar "paukphaw" friendship and is willing to strengthen the alignment of each other's development strategies, deepen party-to-party exchanges between the two countries and further promote bilateral ties. Flash The joint communique of the Defense Ministers' Meeting of the Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) was released Wednesday. Held on Tuesday in Beijing, the meeting saw the ministers exchange views on the current international and regional security situation, further enhancing practical cooperation in defense and security fields among the SCO member states and other issues of common interest. They reached broad common understanding. The defense ministers pointed out that peace and development remained the theme of the time, while the destabilizing and uncertain factors of the world were increasingly outstanding. They agreed that fighting terrorism, extremism and separatism, and strengthening regional peace, security and stability were the priority tasks of the SCO members. "New thinking on common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security should be fostered to strengthen the defense and security cooperation by the organization," according to the communique. "SCO members should also be committed to creating favorable security environment for the connectivity of the development strategies of the countries, facilitate the efforts to build a community with a shared future for humanity, and a fair and stable multi-polarized world." Defense ministers from India and Kazakhstan, Chinese State Councilor and Minister of National Defense Wei Fenghe, and defense ministers from Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan attended the meeting. The chief of the general staff of the Kyrgyz Republic attended the meeting. The defense minister of Belarus attended the meeting as the chairman country guest. They decided that the 2019 defense ministers' meeting of the SCO member states would be held in the Kyrgyz Republic, according to the communique. Flash Chinese American scientist Sherry Chen, who was wrongfully arrested and fired due to baseless spying claims several years ago, is the "victim of a gross injustice", a U.S. judge ruled on Tuesday. The U.S. Department of Commerce did not have cause to fire Chen, said Chief Administrative Judge Michele Schroeder of the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), ordering to reinstate her employment at the department's National Weather Service (NWS) and pay her back pay plus benefits. In a more than 130-page detailed decision, the judge completely rejected the Commerce Department's allegations based on baseless claims that she purportedly attempted to obtain secret information from a restricted government database, according to the Sherry Chen Legal Defense Fund. "We hope this decision sends a strong message to the federal government: stop targeting innocent Chinese Americans," the fund said in a statement released following the judge's decision. "Three and a half years after her wrongful arrest in October 2014 and two years after her termination in March 2016, Sherry Chen finally has received justice," said the statement. Chen, an employee of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration under the NWS, was accused in 2014 of stealing sensitive information from a database for the nation's dams and lying about the breach. In March 2015, U.S. federal prosecutors dropped charges against Chen. Two months later, 22 U.S. Congress members urged then U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch to investigate whether there was a practice of targeting federal employees based on their race or national origin. "There's been a history of discrimination against Asian Pacific Americans, and the recurrent theme is one of suspicion," House Representative Ted Lieu said during a press conference at that time. Flash The Republic of Korea (ROK) President Moon Jae-in planned to greet Kim Jong Un, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), in the military demarcation line (MDL) inside Panmunjom, a border village dividing the two Koreas, the ROK presidential Blue House said Thursday. Im Jong-seok, presidential chief of staff who is leading ROK's preparation for the Moon-Kim summit, told a press briefing at the media press center in Goyang, outside of Seoul, that Moon and Kim will make their first historic encounter at 9:30 a.m. local time (0030 GMT) Friday on the MDL inside Panmunjom. Kim will cross the MDL, marked only by a low concrete slab, through a narrow aisle between the blue pavilions sitting in the middle of the border village and straddling the two Koreas. The blue pavilions are used as the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission meeting room. Im said President Moon will greet Kim, chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the DPRK, on the MDL, noting that Kim will walk over the MDL under the escort of ROK's honor guard. Moon and Kim will walk to a square between the Freedom House and the Peace House, located in the ROK side of Panmunjom, to hold an official welcoming ceremony that includes the inspection of the honor guard. Kim would become the first DPRK leader to set foot on the ROK soil since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War. After the welcoming ceremony, the two leaders will move on foot to the Peace House, a venue for the third inter-Korean summit since the first in 2000 and the second in 2007 were held in the DPRK's capital of Pyongyang. At the first floor of the Peace House, Kim will sign his name in the visitors' book and take a commemorative photo with Moon. Moon and Kim will start their first tete-a-tete from 10:30 a.m. local time (0130 GMT) at a conference room on the second floor of the Peace House to discuss issues on peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula, Moon's chief of staff said. Im said the upcoming summit will be focused on key issues including the denuclearized Korean Peninsula and the establishment of a permanent peace. The leaders of the two Koreas will have lunch separately after the summit meeting in the morning, with Kim slated to return back to the DPRK side of Panmunjom for lunch and a break. After lunch, Kim will cross the border to the ROK side of Panmunjom in the afternoon to plant a pine tree, which symbolizes peace and prosperity, together with Moon on the MDL that had been a symbol of confrontation and division of the Koreas for the past 65 years. The pine tree will be planted in a so-called cattle road, through which late Hyundai Group founder Chung Ju-yung went to the DPRK to deliver 50 truckloads of 500 cows to DPRK farmers in June 1998. Later in the year, Chung led 501 more cows to the DPRK. Moon and Kim will take a walk to the Footbridge inside the border village after the pine tree-plating event, while sharing pleasant conversation. After the friendship stroll, the two leaders will resume the summit talks at the Peace House. Moon and Kim will then sign and announce a joint statement. Whether Moon and Kim will jointly announce the agreed statement would be determined according to the level of the agreement which the two leaders reach. A welcoming banquet will be held on the third floor of the Peace House from 6:30 p.m. local time (0930 GMT), attended by the two leaders and their entourages. The list of Moon's entourage includes Im Jong-seok, presidential chief of staff; Chung Eui-yong, top national security advisor for the president; Suh Hoon, chief of the National Intelligence Service (NIS); Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha; Defense Minister Song Young-moo; Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon; and Jeong Kyeong-doo, the head of ROK's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). The DPRK entourage accompanying Kim will be Kim Yong Nam, president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly; Kim Yong Chol, vice chairman of the Central Committee of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea (WPK); Kim Yo Jong, first vice director of the WPK Central Committee and the younger sister of the DPRK leader; Ri Myong Su, chief of the General Staff of the Korean People's Army (KPA); Minister of People's Armed Forces Pak Yong Sik; Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho; and Ri Son Gwon, chairman of the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland, among others. You are here: World Flash At least 11 children were killed and seven others injured on Thursday after a train hit a school bus at an unmanned railroad crossing in northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, police said. The accident took place at Behpurva in Kushinagar district, about 323 km east of Lucknow, the capital city of Uttar Pradesh. "This morning a speedy train hit a school bus at an unmanned railroad crossing killing 11 children and injuring seven others critically," Anand Kumar, a senior police official, told media. "The injured children were immediately hospitalised and there is the possibility that death toll may go up." According to officials Thawe-Kapatanganj passenger train crashed into school vehicle and most of the victims were below the age of 10 years. The train was on its way to Gorakhpur from Siwan, railway officials said. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced an ex-gratia of 2,994 U.S. dollars to family of each of the deceased children. Authorities have ordered an inquiry into the accident. Earlier this month 30 people, including 27 school children, were killed when a school bus ferrying them back home plunged into a deep gorge in northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. Deadly road accidents are common in India often caused due to overloading, bad condition of roads and reckless driving. China Aviation Daily | Apr. 23, 2018 Embraer Services & Support and Belavia, Belarusian Airlines, the leading carrier of Belarus, have signed an agreement for the support of Belavia's fleet of Embraer E-Jets. The deal will streamline Belavia's fleet support and improve aircraft availability. In a multi-year deal, Embraer's popular component support solution is being tailored to Belavia's specific needs, offering customized exchange plus repair coverage for a wider scope of components, as well as access to a range of special tooling and ground support equipment needed for heavy maintenance checks, allowing Belavia to move those checks 'in-house'. The program will support Belavia's existing fleet of two E175s and two E195s. The airline took delivery of another E175 aircraft last week and will receive another two E195s further this year. "Our Embraer fleet is proving a great success with our passengers and is delivering high dispatch rates and compelling economics for our airline. Embraer Services and Support's OEM component solutions will help us keep those dispatch rates high and our aircraft in the sky where they belong; earning revenue," said Anatoly Gusarov, Director General of Belavia. "We're pleased to receive our newest aircraft in Brazil, and as our relationship goes from strength to strength, Embraer remains the clear choice for our continued growth." "At Embraer our overriding aim is to give our customers the support they really need. Here is an example in which we have adapted our advanced component support solution to Belavia's very specific needs. Our customized offerings are increasingly recognized by operators for their value, efficiency, and efficacy", said Johann Bordais, President & CEO, Embraer Services & Support. Contributed by Embraer China Aviation Daily | Apr. 25, 2018 A ceremony was held to unveil the new facility of Eltra Services Beijing (ELTRA), a 100% Airbus China owned subsidiary, which is dedicated to providing maintenance and repair services to the Chinese and Asian customers. The unveiling ceremony was joined by the major airline customers, suppliers and OEM partners of Airbus in China. The new office, located on Airbus China Beijing campus near the Beijing Capital International Airport, covers an area of 2,200 square meters, composing of an avionics workshop, a mechanical workshop, a warehouse and office areas. As an Airbus company, ELTRA will use the new facility to develop more repair capabilities and expand the cooperation with more OEMs. In this long term strategy, ELTRA will continue to provide excellent component services to airlines not only for repair but also for new aircraft component warranty support, retrofit and technical support, etc. "'From China, in China' is Airbus' long term target to support our Chinese airlines more closely with our local based staff and facilities," said Regis Boniau, vice president, customer services of Airbus China commercial aircraft and chairman of Eltra Services Beijing. "Today, the expansion of ELTRA is a concrete step of our efforts to provide comprehensive services to the Chinese customers in a more timely and cost-effective means." Based on "Services by Airbus", Airbus commits to providing not only maintenance and repair services, but more support to airlines in a wider scope such as FHS, IP, Retrofit, Distribution, AMA, Training and e-solution, etc. Today, over 1,550 Airbus aircraft are in service in China. Airbus not only sells aircraft in China, but also offers a customized support programme tailored to meet airline individual needs and provides solutions to airlines to run and optimize their operations. This full range of services starts well before delivery of the aircraft and continues throughout its operational life. Contributed by Airbus Defense ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization will continue fighting terrorism, extremism and separatism, and maintain peace, security and stability in the region, according to a joint statement published on Wednesday. On Tuesday, Beijing held the first formal meeting of SCO defense ministers since the organization accepted Pakistan and India as new members last year. The meeting consists of defense ministers from China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Pakistan and India, as well as the chief of the general staff of the armed forces of Kyrgyzstan. China's Global Newspaper Sorry, the page you requested was not found. Please check the URL for proper spelling and capitalization. If you're having trouble locating a destination on Chinadaily.com.cn, try visiting the Chinadaily home page 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. guest column As we mark Africa Vaccination Week and World Immunization Week, the World Health Organization, the Gates Foundation, the Global Alliance for Vaccine and Immunization (GAVI) and partners can point to significant progress. Thanks to vaccination efforts, there was for example an 84% drop in measles deaths between 2000 and 2016 worldwide. Global vaccination coverage has however stalled at 86%, with little progress over recent years. In 2016, an estimated 19.5 million infants worldwide were not reached with routine immunization services such as DTP3 vaccine. Around 60% of these children live in 10 countries: Angola, Brazil, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Pakistan, South Africa, and my native Nigeria. In Nigeria, I have worked with midwives and partners to educate families about the importance of vaccination and raise alarm at the lack of coverage. GAVI has revealed that despite considerable investment - of about $700 million in Nigeria we only have immunization coverage of around 30%. Our Well Being Africa Foundation midwives work closely with women in their antenatal and postnatal classes as educators, but they have experienced how mothers and infants are being let down by a lack of coverage. We must prioritise maternal vaccines tetanus, the anti-D injection for all pregnant women with rhesus negative blood, and HPV catch-up for adult women to protect against cervical cancer. Nigeria is not yet vaccinating for HPV as a matter of routine, and yet cervical cancer along with breast cancer are the biggest killers of women in my country after death in childbirth. The public health sector has only two radiology machines in the entire country that are operational, both at National Hospital in Abuja. One is current working. whilst the other will be commissioned soon. That is not sufficient to serve a country of 198 million people. With only one radiology treatment machine currently functioning, it is in Nigeria's best interest to urgently invest in prevention through vaccination. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Nigeria Health By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. Low vaccination rates are a national health emergency and a global health security issue Prevention is better than cure but currently most of our citizens are receiving neither. The rate of immunization should be treated as a national health emergency and a global health security issue. It is time that we took the lead domestically. As Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the first African Director-General of the WHO stated last week in his keynote IMF/WBG Spring Meetings speech, we must focus on mobilising domestic resources and consider external input as supplementary. Frontline healthworkers, like our MamaCare midwives, are best placed to lead this battle and will do so with political will and support from Government. Vaccinations have the ability to protect not just an individual, but a community. An increase of vaccine coverage in low- and middle-income countries by 2030 would prevent 24 million people from falling into poverty due to health expenses. Health workers' efforts to increase immunization builds, therefore, the foundation for strong primary health care and is a route to universal health coverage. The desire for health for all, based on blanket vaccination coverage, is overwhelming but families are currently being let down. Toyin Saraki is Vaccine Champion for Women Advocates for Vaccine Access and Founder-President of the Wellbeing Foundation Africa. She is Global Ambassador for , BEREA, Ohio -- Fleeing & eluding, West Bagley Road: Police are looking for a Garfield Heights man, 21, who led them on a high-speed vehicle chase into Middleburg Heights at about 10:30 p.m. April 20. Police saw the man driving a 2012 Kia Forte southbound on North Rocky River Drive near Sheldon Road. The car's rear license plate wasn't illuminated, and the registration sticker was on the bottom left corner of the plate, instead of the bottom right corner as required by law. After the man made a series of turns, at least one without signaling properly, police pulled him over on West Bagley near High Street. Police smelled marijuana in the Kia, but the man denied having the drug. When police asked the man to step out of the car, he refused and rolled up his window. Police grabbed the driver's-side door handle, but the door was locked. The man sped away as police tried to open the car door. Two police cruisers, with sirens and flashing lights activated, chased the Kia eastbound on West Bagley. The car weaved through traffic without signaling and ran red lights at Mulberry and Tressel streets. Police clocked the Kia at 65 mph on West Bagley at Eastland Road as the pursuit entered Middleburg Heights. The man continued to weave through traffic without signaling and drove through red lights at Old Oak Boulevard and Engle Road. At the Interstate 71 southbound entrance ramp, the Kia almost struck two vehicles as it drove between them, straddling two eastbound lanes and running another red light. The man sped through another red light at the I-71 northbound entrance ramp and entered the northbound freeway. The man drove into a construction zone, where the freeway was reduced to two lanes and traffic was heavy. Police ended the pursuit there for safety reasons. Felony warrants have been issued for the man. Weapon offense, Marian Lane-Baker Street: A Baker Street man called police at about 6:10 a.m. April 20 after hearing what he believed were three gunshots east of his home, possibly near Marian Lane. The man was in his kitchen at the time. He believed he also saw three white flashes in his kitchen window. Then he observed a large dark vehicle, possibly a sport-utility vehicle, driving by. The man was unable to provide the vehicle's make, model or color. He said he would call police if he recalled or received additional information. In their report, police listed at least one 9mm bullet casing as being involved in the incident, but didn't mention the bullet casing in the narrative. Neighbor trouble, Fair Street: Two Fair Street men, 52 and 51, complained separately that one had threatened the other on April 21. The older man said he was driving on Fair when the younger man, with his dog, ran into the street in the path of his pickup truck. The older man slammed his brakes to avoid hitting the younger man, who yelled at the older man and challenged him to a fight. The older man said he kept driving, but the younger man ran toward his truck. The older man was able to drive away to avoid a confrontation. He said he didn't want to press charges, but asked police to tell the younger man to leave him alone. The younger man told police that he was walking his dog on Fair when the older man drove past, making an obscene gesture at the younger man. As the younger man walked toward his house, the older man drove past again, revving his engine, and ordering the younger man to stay out of the street. The older man invited the younger man to the park, and said if they met there, he would die. The younger man said the older man kept driving and stopped at a stop sign. The younger man walked toward the pickup truck, asking the older man to repeat his statement because he didn't hear it. The older man told the younger man that if he came to the park, he would kill him, and gestured as if he were shooting the younger man. The younger man said he would not meet the older man in the park, instead challenging him to a fistfight there in the street. The older man told the younger man to keep his dog off his property and drove away. Police said the incident was one of several, stemming from the older man's belief that the younger man was allowing his dog to defecate in his yard. The younger man said he always cleans up after his dog. Since the younger man felt threatened by the older man's shooting gesture, the matter was referred to prosecutors for possible charges. Disorderly conduct, South Rocky River Drive: A Cleveland woman, 45, was arrested at about 3:30 a.m. April 24 after she caused a commotion inside Parkview Commons apartments, 101 S. Rocky River. Someone called police because the woman was drunk and knocking on several doors inside the apartment building. The woman was staying overnight with a tenant. Petty theft, West Bagley Road: A Cleveland woman, 40, was arrested at about 12:50 p.m. April 20 after she was caught shoplifting inside Marc's Deeper Discount Store, 371 W. Bagley Road. The woman purchased some merchandise, but had also slipped food items into her purse. In addition, the woman placed "Quick Sale $1" stickers on items that the store had not discounted. Drug paraphernalia possession, Jacqueline Drive: An Olmsted Falls man, 55, faces misdemeanor criminal charges after police found several used syringes, one filled with a brown substance, in his Chrysler minivan. Police stopped the minivan at about 6:45 p.m. April 21 on Jacqueline near Prospect Street after noticing that the vehicle's rear license plate bracket was partially covering the registration sticker and completely covering the Cuyahoga County sticker. The man told police he had only a temporary driver's permit. The man's pupils were pinpoint in size. Police saw what they suspected were orange caps of hypodermic needles on the floor of the minivan. They checked the man's name in the police computer and learned that his temporary driver's permit had expired, and that he had previously been arrested for possession of drug-abuse instruments and possible heroin possession. Police also found a bent spoon that appeared to have been used for melting narcotics in the minivan. The man was cited for driving with an expired temporary permit. Marijuana possession, Ohio 237: A Brooklyn man, 22, was arrested at about 10:15 a.m. April 21 after police found a small bag of marijuana in his Toyota Corolla. Police stopped the man because he was driving 45 mph on Sheldon Road, a 35 mph zone. They smelled marijuana in the car. If you would like to comment on this story, please visit Thursday's crime and courts comments section. CLEVELAND, Ohio --A social services worker embroiled in a food stamp scam along with a woman who is also accused of killing and burying her own son learned Thursday that she will spend time in prison. Common Pleas Court Judge Nancy Margaret Russo sentenced the mother, Larissa Rodriguez, to six years in prison and the social services worker, Nancy Caraballo, to three years in prison for the food stamp scheme that Russo called "selfish" and an affront to taxpayers who help fund services for the less fortunate. Rodriguez pleaded guilty to trafficking in food stamps, telecommunications fraud, grand theft and money laundering. She also faces charges of aggravated murder along with her boyfriend, Christopher Rodriguez, in the death of her 5-year-old son, Jordan Rodriguez. The trial in that case is set for July 23. Caraballo pleaded guilty to trafficking in food stamps, grand theft and tampering with records. Both women agreed to pay a combined $10,000 in restitution to the Department of Jobs and Family Services and to cooperate with investigators into Jordan's death. Caraballo told Russo in court that the scheme was Rodriguez's idea, and she felt like she got brainwashed into thinking she was helping Rodriguez. "There's not a day in my life that I don't live with this pain," Caraballo said as she cried. Rodriguez declined to speak. Russo told Caraballo that she abused her authority in a position of public trust as someone who worked on behalf of taxpayers who themselves may be living paycheck-to-paycheck to feed their families. "I don't understand how you can be in that position and ever think that this was going to be OK," Russo told her. Russo called Rodriguez's actions a "slap in the face" to taxpayers. "This money was for your children and you used it for yourself," Russo said. "I don't know that I've seen someone quite so selfish when it comes to their children." Caraballo, a parent educator at an agency contracted with Catholic Charities, was assigned to Rodriguez's family and served four of her children. Jordan was not one of her clients, her defense attorney said. Caraballo told investigators during a voluntary interview that she had not seen Jordan for several months before his body was discovered. But her lawyers said in court filings this week that, had she seen any evidence of abuse or neglect, she would have reported it to police. The scheme began in 2016 and continued until investigators dug up Jordan's body in December 2017. Rodriguez received between $800 and $1,000 per month in food stamp benefits for her and her five children. She and Caraballo struck up an arrangement where Rodriguez would leave between $200 and $350 on the card at the end of the month, and Caraballo would give Rodriguez 50 cents for each dollar left on the card. Rodriguez used the money to pay for her cellphone bills, gasoline and to visit her boyfriend while he was in jail in Medina County, prosecutors said. Caraballo was supposed to conduct monthly home visits to check on Rodriguez's children and living conditions and file a report each time. But investigators subpoenaed her cellphone records and compared text messages between Caraballo and Rodriguez to the reports and found that, on at least 12 occasions, Caraballo simply showed up to Rodriguez's house to pick up the food stamp card, but filed false reports claiming to have inspected the home. Investigators also found surveillance camera footage of Caraballo using Rodriguez's card to buy groceries at Sam's Club, Walmart, Giant Eagle and other stores in Parma and Brooklyn, prosecutors said. "Benefits to feed children in need -- including one child found murdered and buried in Larissa Rodriguez's backyard-- instead went to feed Nancy Caraballo and her family," prosecutors wrote in court records filed this week. To comment on this story, please visit Thursday's crime and courts comments page. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A controversial Kent State University professor known for his anti-Israel views pleaded guilty Thursday to lying to the FBI. Julio Pino, 57, entered his plea to one count of making a false statement to law enforcement. Under his agreement, both he and federal prosecutors have agreed to ask a judge to sentence him to between 10 and 16 months in federal prison. Should Chief U.S. District Judge Patricia Gaughan accept the recommended guidelines, she can sentence Pino to prison, house arrest or probation, or a combination of the three. Gaughan will sentence Pino on Aug. 23. She released him on $25,000 unsecured bond and ordered him to surrender his passport. Pino has worked at Kent State since 1992 and specializes in Latin American history and the Third World. The tenured professor has a history of making controversial statements in line with his Muslim faith and his anti-Israel views. The federal charge against him, though, appears to stem from an FBI investigation into threats made by a St. Louis man against a family court judge presiding over the man's child custody battle. Pino, dressed in a suit and with an attorney by his side, responded the judge's questions with short answers. His lawyer Warner Mendenhall said after the hearing that Pino came to his office with a "very complicated situation." Mendenhall said he will work with the government to fashion an appropriate sentencing recommendation. Federal prosecutors say Pino lied to agents regarding his interactions with a Facebook friend identified as "J.E." Pino posted statements and images about J.E. and J.E.'s custody issues on social media between May 2015 and January 2016, according to the information. J.E., which court records indicate is a man named Jason Eyer, was arrested in January 2016 for threats he posted on Facebook against the family court judge. A week after Eyer's arrest, Cleveland FBI agents interviewed Pino in Miami, and Pino emphatically denied knowing him. Following his charging, Kent State suspended Pino and barred him from going onto any of its campuses. University spokesman Eric Mansfield said Thursday that officials are "moving forward in accordance with personnel policies" to fire Pino. He said another instructor took over Pino's classes. Mendenhall said Monday that his client had intended to retire from Kent State at the end of the semester. An FBI investigation into Pino, a Cuban immigrant who lives in Kent, was made public in 2016 as agents interviewed students about him to see if he had espoused any radical views, according to reports at the time. Pino dismissed the allegations at the time as baseless. He denied ties to any political organizations or terrorist groups, in the United States or abroad, and said he has never discussed Islamic politics with students, faculty or campus employees. Still, Pino has made his anti-Israel views known. In 2014, he posted an "open letter" to "academic friends of Israel" that said they are "directly responsible for the murder of over 1,400 Palestinian children, women and elderly civilians." He also wrote; "Your names are scrawled on every bullet fired, bomb dropped, body buried and burnt forehead in Gaza." Pino also shouted "death to Israel" during a speech by a former Israeli diplomat in October 2011. Mendenhall reiterated Thursday that he believed federal authorities were cognizant of Pino's First Amendment rights during the investigation. If you would like to comment on this story, please visit Thursday's crime and courts comments section. CLEVELAND, Ohio - Cuyahoga County's long-delayed Enterprise Resource Planning system, which will tie together all county government computers and IT systems, is at a "tipping point" that could lead to more delays and cost overruns, a consultant told County Council Thursday. The $25 million project desperately needs a manager to oversee and coordinate the implementation of the system's master plan, consultant Zig Berzins said. And the county needs to dedicate more employees to help implement the system in their departments. "I think we are getting close to the tipping point in regard to project and staffing needs," he said. Lines of management and control over the project continue to be 'fuzzy,' leading to miscommunication and incomplete or misleading information on the status and pace of the phases of the project, his report to council said. "There should be a project management office with weekly meetings," he said. Council recently hired Berzins' company, ZCo Consulting, for "independent verification and validation services" in connection with the ERP because members felt they weren't getting adequate information from county administrators overseeing the project. The county has been working to establish the ERP system for years, but the implementation has stumbled in recent months because no one is leading the project. Chief Information Technology Officer Scot Rourke was placed on leave in February after he was named in a subpoena from public-corruption investigations. Cindy Nappi, who was hired almost two years ago to oversee implementation of the ERP was transferred in March to a job directing the county's human resource information systems. The county is close to signing a contract with a project director who will focus entirely on leading and guiding the project through to its conclusion, Berzin's report said. After Rourke was placed on leave, Budish asked three members of a committee that had been overseeing the project, Chief of Staff Earl Leiken, Fiscal Officer Dennis Kennedy and Chief Economic Growth and Opportunity Officer Matt Carroll, to move the ERP project forward. Three small departments, sanitary dispatch, GIS and the print shop, were the first to go online and began using the system on March 19. But the fiscal, budget and procurement departments, which were supposed to go online June 7, are now delayed until Sept. 3. Kennedy told council members in March. And others may be delayed in the future. Berzins has been attending ERP meetings and evaluating the progress. He gave his first report to council on Thursday. He told council that any more delays will lead to an increase in the contract with Infor Public Sector, Inc. which deals with software licenses, maintenance and support for ERP software. See his report below or click here if on a mobile device. Here are some highlights: CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The number of hepatitis A cases in Ohio has jumped dramatically, and people susceptible to the illness should get vaccinated, the Ohio Department of Health said Thursday. There have been 47 cases of hepatitis A in Ohio so far this year, as compared to five cases during the same months in 2017, ODH said in a press release. The cases in Ohio do not constitute an outbreak, which requires at least two cases to be linked to a common source, but hepatitis A outbreaks are hitting Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan and West Virginia, ODH said. Hepatitis illnesses cause inflammation of the liver, which is the body's largest internal organ and the one responsible for digesting food, storing energy and flushing out poisons. Background information on hepatits A came from Medline Plus and the Mayo Clinic websites. The hepatitis A virus, which causes hepatitis, spreads when someone eats or drinks something contaminated with fecal matter from an infected person. Microscopic amounts of contaminated fecal matter are enough to spread hepatitis A. The illness doesn't spread through sneezing or coughing. You are at increased risk of contracting hepatitis A if you tick any of these boxes: Travel to countries where the disease is common Work in a child care center Live with or have sex with someone who has hepatitis A You are a man who has sex with other men Are HIV positive Have a disorder that affects blood clotting Use illegal drugs whether they are injected or not. People in households and others in close contact with adopted children who just came from countries where hepatitis A is common are also at risk for getting the illness. People who are high-risk for contracting hepatitis A should contact their doctor or local health department for a vaccine to prevent infection. Patients who have suffered liver damage from hepatitis B are at increased risk of liver failure if they get hepatitis A, Andrew Heffron, clinic supervisor at the Cuyahoga County Board of Health, said in an email. "The best way to prevent hepatitis A among high-risk individuals is to get vaccinated," ODH medical director Dr. Clint Koenig said in a press release. The vaccine is recommended for all children at age 1, and for anyone in the high-risk category. The hepatitis A vaccine is highly effective, especially in protecting high-risk people, Heffron said. The vaccine comes in two doses, each separated by six months between the first and second dose, he said. Hepatitis A can lead to a serious illness that lingers for several months, and loss of liver function in rare cases. While other forms of viral hepatitis can cause long-term liver damage and become chronic, hepatitis A does not. Ways to contract hepatitis A include: Eating food handled by an infected person who did not thoroughly wash his or her hands after using the bathroom. Being in close contact, or having sex, with an infected person, even if that person is asymptomatic. Putting into your mouth something that came into contact with an infected person's stool. Drinking contaminated water, or eating food that was washed in contaminated water. Eating raw shellfish from contaminated water. The symptoms of hepatitis A usually don't surface until the patient has had the virus for a few weeks, and not everyone shows symptoms. Sometimes, people with the illness feel as they have the flu. Symptoms include sudden nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, especially on the upper right side below the lower ribs; clay-colored bowel movements, dark urine, no appetite, low fever, joint pain, jaundice (yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes); and itching. Your doctor will order a blood test to determine if you have hepatitis A. DEFIANCE, Ohio -- The decomposing body of an infant believed to have been born nearly 17 months ago was found in a Hicksville home and now four people are facing charges, reports say. According to the Journal Gazette, Jared Stark, 33, the child's father, was indicted Wednesday on felony charges of involuntary manslaughter, endangering children and abuse of a corpse. Sarah Stark, 35, the child's mother, is charged with endangering children and gross abuse of a corpse, both felonies. Both are charged with a misdemeanor count of endangering children. WTOL Channel 11 reports the couple's baby boy, Ezra, died 10 hours after his birth on Oct. 29, 2016, according to authorities. The child was never given medical attention. WTOL reports authorities believe religious beliefs might be a factor in the case. The child's body was found in a plastic container in a pole barn on the property on March 28, WTOL reports. Authorities say Steven Stark, 58, and Sheryl Stark, 56, the parents of Jared, are each charged with gross abuse of a corpse, WTVG Channel 13 reports. According to WTVG, the child-endangering charges are because a 2-year-old boy lived in the house and "was exposed to substantial health and safety risks as a result of his ongoing exposure to the improperly treated remains." Hicksville is located near Defiance, which is about 45 miles southwest of Toledo. CLEVELAND, Ohio - On this, the Republican Ohio Senate president and the Democrat minority leader agree: voters need to approve Issue 1 to reform the way congressional districts are drawn in Ohio, they told a City Club audience Thursday. Larry Obhof, the Senate president from Medina, and Kenny Yuko, the minority leader from Richmond Heights, were joined by Common Cause Ohio Executive Director Catherine Turcer to discuss the May 8 ballot issue. It couldn't be called a debate because there was no opposition present, nor is there any known organized opposition to the proposal. There have, however, been some concerns raised. For example, the American Civil Liberties has said it will not support the reform plan because it doesn't go far enough, though the ACLU is not opposing the ballot issue. Obhof, Yuko and Turcer used Thursday's event to take on such concerns. "If you're going to let perfect be the enemy of the good, are you certain you are going to (eventually) win?" Obhof asked, noting years of failures to reform redistricting. Turcer traced reform efforts to 1981, when it was advocated by Republicans and opposed by Democrats. "Your choice is Issue 1 and the status quo," said Turcer, who predicted the status quo would lead to more lopsided, unrepresentative maps because of increasingly sophisticated mapping and data mining capabilities. Issue 1 is the result of a compromise struck in the Ohio legislature in February to set new limits on how congressional district lines will be drawn following the 2020 census. Yuko said it took a great deal of work for Republicans, Democrats and about 40 outside groups interested in reform to reach an agreement that could be supported. "The contrast is day and night" between the proposal and the current situation, Yuko said. "I can't even picture a no vote on this." The proposal doesn't go as far as what has been done in other states where politicians were removed in favor of independent commissions. And it doesn't go as far as what was being proposed in petitions circulated statewide calling for a public vote for a different reform to change the Ohio Constitution. But if Issue 1 is approved, restrictions will be imposed where none exist now: Requiring that districts be compact, not meandering for 100 or more miles across the state. Limiting how often counties could be split into different districts, a strategy used in the past to protect one political party or the other. Mandating at least some support from each major political party for approval of new 10-year maps. (Without the buy-in from both parties, a four-year map could be approved under stricter rules.) Related: cleveland.com analysis of the redistricting proposal A good version of a map under the new rules A bad version of a map under the new rules The Ohio Senate voted 31-0 to put Issue 1 on the ballot. The vote was 83-10 in the Ohio House. Both political parties have pledged to include vote yes on Issue 1 messages in their campaign materials, according to the Issue 1 campaign. Passage could lead to significant change when the next maps are drawn. Ohio now has no rules outside of federal requirements that districts be about the same size and following the Voting Rights Act. This is just one example of a gerrymandered Ohio congressional district. People in Sheffield, Elyria and Amherst are among those represented by Jim Jordan. Jordan's district begins in Lorain County, just west Cleveland, stretches more than 100 miles south to suburban Columbus and then west to within about 12 miles of the Indiana border. The last two sets of maps were approved in 2001 and 2011 with the Republicans holding full control of the process - the Ohio House, Ohio Senate and governor's office. They were designed to maximize political control, pushing as many Democrats into as few districts as possible with little concern for geography. Under the current maps, Republicans have won 75 percent of the races with a with just 56 percent of the overall vote against Democrats. There has been almost no competition - the closest race in 2016 was decided by 18.4 points. And there was little or no regard for providing voters a "local" representative in Congress. New congressional maps are drawn each 10 years. This chart shows the share of the seats won by Republicans and share of votes Republican vs. Democrats, excluding votes for third-party or independent candidates, according to cleveland.com research. Obhof told the City Club competitive races were necessary, noting what he has seen as a sharper focus among representatives from competitive districts to do good work for their constituents. "Every public official ought to worry about the consequences," Obhof said. Rich Exner, data analysis editor for cleveland.com, writes about numbers on a variety of topics. Follow on Twitter @RichExner. Vote history Shown below are combined vote totals for past congressional elections in Ohio, comparing the total votes won statewide (excluding votes for third-party and independent candidates) and the number of congressional races won statewide. New congressional maps are drawn every 10 years. Elections Votes won by GOP candidates Seats won by GOP candidates GOP winners Dem. winners 1972-1980 53.2% 60.9% 70 45 1982-1990 48.5% 48.6% 51 54 1992-2000 52.6% 57.9% 55 40 2002-2010 51.3% 62.2% 56 34 2012-2016 56.0% 75.0% 36 12 Election-by-election results 1972 55.1% 69.6% 16 7 1974 51.1% 65.2% 15 8 1976 51.3% 56.5% 13 10 1978 53.5% 56.5% 13 10 1980 54.4% 56.5% 13 10 1982 44.6% 52.4% 11 10 1984 50.3% 47.6% 10 11 1986 50.4% 47.6% 10 11 1988 49.8% 47.6% 10 11 1990 46.8% 47.6% 10 11 1992 49.5% 47.4% 9 10 1994 59.2% 68.4% 13 6 1996 51.9% 57.9% 11 8 1998 52.6% 57.9% 11 8 2000 51.6% 57.9% 11 8 2002 57.1% 66.7% 12 6 2004 51.3% 66.7% 12 6 2006 47.3% 61.1% 11 7 2008 47.5% 44.4% 8 10 2010 56.4% 72.2% 13 5 2012 52.1% 75.0% 12 4 2014 60.2% 75.0% 12 4 2016 58.2% 75.0% 12 4 2016 results District Republican Democrat 1 Chabot, Steve 59.2% Young, Michele 40.8% 2 Wenstrup, Brad 66.4% Smith, William 33.6% 3 Adams, John 31.4% Beatty, Joyce 68.6% 4 Jordan, Jim 68.0% Garrett, Janet 32.0% 5 Latta, Bob 70.9% Neu, James 29.1% 6 Johnson, Bill 70.7% Garrison, Jennifer 29.3% 7 Gibbs, Bob 68.9% Rich, Roy 31.1% 8 Davidson, Warren 71.8% Fought, Steven 28.2% 9 Larson, Donald 31.3% Kaptur, Marcy 68.7% 10 Turner, Mike 66.2% Klepinger, Robert 33.8% 11 Goldstein, Beverly 19.7% Fudge, Marcia L. 80.3% 12 Tiberi, Pat 69.0% Albertson, Ed 31.0% 13 Morckel, Richard 32.3% Ryan, Tim 67.7% 14 Joyce, David P. 62.6% Wager, Michael 37.4% 15 Stivers, Steve 66.2% Wharton, Scott 33.8% 16 Renacci, Jim 65.3% Mundy, Keith 34.7% Source: cleveland.com/datacentral analysis of Ohio Secretary of State records. Note: Excluded from the statewide tables are votes for third-party and independent candidates, as well as votes in special elections.This allowed for a direct comparison between share of votes won and congressional seats won. CLEVELAND, Ohio - Several members of City Council voiced support Wednesday for Mayor Frank Jackson's plan to tackle crime and violence - particularly crime and violence involving youths. But they also questioned why more Cleveland's business leaders have not given financial support to the effort. The discussion took place Wednesday at council's Public Safety Committee, where Duane Deskins, Jacksons chief of prevention, intervention and opportunity for youth and young adults, briefed members on the plan. Deskin, who announced Wednesday that he is resigning, is the chief architect of Jackson's plan. Here's more on the plan and some of what was said. What does the plan call for? The administration's plan looks at youth violence as a public-health issue because children who are constantly exposed to poverty and violence can suffer high levels of stress and develop behavior problems. The plan calls for: Placing registered counselors in the city's rec centers. The counselor will work directly with troubled children or make other appropriate referrals. Training the workers at rec centers - desk staff, coaches, custodians and security personnel - in crisis-intervention so that they recognize potential health issues in young children and teens. Adjusting programs at rec centers to meet the demands of the population. That could include adding activities that help keep kids busy or others that help them deal with stress. Training another 400 to 500 other city workers who deal regularly with the public to recognize symptoms of health and behavioral issues, so they can too can offer help. Jackson has put the main emphasis on rec centers because he wants the community to come to view them as safe places for kids. The rec centers also will be the first target areas for upgrades to street lighting and security cameras. What do council members think of the plan? Ward 7 Councilman Basheer Jones, Ward 6 Councilman Blaine Griffin and Ward 14 Councilwoman Jasmin Santana all said they could identify with the concepts of toxic stress, having grown up in challenged neighborhoods -- Jones and Santana in Cleveland and Griffin in Youngstown. "This is the most revolutionary thing I've seen since I've been here," Jones said. "What I see in it acknowledges the root causes that people are afraid to talk about. ... Institutional racism is real. Let's call it what it is." Jones, talked about growing up in Hough, one of the city's most impoverished neighborhoods. "I'm still dealing with the trauma," he said. "This trauma is there and if you're uncomfortable to have it in a majority black city, how do you think we feel, those of us who live it?" Are there concerns? Yes. While all the members of the council praised the plan, they also said the key to its success will be follow through and implementation. "The best plan is the plan that you implement," Griffin said. "We can't just look at this and say, 'Good plan.' The Browns probably have a good plan." Griffin also urged strong communication between city departments involved in the plan and other groups such as anti-poverty agencies social services or Cleveland schools. That communication is important to make the plan effective. "You could have 10 or 15 systems and none of them are communicating with each other." Did council members make suggestions? Yes. Ward 8 Councilman Mike Polensek called on Jackson to take the plan a step further, using his bully pulpit to get corporate support for neighborhoods. "When is the corporate community going to understand that it's one thing to write a check for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and it's another thing to write a check for Boys and Girls Clubs in the neighborhoods?" Polensek asked. "All this is B.S. they give us and then they ride home to Waite Hill or whereever," Polensek said. "Until we zero in on the real causes of this, we're not going to get any better." Do council members think the plan will work? One council member expressed some skepticism. Ward 15 Councilman Brian Kazy said he supports for the plan but wonders how it can work without buy-in from Cleveland families. "I'm just a little skeptical on how we're going to achieve positive results," Kazy said. "I'm not sure where the city of Cleveland should step in as the parent. ... There's nothing that replaces a mother and father." He wondered aloud if people will really begin to view the rec centers as a safe place to send their kids. Deskins expressed confidence that will happen. "My sense is if you want people to come, if you want people to get out of doors, you have to give them more opportunities," Deskins said. CLEVELAND, Ohio - International travelers arriving at Cleveland Hopkins should have an easier, faster exit from the airport after clearing customs beginning Monday. Passengers can leave the customs area after clearing customs, but will be subject to screening by the Transportation Security Administration before entering Concourse A. Previously, passengers had to wait for all passengers to finish being checked by customs before getting on a shuttle to the baggage claim level. A statement from the airport noted it is important for passengers to know that they will be screened by TSA similar to when they arrive at an airport. That means passengers who may have purchased duty-free beverages will need to put those items into their checked luggage before leaving the customs area as they will not be allowed to take liquids over 3 ounces into the terminal. Related: That changes coincide with two airlines beginning service from Iceland. Wow Air is scheduled to land its first flight Thursday. On May 16, Icelandair begins service out of Cleveland, with five flights per week. These changes will apply to all international arrivals, except those from Canada, including scheduled flights from Cancun, Mexico on Frontier and United, charters from Montego Bay, Jamaica, and Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, according to Hopkins. Flights from Toronto clear customs in Canada. CLEVELAND, Ohio - The administration of Cuyahoga County Executive Armond Budish improperly paid county IT Director Scot Rourke after having placed him on unpaid leave, but later caught and corrected the error, officials told cleveland.com on Thursday. In a separate instance, Rourke sought payment for 16 hours of sick leave that he also was not entitled to while on leave, officials said. That request was entered into the county's payroll system on Rourke's behalf, but was removed before a check was cut. Rourke and IT General Council Emily McNeeley were placed on unpaid leave April 2 after being named in subpoenas served on the county by corruption investigators with the county Prosecutor's Office. Among other things, the subpoenas sought emails and contracts relating to one of Rourke's former employers and a company that employs McNeeley's spouse. County policy allows workers on unpaid leave to cash in vacation pay. But the policy prohibits them from drawing on sick leave or so-called exchange time, which salaried employees can accrue for extra hours worked. At the time they were placed on leave, Rourke had 55 hours of accrued vacation time and McNeeley had 198 hours. Rourke sought and received the exchange pay this month, said Ed Morales, the county's director of human resources for employee and labor relations. After the mistake was discovered, the exchange pay was converted to vacation pay. Morales said he did not know how much money Rourke had received in exchange pay. McNeeley also asked if she could draw on sick leave, but did not follow through with a request, Morales said. "I think that both of them were incorrectly notified by an HR representative that they could use sick leave," he said. On April 24, the county sent letters to Rourke and McNeeley reiterating the terms of their leave. The letter, a copy of which was obtained by cleveland.com through a records request, states: "While on unpaid leave, you are not permitted to report to work and therefore you may not use paid sick or exchange time or any other leave which is granted when an employee, who is otherwise permitted to work, has a qualifying condition that prevents it. You are, however, able to use paid vacation time, which would be cashed out in any event if your employment was separated." Cleveland.com has asked for the names of the employees who improperly approved the exchange pay for Rourke and approved entering the request for sick leave in the payroll system. This story will be updated when the county releases the names. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Are you a woman in Ohio interested in joining a respectful, online conversation with women from around the country who have different political opinions, experiences and backgrounds? Cleveland.com and Spaceship Media are hosting a moderated conversation in a closed Facebook group that will bring together women of all political stripes, from conservative to libertarian to liberal. The conversation, The Many: A Conversation Across Divides, is supported by journalists and librarians who supply research to inform the group's discussions. It is moderated and is also off the record, but journalists are permitted to ask participants for permission to interview and quote them. Spaceship Media is a journalism organization that has conducted similar conversations since the 2016 general election, including between supporters of Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, and about immigration, agriculture and education. Its mission is to reduce polarization, build communities and restore trust in media. The Many will run through the November midterm elections. There are no time or participation commitments at all. If you're interested in being a part of a civil, respectful conversation with women of all political stripes you can sign up here. We are interested in voices from across the political spectrum, and right now we're particularly looking for conservative or independent women. Please share with friends and family who you think might like to join. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A 34-year-old man who abducted his children in Athens after a domestic dispute was arrested late Wednesday in Cleveland, officials said. Neil Perin was arrested about 11:30 p.m. at an apartment building in the the 2600 block of North Moreland Boulevard in the Shaker Square neighborhood, according to U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott. Perin's three children -- ages 4, 2 and 6 months-- were found inside the apartment, Elliott said. They are being checked by emergency medics at the scene, but appear to be unharmed, Elliott said. Elliott said his officers tracked Perin down to the apartment building. Perin told investigators he knew they were in the area and put on a hat in order to conceal his identity, Elliott said. Elliott said they arrested Perin as he tried to elude capture, leaving his three children alone inside the apartment. The 6-month-old was lying facedown when officers found him, Elliott said. Police have been searching for Perin and his three children since 9 a.m. Wednesday, when a domestic dispute broke out at the children's home on East State Street in Athens, officials said. Perin has a history of violence and the statewide alert was sent out about 8 p.m. Perin is charged with abduction and domestic violence in Athens Municipal Court. He was convicted of domestic violence on March 6, court records show. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A 37-year-old man was shot to death early Thursday in the city's Mount Pleasant neighborhood, police said. Michael Shurn of Cleveland was found dead in the driver's seat of his car, according to the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner. Police said he was shot several times about 3 a.m. in the 3400 block of East 119th Street, just south of Kinsman Road. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Police have not released additional information regarding the shooting. No arrests have been made. To comment on this post, please visit our crime and courts comments section. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A 91-page study detailing various shortcomings within the Cleveland police department's most important investigative unit says detectives in all of the five city police districts don't respond to non-fatal shootings and typically begin investigations days after they take place. That needs to change if police are going to solve more crimes and more homicides, according to the report from the Washington-based Police Executive Research Forum. The group studied the department for over eight months in 2016 and said its members were alarmed that district detectives are not required to respond to the scene of non-deadly shootings, and in most cases are discouraged from doing so by supervisors. "The lack of consistent and urgent (district detective) response to non-fatal shootings is a serious problem that must be addressed," the report says. "Not all patrol officers are adequately trained to conduct the type of investigation at the scene that is necessary for identifying crucial evidence and leads, so this information may be lost if a detective does not also respond." The report, finalized in December 2016, but not released to Cleveland.com for 14 months, aims to help a beleaguered homicide unit that has seen the rate of solving cases plummet along with the roster of homicide detectives investigating the cases. The research group gave 75 recommendations to Cleveland police brass of how to solve more cases. Cleveland police officials have not responded to questions regarding the report's findings or suggestions on how to solve the problems. At least 900 people have been shot or shot at every year since 2015. In 2015 there were 923 incidents reported where someone was shot or shot at. There were 993 in 2016 and 914 in 2017. From the beginning of this year year through March 21, there were 137 people shot or shot at in Cleveland, police previously said. Statistics provided by the city do not distinguish between shootings where someone is hurt and where someone is not. Homicide staffing is most urgent issue the homicide unit is facing. They had 19 detectives in 2009 and solved 77 percent of their cases. That plummeted to 14 detectives and a 52 percent solve-rate by 2015, according to the report. The department sought to help remedy that on Friday, one day after the report was released to cleveland.com, by adding two new detectives to the homicide unit. More district detectives needed The PERF study cited similar issues with the district detective units, which investigate shootings and other violent crimes like armed robberies and home invasions. There are too few detectives in the district and they need better training and technology to do their job, the report found. They also should have detectives working night-shift. Similar to the homicide unit, there is no staffing from midnight to 8 a.m., just on-call detectives, the report found. The district detective units' are also understaffed. One detective picked up 175 new cases in the first six months of 2016, according to the report. The report praised the work of both district and homicide detectives but noted the importance that the district detectives could have in helping homicide cases, starting with a more urgent response to non-deadly shootings. Responding to non-deadly shootings When a shooting happens in the city, patrol officers are sent to the scene. They interview witnesses, document evidence and conduct the preliminary investigation. The patrol officer later files a police report. That report is sent to a supervisor in the detective bureau, who assigns the case to a detective. That process sometimes can take up to a full day, the report found. Even when detectives hear a shooting on their police radio, they are discouraged from going to the scene to begin investigating, the report said. Researchers concluded that delay prevents detectives from solving shootings that could prevent future homicides. "Someone who commits a non-fatal shooting may very well commit a homicide if not apprehended, as oftentimes the only thing that differentiates a non-fatal shooting from a homicide is poor marksmanship, better medical care, or some other chance factor," the report said. Focusing on shootings The police administration at the time of the report was trying to implement two different teams in each district to more quickly respond to shootings. Seasoned district detectives in at least one district were put into a specialized unit to focus on more violent crimes, including shootings. Police were also trying to team up with the federal bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to form "gun-suppression" teams that aimed to identify patterns and connections between non-deadly shootings in the city, the report said. Researchers also noted that the police chief and supervisors needed to facilitate formal communication between district detectives -- who may have critical information regarding suspects, witnesses and victims in homicides if they were previously involved in other violent crimes. Homicide detectives have no way of accessing information compiled by detectives in the five police districts or other specialty units other than word-of-mouth. There is no information-sharing system in place and commanders in each of the units do not regularly hold meetings or briefings where information could be shared, the study found. Since the report was issued, the police department has spent about $2 million to upgrade technology, as mandated by the consent decree with the U.S. Department of Justice, with another $1 million in upgrades planned for 2018. Those technological improvements are required as the result of the city of Cleveland's consent decree with the U.S. Justice Department to improve policing in the city. Part of that agreement addresses Cleveland police department's need to upgrade to "basic technological innovations associated with contemporary, urban policing," according to a 2016 report by the team monitoring the department's reforms. Despite the upgrades, the report found that police officials need to facilitate more formal communication because homicide and district detectives often end up coming into contact with the same witnesses, suspects and victims. "Poor coordination between Homicide and (district) detectives can result in critical information falling through the cracks," the report said, later adding. "Sharing information would help Homicide and (district) detectives better identify patterns and connections between their cases, thus enabling them to more effectively prevent and respond to crime throughout the city." If you would like to comment on this story, please visit Wednesday's crime and courts comments section. CLEVELAND, Ohio - The bipartisan committee set up to campaign for the May ballot proposal Issue 1 - congressional redistricting reform - reported Thursday receiving donations so far from 10 groups totaling just $162,995. The biggest donor was Strong Communities Ohio, which transferred some money left over from its campaign in support of a state bond issue on the May 2014 ballot. The organization contributed $56,977 to the the redistricting reform effort. The National Democratic Redistricting Committee donated $50,000. Nothing has been donated by Republican committees. Keary McCarthy, campaign director for Ohio Redistricting Reform, said the group plans to focus on campaign mailings and ads on the internet targeted to voters based on their voting histories. Nevertheless, two co-chairs of the Ohio Redistricting Reform group said after appearing at the City Club of Cleveland on Thursday that they were concerned about the lack of fundraising. "We need the money to get the message out there," said Senate Minority Leader Kenny Yuko, a Democrat from Richmond Heights. Senate President Larry Obhof, a Republican from Medina, said he was "concerned about it," but added, "I do think it will pass. I think we have the right message." In comparison, millions of dollars were spent on two issues on last November's ballot. A controversial plan aimed at reducing drug prices drew $74 million in campaign spending from competing groups, and the Marsy's Law proposal to expand the rights of crime victims had the backing of $9.9 million from a supporting group. In addition to the National Democratic Redistricting Committee and Strong Communjities Ohio, the other donors reported by Ohio Redistricting Reform were: $15,000 - Nationwide Mutual Insurance, Columbus. $10,000 - Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus. $10,000 - Wolfe Enterprises, which was formerly tied to the Columbus Dispatch. $10,000 - Huntington Bancshares Inc. $5,000 - OAPSE AFSCME Turnaround Ohio PAC. $3,250 - Coalition for Redistricting Reform non-profit parent, a predecessor to the campaign committee. $2,500 - Ohio State UAW PAC, Maumee. $268 - Innovation Ohio, a Columbus policy think tank. The only expenditures reported so far were $1,500 for postage and $10,000 to Precision New Media, a Columbus media consultant. NEW YORK -- For one Donald Trump supporter, perhaps MAGA should be MABA ... Make A Better Argument. A judge in Manhattan dismissed a lawsuit from a Philadelphia accountant who sued a New York bar that tossed him out because he was wearing a "Make America Great Again" hat. The lawsuit had argued that The Happiest Hour bar violated Greg Piatek's spiritual "creed" by making him leave in January 2017, according to the New York Daily News. New York state and city laws do not prevent discrimination based on political beliefs. So Piatek's lawyer, Paul Liggieri, said his client was wearing the hat as a "spiritual tribute to the victims of 9/11" because he wore it while visiting the 9/11 memorial, the New York Post reports. Manhattan Supreme Court Justice David Cohen dismissed the suit after 45 minutes of legal arguments, according to the Daily News. To comment on this story, visit the cleveland.com crime and courts comment section. CLEVELAND, Ohio - Republican Attorney General Mike DeWine's campaign fundraising may have slowed slightly, but the governor hopeful still commands a massive war chest that outranks the rest of the field combined heading into the May 8 primary. An initial review showed a tough road ahead for Democrats looking to raise money in the governor's race. Campaign contributions were down overall across the spectrum less than two weeks before the primary, but Democrats still hold a meager sum overall compared to their Republican counterparts. Former federal consumer watchdog Richard Cordray easily beat the rest of the Democratic field, but still trailed DeWine both for the period and overall. The filing deadline includes fundraising from Jan. 31 to Apr. 26. Republicans What once seemed like an easy primary for DeWine has become more competitive in recent weeks after Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor loaned her campaign $3 million in January. (Her running mate, Nathan Estruth, loaned an additional $250,000.) Since the infusion, DeWine has had to spend handsomely in the primary, though he certainly had the money to do it. Taylor's newfound vigor for campaigning led her to attack DeWine on television in Southwest Ohio. The ads may have had a positive effect for Taylor, with polls showing DeWine's wide lead narrowing. DeWine carpetbombed the state in advertising to counter Taylor's negative advertising and her uptick in polling. The campaign spent nearly $4.7 million since January on advertising and media related purchases. While a sizable sum, DeWine had cash of that kind to spend and ended the reporting period with $7.4 million cash on hand, comfortably ahead of any other candidate. DeWine reported raising $1.7 million this reporting period and at face value could seem deflated for DeWine, but that's because of the monstrous sum he's already raised. Should he make it past the primary, DeWine has the luxury of going back to the donors who've already helped him raise more than $12 million in the race. Taylor failed to see a significant uptick in fundraising, reporting $419,000 in contributions compared with $364,000 during the January reporting period. The lieutenant governor spent $1.9 million and still has more than $1.9 million to make a late push before the bulk of state votes. The $3 million loan Taylor gave to her campaign was also repaid the same day she gave it to herself. State filings show the loan was taken out Jan. 26 and immediately repaid. Taylor later re-loaned the $3 million to herself in the form of $500,000 on Mar. 27 and $2.5 million on Apr. 11. The campaign declined to comment on why the money was moved around so much. Democrats Cordray's fundraising totals were down overall as well at $1.3 million compared to more than $2 million in January. He spent $1.7 million and has $1.6 million cash on hand. Former U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich has kept the race competitive in the polls, but raised only $592,000. Kucinich has about $275,000 cash on hand. Much of Cordray's and Kucinich's money came from out of state. Kucinich banked 44 percent of his donations from outside Ohio, while 30 percent of Cordray's came from other places. In contrast, Republicans Taylor raised 85 percent of her donations from Ohio while DeWine's in-state contributions - excluding in-kind contributions, many of which are from the state party - totaled 91 percent. State Sen. Joe Schiavoni and former Ohio Supreme Court Justice Bill O'Neill lagged the rest of the candidates. Schiavoni brought in just more than $87,000 while O'Neill logged around $68,000. O'Neill also loaned himself $16,000. The totals show a significant cash disadvantage for Democrats, both in terms of raising total funds and raising money in the state. The election will only get more difficult moving forward. Outside and dark money has been limited to the Republican primary thus far, but is expected to pour into the state during the general election. Financial interests such as payday lenders with deep pockets have a vested interest in ensuring Cordray does not win. Republican President Donald Trump also values keeping the state in Republican hands for his 2020 reelection. A previous version of this article said Mike DeWine raised $1.2 million. It has been corrected to show DeWine raised $1.7 million. CLEVELAND, Ohio - Former U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich, a Democrat running for governor, said on Thursday he is returning a $20,000 speaking fee he received from a group sympathetic to the Syrian government. Kucinich initially failed to disclose in state ethics filings that he received $20,000 in 2017 for a paid speech in London from the Association for Investment in Popular Action Committees, which includes the pro-President Bashar Assad group Syria Solidarity Movement. Kucinich received widespread criticism, including from former Gov. Ted Strickland, though some voters seemed unconcerned. Kucinich had strongly defended the Syria Solidarity Movement, calling it a "civil rights advocacy group." He called the initial news reporting gleaned from public filings a "smear attack" by primary election opponent Richard Cordray. The revelation of the paid speech wasn't the first time Kucinich has been accused of being too cozy with Assad. The former congressman has met with Assad multiple times and declined to condemn the Syrian dictator for chemical weapons attacks. The cleveland.com/Plain Dealer editorial board, which endorsed Kucinich, wrote on Wednesday that Kucinich needed to sever all ties to pro-Assad groups. In a Thursday letter responding to the editorial board, Kucinich said the initial lack of disclosure was unintentional and he would give back the fees for the London speech. "The organization did not identify itself as having any interest other than human rights and never specifically mentioned to me their interest in or position regarding the Syrian regime," Kucinich wrote in the letter. "If they had, I would have declined their offer, because anyone who stands for peace must be able to remain above the appearance of influence. Accordingly, having only recently learned of their advocacy, I am returning their fee." Kucinich never explicitly apologized in the letter for taking the money. And he defended himself against broader condemnations of his past decisions, such as meeting with Assad or taking campaign contributions from a pair of Lebanese brothers who sponsored Kucinich's 2017 trip to meet Assad. He also denied in the letter that he was a supporter of the Assad regime, "its repressive practices, its brutality to political opponents, or its security state apparatus." Kucinich said he wasn't providing cover for Assad. "I am not nor have I ever been an apologist for anyone," Kucinich wrote in the letter to the editorial board. "In a lifetime as a public servant I have never carried water for any interest, foreign or domestic." The Kucinich campaign declined to comment further on the letter. State Rep. Larry Householder CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The alliances surrounding the heated political battle to become the next leader of the Ohio House of Representatives became clearer on Thursday, thanks the filing of new state campaign finance disclosures. Two Southeast Ohio Republicans angling to be the next Ohio House Speaker reported raising similar amounts of campaign money through mid-April -- State Rep. Larry Householder, of Perry County, reported raising about $101,800, while State Rep. Ryan Smith, of Gallia County, reported raising $93,450. Observing how the speaker hopefuls dole out their money offers the clearest sign yet of which House candidates may support them. There are a number of contested primaries across Ohio between House candidates believed to be pro-Smith or pro-Householder -- whoever wins could help pick the next leader of the Republican-controlled House after the November election. Many of the candidates have been coy about whom they plan to support and have not come out publicly with their choices. State Rep. Ryan Smith Householder reported giving out about $92,500 -- in identical $7,707.79 contributions -- to 12 different candidates running in contested Republican primary elections. Those candidates are Brian Baldridge, Tim Barhorst, Jamie Callender, Jon Cross, Josh Hagan, Kris Jordan, Derrick Merrin, Jena Powell, Mike Rasor, Tracy Richardson, Jim Trakas and Shane Wilkin. Meanwhile, the Ohio House Republican Organizing Committee -- which has close ties to Smith -- gave about $354,200, distributed in varying amounts, to nine candidates running against the Householder-backed candidates. Those candidates are Michael Canty, Gina Hall Collinsworth, Beth Ellis, Dave Ferguson, Shane Gunnoe, Denise Martin, John O'Brien, John Plecnik and Reggie Stoltzfus. Martin received just $4,000 -- the rest received at least $30,000, with Ellis receiving the most at $62,000. Smith himself gave $300,000 to OHROC, the campaign arm for Ohio House Republicans. Other outside donors also gave to House candidates in patterns that generally split down factional lines. Wayne Boich, chairman and CEO of Boich Companies, whose holdings include coal mines, gave out about $90,600 to nine of the Householder-backed candidates. The political action committee for Murray Energy, another coal-mining company, gave $28,200 to many of the same candidates. As previously reported by cleveland.com, a PAC for FirstEnergy, the power-generation company, gave more than $149,000 to 15 candidates, 11 of whom Householder gave money to. Meanwhile, Republican House candidates filing Thursday reported at least $79,700 in contributions from Virginia "Ginni" Ragan, a Columbus-area mega-donor who is close to OHROC and former Republican House Speaker Cliff Rosenberger. Ragan this year overall has given at least $224,400 to Republican House members -- many of whom also were supported by OHROC. ACT Ohio -- a group representing the construction trades industry -- also gave tens of thousands of dollars to Householder-backed candidates, as did a political group representing the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 18. OHROC overall reported raising about $818,000 -- much of which was raised from incumbent Republican members -- spending about $1 million and good for $4.2 million in cash on hand. It raised about $526,500 following Rosenberger's shocking April 10 resignation as Ohio House speaker amid an FBI probe into a trip he took with lobbyists to London in August 2017. Rosenberger -- who was slated to leave office at the end of the year due to term limits - before resigning appointed a temporary successor, although the long-term leadership of the Republican caucus is unclear. Rosenberger also appointed temporary successors to control OHROC and its funds. The Ohio House Democratic Caucus, the Democratic equivalent of OHROC, reported raising about $279,000 and spending $189,500, good for $573,100 in cash on hand. Democrats are hoping to pick up at least a half-dozen seats in the Republican-controlled state legislature this year, thanks in part to what many expect will be a favorable political climate. Campaign finance disclosures filed Thursday do not include spending by organizations that have paid for TV and radio ads and direct mail pieces attacking pro-Householder candidates. Those groups, organized as federal Super PACs with different filing deadlines, are believed to have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars, but have not fully disclosed their spending. One of the groups, called Honor & Principles PAC, earlier this month reported receiving $175,000 from an anonymous LLC, which it used to fund ads attacking Householder and supporting his primary opponent. The Republican Senate Campaign Committee, which is not experiencing the same leadership intrigue as its House counterpart, reported raising $1.2 million and spending about $593,300, good for $3.4 million in cash on hand. Ohio Senate Democrats reported raising about $169,800 and spending about $148,400, good for $63,800 in cash on hand. CLEVELAND -- For at least a century, the Republican road to high elected office in Ohio has run through the sensible center. Among Republican winners of gubernatorial elections, there is not a single exception to the rule requiring a modicum of moderation. Any list of the party's most successful, moderately conservative officeholders includes some of the biggest political names in state history: Jim Rhodes, Bob Taft, William Saxbe, George Voinovich and now John Kasich. And as recently as March 15, 2016, rank and file Republicans in Ohio earned national attention for their reluctance to embrace extremism. That attribute explains why Gov. Kasich crushed Donald Trump in Ohio's presidential primary election, a loss that slowed Trump's improbable nomination. While that primary was held in 2016, it might as well have been 1816. Because the Ohio Republican Party of today has almost nothing in common with the one that existed 25 months earlier. In today's Republican Party, the sensible center isn't a road less traveled. It's a road that no longer exists. And it is the GOP's total abandonment of what it stood for that best explains the vicious and personal name-calling campaign between Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine and Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor for the Republican nomination for governor. On May 8, DeWine will win. But not before Taylor has some success shredding his reputation. DeWine and Taylor are seeking the nomination of a party that has precious little in common with the one that elected DeWine lieutenant governor in 1990, or Taylor to the same job 20 years later. One need offer no more proof than this: If Trump were matched up against Kasich on May 8 - be it for the job of president or dogcatcher - Kasich would be annihilated. The same could be said if Trump's opponent were named George Voinovich, Jim Rhodes or Bob Taft. Among Ohio's Republicans, the issue that matters most today is whether a Republican candidate for high office is unwavering in his or her support for the president. It matters not one iota that Trump is a man of uncommon cruelty, a pathological liar, an unapologetic embracer of white supremacy whose open contempt for the rule of law represents a clear and present danger to democracy. Trump apologists have long wanted us to believe voter loyalty to Trump is rooted in fear for their economic future. But a new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences goes a way towards confirming what many of us have long suspected: that the affection aging white males have for Trump is rooted largely in a desire to Make America White Again. Today's Republican Party is more about a culture war than a trade war. It's about carving gigantic holes in the safety net, discriminating against anyone who doesn't look or sound like them, and providing ready access to the types of deadly weapons used to slaughter schoolchildren. If that suggestion offends people, it's because it should. Look closely at those ugly television ads aired by DeWine and Taylor supporters. What you'll find is a lot more talk about denying health care to poor people, walling off our borders, and providing deadly weapons on demand than you will about building an economy that stops Ohio's race to the bottom. The most important attribute in Ohio's next governor must and should be this: Does the candidate have a record that demonstrates good judgment? On March 10, less than a month after 17 people were slaughtered at a southeast Florida high school, Mary Taylor brought a 12-gauge shotgun to a gun rights rally outside the Statehouse. And in that single act, Taylor demonstrated beyond any doubt she lacks the judgment to be Ohio's next governor. DeWine's long career includes numerous examples where he has demonstrated sound judgment on issues of importance. Assuming DeWine advances to the general election, many independent voters will understandably find his professed loyalty to Trump disqualifying. But in the primary, DeWine wants and needs all those large numbers of votes from the lunatic fringe. Without the extremists, he can't get past May 8. If DeWine figures out a way to win in November, he will govern far closer to the political center than he's now willing to admit. Next week: The Democrats running for governor Brent Larkin was The Plain Dealer's editorial director from 1991 until his retirement in 2009. To reach Brent Larkin: blarkin@cleveland.com Have something to say about this topic? Use the comments to share your thoughts. Then, stay informed when readers reply to your comments by using the "Follow" option at the top of the comments, and look for updates via the small blue bell in the lower right as you look at more stories on cleveland.com. PARMA, Ohio -- Drug abuse, Lincoln Avenue: On April 18, police were dispatched to a Lincoln Avenue home regrading a burglary. An arriving officer located the burglar. The Parma man was also in possession of suspected felony drugs. He was cited for drug abuse and attempted burglary. Fraud, Camelot Drive: On April 19, police were dispatched to a Camelot Drive residence after its homeowner discovered he had been the victim of fraud. Police are investigating. Counterfeit check, Pearl Road: On April 18, police were dispatched to the Pearl Road Dollar Bank after a teller discovered that a man was suspected of depositing a counterfeit check. Police are investigating. Drug abuse, Snow Road: During an April 18 traffic stop on Snow Road, a 32-year-old man was found in possession of suspected felony drugs. He was arrested for drug abuse. Drug abuse, Maplecrest Avenue: During an April 18 traffic stop on Maplecrest Avenue, a 21-year-old man was found in possession of suspected felony drugs. The North Royalton resident was arrested for drug abuse. Drug abuse, Broadview Road: During an April 18 traffic stop, a 36-year-old man was found in possession of suspected felony drugs. The Cleveland resident was arrested for drug abuse. Forged check, Brookpark Road: On April 17, police were dispatched to Rent a Wreck after an employee discovered that someone had used a forged check. Police are investigating. License plate theft, York Road: On April 17, police were dispatched to a York Road residence after a man was suspected of taking a Parma woman's license plates. Police are investigating. Disturbance, Whittington Drive: On April 17, police were dispatched to a Whittington Drive home after two juveniles were fighting. Police are investigating. Drug abuse, Ridge Road: On April 17, police observed a reckless driver on Ridge Road. While talking to the Cleveland man, police discovered he was in possession of felony drugs. The man was arrested for drug abuse and reckless driving. 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Market Overview: Acerola is a cherry like small fruit which has many health and medicinal benefits. It is native to South and Central America, Southern Mexico and the Caribbean and is often cultivated in warmer areas. It is a rich source of vitamin C, and also contains vitamin A, thiamine, riboflavin, and niacin. Acerola, in its extract form comes in powder, liquid and others. These extracts are applicable in various industries including bakery and confectionery, dairy and frozen desserts, beverages, food supplements, sweet & savory snacks, and others. Acerola extract is gaining popularity among various industries owing to its high nutritional and health beneficial attributes which is the major driving factor for the growth of acerola extract market. Being extremely low in fat and calories, acerola helps lose excess body weight which is boosting its demand among the growing population suffering from obesity. Whereas, the growing health conscious population is also adding to the growth propulsion of the market. Increasing application of acerola extract in cosmetic industry is further boosting the growth of the market. Moreover, growing demand for convenience food and beverages is surging the demand for acerola extract. Continuous R&D followed by technological advancements strive to be an opportunity for the growth of acerola extract market. However, high price of acerola based products may hamper the growth of the market. Receive a Sample Report @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/5008 Major Key Players: Some of the key players profiled in the global acerola extract market are The Green Labs LLC (U.S.), Amazonia Exportacao E Representacao (Brazil), Nutrilite (Amway) (U.S.), Naturex (France), Nichirei Corporation, Inc. (Japan), Vita Forte (U.S.), Martin Bauer Group (Germany) Key Findings: Demand for organic sourced acerola extract is increasing among various industries Cosmetic industry is witnessed to have high inclination towards acerola extract Segments: On the basis of form, acerola extract is segmented into powder, liquid and others. It is witnessed that powder form of acerola market is dominating the market based on its high usage in food supplements and will continue its growth in the coming years. However, it is projected that the liquid form of acerola extract will gain a substantial growth during the forecast period based on its increasing demand in beverage industry. Based on the application, acerola extract market is segmented into bakery and confectionery, dairy and frozen desserts, beverages, food supplements, sweet & savory snacks, and others. Among all, food supplements is dominating the market owing to high nutritional value of the acerola extract. However, beverage segment is expected to grow substantially owing to high inclination of consumers towards functional beverages. Access Report Details @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/acerola-extract-market-5008 Regional Analysis: The global acerola extract market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and rest of the world (RoW). North America is dominating the market followed by Europe. The U.S. is the major contributor for acerola extract market followed by Mexico in North America owing to high innovation activities by the key players in this region. High inclination of consumers towards functional beverages in Europe is driving the market for acerola extract in this region. Asia Pacific is projected to be the fastest growing region over the forecast period. India and China are the major contributors in this region owing to increasing health awareness and increase in consumption of healthy food and beverages. Latin America is also expected to witness moderate growth over the estimated period in which Brazil is the major contributor. There's nothing like hitting 'send' on a message and realising that it's winging its way to the wrong person. But a wrong number text isn't always a scenario for disaster as these rather amusing examples from around the world shared by BuzzFeed prove. One texter cheekily asked for a job after she received a text from a medical scientist who was trying to contact a doctor. She came up with the right answer simply by using Google, impressing the scientist with her skills. Another was able to gain an invite to dinner after a grandmother texted him instead of her relatives. However, things didn't go quite so well for people who accidentally sent their boss or parents an inappropriate message. People from around the globe showed their hilarious exchanges with random strangers. One person shared with Twitter a strange photograph they accidentally received One person took texting the wrong number as an opportunity to ask for cheese recommendations Two people exchanged a brief flirtation as the wrong text recipient began to confess their love A confident individual assumed they were texted by mistake when they received a message implying everyone disliked them One person shared with Twitter how they had tried to cause panic by going along with a message meant for someone else A man accidentally texted his father asking him to buy 2gs - slang for cannabis - but managed to turn it around by pretending he meant Gatorade One woman tried her luck to get a job after using Google to quickly reply to a random message As if resigning by text wasn't bad enough, this employee made it worse by accidentally calling her boss 'thick' One person accidentally sent their complaint about their driving instructor directly to them Every aspect of being a royal is carefully planned, including when to start - and expand - a family. And the Duchess of Cambridge and Princess Madeleine of Sweden have illustrated this perfectly - with all three of their children born within months of each other. Kate, 36, had eldest child Prince George in July 2013, with the birth of Madeleine's eldest child Princess Leonore following seven months later in February 2014. Princess Charlotte was born just over a year later in May 2015, while Madeleine's second child Prince Nicolas was born a month later in June 2015. Meanwhile, the Swedish royal, 35, gave birth to daughter Princess Adrienne at the start of March, with Kate's new baby son arriving just over a month later. The Duchess of Cambridge had her first child Prince George (pictured as a baby) in July 2013 Princess Madeleine of Sweden's first child Princess Leonore (pictured at her christening) was born seven months later in February 2014 Madeleine is married to financier husband Chris O'Neill, 43, and is the youngest child of King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia. Like Kate, Madeleine was forced to announce her third pregnancy early in August, after it emerged the news had got out. The Duchess of Cambridge also announced she was pregnant in September before the traditional three month mark, after again suffering severe morning sickness during her third pregnancy. Kate and William's third child, whose name has not been revealed yet, was born on Monday, weighing 8lb 7oz. Kate, 36, and William, 35, had Princess Charlotte (pictured as a baby) in May 2015 Madeleine, 35, and her husband Chris O'Neill, 43, had Prince Nicolas (pictured at his christening) in June 2015 Meanwhile, Madeleine and Chris's daughter Adrienne was born on 9 March, weighing 7lbs 9oz. Madeleine opened up her own Instagram account in March, sharing a series of cute snaps of her new baby. The new arrivals have come amidst a spate of royal baby births, with Princess Caroline of Hanover's son, Andrea Casiraghi, and his wife, Tatiana Santo Domingo, becoming parents for the third time over the weekend. Meanwhile, Prince Philip and Princess Danica of Serbia welcomed their first son, Prince Stefan, at the end of February. Prince Ernst August Jr of Hanover and his Russian fashion designer wife Ekaterina Malysheva also welcomed their first child - a daughter, Elisabeth - in February. Kate gave birth to her third child, a baby son weighing 8lb 7oz (pictured), on Monday A woman has revealed the side effects she experienced when she stopped breastfeeding her son at six months. Writing for Cosmopolitan, 37-year-old author Jo Piazza, who lives in San Francisco, explained that although she successfully managed to breast feed her son Charlie for six months, 'I was always a sub-par milk-maker, and my baby preferred bottle to boob.' Jo admits that she was quietly thrilled when her young son naturally weaned himself, noting that he 'swatted away my nipple like a pesky mosquito, which made it even easier', and admitted that she was 'delighted to have my breasts and some of my time to myself again'. Honest: Author Jo Piazza has shared her difficult experience of weaning her baby Charlie with Cosmopolitan Natural conclusion: Although she breastfed for six months, Jo's time breastfeeding came to a natural conclusion when her son weaned himself However, the night after she stopped breastfeeding, the California resident experienced a sudden panic attack and revealed that she felt like someone was squeezing her heart 'in a meaty fist', felt nauseous, started sweating profusely and felt like 'ants were crawling up the back of my throat'. She also detailed how over the following weeks, she woke up with anxiety every morning and throughout the day experienced feelings of 'sadness, dread and fear, and guilt that I wasn't being a good enough mom to my little boy'. Admitting that she has been prone to anxiety since college, Jo had been taking the antidepressant Zoloft before she got pregnant, but slowly weaned herself off it before she conceived. And although she didn't suffer from postpartum depression, stopping breastfeeding seemed to trigger similar symptoms. 'Awake at three in the morning, paralyzed by insomnia and a roller coaster of exhausting thoughts, I Googled anxiety, depression, and breastfeeding,' she wrote. 'I didn't find much, mostly first-person blog posts and a lot of message boards with posts by other women who experienced similar symptoms after weaning. 'But I saw enough to realize this was a thing: Quitting breastfeeding can trigger anxiety and depression but nobody seems to be talking about it in a real way.' After contacting her doctor, Jo learned that weaning can trigger anxiety as the body stops producing the hormone prolactin. While the hormone is primarily responsible for producing milk, it also produces the hormone oxytocin which induces a feeling of calm or well-being. 'That explained why I actually felt better postpartum than I did even before I got pregnant. It was like I was withdrawing from happy drugs,' she added. Surprise: Although Jo was 'delighted to have my breasts' back, she suddenly started to experience anxiety, panic attacks and nausea immediately after she stopped feeding Mission: Confused about what was happening to her body, she contacted her doctor who told her these symptoms were normal despite nobody warning her about them beforehand Information: After speaking to several women, Jo found that she wasn't alone and has since been prescribed an antidepressant to help regulate her hormones And when Jo reached out to other women who had breastfed, she found that she wasn't alone in feeling this way. 'One told me her body hurt so much after she weaned she thought she was dying. Her doctor essentially told her to suck it up and wait it out. Another said that nausea kept her out of work for an entire week. She couldn't keep any food down and lost 15 pounds in two weeks,' she shared. Another friend named Shannon revealed that when she quit breastfeeding, she was left with feelings of nausea, insomnia and weepiness and likened the experience to the 'hormonal roller coaster of newborn days'. Looking for answers, Jo turned to Flynn O'Neill, a nurse practitioner who is also the co-founder of Stork Childbirth Education, an organization that provides classes for new and expecting parents. O'Neiill explained that as most women don't have a period while they breastfeed, as they wean and their hormones start to regulate they tend to feel better. But she also suggested that the lack of research and information boiled down to new moms not reporting their symptoms to their doctors, and not getting a check up after the six month postpartum mark. She also put forward the idea that many women don't want to feel 'mom shame' or pressure to keep nursing. After consulting with her general practitioner Jo was prescribed Zoloft however she hasn't found getting an appointment with a therapist as easy. 'Thankfully, I've been lucky. My anxiety dissipated as I started the drugs and got my period again. But not everyone is as lucky as I have been. I still see threads on mom groups where women talk about suffering for a year or longer after they quit breastfeeding. They have no hope that it ever will come to an end. 'I try to write back and tell them it will. I tell them to talk to their doctor and, if that doesn't work, to try a new physician. I offer to chat on the phone or text late at night. But unfortunately, that's just a small fraction of the support they actually need,' she added. A mother who safely welcomed her baby on One Born Every Minute after suffering a stroke that left her blind in one eye at 32 weeks pregnant has been praised for her strength and bravery by fans of the show. Rose, 26, who was expecting her first child with her partner Darren, 31, from Birmingham, recalled eating dinner with a friend in Nando's on the Channel 4 documentary, and said: 'I literally couldnt talk. I couldnt stand up and I just had no function in my brain'. The mum, who has a child from a previous relationship and lost another to stillbirth, was rushed to hospital in Birmingham, where she was told she had a blood clot on her brain. Doctors warned the terrified expectant parents the clot-busting medication Rose needed could pose a risk to their unborn baby - only for them to be told it had not taken effect. Instead, doctors had to thread a catheter through an artery in her groin to remove the clot in her brain. Five weeks after their gruelling ordeal, the couple welcomed daughter Grace, at 6lbs 4oz, and Rose described herself as 'really lucky', prompting fans of the show to praise their 'great attitude' in the face of trauma. Rose, 26, and Darren, 31, were expecting their first child together - when at 32 weeks pregnant she had a major stroke The mother who had already gone through a stillbirth was worried that the medication for the clot would harm the baby Viewers watching One Born Every Minute took to Twitter to praise the mother for staying so strong 'Holy s*** you just don't know what's around the corner! #oneborn' said one viewer on Twitter. 'A stroke? Bless her, women are so strong,' added another. Rose explained in the docu-drama, set in Birmingham Women's Hospital, that her first child was stillborn due to pre-eclampsia, but her second had been born without any issues. It was while she was pregnant for the third time that Rose suffered a stroke. She said on the show: 'I was just sat in Nandos. My friend went to the toilet and when she came back my speech was just completely gone and I literally couldnt talk. 'I couldnt stand up and I just had no function in my brain. I remember looking at my friend and thinking oh, shes crying.' Rose explained how she had been out with a friend in Nando's when she suddenly lost her speech ability and was rushed to hospital The expectant mother had to have an operation on the blood clot when the medication didn't work. Doctors had to go through her groin to remove the clot from her brain Because Rose had been placed under anesthetic for the caesearean, Darren was the first to meet his new child She later told a midwife in the programme: 'I was just blank. I got taken to Heartlands [Hospital in Birmingham] and they gave me a thrombolysis and took me into the MRI. They said to me you have had a major stroke. 'They needed to do a clot-busting drug, but [said] we dont know what the effect will be on the baby because it might break down the placenta. 'But they were like your life comes above the babys. They had to counsel me into the decision.' Partner Darren, who is stoutly phlegmatic, said: 'There was no way they could do anything for the baby anyway. 'Rose wasnt strong enough, and you have to do what you have got to do.' But the medication failed to take effect and doctors had to perform a thrombectomy, which sees a catheter threaded through an artery in the groin and used to extract the clot from the brain. 'The clot-busting drug didnt work anyway and so they went up into my groin and into my brain and pulled my blood clot out of my brain.' The couple welcomed Grace weighing 6lbs 4oz, and later said the journey to meet her was crazy Darren said he was pleased to meet his new daughter as it meant that both her and Rose were out of danger HOW CAN F.A.S.T SAVE YOU DURING A STROKE? The main symptoms of stroke can be remembered with the word F.A.S.T. This will help you more quickly identify someone having a stroke. Face: the face may have dropped on one side, the person may not be able to smile, or their mouth or eye may have dropped. Arms: the person with suspected stroke may not be able to lift both arms and keep them there because of weakness or numbness in one arm. Speech: their speech may be slurred or garbled, or the person may not be able to talk at all despite appearing to be awake. Time: it's time to dial 999 immediately if you see any of these signs or symptoms. Source: NHS Advertisement Because the blood clot was treated so efficiently, there was minimal brain damage but lasting side effects of the stroke included loss of sight in her left eye and extreme fatigue. Rose explained that Darren's calm nature helped her to remain relaxed and positive ahead of the caesarean birth. I did recover really well, I was really lucky, theres nothing compared to what it could have been could it,' she said. Rose had to be put under general anesthetic to prevent her from losing too much blood during the c-section and so when baby Grace was born she was handed straight to her father. 'Because of what has happened in the past with the stillborn and then the stroke it will be a relief to be honest to know that they are both safe,' he said ahead of meeting his daughter for the first time. Just a few weeks later, the couple reflected on their complicated pregnancy: 'Its crazy that she is here, the little fighter. If only she knew what it took to get her here.' Darren added: 'Im just relieved its all over and done with, we made it.' One Born Every Minute returns next Wednesday on Channel 4 at 9pm It's not unusual to spot a famous person in New York City from time to time - but one woman's celebrity encounter has earned a lot more attention than most, thanks to her not so stealthy photography skills. Loiba Maria, a Brazilian jiujitsu trainer, according to Buzzfeed, was on the E train heading to Manhattan last week when she noticed an 'unbelievably gorgeous' man sitting across from her. It turns out that man was Nyle DiMarco, 28, a deaf model, actor, and hearing impaired activist who in 2015, was the second male winner and the first deaf winner of America's Next Top Model Cycle 22. He also won season 22 of Dancing With the Stars when he was partnered with Peta Murgatroyd. Stealth: Deaf model Nyle DiMarco, 28, took pictures of Loiba Maria, a woman who snapped photos of him on the E train last week Busted: Loiba posted a picture of him she took on the train to his Facebook fan page where he, in turn, posted his own snap of her taking a photo of him She said: 'Rarely do you see a supermodel ride the subway train. I can tell he's a fashion model because of what he was wearing.' But despite looking familiar, Loiba didn't know who he was at the time so she decided to discreetly take pictures of him as reference to figure out who he was later. But luckily, over the weekend, she came across an article on her Facebook feed that featured him and she remembered watching his season on America's Next Top Model. And to make sure it was him, she posted a picture of him she took on the subway to his Facebook fan page, where she wrote: 'I think I saw you on the E train last Sunday. If this is you, you are very handsome in person!' Attractive: Loiba said she first noticed Nyle because he is so 'unbelievably gorgeous' Familiar: Despite looking familiar, Loiba didn't know who he was at the time so she decided to discreetly take pictures of him as reference Handsome: Loiba posted on Facebook a picture of Nyle and told him he was very handsome in person Gratitude: Nyle thanked her and sad that he knew she was taking photos of him on the train But, the real news came a day later, when he responded to her post by hilariously calling her out with a picture he of her on the subway that day catching in the act of taking photos of him. He wrote: 'Yes I knew you were taking pics of me. Thank you love!' Loiba didn't know he was taking photos of her but Nyle said that he has 'deaf eyes', which makes him very alert to his surroundings. He said: 'I thought of Cole Sprouse always doing the same to people not discreetly taking pictures so I decided to pull a Cole Sprouse move.' Pure: Nyle fans took to Twitter to share their hilarious reactions to the Nyle and Loiba's Facebook encounter Relatable: One person tweeted 'this woman is so me' in response to the model's post on Twitter Happy: One person tweeted that he would have been on his knees asking Nyle to marry him Calm and collected: Another person wondered how she was able to stay so calm during the interaction But overall, Nyle thought their interaction was all in good fun and even told Buzzfeed that he would have liked to take a selfie with Loiba. Fans of the model also loved their subway exchange and left hilarious comments on the Facebook posts that Nyle tweeted to his account. One person said: 'Lmao this interaction is so pure' while another person wrote: 'This woman is so me.' Others commented on the encounter with what they would have done if they had saw Nyle on the train. One person said: 'Omg, I would have been on my knees asking you to marry me (and you would have punched me, but I would've been happy.' Looking good: Another person tweeted how it was possible for Nyle to look so good on the train Heart attack: Another person shared that he would have had a heart attack if he saw Nyle on the train Iconic: Whereas another person, although accurate, shared their thoughts in a short and simple tweet that said 'this is truly iconic' And another person tweeted: 'How did she manage to stay so freaking calm.' And another person tweeted their astonishment over the fact that someone could look so good on the train - even if he a model. The tweet said: 'How do you look this good on the d**n train' while someone else wrote: 'Oh my God if I saw you on the train I think I would genuinely have a whole heart attack.' Whereas another person, although accurate, shared their thoughts in a short and simple tweet that said: 'This is truly iconic.' Hilarious: Someone shared this the encounter was the funniest thing he had seen in a long time Let's take selfie: Another person said that she would have shamelessly asked for a selfie if she saw him Lose it: But the best tweet was from someone who said she would 'lose it' if she saw Nyle And another person wrote how hilarious the encounter was in a tweet that said what the rest of the world was thinking. It said: 'This is the funniest thing I've seen in some time' and another tweet said: 'If I saw you in the front of me on the train looking like that, I'd shamelessly clamor for a selfie. Tbf, you look super good in the photo she took.' And another person had the similar mindset and tweeted that she would have been 'shook' if she saw Nyle on the train. She said: 'If I ever saw you on the E train, I would lose it and you best bet all of the ASL I know would go down the drain because I'd be so shook' When a nine-year-old boy from Missouri started to lose faith in the existence of the Tooth Fairy, he didn't simply confront his parents and demand the truth he proved it himself. Fahd Ahmad, a doctor at the Washington University in St. Louis, shared his young son's genius experiment on Twitter this week, where it has quickly gone viral. He explained how his oldest, Armaan, came up with a clever test to see if the Tooth Fairy was, in fact, real and readily presented the results to his mom and dad when he realized she wasn't. The jig is up! Fahd Ahmad's nine-year-old son Armaan came up with a clever experiment to test the existence of the tooth fairy Seems suspicious... Armaan (pictured) suspected that the Tooth Fairy might be made-up after a classmate claimed to have been left a picture by her Smart kid! His dad, a pediatric emergency room doctor, was impressed with his son's ingenuity 'Just learned our 9y/o did an experiment on us,' Dr. Ahmad, who blogs on Rogue Dad, M.D., wrote on Sunday. 'Lost tooth, told no one for [three days], kept tooth under his pillow. No $. 'Then he tells us he lost the tooth, next night there is money under his pillow.' Dr. Ahmad's son ingenious experiment quickly earned virtual nods of approval from fans, who including Chrissy Teigen have liked the tweet 686,000 times so far. The proud dad later told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch just how Armaan was able to pull it off. He explained that the nine-year-old typically receives $1 for each lost tooth. But before his last one fell out, he started to suspect that the Tooth Fairy might not actually exist. The youngster had been reading his school newspaper when he came across a picture of the Tooth Fairy, which had been submitted by one of his classmates. According to the classmate, the Tooth Fairy drew it and left it herself. But Armaan didn't buy it. The proof! Armaan put his tooth under his pillow, but didn't tell his parents for three nights. When he finally did tell mom and dad, the tooth was replaced with money Questioning: His dad can't believe the lengths he went to figure it out Or... One commenter said she tried the opposite tactic in her house 'I got confused,' he said. 'I didnt think the Tooth Fairy would leave a picture of herself.' So when the next tooth fell out, he didn't tell his mom or dad. He placed it under his pillow for three nights, to give the Tooth Fairy a chance to get it, if she was real. No one every came to collect the tooth or leave cash, so he finally told his dad. Dr. Ahmad, a pediatric emergency room doctor, thought the lost tooth was new, and told him to put it under his pillow. That night, Armaan received a buck for his tooth. The little boy decided that this proved the Tooth Fairy wasn't real, and asked his mom, a pediatric nurse practitioner named Emily about it directly. Too funny: Thousands of people have liked the tweet and commented Same: Others have shared their stories of outsmarting their parents Aw, well! Some suggested ways that the parents still could have gotten away with it 'I know the Tooth Fairy isnt real because I hid the tooth for three days and no money came,' he told her, before asking if Santa was made-up too. Armaan is Christian and Muslim and celebrates holidays of both faiths, but now he has new experiments planned for Santa and the Easter bunny. Though his parents want to have him keep believing and also plan to keep it going with their four- and one-year-old kids they won't lie if asked directly. Dr. Ahmad is OK with that. 'As a dad, Im pretty blown away that he did this entirely on his own,' he said. Since his tweet has gone viral, admirers have chimed him to applaud the kid for his ingenuity. Real deal? Armaan now has plans to test the existence of the Easter Bunny and Santa Fun: The little boy's mom, Emily, said she wants to keep up the make-believe but won't lie if she's asked directly Busy, busy: Dr. Ahmad admitted he didn't notice the missing tooth, as he also has two younger sons at home Try again: Some scientifically-minded commenters think the boy's experiment needed more teeth 'I will await his article in this months publication of Highlights,' joked one. 'Thats cool. Smart kid,' wrote another, before asking: 'Question though: youre an MD and you didnt notice your kid was missing a tooth for 3 days?' 'I'm a parent with 3 young boys, as long as no one is screaming and bleeding from the mouth I don't do daily tooth counts,' the dad joked back. 'Oh man I have bad news for you because this is roughly how I trapped my parents about Santa Claus and I am still an atheist with trust issues,' quipped another commenter. The generosity of a Gold Coast hairdresser will see a dream wedding wish come true for one incredibly deserving couple. Rebecca Limb and Matt McLean have been chosen by Megy Lamberton - the woman who wanted to find a way to pay it forward - to receive a complete wedding package. Ms Lamberton started her search for a bride and groom who needed a helping hand a month ago as a way to give back after she'd had a bumper year in business. Scroll down for video Rebecca Limb (pictured centre) and Matt McLean (pictured left) have been chosen by Megy Lamberton to receive a wedding package valued at over $30,000 Originally she put the call out on social media for a bride in need who she could help by styling their hair, free of charge. Soon after Ms Lamberton was contacted by local businesses in the area all offering to chip in with their services, and from that she was able to put together an entire package, including a wedding dress by Wendy Maiken, music and the cake. Speaking to FEMAIL, Ms Lamberton said it had been really tough just choosing one worthy couple. 'We were flooded with nominations for some many people but we weren't able to overlook Bec and Matt.' Megy Lamberton (pictured) wanted to find a way to pay it forward after she'd had a bumper year in business The hairdresser posted an ad on social media offering to help out a bride who might be struggling either with financial or health issues 'They were nominated by so many people and they've endured blow after blow after blow. 'It was so confronting and overwhelming to see just how much two people could be put through.' Rebecca and Matt have both had battles with blood cancer since they were aged 16 and 20. Ms Limb is currently in remission from Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma and is still having ongoing treatment. Mr McLean is also in remission from leukaemia and continues to have ongoing medical support. As a result of their illnesses, the pair tragically has both been left infertile and adding to even more heartbreak, Mr McLean also lost his mother to breast cancer a few years ago. The pair were engaged last year and revealed on the program without the support of Ms Lamberton's generous offer, they wouldn't have been able to afford to get married due to mounting medical costs. 'There was no way it could happen, said Ms Limb. 'We have looked into it and all of it is just out of our price range.' Ms Lamberton said while she had been flooded with nominations from people for the special gift, she couldn't overlook Bec and Matt The package includes photographer and a videographer, to a celebrant, a florist, a sign-writer, a cake-maker, a venue and furniture hire. Ms Lamberton revealed even more people had come on board to make the wedding extra special. 'We have had people come forward with an offer to make the rings, a Ferrari has been offered as a wedding car, we have accommodation for a honeymoon, people have come forward and offered a pamper day for Bec,' she said. Currently, the package is valued at over $30,000 and the Gold Coast wedding has been scheduled for July. Crown Princess Mary never looks any less than sartorially perfect. And on Wednesday, the Australian-born princess stepped out in a statement floral coat for her royal duties as she arrived at the annual Danish Rainbow Award AXGIL. The 45-year-old Danish royal was all smiles for the special occasion when she hit the stage to speak to the LGBT community in the Circus Building. She handed out the honorary prize to a recipient - making her the first member of the royal house to participate at the Danish Rainbow Awards, oaonline reported. The stylish mother-of-four looked positively radiant as she opted for the bohemian-inspired ensemble by Italian label Etro, thought to be retailed at AU$4,400. Scroll down for video Crown Princess Mary attended yhe annual Danish Rainbow Award AXGIL on Wednesday The Australian-born princess stepped out in a statement floral coat for her royal duties The stylish princess rounded things off on a fashionable note, pairing her multi-coloured reversible coat with a sophisticated Sergio Rossi clutch. She completed her stylish look with a chic black fitted dress, teamed with a pair of classic pumps and acessorised with elegant drop earrings. Keeping her luscious tresses in waves over her shoulder, she showed off her glowing complexion with a subtle make-up look. The awards is a non-profit event held by volunteers to celebrate individuals and companies who have made a positive and significant difference in the LGBT community. Keeping her luscious tresses in waves over her shoulder, she showed off her glowing complexion with a subtle make-up look She awarded this year's honorary prize to a recipient - making her the first member of the royal house to participate at the Danish Rainbow Awards The mother-of-four looked positively radiant as she opted for the bohemian-inspired ensemble The mother-of-four donned a coat by Italian label Etro, thought to be retailed at AU$4,400 And it isn't the first time Princess Mary has publicly spoken out about gay and transgender rights. In May 2016, she delivered a powerful speech at a conference promoting the rights of gay and transgender people at the official opening of the European Conference IDAHO Forum at Admiral Hotel in Copenhagen. 'We must be united in fight against discrimination,' Princess Mary reportedly said, in the hopes for 'a life of dignity for all'. She also reportedly said at an event: 'We must agree to reject all forms of discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.' She completed her stylish look with a chic black fitted dress, teamed with a pair of classic pumps and acessorised with elegant drop earrings The stylish princess rounded things off on a fashionable note, pairing her multi-coloured reversible coat with a sophisticated Sergio Rossi clutch Princess Mary certainly stood out from the crowd with her glamorous reversible coat Over the years we have heard devastating stories of loss and heartbreak thanks to the World Wars, but there have also been tales of love. One such story is about Australian couple Roy Plucky, 97, and Grace Plucky, 96, who have been married for more than seven decades. The couple managed to maintain a romance during World War Two. 'Seventy four years is a long time, we always hold hands as the last thing we do at night,' Roy told Today Tonight. Scroll down for video Australian couple Roy, 97, and Grace Plucky, 96, are an example of a war-time romance and have been married for more than seven decades The couple are more in love now than they have ever been, and have shared their secrets to a blissful union. 'We made a happy life together and we had lots of friends but I'm afraid they're all gone. We never go to sleep with a bad word between us,' Roy explained. 'And what are the last words I say?' Grace asked her husband. 'I love you,' he answered. 'I love you too.' Grace joked that another secret to a long and successful relationship is 'marrying the right man' but they also both agree that it comes down to talking things out. The couple are as in love now as they have ever been, if not more so, and have shared their secrets to a loving union Roy explained that they never go to bed with a bad word between them and Grace said that every night her last words to him are 'I love you' Roy believes the adage 'happy wife happy life' doesn't seem to go astray either. 'Grace will make a suggestion like 'let's have new blinds', and I'll say 'what's wrong with the blinds we've got',' he said. 'So we'll talk about it and then we'll say, 'right, we're going and getting new blinds'. It seems the loved-up couple had luck on their side as there were multiple occasions that would have resulted in Private Roy coming under attack during the war. He managed to avoid two historic bombings during the war. The first was in Darwin when he was close to the city and noticed something suspicious. It seems the loved-up couple had luck on their side as there were multiple occasions that would have resulted in Private Roy being attacked 'We saw nine planes going over and we thought 'oh the Americans are here', but they had round rings on them,' he said. These planes actually belonged to the Japanese and Roy knows now that he narrowly avoided the bombing of Darwin, which was the largest single attack ever mounted by a foreign power on Australia. Later he was meant to sail to Singapore but days before he was meant to arrive the city was bombed and captured by the Japanese. 'The advanced party were taken as soon as they landed there,' Roy said, meaning he had avoided a violent fate. While Roy was avoiding attack, Grace was back home helping with the war effort as she worked in a factory making shirts for soldiers. Roy and Grace now have two children, four grandchildren and two great grandchildren Grace explained that she was kept in the dark about what Roy was doing during the war. 'He wasn't allowed to write anything about the war or anything, they'd scrub it out or cut it out, your letters were all censored,' she said. Eventually Roy was able to return home to the woman who is the love of his life. 'Dad yelled out to me, 'Grace there's somebody at the back door who wants to see you', and I could see him standing there with his backpack on and everything,' she said. 'I went and put my arms around him and he said 'wait till I get me pack off'. Poor bugger, he was so tired. I can tell you that nine months later our son was born.' Roy and Grace now have two children, four grandchildren and two great grandchildren. Breastfeeding is one of the most natural things in the world - and yet it still sparks debate today. Some mothers are shamed for publicly nursing their children while others are criticised for choosing bottle over breast. Appearing on the Today show, presenter Deborah Knight posed the question to a panel of three Australian women: 'Is there too much pressure on new mums to breastfeed?' Young mother Kristy Walton claimed she was asked to breastfeed her child in the toilet - while Brigid Glanville said the pressure to nurse her daughters left her with post-natal depression. Scroll down for video Kristy Walton (centre nursing her baby son River), Brigid Glanville (left) and Dr Penny Adams (right) weigh in on the controversial topic about breastfeeding Mothers are either shamed for publicly nursing their children while others are criticised for choosing bottle over breast (stock image) Speaking about her experiences as she nursed her baby son River on television, Ms Walton revealed she was once shamed in public for breastfeeding. 'I had a few negative experiences. I got told to go to the toilet once in a cafe, which was mortifying. 'But in saying that, I've also had a lot of positive encouragement. It is very challenging thing, breastfeeding but I love it.' As medical experts push the 'breast is best' agenda, the pressure to breastfeed children have started to crack on some mothers. Weighing in on the topic, Ms Glanville said she struggled to meet her baby daughters' needs following the constant pressure to breastfeed. She explained her first child wouldn't attach and she also had low supply of milk. Mother Kristy Walton (centre) revealed she was once shamed in public for breastfeeding 'It didn't matter what position I fed in, it just didn't work,' she said. 'Constantly, people were telling me that "it will get better, just keep going". So I was expressing milk into a bottle, feeding the bottle. 'And then when my second one came along, I had the same sorts of issues but I didn't really realise the trauma of breastfeeding the first until I had the second because all of those anxiety came flooding back.' Ms Glanville said the challenges she faced with breastfeeding her children eventually left her with post-natal depression. 'It was horrendous, and I didn't want to be around anyone in my family but the baby. I just wanted to take the baby away and feed her,' she said. 'In that sense, I was incredibly lonely, but I wanted to be alone. I was racked with guilt, critical of everyone in my life...It was a really awful spiral. A lot of it stemmed from breastfeeding.' Breastfeeding is one of the most natural things in the world - and yet it still sparks debate today (stock image) Dr Penny Adams said the most common breastfeeding problem she's seeing from her patients is 'poor supply'. 'It's a combination of the average mum being a bit older, they're shunted out of hospital after 72 hours - their milk hasn't even come in. They haven't learnt how to breastfeed,' she explained. 'Women aren't living in extended families where there's mum and grandma to help and teach them how to feed. 'I think there are a lot more anxious this generation of mums than we were. And that interferes with their feeding and they're over informed, they're reading blogs, forums - and everything contradicts everything. 'This concept of being a perfect mother - there is no such thing. You just have to be good enough mother, not perfect.' While mothers found it difficult to relate to Kate's pristine appearance as she emerged from the Lindo Wing on Monday parents could certainly see themselves in Prince William. The Duke of Cambridge performed his first engagement since the birth of his third child on Wednesday as he attended the Anzac Day service alongside Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. However, it seems that William had been a victim of sleepless nights as he battled heavy eyelids at Westminster Abbey - something than many parents identified with. Prince William was seen struggling to keep his eyes open as he joined Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at an Anzac Day service on Wednesday Sympathising with the new father fellow mums and dads took to Twitter to share their understanding of his situation. Replying to the video shared by People magazine one mother wrote: 'Hahah every new parent can 100% relate to this.' Agreeing another said: 'Poor Prince William! Every parent knows that feeling of overwhelming exhaustion. Fellow parents took to Twitter where they shared their sympathy for the new father 'Unfortunately, William has cameras capturing his unsuccessful fight to stay awake!' Many agreed that the duke had been a little premature in returning to work and should have taken more time to rest. 'Let the man sleep! A newborn and 2 more little ones and you take him to a quiet service? How much can this man take!' said one father. Another added: 'Poor guy. Who in the world can blame him? Get some rest, buddy!' The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge welcomed their third child on Monday Many Twitter users agreed that it was too soon for the royal to be returning to work William returned to royal duties for the first time since his wife the Duchess of Cambridge gave birth to their third child on Monday. He now has three young children at home - his three-day-old son, Princess Charlotte, who will turn three next month, and Prince George, four. The Anzac Day service is the culmination of a day of events honouring Australia and New Zealand's fallen, and those who have served in subsequent conflicts, which began with a dawn service and wreath laying. The baby - William and Kate's third child - was born on Monday at 11.01am weighing 8lb 7oz. Royals traditionally keep the public guessing before revealing their choice of name which is expected to be announced later today. Muslim model Mariah Idrissi has revealed she was dropped from a beauty campaign - 'just because she wears a hijab'. Mariah, 25, from London, explained she had lost the job because one of the outlets involved thought she would 'limit the audience because she's a Muslim'. She added that she was 'shocked' the outlet refused to take her on board 'on the basis that I wore a hijab', rather than anything to do with her modelling abilities. The model rose to fame after becoming the first hijab-wearing woman to star in an H&M campaign back in 2015. Muslim model Mariah Idrissi has revealed she was dropped from a beauty campaign - 'just because she wears a hijab' Speaking on the ITV News series Young, British and Muslim, Mariah said: 'There was a very big deal that was about to go through and one of the outlets that needed to sign it off refused on the basis that we think Mariah wearing a hijab is going to limit the audience because she's a Muslim. 'This was a collaboration with a beauty brand. So I was quite shocked that that outlet refused on the basis that I wore a hijab. 'Nothing to do with my personality, just the fact that I wear a hijab they thought their audience wouldn't buy the product.' She added: 'For me, it was like well I buy things that white girls are wearing, it makes no difference, so I was a bit shocked.' Mariah, 25, from London, explained she had lost the job because one of the outlets involved thought she would 'limit the audience because she's a Muslim' Mariah did not name the outlet in question, nor the beauty brand involved in the campaign. Since landing her H&M campaign, the model has appeared in a range of magazines including the likes of Elle, Marie Claire and Teen Vogue. Speaking on the new ITV News series, Mariah explained how she had never intended to be a model growing up. In fact, she had been managing a children's shop when she was scouted for the H&M Close The Loop campaign, as part of a push by the brand to use models from more diverse backgrounds. The model rose to fame after becoming the first hijab-wearing woman to star in an H&M campaign back in 2015 Mariah said she had been left 'shocked' by the decision not to include her in the campaign Her comments come after fellow model Halima Aden made history by becoming the first hijab-wearing model to appear on the cover of British Vogue. The May issue has been praised for its 'truly diverse' cover which features nine models, including 20-year-old Halima. The other models on the cover are Vittoria Ceretti, Adut Akech Bior, Faretta, Paloma Elsesser, Radhika Nair, Yoon Young Bae, Fran Summers and Selena Forrest, who were all hailed by Enninful and Vogue as changing the face of the fashion industry. Vogue fans delighted at seeing the broad spectrum of women, branding it an 'historic' moment that is a 'true and beautiful reflection of our global society'. From their first night together to their first argument, the new Harry and Meghan Lifetime movie promises to delve into all the pivotal moments of the royal romance. A new trailer for Harry & Meghan: A Royal Romance shows lookalike actors re-imagining the couple's real-life fairytale from the night they met on a blind date in London to their first official outing together after their engagement. One scene shows the Duchess of Cambridge intervening to warn Ms Markle about the scrutiny she will face if she continues dating a royal. In a tense moment she asks the American actress: 'Are you really ready for this?' Another heated exchange shows Prince Charles accusing Harry of wanting to 'rock the boat' with his choice of girlfriend, prompting his son to shout back defiantly: 'She makes me happy so to hell with tradition.' Heated exchange: A new trailer for Harry & Meghan: A Royal Romance has been released. One scene shows Prince Charles (Steve Coulter) accusing Prince Harry (Murray Fraser) of 'rocking the boat' with his choice of girlfriend as Prince William (Burgess Abernethy) and Kate (Laura Mitchell) look on. Harry replies defiantly that he does not care about royal tradition Warning: In one imagined scene the Duchess of Cambridge, pictured, intervenes Meghan to ask if she is ready for the level of scrutiny that comes with being a member of the royal family Intimate: The Lifetime movie also shows the couple embracing as they spend a night together Harry & Meghan: A Royal Romance will air in the US on May 13, less than a week before the royal wedding at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. It will be broadcast in the UK the following day. The film stars Murray Fraser as Harry, and Parisa Fitz-Henley, who bears a striking resemblance to the royal bride-to-be, as Meghan. According to Lifetime, the movie will recreate their relationship 'from the moment they met after being set up by friends.' The trailer shows Meghan asking Harry conversationally, 'What is it you do?' shortly after the royal arrived for their first date, believed to have taken place at London's Soho House. First date: Harry awkwardly introduces himself to Meghan as 'kind of, the Prince of England' Falling in love: The couple, pictured, are seen growing closer as their relationship flourished Romantic gesture: Harry arrives at Meghan's Suits trailer to hand deliver a bouquet of flowers Delighted: The actress is touched by the commitment he showed by flying to Toronto The straightforward question prompts a bashful response from the royal, who says apologetically: 'I'm kind of the Prince of England'. A montage of scenes then shows the early months of the whirlwind romance, when Harry and Meghan enjoyed dating and getting to know each other away from the public eye. In one touching moment Harry turns up unannounced at Ms Markle's trailer while she is on set filming US legal drama suits. In the spotlight: Ms Markle is followed by photographers desperate for scraps of information Public interest: Meghan is seen reading press coverage during a night in with her mother Strain: The couple argue as Meghan reveals she has been 'trolled' and received 'death threats' Heartache: A tearful Meghan appears torn as she considers her future as a high-profile royal Presenting a stunning bouquet of flowers, he jokes: 'Well, I had to bring these myself. Do you have any idea how much they charge for delivery?' The couple are also seen lovingly embracing in bed after spending their first night together. As the relationship becomes more serious, Kate is seen sitting Meghan down for a private conversation, in what appears to be Kensington Palace. The duchess says: 'The spotlight around Harry has always been intense. People are going to say all these things and more. Are you ready for this?' Uncertain: Meghan has doubts over whether she will ever be fully accepted as Harry's partner Devoted: Harry is seen reassuring Meghan that he is fully invested in their relationship Seal of approval: Meghan plays with the Queen's corgis during a meeting with the monarch In an emotionally-charged scene, Meghan loses her temper at her royal beau as she reveals she has been 'trolled' and received 'death threats' after news of their romance began to be made public. She later questions whether she will ever be accepted as his girlfriend, saying: 'This cannot be my world... I'm American, divorced, half-black.' Meanwhile Charles appears doubtful over his son's intentions, asking him: 'Is rocking the boat part of the appeal here?' However Prince Harry remains fiercely certain in the face of any doubt, telling Ms Markle: 'Let's find how things are. If anyone can it's you and me.' A royal proposal: Harry gets down on one knee to present Ms Markle with a diamond ring Treasured: The film used a replica of the bespoke ring presented to Ms Markle in real-life As he presents her with an engagement ring at their cottage in Kensington Palace, he reassures her: 'I don't need my life to be this perfect royal picture. I just need you.' Lifeline's Harry and Meghan film comes after William & Kate: The Movie, the network's 2011 film depicting the romance of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. In that movie, Camilla Luddington, who stars in Grey's Anatomy, was cast as Kate, while William was portrayed by Nico Evers-Swindell. Harry and Meghan: A Royal Romance airs on May 14 on Lifetime at 9pm. Advertisement The Dutch royals have celebrated five years since King Willem-Alexander's accession to the throne in a series of stunning portraits. The King, 50, is joined by his wife Queen Maxima, 46, and their three daughters Princesses Catharina-Amalia, 14, Alexia, 12, and Ariane, 11. The stunning portraits were taken in the royal palace of Amsterdam and sees the family pictured together for the first time since their ski trip to Austria in February. The glamorous snaps were taken at the royal residence in the Netherlands last month by photographer Erwin Olaf who previously captured the queen and her daughters in October to celebrate King Willem's 50th birthday. The Dutch royals have been captured in stunning new portraits by renowned photographer Erwin Olaf. Pictured, left to right: Princess Ariane, King Willem Alexander, Princess Alexia, Queen Maxima and Princess Catharina-Amalia The acclaimed photographer had also previously had the Dutch royals pose for him back in 2013 when he captured the king for the new two euro coin and then again in 2011 for another family portrait. In his most recent snaps Olaf creates movement in his images by getting the family-of-five mid-stride in the opulant hallways of the palace. Dressed in a monochrome palette the three girls are also photographed individually with Princess Alexia proving particularly striking thanks to her flame coloured locks inherited from her father. The king and queen also pose for a second portrait this time wearing ceremonial dress. The stunning photographs were taken at the royal palace in Amsterdam to celebrate five years since King Willem's ascension to the throne Individually portraits were also taken of the three princesses whom the king affectionately refers to as the 'A team'. Pictured, left to right: Princesses Catharina-Amalia, 14, Alexia, 12, and Ariane, 11 The three sisters also poses in height order in another sweet snap, the first time they have been pictured since their ski break in February Maxima is a vision in a taupe coloured gown with a floral design and on is seen wearing the Dutch sapphire tiara which includes 655 African diamonds and is set in platinum. Dating back to 1881 the crown has been worn by many generations of the royals and features 33 sapphires. The mother-of-three also dons the ceremonial sash of the Order of the Netherlands Lion which dates back to 1815 and is the highest civilian order. Meanwhile King Willem looks his dapper best in a coat and tails decorated with military accolades including the Order of Orange-Nassau. Created in 1892 by Queen Emma the order recognises foreign diplomats, as well as Dutch citizens, for their service to the nation. The king and queen also pose in ceremonial dress with Maxima wearing the Order of the Netherlands Lion and King Willem wearing the Order of Orange-Nassau One further portrait King Willem poses alone in the drawing room of the palace wearing a charcoal suit The royal couple posed together and individually in the hallway of their home of the opulent palace in Amsterdam The royal couple pose together and individually and in one further portrait King Willem poses alone in the drawing room of the palace wearing a charcoal suit. The official anniversary of Willem's kingship will take place next week with celebrations expected across the nation. An international financier by training, Maxima was born in Argentina and married into the Dutch royal family in 2002, three years after meeting her husband-to-be in Seville, Spain. Despite reportedly having no inkling that Willem-Alexander was heir to the throne when the pair first met, she eventually became Queen consort when her husband ascended to the throne. Willem-Alexander became king after his mother, Beatrix, abdicated in April 2013 after 33 years as reigning monarch. The couple are parents to Princess Amalia, Alexia and Ariane - affectionately dubbed 'the A team' by their doting father. Queen Letizia rarely puts a fashion foot wrong, and she continued to showcase her effortless style as she stepped out for a solo engagement on Thursday. The Spain queen consort, who is mother to Princesses Leonor, 12, and Sofia, 10, made a stylish entrance as she touched down in Villanueva de laCanada, north of Madrid, to attend the Fifth Educational Congress on Rare Diseases. Putting on a typically glamorous display, Letizia, 45, opted for a monochrome ensemble as she greeted crowds outside the event. Scroll down for video Queen Letizia of Spain, 45, continued to showcase her effortless style in a monochrome ensemble as she attended the 5th Educational Congress on Rare Diseases on Thursday Showing off a glimpse of her tanned arms Letizia, who is the wife of King Felipe VI, 49, wore a white sleeveless blazer waistcoat adorned with black statement buttons. The mother-of-two teamed it with a pair of black leather leggings and dressed the look down with a pair of flat loafers. Accessorising with a casual shoulder bag, Letizia wore her hair perfectly blow-dried and added a touch of flawless make-up to complete her look. Letizia, who shares children Leonor, 12, and Sofia, 10, with King Felipe VI, 49, made the solo appearance in Villanueva de la Canada, north of Madrid Letizia was seen greeting the crowds outside the event as well as taking pictures with young fans. The 5th Educational Congress on Rare Diseases aims to rare awareness and funds for little known illnesses. Over the years Letizia, a former journalist, has worked tirelessly to help causes she is passionate about including education, innovation, rare diseases, and particularly in nutrition, working closely with the UNs World Health and Food and Agriculture Organizations. Showing off a glimpse of her tanned arms, Letizia wore a white sleeveless blazer waistcoat adorned with black statement buttons The mother-of-two teamed it with a pair of black leather leggings and dressed the look down with a pair of flat loafers Accessorising with a casual shoulder bag, Letizia wore her hair perfectly blow-dried and added a touch of flawless make-up to complete her look The royal family recently gave a rare glimpse into their family life with the release a set of photos taken inside their home. The pictures were in celebration of the king's 50th birthday, offering fans a look at their day to day lives. The images displayed the normal side to the monarch's life with him holding his daughter's hand while clutching her schoolbag in one photograph, as he takes her to school. Letizia was seen greeting the crowds outside the event as well as taking pictures with young fans The 5th Educational Congress on Rare Diseases aims to rare awareness and funds for little known illnesses Over the years Letizia, a former journalist, has worked tirelessly to help causes she is passionate about including education, innovation, rare diseases The Spanish Queen rarely puts a fashion foot wrong, and she continued to showcase her effortless style during the engagement on Thursday The royal family recently gave a rare glimpse into their family life with the release a set of photos taken inside their home In another, his former television presenter wife Queen Letizia sits on an albeit grand settee alongside daughters Princesses Leonor, 12, and Sofia, 10. The trio turn their heads with beaming smiles towards the camera as a wheeled-in television set in the background shows the King mid-speech. The casual photographs highlight the King's humorous side with him sharing a joke with youngest daughter Sofia in between filming his annual Christmas message at their residence at the Royal Palace of Madrid. Waterloo Road actress Heather Peace and her wife Ellie have been left 'raging' after a 'homophobic' nanny refused to work for them. Heather, 42, explained how she and her wife, who live in Brighton, have been looking for a short-term nanny to help look after their three children. Posting on Twitter, the mother-of-three continued: 'We haven't experienced much homophobia before... but I'm raging'. The actress and musician then shared a Facebook post written by wife Ellie, which explained how a nanny they had been booking through an agency 'refused to work for a family with two mothers'. Waterloo Road actress Heather Peace has revealed how a 'homophobic' nanny refused to work for her and her wife Ellie In the longer post, Ellie explained: '[T]oday I had a nasty shock when a nanny I was booking through an agency refused to work for a family with two mothers. 'It took me ages to work out why I was so acutely sad and angry about this in particular. And it was because of my three wonderful children. 'Being judged. In this day and age. As "lesser". As part of an "unsavory family". In Brighton of all places'. Ellie said she had told the agency boss it was a 'disgrace', and that 'as long as she was employing homophobic nannies [she] wouldn't be using her agency'. Heather (right, with wife Ellie) explained how she and her wife, who live in Brighton, have been looking for a short-term nanny to help look after their three children Sharing their experience on Twitter, Heather explained how she had been left 'raging' She continued: 'But I'm still left reeling... As I lie waiting for my most wonderful eldest daughter to drift off to sleep to what I can only hope will be a more inclusive and less hate-filled world tomorrow. Love wins, people. Resistance is futile'. Heather and Ellie have been flooded with messages of support since sharing their experience on social media. One fan wrote: 'I have no words but sending you and your incredible wife and beautiful children hugs.' Another added: 'Well thats just hideous, totally gobsmacked. I am really sad that this happened to your lovely little family.' Heather shared a Facebook post from wife Ellie, which explained how a nanny they had been booking through an agency 'refused to work for a family with two mothers' Heather and Ellie had a civil partnership ceremony in 2013, before converting it into a marriage the following year. The couple had eldest daughter Annie, now three, in 2015 and 10-month-old twins Jessie and Lola last June. Heather starred as Nikki Boston in Waterlood Road from 2012 and 2014, as well as starring in BBC Three's Lip Service from 2010-12. She has also previously had roles in Coronation Street, Holby City and Doctors. MailOnline has contacted a representative for Heather Peace for comment. Heather and her wife Ellie have been flooded with messages of support since sharing their experience on social media Racegoers opted for old school glamour today at the Punchestown Festival in Kildare, Ireland. Stylish revellers showed off their fancy headgear and vintage-inspired frocks on the racecourse during the third day of the popular event. The women attending the festival this afternoon were no doubt hoping to get their hands on the best dressed prize, which will be announced tomorrow. One fashion fan was seen dressed in a white lace dress with matching gloves and an attention-grabbing fascinator. Meanwhile, two friends opted for co-ordinating red ensembles as they enjoyed the horse racing today. Racegoers at the Punchestown Festival in Kildare, Ireland, went for old school glamour today Two friends arrived in co-ordinating red ensembles on the third day of the popular festival Racegoers showed off their fancy headgear as they watched the action this afternoon This year's Punchestown Festival takes place across five days, coming to an end on Saturday. The event is considered to be grand finale of the racing season, with a prize pot of over 3million (2.6m) up for grabs over the week. While there is no official dress code, guests are encouraged to wear 'smart casual dress' for the festival. This year, female racegoers are in for a chance of winning the Bollinger Best Dressed Lady competition, which is taking place over the first four days of the festival. Two revellers opted for eye-catching fascinators as they enjoyed the sunshine at the festival One racegoer was seen checking her make-up as she stopped off at the ice cream van Twins Davinia (left) and Dawn Knight, who are regular racegoers, opted for a retro look Celebrities judging the competition include Made in Chelsea star Rosie Fortescue and Irish television personality Anna Geary. The Punchestown Festival has not been without drama this year, after jockey Paul Townend pulled out of a race on Tuesday. He said he made his bizarre move to pull out his mount Al Boum Photo and crash through the wings of the final fence in the Growise Champion Chase because he believed he heard a call to bypass the fence. Townend was banned for 21 days for dangerous riding, a punishment that starts in a fortnight. One woman showed off her wide brimmed fascinator and matching white gloves Today's racegoers were no doubt hoping to get their hands on the best dressed prize Other punters were seen dressed up as jockeys as they arrived at the racecourse today Twins Davinia and Dawn showed off glamorous make-up looks as they posed for pictures The sisters opted for matching white dresses featuring cut-outs at the back and embellishment around the waist A couple who had spiralled into 11,000 worth of credit card debt, and have never taken their children out to dinner swapped lives with a family of wealthy veterinary surgeons for a TV experiment. Part-time hairdresser Sarah Timmins, 29, and husband Ross, 28, a former Navy engineer from Redruth, Cornwall swapped with Colin and Lizzy Whiting, for Rich House Poor House, which returns next week. The Timmins' and their two children usually survive on 122 without relying on benefits and are among the poorest 10 per cent in Britain, while the Whitings have a 1,235 weekly budget after rent, mortgage and bills. The family live in a sprawling 700,000 farm house set on nearly nine acres of land, along with sheep, chickens, cats, Harry Potter room and a tree house in St Columb Major, Cornwall. Scroll down for video Sarah Timmins, 29, husband Ross, 28, and their two children lived in a two-bedroom terraced house in Redruth, Cornwall They swapped lives for the week with Colin and Lizzy and their two children Kate and Philip, who lived in a five-bed farmhouse in Newquay During the show, Sarah and Ross explained how they began to rely on borrowing from high-interest credit cards to cover emergency spending. 'We do have a considerable amount of debt but it hasnt been brought on from living a high lifestyle,' he said. 'We come stuck on a bill at the end of a month and we put a little bit on the credit card. But then in leads to a downward spiral.' Ross, who works six days a week and sometimes up to 90 hours in a previous job on a farm, said that their monthly payments of more than 500 only just covered the interest and they hadn't even made a dent in the 11,000 they had over six cards. Sarah and her husband racked up 11,000 worth of credit card debt and had a tight budget to look after their children Colin and Lizzy decided during the swap that they wanted to do something to help their counterparts change their life Colin is the director of a veterinary surgery and Lizzy is a part-time on-call vet and have a weekly disposable income of 1,235 Without the credit card repayments, they could easily have doubled their weekly budget. The Whitings slowly uncovered the truth about the struggle of the Timmins, speaking with their family members while staying in their house in Redruth. They had just a taster of what it was like living on the breadline as Colin, who is the director of a surgery, found himself constantly checking on the electricity meter and worrying about how much it cost to boil the kettle for a cup of tea. Sarah and Ross met as teenagers and fell into debt when they took out credit cards to help pay for their bills 'Been in Ross and Sarahs shoes has felt hard, its felt bloody hard. That the shortage of money is in your face just everywhere you turn,' Colin reflected after the experience.' Money was a constant worry for childhood sweethearts Sarah and Ross, which had put a strain on their own relationship, as they tried to provide for their two children as well as run a home and stay strong as a family. Were only a pay check away from being in trouble arent we?' Ross said. The Timmins family were thrilled with the amount of space and loved the tree house in the front yard But the week they were able to live carefree without the strict need for budgeting. They enjoyed a day trip to the Eden Project - the cost of the trip being three quarter of their usual budget - as well as treating the whole family to a spot of ice-skating, followed by burger and chips at a cafe on site. The couple also treated their children to new toys worth 90 on a shopping trip, and pampered themselves at the hair salon spending 80. And after spending 100 on a romantic three-course meal for just the two of them, Sarah said: 'With the reality of family and debt, you forget, you tend to fall out of love. 'Sometimes you need to have a kick in the right direction and reboot everything and remember how you got here and thats because of each other.' When Sarah and Ross, who hadn't had a holiday since their honeymoon in 2014, discovered the letter at the home after their week away in the countryside they couldn't believe their luck. 'For a family to have stepped in our shoes and offer the gesture that they have and never actually met us is something that I never really thought existed,' Ross said. 'It will be life changing. It is a dream,' Sarah added. The new series of Rich House Poor House airs on Wednesday 2nd May on Channel 5 at 9pm. The wind is so strong it takes four men to tether the brand new letter balloons that spell out 'ALFIE' to the bus stop outside Alder Hey Hospital. Even then the F twists backwards and the E keeps tangling and spinning in the gale. Next to them, three fresh bunches of blue and purple balloons bounce and buffet noisily. 'Last night, the hospital cut all the balloons down why would they do that? It's mindlessly mean,' says Susie, a mother and grandmother from Bootle. 'Why would anyone do that? This country has gone to pieces. We have to fight back.' A little earlier a man brandishing an English flag was chased away from the site by protesters, yelling abuse. Tom Evans (pictured) said he and the 'warrior' toddler's mother Kate James will meet with Alder Hey's doctors but he believed they 'hate' the couple Alfie's mother Kate James posted another picture on a Facebook supporters' group as he continues to cling to life (left) while people show their support outside the hospital (right) 'He's not welcome here. What good has the English government done Alfie? Any country that leaves a little boy to die in hospital is broken,' says a lady called Jean from Wrexham with red hair. 'The dogs in the PDSA [People's Dispensary for Sick Animals] down there are getting better care than this poor baby!' Ten minutes later, a box of Italian flags is delivered and a cheer goes up everyone here loves the Italians after Pope Francis and the Italian government tried and failed to have Alfie Evans flown to a Vatican-linked hospital in Rome for further treatment. Foot soldiers from Alfie's Army shimmy up lampposts to get the flags flying as a bank of armed police in high visibility jackets watch from the hospital. When Alfie's life support machine was switched off on Monday evening, it was hard to imagine things could become any more fraught and painful. But the longer the little boy clings to life and the more photos and videos his family release on social media of him sleeping on his mother's chest, having his cheek stroked to music and supposedly smiling, the more acrimonious things have become. Even by the standards of the past few days which have seen death threats issued online to doctors, desperate Facebook pleas for ventilation equipment and even threats to burn the hospital down yesterday was a particularly difficult day. At 8am, Alfie's father Tom Evans announces to the ever-waiting crowd of supporters that he and Alfie's mum Kate have abandoned their dream of transferring their desperately sick son to a Vatican-sanctioned hospital in Rome with the help of Pope Francis. Instead, they and hospital staff are going to put their bitter differences aside and discuss the possibility of Alfie going home. They are brave words, but it is a bitter disappointment, not just for Alfie's family, but also for the 'Army' keeping vigil in the cold outside. Alfie's continuing survival is a clear sign of the doctors' failings, according to Tom and his Christian legal team. 'Alfie doesn't need intensive care any more He could last for months, possibly years,' says Tom. 'Some people say it's a miracle. It's not a miracle. It's a misdiagnosis.' For their part, the doctors who always said Alfie was likely to live for hours, maybe days, after the machine was switched off admit he's battled on longer than they expected. Many of Alfie's Army have been here for weeks sleeping in cars parked on the grass verge outside the hospital, washing with wet wipes in the hospital loos or the nearby McDonald's, drinking endless coffees, queueing for electric plug sockets in the hospital to recharge their phones, greasy-haired and gritty-eyed and waiting, waiting, waiting. Supporters shared this photo of mother Kate James cradling her son at Alder Hey Hospital in Liverpool, where doctors have withdrawn life support Children look at flowers and tributes to Alfie Evans left outside at Alder Hey Children's Hospital A supporter cries after hearing the appeal is lost with supporters outside Alder Hey Children's Hospital, Liverpool They are family members, friends, and people who have seen the story on television or read it in the papers and want to show their support or just see what it's all about. Yesterday, as Alfie's plight reached news channels around the world, there was a more international flavour. Italian and Polish TV crews turn up and start broadcasting, a crowd of very well-dressed Poles from the Wrexham Polish international Support Centre arrive to put up a huge card to Alfie that reads, 'We hope God helps you if humans cannot,' and to tie Polish flags to lampposts where they flap alongside the Italian standard. Susie, a grandmother with a diamond stud in her nose, has been practically living here for more than a fortnight, returning to her home on the outskirts of Liverpool only to shower and grab the odd hour's sleep. 'I am physically, emotionally and spiritually spent, but I can't leave. I won't leave until there's a resolution,' she says. Shannon, from Wrexham, here with her aunt and her granny, Kathleen, from Burnley, is just 14 but had open-heart surgey three times when she was a tiny baby. 'We had to come,' says her granny. 'What has happened to Alfie can happen to any child. Shannon's been on a life support machine. Imagine if we'd turned that off. We've been there. We know what it's like.' Of course, Shannon's prognosis was rather different to little Alfie's she wasn't already in a semi-vegetative state or suffering from an incurable degenerative neurological condition which has destroyed almost all of her brain. But her granny doesn't see it like this. 'It doesn't make any difference,' she says. 'If a child is breathing, he's alive. A life is a life.' Police enter Alder Hey Hospital where Alfie Evans is being treated in Liverpool Crowds gather in support of the desperately sick toddler Alfie Evans at Belfast City Hall to voice their support for the child Meanwhile, inside the hospital, little Alfie soldiers on, deep in a coma but breathing unaided and family members visit his bedside in pairs for a cuddle and later complain that hospital staff uncaringly searched their bags as they went in and out. By 5pm, the group of mums with prams, grannies, retired dads and tattoed young men outside the hospital has swollen with the arrival of school children, passers-by and news crews. They're a motley bunch and might be committed to the point of obsession, but they don't seem to be the sort who'd send death threats to the Alder Hey doctors, or blockade the hospital doors as a bigger crowd did on Monday or threaten hard-working NHS doctors and promise they'd burn down the hospital. If anything, some of them feel rather vulnerable. 'People talk about troublemakers, but all we want is to show our support. We're not the people on the internet stirring it all up. We're mums, dads. Anyone who has a child has a vested interest in this case,' says Karen, from Derbyshire. 'We won't go until Alfie's freed.' Later, Tom reappears. Tired, deadpan and shattered, he makes a brief statement, quietly asking Alfie's Army to disperse and to let them get on with the business of saying goodbye to their son. Some supporters look discombobulated and lost their purpose suddenly evaporated with no satisfactory result. 'I'm not going anywhere,' says one. 'I'll be here all night.' Most though start quietly gathering their things and packing up as, yards away, other mums and dads with desperately sick children come and go from the hospital and the pile of cuddly toys clustered round the bottom of a lamppost grows by the minute. The E. coli outbreak linked to tainted romaine lettuce has grown and sickened 84 people from 19 states, US officials say. The US Centers for Disease Control said Wednesday that at least another 31 cases are believed to be tied to romaine lettuce grown in Yuma, Arizona. The agency says those infected range in age from one to 88. More than half of are female. Forty-two people have been hospitalized, including nine battling kidney failure as the agency scrambles to sniff out the source of the E. coli outbreak. Scientist Karen Xavier holds a petri dish containing a stool sample of small bacteria colonies in Denver. Samples like this one are examined to try to find the source of the E. coli outbreak Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) officials say the illnesses started between March 13 and April 12. The agency and the US Food and Drug Administration last week issued a warning against eating all romaine lettuce. Officials have not yet identified the source of the tainted lettuce except to say it came from the Yuma region. Disease hunters are using genetic sequencing in their investigation of the ongoing food poisoning outbreak linked to romaine lettuce, a technique that is revolutionizing the detection of germs in food. The genetic analysis is being used to bolster investigations and - in some cases - connect the dots between what were once seemingly unrelated illnesses. The investigation is also uncovering previously unfathomed sources of food poisoning, including one outbreak from apples dipped in caramel. So far, most of the work has largely focused on one germ, listeria. But it is expanding. Scientists used the genome sequencing technique in their investigation of the romaine lettuce outbreak, though other methods have so far been largely responsible for their ability to trace the contamination to Arizona. Hopefully, continued DNA analysis will help officials narrow the source to particular farms. By the end of this year, labs in all 50 states are expected to also be using genetic sequencing for much more common causes of food poisoning outbreaks, including salmonella and the E. coli bacteria linked to recent lettuce outbreak. That means the number of identifiable outbreaks are likely to explode even if the number of illnesses don't. 'There are a lot of outbreaks where they don't connect the dots. Now they're going to be connected,' said Michael Doyle, a retired University of Georgia professor who is an expert on foodborne illness. The new DNA testing is enabling disease detectives to spot food contamination before anyone is aware of a resulting human illness. 'It's turning around how outbreaks are figured out,' said Bill Marler, a prominent Seattle lawyer who has made a business of suing companies whose products sicken people. Marler added that the program is in its early stages and it's too early to call it a success. But he said the new approach has the potential to transform how and when outbreaks come to light. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is driving the program. It estimates that 48 million Americans get sick - and 3,000 die - from food poisoning each year. Lab technician extracts DNA for whole genome sequencing at the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment's Molecular Science Laboratory in Denver The new technique relies on whole genome sequencing, which has been used in biology for more than two decades. The laboratory process determines nearly all of an organism's DNA, the genetic material needed to build and maintain an organism. And scientists use software to compare the DNA of specimens to see if they are the same strain and how resistant they are to current medicines. The technique allows the analysis to become faster, cheaper and more automated, said Dr Robert Tauxe, one of the CDC's leading experts on food poisoning. Plans are to use the technology against several germs that cause food poisoning, but so far all the work has concentrated on listeria. The bacteria cause around 1,600 illnesses each year, a tiny fraction of US foodborne disease diagnoses. But it is a particularly lethal infection, killing nearly one in five people who get it. Historically, listeria-caused outbreaks were known as 'the graveyard of epidemiology.' It could take weeks for people to develop symptoms, meaning food evidence was discarded - and some of the patients were dead - by the time officials began to sort things out. From 1983 to 1997, only five listeria outbreaks were identified in the United States. They were obvious and large - with a median of 54 cases per outbreak. That's how it was with other food poisoning outbreaks, too. 'Most foodborne outbreaks were detected because it happened in one place,' like in a town where a popular restaurant's customers grew ill, Dr Tauxe said. Outbreaks were investigated by asking people what they ate before they got sick, and then comparing notes to see what patients had in common. The field took a big step in the 1990s, after a frightening outbreak erupted in the Seattle area. Four deaths and more than 700 illnesses in four states eventually were traced to undercooked Jack in the Box restaurant hamburgers contaminated with E. coli. The outbreak prodded the CDC to develop a program that relied on a technique called pulsed-field gel electrophoresis that helped health officials more easily link illnesses, but it was imperfect: it couldn't make exact matches and sometimes missed when cases were related. Then came whole genome sequencing. The CDC began using the technique in food poisoning investigations in 2013. Initially state labs sent samples to a CDC lab in Atlanta for testing. Now, the CDC is working to get labs in all 50 states up and running. Last year, the federal agency awarded about $32 million to state and city health departments to work on foodborne, waterborne and fungal disease outbreaks. That included $12 million to help them set up whole genome sequencing technology. Since whole genome sequencing began, the CDC says it's catching more listeria outbreaks with a food source identified. By that measure, the number rose from about two per year to an average of more than six per year from 2014 to 2016. One of the first success stories came a couple of weeks after Halloween in 2014, when listeria cases began popping up in Arizona, New Mexico and the Midwest. Through whole genome sequencing, investigators discovered about three dozen people had been sickened. In interviews, patients and their families didn't mention foods commonly associated with listeria. But most did say they had eaten packaged caramel apples. This 2002 electron microscope image made available by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows the kind of listeria bacteria that is behind some food poisoning outbreaks Scientists hadn't considered them a threat, because apples and caramel aren't hospitable to listeria individually. But it turns out that putting a stick in a caramel-covered apple gives germs a door into tiny spaces between caramel and the apple's skin. Besides fingering foods previously seen as unthreatening, whole genome sequencing has the potential to turn investigations around: In several outbreaks recently, germs found in food plant inspections prompted product recalls before anyone knew about an outbreak. Then whole genome sequencing helped find and confirm illnesses. Whole genome sequencing is becoming increasingly important, but it's not yet the basis of outbreak solving. It was used in the current investigation of E. coli bacteria found in romaine lettuce grown in Arizona, which has sickened at least 84 people in 19 states, according to a CDC update released Wednesday. But 'that's not how we first detected the outbreak,' said Matthew Wise, a CDC food poisoning investigator. It was more crucial in an investigation last year of a 21-state salmonella outbreak that ultimately was linked to ground beef. Whole genome sequencing allowed health officials to wade through a wave of cases to parse out the illnesses that were most closely matched and then look for a common origin, Wise said. 'Using our previous technology,' Wise said, 'we would have had a really difficult time solving that one.' A mother today told of her joy after her 'brain dead' son made a miracle recovery - even though doctors claimed he wouldn't survive. Cheryl Reid, 31, from Belfast, was advised three times to turn off the life support that was keeping her 12-year-old son, Taylor, alive. They feared he had just a two per cent chance of making it through, after the keen biker endured a horror crash in a field two years ago. He was left completely unresponsive and unable to breathe on his own - but doctors have now 'retrained his whole brain'. Taylor - a prize-winning biker who has raced since he was just five years old - is now able to smile and can understand 'every single world' spoken to him. Cheryl Reid, 31, from Belfast, was advised three times to turn off the life support that was keeping her 12-year-old son, Taylor, alive His 'miracle recovery' comes as 'warrior' toddler Alfie Evans survived yet another night without life support at Alder Hey Hospital. Alfie's parents have now dropped their legal battle to fly him to Italy and are instead pleading with doctors to allow them to take their son home. Mrs Reid, who has two other children, credits the team at the Craniaa Neuro Rehab Centre, a private rehabilitation clinic. 'He was gone' She told BelfastLive: 'They [doctors] told me his emotions were gone and he would never feel pain. Basically his body was breathing, but he was gone.' But, speaking of Taylor's incredible recovery, Mrs Reid added: 'Now hes crying and about five months ago he started smiling, and hes laughing too. 'We are getting wee bits of him back and you can see his personality now, but its definitely down to Dr Goshi (Gopalan Sivakumar). They feared he had just a two per cent chance of making it through, after the keen biker endured a horror crash two years ago (pictured with his brother and sister Brooke and Cole) He was left completely unresponsive and unable to breathe on his own - but doctors have now 'retrained his whole brain' (pictured during a biking competition) COULD STEM CELL THERAPY HELP EVEN FURTHER? Mrs Reid now revealed the family have discussed going to India for stem cell therapy, in the hope of restoring some of Taylor's brain damage, following his horror bike crash in May 2016. It comes after Bioquark, a Philadelphia-based company, announced in late 2016 that they believe brain death is not 'irreversible'. Ira Pastor, its chief executive, said last summer the firm was to begin testing an unprecedented stem cell method on patients in Latin America. To be declared officially dead in the majority of countries, you have to experience complete and irreversible loss of brain function, or 'brain death'. According to Mr Pastor, Bioquark had developed a series of injections that can reboot the brain - and they plan to try it out on humans. Advertisement 'I am so glad I have stuck with it. Hes amazing, that man. Taylor didnt know what planet he was on, but since he started treating him, hes a different wee boy.' 'Retrained his brain' She told the newspaper: 'Dr Goshi has just literally retrained his whole brain - hes a miracle worker. 'At the start there was no response whatsoever, but now when I bring him every Tuesday, his eyes are wide open and hes smiling - all the things they told me he would never be able to do again. 'He responds and knows every single word you are saying to him now.' Defying expectations Mrs Reid, who was heavily pregnant at the time of her son's crash in May 2016, said he would have definitely have died if he hadn't of worn his neck brace. She was told it was unlikely her son would make it through the night - but he pulled through. Taylor, who had multiple fractures to his skull, spent three weeks fighting for his life in intensive care at The Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children. Mrs Reid, who was heavily pregnant at the time of her son's crash in May 2016, said he would have definitely have died if he hadn't of worn his neck brace (pictured with husband David) Taylor spent three weeks fighting for his life in intensive care at The Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children (pictured during a biking competition) Nine long months Mrs Reid, married to David, was told by doctors his brain had 'completely died' and he spent a further nine months on the hospital's Paul ward. The couple visited him in hospital every day, and took his younger siblings Brooke and Cole, who has born just three weeks after Taylor's accident. Mrs Reid then decided to take him for a two-hour session at the Craniaa Neuro Rehab Centre each week to boost his recovery. She has now revealed the family have discussed going to India for stem cell therapy, in the hope of restoring some of his brain damage. Alfie Evans survives another night Taylor's story comes after Alfie Evans survived yet another night without life support as his parents dropped their legal bid to take him to Rome and said: 'We want to take him home'. Tom Evans (pictured today showing his said he and the 'warrior' toddler's mother Kate James will meet with Alder Hey's doctors this morning to discuss leaving the hospital Alder Hey's doctors 'hate us and look down on us because we're not like them', says father Alder Hey's doctors 'hate' and look down on Alfie's parents and family, his father said today. Tom Evans says medics avoid them in corridors and give them 'horrible smug looks'. Mr Evans wants three doctors prosecuted for conspiracy to murder his son. He told LBC: 'They hate us. They don't like us, we're not like them." When asked why, he responded: Because I've fought against them for so long and I'm right. 'We've tried to work with them but they've acted aggressively towards us. Theyve fought so hard towards us. 'We walk around the corridors and they pop into other cubicles to avoid us. T 'They give us some horrible smug look as if we're in the wrong. It's like we're criminals and we're being looked down on'. He added: I feel like I'm in a maximum security [prison] and they're looking down on us. If this was a general case they would have let home go home by now'. Advertisement Tom Evans said he and the 'warrior' toddler's mother Kate James will meet with Alder Hey's doctors this morning to discuss leaving the Liverpool hospital, claiming his son could survive for 'months, possibly years'. Alfie's parents held another vigil at his bedside overnight and posted video and photographs of their son sleeping peacefully and even appearing to smile at one point. Speaking this morning Mr Evans said: 'For three days [since life support was withdrawn] there have been no problems with Alfie. He's still breathing on his own and going strong. The nurse came in this morning said "wow". He's proving everyone wrong'. He added: 'It's not a miracle - it's a misdiagnosis. As I sit next to Alfie's bedside, every second of every day, it encourages me more and more that he will live for 'x' amount of months, possibly years.' Yesterday Court of Appeal judges rejected their plea for him to be flown to the Pope's children's hospital in Rome. Mr Evans said they would not be going to the Supreme Court today to pursue their Italian plan and said: 'We got rejected yesterday to go to Italy unfortunately. We could take it further, but would it be the right thing to do? Mr Evans insists that because his son is still alive it proves doctors misdiagnosed him. He said: 'Alfie doesn't need help now. Some people say it's a miracle - it's a misdiagnosis. He hasn't woke up and he is a bit weak but we ask to go home.' This picture of Alfie and his father sleeping in the background was posted on Facebook at midnight Alfie's mother Kate James posted another picture on a Facebook supporters' group last night The NHS is preparing to offer cancer patients a pioneering new treatment that may save thousands of lives. Health chiefs today announced CAR-T therapy, branded a 'game changer', could be rolled out across hospitals this year. The revolutionary 'living drug' revs up vital killer cells in the body's immune system, teaching them to attack cancerous cells, even where other methods have failed. Trials have already shown it effective in helping patients with blood cancer, which strikes 30,000 people in Britain each year. Simon Stevens, chief executive of the NHS speaking at the 2017 NHS Confederation Conference in Liverpool. He is today expected to announce the NHS plan to use pioneering immunotherapy to combat chronic lymphocytic leukaemia CAR-T is already available in the US, after it was approved as the first gene therapy available in the country last in August 2017. How does CAR-T work? The therapy starts with filtering key immune cells called T cells from a patient's blood. In a laboratory, a gene is then inserted into the T cells that prompts them to grow a receptor that targets a special marker found on some blood cancers. Millions of copies of the new T cells are grown in the lab and then injected into the patient's bloodstream where they can seek out and destroy cancer cells. What is chronic lymphocytic leukaemia? Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) is a cancer that affects white blood cells, progressing slowly over many years. It is usually diagnosed in people over 60, and is very rare in those under the age of 40. It does not usually cause symptoms early on, and may be picked up on in the results of a blood test for something else. When symptoms do develop, they include: getting infections often anaemia persistent tiredness, shortness of breath and pale skin bleeding and bruising more easily than normal a high temperature (fever) night sweats swollen glands in your neck, armpits or groin swelling and discomfort in your tummy unintentional weight loss There is currently no full cure for CLL, but treatments may include chemotherapy or a stem or bone marrow transplant. If caught in the early stages, most people will live at least five years after diagnosis. Under the microscope: CLL in a sample of blood. Unlike acute leukaemias, CLL develops slowly and is very rare in young people Advertisement Doctors call it a 'living drug' - permanently altered cells that continue to multiply in the body into an army to fight the disease. CAR-T therapy was unveiled by Kite Pharma in 2017 at the world's biggest cancer conference, the American Society of Clinical Oncology, in Chicago. Is CAR-T proven to work? Researchers presented a study that found eight patients out of nine with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, a type of blood cancer that was thought to be incurable, had the disease eradicated after being given the therapy. The trial showed that six months after treatment, the patients were still cancer-free. It is understood hundreds of NHS cancer patients could benefit initially from the rollout of the treatment. Mr Stevens will announce that the 'game changer' cancer treatment could be available before the end of year at the Association of British Pharmaceuticals Industry annual conference today. 'A proud history' He said: 'The NHS has a proud history of delivering pioneering treatments. 'As we celebrate the 70th anniversary, the NHS is working harder than ever to save lives and improve care by embracing cutting edge technology like CAR-T therapy and spreading innovation across the whole health service. 'However, we can't do this alone and we need the help of the manufacturers to ensure we can get these treatments to patients as quickly and cost effectively as possible. 'Preparations are underway to make CAR-T, one of the most innovative treatments that has ever been offered on the NHS available to patients, but manufacturers need to set fair and affordable prices so treatments can be made available to all who need them.' Other tech advancements Mr Stevens will also speak of tech advancements which have cut cardiac arrest numbers in half. The Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust have introduced bedside e-observations which have reduced the number of cardiac arrests by 46 per cent. Bedside e-observations involve the use of clinical and digital innovation to monitor bedside observations. Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust are also using technology to enhance patient care, by using an e-observation system which Trusts electronic patient record system, reducing error and the the taken to input patient observations. It is thought that once the system is fully implemented by early May, it will free up 20,000 hours of nurses' time per year. Electric patient records A further technological triumph lies in the Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, who have reduced the use of paper patient records by 99 per cent since rolling out their electronic patient record in 2014. This scheme has also saved the Trust around 2,500 inpatient bed days per year by reducing adverse side effects to medication through its e-prescribing and allergy-related prescribing alerts - also speeding up the time it takes to prepare medications for patients. A mother-of-three's oozing skin left her looking like a 'monster' after she ditched the steroids she was prescribed for 25 years for her eczema. Lindsey Hughes, 30, from Salt Lake City, started using steroid creams when she was just five years old to treat her eczema, and was eventually prescribed a cocktail of high dose creams, inhalers and pills. After being given ever higher doses to control her symptoms, Ms Hughes decided to go cold turkey last year when doctors said she was at risk of kidney damage. Ms Hughes, a nurse, then battled steroid withdrawal for 14 months, which left her with skin resembling 'tree bark' and in too much pain to hug her children. The extreme reaction also caused Ms Hughes to develop depression, as well as causing her to lose her hair and 35lb (16kg) in just eight months. Just over a year later, Ms Hughes' skin is transformed and she is speaking out to warn others about the dangers of ongoing steroid treatment. Lindsey Hughes terrified children with her burning, oozing skin after quitting steroids after 25 years left her looking like a 'monster' and with skin that resembled 'tree bark' Now in recovery, Ms Hughes (pictured after) believes steroids are highly over prescribed Ms Hughes (pictured during her 14-month steroid withdrawal) lost her hair and 35lbs (16kg) in just eight months. She claims her symptoms even caused her children to be frightened of her HOW SKIN BECOMES 'ADDICTED' TO STEROIDS PRESCRIBED TO HELP ECZEMA SUFFERERS MANAGE BREAK-OUTS Topical steroid addiction arises from the use of such creams to treat conditions like eczema. First described in 1979 in the International Journal of Dermatology, the theory is, over time, the skin becomes addicted to the steroids. But it is not widely accepted among the medical community. Many have called the 'condition' a fad, however, it has been recognised by the National Eczema Association since 2013. Also known as red skin syndrome, the disorder does not have many statistics to show how common it is. One 2003 study from Japan, found that 12 per cent of adults who were taking steroids to treat dermatitis developed RSS. It occurs when steroids have been abruptly discontinued after a prolonged or inappropriate length of administration. Women who blush easily are thought to be most at risk. Topical steroid addiction has not been reported with correct drug use. Symptoms include: Redness, particularly on the face, genitals and area where the steroids were applied Thickened skin Swelling and puffiness Burning or stinging Dryness and cracked skin Excessive wrinkling Skin sensitivity and intolerance to moisturisers Frequent skin infections Excessive sweating and itching is a sign of recovery. Many sufferers also develop insomnia. Treatment focuses on anxiety support, sleep aids, itch management, infection prevention and immunosuppressants. Doctors should advise patients to avoid long term or high dose steroid use. Long term is considered to be one-to-two years of regular use. Patients are also advised to cut down on steroids slowly but using a lower dose and gradually cutting back to, for example, every other day or a few times a week. Source: DermNet NZ Advertisement 'Even my kids were scared of me' Speaking of her withdrawal, Ms Hughes said: 'Three-months after I quit the steroid treatment my symptoms were so bad that I couldn't sleep for weeks, my skin was swollen, I was in constant excruciating pain. 'Initially my skin was flaking, burning and oozing, I had multiple infections the first couple of months because my skin was so badly broken down. 'I was traumatised and depressed, it felt like it was never going to end and I would be constantly living with this pain and suffering. 'While my skin was shedding and itching, it was one of my worst moments, I felt like a monster. 'It felt and looked like tree-bark, it didn't look like skin, it was just rough, very thin and like a plastic sheet. She added: 'Even my kids were scared of me, they didn't want to be around me because of how I looked. 'My three-year-old son told me I looked gross, it was really hard for him and me because I couldn't really interact with him or my other children to make them feel better. 'I couldn't withstand skin-to-skin contact, even when they wanted to hug me, because I was in too much pain and couldn't hold my baby who was eight months old at the time. During her withdrawal she battled depression and worried her symptoms would never end Ms Hughes' shedding, broken skin caused her to suffer multiple infections in the first months 'I couldn't take care of my kids' During the withdrawal process, Ms Hughes' skin would enflame, ooze and crack in repetitive cycles, which left her unable to work or sleep and only comfortable in the bath. She said: 'I couldn't take care of my kids, I lost dexterity in my hands, I had to take medical leave for six months lying at home. 'I had to sleep in the bath, the majority of my day was either in my bed or the bath. 'I was stuck just lying there, it was the worst time not being able to take care of my kids or be around them that much.' To ease her suffering, Ms Hughes took powerful pain medication, however, this did little to ease her discomfort. She said: said: 'I was in so much pain and my skin burning so much.' Ms Hughes' oozing, cracked skin meant she was only comfortable when in the bath The pain was so extreme Ms Hughes could not move or hold her eight-month baby Ms Hughes lost the ability to move her hands and had to take six months off work 'It was one of the hardest chapters of my life' While using steroids, which were also prescribed for her asthma, Ms Hughes would get through a tube of cream a week. Speaking of her decision to quit the treatment, she said: 'I was terrified of withdrawing after seeing what others had gone through, but I decided I had nothing to lose as I was so sick. 'This was my only option, as weeks went by and my symptoms manifested that's when I read more and was scared by what was to come.' 'I'm grateful that I started the process of withdrawal, but it was one of the hardest chapters of my life. 'Now my skin is so much better in appearance, it's a lot clearer now than it was before I started steroids, it looks better than it ever has. She said: 'I still have insomnia at night but I'm functioning. 'I have more energy, my skin is stronger and thicker, it doesn't shed any more, there's no more oozing or burning - thankfully I'm past those horrible symptoms.' Ms Hughes (pictured with her sons and husband Tim, 31, during her withdrawal) says her skin is now looking better than it ever has, however, she still suffers from insomnia Ms Hughes started taking steroids at just five years old (pictured) for her eczema 'Steroids are completely over prescribed' Speaking of the dangers of long-term steroid use, Ms Hughes said: 'I'm very frustrated that it took away my quality of life for a lot of years. 'I saw an allergist, dermatologist and other specialists to get better, but they just kept prescribing higher and higher doses of steroids. 'No one told me to stop until I was facing kidney damage and I was told they couldn't give me any more, that was when I realised I needed to stop. 'I was very upset, I couldn't have imagined before that the treatment I was using to help myself feel better in higher and higher doses was actually making me sick. 'But I'm glad I've done it now, to be where I am now, I believe steroids are completely over prescribed.' Gay men are altering the tone of their voices to make them sound deeper amid fears of discrimination and stereotyping, a study suggests. Gay men and lesbians explained they felt their voices 'acted as gaydar cues' - indicators to others about their sexuality, revealed researchers. Academics said gay men are assumed to lisp and have soft, high-pitched voices, while many think lesbians speak in a lower tone. This is leading many gay men to alter their voice to 'try and sound more masculine' to avoid being identified as homosexual amid fears of a backlash, scientists have claimed. Dr Fabio Fasoli, study co-author, from Surrey University, described the results of the study which included nearly 250 people as 'disappointing'. Numerous countries have now made same-sex marriages legal and many would argue society has become more accepting of same-sex relationships. However recent statistics have revealed the LGBT community in the UK, where gay couples have been allowed to wed since 2014, still face discrimination. Stonewall, a campaign group for LGBTs, recently revealed hate crimes against the community has soared by nearly 80 per cent in five years. And there has also been a 200 per cent increase in homophobic crimes across Britain's transport network, according to figures from the British Transport Police. Researchers have discovered that both men and women believe voice is an indicator of sexual orientation and helps their 'gaydar' Dr Fasoli said: 'What we have learnt in this study is that individuals share stereotypes about voice as an indicator of sexual orientation. 'Fears of discrimination and being subject to unwanted stereotyping may lead people to alter their voice, in particular men trying to sound more masculine to conform to social norms.' He added: 'It is disappointing that in 2018 stereotypes about masculinity/femininity persists and fears of being misidentified/identified as gay and lesbian still exists. 'This may explain why a person feels the need to alter how they present themselves.' Some 241 men and women of all sexualities were quizzed about their thoughts on stereotypes about 'gay voices'. Dr Fasoli and colleagues said they found the majority of men believe their voices are more revealing of whether they are either heterosexual or homosexual. WHAT ARE THE COUNTRIES WHERE HOMOSEXUALITY IS ILLEGAL? Algeria Angola Botswana Burundi Cameroon Comoros Egypt Eritrea Ethiopia Gambia Ghana Guinea Kenya Liberia Libya Malawi Mauritania Mauritius Morocco Namibia Nigeria Senegal Sierra Leone Somalia South Sudan Sudan Swaziland Tanzania Togo Tunisia Uganda Zambia Zimbabwe Afghanista Bangladesh Bhutan Brunei India Iran Iraq Kuwait Lebanon Malaysia Maldives Myanmar Oman Pakistan Palestine/Gaza Strip Qatar Saudi Arabia Singapore Sri Lanka Syria Turkmenistan United Arab Emirates Uzbekistan Yemen Antigua & Barbuda Barbados Dominica Grenada Guyana Jamaica St Kitts & Nevis St Lucia St Vincent * the Grenadines Cook Islands Indonesia Kirbati Papua New Guinea Samoa Solomon Islands Tonga Tuvalu Advertisement But the link is not as strong for women, according to the researchers, who published their study in the journal Personality & Individual Differences. Upon further questioning, it was revealed straight men also thought of themselves as more masculine sounding than gay men, the experts said. The heterosexual men also wanted their low-pitched voice to clearly identify their sexuality when meeting someone for the first time. The team of researchers, which involved experts from universities in Portugal and Italy, claim straight men don't want to be misidentified as homosexual because it could leave them open to discrimination. The scientists also pointed to previous research that suggested it could lessen their chances of attracting a female partner. Gay men and lesbians explained they felt their voices 'acted as gaydar cues', the researchers wrote in the journal. WHAT DOES THE DATA ON HATE CRIME TOWARDS THE LGBT COMMUNITY SHOW? LGBT campaign group Stonewall's previous research has found one in five LGBT experienced a hate crime in the 12 months running up to October last year. However, it said four in five anti-LGBT hate crimes and incidents go unreported, based on its poll of 5,000 LGBT people. British Transport Police figures released earlier this month showed there was 416 homophobic attacks across the transport network in 2017. In comparison, just 139 were recorded in 2013, according to the figures, which were obtained by The Independent after a freedom of information request. The US has also battled growing hate crime against the LGBTQ community. The Q stands for queer - an umbrella term for people who aren't straight. Columbia University researchers discovered last month that transgender violence and discrimination spiked following the 2015 Presidential Election. Nearly 30 per cent of transgender people experienced hate crimes after Donald Trump got into power - despite his promise to 'fight' for their rights. Advertisement However, they had no desire for their voice to disclose their sexuality as it could potentially make them unwanted targets of prejudice, according to the experts. Data from the Office for National Statistics shows there are more than one million people in the UK who are lesbian, gay or bisexual. The figures showed one in 50 Britons identify as LGB in 2016 - up from the 1.7 per cent recorded in the 12 months prior, according to the figures. On the back of the figures, however, Stonewall said last October many people are reluctant to 'come out' and that could be millions more in the UK. While 13 years ago, the Government declared six per cent of the population were either gay or lesbian, in its first attempt to quantity the LG population. Stonewall's previous research has found one in five LGBT experienced a hate crime in the 12 months running up to October last year. However, the campaign group said four in five anti-LGBT hate crimes and incidents go unreported, based on its poll of 5,000 LGBT people. British Transport Police figures released earlier this month showed there was 416 homophobic attacks across the transport network in 2017. In comparison, just 139 were recorded in 2013, according to the figures, which were obtained by The Independent after a freedom of information request. The US has also battled growing hate crime against the LGBTQ community. The Q stands for queer - an umbrella term for people who aren't straight. Columbia University researchers discovered last month that transgender violence and discrimination spiked following the 2015 Presidential Election. Nearly 30 per cent of transgender people experienced hate crimes after Donald Trump got into power - despite his promise to 'fight' for their rights. Data from research firm Gallup found 4.1 per cent of American adults identified as LGBTQ in 2016. Dark chocolate could improve one's eyesight, new research suggests. Indulging in a bar of 72 percent dark chocolate resulted in a significant improvement in two of the main markers of vision, contrast sensitivity and visual acuity, according to a study published Thursday. The findings from University of the Incarnate Word Rosenberg School of Optometry in San Antonio mirror previous research including a report published yesterday suggesting that dark chocolate is markedly more beneficial than milk chocolate. Improved vision could be the next item added to a growing list of health benefits from eating dark chocolate that includes improved heart health, better brain function and enhanced mood. New research suggests that indulging in a bar of 72 percent dark chocolate can significantly improve two of the main markers of vision, contrast sensitivity and visual acuity Experts have been studying the health benefits of chocolate for years, and emerging research suggests that dark chocolate is markedly higher impact than milk chocolate. The key ingredient thought to be behind the benefits is the cacao beans that are rich in flavanol, an organic compound found in fruits and vegetables that reduces inflammation. Inflammation is responsible for many of the degenerative changes associated with various chronic conditions including heart disease, Alzheimer's and cancer. Previous studies have suggested that flavanol also improves blood flow in the brain and cardiovascular system in the short term, but little research has been done into its effects on vision. In the new study, 30 people with an average age of 26 were each given a 47g Trader Joe's 72% Cacao Dark Chocolate bar and a 40g Trader Joe's Crisp Rice Milk Chocolate bar in separate sessions at least three days apart. The dark chocolate bar had eight times more flavanols than the milk chocolate bar. Two hours after eating the chocolate bar they were tested for multiple aspects of vision, including contrast and color perception, distraction effects, marksmanship, and visual electrodiagnosis. More than 70 percent of the people score significantly higher on the vision tests after eating the dark chocolate than they did after the milk. One category that saw the biggest enhancement was contrast sensitivity, which is the ability to distinguish between light and dark values especially in situations of low light, fog or glare Driving at night is an example of an activity that requires good contrast sensitivity for safety. Another was visual acuity or sharpness of vision, measured by the ability to distinguish letters or numbers at a distance. 'Although the specific mechanism for visual improvement awaits further study, an increase in retinal, visual pathway, and/or cerebral blood flow could be contributory, enhancing bioavailability of oxygen and nutrients to metabolically active sites,' said study author and optomotrist Dr Jeff Rabin. Dr Rabin added that future research will be needed to examine the exact mechanism that improved the vision markers as well as how long the enhancements lasted after eating the chocolate. On Tuesday a similar study was published by Loma Linda University in California, revealing that dark chocolate helps boost the brain and cardiovascular system by increasing blood flow and reducing inflammation. Eating chocolate with more than 70 percent cacao was associated with lower levels of stress and stronger immune system. Two major reports warn 9/11 survivors may have a more severe risk of cancers than previously thought - and the chemicals they were exposed to make their diseases more aggressive than usual. More than 17 years on from the attacks, scores of studies have shown the thousands of men and women who rushed to the scene of the falling Twin Towers have a higher risk of a myriad of conditions, from cancers to PTSD to digestive issues. But the true scale is only just coming to light as the victims enter middle age, and the rate of diagnoses - and deaths - sky-rocket. In a new report published today by the Journal of the American Medical Association, researchers reveal new data showing that cancer is striking the surviving first-responders 10 to 15 years earlier than it would in the general population. A second report, also in JAMA, hones in on one particularly alarming disease, the rare blood cancer multiple myeloma, finding its precursor is doubly common in 9/11 survivors compared to the general population, and those who develop myeloma get it 15 years earlier, and a much more aggressive form which is difficult to treat. The findings are the latest bleak reminders that repercussions of the attack on New York City are still being felt, and will likely claim thousands more lives prematurely in the years to come as scientists race to catch up with the scale of those affected. Researchers reveal new data showing that cancer is striking the 9/11 first-responders 10 to 15 years earlier than the general population, and their diseases are more aggressive 'These figures, you can't argue with them. There is no discussion to be had,' said Dr Ola Landgren, author of the myeloma study and top oncologist at of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, which sees 20 percent of New York's myeloma cases. 'If you just stick to the data and you see they are 10 to 15 years younger than the general population, it's a more aggressive myeloma, and there is a doubling of the rate of the precursor. 'Clearly, something is going on. We have learned quite a lot over the last few years about exposures to certain types of chemicals, and we are now more aware of the connection.' Officially, the World Trade Center Health Registry recognizes 70 cancers as being linked to the toxic cocktail of fumes from Ground Zero, including pulverized concrete, jet fuel and mercury. It also recognizes GERD, every lung disease, sleep apnea, sinusitis, depression, asthma, and PTSD. Mark Farfel, director of the World Trade Center Health Registry, estimates around 400,000 responders and civilians are at risk of 9/11-related illnesses. As of 2016, Mount Sinai's World Trade Center Health Program had counted more than 5,400 people with 9/11-related cancers alone, not counting the other illnesses. The first of the two reports published today came from the FDNY World Trade Center Health Program, assessing the future costs and scale of cancers among 9/11 responders. The team, led by Dr Rachel Zeig-Owens, projected new cancer cases over 20 years among a group of 14,474 FDNY rescue and recovery workers exposed to the World Trade Center disaster site. Estimates suggest 2,960 new cases of cancer (including more prostate, thyroid and melanoma cancers) among these rescue and recovery workers between 2012-2031, which is far higher than would be expected in similar populations with the same social and racial background. Among white men in the group, 2,714 new cancers were estimated compared with 2,596 in a comparison group. Dr Zeig-Owens said the stark figures show more, earlier testing needs to be offered for survivors to catch these diseases as early as possible. The second study backed up this conclusion by honing in on one cancer specifically: multiple myeloma. The team found the rate of people with the precursor to myeloma among 9/11 responders was double that in the general population - alarming, but offering an opportunity to catch the disease before it develops into myeloma (which is not always the case, but is a high risk). Dr Landgren explained it is especially important to catch the precursor in 9/11 responders because their forms of multiple myeloma tend to be more aggressive than others'. Analyzing the two studies in an editorial for JAMA, American Cancer Society doctor Otis Brawley suggested more needs to be done to quantify how much of this increased risk is associated with firefighting in general, which exposes workers to many dangerous toxins on a daily basis. 'The predicted increases in cancers of the prostate, thyroid, and myeloma are interesting. Excess incidence and mortality for these cancers have been previously reported in firefighters from other cities. Are the predicted increases due to WTC [World Trade Center] exposure or a career as a firefighter?' One-year-old twins Anna Grace and Hope Elizabeth Richards were conjoined for the first year of their life, and thrived off each other's company after their risky separation surgery in January this year. But for the past two months, the girls have been several miles apart. While Anna Grace was healthy enough to leave the hospital on March 2, Hope's condition was fragile. Painfully, the team at Texas Children's Hospital in Houston informed the family Hope would need another eight weeks to heal from the operation that divided their liver, diaphragm and part of their heart. On Wednesday, after a staggering 482 days in hospital, parents Jill and Michael are finally able to take little Hope home with her sister, and older brothers Seth and Collin. 'This is the moment it all feels real,' Jill said. 'Our family is eternally thankful for the doctors, nurses, child life specialists, physical therapists and many others at Texas Children's who took incredible care of our precious girls.' Anna Grace and Hope Elizabeth Richards were born attached at the chest in December 2016 and underwent a separation surgery in January. Anna, right, was discharged on March 2, and Hope, left, was discharged on Wednesday For the first year of their lives, the girls shared a liver, diaphragm and part of their heart Hope was all smiles on Wednesday when she was discharged after 482 days in the hospital Baby Hope was escorted out of the hospital with the help of her parents and staff members Jill Richards, center, said the family is thrilled to have the girls home in North Texas with their father Michael (right) and brothers Seth and Collin (left) Anna Grace and Hope Elizabeth Richards were born attached at the chest and abdomen on December 29, 2016 and spent their first year of life in a neonatal intensive care unit, sharing a liver, diaphragm and part of a heart. The twins' parents knew long before their daughters were born that they would be conjoined. An ultrasound revealed that their daughters were thoraco-omphalopagus twins, meaning they shared large portions of their torsos. The family could not be certain until after their birth that their daughters could ever live life apart. After Anna and Hope were delivered by cesarean-section at over 35 weeks, weighing a combined nine lbs 12 oz, they were kept at the hospital to assess their strengths and what vital organs they shared. Hope and Anna are pictured as nurses prepare them for the surgery that took seven hours Jill is pictured holding the conjoined twins just before they underwent the extensive surgery Dr Ed Buchanan, pediatric plastic surgeon at Texas Childrens, stops by to admire the girls The girls reunite after almost two months apart on the day Hope finally got to go home Two nurses are pictured saying goodbye to Hope before she was discharged on Wednesday Hope's parents beam as she is lifted into the ambulance to be escorted home to North Texas About one in every 200,000 live births in the world are conjoined twins. Though there are far more hospitals and surgeons equipped to separate them now than in decades past, about 35 percent of these babies only live a day after their birth. Conjoined twins are very rare, making the causes behind the condition difficult to study and as-of-yet unclear. Twins form when a single fertilized egg splits early in embryonic development. But this process is not instantaneous, and on the rare occasions when the egg does not fully split, the two fetuses become conjoined, growing shared organs and body structures. Their bodies may be linked at nearly any point, though thoraco-omphalopagus twins, like Anna and Hope, are the most most common form, making up about 28 percent of all conjoined twins. Doctors are unsure why, but conjoined twins are usually girls - about 70 percent of the time - and tend to have better survival rates than boys do after birth. A team of 75 doctors and nurses operated for seven hours to separate Anna and Hope One of the teams of doctors that operated on Anna and Hope makes an incision in the girls' shared skin, an early step in their separation WHAT ARE CONJOINED TWINS? Conjoined twins occur when siblings have their skin or internal organs fused together. It affects around one in 200,000 live births. Conjoined twins are caused by a fertilised egg beginning to split into two embryos a few weeks after conception, but the process stops before it is complete. The most common type is twins joined at the chest or abdomen. Separation surgery success depends on where the twins are joined. Doctors can only tell which organs the siblings share, and therefore plan surgery, after they are born. At least one twin survives 75 per cent of the time. Source: University of Maryland Medical Center Advertisement Twin girls also tend to be more resilient to the stresses of separation surgeries, and now, at least one twin survives separation about 75 percent of the time, though rates vary depending on what organs and structures the babies' share. Success rates for separating twins joined at the spine, for example, are estimated to be as high as 68 percent. The first separation surgeries were performed in the 1950s, but the operation remains a steep challenge to even the most experienced surgeons. For many sets of conjoined twins, separation is simply not an option because they share too many essential organs and blood vessel connections. For still other families, separation may cost one twin their life, but give the other a better chance at survival and a more viable future. Fortunately for the Richards family, both Anna and Hope had good chances of surviving the surgery, so doctors went to work preparing the pair of babies from the first days of their lives. The process of separating Anna and Hope would take nearly another two agonizing years after their birth. In November, surgeons operated on the baby girls to place tissue expanders in preparation for their separation. Jill (left), Micheal (center), and Collin and Seth Richards marvel at Anna, resting in her own bed for the first time alongside one of the surgeons that operated on the twins, Dr Oluyinka Olutoye Finally, after a year of round the clock care from three teams of nurses and neonatal specialists, the girls' tiny bodies were ready. A team of 75 surgeons, specialists and nurses that had been practicing the delicately coordinated operation for months performed a surgery to separate their heart, diaphragm and liver, and to give separate blood sources to the newly-formed two hearts. Anna and Hope's surgery required cardiologists to split the parts of their hearts they shared, plastic surgeons to carefully place the once shared tissue over the newly-individual bodies. Among the steepest challenges of a separation surgery is the rerouting of blood vessels to make sure that neither twin loses too much blood in surgery, and that all of their organs have consistent supply throughout their new lives apart. This was particularly true for Anna and Hope, who shared a large blood vessel connecting their partially-conjoined heart. 'Through simulations and countless planning meetings, we were able to prepare for situations that could arise during the separation,' said Dr Larry Hollier, the surgeon-in-chief and chief of plastic surgery at Texas Children's Hospital. 'We are thrilled with the outcome and look forward to continuing to care for Anna and Hope as they recover,' he added. Anna and Hope spend their final moments conjoined as they are wheeled into surgery Hope Richards rests, able to sleep on her back for the first time after being separated from her twin sister Three women given surgery to heighten the sensitivity of their G-spot are now able to orgasm through sex. Like millions of other women around the world, all of the unidentified patients were unable to orgasm through vaginal penetration alone. But after undergoing a procedure by the same gynaecologist who found the elusive G-spot, their ability to climax through sex returned. The results of the operation, now named as a 'G-spotplasty', have just been published in a scientific journal. Dr Adam Ostrzenski (centre) removed a small, diamond-shaped piece of tissue from the supposed location of each of the women's G-spots (pictured on The View in 2012) Dr Adam Ostrzenski, a gynaecological surgeon from Florida, was behind the surgery, which took place five years ago. He removed a small, diamond-shaped piece of tissue from the supposed location of each of the women's G-spots, NewScientist reports. This allowed for the tightening of their vaginal walls. The three women each complained of not being able to achieve through vaginal penetration following childbirth - a common complaint. Dr Ostrzenski, from the Institute of Gynecology in St Petersburg, asked the women to record their sexual experiences over the next of five years to determine if the procedure was successful. 'Very pleased' And the results, which showed the women were all 'very pleased' with the surgery, were published in the journal Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. Like millions of other women around the world, all of the unidentified patients were unable to orgasm through vaginal penetration alone WHAT IS THE G SPOT? The G-spot was named after German gynaecologist Ernst Grafenberg, who first noted the area was particularly sensitive to touch in 1950. The spot, which is thought to measure slightly more than half an inch in diameter, was not known as the G-spot until 1981, however. The existence of the G-spot has caused both fascination and frustration since its existence was first mooted more than 60 years ago. Many scientists and doctors have doubted whether it is real, with a study in 2010 concluding it was merely a figment of women's imagination. But Dr Ostrzenski claimed to have proved the G-spot really did exist in 2012 - after stumbling across the elusive zone during a post-mortem examination. Writing in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, he said it measured a meagre 8.1mm by 3.6mm by 1.5mm, which led many to joke about why it was so difficult to find. Advertisement Each of the women also admitted they were having more sex after the procedure. Welcomed by experts Douglas McGeorge, consultant plastic surgeon and former president of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, welcomed the trial. He told NewScientist: 'A lot of women get a pleasurable experience as a result of stimulating the area some people call the G spot. 'If theyre suddenly not achieving this same satisfaction and they feel it is a problem, then a small procedure like this might help them. And that has to be a good thing.' However, experts have today slammed the procedure, which makes women believe problems achieving orgasms through vaginal penetration is 'pathological'. Dr Devan Stahl, of Michigan State University, argued there is 'virtually no evidence' therapies promising women an increased sexual pleasure work. How many women can't climax through sex? The results of the 'G-spotplasty' come after an Indiana University study last year revealed four out of five women can't climax through sexual intercourse alone. The existence of the G-spot has caused both fascination and frustration since its existence was first mooted more than 60 years ago. Many scientists and doctors have doubted whether it is real, with a study in 2010 concluding it was merely a figment of women's imagination. But Dr Ostrzenski claimed to have proved the G-spot really did exist in 2012 - after stumbling across the elusive zone during a post-mortem examination. Writing in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, he said it measured a meagre 8.1mm by 3.6mm by 1.5mm, which led many to joke about why it was so difficult to find. The Zika virus that causes devastating brain damage in babies could cure common childhood brain cancers, according to new research. In experiments, the deadly bug destroyed two types of tumors that mainly affect children under five. Vitally, the virus selectively infected and killed hard-to-treat cancerous cells, yet left healthy neurons unscathed. Brazilian scientists described the results as 'spectacular' after Zika injections completely cleared some mice of any trace of disease. The Zika virus shrunk brain tumors in nearly 70 percent of mice, showing 'spectacular' promise for treating common childhood cancers, the study authors said Zika stirred fear in pregnant women the world over when, beginning in 2013, an outbreak of the virus spread from islands in French Polynesia to South and Central America, Africa and Texas and Florida in the US. Zika is a virus people can catch if they are bitten by an infected mosquito. If bitten by an infected mosquito, a pregnant woman's baby is vulnerable to develop microcephaly, a birth defect marked by an abnormally small head and brain. Most people will have few or no symptoms, but the disease can pose a serious threat to babies in the womb. Affected infants have been born with abnormally small heads and underdeveloped brains - a condition known as microcephaly. The infection has been linked to severe birth defects in almost 30 countries. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that as many as 30,000 people may have been infected, and at least 42 infants developed a debilitating neurological condition. Although Zika is no longer 'an international medical emergency', the WHO says it is closely monitoring the infection. But now, the new study's results suggest that the same virus that can kill children may also save the lives of some fighting cancer. The University of Sao Paulo researchers are already planning trials in children. The lab rodents were implanted with embryonic human brain tumors of the central nervous system called medulloblastoma and AT/RT (atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumor). Co-lead author Dr Keith Okamoto said: 'Central nervous system tumors are the most common solid tumors in children and adolescents. 'The peak incidence of medulloblastoma is in children aged four to five years. AT/RT has a higher incidence in even younger children, of up to two years old.' Between 15 and 20 percent of childhood brain tumors are medulloblastomas, and AT/RTs account for about three percent of brain tumors in all people. AT/RTs are deadly, killing many children within a year of diagnosis. Survival rates are only improved by surgery to remove large portions of the brain. Treatment options for those with medulloblastomas have improved, with 60 to 70 percent surviving the cancer, but chemo and radiation are still rough on the bodies of young children. Even they work, the intense treatments may be damaging to the developing brains of the young children. In 20 of 29 animals treated with the Zika virus on the other hand, the tumors shrank. In seven of the animals - five with AT/RT and two with medulloblastoma - they disappeared completely. In some cases, the virus also stopped it spreading by eliminating the secondary tumor or blocking its development. In the study, published in Cancer Research, the tumor cells were modified to emit light with a scanner picking up a colored signal. These images showed the evolution of the tumors after the injection of the virus. Co-lead author Dr Mayana Zatz said: 'We are going to have to handle the anxiety and not put the cart before the horse. 'It is very important to start with two or three patients, and if it works, do it for a larger number.' The preliminary clinical trial will involve mainly small children with the purified virus being administered in larger amounts and produced according to the good cultivation practices required for humans. First author Carolini Kaid inserted the tumors in the mice and injected the Zika virus on the spot, under the supervision of Dr Okamoto. She then followed their evolution. Making sure the virus is safe is crucial to getting the study findings to the clinical stage. In this regard, the results are promising. Concentrations of one viral particle per ten cells were sufficient to infect and kill cells derived from AT/RT and medulloblastoma tumors. In addition, the virus showed high specificity for this type of cells. Dr Okamoto: 'The virus did not infect tumor cells indiscriminately. It is quite specific for tumor cells of the nervous system.' Nor did it infect already differentiated neurons, which is a very advantageous behavior if repeated in humans with a brain tumor. During the 2015 Zika outbreak, hundreds of thousands of people were infected. Despite this, the majority of patients, children and adults, did not become unwell. These observations are very important when assessing the risks and safety of a new treatment. Dr Okamoto said: 'There is a very positive outlook. But there is a path still to be pursued so that we can move safely into the clinical part.' The virus was also tested in the lab on prostate, breast and bowel tumors, but had little effect. Last year Zika was also found to shrink aggressive brain tumors called glioblastomas - the sort that Senator John McCain is battling - in mice. These are the most common brain tumors in adults and one of the trickiest to treat. Radiotherapy, chemotherapy and surgery are often unsuccessful. Medulloblastoma hit the headlines four years ago after eight year old Ashya King was struck down. His parents were later jailed for abducting him from an NHS hospital to seek innovative brain tumor treatment abroad. He has since been cured after undergoing the proton beam therapy in Prague. BALANCING ACTS by Nicholas Hytner (Vintage 9.99) BALANCING ACTS by Nicholas Hytner (Vintage 9.99) At the National Theatre, Sir Michael Gambon was three days into rehearsals of Alan Bennetts new play The Habit Of Art when he collapsed and was whisked off to hospital. Had he any message for his colleagues, asked a stage manager. Dont worry about those bastards, said Sir Michael. Theyre already on the phone to Simon Russell Beale. Russell Beale was busy, as it happened, but as Nicholas Hytner reveals in this captivating memoir of his 12 years as director of the National Theatre, Gambons instinct was right. Before the day was out, actor Richard Griffiths had taken Hytners call. From the triumph of War Horse to James Corden patting Donald Trumps bottom in the Broadway run of One Man, Two Guvnors, Hytner chronicles the highs and occasional lows of running the National with crisp wit and deep affection. THE ASCENT OF GRAVITY THE ASCENT OF GRAVITY by Marcus Chown (W&N 9.99) by Marcus Chown (W&N 9.99) In August 1665, as bubonic plague raged in London, Cambridge University closed its doors for fear of infection. Isaac Newton, a 22-year-old Cambridge scholar, returned to his home in Lincolnshire, where he remained secluded for 18 months during which he invented the law of universal gravitation and changed the face of science. Three centuries after that, Einsteins theory of relativity revealed flaws in Newtons law. A century later, in 2015, came the discovery of gravitational waves. Chowns fascinating guide to the force of gravity follows its story from Newton to the as yet undiscovered quantum theory of gravity the holy grail of 21st-century physics. He concludes that the greatest questions in science (Where did the universe come from? What are space and time?) are tantalisingly close to being answered. AMAZONS AMAZONS by John Man (Penguin 9.99) by John Man (Penguin 9.99) Stories of the Amazons arose in the dream-time before written records, writes the historian John Man. The ancient Greeks were fascinated by tales of a tribe of warrior women, skilled in hunting and warfare, who cauterised their right breasts so as to use their bows and arrows more efficiently, and killed male babies, rearing only girls. Did this mythical tribe ever exist? Certainly not in the fanciful accounts of them that appear in Greek literature and art, says Man: The idea is rubbish. There was no nation of Amazons, as there were no Centaurs or Titans. Nevertheless, the Amazonian ideal of strong, independent women, able to take on men on equal terms, remains as fascinating to us now as it was to the ancient Greeks. BOOK OF THE WEEK AN INCONVENIENT DEATH by Miles Goslett (Head of Zeus 16.99) Some people are natural conspiracy theorists. Im not. Maybe this is a weakness an indication of a readiness to accept the official version of events and not to see evil plots lurking in the background. But after reading Miles Gosletts masterful book about the supposed suicide of the weapons expert Dr David Kelly in 2003, I am more persuaded than ever that the authorities have not told us the whole truth about this tragic case. American and British forces invaded Iraq in March 2003. A few months later, Dr Kelly was a source possibly not the main one of Andrew Gilligans explosive BBC story that the Blair government had sexed up the September 2002 dossier, which wrongly claimed Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction. Miles Goslett examines contradictions and inconsistencies surrounding the death of Dr David Kelly (pictured) in a new book It raises the question as to whether Gilligan himself may have sexed up what Dr Kelly had told him, since the scientist went to his death still believing these weapons might exist. But the journalists essentially accurate allegation caused panic and fury in official circles. Tony Blairs malign spin doctor, Alastair Campbell, strode into the Channel 4 News studio to denounce the BBC. Dr Kelly soon admitted to his superiors that he had spoken to Gilligan. In one of the most disgraceful episodes in a shameful saga, a meeting chaired by Blair effectively authorised naming the weapons expert to the Press. Kelly became the centre of a media frenzy. Two weeks later, on the morning of July 18, the poor man was found dead in an Oxfordshire wood, a few miles from his home. He had apparently taken his own life, having gone for a walk the previous afternoon. His left wrist was cut, and he had taken co-proxamol tablets. Some newspapers blamed Blair and Campbell for hounding him to his death. But did he kill himself? An Inconvenient Death painstakingly assesses a vast amount of evidence. Goslett is no loopy conspiracy theorist. He never says Dr Kelly was murdered. Instead, he exposes the authorities many contradictions and inconsistencies and urges there should be a full inquest into the scientists death. For the extraordinary thing is that there has been no such inquest. Within hours of Dr Kellys body being found, the Lord Chancellor, Charlie Falconer, had set up an official inquiry with miraculous speed. Falconer was an old friend and former flatmate of Tony Blair, who at that moment was in the air between Washington and Tokyo. The legal effect of the decision to ask a senior judge the elderly Establishment figure of Lord Hutton to chair an inquiry into Dr Kellys death was to stop the inquest in its tracks. But, as Goslett points out, neither Hutton nor his leading counsel James Dingemans QC had any experience of a coroners duties. And whereas in an inquest evidence is taken on oath, it wasnt in the Hutton Inquiry. Miles believes a number of important witnesses were not spoken to following the death of Dr Kelly (Pictured: Dr David Kelly's home after his suicide) The list of its errors and omissions is mind-boggling. A huge number of important witnesses who might have thrown doubt on the theory that a severely depressed Dr Kelly had killed himself were not called. These included Sergeant Simon Morris, the Thames Valley officer who led the original search for Dr Kelly, and his colleague, Chief Inspector Alan Young, who became senior investigating officer. Also never questioned was Mai Pederson, a translator in the American Air Force, and a very close friend of Dr Kelly. She later alleged he had a weak right hand, which would have made it difficult for him to slash his left wrist. Is it conceivable that spooks panicked and dumped his body in an Oxfordshire wood? Moreover, the knife he often carried with him and was said to have used in the suicide had a dull blade. She also claimed he had difficulty swallowing pills. Dr Kellys friend and dentist, Dr Bozana Kanas, was also not examined. She discovered on the day his death was reported that his dental file was missing from her Abingdon surgery. The file was inexplicably reinstated a few days later. Police tests revealed six unidentified fingerprints. Dingemans seemed intent on establishing that Dr Kelly had been downcast once the Press knew his name. Yet according to the landlord of a local pub and several regulars, on the night the weapons expert discovered from a journalist that he was about to be identified, he happily played cribbage in the Hinds Head. Petitions question why inquests haven't registered that Dr Kellys death certificate didnt give a place of death But neither the landlord nor Dr Kellys fellow players were called by Hutton to give evidence. This is particularly strange since at the very time he was said to be in the pub, he was, according to his wifes evidence to the inquiry, with her in a car on the way to Cornwall, escaping from the Press. There were other anomalies in her evidence which Goslett details, though he offers no theory to explain them. Nor did the inquiry grapple with the oddity that in the early hours of July 18 a helicopter with specialist heat-seeking equipment spent 45 minutes flying over the land around Dr Kellys house, passing directly over the site where his body was discovered a few hours later. According to an official pathologist, Dr Kelly was already dead at the time of the flight, yet the helicopter did not locate his still-warm body. Might it have been moved subsequently to its final position in the wood? Hutton did not examine the pilot or crew. Perhaps most striking of all was the inquirys failure to investigate conflicting medical evidence. A volunteer searcher who discovered the body at 9.20am on July 18 testified that it was slumped against a tree, and there was little evidence of blood. Yet police issued a statement asserting that the body was lying face down when found, while the post mortem recorded a profusion of blood. AN INCONVENIENT DEATH by Miles Goslett (Head of Zeus 16.99) After the inquiry, a group of distinguished doctors expressed concern as to its conclusions. They doubted the severing of the ulnar artery on Kellys left wrist could have been responsible, as such an injury would produce relatively little blood. Gosletts point is that a competent coroner would have picked up on this and the many other inconsistencies. A properly constituted inquest would have also registered that Dr Kellys death certificate didnt give a place of death. It states he died on July 17, though July 18 is equally plausible. Cock-up or conspiracy? Its impossible to say. Despite having gathered all this evidence, which he presents in a gripping way, Goslett for the most part resists speculation to a degree given his enormous accumulation of facts casting doubt on the official version of events that is almost heroic. At the very end, he airs the question as to whether Dr Kelly (who according to the post mortem had advanced coronary disease) might have suffered a heart attack under interrogation. Is it conceivable that spooks panicked and dumped his body in an Oxfordshire wood? This book made me proud of my trade as a journalist. Gosletts forensic skills put the highly paid lawyer James Dingemans to shame. In a spirit of even-handedness, I should point out that it is incorrectly stated that Robin Cook resigned as Foreign Secretary days before the invasion of Iraq. He was actually Leader of the House, having been replaced as Foreign Secretary two years earlier. But this is a formidable, and disquieting, analysis. I hope it will have the effect of reigniting calls for an inquest. Do our rulers believe in justice? A future coroner would admittedly face this handicap that Dr David Kellys body was recently mysteriously exhumed and, according to one newspaper report, secretly cremated. Should you fix your mortgage for two, five or even TEN years? Homeowners nearing the end of their deals urged to lock in as inflation may bump up rates Rising oil prices saw profits surge at Royal Dutch Shell during the first three months of the year, with the group posting its highest quarterly numbers for three years. The oil giant reported a 42 per cent rise in underlying quarterly profits to 3.8 billion between January and March this year. Bottom-line profits surged 69 per cent to 4.1 billion. The group's results have been buoyed by resurgent oil prices, higher production and years of cost cutting Shell chief executive Ben van Beurden said: 'Shell's strong earnings this quarter were underpinned by higher oil and gas prices, the continued growth and very good performance of our integrated gas business, and improved profitability in our upstream business.' He added the group was 'making good progress' with its 21.5 billion divestment programme, having completed 18.7 billion so far. The programme was launched in 2016 to help pay down debt taken on for its 36 billion buyout of BG Group. The group's overall results have been buoyed by resurgent oil prices, higher production and years of cost cutting. Oil prices have been bouncing back over the past year, helping Shell triple bottom-line profits to 8.5 billion in 2017. Oil briefly reached above $75 a barrel this week and there are predictions it could reach $100 amid geopolitical tensions. Despite the solid results, a relatively 'muted' outlook for the next quarter saw shares dip more than two per cent on Thursday morning. The latest quarterly results hint that its good performance in 2017, when the group saw profits double, may continue. It reported underlying earnings of 11.2billion for 2017, up from 5.1billion the previous year and pocketed 8.5billion in profits. Steve Clayton, manager of Hargreaves Lansdown's Select UK Income Shares fund, which holds a position in the company, said it was a 'good start' to the year for the group. 'A quarterly dividend of 47 cents is declared. Free cash flow of $5.2bn fully covered the cost of interest and dividends, showing the progress Shell has made in recent years. Shell chief executive Ben van Beurden (pictured) said the group was making 'good progress' with its divestment programme Meanwhile over at rival BP there's a new chairman coming in Fellow oil giant BP has named energy industry veteran Helge Lund as its next chairman, succeeding Carl-Henric Svanberg. Lund previously headed BG Group and was a longstanding chief executive at Statoil. He will join BP's board as chairman-designate and a non-executive director on 1 September before taking on the role of chairman on January 1 next year. 'The outlook for Q2 is muted though, with the group expecting lower upstream volumes, weaker refinery availability due to maintenance, and a lower pace of growth in the gas business. This explains the two per cent dip in early trading,' he said. Clayton added: 'Shell's position is much improved, even if their view of the next few months hardly sets the pulse racing. 'The group are confident in their future cash flows and expect to repurchase $25bn of shares over the next couple of years, largely funded through divesting non-core assets. 'With the yield on the stock currently around 5.2 per cent, these repurchases will improve the cash cover of the dividend on the remaining shares.' TSB should now stand for Totally Switch Bank. Those who have been hit by the recent IT meltdown should vote with their feet in the near future, once it is clear how they'll be compensated. It has never been easier to switch current accounts, but the majority won't, even once the dust is settled, because they are worried about direct debits and other payments linked to their account being messed up. As someone who used the switching service, roughly two years ago after becoming fed up with a high street bank (which also had an IT meltdown) I had the same worries but it was plain sailing. Smooth sailing: Using the seven day current account switching service was smooth - and it is worth TSB customers bearing that in mind Recent figures suggest that TSB has benefited substantially from the seven day current account switching guarantee it had the second highest switching numbers, behind Nationwide Building Society. It is likely those who have switched to it may be more inclined to move over those who migrated from Lloyds back in 2015, as they know how easy it is to use the service. It guarantees directs debits and the like will be switched, while some banks offer sweeteners to get you to move. For example, you can get up to 150 in Expedia vouchers with First Direct, 75 with Halifax and the equivalent of 185 vouchers with Marks & Spencer Bank. In regards to the TSB fiasco IT meltdowns and mistakes happen. However, this is something different to what we've seen before. The bank has tried to migrate away from Lloyds systems over one weekend and move over to those of its parent company, Sabadell. This, the Spanish banking giant boasted in a since-deleted statement calling the migration a success, would save TSB hundreds of millions of pounds. It's incredible that there was no back-up plan in place if the worst happened and it is now enlisting IBM to help sort out the mess. The slow response by TSB has been dire. Customers have been left in the lurch and panicking that they cannot see their accounts. Some have seen other customers' accounts or have had crazy balances showing up. One colleague who is a TSB customer said they waited an hour in a phone queue this morning, worried about their mortgage and the staff member on the other end couldn't help, nor did they apologise. TSB has tried to angle itself as a 'challenger' bank but I've always argued that it is not. It's a spin-off bank, which had a head start with customer numbers, a branch network and IT systems. Real challengers start from nothing and build their way up, Rocky Balboa style. A new wave of fintech banks are probably rubbing their hands at this latest meltdown. These are banks that have had to battle to get a licence, pour millions into technology and attract customers from scratch. Most of these are co-founded with someone technologically-minded or have some of the best, young, IT savvy staff working for them. In the battleground of attracting current account customers, TSB, to date, had done well. But the way it has handled this crisis has not showered it in glory. It does also highlight how many people now rely on online banking after being pushed into it for years. If I was a TSB customer, I would hold off from switching for now to see what kind of compensation if any - will be offered, then make a decision. Today it says it will increase its current account interest back to five per cent after chopping it to three per cent. Furthermore, fees and interest charges will be waived for April in bid to appease angry customers. It's a start, but not enough. The damage done to its reputation will take some time to heal. We're onto day six and around one million appear to still not be able to get into their accounts online. It will have to do something pretty special to rebuild faith quickly or face an exodus from its base of five million-plus customers. I would keep a timeline of how you've been inconvenienced as a TSB customer - and if the response isn't good enough, once it gets through its deluge of complaints, look elsewhere. Here is our in-depth round-up of the five best current accounts for inspiration when the time comes. Advertisement Lava is spewing over Kilauea volcano in Hawaii's Big Island as eruptions on Tuesday and Wednesday filled up the summit's lava lake and forced it over the crater's rim. Magma has been pouring in to the Halemaumau Crater below all week in the biggest spill from the 4,000-foot peak in 10 years. 'The lava lake level is still quite high,' Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologist Janet Babb said. Lava is spewing over Kilauea volcano in Hawaii as eruptions on Tuesday and Wednesday filled up the summit's lava lake and forced it over the crater's rim Magma has been pouring in to the Halemaumau Crater below all week in the biggest spill from the 4,000-foot peak in 10 years The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory issued a volcano activity notice on Tuesday about the high level of lava, likely because of an increase in the amount of magma stored within Kilauea The observatory issued a volcano activity notice on Tuesday about the high level of lava, likely because of an increase in the amount of magma stored within Kilauea. A separate notice issued last week warned of the potential for a new vent and lava flow at Puu Oo or along Kilauea's East Rift Zone. The notice said the magma system beneath Puu Oo had become increasingly pressurized, leading scientists to think a new vent could open soon. 'We're able to visibly see the crater floor in Puu Oo rise,' Mr Babb said. A helicopter view of Kilauea Volcano's Halemaumau crater shows the extent of the largest overflow (silver gray) of the lava lake Lava spatters at the edge of Kilauea's Halemaumau Crater, during the biggest spillover in 10 years A separate notice issued last week warned of the potential for a new vent and lava flow at Puu Oo or along Kilauea's East Rift Zone. Overflow on Monday was the largest of four pulses from the lava lake that escaped onto the crater floor since late Sunday night The vent adjacent to the summit known as Puu Oo erupted in 2016 and sent lava trickling down the mountainside and into the Pacific Ocean for the first time in several years. A 1983 Puu Oo eruption resulted in lava fountains soaring over 1,500 feet high. In the decades since, the lava flow has buried 48 square miles of land and destroyed many homes. In 2008, after a series of small earthquakes rattled the island, Kilauea's summit crater opened and gushed lava and rock over 75 acres of the mountain, damaging a nearby visitor overlook. Overflow on Monday was the largest of four pulses from the lava lake that escaped onto the crater floor since late Sunday night, resulting in the largest overflow since the summit vent opened up 10 years ago, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported. Kilauea is a very active volcano with amazing footage of lava flowing from it was captured on a drone in January Scientists also noted a small overflow of the south crater rim at around midnight Saturday. The summit lava lake last overflowed in October 2016. It also overflowed in April and May 2015. This week's overflows represent the third time the summit's lava lake has risen high enough to spill out onto the crater floor. The area around Halemaumau remains closed to the public because of the ongoing volcanic hazards, including elevated sulfur dioxide gas emissions and possible rockfalls and explosions. When Hawaiian Volcano Observatory issued its volcano activity notice last week, it was the first time the outpost of the U.S. Geological Service had ever produced a formal warning about a possible new vent. A protester wearing a German flag interrupted an Anzac Day service by shouting 'German lives matter' and holding a sign that read: 'Over 110 million lives forgotten'. The woman marched down the main street in front of thousands of onlookers holding a hand-drawn sign and shouting 'Germany should have won the war' during the Last Post and the Minute's Silence at a march in Murwillumbah, NSW. The protester stopped chanting during the Ode of Remembrance after a member of the crowd spoke to her, but continued to hold her sign during the national anthem and until the end of the service. Scroll down for video A protester wearing a German flag interrupted an Anzac Day service shouting 'German lives matter' and holding a sign that read: 'Over 110 million lives forgotten' Daily Mail Australia understands the woman is around 18 years of age and is a local to the small town of Murwillumbah, 13km south of the Queensland border. She is reportedly not of German descent. The thousands of people who lined the streets of Murwillumbah to pay tribute to past and present veterans largely ignored the woman. But as the service ended, one man grabbed the woman's sign - featuring a drawing of a German flag and the words 'lives matter' - and threw it to the ground. 'The best thing you can do with those kinds of people is just to ignore them,' parade marshall and Murwillumbah RSL member Chris Christostomos told the Tweed Daily News. 'They come here to make a scene, they try to interrupt at the most crucial time but if you make a scene, that's what they're looking for,' he said. As the service ended, one man grabbed the woman's sign - featuring a drawing of a German flag and the words 'lives matter' - and threw it to the ground Others in the crowd shouted at the woman to 'go home', while one veteran yelled 'you're a disgrace'. Some mistook the colours of the woman's outfit as that of the Aboriginal flag, believing she was an indigenous activist. During the service, Murwillumbah RSL president Ron Bossink reflected on the sacrifices made by Australian soldiers and the achievements made by those who had served. Members of the Murwillumbah community shared their thoughts online with one person saying: 'She was a distraction and people realised she needed help not violence to remove her.' 'She's an idiot if she thinks anyone wins in war,' another person said. A DNA match has led to the arrest of a 72-year-old former police officer in one of the most baffling and sadistic crime sprees of the 1970s and 80s - a string of at least 12 slayings and 45 rapes in California by an attacker dubbed the Golden State Killer. Armed with a gun, the masked attacker would break into homes while single women or couples were sleeping. He sometimes tied up the man and piled dishes on his back, then raped the woman while threatening to kill them both if the dishes tumbled. He often took souvenirs from his victims, who ranged in age from 13 to 41. Despite an outpouring of thousands of tips over the years, the suspect's name had not even been on authorities' radar before last week. Married couple Brian and Katie Maggiore were shot dead while walking their dog in Rancho Cordova, California on February 2, 1978. Joseph James DeAngelo was charged with their murders on Wednesday DeAngelo is also charged with murdering Lyman and Charlene Smith at their Ventura County home on March 13, 1980 Joseph James DeAngelo was arrested on Tuesday and charged with four murders. Police believe he is linked to the other eight killings as well. DeAngelo has been charged over the brutal murder of married couple Brian and Katie Maggiore on February 2, 1978. They are believed to have been his first victims. Joseph James DeAngelo, 72, was arrested on Tuesday and charged with four murders. Police believe he is linked to the other eight killings as well The couple were walking their dog in their Rancho Cordova neighborhood, just outside Sacramento, when they were chased down, shot and killed. He is also charged with murdering Lyman and Charlene Smith at their Ventura County home on March 13, 1980. They were bludgeoned to death with a fireplace log and were later found by their 12-year-old son. Smith was an attorney who was just days from being appointed a judge. His wife worked as a court clerk. Police believe DeAngelo is also behind the murder of Dr Robert Offerman and Alexandria Manning who were killed on December 30, 1979. Offerman, 44, and Manning, 35, were killed at a home in Goleta near Santa Barbara. They had their hands bound with twine when their bodies were discovered. Married couple Patrice and Keith Harrington were killed in their home at Dana Point on August 19, 1980. Police said they were beaten with a blunt instrument. Police believe DeAngelo is also behind the murder of Dr Robert Offerman and Alexandria Manning who were killed on December 30, 1979 Patrice and Keith Harrington were killed in their home at Dana Point on August 19, 1980 Patrice was a pediatric nurse and her husband was a medical student at UC Irvine. Manuela Witthuhn, 28, was raped and beaten to death in her home in Irvine on February 5, 1981. She was home alone at the time because her husband was in the hospital recovering from an illness. Cheri Domingo, 35, and her 27-year-old boyfriend Gregory Sanchez were murdered in their beds at a home in Goleta on July 27, 1981. Domingo was found with her hands tied and suffering massive head injuries. Sanchez was shot and bludgeoned. The final victim believed to have been killed by DeAngelo was 18-year-old Janelle Lisa Cruz. She was bludgeoned to death in her family's home in Irvine on May 4, 1986. A real estate agent who was selling the family's home was the first to discover the teen's body. Blood was found spattered throughout the home and police believe she was beaten with a pipe wrench. Cheri Domingo, 35, and her 27-year-old boyfriend Gregory Sanchez were murdered in their beds at a home in Goleta on July 27, 1981 A devoted mother and daughter who died at each other's side in London's Grenfell Tower fire were Australian, it was revealed today. Victoria King, 71, and her 40-year-old daughter Alexandra Atala were among 71 people who died in the horrifying blaze on June 14 last year. The pair, who perished together in their 20th floor flat, were the last victims to be identified by London's Metropolitan Police in November. Scroll down for video Victoria King (pictured earlier in her life) and her daughter Alexandra Atala were the last two victims of the Grenfell tower fire to be named Family said Ms King and her daughter Alexandra Atala (pictured), died side by side Their nationality was revealed by The Australian today after repeated requests for information from The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. A spokesman for the department said: 'The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade can confirm that two Australian citizens died in the Grenfell Tower fire in June 2017.' Ms King had celebrated her 71st birthday just two days before the fire. In a statement released through police in November, Mrs King's family said: 'We were devastated to hear of our sister, Vicky's, fate, and that of her daughter, Alexandra, in the Grenfell Tower tragedy. The Grenfell Tower blaze claimed 70 lives. More than 200 escaped the fire on June 14 'Some comfort can come from the knowledge that she and Alexandra were devoted to one another and spent so many mutually-supportive years together. 'They died at each other's side and now they can rest together in peace. We will remember them always.' The blaze was started in the early hours of the morning by a faulty fridge freezer in a a flat on the fourth floor. The building's combustible cladding meant it went up like a torch, leaving residents trapped and rescuers helpless. Some 223 residents escaped the building but 71 died. Another surfer has had a run in with a two-metre shark just two days after a 21-year-old man was attacked by a great white. Robby Bruce was surfing in Prevelly, on the south-west coast of Western Australia, when he was hit by a shark around 10am on April 25. He told 9NEWS: 'I was about half way out and Id just pulled my arm out of the water and a shark went "BAM" straight into me and flung me off the board.' Scroll down for video Robby Bruce (pictured) was attacked by a two-metre shark at Prevelly Beach in Western Australia. His board with black and white stripes meant to deter sharks was cracked It is the fourth shark attack in the area. Earlier attacks saw the cancellation of international surfing competition Margaret River Pro (stock image) The 60-year-old then called what happened next a 'frenzy' before he was able to call out to other surfers as a warning and paddle back to shore. Mr Bruce told Perth Now that the shark, of an unknown species, left a crack in his 2.5 metre board. He said: 'The black and white stripes are meant to deter sharks. 'Maybe it changed its mind at the last second. It might have saved me.' Mr Bruce said he's seen a shark once every ten years in the surf - and in the last two weeks he has seen three. The shark attack on Mr Bruce comes two days after 21-year-old Nathan Burch, his brother Jason and friend Luke Wright were faced with a 3.5 metre great white shark at South Point near Gracetown. Mr Burch told 9NEWS at the time that it hit him pretty hard in the leg. Attacks just hours apart at Cobblestones and Lefthanders that left surfers injured also saw the cancellation of international surfing competition Margaret River Pro. At the time, Sophie Goldschmidt, World Surfing League CEO wrote in a statement: 'The presence of beached whales in the area has attracted sharks and contributed to the aggression of their behavior, which, experts agree, has increased the possibility of further attacks. These findings have resulted in nearby locations being closed to surfing and swimming.' The shark attack on Mr Bruce comes two days after 21-year-old Nathan Burch (pictured centre), his brother Jason and friend Luke Wright were faced with a 3.5 metre great white shark at South Point near Gracetown She explained that while surfing carries a risk, the current conditions were past what was acceptable. Beaches between Hamelin Bay and Gracetown have been closed for the remainder of the school holidays. Some beaches aren't closed but have been given a shark warning. Fisheries officers are patrolling beaches to make sure people know of the increased risk. The Surf Life Saving WA Westpac Lifesaver Rescue Helicopter is also patrolling for the remainder of the current school holidays. For further information on beach closures and shark warnings visit Shark Smart. An off-duty police officer was in the middle of making his lunch when two thieves ran by his window, prompting a dramatic pursuit. Gold Coast Senior Constable Scott Miers was preparing his chicken and salad when the drama unfolded right in front of him at a Varsity Lakes apartment complex about 1.30pm on Wednesday. From his first-floor unit, Constable Miers attention was drawn to two teenagers about 80m away who were sprinting down the street. Southport Senior Constable Scott Miers (pictured) was preparing his chicken and salad when he noticed two teenagers sprinting down the street, followed by two women Constable Miers recognised it was a robbery in progress and sprang into action, embarking on a chase around the Gold Coast suburb 'And then I saw these two Asian ladies waving their arms and I saw the two blokes had these handbags and bags,' he told the Gold Coast Bulletin. He quickly realised the women's bags had been snatched so embarked on a dramatic chase as his police instincts immediately kicked in. Grabbing his keys and phone, the constable bolted out the door and headed out to cut them off. 'I've seen where they bolted to; by the time I got downstairs they would have been too far gone on foot,' he said He saw them emerge from the lake in a little side street so jumped out of his vehicle and approached the pair. The pair split up but one headed directly toward Constable Miers so he tackled the offender to the ground. The off-duty police officer (pictured) was in the middle of making his lunch when he stopped two thieves from getting away He told onlookers to contact police and let them know an off-duty officer had the culprit in his custody for a robbery with violence charge. Squad members arrived and cuffed the youth. Constable Miers was just catching his breath again before the other offender reappeared out of nowhere. The youngster tried to evade the officer once more but wasn't successful in his attempt to get away. 'I chased him across the roundabout, through traffic coming, and bolted about 120m up a hill and tackled him as well,' he said. By the time Constable Miers returned home he admitted he was more than 'hangry' telling Newscorp: 'Everyone knows what I'm like with my food.' Police indicated a 16-year-old boy had been charged with three counts of stealing as well as possession of dangerous drugs and a utensil. Another boy, 14, has been charged with three counts of stealing. Both matters will be tended to under the Youth Justice Act. A father who was caught on camera trying to choke a 15-year-old boy who had reportedly bullied his daughter, has spoken out about the incident. Mark Bladen, 53, said he was giving the boy a 'good old fashioned talking to' when the teenager smiled at him, prompting him to 'snap'. The incident took place at the The Gap skate park in Brisbane, Queensland, last month. Scroll down for video The actions of Mark Bladen (pictured), 53, who violently attacked his step daughter's teenage bully in an explosive rage, have been defended by his wife and members of his community 'Dr Jekyll came out,' Mr Bladen said in a 60 Minutes preview ahead of Sunday's full episode. His daughter claimed the child had relentlessly bullied her by calling her names and giving her insulting gifts. '(He) called me names like gorilla and King Kong, he would buy me shaving cream for Christmas so that I would shave,' she told reporter Liz Hayes. Bladen explained he intended on giving the boy a 'good old fashioned talking to' on the day he ended up physically assaulting him. '(But) he smiled at me,' the man said, alluding to the moment that pushed him over the edge and into a violent rage. In an act prompted by the 15-year-old bully 'smiling' after being approached for 'a talking to', the angered father leaped forward and grabbed the boy around the neck Mr Bladen's daughter (pictured) claimed the boy had relentlessly bullied her by calling her names and giving her insulting gifts Chilling footage showed the moment the grown man threw himself towards the boy, who was sitting on a bench at the time, as one of his friends yelled 'get the f*** off him'. Friends of the father have since praised him for sticking up for his 'princess', with one saying he hoped he 'would do it again'. 'He's got to stand up for his family,' one member of Chermside Darts Club said, as another agreed, saying, 'I would hope that he would do it again, to be honest.' A woman, believed to be the mother of the bullying victim, defended the father saying, 'he did what any parent would do'. Mr Bladen pleaded guilty to one count of assault occasioning bodily harm and was sentenced on March 20 to pay $1,000 with no conviction recorded, and ordered to pay $500 compensation. His victim suffered bruising to his throat and scratches to his limbs in the fight, which was eventually broken up by his friends. He pleaded guilty to one count of assault occasioning bodily harm and was sentenced on March 20 to pay $1000 with no conviction recorded, and ordered to pay $500 compensation In his interview, Mr Bladen (right, with his partner and stepdaughter) said he thought there was too much 'political correctness' evident in current society Mr Bladen told police he was 'aghast' at his behaviour, and apologised outside court to the victim. 'I'm very sorry for what I did, very regretful and ashamed,' he said. 'Please don't do what I did, I just lost control. It's definitely not the way to handle things,' he said. In his interview, Mr Bladen said he thought there was too much 'political correctness' evident in current society. 'When I was young you treated a lady like a lady and it should be the same way now,' he said. 'We live in a day of political correctness, and I hate it.' The full episode will air on Channel Nine at 8.30pm on Sunday. Jane Carson-Sandler's morning in October 1976 turned into a nightmare when the 'Golden State killer' broke into her Sacramento home and entered the bedroom where she lay snuggled with her three-year-old son. Carson-Sandler was 30 years old at the time of the attack. Her husband had just left for work when she heard the sound of movement in the house. When she opened her eyes, a masked man was standing over her with a butcher knife. She said she was paralyzed by fear, afraid the man would kill them - so she told him to take anything he wanted. He told her to shut up and started tying her and her son up and gagging them. When he untied her ankles, she knew he would rape her. Jane Carson-Sandler (left, on Megyn Kelly last month) is relieved after her rapist, Golden State killer Joseph James DeAngelo (right), was finally arrested on Wednesday Carson-Sandler was 30 in 1976 when DeAngelo broke into her Sacramento home and raped her. An Air Force reservist training to be a nurse, Carson-Sandler's three-year-old son was sleeping in her bed when the break-in happened. Mom and son pictured above 'He tied us with shoelaces and cloth, he blindfolded us and he gagged us both... My heart was beating so hard it almost came through my chest,' Carson-Sandler, recalled in an essay for the Today show last month, just a few weeks before the killer's arrest. Before assaulting her, he moved her son to another room. After it was over, he put her son back in bed next to her. 'This was probably the most frightening part - I had no idea where he had moved him - he was gone from my side. 'My whole focus was on what he had done with my son. When I got my blindfold off, my son was asleep next to me. I had to wake him up for us to leave the house. 'We went out of the gate and screamed for help and a neighbor took us in and called the police and called my husband,' she wrote. Carson-Sandler voiced relief after police arrested Joseph James DeAngelo and identified him on Wednesday as the serial killer who committed a string of killings and rapes in the 1970s and '80s in California. At the time of the rape, Carson-Sandler was in the Air Force reserves and studying to be a nurse at Cal State The home where the Golden State killer raped Carson-Sandler is pictured above Carson-Sandler was the fifth of the killer's at least 50 rapes in the Sacramento area in the 70s. DNA evidence later connected the rapist to 12 murders in Southern California in the late 70s and 80s. 'I just found out this morning,' she told The Island Packet newspaper on Wednesday. 'I've been crying, sobbing.' 'I just can't tell you how I feel,' she added. 'After 42 years - wow!' 'I have just been overjoyed, ecstatic. It's an emotional roller-coaster right now,' Carson-Sandler told The Associated Press. 'I feel like I'm in the middle of a dream and I'm going to wake up and it's not going to be true. It's just so nice to have closure and to know he's in jail.' Carson-Sandler, now 72, wants to face her attacker in person and ask how long he had been watching her and what he did with her son during the attack. 'I just wonder when he first saw me, how long he had been stalking me,' said Carson-Sandler, who was in the Air Force reserves and studying to be a nurse at the time of the attack. Carson-Sandler was one of dozens of women raped by a man dubbed the East Area Rapist and the Golden State Killer, who police say killed at least 12 people and raped at least 45 in the 1970s and 1980s. A combination image shows FBI sketches of the East Area Rapist/Golden State Killer from the time of the crimes. He was finally arrested on Wednesday, after several decades She was attacked in her home in the Sacramento suburb of Citrus Heights. A DNA match led authorities to arrest DeAngelo in connection with four killings in Sacramento and Ventura counties, officials said. Carson-Sandler, now living near Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, said she didn't know DeAngelo or recognize his name. Carson-Sandler revealed that she didn't tell her son what happened until he was in college. 'I didnt tell my son about the rape until he was in college. I had waited a long time to discuss it with him. I didnt want someone else to tell him. No one had ever said anything. I just sat down at the kitchen table one morning and told him the whole story. He was just shocked. It was all about me. He was asking how I felt. 'The fact that he was tied up, gagged and blindfolded - he didnt remember it. He thought maybe wed had a burglar that came into the house,' she recalled. She wrote a book about her experience called 'Frozen in Fear.' She has spoken with rapists in prison about how the attack affected her. She tells them to close their eyes and imagine she is their mother or sister or lover while she tells her story. She says she hopes to make them understand the trauma they have caused so they won't hurt more people. Now that DeAngelo has been caught, Carson-Sandler says she thinks more victims may come forward. 'I think what we didn't have back at that time was the ability to share what happened to us because of shame. We just didn't talk about rape back then,' she told CNN. 'It's so different today and I just really, I just hope some of those other women that were raped by him can finally, maybe come forward.' Iran claims it has arrested a British-Iranian academic because of his role in an 'infiltration network'. Abbas Edalat, a professor of computer science and mathematics at Imperial College London, was in Iran for an academic workshop when he was arrested on 15 April by the Revolutionary Guard, according to the Centre for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI). His arrest comes just weeks before a final decision is due to be made on a nuclear deal with Tehran - prompting fears Mr Edalat will be used as a bargaining chip. 'Recently, members of an infiltration network affiliated to Britain have been arrested,' an unnamed source told the Fars news agency, which is considered close to the powerful Revolutionary Guards. Mr Edalat founded the Campaign Against Sanctions and Military Intervention in Iran, which describes itself as 'an independent campaign organisation with the purpose of opposing sanctions, foreign state interference and military intervention in Iran'. Abbas Edalat is a professor of computer science and mathematics at Imperial College London CHRI said Mr Edalat refused to post bail on Wednesday, arguing that he was innocent and should be released unconditionally. The group said Mr Edalat's home in Tehran had been raided and his computer was confiscated, as well as CDs and notebooks. 'We are urgently seeking information from the Iranian authorities following reports of the arrest of a British-Iranian dual national,' a Foreign Office spokeswoman said. Mr Edalat is the latest of dozens of dual nationals detained by Iran since the 2015 nuclear deal. Hadi Ghaemi, executive director of the CHRI, said: 'Iran's continued arbitrary arrests of dual nationals without transparency and lack of due process is extremely concerning,' said Hadi Ghaemi, executive director of the CHRI. 'The Iranian judiciary and the security establishment, particularly the Revolutionary Guards, are responsible for the well being of these detainees.' Experts believe Tehran use detainees as bargaining chips in negotiations with Western countries. Mr Edalat's arrest comes at a crunch moment for the future of the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement. Donald Trump must decide by 12 May whether to reimpose US sanctions on Tehran, which would effectively remove the US from the agreement. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard has arrested over 30 foreign nationals since the US sanctions were put in place The Revolutionary Guards have arrested at least 30 dual nationals since the deal was made, according to human rights groups. There are no exact figures on detainees but Iran is believed to be holding at least four British citizens including Mr Edalat. Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was sentenced to five years in prison for allegedly plotting the overthrow of Iran's government. The British Government says she was in Iran visiting relatives in April 2016. And 78-year-old Kamal Foroughi was arrested in 2011 and convicted of espionage and possessing alcohol. He denies all allegations. In March, Iran claimed it had sentenced an British-Iranian citizen to six years in jail last night for spying for the UK. No other details were given such as the person's name, when they were arrested or where. Iran also arrested Morad Tahbaz, an Iranian-American businessman who is believed to hold a UK passport, earlier this year during a crackdown on environmentalists and academics. Iran has previously test-fired an Emad long-range ballistic missile as part of its nuclear development programme Donald Trump recently threatened to up the sanctions on Iran unless it halted its nuclear programme Iranians who live in the West are sometimes treated with suspicion by the Revolutionary Guards, who hunt down foreign spies in Iran. Mr Edalat is known in the UK as an anti-war activist. In 2005 he founded the Campaign Against Sanctions and Military Intervention in Iran, which opposed Western military intervention and sanctions on Iran. The group describes itself as an independent human rights group with no government links. Mr Edalat is believed to be being held at Evin prison, a notorious Tehran jail where dual nationals are often imprisoned. Ministers have been told to get a grip on foreign aid spending as tens of millions of pounds are still going to China despite a promise eight years ago to stop sending cash to the world's second largest economy. Tory MP Pauline Latham, who sits on the Commons international development committee, said yesterday it makes no sense that almost 47million of the aid budget is spent there each year. The Department for International Development stopped its aid programme to China in 2011 but latest figures show that other Whitehall departments sent 46.9million in aid to China in 2016 a rise of 2.6million on the previous year. Tory MP Pauline Latham (left) questioned business minister Sam Gyimah (right) on why so much money is going to a country that has its own aid programme dishing out cash to poorer countries UK-funded schemes included improving dementia care in the port city of Qingdao and a schools programme to encourage children to consume less salt. At a hearing in Parliament yesterday, Mrs Latham questioned business minister Sam Gyimah on why so much money is going to a country that has its own aid programme dishing out cash to poorer countries. 'It appears that the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy accounts for the majority of spending in China,' she said. 'I don't actually understand why we are doing so much spending in China. We are talking about 46.9million and I have been told previously that we were not spending any money in China. 'They are a hugely fast-moving country, building cities and airports like there is no tomorrow. Why are we spending 46.9million?' BOOMING BEIJING HANDS OUT 55BN China now spends billions of pounds each year on its own foreign aid programme, dishing out cash to poorer countries around the world Beijing handed out 55billion from 2000 to 2014. The main beneficiaries were: Cuba (4.8billion) Ivory Coast (2.9billion) Ethiopia (2.7billion) Zimbabwe (2.6billion) Cameroon (2.4billion) Nigeria (2.2billion) China has also poured billions into its space programme and wants to put astronauts on the Moon by 2036 In 2003, it became the third country to put a man in space with its own rocket after the former Soviet Union and the United States The value of China's spending on its space programmes is shrouded in secrecy, but experts believe it is more than 2billion annually Advertisement Mr Gyimah replied: 'The fact is despite economic progress, 70 per cent of the world's poor live in middle income countries. In China we have got six per cent of the world's poorest people living there. 'We are looking at the underlying drivers of poverty. Working together with some of these middle income countries is actually providing a good environment in which to test new solutions. 'This is a slightly different to directly handing out aid to China. It is a good environment to work on some of the innovative ideas we have.' He raised the example of how aid money has been used to test the introduction of a new maternity care device that predicts the risk of complications during pregnancy. But Mrs Latham interrupted: 'China is building airports by the dozen; they are having new cities that are much more environmentally friendly than anything we do here, they are doing fantastic public realm schemes so that places are beautiful; they have got rapid transit things. 'Why can't they work out how to have babies safely? Why are we having to pay for things like that? 'I really don't understand why Britain is spending this. They have got their own aid programme, so why can they not look after their own?' Ministers have issued repeated assurances that aid to China has stopped, saying in 2010 that it was 'not justifiable' to send millions to an economic superpower. Britain is now the only major economy to hit the controversial foreign aid spending target, figures revealed earlier this month. We provided nearly 1 in every 8 of the money doled out by the G7 last year as the UK aid budget soared to 13.9billion. None of the other G7 nations Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and America met the international target of 0.7 per cent of national income on foreign aid. The story of Alfie Evans is as sad as it gets. The 23-month-old baby has been suffering from a degenerative neurological condition that doctors at Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool say is incurable. His ventilator was turned off on Monday evening, and his medical team are waiting for him to die. As I write he has not done so, but if the doctors are correct, which I suppose they are, it won't be long. Alfie's parents, Tom Evans and Kate James, have desperately argued that he should be flown to Rome on an Italian government air ambulance to receive treatment, or at any rate palliative care, in a Vatican-owned hospital. This request was turned down by a High Court judge two days ago. This picture showing Alfie, with his father sleeping in the background, was posted on Facebook last night Lawyers appeared for the parents yesterday at the Court of Appeal, which last night upheld Mr Justice Hayden's ruling that Alfie cannot fly to Italy. So who is right the doctors and the judges on the one hand, or the parents on the other, backed by Pope Francis, who has given them support since he met Tom Evans in Rome last week? As is often the case with complex moral problems, there is no easy answer. But I believe the parents' desire for their son to be flown to Rome should have been respected by the doctors and Mr Justice Hayden, even if there is very little chance of Alfie living much longer. Who is right the doctors and the judges on the one hand, or the parents and their supporters on the other, backed by Pope Francis? What we have in this tragic case is a clash between the duty of the state or its representatives to safeguard the weak and vulnerable, and the rights of parents to make life-and-death decisions regarding their child. The stand-off can also be expressed as a conflict between people who look at the problem in a secular way and those (the parents, their many supporters and the Pope) who see it in religious, and specifically Christian, terms. Of course, I don't doubt the judge is a decent man wrestling with a ghastly dilemma, or that Alfie's doctors have genuinely done their best to give him all the care they could for as long as it made sense in their minds to do so. Tom Evans, Alfie's father, pictured speaking to supporters outside the Liverpool hospital last night Nor do I challenge the general principle that the state, in the person of a judge, should sometimes be expected to make decisions on behalf of babies or children too young, or too ill, to speak for themselves. If, in this case, Alfie's parents had recklessly argued that their baby be removed from hospital without being able to offer any assurances as to his future care, then it would have been right to overrule them. But that wasn't what happened. They appear to be loving people. (Their intention, reported yesterday, to pursue private prosecutions against three doctors for 'conspiracy to murder' sounds excessive, but is perhaps understandable in the circumstances.) Moreover, the Bambino Gesu hospital in Rome a respectable medical institution has offered to try to treat Alfie. Indeed, its head, Mariella Enoc, travelled to Liverpool a few days ago to make a last-ditch appeal to have Alfie transferred. She presumably came to an informed view that he could be flown to Rome without undue suffering. Why not heed her request? Even if there is only a small sliver of hope, it is surely legitimate for the parents to seize it, and arguably narrow-minded, even officious, Liverpool doctors should not stand in their way. Supporters of Alfie Evans's parents are pictured gathering outside the hospital yesterday Doctors are not gods. It is possible, though perhaps not likely, that those at Alder Hey are mistaken or that the medical team in Rome has particular skills or knowledge of cures which they lack. Furthermore, on the subject of the non-divinity of the medical fraternity, I should mention that between 1988 and 1995 (which is not long ago) Alder Hey Hospital was a kind of grisly factory where the unauthorised removal, retention and disposal of hundreds of children's body parts and organs was commonplace. I mention this not to impugn the dedicated medics who have been treating Alfie. They are obviously wholly innocent of those gruesome practices. No, my point is simply to reiterate that, like the rest of us, doctors are not flawless, Olympian figures. Medics have given the boy some oxygen and water but Mr Evans said his son (pictured) will need further urgent medical assistance if he is to survive the day So I think Mr Justice Hayden was wrong not to allow Alfie one last chance with a new medical team in Rome who are eager to treat him. He may reasonably suspect that there is little prospect of success, but unless he is certain, which he cannot be, he should have let Alfie fly to Italy. Why did he make the decision he did? Because, like many of his background, he is apt to place excessive reliance on the professional judgment of the home-grown experts in front of him. And also because, like them, he evidently views the moral problem entirely through secular eyes. The Pope's perspective and that of most Christians is different. Christians believe that life is unspeakably precious. It must be defended and fought for where there is any hope at all, however tiny. The family of terminally ill toddler Alfie Evans have released pictures of the little boy clinging to life in his mother Kate's arms That is why the Roman Catholic Church opposes abortion. It puts the life of the unborn child above all considerations except, in dire circumstances, the life of the mother. Mr Justice Hayden, I'm sure, also regards life as precious. Most of us do. It is a question of degree. Pope Francis is prepared to fight on a bit further, and one reason he does so is that, unlike the secular world, he believes in miracles. It follows from what I've said that I think the judge was mistaken in lambasting the pro-life activists who have been advising Alfie's parents. They are entitled to their views, though if the crowd demonstrating outside the hospital have threatened doctors, they shouldn't have done so. The judge was, I believe, also at fault in picking on Pavel Stroilov, who works for the Christian Legal Centre, describing him as a 'fanatical and deluded young man'. One newspaper even tried to discredit him by revealing that he has written a book described in an academic journal as 'devoid of any scholarly analysis'. So what? I know nothing about Stroilov other than what I have read. He may be decent. Or he may be a charlatan. The validity of Alfie's parents' case shouldn't be judged by the character of one of their supporters. Mr Justice Hayden seemingly dislikes what he regards as the religious fundamentalism of these people. But actually they believe, in essence, what the Pope and hundreds of millions of Christians believe. Alfie's case recalls that of Charlie Gard, the little boy who died in a hospice last year after a High Court judge had ordered, again on expert medical advice, that all treatment be withdrawn. Charlie's parents were not even allowed to have him at home during his last few days. That there will be other similar instances can't be doubted. Medical advances mean that very sick children can be kept alive longer than would have been the case 20 or even ten years ago. Moral conundrums arise where none would have once existed. On one side there is secular officialdom, compassionate to be sure, but also rigid and overmighty. On the other side, there are parents clutching at straws because they love their children more than words can say, and the Christians who stand behind them. I know where my heart lies. Amber Rudd yesterday told MPs of her bitter regret at failing to grasp the scale of the Windrush scandal sooner, as she admitted having been aware of the issue for months. Just hours after Jeremy Corbyn called on her to resign, the Home Secretary appeared before a select committee to face a grilling over her response to the crisis. Miss Rudd said she had become aware there was a potential issue over the status of Windrush immigrants over the past few months, adding: I bitterly, deeply regret that I didnt see it as more than individual cases that had gone wrong I didnt see it as a systemic issue until very recently. During the bruising session, Miss Rudd revealed she did not know if any Windrush immigrants had been detained. She was also forced to deny claims Home Office officials had been given regional deportation targets. Miss Rudd and Theresa May have come under intense pressure after it emerged residents who arrived from the Commonwealth from the late 1940s to the early 1970s were having their immigration status challenged after the Home Office failed to keep a record of those allowed to stay. Scroll down for video Amber Rudd appearing in front of the Home Affairs select committee yesterday to give evidence Ms Rudd said she had become aware of the scandal 'months earlier' but had failed to grasp the gravity of the situation What documentation do Windrush immigrants have to provide? Immigrants must fill out a form to apply for a biometric card which allows them to remain in the UK. The application costs 229 per person - but the Home Office has now said it will waive the fee for Windrush immigrants after the controversy. Applicants must fill in a 21-page document . And if they do not have a passport they must provide documents proving they have continuously lived in the UK since 1973. This can include exam certificates, employment records, a National Insurance number, birth and marriage certificates and bills and letters. Advertisement People who have legally lived in the UK for decades have lost their homes, jobs or rights to NHS treatment, while some have been locked up in detention centres or threatened with deportation. The scale of the scandal emerged for the first time yesterday, as MPs were told a helpline set up last week has received more than 1,300 calls about potential Windrush cases. So far 600 have been called back, with 91 appointments made and 23 sets of identity documents handed out. But Miss Rudd admitted she does not know if any Windrush immigrants have been detained because of the scandal. She said that as far as she is aware no one has been deported but there are still 1,000 cases to trawl through to confirm this. Asked when she first knew of the Windrush problems, Miss Rudd said: I became aware over the past few months that there was a problem of individuals. This was covered by newspapers, and MPs bringing it forward anecdotally over the past three or four months, and I became aware that there was a potential issue. Emphasising those affected were here legally, Miss Rudd insisted there is nothing wrong in trying to remove people here unlawfully, and acknowledged she had asked for more removals of such individuals. She also rejected suggestions the Tories target to bring net migration below 100,000 had fuelled the saga. Lucy Moreton, general secretary of the Immigration Service Union, had earlier told the committee that officials in each English region had separate targets for the number of deportations. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has called for her to step aside as Home Secretary over the bruising scandal MPs were told yesterday that a helpline set up to help those affected has been inundated with nearly 1,300 calls since last week She claimed the national target was about 8,000 a year and said the net removal targets appeared on office posters. But Miss Rudd said she was not aware of any targets, saying she had not heard the evidence put forward by Miss Moreton. Glynn Williams, Home Office director general for border, immigration and citizenship, said: I dont think they exist. There are no published removal targets. Demanding clarity on the issue, home affairs select committee chairman Yvette Cooper said it looked like Miss Rudd may have a lack of grip on the system. Earlier in the Commons, Mr Corbyn said Miss Rudd inherited a failing policy and made it worse, adding: Is it not time she took responsibility and resigned? Last night it emerged the Home Office and No 10 were told about problems faced by the Windrush generation in 2016. They were alerted after the Barbados government raised concerns with the Foreign Office. At the time, David Cameron was prime minister, Mrs May home secretary and Philip Hammond foreign secretary. The BBC reported that in April 2016, Mr Hammond was told by Caribbean ministers about immigrants facing deportation. It is believed a report was passed to the Home Office. It is not clear at what level the concerns were raised. 40 years as a taxpayer... now gran has lost her job A Windrush grandmother who has paid taxes for almost 40 years was sacked from her charity job because she could not prove her right to remain. Jessica Eugene, who arrived in Britain in 1970, was fired as a receptionist at a migrant charity last month after three years. Miss Eugene, 58, came over from the Caribbean island of Dominica aged just ten and has lived in Stratford, east London, ever since. She considers herself British, has raised four children in the capital and says immigration officers had told her she had an indefinite right to remain here. But now 48 years after her arrival and despite having worked a number of jobs including 17 years at a fair trade organisation she has been told she cannot work and has lost her job at Newham Community Renewal Programme. She said: The whole time I had the immigration officers words in my head, that I had the indefinite right to stay all my life I have worked and paid my taxes, even when I had children I made sure to work part-time. Miss Eugene, who has two grandchildren, has never had a passport because she has not left the country since 1970. However, she was so convinced of her right to stay that she believed she did not need one. She even claims she tried to clarify her status with the Home Office a year ago to no avail. Only after losing her job was she told that she must provide it with a passport in order to obtain a right to remain. Miss Eugene said the Governments recent announcement that all Windrush immigrants have the right to stay has offered some solace. But she added: They need to look at people as individuals. Im a bit disappointed from a moral point of view I just wanted an apology. The Home Office said it had no record of Miss Eugene sending it an application but emphasised that all Windrush immigrants should be in no doubt of their right to remain. Newham Community Renewal Programme was approached for comment. Advertisement Thousands of social care providers persistently fail inspections putting older people at risk, figures show. Analysis of data from the Care Quality Commission has found 3,302 social care services were given ratings of 'requires improvement' or 'inadequate' for at least two inspections in a row. In almost 700 cases, the rating actually went down between inspections, the Labour analysis found. The services include care homes as well as companies providing home helps. Analysis of data from the Care Quality Commission has found 3,302 social care services were given ratings of 'requires improvement' or 'inadequate' It came as Theresa May's former deputy called for 'radical and brave' change alongside extra cash to help social care services. Conservative former Cabinet minister Damian Green said a forthcoming Green Paper setting out proposals for the sector must address the short and long-term challenges, and he called on parties to work together. He added he 'agrees with all those who say we need more funding' although warned against rolling social and health care cash together. One consequence of such a merger could be that social care becomes the 'Cinderella of the health system' by never being treated as a priority when money is allocated, Mr Green said. Conservative former Cabinet minister Damian Green 'agrees with all those who say we need more funding' Last night Barbara Keeley, Labour's social care spokesman, said: 'The failure of so many services to improve shows the scale of the social care quality problems that have taken root under the Tories. 'Tory funding cuts to councils have seen social care budgets slashed by 6.3billion since 2010, leading to a fifth of care facilities getting the lowest care quality ratings. 'Cuts means providers have less money to pay staff, invest in training or facilities, leading them to get trapped in a cycle of poor quality care provision.' The chief inspector of adult social care at the CQC, Andrea Sutcliffe, said: 'Most people using adult social care services experience care that CQC has rated as 'good' and... the majority of services originally rated as 'inadequate' improve on re-inspection.' Tory MP Maria Caulfield said: 'Just like last time, Labour's plan would lead to spiralling debt, meaning more money wasted on debt interest and less funding for our health and social care system.' A doctor shot himself in the head with the same gun he used to kill his girlfriend after they fled the UK with up to 400,000 in NHS money. GP Titus Bradley, 42, vanished with 28-year-old Noemi Gergely, heading to Santo Antao in Cape Verde. Their disappearance one year ago followed pension funds as well as staff pay going missing from the four practices at which Dr Bradley worked. Keen angler Titus Bradley (pictured) failed to return from a fishing trip and turned the gun on himself after shooting his girlfriend dead Yesterday police on the Atlantic island revealed both died as a result of single bullet wounds to the head, The Sun Online reports. The supposed murder-suicide at Divin Art guest house followed what manager Helder Bentub described as a row. 'They argued and the woman told one of our staff her companion had hit her,' he said. 'We heard the shots ring out a couple of minutes later.' The couple checked in after the money went missing from taxpayer-funded centres and died just two days after they checked in on April 15 2017. Police chief Cipriano Bandeira said his officers are not looking for any other suspects in the case. The doctor met his Hungarian girlfriend (pictured) while she was working in public relations for a club in London Crime scene: The supposed murder-suicide took place at the Divin Art guest house in Santo Antao in Cape Verde Location: A room at the guest house where the British GP and his girlfriend were staying The British GP's marriage broke down in 2012 as rumours circulated that he had cheated on 45-year-old Lucy with a colleague. Dr Bradley met Hungarian Noemi when she was working in public relations for a club in London. Meanwhile his Hastings surgeries in East Sussex came under the strain of staff shortages. The keen angler from Llanelli did not return from a three-week trip to Ascension island, leaving his surgeries struggling all the more after colleagues alleged mismanagement. A source said that although the doctor failed to return to his 11-year-old son, Noemi came back to the UK to report they'd had an argument. Shankill surgery - pictured - was one of the centres from which money went missing before the couple disappeared They also claimed that missing money was found in Noemi's account after being transferred in her name. Yesterday two of the GP's former surgeries closed and a further two are now under new ownership. One former employee claimed that staff were not paid properly for 'a good few months' in 2017. Sussex police confirmed they launched an investigation into the missing money in May last year. A woman has been found dead with multiple stab wounds at an Alice Springs town camp, with a man in police custody over her death. The 62-year-old woman was rushed to hospital in a critical condition on Wednesday night, but was later pronounced dead. Police said a 55-year-old man handed himself in about 10pm 'to surrender himself regarding having stabbed his partner', according to the ABC. The man has been arrested but charges are yet to be laid. Major crime detectives will travel to the camp on Thursday to help local police with their inquiries. A grandmother who shot her son-in-law only to miss because of 'bad vision' has been jailed. Miriam Annette Eason was sentenced to two-and-a-half years' imprisonment at the Southport District Court after pleading guilty over the incident in Nerang two years ago. The Gold Coast woman fired a handgun at her son-in-law, Michael Howarth, because she feared for the safety of her granddaughter. Scroll down for video Miriam Annette Eason (pictured) was sentenced to two-and-a-half years' imprisonment at the Southport District Court after pleading guilty to shooting her son-in-law The grandmother's (left and right) shots missed because of 'bad vision' but said she wanted to get her eyes checked so she could do the job 'properly' Ms Eason must serve a mandatory 18 months behind bars before the remainder of her sentence is suspended for three years on August 5, 2019 (bullet shot pictured) However, the 53-year-old didn't hit the Mr Howarth with any of her shots, claiming she had poor vision and needed to get her 'eyes fixed'. Ms Eason must serve a mandatory 18 months behind bars before the remainder of her sentence is suspended for three years on August 5, 2019. The grandmother shot five bullets at the man and her daughter at a Nerang house in Queensland's south in March 2016. No one was injured during the violent act but two shots narrowly missed the son-in-law who was reportedly standing less then three metres away from the vigilante granny. The then 51-year-old told police she was annoyed her shots missed and wanted to get her eyes checked so she could have another go and 'do the job properly'. Queensland Police found a gun under a bridge at Nerang River shortly just days after the attack. A court previously heard the woman had a history of mental health issues and drug abuse. The grandmother shot five bullets at the man and her daughter at a Nerang house in Queensland's south in March 2016 (pictured) Hours before popular internet comedian Johnny 'Danger' Bennett was killed in a motorcycle crash, he uploaded one final photo to his Instagram. The keen motorcyclist was reportedly one of a 30-50 strong group ride on Anzac Day, and shared a photo believed to be taken during one of their stops. In the photo, which was added to his 'story' about mid day Wednesday, three men were pictured standing together in conversation beside a row of motorbikes. At the top of the frame, the social media star applied a stein glass 'beer' emoji, and tagged his company Dangers Lager. Down the bottom right, he wrote, 'Rollin'. Scroll down for video Hours before popular internet comedian Johnny 'Danger' Bennett was killed in a motorcycle crash, he uploaded one final photo (pictured) to his Instagram Emergency services were called to the site of a single-vehicle crash on Dairy Flat Highway in north Auckland, New Zealand at about 2.30pm on Wednesday. Early reports were unable to confirm the man killed was the 28-year-old, but friend Julian Rivers-Smith later said it was definitely Mr Bennet that died. 'He was a lovely and caring person,' Mr Rivers-Smith said. Crews worked for several hours to recover his motorbike, which had ended up at the bottom of a steep ditch on the side of the highway. The keen motorcyclist (pictured) was reportedly riding as part of a 30-50 strong group of riders on Anzac Day, and shared a photo believed to be taken during one of their stops Mr Bennett's (pictured) bike was believed to have landed between 15 and 20 metres from the road, and about 50 metres from its intersection with Hobson Road The bike was believed to have landed between 15 and 20 metres from the road, and about 50 metres from its intersection with Hobson Road. Another motorcyclist taking part in the Anzac Day cruise said the group had been separated by traffic before the crash occurred, Stuff reported. 'I only knew his name was Johnny, because everyone was calling him that,' the man who chose not to be named said. 'I didn't know he was anyone famous until later.' Emergency services were called to the site of a single-vehicle crash at a highway intersection in north Auckland, New Zealand at about 2.30pm Wednesday Close friend, Julian Rivers-Smith, confirmed Mr Bennett was killed in the road accident The New Zealand social media sensation was well-known for his tongue-in-cheek comedy and stuntman antics. He had more than 287,000 likes on Facebook and 203,000 followers on Instagram. Johnny Danger's social media pages have been inundated with heartfelt tributes and commiserations since Wednesday's catastrophic incident. 'Thanks for bringing an unbelievable amount of laughs into my life,' wrote one fan, while another said: 'You lived more in your short life than most live in there [sic] entire life.' 'Cheers for the good times, laughs and smiles dude.' The New Zealand social media sensation (pictured) was well-known for his tongue-in-cheek comedy and stuntman antics Katelyn Lambert, 6, is breathing through a machine in hospital after suffering a blood infection stemming from a cut to her toe A little girl who was the poster girl medical cannabis to be legalised in Australia has been rushed to hospital after suffering a severe blood infection. Katelyn Lambert, six, suffers Dravet's Syndrome, a rare and catastrophic form of epilepsy which can trigger more than a thousand seizures per day. Her family fought hard for medical marijuana to be legalised after discovering cannabis oil eased her horrible seizures. But it was complications stemming from an infected toe that led her to be airlifted to a Sydney hospital this week. Katelyn was breathing through a machine on Wednesday night as family rallied by her bedside. Her grandmother, Joy Lambert, told Daily Mail Australia the episode had been 'distressing' for the whole family. Scroll down for video Little Katelyn Lambert was diagnosed with Dravet's Syndrome - a rare and catastrophic form of epilepsy - when she was younger (pictured in a cannabis crop) Little Katelyn with her grandfather, Barry Lambert (left) and grandmother Joy (right). Mr Lambert donated more than $30 million to medical cannabis research 'She'd kicked her toe or something, broken her toenail,' Ms Lambert said on Thursday. 'It had been cut off but it was cut off too short.' Her worried parents took her to hospital after she said she 'had an ouchy' and they noticed she was wobbly. Doctors discovered her toe had turned purple and cleaned it out but she was suffering a high fever. The family are hopeful she will soon 'turn a corner' after doctors at the Randwick Children's Hospital prescribed a targeted antibiotic on Wednesday. 'They (doctors) seem to be hopeful today,' Mr Lambert said. 'It's unrelated to her epilepsy- fortunately she hasn't been having seizures during all this. 'They're hopeful today they can remove her breathing tube, she will be strong enough to breathe by herself'. Little Katelyn was diagnosed with Dravet's Syndrome - a rare and catastrophic form of epilepsy - when she was younger (pictured) Katelyn's father, Michael, was found guilty of criminal cannabis possession last year - despite using it to ease his daughter's suffering The family said little Katelyn's latest hospital stay was 'distressing' for the family The little girl's grandfather, Sydney banker and Financial Review Rich Lister Barry Lambert, famously donated more than $33 million to medical cannabis research. Her father, Michael, was found guilty by a court of criminal possession of cannabis last year, even though he was using it to help his 'suffering' daughter. The family's fight for change landed them in national newspapers and TV magazine show 60 Minutes. Joy Lambert said the clan was trying to be strong through the latest ordeal. 'My son had a good old cry I know, and his wife, she came in crying,' she said. 'You've just got to try and be strong and hope.' Nurofen, the popular pain relief medication, is under investigation by Australia's drugs watchdog over alleged advertising compliance breaches and controversial marketing strategies. Nuromol, a new painkiller combining ibuprofen with paracetamol, has been pitched as an attractive alternative to codeine medication, which became prescription-only in February. Concerns over recent campaigns which pitch the drug as 'the alternative to codeine you've been waiting for' and 'powerful pain relief without prescription', are being assessed by the Therapeutic Goods Administration, the Daily Telegraph reported. Nuromol, a new painkiller combining ibuprofen with paracetamol, has been pitched as an attractive alternative to codeine medication, which became prescription-only in February The allegations come just two years after Reckitt Benckiser, the British consumer goods company which owns the Nurofen brand, ran a deceptive marketing campaign over its Nurofen Specific Pain Range. The company was hit with a $6million fine after a Federal Court found the products falsely claimed to relieve specific ailments, despite containing an identical amount of ibuprofen lysine. Nuromol is said to offer 'superior pain relief for up to eight hours' and advertisements have so far appeared on public transport, specifically noting the medication can be bought 'without prescription.' Nurofen was hit with a $6million fine after its Nurofen Specific Pain Range (pictured) falsely claimed to relieve specific ailments, despite containing identical amounts of ibuprofen lysine In one advertisement, Nuromol was described as 'the alternative to codeine you've been waiting for'. 'The TGA has received complaints regarding the advertising of analgesic products, including Nuromol,' a Federal Department of Health spokeswoman confirmed to the Daily Telegraph. 'The TGA is currently assessing these complaints and the need for any compliance action.' The Therapeutic Goods Act 1989 specifically bans any reference to a 'Schedule 4' drug such as codeine in 'an advertisement', sating: 'Don't specifically reference codeine in an advertisement for therapeutic goods.' The allegations come just two years after Reckitt Benckiser, the British consumer goods company which owns the Nurofen brand, ran a deceptive marketing campaign over its Nurofen Specific Pain Range (File photo) Although Nuromol doesn't have the addictive properties of codeine, the overuse of ibuprofen is still a concern among health professionals. Primarily, concerns involve Ibuprofen's potential damage caused to the stomach lining over time and damage to the protective barrier of mucus that lines the stomach. It is thought that Ibuprofen can reduce blood flow to the stomach lining, making it harder for ulcers or perforations to heal. Professor Tom MacDonald of Dundee University, who led research on the effects of Ibuprofen in over 7,000 patients, also said: 'We know that aspirin and ibuprofen taken together increases the risk of bleeding from stomach ulcers.' 'For an acute, severe pain I'm not sure that Nuromol is as effective as a dose of codeine,' NSW Australian Medical Association president Brad Frankum told the Daily Telegraph. Reckitt Benckiser has 'not breached the TGA guidelines for consumer facing advertising on our Nuromol brand,' a spokeswoman for the company told the telegraph. The reference to 'the alternative to codeine you've been waiting for' was only contained in 'healthcare professional advertising to pharmacists and GPs' not ordinary Australians, the spokeswoman said. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Reckitt Benckiser for comment. Arthur Collins was jailed for 20 years for spraying partygoers with a corrosive substance The family of acid attacker Arthur Collins have been charged with drug and weapons offences. His dad Arthur Collins Snr, 55, and mum Jacqueline, 53, were arrested in April 2017 over a cannabis farm at their 1million home in Broxbourne, Hertfordshire. His brother is also facing one drug possession charge and two of having weapons - one a CS gas device, the other electrical, The Sun reported. The family, of Broxbourne, Herts, are due before Stevenage JPs on May 9. The arrests came while police were hunting Arthur who has a daughter The Only Way is Essex reality star Ferne McCann. Collins, of Broxbourne, Herts, was convicted of GBH and ABH for spraying partygoers with corrosive substance following an argument at the Mangle E8 nightclub in east London last year. He was given a sentence of 20 years behind bars and five years on licence, but it was recently reported he believes feels his sentence is too harsh and is set to splash out 50,000 on a top lawyer to help reduce it. The horrific incident left 22 innocent clubbers injured, several of whom confronted him in court, with one woman recalling the moment she felt her skin 'come off'. Collins denied the charges leveled against him, claiming he thought he was throwing a date rape drug, but he was labeled a 'calculating liar' who has not shown the 'slightest remorse' after the 'deliberate and calculated attack' by the judge. He was recently given an additional eight months added onto his term after he was caught trying to smuggle a phone into prison. Kanye West put his love for Donald Trump on full display as he donned his MAGA hat while leaving his California studio not long after he traded adoring tweets with the president and blasted former president Barack Obama on Twitter. West was spotted walking out of his Calabasas studio with a smoothie in one hand and his cell phone in the other. Along with his MAGA hat, he sported a pair of dark shorts, sneakers and a t-shirt, accompanied by a light grey jacket as he chatted with his entourage. His public appearance came shortly after he exchanged tweets with the president earlier on Wednesday. The love affair between West and Trump intensified as the rapper showed off another MAGA hat that was signed by the president and took aim at Obama - despite Kim Kardashian's attempts to step in. Scroll down for video Kanye West put his love for Donald Trump on display as he donned his MAGA hat while leaving his California studio not long after he traded adoring tweets with the president and blasted former president Barack Obama in epic Twitter rant West was spotted walking out of his Calabasas studio with a smoothie in one hand and his cell phone in the other Along with his MAGA hat, he sported a pair of dark shorts, sneaks and a t-shirt, accompanied by a light grey jacket as he chatted with his entourage His public appearance came shortly after he exchanged tweets with the president earlier on Wednesday West proclaimed that the mob 'can't make me not love' Trump and praised the President's 'dragon energy'. 'You don't have to agree with trump but the mob can't make me not love him,' he wrote. 'We are both dragon energy. He is my brother. I love everyone. I don't agree with everything anyone does. That's what makes us individuals.' He later revealed that his MAGA hat is signed by the President himself, posting a picture of the accessory, which itself prompted another reply from Trump which simply read: 'MAGA!' Trump later retweeted the message and wrote: 'Thank you Kanye, very cool!' Later on Wednesday evening, West turned his attention to former president Barack Obama, tweeting: 'Obama was in office for eight years and nothing in Chicago changed.' However, he declared his respect for Hillary Clinton, writing 'I love Hillary too'. West once again declared his support for Trump, calling the president his 'brother' and saying they both share 'dragon energy'. He tweeted this around 9.30am PST In his next tweet posted just a minute after, Kanye wrote that he loved also Clinton and claimed that 'Trump is pretty much a 50 50 split' for the people in his life West even tweeted a picture of himself in a Make America Great Again hat (pictured here with music mogul Lyor Cohen in center and an unidentified man) Trump later retweeted the message on his page and wrote: 'Thank you Kanye, very cool!' Around 12.30pm PST West posted a picture of his MAGA hat to show that it had been signed by Trump himself The president then tweeted the photo of the hat with 'MAGA!' This evening Kanye turned his attention to the former president, tweeting, 'Obama was in office for eight years and nothing in Chicago changed' He then retweeted a post in which President Trump was expressing his excitement about meeting Apple CEO Tim Cook with the caption, 'Can't wait to meet' Kanye then retweeted a post in which President Trump was expressing his excitement about meeting Apple CEO Tim Cook with the caption, 'Can't wait to meet'. Next he posted a photo of Trump and Cook speaking together and said 'caption this photo'. Seconds later he wrote: '2 of my favorite people' before retweeting Trump's 'MAGA' tweet again. After that he posted messages which had apparently been sent by popular New York radio host Ebro Darden that seemed to discuss the rapper's support for Trump. '159 employees to go,' he wrote. Darden yesterday claimed that rapper had previously battled an opioid addiction. Eric Trump also got on the Kanye train, retweeting the same tweet his dad did and adding a few American flag emojis as well. Less than an hour after he posted his original tweet, West revealed that his wife Kim Kardashian had called him about the Trump tweet. 'My wife just called me and she wanted me to make this clear to everyone. I don't agree with everything Trump does,' he wrote. 'I don't agree 100% with anyone but myself.' Next he posted a photo of Trump and Cook speaking together and said 'caption this photo' Seconds later he wrote: '2 of my favorite people' After that he posted messages which had apparently been sent by Hot 97's host Ebro Darden that seemed to discuss the rapper's support for Trump In December of 2016, he actually met with Trump but soon after deleted all his post about the President after he was hit with a wave of criticism Kardashian took to her own Twitter account to defend West and said he was 'years ahead of his time'. 'Now when he spoke about Trump...Most people (including myself) have very different feelings & opinions about this,' she began. 'But this is HIS opinion. I believe in people being able to have their own opinions, even if really different from mine. He never said he agrees with his politics.' In a separate tweet Kardashian reiterated that she loved and respected her husband. 'Kanye will never run in the race of popular opinion and we know that and thats why I love him and respect him,' she said. Less than an hour later at 10.30 PST, West tweeted that his wife Kim Kardashian had called him about the Trump tweet Kardashian (pictured with West in a recent family photo) was a vocal supporter of Clinton during the 2016 presidential election campaign But Kardashian later took to her own Twitter to defend her husband, tweeting around 12.30pm PST that her husband was 'years ahead of his time' She also hit back at the media, claiming reports of West having 'mental health issues' were 'not fair' and 'actually scary' Donald Trump Jr later tweeted his support following Kardashian's defense of West, using the 2016 Clinton hashtag #ImWithHer And he then retweeted a post from Chance The Rapper which read, 'Black people don't have to be democrats' 'And in a few years when someone else says the same exact thing but they arent labeled the way he is and you will all praise them! Kanye is years ahead of his time.' Kardashian also hit back at the media, which she said was trying to 'demonize' West. 'Your commentary on Kanye being erratic & his tweets being disturbing is actually scary,' she wrote. 'So quick to label him as having mental health issues for just being himself when he has always been expressive is not fair.' Donald Trump Jr jumped in to show his support for Kardashian, retweeting her defense of West and adding #ImWithHer - the hashtag originally used to show support for Clinton during the 2016 presidential election. And he then retweeted a post from Chance The Rapper which read, 'Black people don't have to be democrats.' Donald Jr wrote: 'Its always incredible to watch a cultural shift happen in real time. I respect those willing to take the lead breaking with convention. That takes guts... though theres a better word for it.' West's public support for Trump even made its way into the discussion at the White House press briefing on Wednesday. A reporter asked Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders if Trump had reached out to West following the rapper's recent praise. 'I don't know of any conversation that they've had over the last week or so, I'll keep you posted if that changes,' Sanders said, breaking into a smile. 'I know they met during the transition, that's the only meeting I'm aware of that's taken place, or conversation.' Ivanka Trump jumped on board to retweet Kanye with the hashtag #truth Eric Trump also got on the Kanye train, retweeting the same tweet his dad did and adding a few American flags At 1pm PST he tweeted a screen grab of Trump's retweet - posted half an hour earlier - which he had seen from mediatkd, a Kanye West Twitter fan page West, who made multiple references to becoming the 'future president' in his Wednesday tweets, also posted a picture of a poster for him to become president in 2024 At 1.30PST West posted a screengrab, which appears to be from his longtime collaborator Tracey Mills, texting him that they needed to talk about his Make America Great Again hat West first revealed his support for Trump shortly after the November 2016 election, when he told a California concert audience he would have voted for the Republican. 'I told yall I didnt vote, right? But if I wouldve voted, I wouldve voted for Trump,' he said. 'We live in a racist country. That is a fact. This world is racist, OK? Lets stop being distracted to focus on that as much.' But in a separate tweet on Wednesday, Kanye wrote that he also loved Clinton, who Kardashian publicly supported in the 2016 presidential election. 'If your friend jumps off the bridge you don't have to do the same,' he began. 'Ye being Ye is a fight for you to be you.' 'For people in my life the idea of Trump is pretty much a 50 50 split but I don't tell a Hillary supporter not to support Hillary I love Hillary too.' The rapper continued to discuss free thought, saying he loves when 'people have their own ideas'. 'You don't have to be allowed anymore. Just be. Love who you want to love. That's free thought,' he wrote. 'I'm not even political. I'm not a democrat or a republican.' West (pictured outside an LA music studio on Tuesday) recently came under fire for tweets supporting far right-wing media personality Candace Owens Around 9.30am PST West was discussing free thought, saying he loves when 'people have their own ideas' The rapper declared that he was 'not scared anymore' and 'not scared of the media' either West declared that he was 'not scared anymore' and 'not scared of the media'. 'I'm not scared of the past and I'm optimistic about the future,' he wrote. 'This tweet is in love not fear.' 'With love I am invincible,' he continued in a separate tweet. 'Truth is subjective but love is the most powerful force in the world and the world needs to express more of it.' 'No race religion region or political party can argue with the power of love,' another tweet read. West also began tweeting about love, saying it made him 'invincible' and that 'no race religion region or political party can argue with the power of love' West's Wednesday afternoon tweets began with a proclamation that 'traditional thinkers' were locked in a 'mental prison'. 'Free thinkers don't fear retaliation for your thoughts,' he wrote. 'The traditional thinkers are only using thoughts and words but they are in a mental prison.' 'You are free. You've already won. Feel energized. Move in love not fear. Be afraid of nothing.' West told his fans he was hitting them with his 'zig zag thoughts' and encouraged them to 'unlearn linear thinking', 'decentralize', and 'burn that excel spread sheet', phrases that were written in three separate tweets. The tweets came just hours after West confirmed he had cut ties with his longtime manager Scooter Braun. At one point during his stream-of-consciousness tweets, just before 8am PST, West shared a photo of eldest daughter North with a lady bug The tweets came just hours after West confirmed he had cut ties with his longtime manager Scooter Braun at 7am PST But six hours later West would tweet that he considered Braun to be a 'genius' and hoped his former manager would be part of a 'new platform' he was working on 'I no longer have a manager, I can't be managed,' he tweeted on Wednesday morning. 'I'm nobody's client,' a separate tweet read. Braun confirmed the news on Twitter this week, writing: 'A man's loyalty is truly tested when he is willing to stand by someone who will never show that same respect. 'Don't show that same love and loyalty waiting for reciprocation .. do it because your integrity demands.' Later in the day West said he wanted Braun to be part of a 'new platform' he was creating. 'Scooter is a genius,' he wrote. 'He's more than a manager so is Irving. We all need to sit together.' West also revealed he got rid of his last lawyer 'because he wouldn't come to work full-time'. 'I also asked my last manager to come work full time for Yeezy of course the last lawyer and manager said no,' he explained, seemingly referring to Braun. 'So now I hired a CEO and a CFO and i have two full time lawyers as of now.' Around 8am PST West was proclaiming he was the 'single highest paid person in footwear' and said his fashion company Yeezy is the second 'fastest growing company in history' West then went on to declare himself 'this generation's Ford Hughes Jobs Disney', referring to Henry Ford, Howard Hughes, Steve Jobs, and Walt Disney. The rapper proclaimed he was the 'single highest paid person in footwear' and said his fashion company Yeezy is the second 'fastest growing company in history'. 'It is a unicorn on its way to becoming a decacorn,' he wrote. 'Yeezy will become the biggest apparel company in human history,' West declared in another post. West's tweets then turned to the media, as he called out both TMZ founder Harvey Levin as well as People Magazine for recent stories about the rapper. 'Harvey Levin of TMZ your hearing from your future president,' he wrote. 'Let's be friends. Please never use the word erratic to describe a person who is economically and psychologically empowered.' 'People magazine. Watch how you speak my name,' another tweet read. 'You would love a pair of Yeezys. Don't play yourself.' West tweeted pictures of his home half an hour later, asking his followers if it looked 'like the sunken place', which is a reference to the film Get Out While Kardashian didn't call her husband about sharing pictures of their home on social media, she did tweet that it was against a rule they had made as a couple Get Out director and writer Jordan Peele later chimed in and joked the tweet had inspired him The Harvey Levin tweet was one of two instances in which West referred to himself as the future president on Wednesday. In a tweet that followed shortly afterwards, he proclaimed: 'When we become president we have to change the name of the plane from Air Force one to Yeezy force one'. West then tweeted a number of sales figures for his Yeezy brand, proclaiming 'the Yeezy 700 is adidas most requested shoe' and 'the Yeezy 350s sell 400 thousand pair in four hours. Only thing close to this is the iPhone'. The rapper also tweeted a picture of eldest daughter North with a lady bug as well as pictures of his home, writing: 'do this look like the sunken place', a reference to the recent hit film Get Out. Around 7.45am PST West's tweets turned to the media, as he called out both TMZ founder Harvey Levin and People magazine for recent stories about the rapper He also tweeted more pictures of his home, despite Kardashian's protests, and said he left his emojis 'Bart Simpson color' As his stream-of-consciousness tweets continued, West revealed he leaves his emojis 'Bart Simpson color', that he'd turn the 'Grammys into the Yammys', and that he was 'nice at ping pong'. 'I'm used to the heat of independent thoughts,' he wrote at one point. West also revealed that he had songs coming out with A$AP Rocky, Travis Scott and Lil Uzi. In one tweet he wrote: 'Trav we gotta drop the track with me you and Uzi this week bro. Let's goooooooooooooooooooooooo'. 'Rocky we gotta release our songs ASAP,' he said in another. 'I'm 40 years old and I'm just now becoming my parents child,' another tweet read. West's latest Twitter tirade comes just a day after Ebro Darden claimed that rapper had previously battled an opioid addiction. West's latest Twitter tirade comes just a day after NY radio host Ebro Darden claimed that rapper had previously battled an opioid addiction before canceling his tour in 2016. The rapper is pictured here with Kardashian two months before his tour was canceled Sources have claimed that West (pictured in 2015) does not have an opioid addiction but that he does have an acute mental illness and that those close to him are concerned Darden took to his show Ebro In The Morning on HOT 97.1 in New York City on Monday to share the details of an alleged private conversation between him and West. He claimed West told him: 'Nobody really showed love for me when I was addicted to opioids and in the hospital.' It had been thought that the time that West had suffered from exhaustion weeks after his wife Kim Kardashian was robbed of millions in jewelry in Paris. West famously cancelled his Saint Pablo concert at the The Forum in Inglewood, California on November 20, 2016 before cancelling the rest of the tour the following day. During the same show, Darden claimed West said 'I love Donald Trump' and complained he 'couldn't get anything done' when Barack Obama was president. 'I reached out to Obama for years and couldnt get anything done, but Trump gave me a meeting,' Darden claimed West said during their private conversation. Sources denied Daren's claims that West had an addiction and told The Blast on Monday that he had actually been in the hospital for suffering extreme paranoia after not sleeping for over 48 hours. In the same report, sources close to the rapper claimed that people in his 'inner circle' are concerned with his mental health. They also claimed West has an acute mental illness which was even used as his defense in the lawsuit against Lloyds Of London over insurance money when it came to his canceled tour at the end of 2016. A day after Daren talked about an alleged discussion between the two, Kanye phoned into Ebro In The Morning on New York's Hot 97.1 radio station on Tuesday One source told the publication: 'We are all worried about his current mental health.' They said a recent outburst by West at the studio had many worried as he shouted that he didn't need 'titles' and that he could handle his career 'all by himself'. After saying all business would be 'handled in-house' it is claimed that West finished the outburst by saying 'Yeezy is the new Apple'. Kanye has had many buzzing since his return to Twitter last week but an insider for the publication said that his comments 'aren't making a lot of sense' to his team. It was believed that his social media flood were just to promote his upcoming albums, however, the site report that friends and family believe that he may be 'spiraling into a dark place.' A day after Darden claimed West had an opioid addiction, the rapper called into his show on Tuesday. Rumors have also swirled that West's recent Twitter outbursts have caused him to have 'huge blow-ups' with Kardashian matriarch Kris Jenner (pictured together in 2015) And one source claimed that, during a recent outburst in the studio, West shouted that he didn't need 'titles' and that he could handle his career 'all by himself' But whenever Darden tried to ask him any questions, West would simply reply 'I love you' before breaking out into Stevie Wonder's song I Just Called To Say I Love You. West then told the radio host: 'Meet me up in person and then we can talk afterwards but I just called to say I love you'. Rumors have also swirled that West's recent Twitter outbursts have caused him to have 'huge blow-ups' with Kardashian matriarch Kris Jenner. A source told People that Jenner has been upset with how 'erratic' West is acting and that she's concerned about 'her daughter's brand'. 'Everyone is really, really worried,' the source added. A source said that West has been 'eccentric and erratic' and that he 'genuinely believes he's God and a genius', while another claimed he's 'all over the place'. But another source close to the rapper said he's just 'being Kanye' and that he likes to 'stir the pot'. 'He's willing to take risks with his public persona,' they said. 'He doesn't take it as serious as the internet takes it.' They were the photos that shocked the nation. Evie McMahon, eight-months-old, was left with black eyes and a swollen face after being brutally bashed with a kitchen utensil by her mother. Lorien Norman, now 28, walked free from a South Australian court with only a good behavior bond and $500 fine, despite the severity of the attack on her daughter, in October 2016. Now, just weeks after celebrating her second birthday, Evie's father Shane McMahon told Daily Mail Australia his little girl has turned a corner in her recovery and 'come out of her shell'. Scroll down for video Evie McMahon (pictured) was left battered and bruised after a shocking attack at the hands of her mother Lorien Norman when she was just eight months old Now, just weeks after second birthday, young Evie's smile has finally returned with her father Shane McMahon sharing pictures of his adorable daughter (above) Norman, 28, walked free from an Adelaide court with only a good behavior bond and $500 fine despite the severity of the attack on her eight-month-old daughter 'She's beautiful, she's absolutely fantastic. We are another year on from the horror and she's just come out of her shell and into her own world,' he said. 'She's a bundle of joy running around the place screaming and yelling. We've got a great relationship with her and her big sister's taken her under her arm. 'We're obviously still up in the air with the psychological assessment, because she's too young to be assessed, but physically she's fine. Mr McMahon said young Evie, now aged two, continues to be haunted by the attack and cringes whenever someone goes near her face, but has physically recovered. 'There's a few issues with her and she still cringes when things go near her face and she knows she's been assaulted to some degree, but she's just a beautiful little girl.' Norman pleaded guilty to causing harm with intent after repeatedly beating Evie with a slotted spoon and her bare hand. Although the offence carries a maximum sentence of 13 years, she did not spend a day behind bars and instead received a two-year good behaviour bond and ordered to pay $500. Adelaide District Court Judge Jack Costello told Norman if she followed Community Corrections orders and did not re-offend for two years, she would never see prison. Mr McMahon is now planning to campaign for mandatory sentencing for attacks on children, outraged by the leniency given to Norman. 'The laws are disgusting in Australia at the moment, so I've been working with some politicians to campaign for stricter mandatory sentencing,' he said. An online petition calling for Norman to face a retrial has gained more than 340,000 signatures. Mr McMahon said young Evie (pictured), now aged two, continues to be haunted by the attack and cringes whenever someone goes near her face 'We're obviously still up in the air with the psychological assessment, because she's too young to be assessed, but physically she's fine,' Mr McMahon said Evie's mother initially claimed the injuries had been caused by a fall at a local playground in Adelaide Norman called police on October 1, 2016, and threatened to throw her daughter Evie off a balcony in Adelaide A court heard Norman called police on October 1, 2016, and threatened to throw her daughter Evie off a balcony in Adelaide. When officers arrived they found bruising to the girl's face and took both mother and child to hospital. Norman initially claimed the injuries had been caused by a fall at a local playground. Pictures of Evie after the attack show the young girl sporting a black eye with a small cut and dark bruises on her face. But Judge Costello found the injuries were 'likely to resolve' and let Norman walk free from court. According to Mr McMahon it won't be until next year that the full toll of the attack on young Evie becomes clear, when she is old enough to be psychologically assessed. Pictures of Evie after the attack show the young girl sporting a black eye with a small cut and dark bruises on her face The judge said Evie's injuries were 'likely to resolve', when he allowed Norman to walk free Mr McMahon (right) it won't be until next year that the full toll of the attack on young Evie (left) becomes clear, when she is old enough to be psychologically assessed But in the meantime she's started going to play group and is preparing to go to pre-school next year, a step her father says will be monumental. 'When kids go close to her or startle her she puts her hands up, and that is probably down to the fact she's been through a lot of trauma,' Mr McMahon said. 'But other than that she's absolutely fantastic. She's talking heaps, started play group and ready for pre-school. The normal things a girl whose just turned two would do. 'It's common knowledge for children at that age who are involved in assaults it can have huge impacts on learning abilities. 'I think all the time about how she's going to be when she's older and if and when she does see her mother too, I'm shit scared of the fact it will trigger something in her. 'Being put back in front of an abuser, even that young, can trigger terrible memories and she's just been through so much, but as you can see she's doing OK - she's my little angel.' A father whose son was electrocuted in roof space has said the electrician who caused his death by leaving the mains on 'rolled the dice' with his boy's life. Tradesman Jayden Zappelli was killed when he touched a copper gas pipe while holding an electric cable during work on a home in Bunbury, Western Australia in 2013. Two years later, the electrician he was working with, Dale Mortley, pleaded guilty to causing his death by failing to switch off the mains power - but escaped with only a $6,800 fine. Now, Jayden's devastated father Greg has said the 'disappointing' punishment has left a 'bitter taste' in his mouth. Jayden Zappelli (left) was killed when he touched a copper gas pipe while holding an electric cable during work on a home in Bunbury, Western Australia in 2013. Two years later, the electrician he was working with, Dale Mortley (right), pleaded guilty 'The only reason Jayden lost his life was because someone did the wrong thing,' he told the Gladstone Observer. 'He was an 18-year-old kid, he had to rely on someone else to make decisions for him and someone made the wrong decision, and he lost his life. 'They rolled the dice. If you are driving a car and you choose to go through a red light and you kill somebody, you are going to be in trouble, aren't you?'. The father said he has really struggled to cope with losing his son. Both he and his 92-year-old father have been battling depression since. Mr Mortley worked for JCW Electrical at the time of his fatal error. The company was fined $38,000 after pleading guilty to failing to provide a safe working environment. The figure was far less than the maximum $200,000 fine because a judge recognised the company's early guilty plea. Australia's peak doctors' group has slammed anti-vaccination activists for telling pregnant women the flu shot isn't safe. The Australian Vaccination-skeptics Network ramped up its campaign against the influenza injection after 60 Minutes told the story of a Victorian mother, Sarah Hawthorn, who almost died last year after giving birth in a coma to her son Axel. 'Nothing but biased, fear mongering tactics in the public eye by using innocent people's circumstances to promote and scare the public into using an untestable new vaccine is an uncontrolled mass experiment with no sound way of knowing the health consequences for our children or the community,' it told its 6,350 Facebook followers. The Australian Medical Association (AMA) president Michael Gannon said pregnant women with the flu were ending up in intensive care. Scroll down for video Australia's peak doctors' group has slammed anti-vaccination activists for telling pregnant women the flu shot isn't safe (Victorian mother Sarah Hawthorn pictured) The Australian Vaccination-skeptics Network ramped up its campaign against the influenza injection after Sixty Minutes told of how, Sarah Hawthorn, who almost died last year after giving birth in a coma to her son Axel (both pictured) 'I am very concerned that this information is being fed to women who are having babies, as the AMA would like to see a dramatic increase from last year's uptake to an 88 per cent uptake this year,' Dr Gannon told News Corp Australia. 'I can only hope that women listen to their health providers rather than disingenuous claims online. The flu vaccine saves lives.' His condemnation of the anti-vaccination group came as the federal government embarked on a program to give free vaccines to pregnant women, including FluQuadri, Fluarix Tetra and Afluria Quad. The Vaccination-skeptics Network suggested the federal government was 'pushing a new flu vaccine' when the previous ones had been 'unsuccessful', even though new vaccines were developed every year to prepare for influenza mutations. 60 Minutes told of how Sarah Hawthorn, 33, came close to death and did not even know her newborn, Axel, had been born for the first two of months of his life as she fought for her own The 60 Minutes story told of how Sarah Hawthorn, 33, came close to death and did not even know her newborn, Axel, had been born for the first two of months of his life as she fought for her own. She spent three months in intensive care where her husband, Rob, prepared her funeral. The Victorian woman was eight months pregnant when she became run down and contracted the deadly virus which forced doctors to deliver her son six weeks prematurely. A Brisbane strain of the flu last year claimed 1100 lives, with the World Health Organisation be included in a new super vaccine. 'Incel' stands for 'involuntary celibate' and is a term used by a certain group of men who blame their inability to form relationships and have sex on women. The movement was actually started by a Canadian woman named Alana, who created the Alana's Involuntary Celibacy Project, as she wanted to 'create a movement that was open to anybody and everybody' and said she believed that typical gender norms 'burdened everyone'. But it was soon taken over by men who felt entitled to sex and angry that women weren't providing it. Alana told Elle magazine in 2016 she felt: 'Like a scientist who invented something that ended up being a weapon of war, I can't uninvent this word, nor restrict it to the nicer people who need it.' Incel groups have been accused of inciting violence and misogyny online and numerous communities and subreddits have been banned over their content. Elliot Rodger, the 22-year-old virgin who massacred six people at the University of California, Santa Barbara, in 2014, has become something of a poster boy for incels after he blamed his murder spree on the fact that he couldn't persuade women to have sex with him. Elliot Rodger, the 22-year-old virgin who massacred six people at the University of California, Santa Barbara, in 2014, has become something of a poster boy for incels after he blamed his murder spree on the fact that he couldn't persuade women to have sex with him 'I'm 22 years old and I'm still a virgin. I've never even kissed a girl,' he said in a video that he released shortly before the rampage. 'College is the time when everyone experiences those things such as sex and fun and pleasure. But in those years I've had to rot in loneliness. It's not fair. You girls have never been attracted to me. I don't know why you girls aren't attracted to me. But I will punish you all for it.' He repeatedly promised to 'punish' women and lays out his plan for 'retribution' in the video. 'I'm going to enter the hottest sorority house of UCSB and I will slaughter every single spoilt, stuck-up, blonde s**t that I see inside there. 'All those girls that I've desired so much, they would've all rejected me and looked down on me as an inferior man if I ever made a sexual advance towards them,' he said. 'I'll take great pleasure in slaughtering all of you. You will finally see that I am, in truth, the superior one.' Many online community boards for incels have sympathy for Rodger's attack, which ended in him killing himself, and some even praise the killing spree. Last November, Reddit banned a 40,000-strong community dedicated to the 'involuntarily celibate' over worrying posts which revealed many members appeared to hate women and even advocated rape. Popular posts, according to the Guardian, included 'all women are sluts'; 'proof that girls are nothing but trash that use men' and 'reasons why women are the embodiment of evil'. Another Reddit group, IncelTears - set up to monitor the group - found many examples where the group condoned rape or even argued it should be legal. Another member was caught posing as a woman on a legal advice group to ask questions about how someone could get away with rape. Rodger killed six people and then himself at the University of Santa Barbara in 2014 after recording a manifesto in which he ranted against 'entitled s**ts' who rejected his advances The group were banned after Reddit updated its site-wide policy to prohibit content that 'encourages, glorifies, incites or calls for violence or physical harm against an individual or group of people'. But there are plenty of other groups dedicated to incels which also reveal a violent streak. Shortly after Rodger's massacre, blog That Incel Blogger, said that the attack was 'punishment for evil and violence of feminists and liberals.' A post on Love-shy.com, another forum for men who are unable to find someone to have sex with, wrote that they were thinking about doing the same as Rodger. 'I am seriously thinking about just getting a gun and shooting everything up,' he said, according to Salon. 'I fantasize about it everyday that's how f**ked up my mind is.' 'I think if I do end up going on a mass shooting spree it will be due to the mental damage/stress from being isolated from meaningful human contact for too long. If/when that ever happens, can I really be blamed for murder if I've lost my mental faculties to judge right from wrong?' Some of the more pathetic posters write about yearning for a 'simpler' time when women had less rights than men/ In one discussion, one man wrote that for most of human history, 'there was no such thing as dating. For 99% of human history, females did not choose their sexual partners. 'If they were LUCKY, they would be given to worthy men in arranged marriages. If they were UNLUCKY, they would be seized as spoils of war and end up as sex slaves.' Another responded: 'Maybe feminism will destroy itself after all. Either by its folly or men destroying s**t & raping the hell out of women to fight back in denying men's sexual rights.' A 12-year-old refugee has made a plea to the Australian government to give his mother urgent medical treatment. Ali is being held at the immigration detention centre on Nauru with his mother, Fazileh, who is waiting for treatment recommended by doctors more than a year ago. The young boy says he feels helpless and abandoned by Australia after the government has refused and delayed his mother's medical transfers for the past three years, The Guardian reports. Young refugee Ali, 12, has made a heartbreaking plea to the Australian government to give his mother urgent medical treatment Ali is being held at the immigration detention centre on Nauru with his mother, Fazileh, who was recommended for treatment more than a year ago (pictured are toilets at Manus) Mould on the interior of asylum seeker tents at the family accommodation section at Nauru Regional Processing Centre (pictured in February) In a series of videos published on Wednesday, the child makes a desperate plea for help and sheds light on his own depression at living inside a mouldy tent at the government-run refugee centre on Nauru. Ali says he felt let down from Australia after spending nearly five years on the Pacific island and with his mother failing to receive her recommended treatment since 2015. 'My mum and I thought the Australian government pays attention to derelict children and single mothers. 'But not only are they not paying attention, they are trying to kill us little by little.' In a series of videos published on Wednesday, the child makes a desperate plea for help and sheds light on his own depression Ali and Fazileh, a single mother, are both seeking asylum in Australia from their home in Iran (pictured is asylum seekers at Australia's other processing centre in Manus) Ali and Fazileh, a single mother, are both seeking asylum in Australia from their home in Iran as they have relatives living here already. They live in a small basic tent and his two brothers also live in the camp. 'I feel helpless because there is no one to help us,' Ali said. 'My mother is very sick and my brother is totally depressed.' According to doctors' reports, Fazileh has suffered gynaecological issues for the past three years leading to incontinence since her arrival at Nauru (pictured, stock image) Daily Mail Australia has contacted the Department of Home Affairs to comment on the situation and about the government's approach to medical transfers for refugees. According to doctors' reports, Fazileh has suffered gynaecological issues for the past three years leading to incontinence and her wearing a nappy. She was recommended for treatment in 2015, 2016 and most recently in February 2017 by doctors but has never received any of the treatment, The Guardian reports. The government uses Taiwan for medical treatment to prevent court orders being sought if refugees are treated in Australia In March, the Australian Border Force (ABF) granted Fazileh approval to be taken to Taiwan for medical treatment in March but it was cancelled after doctors there decided to 'prioritise treatment' to other patients. The government uses Taiwan for medical treatment to prevent court orders being sought if refugees are treated here - even though it is cheaper and closer for the government to bring them to Australia. The ABF has reportedly offered help to process Fazileh and her family's return to Iran. Refugees' plight is leading to 'severe depression and suicide' The family's pleas come less than two weeks after it emerged a young girl on the island tried to commit suicide three times. She was having mental health issues, lawyers acting on her behalf said after lodging a court order against Peter Dutton's immigration department on April 13. She was flown to Australia for urgent medical help the following day, the government confirmed during a federal court hearing. The plight highlights the drastic impact conditions on the island are beginning to have on people living in the Nauru camp. The Department of Home Affairs promised it would be flying her, her father and brother to Australia. Jennifer Kanis, a lawyer representing the family, said it was 'outrageous' that it took court action to get the girl help from the government. She said it was the third time in recent months that court intervention had been sought to get children medical treatment after suicide attempts. Advertisement The publication added she has previously attempted suicide because of severe depression while living in the camp and told staff she wanted to die. Nauru is one of two places the Australian government - along with Manus - holds asylum seekers, refugees and immigrants attempting to move to Australia. The Guardian report says issues regarding medical transfers have been ongoing for months for many other asylum seekers. It claims doctors at the camp have recommended transfers to Australia but these have been overruled by officials in Canberra and on Nauru. Newly-released rapper Meek Mill spoke humbly during an interview that aired Wednesday on NBC Nightly News with Lestor Holt. The-30-year-old was granted freedom from prison for an unusually harsh sentence that triggered protests debating racial biases in the United States criminal justice system. Mill, who was ordered out on bail by the Pennsylvania's Supreme Court yesterday afternoon, told Holt: 'I don't feel free... I didn't feel free since I caught this case at the age of 19.' Mill was seen happily hopping on a helicopter to the Philadelphia 76ers game after his release Tuesday afternoon. He added that he hasn't had an ounce of shut eye since. 'It's actually like a culture shock coming from a small cell, back into the real world. I think my body has to adjust at this point,' he said in his anticipated initial interview. Scroll down for video Newly-released rapper Meek Mill told Lester Holt he still doesn't 'feel free' after being released from prison on Tuesday 'It's actually like a culture shock coming from a small cell, back into the real world. I think my body has to adjust at this point,' Mill told Lestor Holt in his anticipated initial interview He further spoke proudly about his faith and how it has given him the strength to endure any battle. 'Me, I just, I pray. I believe God is my first lawyer. I will always believe that, and I got a strong team behind me. I got alot of support. There's alot of light shining on my situation.' Numerous supporters of Mill began protesting outside the courthouse back in November when the artist was first sentenced to two to four years in prison over his 2008 arrest for drug and gun possession and then violating parole. Mill had argued he was viciously beaten during the arrest. He allotted the photo of his bloodied face to the cover of his 'DC4' mixtape. His Tuesday release by the state supreme court was an overruling of the judge. Mill, center, prepares to board a helicopter after being released from the State Correctional Institution in Chester, Pennsylvania, Tuesday, April 24, 2018 Mill is seen boarding the helicopter after being released from prison Tuesday afternoon Mill is seen flying on a helicopter with Philadelphia 76ers co-owner Michael Rubin (front left) and others Mill took to Twitter after to express his gratitude toward all of his supporters along the way. 'I understand that many people of color across the country don't have that luxury and I plan to use my platform to shine a light on those issues,' Mill wrote on Twitter. 'Id like to thank God, my family, and all my public advocates for their love, support and encouragement during this difficult time. While the past five months have been a nightmare, the prayers, visits, calls, letters and rallies have helped me stay positive. 'In the meantime, I plan to work closely with my legal team to overturn this unwarranted conviction and look forward to reuniting with my family and resuming my music career,' he said. The artist has been busy since. He was seen boarding a helicopter after with Philadelphia 76ers co-owner and close pal, Michael Rubin. Mill arrives at the arena before the game between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Miami Heat in Game Five of Round One of the 2018 NBA Playoffs on April 24, 2018 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania The rapper was all smiles after he won freedom from prison for an unusually harsh sentence Rubin also made an appearance in the Wednesday evening interview with Holt. The 76ers co-owner told Holt: 'His story is so much bigger than his life... this is about how can he be the symbolic change agent that was needed for major criminal justice reform.' Mill added that he feels a lot of responsibility and concern for others who have been and are now in his shoes. 'I got a lot of responsibilities. I got a lot of important people depending on me. And I'm not talking about public officials, I'm talking about the men that are depending on me and are going through the same thing I'm going through.' Mill's semi-somber appearance followed his fun evening at the 76ers game against the Miami Heat - where he smiled, chatted with players and sported a Joel Embiid jersey. The South Philly-born artist told players yesterday evening that he felt 'great' as he hugged them and engaged in conversation. He later stepped on the court to ring the pre-game Liberty Bell replica during Game 5. Mill is set to speak further in an upcoming appearance on Dateline NBC. Mill laughs as Kevin Hart bows to him before ringing a replica Liberty Bell at Wells Fargo Center on April 24, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Disney has released photos of rainbow-colored Mickey Mouse ears ahead of Pride month in June. The ears, called 'Mickey Mouse Rainbow Love', feature a red hat with two rainbow-striped ears. The front of the hat features two Mickey Mouse hands that form a heart filled with rainbow colors. Dozens took to social media to express their excitement over the new release. Disney has released photos of rainbow-colored Mickey Mouse ears called 'Mickey Mouse Rainbow Love' ahead of Pride month in June. Dozens took to social media to express their excitement over the new release 'I love this.. For the first time ever, Disney Land and Disney World have released official Mickey ears for Pride,' tweeted one user. 'I want them so badly,' wrote another. One user joked: 'Disney now has gay a** ears!' According to vlogger Gio Spano, customers can also have their names embroidered on the hat in rainbow lettering. According to vlogger Gio Spano, customers can also have their names embroidered on the hat in rainbow lettering The new ears can be bought either at Walt Disney World in Florida or at Disneyland in California and cost $17.99 In recent years, the company has increased its representation in the LGBTQ community. The 2017 live action Beauty and the Beast featured a gay character and on Disney Channel, Andi Mack became the channel's first coming-out story line and a main LGBTQ character. The new ears can be bought either at Walt Disney World in Florida or at Disneyland in California and cost $17.99. They join a growing list of unique ears offered by Disney, including Rose Gold and Millennial Pink Minnie ears. Popular internet comedian Johnny 'Danger' Bennett's last moments before he fatally crashed his motorcycle were live streamed by a friend. The amateur stuntman was reportedly travelling with a group of 30 to 50 people on Anzac Day when he crashed on the Dairy Flat Highway in Auckland about 2.30pm, according to Stuff.co.nz. The Facebook live stream shows an unidentified biker and a handful of others, also riding with charity group Wolfpack Incorporated, turn onto the highway near where Mr Bennett died. Scroll down for video A friend of popular internet comedian Johnny 'Danger' Bennett's live streamed (pictured) his final moments before the 28-year-old fatally crashed his motorcycle in Auckland The 28-year-old (pictured) was reportedly travelling with a group of 30 to 50 people on Anzac Day when he crashed on the Dairy Flat Highway around 2.30pm Just hours before the fatal accident, Mr Bennett, 28, uploaded one final photo to his Instagram. In the photo, which was added to his 'story' about midday Wednesday, three men were pictured standing together in conversation beside a row of motorbikes. At the top of the frame, the social media star applied a stein glass 'beer' emoji, and tagged his company Dangers Lager. Down the bottom right, he wrote, 'Rollin'. Wolfpack spokesman Gareth Williams told Stuff.co.nz he performed CPR on Mr Bennett as emergency services rushed to the scene. Early reports were unable to confirm the man killed was the 28-year-old, but friends later confirmed Mr Bennet that died. Hours before Mr Bennett was killed, he uploaded one final photo (pictured) to his Instagram Mr Bennett often rode with Wolfpack to raise money for mental health and cancer, Mr Williams said. 'Johnny was a friend and he will be deeply missed. We had a lot of laughs together and still can't believe what's happened,' he said. Mr Williams described Mr Bennett as a man who had a big heart and loved to laugh. 'Ride hard to your next destination Danger - we will see you soon,' he said. Crews worked for several hours to recover the 28-year-old's motorbike, which had ended up at the bottom of a steep ditch on the side of the highway. Mr Bennett's (pictured) bike was believed to have landed between 15 and 20 metres from the road, and about 50 metres from its intersection with Hobson Road Close friend, Julian Rivers-Smith, confirmed Mr Bennett was killed in the road accident The bike was believed to have landed between 15 and 20 metres from the road, and about 50 metres from its intersection with Hobson Road. Another motorcyclist taking part in the Anzac Day cruise said the group had been separated by traffic before the crash occurred, Stuff reported. Mr Bennett's brother, Wayne Bennett, said on Facebook the family were just days away from heading to Thailand for their sister's 21st birthday. Wayne said the family will go ahead with the holiday, which will now also be a celebration of his life. Emergency services were called to the site of a single-vehicle crash at a highway intersection in north Auckland, New Zealand at about 2.30pm Wednesday The New Zealand social media sensation was well-known for his tongue-in-cheek comedy and stuntman antics. He had more than 287,000 likes on Facebook and 203,000 followers on Instagram. Johnny Danger's social media pages have been inundated with heartfelt tributes and commiserations since Wednesday's catastrophic incident. 'Thanks for bringing an unbelievable amount of laughs into my life,' wrote one fan, while another said: 'You lived more in your short life than most live in there [sic] entire life.' 'Cheers for the good times, laughs and smiles dude.' The New Zealand social media sensation (pictured) was well-known for his tongue-in-cheek comedy and stuntman antics Cash loan machines that look like ATMs and lend people up to $1000 have been popping up across Australia. The machines only require identification and bank details and approve customers for substantial loans almost instantly, ABC News reported. But financial experts worry they are 'targeting the most vulnerable people' and sending them into debt. Cash loan machines that look like ATMs and lend people up to $1000 have been popping up across Australia (stock) The machines, operated by company Cash N Go, have been seen in NSW in Wollongong, the Central Coast and Hunter regions. Loan amounts range from $50 to $1000, with customers given one to three months to pay back the loan with interest. NSW Financial Counsellors Association chairman Graham Smith said he was concerned low socioeconomic areas in NSW were being targeted. He pointed to machines in Cessnock, in the Hunter region. 'There are two smoke shops, and in one shop there is one, and in another shop there is two. Usually there is a queue out the door around Christmas time,' Mr Smith said. 'Unfortunately I think these machines are targeting the most vulnerable in our community, people on benefits who are looking at a way of getting some quick cash that I don't think they can afford in the long run.' But financial experts worry they are 'targeting the most vulnerable people' and sending them into debt (stock) Then controversial machines are legal in Australia and are run by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission. They are regulated the same way as other cash advance lenders. Cash N Go said they loan money to those 'who can afford to pay it back.' 'CashnGo Australia is committed to protecting consumers by upholding our obligations to lend responsibly. This means that we take responsible lending obligations very seriously and will only approve customers for a loan they can repay,' the company said in a statement on Thursday. The 13-year-old girl gunned down in a 'targeted attack' on a suburban home is recovering in hospital - and is apparently in a chipper mood. Teenager was hurt when a gunman fired a hail of bullets into a house she was at in Guildford, western Sydney, on Tuesday night. The shooter fled the scene in a silver SUV and police are yet to find the mystery gunman. The bullet struck one of teen's arteries, her aunt said. But the teen was well enough to post to social media after surgery on Wednesday. 'Getting shot in the leg feels fineeeee,' she captioned a video - alongside a pained emoji - just hours after her brush with death. Scroll down for video Doing OK: Teenager posted a video of her leg after hours of surgery on Wednesday Blood-stained cement out the front of the home where the teen was shot on Tuesday night The high school student is now in a stable condition at the Westmead Children's Hospital. An aunt of the teenager said the girl was on curfew and was not supposed to be leaving the house at night. 'She is lucky to be alive. 'The bullet went through her leg ... she went through surgery for eight hours. Her mother was quoted telling the Daily Telegraph: 'She was in the wrong place at the wrong time.' This is the home where the shooting occurred. Police said it a 'targeted' attack The 13-year-old was shot in the thigh, when a car drove past and shot at the home in Constance Street in Guildford, western Sydney at 9.45pm A teenage girl has been shot during a drive-by shooting The girl was shot late on Tuesday night about 11pm on Constance Street in Guildford, western Sydney Police and emergency services are at the scene of the shooting Neighbours have come out onto the street to speak to police about the incident while traffic is diverted away from the scene An ambulance was seen driving away from Constance Street with its sirens blaring Diane, who lives nearby, said she 'heard a big bang, it sounded like fireworks' Police taped off the double-storey home yesterday. Officers said the shooting was not random and that it 'atrocious' a teenage girl - not believed to be the target - had been hurt. Neighbours in Guildford said they heard 'five or six pops' about 9.45pm on Tuesday as the gunman fired on the garage. The girl was sitting inside with a group of people. 'There were just sounds of screams,' a neighbour said. 'It was pandemonium.' Diane, who lives nearby, said she 'heard a big bang, it sounded like fireworks'. 'It was like a couple of bangs, like three or four bangs. 'I got scared, and later on I came out. I seen all police cars everywhere. They blocked the street off.' She said she could hear about three or four bangs from the street outside Diane said after she came outside she could see scores of people and police officers Another neighbour said she was sitting at home watching television when she heard 'five or six pops' She said her and her partner could hear screaming so they immediately went outside Another neighbour recalled telling her partner: 'That didn't sound like a car backfiring, that sounded like gunshots'. 'We heard a bit of screaming... down the street there's ambos coming up and down. 'It's the sort of area where it happens all the time. 'It's another night in Guildford,' she said. Chris Hemsworth will be adding owning an island resort to his impressive list of accolades, with him set to lay down $4 million on an exclusive development. The Hollywood megastar and model wife, Elsa Pataky, revealed they would fund a multi-million dollar plan for Pelorus Island, off the coast of north Queensland. Plans to develop exclusive Orpheus Island Resort's neighbouring island have already gained council approval, with construction to start once terms of lease have been decided, Townsville Bulletin reported. Scroll down for video Chris Hemsworth and model wife, Elsa Pataky (pictured together), revealed they would fund a multi-million dollar plan for Pelorus Island, off the coast of north Queensland Plans to develop exclusive Orpheus Island Resort's neighbouring island have already gained council approval (Hemsworth and Pataky holidaying at Orpheus pictured) The Morris Group purchased the only property on the island, a two-bedroom home, in July last year, and said it was eager to get development under way. 'It would be connected to Orpheus but be more of an exclusive place that a single group would take, either a family, or three to four couples that want to be completely isolated,' Morris Group executive director Hayley Morris said. 'It would have rooms that are connected, more a home style I guess, and it would still be serviced via Orpheus but you would have a chef and stuff like that.' During a holiday at Orpheus last year, the managers took Hemsworth to Pelorus island where they ran him through their plans, Mr Morris said. The Morris Group purchased the only property on Pelorus Island (pictured), a two-bedroom home, in July last year, and said it was eager to get development under way During a holiday at Orpheus last year, the managers took Hemsworth to Pelorus island where they ran him through their plans (Hemsworth and Pataky holidaying at Orpheus pictured) Hemsworth reportedly told managers buying an island resort was the 'perfect thing' for his family (Hemsworth and Pataky holidaying at Orpheus pictured) 'They gave him a bit of a run-down on what we're planning and he said that's really the perfect thing they'd like to do with their family.' While a start date was yet to be determined, Ms Morris said there was 'no hold-up in intent', and it was just a matter of getting the lease in order. Hinchinbrook Shire Council Mayor Ramon Jayo said the development aligned with the council's tourism focus and he was keen to discuss other low-key tourism options for the island. 'We believe that the best use of Pelorus Island is for tourism. We support (this) because it is in line with what we want to do,' he said. Hinchinbrook Shire Council Mayor Ramon Jayo said the development aligned with the council's tourism focus (Hemsworth and Pataky holidaying at Orpheus pictured) Greg Piatek, 31 (pictured), a Trump supporter who sued a New York City bar for discrimination after he was thrown out for wearing a "Make America Great Again" hat has lost his lawsuit A Trump supporter who sued a New York City bar for discrimination after he was thrown out for wearing a 'Make America Great Again' hat has lost his lawsuit. Philadelphia accountant Greg Piatek, 31, claims the staff of The Happiest Hour in Manhattan said he wasn't welcome because he and his friends supported the Republican president. He sued the West Village bar claiming the incident 'offended his sense of being American'. But Justice David Cohen tossed the lawsuit on Wednesday saying the law doesn't protect against political discrimination. According to the New York Post, Piatek said he and his friends visited the September 11 Memorial in January 2017. He then claimed the bar staff refused to serve after seeing Piatek in the MAGA hat. Piatek claims that after he and his friends complained about the rude service, the staff said: 'Anyone who supports Trump - or believes in what you believe - is not welcome here! And you need to leave right now because we won't serve you!' Paul Liggieri, Piatek's attorney, said his client's hat was a 'spiritual tribute' to September 11 victims and that he should be protected under an anti-discrimination statute. The bar's attorney, Elizabeth Conway, said Piatek did not face discrimination because only religious beliefs, not political ones, are protected under state and city discrimination law. 'Supporting Trump is not a religion,' Conway argued. The bar's attorney, Elizabeth Conway, said Piatek did not face discrimination because only religious beliefs, not political ones, are protected under state and city discrimination law Paul Liggieri, Piatek's attorney, said his client's hat was a 'spiritual tribute' to September 11 victims and that he should be protected under an anti-discrimination statute (Pictured, Trump in August 2015) Cohen seemed to agree and said the incident was no more than a 'petty slight' 'Plaintiff does not state any faith-based principle to which the hat relates,' Cohen said. Piatek has been for an unspecified amount for 'emotional damage'. His attorney lawyer told The New York Post he'll decide on whether or not to appeal. Jon Neidich, owner of The Happiest Hour denies that Piatek was kicked out and said he 'was sufficiently pleased with his service at the bar [and] that he added' a $36 tip onto the $186 tab, according to the New York Post. Neidech called Piatek's lawsuit a 'publicity stunt' and the claims 'outrageous and disparaging'. Former police officer Joseph James DeAngelo, 72, was arrested at his home in Sacramento on Tuesday night after DNA linked him to crimes attributed to the Golden State Killer from the 1970s and 80s One of the original investigators on the Golden State Killer case says she is 'thrilled beyond measure' that the suspect has finally been caught after 40 years. Former police officer Joseph James DeAngelo, 72, was arrested at his home in Sacramento, California on Tuesday night after DNA linked him to crimes attributed to the Golden State Killer from the 1970s and 80s. The culprit, also known as the East Area Rapist, is suspected of at least 12 slayings and 50 rapes in 10 counties across Northern to Southern California. Carol Daly, who retired as a Sacramento County Sheriff's detective in 2001, was one of the main investigators on the case in the 70s. She told The Sacramento Bee that she was shocked when current Sheriff Scott Jones called her on Tuesday to inform her of the arrest. Daly, now a grandmother, interviewed the majority of the rape victims and remained in contact with them over the years despite all the leads on the attacker drying out. 'I wasn't prepared for the emotions that I had that just welled up. Forty years of living with this,' she said of hearing the news. A break in the case and DeAngelo's arrest came together in 'light speed' during the past six days. After watching him for several days, deputies took him by surprise on Tuesday when he left his home (pictured above) DNA testing linked Joseph James DeAngelo, 72, to some of the 12 murders carried out across California in the 1970s and 80s 'It was very difficult knowing what all of the victims went through. I know that it has been a nightmare their whole lives. So to bring an end to all of that, I just don't know if I can even put words to it. I am just overwhelmed with gratitude and with joy and with a peace I haven't had for years. 'There was not a night I went to bed before I closed my eyes that I didn't think about what those victims went through when they opened their eyes and saw the rapist in their home.' Despite an outpouring of thousands of tips over the years, DeAngelo's name had not been on the radar of law enforcement before last week. Looking back, Daly said she had no regrets about the way they carried out their investigation. 'I have looked at the material that I have saved over the years. I have looked at it and looked at it, and I have talked with other investigators, and there isn't anything we missed. We tried everything possible,' she said. Daly said investigators never stopped looking into the case. A break in the case and DeAngelo's arrest came together in 'light speed' during the past six days. Authorities, however, refused to reveal what led to DeAngelo. FBI Special Agent Marcus Knutson (left) and Sacramento County Sheriff's Department Deputy Paige Kneeland (right) search for evidence in the case in this undated photo The Golden State Killer is suspected of committing dozens and dozens of crimes in Sacramento County in the late 1970s. Pictured is crime scene evidence from one of the attacks Police have linked more than 12 homicides to the Golden State Killer. Pictured are fingerprints police lifted from one of the crime scenes The serial killer and rapist is also suspected of committing nearly 50 rapes in southern California over the span of a decade. The above photo shows a home that was ransacked by the Golden State Killer Sacramento Sheriff Scott Jones said detectives with 'dogged determination' were able to get a sample of DNA from something DeAngelo discarded, though he wouldn't say what the item was. The genetic material was not a match, but there were enough similarities for investigators to return for more and they said they were able to get a conclusive match. After watching DeAngelo for several days, deputies took him by surprise on Tuesday when he left his home. DeAngelo was arrested on suspicion of committing double-killings in Sacramento and Ventura counties and later charged with four counts of murder. He is suspect of killing eight other people whose murders were attributed to the Golden State Killer. Married couple Brian and Katie Maggiore were shot dead while walking their dog in Rancho Cordova, California on February 2, 1978. Joseph James DeAngelo has been charged with their murders DeAngelo is also charged with murdering Lyman and Charlene Smith at their Ventura County home on March 13, 1980 Armed with a gun, the masked attacker would break into homes while single women or couples were sleeping. He sometimes tied up the man and piled dishes on his back, then raped the woman while threatening to kill them both if the dishes tumbled. He often took souvenirs from his victims, who ranged in age from 13 to 41. DeAngelo was charged over the brutal murder of married couple Brian and Katie Maggiore on February 2, 1978. They are believed to have been his first victims. The couple were walking their dog in their Rancho Cordova neighborhood, just outside Sacramento, when they were chased down, shot and killed. He is also charged with murdering Lyman and Charlene Smith at their Ventura County home on March 13, 1980. They were bludgeoned to death with a fireplace log and were later found by their 12-year-old son. Smith was an attorney who was just days from being appointed a judge. His wife worked as a court clerk. A poster mocking night life in one of Australia's capital cities has caused a stir on the internet. A Reddit user found the sign, similar to a New South Wales Liquor and Gaming sign, while out in Oxford Street. The sign said that a $550 fine would be received if a party goer laughed out loud, used words that confused security, danced for too long, flirted or all together enjoyed themselves. A Reddit user found a poster (pictured) mocking night life in Sydney, similar to a New South Wales Liquor and Gaming sign, while out in Oxford Street Some social media users were quick to comment on the 'accuracy' of the comment on Sydney's nightlife It explains that if you are asked to leave you must do so without saying goodbye to your friends and wear an ankle monitor on your next night out. The sign is a comment on the state of Sydney's night life, which sees patrons unable to enter venues after 1.30am and alcohol is no longer served after 3am. Lockout laws were introduced in 2014 after a string of violent alcohol-fueled attacks on Sydney streets. However ever since the laws have been a point of debate. Some social media users were quick to comment on the 'accuracy' of the comment on Sydney's nightlife. One user described Sydney as 'the most boring place on earth'. While another explained the start contrast compared to overseas. They wrote: 'I've lived overseas for years and recently went back to Sydney for the first time since 2010. 'It is really depressing how absolutely f***ing dead and soulless it is now.' While another explained the start contrast compared to overseas and called night life 'soulless' The original sign (pictured) produced by New South Wales Liquor and Gaming states that you will be fined $550 by police for being intoxicated, disorderly or using drugs A music and arts economy inquiry that began in November 2017 and heard rules at venues and festivals that forbid DJs and dancing. This comes as discussions to make Sydney a 24-hour city, with a report from the Committee of Sydney stating Greater Sydney is 'losing out economically and financially by having an under-performing night-time economy'. The original sign produced by New South Wales Liquor and Gaming states that you will be fined $550 by police for being intoxicated, disorderly or using drugs. It states that you will be removed from the venue and can't re-enter for a period of 24 hours. An entrepreneur and model has been jailed for his role in a dial-a-dealer cocaine drug network. George Gerges, from Bondi Beach, Sydney, had been a productive member of the community until he fell in with the wrong crowd and began moonlighting as a cocaine courier, Downing Centre District Court heard on Thursday. In jailing the 33-year-old bodybuilder for a year, Judge Paul Conlon said Gerges told a psychologist he had not used cocaine until he was 29. 'I was getting approval from the social circles I was mixing with. Cocaine was a big part of this life,' Judge Conlon quoted Gerges as saying. Scroll down for video Bondi-based entrepreneur and model George Gerges (pictured) has been jailed for one year for his role in a dial-a-dealer cocaine drug network that operated across metropolitan Sydney At the time of his arrest in September 2015, Gerges (left) was dating 'international cover girl' Emma Rose (right). Ms Rose appeared in the first season of The Bachelor with Tim Robards 'I knew it would probably end badly but couldn't get away from it.' Gerges had previously told the court he was making about $200,000 a year working for a strata company when he became part of a new social scene in which cocaine was taken regularly. Initially he had no concerns about joining the drug taking but his use increased until he was going through 5 grams a day. Gerges spent his savings and became $25,000 in debt to his dealers, who offered him a role delivering drugs. 'I was hesitant at first but at the same time I needed to keep supplying myself with drugs and I had no other way to work off the debt,' he told the court. Gerges became one of six drivers working for the operation, the court heard. 'His motivation was clearly financial in that he had developed a drug debt owing to his addiction and he needed to feed that addiction,' Judge Conlon said. 'Clearly the offender was not the one responsible for the implementation of the system and organisation.' Gerges (pictured) was paid $50 per bag, totaling about $3,500 a week, but spent $7,000 each week on cocaine for his personal use. The court heard he first started using cocaine at age 29 The syndicate asked customers to use code words including 'rock show tickets' and 'beers' when placing orders by text message for cocaine (pictured) Unfortunately for Gerges and other members of the drug syndicate, some of their clients were actually undercover police officers Gerges previously told the court he was making about $200,000 a year working for a strata company. Pictured is some of the cash seized by police during raids on the cocaine syndicate Gerges was paid $50 per bag, totaling about $3,500 a week, but was spending $7,000 each week on cocaine for his personal use. The syndicate asked customers to use code words including 'rock show tickets' and 'beers' when placing orders by text message for cocaine. Gerges would then be dispatched via text messages from a handler dubbed AH to meet customers, mostly in the city, and deliver them cocaine from his black Lexus. Unfortunately for Gerges, some of his 'customers' were undercover police. At the time of his arrest, in September 2015, Gerges was dating self-described 'international cover girl and glamour model' Emma Rose, who appeared in the first season of The Bachelor with Tim Robards. He had been the managing director of Buy My Clothes, an online shopping site for second hand clothing, and a co-owner of online fashion label Studio Niche. There is no suggestion Ms Rose had any knowledge of her then boyfriend's crimes. Before his sentencing Gerges had been working for his father as a labourer and had moved into a sales role with a company that wanted to continue employing him. Gerges is arrested by NSW police in September 2015. He was the managing director of Buy My Clothes, an online shopping site for second hand clothing Pictured are bags of cocaine seized by police. The court heard Gerges would make $50 profit from the sale of each bag A sawn-off shotgun seized by police during the arrest on members of the cocaine syndicate He had not used drugs since his arrest and found it gut-wrenching to admit his habit to his parents, who had moved their family to Australia from Lebanon when Gerges was six. Gerges had been undergoing voluntary work, including feeding the homeless and spoken at schools about his fall from grace. His charity work pre-dated his offending and several references testified to his otherwise good character. Judge Conlon accepted Gerges was genuinely remorseful and was satisfied he would not re-offend. He had been on bail for two years and met every condition asked of him. Judge Conlon sentenced Gerges to a minimum 14 months in prison but with time served and due to court days, he will be eligible for parole on April 27 next year. 'I wish you the best in the future,' Judge Conlon told Gerges after sentencing. Prince William's chat with Australia's outgoing High Commissioner to the United Kingdom might have provided a vital clue about the name of his new son. The younger brother to Prince George and Princess Charlotte is still without a name, three days after the Duchess of Cambridge gave birth to the 3.8kg baby. Australia's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Alexander Downer, suggested to Prince William he should call the boy Alexander during an Anzac Day service at Westminster Abbey in London. Having kept the world waiting for three tantalising days, Prince William joked about potential names as bookmakers take hundreds of thousands of bets. It is still a two-horse race between Alexander, now the 5/2 favourite, and former front runner Arthur at 3/1. The moniker James has a 6/1 chance with the bookies, leaving Louis fancied at 8/1 and Philip at 12/1, according to bookmakers Ladbrokes. Prince William's chat with Australia's outgoing High Commissioner to the United Kingdom might have provided a vital clue about the name of his new son Australia's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Alexander Downer, suggested to Prince William he should call the boy Alexander during an Anzac Day service at Westminster Abbey Princess Eugenie was seen visiting the new prince at Kensington Palace this morning 'Have you thought about the name Alexander for him?' the former foreign minister asked. Prince Williams appeared keen on the idea. 'Well, it's funny you should say that. It's a good name,' he said. Alexandra is the middle name of the baby boy's great-grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, and Alexander is also the middle name of the newborn's older brother Prince George. However, Prince William agreed the name 'Jerry' was a 'strong name' after Mr Downer suggested his New Zealand counterpart, Sir Jerry Mateparae, would also like to see the baby named after him. The Royal baby is yet to be named, although bookmakers are taking bets on Albert, Arthur, James and Philip. The younger brother of Prince George and Princess Charlotte is still without a name, three days after the Duchess of Cambridge gave birth to the 3.8kg baby Prince William agreed the name 'Jerry' was a 'strong name' after Mr Downer suggested his New Zealand counterpart, Sir Jerry Mateparae, would also like to see the baby named him The Duke of Cambridge joined his younger brother Prince Harry and his fiancee Meghan Markle at the Anzac Day service in London. Asked how the duchess and the baby were, the duke replied: 'They're very well thanks.' He said they are 'in good form, luckily', and added: 'Sleeping's going reasonably well so far, so he's behaving himself which is good news.' Kate's family including proud grandparents Michael and Carole Middleton, her sister Pippa and brother James have all pitched in to help and been to Kensington Palace to have a cuddle with the new arrival. Prince Charles, however, has been unable see his new grandson as he was in Scotland on a private break when the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's third child was born on Monday morning. The Duke of Cambridge joked with people outside Westminster Abbey who were excitedly trying to find out his son's name The Duke of Cambridge was joined by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at Westminster Abbey for the traditional service It appeared tiredness may have overcome Prince William once he sat down for the ceremony THE ORDER OF SUCCESSION The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's third child - a younger sibling to Prince George and Princess Charlotte - is now the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh's sixth great-grandchild. The boy, weighing 8lbs 7oz, is also a great-great-great-great-great-grandchild of Queen Victoria. Following the baby's arrival, Prince Harry shifts down the line of succession to sixth place. The Duke of York, who was born second in line, has moved to seventh and Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie to eighth and ninth. Andrew falling out of the top six means he will no longer have to ask the Queen for permission to marry - unlike Charles, William, George, Charlotte and Harry. The first six people in the line of succession must have the Queen's consent before they can marry on May 19, as set out by the Succession to the Crown Act 2013. Advertisement A royal source said Charles, 69, was very keen to see his grandson but would 'have to work out a time with his family when he gets back' from France. The prince did say, however, in an unexpected statement that both he and baby's step-grandmother, the Duchess of Cornwall, were thrilled at the new arrival. 'We are both so pleased at the news. It is a great joy to have another grandchild,' he said. Over the years there have been reported family tensions, with Charles privately complaining of not seeing enough of his grandchildren, particularly compared to the Middletons. Both Prince George and Princess Charlotte are frequent visitors to Kate's family home, Bucklebury Manor, a haven of tranquillity for the royal children, who can run around the 18-acre grounds without a care in the world and collect fresh eggs from the Middleton's chicken coop. According to sources, the Middletons are 'virtually retired' from the day to day running of their successful business, Party Pieces, and therefore able to help out whenever needed. Here is how the line of succession looks now that Kate and William's new royal baby has been born A royal source said Charles, 69, was very keen to see his grandson but would 'have to work out a time with his family when he gets back' from France Meeting a number of people in a line-up, William could be heard joking with one man that he has a 'strong name' - as the world waits for the palace to announce the name of the new royal baby Charles, on the other hand, has huge official commitments, including almost 600 public engagements a year, as well as a growing number of official duties on behalf of the elderly Queen, and has to ask his diary team to schedule in time with his young grandchildren. But he does dote on the youngsters.Both George, four, and Charlotte, who will turn three next week, have hand-made wooden swings in the garden at Anmer, carved with their names, courtesy of their grandpapa and there is sure to be a third joining them, when William and Kate eventually decide on a name. The Duke of Cambridge said the latest addition to his family was 'sleeping reasonably well so far' adding, 'he's behaving himself, which is good news' Kate and William keep world waiting before they reveal new royal baby's name ODDS ON THE NAME OF THE ROYAL BABY Arthur 9/4 Alexander 3/1 James 6/1 Albert 6/1 Louis 8/1 Philip 10/1 Henry 16/1 Edward 20/1 Frederick 20/1 25/1 bar Odds supplied by Ladbrokes Advertisement Royalists and bookmakers alike have waited patiently since Monday to find out the name of Prince William and Kate Middleton's new arrival. More than 100,000 bets were placed across the UK betting industry on the baby name with Arthur leading the way this morning as the bookmakers' favourite. But this afternoon bookies William Hill suspended betting after a major gamble saw the odds of Alexander tumble from 14/1 in to Even money in the space of an hour. Favourite at the start of the day, Arthur, drifted from 5/2 to 11/4. The baby - William and Kate's third child - was born on Monday at 11.01am weighing 8lb 7oz. Royals traditionally keep the public guessing before revealing their choice of name. William and Kate will want to share the name with the Queen and the rest of their family before making it public. Bookmakers reported a late flurry of bets on Albert - the name of Queen Victoria's beloved consort, and the actual first name of the Queen's father George VI. Another favourite was Philip - a lasting tribute to the Prince of Cambridge's great grandfather and the middle name of Charles and William. So what names are in the running? Here are some of the contenders: The prince said that both he and baby's step-grandmother, the Duchess of Cornwall, were thrilled at the new arrival Alexander Alexandra is the name of the baby boy's great-grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, and the middle name of the newborn's older brother Prince George. There has never been an English king called Alexander but three medieval Scottish kings ruled as Alexander. Alexander I reigned from 1107 to 1124, Alexander II from 1214 to 1249 and Alexander III followed him from 1249 to 1286. Alexander derives from the Greek word meaning protector of men, with Alexander the Great one of its most famous exponents. The famous mosaic Alexander's battle in the House of Fawn at the archeological site of Pompei Arthur One of Charles's middle names, Arthur is also one of William's middle names and was a middle name of the Queen's father, George VI. The legendary King Arthur was the mythical leader of the knights of the Round Table, who supposedly lived in the 5th or 6th century. Once popular, the name fell out of fashion but has had a revival in recent years. Former prime minister David Cameron has a son called Arthur. The legendary King Arthur was the mythical leader of the knights of the Round Table, who supposedly lived in the 5th or 6th century Albert Queen Victoria used to insist that the name Albert was used as a middle name by her descendants, if not a first, in honour of her much-loved consort Prince Albert. By choosing Albert or Bertie for a boy, William and Kate would be honouring Queen Elizabeth II's father, George VI, who was actually Albert Frederick Arthur George but always known to his family as Bertie. Shy, stammering Bertie was forced to become king when his brother Edward VIII abdicated, but won the nation's affection by standing firm in London during the Second World War. Queen Victoria used to insist that the name Albert was used as a middle name by her descendants, if not a first, in honour of her much-loved consort Prince Albert (pictured together) Philip A lasting tribute to the Duke of Edinburgh could see a Prince of Cambridge called Philip. Both Charles and William have Philip as a middle name. The Duke - known for his dedication to duty and his acerbic wit - has been married to the Queen for more than 70 years and is the nation's longest serving consort. A lasting tribute to the Duke of Edinburgh could see a Prince of Cambridge called Philip Frederick A Prince Freddie of Cambridge would have a historical link to the 1st Duke of Cambridge. Prince Adolphus Frederick lived from 1774 to 1850 and was a son of George III. He was apparently very fond of interrupting church services by bellowing out 'By all means' if the priest said 'Let us pray'. Charles William may have chosen to pay tribute to his father - but perhaps as a middle name as it may be considered to similar to Charlotte. William may have chosen to pay tribute to his father - but perhaps as a middle name as it may be considered to similar to Charlotte James James could have been chosen to signify Kate's affection for her brother, the baby's uncle, James Middleton. William already has a cousin James, the Earl and Countess of Wessex's son, Viscount Severn. James is a Stuart name. James I, son of Mary, Queen of Scots, had been king of Scotland for 36 years as James VI when he became king of England in 1603. James could have been chosen to signify Kate's affection for her brother, the baby's uncle, James Middleton (pictured in 2011 on his sister's wedding day) Other names They could have chosen William as a middle name, but also perhaps Michael as a middle name out of respect for Kate's father. Kate's grandfather on her paternal side was called Peter, while on her maternal side, her grandfather was Ronald. Thomas also appears several times in Kate's family tree as does Francis. A former childcare worker who fatally shook her infant son should not be allowed to serve her jail sentence on home detention, a court has heard. Jennifer Nicole Kennison, 31, appeared in the South Australian Supreme Court on Thursday after last year pleading guilty to one count of manslaughter over the 2016 death of the three-month-old boy. Defence counsel have argued that Kennison's actions were the result of a momentary lapse of judgment after she became frustrated with the unsettled baby. Scroll down for video Jennifer Kennison (pictured) should not be allowed to serve her jail sentence for fatally shaking her baby boy to death on home detention, a court heard Thursday They have asked Justice David Lovell to impose a home detention term despite the fact that Kennison told lies to police and medical staff about what happened to the baby. Justin Wickens, for Kennison, said there was no malicious intent to deceive on the part of his client. 'She could not come to terms with the fact that she was the person who ended her child's life,' he said. But prosecutor Emma Wildman told the court that the circumstances of the offending were simply too serious for home detention. Prosecutor Emma Wildman told the court that the circumstances of Kennison's (pictured) offending were simply too serious for her to be allowed home detention 'The lies told to medical staff, the lies told to police could only have been told to avoid detection,' she said. Justice Lovell said Kennison had no prior offences and there was no suggestion she had treated her child badly at any other time. 'She's been a good mother,' he said. But he said her offending was serious and had 'tragic consequences'. The judge will sentence Kennison on Friday. James Comey says President Donald Trump is just making stuff up when he accuses the former FBI director of breaking the law by releasing his memos. When asked whether he agrees with the presidents view that he broke the law by publicizing contents of their private conversations, Comey said: I don't, but that won't surprise you. In fact, I think he's just making stuff up. Comey appeared Wednesday night on a CNN live town hall event with host Anderson Cooper. During the town hall, Comey said he believes Trumps opponent, Hillary Clinton, would have made a better president. He also ruled out a career in politics and said that there is no such thing as a deep state. James Comey says President Donald Trump is just making stuff up when he accuses the former FBI director of breaking the law by releasing his memos Comey appeared Wednesday night on a CNN live town hall event with host Anderson Cooper During the town hall, Comey said he believes Trumps opponent, Hillary Clinton, would have made a better president Comey struggles to explain to Anderson Cooper why he is not a leaker pic.twitter.com/K4LHZW6Zny Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) April 26, 2018 Trump and his allies have accused Comey of being a leaker and insisting that the fired FBI director broke the law because the memos of his conversations with the president are classified. 'Additionally, he totally made up many of the things he said I said, and he is already a proven liar and leaker. Where are Memos on Clinton, Lynch & others?' Trump continued. Trump also quoted a Friday report from The Wall Street Journal last week which said two of the four memos that Comey shared with a friend and which were made public last year were classified. The Department of Justice's internal watchdog is investigating Comey for leaking the memos, the newspaper reported. Comey told the CNN town hall that he chose to classify some of the memos that related to the ongoing investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 elections. Trump (seen right with French President Emmanuel Macros in the Oval Office on Tuesday) has doubled down on his insistence that Comey broke the law by leaking memos about their interactions The details matter because the facts matter, and should matter even to the President, Comey said. Some of those memos I decided should be classified. Four others, I wrote them and was highly confident they should not be classified. Those four I kept a copy at the FBI and a copy at my personal safe at home. Comey said that he gave memos to members of his legal team as well as a friend. After I was fired, I put together a legal team of three people, Comey said. One of whom was professor Dan Richman at Columbia University. After I had asked him to give this information to the media, I separately gave my legal team four memos, which were unclassified. Associates of Comey have been questioned by the Justice Departments inspector general about which memos they received from the former FBI director. During the town hall, Comey also offered his view that Clinton would have made a better president than Trump because of her 'values.' Clinton is 'respectful of the norms and traditions that I am so worried about being eroded today,' Comey said. The question of whether Comey broke the law has riled up conservatives who say the former FBI director was out to get Trump. Trump has seized on the inspector general's review of the Comey memos to cast doubt as to the legitimacy of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation. After the president fired the FBI director, Mueller was appointed in response to the Comey memos. Trump, suggesting that the probe undermined the ongoing Special Counsel investigation into his campaign and administration's alleged links with Russia, said: James Comey illegally leaked classified documents to the press in order to generate a Special Council[sic]? Therefore, the Special Council [sic] was established based on an illegal act? Really, does everybody know what that means? The leaked memos contained Comey's contemporaneous claim that in February, Trump asked him to end an investigation into his former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn who resigned after lying to the FBI about his contact with Russian officials. Trump tweeted late Friday: James Comey illegally leaked classified documents to the press in order to generate a Special Council[sic]? Therefore, the Special Council [sic] was established based on an illegal act? Really, does everybody know what that means? Comey has said that he leaked the memos after he was fired by Trump he felt a duty as a private citizen to ensure that a Special Counsel be named to continue the investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 elections. Mueller is seen in the image above Two of the memos that Comey wrote and then gave to a friend from outside of the government contained classified information, according to the Journal. In one memo, Comey redacted the parts that he knew to be classified before he gave them to a friend. But the second memo is said to have information that was later upgraded to confidential - the lowest level of classification. Those memos are now being reviewed by the inspector general of the Department of Justice. Comey has said that he leaked the memos after he was fired by Trump as head of the FBI because he felt a duty as a private citizen to ensure that a Special Counsel be named to continue the investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 elections. Comey gave four memos to Richman, a former federal prosecutor and a professor at Columbia Law School. Of the four memos, three were not classified at the time and one did have classified information that Comey himself redacted. An FBI director has the power to determine what information is regarded as classified and what is not. But once Comey became a private citizen, the FBI is legally authorized to determine what counts as classified information. Sometime after Comeys firing, the FBI upgraded the classification of the memos. Besides Richman, the inspector general has also interviewed other associates of Comey's from outside of the FBI who may have also received copies of memos, CNN is reporting late Friday. Trumps tweet late Friday appears to be an attempt by the president to use the new review by the inspector general as a rationale for firing Mueller. Trump tweeted late Thursday that the newly released memos written by fired FBI Director James Comey vindicate him Last Wednesday, Trump refused to say whether he planned to fire Mueller and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, as he's been reportedly wanting to do. Rosenstein is overseeing the Russia investigation after his boss, Attorney General Jeff Sessions, recused himself. On Saturday, Trump denied reports in the Washington Post that he privately calls Sessions 'Mr Magoo' and Rosenstein 'Mister Peepers'. Mr Magoo is a bumbling elderly myopic cartoon character. Mister Peepers was a character from a 1950s sitcom, a meek high school teacher who often inadvertently landed himself in embarrassing situations. On Thursday, Trump tweeted that the newly released memos written by Comey vindicate him. James Comey Memos just out and show clearly that there was NO COLLUSION and NO OBSTRUCTION, the president tweeted. Also, he leaked classified information. WOW! Will the Witch Hunt continue? It has been alleged that the Trump campaign colluded with Russia during the 2016 elections allegations that are being investigated by Mueller. Investigators want to know if the presidents dismissal of Comey was aimed at derailing the investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 elections an act that could be construed as obstruction of justice. Trump has denied there was any collusion with Russia. A former stripper has bagged a six-figure inheritance left by an HBO executive she had met in six months before his death. Veronica Beckham, 34, will be cashing in on $223,000 that was left to her by Micky Liu, 50, an IT director at HBO. Liu, who died in March 2015, was struggling with obesity, a heart condition, diabetes and alcoholism. Beckham first met Liu in July 2014, at the Scores strip club in Atlantic City's Taj Mahal hotel. Former stripper, Veronica Beckham (left and right), 34, has bagged a $223,000 inheritance left to her by HBO executive, Micky Liu, 50 whom she met six months before his death Beckham first met Liu in July 2014, at the Scores strip club in Atlantic City's Taj Mahal hotel (pictured) Three months after his death, Beckham claimed she found out that Liu had named her the beneficiary of his 401(k) account, retirement plan and life insurance policy. 'We had more of an everlasting friendship,' Beckham explained as the reason for Liu leaving her his money. But Liu's family accused Beckham of seducing Liu, who they say was a lonely man, into leaving her his life savings. Liu's sister May Liu claims Beckham initiated a sexual relationship with the express purpose of milking her brother of his fortune. 'Beckham, as a professional exotic dancer, was adept at applying and using coercion and manipulation upon men,' May Liu alleged in Surrogate's Court documents filed in 2016, that was obtained by DNAinfo. 'Immediately after Beckham met Micky Liu, she preyed upon Micky Lius vulnerability by exerting influence over him in the form of moral coercion and by performing sexual acts on and with Micky Liu.' May Liu has demanded to have her brother's money returned. During their first meeting, Beckham said they hung out for about a half-hour in the club before leaving to spend some time with Liu's friends in the casino. Three months after his death, Beckham (pictured) claimed she found out that Liu had named her the beneficiary of his 401(k) account, retirement plan and life insurance policy. But Liu's family accused Beckham of seducing Liu into leaving her his life savings Beckham said she learned of Liu's death a month after he died in March 2015 After that, Liu returned to New York while Beckham flew to Florida to see her mother, who was sick. But the two kept in contact over the phone, with calls and text messages, and when Beckham had to return to New Jersey in August to end her lease, she claimed Liu paid for her ticket home. He also let her stay at his bachelor's pad in Midtown for a little more than a month as she settled her affairs. Despite Liu's sister's claims that the two had a sexual relationship, Beckham claimed they only ever were friends - though she does admit they talked about whether to become romantic at one point. During the 35 days she lived with Liu, Beckham said he let her sleep in his bed while he slept on the couch. She also went back to stripping, working about two to three times a week at the Scores club in Manhattan. Beckham moved back to Florida on October 2, and it was later that month that Liu started adding her to his will. On October 21, Liu made her the beneficiary on his 401(k) plan. Just three days later, he sent her a desperate email expressing his love and affection. Despite Liu's sister's claims that the two had a sexual relationship, Beckham claimed they only ever were friends - though she does admit they talked about whether to become romantic at one point. Beckham is pictured with rapper Snoop Dogg 'Sweet Veronica, theres nothing in me that would ever say or do anything to intentionally hurt you. I love and care for you dearly. I wish you knew,' he wrote on October 24 at around 4am. Liu made Beckham the beneficiary of his life insurance police and his IRA in late January, the same month he traveled to Florida to visit her. But by then, it seemed that Beckham was becoming more and more distant with Liu, according to one of his email exchanges. 'I do worry about you,' he wrote in an email on January 20. 'And I miss you. Why is it taking you so long to get your phone replaced? Money? Need some? Im not used to not being able to contact you.' Liu passed away on March 17, 2015, and Beckham said she didn't learn of his death until more than a month later. Justice Rita Mella said there was nothing she could do because only prior beneficiaries, in this case, the Liu's former girlfriend, could sue for the funds, according to the New York Post. May Liu's lawyer said the family is still not ready to throw in the towel. A manhunt is underway for the suspect in what is believe to be the first killing of a law enforcement officer in Maine in nearly 30 years. The fatal shooting of Somerset County Cpl. Eugene Cole on Wednesday in Norridgewock triggered an intensive search for 29-year-old John Williams in and around the heavily wooded rural community about 60 miles west of Bangor. Officials said the Madison man was scheduled to appear in court to face gun charges when he killed the sheriff's deputy, stole his cruiser and robbed a convenience store. 'I am asking John Williams personally: If you are listening to my words today, I implore you to turn yourself in,' Somerset County Sheriff Dale Lancaster said on Wednesday. The search continues for 29-year-old John Williams (left), who is suspected for shooting dead Maine cop Eugene Cole, 61 (right), in the early hours of Wednesday morning Cops are seen in Norridgewock, Maine early Thursday morning, as the search for Williams continues 'Many times we're able to say that there is not an ongoing threat, but that's not the case today,' State Police Lt. Col. John Cote said. 'He's considered armed and dangerous.' On Thursday, about 200 law enforcement officers were still in the area, searching for the suspect and protecting citizens. A nationwide alert has been issued and the FBI is also aiding in the hunt. Cops have set up checkpoints to inspect every car coming and going from the town. Schools are open, but many are in 'lock in' mode. The last time someone killed an officer in the line of duty was in 1989, according to the Maine Department of Public Safety. A Maine State Police Trooper points his rifle at Williams' home on Wednesday afternoon Police in Maine are still hunting the suspect. He abandoned the cruiser and it is not known how he is now getting around Maine State trooper William Plourde checks a vehicle at the town line of Oakland and Fairfield on Wednesday in the search for Williams Officers work the scene of the shooting in Norridgewock, Maine on Wednesday Police officers stand along U.S. Route 2 on Wednesday, April 25, 2018, in Norridgewock, Maine Law enforcement officials said that Williams, who was born in Texas, had arrest records in Maine, Tennessee and Massachusetts. On the day he killed Cole, he was scheduled to appear in a Massachusetts court for a probable cause hearing on an illegal firearms charge related to an arrest last month. If convicted, he could have been sent to prison for more than 10 years. That image contrasts with Williams' days at Skowhegan High School, where a yearbook showed he once served as a class officer. 'When in school he was a nice, funny and an all-around good guy,' said classmate Casey Sprout-Costa. Another classmate, Alex Stetkis, said Williams was an honor student who was class president in his junior year. But things went downhill when he started picking fights and getting into drugs. 'Most could not believe it,' Stetkis said of the news that Williams was suspected in the killing. 'He was always kind and could have gone anywhere in life if he hadn't gotten into drugs,' he said. Dashcam footage from Cole's patrol car minutes before he was shot shows Williams entering a Cumberland Farms store and emerging about a minute later at 1:41am. Cole was shot at 1:45am This is the Cumberland Farm's store which Williams robbed after allegedly shooting the cop. It is pictured on Wednesday after he left Williams' criminal record also includes a conviction for burglary when he was a minor. He spent 17 days in a correctional facility, was ordered to a year of probation and to pay a $500 fine. While juvenile records are usually kept private, convictions for crimes that would get a sentence of more than five years in the adult system are public in the state. Williams' Facebook page features photos of him smiling at a graduation ceremony as well as other photos of him hiking, hanging out with friends and dressed in a suit at a wedding party. His last post in 2017 noted how he was starting a new job in nearby Anson, Maine. Residents in Norridgewock, a town of about 3,500, were stunned Wednesday as state police and federal agents investigated a home believed to be where Williams lived with his girlfriend. 'We're a little on edge. It's unnerving knowing there's a guy running around out there,' said Tasha Raymond. Cops broke down the door to the home with a battering ram, but Williams was not inside. Gov. Paul LePage expressed his 'deepest condolences' to Cole's family in a tweet. 'If you live in Somerset County and the surrounding area, please cooperate with law enforcement and stay safe,' the Republican governor said. LePage also directed all U.S and state flags to be flown at half-staff for at least three days. Cole has a son who also is a Somerset County deputy. Sheriff Dale Lancaster called Cole, a 13-year veteran of the department, an 'outstanding employee, one of the finest deputies.' Williams is described 5-foot-6, 120 pounds with blue eyes and brown hair. Previous reports that he has a partially shaved head with a ponytail were wrong, cops added. John Williams is pictured on the left in an undated identification photo. Eugene Cole is pictured on the right in a 2007 photo Somerset County Sheriff Dale Lancaster, center, speaks with the media on Wednesday Disgraced TV anchor Charlie Rose is being lined up for a show in which he will interview other high-profile men implicated in #MeToo sexual harassment scandals, an outraged Tina Brown has revealed. Brown, a prominent feminist, was sent an email asking if she wanted to produce the show but immediately turned the offer down, she told an audience on Tuesday at the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy's Women's Luncheon. 'Tina said she'd just been e-mailed about co-hosting a new show with Charlie Rose, in which they'd interview Louis C.K., Matt Lauer' and others caught up in the #MeToo sexual harassment scandals,' a source told Page Six. Brown was close with Harvey Weinstein when the movie ,mogul was at the height of his power, launching the magazine Talk with the then-Miramax head in 1999. That relationship may be part of the reason the creators of the show were eager to bring Brown on board the production. Charlie Brown (left, in New York in November 2017) is being lined to star in a show in which he will interview prominent men caught up in #MeToo allegations, according to Tina Brown (right, in New York on April 14) Brown is said to have exclaimed to the audience: 'These guys are already planning their comebacks!' Three guests at the lunch remembered Brown saying the program was pitched as a 'Netflix show', but the streaming service insisted it had nothing to do with it. Rose was spotted out and about in New York City on Wednesday, dining at the trendy new Tribeca eatery Frenchette with Sean Penn. He had spent his time since being fired at his multi-million dollar compound in Bellport on Long Island, the same estate where he allegedly harassed multiple women. Rose is said to be eager to launch his comeback after being fired by CBS in the wake of a Washington Post piece in which eight women claimed they were sexually harassed or assaulted by the journalist. Matt Lauer was sacked from NBC's Today show in November 2017 after multiple sexual harassment allegations came to light His eponymous interview show was also cancelled by PBS and Bloomberg, who broadcast the program and allowed Rose and his employees to use their Manhattan office. Louis CK was accused of sexual misconduct by five women last year. Fellow Comedians Dana Min Goodman, Abby Schachner, Julia Wolov, Rebecca Corry all claimed Louis had either pleasured himself in front of them, asked to do it or did so over the phone in the last 15 years. A fifth woman had similar allegations that were published in a New York Times report but she did not want to be identified. The day after the allegations were made public, C.K. released a lengthy statement admitting the claims were true but that he never showed women his 'd**k without asking first'. Matt Lauer, meanwhile, was sacked from NBC's Today show in November 2017 after multiple sexual harassment allegations came to light. These included claims that Lauer summoned a female employee to his office where he dropped his pants, exposing his penis. Lauer was also accused of buying a sex toy for a co-worker and quizzing women on who they had slept with. He apologized for his behaviour but insisted some of the allegations were 'untrue'. The mother of a disabled young woman has posted a desperate appeal to social media, asking for help in retrieving the invaluable possessions that were stolen from her family home. Lisa Manson's white Honda Jazz was parked at her home in Toowoomba, Queensland on Wednesday night when thieves broke into her property and stole it. The burglars also took off with Ms Manson's purse and cash, The Chronicle reports. But all of that is secondary, says Lisa, to the object that was sitting in the back of the car at the time: a $7000 custom-designed wheelchair that belonged to her severely disabled 22-year-old daughter. The victim of a home robbery has appealed to social media to help her retrieve the objects that were stolen form her - among them, a $7000 custom-made wheelchair for her severely disabled daughter (pictured) Taylah Dunneman suffers from a rare genetic disorder known as Rett syndrome: a condition that impedes brain development, language and physical coordination. The electric purple wheelchair, which Taylah herself helped to design, 'gives her the ability to be a little independent', said Ms Manson. 'We literally picked it up on Friday after waiting for two years. 'Hopefully we can get the chair back; everything else we can sort out.' The thieves broke in to Lisa Manson's family home, stealing her purse and in turn her car - while the wheelchair was sitting in the boot Ms Manson said that the electric purple wheelchair, which Taylah herself helped to design, 'gives her the ability to be a little independent' The thieves reportedly piled bricks up under a window before climbing into Ms Manson's family home and purloining her handbag, with the car keys inside. 'I thought originally that they've targeted the wheelchair because we've never had it in the car before and we've lived here a long time and never had a drama,' she said. '[But] police have said it's more likely that it's young kids and they don't realise the value.' Ms Manson is now appealing to anyone who might be able to help her find her missing vehicle and, in turn, the brand new chair. 'The wheelchair is not easily replaced and we've literally just got it for our service providers who work with Taylah,' she said. Kanye West fans and supporters have been left divided after he traded adoring tweets with President Donald Trump, but Chance the Rapper has come to his defense. 'Black people don't have to be democrats,' Chance, who has been one of Trump's many critics, tweeted earlier on Wednesday. That tweet was followed by another that read: 'Next President gon be independent.' Several fans have tweeted that West may be experiencing a mental breakdown, but Chance cleared the air on that assumption as well. 'Talked to him two days ago. Hes in a great space and not affected by folk tryna question his mental or physical health. Same Ye from the Vmas, same Ye from the telethon,' Chance tweeted in response to Hot 97's radio host Ebro Darden. Chance's tweet also caught the attention of the president's son, Donald Trump Jr, who retweeted it. 'Its always incredible to watch a cultural shift happen in real time. I respect those willing to take the lead breaking with convention. That takes guts... though theres a better word for it,' Don Jr tweeted in response to Chance the Rapper's initial tweet. Scroll down for video Kanye West fans and supporters have been left divided after he traded adoring tweets with President Donald Trump, but Chance the Rapper has come to his defense 'Black people don't have to be democrats,' Chance, who has been one of Trump's many critics, tweeted earlier on Wednesday. That tweet was followed by another that read: 'Next President gon be independent' Several fans have tweeted that West may be experiencing a mental breakdown, but Chance cleared the air on that assumption as well In another tweet, Don Jr quoted Chance once again, saying: 'The same goes for all the intersectional groups of the left that say you HAVE to be a democrat. That isn't true. Be free, think for yourself.' Chance the Rapper and Kim Kardashian were both quick to rush to West's defense on Wednesday after he blasted former president Barack Obama. 'Hes a free thinker, is that not allowed in America? Because some of his ideas differ from yours you have to throw in the mental health card?' Kim tweeted. 'Thats just not fair. Hes actually out of the sunken place when hes being himself which is very expressive,' she added. West put his love for Donald Trump on full display as he donned his MAGA hat while leaving his California studio not long after he traded adoring tweets with the president. West and Chance the Rapper at the Magnificent Coloring Day Festival at Comiskey Park in Chicago in 2016 Chance the Rapper and Kim Kardashian were both quick to rush to West's defense on Wednesday after he blasted former president Barack Obama. Chance's tweet also caught the attention of the president's son, Donald Trump Jr, who retweeted it In another tweet, Don Jr quoted Chance once again, saying: 'The same goes for all the intersectional groups of the left that say you HAVE to be a democrat. That isn't true. Be free, think for yourself' The rapper was spotted walking out of his Calabasas studio with a smoothie in one hand and his cell phone in the other. Along with his MAGA hat, he sported a pair of dark shorts, sneakers and a t-shirt, accompanied by a light grey jacket as he chatted with his entourage. His public appearance came shortly after he exchanged tweets with the president earlier on Wednesday. West proclaimed that the mob 'can't make me not love' Trump and praised the President's 'dragon energy'. 'You don't have to agree with trump but the mob can't make me not love him,' he wrote. 'We are both dragon energy. He is my brother. I love everyone. I don't agree with everything anyone does. That's what makes us individuals.' West put his love for Trump on display as he donned his MAGA hat while leaving his California studio not long after he traded adoring tweets with the president West was spotted walking out of his Calabasas studio with a smoothie in one hand and his cell phone in the other Along with his MAGA hat, he sported a pair of dark shorts, sneaks and a t-shirt, accompanied by a light grey jacket as he chatted with his entourage His public appearance came shortly after he exchanged tweets with the president earlier on Wednesday He later revealed that his MAGA hat is signed by the President himself, posting a picture of the accessory, which itself prompted another reply from Trump which simply read: 'MAGA!' Trump later retweeted the message and wrote: 'Thank you Kanye, very cool!' Later on Wednesday evening, West turned his attention to former president Barack Obama, tweeting: 'Obama was in office for eight years and nothing in Chicago changed.' However, he declared his respect for Hillary Clinton, writing 'I love Hillary too'. Kanye then retweeted a post in which President Trump was expressing his excitement about meeting Apple CEO Tim Cook with the caption: 'Can't wait to meet'. Next he posted a photo of Trump and Cook speaking together and said 'caption this photo'. Seconds later he wrote: '2 of my favorite people' before retweeting Trump's 'MAGA' tweet again. West once again declared his support for Trump, calling the president his 'brother' and saying they both share 'dragon energy'. He tweeted this around 9.30am PST In his next tweet posted just a minute after, Kanye wrote that he loved also Clinton and claimed that 'Trump is pretty much a 50 50 split' for the people in his life West even tweeted a picture of himself in a Make America Great Again hat (pictured here with music mogul Lyor Cohen in center and an unidentified man) Trump later retweeted the message on his page and wrote: 'Thank you Kanye, very cool!' Around 12.30pm PST West posted a picture of his MAGA hat to show that it had been signed by Trump himself The president then tweeted the photo of the hat with 'MAGA!' This evening Kanye turned his attention to the former president, tweeting, 'Obama was in office for eight years and nothing in Chicago changed' He then retweeted a post in which President Trump was expressing his excitement about meeting Apple CEO Tim Cook with the caption, 'Can't wait to meet' After that he posted messages which had apparently been sent by popular New York radio host Ebro Darden that seemed to discuss the rapper's support for Trump. '159 employees to go,' he wrote. Darden yesterday claimed that rapper had previously battled an opioid addiction. Eric Trump also got on the Kanye train, retweeting the same tweet his dad did and adding a few American flag emojis as well. Less than an hour after he posted his original tweet, West revealed that his wife Kim Kardashian had called him about the Trump tweet. 'My wife just called me and she wanted me to make this clear to everyone. I don't agree with everything Trump does,' he wrote. 'I don't agree 100% with anyone but myself.' Next he posted a photo of Trump and Cook speaking together and said 'caption this photo' Seconds later he wrote: '2 of my favorite people' After that he posted messages which had apparently been sent by Hot 97's host Ebro Darden that seemed to discuss the rapper's support for Trump In December of 2016, he actually met with Trump but soon after deleted all his post about the President after he was hit with a wave of criticism Kardashian took to her own Twitter account to defend West and said he was 'years ahead of his time'. 'Now when he spoke about Trump...Most people (including myself) have very different feelings & opinions about this,' she began. 'But this is HIS opinion. I believe in people being able to have their own opinions, even if really different from mine. He never said he agrees with his politics.' In a separate tweet Kardashian reiterated that she loved and respected her husband. 'Kanye will never run in the race of popular opinion and we know that and that's why I love him and respect him,' she said. Less than an hour later at 10.30 PST, West tweeted that his wife Kim Kardashian had called him about the Trump tweet Kardashian (pictured with West in a recent family photo) was a vocal supporter of Clinton during the 2016 presidential election campaign But Kardashian later took to her own Twitter to defend her husband, tweeting around 12.30pm PST that her husband was 'years ahead of his time' She also hit back at the media, claiming reports of West having 'mental health issues' were 'not fair' and 'actually scary' Donald Trump Jr later tweeted his support following Kardashian's defense of West, using the 2016 Clinton hashtag #ImWithHer 'And in a few years when someone else says the same exact thing but they aren't labeled the way he is and you will all praise them! Kanye is years ahead of his time.' Kardashian also hit back at the media, which she said was trying to 'demonize' West. 'Your commentary on Kanye being erratic & his tweets being disturbing is actually scary,' she wrote. 'So quick to label him as having mental health issues for just being himself when he has always been expressive is not fair.' Don Jr jumped in to show his support for Kardashian, retweeting her defense of West and adding #ImWithHer - the hashtag originally used to show support for Clinton during the 2016 presidential election. West's public support for Trump even made its way into the discussion at the White House press briefing on Wednesday. A reporter asked Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders if Trump had reached out to West following the rapper's recent praise. 'I don't know of any conversation that they've had over the last week or so, I'll keep you posted if that changes,' Sanders said, breaking into a smile. 'I know they met during the transition, that's the only meeting I'm aware of that's taken place, or conversation.' Ivanka Trump jumped on board to retweet Kanye with the hashtag #truth Eric Trump also got on the Kanye train, retweeting the same tweet his dad did and adding a few American flags At 1pm PST he tweeted a screen grab of Trump's retweet - posted half an hour earlier - which he had seen from mediatkd, a Kanye West Twitter fan page West, who made multiple references to becoming the 'future president' in his Wednesday tweets, also posted a picture of a poster for him to become president in 2024 At 1.30PST West posted a screengrab, which appears to be from his longtime collaborator Tracey Mills, texting him that they needed to talk about his Make America Great Again hat West first revealed his support for Trump shortly after the November 2016 election, when he told a California concert audience he would have voted for the Republican. 'I told y'all I didn't vote, right? But if I would've voted, I would've voted for Trump,' he said. 'We live in a racist country. That is a fact. This world is racist, OK? Let's stop being distracted to focus on that as much.' But in a separate tweet on Wednesday, Kanye wrote that he also loved Clinton, who Kardashian publicly supported in the 2016 presidential election. 'If your friend jumps off the bridge you don't have to do the same,' he began. 'Ye being Ye is a fight for you to be you.' 'For people in my life the idea of Trump is pretty much a 50 50 split but I don't tell a Hillary supporter not to support Hillary I love Hillary too.' The rapper continued to discuss free thought, saying he loves when 'people have their own ideas'. 'You don't have to be allowed anymore. Just be. Love who you want to love. That's free thought,' he wrote. 'I'm not even political. I'm not a democrat or a republican.' West (pictured outside an LA music studio on Tuesday) recently came under fire for tweets supporting far right-wing media personality Candace Owens Around 9.30am PST West was discussing free thought, saying he loves when 'people have their own ideas' The rapper declared that he was 'not scared anymore' and 'not scared of the media' either West declared that he was 'not scared anymore' and 'not scared of the media'. 'I'm not scared of the past and I'm optimistic about the future,' he wrote. 'This tweet is in love not fear.' 'With love I am invincible,' he continued in a separate tweet. 'Truth is subjective but love is the most powerful force in the world and the world needs to express more of it.' 'No race religion region or political party can argue with the power of love,' another tweet read. West also began tweeting about love, saying it made him 'invincible' and that 'no race religion region or political party can argue with the power of love' West's Wednesday afternoon tweets began with a proclamation that 'traditional thinkers' were locked in a 'mental prison'. 'Free thinkers don't fear retaliation for your thoughts,' he wrote. 'The traditional thinkers are only using thoughts and words but they are in a mental prison.' 'You are free. You've already won. Feel energized. Move in love not fear. Be afraid of nothing.' West told his fans he was hitting them with his 'zig zag thoughts' and encouraged them to 'unlearn linear thinking', 'decentralize', and 'burn that excel spread sheet', phrases that were written in three separate tweets. The tweets came just hours after West confirmed he had cut ties with his longtime manager Scooter Braun. At one point during his stream-of-consciousness tweets, just before 8am PST, West shared a photo of eldest daughter North with a lady bug The tweets came just hours after West confirmed he had cut ties with his longtime manager Scooter Braun at 7am PST But six hours later West would tweet that he considered Braun to be a 'genius' and hoped his former manager would be part of a 'new platform' he was working on 'I no longer have a manager, I can't be managed,' he tweeted on Wednesday morning. 'I'm nobody's client,' a separate tweet read. Braun confirmed the news on Twitter this week, writing: 'A man's loyalty is truly tested when he is willing to stand by someone who will never show that same respect. 'Don't show that same love and loyalty waiting for reciprocation .. do it because your integrity demands.' Later in the day West said he wanted Braun to be part of a 'new platform' he was creating. 'Scooter is a genius,' he wrote. 'He's more than a manager so is Irving. We all need to sit together.' West also revealed he got rid of his last lawyer 'because he wouldn't come to work full-time'. 'I also asked my last manager to come work full time for Yeezy of course the last lawyer and manager said no,' he explained, seemingly referring to Braun. 'So now I hired a CEO and a CFO and i have two full time lawyers as of now.' Around 8am PST West was proclaiming he was the 'single highest paid person in footwear' and said his fashion company Yeezy is the second 'fastest growing company in history' West then went on to declare himself 'this generation's Ford Hughes Jobs Disney', referring to Henry Ford, Howard Hughes, Steve Jobs, and Walt Disney. The rapper proclaimed he was the 'single highest paid person in footwear' and said his fashion company Yeezy is the second 'fastest growing company in history'. 'It is a unicorn on its way to becoming a decacorn,' he wrote. 'Yeezy will become the biggest apparel company in human history,' West declared in another post. West's tweets then turned to the media, as he called out both TMZ founder Harvey Levin as well as People Magazine for recent stories about the rapper. 'Harvey Levin of TMZ your hearing from your future president,' he wrote. 'Let's be friends. Please never use the word erratic to describe a person who is economically and psychologically empowered.' 'People magazine. Watch how you speak my name,' another tweet read. 'You would love a pair of Yeezys. Don't play yourself.' West tweeted pictures of his home half an hour later, asking his followers if it looked 'like the sunken place', which is a reference to the film Get Out While Kardashian didn't call her husband about sharing pictures of their home on social media, she did tweet that it was against a rule they had made as a couple Get Out director and writer Jordan Peele later chimed in and joked the tweet had inspired him The Harvey Levin tweet was one of two instances in which West referred to himself as the future president on Wednesday. In a tweet that followed shortly afterwards, he proclaimed: 'When we become president we have to change the name of the plane from Air Force one to Yeezy force one'. West then tweeted a number of sales figures for his Yeezy brand, proclaiming 'the Yeezy 700 is adidas most requested shoe' and 'the Yeezy 350s sell 400 thousand pair in four hours. Only thing close to this is the iPhone'. The rapper also tweeted a picture of eldest daughter North with a lady bug as well as pictures of his home, writing: 'do this look like the sunken place', a reference to the recent hit film Get Out. Around 7.45am PST West's tweets turned to the media, as he called out both TMZ founder Harvey Levin and People magazine for recent stories about the rapper He also tweeted more pictures of his home, despite Kardashian's protests, and said he left his emojis 'Bart Simpson color' As his stream-of-consciousness tweets continued, West revealed he leaves his emojis 'Bart Simpson color', that he'd turn the 'Grammys into the Yammys', and that he was 'nice at ping pong'. 'I'm used to the heat of independent thoughts,' he wrote at one point. West also revealed that he had songs coming out with A$AP Rocky, Travis Scott and Lil Uzi. In one tweet he wrote: 'Trav we gotta drop the track with me you and Uzi this week bro. Let's goooooooooooooooooooooooo'. 'Rocky we gotta release our songs ASAP,' he said in another. 'I'm 40 years old and I'm just now becoming my parents child,' another tweet read. West's latest Twitter tirade comes just a day after Ebro Darden claimed that rapper had previously battled an opioid addiction. West's latest Twitter tirade comes just a day after NY radio host Ebro Darden claimed that rapper had previously battled an opioid addiction before canceling his tour in 2016. The rapper is pictured here with Kardashian two months before his tour was canceled Sources have claimed that West (pictured in 2015) does not have an opioid addiction but that he does have an acute mental illness and that those close to him are concerned Darden took to his show Ebro In The Morning on HOT 97.1 in New York City on Monday to share the details of an alleged private conversation between him and West. He claimed West told him: 'Nobody really showed love for me when I was addicted to opioids and in the hospital.' It had been thought that the time that West had suffered from exhaustion weeks after his wife Kim Kardashian was robbed of millions in jewelry in Paris. West famously cancelled his Saint Pablo concert at the The Forum in Inglewood, California on November 20, 2016 before cancelling the rest of the tour the following day. During the same show, Darden claimed West said 'I love Donald Trump' and complained he 'couldn't get anything done' when Barack Obama was president. 'I reached out to Obama for years and couldn't get anything done, but Trump gave me a meeting,' Darden claimed West said during their private conversation. Sources denied Daren's claims that West had an addiction and told The Blast on Monday that he had actually been in the hospital for suffering extreme paranoia after not sleeping for over 48 hours. In the same report, sources close to the rapper claimed that people in his 'inner circle' are concerned with his mental health. They also claimed West has an acute mental illness which was even used as his defense in the lawsuit against Lloyds Of London over insurance money when it came to his canceled tour at the end of 2016. A day after Daren talked about an alleged discussion between the two, Kanye phoned into Ebro In The Morning on New York's Hot 97.1 radio station on Tuesday One source told the publication: 'We are all worried about his current mental health.' They said a recent outburst by West at the studio had many worried as he shouted that he didn't need 'titles' and that he could handle his career 'all by himself'. After saying all business would be 'handled in-house' it is claimed that West finished the outburst by saying 'Yeezy is the new Apple'. Kanye has had many buzzing since his return to Twitter last week but an insider for the publication said that his comments 'aren't making a lot of sense' to his team. It was believed that his social media flood were just to promote his upcoming albums, however, the site report that friends and family believe that he may be 'spiraling into a dark place.' A day after Darden claimed West had an opioid addiction, the rapper called into his show on Tuesday. Rumors have also swirled that West's recent Twitter outbursts have caused him to have 'huge blow-ups' with Kardashian matriarch Kris Jenner (pictured together in 2015) And one source claimed that, during a recent outburst in the studio, West shouted that he didn't need 'titles' and that he could handle his career 'all by himself' But whenever Darden tried to ask him any questions, West would simply reply 'I love you' before breaking out into Stevie Wonder's song I Just Called To Say I Love You. West then told the radio host: 'Meet me up in person and then we can talk afterwards but I just called to say I love you'. Rumors have also swirled that West's recent Twitter outbursts have caused him to have 'huge blow-ups' with Kardashian matriarch Kris Jenner. A source told People that Jenner has been upset with how 'erratic' West is acting and that she's concerned about 'her daughter's brand'. 'Everyone is really, really worried,' the source added. A source said that West has been 'eccentric and erratic' and that he 'genuinely believes he's God and a genius', while another claimed he's 'all over the place'. But another source close to the rapper said he's just 'being Kanye' and that he likes to 'stir the pot'. 'He's willing to take risks with his public persona,' they said. 'He doesn't take it as serious as the internet takes it.' Locals have slammed nudists for drifting from a clothing-optional beach to a more family-orientated foreshore nearby. A father from Mount Eliza, south of Melbourne, claims he and several other residents have become fed up with nudists straying from Sunnyside beach to Moondah Beach. Not only are they crossing the rocks that separate the two, the man, who wished to remain anonymous, said he's even seen nudists having sex in nearby bushes. Local parents say they're fed up with nudists migrating from clothing-optional Sunnyside beach to family-friendly Moondah Beach (pictured), south of Melbourne A father from Mount Eliza, who wished to remain anonymous, said not only are nudists crossing the rocks that separate the two beaches, but he claims he's even seen them having sex in nearby bushes (pictured is Sunnyside beach) 'It pains me to see what is happening to this beautiful family-orientated beach,' he told the Herald Sun. 'I have always enjoyed a walk with my family along Moondah Beach and have encouraged the children's curiosity searching through the rock pools, however, I no longer will allow it.' 'Not only because of the questions it raises but their exposure to the seedy atmosphere and overt nudity.' The man said he had no problem with people who wanted to bath in the buff, as long as they remained on Sunnyside beach. The man said he will no longer walk on Moondah Beach (pictured) with his children because of the 'seedy atmosphere and overt nudity' Victoria police told the publication officers monitor the area often during the day and at night. Police receive about three reports a month regarding nudists, who have been 'an ongoing issue for 18 years', Mornington Leading Senior Constable Ashley Fletcher said. Constable Fletcher said some nudists have been charged over offences and encouraged anyone who wanted to bathe naked to do so at the designated beach. A strange looking sea creature has left beach-goers puzzled after it swam around their feet in an inquisitive fashion before darting back out to sea. The fish, described as a 'cross between a ling, catfish and flathead' approached a group standing on a sand bar at Yorke Peninsula, near the Spencer Gulf, South Australia. A photo of the odd animal, with a transparent appearance, was shared online Thursday by a friend of the group who saw it for themselves. A strange looking sea creature (pictured) has left beach-goers puzzled after it swam around their feet in an inquisitive fashion before darting back out to sea 'A bit under one metre long, cruising along knee-deep sand bars on Yorke Peninsula Spencer Gulf side,' one of the witnesses told Dave Krantz. 'Looked a bit like a cross between a ling, catfish and flathead, curious about us, lingered, swam over my foot.' Suggestions of the potential species of the fish flooded in, with one immediately writing it off as some kind of fictional predator. 'Zombie killer catfish! Seriously, I'd have to think some sort of estuarine catfish, but just under a metre is very big for one,' someone wrote. 'Baby Loch Ness,' another suggested. Outgoing Race Discrimination Commissioner Tim Soutphommasane was slammed on social media as the Turnbull Government indicated it wanted his $346,000-a-year replacement to have 'middle Australian values'. The 36-year-old former Labor adviser has courted controversy during his five years in the role, with critics accusing him of soliciting complaints against the late cartoonist Bill Leak and being 'anti-white'. Attorney-General Christian Porter told The Australian he wanted the next race discrimination commissioner to be more concerned with upholding 'middle Australian values' than only pandering to minority groups. Scroll down for video Outgoing Race Discrimination Commissioner Tim Soutphommasane (pictured) was slammed on social media as the Turnbull Government advertised his $346,000-a-year job Dr Soutphommasane, who has born in France to Laotian parents, said he hoped his replacement would have a 'fierce commitment to combating racism'. 'Whoever the next Commissioner is, they must speak up for those who experience discrimination, defend racial equality, and do the job without fear or favour,' he tweeted on Thursday morning. Dr Soutphommasane last year rejected a suggestion he had solicited complaints against the late cartoonist Bill Leak by tweeting in 2016 advice on how people could object to his cartoon featuring an alcoholic Aboriginal father. The highly-paid officer with the Australian Human Rights Commission has also campaigned for more ethnic diversity on company boards and last year told a Senate committee parliament and corporations were too 'Anglo-Celtic'. Dr Soutphommasane, who has born in France to Laotian parents, said he hoped his replacement would have a 'fierce commitment to combating racism' A politically conservative man from Western Australia hoped Dr Soutphommasane's replacement wasn't someone who campaigned against white people Another critic was confident the Turnbull Government would choose someone who was better than Dr Soutphommasane A politically conservative man from Western Australia hoped Dr Soutphommasane's replacement wasn't someone who campaigned against white people. 'Hopefully, the next commissioner isn't a race baiting, white hating, political apparatchik,' he tweeted, referencing his previous work as a Labor adviser to former New South Wales premier Bob Carr and ex-prime minister Kevin Rudd. Another critic was confident the Turnbull Government would choose someone who was better than Dr Soutphommasane. 'Christian Porter will bring someone competent to the role. Rest assured,' another man tweeted. Attorney-General Christian Porter on Thursday advised applications had opened for the race discrimination commissioner role, with an appointment of 'up to seven years' to take effect in August. The job comes with a $346,250 salary and a car, and would require someone to uphold the Racial Discrimination Act and promote 'the benefits of cultural and linguistic diversity for all Australians'. A Good Samaritan couple who put up a cross at the spot where a two-year-old girl was found dead in a high-profile case from 2008 says it has mysteriously disappeared for the third time. The remains of Caylee Marie Anthony, two, were found in Orlando after she went missing for five months. Her mother, Casey Anthony, went on trial and was acquitted for her daughters murder in 2011. The sensational case attracted nationwide attention, with Casey Anthony being tagged with the title Americas most hated mom after it was learned she went partying and got tattoos after her daughter went missing. Wally Goodnough of Sarasota, Florida created a fourth cross to mark the spot where Caylee Maria Anthony's remains were found. The first three crosses that he installed at the site mysteriously disappeared The remains of Caylee Marie Anthony, two, were found in Orlando after she went missing for five months. Above is one of the crosses that disappeared at the site Caylee Marie (above) was found dead five months after she went missing in 2008 Her mother, Casey Anthony, went on trial and was acquitted for her daughters murder in 2011 A couple from Sarasota, Florida - Wally and Jeanine Goodnough - went to the swampy area where Caylee Maries remains were found and planted a cross in the girls memory. But the cross was stolen. The couple replaced it with a new cross, which was also stolen. They then planted a third cross. That, too, was stolen two years ago. This is the fourth cross thats going to Orlando. Three others have been stolen, Wally Goodnough told WTSP-TV as he stood alongside the latest cross he had made. Even though hes a total stranger who never knew Caylee Marie, Wally Goodnough said his being a grandfather inspired him to memorialize her. One of the earlier crosses is seen at the site of Caylee Marie's discovery When we went there, it was swamp, he said. People were throwing toys on the ground. This gave them a place to put the toys. It was done out of love for a little girl we never met its why we still do it today, so shell be remembered. The fourth cross, which is made of PVC, includes replica butterflies and angels. The butterflies they are free she can now go where she needs to go, Goodnough said. The purple heart, this was Caylees favorite color. The heart is for love and the flowers for love to let her know someone loves her and she is not forgotten. Goodnough says he has visited the site often because it has been neglected. He has traveled up to Orlando to mow the grass and remove trees that were knocked over during hurricanes. He says he plans to drive to Orlando on Saturday and put in the new cross. Goodnough is pleading with the public to let the cross stay in place. Please dont steal it again. Let it be there for this little girl. Its in honor of her. Nobody else is doing it for her, including her grandparents or her mother This little girl was a real person and she didnt get to live her life like all little kids should. An Anglican minister has trolled critics of Muslim activist Yassmin Abdel-Magied by putting her controversial Anzac Day message on his church's billboard. Father Rod Bower provocatively put, 'Lest we forget (Manus and Nauru)' outside the front of his Gosford church, on the New South Wales Central Coast, after the Sudanese-born former ABC presenter called on people to tweet her controversial Anzac Day post from 2017. The 55-year-old Anglican Archdeacon said his Anzac Day message outside the parish, north of Sydney, was 'the most meaningful way to honour their sacrifice'. An Anglican minister has trolled critics of Muslim activist Yassmin Abdel-Magied by putting her controversial Anzac Day tweet on a billboard Father Rod Bower provocatively put, 'Lest we forget (Manus and Nauru)' outside the front of his Gosford church, on the New South Wales Central Coast, to hail Yassmin Abdel-Magied He tweeted that his message about asylum seekers on Manus Island in Papua New Guinea and Nauru was his way of opposing 'tyranny in all its forms and expressions', using the hashtag, #lestweforgetManus' to express social media solidarity with Yassmin Abdel-Magied. However several critics accused Father Bower of politicising Anzac Day, as the Central Coast Archdeacon of the Anglican Church's socially-liberal Newcastle Diocese. 'Disgusted that you would choose to cheapen the sacrifice of our diggers in this way for your political agenda Fr Bower,' one man tweeted to him. Another man questioned his timing. The Anglican archdeacon used the hashtag '#lestweforgetManus' to echo Yassmin Abdel-Magied The 55-year-old Anglican archdeacon said his Anzac Day message outside the church, north of Sydney, was 'the most meaningful way to honour their sacrifice' after Yassmin Abdel-Magied (pictured) called on people to tweet her 2017 Anzac Day tweet Father Bower's billboard stunt came a year after Yassmin Abdel-Magied equated the sacrifice of diggers with the plight of asylum seekers and the Palestinians 'Today is NOT the day for that,' he said. Another accused him of seeking publicity. 'Well that should get you some publicity. You don't represent the Anglican Church, you're more like a front for Satan,' one man said. 'Certainly you're un-Australian, you have no respect for the sacrifices of our Diggers and lives lost to give you undeserved freedom.' Father Bower's billboard stunt came a year after Yassmin Abdel-Magied tweeted then apologised for equating the sacrifice of diggers with the plight of asylum seekers and Palestinian refugees. 'Lest. We. Forget (Manus, Nauru, Syria, Palestine),' Ms Abdel-Magied said in 2017. Last week, the Sudanese-born former ABC presenter, 27, called on her supporters to tweet '#lestweforgetManus'. Her call was heeded by a legion of left-wing activists on social media, including Father Bower. Father Rod Bower (pictured) has been accused of trivialising the sacrifice of diggers to express social media solidarity with Yassmin Abdel-Magied Several critics accused Father Bower of politicising Anzac Day as the Central Coast Archdeacon of the Anglican Church's socially-liberal Newcastle Diocese One man took issue with Father Bower for using the sacrifice of diggers to push a political agenda A 54-year-old woman has been charged after she allegedly opened fire on a man and woman at in a home. The woman allegedly went to a unit on Main Arm Road near Byron Bay. She is accused of bringing an air rifle to the property where she allegedly fired at a 32-year-old woman and a 33-year-old man. A woman was taken to Byron Bay Police Station (pictured) after she allegedly used an air rifle to shoot at a man and woman (stock image) The pair then escaped to another unit. However the 54-year-old woman allegedly followed them and proceeded to point the rifle at them and a 39-year-old woman. The man then called police and officers from the Tweed/Byron Police district began investigating what happened at the unit. Eventually the woman was arrested and taken to Byron Bay Police Station. The older woman was charged with three counts of stalking/intimidation, firearm likely to injure and possession of an unauthorised firearm. She was granted conditional bail. She is expected to appear at Mullumbimby Local Court on May 28. No one was injured through the ordeal, which took place on April 24 around 3pm. The woman at the centre of an alleged 'dine-and-dash' scam could be sent to prison if convicted of the fraud spree. Lois Loder, from Perth, was slapped with 30 charges, including stealing and fraud, for allegedly fleecing thousands of dollars from businesses across the city. In court on Thursday, Loder was slapped with stricter bail conditions because she didn't report to police and gave an incorrect residential address as part of her original terms, Nine News reported. Lois Loder (pictured), an alleged serial 'dine-and-dasher' could be sent to prison in convicted Loder (right) and her alleged accomplice Chinihn Phun (left) were accused of racking up bills in their thousands on various visits to ritzy hotels and restaurants in Perth The 44-year-old's lawyer claimed she wrote her wrong address and wasn't given her bail conditions so wasn't aware she had to report to police. But prosecutors argued stricter conditions were warranted, and didn't rule out prison if she was convicted. Loder and her alleged accomplice Chinihn Phun were accused of racking up bills in their thousands on various visits to ritzy hotels and restaurants in Perth. She also faces a bevy of charges for various other allegations including not paying for fuel at a service station, using a false credit card to buy alcohol and book a hotel room, and driving a car with stolen number plates. A police prosecutor opposed Ms Loder's bail application in Perth Magistrates Court Monday, saying she had a significant criminal record that included 41 prior convictions for fraud. He noted Ms Loder currently had another 22 similar charges before the court and was likely to receive a summons for a further 46 charges. Loder (right) was slapped with 30 charges, including stealing and fraud, for allegedly fleecing thousands of dollars from businesses across the city Loder (pictured) indicated she'll plead guilty to eight new charges, after a police prosecutor pointed to a criminal record of 41 prior convictions Loder (pictured) has been granted bail under strict conditions including that she does not associate with her alleged co-offender The prosecutor further noted that it would be alleged Loder had a severe drug addiction, and the acts of fraud were exploited to support her habit. Magistrate Robert Young nonetheless granted Ms Loder bail, on the condition she was not to contact or associate with her alleged male co-offender, who is yet to be arrested, and must report to police twice a week. Under new conditions, she was ordered not to contact or see Phun, to report to police daily and not to leave the state. She was next due to appear in court in June. Her charges followed several Perth's businesses posting online claiming Loder and her partner left without paying their bills, which were often in their hundreds. The boss of a financial services company has collapsed and hyperventilated at the banking royal commission. Terry McMaster, the manager of Dover Financial Advisers, halted the inquiry as a public hearing was held in Melbourne on Thursday. Medical help was sought for Mr McMaster, who was later wheeled out of the Commonwealth Law Courts building during the afternoon session, before former High Court justice Kenneth Hayne. The boss of a financial services company has collapsed and hyperventilated at the banking royal commission Terry McMaster, the manager of Dover Financial Advisers, halted the inquiry as a public hearing was held in Melbourne on Thursday The company boss had been facing heavy questioning when he started hyperventilating and slumping forward in his seat, during the hearing which was telecast live on the internet. Counsel assisting the commission Mark Costello had suggested Mr McMaster's company had threatened with defamation a victim who had complained of poor financial treatment. In his company profile, Mr McMaster said he was 'responsible' for 'ensuring Dover complies with the Corporations Act' and 'making sure our advisers provide clear, concise and effective advice that is in the client's best interests and is appropriate to the client' Dover Financial Services sole owner Terry McMaster had been giving evidence to the commission for more than two hours when he began to experience problems. Medical help was sought for Mr McMaster, who was wheeled out of the Commonwealth Law Courts building during the afternoon session before former High Court justice Kenneth Hayne The company boss had been facing heavy questioning when he started hyperventilating and slumping forward in his seat, during the hearing which was telecast live on the internet Commissioner Kenneth Hayne, QC, immediately demanded he receive help and triple-zero be called before clearing the hearing room. Mr McMaster was tended to inside the hearing room and then was stretchered out of the court room. He was conscious when he was put inside an ambulance outside the Federal Court. The financial services boss was having a heated exchange with lawyers when he began breathing heavily. Moments before he collapsed, Commissioner Hayne suggested Mr McMaster's Dover Client Protection Policy could have breached the Corporations Act. Before the Commissioner's warning, counsellor assisting the royal commission Mark Costello had made Mr McMaster agree the polcy was 'Orwellian' in its nature. 'I put it to you, it is Orwellian to describe this as a client protection policy,' Mr Costello said. Counsel assisting the commission Mark Costello had suggested Mr McMaster's company had threatened with defamation a victim who had complained of poor financial treatment One onlooker said Mr McMaster turned 'white as a sheet' when counsellors suggested the policy was poor financial advice. Mr Costello had told the financial services boss that the policy was 'completely consistent with a culture where client complaints are to be fought at all cost.' The policy in question that Mr McMaster was being grilled about had been developed by the company so it could completely avoid liability for any mistakes or misdeeds made by their financial planner. When counsellors asked Mr McMaster if his company's attitude was to seek the highest level of protection from any liability, the financial services boss said, 'yes'. 'Does it then follow that the document is itself misleading or deceptive?,' commissioner Hayne said. He added if Dover Financial Advisers had been engaging in 'misleading or deceptive' conduct, it 'might draw attention to relevant provision' the Australian Security and Investments Commissions role under the law. Amber Rudd today announced she is scrapping targets for deporting illegal immigrants brought in under Theresa May - as she refused to say if she considered quitting over the Windrush scandal. The Home Secretary also said she does not like the phrase 'hostile environment' - Mrs May's flagship policy while Home Secretary. And she vowed to overhaul the Home Office as she fights to cling on to her job following a massive public outcry over the scandal. Ms Rudd faced fresh calls to quit today after she admitted she had no idea her officials were using targets for deporting illegal immigrants. Her humiliating admission in the Commons came less than 24 hours after the Home Affairs Select Committee was told by a union official the targets have been used since 2014. Speaking today a lunch with journalists, Ms Rudd revealed the controversial targets are being scrapped. She said: 'I have not seen approved or cleared any targets looking ahead. And looking ahead I won't be doing that.' Asked directly if she had considered quitting or offered the PM her resignation over the past few torrid days, Ms Rudd refused to give a straight answer. She said: 'I'm committed to making sure go on and take this on. I hope from the comments you have heard me make you can see why I want to go on and make these changes.' Amber Rudd (pictured in the Commons today) today admitted she dis not know the Home Office sets targets for the deportation of illegal immigrants - and does not sport the policy The Home Secretary (pictured in the Commons today) said that 'unfortunately' she was not aware of the policy and will be looking at it again Labour MP David Lammy, who has led the Windrush campaign, said Amber Rudd should resign over the scandal Asked if she felt like a human shield for the PM she said: 'I don't feel I have been used in that way.' Despite the latest debacle over Windrush, the Prime Minister's spokesman said she still has 'full confidence' in Ms Rudd. Ms Rudd and Mrs May have come under intense pressure after it emerged residents who arrived from the Commonwealth from the late 1940s to the early 1970s had become caught up in a crackdown on illegal immigration. People who have legally lived in the UK for decades have lost their homes, jobs or rights to NHS treatment, while some have been locked up in detention centres or threatened with deportation. Miss Rudd yesterday admitted she had been too slow in recognising that there might be a 'systemic' issue over their treatment. And she was hauled back to the Commons today to explain her handling of the scandal. She told MPs in the Commons: 'The immigration arm of the Home Office has been using local targets for internal performance management. What is the Windrush scandal and how did the fiasco develop? June 22, 1948 - The Empire Windrush passenger ship docked at Tilbury from Jamaica. The 492 passengers were temporarily housed near Brixton in London. Over the following decades some 500,000 came to the UK. Many arrived on their parents' passports and were not formally naturalised as British citizens. 1973 - A new immigration Act comes into force putting the onus on individuals to prove they have previously been resident in the UK. 2010 - The Home Office destroyed thousands of landing card slips recording Windrush immigrants arrival dates in the UK. The move came despite staff warnings that the move would make it harder to check the records of older Caribbean-born residents experiencing residency difficulties, it was claimed 2014 - A protection that exempted Commonwealth residents from enforced removal was removed under a new law. Theresa May was Home Secretary at the time. Under a crackdown on illegals, Windrush immigrants are obliged to provide proof they were resident in the UK before 1973. July 2016 - Mrs May becomes Prime Minister. April 2018 - Allegations that Windrush immigrants are being threatened with deportation break. Theresa May issued a grovelling apology to Caribbean leaders after major backlash April 29 - Amber Rudd resigns after inadvertently misleading Parliament by wrongly claiming there were no deportation targets Advertisement 'These were not published targets against which performance was assessed, but if they were used inappropriately then I am clear that this will have to change. 'I have asked officials to provide me with a full picture of performance measurement tools which are used at all levels, and will update the House and the Home Affairs select committee as soon as possible.' She added: 'I think we should have a compassionate, clear and informed approach to immigration.... 'I do not want us to be run by a target culture and I want to make sure that the individual is placed at the heart.' The row is just the latest twist in the Windrush scandal, which has heaped pressure on Ms Rudd and her predecessor, the now Prime Minister Theresa May. Labour MP David Lammy, who has led the Windrush campaign, accused Ms Rudd of lying to the committee yesterday and said she must resign. Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott also called on Ms Rudd to resign, saying: 'When Lord Carrington resigned over the Falklands, he said it was a matter of honour. 'Isn't it time that the Home Secretary considered her honour and resigned?' And the SNP also piled in saying with Alison Thewliss, MP for Glasgow Central, accusing Ms Rudd of presiding over a department which is 'out of control'. Ms Thewliss said: 'There is a litany of callous incompetence in this department and it is a problem of deliberate policy: cruel hostile environment policy by the former home secretary now Prime Minister and continued unabated by the current Home Secretary.' She added: 'This Home Secretary is presiding over a department out of control, marked by cruelty and chaos. 'Will she stop shielding the Prime Minister, will she do the honourable thing and resign?' Ms Rudd has been fighting to cling on to her job for nearly two weeks as stories emerged of Windrush immigrants living in Britain legally for decades being threatened with deportation. They have told how they lost their jobs, homes, were barred from getting cancer treatment over the scandal. Speaking yesterday, Ms Rudd said: 'I bitterly, deeply regret that I didn't see it as more than individual cases that had gone wrong I didn't see it as a systemic issue until very recently,' she said. During the bruising session, Miss Rudd revealed she did not know if any Windrush immigrants had been detained. Amber Rudd appearing in front of the Home Affairs select committee yesterday to give evidence An inspection of removals by the borders and immigration watchdog said targets for voluntary removals of illegal immigrants were set in 2014/15 and for 2015/16 Ms Rudd said she had become aware of the scandal 'months earlier' but had failed to grasp the gravity of the situation Lucy Moreton, general secretary of the Immigration Service Union, had told the committee that officials in each English region had separate targets for the number of deportations. She claimed the national target was about 8,000 a year and said the net removal targets appeared on office posters. But Miss Rudd said she was 'not aware' of any targets, saying she had not heard the evidence put forward by Miss Moreton. Glynn Williams, Home Office director general for border, immigration and citizenship, said: 'I don't think they exist. There are no published removal targets.' What documentation do Windrush immigrants have to provide? Immigrants must fill out a form to apply for a biometric card which allows them to remain in the UK. The application costs 229 per person - but the Home Office has now said it will waive the fee for Windrush immigrants after the controversy. Applicants must fill in a 21-page document . And if they do not have a passport they must provide documents proving they have continuously lived in the UK since 1973. This can include exam certificates, employment records, a National Insurance number, birth and marriage certificates and bills and letters. Advertisement However, it has emerged a December 2015 report by the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration says that targets were set for voluntary departures, which took place when an individual or family notified authorities of their intention to leave the UK. Voluntary departures included people who had approached the Home Office for financial assistance with their travel arrangements. The assistance was available to anyone over 18 who was in the UK illegally, had been refused leave to remain in the UK or had applied for an extension of leave but wanted to withdraw the application and depart. The report said: 'For 2014/15 (10 full months) the Home Office set a target of 7,200 voluntary departures, an average of 120 per week, with the weekly target rising to 160 by the end of March 2015. 'For 2015/16, the annual target was raised to 12,000. These targets were split between the 19 ICE teams across the UK.' The Home Office also had a process for returning families who had no legal right to remain in the UK, which had a 'single numerical target'. The scale of the scandal emerged for the first time yesterday, as MPs were told a helpline set up last week has received more than 1,300 calls about potential Windrush cases. So far 600 have been called back, with 91 appointments made and 23 sets of identity documents handed out. But Ms Rudd admitted she does not know if any Windrush immigrants have been detained because of the scandal. She said that as far as she is 'aware' no one has been deported but there are still 1,000 cases to trawl through to confirm this. Asked when she first knew of the Windrush problems, Ms Rudd said: 'I became aware over the past few months that there was a problem of individuals. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has called for her to step aside as Home Secretary over the bruising scandal MPs were told yesterday that a helpline set up to help those affected has been inundated with nearly 1,300 calls since last week 'This was covered by newspapers, and MPs bringing it forward anecdotally over the past three or four months, and I became aware that there was a potential issue.' Emphasising those affected were here legally, Miss Rudd insisted there is 'nothing wrong' in trying to remove people here unlawfully, and acknowledged she had asked for more removals of such individuals. She also rejected suggestions the Tories' target to bring net migration below 100,000 had fuelled the saga. Earlier in the Commons, Mr Corbyn said Miss Rudd 'inherited a failing policy and made it worse', adding: 'Is it not time she took responsibility and resigned?' Last night it emerged the Home Office and No 10 were told about problems faced by the Windrush generation in 2016. They were alerted after the Barbados government raised concerns with the Foreign Office. At the time, David Cameron was prime minister, Mrs May home secretary and Philip Hammond foreign secretary. The BBC reported that in April 2016, Mr Hammond was told by Caribbean ministers about immigrants facing deportation. It is believed a report was passed to the Home Office. It is not clear at what level the concerns were raised. 40 years as a taxpayer... now gran has lost her job A Windrush grandmother who has paid taxes for almost 40 years was sacked from her charity job because she could not prove her right to remain. Jessica Eugene, who arrived in Britain in 1970, was fired as a receptionist at a migrant charity last month after three years. Miss Eugene, 58, came over from the Caribbean island of Dominica aged just ten and has lived in Stratford, east London, ever since. She considers herself British, has raised four children in the capital and says immigration officers had told her she had an 'indefinite right to remain' here. But now 48 years after her arrival and despite having worked a number of jobs including 17 years at a fair trade organisation she has been told she cannot work and has lost her job at Newham Community Renewal Programme. She said: 'The whole time I had the immigration officers' words in my head, that I had the indefinite right to stay all my life I have worked and paid my taxes, even when I had children I made sure to work part-time.' Miss Eugene, who has two grandchildren, has never had a passport because she has not left the country since 1970. However, she was so convinced of her right to stay that she believed she did not need one. She even claims she tried to clarify her status with the Home Office a year ago to no avail. Only after losing her job was she told that she must provide it with a passport in order to obtain a right to remain. Miss Eugene said the Government's recent announcement that all Windrush immigrants have the right to stay has offered some solace. But she added: 'They need to look at people as individuals. I'm a bit disappointed from a moral point of view I just wanted an apology.' The Home Office said it had no record of Miss Eugene sending it an application but emphasised that all Windrush immigrants should be in no doubt of their right to remain. Newham Community Renewal Programme was approached for comment. Advertisement An Australian mother was nearly 'eaten alive' by a flesh-eating bug after scratching her finger when she caught her ring. Clare Scott, from Brisbane, said she was left looking like a shark attack victim and came close to death after her right arm and hand were ravaged by a virulent bacteria. Doctors battled to save the 37-year-old's limb by using skin from her right thigh - one of nine operations she has endured - to cover the gaping wounds. During her treatment, medics said they believed she had necrotising fasciitis - a rare but serious bacterial infection, referred to as a 'flesh-eating bug.' Mrs Scott, a stay-at-home mother, believes her problems started when she caught her finger moving house in May 2017. Australian mother Clare Scott (pictured) was nearly 'eaten alive' by a flesh-eating bug after scratching her finger when she caught her ring. She is pictured in hospital as doctors battled to save her limb Doctors battled to save the 37-year-old's limb by using skin from her right thigh - one of nine operations she has endured - to cover the gaping wounds. Her right hand is shown after the skin graft Doctors told Mrs Scott (pictured in hospital with sons Winston, Orson and Finley) during treatment that they believed she had necrotising fasciitis She said: 'At one point, I looked like the victim of a shark attack. I truly count myself as being lucky to be alive.' When she and her IT engineer husband, Alister, 36, moved into their new home on May 20 last year, she was so busy unpacking that she did not remember catching her ring finger on her right hand. She said: 'I noticed a small pain, but I had been doing a lot of moving and washing-up, so I thought I must have caught it on something, but it was nothing serious. 'I had children to organise and a house to unpack, so I was just keen on getting on with it.' But, by the evening of May 20, Mrs Scott - who has three children, Winston, four, Orson, six, and Finley, eight - said the bottom of her finger was swollen and red and she started vomiting, prompting Alister to call a doctor. Clare Scott, from Brisbane, said she was left looking like a shark attack victim after her right arm was ravaged by a virulent bacteria She added: 'When the doctor arrived at around 5pm she said it looked like it was infected and that I needed to go to A&E at our local hospital.' Taking a taxi to nearby Greenslopes Private Hospital, leaving Alister at home with the children, waiting for their grocery order to be delivered, she was seen by a doctor and given intravenous antibiotics. 'My whole hand had swollen up and the pain and feeling of pressure was spreading up my arm,' Mrs Scott recalled. 'But still I didn't think it was serious. I insisted Alister and the kids wait for the shop at home, before coming to collect me later.' Instead, doctors decided to keep her in overnight, saying she would be released by morning. Overwhelmed by pain, though, Mrs Scott woke up screaming. She said: 'My hand and arm looked like a balloon had been blown up. They were getting bigger and bigger. I felt like it my limb would explode any moment.' Alarmed hospital staff called a surgeon out of theatre, who warned Mrs Scott that she would need surgery straight away, to alleviate the pressure. Mrs Scott, a stay-at-home mother, believes her problems started when she caught her finger moving house, in May 2017, when she caught her right hand with her ring finger. Her hand is pictured being cleaned out during her treatment Mrs Scott had to endure an emergency debriding procedure, to cut out the dead tissue. Pictures show how deep the doctors had to go to remove the affected area The stay-at-home mother was discharged on June 16 last year, but then had liposuction in February this year, to reduce the size of her hand. Her inflated limb is pictured before the procedure Mrs Scott (pictured relaxing at Christmas) said her problems started when the bottom of her finger was swollen and red and she started vomiting Mrs Scott is pictured before her ordeal with husband Alister and their three children Making an incision from Mrs Scott's hand up to her elbow, surgeons aimed to reduce the swelling and test the skin, to find out what was causing the infection. Baffled when the limb remained swollen and the pain intensified, she was transferred to intensive care, and two days after surgery went under the knife twice more, enabling the doctor to open the wound and perform further tests. After her third operation on May 26, medics delivered the devastating news to Mrs Scott and her family that they believed she had necrotising fasciitis - a rare but serious bacterial infection, referred to as a 'flesh eating bug'. The following day she had an emergency debriding procedure, to cut out the dead tissue. 'I was told there was a 50 per cent chance of me coming out of the operation alive,' she said. 'Even then, there was a real chance I could lose my fingers, hand or even my whole arm. When Mrs Scott (left) and her IT engineer husband, Alister (right), 36, moved into their new home on May 20 last year, she was so busy unpacking that she did not remember catching her ring finger on her right hand After her third operation on May 26, medics delivered the devastating news to Mrs Scott and her family that they believed she had necrotising fasciitis - a rare but serious bacterial infection, referred to as a 'flesh eating bug' Doctors used skin from her thigh to cover her injuries. She then had to have further surgery to separate her fingers. She is pictured the procedure Mrs Scott said that before one operation she was told 'there was a 50 per cent chance of me coming out of the operation alive' 'That's when I really freaked out and broke down. I was a mum, I had a loving husband, and I couldn't imagine my family not having me around, or not being able to carry out all the normal activities we enjoyed - like going to the park, or hugging my kids.' Skilled surgeons managed to save her arm, but Mrs Scott realised she had a long road ahead of her. She continued: 'I just wanted things to go back to how they were. 'I had huge black stitches in my hand and I was told I would need more procedures to wash it out and keep it clean, before having a skin graft to cover the area where the dead skin had been removed from. 'Being in intensive care meant I didn't get to see my children very much, because it was such a morbid environment we decided it wouldn't be good for them to be in there.' Then, on June 5, just over two weeks after she first started feeling ill, Mrs Scott had her most major operation to date. Although she knows she will never regain the feeling in her right hand, Mrs Scott (pictured) is determined to get as much movement back as possible On June 5, just over two weeks after she first started feeling ill, Mrs Scott had her most major operation to date. In an 11-hour procedure, medics used skin from her inner right thigh to cover the flesh that had been removed Doctors had to clean out her arm and hand and remove any of the dead tissue before they could carry out further treatment In an 11-hour procedure, medics used skin from her inner right thigh to cover the flesh that had been removed from her hand and arm - leaving her fingers webbed, so the graft would take. She said: 'It was strange seeing the freckles I was used to have on my leg, right there on my hand. Leg skin is so different, so much thicker, so it made my hand enormous. 'I had to learn to use my left hand , as I had done my right - even learning to write again. 'As a right-handed person, anything I write now, using my left hand, looks really childlike.' Kept in hospital for another two weeks, Mrs Scott had intensive physiotherapy, to try and stimulate movement. She also had further surgery to separate her fingers, on August 28. Mrs Scott (pictured with son Winston) has had intensive physiotherapy, to try and stimulate movement. She also had further surgery to separate her fingers, on August 28 Gruesome hospital pictures show the lengths doctors went to in a bid to clean out the affected area Mrs Scott was sent home to recover after a skin graft. Pictures show her hand after the operation Discharged on June 16, she then had liposuction in February this year, to reduce the size of her hand. Although she knows she will never regain the feeling in her right hand, Mrs Scott is determined to get as much movement back as possible. 'I want to be able to pick my children up properly, hug them, and be able to play with them without being in pain,' she added. 'I am so happy I kept my hand, but I have still lost an awful lot, although I'm hoping I'll regain full movement. But I'm so grateful to the doctors and to my family. 'I really couldn't have got through all this without Alister's support, he's been incredible.' This is the shocking moment a female tourist is caught on camera stripping at a busy Spanish airport in front of astonished holidaymakers and cabbies. The blonde woman of unknown nationality was seen stripping completely naked from the waist down before struggling to put on a pair of leggings at Palma Airport in Majorca. Video footage shows her attempting a quick change by the taxi rank outside the airport, but she appears to regard underwear superfluous. Stay classy: Video footage shows the unknown woman stripping off at the airport on Mallorca At one point she appears to be struggling to stay upright while putting on her leggings, and is forced to sit down on the pavement in a fit of giggles. One onlooker filming the bizarre scene, said to have taken place on Wednesday, raged in a running commentary in Spanish: 'Here we are. Nice and cool without any clothes on at the airport. 'This is how it is. Now I'm taking off my knickers. It's amazing. How disgusting!' It was not immediately clear today if police had been called to the airport, where public nudity is not normally an issue. However, more than 100 people were fined last year for public nudity or sexual activity in public in Calvia, the Majorcan municipality which includes Magaluf, the holiday destination popular among Brits. The blonde woman is seen attempting a quick change by the taxi rank outside the airport Challenged: t one point she appears to be struggling to stay upright while putting on her leggings, and is forced to sit down on the pavement No breakdown of nationalities, or details on exactly where the fines were levied, were made available, although most are thought to have been written out in Magaluf. S'Arenal, a party resort on the island which is popular with German tourists, is also the scene of regular summer debauchery. Last July a tourist was pictured coming out of Palma Airport and jumping into a taxi with a bright yellow Borat-style mankini on. Last September a British mother-of-three was filmed wrestling with another woman on the floor at Alicante Airport as she got off a Ryanair flight from Newcastle. The two women had to be prised apart by a bystander. Majorcan resorts like Magaluf - a short drive from Palma Airport - have spent the last few summers waging war on badly behaved tourists and drunkenness. A mother has told how her eight-year-old son was raped by a schoolfriend on a play date as the shocking scale of sex attacks on young children has been revealed. The parent had invited the boy, who was younger than her son and a friend from primary school, over to the family home to play with Lego. After the two children went up to the boy's bedroom, the friend wedged the door shut with a chair and drew the curtains before asking to see the boy's genitals. The mother, who gave her name as Sarah, said the boy then raped her son and told him not to tell his parents, who would be angry with him if he did so. Speaking on BBC's Victoria Derbyshire Show, Sarah revealed that the boy attempted to rape her son on four other occasions beforehand Speaking on BBC's Victoria Derbyshire Show, Sarah revealed that the boy attempted to rape her son on four other occasions beforehand. The abuse was finally revealed during bedtime, after she asked her son what was wrong after he became visibly upset when the boy had left. But after reporting the incident to police, she was told by officers that there was nothing they could do as the boy was under the age of criminal culpability. The event had left Sarah's son with severe depression and threats of self-harming and 'wanting to die'. It comes as the amount of cases of abuse carried out by schoolfriends on each other doubled in the last four years. Mosac, which supports parents and carers of sexually abused children, said that cases had risen to 58 in 2017, up dramatically from 27 in 2013. Sarah told Victoria Derbyshire that she had been ignorant to the possibility that her child could be abused by primary school-age friends. Speaking about the impact the incident has had on her son, she added: 'He's not the same boy. He's still regularly prone to low moods. The mother, who gave her name as Sarah (shown in a disguise), told Victoria Derbyshire that the boy then raped her son and told him not to tell his parents Sarah told Victoria Derbyshire that she had been ignorant to the possibility that her child could be abused by primary school-age friends 'That evening he just wasnt himself. He said he just doesnt want to be here anymore. He told me he was in pain because someone had been hurting him. 'I was absolutely gobsmacked. I couldnt believe it. He kept crying and crying. He was in such a state, I didnt know what to do. 'Next morning called the school and the police. We told the head he didnt want to come into school and we didnt want to bump into the boys family either. 'The police told us they interviewed him but as he was under the age of criminal prosecution there was little they could do. 'Its quite hard to accept that something horrific can happen and there are no consequences. It seems completely wrong to me.' It comes as the amount of cases of abuse carried out by schoolfriends on each other doubled in the last four years (stock image) Sarah said she wanted to raise awareness and tell other parents about the dangers of child-on-child sex attacks. 'Young children are capable or raping or abusing young children,' she added. 'I thought if I dont know, that must mean lots of others arent aware of it. 'We need to start talking about child-on-child abuse. Its so hushed up and I dont feel comfortable with that. 'You just cant help but feel some guilt. But who thinks a child is capable of such a thing? 'I certainly didnt suspect a child could do it. It makes you suspicious of other children and their families. 'I feel there is a lot of ignorance over this issue; this could happen to your child, it happens. I think schools can be dismissive of those early signs.' Hundreds of supporters of Alfie Evans have taken part in a protest and vigil outside the British Consulate in Krakow, Poland. It comes after the 23-month-old's parents lost their latest appeal to have their terminally ill son transferred to Italy for treatment yesterday. Crowds gathered to light candles and place teddy bears outside the British Embassy in the centre of the city overnight, with many saying prayers for the sick toddler. Hundreds of supporters of Alfie Evans have taken part in a protest and vigil outside the British Consulate in Krakow, Poland (Pictured: People lay flowers and toys outside the embassy) A Polish newspaper report said the 'protest and solidarity campaign' was organized by the All-Polish Youth, a controversial organisation with a Catholic and nationalist ideology. Some of those taking part scrawled messages on the side of the building in both Polish and Englisgh. One reads: 'God save Alfie Evans' and others say 'Stick to Alfie, we pray for you' and 'Great Britain, you will never be great again'. One woman, Aneta Polit, told the paper: 'I am deeply upset that a small, innocent child was condemned to a terrible death by a British judge. 'I am surprised by the doctors, who are called to save lives, that they agreed to something like that. As a history teacher, I was immediately thought of the Auschwitz Birkenau camp, where people were condemned to death from hunger and thirst only because they were sick or the occupier considered them 'unnecessary'. Some of those taking part scrawled messages on the side of the building in both Polish and Englisgh. One reads: 'God save Alfie Evans' and others say 'Stick to Alfie, we pray for you' and 'Great Britain, you will never be great again' A Polish newspaper report said the 'protest and solidarity campaign' was organized by the All-Polish Youth, a controversial organisation with a Catholic and nationalist ideology 'I feel very sorry for the parents of this child. What torture they must be experiencing.' Last night's demonstration comes after Polish president, Andrzej Duda, tweeted earlier that the seriously ill toddler 'must be saved'. Duda is a devout Catholic - and the church is very important to him. A 2005 survey in Poland suggested as many as 88 per cent of Polish people identify as Catholic. And yesterday members of Liverpool's Polish community gathered outside Alder Hey Hospital and waved their country's flags as they protested alongside right-to-life campaigners. Alder Hey Children's Hospital have repeatedly argued in court that further treatment is not in Alfie's best interests and several high court judges have ruled in their favour and stated they are acting in the youngster's best interests. Supporters shared this photo of mother Kate James cradling her son at Alder Hey Hospital in Liverpool, where doctors have withdrawn life support. He is still alive two days later Yesterday Court of Appeal judges rejected Alfie's parents' plea for him to be flown to the Pope's children's hospital in Rome. His father, Tom Evans, said they would not be going to the Supreme Court today to pursue their Italian plan and said: 'We could take it further, but would it be the right thing to do? 'So what we do today, we have a meeting with doctors at Alder Hey and now start asking to go home. Alfie doesn't need intensive care no more.' Alfie's parents held another vigil at his bedside overnight and posted video and photographs of their son sleeping peacefully and even appearing to smile at one point. ISIS fanatics have vowed to bring bloodshed to the skies with attacks on aircraft. The terror group warned plane passengers 'you will be easy prey' in a chilling online poster showing what appears to be the inside of an aircraft cabin. The latest propaganda was released on pro-ISIS internet platforms with the threat issued in English, French and Arabic. ISIS was widely believed to have been behind the downing of a Russian tourist jet leaving the Egyptian resort of Sharm el Sheikh in 2015 killing all 224 people on board. ISIS fanatics have vowed to bring bloodshed to the skies with attacks on aircraft. The terror group warned plane passengers 'you will be easy prey' in a chilling online poster (pictured) showing what appears to be the inside of an aircraft cabin UK tour operators only resumed flights to the area that travel over the nation's Sinai region where ISIS has a foot-hold this year. The chilling vow comes as ISIS suffered yet another blow in the Middle East where it has just three per cent of its captured territories remaining. Security forces in Iraq have revealed they arrested a senior ISIS propaganda chief who was head of the regime's radio station. He was captured along with three of his aides to the south of Mosul. 'Security troops were notified that Islamic State's Garallah Khairo Habash, who was the head of al-Bayan radio station, was along with three of his companions in al-Azaba village, south of Mosul,' Cap. Khaled Walid, of Nineveh police command, said. ISIS was widely believed to have been behind the downing of a Russian tourist jet leaving the Egyptian resort of Sharm el Sheikh in 2015 killing all 224 people on board 'Fake ID cards with names of civil servants were possessed by the members. They were confiscated, while the members were detained at the operations command for investigations,' he added. The station went on-air from Mosul in 2015 a year after the city was captured by ISIS forces. It broadcasted in a range of languages including Arabic, Russian, Kurdish and English. The al-Bayan programmes were credited with being 'highly professional and slickly produced' and were compared to the BBC for tone and quality. The station offered a wide range of programming including Koran recitations, speeches, language instruction and interview shows, interspersed with regular news bulletins and war reports from al-Bayan correspondents in Iraq and Syria Its English-language news bulletins were delivered by an American-accented, male newsreader. The station went off-air after an air strike in late February 2017 as part of the battle to liberate the city. Iraqi forces discovered the al-Bayan HQ in March 2017 in an upmarket area of Mosul. ISIS had burnt it down before fleeing. Rebel Tory MPs accused Brexiteers of talking 'rubbish' on EU trade today as they ramped up the pressure on Theresa May. Former ministers Ken Clarke, Anna Soubry and Dominic Grieve were among senior Conservatives using a Commons debate to demand the PM drop her opposition to staying in a customs union with the bloc. The Prime Minister's prospects of holding her Brexit red lines are being tested in a non-binding session in the House - after the government suffered an overwhelming defeat on the issue in the Lords. Downing Street has played down the significance of the showdown, insisting it is a 'routine backbench business debate'. Most Tory MPs are expected to stay away from the division lobbies. In a passionate speech this afternoon, former Chancellor Ken Clarke said the best way to avoid putting up trade barriers was to stay in the customs union The Commons is debating the idea of staying in a customs union as pressure grows on Mrs May from both Brexiteers and Remainers Tory grandee Mr Clarke said the idea that the EU was holding Britain back from trading globally was 'rubbish' But Europhile MPs believe they can put on a show of strength that could force the Prime Minister to think again. In a passionate speech this afternoon, Mr Clarke said the best way to avoid putting up trade barriers was to stay in the customs union. 'It would do terrible damage to this country if for strange ideological reasons... we were not to replicate it in any future arrangements we had,' he told MPs. Mr Clarke said the idea that the EU was holding Britain back from trading globally was 'rubbish'. Ms Soubry said it seemed 'perverse' that Britain wanted to 'put up a whole load of barriers' to stop access to the 'best free trade area' in the world. Intervening in a speech by Labour's Yvette Cooper, Ms Soubry said: 'Does she agree with me that it seems rather perverse that at a time when we want to increase free trade, we're going to put up a whole load of barriers to stop access in that best free trade area that is existing in the world?' Mr Grieve said any good free trade deal with the EU would inevitably end up looking like a customs union. He also claimed that government whips had asked him not to speak in the debate as it could help Labour win power. But Mr Grieve said a left-wing government was more likely 'if people of a moderate and sensible disposition stop debating important issues'. Treasury committee chairman Nicky Morgan said: 'I do want us to have a customs agreement with the EU. 'Whether that means we must reach a completely new customs agreement, become an associate member of the customs union in some way, or remain a signatory to some elements of it, I hold no preconceived position.' Conservative former minister Ed Vaizey said it was 'in the interests of the economy' to stay in the customs union. 'It seems to me if you're going to leave the European Union, which you are, and you're a free and sovereign nation, you can then make decisions that are in the interests of your economy,' he said. 'If it's in the interests of our economy to be a member of a customs union, it should be possible for Parliament to debate that and make that decision without being accused of betraying the will of the British people.' The debate comes amid growing pressure on Mrs May from both Brexiteers and Remainers. Yesterday the DUP's Westminster leader Nigel Dodds said his party - which is propping up Mrs May in power - could never accept a deal that led to Northern Ireland being treated differently from the rest of Britain. He told the Conservative Home website: 'If, as a result of the Brexit negotiations, there was to be any suggestion that Northern Ireland would be treated differently in a way for instance that we were part of a customs union and a single market and the rest of the UK wasn't for us that would be a red line. Treasury committee chairman Nicky Morgan said: 'I do want us to have a customs agreement with the EU.' Mr Grieve said any good free trade deal with the EU would inevitably end up looking like a customs union 'We would vote against the Government, because you might as well have a Corbyn government pursuing openly its anti-Unionist policies as have a Conservative government doing it by a different means. 'The Government's well aware that when it comes to Brexit and the United Kingdom, the United Kingdom has to leave the European Union and all its institutions together.' Mr Dodds said there were forces in Dublin, Brussels and Westminster trying to exploit the Irish border issue to 'thwart Brexit'. He accused them of 'continually harping on about the border (even though) they've never shown any interest in Northern Ireland'. There were also a series of calls from senior Tories to stick to her pledge to take the UK out of the customs union. Commons Leader Andrea Leadsom said it would be 'ludicrous to be in a customs union' after Brexit as it would rob Britain of the ability to strike new trade deals. In the Commons, Tory grandee Julian Lewis asked Mrs May if she 'still subscribes to her excellent maxim that no deal is better than a bad deal, and does she acknowledge that locking ourselves into a customs union with the EU after Brexit would be a very bad deal indeed?' Theresa May's prospects of holding her Brexit red lines will be tested in a non-binding debate in the House. She is pictured in Downing Street today with Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev A handful of Europhile Conservatives - including former ministers Nicky Morgan (left) and Dominic Grieve (right) - have publicly vowed to back today's motion Commons Leader Andrea Leadsom said yesterday that it would be 'ludicrous to be in a customs union' after Brexit as it would rob Britain of the ability to strike new trade deals The Prime Minister replied: 'I am very happy to confirm what I have always said: no deal is better than a bad deal. 'As regards being in a customs union, that means that we would not be able to negotiate our own trade deals around the rest of the world, and we want to be able to do that.' Brexit Secretary David Davis told MPs he would regard it as a failure if the UK had to stay in the customs union beyond the end of 2020, when the Brexit transition period ends. Mr Davis said he hoped the first new trade deal would be ready to sign the day on the first day of 2021 something that would be impossible if the UK stayed in the customs union. However, he acknowledged that MPs would be able to amend a vote on the final Brexit deal this autumn potentially allowing pro-Remain MPs to send Mrs May back to the negotiating table. Mr Davis did not rule out the possibility, but questioned how much force the Government would have in negotiations if it was 'sent back with its tail between its legs by Parliament'. Labour MP Stephen Kinnock warned there would be a constitutional crisis if the Government ignored an instruction from Parliament. But Mr Davis told MPs: 'I'm not going to speculate on amendments that have not even yet been laid, let alone been passed by the House.' WHY DO THE CUSTOMS UNION AND SINGLE MARKET MATTER AND WHAT COULD HAPPEN AFTER BREXIT? When Britain stays in a custom union with Brussels (the European Commissions headquarters is pictured) is one of the main points of Brexit contention The customs union and single market have emerged as crucial battlegrounds in the struggle over Brexit. The customs arrangements could decide the fate of the overall deal - as the UK has already said it will ensure there is no hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic. Here are the main options for what could happen after Britain leaves the bloc. Staying in the EU single market A Norway-style arrangement would be the deepest possible without formally staying in the EU. The single market rules out tariffs, quotas or taxes on trade, and guarantees free movement of goods, services, capital and - controversially - people. It also seeks to harmonise rules on packaging, safety and standards. Staying in the EU customs union The customs union allows EU states to exchange goods without tariffs, and impose common tariffs on imports from outside the bloc. But they also prevent countries from striking deals outside the union. Theresa May has repeatedly made clear that the UK will be leaving the customs union. Forging a new customs union Some MPs and the Labour leadership have raised the idea of creating a new customs union with the EU. This could be looser than the existing arrangements, but still allow tariff free trade with the bloc. However, many Eurosceptics believe it is impossible to be in a union without hampering the UK's ability to strike trade deals elsewhere. They also complain that it would mean accepting the EU's 'protectionist' tariffs against other parts of the world in areas like agriculture. The PM has also ruled out this option. A customs partnership Less formal than a union, this proposal would seek to cherry pick the elements that facilitate tariff-free trade - without binding the UK's hands when it comes to deals with other countries. One possibility could be keeping the UK and EU connected for trade in goods, but allowing divergence for the services sector. The partnership option was floated by the government in a position paper last year. 'Highly streamlined' customs This scenario would be a 'bare minimum' customs arrangement between the EU and UK. New technology would be deployed alongside a simple agreement to minimise friction. But there are fears that this could hit trade, and it is unclear how the system would work with a 'soft' Irish border. Advertisement Germany's supreme court is set to rule on whether to make age checks mandatory for migrants arriving in the country claiming to be minors. The proposal has been criticized by the German Medical Association, which has branded the tests unethical and 'an invasion of personal well-being'. It comes after a series of reports from German cities that one third to around half of unaccompanied child migrants who underwent tests, were in fact adults. Influx: Migrants and refugees are seen queuing outside the Berlin Office of Health and Social Affairs as they wait for their registration in September 2015 Last year, 49 per cent of refugees and migrants who arrived in the city of Hamburg without any family members claiming to be underage were adults, as reported by Die Welt. In the state of Saarland, where checks are carried out on all unaccompanied child refugees under a local policy, roughly 35 per cent were adults, DW.com reports. More than 1.6 million people seeking asylum, mainly from Middle Eastern and African countries, have entered Germany since 2014. In 2016 alone, 35,939 of these were unaccompanied minors, according to the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF). At the moment, the age of a minor who arrives in Germany without identification is determined through an interview with a social worker and a 'visual inspection'. Migrant crisis: Police are seen detaining a group of migrants arriving at Munich's main rail station from Hungary without passports or valid visas in 2015 If there is any doubt, a medical test can be ordered, but this is not mandatory. This could change following today's ruling by the Federal Administrative Court, one of the Germany's five supreme courts. There are several medical tests that can help determine a person's age, such as x-rays of bones and teeth. However, these tests have a significant error margin of several years, which could become an issue for migrants in their late teens. The proposal comes in the wake of a number of well-published crimes involving migrants or refugees claiming to be under-age where a medical test has determined the perpetrator to be an adult. Last month, Afghan asylum seeker Hussein Khavari was jailed for the rape and murder of medical student Maria Ladenburger, 19, in October 2016 in the university town of Freiburg. At the time of the murder, Khavari claimed to be 17, but testing on his teeth showed him to be between 22 and 29 years old. His own father later claimed he is 34. A man has been charged after he allegedly faked cancer and was thought to have cashed in sick leave payments as well as money for his 'cancer treatment'. The employee allegedly scammed his work for more than $400,000 before they realised he wasn't sick at all. The 43-year-old worked for a travel wholesale company in Sydney. The 43-year-old will appear at Downing Centre Local Court for defrauding his employer for $429,318 The employer is also thought to have handed the man cash payments for his 'cancer' treatment. An audit for the company exposed the ploy and found he had made 82 unauthorised transactions from the company's business account to his personal account. The fraudulent payments to his personal accounts totaled at $429,318. It was reported to police from Sydney City Police Area Command who began the inquiry in to the man. The man has been charged after he allegedly faked cancer and cashed in 25 days on sick leave from the company he worked for as well as additional payments for his 'cancer treatment'. He was arrested on Thursday and charged with defrauding the company. The man was charged with five counts of dishonestly obtain financial advantage by deception and granted conditional bail. He will appear at Downing Centre Local Court on Wednesday 23 May 2018. This the moment a British 'drug mule' was arrested by police in Peru after they allegedly found 4.5million worth of cocaine in his suitcase. Sean Woods, 24 from Liverpool, can be seen being arrested by officers before being put in the back of a police car. Later, his blue suitcase is emptied by officials, who remove 31 blocks of what they claim is cocaine hydrochloride. The 24-year-old, who could be jailed for 25 years, is refusing to speak to lawyers because he reportedly fears reprisal from South American drug cartels. In the footage, Mr Woods can be heard confirming he is English and telling officers that he doesn't speak Spanish as they search his pockets. The clip shows him being arrested by police, who examine and search his blue suitcase. The suitcase, which allegedly contains 4.5million worth of cocaine, can be seen resting on the side near the 24-year-old. Sean Woods, 24, was arrested by Peruvian police who caught up with allegedly 4.5 million worth of cocaine in his suitcase You can also see the moment Mr Woods is sitting in a police car, surrounded by officers. Later, he can be seen writing down some details while police empty the case. They remove a significant number of blocks, reportedly 31 bricks of cocaine hydrochloride. In the clip, you can see officers surrounding and arresting the British man while searching his pockets Eventually, the case is emptied with an increasingly worried-looking Mr Woods leaning forward in a chair and watching on. The Peruvian officials take photographs of the stash and can be heard discussing it among themselves. Mr Woods could face up to 25 years in prison if he were found guilty of smuggling drugs, the Mirror reports. Pictures released by Peruvian police show him in handcuffs after police reportedly held him in a shopping mall, where they allegedly found a suitcase full of drugs. Mr Woods sits on a chair and watches on while the police officers empty his suitcase of what they say is 31 bricks of cocaine hydrochloride Mr Woods, 24 from Liverpool (pictured), was arrested by police in Peru after he was caught 'red handed' Refusing to co-operate, he apparently said: 'I don't know what's in it. He said to meet here at 1 o clock, I don't know phones. I just wait here.' Police officers found 31 brick-type packages containing cocaine hydrochloride inside a suitcase, Peru's Ministerio Publico alleged in a Facebook post last month. In the Facebook post, investigators described Mr Woods as being 'caught red-handed', as they said each of the 31 packages, found in his blue suitcase, were marked with the letter R. Sean Woods, from Liverpool, is refusing to speak to lawyers because he reportedly fears South American drug cartels The Peruvian authorities claimed at the time that Mr Woods was set to secretly transport the 'illicit' packages as part of a drug-mule arrangement. In 2013, Michaella McCollum and Melissa Reid were caught trying to smuggle 24lb (11kg) of cocaine worth 1.5million out of Peru. The pair were jailed for six years and eight months after admitting the crime but were freed in 2016 after striking a deal with Peruvian authorities. Police in California have arrested a man they believe is the Golden State Killer, almost four decades after his first victim was murdered. While investigators have said DNA played its part in tracking down 72-year-old suspect Joseph James DeAngelo, they have not revealed exactly how it was used. But Paul Haynes, a researcher who spent years studying the killings, believes he knows the answer. Paul Haynes (left), a researcher who spent years studying the Golden State Killer, believes he knows how police were able to identify suspect Joseph James DeAnglo, 72 Haynes believes officers used the killer's DNA to find a relative through ancestry websites before coming their family tree for possible IDs. From there, they collected a sample of DeAngelo's DNA from his trash (home pictured), before matching to the the killer Speaking with Slate, Haynes said he think cops used DNA collected from the murder scenes to find likely ancestors using DNA markers collected by ancestry websites. Officers could then have established that ancestor's family tree before looking through it to find likely suspects. It would then have been a case of matching a sample of that suspect's DNA, which officers said they collected from DeAngelo's trash, to the samples they already had from the killer. Haynes spent four years as lead researcher for Michelle McNamara, who was completing this book on the killer when she died of an accidental overdose in 2016 Police have been in possession of the killer's DNA for decades, having collected it from his crime scenes, but it did not mach with an identity in any of their databases. However, Haynes was keen to stress that his theory is only an educated guess, and he is also eager for police to reveal how they really did it. Reacting to the news of DeAngelo's arrest, Haynes said he is 'exhilarated', even though the name was not on any of the lists of suspects he drew up. 'I knew that would be the case,' he said, 'somebody on nobody's radar who I never would have found.' In total Haynes spent seven years studying the Golden State Killer, including four as lead researcher for Michelle McNamara, the late wife of comedian Patton Oswalt. Their research was to be used for a book that McNamara was in the process of finishing when she died of an accidental drug overdose in April 2016. Oswalt, Haynes, and another researcher called Billy Jensen, published I'll Be Gone In The Dark posthumously in February this year, two months before DeAngelo's arrest. By sheer coincidence, the trio gathered in Illinois on Tuesday night to celebrate the book, just hours before DeAngelo was taken into custody. Haynes added: 'I'm just so sad that Michelle wasn't here to see this.' DeAnglo has so far been charged with six counts of murder. Overall, the Golden State Killer was said to be responsible for 12 murders and more than 50 rapes from the late 70s until the mid-80s. Patton Oswalt, Michelle's husband (together left in 2012), published her work posthumously in February this year with the help of Haynes and researcher Billy Jenkins (right, with Oswalt) Oswalt paid a final tribute to his late wife on Wednesday night after DeAngelo was behind bars. The award-winning comedian appeared on 'Late Night with Seth Meyers' to discuss details that led to the arrest of the infamous murderer. 'Her book and the article that led to the book really amped up of the interest in the case, and really put a lot of focus on this, not to discredit the work that the police and the lab technicians did, but it is this - it was like, it was her dream,' Oswalt told Meyers. 'So I basically begged [Jensen and Haynes] and the publishers to find a way to - and they were the ones who found a way to finish it, and put it together.' After news broke of the arrest on Wednesday morning, Oswalt tweeted: 'I hope you got him, Michelle. I hope THEY got him.' Oswalt added that he'd like some answers from the famous killer that his late wife always wanted to know. 'If they've really caught the #GoldenStateKiller I hope I get to visit him. Not to gloat or gawk - to ask him the questions that @TrueCrimeDiary wanted answered in her 'Letter To An Old Man' at the end of #IllBeGoneInTheDark,' he tweeted. A shadow Cabinet minister lashed out at Len McCluskey today after the union baron accused moderate Labour MPs of using the anti-Semitism row to hammer Jeremy Corbyn. In an incendiary intervention, Mr McCluskey said a 'small number' of incidents were being 'used' to 'attack and undermine' the Labour leader. He also delivered a dark threat about moves to deselect anti-Corbyn politicians - saying 'promiscuous critics' should expect to be 'held to account'. But shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer said it was 'obvious' the party has an issue with anti-Semitism and those who deny it are 'part of the problem'. Shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer said today it was 'obvious' Labour had an issue with anti-Semitism and those who deny it are 'part of the problem' Union baron Len McCluskey (file image) yesterday accused MPs of using anti-Semitism allegations to 'smear' Jeremy Corbyn 'I disagree with Len McCluskey. Jeremy Corbyn has made it clear, and it is obvious, that we have got a problem with anti-Semitism. We have got to deal with it robustly and effectively,' he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. 'Part of that is the disciplinary procedure, which needs to be much quicker and much more effective, but there is also a cultural question. 'Part of that cultural question is to stop those denying that there is even a problem. That is part of the problem. So I am afraid I disagree with Len on this.' Writing in the New Statesman magazine, Mr McCluskey accused MPs on Labour's centrist wing of 'working overtime trying to present the Labour Party as a morass of misogyny, anti-Semitism and bullying'. While he insisted that he was fiercely opposed to anti-Semitism and cases needed to be dealt with strongly, he singled out five MPs - Chris Leslie, Neil Coyle, John Woodcock, Wes Streeting and Ian Austin - who he said are 'polluting' the leader's efforts to tackle the problem. 'I look with disgust at the behaviour of the Corbyn-hater MPs who join forces with the most reactionary elements of the media establishment and I understand why there is a growing demand for mandatory reselection,' he wrote. What are the anti-Semitic incidents in Labour that have reached a crisis under Corbyn's watch? Jeremy Corbyn defended an artist who painted an anti-Semitic mural in 2012, questioning why the offensive art should be removed He was a member of a Facebook group which was awash with anti-Semitic rhetoric, and he has described anti-Semitic groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah as 'our friends' The Labour leader stood by when a speaker disrupted the launch of his party's anti-Semitism policy by accusing a Jewish MP of colluding with the press Labour has still failed to expel former London mayor Ken Livingstone, two years after he claimed Hitler supported Zionism. He has still not apologised Delegates at last year's Labour conference complained of a 'witch hunt' against anti-Semitism and heard from a speaker who said it was legitimate to question the Holocaust The problem is so rife in the party the Jewish Labour Movement has had to hold training sessions for party members on how not to be anti-Semitic Labour members and councillors have shared disgusting messages and images on Facebook describing Jewish people of controlling world capitalism and being to blame for the policies of the Israeli government The party is failing to deal with a huge backlog of complaints and has failed to expel people even though they have committed offences such as referring to Jewish people as Yids Corbyn ally Len McCluskey, the Unite general secretary, has dismissed anti-Semitism claims as 'mood music' spread by Blairites. Labour's new general secretary Jennie Formby was accused of recruiting a party member suspended for saying Hitler was a Zionist god. Advertisement The raging row escalated further this week when Mr Corbyn's attempt to mend fences with the Jewish community backfired - with leaders of the Board of Deputies and the Jewish Leadership Council (JLC) accusing him of 'shrugging' when confronted with a wave of vile abuse. Following talks on Tuesday, Board of Deputies president Jonathan Arkush and JLC chair Jonathan Goldstein said 'a deep cultural change' was needed within Labour to rebuild trust. They said Mr Corbyn had refused to commit to specific set of proposals designed to address the problem within Labour. Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott today risked further inflaming tensions by saying there were 'different versions' of the meeting. She told ITV's Good Morning Britain that Labour did not want to accept the international definition of anti-Semitism because it might hamper 'criticism of Israel'. 'We are concerned with some of the paragraphs that talk about criticism the state of Israel. We dont want a situation where if you criticise the state of Israel, you will be labelled anti-Semitism,' she said. Ms Abbott said the 'important thing' was that Labour had committed to dealing with 'serous cases' - including that against Ken Livingstone - by the end of July. 'The leadership of the Labour party is not anti-Semitic and Jeremy Corbyn isnt anti-Semitic. Focusing on Jeremy and trying to pin a label on him doesnt get to the heart of the matter,' she said. Dozens of Labour politicians marched across Westminster yesterday in an extraordinary show of support for Jewish MP Ruth Smeeth ahead of an anti-Semitism hearing. Ms Smeeth came face to face with Marc Wadsworth - the activist who left her in tears at the launch of the Labour anti-Semitism report after accusing her of working 'hand in hand' with the press - at the hearing. Around 50 MPs and peers escorted Ms Smeeth from Parliament to the hearing held nearby to show that they support her. Wes Streeting, Labour MP for Ilford North who organised the march, said it is an 'appalling state of affairs' that a Labour MP must be escorted for fear of intimation. A small group of Corbynista activists had gathered outside the hearing shouting and chanting as Ms Smeeth walked in to the hearing, where Labour chiefs will decide whether or not to kick Mr Wadsworth out. The Unite leader's incendiary intervention came after Mr Corbyn (pictured drinking tea with London Mayor Sadiq Khan in Edgeware today) failed to convince Jewish leaders he would stamp out abuse - but did warn his supporters the allegations were not smears but a real issue This is the heart-stopping moment a father was almost run over by his young daughter after she accidentally knocked the handbrake off his car. Footage shows the Fiat 500 rolling backwards off the family's driveway in Bury, Manchester, into the main road just a split second after a large white van passes by. Incredibly, Adam Murray and his partner Lauren managed to stop the runaway vehicle before it crashed into a parked car on the other side of the road. Mr Murray, who had been unloading shopping out of the boot, was almost mown down by the Fiat before Lauren managed to grab the handbrake as he attempted to push against the car and stop himself being crushed. Footage shows the Fiat 500 rolling backwards off the family's driveway in Bury, Manchester, into the main road just a split second after a large white van passes by The drama happened on Friday afternoon. Mr Murray explained that his six-year-old daughter Sami, had tried to get out of the car before they'd opened the door for her. As she climbed over the seats from the back she knocked the handbrake sending the car rolling into the road. The 24-year-old said: 'I had literally just got home from work. 'We were taking the shopping out the car, and Sami climbed over the seat and knocked the handbrake off. 'Our house is on a main road and has a slight incline and it started to roll. 'It was lucky that there was nothing coming either way because I could have been run over or it could have caused a crash. Incredibly, Adam Murray and his partner Lauren managed to stop the runaway vehicle before it crashed into a parked car on the other side of the road 'We were very lucky all of us my partner managed to stop the car before it hit the car parked opposite.' Adam was left with bruised knees following the incident but was otherwise unhurt. He said that Sami was upset, but okay. 'She was upset and crying because she knew what she'd done and what could have happened, but it was an accident. 'The only advice I can give to people really is to make sure your kids always get out either on their side or wait till the parents let them out because Sami being impatient and climbing over the seat nearly caused a big mess. 'The scare has certainly taught her a lesson not to do it again in the future.' San Francisco's Tenderloin was bustling with tents, sleeping bags, the meager possessions of the city's homeless on Tuesday - now it is empty. About 50 tent-dwellers were evicted in a sweep of problem streets, either moved on or having their tents and possessions taken away. The raid came days after Mayor Mark Farrell vowed to clean up the streets after dozens of homeless resisted efforts to move them into shelters. San Francisco's Tenderloin was bustling with tents, sleeping bags, the meager possessions of the city's homeless on Tuesday - now it is empty Police posted before and after photos of Ellis and Stevenson Streets showing they were completely empty after the Wednesday raids 'Enough is enough. We have offered services time and time again and gotten many off the street, but there is a resistant population that remains, and their tents have to go,' he said. Police posted before and after photos of Ellis and Stevenson Streets showing they were completely empty after the Wednesday raids. However, the eerily empty sidewalks prompted concern on social media about where the people who once lived in the tents ended up. San Francisco Police tweeted out the removal of homeless people The eerily empty sidewalks prompted concern on social media about where the people who once lived in the tents ended up Twitter user Jennifer Cedar-Kraft wrote: 'Is this supposed to make me pleased? Where did all the humans and their meger belongings go? 'People do camp out on my block. It's not great, but I don't call the cops on them or want them to get hosed down. This is not the solution unless they have a better place to go.' Damon Oliver said: 'So you made helpless and homeless citizens go somewhere else??? But where?? But did you actually help those in need??' And Cathy Reisenwitz added: 'Where are these people now?' The answer appeared to be moving a few blocks away to continue the cycle until the next area was cleaned out. 'This is just what happens around here. They move us. They clean. We just set up somewhere new. Then it happens all over again,' Fernando Veloso, 50, told the SF Chronicle as he packed up his tent. Possessions collected from homeless who weren't at their tents would be stored for 90 days However, news footage showed many items being packed into garbage trucks Possessions collected from homeless who weren't at their tents would be stored for 90 days, but news footage showed many items being packed into garbage trucks. 'If you are not at your tent when they come through, they will take everything. If you are with your stuff, as long as it's not over, they will let you keep what you have,' a homeless woman told KRON4. Sweeping the area came after months of trying to get homeless into shelters, housing or on to buses heading to family and friends since July. About 270 were on the streets then and progressive outreach cut the number to 40 before recent arrivals swelled the number to about 100. Half of those packed up and moved on in the days before Wednesday as Public Works staff informed them of the impending sweep. Sweeping the area came after months of trying to get homeless into shelters, housing or on to buses heading to family and friends since July About 270 were on the streets then and progressive outreach cut the number to 40 before recent arrivals swelled the number to about 100 Jeff Kositsky, director of the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing, said the agency opened 50 temporary shelter beds and about a dozen more longer-term ones, but only a few accepted them. 'We always lead with our services, and we are doing consistent and loving outreach, but at some point we need to let people know that what they're doing by keeping tent camps on the sidewalk is not legal, safe or healthy,' he said. Some homeless activists argued evicting tent-dwellers raised tensions without fixing the problem and was dangerous for them and public workers. They pointed to an incident where a woman stabbed her boyfriend during the sweep. However, Mayor Farrell said that only highlighted why the tents needed to come down, as people were more vulnerable on the street. Half of those packed up and moved on in the days before Wednesday as Public Works staff informed them of the impending sweep Some homeless activists argued evicting tent-dwellers raised tensions without fixing the problem and was dangerous for them and public workers He further promised this was 'just the beginning' of his efforts to clear San Francisco's streets and tackle homelessness head-on. 'Tents should not be part of the permanent landscape in San Francisco. If, at the end of the day, a person resists everything we offer them in counseling, housing and other services, they shouldn't be allowed to keep tents on the sidewalk,' he said. 'Maybe it takes a mayor not running for office to do it, but we need to clean up our streets throughout the city. We haven't been pushing hard enough. We will now.' Mayor Farrell is not contesting a special election in June to replace late mayor Ed Lee, who died before his term ended in 2019. Mayor Farrell promised this was 'just the beginning' of his efforts to clear San Francisco's streets and tackle homelessness head-on The tent evictions took place under a narrowly-passed 2016 city law making it illegal to set up tents on sidewalks without a permit. 'The City would be required to offer housing or shelter, though the proposed ordinance does not specify the number of days of housing that must be offered,' it read. 'The proposed ordinance requires the City to provide written notice 24 hours in advance to individuals and also to post the notices in the area of the encampment. 'The affected individuals personal property, with certain exceptions, would be stored by the City for at least 90 days.' Diane Abbott today launched a desperate attempt to defend Jeremy Corbyn's handling of the anti-Semitism scandal. The shadow home secretary said Mr Corbyn should be judged by 'what he does' - despite widespread anger at his failure to tackle the scandal two years after it erupted. She accused critics of unfairly trying to 'pin' the blame on the Labour leader and defended the two-year delay in dealing with Ken Livingstone's case. And she defended Mr Corbyn for refusing to agree to demands by Jewish leaders that the party uses the international definition of anti-Semitism - saying this could undermine criticism of Israel. Scroll down for video Diane Abbott (pictured today on Good Morning Britain) today launched a desperate attempt to defend Jeremy Corbyn's handling of the anti-Semitism scandal The shadow home secretary said Jeremy Corbyn (pictured iwth London Mayor Sadiq Khan in Edgeware today ) should be judged by 'what he does' - despite widespread anger at his failure to tackle the scandal two years after it erupted Her attempt to defend Labour's handling to the scandal comes amid renewed anger at Mr Corbyn over it. What are the anti-Semitic incidents in Labour that have reached a crisis under Corbyn's watch? Jeremy Corbyn defended an artist who painted an anti-Semitic mural in 2012, questioning why the offensive art should be removed He was a member of a Facebook group which was awash with anti-Semitic rhetoric, and he has described anti-Semitic groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah as 'our friends' The Labour leader stood by when a speaker disrupted the launch of his party's anti-Semitism policy by accusing a Jewish MP of colluding with the press Labour has still failed to expel former London mayor Ken Livingstone, two years after he claimed Hitler supported Zionism. He has still not apologised Delegates at last year's Labour conference complained of a 'witch hunt' against anti-Semitism and heard from a speaker who said it was legitimate to question the Holocaust The problem is so rife in the party the Jewish Labour Movement has had to hold training sessions for party members on how not to be anti-Semitic Labour members and councillors have shared disgusting messages and images on Facebook describing Jewish people of controlling world capitalism and being to blame for the policies of the Israeli government The party is failing to deal with a huge backlog of complaints and has failed to expel people even though they have committed offences such as referring to Jewish people as Yids Corbyn ally Len McCluskey, the Unite general secretary, has dismissed anti-Semitism claims as 'mood music' spread by Blairites. Labour's new general secretary Jennie Formby was accused of recruiting a party member suspended for saying Hitler was a Zionist god. Advertisement His long-anticipated meeting with Jewish leaders earlier this week ended with disappointment after he refused to meet any of their requests. Yesterday 50 Labour MPs and peers escorted their Jewish colleague Ruth Smeeth across Westminster to speak against an allegedly anti-Semitic activist at a hearing so that she would not have to walk the gauntlet of heckling Corbynistas alone. Speaking on ITV's Good Morning Britain this morning, Ms Abbott dismissed insulting reports that Mr Corbyn 'shrugged' when confronted over the abuse by the Board of Deputies at a meeting earlier this week. She said: 'I think anti-Semitism is a cancer and I understand there are different versions of the meeting but the important thing is that we are dealing with the serious cases by the end of July, such as that of Ken Livingstone. 'Youve got about 70 or 80 cases. It will be resolved by the end of July. He has to be given due process. I think you will see by the end of the summer is that we are very serious. 'Theres nothing we can do in 24 hours but by the end of July people will see that weve taken action. 'Youre not distinguishing between people who have been found guilty of anti-Semitism and people who have has allegations made against them.' She insisted that the delay in dealing with dozens of anti- Semitism cases was just part of the 'due process' - even though many of the remarks at issue were made in public. Mr Livingstone toured the television and radio studios to repeatedly assert that Hitler 'supported Zionism' - and repeatedly refuse to apologise for the comment. Ms Abbott said: 'The leadership of the Labour party is not anti-Semitic and Jeremy Corbyn isnt anti-Semitic. 'Focusing on Jeremy and trying to pin a label on him doesnt get to the heart of the matter. 'Youre going to have to judge Jeremy by what he does. What he actually does. Youre not saying he sits on platforms with anti-Semites are you?' She suggested that criticism of the leadership is insulting in the 25th anniversary of Stephen Lawrences death. But she backed her leader's refusal to abide by the international definition of anti-Semitism - saying this would undermine criticism of Israel. She said: 'We are concerned with some of the paragraphs that talk about criticism the state of Israel. 'We dont want a situation where if you criticise the state of Israel, you will be labelled anti-Semitic.' Ruth Smeeth (pictured in the black and white dress, along with Jewish Labour peer Alf Dubbs to the left, and Labour MPs Luciana Berger and Jess Philips to her right) was escorted by the Labour politician past a noisy picket of Corbynistas who were chanting their support for Marc Wadsworth Her comments come after Mr Corbyn's close ally, union baron Len McCluskey, launched an outspoken attack on Labour MPs who criticised the leader's handling of the anti-Semitism scandal. The union baron accused moderate Labour MPs of using the anti-Semitism row to hammer Mr Corbyn. In an incendiary intervention, Mr McCluskey said a 'small number' of incidents were being 'used' to 'attack and undermine' the Labour leader. He also delivered a dark threat about moves to deselect anti-Corbyn politicians - saying 'promiscuous critics' should expect to be 'held to account'. But shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer said it was 'obvious' the party has an issue with anti-Semitism and those who deny it are 'part of the problem'. Iran's Supreme Leader has called on Muslim nations to unite against the United States. In an address, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei also blasted the US, insisting that Tehran would never yield to 'bullying attempts'. His comments come after President Donald Trump said that some countries in the Middle East 'wouldn't last a week' without US protection. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (pictured) has urged Muslim nations to unite against the United States Addressing 'bullying' from the US, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said: 'The Iranian nation has successfully resisted bullying attempts by America and other arrogant powers and we will continue to resist. 'All Muslim nations should stand united against America and other enemies.' The supreme leader of Iran also criticised other Muslim countries for being in conflict with one another, state television reported. His comments come after US President Donald Trump (pictured) said some countries 'wouldn't last a week' without US protection Discussing Donald Trump's comments and other Muslim nations, he said: 'Such remarks are humiliation for Muslims. 'Unfortunately there is war in our region between Muslim countries. 'The backward governments of some Muslim countries are fighting with other countries.' Iran and Saudi Arabia have long been locked in a proxy war, competing for regional supremacy from Iraq to Syria and Lebanon to Yemen. Tension between Trump and Iran comes as western leaders try to persuade the US President to maintain an existing nuclear deal with the Islamic country. French President Emmanuel Macron has been visiting the US this week to try and persuade Donald Trump to maintain a nuclear deal with Iran In 2015, the United States, France, Britain, Russia, China and Germany made a deal with Iran that saw it agree to freeze its nuclear program in return for the lifting of punishing international sanctions. However, Trump is a fierce critic of the deal and has branded it 'insane' and the 'worst deal in history' in the past. French President Emmanuel Macron visited the US this week and said that Trump may well pull out of the Iran nuclear deal for domestic political reasons. Near the end of his three-day state visit, Macron told US media that while he did not know specifically what Trump will decide, he believes the US leader 'will get rid of this deal on his own, for domestic reasons.' 'I have no inside information' on what decision Trump will make on the agreement, Macron told journalists. 'I listen to what President Trump is saying and it seems to me that he is not very eager to defend it.' A Silicon Valley marketer whose father and stepmother were battered to death by the Golden State Killer has spoken of her disbelief after police arrested the man they believe is responsible. Jennifer Carole's had just graduated from high school when father Lyman Smith, 43, and 33-year-old wife Charlene were found dead in their home in March, 1980. Now, almost four decades later, police have arrested Joseph James DeAngelo and named him as the infamous serial killer. Jennifer Carole, a Silicon Valley marketer, has spoken of her shock after police arrested the Golden State Killer, who is suspected of killing her father and stepmother 40 years ago Lyman Smith, 43, and second wife Charlene, 33, were found tied together and beaten to death in their Ventura home in 1980. Before being killed, Charlene was raped Carole said the news has left her 'in shock' and struggling to cope. Speaking to The Sun from the Santa Cruz home she shares with her own daughter, she said: 'I'm incredulous that he was caught - that we have a human being who is still alive. 'To help me cope I always imagined he was dead just to manage my feelings about it. 'But it turns out he may have been very much alive and living in an area where I went to college and where my family live in Sacramento. It's mindblowing.' Police say Jospeh James DeAngelo is the Golden State Killer and have charged him with six counts of murder Turning to what happens next, Carole said she wants DeAngelo to confess to spare the victims the ordeal of a trial, and she wants to see him jailed for life in the general prison population 'so he knows what it's like to be afraid'. She added that she would also like the attention to be focused on the victims, not just on DeAngelo, because she believes he will simply revel in the attention. 'He had a lot of arrogance during the crimes and hes got away with it for a long time,' she added. Lyman Smith was an accomplished lawyer who was just days away from being appointed a Ventura County Superior Court judge when he was found dead at home. Smith had been tied to his wife, Charlene, using drapery cords before the pair were beaten to death with a log from their fireplace, the Santa Paula Times reported. At some point before being murdered, Charlene was raped by the killer. The couple was found by their 12-year-old son, Gary. Neighbors of DeAngelo described him as a private, elderly man who was prone to swearing in public and fits of anger Police initially suspected one of Smith's business partners or Charlene's lover, but 20 years after the killings DNA evidence linked them to the Golden State murders. On Wednesday, police say fresh DNA evidence collected from outside DeAngelo's home revealed he was the man they were after. The Golden State Killer has been implicated in 12 murders and at least 50 rapes across the state of California. DeAngelo so far faces six counts of murder. DeAngelo is a Vietnam War veteran, former police officer and grandfather who neighbors say was prone to fits of anger. A police officer and wannabe rapper who was arrested for dealing methylamphetmine was sentenced to four and half years jail on Thursday. Hayley Greenwood, 28, from Adelaide, was arrested for trafficking methylamphetamine three times in 2015 while she was a police officer. The court heard Greenwood sold the drug over four months and dealt more than a $1000 to support her habit, Ten News Adelaide reported. Hayley Greenwood, 28, was sentenced to four and a half years jail for dealing methylamphetmine She also pleaded guilty to failing to act honestly by not disclosing she was investigating a fellow drug dealers associate. Judge Julie McIntyre told Greenwood that she was in a position to uphold the law and arrest people for what she was doing. 'You were in a position that required you to uphold the law, not repeatedly disobey it,' Judge McIntyre said. 'It was part of your job to detect and arrest people doing precisely what you were doing.' Greenwood has since apologised but was told by Judge McIntyre that she appears to be viewing herself as the victim. Greenwood also has a profile on music website reverbnation which reads: 'Young and filled with enthusiasm - Hayley May is a female instrumentalist, vocalist, songwriter and composer who is just about willing to give any style of music a try. Greenwood has since apologised but was told that she appears to be viewing herself as the victim 'From RnB/HipHop/Rap to Acoustic to Pop to Rock - she enjoys all styles often combining styles for a more alternative feel.' In it she raps: 'If I just believe then I see I am really batman and not me, don't give a f*** if it's a dream or reality 'cause it's all I wanna be.' The song is credited to Haywire Productions and mixed with lyrics to late DJ Avicii's Wake Me Up. While sitting on her sofa wearing a beanie hat, sunglasses and headphones, she sings: 'I don't even care if I'm going to hell... let's be honest it didn't turn out like I wanted.' Greenwood can apply for parole in 18 months. A woman who was owed a $3million settlement from her ex-husband for falsely accusing her of stealing his money has won a federal court judgement after a 12-year ordeal. Former Sydney pub millionaire Les Young will be forced to pay ex-wife and former employee Joanne Young an undisclosed figure after the finding was handed down on Thursday. He owed the multi-million dollar payment after he transferred his own money to Ms Young's account and then accused her of stealing, A Current Affair reported. Scroll down for video Former Sydney pub millionaire Les Young (pictured with new wife Josephine Smith) will be forced to pay ex-wife Joanne Young an undisclosed figure after he refused to pay a $3million settlement for falsely accusing her of stealing Ms Young (pictured) won a federal court judgement on Thursday which will force her ex-husband to pay her a confidential sum The false accusations led to a dawn police raid of Ms Young's home in 2006 and her wrongful eviction, before her belongings were seized by Mr Young. She was left homeless and without her two seized terriers Fluffy and Molly, who were both put down because she couldn't afford the $1,200 release fee. Ms Young - who ran Mr Young's pub Wiley Park Hotel, in Sydney's south-west, for more than a decade - appeared before court where 46 fraud charges were dismissed. She was found to be falsely accused by her ex-husband, who had an affair with her friend Josephine Smith and brought their marriage to an end, according to A Current Affair. False accusations against Ms Young (pictured) led to a dawn police raid of her home in 2006 and her wrongful eviction, before her belongings were seized by Mr Young She was left homeless and without her two seized terriers Fluffy and Molly, who were both put down because she couldn't afford the $1,200 release fee She was found to be falsely accused by her ex-husband (right), who had an affair with her friend Josephine Smith (left) and brought their marriage to an end The money he accused his ex-wife of stealing was found to have been transferred into her account by himself. Mr Young has since failed to pay a cent of the $3million settlement and has declared bankruptcy. He also transferred one of his remaining assets - a $5million, three-level Sydney penthouse apartment - into the name of his new wife, who is 23 years his junior. He will now be forced into paying a confidential sum following the court order. Mr Young failed to pay a cent of the $3million settlement and declared bankruptcy He will now be forced into paying a confidential sum following the court order Ms Young's solicitor Greg Walsh spoke outside court on Thursday, saying he now expects his client to return to 'her native village' in New Zealand. 'She's a person who's never said anything bad about Les Young or Josephine Smith, but she's been there and she's continued the good fight right up until today,' he told A Current Affair. 'She can hopefully ... acquire a house and live out the rest of her life in peace.' Earlier, Ms Young said the legal battle was taking its toll but she would refuse to give up. 'It's really daunting actually, we should make a movie about it because I don't even know what I did to them both,' she said. A woman in east China was shocked to find a frozen mouse in her ice lolly while having the dessert. Ms Yang claimed she had bought the ice lolly from a supermarket and noticed a furry tail sticking out while having the sweets half eaten. She demanded a 11,300 compensation but was rejected. A market quality supervisor said Ms Yang could only get as much as 113, according to the food safety regulation. Ms Yang bought a red bean flavoured ice lolly from a local supermarket in east China and found a furry tail stuck out (left). She initially thought the furry tail was a caterpillar (right) According to Beijing News, Ms Yang bought an ice lolly from a local supermarket in Huai'an, Jiangsu Province on April 24. 'I took a few bites then I could feel something furry and I thought it might be a small caterpillar,' Ms Yang said. She then called her friend and tried to pick it out using a pair of tweezers. 'It was stuck deep in the ice lolly and later we noticed it was actually a tail of a mouse,' she continued. Footage uploaded on Pear Video showed her examining the mouse tail in front of the camera. Ms Yang went back to the supermarket and asked for a compensation over 100,000 yuan (11,300), however she was rejected. The manager of the supermarket suggested to compensate Ms Yang with boxes of ice lollies, then later suggested a compensation of 230. Ms Yang could not pull out the tail as the mouse's body was stuck in the ice lolly (left). She requested a compensation of 11,300 but was rejected by local officials (right) 'I just licked the mouse in the tail! It has cast a shadow on me. How can that little money compensate my psychological loss?' Ms Yang told the Beijing News. Ms Yang complained to the local market quality supervision after having her request rejected by the supermarket. The officials inspected the ice lolly and confirmed it was a rodent. Officer Zhu Conglai explained to Ms Yang that the supermarket is only a medium to sell the ice lollies to customers. 'The ice lolly manufacturers are set in Shandong Province and it is out of our administrative area,' said Mr Zhu. According to the regulation on food safety, the supermarket could only compensate Ms Yang as much as 1,000 yuan (113). The supermarket is willing to pay any checkup fees. Ms Yang did not agree and insisted to seek for more compensation. A desperate search is underway for a 13-year-old boy who went missing on a trip to a shopping centre on Monday. He was last seen at a shopping centre on Logan River Road in Holmview, south-west of Brisbane, about 4.45pm. There are grave concerns for the boy's welfare due to his young age and a medical condition, police said. There are grave concerns for a 13-year-old boy (pictured) who went missing from a Brisbane shopping centre on Monday Now police have issued a public appeal for assistance in locating the 13-year-old, who was reported missing on Tuesday. He has been described as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander in appearance and approximately 155cm tall. The boy also has brown hair, brown eyes and some facial scarring, police said. He was last seen wearing a tan hat, black jumper, blue shorts and a pair of black Vans sneakers. An image of the teenager has been released by police in the hope a member of the public will help locate him. Anyone who has any information about the boy has been urged to contact police. Saudi Arabia has executed 48 people in the past four months, half on non-violent drug charges, according to a human rights group. Human Rights Watch has now urged the kingdom to improve its 'notoriously unfair' criminal justice system. The executions come despite Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's drive to soften the ultra-conservative image of his country. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (pictured) is the heir to the throne and has been trying to modernise the image of his country The Crown Prince is next in line to the throne and wants to make his country more attractive to international investors. Despite this, Saudi Arabia still has one of the world's highest execution rates. 'Saudi Arabia has executed 48 people since the beginning of 2018,' the US-based Human Rights Watch said in a report published late Wednesday. 'Many more people convicted of drug crimes remain on death row following convictions by Saudi Arabia's notoriously unfair criminal justice system.' The ultra-conservative kingdom has one of the world's highest rates of execution, with suspects convicted of terrorism, homicide, rape, armed robbery and drug trafficking facing the death penalty. Rights groups have repeatedly raised concerns about the fairness of trials in the kingdom, governed under a strict form of Islamic law. However, Saudi Arabia has executed 48 people in the past four months, half on non-violent drug charges despite the Crown Prince's hints that the death penalty could be altered (Pictured with Prince Charles) The government insists the death penalty is a deterrent for further crime. 'It's bad enough that Saudi Arabia executes so many people, but many of them have not committed a violent crime,' said HRW's Middle East director Sarah Leah Whitson. 'Any plan to limit drug executions needs to include improvements to a justice system that doesn't provide for fair trials.' HRW says Saudi Arabia has carried out nearly 600 executions since the beginning of 2014, more than a third of them in drug cases. Last year, nearly 150 people were put to death in the kingdom, where convicts are beheaded using a sword. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman this month suggested the kingdom would consider changing the penalty from death to life in certain cases except murder in an interview with Time Magazine. The powerful prince is spearheading a drive to soften the kingdom's image as it looks to diversify its oil-dependent economy. NHS staff on Merseyside have been told to hide their uniforms and ID in case they are abused because of Alfie Evans' plight in Alder Hey Children's Hospital. The Royal Liverpool Hospital Trust has emailed the warning to its 5,500 workers urging them to be vigilant on their way to and from work. It came after 'sick' and 'psychotic' minority of Alfie Evans' supporters threatened to 'burn down' Alder Hey and wished harm on doctors as it was revealed police are ready to arrest the trolls. In recent days some internet trolls have even named the doctors responsible for his care - despite a court order making it illegal to do so - and staff had received phone calls from people accusing them of being 'murderers' and 'killers'. Alfie's parents Tom Evans and Kate James have repeatedly urged people not to threaten anyone over the tragic plight of their son because it was damaging their campaign. Alfie's father Tom Evans and the boy's mother Kate James have repeatedly urged people not to threaten anyone over the tragic plight of their son because it was damaging their campaign A 'psychotic' minority has urged people to 'burn down' Alder Hey and one patient's parent said she had also heard chants of the same outside The abuse has also outraged the majority of their peaceful supporters who have gathered in their hundreds outside the hospital most days. In a powerful open letter about the case shared last night, the children's hospital trust said 'remarkable staff' have been the target of 'unprecedented personal abuse' as part of the Alfie Evans case. Alder Hey's doctors 'hate us and look down on us because we're not like them', says father Alder Hey's doctors 'hate' and look down on Alfie's parents and family, his father said today. Tom Evans says medics avoid them in corridors and give them 'horrible smug looks'. Mr Evans wants three doctors prosecuted for conspiracy to murder his son. He told LBC: 'They hate us. They don't like us, we're not like them.' When asked why, he responded: Because I've fought against them for so long and I'm right. 'We've tried to work with them but they've acted aggressively towards us. They've fought so hard towards us. 'We walk around the corridors and they pop into other cubicles to avoid us. T 'They give us some horrible smug look as if we're in the wrong. It's like we're criminals and we're being looked down on'. He added: I feel like I'm in a maximum security [prison] and they're looking down on us. If this was a general case they would have let home go home by now'. Advertisement Now healthcare workers at the Royal are being advised to cover up their uniforms and not wear hospital ID off site. It is understood staff at the trust received an email recommending measures to be taken regarding uniform and identification off the hospital site. A spokesman for the Royal said: 'Following local reports of abuse towards NHS staff, we have provided our staff with advice regarding their own safety and security. 'Abuse of NHS staff or others whose role is to protect and care for others should not be tolerated.' Police in Liverpool are still guarding Alder Hey and have said they are monitoring social media posts relating to Alfie Evans in a bid to stop 'malicious' messages and will arrest people responsible. The hospital said last night many of their staff had been on the receiving end of 'highly abusive and threatening language and behaviour' in person, via phone calls, emails and on Facebook and Twitter. Over the weekend a small crowd tried to storm Alder Hey Children's Hosptal leaving staff and parents of other patients frightened about their safety. One relative of a terminally ill toddler called the atmosphere 'intimidating and scary' and said she had even heard chants of 'burn it down'. This threat has also been repeated online, which has caused outrage. One critic tweeted: 'People should never ever encourage others to burn down a hospital. That is an absolutely disgraceful and psychotic thing to say. Another said: 'Wondering how strongly the zero tolerance policy will be invoked for those staff told that their children will be murdered, for those people who said 'burn it down', for those who threatened nurses, doctors and other families. Just disgusting!', A further critic said: 'If you're stood outside Alder Hey shouting 'burn it down' because you don't agree with every doctors medical opinion on that poor kid then I'm ashamed for you. That is an incredible hospital that saves thousands of kids lives every year'. Police in Liverpool have said they are monitoring social media posts relating to Alfie Evans in a bid to stop 'malicious' messages. They warned that any threatening posts could prompt police action as tensions remain high outside the hospital and amid the ongoing legal battle. Chief Inspector Chris Gibson said: 'Merseyside Police has been made aware of a number of social media posts which have been made with reference to Alder Hey Hospital and the ongoing situation involving Alfie Evans. 'I would like to make people aware that these posts are being monitored and remind social media users that any offences including malicious communications and threatening behaviour will be investigated and where necessary will be acted upon.' Some of the protesters attempted to get into the hospital as police guarded the entrance Alder Hey Hospital last night revealed how staff and patients have been subjected to a barrage of abuse over Alfie Evans. In a powerful open letter, health chiefs said the world-renowned hospital in Liverpool had found itself at the centre of a 'social media storm'. Police officers have been stationed at the hospital for several days and on Monday intervened to stop a mob of 'Alfie's army' supporters storming the entrance. Chairman Sir David Henshaw and chief executive Louise Shepherd said every- one at the hospital had been 'deeply affected' by Alfie's plight and that it was wrong that the professionalism, motivation and ethics of those caring for the toddler had been questioned. Turner-prize winning artist Damien Hirst has admitted 'all his ideas are stolen'. The 52-year-old internationally-renowned figure has amassed a fortune of some 270 million from his formaldehyde-preserved animals and diamond-clad skull. But now after years of speculation, Hirst - the world's wealthiest artist - has told fellow artist Sir Peter Blake he was told to 'steal ideas' during his time at Goldsmiths College in London. Turner-prize winning artist Damien Hirst has admitted 'all his ideas are stolen' Eddie Saunders caught this shark in 1989 and displayed it in his J.D. Electrical Supplies shop in Shoreditch, London Damien Hirst's 'The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living', portraying a shark within glass, steel, silicone and formaldehyde, on display at the Saatchi Gallery in London in 2003 Sir Peter Blake, from Dartford in Kent, is one of the key figures of British Pop art. In 1967 he designed the iconic album cover for The Beatles Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band. The pair were having a discussion at Sir Peter's art studio for a short film produced by arts website HENI Talks. Hirst told Sir Peter: 'All my ideas are stolen anyway. 'When I started at Goldsmiths that was the best thing really. 'You realise that you do not have to be original. They said: "Don't borrow ideas, steal them".' In 2012 Hirst was alleged to have based his four Magpie paintings on a similar work by unknown artist Max McLaughlin, which was created two years earlier. All of the works feature magpies in what appears to be the corner of a room or on a table, although the bird in McLaughlin's painting is pictured in flight. A spokesman for Hirst denied he had plagiarised the images, however, McLaughlin insisted the similarities between his work and the Hirst paintings were too great to be mere coincidence. 'Hymn' by Damien Hirst displayed outside the Tate Modern in London in 2012. But in 2000 he was sued for breach of copyright over the sculpture In an out-of-court settlement Hirst paid an undisclosed sum to Norman Emms, designer of the plastic biology model (pictured), and made donations to two children's charities McLaughlin's painting was first exhibited in 2008 at The Rising Stars exhibition held at the Coombe Gallery in Dartmouth, just 60 miles from Hirst's restaurant in Ilfracombe. It was not the first time that Hirst, who won the Turner prize in 1995, has been accused of plagiarism. In 2013, the Stuckists art group claimed 15 of his works appeared to be based on the ideas of other artists. Hirst - the world's wealthiest artist - has told fellow artist Sir Peter Blake he was told to 'steal ideas' during his time at Goldsmiths College in London In 2012 Hirst was alleged to have based his four Magpie paintings on a similar work by unknown artist Max McLaughlin (pictured), which was created two years earlier 'For the Love of God': Hirst's platinum cast of a human skull covered with 8,601 ethically sourced diamonds is estimated to be worth over 50 million And in 2000 he was sued for breach of copyright over his sculpture Hymn, a 20ft-high, six- ton enlargement of his son's Young Scientist Anatomy set. In an out-of-court settlement Hirst paid an undisclosed sum to Norman Emms, designer of the plastic biology model, and made donations to two children's charities. Hirst has three sons Connor, Cassius, and Cyrus from a 20-year relationship with Californian designer Maia Norman and a multimillion pound property portfolio . His 150 million property empire includes a 40 million Regent's Park home, 5 million villa on the Thai island of Phuket, and the 3 million, 300-room Toddington Manor in Gloucestershire. A spokesman for Damien Hirst: 'We don't have anything to add beyond the comments Damien made in the film.' ISIS leaders fleeing the Middle East are planning to drive migration from Africa in a fresh bid to send jihadists into Europe, a senior UN figure has warned. The militants are joining forces with fanatics in Africa's Sahel region, according to David Beasley, head of the UN World Food Programme and a former Republican governor of South Carolina. He warned terror factions could then exploit the area's food crisis to push millions from the region in a migration wave that could dwarf the exodus from war-torn Syria in 2015. 'My comment to the Europeans is that if you think you had a problem resulting from a nation of 20 million people like Syria because of destabilisation and conflict resulting in migration, wait until the greater Sahel region of 500 million people is further destabilised,' Mr Beasley said. ISIS leaders fleeing the Middle East are planning to drive migration from Africa in a fresh bid to send jihadists into Europe, a senior UN figure has warned. Pictured: Refugees waiting to be rescued off the Libyan coast in August last year 'And this is where the European community and international community has got to wake up,' he told the Guardian's Daniel Boffey. Mr Beasley warned that the likes of Boko Haram and al-Qaeda are partnering with ISIS commanders who have fled from Syria in recent years and that extremists will 'continue to infiltrate and destabilise in the hope of creating migration into Europe where they can infiltrate and cause chaos.' The Sahel spans 3,360 miles from the Atlantic in the west to the Red Sea in the east in a belt stretching up to 600 miles wide. Countries in in the region include parts of Senegal, southern Mauritania, central Mali, northern Burkina Faso, the extreme south of Algeria, Niger, and the extreme north of Nigeria. In the past, David Beasley (pictured) has argued that a comprehensive plan for economic development could be the key to long-term stability and increased food security in the Sahel region It also includes central Chad, central and southern Sudan, the extreme north of South Sudan, Eritrea, Cameroon, Central African Republic and the extreme north of Ethiopia. In the past, Mr Beasley has argued that a comprehensive plan for economic development could be the key to long-term stability and increased food security in the Sahel region. He has said that the World Food Programme sees food as 'a weapon of peace, as a weapon of reconciliation, as a weapon for sustainable development. But we must get our act together. We must think holistically and not in our own silos.' Mr Beasley, who showed support for Donald Trump during his Presidential campaign, has been attending a summit on Syria in Brussels. During the meeting, International donors pledged $4.4 billion in aid for 2018 for civilians caught up in the Syrian civil war - well short of what the UN says is needed for humanitarian work in Syria and neighbouring countries. ISIS militants are joining forces with fanatics in Africa's Sahel region, according to David Beasley, head of the UN World Food Programme and a former Republican governor of South Carolina The sum committed at a two-day conference in Brussels was less than half of the $9 billion the United Nations says is needed this year to help those in need inside Syria and living as refugees in neighbouring countries. Mr Beasley warned that without proper funding he would be forced to start cutting rations 'to just barely keep people alive'. Some 6.1 million people are now internally displaced in Syria, more than five million have fled the country and 13 million including six million children are in need of aid, according to the UN. More than 700,000 people have been displaced since the start of this year alone as Assad has stepped up his offensive against rebel forces, intensifying the humanitarian crisis. Five bodies have been found in a car in the popular Mexican tourist hotspot of Cancun as the drug war death toll soars past 100 this year. The silver Mazda sedan was found outside Hall Gym about 7am on Wednesday with a dead man in the front and others piled in the back. Police didn't say how the men died but the grisly find stoked fears of yet another drug cartel hit after escalating violence in the popular coastal city. Five bodies have been found in a car (pictured) in the popular Mexican tourist hotspot of Cancun Earlier in the month 14 people were killed and five wounded in six shootings in just 36 hours, the highest-ever death toll in such a short time The car was parked near the back of the Public Prosecutor's Office, but gym workers also say they received a threat over the phone against the owner. Forensics officers took the car away on the back of a tow truck for further analysis. Drug-related violence has spiraled out of control in Cancun this year with 100 people killed in what is believed to be gang violence. At least four bullets were fired at a beach vendor by men on water skis on Saturday in the city's hotel bustling district. Two days earlier three men were murdered at a bar and last Monday a body riddled with bullets washed up on a popular tourist beach. Drug-related violence has spiraled out of control in Cancun this year with 100 people killed in what was believed to be gang violence Five of them were killed in a home where neighbors said the occupants were drug dealers. Another three were killed standing outside a tamale stand next to a clothing store On April 11 a woman's body was found in the street shot several times in the face with a 'message' left on it. Earlier in the month 14 people were killed and five wounded in six shootings in just 36 hours, the highest-ever death toll in such a short time. Five of them were killed in a home where neighbors said the occupants were drug dealers. Another three were killed standing outside a tamale stand next to a clothing store. The next day, five others were gunned down in separate shootings around the city. Advertisement A sea-side race between a troop of horses has been captured in these beautiful photographs taken in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, in Camargue, France. The white Carmague horses are seen galloping through the water, getting covered from top to tail during the race. The Carmague horse, which is thought to be one of the oldest breeds of horses in the world, can be found running wild in the area of southern France. Racing steeds: Stunning photographs capture a troop of white Carmague horses running through water in France Forget slow and steady:The troop of horses splashed around in the sea in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, in Camargue, France Ancient fillies: The horses are native to the area in southern France and as well as being bred by farmers, it is found in the wild Photographer Alberto Ghizzi Panizza, 43, captured the incredible images while on a recent trip to Camargue. Mr Ghizzi Panizza, of Parma, Italy, said: 'I was visiting Carmague for five days and I saw the horses down by the water. 'There are lots of these horses around because they are native to the area. I love the photo of the horses all looking like they are posing as a group. 'Also, while I was on the floor taking pictures at one point, in the rush, the horses almost jumped right over my head. 'There are so many emotions when you see a group of horses jumping over you.' Cheeky! One of the horses appears to be sticking its tongue out to the photographer Living their best life: Another horse appears to be closing its eyes in enjoyment in one of the photographs Born and bred: The Carmague horse is thought to be one of the oldest breeds of horses in the world Calm before the storm: The horses are seen wading through the water - with their manes still dry - before they take off Action shot: The photographs were taken by Italian Alberto Ghizzi Panizza, 43, during a trip to Carmague While also found in the wild, Carmague horses have been used by farmers in the area for centuries and are traditionally used for cattle work. The Camargue is famed for their stamina, hardiness and intelligence - all qualities needed to survive in the sometimes harsh environment of the marshland in Carmague. They are easily trained and are the steed of choice for the gardians, traditional French cowboys, when herding the black Camargue bulls used for bullfights. Born brown or black, they grow paler as they age, developing a light grey or white colouring as adults. Strong and stable: The Carmague horse breed is known for its stamina, hardiness and intelligence Carmague horses have been used by farmers in the area for centuries and are traditionally used for cattle work A group of young men involved in a street fight in Western Australia have thrown bricks at a man and his girlfriend, leaving the woman with a fractured skull. Police are hunting for the group of four males after the spineless attack that occurred about 1.30am on Tuesday morning in Mandurah. The group of men allegedly confronted the 27-year-old male victim in Smart Street Mall and, after one of the group threw punches, another two men in the group hurled bricks. A group of young men involved in a street fight in Western Australia have thrown bricks at a man and a woman, fracturing the woman's skull Police are hunting the group of four males after the spineless attack that occurred about 1.30am on Tuesday morning in Mandurah, Western Australia The man was struck in the head by one of the bricks and knocked to the ground. The victim's girlfriend, a young woman in her 20s, was also struck in the head from behind with a brick clutched by one of the men when she intervened in an attempt to stop the fight. According to The West Australian, both victims were treated at Peel Health Campus where the woman was diagnosed with a fractured skull and the man received staples to a gash on his head. Police believe the attack was linked to an incident in a nearby nightclub. On Thursday afternoon police arrested a man they believe was involved in the attack. He is undergoing questioning according to 9 News Perth and his clothing has been sent for DNA testing. They have released images of the men who they say may be able to help in their investigations and are appealing for witnesses to the incident. On Thursday afternoon police arrested a man they believe was involved in the attack Southwest Airlines said bookings have fallen since the fatal accident that killed a mother-of-two last week. The company reported Thursday that it has seen a 'recent softness in bookings following the Flight 1380 accident'. It said it expects revenue per mile to drop 1 to 3 percent in the second quarter. Southwest Airlines said bookings have fallen since the fatal accident that killed a mother-of-two last week Last week's emergency landing that killed Jennifer Riordan, 43, was the first accident-related death of a passenger in the airline's 47-year history. 'It remains a somber time' at the airline, CEO Gary Kelly said in a statement. He repeated condolences to the family of the woman who died when a piece of the exploding engine hit the plane, pledged to cooperate with accident investigators, and said Southwest 'will never compromise' on safety. Analysts believe that any loss in bookings because of the accident will be temporary. JP Morgan's Jamie Baker said no other airline has reported gaining at Southwest's expense - although he noted it would be poor etiquette for other carriers to do so - and that any booking away from Southwest will be short-term. The airline also announced on Thursday that it plans to fly to four cities in Hawaii, not just Honolulu. That decision raises the stakes in a looming competition with Hawaiian Airlines and other carriers that fly to the islands from the West Coast. The Southwest flights are expected to start late this year or early in 2019. Southwest also said it will lease coveted takeoff and landing slots at LaGuardia Airport in New York and Washington Reagan National Airport just outside the nation's capital from Alaska Airlines, allowing it to expand at two airports that are essentially full. Revenue rose 2 percent to $4.94 billion. That was a Southwest record for the first quarter, but it fell short of the $5.02 billion that analysts in the Zacks survey had expected. Southwest boosted revenue despite a drop of nearly 5 percent in the average one-way fare, to $146.33 - reflecting slightly short trips and competition on key routes. However, the airline carried 6 percent more passengers, and the average flight was fuller - 81.5 percent of seats were sold, compared with 79.9 percent a year earlier. Southwest shares have fallen 18 percent since the beginning of the year. The stock has fallen roughly 6 percent in the last 12 months. Southwest shares were down $1.61, or 3 percent, to $52.22 in morning trading. Russian oligarchs who stash their dirty money in Britain's overseas territories look set to be named and shamed under new laws to be imposed on Theresa May. Some 19 backbench Tory rebels have joined forces to draw up a new law which will force territories like the Cayman Islands to publish the identities of those holding assets there. The MPs, led by former minister Andrew Mitchell, are demanding tougher action on Vladimir Putin's cronies in the wake of the Skripal poisoning. Ex Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were left fighting for their lives after being poisoned by the nerve agent Novichok in Salisbury last month. Yulia has since been released from hospital but her father is still in a critical condition. Some 19 backbench Tory rebels have joined forces to draw up a new law which will force territories like the Cayman Islands to publish the identities of those holding assets there. Theresa May (pictured in the Commons yesterday) only has a working majority of 13 and so she looks set to accept the amendment - or face a humiliating Commons defeat MPs backing the measures say they will help to expose corrupt and laundered money plundered from Russia and stored overseas. Mrs May only has a working majority of 13 and so she looks set to accept the amendment - or face a humiliating Commons defeat. What is the Novichok nerve agent used against the Skripals? The Novichok nerve agent used against former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia is among the most deadly poisons ever created. They were secretly developed by the Soviet Union during the height of the Cold war in the 1970s and 1980s. Communist scientists developed the poison so it would not be able to be detected by Nato's chemical detection equipment. They come in the form of a ultra-fine powder, Novichok is up to eight times more potent than the deadly VX gas. Victims who are poisoned by the powder suffer muscle spasms, breathing problems and then cardiac arrest. There is a known antidote to the nerve agent - atropine can block the poison. But doctors find it very tricky to administer the antidote because the dose would have to be so high it could prove fatal for the person. Novichok poisons are highly dangerous to handle, requiring the expertise of skilled scientists in a sophisticated lab. Dr Vil Mirzayanov, former Chief of the Foreign Technical Counterintelligence Department at Russias premiere, was among the team of scientists who helped develop the agent. Advertisement Mr Mitchell, a Tory MP and former international development secretary who is leading the Tory rebellion, told The Times he had the 'certain' backing of 19 Conservative backbenchers, more than enough to defeat the government. He told the newspaper: 'Mrs May has so far led the world in taking a stand against Russia's challenge to international norms. 'But if she is to deliver on her promises she must ensure that filthy money fuelling the worst abuses isn't sheltering under a British flag anywhere in the world.' The cross-party amendment to the Sanctions and Money Laundering Bill, which will go to the Commons next week, has the backing of Tory MPs including Nick Boles and Ken Clarke. Ministers had hoped they would be able to dodge a possible rebellion by agreeing to demands for a 'Magnitsky amendment'. This would mean the UK would follow in the footsteps of countries such as the US and Canada in targeting those accused of human rights abuses with visa bans. But MPs say the UK must take far tougher action to show Russia that it will clamp down on corrupt Russian money. Mrs May has led a global effort to hit back at Russia after the Salisbury poison outrage. More than 100 diplomats around the world were expelled in retaliation to the attempted murder. While countries across the world, including the US, Canada and the EU, condemned the poisoning. The US announced the expulsion of 60 Russians, including including 12 intelligence officers from Russia's mission to UN headquarters in New York. Germany, France and Poland each expelled four diplomats, with Lithuania, Latvia and the Czech Republic also taking action. Ukraine - not an EU state - joined the European revolt by expelling 13 diplomats. Canada followed suit by expelling three Kremlin staffers and, in a flurry of action yesterday evening, both Hungary and Norway announced the expulsion of one diplomat respectively. Soon after Spain announced the expulsion of two. One of Britain's most convicted men is back in prison just three days since being released from his latest sentence - after he was caught drinking a bottle of wine in a shop and offering his jacket as payment. Patrick Ryan, 62, has racked up 468 convictions for a staggering total of 667 offences over his lifetime and it is estimated his offending has cost the taxpayer around 3million. His criminal record runs to 100 pages and is so long that a police force has put a note on it warning workers not to print it out because it would use too much paper. Ryan, from Accrington, Lancashire, has been in and out of custody since the age of 14 and had spent 23 years behind bars before the age of 50. Patrick Ryan, 62, has racked up 468 convictions for a staggering total of 667 offences over his lifetime and it is estimated his offending has cost the taxpayer around 3million. He's back in jail just three days since being released Most of Ryan's offences are for food and drink fraud - where he would eat expensive restaurant meals before announcing he could not pay. He acquired the nickname 'Rogue n' Nosh' for his tendency to eat at curry houses and then flee. Regarding the latest offence, Parveen Akhtar, prosecuting, said Ryan was caught drinking a bottle of wine in a shop and offered to give the shop assistant his jacket in payment for the tipple. Ryan, of Highfield House bail hostel, is considered one of Britain's most convicted men - and pleaded guilty to shoplifting. He was given a conditional discharge for the offence after the magistrates were told he was being recalled on prison licence which would keep him behind bars until October. Most of Ryan's offences are for food and drink fraud - where he would eat expensive restaurant meals before announcing he could not pay. His latest offence was for drinking a bottle of wine in a shop and then offering his jacket as payment. (File photo) Defending, Andrew Nottingham said his client's record ran to hundreds of pages. 'Clearly it is nothing to be proud of,' he added. 'He is very well known and people were saying, "hello Paddy, nice to see you, come and have a drink with us". 'One thing led to another and his discharge grant was soon spent. He tried to use his jacket as payment but they weren't going to accept that.' Mr Nottingham said the offence had triggered the recall to prison to serve the remaining six months of his previous sentence. A beauty therapist was left unable to eat or speak properly for six months after receiving botched Botox treatment, a court heard. Jozette Sheppard's face was so swollen the day after the treatment by Ozan Melin, of Uxbridge, west London, that she could not open her eyes and screamed in horror, jurors were told. She said the swelling 'moved down her face' paralysing the muscles, and dents have appeared in her cheeks that have never fully gone away. The 46-year-old is one of three middle-aged women left with serious injuries after Melin, 42, injected them with an 'extremely dangerous' unknown substance, it is alleged. Jozette Sheppard before the botched Botox (left) and after (right) when she was unable to open her eyes and couldn't eat or speak properly for six months Melin denies three charges of causing grievous bodily harm against Mrs Sheppard, Marcelle King, 62, and Carol Kingscott, 57, between 2011 and 2013. He lied to the clients about being medically trained in America and Turkey and used oversized needles on them during the procedure, Bournemouth Crown Court in Dorset heard. Mrs Sheppard said she got an employee to arrange Botox for a group of six people, including herself and her friend Carol Kingscott, with Melin in 2011. They were recommended Melin's Smooth Face Botox Company by word of mouth. Melin visited Mrs Sheppard's salon in Bristol on November 5. She asked for her crow's feet, forehead and between the brows to be done. During the first treatment Mrs Sheppard said Melin had three needles laid out filled with Botox, and the injections, which only took several minutes, were painless. But it didn't work she she had a top-up appointment 17 days later which she said was much worse. Mrs Sheppard said: 'I was told (the first) was a bad batch and we arranged a top-up for myself, Joanne and Carol. 'I remember things being a bit different because this time he only used one needle for the same three areas. Mrs Sheppard arriving at court where she was giving evidence in the trial of Ozan Melin, who denies three charges of causing grievous bodily harm 'It was really painful and just uncomfortable. 'I don't remember when he said it, but I said my daughter was looking into medical training and he said he had trained to be a doctor when he was in the Turkish military. 'He said it would be a good thing for her to do and said it was the best thing he ever did. 'Later on I noticed a burning feeling, it was getting really hot. 'A couple of hours after the injections my face started to swell. 'It was scary because my face was getting bigger and bigger. 'I was getting worried and took some antihistamines about 11pm. I eventually got to sleep about 2am. 'When I woke up I got a bit confused and thought I was dreaming that I was awake because I couldn't open my eyes. I screamed. I didn't know what I looked like, I just couldn't open my eyes. Jozette Sheppard giving evidence 'I screamed. I didn't know what I looked like, I just couldn't open my eyes. 'After about an hour I could open my eyes but the swelling slowly started moving down my face. I ended up with big jowls and my face wouldn't move. 'It was embarrassing because I couldn't eat properly, the left side of my face didn't move properly. I could talk but I looked odd when I spoke. 'The movement didn't completely come back for at least six months. 'I had deep dents in my face and it took a long time to get my cheeks back - they're still not completely back to normal. 'The swelling has gone but where the muscles wouldn't work, they have never really quite recovered.' Simon Jones, prosecuting, asked if Mrs Sheppard would have allowed Melin to carry out the injections if she had known he was not medically qualified. She said: 'No, but so many people went to him, I had no reason to doubt him..' Mr Jones said the case involves the 'reckless use of an unknown and extremely dangerous substance into people who were misled into believing this man's medical competence'. He has told the court that Mrs King was hospitalised, put on a drip and given steroids while Ms Kingscott's face was swollen 'out of recognition'. Melin has pleaded not guilty to three offences of inflicting grievous bodily harm. The trial continues. Working Australians who say they have paid tax their whole lives are claiming they are being unfairly targeted by the government for massive bills they don't deserve. Katherine Little, 49, was travelling Australia in a caravan earning $700 a week while working remotely transcriber remotely. She was living her dream - until her Australian Business Number was abruptly cancelled, meaning she could no longer work. Ms Little said the decision has ruined her life. Scroll down for video Katherine Little, 49, was travelling Australia in a caravan earning $700 a week while working remotely transcriber remotely Charlie and Mike run two pizza restaurants called Smokin Joe's in suburban Melbourne 'I thought how dare they do this to me what right do they have, when I'm doing everything right and I'm complying with all the legislation, why are they doing this to me? They've taken my independence from me,' she told A Current Affair. She is now living at her parents' house in Melbourne while collecting welfare payments. Charlie and Mike run two pizza restaurants called Smokin Joe's in suburban Melbourne. They were audited by the ATO who gave them a tax bill of more than $2million for a 30-month period. They say their profit for that time was only $214,200. The business partners called the ATO and were told they needed to appeal the findings at a tribunal if they disagreed with them. Charlie and Mike say they can't afford to pay for the legal costs of taking their appeal to a tribunal. They are yet to pay the debt, so have been hit with an order which gives the ATO the power to take over their bank account. If the issue isn't resolved the restaurant owners say it will lead to the closure of their business. Former Australian Competition and Consumer Commission chairman Alan Fels says the ATO is 'prone to stuff ups' and that they are too powerful. Charlie and Mike say they can't afford to pay for the legal costs of taking their appeal to a tribunal Ex-Australian Federal Police officer Nick Berry helped the ATO seize money from criminals, and then after he retired he was contacted about an incorrect tax bill. They told him he owed $148,000, which was ramped up to $200,000 with penalties. After trying to sort the issue out for years, he was eventually awarded $30,000 in compensation. The ATO said they stand by the $2million bill for Charlie and Mike's pizza shop business, saying: 'We absolutely stand by the actions we have taken'. Where taxpayers fail to lodge tax returns and BAS returns over a number of years, despite our repeated requests for these to be submitted we will raise a default assessment based on the evidence we are able to obtain including cash deposits in their bank account and bank statements,' the statement said. 'In these situations, often where the taxpayer has refused to provide basic information like what rent they paid and what their business sold, we can only work off their bank account. 'Where taxpayers fail to respond to a position paper put to them based on this evidence, and where we have attempted to engage with them for an extended period, including providing them with every chance to rectify their tax situation and pay the amounts due under the law, we take firmer action.' Broth3rs restaurant owner tries to track down diners he says fled without paying their bill A restaurant owner has turned detective as he tries to hunt down three men he says filled themselves with food and then fled. Cristian Cojocaru, owner of Broth3rs in Perth, Scotland, also claims one of the men threatened him with a steak knife before running off after his friends, on Wednesday evening. The owner says the men gorged on steak, soup, beers and vodka at the Italian family-run restaurant and even praised the food as 'wonderful'. However, they are now being hunted down by police and Broth3rs' owner Mr Cojocaru. Do you know these men? Restaurant owner attempts to track down diners who he says fled after eating two-courses. One man is accused of threatening staff The owner described how the men said they would 'definitely return' to the restaurant while tucking into their food. They drank beer and vodka and ate steaks and antipasti, racking up a 108 bill. However, two of them left the table minutes apart, leaving just one man. Mr Cojocaru said: 'He asked me to get him a vodka lemonade and I thought something was happening so I turned back around and I saw him standing up to leave. He ran and I chased him and brought him back to the restaurant. 'He was very nervous. I called the police and suddenly he grabbed two steak knives from the table and started to try and attack me. 'I grabbed a chair to defend myself and threw the phone. He tried to attack me three times with the knives. He started shouting at us to let him go and said he would kill us. I think the police must have heard this on the phone.' The man fled before police arrived. Do you know these men? Hunt for trio accused of eating two-courses and running off from family-run restaurant in Perth The trio were caught on CCTV which the restaurant owner shared. The images feature one bald man wearing a long sleeved black top and tan trousers strolling into the restaurant. He is followed by another two men, a dark-haired man wearing a blue jacket, a black top and denim jeans and the other wearing a black tracksuit top with white stripes, shorts, and a black cap. The restaurant owner Cristian Cojocaru says one of the men attacked him with a steak knife which was left on the table after the group had four courses and praised food Several people have already come forward with the same name for one of the men. Social media users called the men 'scumbags' and slammed their brazen behaviour. Jock Gemmell said: 'If you know who they are dob them in dirty f*****s, if they need a free meal go to the food banks.' Social media users were left furious over claims a family-run restaurant was targeted by thieves who dined and then ran Karen Smith said: 'That's awful. Don't recognise them but will share.' Liam Oliphant wrote: 'Seriously what a bunch of scumbags. The guy in the blue is known.' Three men are accused of eating two courses at a restaurant and failing to pay Lucy Jane said: 'Who in their right minds would do something like that.' Shockingly some commentators hit out at those naming the men and calling them a 'grass.' Jordan Painter said: 'The amount of grasses in Perth is shocking.' While Graem Bain added: 'Full of snakes.' Jaiah Kelly commented: 'Check these shaming freaks.' But Jacqueline Ni Mhaoldomhnaigh hit back: 'I can't believe the amount of people saying 'I can't believe you grassed them.' 'In all fairness it's a hard enough time in this day and age to make a living without walking out without paying. You don't walk in to Tesco full up a basket and leave.' Bill Cosby's lawyer fell asleep as the judge spoke to jurors during deliberations in the shamed comedian's sex assault trial on Wednesday night. Tom Mesereau was seen drifting in and out of consciousness while Judge Steven ONeill re-read prior testimony to the jury at their request. ONeill began reading from Cosbys deposition as it approached 7.50pm. He read Cosbys account of the night of the alleged assault, his relationship and romantic interest in Constand. As the evening stretched on Mesereau began to doze, slack jawed, his face shielded from the jury as he sat turned towards the projection screen on which Cosbys words were displayed. Cosby listened. He occasionally nodded, smiling broadly and inexplicably. Tom Mesereau, the lawyer for Bill Cosby, fell asleep for 30 minutes as the judge read back the comedian's prior testimony to jurors during their deliberations Cosby is facing up to 30 years in jail if he is found guilty of drugging and sexually assaulting Andrea Constand at his Pennsylvania home in 2004 The Q&A also focused on Cosbys conversations with Constand and her mother, Gianna, during which Mrs Constand of doing a horrible, horrible thing and he apologized referring to himself as a dirty old man. He also offered to pay for Constands education. They also re-heard Cosbys admission to giving Quaaludes to young women with whom he wanted to have sex. ONeill finished reading at 9.15pm. After a brief recess the jury decided to call it a night over 10 hours into deliberations. They will hear Marguerite Margo Jacksons testimony tomorrow morning. Constand is just one of dozens of women to level claims at the entertainer, but the only one whose allegations fall within the statute of limitations. Mesereau was seen drifting off late into the evening on Wednesday after more than six hours of deliberation and questioning of the case by jurors. The jury had asked to hear question and answer portions of Cosbys civil deposition, given in 2004 and 2005, in which he spoke of his romantic interest in Constand and admitted to giving Quaaludes to young women with whom he wanted to have sex. As ONeill read the pages of testimony back to the jury Mesereau could be seen sleeping for some 30 minutes and awoke while the testimony was still being read. The nap was not acknowledged by anyone in the court or the judge. After the reading had finished, jurors returned to their deliberations, but were unable to reach a verdict by 9.30pm and were dismissed to begin again in the morning. Constand claims the comedian gave her pills which caused her to drift in and out of consciousness before molesting her while she was unable to resist Jurors were unable to reach a verdict after more than nine hours of deliberations on Wednesday before being dismissed at 9.30pm, to resume on Thursday During the course of their pondering, the jury also asked for the legal definition of consent and to read two contradicting statements given by defense witness Marguerite Margo Jackson, who claims the attack didn't happen. Both requests were denied, since there is no legal definition of consent beyond what is included in charging documents, and because Jackson's full statements were not entered as evidence during the trial. Cosby is charged with penetration without consent, penetration while the complainant is unconscious and penetration without the knowledge of a complainant having administered an intoxicant for the purposes of preventing resistance. The verdict on each of the three charges must be unanimous - something that proved impossible for jurors in the first trial. That ended in a mistrial when they declared themselves 'hopelessly deadlocked' after close to 53 hours of deliberation. Cosby denies the charges. The trial continues. Cosby is facing 30 years in jail if he is found guilty of drugging and sexually assaulting Andrea Constand at his Pennsylvania home in 2004. Former New York City Mayor and brand-new Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani is already playing the role of pit bull for the president, telling a New Hampshire television station that the Russia probe is 'a disgrace.' 'I can guarantee you this: When Mueller is finished, no matter whatever he does, he's not going to have a stitch of evidence that he colluded with the Russians,' Giuliani told WMUR. 'There isn't a person in the world who thinks he's guilty of collusion with the Russians.' During his appearance, Giuliani hammered former FBI Director James Comey too. In an interview with New Hampshire television station WMUR, Rudy Giuliani - President Trump's newest lawyer - called the Russia probe a 'disgrace' Giuliani said he trusts Special Counsel Robert Mueller, but said Mueller wouldn't find 'a stitch of evidence' that President Trump colluded in 2016 with the Russians Rudy Giuliani (left), a strong supporter of President Trump (right), joined the legal team last week that's dealing with Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia probe Comey participated in a town hall event on CNN last night. 'I think it will be liar's poke tonight,' Giuliani said Wednesday from New Hampshire. 'It'll be a guy who has forgotten how to tell the truth.' 'He is an absolute embarrassment to the FBI,' the former New York City mayor added. Giuliani has a history with Comey, having hired the fired FBI chief in the 1980s to work in the U.S. Attorney's office in Manhattan. Giuliani knows Mueller too, and told WMUR that he trusts the special counsel, who led the FBI before Comey, though he argued that Trump is 'innocent.' Before his trip to the nation's first primary state, Giuliani sat down with Mueller on Tuesday, the Washington Post has learned. Giuliani reopened discussions on a potential interview between Trump and Mueller, conversations that had broken down in the aftermath of the FBI's raid on longtime Trump lawyer Michael Cohen's office, hotel room and home. The ex-mayor, the Post noted, told Mueller that there was still great reluctance in agreeing to an interview, but did not rule it out. Giuliani also asked Mueller when the Russia probe might be done, the newspaper's sources said. Mueller, in turn, told Giuliani that he wished to ask the president about the decisions he made during the transition and early months of the administration. It's important for investigators to understand the president's intent as they look into potential obstruction of justice, Mueller noted. Last week upon his hiring to Trump's legal team, Giuliani suggested he would be the individual to get the Russia probe resolved. 'Im doing it because I hope we can negotiate an end to this for the good of the country and because I have high regard for the president and for Bob Mueller,' the ex-mayor had told the Washington Post last week. While neither the special counsel's office nor Jay Sekulow, another one of President Trump's attorneys, would comment about this initial meeting which included members of Giuliani and Mueller's team a source told the Post it was to 'feel each other out.' President Trump had initially told reporters he was keen to speak to Mueller, but his tune changed in the aftermath of the Cohen raid. The president's last attorney, John Dowd, had quit over the matter. Dowd had warned Trump that sitting down for an interview would put him in legal jeopardy. Besides last week's addition of Giuliani, Trump added husband-and-wife former federal prosecutors Jane Serene Raskin and Mary Raskin to his legal team. Another attorney, Ty Cobb, is handling the Mueller probe from inside the White House. Australian parents are furious after not being able to find prescription baby formula that won't trigger their child's milk allergy or intolerance. The issue has been going on for months as parents drive to shops around the city, or two hours away to find pharmacies with stock, The Sydney Morning Herald reported. Melbourne mother Hannah Goland, does not have enough of the baby formula to last her until Friday for her six-month-old son Archer. Melbourne mother Hannah Goland (pictured), does not have enough of the baby formula to last her until Friday for her six-month-old son Archer Australian parents are furious after not being able to find prescription baby formula that won't trigger their child's milk allergy or intolerance Ms Goland is scared of not being able to find the formula Alfamino, required by her son tomorrow, saying there is no backup option except for taking him to the hospital. 'There's no backup option. I guess if a tin doesnt come through, Ill have to take him to hospital,' she told Sydney Morning Herald. A Chinese website Taobao, boasts a lot of Australian baby formulas and sells Alfamino for $70. 'The government needs to do something,' Ms Goland said. A Chinese website Taobao, boasts a lot of Australian baby formulas and sells Alfamino for $70 Supermarket shelves have been wiped of baby formula despite the eight tin limit on customers Jade Smith, lives in country Victoria and recently ran out of the baby formula Alfare, for her six-month-old son Francis. Alfare is for babies with allergies, and Ms Smith was unable to find anymore of the formula nearby due to the shortage. Ms Smith said all the parents are in competition with each other and are stressed about not being able to feed their kids with the specific formulas. The next day, she was forced to drive more than two hours to the outskirts of Melbourne to pick up a tin for her son. Jade Smith (pictured), lives in country Victoria and recently ran out of the baby formula Alfare, for her six-month-old son Francis Parents are stressed out when they're not finding the baby formula their child needs Bags of baby formula tins bought by Chinese diagous being prepped to be sent over to China Chinese shoppers who hoard and send the tins over to their friend and family, or to make a bit of a profit are known as Diagou. Australia China Diagou Association, is a website allowing Australian's to connect with people in China to provide 'Australian brands with cost effective marketing sales.' Baby formula typically sells for $20 a tin in Australia but can fetch more than triple that in mainland China where they are in much higher demand. Alfare is for babies with allergies, and Ms Smith was unable to find anymore of the formula nearby due to the shortage Baby formula typically sells for $20 a tin in Australia but can fetch more than triple that in mainland China where they are in much higher demand Chinese shoppers hoarding baby formula tins began around 2008 when there was a contamination by melamine with Chinese baby formula which killed six babies and made another 300,000 ill, the BBC reported. After the contamination incident, there was a soar of Chinese families wanting Australian baby formula, which eventually led to the hoarding. Woolworths and Coles have also placed a limit of four tins per person however, there is no limit on how many times a person can come back to the supermarket and buy another round of tins. A Texas man convicted of beating and stomping his girlfriend's 18-month-old daughter to death then burying her body has been sentenced to life in prison. A Tarrant County jury sentenced 24-year-old Joshua Beard on Monday. Beard was convicted of murder on Saturday in the 2014 death of Tylea Moore. Prosecutors say Tylea died of blunt force trauma at the Arlington home Beard shared with the girl's mother, Alexis Botello. Monster: Joshua Beard, 24 (left), has been sentenced to life in prison for stomping to death the 18-month-old daughter of his girlfriend, Alexis Botello (pictured right with baby Tylea) Cover-up: After beating the toddler to death in July 2014, Beard and Botello allegedly buried her beneath a remote bridge They say an angry Beard at one point threw the child onto a bed with such force that she bounced off and landed on the floor, where he stomped on her stomach until she vomited. Authorities say Tylea died from her injuries and was buried underneath a rural bridge northwest of Fort Worth. Botello, 20, awaits trial on charges that include capital murder, tampering with or fabricating physical evidence, and injury to a child. In court on Monday, two ex-girlfriends of Beard's testified that he had abused them, and his jailers told the jury that at no time did he display any remorse for his actions towards Tylea, reported Dallas News. Botello, 20, awaits trial on charges that include capital murder, tampering with or fabricating physical evidence, and injury to a child Abusive: Botello told police after her arrest that Beard was angry at his daughter, but that he did not mean to kill her Beard and Botello, who was a recent high school graduate had been dating for only a few months. Tylea's father, Chris Moore, is a US Marine who used to attend the same school as Botello. Botello said on July 4, 2014, she and Beard had been fighting because he had allegedly been yelling at her daughter. She said when she checked on her daughter the next morning, Tylea was covered in bruises and bite marks and 'looked awful'. Botello claimed Beard had repeatedly struck the child, despite her attempts to stop him, and stomped on her stomach until she threw up 'green stuff' and eventually stopped breathing. The young mother claimed her boyfriend 'didn't mean to do it,' according to police record Botello allegedly told police that after her daughter died, she and Beard put the little girl's body in the car and drove to a Walmart. After buying gloves and shovels, they drove to Springtown, dug a small grave beneath a bridge and buried Tylea's body. Ford has announced it is dropping all but two of its passenger cars in a move to cut costs and meet the demands of consumers that increasingly opt for larger vehicles. The firm announced yesterday the Mustang and the Focus Active will soon be the only regular cars available at US and Canadian dealerships. It will still produce SUVs and pickups as they continue to be popular with customers, but the Fiesta, Taurus, Fusion and regular Focus models will disappear from US showrooms. The decision was announced by CEO Jim Hackett as the business released its first quarter profit results. Ford has announced it is dropping all but two of its passenger cars in a move to cut costs and meet the demands of consumers that increasingly opt for larger vehicles. It is keeping the Ford Mustang (pictured) and the new Ford Focus Active The firm announced yesterday the Mustang and the Focus Active (pictured) will soon be the only regular cars available at US and Canadian dealerships It will enable the company to cut $25.5billion in costs by 2022, up from $14 billion in cuts it announced last fall. Mr Hackett told investors the company is undergoing 'a profound refocus' of its operations and is planning to get rid of unprofitable business. 'We'll restructure as necessary, and we'll be decisive. We're going to feed the healthy part of our business,' and dispose of marginal operations.' Ford said it expects pre-tax profit margins of eight per cent globally and 10 per cent in North America by 2020, ahead of a previous target of 2022. The company's stock was up 2.6 percent at $11.40 in after-hours trading. Responding to a shift in consumer demand to SUVs and pickup trucks, Ford said it planned to trim its North American car portfolio to just two models: the sporty Mustang, which debuted 50 years ago this month, and a new compact crossover called Focus Active starting in 2019. Ford 'will not invest in next generations of traditional Ford sedans for North America,' including the midsize Fusion and full-size Taurus, the company said. The car manufacturer has been under pressure from Wall Street investors to improve its product lineup and lift flagging profit margins. It will still produce SUVs and pickups as they continue to be popular with customers, but the Fiesta, Taurus, Fusion and regular Focus (pictured) models will disappear from US showrooms Out: The Ford Taurus (pictured) will no longer be available in US or Canadian dealerships soon In 2017, the company's pretax profit fell to $8.4 billion from $10.3 billion. In March, Ford executives unveiled ambitious plans to shift the struggling automaker's product portfolio from passenger cars to SUVs, add more hybrid and pure electric vehicles, and reduce development and manufacturing costs - aimed at boosting profits and the automaker's share price. Speaking on Wednesday as the company reported first-quarter results, Chief Financial Officer Bob Shanks said 'we have looked at every single part of the business...We are driven to turn this business around.' Ford reported a better-than-expected first-quarter profit, with a seven per cent increase in revenue and a lower effective tax rate offsetting a jump in costs, especially higher commodity prices. The company reported a first-quarter net profit of $1.74 billion, or 43 cents per share, up from $1.6 billion, or 40 cents per share, a year earlier. Analysts had on average expected earnings per share of 41 cents. Despite the higher profit, Ford's adjusted pretax profit margin fell to 5.2 percent from 6.4 percent in the same quarter in 2017. Out: The Ford Focus is another passenger car the automobile firm is dropping due to lack of demand Out: The Ford Fiesta (pictured) is also being dropped CFO Shanks said the company expected that commodity costs would represent a $1.5 billion 'headwind' in 2018, $500 million of which came in the first quarter. The lion's share of the automaker's quarterly profit was driven by high-margin pickup trucks and SUVs in North America. Europe was the only other region to turn a profit for Ford. The company's loss in its Asia Pacific region was driven by slumping sales in China, where Ford has just begun to introduce new models. Shanks said the Lincoln brand still is losing money in China, where it launched in 2015, but now plans to begin local production there in 2020. Joe Hinrichs, president of global operations, said Ford plans to build a new product its Hermosillo plant in Mexico when it quits production of the Fusion sedan, and will also build a new battery electric vehicle in Mexico. Labour is on track for its best local election performance in London for more than 40 years, according to a poll today. Although the gap with the Tories has narrowed slightly since February, Jeremy Corbyn's party is still 22 points ahead in the capital. However, Labour now looks set to fall short of winning Conservative strongholds of Westminster and Wandsworth in the elections next week. Some 150 councils across England are electing new councillors on May 3, and there are six mayoral contests. All 32 London boroughs have seats up for grabs, and other major battlegrounds include Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds and Newcastle. Although the gap with the Tories has narrowed slightly over the past month, Jeremy Corbyn's party is still 22 points ahead in London Jeremy Corbyn was on the election campaign trail in London today - including visiting West Drayton (pictured) Theresa May was busy in Downing Street today - holding talks with the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev (pictured right) Liverpool, Sheffield, Sunderland and Wigan also have a third of their councillors being elected. Tories have been deeply gloomy about their prospects in London, where Labour has been performing strongly under Mr Corbyn. Sadiq Khan romped to victory in the mayoral race in 2016. But it is unclear what impact there will be from the anti-Semitism row raging in Labour, and the Windrush immigration scandal wracking the government. The survey by YouGov for Queen Mary University of London's Mile End Institute found 51 per cent of the capital's voters backed Labour. The Conservatives were on 29 per cent, with the Liberal Democrats on 11 per cent. The Green were on 4 per cent and Ukip were almost flatlining on 2 per cent. Politics professor Philip Cowley said the three-point drop in Labour since February suggested the Tories would hold on Westminster and Wandsworth. It suggests a 5.35 per cent swing to Labour since the same seats were fought in 2014, down from 7.35 per cent in February. 'Despite the small increase in support for the Conservatives, the Labour Party is predicted to do better than any political party has managed in London for over 40 years,' said Prof Cowley. Tories have been deeply gloomy about their prospects in London, where Labour has been performing strongly under Mr Corbyn (pictured right campaigning in Edgware today). Sadiq Khan (pictured left) romped to victory in the mayoral race in 2016 Mr Corbyn, left, visited the Jain Temple in Kenton, London today as campaigning for the local elections intensified 'Nothing in this poll indicates that next week will be anything other than a good night for Labour in London.' Holding on to Westminster and Wandsworth be 'merely the avoidance of utter disaster' for Theresa May's party, he added. Worryingly for the Conservatives, Labour leads not only in the inner city, but also the suburbs. In inner London, 59 per cent intended to vote Labour and 22 per cent Tory, while in outer London Labour led by 46 per cent to 34 per cent. :: YouGov questioned 1,099 London adults for QMUL from April 14 to 20. This is the shocking moment a teenager has a beer can shot off his head with a bow and arrow. The can, perched sideways on the youngster's head, is pinned to the wall behind by the force of the arrow. The stunt was filmed on Tuesday night at a house party in Wexford, Ireland. Tristen White, 19, tries to balance a beer can upright on Paddy Ruski's head. Tristen White, 19, tries to balance a beer can upright on Paddy Ruski's head, before choosing the riskier option of placing it sideways Paddy covers his eyes as Tristen, who has downed a 'crate' of beer, lines up the shot from about 4ft away After that proves difficult, Tristen goes for the even riskier option of balancing it sideways on the head of Paddy, 19, who he only met that night. Paddy covers his eyes as Tristen, who has downed a 'crate' of beer, lines up the shot from about 4ft away. At this point female voices can be heard gasping and saying 'Oh my god' before the shot is fired. The arrow, travelling almost too fast to be seen, penetrates the can about an inch above Paddy's head. The next moment the arrow is quivering in the wall behind Paddy as the can revolves on the shaft. Paddy can then be seen taking his hands away from his face as he laughs along with the rest of the revellers heard in the background. The entire room can be heard erupting in delight at the lucky shot while a proud Tristen is shown at the end shouting 'woah' before casually drinking his beer. The arrow, travelling almost too fast to be seen, penetrates the can about an inch above Paddy's head (left) Tristen shared the remarkable clip on his Facebook page on Tuesday captioned 'Modern Day Robin Hood'. The clip has since been viewed over 50,000 times and attracted hundreds of comments. Dominic Pryor said: 'This could have went so wrong.' Nioclas O Murchu wrote: 'Not a cat in hells chance would I be the one sitting with the can on my head anyway. I wouldn't care if it was Jean Claude Van Damme with the bow and arrow. F*** that.' Craig Sorensen said: 'If he had a missed he would be up for murder..silly f***er on the chair has no brains.' Bradley Kitson wrote: 'The guy who has the can on his head has some balls.' The entire room erupts in delight at the lucky shot while a proud Tristen is shown at the end shouting 'woah' before casually drinking his beer And William Wardrop said: 'Offt crazy b****** man.' Dylan Samas wrote: 'That's the stupidest thing I've ever seen.' Nick Sim said: 'Seriously f*** that.' And Josh Cooper wrote: 'Stupido.' Speaking today Tristen said: 'I had the bow and arrow and was shooting objects off my target I have for it, things like lighters and balloons. 'I said it to Paddy after drinking a crate of cheap Budweiser and he said if you hit me just give me 20 euro. 'I shook his hand and tried to get the can to stand up straight but it wouldn't stand up straight so I put it sideways. 'I think everyone was surprised I hit the can but for the record I would never do it again or encourage anyone to try it and I definitely wouldn't have attempted it sober!' Latin America has suffered a 'breathtaking' wave of homicidal violence with more than 2.5million murders since 2000, a report has revealed. The region accounts for a third of the world's murders - despite being home to only eight per cent of the global population, according to the Brazilian think-tank, the Igarape Institute. About 25 per cent of all global homicides take place in four of the region's countries - Colombia, Venezuela, Mexico and Brazil. The institute's report said the 'sheer dimensions of homicidal violence are breathtaking' with almost half of all victims aged between 1529. Latin America has suffered a 'breathtaking' wave of homicidal violence with more than 2.5million murders since 2000, a report has revealed. Armed police are pictured during a shootout with a gang in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil The Igarape Institute said the 'sheer dimensions of homicidal violence are breathtaking' with almost half of all victims aged between 1529 . Pictured: A body bag is carried away after a homicide in Mexico It also warned the crisis could continue to increase until 2030 - despite already having a regional homicide rate of 21.5 per 100,000 - three-times the global average. Of the 20 nations in the world with the highest homicide rates, 17 are in Latin America, where the proportion of murders involving firearms is 'astonishingly high' at 75 per cent compared to a global average of 40 per cent, the report found. Meanwhile, of the 50 cities in the world with the highest murder rates, 43 are in the region - topped by San Salvador in El Salvador. While not all parts of Latin America are violent, there are pockets where it is particularly bad - including in Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Mexico - with each country having its own particular 'hot places and hot people' creating spikes in figures, the report explained. In some of these areas, with 'concentrated poverty and inequality, high levels of youth unemployment, and a high turnover of residents', violent crime becomes more likely, the report said. At least 17 of the top 20 most homicidal countries in the world are located in Central America, the Caribbean and South America The region accounts for a third of the world's murders - despite being home to only eight per cent of the global population, according to the Brazilian think-tank, the Igarape Institute Latin America is also one of the planet's most urbanized regions with three of its mega-cities among the worlds largest Buenos Aires, Mexico and Sao Paulo. The report says: 'Owing to high rates of urbanization, there is a high level of concentration of criminal violence in Latin American cities. Not surprisingly, there are comparatively high rates of crime in urban and per-urban areas.' Latin America is also facing a 'major crisis with its penal system'. 'Virtually every country in Latin America is facing a challenge with prison overpopulation, excessive pre-trial detention, and a deterioration in services,' the authors wrote. 'Prison violence is explosive especially in Central America and South America. In Chile, Mexico and Peru, over 75% of surveyed inmates report feeling less safe in prison then where they lived before being incarcerated. There are also major challenges with recidivism.' About 25 per cent of all global homicides take place in four of the region's countries - Colombia, Venezuela, Mexico and Brazil, the think tank found Latin Americans regional homicide rate is roughly 21.5 per 100,000, more than three times the global average Given current trends, Latin Americas homicide rate is expected to reach 35 per 100,000 by 2030 Cartel and gang-related violence is seem as a significant contributor to high violence rates while policing is also a source of concern. The institute's co-founder Robert Muggah told the Washington Post: 'In many parts of Latin America, homicide reduction is still not accorded a high priority. 'As a result, police departments may not prioritize investigations, including of capital crimes.' His report says Latin Americans 'have a low opinion of their police and justice systems' because of the 'chronic levels of impunity'. 'There is an exceedingly high rate of impunity associated with homicide (and many other crimes) in Latin America. To put the challenge in perspective, consider that roughly 80% of European homicides are "solved". 'In Latin America, the proportion drops to around 50%, and even as low as 8% in some countries.' More than 2.5 million Latin Americans have been killed violently since 2000, most of them due to intentional homicide Two adorable panda cubs in China turned six months old yesterday with a special gift: their name. The fluffy animals have been named 'Xue Bao' and 'Qian Jin', which literally mean 'snow baby' and 'lush and gold' in order. Panda fans sent in their suggestions to name the pair after a zoo in Shanghai had asked the public to help name them. Xue Bao and Qian Jin, both six months old, are the newest cubs born at Shanghai Wildlife Zoo The two adorable animals, a boy and a girl, grow up together and love playing with each other The campaign attracted more than 5,000 name suggestions. The two names were selected from 20 name candidates, which had stood out in a public voting process participated by more than one million people. Xue Bao and Qian Jin were both born in October last year, but to different mothers. They are the latest panda cubs born at the Shanghai Wildlife Zoo and they are growing up together there. Male Xue Bao (pictured) was born on October 4 and is an outgoing, lively and adventurous cub On the other hand, female Qian Jin (pictured), also six months old, is quiet, smart and curious A video clip from CGTN shows how the two naughty cubs playing with each other in their enclosure and interacting with their mother. Xue Bao, a boy, was born on October 4 to mother panda Si Xue and weighed 171.8g (6oz) at birth. His name signifies purity and preciousness. According to Xue Bao's keeper, the cub now weighs 19.5kg (42lb) and is 'outgoing, lively and adventurous'. The two pandas were given their names at a special ceremony joined by over 100 panda fans The panda fans also planted bamboo for Xue Bao and Qian Jin to celebrate the occasion Qian Jin, a girl, was born six days after Xue Bao, weighing 168.5g (5.9oz). Her name has been inspired by its mother's name, Qian Qian, and it also sounds like the phrase 'a precious daughter' in Chinese. Now measuring 16.9kg (37lb), Qian Jin is said to be 'quiet, smart and curious'. The two cubs were given their names during a special ceremony yesterday morning. The zoo said the cubs are currently learning to eat bamboo from their mothers. Therefore, the zoo invited around 100 lucky tourists to plant bamboo to celebrate the special occasion for the animal stars. A Wisconsin father has been jailed for just five years after starving his daughter to death A father who watched his three-year-old daughter slowly starve to death will spend just five years behind bars. Wisconsin man Dylan Bartsh, 33, will also spend the following five years on an extended supervision order after the 2014 death of his daughter Audryna, Winona Daily News reported. The toddler, who was in an emaciated condition with 28 bruises on her head, a black eye, bite marks and sunken ribs, had suffered a seizure just three days before she died. She had also been hit with a wire coat hanger and on her neck, a coroner found 70 scars which appeared to have been caused by an adult fingernail. La Crosse County District Attorney Tim Gruenke said Audryna suffered 'a worse death than many of the homicide cases we've seen'. 'This was preventable for days and weeks. She was literally dying right in front of [Bartsh's] eyes,' he said. When Audryna was one and a half years old, her mother agreed to share custody with Bartsh. The 33-year-old took her away and refused to let mother Sheena Poldoski see her again, despite the woman's best efforts. Dylan Bartsh (pictured), 33, said his daughter had not been eating for two weeks before she died. He will serve five years behind bars and a further five years on a supervision order Bartsh had been granted shared custody of baby Audryna (pictured) when she was 18 months old, but immediately took her away and refused to let her see her mother (left) again The youngster had 28 bruises on her head, 70 scars believed to have been caused by adult fingernails on her neck and was emaciated when she died The three-year-old was spanked with a fly swatter and subjected to lengthy time outs while under the care of Bartsh and his girlfriend, Jaymie Rundle The court heard Bartsh had 'checked out' of caring for his daughter, leaving his girlfriend Jaymie Rundle to look after her, and had avoided seeking medical care when he knew his daughter was unwell because of fears her physical injuries would invite police attention. Audryna had stopped eating two weeks before her death, the court heard, and the youngster was spanked with a fly swatter and forced into lengthy time outs. After her seizure, doctors saw the girl's body was covered in bruises and scratches. Scars from previous attacks covered her face and body, the court heard. An autopsy of her body revealed bleeding on the brain, 22 scrapes on her head, a black eye and a torn lip. An autopsy of her body revealed bleeding on the brain, 22 scraps on her head, a black eye and a torn lip Her mother, Sheena Poldoski (pictured holding Audryna) took to social media after Bartsh's sentencing and wrote: 'This is not what I wanted but it's what we got' Her death was ruled a homicide by Dane County Medical Examiner Vincent Tranchida. Bartsh earlier pleaded no contest to child neglect resulting in death in the October 2014 death of Audryna Bartsh. Bartsh's girlfriend, Jaymie Rundle, was sentenced to eight months in jail last year after pleading no contest to misdemeanour child neglect in Audryna's death. The toddler's mother, Sheena Poldoski, was in court for Bartsh's sentencing. She took to a Facebook page set up in memory of her daughter afterwards and shared a brief message with supporters. 'This is not what I wanted but it's what we got,' she wrote. 'I love you Audryna.' A Swiss aristocrat and her dead husband's lover are locked in a bitter court feud over a 2.2million cash pot and his collection of clocks and paintings. Christiane De Muller's financier husband, Rainer Kahrmann, died in July 2014, leaving a fortune of 4.4million in the UK. He died without making a valid will, meaning that Mme De Muller and Mr Kahrmann's four children, now stand to inherit his estate. Mme De Muller, who was separated from the financier for 'many years' before he died, the High Court was told. Hilary Harrison-Morgan (left) picked up a cheque for 2.2million from the sale of the property in Belgravia, west London, but Christiane De Mulller, (right) is suing her for return of the cash Christiane De Muller with her financier husband, Rainer Kahrmann, in 1982. The High Court heard the couple had been separated for 'many years' before he died Mr Kahrmann's partner after the breakdown of his marriage, Hilary Harrison-Morgan, picked up a 2.2m cheque from the sale of property he owned in Belgravia, West London. Mrs Harrison-Morgan, the mother of Mr Kahrmann's twin sons, Fred and Max, is now being sued by his widow for return of the cash. Mme De Muller, who part owns a chateau in Switzerland, is suing alongside her grown-up daughter, Alice Kahrmann, 36, on behalf of her dead husband's estate. Also in dispute are a number of items, including paintings and a grandfather clock - which Mme De Muller claims Mrs Harrison-Morgan has clung onto since Mr Kahrmann's death. Mme De Muller's daughter's Alice, 36, (left, arriving at court) and Louise, 38, were in court giving evidence Mr Kahrmann, a highly successful investment banker, died aged 71, and had lived in London until 2003, but returned to his native Germany over financial pressures. He was also an expert on clocks and a member of the Royal Horological Society. He and Mrs Harrison-Morgan once lived together in a two-storey maisonette, in Belgravia, west London, and raised their sons there. The court battle concerns a 'highly complex' transaction carried out less than two weeks after Mr Kahrmann's death - involving the sale of the Belgravia Home and an adjoining property. Both properties were partly owned by Mr Kahrmann, and the sale of his stakes in them generated a profit of 4.4m. The centre of the dispute involves a property in Wilton Crescent, Belgravia (pictured) Of that total, 2.2m was received by Mrs Harrison-Morgan, while the remaining 2.2m has since flowed back into Mr Kahrmann's estate, the court heard. But Mme De Muller's lawyers now argue that the cash was 'wrongly paid' to her husband's ex-partner and she is obliged to refund every penny to the estate. Mrs Harrison-Morgan's 17-year-old sons both stand to inherit from Mr Kahrmann's estate - as do Mme De Muller and her daughters, Alice and Louise. But Mrs Harrison-Morgan, 59, 'has received nothing' and claims she is entitled to hold onto the 2.2m, said her lawyer Clifford Darton. Alice Kahrmann, told the court she had been unhappy with the way the sale was carried through, and had visited a lawyer to raise her concerns She argues that she and Mr Kahrmann enjoyed a 'loving relationship' and that he would have wanted her to be provided for. Mr Kahrmann had pledged to her that she would have a share in the properties to reflect their close bond, she claims. Ulick Staunton, for Mme De Muller, says the evidence shows that 'the deceased did not have a good relationship' with Mrs Harrison-Morgan. But she told Judge Richard Hacon: 'Rainer fully intended to make sure that myself and the boys were looked after from the proceeds of sale. 'There's absolutely no doubt in my mind that that is what he intended.' Asserting rights both as a sitting tenant and a common law wife, she also pointed out that she lived in the Wilton Crescent flat for over 20 years. She played a key role in arranging the sale of the properties and the transactions would have stalled had she refused to vacate, the court heard. 'I would never have left that house or signed anything without expecting to be paid,' she told the court. 'I was paid to get out, it was really simple....I was expecting 3m,' she added. Mrs Harrison-Morgan said she had lived with Mr Kahrmann for years, adding: 'Some things were bought by him and other things were bought by me, there was quite a muddle'. When Mr Kahrmann relocated to Germany, he carted off many of his possessions in a van, telling her that 'everything that's left is yours', she claimed. Those items included paintings and a grandfather clock, she explained, adding that many of the objects he left behind had been gifts to her from Mr Kahrmann. She did not even want some of the items, she insisted, telling the judge: 'I have nowhere to put them'. Mme De Muller was not present during the hearing, but the court heard evidence from her daughters, Louise, 38, and Alice, 36. The sisters initially received 2.2m following the Wilton Crescent sale, but later transferred that sum to their father's estate. Alice Kahrmann told the court she had been unhappy with the way the sale was carried through, and had visited a lawyer to raise her concerns. Neither she nor her sister have 'received a penny' from their father, she added, and they have transferred their interest in his estate to their mother. The civil trial, in front of Judge Hacon, continues. A Detroit funeral home has been shut down after authorities found moldy, decomposing bodies that had been stashed in a garage on site since late last year. The Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) said in a statement on Wednesday their inspectors found 'deplorable, unsanitary conditions'. Authorities were seen helping move bodies into hearses at Cantrell Funeral Home on Wednesday, after the business was forced to close. The investigation was sparked after a member of the public complained to LARA, who were initially denied entry to inspect the premises. Scroll down for video Cantrell Funeral Home in Detroit, Michigan, was shut down on Wednesday after multiple code violations regarding the storage of bodies Two bodies were found in early April in 'advanced stages of decomposition' and others were found with mold on them When inspectors gained access, a statement from the regulatory body said they found an 'unclean and unsanitary' embalming room and on April 10 found bodies that had been left in an unrefrigerated garage since November and December last year. A third body was kept from January through to April, when it was eventually cremated. On April 25, a separate inspection revealed two bodies in 'an advanced state of decomposition', which were covered in mold. The bodies had been at the funeral home since January and February respectively. A third body was found with 'a facial area covered in unknown fluids'. Distraught family members are now left wondering what state their loved ones are in and have no idea where their bodies are. Yolanda Brewer told WXYZ Detroit her sister's body had been stored at Cantrell Funeral Home for four months, which means the woman could be one of the decomposed bodies. Bodies and human remains were taken by the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (pictured) Coffins were seen being removed from the premises, as were bags believed to be holding ashes Ms Brewer, who was speaking outside the funeral home, had Cantrell store her sister's body while she slowly paid off the bill to have her buried. 'I didn't have the money right now, but I had to get my sister's body out of the hospital morgue,' she said through tears. 'I put up everything I have, I'm putting my furniture and everything for sale... I'm doing what I can to bury her. 'I don't know what to do - I don't have the money to bury her, and I don't know where they're taking her.' CSCL Director Julia Dale said in a statement funeral homes were being 'aggressively' held to the highest standards of public health and safety. Authorities used hearses to remove bodies from the premises after many were found in an unrefrigerated garage One woman out the front said she had been slowly paying for her sister to be buried and tearfully explained her body had been at Cantrell Funeral Home for four months - fitting the timeline of one of the badly decomposed bodies (pictured: authorities load coffins into hearses) 'Michigan residents trust funeral home directors, owners, and their establishments to follow the law, especially when dealing with the death of a loved one,' she said. A secondary investigation has been launched into the funeral home's finances, with more than $20,000 paid for pre-paid funerals not deposited within 30 days. The business is also under investigation for operating with an expired registration. All bodies and remains found on the premises have been surrendered to the custody and control of LARA, where they will be stored in a facility with proper refrigeration equipment and storage. Anyone seeking information on a body held at Cantrell Funeral Home should call LARAs Corporations, Securities & Commercial Licensing bureau at 517-335-5237. A Chinese boy was hit and dragged by a slow-moving mini train at an amusement park in southwest China. Surveillance camera footage shows the four-year-old boy walking on the railway tracks before the mini train starts moving and knocks him down. His mother was said to be paying for his ride ticket when the incident happened. Onlookers pulled him out and call for emergency services. It was confirmed that the boy suffered skull fractures and multiple soft tissue injuries. A four-year-old boy was playing on a railway track at a park in southwest China (left). The train moved suddenly and knocked the boy down within seconds (right) According to Chongqing Morning Post, the boy and his mother were visiting the People's Park of Yibin, Sichuan Province on April 22. The boy just finished a ride at the miniature train and walked on the railway tracks to wait for his mother to pay. CCTV footage shows the train starts to move and approaching close to the boy. The four-year-old tries to push against the train but gets hit and falls backward on the track. The train continues and runs over the boy, dragging him along the track before a worker presses on the stop button. The boy was freed by the onlookers who pulled him out of the bottom of the train. He was sent to a hospital immediately. The boy was diagnosed with skull fractures and multiple soft tissue injuries, stated the report. The train operator did not see the boy standing in front of the train and accidentally ran over him (left). The boy was dragged along the track before onlookers noticed (right) Onlookers lifted the mini train up and pulled the boy out and sent him to a nearby hospital A staff member from the Park told Beijing Youth Post that the train operator did not see the boy while driving the machine. The operator has been suspended until further notice. Yibin State Administration of Work Safety has launched an investigation and ordered the park to close the miniature train until a full report to be carried out. All workers will be given a full training on work safety and precautions. A council in Sydney's west is considering a proposal to reduce foreign language's on business signs in their region. Strathfield Council is drafting a measure that would see size limits applied to foreign language text accompanying English text. Under the proposal foreign langue text would need to be 30% per cent the size of any English text on the signs. Strathfield (pictured) Council wants to implement size limits on foreign language signs in the area The area has a high Chinese population and many residents don't speak English at home 'All signage is to be displayed in the English language, with a direct or near direct translation into another language using smaller letters or characters,' the minutes form the council meeting state. 'Where signage includes a translation into another language, this must not exceed more than 30% of the overall size of the English language text.' Independent Councillor Matthew Blackmore, who moved the proposal at the last council meeting said 'the change to the policy is designed to set a standard in the presentation of signs in shops'. He said it would 'improve our commercial streetscapes and improve communication.' He added that the council would consult the community before any changes were implemented and that if the proposal was approved that it would only effect new businesses. The last census showed that 21.9 per cent of its population were of Chinese ancestry much higher than the national average of 3.9 per cent. Independent Councillor Matthew Blackmore has proposed the measure in the last meeting (stock) More than two in three people living in the area said they speak a language other than English at home. The most common languages were Korean, Mandarin and Cantonese. NSW Business Chamber spokesperson Damian Kelly told SBS that while there was merit to the proposal they were worried about any unnecessary red tape. 'There may be some potential customers who may feel they're unwelcome in that particular shop, restaurant, cafe, whatever business it is. If this particular motion gets through we'd like to see council working with businesses,' he said. Community feedback on the measure is still being received. Sgt. Timothy Wall is suing Starbucks after he was attacked at a Manhattan store he had repeatedly warned to stop giving away free food as it was attracting homeless and mentally disturbed people. An NYPD sergeant is suing Starbucks after he was attacked at a Manhattan store he had repeatedly warned to stop giving away free food as it was attracting homeless and mentally disturbed people. Sgt. Timothy Wall was responding to a disturbance at the Midtown branch, near the Port Authority Bus Terminal, at around 3pm on September 18, after 24-year-old Montclair Mobley was throwing a fit over his free croissant, according to the cop's lawsuit, obtained by the New York Post. Wall and his partner asked Mobley to leave, watched on by the store's security, but the disruptive customer threatened to 'kill everyone' in the restaurant, the court papers state. The sergeant then tried to detain Mobley, at which point he claims he was shoved into the wall, dislocating his shoulder and re-inflaming an old line-of-duty injury. The injuries sidelined Wall from work for months and in February - five months after the attack - he needed surgery to repair his shoulder cartilage. To this day, Wall remains on desk duty while he heals, he says. Wall is particularly angry over the attack because he believes it was preventable. He says he warned that particular Starbucks time and time again not to hand our free food to the homeless as he felt it was attracting the wrong element. 'I warned that someone would end up getting hurt - it was an unsafe environment. It turned out to be me,' Sgt. Timothy Wall told The Post. Starbucks lawyers argue that Wall, as a cop, was responsible for his own injuries under 'assumption of risk' and through his own 'culpable conduct'. Wall was responding to a disturbance at the Midtown branch, near the Port Authority Bus Terminal, (pictured) when he tried to detain a man throwing a tantrum over his free croissant The community-affairs officer, with the Midtown South Precinct, said in the suit that there had been as many as 80 disturbances at that branch in 2017, and that he and his colleagues repeatedly told managers at the branch to stop giving away food. He said that cops were often called out to remove disturbed individuals who had got high on the second floor, urinated on seats or even assaulted patrons. But he says managers at the Eighth Avenue and West 39th Street store 'brushed aside' their advaice. 'I want to help people in need as much as anyone else, but I explained to [Starbucks] that there was a time and place to do it,' said Wall. 'It went in one ear and out the other.' Employees at the store told The Post that there had been a problem with fights and people loitering at the store around six months ago, but denied any knowledge of a food giveaway, while a company spokesman added that such a program did not exist. A Mexican rapper has confessed to dissolving the bodies of three murdered film students in acid on the orders of a notorious drug cartel. Christian Palma Gutierrez, better known as QBA, told prosecutors he disposed of the remains of Javier Salomon Aceves Gastelum, 23 and 20-year-olds Marco Garcia Francisco Avalos and Jesus Daniel Diaz, last month. The trio were kidnapped, tortured and killed in the state of Jalisco by cartel members dressed as policemen after they were mistaken for rival gangsters. Christian Palma Gutierrez, better known as rapper QBA, has confessed to dissolving the bodies of three Mexican students in acid on the orders of the Jalisco New Generation cartel Gutierrez told prosecutors that he had participated in three other murders and had dissolved bodies in acid before. He claimed he was paid $160 per week by the cartel for his services Gutierrez told Mexican prosecutors that he disposed of the bodies on orders from the Jalisco New Generation cartel, and it was not the first time he had disposed of remains in this way. He said he was paid 3,000 pesos ($160) per week by the cartel for his services. 'He has participated in three other previous murders,' chief investigator Lizette Torres told AFP news agency. So far, QBA and one other suspect have been arrested in connection with the killings. Police are still searching for five other suspects. The last time the students were seen alive was after their car broke down. They were seen being forced into another car by two armed men dressed as police officers in Guadalajara, Mexico's second largest city, in the western state of Jalisco. Javier Salomon Aceves Gastelum, 25, Marco Garcia Francisco Avalos, 20, and Jesus Daniel Diaz, 20, went missing last month, authorities say they were confused for a rival gang of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel Jalisco Institute of Forensic Sciences staff work at a house connected to their disappearance Javier Salomon Aceves Gastelum, 25, Jesus Daniel Diaz, 20, and Marco Garcia Francisco Avalos, 20, are pictured during a press conference Monday after investigators said they were confused for rivals of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel Another official said that investigators are analyzing more human remains found on the premises of the building where the young men were dissolved. 'There are no words to comprehend the magnitude of this madness,' Oscar-winning director Guillermo del Toro, a Guadalajara native, tweeted early Tuesday. Inside the Jalisco New Generation cartel The former armed wing of El Chapo's Sinaloa cartel, Jalisco New Generation - also known as CJNG - struck out on its own in 2011, declaring war on all other cartels in Mexico. Over the course of a bloody six-month campaign, CJNG formed a coast-to-coast empire leaving hundreds of dead civilians and gangsters in their wake. Based out of the state of Jalisco, they now have a presence in Michoacan, Veracruz, Nayarit, Colima, and Guanajuato. Their biggest rivals are the Los Zetas, and the two cartels have been engaged in a long and bloody turf war. At their head is Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, otherwise known as El Mencho - a former avocado farmer who emigrated to the US in the 1980s before being deported. He is known as a ruthless leader with a penchant for sensationalist acts of violence and is one of Mexico's most wanted men. Advertisement 'Three students are killed and dissolved in acid. The 'why' is unthinkable, the 'how' is terrifying.' On Monday night, families of the deceased protested to reject the official version about the disappearance of their loved ones outside of the Jalisco state Governor's residence in Guadalajara Prosecutors said the youths, who were students at University of Audiovisual Media, were confused with members of a another gang by gunmen from the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), which has become the most powerful in Mexico, according to U.S. authorities. Criminal groups in Mexico are known for kidnapping, torturing, dismembering and even dissolving their victims in acid and many of the remains are dumped in clandestine graves. In 2014, 43 student teachers disappeared in the southern state of Guerrero and the government said they were kidnapped by police who handed them over to a criminal group that killed them and burned their bodies. International observers objected to the government's investigation and the case shook the administration of President Enrique Pena Nieto, who has seen his popularity decline sharply amid corruption allegations and a spike in violence. More than 25,000 people were murdered last year in Mexico. Homicides hit their highest level in records going back 20 years. Relatives and friends of three missing students from the University of Audiovisual Media, place candles during a demonstration to reject the official version about the disappearance of their loved ones outside of the Jalisco state Governor's residence in Guadalajara The Ohio parents of a baby boy, who died 10 hours after birth, will face court after they moved his corpse around their home before stashing him in a container for more than a year. Jared Stark, 33, has been charged with involuntary manslaughter, child endangering and gross abuse of a corpse in connection to their son Ezra. His wife Sarah, 35, has been charged with child endangering and gross abuse of a corpse. Jared's parents, Steven and Sheryl Stark have also been charged with gross abuse of a corpse, CBS reported. Scroll down for video Jared (right) and Sarah (left) Stark have been charged after allowing their son Ezra to die at 10 hours old and keeping his corpse for nearly 18 months The couple, and grandparents Steven and Sarah Stark, helped move the baby's decomposing corpse throughout the house before eventually putting his body in a plastic tub and leaving it outside Court documents claim Jared moved his infant son's decomposing body throughout the house after his birth in October 2016 before sealing it in a plastic container. The corpse was then left inside a barn, where animals lived. When Ezra's body was recovered, it was 18 months old. Prosecutor Morris Murray told WANE Jared's parents allegedly assisted him in moving the body. Murray alleged Ezra's grandparents also: 'treated the deceased child's remains in a manner that would outrage reasonable community sensibilities'. All four family members have been charged with 'gross abuse of a corpse'. Prosecutor Morris Murray said their behaviour would leave a reasonable person outraged Pictured: A cross appears to have been erected to indicate a grave on the Stark's Ohio property Investigators are looking into whether any religious affiliation would have influenced the Stark family's decision not to call for help when Ezra died. The family are reportedly attendees of the Gospel Light Tabernacle church in Hicksville. Not much is known about the church, which has a very small online presence. Grandfather Steven Stark is a pastor at the church, WANE reported. The child endangerment charges were pressed because the Stark's have another young child at home, who was at risk due to prolonged exposure to the corpse. Police are investigating if the Stark's religious beliefs influenced their treatment of Ezra's corpse President Trump continued dousing rapper Kanye West with praise Thursday after the rapper called Trump his 'brother' and said they shared similar 'dragon energy.' 'He has good taste,' the president said during his wide-ranging call-in Thursday morning to Fox & Friends. 'You know, I have known Kanye a little bit. And I get along with Kanye.' Trump explained that he believed West was impressed with his record on black, Latino and even female unemployment, reminding the Fox & Friends co-hosts how he would tell African-American voters at rallies 'What do you have to lose?' 'He sees that stuff and he's smart,' Trump continued. 'And he says, "Trump is doing a much better job than the Democrats did,"' the president added. President Trump tweeted a 'thank you' to Kanye West Wednesday afternoon after a reporter asked about positive comments the rapper had made about Trump during the White House press briefing In a second tweet about Kanye West, President Trump merely wrote 'MAGA!' - which is shorthand for 'Make America Great Again' The president was then asked if Republicans had done a bad job trying to court black voters. 'You know, I think it was just a custom, people don't realize, if you go back to the Civil War, it was the Republicans who really did the thing,' Trump said. 'Lincoln was a Republican.' 'Somehow it changed over the years and I will say, I really believe it's changing back,' he added. Despite only receiving 8 per cent of the African-American vote in 2016, Trump told Fox & Friends he 'got a lot of support' from black voters. It is true, however, that President Obama had a heavier advantage against Mitt Romney among black Americans in comparison to Hillary Clinton. Clinton beat Trump by 80 points, while Obama beat Romney by 87 points, according to Pew. The president's Thursday morning comments came after he gave the rapper two shout-outs on Twitter on Wednesday. 'Thank you Kanye, very cool!' Trump wrote, including West's original message in his tweet. In a second tweet, Trump wrote 'MAGA' shorthand for 'Make America Great Again' as the president shared the rapper's photo of his signed red Trump hat. West had said, 'You don't have to agree with trump but the mob can't make me not love him.' 'We are both dragon energy. He is my brother,' West added. 'I love everyone. I don't agree with everything anyone does. That's what makes us individuals. And we have the right to independent thought,' said the rapper, who is married to reality television star Kim Kardashian. White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders was asked about Kanye West's comments at Wednesday's press briefing In December of 2016, he actually met with President Donald Trump but soon after deleted all his post about the President after he was hit with a wave of criticism Kanye West continued to show his support for President Donald Trump on Wednesday, even tweeting a picture of himself in a Make America Great Again hat (here with music mogul Lyor Cohen pictured center) Kanye West has once again declared his support for Donald Trump, calling the president his 'brother' and saying they both share 'dragon energy' In his next tweet, Kanye wrote that he loved also Clinton and claimed that 'Trump is pretty much a 50 50 split' for the people in his life Less than an hour later, West tweeted that his wife Kim Kardashian had called him about the Trump tweet. 'My wife just called me and she wanted me to make this clear to everyone. I don't agree with everything Trump does,' he wrote. 'I don't agree 100% with anyone but myself.' West also tweeted a photo of himself wearing a 'Make America Great Again' hat and referred to himself as a 'future president.' West's public support for Trump even made its way into the discussion at the White House press briefing on Wednesday, shortly before the president sent out his tweet. A reporter asked Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders if Trump had reached out to West following the rapper's recent praise. 'I don't know of any conversation that they've had over the last week or so, I'll keep you posted if that changes,' Sanders said, breaking into a smile. 'I know they met during the transition, that's the only meeting I'm aware of that's taken place, or conversation,' she added, noting, 'Before everybody has a meltdown and thinks we had a meeting last week.' Ivanka Trump also tweeted about Kanye West's praise for her father on Wednesday too. First daughter and White House aide Ivanka Trump also tweeted about Kanye West showing support for her father Less than an hour later, West tweeted that his wife Kim Kardashian had called him about the Trump tweet Kardashian (pictured with West in a recent family photo) was a vocal supporter of Clinton during the 2016 presidential election campaign Last year West shared with a Californian concert audience that he would have voted for Trump West first revealed his support for Trump shortly after the November 2016 election, when he told a California concert audience he would have voted for the Republican. 'I told yall I didnt vote, right? But if I wouldve voted, I wouldve voted for Trump,' he said. 'We live in a racist country. That is a fact. This world is racist, OK? Lets stop being distracted to focus on that as much.' But in a separate tweet on Wednesday, Kanye wrote that he loved also Clinton, who Kardashian publicly supported in the 2016 presidential election. 'If your friend jumps off the bridge you don't have to do the same,' he began. 'Ye being Ye is a fight for you to be you.' 'I told yall I didnt vote, right? But if I wouldve voted, I wouldve voted for Trump,' he told the crowd shortly after the November 2016 election West continued to discuss free thought, saying he loves when 'people have their own ideas' 'For people in my life the idea of Trump is pretty much a 50 50 split but I don't tell a Hillary supporter not to support Hillary I love Hillary too.' The rapper continued to discuss free thought, saying he loves when 'people have their own ideas'. 'You don't have to be allowed anymore. Just be. Love who you want to love. That's free thought,' he wrote. 'I'm not even political. I'm not a democrat or a republican.' West (pictured outside an LA music studio on Tuesday) recently came under fire for tweets supporting far right-wing media personality Candace Owens But on Wednesday West declared that he was 'not scared anymore' and 'not scared of the media' either West declared that he was 'not scared anymore' and 'not scared of the media'. 'I'm not scared of the past and I'm optimistic about the future,' he wrote. 'This tweet is in love not fear.' 'With love I am invincible,' he continued in a separate tweet. 'Truth is subjective but love is the most powerful force in the world and the world needs to express more of it.' 'No race religion region or political party can argue with the power of love,' another tweet read. West also began tweeting about love, saying it made him 'invincible' and that 'no race religion region or political party can argue with the power of love' West's Wednesday afternoon tweets began with a proclamation that 'traditional thinkers' were locked in a 'mental prison'. 'Free thinkers don't fear retaliation for your thoughts,' he wrote. 'The traditional thinkers are only using thoughts and words but they are in a mental prison.' 'You are free. You've already won. Feel energized. Move in love not fear. Be afraid of nothing.' West told his fans he was hitting them with his 'zig zag thoughts' and encouraged them to 'unlearn linear thinking', 'decentralize', and 'burn that excel spread sheet', phrases that were written in three separate tweets. The tweets came just hours after West confirmed he had cut ties with his longtime manager Scooter Braun. At one point during his stream-of-consciousness tweets, West shared a photo of eldest daughter North with a lady bug The tweets came just hours after West confirmed he had cut ties with his longtime manager Scooter Braun 'I no longer have a manager, I can't be managed,' he tweeted on Wednesday morning. 'I'm nobody's client,' a separate tweet read. Braun confirmed the news on Twitter this week, writing: 'A man's loyalty is truly tested when he is willing to stand by someone who will never show that same respect. 'Don't show that same love and loyalty waiting for reciprocation .. do it because your integrity demands.' West also revealed he got rid of his last lawyer 'because he wouldn't come to work full-time'. 'I also asked my last manager to come work full time for Yeezy of course the last lawyer and manager said no,' he explained, seemingly referring to Braun. 'So now I hired a CEO and a CFO and i have two full time lawyers as of now.' The rapper proclaimed he was the 'single highest paid person in footwear' and said his fashion company Yeezy is the second 'fastest growing company in history' West then went on to declare himself 'this generation's Ford Hughes Jobs Disney', referring to Henry Ford, Howard Hughes, Steve Jobs, and Walt Disney. The rapper proclaimed he was the 'single highest paid person in footwear' and said his fashion company Yeezy is the second 'fastest growing company in history'. 'It is a unicorn on its way to becoming a decacorn,' he wrote. 'Yeezy will become the biggest apparel company in human history,' West declared in another post. West's tweets then turned to the media, as he called out both TMZ founder Harvey Levin as well as People Magazine for recent stories about the rapper. 'Harvey Levin of TMZ your hearing from your future president,' he wrote. 'Let's be friends. Please never use the word erratic to describe a person who is economically and psychologically empowered.' 'People magazine. Watch how you speak my name,' another tweet read. 'You would love a pair of Yeezys. Don't play yourself.' West also tweeted pictures of his home, asking his followers if it looked 'like the sunken place', which is a reference to the film Get Out While Kardashian didn't call her husband out about sharing pictures of their home on social media, she did tweet that it was against a rule they had made as a couple The Harvey Levin tweet was one of two instances in which West referred to himself as the future president on Wednesday. In a tweet that followed shortly afterwards, he proclaimed: 'When we become president we have to change the name of the plane from Air Force one to Yeezy force one'. West then tweeted a number of sales figures for his Yeezy brand, proclaiming 'the Yeezy 700 is adidas most requested shoe' and 'the Yeezy 350s sell 400 thousand pair in four hours. Only thing close to this is the iPhone'. The rapper also tweeted a picture of eldest daughter North with a lady bug as well as pictures of his home, writing: 'do this look like the sunken place', a reference to the recent hit film Get Out. At one point West's tweets turned to the media, as he called out both TMZ founder Harvey Levin and People magazine for recent stories about the rapper He also tweeted more pictures of his home, despite Kardashian's protests, and said he left his emojis 'Bart Simpson color' West kept some of his other tweets simple, saying he would turn the 'Grammys into the Yammys' or declaring that he was 'nice at ping pong' As his stream-of-consciousness tweets continued, West revealed he leaves his emojis 'Bart Simpson color', that he'd turn the 'Grammys into the Yammys', and that he was 'nice at ping pong'. 'I'm used to the heat of independent thoughts,' he wrote at one point. West also revealed that he had songs coming out with A$AP Rocky, Travis Scott and Lil Uzi. In one tweet he wrote: 'Trav we gotta drop the track with me you and Uzi this week bro. Let's goooooooooooooooooooooooo'. 'Rocky we gotta release our songs ASAP,' he said in another. 'I'm 40 years old and I'm just now becoming my parents child,' another tweet read. West's latest Twitter tirade comes just a day after popular New York radio host Ebro Darden claimed that rapper had previously battled an opioid addiction. West's latest Twitter tirade comes just a day after NY radio host Ebro Darden claimed that rapper had previously battled an opioid addiction before canceling his tour in 2016. The rapper is pictured here with Kardashian two months before his tour was canceled Sources have claimed that West (pictured in 2015) does not have an opioid addiction but that he does have an acute mental illness and that those close to him are concerned Darden took to his show Ebro In The Morning on HOT 97.1 in New York City on Monday to share the details of an alleged private conversation between him and West. He claimed West told him: 'Nobody really showed love for me when I was addicted to opioids and in the hospital.' It had been thought that the time that West had suffered from exhaustion weeks after his wife Kim Kardashian was robbed of millions in jewelry in Paris. West famously cancelled his Saint Pablo concert at the The Forum in Inglewood, California on November 20, 2016 before cancelling the rest of the tour the following day. During the same show, Darden claimed West said 'I love Donald Trump' and complained he 'couldn't get anything done' when Barack Obama was president. 'I reached out to Obama for years and couldnt get anything done, but Trump gave me a meeting,' Darden claimed West said during their private conversation. Sources denied Daren's claims that West had an addiction and told The Blast on Monday that he had actually been in the hospital for suffering extreme paranoia after not sleeping for over 48 hours. In the same report, sources close to the rapper claimed that people in his 'inner circle' are concerned with his mental health. They also claimed West has an acute mental illness which was even used as his defense in the lawsuit against Lloyds Of London over insurance money when it came to his canceled tour at the end of 2016. A day after Daren talked about an alleged discussion between the two, Kanye phoned into Ebro In The Morning on New York's Hot 97.1 radio station on Tuesday One source told the publication: 'We are all worried about his current mental health.' They said a recent outburst by West at the studio had many worried as he shouted that he didn't need 'titles' and that he could handle his career 'all by himself'. After saying all business would be 'handled in-house' it is claimed that West finished the outburst by saying 'Yeezy is the new Apple'. Kanye has had many buzzing since his return to Twitter last week but an insider for the publication said that his comments 'aren't making a lot of sense' to his team. It was believed that his social media flood were just to promote his upcoming albums, however, the site report that friends and family believe that he may be 'spiraling into a dark place.' A day after Darden claimed West had an opioid addiction, the rapper called into his show on Tuesday. Rumors have also swirled that West's recent Twitter outbursts have caused him to have 'huge blow-ups' with Kardashian matriarch Kris Jenner (pictured together in 2015) And one source claimed that, during a recent outburst in the studio, West shouted that he didn't need 'titles' and that he could handle his career 'all by himself' But whenever Darden tried to ask him any questions, West would simply reply 'I love you' before breaking out into Stevie Wonder's song I Just Called To Say I Love You. West then told the radio host: 'Meet me up in person and then we can talk afterwards but I just called to say I love you'. Rumors have also swirled that West's recent Twitter outbursts have caused him to have 'huge blow-ups' with Kardashian matriarch Kris Jenner. A source told People that Jenner has been upset with how 'erratic' West is acting and that she's concerned about 'her daughter's brand'. 'Everyone is really, really worried,' the source added. A source said that West has been 'eccentric and erratic' and that he 'genuinely believes he's God and a genius', while another claimed he's 'all over the place'. But another source close to the rapper said he's just 'being Kanye' and that he likes to 'stir the pot'. 'He's willing to take risks with his public persona,' they said. 'He doesn't take it as serious as the internet takes it.' A British tourist who was raped by at a luxury hotel in Sri Lanka today has been denied compensation by the Court of Appeal. The woman was on holiday with her husband at Sri Lanka's Club Bentota Hotel when she was attacked by the uniformed hotel employee. She described how the man lured her into an engineering room in the hotel's grounds and held her by the throat as he assaulted her. The woman, who is in her 30s and from Glasgow, was diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection after her return to the UK. The woman was on holiday with her husband at Sri Lanka's Club Bentota Hotel (pictured) when she was attacked by a uniformed hotel employee After she discovered she was pregnant, she had to undergo checks to ensure that the child was her husband's and not the rapist's. She sued tour giants, Kuoni Travel Ltd, through which she booked the 2010 package tour to one of the island's most prestigious resorts. But now senior judges in London have ruled that neither Kuoni nor the hotel could be blamed for the electrician's crime. The Master of the Rolls, Sir Terence Etherton, said the attacker was of previous good character and no similar complaints had been made against him. The hotel had taken up his references before employing him and neither Club Bentota nor Kuoni could have predicted the sex attack. Neither of them 'could have foreseen or forestalled' what he did to the tourist after offering to show her a short cut to the hotel's reception. Describing her ordeal, the woman said she had packed a suitcase and left her hotel room after having an early hours row with her husband. On her way to reception, she was accosted by the electrician who had earlier asked the couple for a drink and a cigarette. He offered to guide her on a faster route to reception through the grounds, but instead lured her to the engineering room. There, he tried to grab her bag before tightening his hands round her throat and forcing himself on her. The Court of Appeal reached its decision by a majority, with one of the three judges saying that he would have upheld the woman's appeal Claiming 29,000 damages on her behalf, the woman's lawyers argued Kuoni should be held liable under package tour regulations. But Sir Terence said the travel company had 'no direct relationship' with the attacker, who was a hotel employee. And the hotel had no reason to suppose from his past history that he might rape one of the guests. Sir Terence concluded: 'Although we have great sympathy for Mrs X in relation to her ordeal and its consequences... we would dismiss this appeal. The Court of Appeal reached its decision by a majority, with one of the three judges saying that he would have upheld the woman's appeal. Military veterans have expressed their disgust at a national anthem being skipped during an Anzac Day service. An official RSL memorial service at Surfers Paradise on Queensland's Gold Coast failed to play the New Zealand national anthem. Veteran Gary Hodges served in the New Zealand army for 11 years, and said he was outraged his national anthem was not played. 'Insulted, just unbelievable, words can't describe my emotions,' he told Seven News. Scroll down for video Veteran Gary Hodges served in the New Zealand army for 11 uears, and said he was outraged his national anthem was not played Later club president Ross Eastgate said cutting the New Zealand anthem was done to save time The Australian national anthem was played at the service. Mr Hodges said he approached the president of the Surfers Paradise RSL to ask why the New Zealand anthem was not played but he wasn't given an explanation. Later club president Ross Eastgate said cutting the New Zealand anthem was done to save time. 'This is an Australian service in Australia,' he said. 'The idea is to keep our service as short and as focused as possible.' Disgruntled service-goers took to Facebook to express their disappointment. One person described it as a 'stuff up of epic proportions'. 'A total slap in the face to any Kiwi who fought alongside our Aussie diggers.' Another person called it 'absolutely disgusting', while another called it a 'shameful act of disrespect'. The RSL has now decided to change its decision to cull the New Zealand anthem and confirmed it will be played in 2019. They have put the call out for New Zealanders to lead the anthem during next year's service. A statement was posted on the Surfers Paradise RSL Facebook page further explaining the decision A statement was posted on the Surfers Paradise RSL Facebook page further explaining the decision. 'The reason that the NZ National Anthem was not sung at our ANZAC Day services was that it is not correct Australian ceremonial protocol,' the statement read. The NZ National Anthem is not sung at the Australian War Memorial nor is it used by DVA or the Australian Department of Defence. 'The Australian National Anthem is not generally played at NZ ANZAC Day services. 'The Club would be grateful for a New Zealander or a group of New Zealanders to lead us in singing the NZ National Anthem at the Dawn Service next year.' President Donald Trump admitted Thursday that his personal attorney Michael Cohen represents him 'with this crazy Stormy Daniels deal' but distanced himself from the lawyer who is now pleading the Fifth Amendment. Trump spoke by phone 'Fox & Friends' in an extraordinary half-hour appearance and said Cohen was one of his 'many attorneys,' adding: 'He represents me like with this crazy Stormy Daniels deal. ''From what I see, he did absolutely nothing wrong. There were no campaign funds going in.' The telephone connection seemed to cut out for a few seconds after Trump mentioned Daniels. The president has previously said he had no knowledge of the $130,000 payment Cohen made to porn actress Daniels in exchange for her silence just before the election about her claims of sex with Trump. Cohen said Wednesday he will assert his constitutional right against self-incrimination in a civil case brought by Daniels, who is seeking to invalidate the confidentiality agreement. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO Revelation: Trump phoned Fox & Friends and told co-hosts Steve Doocey, Ainsley Earhardt and Brian Kilmeade that Michael Cohen had represented him over Stormy Daniels Crowing: Stormy Daniels' attorney Michael Avenatti said that the president's admission meant both Trump and Cohen had misrepresented the truth in the past What does he know? Michael Cohen is pleading the Fifth Amendment to avoid incriminating himself when he takes part in a civil case brought by Stormy Daniels over her claims of sex with Trump. Trump said Cohen was pleading over his own business dealings Key development: Michael Cohen has told a court in California that he will take the Fifth Amendment in civil litigation brought by Stormy Daniels - meaning that he could incriminate himself through evidence in the case. He was on his way to federal court in New York Thursday Arrival: Michael Cohen eschewed a normal cab for his journey to court - although his business dealings include taxi medallion ownership - where a judge is deciding on how to deal with evidence seized from him in raids last week Helping hand: Michael Cohen and his legal team arrive in federal court after he pleaded the Fifth amendment in separate litigation in California But Trump told the Fox News morning show: 'This has nothing to do with me. I've been told I'm not involved.' Instead he claimed that Cohen - whom he called a 'good guy' - was being investigated over his own business dealings. 'Let me just tell you that Michael is in business,' he said. 'He's really a businessman at fairly big businesses, I understand. And I dont know his business but this doesnt have to do with me. Michael is a businessman. He's got a business. He also practices law. 'I would say probably the big thing is his business and they're looking at something having to do with his business. I have nothing to do with his business. I can tell you he's a good guy.' And he sought to distance himself from Cohen's legal work, saying: 'I have many, many, just so you understand, I have many attorneys. I have attorneys. Sadly, I have so many attorneys you wouldnt even believe it. 'He has a percentage of my overall legal work, a tiny, tiny little fraction.' 'I have many, many, just so you understand, I have many attorneys. I have attorneys. Sadly, I have so many attorneys you wouldnt even believe it. He has a percentage of my overall legal work, a tiny, tiny little fraction Trump on Cohen The admission, however, was seized on by Daniels' attorney Michael Avenatti who said on Twitter that Trump 'previously represented to the American people that Mr. Cohen acted on his own and Mr. Trump knew nothing about the agreement'. 'As I predicted, that has now been shown to be completely false,' he said. Avenatti told the Associated Press: 'This is going to add considerable momentum to our effort to depose the president and place him under oath in an effort to discover which version of the facts is accurate.' It was also seized on by federal prosecutors in New York, where Cohen was appearing in court in the wake of the raid on his home, office, hotel room and safe deposit box. He has been trying to stop the U.S. attorney for the southern district of New York and the FBI from viewing the evidence they seized and suggesting that an independent lawyer, known as a special master, look through it and only release documents which are not subject to attorney-client privilege. His only other two legal clients were revealed to be Sean Hannity - who himself denied he was a real client - and Elliott Broidy, a disgraced Republican fundraiser for whom Cohen arranged a $1.6 million hush payment to a Playboy model lover who aborted their child in the course of his two year adulterous affair. In a court filing shortly after the president's interview, prosecutors said that the president's statement and that of Hannity meant little of what they seized could be subject to privilege. 'President Trump reportedly said on cable television this morning that Cohen performs 'a tiny, tiny little fraction' of his overall legal work,' they said in a submission to Judge Kimba Wood, who is hearing the case. 'These statements by two of Cohens three identified clients suggest that the seized materials are unlikely to contain voluminous privileged documents, further supporting the importance of efficiency here.' Avenatti had also predicted that Cohen would plead the Fifth Amendment to avoid self-incrimination in the law suit brought by Daniels. Cohen, whose business dealings are under FBI investigation and whose office, home, hotel room and safe deposit box were raided this month, will make the plea in a California civil case. It means that he believes he could incriminate himself when giving evidence in the case - a move which will raise fears in the Trump camp over what crimes he may think he could be charged with. The development was disclosed in a brief court filing in Los Angeles Wednesday. Cohen and Trump are both being sued there by Daniels, real name Stephanie Clifford, to try to end the $130,000 gag order she agreed to before the election, which stopped her speaking about her claim of sex with the then candidate. Avenatti, said on Twitter that it was 'a stunning development' because it was a case involving 'issues surrounding the President'. He added a link to a report that quote Trump as saying in 1990: 'If you're innocent, why are taking the Fifth?' Predicted move: Michael Avenatti, Stormy Daniels' attorney, said earlier this month that he believed Cohen would take the Fifth Amendment During an appearance on CNN on Wednesday night, Avenatti said he predicts that the Cohen investigation will result in Trump's resignation During an appearance on CNN on Wednesday night, Avenatti said he predicts that the Cohen investigation will result in Trump's resignation. Avenatti said he believes the government has evidence that Cohen was in touch until recently with Keith Davidson, the former attorney for Daniels who negotiated the $130,000 non-disclosure agreement. 'There's substantial reason to believe that these two attorneys were continuing to communicate with one another well into this year about my client, the settlement, the negotiation, and documents relating to this payment,' Avenatti told CNN. Cohen told the judge: 'Based upon the advice of counsel, I will assert my 5th amendment rights in connection with all proceedings in this case due to the ongoing criminal investigation by the FBI and U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. 'On April 10, 2018, I first realized that my Fifth Amendment Rights would be implicated in this case, after I considered the events of April 9, 2018.' The move was predicted earlier this month by Daniels' attorney Michael Avenatti. After the filing, he tweeted: 'This is a stunning development. Never before in our nation's history has the attorney for the sitting President invoked the 5th Amend in connection with issues surrounding the President. It is esp. stunning seeing as MC served as the 'fixer' for Mr. Trump for over 10 yrs.' It will be seen by the president's defenders as a worrying indication that Cohen has committed a crime in some form - which could then be used by Robert Mueller, the special counsel, to turn on Trump in return for immunity. Trump has ridiculed the idea that Cohen would 'flip', but taking the Fifth in the civil case is a sign of the attorney's growing fear that he could face charges. One person who has taken the threat of Cohen flipping seriously is his former legal adviser, Jay Goldberg. Jay Goldberg, Trump's former legal adviser, told the president recently that it is virtually certain Cohen will 'flip' if he is indicted by the federal government Goldberg told The Wall Street Journal earlier this month that it is virtually certain that Cohen will cooperate with federal investigators and turn over damaging information about Trump if he is faced with criminal charges. Goldberg, who represented Trump in the 1990s and early 2000s, said he spoke with the president recently and warned him that Cohen would turn on him if it meant staying out of prison. Goldberg said he told Trump that on a scale of 100 to 1, where 100 is fully protecting the president, Cohen 'isn't even a 1.' The FBI raid was ordered by federal prosecutors in Manhattan after information was passed to them by Mueller. The nature of Mueller's tip-off has not been disclosed. Cohen asked the judge to delay the civil case after his office and residence were raided by the FBI. At a hearing last week, U.S. District Judge James Otero said he needed more time to review the request for a stay, but he told Cohen's attorney 'there's some gaping holes' in the request. Daniels has been seeking to invalidate the nondisclosure agreement she signed days before the 2016 elections so she can discuss the alleged relationship - which Trump denies - without facing penalties. She argues it invalid because Cohen signed it, but the president did not. That did not stop her from describing her sex with Trump to Anderson Cooper on CNN, but her legal team say that she could be sued for doing so and want that threat lifted. The development came as former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani the newest member of Trump's Russia-probe-focused legal team sat down with Special Counsel Robert Mueller on Tuesday. Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani (left), who is now representing President Trump in the Russia probe, sat down with Special Counsel Robert Mueller (right) on Tuesday The Washington Post reported that Giuliani reopened discussions on a potential interview between Trump and Mueller, conversations that had broken down in the aftermath of the FBI's raid on longtime Trump lawyer Michael Cohen's office, hotel room and home. The ex-mayor, the Post noted, told Mueller that there was still great reluctance in agreeing to an interview, but did not rule it out. Giuliani also asked Mueller when the Russia probe might be done, the newspaper's sources said. Mueller, in turn, told Giuliani that he wished to ask the president about the decisions he made during the transition and early months of the administration. It is important for investigators to understand the president's intent as they look into potential obstruction of justice, Mueller noted. Mueller, the head of the FBI before James Comey, and Giuliani, who stewarded New York City through the 9/11 terror attacks, have known each other for years thanks to their law enforcement backgrounds. Last week upon his hiring to Trump's legal team, Giuliani suggested he would be the individual to get the Russia probe resolved. 'I'm doing it because I hope we can negotiate an end to this for the good of the country and because I have high regard for the president and for Bob Mueller,' the ex-mayor had told the Washington Post last week. Trump has vehemently and repeatedly denied collusion with Russia, calling it a 'witch hunt' and also slammed claims that Cohen would flip on him because he had not been treated well by the president. He dismissed them as based on a 'drunk/drugged up loser', although officials would not say who that was. One report in the New York Times which appeared to have caused Trump's ire mentioned both Roger Cohen, his long-time adviser, and Sam Nunberg, a former Trump adviser who went into rehab e after a series of television interviews on which he claimed he would not co-operate with Mueller. In a string of tweets on Saturday morning, President Trump defended Michael Cohen and said he did not think he would 'flip' on him as has been suggested. He deleted the tweets then reposted them shortly afterwards with the correct spelling of Maggie Haberman's name. Haberman published a report on Friday citing multiple unnamed sources who said it was a possibility that Cohen might turn on Trump Convicted cop killer Luis Bracamontes grinned and swore his way through an emotionally charged sentencing hearing on Wednesday, which concluded with a judge handing down the death penalty. A California jury last month recommended capital punishment for the Mexican national, who repeatedly entered the US illegally before killing Sacramento County sheriff's Deputy Danny Oliver and Placer County sheriff's Detective Michael Davis Jr in 2014. Family members of the victims delivered impact statements before Bracamontes was thrown out of court for being disruptive. Anthony Holmes, a third victim of Bracamtones' crime spree who shot five times, said from the witness stand that the defendant changed his life, and that four years later, he was still suffering from nightmares. Scroll down for video Dead man grinning: Luis Bramacontes, pictured in court in February, was sentenced to death on Wednesday in the murders of two California law enforcement officers The Mexican national was convicted in February of killing Placer Sheriffs Deputy Michael Davis Jr. (left) and Sacramento Sheriffs Deputy Danny Oliver (right) I just wanna say we just need to hang him, said Holmes before flashing a middle finger at Bracamontes, who responded by calling the African-American victim the N-word,' reported Sacramento Bee. While Danny Olivier's mother, Joyce, was describing the heartbreaking moment she saw her son's body at the coroners office, Bracamontes smiled broadly and fidgeted in his swivel chair. Olivers widow, Susan, said her husband is a hero who will live forever, and that Bracamontes will be felling his presence for the rest of his days. He will stay with you every day, watch you through the eyes of every law enforcement officer you see, but he will leave you alone...the day you die, cold and alone, she said. Still laughing it up: Luis Bracamontes grins as the verdict is read that he will receive the death penalty in the murders of of two California deputies on Tuesday The last person to deliver a victim impact statement that day was former Placer County Chuck Bardo, who slammed Bracamontes as a monster and a coward. The seemingly unrepentant criminal began shouting obscenities and was removed from the courtroom. Judge Steve White sentenced Bracamontes to death in his absence. California has not executed a death row inmate since 2006. There are currently 746 condemned criminals waiting execution. Bracamontes, who often wore a smirk on his face during his trial, smiled and silently clapped his hands as the jury's sentencing recommendation was read in March, the Bee reported at the time. The victims' loved ones who were in court smiled right back at him. 'He's a coward,' said Phyllis Sylvia, Oliver's sister. Insanity defense: Defense attorneys argued that Bracamontes was mentally ill and high on methamphetamine During the trial, he was removed from the courtroom repeatedly for profane outbursts. When his guilty verdict was read, Bracamontes smirked, softly said, 'Yay,' and later added that would 'kill more cops soon.' Investigators said he shot Oliver outside a Sacramento motel on Oct. 24, 2014, triggering a manhunt and chase that lasted hours and spanned 30 miles (48 kilometers). It ended after authorities say he shot Davis and surrendered following a lengthy standoff. Defense attorneys argued that Bracamontes was mentally ill and high on methamphetamine during the shootings and should be spared. A judge found Bracamontes competent to stand trial and he refused to plead not guilty by reason of insanity. President Donald Trump featured Bracamontes in a January ad accusing Democrats of being 'complicit' in the slayings of law enforcement officers by people in the US illegally. Last week, Bracamontes' wife, 41-year-old Janelle Monroy (pictured), was convicted of 10 charges and sentenced to nearly 50 years in jail Public defenders Jeffrey Barbour and Norm Dawson argued unsuccessfully that anti-immigrant sentiment prompted by Trump made it unlikely that Bracamontes could get a fair trial. Last week, Bracamontes' wife, 41-year-old Janelle Monroy, was convicted of 10 charges including murder, attempted murder and carjacking, and possessing an assault rifle, and sentenced to nearly 50 years in jail after jurors rejected claims that she'd only gone along with her husband's murderous scheme because she was terrified of him. Monroy, a US citizen who was married to Bracamontes for 12 years, willingly moved her husband's assault-style rifle from vehicle to stolen vehicle after he killed Oliver and before he killed Davis hours later, prosecutors said. The widow of a British man who died when his EgyptAir flight plunged into the Mediterranean is suing the airline for damages. Father-of-two Richard Osman, 40, was among 66 passengers and crew who died when flight MS804 crashed in May 2016. His widow Aurelie is now seeking compensation from EgyptAir through the High Court. But the family is facing a tough fight after the airline claimed that the English courts had no right to hear the case. Aurelie Osman is seeking compensation from EgyptAir through the High Court following the death of her husband Richard (pictured together) Mr Osman (pictured with his mother) was the only Brit onboard the doomed flight The operator is citing the fact that the plane did not crash in British territory and that Jersey - where Mr Osman booked his flight through a travel agent - is not part of the UK. The airline, which has no office in Jersey, says that means the English courts simply have 'no jurisdiction' to consider the family's claim. Mr Osman was the only Brit onboard the doomed flight and died just three weeks after celebrating the birth of his second daughter. The family had recently bought a house on Jersey. The geologist flew regularly with his job at the Australian gold mining firm Centamin Ltd and was en route to Egypt at the time of the crash. A brief hearing was held in the High Court this week as the International Air Transport Association - a trade association of the world's airlines - sought permission to take part in the case. Some of the passengers' belongings and parts of the wreckage of EgyptAir flight MS804 found north of Alexandria, in Egypt Tim Marland, representing the association, said it had 'a very considerable interest' in the issues raised by the claim. Mrs Justice Lambert adjourned the case, which is expected to return to court next month. Relatives of those killed are still waiting for an official explanation of the cause of the accident. Egyptian authorities have now concluded their inquiry and a file has been passed to the country's Attorney General in Cairo. But a separate investigation by the French has stalled due to the Egyptians' apparent refusal to hand over debris and raw data from the aircraft's black box recorders. It is understood that French investigators are exploring three possible causes: terrorism, a fire caused by the co-pilot's mobile devices overheating after being plugged into an incorrect socket in the cockpit or a mechanical fault. Terrorism is considered to be the least likely cause. A newborn boy has died in India after a doctor allegedly removed the baby's genitals to prove he was right when he predicted it would be a girl. The doctor, named in Indian media as Anuj Kumar, is reported to have surgically removed the child's penis and testicles at his private clinic in Chatra district of Jharkhand state. Police launched a probe after a complaint from the baby's parents Guriya Devi and Anil Panda, according to the Indian Express. They claim the doctor had examined the mother-to-be shortly before the birth and told her that she was about to have a baby girl after an ultrasound, the website reports. A newborn boy has died in India after a doctor allegedly removed the baby's genitals to prove he was right when he predicted it would be a girl (file picture) The couple had reportedly gone to Dr Kumar's nursing home after Ms Devi went into labour and Dr Kumar charged them the equivalent of 183 to carry out a caesarean section. She gave birth to a baby boy but later took him back from the family, it is claimed. Dr Kumar allegedly removed the newborn's genitalia and later told Ms Devi that she had delivered a baby girl with deformities who had died soon after birth. Police spokesman Ashok Ram said the family had challenged the doctor's version of events with him and his staff all night and had lodged a formal complaint in the morning. Mr Ram said: 'We have sent the body to Chatra Sadar Hospital for post-mortem. A team visited the nursing home after receiving the complaint, but found it closed.' Dr D N Thakur, a medical officer with the Itkhori community health centre, said an earlier inspection of Dr Kumar's nursing home had raised concerns. 'Proprietor Dr Anuj Kumar could not produce valid documents. We had asked him to submit his licences to practise and run a nursing home for scrutiny by April 16, but he didn't oblige,' he said. The police investigation continues. Dr Kumar could face criminal charges, the loss of his medical licence and the closure of his nursing home if the allegations against him are proved. Amber Rudd today risked sparking fury at No10 by hinting that Britain could stay in the customs union - defying one of Theresa May's red lines. The Home Secretary - one of the leading faces of the Remain campaign - said the issue was still being debated among warring Cabinet colleagues. Her remark came shortly before a symbolic Commons vote on whether to stay in the customs union. The Government did not oppose the motion, meaning it was agreed unanimously - but is not binding and will not change policy. It sparked a furious response from Brexiteers who called for Ms Rudd to go as Home Secretary unless she backs leaving the customs union. But speaking after the gaffe the PM's spokesman said she still has the full confidence of Mrs May. Amber Rudd (pictured in the Commons today) today risked sparking fury at No10 by hinting that Britain could stay in the customs union - defying one of Theresa May's red lines The Home Secretary scrambled to try to clarify her comments after they were picked up by the press - insisting that she does accept the UK will leave the customs union on Brexit It sparked a furious response from Brexiteers who called for Amber Rudd to go as Home Secretary unless she backs leaving the customs union. If Britain stays in the EU customs union the country must slap the same tariffs on goods as the rest of Brussels - and will not be able to negotiate free trade deals with the rest of the world. Speaking at a lunch to political journalists today, Ms Rudd was asked directly if she thinks it is 'more or less likely' that the UK will stay in the customs union. She replied: 'I'm afraid I'm not going to be drawn on that - we still have a few discussions to be had in a really positive and consensual easy way with some of my Cabinet colleagues in order to arrive at a final decision.' Her remark sparked an immediate slap down from Tory MP Jacob Rees-Mogg , who is head of the Brexit-backing Tory campaign group European Research group. He told Mail Online: 'Government policy is that we will leave the customs union and ministers are bound by the doctrine of collective responsibility.' Tory MP for Wellingborough Peter Bone, another leading Brexiteer who was at the lunch, said he was 'gobsmacked' when he heard the remark. He told Mail Online: I was amazed. I don't understand how the Home Secretary couldn't support the Government's position on not being in the customs union.' He said Ms Rudd must 'urgently clarify' her remarks. Soon after the lunch Ms Rudd tried to backtrack on the comment - insisting that she accepts the UK will leave the customs union. She said on Twitter: 'Thanks to the Press Gallery for hosting me at a challenging yet enjoyable lunch. 'I should have been clearer - of course when we leave the EU we will be leaving the customs union. Theresa May (pictured in the Commons yesterday) has vowed to take the country out of the EU customs union so that the country can become a new free trading nation globally 'I wasn't going to get into ongoing cabinet discussions about our future trading relationship.' Mrs May has vowed to take the country out of the EU customs union so that the country can become a new free trading nation globally. She said that quitting the customs union is a 'red line' and that Brexit voters will feel betrayed if the country leaves Brussels but does not regain control of its trade policy. Meanwhile, Remainers have launched a large scale campaign to try to force the PM's hands and keep Britain in the customs union. The Lords inflicted a defeat on the PM last week on the issue and today MPs are expected to inflict another symbolic defeat by voting against the Government calling for the UK to stay in the customs union. While the vote will only be symbolic, MPs will get a chance to vote again on the issue next month which will change legislation attempting to force the PM to keep Britain in the customs union. This may look like a typical photograph of a beach house cabinet, with six drawers, two shelves and a blue backing to bring out the surf vibes - but all is not as it seems. Hiding tucked between the trinkets is an unwanted house guest. A common tree snake has slithered into the cabinet and now sits perched between the objects. Tucked somewhere inside this cabinet is a common green snake - can you find it? Sunshine Coast Snake catchers were called to relocate the snake this week and shared a picture with their followers asking them if they could spot the creature. 'Spot the snake! An unwanted guest at a house in Golden Beach .... pretty easy one this time so Im sure you all will manage - extra points if you can guess the species!' they said in the post. Fans of the page were quick to call out the places they thought the scaly creature was hiding. 'The very rare and endangered "pot snake". So named for its love of surprising unsuspecting home owners by wrapping itself along their ornamental pots,' one joke. The snake is sitting on top a jar in the lower right hand side of the cabinet. One follower of the page posted this image to help others out 'For the love of all things holy!! In the hutch!! Is nothing off limits!?!? Im sorry but Id have to move to ice land after that,' said another. 'Is it next to the Royal Doulton with the hand-painted Periwinkles?' one joked. 'China snake,' offered up another. Australian snake catchers have become renowned for posting photographs of camouflaged snakes and asking their followers to spot them. Brigitte Macron (pictured on this week's US state visit) has complained about her wallflower role alongside her husband saying: 'I don't feel at all like the first lady' Brigitte Macron has complained about her wallflower role alongside the President of France, saying: 'I don't feel at all like the first lady'. The glamorous 65-year-old wife of Emmanuel Macron, 40, spoke out during a state visit to America, where she has been relegated to mainly taking part in picture opportunities. 'What I don't like is that there is never an off time. Wherever you are there is always someone there to take a photo. 'There is never a time when you can be completely tranquil. That's the heaviest cost.' Mrs Macron, who has been first lady of France for a year, continued: 'In my head, I'm the wife of Emmanuel Macron, not the wife of the president. 'I don't feel at all like the first lady. You fall into this responsibility to represent French men and women. If not, I live a normal life. The glamorous wife (pictured left), 65, of Emmanuel Macron (centre left), 40, spoke out during a state visit to America, where she has been relegated to mainly taking part in picture opportunities with US President Donald Trump (centre right) and his wife Melania (right) The first couple of France are pictured on their US state visit to Washington DC this week 'I meet people, I haven't changed in my head, not in the way that I live,' the retired school teacher, added. Mrs Macron, who first met her future husband when he was her teenage pupil, spoke out during a solo visit to a school in Washington DC on Wednesday. It enabled her to enjoy a brief break from posing alongside her U.S. counterpart, Melania Trump, in clothes with designer labels such as Louis Vuitton. 'I always play truant from school,' said Mrs Macron, bemoaning the fact that on official visits 'there is a small label on the floor, so I put myself where people tell me to stand.' Mrs Macron bemoaned the fact that on official visits 'there is a small label on the floor, so I put myself where people tell me to stand'. Melania Trump and Brigitte Macron pictured at the White House Emmanuel Macron, Donald Trump, Melania Trump and Brigitte Macron prepare for a state welcome at the White House Melania and Brigitte are pictured standing behind their name tags at the White House When Mr Macron came to office, he indicated that there would be a wider role for his wife, even introducing a 'transparency charter' last August to try and define the first lady's role. But during outings like the current one to the USA she has largely been left to play second fiddle to her far more assertive husband. Mr Macron and Mr Trump have been portrayed as Alpha Males, forming an unusually loving bond as they discuss the world's problems. 'We are here, without being there, while being there,' said Mrs Macron, highlighting how vague the first lady's role is. Mrs Macron (pictured) made a solo visit to the Duke Ellington School of Arts in Washington She said she did not feel unwelcome, but 'it's very clear, we're not elected, it's not easy'. It came as Francois Hollande, the former president who first hired Mr Macron as his finance minister, said the French head of state was 'rather passive' in his burgeoning relationship with Mr Trump. Mocking Mr Macron further on French TV, Mr Hollande also said his former prodigy was 'not president of the rich', but the 'president of the very rich'. Mr Hollande's was particularly scathing about Mr Macron's cuts in wealth tax for those with high incomes and property worth millions. German police had to turn down an invitation to a bondage session after they unwittingly walked in on one while on-duty. Officers in the southwestern town of Neustadt were called to an apartment late on Wednesday to reports of domestic abuse. A neighbour had tipped them off to say they had seen a half-naked woman being abused by two men. But when they arrived at the scene they found the tenant of the flat giving a couple a lesson in the art of Japanese bondage. German police had to turn down an invitation to a Japanese bondage session after they unwittingly walked in on one while on-duty in the southwestern town of Neustadt. File image The couple were there by choice and had wanted to learn more about the art of Japanese Shibari, which literally translates as 'the beauty of tight binding'. Officers confirmed there was no mistreatment and were even offered the chance to join in before they left. But in a statement headlined 'Fifty Shades of Neustadt,' a police spokesman said 'the couple were well and in a good mood', however they had to politely decline their offer. They added: 'The tenant of the apartment, a teacher of the Japanese Shibari bondage, had instructed a couple in the art of erotic bondage.' The White House released photos of outgoing CIA director Mike Pompeo meeting North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un on Thursday after Trump said he would. Trump in a morning interview said that Pompeo, who the Senate confirmed today to the secretary of state position, talked with Kim for more than an hour during a clandestine visit to Pyongyang earlier this month. 'He wasn't supposed to meet with Kim Jong-un, but he did,' Trump revealed on Fox & Friends. 'We have incredible pictures of the two talking and meeting, which I'd love to release if we can, I'll do that.' The White House shared the photos eight hours later of Pompeo and Kim shaking hands, their countenance pleasant without extending into a grin. The White House released photos of outgoing CIA director Mike Pompeo meeting North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un on Thursday after Trump said he would Trump in a morning interview said that Pompeo, who the Senate confirmed today to the secretary of state position, talked with Kim for more than an hour during a clandestine visit to Pyongyang earlier this month The Senate confirmed Trump's former secretary of state Pompeo (seen here on Capitol Hill on Wednesday) this afternoon after a contentious confirmation battle that nearly went south when lawmakers found out that he went to Pyongyang Trump had been asked to comment on South Korean President Moon Jae-in's tete-a-tete with Kim on Friday and to share more details, if he is able, on Pompeo's trip to Pyongyang over Easter weekend. The president said that his administration is doing 'very well' with North Korea, unlike his predecessors'. Trump lit into former Secretary of State John Kerry and suggested that he and Barack Obama put the country on the path the nuclear war. Kerry was the 'worst negotiator' and 'he should have left' talks with Iran about its nuclear program when he couldn't get a better deal, Trump said. Talking about himself, Trump reminded that 'everybody said this guy's going to get us into nuclear war.' 'Let me tell you. The nuclear war would have happened if you had weak people. We had weak people,' he said. Trump is due to meet with Kim in the next month or so. He said Thursday that the North Koreans want the conversation to happen as soon as possible. 'So it could be that I walk out quickly, with respect,' he said. 'But it could be that the meeting doesn't even take place, who knows.' On Tuesday Trump said that North Korea's tyrant 'has been very open, and I think very honorable' in the lead-up to nuclear talks. Pompeo attends Trump's first state dinner on Tuesday evening with his wife Susan. The CIA director is likely to be confirmed today to secretary of state In an Oval Office meeting with the French president, Trump praised Kim for holding up his end of an arrangement to freeze nuclear testing while a complete end to the program is negotiated. At a news conference later in the day, a reporter pointed out that Kim is an oppressive dictator accused of starving his people and killing members of his own family. 'I hope that we will be able to deal in a very open and honorable fashion with North Korea,' Trump replied. 'A lot is happening. And I think it's going to be very positive.' Trump was primarily meeting with Emmanuel Macron to talk about Iran and Syria when it happened. The United States' trade relationship with the European Union was also up for discussion. The president segued from a comment about trade talks with South Korea to the dispute with Kim's regime. 'We are going to be having a meeting with Kim Jong-un, and that will be very soon. We have been told directly that they would like to have the meeting as soon as possible,' he said. 'And we think that's a great thing for the world. That's a great thing for North Korea and South Korea and Japan and France and everybody.' Last week Trump lifted the lid on a secret visit that Pompeo made to North Korea to see Kim. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that North Korean tyrant 'has been very open and I think very honorable' in the lead-up to nuclear talks He said Tuesday that the the U.S. government had to this point had 'very good discussions' with North Korea since it began engaging in direct talks. 'Kim Jong-un, he really has been very open and I think very honorable from everything we're seeing,' he said of the man he used to taunt with the nickname 'Little Rocket Man' and the size of his nuclear button. Trump said 'a lot of promises have been made by North Korea over the years,' however he has reason to believe that Kim, a 33-year-old dictator who took over from is father in 2011, is serious about wanting to make a deal. 'We have been very, very tough on maximum pressure. We have been very tough on, as you know, trade. We've been very, very tough at the border. Sanctions have been the toughest we've ever imposed on any country,' he said. 'And we think it will be a great thing for North Korea and it will be a great thing for the world. So we'll see where that all goes.' Trump reiterated that he would 'leave the table' if the discussions with Kim are not productive -- a threat he first made during a summit with Japan's prime minister in Florida last week. 'Maybe it will be wonderful and maybe it won't. And if it's not going to be fair and reasonable and good, I will, unlike past administrations, I will leave the table,' he stated. 'But I think we have a chance of doing something very special with respect to North Korea. Good for them, good for us, good for everybody.' Trump was primarily meeting with Emmanuel Macron today to talk about Iran and Syria. He brought up North Korea during an Oval Office meeting, raising eyebrows and bringing about a request for clarification at a joint news conference a few hours later At the Tuesday afternoon presser, Trump lamented the fact that he was having to build talks from the floor up with North Korea at all when he has other matters like the United States' massive trade imbalance with China to deal with on top of it. 'With that being said, I think we're doing very well. Meetings are being set up. And I want to see denuclearization of North Korea,' he said. 'A lot of concessions have already been made. We have made no concessions, despite some of the media saying that I've made concessions.' The only concession Trump said he is making is holding a meeting with Kim in the first place. 'And I'm sure that a lot of other people would have liked to have had the position we're having,' he stated. Five men accused of the gang rape of an 18-year-old woman have instead been convicted on the lesser crime of sexual abuse, sparking protests outside of court. The woman was attacked by the men at the 2016 San Fermin bull-running festival in Pamplona, northern Spain. The decision, at a court in Madrid, has drawn immediate criticism and outrage with protesters gathered outside the court building chanting: 'It's not abuse, it's rape.' Protesters chant 'It's not abuse, it's rape!' outside court after the sentences were given to members of 'The Wolf Pack' The five men, all in their late 20s, have been sentenced to nine years in jail each, although they can appeal. The victim can also appeal the decision. The group of five, known as the 'Wolf Pack', filmed their attack during the festival. They are originally from Seville while their victim is from Madrid. Police try to control demonstrators who show their anger after the sentencing hearing of the trial of five men accused of gang raping an 18-year-old Some were outraged by the sentences, with the woman in the photo clearly upset by the ruling Neither the men nor the victim were present when the judgement was read out after a five-month trial, which was held behind closed doors to protect the woman's identity. The case has also drawn international attention, coming at a time of global concern over the sexual abuse of women in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal. The state prosecutor had asked for prison sentences of more than 20 years for each of the men. The men were convicted of the lesser offence of sexual abuse and not of rape, causing widspread and immediate criticism The five men, all in their late 20s, have been sentenced to nine years in jail each, although there is a chance that the victim or the group will appeal Under Spanish law, the lesser charge of sexual abuse differs from rape and does not involve violence or intimidation. The charge is used in cases of sexual activity between underage partners and those seen not capable of giving permission for sexual contact, such as those who are severely handicapped or under the influence of drugs or drink. Feminist groups scheduled protests for Thursday evening in Spanish cities around the country, including outside the Justice Ministry in Madrid, in reaction to the sentence. 'If five people surrounding a girl is not aggression, the question has to be what is wrong with our criminal code?' former Secretary of State for Equality Soledad Murillo said in comments published in El Pais newspaper. National Police also showed their support for the vicitm, saying in a Tweet: 'No is no - we are with you'. Feminist groups scheduled protests for Thursday evening in Spanish cities around the country, including outside the Justice Ministry in Madrid During the behind-closed-doors trial, the state prosecutor had asked for prison sentences of more than 20 years for each of the men The five men include a former policeman and former soldier, and were dubbed 'The Wolf Pack' after the name of their Whatsapp group. They have have been held in custody since July 2016. The judge, who did not give the reasoning behind the sentence, also ordered the men to pay the victim 50,000 euros (43,450) in compensation. The attack on the woman took place at the San Fermin bull-running festival in Pamplona, northern Spain in 2016 Fragments of video from the men's mobile phones taken at the scene were used as evidence in the trial, alongside witness accounts and biological tests. The group of five dubbed 'The Wolf Pack' by Spanish media Jose Angel Prenda, 28: the leader of the five. He wrote a message in their WhatsApp group about the video of them having sex with the woman. He was sentenced to two years in prison in 2011 for theft with force. Antonio Manuel Guerrero, born in 1989: He is a Civil Guard police officer, and is thought to have recorded six videos. He also admitted to stealing the victim's phone Angel Boza, 26: his criminal record includes theft with force and driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs Alfonso Jesus Cabezuelo, 29: an army officer who is thought to have recorded one video Jesus Escudero, 27: a hairdresser Advertisement Footage showed how the group had wandered the streets before two of them led the victim into the basement block of flats. A police report said that the men surrounded the woman, removed her clothes and had unprotected sex. There were seven videos of the incident, totalling 96 seconds. One of the men involved also posted messages in a WhatsApp group celebrating what they had done, while promising to share the recording. The victim maintained a 'passive or neutral' attitude throughout the scene, keeping her eyes closed at all times. After the act, her phone was stolen. The defence team argued the incident was a case of consensual group sex. She was found in a distraught state by a couple afterwards and told the trial she was still having psychological treatment to deal with trauma. Some of the five men were apparently later seen abusing another woman, who seemed to be unconscious, in a separate video. A Canberra music festival will be the first to trial pill-testing in Australia after negotiations with the ACT government. The all-ages event, which is held at Canberra University will offer drug testing at the Groovin' the Moo festival this Sunday. Negotiations with the ACT government, police and health officials have of approved festival promoters to run drug tests with the Safety Testing Advisory Service at Festivals and Events (STA-SAFE). Pill testing will be trialled for the first time in Australia at Canberra's Groovin' the Moo festival this Sunday STA-SAFE will collect the information on the drugs to help inform future drug policies. Trained professionals will take a small scraping of the pill to test it and will educate the festival-goer on what chemicals may be in the drug. The kits have some limitations and not all of the ingredients can be identified in the substance. The tent will be set up as a safe space for testing and not be monitored by police. The ACT government said they 'did not condone the use of illicit drugs' at the festival despite giving the green light on testing Revellers will then be handed the opportunity to dump the drugs in an amnesty bin or hold on to them and be counselled about the possible side-effects of taking an illicit substance. The ACT government said they 'did not condone the use of illicit drugs' at the festival despite giving the green light on testing. 'However, [it] will provide an opportunity to encourage people who are considering using illicit drugs to modify their behaviour in ways that reduce risks of harm to their health,' Health Minister Meegan Fitzharris told the ABC. Groovin' the Moo is being held at five other locations across Australia but will only set up the drug testing tent in Canberra Pill testing has been used by the U.K and Europe as well as New Zealand over the last decade. Groovin' the Moo is being held at five other locations across Australia but will only set up the drug testing tent in Canberra. The contentious issue spilled out on to social media with one user commenting 'now that the ACT government is condoning illicit drug use who is responsible for any overdoses that may occur' and 'watch this fall apart at the last minute'. While drug safety advocates rejoice claiming it 'is well over due' and it was a 'sensible policy backed by data for harm minimisation'. Revellers will then be handed the opportunity to dump the drugs in an amnesty bin or hold on to them and be counselled about the possible side-effects Actor Martin Clunes has been spotted filming at the exact spot where a French student was murdered by serial killer Levi Bellfield. The star risked causing fresh outrage after he was pictured on set on Twickenham Green in south west London for ITV drama Manhunt. Scenes were shot showing the aftermath of the murder of Amelie Delagrange, 22, who was found on the green in August 2004 with serious head injuries, and died in hospital the same night. Clunes and ITV came under fire last month after the show filmed at the bus stop where schoolgirl Milly Dowler was last seen alive. Martin Clunes was spotted on Twickenham Green, on the exact spot where the murder took place A forensic tent could also be seen on the green, just like it was back in 2004 when the body was discovered The picture shows an actress, believed to be playing Miss Delegrange, being loaded on to a stretcher Television bosses were criticised for 'insensitively' using the location in Walton-on-Thames where the 13-year-old was snatched by killer Bellfield. The broadcaster then defended the programme, claiming it only refers to Milly's death and is actually about the investigation into Bellfield's murder of Miss Delagrange. Clunes portrays former Met Police Chief Inspector Colin Sutton, who led the probe into Miss Delagrange's death. Bellfield was convicted of murdering her and teenager Marsha McDonnell, 19, in 2008, and was later convicted of Milly's murder in 2011. Another picture shows actors in forensic suits striding across the park during a break in filming Clunes is seen behind police tape on Twickenham Green, surrounded by crew Another shot shows the crew erecting a forensic tent on the middle of the green Clunes (right, on set) portrays former Met Police Chief Inspector Colin Sutton, (left) who led the probe into Miss Delagrange's death But critics have called on ITV to scrap the show, because it is 'insensitive' to rake up the past. Local Ken Mason labelled the producers' decision to film in the spot Amelie died as 'insensitive'. Mr Mason, 81, said: 'I think it is a bit insensitive, it seems a bit voyeuristic I think. 'I saw the equipment being set up but I have not paid too much attention to the filming.' Leigh Chapman, 53, who lives locally and was walking her dog passed the green added: 'It is the fact that it was here and people have already had to go through it and to see the police cars on the green, it brings it all back up again. 'I certainly won't watch it, there is something about it that has made me feel quite funny about it.' The filming took place on Twickenham Green in south west London Last month Clunes was pictured at the bus stop surrounded by the film crew, while Welsh actor Celyn Jones, who plays Bellfield, was pictured filming scenes depicting the killer's job as a car clamper. One local told the Sunday Mirror: 'Milly's murder happened a long time ago and people are reluctant to be bringing it up again. 'Why film it here at all? It's raking up the past.' Neighbours said the road where the killer once lived was blocked off due to filming. Cars were also clamped to add realism to Jones's scenes. An ITV spokesman said: 'Filming for the ITV Drama, Manhunt, is taking place in various locations that were significant to the real life police investigation, as we are striving to reflect these real events with authenticity. Amelie Delagrange (left) was brutally murdered by Levi Bellfield (right) on Twickenham Green in west London 'However, we would emphasise that none of the murders or other crimes of Levi Bellfield will be re-enacted in the drama.' A press release for the show added: 'Manhunt is the real life story of how the murder of French National, Amelie Delagrange, on Twickenham Green in August 2004 was eventually linked to the murders of Marsha McDonnell in 2003 and the abduction and murder of Milly Dowler as she travelled home from school in 2002. 'Walking home following a night out with friends, 22 years old Amelie was savagely attacked and struck several times on the back of the head with a hammer. 'Although relatively experienced in murder investigation, DCI Sutton was assigned to the case by London's Metropolitan Police. 'Hard working and instinctive, Sutton dedicated himself to finding Amelie's killer. 'With very little evidence, his painstaking approach and the diligence of his fellow officers gradually led to breakthroughs in the case.' One of Australia's most feared bikies and a former Turkish soldier has been charged with possessing child pornography. Erkan 'The Wolf' Keskin, 41, was arrested outside his home in Millers Point in inner-city Sydney before 10am on Thursday morning by police investigating the murder of drug dealer Mehmet Yilmaz, 29, in September 2016. Strike force detectives seized a computer from Keskin's home, and during a forensic investigation they found child exploitation material on its hard drive. Erkan 'The Wolf' Keskin, 41, was arrested outside his home in Millers Point in inner-city Sydney before 10am on Thursday morning by police (Keskin is pictured during an earlier arrest) Eskin is a high-ranking member of the Lone Wolf outlaw motorcycle gang 'In his world, this is the worst charge that anyone could face,' a senior police officer told the Daily Telegraph. Keskin was arrested at the apartment complex by detectives from Strike Force Estop. Eskin is a high-ranking member of the Lone Wolf outlaw motorcycle gang. He was taken to Sydney City Police Station and charged with possess child abuse material. He was refused bail and appeared at Central Local Court, where he was formally refused bail to reappear at the same court on Friday. Investigators also executed a search warrant with the assistance of the Public Order and Riot Squad at a home unit at Millers Point just before 6pm on Thursday. Police seized a laptop, mobile phone, suspected prohibited drugs, steroids, unknown tablets, photographs and documents. Two men aged 26 and 24 were spoken to and then released pending further inquiries. The investigation into Mr Yilmaz's death is ongoing. Erkan Keskin was charged with drug trafficking before being released on bail to live at his luxurious $10million mansion in Sydney's exclusive Double Bay in 2016. In 2015, Keskin was found naked by police after he allegedly broke into a stranger's Luddenham home in Sydney's west In 2015, Keskin was found naked by police after he allegedly broke into a stranger's Luddenham home in Sydney's west. He was allegedly armed with a Glock pistol and shooting several rounds into the air before entering the woman's home shirtless. When Keskin walked out of the home and into the clutches of waiting police, he was naked. He was hospitalised after suffering leg injuries from running through bushes. Keskin - notoriously known as 'the naked bikie' - was charged with a string of offences, including shooting a firearm in a public place. A newlywed nurse died on an American Airlines flight after suffering an embolism and passing out in the bathroom while the pilot refused to divert the plane despite an onboard doctor's pleas to land, it has been claimed. Brittany Oswell died three days after the flight from Hawaii to Texas in April 2016. She was on the plane with her military husband Cory and were on their way home to South Carolina. After passing out several times on the plane, her pulse stopped while flight attendants and a doctor gave her CPR in the plane galley after pleading with the captain to make an emergency landing. They refused to numerous times after speaking to an on-call doctor on the ground, it is claimed. Brittany Oswell, a 25-year-old nurse from South Carolina, died three days after suffering a pulmonary embolism and cardiac arrest on an American Airlines flight. She never regained consciousness after passing out on the plane where a doctor, who was also a passenger, pleaded with the captain to divert which they never did When the plane finally landed in Dallas, four hours after she first passed out, she was unconscious. She was taken to hospital but was declared brain dead three days later with the cause of death given as cardiac arrest prompted by a pulmonary embolism. Brittany was flying with her military husband Cory, who she had been married to for less than a year, her family says Now, her husband and parents are suing the airline, claiming it could have prevented her death by getting her the help she needed sooner. Brittany and her husband had been married for less than a year when she died. On April 15, 2016, they boarded their flight in Hawaii, where he was stationed in the military, at 8pm. Three hours into the flight, Brittany became 'disoriented and dizzy'. Flight attendants watched her as she slurred her speech then fainted, according to a lawsuit filed by her family last week. She quickly regained consciousness but, around an hour or two later, she went to the bathroom and passed out after vomiting and defecating on herself. The doctor who had examined her first then urged the pilot to divert the plane so that she could get medical attention but, according to the woman's family, they refused. When Brittany got on the plane, she stepped into her coffin. It's a tragedy Family lawyer Brad Cranshaw As the plane flew on towards Texas, the crew and doctor moved her from the bathroom to the galley to try to wake her up. She regained consciousness again, they said, but when the doctor tried to measure her blood pressure, the equipment was faulty and would not take a reading. The lawsuit claims that the flight captain was asleep during the first portion of the ordeal and had to be 'wakened' before they spoke to the doctor. Brittany became dizzy and disoriented three hours into the flight then never recovered fully but dipped in and out of consciousness until she eventually stopped breathing while lying in the galley of the plane as flight attendants and the doctor performed CPR. The defibrillator they tried to use to keep her alive did not work, they said After being summoned to the flight deck where they reported the seriousness of her condition, the pilot consulted with an on-call American Airlines doctor on the ground then decided to carry on flying to Texas which would take another 90 minutes. Five minutes later, the doctor returned to the galley where Brittany remained. It was then, her family claims, that her pulse stopped and she stopped breathing. The doctor tried to perform CPR and use a defibrillator to revive her but claims no shock came out of the pads as it should, the lawsuit claims. 'After Brittany's pulse stopped, the doctor and the flight attendants placed the AED pads on Brittany's chest and attempted to turn on the current. 'However... the AED reported that no shock was administered despite three attempts. The plaintiffs are informed and believe the doctor and the flight attendants then took turns administering CPR to Brittany.' American Airlines has not yet given a detailed response to the woman's family's claims. A spokesman for the airline said it was looking over the complaint The doctor then gave her a shot of epinephrine to try to revive her but it did not work. When the plane landed in Dallas at 8.40am, she was taken straight to hospital by emergency staff. Once there, doctors noted huge brain damage caused by the cardiac arrest and embolism. She suffered a second embolism while in the hospital and on April 18, was declared dead. Her parents Tina and Christopher filed the lawsuit against American Airlines in South Carolina on the second anniversary of her death, along with her widower Cory. They say it is entirely American Airlines' fault that she died and that she could have been saved if the plane was grounded and the proper help was sought immediately. Lawyer Brad Cranshaw told DailyMail.com that her fate was sealed by the airline's staff's actions. 'When Brittany got on the plane, she stepped into her coffin. It's a tragedy,' he said. American Airlines said it was examining the complaint but would not yet respond to the allegations. 'We take the safety of our passengers very seriously and we are looking into the details of the complaint,' a spokesman told DailyMail.com. Advertisement Just days after Britain basked in a record-breaking heatwave, temperatures are going to plummet and snow is set to return. Met Office forecasters have warned that snow could fall with the Lake District, North Pennines and Scottish Highlands most at risk. After the UK bathed in sunshine last week with temperatures hitting a record breaking 29C (84.2F) in central London, the hot spell will turn to cold weather, with winter flurries predicted for higher ground and temperatures of around 5-6C (41-43F). This map from the Met Office shows a band of rain sweeping across London and the south east, amid a weather warning from forecasters 'Towards the end of the week it is certainly possible that the cold weather will include hail, sleet showers and snow, especially on higher ground,' said Met Office meteorologist John West. 'The areas most at risk are the Lake District, North Pennines and Scottish Highlands, but we are not expecting a big impact.' He said May will start with unsettled weather, although it should not be a particularly wet month. Forecasters have also issued a flood and gale warning with up to two and a half inches of rain through Sunday night and into Monday. Last Thursday, 29.1C (84.3F) was recorded in St James's Park, London, making it the hottest April day since 1949. A bee pollinates a bluebell flower as the sun shone on Wimbledon Common in London today - but it is not set to last Cold temperatures are expected to return to much of Britain after soaring temperatures last week. Pictured, tourists braved the rain in London The Met Office has issued a yellow warning for heavy rain across southeastern England and of East Anglia on Sunday evening, lasting through much of Monday. Forecasters say heavy rain will be accompanied by strong to gale force Northerly winds, and it will be cold enough to produce some snow on high ground such as the North and South Downs, although this is unlikely to settle. This is the shocking moment a man accused of murdering and decapitating his wife calmly walks onto the street in China apparently holding her head. The suspect surnamed Zhang, 31, allegedly killed his spouse during a family dispute before cutting her head off and disposed of it at a rubbish bin in a waste transfer station. Mr Zhang then turned himself in at a police station at around 8am local time on April 25. Police sealed the nearby area and post-mortem examiners were called to remove the body from their rented apartment, according to reports. Suspect, Mr Zhang, was said to be carrying his wife's severed head on the street in China Surveillance camera footage captured the moment Mr Zhang walked out the entrance of a building and seemingly holding his wife's severed head in his left hand. A number of neighbours can be seen walking on the street as Mr Zhang calmly walks through the alleyway moments before disposing of his spouse's head. According to Southern.cn, the incident happened in Kangle Village, Haizhu district in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, where the residents were mostly working in nearby garment factories. A neighbour, Mr Wang, told the reporter that he noticed a man walking on the street 'covered in blood'. 'The man is about 5.6ft tall and had blood all over his clothes and shoes,' Mr Wang said. Another neighbour, Mr Zheng, said a sanitation worker found a severed head in a rubbish bin and alerted the police, stated Southern.cn. Guangzhou Police issued a statement confirming Mr Zhang killed his 28-year-old wife, surnamed Xia. The statement wrote: 'Suspect Mr Zhang killed his wife out of family dispute. Mr Zhang turned himself in to Guangzhou Police at around 8am.' Mr Zhang was immediately arrested on murder charges. Post-mortem examiners were called to remove the rest of the woman's body from the flat Police officers sealed the area near the flat as they carried out investigations. The victim's head was later retrieved from the waste transfer station by the authorities, who carried it away in a cardboard box. Post-mortem examiners were called to the scene and left with a stretcher, which was suggested to be carrying Ms Xia's body. The couple are both natives of North China's Hebei Province, said in a police statement. The incident is still undergoing further investigations. An Oklahoma man charged with kidnapping and murdering two teenage girls nearly two decades after they went missing denied his involvement in the crimes - but allegedly told a reporter he would only reveal the location of the bodies to the victims' family members. Ronnie Dean Busick was extradited from Kansas to the Craig County jail in Vinita, Oklahoma on Wednesday evening. The 68-year-old has been charged with four counts of murder for the deaths of Lauria Bible, Ashley Freeman and Freeman's parents Danny and Kathy Freeman. Ronnie Dean Busick arrives at the Craig County Jail in Vinita, Oklahoma on Wednesday on four counts of murder Cold case solved: Ronnie Busick, 66 (pictured left) has been charged with murder in the 1999 abduction and slaying of Ashley Freeman and Lauria Bible, both aged 16 (right) Ashley Freeman (center) was kidnapped from her home and killed after her parents Danny and Kathy Freeman were murdered in December 1999. Busick is also charged in the murders of Danny and Kathy As he arrived to the jail, family members of Ashley Freeman and Bible demanded Busick tell them where the girls are. 'You want to tell me where my niece is at?' Bible's uncle Lonnie Leforce asked. Busick turned towards the man with a puzzled expression on his face. 'I wish I could,' he responded. 'I don't have a clue.' Busick denied any involvement in the murders but allegedly told a reporter that he would only reveal the locations of Ashley Freeman and Bible's bodies to their families The Tulsa World reported that Busick had allegedly told a reporter earlier that he would only reveal where the remains are to the victims' family. 'I will only talk to the families,' he said, according to the outlet. Busick is accused of helping two other men, Warren Welch and David Pennington, kidnap and kill Ashley Freeman and Bible. Police said the three men are also responsible for the deaths of Freeman's parents. According to investigators, on the night of December 30, 1999 the trio broke into Danny and Kathy Freeman's Welch mobile home and shot them both in the head. The house was then set on fire to cover up the slayings. That same night, Ashley Freeman and Bible disappeared. Bible had spent the night at the Freemans' home to celebrate Ashley Freeman's birthday, investigators said. The girls' bodies have never been found but police believe Busick, Welch and Pennington raped and then strangled the teens a couple days after the kidnapping. Busick, who was charged on Sunday, is the only surviving suspect. Welch died in 2007 and Pennington passed away in 2015. Warren Welch (left) and David Pennington (right) were also accused of murdering Danny and Kathy and kidnapping and murdering Ashley Freeman and Lauria Bible. Both men died during the investigation Officials say Freeman (left) and Bible (right) were raped by Busick and his two accomplices, who then strangled the two 16-year-olds and disposed of their bodies Lorene Bible, pictured on the right with her husband Jay, pleaded for someone to come forward with information on where her daughter and Ashley Freeman's remains are The initial investigation into the murders and kidnapping didn't get very far. Police recently made a break in the case when Craig County Sheriff Heath Winfrey found a cache of notes relating to the missing girls when he was moving into his new office. The documents led investigators to people familiar with the murders of Danny and Kathy Freeman. Witnesses then came forward telling detectives that not only did the men talk about the four murders but allegedly took Polaroid photos of Ashley Freeman and Bible bound and gagged on a bed. The witnesses told police that Danny and Kathy were killed over drug money they owed. None of them could tell investigators where the pictures are today. Bible's mother, Lorene, spoke at a press conference announcing the charges against Busick and appealed for the public's help in locating the final resting place of her daughter and Ashley Freeman. 'I need a place where I can go and say, "that's where my daughter is,"' she said, according to NewsOn6. A little girl in China has had an elastic band removed from inside her arm after it had grown into the flesh. The four-year-old, known by her nickname Le Le, apparently wore the rubber band for such a long time her flesh had grown around it. According to a local report, the elastic ring had became embedded in her limb for at least six months since late last year. An elastic band has grown into the flesh of a girl's arm after she apparently wore it a long time Doctors in China had to have the rubber band removed from her arm in a surgical operation Le Le and her grandparents live in Linquan in eastern China's Anhui Province while her parents live and work in another province. Le Le's grandparents, who look after the child, only noticed Le Le's arm had swollen in January, reported Chinese news site Hangzhou.com. The girl also complained about pain and numbness in her arm. It's said that Le Le's parents became worried after seeing Le Le's red and swollen right arm. Doctors had to resort to ultrasonography to find out what had caused the girl's arm to swell It's reported the girl's grandparents didn't notice she'd been playing with the band (pictured) They took the girl to several local hospital before being referred to The Children's Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine. Doctor Ye Wensong from the hospital told Le Le's parents that the 'bangle-like' growth around her arm was likely to have been caused by an elastic band. Later, a B-scan ultrasonography confirmed Dr. Ye's assumption: there was indeed a rubber band embedded in Le Le's arm. The hospital's surgeon performed a 30-minute operation to have the band removed. Dr Ye told Chinese news site The Paper that he had only come across such a case during the 20-odd years of being a doctor. He also warned parents not to let their children, especially those under three years old, play with elastic bands. In particular, parents have been warned not to let their children wear the bands around their wrist or on their arms. A female pilot is being hailed as a hero after making an emergency landing on a busy Canadian motorway - skimming overhead traffic lights on the way down. All six passengers on board the Piper PA-31 Navajo survived uninjured after the terrifying landing on a three-lane road in Calgary, Alberta, following a power loss. Footage from a security camera at a nearby car dealership shows the plane dropping on to 36th Street at 6am Wednesday - landing between vehicles driving just metres in front and behind. The female pilot of this Piper PA-31 Navajo aircraft is being hailed a hero after she managed to set it down on a three-lane freeway after getting into trouble over Calgary The plane narrowly missed a railway and a truck coming in to land, though the tip of one wing did clip a set of traffic lights, tearing the end away It also landed only feet away from the path of a light rail passenger train, known locally as the CTrain. A populated neighbourhood lies on the other side of the motorway. Driver Andrew Greig told how the aircraft scarcely missed the top of his truck as it roared down on to the street in front of him. Mr Greig said: 'It just went through the intersection, right through the lights and landed right in front of us. 'It could have been worse - the door of the plane opened and they kind of walked out. I'm like 'Oh, OK, so they seem to be alright.'' In addition to the pilot, there was another crew member and four workers from an oil and gas company onboard. The plane was 5km away from the Calgary International Airport, having departed from another Alberta city, Medicine Hat, earlier that morning. In a message to air traffic control, the pilot - who has yet to be identified - asked to land on a different runway saying: 'I've just lost the right fuel pump, that's why we're requesting 35-right.' There was some damage to the wing sustained from colliding with traffic lights that hung high above the road. The pilot was just 5km from Calgary airport when she radioed air traffic control to say she had lost the right fuel pump and request a different runway, but never made it Alongside the pilot was another crew member and four oil workers who were said to be 'shaken up' but not injured after the incident around 6am on Wednesday Stunned resident Jamal Hammoud watched the plane come to a landing in front of his home. He said: 'The pilot did an awesome job. I thought it was a CTrain accident. 'When I looked, I couldn't see the CTrain, but an aeroplane. 'I saw the plane landing, just missing a car. Lots is going through your head when you see an aeroplane landing right in front of your house. 'You're thinking about the damage that could have been done. You think about how many people could have been hurt. 'You think about your family, your house.' Mr Hammoud said he woke up his wife and joked: 'I have an aeroplane, let's go for a vacation. 'I even woke up the kids and told them, 'I'm flying you guys to school'. And they all ran to the window to see the plane.' The owner of the aircraft, Terri Super of Super T Aviation, said the plane lost power but has not confirmed why. A press release said: 'Ms. Super acknowledges the actions of the pilots to ensure a safe landing and is grateful that there were no injuries to those onboard or on the ground.' The passengers were said to be 'shaken up' and have been given the week off. The Canadian Transportation Safety Board is now investigating. Stuart Brideaux, a spokesman for Calgary EMS rescue said: 'There were no injuries to anyone on the ground or involving any other vehicular traffic on 36th street, so it was quite extraordinary.' American warplanes are being jammed as they fly missions over Syria, preventing them from telling friend from foe on the battlefield. General Raymond Thomas, head of U.S. Special Operations Command, said unspecified 'adversaries' were ramping up cyber attacks in the region. He said the Air Force AC-130 gunship was 'aggressively' targeted, which could force it to abort missions and leave ground forces exposed. American warplanes like the Air Force AC-130 gunship are being jammed as they fly missions over Syria, preventing them from telling friend from foe on the battlefield General Raymond Thomas, head of U.S. Special Operations Command, said unspecified 'adversaries' were ramping up cyber attacks in the region 'Right now in Syria, we're in the most aggressive electronic warfare environment on the planet from our adversaries,' he said. 'They're testing us every day, knocking our communications down, disabling our AC-130s, etc.' General Thomas made the candid remarks in his keynote address to a U.S. Geospatial Intelligence Foundation symposium on Tuesday. He did not mention who was responsible for the jamming, but military commentators believed he was almost certainly referring to Russia. AC-130s are frequently used as air support for U.S. special forces and American-backed rebel fighters fighting in Syria. AC-130s are frequently used as air support for U.S. special forces and American-backed rebel fighters (pictured) fighting in Syria One was used to kill dozens of Russian mercenaries who attacked an outpost manned by U.S. commandos and the Syrian Democratic Forces in February. If the enemy jammed the gunship's communications or data links it could prevent them from coordinating strikes on the ground. Even worse, the plane may not be able to target enemy forces accurately or even tell friend from foe - especially in close firefights at night where it is often used. Disabling these systems could lead to attacks being aborted, leaving group troops without much-needed backup in the face of a larger enemy. Such problems have in the past led to higher casualties, friendly fire, or even a hospital being accidentally destroyed. Advertisement The majestic gates which guard the entrance to Blenheim Palace, Sir Winston Churchill's birthplace, have been given a golden makeover. The imposing 20ft tall iron gates which were installed at the palace in 1852 have been painstakingly restored using over 6,000 leaves of pure gold. The 35,000 restoration was undertaken by gilder John Naysmith, of the Oxford Iron Company, who used high-pressure water jets to blast the old paint off the 17 tonne gates. Gilder John Naysmith painstakingly stripped and re-painted the wrought iron and then applied 240 books of gold leaf to the Marlborough coat of arms and crest by hand The gates were hand painted by a master gilder and a workshop had to be built to protect them from the atmosphere The gates have been fully redecorated, including regilding with 23 gold leaf and are now on show to the public He then painstakingly re-painted the gates, which are the tallest on a private palace in Britain, and applied 240 books of gold leaf to the Marlborough coat of arms and crest designs by hand. Mr Naysmith said: 'Restoring gates of this size is quite a challenge, we used the water jets to take the paint back to the original metal and then began to re-apply coats of paint before starting work on the gilding. 'We had to build a workshop around them to maintain some heat for painting and gilding as it was -5C outside on some days. In 1851, the gates were originally made by Bramah and were displayed at the Great Exhibition at Crystal Palace The palace, park, and gardens are open to the public on payment of an entry fee and it also plays host to a mini railway Charles, 9th Duke of Marlborough saved both the palace and his bloodline after he inherited the near-bankrupt dukedom in 1892. He was forced to find a quick and drastic solution to the problems plaguing the family. His solution to the crippling financial rules of the era was to marry money. In November 1896 he was married to the American railroad heiress Consuelo Vanderbilt whose mother ordered her to marry the English nobleman despite neither being in love with each other. The palace, park, and gardens are open to the public on payment of an entry fee and it also plays host to a mini railway 'Gilding is a long and steady process which can't be hurried. 'It's also a privilege to get the opportunity to help restore such historic gates for future generations to admire and enjoy.' The 6th Duke of Marlborough paid 1,000 for the gates which were made by Bramah, Prestage and Ball of Piccadilly and displayed at the Great Exhibition of 1851. The renovation of the gates - the largest monumental entrance to a private palace in Britain - is part of an ongoing 40m, 10-year restoration programme taking place at the Blenheim Palace estate in Woodstock, Oxon. The estate has belonged to the Malborough family for generations and was famously the birthplace of Winston Churchhill The restoration work had to be fully protected throughout the winter and is now ready for the summer season and visitors The beautiful work of the Gilder John Naysmith can be seen at the palace which is open to tourists through-out the summer 'Sitting for hours and hours in one spot does take it out of you, but it's worth it when the sheeting is removed and the sunlight hits the new gold for the first time and makes it gleam. In addition to being a visitor attraction, Blenheim is also a venue for weddings and private or corporate events. The estate is rich in forestry and farming practices, a producer and supplier of Natural Mineral Water, it has a building and contracting business, and a charitable foundation. The 35,000 restoration of the gates was undertaken by gilder John Naysmith, of the Oxford Iron Company, who used high-pressure water jets to blast the old paint off the 17 tonne gates. 'The crests and coats of arms are particularly intricate and took a total of eight days to complete on their own. The palace has been a location for many films including Kenneth Branagh's 1996 adaptation of William Shakespeare's Hamlet, the James Bond film Spectre and many television shows You got it from your mama, now be sure to celebrate her appropriately this Mother's Day. Each year, in mid-May, Americans observe Mother's Day a celebration of motherhood and maternal figures. The holiday is generally involves the extension of some sort of kindness, be it breakfast in bed, a boozy brunch or an actual gift, to the mother, or mother-like person, in your life. Mother's Day is an annual holiday created to celebrate motherhood and give thanks to maternal figures Mother's Day dates back to the 1900s and was established by a West Virginia woman called Anna Jarvis. It wasn't made an official holiday until 1914, however, when President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed it as such. It's now celebrated internationally, though dates and traditions differ depending where in the world you are. What is Mother's Day? Mother's Day is an annual holiday celebrating moms and motherhood. Although there were limited known observances of Mother's Day in the 1800s, it was officially established by Anna Jarvis and observed for the first time in 1908 at St. Andrew's Methodist Church in Grafton, West Virginia. She created the holiday after her mother, Ann Jarvis, put together a committee to create a holiday called Mother's Friendship Day, to bring families back together after the Civil War. For Mother's Day I asked my son if he thought a 2018 Red Range Rover Supercharged Sport would fit into his budget. He told me to look in my parking space, and if it's not there, it's been stolen! He's my favorite chocolate chip! #MothersDay Terry McMillan (@MsTerryMcMillan) April 25, 2018 The elder Jarvis wanted to expand her efforts into an annual memorial for mothers, but died in 1905 before she had the chance. Her daughter, Anna, took on the task afterward. Mother's Day became an official holiday in the United States in 1914, thanks to a proclamation from President Woodrow Wilson. Mother's Day in the U.K. Mothering Sunday, the United Kingdom's version of Mother's Day, dates back to the 16th century and is a Catholic and Protestant holiday. When it was first established, people would take the day to visit their 'mother' church. Later, the day was observed by giving domestic servants the day off to visit their mother church and their families. Mothering Sunday faded in popularity in the 1920s and was instead replaced by the commercialized American version of the holiday, created by Jarvis years prior. After she wrote a book calling for the holiday to be revived, the Church of England made the decision to merge British tradition with some American ones in observance of the date. Mothering Sunday continues to be celebrated in March, while Mother's Day is observed on the second Sunday of May annually. Genius plan today. Eldest says mum weve decided we will get you a puppy for Mothers Day next month #MothersDay PatriciaKarvelas (@PatsKarvelas) April 22, 2018 When is Mother's Day this year? Mother's Day will be celebrated on Sunday, May 13, 2018 in the United States, China, Australia and some European countries. Mother's Day traditions Mother's Day has traditionally been marked by attending church, giving out carnations to mothers or maternal figures and attending family dinners. Carnations were delivered by Anna Jarvis, who put together the first Mother's Day celebration, in 1908. The custom has been adopted by churches. White carnations were used to symbolize a deceased mother while pink signified your mother was still living. The custom began with wearing carnations to church and eventually turned into handing them out. You don't always have to wait until Mother's Day to let Mom know how much you love her. #MomsWhoWOW pic.twitter.com/i2gJ0fWXee 1-800-Flowers.com (@1800flowers) April 26, 2018 These traditions have evolved slightly over the years. Nowadays children often hand-make cards and other crafts for their moms or pick out elaborate bouquets. Some people also observe Mother's Day by taking their moms out for brunch and/or buying them gifts. According to Fortune, Americans spend an average of $729 million (523.4m) on Mother's Day cards, $2.4 billion (1.7b) on flowers, $4.1 billion (2.9b) on outings and $1.6 billion (1.1b) on pampering related to Mother's Day annually. Best Mother's Day gifts 2018 Need a little help getting it together this Mother's Day? Fear not, Daily Mail's put together a fail proof list of gifts your mom's sure to love. Check it out here. Mother's Day sayings If you're looking for some inspiration as to what to write in your Mother's Day card, look no further. Here are 11 quotes sure to bring a smile to your mom's face. A top MP's diary secretary accused of selling sex on a sugar daddy website is a 'poster girl' for the civil service, MailOnline can reveal. Rebecca Tott, the 20-year-old secretary to Housing Minister Dominic Raab, was suspended from work over the scandal. The fast tracked apprentice had appeared in promotional videos for the government extolling the virtues of working in the public sector. Rebecca Tott (pictured), the secretary to Housing Minister Dominic Raab, was suspended from work over the scandal On Wednesday she was suspended over fears she could become a blackmail target and MI5 have even been urged to investigate. Tott, who lives with her parents in Twickenham, west London, has not been seen since the story broke today of her allegedly selling sex on the escort site. A spokesman for the Ministry of Housing, Culture and Local Government said she had been suspended while an investigation is carried out. The flame-haired secretary raised security fears when she allegedly boasted to an undercover reporter that she would 'love to get sacked' for romping on her boss's desk. She faces probes by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government after being flaunted as a rising star. A former Met royal protection chief has claimed MI5 should 'know all they can' about her conduct. The top MP's diary secretary accused of selling sex on a sugar daddy website is a 'poster girl' for the civil service, MailOnline can reveal She reportedly made herself a blackmail target when she told the journalist all about her job - and boasted that she ran Mr Raab's diary and 'knows his every move'. She reportedly bragged that her role is to 'run his life' - adding: 'I know his every move. I know where he is today.' She joined the civil service aged 16 after dropping out of college A-Level studies and such was her success that she was featured in an article for the apprenticeship scheme. Housing Minister Dominic Raab's Diary Secretary is said to have boasted that she knew his every move In the article she says of the scheme: 'My apprenticeship has truly changed the course of my early life, and I am grateful to have been given such an opportunity.' She goes on to say how she had been looking at Oxbridge Universities until she applied for an apprenticeship with the Civil Service which had been set up by David Cameron when he was Prime Minister. She said: 'One of the most beneficial parts of my Apprenticeship was focusing on meeting and greeting visitors. This helped me understand how my role as an apprentice allowed me to be an ambassador for both the department, and the overall objective within the Civil Service of increasing the number of opportunities available to young people.' When the article was published the woman said she was based in the Private Office of the Department of Communities and Local Government. Nick Adams, special advisor for the department, said of their young recruit in the article: 'She has been fantastic since she joined DCLG, her energy and optimism has really shown through in the way she approaches her work. 'She diligently approaches tasks supporting Secretary of State and is not afraid to approach much more senior people in the organisation.' She also appears on a promotional video for the civil service, walking across Westminster Bridge dressed in a suit with her arms stretched out wide. On the video, she says: 'People think civil servants are a bunch of pen pushers' as Rebecca continues 'in boring old offices!' before other young people publicise the benefits of working at Whitehall. Rebecca's sister is Laura Tott - Channel 4s First Dates waitress - and she has been spotted cuddling up to her on social media. Rebecca Tott is pictured on social media with her sister Laura Tott, who features in Channel 4's First Dates restaurant The Mirror said it had decided to publish the story to highlight the risks to MPs when a close aide make themselves a possible blackmail target. Ex-Scotland Yard royal protection chief Dai Davies said it was a huge security breach in the staff of Mr Raab, who has been tipped as a future Prime Minister. 'This revelation should cause grave concerns for those responsible for protection of our most senior politicians. 'This individual knows a great deal of sensitive information yet she does not even know who she is revealing it to. If she is being so open with someone she does not even know who she is revealing it to,' he told The Mirror. The newspaper said that Mr Raab could be in the sights of hostile forces after threatening Russia with a 'wide range of sanctions' after the nerve agent attack on a spy in Salisbury last month. In her meeting with the reporter, the aide claimed to earn up to 5,000 a month from rich clients - including an aide to the Arab royals. She told the reporter: 'You've got my undivided attention for a few hours on Saturday. I'll let your imagination run wild as to what you wish to do with that.' When asked directly what she was prepared to do for 750, she replied: 'Whatever you would like to be on offer. You may have full undisputed access to me. I have success at this. I'm a very sensual person. I'm very open.' She is the sister of a star of the popular Channel Four reality show First Dates. Her social media is full of photos from the show as well as others showing her sister. She has 70,000 followers. In one photo she cuddles up to her sister and speaks glowingly of their love for each other. Her sister - the government worker - has since disabled her social media profile and her father refused to make any comment when approached at the family home. Tate Britain's Turner Prize shortlist has been announced and there is not a painting in sight. Instead, this year's four finalists are using the platform to have their voice heard on some hard hitting subjects. Racism, prisons and post-colonial identity are addressed in the politically charged shortlist for 2018. The shooting of Philando Castile by a police officer during a traffic stop in the US features in the competition, as well as a secretive jail run by Syrian president Bashar al-Assad. Luke Willis Thompson, 30, who is one of the four artists shortlisted for this year's Turner Prize turned Diamond Reynolds' grief into moving art after Philando Castile was shot Luke Willis Thompson, 30, who is one of the four artists shortlisted for this year's Turner Prize Luke Willis Thompson, 30, who made a black and white, 35mm portrait of Diamond Reynolds Castile's girlfriend - has made the shortlist. Seconds after Castile was shot dead she began a Facebook Live broadcast. The gruesome video of the distraught woman next to her boyfriend bleeding to death went viral and shocked millions of people around the world. Willis Thompson's work is described as a 'deeply affecting study of grief' which 'addresses representations of race and police violence'. The artist's black and white 35mm portraits of Miss Reynolds will go on display at the Tate Britain, alongside the others shortlisted for the award, later this year. Willis Thompsons black and white 35mm portrait of Diamond Reynolds in his solo exhibition Autoportrait at Chisenhale, London This year's shortlist for the modern art accolade also includes a group. Forensic Architecture which is known for its 'spatial investigations of state and corporate violations worldwide' has been officially recognised for its work. The group reconstructed Saydnaya prison for its entry. Syria's most notorious jail has been off limits to journalists and monitoring groups in recent years and is reported to be the site of brutal torturing. London based Forensic Architecture is made up of architects, film-makers, software developers, investigative journalists, lawyers and scientists. Forensic Architecture has also been shortlisted for the Turner Prize 2018. The academic group has been chosen for its work on visual reconstructions A reconstruction of Saydnaya prison in Syria by Forensic Architecture. The academic group will be featured in exhibit in the Tate Britain Counter Investigations: Forensic Architecture at the ICA Charlotte Prodger filmed her entire entry on her phone The shortlist also features Glasgow-based artist Charlotte Prodger, whose work Bridgit was filmed entirely on her iPhone. Bridgit is named after the Neolithic deity. Prodger, a 44-year-old Glasgow School of Art (GSA) graduate, also produced a video which explores her own history. Her phone is used so that 'body and device become extensions of each other, and the work becomes a unified meditation on shifting subjectivity' according to a short profile by the Tate. Naeem Mohaiemen, 49, whose work encompasses films, installations and essays, is also on the shortlist. Charlotte Prodger was praised for "the nuanced way in which she deals with identity politics, particularly from a queer perspective Naeem Mohaiemen's piece 'Tripoli Cancelled' from 2017. The artist explores sociology and policy through film and art New York and Dakha based Naeem Mohaiemen, 49, is shortlisted The Dakha and New York based artist covers 'transnational left politics in the period after the Second World War'. His Tate write-up says he 'investigates the legacies of decolonisation and the erasing and rewriting of memories of political utopias'. The work will be exhibited from September 25 and the winner will be announced in December. Tate Britain director Alex Farquharson said: 'This year's jury has chosen an outstanding group of artists, all of whom are tackling the most pressing political and humanitarian issues of today.' The overall winner will scoop 25,000. British twin sisters facing jail in Dubai for drunkenly assaulting a policewoman and cursing Arab women who both claim to be lawyers are not qualified solicitors, MailOnline can reveal. Alena Parker and her twin sister have lived in the Gulf state for almost a decade and work at Al Safar & Partners law firm. Alena, 37, is an associate while Sasha is the the law firm's case manager. But MailOnline has discovered that the former dropped out before completing the rigorous four-year training to practice as a solicitor in the UK while Sasha did not even begin the process to practice law. The revelation came as the glamorous pair strenuously denied drunkenly attacking an officer. They could face up to three years in a Dubai jail if they are convicted. British twin sisters Alena and Sasha Parker (above) facing jail in Dubai for drunkenly assaulting a policewoman and cursing Arab women describe themselves as lawyers but did not complete their legal training in the UK, MailOnline can reveal Alena Parker and her twin sister have lived in the Gulf state for almost a decade and work at Al Safar & Partners law firm MailOnline has discovered that Alena (right) dropped out before completing the rigorous four-year training to practice as a solicitor in the UK while Sasha (left) did not even begin the process to practice law Alena Parker (left) is not a qualified solicitor, revealed a spokesman for the Solicitors Regulation Authority, who regulates solicitors in England and Wales. We have no record of Sasha Parker (right) Their legal credentials have been scrutinised by the MailOnline. Alena Parker is not a qualified solicitor, revealed a spokesman for the Solicitors Regulation Authority, who regulates solicitors in England and Wales. She registered with us to become a qualified solicitor but for whatever reason she did not complete the training. We have no record of Sasha Parker. Trainees must complete a two-year Legal Practice Course followed by a period of recognized training under the supervision of a qualified solicitor and pass a character suitability test before they are licensed to practice. However, the 37-year-old sisters who were born in the Soviet-state of Belarus and starred in porn films while students are entitled to call themselves lawyers as they work for a law firm. They [Alena and Sasha Parker] can legitimately claim to be lawyers because it is not a protected term, the spokesman said. Anyone who works in the law can call themselves a lawyer, But only a qualified person can call themselves a solicitor and work as a solicitor in England and Wales. The identical pair both work at the Al Safar & Partners law firm in Dubai. Alena Parker, who works as a legal advisor, claims to hold a string of legal qualifications. These include; an A-level in Law, a Degree in Law from the University of London, a Post-Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice from the University of Westminster and a Masters degree in Corporate Finance Law. She also claims to qualifications from Islamic Finance and a United Arab Emirates Real Estate Certificate. The sisters told MailOnline they had only made one court appearance so far and their defence had not been presented to judges. They added: 'Since we trust the UAE judicial system and (are) sure about our innocence, we are confident that the Justice will be served. 'Unfortunately, since the matter is pending before the Dubai Courts we are unable to comment further at this stage.' The twins, from London , both work at a Dubai law firm, and are glamorous fixtures on the social scene there The twins are pictured in front of Dubai's iconic Burj Al Arab hotel in another social media picture Photographs posted online show them partying during nights out and posing in bikinis in the sunshine. On August 4 last year, they were arrested for 'roguish behaviour' on a night out, Dubai Misdemeanours Court heard on Monday. 'A police patrol dispatched to the location found the two intoxicated British [legal] advocates were behaving outrageously,' according to police records. Alena Parker had apparently injured her hand and was 'being treated in an ambulance car by paramedics, while the other sister was standing outside the ambulance and shouting', said the records. But when the sisters 'refused to cooperate with the policeman', he called for a female colleague to guard them while he fetched handcuffs. The policewoman told prosecutors: 'They surprisingly attacked me, and I don't know why. 'They assaulted me and pushed me down on the floor I fell down and injured my head and elbow. The pair from London post about their glamorous lifestyle abroad in Dubai on social media Alena Parker, an associate at Al Safar & Partners, and her sister, the law firm's case manager, had been found drunk in the Al Barsha district, it was claimed 'A police patrol dispatched to the location found the two intoxicated British advocates were behaving outrageously,' according to police records 'While they were being taken for an alcohol test, they cursed me and cursed Arab women. One of them also scratched my hand with her nails.' Three policemen and a lieutenant also gave evidence, which it is claimed corroborated the policewoman's statement. The sisters pleaded not guilty to charges of 'insulting, resisting arrest by and physically assaulting a policewoman' at the hearing before judge Urfan Omar. They have been released on bail until a full hearing of the court. Yesterday they were unavailable for comment but a spokesman at their law firm said they denied all the accusations. The twins, from London, both work at a Dubai law firm, and are glamorous fixtures on the social scene there The policewoman told prosecutors: 'They surprisingly attacked me, and I don't know why. They assaulted me and pushed me down on the floor I fell down and injured my head and elbow' While they were being taken for an alcohol test, the pair are said to have cursed the officer and Arab women Alena Parker, who has lived in the Gulf state and worked at the firm since 2007, studied law at the University of London and University of Westminster between 2002 and 2007, her CV shows The sisters pleaded not guilty to charges of 'insulting, resisting arrest by and physically assaulting a policewoman' Alena Parker, who has lived in the Gulf state and worked at the firm since 2007, studied law at the University of London and University of Westminster between 2002 and 2007, her CV shows. She specialises in commercial and property disputes. Sasha Parker has posted dozens of pictures on social media showing the identical sisters at pool parties, posing with fast cars and enjoying the sunshine. The Foreign Office today confirmed that they were assisting the twins. A spokesman said: 'We are supporting two British women who were arrested in Dubai in 2017, and are in contact with the UAE authorities.' The sisters would not be the first to have run into trouble with Dubai's strict morality laws. Expats have frequently been arrested on drunkenness charges in the Arab state, where alcohol is banned in all but licensed premises. Alena and Sasha Parker, 37, pose in their pink bikinis while enjoying the Dubai sunshine The pair would not be the first to have run into trouble with Dubai's strict morality laws as expats have frequently been arrested on drunkenness charges Rooftop parties are seen to be frequented by Alena and Sasha Parker in their social media accounts In 2016, a 25-year-old married Briton told authorities there she had been raped, which led to her being arrested on charges of extramarital sex and thrown in jail for several days before the case was dropped. The same year, a British man was fined 50,000 and jailed after using WhatsApp to insult a woman, who then lodged a complaint with the police. And last year, Jamie Harron, 27, from Stirling, Scotland, was given three months in prison for accidentally touching another man's hip, but within days the case was dropped and he was freed. President Donald Trump bragged in a 'Fox & Friends' interview that under his presidency angry Iranian crowds are no longer yelling 'Death to America.' Trump made the statement as he once again took aim at the Iran deal that Tehran signed with the U.S. and five other nations, calling it a 'horrible deal.' He spoke a day after French President Emmanuel Macron told Congress France would not pull out of the agreement it had signed after long negotiations. 'And all they do is scream death to America, death to America,' Trump said, referencing street protests sometime egged on by Iranian revolutionary guards for maximum PR effect. 'And by the way, they're not screaming it so much anymore. They were screaming it with him. They don't scream it with me.' It was difficult to immediately assess Trump's claim, but following his announcement this year that he would move the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, there were angry demonstrations where protesters burned photographs of Trump. Portraits of US President Donald Trump burn during a demonstration in the capital Tehran on December 11, 2017 to denounce his declaration of Jerusalem as Israel's capital In a February rally on the anniversary of the Islamic Revolution on Feb. 11, 2018, protesters in Tehran held banners of Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and one that said 'Shut Up Trump.' Trump brought up Iran when he got asked about the accomplishments achieved during his visit with Macron who told Congress on Wednesday: 'That's why France will not leave the [Iran nuclear deal]. Because we signed it.' Trump said of Macron: 'Well, I think we really came to recognize the -- you know, I can say it from my standpoint but he is viewing, I believe, Iran a lot differently than he did before he walked into the Oval Office and I think that's important.' 'He understands where I'm coming from with respect to Iran. Iran is a real problem for this country. The president made a horrible deal,' Trump said, turning his fire on Obama. 'When I say the president, I'm talking about past administration made a horrible deal giving $150 billion, giving $1.8 billion in cash -- in actual cash carried out in barrels and in boxes from airplanes. It's inconceivable -- $1.8 billion.' Iranian protesters set US an Israeli flags on fire during a demonstration in the capital Tehran on December 11, 2017 to denounce US President Donald Trump's declaration of Jerusalem as Israel's capital Demonstrators hold banners of Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu upside down along with a banner which reads 'Shut Up Trump' in Revolution Square on the 39th anniversary of Islamic Revolution on February 11, 2018 in Tehran, Iran A young demonstrator holds a banner of Donald Trump and Barak Obama depicting them as dog and wolf in the Revolution Square on the 39th anniversary of Islamic Revolution on February 11, 2018 in Tehran, Iran Iranian women hold an anti-US placard bearing an image of US President Barack Obama on November 4, 2014, during a demonstration outside the former US embassy in Tehran to mark the anniversary of its storming by student protesters that triggered a hostage crisis. Thousands of Iranians shouted 'Death to America' during the demonstration, 35 years after Islamist students stormed the embassy compound, holding 52 American diplomats hostage for 444 days Iranians burn a US flag outside the former US embassy in Tehran on November 4, 2015, during a demonstration marking the anniversary of its storming by student protesters that triggered a hostage crisis in 1979 He was referencing the $400 million in Iranian assets plus interest totaling $1.7 billion frozen by the U.S. since the 1970s following the Iranian revolution. A first delivery of $400 million in Euros and Swiss Francs was handed over to the Iranians when the deal was signed. 'And all they do is scream death to America, death to America,' Trump continued.. And by the way, they're not screaming it so much anymore. They were screaming it with him. They don't scream it with me.' French President Emmanuel Macron said France would not withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal 'They don't scream it with me,' Trump said of 'death to America' chants by Iranian demonstrators He then brought up routine Iranian harassment of American vessels. 'We haven't seen their little boats circling our ships in the ocean lately because they know if they do circle the ships they're not going to be there very longer,' he said. Macron in his comments also warned against any new Middle East wars and said France would not pull out of the Iran deal that Trump has derided as the worst deal in history. 'For Iran, our objective is clear,' Macron said. 'Iran shall never posses any nuclear weapon. Not now, not in 5 years, not in 10 years, ne-ver,' stretching out the word for emphasis. He said policy should 'never lead us to war in the Middle East.' 'We must ensure stability and respect sovereignty of the nations, including that one of Iran which represents a great civilization,' he said, in reference to the Persian empire. 'Let us not replicate past mistakes in the region,' he said, noting that the U.S. urged nations to joint the Iran deal. New details have emerged about the contents of the car that Jennair Gerardot was driving the night she killed her husband's mistress and then herself in Pennsylvania, raising the possibility that she had been watching her target before breaking into her home. Police in Radnor Township also revealed that taking her own life was likely not a part of Gerardots original plan. A bag containing a change of clothes and a wig was recovered from the scene, suggesting that the woman had an exit strategy. Following the shooting deaths of Gerardot, 47, and her romantic rival, 33-year-old Meredith Chapman on Monday, officers recovered binoculars, ear plugs, latex gloves and additional ammunition from the shooter's rented black Cadillac XTS. Scroll down for video Woman with a plan: Police officers searched Jennair Gerardot's (left) rental car and found extra ammo, binoculars, latex gloves and ear plugs. The 47-year-old killed Meredith Chapman (right), 33, and then herself on Monday An officer is seen entering Chapman's home on Lowrys Lane in Radnor Township, Pennsylvania, in the days after the murder-suicide Also recovered from the vehicle was a receipt from a local gas station bearing the time stamp 2.40pm, indicating that Gerardot had spent some time in town before breaking into Chapman's new home on Lowrys Lane, lying in wait and shooting the younger woman when she returned home, reported NBC10. Gerardo's car was later found on a nearby street. She had rented the Cadillac on April 13 in her hometown of Wilmington, Delaware, and used the vehicle to travel to Pennsylvania. Police said earlier that Gerardot traveled from Delaware to Pennsylvania by train. Radnor Township Police Lt. Christopher Flanagan also revealed said it would be a reasonable conclusion that Gerardot did not intend to kill herself. It is unclear why the woman decided to commit suicide after shooting Chapman in the head. Philly.com reported Wednesday that a month before the murder-suicide, Gerardot, went on the neighborhood social media app NextDoor asking for recommendations for 'an EXCELLENT marriage counselor for couple on brink of divorce.' She went on, writing: 'We will need someone who is very educated and experienced dealing with couples issues including infidelity, depression, traumatic experiences, child/parent dynamics, being accountable for actions, etc.' It remains unknown whether Jennair and Mark Gerardot ever went into counseling. What is certain, according to police in Radnor Township, Pennsylvania, is that on Monday, the scorned wife broke into Chapman's home and shot her when the woman as soon as the woman opened the door. She then turned the gun on herself. Trouble in paradise? A month before Jennair Gerardot, pictured above with husband Mark, killed his mistress and then herself, she had tried to seek help to save her unraveling marriage Crowd-sourcing: On at least two occasions within the last two months, Jennair had gone on the social media app NextDoor asking for marriage advice Jennair's March plea seeking help with her unraveling marriage was not her first foray into crowd-sourcing relationship advice. In February, the woman went on the app, writing that she and her husband had just moved to Delaware for his new job at the University of Delaware, and that not long after Mark asked for divorce. 'I dont know anyone and am completely clueless to the area,' Jennair wrote. 'Can someone please recommend a reputable and successful and driven divorce attorney?' Meredith, the newly hired assistant vice president of Villanova University, was having an extramarital affair with 49-year-old Mark Gerardot, according to police. His wife Jennair somehow found about her husbands infidelity and set into motion a deadly plan of revenge targeting her younger romantic rival a plan that she detailed in a series of text messages and emails. Cry for help: Jennair went online in February, asking for recommendations for a divorce lawyer. A month later, she was trying to find an excellent marriage counselor Police say both women suffered fatal gunshot wounds but there is no danger to the community Detectives are still sorting that out, Police Superintendent William Colarulo said of Jennairs incriminating writings. On Monday, Jennair grabbed a Taurus Tracker .357 revolver, got into her rental car and headed to Pennsylvania, where she knew Meredith had relocated about a week earlier for her new job at Villanova, reported Philly.com. There, she broke into the three-store brick house and proceeded to wait for her nemesis to come home. The 33-year-old woman was married to former Newark, Delaware, City Councilman Luke Chapman for nearly a decade, but Colarulo revealed on Tuesday that the couple had separated. Meredith, a 2007 graduate of the University of Delaware, worked for the school in media relations and marketing and ran unsuccessfully for a state Senate seat in Delaware in 2016. Mark Gerardot joined the staff at the University of Delaware as creative director earlier this year and briefly worked under Merediths supervision. Calculated: Jennair Gerardot (left), detailed her deadly revenge plot in a series of text messages and emails. Mark Gerardot is seen right Less than two hours before her death, Meredith gushed on her Instagram account about her new position at Villanova, writing that she couldnt be more excited. Just a week on the job and Im already feeling the love from #NovaNation! #GoingNova #HigherEdMarketing#NewAdventures she posted at 5.42pm. Later that evening, Meredith arrived at her new home on Lowrys Lane in Radnor Township, parked her Audi in the driveway, opened the door and walked straight into Jennair Gerardots ambush. Mark and Meredith were supposed to meet up for dinner on Monday night, but the woman never made it to the restaurant. While he was waiting for his girlfriend to arrive, Mark began receiving disturbing text messages from his wife, which led him to Meredith's home, according to police. Officers who responded to Meredith's home were met by Mark, who warned them that his wife might be inside the residence. Office romance: Police say Mark Gerardot (pictured with wife Jennair) at one time served as Meredith's subordinate Hell hath no fury...: Jennair Gerardot (left and right) somehow learned of the affair and allegedly plotted to kill Meredith Married bliss: Meredith is pictured as a bride with her groom Luke on their wedding day in 2009 When police responded to the scene, they found the bodies of both women on the first floor of the residence, which was splattered with blood. The suspected murder weapon was found under Jennair's body in the kitchen. Radnor Township Police Superintendent Colarulo shared additional details concerning the deadly plot, including how the jealous wife cleaned up the shattered glass from the window she used as her entry point so that her victim would not be tipped off that someone had broken in. Meredith, nee Sullivan, married Luke Chapman in 2009 and the couple lived in Fairfield Crest, Delaware, with their dog Indy. As recently as March 30, she posted a message on her Facebook page referencing her husband's political career. Earlier this year, Meredith's husband announced he would not be seeking re-election for a fourth term on the Newark City Council. In 2016, Meredith ran an unsuccessful campaign to unseat incumbent State Senator Dave Sokota in Delawares District 8. Meredith had served as the director of digital communications and an adjunct professor at her alma mater, University of Delaware, until earlier this month Meredith, pictured left with former Vice President Joe Biden and right with her former boss, ex-Rep Mike Castle, ran an unsuccessful campaign for State Senate District 8 in 2016 Happy couple: Meredith married Delaware politician Luke Chapman (right) in 2009 She ended up losing the election to the veteran Democrat from Newark by 5 percentage points. Before trying her hand at politics, Meredith worked as a reporter for the Philadelphia-based PBS affiliate WHYY-TV and was later hired as a communication manager for then-Congressman Mike Caste, a Republican. Upon learning the news of Merediths passing, Castle described his former aide as industrious and capable. Im terribly saddened. She was a very good person and one of the last people I would have thought could have something like this happen, he said. Its a terrible shame. Meredith, a native of Pennsylvania, graduated from the University of Delaware with a Bachelor's degree in communication and a Masters degree in education. Villanova University spokesman Jonathan Gust said the school was informed Monday night about her death. 'Our hearts are broken by the devastating loss of our new colleague,' he said. 'The thoughts and prayers of the entire university community are with her family, friends and colleagues during this extremely difficult time.' The entire Jubilee line was at a standstill thanks to a power failure, which sparked travel mayhem across London. Commuters were left stranded after the line came to a halt at around 10am on Thursday morning. And while engineers had fixed the issue at 3.30pm, Transport for London (TfL) said they believe the severe delays wouldn't be back to normal again until 8pm. While the Jubilee line is back up and running, delays will continue until 8pm Outraged commuters vented their anger this morning on social media, as their travel plans were severely disrupted Passengers raged about being trapped on trains for up to an hour and others were frustrated that poor communication only worsened the issue. Outraged commuters vented their anger this morning on social media, as their travel plans were severely disrupted. Twitter user @tilkak67 is concerned about whether it is still possible to see a show this evening Another irate Twitter user complained that the commute this evening has been 'dire' Others like @SheldonKGoodman complained that the Jubilee line has been having several technical problems recently Among the worse stations affected were North Greenwich and Canary Wharf stations. The issues went through into the afternoon and TfL warned that both Canary Wharf and Heron Quays station would be exit only from 4.30pm. Meanwhile, others said that they were trapped on trains outside of stations. The packed conditions of the train proved to be an issue for commuters The disruption severely impacted this passenger's day - and ended up costing her A TfL spokesman said: 'We apologise for the disruption caused by the power failure on the Jubilee line this morning. 'Our engineers are working to resolve this issue and to restore a normal service as quickly as possible. 'While the Jubilee line is back up and running, we expect the delays will continue until 8pm.' Staff have apologised for delays and say that while the Jubilee line is back up and running, disruption will continue until 8pm The transport company added that London Overground, DLR, C2C, South Eastern will be accepting valid London Underground tickets via any reasonable routes. A three-year-old Pennsylvania girl died in a fire after she was accidentally left home alone. Willow Williams died from smoke inhalation when her home in Harrisburg was engulfed in flames on Monday morning. Fire officials said that the fire started from 'unattended cooking' in the kitchen after a family member left something on the stove. Three-year-old Willow Williams died from smoke inhalation after her home in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania was engulfed in flames on Monday morning. She was home alone Fire officials said that the fire started from 'unattended cooking' in the kitchen after a family member left something on the stove Willow's mother had left the home to take her five-year-old son to school when the fire broke out, Police Capt Gabriel Olivera told PennLive. 'The mother thought that a family member was home when she took an older child to school,' he said. 'Unbeknownst to her, that family member went to work early that day.' The fire broke out just before 8am and multiple neighbors tried to run into the house to save Willow. Danielle Jones, who lives next door, had just returned home after dropping off her daughter from school when she saw smoking coming out of Willow's home. Jones said that Willow's mother was on the front lawn, yelling that her daughter was trapped inside. 'I grabbed a jacket and I was going to run in the front door,' she recalled. 'I went in a little bit and the smoke just was too much.' Willow's mother had left the home to take her five-year-old son to school when the fire broke out. She thought her husband was still at home, but he left for work early that day The fire broke out just before 8am and multiple neighbors tried to run into the house to save Willow, who was found in a second-floor bedroom Other neighbors also tried to get inside and rescue Willow, but the house had become engulfed in flames. Two firefighters who also tried to save Willow were injured. Nathan Martin cut his hand on broken glass when he climbed through a window on the second floor to enter Willow's bedroom. He and Lt Jeremy Saul tried to search the room but the fire and heat was too intense, according to Senior Deputy Chief Michael Souder. Saul suffered burns to his ears, shoulder and leg. 'These guys are working above the fire,' Souder explained. 'They are ahead of the fire hose. All the heat is going up so they're basically at the top of a chimney.' Willow was found in a second floor bedroom. The fire completely destroyed the house, which officials said had working smoke detectors. The fire completely destroyed the house, which officials said had working smoke detectors Dauphin County District Attorney Fran Chardo said his office has determined that Willow's mother was not negligent and that the girl's death was a tragic accident It also damaged the walls of the neighboring home, displacing a family of seven that includes three infants. Dauphin County District Attorney Fran Chardo said his office has determined that Willow's mother was not negligent and that the girl's death was a tragic accident. 'It was the result of an honest miscommunication among caregivers,' Chardo said in a statement on Thursday. 'We do not anticipate any criminal charges in connection with this awful tragedy.' The family has since raised more than $2,000 in a GoFundMe campaign for Willow's funeral expenses. 'Words can't describe the hurt and pain the family is going through right now,' a statement on the page reads. 'Not only did they lose their precious daughter, but they also lost their home. 'Please we're asking for any bit of help we can get from the community to lay this beautiful angel Willow to rest.' Advertisement Prince William kept the nation guessing today as to the name of his newborn son as he and Harry opened a sports centre. Three days after William and Kate carried the fifth in line to the throne home to Kensington Palace, West London, all he had to say in response to questions about the prince's name was that he is 'working on' it. But he was able to confirm that he was 'delighted' to have been chosen as Harry's best man for the Royal Wedding as his brother prepares to marry Meghan Markle next month. The brothers today opened a sports centre in central London, where William joked that his best man revenge on Harry would be sweet The brothers opened a leisure centre in Marylebone, London, shortly after Prince William was announced as best man for the Royal wedding William warned his brother that his best man speech could be an opportunity to exact revenge as they visited the sports centre Prince William enjoyed a match of table tennis against Harry, whose best man he will be at the Royal Wedding, as the brothers opened a leisure centre During today's visit to a central London sports centre, Prince William also received a gift for his newborn son, but said he still hasn't settled on a name for the child The brothers today opened a sports centre in central London, where William joked that his best man revenge on Harry would be sweet Wills was tight-lipped about his baby's name, saying he was still deciding, but said he was honoured to be best man Wills, 35, is set to will the favour to Harry, 33, who was his own best man at his wedding to Kate Middleton in 2011 William told of his joy when the couple announced their engagement in November When Harry's engagement was announced, William said his family were 'all very excited Prince William and Prince Harry attend the opening of the Greenhouse Sports Centre in central London Prince Harry and Prince William attended the event together while the Duchess of Cambridge was at home with her newborn He now has the job of organising a stag-do for his party-loving younger brother, as well as preparing a speech which will draw on years of experiences together Today Wills was asked what he made of being Harry's best man to which he said: 'It feels great,' he said. 'Thrilled and delighted obviously. Revenge is sweet.' Prince William promised well-wishers they would hear the news of his new son's name 'soon' as the internet is awash with enthusiasm and speculation The older sibling was pictured looking proudly at the younger prince in Marylebone, central London, where they performed their first ever joint ribbon-cutting. Prince William also warned his brother 'revenge is sweet' after he was announced as the best man at Harry's wedding to Meghan Markle. Wills, 35, will return the favour to Harry, 33, who was his own best man at his wedding to Kate Middleton in 2011. 'It feels great,' he said. 'Thrilled and delighted obviously. Revenge is sweet.' Since his son was born on Monday, William has stoked anticipation, promising well-wishers: 'You'll find out soon!' There has been a flurry of royalist enthusiasm online as the public eagerly await the announcement. Yesterday, odds plunged on the boy being named Albert after we revealed that the official Royal.uk website returns an 'Access Denied' message on a page for 'Prince Albert' in the same way as for 'Prince George' and 'Princess Charlotte'. Other names either bring up a proper page - such as the one for Prince Harry - or say 'Page not found', which is returned for the other fancied names, including Prince Alexander. Gamblers backed the name Albert from 12/1 to 1/2 favourite on the suggestion the page may be reserved for a more important purpose. However Twitter users were quick to point out how controversial the name would be, given it's the nickname for a genital piercing, and others suggested the Kensington Palace IT department may not be first on the list to be told the new identity. The royal.uk website returns an 'Access denied' result for Prince Albert, but a 'Page not found' one for names like Alexander With Twitter users floating names from Freddy to Princey McPrinceface, the anticipation has reached fever pitch. Other ideas suggested include naming the prince after a character from the hit US sitcom FRIENDS as well as Crumpet and Baby McBaby Face. The U.S. Senate confirmed Mike Pompeo as President Donald Trump's secretary of state on Thursday in a 57-42 vote, putting the former CIA director in a pivotal role to handle U.S. foreign policy challenges such as North Korea and Iran. He is already deeply involved in diplomacy. Trump sent Pompeo to North Korea three weeks ago to meet with the country's leader, Kim Jong-un, ahead of a summit with the U.S. president to address Pyongyang's nuclear program. Senators voted 57-42 in favor of Pompeo, who had faced stiff resistance from Democrats worried about his reputation for hawkishness and past harsh statements about homosexuality and Islam. I'm in: Mike Pompeo will lead the State Department after being approved by the Senate 57-42 - giving Donald Trump the secretary of state he wanted Personal warmth: Mike Pompeo, who was a guest at a White House lunch for Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, has a personal rapport with the president White House invitation: Mike Pompeo and his wife Susan were among the 120 guests at Trump's state dinner this week for French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Pompeo will be forced quickly to address a wide array of other international challenges, including long conflicts in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, Chinese expansionism in Asia and Russian assertiveness. Washington is also working with European allies such as French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel to decide whether to toughen an international nuclear agreement with Iran. Pompeo, a former Army officer who was a Republican congressman, is regarded as a Trump loyalist with hawkish world views. He narrowly avoided a historic rebuke by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that would have made him the first Cabinet nominee in more than 50 years to move forward without a positive recommendation from the panel with jurisdiction. Having become one of Trump's closest advisers during his 15 months at the CIA, faced stiff opposition from Democrats, who worried he might be too closely aligned with the president. While in Congress, Pompeo was also an outspoken opponent of the Iran nuclear accord. But he said during his confirmation hearing that he was open to fixing, rather than blowing apart, the pact, which the rest of the West believes is key to preventing Iran from getting a nuclear bomb. Opponents also worried that Pompeo was too hawkish, and said his past remarks about homosexuals and Islam made him unsuitable to represent the United States on the world stage. U.S. senators said Pompeo was expected to hit the ground running and head off almost immediately to a NATO foreign ministers meeting in Brussels on Friday. Supporters said Pompeo did well during 15 months leading the CIA, and said the country badly needed a leader at the State Department, where staffing has been slashed with many positions unfilled since Trump became president in January 2017. Victory: Mitch McConnell Oversaw the Senate approving the new secretary of state by 57-42 Trump picked the CIA's deputy director, Gina Haspel, to replace Pompeo as head of the spy agency. If confirmed by the Senate, she would become the first woman to hold the post. Pompeo avoided being the first nominee for secretary of state ever rejected by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee only when Republican Senator Rand Paul, who had vowed to oppose him, announced his support minutes before the committee voted on Monday after pressure from the party. None of the 10 Democrats on the 21-member committee supported the nominee. Senator Robert Menendez, the top Democrat on the foreign relations panel, was a vocal opponent of Pompeo's confirmation, but said he did not think the bruising confirmation fight would leave Pompeo wounded. 'He obviously has the president's support. That will be meaningful to people in the world,' Menendez said on Wednesday, drawing a contrast with his predecessor, Rex Tillerson, who often seemed to differ from the president. Trump abruptly fired former oil executive Tillerson last month. A row has broken out among students at a German university over a masturbation workshop for women. The event is being held by a group of students at the University of Bielefeld and aims at introducing women to masturbation. The course has a theoretical and a practical part in which various techniques will be tested with participants urged to bring along a hand mirror, towel and lubricant, Welt reported. The workshop is taking place during the Action Week of the General Student Committee at the University of Bielefeld (pictured) On the Facebook page for the event, the organisers it is a means of 'enlightenment' and 'empowerment' The workshop is being held as part of Action Week of the General Student Committee (AStA), and is part of series of events themed: 'Society. Makes. Gender' with a budget of 250 set aside for it. According to the organisers' Facebook page. the masturbation workshop 'serves as a means of enlightenment, as well as empowerment' and is already sold out. But the event has run into controversy, with the student wing of the conservative Christian Democratic Party, the RCDS, questioning whether student union funds should be used to for it. 'We want to know what the costs of the event are and whether semester contributions from students will be used for this purpose,' asks RCDS Chair Kathrin Krause, The university management has said because the event is run by student it has no influence over the content of the workshop. 'The event is not a university, and the university does not evaluate the content of student events,' it said in a statement. The case against two Canadian pilots accused of preparing to fly a passenger plane under the influence of alcohol collapsed after their blood samples were destroyed at a prison. It came after the Appeal Court ruled the Crown had not met its duty to supply Jean-Francois Perreault and Imran Syed with their part of the blood sample used to test for alcohol levels. Prosecutors said that after 'full and careful consideration' of the facts and circumstances there would be no further proceedings in the case. It came after the Appeal Court ruled the Crown had not met its duty to supply Jean-Francois Perreault (left) and Imran Syed (right) with their part of the blood sample used to test for alcohol levels The pilots were accused after they were set to fly out from Glasgow Airport (pictured) Mr Perreault, 41, and Mr Syed, 39, were arrested on July 18 2016 before they were due to take off on the Air Transat flight from Glasgow to Toronto. Syed, from Toronto, was accused of performing 'an activity ancillary to an aviation function' when he allegedly had 49 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood, more than double the legal limit of 20. Perreault, from the province of Ontario, faced the same charge with an alleged 32 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood (an amount still under the legal driving limit of 35mg). They had denied the charge. The delayed Airbus flight eventually set off with a different crew the next morning, with about 250 passengers having spent the night at hotels close to Glasgow Airport. At a previous hearing, which could not be reported until now, Paisley Sheriff Court heard that both men requested part of their blood samples when they were taken in July 2016 so that they could have them independently analysed. Prosecutors said that after 'full and careful consideration' of the facts and circumstances there would be no further proceedings in the case (pictured, Syed, right, and Perreault, left outside court) The samples were among their belongings when they arrived at HMP Low Moss on July 19 2016, however prison staff did not know what to do with them. Paul Scoular, security manager at the prison, working for the Scottish Prison Service, said he was concerned the blood samples might no longer be of any worth because they had not been in cold storage. He discussed his concerns with the pilots and said both men gave him their consent for the samples, known as B, to be destroyed. Mr Scoular passed the samples to the prison nurse who put them in a locked drawer and later destroyed them when she heard the two pilots had been released from the prison. Giving evidence himself, Mr Perreault said he did not give permission for his blood sample to be destroyed. He told the court: 'I wanted to have my blood sample analysed.' Prosecutors said that after 'full and careful consideration' of the facts and circumstances there would be no further proceedings in the case Following a hearing at Paisley Sheriff Court in September, Sheriff James Spy ruled that the samples were available for independent analysis at the time and that police and the Crown were not responsible for what happened to them later, and that the case could proceed. However the defence appealed against his decision, arguing that the blood samples should be inadmissible as evidence. In February the Sheriff rejected the appeal, however the case then went to the Court of Appeal in Edinburgh where the defence won their appeal, with judges saying the Sheriff ought to have ruled that sample B was not admissible. On Thursday it was confirmed that the case has fallen. A Crown Office spokesman said: 'It is the duty of the Crown to keep cases under review. After full and careful consideration of the facts and circumstances, including the recent decision of the Court of Appeal, Crown Counsel instructed there should be no further proceedings at this time. 'We are working with Police Scotland to ensure there are proper processes and guidance in place covering the retention and storage of samples when an accused person is remanded in custody.' Both men were suspended by Air Transat after their arrests. Two black men who had the police called on them when they tried to use a gym have spoken out about the 'humiliating' experience. Long-time LA Fitness member Rachid Maiga, 27, had been visiting the Secaucus, New Jersey location, with friend Tshyrad Oates, 25, who was using a guest pass, when they were ordered to leave by a manager. When the pair refused, the white LA Fitness employee called the cops. 'She's telling me I'm not a member. She's not asking me. She's telling me I'm not a member,' Maiga told NBC. 'I'm telling her that I AM a member, and she's like, 'If you guys don't get out of here, we're going to call the police.' 'It was humiliating,' said Maiga. 'We're sitting there and everyone in the gym is looking at us like, 'What's going on?'' Gym member Rachid Maiga, 27, (left, on NBC) visited LA Fitness, in Secaucus, New Jersey, with friend Tshyrad Oates, 25, (right) on a guest pass, when they were ordered to leave 'It was humiliating,' said Maiga. 'We're sitting there and everyone in the gym is looking at us like, 'What's going on?'' Video of the encounter with the gym staff has since gone viral and the manager, and two other employees involved, have been fired after they were accused of racially profiling the two black gym members. 'I'm not the type of person that likes to put my problems out there,' said Maiga. 'This has happened to me before, racial profiling. Like, I'm just already ready to bite the bullet. Then my friend put it online and I'm glad he did, because it brought awareness to it.' LA Fitness representatives have also reached out to Oates and Maiga, offering Maiga three months free membership. But Maiga said he had no interest in returning. 'Racism is there, it's every day,' said Oates on NBC 'And people try to say it's getting worse. The only difference is it's being recorded now' Maiga, who appeared on NBC with Oates, said he had been offered free membership at the gym but wasn't interested in returning 'I don't feel welcome, no,' he said. Oates added that he and Maiga had visited the gym on April 16, but within minutes, they were asked to leave. 'After about a half hour I was approached by this same employee telling me that I had to leave or pay and I explained to her that I just signed in with her with the guest pass,' wrote Oates. 'She stated that it was my friend who did not pay', he continued. The friends refused to leave. 'We have nothing to hide, we did nothing wrong,' said Maiga. The pair continued with their workout until two police officers arrived and asked why they had no memberships. 'We explained to them about our guest pass and rescanned my friend's member tag and it resulted in current active status,' Oates stated, adding that the employee said nothing when they saw the status. An employee from the LA Fitness in Secaucus, New Jersey, has claimed that the manager who had two black men removed from the gym has been 'removed from the company' In a Facebook post on April 16, Tshyrad Oates (right) shared that he used a four day guest pass to workout with his friend, who was already a long standing member at the Secaucus, New Jersey location of LA Fitness Proceeding on with their workout for an additional 10 minutes, Oates claims that the pair were then asked to leave by the LA Fitness manager. At this point five police officers asked them to leave. Oates concluded: 'This LA Fitness manager who refused to give us his reason to kicking us out, and refused to give us his name stated that I was banned from the gym and my friend's gym membership has been terminated effective immediately.' The pair had begun filming in the gym as they said they were not sure they would be believed if not. 'Let's make this a black thing,' Maiga said in one of the videos, panning the camera to show an almost empty gym. 'We are the only two black people in the gym. Been having problems in the gym for months over nothing.' The manager claimed the two men did not have the correct memberships, despite one being a member for eight years and the other using a four-day pass. Throughout the video clips, the manager can be seen growing more irate and demanding that the camera stop recording. Oates claims that they were repeatedly harassed by staff (pictured) and management who said they didn't pay to use the facilities. The branch also claimed that they weren't members even though video shows their scanner flashing green when the man's membership card goes over Throughout the video clips, the manager can be seen growing more irate and demanding that the camera stop recording. 'I get it you guys don't like cell phones but it is not criminal activity,' an officer can be heard telling the manager (center) 'He was like, 'You can't record in here,' and he tried to make that the reason why they were terminating me,' said Maiga. 'Like, 'Now you definitely have to go because you're recording and breaking rules.'' 'Even police asked him for an explanation, and he had nothing to tell police. None of them, not one of those members had something to tell police,' he said. 'I get it you guys don't like cell phones but it is not criminal activity,' an officer can be heard telling the manager. 'All the officers acted professionally and quelled what could have been a volatile situation,' Secaucaus Police Department Captain Dennis Miller told DailyMail.com. Capt. Miller added that people are allowed to film officers in public spaces. He also said that neither of the two men were arrested for the incident. The original videos have now been seen millions of times. 'Let's make this a black thing,' the friend said in one of the videos, panning the camera to show an almost empty gym. 'We are the only two black people in the gym. Been having problems in the gym for months over nothing' Oates concluded: 'This La Fitness manager who refused to give us his reason to kicking us out, and refused to give us his name stated that I was banned from the gym and my friend's gym membership has been terminated effective immediately' LA Fitness said in a statement to DailyMail.com: 'The front desk staff employee was confused and thought the member was a guest. He explained that he was a member, had checked in earlier, and did not want to retrieve his membership card a second time. The front desk employee who made the request was not working when this member checked in the first time, so she was unaware. 'Regrettably, from there our staff unnecessarily escalated the situation and called the police rather than work through it. Clearly, this is a long time member, with a current, valid membership. We want to clarify that no membership was cancelled and no one, including the member's guest, was banned from the club. Oates took to Facebook on Wednesday to share an update and that while he and his friend have contacted LA Fitness Corporate, they have 'yet to receive any written statement from LA Fitness' 'We have spoken to the member to apologize and assure him that he and his guests are welcome in our clubs at all times. 'We are currently exploring potential training content and opportunities to better train our staff.' But for Maiga and Oates, they say wanted to see more action taken to tackle stories of racism. Their story came shortly after two black men were arrested in a Starbucks, while waiting for their friend, for loitering. 'Racism is there, it's every day,' said Oates. 'And people try to say it's getting worse. The only difference is it's being recorded now.' 'We have to say something, continue to speak up, not be nervous to have this conversation. We want people to talk about it until they realize it's wrong. We're two educated young males in America,' he said. 'We just happen to be black.' 'I'm just tired of it. It happens all the time,' Maiga said. 'And it's always brushed off like it's not gonna be such a big deal because not everybody understands it.' Prince William has warned his brother 'revenge is sweet' after he was announced as the best man at Harry's wedding to Meghan Markle. Wills, 35, will return the favour to Harry, 33, who was his own best man at his wedding to Kate Middleton in 2011. In a video Prince William confirmed he is still considering what to pick for his new baby's name but said he was 'delighted' to have been asked to be best man. 'It feels great,' he said. 'Thrilled and delighted obviously. Revenge is sweet.' In a statement released this morning, Kensington Palace said: 'Prince Harry has asked his brother The Duke of Cambridge to be his best man at his wedding to Ms Meghan Markle. 'The Duke of Cambridge is honoured to have been asked, and is very much looking forward to supporting his brother at St George's Chapel, Windsor on May 19th. 'Prince Harry served as best man to The Duke of Cambridge at his wedding to Miss Catherine Middleton in 2011.' The brothers today opened a sports centre in central London, where William joked that his best man revenge on Harry would be sweet Wills was tight-lipped about his baby's name, saying he was still deciding, but said he was honoured to be best man The brothers opened a leisure centre in Marylebone, London, shortly after Prince William was announced as best man for the Royal wedding William warned his brother that his best man speech could be an opportunity to exact revenge as they visited the sports centre The princes enjoyed a quick game of table tennis but William warned his brother about the speech he'd be making at his wedding to Meghan Wills, 35, is set to will the favour to Harry, 33, who was his own best man at his wedding to Kate Middleton in 2011 In a video Prince William confirmed he is still considering what to pick for his new baby's name but said he was 'delighted' to have been asked to be best man William told of his joy when the couple announced their engagement in November When Harry's engagement was announced, William said his family were 'all very excited Prince William and Prince Harry attend the opening of the Greenhouse Sports Centre in central London Prince Harry and Prince William attended the event together while the Duchess of Cambridge was at home with her newborn Today Wills was asked what he made of being Harry's best man to which he said: 'It feels great,' he said. 'Thrilled and delighted obviously. Revenge is sweet.' He now has the job of organising a stag-do for his party-loving younger brother, as well as preparing a speech which will draw on years of experiences together Prince Harry has asked his brother William to be his best man, Kensington Palace has said. The royal brothers were pictured at an Anzac Day event yesterday where Wills planted a supportive kiss on his the cheek of his future sister-in-law William will return the favour after Harry was best man at his wedding to Kate in 2011 The official announcement was made at 10;30am this morning by Kensington Palace William told of his joy when the couple announced their engagement in November. He now has the job of organising a stag-do for his party-loving younger brother, as well as preparing a speech which will draw on years of experiences together. Underneath the public banter, where they regularly poke fun at each other, the pair share a special bond which was strengthened following the death of their mother Diana, Princess of Wales, in a Paris car crash. When Harry's engagement was announced, William said his family were 'all very excited, delighted for them both and wishing them all the happiness in this very exciting time'. He joked: 'For me personally I hope it means he stays out of my fridge, it will stop him scrounging off all my food, he's done over the last few years.' Harry and Meghan will marry at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle on May 19, with millions of people expected to watch around the world. Kensington Palace posted this charming picture of the pair beneath the announcement The brothers, pictured together in 2001, have been life-long confidantes to each other William will have a lifetime of anecdotes to draw on for any speech he makes at the reception They will embark on a carriage procession around the Berkshire town, cheered by residents and visitors, before a reception at St George's Hall. Guests at St George's Chapel will hear performances by artists including Christian gospel group The Kingdom Choir and cello prodigy Sheku Kanneh-Mason, 19, from Nottingham - who received a personal call from Meghan herself. An orchestra made up of musicians from BBC National Orchestra of Wales, the English Chamber Orchestra and the Philharmonia will be joined by Welsh soprano Elin Manahan Thomas and principal trumpeter David Blackadder. Palace aides have previously said that the prince and Ms Markle's wedding will 'reflect their characters and personalities' and be a moment of 'fun and joy'. The Queen will attend, as will the rest of the royal family, along with Ms Markle's parents Thomas Markle and Doria Ragland. Meghan has been supported by Wills and Kate as she gets to grips with royal life. The 'fab four', as fans dubbed them, were pictured together at Royal Foundation Forum in February Wills, pictured looking somewhat sleepy after the birth of his third child this week, has been getting to know Meghan during the series of public appearances she has made since her engagement to Prince Harry was made Prince George and Princess Charlotte are likely to take on the roles of pageboy and bridesmaid. Guests include a schoolgirl who survived the Manchester bombing, an Afghan war veteran, a deaf schoolboy who taught his classmates sign language as well as workers from charities supported by the couple. The royal family are paying for the wedding, including the church service, the music, the flowers and the reception. But the security costs for the high-profile event are being covered by the state. Harry and Meghan sent out the invitations last month. Some 600 guests will attend the wedding service at St George's Chapel, before they all make their way to a lunchtime reception at St George's Hall, which is being given by the Queen. Later that evening, 200 guests are invited to the private reception at Frogmore House given by The Prince of Wales. The invitation stipulates a strict dress code with men asked to don military uniform - likely to be worn by Harry, a former solder who is now Captain General of Royal Marines - or a morning coat and lounge hat, with women asked to wear a day dress and hat. The cake will be made by London-based baker Claire Ptak who is renowned for her American-style bakes, to make their wedding cake. Harry and Meghan have opted for a trendy lemon and elderflower creation that will be covered with buttercream and decorated with fresh flowers. Ex-Auburn, California Police Chief Nick Willick spoke out on Wednesday, after one of his former subordinates was arrested and identified as the infamous Golden State Killer. Joseph DeAngelo, now 72, was taken into custody on Wednesday at his home in the Sacramento suburb of Citrus Heights. Cops say he is the notorious East Area Rapist and Golden State Killer, who raped and murdered more than 60 people across California in the 1970s and 1980s. Perhaps one of the most shocking revelations about DeAngelo's arrest is that he worked as a cop in the early years of his decade-long crime spree. Scroll down for video Former Auburn, California Police Chief Nick Willick (pictured) spoke out on Wednesday about his former subordinate, Golden State Killer Joseph DeAngelo Willick (left) was DeAngelo's (right) boss at the Auburn Police Department from 1976 to 1979, first as his sergeant and then as the police chief After serving in the Navy during the Vietnam War, DeAngelo returned to California where he got a job in the Exeter Police Department in 1973. Three years later, DeAngelo transferred to the Auburn Police Department where he worked under Willick, who was first DeAngelo's sergeant, and later his police chief. DeAngelo (pictured) was arrested on Wednesday at his home in the Sacramento suburb of Citrus Heights Willick remembered DeAngelo as an average cop. 'There was nothing really while he was working at the Auburn Police Department that would say he was a mass murderer, serial rapist, burglar,' Willick told CBS Sacramento on Wednesday. 'Sometimes its just the person next door and apparently, thats what Joe was,' Willick added. In the three years he worked for the Auburn Police Department, DeAngelo is believed to have committed about 50 crimes, including his first two murders. Willick did eventually fire him in 1979 for stealing a hammer and dog repellent from a convenience store. Authorities are now wondering if the items he snatched were intended as tools for the sinister rash of crimes he's suspected of carrying out. After learning about the theft, the police department conducted an investigation and fired DeAngelo. Before working at the Auburn Police Department, DeAngelo served in the Navy and also worked as a cop in the Exeter, California Police Department 'If I remember correctly he didnt even have a hearing,' Willick said. 'I think he waived his hearing. He was prosecuted and we conducted our own investigation. And we terminated him based on the facts of the case.' Willick issued a statement at the time of the D'Angelo's arrest, telling reporters: 'It is very important that the community have the utmost trust and faith in its officers' integrity; when this trust and faith has been compromised, officers can no longer effectively function in the community.' Once DeAngelo had been revealed as the killer, Willick looked back at the details of his crime spree and realized that his firing didn't slow him down one bit. 'Looking at the history of the crimes, nothing slowed down; if anything it seemed to accelerate,' Willick said. Ten slayings occurred after DeAngelo was fired and all took place in Southern California. DeAngelo worked for 27 years in a distribution center for Save Mart Supermarkets in Roseville, a Sacramento-area suburb. He retired last year, said Victoria Castro, spokeswoman for The Save Mart Companies. 'None of his actions in the workplace would have led us to suspect any connection to crimes being attributed to him,' she said in a statement. Investigators have released few details on what led them to DeAngelo, but say it was DNA that eventually connected him to the crimes. They also say the investigation was ramped up in 2016 ahead of the 40th anniversary of his first known assault. Comedian Patton Oswalt's late wife, Michelle McNamara, had spent years investigating the brutal murders and rapes. McNamara was a journalist who coined the name Golden State Killer and wrote a book on the 12 killings and 50 rapes. She died in her sleep in April 2016. Police didn't give McNamara credit for DeAngelo's arrest, but said her book kept interest up and tips coming in. The BBC has withdrawn Human Planet from distribution after finding a second editorial breach in the programme. Earlier this month, the corporation admitted that a scene from the 2011 documentary showing tribal people living in treehouses had been faked by the programme's makers. The Corporation said that Human Planet had breached its 'editorial standards' by inaccurately portraying the lives of members of a community in Papa New Guinea. According to the BBC, the portrayal of this Indonesian whale hunter harpooning a whale does not accurately reflect what happened The corporation said the overall sequence does accurately portray how the Lamerlan people hunt whales The programme was aired in 2011 but Human Planet has now been withdrawn from distribution 'for a full editorial review' In the documentary, the Korowai tribe can be seen building the houses and relocating their pets and children up to the treetops. But it admitted they built the treehouses for the benefit of the cameras - but did not actually live in them. Now the BBC has said it has discovered a second breach. In the first episode, an Indonesian hunter was shown supposedly harpooning a whale - but it has now emerged that the BBC 'does not consider that the portrayal of his role is accurate'. In a statement, the corporation said: 'The BBC has been alerted to a further editorial breach in the Human Planet series from 2011. 'In Episode 1, Oceans, a Lamaleran whale hunter named Benjamin Blikololong is shown supposedly harpooning a whale. 'On review, the BBC does not consider that the portrayal of his role is accurate, although the sequence does reflect how they hunt whales. 'The BBC has decided to withdraw Human Planet from distribution for a full editorial review.' It is not the first time the eight-part series has been hit by claims of fakery. In 2015, it emerged that a semi-domesticated wolf had been used because the crew had been unable to find a 'wild' wolf on location. And in 2011 the BBC used shots of a tarantula in a studio for an episode about wildlife in the Venezuela jungle. The BBC's statement added: 'Since this programme was broadcast in 2011, we have strengthened our training for the BBC's Natural History Unit in editorial guidelines, standards and values.' An immigrant has been rescued crossing the Strait of Gibraltar by hanging onto the inflated inner tube of a lorry tyre. Shocking photos show a man lying across the floating inner tube tyre in the middle of the ocean. He was reportedly first spotted 6 miles (9.7 kilometres) off the coast of Punta Carnero in the Spanish city of Algeciras by a cargo ship. An immigrant has been rescued crossing the Strait of Gilbratar by hanging onto the inflated inner tube of a lorry tyre The crew of the Kattegat cargo ship then alerted central coordinator in the Spanish city of Tarifa to his presence. Spanish maritime rescue services were then alerted and the Salvamar Arcturus was sent to rescue the man. The migrant, who has not been named, was then taken to the port of Tarifa in the Spanish autonomous community of Andalusia. He is in good health. The Strait of Gibraltar is a narrow passage of sea that connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea and separates Gibraltar and Peninsular Spain in Europe from Morocco in Africa. At its narrowest point, it is only 7.7 nautical miles wide. Earlier today it was announced five migrants died trying to cross the Mediterranean, the Spanish coastguard said. Rescue boats, helicopters and planes from southern Spain carried out a series of rescue operations late Wednesday and Thursday, a spokeswoman said. Since Wednesday evening, 185 people in five boats had been rescued. But at least one boat had capsized, and four migrants died about 40 kilometres (25 miles) off Morocco's coast. Another of those rescued died later of cardiac arrest. On Thursday, the coastguards were searching for another two boats in the Mediterranean with at least 45 people on board. The crew of the Kattegat cargo ship then alerted central coordinator in the Spanish city of Tarifa to his presence Initially, helicopters and planes had been grounded because of bad weather but they were eventually able to fly, joining rescue boats in the search. The news came as police said they had arrested 19 people for illegally transporting migrants across the Strait of Gibraltar to Spain using jet skis or small inflatable boats. They allegedly charged 4,000 euros (3,478) per crossing and another 500 euros if the person trying to get to Europe needed lodging once in Spain, police said in a statement. Spain is the third busiest gateway for migrants arriving in Europe, behind Italy and Greece. Many Africans undertaking the long route to Europe are choosing to avoid crossing danger-ridden Libya to get to Italy along the so-called central Mediterranean route, choosing instead to get there via Morocco and Spain. According to the International Organization for Migration, more than 22,400 people arrived in Spain by sea last year, nearly triple the number for 2016. Some 223 people died along the way. So far this year, at least 3,778 migrants have arrived in Spain, with more than 180 losing their lives trying to cross the Mediterranean. Donald Trump's personal attorney Michael Cohen had at least 16 cellphones seized by the FBI and federal prosecutors, Stormy Daniels's attorney disclosed after a court hearing Thursday in Manhattan. Michael Avenatti said he had counted that at least 16 cell phones and BlackBerry devices had been taken and 'imaged' by the FBI, meaning their contents had been downloaded. 'Usually not a good sign when the target appears to have saved old phones and there are that many phones recovered. BIGLY bad...for many,' he tweeted. Cohen has just said he will plead the Fifth Amendment in California, where Daniels is suing him and the president to be freed from a gagging order intended to buy her silence on claims she slept with Trump, for which she was paid $135,000 just before the election. And for the first time on Thursday the president admitted Cohen had represented him in the 'crazy Stormy Daniels deal'. The federal court hearing had in fact handed the president and Cohen a legal victory when their request that the seized evidence not be looked at in its entirety by the FBI. Man of many phones: Michael Cohen left court after the federal hearing which gave him and Trump a legal victory over their attempt to limit FBI access to evidence seized in raids on him Hearing time: Stormy Daniels was not present at the hearing in federal court in Manhattan but her attorney Michael Avenatti was Also in court: Stormy Daniels's attorney Michael Avenatti was in court and said he had worked out the minimum number of phones and devices taken by the federal authorities Instead a 'special master', a former federal judge, will sort through it and remove any material which she considered to have attorney-client privilege. Both Trump and Cohen had argued that the prosecutors' first suggestion, that an FBI 'taint team' would go through it and hand non-privileged evidence to the investigators, was not sufficient to meet their legal right not to have confidential communications between a lawyer and a client looked at. The hearing came hours after Trump admitted Thursday that his personal attorney Cohen represents him over Daniels - but distanced himself from the lawyer who is now pleading the Fifth Amendment. Trump spoke by phone 'Fox & Friends' in an extraordinary half-hour appearance and said Cohen was one of his 'many attorneys,' adding: 'He represents me like with this crazy Stormy Daniels deal. ''From what I see, he did absolutely nothing wrong. There were no campaign funds going in.' The telephone connection seemed to cut out for a few seconds after Trump mentioned Daniels. The president has previously said he had no knowledge of the $130,000 payment Cohen made to porn actress Daniels in exchange for her silence just before the election about her claims of sex with Trump. Asked about Cohen's Fifth Amendment plea, Trump told the Fox News morning show: 'This has nothing to do with me. I've been told I'm not involved.' Instead he claimed that Cohen - whom he called a 'good guy' - was being investigated over his own business dealings. 'Let me just tell you that Michael is in business,' he said. 'He's really a businessman at fairly big businesses, I understand. And I don't know his business but this doesn't have to do with me. Michael is a businessman. He's got a business. He also practices law. 'I would say probably the big thing is his business and they're looking at something having to do with his business. I have nothing to do with his business. I can tell you he's a good guy.' And he sought to distance himself from Cohen's legal work, saying: 'I have many, many, just so you understand, I have many attorneys. I have attorneys. Sadly, I have so many attorneys you wouldn't even believe it. 'He has a percentage of my overall legal work, a tiny, tiny little fraction.' Revelation: Trump phoned Fox & Friends and told co-hosts Steve Doocey, Ainsley Earhardt and Brian Kilmeade that Michael Cohen had represented him over Stormy Daniels Crowing: Stormy Daniels' attorney Michael Avenatti said that the president's admission meant both Trump and Cohen had misrepresented the truth in the past What does he know? Michael Cohen is pleading the Fifth Amendment to avoid incriminating himself when he takes part in a civil case brought by Stormy Daniels over her claims of sex with Trump. Trump said Cohen was pleading over his own business dealings Key development: Michael Cohen has told a court in California that he will take the Fifth Amendment in civil litigation brought by Stormy Daniels - meaning that he could incriminate himself through evidence in the case. He was on his way to federal court in New York Thursday Arrival: Michael Cohen eschewed a normal cab for his journey to court - although his business dealings include taxi medallion ownership - where a judge is deciding on how to deal with evidence seized from him in raids earlier this month The admission, however, was seized on by Daniels' attorney Michael Avenatti who said on Twitter that Trump 'previously represented to the American people that Mr. Cohen acted on his own and Mr. Trump knew nothing about the agreement'. 'As I predicted, that has now been shown to be completely false,' he said. Avenatti told the Associated Press: 'This is going to add considerable momentum to our effort to depose the president and place him under oath in an effort to discover which version of the facts is accurate.' It was also seized on by federal prosecutors in New York, where Cohen was appearing in court in the wake of the raid on his home, office, hotel room and safe deposit box. His only other two legal clients were revealed to be Sean Hannity - who himself denied he was a real client - and Elliott Broidy, a disgraced Republican fundraiser for whom Cohen arranged a $1.6 million hush payment to a Playboy model lover who aborted their child in the course of his two year adulterous affair. 'I have many, many, just so you understand, I have many attorneys. I have attorneys. Sadly, I have so many attorneys you wouldn't even believe it. He has a percentage of my overall legal work, a tiny, tiny little fraction Trump on Cohen In a court filing shortly after the president's interview, prosecutors said that the president's statement and that of Hannity meant little of what they seized could be subject to privilege. 'President Trump reportedly said on cable television this morning that Cohen performs 'a tiny, tiny little fraction' of his overall legal work,' they said in a submission to Judge Kimba Wood, who is hearing the case. 'These statements by two of Cohen's three identified clients suggest that the seized materials are unlikely to contain voluminous privileged documents, further supporting the importance of efficiency here.' In fact that did not sway Wood, who appointed former federal judge Barbara Jones as the special master. 'The letters I received from counsel for Mr Cohen and the intervenors has convinced me that this process can go quickly with the special master, assuming everyone works as hard as you have represented you will work,' said U.S. District Judge Kimba Wood. Cohen sat in court to hear the decision, wearing a dark suit, white shirt, and pale yellow tie. Stephen Ryan, a lawyer for Cohen, called Jones 'a wonderful choice' to be special master. Jones was appointed to the federal bench by Bill Clinton, and had retired in 2013 after 17 years in the southern district of New York. Avenatti had also predicted that Cohen would plead the Fifth Amendment to avoid self-incrimination in the law suit brought by Daniels. Cohen, whose business dealings are under FBI investigation and whose office, home, hotel room and safe deposit box were raided this month, will make the plea in a California civil case. It means that he believes he could incriminate himself when giving evidence in the case - a move which will raise fears in the Trump camp over what crimes he may think he could be charged with. The development was disclosed in a brief court filing in Los Angeles Wednesday. Cohen and Trump are both being sued there by Daniels, real name Stephanie Clifford, to try to end the $130,000 gag order she agreed to before the election, which stopped her speaking about her claim of sex with the then candidate. Avenatti, said on Twitter that it was 'a stunning development' because it was a case involving 'issues surrounding the President'. He added a link to a report that quote Trump as saying in 1990: 'If you're innocent, why are taking the Fifth?' Judges: Judge Kimba Wood, seen at last week's hearing on the raids, appointed retired judge Barbara Wood as 'special master' to oversee what evidence can be released to the feds Predicted move: Michael Avenatti, Stormy Daniels' attorney, said earlier this month that he believed Cohen would take the Fifth Amendment During an appearance on CNN on Wednesday night, Avenatti said he predicts that the Cohen investigation will result in Trump's resignation During an appearance on CNN on Wednesday night, Avenatti said he predicts that the Cohen investigation will result in Trump's resignation. Avenatti said he believes the government has evidence that Cohen was in touch until recently with Keith Davidson, the former attorney for Daniels who negotiated the $130,000 non-disclosure agreement. 'There's substantial reason to believe that these two attorneys were continuing to communicate with one another well into this year about my client, the settlement, the negotiation, and documents relating to this payment,' Avenatti told CNN. Cohen told the judge: 'Based upon the advice of counsel, I will assert my 5th amendment rights in connection with all proceedings in this case due to the ongoing criminal investigation by the FBI and U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. 'On April 10, 2018, I first realized that my Fifth Amendment Rights would be implicated in this case, after I considered the events of April 9, 2018.' The move was predicted earlier this month by Daniels' attorney Michael Avenatti. After the filing, he tweeted: 'This is a stunning development. Never before in our nation's history has the attorney for the sitting President invoked the 5th Amend in connection with issues surrounding the President. It is esp. stunning seeing as MC served as the 'fixer' for Mr. Trump for over 10 yrs.' It will be seen by the president's defenders as a worrying indication that Cohen has committed a crime in some form - which could then be used by Robert Mueller, the special counsel, to turn on Trump in return for immunity. Trump has ridiculed the idea that Cohen would 'flip', but taking the Fifth in the civil case is a sign of the attorney's growing fear that he could face charges. One person who has taken the threat of Cohen flipping seriously is his former legal adviser, Jay Goldberg. Jay Goldberg, Trump's former legal adviser, told the president recently that it is virtually certain Cohen will 'flip' if he is indicted by the federal government Goldberg told The Wall Street Journal earlier this month that it is virtually certain that Cohen will cooperate with federal investigators and turn over damaging information about Trump if he is faced with criminal charges. Goldberg, who represented Trump in the 1990s and early 2000s, said he spoke with the president recently and warned him that Cohen would turn on him if it meant staying out of prison. Goldberg said he told Trump that on a scale of 100 to 1, where 100 is fully protecting the president, Cohen 'isn't even a 1.' The FBI raid was ordered by federal prosecutors in Manhattan after information was passed to them by Mueller. The nature of Mueller's tip-off has not been disclosed. Cohen asked the judge to delay the civil case after his office and residence were raided by the FBI. At a hearing last week, U.S. District Judge James Otero said he needed more time to review the request for a stay, but he told Cohen's attorney 'there's some gaping holes' in the request. Daniels has been seeking to invalidate the nondisclosure agreement she signed days before the 2016 elections so she can discuss the alleged relationship - which Trump denies - without facing penalties. She argues it invalid because Cohen signed it, but the president did not. That did not stop her from describing her sex with Trump to Anderson Cooper on CNN, but her legal team say that she could be sued for doing so and want that threat lifted. The development came as former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani the newest member of Trump's Russia-probe-focused legal team sat down with Special Counsel Robert Mueller on Tuesday. Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani (left), who is now representing President Trump in the Russia probe, sat down with Special Counsel Robert Mueller (right) on Tuesday The Washington Post reported that Giuliani reopened discussions on a potential interview between Trump and Mueller, conversations that had broken down in the aftermath of the FBI's raid on longtime Trump lawyer Michael Cohen's office, hotel room and home. The ex-mayor, the Post noted, told Mueller that there was still great reluctance in agreeing to an interview, but did not rule it out. Giuliani also asked Mueller when the Russia probe might be done, the newspaper's sources said. Mueller, in turn, told Giuliani that he wished to ask the president about the decisions he made during the transition and early months of the administration. It is important for investigators to understand the president's intent as they look into potential obstruction of justice, Mueller noted. Mueller, the head of the FBI before James Comey, and Giuliani, who stewarded New York City through the 9/11 terror attacks, have known each other for years thanks to their law enforcement backgrounds. Last week upon his hiring to Trump's legal team, Giuliani suggested he would be the individual to get the Russia probe resolved. 'I'm doing it because I hope we can negotiate an end to this for the good of the country and because I have high regard for the president and for Bob Mueller,' the ex-mayor had told the Washington Post last week. Trump has vehemently and repeatedly denied collusion with Russia, calling it a 'witch hunt' and also slammed claims that Cohen would flip on him because he had not been treated well by the president. He dismissed them as based on a 'drunk/drugged up loser', although officials would not say who that was. One report in the New York Times which appeared to have caused Trump's ire mentioned both Roger Cohen, his long-time adviser, and Sam Nunberg, a former Trump adviser who went into rehab e after a series of television interviews on which he claimed he would not co-operate with Mueller. In a string of tweets on Saturday morning, President Trump defended Michael Cohen and said he did not think he would 'flip' on him as has been suggested. He deleted the tweets then reposted them shortly afterwards with the correct spelling of Maggie Haberman's name. Haberman published a report on Friday citing multiple unnamed sources who said it was a possibility that Cohen might turn on Trump U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Thursday the United States would 'probably regret' not keeping a holding force in Syria to ensure that ISIS militants did not re-emerge, the latest sign that a total U.S. withdrawal was unlikely. U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday said he wants to withdraw American troops from Syria relatively soon but also appeared to temper that position by voicing a desire to leave a 'strong and lasting footprint.' A footprint, in military-speak, usually refers to a U.S. troop presence. Mattis did not offer any clear indication of how long U.S. troops would remain in Syria or hint at future troop levels, stressing the ongoing mission to train local forces to combat Islamic State. Different tone: Right now, 'we are not withdrawing,' Mattis told the Senate Armed Services Committee. He and Joint Chiefs Chairman Marine Gen. Joseph Dunford earlier met Israeli Minister of Defense Avigdor Lieberman Boots on the ground: U.S. armor is present in Syria and was seen near the northern village of Ain Issa in June last year. Mattis suggested withdrawing it would come to be regretted 'We have to create local forces that can keep the pressure on any attempt by ISIS to try to (re-emerge),' Mattis told a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, using an acronym for Islamic State. When asked whether it would be risky to have local holding partners without U.S. forces, Mattis said: ' I am confident that we would probably regret it.' Right now, 'we are not withdrawing,' Mattis told the Senate Armed Services Committee. 'You'll see a reenergized effort,' he said. 'You'll see increased operations on the Iraqi side of the border, and the French just reinforced us in Syria with special forces here in the last two weeks. This is an ongoing fight right now.' The Pentagon and State Department have held that a longer term U.S. effort will be needed to ensure a lasting defeat of Islamic State. The group seized large swathes of Syria and Iraq but has gradually lost its territory since the United States and its allies started a military offensive in 2014. Some of the harshest critics of a potential withdrawal from Syria come from Trump's own Republican party, which blasted President Barack Obama when he withdrew U.S. from Iraq in 2011. No end: Assad's regime carried out airstrikes on an ISIS-controlled part of the Yarmouk Palestinian refugee camp on the outskirts of Damascus this week Iraqi forces began to unravel and eventually collapsed in the face of Islamic State's advance into the country in 2014. 'We learned that the Iraqi forces weren't capable of providing security inside the country and that gave the enemy an opportunity to resurge, that is where really ISIS had the space to grow,' U.S. Marine General Joseph Dunford, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the hearing. U.S. airstrikes, troops and U.S.-backed Syrian militias have dealt heavy blows to Islamic State in Syria but the group still holds pockets of territory and is widely expected to revert to guerrilla tactics if the last remnants of its once self-styled 'caliphate' are captured. Even after IS -- which still control two pockets of territory along the middle Euphrates River Valley -- are defeated, the US military wants to maintain a presence in Syria to prevent the jihadists from returning. France is a longstanding member of the international coalition fighting IS in Iraq and Syria, and helped bombard the jihadists in the Mosul area during the Iraqi operation to recapture the city. France, along with the U.S. and Britain, also took part in the April 14 cruise missile strikes against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's chemical weapons-related facilities. What a difference a year makes. A calm and collected Conrad Hilton appeared in a Los Angeles courtroom on Thursday morning looking put together and polished, telling the judge he is in 'good' health as his lawyer successfully petitioned the court to have a pre-trial conference pushed back to June. He is now due back at the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center on June 6, where he will be joined by his lawyer Robert Shapiro. Hilton, who showed up to court in a suit, is facing up to seven years in prison on charges including one felony count of driving or taking a vehicle without consent, two misdemeanor counts of disobeying a domestic relations restraining order and one misdemeanor count of contempt of court. The 23-year-old brother of socialites Paris and Nicky Hilton has pleaded not guilty to all four counts, which stem from an incident that occurred on May 6 of last year when he stole a car and drove to his ex's home. He would later claim that police on the scene had molested him and refuse to leave his jail cell to be arraigned in the case. Hilton had to be shackled when he did finally appear in court, where for two days he hurled homophobic slurs, mouthed vulgarities and screamed out objections to the statements being made by the prosecution. Scroll down for video Hilton honors: Conrad Hilton (above on Thursday leaving court) said he was in 'good' health during a hearing in Los Angeles on Thursday, where his lawyers asked that his trial be pushed back Rage against the machine: It was a far cry from last May, when Hilton appeared in court shackled and chained while screaming slurs and vulgarities during his arraignment (above with Robert Shapiro) Mad max: Hilton, 23, is facing up to seven years in prison on charges related to a May 6 for grand theft auto and violating a restraining order Hilton was arrested in the early morning hours of May 6 after what police describe as an hours-long crime spree, which began when he and co-defendant William James Bell allegedly decided to steal a Bentley from the home of Rick Salomon. The two then used the car to drive to the home of Conrad's ex-girlfriend Hunter Daily Salomon according to police. Hunter, who had a restraining order against Hilton at the time, is the daughter of Rick, who previously dated and made a sex tape with Conrad's oldest sister Paris. The May 6 incident marked the second time that police had been called to the residence to remove Hilton after he appeared on the property. A previous incident occurred in June 2015, when police were called after Hilton broke into Hunter's house and threatened to kill himself just one month after she first filed a restraining order. He was also arrested that year after he allegedly 'screamed and threatened flight attendants' yelling profane statements such as 'I will f**king own anyone on this flight; they are f**king peasants' on a flight from London to Los Angeles. That arrest resulted in Hilton checking into a residential treatment program for six months, with a federal judge stating that the hotel scion's substance abuse and mental health conditions require medication and supervision. The rehab was mandatory and his probation was extended for another three years, but he managed to avoid serving time in prison. Hilton was also ordered to check into a treatment facility after his arrest and subsequent courtroom meltdown last May as a condition of his bail. He also had to post $90,000 bail and remain in he custody of his father, Rick Hilton. It is not clear how he plans to fight the charges against him when he goes to trial. Hunter's mother E.G. Daily called police at around 4am on May 6 of last year claiming that Hilton was trying to get in to the property. The actress, who is the voice of Tommy Pickles on Rugrats, informed the dispatcher that Hilton was violating a restraining order that the family took out against him in 2015 following his split with her daughter. She also said he had driven to the property in her ex-husband's Bentley. Endless recurrence: Family matters: Hilton allegedly stole the car form Rick Solomon, who famously filmed a sex tape with Hilton's oldest sister Paris (Paris and Conrad above in 2015) Calm and collected: He was arrested after his ex Hunter Salomon's mother E.G. Daily called police to report he was trying to break in to their home and had stole her ex's car (Hilton above with co-defendant William James Bell on Thursday) Support system: Hilton's family supports him in court last year (l to r: Kathy, Rick and Barron) OJ: Hilton has enter a plea of not guilty on all four charges, and checked into a mental health facility last year as a condition of his $90,000 bail (Hilton above in June of last year) Hilton responded to the arrival of officers on the scene by screaming 'I'm motherf**king Conrad Hilton and don't you forget it' and later accused the officers of touching his penis. He was booked into the Los Angeles County Jail, where he remained for days while refusing to leave his cell and be bused to court. When he did finally appear in front of the judge, his behavior was erratic and at times frightening. In video shot inside the courtroom, Conrad can be seen shaking his head and casting an annoyed gaze when the judge announces he will have to enter the hospital and that his father has been named his court-appointed custodian. Conrad appeared behind a set of bars for the bail hearing, wearing clothing that is designed to prevent inmates for causing any self-harm. An amped-up Conrad could be seen making faces and looking around the courtroom during the judge's instructions, eventually directing his gaze at one photographer and mouthing 'so f***ing gay.' He then mouthed more vulgarities to no one in particular and later winked at the videographer who was taping the hearing. The judge then told Conrad to take the charges 'very seriously,' saying that the court was taking them 'very seriously.' That is when Conrad stated: 'I will never your honor. I am sorry to the court and the entire state for disrespecting the court. I do not have sex with hookers and I'm sorry.' In addition to his June 6 hearing, Hilton will also be in court on July 16 for a progress report related to two previous violations of Salomon's restraining order. Five women who have accused Bill Cosby of sexual assault have testified at the comedian's retrial. It was a big increase from the first trial, where there were just two women who took the stand - plaintiff Andrea Constand and Kelly Johnson. This time Constand was joined by Janice Baker-Kinney, Janice Dickinson, Chelan lasha, Lisa-Lotte Lublin and Heidi Thomas. Prosecutors had been hoping to have 13 women testify alongside Constand to speak to a pattern of behavior exhibited by the defendant. Cosby, 80, has been accused of drugging and raping over 40 women. Janice Baker-Kinney claims that in 1982 (left) she woke up naked in bed with the comedian - and he told her to keep their encounter to themselves JANICE BAKER-KINNEY Kinney said she was 24 in May 1982 when she and a friend met Cosby at the casino where she worked in Reno, Nevada. She said the three of them went back to Cosby's apartment, where he gave her some pills. Baker-Kinney willingly took two pills and said she began to get blurry vision while playing backgammon with Cosby. Hours later, she claims, she woke up naked in bed with the comedian - and he told her to keep their encounter to themselves. 'I was mortified at what had happened,' said Kinney back in 2015 when she went public with her allegations at a press conference. 'All this time, and for many, many years, I felt that this was my fault.' The defense tried to deny Baker-Kinney's admission as a witness by arguing that her story is 'nothing like Ms. Constand's' because she only met Cosby once, 'voluntarily' took quaaludes and apologized for passing out. Janice Dickinson (left in 1982) claims that Cosby sexually assaulted her in 1982 after giving her an unknown pill while they were in Lake Tahoe JANICE DICKINSON The supermodel claims that Cosby sexually assaulted her in 1982 after giving her an unknown pill. Dickinson said in that 2014 interview that Cosby invited her to dinner to discuss a role on The Cosby Show and at one point offered her a glass of wine and a pill. 'The next morning I woke up, and I wasn't wearing my pajamas, and I remember before I passed out that I had been sexually assaulted by this man,' she told Entertainment Tonight. 'I remember waking up with my pajamas off and there was semen in between my legs.' Dickinson said her last memory of the night was of Cosby taking off his robe and climbing on top of her, and that the next morning she remembers 'a lot of pain.' The supermodel claimed the incident occurred in Lake Tahoe, California in 1982. In her memoir, Dickinson detailed some of her evening in Lake Tahoe with Cosby but told a very different story. She said she was drinking with Cosby at dinner and after being invited back to his room told him she was tired, at which point he slammed his door in her face. Legal claims made by Cosby and his team may be why she decided not to print her current version of the story. She said back in 2014 that she came forward because she believes the other victims who have spoken publicly, and that it is the 'right thing to do.' As for what she would say to Cosby if she saw him, Dickinson did not mince words. 'How dare you,' she said. 'Go f*ck yourself. How dare you take advantage of me. And I hope you rot.' She is also currently preparing to face off with Cosby in a defamation lawsuit filed because of his response to her allegations. Soon after that 2014 interview aired, Cosby's attorney Marty Singer responded to requests for comment by disputing Dickinson's claim that she was drugged and raped by his client and calling the allegation 'an outrageous defamatory lie.' A judge ruled in November that because he sent out that statement and a subsequent press release Singer will also face claims in the case. 'We fail to see how justice is served by granting Singer a windfall immunity based on Cosbys pursuit of a meritless motion,' wrote California Second District Court of Appeals Associate Justice Laurence Rubin. It was also ruled that Dickinson could recover all legal costs related to the appeal from Singer and Cosby. Chelan Lasha (left in 1986) claims that Cosby attacked her when she was just 17 in 1986 when she was an aspiring model CHELAN LASHA Lasha said in a 2014 press conference that Cosby attacked her when she was just 17 in 1986 when she was an aspiring model. She said her stepmother had sent pictures of her to the star and he called her at home in Las Vegas, inviting her to the Hilton Las Vegas, where he was performing and she had a job. She then went up to Elvis Presley suite to meet him and after telling him she had a cold, he gave her a blue pill, which he said was an antihistimine, with a double shot of Amaretto. She said: 'He was rubbing my neck and saying that he might have to have someone come in and give me stress therapy.' She claimed he told her to change into a Hilton bathrobe and wet her hair to see the modelling scout. Someone did briefly come up to the room, pertaining to be from the Ford Modelling Agency -telling her to she needed to lose 10 pounds - and taking some pictures. Then, Chelan said, Cosby walked her to the bedroom and gave her another shot of Amaretto, which he claimed would help her cold. 'I laid down,' she said: 'He laid down next to me on the bed and began pinching my left nipple and humping my leg while he was grunting. 'I could not open my eyes. I couldn't move or say anything. I felt something warm on my legs. Then I blacked out. 'Thirteen to sixteen hours later I woke up by hearing Mr Cosby clapping his hands and saying 'Daddy says wake up'. He gave me $1500. He said the money was to buy something nice for me and my grandmother and he also invited me to go to the Temptations show with my grandmother. 'My grandmother went but I did not go because I was too sick. Then he invited us to his show. My grandmother really want to go. I did not, but I went with her and heckled him. As a result, I was fired my from job.' Lisa-Lotte Lublin (left in 1989) believes she was sexually assaulted by Cosby while passed out in his hotel in 1989 LISA-LOTTE LUBLIN Lublin said she met Cosby in 1989 at a hotel in Las Vegas and that he asked her to perform an improvisation so that he could evaluate her acting. According to the ex-model, she and Cosby were in the Elvis Suite at the Hilton Hotel when he offered her two drinks and proceeded to pet her hair. A short time later she passed out, but she remembered the color of the walls in the room and a flood of bright light she said in a 2015 press conference. She said that she believes she was sexually assaulted by Cosby while passed out in the hotel. Prior to this, she and her mother had gone for a run with the comedian. The defense argued that Lublin assumes she is a victim based on other media accounts but can only remember Cosby stroking her hair. Heidi Thomas (left in 1984) said she found herself in bed next to a naked Bill Cosby who was 'forcing himself' in her mouth back in 1984 HEIDI THOMAS In 1984, Heidi Thomas, nee Johnson, was a 24-year-old model from Denver, Colorado, who was dreaming of a career in acting. Thomas was being represented by the city's top modelling agency, JF Images, but by 1984 she was questioning whether or not she wanted to stay in the business. Then one day in the spring of 1984, she got a call from an agent who told her that a famous entertainer was searching for young talent to mentor. Thomas said that Annie Maloney, of JF Images, instructed her to travel to Reno, Nevada, where she was supposed to meet with Bill Cosby, who allegedly had expressed interest in becoming her acting coach.Cosby greeted Thomas at the entrance and ushered her inside, according to the woman. The aspiring actress began by performing a monologue for Cosby, who then asked her to do a cold read of a person who was intoxicated. Thomas said Cosby was not impressed because to his mind, she was not convincing as a drunk. She recalled that Cosby wanted her to relax, so he poured her a glass of Chablis. The married music teacher said that her memory of the next several hours is very hazy, but when she woke up later that night, she found herself in bed next to a naked Bill Cosby who was 'forcing himself' in her mouth. According to the woman, the married comedian then got on top of her and said to her: 'I'm your friend... your friend is gonna [ejaculate] again,' according to the 54-year-old mother of three. Thomas said she was confused as to what happened and eventually stormed out of the room and slammed the door behind her, but she later apologized to Cosby for being rude. She spent three more days with Cosby and said they were all hazy and a blur. The defense argued she has given three versions of her story. A photograph of a group of high school students praying before their prom dinner has sparked an angry debate on social media. The image was posted by Oakland journalist Frank Somerville who was sent it by one of the youngsters' mothers. He shared it in good humor and said it was 'really nice' to see young people behaving that way in public. 'It says a lot about young people these days,' he wrote. Frank Somerville shared this photograph of a group of teenagers praying along with his opinion that it was 'really' nice to see on Facebook. It sparked a wild debate between his followers Journalist Frank Somerville shared the photograph on his Facebook page after being sent it by one of the youngsters' mothers Somerville also posted the mother's description of it which read: 'Now with the stories today about teenagers and tide pods and condoms gathering headlinesthis picture speaks for itself.' In the comments section, Frank's followers angril disagreed with one another about what the image showed. Now with the stories today about teenagers and tide pods and gathering headlines, this picture speaks for itself Mother Noelle Smith Some suggested that it promoted Christianity as the only way for young people to know how to behave. 'So if my teenagers go out and they don't pray before eating but they behave and are respectful while out in a restaurant, they are not raised right?' one mother fumed. Another said the site was 'nothing' and told others to 'move on'. Many of the commentators leaped on the post to criticize young Christians and suggest they might be hypocritical by behaving well in public and badly in private Others said they know Christians who were well-behaved 'in public' but who are 'hypocritical, hateful jerks in private'. 'Not saying these kids are like that, but just assuming they're great based on this is a) taking quite a leap and b) kind of implying people who don't believe can't possibly be on the same level,' said the commentator. Others used the post as an opportunity to share their opinion of Christian kids, including a teacher at a religious school. 'I agree that respect, manners and kindness are important. 'But as a parent of kids in a Christian school I have also seen quite a few kids who will act like this in public while judging and mocking others who don't share their views,' the teacher said. Many took the opposite view and said more children ought to follow their example. 'This is what I mean when I say that parents need to be taking their children to church and Sunday school instead of buying violent video games and taking them to violent movies. Many of the people who left comments supported the kids and their 'legal right to worship' 'This is just a great example of respectful kids. Thanks for sharing,' said one person. Another said: 'That's the definition of kids who were raised right. 'The kids that snort condoms and eat tide pods have parents who do the same thing.' Somerville was stunned by the reaction. 'I'm honestly surprised. I wasn't trying to imply that you have to be a Christian to be a good person. 'What I see from these kids is that they are respectful, they are humbled and that they are appreciative for what they have. 'I could care less whether they are religious but by saying grace, it shows me that they have those qualities. 'Those are the qualities, regardless of whether you believe in God (or not), that I admire,' he said. The parents of US college student Otto Warmbier sued North Korea on Thursday over their son's death in 2017 following his release from captivity there, according to the lawsuit filed in US District Court. The wrongful-death suit comes at a diplomatically delicate time, just weeks ahead of an expected meeting between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and President Donald Trump. Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in also are set to meet on Friday. The White House on Thursday released photos of Mike Pompeo, the newly confirmed secretary of state, shaking hands with Kim during their secret meeting in Pyongyang earlier this month. Otto Warmbier, a 22-year-old UVA student from Ohio, was imprisoned in North Korea from January 2016 until he returned to the United States in a coma. He died days later His parents, seen here at the 2018 State of the Union, have sued North Korea over his death. 'Otto was taken hostage, kept as a prisoner for political purposes, used as a pawn and singled out for exceptionally harsh and brutal treatment by Kim Jong Un,' Fred Warmbier said 'Otto was taken hostage, kept as a prisoner for political purposes, used as a pawn and singled out for exceptionally harsh and brutal treatment by Kim Jong Un,' his father Fred Warmbier said in a statement. 'Kim and his regime have portrayed themselves as innocent, while they intentionally destroyed our sons life. This lawsuit is another step in holding North Korea accountable for its barbaric treatment of Otto and our family.' Warmbier, a 22-year-old student from Wyoming, Ohio, was imprisoned in North Korea from January 2016 until he returned to the United States in a coma. He died a few days after his return, and an Ohio coroner blamed lack of oxygen and blood to the brain. North Korea blamed botulism and ingestion of a sleeping pill and dismissed torture claims. 'North Korea, which is a rogue regime, took Otto hostage for its own wrongful ends and brutally tortured and murdered him,' the wrongful-death lawsuit said. North Korea does not have an embassy in the United States. A representative of the North Korean mission to the United Nations in New York was not immediately available to comment. Warmbier's attorney, Benjamin Hatch, did not respond to a request for comment about the timing of the lawsuit. The White House on Thursday released photos of Mike Pompeo, the newly confirmed secretary of state, shaking hands with Kim during their secret meeting in Pyongyang earlier this month. Kim and President Donald Trump are set to meet for a summit in weeks The 22-page complaint outlines in blunt terms the adverse fortunes of Warmbier after he went on a five-day tour to North Korea run by a China-based tour operator, prior to taking up a study program in Hong Kong. He sought get a better understanding how people in the North's closed society lived, the lawsuit says. It says that after his arrest, Warmbier, from Cincinnati, Ohio, was pressured to make a televised confession and then convicted of subversion after a one-hour trial. He was denied communication with his family by any means until in early June 2017 they were informed he was in a coma and had been in that condition for one year. The lawsuit says that when Warmbier returned, his parents 'were stunned to see his condition. 'Otto was blind and deaf. He had a shaved head, a feeding tube coming out of his nose, was jerking violently and howling, and was completely unresponsive to any of their efforts to comfort him.' His once straight teeth were misaligned and he had an unexplained, scarred wound on his left foot. North Korea claimed that Warmbier had contracted botulism but his physicians in the US found no evidence of that, according to the lawsuit which says that the North's false explanations for Otto's condition demonstrate that is it 'covering up its torture and mistreatment of Otto while he was in North Korean custody.' The lawsuit contends that North Korea is liable for Warmbier's wrongful death - describing it as 'extrajudicial killing' - and calls for a judgment for both 'economic and non-economic compensatory damages' to his parents. There are still three Americans held in North Korea, and their cases are a continuing source of tense relations between the adversary nations. US officials have said that Pompeo raised the issue when he met with Kim on a rare trip to North Korea nearly four weeks ago to prepare for a Trump-Kim summit. Thousands of protesters took to the streets across Spain after a court cleared five men of the gang rape of a teenager at the 2016 San Fermin bull-running festival in Pamplona. A court in the northern region of Navarra instead convicted the men, who had recorded video of the attack on their mobile phones and laughed about the incident afterwards on a Whatsapp group, with the lesser crime of sexual abuse. The five men, including a former policeman and a former soldier, and the victim, who was 18 at the time of the incident, were not present in court. One of the many demonstrations taking place against the acquittal of the five men for rape Police hold back a crowd of protesters outside the court, where the five were sentenced to between five and nine years Protesters shouted 'shame' and 'no means no' when they took to the streets of Spain People lift up their arms as they shout slogans during a protest outside the Justice Ministry in Madrid Thousands march along main Gran Via as demonstrations carried on into the evening Jose Angel Prenda, Jesus Cabezuelo, Jesus Escudero, Angel Boza and Antonio Manuel Guerrero have been dubbed the 'Wolf Pack' after the name of their WhatsApp group The accused were named in the local media as soldiers Jose Angel Prenda, 29 and Alfonso Jesus Cabezuelo, 30. They were convicted along with 29-year-old policeman Antonio Manuel Guerrero, who took the videos, and Jesus Escudero, 27, and 26-year-old Angel Boza. The men, dubbed by Spanish media 'The Wolf Pack' after the name of their Whatsapp group, have been held in custody since July 2016 and were sentenced to between five and nine years. The incident took place in the lobby of a building in the early hours of the morning at the San Fermin festival, which brings more than one million people to Pamplona for the nine-day-long festival in July. One of the men stole the woman's mobile phone following the attack, leaving her with no means of contacting the friend with whom she had come to the festival. She was found crying on a bench by a couple who rang the police when she said she had been sexually assaulted and later made a statement to officers describing the five men who were later arrested. Fragments of video from the men's mobile phones taken at the scene were used as evidence in the trial, alongside witness accounts and biological tests. The defence team argued the incident was a case of consensual group sex. Thousands gathered in cities across Spain from Seville to Barcelona and outside the Justice Ministry in Madrid bearing notices reading 'I believe you sister' and chanting 'It's not abuse, it's rape'. In Madrid, men and women packed central streets chanting 'Shame! Shame!' and 'No means No'. In Barcelona, thousands packed into the central square banging pots and pans and jangling their keys in the air. The so-called 'Wolf Pack' case had already sparked widespread anger around Spain following concern over increased reports of sex attacks at the annual festival and over the mistreatment of women in general. It has also drawn international attention, coming at a time of heightened global concern over the sexual abuse of women in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal. A woman shouting during outside the Justice Ministry in Madrid against the court decision to convict the men of the lesser offence of sexual abuse Protests took place in Madrid, Barcelona, Seville and other cities in Spain The s so-called 'Wolf Pack' case had already sparked widespread anger around the country The woman alleged she had been raped during the San Fermin bull-running festival in Pamplona (file picture) After a five-month trial held behind closed doors to protect the victim's identity, a judge read out the sentences in the court in the northern region of Navarra. The state prosecutor had asked for prison sentences of more than 20 years for each of the men. Instead they were given nine-year sentences. Under Spanish law, the lesser charge of sexual abuse differs from rape in that it does not involve violence or intimidation. The charge is used in cases of sexual activity between underage partners or those seen not capable of giving permission for sexual contact, such as those who are severely handicapped or under the influence of drugs or drink. The judge, who did not give the reasoning behind the sentence, also ordered the men to pay the victim 50,000 in compensation. The ruling can be appealed in Spain's Supreme Court. The Running of the Bulls involves hundreds of people dressed in white shirts and red neckerchiefs running down narrow streets in front of fighting bulls before ending in the city's bull-ring, where bullfights take place in the afternoon. The festival is just as famous for the drinking and revelry on the sidelines, with huge street parties, processions and firework displays and draws thousands of tourists from all over the world. A worker has fallen to his death while inspecting the safety of a ride at a fair in Alabama. The 45-year-old man has not been named but officials say he is from Belarus. He died on Wednesday while inspecting the ride at the Kiwanis Club Fair in Alexander City. It was not in use at the time and the fair remained opened after his death. The man fell about 30ft to his death after being asked by the ride operator to climb up and check a wheel which didn't look right, ABC reports. The man fell 30ft while inspecting a wheel on the side of the Ring of Fire ride (file image shown above) which is stationed at the Kiwanis Club Fair in Alexander City in Alabama It was not the ride he normally inspected and when the normal inspector returned and saw him, he told him to climb back down. That is when the victim slipped and fell to his death, the coroner said. The ride is operated by Primetime Amusements. Others rides include the Frenzy, the Hurricane and the Kite Flyer. Ring of Fire is a towering, 60ft ride which turns riders upside down as it hurls them around its central loop. They are fastened in with over-the-shoulder restraints. Primetime Amusement claims on its website that all of its safety inspectors check the rides every day. 'Inspectors are provided with a daily maintenance checklist that is specific to each ride and highlights certain areas of that ride to inspect. The ride remained open at the fair on Wednesday night despite the accident which happened at 5.30pm 'After our internal inspections are complete, rides are also inspected by local authorities as well as state inspectors,' it claims. It is not known what safety precautions are put in place for the inspectors themselves. It is also not clear if the man worked for Primetime Amusements or a different authority. Primetime Amusements did not respond to requests for comment on Thursday afternoon. Manhattan's District Attorney has replaced the lead prosecutor overseeing the Harvey Weinstein rape investigation, nearly half a year into the probe. Joan Illuzzi-Orbon, who led the ultimately abandoned sex assault investigation against former International Monetary Fund leader Dominique Strauss-Kahn, took over at the beginning of April. She has worked for the district attorney's office nearly 30 years on many major cases and won a murder conviction against the killer of Etan Patz, the first missing child to be pictured on milk cartons. Joan Illuzzi-Orbon (left, in New York, October 2016) took over the New York case against Harvey Weinstein (right, in New York, November 2011) at the beginning of April. Illuzzi-Orbon replaces Maxine Rosenthal, another longtime prosecutor, according to two people familiar with the Weinstein case, speaking on condition of anonymity. It follows tensions between prosecutors and police over the handling of the investigation into Weinstein's conduct, which began in a disagreement who was at fault for failing to arrest the movie mogul in 2015 over a groping case. In November, NYPD's chief of detectives said publicly that cops had a strong criminal case based on testimony from one of Weinstein's accusers, Paz de la Huerta. But prosecutors denied there was enough evidence to charge him, prompting anger from women's rights campaigners. This led to Governor Andrew Cuomo launching an official probe into Manhattan's District Attorney, Cy Vance Jr, over his handling of the Weinstein case. Boardwalk Empire star De La Huerta said Weinstein raped her twice in 2010. A second woman, Lucia Evans, said Weinstein forced her to perform oral sex on him in his Miramax office in Manhattan in 2004; at the time, Evans was a college student trying to break into acting. Both accusers detailed their experiences publicly in Vanity Fair and the New Yorker amid a series of allegations against Weinstein that sparked the #MeToo movement. In November, NYPD's chief of detectives said publicly that cops had a strong criminal case based on testimony from one of Weinstein's accusers, Paz de la Huerta (pictured in New York in April 2015) Weinstein is also under criminal investigation in Los Angeles, Beverly Hills and London but has not been charged. Since last fall, more than 70 women including Cara Delevingne and Salma Hayek have accused him of sexual harassment, assault and rape. He was fired from the production company he started with his brother. The business recently filed for bankruptcy. Weinstein has not been charged criminally and denies any non-consensual sex. Weinstein's attorney Benjamin Brafman, who also represented Strauss-Kahn when he was accused in 2011 of sexually assaulting a hotel maid, said he welcomed Illuzzi-Orbon to the case. 'In all of my prior professional dealings with her, she has acted as a consummate professional, as have both Marsha Bashford and Maxine Rosenthal,' he said. Bashford is the chief of the office's sex crimes bureau. The Strauss-Kahn case was ultimately dropped after prosecutors lost faith in the accuser. The hotel maid's attorney Kenneth Thompson, who later became Brooklyn District Attorney before dying in 2016, insisted she was telling the truth, had been wronged by prosecutors and was unfairly maligned. A second woman, Lucia Evans, said Weinstein forced her to perform oral sex on him in his Miramax office in Manhattan in 2004 The 1979 disappearance of Etan Patz was a touchstone of the national missing-children's movement. The first murder case ended in a jury deadlock. Illuzzi-Orbon resigned briefly in 2015 to run for Staten Island District Attorney. When she lost the election, she returned to Manhattan, and was added to the re-trial in the Patz case. Suspect Pedro Hernandez was convicted of murder in 2017 and is serving 25 years to life. The Manhattan district attorney's office refused to discuss the reasons behind Illuzzi-Orbon's appointment when contacted by the New York Times. Illuzzi-Orbon did not return a call seeking comment. A bearded soldier has been allowed to keep his facial hair because of his Norse faith. The Army passed a rule last year that allowed troops to be except from the clean shaven rule if it went against their religious freedom. The move came after a lawsuit from Sikh soldiers who argued that they should be allowed to keep their beards because cutting one's hair is forbidden in the faith, as it is seen as a gift from god. A bearded soldier has been allowed to keep his facial hair because of his Norse faith (pictured is the Marvel version of the Norse god Thor, played by Chris Hemsworth) But the rule applies to all religions and now a soldier from the 14th Military Police Brigade at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, has successfully argued that his Norse paganism means he should be allowed to keep his beard too. 'I grant your accommodation, subject to the standards and limitations described below,' commander Col. Curtis Shroeder wrote to a 795th Military Police Battalion soldier, whose name is redacted from a copy of the memo circulating on Facebook. 'In observance of your Heathen; Norse Pagan faith, you may wear a beard, in accordance with Army uniform and grooming standards for soldiers with approved religious accommodations.' Norse paganism was a religion practiced in Northern Europe in pre-Christian times but which has become most closely tied with the Vikings. Beards are not a requirement but are traditional (stock images) Norse paganism was a religion practiced in Northern Europe in pre-Christian times but which has become most closely tied with the Vikings. Kesh: Sikh's requirement not to cut their bears Kesh, or 'uncut hair' is the practice of allowing hair to grow naturally as a symbol of respect for God's creation. It is one of The Five Kakaars, the outward symbols ordered by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699 to represent the Sikh faith. The hair is combed twice daily with a Kanga, and covered by a turban. Advertisement Rituals such as large communal feasts, animal sacrifices, ancestor worship and gifts to creatures known as wights were all part of the faith. But the religion is most famous for its gods Thor, Loki and Odin, who have inspired countless stories, comic book characters, and the latest run of Marvel movies. The religion spread from what is now modern day Scandinavia across much of northern Europe, including the UK and Germany, thanks to the marauding Vikings, but the faith all but died out after the introduction of Christianity around 1000 AD. However, pockets remain in Europe and have been growing in the US since the 1960s. There are now just under 8,000 heathens, as they are also known, according to the 2014 census in America. And in 2015, the Army had accepted a request to add the religion to its list of faith codes. But before it was granted final approval, the Pentagon announced a review of all religions recognized by the Defense Department. The rule was only passed after Sikh groups argued that it was discriminatory to force them to cut their beards - a key part of their faith required them not to cut their hair. File photo above The Hammer of Thor is available to be placed on government headstones and markers for fallen soldiers since 2013. The Norse Gods The Voluspa poem tells of Odin, chief of the Gods, consulting a Volva (a wise-woman) who regales him with stories. As well as many different stories, the seer also tells of a prophecy regarding the destruction of the Gods. A final battle, in which fire and flood overwhelm heaven and earth as the gods fight with their enemies, called ragna rok (the fate of the gods). The wise-woman talks of a battle between evil Loki and Odin at ragna rok where the Valkyries raise dead warriors to fight for Odin. Despite the fight, Odin is slain and the Gods fall. This central piece of Nordic literature also tells of dwarves and names them. Some of these, Fili and Kili for example, were adopted by J. R. R. Tolkien as names for his dwarves in his Lord of the Rings series of books. No texts exist from when it was first published in 961AD. The oldest surviving copies date back to the 1200s. Advertisement The Open Halls Project, an advocacy group for heathens in the military, concede a beard is not a religious 'requirement' but is a tradition in Paganism. Unlike Pagans, Sikhs are required by their faith to keep their hair and beards uncut Sikhs have a long tradition of military service in India and elsewhere and have served in the United States as far back as World War One. But uniform reforms after the Vietnam War made it difficult for them to serve without violating the tenets of their faith. The new rules, brought in January 2017, permitted religious accommodations for beards, but they may not be longer than two inches unless rolled or tied up. Soldiers with a religious accommodation may wear a turban or under-turban known as a patka. Soldiers with religious accommodations still must be able to wear combat helmets and other protective headgear and must modify their hairstyles to achieve a proper fit. The new rules allow head scarfs, or hijabs, for Muslim women. The new rules were welcomed by the Sikh Coalition. Regular Army regulations state that beards must be less than 2 inches long, measured from the bottom of the chin, and should not be groomed with petroleum-based products. The Army has not revealed whether it will consider allowing facial hair across the service. Nearly four months after police say a 41-year-old Utah man murdered a teenage couple in cold blood and tossed their bodies down a mineshaft, the suspect finally made his first court appearance. Jerrod Baum on Thursday was led into the 4th District Court in Provo with handcuffs restraining his wrists, sporting a bushy, graying beard and a large swastika tattoo visible on his exposed chest. A second, smaller swastika carved near his right eye peeked out from behind a curtain of strawberry-blond hair. Baum is accused of kidnapping Brelynne 'Breezy' Otteson, 17, and Riley Powell, 18, on December 30, 2017, and bringing them to the Utah desert after catching the young couple smoking marijuana with his girlfriend, 34-year-old Morgan Reannon Henderson. Nazi symbols: Jerrod Baum, a suspect in a double homicide in Utah, put his swastikas on full display during his first court appearance on Thursday. He has one on his chest and his temple Baum was expected to waive his preliminary hearing on Thursday, but it was continued until August 1 to give lawyers more time to prepare According to court documents, he tied up Otteson and made her watch as he beat and stabbed her boyfriend to death. Baum then allegedly slashed her throat and disposed of both bodies by tossing them 100 feet down the Tintic Standard Mine No. 2 near Eureka. The victims' remains were not recovered unit March 28, after Henderson told police what had happened and led them to the abandoned mine shaft. Baum is facing aggravated murder, kidnapping and other charges that could bring the death penalty, while Henderson is charged with obstruction of justice. Baum was expected to waive his preliminary hearing on Thursday, but it was continued until August 1 in order to allow the prosecution and defense additional time to review all of the evidence in the case. Victims: Police say he tied up Brelynne 'Breezy' Otteson (left), 17, and made her watch as he stabbed her boyfriend, Riley Powell (right), 18, to death, then slit the girl's throat In late March, nearly three months later, the couple's remains were recovered from an abandoned mine in Utah's west desert near Eureka (pictured) Both sides also are still waiting for the medical examiners final autopsy report, which could be released within a couple of weeks. For Otteson and Powell's loved ones, who came from far and wide to the courthouse this morning to confront Baum for the first time, the takeaway from the brief hearing was that it could take years to bring the case to trial. Prosecutor Chad Grunander explained that because the case revolves around a double homicide, and is potential a death penalty case, the legal process will be slow and deliberate. But the families of both victims said they are not discouraged by the sluggish pace of justice and are not interested in a plea deal being offered to Baum, reported KSL.com. We knew it was going to be long and drawn out; we knew that it wasnt going to be quick and fast. Unfortunately thats how it goes, Otteson's aunt, Amanda Hunt, told the Daily Herald. Nikka Powell, center, the sister of Riley Powell, receives a hug from a family member Thursday Family members embrace outside the courtroom Thursday, April 26, 2018, in Provo, Utah Powell's sister, Nikki, said that Baum, whom she called a monster', deserves nothing less than the death penalty. It will be up to the Utah County Attorney's Office to decide whether or not to seek the death penalty for Baum, but the wishes of the victims' families will be taken into account. Police say Baum killed the couple after they visited his girlfriend despite Baum's warning against her having male visitors. Baum flew into a rage when he learned Henderson had been hanging out with Riley and Breezy, saying 'it was too bad because he has never killed an innocent before,' Henderson told authorities, according to police documents. He then allegedly tied the tens up, put them in his Jeep and transported them to the old mine site in the west desert. There, he allegedly forced Otteson watch as he beat and stabbed Riley to death before he cut her throat and dispose of the bodies. Court records show Baum has a rap sheet dating back to the early 1990s including theft, assault and weapons charges. Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, pose for photographers with their newborn baby boy Usually his arrival at Birkhall, his grandmothers home on the Balmoral estate, which he has stylishly updated, is a moment of lipsmacking anticipation. Increasingly as he gets older, the Prince of Wales views visits to this Scottish retreat as a necessary restorative. But yesterday it was difficult not to have a flicker of sympathy for Charles as he waited anxiously at his bolthole for an opportunity to see his newborn grandson. Instead, the first visitors to Kensington Palace were a progression of Middletons, led by Kates hands-on mother Carole, her pregnant sister Pippa, father Michael and bearded brother James. Even Fergies daughter Princess Eugenie turned up to welcome the arrival of her first cousin once removed. For Charles, languishing in Scotland, the pain must be considerable. To many puzzled observers it may seem that the neglect in not yet having seen his new grandson, when the Middletons have, must lie with the Prince of Wales. But is that the case? On Wednesday, he understandably had to put duty first, travelling to northern France for the dawn ceremony marking Anzac Day and the centenary of the Second Battle of Villers-Bretonneux. A long-planned trip, it involved the prime ministers of France and Australia. All the same, there was a sense of unease among courtiers this week as the prince found himself relegated behind Williams in-laws in the queue to see the latest addition to the House of Windsor. Despite the fact no other senior royals have called in to see the baby, the princes absence shines an uncomfortable light on the tricky and perplexing relationship between father and son. We have been here before, of course. Three years ago, Charles complained that he almost never sees his first grandson, Prince George, and that he occupied a peripheral role in the little boys life. The dismay at seeing less than he expected of his first grandson was amplified because he hoped to become a mentor to the future king. Just a few days before George was born, Charles was happily asking a ladies circle for any hints on being a grandfather. The anticipation was clear, and it was obvious to those ladies that Charles was determined to be the attentive and loving grandfather he never knew himself. The prince was only three when George VI died, and he never knew his paternal grandfather, Prince Philips playboy father Prince Andrew of Greece, who died in 1944. It is not difficult to see how this sparked his desire to be involved in the development of young George, particularly as Charles feels they have a special connection. For he knows that, like himself, George is probably going to have to wait almost a lifetime before he fulfils his destiny. But from the outset, according to insiders, Williams attitude was somewhat different. Very strange, says one. On the day Kates labour began at St Marys Hospital in Paddington, Charles was on a train en route to a day of engagements. He had offered to cancel his duties, but was assured it was not necessary because William did not want visitors to come to the hospital immediately, fearing they would be disruptive. Instead, Georges first visitors were the Middletons, which established a pattern that, tellingly, repeated itself this week. When Kates due date with Princess Charlotte emerged, the same instruction not to visit and not to cancel engagements followed. But as a royal aide noted: The Middletons dont do engagements, so it didnt apply to them. In the event, Charlotte was born at the weekend and Kate quickly went home to Kensington Palace. When it became clear to Charles that the Middletons would be visiting, he made an immediate decision to go, driving himself and Camilla from Highgrove. According to a friend, he felt it would look awful if he didnt visit his new granddaughter at the same time as the Middletons. He was said to have hared down the motorway to London, and even radioed ahead to London for an aide to collect a gift from Clarence House which Camilla had chosen for the baby, to be sent over to Kensington Palace. In the event, Granny Carole and Grandpa Charles arrived at the palace almost at the same time. When it suits him, William can be friendly and welcoming, but he can also be aloof and icy, says a close figure. With his father, he can be cordial or effusive, especially if he wants more money, as he did for work on Anmer Hall his house in Norfolk. He dispenses niceties like he is the owner of a sweet shop to a small child. Nothing illustrates this wilful approach better than Williams reaction after Charles included a picture on his desk of him with George alongside photographs of William and Harry for one of the regular in-house videos the Prince of Wales makes for his charities in Commonwealth countries. William complained bitterly, even though the picture was one that had been issued publicly. Nor, say friends, has he made any secret of the fact that he views the relationship that Carole and Mike Middleton enjoy with their children as being just what he covets for his own family. It doesnt take a genius to work out that he doesnt think he has had that kind of relationship with his father. For Charles, who wants only to be a mentor and sounding board for his sons and his grandchildren, it is not just a puzzling situation. It is also a sad one. The 800-year-old heart of Dublin's patron saint has been returned to the city's cathedral six years after it was stolen from the church. The relic - the heart of St Laurence O'Toole - was taken from Christ Church Cathedral in 2012. As a choir led the congregation in the Hymn of St Laurence O'Toole, Patrick Leahy, assistant police commissioner for the Dublin region, followed a procession to the altar, where the heart was handed over on a cushion and placed on a stand. Assistant Garda Commissioner Patrick Leahy presenting the heart of Laurence OiToole to Archbishop of Dublin The cathedral's Dean, the Very Reverend Dermot Dunne, said the relic had very little monetary value The relic is kept in a wooden heart-shaped box and placed within a small iron-barred cage The theft of the relic, which had been kept in a wooden heart-shaped box and placed within a small iron-barred cage, sparked a six-year investigation by Gardai. The Archbishop of Dublin, the Most Reverend Dr Michael Jackson thanked those who had helped recover the relic, and described the return of the heart as a joyful moment for the people of the city. He said: 'The return of the heart of Laurence O'Toole to Christ Church Cathedral brings great joy to the people of Dublin as Dubliners. 'For those of us associated with the life of the dioceses, it brings again to the fore the close relationship between Glendalough and Dublin, a relationship of more than 800 years. 'Laurence left the monastic city of Glendalough of which he was Abbot to become Archbishop of Dublin, hence cementing a vibrant relationship that continues unabated to this day.' The relic has no monetary value but is 'a priceless treasure' for the church, the cathedral's Dean, the Very Reverend Dermot Dunne, said. Rev Dunne said he was 'delighted' at its return. He said: 'I said at the time it was stolen that the relic has no economic value but it is a priceless treasure that links the cathedral's present foundation with its founding father, St Laurence O'Toole.' The Archbishop of Dublin with the heart. The thief left more valuable items when they made off with the relic People line up to see the heart of Laurence O'Toole at Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin The Dublin Cathedral choir line up with the Assistant Garda Commissioner Patrick Leahy and Archbishop of Dublin Assistant Commissioner Leahy commended officers who he said had 'kept their radars on and their minds open in this ongoing investigation'. Gardai said no arrests have been made. There will now be a shrine to St Laurence, who died in 1180, in the cathedral, the church said, noting that they had looked at their security since the theft and continue to have regular reviews. The heart of was stolen by a thief who left more valuable gold artefacts behind in favour of the relic. O'Toole died in northern France in 1180, but his heart was returned to Dublin and installed at the cathedral, where it remained for over 800 years. A police spokesman declined to comment on reports that the heart had been was discovered by officers in Dublin's Phoenix Park, or to say whether the thief had been identified. Joseph Rooney was jailed for 11 years for keeping a homeless man a slave A member of a criminal family who kept a homeless man as a slave has been jailed for 11 years. Joseph Rooney, 45, from Lincoln, was found guilty of conspiracy to require persons to perform forced or compulsory labour and two assaults at Leicester Crown Court today. He lured a 55-year-old homeless man who was living underneath a railway bridge and kept him as a prisoner. He tried to escape after two weeks but failed, but failed, and was kept as a 'prisoner' for a number of years. Members of the Rooney family threatened to break his legs if he tried to escape and even left him with a broken nose after being punched for being late back from a medical appointment. He was kicked so hard in the groin on one occasion that he was sick and he was even run over by Joseph Rooney on another occasion, sending him flying into the air. Speaking after sentencing, Chief Superintendent Nikki Mayo, of Lincolnshire Police, said: 'Joseph's victim had been homeless and sleeping rough in Lincoln. 'Joseph promised this man that he would be looked after, clothed and fed. 'He was taken to the Washingborough caravan site but tried to leave when he realised these were empty promises and that living conditions were shocking. A picture inside the caravan where a homeless man was forced to sleep The homeless man had to sleep on his mattress when he was made a slave by Rooney 'However, this man was physically stopped from doing so by the Rooney family and threatened that his legs would be broken if he tried again.' The victim had his money taken away from him and his personal account was taken over by the family, who used it to bank cheques. He was also given a daily allowance of 10 a day and given a bottle of cider and fed just once a day. Chief Superintendent Nikki Mayo added: 'He was only allowed off the caravan site on his own for medical appointments but had to return by a set time or risk verbal or physical abuse. 'He finally managed to escape only to be discovered by Joseph Rooney who punched him and attempted to get him to return to the Washingborough site. The caravan which the homeless man lived in on Washingborough site The caravan site in Washingborough where the homeless man was kept as a slave 'This attempt was thwarted when a member of the public intervened and called the police. 'The victim was made to work for long hours tarmacking, working on driveways, tidying the site and running errands. 'On one occasion, he was taken to Scotland and was sharing a dilapidated and filthy caravan with another 'worker' who was dependant on alcohol. 'His alcohol was withdrawn, leading him to start drinking screenwash and the victim woke up one morning to find his companion was dead. 'This may be the last conviction for our Operation Pottery investigation but we will continue to tackle modern slavery in Lincolnshire and get justice for victims.' A Tory minister's aide allegedly caught selling sex on a 'sugar-daddy' website is a civil service poster girl. Rebecca Tott - secretary to 44-year-old housing minister Dominic Raab - joined the civil service at 16 on an apprenticeship and has been used in promotional videos and blogs. But the now-20-year-old was suspended on Wednesday over allegations that she met men through a website that links attractive young women with wealthy older sugar daddies who lavish money and gifts on them, often in return for sex. Rebecca Tott (pictured), the secretary to Housing Minister Dominic Raab, was suspended from work over the scandal The expose prompted MI5 to investigate potential security threats to the UK, given the aide's apparent willingness to share details of Mr Raab's whereabouts. Former Met royal protection chief Dai Davies called on Britain's security services to step in following the scandal. Ms Tott allegedly discussed her work with an undercover reporter posing as a sugar daddy. She met the reporter twice for which she was paid 750 each time including at a five-star hotel less than a mile from the House of Commons, according to the Daily Mirror. During each meeting she allegedly boasted about knowing Mr Raab's 'every move' and laughed about the idea of having sex with the reporter on his desk. She reportedly told the journalist: 'I know everything about him. I know his every move. I know where he is today.' Ms Tott is accused of boasting of her knowledge of Mr Raab's movement in a meeting an undercover reporter posing as a sugar daddy Mr Raab's department, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, has begun an investigation into concerns that her actions could pose a security risk. Ms Tott allegedly told the reporter that she wanted to earn 5,000 a month through Seekingarrangement.com, but that he could have 'full undisputed access' to her for 750. Housing Minister Dominic Raab's Diary Secretary is said to have boasted that she knew his every move Although the website insists it is not a front for prostitution, men are expected to pay their dates a monthly allowance a practice known as 'sugaring'. When the reporter asked what she was prepared to do for 750, she allegedly answered: 'Whatever you would like to be on offer. You may have full undisputed access to me, to do whatever you so choose.' Before their first meeting, she messaged: 'You've got my undivided attention for a few hours on Saturday I'll let your imagination run wild as to what you wish to do with that. 'We'll sort out the transactional part at the beginning so we can relax into one another's company from there on out.' She is barred from revealing sensitive or confidential information gained through her job by the Official Secrets Act, but she reportedly spoke of her government role minutes after meeting the reporter. Asked what her Whitehall bosses would think of her activities, she allegedly said: 'I don't care. I don't really see too much of a contrast between this and going on multiple Tinder dates. 'Of course they'd have an issue with it, but I don't see why they should, and at the end of the day it's my business.' Rebecca Tott is pictured on social media with her sister Laura Tott, who features in Channel 4's First Dates restaurant She allegedly even joked about having sex on Mr Raab's desk. When the reporter said: 'We will have to sneak into his office at some stage,' she replied: 'I would love to get sacked for that.' Ms Tott joined the civil service on a 12-month apprenticeship at 16, earning 18,000. She was held up as a 'success story' after being offered a full-time role, featuring in promotional blogs and videos in which she spoke of her 'passion' for the job and said her career highlights were her first trip to No10 and meeting David Cameron when he was prime minister. She said applying for the apprenticeship instead of going to university was 'the best decision' she had ever made. The 20-year-old, Housing Minister Dominic Raab's Diary Secretary, who has been suspended from work over the scandal, was a fast tracked apprentice who appeared in promotional videos for the government extolling the virtues of working in the public sector In 2015, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government tweeted about how 'proud' it was of her for appearing in a promotional video. A ministry spokesman said last night: 'We are aware of this allegation against one of our members of staff, and are investigating. There is no suggestion that any official information has been disclosed.' It took James Shaw Jr. just four days to raise thousands of dollars for the victims of the Tennessee Waffle House shooting. The 29-year-old father became a national hero after he wrestled an assault rifle from Travis Reinking, the man accused of opening fire inside a Nashville-area Waffle House early Sunday morning. That same day, as Shaw recovered from being grazed by a bullet, he created a GoFundMe page hoping to raise $15,000 for the families of victims. 'My name is James Shaw Jr. I am creating this page to help the families of the victims from the Shooting that took place at Waffle House in Antioch, TN,' he wrote. 'Please take the time to donate as all the proceeds will be given to the families. Thank you again for your generosity and blessings!' The same day James Shaw Jr disarmed a gunman who opened fire inside a Tennessee Waffle House he created a GoFundMe to help families of the victims Shaw's GoFundMe has raised more than $165,000 in just four days Authorities identified the victims as 21-year-old DeEbony Groves, 23-year-old Akilah DaSilva, 29-year-old Taurean C. Sanderlin and 20-year-old Joe R. Perez By Thursday afternoon, more than 4,000 people had donated more than $165,000. Many people commented on the GoFundMe praising Shaw for his bravery. 'James Shaw you're a true hero,' one woman wrote. 'You're an amazing example of courage - wishing you all the best in life,' another person wrote. 'Im am so inspired by your humanity! Beautiful strong man inside and out. I believe you can make such a difference in this world, you already have,' another contributor posted. Suspect gunman Travis Reinking was charged with with four counts of criminal homicide Yashar Ali, a reporter in New York, was so inspired by Shaw that he created a GoFundMe to raise money for Shaw. 'James Shaw Jr. put his life on the line when he took on the gunman who killed four people at a Nashville area Waffle House. Since that horrific shooting, he has raised tens of thousands of dollars for the victims and shown a level of humility that has inspired many of us. I normally don't get involved directly in these matters, but James' grace has inspired me to start this page to give him the support I feel he deserves,' Ali posted. 'According to news reports, James has a four-year-old daughter. Perhaps this money can be used for her college fund or some other education related expense. But I'd be just as happy if James used some of this money to take his family on a nice vacation.' In a follow-up tweet, Ali wrote that Shaw 'represents the best of America and (he) thinks we should help him too'. The GoFundMe has raised more than $177,000, so far, for Shaw and his family. Waffle House also said it would be recognizing Shaw, telling its Twitter followers that more details are to come. The restaurant announced Wednesday that 100 per cent of sales next month at the Antioch location would be donated to the victims' families, both deceased and living. A reporter in New York named Yashar Ali created a GoFundMe for Shaw and his family raising more than $177,000 Ali said Shaw 'represents the best of America' and he hopes he uses the money for his four-year-old daughter or to take his family on a vacation. Shaw is pictured above with his daughter Four people were killed in the Sunday morning rampage when Reinking, wearing only a jacket, stormed into the eatery and opened fire. Authorities identified the victims as 21-year-old DeEbony Groves, 23-year-old Akilah DaSilva, 29-year-old Taurean C. Sanderlin and 20-year-old Joe R. Perez. Reinking was arrested nearly 36 hours after the shooting and charged with four counts of criminal homicide. He also faces four counts of attempted murder and one count of unlawful gun possession in the commission of a violent felony. President Donald Trump's statement that longtime lawyer Michael Cohen handles just a 'tiny, tiny little fraction' of his legal work is just the latest diminishing remark in a relationship that has sometimes left Cohen humbled. Cohen, had a court appearance Thursday in connection with an agreement where he says he paid porn star Stormy Daniels $130,000 out of his own funds after she claimed she had an affair with Trump. The case has Cohen facing growing legal costs, having already dropped a libel suit over passages relating to him in a dossier of information on President Trump. Back in 2012, Cohen found himself on the receiving end of public jokes by Trump after he pleaded with the mogul to attend his son's bar mitzvah. Cohen found himself on the receiving end in public of jokes by Trump after he pleaded with the mogul to attend his son's bar mitzvah in 2012 Trump was late to the important right-of-passage event in the Jewish faith, causing a delay in the blessings, the Wall Street Journal reported. After he showed up, Trump told guests he 'hadnt planned to come, but he relented after Mr. Cohen had repeatedly called him, his secretary and his children begging him to appear,' an attendee told the paper. Guests laughed because everyone knew it was very realistic-sounding, the person said. A person close to Trump said Cohen didn't get top access to the inauguration, despite being one of the early advisors urging Trump to run for president. 'He was always just at the edges,' the person said. Although Trump defended Cohen in an appearance on 'Fox & Friends' Thursday, he also put distance between them. 'This has nothing to do with me. I've been told I'm not involved,' he said of Cohen's legal troubles. The FBI raided Cohen's office scooping up documents and electronic devices in connection to a criminal investigation of him. A former Trump lawyer has predicted Cohen will testify against his longtime boss. Man of many phones: Michael Cohen left court after the federal hearing which gave him and Trump a legal victory over their attempt to limit FBI access to evidence seized in raids on him Cohen's wife was born in Ukraine, and his Ukrainian father in law partnered with him in taxi ventures said to be part of what the feds are investigating. At the wedding of Gregory Ehrlich, Cohen bragged to a guest that he was in the Russian mob, Ehrlich told the paper. He said he doesn't think Cohen had actual mob ties. Donald Trump's personal attorney Michael Cohen had at least 16 cellphones seized by the FBI and federal prosecutors, Stormy Daniels's attorney disclosed after a court hearing Thursday in Manhattan. Hearing time: Stormy Daniels was not present at the hearing in federal court in Manhattan but her attorney Michael Avenatti was Michael Avenatti said he had counted that at least 16 cell phones and BlackBerry devices had been taken and 'imaged' by the FBI, meaning their contents had been downloaded. 'Usually not a good sign when the target appears to have saved old phones and there are that many phones recovered. BIGLY bad...for many,' he tweeted. Cohen has just said he will plead the Fifth Amendment in California, where Daniels is suing him and the president to be freed from a gagging order intended to buy her silence on claims she slept with Trump, for which she was paid $135,000 just before the election. And for the first time on Thursday the president admitted Cohen had represented him in the 'crazy Stormy Daniels deal'. The federal court hearing had in fact handed the president and Cohen a legal victory when their request that the seized evidence not be looked at in its entirety by the FBI. Also in court: Stormy Daniels's attorney Michael Avenatti was in court and said he had worked out the minimum number of phones and devices taken by the federal authorities Instead a 'special master', a former federal judge, will sort through it and remove any material which she considered to have attorney-client privilege. Both Trump and Cohen had argued that the prosecutors' first suggestion, that an FBI 'taint team' would go through it and hand non-privileged evidence to the investigators, was not sufficient to meet their legal right not to have confidential communications between a lawyer and a client looked at. The hearing came hours after Trump admitted Thursday that his personal attorney Cohen represents him over Daniels - but distanced himself from the lawyer who is now pleading the Fifth Amendment. Trump spoke by phone 'Fox & Friends' in an extraordinary half-hour appearance and said Cohen was one of his 'many attorneys,' adding: 'He represents me like with this crazy Stormy Daniels deal. ''From what I see, he did absolutely nothing wrong. There were no campaign funds going in.' The telephone connection seemed to cut out for a few seconds after Trump mentioned Daniels. The president has previously said he had no knowledge of the $130,000 payment Cohen made to porn actress Daniels in exchange for her silence just before the election about her claims of sex with Trump. Asked about Cohen's Fifth Amendment plea, Trump told the Fox News morning show: 'This has nothing to do with me. I've been told I'm not involved.' Instead he claimed that Cohen - whom he called a 'good guy' - was being investigated over his own business dealings. 'Let me just tell you that Michael is in business,' he said. 'He's really a businessman at fairly big businesses, I understand. And I don't know his business but this doesn't have to do with me. Michael is a businessman. He's got a business. He also practices law. 'I would say probably the big thing is his business and they're looking at something having to do with his business. I have nothing to do with his business. I can tell you he's a good guy.' And he sought to distance himself from Cohen's legal work, saying: 'I have many, many, just so you understand, I have many attorneys. I have attorneys. Sadly, I have so many attorneys you wouldn't even believe it. 'He has a percentage of my overall legal work, a tiny, tiny little fraction.' Revelation: Trump phoned Fox & Friends and told co-hosts Steve Doocey, Ainsley Earhardt and Brian Kilmeade that Michael Cohen had represented him over Stormy Daniels Crowing: Stormy Daniels' attorney Michael Avenatti said that the president's admission meant both Trump and Cohen had misrepresented the truth in the past What does he know? Michael Cohen is pleading the Fifth Amendment to avoid incriminating himself when he takes part in a civil case brought by Stormy Daniels over her claims of sex with Trump. Trump said Cohen was pleading over his own business dealings Key development: Michael Cohen has told a court in California that he will take the Fifth Amendment in civil litigation brought by Stormy Daniels - meaning that he could incriminate himself through evidence in the case. He was on his way to federal court in New York Thursday Arrival: Michael Cohen eschewed a normal cab for his journey to court - although his business dealings include taxi medallion ownership - where a judge is deciding on how to deal with evidence seized from him in raids earlier this month The admission, however, was seized on by Daniels' attorney Michael Avenatti who said on Twitter that Trump 'previously represented to the American people that Mr. Cohen acted on his own and Mr. Trump knew nothing about the agreement'. 'As I predicted, that has now been shown to be completely false,' he said. Avenatti told the Associated Press: 'This is going to add considerable momentum to our effort to depose the president and place him under oath in an effort to discover which version of the facts is accurate.' It was also seized on by federal prosecutors in New York, where Cohen was appearing in court in the wake of the raid on his home, office, hotel room and safe deposit box. His only other two legal clients were revealed to be Sean Hannity - who himself denied he was a real client - and Elliott Broidy, a disgraced Republican fundraiser for whom Cohen arranged a $1.6 million hush payment to a Playboy model lover who aborted their child in the course of his two year adulterous affair. 'I have many, many, just so you understand, I have many attorneys. I have attorneys. Sadly, I have so many attorneys you wouldn't even believe it. He has a percentage of my overall legal work, a tiny, tiny little fraction Trump on Cohen In a court filing shortly after the president's interview, prosecutors said that the president's statement and that of Hannity meant little of what they seized could be subject to privilege. 'President Trump reportedly said on cable television this morning that Cohen performs 'a tiny, tiny little fraction' of his overall legal work,' they said in a submission to Judge Kimba Wood, who is hearing the case. 'These statements by two of Cohen's three identified clients suggest that the seized materials are unlikely to contain voluminous privileged documents, further supporting the importance of efficiency here.' In fact that did not sway Wood, who appointed former federal judge Barbara Jones as the special master. 'The letters I received from counsel for Mr Cohen and the intervenors has convinced me that this process can go quickly with the special master, assuming everyone works as hard as you have represented you will work,' said U.S. District Judge Kimba Wood. Cohen sat in court to hear the decision, wearing a dark suit, white shirt, and pale yellow tie. Stephen Ryan, a lawyer for Cohen, called Jones 'a wonderful choice' to be special master. Jones was appointed to the federal bench by Bill Clinton, and had retired in 2013 after 17 years in the southern district of New York. Avenatti had also predicted that Cohen would plead the Fifth Amendment to avoid self-incrimination in the law suit brought by Daniels. Cohen, whose business dealings are under FBI investigation and whose office, home, hotel room and safe deposit box were raided this month, will make the plea in a California civil case. It means that he believes he could incriminate himself when giving evidence in the case - a move which will raise fears in the Trump camp over what crimes he may think he could be charged with. The development was disclosed in a brief court filing in Los Angeles Wednesday. Cohen and Trump are both being sued there by Daniels, real name Stephanie Clifford, to try to end the $130,000 gag order she agreed to before the election, which stopped her speaking about her claim of sex with the then candidate. Avenatti, said on Twitter that it was 'a stunning development' because it was a case involving 'issues surrounding the President'. He added a link to a report that quote Trump as saying in 1990: 'If you're innocent, why are taking the Fifth?' Judges: Judge Kimba Wood, seen at last week's hearing on the raids, appointed retired judge Barbara Wood as 'special master' to oversee what evidence can be released to the feds Predicted move: Michael Avenatti, Stormy Daniels' attorney, said earlier this month that he believed Cohen would take the Fifth Amendment During an appearance on CNN on Wednesday night, Avenatti said he predicts that the Cohen investigation will result in Trump's resignation During an appearance on CNN on Wednesday night, Avenatti said he predicts that the Cohen investigation will result in Trump's resignation. Avenatti said he believes the government has evidence that Cohen was in touch until recently with Keith Davidson, the former attorney for Daniels who negotiated the $130,000 non-disclosure agreement. 'There's substantial reason to believe that these two attorneys were continuing to communicate with one another well into this year about my client, the settlement, the negotiation, and documents relating to this payment,' Avenatti told CNN. Cohen told the judge: 'Based upon the advice of counsel, I will assert my 5th amendment rights in connection with all proceedings in this case due to the ongoing criminal investigation by the FBI and U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. 'On April 10, 2018, I first realized that my Fifth Amendment Rights would be implicated in this case, after I considered the events of April 9, 2018.' The move was predicted earlier this month by Daniels' attorney Michael Avenatti. After the filing, he tweeted: 'This is a stunning development. Never before in our nation's history has the attorney for the sitting President invoked the 5th Amend in connection with issues surrounding the President. It is esp. stunning seeing as MC served as the 'fixer' for Mr. Trump for over 10 yrs.' It will be seen by the president's defenders as a worrying indication that Cohen has committed a crime in some form - which could then be used by Robert Mueller, the special counsel, to turn on Trump in return for immunity. Trump has ridiculed the idea that Cohen would 'flip', but taking the Fifth in the civil case is a sign of the attorney's growing fear that he could face charges. One person who has taken the threat of Cohen flipping seriously is his former legal adviser, Jay Goldberg. Jay Goldberg, Trump's former legal adviser, told the president recently that it is virtually certain Cohen will 'flip' if he is indicted by the federal government Goldberg told The Wall Street Journal earlier this month that it is virtually certain that Cohen will cooperate with federal investigators and turn over damaging information about Trump if he is faced with criminal charges. Goldberg, who represented Trump in the 1990s and early 2000s, said he spoke with the president recently and warned him that Cohen would turn on him if it meant staying out of prison. Goldberg said he told Trump that on a scale of 100 to 1, where 100 is fully protecting the president, Cohen 'isn't even a 1.' The FBI raid was ordered by federal prosecutors in Manhattan after information was passed to them by Mueller. The nature of Mueller's tip-off has not been disclosed. Cohen asked the judge to delay the civil case after his office and residence were raided by the FBI. At a hearing last week, U.S. District Judge James Otero said he needed more time to review the request for a stay, but he told Cohen's attorney 'there's some gaping holes' in the request. Daniels has been seeking to invalidate the nondisclosure agreement she signed days before the 2016 elections so she can discuss the alleged relationship - which Trump denies - without facing penalties. She argues it invalid because Cohen signed it, but the president did not. That did not stop her from describing her sex with Trump to Anderson Cooper on CNN, but her legal team say that she could be sued for doing so and want that threat lifted. The development came as former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani the newest member of Trump's Russia-probe-focused legal team sat down with Special Counsel Robert Mueller on Tuesday. Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani (left), who is now representing President Trump in the Russia probe, sat down with Special Counsel Robert Mueller (right) on Tuesday The Washington Post reported that Giuliani reopened discussions on a potential interview between Trump and Mueller, conversations that had broken down in the aftermath of the FBI's raid on longtime Trump lawyer Michael Cohen's office, hotel room and home. The ex-mayor, the Post noted, told Mueller that there was still great reluctance in agreeing to an interview, but did not rule it out. Giuliani also asked Mueller when the Russia probe might be done, the newspaper's sources said. Mueller, in turn, told Giuliani that he wished to ask the president about the decisions he made during the transition and early months of the administration. It is important for investigators to understand the president's intent as they look into potential obstruction of justice, Mueller noted. Mueller, the head of the FBI before James Comey, and Giuliani, who stewarded New York City through the 9/11 terror attacks, have known each other for years thanks to their law enforcement backgrounds. Last week upon his hiring to Trump's legal team, Giuliani suggested he would be the individual to get the Russia probe resolved. 'I'm doing it because I hope we can negotiate an end to this for the good of the country and because I have high regard for the president and for Bob Mueller,' the ex-mayor had told the Washington Post last week. Trump has vehemently and repeatedly denied collusion with Russia, calling it a 'witch hunt' and also slammed claims that Cohen would flip on him because he had not been treated well by the president. He dismissed them as based on a 'drunk/drugged up loser', although officials would not say who that was. One report in the New York Times which appeared to have caused Trump's ire mentioned both Roger Cohen, his long-time adviser, and Sam Nunberg, a former Trump adviser who went into rehab e after a series of television interviews on which he claimed he would not co-operate with Mueller. In a string of tweets on Saturday morning, President Trump defended Michael Cohen and said he did not think he would 'flip' on him as has been suggested. He deleted the tweets then reposted them shortly afterwards with the correct spelling of Maggie Haberman's name. Haberman published a report on Friday citing multiple unnamed sources who said it was a possibility that Cohen might turn on Trump A climate zealot who founded the Extinction Rebellion splinter group which brought parts of London to a standstill for more than four hours during this morning's rush hour has revealed that he would block an ambulance which contained a dying person. Speaking to the Unbreak the Planet podcast, Insulate Britain mastermind Roger Hallam told presenter Mike Galsworthy that he would also have refused to move for a crying woman who was trying to get to her unwell 81-year-old mother in hospital. The chilling exchange comes after a tearful woman trying to get to her unwell 81-year-old mother in a Canterbury hospital slammed 'selfish' eco-morons who had blocked the Blackwall Tunnel, Hanger Lane and Wandsworth Bridge between 8am and 12pm. Tensions flared as a paramedic crew joined furious drivers and pulled enviro-idiots - some of whom are repeat offenders who have been arrested and released by police during past demos - off the road at Wandsworth Bridge, while a woman at Blackwall Tunnel trying to get to her mother in hospital lashed out at the mob: 'How can you be so selfish?' The eco-mob's protest - the eleventh in the past month - caused huge tailbacks and inflicted misery on millions of people trying to get into the capital, including workers trying to help kickstart London's wounded economy after 18 months of Covid restrictions. A lion is wanted by police to help in a strange robbery investigation. Electronics including an iPhone 8 and a GHD hair iron were stolen from a business in the peculiar theft. Victoria Police have released images of two men - one dressed in a lion 'onesie' costume and another wearing an 'Uber' rain jacket - in the hope someone will recognise them. Police have released images of a man in a lion costume and a man wearing an Uber jacket in the hopes they will be able to help with a robbery investigation The robbery took place on Down Street, in Collingwood, on April 22 about 3.10am Detectives from the Yarra Crime Investigations Unit want to speak to the men regarding the Down Street, Collingwood robbery on April 22. Items stolen include an Apple iPhone 8, a GHD hair iron, chocolates, four mircrosoft surface pro computers and a Canon camera. Police were told the 'hungry lion man' and his accomplice broke into the building about 3.10am. The man in the lion costume is described as being Caucasian by police. He is also wearing a black wig. The man in the black 'Uber' jacket is also wearing grey jeans and blue shoes The man in the black 'Uber' jacket is also wearing grey jeans and blue shoes. Police believe he is also Caucasian. Anyone with information on the theft is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or file a report online here. President Trump's reelection campaign isn't letting 'dragon energy' go to waste and is cashing in on rap star Kanye West's sudden show of support. The appeal from the Trump Make America Great Again Committee comes after West called Trump a 'brother,' defended 'independent thought, showed off his MAGA hat, and said he wasn't 'scared' of the media. The fundraising appeal went out by text Thursday and tried to capitalize the same themes of getting put down that West sprinkled into his tweets of Trump-fandom. 'The American peopel do not want to be told what to think or who to support,' according to the pitch. 'Group think is a mandate in today's society and when a free thinker like Kanye West speaks truth, they attack him.' In December of 2016, Kanye West met with President Donald Trump but soon after deleted all his posts about the President after he was hit with a wave of criticism Then the committee hedged. 'We support Kanye speaking his mind, even if sometimes we do not agree on the issues. Do not let them silence you. Get your MAGA hat today,' it concluded. West's Trump accolades surfaced weeks after he resumed tweeting after a one-year hiatus. President Obama famously was caught on camera calling West a 'jackass' after he stormed the stage at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards to interrupt Taylor Swift's acceptance speech. Trump continued dousing rapper Kanye West with praise Thursday after the rapper called Trump his 'brother' and said they shared similar 'dragon energy.' 'He has good taste,' the president said during his wide-ranging call-in Thursday morning to Fox & Friends. 'You know, I have known Kanye a little bit. And I get along with Kanye.' Trump explained that he believed West was impressed with his record on black, Latino and even female unemployment, reminding the Fox & Friends co-hosts how he would tell African-American voters at rallies 'What do you have to lose?' 'He sees that stuff and he's smart,' Trump continued. 'And he says, "Trump is doing a much better job than the Democrats did,"' the president added. President Trump tweeted a 'thank you' to Kanye West Wednesday afternoon after a reporter asked about positive comments the rapper had made about Trump during the White House press briefing In a second tweet about Kanye West, President Trump merely wrote 'MAGA!' - which is shorthand for 'Make America Great Again' The president was then asked if Republicans had done a bad job trying to court black voters. 'You know, I think it was just a custom, people don't realize, if you go back to the Civil War, it was the Republicans who really did the thing,' Trump said. 'Lincoln was a Republican.' 'Somehow it changed over the years and I will say, I really believe it's changing back,' he added. Despite only receiving 8 per cent of the African-American vote in 2016, Trump told Fox & Friends he 'got a lot of support' from black voters. It is true, however, that President Obama had a heavier advantage against Mitt Romney among black Americans in comparison to Hillary Clinton. Clinton beat Trump by 80 points, while Obama beat Romney by 87 points, according to Pew. The president's Thursday morning comments came after he gave the rapper two shout-outs on Twitter on Wednesday. 'Thank you Kanye, very cool!' Trump wrote, including West's original message in his tweet. In a second tweet, Trump wrote 'MAGA' shorthand for 'Make America Great Again' as the president shared the rapper's photo of his signed red Trump hat. West had said, 'You don't have to agree with trump but the mob can't make me not love him.' 'We are both dragon energy. He is my brother,' West added. 'I love everyone. I don't agree with everything anyone does. That's what makes us individuals. And we have the right to independent thought,' said the rapper, who is married to reality television star Kim Kardashian. White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders was asked about Kanye West's comments at Wednesday's press briefing Kanye West continued to show his support for President Donald Trump on Wednesday, even tweeting a picture of himself in a Make America Great Again hat (here with music mogul Lyor Cohen pictured center) Kanye West has once again declared his support for Donald Trump, calling the president his 'brother' and saying they both share 'dragon energy' In his next tweet, Kanye wrote that he loved also Clinton and claimed that 'Trump is pretty much a 50 50 split' for the people in his life Less than an hour later, West tweeted that his wife Kim Kardashian had called him about the Trump tweet. 'My wife just called me and she wanted me to make this clear to everyone. I don't agree with everything Trump does,' he wrote. 'I don't agree 100% with anyone but myself.' West also tweeted a photo of himself wearing a 'Make America Great Again' hat and referred to himself as a 'future president.' West's public support for Trump even made its way into the discussion at the White House press briefing on Wednesday, shortly before the president sent out his tweet. A reporter asked Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders if Trump had reached out to West following the rapper's recent praise. 'I don't know of any conversation that they've had over the last week or so, I'll keep you posted if that changes,' Sanders said, breaking into a smile. 'I know they met during the transition, that's the only meeting I'm aware of that's taken place, or conversation,' she added, noting, 'Before everybody has a meltdown and thinks we had a meeting last week.' Ivanka Trump also tweeted about Kanye West's praise for her father on Wednesday too. First daughter and White House aide Ivanka Trump also tweeted about Kanye West showing support for her father Less than an hour later, West tweeted that his wife Kim Kardashian had called him about the Trump tweet Kardashian (pictured with West in a recent family photo) was a vocal supporter of Clinton during the 2016 presidential election campaign Last year West shared with a Californian concert audience that he would have voted for Trump West first revealed his support for Trump shortly after the November 2016 election, when he told a California concert audience he would have voted for the Republican. 'I told yall I didnt vote, right? But if I wouldve voted, I wouldve voted for Trump,' he said. 'We live in a racist country. That is a fact. This world is racist, OK? Lets stop being distracted to focus on that as much.' But in a separate tweet on Wednesday, Kanye wrote that he loved also Clinton, who Kardashian publicly supported in the 2016 presidential election. 'If your friend jumps off the bridge you don't have to do the same,' he began. 'Ye being Ye is a fight for you to be you.' 'I told yall I didnt vote, right? But if I wouldve voted, I wouldve voted for Trump,' he told the crowd shortly after the November 2016 election West continued to discuss free thought, saying he loves when 'people have their own ideas' 'For people in my life the idea of Trump is pretty much a 50 50 split but I don't tell a Hillary supporter not to support Hillary I love Hillary too.' The rapper continued to discuss free thought, saying he loves when 'people have their own ideas'. 'You don't have to be allowed anymore. Just be. Love who you want to love. That's free thought,' he wrote. 'I'm not even political. I'm not a democrat or a republican.' West (pictured outside an LA music studio on Tuesday) recently came under fire for tweets supporting far right-wing media personality Candace Owens But on Wednesday West declared that he was 'not scared anymore' and 'not scared of the media' either West declared that he was 'not scared anymore' and 'not scared of the media'. 'I'm not scared of the past and I'm optimistic about the future,' he wrote. 'This tweet is in love not fear.' 'With love I am invincible,' he continued in a separate tweet. 'Truth is subjective but love is the most powerful force in the world and the world needs to express more of it.' 'No race religion region or political party can argue with the power of love,' another tweet read. West also began tweeting about love, saying it made him 'invincible' and that 'no race religion region or political party can argue with the power of love' West's Wednesday afternoon tweets began with a proclamation that 'traditional thinkers' were locked in a 'mental prison'. 'Free thinkers don't fear retaliation for your thoughts,' he wrote. 'The traditional thinkers are only using thoughts and words but they are in a mental prison.' 'You are free. You've already won. Feel energized. Move in love not fear. Be afraid of nothing.' West told his fans he was hitting them with his 'zig zag thoughts' and encouraged them to 'unlearn linear thinking', 'decentralize', and 'burn that excel spread sheet', phrases that were written in three separate tweets. The tweets came just hours after West confirmed he had cut ties with his longtime manager Scooter Braun. At one point during his stream-of-consciousness tweets, West shared a photo of eldest daughter North with a lady bug The tweets came just hours after West confirmed he had cut ties with his longtime manager Scooter Braun 'I no longer have a manager, I can't be managed,' he tweeted on Wednesday morning. 'I'm nobody's client,' a separate tweet read. Braun confirmed the news on Twitter this week, writing: 'A man's loyalty is truly tested when he is willing to stand by someone who will never show that same respect. 'Don't show that same love and loyalty waiting for reciprocation .. do it because your integrity demands.' West also revealed he got rid of his last lawyer 'because he wouldn't come to work full-time'. 'I also asked my last manager to come work full time for Yeezy of course the last lawyer and manager said no,' he explained, seemingly referring to Braun. 'So now I hired a CEO and a CFO and i have two full time lawyers as of now.' The rapper proclaimed he was the 'single highest paid person in footwear' and said his fashion company Yeezy is the second 'fastest growing company in history' West then went on to declare himself 'this generation's Ford Hughes Jobs Disney', referring to Henry Ford, Howard Hughes, Steve Jobs, and Walt Disney. The rapper proclaimed he was the 'single highest paid person in footwear' and said his fashion company Yeezy is the second 'fastest growing company in history'. 'It is a unicorn on its way to becoming a decacorn,' he wrote. 'Yeezy will become the biggest apparel company in human history,' West declared in another post. West's tweets then turned to the media, as he called out both TMZ founder Harvey Levin as well as People Magazine for recent stories about the rapper. 'Harvey Levin of TMZ your hearing from your future president,' he wrote. 'Let's be friends. Please never use the word erratic to describe a person who is economically and psychologically empowered.' 'People magazine. Watch how you speak my name,' another tweet read. 'You would love a pair of Yeezys. Don't play yourself.' West also tweeted pictures of his home, asking his followers if it looked 'like the sunken place', which is a reference to the film Get Out While Kardashian didn't call her husband out about sharing pictures of their home on social media, she did tweet that it was against a rule they had made as a couple The Harvey Levin tweet was one of two instances in which West referred to himself as the future president on Wednesday. In a tweet that followed shortly afterwards, he proclaimed: 'When we become president we have to change the name of the plane from Air Force one to Yeezy force one'. West then tweeted a number of sales figures for his Yeezy brand, proclaiming 'the Yeezy 700 is adidas most requested shoe' and 'the Yeezy 350s sell 400 thousand pair in four hours. Only thing close to this is the iPhone'. The rapper also tweeted a picture of eldest daughter North with a lady bug as well as pictures of his home, writing: 'do this look like the sunken place', a reference to the recent hit film Get Out. At one point West's tweets turned to the media, as he called out both TMZ founder Harvey Levin and People magazine for recent stories about the rapper He also tweeted more pictures of his home, despite Kardashian's protests, and said he left his emojis 'Bart Simpson color' West kept some of his other tweets simple, saying he would turn the 'Grammys into the Yammys' or declaring that he was 'nice at ping pong' As his stream-of-consciousness tweets continued, West revealed he leaves his emojis 'Bart Simpson color', that he'd turn the 'Grammys into the Yammys', and that he was 'nice at ping pong'. 'I'm used to the heat of independent thoughts,' he wrote at one point. West also revealed that he had songs coming out with A$AP Rocky, Travis Scott and Lil Uzi. In one tweet he wrote: 'Trav we gotta drop the track with me you and Uzi this week bro. Let's goooooooooooooooooooooooo'. 'Rocky we gotta release our songs ASAP,' he said in another. 'I'm 40 years old and I'm just now becoming my parents child,' another tweet read. West's latest Twitter tirade comes just a day after popular New York radio host Ebro Darden claimed that rapper had previously battled an opioid addiction. West's latest Twitter tirade comes just a day after NY radio host Ebro Darden claimed that rapper had previously battled an opioid addiction before canceling his tour in 2016. The rapper is pictured here with Kardashian two months before his tour was canceled Sources have claimed that West (pictured in 2015) does not have an opioid addiction but that he does have an acute mental illness and that those close to him are concerned Darden took to his show Ebro In The Morning on HOT 97.1 in New York City on Monday to share the details of an alleged private conversation between him and West. He claimed West told him: 'Nobody really showed love for me when I was addicted to opioids and in the hospital.' It had been thought that the time that West had suffered from exhaustion weeks after his wife Kim Kardashian was robbed of millions in jewelry in Paris. West famously cancelled his Saint Pablo concert at the The Forum in Inglewood, California on November 20, 2016 before cancelling the rest of the tour the following day. During the same show, Darden claimed West said 'I love Donald Trump' and complained he 'couldn't get anything done' when Barack Obama was president. 'I reached out to Obama for years and couldnt get anything done, but Trump gave me a meeting,' Darden claimed West said during their private conversation. Sources denied Daren's claims that West had an addiction and told The Blast on Monday that he had actually been in the hospital for suffering extreme paranoia after not sleeping for over 48 hours. In the same report, sources close to the rapper claimed that people in his 'inner circle' are concerned with his mental health. They also claimed West has an acute mental illness which was even used as his defense in the lawsuit against Lloyds Of London over insurance money when it came to his canceled tour at the end of 2016. A day after Daren talked about an alleged discussion between the two, Kanye phoned into Ebro In The Morning on New York's Hot 97.1 radio station on Tuesday One source told the publication: 'We are all worried about his current mental health.' They said a recent outburst by West at the studio had many worried as he shouted that he didn't need 'titles' and that he could handle his career 'all by himself'. After saying all business would be 'handled in-house' it is claimed that West finished the outburst by saying 'Yeezy is the new Apple'. Kanye has had many buzzing since his return to Twitter last week but an insider for the publication said that his comments 'aren't making a lot of sense' to his team. It was believed that his social media flood were just to promote his upcoming albums, however, the site report that friends and family believe that he may be 'spiraling into a dark place.' A day after Darden claimed West had an opioid addiction, the rapper called into his show on Tuesday. Rumors have also swirled that West's recent Twitter outbursts have caused him to have 'huge blow-ups' with Kardashian matriarch Kris Jenner (pictured together in 2015) And one source claimed that, during a recent outburst in the studio, West shouted that he didn't need 'titles' and that he could handle his career 'all by himself' But whenever Darden tried to ask him any questions, West would simply reply 'I love you' before breaking out into Stevie Wonder's song I Just Called To Say I Love You. West then told the radio host: 'Meet me up in person and then we can talk afterwards but I just called to say I love you'. Rumors have also swirled that West's recent Twitter outbursts have caused him to have 'huge blow-ups' with Kardashian matriarch Kris Jenner. A source told People that Jenner has been upset with how 'erratic' West is acting and that she's concerned about 'her daughter's brand'. 'Everyone is really, really worried,' the source added. A source said that West has been 'eccentric and erratic' and that he 'genuinely believes he's God and a genius', while another claimed he's 'all over the place'. But another source close to the rapper said he's just 'being Kanye' and that he likes to 'stir the pot'. 'He's willing to take risks with his public persona,' they said. 'He doesn't take it as serious as the internet takes it.' Harold Shipman should have been struck off in 1975 by the General Medical Council saving the lives of more than 250 people after he was arrested for forging prescriptions to feed his drug addiction, a new documentary has revealed. Shipman, who was 28 at the time was arrested by Detective Sergeant George McKeating on suspicion of forging prescriptions and possession of drugs. McKeating said he interviewed Shipman and noticed he had track marks on his arms from where he had been injecting himself with pethidine. Former West Yorkshire detective George McKeating, pictured, arrested Harold Shipman in 1975 for illegal possession of pethidine and forging prescriptions Harold Shipman, pictured in 1982, told DC McKeating that he no longer planned to practice medicine after he was arrested, although he was given a second chance by regulators He said Shipman claimed he took the drugs because of stress but then became hooked on it. The former Detective Sergeant told an ITV documentary Harold Shipman: Dr Death that he fully expected the GP was going to lose his job. He told me he had no intention of practicing as a General Practitioner any longer. The former Detective Sergeant said he went to the General Medical Council hearing to give evidence against Shipman but was never called. He said the panel decided Shipman was not a danger to his patients and fined him 600 and ordered him to attend rehab. Addicts rarely rehabilitate, he added. After escaping with his medical licence, Shipman moved to Hyde in Greater Manchester where he soon free to become a serial killer. To patients in the strongly working class area, he was a good GP- even though some had dubbed him 'Doctor Death'. Yet, a report in 2005 said he was responsible for up to 250 deaths. DC Dave OBrien: Ive worked on lots of murders, but nothing like Shipman. That was massive. He was an arrogant b****** and that was for sure. Former detective Sally Reid said she and her colleagues faced outright hostility while investigating Shipman, as people in Hyde thought he was a good doctor. She said: 'We were met by some who were really aggressive. 'How dare we come and suggest something about Shipman because he was "their doctor",' she said. 'They thought he had done a fabulous job with their parent, they thought it was obscene that we should be questioning anything to do with Shipman.' Former detective Sally Reid said she and her colleagues faced hostility from members of the public who considered Shipman to be a good GP despite the grave allegations against him The documentary said Shipman came under suspicion for the first time following the death of his patient Kathleen Grundy. Kathleen Grundy owned two houses, yet the will Shipman forged mentioned only one house, leading detectives to suspect that she had not typed the document. Shipman claimed to detectives that the 81-year-old pensioner had borrowed his typewriter to write the document. This mistake provided detectives with enough evidence to seek the exhumation of Mrs Grundy's body. Tests found she had been injected with a lethal dose of morphine. During an interview with Detective Constable Mark Denham, Shipman claimed Mrs Grundy may have injected the drugs herself. He told the detective: 'I'm just telling you my fears and worries of that lady at the time.' However, when presented with the overwhelming evidence of his crimes, Shipman became silent. In 1998 he was convicted of 15 murders over a three-year period, but officers believe he was responsible for more than 250 deaths over the course of his career. Former Manchester detective Dave O'Brien, pictured, said: 'Ive worked on lots of murders, but nothing like Shipman. That was massive. He was an arrogant b****** and that was for sure' A bitter noise dispute between two Canadian families escalated after one family put an alarm in their backyard that goes off any time the children next door play outside. Chelsey Reid, of Calgary, said the dispute has been going on for two years. Reid claims that her neighbors are constantly complaining about the noise her children, Jax, five, and Nora, make while playing outside. Chelsey Reid (pictured with her daughter Nora), of Canada, said her neighbors put an alarm in their backyard that goes off any time her children, Jax and Nora, play outside. Reid says the alarm stems from a two-year noise dispute Reid claims that her neighbors are constantly complaining about the noise her children, Jax, five, and Nora (both pictured), make while playing outside But recently, the situation escalated after Reid discovered her neighbors had placed a noise monitoring alarm in their backyard. 'I thought it was an annoying bird, and it wasn't until we were out in the back that I realized it was when the kids were just playing,' Reid told CTV News. She said her children were kept inside for most of the winter, and it wasn't until last week that they got to play outside. That's when she heard the alarm go off for the first time. Reid told CTV News that she has tried speaking with the family several times, but to no avail. 'The way that they act towards my kids, I almost find it's bullying children,' Reid said. She said her children were kept inside for most of the winter, and it wasn't until last week that they got to play outside. That's when she heard the alarm (pictured) go off for the first time In a desperate bid to open the dialogue between the two families, Reid said she has reached out to the Community Mediation Calgary Society, a non-profit group that offers professional mediators for free. Pictured is the home of Reid's neighbors In a desperate bid to open the dialogue between the two families, Reid said she has reached out to the Community Mediation Calgary Society, a non-profit group that offers professional mediators for free. She told the station that she hopes the mediation will help so that she and her family can enjoy their summer. 'I don't want to play this game year after year, it's not fun. I just want it to end,' she said. According to Calgary bylaws, kids playing normally in their yards is not a noise violation. China's leading online travel agency wants to bring supersonic flights to the country's 1.4 billion population. Ctrip has announced on Thursday an investment in US based supersonic airplane developer Supersonic Boom that will help build its commercial aircraft. The airplane developer is currently building a supersonic airliner capable of carrying 55 passengers at Mach 2.2, which is equivalent to the speed of 1,451mph (2,335 km/h). US engineering firm Boom Supersonic is developing a 55-seat passenger jet (artist's impression) capable of reaching Mach 2.2 that is expected to enter service by the mid 2020s) Boom boasts that the new commercial airliner could cut travel time in half for passengers Airplane developer Boom is currently building a supersonic airliner capable of carrying 55 passengers at Mach 2.2, which is equivalent to the speed of 1,451mph (2,335 km/h) BOOM PASSENGER AIRLINER SPECS - Crew: Two - Length: 170', Wingspan: 60' - Passengers: 45 standard (up to 55 in high density) - Flight attendants: Up to 4 - Lavatories: 2 - Powerplane: 3X non-afterburning medium bypass turbofan; proprietary variable geometry intake and exhaust - Aerodynamics: Chine, refined delta wing with swept trailing edge Long Range - Cruise: Mach 2.2 (1,451mph, 2,335 km/h) - Nose Temperature: 307F (345F on ISA+20 day) Maximum Design Route: 9,000nm (4,500nm unrefueled) Advertisement Boom boasts that this could cut travel time in half, meaning that a flight from Shanghai to Los Angeles would shrink to just over six hours, instead of the current 12-hour flight time. The US company is also in discussion with Ctrip to explore offering its customers 10 to 15 seats on one of Boom's first supersonic commercial flights, the press release added. The Boom airliner is expected enter service in the mid-2020s. The companies aim to shorten the flight times travelling from China to the United States, South Asia and Oceania. 'San Francisco to Shanghai, for example, could shrink from 11 hours to 6 - and a typical round-trip itinerary can be accomplished two whole days faster,' said Blake Scholl, founder and CEO of Boom. He said that this new form of travelling could turn 'far off lands into familiar neighbours'. 'What really matters are the new trips you choose to take - the ones you otherwise wouldn't have considered because the journey was simply too long. When we fly twice as fast, the world becomes twice as small,' he said. 'Ctrip is making a strategic investment in the next generation of travel', said James Liang, co-founder and executive chairman of the service provider. Ctrip is a online service provider of accommodation reservation, transportation ticketing, packaged tours and corporate travel management in China. Ctrip joins other investors such as Japan Airlines, which has also pre-ordered 20 Boom aircraft. Virgin Group is also a Boom launch customer. Boom's supersonic passenger airliner can fly from Tokyo to San Francisco in just six hours Claude Snelling: September 11, 1975 Claude Snelling September 11, 1975 Journalism professor Claude Snelling, 45, was asleep in his home in Visalia, California when he heard an odd noise outside at about 2am. He rushed outside to find a masked man dragging his 16-year-old daughter Elizabeth away. The abductor shot Snelling twice, killing him, and fled the scene on foot, leaving Elizabeth unharmed. She later told how her father saved her life. DeAngelo had woken her up, standing over her in a ski mask. He told her to go with him or risk her life. She said it was 'blurry' but that she remembered him dragging her. 'The kidnapper] threw me down and shot my dad twice. Then he pointed the gun at me.' DeAngelo hit her with the gun and kicked her but fled. Snelling died on his way to the hospital. The shooting was connected to the work of the Visalia Ransacker, believed to be responsible for 102 burglaries in the area, when ballistics matched the gun that killed Snelling to one that had been stolen in a previous break-in. Brian and Katie Maggiore: February 2, 1978 Brian and Katie Maggiore February 2, 1978 Brian Maggiore, 21, and his wife Katie, 20, were walking their dog in their Rancho Cordova neighborhood, just outside Sacramento, on February 2, 1978. The FBI said the couple were chased down before being shot and killed by the Golden State Killer. Dr Robert Offerman and Alexandria Manning: December 30, 1979 Dr Robert Offerman and Alexandria Manning December 30, 1979 Dr Robert Offerman, 44, and Alexandria Manning, 35, were killed at a home in Goleta near Santa Barbara. Offerman, an osteopathic surgeon, and Manning, a clinical psychologist, had their hands bound with twine. Lyman and Charlene Smith (left) and Patrice and Keith Harrington (right) Lyman and Charlene Smith March 13, 1980 Lyman Smith, 43, and his wife Charlene, 33, were bludgeoned to death with a fireplace log in their Ventura County home. Smith was an attorney who was just days from being appointed a judge. His wife worked as a court clerk. Patrice and Keith Harrington August 19, 1980 Patrice Harrington, 28, and her husband Keith, 25, were killed in their home at Dana Point. Police said they were beaten with a blunt instrument. Patrice was a pediatric nurse and her husband was a medical student at UC Irvine. Manuela Witthuhn (left) and Janelle Lisa Cruz (right) Manuela Witthuhn February 5, 1981 Manuela Witthuhn, 28, was raped and beaten to death in her home in Irvine. She was home alone at the time because her husband was in the hospital recovering from an illness. Cheri Domingo and Gregory Sanchez Cheri Domingo and Gregory Sanchez July 27, 1981 Cheri Domingo, 35, and Gregory Sanchez, 27, were house sitting in Goleta when they were murdered in bed. Domingo was found with her hands tied and suffering massive head injuries. Sanchez was shot and bludgeoned. Janelle Lisa Cruz May 4, 1986 Janelle Cruz, 18, was bludgeoned to death in her family's home in Irvine. She was home alone at the time and police found her lying across her bed. A real estate agent who was selling the family's home was the first to discover the teen's body. Blood was found spattered throughout the home and police believe she was beaten with a pipe wrench. Advertisement An astronaut has captured a rare cloud-free photograph of the Scottish Highlands from the International Space Station. The image, which was taken in February on a Nikon D5 digital camera, shows the breathtaking Scottish landscape in all its rugged beauty. The rare photo shows the snow-capped mountains north of Glen Mor, a 62-mile (100km) valley running from Inverness to Fort William at the head of Loch Linnhe. According to Nasa cloudy skies 'are common for the region and typically prevent landscape photography from space, especially during the winter months'. Scroll down for video An astronaut has captured a rare cloud-free photograph of the Scottish Highlands from the International Space Station. The image, taken in February on a Nikon D5 digital camera, shows the breathtaking Scottish landscape in all its rugged beauty Also known as the 'Great Valley' or 'Great Glen,' Glen Mor is believed to house some of the oldest rocks in Europe. The fault zone surrounded by many elongated lakes one of which is Loch Ness, famous for the illusive Loch Ness monster. The landscape was shaped by geological forces some hundreds of millions of years ago. The rocky landscape of the Scottish Highlands also shows signs of reshaping by flowing glaciers during the most recent Ice Ages from around 2.5 million years ago. The photo shows the snow-capped mountains north of Glen Mor, a 62-mile valley running from Inverness to Fort William at the head of Loch Linnhe. The landscape was shaped by geological forces some hundreds of millions of years ago In 2016, US astronaut Jeff Williams managed to take photo of Scotland without clouds. 'We had a great view of Scotland todayvery rare to not be covered with clouds', he tweeted In the early 2000s, locals built a pathway through the area - the Great Glen Way - for walkers and cyclists. The incredible cloud-free image has been cropped and enhanced to improve contrast. Lens artefacts have also been removed. In 2016, US astronaut Jeff Williams managed to take a similarly rare photo of Scotland without clouds. We had a great view of Scotland todayvery rare to not be covered with clouds. pic.twitter.com/R31MXg2I1U Jeff Williams (@Astro_Jeff) August 16, 2016 At the end of last year Nasa released another image of the Scottish highlands caked in snow with lots of cloud cover, which is the view astronauts are more used to seeing The image (pictured) was taken from Nasa's Terra Satellite Earth Observing System which is the size of a minibus. For almost 18 years the Terra satellite and its five sensors have collected data about Earth and its complex systems 'We had a great view of Scotland todayvery rare to not be covered with clouds', he tweeted. At the end of last year Nasa released another image of the Scottish highlands caked in snow with lots of cloud cover, which is the view astronauts are more used to seeing. The 2017 image was taken from Nasa's Terra Satellite Earth Observing System which is the size of a minibus. For almost 18 years the Terra satellite and its five sensors have collected data about Earth and its complex systems. Archaeologists have uncovered a gruesome 5th century massacre 'frozen in time' at the small village of Sanby borg on the Swedish island of Oland. Dozens of unarmed bodies - which were killed with 'brutal force' - were found in a walled fort lying in exactly the same position they fell 1,500 years ago. The inhabitants of this prosperous village were left to rot were they fell still wearing their beautiful jewellery, furs and Roman gold coins. Researchers even found a newborn was among the decapitated and mutilated victims of the 1,500-year-old attack by babarians, suggesting even the most vulnerable were not spared. It is not known why the massacre was carried out, but it took place during an infamously turbulent time when the Western Roman empire was collapsing and being invaded by Huns. The people who were killed were believed to be the ruling elite on this island. This is shown by the fact they wore jewellery, suggesting they were trading with the Roman Empire. They themselves were not Roman and the island never came under Roman control. Scroll down for video Dozens of unarmed bodies - which were killed with 'brutal force' - were found in a walled fort lying in exactly the same position they fell 1,500 years ago. This is the body of a teenager found at Sandby borg. Archaeologists believe he was eating with his family when he was killed None of the dead bodies - some of which were decapitated - were carrying weapons. One old man seemed to have been smashed in the head and then fell into the fire place where his body was charred to the bone. Another teenager appears to have tried to flee but tripped over another body and died where he fell. No written history has survived of the massacre but there were stories locally that it was a a dangerous place. 'I do find it most likely that the event was remembered and that it triggered strong taboos connected to the site, possibly brought on through oral history for centuries', archaeologist Ludwig Papmehl-Dufay from Kalmar County Museum told the Guardian. Scraps of the last meal and cooking pots were still in the houses while the animals appeared to have starved to death in their pens. Researchers were surprised to find bodies inside as historically people were cremated. 'We basically dont know anything about their group identity', Dr Papmehl-Dufay told MailOnline. 'Analyses of DNA and stable isotopes will give some information about genetic relations, ancestry and demography, but these are ongoing analyses and the results are not published yet', he said. One teenager appears to have tried to flee but tripped over another body and died where he fell (pictured). No written history survived of the massacre but there were stories locally that it was a a dangerous place None of the dead bodies - some of which were decapitated - were carrying weapons. One old man seemed to have been smashed in the head and then fell into the fire place where his body was charred to the bone. Pictured is 'house 4' being excavated The inhabitants of this prosperous village were left to rot still wearing their beautiful jewellery and Roman gold coins (pictured). Researchers even found a newborn was among the victims of the 1,500-year-old attack, suggesting not even the most vulnerable were spared It is not clear what led to the massacre but archaeologists believe the 15 forts around the island could have been controlled by rival groups. Pictured is a glass bead, a gilded sword pendant and gold coin WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE EUROPEAN MIGRATION PERIOD? The European Migration Period (c. AD 400550) was characterised by political, social and economic instability. It saw the decline of the Western Roman Empire and the invasion of tribal groups. Many Germanic, Hunnic and Slavic people migrated into the Roman Empire without accompanying invasions of war. Widespread war and famine impacted societies at the time. It is unclear if the fall of the Western Roman Empire was a result or cause of tribes getting on the move. Southern Scandinavia was never part of the Roman Empire but their influence is evidence in present-day Denmark and southern Sweden. During the middle of the Iron Age (200-600AD) this area was characterised by hierarchical societies. The ruling elite had social networks reaching into the Roman Empire and many got rich by controlling metal imports from Europe. In place of Western Rome, Barbarian kingdoms arose and started to shape the European culture of the Middle Ages. Advertisement 'You don't find people lying around in houses,' Helena Victor from Kalmar Lans Museum told BBC. 'People seem to have been killed without defending themselves. It seems like treason', she said. This could mean someone 'let them in at night', Ms Victor suggested. Only three out of 53 houses have been excavated and researchers believe there are many more human remains to be discovered. 'The European Migration Period (c. AD 400550) was characterised by political, social and economic instability', researchers, led by archaeologist Dr Clara Alfsdotter, from the Bohuslans Museum, wrote in the paper published in Antiquity. 'The site provides a snapshot of the moment of both the massacre and everyday life that was halted brutally.' Researchers say that the inhabitants appeared to be wealthy. Five gilded brooches were found at the site. They were probably part of aristocratic women's jewellery sets and are decorated in spiral ornamentations Scraps of the last meal and cooking pots were still in the houses while the animals appeared to have starved to death in their pens. Researchers were surprised to find bodies inside as historically people were cremated. Pictured is the site 'Each deposit contained a gilded-silver relief brooch along with various items, such as glass beads, finger rings and silver pendants,' the archaeologists wrote. 'The brooches, which were probably part of aristocratic women's jewellery sets, are decorated in Salins Style I and spiral ornamentations.' It is not clear what led to the massacre but archaeologists believe the 15 forts around the island could have been controlled by rival groups. Researchers say that the fact the bodies were left unburied suggests the people who did it were still in the area and prevented others from taking care of the corpses. Only three out of 53 houses have been excavated and researchers believe there are many more human remains to be discovered. Pictured is a plan of the site Sanby borg is on the Swedish island of Oland. During the middle of the Iron Age (200-600AD) this area was characterised by hierarchical societies 'The assault on Sandby borg may have been the result of subsequent power struggles on the island, at a time when the political map and power structures were being rewritten across the European continent,' the archaeologists wrote. 'Considerable quantities of important trade goods (e.g. wealth items and live animals) were destroyed or abandoned at the site.' Researchers say the perpetrators could have subsequently established themselves as the ruling elite. 'We do not interpret the massacre as an act of outright plunder, but rather as one that was connected to political instability during the turbulent Migration Period', researchers wrote. Pig brains have been kept alive outside their bodies for the first time as part of a controversial new experiment. The brains of hundreds of pigs survived for up to 36 hours after the animals had been decapitated, researchers revealed. The radical experiments could pave the way for brain transplants and may one day allow humans to become immortal by hooking up our minds to artificial systems after our natural bodies have perished. Scroll down for video Pig brains have been kept alive outside of the body for the first time as part of a controversial new experiment. The radical experiments could pave the way for human brain transplants and may one day allow humans to become immortal (stock image) Scientist Dr Nenad Sestan, who led the Yale University team, disclosed his methods in a meeting at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. Researchers were able to successfully remove the heads of between 100 and 200 pigs and resuscitate their brains while detached from the body. The organs were connected to a closed-loop system the scientists dubbed 'BrainEX' that pumped key areas with artificial oxygen-rich blood to sustain life. In what Dr Sestan described as a 'mind-boggling' and 'unexpected' result, billions of cells in the brains were found to be alive and healthy. He told the NIH it is possible the brains could be kept alive indefinitely and that additional steps could be taken to restore awareness, according to a report in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Technology Review. The neuroscientist said his team chose not to attempt either because 'this is uncharted territory.' The brains of pigs survived for up to 36 hours after the animals had been decapitated. The results could one day lead to human brains that can live outside the body, a long fascination of science fiction - including the 1983 film 'The Man With Two Brains' (pictured) Chemicals added to prevent swelling during the procedure would likely prohibit consciousness indefinitely. This means it may not be possible for the team to resuscitate brains that can still 'think' using their current methods. According to Dr Sesta, the brains they operated on were definitely not alive or conscious. 'That animal brain is not aware of anything, I am very confident of that,' he said, according to the MIT report. Previous research has shown it is possible to keep the brains of a number of mammals alive after the organ is removed from the body. HOW SOON WILL WE BE ABLE TO UPLOAD OUR MINDS TO A COMPUTER? Brain and memory preservation has been explored at length by futurists, scientists and science fiction junkies alike. Many say it falls under the category of 'transhumanism.' Transhumanism is the belief that the human body can evolve beyond its current form with the help of scientists and technology. The practice of mind uploading has been promoted by many people, including Ray Kurzweil, Google's director of engineering, who believes we will be able to upload our entire brains to computers by 2045. Similar technologies have been depicted in science fiction dramas, ranging from Netflix's Altered Carbon, to the popular series Black Mirror. Another prominent futurist, Dr Michio Kaku, believes virtual reality can be used to keep our loved ones' personalities and memories alive even after they die. Scientists and futurists have different theories about how we might be able to preserve the human brain, ranging from uploading our memories to a computer to Nectome's high-tech embalming process, which can keep it intact for thousands of years 'Imagine being able to speak to your loved one after they die ... it is possible if their personality has been downloaded onto a computer as an avatar,' he explained. These ideas haven't been met without criticism. McGill University Neuroscientist Michael Hendricks told MIT that these technologies are a 'joke.' 'I hope future people are appalled that in the 21st century, the richest and most comfortable people in history spent their money and resources trying to live forever on the backs of their descendants. I mean, its a joke, right? They are cartoon bad guys,' he said. Meanwhile, neuroscientist Miguel Nicolelis said recently that such technologies would be virtually impossible. 'The brain is not computable and no engineering can reproduce it,' he said. 'You can have all the computer chips in the world and you won't create a consciousness.' Advertisement In 1928 Soviet researchers severed the head of a dog and kept it partly alive by connecting key blood vessels to an artificial circulation machine. A researcher at New York University kept a guine-pig brain alive in a special fluid for several days in 1993. But the new research, which has been submitted for publication in a scientific journal, is the first time a pig brain has been kept alive outside of the body. The experiment is signficiant because pig brains bare a striking similarity in the way they function to human brains. According to Dr Steve Hyman, a brain researcher at the Broad Institute in Cambridge, Massachusetts, who was among those briefed on the work, the brain's used in the study were technically alive. He told Technology Review: 'These brains may be damaged, but if the cells are alive, it's a living organ. 'It's at the extreme of technical know-how, but not that different from preserving a kidney.' But despite the breakthrough, transplanting a brain into a new body is still 'not remotely possible,' he added. China plans to build a manned 'lunar palace' that will probe the moon for resources and act as a launchpad for missions to Mars. The outpost is expected to have multiple tube-shaped cabins that link up and provide oxygen to people inside, according to a video seen by Chinese media. The 'scientific research' base, which will be primarily fuelled by solar power, marks the latest step in Beijing's ambitious space programme. China's National Space Administration hopes to land astronauts on the moon in 2030, with the goal of examining the lunar poles. There is currently no date for when the lunar outpost will be ready. Scroll down for video China plans to build a manned 'lunar palace' that will probe the moon for resources and act as a launchpad for missions to Mars (artist's impression) 'In the future, we will explore the lunar poles and build a science research station,' the agency said in video which outlines the new plans. 'We believe that the Chinese nation's dream of residing in a "lunar palace" will soon become a reality. 'In the new space era, our nation will aim farther in space than the moon and explore Mars.' China is using its economic might to pursue an aggressive space programme as it strives to narrow the gap with the United States in space exploration. Last April, a Chinese space official said Beijing was discussing a future moon outpost with the European Space Agency, but few details later emerged. The country's first manned space mission launched in 2003, with astronaut Yang Liwei completing 14 orbits of Earth before returning to the planet. The outpost is expected to have multiple tube-shaped cabins (pictured) that link up and provide oxygen to people inside, according to a video seen by Chinese media Four years later the National Space Administration fired its first robotic probes to the moon. The agency has since carried out several lunar missions. Its fourth lunar probe is set to be launched by the end of this year, with a destination set for the dark side of the moon. Chinese scientists hope the probe will improve observations into deep space. Another lunar probe scheduled for next year will collect soil samples and take them back to Earth. Wang Liheng, a senior space scientist, said that China's lunar palace would follow successful probes and manned space mission. The 'scientific research' base (interior pictured) will be primarily fuelled by solar power and marks the latest step in Beijing's ambitious space programme China is using its economic might to pursue an aggressive space programme as it strives to narrow the gap with the United States in space exploration. Pictured is an artist's impression of the new base 'The first step, our researchers suggest, will be sending our astronauts to the moon to perform short-term explorations,' he told state-run news outlet China Daily. Mr Wang, a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, said a manned lunar station would help scientists explore how to exploit the moon's resources. It could also provide a starting point for future manned missions to Mars. Mr Wang told the state broadcaster China Central Television: 'Let's get a person on the moon before we go deeper into space, with the next target being Mars.' The country's first manned space mission launched in 2003, with astronaut Yang Liwei (pictured) completing 14 orbits of Earth before returning to the planet In 2007 China's National Space Administration fired its first robotic probes to the moon and the agency has since carried out several lunar missions Neanderthals may have died out because they lacked part of the human brain that helps us adapt to change and be sociable. Our ancient cousins had less grey matter in an area vital for memory, thinking and communication skills, suggests a new study. This would have affected their social and cognitive abilities, and could have been a major factor in their demise, scientists said. Neanderthals would have been less able than humans to adapt to climate change by innovating, for example. Scroll down for video Researchers scanned the skulls of Neanderthals to assess their brain matter. They compared the estimated sizes of Neanderthal brains to modern humans (left column) and early humans (centre column). Red indicates large shape difference while green and blue show little change As part of the new study, the structure of the typical Neanderthal brain was reproduced for the first time using virtual casts of skull fossils. The Japanese research team compared it to that of an early human's and, surprisingly, found they were the same size. But the human brain had a larger cerebellum - the part at the back of the skull that handles all aspects of movement, including coordination. Researcher Professor Naomichi Ogihara and colleagues used brain imaging data of living humans to demonstrate just how important this was. Having more neurons in this region increases intelligence, attention, language processing and working and episodic memory - knowing or remembering, respectively. Professor Ogihara, of Keio University, Yokohama, said this may have helped humans adapt better to changing environments, increasing their chances of survival. The structure of the typical Neanderthal brain was reproduced for the first time using virtual casts of skull fossils. Pictured are scans the degree of accuracy to which they reproduced the Neanderthal brain size based on human brain scans (blue accurate, red inaccurate) Researchers suggest that Neanderthals' (artist's impression) brain shape would have affected their social and cognitive abilities - and been a major factor in their demise. They would have been less able than humans to adapt to climate change by innovating A close relative of modern humans, Neanderthals went extinct 40,000 years ago The Neanderthals were a close human ancestor that mysteriously died out around 40,000 years ago. The species lived in Africa with early humans for millennia before moving across to Europe around 300,000 years ago. They were later joined by humans, who entered Eurasia around 48,000 years ago. The Neanderthals were a cousin species of humans but not a direct ancestor - the two species split from a common ancestor - that perished around 50,000 years ago. Pictured is a Neanderthal museum exhibit These were the original 'cavemen', historically thought to be dim-witted and brutish compared to modern humans. In recent years though, and especially over the last decade, it has become increasingly apparent we've been selling Neanderthals short. A growing body of evidence points to a more sophisticated and multi-talented kind of 'caveman' than anyone thought possible. It now seems likely that Neanderthals had told, buried their dead, painted and even interbred with humans. They used body art such as pigments and beads, and they were the very first artists, with Neanderthal cave art (and symbolism) in Spain apparently predating the earliest modern human art by some 20,000 years. They are thought to have hunted on land and done some fishing. However, they went extinct around 40,000 years ago following the success of Homo sapiens in Europe. Advertisement The puzzle is one of the greatest surrounding our species. On a planet that bristled with different species of hominid, including Neanderthals and the Hobbit-like folk of Flores, only Homo sapiens survive today. It has been debated for decades whether we killed off our competitors, or the others struggled to cope with the extreme climatic fluctuations that then beset the planet. Numerous theories include differences in the ability to adapt to rapidly changing climate and environment or variations in technical, economic and social systems. Others put forward include less efficient subsistence strategies and language skill. Cannibalism has even been suggested. Our ape-like cousins had less grey matter in an area vital for memory, thinking and communication skills, suggests a new study. Pictured in yellow are the regions where surface area differed greatly between species Professor Ogihara said: 'There is a growing amount of evidence that differences in cognitive or neural function, may help to explain Neanderthal replacement by Homo sapiens, potentially via behavioural changes resulting from anatomical and functional brain differences.' His team used a technique called 'computational anatomy' to identify the structural differences in the brain between the two species for the first time. Professor Ogihara said this was easy as the same has been done with the brains of chimpanzees and bonobos that diverged up to two million years ago. Humans and Neanderthals split from a human ancestor as recently as 600,000 years ago. The researchers, whose findings were published in the journal Scientific Reports, took virtual casts of four Neanderthal and four early Homo sapiens skull fossils to reconstruct the size of their brains. WHAT KILLED OFF THE NEANDERTHALS? The first Homo sapiens reached Europe around 43,000 years ago, replacing the Neanderthals there approximately 3,000 years later. There are many theories as to what drove the downfall of the Neanderthals. Experts have suggested that early humans may have carried tropical diseases with them from Africa that wiped out their ape-like cousins. The first Homo sapiens reached Europe around 43,000 years ago, replacing the Neanderthals (model pictured) there approximately 3,000 years later Others claim that plummeting temperatures due to climate change wiped out the Neanderthals. The predominant theory is that early humans killed off the species through competition for food and habitat. Homo sapiens' superior brain power and hunting techniques meant the Neanderthals couldn't compete. Based on scans of Neanderthal skulls, a new theory suggests the heavy-browed hominids lacked key human brain regions vital for memory, thinking and communication skills. That would have affected their social and cognitive abilities - and could have killed them off as they were unable to adapt to climate change. Advertisement They then used MRI data from the brains of 1,185 volunteers to model the average modern human brain. The computer model was then deformed to match the shape of the skull casts. This allowed the researchers to predict what the brains of early Homo sapiens and Neanderthals may have looked like - and how individual brain regions may have differed between the species. Professor Ogihara said: 'We found early Homo sapiens had relatively larger cerebellar hemispheres, but a smaller occipital region in the cerebrum than Neanderthals long before the time that Neanderthals disappeared.' The occipital lobe is the visual processing centre of the brain. The Japanese research team compared it to that of an early human's and, surprisingly, found they were the same size. Designers have used the fossils to recreate what they think the first Homo sapiens across Africa looked like 300,000 years ago (pictured) Neanderthals were known to have good eyesight, making them excellent hunters, which helped compensate for Europe's low light levels. But it would have reduced the brain space available for social cognition. Professor Ogihara said: 'Further, using behavioural and structural imaging data of living humans, the abilities such as cognitive flexibility, attention, the language processing, episodic and working memory capacity were positively correlated with size-adjusted cerebellar volume. 'As the cerebellar hemispheres are structured as a large array of uniform neural modules, a larger cerebellum may possess a larger capacity for cognitive information processing. 'Such a neuroanatomical difference in the cerebellum may have caused important differences in cognitive and social abilities between the two species and might have contributed to the replacement of Neanderthals by early Homo sapiens.' Professor Ogihara added: 'Consequently, ability to adapt to changing environment by creating innovation may have been limited in Neanderthals and this difference possibly affected their chance of survival and drove the replacement process.' Air pollution is a major driver of crime in big cities. That's the claim of researchers who looked at connections between crime and air quality in London. Researchers found that high levels of air pollution increase the rate of minor offences such as shop lifting and pick-pocketing. However, air pollution does not seem to have a significant impact on the most serious crimes - such as murder, assault causing severe bodily harm and rape. Researchers say crime may increase when smog levels are high because toxic air can increase the levels of stress hormone cortisol in the body. The research has implications for other major cities, such as Chicago and New York, which also suffer from high levels of pollution and crime, researchers say. Scroll down for video Air pollution is a major driver of crime in big cities, suggests a new study that examined connections between offending and air quality in London. This was found to be particularly true of lower level offences, such as shop lifting and pickpocketing Researchers from the London School of Economics and Political Science found that a ten point rise of the Air Quality Index score, correlated with an increase in the crime rate of 0.9 per cent. The research has implications for other major cities, such as Chicago and New York Experts from the London School of Economics and Political Science found that a ten point rise of the air pollution measure, the Air Quality Index (AQI), correlated with an increase in the crime rate of 0.9 per cent. This means that the crime rate in London is 8.4 per cent higher on the most polluted day, with an AQI of 103.6, compared to the days with the lowest level of pollution, an AQI of 9.3. An AQI of over 35, which happens in one out of four days on average, leads to 2.8 per cent more crimes equivalent to a nine per cent reduction in policing, researchers say. Dr Sefi Roth, assistant professor of environmental economics and co-author of the paper, said: 'Our research suggests that reducing air pollution in urban areas could be a cost effective way to reduce crime, in addition to the health benefits it would bring. 'We did not find that London's ongoing spate of knife crime would be affected by improved air quality. 'However, if the number of less serious crimes could be reduced, the police could potentially be freed up to allocate more resources to these types of very serious incidents. 'The effect of air pollution on crime occurs at levels which are well below current regulatory standards in the UK and the US which suggests that it could be beneficial to lower these existing guidelines.' Crime data covered 455,520 observations of daily crime counts across all of greater London's 624 wards (divided by black lines), excluding the City of London. Pollution data was taken from 96 AURN Midas monitoring stations (blue specks) Londons wealthiest neighbourhoods, which are also its most polluted, were most heavily affected by the link. The poorest neighbourhoods, although less polluted, were also affected, which scientists say suggests that those that live in them are more sensitive to poor air quality. A similar sensitivity to poor air quality on health has already been established by other research. Researchers looked at 1.8 million crimes over two years and compared them with pollution data within boroughs and wards over time, to ensure like was compared with like. WHAT IS THE AIR QUALITY INDEX? The Air Quality Index (AQI) is a measure used by environmental agencies and other public bodies around the world to measure how clean the air is. The lower the index is, the better the quality of the air. The AQI provides a number which is easy to compare between different pollutants, locations, and time periods. Exactly how this score is categorised varies from country to country, but each category in the AQI corresponds to a different level of health risk. The daily results of the index are used to convey to the public an estimate of air pollution level. The AQI provides a number which is easy to compare between different pollutants, locations, and time periods. Exactly how this score is categorised varies from country to country, but each category in theAQI corresponds to a different level of health risk An increase in air quality index signifies increased air pollution and severe threats to human health. The AQI centres on the health effects that may be experienced within a few days or hours after breathing polluted air. AQI calculations focus on major air pollutants including: particulate matter, ground-level ozone, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and carbon monoxide. Particulate matter and ozone pollutants pose the highest risks to human health and the environment. For each of these air pollutant categories, different countries have their own established air quality indices in relation to other nationally set air quality standards for public health protection. Advertisement Their findings took account of factors such as temperature, humidity and rainfall, days of the week and different seasons. The researchers also used wind direction, which blows pollution in and out of areas randomly, as a natural experiment to exclude any other factor from being the cause of the link they observed between crime and air pollution. The researchers suggest their findings may be linked to the increases in the stress hormone cortisol, which can occur in people exposed to higher levels of pollution. However, not everyone is ready to take the research at face value. Professor Kevin McConway, emeritus professor of applied statistics at The Open University, said: 'This is an interesting paper, but there are several points to bear in mind. Air pollution was not found to have a significant impact on the most serious crimes - such as murder, assault causing severe bodily harm and rape (falling on or near the purple line) 'First, the researchers' suggestion that reducing air pollution could reduce crime makes sense only if the increased crime rate that they observed at time of high pollution is actually caused by the pollution. 'The observational design of the study makes it impossible to be sure about that. Maybe there is some other factor that causes air pollution to be high on some days, and completely independently causes the crime rate to increase. 'If that's the case, then reducing the pollution would have no effect on crime. 'Another point to make is that this is a paper in a discussion paper series, published by an institute with which the authors are associated, and I believe it has not yet been subject to scientific peer review. 'A proper peer review, which would go much further into the details than I have had time to do, might or might not find more serious issues with these research findings.' The full findings of the study were published by the Institute of Labor Economics. It's long been viewed as a bastion of Roman military prowess but Hadrian's Wall may have had a more domestic history, researchers say. Newly discovered remains of a woman and five-year-old, believed to be a mother and child, challenge the idea that the fort was purely the preserve of military men. Roman cremation urns, in which they were found, will soon go on display as part of a 1.8 million ($2.5 m) English Heritage project. It aims to bring to life the stories of the men, women and children who lived along the Roman empire's north-western frontier. Visitors will also be able to see infant feeding bottles, the remnants of a doll, a bone whistle and evidence of board games, uncovered at the ancient site. Scroll down for video Newly discovered remains of a woman and five-year-old child challenge the notion that the fort was purely the preserve of military men. Roman cremation urns, in which the remains were found, will soon go on display as part of a 1.8 million ($2.5 m) English Heritage project The urns, discovered during a rare cemetery excavation in 2009, are going on display at Birdoswald Roman Fort, Cumbria, close to where they were found. Analysis of the child's tooth suggests he or she was around five while the woman is thought to have been in her 20s or 30s. Experts believe that the bodies, believed to date from the turn of the Third Century AD, may have been related, due to the close proximity of their burials. Goods found in the urn with the woman include a section of iron chain mail from armour, leaving archaeologists puzzling over the meaning of an item which normally indicates a male burial. A new permanent exhibition will tell the story of the garrison and its support communities, including a crane which demonstrates the expertise needed to build the wall. At nearby Corbridge Roman Town, English Heritage has included a new visualisation of what the outpost of the Roman empire would have looked like. A perfume vase in 'impeccable' condition will also go on display, alongside the children's toys and games. Visitors will also be able to see infant feeding bottles (pictured), the remnants of a doll, a bone whistle and evidence of board games, uncovered at the ancient site This image shows curator of Roman collections Frances McIntosh with a Roman board game, which will go on display at Corbridge Roman Town WHAT IS HADRIAN'S WALL? For around three centuries, Hadrians Wall was a vibrant, multi-cultured frontier sprawling 80 Roman miles (73 miles / 117 km) coast-to-coast. Permanent conquest of Britain began in AD 43. By about AD 100 the northernmost army units in Britain lay along the TyneSolway isthmus. The forts here were linked by a road, now known as the Stanegate, between Corbridge and Carlisle. Hadrian came to Britain in AD 122 and, according to a biography written 200 years later, put many things to right and was the first to build a wall 80 miles long from sea to sea to separate the barbarians from the Romans. Hadrians Wall became the north-west frontier of the Roman empire and crossed northern Britain from Wallsend on the River Tyne in the east to Bowness-on-Solway in the west. Built by a force of 15,000 men in under six years, it's comprised of Milecastles, barracks, ramparts and forts. Among these are the forts of Banna, now known as Birdoswald, the town of Corbridge and the auxiliary fort of Vindolanda, to the south of the wall. Hadrians Wall resisted all comers in its day and defended an empire that stretched from Britain in the west to Jordan in the east. Although mainly built by legionaries, the Wall was manned by auxiliaries. They were organised into regiments nominally either 500 or 1,000 strong and either infantry or cavalry or both. The 500-strong mixed infantry and cavalry unit was the workhorse of the frontier. Each fort on the Wall appears to have been built to hold a single auxiliary unit. Hadrians Wall was made a World Heritage Site in 1987. Advertisement English Heritage curator of Roman collections Frances McIntosh said: 'Alongside its military function, Hadrian's Wall was a thriving centre of everyday life. 'Even though ordinary Roman soldiers weren't officially allowed to marry until 197AD, a blind eye was often turned and many wives and children would have lived there, alongside a large community of civilians which sprung up to service the forts. 'The discovery of this woman and child is fascinating, it leaves us with questions about how they were related, and why she was buried with armour. 'But it also reminds us how rich and diverse the story of life on Hadrian's Wall is, something which our new exhibitions will highlight.' For around three centuries, Hadrians Wall was a vibrant, multi-cultured frontier sprawling 80 Roman miles (73 miles / 117 km) coast-to-coast. A new permanent exhibition will tell the story of the garrison and its support communities. Pictured is the restored gaming board and pieces The exhibitions aim to bring to life the stories of the men, women and children who lived along the Roman empire's north-western frontier. This image shows a first century AD copper alloy and enamelled perfume vase from a grave Hadrians Wall became the north-west frontier of the Roman empire and crossed northern Britain from Wallsend on the River Tyne in the east to Bowness-on-Solway in the west. This image shows a leg from a Roman doll found at the fort The forts here were linked by a road, now known as the Stanegate, between Corbridge and Carlisle. Hadrian came to Britain in AD 122 and, according to a biography written 200 years later, put many things to right and was the first to build a wall 80 miles long from sea to sea to separate the barbarians from the Romans. Hadrians Wall became the north-west frontier of the Roman empire and crossed northern Britain from Wallsend on the River Tyne in the east to Bowness-on-Solway in the west. Built by a force of 15,000 men in under six years, it's comprised of Milecastles, barracks, ramparts and forts. The urns, discovered during a rare cemetery excavation in 2009, are going on display at Birdoswald Roman Fort, Cumbria (pictured), close to where they were found At nearby Corbridge Roman Town (pictured), English Heritage has included a new visualisation of what the outpost of the Roman empire would have looked like Among these are the forts of Banna, now known as Birdoswald, the town of Corbridge and the auxiliary fort of Vindolanda, to the south of the wall. Hadrians Wall resisted all comers in its day and defended an empire that stretched from Britain in the west to Jordan in the east. Although mainly built by legionaries, the Wall was manned by auxiliaries. They were organised into regiments nominally either 500 or 1,000 strong and either infantry or cavalry or both. The 500-strong mixed infantry and cavalry unit was the workhorse of the frontier. Each fort on the Wall appears to have been built to hold a single auxiliary unit. Hadrians Wall was made a World Heritage Site in 1987. Hadrians Wall resisted all comers in its day and defended an empire that stretched from Britain in the west to Jordan in the east Advertisement The European Space Agency has released the first image taken by its Trace Gas Orbiter showing the ice-covered edge of a vast Martian crater. Scientists combined three pictures of the Korolev Crater taken from an altitude of 400 kilometers (249 miles) on April 15. Lead researcher Nicolas Thomas said Thursday the colors in the resulting image were also adjusted to best resemble those visible to the human eye. In this image provided by the European Space Agency, ESA, The ExoMars Colour and Stereo Surface Imaging System, CaSSIS, captured this view of the rim of Korolev crater (73.3N/165.9E) on 15 April 2018. The European Space Agency has released its first image taken by a probe orbiting Mars, showing the ice-covered edge of a vast crater. Scientists combined three pictures taken by the Trace Gas Orbiter's camera instrument, CaSSIS, from an altitude of 400 kilometers (249 miles) on April 15. The camera used is one of four instruments on board the orbiter, which is designed to look for gases such as methane that could indicate biological or geological activity on Mars. Thomas said the camera will allow scientists to inspect areas where gases are found, monitor Mars for signs of change and help scout the planet for future landing sites. The spacecraft arrived in a near-circular 400 km altitude orbit a few weeks ago ahead of its primary goal to seek out gases that may be linked to active geological or biological activity on Mars. The orbiter's Colour and Stereo Surface Imaging System, CaSSIS, took this stunning image, which features part of an impact crater, during the instrument's test period. The camera was activated on 20 March and was tested for the start of its main mission on 28 April. 'We transmitted new software to the instrument at the start of the test phase and after a couple of minor issues, the instrument is in good health and ready to work,' says the camera's principal investigator, Nicolas Thomas from the University of Bern in Switzerland. The image captures a 40 km-long segment of Korolev Crater located high in the northern hemisphere. The bright material on the rim of the crater is ice. 'We were really pleased to see how good this picture was given the lighting conditions,' says Antoine Pommerol, a member of the CaSSIS science team working on the calibration of the data. 'It shows that CaSSIS can make a major contribution to studies of the carbon dioxide and water cycles on Mars.' The image is assembled from three images in different colours that were taken almost simultaneously on 15 April. Back in Feb, a space probe swung into position around Mars in preparation to analyze its atmosphere for possible signs of life. The craft is ready to start 'sniffing' the atmosphere for gases such as methane. How methane may be created and destroyed on Mars is illustrated 'We aim to fully automate the image production process,' says Nick. 'Once we achieve this, we can distribute the data quickly to the science community for analysis.' The team also plans to make regular public releases. The orbiter's camera is one of four instruments on the Trace Gas Orbiter, or TGO, which also hosts two spectrometer suites and a neutron detector. The spectrometers began their science mission on 21 April with the spacecraft taking its first 'sniff' of the atmosphere. In reality, the sniffing is the spectrometers looking at how molecules in the atmosphere absorb sunlight: each has a unique fingerprint that reveals its chemical composition. A long period of data collection will be needed to bring out the details, especially for particularly rare or not even yet discovered ingredients in the atmosphere. Trace gases, as hinted at from their name, are only present in very small amounts: that is, less than one percent of the volume of the planet's atmosphere. In particular, the orbiter will seek evidence of methane and other gases that could be signatures of active biological or geological activity. The camera will eventually help characterise features on the surface that may be related to trace gas sources. 'We are excited to finally be starting collecting data at Mars with this phenomenal spacecraft,' says Hakan Svedhem, ESA's TGO project scientist. 'The test images we have seen so far certainly set the bar high.' Advertisement Forget spaceships, future travellers could travel between stars on giant hollowed out asteroids, according to a radical new plan. Students and researchers at Delft University of Technology are designing a starship they say will be able to keep generations of crew alive as they cross the gulf between stars. Dubbed the Evolving Asteroid Starship, the project would create a gigantic city-like structure on the asteroid, allowing travellers stay on board for decades at a time. Scroll down for video Researchers at Delft University of Technology are designing a starship they say will be able to keep generations of crew alive as they cross the gulf between stars According to a video of the system in action, dozens of rockets would be attached to the asteroid, allowing operator to propel it and control its direction. The TU Delft Starship Team is already working with the European Space Agency on the life support systems needed. 'We need self-sustaining and evolvable space technology capable of enduring the many decades needed to journey from our Solar System to another,' said DSTART leader Angelo Vermeulen. The aim is not just to focus on the necessary technology, but also to consider the biological and social factors involved in making such a gargantuan voyage feasible. A journey beyond our solar system could take decades, even a century, the researchers say. 'A starship therefore also needs to be capable of evolving,' they claim. 'After all, returning to earth to tackle problems, as we saw during the subsequent missions towards the moon, is out of the question. 'The ship needs to be able to behave like a living organism that uses raw materials available in space, such as asteroids. 'These can be exploited for fuel and building materials, for example.' 3D printers can be taken on board to print new parts and to expand the ship, as it also needs to accommodate a growing ecosystem. 'As part of that, we are looking at the kind of regenerative life-support system pioneered by the ESA-led MELiSSA (Micro-Ecological Life Support System Alternative) programme.' The 11-nation MELiSSA programme hopes to build a system, inspired by a natural aquatic ecosystem, to efficiently convert organic waste and carbon dioxide into oxygen, water and food. A MELiSSA pilot plant in Spain's Autonomous University of Barcelona hosts an airtight multi-compartment loop with a 'bioreactor' powered by light and oxygen-producing algae to keep 'crews' of rats alive and comfortable for months at a time. While the algae yield oxygen and trap carbon dioxide, the rats do exactly the reverse. According to a video of the system in action, dozens of rockets would be attached to the asteroid, allowing operators to propel it and control its direction The bioreactor with oxygen-producing algae was recently demonstrated on the International Space Station. 'The MELiSSA concept gives the starship its baseline life support,' said Angelo, a biologist and artist who in 2013 served as crew commander of the NASA HI-SEAS Mars simulation base in Hawaii. 'Meanwhile, we're also integrating other technologies such as 3D printing and asteroid mining into our design.' Next month the team will present the first version of their starship-scale MELiSSA computer simulation at the AgroSpace-MELiSSA workshop in Rome. Microsoft has joined a growing list of Silicon Valley giants who are abandoning the realistic handgun emoji in favor of a toy water gun. The company unveiled the design of its new emoji -- a green, orange and yellow super soaker. The move follows Facebook and Google's announcement on Wednesday that they were also making the switch. Scroll down for video Microsoft is the latest tech firm to swap out the realistic hand gun emoji for a water gun. On Wednesday, the company unveiled the design of its new emoji -- a green supersoaker. As shown above, it was previously the only major firm to hang on to the pistol design this year 'We are in the process of evolving our emojis to reflect our values and the feedback we've received,' Microsoft said in a tweet. The firm then tweeted out a rendering of the new water gun emoji. Microsoft didn't specify when its water gun emoji will be rolling out to users. One user quipped that the new emoji had made 'the world safer now'. Microsoft was the last of the leading tech firms to adopt the change. That's despite the firm actually being the first to introduce a cartoonish ray gun to its emoji lineup in 2013. Microsoft didn't specify when its water gun emoji will be rolling out to users, but shared a preview of what it will look like 'While Microsoft was technically first with a non-weapon interpretation of this emoji, no other vendors followed their lead,' Emojipedia founder Jeremy Burge told Business Insider. The company later changed its emoji back to a handgun as it cited concerns about cross-platform consistency -- basically, it wanted its emojis to appear properly between different platforms. Google and Facebook made the decision to swap out their emojis a day earlier. Google said the change should already be accessible for Android users via a software update, according to Emojipedia. Facebook has confirmed that the toy squirt gun will soon replace the pistol emoji after it consults with the Unicode Consortium, the group that establishes standards for emojis. Apple was the first to lead the charge when it eliminated its hand gun emoji in 2016, swapping it out for bright green toy water gun. Microsoft was the last of the leading tech firms to adopt the change, despite swapping out the handgun emoji for a 50's style ray gun back in 2013. Apple later led the charge in 2016 Google said it's swapping out the pistol emoji for a squirt gun, following in the footsteps of several other tech giants. The update is rolling out to Android users in a software update WHAT EMOJIS DID APPLE PROPOSE DEPICTING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES? Apple has proposed 13 emojis that are meant to represent several kinds of disabilities. Once approved by Unicode, the emojis could appear on your smartphone by March 2019. The emojis proposed include: A man/woman gesturing that he's/she's deaf A man and woman using a manual wheelchair A man and woman using a mechanized wheelchair Ear with a hearing aid A man and woman using a cane A prosthetic arm A prosthetic leg Guide dog with a harness Guide dog with a leash and vest The emojis depict people who experience blindness, low vision, physical disabilities, deafness, as well as hidden disabilities, such as Autism, seizures, anxiety and PTSD Advertisement WhatsApp, Samsung and Twitter later followed suit by replacing the weapon emojis with toys. Across all the platforms, Google seems to have changed its gun emoji the most frequently. The firm told Emoji Wrap in 2016 that it was cautious about swapping out the gun emoji for the bright green water gun, as it wanted to be compatible with other systems. But as more and more tech companies have adopted the water gun glyph, others have followed suit. One of Apple's top suppliers has given rise to fresh concerns about disappointing iPhone X sales. Samsung warned in its latest quarterly earnings report that it saw 'slow' demand for its flexible organic LED screens, which hints at less than stellar sales of the iPhone X. The Korean tech giant is the sole supplier of the OLED screens used in Apple's flagship smartphone. Scroll down for video Samsung warned in its latest quarterly earnings report that it saw 'slow' demand for its flexible organic LED screens, which hints at less than stellar sales of the iPhone X (pictured) Samsung, which also produces OLED screens for its own smartphone models, said it doesn't expect demand to improve until the second half of 2018. Apple typically releases new iPhone models in the back half of the year. 'Generating overall earnings growth across the company will be a challenge due to weakness in the display panel segment and a decline in profitability in the mobile business amid rising competition in the high-end segment,' Samsung said in a statement. 'For the second half, OLED panels in the smartphone industry are expected to see a rebound in demand, especially as demand for flexible panels remains strong in the high-end segment,' the firm added. Other component makers have also warned of slower growth, suggesting that there continues to be lackluster demand for the $999 (999) iPhone X. Apple supplier Taiwan Semiconductor has suffered from dismal sales of its microchips, which doesn't bode well for Apple, as the firm supplies the A11 chip used in Apple's high-end smartphones. Samsung, which also produces OLED screens for its own smartphone models, said it doesn't expect demand to improve until the second half of 2018 The iPhone X's signature OLED screen is significantly more expensive to install than LCD displays, which likely contributed a sizable chunk to the device's price tag The Taiwanese firm says that total sales of its microchips for the current quarter will be $1 billion (710 million) less than predicted by analysts. That's in addition to Apple's five largest assemblers reporting a downturn in revenue in the first quarter in 2018. Among the companies affected is Tawian based Hon Hai Precision Industry Co, better know as Foxconn, the world's largest contract manufacturer of consumer electronic electronics. The company, along with four other suppliers - Pegatron, Wistron, Quanta and Compral - reported an eight per cent rise in their total sales across the first quarter of the year. But this growth dropped off sharply towards the end of that quarter, with plummeting iPhone X sales blamed by many industry experts. In January, it emerged that Apple, based in Cupertino, California, was halving its iPhone X production target for the first three months of the year to around 20 million units. Experts have debated over what may behind the sluggish demand for the iPhone X. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co supplies the Apple A11 microchip used in the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X. Apple is believed to account for nearly 20 per cent of the company's revenue, and many experts are blaming weak demand for the iPhone for the drop= WHAT IS APPLE'S CURRENT IPHONE LINEUP AND WHAT ARE ITS RUMOURED RELEASES? Speculation has been building that Apple is slated to release a 6.1-inch iPhone next year that serves as a follow up to the 10th anniversary iPhone X. The second-generation iPhone X would feature an even bigger screen, yet it may have a cheaper price point at just $550 (550) vs. the $999 (999) iPhone X. A 6.1-inch screen would be the firm's largest iPhone yet. The second-generation iPhone X would feature an even bigger screen, yet it may have a cheaper price point at just $550 vs. the $999 iPhone X Here's how it stacks up to Apple's current iPhone lineup: iPhone SE - 4 inch screen iPhone 6s - 4.7-inch screen iPhone 7 - 4.7-inch screen iPhone 8 - 4.7-inch screen iPhone 8 Plus - 5.5-inch screen iPhone X - 5.8-inch screen In August 2017, rumours from the supply chain said the iPhone 9 will be available in two sizes, including one with a massive screen. The 'Plus' size will reportedly have a 6.46-inch screen will be sold alongside a smaller 5.85-inch model in a bid to compete with Samsung's Galaxy Note, the leak claimed. It came from a source within Samsung Display, the sole OLED supplier for upcoming iPhones. The source also said the smaller version was originally going to be a 5.28-inch model but that the firm upped it because of growing consumer demand for bigger-screen phones. Advertisement Some said the phone was too advanced for many iPhone users, while others believe that the device's lack of interesting features failed to attract consumers. Still, other said the iPhone X's steep price tag may have deterred buyers. The iPhone X's signature OLED screen is significantly more expensive to install than LCD displays, which likely contributed a sizable chunk to the device's price tag. Many component makers expect a rebound in demand for the phone in the second half of 2018, when Apple releases new devices. Older devices tend to get a sizable discount when newer models arrive. So far, it's expected that Apple will release two new smartphones with OLED screens later this year. One model will be an upgrade to the iPhone X, in addition to a version with a bigger display, according to Bloomberg. Last year Venice banned the opening of new hotels and fast food restaurants in a bid to cap the number of tourists swarming through its streets now it's segregating them from locals. Visitor-only routes to popular landmarks have been introduced ahead of the bank holiday weekend to keep tourists away from the locals who have long complained about excessive crowds and to help protect the city's quaint alleyways and thoroughfares. It's a move that one travel firm CEO says reduces the city to the status of a 'theme park'. Visitor-only routes to popular landmarks have been introduced ahead of the bank holiday weekend to keep tourists away from the locals. The visitor-only routes will be put in place for tourists heading to St Mark's Square and the Rialto Bridge (pictured) The visitor-only routes will be put in place for tourists heading to St Mark's Square and the Rialto Bridge. The measure was signed off by the mayor, Luigi Brugnaro, according to The Telegraph, with the city anticipating bumper bank holiday crowds. He signed a decree that contains 'urgent measures to guarantee public safety, security and liveability in the historic city of Venice'. Justin Francis, founder and CEO of Responsible Travel, however, lamented the move. He said: 'How has this beautiful city ended up in this position? For decades tourism has been threatening Venice. They've found it impossible, or been unwilling, to confront the growth of tourists visiting from cruise ships or as Airbnb guests. 'The mentality has been one of "growth at all costs", to the detriment of local people and the very soul and essence of the city. 'Now we end up with segregation of tourists and locals. It seems it's now official that Venice has been reduced to a theme park, with Disney crowd control enforced. 'Tourism is about bringing people together, locals and visitors, and when done properly, both parties should reap the benefits. It should never be about segregation. In my view, it's tragic that it has come to this.' Every year, Venice is flooded by an unprecedented amount of nearly 30million visitors. Many of them flock to St Mark's Square, pictured Every year, Venice is flooded by an unprecedented amount of nearly 30million visitors. This is more-or-less half of the Italian population, according to the Global Tourism Review. Meanwhile, Venice's population has shrunk from 175,000 to just 55,000 in 60 years. According to local media, if things keep going at the current rate, the city won't have a single resident by 2030. And its natives haven't been taking this lightly. In September 2016, hundreds of Venetians carrying flares targeted cruise ships in a huge demonstration against the huge number of tourists they bring each day. Two months later, hundreds more protesters took to the streets carrying suitcases to symbolize their steady exodus from their beloved city. American Airlines remains the world's most valuable airline brand, according to an annual study. Delta is the second-most valuable brand according to the ranking, United comes third and British Airways is eighth. AA was top in 2017, too, and held on to the top spot despite its brand value falling by seven per cent to $9.1billion. American Airlines remains the world's most valuable airline brand, according to an annual study Delta is the second-most valuable brand according to the ranking, which is drawn up by Brand Finance Given its 2017 PR headaches, many will not be surprised that United came third out of America's big three Aeroflot remains 'strongest airline brand' In addition to measuring overall brand value, Brand Finance also evaluates the relative strength of brands, based on factors such as marketing investment, familiarity, loyalty, staff satisfaction, and corporate reputation. Aeroflot remains the world's strongest airline brand Brand strength is used to determine what proportion of a business's revenue is contributed by the brand. Aeroflot (up 13 per cent to US$1.4 billion) remains the world's strongest airline brand 'with AAA brand rating driven by consistently strong brand equity, built up through investments in its brand and marketing promotion in the Russian and key international markets', according to Brand Finance. The difference between brand value and strength can be illustrated by the examples of Toyota and Ferrari. The former is worth more, but Ferrari's brand is exceptionally strong, because of its pedigree and exclusivity. Advertisement Delta's value was also down by six per cent to $8.7billion and United's was down by two per cent to $7billion. Brand Finance, which produced the ranking, said: 'The trio of big American airlines have each failed to grow their brand values as they suffered from a series of larger macro-economic challenges in a post-consolidation phase. 'In addition, they have been beset by higher fuel costs and a number of flight cancellations caused by storms. Meanwhile, the rise of social media has allowed unhappy customers to share a number of stories that have spread virally, but this does not appear to be causing significant long-term damage to airline brands.' United, for instance, had to tackle several PR headaches in 2017, with one caused by a passenger being violently dragged off an overbooked flight. It was an incident that sparked a national debate over industry practices. In light of this, many will not be surprised that it came last out of America's big three in the ranking. The rest of the top ten is made up of Emirates (4th), Southwest Airlines (5th), China Southern Airlines (6th), China Eastern Airlines (7th), Air China (ninth) and Lufthansa (10th). British Airways is the most valuable British airline brand, coming eighth in the table David Haigh, CEO of Brand Finance, commented: 'In the airline market, customers are making decisions about brands on a very narrow range of factors: price, routing, and schedules. 'Despite big viral news stories which gained media attention globally affecting several brands, in the airline business, it is reliability on delivering core services that customers find key in taking purchasing decisions. 'Consequently, the Chinese brands are the big winners in this area as they have been able to grow their brands by giving customers greater confidence in their dependability and safety as they grow alongside the Chinese economy.' A business meeting turned into a nightmare for Eddie in last night's Empire, after Lucious arranged for all of his ex-wives to show up. The three women angrily confronted Eddie over his past indiscretions just as he was trying to woo an Empire board member as part of his attempt to take over the company. Eddie has long been plotting to steal Empire from the Lyons, and in this most recent episode he teams up with Lucious's ex-wife Anika, who has her sights set on becoming CEO. Hostile: In last night's episode of Empire, Eddie's three ex-wives turn up while he is trying to woo an Empire board member as part of his efforts to take over the company Plotting: Eddie, a family friend of the Lyons, has his sights set on Empire Entertainment But the Lyon family are not going to let their company go easily, and Cookie and Lucious rally together to take Eddie down, calling on his former flames in an effort to humiliate him in front of the board. Despite recently suffering a heart attack, Cookie has also been helping her dying friend Poundcake find her long lost daughter Maya. She tracked down Maya's father, a corrections officer who raped Poundcake while she was in prison, in a desperate attempt to reunite the mother and daughter. But Maya returns the letter Poundcake sent her unopened, suggesting that Cookie's efforts may have been in vain. Conflict: Eddie's three ex-wives confront him over his past indiscretions Cookie then goes on to seek out her own estranged mother alongside her sisters Candace and Carol. The Lyons' sons Andre, Jamal and Hakeem have decided to put their differences behind them and they hold a massive basement party. The event is to celebrate rapper Hakeems 20 For 20 single, which he created with his girlfriend Tiana, and has become a hit for Empire. Accomplices: Eddie (left) recruits Lucious's ex-wife Anika (right) to assist him in his plot to steal Empire Entertainment away from the Lyons Defensive: Lucious will do whatever it takes to keep Empire Entertainment in the Lyon family After breaking up with J Poppa when she fell pregnant with his child, Becky is finally getting along well with her ex. But the good feeling is not destined to last. Becky made the decision not to tell J Poppa about the pregnancy and to have an abortion, but Tory accidentally reveals her secret. Watch all-new episodes of Empire on Wednesdays at 8/7c on FOX. Catch up on all episodes on FOX NOW. Kevin Feige may be busy promoting the latest Avengers film, Avengers: Infinity War, but he made some time to discuss other Marvel Cinematic Universe films such as Captain Marvel and the sequel to 2017s Spider-Man: Homecoming. Feige discussed Brie Larsons Captain Marvel at the Infinity War premiere, saying how the film will bring back the feel of the 1990s, and last week the Marvel Studios boss also brought up the sequel to Tom Hollands Spider-Man: Homecoming. Spider-Man: Homecoming was a huge hit, opening with an estimated $117 million in North America alone and racking up a worldwide total of $880,166,924 as of April 2018. Kevin Feige revealed that the Spider-Man: Homecoming sequel will go beyond New York City We start filming in July, Feige told io9, before going on to say how the Homecoming sequel wont be restricted to just New York City. We film in London. We shot first film in Atlanta. And we shoot a lot of films in London but theres another reason were shooting in London which is, yes, Spidey, of course, will spend some time in New York, but hell spend some time in other parts of the globe. While Feige doesnt go into details, he admits that the films international flavour will reflect something that happens in Avengers: Infinity War and its sequel, the as yet untitled Avengers 4. The way Civil War and the fact that he went to Leipzig Airport and then has to go back to school, informed Homecoming, the two Avengers films that precede [the sequel] will greatly inform, probably even more so, the next movie. The Marvel Studios boss already confirmed in 2017 that the Spider-Man: Homecoming sequel will mark the beginning of Marvel Cinematic Universes Phase 4. The beginning of a new phase has fans wondering whether the fall-out from the two Avengers films in the conclusion of Phase 3 will result in original Marvel actors such as Robert Downey Jr, Thor stars Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston passing the torch to the new generation - led by the likes of Brie Larsons Captain Marvel and Tom Hollands Spider-Man. Chris Evans, who plays Captain America in the Marvel films, hasnt done much to dispel the notion that many of the superhero story lines could be drawing to an end. In an interview with Good Morning America, the actor said: 'Well, the contract's done.' 'A lot of our contracts are through. Myself, [Robert] Downey Jr, [Chris] Hemsworth, we all kind of started roughly at the same time.' He added: 'I mean, I think we all [thought] Avengers 4 kind of wraps it up. But at this point I don't know what's next, but year by 2019 that's it...Well, we'll see.' It was reported last month that Australian comedian and TV star Chris Lilley was set to return to screens with a new 10-part series for Netflix. And this week, it was revealed that Chris, 43, is filming in the small rural town of Murwillumbah. A picture taken from set shows a furniture stormed transformed by the comedic genius, who hilariously called it 'My D**k.' Scroll down for video That's cheeky! Chris Lilley shoots his new 10-part Netflix series in a rural town and hilariously renames a furniture store 'my d**k' Last month, The Daily Telegraph reported that Chris had been scouting talent on the Gold Coast for his new comedy series. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk is expecting production to inject up to $6.35 million into the local economy. 'The series will employ up to 250 cast and extras plus about 100 crew,' she told the publication. Back to it: Last month, The Daily Telegraph reported that Chris had been scouting talent on the Gold Coast for his new comedy series Ten episodes will be filmed on location between March and June this year, after the Queensland government acquired the series through its strategy to attract more films and productions to the state. Chris is known for hilarious comedy shows, including Summer Heights High, Angry Boys, Ja'mie: Private School Girl and Jonah from Tonga. Last year Jonah From Tonga was axed from New Zealand indigenous broadcaster Maori Television after the board deemed it to be culturally inappropriate. Shows: Chris is known for hilarious comedy shows, including Summer Heights High, Angry Boys, Ja'mie: Private School Girl and Jonah from Tonga (pictured in character as Ja'mie) Banned: Jonah From Tonga (pictured is the character) was axed from New Zealand indigenous broadcaster Maori Television last year, after the board deemed it to be culturally inappropriate Chair of the Maori Television board, Georgina te Heuheu, said in a statement that once the full board became aware that the show was screening, a decision was made to pull the show off the airwaves. 'We are a Maori media outlet with our own standards, and a mandate to protect and promote the Maori language and culture,' she said. New Zealand's Minister for Pacific Peoples, Alfred Ngaro, had earlier said the series perpetuates negative stereotypes of Pacific people. Announcing the decision Georgina te Heuheu said 'as a leading indigenous broadcaster we have a responsibility to present all cultures with a degree of respect and aroha [love] not least those of our Pacific whanaunga [relatives]. 'It's hella scary,' she warned the audience at CinemaCon in Las Vegas on Wednesday. And it seems Jamie Lee Curtis wasn't wrong about the sneak peek of Halloween, the latest film in the fright fest franchise. The shrieks from seasoned theater owners in the auditorium at the Caesars Palace Colosseum were clearly audible outside the venue, according to Variety. Back after 40 years: Jamie Lee Curtis took the stage at the Caesars Palace Colosseum on Wednesday to introduce Halloween, the latest in the scarefest franchise that began in 1978 The 59-year-old, who wore a striking red pants suit, was speaking at Universal's presentation at the National Association Of Theatre Owners convention. Jamie said it meant a great deal to play Laurie Strode, a part that made her an iconic scream queen and put her on Hollywoods A-list when the first film debuted in 1978. It was followed by Halloween II in 1981, Halloween III: Season Of The Witch in 1982 and Halloween: Resurrection in 2002. 'Except for Star Wars, I cant think of another movie where the same actor is playing the same part 40 years later,' Jamie said. 'It will scare the living s*** out of you.' Suited up: 'Except for Star Wars, I cant think of another movie where the same actor is playing the same part 40 years later,' the 58-year-old told the CinemaCon audience Aging well: The new Halloween finds Jamie back as Laurie, a reclusive grandmother still traumatized by her encounters with the killer She revealed that the first movie was so low-budget that the crew roughed up a William Shatner mask to give actor Nick Castle his signature scary look as killer Michael Myers. The new Halloween finds Jamie back as Laurie a reclusive grandmother still traumatized by her encounters with the killer but praying to get one more chance to go toe to toe with him. After he escapes prison, she gets her wish, but not before Myers racks up a huge body count, finding grisly ways to dispose of his victims. Back in the day: The original horror movie, released in 1978 made a star of Jamie Lee, then 20 Boldly going: Jaimie revealed that the first movie was so low-budget that the crew roughed up a William Shatner mask to give actor Nick Castle his scary look as killer Michael Myers Halloween is due out on October 19. Jamie also bumped into Ryan Gosling who was there to show off the first trailer for his moon landing drama, First Man. The film follows astronaut Neil Armstrongs trip to the moon, billed as the most dangerous mission in history. Directed by Oscar-winner Damien Chazelle, it's set for release on October 12. Their quirky romance has captivated viewers of Bachelor In Paradise. And Sam Cochrane has revealed that waking up next to Tara Pavlovic each day made him realise he was falling in love. The 34-year-old told OK! magazine: 'It's hard to pinpoint when I started to fall in love, but I remember the moments that I'd wake up or Tara would wake up first, and you get the opportunity to take stock of what's going on.' Scroll down for video 'It came out of nowhere': Bachelor In Paradise's Sam Cochrane (pictured) has revealed the moment he realised he was falling in love with Tara Pavlovic Sam added: 'It came out of nowhere, but when it came it was a little but like an anvil - it was quiet special.' The likable, loved-up Sam on Bachelor In Paradise is rather different from the troublemaking larrikin who first appeared on The Bachelorette last year. He explained to OK! that he joined the spin-off believing he was unlikely to find love and having ruled out any hopes of becoming a father. How sweet! Waking up next to Tara each day made Sam realise he was falling in love He only has eyes for her! Sam claimed his feelings for Tara 'came out of nowhere' But meeting Tara, he said, changed everything. 'After what I've experienced, that's something I definitely want,' he said of having children in future. 'I know I'd be a great father.' It comes after NW magazine alleged that Sam proposes to Tara during the Bachelor In Paradise finale with a $2,000 diamond ring. Transformed: The likable, loved-up Sam on Bachelor In Paradise is rather different from the troublemaking larrikin who first appeared on The Bachelorette last year A recent Woman's Day article also claimed that the reality TV couple are genuinely in love and determined to get married. 'They didn't argue once in Paradise - it's as if they were destined to be together!' a source claimed. 'He told other boys they'd better not propose to anyone as he didn't want anything to ruin his and Tara's moment.' Sunrise's Samantha Armytage poked fun of Kourtney Kardashian's Congress visit on Thursday's program. The journalist cheekily observed the reality TV star's timing, having just launched her own beauty line KOURT x KYLIE with her half-sister Kylie Jenner. 'It wouldn't be a true Kardashian event without a plug,' the 41-year-old said. Scroll down for video 'It wouldn't be a true Kardashian event without a plug': Sunrise's Samantha Armytage poked fun at Kourtney's Congress visit as the reality TV star launches a beauty line with Kylie Jenner 'Kourtney Kardashian once famously said she doesn't read the news, but the eldest of the Kardashian clan certainly made some news by taking on Congress at Capitol Hill,' Samantha began. 'She's supporting the bill that will require companies to disclose their ingredients to the FDA and change legislation that has not been updated in 80 years.' Taking a swipe at the 39-year-old socialite, Samantha said: 'But it wouldn't be a true Kardashian event without a plug, timing the launch of her makeup collaboration with sister Kylie around her advocacy. Ouch! Taking a swipe at the 39-year-old, Sam said: 'It wouldn't be a true Kardashian event without a plug, timing the launch of her makeup collaboration with Kylie around her advocacy' Miss Kardashian goes to Washington! On Tuesday, Kourtney travelled to Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. to advocate for safer cosmetics 'Really excited that it's three eye-shadow palettes and three lip colours. I hope she has gone through her products,' Samantha added, laughing. On Tuesday, Kourtney travelled to Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. to advocate for safer cosmetics. The mother-of-three is in support of personal care products legislation, the Personal Care Products Safety Act, that was introduced a year ago. Health care: The mother-of-three is in support of personal care products legislation, the Personal Care Products Safety Act, that was introduced a year ago Kourtney's visit coincides with the launch of her beauty kits with sister Kylie Jenner, 20, called KOURT x KYLIE. She held a closed briefing where Capitol Hill aides leaked the contents of what went on including the admission that her new cosmetics line hadn't yet been tested for environmental safety. A long line of more than 100 mostly female Capitol staffers lined up to catch a glimpse of the famously eco-conscious Kardashian. Activist: 'It's time for Congress to do its job. Stand with me and take action today,' the entrepreneur shared in an Instagram post A participant in the closed meeting, which included Democratic Rep. Frank Pallone of New Jersey, asked about whether her new makeup line lived up to her standards. 'She said you can't test products until they come out,' said one Hill staffer, who didn't want to be quoted by name. Aides who attended the briefing had to sign a consent form to appear on the reality TV show Keeping Up With The Kardashians. Kourtney was trailed by two KUWTK cameras one filming her, and another who stood behind her to film young aides who asked her questions. He has been enjoying the single life since splitting with his Married At First Sight 'bride' Gabrielle Bartlett. And Nasser Sultan hinted on Thursday he might be looking for a more mature partner in a series of snaps posted to Instagram. The 51-year-old happily posed for photos with an older mystery woman, who he later described as a 'beautiful lady' in the comments section. Scroll down for video Beaming: Married At First Sight's Nasser Sultan hinted he might be looking towards finding a more mature partner in a series of snaps posted to Instagram on Thursday The smiling duo held hands and looked lovingly into each other's eyes in one photo, before posing for the camera in another. 'Love has no age limit,' Nasser declared in the caption, adding the hashtags: 'Nasser fan club' and 'It's a Nasser thing'. When one Instagram follower asked if the unidentified woman was his mother, he responded: 'No just a fan. Beautiful lady.' Look away now, Gabrielle! The reality TV star declared in the caption, 'Love has no age limit' On Friday, Nasser shared a short clip of himself to social media letting fans know he is giving away the M.J. Bale suit he wore during his MAFS wedding. Walking down the stairs of his apartment, the aspiring beauty blogger performed a twirl in front of the camera, showing off the bespoke clothing. 'Since my wedding is over and finished, this suit is full of bad memories,' he announced, referencing his short-lived TV marriage to Gabrielle. Flying solo: Nasser has been enjoying the single life since splitting with his Married At First Sight 'bride' Gabrielle Bartlett The over-50s personal trainer continued by saying he wanted to give the $1,500 suit away to a 'Nasser fan'. He encouraged his 50,000 Instagram followers to tag a friend who deserved the light blue suit. Nasser cracked a joke towards the end of the clip and by encouraged Prince Harry - who will soon wed Meghan Markle - to make a bid for the pre-loved items. It comes after Nasser debuted his friendship with 20-year-old male fashion student Eyob Geist, later telling NW magazine: 'Who cares if I am gay or not?' He vowed to cut back on his 80-a-day smoking habit for the sake of his four-year-old son Eric. But Simon Cowell has said it would be 'too boring' if he gave up his cigarettes completely, after he was spotted puffing away during a break from An Evening With America's Got Talent filming in Los Angeles on Wednesday. The 59-year-old music mogul was seen lighting up two years after he revealed plans to try vaping to ditch his smoking habit, adding last year that his health became a priority after a nasty fall forced him to miss two X Factor live shows. Back on the baccie: Simon Cowell, 59, has confessed he would be 'too boring' if he cut back on cigarettes after he was spotted puffing away during a filming break in LA on Wednesday Simon was spotted taking a cigarette break as he headed out of the Wolf Theatre in North Hollywood, and while it seems the star has significantly cut back he admitted he wouldn't be living life to the fullest if he ditched smoking completely. Speaking to The Mirror he said: 'If I tried to cut out cigarettes completely, I would have a real problem: too boring.' 'It's the same with drinking. I'm pretty good at cutting back when I need to.' Enjoying it? The music moguls' cigarette break came two years after he vowed to cut back on his 80-a-day habit for the sake of his four-year-old son Eric Doing well: As he lit up the cigarette Simon admitted: 'If I tried to cut out cigarettes completely, I would have a real problem: too boring' Simon told Now magazine in November that he had gone from 80 cigarettes a day to just the two. He said: 'I've cut down smoking to two [cigarettes] a day. That's it!' The legendary judge said his health became a top priority after a nasty fall last year which left him both hospital-bound and unable to attend The X Factor live shows. The star said the fall - which he said was caused by fainting due to low blood pressure - was a wakeup call on how important it was to take care of himself for the sake of his son. He told The Sun: 'Sometimes we get a reminder that we're not invincible and this was certainly mine.' Health boost: In 2016 the star said he was trying to cut back on smoking for the sake of his son Eric and girlfriend Laura Silverman, turning to e-cigarettes as a last resort He previously vowed to cut back on smoking in 2016 for the sake of his young son, telling The Sun he was turning to e-cigarettes as a last resort. He said: 'The idea is to cut down on the number. The Vape has been successful. It's a good one, it tastes nice and sweet. 'My driver was on 40-a-day and he has cut out smoking completely. I'm on 80-a-day now. It's a step in the right direction. I don't smoke in front of Eric for obvious reasons.' Open: Simon said in November last year he had cut back to just two cigarettes a day, adding that the fall which left his hospital bound was a wake-up call to overhaul his lifestyle Shocking: Speaking about the fall - which led him to miss two X Factor live shows - he said: 'Sometimes we get a reminder that we're not invincible and this was certainly mine' Getting better: The Britain's Got Talent judge has been back to his best following the fall last year, which he said was caused by fainting due to low blood pressure Busy man: Simon has been back in the States filming for the new series of America's Got Talent, alongside Spice Girl Mel B and model Heidi Klum Meanwhile Simon's ex-girlfriend Sinitta, 54, has teased she maybe about to dish some scandalous tales from her 40-year relationship with the star in the form of a tell-all book. Sinitta told The Daily Star: 'Simon has not read the bookthe lawyers have not read itwait and see. Everyone has got to be worried.' The So Macho hitmaker - who also dated Hollywood A-lister Brad Pitt in the late 80s - admitted that fans should expect a 'juicy' read out of her autobiography, but did confess that writing the book scared her. Sinitta continued: 'It is quite scary to do the book but I think it is going to unburden me. I have never spoken about some things before. It has taken the mask off.' MailOnline has contacted representatives for both Sinitta and Simon for further comment. Denise Drysdale famously threw a Brussels sprout at Ita Buttrose last November in an on-set incident that exposed behind-the-scenes tensions at Studio 10. And after remaining silent during Ita's farewell segment on Wednesday's show, the two-time Gold Logie winner has explained her frosty behaviour. Denise, 69, told 2Day FM's Em, Grant & Ed on Thursday that she was too caught up in the emotions of Anzac Day to share her thoughts about her colleague's departure. Scroll down for video 'We'd had a couple of champagnes for lunch': Studio 10's Denise Drysdale (left) has FINALLY revealed in a radio interview why she threw a Brussels sprout at Ita Buttrose (right) last year Explaining her reluctance to speak on Ita's last day, Denise said: 'That was because of Anzac Day. Having a close association with the Vietnam vets, that feeling gets stronger every year.' She continued: 'It really gets me. As you get older, you get more emotional.' When 2DayFM co-host Grant Denyer brought up last year's Brussels sprout throwing incident, Denise responded with a sigh: 'Oh, bloody hell'. 'That was because of Anzac Day': Being interviewed on 2Day FM on Thursday, Denise also addressed her lack of enthusiasm during Ita's farewell segment on Studio 10 the previous day She then proceeded to explain why she hurled Brussels sprouts at Ita, 76, in the middle of filming a Christmas segment. Apparently, Denise had drank too much champagne and was feeling quite tired. 'Look, I threw that Brussels sprout because I'd got up at four in the morning to come in and do the Christmas song,' she explained. 'And at about four o'clock in the afternoon, we'd had a couple of champagnes for lunch, I was feeling... the Christmas party was that night, so I had my party in the afternoon.' Whoops! Denise revealed that she threw the Brussels sprout at Ita while filming a Christmas segment last year because she had drank too much champagne and was feeling quite tired On Wednesday's Studio 10, the panel - including Denise, Sarah Harris and Joe Hildebrand - paid tribute to Ita as she made her final appearance on the program. But while Sarah and Joe both spoke warmly during the farewell segment, Denise appeared to stay noticeably silent. Denise's refusal to speak about her colleague did little to quash rumours that she and Ita were feuding behind the scenes of the Network Ten show. However in a previous statement to Daily Mail Australia, Network Ten strongly denied claims there was tension between Ita and Denise, labelling the allegations 'offensive'. 'Ita and Denise are consummate professionals and these unsubstantiated allegations are offensive,' a spokesperson said. 'They have the highest respect for one another and thoroughly enjoy working as part of the Studio 10 family together. To suggest otherwise is nonsense and deliberately mischievous.' They've enjoyed a 'bromance' for a number of years. And surfing champion Kelly Slater and Hollywood actor Chris Hemsworth hammed it up for Instagram on Thursday, playfully wrestling each other. Kelly, 46, and Chris, 34, evidently enjoyed each other's company as they caught up at Kelly's 'Surf Ranch' in California, regarded as the world's best artificial wave pool. Scroll down for video Bromance: Surfing champion Kelly Slater and Hollywood actor Chris Hemsworth hammed it up for Instagram on Thursday, playfully wrestling each other Chris shared the snap to social media, with the Avengers star being piggy-backed by Kelly, who held him in a head-lock position with his legs wrapped around his waist. 'It may look like @KellySlater has the upper hand but basically I used my Jedi mind tricks and endless patience and waited till his little tiny arms grew tired,' he wrote. 'Then immediately reversed the position and gained complete control until he crumbled under my powers....maybe,' he added. BFFs: They've enjoyed a 'bromance' for a number of years Kelly immediately replied to the post: 'You drop in on me at Surf Ranch, this is what happens. Let your cronies know, Chris!' Crowned World Surf League Champion a record 11 times, Kelly has said his ultimate dream is to design a surf pool that allows surfers to ride waves indefinitely. Chris is an avid surfing enthusiast and has accompanied Kelly on many surfing trips to locations like Fiji and his home base of Byron Bay. Victorious: Crowned World Surf League Champion a record 11 times, Kelly has said his ultimate dream is to design a surf pool that allows surfers to ride waves indefinitely Fans of the high-profile friends left notes of admiration in the comments section. 'I dreamed of this and it came true,' gushed one of Chris's 15.7 million followers. 'I would have given anything to see that! My two childhood crushes competing. But my adult heart hoped you won Chris,' offered another supporter. Chris is also great pals with Matt Damon, who has recently been hanging out with the Thor star and his family in Byron Bay. She's become something of a style icon since her marriage and divorce from Tom Cruise. And on Wednesday night in New York, Katie Holmes was again put on a flawless fashion show at the Brooks Brothers Bicentennial Celebration. The actress, 39, flashed cleavage in a sleeveless plum gown with a low-cut neckline. Red carpet ready: Katie Holmes put on a flawless fashion show at the Brooks Brothers Bicentennial Celebration on Wednesday night in New York The dress fell to the floor and pooled around her feet as she posed for photos at the event. It featured delicate floral detailing along the neckline and shoulder straps and under the bodice. Katie wore her bobbed brunette hair sleekly styled and tucked behind one ear. Chic: Katie wore her bobbed brunette hair sleekly styled and tucked behind one ear and flashed cleavage in the sleeveless number Stylish: The dress fell to the floor and pooled around her feet as she posed for photos. It featured delicate floral detailing along the neckline and shoulder straps and under the bodice Sleek: The actress, 39, added a pair of nude heels and accessorized with a gold bracelet In good company: Katie was joined by American fashion designer Zac Posen as she made her way inside Elegant: As always the actress ooze sophistication as she attended the Bicentennial Celebration Looking good: Katie caught the eye as she made her way inside event venue Jazz at Lincoln Center The Dawson's Creek star, who has a daughter Suri from her marriage to Tom Cruise, added a pair of nude heels to complete her ensemble. Her make-up included black mascara, dark red blush and pale pink lip color. She accessorized with a gold bracelet. Plenty to smile about: Designer Posen was clearly in high spirits after joining Katie at the bash Date for the night: Posen wore a gray velvet tuxedo jacket with black trousers and black bow tie Her style guru: The pair are understood to be good friends Joining in the celebration of the storied men's clothing company was former Mad Men star Christina Hendricks. The red-headed stunner looked lovely in a white broderie anglaise dress with a black dinner jacket featuring cut outs on the sleeves and a black bow at the neck. Christina, 42, added black heels with silver buckles on the toes and sported bright red lip color. She was accompanied by her husband, actor Geoffrey Arend, 40, whom she wed in 2009. Headturner: Christina Hendricks, 42, looked lovely in a white broderie anglaise dress with a black dinner jacket featuring cut outs on the sleeves and a black bow at the neck Couple goals: The former Mad Men star was accompanied by her husband, actor Geoffrey Arend, 40, whom she wed in 2009 Striking beauty: Christina wore her shoulder-length bob in a tousled style and sported bright red lip color Close: Christina was hand in hand with Geoffrey as they arrived at the celebratory event Black-ish star Yara Shahidi walked the red carpet in a crisp white shirt paired with a midnight blue full-length skirt. The actress, 18, wore her hair styled back from her face and accessorized with a chunky gold neck chain. Other guests included Riverdale's Casey Cott and Trust star Brendan Fraser. Striking: Black-ish star Yara Shahidi walked the red carpet in a crisp white shirt paired with a midnight blue full-length skirt. Finishing touches: The actress, 18, wore her hair styled back from her face and accessorized with a chunky gold neck chain. Say cheese: Yara posed for a photo alongside fellow guest Christina Here they come: Singer-songwriter Tk Wonder joined guests at the event on Wednesday evening Chiseled: Riverdale actor Casey Cott, 25, put on a dapper display in a shiny tuxedo Striking: Busty model Danielle Herrington posed for photos before making her way inside Athletic: American ballet dancer Megan LeCrone showed off her skills as she made an entrance on Wednesday evening On the guest list: Brendan Fraser, 49, who's enjoying a career resurgence thanks to his role in FX series Trust, sported black-framed spectacles Had roles to play: Katie and Zac took to the stage during the event with the actress adding a matching jacket to her gown Speaker: Actor Courtney B. Vance also had a role to play in the proceedings One man band: Paul Simon provided some musical entertainment Let's go: Katie was seen making an exit from the New York City event later that night On Tuesday she went to Washington to speak in front of Congress. But by Wednesday, Kourtney Kardashian was back in her element, strolling around Calabasas California with her son Mason. The 39-year-old wore a classy peach-colored ensemble for the day out with her eight-year-old boy. Scroll down for video Life's a peach! On Wednesday, Kourtney Kardashian was in her element, strolling around Calabasas California with her son Mason The reality TV star wore a peach cropped top with matching slacks. The Keeping Up With The Kardashians mainstay added inches to her diminutive 5ft1in frame with a pair of heels. Kourtney wore her straight raven tresses untied and with a center part for the day out with her eldest son, whom she shares with ex Scott Disick. Bonding time: The 39-year-old wore a classy peach-colored ensemble for the day out with her eight-year-old boy Sky's the limit: The Keeping Up With The Kardashians mainstay added inches to her diminutive 5ft1 frame with a pair of heels The TV personality took her Calabasas sass to Washington DC. On Wednesday the reality TV star posted a photo to Instagram where she was dressed conservatively in a black suit while standing in the memorial for 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. The post was captioned: 'It's time for Congress to do its job.' Kardashian was in DC in support of personal care products legislation, the Personal Care Products Safety Act, introduced a year ago, on Capitol Hill in Washington which seeks to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and provide enhanced oversight on cosmetics and personal care products. This coincides with the launch of her beauty kits with sister Kylie Jenner. The line is called KOURT X KYLIE. Kourtney does Washington: Kardashian was in DC in support of personal care products legislation, the Personal Care Products Safety Act Great hair day: Kourtney wore her straight raven tresses untied and with a center part for the day out with her eldest son, whom she shares with ex Scott Disick Later, the mother-of-three took to social media to advertise meal replacement shakes. In an Instagram post seen by her 62.7million followers, the socialite gave a profile selfie while wearing yoga pants and a crop top. The eldest Kardashian sibling showed off her impressively flat tummy in the post. John Cena says his split from fiancee Nikki Bella 'sucks'. The pro wrestling star and actor made the admission while attending CinemaCon on Wednesday in Las Vegas. Speaking to ET the 41-year-old said of his recent breakup, 'It sucks. There's no other way to say [it]. I love Nicole with all my heart, and that's that.' Not happy: John Cena says his split from fiancee Nikki Bella 'sucks' while attending CinemaCon on Wednesday in Las Vegas The muscular superstar wore a dapper blue suit with a pink tie to the industry event, where he joined the likes of Tom Cruise and Hailee Steinfeld. Meanwhile, the Trainwreck actor is apparently documenting his recent breakup with Nikki, 34, on the forthcoming series of E!'s Total Bellas. 'I have to give a lot of credit to John and Nicole. They really opened up their lives and they really wanted to close the curtain and be like this is it, were done,' Nikkis sister, Brie Bella, recently told People. The 41-year-old said of his recent breakup, 'It sucks. There's no other way to say [it]. I love Nicole with all my heart, and that's that' (pictured onstage at the industry event in Vegas with Hailee Steinfeld) Sharp: The muscular superstar wore a dapper blue suit with a pink tie to the industry event 'My sister is really great with her fans in a way where she lets them connect with her. She lets them like go, "My life isnt perfect and isnt easy" and lets them see the playbook of her life. 'John and Nicole allow the fans to see some very personal conversations, that to be honest, I was mind blown about. [Husband] Bryan and I both said, "I dont think wed allow them to see those conversations" but they do. I give them a lot of credit. You get to see where theyre at today and see that unravel,' Brie added. John and Nikki announced their decision to split after six years together earlier this month just weeks away from their wedding date which was set for May 5. Going separate ways: John and Nikki announced their decision to split after six years together earlier this month just weeks away from their wedding date which was set for May 5 Star power: Tom Cruise and Henry Cavill were also in attendance at the convention 'While this decision was a difficult one, we continue to have a great deal of love and respect for one another,' the former couple said in a joint statement. 'We ask that you respect our privacy during this time in our lives.' It's claimed that the couple split because John decided he never wanted to have children with the brunette beauty. 'John acted more and more like he was doing her a favor by somehow conceding to go ahead and marry her,' an insider told People. '[Nikki] doesnt need a pity proposal, a pity wedding, a pity husband. Shes a phenomenal, tremendous woman.' On Monday night in Los Angeles, he walked the red carpet at the world premiere for Avengers: Infinity War. And on Wednesday it was back on the carpet for Benedict Cumberbatch at a more low-key premiere for his upcoming Showtime series Patrick Melrose. Once again, the 41-year-old actor has his wife Sophie Hunter on his arm as he posed for photos, before enjoying a friendly hug with his co-star Jennifer Jason Leigh. Celebrity couple: Benedict Cumberbatch attended the LA premiere for his upcoming Showtime series Patrick Melrose Wednesday night with wife Sophie Hunter on his arm Hugging it out: The Hollywood star enjoyed a friendly hug with co-star Jennifer Jason Leigh Cumberbatch wore a black two-piece suit with shirt and tie. The chiseled British star sported some designer stubble on his upper lip and chin. The mother of his two young children put on a stylish show in a full-length red dress with long sleeves cinched at the waist with a wide leather belt with large gold buckle. Hunter, 40, added a black hat and was made-up with rosy blusher and bright red lip color. The look of love: Hunter, 40, gazed lovingly at her famous husband as the couple posed for photos together Inseparable: The pair, who share two young sons, kept their arms around each other Fashionable: Hunter put on a stylish show in a full-length red dress with long sleeves cinched at the waist with a wide leather belt with large gold buckle. She added a jaunty black hat The couple wed in 2015 and share two sons - Christopher, almost three, and Hal, one. After winning over a huge fan following for his starring role in the British TV series Sherlock, Cumberbatch has gone on to become a bona fide Hollywood star. In addition to playing Dr. Strange in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, he has been nominated for an Academy Award for the 2014 movie The Imitation Game and starred in such films as The Hobbit, Black Mass and Star Trek: Into Darkness. His new series is based on the novels by Edward St. Aubyn and follows his character Patrick Melrose 'from a privileged but deeply traumatic childhood in the South of France, through severe substance abuse in his twenties in New York and, ultimately, toward recovery back home in Britain,' according to Showtime. Catching up: Benedict looked delighted to catch up with his fellow castmate Jennifer Friendly outing: The Hateful Eight actress put on a united front with Benedict at the event Glamorous: She looked lovedly in a bright orange dress with black detailing Bona fide star: Cumberbatch wore a black two-piece suit with shirt and tie. The chiseled British star sported some designer stubble on his upper lip and chin Stellar cast: Hunter graciously made way so that Cumberbatch, 41, could pose for photos with his Patrick Melrose co-stars Allison Williams, left, and Jennifer Jason Leigh, right Cumberbatch was joined at the premiere by co-stars Allison Williams and Jennifer Jason Leigh. Get Out star Williams, 30, wore a black frock with a sheer shirt top to a strapless bodice that emphasized her bust. The frock was cinched at the waist with the skirt falling to mid-calf and the actress went bare-legged in pointed toe black heels. Stylish: Get Out star Williams, 30, wore a black frock with a sheer shirt top attached to the strapless bodice that emphasized her bust Dressed up: The frock was cinched at the waist with the skirt falling to mid-calf and the actress went bare-legged in pointed toe black heels Coiffed: Williams wore her bobbed hair with a high peaked combover and added black mascara and dark red lip color Leigh, 56, wore a red dress belted at the waist with a black band. The number had cap sleeves, a v-neckline and ankle-length asymmetrical hemline. She carried a black purse and black sandal heels. On trend: Leigh, 56, wore a red dress belted at the waist with a black band. The number had cap sleeves, a v-neckline and ankle-length asymmetrical hemline On the guest list: Former star of The Office Kate Flannery, 53, also opted for a red dress, rocking a sleeveless knee-length number paired with nude heels Bohemian: Grey's Anatomy actress Kim Raver, 49, chose a funky ensemble of patterned monochrome frock and shiny black lace-up shoes Also on the guest list at the premiere was former star of The Office Kate Flannery, Grey's Anatomy actress Kim Raver and former Frasier star Jane Leeves. Flannery, 53, also opted for a red dress, rocking a sleeveless knee-length number paired with nude heels. Raver, 49, chose a funky ensemble of patterned monochrome frock and shiny black lace-up shoes. Leeves, 57, was accompanied by her daughter Isabella Coben, 17. Leeves showed off her lithe frame in black skinny jeans and black blouse under a camel-colored tailored jacket. Isabella was dressed in a polka dot frock with peek-a-boo bodice and black sandal heels. Family night: Former Frasier star Jane Leeves, 57, was accompanied by her daughter Isabella Coben, 17 Alex Perry has claimed he can dress a 'bigger girl' better than anybody, but apparently not when it came to outfitting Jackie 'O' Henderson back in 2011. On Thursday's Kyle and Jackie O Show, the radio personality joked that the fashion designer, 55, 'dropped her when she put on weight' seven years ago. 'But you're back now or...?' asked newsreader Brooklyn Ross, who was filling in for Kyle Sandilands that morning. Scroll down for video 'He didn't like me when I was fat': Jackie 'O' Henderson joked on Thursday that the Australian fashion designer Alex Perry 'dropped her when she put on weight' 'Yeah, I'm back in favour. He sent me a dress the other day,' replied Jackie. 'Hey, at least that's good motivation to get to the gym right?' said Brooklyn, laughing. Jackie, 43, replied: 'I was like, "You b*****d! You dropped me for seven years. Now you like me again." I'll give him a go tomorrow.' Claims: The Kyle and Jackie O Show presenter jokingly said she didn't fit the bill for designer Alex Perry back in 2011. Pictured with her co-host Kyle Sandilands (left) In 2011, Alex Perry - who counts Natalie Portman and Nicole Kidman among his clients - claimed to be the victim of discrimination after people called him 'fattist'. Speaking to the Herald Sun, the designer-to-the-stars said he'd never discriminate based on size. He said: 'From a young age I've been called everything... I can dress a woman of any size, I've never discriminated. I love girls with shape. I don't use models who are planks. I love girls with bust, waist and hips, it's my aesthetic.' In 2016, Alex was criticised for using an 'underweight' model during a runway event at the Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival (VAMFF). Controversial: Designer-to-the-stars Alex Perry was once accused of being 'fattist' Holly Moore wore one of Perry's AW16 black LBDs and some media reports described her as 'frail', 'worryingly thin' and 'skinny'. Speaking to KIIS FM at the time, Alex admitted: 'She looks like she needs to put on a couple of kilos.' According to the Sydney Morning Herald, The Australia's Next Top Model judge blamed the VAMFF casting. He said: 'We just sent the clothes down for a group shot as part of Fashion Festival. I think people organising shows like that need to have a duty of care and use girls that visually send out the right message.' Daily Mail Australia has contacted Alex Perry for comment. She's been teasing her fans for days with saucy snaps of her nude body. But Kim Kardashian finally released images of her new KKW Body fragrance bottle that was modeled after her own shapely figure on Wednesday. The 37-year-old beauty posted shots of the nude replica container on social media as she is embroiled in a fallout from her husband Kanye West's recent Twitter tirades. Scroll down for video Finally: Kim Kardashian finally released images of her new KKW Body fragrance bottle that was modeled after her own shapely figure via Snapchat on Wednesday 'Alright guys I want to show you my bottle for KKW Body,' Kim began in the Snapchat video as the camera focuses on a black box. She then pulled the string off the box as the four sides fall down to reveal the marble-like bust featuring breasts, torso, and buttocks. 'So this is not the press box you guys, this is the regular box. I didn't do press boxes because I wanted everyone to get this amazing box. 'I thought this was such a cool box within itself that the bottle is on like a statue pedestal... like a statue... in a museum.' Openings: 'Alright guys I want to show you my bottle for KKW Body,' Kim began in the Snapchat video as the camera focuses on a black box Discreet: She then pulled the string off the box as the four sides fall down to reveal the marble-like bust featuring breasts, torso, and buttocks For the people: 'So this is not the press box you guys, this is the regular box. I didn't do press boxes because I wanted everyone to get this amazing box,' she said After sharing teaser images on Tuesday, including some rather explicit naked shots, the E! star shared a full length image of herself naked and covered in what appears to be a thin layer of clay. 'We made a mold my body and made it a perfume bottle' she captioned the image. It followed an earlier snap of the sultry star topless with just one arm covering her modesty. Plugging her new fragrance the star added the simple caption: 'KKW BODY 4.30 by Vanessa Beecroft #KKWFRAGRANCE' Only the lower part of Kim's face can be seen in the snap which shows her standing against a bare wall. Museum quality: 'I thought this was such a cool box within itself that the bottle is on like a statue pedestal... like a statue... in a museum' Rear view: The bottle captured Kim's hourglass figure Hourglass: She shared numerous naked snaps of herself on Tuesday as she teased the arrival of her new perfume The reality star made sure to tag artist Vanessa Beecroft in the image. A second image, more explicit this time, shared by the KKW Fragrance Instagram account shows the lower part of Kim's body without any underwear. '#KKWBODY, KKW FRAGRANCES NEWEST PERFUME, IS COMING SOON ON 04.30' the very racy snap is captioned. Flashing the flesh: Kim protected her modesty with her arm in this first snap showing her topless Explicit: A second image shared by the KKW Fragrance Instagram account shows Kim wearing no bottoms Last week the same account teased the April 30 launch of Kim's new perfume with an image of two imprints of naked bodies in the sand - clearly made to look like the curvaceous reality star. Kim has reportedly used her own naked body as inspiration for her new perfume. 'The next fragrance I have coming out in May, KKW Body, is so amazing. It is a sculpture, basically, of my body,' Kim said in her cover story for Business of Fashion. 'Its really cool. The scent is so good, Im so proud of it. It smells to me like what I would think golden smells like, even though thats a color and something thats just luminous' Meanwhile, Kim and Kanye's marriage is under strain amid fears the rapper is on the brink of another breakdown. Laid bare: Kim teased her fans further with another image on her Twitter account Last week the same account teased the April 30 launch of Kim's new perfume with an image of two imprints of naked bodies in the sand - clearly made to look like the curvaceous reality star Tensions between the couple spilled over onto social media on Wednesday after he shared pictures of the couple's family home on Twitter and praised Donald Trump. The 40-year-old Gold Digger hit maker posted photographs of the luxurious space following a lengthy Twitter tirade, in which he boasted about his brand Yeezy and hinted he wanted to run for president. Kim called him out for breaking his own rule about their home, tweeting: 'Ummm babe. We had a rule to not show our home on social media! Soooo can we now allow KUWTK filming in the home?' Kim later insisted on social media that she was 'joking'. Strained? Tensions between the Kim Kardashian and Kanye West spilled over onto social media on Tuesday after he shared pictures of the couple's family home on Twitter, as they are pictured together in New York back in May 2016 Kanye was shedding light on all of the memes comparing his life with the Kardashian family to the 2017 Jordan Peele film Get Out. Kim apparently lambasted Kanye more than once on Wednesday as the rapper later tweeted: 'my wife just called me and she wanted me to make this clear to everyone. 'I don't agree with everything Trump does. I don't agree 100% with anyone but myself.' This came after the rapper had fired off a few tweets in support of the President Of The United States. Kim had was very vocal in her support of Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential race. 'Do this look like the sunken place': The 40-year-old rapper shared three snaps from the inside of their home Kanye wrote: 'You don't have to agree with trump but the mob can't make me not love him. We are both dragon energy. He is my brother. I love everyone. I don't agree with everything anyone does. That's what makes us individuals. And we have the right to independent thought.' The Through The Wire hitmaker did make sure to urge fans to not follow what everyone else does and that regardless of his Trump support, he is also a fan of Hillary. He explained: 'If your friend jumps off the bridge you don't have to do the same. Ye being Ye is a fight for you to be you. For people In my life the idea of Trump is pretty much a 50 50 split but I don't tell a Hillary supporter not to support Hillary I love Hillary too.' 'We got love': Kanye shocked many of his followers as he posted a picture of himself wearing a Make America Great Again hat Kim went on to defend Kanye's rant in a series of tweets which began: 'To the media trying to demonize my husband let me just say this... your commentary on Kanye being erratic & his tweets being disturbing is actually scary. So quick to label him as having mental health issues for just being himself when he has always been expressive is not fair.' She was upset about the previous stories published in regard to Kanye's mental health being called into question. The reality star continued: 'Hes a free thinker, is that not allowed in America? Because some of his ideas differ from yours you have to throw in the mental health card? Thats just not fair. Hes actually out of the sunken place when hes being himself which is very expressive.' 'She wanted me to make this clear to everyone': Kim apparently lambasted Kanye again as the rapper later tweeted about her calling him over his Donald Trump remarks MAGA: Kanye had once again voiced his support for the POTUS which seemingly led to Kim's call She also urged people to respect his political beliefs even if they have differing opinions including her. Kim wrote: 'Now when he spoke out about Trump... Most people (including myself) have very different feelings & opinions about this. But this is HIS opinion. I believe in people being able to have their own opinions,even if really different from mine He never said he agrees with his politics.' She finished off her own tweet storm by saying that she knows that Kanye will never be the most popular person but thats why he's liked and respected finishing off by saying 'Kanye is ahead of his time.' Hitting back: Kim went on to defend Kanye's rant in a series of tweets as she said 'your commentary on Kanye being erratic & his tweets being disturbing is actually scary' 'He never said he agrees with his politics': She also urged people to respect his political beliefs even if they have differing opinions including her Donald Trump later retweeted Kanye's words about him adding: 'Thank you Kanye, very cool!' In the same social media rant, West confirmed the reports that he fired numerous members of his management and legal teams as he declared that he is 'nobody's client' and that he 'can't be managed.' He went on to explain that he had fired his lawyer and manager because he asked them to work for him full-time but they had declined. 'I no longer have a manager. I can't be managed,' Kanye began his rant. 'I'm nobody's "client".' This comes after TMZ reported on Tuesday that Kanye has parted ways with much of his legal and management team including Scooter Braun. Entourage creator Doug Ellin and wife, New York-based broadcaster Andy Adler, have split after less than a year of marriage. Adler sought to split with him in a quiet manner, and was taken aback when the details of their recent divorce filings were made public. Ellin, a 50-year-old Brooklyn native, filed for divorce from Adler in Los Angeles, claiming 'irreconcilable differences' in the parting. 'Andy wanted to file for divorce several months ago but was hoping they would find a way to dissolve the marriage mutually and out of the public eye,' an insider close to the couple said. 'She is a very private person and never intended for her relationship, or its dissolution, to become public fodder.' Scroll below for video It's over: Entourage creator Doug Ellin, 50, has filed for divorce from New York-based broadcaster Andy Adler. An insider told Dailymail.com that Adler hoped to keep the split quiet Ellin and Adler became engaged last April 30 while vacationing in New Orleans, according to the outlet. Ellin tied the knot with Adler last September and cited last Friday as their separation date, according to the outlet. Neither Ellin or Adler, a sportscaster for WPIX, are seeking spousal support in their split, according to TMZ. Ellin last May told Page Six he and Adler first crossed paths in 2015, and he contacted her early last year on a lark. 'I reached out to Andy and I said, "I dont know your life situation, but Id love to meet you,"' he told the paper. 'Thankfully, she was open to meeting me. We spoke on the phone for three weeks, then I went to New York, and since then its been a whirlwind. Better times: Ellin and Adler became engaged last April 30 while vacationing in New Orleans Disconnect: Adler had hoped to keep their split under wraps, an insider revealed 'I dont know if she was as excited about meeting as I was, but we ended up having a 12-hour date. We walked around the city, talked and went from breakfast to lunch and then dinner.' In the chat, Ellin called Adler 'amazing,' 'genuine,' 'smart,' 'beautiful' and 'not in any way pretentious. 'She went to Stanford and speaks three languages,' said Ellin, who's currently working on a series titled Wish. 'Everything about her I love.' Beauty: Adler shared this shot from her TV broadcasting job as she sat alongside former major league pitcher Dwight Gooden Cut to the chase: Ellin shared this shot with his Entourage leading man Adrian Grenier as the two were both at the Coachella Music Festival in Indio, California this past weekend He said that he strongly felt the urge to tie the knot with Adler: 'When you know about someone, you just know. I am so excited about sharing the rest of my life with Andy.' In the chat, Ellin said he and Adler had plans to 'split our time' in Los Angeles and New York. Ellin was previously wed to Melissa Hecht from 1996 until 2009, and the pair share two children. He was also engaged to a real estate agent named Maddie Diehl, but the pair called things off in 2016. Roxy Jacenko has revealed that she often rebelled against her parents as a teen. The blonde beauty and PR guru told Daily Mail Australia on Thursday about her approach to parenting, when she spoke about her own childhood. The DU'IT ambassador said she would often smoke at a local train station after school when she was 14-years-old, and would hang around with 'naughty kids' who would graffiti walls. Scroll down for video EXCLUSIVE: 'I hit 14 and I was never one to turn down a cigarette at the train station': Roxy Jacenko (second from the R in this throwback shot) reveals she cheekily rebelled against her parents as a teen and hung around with kids who graffitied walls 'My parents were very strict when I was young then I hit 14 and I was never one to turn down a cigarette at the local train station on my way home from school,' Roxy said. She added: 'Or lurk about with the naughty kids who at the time thought "tagging wall's" was a thing!' 'I always remember my mum would buy me the fanciest party dresses, I would hide them in my room and opt for Kappa snap pants, an oversize t-shirt and Nike air max just to be difficult! Whoops!' Acting out! 'I always remember my mum would buy me the fanciest party dresses, I would hide them in my room and opt for Kappa snap pants, an oversize t-shirt and Nike air max just to be difficult! Whoops!' Her parenting method: Roxy said she allows daughter Pixie, six, to play with makeup as she doesn't want to be too strict as she might rebel when she grows up She added: 'My parents were very strict as I was growing up, needless to say I made up for the things I wasnt allowed to do the moment I turned 18 and boy oh boy did I do a good job!' Roxy said she allows daughter Pixie, six, to play with makeup as she doesn't want to be too strict as she might rebel when she grows up. 'I allow Pixie to experiment as I feel like the stricter I am with her the more she could potentially rebel when she is a teenager,' she said. 'Don't get me wrong, I teach her what is right and wrong and am firm,' she said. 'But if it comes down to wanting to play with make up or paint her nails to look like Sofia The First then I will let her.' Roxy added the Pixie loves playing with makeup and she often tries lipstick at her grandmother's place, when visiting Roxy's mother Doreen. A consistent three decades of work in film and television resulted in Sir Ian McKellen receiving a knighthood in the 1991 New Years Honours for services to the performing arts. But the celebrated actor insists he would never have accepted the honour had he not publicly acknowledged his homosexuality three years earlier. Speaking to the June issue of Attitude, McKellen, now 78, admits it would have been fraudulent to take the knighthood under any other circumstances. Opening up: Speaking to the June issue of Attitude, Sir Ian McKellen insists he would never have accepted his 1991 knighthood had he not come out as gay three years earlier 'I will always be glad that I didnt accept the knighthood until Id come out of the closet, he said. If youre lying about that central part of your nature, can you be trusted? I think thats why when people come out the reception is usually positive. People like honesty. 'They think if gay people dont talk about being gay that they have something to be ashamed of and its a secret. Why should it matter? Once you say Im gay, then you know where you are with a person. McKellen came out in 1988 following a ten-year relationship with theatre and film director Sean Mathias. Well done: McKellen also received a Companion of Honour medal for services to Drama and Equality from Queen Elizabeth II during an Investiture ceremony at Buckingham Palace in 2008 (pictured) However he still defends the decision to keep the true nature of his sexuality away from his parents, Denis and Margery, despite insisting that they would have accepted him. 'What my parents believed in was a Christian view of the world, a non-conformist view of the world in which people cared about each other, whether they knew them or not,' he said. 'They believed that people should always be treated with respect and sympathy, which is why I think if I had come out to my parents it mightve been a surprise and a shock to them, but they would have accepted it. Thats what I like to think. Main man: The celebrated actor spoke to the double cover special of Attitude about his knighthood, his sexuality and the decision not to come out to his parents Joint honours: McKellen shares the double cover with Australian singer Troye Sivan 'If being gay marks you out as being different, in the sense that you are treated differently by other people, I was sort of fulfilling the man who my parents wouldve wanted me to be. Which is actually nothing to do with being gay.' Born in Burnley in 1939, McKellen moved to Wigan before the outbreak of World War II, spending 12-years in the Lancashire town ahead of another move to nearby Bolton. His father Denis, a civil engineer, passed away when he was 24, and he admits to harbouring regret that he wasn't closer to his parents during his youth. 'I didnt show the interest [then] that I have in them now,' he added. 'I didnt give my dad the chance to give me a hug. 'And if he had done, I would be able to feel the warmth of that hug for the rest of my life.' She's rumoured to be expecting her first child with boyfriend, Troy Delmege. And it seems on Thursday, that Married At First Sight star Carly Bowyer was in a reflective mood. The TV star shared to Instagram a sweet shot of herself as a child, posing in a leotard. Scroll down for video 'Had sass then and have it now!' MAFS star Carly Bowyer shares a flashback shot of herself as a young child...amid reports she expecting a baby with boyfriend Troy Delmege 'Guess who?,' Carly wrote. She added hashtags including 'had sass then, have sass now.' Other hashtags were: 'will steal your pocket money' and 'butter wouldn't melt.' Expecting? She's rumoured to be expecting her first child with boyfriend, Troy Delmege Carly and Troy - who unveiled their romance just last month and recently moved in together in Melbourne - are reportedly expecting their first child. NW reports the pair are expecting and announced the news while shopping at a baby boutique earlier this month. The publication claims the pair are having a daughter, and picked out pink goods in the store. Troy was even seen tenderly touching Carly's stomach as he held a pale pink rattle in his hands. Baby? NW reports the pair are expecting and announced the news while shopping at a baby boutique earlier this month According to fellow shoppers, the pair were far from discreet about hiding their big baby news. 'Troy was running around the store shouting about how he can't wait to become a dad,' one onlooker allegedly told NW. 'He kept saying how lucky he feels and couldn't keep his hands off Carly', they added. However, the goofy groom was far more coy when contacted by the magazine for confirmation about a baby. He refused to confirm or deny, stating: 'Everything is going great since we moved in together, but we don't want to confirm anything right now. As soon as we have news to share, you'll be the first to know'. Tinsley Mortimer played coy when asked about her on/off boyfriend Scott Kluth and said freezing her eggs was 'no big deal'. The 42-year-old reality star was asked by People Now about her relationship status with the 40-year-old founder and CEO of Coupon Cabin. 'Scott and I are very close. I still work for his company, CouponCabin, I'm an account manager for them,' Tinsley said in an article on Wednesday. Reality star: Tinsley Mortimer, shown earlier this month in New York City, played coy when asked about her relationship status with Scott Kluth 'But you know, you're just going to have to wait and see! Sometimes the heart gets what it wants, and sometimes it doesn't,' she added. Tinsley and Scott, who lives in Chicago, broke up last fall and he's been absent from the current 10th season of The Real Housewives Of New York City. She said taking a break could be a 'good thing' for a couple. 'It puts thing in perspective and you start to miss people. It's tough, but, you know, he lives in Chicago, I live in New York, and relationships are hard when you have the long distance, even though it's only about two and a half hours away,' Tinsley said. Coupon king: CouponCabin founder and CEO Scott is shown with Tinsley in August celebrating his 40th birthday in a photo she posted on Instagram She added: 'At least Chicago is not that far away, it's not like I have to fly all the way to Europe. So, we'll see.' The reality star in last week's episode also revealed that she had 10 eggs frozen before her 40th birthday. She told People that she and Scott have discussed having a family together. College grad: Columbia University graduate Tinsley showed her school pride in February at an event in New York City 'Scott and I are very close, and we have talked about things like that and we'll see,' she said. 'But you know, I am so grateful [for my mom]. She was like: ''Before you turn 40 just get them out as young as you can possibly be''.' 'She was just very adamant about me doing it, and I did it, and I'm so grateful I did it,' she continued. 'It was no big deal! Really, it wasn't. It was totally worth it, and now they're just on ice.' On ice: The Real Housewives Of New York City star, shown in November in NYC, also discussed freezing 10 of her eggs before age 40 at the insistence of her mother Dale Mercer Tinsley and Scott started dating after they were introduced to each other in February 2017 by her RHONY co-star Carole Radziwill, 54. They separated in October 2017 and he's been absent from her Instagram account since then. Tinsley joined RHONY last year for season nine of the Bravo reality show. The Married At First Sight star just returned from her luxurious girls' trip to Byron Bay - where she managed to snag a cut-price rate thanks to her social media influencer status. And in her latest vlog, the 27-year-old announced that she's off to Bali next week. Filming a 10-minute behind-the-scenes glimpse at a typical day in the life of Davina, the former reality TV star gushed about her upcoming Indonesian adventure. Envy inducing! Davina Rankin enjoyed a luxurious Byron Bay holiday last month... and she's off to Bali again next week She said: 'I'm off to Bali next week, which is exciting!' The avid Instagrammer, who boasts 356,000 followers, also made the announcement on her page with a sultry throwback bikini photo from a previous holiday to the idyllic island. Davina told fans she would be 'reviewing some of the newest hotspots and hotels' for her 7,000 vlog subscribers during her time in Bali. Swimwear session: Davina headed to a swimwear boutique and perused the bikinis ahead of her upcoming Indonesian adventure In her latest YouTube installment, the personal trainer also demonstrated her fitness regime, by performing a range of sit-ups, crunches and lunges before grabbing brunch with friends. Davina then headed to a boutique to browse swimwear styles ahead of her upcoming getaway, and a light pink two-piece bikini caught her eye in particular. Just last month Davina jetted off to an exclusive retreat closer to home. Never-ending getaway: The Married At First Sight star enjoyed five days at the lavish Pavilion 2 at Broken Head A Byron Bay Rentals spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia that Davina was a repeat guest at the lavish Pavilion 2 at Broken Head and received a special rate. For those paying full price, one night at the beachside destination can cost between $800 and $1330, depending on the time of year. Stunning: A Byron Bay Rentals spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia Davina received a special rate for her stay Davina was in town celebrate her 27th birthday. The former Zoo Weekly model, who became infamous for her 'affair' with Dean Wells on MAFS, shared several photos from her five-day stay to Instagram. Davina's friend Gillian - who herself has over 13,000 followers - also posted a number of envy-inducing snaps. She's still legally married to estranged husband Doug Hutchison, 57. But Courtney Stodden is clearly ready to move on since she and boyfriend Chris Sheng, 38, were spotted shopping for what looked like engagement rings at Bulgari on Rodeo Drive on Wednesday. The 23-year-old beauty and her new movie producer beau are clearly wasting no time, since the blonde beauty only filed for divorce last month. Scroll down for video Moving on: Courtney Stodden, 23, is clearly ready to move on from estranged husband Doug Hutchison, 57, since she and boyfriend Chris Sheng were spotted shopping for what looked like engagement rings at Bulgari on Rodeo Drive on Wednesday Courtney looked smitten as she went hand-in-hand with Chris as they strolled down the street, before poring over jewellery together at an exclusive boutique. The star showed off her incredible curves in a tiny black crop top and figure-hugging grey leggings. She added some extra height to her look with a pair of nude peep toe heels. Courtney flashed a hint of her flat stomach in the lace-up number, and slung a designer bag over one shoulder. Second time lucky? The pair were poring over jewellery together at an exclusive boutique Moving on: The 23-year-old beauty and her new movie producer beau are clearly wasting no time, since the blonde beauty only filed for divorce last month Bodycon: The star showed off her incredible curves in a tiny black crop top and figure-hugging grey leggings Looking good: She added some extra height to her look with a pair of nude peep toe heels The model moved into Sheng's $3 million home in Beverly Hills in February. Stodden's estranged husband Doug opened up about the beauty earlier this month in an exclusive chat with DailyMail TV, telling the show that she's 'addicted to fame' and only using Sheng for his money. The 57-year-old actor, whose most prominent part came in 1999's The Green Mile alongside Oscar-winners Tom Hanks and Sam Rockwell, tied the knot with Stodden in 2011 in Las Vegas. The duo's divorce comes at the end of a difficult two-year stretch in which Stodden suffered a miscarriage in 2016; and they separated later in the year, going public with their split in early 2017. Revealing: Courtney flashed a hint of her flat stomach in the lace-up number, and slung a designer bag over one shoulder Keeping it casual: Movie producer Chris was pounding the pavements in flip flops Top of the crops: The pin-up showed off a liberal amount of skin in the plunging number In January, Hutchison told DailyMailTV that Stodden, despite social media pleas to try and save the relationship, moved in with businessman Chris Sheng in Hollywood, which left him heartbroken. 'The thing is she doesn't have any money, and he started paying her rent, and she really wants to stay in Hollywood. She is addicted to fame,' Doug explained. Hutchinson continued explaining he'll always care for Courtney: 'Ultimately I want her to be happy first and foremost. I love her with all my heart, we are soulmates and I will always love her.' MailOnline has contacted Courtney's representatives for comment. 'She is addicted to fame': Courtney's estranged husband had some harsh words to say about the buxom blonde He told DailyMail TV: 'I love her with all my heart, we are soulmates and I will always love her' Split: Courtney officially filed for divorce last month following a difficult few years He recently split from on-off long-term girlfriend Selena Gomez. And Justin Bieber's rumoured new love, Baskin Champion, made sure she stayed in the spotlight as she headed to lunch with her sister Abby in the Brentwood area of Los Angeles on Wednesday. The model, 22, left nothing to the imagination as she showed off her enviable figure in a revealing nude lace bra. Gorgeous: Justin Bieber's new love, Baskin Champion, made sure she stayed in the spotlight as she headed to lunch with her sister Abby in the Brentwood area of Los Angeles on Wednesday Baskin layered the underwear with a pair of oversized denim dungarees over the top. The Instagram sensation, who boasts 300,000 followers, teamed her ensemble with a set of fluffy beige sliders. Baskin styled her blonde locks into a loose hairdo, while she appeared to go make-up free for her outing. The model appeared in good spirits as she chatted to her sister and sipped a delicious looking drink in the Californian heat. Revealing: The model, 22, left nothing to the imagination as she showed off her enviable figure in a revealing nude lace bra Instagram sensation: Baskin started modeling in 2012 and was crowned Miss Alabama Teen USA in 2014 Baskin's sister Abby - who is dating Patrick Schwarzenegger - cut a very casual figure in jeans, a black hoodie and checkerboard Vans trainers. The outing comes after the stunning blonde model was linked to Justin when she was spotted emerging from his Beverly Hills home on several occasions. Baskin started modeling in 2012, according to W, and was crowned Miss Alabama Teen USA in 2014. Two years later, she was named Miss Photogenic in the Miss Teen USA pageant. Siblings: Baskin's sister Abby also has a famous partner and is dating Patrick Schwarzenegger Are they? The outing comes after the stunning blonde model was linked to Justin when she was spotted emerging from his Beverly Hills home on several occasions Their reported romance swiftly follows Justin's reunion with ex-girlfriend Selena in 2017, despite splitting in 2015, with the two now reportedly on a break. However, a source insisted to People that Justin is using Baskin to make his ex Selena jealous, saying: 'He loves her. He wants her back.' Another insider told E!: 'Justin has been upset about the recent break from Selena and is trying to keep busy until they work things out.' Justin and Selena first started dating in 2010, and were on and off until 2015. Single?: Their reported romance swiftly follows Justin's reunion with ex-girlfriend Selena in 2017, despite splitting in 2015, with the two now reportedly on a break Meryl Streep and Jennifer Lawrence are both owed more than $100,000 by The Weinstein Company. According to court documents obtained by The Blast, the media company, founded by disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein and his brother Bob, owes the Devil Wears Prada actress a whopping $142,965, while Jennifer is awaiting $102,623. The company filed for bankruptcy last month - shortly after the abuse scandal in Hollywood, which saw numerous actresses accuse Harvey, 66, of harassment, came to light. Waiting: Meryl Streep (L) and Jennifer Lawrence (R) are both owed more than $100,000 by The Weinstein Company Shamed: The company, founded by disgraced Harvey Weinstein (above) and his brother Bob, has filed for bankruptcy and estimate their liabilities to be between $500 million and $1 billion It is not only Meryl and Jennifer who feature on the list of creditors - with John Legend, Julianne Moore, Pierce Brosnan, Jerry Seinfeld, directors Michael Bay and Sir Peter Jackson, author Stephen King, and former President Barack Obama's daughter Malia also named. The Weinstein Company, which confirmed it had gone bankrupt in March after thirteen years in the industry, estimate their liabilities between $500 million and $1 billion. As well as the numerous celebrities, the company also owes $17 million to a law firm in Florida, $14 million to a Chinese production house and $13 million to a marketing firm in New York. Bad to worse: As well as the actresses (above at the Oscars), the company also owes $17 million to a law firm, $14 million to a production house and $13 million to a marketing firm Both Meryl and Jennifer have blasted producer Harvey in recent months, following his multiple accusations of sexual misconduct. In December, three-time Oscar winner Meryl voiced her support for the legal defense fund being set up CAA to assist workplace harassment victims - after actress Rose McGowan criticised her for not speaking up about the scandal. After Rose, who was the first to come out against Harvey, slammed the actress for staying silent after working with the producer, Meryl said in a statement: 'I wasn't deliberately silent. 'I wasn't deliberately silent': In December, Meryl voiced her support for the legal defense fund being set up CAA to assist harassment victims in a stand against Harvey (pictured in 2012) Defense: After she was slammed for not speaking about Harvey's behaviour, she voiced her hopes the industry will 'bring down the b******s' and stop sexual misconduct 'I didn't know. I don't tacitly approve of rape. I didn't know. I don't like young women being assaulted. I didn't know this was happening.' She went on to praise the new movement set up by the Hollywood talent agency, and voiced her hopes that it will 'bring down the b******s'. Meanwhile Jennifer branded Harvey's behaviour as 'inexcusable and absolutely upsetting' back in October, having heard the accusations after working with him on Silver Linings Playbook. Heartbroken: Meanwhile Jennifer branded Harvey's behaviour as 'inexcusable and absolutely upsetting', after working with him on Silver Linings Playbook (pictured together in 2013) Most recently, both actresses came forward to slam Weinstein once again when he used their names in his defence in a class action lawsuit. Harvey claimed Meryl had publicly spoken about how he had 'always been respectful to her', while Jennifer had told Oprah Winfrey he had 'only ever been nice'. In response, Jennifer wrote in a furious statement: 'Harvey Weinstein and his company are continuing to do what they have always done which is to take things out of context and use them for their own benefit. This is what predators do, and it must stop. 'For the record, while I was not victimised personally by Harvey Weinstein, I stand behind the women who have survived his terrible abuse and I applaud them in using all means necessary to bring him to justice whether through criminal or civil actions. Time's up.' Disgraced: Most recently, both Meryl and Jennifer came forward to slam Weinstein once again when he used their names in his defence in a class action lawsuit Meryl later hit out by adding: 'Harvey Weinstein's attorneys' use of my (true) statement -- that he was not sexually transgressive or physically abusive in our business relationship -- as evidence that he was not abusive with many other women is pathetic and exploitive. 'The criminal actions he is accused of conducting on the bodies of these women are his responsibility, and if there is any justice left in the system he will pay for them -- regardless of how many good movies, made by many good people, Harvey was lucky enough to have acquired or financed.' Weinstein suffered a huge fall from grace last year, following more than 80 accusations of abusive behaviour and rape. The producer, 65, later gave a statement to The New York Times apologising for his behaviour but insisted that he had never engaged in non-consensual sexual activity. Legal battle: More than 30 women accused Weinstein of abuse and rape last year. He has since apologised, but insists that he had never engaged in non-consensual sexual activity He walked the red carpet at the Avengers: Infinity War premiere in Los Angeles on Monday. And Thor star Chris Hemsworth was seen visiting the Jimmy Kimmel studio on Wednesday as he continued his Hollywood press junket. The show has seen various characters from for Avengers flick showing face on Jimmy Kimmel Live as part of a week-long promotion. Thor-blimey! Chris Hemsworth continues his Avengers: Infinity War press junket, signing autographs for avid fans outside of Jimmy Kimmel studio in Hollywood The famed Australian marvel character was snapped walking into the studio, while avid fans flashed cameras from behind barricades. The 34-year-old looked stylish in a white linen shirt, a pair of black boot-legged pants and slate-hued dress shoes. Styling his signature hair, the star opted for a pair of aviator-style sunglasses. Looking good! The famed Australian star was snapped walking into the studio, while avid fans flashed cameras from behind barricades Smart casual: Proving he's a man of style, the star left a few buttons undone, revealing the top of his chiseled chest Proving he's a man of style, the star left a few buttons undone, revealing the top of his chiseled chest. With Avengers posters flooding the vicinity's perimeter, Chris stopped to offer his autograph to lucky fans. Surrounded by body guards, Chris looked cheerful as he made his way into the famed Hollywood studio. Making an appearance! Before heading into the studio, fans stacked up in the hopes of snapping pictures or getting autographs from the famed actor The Jimmy Kimmel studio is located on Hollywood Boulevard in the heart of the Walk Of Fame. The plot of the film sees the Avengers - which includes the likes of Iron Man, Thor, the Hulk and Captain America - unite to battle the evil and powerful Thanos. Thanos is on an expedition to retrieve all six Infinity Stones and use them to inflict his twisted will on reality. The fate of the planet and existence itself depends on the Avengers, who must fight against Thanos to save the world. Lucky fans! With Avengers posters flooding the vicinity's perimeter, Chris stopped to offer his autograph to lucky fans All smiles! Surrounded by body guards, Chris looked cheerful as he made his way into the famed Hollywood studio Men in black! Chris was seen being assisted by his body guards and representatives in all-black suit ensembles After a month of drama and romance, Bachelor In Paradise is finally set to come to an end next week. An explosive trailer for the show's final two episodes has been released, and it promises a shock marriage proposal between one of the couples. The trailer doesn't reveal exactly which couple will tie the knot, but it seems to lean heavily towards Ali Oetjen and American intruder Grant Kemp being the lucky pair. Who will it be? Bachelor In Paradise has teased a shock marriage proposal in the show's upcoming two-part finale 'I hope Grant will propose today,' gushes a giddy Ali before the final rose ceremony. We then see a close of a man's hands, which appear to be Grant's, opening a small box to reveal an engagement ring. 'I want to spend the rest of my life with you,' says Grant to Ali, hinting that he's just moments away from popping the question. 'I hope Grant will propose today,' gushes a giddy Ali Oetjen in the trailer 'I want to spend the rest of my life with you': The trailer shows a close of a man's hands, which appear to be Grant Kemp's, opening a small box to reveal an engagement ring However, the trailer also hints that it could be one of the other couples that end up hearing wedding bells. Tara Pavlovic and Sam Cochrane are shown exchanging loving glances at the last ceremony, while Jake Ellis can be heard telling Megan Marx that he's 'falling in love' with her as they sip champagne on a boat. Jarrod Woodgate and Keira Maguire are also contenders for the mystery proposal, with Jarrod being shown reaching into his jacket pocket before Keira starts to sob. Is it them? Jake Ellis can be heard telling Megan Marx that he's 'falling in love' with her as they sip champagne on a boat 'I can't see my life without Keira,' he gushes. The first part of the two-episode grand finale will air Sunday, 7:30pm on Channel Ten. Meanwhile, the sixth season of The Bachelor is currently filming, with Nick Cummins in the lead role. 'I can't see my life without Keira': Jarrod Woodgate and Keira Maguire are also contenders for the mystery proposal Roxy Jacenko is set to feature in a new campaign for beauty brand DU'IT. And the PR maven has given fans a glimpse behind-the-scenes on the set of her promotional campaign with a candid video this week. In the first clip, the 38-year-old is seen wearing a crisp white pair of pyjamas while sitting in the comfort of her own home. Scroll down for video Behind the scenes of a cover girl! Roxy Jacenko, 38, n has given fans a glimpse behind-the-scenes on the set of her promotional campaign for DU'IT with a candid video this week With her hair sitting in tight ringlets before being styled into her signature curls, Roxy is filmed getting her makeup done by a professional artist. After swiping sweet touches of bronze and pink hues across her cheeks, eyes and lips, the mother-of-two is seen having her hair brushed out and styled. Roxy is then seen holding a selection of the brand's products, beaming from ear-to-ear in a form-fitted white dress. Work hard, play hard! Keeping true to her nature, the PR queen is seen laughing and pulling funny faces on set Keeping true to her nature, the PR queen is seen laughing and pulling funny faces for the camera. Switching outfits, Roxy is later seen in a chic pair of ankle-cut denim jeans and a brown-hued blazer layered on top of a white shirt. Standing with a pile of designer luggage by her side, Roxy looked stylish as she posed with a travel-sized hand creme. Jet setter! Standing with luggage by her side, Roxy is snapped looking fashionable and posing with a hand cream In a following clip, Roxy is seen wearing a fresh-white bathrobe, applying an under-eye cream through the reflection of her bathroom mirror. Sitting on chair at the end of her bed, the famed face is snapped donning a white dress and applying a roll-on foot cream. Leaving her home, the next scene features Roxy standing on the famed Bondi Beach boardwalk, as her hairdresser styles her beachy waves ahead of shooting. Around the clock! In a following clip, Roxy is seen wearing a fresh-white bathrobe, applying an under-eye cream through the reflection of her bathroom mirror Wearing a mesh-embellished black active-wear shirt, she paired her outdoor look with black-and-white leggings and all-white runners. Accessorising her look, Roxy opted for aviator Ray Ban sunglasses. In a later scene, Roxy is seen posing with a product, next to two shirtless men doing pull ups at Bondi's famed outdoor gym in unison. Fabulously fit! Wearing a mesh-embellished black active-wear shirt, she paired her outdoor look with black-and-white leggings and all-white runners Former Frasier star Jane Leeves was joined by lookalike daughter Isabella Coben on Sunday evening, almost two decades after her pregnancy with the now seventeen-year old was used to great effect on the hugely popular sitcom. Mother and daughter were side by side at the premiere of new Showtime series Patrick Melrose, and their striking similarity was undeniable as they posed for photos after arriving at the Linwood Dunn Theater in Los Angeles. Jane, 57 - best known for her breakout role as hapless Mancunian housekeeper Daphne Moon - looked casual in a black blouse and matching skinny jeans teamed with leopard print stiletto heels. Side by side: Former Frasier star Jane Leeves was joined by lookalike daughter Isabella Coben on Sunday evening, almost two decades after her pregnancy with the now seventeen-year old was used to great effect on the hugely popular sitcom Meanwhile Isabella - the oldest of her two children with CBS Paramount Television executive Marshall Coben - sported a tasteful spotted shirt dress and strappy heels. Jane fell pregnant with her daughter while preparing for the eighth season of Frasier, leaving writers with a conundrum in terms of how to explain the actress's inevitable weight gain. Taking advantage of previous quips about Daphne's weight, they decided to incorporate Jane's pregnancy as excessive weight gain brought on by the character's extreme over-eating. Previously: Jane fell pregnant with her daughter while preparing for the eighth season of Frasier, leaving writers with a conundrum in terms of how to explain the actress's inevitable weight gain Fans with sharp memories will remember the character eventually checked into a weight loss spa by way of explaining Leeves' absence from the Seattle based show while giving birth to Isabella. Daphne later returned having lost '9 pounds and 12 ounces' - the exact baby weight of her off-screen daughter. Speaking to The Telegraph in 2004, 12-months after the birth of son Finn, Leeves ruled out the possibility of having more children, citing the impact it had on her physical appearance as a major reason. Striking: Mother and daughter were side by side at the premiere of new Showtime series Patrick Melrose, and their striking similarity was undeniable as they posed for photos after arriving at the Linwood Dunn Theater in Los Angeles Easily explained: Taking advantage of previous quips about Daphne's weight, writers decided to incorporate Jane's pregnancy as excessive weight gain brought on by her character's extreme over-eating on Frasier (pictured in 2000) 'When you get pregnant everything spreads,' she said. 'Your pelvis separates. You get gaps between your teeth. I went up a shoe size with each of my kids. My feet just grew. But no one tells you that, do they? 'My hips and teeth went back together again, thank God, but look at this.'' She lifts a booted foot into the air. It is not small. Dainty it ain'ty. 'So I can't have any more children, or I'll never be able to buy another pair of shoes again.' Weight gain: Fans with sharp memories will remember the character eventually checked into a weight loss spa by way of explaining Leeves' absence from the Seattle based show while giving birth to Isabella He is gearing up to release his second directorial feature, Boy Erased. And Joel Edgerton, 43, looked every inch the Hollywood hotshot as he stepped onto the red carpet alongside the star of his new film, Lucas Hedges, 21, at Focus Features' CinemaCon on Wednesday. Posing arm-in-arm, the talented twosome smiled at onlookers in casual ensembles. Dynamic duo! Joel Edgerton, 43, looked every inch the Hollywood hotshot as he stepped onto the red carpet alongside the star of his new film, Lucas Hedges, 21, at Focus Features' CinemaCon on Wednesday Joel looked suave in his soft grey dinner jacket, paired with loose-fitting white jeans and a white T-shirt, while Joel dressed down in a beige jumped and blue jeans. Later in the proceedings, Joel took the stage to discuss Boy Erased, which is set for release in September this year. The film follows the story of Jared, a teenager who is sent to gay conversion therapy by his ultra-religious parents, played by Nicole Kidman and Russell Crowe. Trendy lads: Joel looked suave in his soft grey dinner jacket, paired with loose-fitting white jeans and a white T-shirt, while Joel dressed down in a beige jumped and blue jeans Joel also stars in the film as the conversion therapy program's head therapist. Speaking to the audience at CinemaCon, Joel spoke about why he was inspired to adapt Garrard Conley's memoir Boy Erased into a film. 'I'm obsessed with cults and prisons, and I felt like I was going to get this glimpse into a world I'd heard about,' Joel admitted. 'I'm obsessed with cults and prisons': Speaking to the audience at CinemaCon, Joel spoke about why he was inspired to adapt Garrard Conley's memoir Boy Erased into a film Lucas also addressed the audience, revealing that Nicole and Russell made him feel at ease on set. 'I'm a very anxious and nervous actor, so I tend to get very paranoid and afraid of scenes before we film them. I have several memories of Nicole where I forgot everything about where I was, just looking at her,' he explained. 'I'm just like: 'What's going on here?' But not even like: 'It's Nicole Kidman.' She's my mom, and everything about her centered me. It's the same with Russell.' It was one of the most unlikely celebrity feuds to date - a former Big Brother star and Robin Thicke's 23-year-old model girlfriend. And Chanelle Hayes, 30, discussed her recent social media spat with April Love Geary during an interview on Thursday's edition of This Morning, admitting that the American model 'roasted' her on social media. Mother-of-two Chanelle had weighed in on April's topless breastfeeding photograph, calling her out on Twitter by writing, 'WHY do people need to post pictures of themselves [breastfeeding]?' Awkward: Chanelle Hayes discussed her recent social media spat with April Love Geary during an interview on Thursday's edition of This Morning, admitting that the American model 'roasted' her on social media In response, April posted a censored topless photo of the British TV personality - who has modelled for lads' mags like Nuts and Zoo - next to her tweet and warned 'don't be a hypocrite mama'. Chanelle appeared a little flustered when quizzed about the war of words by Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield. She said: 'My issue is I dont have a filter between my brain and my tweets. Although it was my opinion and I dont apologise it, I probably should have not said it as it seems nasty.' The outspoken star revealed she had taken umbrage to April posing and being fully made-up in the photograph, saying, 'She has others that are so nice, and natural, and less contrived'. The offending image: April, whose daughter Mia was born in February, sparked an online debate when she shared this uncensored picture of herself breastfeeding - and was furious when Chanelle criticised her for it Getting a grilling: Chanelle appeared a little flustered when quizzed about the war of words by Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield Looking lovely: The mother-of-two sported a simple pink blouse with matching stilettos and blue jeans Too posed: The outspoken star revealed she had taken umbrage to April posing and being fully made-up in the photograph, saying, 'She has others that are so nice, and natural, and less contrived' Insisting that she absolutely believes women should feel empowered and comfortable breastfeeding in public, Chanelle said: 'Ive spent train journeys with express machines on both boobs! 'Breastfeeding is beautiful. But [the picture] wasnt natural, it looked staged.' However, she contradicted herself by saying: '[This Morning] have blurred out one of her breasts, which means its too much' in one breath - yet adding, 'If I looked like her I would be posting all the time'. Chanelle was left heartbroken when her partner Ryan Oates left her in November - just two months after their baby son Frankie was born. Discussing what went wrong between them, she said: 'Things just went a bit wrong... I was too tired, and anemic, I think maybe it was a bit tough. Brutal: April posted a censored topless photo of the British TV personality - who has modelled for lads' mags like Nuts and Zoo - next to her tweet and warned 'don't be a hypocrite mama' American beauty: April, 23, is in a relationship with Blurred Lines singer Robin Thicke, who is 18 years older than her Chanelle said: 'My issue is I dont have a filter between my brain and my tweets. Although it was my opinion and I dont apologise it, I probably should have not said it as it seems nasty.' 'I dont think the baby affected it, it was more about how tired we were, everything changed. I have always had anxiety, it was really a lot worse.' Despite their acrimonious break-up, Chanelle insisted the pair are now on good terms for the sake of their child, adding: 'We will be good friends in the future Im sure'. She also revealed her sons - seven-month-old Frankie and Blakely, seven, who she raises with an ex-partner - have been her lifeline during these tough times, admitting that she might have even taken her own life had they not been there. 'When youre so low and going through a horrendous time... thank god for my boys', she sighed. 'If they werent there, I genuinely wouldnt have seen any point [in being here].' 'We will be good friends in the future': Despite her acrimonious break-up with ex Ryan Oates, Chanelle insisted the pair are now on good terms for the sake of their child Proud mother: She also revealed her sons - seven-month-old Frankie and Blakely, seven, who she raises with an ex-partner - have been her lifeline during these tough times Chanelle is channeling all of her energies into her weight loss mission, and has already shed an impressive two stone. The reality TV veteran revealed that she's trying to use her new healthy eating lifestyle as a way to spend quality time with her eldest son. 'I still have a way to go on the weight', she said. 'I have lost so much, I was huge, massive, unhealthy. I dont have to do exercise on this plan but it helps me. Chanelle said: 'Ive spent train journeys with express machines on both boobs! 'Breastfeeding is beautiful. But [the picture] wasnt natural, it looked staged' Speaking about her two sons, the TV personality said: 'When youre so low and going through a horrendous time... thank god for my boys', she sighed. 'If they werent there, I genuinely wouldnt have seen any point [in being here]' 'I do runs with Blakely, cooking together, following the recipes Its a way to spend time with him. He is 7 going on 17! Hes now really into cookery shows.' However, she admitted she struggles with self-esteem issues and will no doubt never be satisfied with herself at any weight. 'I am not on my target weight yet and Ill surely see something else I want to change after that,' she said. Unhappy: The brunette admitted she struggles with self-esteem issues and will no doubt never be satisfied with herself at any weight She was reportedly arrested and imprisoned for driving offences in Marbella. Yet Danniella Westbrook looked worlds away from any of her woes as she enjoyed a fun-filled sunbathing session with former Geordie Shore star Chantelle Connelly, during a girls' holiday to Gran Canaria on Wednesday. The 44-year-old former EastEnders star looked sensational in a skimpy orange bikini, as she headed out after confessing she is feeling 'ugly and sad' after her arrests. Hot stuff! Danniella Westbrook looked worlds away from any of her woes as she enjoyed a fun-filled sunbathing session with former Geordie Shore star Chantelle Connelly, during a girls' holiday to Gran Canaria Keen to leave her woes behind her, Danniella stripped off for her relaxing poolside session with the stunning former reality star. Showing off her svelte frame, she rocked a bold orange two-piece with a cleavage boosting cup and low-slung bottoms. Prior to her beach trip, she wrote on Twitter: 'The Lab salon Banus R doing a full on make over&pamper,Im not allowed to see until its all done. 'after a month of upset & feeling the ugliest I ever felt 2 say Im overwhelmed is an understatement.So blessed 2 have amazing friends & the support I have #Blessed.' Stunners: The 44-year-old former EastEnders star looked sensational in a skimpy orange bikini while the reality star showed off her trim physique in a black bikini Making a splash: Wowing in their sexy bikinis, the unlikely pals looked friendlier than ever Danniella is reportedly set to stand trial for fraud in Spain, in claims surfacing hours after she was arrested and jailed for driving offences. On Tuesday, it was revealed she was hauled to court and spent a night in a Costa del Sol police cell when she was arrested over a warrant issued for the offences. Spanish police confirmed a Brit had been held at Malaga Airport on an outstanding warrant and taken to court on Tuesday morning after a night in a cell. Court officials said she had been informed she would have to stand trial in October for an alleged fraud offence before being released from custody. No further information on exactly what she is alleged to have done wrong was made available, although a legal source described it as a 'minor fraud offence.' High jinx! The duo were playing around in the sunshine Happy days: Danniella was laughing away despite her recent confession that she feels 'ugly' The crime she faces trial for is 'estafa' in Spanish - which is defined in English as criminal deception, fraud or dishonest dealing. MailOnline has contacted Danniella's representatives for comment. Daniella was arrested under her married name of Jenkins. She is thought to have been held when her name flagged up on a police database at passport control as she went to board a flight back to the UK late on Monday night. The star is now planning to travel back to the UK next week following her unexpected brush with the law. She is said to be staying with friends in the Marbella area. Legs eleven: Chantelle was displaying her inked-up legs as she strutted along with her pal Larking around: The duo were frolicking away as they played around by the pool Helping her out: Chantelle paid close attention to ensuring Danniella did not catch a burn Her arrest on Monday night came just days after she was arrested in the UK over allegations of 'malicious communications and witness intimidation.' Police in Britain confirmed she is still under investigation. Her representatives said after the latest arrest: 'We can confirm our client Miss Westbrook was arrested by national police at Malaga airport on Monday night and detained for 14 hours in custody before being bailed by the court in Malaga. 'We cannot at this time disclose any more information other than that she has been left feeling very scared. She's tired and looking forward to returning back to the UK next week.' A friend in need... Chantelle was on-hand to help Danniella with her suncream application You got a friend in me! While showing off her figure, Danniella also showed off her strength as she scooped Chantelle on to her back She underwent bum-reshaping surgery in Marbella earlier this year and has made no secret of having had a boob job. And Chloe Sims proudly flaunted the results of her curves as she joined her co-stars for TOWIE filming at an array of different locations on Thursday. The reality star, 35, went braless for her television debut in a skintight grey vest top. Stunning: Chloe Sims proudly flaunted the results of her newly-pert derriere and enviable figure as she joined her co-stars for TOWIE filming on Thursday Chloe teamed the revealing ensemble with a pair of figure-hugging striped flared leggings, which showed off her newly-pert derriere. The mother-of-one added height to her frame with a set of nude heeled sandals. Chloe accessorised her look with a pair of oversized red ombre lens sunglasses and a gold necklace. Stylish: The reality star, 35, teamed her grey vest top with an oversized pink fluffy coat Wow: Chloe teamed the revealing ensemble with a pair of figure-hugging striped flared leggings Layering: And at one stage, the mother-of-one layered the outfit with a baby pink shaggy jacket for a stylish twist And at one stage, the mother-of-one layered the outfit with a baby pink shaggy jacket. Chloe styled her newly dark balayage locks into a curly and tousled look, while she added a full face of make-up, which included pink lipstick. The reality star joined the likes of Georgia Kousoulou and Amber Turner, who stepped out together at Thorpe Park. Glamorous: Chloe styled her newly dark balayage locks into a curly and tousled look, while she added a full face of make-up, which included pink lipstick Casual: The reality star joined the likes of Georgia Kousoulou and Amber Turner, who stepped out together at Thorpe Park Chic: Amber stayed true to her Essex roots as she put on a very glamorous display at the theme park in a fur gilet and Gucci belt Comfy: Georgia cut a casual figure in grey ripped jeans and an oversized white t-shirt with box-fresh trainers Fun: The girls joined some of the boys, including Dean Ralph, Liam Gatsby and Dan Edgar at the theme park Cool: Dean opted for navy blue shorts, hoodie, white socks and matching trainers for a casual yet comfy look Georgia cut a casual figure in grey ripped jeans and an oversized white t-shirt with box-fresh trainers. The 26-year-old styled the ensemble with a pink teddy jacket, silver necklace, black sunglasses and grey handbag. Georgia styled her blonde locks away from her face for the fun day ahead, as she tied half of her hair back into a high ponytail. Meanwhile, Amber stayed true to her Essex roots as she put on a very glamorous display at the theme park. Cute: It looked as though James Lock, Yazmin Oukhellou, Shelby Tribble and Pete Wicks had their own double date away from Thorpe Park Fun: The foursome got together for Pete's final day of filming, as he reportedly takes a brief break from TOWIE Smitten: The couple looked more loved-up than ever as they held hands, cuddled and even jumped on each other's backs The 24-year-old wore black ripped jeans and a matching polo neck with box-fresh looking trainers. Amber layered the ensemble with an oversized dark grey fur gilet, a Gucci belt and stone coloured handbag. She wore a full set of make-up with black sunglasses and her blonde locks styled into a voluminous curly blow-dry. The girls joined some of the boys, including Dean Ralph, Liam Gatsby and Dan Edgar at the theme park. Stylish: Shelby put on a busty display in a white lace bodysuit with a pinstriped waistcoat over the top for her beau's big filming day Elegant: The TOWIE newbie teamed the stylish look with a pair of black skinny jeans and thin heeled sandals Gatsby wore a black fur-trimmed coat for the outing, while Dean opted for navy blue shorts and a hoodie. However, it looked as though James Lock, Yazmin Oukhellou, Shelby Tribble and Pete Wicks had their own double date away from Thorpe Park for the latter star's final day of filming, as he reportedly takes a brief break from TOWIE. Pete and Shelby looked more loved-up than ever as they held hands, cuddled and even jumped on each other's backs. James appeared emotional about bidding his best pal goodbye as he was spotted hugging him and having a deep conversation. Loved-up: The couple recently confirmed their romance and have been inseparable ever since, with Shelby joining the TOWIE cast Beautiful: Shelby styled her brunette locks into a tousled loose hairdo as she added a full face of make-up, which included bronzer and metallic pink lipgloss Gorgeous couple: Pete opted for a more casual look as he wore a pair of dark jeans, black shirt, a gold necklace, sunglasses and Chelsea boots Shelby put on a busty display in a white lace bodysuit with a pinstriped waistcoat over the top. The TOWIE newbie teamed the look with a pair of black skinny jeans and heeled sandals. Shelby styled her brunette locks into a tousled loose hairdo as she added a full face of make-up, which included bronzer and metallic pink lipgloss. Whereas Pete opted for a more casual look as he wore a pair of dark jeans, black shirt, a gold necklace, sunglasses and Chelsea boots. Having fun: The couple couldn't resit messing around as they filmed Pete's final TOWIE scenes, as he gave his girlfriend a piggy back Classy: For the fun outing, Yazmin wore a structured white dress with silver buttons, which cinched in at the waist with a buckle Sad times: James appeared emotional about bidding his best pal goodbye as he was spotted hugging him and having a deep conversation For the fun outing, Yazmin wore a structured white dress with silver buttons, which cinched in at the waist with a buckle. The 24-year-old accessorised her look with nude heels, a silver watch and a Louis Vuitton clutch bag. She styled her warm brunette locks into a wavy and voluminous blow-dried hairdo. James appeared to match with his best friend Pete, as he wore dark jeans and Chelsea boots, but added a light blue denim shirt to the ensemble instead. He added his trademark grey tweed flat cap to his casual-looking outfit. Copy cats: James appeared to match with his best friend Pete, as he wore dark jeans and Chelsea boots, but added a light blue denim shirt to the ensemble instead Finishing touches: He added his trademark grey tweed flat cap to his casual-looking outfit for Pete's final day of filming Also spotted during the scenes was Myles Barnett, who looked casual in blue jeans and a dark hoodie with trainers. The reality star appeared in good spirits, despite splitting from girlfriend of one-year, Courtney Green, just earlier this month. The filming for Pete's reported final day comes after it was rumoured that he is planning to take part in Bear Grylls survival show Celebrity island to get out of his comfort zone. Happy: Also spotted during the scenes was Myles Barnett, who looked casual in blue jeans and a dark hoodie with trainers Pete had decided its time to leave TOWIE for now, a source told The Sun. Hes got a lot of close friends on it, and hes in a really good place and enjoying himself and his new relationship with Shelby, but he needs some time out he insists he will return at some point in the future though. Hes desperate to show everyone who he really is after a tumultuous year on the show after his split from Megan McKenna and fights with Gatsby the only way is to move on and try new things. Sarah Paulson reunited with the cast and crew of Glass on Wednesday for a CinemaCon event in Nevada while clad in her own feathered-fashion salute to Las Vegas. The 43-year-old Golden Globe winner's Christopher Kane pre-fall creation consisted of a matronly black blouse and a pleather-meets-plumage poodle skirt lined with a white boa-style ostrich feather hem. The AHS: Cult actress finished off her eye-catching look with Norman Silverman Diamond stud earrings and chrome Stella Luna pumps selected by stylist Karla Welch. Scroll down for video On the mic: Sarah Paulson reunited with the cast and crew of Glass on Wednesday for a CinemaCon event in Nevada while clad in her own feathered-fashion salute to Las Vegas Make-up artist Adam Breuchaud gave Sarah's skin a glow and a striking red pout while hairstylist Sheridan Ward coiffed her voluminous bob for the promotional appearance. Backstage at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace, Paulson twirled her skirt for her glam squad. The Tampa-born beauty was joined by her director M. Night Shyamalan as well as castmates Samuel L. Jackson, Bruce Willis, and James McAvoy. In the clip screened from the 2019 crossover-sequel to Split and Unbreakable, the Emmy winner portrays psychiatrist Dr. Ellie Staple examining three patients who 'believe themselves to be superheroes.' Pleather-meets-plumage: The 43-year-old Golden Globe winner's Christopher Kane pre-fall creation consisted of a matronly black blouse and a poodle skirt lined with a white boa-style ostrich feather hem Bespectacled: The AHS: Cult actress finished off her eye-catching look with Norman Silverman Diamond stud earrings and chrome Stella Luna pumps selected by stylist Karla Welch Flawless: Make-up artist Adam Breuchaud gave Sarah's skin a glow and a striking red pout while hairstylist Sheridan Ward coiffed her voluminous bob for the promotional appearance Weeee! Backstage at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace, Paulson twirled her skirt for her glam squad Jackson reprises his role as comic book art gallery owner-turned-terrorist Elijah Price aka Mr. Glass. Willis is back as security guard-turned-'unbreakable' psychic David Dunn. And McAvoy returns as dissociative identity disorder patient Kevin Wendell Crumb aka The Horde, who possesses 24 personalities (including one called The Beast). 'What if these real-life supervillains and superheroes are somehow locked up together?' Sarah asked the audience - according to EW. 'I mean, what could go wrong?' The Tampa-born beauty was joined by her director M. Night Shyamalan (2-L) as well as castmates (L-R) Samuel L. Jackson, Bruce Willis, and James McAvoy At the helm: The 47-year-old filmmaker (2-L) called Glass 'the first truly grounded comic book movie' and he only finished shooting the final scene 'last week' The two-time Oscar nominee tweeted: 'Had dinner with some of the cast from #Glass last night. Told them I saw the film for the 1st time on Monday. I had a grin from ear to ear' The 47-year-old filmmaker called Glass 'the first truly grounded comic book movie' and he only finished shooting the final scene 'last week.' 'Had dinner with some of the cast from #Glass last night,' the two-time Oscar nominee tweeted on Wednesday. 'Told them I saw the film for the 1st time on Monday. I had a grin from ear to ear.' While there, Paulson bumped into her Ocean's 8 castmate Cate Blanchett in an equally-eccentric western-inspired attire. Hey girl! While there, Paulson bumped into her Ocean's 8 castmate Cate Blanchett in an equally-eccentric western-inspired attire Squad: The talented twosome attended a similar event for Gary Ross' ensemble heist flick alongside co-stars (L-R) Anne Hathaway, Awkwafina, Mindy Kaling, Sandra Bullock and Will Arnett on Tuesday Feminist flick: Fans can next catch the Cynthia Nixon campaigner as 'expert fence' Tammy in Ocean's 8, which hits US theaters June 7 and UK theaters June 22 The talented twosome attended a similar event for Gary Ross' star-studded ensemble heist flick alongside co-stars Anne Hathaway, Awkwafina, Mindy Kaling, Sandra Bullock and Will Arnett on Tuesday. Fans can next catch the Cynthia Nixon campaigner as 'expert fence' Tammy in Ocean's 8, which hits US theaters June 7 and UK theaters June 22. Sarah is also 'so ready' to start filming the eighth season of FX's American Horror Story around June 16, and she'll also make her directorial debut by helming an episode. Missing from Paulson's side Wednesday was her girlfriend, Mr. Mercedes star Holland Taylor, whom she knew for a decade before sparking up their May-December romance in 2015. Ferne McCann told her followers that she was 'so happy to be away' as she shared an Instagram story on Thursday. The former TOWIE star has gone on holiday to an unknown location with her good friend Danielle Armstrong, 29, and five-month-old baby Sunday. Posing in a very skimpy bikini top, Ferne, 27, showed off her sunshine look, wearing a selection of gold necklaces. Time off: Bikini-clad Ferne McCann said she's 'so happy to be away' on Instagram stories, a week after she took daughter Sunday to visit her acid attacker ex Arthur Collins No doubt she's keen for a bit of r'n'r after taking her daughter to visit her acid attacker ex Arthur Collins in prison last Friday. The TV star made the 440 mile round-trip from Essex to the maximum security jail where Collins is serving a 20-year sentence for a vicious acid attack at a nightclub. The Only Way Is Essex star and her baby were forced to make the eight-hour journey after her jailbird ex asserted his legal right to see his daughter. Sunshine life: The former TOWIE star has gone on holiday to an unknown location with her good friend Danielle Armstrong, 29, and baby Sunday Meanwhile, Ferne showed how excited she is to be going away with Danielle who also looked incredible wearing a yellow two-piece. The pair have been close friends for years and they looked super excited when they shared clips of themselves checking in and ordering some breakfast. Danielle also shared some videos of the villa she and Ferne were staying in which included a pool outside. Fun times: Ferne also shared a video of Sunday lying and playing with her toys with a cute little sunhat on as well as a big plate of chocolate covered strawberries Ferne shared a video of Sunday lying and playing with her toys with a cute little sunhat on as well as a big plate of chocolate covered strawberries. The TV star had previously visited Collins at Belmarsh Prison, London when Sunday was two weeks old, telling him he would never see either of them again. During the visit, the This Morning star told him: 'You have ruined our lives. This is what you have done. And this is what you are missing out on.' Sweet: Her good friend Danielle has been helping her to look after baby Sunday on the trip Witness the fitness: Danielle looked incredible in a yellow two-piece which showed off her incredible abs Cuddle time: She was seen cooing over Ferne's bundle of joy as they sat out on the decking Ferne insisted she was 'done' with confronting Arthur and she explained she felt very 'strongly' about the 'innocent people' injured in the attack. She told The Sunday People: 'I went to see Arthur and I took Sunday with me. This was because I am very angry about what has happened and I needed to communicate that and wanted to hear what Arthur had to say. 'I strongly feel for the innocent people hurt that night and I in no way condone violence as I have already made clear. It was a difficult decision to take Sunday into that environment but I felt I needed to confront him about a number of things, which I have now done.' But since the visit it was claimed her jailbird ex-boyfriend took legal action to get access to the daughter he shares with the reality star. A source told The Mirror: 'Ferne sought legal and professional advice, and it was a difficult decision she had to make.' MailOnline has previously contacted Ferne's representative for comment. Collins, 25, was convicted of GBH and ABH against 14 people after he threw acid at nightclubbers following an argument at the Mangle E8 nightclub in east London. She's been in a happy relationship with Stormzy for nearly four years. Yet Maya Jama has revealed that at the beginnings of their romance, she wanted to ensure she looked her best for her beau, and went to drastic measures to do so. Speaking on Celebrity Juice, the 23-year-old presenter confessed that before sending the rapper nude pictures, she would get her friends approval and critique on the snaps. Looking good: Maya Jama has revealed that at the beginnings of their romance, she wanted to ensure she looked her best for boyfriend Stormzy, and went to drastic measures to do so Asked by Keith Lemon if she would send nudes to her friends for their approval, the Cannonball host admitted: 'Well yeah, not now, but at the beginning stages. 'The thing is that is what girls do when you first start seeing somebody, you send it to your friends to approve a picture that you send to' She continued: 'At the beginning stages, not when youve been together for ages, but like when its new and youre trying to be really impressive. You need approval.' Advice: Speaking on Celebrity Juice, the 23-year-old presenter confessed that before sending the rapper nude pictures, she would get her friends approval Maya's confession comes amid rumours of relationship woes with 24-year-old grime artist Stormzy. A source told The Suynthat Maya has decided to move out as she barely sees Stormzy - real name Michael Omari Owuo, Jr - due to his partying lifestyle. The source said: 'Maya and Stormzy are splitting up and she wants to move out. 'She has been ringing estate agents, and her reps and friends have been looking at flats for her. 'They barely see each other because of work, and the flat is full of his mates playing Xbox, smoking and ordering takeaways at all hours.' Saucy: Maya reasoned 'The thing is that is what girls do when you first start seeing somebody, you send it to your friends to approve a picture that you send to' Candid: Maya left fellow Celebrity Juice panellists Holly Willoughby and Gino D'Acampo shocked by her raunchy confession These reports come just a day after Stormzy appeared to cool rumours of a split by refollowing the Radio 1 DJ on social media. The grime star had disappeared from Maya's follower list on Monday. But Stormzy reappeared the following day after prompting speculation of a split with his girlfriend, who he last referred to on social media two months ago as they celebrated their third anniversary. Uploading a sweet selfie to honour the pair's anniversary, he wrote: '3 years with the love of my life.' Maya still follows her beau on the photo-sharing app, and he most recently appeared on her page in early February when she shared a video from their trip to Los Angeles. The pair were last seen together at the BRIT Awards in February, where Maya supported her beau as he picked up the British Male Solo Artist and British Album of the Year gongs. She gave birth two months ago - so it comes as no surprise that Kylie Jenner is ready to party it up. The 20-year-old mother to Stormi Webster took to Instagram on Wednesday to share a snap and several Instagram Stories of herself enjoying a night on the town at The Highlight Room in Hollywood. Inside the venue - in footage shared on Instagram Stories - Kylie's supermodel sister was humorously seen slipping dollar bills into the waistband of her shorts, as the trio celebrated in style. Scroll down for video Hanging out: Kylie Jenner took to Instagram on Wednesday to share a snap of herself enjoying a night on the town at what looked to be a club as she posed with BFF Jordyn Woods In one of the snaps she could be seen cuddling up with her BFF Jordyn Woods as they hung out by a window overlooking the city. Kylie looked in fantastic shape as she wore a clinging brown long-sleeved number. Her raven-colored tresses were worn down in a middle-part as she accentuated her looks with pink make-up including blush and lip. Sisterly love: The 20-year-old make-up mogul also took to her Instagram Story to share videos of her older sister Kendall Having trouble? The 22-year-old model was shown trying to tuck a dollar bill in her shorts Fun times: wore a very interesting outfit for the evening out as she sported a large baggy white dress shirt along with black bicycle shorts Moving on: Kendall seemingly gave up at the attempt as she stuck the bills in the pocket of her shirt then smiled and shrugged when she realized her sister was filming her Jordyn, 20, kept her look casual in a black long-sleeved top tucked into brown trousers while accessorizing with a small black leather backpack. Kylie documented the night as she even shared a few funny videos of her sister Kendall attempting to tuck a dollar bill in her shorts. The 22-year-old model wore a very interesting outfit for the evening out as she sported a large baggy white dress shirt along with black bicycle shorts. Kendall seemingly gave up at the attempt as she stuck the bills in the pocket of her shirt then smiled and shrugged when she realized her sister was filming her. This comes just a day after Kylie proved she was quite the hot mama on Tuesday, sharing a photo of her hourglass curves covered in a tight, grey t-shirt dress to Instagram. The social media favorite gave the camera a smoldering glance as she captioned the shot: 'That look because KOURT X KYLIE just dropped on the site.' The new mom, who gave birth to daughter Stormi back on February 1, was referring to her brand new makeup collaboration with sister Kourtney Kardashian, 39. Oh baby! Kylie Jenner proved she was quite the hot mama on Tuesday, sharing a photo of her hourglass curves covered in a tight, grey t-shirt dress to Instagram Though the photo was promoting Kylie's new beauty line, it was hard to take your eyes off her knock-out figure. Leaning up against a brick wall, the girlfriend of rapper Travis Scott showed off her bountiful backside and full breasts in a form-fitting Naked Wardrobe grey dress. Kylie glitzed up the simple look with gold bracelets and a matching watching along with trendy micro-shades with crystal frames. Focus! Though the photo was promoting Kylie's new beauty line, it was hard to take your eyes off her knock-out figure Heating things up! Meanwhile, sister and makeup-line collaborator Kourtney was also plugging their line with her own sexy selfies on Instagram She let her long dark tresses cascade down in textured waves while turning over her shoulder to flaunt her beauty look, which consisted of peachy pink lips and long lashes. Meanwhile, sister and makeup-line collaborator Kourtney was also plugging their line with her own sexy selfies on Instagram. She stunned in a high cut nude body suit featuring plenty of side boob and also made a display in a ribbed white two-piece look which put her abs front and center. In real life, the mother-of-three was on Capitol Hill in Washington DC where she met with congressional leaders to talk about updating cosmetics legislation. Full Kourt! She stunned in a high cut nude body suit featuring plenty of side boob NBC Washington reporter Jennifer Vasquez covered the hearing on Twitter, where she explained: [Kourtney] is meeting with lawmakers to update an 80 year old FDA law to help make beauty products safer. 'Kourtney Kardashian says that as a mom it's important for her to know what's in the personal care products she uses. She's calling for new legislation that will give cosmetic companies a guideline of how much of a certain chemical they can use.' 'When it comes to products I use on my kids, I dont play around,' Kardashian said at the Russell Senate Office building on Tuesday according to Us Weekly. 'Everyone should have the right to healthy products and personal care and thats why I wanted to come and make this a bigger deal.' Rose McGowan has claimed it is 'nothing short of a miracle' that she is 'still here and sane' after the recent Harvey Weinstein scandal. The actress, 44, was one of the first to come forward against the now-disgraced producer, 66, and has been vocal about the following allegations and women's rights in Hollywood ever since. Speaking to T2 on Thursday, Rose revealed her shock that she is still so positive, after her 'harrowing' experience in the industry following his sexual misconduct. Honest: Rose McGowan has claimed it is 'nothing short of a miracle' that she is 'still here and sane' after the recent Harvey Weinstein scandal Rose claimed last year that Harvey forced her into a sexual act in a hot tub back in 1997, and has since been an activist for the stand against abuse in the industry. After the traumatic incident in her youth, the actress admitted the producer would still make her pose with him on the red carpet - which she describes as completely unbearable. She explained: 'He'd grab you tightly around the ribcage and you would just leave your body and smile because what else can you do in front of the cameras when you're being touched by the person who hurt you, who ruined your life?' Back in the day: The actress, 44, was one of the first to come forward against the now-disgraced producer, 66, and has been vocal about the following allegations ever since With the abuse itself horrific, Rose added that the fallout has been just as difficult to deal with - with Weinstein later accusing her of being 'difficult' to work with, limiting the number of roles she was offered. The producer has since denied this, but Rose explained of the difficult time: 'I was alone in that world and it was harrowing. Even my family were confused about the difference between the person they knew and the character they read about constantly being slut-shamed.' Before adding of her strength: 'The fact I'm still here and have come through quite sane is nothing short of a miracle.' Opening up: The interview comes after Rose accused the disgraced producer of reaching out to her since she made allegations of rape against him The interview comes after Rose accused the disgraced producer of reaching out to her since she made allegations of rape against him. The actress was in London on Wednesday when she told the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire that she had 'no idea' how he obtained her number to send messages. Last October, the former Charmed star accused Weinstein of assaulting her in a hotel suite in 1997 and is one of many women who have made allegations of sexual harassment or assault against the disgraced mogul. In London: The actress has been in London speaking about the ordeal on radio and TV chat shows Rose told the interviewer that she believed he had tried to make indirect contact with her through the media and through ominous messages in the last month. 'Texts, things like that,' she revealed. 'I've got no idea how he got my number.' She then accused him of using 'Mossad agents' to track her in the past, adding: '[So] getting my personal phone number wouldn't be that hard.' Rose - who was last seen at a fashion party in London on Wednesday night - explained how she received messages from, 'Somebody that worked with him a month ago, on his behalf.' Reaching out: She was pictured on Wednesday night at the House Of Osman launch party 'I shook,' she revealed. 'It was like a bullet once again. I don't even understand what the point was. I can't even understand to what end? The cat is out of the bag now.' Later, she claimed that she believed the contact was directed at her on behalf of Weinstein. 'It was essentially: "So and so wants you to..." - alluding to him wanting to get in touch. It could have been some random person but that would also be a long-shot.' 'I [haven't had any] direct contact with him, just from people trying to terrorise me. People that he paid to terrorise me. People like his crisis PR agency. It's communicating to me, but through the media.' Indirect contact: Harvey Weinstein has been accused of paying off sexual harassment victims 'for years' to keep them quiet Rose has been one of the most vocal of Weinstein's alleged victims since a damning New York Times article last October, entitled: 'Harvey Weinstein Paid Off Sexual Harassment Accusers for Decades'. The Hollywood producer has denied all allegations of non-consensual sex. 'I said it loud for years,' Rose told Derbyshire. 'Because what so many people don't realise is that the shame is not ours, it's the perpetrator's shame. Not ours.' Rose has been in London promoting the book Brave, in which she discusses her experiences and how women in the film industry have been treated. In it she contrasts the religious communes she spent her childhood in, with what she describes as 'the cult of Hollywood'. While in London, the actress attended the House Of Osman launch party supported by Peroni Ambra on Wednesday evening. Earlier that day, she had also appeared on the Jeremy Vine Show on BBC Radio 2, saying that she tried to expose Weinstein using the money he gave her to stay silent after he allegedly raped her. Speaking about the alleged incident, McGowan denied that $100,000 she received afterwards was a settlement. She said: 'I requested money. I wanted to buy a billboard that said "his name" is a rapist. Reaching out: Rose has said that she believes Harvey is using the media and his people to reach out Directly? While she said it has been indirect so far, Rose told Victoria Derbyshire that she knew Harvey was sending a message To what end? She said she couldn't understand why he would need to be in touch when 'the cat was out of the bag' 'I thought if no-one was going to listen to me, then I could make them, on Sunset Boulevard, outside the Chateau Marmont hotel. I wanted that billboard right there. 'I called them myself, Net Outdoors, the biggest billboard company at the time. They turned me down, surprisingly. 'I donated some (of the money) to a rape crisis foundation. 'I thought if I went to therapy, bless my young heart, for at least two months I could solve this. And I could get back to who I was.' McGowan also spoke out against Weinstein's staff who she says knew about his behaviour but did nothing to stop him. Describing an encounter moments before he allegedly forced himself onto her, she said: 'There were two assistants that opened the door when I was sent upstairs. I remember saying a very chipper 'good morning' and they wouldn't look at me. 'And I remember thinking "you're not very friendly that's rude". And afterwards you replay every moment, every reason why they didn't look at you.' The actress spoke about the 'toxic masculinity' that Hollywood films project and how supposedly strong female leads fall within that. She explained: 'Let's look at strong female leads. Arguably in most of them and I've played them you're strong. 'You get to act like a man but we (directors) get to put you in a mini-skirt to wear while you do it. Here's your gun'.' Show off support: The TV star was supporting designer Osman Yousefzada in the British capital while she does promotion for her book, Brave In the spirit: She has been one of Weinstein's most vocal alleged victims It seems Vicky Pattison's time on Say Yes To The Dress might have been wasted. The former Geordie Shore was still trawling the bridal boutiques on Thursday, on the hunt for the perfect wedding gown for her upcoming big day. Not paying attention to the dresses themselves, Vicky turned to the floor-length mirror to snap a selfie, wearing a large cream winter coat, draped over her shoulders. Pick a dress, any dress! Vicky Pattison's is STILL hunting for a wedding dress as she hits the bridal shops... while plans continue for nuptials to John Noble Posing in a white top and black flowing trousers, the former Jungle Queen, 30, captioned the snap: 'Excited doesnt quite cover it...' The post could, however, allude to the fact that she has in fact located the dress of her dreams, finally. Now she's back in the UK, it seems the reality star is getting back to business on planning her nuptials to fiance John Noble. She left her followers green with envy sharing a plethora of sunny snaps from her trip to Dubai with her future husband, and was seen jetting back into her home country on Wednesday. Can't hardly wait: Posing in a white top and black flowing trousers, the former Jungle Queen, 30, captioned the snap 'Excited doesnt quite cover it...' Beaming broadly as she pushed her luggage through the terminal, the 30-year-old Geordie Shore star seemed in high spirits as she prepared to head home. The couple no doubt spent their holiday discussing plans for their upcoming wedding, which will take place in Newcastle next summer. 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 has also said it could be as early as 2020 when they decide to have their first baby. On the hunt: The former Geordie Shore was still trawling the bridal boutiques on Thursday, on the hunt for the perfect wedding gown for her upcoming big day Speaking exclusively to Daily Mail Australia, she revealed: '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. '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. She overcame fertility issues to become a first time mother at 41. And Kym Johnson couldn't be more thankful for her healthy twins, sharing a gushing message to Instagram, alongside a shot of their first moments. The Dancing With The Stars pro wrote: 'Just after their arrival into the the world! Hudson weighed 7.3 lbs and Haven was 6.3 lbs. 'I loved carrying them for the 38 weeks and now I'm loving every minute of kissing, cuddling and loving them! Can't believe how lucky I am to be their Mom.' Scroll down for video Kym Johnson 'can't believe how lucky I am' as she cuddles twins Haven Mae and Hudson Robert shortly after birth Kym's husband Robert Herjavec previously took to Instagram to reveal Haven Mae and Hudson Robert to fans and followers.'Welcome to the world Hudson Robert Herjavec & Haven Mae Herjavec - its great out here,' he captioned the black-and-white image. 'May you always know love, peace, and grace in your lives. May your dreams have no bounds and your spirit be strong.' The Australian-born beauty also posted a snap to her Instagram account on Monday night showing her husband with two bundles of joy in his arms. Beautiful: Dancing With the Stars pro Kym Johnson made sure to give her newborn twins the perfect names just hours after delivering a boy and a girl on Monday night 'I never thought my heart could feel so full,' she wrote alongside the black and white photo. 'We're so in love with our little angels. Born at 7.44am and 7.45am 4/23/18.' The dancer married the Canadian businessman in 2016 after they fell in love while partnering on the ABC reality competition in 2015. Kym recently told People that she's more excited than nervous about giving birth to her first children. 'Theyre getting pretty big now. I feel them moving around a lot. Theyre fighting for room!' she said in an interview with the magazine. They're here: Kym Johnson shared this black and white snap to her Instagram Monday night showing husband Robert Herjavec holding their newborn twins Proud new parents: The boy and girl are the first children for the Australian Dancing With The Stars pro who fell in love with Shark Tank star Robert on the ABC show in 2015 Expectant mom: Kym has been sharing her pregnancy journey with fans via social media and stayed active up until the birth. She's pictured walking her dog in LA earlier this month 'Im so excited to see Robert with the babies,' she added. 'Hes already talking to them and singing songs at night so Im sure theyll recognize his voice. We cant wait. Its such an amazing blessing.' Robert already has three children - two daughters and a son - from his first marriage to Diane Plese. He and Kym were able to start a family after turning to IVF. 'Ive always wanted to be a mom and I wasnt sure it was going to happen. It really is a miracle,' she told People just weeks before her birth. 'Its such an amazing blessing,' she added. She is known for pulling off very glamorous red carpet looks. And Winnie Harlow proved that she could nail casual chic on Thursday as she rocked an ab-tastic double denim look for a night at the basketball in her native Toronto. The 23-year-old model posed up a storm on the Toronto Raptors court in one of several Instagram snaps from the night out, shooting a hoop or two as she showed off her incredible physique in the low-key look. Shooting some hoops: Winnie Harlow, 23, put on an ab-tastic display in a sparkling double denim look on Thursday as she attended a basketball match in her native Toronto Winnie made a statement in the frayed layered denim jacket and sequinned jeans as she showed off her washboard stomach in a revealing bra-top. Firing a shot towards the net the model captioned the post: 'When your team WINS! @raptors @nbacanada we seem to win whenever i come to a game just sayin.' Keeping her ombre tresses poker straight, Winnie looked ever the stylish star as she took the chance to have an impromptu photo-shoot before the game began in earnest. On point: The 23-year-old model took to Instagram to share some snaps court-side before the Toronto Raptors match began, teaming her sequinned jeans with frilled denim jacket Sensational: The snap was just latest in an onslaught of stylish looks for the American's Next Top Model star Quirky: Perhaps Winnie took inspiration from a sofa made out of old denim jeans, which she posed on in another social media snap Stack it up: One selfie showed Winnie sporting a plethora of layered gold necklaces over a simple grey jumper Winnie was spotted enjoying the energetic sports match before jetting out of her native city, going for airport chic in a cosy white jumper and sweat pants. Sporting the white top emblazoned with the sketch of a dashing Austen-esque male, the fashion rising star teamed it with capri tracksuit bottoms and matching trainers. Winnie needed a matching fanny pack and bag to carry her essentials as she made way into the terminal, keeping a caffeinated beverage close by. The American's Next Top Model star kept her brown ombre locks hanging loosely as she headed out of her native city, wearing just a touch of eye makeup with her typically defined brows. Casual: Winnie proved she could even by stylish while heading to catch her flight as she donned a white jumper and sweats arriving at Toronto Airport on Thursday Simple chic: The Canadian beauty sported matching MCM luggage as she arrived at the airport with her coffee in hand Winnie rose to fame in 2014 as a star of America's Next Top Model, and despite finishing sixth on the show she has since fronted campaigns for Desigual, Diesel and Swarovski. The natural beauty - who has skin condition Vitiligo - recently discussed the changes in the modelling industry in an interview with ELLE Magazine. Winnie explained: 'There is a big shift happening in the fashion industry in terms of beauty standards, and I feel Im part of that shift.' Gorgeous: Winnie rose to fame in 2014 as a star of America's Next Top Model, and has gone onto front campaigns for Desigual, Diesel and Swarovski She added: 'I remember on Americas Next Top Model, Tyra Banks asked me if a photographer told me to cover my skin for a shoot, would I do it? I said no. I dont care who it is, or who thinks I should. Im going to stay true to myself.' The Toronto-born star recently lashed out at being branded 'a sufferer' of pigment disease Vitiligo. She wrote on her Instagram: 'I'm not a ''Vitiligo Sufferer" I'm not a 'Vitiligo model.' I am Winnie. I am a model. And I happen to have Vitiligo. Stop putting these titles on me or anyone else.' Steve 'The Crocodile Hunter' Irwin has received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame more than a decade after his shock death. Irwin's wife Terri, daughter Bindi and son Robert attended the ceremony on Hollywood Boulevard along with numerous celebrities and fans. Bindi teared up as she spoke about her father, telling the crowd he would have loved to have been at the ceremony. Scroll down for video Emotional: Bindi Irwin tears up as her late father Steve 'The Crocodile Hunter' Irwin receives a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame more than a decade after his shock death Touching: The Irwin family unveiled the star on Hollywood Boulevard alongside numerous celebrities and fans Tragic: Steve, 44, died on September 4, 2006 while filming on the Great Barrier Reef near Port Douglas when a stingray struck him with a barb to the heart 'I never in my wildest dreams imagined this would come true,' Bindi said. 'Together we will continue to fight for everything Dad worked so hard for.' 'He was the best and most incredible conservationist, but also the best dad,' her brother Robert added during his own speech. The family were also supported by Bindi's boyfriend Chandler Powell. Bindi, 19, has been in a relationship with the professional wakeboarder since 2015. The duo met when American-born Chandler visited Australia Zoo in 2014 and eventually started dating a year later. Meanwhile, Steve's 'best mate' and director of Australia Zoo and Wildlife Warriors, Wes Mannion, was co-master of ceremonies. Wildlife warriors! The family brought along a giant snake and the reptile slithered over the star Tears: Bindi teared up as she spoke about her dad, telling the crowd he would have loved to have been at the ceremony In a fitting tribute to Steve, the family brought a giant snake to the event and the reptile was seen slithering over the star. The star is located near the famed intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and Vine St, close to the historic Capitol Records building. Steve;s star is also in good company with neighbouring stars belonging to Humphrey Bogart, Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Johnny Cash, Jayne Mansfield, Ernest Borgnine, Dorothy Lamour, Kim Novak and Mariska Hargitay. Proud: Terri comforted her daughter as she spoke proudly of her father Don't lose him! Terri and Robert wrangled the giant snake on the red carpet Iconic: A photograph of the late great Steve holding a similar snake was placed by the star Part of the family: Bindi's boyfriend Chandler Powell was also there to support his girlfriend and her family It is the 2635th star to be placed on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Celebrity chef Curtis Stone, Rove McManus and Beau Bridges were among the guests. Steve, 44, died on September 4, 2006 while filming on the Great Barrier Reef near Port Douglas when a stingray struck him with a barb to the heart. Just like Steve: Steve's son Robert, who is the spitting image of his father, also spoke at the ceremony In good company: Steve's star is also in good company with neighbouring stars belonging to Humphrey Bogart, Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Johnny Cash, Jayne Mansfield, Ernest Borgnine, Dorothy Lamour, Kim Novak and Mariska Hargitay Legacy: On May 5, wildlife warriors from across the world will attend the Steve Irwin Gala Dinner in Beverly Hills to celebrate his life and legacy Sweet: Bindi cuddled up to her boyfriend Chandler as they posed by the star Dad would be proud: The duo met when American-born Chandler visited Australia Zoo in 2014 and eventually started dating a year later Among the fans who showed up was American mum and Steve Irwin super fan Shianne Semenske, who woke up at 2am and drove to Hollywood from her home near San Diego. She sports a "Crikey' tattoo on her right forearm and named one of her six-month-old twin sons Irwin. To get a star on the Walk of Fame the recipient or a sponsor pays $US40,000 (about $A53,000) to the Hollywood Historic Trust. On May 5, wildlife warriors from across the world will attend the Steve Irwin Gala Dinner in Beverly Hills to celebrate his life and legacy. Honouring his legacy: Bindi and Robert run Australia Zoo in Queensland with their mother Just like dad: Bindi, Robert and Chandler all wore their signature khaki uniforms Chris Hughes' exes came face-to-face at the Boohoo party in Libertine London on Thursday night. Olivia Attwood, who dated the star after meeting on Love Island was seen heading into the bash hotly on the heels of Made In Chelsea star Emily Blackwell - who recently enjoyed a fling with Chris. Despite the near run-in, 26-year-old Olivia did not seem fazed by the incident, looking in good spirits as she sashayed into the party. Love rivals: Chris Hughes' exes Olivia Attwood (left) and Emily Blackwell (right) came face-to-face at the Boohoo party in Libertine London on Thursday night Showing off her incredible figure, the blonde bombshell donned a green plunging crop top that highlighted her ample cleavage and toned abs. Emily was more demure for the outing, sheathing her model figure in a green paisley print midi dress as she cosied up to best friend Lottie Moss. Whilst Olivia and Emily were not pictured together, both Olivia and Lottie were seen walking hand in hand with Olivia's best friend, Amber Davies on separate occasions. When showbiz circles collide: Whilst Olivia and Emily were not pictured together, Lottie was seen walking hand in hand with Olivia's best friend, Amber Davies On the move: Later in the night, Amber was seen walking hand in hand with Olivia Stuck in the middle with Hughes! Both ladies enjoyed romances with Love Island hunk Chris Olivia and Chris became involved during Love Island, with the stars being caught in a love triangle with Mike Thalassitis until ultimately Chris won over her affections. The couple moved in together over Christmas and admitted they would consider getting married in the famous Mallorca villa where they found love - as they joked that co-stars Kem Cetinay and Amber Davies could be flower girl and page boy. However, it was not meant to be, and amid allegations of cheating on both their parts, the pair called it quits on their rocky romance for good in February - their emotional break-up played out to fans on their spin-off series, Chris & Olivia: Crackin' On. Keeping her head up: Despite the near run-in, 26-year-old Olivia did not seem fazed by the incident, looking in good spirits as she sashayed into the party Dressed to impress: Showing off her incredible figure, the blonde bombshell donned a green plunging crop top that highlighted her ample cleavage and toned abs Glamorous gal pals: Emily was more demure for the outing, sheathing her model figure in a green paisley print midi dress as she cosied up to best friend Lottie Moss Sitting pretty: Lottie happily posed for pictures as Emily chatted away inside the fashion bash While Olivia is now back with her ex, footballer Bradley Dack, it emerged earlier this month that Chris was dating Made In Chelsea beauty, Emily, 21. Speaking to OK! magazine, the star confirmed that he was 'getting to know' Emily. He told the publication: Were getting to know each other. Shes a really nice girl and shes been to my family farm. I took her down to see the cows. Well see how it goes. Im very much an open book at the moment. I am still single. Loving life: Amber and Lottie seemed in excellent spirits on the outing as they headed inside Stepping out: Lottie and Amber left the venue together On the move: Olivia seemed keen to get a move on as she lead Amber inside the party Holding on: Olivia protected her modesty as she left the club cupping her bust Flash! Amber suffered an awkward nip slip as she left the club Eye-popping: Her cleavage spilled out of her slinky number Thigh's the limit: Amber flashed her slender thigh in her slinky mini dress Stunning: Olivia flaunted her statuesque figure in a tiny crop-top and ripped jeans Vibrant: Love Island's Tyla Carr (L) and Made In Chelsea's Tina Stinnes wowed in blue and lavender prints Walk this way: Amber left the venue with her brunette locks in a messy top knot Two's company: Amber Davies posed for pictures alongside TOWIE's Amber Dowding Sultry: Tallia Storm donned an unusual silk dress with a drop hem which swathed her slender figure Quirky: The star donned pink cat eye shades and carried a Louis Vuitton bag Glamorous: The party was in aide of Stefflon Don (right) and her new clothes collection. She looked amazing on the night in a tight white dress posing with Fekky (L) Seductive: The star showed off her peachy posterior in the bodycon dress Stage presence: Stefflon captivated the crowds as she owned the stage Glamour: (L) Lottie Tomlinson and Dani Dyer (R) wowed at the glittering party Emily also spoke of her relationship with Chris during an interview with The Sun at a party in London. 'Chris is an amazing guy,' she was quoted as saying: 'It's early days but yeah. We'll see. He's great guy, an amazing guy. Not a bad bone in his body. There's nothing not nice to say about Chris.' However, it soon emerged that Chris was dating Coronation Street beauty Georgia May Foote and was heard on tape saying the pair were together, yet the duo have both denied this is the case. Candy striper: Tallia, 19, looked sensational in the pink, white and red striped number Sister act: Tallia and Tessie Hartmann looked stylish at the party Stylish: Love Island's Gabby Allen flashed her toned figure in a colourful high-neck number Happy couple: Gabby joined beau Marcel Somerville at the fashion event Love Island reunion: Jonny Mitchell looked handsome in a black and silver ensemble Dapper: George Lineker (L) and Chris Eubank Jr (R) cut cool figures at the event Reunited: Earlier in the night, Olivia and Amber attended the launch of Shadow of the Tomb Raider computer game in London Gorgeous in green: Looking effortlessly stylish for the outing, Olivia, 26, opted for an emerald green jumpsuit that complemented her tanned complexion All about the accessories: Keeping with the earthy colour scheme, the blonde beauty donned a pair of mint heels and toted a printed mini handbag Earlier in the night, Olivia and Amber attended the launch of Shadow of the Tomb Raider computer game in London Beaming broadly as they posed together, the ladies turned heads with their casual yet chic ensembles at the bash. Looking effortlessly stylish for the outing, Olivia, 26, opted for an emerald green jumpsuit that complemented her tanned complexion. Keeping with the earthy colour scheme, the blonde beauty donned a pair of mint heels and toted a printed mini handbag. She finished off the look by styling her glossy golden locks in loose waves that framed her stunning features. Blonde bombshell! She finished off the look by styling her glossy golden locks in loose waves that framed her stunning features Dressed to impress: Amber, 21, also dazzled at the event as she showcased her hourglass curves in a fitted denim jumpsuit that cinched in at her slender waist Amber, 21, also dazzled at the event as she showcased her hourglass curves in a fitted denim jumpsuit that cinched in at her slender waist. Injecting some glamour, the pretty brunette also donned scarlet velvet boots, accessorising with a matching handbag and jeweled choker. The pair met on Love Island, eventually won by Amber and Kem Cetinay, whilst Olivia and Chris Hughes finished as runners up, however, both couples have since split. Red-dy and raring: Injecting some glamour, the pretty brunette also donned scarlet velvet boots, accessorising with a matching handbag and jeweled choker Reunion: The pair met on Love Island, eventually won by Amber and Kem Cetinay, whilst Olivia and Chris Hughes finished as runners up, however, both couples have since split Loving life: Radio host Iain Lee was also at the event and seemed in great spirits posing for snaps with the team who had dressed up for the launch Reminiscing? The foliage no doubt reminded Iain of his time on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! which he appeared on last yeat Whilst Amber is believed to still be single, Olivia has reconciled with her ex, Bradley Dack. Olivia initially set tongues wagging over her relationship status with the Blackburn Rovers player when she was spotted flaunting her '23' wrist inking, his shirt number, after leaving a tattoo shop in London earlier this month. Admitting that he makes her 'happy', the reality star admitted that while they're 'taking things' slow, she understands it appear impulsive to get a tattoo in tribute to him but explained it was in response to his previous declaration of love. 'Brad got my initials on his arm when we were together the first time around and I always said Id get a tribute to him one day,' she shared. 'When we started seeing each other again I thought, "f**k it, Ill get it done." Beauty: Meanwhile, across town Amber Dowding attended the launch of Benefit Cosmetics philanthropy project Bold Is Beautiful, which is now in its fifth year Jump to it: She looked sensational in her plunging striped jumpsuit Chic: Amber pulled her tresses up into a chic bun as she left the Boohoo party Worthwhile: The former TOWIE star was joined at the event alongside Tallia Storm and Tina Stinnes (R) 'I know its a bit impulsive, especially when I'm trying to take things slowly, but I wanted him to know how special he is to me.' Meanwhile, across town Amber Dowding and Tallia Storm attended the launch of Benefit Cosmetics philanthropy project Bold Is Beautiful, which is now in its fifth year. The all pink pop up installation, which raises donations to support partner charity organisations that empower women, is open from from 27th 29th April in London before it travels to Glasgow on Friday 11th - 14th May and then onto Cardiff from 25th - 27th May. They're the famous family known for their love of animals. And as the Irwins stepped out in Hollywood on Thursday to honour their family's late patriarch Steve, they were joined by a special guest. Steve's widow Terri, daughter Bindi and son Robert were dressed in trademark khaki as they unveiled the Crocodile Hunter's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and gripped a giant snake as they posed for photos. Scroll down for video Slippery special guest! Irwin family wrangles giant snake on the Hollywood Walk of Fame as the late Crocodile Hunter Steve is honoured with his own star The clan were all smiles as they wrangled the unusual red carpet guest, while a portrait of Steve holding a similar snake hung beside them. Slithering down the ruby rug adjacent to the new addition to the Walk Of Fame, the snake made for a perfect photo opportunity, At one point, Robert appeared to reach out to the reptile to gently guide it on its course. Special guest: The snake could be seen slithering down the red carpet Wildlife warriors: The family was dressed in trademark khaki as a portrait of Steve holding a similar reptile hung in the background Steve's star comes more than a decade after his shock death in 2006 when he was fatally struck by a stingray barb to the heart. As well as the giant snake, there were many well-known guests in attendance at the ceremony, held on Hollywood Boulevard. Bindi's longtime boyfriend, Chandler Powell was present, while celebrity chef Curtis Stone, TV personality Rove McManus and Beau Bridges also lent their support. Tragic loss: Steve's star comes more than a decade after his shock death in 2006 when he was fatally struck by a stingray barb to the heart While the Irwins happily posed for photos at the event, it was also an emotional occasion. Bindi teared up as she spoke about her father, telling the crowd he would have loved to have been at the ceremony. Located near the famed intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and Vine St, Steve's star the 2635th to be placed on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Happy snap: While the Irwins happily posed for photos at the event, it was also an emotional occasion It took her over a year to lose the weight she put on for her last movie. But Charlize Theron looks to be back to her slender self as she was seen out in Los Angeles on Wednesday night. Dressed in black sweatpants and a grey hoodie, the 42-year-old actress cut a casual figure through the neon-tinged night. In the swing: Charlize Theron looks to be back to her slender self as she was seen out in Los Angeles on Wednesday night Looking gorgeous even in the most easygoing of outfits, the South African star showed she doesn't need to throw on a bunch of makeup to look stunning. Wearing only a pair of sandals to go along with her casual ensemble, the Atomic Blonde bombshell looked trim while walking alone in L.A. The actress revealed on ET that her slim figure comes from almost 18 months of hard work she put in after gaining 50 lbs for her new movie Tully. Nobody walks in L.A.: Dressed in black sweatpants and a grey hoodie, the 42-year-old actress cut a casual figure through the neon-tinged night 'There's nothing fun about that. It took about a year and a half. It was a long journey, very long journey,' explained Theron. 'And it's hard because I had press junkets and movies around it and nobody knew that I had done it for this. And I think in the beginning everybody thought I was wearing, like, when the first photos came out, everyone [thought it] was, like, prosthetics. And then I went on press junkets and it was like nobody knew.' Back at it" Looking gorgeous even in the most easygoing of outfits, the South African star showed she doesn't need to throw on a bunch of makeup to look stunning 'I was worried. I was like, this is taking a really long time,' she added. 'Because on Monster, I just didn't snack for five days and I was fine. You know your body at 27 is a little different than your body at 43, and my doctor made sure to make me very aware of that. 'Like, you are 42, calm down, you're not dying, all good.' Hitting the gym: The actress revealed on ET that her slim figure comes from almost 18 months of hard work she put in after gaining 50 lbs for her new movie Tully As to how the actress put on the weight, she revealed on The Ellen Degeneres Show that potato chips were her go to, 'I ate a lot of everything, but my favourite thing, my drug of choice, is potato chips. I ate them everywhere. 'I had a bag in my car, a bag in my bathroom, a bag in the kitchen, a bag in the couch, a bag in my trailer - everywhere I went, there was a bag.' On Thursday, Bravo-lebrity Fredrik Eklund celebrated turning 41 in bed with a strawberry-topped birthday cake and bouquets of roses from his husband Derek Kaplan and their five-month-old twins. The high-kicking real estate broker - who boasts 1.7M social media followers - gushed: 'The best birthday surprise I could ever imagine!' After suffering miscarriages in 2015 and 2016, a secret surrogate welcomed the married couple of five years' daughter Milla (whose biological father is Fredrik) and son Fredrik Jr. (whose biological father is Derek). 'The best birthday surprise I could ever imagine!' On Thursday, Bravo-lebrity Fredrik Eklund (R) celebrated turning 41 in bed with a strawberry-topped birthday cake and bouquets of roses from his husband Derek Kaplan (L) and their five-month-old twins 'I don't really miss life before. [Fatherhood] is like walking into the light,' Eklund told People in February. 'And then I look back [and] it was very dark. I was happy - it was a good life - but no, I dont want to go backwards in life. I wanna move forward, I wanna look forward. Maybe I should have more kids?' The 6ft5in Swede can't wait to show his children the world and travel to places like 'Asia, Paris, London, Africa. Sweden - can you imagine when I take Milla and Freddy back home to Sweden? Oh my God.' 'I don't really miss life before': After suffering miscarriages in 2015 and 2016, a secret surrogate welcomed the married couple of five years' daughter Milla (whose biological father is Fredrik) and son Fredrik Jr. (whose biological father is Derek) 'Babycation': The 6ft5in Swede can't wait to show his children the world and travel to places like 'Asia, Paris, London, Africa. Sweden - can you imagine when I take Milla and Freddy back home to Sweden? Oh my God' (pictured April 8) 'Mini Derek': Fredrik's Zimbabwe-born 43-year-old artist beau is also father to eight-year-old son Kai, who lives year-round in London with his two mothers (pictured July 19) Fredrik's Zimbabwe-born 43-year-old beau - a self-taught, abstract artist - is also father to eight-year-old son Kai, who lives year-round in London with his two mothers. Bravo has yet to announce whether they're renewing Bethenny & Fredrik for a second season, but the former IT entrepreneur's other reality show Million Dollar Listing will definitely be getting a seventh season. She was recently reunited with her fiance Dom Lever after a Spanish getaway. But Love Island's Jess Shears appeared to be pining after the blazing sunshine of holidays past in a recent throwback snap, taking to Instagram to show off her incredible bikini body. The 24-year-old reality TV beauty flaunted her amazing curves in the post as she perched on the pool's edge, just a day before reuniting with Dom for a romantic Manchester date night. Taut: Love Island's Jess Shears, 24, was pining for holidays past on Wednesday as she took to Instagram to share a snap of her incredible bikini body Jess had her washboard stomach and tattooed figure on full display in the revealing black two-piece as she soaked up the Spanish sun in her Instagram snap, writing in the caption: 'Sun on my skin.' Despite thinking of sun, Jessica looked delighted to be reunited with husband-to-be Dom, 27, as they enjoyed a romantic meal at an Australasia eatery in Manchester. Even in a high-necked black jumpsuit, Jess' ample cleavage still took centre stage as she sported some serious sideboob in the look which she teamed with a leather jacket and matching heels. Loved-up: Following her Spanish break Jess was reunited with her fiance Dom Lever, 27, on Thursday as the pair enjoyed a romantic date night at the Australasia eatery in Manchester Sexy: Despite going for a high-necked black jumpsuit, Jess' ample cleavage still took centre stage as she sported some serious sideboob Ever the his and hers wardrobe duo, Dom perfectly matched his lady with an all-black look of t-shirt, jeans and plimsolls, keeping close to Jess as they arrived for the eatery hand-in-hand. The couple have been happier than ever ahead of their impending nuptials, with Jess admitting she has never been more confident after learning to embrace her hourglass curves. The busty beauty confessed that she was recently forced to deny falling pregnant after the rumours were sparked by a bloated picture, saying: 'I've learned to ignore things like that. 'I used to be a size 6 and I looked so unhealthy. I look a lot better with a bit of chunk.' Thrilled: No stranger to sporting his and hers looks, Dom matching his lady with a classic black t-shirt and jeans combo as they entered the eatery hand-in-hand Getting married: Jess and Dom have been preparing for their upcoming wedding later this year, after a trial run on Good Morning Britain to celebrate Valentine's Day Jess - who has had two boob jobs - went on to reveal that she doesn't plan on having any more plastic surgery as she's happy with herself as she is. She added that 'never in a million years' did she think she would meet Mr Right during her stint in the Love Island villa. The couple were engaged within three months of meeting. 'I kind of joked when I met with the producers that "you need to find me a husband" and I thought I was messing around' she said. 'Within a few weeks of meeting Dom I just knew, people can say it's rushed but I didn't get the whole "you know when you know" saying until I met him and now I do.' She's a doting mother of two children, and would rather spend her nights at home with them instead of out partying. Yet on Thursday, Fearne Cotton brushed the dust off her dancing shoes as she headed to the Bimba Y Lola Store Launch in London. Dressed to impress in a baby blue suit, the 36-year-old DJ looked radiant on the night, but awkwardly turned up in the same ensemble as Danish fashion blogger Sarah Mikaela. Loving life: On Thursday, Fearne Cotton brushed the dust off her dancing shoes as she headed to the Bimba Y Lola Store Launch in London Making light of the situation, the pair still seemed in good spirits as they partied the night away at the star-studded bash. The duo accessorised their ensembles in their own ways, with Fearne teaming the eye-catching suit with a pink printed blouse and scarlet leather heels. Sarah opted to keep things more casual as she rocked a black vest and silver sandals, yet injected a further splash of colour with a canary yellow tote bag. Who wore it better? Dressed to impress in a baby blue suit, the 36-year-old DJ looked radiant on the night, but awkwardly turned up in the same ensemble as Danish blogger Sarah Mikaela Hitting the deck: Making light of the situation, the pair still seemed in good spirits as they partied the night away at the star-studded bash Stunning: The duo accessorised their ensembles in their own ways, with Fearne teaming the eye-catching suit with a pink printed blouse and scarlet leather heels Night out: Fearne no doubt didn't let the mishap ruin her evening, as she previously revealed her excitement as having a night off from mummy duties Love the look: Fearne wasn't the only celeb seeing double on the night, as Lottie Moss (left) turned up in the same heart print co-ord as Vivienne Westwood's granddaughter Cora Corre Dazzling: Lottie chose to wear blouse in full as opposed to Cora who had tied up the garment Two's company: Lottie was joined at the bash by her best friend and flatmate Emily Blackwell Glamorous gal pals: Emily and Lottie were a vision of beauty as they posed with one another Browsing: Emily and Lottie seemed engrossed in their phones at one point in the night Blonde bombshell: Lottie looked sensational in her printed suits as she posed for pictures Fearne no doubt didn't let the mishap ruin her evening, as she previously revealed her excitement as having a night off from mummy duties. Taking to Instagram ahead of the party, she wrote: 'I dont go out much these days as Im a very content homebody so when I do go out I gotta squeeze it in! 'Two DJ sets and a wee bite to eat in between tonight. Lets go....' Pretty in pastels: Former Made In Chelsea star Rosie Fortescue looked wonderful in a mint green jumper that she teamed with a baby pink midi skirt and gold heels Loving life: Cora Corre seemed in good spirits as she posed with Molly Moorish Stunning: Molly Moorish oozed glamour in a brown metallic co-ord and heeled ankle boots Fearne and Jesse Wood raise their two children in their loving household, nearly-four-year-old Rex and two-year-old Honey. The Happy author, who has widely discussed her battle with depression, credited her husband for being her rock. Of Jesse, she told The Mirror in 2017: 'Im exceptionally lucky that I met someone whos so unbelievably free-spirited and curious about life and open-minded. Hes constantly a good soundboard and has a very positive outlook.' Model moment: Maddi Waterhouse - the younger sister of model Suki - looked effortlessly chic in a lilac jumper teamed with cropped jeans and red sliders A man who forced his way into a Brisbane home and stole a car at gunpoint was caught within 20 minutes, thanks to a sharp-eyed off-duty policeman. The man entered the Sunnybank Hills home and forced the woman occupant to hand over her car keys at gunpoint about 9.10pm on Wednesday. After the police were alerted to the car theft, an off-duty officer spotted the car in Doolandella about 9.30pm and directed his colleagues to it. The 29-year-old was arrested without incident, with a search of the vehicle allegedly uncovering a loaded sawn-off shotgun and an axe. He is due to appear in Richlands Magistrates Court on Thursday on six charges. Steve "The Crocodile Hunter" Irwin will receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame more than a decade after his shock death. The ceremony will take place on Hollywood Boulevard on Thursday (Friday 4.30am AEST) and Irwin's wife Terri, daughter Bindi and son Bob are expected to attend. Irwin's best mate and director of Australia Zoo and Wildlife Warriors, Wes Mannion, will co-emcee the ceremony. Irwin was hugely popular in the US, with his Crocodile Hunter shows airing multiple times a day on the Animal Planet cable TV channel. Irwin, 44, died on September 4, 2006, while filming on the Great Barrier Reef near Port Douglas when a stingray struck him with a barb to the heart. On May 5 in Beverly Hills wildlife warriors from around the world will attend the Steve Irwin Gala Dinner to celebrate his life and legacy. After missing their moment in the spotlight at the Commonwealth Games closing ceremony, Australia's athletes will be honoured with a parade through Brisbane's CBD. The parade on Friday comes 12 days after all Commonwealth athletes were made to enter Carrara Stadium before the ceremony went to air, causing public outrage and host broadcaster the Seven Network to blame the ceremony directors for the decision. Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk will hand the Keys of the City to Australia's closing flag-bearer Kurt Fearnley, who will receive them on behalf of the team. It's not every day the thought crosses your mind: "this wouldn't be a bad spot to die." Yet here at Tomb Point in Alofi, a speck of a capital city on the diminutive South Pacific island country of Niue, it couldn't feel truer to me. Tomb Point is indeed a cemetery - one of the world's most picturesque, far more so than the name suggests. A final resting place shaded by palm trees, with a dramatic view of the mighty Pacific Ocean. Across the street, Alofi's town square is as quiet as a tomb, and is so most of the time. In a country of around 1,500 at last count, opening hours are a mere serving suggestion. The square's playground, by contrast, is full of life. Day after day, someone's chosen to make it a meeting spot, a fort to defend, or a colourful extension of childhood joy. Here, that's an achievement. The island is a coral limestone brick sitting on an extinct volcano. There are no beaches, and vegetables are quite hard to grow in the scant topsoil (a word of advice to tourists: that small portion of thinly sliced veggies on your plate at dinnertime is a minor miracle, so eat it). Niue's close diplomatic relationship with New Zealand means that most young people leave the country for those distant shores as soon as they're ready to study or join the workforce. The youth flight is a problem, and if left unchecked, may confine Niue to being the world's biggest graveyard a few generations from now. The lifeline, as it so often is, is tourism. Niue's startling assortment of natural coral caves and grottoes are a big pull, as is the friendliness of its people. Quirky new ventures such as food festivals showcasing unique Niuean cuisine, heavy on the tropical fruit, fish and taro, and the bi-annual Niuekulele Festival, have also given things a boost. A car drives by, the first in 20 minutes. Death and the South Pacific have a thing going on. Be it front lawn graves in the Cook Islands, an island of skeletal headhunters in the Solomons, or the countless burials at sea; if you die in the region it's bound to be an eternity to remember. When Captain James Cook first arrived here in 1774, the islanders had the good sense to tell him to sail on. Cook was unable to land after three attempts, and left "Savage Island" in a huff. Death's hand had been momentarily stayed. A second car. It's nearly peak hour. By 1901, the locals had changed their tune, and after fierce lobbying by Togia-pulu-toaki, the last king of Niue, the island was annexed by the British Empire. The arrival of European explorers in this part of the world was accompanied by death undreamed of by its natives. Disease and the cruelty of power put more islanders beneath the Pacific's shores than ever before. It's only natural that the continent's customs and obsession with visualising death should have migrated as well. Clusters of plots are a common sight in Niue, sitting like morbid bus stops in clearings along the island's coastal road. They're well maintained, and the wilderness surrounding them kept at a respectful distance by groundskeepers unseen during my visit. Death doesn't discriminate. Here at Tomb Point, kings lie ashes-to-ashes with commoners. The Niuean royal family collapsed after the British arrived, and its final figureheads have remained here ever since. And on an island this tiny, space is at a premium, so regular folks were allowed to rest here too. The very European visage of a graveyard does look somewhat out of place on a tropical island, and sure enough, nature has resisted the incongruous addition. One ancient headstone is split right down the centre, as if struck from on high by lightning...or a particularly weighty coconut. The royal tombstones are suitably majestic, giant white statements that let you know that the inscribed names were big deals in their day. Recent headstones are more modestly sized, but the addition of photographs so popular in the islands add a haunting touch. Nearby, a memorial tells the tale of Niue's involvement in the First World War. A list of 150 names were the island's bravest, sent to the Western Front in 1916 as part of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. For most of the men, it was the first time they'd left their isolated home. The campaign went about as disastrously as you could imagine. Unprepared for European disease, particularly the kind brewing in the trenches, 80 per cent of the group were hospitalised in three months. The memorial's list of World War II fighters is much shorter. These days, an island death is usually down to natural causes, especially in a place as allegedly crime-free as Niue. I'm told that the last crime of any note was when the island's sole prisoner was beaten to death by a police officer, who then took his place. Tomb Point isn't all gloom and doom, however. Humpback whales, those Pollyannas of the deep, bring their newborn calves to play off the coast during late winter, while spinner dolphins spiral through the waves all year. By late afternoon, the town centre has come alive. Hungry tourists, in town for the ukulele festival, have filled the square to roll the dice on one of the local restaurants. If they're lucky, the menu will feature uga. The island's resident coconut crabs are a delicacy, and a huge drawcard for out-of-towners. As it's always been, death for life. The setting sun bathes Tomb Point and I in a gentle warmth, so welcome in such a cold place. A brilliant light shines over the grassy park and across the street to the town centre, now set to the gentle lilt of ukuleles. Far below, the glassy Pacific crashes into the coral coast. It's a backdrop straight out of a Victorian novel, a lovers' leap. Don't waste your time, doomed lovers. You can achieve immortality right here. IF YOU GO GETTING THERE: Niue is approximately three and a half hours from Auckland. Air New Zealand fly to Hannan International Airport on Tuesdays and Fridays only. Visit niueisland.com for more details. STAYING THERE: Accommodation is comfortable, but limited. The Scenic Matavai Resort is the island's premium option. For more info visit scenichotelgroup.co.nz The writer travelled as a guest of Niue Tourism. A Gold Coast grandmother who fired a handgun at her son-in-law because she feared for the safety of her granddaughter has been jailed. Miriam Annette Eason was sentenced to two-and-a-half years' imprisonment at the Southport District Court after pleading guilty over the incident in Nerang in March 2016. The 53-year-old, who didn't hit the man with any of her shots and then said she needed to get her "eyes fixed", must serve a mandatory 18 months behind bars before the remainder of her sentence is suspended for three years on August 5, 2019. Police are looking for a man who exposed himself to a woman on a train in broad daylight in Sydney's west. The man exposed himself before committing an indecent act in front of the woman, after sitting next to her between Regents Park and Birrong Railway stations about 2.30pm on March 15, police say. The woman ran away from the man and left the train at Birrong, where she alerted station staff. Police have described the man as a Pacific-Islander, in his mid-30s, with a medium build, short dark hair and about 170cm tall. Image stills show him wearing a hi-vis yellow top, dark cargo shorts, work boots, and carrying a backpack at the time of the offence. There's been no trace of a Melbourne man since he went missing more than a fortnight ago with his family issuing a tearful plea for his return. Mount Waverley man Yiwei Chu, 28, was last seen buying lunch at a Notting Hill fast food restaurant at midday on April 11 and has not used his mobile phone, bank cards or social media since, police said on Thursday. There are grave concerns for the safety of Mr Chu, who also goes by 'Carl', with his family pleading for his return, adding they "may not be able to survive" without him. An Adelaide father driving unlicensed and with methamphetamine in his system when he seriously injured his daughter in a crash will spend at least two years in jail. Luke Stephen Falkiner, 34, fell asleep at the wheel and drove his car onto the wrong side of the road at Roseworthy in June 2017, causing the head-on smash. His four-year-old daughter was left a tetraplegic, with only limited use of one arm, while his two-year-old son broke his arm. The driver of the other car, a 48-year-old widow, was also seriously injured and left unable to care for her children or earn her full income. Falkiner, who has never held a licence, admitted taking methamphetamine the day before the crash and was experiencing the "rebound effects" when he veered into oncoming traffic. In the South Australian District Court on Thursday, Falkiner cried as Judge Barry Beazley jailed him for three years and six months with a non-parole period of two years. He said Falkiner had quit his job and become depressed after the "devastating" sudden death of his wife months before the crash, and there can be no doubt about his remorse. "The consequences of your actions are always with you because of the harm done to your daughter and the fact that both children now have neither parent with them," he said. "You are the father of these children and you will have a lifetime of looking after them, Hollie in particular." Falkiner will also be disqualified from driving for 12 years upon his release. A police decision to leave more than 200 frightened passengers in a plane for 90 minutes after a meth-fuelled man threatened to blow it up has been questioned by a Victorian judge. County Court Judge Michael McInerney says it is "almost incomprehensible" the passengers were left waiting. Judge McInerney made the comment during a plea hearing on Thursday for Manodh Marks, 25, who in May stormed the cabin soon after take-off carrying a pair of speakers and a USB charger, claiming it was a bomb. "I can't understand in these circumstances (why) they'd be left on the plane for nearly two hours after experiencing a nightmare that you never want to see or experience," he said. Crown prosecutor Krista Breckweg told Judge McInerney it had been a tactical decision by police, with concerns Marks had an accomplice. A visibly agitated Marks fought off cabin crew and fellow passengers while holding two devices with blue lights, she said. "I have a bomb with me I want to talk to the pilot, I want to talk to the captain, don't come near me I want to destroy this aircraft, I want to destroy this plane," Ms Breckweg said a witness heard Marks say. Marks was eventually overpowered and restrained with cable ties, while the speakers and charger were taken to the back of the plane by crew, covered in pillows. The ordeal lasted about 15 minutes and cost Malaysia Airlines nearly $63,500 but the company has not sought compensation. The court was told on the day Marks was put on the plane by his brother to return to their family in Sri Lanka, the student had just been released from voluntary psychiatric care. Between being released and getting to the airport, Marks took the drug ice and retrieved the only items of value he owned in Australia - the speakers and charger - from his car. Marks had come to Australia in 2016 to study hospitality. But the isolation and pressure to perform for his family, who sold land to fund his studies, led him to drugs and homelessness, lawyer Tim Marsh said. On Thursday Marks pleaded guilty to one charge of attempting to take control of flight MH128 while people were on board on May 31, 2017 and he faces up to 20 years in prison. Mr Marsh said Marks' parents were "horrified and mortified" when they heard what their son had done and there was a "great sense of familial shame" but they were also keen to help their son through his illness. "He misses his family and has an anxious desire to return to Colombo," Mr Marsh said. Outside court, passenger Brendan Roach told reporters the wait in the plane once it had landed had been more stressful than the bomb scare. Marks is due to return to court on June 7. The competitive flame still flickers in thrillseeking 86-year-old Pat Moorehead, and he's willing to jump out of a plane to prove it. The ageless American skydiver touched down in Victoria along with 160 free-fallers for the 14th Parachutists Over Phorty Society (POPS) World Meet. It's the first time daredevils aged over 40 have flown into Australia from around the globe since the event debuted in 1990 at NSW's iconic Ettamogah pub. Moorehead was there for inaugural world meet - which has travelled to Spain, Switzerland, Jordan, the United States, Canada and New Zealand over the past three decades - and again made the journey down under. In 2018 he's the event's oldest competitor. "Age is no barrier," he told AAP from Bailieston in central Victoria on Thursday. "And when you're jumping with people younger, you want to compete with them and that's what we're doing." The 10-day competition has been running since last Thursday and weather permitting will wrap up on Saturday with a signature event. The 'Hit'n'Rock' sees each competitor land on a target and dash 40 feet to sit in a rocking chair, the group's logo. "This is serious business," Moorehead said. "There'll be gold, silver and bronze for about five events." The retired firefighter began parachuting almost half a century ago and has racked up 6600 skydives. Not only has the sport kept him fit in body and soul, he said, but it led to the airborne meeting of his future wife Alicia, who at 71 is the group's oldest female skydiver. Age isn't the only obstacle for the POPS competitors. "The Russian team has four jumpers that are amputees," Moorehead said, adding another group was trying to form a pacemakers' team. The keen jumper said old age doesn't have to mean a lack of excitement. "It's a choice. Some people choose to slow down, and we just haven't done that." Police in Tasmania will have greater power to crack down on outlawed motorcycle gangs under proposed laws designed to protect against a rise in bikie numbers. The draft laws, which include a ban on wearing outlawed club colours in public, were made open for public consultation on Thursday. "Other states have implemented strong laws to protect the community. There is a danger that if Tasmania does not do the same these gangs will increase their criminal activities here," assistant commissioner Glenn Frame said in a statement. Wait times for Australian citizenship have rapidly blown out by several months, fanning fears applicants are being forced to put their lives on hold. Three-quarters of would-be citizens are waiting up to 13 months for decisions on their applications, according to the latest Department of Home Affairs figures. Average processing times are three months worse than October last year. Nine in 10 applicants receive a decision on their citizenship within 16 months, up from 14 months in October. The worsening waits follow the axing of hundreds of processing staff, a boom in lodgements and a shift to automation. Greens senator Nick McKim said the ballooning delays reflected a lack of respect for aspiring citizens, laying blame for the blowout at management for shedding staff. Senator McKim said the delays were impacting on crucial life decisions around employment, housing and education. "People want to be able to make plans for their lives and for many people that's not currently possible because of the delays," he told AAP. "People who want to make such an important commitment to Australia by becoming citizens should be respected by having their applications dealt with in a reasonable time frame." The blowouts come as the Turnbull government pursues tougher hurdles to citizenship, including extending the waiting period for permanent residents to become citizens to four years. A Home Affairs spokesman said there was a growing number of people seeking citizenship each year, and the department had a duty to thoroughly assess each application. "Resolving these complex issues is often neither straightforward nor quick, as the decision-maker is faced with a set of circumstances unique to each case," the spokesman said. Home Affairs has been allocated more than $100 million to overhaul its visa and citizenship processes, with most categories experiencing double-digit growth. Appearing before a Senate hearing last year, Home Affairs secretary Michael Pezzullo conceded wait times were likely to worsen as his department pursued large-scale automation. Justifying a decision to axe 355 officers, Mr Pezzullo said shifting to automation - not hiring more staff to process paper files - was the only way to manage the workload. But Brooke Muscat-Bentley, from the public sector union, said it was bizarre for the federal government to continue cutting processing officers despite the steady rise in applications. Staff were dealing with frustrated and anxious customers and an increasingly difficult workload. "Putting the system under so much unnecessary pressure benefits no-one," she said. The union is concerned the government is "deliberately running down" citizenship processing as a pretext to privatise the operation, as it is doing with visa processing. A NSW man lied about having cancer, took about a month off work for "treatment" and defrauded his company of almost $430,000, according to NSW Police who have now arrested the 43-year-old. It is alleged the man, who worked for a travel wholesale company, took 25 days' sick leave in 2016 after claiming to have cancer. His employer initially gave him a cash payment to help with his medical expenses, NSW Police said in a statement. But they later discovered he wasn't receiving any cancer treatment. An audit then revealed the employee had allegedly made 82 unauthorised transactions from a company account totalling $429,318. The matter was referred to police and the man was arrested on Thursday. He was charged with five counts of dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage by deception and is expected to appear at in court on May 23. Residents of an inner Hobart suburb may not be able to drink water straight out of the tap until the weekend after E. coli was found in their water supply. A boil water alert was issued for South Hobart on Wednesday night after the bacteria was detected during routine testing. TasWater manager Lance Stapleton said on Thursday the problem had been fixed but water wasn't yet safe to drink. "We're anticipating the alert will be lifted some time over the weekend," he said. Around 1000 homes and businesses have been affected. It is the second time a boil water alert has been issued for Hobart in six months after Risdon Vale residents were told to do the same in November. The South Hobart problem was caused by non-chlorinated water mixing with the treated water supply. Drinking the contaminated water without boiling it beforehand could cause diarrhoea and vomiting. Western Sydney residents whose smartphone data may be captured by sensors as part of a pedestrian-tracking project are being assured their information will be anonymised. The $240,000 plan in Liverpool aims to reduce congestion by using data about movements of traffic and pedestrians to inform transport and infrastructure planning decisions. Information will be captured by upgraded CCTV cameras and sensors that can pick up bluetooth and WiFi-enabled smartphones. Federal Urban Infrastructure Minister Paul Fletcher said it was a good chance for other cities to see how the project, which was partially funded by federal money, is rolled out and adapt the technology. He also assured no identifiable information would be collected. "The name of the person, the number plate - none of that gets captured," Mr Fletcher said at the launch on Thursday. Academics at the University of Wollongong, which also worked on the project, say the raw data is sent via the cloud and the technology could be used in countless other settings, such as hospitals. The project is expected to be up and running by early 2019. Victorian workers will launch a campaign to make industrial manslaughter a crime after more than 25 people died at work in the state over the past year. The aim is to introduce the laws into Victoria to make safety a top priority for all businesses. WorkSafe data shows 26 people have died at work since this time last year. Victorian Trades Hall Council secretary Luke Hilakari says the laws are needed to deter business from putting profit ahead of working people's lives. "When someone is killed at work, it is not just one life destroyed. Families in grief need to know that things will change; that those at fault won't repeat the behaviours that took a life away," Mr Hilakari said in a statement on Thursday. "As long as senior managers can view workplace deaths as just a cost on a balance sheet, nothing will change. The law must say that there are consequences to negligently kill a worker and apply penalties for those responsible." He said under current laws companies can be fined if found guilty of serious negligence causing death but not managers, and Victoria should follow the lead of the ACT, Qld, the UK and Canada. A memorial service will be held outside Trades Hall in Carlton on Friday morning for those who have been killed at work, before health and safety representatives meet to plan the campaign. Teachers and students at two North Queensland campuses will rally against more than 30 proposed staff cuts at James Cook University. JCU identified several areas of improvement in a paper released on April 18 that included reducing staff numbers, with 17 positions to be made redundant in Townsville and 14 in Cairns. Another, yet-to-be determined, position will be cut from either campus. Senior Deputy Vice Chancellor Professor Chris Cocklin said the university needed to respond to changing student demands, increased competition and loss of external income sources including reduced Commonwealth funding. "The proposed changes will provide a more focused and responsive approach to the changing demographics of our student base," he said. "We are focused on the demands of students and delivering the future workforce for our regions." The National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) will rally alongside staff and students on Friday. NTEU Queensland secretary Michael McNally said JCU has failed to address questions of workload created by the loss of 32 jobs. "Who is going to be doing the work of the 32 staff who are lost?" Mr McNally said. "Departing staff have a right to know why they're being made redundant and remaining staff have a right to know how their workloads will increase as a result." The protests start at 8am at both JCU's Cairns and Townsville campuses. Four people have suffered serious injuries, with one in critical condition, after a collision between two cars in a Sydney suburb. A woman who was a passenger in one of the cars was thrown from the vehicle in the accident on Thursday night in Greenacre. She suffered head injuries and is in critical condition. The passengers of the second car, two men and a woman, were trapped for a period of time before being freed. All three are in serious condition with head and abdominal injuries. The vicinity of Waterloo and Rawson Roads were closed with local traffic diversions in place. A high-ranking member of a bikie gang has been charged with possessing child abuse material. Detectives investigating the shooting murder of 29-year-old Mehmet Yilmaz on September 9, 2016 allegedly found the material on a computer seized from a Millers Point apartment last year. A 41-year-old man, who is a high-ranking member of the Lone Wolf outlaw motorcycle gang, was arrested at an apartment complex at Millers Point shortly before 10am on Thursday. He was named by The Daily Telegraph as Erkan "The Wolf" Keskin, reportedly one of the most feared bikies in the country. He was charged with possessing child abuse material and refused bail. He will reappear in Central Local Court later on Friday. A Melbourne man has allegedly been blackmailed after using a popular dating app. Police say the 29-year-old victim was messaging various people via the app when another man threatened to disclose his activities unless he paid him a substantial amount of money. The victim met the other man at the Southern Cross railway station on March 2 and handed over the cash. Police have released images of the man they want to speak and have described him as 181cm tall, with a slim build, aged in his late 20s with blonde/brown messy hair and ink-purple painted fingernails. The NSW government will not hand over key paperwork behind the controversial Powerhouse Museum relocation, despite being ordered by parliament to do so. Two weeks after the Upper House ordered the government to cough up a business case for the museum's relocation to Parramatta, the government claims to not have any relevant paperwork. Liberal MP Matthew Mason-Cox crossed the floor on his own government on April 12 to vote for a Greens bill forcing the coalition to hand over the business case within 14 days. But as the deadline loomed on Thursday evening, Premier and Cabinet secretary Tim Reardon delivered the news that neither the premier nor relevant ministers had any paperwork covered by the terms of the resolution. Shooters, Fishers and Farmers MP Robert Borsack has called on NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian to come clean on the issue. Two men are behind bars after they were found in possession of illegal firearms including a bolt action rifle, revolver and speargun in Albury NSW. Emergency services were called to Barooga Street about 9.45am on Thursday where they arrested a 38-year-old man after seizing several prohibited weapons, charging him with 12 firearm offences. On the same day, detectives searched an address in Lavington and charged a 25-year-old man with seven offences relating to seized firearms and prohibited drugs. Both men were refused bail and are due to face Albury Local Court on Friday. Australia won't be invited to participate in the Malabar naval exercises along with India, the United States and Japan. A spokesman for Defence Minister Marise Payne confirmed the Australian Navy won't be involved in the drills slated for June in Guam. In 2007, Australia sent ships to Exercise Malabar. But then the Rudd Labor government abruptly withdrew from a security forum involving the four countries, after concerns were expressed by China. The Turnbull government has sought to rejoin the club and officials from the four countries met last year to discuss reviving the forum. It's believed Australia's decision to pull out a decade ago continues to spark wariness in New Delhi. The Queensland government will construct a new car park at a Brisbane hospital after protests last month, dumping a proposal to trust the private sector to do it. Health workers and residents staged a protest at Prince Charles Hospital last month, saying existing parking at the site was too expensive and hospital workers and visitors were parking in surrounding streets. Health Minister Steven Miles says the government has decided it can provide best value for money by building a new car park itself, with the cost and capacity of the project expected to be known later this year. Actor and comedian Bill Cosby arrives for the closing arguments in the retrial of his sexual assault case Norristown, Pennsylvania A con man who exploited his fame as "America's Dad" to betray women's trust by drugging and sexually assaulting them, or a misguided married man hoodwinked by a money-grabbing, pathological liar? The defense and prosecution delivered closing arguments at Bill Cosby's sexual assault retrial Tuesday. At the end of a long day, the jury indicated they were "exhausted" and the judge said he would instruct them Wednesday before they can begin deliberations in the first celebrity trial of the #MeToo era. The frail 80-year-old Cosby could spend the rest of his life behind bars if convicted of aggravated indecent assault against Andrea Constand, then a Temple University employee, in January 2004. The case has trashed the legacy of the actor once adored by millions for his role as lovable father and obstetrician Cliff Huxtable on the 1984-92 hit television series "The Cosby Show." "The perpetrator of that con?" asked prosecutor Kristen Feden, turning on its head the central defense claim that Constand is a con-artist in dramatic and emotional closing remarks. "That man!" she shouted, striding at speed toward and pointing at an impassive Cosby in the Norristown court, just outside Philadelphia. Feden said Cosby used his fame to gain the trust of unsuspecting women, time and time again, deliberately drugging Constand so that she would be unable to resist his advances. Camille Cosby, center, walks to the courtroom in Norristown, Pennsylvania, for closing arguments in her husband Bill Cosby's sexual assault trial Five other accusers testified that Cosby was a serial rapist and predator who preyed on them in a similar manner. "He's laughing like it's funny?" Feden shouted in Cosby's direction at one point, seemingly in response to his behavior. "There's nothing funny about that Mr Cosby." The once pioneering African American actor claims he gave the Canadian Constand an over-the-counter antihistamine to relieve stress and that their relations were consensual. - 'Pathological liar' - Actor and comedian Bill Cosby and his wife, Camille, arrive for the closing arguments in the retrial of his sexual assault case in Norristown, Pennsylvania Constand says Cosby gave her three blue pills, saying they would help her relax but passed out. She woke up to find him penetrating her vagina with his fingers and making her masturbate his penis, she says. The prosecutor said the case was about trust, betrayal and the inability to consent, tearing into the defense's "vicious" and "filthy" character assassination attempts against Cosby's accusers. Cosby's high-flying defense team urged the jury to acquit their client on all three counts of aggravated indecent assault and save a "distinguished", legally blind, elderly man from "absolute ruin." Cosby's wife of more than half a century, Camille, wearing an elegant orange coat and sunglasses, attended the defense closings, embracing him tenderly and beaming, but left during the lunch break. "Mr. Cosby must be acquitted of all counts. He must walk out of here free," said defense lawyer Tom Mesereau, best known for getting the late Michael Jackson acquitted of child molestation. "You're dealing with a pathological liar, members of the jury, you are," said Mesereau, who has called 45-year-old Constand a "con artist" who pursued a lonely, grieving father and falsely accused the star to bag a $3.38 million civil settlement in 2006 to escape debt. In a case which essentially boils down to she-said, he-said, Mesereau drilled into what he called 12 "lies" uttered by Constand and called the 2006 settlement "one of the biggest highway robberies of all time." Cosby's first trial in Norristown, a Philadelphia suburb, ended in a hung jury in June, with a sequestered panel hopelessly deadlocked after six days of testimony and 52 hours of deliberations. This time they have more testimony to consider. The defense star witness is Marguerite Jackson, an educated adviser who worked at Temple University for decades, who claimed that Constand spoke of wanting to set up a celebrity for cash. They have presented phone and travel records to suggest that Cosby was not in Philadelphia to carry out the alleged assault in January 2004. - 'Not snowflakes' - Tom Mesereau, center, attorney for Bill Cosby, arrives at the Montgomery County Courthouse in Norristown, Pennsylvania, for final arguments in the sexual assault trial of the actor and comedian Experts have disagreed on whether or not Constand's side-effects were consistent with either the over-the-counter antihistamine nor Quaaludes, a 1970s party drug that Cosby admitted during a 2006 deposition that he had obtained with a view to having sex. Former federal prosecutor Kathleen Bliss sought to neuter any influence that the cultural watershed of the #MeToo movement may exert. "Mob rule is not due process," said Bliss, referencing witch hunts, lynchings and McCarthyism as "horrible periods of time where emotion and hatred and fear overwhelm us." "There isn't a single woman here who hasn't felt the pain... of being made to feel lesser," she said. But women are "not snowflakes," she said. "We reject gossip and speculation and false promises." Prosecutors initially declined to pursue the case, but reopened it in 2015, arguing new evidence had come to light, while an avalanche of women came forward publicly to accuse the star of decades of assault. A picture taken during a government guided tour shows smoke rising from buildings in Yarmuk, a Palestinian refugee camp on the edge of the capital, during regime shelling targeting Islamic State (IS) group positions on April 24, 2018 Syria's regime on Wednesday moved to tighten its grip on the capital as it retook a new region outside Damascus from rebels and pounded southern districts to oust jihadists. In the town of Douma retaken more than a week ago, global chemical weapons experts visited a second site after an alleged toxic gas attack there on April 7. In Brussels, international donors were expected to pledge $4.4 billion (3.6 billion euros) in aid for Syrians, a senior UN official said. Seven years into the civil war, President Bashar al-Assad's regime has ramped up efforts to secure the capital with backing from ally Russia. The regime took control of Eastern Qalamun northeast of the capital on Wednesday, state media said, after the last rebels left on buses under an evacuation deal. Destroyed tanks and armoured personnel carriers are pictured on a road in the Eastern Ghouta town of Douma on the outskirts of Damascus on April 20, 2018 At the same time, regime air strikes and rocket fire pounded southern areas of the capital held by the Islamic State jihadist group after regime raids there killed six civilians overnight. The retaking of Eastern Qalamun follows the latest in a string of deals between opposition fighters and the regime for rebels to withdraw from areas near the capital. "The operation to bring terrorists with their families out of the areas of Eastern Qalamun has ended and the region is free of terrorism," state television said, using its usual term for rebels. Government security forces entered the region's town of Al-Ruhayba, some 60 kilometres (35 miles) northeast of Damascus, after the last rebels departed, it said. Earlier this month, Assad's forces announced their reconquest of the key rebel bastion of Eastern Ghouta east of the capital, after a blistering offensive and evacuation deals that saw thousands of people transferred to northern Syria. - Second 'trauma of displacement' - Rebels withdrew from its main town of Douma last, after medics and rescuers said more than 40 people were killed on April 7 in an alleged chlorine and sarin attack in the town. Damascus has rejected the accusations as "fabrications", but invited the global chemical weapons watchdog to visit the town. "Today, the FFM (fact-finding mission) team carried out a visit to a second location in Douma. It also collected samples at this site," the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons said Wednesday. On Saturday, the team had visited a first site in the bombed-out town after weeks of delay. In the south of the capital, regime air strikes late Tuesday killed six civilians in the Palestinian camp of Yarmuk, a Britain-based monitor said. The latest deaths bring to 19 the total number of civilians killed in regime bombardment on the capital's south since Thursday last week, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Yarmuk -- now IS's last urban redoubt in Syria or Iraq -- was once Syria's biggest Palestinian refugee camp, home to around 160,000 people. But the United Nations' agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, said most of the 6,000 refugees still living in the camp last week have since fled and just a few hundred remain. UNRWA commissioner-general Pierre Krahenbuhl said Palestinian refugees in Syria were living for the second time in their history as a community "the trauma of displacement". Yarmuk was set up in 1957 less than a decade after the founding of Israel sent hundreds of thousands of Palestinians fleeing from their homes. - 'Population replacement' - Since April 19, at least 61 pro-regime fighters and 49 jihadists have been killed in the capital's southern suburbs, the Observatory says. There are an estimated 1,000 IS fighters left inside Yarmuk and the adjacent districts of Hajar al-Aswad and Qadam. IS has lost much of the land it once held after sweeping across large parts of Syria and neighbouring Iraq in 2014, but has managed to stay on in Yarmuk. More than 350,000 people have been killed and millions displaced since Syria's war started in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government protests. In Brussels, international donors gathered to raise money for humanitarian aid in the war-torn country and for Syrian refugees. "My best guess is that by the end of the day we will have heard pledges for 2018 of $4.4 billion," Mark Lowcock, the head of UN aid agency OCHA, said. In northern Syria, a final convoy carrying hundreds of fighters and civilians from Eastern Qalamun was heading to the region of Afrin held by pro-Turkey rebels, the Observatory and a rebel commander said. Last month, Ankara-led forces seized Afrin from Kurdish fighters whom Turkey considers to be "terrorists", after an almost two-month assault that forced tens of thousands of civilians from their homes. The Observatory says three of the convoys that have left East Qalamun since Saturday went to the Afrin region. Syria expert Fabrice Balanche said the new arrivals are tantamount to "population replacement" -- albeit without the regime's agreement. "Turkey is ousting the Kurds from the region and settling people it considers to be more reliable" there, he told AFP. Palestinian journalists tape their mouths shut during a protest against the killing of fellow journalist Yasser Murtaja, near the Israel-Gaza border on April 8, 2018 A Palestinian journalist shot two weeks ago by Israeli forces on the Gaza border has died, Israeli and Palestinian sources said Wednesday, the second journalist killed in a month of unrest. Ahmed Abu Hussein, 25, was shot on April 13 while covering protests along the Gaza border for a radio station based in the Palestinian enclave. The Gaza health ministry announced he had died after receiving treatment inside Israel, which the Sheba hospital near Tel Aviv confirmed. His brother Diaa told AFP they were preparing to transfer the body to Gaza for burial. Abu Hussein worked for Radio Shaab, a Gazan radio station, as well as being a photographer for another local news agency. He was shot in the stomach while covering protests near Jabalia in northern Gaza, the health ministry in Gaza said. Fellow journalist Yasser Murtaja was killed earlier this month while covering the protests. Abu Hussein's death brought the toll of Palestinians in Gaza killed by Israeli fire since March 30 to 41. Most of the Palestinians killed by Israel since the start of "March of Return" protests on March 30 were shot by snipers on the border, while a few others were killed by Israeli artillery or air strikes. The Israeli army says its troops only open fire in self-defence or to stop protesters attempting to breach the barrier separating the territory from Israel. Joseph James DeAngelo, of Citrus Heights, California, was arrested and charged with two counts of murder, officials said at a press conference in the state capital Sacramento A 72-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of being the "Golden State Killer," a notorious rapist and murderer who terrorized California in the 1970s and 1980s. Joseph James DeAngelo, of Citrus Heights, California, was arrested on Tuesday and charged with two counts of murder, officials said at a press conference in the state capital Sacramento. According to local television stations, DeAngelo was a former policeman. "The magnitude of this case demanded that it be solved," Sacramento County district attorney Anne Marie Schubert said at a press conference. "This case deeply affected this entire state." Schubert said DNA helped bring the authorities to DeAngelo 40 years after his first attack. "The answer was and always was going to be in the DNA," she said. Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones said DeAngelo had been arrested for the February 2, 1978 murders of a newlywed couple, Brian Maggiore and his wife, Katie, who were shot to death in Rancho Cordova while walking their dog. Also known as the "East Area Rapist" and "Original Nightstalker," the Golden State Killer carried out at least 12 murders, more than 50 rapes and 120 home burglaries in California between 1976 and 1986, according to the FBI. His victims ranged in age from 13 to 41. "Everyone was afraid," FBI special agent Marcus Knutson was quoted on the FBI website as saying. "We had people sleeping with shotguns, we had people purchasing dogs. People were concerned, and they had a right to be. This guy was terrorizing the community. He did horrible things," Knutson said. The Golden State Killer was the subject of "I'll Be Gone in the Dark," a best-selling book published earlier this year by true crime writer Michelle McNamara. McNamara died two years ago at the age of 46 but her book helped spark renewed interest in the case. McNamara's husband, actor and comedian Patton Oswalt, welcomed the news of the arrest and said on Twitter he was flying to Sacramento for the press conference. "I hope you got him, Michelle," Oswalt tweeted. "I hope THEY got him." "She would be beyond excited about this. I think this is the definition of bittersweet," Oswalt said. - Last known attack in May 1986 - This FBI wanted poster shows drawings of a suspect known as the "Golden State Killer" Two years ago, the FBI offered a $50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest in the case. According to the FBI, the Golden State Killer carried out his attacks starting in the summer of 1976 in the suburbs of Sacramento, California's state capital. The assailant would break into homes during the night and tie up and rape his female victims, investigators said. He would take items from the residences including coins, cash, identification and jewelry. Most of the early attacks occurred in the area of Sacramento, but the FBI said DNA evidence had connected the suspect to a series of rapes and murders in the San Francisco Bay area and the southern part of the state. The last known case linked to the Golden State Killer was the May 1986 rape and murder of an 18-year-old girl in Irvine. The Golden State Killer's fifth victim, Jane Carson-Sandler, told The Island Packet newspaper that she had been informed by detectives that there had been an arrest. "I just found out this morning," she said. "I'm overwhelmed with joy. I've been crying, sobbing." Carson-Sandler was attacked by the Golden State Killer in her Citrus Heights home on October 5, 1976. She has written a book about the rape and appeared on a documentary aimed at catching the man behind it. French President Emmanuel Macron says his US counterpart Donald Trump may seek to pull out of the Iran nuclear deal Donald Trump may well pull out of the Iran nuclear deal for domestic political reasons, French President Emmanuel Macron said Wednesday, after he and his American counterpart held talks addressing the agreement's future. Near the end of his three-day state visit, Macron told US media that while he did not know specifically what Trump will decide, he believes the US leader "will get rid of this deal on his own, for domestic reasons." Trump -- a fierce opponent of the July 2015 agreement signed by Tehran and international powers -- must declare by May 12 if he will essentially walk away from the existing deal when the renewal deadline arrives on May 12, or stay in. Macron had come to Washington in part to plead for a more comprehensive "new agreement" that would address what he and Trump believe to be shortcomings of the existing accord. Trump has branded the Iran deal "insane" and the "worst" in history. "I have no inside information" on what decision Trump will make on the agreement, Macron told journalists. But "I listen to what President Trump is saying and it seems to me that he is not very eager to defend it." Macron recalled that Trump made killing the Iran nuclear accord a campaign pledge during his 2016 presidential run. "The rational analysis of all his statements does not make me think that he will do everything to maintain" the agreement signed with Iran to prevent the Islamic republic from acquiring an atomic bomb. Asked whether such a decision would signify a personal failure for him, Macron stressed that his role "is not to try to convince President Trump to walk away from his campaign commitments." Instead he offered further defense of the deal, saying "I'm trying to prove that this agreement makes sense." The proposal that Macron put forward to his US counterpart involves preserving the existing agreement on the first of "four pillars" of a future deal. The others would address the period after 2025, when certain clauses concerning nuclear activities will sunset; Tehran's highly controversial ballistic missile program; and its "destabilizing" role in the region. "For me it's progress, it avoids falling into the complete unknown if the US decision is a hard exit," said Macron, who confirmed that the proposal was a strategy coordinated with European partners and not a unilateral one. French President Emmanuel Macron is greeted by US lawmakers as he arrives at Congress to deliver an address European countries and the United States are talking about a new Iran deal to assuage President Donald Trump's loathing for the existing nuclear pact. The side deal French President Emmanuel Macron pitched in Washington this week would beef up international leverage over Iran's regional influence and curtail its ballistic missile program. Whether such a pact is even possible is unclear. For now, it seems the immediate aim is to buy time to save the original agreement. - What's the problem? - In 2015, the United States, France, Britain, Russia, China and Germany made a deal with Iran that saw it agree to freeze its nuclear program in return for the lifting of punishing international sanctions. Trump has continually railed against the accord reached under his predecessor Barack Obama, calling it the "worst deal ever," and has threatened to tear it up unless its "disastrous flaws" are fixed. He says the deal doesn't give international inspectors enough access to Iran's nuclear and military sites, and has blasted "sunset" provisions, where limits on Iran's nuclear program expire in 2025. Trump has given European countries until May 12 to find solutions to toughen the agreement -- without involving Iran, China or Russia at this stage. Absent this, Trump may reinstate sanctions, likely spelling an end to the deal. - What did Macron offer? - Macron's proposal repackages a solution previously floated by the Europeans. He described "four pillars" to address. The first is Iran's nuclear program under the current accord -- three other components would be covered in a new deal. These are: Iran's nuclear activities after 2025 when the sunset clauses kick in; Iran's ballistic missile activities; and a political means to limit Iran's activities in Yemen, Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon. On Wednesday, Macron stressed that his role "is not to try to convince President Trump to walk away from his campaign commitments" to kill the accord. Instead he offered further defense of the deal, saying: "I'm trying to prove that this agreement makes sense." "It's just another way to frame the problem. What Macron was saying yesterday sounded new, because he explained the problem differently," said Behnam Ben Taleblu, a research fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a Washington think tank that is hawkish on Iran. "After yesterday's comments, you get the impression that Trump is more amenable now than ever before to the kind of fix Macron is proposing," he told AFP. Still, Taleblu added it is vital to negotiate with Iran and other parties. "If you don't get Iran and China and Russia into a fix, whether it's now or later, you're going to have a problem because ultimately you want Iran's behavior to conform to a fixed deal," he said. - What happens on May 12? - Trump has not committed to anything, but he "signaled some openness on Macron's idea of keeping the (nuclear pact) while negotiating an additional deal," said Luigi Scazzieri, a research fellow at the Centre for European Reform. The French proposal seems to have given some hope to backers of the 2015 deal. The Diplomacy Works think tank, created by former secretary of state John Kerry, said Macron appeared confident a side deal might keep the US in the original accord "by building on its successes with supplemental agreements that address broader Iran activities." "This approach makes sense: other issues were always intended to be negotiated separately, but that cannot be accomplished without adhering to the narrow, and extremely effective, nuclear agreement," the group said. Christopher Ford, the US assistant secretary for international security and nonproliferation, said he hoped the deal "has been saved in the context of the challenge that President Trump set for us." But Brian Hook, senior policy advisor to the secretary of state, sounded a note of caution. "It's too early to tell if we'll be able to reach an agreement with the Europeans. We still have some gaps to close," he told National Public Radio. Meanwhile, the confidence of Macron himself seemed shaky Wednesday. Despite saying he had "no inside information" on what decision Trump will make on the agreement, he added: "I listen to what President Trump is saying and it seems to me that he is not very eager to defend it." - What are the chances of success? - The United States and Europe first need to agree on what a supplemental deal would look like. "I don't think Iran will consider accepting unless it is faced by international pressure, meaning that the US, the EU, Russian and China would have to be on same page," Scazzieri said. He said London, Berlin and Paris appear to be in agreement. German Chancellor Angela Merkel is expected at the White House on Friday. Even if sanctions are reinstated after May 12, it does not necessarily spell the end for diplomacy. Trump "would still have the option of not enforcing (sanctions) for some time to renegotiate, develop this new deal," Taleblu noted. "He has a lot of options. He can find some legal means to mitigate the immediate impact." For French researcher Celia Belin, from the Brookings Institution think tank in Washington, Macron's proposal "is so ambitious that it looks completely impractical." It's "hard to see how this extremely ambitious gamble would work," Belin said on Twitter. The Head of State currently pays a visit to northern Lambayeque region within the framework of State-run Reconstruction with Changes program. "As is known, the new infrastructure has to follow a procedure, but when it comes to repairing infrastructure damaged by a natural phenomenon , the process is much faster, and that is what we are monitoring," the statesman noted. Colombia's street clerks work in the open air on with their typewriters perched on a tiny table in front of them Ahead of May Day, AFP reporters, video and photo teams spoke to men and women around the globe whose jobs are becoming increasingly rare, particularly as technology transforms societies. - The last street clerks of Bogota - Inserting a blank sheet into her Remington Sperry, Candelaria Pinilla de Gomez starts typing. One of Bogota's street clerks, she has spent the last 40 years typing up countless thousands of documents. Aged 63, she is the only woman among the street clerks who have set up their tiny tables on the pavement outside a modern office block in Bogota. Candelaria Pinilla de Gomez, 63, has been working as a street clerk in Bogota for some 40 years Wearing suits but no ties, the writers work in the open air, under a parasol, seated on a plastic chair with the typewriter on their knees. Once upon a time, these clerks played an essential role -- with public deeds, tax documents and contracts all passing through their hands. Pinilla de Gomez learned the trade from her husband when they arrived in the Colombian capital in the 1960s. He had a farm "but the guerrillas took it off him," she says. "In Bogota, he told me I should learn how to type... and to spell. He taught me (the job) and then he died." Once upon a time, these clerks played an essential role -- with public deeds, tax documents and contracts all passing through their hands Cesar Diaz, now 68, prides himself on being the pioneer of a trade which has ended up becoming a "refuge" for pensioners looking to top up their monthly allowances. They work from Monday to Friday and earn less than $280 which is the minimum wage. Until now, they have managed to survive pretty much everything -- except perhaps the advent of the internet. "These days, a mother will ask her son to download a form, fill it in and send it by internet," admits Pinilla de Gomez. "That really screws things up for us." -- Pictures by Luis Acosta. Video by Juan Restrepo - Washerwomen, their trade disappearing like soap in water - Delia Veloz, 74, is one of the few people left in Ecuador who still practises the ancient and demanding work of a washerwoman Delia Veloz's hands have almost lost their fingerprints from the constant rhythmic motion of rubbing dirty clothes against rough stones at an old public laundry in Quito. With a mop of curly grey curls, this 74-year-old is one of the few people left in Ecuador who still practises the ancient and demanding work of a washerwoman -- a trade which is increasingly rare due to the widespread use of domestic washing machines. "I don't like washing machines, they don't wash very well. You can scrub things better by hand," Veloz tells AFP with pride as she pours a jar of freezing water from the Andes over a jacket. Washerwomen rub dirty clothes against rough stones at an old public laundry in Quito For more than five decades she has been working at the Ermita, a public laundry in the colonial centre of Quito with her rectangular stone, tank of water and various wires for hanging things out to dry. For every 12 articles of clothing, she earns $1.50 (1.20 euros) from her increasingly few customers -- mostly those who don't have a washing machine or who prefer things to be washed by hand. On a good day, she can make between $3 and $6. In Quito, there are still at least five public laundries which were built in the first half of the 20th century In Quito, there are still at least five public laundries which were built in the first half of the 20th century. There are also those who come to use the laundry to wash their own clothes or those belonging to their employers -- for which there is no fee. And once a month, they all get together to keep the premises neat and tidy. -- Pictures by Rodrigo Buendia - Waterboys beginning to run dry - The lack of running water in Kenya's poorest neighbourhoods has meant a living for Samson Muli, a water seller in Nairobi's Kibera slum The lack of running water in Kenya's poorest neighbourhoods have, for the last 18 years, meant a living for Samson Muli, a water seller in Nairobi's Kibera slum. "Growing up I wanted to be a business man," says the 42-year-old father of two, who supplies water to butchers, fishmongers and restaurants in the crowded Kenyatta market. Dressed in a dun dustcoat Muli uses a hose to fill his array of cylindrical 20-litre jerrycans with water from three freestanding 10,000-litre tanks. He loads 15 at a time onto a trolley, and hauls them off to his clients. Waterboys supply water to butchers, fishmongers and restaurants in the crowded Kenyatta market The margins are tiny -- Muli buys water at five shillings ($0.05) a can and sells for 15 -- but it can add up to 1,000 shillings a day, enough to make a difference. "This job has changed my life because my children are able to go to school and I am able to afford to pay school fees for them," he says. But Kenya's gradual development and the spreading provision of basic infrastructure, including piped water, means Muli's profitable days are numbered. -- Pictures by Simon Maina. Video by Raphael Ambasu - Rickshaw pullers fade from India's streets - Kolkata is one of the last places on earth where pulled rickshaws still feature in daily life Mohammad Maqbool Ansari puffs and sweats as he pulls his rickshaw through Kolkata's teeming streets, a veteran of a gruelling trade long outlawed in most parts of the world and slowly fading from India too. Kolkata is one of the last places on earth where pulled rickshaws still feature in daily life, but Ansari is among a dying breed still eking a living from this back-breaking labour. The 62-year-old has been pulling rickshaws for nearly four decades, hauling cargo and passengers by hand in drenching monsoon rains and stifling heat that envelops India's heaving eastern metropolis. Their numbers are declining as pulled rickshaws are relegated to history, usurped by tuk tuks, Kolkata's famous yellow taxis and modern conveniences like Uber. Ansari cannot imagine life for Kolkata's thousands of rickshaw-wallahs if the job ceased to exist. "If we don't do it, how will we survive? We can't read or write. We can't do any other work. Once you start, that's it. This is our life," he tells AFP. Mohammad Ashgar is one of the remaining Indian rickshaw pullers undertaking the gruelling trade Sweating profusely on a searing-hot day, his singlet soaked and face dripping, Ansari skilfully weaved his rickshaw through crowded markets and bumper to bumper traffic. Wearing simple shoes and a chequered sarong, the only real giveaway of his age is a long beard, snow white and frizzy, and a face weathered from a lifetime plying this trade. Twenty minutes later, he stops, wiping his face on a rag. The passenger offers him a glass of water -- a rare blessing -- and hands a bill over. "When it's hot, for a trip that costs 50 rupees ($0.75) I'll ask for an extra 10 rupees. Some will give, some don't," he says. "But I'm happy with being a rickshaw puller. I'm able to feed myself and my family." -- Pictures by Dibyangshu Sarkar. Video by Atish Patel - Hong Kong's neon nostalgia - Wu Chi-kai bends glass tubes dusted inside with fluorescent powder into shape over a powerful gas burner Neon sign maker Wu Chi-kai is one of the last remaining craftsmen of his kind in Hong Kong, a city where darkness never really falls thanks to the 24-hour glow of myriad lights. During his 30 years in the business, neon came to define the urban landscape, huge flashing signs protruding horizontally from the sides of buildings, advertising everything from restaurants to mahjong parlours. But with the growing popularity of brighter LED lights, seen as easier to maintain and more environmentally friendly, and government orders to remove some vintage signs deemed dangerous, the demand for specialists like Chi-kai has dimmed. Despite a waning client-base, the 50-year-old continues in the trade, working with glass tubes dusted inside with fluorescent powder and containing various gases including neon or argon, as well as mercury, to create different colours. Neon has come to define the urban landscape in Hong Kong, with huge flashing signs protruding horizontally from the sides of buildings He bends them into shape over a powerful gas burner at a scorching 1,000 degrees Celsius. "Being able to twist straight glass materials into the shape I want, and later to make it glow -- it's quite fun," he tells AFP, though it is not without risks. Chi-kai works without a safety visor and has been scalded and cut by glass which sometimes cracks and explodes. "The painful experiences are the memorable ones," he adds philosophically. His father used to scale Hong Kong's famous bamboo scaffolding while installing neon signs across the city. Chi-kai works without a safety visor and has been scalded and cut by glass which sometimes cracks and explodes Believing the installation work too dangerous for his son, he instead encouraged him to learn to make the signs as a teenager. Chi-kai became one of only around 30 masters of the craft in Hong Kong, even in neon's heyday. Although demand is now significantly lower than at neon's peak in the 1980s, he says, there has been renewed interest and nostalgia for its gentler glow, immortalised in the atmospheric movies of award-winning Hong Kong director Wong Kar-wai. Some of Chi-kai's clients are now requesting pieces for indoor decoration. "I've been working with neon lights all my life. I can't think of anything else I'd be better suited for," he says. -- Pictures by Philip Fong. Video by Diana Chan - Developing film as if digital didn't exist - Venezuelan darkroom technician Rodrigo Benavides refuses to go digital With an ancient 50-year-old Olympus camera and an enlarger that he bought in 1980, Venezuelan photographer Rodrigo Benavides works his "magic" inside a tiny improvised darkroom at home. Although working with equipment and techniques that have virtually disappeared, he carries on as if digital photography doesn't exist. "Doesn't interest me at all," he says. Using his bathroom as a makeshift lab, he develops negatives, turning them into black and white prints. And it still fascinates him every time as the image slowly emerges on coming in to contact with the chemicals. Although working with equipment and techniques that have virtually disappeared, he carries on as if digital photography does not exist "I have always tried to be economical with my resources, always have done, always will do," he says, extolling the wonders of his Olympus 35 SP which uses a reel of film, doesn't need batteries and is completely manual. Born in Caracas 58 years ago, he still remembers the excitement when, at the age of 19, he bought the enlarger in London. And it was there that he became a keen follower of Group f/64, an influential movement of photographers who championed sharp-focused, unretouched images of natural subjects. He thinks technology has "upended" photography, turning it into a work of "fiction." Using his bathroom as a makeshift lab, he develops negatives, turning them into black and white prints "We have become desensitised to reality, which is much more interesting than fiction," he says. Some 400 of his pictures taken over 30 years have been compiled into a book on the Venezuelan plains. Others are stacked up in his living room, forming a towering pile, some two meters high. "They are like my children," says Benavides, who describes himself as a documentary photographer practising a trade on the verge of extinction. -- Pictures by Federico Parra. Video by Leo Ramirez US energy giant Chevron says it will maintain its operations in Venezuela despite the recent arrest of two of its employees US energy giant Chevron will maintain its operations in Venezuela despite the recent arrests of two of its employees, the company said Wednesday. Carlos Algarra and Rene Vasquez, who work for Petropiar -- joint-owned by Chevron and state oil firm PDVSA -- were reportedly arrested on April 16 after refusing to sign a supply contract with PDVSA due to high costs and a lack of competitive bids. "Chevron has an executive team in Venezuela. Our operations will continue," a company source told AFP. Venezuelan authorities last August launched a drive against corruption within PDVSA, with around 80 officials taken into custody -- among them 22 executives and two former presidents. Although admitting he did not know the Chevron case in detail, Venezuelan foreign minister Jorge Arreaza defended the attorney general's actions to combat corruption in the oil industry and promised respect for due process. "If you have to prove innocence, you have to do it in front of the authorities and not flee," he said in New York, referencing Chevron's evacuation of executives in the wake of the arrests. The attorney general's office did not respond to AFP's requests for comment. In a statement, Chevron said last week that it is governed by "a code of business ethics," which complies with all relevant Venezuelan and US laws. "The company is in contact with Venezuelan authorities. Our priority is the security of the employees and their prompt release," the source said. "We are cooperating with Venezuelan authorities to understand the process. We don't know the basis of the accusations." The socialist government of President Nicolas Maduro has admitted that corruption, mismanagement and falling oil prices led to oil production falling to the lowest levels in three decades, compounding the country's liquidity problems. "Unfortunately in our oil industry, and as a result in our relationships with other businesses, cases of corruption emerged," Arreaza said Wednesday. According to the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), production dropped in March to 1.5 million barrels per day, compared with 2.23 in March 2017. Venezuela, which is the most oil-rich country in the world but has been in recession since 2014, earns 96 percent of its income from oil -- with the fall in revenue aggravating its economic crisis. A picture taken on April 18, 2018 shows an electoral billboard of Lebanese Prime Minister and candidate for the upcoming parliamentary elections Saad Hariri (L) and his late father and former prime minister Rafic Hariri (R) Fresh young faces may be campaigning to win a seat in Lebanon's parliament next month, but their family names are anything but new. For decades the same families have played a pivotal role in the small Middle Eastern country, officially ruled by a parliamentary democratic system but where political power is still informally handed down through generations. As Lebanon finally heads to the legislative polls after a nine-year hiatus, several candidates hail from a third -- or even fourth generation -- of the same political clans. There are such cases in almost all of the 18 religious communities represented in Lebanon's complex confessional system. Faced with accusations of "nepotism" and "feudalism", these sons and daughters of influential men have defended what they say is a genuine desire for reform. Incumbent candidate Nadim Gemayel was elected a member of parliament in 2009, but politics have decades-old roots in his family tree. He is the youngest son of late president-elect Bachir Gemayel, killed in 1982, and the grandson of Pierre Gemayel, who founded the Phalangist (Kataeb) Party in which Nadim is now a leading official. "The reason I'm involved in politics is of course linked to Bachir's assassination and to the values that got him killed," says Gemayel. "But it's also tied to my own frustration at seeing my country so badly managed," the 36-year-old says. "Being someone's son is not necessarily something negative or anti-reform," he adds. "New generations can bring to life projects that are in the public interest that were developed by their forefathers -- and adapt them to evolving times." - 'Forged my own path' - First-time candidate Zaher Eido rejects any accusations his surname might have "parachuted" him into circles of power. He may have a fresh face, but the candidate in this Lebanese election billboard is Sami Gemayel, the youngest son of late president-elect Bachir Gemayel and grandson of Pierre Gemayel, who founded the Phalangist Party He is running in Beirut just over a decade since his father, also a lawmaker, and older brother died in a car bomb in the capital. "Sure, I may have inherited a political past, but I'm also interested in politics," says Zaher, who like his father is a member of the leading Future Movement. The 44-year-old banker says he wants to apply his professional experience towards passing new legislation to fight money laundering. "Over 11 years, I've forged my own path, built my own career and personality... And if I can't make things evolve, I'll resign," he pledges. Eido and Gemayel are part of a familiar pattern in Beirut. Michelle Tueini, 31, has already partially followed in the footsteps of her father Gebran as a journalist after he was assassinated in 2005. She is now also running for parliament like him, taking over from her elder sister Nayla, a lawmaker for the past nine years. The country's own prime minister Saad Hariri ascended to power after his father Rafik -- assassinated in 2005 -- held the post for years. Hariri's campaign posters, plastered across Beirut, feature portraits of his father. The list goes on: candidate Taymour Jumblatt is the child of Lebanon's Druze leader Walid and the grandson of Kamal, who founded the Progressive Socialist Party. Tony Franjieh is the fourth generation of his political family: his great-grandfather Suleiman was elected head of state in 1970 and his own father was in the running for the presidency in 2016. Even current President Michel Aoun's nephew and two sons-in-law are running for parliamentary office. - 'Pseudo-feudalism' - Fadia Kiwan, politics professor at the Saint Joseph University, says patriarchy and the cult of the leader are still largely ingrained in Lebanese society, which keeps hereditary politics in place. While some families follow "strict centuries-old feudalism, a pseudo-feudal system has taken root in other communities since the emergence of modern Lebanon", she says. Many of those who founded today's political dynasties once headed armed groups during Lebanon's civil war from 1975 to 1990. This combination of pictures created on April 19, 2018 shows the electoral banners of Lebanese candidates in the upcoming parliamentary elections Political power being handed down across generations has long angered scores of Lebanese voters, and rivals have taken note of their scorn. Kulluni Watani, a reformist coalition, has put forward 70 candidates across the country that it pledges will break the pattern. "Unfortunately, this blend of inherited power and nepotism applies to all political parties in power," says Wadih al-Asmar, a strategist for Kulluna Watani. "It's simply unacceptable, whatever the abilities of those concerned," he says. Slamming the current system as "sclerotic and out-of-breath," Asmar says Kulluna Watani's struggle "aims to give rise to a much more progressive and modern political era." But Gemayel says change takes time. "Lebanon's political system is not meritocratic, I've never pretended it is. It's a blend of cronyism and confessionalism," he admits. "Traditional (political) families and parties must modernise so they don't miss the boat and end up forgotten," Gemayel tells AFP. "But it cannot happen overnight." US President Donald Trump has picked Admiral Harry Harris Harris, the commander of the US Pacific Command, who is known for his hawkish positions on China Veteran Asia-hand Admiral Harry Harris is to be the new US ambassador to South Korea, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has confirmed, filling a post that has been vacant for 15 months. Harris, the commander of the US Pacific Command, who is known for his hawkish positions on China, had been due to become Washington's man in Canberra, until a late switch. The move comes with the Korean peninsula in sharp diplomatic focus, with the leaders of North and South due to hold a summit on Friday, and US President Donald Trump expected to meet Kim Jong Un in the next few months. Turnbull said he had been informed of the change of plans early this week, just as Harris was set to begin confirmation hearings in Washington. "I'm disappointed that Harry's not coming because he is a really good friend and I think Harry will be disappointed that he is not coming to Canberra too because he loves Australia," Turnbull said late Wednesday during a visit to France. But Harris "is a guy of enormous experience and ability and given the situation on the Korean peninsula, given the tensions there, I can well understand why the president has decided that the admiral's expertise and experience is going to be put to better use in Korea than in Australia." The ambassador's job in Canberra has been vacant for nearly a year-and-a-half but Turnbull was quick to play down any notion that the last-minute switch sending Harris to Seoul represented a snub to one of Washington's closest allies. "You know the relationship between Australia and the United States... is so deep, it's so intense it operates at so many levels," he said. The US charge d'affaires, Jim Carouso, said he shared Turnbull's disappointment that Harris would not be taking charge of the embassy, but acknowledged his skills were needed in Seoul as Trump prepares for an unprecedented meeting with North Korea's Kim. "I would have been honored to work with him," Carouso said of Harris on Sky News Thursday. "We need our best person immediately available to go (to South Korea) and handle what's going to be a difficult negotiation," he said. George R.R. Martin says his new book will set out the history of the Targaryen dynasty, key players in the "Game of Thrones" saga American author George R.R. Martin Wednesday announced a new book to be released in November -- but fans may be disappointed to learn it's not the highly-anticipated sixth installment of the hit "Game of Thrones" saga. "Fire and Blood" is set several centuries before "Game of Thrones" in the same fantasy world of Westeros, the author said on his blog. Martin stressed it is not a novel, but rather a historical text setting out the history of Westeros' Targaryen dynasty. Since 2012, the author has published several passages from the new book. Publisher Bantam Spectra did not respond to a request for comment about the upcoming release, but the book is already available for presale online. As for the sixth "Game of Thrones" book -- "The Winds of Winter" -- Martin said: "No, winter is not coming... not in 2018, at least." Between 1996 and 2011, Martin published five volumes of the "Game of Thrones" series -- letting six years pass between the fourth and fifth. Since the sixth season of the phenomenally popular television show based on the series, the writers have not directly relied on Martin's books -- and in any case, producer HBO took many liberties with the original story in previous seasons. The series -- whose eighth and final season is expected in 2019 -- has already scooped up a record 38 Emmy Awards. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has alleged that Arab employers routinely rape their Filipina workers, force them to work 21 hours a day and feed them scraps Manila demanded an explanation Thursday after its ambassador to Kuwait was expelled, shocking Philippine authorities and deepening a diplomatic row over the treatment of domestic workers in the Gulf state. The two nations had been working to resolve differences sparked by the murder of a Philippine maid, whose body was found stuffed in her employer's freezer in Kuwait earlier this year. But relations plunged after the Philippines released videos last week of embassy staff helping Filipino workers flee from allegedly abusive employers, which Kuwait called a violation of its sovereignty. Philippine Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano apologised, but Kuwaiti officials announced Wednesday they were expelling ambassador Renato Villa and recalling their own envoy from Manila. "The department (foreign ministry) served a diplomatic note to the Embassy of Kuwait conveying its strong surprise and great displeasure over the declaration of Ambassador Renato Pedro Villa as persona non grata," the ministry said in a statement. In the note, Cayetano also demanded the Kuwaiti government explain "the continued detention of four Filipinos hired by the Philippine embassy and the issuance of arrest warrants against three diplomatic personnel". Manila has said its embassy hired three of the detained Filipinos for the rescues. Speaking to reporters in Singapore, Cayetano said he disapproved of the release of the videos but defended the action of the embassy staff, citing urgency. "We're still optimistic, we're hoping for the best but also preparing for the worst," he said late Thursday, adding there are around 262,000 Filipinos in Kuwait, nearly 60 percent of them domestic workers. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's spokesman Harry Roque said he hoped bilateral ties would not worsen further. Tensions rose earlier this year following the murder of maid Joanna Demafelis, prompting Duterte to ban Filipina workers from deploying to Kuwait for work. Duterte had alleged that Arab employers routinely rape their Filipina workers, force them to work 21 hours a day and feed them scraps. Relations appeared to recover after a Kuwaiti court sentenced to death in absentia a Lebanese man and his Syrian wife for Demafelis' killing. Following the verdict, Duterte this month announced plans to visit Kuwait to seal an agreement on workplace safety guarantees for the 252,000 Filipinos working in the Gulf nation. But Cayetano on Thursday expressed doubt about the deal because "the ambassador (of Kuwait)... was suddenly recalled and is not answering our inquiries at this point in time". The proposal sets terms for vacation leaves, food and custody of passports, Duterte's spokesman Roque said. Some 10 million Filipinos work abroad and the money they send home is critical to the Philippine economy. The mangled remains of a school bus after it was hit by a train, killing 13 children in India's Uttar Pradesh state At least 13 children were killed and five critically injured Thursday after a train smashed into a small school bus in northern India, an official said. The students, all aged below 10, were being driven to class in Uttar Pradesh state when a passenger train collided with their vehicle at an unmanned railway crossing. The impact of the crash lifted the bus several metres into the air, killing 10 children instantly, district chief medical officer Akhilesh Kumar Singh told AFP. "Three succumbed to the injuries at the hospital and five remain critical," he added. Local television showed footage of dozens of locals attempting to rescue the children from the vehicle's mangled wreckage. India has some of the world's deadliest roads, claiming the lives of more than 150,000 people each year. India is home to hundreds of railway crossings that are unmanned and particularly accident prone, with motorists often ignoring oncoming train warnings Earlier this month, 23 children and four adults were killed when a driver lost control of a school bus, which plunged into a 100-metre deep gorge north of Delhi. India is home to hundreds of railway crossings that are unmanned and particularly accident prone, with motorists often ignoring oncoming train warnings. Nearly 15,000 people die on the country's railways every year, according to a 2012 government report. India has vowed to upgrade unattended railway crossings next year to reduce fatal accidents. Taiwan was not granted access to the World Health Organization's main annual meeting last year Taipei accused China Thursday of endangering the health of Taiwanese people and compromising global epidemic prevention by blocking it from the World Health Organization (WHO), as its hopes of attending a major meeting next month dim. Last year was the first time in eight years that Taiwan was not granted access to the World Health Assembly (WHA) -- the WHO's main annual meeting -- due to pressure from Beijing as part of its efforts to exclude the island from international events. China, which sees self-governing democratic Taiwan as part of its territory awaiting reunification, has used its clout to diminish the island's presence on the world stage since Beijing-sceptic President Tsai Ing-wen took power in May 2016. Taiwan has yet to receive an invitation to the WHA assembly in Geneva next month. The island's foreign ministry accused China Thursday of having a "secret arrangement" with WHO granting Beijing power to veto its attendance even at smaller technical briefings. Out of the 154 WHO briefings Taiwan applied for between 2009 and 2017, only 46 were approved, the foreign ministry said in a statement. It also said China had delayed timely notification of health information to Taiwan. "The unilateral arrangement between China and the WHO not only poses a threat to the health of the Taiwanese people, but it also causes a loophole in global epidemic prevention," it said. The comments came in response to a Wednesday statement from China's Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO), which said Taiwanese experts were free to attend WHO conferences aside from the WHA and were still receiving timely information on disease prevention. The foreign ministry said the TAO statement was "untrue." AFP has not yet received a response from the WHO. Despite intensified lobbying efforts this year, Taiwan's foreign ministry said earlier this week it was not optimistic it would receive an invite to the May 21-26 WHA meeting. "WHO faces a lot of pressure and we are all very clear where that pressure comes from," said Michael Hsu, director-general of the department handling Taiwan's participation in international organisations. Taipei sees May 7 as the last date for it to receive an invitation, which is the online registration deadline. Last year the WHO said there was no basis to invite Taiwan because the "cross-strait understanding" of previous years no longer existed. A number of Taiwan's diplomatic allies have written to the WHO urging the island's admittance while US senators this month called on the Secretary of State to develop a strategy to help Taiwan regain "observer" status. Taiwan was expelled from the WHO in 1972, a year after losing the "China" seat at the United Nations to Beijing. In 2009, Taiwan was invited to attend as an "observer" under the name "Chinese Taipei" under former Beijing-friendly president Ma Ying-jeou. But the island has once again been sidelined since Tsai took the presidency. Dozens of North Korean fishing vessels wash up on Japan's coast every year, but their old and poorly equipped vessels are prone to mechanical and other problems The last two of 10 North Koreans rescued from a tiny wooden boat drifting off northern Japan last year have been deported back to their country, a report said Thursday. The other eight members of the crew were deported in February, but the captain was in custody facing theft charges and the last member was being treated for tuberculosis. The captain was arrested and indicted last year for stealing a power generator from a local fishery cooperatives facility on the island, part of Hokkaido -- the northernmost of Japan's four main islands. In March, he received a suspended prison sentence of two years and six months. The ten men were first spotted late last year by coast guard as their dilapidated boat drifted into waters off the island of Hokkaido. On Thursday, private broadcaster TBS showed footage of what it said was a car carrying the skipper and the last crew member to a port in Hokkaido from the immigration facility where they had been detained. From there, they were sent to Tokyo's Haneda airport and deported to North Korea via Beijing in China, the report said. Earlier, Nippon TV also reported that the two men were to be deported via Beijing as soon as Thursday. Contacted by AFP, an immigration spokesman declined to comment on the reports citing "safety concerns". Dozens of North Korean fishing vessels wash up on Japan's coast every year. Experts say some North Korean fishermen are travelling far out to sea in order to satisfy government mandates for bigger catches. But their old and poorly equipped vessels are prone to mechanical and other problems, including running out of fuel, and there are few ways for them to call for rescue. Some of the boats wash up on Japanese shores with the crew on board dead, a phenomenon referred to by the local media as "ghost ships". Zhou Hongxu (C) who graduated from a top Taiwanese university in 2016, will serve out the 14-month jail term handed down by a lower court after his appeal was rejected Taiwan's high court Thursday upheld the conviction of a former Chinese student on charges of recruiting spies for Beijing, saying his actions had posed serious threats to the island. The decision comes as cross-strait tensions rise, with China accusing Taiwan of moves towards formal independence. The self-ruling democratic island has never formally declared a split from the mainland and Beijing still sees it as a renegade province to be brought back into the fold, by force if necessary. Zhou Hongxu, 31, who graduated from a top Taiwanese university in 2016, will serve out the 14-month jail term handed down by a lower court after his appeal was rejected. "The defendant's actions posed serious threats to our territory and national security, given the disharmony and even hostile situation between the two sides," said high court spokesman Chiou Jong-yi. The court had shown leniency in sentencing since Zhou had confessed and his attempt to recruit spies had been unsuccessful, he added. Taiwan and China have spied on each other since 1949 when nationalist troops fled to the island and set up a separate government after losing a civil war on the mainland to communist forces. Taiwan's National Security Bureau chief Peng Sheng-chu has said that Chinese espionage is "more serious than before". Local media report up to 5,000 people may be spying for China on the island. Zhou was instructed by officials in Shanghai in late 2015 to recruit "Taiwanese government personnel and other people of influence" while he was studying and working in Taiwan, according to Thursday's ruling. Zhou had attempted to recruit a man working in the Taiwanese government from August 2016, promising payment of at least $10,000 per quarter before the man turned him in to local authorities. China last week staged live-fire drills in the Taiwan Strait -- the narrow waterway separating the Chinese mainland from Taiwan -- following weeks of naval manoeuvres in the area. Chinese officials said the drills were to safeguard Beijing's territorial sovereignty and issued a fresh warning Wednesday that they would take further actions if "Taiwan's independence forces were to continue their reckless course". Taipei accused China of being "extremely irresponsible" and said it was threatening peace in the region. Beijing is deeply suspicious of President Tsai Ing-wen's traditionally pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party and has cut off official communication with Taipei since she came to power in 2016 as she refuses to accept that the island is part of "one China". Chinese officials have also railed against Premier William Lai in recent weeks who has repeatedly declared his personal support for Taiwan's independence. Gates to the beaches on Yeonpyeong island are locked at 6pm, sealing off the tiny population that lives just 1.5 kilometres from a disputed maritime border with North Korea When a North Korean artillery shell slammed into her house and blew up the top floor in 2010, Kim Soon-ok ran barefoot into the street, terrified and screaming that war had broken out. The barrage of rounds on the island of Yeonpyeong eight years ago killed four people and reduced homes to smouldering ruins in the North's first attack on civilians since the 1950-53 Korean War. Residents still tremble at the memory and voice bitter suspicion of Pyongyang ahead of an inter-Korean summit on Friday. "Whenever I hear a loud thump, I check outside by reflex," said cafe owner Kim. "I always go to bed with a bag packed just in case." The island's 2,200 residents live just 1.5 kilometres (one mile) from a disputed maritime border with the North. Buildings damaged by North Korean shelling in 2010 are something of a tourist draw The Northern Limit Line (NLL) is not recognised by Pyongyang, which argues it was unilaterally drawn by the US-led United Nations forces after the war. The boundary was the scene of deadly naval clashes in 1999, 2002 and 2009. The North said its November 2010 bombardment of Yeonpyeong was in response to South Korean shells falling in its territorial waters. A banner hanging loosely by an island roadside reads: "The bombardment of Yeonpyeong will be tolerated by neither God nor man." - 'We will all die' - On a clear day, white concrete buildings and grey huts in North Korea are visible from a mountain top on Yeonpyeong. Just one daily ferry links Yeonpyeong with mainland South Korea, and it often shares the waters with military vessels North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has inspected the unit on Mu islet responsible for the bombardment several times, honouring it with the title of "Hero Defence Detachment" and calling the 2010 incident "the most delightful battle". In a stunning turn of events, Kim will meet with South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Friday for what will be just the third inter-Korean summit since the end of the war. Residents welcome signs of easing threats of war on their doorstep, but remain unconvinced about North Korea's intentions. South Korea's bombarded island "They spent the last 60, 70 years making things to kill people... to bombard people and torpedo ships," said 80-year-old Park Dong-ik. They view the current rapprochement as superficial and fear that another conflict could erupt at any moment. Kim Sung-ja, another resident, added that while the current situation seemed peaceful, "who knows what they will do afterwards". "If they were to bombard us today, there is nothing we can do," she said. "We will all die." - Danger zone - Every corner of Yeonpyeong holds a grim reminder of its proximity with North Korea and the deadly attack. Seoul has stationed extra troops and weaponry on the island, with military posts scattered throughout, and the sounds of practice artillery fire frequently reverberate. Seoul has stationed extra troops and weaponry on the island, with military posts scattered throughout, and the sounds of practice artillery fire frequently reverberate. Education sessions on emergency evacuation are a regular event, usually held at one of a handful of bunkers. The gates to the island's beaches are shuttered at 6pm, and soldiers patrol the shore in search of explosives that may have drifted from the North. And at the centre of Yeonpyeong village, two houses shelled in 2010 have been preserved as an education centre and macabre tourist attraction, including rusty burned bikes and slabs of smashed concrete stairs. On a clear day, North Korea is easily visible from Yeonpyeong island But residents lament that the bombardment has scared away tourists for the past eight years, and two of the three ferry companies that used to run to the island have dropped the route, leaving only one boat a day. Some hope the summit could dispel outsiders' fears about visiting. But 68-year-old fisherman Kim Young-sik, who was born and raised on the island, said: "Yeonpyeong-do is very well known worldwide. "It has gained a reputation as a danger zone." Activists leading the caravan said they would help some 200 migrants request asylum in the United States on the ground that they are fleeing violence or repression The US has threatened to arrest around 100 Central American migrants if they try to sneak in from the US-Mexico border where they have gathered, prompting President Donald Trump to order troop reinforcements on the frontier. Two busloads of migrants arrived Tuesday in the border city of Mexicali -- which sits opposite Calexico, California -- and paused for a rest stop before continuing on to Tijuana. They are part of a caravan of more than 1,000 people who set out from Mexico's southern border on March 25. Media coverage of the caravan triggered a flurry of furious tweets from Trump, who ordered thousands of National Guard troops to the border and called on Mexico to stop the migrants. As the issue exploded into a diplomatic row, organizers of the caravan quietly broke it up. The Department of Homeland Security issued a stark warning Wednesday to the first 120 who arrived, including some 50 minors. "If you enter our country illegally, you have broken the law and will be referred for prosecution," DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen said. Nielsen said those making false immigration claims or helping others to do so would also be prosecuted. Around 600 migrants are still traveling more or less together by hopping trains and taking buses. The first two buses will be followed by three more, said organizer Irineo Mujica of the migrant rights group People Without Borders. Around 200 migrants will seek asylum in the United States, fleeing brutal gang violence or political persecution in their home countries, he said. A handful of them have already been granted US asylum, Mujica told AFP. Others may try to cross into the US illegally. "It's hard to say, they don't tell you (they plan to sneak over the border). Some will, but probably not right now. There's too much pressure because of the troops Trump sent to the border," he said. The caravan is a yearly event held since 2010 around Easter. Activists say its main goal is to raise awareness of the perils migrants face, not actually to cross the border. Ties between the United States and Mexico have been strained since Trump won the presidency in 2016 on the back of a campaign heavy on anti-Mexican rhetoric and promises to build a wall on the two countries' border and make Mexico pay for it. Colombo made a surprise decision this month to delay May Day festivities by a week after Buddhist leaders complained the date clashed with Vesak celebrations Sri Lanka on Thursday banned the sale of meat and liquor and ordered casinos to close on the Buddha's birthday in a move to appease the island's religious majority. The restrictions, which come just days after the government shifted May Day celebrations in a sop to Buddhist monks, will extend to tourist hotels for the two-day Vesak festival starting Sunday. "Meat and liquor sales at supermarkets and hotels will be banned during this period," the government said in a statement. Casinos will be closed and gambling elsewhere also prohibited, the government said. Bars are usually closed on Buddhist holidays but the decision to ban meat sales at supermarkets is a first and was broadly seen as a gesture to the island's powerful clergy. It follows the government's surprise decision this month to delay May Day festivities by a week after Buddhist leaders complained the date clashed with Vesak celebrations. It is the first time the holiday has been shifted from May 1 since Sri Lanka began celebrating the labour day festivities in 1956. Sri Lanka, a Buddhist-majority nation of 21 million, celebrates 26 public holidays. The island's 1.5 million civil servants also enjoy another 45 days paid leave ever year. China said recent exercises served as a message against any moves toward independence and warned that it was ready to take unspecified further steps if they persist China flew bombers and fighter jets around Taiwan on Thursday, officials said, in a new show of force that the defence ministry said was directed at "independence forces" on the self-ruled island. H-6K bombers, early warning aircraft, reconnaissance planes and several types of fighter jets took off from multiple airports for "combat drills", the air force said in a statement on its official microblog. The planes flew over Bashi Strait, south of Taiwan and the Miyako Strait, near Japan's Okinawa Island, it said. The air force said its H-6K bombers have completed several drills that involved circling Taiwan since April 18 "to strengthen its capacity to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity". "The series of operations we are carrying out is directed against Taiwan independence forces and activities in the island," defence ministry spokesman Wu Qian told a monthly press conference. "Their purpose is to prevent that the Taiwan independence forces' plot damages the welfare of the Taiwanese people. If the independence forces continue to wantonly take rash actions, we will take further actions," Wu said. China sees the democratically-governed island -- which has never formally declared independence from the mainland -- as a renegade part of its territory to be brought back into the fold, and has not ruled out reunification by force. Taipei has accused Beijing of "sabre rattling" and trying to stoke regional tensions with its recent drills. Taiwan announced on Tuesday that it will practise thwarting a Chinese "invasion" in annual live fire drills in June by simulating surprise coastal assaults. Chinese H-6K bombers and spy planes had previously flown around Taiwan last week. Chinese combat helicopters conducted live-fire drills with missiles off southeast China on April 18, state media said last week without confirming whether the exercises took place in the sensitive Taiwan Strait. Beijing has stepped up military patrols around Taiwan and used diplomatic pressure to isolate it internationally since President Tsai Ing-wen, of the traditionally pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party, took office in 2016. Beijing's sole aircraft carrier and two destroyers crossed waters south of Taiwan Saturday and carried out "offensive and defensive" drills in the Pacific, China's navy said. North Korea missile and nuclear sites Experts have cast doubt on Chinese scientists' claims that North Korea's main underground nuclear test site has been rendered unusable after collapsing due to a massive blast last year. A study by seismologists from the University of Science and Technology of China suggested rock had collapsed under Mount Mantap in the country's northeast after a nuclear test in September that triggered a 6.3-magnitude earthquake. An English-language abstract by the study authors in another section of the university's website concluded: "The occurrence of the collapse should deem the underground infrastructure beneath mountain Mantap not be used for any future nuclear tests." But Jeffrey Lewis of the Middlebury Institute of Strategic Studies tweeted Thursday: "The mountain did not collapse and there is no evidence that it is unusable." "I checked an image from @planetlabs dated April 25. The mountain is still there," quipped Lewis. Ahead of a hotly awaited inter-Korean summit on Friday, the North's leader Kim Jong Un declared he would shut down the Punggye-ri testing site, which includes Mount Mantap. Sceptics have said it was an empty concession by Kim as the site is already suffering from "tired mountain syndrome" and may be obsolete. But Lewis noted that while the explosion did cause a cavity to collapse, "this does not mean the tunnel complex below the mountain is ruined". All six of the North's tests have been carried out at Punggye-ri, and he stressed that North Korea had bored tunnels into other mountains at the site that would not be compromised by the explosion under Mantap. "At most, North Korea might shift big tests to neighbouring mountains," said Lewis, concluding: "Kim has agreed to stop nuclear testing because of the summit(s), not because his nuclear test mountain collapsed." Earlier, the respected 38 North website, which regularly examines satellite photography of Punggye-ri, also noted that tunnelling had been observed up to March. It was continuing at a reduced level earlier this month, suggesting that "either the tunnel was complete and ready for future renewed testing or that the slowdown simply mirrored the ongoing political changes underway." "There is no basis to conclude that the Punggye-ri nuclear test site is no longer viable for future nuclear testing," the commentary added. "It is not a case of passing off damaged goods." The crisis abruptly escalated last October, when separatists declared independence and the authorities launched a crackdown The Roman Catholic church should mediate in the crisis in the English-speaking regions of Cameroon, where separatists and security forces are embroiled in a dangerous conflict, a thinktank urged Thursday. "The Catholic Church could help break this dangerous stalemate," the International Crisis Group (ICG) said in a report. "Other than the Catholic clergy, there are few prospective peacemakers," it said. "If no-one fills that role, the separatist sentiment already voiced by many anglophones will continue to grow, fuelling further violence and exacerbating the ongoing insurgency in the anglophone regions, with elections in late 2018 a flashpoint." The crisis began in 2016, when activists in Cameroon's anglophone minority stepped up a campaign for greater autonomy. Their demands were rejected by President Paul Biya, prompting radicals to make a full-blown declaration of independence last October. Since then, 31 members of the security forces have been killed by separatists, according to an AFP toll based on official figures. The number of armed separatists or civilians killed by police and troops is unknown. At the same time, humanitarian needs in the anglophone regions have grown. According to UN estimates, tens of thousands of people have been displaced by the fighting. The ICG said the church could help by stating "its impartiality" on the big question facing anglophone regions -- federalism versus decentralisation. "A clergy able to project a position of neutrality could work with other trusted actors to mediate between anglophone leaders and the state and stem a dangerous and growing crisis," it said. The church is one of Cameroon's strongest institutions, as it is present in all of the country's 10 regions and nearly a third of the population is Catholic, the report said. It cautioned though that the church also had to overcome its own divisions between French- and English-speaking clergy. Cameroon's Northwest and Southwest Regions are home to most of the country's anglophones -- a minority of about 20 percent in the predominantly French-speaking country of 23.4 million. Within the minority, a perception of injustice has grown that anglophones suffer discrimination in the economy, education and the judicial system at the hands of the francophone majority. The anglophone presence is a legacy of the colonial period in Africa. France and Britain divided up the former German colony under League of Nations mandates after World War I. A year after the French-ruled territory became independent in 1961, the southern part of British Cameroons was integrated into a federal system. Federalism was then scrapped 11 years later for a "united republic" -- a centralised system that 85-year-old Biya, in power for more than 35 years, has said will not be changed. The ICG warned last October that "murderous repression" by the authorities would only feed secessionism -- a warning that the government lashed as an attempt to destabilise the country. US President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Angela Merkel met at the White House in March 2017 German Chancellor Angela Merkel visits US President Donald Trump on Friday for a last-ditch European effort to prevent a transatlantic trade war and save the Iran nuclear deal. Merkel's working trip is expected to be far more business-like than this week's pomp-filled state visit by French President Emmanuel Macron, who has built a warm rapport with Trump despite stark policy differences. Trump's lavish welcome for Macron with hugs, much back-slapping and a state dinner, contrasted sharply with a tense White House event in March last year in which Trump appeared to ignore Merkel's offer of a handshake. Despite the more sober style of Merkel, who left for Washington Thursday, her objective will be the same as Macron's -- to persuade Trump to back off his dual threats of punitive measures that could spark a transatlantic trade war and scrapping the Iran nuclear deal. Trump last month announced tariffs of 25 percent on steel and 10 percent on aluminium, claiming foreign imports were harming US national security by undermining the domestic production needed for military readiness. After an outcry from US allies, Trump granted a temporary exemption to key partners including the European Union -- but this expires on May 1. On the eve of Merkel's US visit, Berlin's hopes were dim that the EU may be spared the sweeping customs duties, to which it has vowed to retaliate, potentially setting off spiralling counter-measures. "From today's perspective, we must assume that the tariffs will come on May 1," said a German government source. "And then we will see how we will handle it." Trump's National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow told CNBC Thursday that Washington would continue to exempt allied economies, including the EU, if they make concessions, citing the example of "equal treatment of automobiles". - 'Juggling act' - The next looming deadline is May 12, the date by which Trump has threatened to tear up the landmark 2015 agreement to stop Iran from developing nuclear weapons in return for relief from international sanctions. Merke's trip to Washington comes on the heels of visit by French President Emmanuel Macron, who was given a lavish welcome by Trump Trump has called the agreement, which Germany helped negotiate, "insane" and the "worst deal ever", demanding that its "disastrous flaws" be fixed. The EU and other signatory world powers have sought to convince Trump not to abandon the pact, warning that it was the best defence against a regional nuclear arms race. Macron pitched the idea of seeking a separate pact to curb Iran's ballistic missile programme and support for militias in the Middle East. The German foreign ministry has insisted that "the biggest priority is maintaining the existing nuclear accord", while Merkel has also called Iran's ballistic missile programme a "cause for concern". US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis on Thursday said no decision had been made on whether the United States would withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal. - 'Difficult partner' - The talks won't be helped by the rocky relations between Germany's veteran leader and the billionaire and former reality TV star in the White House. Trump has repeatedly berated the EU's top economy for its huge trade surplus with the United States and spending too little on NATO joint defence. He has criticised Merkel for opening German borders since 2015 to a mass influx of mostly Muslim refugees, while she watched with dismay Trump's decision to withdraw from the Paris climate accord. Merkel routinely praises the rules-based international order to tackle global problems from conflict and terrorism to environmental destruction, in stark contrast to Trump's "America First" stance. "Angela Merkel is on her third US president in her long tenure as chancellor of Germany," said think-tank the German Marshall Fund of the United States. "It is no secret that she sees the current resident of the White House as a 'difficult partner'. Her return to Washington this week, by all accounts, will be a juggling act." Merkel -- who developed close relationships with Trump's predecessors Barack Obama and George W. Bush -- this week stressed that, despite the differences, she wants to preserve the bedrock strategic partnership. "The transatlantic alliance, given the many non-democratic developments in this world," she said, "is a great treasure that I certainly want to cherish and nurture". The Berliner Zeitung daily, looking ahead to Merkel's tricky diplomatic mission just after Macron's charm offensive, said that "she can hardly follow Macron's best-buddy act, but she does need a strategy". Afghanistan's security situation has deteriorated in recent months as militant groups have stepped up attacks across the country Gunmen killed a provincial deputy governor and three others in an ambush in Afghanistan on Thursday, officials said, as the Taliban carried out a spate of attacks across the country after launching their spring offensive. Afghanistan's largest militant group announced the start of their new operation dubbed Al Khandaq on Wednesday, vowing to target US forces and their "internal supporters". Qamaruddin Shekib, deputy governor for the restive Logar province near Kabul, his two bodyguards and another man were attacked as they drove towards the Afghan capital, provincial police spokesman Shapoor Ahmadzai told AFP. The spokesman for the Logar governor and the chief of the provincial appeal court were also wounded in the attack that was claimed by the Taliban. "Unknown armed men opened fire on their convoy," Hasibullah Stanikzai, head of the Logar provincial council, told AFP, confirming the deputy governor had died and several other people had been killed or wounded. In a separate incident also claimed by the Taliban in the northern province of Kunduz, militants launched a pre-dawn raid on two military checkpoints in Dashte Archi district. As many as 13 security forces were killed and five wounded, the Kunduz governor's spokesman Nematullah Timori told AFP. But Ghulam Hazrat Karimi, spokesman for the 20th Afghan National Army division in Kunduz, said eight soldiers had been killed or wounded. On Wednesday, gunmen launched a rare attack on a Kabul police checkpoint, wounding two officers, police spokesman Hashmat Stanikzai said on Twitter. The Taliban claimed that assault too, along with an explosion near another police post in the heart of Kabul Wednesday night that wounded one officer. The group also took responsibility for a series of attacks against security forces in the northern province of Baghlan. Separately, gunmen shot dead an Afghan journalist in the southern city of Kandahar on Wednesday. The Taliban have been under pressure to accept Afghan President Ashraf Ghani's February offer of peace talks, but Wednesday's statement made no mention of the proposal. Al Khandaq will mainly focus on "crushing, killing and capturing American invaders and their supporters", the Taliban said. Western and Afghan experts said the Taliban announcement was an apparent rejection of Ghani's offer and predicted more intense fighting in the drawn-out war. strs-us-mam-amj/ds/qan US President Donald Trump has acknowledged that his personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, represented him in a "deal" with porn star Stormy Daniels US President Donald Trump acknowledged on Thursday that his personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, represented him in a "deal" involving porn star Stormy Daniels. Trump had previously denied knowledge of a $130,000 payment Cohen made to Daniels, which she claims was to prevent her from talking about her alleged 2006 affair with the property mogul-turned-president. Trump, in a wide-ranging telephone interview with "Fox and Friends," admitted for the first time that Cohen represented him in negotiations with Daniels, who has filed a lawsuit seeking to have the "hush agreement" drawn up by Cohen thrown out. Trump said Cohen represented him on only a "tiny, tiny little fraction" of his "overall legal work." "He represents me -- like with this crazy Stormy Daniels deal, he represented me," Trump said. "And, you know, from what I see, he did absolutely nothing wrong," Trump said. "There were no campaign funds going into this." President Donald Trump's personal lawyer Michael Cohen (C) has admitted making a $130,000 payment to porn star Stormy Daniels, who claims to have had an affair with Trump Asked by reporters on Air Force One earlier this month about the payment to Daniels, Trump had said he was not aware of it. "You'll have to ask Michael Cohen. Michael is my attorney. You'll have to ask Michael," he said. The payment to Daniels was made just days before the November 2016 presidential election, and there have been suggestions it may have been a violation of campaign finance laws. - 'Michael is a good person' - Cohen's New York home and office were raided by the FBI this month as part of an unspecified criminal investigation, and Trump sought in the "Fox and Friends" interview to distance himself from his longtime personal attorney. Porn star Stormy Daniels is seeking to have a court throw out a 'hush agreement' over her alleged affair with President Donald Trump "Michael is a good person," Trump said. "He's really a businessman, fairly big business as I understand it. "They're looking at something having to do with his business," Trump said. "I have nothing to do with his business, I can tell you. "I have many attorneys," Trump went on. "Sadly, I have so many attorneys you wouldn't even believe it." Trump was also asked about Cohen's decision to invoke the Fifth Amendment -- the constitutional right to remain silent to avoid self-incrimination -- in a case brought by Daniels in Los Angeles over the hush agreement. "His lawyers probably told him to do that," Trump said. "But I'm not involved and I've been told I'm not involved." In the Daniels case, Cohen is asking to delay proceedings for 90 days, arguing that any statements he might make could affect the criminal investigation into his business dealings in New York. In New York, a federal judge meanwhile appointed a retired judge to review documents, cell phones and other material seized during the FBI raid on Cohen's home and offices. Citing attorney-client privilege, lawyers for Trump had asked to be allowed to examine the documents before they are handed over to prosecutors. Cohen's lawyers had made essentially the same request, while prosecutors were arguing for unfettered access to the material. Prosecutors sought to use Trump's claim in the "Fox and Friends" interview that Cohen did little legal work for him to bolster their argument that most of the seized material was not subject to privilege. US District Judge Kimba Wood went for a compromise of sorts, naming a retired judge, Barbara Jones, to be "special master" who will sort through the material and decide what is privileged. Abdel Rahman Nawfal, 12, sits in a hospital in the West Bank city of Ramallah on April 23, 2018, after his leg was amputated following an injury sustained during clashes with Israeli forces near the Gaza-Israel border US Ambassador Nikki Haley lashed out at Hamas Thursday, accusing the Palestinian movement of "using children as cannon fodder," following the deaths of dozens of people during protests in the Gaza Strip. Israeli forces have killed 41 Palestinians, including two journalists, since the protests began on March 30 near the Gaza-Israeli border fence. "Anyone who truly cares about children in Gaza should insist that Hamas immediately stop using children as cannon fodder in its conflict with Israel," Haley told a UN Security Council meeting. Most of the Palestinians killed by Israel during the ongoing protests were shot by snipers on the border, while a few others were killed by Israeli artillery or air strikes. The Israeli army says its troops only open fire in self-defense or to stop protesters attempting to breach the barrier separating the territory from Israel. Haley denounced the use of civilians as human shields throughout the Middle East in her remarks to the council as it met to discuss the situation in the region and the violence in Gaza. "It's difficult to think of a more cowardly act -- even for a terrorist -- than hiding behind innocent civilians," she said. The United Nations has called for an independent investigation of the violence in Gaza, where Israel has fought three wars since 2008. Addressing the council, UN envoy to the Middle East Nickolay Mladenov urged Israel to "minimize the use of live fire" and stressed that "lethal force should be used only as a last resort." Hamas and the protest leaders must, in turn, keep away from the fence and children should be particularly protected, he added. At least four children have been shot dead by Israeli live fire, said Mladenov. "Gaza is coming apart as we speak under the pressure of an explosive combination of negative humanitarian, security and political factors," the envoy said. The United States has twice blocked draft statements from the council expressing concern about the violence in Gaza. .@CesarVPeru: Promoveremos una administracion publica mas agil y menos burocratica que responda a las necesidades del ciudadano. Informate de mas ingresando aqui ?? https://t.co/zbI1fJlyld pic.twitter.com/mOnxaGbYlP Spain's Sagrada Familia basilica is lit in blue to mark International Autism Day in Barcelona on April 2, 2018. The autism rate in the United States has climbed to one in 59 children, up from prior estimates of one in 68, a US government report said on Thursday. Calling the neurodevelopmental disorder an "urgent public health concern," the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said the change represents an uptick from 1.5 percent to 1.7 percent of children. The latest figures are "broad and startling," said Walter Zahorodny, an associate professor of pediatrics at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School who led the New Jersey portion of the study. The prevalence of autism in the United States was just one in 5,000 in 1975, and has been mounting steadily in recent years, rising 150 percent since 2000, the CDC said. Researchers are still unclear what causes autism, or why it appears to be on the rise. In 2014, the CDC said one in 68 US children had autism, a rate the agency said appeared to remain steady in 2016. "It is now clear that what we saw in 2016 was just a pause along the way," said Zahorodny. The CDC report said some of the change in prevalence in recent years "could be due to improved autism identification in minority populations, although autism is still more likely to be identified in white children than in black or Hispanic children." Autism is also about four times more common in boys than girls. Certain risk factors are linked to autism, such as being born to parents over age 30, maternal illness during pregnancy, genetic mutations, birth before 37 weeks gestation and multiple births. "These are true influences that are exerting an effect, but they are not enough to explain the high rate of autism prevalence," said Zahorodny. "There are still undefined environmental risks which contribute to this significant increase, factors that could affect a child in its development in utero or related to birth complications or to the newborn period. We need more research into non-genetic triggers for autism." People with autism may display a range of symptoms including repetitive movements, difficulty communicating, and discomfort in social situations. Some excel at non-verbal skills such as mathematics. States included in the research were Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, New Jersey, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, Tennessee and Wisconsin. New Jersey had almost twice the nationwide rate, at 2.9 percent, or one in 34 kids. The lowest rate was in Arkansas, with one in 76 kids affected. Data for Thursday's report came from health and special education records of 325,483 children who were eight years old in 2014. While the figures, which come from the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network, are not representative of the entire nation, health experts widely consider them a benchmark of the autism rate in the United States. Iraq's oil minister Jabbar al-Luaibi gives a press conference in Baghdad on the outcome of oil and gas bids in Iraq, on April 26, 2018. Iraq's oil ministry said Thursday it has granted licences to explore oil blocs in zones bordering Iran for the first time in half a century. Licences have been issued to two Chinese companies and one Emirati firm for three blocs close to Iran and one near Kuwait, according to the ministry. The ministry also granted licences to exploit gas from four fields in Diyala province, northeast of Baghdad. Under late dictator Saddam Hussein, Iraq went to war with Iran between 1980 and 1988 and invaded Kuwait in 1990, before being pushed out of the latter by an American-led coalition. Since a US-led invasion of Iraq itself in 2003, the country has been blighted by long periods of chaos, culminating in a three-year battle against Islamic State group insurgents. "After the decades of war and negligence, we have decided to accelerate investment in fields in border areas. These investments will contribute to oil and gas reserves and improve our economy," said Oil Minister Jabbar al-Luaibi. "It isn't logical to leave these regions without investment or development -- that's why we invited these companies to come and invest," added Luaibi. Emirati company Crescent Petroleum won the licence to exploit the Khider Mai field, bordering Kuwait, while Chinese firm Geo-Jade Petroleum won two blocs close to Iran. Crescent Petroleum will take a 13.75 percent share of profits on any oil it exploits following the exploration phase, while Geo-Jade will receive 14.67 percent from the Naft Khana Field in Diyala and 13.75 percent on its Huwaiza concession in Missan province, in the event they move to extraction. The fourth of the oil contracts was won by another Chinese firm, United Energy Group, which will receive 4.55 percent of profits for exploiting the Sinbad bloc in Basra province, close to the Iranian border. The profit-sharing deals for the contracts differ from concessions granted in 2010, which paid companies a set fee per barrel. Crescent also bagged the licenses to exploit the four gas fields, namely Gilabat, Qumar, Khashim al Ahmar and Injana. Former CIA director Mike Pompeo won Senate support in a vote Thursday to be secretary of state The US Senate voted Thursday to approve former CIA director Mike Pompeo as secretary of state Thursday, after a bruising battle by Democrats against President Donald Trump's nominee. Pompeo, who earned Trump's confidence after a year at the CIA, was accused by Democrats as being too bellicose and harboring anti-Muslim and homophobic sentiments. But after barely getting the nomination past the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Pompeo was easily confirmed by the entire body in a vote of 57-42, with a handful of Democratic senators facing tough re-election battles voting in favor. The approval came in time for Pompeo to lead the US delegation to NATO foreign minister talks in Brussels this weekend and to arrange a summit between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in the coming months. Pompeo replaces Rex Tillerson, the former oil executive Trump fired in March after a year of tensions and turmoil in the State Department, where he alienated much of his staff and left the body deeply demoralized. But where Tillerson was seen as a voice for moderation in the Trump administration, Pompeo is viewed as a hawk who could combine with new White House National Security Advisor John Bolton to back more aggressive posturing by Trump on the world stage. A US F-22 Raptor flies over the International Air and Space Fair in Santiago on April 02, 2018 The US-led coalition fighting the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq acknowledged Thursday the deaths of another 28 civilians, increasing the overall toll of non-fighters killed to at least 883. The coalition said in a statement that it had completed a review in March of 49 reports of potential civilian casualties from air and artillery strikes, of which all but three were deemed not credible. These three incidents occurred in Iraq and Syria last year. On May 25, near Al-Mayadin in Syria's eastern province of Deir Ezzor, 15 people were killed during an air strike on an IS "media center and headquarters." "The investigation assessed that although all feasible precautions were taken and the decision to strike complied with the law of armed conflict, unintended civilian casualties unfortunately occurred," officials said in a statement. An April 27, 2017 strike on an IS headquarters in the Syrian city of Raqa saw 11 civilians killed, and a May 16 strike saw two people killed. Investigators were still looking at another 476 reports from the campaign. The coalition conducted a total of 29,254 strikes between August 2014 and the end of March 2018 in Iraq and Syria. Monitoring group Airwars says the number of civilian deaths acknowledged by the US-led coalition is well below the true toll of the bombing campaign, estimating that at least 6,259 civilians have been killed. The US-led operations to fight IS in Iraq and Syria have largely wound down, with the jihadists ousted from more than 98 percent of the territory they once held. The coalition's toll of non-fighters killed dates from 2014. Pakistan criminalised child pornography, as well as sexual assault against minors, for the first time in March last year, following the passage of a bill in the Senate A Pakistan court on Thursday jailed a man for seven years in the country's first ever conviction for child pornography. Sadat Amin was found guilty by a Lahore court of being part of a global child pornography racket spread across Europe and the United States. Pakistan only criminalised child pornography, as well as sexual assault against minors, for the first time in March last year, following the passage of a bill in the Senate. According to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), Amin was arrested on the complaint of the Norwegian Embassy in April last year. Investigators recovered more than 650,000 photographs and videos of child pornography in his possession. Amin was also given a fine of 1.2 million rupees ($10,000) by the court in Pakistan's eastern city of Lahore. The amendment to the penal code last March also criminalised human trafficking within Pakistan, and raised the age of criminal responsibility from seven to 10. Under the revised legislation, sexual assaults against minors are now punishable by up to seven years in prison. Previously only rape was criminalised. Likewise, child pornography, which was previously not mentioned in the law, is now punishable by seven years in prison. Christine Schraner Burgener, who also served as Swiss ambassador to Thailand from 2009 to 2015, takes up the post as UN envoy to Myanmar after a months-long search for a special emissary- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday announced the appointment of Christine Schraner Burgener, Switzerland's ambassador to Germany, as his new special envoy to Myanmar. The announcement came just days before the Security Country travels to Bangladesh and Myanmar for a firsthand look at the Rohingya refugee crisis. At least 700,000 Muslim-minority Rohingya have been driven out of Myanmar since Myanmar's army launched a military operation in Rakhine state in August. Most of them are now living in crowded camps in Bangladesh. The violence has left a trail of torched villages in its wake, with allegations of murder and rape at the hands of troops and militias. Myanmar has vehemently denied allegations of ethnic cleansing from the United Nations, Britain, France and the United States. Schraner Burgener, who also served as Swiss ambassador to Thailand from 2009 to 2015, takes up the post after a months-long search for a special emissary. The General Assembly in December asked Guterres to appoint a special envoy in a resolution that called on Myanmar to end its military campaign in Rakhine. Indian diplomat Vijay Nambiar served as UN special adviser on Myanmar until 2016, under former UN chief Ban Ki-moon. Smoke from an explosion at the Husky Energy oil refinery in Superior, Wisconsin on April 26, 2018 is seen from across the lake in Duluth, Minnesota Several people were injured and an expansive area evacuated Thursday after an explosion and fire at an oil refinery in the Midwestern US state of Wisconsin. Residents were ordered evacuated within a wide area in Superior, a city with a population of 27,000 near the northern tip of the state and less than 200 miles (320 km) from the Canadian border. An initial explosion occurred around 10:06 am (1506 GMT) at the Husky Energy oil refinery. It was followed by multiple subsequent explosions and a spreading fire that appeared to burn out of control inside the refinery complex -- spewing thick black smoke high up into the sky. "There are injuries, which are being treated at hospital and on site," Husky energy said in a statement. The extent of those injuries were unclear. The Superior fire department said five people were "transported" from the scene. No fatalities were reported. The smoke prompted officials to order evacuations within a two to three-mile radius of the refinery and extending 10 miles to the south. Area schools were closed and students moved to other locations. "I'm told that this fire will likely burn until the fuel is consumed. And that could be a couple of days," Superior police chief Nicholas Alexander told television station WDIO. Cheryl Thielman, 58, who manages a mobile home park near the refinery, told AFP that the first explosion was a "huge boom." "It shook the trailer park," she said, at the time suspecting that "maybe a train had possibly derailed" at the nearby railroad tracks. John Anderson, an employee of Stadium Towing, which had workers near the site of the explosion, told AFP that emergency crews were clearing the scene. A caravan of cars could be seen leaving the area. The refinery, which Husky Energy purchased last year, processes crude oil from Canadian and North Dakota fields. About 180 people are employed at the refinery, where about 2.3 million gallons of oil are processed per day, according to the Duluth News Tribune. A key Tesla executive who heads the automaker's Autopilot project is leaving amid a probe into a fatal accident involving a car using the semi-autonomous driving technology The head of Tesla's Autopilot project is leaving the carmarker, amid a US government probe into a fatal accident involving a vehicle using the semi-autonomous driving system. The executive, Jim Keller, is moving to chipmaking giant Intel, both companies said Thursday. Keller's departure adds to the challenges of the electric car giant's effort to craft self-driving technology. Keller's last day at Tesla was Wednesday, and he was the third Autopilot project head to leave in about two years. He oversaw low-voltage hardware, autopilot software, and "infotainment," according to Tesla. "We appreciate his contributions to Tesla and wish him the best," the auto firm said in a statement. Pete Bannon, whose background includes working on Apple computer chips, was named the new head of Autopilot hardware. Responsibility for Autopilot software was given to Tesla director of artificial intelligence Andrej Karpathy "Tesla is deeply committed to developing the most advanced silicon in the world and we plan to dramatically increase our investment in that area while building on the world-class leadership team we have in place," the company said. Keller next week will start his job as an Intel senior vice president leading silicon engineering, according to the chip maker. The move comes with US safety investigators probing a March 23 accident in which a Tesla Model X operating on Autopilot collided with a highway barrier near the town of Mountain View in California, catching fire before it was struck by two other cars. The driver, identified as a 38-year-old man, Wei Huang, later died in hospital. Tesla said this month it "withdrew" from a party agreement governing a National Transportation Safety Board probe. But the NTSB announced the "removal of Tesla," after the company disclosed information the agency said could taint the public understanding of what happened, in violation of the agreement. MINUSCA has 12,000 troops and police deployed in the Central African Republic Ivory Coast will send 450 troops to the Central African Republic to serve as UN peacekeepers in one of the most demanding missions, the foreign minister said Thursday. The announcement from Ivorian Foreign Minister Marcel Amon-Tanoh came after Gabon last month announced that it was pulling out its 450-strong contingent from the MINUSCA mission in the Central African Republic. "Ivory Coast will soon send a contingent of 450 soldiers," the foreign minister told reporters at UN headquarters. The United Nations is also looking for 900 extra troops to beef up MINUSCA, which the Security Council authorized in November amid fears that the country was sliding toward further violence. MINUSCA has 12,000 troops and police deployed in the impoverished country, which has been struggling since it exploded into bloodshed after the 2013 overthrow of longtime leader Francois Bozize. There have been a number of deadly clashes between peacekeepers and militia in CAR in recent weeks and MINUSCA blue helmets have faced a wave of allegations of sexual abuse. Gabon announced it was pulling out following allegations of sex abuse and other misconduct by its troops. Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, pictured at the 2017 BRICS Summit in Xiamen, will meet again Friday for an "informal summit" in the central Chinese city of Wuhan Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will seek to repair strained ties at a summit on Friday after an intense border dispute marred relations last year. Xi will host Modi for what has been described as an "informal summit" in the central Chinese city of Wuhan on Friday and Saturday. While last year's high-altitude standoff in the Himalayas has been resolved, the world's most populous countries have a long history of mistrust. New Delhi has also raised concerns about Beijing's signature Belt and Road initiative, a global trade infrastructure programme that includes a major project through Pakistan-administered Kashmir, disputed territory that New Delhi claims is illegally occupied. The summit "is New Delhi's well intentioned attempt to reach out to Beijing to see if the past can be put behind and if the relationship can be reset," Harsh Pant, international relations professor at King's College London, told AFP. Xi and Modi have "a good working relationship and personal friendship," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said on Tuesday. "The two sides agreed that an informal meeting would be a good idea so that the two leaders would make full and in-depth exchanges on major issues of common concern in a suitable atmosphere," Lu said. - Disputed border - Both nations say they are committed to solving longstanding border disagreements through dialogue, but progress has been glacial. India and China went to war in 1962 over Arunachal Pradesh, with Chinese troops temporarily capturing part of the Himalayan territory. The dispute remains unresolved, with India considering Arunachal Pradesh one of its northeastern states while China stakes claim to about 90,000 square kilometres of the area. In February Beijing lodged an angry protest with New Delhi over a trip by Modi to the state. Last year, Indian and Chinese troops faced off on the Doklam plateau, an area high in the Himalayas claimed both by China and by India's ally Bhutan. India and China say they are committed to solving longstanding border disagreements through dialogue, but progress has been glacial The dispute began in June when Chinese troops started building a road on the plateau and India deployed troops to stop the project. A crisis was averted in August when the two nuclear-armed nations pulled back their troops. "We have to step out of the shadows of the 1962 war," said Wang Dehua, a South and Central Asia expert at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences. "The meeting will focus on avoiding the unhappy events we saw in Doklam last year," Wang said. Modi is expected to return to China in June for the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, a security bloc led by Beijing and Moscow. Indian analysts point to a pragmatic reason for Modi to want better relations with China: he faces national elections next year, and he would be better off with stable ties with the world's second-largest economy. "I don't think he would like to go into an election with the kind of relationship, the low point it had reached over the last year," Pant said. With China facing a potential tariff war with the United States, Beijing and New Delhi could find common ground on international trade, Pant said. "It is one of the issues where India and China have worked together at the global stage in the past," he said. The mugshot of accused 'Golden State Killer' Joseph James DeAngelo on display at a Sacramento press conference where his arrest was announced It was one of the most notorious unsolved crime sprees in US history -- a decade-long series of sadistic rapes and murders that terrorized tranquil California neighborhoods. They began in the summer of 1976 and ended abruptly in 1986 with the rape and murder of an 18-year-old girl. Along the way, the meticulous masked assailant was given a number of nicknames: the East Area Rapist, the Original Nightstalker, the Golden State Killer... After a 40-year search, California authorities on Wednesday announced that they had finally caught their man -- a 72-year-old named Joseph James DeAngelo. On Thursday, it was revealed that plugging DeAngelo's DNA profile into a commercial geneaology website led investigators to the killer. "There were upwards of 50 rapes, 12 murders, crimes that spanned 10 years across at least 10 different counties," Sacramento County district attorney Anne Marie Schubert said in announcing the arrest. DeAngelo was a former policeman, officials said, but they released little other information about him and how he was eventually tracked down. Neighbors, co-workers and newspapers were filling in some of the details Thursday about a man who eluded law enforcement for more than four decades. A Sacramento County sheriff's deputy stands outside the home of accused 'Golden State Kill'Joseph James DeAngelo in Citrus Heights, California DeAngelo appears to have spent most of his life in and around Sacramento in central California apart from a stint in the US Navy during the Vietnam War. He went to high school in a Sacramento suburb and obtained a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Sacramento State after serving in the navy, according to the Sacramento Bee newspaper. Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones said that from 1973 to 1976 DeAngelo served as a policeman in Exeter, south of Sacramento. Exeter is near the town of Visalia, and DeAngelo is suspected of being the "Visalia Ransacker" who was burglarizing homes in the area. - 'Don't scream' - From 1976 to 1979, DeAngelo worked for the police department in Auburn, California, until he was fired for shoplifting a hammer and a can of dog repellent. The first rape committed by the man who would come to be known as the Golden State Killer took place in June 1976, when he broke into the home of a young girl while she was sleeping and her father was away. "He had a ski mask on," the victim recounted years later in a tape recording released by the FBI two years ago in an effort to revive interest in the case. "(He) jumped on the bed and had a knife," she said. "I don't exactly remember what he said. Something to the effect of, you know, 'Don't scream,' don't, you know, whatever. And tied my hands behind my back." The FBI wanted poster for the 'Golden State Killer' According to the Sacramento Bee, DeAngelo retired last year after working since 1989 as a truck mechanic at a warehouse for a grocery store chain. Jason Calhoon, a co-worker for the past 27 years, told the newspaper DeAngelo was a "regular Joe" although he never smiled. For more than 20 years, DeAngelo has lived in Citrus Heights, about 20 miles (32 kilometers) northwest of Sacramento. His tidy ranch house with a neatly manicured lawn in a suburban neighborhood has been cordoned off by police and FBI agents carting away boxes of evidence. According to the Bee, DeAngelo was married in 1973 and Jones, the sheriff, said he has "adult children." Jones said the authorities have interviewed some family members and they have been "cooperative." "It's quite a shock to them as you might expect," he said. DeAngelo's next door neighbor, Cory Harvey, told the Sacramento Bee that the man she knew as "Joe" was divorced and lived with a daughter and granddaughter. She said he was a good neighbor "except for that quirkiness of getting mad" and swearing out loud, after which he would apologize. - DNA was key - California authorities credited DNA technology with helping identify him. The Sacramento Bee reported Thursday that investigators compared DNA from one of the crime scenes to profiles available on genealogical websites to which people curious about their family history submit samples. By exploring family trees, investigators were led to DiAngelo via his distant relatives. Sheriff Jones said DNA from the crime scenes was ultimately matched to a "discarded item" from DeAngelo recovered by law enforcement. "Over the last few days as information started to point towards this individual we started some surveillance," Jones said. "We were able to get some discarded DNA and we were able to confirm what we thought we already knew, that we had our man." "The answer was, and always was going to be, in the DNA," Sacramento County District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert added. Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones announces the arrest on Joseph James DeAngelo on suspicion of being the notorious 'Golden State Killer' "We knew we could, and should, solve it using the most innovative DNA technology available at this time." "This was a true convergence of emerging technology and dogged determination by detectives," Jones said. "In this case justice was delayed," he said. "It wasn't swift but I can assure you it will be sure." The latests protests follow massive demonstrations by teachers in Oklahoma, who secured an average pay raise of $6,000 after 10 days of protests Scores of teachers in the western US states of Arizona and Colorado turned out Thursday to demand salary and budget increases, in the latest in a wave of similar efforts across the country. US media reported class was cancelled for 1.4 million schoolchildren as tens of thousands of teachers went on strike. Social media images showed hundreds of teachers wearing red t-shirts as part of the "Red for Ed" movement, launched by grass-roots group Arizona Educators United to highlight the lack of funding and basic supplies in schools. Arizona's Republican governor Doug Ducey appealed to Congress in a statement for a "deserved" 20 percent pay raise for the state's teachers. "Without a doubt, teachers are some of the biggest difference-makers in the lives of Arizona children. They need to be respected, and rewarded, for the work they do - and Arizona can do better on this front," he said. Like Oklahoma, Arizona is a state where the education budget has been stripped to the bone in recent years -- with cuts totaling $1 million since 2008, according to Arizona Educators United. As for teachers' salaries, Arizona is at the bottom of the ladder -- with the average $47,660 salary coming in at $12,000 lower than the national average, according to a study by the National Education Association. Meanwhile in Colorado, teachers take home slightly more, earning $53,768 per year. Teachers in Oklahoma secured an average pay raise of $6,000 after 10 days of protests -- but only a portion of their funding demands were met. The demonstrators had been spurred into action by a previous strike in West Virginia that resulted in a five percent salary increase. The strikes have mainly taken place in Republican states where education has suffered at the hands of promised tax cuts, particularly since the 2008 financial crisis. Only Colorado is the exception. In the US, states and local authorities fund education, with the federal government only chipping in with subsidies for disabled children, for example. Morocco and the Polisario Front, whose flag is seen here, fought for control of Western Sahara from 1975 to 1991, when a ceasefire was reached and the UN MINURSO mission was deployed to monitor the truce The UN Security Council is expected to vote Friday on a contentious US-drafted measure that would lay the groundwork for talks on settling the decades-old dispute over Western Sahara, diplomats said. The United States has presented a draft resolution that would press Morocco and the Algerian-backed Polisario Front to set their sights on a return to the negotiating table, under UN auspices. The measure put forward last week would renew the mandate of the small UN mission monitoring a ceasefire in Western Sahara and also spell out steps for a return to talks. Morocco and the Polisario fought for control of Western Sahara from 1975 to 1991, when a ceasefire was reached and the UN MINURSO mission was deployed to monitor the truce. After Russia and Ethiopia complained that the text lacked balance, favoring Morocco's stance, the United States presented a revised text on Thursday that would extend the MINURSO mission for six months, instead of a year. This means that the council would revisit the issue in October. Diplomats said they expected some countries to abstain, but that the measure would likely be adopted during the vote expected at 3:00 pm (1900 GMT). The draft resolution "emphasizes the importance of a renewed commitment by the parties to advancing the political process in preparation for a fifth round of negotiations", stressing the need for "realism and a spirit of compromise." The fourth round of UN-brokered negotiations on a Western Sahara settlement was held in 2008. - Mutually acceptable solution - Morocco maintains that negotiations on a settlement should focus on its proposal for autonomy for Western Sahara and rejects the Polisario's insistence on an independence referendum. The measure renews a call for the Polisario to withdraw from Guerguerat, an area in a buffer zone in the southwest near the Mauritanian border, and to refrain from relocating offices to Bir Lahlou, in the northwest. The draft resolution sets no timetable for relaunching talks, but calls on the sides to return to negotiations "with a view to achieving a just, lasting, and mutually acceptable political solution" in Western Sahara. In a message to Algeria, which has refused to engage in direct talks with Morocco over Western Sahara, the draft calls on the neighboring states to "increase their engagement in the negotiating process." Morocco has long insisted that Algeria come to the table, but Algiers sees this as a ploy to sideline the Polisario and present the conflict as a regional one. The draft resolution would request that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres step in to "interview the parties" to ease tensions over upholding the ceasefire. Guterres last year appointed former German president and ex-International Monetary Fund director Horst Koehler to be his new envoy for Western Sahara with a mandate to restart negotiations. Koehler is expected to make a new regional tour soon, diplomat said. The leaders of the two Koreas were in a jubilant mood after the successful summit The leaders of North and South Korea agreed on Friday to pursue a permanent peace treaty and the complete denuclearisation of their divided peninsula at a historic summit laden with symbolism. The North's leader Kim Jong Un and the South's President Moon Jae-in embraced after signing what they called the Panmunjom Declaration, following a day that began with an emotional handshake over the Military Demarcation Line that splits their countries. The pair issued a statement confirming their "common goal of realising, through complete denuclearisation, a nuclear-free Korean peninsula". They agreed they would seek a permanent end to the Korean War this year, 65 years after hostilities ended in an armistice rather than a peace treaty. Moon would visit Pyongyang in "the fall", the two leaders said, pledging to hold "regular meetings and direct telephone conversations". No caption But Kim did not mention denuclearisation and analysts warned that while the summit was a good first step, similar promises had been made before and much remained to be done to resolve the issue of the North's atomic arsenal. In coming weeks, Kim is due to hold a much-anticipated meeting with US President Donald Trump -- who has demanded Pyongyang give up its weapons -- that will be crucial in shaping progress. Trump hailed the Korea summit as historic, but warned "only time will tell". He told reporters he would not be "played" by the North's leader at their upcoming meeting, with "two countries" now in the running to host the summit. Trump also implicitly claimed credit for the Korean meeting, tweeting: "KOREAN WAR TO END! The United States, and all of its GREAT people, should be very proud of what is now taking place in Korea!" But he also offered a nod to his "good friend", Chinese President Xi Jinping, who had provided "great help". - 'Filled with emotion' - The Panmunjom Declaration capped an extraordinary day, unthinkable only months ago as the nuclear-armed North carried out a series of missile launches and its sixth atomic blast. North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un and South Korea's President Moon Jae-in held a warm embrace near the end of their historic summit Kim and Trump had traded personal insults and threats of war, sending tensions soaring before Moon seized on the Winter Olympics to broker dialogue, beginning a dizzying whirl of diplomacy that led to Friday's meeting in the Demilitarized Zone. Kim said he was "filled with emotion" after stepping over the concrete blocks that mark the border, making him the first Northern leader to set foot in the South since the Korean War ceasefire in 1953. At his impromptu invitation, the two men briefly crossed hand-in-hand into the North before beginning the summit, only the third of its kind. During another symbolic gesture, the two men took part in the ceremonial planting of a pine tree. It was a far cry from the last tree-related operation Moon was on duty for in the DMZ -- a monumental show of force after North Korean soldiers killed two US officers trying to prune a poplar in 1976, when he was a special forces soldier. - 'Heart-wrenching division' - The truce village of Panmunjom was the "symbol of heart-wrenching division", Kim said, but if it became "a symbol of peace, the North and South that have one blood, one language, one history and one culture, will return to becoming one". North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un and South Korea's President Moon Jae-in hold hands as they step together over the Military Demarcation Line that divides their countries at Panmunjom He pledged the two Koreas would ensure they did not "repeat the unfortunate history in which past inter-Korea agreements... fizzled out after beginning". In the declaration, the two sides said they would seek meetings this year with the US and possibly China -- both parties to the 1953 ceasefire -- "with a view to declaring an end to the war, turning the armistice into a peace treaty, and establishing a permanent and solid peace regime". But agreeing a treaty to formally close the conflict will be complicated -- both Seoul and Pyongyang claim sovereignty over the whole Korean peninsula. The two previous Korean summits in 2000 and 2007, both in Pyongyang, also ended with displays of affection and similar pledges, but the agreements ultimately came to naught. - 'First step' - Moon welcomed the North's announcement of a moratorium on nuclear testing and long-range missile launches as "very significant", calling it "an important step towards complete denuclearisation". North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un walks with President Moon Jae-in after crossing into South Korea for an official summit at Peace House But how much progress was made on the nuclear issue remained unclear. Pyongyang has always insisted it needs nuclear weapons to defend itself against a US invasion, and is demanding still unspecified security guarantees to discuss its arsenal, while Washington is pressing it to give up its weapons in a complete, verifiable and irreversible way. Affirming a commitment to denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula was "not new", said MIT political science professor Vipin Narang, "historic summit notwithstanding". South Korea's President Moon Jae-in (2nd R) said the North's moratorium on nuclear and long-range missile tests is "very significant" But he added: "Reaffirming it is better than not reaffirming it." Paul Haenle of the Carnegie-Tsinghua Center in Beijing said it was "really just the first step in broader diplomatic efforts". "Similar to a game of chess, this move opens up a series of possible developments but in many ways, the hard work really begins now." After an early dispatch saying Kim was heading for the summit, the North's state media offered no further coverage of events, even as the leaders' handshake was beamed around the world. But at a farewell ceremony, the two men watched images of their landmark encounter beamed onto the summit venue in a sound-and-light show, standing hand-in-hand for several minutes. sh-ckp-jhw-ric-slb/amz/it SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) - Puerto Rico's Senate has ordered government agencies to explain why tens of thousands of people in rural areas remain without power or appropriate shelter as anger grows about the lack of basic services more than seven months after hurricanes Irma and Maria. The agencies have been given five days to present a plan on how and when they will address the needs of rural towns, an order that came as police in a small mountain town blocked power crews from leaving Tuesday. Joining the protest was the mayor and dozens of people who noted that nearly 40 percent of Las Piedras' inhabitants were still without electricity service as crews prepared to leave for another town on company orders. "This is unfair," 62-year-old town resident Rafael Jimenez said by phone. "I don't have a problem with other towns getting power because it's a national necessity, but we need it, too." The standoff caught the attention of top Puerto Rico government officials and ended several hours later after the power company promised it would keep crews in Las Piedras until service is fully restored. Justo Gonzalez, the company' executive sub director, said in a statement that he is committed to restoring power to everyone but that blocking crews would only delay those efforts. More than 33,000 power customers across Puerto Rico remain in the dark, including Jimenez, who said he has spent hundreds of dollars to run a small generator to help keep his relatives alive. Jimenez is caring for his 97-year-old grandmother, who is bedridden and relies on an oxygen tank, as well as for his elderly parents. His mother relies on refrigerated insulin. The family has been without power since Hurricane Irma, which brushed past Puerto Rico's northeastern coast as a Category 5 storm Sept. 6. Maria then hit the island Sept. 20 as a Category 4 storm, killing dozens of people and causing more than an estimated $100 billion in damage. "People are not doing well," Las Piedras Mayor Miguel Lopez told The Associated Press, noting that there are many elderly people in his town. "They are suffering." The mayors of rural towns across Puerto Rico recently complained that they remain largely forgotten, prompting the island's Senate president on Monday to order agencies such as the power company as well as Puerto Rico's department of transportation and housing authority to submit a restoration plan and a timetable to meet the mayors' needs. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which is overseeing federal power restoration efforts on the island, has said they expect to restore power to everyone by late May. Many remain wary of that timetable, including federal legislators who have requested that the agency's mission be extended as they note that the Atlantic hurricane seasons starts June 1. LAKE HAVASU CITY, Ariz. (AP) - Luke Air Force Base officials say an F-16C from the 56th Fighter Wing crashed while attempting to land at a municipal airport in Arizona. They say the pilot ejected and was treated and released from a hospital Tuesday afternoon. Base officials say the jet was on a training flight when it diverted to the Lake Havasu City airport and went off the runway while landing, prompting the unidentified pilot to eject. This photo shows an F-16C from the 56th Fighter Wing that crashed while attempting to land Tuesday, April 24, 2018, at the Lake Havasu City Municipal Airport, a municipal airport in Arizona. The pilot ejected and wasn't seriously injured. (Brandon Messick/Todays News Herald via AP) Staff Sgt. Jenna Bigham says she couldn't provide information on why the plane diverted. She says Luke personnel would be recovering the aircraft. The Today's News-Herald newspaper posted a photo showing the plane apparently missing the nose area of its fuselage. Lake Havasu City is 134 miles (216 kilometers) northwest of Luke, located in Glendale, a suburb of Phoenix. CHARLOTTE AMALIE, U.S. Virgin Islands (AP) - The governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands says all of the territory's main roads will be rebuilt to federal standards following the damage inflicted by hurricanes Irma and Maria. Kenneth Mapp says $530 million of the $1.2 billion needed has been pledged for the project. He also said Monday that officials have already assessed the territory's 1,273-mile public road system. Crews plan to rebuild roads to accommodate water, sewage and power lines, as well as fiber optic cables. They also will feature American Disabilities Act certified sidewalks, traffic signals and crosswalks, among other things. Both storms pummeled the U.S. territory last year. Irma passed near St. John and St. Thomas on Sept. 6 as a Category 5 system, and Maria passed to the south of St. Croix two weeks later. DENVER (AP) - Rep. Doug Lamborn filed a federal lawsuit on Wednesday in a last-ditch bid to get his name back on the GOP primary ballot after the Colorado Supreme Court ruled he must be kicked off it because his campaign did not gather petitions correctly. Colorado law requires congressional candidates to gather signatures from 1,200 party members in their district. But two of the people who gathered signatures on behalf of Lamborn's campaign did not live in the state of Colorado, rendering invalid the names they collected and dropping the six-term incumbent below the legal threshold to be on the ballot, the state Supreme Court ruled Friday. Lamborn and his campaign contended Wednesday that the Colorado law requiring signature-gatherers to reside in the state violates the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment. "This case involves violation of a fundamental part of the First Amendment - the right of association," wrote Lamborn's attorney Ryan Call, a former Colorado Republican Party chairman. The campaign is also seeking an injunction requiring Lamborn's name appear on the June 26 primary. Ballots for the primary must be printed in the coming days. Lamborn has fought off a series of primary challenges over his career. Darryl Glen, who challenged Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet in 2016, and state Sen. Owen Hill are already on the GOP primary ballot in his district. If Lamborn is unsuccessful in his federal lawsuit, then his only option would be to run as a write-in candidate in the general election. He missed Colorado's Jan. 1 deadline for candidates to file as independents. Erick Davila was executed for killing five-year-old Queshawn Stevenson and her grandmother Annette in a drive-by shooting at a children's birthday party in Texas A gang member on Texas death row for killing a five-year-old girl and her grandmother in a gang-related shooting at a child's birthday party in Fort Worth a decade ago was executed Wednesday evening. Erick Davila received lethal injection for using a laser-sighted semi-automatic rifle to spray bullets at about 20 people - more than a dozen of them children. Annette Stevenson, 48, and her granddaughter, Queshawn Stevenson, were killed and four others were wounded, including the girl who was celebrating her ninth birthday. Davila, 31, belted to a gurney in the Texas death chamber, offered no apologies. He appeared almost cocky as several relatives of his victims entered the witness area of the death chamber, raising his head off the gurney and acknowledging some that he appeared to know. 'I may have lost the fight but I'm still a soldier,' he said when asked by the warden if he wanted to make a statement. 'Take it as it is. To my supporters and family, y'all hold it down. Ten toes down. That's all I got to say' He was pronounced dead at 6.31pm CDT, 14 minutes after the lethal dose of the powerful sedative pentobarbital was administered. Davila was the ninth prisoner executed in the US this year, five of them in Texas. Five-year-old Queshawn Stevenson (pictured) was killed and four others were wounded, including the girl who was celebrating her 9th birthday Authorities said the April 6, 2008, attack was in apparent retaliation for a previous run-in Davila had with the slain girl's father, who was attending the party. The US Supreme Court rejected an appeal from Davila's lawyers about 30 minutes before the punishment was carried out. Queshawn Stevenson's sister, then 11, testified she saw a man inside a dark car holding a gun with 'a red dot,' and a short time later saw him standing next door and shoot. Davila was caught the next day after a brief police chase. Davila's attorneys argued to the Supreme Court that his execution should be stopped because it was improper for his trial judge, Sharen Wilson, now the Tarrant County district attorney, to request an execution date. They also questioned the role of a lawyer working with Wilson on capital appeals cases who had represented Davila in an earlier appeal. Prosecutors withheld information that Davila was so high on drugs during the shooting that he was 'likely intoxicated to the degree that it would have rendered him temporarily insane,' lawyer Seth Kretzer told the high court in a filing. He argued that could have influenced jurors to decide on a lesser penalty, and questioned the constitutionality of how Texas juries decide death sentences. State attorneys said Wilson never represented Davila, and state law and court rulings allow her office to represent the state's interests in the case. Annette Stevenson (pictured), 48, was also killed in the shooting Prosecutors also argued that Wilson prohibits assistants from participating in cases where they were defense lawyers and that courts have upheld the state's capital sentencing procedure. They said evidence shows Davila's trial attorneys properly were provided notes from police investigators, that voluntary intoxication is not a defense under Texas law and that the shootings were intentional and deliberate. Katherine Hayes, an assistant Texas attorney general, told the justices that Davila told detectives he went 'to a shoot 'em up,' was trying to 'get the guys on the porch' and never mentioned any intoxication to police. Defense lawyers at Davila's trial tried to show he didn't intend to kill multiple people, a criterion for the capital murder charge. They argued he instead only intended to kill Jerry Stevenson, whose daughter and mother were shot to death. Authorities said Stevenson belonged to a rival gang and that Davila believed members of that gang shot him in 2005. Stevenson denied belonging to the gang. Davila was accused but not tried in another fatal shooting just days before the birthday party slayings. While awaiting trial for capital murder, he also attacked Tarrant County jailers and maintenance workers during an escape attempt. He previously served prison time for a 2004 burglary in Tarrant County and was released after about a year. SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - Samsung Electronics Co. reported better-than-expected financial results Thursday as robust demand from global data centers for its mainstay memory chips earned it another record-high quarterly profit. The company also forecast the brisk earnings streak from its chip sector will continue through the second quarter as expansion of global data centers in the U.S. and China will keep demand for chips strong. Despite being one of the most profitable tech companies in history, neither Samsung nor South Koreans are in a celebratory mood. Samsung's reputation is in tatters even after a Seoul high court released its leader Lee Jae-yong in February, suspending his sentence in a corruption scandal involving a former president. FILE - In this April 6, 2018 file photo, An employee walks past logos of the Samsung Electronics Co. at its office in Seoul, South Korea. Samsung Electronics said Thursday, April 26, 2018 its first-quarter earnings jumped 52 percent over a year earlier thanks to its mainstay memory chips that posted another record-high quarterly profit. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon, File) Samsung is facing another probe over a graft case involving former President Lee Myung-bak. Authorities also are investigating allegations that Samsung tried to break up a labor union at one of its affiliates. The company faces heightened pressure from the government to simplify a complicated ownership structure that has allowed its founding family, the Lees, to control the giant business while keeping only a minority stake. Meanwhile, an independent committee investigating Samsung's handling of workers health issues and chemicals at its chip plants is stepping up pressure on the company to be more transparent about the chemicals it uses in production, for the sake of public safety. In its latest earnings statement, the South Korean tech giant said it recorded 11.7 trillion won ($10.8 billion) in January-March net income, up 52 percent from 7.7 trillion won a year earlier. The result slightly exceeded expectations of a 11.3 trillion won net profit, according to financial data provider FactSet. Sales rose 20 percent to 60.6 trillion won ($56.1 billion) while operating income surged 58 percent to 15.6 trillion won ($14.5 billion) during the period. Demand for consumer electronics products usually is slack in the first quarter of the year. But Samsung has been immune to seasonally shifting demand in the consumer electronics market thanks to its perennially lucrative memory chips business. The lion's share, more than 70 percent or 11.55 trillion won ($10.7 billion), of its latest quarterly operating income was generated by the semiconductor division. Revenue was just 20.78 trillion won ($19.25 billion), a profit margin almost unheard of in the manufacturing industry. Samsung said its semiconductor division benefited from strong demand for server chips from global data center operators and chips that handle graphics and crypto-currency mining cards. Memory chips used to be a cutthroat market with multiple players with wide swings between gluts and shortages due to volatile demand. That changed with an industry restructuring that has left only a handful of global companies to meet tight supplies. Samsung and a few other memory chipmakers are benefiting from hefty investments by global internet companies to expand data centers and higher demand for chips that can handle more complex programs in mobile handsets. Samsung's mobile phone division also helped its profitability, posting 3.77 trillion won ($3.49 billion) in quarterly operating income. Strong sales of the Galaxy S8 smartphone from last year despite the early release of its flagship Galaxy S9 smartphone showed that consumers are not enthusiastic about upgrading their phones to the latest products. Those two divisions helped Samsung offset weak performance in the display business, which counts Apple Inc. among its clients, and its home appliance division, which saw seasonally low demand for television sets. The display division logged lower profits for advanced panels called OLED and for LCD products. Going forward, Samsung forecast that that the memory chip business will likely stay strong, but increasing overall earnings will be a challenge given the weakness in its display business and lower profits in the mobile business. Posted on Jun 5, 2015 in Front Page Features, War College Battle of Waterloo Summary, Analysis and Assessment for the 200th Anniversary BATTLE OF WATERLOO: FAST FACTS Date: June 18, 1815 Location: near Waterloo, Belgium, 15 kilometers south of Brussels Commanders: French, Emperor Napoleon; Anglo-Allied, Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington; Prussian, Field Marshal Gebhard von Blucher Forces: French 73,000 troops, 252 guns; Coalition 118,000 (68,000 Anglo-Allied and 50,000 Prussian) troops, 156 guns Casualties: French 41,000; Coalition 24,000 (17,000 Anglo-Allied and 7,000 Prussian) Results: On a soggy field of rolling farmlands an Anglo-Allied army commanded by Britains Duke of Wellington, bolstered by the timely arrival of a Prussian army under Field Marshal Gebhard von Blucher, decisively defeated Frances Army of the North personally led by Napoleon. The furious combat that began in earnest at about 1:00 p.m. featured massed French infantry and cavalry attacks that nearly broke through the Anglo-Allied line before Bluchers Prussians arrived around 7:30 p.m. to tip the scales of battle in the Coalitions favor. Wellington, acknowledging how close Napoleon came to victory, famously described the Battle of Waterloo as the nearest-run thing you ever saw in your life. Significance: The Coalition victory at Waterloo proved to be the decisive battle ending the Napoleonic Wars (1803-1815). With his French army defeated at Waterloo, Emperor Napoleon I abdicated and was sent into his final exile on the South Atlantic island of St. Helena where he died from the effects of arsenic poisoning on May 5, 1821. (Top image: The Battle of Waterloo, by William Sadler II) BATTLE OF WATERLOO: SUMMARY Background: Horrified by the progressive ideals unleashed by the French Revolution, spread throughout the Continent by Frances brilliant leader, Napoleon, Europes reactionary kings and princes allied to from a series of Coalitions that waged wars against Napoleon for over a dozen years. In the War of the Sixth Coalition (1812-1814) Britain, Prussia, Austria, Russia, Portugal, Sweden and Spain defeated Napoleon and sent the Emperor into exile on the island of Elba. Napoleon escaped from Elba on February 26, 1815, returned to France and reclaimed his empire in Paris on March 20. Napoleons return prompted Britain, Austria, Prussia, Russia, the Netherlands, Sweden, Spain, Portugal and several duchies and principalities to form the Seventh Coalition. The total number of French troops available to Napoleon was 250,000 while Coalition forces would number 850,000 when fully mobilized and moved to the frontiers of France which was expected to be accomplished by July 1. Therefore, in early June, assessing that his greatest immediate threats were the Anglo-Allied army of Wellington and Bluchers Prussian army, both located in the general vicinity of Brussels, Napoleon led his French Army of the North (120,000) to attack and defeat Wellington and Blucher before the Coalitions remaining armies could arrive. Prelude: Two days prior to the Battle of Waterloo, Napoleons army had won a tactical victory by defeating but not destroying Bluchers Prussian army at Ligny, 25 kilometers southeast of Waterloo. Napoleon dispatched Marshal Emmanuel de Grouchy with 33,000 troops to follow the retreating Prussians while shifting the French armys axis of advance northwest to attack and defeat Wellingtons Anglo-Allied army at Quatre Bras. Wellington, however, upon learning of Bluchers defeat and with no interference by French Marshal Michel Neys troops holding Quatre Bras had already withdrawn his army 15 kilometers north and arrayed it in defensive positions in the vicinity of Waterloo. Wellingtons Position: The Anglo-Allied armys defensive position was a strong one featuring a 4-kilometer long main line of troops placed along the reverse slope of a low ridge running generally east-west and bisected near the center by the main road leading north to Brussels. Additionally, many of the Anglo-Allied troops were positioned behind a sunken lane that ran for much of the length of the ridge along its crest. In front of Wellingtons main line were three heavily-garrisoned, stone and brick farmstead strongpoints: Hougoumont (west); La Haye Sainte (center); and Papelotte hamlet (east). Hougoumont and Papelotte served as anchors for Wellingtons right and left flanks, respectively, and La Haye Sainte allowed defenders to subject French troops attacking Wellingtons center to a deadly crossfire. Finally, torrential rains that drenched the area throughout the night of June 17-18 favored the defenders since the soggy conditions the downpour produced hindered the mobility of cavalry and infantry and greatly reduced the effects of the superior French artillery cannonballs plowed harmlessly into the muck instead of bounding across the ground causing casualties. Battle Highlights: Although Napoleon wanted to begin the battle as early as possible on June 18 in order to defeat Wellingtons army before Bluchers Prussians could arrive, he delayed the start of his armys main attacks for several hours (first to around 11:00 a.m., then to about 1:00 p.m.) in an attempt to allow the waterlogged ground to dry. [NOTE: the times given in this article for various events of the battle are those which seem to be now generally accepted despite the presence of discrepancies regarding times in some battle participants individual accounts.] In general, the fighting featured these principal highlights: Hougoumont: Recognizing that the fortified farmstead and surrounding grounds of Hougoumont anchored Wellingtons right flank, Napoleon ordered about 12,000 soldiers supported by artillery to attack it. The fighting for control of Hougoumont began around 11:30 a.m. and continued throughout the course of the battle. Yet, despite repeated attacks by French forces, Hougoumont remained in Anglo-Allied hands. First French Infantry Attack: After a French artillery bombardment of Wellingtons center by a Grand Battery of 80 guns, Napoleon sent DErlons infantry corps to attack the center and left of the Anglo-Allied line at 1:00 p.m. Although DErlons tightly packed infantry formations gave French attackers the advantage of mass, the formation also allowed little room for maneuver and made the French infantrymen vulnerable to Anglo-Allied musket fire. Additionally, Anglo-Allied soldiers occupying La Haye Sainte which the French repeatedly tried but failed to capture caught DErlons attackers in a deadly crossfire. Anglo-Allied resistance, bolstered by a rash charge by British heavy cavalry, rallied to defeat DErlons attack. French Cavalry Charge: Mistaking the shifting of Anglo-Allied forces and the evacuation of Coalition casualties as the beginning of a general retreat by Wellingtons army, Ney unwisely organized and led a massed French cavalry charge at the Anglo-Allied center at about 4:00 p.m. However, it was unsupported by French infantry and artillery and cavalry alone could not break the formidable British infantry squares Wellington had ordered formed. Ney finally called off the futile cavalry attack and then managed to bring forward French artillery protected by infantry that at last poured a punishing fire on the Anglo-Allied infantry squares. The French seemed on the verge of breaking Wellingtons center (and had finally captured La Haye Sainte), but on the right rear of Napoleons eastern flank the first Prussian unit (Friedrich Bulows IV Corps) entered the battle and by about 5:30 p.m. began drawing off French forces, relieving the pressure on Wellingtons center. French Imperial Guard Attack: Napoleon still hoped to break Wellingtons center and win the battle before the entire Prussian army could arrive on the battlefield. Therefore, at about 7:00 p.m. he threw his last reserve, the Imperial Guard, led by Ney at Wellingtons center. This final French attack was supported by French troops on its right who had been fighting at Hougoumont and on its left by those of DErlons units that had been reconstituted after their earlier defeat in the first French infantry attack. The Imperial Guard attack advanced deep into Wellingtons right center and, in fact, had succeeded in breaking the Dukes line; but several well-timed Anglo-Allied counterattacks, coinciding with the arrival on the eastern flank of the battlefield of Bluchers Prussian army (between 7:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.), repelled the Imperial Guard attack and forced the French into a general retreat. Coalition Counterattack and French Retreat: As the Imperial Guard began its retreat, Wellington ordered a general advance by the Anglo-Allied army which, soon joined by the Prussians, turned the French retreat into a rout. Sometime between 9:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. Wellington and Blucher met at La Belle Alliance, Napoleons headquarters during the battle, as their victorious forces continued pursuing the defeated French army fleeing south. BATTLE OF WATERLOO: ANALYSIS Strategic and tactical decisions and factors beyond the control of both sides commanders led to the Waterloo campaign and determined its historic outcome. Strategic Decisions: Napoleons strategic decisions made the Battle of Waterloo inevitable: Escape from Elba (February 26, 1815) There would have been no Battle of Waterloo had Napoleon decided to remain passively in exile on Elba. With King Louis XVIII on the French throne, however, the restored aristocracy resumed their pre-Revolution oppression, and the overwhelming majority of Frenchmen desired the Emperors return. Napoleon considered it his imperial duty to fulfill his countrymens expectations and end foreign interference in Frances internal affairs. Return to Paris Napoleons triumphal return to Paris without a single musket being fired confirmed the good sense of his decision. Louis fled and Napoleon offered peace and constitutional reform to Europes monarchies they responded by declaring him an outlaw. With war again forced upon him, Napoleon chose to lead Frances army to resist the coming onslaught. Defeat the Coalition in Detail England, Russia, Austria and Prussia (and smaller nations) formed the Seventh Anti-Napoleon Coalition and began mobilizing to attack France. Yet, historys greatest military strategist would not sit idly by while his enemies leisurely massed their forces. Napoleon decided to seize the initiative, strike north toward Brussels, and defeat the most dangerous immediate threat Anglo-Allied and Prussian armies in detail (destroy a portion of the enemy force before it could fully mass against him.) Using the strategy of the central position that had served him well in all his wars, Napoleon intended to place his army between two enemy armies, and while holding one at bay, defeat the other before turning on the former. Tactical Decisions and Factors: Once the armies met on the battlefield, tactical decisions and the bad luck of torrential rain determined the Waterloo campaigns outcome. Missed Opportunity at Ligny Napoleon chose to target Bluchers Prussians at Ligny by placing his French army between the Prussians and Wellington, a brilliant tactical move that, had it totally crushed the Prussian army, would have won the war. He fixed them in place with part of his force, expecting Marshal Ney to move his troops from Quatre Bras and take the Prussians in the rear. Although Napoleon defeated Bluchers Prussians, he did not crush them an apathetic Ney failed to appear and a thunderstorm hindered French pursuit. Instead of winning the war at Ligny, Napoleon had to repeat his defeat in detail strategy, this time against Wellingtons Anglo-Allied army at Waterloo. Waterloos Delayed Beginning Heavy rains fatefully intruded again on tactical plans, soaking the Waterloo battlefield the night of June 17-18, and preventing movement of artillery to support a massive attack. Napoleon delayed military operations until the ground had dried somewhat several critical hours allowing Wellington to perfect his defenses while giving Bluchers Prussians time to arrive just in time to tip the battle in the Coalitions favor. Neys Tactical Blunder Bravest of the brave Ney followed his June 16 failure at Quatre Bras-Ligny by committing another egregious tactical blunder about 4:00 p.m. June 18. Neys foolishly unsupported massed cavalry charge against Wellingtons well-sited infantry squares robbed Napoleon of the critical combat power he needed later to seal a victory before the Prussians arrived. Although Napoleons Imperial Guard attack in fact cracked Wellingtons line about 7:30 p.m.-8:00 p.m., Bluchers arrival unbalanced French tactical dispositions, reversing the battles outcome. Grouchys Double Failures Marshal Grouchy, sent with one-third of Napoleons army to pursue the beaten Prussians after Ligny, could have ensured Napoleons Waterloo victory had he accomplished one of two tasks: prevent Blucher linking up with Wellington; or move to the sound of the guns and join Napoleon at Waterloo. He did neither. When large numbers of troops began approaching Waterloo from the east around 7:30 p.m., Napoleon was horrified and Wellington greatly relieved to discover they were Bluchers Prussians, not Grouchys French. The Prussians saved Wellington, snatching allied victory from the jaws of defeat. BATTLE OF WATERLOO: ASSESSMENT The Battle of Waterloo bottom line is best summarized by the late Dr. Ben Weider (1923-2008), CM, CQ, SBStJ, Founder and President of the International Napoleonic Society and the worlds foremost Napoleon expert: In his final campaign, Napoleon encountered an accumulation of setbacks and misadventures that were beyond his control and indeed beyond all comprehension. The war should have ended at Ligny (June 16) if Ney had been true to his potential. Two days later, victory would have been won [at Waterloo] if Ney had not bungled his tactics and above all if Grouchy had been at the top of his form. Despite Neys failure, victory might yet have been won if not for the untimely rain that delayed the start of the attack by three hours. Considering the precarious Anglo-Allied position when Blucher arrived, Wellington could not have held out for three more hours. Waterloo was an unthinkable disaster, as if the gods had willed it to be so. Despite all this, Napoleon did not fail his reputation as a great captain. Jerry D. Morelock, PhD, HISTORYNET Editor at Large. For additional information see Napoleonic WarfareIts Strategy and Tactics; Napoleon Versus Wellington; and Recommended Books on the Battle of Waterloo. SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - A man living in the U.S. illegally has been sentenced to the death penalty for the 2014 killing of a Northern California sheriff's deputy and a detective. The Sacramento Bee reports Luis Bracamontes smiled during Wednesday's sentencing and was eventually tossed out of the court room for yelling. He was previously convicted for killing Sacramento County sheriff's Deputy Danny Oliver and Placer County sheriff's Detective Michael Davis Jr. The two men's family members and friends made emotional pleas and statements ahead of the sentencing. The Bee reports former Placer County Deputy Chuck Bardo called Bracamontes a monster and a coward. Bracamontes is a Mexican citizen who repeatedly entered the United States illegally. GOYANG, South Korea (AP) - The leaders of North and South Korea played it safe Friday, repeating a previous vow to rid the Korean Peninsula of nuclear weapons but failing to provide any specific measures or forge a potential breakthrough on an issue that has captivated and terrified many since the rivals seemed on the verge of war last year. In a sense, the vague joint statement produced by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in to achieve "a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula through complete denuclearization" kicks one of the world's most pressing issues down the road to a much-anticipated summit between Kim and U.S. President Donald Trump in coming weeks. Even so, the Koreas' historic summit Friday might be remembered as much for the sight of two men from nations with a deep and bitter history of acrimony holding each other's hands and grinning from ear to ear after Kim walked over the border to greet Moon, and then both briefly stepped together into the North and back to the South. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, left, prepares to shake hands with South Korean President Moon Jae-in at the border village of Panmunjom in Demilitarized Zone Friday, April 27, 2018. Their discussions will be expected to focus on whether the North can be persuaded to give up its nuclear bombs. (Korea Summit Press Pool via AP) Standing at a podium next to Moon after the talks ended, Kim faced a wall of cameras beaming his image live to the world and declared that the Koreas are "linked by blood as a family and compatriots who cannot live separately." What happened Friday must be seen in the context of the last year - when the United States, its ally South Korea and the North threatened and raged as the North unleashed a torrent of weapons tests - but also in light of the long, destructive history of the rival Koreas, who fought one of the 20th century's bloodiest conflicts and even today occupy a divided peninsula that's still technically in a state of war. It marks a surreal, whiplash swing in relations for the countries, from nuclear threats and missile tests to intimations of peace and cooperation. Perhaps the change is best illustrated by geography: Kim and Moon's historic handshake and a later 30-minute conversation at a footbridge on the border occurred only meters (feet) from the spot where a North Korean soldier fled south in a hail of gunfire months earlier, and within walking distance of where North Korean soldiers axe-murdered two U.S. soldiers in 1976. The latest declaration between the Koreas, Kim said, should not repeat the "unfortunate history of past inter-Korean agreements that only reached the starting line" before becoming derailed. Many will be judging the summit based on the weak nuclear language. North Korea's nuclear and missile tests last year likely put it on the threshold of becoming a legitimate nuclear power. The North, which has spent decades doggedly building its bombs despite crippling sanctions and near-constant international opprobrium, claims it has already risen to that level. But the Koreas made inroads on a raft of other points of friction between them. They agreed to settle their disagreement over their western maritime border by designating it as a peace area and securing fishing activities for both countries. Moon agreed to visit Pyongyang, North Korea's capital, sometime in the autumn, and both leaders said they'd meet on a regular basis and exchange calls via a recently established hotline. They said they'd open a permanent communication office in the North Korean border town of Kaesong and resume temporary reunions of relatives separated by the 1950-53 Korean War. Both Koreas will also jointly push for talks with the United State and also potentially China to officially end the Korean War, which stopped in an armistice that never ended the war. "I feel like I'm firing a flare at the starting line in the moment of (the two Koreas) writing a new history in North-South relations, peace and prosperity," Kim told Moon as they sat at a table, which had been built so that exactly 2018 millimeters separated them, to begin their closed-door talks. Moon responded that there were high expectations that they produce an agreement that will be a "big gift to the entire Korean nation and every peace-loving person in the world." Kim acknowledged the widespread skepticism over their summit. "We have reached big agreements before but were unable to fulfill them. ... There are skeptical views on whether the meeting today will yield meaningful results," Kim said. "If we maintain a firm will and proceed forward hand in hand, it will be impossible at least for things to get worse than they are now." Kim, during their talks, joked that he would make sure not to interrupt Moon's sleep anymore, a reference to the North's drumbeat of early-morning missile tests last year, according to Moon's spokesman, Yoon Young-chan. Kim also referred to a South Korean island that North Korea attacked with artillery in 2010, killing four, saying the residents of Yeonpyeong Island who have been living in fear of North Korean artillery have high hopes the summit will help heal past scars. Kim said he'd visit Seoul's presidential Blue House if invited. The historic greeting of the two leaders, which may be the images most remembered from the summit, was planned to the last detail, though the multiple border crossings may have been impromptu. As thousands of journalists, who were kept in a huge conference center well away from the summit, except for a small group of tightly controlled pool reporters at the border, waited and watched, Moon stood near the Koreas' dividing line, moving forward the moment he glimpsed Kim, dressed in dark, Mao-style suit, appearing in front of a building on the northern side. They smiled broadly and shook hands with the border line between them. Moon then invited Kim to cross into the South, and, after Kim did so, Moon said, "You have crossed into the South, but when do I get to go across?" Kim replied, "Why don't we go across now?" and then grasped Moon's hand and led him into the North and then back into the South. Moon then led Kim along a blindingly red carpet into South Korean territory, where two fifth-grade students from the Daesongdong Elementary School, the only South Korean school within the DMZ, greeted the leaders and gave Kim flowers. An honor guard stood at attention for inspection, a military band playing traditional Korean folk songs beloved by both Koreas and the South Korean equivalent of "Hail to the Chief." They then took a photo inside the Peace House, where the summit took place, in front of a painting of South Korea's Bukhan Mountain, which towers over the South Korean Blue House presidential mansion and where dozens of North Korean commandos trying to assassinate the then-dictator in Seoul were killed in 1968. Kim's sister, Kim Yo Jong, was by Kim's side throughout the ceremony, handing him a pen to sign a guestbook, taking the schoolchildren's flowers from his hand and scribbling notes at the start of the talks with Moon. Expectations were generally low on the nuclear issue, given that past so-called breakthroughs on North Korea's weapons have collapsed amid acrimonious charges of cheating and bad faith. Skeptics of engagement have long said that the North often turns to interminable rounds of diplomacy meant to ease the pain of sanctions - giving it time to perfect its weapons and win aid for unfulfilled nuclear promises. Advocates of engagement, however, say the only way to get a deal is to do what the Koreas tried Friday: Sit down and see what's possible. The White House said in a statement that it is "hopeful that talks will achieve progress toward a future of peace and prosperity for the entire Korean Peninsula. ... (and) looks forward to continuing robust discussions in preparation for the planned meeting between President Donald J. Trump and Kim Jong Un in the coming weeks." ___ AP writers Kim Tong-hyung, Hyung-jin Kim and Eric Talmadge contributed to this report. ___ Foster Klug, the AP's bureau chief for South Korea, has covered the Koreas since 2005. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/apklug North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, second from right, and South Korean President Moon Jae-in, second from left, attend during a summit at Peace House of the border village of Panmunjom in the Demilitarized Zone, South Korea, Friday, April 27, 2018. North Korean leader Kim made history by crossing over the world's most heavily armed border to greet South Korean President Moon for talks on North Korea's nuclear weapons. At right is Kim's sister Kim Yo Jong. (Korea Summit Press Pool via AP) North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, left, shakes hands with South Korean President Moon Jae-in at the border village of Panmunjom in Demilitarized Zone Friday, April 27, 2018. Their discussions will be expected to focus on whether the North can be persuaded to give up its nuclear bombs. (Korea Summit Press Pool via AP) North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, left, walks with South Korean President Moon Jae-in at the border village of Panmunjom in the Demilitarized Zone, South Korea, Friday, April 27, 2018. Kim made history Friday by crossing over the world's most heavily armed border to greet his rival, Moon, for talks on North Korea's nuclear weapons. (Korea Summit Press Pool via AP) North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, left, and South Korean President Moon Jae-in, right, cross the military demarcation line to the South side at the border village of Panmunjom in the Demilitarized Zone, South Korea, Friday, April 27, 2018. Kim made history by crossing over the world's most heavily armed border to greet Moon for talks on North Korea's nuclear weapons. (Korea Summit Press Pool via AP) North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, left, and South Korean President Moon Jae-in cross the military demarcation line to the South side at the border village of Panmunjom in the Demilitarized Zone Friday, April 27, 2018. Kim made history Friday by crossing over the world's most heavily armed border to greet his rival, Moon, for talks on North Korea's nuclear weapons. (Korea Summit Press Pool via AP) North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, left, crosses the military demarcation line to meet with South Korean President Moon Jae-in, right, at the border village of Panmunjom in the Demilitarized Zone Friday, April 27, 2018. Kim made history Friday by crossing over the world's most heavily armed border to greet his rival, Moon, for talks on North Korea's nuclear weapons. (Korea Summit Press Pool via AP) North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, left, shakes hands with South Korean President Moon Jae-in at the border village of Panmunjom in the Demilitarized Zone Friday, April 27, 2018. Kim made history Friday by crossing over the world's most heavily armed border to greet his rival, Moon, for talks on North Korea's nuclear weapons. (Korea Summit Press Pool via AP) In this image made from video provided by Korea Broadcasting System (KBS), North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, left, and South Korean President Moon Jae-in raise their hands after signing on a joint statement at the border village of Panmunjom in the Demilitarized Zone Friday, April 27, 2018. (Korea Broadcasting System via AP) In this image made from video provided by Korea Broadcasting System (KBS), North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, left, and South Korean President Moon Jae-in embrace each other after signing on a joint statement at the border village of Panmunjom in the Demilitarized Zone Friday, April 27, 2018. (Korea Broadcasting System via AP) In this image made from video provided by Korea Broadcasting System (KBS), North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, left, and South Korean President Moon Jae-in shake hands after signing on a joint statement at the border village of Panmunjom in the Demilitarized Zone Friday, April 27, 2018. (Korea Broadcasting System via AP) North Korean security persons run by the car carrying North Korean leader Kim Jong Un returning to the North for a lunch break after a morning session of the summit with South Korean President Moon Jae-in at the border village of Panmunjom in Demilitarized Zone Friday, April 27, 2018. With a single step over a weathered, cracked slab of concrete, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un made history Friday by crossing over the world's most heavily armed border to greet South Korean President Moon Jae-in for talks on North Korea's nuclear weapons. Kim then invited Moon to cross briefly back into the north with him before they returned to the southern side. (Korea Summit Press Pool via AP) North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signs a guest book watched by South Korean President Moon Jae-in, top, inside the Peace House at the Peace House at the border village of Panmunjom in Demilitarized Zone Friday, April 27, 2018. Their discussions will be expected to focus on whether the North can be persuaded to give up its nuclear bombs. (Korea Summit Press Pool via AP) North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, left, and South Korean President Moon Jae-in cross the border line at the border village of Panmunjom in Demilitarized Zone Friday, April 27, 2018. Their discussions will be expected to focus on whether the North can be persuaded to give up its nuclear bombs. (Korea Summit Press Pool via AP) North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, left, shakes hands with South Korean President Moon Jae-in at the border village of Panmunjom in Demilitarized Zone Friday, April 27, 2018. Their discussions will be expected to focus on whether the North can be persuaded to give up its nuclear bombs. (Korea Summit Press Pool via AP) Ex-cop arrested in sadistic crime spree from '70s and '80s SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - A man once sworn to protect the public from crime was accused Wednesday of living a double life terrorizing suburban neighborhoods at night, becoming one of California's most feared serial killers and rapists in the 1970s and '80s before leaving a cold trail that baffled investigators for more than three decades. Former police officer Joseph James DeAngelo, 72, was arrested at his home after DNA linked him to crimes attributed to the so-called Golden State Killer and he initially was charged with eight counts of murder and could face dozens more charges, authorities said. The culprit also known as the East Area Rapist, among other names, is suspected of at least 12 slayings and 50 rapes in 10 counties from Northern to Southern California. The armed and masked prowler sneaked in through windows at night and surprised sleeping victims who ranged in age from 13 to 41. When encountering a couple, he was known to tie up the man and pile dishes on his back. He threatened to kill both victims if he heard plates crash to the floor while he raped the woman. He then ransacked the house, taking souvenirs, notably coins and jewelry before fleeing on foot or bicycle. Despite an outpouring of thousands of tips over the years, DeAngelo's name had not been on the radar of law enforcement before last week, Sacramento County District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert said. ___ Macron resists Trump's 'America first' in speech to Congress WASHINGTON (AP) - French President Emmanuel Macron drew sharp contrasts with President Donald Trump's worldview Wednesday, laying out a firm vision of global leadership that rejects "the illusion of nationalism" in a candid counterweight to Trump's appeals to put "America first." In the spotlight of a speech to the U.S. Congress, Macron was courteous but firm, deferential but resolute as he traced the lines of profound division between himself and Trump on key world issues: climate change, trade and the Iran nuclear deal. A day after the French leader had put on a show of warmth and brotherly affection for Trump at the White House, his blunt speech prizing engagement over isolationism reinforced the French leader's emerging role as a top defender of the liberal world order. "We can choose isolationism, withdrawal and nationalism. This is an option. It can be tempting to us as a temporary remedy to our fears," Macron said. "But closing the door to the world will not stop the evolution of the world. It will not douse but inflame the fears of our citizens." Issuing a bleak warning, he urged against letting "the rampaging work of extreme nationalism shake a world full of hopes for greater prosperity." ___ Kim Jong Un will walk across border for summit with Moon SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon-Jae-in will plant a commemorative tree and inspect an honor guard together after Kim walks across the border Friday for their historic summit, Seoul officials said Thursday. The talks on the southern side of the border village of Panmunjom are expected to focus on North Korea's nuclear program, but there will be plenty of symbolism when Kim becomes the first North Korean leader to be in the southern section of the border since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War. Moon will receive Kim after he crosses the concrete slabs that form the rivals' military demarcation line Friday morning. They will then walk together for about 10 minutes to a plaza where they'll inspect a South Korean honor guard, Moon's chief of staff Im Jong-seok told reporters. After signing the guestbook and taking a photo together at Peace House, the venue for Friday's summit, the two leaders will start formal talks at 10:30 a.m. (0130 GMT). They will later plant a pine tree on the border using a mixture of soil from both counties' mountains and water from their respective rivers. The tree, which is beloved by both Koreas, dates to 1953, the year the war ended, Im said. Engraved on the stone plaque for the tree will be the phrase, "Peace and Prosperity Are Planted," as well as the signatures of the leaders. After the tree-planting, the two plan to stroll together to a footbridge where a signpost for the military demarcation line stands, Im said. ___ Rival Koreas' leaders face high stakes at historic summit SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - It may lack the punch of President Donald Trump's vow to unleash "fire and fury" and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's "nuclear button" boasts, but the stakes will be high on Friday when Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in sit down on the southern side of the no man's land that forms the world's most heavily armed border. Kim may never abandon the nuclear weapons that he claims are all that stand between him and annihilation, but if the Koreas and the United States are going to begin stepping away from what, until a few months ago, looked like a real possibility of nuclear war, then Kim and Moon must lay the foundation with a successful summit of their own. The fate of a planned Trump-Kim meeting, possibly next month, is also linked to what happens Friday. The rival Koreas' long, bitter history will provide skeptics with ample fodder to doubt that any real deal can be reached. Since a tenuous Korean War cease-fire took hold in 1953, every major initiative to settle the world's last remaining Cold War standoff has eventually stalled. So what's the goal? What would "success" look like? Some sort of progress on nuclear weapons, even it falls short of a "breakthrough," headlines the list, but there's also, from the North Korean perspective, the "problem" of nearly 30,000 heavily armed U.S. troops stationed in the South, and the failure to agree on a peace treaty formally ending the war, a situation that the North routinely says creates the hostility that makes its own nuclear weapons necessary. ___ More allegations emerge on VA pick as nomination falters WASHINGTON (AP) - White House doctor Ronny Jackson exhibited a pattern of recklessly prescribing drugs and drunken behavior, including crashing a government vehicle while intoxicated and doling out such a large supply of a prescription opioid that staffers panicked because they thought the drugs were missing, according to accusations compiled by Democratic staff on the committee considering his nomination as Veterans Affairs secretary. The summary was based on conversations with 23 of Jackson's current and former colleagues at the White House Medical Unit. It is the latest blow to his nomination to lead the government's second-largest Cabinet agency. In just a matter of days, the allegations have transformed Jackson's reputation as a celebrated doctor attending the president to an embattled nominee accused of drinking on the job and over-prescribing drugs. He was seen pacing back and forth on the White House grounds Wednesday. And while the White House put on a full-scale defense of Jackson, spokesman Raj Shah said aides are "of course" preparing for the possibility that he might withdraw. "This is, as the president said, Dr. Jackson's decision," Shah said on CNN. Jackson huddled late Wednesday evening with top White House press staff. They declined to comment on the situation. ___ Tears flow as victims of Waffle House shooting remembered NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Employees at a Waffle House where four people were killed in a weekend shooting rampage wore orange ribbons, hugged each other and wept as the restaurant re-opened. And a steady stream of customers came in to the Nashville restaurant Wednesday to show support. The parents of Joe Perez, a 20-year-old victim of the Sunday morning shooting, signed four white crosses outside, one of them bearing their son's name and picture. Company officials said they will donate a month of the restaurant's sales to help the wounded survivors and the families of the slain. Perez's parents, who came from Texas to mourn him, said they did not want to speak. A woman who was working during the attack, her face still bearing scrapes, said she couldn't speak. She knelt before the four white crosses erected to commemorate the victims. The dead included Perez and Taurean Sanderlin, 29, who worked at the Waffle House. Sanderlin had been on a cigarette break in the parking lot when the killer stepped out of his truck brandishing an AR-15 rifle and opened fire. The gunman then stormed the restaurant. ___ Toronto van attack throws spotlight on anti-woman vitriol TORONTO (AP) - The deadly van rampage in Toronto is training attention on an online world of sexual loneliness, rage and misogyny after the suspect invoked an uprising by "involuntary celibates" and gave a shoutout to a California killer who seethed at women for rejecting him. The world of self-described "incels," where sexual frustrations boil over into talk of violent revenge against women, has become a virtual home for some socially isolated men like the 25-year-old computer science student charged in Monday's carnage on Toronto's busiest thoroughfare. Minutes before plowing a rented van into a crowd of mostly women, killing 10 people and injuring 14, suspect Alek Minassian posted a Facebook message that seemed to offer one of the few clues so far to what was on his mind. "The Incel Rebellion has already begun!" it read. Police confirmed Minassian posted the message but have declined so far to discuss a motive for the attack as they continue investigating. But the post has revived concerns about the anti-woman vitriol embraced by California mass killer Elliot Rodger and invoked by Minassian in his post. The incel community is "one of the most violent areas of the internet," said Heidi Beirich, who tracks hate groups for the Southern Poverty Law Center. "It may seem to some people that this is kind of a group of pathetic, victimized white males who just are lonely. It's not. It's ugly." ___ Central American asylum seeking caravan reaches US border TIJUANA, Mexico (AP) - About 130 Central Americans, mostly women and children, have arrived at the U.S. border with Mexico in a "caravan" of asylum-seeking immigrants that has drawn the fury of President Donald Trump. Two busloads arrived late Tuesday in the Mexican border city of Tijuana at two migrant shelters just steps from one of the most fortified stretches of border separating the U.S. from Mexico. They joined another 50 or so who arrived in Tijuana over the last week or two. Four more busloads of about 200 Central Americans - mostly women and children but including some men, were expected to arrive in Tijuana Wednesday, said Alex Mensing, project coordinator for Pueblos Sin Fronteras, which is organizing the effort. U.S. lawyers planned to lead clinics later this week on U.S. asylum law to tell them what to expect when they seek asylum. The first groups are expected to try to enter the U.S. on Sunday at a border crossing in San Diego. Trump and senior aides have portrayed the caravans and the asylum seekers as evidence of a dysfunctional border and a serious threat. The president tweeted this week that he has issued orders "not to let these large Caravans of people into our Country. It is a disgrace." ___ Brazil debates da Silva jailing impact on presidential race RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) - With former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva behind bars, the people of Latin America's largest nation are pondering how October's presidential election will be affected by the jailing of the poll front-runner. Questions and confusion about his future come as Brazil remains deeply divided over his conviction, whether he should be allowed to run and whether the sprawling "Car Wash" corruption investigation that has ensnared many in the country's political and business elite has gone too far. Three weeks have passed since da Silva began his 12-year sentence for a corruption conviction, yet leaders of his leftist Workers' Party still insist the once widely popular leader will be on the ballot as their candidate. While there is a narrow path by which that could happen, legal and political experts say it is unlikely. To get on the ballot, da Silva would need an avalanche of favorable legal decisions in a justice system that is notoriously slow. Yet there seems a large possibility that da Silva, who is called Lula by many Brazilians, could get out of prison within the next several months. That is because Supreme Federal Tribunal justices who recently denied his request to remain free while appealing his conviction are rethinking their interpretation of when a person convicted of a crime should be forced to start serving a sentence. ___ Trump lawyer says he'll plead the Fifth in porn actress case LOS ANGELES (AP) - President Donald Trump's personal attorney said Wednesday he will assert his constitutional right against self-incrimination in a civil case brought by a porn actress who said she had an affair with Trump. Michael Cohen has been asking a federal judge in Los Angeles to delay Stormy Daniels' case after FBI agents raided his home and office earlier this month, seeking records about a nondisclosure agreement Daniels signed days before the 2016 presidential election. Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, has said she had an affair with Trump in 2006 and has sued to invalidate the confidentiality agreement that prevents her discussing it. She's also suing Cohen, alleging defamation. Cohen sought to delay the civil case 90 days after the raid, arguing that his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination may be jeopardized if legal proceedings aren't stayed. But last week, U.S. District Judge S. James Otero said there were "gaping holes" in Cohen's request for a delay. TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) - Another court is denying an Ohio man's bid to have his six tigers and other exotic animals returned to his roadside sanctuary. The Ohio Supreme Court says it won't overturn a lower court's decision that sided with the state, likely bringing an end to a three-year legal battle over the animals. Ohio took custody of 11 animals from Kenny Hetrick's home near Toledo in a 2015 raid after officials said he ignored warnings that he needed a permit. FILE - In this April 4, 2015, file photo, Kenny Hetrick, owner of Tiger Ridge Exotics, holds stuffed toy animals as he speaks to visitors at an Easter egg hunt fundraiser in Stony Ridge, Ohio. The Hetrick family, whose tigers and other exotic animals were seized in a raid by Ohio authorities, lost what's likely their final court challenge seeking the animals return to their roadside sanctuary. The state's agriculture department said the decision issued Wednesday, April 25, 2018, will allow it to begin handing over permanent ownership of the animals to the sanctuaries where they now are housed. (AP Photo/Mike Householder, File) Ohio's agriculture department says it will begin to hand over permanent ownership of the animals to the sanctuaries where they're housed. The state hauled away the animals and shipped them out of state under a law that came after an eastern Ohio man released dozens of his exotic animals in 2011. WASHINGTON (AP) - Mary Daly has heard the criticism: That the tough-on-drugs approach favored by the Trump administration is cruel, ineffective and a return to the failed policies of the 1980s. She's not buying it. "We need to use tough prosecutions if we are going to get our way out of this epidemic," said Daly, a longtime federal drug prosecutor recently tapped to oversee the Justice Department's ambitious efforts to attack America's opioid abuse crisis. "We don't ignore the need for prevention and treatment efforts, but the notion that tough enforcement is the wrong approach is wrong." In this April 6, 2018, photo Mary Daly speaks to an Associated Press reporter in her office at the Department of Justice in Washington. Daly has heard the criticism: That the tough-on-drugs approach favored by the Trump administration is cruel, ineffective and a return to the failed policies of the 1980s. She's not buying it. "We need to use tough prosecutions if we are going to get our way out of this epidemic," said Daly, a longtime federal drug prosecutor recently tapped to oversee the Justice Department's ambitious efforts to attack the nation's opioid abuse crisis. "We don't ignore the need for prevention and treatment efforts, but the notion that tough enforcement is the wrong approach is wrong." (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) Daly, who prosecuted gang members and drug traffickers for 13 years in New York and Virginia, said her work has given her a close-up look at the drug problem. President Donald Trump and Attorney General Jeff Sessions have made combatting the opioid epidemic a cornerstone of the crime-fighting agenda they both share. Trump has encouraged the use of the death penalty against traffickers when possible, a request Sessions then codified in a directive to federal prosecutors. Daly wasn't responsible for that policy, but her selection aligns with the tough approach. She said she supports Sessions' undoing of an Obama-era policy that aimed to show more leniency to lower-level drug offenders. And she favors strict enforcement to rein in the epidemic that saw a record 42,000 opioid related overdose deaths in 2016. The daughter of William Barr, who was attorney general under President George H.W. Bush, Daly was responsible for some of the biggest and most complex international drug trafficking cases in the Eastern District of Virginia, maintaining a heavy case load even as supervisor of the narcotics unit, said James L. Trump, a fellow prosecutor who worked alongside her there. She brought a quiet confidence to the courtroom, and a desire for fairness and consistency, he said. "She believed that adherence to the law and consistency with the law would bring about just results," said Trump, who has no relation to the president. "If there was a philosophy, it is what I find in most good prosecutors which is that the law is the law, whether our personal beliefs are different in terms of sentencing policy doesn't really matter." In her new role, much of Daly's focus will be on fentanyl, the deadly painkiller fueling the crisis. Under her watch, the Justice Department is going after dealers who use the anonymity of the internet to peddle fentanyl from overseas into American homes, pharmacies and doctors who recklessly overprescribe pain pills, as well as the kind of major traffickers Daly prosecuted in the field. "We have a unique drug on the table in fentanyl. Very small quantities can kill people," Daly said, adding that the deadly narcotic is showing up in cocaine and other less lethal drugs. "We do have to recalibrate a bit in terms of how we're addressing the fentanyl threat and that may mean looking at people who are supplying lower quantities." Both conservative and liberal critics fear such a philosophy could mark a return to the policies of the 1970s and 80s that unduly affected minority communities and flooded prisons by ensnaring mid- to low-level dealers. "It's deadly, I get that, but that's why we need to treat it in a really thoughtful way," said Mark Holden, general counsel for the conservative Koch network. The left-leaning Brennan Center said the department's focus should be on major traffickers. But it also pointed to efforts to target opioid manufacturers and distributors, which Daly also oversees, as a positive step. Already under Daly's watch, the Justice Department has thrown its weight behind local officials in hundreds of lawsuits against the manufacturers and distributors of opioid painkillers. Prevention and treatment are also part of the department's larger strategy, with prosecutors recommending treatment as part of a sentence and grant money devoted to programs. "I would argue they go hand-in-hand," Daly said. "Oftentimes enforcement provides a good intervention in someone's life to get them into treatment in a way that nothing else does." PHOENIX (AP) - Teachers in Arizona and Colorado turned their state Capitols into a sea of red Thursday as they kicked off widespread walkouts that shut down public schools in a bid for better pay and education funding, building on educator revolt that emerged elsewhere in the U.S. but whose political prospects were not clear. Tens of thousands of teachers wearing red shirts and holding "Money for Schools" signs launched the first-ever statewide strike by marching 2 miles in 90-degree heat to a rally at the Arizona Capitol. They plan to walk out again Friday to press lawmakers for their demands as will Colorado educators. Educators in both states want more classroom resources and have received offers either for increased school funding or pay, but they say the money isn't guaranteed and the efforts don't go far enough. The walkouts are the climax of an uprising that spread from West Virginia, Oklahoma and Kentucky. Thousands chant as they participate in a protest at the Arizona Capitol for higher teacher pay and school funding on the first day of a state-wide teachers strike Thursday, April 26, 2018, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) Most of Arizona's public schools will be closed the rest of the week, and about half of all Colorado students will see their schools shuttered over the two days as teachers take up the Arizona movement's #RedforEd mantle. "I feel like funding for the schools should be at the top of the list," said Brandon Hartley, a charter school teacher from the Phoenix suburb of Peoria who brought his 7-year-old son to the Arizona rally. Other parents who brought their children to the protest in Phoenix expressed support despite school closures that led makeshift day care operations to open at schools and recreation centers to help working parents. Food banks and some schools also were providing free meals that many students rely on. Mariaelena Sandoval brought her 11-year-old daughter and held a sign that said, "I'm a Republican, I'm voting and I'm #RedforEd." She said she had a "wake-up call" when she learned a teacher paid out of pocket for a field trip. "I'm walking for her," Sandoval said of her daughter. The crowd, many of whom carried water jugs and umbrellas to combat the heat, streamed through the streets of downtown Phoenix as employees at courthouses and office buildings left work to watch. Phoenix Police Department estimated the crowd size at 50,000. In much cooler Colorado, several thousand educators rallied around the Capitol, with many using personal time to attend two days of protests expected to draw as many as 10,000 demonstrators. They chanted, "Education is our right" and "We're not gonna take it anymore," getting honks from passing cars. "We're not asking for a lot of money," said Danielle Rose, a first-grade teacher from Westminster, Colorado. "We're just asking to be able to live in Colorado, where the cost of living is much higher." Lawmakers there have agreed to give schools their largest budget increase since the Great Recession. But teachers say Colorado has a long way to go to recover lost ground because of strict tax and spending limits. Because lawmakers cannot raise taxes without voter approval, they're not expecting an immediate fix. The teachers' union is backing a ballot initiative to raise taxes on corporations and those earning over $150,000 a year. Arizona's Republican governor, Doug Ducey, has proposed 20 percent raises by 2020 and said he has no plans to meet with striking teachers or address other demands, including about $1 billion to return school funding to pre-Great Recession levels and increased pay for support staff. Teachers and some lawmakers are concerned Ducey's proposal relies on overly optimistic revenue projections. It also doesn't address educators' other demands. A key legislative leader said Republican leaders in the House agreed Thursday to support Ducey's proposal that doesn't address other teacher demands. Rep. David Livingston, head of the House Appropriations Committee, said the deal should result in a formal budget plan next week, but details must still be worked out. But it's not clear how it will affect the walkout, which has no end date and began because teachers found the plan insufficient. Joe Thomas of the Arizona Education Association, the state's largest teacher membership group, said educators may have to consider a ballot initiative seeking education funding if a plan by lawmakers isn't successful. School districts closed and teachers protested across Arizona. South in Tucson, educators waved signs on sidewalks, while up north, protesters marched to Flagstaff City Hall and others gathered on the Navajo reservation. But schools were open in Lake Havasu City, where Karen Flenniken has two grandchildren in grade school. "The teachers signed a contract, and they need to honor the contract," said Flenniken, describing the walkout as blackmail. More than 840,000 Arizona students were expected to be out of school Thursday, according to an analysis from The Arizona Republic that tallied up at least 100 school districts and charter schools that were closing. Many school districts also planned to close Friday, possibly sending kids to another day of day camps or other care options at community organizations. Addie Martinez dropped off her 9-year-old son and 6-year-old daughter at a Phoenix Salvation Army that was offering child care before she rushed to her medical assistant job. The facility has room for up to 100 kids and provides breakfast, lunch and snacks for $25 per child. Martinez said she was prepared to take her children back Friday and next week to the center, which has activities such as arts and crafts and dodgeball. Despite the inconvenience, she said she supported the teachers because "they are educating our future." ___ Associated Press writers Colleen Slevin in Denver, Felicia Fonseca in Flagstaff, Arizona, and Terry Tang, Bob Christie and Paul Davenport in Phoenix contributed to this report. ___ This story has been corrected to show that 10,000 Colorado demonstrators are expected over two days. Thousands march to the Arizona Capitol for higher teacher pay and school funding on the first day of a state-wide teacher strike Thursday, April 26, 2018, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) Thousands march on the Arizona Capitol for higher teacher pay and school funding on the first day of a state-wide teachers strike Thursday, April 26, 2018, in Phoenix. A sea of teachers clad in red shirts and holding "Money for Schools" signs reached the Arizona Capitol to press lawmakers for action Thursday, a key event in an unprecedented walkout that closed most of the state's public schools and built on an educator uprising that bubbled up in other parts of the U.S. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) "It's our day to be noticed," says Beatrice Goldsmith as she joins approximately a thousand teachers, other staff and supporters on Congress Street at Granada Avenue in Tucson, Ariz., on the first day of the statewide teacher walkout on April Thursday, 26, 2018. (Mamta Popat/Arizona Daily Star via AP) Teachers from Jefferson and Douglas counties in Colorado carry placards as they march around the State Capitol during a rally Thursday, April 26, 2018, in Denver. More than 10,000 teachers in Colorado are expected to demonstrate as part of a burgeoning teacher uprising from the East to the interior West that is demanding more tax dollars be spent in public schools. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) In this image taken with a fisheye lens, Stephanie Rolf, center, a teacher in the Douglas County, Colo., school system, leads a cheer during a teacher rally Thursday, April 26, 2018, in Denver. Teachers in Arizona and Colorado walked out of their classes over low salaries keeping hundreds of thousands of students out of school. It's the latest in a series of strikes across the nation over low teacher pay. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) Tiago Gayosso, a student of Jefferson County, Colo., schools in Edgewater, Colo., carries a sign as he marches around the State Capitol during a teacher rally Thursday, April 26, 2018, in Denver. More than 10,000 teachers in Colorado are expected to demonstrate as part of a burgeoning teacher uprising from the East to the interior West that is demanding more tax dollars be spent in public schools. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) Custodian Jaime Cordona vacuums an empty second grade classroom at San Marcos Elementary School, Thursday, April 26, 2018, in Chandler, Ariz. Teachers in Arizona and Colorado walked out over low salaries keeping hundreds of thousands of students out of school. It's the latest in a series of strikes across the nation over low teacher pay. (AP Photo/Matt York) Kitchen worker Nancy Martinez serves a student a free breakfast at San Marcos Elementary School cafeteria Thursday, April 26, 2018, in Chandler, Ariz. Teachers in Arizona and Colorado walked out over low salaries keeping hundreds of thousands of students out of school. It's the latest in a series of strikes across the nation over low teacher pay. (AP Photo/Matt York) Juan Galindo, 6, gets a free breakfast at San Marcos Elementary School Thursday, April 26, 2018, in Chandler, Ariz. Breakfast is provided by the school while teachers in Arizona and Colorado walk out over low salaries keeping hundreds of thousands of students out of school. It's the latest in a series of strikes across the nation over low teacher pay. (AP Photo/Matt York) Thousands participate in a protest at the Arizona Capitol for higher teacher pay and school funding on the first day of a state-wide teachers strike Thursday, April 26, 2018, in Phoenix. A sea of teachers clad in red shirts and holding "Money for Schools" signs reached the Arizona Capitol to press lawmakers for action Thursday, a key event in an unprecedented walkout that closed most of the state's public schools and built on an educator uprising that bubbled up in other parts of the U.S. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) ATHENS, Greece (AP) - Greece should emerge from its third and final bailout in a few months' time without the need for a backup loan from its creditors, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said Thursday. Juncker spoke after meeting with Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras ahead of a eurozone finance ministers' meeting in Sofia, Bulgaria, where Greece's finance minister will present his country's post-bailout plans. Greece's central bank has advocated the country take a so-called "precautionary credit line" after it exits its bailout this August, in order to ease it back into the global financial markets it lost access to in 2010. But the move could be politically unpopular as it would likely involve the imposition of yet more austerity measures and heavier international oversight of the Greek economy. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, left, waves as he is greeted by Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras prior to their meeting in Athens, Thursday, April 26, 2018. Juncker will discuss Greece's fiscal reform plans after its international bailout program ends in a few months' time. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris) "There will be no precautionary line because we must do everything so that Greece's exit from the program is the clearest and cleanest possible," Juncker said at a joint news conference with Tsipras. The Greek prime minister said his country was "very close to achieving and we will achieve what we call a 'clean exit'." "That is what happened with other countries that were in a program and completed them successfully," he said. Tsipras' left-led coalition government has promised lenders it will continue infrastructure privatization and draconian spending controls after the bailout program ends in late August, in exchange for more favorable repayment debt terms. Juncker praised Greece's progress so far, noting it had managed to turn a budget deficit that stood at 15.1 percent in 2009 into a budget surplus of 0.8 percent in 2017. "It is absolutely remarkable," Juncker said, "and it is now (time) to consolidate the results." He stressed Greece must continue to implement the reforms it has committed to, which include further spending and pension cuts, tax hikes and an ambitious privatization program. "We will now have to concentrate on the problem of reducing the debt," he said, adding that all EU member states should adhere to commitments they have made. Greece's creditors have promised to provide some form of debt relief to help the country get back on its feet. "We are close to a very important target to settle the outstanding issues that remain for debt relief measures," Tsipras said. He noted that the better-than-expected performance of the Greek economy was "a pleasant surprise for all our partners over the last three years and was instrumental in rebuilding the trust that was lost ... but it is a fact that Greece, the Greek government, promised many things for many years but did not abide by many of their commitments." Greece has depended on international bailouts since 2010, and has had to push through stringent austerity measures in return. At the height of the crisis Greece repeatedly came to the brink of crashing out of the euro, the common currency used by 19 EU members. Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, right, welcomes European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, prior to their meeting in Athens, Thursday, April 26, 2018. Juncker will discuss Greece's fiscal reform plans after its international bailout program ends in a few months' time. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris) Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, right, and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, enter the Prime Minister's office for a meeting in Athens, Thursday, April 26, 2018. Juncker will discuss Greece's fiscal reform plans after its international bailout program ends in a few months' time. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris) European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, left, waves as he shakes hands with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras prior to their meeting in Athens, Thursday, April 26, 2018. Juncker will discuss Greece's fiscal reform plans after its international bailout program ends in a few months' time.(AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris) BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) - Slovakia's president has sworn in a new interior minister, the third person in the hot seat since the slayings of an investigative journalist and his fiancee triggered a political crisis. Thursday's appointment of Denisa Sakova comes after her two predecessors resigned following large street protests. But it is unlikely to calm the situation in the country that is struggling to understand the Feb. 21 shooting deaths of Jan Kuciak and Martina Kusnirova. Kuciak was investigating possible widespread government corruption. FILE- In this Friday, March 16, 2018 file photo, candles are placed in memory of slain journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancee Martina Kusnirova during a rally in Bratislava, Slovakia. On Thursday, April 26, 2018, Slovakia's president Andrej Kiska has sworn in Denisa Sakova as a new interior minister, the third person in the hot seat amid a political crisis that was triggered by the slayings of an investigative journalist and his fiancee and were followed by massive street protests. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic, File) The slayings led to the resignation of Interior Minister Robert Kalinak, who was linked to corruption scandals. That was followed by the resignation of the entire coalition government. Sakova was Kalinak's deputy. President Andrej Kiska has criticized her nomination but could not reject her appointment, according to the Slovak constitution. ISLAMABAD (AP) - Pakistan's Foreign Ministry says Indian troops have fired across the frontier between the two countries in the disputed Kashmir region, killing two civilians and wounding two others. Ministry spokesman Mohammad Faisal says Indian troops Thursday targeted the villages of Thub and Banchiran on the Pakistani side of the Line of Control with mortars and other weapons. Army officials said Pakistani forces returned fire and it was unclear if there were any casualties on Indian side. There was no immediate comment from India. The nuclear-armed rivals routinely blame each other for starting any skirmishes and insist they are only retaliating. Pakistan and India have fought two of their three wars since 1947 over their competing claims to Kashmir, which is split between them, and both claim the region in its entirety. Posted on Jan 6, 2015 in Carlo D'Este Some Reflections The New Year is always a good time for me to step back and count my many blessings. I feel especially privileged to write for Armchair General and to share my occasional ramblings with a dedicated audience of knowledgeable readers. This time last year I was grateful merely to be free of a cast on my leg and broken ankle that hobbled me for six weeks during the initial healing process. If 2014 has taught me anything, it is to be very careful where I step. When I began a second career as a military historian and biographer nearly thirty-six years ago, that journey has taken me to places I never expected to be able to visit and to meet people Id only read about, including Princess Margaret of Britain and Pres. Bill Clinton in the White House. Ive also had the great privilege of meeting and getting to know some of the key players of World War II. Many of them I met while living in England during the research for my first book. Little did I know that it was perhaps the perfect time to be investigating World War II. Many of the top figures had recently died, and private papers (particularly their important diaries and letters, unpublished memoirs and recollections) were becoming more and more available to researchers like myself. Also, a number of years had passed since the end of the war, which seemed to make those men more inclined to talk freely about their experiences, and their impressions and recollections of many of the top players of the war, such as Montgomery, Eisenhower, Bradley, and others. {default} This is an excellent time to acknowledge what all of us in this profession have come to understand and appreciate is the lifeblood of what we do. In an age before the Internet, most on this list were contacted the old-fashioned way by letter. What was so gratifying was that, virtually without exception, their responses were positive. Among those who were instrumental in enlightening me were: Air Chief Marshal Sir Harry Broadhurst (1905-1995) was a pioneer airman, fighter ace, the commander of the Desert Air Force in North Africa and the 2d Tactical Air Force in Northwest Europe. Sir Harry had a very successful postwar career both in the RAF and as the managing director of Hawker Siddeley Aviation. Sir Harry Broadhurst was also the subject of a 2007 article on the Armchair General . Please click here to read it. Gen. Sir Charles Leslie Richardson (1908-1994), a Royal Engineer officer, was one of Montgomerys senior staff officers and a postwar full general, who also served on the staff of Field Marshal Sir Harold Alexander during the Italian campaign. Sir Charles was an invaluable resource not only of Montgomery and Alexander but also of the North African, Sicily, Italian, and Northwest Europe campaigns. Brigadier Sir Edgar Bill Williams (1912-1995), Field Marshal Montgomerys brilliant chief intelligence officer in North Africa and Northwest Europe was always affable, candid and forthcoming about his war experiences and his close relationship with Monty, and others such as Harold Macmillan. Lt. Gen Sir Ian Jacob (1899-1993), a Royal Engineer, was the exceptionally effective Military Assistant Secretary to the War Cabinet of Winston Churchill, a post that brought him in frequent contact with not only Churchill but also many of the other key players of the war such as Montgomery, Alanbrooke, and the U.S. and British chiefs of staff. Sir Ians life has been ably recounted by his friend and fellow Royal Engineer, Sir Charles Richardson, who also wrote Send For Freddie, a memoir of Montgomerys chief of staff, Major General Sir Francis deGuingand. Gen. Bruce C. Clarke (1901-1988), then a brigadier general, organized and led the gallant, undermanned and outgunned task force that defended St. Vith in the Bulge in what was one of the wars finest small unit actions. In the postwar years Clarke became a four-star general and the Commander in Chief of U.S. Army Europe. Gen. J. Lawton Lightning Joe Collins (1896-1987) was one of the few U.S. Army officers who served in both the Pacific and European theaters during World War II. He commanded VII Corps during the Normandy campaign, and the campaigns that followed. After the war he held a variety of increasingly important posts, including U.S. Army Chief of Staff during the Korean War. Gen. Isaac D. White (1901-1990) was commissioned a cavalry officer in 1922 from Norwich University, my alma mater, and during World War II served in a variety of command positions, including the 2d Armored Division. I.D. White knew Patton well and was an excellent source during my research not only of Patton but also the Sicily and Northwest Europe campaigns. In the postwar years, Gen. White was commandant of the Armor School at Fort Knox, Kentucky, commanding general of X Corps and the Eighth Army in Korea, and the CG of the U.S. Army Pacific. Gen. Andrew J. Goodpaster (1915-2005). Ive also been privileged to have served with Gen. Andrew Goodpaster on the Eisenhower Legacy Committee that prepared an assessment of Ike for the new Eisenhower Memorial in Washington, DC. A self-effacing soldier and statesman, Gen. Goodpaster was one of the most remarkable men Ive ever met. His record of service was extraordinary and included the Distinguished Service Cross received while in command of an Engineer combat battalion in North Africa and Italy during World War II (where he was severely wounded twice), Commander in Chief of the U.S. European Command, NATO Supreme Allied Commander, and Superintendent of West Point in the wake of the notorious cheating scandal. In that role he was instrumental in restoring the reputation of the military academy. Gen. Goodpaster also served in the White House as a staff secretary and advisor to Eisenhower for seven years during his presidency. On several occasions during my tenure with him on the Eisenhower Legacy Committee he telephoned me to discuss Ike. At the outset he always asked me to please call him Andy. I had too much respect for him and simply couldnt do it. Instead, I called him Sir it was the right thing to do. A number of others who survived the war are not as well known but each helped me to tell their stories. Among them was Brigadier Shelford Ginger Bidwell, a veteran of the Italian campaign, and a brilliant postwar military historian who became one of my closest friends. His wise counsel was invaluable during my research not only for my Anzio book but also about all aspects of World War II and its personalities. Lt. Gen. James M. Gavin (1907-1990). One of the finest battlefield commanders of World War II was Lt. Gen. James M. Gavin, who earned the nickname Jumpin Jim for his heroics and unflinching courage as an airborne commander in many of the wars bloodiest campaigns. Ive been blessed to have interviewed and known Jim Gavin, who excelled at everything he ever undertook, including writing. As a rather forgettable year has now passed into history, Im grateful to be able to give thanks for the privilege of having known and of being able to write about such exemplary men, several of whom will return in future articles. Happy New Year! ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) - The hair of a long-dead emperor and an intricate golden crown are among the artifacts Ethiopia's government is demanding to be returned from British government institutions and private collections, as more countries seek to reclaim heritage they say was taken decades, even centuries, ago. "Displaying human parts in websites and museums is inhumane," Ethiopia's minister for culture and tourism, Hirut Woldemariam, told The Associated Press. "We have submitted a letter to the relevant officials in Britain to return the looted items and we are waiting for their reply. We will use whatever legal and diplomatic instruments we have at hand to secure their return." The outcry in Ethiopia comes as the Victoria and Albert Museum in London displays some of the items in a new exhibit that explores the 1868 British expedition to what was then called Abyssinia. "Even at the time, this episode was regarded as a shameful one," the museum's website says, noting "these objects' difficult past." This undated photo shows a detail of a gold and gilded-copper crown with glass beads from Ethiopia, estimated to be from around 1740, which is part of the "Maqdala 1868" exhibit at London's Victoria and Albert Museum which explores the 1868 British expedition to what was then called Abyssinia. The crown was taken by the British Army during the 1868 Abyssinian Expedition, and has been on display at the V&A since 1872, but the exhibition has caused an outcry in modern Ethiopia. (Victoria and Albert Museum via AP) During that British campaign, in which 13,000 troops were deployed to freeing free several British hostages, Emperor Tewodros killed himself and his fortress was captured and looted. His young son, Prince Alemayehu, was taken to Britain and died there at age 18. He was buried at St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle. "Not only material possessions were lost to the British forces," the Victoria and Albert Museum's website says. Emotions are high in Ethiopia as the East African nation marks the 150th anniversary of that Battle of Maqdala and its officials seek the return of the emperor's hair - currently on display at the Victoria and Albert Museum - and his son's bones. "There is plenty of evidence of British soldiers raiding and looting Africa. It is more likely Prince Alemayehu was one of the more vulgar exploits and spoils of the Battle of Maqdala," Ethiopia-born author and poet Lemn Sisay, who has profiled the young prince for the BBC, wrote on his blog this month. The soldiers took gold, historical texts and even the empress' clothing, which also is now on display, he said. One descendant of the emperor has said the artifacts should be returned as soon as possible. "We want everybody's support. This is time to return their bodies back home for eternal peace," Abebech Kassa said at an event this month to mark the 150th anniversary of the battle. Ethiopia's demand comes as more countries address the growing interest in returning artifacts. Late last year, French President Emmanuel Macron said during a visit to Burkina Faso that "African heritage cannot be held prisoner of European museums" and that he hoped conditions would be met within five years for the temporary or permanent "restitution of African heritage to Africa." Such efforts could be complicated by the number of items held in personal collections. The bulk of what was taken in the Battle of Maqdala remains in the hands of the descendants of the British soldiers, said Alula Pankhurst, a former professor at Addis Ababa University and an expert on Ethiopian studies. Securing the artifacts' return to Ethiopia will be a gradual process and not an easy one, Pankhurst said. "Some items in private collections have already been returned but the bulk of the items are in public collections within the U.K. and those cannot be restituted without an act of Parliament, and that is something that requires a big change in popular opinion and a bill has to be presented by members of Parliament," he said. "This is something that cannot be done overnight." ___ Follow Africa news at https://twitter.com/AP_Africa BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) - Thousands of Romanian health care workers on Thursday protested wage cuts outside the government offices in the capital. Traffic was restricted in downtown Bucharest as up to 10,000 health care workers from all over the country traveled to the capital for the protest. They threatened to go on strike if the government doesn't resolve their salary issues. Demonstrators blew whistles and vuvuzelas. Romania's left-wing government recently approved substantial salary hikes for some state health workers, with some medics seeing their wages more than doubled. However, Leonard Barascu, head of the Sanitas health union, said that at the same time some employees lost up to 1,100 lei ($290) of their net monthly pay. A Romanian health system employee shouts during a protest outside the Romanian government headquarters, threatening with a general strike, in Bucharest, Romania, Thursday, April 26, 2018. Thousands, from across the country, joined a rally protesting against the income law and newly introduced changes in the regulations governing bonuses, which they say, lead to significant losses for the employees. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda) Health Minister Sorina Pintea met hospital chiefs this week and called on them to manage their resources better to cover wage losses. ___ This version corrects the day to Thursday, not Wednesday, and corrects the capital to Bucharest, not Budapest. Romanian health system employees protest outside the Romanian government headquarters, threatening with a general strike, in Bucharest, Romania, Thursday, April 26, 2018. Thousands, from across the country, joined a rally protesting against the income law and newly introduced changes in the regulations governing bonuses, which they say, lead to significant losses for the employees. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda) Romanian health system employees protest outside the Romanian government headquarters, threatening with a general strike, in Bucharest, Romania, Thursday, April 26, 2018. Thousands, from across the country, joined a rally protesting against the income law and newly introduced changes in the regulations governing bonuses, which they say, lead to significant losses for the employees. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda) A Romanian health system employee blows a whistle during a protest outside the Romanian government headquarters, threatening with a general strike, in Bucharest, Romania, Thursday, April 26, 2018. Thousands, from across the country, joined a rally protesting against the income law and newly introduced changes in the regulations governing bonuses, which they say, lead to significant losses for the employees. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda) Romanian health system employees hold shields with the name Saints, a prominent health workers union, during a protest outside the Romanian government headquarters, threatening with a general strike, in Bucharest, Romania, Thursday, April 26, 2018. Thousands, from across the country, joined a rally protesting against the income law and newly introduced changes in the regulations governing bonuses, which they say, lead to significant losses for the employees. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda) An elderly man walks as Romanian health system employees approach the Romanian government headquarters, threatening with a general strike, in Bucharest, Romania, Thursday, April 26, 2018. Thousands, from across the country, joined a rally protesting against the income law and newly introduced changes in the regulations governing bonuses, which they say, lead to significant losses for the employees. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda) LONDON (AP) - It's a family affair: Britain's royal officials say Prince Harry has asked elder brother Prince William to be best man at his wedding next month. Kensington Palace said Thursday that William is "honored" to be playing the key role when Harry marries U.S. actress Meghan Markle at Windsor Castle on May 19. Harry was best man when William married Kate Middleton at Westminster Abbey in 2011. FILE - In this Thursday June 18, 2009 file photo, Britain's Prince William, left, and Prince Harry pose together during a photocall a the Royal Air Forcebase at Shawbury, England. Britain's royal officials said Thursday April 26, 2018, Prince Harry has asked elder brother Prince William to be best man at his wedding when he marries U.S. actress Meghan Markle at Windsor Castle on May 19. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth, File) William and his wife, the Duchess of Cambridge, welcomed their third child on Monday. The baby boy's name hasn't yet been announced. His elder children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, are likely to star in key roles during the wedding, though officials haven't yet announced who will be in the rest of the wedding party. About 600 guests have been invited to watch 33-year-old Harry and Markle, who is 36, tie the knot at St. George's Chapel in Windsor. About 2,600 neighbors, staff and specially selected members of the public will get to greet the couple outside the chapel. ___ For complete royal wedding coverage, visit https://apnews.com/tag/Royalweddings FILE - In this Saturday, June 19, 1999 file photo, Britain's Prince William, left, and Prince Harry leave St. George's Chapel in Windsor after the wedding of their uncle, Prince Edward and Sohpie Rhys-Jones. Britain's royal officials said Thursday April 26, 2018, Prince Harry has asked elder brother Prince William to be best man at his wedding when he marries U.S. actress Meghan Markle at Windsor Castle on May 19. (AP Photo/Ian Waldie, Pool, File) FILE - In this Wednesday April 12, 2006 file photo, Britain's Prince William, left, and Prince Harry attend The Sovereign's Parade at the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst, England. Britain's royal officials said Thursday April 26, 2018, Prince Harry has asked elder brother Prince William to be best man at his wedding when he marries U.S. actress Meghan Markle at Windsor Castle on May 19. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis, File) Britain's Prince William, left, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attend a Service of Thanksgiving and Commemoration on ANZAC Day at Westminster Abbey in London, Wednesday, April 25, 2018. (Eddie Mulholland/Pool via AP) FILE - In this Tuesday, June 15, 2010 file photo, Britain's Princes William, right and Prince Harry pose with an African Rock Python at the Mokolodi nature reserve near Gaborone, Botswana. Britain's royal officials said Thursday April 26, 2018, Prince Harry has asked elder brother Prince William to be best man at his wedding when he marries U.S. actress Meghan Markle at Windsor Castle on May 19.(AP Photo/Shayne Robinson, File) FILE - In this Monday, June 3, 2002 file photo, Britain's Prince William and Prince Harry enjoy the Party at the Palace concert in the gardens of Buckingham Palace, London, as the second concert to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II. Britain's royal officials said Thursday April 26, 2018, Prince Harry has asked elder brother Prince William to be best man at his wedding when he marries U.S. actress Meghan Markle at Windsor Castle on May 19. (AP Photo/Arthur Edwards/Pool) FILE - In this April 29, 2011 file photo, Britain's Prince William and Prince Harry arrive at Westminster Abbey in central London for the Royal Wedding. Britain's Kensington Palace said Thursday April 26, 2018, Prince Harry has asked elder brother Prince William to be best man at his wedding next month. (AP Photo/Paul Rogers, Pool, File) Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan Markle arrive for a Service of Thanksgiving and Commemoration on ANZAC Day at Westminster Abbey in London, Wednesday, April 25, 2018. (Eddie Mulholland/Pool via AP) JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) - The death toll from a fire at an unregulated oil well in Indonesia's Aceh province rose to 22 on Thursday following the deaths of four more victims, officials said. The head of the Aceh Disaster Mitigation Agency, Teuku Ahmad Dadek, said 37 people were still being treated at three hospitals, many with severe burns. The newly drilled well in Pasir Putih village in eastern Aceh district exploded into flames early Wednesday when many people were trying to collect the gushing oil. Five nearby houses were engulfed by the inferno. A man uses his mobile phone to take pictures of a burning oil well after it was caught fire in Pasir Putih village in eastern Aceh, Indonesia, Wednesday, April 25, 2018. The newly drilled, unregulated oil well in western Indonesia exploded into flames early Wednesday, burning to death a number of people and injuring dozens of others. (AP Photo/Zik Maulana) Dadek said the fire was finally extinguished early Thursday but that gas and a mixture of water and oil were continuing to spurt out. More than 50 families were evacuated from the area. Dadek said two people died at a hospital in Banda Aceh, the provincial capital, and two others died while being taken to hospitals. The National Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesman described the well as "traditional," likely meaning it had unclear ownership and was used by the local community. Witnesses said many people had come to the village in recent days to collect oil from the gushing well. Aceh, at the northern tip of the island of Sumatra, has significant commercially untapped natural gas reserves and is dotted with illegal wells. COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) - A Swedish prosecutor on Thursday demanded life in jail for an Uzbek man who has confessed to ramming a stolen truck into a crowd in Stockholm last year, killing five people and injuring 14 others. Prosecutor Hans Ihrman said that "anything but life is excluded. (Rakmat) Akilov is a security risk to society and will continue to be one as long as he has the attitude he has today." Akilov, 40, is the only suspect in the attack. He has said he wanted to punish Sweden for joining a coalition against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria. He is charged with terror-related murder and attempted murder for the attack with a stolen beer truck on April 7, 2017. "Rakhmat Akilov took the right to determine the fate of so many people. Now it is the turn of the democratic rule of law to determine the fate of Akilov," he told the Stockholm District Court as he started the prosecution's final arguments. The trial is scheduled to end May 2 after Akilov's defense lawyers has addressed the court. More than 100 people have already testified since court proceedings started Feb. 13. A verdict is expected before the summer. The victims were a British man, a Belgian woman and three Swedes, including an 11-year-old girl. Akilov also planned to blow himself up after the ramming, and caused an explosion inside the truck when a suspected bomb made of five gas canisters with dozens of screws, blades and smaller metal objects exploded. He escaped via Stockholm's subway system but was arrested hours later in a suburb. ISLAMABAD (AP) - A Pakistani court Thursday disqualified the country's foreign minister from holding office after a petition from a rival politician sought his removal for concealing assets abroad. The Islamabad High Court announced the much-awaited decision regarding Foreign Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif in the capital, Islamabad. Asif said shortly after the order that he would appeal the decision to Pakistan's Supreme Court. Usman Dar, a member of popular politician Imran Khan's opposition Taherik-e-Insaf party, had been waging a legal battle in recent years to disqualify Asif for concealing his assets from tax authorities. FILE - In this April 2, 2018, file photo, Pakistan's Foreign Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif listens to a reporter at the Foreign Ministry in Islamabad, Pakistan. A Pakistani court has disqualified the country's foreign minister from holding office after a petition from a rival politician sought his removal for concealing assets abroad. (AP Photo/B.K. Bangash, File) Dar praised the judges shortly after the ruling. "I am grateful to the judiciary for doing justice," he told reporters. Under a controversial Pakistani law introduced by former dictator Ziaul Haq, no dishonest person can be a member of parliament. Haq in the 1980s came up with the law apparently to prevent opponents from obtaining seats in parliament, but after his death in a plane crash in 1988, no civilian ruler has reversed it. Asif's ruling Pakistan Muslim League party has been facing a crisis since July when the Supreme Court found former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif guilty on corruption charges stemming from leaked documents known as the Panama Papers. Asif will not be able to take part in this year's election if his appeal is rejected. Khan's party was defeated in 2013 elections and the former cricket player has spoken of his aspirations of becoming Pakistan's next prime minister following parliamentary elections, scheduled for July this year. Police officers stand guard outside the High Court building during a proceeding against Pakistan's Foreign Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif in Islamabad, Pakistan, Thursday, April 26, 2018. A Pakistani court has disqualified the country's foreign minister from holding office after a petition from a rival politician sought his removal for concealing assets abroad. (AP Photo/B.K. Bangash,file) JUBA, South Sudan (AP) - Ten aid workers have gone missing in civil war-torn South Sudan just days after another group of humanitarians was abducted by gunmen, the United Nations said Thursday. The statement said three U.N. staffers and seven aid workers, all of them South Sudanese, went missing early Wednesday when their convoy driving from Yei town to Tore in Central Equatoria disappeared. The aid workers are with South Sudanese Development Organization, ACROSS, Plan International and Action Africa Help. The U.N. humanitarian coordinator for South Sudan, Alain Noudehou, condemned the latest attack against colleagues. This is the third time aid workers have been held by armed groups in the last six months alone, the statement said. Two other local aid workers were killed earlier this month. "We are deeply concerned about the whereabouts of these humanitarian workers and are urgently seeking information about their well-being," Noudehou said. South Sudan is one of the world's most dangerous places for humanitarians. At least 98 have been killed since the civil war began in December 2013, most of them local workers. Neither the government nor the opposition claimed responsibility for the latest disappearance. The opposition leadership "is doing everything to get in contact with the commanders on the ground to find the truth," spokesman Lam Paul Gabriel told The Associated Press, pointing out the presence of many armed groups in the area. Army spokesman Lul Ruai Koang said the army was unaware of the incident. BERLIN (AP) - German authorities say a third person has died from injuries sustained when a man plowed his van into a crowd in the northwestern city of Muenster. Police told news agency dpa Thursday a 74-year-old man from the nearby city of Hamm died in hospital some three weeks after the attack in which dozens were injured. Authorities say Jens Ruether, 48, intentionally crashed his van onto the terrace of Muenster's Kiepenkerl pub and then shot himself on April 7. FILE - In this April 8, 2018 file photo a man brings flowers to the place in Muenster, Germany, Sunday, April 8, 2018 where a vehicle crashed into a crowd. German authorities say a third person has died from injuries sustained when a man plowed his van into a crowd in the northwestern city of Muenster. Police told dpa news agency Thursday, April 26, 2018, a 74-year-old man from the nearby city of Hamm had died in hospital some three weeks after the attack in which dozens were injured. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner,file) Since the attack, it's emerged that Reuther had sought psychological help in the previous weeks, but authorities have said they had no indications he posed a threat. A top member of the anti-migration Alternative for Germany party blamed the attack on Islamic extremists but later apologized for being wrong. TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - Iran has ordered network providers to stop hosting the popular social messaging app Telegram, the semi-official Mehr news agency reported Thursday. The report comes after the head of the parliamentary committee on national security and foreign policy Alaeddin Boroujerdi last month said Iran would block Telegram for reasons of national security. Since then, many government affiliated users of the app have emigrated to local alternatives. Telegram allows users to send text messages, pictures and video over the internet. The service touts itself as being highly encrypted and allows users to set their messages to "self-destruct" after a certain period of time, making it a favorite among activists and others concerned about their privacy. In 2017, Telegram said it rented nodes for its content delivery network in Iran, which allowed servers to provide fast content delivery in Iran and other countries in the region. Thursday's report said the order would lead to slowness and delays. Boroujerdi said last month the decision to block Telegram was made "at the highest level" and the app would be replaced by a similar local system. He said the decision was a response to what he called Telegram's destructive role in anti-government protests that began in late December in which at least 25 people were killed and nearly 5,000 reportedly arrested. On Wednesday, the secretary of Supreme Cyber Space Council, Abolhasan Firouzabadi, said Telegram use declined 27 percent in recent weeks. He said about 12 million Iranians have registered for five domestic alternative messaging apps, despite some foreign-based claims that they do not safely protect users' privacy. Firouzabadi denied those claims, saying Iran is at the "top" in the world in protecting privacy of its citizens. Hardliners have pushed for blocking the app in part because of its supposed role in the victory of reformists and moderates in parliamentary and presidential elections. President Hassan Rouhani and his administration have supported diversity for messaging apps. Earlier this month, Russia began enforcing a nationwide ban on Telegram after a judge sided with authorities who demanded that the app be kept out of the country until it hands over the keys to its data encryption. Russian authorities alleged that Telegram, which was developed by Russian entrepreneur Pavel Durov, has been used by violent extremists. The app, which at one point had some 40 million users in Iran, was temporarily shut down during the protests in early January. However, some 10 percent of users reached it through proxies and VPN services. Iran blocks some social media websites like Facebook and Twitter and censors others. While top officials have unfettered access to social media, Iran's youth and tech-savvy citizens use proxy servers or other workarounds to bypass the controls. RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - State authorities are investigating after a homeless North Carolina man says he was brutally beaten by law officers while he was unarmed and crossing a street. Twenty-nine-year-old Kyron Dwain Hinton tells media outlets he suffered a fractured eye socket and broken nose and was bitten more than 20 times by a K9 during an April 4 encounter with Raleigh police officers and Wake County sheriff's deputies. Hinton says he didn't know why he was being arrested or why officers hit him. The Wake County Sheriff's Office charged Hinton with three misdemeanors including resisting a public officer. Arrest warrants accuse him of implying he had a gun and hitting the officers' dog. Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman says the State Bureau of Investigation is examining the case. Posted on Feb 25, 2015 in Tactics101 Tactics 101 105 The Bradley Infantry Company THE BRADLEY INFANTRY COMPANY Those who go on foot or on a war-horse, with the mettle to take on a hundred men, who are skilled in the use of close-range weapons, swords, and spears are called Infantry generals. {default} Zhuge Liang (AD 180-234) LAST MONTH For the past months, we have focused our attention on the mechanized infantry platoon. We first dissected the organization of the platoon and how the platoon maneuvers when mounted. Next, we examined how a platoon plans and executes offensive and defensive operations. We did this by examining the thought process of a Bradley Platoon Leader LT Duffer. In both types of operations, LT Duffer displayed an excellent understanding of analyzing the capabilities and limitations of his forces, the enemy, and the terrain. With a true appreciation of the platoon, we will now progress to the mechanized infantry company. THIS MONTH In our discussion of the mechanized infantry company, we will focus on a Bradley equipped organization. We will additionally limit our discussion to a pure mechanized company. In other words, it does not have any attached tanks to it. Future articles will address company/team operations. We will dissect the following two areas: 1) The organization of the company. 2) The key personnel in the company. The Organization of the Company Graphically Depicted Company Organization The mechanized company is a robust organization as the graphic above alludes to. It is comprised of three mechanized platoons with each platoon having 4 Bradleys and 3 Infantry squads. There are also two additional Bradleys in the company (one for the Commander and one for the Executive Officer). Put it all together and a full-up Bradley Company can place 14 Bradleys and 9 Infantry Squads on the battlefield impressive combat power. Along with the Bradleys, the company also possesses other organic vehicles. These include: 1) An M113 (Armored Personnel Carrier) for use by the Company First Sergeant. 2) There are two M998 HMMWVs (wheeled vehicles) in the Company Headquarters. One is for use for the Company Commander. The other one is normally shared by the Executive Officer and First Sergeant for use in making logistical runs to the rear. 3) The company has two cargo trucks utilized in its supply section. One carries a water buffalo/trailer with it and the other a cargo trailer. Besides the organic vehicles in the company, the Commander will or may receive other vehicles and personnel to accomplish his purpose and task. Lets address some of the more common relationships. Almost always, the company will be augmented by a team from the Field Artillery Battalion. The team consists of a group of artillerymen led by a Lieutenant. They will travel in their own APC. Many times, a company will receive additional engineer support. This could be an engineer platoon, engineer squad or even a piece of specialized engineer equipment. This augmentation occurs when the company has a purpose and task that may require the need for additional engineer support. Depending on their location within the battalion maneuver formation or in the defense, the company can be augmented with air defense support. This support generally comes in the form of a Stinger Team. The team usually maneuvers in its vehicle. In most cases, this is a specially equipped Bradley. The mission may require that the company receive additional support such as radar and sensor systems, additional medical or maintenance support, civil affairs team, linguistic teams, counterintelligence teams, etc. Each of teams will maneuver in their own organic vehicles and may bring various pieces of equipment with them. With all this said, you can see that the footprint or formation of a mechanized company can get pretty big. The challenge for the Company Commander is that in many cases; this support may be the first time they have been part of the company. Obviously, this can create some issues that must be worked out quickly. Key Company Personnel Below we will discuss the key personnel in the company and their major roles and responsibilities. Company Commander As we always say, the Commander is responsible for everything the unit does and just as importantly, what it doesnt do. Being a mechanized infantry company commander is a great job, but it comes with significant responsibilities and duties. Lets review some of those below: Must understand how to blend the capabilities of his mounted and dismounted elements so they complement one another. Just as importantly, must understand the limitations of the elements, so the enemy cannot exploit them. Listens to his First Sergeant and his NCOs. Develops his Lieutenants. A good Company Commander plays well with his fellow Company Commanders. That means he shares ideas, assists them when it is needed, and is a good team player. These combine to make the Battalion a better unit. Keeps his Commander always informed. This means informing him on bad news. As we always say, bad news doesnt get any better with age. During combat operations, the Company Commander will normally use the company radio frequency as his primary net so he can fight the company. He will then monitor the battalion radio frequency so he understands the bigger picture. Will normally position himself with the main effort of the company during the fight. This enables him to truly understand the environment if a critical decision must be made which impacts the ability of the company to achieve their purpose and task When the company dismounts its Infantry; will normally dismount himself. Must understand how to employ tanks Must understand the nuances of how the company operates supply, maintenance, administration, etc . Must understand how to employ tanks and integrate them with his mechanized and dismounted forces. Many times, he will command a company/team that consists of two mechanized platoons and one tank platoon. Must understand how to incorporate other combat multipliers into his company. This could include engineer assets, air defense assets, different types of radars and sensors, indirect fire assets, etc. Depending on his mission, he could receive various resources from his higher headquarters to assist him in achieving his purpose and task. Company Executive Officer The Xo wears many hats (or helmets) within the company. The XO will normally have a great deal of experience within the company. This is because he will generally have been a platoon leader in the company and then promoted to XO. A good company commander will utilize this experience; especially in the early months of his command. The XOs roles and responsibilities include: Second in command of the company. When the Commander is out of the net; the XO will assume command and control of the company. If the Commander dismounts, will lead the mounted element. Assists the Commander in the tactical planning of the mission. The amount of this assistance will depend on what the Commander requires. Is the primary logistical planner and coordinator for the company. He will receive great support from the First Sergeant, who is normally the logistical doer. In this role, he will normally craft paragraph 4 (service support) of the Operations Order. Based on their personalities, can be a great sounding board for the Company Commander. Is a great source of information for the companys platoon leaders. After all, in most cases, he has been there and done that. If critical coordination is required with various units (supporting, adjacent, or higher headquarters, etc); is the likely person to conduct this. During the conduct of the operation, will normally provide situation reports to higher headquarters. This allows the Company Commander to fight the company. Many times during an operation, will be positioned near the weakest platoon in the company. This provides a little extra oversight on what is going on or what isnt taking place. May be in charge of missions that do not involve the entire company. This could include things such as leading a quartering party, conducting a reconnaissance, being part of a stay-behind force, etc. Company First Sergeant In most instances, he is the most experienced Soldier in the company. He has seen it all and his experience is vital to the success of the company. The roles and responsibilities of the First Sergeant will vary based on the working relationship between the Company Commander, Executive Officer, and the First Sergeant. Lets highlight some of these roles and responsibilities below: The company expert on individual Soldier skills. If he sees the company is lacking in certain areas will work with the Commander in developing training to remedy this. The standard-bearer within the company. Keeps his Company Commander straight. Offers the Commander advice on various areas and subjects. The Company executer on all things logistics. Assists the XO in logistical planning. Leads the company LOGPAC (Logistical Package) Operations. Will assist the attached Company Medics in the execution of medical evacuation. Supervises, inspects, corrects. Ensures Soldiers are executing field hygiene during combat. This is critical in keeping Soldiers available to conduct operations. Along with the Commander, sets the standard for field discipline. Works with the Battalion Command Sergeant Major in getting the best available Soldiers assigned to the Company. Many times will lead the Company Quartering Party. During operations, may be located at a key position or oversee a critical event. Platoon Leaders Each company has the aforementioned three mechanized platoons. Each led by a Platoon Leader. In our last mini-series, we addressed the roles of the Platoon Leader. Consequently, we will not rehash this. The dynamics between the Platoon Leaders in the company is always interesting. There will always be competition between Platoon Leaders and that is healthy. The Company Commander must ensure that this competition doesnt turn unhealthy. Platoon Sergeants Three platoons three Platoon Sergeants. Between them and the First Sergeant; they are the group that make or break a company. They are the experience which the Officers must rely on to set the conditions for success on the battlefield. The Fire Support Officer (FSO) This is an incredibly important position in the company. With his assistance, he can get the Company out of trouble or can assist them in exploiting success. He will normally come attached to the Company from the Field Artillery Battalion that is part of the Brigade. Will come with his own vehicle and a team of three or four Soldiers which assist him in planning, preparation, and execution. He and his team have the following roles and responsibilities: Assists the Commander in planning, coordinating, and executing all of the Companys fire support requirements. With guidance and intent from the Company Commander, develops and continually refines the Companys Fire Support Plan. Ensures it is synchronized with the maneuver plan. Once a plan is developed; coordinates with the Battalion FSO with feasibility and implementation. Expert on the capabilities and limitations of all fire support assets that may be available to the company. Should also be an expert on the capabilities and limitations of the enemys fire support assets. Provides the Commander with the above information and the status of their availability to the company. Expert on the fire support assets of the enemy that the Company faces. Ensures Company Commander understands how these assets can affect the accomplishment of his mission. Assists the Commander in the development of the Company Operations Order. Obviously, he is critical in those portions tied to fire support. However, he is also a good sanity check on the rest of the order. Recommends to the Commander various things tied to the fire support plan including specific targets, fire control methods, how they will engage targets, and who is responsible for firing those targets. Based on the above information, he develops the company target worksheet. He will send this worksheet to his own Field Artillery Battalion. Assigns responsibility within the Company and who will observe targets. If the Company has Platoon Forward Observers attached to it; he will brief them on the plan and ensure they completely understand their responsibilities in executing the plan. Cannot stress enough that the FSO must continually refine the plan and always anticipate. As the tactical situation is constantly changing; so must the fire plan. Communications Chief Clearly one of the craftiest Soldiers in the company. His job is seemingly never done. There is always someone out there who cant communicate. With technology, his job has gotten tougher not easier! Here are some of his significant responsibilities: Supervises the installation of communication equipment within the company. This includes a wide variety of stuff. Obviously, the more complex it is; the more hands on he will be. Oversees the operation of the communication equipment in the company. Ensures operators are trained to perform their level of maintenance on their equipment. Conducts spot checks on equipment to ensure it is being conducted. Responsible for all area tied to the secure communications equipment possessed by the company. This includes among other things: requisitioning needed equipment, receiving it once it comes in, conducting training on it, implementing it in the company, and performing maintenance on it. Advises the Company Commander on all things communication related. This includes providing expertise on how to best utilize communications within a specific mission. As the saying goes, Move, Shoot, and Communicate. A Commander should ask the Commo Chief for his recommendations on what should be included in Paragraph 5 (Command and Signal) of the Company Operations Order. An excellent way to utilize the Commo Chief is to place him in charge of the Company Command Post (CP). This is of course if the Commo Chief has the skill set to execute this important role. The rank and experience of the Commo Chief can vary significantly. He can be a relatively young Soldier or may have many years under his belt. In the role of CP Chief, he would normally be responsible for the following: moving the CP, setting-up the CP, establishing the security plan for the CP, developing and implementing the CP radio watch schedule, and being the Companys Information Manager. Supply Sergeant The old wily Supply Sergeant. He can have a huge impact on the morale of the company and in their ability to achieve their mission. The Supply Sergeant has many roles and responsibilities. These include: Certainly, he is highly engaged in anything tied to supplies and equipment. This includes requisitioning, receiving, issuing, and storing. He must obviously be well-organized in how he executes each of these critical tasks. The results of a poorly organized Supply Sergeant normally translate to poorly equipped Soldiers. This correlates directly to combat power. In regards to requisitioning, the good Supply Sergeant is proactive, not reactive. Reactive is not a good word in the supply world. In regards to all the above, the Supply Sergeant must have solid working relationships with several people. These include the Company XO, the Company First Sergeant, the Platoon Sergeants, and the leadership of the Battalion S4 Shop. During combat operations, the Supply Sergeant will generally position himself in the Battalion Field Trains. This will be some distance away from the front lines, but close enough so that he can get supplies, equipment, food, water, etc to the Company in a timely manner. Inside the Battalion Field Trains, he is under the watchful eye of the Headquarters Company Commander or Support Platoon Leader depending on how the Battalion operates. Within the Field Trains, he is normally accompanied by the Company Armorer and any Supply Clerks or cargo truck drivers the Company may have. Most times, these Supply Clerks come directly from the Platoons to assist in supply operations. From experience, two Soldiers (Supply Sergeant and Armorer) is not sufficient to conduct supply effectively in a Bradley Company. Consequently, you will take out of hide to support these critical operations. The Supply Sergeant should be in constant communications with the company. This will generally be the Company First Sergeant. This aids in being proactive and when necessary, reactive. The bottom line is that the Supply Sergeant should always have a good understanding of tactical situation up forward in regards to his Company. In regards to transportation, the Supply Sergeant will utilize a cargo truck and trailer. He will also have another cargo truck and a water buffalo under his control. When the Supply Sergeant moves forward it is normally done in conjunction with other vehicles from the Field Trains. Clearly, there is safety in numbers. Two lone cargo trucks moving down a trail or road is a lucrative target. If the Supply Sergeant must move forward without other Field Trains vehicles; the company may send a combat vehicle or two as escort depending on the tactical situation. When the Supply Sergeant moves forward, it is normally as part of a Battalion LOGPAC (Logistics Package) operation. In simple terms, this is when the each of the Battalions Companies supply vehicles move forward to resupply their respective companies. This resupply will generally constitute chow, water, supplies, ammunition, barrier material etc. There may also be a fueler attached to Supply Sergeant which will be used during the LOGPAC. We will address the intricacies of a LOGPAC in a future article. NBC NCO The overlooked Soldier in the company. That is until there is the slightest potential that biological or chemical weapons could be used on the battlefield. Then, the entire company wants to ensure all their protective gear is in outstanding working order. Lets address his roles and responsibilities in combat and just as importantly, prior to combat. These include: Much of his work is conducted well before the company is deployed for combat operations. Specifically, he develops and implements a training program that focuses on improving Soldiers and the company as a whole proficiency in NBC tasks. Tied directly to this is building the confidence in everyone that they can operate and survive in an NBC environment. The training plan should be a two-pronged strategy. First, to incorporate individual training as much as possible. Second, to incorporate NBC related tasks in all company training. For example, if the company is training on maneuver formations; then conduct it in NBC posture. During combat, makes recommendations to the Commander as to what type of NBC protection Soldiers should wear during a mission. Often neglected is that the NBC NCO should be the company expert in the use of smoke. Consequently, the Commander should seek his advice when the use of friendly smoke is considered. Vice versa, when the enemy is using smoke; the Commander should discuss the ramifications with him. Requisitions, receives, issues and stores all NBC related equipment. Keeps Commander abreast of anything NBC related (friendly or enemy) that has, is or will occur on the battlefield. If the company or parts of the Company must go through decontamination operations; he will coordinate, monitor, and oversee these operations. Establishes a good working relationship with the Battalion NBC NCO. Company Armorer An often underappreciated Soldier in the company is the Armorer. This is normally a younger Soldier in the company. A good Armorer can clearly have a positive impact on the ability of the Company to generate combat power. Among his significant roles and responsibilities are: Should work with the Platoon Sergeants in aiding them in their preventive maintenance operations in the Platoons. Must know the companys weapons and weapon systems inside and out. Ensures Soldiers have the supplies required to perform good preventive maintenance on their particular weapon or weapon systems. Should be handy with the tools so you can fix maintenance issues so that weapon systems do not have to be sent to the rear area to be repaired. If a system or weapon must be sent to the rear; it must be done quickly. It is not getting fixed if it is staying with the Armorer. Tied to this is ensuring the Armorer keeps good paperwork on what has been sent back and he continually follows up on the status of its repair. As highlighted in our discussion of the Supply Sergeant; the Armorer will normally be under the control of the Supply Sergeant in the Battalion Field Trains. He will assist the Supply Sergeant and drive one of the Companys cargo trucks. Company Master Gunner One of the most important Soldiers within the company tied to generating the fire in fire and maneuver is the Company Master Gunner. This Soldier is an established NCO who normally has been part of the company in other roles (usually a Bradley Commander). He has proven himself and now is the Company Master Gunner. As the Master Gunner, he has several critical roles and responsibilities. These include: Is the company expert on Bradley gunnery. Must know the intricacies of the Bradley turret, its weapon systems, and how a Bradley crew operates effectively. Prior to any combat operations, he will be the Commanders go to guy in developing, planning, and executing all Bradley crew training. The goal of this training is to make certain each Bradley crew has the confidence and expertise to deliver lethal fires down range. A big challenge for the Master Gunner is to make training as realistic as possible. It is one thing for a crew to be able to perform effectively in a fairly sterile gunnery range. It is another thing for them to perform effectively in a combat environment. A good Master Gunner should know the skill level of all crew members in the company. This will enable him to make recommendations to the Platoon and Company leadership on crew manning. As addressed earlier, the Master Gunner should have an excellent understanding of the turret and Bradley weapon systems. This will allow him to troubleshoot and even repair some problems. With this knowledge, he can work with the turret mechanics to assist in getting repairs done as quickly as possible. Again, it is all about getting combat power into the fight. A smart Company Commander will utilize the Master Gunner in his planning for both offensive and defensive operations. Within the defense, he can aid in engagement area planning because of his expertise on the companys weapon systems. In the offense, he can offer advice on the utilization of the weapon systems during the attack. Before a mission, he can assist the company leadership in observing preparation (troop leading procedures) and offering advice to the Platoon leadership. During operations themselves, there are many ways to utilize the Master Gunner. Many times, the Company Commander will use him as his gunner on his vehicle. Then, when Commander dismounts with the Infantry; he moves up to command the Bradley. Another position for the Master Gunner is to lead the Company Command Post during mission execution. This could include the wheeled vehicles in the Company. Because of experience and talents it would be inexcusable not to use him in a way that assists the company. Maintenance Team Chief In a mechanized or armor unit, the importance of the Maintenance Team Chief cannot be overstated. A good Team Chief and his Team is critical in ensuring the company has as much combat power in the fight as possible. The principle duties of the Team Chief include: Is obviously the Commanders expert on maintenance. Keeps him updated on status of his vehicles. What is up What is down When will the down vehicles be mission capable. When a vehicle is damaged or maintenance down; determines if the repair can be done on site or if the vehicle must be evacuated to the rear. Keeps his maintenance team motivated. This is a challenge because they have a challenging job that is not very glamourous. Keeps the company well-stocked in repair parts. To achieve this, he must be organized, understand the requisition process, be a scrounger, and be a dealer. Must be an expert in vehicle recovery. Must understand what can be accomplished with the recovery equipment he possesses. Creativity is the norm when a vehicle must be recovered in challenging terrain and circumstances. Trains his team on all Soldier skills Soldiers first/mechanics second. Keeps abreast of the tactical situation, so he and his team can be at the right place at the right time. Usually has an excellent relationship with the First Sergeant. Will normally lead the companys combat trains when the First Sergeant is not in the area. Keeps a positive relationship with the Battalions maintenance leadership. Dont want to get on their bad side! Medical Team The Company will receive medical support from the Medical Platoon attached to the Battalion. This will normally consist of a Medic for each Platoon and potentially a Senior Aidman who will work with the Headquarters and oversee the other medics. He will work closely with the Company First Sergeant on all things medical. As a group, the Medical Team has many key roles and responsibilities. These include: Administers initial first aid and life-saving actions to any casualties. Must have situational awareness of the tactical situation at all times. Makes determination if injured Soldiers will be medevaced to the rear area for treatment. Assists in the coordination of medevac actions. Works in conjunction with the First Sergeant in all medical actions. Trains Company Soldiers in basic first aid and buddy aid. Trains Company Soldiers to become combat lifesavers. Trains Company in the execution of a mass casualty event if required. During the planning of an operation provides Company Commander with expertise on the medical aspects of the mission. Requests the medical supplies for the Company. Once received, provides appropriate supplies down to the Platoons. SUMMARY 14 Bradleys, 9 Infantry Squads, and substantial combat multipliers make for some significant combat power. There is no question the Bradley Company Commander and his Company can have a huge impact on the battlefield. In this article, we focused on the leaders that make the Company so effective. It is at this level where all the pieces can come together. It is up to the Commander and his leaders to make it come together. NEXT MONTH Our next article will continue our discussion on the mechanized infantry company. In it, we will address how the mechanized company maneuvers. We will look at the maneuver formations and techniques available to the company commander. Additionally, we will discuss some of the challenges the company may face in maneuver. ROME (AP) - Police say they have arrested a Gambian asylum seeker who arrived on a migrant boat last year from Libya and pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group. Police chief Franco Gabrielli said 21-year-old Alagie Touray wasn't caught plotting a specific attack. But he said Italy's intelligence agencies suspected it was "highly probable" that he might, given the pledge he purportedly made in a video and sent by the Telegram app. He had received instructions to drive a car into a crowd, the ANSA news agency reported. Touray was arrested Friday near Naples, where he has lived in a migrant welcome center since arriving in Italy in March 2017 with hundreds of other migrants, ANSA said. Naples chief prosecutor Giovanni Melillo said Touray was accused of participation in a terrorist association. WARSAW, Poland (AP) - Poland's government is criticizing the claim of a U.S. congressman that a new Polish law glorifies Nazi collaborators and denies the Holocaust. The charge was made by Ro Khanna, a Democrat from California, one of two congressmen leading a bipartisan effort urging the State Department to pressure Poland and Ukraine to combat state-sponsored anti-Semitism. "Our government should be concerned with the resurgence of anti-Semitism in Ukraine and Poland. Both countries recently passed laws glorifying Nazi collaborators and denying the Holocaust," Khanna wrote Wednesday. In the Polish case, Khanna referred to a new law that makes it a crime to blame Poland for the Holocaust crimes of Nazi Germany. The law has sparked criticism in the U.S. and particularly in Israel, where some fear its aim is to quash discussions about Polish anti-Semitic violence during the German occupation in World War II. Amid Israeli criticism, some Polish officials and commentators have made comments considered anti-Semitic. Andrzej Pawluszek, an adviser to Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, told The Associated Press on Thursday that Khanna's words were "irresponsible and shocking." Poland's deputy foreign minister Bartosz Cichocki, retorted Wednesday on Twitter: "Sir, I would appreciate if you indicated a single law passed in my homeland Poland (recently or not), which glorifies Nazi collaborators and/or denies Holocaust." In a separate post, he added: "Equally, I would love to learn what exactly your government did to combat (the) Holocaust after being requested to do so by the Polish government-in-exile." During Germany's occupation of Poland during the war, the Polish government-in-exile struggled to warn the world of the mass killing of the Jews - a message that was largely ignored. There was no answer at Khanna's Washington, D.C., office to a call made before office hours hours Thursday. WASHINGTON (AP) - The Latest on Ronny Jackson, President Donald Trump's nominee to serve as Veterans Affairs secretary (all times local): 12:06 p.m. Democratic leaders are placing the blame on the Trump administration for Ronny Jackson's withdrawal as nominee for secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Rear Adm. Ronny Jackson, President Donald Trump's choice to be secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, leaves a Senate office building after meeting individually with some members of the committee that would vet him for the post, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, April 24, 2018. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York says "the real blame here falls on the administration for once again being sloppy and carless in the vetting process." House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of California says Jackson's nomination was "just another example of the culture of corruption, cronyism and incompetence of the Trump administration." The two leaders are trying to make the case that Jackson wasn't qualified to run the government's second-largest agency. ____ 8:30 a.m. White House doctor Ronny Jackson remains on the job, despite withdrawing from consideration as VA secretary. Asked whether Jackson will stay on, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders says, "Admiral Jackson is a doctor in the United States Navy assigned to the White House and is here at work today." Jackson said he was pulling out early Thursday, after Senators released details of allegations against him. The accusations including that he recklessly prescribed drugs and exhibited drunken behavior. ___ 8:20 a.m. President Donald Trump is praising Ronny Jackson, who has just announced he will withdraw from consideration as Veterans Affairs secretary. Trump says there will be consequences for the Democratic senator who led the charge against Jackson. In a phone interview with "Fox & Friends" Thursday, Trump says Jackson "would have done a great job," but that he saw where his nomination was going. Trump says he told Jackson, a Navy vice admiral: "Welcome to Washington. Welcome to the swamp. Welcome to the world of politics," Trump places the blame on Montana Democratic Sen. Jon Tester, whose office issued a report Wednesday listing allegations it had gathered about Jackson's work as White House doctor. Trump says: "I think Jon Tester has to have a big price to pay in Montana." Trump says he has an idea for a replacement nominee, adding it will be "someone with political capability." ___ 8 a.m. White House doctor Ronny Jackson is withdrawing from consideration as Veterans Affairs secretary. Jackson says "false allegations" against him have become a distraction. The White House sent out a statement from Jackson Thursday morning. He says he "did not expect to have to dignify baseless and anonymous attacks on my character and integrity." Jackson has faced a series of accusations about his workplace conduct, including that he recklessly prescribed drugs and exhibited drunken behavior. Trump chose Jackson to head the VA last month after abruptly firing Obama administration official David Shulkin. Jackson was a surprise choice who has worked as a White House physician since 2006. He faced immediate questions from Republican and Democratic lawmakers about whether he had the experience to manage the VA, which has 360,000 employees serving 9 million veterans. ___ 7:40 a.m. White House doctor Ronny Jackson is considering withdrawing his nomination to serve as secretary of Veterans Affairs. That's while he struggles with allegations that include recklessly prescribing drugs and drunken behavior. A senior administration official says Jackson still denies most of the allegations against him, but says he is increasingly frustrated by the process. The source wasn't authorized to publicly discuss internal deliberations and spoke on condition of anonymity. The White House is still defending Jackson but also preparing for the possibility that he will withdraw from consideration. Democratic Senate staff put together accusations against Jackson from conversations with 23 current and former colleagues at the White House Medical Unit. Their summary includes accusations that Jackson crashed a government vehicle while he was intoxicated. -By Catherine Lucey. ___ 12:14 a.m. White House doctor Ronny Jackson exhibited a pattern of recklessly prescribing drugs and drunken behavior, including crashing a government vehicle while intoxicated and doling out such a large supply of a prescription opioid that staffers panicked because they thought the drugs were missing, according to accusations compiled by Democratic staff on the committee considering his nomination as Veterans Affairs secretary. The summary was based on conversations with 23 of Jackson's current and former colleagues at the White House Medical Unit. It is the latest blow to his nomination to lead the government's second-largest Cabinet agency. In just a matter of days, the allegations have transformed Jackson's reputation as a celebrated doctor attending the president to an embattled nominee accused of drinking on the job and over-prescribing drugs. He was seen pacing back and forth on the White House grounds Wednesday. Rear Adm. Ronny Jackson, center, President Donald Trump's choice to be secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, walks down a stairwell to avoid reporters and cameras as he leaves a Senate office building after meeting individually with some members of the committee that would vet him for the post, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, April 24, 2018. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) MADRID (AP) - Women's rights groups protested Thursday after a court in northern Spain sentenced five men to nine years each in prison for the lesser crime of sexual abuse in what activists saw as a gang rape during the 2016 running of the bulls festival in Pamplona. "It's not abuse, it's rape!" shouted protesters in live television broadcasts from the gates of the Navarra provincial court. Protests across Spain were planned for later Thursday. The five members of "La Manada" - or "The Pack," after the nickname the group gave themselves- were found guilty of sexual abuse, which doesn't involve violence or intimidation under Spain's criminal code. The prosecution had argued that violence was used and the 18-year-old victim did not consent to intercourse. The court on Thursday chose the lesser sexual abuse charge in contrast to the more severe charge prosecutors sought along harsher sentences of more than 22 years in prison each. But the court agreed there was no consent because defendants were in a position of "superiority that curtailed the victim's freedom." One of the three judges in the panel voted in favor of acquitting the defendants, the court said. Both the prosecution and the defense announced later they would appeal the decision. The five men, all Spanish citizens between 27 and 30, were friends who traveled to Pamplona to party during the San Fermin festival in July 2016. According to testimony at the trial, the men offered to accompany the victim to her car but instead hauled her into a building where they filmed their assault with their smartphones. They then took her mobile phone and left. The men argued that the young woman had consented to intercourse. To support the claim, their lawyers produced detectives' reports on the victim's behavior after the incident, causing outrage among women's rights groups who said the victim was being judged for her behavior rather than the attackers. The defense then withdrew the report. In addition to the prison time, the court ruled they should jointly compensate the victim with 50,000 euros ($61,000) and refrain from contacting her for 15 years. The five have been in pre-trial custody since they were arrested after the incident. KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - The Taliban ambushed an Afghan government convoy in the country's eastern province of Logar, killing the deputy provincial governor and his two bodyguards, an official said. The ambush on Kamaruddin Shekeib's convoy also seriously wounded Shekeib's spokesman, said Mohammad Naser Ghyrat, the Logar provincial council chief. The Taliban control large swaths of Logar, and despite the establishment of dozens of outposts of Afghan security forces along the main road running through the province, insurgent attacks are frequent. Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesman for the Taliban, claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement sent to the media. NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) - A Connecticut man who spent 17 years in prison for a murder he says he did not commit has been freed based on newly discovered cellphone records. The Connecticut Federal Defender Office tells The Hartford Courant that 37-year-old Vernon Horn was released by a judge Wednesday after a motion to set aside his robbery and murder convictions was filed by prosecutors. Horn was convicted in 2000 using cellphone records. His lawyers say recent evaluations of the records established that Horn was never in possession of that cellphone and that two witnesses for the state perjured themselves. Horn was convicted of the 1999 shooting death of 22-year-old Caprice Hardy in New Haven. Horn in a statement said, "Nineteen years of my life were stolen from me; my daughter went without her father." ___ Information from: Hartford Courant, http://www.courant.com BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) - Serbia on Thursday banned Croatia's defense minister from entering the country, a tit-for-tat measure against Croatia as tensions mounted between the two Balkan rivals. Serbia's government imposed the ban against Croatia's Damir Krsticevic. Last week, Zagreb said Serbia Defense Minister Aleksandar Vulin was not welcome. A Serbian government statement said the move was a "reciprocity measure," adding that the Croatian move "is against the good neighborly relations and the respect for the basic European values, which include the freedom of movement." "The government of Serbia remains committed to preserving peace and stability in the region and respecting European stands and values, in the interest of the citizens of Serbia and the region," the statement said. The spat further strained ties between the former war foes from the 1990s' bloody breakup of the former Yugoslavia. A Croatian delegation earlier this month cut short a visit to Serbia over a far-right incident. Relations between Serbia and European Union-member Croatia are considered key for stability of the volatile region. Croatia has said it banned Vulin because he declared that a decision on whether he would attend a Serb-organized World War II commemoration ceremony in Croatia depended on Serbia's president, rather than Croatia. Vulin is known for his anti-Croat stands and statements that have fueled tensions in the region. BRUSSELS (AP) - NATO will hold its last major meeting in its old headquarters on Friday, with talks focused on strained ties with Russia, a fresh peace effort in Afghanistan and a new training mission for Iraq. Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said the allies are trying to arrange a meeting with Moscow's envoy before U.S. President Donald Trump joins his NATO counterparts in Brussels for a summit in July. The NATO-Russia Council has not convened this year and the March 4 poisoning of an ex-Russian spy in Britain plus the chemical attack in Syria that has been blamed on Moscow ally Syrian President Bashar Assad underline the need for more talks, he said. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg speaks during a media conference at NATO headquarters in Brussels on Thursday, April 26, 2018. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert) "We continue to see attempts to intimidate and interfere in allied countries," Stoltenberg told reporters Thursday on the eve of a meeting of NATO foreign ministers. "When tensions are high, it is even more important to talk with Russia." The ministers, holding their 70th and final meeting before moving across the road to NATO's new, sprawling billion-dollar premises, will also discuss Georgia and Ukraine's aspirations to join the world's biggest military alliance. NATO's top military officer and civilian official in Afghanistan will brief the ministers on peace efforts there as they try to bring Taliban fighters to the table and end the yearslong stalemate on the battlefield. The meeting comes amid a new wave of attacks across Afghanistan. An Islamic State suicide bomb attack Sunday on a voter registration center in Kabul, the capital, killed 57 people and wounded more than 100 others. In addition, at least 18 troops and police officers have been killed in Taliban attacks this week. Still, NATO officials see an "unprecedented opportunity" in Afghan President Ashraf Ghani's offer of unconditional peace talks accompanied by a cease-fire, the recognition of the Taliban as a political party and the release of some prisoners. They also say peace protests have been an encouraging sign. "There are now spontaneous, not at all engineered by the government, peace rallies. People saying we want peace, we now are beginning to see that there can be something different in Afghanistan," U.S. NATO Ambassador Kay Bailey Hutchison told The Associated Press. The ministers are also likely to agree on the details of NATO's new training mission for the Iraqi armed forces. That effort involves "several hundred" NATO personnel, according to Stoltenberg, who will help build up military academies with the aim of preventing the re-emergence of the Islamic State group. On NATO expansion, Stoltenberg said the ministers will discuss the wishes of Macedonia and Georgia, noting that Macedonia could be given an invitation to join at the July summit if a dispute with Greece over the tiny former Yugoslav republic's name is resolved. Georgia is unlikely to become a NATO member as long as Russia holds sway over its breakaway provinces of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg speaks during a media conference at NATO headquarters in Brussels on Thursday, April 26, 2018. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert) FILE - In this Oct. 2, 2011 file photo, flags of the NATO allies flap in the wind outside NATO headquarters in Brussels. NATO ministers will hold their last meeting in the old headquarters on Friday, April 27, 2018 before moving permanently to a new building across the street. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo, File) People walk outside the entrance of the new NATO headquarters in Brussels on Thursday, April 19, 2018. NATO ministers will hold their last meeting in the old headquarters on Friday, April 27, 2018 before moving permanently to a new building across the street. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo) A member of the German military walks by a welcome desk at the new NATO headquarters in Brussels on Thursday, April 19, 2018. NATO ministers will hold their last meeting in the old headquarters on Friday, April 27, 2018 before moving permanently to a new building across the street. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo) A general view of the new North Atlantic Council meeting room 1 at the new NATO headquarters in Brussels on Thursday, April 19, 2018. NATO ministers will hold their last meeting in the old headquarters on Friday, April 27, 2018 before moving permanently to a new building across the street. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo) A man walks past a sign on an office door as he clears offices at the old NATO headquarters in Brussels on Thursday, April 19, 2018. NATO ministers will hold their last meeting in the old headquarters on Friday, April 27, 2018 before moving permanently to a new building across the street. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo) A man wheels moving boxes down a hallway at the old NATO headquarters in Brussels on Thursday, April 19, 2018. NATO ministers will hold their last meeting in the old headquarters on Friday, April 27, 2018 before moving permanently to a new building across the street. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo) LOS ANGELES (AP) - It's been 25 years since a major Hollywood studio released an English-language film with a primarily Asian cast. The last was Wayne Wang's adaptation of the generational tear-jerker "The Joy Luck Club," which was released in 1993. But that dry spell is about to end with the release of the opulent romantic comedy "Crazy Rich Asians." The film is based on Kevin Kwan's best-selling book about a Chinese-American woman who gets a culture shock when she meets her boyfriend's family in Singapore. Veteran producer Nina Jacobson said that when she and her Color Force partner Brad Simpson ("The Hunger Games") read Kwan's manuscript, they knew it had to be a movie. This image released by Warner Bros. Pictures shows, from left, Michelle Yeoh, Henry Golding and Constance Wu in a scene from "Crazy Rich Asians," in theaters on August 17. (Sanja Bucko/Warner Bros. Pictures via AP) "We just tore through it," Jacobson said. "It was so specific that it became really universal: Anybody who has ever faced in-laws who felt that they were not worthy of their beloved." However, they knew the film would likely never survive the studio development process. They decided to have a vision, a script and a budget to sell as a package before going to the marketplace. Warner Bros. would ultimately sign up to partner with them and release the film. "Hollywood has done a bit of a disservice by not taking us into these worlds that we're just now seeing between 'Black Panther' and things on TV," Simpson said. "There is a hunger for not just token representation but to really dive into the world of different ethnicities and races." Meanwhile, Jon M. Chu, who would eventually sign on to direct "Crazy Rich Asians," was hearing about this new book from family members. And he understood why. His last name is the same as that of the main character, Rachel Chu, and they're both from Cupertino. There's even a reference to his family in Kwan's book. "I think a lot of Asian-Americans go through the same journey ... I relate to having that dual cultural identity of being full-on all-American, all-California boy, but having a Chinese side to me," Chu said. "I remember going to Asia for the first time and there's a very specific emotion that you feel that's like, 'Oh, this feels like home but it's not my home and these people don't see me as being part of this.' Then when you're home you start to notice people may not see you as part of that either." Having known Jacobson and Simpson for years, he knew they would "protect" the film and do it right. He signed on to transport audiences to an unbelievable world of wealth, privilege and tradition - part Edith Wharton, part "Gossip Girl." Chu brought on Malaysian-born screenwriter Adele Lim to give the script an Asian specificity and set off to assemble his dream cast. The worldwide search had casting directors looking in Canada, New York, Los Angeles, Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, London, Australia, Singapore and Malaysia. All had to be English-speaking - and have the right accents, too. Constance Wu was chosen to play the lead, Rachel. They found an unknown to play her boyfriend, Nick, in Henry Golding, a handsome and charismatic TV host who had the perfect English accent to play the London-schooled heir, and landed on Michelle Yeoh to be his disapproving mother, Eleanor. But even this hand-picked ensemble caused some consternation on the internet over the specific ethnicities and whether they matched exactly with what the book laid out. Chu said that there's even a discussion is important. A film having a female Asian-American lead and also a majority pan-Asian cast is significant. A USC Study found that 44 of the top 100 films from 2016 featured no Asian-American speaking characters. "Since I've graduated from drama school I never get to play the lead," Wu said. "The fact that Asian-Americans never get to center the narrative means that their parts are always going to be not as whole and fleshed-out." That made it an emotional experience for many on the set. "Everyone had gone through the process of what it's like to be an Asian-American in Hollywood or around the world," Chu said. "You could see the difference between someone like Michelle Yeoh who literally said, 'I'm the majority where I'm from so I don't understand the plight that you guys are going through.' It was very shocking for her to see how it affected these young actors and how people would just cry on the set and how happy they were that they got to do this." Jacobson described it as a "joyful sense of purpose that we all shared." Wu, who is an outspoken advocate for Asian representation on social media, said the film is significant for differentiating the Asian experience and the Asian-American experience. "You show that our culture is more than just skin-deep," Wu said. "You show our similarities and how we're different." Although the film doesn't open until Aug. 17, excitement is growing with the new trailer and some extremely positive reactions from an early screening in Los Angeles for the press. "I hope people go see it because I think we have a great movie and if they go see it, it changes things," Chu said. "People have to show up. I guarantee four new stories of Asian-Americans will be greenlit in two weeks if it comes out and does well. That's what's on the line and that's what I think is still up in the air." "I think we have to take control of our own voice and our own story," he said. "And we won't be perfect, this discussion is ongoing the more stuff that gets made, the more discussion we can have about what we want. We just never had the privilege of having that conversation." ___ AP writer Marcela Isaza contributed from Las Vegas. HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) - Dropped onto Connecticut inmates' food trays in recent days was a concoction called chilitos, consisting of a cup of meatless chili mix, one slice of cheese, brown rice, refried beans and two tortillas, along with a half-cup of pudding and an 8-ounce drink. Not bad for a jailhouse lunch, maybe. But lean ground beef, whole pieces of chicken and extra fresh fruit and vegetables could soon be on the menu under a budget proposal from Democratic Gov. Dannel P. Malloy that bucks a national trend toward spending less, not more, on inmate nutrition. His administration argues that throwing a little more money at prison meals will save a lot more down the line by making inmates, many of whom rely on state-funded health care after their release, more healthy inside prison and out. Malloy takes credit for coming up with the idea himself, arguing it's part of a continuing effort to provide inmates with the life skills they need to re-enter society. FILE - In this May 29, 2008, file photo, Wateree River Correctional Institution prisoners eat lunch in the prison's cafeteria in Rembert, S.C. Democratic Gov. Dannel P. Malloy's administration argues that throwing a little more money at prison meals is a commonsense move that will save a lot more down the line by making inmates, many of whom rely on state-funded health care after their release, more healthy in prison and out. It's also seen as part of a continuing effort to teach inmates new ways of living their lives. (C. Aluka Berry/The State via AP, File) Also, it's seen as a way to help keep the peace in the prisons. "You have to remember that if you are not being fed, you're going to be angry. And that anger can turn into violence," said Ed Calderon, 42, who has been out of prison for 13 years. Calderon, who now works with at-risk youth in Bridgeport, Connecticut's largest city, still remembers watered-down oatmeal, powdered mashed potatoes and the fights that broke out between grown men frustrated by small portions. "If the portions are not sufficient, then those inmates who are bigger and stronger, and I guess more violent, will take the food from other inmates in order to get enough food," he said. Malloy's plan would boost the typical daily food budget for each inmate 10 percent, from $2.95 to $3.25. The state would still lag behind some neighbors; Rhode Island spends $4.40 per inmate per day, Massachusetts $4.16 and Maine $3.75. New York spends $2.85, according to Malloy's office. "In addition to being the right thing to do, this is a common-sense policy change that will save taxpayer money in the long run by promoting a healthy lifestyle and ultimately reducing medical costs," said Leigh Appleby, a spokesman for the governor. To become reality, Malloy's plan must become part of a final budget agreement between the governor and legislators. Lawmakers hope to have a deal before this year's session ends May 9, but it remains unclear whether that will happen. Malloy's fellow Democrats already reduced the governor's proposal by half in their budget plan, and the General Assembly's Republicans scrapped the concept entirely in their budget proposal. Rep. Melissa Ziobron, the top House Republican on the legislature's budget-writing committee, wonders why the state would spend more during tight times to make inmate meals healthier when there is still a long list of foods loaded with sugar, salt and fat available for sale in prison commissaries. She also questioned Malloy's assumption that health care costs will decline because of the investment, saying the administration "can't have it both ways" by asking taxpayers to spend more to make inmate meals healthier when prisoners can "go buy a Suzy Q" cake at the commissary. "How could I justify that expense?" Ziobron said. Enfield prison inmate Garrett Bostick, 33, confirmed that a lot of his fellow prisoners eat from the commissary, spending their money on things like ramen noodles. "I know people who never go to breakfast, lunch or dinner," Bostick said. It's unusual for a state to consider spending more money, not less, on inmate nutrition, said David Fathi, director of the American Civil Liberties Union's National Prison Project. With many states now relying on private food service companies in hopes of saving money, inmates have sometimes sued, alleging they are not being fed enough or are being served bad food. Nearly 40 inmates went on a hunger strike at a Texas prison last year, partly to protest what they said were small food portions. And nearly two dozen inmates in the jail system in Arizona's most populous county also went on a hunger strike last year, seeking better and more food; the sheriff said at the time the two daily meals met a court order for nutritional value and exceeded the recommended calorie count. Jails and prisons in states like Delaware and Virginia have served baked nutritional loaves, typically to unruly inmates, but the practice has been on the decline after years of lawsuits. Michael Bibens, director of food services at the Connecticut Department of Correction, has made an effort to include more healthy ingredients and regularly surveys inmates about the meals in the state's prisons. He ignores the requests for steak and lobster but has scrapped the unpopular soups and stews that were precooked at one facility and shipped to the other prisons. "It's a partnership," he said. "It makes no sense if they're dumping the food in the garbage." WASHINGTON (AP) - Pentagon chief Jim Mattis is coming under congressional criticism for the Defense Department's recently released policy recommending limits on the service of transgender individuals. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (KEER'-sten JIHL'-uh-brand) says there are conflicting messages coming from the Pentagon. The New York Democrat says although the policy suggests that allowing transgender people to serve presents risks for unit cohesion and lethality, all four service chiefs have told Congress they've seen no problems. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., asks Defense Secretary Jim Mattis about the issue of transgender troops, during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on the Department of Defense budget posture, Thursday April 26, 2018, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) The policy is on hold because it's being challenged in court. Mattis says his recommendations for limits on transgender service stem from the advice of a panel of medical experts and defense leaders. He says he's provided the best advice he could. Gillibrand says the limits mirror historical reservations about the military service of gays, blacks and women. WASHINGTON (AP) - The Latest on the bill to protect special counsel Robert Mueller's job (all times local): 11:50 a.m. The Senate Judiciary Committee has passed a bill to protect special counsel Robert Mueller's job. Now all eyes are on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who has said he won't let the bill onto the Senate floor. FILE - In this June 21, 2017, file photo, special counsel Robert Mueller departs after a meeting on Capitol Hill in Washington. The Associated Press and other news organizations are asking a judge to unseal records in Mueller's Russia investigation. The media coalition argued in a court filing on April 25, 2018, that Mueller's probe is "one of the most consequential criminal investigations in our nation's history" and that there's overwhelming public interest in records from the case. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File) The vote was 14-7 with four Republicans in favor. Republicans have split as President Donald Trump repeatedly criticized Mueller's Russia investigation. The measure would give any special counsel a 10-day window to seek expedited judicial review of his or her firing. It also would put into law existing Justice Department regulations that a special counsel can be fired only for good cause. Many Republicans argue that it is unconstitutional or unnecessary. Republicans and Democrats on the panel have said Trump shouldn't try to remove Mueller. WASHINGTON (AP) - Are flowers and a card enough? On Melania Trump's 48th birthday, President Donald Trump worried Thursday that his gift might not be sufficient. Trump got an interview with "Fox & Friends" going by giving a shout-out to the first lady: "So, happy birthday to Melania," he said. In this April 24, 2018, photo, President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump prepare to greet French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron as they arrive for a State Dinner at the White House in Washington. It's Melania Trump's birthday, and President Donald Trump thinks he might be in a little trouble. When Trump was asked what he got his wife for her 48th birthday, the president acknowledged that "maybe I didn't get her so much." He added: "You know, I'm very busy." In a telephone interview Thursday with the hosts of "Fox & Friends," Trump did say that he'd gotten his wife a "beautiful card" and some flowers. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) Asked what he had gotten his wife, Trump said: "I better not get into that because I may get in trouble. Maybe I didn't get her so much." Justifying that, he added, "You know, I'm very busy." He later offered that he had gotten Mrs. Trump "a beautiful card and some beautiful flowers" and added that she's a wonderful wife. The president isn't the only one who's been busy. The first lady planned Tuesday's state dinner for the president of France. Last weekend, she attended the Houston funeral of former first lady Barbara Bush. And she and the president recently hosted the Japanese prime minister and his wife at the Trumps' Florida estate for a two-day visit. Mrs. Trump's office said she'll spend her birthday with family. SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - Bible sales would not be banned in California under proposed state legislation, contrary to widely shared claims by multiple online sites. The issue emerged over a bill that seeks to classify selling or advertising gay conversion therapy as a fraudulent business practice in the state. California's lower chamber, the Assembly, passed the bill last week and sent it to the state Senate. The measure addresses only the sale of conversion therapy services for monetary compensation, according to representatives for its Democratic sponsor, Assemblyman Evan Low. FILE- In this Sept. 3, 2017, file photo, a man holds a bible during service at Christ United Church in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey in Cypress, Texas. Bible sales would not be banned in California under proposed state legislation, contrary to widely shared claims by multiple online sites. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File) The bill does not mention the Bible. "As it applies to 'practices' only, it does not apply to the sale of books or any other kind of goods, and it does not prevent anyone from speaking or writing on the subject of conversion therapy in any forum," attorney Anthony Sampson, who advised Low's office on the bill, told The Associated Press in an email. Among those making the Bible ban claim is Republican Assemblyman Travis Allen, who is running for governor. In a recent interview, One America News Network asked Allen if the sale of Bibles would be prohibited if the bill passed because the Bible addresses sexual morality. "Literally, according to how this law is written, yes, it would," Allen replied. "This is, you know, PC culture, politically correct culture, gone horribly awry. This is really directly hitting at our First Amendment rights as American citizens." Maryann Marino, a spokeswoman for Allen's campaign, had no immediate comment. ___ This is part of The Associated Press' ongoing effort to fact-check misinformation that is shared widely online, including work with Facebook to identify and reduce the circulation of false stories on the platform. ___ Find all AP Fact Checks here: https://www.apnews.com/tag/APFactCheck ___ Follow @APFactCheck on Twitter: https://twitter.com A Detroit man is charged in the fatal shooting of his 18-year-old friend that was livestreamed on Instagram. The Wayne County prosecutor's office says 18-year-old Dawone Cook is expected to be arraigned Friday on a misdemeanor charge of careless discharge of a firearm causing injury or death. Prosecutors say the men were posting live video on social media at around 11.55pm on April 2 when Dylan Hemphill was shot in the head in a northwest Detroit home. Dylan Hemphill, 18 (pictured), and Dawone Cook were posting live on Instagram when Dylan was accidentally shot in the head 'It seems so surreal right now. I'm shocked, very shocked,' Dylan's mom, Shantel Hemphill, told WXYZ. 'They're close friends. They're like brothers. I mean, I treated Dawone like he was a son of mine.' Police have said the two were showing off weapons and money in the video. Prosecutors say Cook was handling a bayonet when the rifle discharged. He called 911, but Dylan was pronounced dead at the scene. Police have called the shooting an accident. If convicted of the misdemeanor, Cook faces a maximum of two years in prison. Dylan's mom Shantel Hill (pictured) said the two teenagers were best friends and she treated Dawone like a son TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) - Kansas has some financial breathing room less than a year after legislators reversed past income tax cuts to deal with persistent budget woes that followed what many voters saw as a failed fiscal experiment. Now some Republicans want to go back to slashing taxes. The state Senate's GOP leaders are pushing the idea. Their chances of success are good enough that critics are questioning whether lessons from the state's recent fiscal miseries sunk in after former Republican Gov. Sam Brownback's policies made Kansas a national example of how not to do trickle-down economics. But top Republicans in the GOP-controlled Legislature feel compelled to act in an election year - like lawmakers in many other states - because of changes in federal income tax laws engineered by President Donald Trump. Those changes have some Kansas residents facing higher state income taxes after state lawmakers boosted their burden last year. Kansas state Sens. Richard Hilderbrand, left, R-Galena, and Mike Petersen, right, R-Wichita, follow a discussion among fellow GOP senators during a meeting, Thursday, April 26, 2018, at the Statehouse in Topeka, Kan. Legislators are thinking about cutting income taxes again after raising them in 2017 to address persistent budget woes. (AP Photo/John Hanna) "It's going to be a double whammy to all the taxpayers," said Senate President Susan Wagle, a conservative Wichita Republican who's leading the charge. After years of budget pain and disappointing tax collections, Kansas officials are feeling more optimistic. Last year's tax increase is filling the state treasury and the economy is stronger, with revenues exceeding expectations. Wagle and other GOP lawmakers argue that they're not attempting to cut taxes so much as "return the windfall." A bill approved by the Senate earlier this month went further, increasing the state's standard income tax deduction and several other deductions, and some lawmakers have other tax-cutting priorities, such as lowering the state's sales tax on groceries. Reducing taxes also would undercut the Legislature's efforts to meet a Kansas Supreme Court mandate to increasing funding for public schools. Lawmakers approved a plan meant to phase in a $534 million increase over five years, but projections from their research staff this week suggested that the higher spending can't be sustained over time if lawmakers also reduce revenues. Nor has the state fully recovered from the financial problems that followed the Brownback tax-cutting experiment. It's still siphoning funds from highway projects for general government programs and hasn't fully caught up on its annual contributions to public pensions. Many lawmakers think spending outside of education remains too tight. "The strongest political impulse ought to be to stabilize Kansas financially," said Duane Goossen, a former budget director for both Democratic and Republican governors and a strong critic of the past tax cuts. "It's almost unbelievable to me that there's even a serious consideration in the Legislature about cutting some part of the state's revenue stream." The debate is likely to be settled within the next 10 days. Lawmakers ended an annual spring break Thursday and returned to the Statehouse to wrap up their business for the year. Democrats partnered with moderate Republicans last year to override Brownback's veto of the $600 million-a-year bill reversing most of his income tax cuts and now see at least a few GOP moderates open to offsetting federal tax changes. "I don't think it makes any sense for us to go down this path again," said Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley, a Topeka Democrat. "I think people will say that there is no way that they learned their lesson." But Scott Drenkard, director of state projects for the conservative, nonpartisan Tax Foundation, sees the criticism as overstated. His group strongly criticized Brownback policies and saw Kansas' experience as a cautionary tale but is not criticizing this year's push. Drenkard said the tax cuts engineered by Brownback were far larger than what lawmakers would consider this year. State forecasters project the state's "windfall" at $105 million for the budget year beginning July 1, and legislative researchers said it would be roughly $150 million each year afterward. Furthermore, Drenkard said, most states with income taxes are wrestling with similar issues because their tax laws are tied to federal ones. While federal taxes drop, many Kansas wouldn't be able to claim itemized deductions on either their state or federal forms, increasing their state taxes. "If legislators don't act, this is an automatic tax increase," Drenkard said. Politics are a key factor in the Kansas debate. All 125 House members are up for re-election this year, as is Republican Gov. Jeff Colyer, who replaced Brownback after Brownback resigned to take an ambassadorship. Tax cuts remain an easy sell to the GOP's right-leaning base, particularly if they head off new and unexpected pain for individuals and business owners. Colyer is in a tough primary race. One rival, conservative Secretary of State Kris Kobach, promises "full throttle-conservatism" and has called for not only returning any windfall but rolling back last year's tax increase. Many conservatives argue that Brownback's tax-cutting experiment went bust with voters because he and lawmakers wouldn't cut spending enough. As for Colyer, spokesman Kendall Marr said the governor "will be happy to consider any legislation that arrives on his desk that reduces the tax burden on hard-working Kansans." ___ Follow John Hanna on Twitter: https://twitter.com/apjdhanna . Kansas state Sen. Barbara Bollier, R-Mission Hills, makes a point during a meeting of fellow GOP senators, Thursday, April 26, 2018, at the Statehouse in Topeka, Kan. Kansas lawmakers are considering cutting income taxes to offset a revenue surplus tied to changes in federal tax laws. (AP Photo/John Hanna) Reaction to Bill Cosby's conviction on charges he drugged and molested a woman at his suburban Philadelphia mansion in the first big celebrity trial of the #MeToo era: "Cosby is guilty. I'm sorry if you loved a lie. His victims can now exhale. Thank you judge and jury. Thank you society for waking up." - Harvey Weinstein accuser Rose McGowan, via Twitter. "Omg. This made me cry. " - #MeToo founder Tarana Burke, on seeing video of women running from the courtroom weeping and embracing, via Twitter. Actor and comedian Bill Cosby reacts while being notified a verdict was in in his sexual assault retrial, Thursday, April, 26, 2018, at the Montgomery County Courthouse in Norristown, Pa. A jury convicted the "Cosby Show" star of three counts of aggravated indecent assault on Thursday. The guilty verdict came less than a year after another jury deadlocked on the charges. (Mark Makela/Pool Photo via AP) "I hope Cosby's victims feel there was some justice done today. What he did was unforgivable. I wonder if he will show any remorse at sentencing and if his other victims will get a chance to speak." - Judd Apatow. "Unbelievably amazing news!!!!!" - Weinstein accuser Mira Sorvino, via Twitter. "ACCOUNTABILITY. This is the only way things will change." - Terry Crews, via Twitter. "Justice has been done! We are so happy that finally we can say women are believed." -Attorney Gloria Allred, who represented some of Cosby's accusers, outside court. "Just because you're rich and powerful doesn't mean another person's body is automatically available for sex. Consent must be given. #BillCosby" - Jessica Chastain, via Twitter. "With Bill Cosby's guilty verdict I hope these women find some peace and that all those who have not been able to find justice in other instances with other men have hope that they too will be heard." - Susan Sarandon, via Twitter. "This made me burst into tears." - Weinstein accuser Annabella Sciorra, on watching women exit courtroom in tears, via Twitter. "The state of America is this - Even with dozens of accusers we were all afraid Bill Cosby would walk." - Patricia Arquette, via Twitter. "Finally some justice for Bill Cosby's victims. May they find a little #peace today. #GUILTY" - Elizabeth Banks, via Twitter. "To the survivors of his abuse, and to all survivors - whether you receive justice swiftly or many years down the road, know that we see you, we hear you, and we believe you. You matter and what happened to you matters." - Mariska Hargitay, via Twitter. "JUSTICE! FINALLY! #Times Up." - Debra Messing, via Twitter. Bill Cosby looks around before he leaves the Montgomery County Courthouse, Thursday, April 26, 2018, in Norristown, Pa. After decades of whispers, lawsuits, investigations and close calls - and a multitude of women who lost hope anyone would ever believe their word against that of America's Dad - Cosby could be headed to prison at age 80 for the remainder of his life. (AP Photo/Corey Perrine) WASHINGTON (AP) - When Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin leads a delegation of American officials to Beijing next week, few analysts expect them to defuse a smoldering trade conflict with China. Rather, the likeliest outcome is a more modest one: That the talks could produce a delay in the series of damaging import tariffs the two nations have threatened to impose on each other's goods. The underlying frictions that have flared between the world's two largest economies will take much longer to resolve, government officials and China experts say. FILE- In this April 11, 2018, file photo, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin smiles as he testifies on the FY2019 budget during a hearing of the House Appropriations Committee Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs, on Capitol Hill in Washington. Mnuchin plans to lead a delegation of American officials to Beijing next week. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File) At stake are more than the American manufacturing jobs President Donald Trump vows to protect at rallies around the country. Rules that could determine which countries and which companies will dominate the tech, transportation and pharmaceutical industries for years to come are at issue. So is the state of the global economy: Any prolonged trade war would almost surely depress growth. For now, the two sides seem far apart. Larry Kudlow, Trump's top economic adviser, who will accompany Mnuchin, said it would take time to persuade China to conform to fundamental trade rules so that U.S. companies can compete without being forced to surrender their technological know-how as a price of doing business in that country, as Beijing now requires. "This program over time, hopefully, will be negotiated out," Kudlow told CNBC on Thursday. "If it's not, then the United States, President Trump will take action." By action, Kudlow meant the tariffs on roughly $150 billion in Chinese goods being threatened by the administration - a threat that has led China to announce its own tariffs on U.S. goods. Beijing argues that U.S. companies have benefited from both access to its 1.4 billion people - the single largest consumer market in the world - and the investments Chinese companies have made in the United States. "The Chinese side resolutely opposes any type of unilateralist or protectionist actions," Gao Feng, a spokesman for the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, said Thursday. "Investment by Chinese enterprises in the United States has made important contributions by increasing employment and promoting American economic development." Trade experts see in the dueling rhetoric a desire by both the United States and China to avoid the damage that would result from the tariffs. Elizabeth Economy, director for Asia studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, said the most realistic outcome from the talks is that China would fully honor a tentative plan it crafted with Trump a year ago. That plan emerged from a meeting Trump held at his Florida resort with President Xi Jinping. It included expanded U.S. beef exports, rules for importing cooked Chinese poultry, access to liquid natural gas from the United States and guidelines for providing financial services, among other elements. "The outcome of (next week's) negotiation should be understood as only the first in an escalating set of moves to force real market opening in China," Economy said. She noted that Trump has pushed what she calls a "transactional" approach to China trade policy in which he seeks "a series of short-term wins that may or may not yield a long-term gain." Another potential scenario concerns a dispute over auto and auto parts. Beijing could offer to cut its 25 percent tariff on auto imports and make it easier for U.S. carmakers to do business in China. In a recent speech, Xi pledged to do both. China could also offer to limit its steel exports - another source of tension - or announce purchases of U.S. natural gas or other products, analysts say. In return, the U.S. might have to drop some of its threatened tariffs. Yet such a deal would leave unaddressed one of the Trump administration's loudest complaints about China: That its policies force companies in high-tech industries to share their innovations to gain access to China's market. The administration has zeroed in on China's "Made in China 2025" policy, which seeks to bolster Chinese companies in such industries as semiconductors, artificial intelligence, pharmaceuticals and electric vehicles. The plan mostly involves subsidizing Chinese firms. But it also requires foreign companies to provide key details about their technology to Chinese partners. Derek Scissors, a China economist at the American Enterprise Institute, said that persuading China to amend its Made in China policies would be a brutal battle. "The Chinese are not going to give up their core industrial policy without a fight," Scissors said. "It's a multi-year process. You're not going to get them to change their mind without the tariffs going into effect (first)." It's too early in the dispute for any major breakthroughs, Scissors added. None of the threatened U.S. tariffs against Beijing have taken effect. "They're not going to give up anything important now; (the U.S.) hasn't done anything," Scissors said. Li-Gang Liu, China economist for Citigroup, said Beijing agreed to the talks "with an aim to avert a trade war." But Liu thinks China will insist on having its "own industrial policy" that enables it to move deeper into high tech sectors where the United States and other nations now enjoy an edge. By competing to dominate a future of robots, electric cars, computing and other high tech sectors, the United States and China appear to be on a collision course - one that led the administration to announce tariffs in the first place and China to retaliate. David Dollar, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, said the administration should focus on specific parts of the Made in China 2025 plan that are objectionable. Some elements, such as a requirement that automakers in China manufacture more electric vehicles, aren't that different from some U.S. policies. Still, "that's not something that you would nail down in a two day trip," he said. China sees it as a violation of its sovereignty for the United States to try to curb its economic ambitions. So even if next week's talks forestall a broader conflict, they risk hardening the fundamental gaps between the countries. "China's logic is that it is totally unfair for the U.S. to initiate a trade war," said Song Lifang, professor at School of Economics, Renmin University. "The more pressure the U.S. is trying to exert on China, the more unyielding the Chinese government will become." ___ AP writer Joe McDonald and AP researcher Yu Bing contributed to this report from Beijing. FILE- In this April 6, 2018, file photo, White House chief economic adviser Larry Kudlow talks to reporters outside the White House in Washington. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin plans to lead a delegation of American officials to Beijing next week. Kudlow, who will accompany Mnuchin, said it would take time to persuade China to conform to fundamental trade rules so that U.S. companies can compete without being forced to surrender their technological know-how as a price of doing business in that country, as Beijing now requires. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File) A meeting was held in the Russian Embassy in Armenia on April 25 with MPs Nikol Pashinyan and Ararat Mirzoyan, as well as spokesman of the Civil Contract party Tigran Avinyan, the Embassy said. April 26, 2018, 11:42 Russian Embassy calls to solve current situation in Armenia exclusively in constitutional field during meeting with MP Pashinyan STEPANAKERT, APRIL 26, ARTSAKHPRESS:During the talk the meeting participants discussed the current situation in Armenia and the capital Yerevan. The Russian side called on the organizers of opposition rallies and marches to go to constructive dialogue with the leadership and other political forces. The Russian Embassy said that the current situation should be solved exclusively in the constitutional field and for the benefit of all citizens of Armenia. The Russian side expressed hope that the country will soon return to its normal course. NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) - Protesters on Thursday urged ethnically-split Cyprus' government and breakaway Turkish Cypriot authorities to step up their protests against a nuclear power plant Russia is building on Turkey's Mediterranean coastline. Around 250 Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot protesters on Thursday linked arms across a 250-foot (75-meter) stretch of U.N. controlled buffer zone splitting the capital Nicosia to protest against the plant they say could pose a grave threat to Cyprus and the region because it'll be built in a seismic region. Protesters banged a drum emblazoned with the radiation hazard symbol and held a banner reading "No to nuclear power" in Greek, Turkish and English. Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot, protestors hold anti-nuclear placards and banners during a protest against the planned construction of a Russian-built nuclear power plant on Turkey, inside the U.N buffer zone in divided capital Nicosia, Cyprus, Thursday, April 26, 2018. Around 250 Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot protesters linked arms across a 250-foot stretch of U.N. controlled buffer zone to protest against the plant they say could pose a grave threat to Cyprus and the region. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) Left-wing parties and environmental groups from both sides of the divide staged the protest on the 32nd anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. It also came three weeks after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin launched the start of construction of the $20 billion plant at Akkuyu, around 60 miles (96 kilometers) from Cyprus' northern shoreline. It's expected to be completed by 2023. Greek Cypriot Charalambos Theopemptou, a Greens Party lawmaker, said the Cyprus government should get the European Union to take up the issue with Turkey which aims to join the bloc. Greens Party leader George Perdikis said his party petitioned Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades to pursue drafting a joint declaration against the plant with Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci, but without result. Turkish Cypriot school teachers' union boss Sener Elcil said many Turkish Cypriots know the risks and oppose the plant, but their leaders must end their silence and take a stand in order to marshal public support. The Cyprus government said earlier this month that it would lodge protests against the plant's construction. Turkey's 1974 invasion in the wake of a coup aiming at union with Greece divided Cyprus along ethnic lines. Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot, protestors hold cuddles and anti-nuclear placards during a protest against the planned construction of a Russian-built nuclear power plant on Turkey, inside the U.N buffer zone in divided capital Nicosia, Cyprus, Thursday, April 26, 2018. Around 250 Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot protesters linked arms across a 250-foot stretch of U.N. controlled buffer zone to protest against the plant they say could pose a grave threat to Cyprus and the region. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot, protestors hold cuddles and anti-nuclear placards during a protest against the planned construction of a Russian-built nuclear power plant on Turkey, inside the U.N buffer zone in divided capital Nicosia, Cyprus, Thursday, April 26, 2018. Around 250 Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot protesters linked arms across a 250-foot stretch of U.N. controlled buffer zone to protest against the plant they say could pose a grave threat to Cyprus and the region. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot, protestors hold cuddles and anti-nuclear placards during a protest against the planned construction of a Russian-built nuclear power plant on Turkey, inside the U.N buffer zone in divided capital Nicosia, Cyprus, Thursday, April 26, 2018. Around 250 Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot protesters linked arms across a 250-foot stretch of U.N. controlled buffer zone to protest against the plant they say could pose a grave threat to Cyprus and the region. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot, protestors hold cuddles and anti-nuclear placards during a protest against the planned construction of a Russian-built nuclear power plant on Turkey, inside the U.N buffer zone in divided capital Nicosia, Cyprus, Thursday, April 26, 2018. Around 250 Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot protesters linked arms across a 250-foot stretch of U.N. controlled buffer zone to protest against the plant they say could pose a grave threat to Cyprus and the region. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) - A group of rabbis wants a Kansas state senator and congressional candidate to stop comparing abortion to the Holocaust. The Rabbinical Association of Kansas City asked Leavenworth Republican Sen. Steve Fitzgerald in a letter to stop using the Holocaust for political purposes. Fitzgerald is seeking the GOP nomination in Kansas' 2nd District. Last month, he brought up the infamous Auschwitz doctor Josef Mengele during a debate over aborted fetal tissue. And last year, Fitzgerald compared Planned Parenthood to a Nazi concentration camp. The rabbis said in the letter that Fitzgerald's words abused the memory of those killed by the Nazi regime. Fitzgerald told The Kansas City Star Thursday he would take the rabbis' letter into consideration but he didn't promise to stop referencing the Holocaust during abortion debates. ___ Information from: The Kansas City Star, http://www.kcstar.com Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has ordered all members of the Defense Department to re-double their efforts to aggressively work to prevent and respond to sexual assaults across the military. In a memo released Thursday, Mattis said that officers and commanders must act as substitute parents for their young troops, charging leaders to 'use their authority and force of personality to prevent and eliminate sexual assault from our ranks.' His memo comes amid revelations that reports of sexual assaults across the military jumped by nearly 10 percent in 2017. In testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Mattis said Thursday that sexual assault is a cancer in the ranks and that he discussed the issue with senior leaders. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis listens to a question on the Department of Defense budget posture during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, Thursday April 26, 2018, on Capitol Hill in Washington In this photograph taken on August 14, 2015, a US army soldier and military dog keep watch as Afghan National Army (ANA) soldiers walk through coalition force Forward Operating Base (FOB) Connelly in the Khogyani district in the eastern province of Nangarhar 'I expect every member of the Department to use their initiative and courage to model ethical and legal behavior in the workplace, at home, and online,' Mattis said in the memo dated last week. 'Sexual assault is one of the most destructive factors in building a mission-focused military.' The Associated Press reported Wednesday that the overall increase in sexual assaults across the services in 2017 was fueled by a roughly 15-percent surge in reports in the Marine Corps. Officials said the Air Force and Navy had increases of about 9 percent and the Army about 8 percent. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss figures not yet publicly released. Mattis appeared to pin part of the problem on the youth of his force -- emphasizing the parental role that officers can play as they lead their troops. 'While casualties on the battlefield are understood to be consistent with our military duties, I accept no casualties due to sexual assault within our ranks,' Mattis said in his memo, invoking the Latin phrase meaning 'in the place of a parent. 'Military leaders are to be zealous in carrying out 'in loco parentis' responsibilities and ridding our ranks of such illegal, abhorrent behavior.' The increase in sexual assault reports came in a year that saw a massive online nude-photo sharing scandal rock the services, triggering greater awareness of sexual harassment and other similar complaints. The Marines were at the center of last year's online investigation by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and launched a large public campaign to raise awareness of inappropriate behavior and beef up enforcement of social media rules and conduct. Defense officials have consistently argued that an increase in reported assaults is a positive trend, because it's a highly underreported crime, both in the military and in society as a whole. Greater reporting, they argue, shows there is more confidence in the reporting system and greater comfort with the support for victims. It's unclear, however, if the increased reports in 2017 actually represent a growing problem or if victims were just more willing to come forward. It's also not clear if any of the added attention resulting from the online scandal prompted victims to file reports. NEW YORK (AP) - The former head of HSBC Bank's foreign exchange cash trading was sentenced Thursday to two years in prison on charges he traded ahead of his customers to make millions of dollars in a scheme known as "front running." "Mark Johnson exploited confidential information and betrayed a client in order to generate profits for HSBC and enrich himself," said U.S. Attorney Richard Donoghue. "Johnson has been held accountable for his crimes and today's sentence should serve as a deterrent to fraudsters seeking to cheat their victims." Johnson, 51, a United Kingdom citizen, was sentenced in Brooklyn federal court after being convicted in October 2017 of wire fraud conspiracy and wire fraud. He also must pay a $300,000 fine. Johnson and a co-defendant misused confidential information given to them by a client who wanted the bank to execute a foreign exchange transaction related to the planned sale of part of its ownership interest in an Indian subsidiary in 2011, according to authorities. Prosecutors say Johnson and other traders they directed bought British Pound Sterling for HSBC's "proprietary" accounts prior to converting about $3.5 billion in sales proceeds on behalf of the client into British Pound Sterling, knowing the large transaction would boost the price of the pound. This enabled them to generate roughly $7.3 million, some of it illegally, to the benefit of HSBC and at the expense of their client, authorities said. During the trial, Johnson insisted the client got a fair price and that HSBC was only "pre-hedging" the trade. Johnson's lawyer, Mark Wohl, said they intend to appeal. The bank wasn't accused of any wrongdoing. The co-defendant is in the U.K. fighting extradition. WASHINGTON (AP) - The parents of U.S. college student Otto Warmbier filed a wrongful death lawsuit against North Korea on Thursday, saying its government tortured and killed their son. Fred and Cindy Warmbier filed the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., seeking compensation for the death of the 22-year-old, whose plight had compounded tense U.S.-North Korean relations. Otto Warmbier, who was a student at University of Virginia, was arrested by North Korean authorities in January 2016 for stealing a propaganda poster and sentenced to 15 years in prison with hard labor. He died in June 2017, days after he was repatriated to the U.S. with severe brain damage. While the lawsuit may prove largely symbolic given the difficulty of recovering any damages the court might order, it comes at a delicate time in relations between Washington and Pyongyang. President Donald Trump is planning an unprecedented summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in the coming weeks to address the threat posed by its nuclear weapons, and the leaders of North and South Korea are due to meet Friday. "Otto was taken hostage, kept as a prisoner for political purposes, used as a pawn and singled out for exceptionally harsh and brutal treatment by Kim Jong Un," Fred Warmbier said in a statement. "Kim and his regime have portrayed themselves as innocent, while they intentionally destroyed our son's life. This lawsuit is another step in holding North Korea accountable for its barbaric treatment of Otto and our family," he said. The 22-page complaint outlines in blunt terms the adverse fortunes of Warmbier after he went on a five-day tour to North Korea run by a China-based tour operator, prior to taking up a study program in Hong Kong. He sought get a better understanding how people in the North's closed society lived, the lawsuit says. It says that after his arrest, Warmbier, from Cincinnati, Ohio, was pressured to make a televised confession and then convicted of subversion after a one-hour trial. He was denied communication with his family by any means until in early June 2017 they were informed he was in a coma and had been in that condition for one year. The lawsuit says that when Warmbier returned, his parents "were stunned to see his condition. Otto was blind and deaf. He had a shaved head, a feeding tube coming out of his nose, was jerking violently and howling, and was completely unresponsive to any of their efforts to comfort him." His once straight teeth were misaligned and he had an unexplained, scarred wound on his left foot. North Korea claimed that Warmbier had contracted botulism but his physicians in the U.S. found no evidence of that, according to the lawsuit which says that the North's false explanations for Otto's condition demonstrate that is it "covering up its torture and mistreatment of Otto while he was in North Korean custody." The lawsuit contends that North Korea is liable for Warmbier's wrongful death - describing it as "extrajudicial killing" - and calls for a judgment for both "economic and non-economic compensatory damages" to his parents. North Korea's mission at the United Nations in New York did not immediately respond Thursday to emails and phone calls seeking comment about the lawsuit. There are still three Americans held in North Korea, and their cases are a continuing source of tense relations between the adversary nations. U.S. officials have said that Mike Pompeo, the outgoing CIA director, raised the issue when he met with Kim on a rare trip to North Korea nearly four weeks ago to prepare for a Trump-Kim summit. House Speaker Paul Ryan has forced out the House chaplain, Reverend Patrick Conroy. Conroy had served as the chamber's chaplain since 2011 but offered his resignation last week at Ryan's urging. Conroy's resignation letter said he was offering to step down at Ryan's request, calling his seven years of House service 'one of the great privileges of my life.' But one senior Democratic aide told The Hill that people thought Conroy was pushed out because 'Republicans thought he was aligned with Democrats'. Ryan spokeswoman Ashlee Strong would not reveal the speaker's reasons for forcing Conroy out. Reverend Patrick Conroy offered his resignation last week at House Speaker Paul Ryan's urging. Conroy served on the House floor for seven years A spokesperson for Ryan offered no explanation as to why the chaplain was asked to leave. Reports have said Ryan forced him out because 'he aligned with the Democrats' 'As you have requested, I hereby offer my resignation as the 60th Chaplain of the United States House of Representatives,' the April 15 letter to Ryan, obtained by The Hill, states. Lawmakers such as Rep. Brendan Boyle, D-Pa., said they were in the dark as to why 'Father Pat' was eased out. Boyle, a Catholic, said he did not know that Conroy was ousted until hearing it from media accounts. The offices of Ryan and top House Democrat Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., offered differing accounts. Ryan spokeswoman Strong said Ryan consulted with Pelosi and said Pelosi could have blocked the chaplain's firing if she wished. Pelosi's office contended that she made it clear that she disagreed with the decision and said she only heard positive comments from lawmakers about Conroy. Pelosi would not comment as she walked to the House floor Thursday afternoon. A bipartisan group of lawmakers is allegedly planning to send a letter to Ryan to request additional information about Conroy leaving, The Hill reported. One senior Democratic aide told the news site that people thought Conroy was pushed out because 'Republicans thought he was aligned with Democrats.' According to a lawmaker, Ryan took issue with a prayer the Conroy did on the House floor in November that appeared critical of the GOP's tax bill, but this has not been confirmed. The chaplain is responsible for opening the House each day with a prayer and offering counseling to lawmakers and aides on the House side of the Capitol. Conroy is a Roman Catholic priest from the Jesuit order. MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) - Alabama's capital-city newspaper has published an apology for its "shameful" coverage of mob violence against African-Americans, delivering the message on the same day that the first memorial to America's lynching victims opened a half mile away. The Montgomery Advertiser's editorial board wrote that "we were wrong" for the way the paper covered lynchings from the 1870s through the 1950s. The board apologized for the paper's "careless" and dehumanizing coverage of lynchings, which it said fed a false narrative about African-Americans and often assumed the victim was guilty of a crime. "We propagated a world view rooted in racism and the sickening myth of racial superiority," the editorial said. In this Thursday, April 26, 2018 image provided by the Montgomery Advertiser, the front page of the paper is shown, in Montgomery, Ala. Alabama's capital newspaper published a front-page apology for its "shameful" coverage of mob violence against African-Americans on Thursday as the first national memorial to lynching victims opened in the city. The Montgomery Advertiser was founded in 1829 and edited by a Confederate veteran after the Civil War.(Montgomery Advertiser, via AP) Founded in 1829, the newspaper was edited by a Confederate veteran after the Civil War. Bro Krift, the Advertiser's executive editor, said the paper was "clearly complicit" since it failed to hold those who committed mob violence accountable. "We wrote stories with loaded words," Krift said in an interview. "We were making assumptions about what was going on. That's fundamentally what you're not supposed to do as a journalist. You're supposed to be non-biased." The editorial concluded a series by the newspaper on the legacy of lynchings and the opening of the nation's first memorial to its victims. The Montgomery-based legal advocacy organization Equal Justice Initiative opened the memorial and a museum to commemorate about 4,400 lynching victims nationwide, including more than 300 people killed in Alabama between 1877 and 1950. Bryan Stevenson, executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative, said Monday he was proud of the newspaper for acknowledging its past failings in covering lynchings. In one case reported on by the Advertiser, a group of masked men shot Oliver Jackson after he was accused of killing someone in 1894. The paper's coverage at the time described Jackson as being a born murderer even though his parents were quiet and hardworking. Krift said he knew from the beginning of the project that the paper needed to apologize for its past before moving forward. "If we're thinking about where we are as a community, we thought it was good to own up. It's part of the healing process," Krift said. HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Pennsylvania's attorney general wants a judge to reinstate involuntary manslaughter charges against five former Penn State fraternity members arrested in a pledge's hazing-related death last year. Attorney General Josh Shapiro's office filed a notice of appeal Thursday that also seeks to have additional charges reinstated against the five as well as three other defendants. A district judge last month threw out dozens of charges in the case, including many of the most serious. Prosecutors still are reviewing the cases of 15 other frat members charged in the death of 19-year-old Tim Piazza, of Lebanon, New Jersey. Piazza suffered fatal head and abdominal injuries the night of an alcohol-fueled pledge bid acceptance ceremony at the now-shuttered Beta Theta Pi fraternity house. Piazza family attorney Tom Kline applauded the attorney general's decision. DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - Because of its place on the calendar, the Drake Relays has always been at the mercy of the weather. After a miserable spring in Iowa, the organizers of this weekend's meet couldn't have asked for better conditions. Competitors are expected to be greeted by sunny skies and temperatures in the low 70s on Friday and near 60 degrees for Saturday's closing session. Those conditions could lead to some new Drake records after just one mark - Omar McLeod's own in the men's 110-meter hurdles (13.04 seconds) - fell a year ago in part because of nasty weather. Kurtis Brondyke lands in the pit during the decathlon long jump at the Drake Relays athletics meet, Wednesday, April 25, 2018, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) Here are some of the races and events to look out for at the 109th annual Drake Relays, the first of two major track meets at Drake Stadium this year. The USA Track and Field outdoor meet will be held in Des Moines in June. THE HOT ONE HUNDRED Drake will host a men's invitational 100-meter race for the first time since 2005, and seven of the eight runners set to compete in it on Saturday have Olympic experience. Seven of those eight athletes have also run the 100 in under 10 seconds - and that's never been done at Drake before. Three-time Canadian Olympic medalist Andre De Grasse, who took bronze at the 2016 Rio Games in this event, headlines a field that also features four Americans. The U.S. runner most likely to push De Grasse could be Mike Rodgers, who has a personal record of 9.85 and was the leadoff runner for the Americans in the 400 relay at Rio Games in 2016. HURDLES McLeod, a Jamaican and the defending Olympic gold medalist, withdrew from the men's 110 hurdles race earlier this week after claiming the last two meet titles. But world record holder Aries Merritt, the gold medalist at the London Olympics in 2012, is in the field along with Rio Olympian Devon Allen. The women's 100 hurdles event features the current world record holder in Kendra Harrison, along with 2012 London winner Dawn Harper-Nelson and past Drake winners Kristi Castlin and Jasmin Stowers. TWO TO GO Native Iowan Jenny Simpson, the storied American distance runner, worked with second-year meet director Blake Bolden to bring a new event, the women's two-mile run, to the program. Simpson, who won bronze in the 1,500 in Rio, who will attempt to break the U.S. record of 9:20.25 set by Shannon Rowbury in 2014. "I really hoping we can pull it off. It's going to be hard," said Simpson of her record try. "As long as I can stay on pace, hopefully I can bring it home." FIELD EVENTS The popular men's shot put event is back on the program this year, with Rio gold medalist and Olympic record holder Ryan Crouser of the U.S. leading a field that also includes 2017 world champion Tom Walsh of New Zealand. The field for the women's pole vault on Friday will be led by American Sandi Morris, the U.S. record holder and the silver medalist in Rio. Defending Drake and world champion Sam Kendricks will be favored in the men's pole vault. HE SAID IT "To come here and have this kind of weather, it's absolutely amazing," said Bershawn Jackson, a favorite for the men's 400 hurdles. "This is my fourth year coming (to Drake) and it's been absolutely cold every year." WASHINGTON (AP) - When the FBI raided a client of Martin and Jane Raskin's law firm, the attorneys fended off the search warrant with an emergency motion that argued the records were protected by attorney-client privilege. A protective order was issued, the documents were placed in a locked room and a special master was appointed. That experience is newly relevant now that the Florida attorneys have joined Donald Trump's legal team during a critical phase of special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation and as the president finds himself entangled in a court clash in New York over a raid targeting his personal attorney, Michael Cohen, that he believes violated attorney-client privilege. The Raskins and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani were announced last week as new additions to a legal team that for months had struggled to attract criminal defense firepower. Their task will be navigating the president to safety through the final stages of Mueller's investigation, including a pivotal decision on whether Trump will sit for an interview with prosecutors. In this April 26, 2018, photo, President Donald Trump speaks at White House in Washington, Thursday, April 26, 2018. Martin and Jane Raskin, added last week to President Donald Trump's legal team is described by those who know them as experienced, skilled and humble, a striking counterpoint to some of the other attorneys who have represented him over the last year. The Raskin's are joining the legal team at a critical phase in special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation as Trump weighs whether to sit for an interview with prosecutors. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File) Lawyers who know the couple describe them as highly competent, experienced and humble, their low-key style a striking counterpoint to some of the more bombastic personalities who have represented Trump in the last year, including one who called for Mueller's investigation to be shut down. "I think of them as really normal, nice, very good lawyers. They're not flame-throwers," said Jeffrey Sloman, a former federal prosecutor in Miami. "I think they're behind-the-scenes type of people. I don't think you're going to see them being on Fox News promoting the idea that Mueller's office is off in the woods." The couple was recruited by White House lawyer Ty Cobb, who has known them for years. The Raskins have met with Trump lawyer Jay Sekulow, a longtime member of the legal team, and with the president himself. Jane Raskin referred questions to Sekulow, who has praised the former prosecutors as having a "nationwide practice and reputation for excellence and integrity." The Raskins have deep experience at the Justice Department, having served on mob-busting strike forces in the 1980s and later as senior supervisors at U.S. attorney offices in Boston and Miami. They met at a conference where Jane Raskin was delivering a lecture on white-collar crime, wed in 1990 and opened their joint practice soon after. U.S. District Judge Donald L. Graham, a longtime friend and former law partner of Martin Raskin, said the husband-and-wife lawyers "are very strategic." Jane Raskin is "a very smart lawyer and a talented writer," Graham said, while "Marty is more the trial lawyer, who identifies well with jurors." "Some lawyers are overly aggressive and believe that aggressiveness is the mark of a good lawyer. Well, it's not," Graham said. "They believe that a professional, courteous approach is the best way to resolve issues." They've handled a broad range of civil and criminal cases, representing a doctor who was accused but not charged of improperly prescribing large quantities of pain medicine, an auction firm investigated on price fixing allegations and a local prosecutor who was sued by a county commissioner who alleged she'd been targeted in a politically motivated prosecution. The case was dismissed. In 2014, they scored a much-publicized acquittal in the case of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent accused of extorting money from an informant. Years earlier, the Raskins were involved in a high-stakes court fight over a 1996 Florida Everglades plane crash that killed 110 people. Their client, a jet repair company, stood accused of recklessly supplying oxygen generators blamed for the fire that caused the ValuJet wreck. But Martin Raskin contended the crash was an accident and not a crime, an assertion accepted by a federal appeals court that in 2001 tossed all but one conviction against the company, SabreTech Inc., and vacated a multimillion-dollar penalty. That case could be instructive in how the Raskins approach the Mueller investigation. Writing about the case in a 2000 article in Air & Space Law, Martin Raskin warned how just being under "the government microscope" can quickly result in being the target of an expansive investigation. Once "SabreTech was placed in the government's crosshairs, any aspect of its business was fair game," he wrote. That includes the threat of prosecution for making false statements, a charge Mueller has repeatedly used. "The false statement statute is one of the most flexible and effective weapons used by federal prosecutors, in large part because it has been interpreted so expansively by the courts," he wrote. Despite their success, colleagues say the Raskins are modest and unassuming. David Weinstein, a Florida attorney, said they "don't necessarily tout their exploits anywhere other than the website." Sloman, the former prosecutor, said that in talking to the couple, "you wouldn't know their prior histories, you wouldn't know their prior success." No matter their experience, it's hard to imagine anyone can be truly prepared for an investigation as consequential as the Mueller case and for a client as unpredictable as Trump, who has repeatedly spurned legal advice with inflammatory and potentially damaging statements. Although Mueller's team has indicated to Trump's lawyers that he's not considered a target, investigators remain interested in whether the president's actions constitute obstruction of justice and want to interview him about several episodes in office. The lawyers have been looking to resolve the investigation as quickly as possible, but there's no agreement on how to do that. The addition of new lawyers will almost certainly reset some of that discussion. But the Raskins' supporters say they're confident the couple can be an asset. Attorney Jamie Benjamin, who has known the couple for years, said, "Donald hit the jackpot when it comes to competence and creativity." ___ Associated Press writer Jessica Gresko in Washington contributed to this report. The investigative committee of Bashkortostan, Russia, launched criminal proceedings over the deaths of five people in a restaurant of Ufa. April 26, 2018, 13:12 Five ethnic Armenians dead in Russia restaurant gas leak STEPANAKERT, APRIL 26, ARTSAKHPRESS:Moskovsky Komsomolets newspaper reported that earlier on April 13, one of the employees of the restaurant entered the utility hole without wearing a protective mask to close the water vault, but lost consciousness shortly afterwards. Five others entered the manhole to help their colleague, but they too lost consciousness. Four employees died instantly, while one died later in the hospital. Another employee is hospitalized. The likely cause of death is a methane leak an odorless and colorless gas which mainly accumulates in underground facilities near water. The restaurant is located near Belaya River, which explains the gas accumulation. Similar cases happen when businesses fail to maintain proper safety precautions and fail to train their staff accordingly. The restaurant is owned by the local Armenian community. All victims were ethnic Armenians. SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) - For the first time in Puerto Rico's history, legislators on Thursday introduced a bill created by a federal control board overseeing the island's finances that aims to impose austerity measures the U.S. territory's government has rejected. The bill would reduce vacation and sick leave by half, eliminate a popular Christmas bonus and increase the minimum wage for certain workers if Puerto Rico manages to increase its labor participation rate as it struggles to recover from Hurricane Maria amid an 11-year recession. Now that the bill has been submitted, it will lead to what many anticipate will be a fierce debate between Jose Carrion, president of a board that Congress established two years ago, and the president of Puerto Rico's Senate, Thomas Rivera Schatz. He ordered Carrion to appear at a public hearing on May 1, the same day that tens of thousands of Puerto Ricans are expected to go on strike to protest austerity measures the board approved last week in a 6-1 vote. "(Carrion) can explain to us the 'virtues and benefits' that this so-called 'labor reform' might have, if any," Schatz said in a written statement. Carrion has said the board would consider going to court if Puerto Rico's government refuses to implement the recently approved measures. They are part of seven fiscal plans that will serve as Puerto Rico's economic blueprints in upcoming years as it struggles to emerge from a financial crisis and restructure a portion of its $72 billion public debt load. The bill was submitted the same day the board ordered Puerto Rico's government to submit a proposed fiscal year 2019 budget by May 4 that is consistent with fiscal plan figures. Several economists have said they believe the fiscal plans are overly optimistic when estimating how much federal funds Puerto Rico will receive as a result of Hurricane Maria, a Category 4 storm that struck on Sept. 20 and caused more than an estimated $100 billion in damage. Martin Guzman, an economist at Columbia University, said Thursday during a visit to the U.S. territory that the fiscal plans also underestimate the impact of new austerity measures. "This is not the time to make structural changes," he said, adding that reforms, "don't usually generate growth miracles." He and other economists also called for an audit of Puerto Rico's debt before it can be restructured. A federal court judge is currently holdings hearings after Puerto Rico filed for the biggest U.S. municipal bankruptcy in May 2017. Greg Clark, head of municipal research of New York-based Debtwire, said in a phone interview that the lack of audited financials since 2015 means there is no baseline to judge the validity of projections presented in the fiscal plans. "That's where I think the big flaw is," he said. "I'm still surprised the board hasn't taken care of that kind of thing." In addition, Clark said the austerity measures that the board approved will be a tough sell in Puerto Rico: "The legislature there has become more populist...and that doesn't bode well for the passage of these types of things." WASHINGTON (AP) - The Senate Ethics Committee admonished Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey on Thursday for repeatedly accepting gifts of significant value, failing to report them and for advancing the personal and business interests of a donor. The panel began its review in late 2012 and renewed it after the senator's federal bribery trial ended last fall with the jury hopelessly deadlocked on all charges. Prosecutors elected not to retry the case, lifting a legal cloud as Menendez seeks re-election to a third term in the Senate. The Ethics Committee said in a public letter of admonition that Menendez repeatedly accepted gifts from Dr. Salomon Melgen from 2006 through 2013 and also used his position to advance Melgen's interests. The gifts cited by the committee included travel on private and commercial flights, a luxury hotel stay in Paris and lodging on 19 occasions at a villa in the Dominican Republic. FILE - In this March 28, 2018, file photo, Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., speaks during an event kicking off his campaign for re-election at Union City High School in Union City, N.J. The Senate Ethics Committee has admonished Menendez repeatedly accepting gifts of significant value, failing to report them and for advancing the personal and business interests of a donor. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File) "You did not pay fair market value for, or, where required, obtain necessary written approval from the Committee to accept these gifts," the panel said. During the same time, the committee said Menendez used his position in the Senate to intervene at Melgen's request with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which had found that Melgen had overbilled the agency by more than $8.9 million. The intervention took place over three years, reaching its peak in Menendez meeting with the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. The committee said Menendez also advocated for ICSSI, a port security company owned by Melgen, and he helped foreign nationals obtain visas to visit Melgen in the United States. Melgen, a prominent Florida eye doctor, received a 17-year sentence in February for stealing $73 million from Medicare by persuading elderly patients to undergo excruciating tests and treatments they didn't need for diseases they didn't have. Prosecutors showed that between 2008 and 2013, he became the nation's highest-paid Medicare doctor, building his practice by giving elderly patients unnecessary eye injections and laser blasts on their retinas that some compared to torture. The Senate Ethics Committee includes three Republicans and three Democrats. The strong findings from the panel are rare. The Ethics Committee sometimes goes years without issuing a press release. If the committee finds a violation occurred, it may take a series of actions, including issuing a public or private letter of admonition or recommending disciplinary action by the full Senate, up to and including expulsion on a two-thirds vote. Four of the six lawmakers who signed the letter serve with Menendez on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, where he is the ranking Democratic member. The panel said it has determined that Menendez violated "Senate Rules, federal law and applicable standards of conduct." The panel also directed Menendez to repay the fair market value of all impermissible gifts not already repaid and to amend his financial disclosure reports. It said the assistance that Menendez provided Melgen during a time when he repeatedly accepted gifts of significant value demonstrated poor judgment and risked undermining the public's confidence in the Senate. "Your actions reflected discredit upon the Senate," the panel wrote. Marc Elias, an attorney for Menendez, said on Twitter that the findings in the Ethics Committee's letter "were not only contradicted by the presiding judge and rejected by the jury, but the proceedings clearly demonstrated that there was no violation of any law." Elias said that with the Ethics Committee process now concluded, "Sen. Menendez looks forward to continuing to serve the people of New Jersey." When the decision not to retry Menendez was announced Jan. 31, the senator said the Department of Justice came to the "appropriate conclusion." He also said that he "never wavered in my innocence and my belief that justice would prevail." Prosecutors had sought to prove Melgen's gifts to Menendez were actually bribes. Menendez, 64, launched his re-election bid last month. He is being challenged by Bob Hugin, a Republican political newcomer who formerly headed New Jersey-based pharmaceutical company Celgene. Republican reaction to the Senate panel's finding was swift and harsh. "Bob Menendez's scandalous conduct laid out in this letter should outrage every New Jersey voter," said Bob Salera, a spokesman for the National Republican Senatorial Committee. "The Senate Ethics Committee found what was already crystal clear from Menendez's criminal trial - Bob Menendez is a crook and an embarrassment." The committee said it considered several factors in coming to its conclusion. The panel said it understood he had long-held beliefs related to an effective Medicare program and port security, but the fact that a cause is worthy does not negate the need to comply with ethical standards. The committee said it also was aware that Menendez described Melgen as his closest friend and "brother." "But this makes your assistance to him no less troubling," the panel said. The panel noted that Menendez has repaid some of the gifts Melgen provided, but it determined that such repayment does not erase the violation given the lapse of time between acceptance and repayment, and the circumstances that prompted the repayment. The panel concluded its report saying, "finally, by this letter, you are hereby severely admonished." ____ Reach Kevin Freking on Twitter at https://twitter.com/APkfreking JACKSON, Miss. (AP) - Toyota Motor Corp. announced Thursday that it will invest $170 million and add 400 jobs at its Mississippi assembly plant as it shifts some production of the Corolla sedan from Canada. The company said it will retool the Blue Springs plant beginning later this year to make its next-generation Corolla sedan. Such changeovers are frequent at auto plants, but this one will also increase the plant's capacity. Spokeswoman Kathryn Ragsdale said Toyota now can make 170,000 vehicles yearly at the northeast Mississippi plant. Ragsdale couldn't say how much capacity would increase after production lines are replaced. The spending brings Toyota's total investment in Mississippi to $1.16 billion. Although Corolla sales are declining right now, Ragsdale said the company believes a 2020 redesign will boost sales. More importantly, the company is pulling Corolla production from its Cambridge, Ontario, plant to build more RAV4 SUVs there. Toyota had planned to shift Corolla production to Mexico, but then decided to build pickups there, leaving Blue Springs and a new plant that Toyota and Mazda are jointly building in Huntsville, Alabama, as the sites for North American Corolla production. "The world is looking forward to these additional Corollas," Gov, Phil Bryant told a crowd at the plant. "They're looking forward to this 2020 platform, and we want to make sure we're providing every auto they need." Bryant, a Republican, also said he hoped Mississippi would be able to attract more automotive suppliers to serve Blue Springs and the Huntsville plant. The factory, which has 2,000 workers now, began production in 2011. Part of the investment involves overhauling it to accommodate Toyota's New Global Architecture, an engineering system that allows Toyota to share certain parts and components among several vehicles and quickly shift assembly lines to make more popular vehicles. "The Toyota New Global Architecture allows us to completely change how we design and produce vehicles," said Sean Suggs, president of Toyota Motor Manufacturing Mississippi. Suggs said the 400 new assembly workers are being hired by contract labor agency ResourceMFG over the next year. They'll make about $31,000 yearly to start, Ragsdale said. She said that after two years or more, those workers are likely to be offered a chance to become direct Toyota employees. Toyota's 1,500 direct employees have wages between $36,600 and $53,600. State officials say the Japanese automaker will get incentives including property tax breaks and rebates on worker income taxes. However, those worker income tax rebates are only available for workers making above $41,000 a year, meaning some employees could make too little for Toyota to qualify, at least for part of the 10-year window. Under state law, Toyota gets a two-thirds break on its property taxes for 10 years on new investments. Such a break will probably be worth millions. State and local governments have already given Toyota more than $325 million in grants and tax breaks. Also Thursday, Toyota unveiled the design for a $10 million visitor and training center that it announced last year. Toyota has said it will invest $10 billion in United States facilities in the five years ending in 2022 and said Thursday that it is now $4.3 billion into that commitment. ___ Follow Jeff Amy on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/jeffamy . Read his work at https://www.apnews.com/search/Jeff_Amy . CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) - President Nicolas Maduro says Venezuela and Panama are restoring diplomatic and business ties cut during heightened tensions just weeks earlier. Maduro said Thursday in a nationally televised broadcast that he and Panamanian President Juan Carlos Varela settled their differences by phone. The two countries agreed to return their ambassadors and resume commercial airline flights, among other measures. Relations between the countries broke in early April shortly after Panama put Maduro on a watch list of Venezuelan officials as being at "high risk" for laundering money. In the ensuing diplomatic spat both countries had banned dozens of key businesses from the other country and pulled home their ambassadors. Maduro says the two leaders also agreed to create a commission to resolve all other outstanding challenges between the two Latin American countries. Brexit Secretary David Davis has been warned the country is on track for a constitutional crisis, after he confirmed that MPs will be able to amend the Governments motion on the final EU withdrawal agreement. The Brexit Secretary said the motion this autumn which Prime Minister Theresa May has previously described as a take it or leave it choice will relate to a political agreement expected to be reached with Brussels, rather than a full legal treaty. But he told the House of Commons Exiting the EU Committee it remains the Governments intention to have a treaty ready for signing immediately after the formal date of Brexit on March 29 2019. Mr Davis confirmed that the motion could be amended by the House (Victoria Jones/PA) The confirmation that the Governments motion will be amendable opens the door to opponents of Brexit seeking to force a vote on a second referendum. And Labour committee member Stephen Kinnock demanded to know what the Government would do if Parliament told ministers to go back and renegotiate the deal. To be clear, if the House amends the motion and instructs the Government to go back to Brussels and negotiate a different deal to the one that was put before us, the Government would respect the will of the House and go back to Brussels to do that? asked Mr Kinnock. Mr Davis did not rule out the possibility, but questioned how much force the Government would have in negotiations if it was sent back with its tail between its legs by Parliament. He told the committee: Im not going to speculate on amendments that have not even yet been laid, let alone been passed by the House. Mr Kinnock responded: Surely you must appreciate the risk of us heading towards a constitutional crisis here? And surely its the responsibility of the Government to have scenarios in mind so that it is ready to respond when the House does vote? Mr Davis played down suggestions that the Governments proposals for the Irish border had run into the sand. David Davis gives evidence to the House of Commons Exiting the EU Committee (www.parliamentlive.tv/PA) Reports last week suggested that Brussels had dismissed as unworkable both of the options put forward by London, which would either see the UK collect customs tariffs on behalf of the EU or use technology to avoid delays at the border. The reports sparked speculation that Brussels is trying to edge the UK into remaining in some form of customs union with the EU something which committee Brexiteers regard as unacceptable, as it would prevent Britain from forging new trade deals elsewhere in the world. But Mr Davis rejected committee chairman Hilary Benns suggestion that the UK solutions had been emphatically ruled out by Brussels, insisting that the EU was simply setting out an opening position in negotiations. He played down the likelihood of defeat on an upcoming Commons vote on keeping the UK in a customs union, but suggested that ministers would respect MPs decision if that was the outcome. Challenged on how the Government would respond to defeat, he said: Im not going to enter into hypotheticals. The Government always respects Parliament but I expect the Governments policy to be upheld. Mr Davis was speaking ahead of a meeting on Wednesday afternoon of a Cabinet sub-committee dubbed Mrs Mays Brexit war cabinet, which will bring together senior ministers to drive negotiations forward in the vital coming months. It is understood that the customs union is not on the formal agenda, but the issue is expected to test Cabinet unity in the coming weeks, with senior Brexiteers like Boris Johnson and Liam Fox understood to be wary of any concession. Addressing the Brexit Committee, Mr Davis restated Government promises of a meaningful vote on the final deal, but confirmed that MPs and peers are likely at that stage to be presented with a political declaration rather than a treaty draft. Asked by Mr Benn whether the motion would be amendable, the Brexit Secretary replied: If you can tell me how to write an unamendable motion, I will take a tutorial. And pressed on whether ministers will regard the outcome as binding, Mr Davis said: The Government is unlikely to put a vote to the House which it doesnt intend to take properly seriously. If the House rejects the proposed negotiation, that negotiation will fall. Further votes could then be expected on any treaties which emerge from the process, which could include a separate pact on security and defence as well as the main agreement on economic relations, he said. Mr Davis denied suggestions the Government was winging it over Brexit. No, we are not winging it, but we are having to accommodate different changes as we go along, he said. Theresa Mays official spokesman later said it remained the Governments position that MPs will be offered a take it or leave it vote on the Brexit deal. We have been clear that this is a vote either to accept the deal or reject it, said the PMs spokesman. A wealthy antiques dealer who strangled his seven-year-old daughter in an act of pure selfishness has admitted murder mid-way through his trial. Robert Peters, 56, throttled Sophia with a dressing gown cord while alone with her at his 1 million family home in Wimbledon, south-west London, last November. Afterwards, he called 999 to report what he had done and the child was rushed to hospital, but died the following day. The killing came just over a month after depressed and suicidal Peters was found not to be a risk by a child protection team. Peters had admitted manslaughter but denied murder, claiming he was hearing voices at the time. But three days into his Old Bailey trial, he dramatically changed his plea, watched by Sophias mother Krittiya his third wife and other family members. Wealthy antiques dealer Robert Peters has admitted at the Old Bailey, the murder of his seven-year-old daughter, Sophia (Metropolitan Police/PA) Peters had recently ended a two-and-a-half-year affair with a married Home Office official he met online. Mrs Peters had caught him on the phone with the woman but forgave him and he moved back home, the court heard. He was also worrying about his finances and claimed his Kensington-based oriental antiques business was going bankrupt, even though he had a Jaguar car and plenty of money in the bank. In the months before the killing, Peters searched the internet for serial killers, treatment of child killers in prison and premeditated murder. He chose his opportunity to kill her before she was due to return to her 5,000-a-term boarding school after the half-term break. Peters waited until his wife had gone out before he woke Sophia up in bed by tying a cord around her neck and throttling her for up to half an hour. She asked him what he was doing and Peters said sorry, but carried on as she struggled, the court heard. When officers arrived at his Blenheim Road home, Peters calmly told them: Shes upstairs. Ive strangled her. Sophia was found curled up in bed wearing a nightie and knickers with a black fleece dressing gown cord wrapped and knotted tightly round her neck. She had a weak pulse and was rushed to hospital, joined soon after by her mother, who was escorted there by police. Sophia was treated in intensive care but died from brain damage the next day, on November 4 last year. Following his arrest, Peters admitted not being a good father and said he had been suffering a breakdown. He said he had been thinking of killing his wife and family for several weeks so they could be spared the pain and upset when he became bankrupt. Peters told police he had been visited by a child protection team and feared Sophia would be taken into care. But an assessment had already concluded on September 27 that he was not a risk to himself or others and the case was closed. Peters will be sentenced on Monday (Daniel Leal-Olivas/PA) It can now be reported that Peters second wife Francine claimed he had throttled her during their marriage, which ended acrimoniously in 2009. She said in a statement in the wake of the killing: He grabbed me around the neck, was strangling me. It was on a hot summer month. I had marks on my neck. She also alleged he was controlling and had headbutted her and slapped her around the face. But Jim Sturman QC, defending, dismissed her account, which was not put before the jury, saying it never happened. Mr Justice Edis remanded Peters into custody to be sentenced on Monday. Detective Inspector Helen Rance, of Scotland Yard, said: Sophia was an innocent seven-year-old girl, much loved by her mother and friends. She was tragically murdered by the hands of her own father in the most frightening way. Sophia had her whole life ahead of her, which was taken away so cruelly in an act of pure selfishness. Robert Peters has shown no remorse for the murder, and initially maintained a defence of diminished responsibility. However, due to the strong evidence against him, he has changed his plea to guilty. This was a particularly traumatic case to deal with for all concerned, and I hope that this conviction brings a degree of closure to Sophias family. Foul-mouthed spin doctor Malcolm Tucker has made a re-appearance on Australian TV. Peter Capaldi channelled his famous character, from The Thick Of It, when he was asked what advice he would give a struggling Australian politician. Appearing on The Sunday Project, he was asked what his infamous alter-ego would have said. Peter Capaldi portrayed terrifying spin doctor Malcolm Tucker in The Thick Of It (Jane Barlow/PA) Capaldi replied: I think he would have said she was as useless as a marzipan dildo. Were looking at a total omnishambles there. She was all over the place like a mad womans shit. And Im only getting started, he added. Continuing, he looked into the camera and addressed the politician, saying: Im willing to help, if you want to talk to me. Im not Doctor Who anymore! Social media companies must play their role in tackling spiralling childhood obesity levels, Labour has said. MPs and peers from the party gathered in Westminster in support of TV chef Jamie Olivers campaign for a ban on advertising unhealthy foods before the 9pm watershed. Labours deputy leader Tom Watson said social media firms can bypass parents to target unhealthy food directly at children. Shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth showing his support for Jamie Olivers #Adenough campaign (Stefan Rousseau/PA) He said: We are saying to advertisers you have got to play your role in this, and TV. But we are also saying in the modern age of digital with these huge social platforms targeting children with high sugar, high fat advertising, it is a way that they get round parental control or parental oversight of what their kids see on this. Shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth warned there was a real crisis in childhood obesity levels. He said: We have got some of the worst rates of childhood obesity in Europe and if we dont act something like half of our children will be obese by 2020. Theres lots that government can be doing but we think one of the big changes they could make is by restricting the advertisement of junk food to our children, whether thats on television or the digital world. But we have got to do something because we have got a real crisis. Obese children grow up into adults with all sorts of health conditions. Its creating a huge burden on the NHS so its in our interests to solve this, not just for the health of children but for the future sustainability of the NHS too. It comes after opposition leaders wrote a joint letter to the Prime Minister urging her to tackle the obesity crisis. In the missive to Theresa May, seen by the Press Association, Jeremy Corbyn, Nicola Sturgeon, Sir Vince Cable, Caroline Lucas and Jonathan Bartley urged her to take bold action to tackle one of the greatest health challenges of our time. They called for 13 measures, including an end to buy-one-get-one-free junk food deals. In a post on his website, Oliver wrote: Its time we put child health first. Im calling for the Government to introduce a 9pm watershed on junk food advertising on TV, and for proper controls on what ads kids see online, in the street and on public transport. Crucially, this campaign isnt about stopping big brands from advertising full stop; its about making sure kids arent being targeted with unhealthy products. Its about controlling the time and place. Protecting child health safeguards Britains future, which to me is morally above any political position. So this letter is a big moment! These major party leaders have put aside their differences and said, We dont agree on everything, but we do agree on this. #AdEnough https://t.co/gpukS7CiTu Jamie Oliver (@jamieoliver) April 25, 2018 He added: If kids are constantly being targeted with cheap, easily accessible, unhealthy junk food, just think how hard it must be to make better, healthier choices. We have to make it easier for children to make good decisions. These ads undermine any positive work were doing in schools or at home to tackle the rise of childhood obesity. Currently, theres nothing in place to protect our kids from seeing these adverts apart from literally covering their eyes! And thats where our #AdEnough campaign comes in. Rapper Meek Mill has said that now that he is out of prison, a lot of people facing similar battles with the criminal justice system are depending on him. I got a lot of responsibility, he said in an interview with Lester Holt of NBC Nightly News. He said the men counting on him are going through the same thing Im going through. Rapper Meek Mill rings a Liberty Bell replica before the playoff game between the Miami Heat and the Philadelphia 76ers (Chris Szagola/AP) WATCH: Rapper Meek Mill speaks out to @LesterHoltNBC in an exclusive interview following his release from prison. https://t.co/fv76gjY7G7 pic.twitter.com/OUwQu7zB76 NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt (@NBCNightlyNews) April 26, 2018 The Philadelphia-born rapper rang a replica Liberty Bell at centre court of the Philadelphia 76ers first-round clinching playoff game Tuesday less than two hours after being freed on bail while he appeals decade-old gun and drug convictions. He was released after the state Supreme Court directed a Philadelphia judge who had jailed him to immediately issue an order letting him out. Asked if he felt free, Mill told Holt: I aint feel free since I caught this case at age of 19 Im 30 now. Mill had been sentenced in November to two to four years behind bars for probation violations, setting off an all-out battle by a team of lawyers and public relations consultants to get him released on bail. They fiercely criticised the judge as a stream of high-powered figures and celebrities visited Mill in jail in the weeks and days before the Supreme Court ruling. Although Im blessed to have the resources to fight this unjust situation, I understand that many people of colour across the country dont have that luxury and I plan to use my platform to shine a light on those issues, Mill said in a statement shortly before his release. He said he planned to focus on getting his convictions overturned, and that he looks forward to resuming his music career. The ruling came after prosecutors said they agreed with his lawyers that he should get a new trial because of questions raised about the arresting officer. The now-retired officer was among a list of police officers the prosecutors office has sought to keep off the witness stand in cases across the city because of credibility questions. The district attorneys office has not said whether they would seek to retry him if the old convictions are thrown out. But it noted that just last week, prosecutors agreed not to further prosecute three defendants whose cases were tossed because of doubts about the credibility of the arresting narcotics agent, the same officer who had arrested Mill. Judge Genece Brinkley, who sent Mill to prison and had refused to release him on bail until the Supreme Court ruling, was accused by the defence of waging a vendetta against the rapper. She defended herself, saying she had acted impartially and without prejudice in all proceedings since 2008. A dementia warning over commonly prescribed drugs, Labours anti-Semitism row and a major pledge on plastic waste are among the top stories on Thursday. Drugs prescribed to up to two million people a year to treat depression and bladder problems could increase the risk of developing dementia in later life by as much as a third, The Independent reports. The Times also leads with the research, the most comprehensive of its kind, reporting that regulators are examining the findings. What the papers say - April 26 Tomorrow's Times front page: Everyday drugs raise the risk of dementia pic.twitter.com/skYCg2QTgj The Times (@thetimes) April 25, 2018 The Daily Telegraph leads with comments by Unite union boss Len McCluskey that five Labour MPs will be held to account amid accusations some in the party stirred up a row over anti-Semitism to smear the leader. More than 40 major supermarket, food and drink brands are set to announce a world-first ban on single-use plastic, the Daily Mail reports. The Guardian says Home Secretary Amber Rudd has been accused of protecting the Prime Minister over the Home Offices failure to tackle the Windrush scandal. Guardian front page, Thursday 26 April 2018: Rudd protecting the PM over Windrush pic.twitter.com/FFTodJXUvt The Guardian (@guardian) April 25, 2018 The Metro says the father of Alfie Evans began a private prosecution against doctors at Alder Hey Childrens Hospital over his treatment. Tom Evans said his son was my warrior after judges rejected a new appeal to allow him to be taken abroad for treatment, the Daily Express says. A three-way battle to snap up Sky has begun after US media giant Comcast joined 21st Century Fox and Walt Disney in a bid to buy the broadcaster, the Financial Times reports. Just published: front page of the Financial Times UK edition Thursday April 26 https://t.co/46qlHf0kkA pic.twitter.com/rtPonjGxm7 Financial Times (@FinancialTimes) April 25, 2018 The i says US president Donald Trump will visit the UK although without state honours in July and hopes to meet the Royal Family. Thursday's i front page: Trump to visit UK in July #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/ZMTTgqZjRM i newspaper (@theipaper) April 25, 2018 The Sun says William, who became a father-of-three on Monday, appeared to be snoozing during an Anzac Day remembrance service. However, as Papua New Guineans, they had particularly good knowledge of culture, geography and language that made them equal to the task and sometimes better than their Australian counterparts in their primary duties of stopping tribal fights, conducting peace ceremonies, supervising compensations and running elections and censuses. It was administration policy not to post local patrol officers or policemen to their home districts to ensure that there were no conflicts of interest. A number of Chimbu men who had completed schooling in the late 1950s and 1960s joined the colonial administration as kiaps. KUNDIAWA - The training of Papua New Guineans to become patrol officers was begun by the Department of Native Affairs in 1961 at Finschhafen. Basil Koe one of the first trainee kiaps at Finschhafen in 1961 Papua New Guinean kiaps from other provinces served in Chimbu during this time. They included Jerry Nalau from Morobe, who succeeded Bob Doolan as District Commissioner in 1973, Paru Kairi from Gulf, and Joe Kekemo from Henganofi in Eastern Highlands, Jack Tagita from Milne Bay, Jeffrey Dia from Wabag, Luke Pena from Western Highlands, Caspir Angapi from Sepik, Gerson Amen from New Ireland and Bruno Garima from Bundi in Madang. Of these local kiaps, Joe Nombri in later years was to become a distinguished statesman in his country and was knighted by the Queen as Sir Joseph Nombri. Because of the administrations posting policy Joe did not serve in Chimbu during his kiap days. Joe Nombri as a young kiap in Kiunga In the mid-1950s Joe attended Gon School in Kundiawa and later went to Goroka High School and on to Sogeri High School in the early 1960s. One of his schoolmates was Michael Somare, who was to become a prominent leader and Chief Minister and later Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea. Joe was also the recipient of a scholarship to attend schooling in Australia. After school he trained at the Administration College in Port Moresby and graduated as a patrol officer. John Nilkare, who became a kiap two years after Joe, described him as the smartest indigenous patrol officer I had known, even smarter than the white kiaps. Joe was reputed to have an IQ level equivalent to a genius. He served with distinction as a patrol officer in Western, Enga and East New Britain and travelled to many parts of Papua New Guinea on his duties. He became the first indigenous District Commissioner from the highlands, serving in Southern Highlands and, at independence, in Morobe. He was later was appointed as a Public Service Commissioner before, in 1981, becoming Ambassador to Japan where he served with distinction for over 11 years. In Japan he mastered the Japanese language and became a close friend of the Japanese Emperor. He successfully negotiated K8 million in funding from the Japanese government to construct a provincial hospital in his home town of Kundiawa. Back in the mid-1960s, Joseph Nombri had been a member of the famous Bully Beef Club in which many of PNGs young leaders planned the road to independence and beyond. Then, in 1967, he became the founding president of the Pangu Pati which emerged from the Bully Beef Club. Joes kiap mate Phil Fitzpatrick, who was based in Kiunga in the late 1960s, wrote in PNG Attitude of the time they spent together: Joe and I shared a house at Kiunga. We repainted the old kero fridge in Pangu Pati colours to upset the District Commissioner when he visited. Joe also liked to greet visiting dignitaries at the airport carrying a sign saying Open season on swans. This was a reference to the swanning around the countryside on fact-finding missions practiced by many senior public servants in the years immediately before independence. After he returned from Japan, Joe stood for the regional Chimbu seat in 1992 but was unsuccessful. He died in 2008 and the hospital in Kundiawa was named the Sir Joseph Nombri Memorial General Hospital in memory of this most humble Chimbu man. The late Tangil Okuk wrote of his uncle in his Facebook column: PNG is surely in need of the likes of this humble servant. He gave everything and more and I personally have never heard him complain or utter grievances about the system and people who had let him down in his years after public service. Sir J always kept his dignity intact. He was a man mountain amongst others.. Although Joe showed interest in the political developments early in his career, he did not go in that direction, instead preferring to remain a public servant until 1992 when he first stood for election. Joe Nombris story is not unusual. Many of the local kiaps who served prior to 1975 did not seek public recognition and many quietly retired back into village life. ___________ PAPUA NEW GUINEAN FIELD STAFF at 1 JANUARY 1968 Compiled by Phil Fitzpatrick. There may be errors and omissions. HEADQUARTERS: Assistant Field Officer Bogagu, W. Assistant District Officer Bagita, J. Local Government Officer Asiba G. Patrol Officer Memafu, K. Patrol Officer Tubuora, 0. Trainee (Patrol Officer) Vanuawaru, K. Trainee (Patrol Officer) Ali, C. WESTERN DISTRICT: Patrol Officer Lokoloko, .K.N. Patrol Officer Nombri, J. Trainee (Assistant Field Officer) Saliki, K, GULF DISTRICT: Patrol Officer Gemara, G. Trainee (Patrol Officer) Farapo, H. Trainee (Assistant Field Officer) Wura, H. NORTHERN DISTRICT: District Officer Sebire, P.F. Assistant District Officer Kekodo, R.P. Patrol Officer Gehora, C. Patrol Officer Soroda, J. Trainee (Patrol Officer) Maravila, T. Trainee (Assistant Field Officer) Gamu, R. Trainee (Assistant Field Officer) Siemu, N. MILNE BAY DISTRICT Assistant District Officer Gari, Assistant District Officer Kopi, R. Patrol Officer Siaoa, A. SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS: Patrol Officer Salu, G. Trainee (Patrol Officer) Poga K., Trainee (Assistant Field Officer) Gele P., MOROBE DISTRICT : Assistant District Officer Koe B, Patrol Officer Sigamata D., Patrol Officer Ahe, N. Trainee (Patrol Officer) Maha, G. Trainee (Assistant Field Officer) Aitsi, A. Trainee (Assistant Field Officer) Henao, B.T. Trainee (Assistant Field Officer) Joseph, N. Trainee (Assistant Field Officer) Apa, L.G. EASTERN HIGHLANDS DISTRICT : Assistant District Officer Avosa, S. Patrol Officer Rarua, M. Patrol Officer Helarai, J.M. Patrol Officer Dom, G. Patrol Officer Kua, K. Assistant Field Officer Waike, J.M. Trainee (Assistant Field Officer) Gagole, K. CHIMBU DISTRICT : Assistant District Officer Karukuru, K. Trainee (Patrol Officer) Vele, V. Trainee (Patrol Officer) Baloiloi, D.L. Trainee (Patrol Officer) Tarube, A. WESTERN HIGHLANDS DISTRICT: Patrol Officer Geri J.K, Trainee (Assistant Field Officer) Sali, W. Trainee (Assistant Field Officer) Kureu, P. MANUS DISTRICT: Trainee (Patrol Officer) Tapo, H.O. MADANG DISTRICT: Assistant District Officer Katauga, M. Trainee (Patrol Officer) Smare, A. Trainee (Patrol Officer) Balagetuna, J. Trainee (Assistant Field Officer) Samae, J. Trainee (Assistant Field Officer) Luther, M. EAST SEPIK DISTRICT: Trainee (Assistant Field Officer) Rupa, L.W. WEST SEPIK DISTRICT: Trainee (Patrol Officer) Koibo, J. Trainee (Patrol Officer) Mekea, P. Trainee (Assistant Field Officer) Tawe J., EAST NEW BRITAIN DISTRICT: Patrol Officer Nalau, J.K. Trainee (Assistant Field Officer) Mora, S. Trainee (Assistant Field Officer) Wisio, P.O. Trainee (Assistant Field Officer) Kiliwi, P. WEST NEW BRITAIN DISTRICT: Assistant District Officer Kilori, P. Assistant District Officer Batho, P.J. Assistant District Officer Borok, B, Trainee (Patrol Officer) Tobia, R. Trainee(Assistant Field Officer) Tavalokol, B. Field Assistant Tauka, R.H. NEW IRELAND DISTRICT: Assistant District Officer Bouraga, P. Trainee(Patrol Officer) Tauvasa, J.J. Trainee (Field Assistant) Posua, J. Trainee (Assistant Field Officer) Angua, W. Trainee (Assistant Field Officer) Paleu, C. BOUGAINVILLE DISTRICT: Patrol Officer Dagge, V.J. Patrol Officer Tabua, C. Trainee (Assistant Field Officer) Tanu, T. Trainee (Assistant Field Officer) Kingsford K.S. Trainee (Assistant Field Officer) Tuka E. Digital bank Revolut has clinched 250 million US dollars (179 million) in a fresh funding round that values the London-based fintech firm at 1.7 billion US dollars (1.2 billion). The Series C round was led by Hong Kongs DST Global and supported by a raft of new and existing investors including Ribbit Capital and Index Ventures. It brings the total amount raised by Revolut since its launch in 2015 to 340 million US dollars (243 million), with its valuation having grown five fold over the past year alone. DST Global managing partner Tom Stafford said: Revolut is developing and delivering technology that reduces the complexity and cost of financial services for consumers and small businesses. We are delighted to support (chief executive) Nik (Storonsky) and the Revolut team as they continue to innovate, roll out new services and expand geographically. Nik Storonsky is the founder and chief executive of Revolut (PA) The fintech firm said it will be using the cash to bankroll its global expansion, with plans to enter markets including the US, Canada, Singapore, Hong Kong and Australia this year. Revolut which counts over 1.7 million customers across Europe also expects to increase its employee base from 350 to 800 staff by the end of 2018, with a focus on engineers and designers. The company has set a target of 100 million customers over the next five years. Chief executive and founder Nik Storonsky said: Our focus, since we launched, has been to do everything completely opposite to traditional banks. We build world class tech that puts people back in control of their finances, we speak to our customers like humans and were never afraid to challenge old thinking in order to innovate. To have DST Global on board is an incredible endorsement of our business strategy as we begin to expand Revolut around the world. Banking has historically avoided disruptions by technology, but that is all about to change on a big scale. One of its latest innovations has seen the digital bank access virtual cards online within the past month. Revoluts new service allows customers to pay for online purchases with disposable virtual cards the details of which are destroyed and automatically regenerated within seconds of every transaction in a bid to prevent fraud. TSB customers will not have to pay overdraft charges in April following problems with its internet banking service, the banks chief executive has said. Paul Pester said he was putting things right after the banks internet service was still only working at around 50% capacity for customers. The bank boss said what happened was not good enough, but refused to say whether he would give up his bonus. Our internet banking and mobile app are back up and running. Thank you for your patience and for bearing with us. TSB (@TSB) April 26, 2018 Mr Pester told BBC Radio 4s Today programme: Many customers may have used their overdraft in April more than they were expected to. They may not have been able to see their account or manage their account, so today we are announcing that there will be no overdraft fees or any overdraft charges for any of our customers through April. Mr Pester said he had agreed with TSBs parent bank, Sabadell, which had been providing its IT platform, that he would take direct control of the platform. TSB chief executive Paul Pester apologised for the IT problems and said no-one would be left out of pocket (Nick Ansell/PA) I have drafted in a team of global experts from IBM. That team of global experts will start working in Bristol, they will start working in London, they will start working across the UK. They will be reporting to me. I will take control of the platform until we get this fixed, he said. I believe that four days in after launching a new platform, only having 50% of our customers being able to access our website is not good enough, therefore I am putting things right. Mr Pester refused to say whether he would give up his bonus, saying: It is not my decision. It is a decision of the board. On Wednesday, the bank said it was working round the clock to fix problems that struck following a major IT upgrade on Sunday night, but said five out of every 10 customers who tried to access its internet banking service were still facing issues. The bank added that its mobile app was operating at 90% capacity. The TSB app was reported to be running at 90% capacity (Andrew Matthews/PA) TSB had intended to complete a major IT system upgrade on Sunday evening, although problems persisted into a third day. Delays meant customers were left unable to access their money online, while some reported being able to access other customers accounts. Data and banking watchdogs confirmed they were looking into the situation, while MPs have demanded answers from the bank about the IT meltdown. Treasury Select Committee chairwoman Nicky Morgan wrote to Mr Pester asking for details of the problems and the banks response. Get Out writer Jordan Peele joked he was inspired to write a sequel to the horror film by a Kanye West tweet. West, 40, has been prolific on Twitter in recent days, posting about a wide range of subjects including fashion, music and even US President Donald Trump. On Wednesday, he made a series of bold statements, claiming to make more money from shoes than Michael Jordan, calling Mr Trump my brother and even having a dig at Barack Obama. Kanye West has been tweeting prolifically since returning to Twitter (Jonathan Brady/PA) And Oscar-winning screenwriter Peele appeared to poke fun at one of his messages, joking he had been inspired to write a sequel to 2017s Get Out. West tweeted a picture from his Los Angeles home, alongside the caption, do this look like the sunken place, a reference to Get Out. Peele quoted the tweet and wrote: *Gets inspired *Starts writing Get Out 2. The post has so far been retweeted 98,000 times. *Gets inspired *Starts writing Get Out 2 https://t.co/zqOW6Xxx9v Jordan Peele (@JordanPeele) April 25, 2018 And Peele was not the only celebrity to reply to Wests flurry of tweets. After tweeting about Trump, Chicago-born West then turned his aim on former president Obama. He tweeted: Obama was in office for eight years and nothing in Chicago changed. Obama was in office for eight years and nothing in Chicago changed. ye (@kanyewest) April 25, 2018 It appeared to be a reference to the citys high murder rate. This prompted Boy George to respond, leaping to the defence of Obama. He said: Everything in the world changed! The frequency, the vibe, there was love in the air. @BarackObama was sleek and cool and like Fred Astaire! Everything in the world changed! The frequency, the vibe, there was love in the air. @BarackObama was sleek and cool and like Fred Astaire! https://t.co/KGvSRh2anf Boy George (the truth is in your breath) (@BoyGeorge) April 26, 2018 Following Wests tweets on Wednesday, his wife and mother of his three children, Kim Kardashian, also took to Twitter to defend her husband. She slammed media outlets who made this about Kanyes mental health. To the media trying to demonize my husband let me just say this... your commentary on Kanye being erratic & his tweets being disturbing is actually scary. So quick to label him as having mental health issues for just being himself when he has always been expressive is not fair Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) April 25, 2018 Kardashian added: Hes a free thinker, is that not allowed in America? Because some of his ideas differ from yours you have to throw in the mental health card? Thats just not fair. Hes actually out of the sunken place when hes being himself which is very expressive. Hes a free thinker, is that not allowed in America? Because some of his ideas differ from yours you have to throw in the mental health card? Thats just not fair. Hes actually out of the sunken place when hes being himself which is very expressive Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) April 25, 2018 After defending Wests tweets about Mr Trump, Kardashian said: Mental Health is no joke and the media needs to stop spitting that out so casually. Bottom line. The names of royal babies are historically not announced straight away, leaving the nation playing a guessing game until the chosen one is finally revealed. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridges baby son is three days old, but Prince George and Princess Charlottes names were revealed just two days after they were born. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are delighted to announce that they have named their son George Alexander Louis. The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall (@ClarenceHouse) July 24, 2013 The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are delighted to announce that they have named their daughter Charlotte Elizabeth Diana. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) May 4, 2015 When William arrived in 1982, his parents the Prince and Princess of Wales waited seven days before deciding on and announcing his chosen forenames. Diana was thought to have preferred names such as Sebastian and Oliver, while Charles was reportedly holding out for Albert. When the names were finally revealed as William Arthur Philip Louis it ended a week of intense speculation. Experts correctly predicted Louis would be among the names in honour of the Prince of Waless late great-uncle Lord Mountbatten, as well as Philip in a nod to the Duke of Edinburgh. The Prince and Princess of Wales with baby William (PA) Buckingham Palace revealed at the time that the name William would not be shortened in any way and the duke himself has since insisted he is never known as Wills. Out of courtesy, the Queen has to be told what has been decided before a name is announced. Prince Harrys name was announced much more quickly than his brothers after he was born in September 1984, with the palace confirming it on the day he left hospital and saying that although he was called Henry, he would be known as Harry. When Princess Beatrice was born in 1988, it was two weeks before her name was known. The Duke and Duchess of York at Balmoral with two-week-old Beatrice (PA) Her sisters little known name Princess Eugenie took people by surprise in 1990. It was the second name of one of Queen Victorias granddaughters. The Prince of Waless name remained a mystery to the wider world for a month and was only declared ahead of his christening in the Music Room of Buckingham Palace in December 1948. When the Queens first great-grandchild Savannah Phillips was born in December 2010, her name was first disclosed at a church service at the royal estate of Sandringham, Norfolk, attended by the royal family. Although the name had not been officially announced, the Rector of Sandringham made a mention in a prayer for Peter and Autumn Phillips and their daughter Savannah. Royal baby namings have not always been plain sailing. At Queen Victorias christening in 1819, there was a dispute over what she should be called. Her mother the Duchess of Kent had wanted to call her Georgiana Charlotte Augusta Alexandrina Victoria, but was overruled by a cantankerous Prince Regent, the future George IV, who dictated during the ceremony that she be called Alexandrina Victoria in tribute to Russian Tsar Alexander I. The duchess was distraught and broke down sobbing during the proceedings. There was also a change to the intended name of Queen Elizabeth IIs sister, Princess Margaret, in 1930. She was eventually called Margaret Rose, but her parents, the Duke and Duchess of York, later George VI and Queen Elizabeth, were planning to call her Ann Margaret, but changed their mind after learning that King George V disliked the name Ann. Queen Victoria used to insist that the name Albert be used as a middle name, if not a first, in honour of her beloved consort Prince Albert. Four artists have been shortlisted for the Turner Prize 2018. The artists, all tackling the most pressing political and humanitarian issues of today, includes a group, Forensic Architecture. These are the names in the running for the 25,000 prize: Forensic Architecture (Forensic Architecture) Forensic Architecture The academic unit, at Goldsmiths, University of London, is comprised of around 16 members. It includes architects, filmmakers, software developers, investigative journalists, lawyers and scientists. Forensic Architecture uses innovative methods to source and visualise evidence relating to human rights abuses around the world, investigating state and corporate violations worldwide. Forensic Architecture, Saydnaya Prison, reconstructed using architectural and acousting modelling (Forensic Architecture 2016) Working alongside NGOs, environmental justice and human rights groups, their investigations have provided decisive evidence in legal cases from Germany to The Hague. Judges said their urgent and important work was some of the most radical and ground-breaking art practice going on right now. Naeem Mohaiemen The London-born 49-year-olds work includes film, installations and essays and investigates a sense of melancholia for lost political dreams, memories of Leftist political utopias and legacies of decolonisation. Naeem Mohaiemen (Abeer Hoque) His art also incorporates family history and includes a fictional film about a man who lived alone in an abandoned airport, with the novel Watership Down and Boney M songs as his companions. Naeem Mohaiemen, still from Tripoli Cancelled (Naeem Mohaiemen) Judges said his art captures a sense of alienation that unfolding events can cause which is very pertinent to a world in which people are increasingly feeling alienated and perhaps turning to ever more desperate solutions. Mohaiemen works in New York and Dhaka. Charlotte Prodger Charlotte Prodger, Portrait, (Emile Holba) Portsmouth-born Prodger is 44 and lives in Glasgow. Her film Bridgit, named after a Neolithic deity, was shot entirely on her iPhone, which she approaches as a prosthesis or extension of the nervous system with the body and device becoming extensions of each other. Her work is described as a new kind of self-portrait and a meditation on what it is to be human. The jury praised Prodger for the nuanced way in which she deals with identity politics, particularly from a queer perspective and for tackling how we understand our place in the world. They said of her use of the iPhone: Its the extension to the body that really interests her. Luke Willis Thompson Willis Thompson investigates the treatment of minority communities. The 30-year-old, who lives in London, tackles the histories of class, racial and social inequality, institutional violence, colonialism and forced migration. Luke Willis Thompsons work Autoportrait, 2017 (Andy Keate) Judges praised the New Zealand-born artists black and white, silent 35mm portrait of Diamond Reynolds as a deeply affecting study of grief. In 2016, Reynolds broadcast live, on Facebook, the moments immediately after the fatal shooting of her partner, Philando Castile, by a police officer during a traffic stop in the US. Twenty-three attacks on prison staff are recorded every day on average as surging levels of violence continue to sweep through jails in England and Wales. Ministry of Justice figures reveal assaults and self-harm behind bars climbed again last year to hit new record highs. There were 29,485 assault incidents in jails in England and Wales last year, an increase of 13% on 2016. Within that figure, there were 8,429 assaults on prison staff in the 12 months to December, a year-on-year rise of more than a fifth (23%). Of the attacks on officers, 864 were classed as serious such as those which require medical treatment or result in fractures, burns, or extensive bruising. The number of assaults on staff in the last three months of 2017 increased by 5% to 2,327 the highest quarterly tally on record. The MoJ report noted that there has been a change in how assaults on staff are recorded, which may have contributed to the increase. Prisoner-on-prisoner assaults went up by 11% to 21,270 in 2017. (PA Graphics) There were 44,651 incidents of self-harm among inmates last year, up by 11% compared with 2016, while the number of self-harming individuals increased by 6% to a new record high of 11,630. In the year to March, there were 299 deaths in prison custody, a year-on-year fall of 13%. There were 69 self-inflicted deaths, down from 115 in the previous year. The findings on assaults and self-harm underline the scale of the safety crisis that has gripped much of the prisons estate in recent years. Frances Crook, chief executive of the Howard League for Penal Reform, said the figures are a symptom of a prison system in crisis. She said: Ultimately, positive steps to reduce the prison population would save lives, protect staff and stop others being swept into deeper currents of crime, violence and despair. Justice Secretary David Gauke acknowledged that levels of violence, suicide and self-harm in prisons are far too high and said the Government is taking urgent action to address these problems. He said: Assaults on our hardworking staff will never be tolerated. We are ensuring prison officers have the tools they need to do the job, rolling out body worn cameras, police-style handcuffs and restraints, and trialling PAVA incapacitant spray. Our recruitment drive is vital to ensuring prisons are safe, secure and decent so they can successfully rehabilitate offenders, and 90% of our additional 3,111 prison officers are due to be on landings by the summer. Sinn Fein has accused the DUP of checking out of Stormont powersharing and making no effort to find a way to restore devolution. The partys vice-president, Michelle ONeill, also claimed the UK Governments confidence and supply deal with the DUP at Westminster was now the greatest obstacle preventing the resurrection of coalition government in Belfast. Mrs ONeill launched the twin-pronged attack on the DUP and Conservatives as she emerged from a meeting with Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley at Stormont. Mrs Bradley is meeting all the main Stormont parties on Thursday as she continues to consider ways to revive devolution. Mrs Foster said her meeting with Mrs Bradley was routine. I am glad she is meeting all the parties and I hope she will recognise that four of the five main parties would restore devolution immediately, she said, ahead of the encounter. There is only one party which has placed barriers and preconditions in the path of returning local decision-making to Northern Ireland. Mrs Foster added: I will be urging the Secretary of State to ensure that necessary decisions are taken and the people of Northern Ireland do not suffer because of Sinn Feins narrow agenda. Fridays summit between South Koreas President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is only the third time the leaders of the divided Koreas have met in the 65 years since the end of the Korean War. The previous summits were held during a period of rapprochement and were followed by a decade of tense and cold relations. A tentative thaw began earlier this year with North Korean participation in the Winter Olympics in South Koreas Pyeongchang. Statues representing former North Korean leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il (Jon Chol Ji/AP) 2000 The first inter-Korean summit took place between former North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, the late father of Kim Jong Un, and the liberal former president of South Korea, Kim Dae-jung. The three-day meeting in June, which began with a broadly smiling Kim Jong Il tightly grabbing the hands of Kim Dae-jung at the Pyongyang airport, led to an agreement between the Koreas on joint economic projects, which have since stalled. A man looks the photos showing the summit between South Korean President Kim Dae-jung and North Korean leader Kim Jong Il in 2000 (Lee Jin-man/AP) The countries also agreed to resume reunions of families divided between North and South. Kim Dae-jung won the Nobel Peace Prize later in 2000 for his rapprochement policies with the North. 2007 The Koreas held their second summit in October 2007 between Kim Jong Il and Roh Moo-hyun, Kim Dae-jungs liberal successor and the political mentor of current South Korean President Moon. Mr Roh went to Pyongyang after crossing the demilitarised zone in a symbolic moment that grabbed international headlines. Then North Korea leader Kim Jong Il, right, and his son Kim Jong Un pictured in 2010 (Vincent Yu/AP) Mr Kim and Mr Roh agreed to pursue a peace treaty to formally end the Korean War and reached a set of cooperation projects. But most of the accords were shelved after Mr Rohs single five-year term ended months later and he was replaced by a conservative who took a harder line over the Norths nuclear ambitions. 2018 Mr Moon, a liberal who took office in May last year, and Mr Kim are meeting at a border village. The summit comes after North Korea sent athletes, musical performers and officials to Februarys Winter Olympics, including Mr Kims sister, who met with Mr Moon to deliver her brothers desire for a summit. On a subsequent visit to the United States, South Korean envoys brokered a potential meeting between Mr Kim and President Donald Trump, who said he would meet the North Korean leader. A senior Cabinet minister has risked fuelling controversy over Britains Brexit deal by suggesting that the question of UK membership of the Customs Union remained open. Home Secretary Amber Rudd, who was a prominent supporter of Remain in the 2016 referendum, declined to say that the UK was certain to leave the Customs Union when pressed on the issue at a Westminster lunch. Saying she was not going to be drawn on the issue, Ms Rudd said the Government was still working on its position, which would require further discussions with Cabinet colleagues. Her comments came as MPs debated a backbench motion calling on the Government to establish a customs union with the EU after Brexit. Speculation that Theresa May could be forced into accepting a customs union arrangement has mounted since her defeat in the House of Lords last week, prompting reports that senior Brexiteers including Boris Johnson would not accept any dilution of her red line on withdrawal. Thursdays Commons debate is not binding on the Government and was not attended by many pro-Brexit MPs, with Tories not whipped to take part in the vote. The Commons debate on the Customs Union was sparsely attended (www.parliamentlive.tv) But the Prime Minister faces a much more serious challenge next month when the much-delayed Trade Bill returns to the Commons. It is understood that Chief Whip Julian Smith has told Number 10 the Government cannot win an amendment to the bill calling for the implementation of a customs union with the EU. Asked whether it was more or less likely, in the current climate, that Britain would stay in the customs union, Ms Rudd said: Im not going to be drawn on that. We still have a few discussions to be had in a really positive, consensual and easy way among some of my Cabinet colleagues in order to arrive at a final position. And challenged over which side she would back in Wednesdays Commons vote if she were a backbencher, she said: Im committed to the Governments position, which to some extent we are still working on. Ms Rudd later sought to play down the significance of her remarks, tweeting: Of course when we leave the EU we will be leaving the customs union. I wasnt going to get into ongoing Cabinet discussions about our future trading relationship. But Labours shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer responded: Amber Rudd appears to have let slip that discussions around the Cabinet table about negotiating a customs union with the EU have not in fact concluded. If that is so, then the Prime Minister should rethink her approach and listen to the growing chorus of voices in Parliament and in business that believe she has got it wrong on a customs union. Liberal Democrat MP Layla Moran, a supporter of the Best for Britain campaign against a hard Brexit, said: Amber Rudd has let the cat out of the bag. The Government at the highest level has no idea what their plan for the Customs Union really is. They are utterly and completely shambolic. After the week the Home Secretary has had, being the Prime Ministers human shield, this feels and looks like revenge. This comment will take the Windrush heat off her now for a couple of hours. The Government is an utter car crash. Arch-Eurosceptic Conservative MP Peter Bone, who was also at the Westminster lunch, said he could not understand why Amber Rudd did not support Government policy to leave the Customs Union. The Wellingborough MP added: We cannot have the Home Secretary not supporting this key plank of Brexit. The Government will decide on one of two options for customs arrangements after Brexit that are currently on the table, Downing Street said. A customs partnership that would involve the UK collecting the EUs tariffs on goods coming from other countries on the EUs behalf is under consideration, along with proposals for minimised checks using technology and a trusted trader scheme. The Prime Ministers official spokesman said the Government would move forward with a single option. Dance DJ Avicii could not go on any longer, his family has said in a second statement released this week. The Grammy-nominated Swedish electronic performer, born Tim Bergling, was found dead last week in Muscat, Oman at the age of 28. Details about his death were not revealed. His family said on Thursday that our beloved Tim was a seeker, a fragile artistic soul searching for answers to existential questions. Avicii died while in Oman (Yui Mok/PA) Avicii retired from touring in 2016. His family said, after he stopped, he wanted to find a balance in life to be happy and be able to do what he loved most music. They also say their son was not made for the business machine he found himself in. Instead, he was a sensitive guy who loved his fans but shunned the spotlight. Avicii had in the past suffered acute pancreatitis, in part due to excessive drinking. After having his gallbladder and appendix removed in 2014, he cancelled a series of shows in attempt to recover. The Swedish performer retired from gigs in 2016 but still produced albums and songs. Tim was not made for the business machine he found himself in; he was a sensitive guy who loved his fans but shunned the spotlight, the statement read. Tim, you will forever be loved and sadly missed. The person you were and your music will keep your memory alive. Earlier this week, Aviciis family thanked his fans for their support in the days following the superstar DJs death. He received a number of tributes from the music community and fans. Aviciis hits included Wake Me Up and Le7els. He was an international pop star, performing his well-known electronic dance songs around the world for die-hard fans, sometimes hundreds of thousands at music festivals, where he was the headline act. A former 40 year Atheist analyzes Atheism, without resorting to theism, deism, or fantasy. *** If You Don't Value Truth, Then What DO You Value? *** If we say that the sane can be coaxed and persuaded to rationality, and we say that rationality presupposes logic, then what can we say of those who actively reject logic? *** Atheists have an obligation to give reasons in the form of logic and evidence for rejecting Theist theories. The US series Suits, which starred Prince Harrys fiancee Meghan Markle, has been remade in South Korea. It is the first time that the legal drama, which has so far run for seven series, has received an international remake. The show follows the story of Mike Ross, a university dropout who despite never attending law school finds himself working for a prestigious law firm. Meghan Markle made her final appearance on April 25 (Danny Lawson/PA) Markle made her last appearance as Rachel Zane in the two-hour finale of the US versions seventh series on Wednesday. She had been in the cast since its debuted in 2011. She announced she would not be returning to the show following her engagement to Prince Harry. South Korean actress Ko Sung-hee will play Kim Ji-na, who is based on Markles former character, in the remake. South Korean actress Ko Sung-hee will play Kim Ji-na based on Meghan Markles character Rachel Zane. (EnterMedia Pictures) The format of Suits was recently sold by NBCUniversal International Formats to South Korean production company EnterMedia Pictures. The Korean version of the series debuted in line with the two-hour season finale of the American counterparts seventh series. Steel tycoon Sanjeev Gupta is to launch a new bank aimed at helping British industry trade globally after Brexit. Mr Guptas GFG Alliance has struck a deal to acquire the UK division of Nigerias Diamond Bank, which will be renamed British Commonwealth Trade Bank (BCTB). The industrialist said his strategy is to identify and capitalise on investment opportunities and gaps in banking and financial markets. Sanjeev Gupta is to launch a new bank (Danny Lawson/PA) Post-Brexit, there will be a heightened need to provide competitive financing to British companies in the commodities and industrial sectors as they seek to grow in new markets globally. BCTB will aim to be the bridge between borrowers and lenders for trade with these markets, Mr Gupta said, adding that trade with the Commonwealth will be a particular focus. Mr Gupta has overseen a series of acquisitions at GFG, including portions of conglomerate Tatas steel operation in the UK. The group also owns Wyelands Bank, acquired in 2016. Mr Gupta added: Britain is a nation of traders and, with our Governments new focus on international trade, we hope to play a key role in connecting UK businesses to customers and opportunities across the world, especially in the developing Commonwealth markets, where Britain has a long and rich history. The Diamond Bank deal is subject to approval from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA). The Brussels ULB university honoured British director Ken Loach with a special doctorate despite veiled criticism from Belgiums prime minister Charles Michel and outspoken rebukes from Jewish organisations about anti-Semitism allegations. Loach, who is known for his strong defence of the Palestine cause, is often critical of the Israeli government. Still, he denied again on Thursday that he is anti-Semitic. KL* Furthermore, all my life, I have sided with those who are persecuted and marginalized and depicting me as anti-Semitic simply because I am adding my voice to those who denounce the plight of the Palestinians is grotesque. - Full Press release attached 2/2 pic.twitter.com/Hn2h8R265B Ken Loach & Sixteen Films (@KenLoachSixteen) April 26, 2018 Depicting me as anti-Semitic simply because I am adding my voice to those who denounce the plight of the Palestinians is grotesque, Loach said in a statement. Mr Michel, a former ULB student, said in the Brussels Grand Synagogue on Wednesday night that anti-Semitism cannot be tolerated, whatever its form. That also goes for my alma mater. He did not explicitly name Loach as the target of his criticism but his university honour had been prominent in the Belgian media for days. The president of the European Jewish Congress, Moshe Kantor, was more emphatic, saying that the honorary doctorate for Loach can only be seen as an endorsement of someone who has played fast and loose with the historical record to the point of trivialising the Holocaust. Loach, 81, has strongly denied he ever questioned or trivialised the Holocaust. A committed leftist, Loach said: I know very well the history of Holocaust denial. It is the province of the far right, and I have nothing to do with that. I have nothing but contempt for that. British director Ken Loach, right, receives an honorary degree (Geert Vanden Wijngaert/AP) Brussels French-speaking university said it had checked the allegations against Loach and found no objections strong enough to deny him the doctorate. The ULB said it wanted to laud the director for his militant movies about social conflicts and the fight of workers and immigrants to improve their lot. Loach has twice won the prestigious Palme dOr award at the Cannes Film Festival. Loach urged Mr Michel to retract his comments. Mr Michel: look at the evidence and then withdraw your words, Loach said. Loach has also been involved in the British Labour Partys scandals involving anti-Semitism and has been accused of trying to downplay its prevalence in the party. Barclays sank towards the bottom of the FTSE 100 on Thursday as it booked a loss on the back of payment protection insurance (PPI) charges and a 1.4 billion settlement with the US authorities. Barclays swung to a loss in the first quarter, reporting a pre-tax loss of 236 million for the three months to March 31, having reported profits of 1.68 billion in the same period last year. The banks shares fell by 1.41% or 3p, closing the day at 210p, making it one of biggest fallers on Londons blue-chip index. Barclays swung to a loss on PPI charges and a settlement with the US authorities (PA) The FTSE 100 climbed 42.11 points to 7,421.43. The pound was flat against the US dollar at 1.392. Against the euro, sterling was up 0.38% to 1.149. Brent crude prices pushed higher again, rising by 0.34% to 74.310 US dollars per barrel. In UK stocks, shares in Taylor Wimpey dipped after the housebuilder reported a slowdown in sales and build rates, which were partly affected by extreme weather in March. In a trading update covering the first four months of the year, the group said the value of its order book fell 2.5% to 2.16 billion. Shares closed the day down 2.8p at 190.05p. Royal Dutch Shell posted its highest quarterly profit for at least three years thanks to resurgent oil prices. However, its shares closed the day down 26p at 2,502.5p. The oil giant reported a 42% rise in underlying quarterly profits to 5.3 billion US dollars (3.8 billion) for the first three months of the year. Oil giant BP named energy industry veteran Helge Lund as its next chairman, succeeding Carl-Henric Svanberg. Following the announcement, shares rose 11.3p to 535.3p. Mr Lund who has previously headed BG Group and was a longstanding chief executive at Statoil will join BPs board as chairman-designate and a non-executive director on September 1 before taking on the role of chairman on January 1 next year. In energy, Britains competition watchdog said the merger between energy giants Npower and SSE could reduce competition and lead to higher prices for some households. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said it would refer the deal for a full-blown investigation unless the two Big Six providers can address its concerns. Traders appeared unfazed, with SSEs shares rising by 20.5p to 1,358p by the market close. In retail stocks, Simply Be owner N Browns profits slumped after the company was forced to pay out millions in compensation to customers over its flawed insurance products. Statutory profits at N Brown, the company behind retail brands such as JD Williams and Jacamo, fell 72% to 16.2 million. However, with results coming in ahead of expectations, the retailers share price rose 8.5% or 16.5p to 210.4p. Embattled retailer Carpetright won the backing of creditors and landlords for a restructuring plan that will spark store closures and hundreds of job losses. Shares ended the session up 1p to 39p. Carpetright has earmarked 81 stores for closure as part of a company voluntary arrangement (CVA), which allows firms to shut loss-making outlets and secure rent reductions. The biggest risers on the FTSE 100 were Evraz up 27.9p to 449.4p, United Utilities up 22.8p to 737.6p, Severn Trent up 56p to 1925.5p, and British American Tobacco up 115.5p to 3,965.5p. The biggest fallers on the FTSE 100 were Legal & General down 11.3p to 267.1p, Fresnillo down 26p to 1,251p, Glencore down 7.15p to 370.05p and Direct Line down 5.6p to 369.1p. Protests have erupted across Spain after five men were jailed for nine years each for sexual abuse in what activists saw as a gang rape during the 2016 running of the bulls festival in Pamplona. Its not abuse, its rape! shouted protesters from the gates of the Navarra provincial court when the ruling was announced. Police stopped the crowd from advancing toward the entrance to the court, with some angry demonstrators shoving officers. Thousands of protesters gathered hours later in central Pamplona and most of Spains major cities, including Madrid, Barcelona, Sevilla, Bilbao, Valencia and Zaragoza. A woman shouts slogans with others during the protest (Francisco Seco/AP) Demonstrators shouted slogans like No is no! while some waved homemade signs and wore red gloves as a symbol of protest. The five members of La Manada or The Pack, after the nickname the group gave themselves were found guilty of sexual abuse, which does not involve violence or intimidation under Spains criminal code. The prosecution had argued that violence was used and the 18-year-old victim did not consent to intercourse. The court on Thursday chose the lesser sexual abuse charge in contrast to the more severe charge prosecutors sought along with harsher sentences of more than 22 years in prison. The court agreed there was no consent because the defendants were in a position of superiority that curtailed the victims freedom. One of the three judges in the panel voted in favour of acquitting the defendants, the court said. Women shout slogans during a protest outside the Justice Ministry in Madrid (Francisco Seco/AP) Both the prosecution and the defence announced later they would appeal against the decision. The five men, all Spanish citizens between 27 and 30, were friends who travelled to Pamplona to party during the San Fermin festival in July 2016. According to testimony at the trial, the men offered to accompany the victim to her car but instead hauled her into a building where they filmed their assault with their smartphones. They then took her mobile phone and left. The men argued that the young woman had consented to intercourse. To support the claim, their lawyers produced detectives reports on the victims behaviour after the incident, causing outrage among womens rights groups who said the victim was being judged for her behaviour rather than the attackers. The defence then withdrew the report. In addition to the prison time, the court ruled they should jointly compensate the victim with 50,000 euros and refrain from contacting her for 15 years. The five have been in pre-trial custody since they were arrested after the incident. The president of Spains Feminist Party, Lidia Falcon, told La Sexta television that the ruling means rape in Spain is practically free of punishment. Spanish Deputy Prime Minister Soraya Saenz de Santamaria said the government had to respect the controversial ruling, while adding that authorities must respond to the public uproar. I think we have to analyse what we as public authorities must do so that incidents like this dont happen again in our country, she said. Justice Minister Raphael Catala said that the laws in question date from 1995 and should be reviewed to see if it is convenient to push for their revision. Steve Irwins family were joined by a four metre-long snake as the late crocodile hunter was honoured with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Wife Terri and children Bindi and Robert accepted the honour on Thursday, more than 11 years after the Australian wildlife expert died at the age of 44 in a stingray attack. They were joined on Hollywood Boulevard by Angela, a green anaconda, which slithered towards the photographers causing them to recoil and no doubt brought to their minds Irwins catchphrase: Crikey!. Robert, Bindi andTerri Irwin with a South American green anaconda named Angelina at the ceremony (Willy Sanjuan/AP) Robert Irwin, 14, controlled the snake, named Angela, in a fashion reminiscent of his father. Bindi Irwin, 19, was moved to tears as she said: We try to continue dads legacy each and every day and we want to make sure everything he lived and died for continues on into the future. I have to tell you that I never in my wildest dreams imagined that this would become a reality and this is such an honour as a family. Terri Irwin urged fans that in an age where global biodiversity is under increasing threat from global warming that they cannot afford to be speciesist and favour some groups over others. We are all gearing up for Steves Hollywood Walk of Fame Star Ceremony. This is a tremendous honour, celebrating Steves legacy & his message of conservation that Terri, Bindi & Robert continue to share every day. Join the us tomorrow at 6320 Hollywood Boulevard. We cant wait pic.twitter.com/oyjaeRk1Np Australia Zoo (@AustraliaZoo) April 26, 2018 We need to applaud, embrace and look after all our wildlife especially our apex predators (animals at the top of the food chain), the 53-year-old said. And if we all take a page out of Steves book and love everything were going to be better people, were going to have more empathy and kindness towards all living beings. Steve Irwins best friend Wes Mannion also spoke at the ceremony attended by members of Australia Zoo, which is owned by the Irwin family. The conservationist, nicknamed the Crocodile Hunter, died in 2006 after being attacked by a stingray as he filmed on the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Queensland for a documentary. He was the star of more than 200 documentaries during which he confronted some of the worlds most dangerous animals in an effort to conserve them. The star was the 2,635th to be placed on the Walk of Fame. Microsoft reported steady growth in its latest round of financial results as the companys chief executive praised the performance of its cloud services. The technology giant reported revenue of 26.8 billion dollars (19.2 billion), a 16% increase on the same quarter last year. The companys net income also rose 35% to 7.4 billion dollars (5.3 billion). Chief executive Satya Nadella, who has overseen a shift in the firms focus away from hardware such as smartphones and towards its software and cloud products such as Office 365, said the results reflected industry faith in the move. (Steve Parsons/PA) Our results this quarter reflect the trust people and organisations are placing in the Microsoft Cloud, he said. We are innovating across key growth categories of infrastructure, AI, productivity and business applications to deliver differentiated value to customers. The companys results showed 42% commercial revenue growth for Office 365 the subscription and cloud-based version of Microsoft Office that enables businesses to access their files from anywhere. Consumer user numbers of Office 365 were also up, with subscribers increasing to 30.6 million. Microsofts chief financial officer Amy Hood said the company had beaten expectations for the quarter. With consistent investment and strong sales execution, this quarter we achieved better-than-expected performance across all segments, she said. We delivered double-digit revenue and operating income growth driven by 58% growth in our commercial cloud revenue. Mike Pompeo has taken over as US secretary of state after being confirmed by the Senate and sworn in across the street minutes later. The USs top diplomat immediately dashed off to Europe, in an energetic start befitting the high-stakes issues awaiting him from Iran to North Korea. The former CIA director secured support from 57 senators, with 42 voting no one of the slimmest margins for the job in recent history. In this April 12, 2018, photo, Secretary of State-designate Mike Pompeo speaks during the Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on his confirmation on Capitol Hill in Washington. President Trumps nominee for secretary of state, Pompeo, faces serious opposition including a rare rebuke expected Monday, April 23, before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee as all Democrats, and at least one Republican, have said they will oppose him. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File) Every past nominee to get a roll call vote since at least the Carter administration received 85 or more yes votes in the Senate, with the exception of Donald Trumps first secretary of state Rex Tillerson, who got 56. He was sworn in at the Supreme Court by Justice Samuel Alito, a fellow Italian-American, who said he was proud to officiate for the occasion. Mr Pompeo, in a statement relayed by the State Department, said he was delighted to serve as Americas top diplomat. I am completely humbled by the responsibility and looking forward to serving the American people and getting to work right away, Mr Pompeo said. Then it was off to Andrews Air Force Base, where a US government aircraft was waiting to ferry Mr Pompeo to Brussels for meetings at Nato headquarters. State Department staffers, demoralised after a tumultuous first year of Mr Trumps administration, gave a round of applause to Mr Pompeo, who responded as he boarded the aircraft with a casual hi, Im Mike. Mr Pompeo, a Republican and former Kansas congressman, is expected to guide Mr Trumps foreign policy in a more right-leaning direction than Mr Tillerson, the former Exxon Mobil CEO fired by Mr Trump on Twitter last month. He inherits a State Department that has lost relevance under Mr Trump and a diplomatic corps deeply dispirited by the tenure of Mr Tillerson, who pushed budget and staff cuts and eschewed public appearances while leaving key diplomatic positions unfilled. A long list of pressing issues awaits him, including a decision on the Iran nuclear deal, Mr Trumps upcoming summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and ongoing disagreements in the White House about the future US role in Syria. Mr Trump said he was pleased by Mr Pompeos confirmation, calling him a patriot with immense talent, energy and intellect. He will always put the interests of America first, Mr Trump said in a statement. He has my trust. He has my support. UK households are overpaying for their electricity following Ofgem-set price controls that have resulted in excess profits for distribution companies, a charity has said. Citizens Advice said households are footing the bill for billions of pounds in excess profits made by electricity distribution companies the firms that own and operate the system of cables and towers that bring electricity from the national transmission network into homes. Last year the charity said that decisions by the regulator in the way it calculated price controls across the gas and electricity networks had cost consumers a total of 7.5 billion, or an average of 285 per household over the eight-year price control. Electricity distribution companies own and operate the system of cables and towers that bring electricity from the national transmission network into homes (PA) According to Citizens Advice, electricity networks alone are set to make excess profits averaging 75 per household across the eight years in even the least affected regions of London, Southern and South East England, the North West and Eastern England. It has calculated that households in Merseyside and North Wales are entitled to a rebate of 125, while those in South West England and Northern Scotland should be given 110 back. It is calling on networks to return the money to their customers. The charity is also calling on Ofgem to ensure that its next set of price controls deliver a better deal for consumers. Citizens Advice chief executive Gillian Guy said: People across the country are overpaying on their energy bills because some network companies are making unjustified profits. Ofgem has signalled its intention to deliver a tougher settlement on the network companies and a better deal for consumers. The regulator will undoubtedly face strong and sustained opposition as the networks try to protect the status quo. Ofgem must hold its nerve and make sure that the next price control delivers much better value for consumers. But rather than wait for the next price control to be in place, firms which havent already should return these unjustified profits to consumers as a matter of priority. An Energy Networks Association (ENA) spokesman said: The calculations underpinning this analysis are plucked out of thin air and run directly counter to the conclusions of the independent regulator and the Competition and Markets Authority. Network costs are down 17% under the current ownership model, delivering 9 billion of savings for consumers by running a world-class system of energy networks more efficiently. An Ofgem spokesman said: We have already set out proposals to address the issues Citizens Advice raise by setting tougher price controls for networks from 2021, with lower expected returns for the companies. Our proposals could save consumers more than 5 billion. We want to work with Citizens Advice and other key stakeholders to deliver the next price control. We are closely monitoring the performance of all network companies and we will keep up the pressure on them to get the best possible deal for consumers in the current price control. Our regulation and voluntary contributions by gas distribution and energy transmission companies has already secured around 5 billion in savings for consumers since the current price controls began in 2013. The number of new homes being registered has reached its second highest levels in a decade over the last year, despite the freezing weather disrupting activity, according to an industry body. Some 154,698 new homes were registered to be built in the 2017/18 financial year a figure which was down by 2% compared with 2016/17 but still the second strongest year seen in the past decade according to the National House Building Council (NHBC). More than half of new homes registered in 2017/18 were detached or semi-detached homes and less than a quarter (24%) were flats. House building reached its second strongest levels in a decade last year, the National House Building Council has said (PA) Just 2,579 or 2% were bungalows compared with 28,831 new bungalows registered in 1986/87. Last financial year saw 116,451 new homes registered in the private sector and 38,247 homes registered in the affordable sector. Half of the UKs nations and regions saw a growth in registrations compared with the previous year, including a 21% jump in the North West of England, a 12% increase in the East Midlands and an 11% uplift in Wales. By contrast, in London, the number of new build registrations plunged by 23%. The NHBCs registration figures are taken from builders who are responsible for around 80% of homes constructed in the UK. Builders are required to register a house with the NHBC, a warranty and insurance provider, before starting work, which means its figures represent homes to be built in the months ahead. Neil Jefferson, chief operating officer at the NHBC, told the Press Association: Looking forward, there remains continued positivity. He said that despite last years registrations dip in London: We are seeing quite a lot of activity in the affordable and sub-600,000 bracket. The new figures also revealed a slower start to 2018, with 36,637 new homes registered in the first three months of the year, a 14% decrease compared with the same period last year. The NHBC said the fall can in part be attributed to the exceptionally bad weather during the start of the year, which severely affected progress on building sites across the country. It said there have been anecdotal reports from some house builders that up to 30 days were lost on site in the first quarter of the year as a direct result of the freezing conditions. Other contributory factors include shortages in skills across the house-building industry, caution around Brexit and short-term market fluctuations, the NHBC said. NHBC chief executive Steve Wood said: New home registration figures for the last financial year have reached the second highest level in a decade, despite a challenging start to 2018, with freezing weather conditions affecting building sites up and down the country. Business confidence in both the private and affordable sectors remains high with clear routes to continued growth in 2018. Here are the number of new homes registered in the financial year 2017/18 and the percentage change compared with a year earlier, according to the NHBC: North East, 6,466, minus 2% North West, 18,272, 21% Yorkshire and Humberside, 9,331, minus 10% West Midlands, 14,587, 9% East Midlands, 14,314, 12% Eastern, 16,448, minus 3% South West, 14,122, minus 15% London, 14,795, minus 23% South East, 25,475, minus 5% Scotland, 11,891, 1% Wales, 5,384, 11% Northern Ireland (includes Isle of Man), 3,613, 7% U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand is proposing an alternative to payday loans: The creation of retail banks at each of the U.S. Postal Service's 30,000 branches, including more than 1,500 locations in New York. Gillibrand, D-N.Y., introduced legislation to create a postal bank that would offer low-cost checking accounts, small-dollar savings accounts, micro loans, wire transfers and other general banking services. The bill seeks to end predatory payday lending practices that affect millions of mainly low-income Americans. Payday lending is illegal in New York, but it is still available in other states. The industry has come under fire because of high fees and interest that are added to the initial loan amounts. Gillibrand believes having retail banks at post offices will help those who live in rural and urban areas where there are few banking options. Her proposal would allow any American to open an account at the postal bank. "Millions of Americans are being forced into payday lending schemes that only exacerbate their money problems, and Congress has the ability to wipe out these predatory practices right now by creating a postal bank that would be accessible to everyone, everywhere," Gillibrand said. Spearheading the Takaful insurance concept in Sri Lanka, Amana Takaful PLC. encourages its stakeholders to adopt healthy habits for a fulfilling and healthy life. On the occasion of World Health Day, Amana Takaful took up the mantle as a responsible corporate to spread awareness of this crucial day with the involvement of its staff, who took to the streets to create awareness. They distributed hygienically packed, healthy breakfast packs consisting of green gram and kola kenda to commuters on Galle Road, Kollupitiya. This initiative was undertaken to maintain a high-profile focus on universal health coverage as propagated by the World Health Organization, which promotes World Health Day every year on April 7th. By taking up the challenge to spread awareness, Amana Takaful was instrumental in stimulating local conversation about ways to achieve health for all, which is this years theme for World Health Day. The reason why Amana Takaful chose to distribute healthy breakfast packs is due to the realization that there is rise in the dual income households in urban areas. While these families enjoy a relatively high income, it is a challenge for working couples to spend time preparing nutritious and healthy meals. As a result, they opt for convenience foods, which are usually unhealthy. By distributing healthy breakfast packs, Amana Takaful successfully emphasized the health benefits of having healthy and balanced meals. This World Health Day campaign by Amana Takaful is in alignment with its portfolio of products and services, which consists of a wide range of medical insurance covers that cater to nearly all segments of society. The Hale and Hearty solution is aimed at taking away the stress of hospitalisation with a comprehensive health plan, which reimburses all hospitalisation and surgical expenses, be it ambulance charges or sudden illness or accident. Amanas Hale and Hearty Young Minds offers a tailor-made solution for all parents who value their childrens good health as the greatest wealth. Kruthaguna is the only insurance cover designed to take care of hospitalization of elderly loved ones, who are over 55 years. It provides you with financial security and much needed support in times of need. Suwasiri, the most affordable health Insurance policy available in Sri Lanka is designed to ease your financial burden during a time of crisis. The range of insurance covers provided by the company is gives hope and security to many families in Sri Lanka. Access to essential quality care and financial protection not only enhances peoples health and life expectancy, it also protects countries from epidemics, reduces poverty and the risk of hunger, creates jobs, drives economic growth and enhances gender equality. Amana Takaful has grown in stature since 1999 and continues to expand its portfolio of total Takaful solutions for its growing clientele. Its innovative services and products make it the forerunner in the Sri Lankan Insurance Industry, showing the rest of the industry, the Takaful way. Retired Navy Lieutenant Millaniyage Samudra Nilupul De Kostha was arrested this morning by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in connection with the investigation of the floating armoury of Avant Garde Maritime Services Ltd, Police said. The suspect, a 43-year-old resident of Jambugaswatte, Kelaniya, had been serving as the Operations Manager of the company. He is to be produced in the Galle Magistrates Court today. Comprehensive Community Standards Introduced Facebook has decided to refine and make their guidelines understandable to the public Facebook has its own description of a nude picture This difficulty in identifying doesnt arise with regard to a video It is difficult to identify content as being aggressive or violent because it is written Although FB users stumble upon content including hate speech or sensitive content, not all users will go to the extent of reporting them When Facebook (FB) was first introduced after the Hi5 and Messenger revolutions, the youth were mesmerised by its glamour and various other options. From adding people you know to sharing your ideas, it became a global platform for people to connect, free-of-charge. In no time, Mark Zuckerberg became a hero among the global community. With gradual changes, Facebook became a point of discussion and debate as it was open to anyone. People of all ages and various intentions started using FB, some to do good and some with ulterior motives on their minds. At the onset of the recent violent incidents in Kandy District, FB fanned more flames than expected, thus forcing the Government to censor all social media sites till the matter was resolved. Taking this issue and various other matters which led to hate speech and violence from around the world into consideration, Facebook has decided to refine and make their guidelines understandable to the public. In doing so, the team believes that they would be able to convince the public to play a role in allowing them to realise their mistakes and upgrade their service. Hence the Dailymirror sheds light on the users responsibilities and why content should be reported even if it doesnt concern you or someone you know. We will update content regularly and ensure that the public understands it- In an exclusive newsroom call with the , Facebooks Head of Product Policy and Counter-terrorism, Monika Bickert elaborated on the recently launched Internal Enforcement Guidelines for Community Standards. The standards that we have are Community Standards. I have worked and visited several places in Asia and when I came to Facebook six years ago, Community Standards were already there and they were of a high level. They said we dont support harassment, bullying etc., but we didnt give a lot of detail about what we meant. We heard questions about people all the time and about what we meant. By 2015 we came out with a more detailed version of how we define some of these concepts such as hate speech. But we didnt reveal all the details and we continued to receive questions from people about how we enforce these policies. For instance when it comes to harassment we would define something, so we would explain how we tell our content reviewers to enforce the policy. But today we are giving more importance to these policies and making them public. We are going to make sure that these policies are understandable to the audience and our goal is to make sure that when the public see the content they could look at the policies to understand and review our content. If not they will understand with reasons. We are also launching an appeal process for individual pieces of content. If there are certain pieces of content that should be removed we do have the opportunity to request for a review. We recognize that we make mistakes and we are trying to give our community an opportunity to play a role in the process and analyse these mistakes. So if the content should be removed the information goes to our operations team and if we find out that we have made a mistake we do make it a point to make sure that the content is restored. Bickert said. More users equal to more changes Speaking further Bickert however mentioned that this is not a final version of the FB Content Policy because the Policy continues to evolve. Part of that is because we see more and more people on Facebook and there are different communities around the world. For instance there are speech issues that continue to change. So we are always hearing about new trends and things that we need to include in our Policy. We have a meeting which we call the Content Standards Forum where people from all different teams of Facebook from all over the world come together and discuss certain issues that we see in different parts of the world. Here we check the possibilities of refining our Policy. So, somebody from the Australian team might see a new self-harm trend among young people in Australia and then we would take a decision to view the activities happening in Australia. Then we look at the data and the content on our servers and find out the information offline about their trends and we will talk to academics about this problem around the world and we will get their inputs about how to refine our Policy to best address whatever the new issue is. So from now on wards we will regularly update the content; maybe every month. One of the goals of this launch is to obtain feedback from the community. We have been reaching out to civil society organisations and academics to obtain their feedback on these Policies. So from now onwards, anybody can report any piece of content on Facebook and this could be a profile, a photo, a post etc. This report goes to a member of our Community Operations Team and they are the reviewers who are based around the world. There are over 75,000 of them who continue to grow and they speak many languages and we want to make sure that we respond quickly to the reports that we obtain from the people. We get millions of requests within a week and we try to review the majority of them within 24 hours. In terms of hate speech and harassment, a lot of this bad behaviour comes from people who use fake accounts. They are not using their real names and they are using their accounts to abuse other people. Therefore our technical tools to identify fake accounts are getting a lot better. We see over a million fake accounts every day. We will have an Image Matching software and various other tools for this purpose. During the recent French and German elections for instance we removed tens of thousands of fake accounts using these new tools,she elaborated. With gradual changes, Facebook became a point of discussion and debate as it was open to anyone. People of all ages and various intentions started using FB, some to do good and some with ulterior motives in their minds Customised Terms and Conditions In his comments to the Dailymirror, Senior Information Security Engineer at the Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Readiness Team (CERT) Roshan Chandraguptha said that on social media, every site has its own terms and conditions. On Facebook they have their Community Standards which is not available on other social media. On other sites, their terms and conditions might reflect their laws and cultures. Therefore they address our issues in a different manner. Since 2013 we have spoken to technical teams at Facebook and although they said they will look into the issues, they were never resolved. This is because they emphasized on the freedom of expression for people in countries among other reasons. But for the Asian culture they have their own concerns. These issues exist because people use Facebook for different matters. If you use it in an ethical and a responsible manner there wont be any technical issues. If anyone tries to misuse Facebook then there will be problems. Initially when someone identifies a nude picture, Facebook has its own description of a nude picture. Therefore just because you post a photo of a girl in a swimming pool or in a bikini, according to Facebook it might not be a nude picture. If you go by another category also it might state that you are not violating the terms and conditions of Facebook. But its of concern to our people and culture, he explained. But problems may arise in how we identify the offences because they may not match what Facebook defines as an offence. This is also because the law in US is applicable to most social media and not the law in our country He further said that other issues include people using Facebook to rob money, to threaten others and so on. Regarding these incidents there is a legal process in which you could obtain Subscriber Information which is held by them. If someone publishes something targeting someone or asking for ransom then any country is supposed to send a court order and obtain information from them. But problems may arise in how we identify the offences because they may not match what Facebook defines as an offence. This is also because the law in US is applicable to most social media and not the law in our country. But there are numerous instances when people use Facebook to keep in touch with friends and to promote businesses. During the time we faced an issue we came across numerous accounts owned by businesses as their marketing strategy. Therefore they were affected as a result of the censoring. In addition to that you cannot trust all the content that you see in Facebook. If you want to find out how many planets are there in the solar system and if I think I need to come up with a website with the scientific details of the solar system I can do that. Nobody will ask me to take down the content and it is my opinion as well. Therefore if you search it on my website you will think that my opinion is correct and what others say is wrong. So we need to see if the information we obtain from the Internet comes from a reliable source. Wrong information can spread like wildfire and if you dont trust the person sharing it, then you will share that wrong information with the rest of the people in your profile, he said. The real issue of reporting content Although FB users stumble upon content including hate speech or sensitive content, not all users will go to the extent of reporting them. When asked about this trend, Chandraguptha said that unless someone sees his or her own photo or a photo of a person he or she knows is being used by another account, people generally dont report content. There was an incident where some photos of girls were used by an account and those particular individuals requested us to take down the page. But we dont have the authority to do that and hence reported the page to FB. We then realised that although around 100 people have reported the page, it was liked by over 70,000 people. In that case they count only the numbers. With Community Standards FB believes that people will have their own photo and that they will not take somebody elses photo and publish it. Of course there are instances when FB was used to collect dry rations and aid during times of emergency. We also see advertisements of people who need blood donations and other assistance. If people use FB in such a way there wont be issues and nobodys life would be in danger. Unless somebody reports, FB remains as it is because it is a community requirement, he said. We are going to make sure that these policies are understandable to the audience and our goal is to make sure that when the public see the content they could look at the policies to understand and review our content If we report a page or an account and they are able to remove it, it means that they have access to all accounts, Chandraguptha further said. This means they have a lot of intelligence. We need to understand that they have all our information because given that there is a court case they have to provide all necessary information. If you deactivate your account you can recover it after three months. When we create an account we agree to their Terms and Conditions which many people dont read. But if you read it you will have a better idea of what you are using. It is the users responsibility to use it wisely. It is difficult to identify content as being aggressive or violent because it is written, but this difficulty in identifying doesnt arise with regard to a video. This in turn makes it difficult to identify such posts to have violated terms and conditions of FB. Therefore users have a bigger responsibility in using FB wisely, he said. Sangharaja Welivita Saranankara Thera Sri Lanka should have celebrated the 415th Birth Anniversary of Sangharaja Welivita Sri Saranankara Thera as much as the bringing of Upasampada to Sri Lanka in 1753. If not for Sangharaja Wellivita, Sri Lanka would not have been a Buddhist country. The Sangharaja was born at Tumpane in June 1698 of the Christan era, but the birth date cannot be verified. The birth is referred to as the fifteenth year during the reign of Vimaladharmasuriya II on the seventh day in the dark half moon of the month of Poson. Some say it is the 16th and others say it could be the 19th of June 2005. But, there is no doubt that Buddhisms renaissance commenced with the entry of Ven. Welivita Sri Saranankara as a monk, who later was bestowed with the Title of Sangharaja by King Kirthi Sri Rajasinghe. During the celebrations of the 250th year of bringing Upasampada to Sri Lanka millions were spent, but the birth place remained in the state as shown in the photograph. The fact remains that the birth place of the Sangharaja should be made a National Monument or as the residents of the area point out that the entire complex, which includes the Cultural Centre, the Pansala, the Buddhu-ge and the premises where the the Sangharaja and Kithsiri Rajasinghe had planted two Bo-trees should be made into a Sacred Area. It is time that the the Government or the Archaeological authorities took action to preserve the Birth place of this monk, without whom there would be no Buddhism in Sri Lanka. BACKGROUND Before the Sangharaja entered monkhood and in the renaissance of Buddhism, there were a group of monks, who were titled Ganninnansas. The Sangharaja opend up the Silvatas Assocation the forerunner to this renaissance. A fantastic amount of money running into millions of rupees had been spent a few years back on the 250th Anniversary commemorating the bringing of Upasampada to Sri Lanka, which transformed the Maha Sangha which was an exercise of the the Sangharaja. But, the very place where Sangharaja Weliwita Asarana Sarana Saranankara was born, the Temple where the Thera resided at Welivita and Vihare remains in a dilapidated condition even up to this very moment. More over where the very Vihare where Sangharaja used to come and meditate and pray is in utter neglect. Trekking nearly 20 kilometers this scribe has made his way to Sangharagapura several times, more so as a pilgrimage to the village of Welivita in the Tumpane Divisional Secretarys Division on a road that needs repair. Every time the visit has brought heart burns to this scribe, that none of the agencies all these years has taken an interest in this field of restoration of the birthplace of the Sangharaja. The house that Sangharaja Asarana Sarana Saranankara Welivita was born is in the most dilapidated condition, which is owned by one S.B.Weliwita, residing in Kandy. Some of the wooden pillars have been replaced by concrete pillars, but the doorways seems to intact. However the building needs repairs and conservation. S.B.Welivita, within his means has tried to do up the house and the original wooden frames are intact, though the pillars are in concrete. This scribe spoke to S.B. Welivita, in Kandy working at the University of Peradeniya and he has a tale of woe. He said a number of public servants and others have come over the years to write articles and also to see the place, but he is the one who even puts up a Buddhist Flag at this birth place during Veask, Poson and other Poya days. He said on Thursday that he was going to Sangharajapura to put up a Flag so that the younger generation would know. He said that this is done for the sake of the younger generation to least know that, Here lived a monk to whom credit should be given for the upliftment of Buddhism in Sri Lanka. This is only one aspect of this most regretful history that has befallen to a Thera who should be venerated daily in Buddhist homes and looked upon as the saviour of the Buddha Sasana. Venerable Asarana Sarana Saranankara Welivita Thera was instrumental in a renaissance of Buddhism in the country, when there was not a single member of the Sangha who was ordained in the Upasampada Karamaya or Higher Ordination. Several attempts to bring the Upasampada failed until during King Kirthi Sri Rajasinghes period. Upasampada was brought by a delegation headed by Maha Thera Upali. Venerable Welivita was born in this remote village of Welivita named as Kulatunge Banda, whose father was Kiri Banda a farmer. At the age of 12, the young Kulatunge Banda was entrusted to Venarable Suriyagoda Rajaguru to be ordanied a monk at Suriyagoda in the now Yatinuwara electorate. It is from here that he had his basics on Buddhism and went in search of a inner dimensions of Buddhism at a time when there was no books or scholars. A cave at Balane was his place of meditation and lived in cave close, both which could be located. The two caves are separated by the Kandy-Colombo railway track. But, without so much of a sign to indicate that this Venerated member of the Sangha lived or meditated there. The irony of the whole situation is that though the then government spent millions through the District Secretary at Kandy and other government functionaries, they did not have an iota of knowledge to even so much to indicate by erecting a plaque at these the places where this Thera lived, studied or meditated. No doubt,. he had been going around the country in order to enlighten the people and the monks. The Ven. Thera should be recognised not only during celebrations but throughout by the Buddhist public. There was a time, when the officers of the State banished Venerable Asarana Sarana Welivita Thera without his knowledge, due to jealousy, to Laggala and was also nearly being beheaded for an alleged crime against the King at Malwatta Chapter. The irony of the whole situation is that though the then government spent millions through the District Secretary at Kandy and other government functionaries, they did not have an iota of knowledge However, when a wisecrack Brahamin came to the Kandyan Kingdom who went unmatched with arguments on Buddhism, the King sought the help of Venerable Welivita. The King was told that he was banished to Laggala, whereon, the King sent his own Palanquin to bring back Welivita Thera. At a time when discipline of the Sangha was at a low ebb, he formed what later came to be known as Silvatha Association which was the forerunner to these classes. As a last resort the King called upon a meeting at Poya Maluwa Vihare in Malwatta and selected the persons who should proceed on this errand to Siam (Thailand). In this five were selected was Wilbagedera. The Dutch released a Yatch named Tharka. There were two ships that came, one was the ship supplied by the Dutch Taraka and the Thai ship. Wilbagedera travelled in the Thai ship while others travelled in the the ship provided by the Dutch. The Thai delegation stayed at Godapola before they proceeded to Kandy and at Godapola, the Siamese Priests taught the Sri Lankan Pirests how to don the Robe and the finer points of the Upasampada ceremony. On Poya day of 1753, the first Upasampada was held, firstly on a member of the Thai delegation and secondly on Mahanayake Kobbekaduwa and later on Welivita Asarana Sarana Saranankara Thera. On this day Asgiri Sangha was not present for the first Upasampada. There were five pupils to the Sangharaja and the first been Venerabe Tibbotuwawe Sri Siddhartha Buddhraksitha Thera followed by The house that Sangharaja Asarana Sarana Saranankara Weliwita was born is in the most dilapidated condition, which is owned by one S.B.Weliwita, residing in Kandy. four others. The Temple at Weliwita which is in a most dipilated state is surrounded by new buildings, but the old Temple has been saved. The credit must be given to the present member of the Sangha, as they have not touched this old building, though a new building has been built close by. But, the old Viharege and the pansala needs conservation and the attention of the government authorities. A question should be asked as to whether the Government agencies did not realise that the ceremonies to mark the 250th year of Upasampada or even the 2550th celebrations should have included Sangharajapurs Vihare or should have commenced by rehabilitating two ancient historic edifices, such as the Vihare and the birthplace. The monies spent have gone in the air and so much so that even a plaque has not been erected to name the palces where the Sangaraja lived or medidated. A cultural centre, which premises embraces two Bo-trees one planted by the Sangharaja and the other by King Kirthi Sri Rajasinghe was construted during on the instructions of Late President Premadasa and in the same premises in 1998 the Cultural Minister Lakshman Jayakody unveiled a statue of the Sangharaja. President Maithripala Sirisena today requested the electrical engineers to halt their scheduled trade union action on May 08, based on professional issues. He said their issues would be taken up for discussion at the Cabinet and assured to provide a satisfactory solution. He said this during a meeting on swift implementation of the long-term power generation plan held at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday. The President gave instructions to the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka to take the necessary steps expeditiously to implement the long-term power generation plan for the time period of 2018-2037. The Ceylon Electricity Board has prepared the long-term power generation plan, including the details of new Power Plants which should be constructed during the time period of 2018-2037 to meet the electricity demand of the country. During the meeting, the President emphasized to the officials the necessity of prompt implementation of these works and further said that if there is obstacle to implement this plan, they should take steps to eliminate those obstructions by holding discussions. President Sirisena further said that when paying attention to the issues, due consideration should be given to public conveniences and take steps in a humane manner. Outsider has also become an apologist for CBSL Governor Dr. Indrajit Coomaraswamy My Rotary membership was unlawfully terminated twice after I blew the whistle on RI wrongdoing It is disappointing that the legal system is abused to thwart expose of wrongdoing I re-iterate - RW must initiate transparent measures to bring Arjuna Mahendran to Sri Lanka to face due process for his role in the alleged Bond Scam Although on principle I do not respond to cowards afraid to place their names upfront, I am making an exception in this instance to expose those squirming with my public interest undertakings particularly naming & shaming. I have done so with responsibility to which wrongdoers have no credible answer other than unleash mercenaries in different forms for different rewards. This will not deter me. My article in the Dailymirror UNP Politburo set up for internecine war between Sajith, Navin? has sent Outsider evidently a rabid acolyte of PM Wickremesinghe who views the world with dark glasses into panic mode. I am no apologist for anyone. In my said article I inter alia stated: The Yahapalana Government has only itself to blame for keeping the door wide open to give the Rajapaksas another shot at leading this country I have also referred to the traumatic Rajapaksa led years I ask Outsider why is RW not holding those concerned accountable? Outsider trivializes my call for real reforms in the UNP by the puerile question Does Mr. Muthukumaru expect the farmer and fisherman to come to Sirikotha and offer advice? Outsider refers to a plethora of alleged egregious wrongdoing under the Rajapaksa presidency which include when Nivard Cabraal was CBSL Governor. I again ask why is RW pussyfooting on these allegations? What is he afraid of? Governor Indrajit Outsider has also become an apologist for CBSL Governor Dr. Indrajit Coomaraswamy. I re-iterate that Governor Indrajit has an obligation to carry out a transparent investigation into alleged instances of blatant tax evasion and money laundering identified by the Presidential Commission of Inquiry probing the issuance of Treasury Bonds. This is particularly so in the context of the European Union designating Sri Lanka as a high risk country for money laundering subsequent to the Financial Action Task Force placing the country on its grey list reportedly from November 2017. Governor Indrajit who assumed office as CBSL Governor from 3 July 2016 must bear some responsibility. This designation is serious. Under the circumstances, which ETHICAL entity will want to invest in Sri Lanka? In the context of Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs) being at the centre of the worldwide efforts for the prevention of money laundering, the CBSLs stance is untenable. Outsider refers to my views on PEPs as a witch-hunt! While in no way suggesting that the mere listing of names and entities in tax havens is indicative of wrongdoing, it is disappointing that Governor Indrajit has completely ignored my e-mails commencing 30 August 2017 on determining the legitimacy or otherwise of the offshore accounts allegedly held by Sri Lankan citizens in tax havens revealed almost two years ago in the Panama Papers. In this connection particular reference was made to the offshore account allegedly held by the Chairman of a leading private sector bank linked to a company in which Governor Indrajit was a director until almost the day he was appointed CBSL Governor. Outsider refers to a plethora of alleged egregious wrongdoing under the Rajapaksa presidency which include when Nivard Cabraal was CBSL Governor. I again ask why is RW pussyfooting on these allegations? What is he afraid of? Canard Outsider has gone ballistic after my demand that RW must Publicly apologize to the 6.2 million voters who were duped by reneging on the promises given in the run-up to the 8 January 2015 presidential elections by stating: 1) Mr. Muthukumaru is used to apologising in court! 2) Mr. Muthukumaru is no stranger to courts These canards need to be nailed once and for all. In the context of Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs) being at the centre of the worldwide efforts for the prevention of money laundering, the CBSLs stance is untenable. Outsider refers to my views on PEPs as a witch-hunt After I questioned the integrity of Rotary International (RI) one of the largest NGOs in the world which solicits and receives huge donations on the back of purporting to be an ethical entity which include the unsuitability of two persons from Sri Lanka to hold high RI office, they both sued me for Rs. 100 Million each alleging defamation. They both initiated a settlement on IDENTICAL undertakings which prohibits all parties including me from writing on issues concerning each other. Does this not demonstrate the UTTER FALSITY of the alleged defamation? I agreed to the Settlement due to time and cost constraints. My Rotary membership was unlawfully terminated twice after I blew the whistle on RI wrongdoing. Notwithstanding my expose both these persons went on to hold high RI office. One of these persons was even appointed special ambassador to attract foreign investment by RW. I do not wish to speculate on how much of FDIs came in due to his efforts! The questionable integrity of RI include accountability for the US $10 Million Schools Re-awaken project with donor funds to rebuild/rehabilitate 25 Tsunami devastated schools. Subsequent to some of my public interest undertakings one of these persons alleged a breach of my part of the undertaking and reported me for Contempt of Court. In order to avoid the administrative inconvenience involved and for the purpose of settlement I did apologize for the alleged Contempt of Court. It has nothing to do with any defamation which Outsider has mischievously insinuated. I am only stating these facts for the sole purpose of setting the record straight. It is disappointing that the legal system is abused to thwart expose of wrongdoing. I re-iterate - RW must initiate transparent measures to bring Arjuna Mahendran to Sri Lanka to face due process for his role in the alleged Bond Scam which will include communicating with Singapore PM Lee Hsien Loong. RW has a moral obligation to do so since he has consistently defended him no matter what at every turn. Amrit Muttukumaru Is Sampanthan playing into the hands of JO JO aims at Opposition Leader post, the General Secretary posts of United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) and the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) Attempting to get hold of the General Secretary posts of the UPFA and the SLFP using as pawns the 16 SLFP MPs NCM against Sampanthan put on hold at the instance of the former President JO argued that they be given the Opposition Leader post claiming that they were the largest group in the Opposition Local Government election results point to the fact that the UNPs calculations have gone wrong The Joint Opposition, the Mahinda Rajapaksa loyalists in the Parliament, seems to aim currently at three main positions in and outside of the Parliament. One is the Opposition Leader post, a position that they have been eying from the day this Parliament met for the first time after the last General Elections and the others being the General Secretary posts of two parties led by President Maithripala Sirisena - the United peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) and its main constituent party, the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP). Once the three positions are captured, the mission is accomplished they seem to think as it would be a leap forward in their campaign to office. They are attempting to get hold of the General Secretary posts of the UPFA and the SLFP using as pawns the 16 SLFP MPs, who had resigned from their Ministerial posts and the Deputy Speaker post after voting in favour of the No-Confidence Motion against Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. Interestingly, among this group of 16 there are those two former General Secretaries of the SLFP and the UPFA, Anura Priyadharshana Yapa and Susil Premajayantha, who were unceremoniously sacked from those posts by President Sirisena on the eve of the last General Elections for helping his main rival, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa under his nose. If any two persons of the group recaptured the two positions it would really be a sweet revenge especially for the duo. The Joint Opposition had been challenging to bring in another NCM against Opposition Leader R. Sampanthan for voting against the NCM against the Premier and it is said to have put on hold at the instance of the former President. Meanwhile, the backbenchers of the United National Party (UNP) were also to bring in separate no-faith motions against the group of 16 for voting in favour of the one against the PM but they too were withheld on the instructions of Premier Ranil Wickremesinghe. The purported reason for the proposed NCM against the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) leader Sampanthan was just a ruse, as the Joint Opposition have been laying claim to the Opposition Leader post occasionally from the very beginning. And the stand of the UNP towards this demand has been strange as they have rejected it while recognising the Joint Opposition as a separate group in the Parliament. However, Sampanthan seems to have forgotten his duty towards all the communities in the country as the Opposition Leader. His current attitude justifies the Joint Oppositions demand for the Opposition Leader post Hard on the heels of the last General Elections, Mahinda Rajapaksa and 54 of his loyalists who contested under the UPFA led by President Sirisena requested the Speaker of the Parliament to make arrangements for them to sit in the Opposition benches and recognise them as a separate group in the House. They also argued that they should be given the Opposition Leader post claiming that they were the largest group in the Opposition of the House. Mahinda Rajapaksa recommended former Transport Minister of his government Kumara Welgama for the post and all 55 members of the Joint Opposition made it a request in a letter to the Speaker Karu Jayasuriya. It was rejected by the Speaker as well as the UNP on the grounds that no party called Joint Opposition had contested at the General Elections and no party had returned to Parliament under the name of Joint Opposition, despite their request to sit in the Opposition being acceded. Accordingly, leader of the TNA Sampanthan was recognised as the Leader of the largest party in the Opposition of the House and was appointed the Opposition Leader on September 3, 2015, by the Speaker. JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake was appointed the Opposition Whip. Legally the contention was correct. JO request rejected on the grounds that no party called Joint Opposition contested and no party had returned to Parliament under the name of Joint Opposition The UNP (106 seats), UPFA (95 seats), Ilankai Thamil Arasu Katchi under which the TNA contested (16 seats), Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) (6 seats), Eelam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP) (1 seat) and Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) (1 seat) were the parties that had returned to the Parliament. Therefore no other party or group can legally be recognised as a party or group representing Parliament Opposition. However, there has been precedence, where parties which contested under a coalition, with other parties had later been recognised as a separate group in the House. The JVP which contested under the UPFA symbol at the 2004 General Elections had been recognised as a separate group until 2010, after they severed links with the UPFA in June 2005. Yet, the Speaker dismissed the Joint Oppositions demand to be treated as a separate group. A few weeks later the Joint Oppositions demand for the recognition as a separate group reemerged-this time sans the demand for the Opposition leader post. And this time the UNP was amenable apparently with a view to strengthen the Mahinda Rajapaksa group within the SLFP, which according to the calculations of the UNP leadership, would divide the SLFP and help the UNP at the forthcoming elections. It was on the same grounds that the UNP might have been soft on the high profile corruption charges against the leaders of the former regime. However, the recent Local Government election results point to the fact that the UNPs calculations have gone wrong. The SLFP has not been divided right in the middle. Instead, at the grassroots level, the entire party has been with Rajapaksas from the beginning. Again in April 2016, the Joint Opposition had some issues over the Opposition Leader post. Mahajana Eksath Peramuna (MEP) leader Dinesh Gunawardane criticised Sampanthan for speaking only about problems faced by the Tamil people ignoring national issues. Sampanthan, in response, had lashed out at the MEP leader and questioned as to whether southern politicians had taken up issues that affected Tamil people in their engagements with the government or the people. They are concerned about the issues around them and we too are concerned about the issues around us, he had told the media. As a Tamil leader, Sampanthans argument was sound but he seems to have forgotten that he was the Opposition Leader representing the whole country. His complaint that the Sinhalese leaders were indifferent to the problems faced by the Tamil people and leave them to the Tamil leaders is undeniable. Southern political leaders, irrespective of them even being ministers, view as alien to them the issues that affect Tamils such as resettlement of people displaced by the war, occupation of thousands of acres of lands belonging to the people by the security forces, detention of people for years even without a charge and disappearance of thousands of people during the war. However, it does not in any way justify Sampanthans laxity in his duties as the Opposition Leader, since a strong Opposition is a must for a healthy democracy. Many important national issues such as corruption, cost of living, the imposition of new taxes on the people and failure in the new electoral system had cropped up for the past three years which invites a broad public discourse. The Opposition Leader cannot be indifferent to them. One does not suggest the Opposition Leader oppose everything the Government does or proposes to do, as the tradition had been and the Joint Opposition expects. He is at liberty to support the Government when he feels fit as in the case of the national budget. However, he seems to have forgotten his duty towards all the communities in the country as the Opposition Leader. Mr Sampanthans involvement in nationally important matters would help promote the much-needed reconciliation as well and the Tamil and Muslim people too might come out from the secluded insular mindset they have been pushed into by their leaders during the past several decades. His current attitude justifies the Joint Oppositions demand for the Opposition Leader post. PMAPC Right of Reply to CHEC P.C. Colombo (Pvt) Ltd statement, published on March 20, 2018. We make reference to the statement above to clarify some issues muddled by the CHEC Port City Colombo (Pvt) Ltd in response to the joint seminar held on February 28, 2018 by the Creation Care Desk of the Methodist Church and the PMAPC. EIA 2011 Coast Conservation Act This sorry saga begins with a slim so-called EIA in 2011, which fulfilled less than 20% of the legal requirements of EIA studies stipulated in Section 42 of the Coast Conservation Act No 57 of 1981. The development permit with its 72 conditions allegedly monitored by 26 Government agencies are a matter of private record and are not available to the public. Monitoring reports are deemed by the participating public institutions, the property of the CHEC Company and confidential. If the checks and balances are being made why has not one monitoring report been made public? Urban population The Urban population of Colombo stands to lose their health for generations to come as they suffer the consequences of high impact construction and the blocking of the flow of fresh air from the moment construction begins in the Colombo Port City. It is a proven fact that construction activities contribute massively to air pollution. This is exacerbated by land filling and vehicle emissions. All construction sites generate high levels of dust (typically from concrete, cement, stone, silica) which can carry for large distances over a long period of time. Air Pollution Currently toxic PM10 Fine Particles in the City of Colombo are at levels three times higher than what is safe for humans. With the proposed high-rise building constructions in the Port City over an estimated period of 12 to 15 years the PM 10 levels may increase 25-30 times more than what is considered safe for humans. Such an increase in PM 10 toxic particles will definitely increase the risk of getting respiratory and cardio vascular diseases, including lung cancer as detailed in WHO reports. Clearly this project is an unacceptable health hazard to the citizens of Colombo, the capital city of Sri Lanka. Unjust Deal The alleged benefits to the urban population are pie in the sky, but the benefit to the developer is assured for generations to come: Beginning with the landfill the rosy deal they have cut is a guaranteed 100% return within 3 years. The public however will suffer a net loss of not less than $11 billion. CHEC Company have invested $500 million and have obtained a loan of $1 billion. They will make a profit of not less than $1.5 billion from the landfill. Sri Lanka supplies 65 million tons of sand at $2001- is $13 billion. 3.45 million cbm of granite rock @ $380/cbm$1.2 billion. ( December 2015, SEIA). State lands ordinance The State Lands Ordinance does not authorize the President to delegate his capacity under Section 60 (3) to reclaim any part of the foreshore of the bed of the sea. As the President has not authorized any lease as stipulated under section 61 of the State Land Ordinance, we assume that this is because this section says that the President must be sure that such a lease will not substantially prejudice the rights of the public thereto. No Provision for Supplementary EIAs in Coast Conservation Act It is a matter of national importance and historical record that one project has needed much more than two EIAs repeatedly and allegedly addressing different aspects of the project in isolation and without an integrated examination of all inter-related impacts. The law does not identify compartmentalization of the EIA process in a single project. Further the word Supplementary EIA is not known in the Coastal Conservation Act. Hidden Agenda There is no hidden agenda, but there exists an open public agenda to protect the well-being of generations living and yet to come. Prof. Karunaratnas talk Prof. G P Karunaratna PhD, PE, FASCE has a PhD in Soil Mechanics from the Victoria University of Manchester was Adjunct Associate Professor at the NUS in Singapore. His response by email to the quarrels about his analysis in part says ... There have been many references to the Port City Reclamation Projects. The effect of this reclamation on the ground water table of the adjacent land, when coupled with intense rainfall in the same area has been discussed with respect to the effect on some of the old buildings and other infrastructure in the said adjacent land. It was elucidated last December to an audience comprising practicing engineers that, if proper drainage is not constructed and maintained certain despair would occur in those buildings and infrastructure ... This is not scaremongering, but scientific research in Sri Lanka by a world-renowned expert on marine reclamation. Fisher folk livelihood support The right of the fisher folk to engage in a lawful occupation is violated with impunity with an allocation of Rs. 500 million for so-called fisher folk livelihood support and the use of those funds to split the fisher community in Negombo. This sum is an ad hoc allocation without study and with no basis in reality. Constitutional Infringments Our legal team have identified the following infringements under the Constitution: Article 14: Freedom to engage in a lawful occupation: the Fundamental rights of the fishers are violated. This violation also extends to the Fundamental Rights of generations unborn. Article 27(14) which requires the state to protect, preserve and improve the environment for the benefit of the community. Article 28 (f) each and every person is duty bound to protect nature and conserve its riches. Trust Doctrine All rulers and members of the executive hold the natural resources as a trust to be managed and utilized for generation unborn. They are not the owners. Natural resources are loaned from the future. See Bulankulama vs Secretary, Ministry of Industrial Development (2000) 3 SLR 243. Other Statutory Violations Coast Conservation Act 57 of 1981 Sections 4, 14, 15, 15 (b), 16 Ports Authority Act 51 of 1971: Sections 6, 7 & 74 Change of extent requires a new comprehensive EIA Change of quantity from 65 million tons of sand to 70 million tons of sand needs new EIA National Environmental Act, Sand extraction illegal has to be authorized by GMSB. Mines and Minerals Act 33 of 1992 Sections 26, 28,29,30,34 & 35 The question that arises is the huge damage that has been done to our coastline due to both dredging and filling to alter the shore transport currents. There needs to be a thorough investigation on the legality and accountability of the parties to the filling. But the reality is that we have an illegal filled area on the front of Colombo City. The damage that will be done to Colombo if high rise constructions are allowed is now obvious. If the Central Environmental Authority does not step in even at this last moment to protect our air quality, it will be a damning statement on their partiality. If high rises and high impact constructions will not be allowed, then what with the landfill? The alternate to high impact construction will be the establishment of building very high value, low rise, IT enabled, modern, health giving, Green City, the spectacular entry to Asia and the crown jewel of Colombo. We also encourage all Sri Lankans to send in suggestions as to what kind of city-we would like to have? Perhaps a national competition for what we would like to see on that land might be more democratic than the current cabal of the Businessman-Bureaucrat-Politician. F. Mansoor On behalf of Fr. Sarath Iddamalgoda Carmel Corea Ravindranath Dabare Dr. Ranil Senanayake Feisal Mansoor A conversation with hotelier Paloma Scott Mirissa made headlines for an unpleasant incident earlier this month and the authorities immediately reacted to it by taking actions like suspending the activities of the restaurant and removing unauthorised establishments along the Mirissa coastal belt. Hence, work is in progress to safeguard the tourism industry in the country, with special focus on the South. Having been in the tourism industry for six years, Unawatuna Beach Resorts (Pvt) Ltd Managing Director Paloma Scott recently expressed her concerns about the attitudes men have towards white women. She was born in England (London) to Sri Lankan and Scottish/English parents. When her brother discovered Unawatuna, Paloma was determined to change her career plans and get involved in the tourism industry instead. In a candid interview with the Daily Mirror, Paloma expressed her views about how the beach culture has changed over the years, the disgusting attitudes of Sri Lankan men towards foreign women and offered a few tips to foreigners who travel to Sri Lanka in future. Excerpts : The moment people see a white face in their shops their prices start skyrocketing Young children should be taught how women should be respected since this problem should be addressed from the grassroots level. English is the language of the law in this country and it is a sign of education The idea of service in Sri Lanka has gotten mixed up with the idea of servitude I guess Thailand does a better job in keeping people safe Three-wheel drivers ask the most intimate questions the moment I step into a three-wheeler Therefore the availability of technology and porn videos in particular, changes peoples attitudes Q From when you first discovered Unawatuna what changes have you seen in the beach culture? Unawatuna is a very particular case because when you go to the hotel the curve of the beach was a bit like Mirissa. In 2012 we lost the beach when the coastal conservation department, with the guidance of the Rajapaksa Government, decided in their wisdom to build a breakwater. It was ideally to protect the corals destroyed by the tsunami. None of the villagers knew about it and when it started in June or July in 2012 the beach started to disappear. I still have friends in London who would text me and ask whether Im safe in Sri Lanka. I dont think that the people around the world look at Sri Lanka in a positive way. Every time there is a bad news in Sri Lanka it spreads so fast and gets the attention of international media in a matter of seconds They built the breakwater very quickly, but their calculation proved to be slightly wrong because the water came in with great speed and took all our sand towards the Western side of the reef. Nobody speaks about such incidents, but I decided to voice out my concerns because nobody can take away anybodys beach and it affected the industry. I started getting help and eventually the Rajapaksa regime immediately attended to the matter. They pumped the sand in and within two weeks we had the biggest beach in down South. So Unawatuna went from being an intimate coast to an enormous beach and it attracted a different group of tourists. I market my hotel as a family oriented hotel and 50% of guests are Sri Lankans and the rest are from all over the world. I hear of various incidents around the coastal belt in the South, but so far I havent heard of such incidents happening in Unawatuna. Q How have beach boys become a menace in the area? I personally havent had any serious incidents with beach boys, but there have been incidents with various drug dealers. There are one or two wandering around, but they keep clear when Im around. There are guests who attract them as well. There are no incidents of beach boys harassing women in Unawatuna, but I see that Mirissa has a big problem. Mirissa has many night clubs along the shore, but Unawatuna mainly has restaurants and bars except for one or two night clubs with loud music even after 11.30pm. But if I have a party at my hotel I have to finish it off by 11.30pm and its sad how one rule works for me and there is another rule for the rest. I feel that if I was a man this wouldnt have been so. But because I am a woman it doesnt really matter and that is one example of bullying. Q In your recent write up on socail media you have mentioned about authorities lagging behind in their duties. What are your observations on how they respond to incidents involving violence and harassment? I think part of it is to do with liquor and cigarettes because men speak that language. They trade in that and the authorities turn a blind eye to these incidents. But when theres a woman involved they cant do that and I definitely will not give them liquor or cigarettes. Most of these officers are not well educated and they dont speak English. English is the language of the law in this country and it is a sign of education. They hide behind their inability to speak English and use it as a tool to bully and harass people like me. What I find is that they do understand English although they cant speak and its a useful mechanism for them to hide behind it and act as if they knew nothing. Most of the forms we get to fill are in English or Sinhala, but not Tamil. The Tamil diaspora is very powerful and the world outside already views Sri Lanka as an unsafe destination to travel to. The Sinhalese community has failed to counter argue about the war and in Britain, Canada and Norway there is a bias towards a minority interest But they have to be written in Tamil as well since this is a trilingual country. In Britain documents are available in over 10 different languages although it is a monolingual country. The third reason is the male chauvinist attitudes towards a white woman. They have this incredible habit of being rude in front of me and most of them cant even look at me and shake my hand. That has nothing to do with language and they are basic manners which are lacking in most people. This is why I have mentioned in my article that a white woman is viewed as a peculiar aberration and they dont have any respect towards foreign women. This is my experience. Q Does this also go in line with the belief that men have a tendency to harass women because they watch a lot of pornography? Quite interestingly I too have had a theory as to why Sri Lankan men, particularly three-wheel drivers ask the most intimate questions the moment I step into a three-wheeler. They ask if I would like to come back to their house and similar questions. Im old enough to be their grandmother and they just think that because you are in a foreign land and since you are alone, you are up for grabs. I would never even dream of asking them or their wives these questions. So yes, because they look at all these videos and because there is a liking for white flesh and because they see a lot of white women in porn videos they believe that we do it all the time. Therefore the availability of technology and porn videos in particular, changes peoples attitudes towards white women. Q The Sri Lankan tourism industry is still in its developing stages. Dont you think that incidents such as what happened in Mirissa will put a black mark against the country? I think the Government, big hotel owners and operators should lead this mission. As I understand that many tourism-related businesses are owned by ministers or they have their hand in it. The best thing they could do is promote Sri Lanka as a safe destination for tourists to travel to and take action against the culture of objectifying women. Since Sri Lanka is a Buddhist country and people are heavily inspired by the Buddhist culture, young children should be taught how women should be respected since this problem should be addressed from the grassroots level. Another observation is that the moment people see a white face in their shops their prices start skyrocketing. A Sri Lankan coming to Britain would pay the same price as the person next to him, but this is not the case in Sri Lanka The Tamil diaspora is very powerful and the world outside already views Sri Lanka as an unsafe destination to travel to. The Sinhalese community has failed to counter argue about the war and in Britain, Canada and Norway there is a bias towards a minority interest. I still have friends in London who would text me and ask whether Im safe in Sri Lanka. I dont think that the people around the world look at Sri Lanka in a positive way. Every time there is a bad news in Sri Lanka it spreads so fast and gets the attention of international media in a matter of seconds. Q Countries such as Thailand for instance also have a beach culture, but tourists are safe there. What makes this difference? I think there may be incidents in Thailand and because it is a large country they have a very sophisticated tourist industry. I see that they have a culture of service. The idea of service in Sri Lanka has gotten mixed up with the idea of servitude. No one wants to be a servant or be in servitude. I think another problem for politicians and the tourist industry is how to inculcate the idea of service and how do you inculcate the fact that tourists should be treated in the same hospitable manner as how you would treat a guest who visits your house. Im sure you would immediately ask have you eaten? This should be the benchmark for the tourist industry. In that case people would spend money and come here rather than going to Thailand. I guess Thailand does a better job in keeping people safe, it may be that they are clever at covering any problems they have. Q What tips could you offer foreigners who travel to Sri Lanka? I would say that they should dress appropriately. It is not about covering themselves from head to toe, but a lot of them should dress properly. This is because most white women are viewed differently to Sri Lankan women and white women tend to emphasize all the wrong bits in their body. If you are wearing something thats revealing your body parts, it would draw the attention of people around you irrespective of whether you are walking down a street in London or in Sri Lanka. Other than that it does help to know a little bit of the language and it does help that you shouldnt haggle on the smallest amount of money. I see this mostly in foreigners and a little Rs. 100 is nothing. Another observation is that the moment people see a white face in their shops their prices start skyrocketing. A Sri Lankan coming to Britain would pay the same price as the person next to him, but this is not the case in Sri Lanka. Also just like anywhere dont go out at night and dont get involved in drugs or booze until you dont know where you are. I started getting help and eventually the Rajapaksa regime immediately attended to the matter. They pumped the sand in and within two weeks we had the biggest beach in down South. So Unawatuna went from being an intimate coast to an enormous beach Q As a hotelier do you see a bright future for the tourism industry? Not at the moment. I say this simply because there are many opportunities to not repeat the same mistakes as in other parts of the world. I think this should start from kindergarten. Children should be taught not to throw rubbish and pollute the environment. We are heading towards a crisis because there are many plastic bottles that get washed onto the shore. The authorities have turned a blind eye on these issues once again. Sri Lanka is a fabulous country and we dont have to do much. We are far ahead than India because you dont fall ill. The male collective should change their attitudes towards women and women should be encouraged to enter the workforce as well. We have all the natural resources in abundance and we need to protect them before the country turns into a desert. By Nishel Fernando The government has made significant progress in disclosing the status of implementation of promises in the budget 2017 in the last six months of 2017 and beyond, compared to the first half, a leading think-tank in the country said. According to the latest budget promise tracker by Colombo-based Verite Research, which tracked 37 budget promises of budget 2017, the implementation status of only 11 percent of the budget promises is unknown, compared to the 51 percent recorded in the previous budget promise tracker up to June 30, 2017. Overall, compared to the first six months, the government has done OK particularly in terms of disclosure, Verite Research Assistant Analyst Nilangika Fernando told reporters in Colombo, yesterday. However, the government has been able to fulfil only 8 percent of budget promises while the status of 35 percent remains broken or incomplete. The implementation of about 46 percent of the budget proposals is either halfway completed or close to completion. Verite Research Research Director Subhashini Abeysinghe pointed out that despite the relatively improved transparency, the government has only utilized Rs.55.4 billion of allocated funds under the budget 2017, out of Rs.116.9 billion. The allocations are different to what they are actually planning to do and whats actually happening. The question is where the money went. We dont know what happened to Rs.21.9 billion, which was not disclosed whatsoever, Abeysinghe said. Its not a crime not being able to implement a budget promise as there could be other priorities when funds are needed and sometimes the proposals get delayed due to various reasons such as government procurement process. However, she noted that by disclosing this information to the public, the government could build credibility while gaining the trust of the taxpayers. Abeysinghe stressed that the transparency of government expenditure and tax evasion is directly linked. If the government is honest and transparent about what they are doing with the taxpayers money, more people will be willing to pay taxes. So, thats something I think the government should realize. Meanwhile, commenting on the quality of some of the budget proposals implemented, Fernando said the public is yet to be aware of the full details. For example, the Education Ministry has completed the implementation of the Rs.200,000 health insurance for students. However, we dont know the number of students covered and the utilization of the allocation of Rs.2.7 billion. Verite Research also pointed out that during election cycles, the expenditure in sectors such as agriculture and education tend to go up, beyond the budgeted allocations, as politicians know that additional funding to such sectors can surely influence the voting patterns. The agriculture has been a sector which has been highly politicized. As a result, what you see is, due to lack of accountability, at the time the government presents the budget, the government promises a lot of money. And with a lot of money, they bring a lot of promises on to the table misleading the farmers, Abeysinghe said. The government expenditure on agriculture and irrigation was as low as 40 percent of the allocated budgeted amount in 2013, while in 2015, the expenditure on agriculture and irrigation was little above 14 percent of the budget allocations. This allows the government to deceive the public for political mileage and break budget promises and get away without being questioned or being held accountable. Though we launched the budget tracker last year, this is not a problem that is unique to this government. This is a perennial problem and this has been the case for successive governments, Abeysinghe added. Verite Researchs budget tracker was limited to physical implementation of budget proposals rather than utilization of allocated funds and budget proposals with over Rs.1 billion fund allocation. "In these candidates we have a cross-section of some of the best of central New York teachers, volunteer firefighters, law enforcement officials," said Ian Phillips, chairman of the Cayuga County Democratic Committee. "We are proud to offer our designation and look forward to getting to work on their behalf. More than ever, we are fired up and ready to take on career politicians and entrenched special interests." French President Macron said Tuesday he wants to work on a new deal with Iran that brings representatives from the countries in the region to the negotiating table. Macron, who is on a three-day state visit to the United States, said he did not favour tearing up the existing deal, but rather building something new that will cover all of our concerns. He said his talks with US President Donald Trump led him to believe that there is an opportunity to take a new course on the Iran deal, which Trump has long insisted should be revised. I believe that the discussions weve had together make it possible to open the way, to pave the way for a new agreement, Macron said, adding that he would like to see the involvement of regional powers along with Russia and Turkey. The current deal can be seen one pillar to which three others should be added, Macron said, speaking at a joint news conference with Trump. The others would tackle Irans long-term nuclear ambitions beyond the current scope of the deal; Irans ballistic missile programme; and political solutions to contain Irans activity in Syria, Yemen and Lebanon. He said a broader deal would address the whole of the situation in the region and would be the only way to bring about stability there. It would also take up Trumps concerns and criticism of the deal. DPA, 25th APRIL, 2018 Sughandika Fernando exposed the whole justice system Where the Courts of Law cannot deliver justice, no repairs or reforms were possible There are thus definite and serious doubts about the role of the Judiciary and its independence This unprincipled Unity Government cannot provide answers to issues the people need answers A fortnight ago a video clip went viral on social media that left the whole of the Judiciary, the prosecuting agencies and the legal profession stark naked. It was a personal narrative by a young female lawyer, Sughandika Fernando that exposed the whole justice system from top to bottom, with names, dates and places and her own involvement in each of the cases and incidents she mentioned. She alleged the Courts from Magistrate to Supreme Court, the Bar Association of Sri Lanka, the local Bar Associations, senior lawyers, the Attorney Generals Department, the Police Department including its top officials and the politicians, as wholly corrupt, working together hand-in-glove to undermine Justice and fair play. Most, unfortunately, the mainstream media does not think Ms Fernandos personal stories are worth further discourse in terms of justice and in relation to judicial independence. In any country, where the Courts of Law cannot deliver justice, no repairs or reforms are possible. This exposure tells us just that. It is not the Judiciary alone that is tied in this nauseating chaos. Everything from professional ethics, politics to economy is in it. As a profession, lawyers dont represent the interests of their clients. Obvious it is with suspects left in remand custody for years, not weeks. Apprentices exploited to no end and junior female lawyers sexually abused too. Her detailed exposure tells the Police and the legal profession play together for their own interests. The Court Mudliyars also interfere in deciding dates and even rulings through various manipulations. Citing a case in which she appeared, she even named the then Deputy Solicitor General as manipulating cases of political interests through interpretations. On her experience, independence in appearing for clients at times, bring numerous threats to lawyers. Though most of Ms Fernandos tales are limited to her experience in Chilaw and the Gampaha District, they cannot be mere provincial distortions or a local sickness that can be cured on an issue basis. They are tied in numerous ways to Colombo and the apex bodies of the Judiciary. While media reports said President Sirisena was against the arrest of Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, the FR petition was re-fixed for hearing twice before allowing him to stay free with an interim stay order on his arrest for almost one year All issues highlighted put together, Ms Fernendos exposure basically says, the judicial system as a whole from investigations through prosecution, is corrupt to the core and is politicised beyond repair. We, therefore, have to accept, this Judiciary with all its line departments and the private bar, does not necessarily decide independently and is often partisan, due to politics and corruption at all levels. There is no other way to explain the status of the Judiciary, given the fate of the three million US dollar Forex case, in which Ravi Karunanayake was indicted with two others and the case dragged on for six years from 2009 till a change of Government. In 2015 May Karunanayake was cleared on technical grounds allowing the Attorney General to file papers with due amendments that during the past three years have not been attended to. There is also no other way of explaining how Gotabhaya Rajapaksa can avoid arrest with an FR petition filed with the Supreme Court in May 2017 to date. While media reports said President Sirisena was against the arrest of Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, the FR petition was re-fixed for hearing twice before allowing him to stay free with an interim stay order on his arrest for almost one year and still pending. There is also no other explanation possible for unbelievably long detentions of Tamil youth without any charges, after many years of investigations by the TID and the CID. Looking back, three Chief Justices of the Supreme Court, Sarath N. Silva CJ, Shiranee Bandaranayake CJ and Mohan Peiris CJ, are of very questionable track records. Sarath N. Silva on his own accord accepted his ruling on Helping Hambantota case that was politically very sensitive, went against the people and made a public apology on it. Shiranee Bandaranayake allowing President Rajapaksa to amend the Constitution to have an unrestricted number of terms under the 18 Amendment without a Referendum smack of political patronage. She as CJ was in a conflict of interest with her husband holding a political appointment by President Rajapaksa. There isnt much to say about Mohan Pieris as CJ, who was a direct political appointment by President Rajapaksa. There are thus definite and serious doubts about the role of the Judiciary and its independence. Even after this Yahapalanaya Government was installed, nothing systemic has changed, with a heavily politicised Constitutional Council (CC) nominating for appointments. The CC constituted with seven Members of the present Parliament and three members called civil society representatives have been held responsible for partiality and bias in nominating Members to Independent Commissions, most of which are dysfunctional and ineffective. The three civil society representatives are not seen playing any role in the CC. There is no transparency in CC activities and no minutes of meetings in public domain. Nor do these three civil society representatives say, what they do and where they stood in nominating individuals to very important positions and Commissions. In fact, the CC can meet without them, with the seven Parliamentary Members completing the quorum necessary. There is no reason, therefore, to expect the CC to function ethically, honestly and impartially. Add these negatives to all that Ms Fernando said and the cumulative effect cannot leave any space for independence and fair play in our judicial system. We are thus compelled to accept the co-sponsored UNHRC Resolution adopted at the 2015 September-October Sessions in Geneva was absolutely right. This Judiciary with untrustworthy and undependable investigating and prosecuting agencies in a Sinhala dominated and polarised society cannot be expected to act independently and in fairness to victims of other ethnic and religious denominations. If as Ms. Fernando kept saying and convincingly too, while investigations, interpretations, productions in Courts, fixing dates, suppressing evidence are all possible for the powerful, the rich and the corrupt, the likes of Jeyakumari Balendrans protesting in Vavuniya, Kilinochchi, Mullaithivu and Trincomalee, demanding answers for their missing family members at the hands of security forces, would hardly have space for justice. More because this Yahapalana Government as often proved, is awfully biased towards Sinhala Buddhist sentiments and demands. The Judiciary, after all, is the last resort for any citizen seeking justice. Anyone who finds him or herself denied equal opportunities, fair play and believes was discriminated and unjustly treated by the State, can only plead for justice in a Court of Law. Ms Fernandos long story about the entirety of this Judiciary and the legal profession is the story of the people who loiter every day on corridors of Courts of Law. Perhaps some of the Court Reporters have more stories than even Ms Fernando to report on if they wish to be independent Reporters. Most journalists assigned for reporting court cases also have their favourites and interests to serve for. Thus, we are in a very complex and a pathetic situation that goes without questioning and social exposure. Whatever our political preferences are, it is a fact that this whole system is now beyond repair. This cannot be reformed, unless within a total overhaul of the entire governing system based on an alternative to this insane free market economy that spreads its corrupt tentacles everywhere. We need to go beyond preaching about the 2015 January mandate. There was no mandate in 2015 January for any serious reforms that can clean up the Judiciary, the State and the political system for good. Whatever was told during election campaigning and in the election manifesto was for a mere marketing of the Common Candidate. Politics of it was only about voting out Rajapaksa. What was thereafter doled out as Reforms; the 19 Amendment was a bundle contradiction that allows another horribly corrupt group embedded in this extremely corrupt economy to govern for four plus half years without an election. This unprincipled and unholy alliance called a Unity Government cannot provide answers to any of the issues the people need answers for; democracy, economy, education, health, public transport and clean governance not just for the Colombo Urban Middle Class but for North-East as well. It is thus hilarious and a sorry plight to see some of the urban pundits drawing up programs for and demanding pledges from this wobbling alliance to deliver on the 2015 January mandate. Not accepting this cock and bull marriage in governance is rudderless, inefficient, and corrupt and cannot deliver even the basics the people need, these Colombo pundits have allowed another Rajapaksa comeback. Changing names and faces, arguing for leadership replacement, demanding a new Constitution from this corrupt and racist Government will not get this society back to decent and quality living. None of them is possible with this awfully corrupt political party leadership, professionals and the whole State with law enforcement agencies, the Judiciary, all being comfortable partners in a sordid game of racist Southern politics for personal gain. Non-traditional or not, any President or PM left within this system would only represent the system to enjoy all the corruption and nepotism in it. This free market economic model that sustains this wholly corrupt system, screwed to FDIs that we are told is the only way out, is a tested and proven failure during the past 40 years. Forty years wealth and income are being stockpiled in Western Province breeding a filthy-rich, politically-powerful urban elite. We, therefore, need to focus on an alternative holistic national development policy on a new economic model that can be inclusive and with social justice. Oops....! We couldn't find that... 404 error Unfortunately the page you were looking for could not be found. It may be temporarily unavailable, moved or no longer exist. Check the URL you entered for any mistakes and try again. Alternatively, search for whatever is missing or take a look around the rest of our site. "The reckless and unconstitutional practices ICE is deploying in our communities violate everything we believe in New York and are an assault on our democracy," Cuomo said in a statement. "I demand ICE immediately cease and desist this pattern of conduct, and if they fail to do so, I will pursue all available legal recourse and commit to doing everything in my power to protect the rights and safety of all New Yorkers." Homan disputed the claim that ICE agents engaged in unconstitutional conduct. He said the officers "acted professionally and within their legal authorities under federal immigration law." He also noted that Aguilar has been deported three times and has prior felony convictions. Aguilar has been convicted of reckless aggravated assault and illegal re-entry. "The governor's comments were inaccurate and an insult to ICE's sworn law enforcement officers who conduct their lawful mission professionally and with integrity," Homan said. "These brave men and women leave the safety of their homes every day to protect this great nation and our communities." Homan added, "ICE cannot and will not cease and desist from fulfilling our agency's congressionally mandated mission of enforcing federal law." A day after suspending his gubernatorial campaign, state Sen. John DeFrancisco said he will not seek another term representing the 50th Senate District. DeFrancisco, R-DeWitt, previously said it was "unlikely" he would run for re-election even if he didn't secure the Republican nomination for governor. If he won the GOP gubernatorial nod, he would be prohibited from running for governor and seeking another state Senate term. In an interview with The Citizen Thursday, DeFrancisco explained his final decision for not running for re-election. "The state needs a fundamental change," he said. "I can do my job and do the best I can and get some good things to happen in the Senate as a senator, but that's just cutting around the edges. And cutting around the edges isn't enough anymore." He added, "That's why I'm not running. I want to make a fundamental change and if I can't then I've served my time. I've run 17 times for office, 13 for the Senate. I've served as well as I can possibly serve." To win the designation at the convention, a candidate must receive more than 50 percent of the weighted vote. To get an automatic spot on the primary ballot, a candidate must get at least 25 percent of the vote. Molinaro quickly became the front-runner for the Republican gubernatorial nomination after he reconsidered and entered the race in early March. At the time, DeFrancisco appeared to be the favorite to secure the GOP nod. Molinaro's entry altered the race. He collected endorsements from Republican county chairs and received the support of the Conservative Party, a crucial minor ballot line for GOP candidates. As Molinaro rose, DeFrancisco faded. DeFrancisco announced Wednesday that he will no longer be "actively campaigning" for governor. He will remain in the race and plans to go to events he was invited to attend. In an interview with The Citizen Thursday, he relayed his frustration about the process by which Republican leaders passed over him to choose Molinaro. He questioned where Molinaro stands on the issues and said he asked Republican and Conservative party leaders to hold debates between the GOP contenders. Democrats won two state Senate special elections Tuesday night to set the stage for a fierce battle for the majority this fall. Assemblywoman Shelley Mayer won the 37th Senate District race, defeating Republican candidate Julie Killian by 16 points. The seat was previously held by George Latimer, who stepped down after being elected Westchester County executive. "I am honored to be part of the blue wave; I am honored to be part of your movement, and I am honored to be your new state senator," Mayer said in a statement Tuesday night. With a voter enrollment advantage in the district, Mayer was favored to win. But Killian had name recognition. She was the GOP nominee who challenged Latimer in 2016. Latimer won that race by 12 points. Republicans downplayed the defeat. Scott Reif, a spokesman for the state Senate GOP, said Democrats "were supposed to win this race." "Despite going up against political history and voter enrollment, our candidate ran a strong race," Reif said. "There are a number of Democrat-held seats that present better opportunities for us in November." China Says Military Drills a Show of Force to Taiwan 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. Several counterfeit $100 bills have been passed at multiple area businesses, the Auburn Police Department said Thursday. The APD is currently conducting multiple investigations into the bills with the serial number LGQ03229158, according to a press release. The department is asking that banks, businesses and consumers be on the lookout for the above mentioned counterfeit bills. "If you encounter a suspicious or counterfeit piece of currency, please retain the currency, get a description of the person(s) passing it and contact your local law enforcement agency," police said. Police also offered tips to help businesses detect counterfeit money: Compare the questionable item to a genuine bill for texture, feel and size Look for the security strip and thread Look for the watermark Look for the blue and red fibers Check for color shifting ink Check the bill with a counterfeit-detection pen The state agency that runs the Del Mar Fairgrounds will for the first time publicly debateand possibly vote onthe future of the Crossroads of the West Gun Show this September. The 22nd District Agricultural Associations board of directors unanimously approved the move on April 24 after nearly four hours of impassioned, sometimes combative testimony at the DAAs monthly meeting as activists made their case for protecting or banning Crossroads, which has been held at the fairgrounds several times a year since 1988. Its upcoming show at the fairgrounds takes place May 19 and 20. Director Lee Haydu made the motion to put the gun show on the DAAs September agenda in order to discuss the Crossroads contract, as well as pore through attendance and sales figures and consider a broader policy on gun shows. Director David Watson seconded Haydus motion and further requested that DAA staff prepare a memo on how a policy to restrict gun shows could be consistent with the DAAs state mandate to promote products of every kind or nature of the state. Watson also wants staff to answer whether the DAA can impose restrictions that go beyond state laws for gun shows, such as limiting the number of shows per year or imposing a different age limit. He also asked for an analysis of First Amendment rights regarding speech and assembly, as well as the legal fallout seen when gun shows have been banned elsewhere. If you do any internet search for litigation you will see that every time theres been an attempt to limit or ban a gun show, its been immediately followed by litigation, most of which the NRA wins, he said, pointing to multi-million-dollar settlements Los Angeles County paid out after enacting an ordinance in 1999 that banned the sale of guns and ammunition on county property. Throughout Crossroads 30-year-history, surges of protest have followed mass shootingsfor example, in 1999 after Columbine and in 2013 after Sandy Hookbut activists were never able to get the DAA to address the gun show in public. The DAA last discussed the gun show at its November 2016 meeting, but only as an informational item. Testimony was heard and the board took no action. This weeks motion made clear that the September discussion will be both an information item and action item, allowing the board to take a binding vote. The fact that this has been requested to be on the agenda should not be interpreted as the board or me or anyone else feeling one way or the other, Watson said. It has to be on the agenda as an information-action item for us to properly and thoroughly discuss it. By the time the board scheduled the September hearing, nearly all of the 200-plus gun owners and protesters who had poured into Surfside Race Place had long since left. Spurred by the Parkland, Fla. shooting in February, students and activists mobilized into NeverAgainCA.org and helped compel the city councils of Del Mar, Solana Beach and Encinitas to enact broad but largely symbolic resolutions calling for tighter gun controls and a ban on gun shows at the fairgrounds. Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom weighed in the day before the April 24 hearing, urging the DAA to enact a ban. Newsom, who is running for governor, pushed for a similar ban in Daly Citysite of the Cow Palace arenawhen he served as San Franciscos mayor. Meanwhile, Assm. Todd Gloria tweeted that he was prepared to introduce legislation that would ban gun shows in Del Mar. People can get their guns. Stopping the gun show is not going to stop their ability to get guns, said Del Mar resident Ira Sharp, one of several dozen orange-clad activists. The use of a state-owned facility to glorify guns, thats what were after. The abundance of orange, however, was vastly outnumbered by gun owners and Crossroads supporters, whose testimonies made repeated reference to the revolutionary spirit and accused protesters of using children as shields behind which to hide an anti-gun agenda. Several suggested that the protesters energy would be better spent railing against the far more harmful impacts of the alcohol and fried, sugary foods served at the county fair. Those who attempt to end the gun show are really attempting to suppress the civil rights of a major segment of the population of San Diego County, said Crossroads owner Bob Templeton. This fairgrounds serves not just the residents of Del Mar and Solana Beach, but it serves the entire population of San Diego County, and indeed a larger segment of the population throughout Southern California. The gun show itself is a protected First Amendment activity, we believe. Michael Schwartz, executive director of the political group San Diego County Gun Owners, said such efforts are no different than Jim Crow laws, school segregation and the jailing of members of the LGBT community. He urged the board to resist efforts to bully you into a position of intolerance and bigotry against the hundreds of thousands law-abiding gun owners here in San Diego. This is the beginning of a path of intolerance that I hope you reject, he said. And the folks that showed up here today, this is the tip of the iceberg. Were going to make sure were going to spend the summer being heard. Were going to make sure that you get the phone calls, you get the emails, you get the letters. Because it seems dangerously close to you guys making a decision that I dont think history will look kindly at. After having successfully introduced phased-in increases to the minimum wage in New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo has turned his attention to changing the rules for how tipped workers get paid. But some restaurant owners and their employees believe the effort will do more harm than good. Public hearings are underway across the state to re-examine the longstanding policy that allows employers to pay some workers less than minimum wage under the assumption that those employees will be able to make up the difference with their tips. The Cuomo administration argues that eliminating the lower "tipped wage" will benefit thousands of workers who struggle to get by when employers fail to make up the difference when their combined salary and tips fall short of the minimum wage. The proposal would affect as many as 400,000 workers in car washes, nail salons, bars and restaurants. But the weekly pay for workers at downstate car washes, upstate nail salons, quiet diners, and upscale restaurants varies from city to city and from block to block, so a blanket approach to fair wages may not be the best way to go. 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 By JANET McCONNAUGHEY Associated Press NEW ORLEANS State and local governments in Louisiana have offered an estimated $1.5 billion in incentives to persuade a Taiwanese company to locate a $9.4 billion plastics complex along the Mississippi River upstream from New Orleans, Louisiana's secretary of economic development said. The package includes about $1.4 billion in local property tax exemptions for the Formosa Petrochemicals Corp. subsidiary that would build and run the plant, Secretary Don Pierson said in a statement emailed Monday night. . . . Summer is forever in the Philippines while rain is just an occasional thing. With that said, we all need a sunblock that can withstand all the situations we are put in. Yesterday, I was one of the first to try out the new Banana Boat Dry Balance, the latest broadspectrum sunblock with SPF50+PA+++ that is said to stay effective even under 7 conditions. These are things we encounter not just on our summer outing but also at our staycation, malling, commuting to work, doing errands and the like. These conditions are being under the sun, getting a gush of wind, feeling the extereme heat, rolling in the sand at your beach getaway, a dip in pool , swimming by the ocean, and sweat a lot. AmazeSkinRace To convince us that these are the conditons the Banana Boat Dry Balance can withstand we were challenged to an AmazingSkinRace at Pico de Loro Beach and Country Club wherein we are placed in all those seven conditon. This AmazeSkinRace is a race against time to complete a tasks while testing the effectiveness of the Banana Boat broad range of sunscreen but most especially the Dry Balance variant. The race happened 12 noon yesterday and I must say the challenges were quiet challenging because of the scorching heat of the sun that stayed on the sand making running or walking a wee bit difficult than the usual. It was such fun tasks as we get to play with some Frisbee, paddle board by the sea, pick pods inside an inflateble , make sand castles, use a sundial, change a paper color with our sweat, and burn a paper using a microscope! It was definitely fun. We didnt win but we had a great time playing. If you want to experience the BananaBoat Amaze Skin Race you nay go to Zambales in July 2018 for free. Visit Banan Boat socaial media pages @bananaboatph Verdict Going back to the Dry Balance sunscreen, it comes in two variants, the Clear Ultramists and the Lotion. Theres also a variant for kids! I like the scent best because it doesnt smell like sunscreen and it feels cool when you spray it on. I didnt think I burned but I think I got a little tan! I also like the mositurizing effect conpared to other sunscrene that are drying. You may find the Banana Boat products at Watsons and other major beauty stores in the country. Do you religiously use sunscreen ?Have you tried Banana Boat products yet? Say gorgeous everyone! Sharing is caring ! Facebook Pinterest Twitter LinkedIn Telegram WhatsApp Skype Reddit Tumblr Print Email EU agri-food exports down in February; wheat leads drop Wheat exports dropped the most (-EUR114 million), even as the monthly value of EU agri-food exports in February decreased slightly to almost EUR10.5 billion. EU's February imports of agri-food products also decreased, though more slightly than exports, to EUR8.7 billion. Thus, the monthly trade balance increased to a surplus of EUR1.7 billion, compared with a surplus of EUR1.3 billion in February 2017, according to a report from the European Commission. Highest increases in February export values compared with February 2017 were recorded for Turkey (+63), Brazil (+19) and Singapore (+19). Monthly export decreases were recorded for the US (-60), South Africa (-41), United Arab Emirates (-40) and Switzerland (-39). The value of February EU agri-food imports compared with February 2017 increased most for imports from Malaysia and Tunisia, while the value of imports from the US, Brazil and Indonesia went down most. For the 12-months period from March 2017 to February 2018, EU agri-food exports reached a value of EUR138 billion, which is a sustained increase of 4.1% in value terms compared with the previous period. Milk powder exports performed very well over the last 12 months, increasing by 21% or EUR751 million. Biggest export drop in value On the other hand, wheat and pork exports experienced the biggest drop in value terms on an annual basis (-26% or -EUR1.3 billion and -7% or -EUR387 million, respectively). Major gains in annual values have been achieved in agri-food exports to the US (+4% or +EUR0.9 billion), Russia (+13% or +EUR0.7 billion) and several Asian markets: Japan (+10% or +EUR0.6 billion), Hong Kong (+8% or +EUR0.3 billion), China (+3% or +EUR0.3 billion) and the Philippines (+26% or +EUR0.3 billion). Further annual increases were recorded in agri-food exports to Turkey (+18% or +EUR0.6 billion) and Ukraine (+18% or +EUR0.3 billion), while increases of more than EUR0.2 billion also took place in exports to Korea, Nigeria, Australia, Serbia, Singapore and Switzerland in the last 12-month period. Annual export values remained down for North African and Middle East destinations, particularly Saudi Arabia (-12% or -EUR0.5 billion), Vietnam (-22% or -EUR0.3 billion), Egypt (-20% or -EUR0.3 billion), the United Arab Emirates (-10% or -EUR0.3 billion), Algeria (-8% or -EUR0.2 billion) and Libya (-17% or -EUR0.2 billion). Agri-food exports to Morocco and Tunisia also went down over the last 12-month period. Agri-food imports from third countries in the 12-month period between March 2017 and February 2018 totalled EUR116.7 billion, an increase of 2.5% compared with the previous period. However, because of the stronger export performance over the 12-month period, the export surplus now stands at EUR21.3 billion (+14% or +EUR2.6 billion). One of the highest increases in import values over the last 12 months were recorded for cereals (excluding wheat and rice) at 40% or EUR916 million. However, import values decreased for soya beans (-12% or -EUR659 million). The EU's main sources of agri-food imports over the past 12 months were Brazil (EUR11.8 billion), the US (EUR10.6 billion) and Ukraine (EUR 5.6 billion), followed by Argentina, China, Indonesia, Switzerland and Turkey, each accounting for between EUR4.5 billion and EUR5.5 billion. By Politico , April 25, 2018 Ronny Jackson, the White House physician who is battling to save his nomination to be the secretary of veterans affairs, regularly handed out the sleep drug Ambien and the alertness drug Provigil to West Wing officials traveling on overseas flights. Jacksons nomination has inadvertently exposed the widespread use of sleep and alertness drugs among government officials from the White House and State Department to the Pentagon and Congress itself.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 Can a vehicle be charged with lightning? Not yet, but the future production version of the Audi e-tron prototype can charge up to 150 kW of electricity at quick charging stations. Dancing flash of light and pulsating brizzle above the car roof: the Faraday cage of the Siemens high-voltage test facility in Berlin measures 42 x 32 x 25 m. In the world's largest production facility for switching technology, a team of electricians and engineers is researching a lightning impulse voltage of up to three million V. The parabolic hall, built in 1958, houses a high-voltage surge generator for this purpose. Right in the middle: the Audi e-tron prototype. A flash of light dances over the car roof with a pulsating prickling sound and illuminates the 25 m high hall. The experts directed a voltage flashover at the vehicle. DC charging up to 150 kW This experiment symbolizes a millennia-old dream of mankind: the capture of lightning and the use of its energy. Although it is still not possible to charge an electric car with a flash, engineers are already one step closer to the vision of lightning-fast charging. The production version of the Audi e-tron prototype is the first car on the market to charge up to 150 kW. At quick charging stations with the European charging standard Combined Charging System (CCS), for example in the Ionity network, the e-tron prototype is ready for the next long-distance stage in less than half an hour. The basis for this is the complex thermal management of the lithium-ion battery. Placed in the car floor, it stores 95 kWh of energy and thus enables a range of more than 400 km in the WLTP test procedure. By the end of 2018 there will be almost 200 such high-power charging stations in Europe, each with six charging points. By 2020, 400 locations are planned along motorways and main traffic axes, each 120 km away. Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Verwandte Artikel Audi AG , Siemens Aktiengesellschaft, Siemens AG, IA SE "The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page." (Saint Augustine) Today I'm sharing some more photos from our trip to Spain. I believe that an enormous part of being an artist, for me, is being exposed to different cultures, different approaches, and different ways of living in the world. Sometimes you are lucky enough to go around the world to absorb all that different, and thanks to the internet, we can all catch a glimpse! I hope you enjoy these photos! Come and take a peek through my eyes: How are these photos useful to you? Four ideas for you: ONE: Use the colors you see. There's a FREE online color palette generator you can use to turn any photo into a five color palette: TWO: Paint what you see. I often paint and sketch from photos. Because the photo has already flattened the object, it's easier than drawing from real life (plus nothing moves). I think this photo... ...would make an amazing painting. Especially in watercolor where the people were really loosely done. I messed around with some Photoshop filters to check my hunch and look how cool it turned out: THREE: Steal the patterns! I snap photos of interesting patterns everywhere I go. Just be sure you reinterpret them! FOUR: Steal the composition. Sometimes when I really love a photo, I realize it's because the composition is just so good. I would turn this sketch on its side and it could easily become a painting! Just color in the shapes! In fact, I did that in Photoshop and in about 5 minutes, I had this digital sketch: A quick and easy study for a larger "real life" painting. I hope you feel inspired! Thanks for stopping by! Since Kanye West made his reappearance on social media, he hasn't been holding back his feelings toward life, politics, and American culture -- including how he feels for the current U.S. president. While many of his fans question continue the producer's sanity, his latest post on Twitter had even more people scratching their heads as he professed his love for President Donald Trump. Kanye And Trump: Brothers For Life? West shared on his account that he has a lot of love and respect for the president. He went on to say that he doesn't have to agree with everything anyone does as that's what being an individual is all about. You don't have to agree with trump but the mob can't make me not love him. We are both dragon energy. He is my brother. I love everyone. I don't agree with everything anyone does. That's what makes us individuals. And we have the right to independent thought. KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) April 25, 2018 He also shared in a follow-up tweet that he loves Hillary Clinton, too, and would never tell a Hillary fan not to support her. If your friend jumps off the bridge you don't have to do the same. Ye being Ye is a fight for you to be you. For people In my life the idea of Trump is pretty much a 50 50 split but I don't tell a Hillary supporter not to support Hillary I love Hillary too. KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) April 25, 2018 The 808's and Heartbreak artist's latest messages shouldn't come as a surprise to his fans as West did meet with Trump when he first became president. West also stated that while former President Barack Obama was in office, he couldn't get anything done, whereas with Trump, more seems to be getting accomplished. Kanye's Erratic Behavior The hip-hop artist's behavior has been the topic of discussion for quite some time now. After taking a brief hiatus from making music, West was pictured back in the studio with other artists where he seemed to be working on something new. West also made an announcement on his social media page that he was no longer being managed by Scooter Braun. Recently, reports began to surface that West's behavior has become a problem among his extended family members, the Kardashians. Reportedly, West has been "lashing out" out at his wife, Kim Kardashian, and his mother-in-law, Kris Jenner. Jenner has allegedly been concerned over West's behavior and worries for the safety of her grandchildren -- North, Saint, and Chicago, and her daughter's brand. Despite these concerns, other reports have stated that Kardashian is doing her best to be supportive of her husband. Days after Kate Middleton and Prince William welcomed their youngest bundle of joy, the name is still up for debate, but did the patriarch slip his tongue on the royal baby's name? The world rejoiced when news broke out that the Duchess of Cambridge delivered a healthy baby boy on Monday morning. Everyone's eyes were wide open as they await the first photos on the steps of the Lindo Wing of St. Mary's Hospital, where Middleton and Prince William traditionally pose for photographers before heading back home after delivery. Guessing Game Now that the royal baby was shown to the world and has been welcomed, it became a guessing game. For what, one might ask. For his name. Unlike some parents who already has a name for their child prior to leaving the hospital, Middleton and Prince William have yet to announce their youngest child's name. During the ANZAC Day, Australian High Commissioner Alexander Downer asked if the royalty liked to consider his first name, Alexander, for the royal baby's name. "Funny you should say that it's a good name. Prince Alexander does have a nice ring to it," Prince William said. New Zealand's high commissioner Sir Jerry Mateparae also chimed in and suggested his first name, of course, for Middleton and Prince William's consideration. "Jerry is a strong name, absolutely," Prince William exclaimed. Announcement However, it's not a cause for worry. It should be noted that Prince William and Middleton announce their baby's name two days after the birth, the case for Prince George and Princess Charlotte. It has arguably become a big issue, which is not exactly shocking, considering the vast influence of the British royal family. Bookmakers already have revealed their favorite names, with Arthur on top of the list. Bettors also push for James, Albert, and Philip, but sad to say, not one of the mentioned names is quite near to what was hinted by Prince William. That said, there is still no final word when it comes to the name. Prince William certainly did not reveal the name of the royal baby but just teased on some possibilities. However, what he did disclose was some fun facts about the newest addition to the family. He said the royal baby was "behaving," and by that he meant sleeping "reasonably well." Mark one guest down. Quantico actress Priyanka Chopra confirms she will be at the royal wedding, although she won't be part of the bridal party. Chopra Gushes About Meghan Markle Chopra, 35, is good friends with soon-to-be bride Meghan Markle and she can't wait to see her pal finally tie the knot with Prince Harry this coming May 19. "I'm super excited about her and her big day," Chopra tells People Now in a recent interview. "It's not just going to be life-changing for both of them, it's life-changing for the world that needs to see strong women as icons, and I think Meghan has the potential to be that." The Quantico star couldn't be prouder of Markle, who she describes as a "girl's girl" that people will be able to relate to easily. Chopra is confident the former Suits actress will be able to take on the responsibilities of being a royal successfully. "She has always been an activist," she explains to Us Weekly, adding that the prince's fiancee thinks out of the box and possesses a strong voice. "She's an ambitious girl of today. I think the world needs strong role models like Meghan. I think, I hope, Meghan will end up being one of those people." Time recently included Markle in their 100 Most Influential People of 2018 and Chopra wrote a sweet testimonial published in the magazine's special issue. "Meghan is an important influencer in a world that needs strong public figures to respect and look up to. People the world can be inspired by," she wrote. "Meghan, standing shoulder to shoulder with Harry, will be a princess for the people." The Royal Wedding Chopra may not be walking down the aisle as a bridesmaid, but the Baywatch bombshell will likely be dressed to impress for the ceremony just like everyone else. While she tells Us Weekly that she hasn't picked out an exact outfit yet, the actress admits she already has a few ideas for the biggest wedding of the year. Only a handful of guests have been confirmed to actually attend the royal ceremony, but Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are opening their wedding to everyone and not just the members of the public in the grounds as previously announced. The upcoming event will be televised, as confirmed by the couple's representative last November. Live coverage will be available at CBS with livestreaming at CBSN, The Today Show, PBS, and BBC America. The royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will be on May 19 at the St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle. After the success of the hit sci-fi thriller film A Quiet Place, a sequel for the John Krasinski-directed movie is already in the works at Paramount. A Quiet Place sequel is a no-brainer, considering the amount amassed by the film, which totaled to $213 million worldwide and close to $135 million in North America. This news was revealed on Wednesday during the CinemaCon in Las Vegas. Jim Gianopulos, Paramount chairman and CEO, revealed some lineup for the studio's upcoming films, including two Star Trek films. A Quiet Place is the first film produced by the studio after the official arrived at the company. "If you told me five years ago that an almost silent film starring the very funny guy Jim from The Office would have been a hit at Paramount, I would have said, 'Well, I should go work at Paramount,'" the executive quipped. Meanwhile, A Quiet Place sequel is not going to be totally hard for scriptwriters Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, who revealed that the first film had a lot of "leftover" material that'll be enough for a sequel. No release date has been announced for the sequel. A Quiet Place Plot Krasinski starred in the film, a shocking move that proved he can also do thriller films and not just what was tied to him, comedy. He plays the patriarch, opposite Emily Blunt's character. The two are real-life couple, so the chemistry wasn't questionable. A Quiet Place revolves around a family who must stay quiet to survive. It was set post-apocalyptic, where monsters with acute sense of hearing attack anything that produces loud noise within seconds. Aside from its thrilling, breath-holding factor, the family dynamics also played nicely in the film. The movie tackles how parents are willing to do everything to protect their children, even if it meant sacrificing their own lives. A Quiet Place cost $17 million to make, and with the amount it earned, it's no question that it is profitable. It started to create a buzz after its launch at South by Southwest and earning high rating on Rotten Tomatoes. While A Quiet Place sequel is already given green light, it is still unclear whether Krasinski will still direct the film. His next project is Life on Mars, another sci-fi thriller under Paramount. His role's fate on the sequel of A Quiet Place is still unknown, as his character died in the first film in a bid to save his two children. The Middleton family has converged on Kensington Palace. Grandmother Carole and aunt Pippa are the latest arrivals to visit the brand new royal baby. Getting Their Quality Time The Middletons are visiting mother-of-three Kate as she recovers from the birth of her little boy, born on Monday. Carole Middleton, grandmother to the little fellow, arrived on Wednesday for a cuddle with the new baby. Meanwhile, Prince William tended to his duties at the Anzac Day memorial service on Wednesday, at Westminster Abbey, before hurrying home for much-needed family time. Carole, who's known for being very hands-on with her grandchildren, also picked up Prince George from school. "She adores being a granny and always tells people, 'I'm loving it,' " a source close to the family told PEOPLE. An Inspiration To Her Daughter Carole Middleton is highly involved in her family's life. The ex-flight attendant, who founded a successful business with husband Michael Middleton, is there for Kate and William whenever they need her. She even took care of the children during the royal couple's trip to India in 2016. Her daughter's attitude to life is widely believed to influenced by her mother. "I don't think anything fazes [Kate] - she just takes everything in her stride. A lot of this comes from her mum. Carole's lovely, and she just doesn't let anything faze her," an insider told PEOPLE. Along with Kate's mother, her father, Michael, and younger brother, James, also paid a visit to Kensington Palace to see the new baby. A Visit From Aunt Pippa Likewise, Pippa Middleton, who's pregnant herself, was one of the first visitors earlier this week. Pippa, who's expecting her first child with husband James Matthews, appeared to meet her new nephew on Tuesday. Dressed comfortably in a pink coat and oversized pink turtleneck, she was all smiles when photographed by awaiting paparazzi. News of her pregnancy broke on Saturday, just a couple days before Kate gave birth. She and Matthews got hitched last year, on May 20, at St. Mark's Church in Englefield, with Prince George and Princess Charlotte playing pageboy and bridesmaid. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who are due to tie the knot on May 19, live close by and are expected to meet the little prince shortly. A Warm Palace Welcome Prince Charles, who joked about how he can't keep up with all his new grandchildren, will likely visit the palace once he returns from France. Queen Elizabeth, meanwhile, celebrated the new arrival with a quick ride on horseback around the grounds of Windsor Castle. She's currently staying there while her husband, Prince Philip, recovers from hip surgery. The palace released a heartwarming statement in the wake of the baby's birth. "The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince of Wales, The Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Harry and members of both families have been informed and are delighted with the news," it read. Alexander Or Jerry? Although the royal baby was born a few days ago, his name is still unknown. Sources from the palace confirmed it would be revealed in due course, Albert and Arthur are said to be the most popular name choices, according to bookies. Prince William may have already let it slip during ANZAC Day, after being asked by Australian High Commissioner Alexander Downer whether he'd consider using his name. William acknowledged that Prince Alexander had a nice ring to it, only for New Zealand's Sir Jerry Mateparae to throw his own name in as a possibility. The latest royal baby is fifth in line for succession to the throne following Prince Charles, Prince William, Prince George, and Princess Charlotte. Prince William adds one extra duty to his growing list of responsibilities. He will be standing by Prince Harry as the best man when his younger brother weds Meghan Markle next month. Best Man Duties On Thursday, April 26, Kensington Palace announced that Prince Harry asked his older brother, the Duke of Cambridge, to be his best man. Prince Harry previously served as his older brother's best man for his wedding to then bride-to-be, Catherine Middleton, back in 2011. To commemorate the announcement, the Kensington Palace's Twitter account released several photos of the brothers. The photos show the two princes playing with lightsabers and at Prince William's 2011 royal wedding. In addition, the palace also posted a special Throwback Thursday picture of the two as young children wearing police hats. Twitter Reacts Countless admirers of the royal family posted well-wishes and congratulations on the palace's Twitter account. Some users thought that it's quite obvious that Prince William is going to be Prince Harry's ultimate choice while others praised the decision for showing brotherly love. Its couldnt be any other person! Their mother wouldve been so proud of how theyve grown into such amazing young men... Lizzie A Bennetti (@lizbenne) April 26, 2018 Cant have it any other way Rhea Mathew (@rhea_mathew) April 26, 2018 Several fans seemed to be more curious about the new royal baby's name. Thats Great, but whats the Royal Baby's name. Thanks REAL DEAL DEAN (@DeanR4Real) April 26, 2018 A Wedding Preview The highly anticipated royal wedding of Prince Harry to his actress fiancee Meghan Markle will happen on May 19. The ceremony will take place at St. George's Chapel in Windsor, England. There is a total of 600 guests who are invited to attend the wedding ceremony. Also, the couple invited over 1,000 members of the British public to be a part of the celebratory event by welcoming them to the Windsor Castle. Moreover, 200 additional guests have also been invited to join the newlyweds at an exceptional evening reception. Some celebrity guests who are expected to attend the event include actress Priyanka Chopra, the Spice Girls, and more. The couple decided that there will be no political figures at their wedding and declined to invite British Prime Minister Teresa May, President Trump, former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama. Meghan Markle's New Chapter To prepare for her new life as a resident of the United Kingdom, Markle traveled to Chicago to finalize her application for a UK visa. Royal insiders reported that the former Suits star bonded with her future sister-in-law as she adjusts to royal family protocol, which includes not having an access to social media. Television icon Bill Cosby has been found guilty Thursday, April 26, of three counts of aggravated incident assault against former Temple University employee Andrea Constand. 'Guilty' A jury of seven men and five women delivered the 80-year-old comedian his fate after spending two days of deliberating in Norristown, Pennsylvania. The 12-person jury heard testimony from Constand and five different women who accused Cosby of sexually assaulting them. It has been reported that the 12-member panel was unanimous in their decision. Variety said that each count of sexual assault carried the maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Heated Courtroom Showdowns A few days before the jury went into deliberation, several heated moments took place in the courtroom. Cosby's defense team accused Constand of being a 'pathological liar' and added that the former Temple University employee was after the comedian's money. The defense team pointed out that Constand received a portion of a $3.4 million settlement that Cosby gave her back in 2006. Constand's lawyer, Kristen Feden, countered the Cosby defense team with numerous accusations, such as assassinating her character. Janice Dickinson Takes The Stand One of the women that was a character witness against Cosby was model and television personality Janice Dickinson. The former America's Next Top Model judge claimed that "America's dad" drugged and raped her in 1982 at Lake Tahoe, California. The model stated that Cosby denied these misdeeds to her when she confronted him after the incident. She told the jury that she wanted to punch him in the face. Bad News For Cosby Before he was found guilty, the former Kids Say The Darndest Things star tried and failed to get Judge Stephen O'Neill to throw away the sexual misconduct trail on March 5. However, the judge denied the notion and the trial proceeded. Days before the trial began, Cosby mourned the death of his 44-year-old daughter, Ensa. Cosby's spokesperson stated that Ensa passed away from kidney failure. Revisiting The 2017 Trial On June 17, 2017, Judge O'Neill declared a mistrial when the jury could not come to a unanimous decision after deliberating for five days. Throughout the trial, Cosby and his team did not have any witnesses. Also, during the trial, Cosby and his original defense team questioned Constand's credibility at every turn. Constand accused Cosby of sexually assaulting her in 2004. She stated that he offered her three blue pills that hindered her from moving, and also admitted that he inappropriately touched her. 26 April 2018 The United Kingdom has announced today that it has deposited the instruments of ratification of the Agreement relating to the Unified Patent Court (UPCA). This now brings the total number of ratifications to sixteen. Welcoming the news, President Battistelli said, "Today's ratification by the UK brings us a decisive step closer to achieving the entry into force of the Unitary Patent. We are now within touching distance of a new patent for Europe that will support our innovation sector with simplified administration, reduced costs and greater legal certainty". For the Unitary Patent to enter into force, the UPC Agreement needs to be ratified by thirteen of the 26 participating EU Member States, including France, Germany and the UK as the countries with the largest numbers of European patents in force. While the necessary number of ratifications had already been achieved in 2017, those of Germany and the UK were still outstanding after France had ratified in 2014. The UPC is a dedicated court for patents, hearing cases of validity and infringement related to unitary patents - and later also European patents - granted by the EPO. The Court forms part of the Unitary Patent Package and is based on an international treaty which needs to be ratified in parliament by the EU Member States, while the patent itself is the result of two EU regulations adopted in 2012. Further information The three-year protracted Yemeni civil war has brought about major shifts of power after decades of centralized rule by the regime in the capital Sanaa. Emerging patterns are poised to define or redefine Yemens politics and governance for years to come. Yemen has become a dilapidated state in which the central state has either collapsed or lost control of large parts of the countrys territory and which gave rise to a fragmented political economy. Civil wars do not only destroy local infrastructure, state institutions and political orders; they also help produce new ones. To understand what the new Yemen could look like, one must try to understand how it is being changed by the civil war. The central challenge is the future of the so-called south of Yemen. Since the beginning of the war in 2015, the southern region has become largely autonomous and with the support from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), many southerners believe that independence is in sight. While this question was often put aside in the past, neither Yemeni nor international players can afford to ignore this in the future. Yemens south is a powder keg of tensions and rivalries. The situation is being made worse by the abundance of armed groups and the influx of weapons since the war began. The volatility in the southern region could be exacerbated by a volatile situation in the near term, an outright declaration of secession, an unrestrained internal conflict over the control of Aden or the piecemeal formation of a de facto autonomous region. Therefore, striking a balance between localism and the maintenance of central Yemeni institutions will be the key challenge for policymakers. Attempts at reconciling these two poles have already begun. Participating parties agreed that nonprofit and international organizations, including the UN, would start working with local actors to achieve some results in the short term. Attempts to implement projects through the government have been unsuccessful due to, arguably, a lack of outright benefit for the government. From the international perspective, the focus should be on moving the southern issue up on the list of state-level and international priorities while allowing for sufficient time for bilateral and multilateral meetings. International community should also boost engagement across the board at the local level with key southern leaders, nonprofits and civil society organizations including womens groups. This work is important to develop the capacity of southern civil society. Importantly, none of these goals can be achieved without the participation of the UAE and Saudi Arabia on key issues, particularly armed groups. The issue of the proliferation of armed groups in the region is pressing and will require work towards the formation of a coordination mechanism that could help establish security institutions. Key coalition players should also form a working group on security and consider how centralization of security can be achieved. Hand in hand with security arrangements is the work to increase capacity of local courts and the police force to deal with legal issues and disputes. The south is a challenge since it presents a very different set of problems than the rest of Yemen. Failure to recognize the significance of this region for the future of the country would only perpetuate the problem. Without decisive moves towards conflict resolution, policy formation and post-conflict reconstruction, the Yemeni civil war could only fall apart into a series of small conflicts, one of them being the war for the control of the south. Yemens Southern Powder Keg Research Paper by Peter Salisbury Chatham House / The Royal Institute of International Affairs. (The Research Paper can be downloaded here) Turkey is experiencing a new influx of refugees as almost 30,000 Afghans have arrived in the country in the last three months. Amnesty International denounced Ankaras decision to send more than 7,000 of them back to Afghanistan as a ruthless deportation drive. Thousands more are in detention, being treated more like criminals than people fleeing conflict and persecution, Anna Shea, Amnesty researcher on refugee and migrants rights, said. Ankara commented that the returns are voluntary and that the UN Refugee Agency UNHCR has regular access to places of detention. However, based on phone interviews with detainees in container camps in southern Turkey where about 2,000 Afghans are believed to be held, Amnesty International was informed about the detainees being forced to sign documents in Turkish, which they are not able to understand. Amnesty worries that these could be voluntary repatriation forms. According to the human rights lobby, there are currently 145,000 Afghans in Turkey. Many migrants use Turkey as a transit country on their way to Europe. Turkey is already hosting about 3.5 million Syrian refugees as well as about 300,000 Iraqi refugees. Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu commented that 29,899 Afghans had crossed into Turkey since January compared to 45,259 people in the whole of 2017 and added that 1,328 people smugglers had been caught by now. Mr. Soylu added that 75,284 migrants have so far arrived in his country in 2018 compared with 172,745 in 2017. In March 2016, Ankara made a deal with the European Union to tame the flow of refugees to Europe after the worst refugee crisis since the WWII. More than one million migrants and refugees landed on Europes shores in 2015, fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East, Asia and Africa. The European Union aims to boost economic relations with the Balkan countries with a special focus on Serbia. Western Balkan countries Serbia, Bosnia, Kosovo, Albania, Macedonia and Montenegro are all candidate countries to join the EU, but the region carries a heavy legacy of the ethnic wars of the 1990s and struggles to overcome its image of being a lawless land. European Council President Donald Tusk said yesterday (25 April) that the membership bids would be advanced at a planned EU-Western Balkans summit on 17 May in Sofia. The EU is ready and it wants to remain the most trustworthy partner of Serbia and the entire Western Balkans region, Mr. Tusk said and stressed that at our summit in Sofia we will reaffirm that readiness to work on EU integration. Serbia and Montenegro are the most serious candidate countries in the region and the EU Commission has set a tentative target accession date of 2025. All six Western Balkan countries are trying to join the bloc but as part of their efforts they need to improve human rights and media freedoms and resolve any disputes with their neighbors before they can join. Theres a lot of work ahead of Serbia. We have started to work on the rule of law and on cooperation with journalists associations, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said. Western Balkans has recently seen an increase in Russian and Chinese influence, which is why some EU member countries are very adamant about expanding the EU into the region. EU member states remain the regions main investor and trade partner. Since 2007, the European Investment Bank and other EU institutions have invested more than 7 billion euros in the Western Balkans. This Page Is Under Construction - Coming Soon! Why am I seeing this 'Under Construction' page? Hi guys! :help::help:I am attempting to relocate to Dubai and my wife will come as sponsored person once I get a job. I am an IT project manager with lots of experience etc so stand a good chance.I have all the documents attested today at UAE embassy in London, ready for work. My wife and I are due to fly in this weekend to stay with friends who live and work there, and we will be on standard tourist visa for the 30-40 days. I will be looking to meet local IT recruiters and seek a job.My question is.... say we stay for maximum 40 days in UAE, then leave to Oman and stay for a few days, can we come back into UAE again for another 40 days or would we need to stay out of the country for 30 days before coming back?Both my wife and I are dual nationals. I am British and Irish and she is British and Polish so we have two passports each. Is there anything stopping us from just leaving UAE after 40 days on our British passports into Oman and then the next day entering UAE as different nationals and clock starts for those on 40 days...I am assuming this is fine as we are essentially "different people".Any thoughts? Bob MusselGiddy up: Goo Goo Dolls frontman John Rzeznick will be taking the stage at the seventh-annual Unbridled Eve Derby Gala in Kentucky next week Hell be performing some classic Goo Goo Dolls hits including Name and Iris. Rapper Sir Mix-a-Lot and actor Dennis Quaid will also be performing. The official Kentucky Derby event has a guest list of local and national business leaders, horse racing industry professionals and celebrities. In addition to the musical performances, there will also be an auction that benefits charities, including the Jennifer Lawrence Arts Fund at Fund for the Arts, established by actress and Kentucky native Jennifer Lawrence. The Unbridled Eve Derby Gala will take place on Friday, May 4 at The Galt House Hotel & Suites in Louisville. Goo Goo Dolls are playing a number of festivals this summer, including the Soundtrack Music Festival in Edmonton, Alberta, which will also feature fellow '90s hitmakers Blind Melon and TLC. This fall, the band will launch a tour to mark the 20th anniversary of their breakthrough album, Dizzy Up the Girl. Copyright 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. ezhejiang.gov.cn Bernardo Calzadilla-Sarmiento inspects the Fuli agricultural production base in Qujiang district, Quzhou, East China's Zhejiang province, on April 22. [Photo/ zj.zjol.com.cn] A delegation from the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) paid a visit to Qujiang district, Quzhou, East China's Zhejiang province, on April 22. Led by Bernardo Calzadilla-Sarmiento, director of the UNIDO Department of Trade, Investment and Innovation, the visit aims to build a partnership with Qujiang district and jointly develop an international demonstration area for food safety. After inspecting the Fuli agricultural production base, Calzadilla-Sarmiento offered a few suggestions concerning standards for Qujiang's agriculture sector. UNIDO has a lot of experience in formulating food safety standards and has cooperated with many international companies. "If we partner up, the cross-border purchase orders brought by UNIDO could possibly lead to the establishment of a global procurement center in Qujiang," Calzadilla-Sarmiento said. The demonstration area, once confirmed, will be supported by UNIDO's resources and strong global influence and is expected to develop a new regional economic and technical base which will not only verify the quality and safety of food products, but also ensure that these products meet the entry standards of the international market. The project is consistent with the mission of UNIDO - "supporting developing countries in the management and construction of green industry and food safety". "We are confident in our partnership and look forward to further cooperation," said Calzadilla-Sarmiento at the end of the visit. The delegation, led by Bernardo Calzadilla-Sarmiento, director of UNIDO Department of Trade, Investment and Innovation, poses with the head of Qujiang district, Quzhou, East China's Zhejiang province, on April 22. [Photo/ zj.zjol.com.cn] Bernardo Calzadilla-Sarmiento speaks at a meeting in Quzhou, East China's Zhejiang province on April 22. [Photo/ zj.zjol.com.cn] American Soybean Association (ASA) farmer leaders from across the country took to Capitol Hill today to talk with lawmakers about the potential impact of Chinese tariffs on U.S. soybeans. ASA President and Iowa farmer John Heisdorffer issued the following statement: China purchases 61 percent of total U.S. soybean exports, and more than 30 percent of overall U.S. soybean production. In short, trade with China matters and is vital not only to the hundreds of thousands of U.S. soybean producers but the rural economies and communities that depend on them. Today were asking lawmakers to support their communities and constituents by joining ASA in encouraging the Administration to rethink the Section 301 tariffs and instead, empower soybeans to continue to be part of the solution. Weve come to D.C. and left our fields during planting season to educate and convey the importance of trade with China. Our message is clear: a 25 percent tariff on U.S. soybeans into China will have a lasting effect on every soybean farmer in America. Joel Haggard, U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) senior vice president for the Asia Pacific, recently joined USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom for a series of visits with importers and other key buyers in Taiwan, which is one of the leading destinations for U.S. chilled beef. Last year the U.S. beef industry exported a record $409.7 million of product to Taiwan, up 13 percent from the previous year, and captured 72 percent of the chilled beef market the highest of any Asian destination. In the attached audio report, Haggard explains some of the factors driving the success of U.S. beef in Taiwan. He says the prospects for further growth are excellent, given Taiwanese consumers propensity for dining out and the wide range of restaurants and retail outlets featuring U.S. chilled beef. Through the first two months of 2018, beef exports to Taiwan have shown no signs of a slowdown. January-February exports were up 25 percent from a year ago in volume (8,106 metric tons) and 42 percent in value ($78.2 million). Chilled exports soared 53 percent in volume (3,800 metric tons) and 61 percent in value ($48 million). Birthday wishes Call 281-422-8302 or email david.bloom@baytownsun.com to wish someone a happy birthday. We will print your birthday wish on Page 2 of The Sun. Happy Birthday Wishes There is often discussion of the costs of bribery and corruption. Yet one question not often considered is the state of company after it goes through a corruption enforcement action. The name Odebrecht is well known in the anti-bribery/anti-corruption world for having the worlds second largest corruption fine ($2.7 billion) in the United States, Brazil and Switzerland. The breadth and scope of the companys bribery scheme was literally up and down the continent of South American, through Central America and into North America. Now the test is whether the company can remain a viable business concern, given the costs involved and its uncertain status regarding debarments from countries from Brazil to Mexico and several in between. On Wednesday of this week, the companys construction division faced a bond payment of $144 million. Reuters reported the company was not able to make this payment. It is a clear sign the company is not generating enough cash to service its debts. This technical default could lead to an acceleration of other debt payments and start a spiral which could force not only the construction division but the parent company into bankruptcy. The company has responded that it intends to make the payment during the 30-day grace period and is simply working out details of a bank loan to do so. Odebrecht faces bans and debarments across three continents. Even if it could do business in many of those countries, the taint of corruption is still on the company and many politicians and civil servants will literally run the other way from an Odebrecht bid. The company is trying to sell assets and other divisions to raise cash but it finds itself only receiving fire sale price offers, as it does not take too great a lens to see where the company is heading. Even if a willing buyer is found, the problem is the same as garnering new contracts; the residual risk of corruption is so great that a purchase becomes too risky. ____ Tom Fox is the Compliance Evangelist. He leads the social media discussion on compliance with his award-winning blog, The FCPA Compliance and Ethics Blog and eight podcasts; The FCPA Compliance Report, Compliance into the Weeds, Everything Compliance, This Week in FCPA, 12 Oclock High-a Podcast on Business Leadership, Compliance Report-International Edition, Countdown to GDPR and Across the Board. Hes the author of 12 books on compliance, ethics and leadership, including the international best-selling Lessons Learned on Compliance and Ethics and Best Practices Under the FCPA and Bribery Act and his series Fox on Compliance. His book The Complete Compliance Handbook will be published by Compliance Week in April 2018. It is available for PreSale by clicking here. Following the release of The Cypher Bureau, which is based on Marian Rejewskis career, author Eilidh McGinness shares the top 10 things that you should know about Marian Rejewski: Eilidh McGinness Marian was born in Bydgoszcz, then called Bromberg, Poland on 25th August 1905. At that time Poland had been incorporated into the German Empire and Polish citizens were obliged to speak German. As a result, Marian became a fluent German speaker. Marian attended Poznan University, Poland. Following World War 1, Poland had won independence but remained fearful of invasion by Germany and Russia. Because of his brilliance in mathematics, Marian was recruited by the Polish Secret Service The Cypher Bureau who were experimenting with different approaches to code breaking because they had been unable to solve a code being used by Germany Military services. Marians ambition was to have a safe, secure and predicable career as a statistician with an insurance company. As a result of his aptitude in solving codes Marian was recruited as a permanent employee of the Polish Secret Service The Cypher Bureau and was stationed in Warsaw, the Polish capital. He was the sole person given access to the commercial Enigma Machine which had been purchased by The Cypher Bureau. It was believed that the machine being used by the German military services was an adaption of this commercial Enigma machine. Marian was given certain key manuals obtained by the French by espionage and with these he, alone cracked the Enigma code in 1932. The Enigma code has trillions of permutations. Cracking the code was an extraordinary achievement securing Marian Rejewski the position as the greatest cryptologist of all time. Marian Rejewski and his colleagues at The Cypher Bureau exhibited extraordinary bravery in agreeing to return to Occupied France during the Second World War. There, they operated undercover until forced to flee. Marian and those he worked with knew they risked being subjected to the most horrific torture if they were discovered. Before returning to Occupied France, The Cypher Bureau asked if they could operate from Britain. Permission was not forthcoming. When Marian Rejewski finally reached Britain after fleeing France over the Pyrenees and spending time imprisoned in an internment camp in Spain, he was considered too much of a security risk to be assigned to Bletchley Park. At the end of the Second World War Marian Rejewski could have remained in Britain to pursue an academic career. Choosing to put the love for his family and his native Poland first, he returned to his homeland. Poland fell under the control of USSR after the war and Marian and his family were spied on by security services and lived in fear for many years after the war. Marian sons Andrzej died from polio in 1947. Although he was offered academic positions in Poland, Marian could not bear to leave his family, especially after the lengthy separation imposed by the Second World War. He obtained mundane book keeping positions, far beneath his ability, in order to support his family. In 2014 Marian Rejewski and his colleagues Henryk Zygalski and Jerzy Rozjcki were awarded posthumously the IEEE Milestone award. The award was granted for solving Enigma, in recognition that solving the code was an achievement which has changed the world. The Milestone plaque reads as follows: Polish Cypher Bureau mathematicians Marian Rejewski, Jerzy Rozycki and Henryk Zygalski broke the German Enigma cypher machine codes. Working with engineers from the AVA Radio Manufacturing Company, they built the bombathe first cryptanalytic machine to break Enigma codes. Their work was a foundation of British code breaking efforts, which, with later American assistance, helped end World War II. The Cypher Bureau is a fast-paced historical thriller, which follows the secret hero of World War Two. Its available to buy from Amazon, The Book Guild and all good bookshops. If you close your eyes and think of Italy, what comes to mind? Food, of course! And so today Im going to introduce you to ten Italian sweet treats, starting with a delicacy very close to my heart: amaretti. These little pastries are made with almond flour, egg yolk and sugar and found throughout the Italian boot, from the soft version made in Abruzzo to the crumbly ones from Saronno and the Sardinian ones, hard on the outside and soft in the middle. Delicious! The Little Italian Bakery The title of most romantic Italian sweet, has to go to the bacio di dama, ladys kiss, from the Piedmont region. Created by joining two little domes of pastry with a layer of soft chocolate, if you havent tried them before, make sure you do! As we all know, the history of sweets and pastries is sometimes entwined with wider history, and that is the case for krumiri. These biscuits were invented in Casale Monferrato in 1878 by the baker Domenico Rossi. Their shape is inspired by the shape of the late King Victor Emmanuel IIs moustache and they take their name from the krumiro liqueur in which people dunked them. There is no doubt that Italy has a very close relationship with religion, and this has also extended to patisserie. Over the years bakers have used all their creativity to come up with masterpieces including zeppole di San Giuseppe, ring-shaped choux pastries that are either fried or baked, then decorated with creme patissiere and sour cherry jam, or minne di SantAgata. Orignally from Catania, they are made in the shape of the saints breasts, which were mutilated when she refused to marry the Roman prefect Quintianus, and are considered a symbol of womanliness and religious devotion. Minne are made by filling a pastry shell with a mixture of ricotta, chocolate and candied peel, then icing the shell and topping with a glace cherry. We now travel from Sicily to another island, Sardinia, where pardulas are typically made around Easter time. These are small tartlets consisting of very thin pastry cases filled with a mixture of ricotta, sugar, saffron and citrus zest, a delicious combination. Back on dry land, and have you ever tried brigidini? These wafers are flavoured with aniseed and each has a flower stamped at its centre. The flower design was created by the brigidine, the nuns at the Convento di Santa Brigida in Lamporecchio, who decided to commit a little culinary sin and alter the recipe for the communion wafers. Be sure to try them if you happen to be in the area, you wont repent! Next we head for the eternal city, where we find maritozzo, a sweet, enriched bread filled with a generous helping of whipped cream which romans often eat for breakfast, then onwards further south to Salento where we can try the famous pasticciotto leccese, a lard-based pastry case containing an explosion of creme patissiere - the perfect accompaniment for your morning coffee. Weve saved the best for last and finish our journey with the sfogliatella, the pinnacle of Campanias patisserie offering. It doesnt matter whether you prefer the curly riccia version or the shortcrust frolla version, because youll fall in love at first bite when you try one. The pastry is wrapped around a filling made of semolina, ricotta, eggs, candied peel, sugar, orange water and other flavourings that have been skilfully combined since the start of the eighteenth century when the Neapolitan pastry chef Pasquale Pintauro, possibly inspired by the sfogliatella Santa Rosa created by the nuns at the convent of the same name, created this masterpiece. If youre ever in Italy be sure to try this delicacy, youll be amazed by how good it is! Meek Mill still doesn't feel "free", despite being released from prison. Meek Mill The 30-year-old rapper - who was sentenced to two to four years in prison five months ago after he violated the terms of his parole stemming from a drug and weapons conviction in 2008 - was granted bail earlier this week, but admits he isn't free from the case, as he still has the conviction hanging over him. When asked if he felt free, the 'Litty' rapper said: "I ain't feel free since I caught this case at age of 19 - I'm 30 now." And Meek insists he has a lot of "responsibility" on his shoulders now, as other people who are facing similar battles with the criminal justice people are relying on him to inspire change. Speaking to Lester Holt of NBC Nightly News, he said: "I got a lot of responsibility. [The people counting on me are] going through the same thing I'm going through." Meek was granted bail on Tuesday (24.04.18) by the Supreme Court, after they overruled an original decision made by Judge Genece Brinkley, who had denied his request for bail. On Tuesday, a statement from Meek read: "I'd like to thank God, my family, my friends, my attorneys, my team at Roc Nation including JAY-Z, Desiree Perez, my good friend Michael Rubin, my fans, The Pennsylvania Supreme Court and all my public advocates for their love, support and encouragement during this difficult time. "While the past five months have been a nightmare, the prayers, visits, calls, letters and rallies have helped me stay positive. To the Philadelphia District Attorney's office, I'm grateful for your commitment to justice - not only for my case, but for others that have been wrongfully jailed due to police misconduct." The 'All Eyes on You' rapper also vowed to continue making music, and fighting to have his conviction overturned. The statement continued: "Although I'm blessed to have the resources to fight this unjust situation, I understand that many people of color across the country don't have that luxury and I plan to use my platform to shine a light on those issues. In the meantime, I plan to work closely with my legal team to overturn this unwarranted conviction and look forward to reuniting with my family and resuming my music career." Claire Richards says Steps will take a break at the end of summer before deciding whether to release another album. Steps The 'Chain Reaction' hitmakers - completed by Lisa Scott-Lee, Lee Latchford-Evans, Ian 'H' Watkins and Faye Tozer - reunited for their 20th anniversary last year for a tour and new LP 'Tears on the Dancefloor', which hit number two on the UK chart, and though they are keen to carry on the new "chapter", they are going to go away and get some "headspace" before deciding whether to work on new music. Speaking exclusively to BANG Showbiz, Claire admitted: "We have talked about it and we would all really like to. "Judging from the success of 'Tears on the Dancefloor' there is a hunger for it. "I think we all loved that album so much and it would be nice to continue this chapter with another new album. "We are definitely going to be taking a break at the end of the summer to regroup and get a bit of headspace and be normal again, but I am not going to say 100 per cent because I don't know what is going to happen between now and then, but we are definitely thinking about it." Lisa previously revealed she would love to get Ed Sheeran or Calvin Harris to write and produce songs for Steps. She previously told BANG Showbiz: "We would love to do some collaborations. We are very open to working with people. "If I had my choice it would be Ed Sheeran or Calvin Harris. I don't know if either of them would accept, but that would be my choice. "I love Ed's new singles, I am a massive Ed Sheeran fan." On their first record since 2012's 'Light Up the World', Steps worked with Calvin's songwriter Ina Wroldsen - who co-wrote 'How Deep Is Your Love' - so they have a contact to connect them with the 'One Kiss' hitmaker. Steps head out on the 'Summer of Steps Tour' next month, kicking off on May 26 at the LCI Rail Stadium in Cheltenham. Category Select Category Apparel/Garments Textiles Fashion Technical Textiles Information Technology E-commerce Retail Corporate Association Press Release SubCategory Select Sub-Category HON PM BAINIMARAMA AT THE OPENING OF THE TAILEVU PROVINCIAL COUNCIL MEETING The Chairman of the Tailevu Provincial Council,Members of the Tailevu Provincial Council,Ladies and Gentlemen.Bula Vinaka and a very good morning to you all.Im very glad to be back in Fiji, and Im especially happy to be here to speak at this first Tailevu Provincial Council meeting of the year.Ive returned to Fiji only yesterday from London, where I was representing our nation at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. That was a meeting I was torn about attending due to the distance it would put between me and the many Fijians reeling from the impacts of TC Josie and TC Keni, but it was a duty I had to fulfil, for Fiji, for our people, for our place in the world, and for our global campaign against climate change.The world needed to be told what was happening in Fiji. They needed to know of the devastation we suffered from these most recent cyclones, they needed to be told of the experiences of our fellow Fijians who took a big hit during these storms and of those we lost, and they needed to see the human face of climate change and the reality we face here in Fiji.They needed to know these things because, unfortunately, the experts tell us storms like Cyclones Evan, Winston, Josie and Keni are only going to become stronger in the years ahead due to the worsening effects of climate change. So no matter how well we respond to these storms, the threat we face is only becoming more severe.That is why we must address the root cause of this problem and lead the global community to reduce the harmful emissions causing our climate to change and adapt our communities to the climate impacts already upon us. And in London at CHOGM, again I put our case to the world, this time, to the 53 countries of the Commonwealth and the 2.4 billion citizens they together represent.In London, I was also very proud to launch the listing of Fijis Green Bond the first sovereign green bond in an emerging economy on the London Stock Exchange, one of the worlds premier financial markets. This bond will help us raise funds for climate resilient development, including developments right here in Tailevu. That can take the form of seawalls, much like the one weve built in Kumi Village, the relocation of communities and the improvement of water management infrastructure for times of flooding, just to name a few possibilities.So by leading from the front on climate change, we are bringing real benefits to our country. And as members of this council, as leaders you understand what strong, responsible leadership takes. It isnt only thinking about what happens tomorrow. Its about considering what will happen years, even decades from now, and doing what needs to be done honestly and with a vision to make sure our people are ready for what is to come. Ready for the challenges on the horizon and ready for the opportunities coming our way.So when we go to the world on climate change, it is never as victims, but as champions for all those who are vulnerable, and as an ambitious nation, ready to grow, ready to adapt and ready for greater success, even in the face of a changing climate.We will not be deterred from pursuing new development, like the many projects opened all across Tailevu in recent years, many Ive had the privilege to open personally. Instead, we will do what we must, pursuing new development that supports the well-being of ordinary people and that can be depended on, even when severe weather strikes.Make no mistake, there are challenges ahead. We cannot rest on the global stage and we cannot rest here at home. It will take leadership, at every level, for us to get the job done. And as leaders yourselves, you have seen along with every Fijian the bold, consistent and inclusive leadership my Government has brought to Fiji. No short-sighted development, no selfish short-cuts and no backwards steps into the past. My Government is about the big picture. We are future-focussed. And we have a recipe for success that has made Fiji and the Fijian people the strongest we have ever been.Our economy is on track to grow for nine straight years in a row. Our unemployment stands at the lowest rate in 20 years, investment is flowing into the country, moving forward new investment projects across the country. We are also massively expanding the reach of services, water, electricity, telecommunications, along with access to education at all levels, medical and other essential government services that are reaching many remote and rural locations for the very first time. Weve also seen a boom in infrastructure development, with new roads, bridges, ports and jetties being built around the country, in rural and urban areas alike.Weve levelled the playing field in ways that will carry our economy for generations to come, making primary and secondary education free, giving access to scholarships on merit and paying university fees for those who cannot afford to do so through the TELS programme. Today, we have more Fijians in universities and technical colleges than ever before. Today, we do not only have the children of the rich and connected in universities, but the children of all. Weve also made merit the greatest determination of success in Fijian society. Weve put the ideas, input and innovation of our people at the centre of our development. Today, every Fijian voice is making a difference, regardless of who their parents are, their ethnicity, religion, gender, physical ability, socioeconomic status or where they come from in Fiji.As a result, all Fijians are seeing the benefits of our growing economy, including the iTaukei people, who now hold a position of strength and security unrivalled at any other time in our history. The land and rights of the iTaukei are protected and enshrined for all time in the Fijian Constitution the supreme law of the land that governs every action of my Government.Weve dismantled the archaic systems of privilege that long left iTaukei people cash poor, even when they held such valuable assets. Gone are the days where past Governments used land as a political tool, while doing nothing to help the iTaukei people benefit economically and financially from land ownership.My Government thinks differently. We are a practical government, and we are giving iTaukei communities the tools they need to become much more financially powerful. Again, this financial year weve given another ten million dollars to fund iTaukei land development. That money is building roads and connecting subdivisions to water and electricity so that communities can directly sell the leases to make a financial gain. But with economic empowerment comes economic responsibility. And I urge our provincial leaders to encourage responsible financial management, meaning proper saving and smart investments, in our communities.Here in Talievu, weve also battled back from the devastation brought by Cyclone Winston two years ago, weve opened new roads and infrastructure, weve extended important government services, weve brought the great benefits of electric power to more communities and weve laid a foundation for future development that will support the ambitions of your province for years to come.We indeed have a proud record of achievement, and weve done so well by putting our stock in the basic principles of good governance: honesty, accountability and transparency. We want ordinary people to see exactly what were doing, understand why we do what we do, and be as much a part of our work as possible. That is the mantra that weve set out at the national level, and those same standards and expectations apply down the line to the provincial and district levels.As Provincial Council members, you are respected members of your community, you wield great influence and you are very important partners to my Government. You have your ears to the ground, you hear the concerns of your communities and you can put forward solutions that match what your people need. And we appreciate your support, especially in our work to expand services that are critical for the well-being of all Fijians.On the issues affecting our people, it is you who are on the frontlines helping realise our national priorities. Whether it is the health of Fijians, the management of our resources, an issue of economic empowerment, or any issue relating to development, you are looked to as leaders. You must keep yourselves informed, you must carry important messages to every Fijian you represent, you must speak up, you must always speak the truth and always reject lies. It is in this spirit of talanoa, my Government is here to listen, we are here to learn from the lessons and experiences youve acquired and we are here to deliver for you and your people.But in all of our work together, none of us can forget that we are here in the service of Fiji. We serve the Fijian people, we do not serve ourselves. And trust me when I tell you, that when you are driven solely by your commitment and responsibility to your fellow Fijians, there is nothing you cannot achieve.My fellow Fijians,I am a proud son of Tailevu. I am proud of my history here, and Im proud of what weve achieved together, as a council and as a government, for every Fijian in this province. But I am not only the Prime Minister of Tailevu, I am the Prime Minister of Fiji and I am a Prime Minister for every Fijian. My Government is concerned with what happens here, and with what happens in Naitasiri, Serua, Lomaiviti, Kadavu, and the rest of our provinces, and we are focussed on how all those regions of our country can work together, as one nation, one people united towards one common goal. I am working to build a Fiji where all of you in Tailevu and all of our fellow Fijians across the country have an equal shot in our growing economy. A Fiji where your province does not determine your destiny, but where we all can make our contribution to our national life and development, and all benefit equally from our shared successes.That is a lesson in leadership that Im afraid is lost on many of those in the Opposition, so concerned with their own community politics and with getting their slice of the national cake that they lose sight of how to grow that cake big enough so that every Fijian can get their fair share.We must all be very careful when we listen to these same politicians in the months ahead, as we are approaching an election and we all know how they will likely behave. Theyll come with many of the same doomsday predictions we heard back in 2014; predictions about loss of iTaukei land, predictions about the bad health of our Fijian industries, predictions that, of course, never came to pass. Theyll come with many of the same lies again. Those lies may come from some new faces, but they are lies all the same; lies designed to cause fear, designed to divide us and designed to hold us back from the greatness a united Fiji can achieve.To the members of this council, I only ask this: firstly, please encourage all those in your communities to register to vote in the forthcoming election. The date of the election has not been set, but it will be soon. And we urge all of those who are eligible to vote to exercise their democratic right. Secondly, encourage your communities to demand the truth from all those seeking seats in this election. Dont allow anyone to seep fear in your communities, dont allow anyone to attack the bonds of nationhood that bind us, and dont ever permit anyone to try and deceive you.As we look to the future, I can promise I will remain unrelenting, as always, in our journey forward. I will bring the same leadership that has carried our economy to new heights of success, brought new opportunities into the lives of ordinary people, and made Tailevu, and every province in Fiji a better, safer and more prosperous place to live. And I can promise that I will always tell you how it is, I will always be honest with you, and that my Government will always speak and embrace the truth.I wish you all a very productive first meeting and thank all of you for the warm welcome youve afforded me, it has truly been a wonderful welcome back to Fiji.Vinaka vakalevu. Thank you. CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - GPT Group (GPT.AX, GPTGF.PK), an Australian property company, announced its operational update for the March 2018 quarter. Total Centre comparable MAT growth of 2.1 per cent at 31 March 2018, compared to 1.7 per cent growth at 31 December 2017. Retail specialty sales were $11,307 per square metre at 31 March 2018, compared to $11,185 per square metre at 31 December 2017. Total Office leasing of 47,000sqm signed or at Heads of Agreement (HoA) during the quarter, and occupancy of 96.0 per cent. Total Logistics leasing of 34,100sqm signed or at Heads of Agreement (HoA) during the quarter, and occupancy of 96.5 per cent. Acquisition of Sunshine Business Park, Melbourne, for A$74 million, representing an initial yield of 6.1 per cent. Development consent granted for a proposed office development at 32 Smith Street, Parramatta. The Group noted that the A$420 million expansion of Sunshine Plaza has been impacted by significant wet weather during the quarter. As a result, the project is now expected to open on a staged basis commencing in late 2018, with completion in the second quarter of 2019. GPT said it continues to expect to achieve FFO per security growth of about 3 per cent for the full year 2018, and distribution per security growth of about 3 per cent. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de BEIJING, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The public benefit event held in Beijing on April 22, 2018 in celebration of this year's Earth Day was co-organized by the International Green Economy Association in concert with several likeminded organizations. Sha Zukang, former United Nations Under Secretary General, Judy Wang, Director of FOREVA China, as well as industry insiders and guests from both in and outside of China came together to showcase the latest trends in adopting a low-carbon and environmentally-friendly lifestyle. The interactive session "An Environmentally-Friendly Life-My Seven Promises to Protect Our Planet", sponsored by high-end European skin care brand, FOREVA, drew the most attention on that day in addition to much positive feedback from attendees. Against the backdrop of the large-scale art installation depicting Earth Day, "Time Zones in Future", co-created by Judy Wang and Milan-based designer Mellinda in concert with several colleagues, made known their wishes for environmental protection. Ms. Wang shared what the brand seeks to convey to women all over the world: confidence, freedom and the pursuit of one's own goals as well as the core principles of the brand's research and development: no harm to any user of their products, no harm to the environment while adopting the most advanced technologies. Next, Ms. Sha, the former United Nations Under Secretary General, expressed her wishes for a greener world, together with the wishes of friends of FOREVA hailing from seven countries including France and the UK. This was followed by an animated conversation with the attendees. Ms. Wang said in an exclusive interview that beauty means not only physical beauty, but also inner beauty in tandem with a smart lifestyle. The European royal Rococo style, the modern American style focused on simplicity and the newfound confidence among Chinese women characterized by their willingness to pursue their own goals are changing how beauty is defined around the world. A child's daily wish that his or her working mother can get a good night's rest left a deep impression on attendees. As a high-end international skin care brand, FOREVA advocates a simple yet effective life philosophy by combining advanced technologies with ingredients that deliver results. The brand invites Chinese women and their counterparts around the world to protect the earth and support sustainable development, in addition to continuously engaging in tangible and environmentally-friendly campaigns. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/682648/Foreva.jpg Corporate Communications Division Mazda Motor Corporation, Japan +81-3-3508-5056 [Tokyo] +81-82-282-5253 [Hiroshima] mailto: media@mazda.co.jp TOKYO, Apr 26, 2018 - (JCN Newswire) - Mazda Motor Corporation's production and sales results for March 2018 and for April 2017 through March 2018 are summarized below.1. Domestic Production(1) March 2018Mazda's total domestic production volume in March 2018 decreased 1.7 % year on year due to decreased production of passenger vehicles.Domestic production of key models in March 2018CX-5: 40,149 units (up 7.9% year on year)Mazda3 (Axela): 14,997 units (down 24.7%)Mazda6 (Atenza): 10,683 units (up 42.8%)(2) April 2017 through March 2018Mazda's total domestic production volume in the period from April 2017 through March 2018 increased 2.3% year on year due to increased production of passenger and commercial vehicles.Domestic production of key models in the period from April 2017 through March 2018CX-5: 415,012 units (up 28.1% year on year)Mazda3 (Axela): 167,587 units (down 18.7%)CX-3: 127,306 units (up 9.6%)2. Overseas Production(1) March 2018Mazda's overseas production volume in March 2018 decreased 13.1% year on year due to decreased production of passenger and commercial vehicles.Overseas production of key models in March 2018]Mazda3: 23,491 units (down 6.3% year on year)Mazda2: 7,762 units (down 36.1%)CX-4: 5,604 units (down 30.4%)(2) April 2017 through March 2018Mazda's total overseas production volume in the period from April 2017 through March 2018 increased 0.9% year on year due to increased production of passenger vehicles.Overseas production of key models in the period from April 2017 through March 2018Mazda3: 255,223 units (down 1.9% year on year)Mazda2: 100,158 units (up 0.4%)CX-4: 70,407 units (up 17.3%)II. Domestic sales(1) March 2018Mazda's total domestic sales volume in March 2018 increased 2.2% year on year due to increased sales of passenger vehicles. Mazda's registered vehicle market share was 6.7% (up 0.5 points year on year), with a 2.2% share of the micro-mini segment (down 0.1 points) and a 5.2% total market share (up 0.3 points).Domestic sales of key models in March 2018CX-5: 9,284 units (down 4.0% year on year)Mazda2 (Demio): 7,593 units (up 7.2%)CX-8: 4,340 units(2) April 2017 through March 2018Mazda's total domestic sales volume in the period from April 2017 through March 2018 increased 3.8% year on year due to increased sales of passenger vehicles. Mazda's registered vehicle market share was 5.1% (up 0.2 points year on year), with a 2.2% share of the micro-mini segment (unchanged year on year) and a 4.0% total market share (unchanged year on year).Domestic sales of key models in the period from April 2017 through March 2018Mazda2 (Demio): 50,026 units (down 6.2% year on year)CX-5: 38,153 units (up 40.4%)Mazda3 (Axela): 23,128 units (down 19.5%)III. Exports(1) March 2018Mazda's export volume in March 2018 increased 2.0% year on year, reflecting increased shipments to North America, Oceania and other regions.Exports of key models in March 2018CX-5: 34,329 units (up 23.9 % year on year)Mazda6: 14,982 units (up 82.8 %)Mazda3: 11,640 units (down 27.1 %)(2) April 2017 through March 2018Mazda's total export volume in the period April 2017 through March 2018 increased 1.6% year on year due to increased shipments to North America, Europe, Oceania and other regions.Exports of key models in the period April 2017 through March 2018CX-5: 377,036 units (up 26.2% year on year)Mazda3: 146,408 units (down 17.0%)CX-3: 110,587 units (up 7.1%)About MazdaMazda Motor Corporation (TSE: 7261) started manufacturing tools in 1929 and soon branched out into production of trucks for commercial use. In the early 1960s, Mazda launched its first passenger car models and began developing rotary engines. Still headquartered in Hiroshima in western Japan, Mazda today ranks as one of Japan's leading automakers, and exports cars to the United States and Europe for over 30 years. For more information, please visit www.mazda.comSource: MazdaContact:Copyright 2018 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved. Intersects 19.8 Metres of 46.8% Zinc and 49.5 Metres of 38.7% Zinc Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 26, 2018) - Zinc One Resources Inc. (TSXV: Z) (OTC Pink: ZZZOF) (FSE: RH33) ("Zinc One" or the "Company") confirms the discovery of high-grade zinc deposit located in the Mina Chica zone at the Bongara Mine Zinc project located in north-central Peru. The drilling at Mina Chica is part of the ongoing program that is targeting several areas of known high-grade zinc mineralization. This important discovery is based on additional high-grade results with substantial vertical thicknesses at Mina Chica. It is an exciting new area to be potentially included in the upcoming resource estimate and underlines the potential upward scalability of the Bongara Zinc Mine project. To date, assays for only 18 of 50 holes totaling 2,070 metres drilled at Mina Chica have been reported. The data for the remaining 32 holes will be announced once assays results have been received, checked, and compiled. Bill Williams, COO of Zinc One commented, "The confirmation of the discovery of a new high-grade zinc deposit at Mina Chica marks an exciting turn of events for the Bongara Zinc Mine project. Our drilling results have clearly demonstrated that the high-grade zinc mineralization forms a contiguous body, whose vertical thickness is beyond our previous expectations. Furthermore, zinc mineralization has been encountered in nearly every hole drilled to date and we look forward to reporting the assays from these holes so that the magnitude of the zinc in this deposit can be properly quantified. Overall, some of our drilling has only partially delineated this zinc deposit and thus it remains open in certain directions. We look forward to the prospect of building a potentially more significant project than originally contemplated. It appears that Mina Chica may not be so small after all." Jim Walchuck, President and CEO of Zinc One commented, "Congratulations are certainly in order for our COO, Bill Williams, and his geologic team on this discovery. The new results at Mina Chica combined with the previously announced results are substantially adding to our expectations for the potential upscaling of this extremely high-grade zinc deposit. Bill and his team deserve full credit for this incredible and extraordinary event in Zinc One history. This is truly a turning point for Zinc One and we are looking forward to receiving further drill results." Mina Chica Drill Results Highlights: A total of 50 holes totaling 2,070 metres have been drilled from 17 platforms (see map in Figure 1.) Results from six holes were reported previously (see news release from April 9, 2018) Significant new intercepts include (see cross-section in Figure 2.): MCH18010 - 12.0 metres of 26.6% zinc, from 1.5 metres drill depth MCH18013 - 19.8 metres of 46.8% zinc, from 1.9 metres drill depth MCH18014 - 49.5 metres of 38.7% zinc, from 7.3 metres drill depth True vertical thickness of 35.0 metres from true vertical depth of 5.1 metres The discovered deposit is open in all directions except to the southeast, which is defined by drill holes MCH18007, MCH18008, MCH18009, MCH18016, MCH18017, and MCH18018 as well as MCH18001, MCH18002, and MCH18003 (previously reported), even though a few meters of high-grade mineralization were encountered at or near the surface at these locations (see map in Figure 1. below). Mineralization at Mina Chica includes zinc oxides, carbonates and silicates hosted by soils, highly-weathered carbonates, and fine- to coarse-grained dolomites. Mina Chica is one of three known zones of high-grade, near-surface zinc-oxide mineralization along a 1.4 kilometre mineralized trend that is being tested by this drill program. At Bongarita, which lies approximately 200 metres west of Mina Chica, all results from the 36 holes drilled have been reported. A second drill rig is currently drilling at Mina Grande Sur, which lies approximately 1.2 kilometres southeast of Mina Chica. Results from 11 of 75 holes, for a total of 1,509 metres, drilled have been reported to date. Geology and Discussion of Results The zinc mineralization at Bongara is hosted by carbonate rocks and is classified as a Mississippi Valley-type deposit. The mineralization is stratabound and is basically a tabular body with irregular boundaries. Hydrozincite, smithsonite, hemimorphite, and a zinc-aluminum-iron silicate are the primary zinc minerals that are hosted primarily by soils, heavily-weathered fractured and vuggy dolomites, and fine- to coarse-grained dolomites. Significant results, including drill-hole orientation and total depths for Mina Chica, can be found below in Table 1. In addition, the map in Figure 1 shows the drilling and the surface/pit sampling at Mina Chica. Figure 2 is a cross-section that shows the key holes that define the discovery. Table 1. Mina Chica - Bongara Zinc Mine Project Drill Hole Easting* Northing* Azimuth Inclination Total depth From, m To, m Total, m True vertical thickness, m Zn, % MCH18007 170757 9368776 0 -90 35.0 No intercepts of interest MCH18008 170757 9368776 45 -60 47.1 No intercepts of interest MCH18009 170754 9368774 225 -55 30.0 No intercepts of interest MCH18010 170767 9368820 0 -90 37.5 1.5 13.5 12.0 12.0 26.6 MCH18011 170767 9368820 90 -60 30.0 4.9 19.5 14.6 12.6 16.9 Including 4.9 12.0 7.1 6.1 22.5 MCH18012 170766 9368819 180 -45 35.0 2.7 5.7 3.0 2.1 26.1 MCH18013 170783 9368834 0 -90 30.0 1.9 21.7 19.8 19.8 46.8 MCH18014 170783 9368834 320 -45 59.8 7.3 56.8 49.5 35.0 38.7 MCH18015 170783 9368833 180 -45 20.7 0.0 16.2 16.2 11.5 46.2 MCH18016 170799 9368798 0 -90 21.0 0.0 1.5 1.5 1.5 16.5 MCH18017 170799 9368798 30 -45 11.8 0.0 4.3 4.3 3.0 22.2 MCH18018 170798 9368794 210 -45 19.2 0.0 2.7 2.7 1.9 19.8 *Preliminary coordinates; land survey pending Figure 1: Drilling and Pit/Surface Sampling at Mina Chica Zone To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/4668/34257_figure1.jpg Figure 2: Cross-Section at Mina Chica Zone To view an enhanced version of Figure 2, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/4668/34257_figure2.jpg Sampling and Analytical Protocols Zinc One follows a systematic and rigorous Quality Control/Quality Assurance program overseen by Dr. Bill Williams, COO and Director of Zinc One. The sample from each core run is placed in a 60-centimetre long, plastic core box that has five columns. Core recovery, rock quality designation ("RQD"), and geologic features are logged and sample intervals, which are generally <2 metres, are chosen. Each core box is photographed and then sampled with a spatula (soil and heavily-weathered rock) or cut with a core saw, 50% of which is placed in a sample bag and stored on site in a secure location. The Company independently inserts certified control standards, blanks, and duplicates, all of which comprise at least 20% of the sample batch, to monitor sample preparation and analytical quality. The samples are stored in a secure area until such time they are shipped to ALS laboratory in Lima (ISO 9001 Certified) for preparation and assay. At the laboratory, samples are dried, crushed, pulverized and then a four-acid digestion is applied. This is followed by the ICP-AES analytical technique for 33 elements, including lead. The same method is used to assay zinc for values up to 20%. If zinc exceeds 20%, it is then analyzed using a titration method. The laboratory also inserts blanks and standards as well as including duplicate analyses. Qualified Person The technical content of this news release has been reviewed, verified and approved by Dr. Bill Williams, COO and Director of Zinc One, a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. About Zinc One Resources Inc. Zinc One is focused on the exploration and development of prospective and advanced zinc projects in mining-friendly jurisdictions. The Company's key assets are the Bongara Zinc Mine Project and the Charlotte Bongara Zinc Project in north-central Peru. The Bongara Zinc Mine Project was in production from 2007 to 2008, but was closed due to the global financial crisis and concurrent decrease in the zinc price. Past production included >20% zinc grades and recoveries over 90% from surface and near-surface zinc-oxide mineralization. High-grade, zinc-oxide mineralization is known to outcrop between the mined area and the Charlotte Bongara Project, which is nearly six kilometres to the NNW and where past drilling intercepted various near-surface zones with high-grade zinc. Zinc One is managed by a proven team of geologists and engineers who have previously constructed and operated successful mining operations. Additional Information Monica Hamm VP, Investor Relations Zinc One Resources Inc. Phone: (604) 683-0911 Email: mhamm@zincone.com www.zincone.com Forward-Looking Statements Information set forth in this news release contains forward-looking statements that are based on assumptions as of the date of this news release. These statements reflect management's current estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations. They are not guarantees of future performance. Zinc One cautions that all forward looking statements are inherently uncertain and that actual performance may be affected by many material factors, many of which are beyond their respective control. Such factors include, among other things: risks and uncertainties relating to Zinc One's limited operating history, its proposed exploration and development activities on the Bongara Zinc Oxide Project and the need to comply with environmental and governmental regulations. Accordingly, actual and future events, conditions and results may differ materially from the estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations expressed or implied in the forward-looking information. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, Zinc One does not undertake to publicly update or revise forward-looking information. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. HONG KONG / ACCESSWIRE / April 26, 2018 / Eco Energy Tech Asia Ltd. (OTC PINK: EYTH) (ECO Energy) today announced that a letter of Intent was signed with the Switzerland based company Mathias Stecher GmbH. The agreement is designed to elaborate a cooperation between ECO Energy and Mathias Stecher GmbH to sell the agricultural technology systems developed by Eco Energy in Switzerland and central Europe. This agreement completes the marketing alliance with European partners as Eco Energy lately already signed another marketing cooperation with the company Zaklad of Poland to sell its technology in eastern Europe. The Swiss-based company Mathias Stecher GmbH is specialized in research and development. It concentrates on researching the latest technology in the construction industry and eco- friendly technology. The CEO of the Swiss-based company explained: "We always worked with other companies with the latest technology and are interested in bringing these technology methods also to other companies. In the same way, we bring new technology programs to people who are learning about new ways in technology and use it in practice ". The company is also Member of the economic advisory board for different Swiss Cantons mainly for the Canton of Graubunden. Mathias Stecher GmbH will market the technology systems in Switzerland and Central Europe. It has a strong client base and a well-established network, especially in Switzerland. Eco Energy has become a pioneer in developing a new form of agriculture which allows the year-round production of healthy organic foods on a limited space isolated from any exterior impacts such as contamination or destruction. This allows harvesting fruit or vegetables 6-8 times per year which leads to a dramatically higher output than in a normal greenhouse. To achieve this high productive level it is necessary to use the latest technology to provide a stable climate which leads to a perfect environment for the growth of the plants. Engineers of Eco Energy have worked on lighting and energy saving systems over many years to find the right combination of LED lighting to stimulate the growth of the plants without overheating the Biodome and simultaneously save energy by using photovoltaic systems. About ECO Energy Tech Asia Limited: ECO Energy Tech Asia Limited develops, markets and produces an ETFE insulated Biodome and Vertical Growing System that allows the year-round production of fresh food produce regardless of weather conditions and significantly reduces energy and input requirements. Contact ECO Energy Tech Asia: Eco Energy Tech Asia Limited Unit 503, 5/F, Silvercord Tower 2, TST, Kowloon http://www.eyth.co Email: investor@eyth.co SOURCE: ECO Energy Tech Asia Ltd. TOKYO (dpa-AFX) - Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corp. (NISTY.PK) reported that its profit attributable to owners of parent for fiscal year ended March 31, 2018 surged 49.0 percent to 195.06 billion yen from 130.95 billion yen in the prior year. Earnings per share rose to 221.00 yen from 147.97 yen last year. The company noted that profit for the fiscal year was negatively affected by a decrease in production and shipment volume, a surge in prices of primary raw materials, and rises in costs of some auxiliary materials. However, these factors were more than offset by the steady execution of cost reduction measures, the improved performance of domestic and overseas Group companies, and the positive impact of differences in inventory valuations. Operating profit for the year grew 59.7 percent to 182.38 billion yen from 114.20 billion yen last year. Net sales for the year increased 22.4 percent to 5.67 trillion yen from 4.63 trillion yen in the previous year. The company plans to request the approval of the General Meeting of shareholders to distribute a year-end dividend payment of 40 yen per share, bringing the dividend for the full year to 70 yen per share and representing a consolidated payout ratio of 31.7 percent, raising the previously announced dividend of 30 yen per share by 10 yen. Looking ahead, Nippon Steel said it is unable at this time to establish reasonably accurate earnings estimates for fiscal 2018 due to several factors, including the uncertainty of price trends for primary raw materials and steel products. The company will disclose fiscal 2018 earnings forecasts when reasonable estimates become possible. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de ESPOO (dpa-AFX) - Finland-based Nokia corp. (NOK) reported Thursday that its first-quarter loss attributable to the equity holders of the parent was 351 million euros or 0.06 euro per share, narrower than last year's loss of 473 million euros or 0.08 euro per share. Adjusted attributable profit was 86 million euros or 0.02 euro per share, compared to 196 million euros or 0.03 euro per share last year. Net sales in the quarter dropped 8 percent to 4.92 billion euros from prior year's 5.38 billion euros. On a constant currency basis, net sales would have been flat year-on-year. The company said the first-quarter net sales and profitability were impacted primarily by lower net sales in North America. However, order intake and backlog were excellent. Looking ahead, Nokia said it expects the net sales trajectory in North America, as well as profitability, to improve significantly in the second half of 2018. Further, Nokia reiterated all of its full year 2018 Nokia-level guidance, despite expected weakness in its Networks business in the first half of 2018. Nokia raised its primary addressable market outlook for its Networks business in full year 2018, and expects to outperform that market in full year 2018. 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. HONG KONG, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Vistra, one of the world's leading providers of international incorporations, trust, fiduciary, private office and fund administration services, today announced it has entered an agreement to acquire Radius, a specialist US-based provider of international expansion services. Vistra is acquiring Radius from the private equity firm Hg. The transaction doubles Vistra's International Expansion Services (IES) business, making it a market leader in IES services, including the number one market position in the USA. Vistra's IES business helps clients navigate expansion into new markets, including establishing offices, obtaining the necessary licensing to operate in foreign markets and ongoing services, such as compliance and payroll. Radius, headquartered in Boston with offices across the United States and in the United Kingdom, India, China, Singapore, Brazil and the Netherlands, provides managed services, advisory services and OverseasConnect, its integrated cloud-based software platform, to more than 500 clients operating in 80 countries. The firm has 880 employees globally. Radius is led by CEO Stephen M. Chipman, who will become the Group Managing Director of Vistra's IES business. Following the acquisition, Vistra will have a global IES team of 1,300 employees and a support network of over 3,300 staff, operating in over 70 offices and 40 jurisdictions. Martin Crawford, CEO of Vistra, said: "The Radius team has developed a highly successful global business, which is a natural fit with Vistra's IES operations. Joining forces means our clients will have the highest quality people, technology and processes to help them grow with confidence when they are expanding internationally. We are delighted to welcome Stephen and his team to the Vistra family." Stephen Chipman, CEO of Radius, said: "The combination of Vistra and Radius creates a leading global provider of quality international expansion services. Vistra is the ideal partner for Radius given our values and culture align so closely. We are excited about the future opportunities for our clients and employees." Radius will be rebranded under the Vistra brand following completion of the transaction. Annex: Biographies Martin Crawford, Chief Executive Officer of Vistra, joined the OIL Group as CEO in 2009, and led the successful merger of OIL with Vistra in 2011. As the CEO, Martin leads the firm towards its aspiration to become the 'best in breed' among the global players in terms of client opinion and as a place to work. He is involved in managing the financial performance of the Group, the interactions with our majority shareholder and the setting and execution of the Group's strategy, with a specific focus on building relationships with strategic clients and M&A projects. Stephen Chipman, Chief Executive Officer of Radius, is a recognized global leader and experienced CEO with a lifelong passion for international business and successful global growth. Before joining Radius, Stephen capped his 34-year career with Grant Thornton as CEO in the U.S. where he led the $1.5 billion firm through the post financial crisis period, returning it to growth with double-digit increases in revenue and profitability. Prior to this role, Stephen was CEO of Grant Thornton in China where he headed the restructuring of start-up operations to create a national firm with more than 2,500 people in 17 offices. A U.S. and British citizen, Stephen is a certified public accountant in Illinois and Texas as well as a chartered accountant in England and Wales. He is based in the Radius Boston, MA headquarters. Editor Notes Ranked in the top four corporate service providers globally, Vistra is a versatile group of professionals, providing a uniquely broad range of services and solutions. Our capabilities span across company formations to trust, fiduciary, private client services, and fund administration. Vistra employs over 3,300 employees across over 40 jurisdictions. For more information, please visit www.vistra.com Media Contact: Vistra Sylvia Evans Sylvia.Evans@vistra.com +852 2848 0295 Radius Melinda Babin Melinda.Babin@radiusww.com +1 857 770 1767 Teneo Strategy Dan Chan Dan.Chan@teneostrategy.com +852 3655 0519 Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/682763/Vistra_Logo.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/682762/Martin_Crawford_Vistra_CEO.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/682764/Stephen_Chipman_Radius_CEO.jpg Regulatory News Total (Paris:FP) (LSE:TTA) (NYSE:TOT): In accordance with the Board of Directors decision of February 7, 2018 regarding the shareholder return policy from 2018-20, the first 2018 interim dividend is set at 0.64 euro per share. This interim dividend is increased by 3.2% compared to the three 2017 interim dividends and the final dividend. The ex-dividend date is set for September 25, 2018. The Board of Directors will meet on September 19, 2018, to declare the conditions of the first 2018 interim dividend payment. Subject to the adoption by the Combined General Meeting of June 1, 2018 of the 4th resolution, the option to pay the first 2018 interim dividend in new shares of the company will be proposed and the payment will be made according to the following timetable: Ex-dividend date September 25, 2018 Period to elect to receive the payment in new shares September 25, 2018 to October 4, 2018 Payment date in cash or shares issued in lieu of cash October 12, 2018 Holders of Total's American Depositary Receipts ("ADRs") will receive the first 2018 interim dividend in dollars based on the then-prevailing exchange rate according to the following timetable: ADR ex-dividend date September 21, 2018 ADR record date September 24, 2018 ADR payment date in cash or shares issued in lieu of cash October 19, 2018 Registered ADR holders may also contact JP Morgan Chase Bank for additional information. Non-registered ADR holders should contact their broker, financial intermediary, bank or financial institution for additional information. About Total Total is a global integrated energy producer and provider, a leading international oil and gas company, a major player in low-carbon energies. Our 98,000 employees are committed to better energy that is safer, cleaner, more efficient, more innovative and accessible to as many people as possible. As a responsible corporate citizen, we focus on ensuring that our operations in more than 130 countries worldwide consistently deliver economic, social and environmental benefits. Cautionary note This press release, from which no legal consequences may be drawn, is for information purposes only. The entities in which TOTAL S.A. directly or indirectly owns investments are separate legal entities. TOTAL S.A. has no liability for their acts or omissions. In this document, the terms "Total" and "Total Group" are sometimes used for convenience where general references are made to TOTAL S.A. and/or its subsidiaries. Likewise, the words "we", "us" and "our" may also be used to refer to subsidiaries in general or to those who work for them. This document may contain forward-looking information and statements that are based on a number of economic data and assumptions made in a given economic, competitive and regulatory environment. They may prove to be inaccurate in the future and are subject to a number of risk factors. Neither TOTAL S.A. nor any of its subsidiaries assumes any obligation to update publicly any forward-looking information or statement, objectives or trends contained in this document whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180425006960/en/ Contacts: Total Media Relations: +33 1 47 44 46 99 presse@total.com @TotalPress or Investors Relations: +44 (0)207 719 7962 ir@total.com GOTHENBURG, Sweden, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Alrik Danielson, President and CEO: "We have had a record start to 2018. Sales grew by 7.5% organically to SEK 20.6 billion and our reported operating profit was 2,625 million, both historical highs for SKF. Operating margin at 12.8% exceeded our target. The actions we have taken to control and continually review our cost base, increase prices and focus on meeting the specific application needs of our customers are showing results. We are delivering solid financial performance, with organic growth, operating margin and net debt to equity levels all better than our stated targets that are valid over a business cycle. The industrial business, with a reported operating margin of 15%, grew by 8.5%, with especially strong growth in Europe and Asia. We grew in almost all industries and saw particular strength in industrial drives and railway applications. The automotive business, with a reported operating margin of 7.7%, grew by 5.5%, a clear sign that we continue to outpace vehicle production levels. We grew in all geographic regions, with the strongest growth in the truck industry. Entering the second quarter 2018, we expect to see continued growth year-on-year, in all regions and we expect growth within both industrial and automotive." Key figures, SEKm Q1 2018 Q1 2017 Net sales 20,560 19,601 Operating profit 2,625 2,295 Operating margin, % 12.8 11.7 Profit before taxes 2,425 2,125 Net cash flow after investments before financing 259 64 Basic earnings per share 3.77 3.09 From the first quarter report 2018, SKF will report the Operating profit including Items Affecting Comparability. Any material items included in the result will be commented in the text of the report. Net sales change y-o-y, % Organic Structure Currency Total SKF Group 7.5 -0.7 -1.9 4.9 Industrial 8.5 -1.0 -1.7 5.8 Automotive 5.5 0.0 -2.5 3.0 Organic sales change in local currencies, per region y-o-y, % Europe NorthAmerica LatinAmerica Asia Middle East &Africa SKF Group 7.6 3.2 0.7 13.2 13.0 Industrial +++ +/- - +++ +++ Automotive + ++ ++ +++ +++ Outlook and guidance Demand for Q2 2018 compared to Q2 2017 The demand for SKF's products and services is expected to be higher for the Group, including Industrial and Automotive. Demand is expected to be higher in Europe, significantly higher in Asia-Pacific and relatively unchanged in North America and Latin America. Demand for Q2 2018 compared to Q1 2018 From the first quarter report 2018, SKF will not issue a sequential demand outlook. Guidance Q2 2018 - Financial net: SEK -200 million. - Currency impact on the operating profit is expected to be around SEK -160 million compared with 2017, based on exchange rates per 31 March 2018. Guidance 2018 - Tax level excluding effect related to divested businesses: around 29%. - Additions to property, plant and equipment: around SEK 2,400 million. A teleconference will be held on 26 April 2018 at 9:00 (CEST): SE: +46(0)8-5065-3942 UK: +44(0)330-336-9411 US: +1-323-994-2083 You will find all information regarding the SKF first quarter results 2018 on the IR website. Aktiebolaget SKF (publ) The information in this press release is information which AB SKF is required to disclose under the EU Market Abuse Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 The information was provided by the above contact persons for publication on 26 April 2018 at 08:00 For further information, please contact: PRESS: Theo Kjellberg Director Press Relations tel: +46-31-337-6576 mobile: +46-725-776576 e-mail: theo.kjellberg@skf.com INVESTOR RELATIONS: Patrik Stenberg Head of Investor Relations +46-31-337-2104 +46-705-472-104 patrik.stenberg@skf.com This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com http://news.cision.com/skf/r/skf-first-quarter-results-2018,c2505902 The following files are available for download: HANGZHOU, China, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- April 23, 2018 saw a scintillating evening with Hangzhou Tourism Commission and Hangzhou Philharmonic Orchestra (HPO), a locally rooted and globally recognized symphony orchestra from Hangzhou, China, jointly staging a classic performance at the Romanian Athenaeum in Bucharest, Romania, the fourth stop of its 2018 European Tour. The enthusiasm and professionalism of the group won unprecedented support from both its Bucharest fans and those who travelled from other parts of the country to attend the event. In alignment with the 5th anniversary of Hangzhou Tourism Commission on social media this year, HPO's 2018 European Tour comes as an important highlight of the commission's annual promotion theme "Sounds of Hangzhou", with an aim to greet overseas audience of Hangzhou with an authentic sound feast which involves the "Sounds of Hangzhou" online campaign series and offline activities at the Romania concert during the HPO 2018 European Tour, hundreds upon hundreds of enthusiastic participants received gifts and information about Hangzhou Tourism Commission's latest movements. As the official Hangzhou Tourism Ambassador, the leading music producer Wang Leehom embarked on a cultural journey in early 2018 to cast the promotional series "Sounds of Hangzhou" (bit.ly/2F74RIh). Immersing Mr Wang with the sound of the city's famous attractions including West Lake, Xixi National Wetland and China National Tea Museum, the footage was created for the online mini game "Sounds of Hangzhou - WIN FREE TICKETS of HPO 2018 European Tour" (bit.ly/2K2NUm5). Hangzhou Tourism Commission aspired to give out 60 free HPO 2018 European Tour concert tickets in the cities of Athens, Thessaloniki, Sofia, Bucharest, Belgrade and Pecs, to participating fans. Saving the best and the biggest for last, with the series of celebration activities progressing to their final stage, the "Hi 5 Hangzhou" fan gala, will be held at Grand Central Terminal's Vanderbilt Hall, New York on June 16, 2018. Lang Lang, global piano mega star, is invited to make a special guest appearance at the birthday party. Hangzhou Tourism Commission expresses its gratitude for the support along the journey, and shows anticipation in meeting more of its overseas fans in the grand occasion. Interested fans are welcome to register online before June 16 at https://www.hi5hangzhou.com/. The programs have been generously sponsored in part by Wensli Group Co., Ltd, Travelport, Sofitel Hangzhou Westlake and Four Seasons Hotel Hangzhou at West Lake. ZUG, Switzerland, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Swiss Start-up to Bring Retail Properties on The Blockchain The global PropTech startup has announced that it will commence the pre-sale and then public sale of a new Security Token (LOC). Founder & CEO Marc C. Riebe commented on the announcement at the Blockchain Summit in Zug today. "We are excited to announce and confirm timings for our Initial Token Offering (ITO)- the first of its kind in the PropTech world. It will ensure we are sufficiently invested to grow our platform and leverage blockchain technology - reducing the delays and mistakes that frustrate the real estate market today." eLocations announced its Initial Token Offering (ITO) today, which is conceived to create a new token economy and attract funds to be reinvested into the eLocations platform. The global platform holds details of stores in over 500 cities worldwide and simplifies rental, management and buying decisions by linking existing data and providing relevant analytics. The technology will help all parties to make faster, smarter and more trusted decisions, supported by the infinite potential of blockchain technology. As a result, eLocations will also revolutionize lease contract management for retailers by converting paper-based contracts into self-executable Smart-Contracts on the Blockchain. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/678709/eLocations_Logo.jpg ) The Founders are confident that the value of the Security Token will appreciate over time, based on its growing acceptance by customers as well as the firm's increased sales activities. This will result in higher revenues, profits and cash flows which in turn will lead to a higher token demand and increased trading activities. What are the timings and key events? The public sale of the Security Token will take place after a successful Pre-sale in Summer 2018. Early purchasers will be rewarded with a bonus of up to 30 percent off the actual sales price. The same applies to those who purchase large sums: eLocations plans to reward them with individually negotiated discounts. The company also recognizes the investor's desire to share in its success, and therefore up to 20 percent of eLocations' future net income will be distributed to all Security Token holders. Once eLocations' service platform is fully operational, the company will then go on to launch a Utility Token. The Utility Token (LocationToken, LCN) will allow the holder to purchase services premium listings, street maps, rent comparisons, oracle data, etc. Ultimately, even properties themselves can be leased, bought and sold using the LocationToken. When the Utility Token is launched, holders of Security Tokens can exchange them against the Utility Token at a price discounted by 20%. eLocations' investors thereby lower the risk of their investment, as they will always retain an option to 'use' their tokens and benefit from the portfolio of eLocations services. The Zug-HQ'd business will be attending over 20 PropTech events over the next four months as part of its investor-ITO roadshow - including Amsterdam, Paris, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Jerusalem, Sydney and London. COPENHAGEN, Denmark, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Siteimprove launched an advanced Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) product module marking an important milestone in the ongoing development of the Siteimprove Intelligence Platform, the company's core software suite that is now used by more than 6,500 organisations around the world to manage their websites. Siteimprove SEO provides companies and organisations a structured approach to SEO that makes it easier for digital managers and their teams to take on the important, yet notoriously complex challenge of mastering SEO to increase online visibility and connect with more potential customers and users. "In today's digital world, search engines are an absolute necessity in selling to, or communicating with, potential customers. After all, what's the point of creating high quality digital content if no one pays attention to what happens after you click 'publish'? That's why having a smart approach to SEO is just as important as developing good content," says Morten Ebbesen, CEO of Siteimprove. Over the last decade, search engines have fundamentally changed the way people think, behave, and form opinions. Today, 81% of consumers for example, research and compare products online before making a purchase and in B2B context, this number jumps to 94%. Companies know they need to be where people search, but simply being indexed by search engines, is not enough. "They say the best place to hide a dead body is page two of Google, because the first 10 search engine results page gets 95% of the traffic. So, if you're not listed on the first page, chances are that for some people, you don't really exist," says Morten Ebbesen and continues: "Fixing this isn't easy because search algorithms and rules are constantly changing and competition for attention is fierce. Also, teams are often working in a counterproductive way, simply because one hand doesn't know what the other is doing. With Siteimprove SEO we are directly addressing these challenges by making them understandable and manageable for digital teams of all sizes and backgrounds." Siteimprove SEO empowers users to audit the search engine readiness of their website using 66 different checks divided into four categories: Technical, Content, User Experience and Mobile. The results from these checks are translated into an overall SEO score plus sub-scores for each category. Based on this knowledge, users receive practical and actionable recommendations on what they should prioritise fixing. Ironically, it's often busy digital teams themselves that prevent their website from achieving better visibility. Siteimprove SEO centers around Activity Plans, customisable workflows that merge different data typically pulled from five different SEO tools, including competitor analysis, keyword monitoring, content optimisation, and more. With all insights in one place, teams create transparency across roles, departments or regions, and are able to work smarter. And these features have already received a warm welcome from a number of customers who have tested Siteimprove SEO over the last few months. "I believe Siteimprove's new SEO offering will have a huge, positive impact on our daily work. Activity Plans help us divide and prioritise our SEO efforts, and I'm really impressed by the Competitor Analysis data because it's displayed in a clear and useful way. Keyword Insights is another feature I can definitely use on an everyday basis. For example, to keep an eye on how we rank on different SEO keywords and then focus my efforts accordingly," says Hasse Hansen from Digital Marketing in Ruko, a Danish Siteimprove customer. Through a direct integration of Google's Search Console, Siteimprove SEO also helps you understand how the world's most popular search engine and its users see and find your website. Learning which queries and terms made your site appear in search results, enables you to understand your audience better, avoid jargon, and truly speak their language. In this way, Siteimprove SEO allows you to discover new, potentially traffic-driving keywords and filter them based on your strategy. According to industry research done by Siteimprove using the company's Digital Certainty Index (DCI) framework, SEO is one of the most talked about, but also least understood aspects of operating a website. In a recent survey that specifically assesses the SEO capabilities of the 15 largest retailers across Germany, France and the United Kingdom, the overall DCI Score was found to be 80, and the specific score for SEO was 82. Siteimprove's benchmark categorises a score between 71-80 as "Medium," and 81-90 as "Good" meaning that large retailers are in the low end of the "Good" score, with a lot of room to improve before reaching "Very Good", let alone "World Class." About Siteimprove SEO Siteimprove SEO empowers you to audit your website's search engine performance using 66 checks that are translated into an overall SEO Score plus sub-scores for relevant key areas. Based on this 'knowledge foundation', you are given actionable recommendations making it easy to discover, prioritise and tackle daily SEO issues. Identified problems can be marked as focus issues in your Activity Plans, a key product feature that addresses the fact that many digital teams lack transparency and an effective SEO workflow across job roles, departments and regions. Activity Plans merge insights in one place allowing teams to work smarter, not harder to help get their website found. Through a direct integration of Google's Search Console, Siteimprove SEO also helps you understand how the world's number one search engine and its users find your website. This enables you to identify new, potentially traffic-driving keywords and filter them based on your strategy. About Siteimprove A/S We're a people-centric company driven by digital certainty. We've helped more than 6,500 organisations transform the way they manage and deliver their digital presence. The digital age has made us more connected, informed, and mobile. However, it's easy to lose visibility of your digital presence and strategic goals. Between our intelligent automation software and crew of knowledgeable experts, we help organisations find the clarity they need to achieve digital certainty every day. www.siteimprove.co.uk Foto - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/682172/Siteimprove_SEO_Launch.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/588192/siteimprove_Logo.jpg HANNOVER, Germany, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Irootech, a leading Chinese supplier of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) platform, announced that it had expanded the presence of its global IIoT platform Rootcloud to the European market. At Hannover Messe 2018, Irootech signed cooperation agreements with international partners to shape its IIoT ecosystem in Europe. At a grand ceremony which took place at the Hannover Messe, Allen Liang, president of Irootech, signed the agreements along with Martin Knotgen, CEO of Putzmeister, Christoph Hoch, CEO of Munich Reinsurance Company, Greater China and Cristoff Martin, CMO of Telenor Connexion for IIoT cooperation. Technology experts of Honeywell also attended the ceremony as the partner of Irootech. Irootech's first European customer is Putzmeister, a worldwide known manufacturer of concrete pumps. To optimize the performance of its machines, Putzmeister develops the Rootcloud-based Machine Cockpit. "Together with our partner Irootech, we are able to provide our customers with real-time machine information that reduces down-time, improves the machine utilization and even prevents machine theft. In addition, the connectivity of our machines allows Putzmeister to reshape and enhance the services we are offering to our customers. In this way, Irootech's technology enables Putzmeister to pursue our vision: Offer innovative solutions that create real value," Mr. Knotgen said. Irootech works together with several experienced and renowned partners to create the design for the ecosystem of its cloud. Its partner for cloud service is Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Norwegian company Telenor Connexion is Irootech's telecommunications service partner. "We are pleased to have got off to such a good start with such excellent partners," said Allen Liang, "We are certain that our customers can only benefit from this cooperation. With this cooperation-based ecosystem, Irootech will be able to offer its customers an even better service experience." Seth Ryding, Head of Region - APAC at Telenor Connexion, stated that the two companies have a common background of connecting devices which is a stable platform to move into new verticals and create new value for customers. Christoph Hoch further said "Irootech has very strong IoT capabilities and the open platform which enables partners along the value chain contributes to it, which is the key factor to corporate." More than 400,000 devices from 42 industries are connected to the Rootcloud. Irootech uses its extensive know-how in big data, artificial intelligence, blockchain, virtual reality and other innovative technologies to make operations safer and more efficient. Rootcloud customers receive secure services of the highest quality, which also meet all the legal requirements of the European market. Globalization is the trend of the development of Industrial Internet platforms. The new industrial Internet of Things model can not only realize the interconnection of everything, but also greatly enhance the production efficiency and reliability of enterprises in the industrial field, promote the development of eco-cooperation and provide a win-win development for the industry. "We are now providing service globally, and we have a truly global team to serve our clients around the world. Our three solutions now available on the market are: lease management, asset performance management, and service management" said Allen Liang. More information about "Rootcloud" and "Irootech" is available at www.Irootech.com Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/682786/IROOTECH_sign.jpg NIJMEGEN, Netherlands, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Khondrion, a leading clinical-stage pharmaceutical company focusing on small molecule therapeutics for mitochondrial diseases, today announced the publication of a scientific article reporting on the development and unique mode of action of KH176, a clinical-stage drug candidate for the treatment of mitochondrial diseases. About the study The work was carried out by the Khondrion R&D team in collaboration with Inoviem Scientific and the Radboud University Medical Center. The results were published in Scientific Reports (http://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-24900-3). KH176 is an orally bio-available small molecule in development by Khondrion for the treatment of mitochondrial (-related) diseases. The present study reports on the early development and selection of KH176 as Khondrion's lead candidate and further explains its mode of action in primary cells obtained from mitochondrial patients. "Elevated Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) levels and a high sensitivity to redox-stress are two frequent cellular consequences in mitochondrial disease. Interestingly, we could demonstrate in several patient-derived cells that KH176 is an attractive candidate to correct both pathological phenotypes, illustrating its unique potential for this group of patients" says Dr. Julien Beyrath, Chief Operating Officer at Khondrion and first author of the study. KH176 displays a dual mode of action, targeting both ROS and Redox disturbances. "Using cutting-edge target deconvolution technology, we could identify peroxiredoxin enzyme as the primary and novel target of KH176" added Dr. Beyrath. Research is ongoing to further unravel the exact molecular mechanism of interaction of KH176 with the peroxiredoxin enzyme, which will help the Khondrion R&D team to further improve their drug candidates. "The results presented highlight the potential of KH176 as a single molecule to be effective in a large group of heterogeneous mitochondrial diseases, but also other diseases with underlying ROS and Redox perturbations" adds Prof. dr. Jan Smeitink, CEO at Khondrion and last author of the study. About KH176 KH176 was already shown to rescue specific pathological phenotypes in a relevant mouse model of Leigh disease, one of the most severe mitochondrial diseases (De Haas, Scientific Reports, 2017 Sep 15;7(1):11733). Khondrion also reported that KH176 demonstrated a favorable pharmacokinetic profile and an acceptable safety profile in randomized, placebo-controlled, double blind Phase I clinical trials, performed in healthy male volunteers (Koene et al, Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases, 2017 Oct 16;12(1):163). KH176 efficacy and safety have been evaluated in the KHENERGY study, a Phase II exploratory trial with oral KH176 in the m.3243A>G multisystem mitochondrial MELAS and MIDD syndromes and mixed phenotypes. Based on the outcome of the KHENERGY study (see earlier press release) the company is preparing for a pivotal program to confirm the potential benefits of KH176 in patients with mitochondrial disease. About Khondrion Khondrion is a leading clinical-stage pharmaceutical company focusing on developing small molecule therapeutics for mitochondrial (-related) diseases. The potential of several lead compounds to serve as new treatment modalities for mitochondrial disease is currently being explored. Khondrion's KH176 has been granted Orphan Drug Designation (ODD) for Leigh disease and MELAS syndrome in Europe and for all inherited mitochondrial respiratory chain disorders in the USA. Khondrion has established collaborations with patient organizations, patient advocacy groups, university expert centers and research groups around the world. The company is supported by the Dutch Foundations Energy4All, Join4Energy, Road4Energy, Ride4Kids, Tim Foundation, Zeldzame Ziekten Fonds, and National and European Governments. Khondrion has a strong intellectual property position protecting its emerging product portfolio via granted and multiple, broad patent applications. For more information, please visit http://www.khondrion.com Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, contained in this press release, including statements regarding our strategy, future operations, future financial position, future revenues, projected costs, prospects, plans and objectives of management, are forward-looking statements. The words "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "plan," "predict," "project," "target," "potential," "will," "would," "could," "should," "continue," and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Any forward-looking statements represent our views only as of today and should not be relied upon as representing our views as of any subsequent date. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or known or unknown risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results could vary materially from the expectations and projections of Khondrion. Risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: challenges and uncertainties inherent in product development, including the uncertainties of clinical success and the timeline for the availability of KH176. While we may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, we specifically disclaim any obligation to do so, even if our views change. LUGANO, Switzerland, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- ESMO, the leading professional organisation for medical oncology, shares concerns expressed in a scientific paper and reflected in the international media about the rising costs of cancer medicines. The authors of The Journal of Oncology Practice paper used both the ESMO Magnitude of Clinical Benefit Scale (ESMO-MCBS) and ASCO's Value Framework to assess whether the clinical benefits of novel anticancer drugs have increased over time in parallel with increasing pricing. The authors concluded that while costs of these have risen over the past decade, their clinical benefit has not improved proportionally. The ESMO-MCBS uses a rational, structured and consistent approach to grade the magnitude of clinical benefit that can be expected from anticancer treatments. Prof. Elisabeth de Vries, Chair of the ESMO Cancer Medicines Committee and the ESMO-MCBS Working Group, said: "The ESMO-MCBS provides unbiased information to help guide physicians and decision makers to grade drugs newly approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) by assessing their clinical benefit. It is an important first step in the major and ongoing task of evaluating value in cancer care which is essential for the appropriate use of limited public funds in delivering cost-effective and more affordable cancer care." Prof. Josep Tabernero, ESMO President, said: "Access to anticancer medicines is an essential component of high quality cancer care, hence affordability is crucial in providing optimal treatment and patient care." There are however many additional critical factors. "Other major considerations include the availability of highly trained oncologists, up-to-the-minute diagnostics, the necessary funding and frameworks in place for research, a holistic approach to cancer care incorporating supportive and palliative care, and a multidisciplinary approach to best manage and treat our patients," continued Tabernero. "ESMO calls for a multi-stakeholder commitment towards ultimately ensuring access to optimal cancer care for all patients," said Tabernero. "Sustainable cancer care is a key pillar of the ESMO 2020 Vision and we are determined to continue pursuing this goal in collaboration with our partners." ESMO is the leading professional organisation for medical oncology. With 18,000 members representing oncology professionals from over 150 countries worldwide, ESMO is the society of reference for oncology education and information. We are committed to supporting our members to develop and advance in a fast-evolving professional environment. ESMO Press Office media@esmo.org FELTON, California, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Global Yeast Market is segmented on the basis of type, application, specialty yeast and geography. Yeast is used in the process of fermentation for its abilities in imparting better aroma, aiding carbon release, taste, texture and flavor to food. Yeast is important ingredient in the bakery industry and globally increasing demand for bakery goods, especially in the developing economies such as China, India, countries in South America, Africa and other regions is expected to significantly boost the volume use of yeast. Further, the increase in global consumption of alcohol has resulted in increasing production of alcoholic beverages such as beer and wine. The major factors driving the growth of the yeast market are positive trend in consumption of alcoholic beverage, increasing demand for functional bakery products, and enhanced production of animal feed augmented with minerals. However, growing competition for basic raw materials is one the major hindrances in the growth of the yeast market. In the years to come, yeast market will have a huge opportunity with respect to replacement of molasses with filtered dates and also from increasing concerns over the usage of artificial flavor enhancer. Based on type, the yeast market is segmented into baker's yeast, brewer's yeast, wine yeast, feed yeast, bio-ethanol yeast, nutritional yeast, supplement yeast, industrial yeast and so on. Baker's yeast accounted for the biggest share; followed by brewer's yeast in 2015. In the same year, Europe did account for the greatest share in baker's yeast. North America did contribute for the second-largest share. The demand on the part of baker's yeast is driven by the increasing demand for high-value baked goods such as cookies and cakes that are marketed at the global level by large companies. Browse 134 page research report with TOC on "GlobalYeastMarket" at: https://www.millioninsights.com/industry-reports/yeast-market Based on application, the yeast market is segmented into food & beverage sector, feed sector, pharmaceutical & industrial sector and so on. Based on form, the yeast market is segmented into dry yeast, instant yeast, fresh yeast and other includes bread machine yeast and rapid-rise yeast. The "fresh yeast" market's growth is directly proportional to the trend shifting toward fast and processed food consumption, bakery items in particular. Fresh yeast is broadly used in bakery products such as pastries and breads as it has good fermenting qualities and does provide an excellent taste. Europe was the biggest market for fresh yeast and accounted for maximum share in 2015. Asia Pacific is, at present, one of the most promising markets for fresh yeast, as the demand is continuously increasing with increase in population and altering demand for processed food products. Based on speciality yeast, the yeast market is segmented into yeast extracts, yeasts autolysates, yeast beta-glucan, yeast derivatives (includes yeast flavor enhancers, yeast saccharides and yeast pigments), nucleotides, minerals, vitamins and so on. Based on geography, the yeast market is segmented into Europe, Latin America, Asia Pacific, North America and Middle East & Africa. The North America and Europe are the market leaders but in future competition is likely to increase in the market of Asia Pacific region. The key players of yeast industry are Angel Yeast Co. Ltd., Alltech, Associated British Foods Plc, Chr. Hansen A/S, Koninklijke DSM N.V., Lallemand Inc., Leiber GmbH, Lesaffre Group, Sensient Technologies, Oriental Yeast Co. Ltd., Cargill, Ab Mauri, Ab Vista, Bio Springer S.A., Bio Springer S.A., Angel Yeast Co. Ltd. and Synergy Flavors. Browse reports of similar category available with Million Insights: Sugar-Free Chocolate Market Reb-A Series Stevia Market STV Series Stevia Market Hot Pot Condiment Market This report studies Yeast in Global market, especially in North America, Europe, China, Japan, India and Southeast Asia, focuses on top manufacturers in global market, with sales, price, revenue and market share for each manufacturer, covering AB Mauri India AB Vista Lallemand Lessafre Group AHD International Algist Bruggeman Alltech Angel Yeast Associated British Food Bio Springer Biorigin Biotec Pharmacon Cargill Chaitanya Chr. Hansen Crystal Pharma Danish Yeast DSM N.V. Kerry Group Kothari Fermentation and Biochem Leiber Minn-Dark Yeast Oriental Yeast PAKMAYA Sagar Chemicals Suboneyo Chemicals Pharmaceuticals Synergy Market Segment by Region, this report splits Global into several key Region, with sales, revenue, market share and growth rate of Yeast in these regions, from 2011 to 2021 (forecast), like North America China Europe Japan India Southeast Asia Split by product type, with sales, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, can be divided into Instant Yeast Dry Yeast Fresh Yeast Other Yeast Split by application, this report focuses on sales, market share and growth rate of Yeast in each application, can be divided into Food and Beverage Sector Feed Sector Others Sector About Million Insights: Million Insights, is a distributor of market research reports, published by premium publishers only. We have a comprehensive market place, that will enable you to compare data points, before you make a purchase. Enabling informed buying, is our motto and we strive hard to ensure that our clients get to browse through multiple samples, prior to an investment. Service flexibility & the fastest response time are two pillars, on which our business model is founded. Our market research report store, includes in-depth reports, from across various industry verticals, such as healthcare, technology, chemicals, food & beverages, consumer goods, material science & automotive. Contact: Ryan Manuel Research Support Specialist, USA Million Insights Phone: +1-408-610-2300 Toll Free: 1-866-831-4085 Email: sales@millioninsights.com Web: https://www.millioninsights.com/ PUNE, India, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a new market research report "Industrial Filtration Market by Type (Air and Liquid), Technology, Product, Filter Media, Industry (Manufacturing, Power Generation, Metals & Mining, Oil & Gas, Pharmaceuticals, and Process Industry), and Region - Global Forecast to 2023", published by MarketsandMarkets, the global market is expected to grow from an estimated USD 25.89 Billion in 2018 to USD 35.47 Billion by 2023, registering a CAGR of 6.50% during the forecast period. This growth is primarily due to the growing industrialization and urbanization, stringent regulations pertaining to emissions and treatment of industrial waste, and requirement of safe working environment in industrial facilities. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/660509/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg ) Browse 107Tables and 33Figures spread through 169 Pages and in-depth TOC on"Industrial Filtration Market" https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/industrial-filtration-market-81304454.html Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report On the basis of industry, the manufacturing segment is expected to hold the largest share of the market The manufacturing industry dominated the Industrial Filtration Market in 2017. This segment includes machinery & equipment, chemical, electrical & electronics (includes semiconductors), and pulp & paper industries. Industrial filtration is gaining its importance across all end-use markets due to strict environmental regulations and enforcement of cleaner processes and technologies. Furthermore, the market for the manufacturing segment will be driven by the Asia Pacific region, particularly increasing manufacturing hubs in the Southeast Asian countries, along with China, which is already the world's leading country in the manufacturing sector. Ask for PDF Brochure @https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownload.asp?id=81304454 The nonwoven fabric, by filter for industrial filtration is expected to be the fastest-growing segment of the market The nonwoven fabric, by filter media, for industrial filtration is expected to grow at the highest CAGR from 2018 to 2023. These nonwoven fabric filter bags are made from nonwoven Polypropylene (PP) fabric and are durable, reusable, water-resistant, hypoallergenic, fire-resistant, soft, light, and sometimes washable. These bags are used in various end-user industries, such as pharmaceuticals and mineral processing Asia Pacific: A leading market for industrial filtration In this report, the Industrial Filtration Market has been analyzed with respect to 5 regions, namely, North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, South America, and the Middle East & Africa. Asia Pacific was expected to account for the largest market share of the global Industrial Filtration Market in 2017. Emission regulations accompanied with the need for clean indoor air facilities is one of the major factors that drives this market. The growth in manufacturing, power generation, oil & gas, and food & beverage industries has laid a great influence in the economic development of the countries in the region. China accounted for the largest share of the Industrial Filtration Market in Asia Pacific in 2017. Power generation is one of the major end-user industries for industrial filtration and is a critical element. Filtration is carried out in power plants either for filtration of boiler feed water, preventing the discharge of fly ash from the chimneys of coal or other sources of solid fuels or for maintaining the performance of turbines. Furthermore, there are strict regulations for emissions for which filtration plays a vital role. Almost all the countries in the region are investing in its manufacturing, power generation, process industry, and pharmaceuticals industry to advance its economic growth, which is likely to drive the growth of the Industrial Filtration Market in Asia Pacific. To enable an in-depth understanding of the competitive landscape, the report includes the profiles of some of the top players in the Industrial Filtration Market. These players include Alfa Laval (Sweden), Ahlstrom-Munksjo (Finland), Donaldson (US), Eaton (Ireland), Freudenberg (Germany), Mann+Hummel (Germany), Pall Corporation (US), and Parker Hannifin (US). The leading players are trying to increase their regional presence in the developed economies and are adopting various strategies to increase their market shares. Know more about the Industrial Filtration Market https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/industrial-filtration-market-81304454.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, "Knowledge Store" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets. Contact: Mr. Salgarkar MarketsandMarkets INC. 630 Dundee Road Suite 430 Northbrook, IL 60062 USA: +1-888-600-6441 Email: sales@marketsandmarkets.com Visit Our Blog @ http://www.marketsandmarketsblog.com/market-reports/energy-and-power Connect with us on LinkedIn @ http://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsandmarkets Elementis plc - Result of 2018 AGM The Company's AGM was held today (26 April 2018) at the offices of Herbert Smith Freehills LLP in London and all resolutions proposed were passed on a poll. For information, the following table shows the poll results for the Meeting. The total number of shares in issue (ISC) as at 24 April 2018 was 463,979,926. (Total voting rights: 463,979,926). The percentage figure shown in each column is the percentage of the total number of votes validly cast (under law) for each resolution (i.e. excludes votes withheld). Resolution Votes For % Votes Against % Votes Total % of ISC voted Votes Withheld 1. Receive annual report and accounts 2017 379,621,480 100.00 1,422 0.00 379,622,902 81.82% 1,996,891 2. Final dividend 381,613,166 100.00 3,425 0.00 381,616,591 82.25% 3,202 3. Directors' remuneration policy 378,249,966 99.35 2,477,105 0.65 380,727,071 82.06% 892,722 4. Directors' remuneration report 2017 (excluding Remuneration policy) 376,548,177 98.94 4,037,197 1.06 380,585,374 82.03% 1,034,419 5. To re-elect Andrew Duff 377,776,675 99.00 3,801,827 1.00 381,578,502 82.24% 41,291 6. To re-elect Paul Waterman 380,490,717 99.71 1,103,785 0.29 381,594,502 82.24% 25,291 7. To re-elect Ralph Hewins 380,461,642 99.70 1,132,860 0.30 381,594,502 82.24% 25,291 8. To re-elect Sandra Boss 379,147,864 99.36 2,428,000 0.64 381,575,864 82.24% 43,929 9. To re-elect Dorothee Deuring 379,057,848 99.34 2,518,016 0.66 381,575,864 82.24% 43,929 10. To re-elect Steve Good 377,942,360 99.05 3,631,809 0.95 381,574,169 82.24% 45,624 11. To re-elect Anne Hyland 378,856,889 99.31 2,616,554 0.69 381,473,443 82.22% 146,350 12. To re-elect Nick Salmon 379,142,087 99.36 2,437,577 0.64 381,579,664 82.24% 40,129 13. Re-appoint Deloitte LLP as Auditors 377,991,664 99.06 3,580,459 0.94 381,572,123 82.24% 47,670 14. Auditors' remuneration 379,323,515 99.40 2,290,841 0.60 381,614,356 82.25% 5,437 15. Authority to allot shares 340,934,769 89.35 40,657,690 10.65 381,592,459 82.24% 27,334 16. Authorise political donations 376,773,038 98.76 4,737,460 1.24 381,510,498 82.23% 109,295 17. Hold general meetings at 14 clear days' notice* 334,759,784 87.72 46,842,401 12.28 381,602,185 82.25% 17,608 18. Disapply pre-emption rights* 375,637,345 99.75 933,026 0.25 376,570,371 81.16% 5,049,422 19. Disapply pre-emption rights for acquisition or capital investment* 370,347,910 98.34 6,233,783 1.66 376,581,693 81.16% 5,038,100 20. Authority to purchase own shares* 379,177,725 99.45 2,107,926 0.55 381,285,651 82.18% 334,142 21. LTIP 2018 378,308,261 99.36 2,432,302 0.64 380,740,563 82.06% 879,230 22. UK SAYE Scheme 2018 379,677,558 99.71 1,100,785 0.29 380,778,343 82.07% 841,450 * Resolutions 17 to 20 were passed as special resolutions. In accordance with Listing Rule 9.6, copies of the resolutions, designated as being special business, passed at the AGM will be submitted to the National Storage Mechanism and will be available shortly for inspection at: www.morningstar.co.uk/uk/NSM These voting results will also be available on the Company's website at www.elementisplc.com/investors/agm-information later this afternoon. Laura Higgins Company Secretary 0207 067 2999 VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- BlackChain Solutions Inc. (the "Company" or "Blackchain") (CSE: BIS), announced today that it has signed a letter of intent with DMG Blockchain Solutions Inc., (DMG) a TSX Venture Exchange listed company (TSXV:DMGI), to license DMG's Prometheus technology for deployment as part of BlackChain's P2P Lending Platform. Under the proposed license, BlackChain will retain exclusive rights for use of the technology for P2P Lending. DMG will be entitled to a royalty on commercial revenues generated by Blackchain using the technology. The parties intend to negotiate and finalize a definitive agreement by May 15th, 2018. Prometheus is one of the first browser-based blockchain technologies developed by a Silicon Valley-based leader in blockchain and artificial intelligence - Blockseer. Blockseer, which has expertise from Harvard and Stanford, was recently acquired by DMG early in 2018. The platform allows users to seamlessly connect on the blockchain via a traditional web browser, such as Chrome and Firefox. This drastically reduces the barriers to entry for blockchain participation. Daniel Reitzik, CEO and Director of DMG commented that, "We are extremely pleased to be partnering with BlackChain on their first commercial venture. Prometheus represents the next generation in blockchain technology, whose simplified, browser-based platform is opening up whole new markets in the cryptocurrency space. We hope that this LOI will be just the beginning in a growing relationship between DMG and BlackChain." Integrated with BlackChain's P2P Lending Platform, Prometheus opens the door to cryptocurrency asset lending for individuals, without the need of traditional banks. This opens up both sides of the trillion USD credit debt market to individual users. BlackChain's P2P Crypto-Lending Platform also provides users with the opportunity to leverage their existing cryptocurrency holdings to turning a static, speculative holding into a yield-bearing investment. Zayn Kalyan, BlackChain's Chief Technology Officer commented on this agreement: "DMG and Blockseer have developed a truly next-generation blockchain platform with Prometheus. As the crypto space matures, evolutionary approaches to system design will be the foundation for growth. Prometheus will enable BlackChain to deliver a cutting-edge product in our P2P Lending Platform. We look forward to working with DMG on other projects in the future." About BlackChain Solutions Inc. (CSE: BIS) ("BlackChain") BlackChain Solutions Inc. is a financial analytics and risk management company that is leveraging blockchain technology to transform lending for the rapidly emerging cryptocurrency economy. Building on an industry-proven credit-risk database and software platform, BlackChain provides the tools and services to bring cryptocurrency lenders and borrowers together, with confidence. BlackChain is a publicly-traded company listed on the Canadian Stock Exchange (CSE); trading symbol BIS (C.BIS or BIS.cn). For more information about our company please contact us at +1 (604) 602 0001 or visit http://www.blckchain.ca BlackChain Solutions Inc. Geoff Balderson CEO Forward-Looking Information This press release may include forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation, concerning the business and trading in the common stock of Blackchain Solutions Inc. Such information is based on assumptions made by the company's management. Although the company believes these assumptions are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking information because the company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release and the company disclaims any obligation to update publicly any forward-looking information, other than as required by applicable securities laws. The CSE has not reviewed, approved or disapproved the content of this press release Contact: +1-604-602-0001 or visit http://www.blckchain.ca MONTREAL, QUEBEC -- (Marketwired) -- 04/26/18 -- WSP Global Inc. (TSX: WSP) ("WSP" or the "Corporation") will host its annual meeting of shareholders and release its 2018 first quarter results on Thursday, May 10, 2018. ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS The annual meeting of shareholders will be held at the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth, 900 Rene-Levesque Blvd. West, in Montreal at 10 a.m. (Eastern Time). During the meeting, WSP will discuss its 2017 performance and its 2018 strategy. For those who are unable to attend in person, the Corporation will webcast the meeting live on its website at www.wsp.com in the Investors section. Information related to the annual meeting can be found at www.wsp.com in the Investors Section. FIRST QUARTER 2018 RESULTS The Corporation will also announce its 2018 first quarter results on May 10, 2018. A conference call will be held on the same day at 4:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) to discuss the results. To participate in the conference call, dial 1-647-788-4922 or 1-877-223-4471 (toll-free). A presentation of the 2018 first quarter highlights and results will be available on the same day at www.wsp.com in the Investors section. A replay of the call will be available until June 10, 2018. The telephone numbers to access the replay of the call are 1-416-621-4642 or 1-800-585-8367 (toll-free), access code 5188626. The replay of the conference call will also be available in the Investors section of the WSP website in the days following the event. ABOUT WSP As one of the world's leading professional services firms, WSP provides technical expertise and strategic advice to clients in the Transportation & Infrastructure, Property & Buildings, Environment, Industry, Resources (including Mining and Oil & Gas) and Power & Energy sectors. We also offer highly specialized services in project delivery and strategic consulting. Our experts include engineers, advisors, technicians, scientists, architects, planners, surveyors and environmental specialists, as well as other design, program and construction management professionals. With approximately 42,000 talented people in 550 offices across 40 countries, we are uniquely positioned to deliver successful and sustainable projects, wherever our clients need us. www.wsp.com Contacts: Isabelle Adjahi Senior Vice President, Investor Relations and Communications WSP Global Inc. 438-843-7548 isabelle.adjahi@wsp.com www.wsp.com Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. FRANKFURT (dpa-AFX) - Shares of Deutsche Bank (DB) were losing around 2 percent in German trading after the banking giant reported lower profit and revenues in its first quarter with weakness in all segments, mainly Corporate & Investment Bank. Separately, the bank announced actions to reshape its Corporate & Investment Bank and additional cost-cutting measures, including job cuts. Deutsche Bank said it aims to shift more decisively to more stable revenue sources and to strengthen those core business lines which are most important for its European and multi-national clients. Commitment to sectors in the US and Asia, in which cross-border activity is limited, will be reduced. The bank intends to reduce front, middle and back office costs in the Corporate & Investment Bank and related infrastructure functions significantly. It will be undertaking a review of its Global Equities business with the expectation of reducing its platform. As part of the actions, the company sees a significant reduction in workforce through the rest of the year, in particular stemming from the right-sizing of the Corporate & Investment Bank and the supporting infrastructure functions. Christian Sewing, Chief Executive Officer, said, 'We are on a good track both in the DWS asset management business and in our Private & Commercial Bank, although we need to substantially improve profitability in both. Our Corporate & Investment Bank is also doing well in some areas and held or gained market share in certain areas. However, we are not strong enough in other areas of this business. Therefore we have to act decisively and to adjust our strategy. There is no time to lose as the current returns for our shareholders are not acceptable.' For the first quarter, net income declined to 120 million euros from 575 million euros in the prior year period. Income before income taxes was 432 million euros, down from 878 million euros a year ago. In the first quarter, net revenues were 6.98 billion euros, down 5 percent from 7.35 billion euros a year ago. The company said the weak results primarily reflected exchange rate movements, notably the appreciation of the euro against the US dollar, and lower revenues in the Corporate & Investment Bank. The prior year quarter was negatively impacted by Debt Valuation Adjustments. In the quarter, Corporate & Investment Bank revenues were 3.8 billion euros, down 13 percent year-on-year, with weak revenues in all business units. Private & Commercial Bank revenues were 2.6 billion euros, down 2 percent, and asset management revenues were 545 million euros, 10 percent lower year-on-year. Provision for credit losses of 88 million euros declined 34 percent, partly reflecting releases in the Corporate & Investment Bank, driven primarily by favourable developments in the shipping segment. The Common Equity Tier 1 or CET1 ratio was 13.4 percent at the end of the first quarter, versus 14.0 percent at the end of 2017. In Germany, Deutsche Bank shares were trading at 11.74 euros, down 2.06 percent. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de ATHENS, Greece, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The best businesses from Greece were honoured at an exclusive event last night hosted by RSM Greece and the British Ambassador, Kate Smith CMG, at her Residence in Athens, for The European Business Awards sponsored by RSM. (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/682910/European_Business_Awards.jpg ) The 11 businesses were chosen by a panel of independent judges, including senior businesses and academic leaders as the best in the Awards' categories, and they will now go on to represent their country in the final stage of the competition. At the event, business leaders came together to celebrate and network with their peers after being successfully named as 'Ones to Watch' in a list of business excellence published in December last year, all hoping to be named National Winners. The National Winners are: Company Category Socialab The Award for Innovation EpsilonNet The Digital Technology Award ELVIAL The ELITE Award for Growth Strategy of the Year The Germany Trade & Invest Award for IKTINOS HELLAS SA International Expansion The Business of the Year Award with Turnover of Koukakis Farm S.A. EUR0-25m The Business of the Year Award with Turnover of medbest EUR26-150m The Business of the Year Award with Turnover of Attica the department store EUR150m or higher REZOS BRANDS S.A. The Customer and Market Engagement Award Owiwi Private Company The New Business of The Year Award The Social Responsibility and Environmental AB Vasilopoulos Awareness Award AKROLITHOS The Workplace and People Development Award British Ambassador, Kate Smith CMG said: "We were delighted to host the European Business Awards Event at the British Residence, with guest speaker Kyriakos Mitsotakis. It was a great opportunity to celebrate some of Europe's most innovative, successful, responsible and extrovert companies - who also happen to be Greek - and to emphasise the strong business links between our two countries." RSM firms provide audit, tax and consulting services to clients across the globe. Within Europe, RSM firms have experts in 43 countries who work as an integrated team, sharing skills, insight and resources, as well as a client-centric approach that's based on a deep understanding of clients' businesses. Mr Athos Stylianou, Managing Partner, RSM Greece said: "The fact that 11 Greek companies are National Winners this year in such an esteemed competition, demonstrates the high level of Greek entrepreneurship and for this we are very happy and proud. "For a rather small country like ours, to have 11 National Winners across the whole of Europe is without a doubt a significant success. Greece is amongst very few countries which have more than 10 winners and we have the same number of winners as Germany, France and Sweden. Best of luck to all National Winners and Congratulations for coming this far!" The National Winners will face further judging in their chosen category, and the final category winners will be announced at the European Business Awards Gala Final in Warsaw, Poland on 23 May 2018. Separately companies in the competition are also competing in a public vote to be named 'European Public Champion' at the Gala Final. The public vote is open and reaches people from across the globe. Last year the public vote generated almost 250,000 votes. To view the videos and vote for your favourite company please go to: http://www.businessawardseurope.com The European Business Awards is now in its 11th year and its primary purpose is to support the development of a stronger and more successful business community throughout Europe. Last year it engaged with over 33,000 businesses from 34 countries. Sponsors and partners include RSM, ELITE, Germany Trade & Invest and PR Newswire. About the European Business Awards: The European Business Awards' primary purpose is to support the development of a stronger and more successful business community throughout Europe. The European Business Awards programme serves the European business community in three ways: It celebrates and endorses individuals' and organisations' success It provides and promotes examples of excellence for the business community to aspire to It engages with the European business community to create debate on key issues The European Business Awards is now in its 11th year. Last year it engaged with over 33,000 businesses from 34 countries. Sponsors and partners include RSM, ELITE, Germany Trade & Invest, PR Newswire, Bureau Van Dijk, SDL Managed Translation. http://www.businessawardseurope.com. Twitter: @rsmEBA Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/businessawardseurope LinkedIn: the company page "The European Business Awards" About RSM: RSM is the sixth largest network of independent audit, tax and consulting firms, encompassing over 120 countries, 800 offices and more than 43,000 people internationally. The network's total fee income is US$5.1 billion. As an integrated team, we share skills, insight and resources, as well as a client-centric approach that's based on a deep understanding of our clients' businesses. This is how we empower them to move forward with confidence and realise their full potential. RSM is a member of the Forum of Firms, with the shared objective to promote consistent and high quality standards of financial and auditing practices worldwide. RSM is the brand used by a network of independent accounting and advisory firms each of which practices in its own right. RSM International Limited does not itself provide any accounting and advisory services. Member firms are driven by a common vision of providing high quality professional services, both in their domestic markets and in serving the international professional service needs of their client base. http://www.rsm.global About ELITE: ELITE is a full-service programme designed to share best practice and increase growth opportunities for fast growing companies, with a focus on understanding the capital markets. ELITE is an innovative programme based on exclusive training and a tutorship model, supported by access to the business and financial community. Its aim is to prepare companies for their next stage of growth and investment. For further information on the programme, companies and the full list of partners, please go to: http://www.elite-growth.com About PR Newswire: PR Newswire is the leading global provider of PR and corporate communications tools that enable clients to distribute news and rich content. We distribute our client's content across traditional, digital and social media channels in real time with fully actionable reporting and monitoring. Combining the world's largest multi-channel, multi-cultural content distribution and optimisation network with comprehensive workflow tools and platforms, PR Newswire enables the world's enterprises to engage opportunity everywhere it exists. PR Newswire serves tens of thousands of clients from offices in Europe, Middle East, Africa, the Americas and the Asia-Pacific region. For more information on PR Newswire please visit http://www.prnewswire.co.uk About Germany Trade & Invest: Germany Trade & Invest is the economic development agency of the Federal Republic of Germany. The company helps create and secure extra employment opportunities, strengthening Germany as a business location. With more than 50 offices in Germany and abroad and its network of partners throughout the world, Germany Trade & Invest supports German companies setting up in foreign markets, promotes Germany as a business location and assists foreign companies setting up in Germany. Other partners and sponsors: Bureau Van Dijk: Bureau Van Dijk is a Moody's Analytics company which captures and treats private company information for better decision-making and increased efficiency. With information on over 275 million companies in all countries worldwide it is the resource for private company data. Certainty is a highly-prized commodity in business and BVD provides its customers with the best quality data available. Register for a free trial at http://www.bvdinfo.com SDL Managed Translation: SDL is the global innovator in language translation technology, services and content management. For the past 25 years, SDL has created transformative business results through nuanced digital experiences with customers around the world. For more information about language services and technology, or with help going global quickly and efficiently, please email mantra@sdl.com or visit http://www.sdl.com/managed-translation Founder Patrons: The four Founder Patrons are AirX, Megazyme, Alpha Trains Group and Remedica; all members of the European Business Awards community. These successful businesses are gleaming examples of the Awards' core values: Success, Innovation and Ethics. Through patronage, they help to foster and create more successful companies and business communities in Europe. For more information about the founder patrons please visit https://www.businessawardseurope.com/patrons Rugged, Push-the-Bit Design Delivers Cost-Effective Wellbores BAAR, Switzerland, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Weatherford International plc (NYSE: WFT) today announced the commercial release of the http://www.weatherford.com/raptor2.0 Magnus rotary steerable system, which combines reliable, high-performance drilling with precise directional control. The push-the-bit tool is designed for deployment in nearly any drilling scenario, including high doglegs. Experience the interactive Multichannel News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/players/English/7941152-weatherford-magnus-rotary-steerable-system/ Key features of the Magnus system include fully independent pad control, a fully rotating bias unit with minimal bottomhole-assembly (BHA) stabilization, real-time BHA diagnostics and autopilot functionality. The system comprises several modular components to facilitate quick and easy maintenance, even in remote locations. "The Magnus system represents a major shift in the way that Weatherford approaches directional drilling, and has great potential to disrupt the status-quo rotary steerable market," said Etienne Roux, Global Segment President, Drilling and Evaluation at Weatherford. "We are excited to provide our customers with a reliable and cost-effective option for efficiently drilling high-quality wellbores." About Weatherford Weatherford is one of the largest multinational oilfield service companies providing innovative solutions, technology and services to the oil and gas industry. The Company operates in over 90 countries and has a network of approximately 780 locations, including manufacturing, service, research and development, and training facilities and employs approximately 28,700 people. For more information, visit www.weatherford.com and connect with Weatherford on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Contacts: Christoph Bausch +1.713.836.4615 Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Karen David-Green +1.713.836.7430 Vice President - Investor Relations, Marketing and Communications Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/19990308/WEATHERFORDLOGO The NCCN Foundation announces Chinese, Czech, German, Italian, and Spanish translations of patient-focused booklets designed to help people with cancer make shared decisions about their treatment. FORT WASHINGTON, Pennsylvania, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) has published a newly-translated Italian version of the NCCN Guidelines for Patients for stomach cancer, funded by the NCCN Foundation thanks to No Stomach for Cancer. Over the past year, the NCCN Foundation also worked with the Kidney Cancer Association to translate patient guidelines for kidney cancer into Chinese, Czech, German, and Spanish. "There's tremendous need, worldwide, for simple explanations of complicated health concepts, in words that anyone can understand," said Marcie R. Reeder, MPH, Executive Director, NCCN Foundation. "We work hard to make these guidelines accessible for people with little-to-no familiarity with medicine. Offering NCCN patient guidelines in languages other than English was a natural next-step." The NCCN Guidelines for Patients provide a user-friendly look at the clinical information contained in the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines) in order to equip patients for shared decision-making with their health care providers. The guidelines are available free-of-charge at NCCN.org/patients or via an app for smartphones and tablets. Print copies of the NCCN Guidelines for Patients are available on Amazon.com for a nominal fee. According to Maria Donatella Beccati, MD, University of Ferrara, the newly-translated Italian version of the stomach cancer guidelines meets a pressing need for patient-oriented information. "In Italy, about 13,000 new patients are diagnosed with stomach cancer every year. It ranks as the third-highest cause of cancer death for men, and fifth-highest for women," said Dr. Beccati. "With this patient-oriented version of the professional care guidelines, we can offer Italian-speaking people with stomach cancer the help they need to understand their disease and make sure they're getting the best cancer treatment. We're proud to help raise awareness for Italian patients with stomach cancer and their loved ones." "Our mission is to unite the caring power of people worldwide, empower patients and families, and to advance awareness and education about stomach cancer," said Jon Florin, Executive Director, No Stomach For Cancer. "The Patient Guidelines for Stomach Cancer are an invaluable resource for patients and families as they navigate the difficult journey from diagnosis to survivorship. We are committed to supporting and partnering with NCCN to expand their translations into as many languages as possible." In 2017 alone, the NCCN Guidelines for Patients were viewed more than eight million times by nearly 400,000 individuals, worldwide. They are written in plain language and include patient-friendly elements, such as questions to ask the doctor, a glossary of terms, and medical illustrations. The library currently contains 39 different guidelines, including breast, colon, lung, and prostate cancers. NCCN Guidelines for Patients and NCCN Quick Guide sheets DO NOT replace the expertise and clinical judgment of the clinician. To help support these tools, visit NCCN.org/patients or text "GIVE" to 856-FOR-NCCN (856-367-6226). About NCCN Foundation NCCN Foundation was founded by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) to empower people with cancer and advance oncology innovation. NCCN Foundation supports people with cancer and their caregivers by delivering unbiased expert guidance from the world's leading cancer experts through the library of NCCN Guidelines for Patients and other patient education resources. NCCN Foundation is also committed to advancing cancer treatment by funding the nation's promising young investigators at the forefront of cancer research, initiating momentum in their careers and improving patients' lives through their groundbreaking research. For more information about NCCN Foundation, visit NCCN.org/patients. About the National Comprehensive Cancer Network The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), a not-for-profit alliance of 27 leading cancer centers devoted to patient care, research, and education, is dedicated to improving the quality, effectiveness, and efficiency of cancer care so that patients can live better lives. Through the leadership and expertise of clinical professionals at NCCN Member Institutions, NCCN develops resources that present valuable information to the numerous stakeholders in the health care delivery system. As the arbiter of high-quality cancer care, NCCN promotes the importance of continuous quality improvement and recognizes the significance of creating clinical practice guidelines appropriate for use by patients, clinicians, and other health care decision-makers. Visit NCCN.org/members/network.aspx for the full list of NCCN Member Institutions. Clinicians, visit NCCN.org. Patients and caregivers, visit NCCN.org/patients. Media, visit NCCN.org/news. Follow NCCN on Twitter @NCCNnews and Facebook @National.Comprehensive.Cancer.Network. About No Stomach For Cancer No Stomach For Cancer is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to support research and unite the caring power of people worldwide affected by stomach cancer. NSFC advances awareness and education about stomach cancer, including Hereditary Diffuse Gastric Cancer (HDGC), provides a support network for affected families and supports research for screening, early detection, treatment, and prevention of stomach cancer. Headquartered in Wisconsin, and serving patients across the globe, No Stomach For Cancer is a worldwide advocate and thought leader in stomach cancer awareness and education. Stomach Cancer is currently the third leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide with 1,000,000 new cases diagnosed each year. For more information, please visit www.nostomachforcancer.org. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/441768/NCCN_Logo.jpg Media Contact: Rachel Darwin, NCCN 267-622-6624 darwin@nccn.org Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 26, 2018) - Pacific Ridge Exploration Ltd. (TSXV: PEX) ("Pacific Ridge" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has agreed to option its Eureka Dome property to Trifecta Gold Ltd. ("Trifecta"). Trifecta can earn a 70% interest in the property by making payments of $200,000, issuing 1,000,000 shares and completing $2.5 million in exploration by December 31, 2022. Once this interest has been earned, Trifecta and Pacific Ridge will form a 70:30 joint venture to further explore and develop the property. The agreement is subject to regulatory approval. The Eureka Dome Property is located in the Yukon's White Gold District, approximately 55 km northeast of White Gold's Golden Saddle discovery. Placer gold occurrences have been reported in most creeks draining the property and geochemical anomalies suggest the presence of a high level epithermal style alteration system. Trifecta plans a program of prospecting, geological mapping, soil sampling and silt sampling. If results warrant, this work will be followed by trenching and ultimately, drilling. Warrant Extension Pacific Ridge has extended the expiry date of 2,716,250 share purchase warrants from May 3, 2018 to November 3, 2018. The warrants were issued pursuant to a private placement of 5,432,500 units with 2,716,250 warrants attached which closed on November 3, 2016. Each warrant is exercisable to purchase one common share at a price of $0.14 per share. The warrant extension is subject to TSX Venture Exchange approval. About Pacific Ridge Pacific Ridge has assembled a portfolio of highly-prospective gold and base metal projects located in the Yukon and British Columbia, where its board and management team have a track record of success. Its holdings include the Mariposa, Eureka Dome and Gold Cap gold exploration projects in the Klondike-White Gold District, RC Gold in the Tintina Gold Belt, Fyre Lake in the Finlayson District and TL Zinc in British Columbia's Monashee Zinc-Lead-Silver District. On behalf of the Board of Directors, "Gerald G. Carlson" Gerald G. Carlson President & CEO Pacific Ridge Exploration Ltd. For further information, contact: Pacific Ridge Exploration Ltd. Gerald G. Carlson President & CEO Tel: (604) 687-4951 www.pacificridgeexploration.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Information: This release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address exploration drilling and other activities and events or developments that Pacific Ridge Exploration Ltd. ("Pacific Ridge") expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this news release include statements regarding the exercise of the options and future exploration plans and expenditures. Although Pacific Ridge believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward looking statements include market prices, exploration successes, and continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions. These statements are based on a number of assumptions including, among other things, assumptions regarding general business and economic conditions, that one of the options will be exercised, the ability of Pacific Ridge and other parties to satisfy stock exchange and other regulatory requirements in a timely manner, the availability of financing for Pacific Ridge's proposed programs on reasonable terms, and the ability of third party service providers to deliver services in a timely manner. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Pacific Ridge does not assume any obligation to update or revise its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. Infiniti Research, a global customer and market intelligence solutions provider, has announced the completion of their new market intelligence study on the automobile industry. A leading auto engine parts manufacturer wanted to increase their upselling opportunities by targeting specific consumer groups. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180426005957/en/ Infiniti's Market Intelligence Solution Helps a Prominent Auto Engine Parts Manufacturer Gain Holistic Knowledge of all Aspects of the Marketplace. (Graphic: Business Wire) According to the market intelligence experts at Infiniti, "The global consumer's preferences and demands continue to differ between fuel efficiency and passenger space, the governments have started applying strict regulations that apply to all the subsegments within the automobile industry." Request a free proposal to see how Infiniti Research's solutions can help you. The significant growth contributors for the global auto engine parts manufacturing market are the increasing prominence on engine effectiveness, developments in the global economic conditions, and quick decline in commodity and gasoline prices. The demand from emerging economies is anticipated to rebound over the next five years, due to the growth in disposable incomes and technological developments for the auto engine parts manufacturers. The market intelligence solution offered by Infiniti helped the client to devise real strategies based on the analysis of the marketplace. Also, recognized future growth opportunities and directed the client in working towards establishing their goals. This market intelligence solution provided benefits that helped the client to: Refine their decision-making processes Reduce their warranty assistance costs by tens of millions of dollars To know more, ask an analyst This market intelligence solution provided predictive insights on: Improving their business strategies by grounding their decisions in real-world data and analysis Enhancing their process efficiency by devising risk negating strategies To read more, request a free proposal View the complete market intelligence study here: https://www.infinitiresearch.com/casestudy/market-intelligence-case-study/engine-parts-market-intelligence About Infiniti Research Established in 2003, Infiniti Research is a leading market intelligence company providing smart solutions to address your business challenges. Infiniti Research studies markets in more than 100 countries to help analyze competitive activity, see beyond market disruptions, and develop intelligent business strategies. With 15+ years of experience and offices across three continents, Infiniti Research has been instrumental in providing a complete range of competitive intelligence, strategy, and research services for over 550 companies across the globe. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180426005957/en/ Contacts: Infiniti Research Anirban Choudhury Marketing Consultant US: +1 844 778 0600 UK: +44 203 893 3400 hello@infinitiresearch.com https://www.infinitiresearch.com/contact-us VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- PHOTO AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST Today, Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP ('Blakes'), one of Canada's leading business law firms, is launching Nitro powered by Blakes to the Vancouver market. Nitro is an innovative program that provides access to top-tier legal services for emerging technology companies. It was initially launched in the Toronto-Waterloo Region Corridor in June of last year. "Vancouver is a market that is synonymous with innovation and new advances in technology," said Troy Lehman, Partner at Blakes. "Technology is the second fastest growth sector in British Columbia and Vancouver is among the top start-up ecosystems in the world. "We've been serving start-up clients in the tech sector in Vancouver for many years and, following the success of Nitro in Toronto-Waterloo, we're pleased to be welcoming existing and future clients to this new, dedicated program." NitroVancouver aims to remove barriers to allow emerging companies to realize their full potential. This will include an initial allocation of $1 million worth of flexible and subsidized legal services to support qualified companies in the Nitro program, tailored to their stage of development. "Emerging technology is critical to the future of the Canadian economy and Blakes is committed to supporting its development," said Bill MacLagan, Office Managing Partner for Blakes Vancouver. The existing Toronto-WaterlooNitro program currently has 30 clients. Earlier this month, Nitro client Sodatone - a start-up that uses big data and machine learning to find the next big music artists - was acquired by Warner Music Group. The NitroVancouver team will be led by Troy Lehman, Susan Tomaine and Lindsay Clark. To find out more, please visit http://www.blakesnitro.com. If you would like to speak one of the Blakes lawyers involved in Nitro Vancouver, please contact Sharon Murray, sharon.murray@blakes.com , Director, Client Relations and Marketing on +1-604-631-4233. PUNE, India, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The report "Alumina Trihydrate Market by Application (Flame Retardant, Filler, Antacid), End-Use Industry (Plastics, Building & Construction, Paints & Coatings, Pharmaceuticals, Glass, Rubber), and Region (APAC, North America, Europe, MEA) - Global Forecast to 2023", published by MarketsandMarkets, the global alumina trihydrate (ATH) market is projected to grow from USD 1.51 Billion in 2018 to USD 1.99 Billion by 2023, at a CAGR of 5.7% from 2018 to 2023. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/660509/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg ) Browse 111 market data Tables and 46 Figures spread through 135 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Alumina Trihydrate Market" https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/alumina-trihydrate-market-80048766.html Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report The growth of the Alumina Trihydrate Market is driven by the rising demand for alumina trihydrate as a flame retardant or filler from the plastics, building & construction, and other end-use industries and increasing regulations related to fire safety. Get PDF Brochure @https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownload.asp?id=80048766 The flame retardant application segment is estimated to account for the largest share of the Alumina Trihydrate Market in 2018. Based on application, the flame retardant segment is estimated to account for the largest share of the Alumina Trihydrate Market in 2018. The growth of this segment can be attributed to the increasing regulations of flame retardant across the world in plastics, building & construction, and other industries. The plastics segment is estimated to be the fastest-growing end-use industry segment of the Alumina Trihydrate Market during the forecast period. Based on end-use industry, the plastics segment is expected to grow at the highest rate due to the growing demand from emerging economies of the Asia Pacific and Europe. Alumina trihydrate is very effective in flame retardant and filler applications. Alumina trihydrate is used in thermosets and plastics applications. Asia Pacific is expected to lead the Alumina Trihydrate Market during the forecast period. China is the largest market for alumina trihydrate in the Asia Pacific region, in 2018. The growth of the plastics and building & construction industries is expected to be the key growth factor for the Alumina Trihydrate Market in the Asia Pacific region. The growing consumption of flame retardant in China is also leading to the growth of the Alumina Trihydrate Market in the country. The increased demand for cost-effective flame retardant and filler is another factor fueling the consumption of alumina trihydrate in China. China is the largest consumer of alumina trihydrate in the Asia Pacific region. Key players in the Alumina Trihydrate Market include Albemarle Corporation (US), Nabaltec AG (Germany), Huber Engineered Materials (US), and LKAB Minerals AB (Sweden), among others. Know more about Alumina Trihydrate Market: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/alumina-trihydrate-market-80048766.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, "Knowledge Store" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets. Contact: Mr. Salgarkar MarketsandMarkets INC. 630 Dundee Road Suite 430 Northbrook, IL 60062 USA: +1-888-600-6441 Email: sales@marketsandmarkets.com Visit Our Blog: http://www.marketsandmarketsblog.com/market-reports/chemical Connect with us on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsandmarkets PARIS (dpa-AFX) - French President Emmanuel Macron said his efforts to convince his American counterpart Donald Trump of the importance to stay put in a nuclear deal that US-led major powers signed with Iran in 2015 has apparently failed. 'My view -- I don't know what your President will decide -- is that he will get rid of this deal on his own, for domestic reasons,' Macron told reporters in Washington on Wednesday, at the end of a three-day state visit to the United States. Following a question and answer session with students at George Washington University, he said he did not have any specific inside information, but believed there was 'a big risk' Trump would leave the hard-earned pact. 'It can work in the short term, but it's very insane in the medium to long term,' the French leader said. According to Trump, the international agreement is 'insane' and 'ridiculous.' Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has warned Trump of 'severe consequences' if Washington withdraws from it. The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) granted several exemptions to Iran in return for agreeing to limitations on its nuclear program. But Trump has been critical of the Obama-era deal, and said recently that the deal may be scrapped unless it is significantly strengthened and expanded to include issues not covered in the original agreement. Other signatories of the nuclear deal - Germany, Britain, China, and Russia - are scrambling to convince President Trump not to pull out of it. 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. WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The US Government has responded to the Taliban's announcement of their spring offensive by calling on the leaders of the terrorist outfit to return to Afghanistan from 'their foreign safe havens and work constructively' for the war-ravaged country's future. The Taliban announced a new offensive ignoring President Ghani's recent invitation for the Taliban to join a peace process. There is no need for a new 'fighting season.' Still, the Taliban announced another campaign of senseless violence targeting the democratically elected and internationally recognized Afghan government and their fellow Afghans, US Acting Secretary of State John J. Sullivan said in a statement. He called on the Taliban to turn their bullets and bombs into ballots.' They should run for office. They should vote'. The US Government pledged its support to 'the brave Afghan security forces who are standing against the Taliban and terrorist groups that seek to destroy Afghan society'. 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. Penticton, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 26, 2018) - Green Mountain Health Alliance Ltd. ("Green Mountain" or the "Company") the large-scale, low-cost, quality cannabis wholesaler, has raised more than a quarter of the funds required to complete construction on its initial test greenhouse facility using the equity crowdfunding platform, FrontFundr. "We are very proud to be the first private cannabis company in Canada that is opening our investment opportunity to everyone," said Salil Dhaumya, Co-Founder and CFO of Green Mountain Health Alliance. "We want all Canadians to have the opportunity to join the cannabis economy and in the few days since we've launched the campaign we've seen that there is a real interest." Canadians can invest in Green Mountain on the FrontFundr platform. The minimum investment is $500. Funds will be used for the company's first facility, which is scheduled to be ready for its first test harvest before the end of 2018, subject to Health Canada approval. Construction is already underway at the first of three facilities which will total 1,000,000 square feet of growing space. Interested investors can view the opportunity details and purchase shares online at: https://www.frontfundr.com/Company/green_mountain_health_alliance 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 TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / April 26, 2018 / RTDNA Canada is proud to announce that Kevin Newman will receive the RTDNA's prestigious President's Award. The award will be presented to Mr. Newman at the President's Reception on May 25 during the 2018 RTDNA National Conference & Awards Gala. The President's Award, which is the highest honour bestowed by the association, acknowledges an individual who has brought recognition and distinction to the field of electronic and digital journalism. In making the announcement, RTDNA President Ian Koenigsfest said, "For more than 30 years Kevin Newman has contributed his valuable insights and extraordinary storytelling abilities to audiences on both sides of the border," Koenigsfest added, "A pioneer in so many respects, the much decorated and highly respected Newman has provided context and meaning to the most important stories impacting our society during his vast career." "Kevin's storied career has always been guided by the tenets of journalistic integrity and a deep commitment to the investigative process," said Wendy Freeman, President CTV News. "Simply put, Kevin is a visionary who won't rest until the story is delivered accurately, and his passion is a guiding light for Canada's next generation of journalists. Congratulations, Kevin." ABOUT RTDNA CANADA RTDNA Canada is the voice of electronic and digital journalists and news managers in Canada. The members of RTDNA Canada recognize the responsibility of broadcast and digital journalists to promote and to protect the freedom to report independently about matters of public interest and to present a wide range of expressions, opinions and ideas. The RTDNA Canada Journalistic Code of Ethics, adopted by the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council, is used to measure fairness and accuracy in our profession. Become a Member: https://rtdna.wildapricot.org/join-us. CONTACT INFORMATION Ian Koenigsfest President, RTDNA Canada president@rtdnacanada.com Jennifer Nguyen RTDNA Canada Awards info@rtdnacanada.com http://www.rtdnacanada.com SOURCE: RTDNA Canada Blockchain Technology to Assist in the Upgrade of Karuizawa Timeshare Resort SAN JOSE, CA / ACCESSWIRE / April 26, 2018 / IHT today announced their strategic partnership in Tokyo, Japan with the Karuizawa Timeshare Resort using blockchain technology. IHT Founder and CEO Ricky Ng, Bagatelle Co. Ltd. Managing Director Tatsuya Sejima, Gravity Venture Capital Y&J Founding Partner and CEO Zhouying Dai, JINSE Co-Founder Yang Tong and several other high-profile Japanese influencers were in attendance: Masaharu Nakagawa, Senior Vice President of Innovation Promotion Office, Business Planning & Coordination Department, Development Bank of Japan; Masaru Ohnishi, Senior Analyst of Mitsui & Co. Global Strategic Studies Institute; LaSalle Investment Management; NHK, Japan's national public broadcasting media; The Nikkei, Japan's largest financial newspaper, and Nikkei Business Publications, Japan's largest financial newspaper attended this conference together. The Karuizawa Timeshare Resort project, ATO (Asset Tokenize Offering), will be sold formally on IHT's platform, which will lower the threshold for participation as the right-to-use can be broken into smaller pieces. Not only can one enjoy a six-star luxury vacation for an incredibly low price but can also attain additional value-added services. The entire process uses blockchain technology which allows users to enjoy more openness and transparency at every turn, as well as more secure and convenient operations, which are all unique attributes of the blockchain. The Karuizawa Timeshare Resort project is an important high-end tourism project of the Karuizawa government. IHT is supporting the Karuizawa Timeshare Resort project through project financing, marketing and service management; which will be able to attract users from across the globe who can bring more life into the Japanese real estate market. "IHT is determined to create a blockchain-driven real estate plus financing management platform," said Ricky Ng, IHT founder and CEO. "Our exploration to bring together blockchain and real estate management is an important outcome from the cooperation between us. IHT has always been devoted to the amalgamation of blockchain technology and the traditional travel real estate market, where we can create a completely new travel real estate model based on blockchain." The Karuizawa Timeshare Resort project is an important Japanese travel destination and will serve as IHT's entrance into the Japanese high-end real estate travel market. "Not long ago, we established a joint global real estate blockchain research institute with the World Blockchain Organization/Incubator Center. Both parties will focus together on digitized real estate transactions, innovation in financing models and other areas of research. This cooperation and research will quickly propel the implementation of globalized ATO projects," said Ng. Tatsuya Sejima, Director of the Karuizawa Timeshare Resort project, said, "IHT is the world's first real estate-blockchain cloud transaction platform, and it will help us use blockchain technology to record complex industry data while maintaining openness and transparency. The project will also greatly reduce the financing time and reduce managerial challenges for the project." Blockchain technology is unique for its high-level of transparency and security. In real estate management, this possesses unique advantages. During recent years in global real estate markets, the resort industry's market presence and future resource development is expected to continually climb, and the use of blockchain technology with resorts will become an applicable model. It is reported that IHT and their first ATO project, the Karuizawa Timeshare Resort, conducted the first round of presales on their official platform from April 9 to April 25, 2018 with positive results. After the announcement at the conference regarding the formal sale of the ATO product, both parties will begin conducting in-depth research on blockchain technology conversion, real estate blockchain commercial models, project financing and user service management. IHT has previous experience with the Japanese real estate industry by partnering with ePrint (1884), which is a Hong Kong listed group that jointly operates a Japanese real estate firm called the Cherry Blossom Real Estate Firm. Users can use IHTPay, which is a payment tool based on an IHT project, to purchase Japanese real estate from several sources. With both parties working together, IHT can utilize their experience and advantages in the real estate blockchain field to create a blockchain-driven real estate plus financing management platform. In the future, IHT will increase their speed of expansion and implementation into the United States, Southeast Asia, Europe and other countries, with the goal to increase circulation efficiency of real estate in the global market and create more value for the industry. About IHT IHT, the world's first real estate blockchain transaction cloud platform, is a smart contract technology and distributed accounting technology developed for splitting real estate, which utilizes blockchain's intrinsic advantages such as trustless mechanism, anti-tamper, co-supervision and traceability. To learn more, visit IHTcoin.com, and follow us on Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook. SOURCE: IHT WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - While President Donald Trump suffered a setback earlier in the day with Rear Admiral Ronny Jackson, M.D., withdrawing his nomination to be Veterans Affairs Secretary, the president will have his choice as the new Secretary of State. The Senate voted 57 to 42 on Thursday to confirm CIA Director Mike Pompeo's nomination as Secretary of State, replacing Rex Tillerson. The vote largely came down along party lines, although six Democratic Senators and Independent Senator Angus King, I-King, voted in favor of Pompeo's confirmation. Pompeo's confirmation was practically guaranteed after the Senate Foreign Relations Committee favorably reported his nomination to the full Senate for consideration on Monday. Ahead of the vote, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker, R-Tenn., called Pompeo one of the most outstanding nominees for Secretary of State. 'I don't know of a person in the United States of America that could have more current knowledge about what is happening around the world in his current role,' Corker said. 'As we know, he already met with the North Koreans. We have known for some time that the C.I.A. has been our contact, our backchannel, with the North Koreans,' he added. 'He's the perfect person to come in at this time and lead those efforts diplomatically.' Most Democrats opposed Pompeo's nomination due in part to comments the former congressman made attacking Muslims and homosexuals. 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. NEW YORK, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- KPS Capital Partners, LP ("KPS") announced today that it has signed a definitive agreement, through an affiliate, to sell Electrical Components International, Inc. ("ECI" or the "Company") to an affiliate of Cerberus Capital Management, L.P. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. ECI is the world's leading manufacturer of wire harnesses, control boxes and value-added assembly services for consumer appliance and specialty-industrial applications. ECI manufactures products for a variety of electronic and electromechanical applications for customers worldwide in a diverse range of end-markets, including home appliances, agriculture and construction, heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), specialty transportation, automotive, commercial appliance and commercial electronics. ECI currently operates 35 manufacturing facilities in seven countries with approximately 20,000 associates worldwide. Over the past three years during KPS' ownership, ECI acquired and integrated the acquisitions of Global Harness Systems (January 2015), Whitepath Fab Tech (May 2016) and Fargo Assembly Company (February 2017). Raquel Palmer, a Partner of KPS, said, "The success of our investment in ECI demonstrates KPS' ability to see value where others do not, to buy right and to make businesses better. KPS, in partnership with management, completely transformed ECI from a wire harness supplier focused on the appliance end-market to a diversified manufacturer of value-added components serving a broad range of industrial end-markets. Under KPS' ownership, the Company completed three highly synergistic acquisitions, invested in new manufacturing facilities globally, more than doubled the size of its customer base and significantly expanded its presence in specialty-industrial end-markets. We take immense pride in the Company's accomplishments. ECI is another example of KPS' investment strategy achieving success across economic cycles, geographies and industries. Ms. Palmer added, "We congratulate and thank the ECI management team for their ambitious strategic vision combined with extraordinary tactical execution, which resulted in the Company's significant revenue growth, end-market and customer diversification under our ownership." David Webster, Chief Executive Officer of ECI, added, "KPS was the only investor to recognize the potential value of our business in 2014. Working in partnership with KPS, we invested significantly in our people and operations, focusing on employee engagement, manufacturing excellence and providing best-in-class product quality and support to our global customer base. We are grateful to KPS for providing our team with the expertise, capital and resources needed to acquire and integrate three acquisitions and to further our culture of continuous improvement. ECI remains committed to our core strategic imperatives related to our people and our customers. Moreover, ECI's management team will continue to own a part of the Company alongside our new partners, who will provide additional capital and resources in order to promote continued revenue growth and customer, end-market and geographic diversification. We thank our customers, suppliers and employees for their contributions to our success." Completion of the transaction, which is expected during the third quarter of 2018, is subject to customary closing conditions and approvals. Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton and Garrison LLP served as legal counsel and Barclays served as exclusive financial advisor to KPS and ECI with respect to the transaction. About Electrical Components International ECI was founded in the 1950s and is headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri with 35 manufacturing facilities, 19 distribution centers and sales and engineering offices located in North America, South America, Asia, Europe and Africa. ECI is the leading global manufacturer and marketer of wire harnesses and provider of value-added assembly services for the home appliance industry and is a leading provider of wire harnesses to a diverse range of end-markets. ECI has over 500 customers globally and its products can be found in a wide variety of electronic and electro-mechanical applications, including home appliances, agriculture and construction, heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), specialty transportation, automotive, commercial appliance and commercial electronics. ECI employs approximately 20,000 associates worldwide. For more information, please visit www.ecintl.com . About KPS Capital Partners, LP Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - April 26, 2018) - Leviathan Cannabis Group Inc. (CSE: EPIC) (the "Company" or "Leviathan Cannabis") is pleased to announce a strategic partnership with Cannabis Compliance Inc. (CCI). CCI is a cannabis compliance firm offering risk mitigation, due diligence and regulatory compliance for commercial cannabis producers and resellers around the world. It has extensive expertise in regulatory compliance, cultivation/horticulture, security designs/tender, facility designs/build-outs, quality assurance programs, import & export, staff recruitment and financial planning. Under terms of the agreement, CCI will leverage its extensive network within the cannabis sector to assist in identifying potential acquisitions and commercial opportunities for Leviathan Cannabis and its fully owned subsidiary, Jekyll+Hyde Brand Builders Inc. This partnership creates reciprocal channel marketing that is mutually beneficial for both parties. Leviathan Cannabis is also pleased to announce that it has retained the services of Vertex Strategies Inc. ("Vertex") for its investor relations services. Vertex is a Toronto-based, full service marketing, communications and investor relations firm that supports public companies with a mandate to strengthen their investor relations activities and effectively communicate shareholder value. Ms. Shobana Thaya is the principal of Vertex and has extensive experience in the cannabis space. Effective April 8, 2018 Vertex will provide its services to Leviathan Cannabis at the base rate of $7,500 per month. Vertex has also been granted 350,000 options to purchase common shares in Leviathan Cannabis (the "Options") at an exercise price of $.50. The Options will vest in equal amounts on a quarterly basis ("Vesting Instalment"), in arrears, over 24 months. The Company has engaged Vertex for an initial term of 24 months, with a minimum term of 3 months, after which the agreement can be terminated at any time by either party providing 30 days notice to the other party. Vertex and its principals act at arm's length to the Company and currently have no direct or indirect interest in the securities of Leviathan Cannabis, or any right or intent to acquire such an interest, except as disclosed herein. The agreement and grant of the Options are subject to the approval of the CSE. About Leviathan Cannabis Leviathan Cannabis plans on executing a series of strategic acquisitions that extend across all vertical markets both here in Canada and internationally, to support the Company's proprietary brand strategy. This global reach positions the Company to be a leading multi-jurisdictional medical and recreational cannabis enterprise - one that brings together the best cannabis products, brands and expertise from Canada and around the world. Currently, the Leviathan Cannabis portfolio includes Jekyll+Hyde Brand Builders Inc., a cannabis focused, marketing services agency and the Company's fully owned subsidiary. Please visit www.LeviathanCannabis.com For more information, contact or Rick Rogers, Chairman, Leviathan Cannabis Group Inc. at 416.303.9060 or Jayne Beckwith, COO Jekyll+Hyde Brand Builders Inc. at 416.806.0591 # # # Notice Regarding Forward Looking Information Certain statements in this press release are "forward-looking" statements within the meaning of Canadian and United States securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein are forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, without limitation, that the Company intends to actively pursue acquisitions in Canada, in international markets and its intention to position the Company as a leading multi-jurisdictional medical and recreational cannabis enterprise. Forward-looking statements are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "in the event", "if", "believes", "assets", "position", "intends", "envisages", "assumes", "recommends", "estimates", "approximate", "projects", "potential", "indicate" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon the current belief, opinions and expectations of management that, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently subject to significant litigation, business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties and other contingencies. Such statements reflect the Company's current views and intentions with respect to future events, and current information available to the Company, and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including: identifying acquisitions; successfully negotiating a definitive agreement with an acquisition target; the conditions to the acquisition being satisfied or waived; finding partners to complete a transaction; and applicable board, shareholder, stock exchange, court and regulatory, approval of any proposed transaction. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Orion Engineered Carbons S.A. ("Orion" or the "Company") (NYSE: OEC), a worldwide supplier of specialty and high-performance Carbon Black, announced that the Company will release its first quarter 2018 results after the market closes on Thursday, May 17, 2018 to be followed by a conference call on Friday, May 18, 2018 at 8:30 a.m. (EST). As previously announced, Orion will be reporting its quarterly results in U.S. dollars for the first time. The decision to switch from euro to U.S. dollars was made last year as part of a commitment to simplify the Company's reporting and listing structure in response to input received from the investing community. Also, a set of historical financial statements and information in U.S. dollars will be made available in advance to the conference call on the investor relations section of the Company's website at: www.orioncarbons.com The dial-in details for the live conference call are as follow: U.S. Toll Free: 1-877-407-4018 International: 1-201-689-8471 U.K. Toll Free: 0 800 756 3429 Germany Toll Free: 0 800 182 0040 Luxembourg Toll Free: 800 28 522 Luxembourg Local: 352 2786 0689 A replay of the conference call may be accessed by phone at the following numbers through May 25, 2018: U.S. Toll Free: 1-844-512-2921 U.S. Toll/International: 1-412-317-6671 Conference ID: 13678535 Additionally, a live and archived webcast of the conference call will be available on the investor relations section of the Company's website at: www.orioncarbons.com About Orion Engineered Carbons S.A. Orion is a worldwide supplier of Carbon Black. We produce a broad range of Carbon Blacks that include high-performance Specialty Gas Blacks, Furnace Blacks, Lamp Blacks, Thermal Blacks and other Carbon Blacks that tint, colorize and enhance the performance of polymers, plastics, paints and coatings, inks and toners, textile fibers, adhesives and sealants, tires, and mechanical rubber goods such as automotive belts and hoses. Orion runs 14 global production sites and four Applied Technology Centers. The group has approximately 1,441 employees worldwide. For more information please visit our website www.orioncarbons.com. Forward-Looking Statements This document contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are statements of future expectations that are based on current expectations and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in these statements. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of the particular statement. New risk factors and uncertainties emerge from time to time and it is not possible to predict all risk factors and uncertainties, nor can we assess the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or other information, other than as required by applicable law. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180426006548/en/ Contacts: Orion Engineered Carbons S.A. Investor Relations Diana Downey, +1 832-589-2285 Investor-Relations@orioncarbons.com Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 26, 2018) - Los Andes Copper Ltd. (TSXV: LA) ("Los Andes", or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has entered into a subscription agreement with Resource Capital Fund VI L.P. ("RCF VI") pursuant to which RCF VI has agreed to purchase 26,800,000 units of the Company (the "Units") at a price of $0.33 per Unit (the "Private Placement"). Each Unit will consist of one common share of the Company (a "Unit Share") and one-half of one transferable common share purchase warrant (each whole common share purchase warrant, a "Warrant"), with each Warrant entitling RCF VI to purchase one additional common share of the Company (a "Warrant Share") at a price of $0.50 per Warrant Share for a period of 5 years from the date of the closing of the First Tranche or Second Tranche (as such terms are defined below), as applicable. As additional consideration to the Company for the Private Placement, RCF VI will also be delivering to the Company for cancellation 26,800,000 common share purchase warrants (issued pursuant to a private placement completed on December 8, 2016) that are currently held by RCF VI (the "2016 Warrants"). The proceeds of the Private Placement will be used by the Company to complete its technical work on the Company's Vizcachitas project, with a view to completing an updated resource estimate and an updated preliminary economic assessment in the coming months, as well as for general working capital purposes. The Private Placement is subject to acceptance by the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV"). The Company intends to close a first tranche of the Private Placement consisting of 7,870,000 Units for gross proceeds of $2,597,100 upon receipt of TSXV approval for the Private Placement (the "First Tranche"). The remaining balance of 18,930,000 Units is expected to close within 45 days for gross proceeds of $6,246,900 (the "Second Tranche"). In the event that the Company is unable to close the Second Tranche, RCF VI shall retain 18,930,000 2016 Warrants. The Unit Shares and Warrant Shares will be subject to a hold period of four months from the date of issuance of the Units, in accordance with applicable Canadian securities laws. For more information please contact: Antony Amberg, President & CEO Tel: (56-22) 954-0450 Aurora Davidson, Chief Financial Officer Tel: 604-697-6207 E-Mail: info@losandescopper.com or visit our website at: www.losandescopper.com Certain of the information and statements contained herein that are not historical facts, constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of the Securities Act (British Columbia) and the Securities Act (Alberta) ("Forward-Looking Information"). Forward-Looking Information is often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "seek", "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect" and "intend"; statements that an event or result is "due" or "may", "will", "should", "could", or "might" occur or be achieved; and, other similar expressions.The Forward-Looking Information in this news release includes, without limitation, statements in respect of the cancellation of the 2016 Warrants, the use of the proceeds of the Private Placement, the completion, and the timing therefor, of an updated resource estimate and preliminary economic assessment on the Vizcachitas project, the Company's ability to complete the Private Placement, including obtaining the necessary approvals in connection therewith and the expected dates for the closing of the First Tranche and the Second Tranche. Forward-Looking Information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such Forward-Looking Information; including, without limitation, the receipt of TSXV approval, one or both of the closings of the Private Placement, the achievement and maintenance of planned production rates, the evolving legal and political policies of Chile, the volatility in the Chilean economy, military unrest or terrorist actions, metal and energy price fluctuations, favourable governmental relations, the availability of financing for activities when required and on acceptable terms, the estimation of mineral resources and reserves, current and future environmental and regulatory requirements, the availability and timely receipt of permits, approvals and licenses, industrial or environmental accidents, equipment breakdowns, availability of and competition for future acquisition opportunities, availability and cost of insurance, labour disputes, land claims, the inherent uncertainty of production and cost estimates, currency fluctuations, expectations and beliefs of management and other risks and uncertainties, including those described in Management's Discussion and Analysis in the Company's financial statements. Such Forward-Looking Information is based upon the Company's assumptions regarding global and Chilean economic, political and market conditions and the price of metals and energy, and the Company's production. Among the factors that have a direct bearing on the Company's future results of operations and financial conditions are changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, a change in government policies, competition, currency fluctuations and restrictions and technological changes, among other things. Should one or more of any of the aforementioned risks and uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from any conclusions, forecasts or projections described in the Forward-Looking Information. Accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on Forward-Looking Information. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise Forward-Looking Information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Not for distribution to United States Newswire Services or for dissemination in the United States Regulatory News: Pershing Square Holdings, Ltd. (the "Company") (LN:PSH) (NA:PSH) today released its special daily Net Asset Value ("NAV") on its website, https://www.pershingsquareholdings.com/company-reports/weekly-navs/. The NAV was computed as of the close of business on Thursday, 26 April 2018. PSH NAV per share as of close of business on 26 April 2018 was 16.59 USD 11.92 GBP. As disclosed in the Company's Tender Document, issued on 25 April 2018, the Company has agreed that it will publish its NAV on each day, beginning 25 April 2018, up to and including the NAV Reference Date, 9 May 2018, during the period for which the Tender Offer is open. About Pershing Square Holdings, Ltd. Pershing Square Holdings, Ltd. (LN:PSH) (NA:PSH) is an investment holding company structured as a closed-ended fund that makes concentrated investments principally in North American companies. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION The special daily NAV for each day from 25 April 2018 through 9 May 2018 is calculated by Pershing Square Capital Management, L.P. based on internal books and records, as well as pricing from various third-party pricing sources, including Bloomberg and Markit Valuations Limited. In the interest of providing these special daily NAVs on an expedited basis, such special daily NAVs will not be verified by the Company's third-party sub-administrator prior to release. The Company will release its regular monthly NAV and performance report for the month of April 2018 on 1 May 2018. The monthly NAV will be calculated according to the Company's standard process for weekly and monthly NAV releases, which includes verification by the Company's third-party sub-administrator prior to release. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180426006970/en/ Contacts: MEDIA Maitland Seda Ambartsumian Sam Turvey, +44 20 7379 5151 Media-pershingsquareholdings@maitland.co.uk Cardiac Dimensions, a Kirkland, Wash.-based provider of development of minimally invasive treatments for patients with heart failure, closed a $39m Series B financing. The round included new investor, Australia-based Hostplus, venture debt from Oxford Finance LLC, as well as support from existing investors M. H. Carnegie & Co., Arboretum Ventures, Lumira Capital, LSP Health Economics Fund and Aperture Venture Partners. The company intends to use the funds to continue to build clinical evidence for its Carillon Mitral Contour System for the treatment of functional mitral regurgitation (FMR) in patients with heart failure, including continuing The CARILLON Trial U.S. pivotal study and completing the follow-up and publication of the landmark randomized, double-blinded REDUCE FMR global study. Led by Gregory D. Casciaro, president and CEO, Cardiac Dimensions is advancing The Carillon System, which is designed to offer physicians an option to treat patients earlier in their disease diagnosis, including those with lesser degrees of FMR (2+ MR grade), to slow disease progression, and stabilize or improve quality of life. The Carillon System limited to investigational use in the U.S. treats the dilated mitral annulus, the underlying mechanical problem of FMR, with a catheter-based alternative to medications and invasive surgery. FinSMEs 26/04/2018 Origin Protocol, a San Francisco, CA-based startup that is building the infrastructure for a new decentralized sharing economy, closed a $28.5m strategic funding round. Backers included: Foundation Capital, Garry Tan, Alexis Ohanian, Gil Penchina, Kamal Ravikant, Steve Jang, Randall Kaplan, BlockTower Capital, Turing Capital, 1kx fund, FBG, Danhua Capital, Continue Capital, PreAngel Fund, Hashed, Smart Contract Japan, Red Robot, Kenetic Capital, BlockAsset, Spartan Group, Iconic, Beyond Blocks, KBW Ventures. The company intends to use the funds to continue to expand its development efforts. Launched in June of 2017 by Matthew Liu, Origin Protocol allows developers and businesses to build decentralized marketplaces directly on the blockchain by creating and managing listings for the fractional usage of assets and services. Buyers and sellers can discover each other, browse listings, make bookings, leave ratings and reviews, and more. The company already has an existing prototype of their platform and has stated they will be releasing their public beta in the coming months. Origin Protocol raised an initial $3 million advisor round led by Pantera Capital in 2017. FinSMEs 26/04/2018 . "" Daily Express, , , ... A few months back, Bose officially introduced QC 35 II, noise-cancelling headphones that come with Google Assistant. Being the first headphones to get launched with voice-assistant, it retails around $349 (approximately Rs. 22,924 approx.) in various countries including U.S., Australia, Canada, Germany, France and the UK. It was launched in India priced at Rs. 29363 in India. Has Bose fared yet again? Box Contents QC35 II headphones in Silver color AUX audio cable for wired connection USB cable Carrying case Design The Quiet Comfort 35 II carries the same design language as its predecessor, which is kind of minimalistic yet boring. The headset is made of premium materials that make them lightweight and comfortable for all-day listening. The headset is made of two materials to be honest plastic with a matte finish on the chassis and a metal caps on the back of the earcups. It has an ear cushion that is manufactured from a synthetic protein leather and contains a silicone bead for passive noise reduction. Having said that the headphones look a bit cheap for its price, which in turn lacks the premium feel when held. It also has an adjustable headband that is really comfortable to wear and easy to pack away in a hard case given with it. Talking about the button placements, the right cup has a slider power button, which lets the users turn on/off the device and a volume up, volume down and play/pause buttons are employed together as well. The feedback from the button is good and easy to use as well. On the left ear cup, there is another button which can be used for activating Google Assistant or active noise-cancelling (ANC). Software and Google Assistant In order to pair the device, users need to install the Bose connect+ on their smartphones. If you are using iPhone, then you need to download the Google Assistant app from the App Store, then the Bose Connect+ app to make sure Google Assistant is assigned as the primary function of the action button. Once you are done with it, you can start giving the commands just by pressing-and-holding the action button till you complete the sentence and let go. Just like the smartphone, you can ask anything you want on Google Assistant like weather information, scores, set a reminder, and much more. In addition to that, you can send messages as well as Android, while in iOS you cant. In addition to it, Googles voice Assistant also read your notifications if you press the button when you receive it on your mobile. Having said that, you cannot reply to it using voice command. Users can also change the functionality of the action button from Google Assistant to Noise cancellation levels. Performance and battery When it comes to Bose headphones, especially the Quiet comfort series, the Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) is on point. If you like a quiet environment around yourself, go and buy this without any second thought. The Quiet Comfort 35 II does a very good job of blocking out the noise around even without noise cancellation turned on. Talking about the music performance, the Quiet Comfort 35 II is good, but not great. In our usage, the sound was clean, clear and constant without any distortion. We also observed the tonal balance to be neutral with some very good detailing towards the mids and low-end. Since it has a 3.5mm audio jack, the headphones allow you to continue to listen even if the battery power is depleted. But without power, neither active noise cancellation nor Active EQ will work. The company promises up to 20 hours of wireless listening per charge and 40 hours when wired. As promised, the Bose Quiet Comfort 35 II offered a great battery life during our usage. You can charge the device with the MicroUSB cable bundled. If you are too much worried about the battery you can use the 3.5mm audio jack. Its worth mentioning that, you can also listen in wired mode with noise cancellation on too, which is pretty good. Conclusion At a price tag of Rs. 29,363, the Bose Quiet Comfort 35 II is an amazing package for frequent travelers and office commuters if you are ready to pay a premium. The company took the best things from its predecessor added Google Assistant and launched the QC 35II headphones. Google Assistant works well, Noise Cancellation isthe best and it has very good battery life. With this headphones, Bose has found out a good balance between music, ANC, and durability. It is available from Amazon.in, Bose retail stores, Boseindia.com and authorized Bose dealers across India. Update: Xiaomi just confirmed that after the latest update of public MIUI 9 Global Developer ROM, updates for MIUI 9 Global Beta ROM will be suspended for all devices. The company said that updates are expected to be resumed after July, 2018. This might be based on MIUI 10 since the MIUI 9 was introduced at the same time. Xiaomi said that closed beta and public beta will be suspended for any major version changes of MIUI after MIUI 9 for Redmi Note 2 and Redmi 3. MIUI 9 Global Developer ROM 8.4.19 will be the last update for these devices. MIUI 9.6 Global Stable ROM for Redmi Note 2 and Redmi 3 is expected to be released around July, 2018. It also said that some Android 5.X and Android 4.X devices will remain on developer ROM and wont support the subsequent major MIUI updates considering the stability and user experience. Earlier: Xiaomi announced MIUI 9 back in July 2017 in an event in China that brought various new features including Split Screen, Smart app launcher, Universal Image search, Notifications Filter, Smart Assistant and more. Later, in November 2017, the company announced Global version of MIUI 9 with New Gallery App, Calendar Cards, New Notification Shade, App Vault, Mi Video App, New Mi Explorer and Mi Drop. Earlier this year, the companys co-founder and vice president Hong Feng confirmed that company has started development of next iteration of MIUI, and it will be called MIUI 10 (not X). With MIUI 10, companys focus will be on improving user experience using AI and Machine learning algorithms. In the same event, it was mentioned that company will remain focused on MIUI 9 development. Yesterday, MIUI forum Admins posted announcement related to MIUI China ROM and said that company is suspending MIUI 9 Beta ROM updates for some time. The post says, To achieve better system stability and optimization, MIUI will release the last Development/Alpha ROM 8.4.26 on 27th April 2018. Thereafter, MIUI developers will focus on system optimization, which will continue for a period of time. Its expected that the update will be resumed in June and we will keep you updated. In the meantime, in consideration of stability and user experience, some Android 5.X devices will remain on developer/alpha ROM and wont support the subsequent major changes. Admins didnt mention about development of MIUI 10 in the post but mentioned that devices based on Android 5.x will no longer be supported for any major MIUI update. Admins also mentioned that Redmi Note 2, Redmi 3, Redmi Note 3 MTK and Mi Pad 2 are not compatible for MIUI 10 update and MIUI 8.4.26 will be the last MIUI China Beta ROM update for these devices. Users of these devices can choose to stay on MIUI China Beta ROM or switch to MIUI 9.6 China Stable ROM update which is expected to be released in June or July and will be final Stable update. The announcement doesnt affect devices launched by Xiaomi in India, Xiaomi had already confirmed that MIUI 9.2 was final update for some devices and shared the list of devices. Just before the MIUI 9 Global ROM announcement Mi Community admin shared a similar post regarding suspension of MIUI Global Beta ROM. Xiaomi is currently rolling out MIUI 9.5 Global Stable ROM, MIUI 7.5 and MIUI 8.5 were the last updates in MIUI 7 and MIUI 8 series respectively, and it seems that MIUI 9.5 will also be the last update in MIUI 9 series. If thats the case, we might be just couple of month away from MIUI 10. Source 1, 2 Samsung has launched Galaxy J2 (2018) (SM-J250F), a new smartphone in India. It was introduced back in December last year, packs a 5-inch qHD Super AMOLED display, is powered by Snapdragon 425 SoC with 2GB RAM, runs Android 7.1 (Nougat), has a 8-megapixel rear camera with LED flash and a 5-megapixel front camera that also comes with a flash. The phone has a new design on the back with polycarbonate finish, but it has a familiar design on the front with a home button with capacitive touch buttons on either sides. It packs a 2600mAh battery It also comes with Samsung Mall, that was introduced with Galaxy On7 Prime earlier this year. This lets users shop by clicking a picture of the desired product and automatically getting results for the item across popular e-commerce platforms. Samsung Galaxy J2 (2018) specifications 5-inch (960 540 pixels) qHD Super AMOLED display 1.4GHz Quad-Core Snapdragon 425 Mobile Platform with Adreno 308 GPU 2GB RAM, 16GB Internal Storage, expandable memory up to 256GB via micro SD card Android 7.1 (Nougat) Dual SIM 8MP rear camera with LED flash 5MP front camera with LED flash Dimensions: 143.8mm x 72.3mm x 8.4mm; Weight: 153g 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.1, GPS 2600mAh battery The Samsung Galaxy J2 (2018) comes in Gold, Black and Pink colours, is priced at Rs. 8,190 and will be available from April 27th. Jio get instant cashback of Rs.2750 as vouchers in their MyJio account on recharging with Rs 198 or Rs 299 plan. They would also get an extra 10GB of 4G data on every recharge for the next 10 recharges. Commenting on the launch, Sumit Walia, Director, Mobile business, Samsung India, said: Galaxy J2 2018 reiterates Samsungs commitment towards meaningful innovations that delight our customers. For this device, we focussed on two trends amongst Indian youth growth of online shopping and high usage of Social media platforms. Samsung Mall uses artificial intelligence to revolutionise the way customers shop online with visual search. For avid social media users, Samsungs proprietary Move to Memory Card feature is an advanced memory management solution that de-clutters the internal memory, thereby enhancing the smartphone experience. Qualcomm made it evident that it is aiming to ease licensing terms in order to strike deals at its earnings call on Wednesday. The chipset maker posted quarterly profit and revenue that topped Wall Street forecasts, which suggests that the companys slowdown in the global smartphone business might be less severe. Qualcomms other line of business includes licensing patents that are essential for smartphones to work and this has traditionally driven most of its profits. However, this business has dropped sharply over the past year, as revenue most of which is attributed to Apples iPhones withheld amid a legal dispute. Qualcomm now made it evident that it is prepared to accept lower revenue in exchange for maintaining the business structure and avoiding future customer disputes. Qualcomm calculated the percentage of the selling price of a smartphone and this so-called model had been the center of regulatory disputes in China, Korea an, the United States and also in its disputes with Apple. However, during the earnings call, Qualcomm said it would cap the phone price which is the basis of the revenue calculation at $400. More expensive phones, which can sell for $1,000, would still be treated as $400 for the Qualcomm license fee. This move comes after Qualcomm announced its decision in November to license some patents that are required for connecting the 5G networks at a rate of 3.25 percent. When asked about whether the company would receive less revenue from 5G patents, Alex Rogers, Qualcomms licensing chief said: Were not getting paid less for it. I think the best way to think about this is building a foundation for long-term stability. The company also cut a deal with Samsung Electronics Co Ltd that appears to be at the lower rate. Source The suspected Golden State Killer, who was the subject of the late true-crime author Michelle McNamara's posthumously released book Ill Be Gone in the Dark, has been captured. Authorities arrested former California police officer Joseph James DeAngelo, 72, without incident on Tuesday. He was booked on murder charges Wednesday. Investigators say hes linked to roughly 12 murders, 45 rapes and more than 120 home burglaries committed in the 1970s and 1980s. McNamara, married to comedian Patton Oswalt, was working on her book about the case when she died suddenly in 2016. Her book was completed with the help of her husband and independent journalist and researcher Billy Jensen. It was released this past February. Oswalt, who remarried in November 2017, said he was on a plane when he heard the news, but still took to Instagram to share his thoughts with fans. You did it, Michelle. Since the posting, the A.P. Bio actor has been retweeting friends, celebrities and well-wishers who are showing their support for his late wife, whom many credit for helping bring the infamous killer to light. However, he made it clear that his late wife was never in it for the fame only justice. @MichelleMcNamara didnt care about getting any shine on herself. She cared about the #GoldenStateKiller being behind bars and the victims getting some relief, he wrote. He did, however mention the praise his late wife was getting for her prolific work on the case. Also, the cops will NEVER and HAVE NEVER credited a writer or journalist for helping them solve a case. But every time they said #GoldenStateKiller they credited the work of #MichelleMcNamara and #llBeGoneInTheDark, he said. Since the news broke, a smattering of celebrities commented on the news showing support for McNamara. As rapt jurors listened to the judge overseeing Bill Cosbys sex assault retrial read back prior testimony, the entertainers lead lawyer snoozed in his chair. Tom Mesereau, mouth open, drifted in and out of consciousness Wednesday as Judge Steven ONeill read pages and pages of Cosbys own words about Quaaludes and his sexual contact with accuser Andrea Constand into the record. Cosby, now 80, sat for the civil deposition over 2004 and 2005, in connection with a lawsuit Constand filed against him that would later be settled for $3.4 million. Mesereau slept at the defense table for some 30 minutes, and awoke as the testimony from the deposition was still being read. His nap was not commented on by the judge or anyone in the courtroom. Jurors eventually called it quits for the night with no verdict, wrapping up their first day of deliberations into whether the comedian drugged and molested Constand on a couch in his Cheltenham, Pa., home in January 2004. During the often explicit testimony, Cosby occasionally smiled. He spent much of the two-hour reading rubbing his eyes and face. The panel of seven men and five women was sent home following more than 10 hours of deliberation, from 11:08 a.m. to just before 9:30 p.m. Wednesday. Earlier in the day, jurors asked for a legal definition of consent, and to see differing statements from key defense witness Margo Jackson, who says Constands claims are false. Both requests were denied, as there is no legal definition of the term consent in Pennsylvania, and the statements were not admitted as evidence. The jurors, who have been sequestered since April 9, are expected to hear the entirety of Jacksons testimony read back to them first thing Thursday. Cosbys first trial ended when another panel of jurors was unable to return a verdict. The TV pioneer maintains that everything that occurred between him and the former Temple University staffer was consensual. He faces three charges of aggravated indecent assault for the alleged sex attack. If convicted, Cosby could be sentenced to up to 10 years behind bars on each count. This article originally appeared in the New York Post. Legendary comedian Bill Cosby was found guilty Thursday of drugging and assaulting a woman, capping off the star's slow demise that began in 2014 when dozens of women began accusing the TV icon of sexual assault. After 14 hours of deliberations, the jury reached a verdict around 1:30 p.m. ET and determined Cosby was guilty on three counts of felony aggravated indecent assault. The comedian initially had no visible reaction in the courtroom as his fate was announced, but upon hearing the district attorney's request that his bail be revoked he launched into an expletive-laden rant. The moment happened when District Attorney Kevin Steele argued Cosby's bail was not high enough. It prompted the comedian, who once called out Eddie Murphy for using curse words in his act, to push away his lawyer's hand and shout that he does not have a private plane and then refer to Steele with an expletive. "I'm sick of him!" Cosby shouted at Steele. The request to have his bail revoked was denied. Cosby's lawyer, Tom Mesereau, told reporters outside the courthouse: "We don't think Mr. Cosby is guilty of anything and the fight is not over." When asked by reporters if the defense team plans to appeal the verdict, an annoyed Mesereau replied, "Yes, yes. Very strongly." Earlier, celebrity attorney Gloria Allred, who represented some of Cosby's accusers, raved on the courthouse steps, "Justice has been done! ...We are so happy that finally, we can say women are believed and not only on #MeToo, but in a court of law." His chief accuser, Andrea Constand, remained stoic as the verdict was read. Shrieks erupted in the courtroom and some of his other accusers cried. Constand opted not to speak after the verdict but her lawyer, Dolores M. Troiani ,told reporters at a press conference, ""I am so happy today that I can say that although justice was delayed, it was not denied." An emotional Steele also spoke at the press conference saying, "We're finally in a place to say that justice was done."He added, "Andrea Constand came here to Norristown for justice and that's what 12 jurors from Montgomery county provided her...and now we really know today...who the real Bill Cosby was." Cosby could get up to 10 years in prison and a $25,000 fine on each of the three counts. He is likely to get less than that under state sentencing guidelines, but given his age, even a modest term could mean he will die behind bars. The once-celebrated TV icon was found guilty of violating Andrea Constand at his suburban Philadelphia home in January 2004. Judge Steven O'Neill thanked the jury saying, "You have sacrificed much." Cosby's new legal team, which was headed by famed Michael Jackson attorney Mesereau, failed to prove Constand was "greedy" and wanted to extort money from Cosby. Cosby's chief accuser explained in court that she was simply at the trial "for justice." Constand, 45, gave virtually the same account as when she testified at Cosbys first trial, which ended in a mistrial on June 17, 2017, after the jury deliberated for more than 52 hours over six days and still couldnt reach a verdict. She testified that Cosby slipped her three blue pills he called your friends. She said she thought they were herbal supplements designed to help relieve her stress, but they knocked her out. When she awoke, she said, Cosby was violating her. Cosby maintained he gave Constand the cold medicine Benadryl and that she consented to a sexual encounter. In a two-hour, tag-team closing argument, Cosby's lawyers, Mesereau and Kathleen Bliss, painted Constand as a pathological liar scheming for a big payday. Prosecutor Stewart Ryan urged the jurors to stand with Constand and look Cosby in the eye and tell him the truth about what he did. The time for the defendant to escape justice is over. It's finally time for the defendant to dine on the banquet of his own consequences, Ryan said. The defense was dealt a huge blow when the judge determined there was no persuasive" reason to let Cosby's lawyers read deposition testimony from Constand's confidante, Sheri Williams, into the record. The defense expected Williams' testimony to refute Constand's claims that she was unaware he was romantically interested in her. They said she'd show that Constand "could not have been the unwitting victim" prosecutors have portrayed. Another major difference in the retrial was Judge O'Neill's decision to allow prosecutors to have five additional accusers testify including model Janice Dickinson as they attempted to show Cosby made a habit of drugging and violating women. The judge allowed just one other accuser to take the stand last year. O'Neill also allowed Cosby's legal team to call as a witness a former co-worker of Constand's at Temple University who said Constand spoke of setting up a "high-profile person" so she could sue and enjoy a big payday. Constand's lawyer argued the co-worker lied. In addition, the judge decided to allow the jury to hear that Cosby paid $3.4 million to Constand to settle her lawsuit against him more than a decade ago. The two sides agreed at the first trial not to mention the lawsuit. The comedian, who starred as Dr. Cliff Huxtable on "The Cosby Show" from 1984 to 1992, earned a reputation as America's Dad. That reputation was slowly torn to pieces as dozens of women came forward, beginning in 2014, and accused him of drugging them, assaulting them or both. Their stories were all eerily similar and eventually led to the star being ostracized by Hollywood. Before his downfall, Cosby was long-known as for his success as a comedian and actor. He won five Grammy Awards after breaking into the stand-up scene in the 60s. He then paralleled that success on TV, winning three consecutive Emmy Awards from 1966 to 1968 for his role on I Spy. The show elevated him to a new level of stardom and led to the eventual creation of his titular sitcom, The Cosby Show. In 1998, he became known to a new generation as the host of Kids Say the Darndest Things. He was also once lauded as a philanthropist, and received more than 50 honorary degrees from universities across the country. Cosby's legacy of giving was topped by a $20 million gift to Spelman College in 1988 and including, among many other donations, $3 million to the Morehouse School of Medicine and $1 million in 2004 to the U.S. National Slavery Museum in Fredericksburg, Virginia. But most of Cosbys honorary degrees were revoked one-by-one as more and more women came forward to allege he had assaulted them. Following the verdict, multiple others revoked his degree including Notre Dame and Carnegie Mellon. "Carnegie Mellon University has long had a clear and unwavering commitment: The university will not tolerate sexual violence, intimate partner violence, stalking or sexual harassment. These acts are against the law and violate our core values," the university said in a statement. In the end, it was one woman Constand that had the information and the statute of limitations on her side to force Cosby to trial. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Richard Karn is ready for tool time again. After the ongoing success of the Roseanne reboot, the Home Improvement star is eager to revive the beloved 90s family sitcom. I just talked to [Tim Allen] about it, the 62-year-old told Closer Weekly Thursday. And I think [Pat Richardson] and the kids would be on board. TIM ALLEN SAYS HE'S 'VERY INTERESTED' IN A 'HOME IMPROVEMENT' REBOOT Home Improvement, which shared the daily trials of TV host Tim The Tool Man Taylor (played by Allen) and his family, aired on ABC for eight seasons, from 1991 until 1999. The sitcom, which was based on Allens stand-up, launched his acting career in Hollywood. It featured Patricia Richardson, Zachery Ty Bryan, Johnathan Taylor Thomas, Taran Noah Smith, Debbe Dunning, the late Earl Hindman, as well as Karn. This isnt the first time one of the shows stars have entertained the idea of reviving Home Improvement. Back in March, Allen hinted to ET that a possible reboot has been an ongoing discussion. I cant say everybody [likes the idea], but it has been floated, said the 64-year-old. And more than I would have expected said, Yeah, that would be cool to do it years later, like Roseanne. However, Allen admitted he still missed his canceled series, Last Man Standing, which abruptly ended in March 2017 after six seasons despite its high ratings. I like that idea, said Allen. I still miss Last Man Standing. We didnt get our seventh year. I adored that show. Its like having a new dog and now to go back to the old dog? I dont know. I like both characters, but yeah, Id be very interested in that idea. Allen starred in Last Man Standing as Mike Baxter, a character who is politically conservative. The actor is a conservative himself and he has voiced his support for President Donald Trump. The series had been praised for being one of the few shows that appeal to a conservative viewership. ABC denied at the time the network ended the show over its politics. When Roseanne Barr revealed her sitcom character is a Trump supporter in the ABC reboot, fans of Last Man Standing immediately called upon the network to bring back the show. The 65-year-old comedienne spoke at the Television Critics Associations Winter Press Tour about the decision to include Trump supporters within the well-known Conners family. I said, and Ill say it again I have always attempted to portray a realistic portrait of the American people and of working class, you know, working-class people, she said. And, in fact, it was working class people who elected Trump. So I felt that, yeah, that was very real, and something that needed to be discussed. And especially about polarization in the family, and people actually hating other people for the way they voted, which I feel is not American. And so, I wanted to bring it right down the middle, and we did." Fox News Leora Arnowitz and Sasha Savitsky contributed to this report. MSNBC star Joy Reid claims hackers are responsible for homophobic slurs that were recently unearthed on her pre-fame blog, but many people dont believe her story. Now that the FBI is involved, Reid could be in legal trouble if her doubters are proven correct. Fox News senior judicial analyst Judge Andrew Napolitano said the MSNBC host could be in very serious trouble if she made up the story about hackers planting the anti-gay blog posts. Reid could even be charged with obstruction of justice for diverting the FBIs attention from real crimefighting to fighting a phantom crime, Napolitano said. Despite admitting to making homophobic slurs in the past, Reid blamed hackers on Monday when Mediaite unearthed a new batch of damaging posts on Reids now-defunct blog. Her story was met with widespread skepticism and Fox News host Tucker Carlson even called Reids version of events ludicrous fantasies, while others have pointed to the Library of Congress archives to debunk her claim. While MSNBC has stayed silent, Reids attorney issued a statement claiming the FBI is now involved. We have received confirmation the FBI has opened an investigation into potential criminal activities surrounding several online accounts, including personal email and blog accounts, belonging to Joy-Ann Reid, Reids attorney, John H. Reichman, told The Daily Beast on Wednesday. Judge Napolitano explained that a key element of the situation if Reid is proven to have fabricated the hacker story -- is who sent the FBI on a wild goose chase, as it would take a formal complaint filed by Reid or a lawyer on behalf of the liberal pundit to be held accountable. He said that if Reids legal team filed a formal complaint knowing that the events about which she complained were caused by herself, thats a felony. Reichman did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Reid previously told Mediaite that her team notified federal law enforcement officials of the breach. As for whether or not charges would be pressed against Reid depends on the resources they expended investigating a fictitious claim, Napolitano said. Theoretically, shed be facing five years in jail, Napolitano said. Yes, she could be indicted and prosecuted if they wanted to do so. Napolitano said that sometimes they want to send a message, but other times its not worth the effort to prosecute such crimes as the FBI has more important things to do. Napolitano also indicated that if she made the story up and loses her job at MSNBC over it, the FBI could determine that being terminated is enough punishment for the AM Joy host. Reid apologized last December when the old blog posts surfaced and were published by Mediaite. The decade-old blog targeted former Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, who Reid mocked as Miss Charlie, alluding to him being gay and closeted, even though there is no proof to back her claims. The posts fanned rumors of Crists sexual orientation and his political opponents tried to tar him with the gossip during his governorship when he was a Republican. The posts were written at the time when Crist was a conservative Republican. Back in 2012, Crist joined the Democratic Party and endorsed Barack Obama for re-election. Reid, a key member of the #Resistance movement, denied writing the newly unearthed batch of homophobic slurs, which include shots at her current colleague Rachel Maddow, who is MSNBCs biggest star and cash cow. MSNBC did not respond to multiple requests for comment. The mysterious inner workings of NXIVM, the so-called Hollywood sex cult, are heading to the small screen. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Annapurna Television has obtained the rights to Barry Meier's 2017 New York Times expose, "Inside a Secretive Group Where Women Are Branded," which explores the alleged sex cult founded by Keith Raniere. While there is no official network attached to the project, it is reported that Westworld actress Shannon Woodward has signed on along with Annapurna Televisions Megan Ellison, Sue Naegle and Susan Goldberg, who are signed on as executive producers. Meier interviewed former NXIVM members who recalled their experiences of being branded and "enslaved" as "followers" of Raniere's alleged women's empowerment group in a New York Times piece. When women join what they're told is a secret sisterhood created to empower them, they find themselves psychologically enthralled and horrifically sexually enslaved to its leaderand their flesh branded with his initials," Annapurna Television said in the official description. The news comes after the arrests of both group leader, Raniere, and alleged sex traffic recruiter, former "Smallville" star, Allison Mack. Mack, who played high school newspaper editor Chloe Sullivan on the CWs Smallville for 10 seasons, is believed to have worked as a slave master and "pimp" recruiting unsuspecting women to join NXIVM, according to prosecutors. She then required the women she recruited to engage in sexual activity with Keith Raniere, the cult's leader, who paid Mack in return. After her arrest, Mack pleaded not guilty to sex trafficking in federal court in Brooklyn on Friday, April 20. Both Mack and Raniere face between 15 years to life behind bars if convicted of charges ranging from conspiracy to commit forced labor to sex trafficking. Following Macks arrest last week in New York, she was detained at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, but a judge granted her release on $5 million bail on Tuesday. Upon her release, Mack returned to California to live with her parents in the suburban Los Angeles city of Los Alamitos until her next court appearance on May 3. Fox News' Andrew O'Reilly contributed to this report. A Manhattan judge ruled Wednesday that kicking a Trump supporter out of a bar does not violate the law because the law does not protect against political discrimination. Greg Piatek of Philadelphia claims he was refused service and eventually removed from a New York City bar in January 2017 for wearing a Make America Great Again hat, in a lawsuit against the establishment. Anyone who supports Trump or believes in what you believe is not welcome here! And you need to leave right now because we wont serve you! Piatek claims the staff of The Happiest Hour told him. SCHOOL DISTRICT APOLOGIZES AFTER TEACHER BANS MAGA SHIRTS Piatek claimed the incident offended his sense of being an American, The New York Post reported. The lawyer representing The Happiest Hour, Elizabeth Conway, argued that he was not discriminated against because only religious, not political, beliefs are protected under state and city discrimination law. Supporting Trump is not a religion, Conway argued. Piateks attorney, Paul Liggieri, responded in court, The purpose of the hat is that he wore it because he was visiting the 9/11 Memorial. He was paying spiritual tribute to the victims of 9/11. The Make America Great Again hat was part of his spiritual belief, Liggieri claimed. "Rather than remove his hat, instead he held true to his spiritual belief and was forced from the bar, Liggieri told Justice David Cohen, the Post reported. The judge pressed Liggieri on the spiritual nature of his client's belief, saying the bar staff would not be aware of Piateks specific religious philosophies. How many members are in this spiritual program that your client is engaged in? the judge asked. Your honor, we dont allege the amount of individuals, Liggieri said. So, its a creed of one? the judge asked. Yes, your honor, Liggieri replied, the Post reported. The judge eventually made a ruling on the matter, saying the incident amounted to nothing more than a petty slight, the Post said. Plaintiff does not state any faith-based principle to which the hat relates, Judge Cohen said. Here the claim that plaintiff was not served and eventually escorted out of the bar because of his perceived support for President Trump is not outrageous conduct. FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS Piatek was suing for unspecified emotional damage and will review with Liggieri to determine whether or not to appeal the verdict. The Happiest Hour denied that Piatek had been removed in the first place, stating Piatek was sufficiently pleased with his service at the bar [and] that he added a $36 tip onto the $186 tab, according to The New York Post. The bar owners suggest Piateks lawsuit was a publicity stunt. Replicating restaurant pizza at home is pretty impossible, but with a little know-how, you can make pies that are almost as good as your favorites. Here, some tips from the pros. Go for the dough Go to your favorite pizza place and see if theyll sell you a raw dough for $3 or $4, says Anthony Falco, formerly the pizza czar at Robertas in Bushwick, and now an international pizza consultant. If youre making your own dough, let it rise slowly in the fridge overnight, instead of quickly in a warmer area. Youre going to get much better depth of flavor, Falco says. Can it Most times of the year, canned tomatoes are the way to go. Falco recommends buying a 28-ounce can of Jersey Fresh crushed tomatoes, and blending them in an immersion blender with 5 to 10 grams of salt and 10 grams of olive oil. No need to cook it. You can add garlic or herbs if you want, but just know thats not what the pros do: A chain restaurant will dump a bunch of herbs in your sauce to cover up the taste of the tomatoes, but I like to have my tomato speak for itself, Falco says. You can always use garlic and fresh herbs as toppings. Dont get shredded Use fresh mozzarella, not the pre-shredded packaged stuff. It has a lower melting point than the commercially made kind, and also has low moisture, which means it will melt quicker and more evenly, says Al Di Meglio of Barano in Williamsburg, who adds that theres no need to shred it, just cube it with a knife. And dont overdo it. You want to see the sauce between the cheese, so it has some room to melt, Falco says. Keep it simple The biggest mistake most beginner pizza cooks make is overloading on the toppings. Until youre really a pizza master, keep it under five toppings, Falco says. This will taste better and prevent the pie from getting soggy and not collapsing at dinner time. Place the least amount of ingredients in the center of the pie. Gravity will pull all the toppings toward the middle, Di Meglio says. Turn up the heat Baking the pizza in the hottest possible oven is the only way to get close to the crispy, chewy crust youve had at restaurants. When you blast the pizza with high heat quickly, it allows the dough to puff up, and really replicates a Neapolitan-style pizza, says Christian Petroni, chef at Fortina, which has locations in Brooklyn and Yonkers. Aside from turning the oven to its highest temperature setting, you can put the pizza on the ovens top rack, set the temperature to broiler mode, cook it for five minutes so the top gets blistered, then transfer it to a skillet on the stove-top to finish cooking the bottom, Falco says. Or, make it Providence-style, he says, and use a barbecue. Brush a grill with olive oil, get it nice and hot and lay the stretched-out dough, sans toppings, directly on the grill. After like a minute and a half, give it a shimmy so that it releases from the grill and has a nice dark brown char on the bottom, flip it, he says, then put on the sauce, cheese and toppings until the cheese melts. And get even hotter Try using a cast iron pan to create an especially hot surface for cooking. Brush the pan with olive oil, stick your dough in there, put your toppings on, crank up your oven as high it will go, leave it in for 15 to 20 minutes, [and you] have a pan-style pizza, Falco says. If youre ready to up your pizza game, consider investing in a thick pizza stone or the Cadillac of pizza making, a pizza steel, which gets even hotter, Falco says. For the DIY crowd, head to Home Depot and buy some quarry flooring tiles, which can tolerate high heat and not crack. The thicker the better an inch is ideal, Petroni says. This article originally appeared on the New York Post. Noisy young children underfoot may sometimes irritate adults dining out, but one woman in China is being denounced across the Internet for maliciously tripping a 4-year-old boy with a heart condition at a restaurant, giving him a concussion. Surveillance camera footage of the scene has gone viral in the wake of the April 19 incident. At a small eatery in Baoji, located in the Shaanxi province of northern China, an unnamed woman, who is seven months pregnant, grew annoyed when the youngster ran into the restaurant, effectively whacking her with a door curtain as she sat near the entrance, the South China Morning Post reported. Moments later, as the boy skipped out of the restaurant, she stuck out her leg and he tripped, falling to the ground. JOANNA GAINES REVEALS WHAT SHE ALWAYS KEEPS IN THE FRIDGE The woman was dining with her husband, and the pair went on with their meal as the child lay injured. They soon exited the restaurant without offering help, Xinhua News Agency reports. Making matters worse, the child suffers from a heart defect and had to be hospitalized for a mild concussion after the fall. According to News.com.au, the boy is the son of a neighboring restaurant owner, who followed his fathers instructions to go into the restaurant to get some chopsticks. JUDGE RULES NEW YORK CITY BAR CAN REFUSE SERVICE TO TRUMP SUPPORTER WEARING MAGA HAT At first I thought my boy tripped himself, but later he told me that the woman tripped him, which was confirmed by other customers in the shop. I checked the CCTV and was so angry that I called the police, the boys mother told China Youth Daily, according to the China Post. The child was still hospitalized as of April 24 in stable condition. Since the footage started circulating online, the pregnant woman has been chastised for her actions. As someone who is soon going to be a mother, this act is really shameful, one commenter wrote on Weibo, a Twitter-like platform popular in China, the Post reports. Do some good things for the baby in her tummy, please, another mused. FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS On April 20, the woman who tripped the boy turned herself into authorities, apologized, and offered to pay any medical fees. Though she could face legal actions, the mother of the injured boy says the family does not plan to press charges. Police said they would detain her for 10 days and penalize her 1,000 yuan (U.S. $160), but she is seven months pregnant. We do not wish to affect her, the mom said. I have children myself. I can understand. The parents of Alfie Evans plan to meet with his doctors on Thursday to discuss bringing the terminally ill boy home. The latest development comes after The Court of Appeal upheld a ruling on Wednesday that prevented Tom Evans and Kate James from bringing their 23-month-old son to Rome for more treatment. We got rejected yesterday to go to Italy unfortunately, Evans said outsider Alder Hey hospital, where Alfie has been since December 2016. We could take it further but would that be the right thing to do, would there be more criticism? So what we do today is we have a meeting with the doctors at Alder Hey and we now start asking to go home. OPINION: WHY IS UK DETERMINED TO LET ALFIE EVANS DIE? Alfie is facing an incurable degenerative neurological condition, and doctors say there is nothing else they can do for the toddler. His life support was withdrawn Monday after a series of court rulings blocked further treatment. The case has sparked a months-long court battle between the toddler's parents and the hospital, with leaders from around Europe weighing in. In a bid to ease transferring the boy to Rome, Italy granted the boy citizenship on April 23, but the court upheld it's previous rulings. Pope Francis tweeted about the case and met with Evans to discuss the boy. "Moved by the prayers and immense solidarity shown little Alfie Evans, I renew my appeal that the suffering of his parents may be heard and that their desire to seek new forms of treatment may be granted," Pope Francis tweeted on April 23. But a statement from the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales sided with the doctors in the case. "We affirm our conviction that all those who are and have been taking the agonising decisions regarding the care of Alfie Evans act with integrity and for Alfies good as they see it," the statement read, in part. "The professionalism and care for severely ill children shown at Alder Hey Hospital is to be recognized and affirmed. We know that recently reported public criticism of their work is unfounded as our chaplaincy care for the staff, and indeed offered to the family, has been consistently provided." The Catholic Association then released a statement on Thursday criticizing Catholic leadership in the U.K. for siding with the courts. "It is confusing and disappointing to see the Catholic leadership in the U.K., both the bishops and lay leaders like Austen Ivereigh of Catholic Voices U.K., abandon Catholic social teaching and split from the Pope by defending the government instead of Alife and his family," that statement said, in part. "The Church has long been the first and only voice to speak out for truth and defend the vulnerable. True to that legacy, the Pople spoke out in defense of Alfie Evans and the fundamental human rights of his parents to do all they can to save the life of their child." Evans said that he will head back to court if Thursday's meeting does not go well. A Tennessee womans birth story has gone viral after she claimed on Twitter that she gave birth by herself in her hotel room during a layover in Turkey while on her way to Germany. Tia Freeman, a 22-year-old member of the Air Force, said she didnt know she was pregnant until her third trimester. In a series of tweets and GIFs shared on April 24, she explained that the birth control she was on prevented her from getting a period every month, and she hadnt gained any extra weight so she didnt have a reason to suspect anything. She said she was initially in denial and had an upcoming trip booked to Germany, so rather than cancel she decided to go anyway. So everything is going well no biggie but dawg this is a 14hr flight & there was a complimentary meal but everything had meat in it & you know Im a vegetarian so I was like I cant eat this but 14 hrs was too long to wait so I decided to eat the salmon hoping I wouldnt get sick, she tweeted. Freeman said she started cramping about an hour before they were scheduled to land, but wasnt sure if it was due to the flight or the salmon, so she closed her eyes and tried to sleep it off. She didnt realize she was in labor until they landed in Turkey, where she had a 17-hour layover. Freeman claims she tried to Google whether she was in labor, but her water didnt break so she wasnt sure. Either way it goes Im not giving birth in this airport so I start gassing myself up bc I am NOT having a baby in this airport, she tweeted. Freeman said she made it through customs and eventually to her hotel, where she watched a YouTube clip on how to deliver a baby. She said she filled a bathtub full of warm water, grabbed a towel to bite into and timed her contractions, which at that point were one minute apart. Luckily it happened pretty quickly, Freeman wrote. I only had to push about 5-6x before a baby popped out. Lol now let me tell you babies are buoyant. That little joker said bloop and floated right on up to the top of the water. Freeman gave birth to a boy, later named Xavier Ata, on March 7. She allegedly used Google to figure out how to deliver the placenta, and placed it in a sanitation bag. She said she sanitized shoelaces using a tea pot to clamp the umbilical cord before cutting it with one of her knives. Umbilical cord cut and I did a mighty fine job if I do say so myself! At this point exhaustion is beginning to set in. But I need to clean up the bathroom because it looked like the set of a horror movie, she tweeted. Freeman said she wrapped the baby in the towel, breastfed him and went to sleep. She allegedly made him a shirt out of one of hers, and returned to the airport the next day via taxi to ask the airline staff what to do next. Anyway they thought I was a human trafficker trying to smuggle out a baby, Freeman said. So they called in customs, the police a doctor & a nurse (to check the baby & me to see if I actually gave birth), and the airline higher ups. I was bombarded with questions (naturally) but finally I proved that I wasnt a trafficker. During this I called the @USEmbassyTurkey. Freeman thanked Turkish Airlines for their help, and shared that staffers bought Xavier his first outfit before bringing her to the U.S. Consulate. She applied for his birth certificate and passport and was taken to the hospital. To wrap up I go to the hospital get checked out everything is fine, she tweeted. Hes perfectly healthy! LOL the doctors were shocked to hear my story. Freeman said she did not tell her family that she was pregnant, so when she returned home two weeks later it was a shock for everyone. She has since started a cash.app campaign to help pay for Xaviers expenses. I really dont understand whats so shocking about my delivery story, she tweeted. Maybe itll set in one day. Her original tweet received more than 32,000 likes, and 14,000 retweets. Love was seriously in the air for two Delta Air Lines superfans, who recently tied the knot in a Delta-themed wedding. As Memphis, Tenn. couple Bess Wohlner and Jeremy Simons prepared to say I do in February, the Diamond Medallion members ultimately couldnt resist paying homage to their favorite carrier on the big day. "I actually told him I'd rather have Diamond Status than the diamond ring, Wohler told Delta News Hub of their nuptials. Fortunately, her groom thoroughly agreed. Simons grew up in a family with strong Delta loyalty and felt that choosing one airline to vow miles to as a business traveler was "like deciding I would marry Delta." AIRLINE WANTS TO PUT YOUR FACE ON A PLANE According to the carrier, the couple met in 2009 in rabbinical school, and often traveled out of Delta's Los Angeles hub for assignments. Sparks began to fly when Wohler took a mileage run with Simons, flying from one Delta city to the next to earn SkyMiles. After 47 hours spent making two laps around the States without ever leaving an airport, Simons knew she was special. They went separate ways for a few years and serendipitously met again on the same flight from New York to Tel Aviv. They picked up right where they left off. "I knew it was love when he handed off one of his upgrades and delivered his first class meal to me from the front of the plane," the bride recalls. Reconnecting and soon getting engaged, Wohler and Simons knew that there was only one way to announce the big news they sent out Delta-approved Diamond Status save the date cards and the airline was dubbed the motif for their ceremony and reception. PASSENGER DIES ABOARD ALASKA AIRLINES FLIGHT FROM SEATTLE TO KANSAS CITY When the big day arrived, nearly every element was Delta-centric. Guests were welcomed to Memphis with Deltas first class amenity kits, and the bride and groom walked down the aisle on a branded airline mat, as if strolling through SkyPriority. The wedding ceremony was officiated by a fellow Delta Medallion who flew on airline's inaugural A350 flight in October 2017. The wedding party sported navy blue dresses and yarmulkes (in a nod to the airlines signature shade), and partygoers were seated with bag tags. Fare was served on Delta-branded dinnerware, the newlyweds even ate their cake on beverage carts which they own. Later in the reception, guests enjoyed a photo booth with an green screen simulating the interior of a plane cabin and posed with oxygen masks on decommissioned business seats from the couple's living room. FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS Unsurprisingly, the couple honeymooned by jet setting to Scotland, Amsterdam, Sri Lanka, Sydney, Melbourne, Vancouver, Seattle, among others, of course, on their favorite carrier. Not everyone who finds a $100 bill would return it to its rightful owner. But thats exactly what 8-year-old Jaron Johnson did last week after he found the bill at a Walmart in Pineville, Louisiana. The following morning, Jaron asked his mother, Jodie Johnson, to call the store to see if anyone had reported it. At first, no one had. But later that day, Jodie got a call from 86-year-old James Grices daughter. She said the bill fell out of her fathers pocket while he was shopping for groceries last Friday. "[Jaron] was grinning ear-to-ear," when the call came, Jodie told Fox News on Thursday. Grice, who lives on a fixed income and is a 30-minute drive from the store, returned home foodless that day, she said. The 86-year-old didnt expect to see the money again. "When I walked outside of the store I said Lord let somebody that really needs that money find it. When I turn things over to the Lord, I don't fool with it anymore," Grice told KALB. But on Monday, Jaron returned Grices money. And to thank him for his honorable act, Grice awarded the 8-year-old $20. "That child right there, he's 100 percent to me," Grice said. Jodie, a special needs teacher at Tioga Elementary School, said she couldnt be more proud of her son. However, she wasnt too surprised by Jarons persistence to find the moneys owner. It was on his heart to make sure it got back to the rightful owner, she said, adding that Jaron is a precious child who has great character and always does the right thing." But the boys mother also saw the experience as a life lesson, explaining to Jaron that people work very hard for their money. Knowing that he was on fixed income made the lesson that much more valuable. I told him look how much you helped him and how much he appreciates it, she said, adding that she always tells her children to be humble and kind. The experience is something that he will remember for the rest of his life, said Jodie. NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles! Mike Pompeo, who was confirmed on a 57-42 vote by the Senate Thursday to become secretary of state, brings outstanding qualifications and experience to deal with big challenges he faces as Americas top diplomat. President Trump made a wise choice in selecting his CIA director to head the State Department, where he replaces former Secretary Rex Tillerson. Americas diplomats are on the front lines around the world. They are patriots and they are fearless, working thankless hours in Kabul, Tripoli, Moscow and beyond while rarely receiving the accolades our military enjoys and deserves. Diplomats move themselves and their families to new places around the world every few years, missing holidays and important life events back home, working to genuinely make a difference for their country. Their children must adjust to new schools and new environments and make new friends. Their spouses must often put their own career plans on hold as they move from country to country. For some reason, the State Department has become a punching bag in some political circles, and its no secret that morale at the agency has been low. Many senior diplomats have resigned or retired. Not enough new junior diplomats have been hired. Too many State Department posts remain vacant. Many diplomats still on the job feel demoralized and disengaged from the foreign policy decision-making process. With two larger-than-life secretaries of state during the Obama administration, State Department employees need a leader who will fight for them and lift the spirits of disillusioned diplomats. American diplomats deserve better and thats where newly confirmed Secretary Pompeo comes in. Pompeo can bring American diplomats back into the foreign policy game. President Trump is facing some of the most consequential foreign policy decisions in a generation dealing with Syria, the fight against ISIS, the campaign to counter Iran, our continuing military engagement in Afghanistan and Iraq, and attempts to denuclearize North Korea. A prime example is the presidents upcoming summit with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un. Pompeos secret meeting with Kim just a few weeks ago shows that Pompeo has the most crucial trait needed in a secretary of state the presidents trust. I know our diplomats are eager to support their new secretary in this historic endeavor, and he should lean on their knowledge and capabilities. In addition, Pompeo can also greatly improve morale in the State Department. While the recent efforts to modernize the State Department are laudable, the communication of those new policies was not as effective as the rank and file would hope. With two larger-than-life secretaries of state during the Obama administration, State Department employees need a leader who will fight for them and lift the spirits of disillusioned diplomats. As proven by his effective tenure at the CIA, Pompeo who previously served a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Kansas is up to the challenge of restoring pride in American diplomacy again. I had the privilege of serving as the Treasury Departments deputy attache at the American Embassy in Saudi Arabia. I also served as a U.S. Agency for International Development public affairs officer in Washington and for a short time at the U.S. Embassy in Iraq. I have worked for both a Republican and a Democratic administration. My colleagues at the State Department and I rarely knew each others politics, but we all knew that we wanted to represent the best of America to the world. I know that our Foreign Service officers do not want their work politicized; they just want to serve, and I am proud to have served with them. My former colleagues may or may not agree with incoming Secretary Pompeos politics, but these hardworking men and women will faithfully give their best advice and counsel to their new secretary. They deserve for their work and their expertise to be valued and respected, and they deserve someone who will fight for them. That man is Mike Pompeo. NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles! Though it took nearly seven months to be realized, the confirmation of President Trumps inspired pick of Richard Ric Grenell to serve as the U. S. ambassador to Germany is now a fait accompli, and deservedly so. After a delay seemingly as interminable as the fruitless Russia probe by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, obstreperous Democrats finally folded Thursday when the Senate voted 56-42 to make Grenell our ambassador to Germany. Grenell has proven himself more than up to the task of his present charge. He has worked for four U.S. ambassadors to the United Nations, including a distinguished tenure working alongside current National Security Adviser John Bolton. Grenell also happens to be gay, and a longtime member and supporter of Log Cabin Republicans. His confirmation marks a major milestone: Grenell has now become the highest ranking openly gay official in any Republican administration in American history. Log Cabin Republicans the nations largest organization representing LGBT conservatives and straight allies, where I serve as president led the charge for months pushing for Grenells confirmation. The vote happened not a moment too soon, as German Chancellor Angela Merkel is set to visit the White House Friday. A rudderless U.S. Embassy in Germany would have been a national embarrassment. But the fact that Grenells confirmation was allowed to languish this long is a national embarrassment unto itself. In his confirmation hearing, Grenell emphasized issues of importance to the Trump administration such as strengthening security, addressing trade imbalances and boosting investment in the United States. Furthermore, he exhibited his willingness to strike a balance between the priorities of the Trump administration and constructive engagement with Germany. In supporting Grenells nomination, Log Cabin Republicans were joined by prominent conservative voices. They included talk show host Hugh Hewitt ; the presidents son Donald Trump, Jr. ; American Conservative Union Chairman Matt Schlapp ; Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah; former George W. Bush Press Secretary Ari Fleisher ; Americans for Tax Reform President Grover Norquist ; and Independent Womens Forum Chairwoman Heather Higgins . With the exception of Stuart Milk, co-founder of the Harvey Milk Foundation, the only LGBT advocacy organization that stepped up in support of Grenells nomination was Log Cabin Republicans. Whatever on Earth could be the reason for the silence of the LGBT left on what by all accounts is a landmark moment in gay history? The question, of course, is rhetorical. With Grenells confirmation, the left loses yet another arrow in their quiver to assail President Trump with their tired accusations of anti-gay animus. The presidents pick of Grenell was not accidental: Germany is well-known for a more egalitarian approach in todays pluralistic society. It legalized marriage equality last October and has seen increasing numbers of high-ranking German politicians openly declaring their sexual orientation. As a conservative Christian who happens to be gay, Grenells position as ambassador to Germany could well serve to bridge the divide between depressingly polarized LGBT and religious communities in both Germany and the United States. Democratic obstructionists in the Senate centered their obstinate blockade of Grenells confirmation on a picayune fixation with past impolitic tweets by Grenell for which he has atoned. Even if their motivations in that regard were sincere, it would mark a new low in political pettiness from Democrats who have now shown that their support of the LGBT community does not apply if you are a gay Republican in the good graces of President Trump. My tenure as the head of Log Cabin Republicans began in the midst of a campaign calling President Obamas Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel to account for his opposition to the nomination of a gay ambassador to Luxembourg while serving in the Senate. History will be a harsh judge of the Democrats who made the same mistake standing in the way of Grenells confirmation as ambassador to Germany. The long-overdue confirmation of Ric Grenell also represents another milestone: For the first time in history, an openly gay ambassador was not confirmed in spite of Republicans, or simply with Republican support. Grenell is now our ambassador to Germany because of Republican support. The James Comey memos that leaked to the media and were a catalyst for the appointment of Special Counsel Robert Mueller were more widely shared than previously known, three sources familiar with the matter tell Fox News. Sources identified former U.S. Attorney and special counsel Patrick Fitzgerald as the likely recipient, and did not rule out a third individual, in addition to Columbia law professor Daniel Richman, who shared contents with the media. The memos documenting Comeys private conversations with the president are now the subject of a Justice Department Inspector General review over the presence of classified information. Patrick Fitzgerald is a longtime friend of Comey's and now his lawyer, as first reported by Talking Points Memo. Fitzgerald did not respond to emails or a voicemail seeking comment. Fox News asked Fitzgerald how many memos he received, if Comey, Richman or a third party provided them, whether they were stored securely because of classified contents, and whether the FBI took steps -- to include his personal and business electronics -- to mitigate the spill of classified information. In the event he did not receive any Comey memos, Fitzgerald was invited to provide an on the record statement to Fox News. The publisher of Comey's book, A Higher Loyalty, did not respond to Fox News questions. An FBI spokesperson offered no comment. During his June 2017 Senate testimony, after President Trump fired him, Comey did not describe Richman as an FBI employee, and seemed to give no public indication the memos were shared more broadly. The former FBI director testified that he gave the memos, documenting conversations with the president, to Richman to kick-start what is now the Mueller probe. "I asked a friend of mine to share the content of the memo with a reporter. Didn't 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," Comey told Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, who asked who it was. "A good friend of mine who's a professor at Columbia Law School." On Tuesday, Richman confirmed to Fox News he worked for Comey at the FBI as a special government employee -- known by the shorthand SGE -- on an unpaid basis. Sources familiar with Richmans FBI work said Comey assigned him to "special projects." Richman had a security clearance and badge access to the FBI building. Richman's employment was formalized through a memorandum of understanding. COMEY'S MEMO LEAK CONTACT HAD 'SPECIAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE' STATUS AT FBI In his book, Comey wrote about Fitzgerald, his close friend since our days in law school, and about appointing Fitzgerald as special counsel to investigate the leak of CIA operative Valerie Plames identity. Comey wrote that on the day Trump fired him, All I knew was what was reported in the media. After much scrambling, we learned that a White House employee was on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, trying to deliver a letter to me from the president. I took a call from my wife, who said she and kids had seen the news. I replied that I didnt know whether it was true and we were trying to find out what was going on. Pat Fitzgerald called and I told him the same thing. He also wrote, The reasons for that firing were lies, but the letter was real. I felt sick to my stomach and slightly dazed. Patrick Fitzgeralds name also was brought up during the Hillary Clinton email investigation in cryptic text messages between FBI agent Peter Strzok and FBI attorney Lisa Page. On March 18, 2016, Strzok wrote -- Thought of the perfect person D (Director Comey) can bounce this off of. Page: Who? Strzok: "Pat (redacted) You gotta give me credit if we go with him. (redacted) And delay briefing him on until I can get back and do it. Late next week or later. Page: We talked about him last night, not for this, but how great he is. Hes in private practice though, right? Suppose you could still bring him back. And yes, Ill hold. Strozk identifies Fitzgeralds law firm as Skadden in Chicago, and then continues Dont forget that Dad Comey appointed him as special counsel in the Plame matter, and that he was there for Comeys investiture. I could work with him again (redacted) And damn wed get sh*t DONE. Page: I know. Like I said, we discussed boss and him yesterday. Democratic campaign organizations have paid or pledged to pay more than $2 million for key parts of Hillary Clinton's 2016 campaign infrastructure -- including her email list and campaign software -- as the party ramps up a costly campaign to win back both houses of Congress this November, The Intercept reported Wednesday. According to the report, the Democratic National Committee will pay Clinton's PAC Onward Together $1.65 million for access to her campaign resources, including voter data. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has paid more than $700,000 to rent the email list. In contrast, then-President Barack Obama gifted his email list worth nearly $2 million to the DNC as an in-kind contribution in 2015, the report added. HILLARY CLINTON, NOT ON BALLOT, IS STAR OF GOP MIDTERM PLAN Former DNC Chair Donna Brazile told The Intercept she had negotiated quarterly payments to the Clinton campaign in exchange for access to the list. She said the last payment initially was scheduled for February of this year. However, DNC spokesperson Xochitl Hinojosa told the website that Brazile's successor, Tom Perez, restructured the payment schedule and redirected the money to Onward Together. According to OpenSecrets.org and Federal Election Commission records, the DNC has made four payments to Onward Together between January and March of this year, totaling $705,000. Hinojosa told The Intercept the remaining money would be paid out by October. Clinton spokesman Nick Merrill told Fox News in an email that "paying a rental fee for use of an email list is common practice, and in this case the DNC has raised over $30 million with it, an 1800 [percent] return on their investment." "Putting the DNC on a strong footing is something that Secretary Clinton was very focused on during the campaign," Merrill added. "She was the first presidential candidate in decades to leave the DNC in the black after a Presidential cycle. The campaign turned over an unprecedented amount of campaign data and resources." The Intercept report comes as the DNC struggles with a fundraising disadvantage while the midterm campaign kicks into high gear. According to OpenSecrets, the RNC has raised $171.5 million so far this cycle, nearly double the $88.1 million raised by the DNC. The numbers also show that the DNC has spent $90.5 million this cycle -- nearly $2 million more than it has taken in -- and has just $9.3 million in cash on hand. By contrast, the RNC has nearly $43 million in cash on hand and a surplus of $17.6 million. Last year, Brazile disclosed she had discovered a joint fundraising agreement drawn up by the DNC and the Clinton campaign in August 2015. As part of the agreement, Brazile wrote, "Hillary would control the partys finances, strategy, and all the money raised ... Her campaign had the right of refusal of who would be the party communications director, and it would make final decisions on all the other staff." HILLARY CLINTON CLAIMED 'THEY WERE NEVER GOING TO LET ME BE PRESIDENT,' NEW BOOK SAYS Brazile also wrote in her book "Hacks: The Inside Story of the Break-ins and Breakdowns That Put Donald Trump in the White House" that "individuals who had maxed out their $2,700 contribution limit to the campaign could write an additional check for $353,400 to the Hillary Victory Fundthat figure represented $10,000 to each of the 32 states parties who were part of the ... agreement ... and $33,400 to the DNC." "The money would be deposited in the states first, and transferred to the DNC shortly after that," Brazile added. "Money in the battleground states usually stayed in that state, but all the other states funneled that money directly to the DNC, which quickly transferred the money to [Clinton campaign headquarters]." The stark financial numbers have not deterred Perez from setting up a so-called "State Party Innovation Fund," a $10 million grant program meant to rebuild the state parties. Representatives for the DNC did not respond to a request for comment by Fox News. Click for more from The Intercept. The head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) accused New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo of making "grandstanding" and "inaccurate" comments Wednesday after armed agents raided an upstate dairy farm last week and allegedly handcuffed a man who tried to record an arrest. Cuomo, a Democrat rumored to be a contender for the party's 2020 presidential nomination, said that the agency "is violating the law and endangering public safety" and threatened to sue ICE if such raids continued. "The reckless and unconstitutional practices ICE is deploying in our communities violate everything we believe in New York and are an assault on our democracy," Cuomo added. "I demand ICE immediately cease and desist this pattern of conduct, and if they fail to do so, I will pursue all available legal recourse and commit to doing everything in my power to protect the rights and safety of all New Yorkers." In response, ICE Deputy Director Thomas Homan said Cuomo's remarks were "an insult to ICE's sworn law enforcement officers who conduct their lawful mission professionally and with integrity." "Since September 2016, ICE has arrested nearly 5,000 criminal aliens in New York," Homan added, "individuals with a criminal conviction in addition to their violation of immigration laws. "Many of these arrests were conducted at large in the community, which ICE is increasingly forced to do due to sanctuary policies in the state that prevent us from taking custody of criminal aliens in the secure confines of a jail," Homan went on. "[Cuomo] supports these policies at the expense of the safety of the very same communities he took an oath to protect." John Collins, who owns the Rome, N.Y. farm that was raided, claimed that ICE agents did not identify themselves or produce a warrant before they arrested a farm worker on charges that he unlawfully re-entered the U.S. following deportation. Collins, who said the worker has proper documentation to work in the U.S., said the officers grabbed his phone and threw it destroying it when he used it to videotape the arrest. Collins said they slapped handcuffs on him as well. In his statement, Homan identified the worker as a "criminal alien" named Marcial DeLeon-Aguilar, who "is a three-time prior deportee who has felony criminal convictions for reckless aggravated assault and illegal re-entry -- also a felony." The incident has also prompted scrutiny in Washington, where Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., has called for an investigation. "ICE will continue to protect New York communities against public safety and national security threats and it is false and offensive for the Governor to say otherwise," Homan concluded. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Michael Cohen, the personal attorney for President Trump, has said he will plead the Fifth in a lawsuit with adult-film star Stormy Daniels due to an ongoing criminal investigation in New York, according to court documents. The formal declaration was filed Wednesday in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. In it, Cohen noted the April 9 FBI raid on his home, office and hotel room, during which he said the agency seized various electronic devices and documents in my possession, which contain information relating to the $130,000 payment to Plaintiff Stephanie Clifford at the center of this case, and my communications with counsel, Brent Blakely, relating to this action. He continued to say that based upon the advice of counsel he would be pleading the Fifth in connection with all proceedings in this case due to the ongoing criminal investigation by the FBI and U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. MICHAEL COHEN RAID RATTLES TRUMP ALLIES: DID FEDS SEIZE PRESIDENTS COMMUNICATIONS Cohen asked a judge to delay the civil case 90 days following the FBI raid. Federal prosecutors in New York said they are investigating Cohen's personal business dealings. This comes as attorneys for the president informed a federal judge on Wednesday that Trump would make himself available, as needed to look over materials seized in the FBI raid to ensure the protection of privileged information, ABC News reported. Daniels, whose legal name is Stephanie Clifford and is referenced by Cohen in the filing, has claimed that she had a one-time sexual encounter with the president in 2006 and was paid $130,000 by Cohen in the days before the 2016 presidential election as part of a nondisclosure agreement she has sought to invalidate in order to speak freely. FBI RAID TARGETS TRUMP ATTORNEY MICHAEL COHEN, UNDER SCRUTINY OVER STORMY DANIELS PAYMENTS Trump has denied the allegations. Daniels has offered to return the $130,000 and argues the agreement is legally invalid because it was signed by her and Cohen, not by Trump. Daniels attorney Michael Avenatti tweeted that Cohens filing was a stunning development. Never before in our nations history has the attorney for the sitting President invoked the 5th Amend in connection with issues surrounding the President, Avenatti said. It is esp. stunning seeing as MC served as the 'fixer' for Mr. Trump for over 10 yrs. And yes, my record of prediction stays intact, he continued. We will keep shooting until we miss. Fox News Jodie Curtis, Brooke Singman and The Associated Press contributed to this report. "Three capital murder suspects ... it was a dope rip in Lee County." Miguel Dominguez is briefing his fellow deputy U.S. Marshals about the impending mission, as the team waits in a Houston Police Department parking lot for a couple of Texas Rangers driving in from Austin. The Rangers have "good info," he says, but the team already has "guys on the house" with HPD "standing by." Dominguez shows fellow Deputy Marshals Alfredo Perez and Don Snyder pictures of the three suspects. "Hopefully, it'll be one-stop shopping and we'll get all three in custody," he says. The U.S. Marshals Service has been the federal government's manhunters since 1789, and they have no problem reminding you about it. "The Marshals job is to grab the body," said Richard Hunter, the chief deputy U.S. Marshal for the Southern District of Texas. "And we're the best in the world at it." Fox News was given exclusive access by the U.S. Marshals Service, riding along as they hunted down some of the most dangerous criminals in the country, including those three murder suspects. It is all part of "Operation Triple Beam." OTB is a 90 to 120 day operation led by the U.S. Marshals Service in cities around the country, which, according to the USMS, "Brings together federal, local, and state law enforcement, to focus on specific areas impacted by specific gang violence, while targeting the most violent gang members and organizations." The latest mission, which concluded in Houston on Thursday, netted 341 warrants cleared by arrest, 220 gang-affiliated arrests, 62 firearms seized, nearly $60,000 in currency, and narcotics with a street value of over $1 million. That makes Houston's OTB one of the most successful in the history of the operation. Since 2010, the U.S. Marshals have used the operation to make more than 6,000 arrests across the country, along with the seizure of 1,500 illegal firearms, more than $1.5 million in cash and over $6 million in narcotics. The officials involved in the operation say it's a classic case of local and federal law enforcement agencies cooperating to get the job done. "The Marshals Service is just a phenomenal partner for the big cities in this country," Houston Chief of Police Art Acevedo told Fox News. "When you think about the resource challenges we have at the state and local level, they are a great force multiplier ... we are joined at the hip." Acevedo acknowledged that cartel activity at the southern border affects his city directly. "We have people and drugs that come north, going south we have guns and cash," he said. However, the Houston Police Chief strikes an unapologetically moderate tone when it comes to policing undocumented immigrants. "I coined a phrase at the Houston PD: we chase crooks not cooks," he said. "If ICE wants to work with us to go after our hardcore gang members, MS-13. ... If they want to help us and work with us going after those bad actors we're all for it. Now, if they want to go to the local Home Depot looking for people that are day laborers trying to get work ... let's focus not on low level. You are not helping me with my violent crime problem when you get the nanny down the street or the cook in the kitchen." Acevedo also told Fox News that ICE has been very cooperative on that front. The raid on the house with the three murder suspects, meanwhile, was a swift operation. Radio traffic crackled from the surveillance units surrounding the house the Texas Rangers tagged as their hideout. "He's moving," a voice squawked over the channel. The team swept out in a flash, with multiple law enforcement vehicles rolling through the streets of Houston. They landed on Suspect One in minutes, in a show of overwhelming force. He exited his car without a fight, hands in the air and in custody. Suspect Two was caught just as quickly. There was no time to waste with Suspect Three. The Marshals believed the suspect was still in the home under surveillance, perhaps wondering why his accomplices had gone dark. Deputy Marshals, Houston PD, state police and sheriff's deputies surrounded the house. "Police!" they screamed as they banged on the door. Suspect Three came out with arms raised in the air. Within 20 minutes, the manhunters had their three capital murder suspects in custody and all before lunchtime. Former FBI Director James Comey, in a wide-ranging interview with Fox News on Thursday, defended sharing his memos about conversations with President Trump with multiple people, while denying it was a leak. That memo was unclassified then, Comey told anchor Bret Baier during an appearance on Special Report. It's still unclassified. It's in my book. The FBI cleared that book before it could be published. Comey acknowledged giving the memos to at least three people including his friend, Columbia University law professor Daniel Richman. He said he sent Richman a copy of the two-page unclassified memo and asked him to get the substance of it out to the media. The reason I'm smiling, Bret, Comey said. I don't consider what I shared Mr. Richman a leak. In addition to Richman, Comey said he gave the memos to other members of his legal team, including David Kelly and former U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald. I gave the memos to my legal team after I gave them to Dan Richman -- after I asked him to get it out to the media, he said. COMEY MEMOS SHARED MORE BROADLY THAN PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT He also claimed the memos were personal, not official. I didn't consider it part of an FBI file... It was my personal aide-memoire, Comey said. The former FBI director said he kept two copies of the memos, one in his personal safe at home and another one at the FBI. I always thought of it as mine, like a diary, he said. Comey confirmed that the Justice Department's inspector general has interviewed him about his handling of the memos. And I expect a report on them, Comey said. Not on the handling of classified information because that's frivolous, but on, Did I comply with policy? Did I comply with my employment agreement? Earlier Thursday, Trump accused Comey of being a liar and a leaker who is guilty of crimes. He leaked classified information to get a special counsel and leaked the memos which are classified the memos were about me and he didnt write those memos accurately. He wrote a lot of phony stuff, Trump said Thursday on Fox & Friends. Comey responded by calling it a false statement and saying Trump is just wrong. Facts really do matter, which is why I'm on the show to answer your questions, he said. Comey also denied knowing who was behind the leak about the infamous anti-Trump dossier that was later revealed to have been used to obtain a surveillance warrant for former Trump campaign aide Carter Page. Comey also claimed he never knew exactly who funded the dossier. Asked when he learned that the DNC and Hillary Clinton campaign funded Steele's work, Comey said: I still don't know that for a fact. He went on to say, I have only seen it in the media. I never knew exactly which Democrats had funded. Asked about FBI employees Peter Strzok and Lisa Page whose anti-Trump text messages have been seized upon by Republicans -- Comey said he would have removed both of them from any contact with significant investigations had he been aware of the texts. It was such poor judgment, he said. Pressed on whether Strzok and Page's work should be questioned, Comey acknowledged, Its a reasonable question to ask. And I can tell you this. When I saw the text, I was deeply disappointed in them, he said. But I never saw any bias, any reflection of any kind of animus towards anybody. Comey is doing television interviews to promote his new book, A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership, in which he blasted the president for everything from his integrity to his height, skin and hair. TRUMP SAYS COMEY GUILTY OF CRIMES During his earlier interview on Fox News on Thursday, Trump specifically slammed the memos that Comey leaked to Richman to spur a special counsel appointment. Fox News reported this week that during Comey's time at the FBI, Richman was a special government employee on an unpaid basis. Sources familiar with Richmans FBI work said Comey assigned him to special projects. On Thursday, Comey was asked why he didn't reveal hiring Richman as a special government employee for the FBI. Comey responded, It wasn't relevant. Fox News Bret Baier and Brooke Singman contributed to this report. The Senate Ethics Committee on Thursday severely admonished New Jersey Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez for accepting gifts over a six-year period from a wealthy donor, saying his actions brought discredit upon the Senate. The committees six Republicans and Democrats wrote a joint Thursday letter to Menendez faulting him for accepting gifts from Salomon Melgen, a Florida ophthalmologist. Notably, you have not disputed the fact that you accepted numerous gifts from Dr. Melgen and took official actions related to his interests, the committee wrote in its letter. Menendez went on trial last year in federal court on bribery charges, but a jury could not reach a verdict and a mistrial was declared. Still, the committee said it determined Menendezs conduct violated Senate Rules, federal law, and applicable standards of conduct. MENENDEZ CORRUPTION AND BRIBERY CASE: WHAT TO KNOW You demonstrated disregard for these standards by placing your Senate office in Dr. Melgen's service at the same time you repeatedly accepted gifts of significant value from him, the senators wrote. The letter was signed by Republican Sens. Johnny Isakson of Georgia, Pat Roberts of Kansas and James Risch of Idaho. It was also signed by Democratic Sens. Chris Coons of Delaware, Brian Schatz of Hawaii and Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire. Your assistance to Dr. Melgen under these circumstances demonstrated poor judgment, and it risked undermining the public's confidence in the Senate," the letter said. "As such, your actions reflected discredit upon the Senate. The letter directs Menendez to repay the fair market value of all impermissible gifts not already repaid. The committee said it began its review of Menendez in late 2012, though halted it during the DOJs investigation. The committee resumed its probe of Menendez after the trial in November 2017. Federal prosecutors announced in January they will not retry Menendez on bribery and corruption charges something Menendez celebrated at the time. From the very beginning, I never wavered in my innocence and my belief that justice would prevail, Menendez said in a statement. I am grateful that the Department of Justice has taken the time to re-evaluate its case and come to the appropriate conclusion. The mistrial was seen as a major victory for Menendez and a blow to the Justice Department, whose efforts to go after politicians in recent years often have not been successful. Menendez is up for re-election to the U.S. Senate this year. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell had called on the Ethics Committee to investigate Menendez for possible violations of the public trust and the Senate code of conduct. The case against Menendez marked the first time in almost a decade that a sitting U.S. senator faced a federal bribery charge. According to the criminal complaint, Menendez greased wheels for Melgen. Among other things, Menendez was accused of helping obtain visas for several of Melgens girlfriends as well as lobbying the State Department on his behalf regarding a $500 million port security contract in the Dominican Republic. Melgen, in turn, paid for private jets, hotel rooms and forked over nearly $75,000 in campaign contributions to Menendez. The defense argued that the gifts were not bribes, but tokens of friendship between two men who were "like brothers." In Menendez attorney Abbe Lowell's closing argument, he used the words "friend," "friends" or "friendship" more than 80 times. Fox News Barnini Chakraborty contributed to this report. Melania Trump has been busy lately. She was the sole representative of the Trump administration at Barbara Bushs funeral, and not long after hosted her first state dinner, planning every detail as the White House welcomed French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte. The dinner garnered some of Melanias best coverage since her husband was elected. Up to this point, shes been a bit of a paradox-- a controversial figure who mostly stays out of the spotlight. Though she rarely expresses her political opinion, she is still regularly lampooned on late night comedy shows. And while youd think the press would ooh and ahh at a former model who speaks five languages, a number of reporters have even mocked her fashion sense, including the large white hat she wore to welcome the Macrons. Presumably, the controversy surrounding Melania has less to do with her actions, and more to do with a larger attack on all things related to the Trump White House. But in one way, Melania is part of a long traditionthe controversial First Lady. Whereas the first First Lady, Martha Washington, stayed in the background, Abigail Adams, married to second President John Adams, had no trouble making her political views known. In fact, she was attacked for her political activism, mockingly called Mrs. President. Then there was Dolley Madison, wife of James Madison. She was a big presence in the White House (not entirely surprising, as she was several inches taller than her tiny husband). She became a well-known hostess and as such essentially invented the concept of First Lady as celebrity. While she spoke her mind, what most often made her the talk of the town were her fashion choiceseye makeup, low-cut dresses and a turban. Mary Todd Lincoln was attacked for her extravagant expenditures on clothing and White House decoration. Opponents called her self-indulgent, though she believed the spending was a useful sign of stability during a dangerous period. Incidentally, Mary Todd was the first presidential wife to be referred to as First Lady in the press. Rutherford B. Hayes wife Lucy knew how to stir things up. She spoke out on the rights of women and African-Americans, but was most famously associated, fairly or not, with the temperance movement. A teetotaler herself, its not true she banned alcohol at White House functionsthat was the doing of her husband. Nevertheless, she ultimately received the nickname Lemonade Lucy. Edith Wilson, Woodrows wife, was not much of a party-giver. Instead, she worked closely with her husband, and wielded great political influence. Late in Woodrows second term he suffered a stroke. Rather than have him step aside, Edith did what she could to hide how badly disabled he was, and essentially ran the country until he left office. Eleanor Roosevelt, FDRs wife, was First Lady longer than anyone else, and was also one of the most controversial. She was an advocate for progressive policies throughout her twelve years in the White House, giving speeches, holding press conferences, writing a column and speaking at her partys convention. She was regularly attacked for being so political in an unelected position. Gerald Fords wife Betty was noted for her candor, openly supporting the Equal Rights Amendment and legalized abortion. She also discussed how she would deal with her children smoking marijuana or having an affair. While this created some controversy, her outspokenness made her quite popularmore popular than her husband, who lost the presidential election after serving a short term in office. Ronald Reagans wife, Nancy, got into trouble over chinanot the country, but the expensive tableware she ordered for the White House during a time of budget cuts (though it was paid for by private sources). She also started the Just Say No anti-drug campaign, which many supported, but others felt was a wrong-headed way to deal with the issue. Hillary Clinton was probably the most controversial First Lady in modern times, but that may be because she openly wielded political power. When her husband Bill campaigned, he promised two presidents for the price of one. During that 1992 campaign, Hillary also made a comment about how she wasnt just another politicians wifeshe said I suppose I could have stayed home, baked cookies... which many saw as condescending to stay-at-home wives. When Bill Clinton took office, Hillary was put in charge of health care reform, which turned into a fiasco. She also found herself in the middle of a number of controversies, including Whitewater, Travelgate and Filegate. After her days as First Lady, she stayed in public life, eventually running for president (and losing). So although Melania may not like all the unwanted attention, perhaps she can take some comfort in the fact that, historically speaking, shes not alone. Over the past decade, about 3.5 million Americans have relocated from high-tax blue states like California and those in the Northeast, to low-tax red states like Texas and Arizona -- and the change is likely to accelerate. So say Arthur Laffer and Stephen Moore, co-authors of a report from the American Legislative Exchange Council, in a Wall Street Journal essay. They say that the Republican Party tax bills cap on the deduction for state and local taxes (SALT) could ramp up the pace by which Americans relocate in their own economic interest. Laffer and Moore estimate that both California and New York will lose on net about 800,000 over the next three years, roughly double from the previous three years, while Connecticut, New Jersey and Minnesota combined with lose around 500,000 people in the same period. Laffer and Moore estimate that both California and New York will lose on net about 800,000 over the next three years, roughly double from the previous three years. As the migration speeds up, it will raise real-estate values in low-tax states and hurt them in high-tax states, the authors add. In states like California, where the top income-tax rate exceeds 13 percent, people are able to deduct that tax on a federal return; but now the deduction for SALT will be capped at $10,000 per family. Although 90 percent of taxpayers are unaffected by the change, high earners in places with hefty income taxes -- such as California, New York, Minnesota and New Jersey -- would bear more costs of their state government under the new SALT cap, according to Laffer and Moore. Fox News previously reported that while the law contains sweeping tax-rate cuts for businesses and individuals, taxpayers in high-tax states like those in the Northeast are expected to take a hit from the SALT change. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomos office claims the elimination of full SALT deductibility will cost that state $14.3 billion, the Fox report says. Cuomo called the tax bill "an economic missile." In Connecticut and Illinois, the SALT burden is so onerous that high-income residents will feel the burn now that they cant deduct these costs on their federal return, Laffer and Moore write. But nine states, including Florida, Nevada, Texas and Washington, impose no tax at all on earned income. Since 2007, while low-tax states like Texas and Florida have gained 1.4 million and 850,000 residents, respectively, from elsewhere in the U.S., high-tax states like California and New York combined have lost more than 2.2 million residents, according to Laffer and Moore. Since 2007, low-tax states like Texas and Florida have gained 1.4 million and 850,000 residents, respectively, from elsewhere in the U.S., according to Laffer and Moore. Last week, Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott urged residents of high-tax New Jersey to move to the Lone Star State, touting his administrations tax cut of $4 billion, Fox News reported. Abbott extended his invitation after New Jersey's newly sworn-in Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy unveiled a budget proposal that requested a $2.7 billion increase from the prior years budget, the report said. Fox News' Brooke Singman contributed to this report. A slew of candidates are running in the 2018 elections as in-the-open socialists, in the latest sign that the Bernie Sanders wing is looking to expand its political footprint -- as mainstream Democrats, in turn, embrace their big-government policies. Those running under the socialist banner this year include nearly two-dozen candidates, for offices at all levels. One, Texas attorney Franklin Bynum, this week proclaimed he's running on a far-left agenda as he touted his Democratic Socialists of America comrades. Texas, which has voted for a Republican in the past 10 presidential races, has emerged as an unlikely hotbed for socialist candidates this year -- including Bynum, who last month won in an unopposed Democratic primary for a post as a Houston criminal courts judge. Stood with DSA comrades in the Sunday New York Times, the 34-year-old Bynum tweeted Monday, a few days after he was quoted in the newspaper saying, Yes, Im running as a socialist. Im a far-left candidate. Bynums campaign did not respond to a request from Fox News for an interview. DEMS TILT HARD LEFT WITH NEW PET PROJECTS But the former public defender is one of at least four candidates that the Houston chapter of the DSA has endorsed this year. The others include a state Senate candidate and Ali Khorasani, who last month finished last in a five-person Democrat primary for a Houston-area U.S. House seat. The Texas Observer has compiled a list of 20 candidates this year in Texas who are affiliated with the DSA, based on statements sent to the Austin-based magazine. As a member of both the DSA and the Communist Party of Houston, I am deeply aligned with socialist values and anti-capitalism, Khorasani said in the statement posted online by the magazine. That a wave of far-left candidates are on 2018 ballots across the country is unsurprising, considering the liberal backlash to President Trumps upset victory over Democrat Hillary Clinton in 2016. But it comes as Democratic Party figures increasingly espouse big-government policies -- such as guaranteed jobs -- that once would have been confined to a sliver of America's left. Together with the slate of socialist candidates, it shows how influential the movement led by Sanders in the 2016 presidential campaign has become. Sanders remains politically active and in office, but others are looking to carry the torch. However, the chances of Sanders being joined on Capitol Hill by a new class of socialist-aligned lawmakers in 2019 seem slim at this point. Many face long odds of winning, and are seeking lower-level office where their influence would not be felt so much on the national stage -- yet. Its just not there, Brookings Institution senior fellow Elaine C. Kamarck said. This is not something you want to run on under any circumstances, though it may not be as toxic in perhaps Berkeley, California. Kamarck made clear that some socialists could perhaps be on 2018 congressional ballots. Right now, however, they're not officially aligned with a formal socialist party. The most recent Federal Election Commission report shows no House or Senate candidates have so far filed to run as members of the Socialist Labor Party, Socialist Party USA or Socialist Workers Party. Yet some are aligning with the Democratic Socialists of America, which classifies itself as a group rather than a political party and appears to have had a surge in membership in recent years. The group, which also declined a request for comment, does not release membership numbers. However, the group's magazine (which goes to every member) now has roughly 30,000 subscribers, compared with about 5,000 in 2016, based on information in the DSAs 2017 winter magazine. Among the other socialist candidates cited in The Times story is Kaniela Ing, a Hawaii state representative running in the Democratic primary for a House seat. The 29-year-old Ing also declined an interview with Fox News, and his campaign will not say whether he is indeed a socialist candidate. However, Ings platform covers the left flank of the Democratic Party, including a call to impeach President Trump and guaranteed jobs, as Sanders is proposing. My role as an elected official is to shift the power from the elected few to the many, Ing, whose father died when he was 12 and whose mother then had to rely on government programs to raise her children, said recently on a local radio show. We really couldnt have made it without the government and the community. Socialist-aligned candidates may still face headwinds, considering Washington Democrats overarching strategy of winning swing districts in order to take control of the House. Most socialist-leaning candidates, like Sanders, still run as independents or on the Democratic ticket. Socialism can be defined in various ways but it generally espouses government- or community-owned goods and services over capitalism. Sanders, in defending his beliefs, has held up President Franklin D. Roosevelts New Deal public-works program, launched to help the country out of the Great Depression -- saying it was similarly dismissed as socialist. However, a self-proclaimed socialist getting elected to office in the U.S. recent years is not unprecedented. Kshama Sawant was elected in 2013 to the Seattle City Council, running as a Socialist Alternative and touting a $15-an-hour minimum wage and a so-called millionaires tax to improve public transportation. The federal judge presiding over the criminal investigation into Trump attorney Michael Cohen agreed Thursday to appoint an independent "special master" to review the material seized in a recent FBI raid, granting a request first made by Cohen's lawyers. During a court hearing in New York City Thursday, Judge Kimba Wood announced the appointment of Special Master Barbara Jones, who will now look through material seized in the raid on Cohen's apartment, office and hotel room. The decision comes after federal prosecutors also endorsed the call. The appointment allows an independent reviewer to lead an expeditious and fair review of the materials, according to a letter U.S. Attorney Robert Khuzami submitted to the judge early Thursday. At the same time the special master reviews the documents, Cohens attorneys will have the opportunity to go through and flag any seized material that they deem protected under attorney-client privilege. Federal prosecutors for the Southern District of New York said Thursday they were dealing with data from over a dozen devices in addition to hard copy documents. Also Thursday, the lawyer for adult film star Stormy Daniels, Michael Avenatti, filed a motion to join the case. Avenatti said he wanted a seat at the table to review any documents obtained in the FBI raid that could be related to his client, whose legal name is Stephanie Clifford. Cohen paid Daniels $130,000 weeks before the 2016 presidential election in exchange for her silence about an alleged sexual encounter with Donald Trump in 2006. Daniels initially denied any involvement with Trump. Avenatti said that he believed Daniels previous attorney, who negotiated the nondisclosure agreement and payment, may have improperly shared information with Cohen, without Daniels knowledge or consent -- as recently as days before the FBI raid. Avenatti claimed he knew that text messages between Cohen and Daniels ex-attorney existed. Federal prosecutors said they would file Monday on whether they will object or allow Avenatti to join the case. The judge will make the final ruling. Cohens attorney on Wednesday said that his client would exercise his Fifth Amendment rights in a separate Stormy Daniels civil lawsuit, due to the ongoing criminal investigation. On Thursday morning, President Trump weighed in on Cohens case, defending him as a good person and a great guy, but stressing the investigation doesnt have to do with me. Michael is a businessman, hes got business. He also practices law, and theyre looking at something having to do with his business. I have nothing to do with his business, Trump said in an exclusive phone-interview with Fox & Friends. Trump said that while Cohen serves as his attorney, he has many attorneys. Sadly I have so many attorneys you wouldnt even believe it, Trump said, noting that of his overall legal work, Cohen represented a tiny, tiny little fraction. Trump did, however, note that Cohen represented him with this crazy Stormy Daniels deal. And from what I see, he did absolutely nothing wrong. There were no campaign funds going into this, Trump said. Trump said earlier this month that he did not know about the payment to Daniels from Cohen, which is now part of the investigation led by the U.S. Attorneys Office in the Southern District of New York. Fox News Kathleen Foster, Jake Gibson and Courtney Crawford contributed to this report The Senate voted Thursday to confirm CIA chief Mike Pompeo as President Trumps next secretary of state, ending a contentious nomination battle. Pompeo was confirmed on a 57-42 vote. All Republicans present voted to confirm Pompeo. Seven senators who caucus with the Democrats voted yes, including several in tight re-election contests, like North Dakota Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin and Indiana Sen. Joe Donnelly. After the vote, Pompeo was sworn in by Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, a State Department spokesman said. The Senate also confirmed Richard Grenell, Trump's choice for ambassador to Germany whose nomination had been held up. Grenell, a former spokesman at the United Nations, was confirmed 56-42. Grenell's confirmation comes as German Chancellor Angela Merkel meets with the president at the White House on Friday. Pompeo, a former Republican congressman from Kansas, replaces Rex Tillerson, the oil executive who was ousted by Trump last month. "He will always put the interests of America first," the president said in a statement after Pompeo's confirmation. "He has my trust. He has my support." The Trump administration had pushed for lawmakers to confirm Pompeo by Thursday so he could head to a NATO meeting in Brussels on Friday. A long list of pressing issues awaits him, including a decision on the Iran nuclear deal and Trump's upcoming summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, for which Pompeo laid the groundwork. On Thursday afternoon, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders tweeted previously unseen photos of Pompeo and Kim. Trump, in early March, announced on Twitter that he had fired Tillerson and would be replacing him with Pompeo. But the confirmation process has been rocky at times. POMPEO RECOMMENDED BY SENATE PANEL FOR SECRETARY OF STATE He barely avoided a rare rebuke Monday from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee after last-minute drama but ultimately secured enough votes to be favorably recommended out of the committee. There had been uncertainty ahead of that vote as most Democrats on the committee lined up against him. But after signaling they could oppose Pompeo in committee, two Republicans, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul and Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake, both voted for him. And one Democrat relented to allow a favorable vote. But the president lashed out at those opposing the nomination as obstructionists. Hard to believe Obstructionists May vote against Mike Pompeo for Secretary of State, the president tweeted Monday. The Dems will not approve hundreds of good people, including the Ambassador to Germany. They are maxing out the time on approval process for all, never happened before. Need more Republicans! Trump has already entrusted Pompeo with high-level diplomacy, sending him to North Korea over Easter weekend to meet with the rogue nations leader. But Democrats, like New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez, the foreign relations committees ranking member, accused Pompeo of a lack of transparency over the North Korea visit. I dont expect diplomacy to be negotiated out in the open, but I do expect for someone who is the nominee to be secretary of state, when he speaks with committee leadership and is asked specific questions about North Korea, to share some insights about such a visit, Menendez said. When he fired Tillerson last month, Trump acknowledged he and his secretary of state had had disagreements. The president said he and Pompeo have a similar thought process," praising Pompeo for his tremendous energy, tremendous intellect." "We're always on the same wave length," he said. "The relationship has always been very good. That's what I need as secretary of state." Fox News Chad Pergram, Jon Decker, Kaitlyn Schallhorn and The Associated Press contributed to this report. Mike Pompeo was selected by the White House earlier this year to leave his post as CIA director and take over as secretary of state. He was confirmed in a 57 to 42 vote by the Senate on April 26 after facing a rocky Foreign Relations Committee vote. All Republicans present voted aye. Seven senators who caucus with the Democrats voted yes. Pompeo, is the first CIA director to lead the State Department. He replaces Rex Tillerson, a former ExxonMobil chief, as the nation's top diplomat. I have gotten to know Mike very well over the past 14 months, and I am confident he is the right person for the job at this critical juncture, Trump said when he nominated Pompeo. He will continue our program of restoring Americas standing in the world, strengthening our alliances, confronting our adversaries, and seeking the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. Trump sent Pompeo to North Korea over Easter weekend to meet with the rogue nations leader, Kim Jong Un, according to the White House. Trump said on social media a good relationship was formed during the meeting, and the two men reportedly discussed the release of three Americans being held in the Asian nation. Pompeo, 54, said he is deeply grateful to the president for the job and said he looks forward to representing him and the American people to the rest of the world to further Americas prosperity. During his Senate confirmation hearing on April 12, Pompeo confirmed for the first time publicly to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that he has been interviewed by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating potential ties between Russia and Trump's presidential campaign and possible obstruction of justice issues. Read on for a look at the Trump administration's newest secretary of state. What is Pompeos background? Pompeo graduated first in his class at West Point, where he served with distinction in the U.S. Army, Trump said after promoting him. He is a former cavalry officer, who patrolled the Iron Curtain prior to the collapse of the Berlin Wall, according to his CIA biography. He served in the Army from 1986 to 1991. Pompeo later received a law degree from Harvard University in 1994. After college, Pompeo started Thayer Aerospace, an specialized machine firm that was reportedly backed by conservative mega-donors David and Charles Koch. Pompeo served as its chief executive officer for more than 10 years. The Wichita Business Journal heaped praise on Pompeo and Thayer for securing a $124 million contract with Vought Aircraft Industries in 2000. It said Thayer is a great example of the entrepreneurial spirit that drives the Wichita economy. Pompeo stepped aside from Thayer in 2006, according to the Wichita Business Journal. Pompeo would eventually become president of Sentry International, a company that sold equipment for oil fields and manufacturing. He is married with one son. What about his political career? As a Republican, Pompeo represented the 4th congressional district of Kansas from January 2011 to January 2017, when he was sworn in as CIA director. He was elected to Congress during the Tea Party movement. While in Congress, Pompeo was part of the contentious House Select Benghazi Committee, which probed the 2012 attack on the U.S. diplomatic outpost in Libya. The committee sharply criticized the Obama administration particularly former secretary of state Hillary Clinton for the handling of the attack and its aftermath. Pompeo called Clinton morally reprehensible. Additionally, Pompeo has often lambasted the Obama administrations nuclear deal with Iran, which granted Tehran sanctions relief for rolling back its nuclear weapons program. Pompeo was confirmed as the CIA director by the Senate with a 66 to 32 vote on January 23, 2017. Two Democrats, Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy both from Connecticut did not vote. Murphy's office said he opposed Pompeo leading the CIA but could not make it to the vote due to weather-related travel delays. Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky was the only Republican who voted against Pompeo. He told Fox News at the time he was worried Pompeos desire for security will trump his defense of liberty. The White House announced its intention for Pompeo to take over as secretary of state on March 13. As Director of the CIA, Mike has earned the praise of members in both parties by strengthening our intelligence gathering, modernizing our defensive and offensive capabilities, and building close ties with our friends and allies in the international intelligence community, Trump said. Fox News Chad Pergram, Zoe Szathmary, Lucas Tomlinson and The Associated Press contributed to this report. The Oklahoma House of Representatives on Wednesday passed what has been dubbed as the Constitutional Carry gun bill in a 59-28 vote. The bill would allow all law-abiding Oklahomans to carry a loaded, concealed handgun without a permit, permitting handgun owners in the state to carry their weapon in most public places. However, some areas where firearms are already prohibited by law -- such as the ones listed here -- are still exempt. Additionally, the bills author, Rep. Jeff Coody, R-Okla., filed an amendment that would permit handgun owners to also carry in a wildlife refuge or management area. Coody was not immediately available for comment when contacted by Fox News on Thursday. Supporters of the bill, which also does away with training and background checks for handguns, argue it protects a gun owners right to self defense. "Would it surprise you that the majority that have committed heinous crimes either have mental health conditions or the background checks have not been followed up? We're failing on that end. We need to concentrate on that end and not hinder our law-abiding citizens," Rep. Justin Humphrey, R-Okla., who supported the bill, said. "Theres not mandated training, but a law-abiding citizen who avails himself of a weapon would be extremely foolish not to seek training, Coody said, according to the Tulsa World. "My position has always been that responsible citizens will get more training that (sic) required under existing law." Another supporter and member of the Oklahoma Second Amendment Association said the bill allows people in the state to protect themselves and eliminates the costly permit process. The association, which backed the bill, told Fox News in a statement that it is "a positive step forward for lawful, peaceful citizens to exercise their Second Amendment right to carry, for self-defense without permission from the government, which has been prohibited in Oklahoma since statehood in 1907." Opponents say the bill presents certain safety and training issues. They also argue that now is not an appropriate time to expand gun rights, citing recent mass shootings, such as the one in Parkland, Fla., in February, KOCO5 reported. One of the bill's opponents, Democratic state Rep. Shane Stone, said that while he is a supporter of the second amendment, we need to have reasonable restrictions, he told Fox News on Thursday. Many of Coodys arguments were inconsistent with the constitution, he said, adding that the bill is anti-safety and anti-law enforcement because the bill, if signed into law, could put law enforcement officers at risk. "It's too far out there," said Stone. "I do not support the rights of law enforcement to feel not threatened or safe to the detriment of my own constitutional rights," Coody said in response to the law enforcement argument, according to KFOR. Stone said many of his constituents agreed with his perspective, echoing similar sentiments as the bill was debated Wednesday night. The Senate is expected to decide on the bill by next week, the representative said, adding that he thinks the chances of it passing are pretty good. If passed, it will be presented to Gov. Mary Fallin for a signature. Stone said he doesnt expect Fallin to veto the bill. Embattled EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt acknowledged in congressional testimony Thursday that he was aware of at least one of two controversial pay raises for members of his staff -- despite downplaying his knowledge of the move in a recent Fox News interview. When asked by Rep. Ryan Costello, R-Ill., about the pay raises and conflicting accounts, Pruitt responded, I was aware ... one of those individuals was receiving a raise. Pruitt, testifying before a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee, said he had delegated authority for the raises. He said he authorized his chief of staff to sign off, but: I was not aware of the amount, nor was I aware of the process not being respected. Pruitt had originally told Fox News on April 4 that he didnt approve the raises for fellow Oklahomans Sarah Greenwalt and Millan Hupp and didnt know who had. He claimed he had only learned of the raises the day before. EPA SCOTT PRUITT PUSHES BACK ON PAY RAISE, CONDO CONTROVERSY IN FOX NEWS EXCLUSIVE The Washington Post reported, though, that Greenwalt emailed a colleague in the EPAs HR department stating the raises had been discussed with Pruitt in advance. According to previous accounts, Pruitt in March approached the White House and asked for substantial pay raises. Pruitt asked to bump Greenwalts salary to $164,200 from $107,435 and Hupps to $114,590 from $86,460. Since the employees were political appointees, the White House needed to sign off on it but refused. The EPA then used a little-known provision in the Safe Drinking Water Act to skirt the White Houses decision and green-light the salary increases. Pruitt has also come under fire for other spending decisions as well as allegations of ethical infractions. Among other things, Pruitts been accused of flying first-class on the taxpayers dime, spending $43,000 on a soundproof telephone booth and buying a bullet-proof desk. Hes also racked up $3 million in expenses that includes hiring a 20-member security detail for himself. SCOTT PRUITT'S TIME AS EPA ADMINISTRATOR DOGGED BY QUESTIONS ABOUT FIRST-CLASS TRAVEL, PAY RAISES Pruitt on Thursday blamed his staff for some of those decisions. 'The buck stops at your desk.' Rep. Frank Pallone, D-N.J. When asked by Rep. Frank Pallone, D-N.J., about his pricey air travel, Pruitt claimed to be removed from the decision-making process. I am not involved in any of those decisions, Pruitt said. Pallone pushed back: The buck stops at your desk. He also told Pruitt he was unfit to hold public office. Pallone also pressed Pruitt on whether he had retaliated against employees who had raised alarm over his spending decisions. Has it always been your practice to fire people who disagree with you? Pallone asked. Pruitt responded, I dont ever recall a conversation to that end. Rep. Paul Tonko, D-N.Y., also hammered Pruitt, telling him he was never fit for this job. Even Republican Chairman John Shimkus called the allegations against Pruitt a distraction that cant be ignored. Other Republicans on the panel mostly rallied to Pruitts defense, praising him for reversing Obama-era regulations and other measures he has taken at the EPA. For his part, Pruitt told lawmakers he wanted to clear up the allegations against him. I, more than anyone, want to establish the hard facts and provide answers to questions surrounding these reports, Pruitt said during his opening remarks. Let me be very clear: I have nothing to hide as it relates to how Ive run the agency for the past 16 months. Pruitt called the controversies swirling around him half-truths and twisted allegations by people who are trying to undermine President Trumps anti-regulatory agenda. Facts are facts and fiction is fiction, Pruitt said. During a separate afternoon hearing, Pruitt detailed two deaths threats he said he received via Facebook. He said the threats were why, in part, he upped his security detail. One read, Pruitt, Im going to find you and put a bullet between your eyes. Dont think Im joking. Im planning this. A popular online troll account -- purporting to be written by a rogue White House staffer, and claiming to spill Trump administration secrets -- has been deleted by Facebook, which deemed it a fake account amid Fox News questions. Rogue Potus Staff, a Twitter account that was linked to Facebook and which has amassed nearly 1 million followers, has been the subject of fascination and debate over whether it was real. The Twitter version of the account remained active, as of this writing. The unofficial resistance team inside the White House. We pull back the curtain to expose the real workings inside this disastrous, frightening Administration, the accounts Twitter bio reads. Liberal journalists and media organizations have given credence to the flood of so-called alternative government employee accounts since Trumps inauguration. The New York Times reported that the concerns of federal employees are being spread across social media with accounts purportedly claiming to reveal the inner-workings of the administration. Multiple other publications gave a more resounding boost to the credibility of Rogue Potus Staff, with feminist magazine Marie Claire writing online, Apparently a rogue White House staffer is tweeting out Trump's secrets and saying Trump will probably be a bit more careful about what he says in public following this security breach. Progressive blog Palmer Report, described by the Atlantic as the publication of record for anti-Trump conspiracy nuts who dont care about the credibility of the record, came out to proclaim that the Rogue Potus Staff persona is genuine and theres no evidence that it's a hoax. The article has since been deleted. But despite giving credence to the anonymous online author, few attempted to verify who's behind the account. The alleged staffer created a Facebook account and a page in March 2017, linking it to the Twitter account. But just a few months ago, the page suddenly disappeared. Fox News reached out to Facebook last week, asking whether the removal was part of Facebooks effort to crackdown on Russian propaganda and fake accounts or pages. A representative for Facebook said last Friday that the page was deleted by the page administrator. But on the same day, the account that administrated the Rogue White House staffers page was also suddenly scrubbed after its activity and behavior deemed the account fake. A Facebook spokeswoman confirmed that Facebook deleted the account after Fox News inquiries that flagged it up in the system. "In a review of wider page itself it was determined that the admin was a fake, she said. She declined to say whether the account was deleted due to it being part of the Russian propaganda effort or being one of the thousands of fake accounts located somewhere in Europe for the purpose of pushing fake news. The now-deleted account published lots of fake news. In one example, the self-proclaimed White House staffer tweeted Feb. 13 that former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn would remain in his job because the president was committed to him. Later that day, Flynn resigned amid a controversy over his past contact with the Russian ambassador. Similarly, the account said the Trump administration would rescind a 2014 Obama administration executive order regarding workplace protections of LGBTQ community, tweeting Rumors are true. Expect by end of the week. The speculation proved to be incorrect and the administration kept the order something a real White House insider likely would had known. Fox News contacted Twitter, which has been less successful in tackling the scourge of fake news and fake accounts, regarding the account on its platform, which still remains active, noting that the account has been terminated by Facebook. A Twitter representative declined to comment on the particular account. A Twitter source said its platform has very different privacy policies concerning anonymity, thus a decision by Facebook might not necessarily be relevant to Twitter. President Trump gave Dr. Ronny Jackson a clean bill of health in March to run the Department of Veterans Affairs. But the White House physician has pulled himself from consideration for the job after controversies from his past came to light, Fox News has learned. Jackson was accused of providing prescriptions without paperwork, often being drunk on the job and wrecking a government vehicle while intoxicated, according to a review of his colleagues by Democrats. Johnson denied the allegations but said he is still withdrawing his name from consideration because the accusations "have become a distraction for this President and the important issue we must be addressing how we give the best care to our nations heroes." A Navy rear admiral, Jackson is the presidents personal physician who rose to prominence after he addressed the press from the White House briefing room in January to discuss Trumps health. While Jackson said the president needs to lose some weight, he said the physical exam he conducted showed overall that Trump was in good physical and mental health. Trump fired Secretary David Shulkin on March 28, and Robert Wilkie was supposed to serve as interim secretary until Jackson's confirmation. Read on for a look at three things to know about the physician. He has a marine biology degree From Texas, Jackson, 50, graduated from Texas A&M University in 1991 with a degree in marine biology, according to his Navy biography. He graduated from the University of Texas Medical Branch with his medical degree in 1995. That same year, Jackson joined the Portsmouth Naval Medical Center located just outside Chesapeake, Virginia which kicked off his active duty military career. It was there that he finished an internship in transitional medicine. Later, he would return to the naval center to complete his residency in emergency medicine, graduating at the top of his class in 2004. Jackson is a veteran Jackson was deployed to Iraq after he joined the 2nd Marines in 2005, according to his Navy biography. He served as the emergency medicine physician in charge of resuscitative medicine for a forward deployed Surgical Shock Trauma Platoon. Hes been a White House physician since Bush While still in Iraq, Jackson was tapped as a White House physician in 2006. He has overseen the physicians for Camp David presidential retreats, led the White House Medical Unit and directed the executive health care for the Cabinet and senior staff members, according to his biography. It was former President Barack Obama who selected Jackson to fill the position of physician to the president. Fox News' John Roberts, Joseph Weber and The Associated Press contributed to this report. President Trump, in a fiery exclusive interview with "Fox & Friends," blasted former FBI Director James Comey on Thursday as a liar and a leaker who is guilty of crimes -- while issuing a stern warning to the Justice Department about the Russia probe. He said he tries to "stay away" from the Justice Department's affairs, "but at some point I won't." He suggested the DOJ hasn't adequately scrutinized Comey and others amid the focus on the Russia probe. "Our Justice Department should be looking at that kind of stuff, not the nonsense of collusion with Russia. There is no collusion with me and Russia, and everyone knows that, he said. The president, who called into Fox & Friends, specifically slammed the memos that Comey leaked to a friend to spur a special counsel appointment. He said they included classified information, and challenged their accuracy. He leaked classified information to get a special counsel and leaked the memos which are classified the memos were about me and he didnt write those memos accurately. He wrote a lot of phony stuff, Trump said. He is guilty of crimes. Comey admitted during Senate testimony last June that he shared his memos documenting meetings with Trump with his friend, Columbia University law professor Daniel Richman. Richman told Fox News that Comey had given him four memos, and this week told Fox News that he is now representing Comey as his attorney. Fox News reported this week that during Comey's time at the FBI, Richman was a special government employee on an unpaid basis. Sources familiar with Richmans FBI work said Comey assigned him to "special projects." "Comey did an illegal act," Trump said Thursday. Comey has defended the release of his memos to Richman. I was a private citizen at that time, Comey said during a CNN town hall. The FBI gets upset when people make unauthorized disclosures of classified information. I handled the memos appropriately. My mind is open to other points of view, but I dont see it, honestly. Trump also sharply criticized the Justice Department as a whole, saying "if we had a Justice Department that was doing their job," he would interact with the agency. "They have this witch hunt going on with the people there that shouldn't be there, I've taken the position that I will not be involved with the Justice Department," Trump said. "I will wait until this is over -- it's all lies and it's a horrible thing going on." But he also warned that he could change his mind. By the end of the interview, Trump suggested he could eventually get involved. Despite the "witch hunt," Trump touted his administration and his presidency, noting that despite "all of this going on," he has "accomplished more than any president in our history." After detailing the administration's accomplishments, Trump circled back to criticism of Justice and the FBI, while indicating he might talk to Special Counsel Robert Mueller "if I can." "I love the FBI and the FBI loves me," Trump said. "But the top people at the FBI were crooked." Trump mentioned former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, and FBI officials Peter Strzok and Lisa Page, who exchanged a series of anti-Trump text messages. "You look at the corruption at the top of the FBI -- it's a disgrace," he said. When asked about the investigation of his personal attorney Michael Cohen, Trump said he has been told that hes not involved. This week, Cohens attorneys said that the former Trump Organization lawyer planned to take the Fifth in the Stormy Daniels lawsuit, due to the ongoing criminal investigation as part of a grand jury probe into his personal business dealings. Hes a good person. A great guy. But this doesnt have to do with me. Michael is a businessman, hes got business. He also practices law, and theyre looking at something having to do with his business. I have nothing to do with his business, Trump said. Trump said that while Cohen serves as his attorney, he has many attorneys. Sadly I have so many attorneys you wouldnt even believe it, Trump said, noting that of his overall legal work, Cohen represented a tiny, tiny little fraction. Michael would represent me on some things ... like with this crazy Stormy Daniels deal he represented me, and you know, from what I see, he did absolutely nothing wrong, Trump said. There were no campaign funds going into this. At issue is a $130,000 payment Cohen made to the adult film star Daniels, whose legal name is Stephanie Clifford. The payment was made in the weeks leading up to the 2016 presidential election in exchange for her silence about an alleged sexual encounter with Trump in 2006. Daniels initially denied any involvement with Trump. Trump said earlier this month that he did not know about the payment from Cohen, which is now being investigated as part of the probe led by the U.S. Attorneys Office in the Southern District of New York. President Trump will travel to the United Kingdom in July, the White House confirmed Thursday, where he will meet with Prime Minister Theresa May for bilateral talks. The President of the United States will visit the UK on 13 July. He will hold bilateral talks with the Prime Minister during his visit, 10 Downing Street said in a statement. Further details will be set out in due course. White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders confirmed the visit to reporters at the White House. While no agenda was given, it is likely that Brexit, Syria, tariffs and a U.S.-U.K. trade deal will be among the topics discussed by the two leaders during Trump's working visit. A state visit to the U.K. was proposed in January 2017 when May visited the White House, but the resulting controversy and threat of mass protests from left-wing activists appeared to put such a visit on ice. In January this year, Trump nixed a February visit to the U.K. to open the U.S. Embassy, reportedly due to the cost of the building. Trump and May last met in Davos, Switzerland in January. During that visit, Trump dismissed concerns of strained ties between the two countries, just weeks after a controversy erupted over Trumps retweeting of videos by a far-right British group of alleged Muslim crimes. [May] and myself have had a really great relationship, although some people don't necessarily believe that," Trump said in Davos. But I can tell you it's true. I have a tremendous respect for the prime minister and the job she's doing. And I think the feeling is mutual from the standpoint of liking each other a lot. We are very much joined at the hip when it comes to the military. We have the same ideas, the same ideals, he said before turning to speak to May directly. There's nothing that would happen to you that we won't be there to fight for you. UNDER MACRON, FRANCES NUDGES OUT BRITAIN AS TRUMP'S FAVORED ALLY May was similarly glowing in her praise of what she called a really special relationship between the U.K. and the United States. May has repeatedly come under fire for her outreach to Trump. When the U.S., U.K. and France joined forces to bomb Syria this month, hard-left Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn accused May of bowing to the whims of a U.S. President. Fox News' Serafin Gomez contributed to this report. Make America Great Again is the goal of Donald Trumps presidency. But Trumps personal dream is to have his likeness added to Mount Rushmore. So says U.S. Rep. Kristi Noem, R-S.D. How does Noem know? The congresswoman claims Trump shared the dream with her when she visited the Oval Office. Noem told the story to Mitchell Olson, the South Dakotan who appeared on TVs Survivor. They were filming a video patterned after late-night host James Cordens carpool karaoke segments, according to the Argus Leader of Sioux Falls, S.D. [Trump] said, Kristi, come on over here. Shake my hand, Noem said, according to the newspaper. I shook his hand, and I said, Mr. President, you should come to South Dakota sometime. We have Mount Rushmore.' And he goes, 'Do you know it's my dream to have my face on Mount Rushmore?'" Noem thought the president was joking, the paper reported. I started laughing, she said. He wasn't laughing, so he was totally serious. No one from the White House responded when the Argus Leader checked to verify the story. But the newspaper noted that Trump did mention Mount Rushmore during a rally in Youngstown, Ohio, last July. I'd ask whether or not you think I will someday be on Mount Rushmore, but here's the problem: If I did it joking, totally joking, having fun, the fake news media will say 'he believes he should be on Mount Rushmore, the newspaper quotes Trump as having said. So I won't say it, OK? I won't say it. Click here for more from the Argus Leader. A chilling 19th-century postcard written by someone claiming to be "Jack the Ripper" has resurfaced in the U.K., puzzling experts. Once used by police in an attempt to catch the serial killer, the postcard will be offered for sale by Grand Auctions on April 30. The card, which measures 2.75 inches by 4.75 inches, was received at Ealing Police Station in West London on Oct. 29 1888. It arrived when the city was reeling from a spate of vicious killings attributed to Jack the Ripper, who was never caught. The killer is thought to have claimed the lives of least five young women in the Whitechapel area of London between August and November 1888. Mary Jane Kelly, the last of the so-called canonical five victims, was savagely murdered on Nov. 9, 1888 just days after the postcard was delivered. JACK THE RIPPER MYSTERY: RESEARCHERS HIT ROADBLOCK Beware there is [sic] two women I want here they are bastards, and I mean to have them my knife is still in good order it is a students [sic] knife and I hope you liked the kidney. I am Jack the Ripper, the postcard states. The kidney appears to be a reference to the famous From Hell letter sent in October 1888 by someone claiming to be Jack the Ripper. The letter, which was received by George Lusk, head of the Whitechapel Vigilance Committee, was sent with half a human kidney. Both items have since been lost. The "I am Jack the Ripper" card has been checked by former police officer Stewart Evans, author of Jack the Ripper: Letters from hell, who says that the artifact is from the time of the killings. Mystery, however, continues to swirl around the postcards author. "We are in the fortunate position of nobody being able to say the card was not written by Jack, but equally we cannot prove it was. It's one of those conundrums, you will never know, said Jonathan Riley, a 19th-century history expert at Grand Auctions, in comments obtained by SWNS. JACK THE RIPPER LETTER MYSTERY SOLVED? EXPERT SHEDS NEW LIGHT ON NOTORIOUS CASE The macabre note was held by police until the 1960s. It was given to the vendor's husband, a Police Constable and member of the Metropolitan Police Force as a memento for his retirement from the force in 1966, explains Grand Auctions on its website. The postcard has a pre-sale estimate of $835 to $1,253. More than 100 years after the brutal killings, Jack the Ripper continues to be a source of fascination. Earlier this year, a forensic linguist shed new light on letters supposedly written by the murderer during the killing spree that sent shockwaves through Victorian London. Last year, in a separate project, researchers claimed to have proved the authenticity of a controversial Victorian diary that was supposedly written by the infamous murderer. JACK THE RIPPER REVEAL? EXPERTS BELIEVE DISPUTED VICTORIAN DIARY SAID TO BELONG TO KILLER IS GENUINE Separately in 2017, another team of researchers looking to identify the last known victim of Jack the Ripper revealed that they have hit a low-tech roadblock that will likely prevent them from unleashing their DNA testing technology on any potential remains. Experts from the U.K.s University of Leicester that identified the remains of King Richard III had embarked on the project to identify Mary Jane Kelly. However, finding Kellys actual remains poses a massive challenge. The grave marker in St. Patricks Catholic Cemetery in Leytonstone, London, where Kelly is assumed to be buried, likely has little relevance to her actual grave. Follow James Rogers on Twitter @jamesjrogers The Buffalo Museum of Science has been sitting on a rare find. A collections manager with the museum discovered an elephant bird egg nestled away in a cabinet for more than half a century and erroneously labeled as a cast. The egg is 1 foot long, more than 2 feet in circumference, and in pristine condition. "It's the biggest egg laid by any vertebrate ever," Kathryn Leacock, director of collections, told the Buffalo News. And that includes dinosaurs, the Smithsonian noted, which reported the egg's volume is equivalent to that of about 150 chicken eggs. Convinced the specimen looked too real to be a model, the museum brought the egg to conservation experts at SUNY Buffalo State who radiographed and authenticated it. The X-rays also revealed a yolk sac and specks of white material, indicating the egg had been fertilized, with the white bits possibly the early stages of a developing bird. Elephant birds, which became extinct in the 17th century, could grow to a height of 10 feet and weigh as much as 1,100 pounds. The flightless birds were found on Madagascar and probably disappeared due to a combination of factors, reported Newsweek: The giant eggs were attractive to poachers, and environmental changes may have sealed their fate. Museum records suggest that the egg was purchased from a London collector in 1939. "Lost, hidden, or misidentified artifacts and specimens are not uncommon in museums that have been collecting for centuries," Leacock said in a news release. The egg, one of fewer than 40 held by public institutions, will be on display at the museum starting in May. This article originally appeared on Newser. A team of scientists have recently revealed they are able to keep the brain of a pig alive outside of its body for 36 hours after it has been decapitated. Researcher Nenad Sestan, who led the group of Yale University scientists, discussed the findings at a recent National Institutes of Health conference centered on brain research. Though the heads were no longer attached to the bodies, Sestan and his team were able to keep the brains alive by connecting them to a closed-loop system known as "BrainEX," which pumps body-temperature artificial blood to the necessary parts of the brain to keep it alive. ROBOT HELPS DISABLED YOUNG FAN MAKE SOCCER HISTORY Sestan declined to comment further on the findings when reached by MIT Technology Review, but the findings are significant, with Sestan calling them "mind-boggling" and unexpected, since individual brain cells were found to be capable of normal activity, even if the decapitated pigs never regained consciousness. These brains may be damaged, but if the cells are alive, its a living organ, Steve Hyman, director of psychiatric research at the Broad Institute in Cambridge, Massachusetts, told Technology Review in an interview. Its at the extreme of technical know-how, but not that different from preserving a kidney. The research has implications not only for how scientists understand the human brain, but could change the way we perceive death, consciousness and other things associated with thought. In the NIH presentation, Sestan said the technique was likely to work in any species, including primates. This is probably not unique to pigs, he added. Before it gets to that stage though, ethics need to be considered, which Sestan and his team expressed concerns over. WHO SHOT THE DODO? TECHNOLOGY REVEALS FAMOUS BIRD'S VIOLENT END Some experts have speculated deceased humans who are disembodied could be used to test new and speculative cancer and Alzheimer drugs that have been deemed too dangerous to try on a living being. There are going to be a lot of weird questions even if it isnt a brain in a box, said an advisor to the NIH who didnt wish to speak on the record. I think a lot of people are going to start going to slaughterhouses to get heads and figure it out. Nonetheless, Sestan is anxious to see how the technology is received by both others in the community and the general public. People are fascinated," he told Technology Review. "We have to be careful how fascinated." Will you be the very lucky first person in history to drink a delicious, ice cold beer in space? Imagine your bar is the stars with the unforgettable view of our beautiful blue planet below. You are kicking back in zero gravity, cracking open a cold brew and enjoying it from the bottle not the usual astronaut squeezie- a real beer experience sound impossible? Possible. Space exploration is not all rockets and rovers. When our military forces are stationed there, they will deserve to kick back and enjoy a home comfort like a cold beer at the end of a hard day. A solution is underway. If this cutting-edge space project works, then this beer drinking feat will not just a global first but most likely a galaxy first. One team is on the verge of cracking it and their beer delivery system, aka space pint glass, is based on fuel tank tech for space exploration and aims to deliver a clean pour in spite of zero G. MEET THE US MILITARY'S WARSHIP KILLER: THESE NEW MISSILES WILL SINK ENEMY SHIPS Combining beer brewing talent and space expertise, 4 Pines Brewing Company and Saber Astronautics joined force. They are determined to create this first beer designed for space and drunk like beer on Earth. U.S. Army and Air Force Space Command senior instructors and operators contribute their unique expertise to Sabers space exploration innovation. The Saber Astronautics folks have engineered iconic projects like the Hubble Space Telescope and the International Space Station. Theyve been advancing this project for several years and it is nearing lift off. You have 22 days left to join their team and support this unique aspect of space exploration not to mention, pick up perks like a ride to space to drink space beer. Whats the first space beer called? The universes first truly space beer is called Vostok Space Beer. Sounds Russian because this unique joint-force team dubbed the breakthrough beverage after the first breakthrough manned spaceship to space. FUTURISTIC NAVY SEAL BOAT DUBBED 'BATMOBILE' But rather fittingly, the universes first space beer will hail from Manly Beach in Australia (yes, that is genuinely a real place, and a manly one). PODCAST: SOUTHERN HUNTER TURNED ELITE MARINE RECON SNIPER + INSPIRATION FOR HBOS GENERATION KILL HIT SERIES What does space beer taste like? You cant take an awesome beer and expect it to taste awesome in space. Basically, food and liquids taste differently in space than they do on Earth. The body adapts in the very different environment so senses are different and can feel dulled. Tongues can also swell, impacting how beer tastes. Things that taste great on Earth may not in space. And when you drink something alcoholic in space, the bodys response is not the same. Alcohol is absorbed differently and can be more intense. So to create the beer, this team created a whole new recipe designed FOR space. Turns out, beer designed for space can be wildly popular on Earth too. It has already won heaps of medals including a gold for best beer in the Australian International Beer Awards. Vostok is a dry Irish stout with a full flavor. High flavor is important because it needs to taste great in that environment and no matter how long youre in space. Youll get the chocolate, caramel malts and coffee theyve cleverly rolled in even with dulled sense of smell and taste in space. And according to the beer experts down under, 5.1 percent ABV Vostok has a full-bodied, smooth finish, balancing bitterness. Beer Bottles + Pours in Zero Gravity The team has got to figure out how on earth to create tech that will allow folks in space to drink the stout from a bottle like on Earth. NEW FOAM ARMOR FOR TANKS CAN PULVERIZE ENEMIES Its not a true beer experience, a true home comfort, if you cant drink it from the bottle. Liquid doesnt pour in zero gravity. Liquid needs gravity to pour. Currently, astronauts use devices like bags they squeeze, tubes they squeeze, plungers, springs and other devices no pouring. PODCAST: MEET A REAL LIFE TOP GUN FIGHTER PILOT + LEARN THE TOP GUN INSIDER TACTICS TO BE UNSTOPPABLE IN LIFE Without gravity, how will this team get the beer out of the bottle like on Earth? They needed to engineer a special space beer bottle so folks can drink beer from a bottle the same way as on our planet. To solve this epic challenge, the team turned to the mega advanced tech for space exploration fuel tanks and translated it to defeat zero gravity and deliver a proper beer drinking experience. Saber created tech that wicks the beer from the bottom of your Vostok bottle to the neck. So the bottle is a sort of space age, futuristic fuel tank for beer. Who will be drinking space beers in space? Space tourists eventually space explorers and colonists. MARINES' ULTRA-POWERFUL HEAVILY-ARMED MEGA-DRONE WILL DEVASTATE ENEMIES OF THE US Even without a tourism spaceship hitting space yet, there is plenty of interest in future space vacations. The number of civilians who have bought tickets for the first wave of space tourism trips already vastly outstrips the number of astronauts who have travelled to space over the past nearly six decades. And when Elon Musks car successfully shot into space recently, space tourism fever went rampant. US Military Forces Deployed to Space While the market may first be predominantly space tourists, this will change. Like cyber, space is new terrain our military will need to evolve to fight in. In the near term, we can expect American warriors posted to space. There is a need for a military space force. Countries like China and Russia are arguably much farther along in preparing their military space fleets. This month, President Donald Trump made headlines advocating for developing another service branch, the "space force." AMAZING MILITARY ATVS ARMED WITH LASER WEAPONS WILL BLAST DRONES OUT OF THE SKY An elite U.S. military force that would operate in space has actually been in the pipeline for years. Hopefully, this will get a push now there is political will at a presidential level to establish a space force and to do so soon. Like care packages for our forces on Earth, space beer care packages could someday leave Earth to travel through space to reach distant U.S. military bases. Head to space and drink the first space beer there! Up for supporting this bold beer project and helping pave the way for future forces to enjoy beers in space too? The team is currently raising funds for the last phase at Indiegogo. For your support, they have a wide range of great perks. You could experience your own zero gravity flight, with fresh space beer in hand, own one of the first ever batch of Vostok Space Beers and could win a space weekender worth $20,000! Head over to Indiegogo. Russias reported development of a formidable nuclear-powered torpedo or underwater drone is fueling concern about the potential devastation if the weapon were ever unleashed against U.S. cities. While there has been speculation that the purported doomsday device could be fake, Russia has offered up some recent hints about the shadowy system. During an address to the countrys Federal Assembly on March 1, Russian President Vladimir Putin described the development of unmanned submersible vehicles that can move at great depths much faster than submarines. It is really fantastic. They are quiet, highly maneuverable and have hardly any vulnerabilities for the enemy to exploit. There is simply nothing in the world capable of withstanding them, he said. The Russian president explained that the country has completed innovative nuclear tests for the vehicle that enabled us to begin developing a new type of strategic weapon that would carry massive nuclear ordnance. Carrying either nuclear or conventional warheads, the vehicles could attack a variety of targets, including aircraft groups, coastal fortifications and infrastructure, he said. MEET THE US MILITARY'S WARSHIP KILLER: THESE NEW MISSILES WILL SINK ENEMY SHIPS Known as Oceanic Multipurpose System Status-6 or Kanyon, the mysterious weapon system is mentioned in the recent U.S. Nuclear Posture Review. Business Insider reported this week that Status-6 could potentially generate a 300-foot tsunami, although experts are unsure whether this would be the case. There is some dispute over whether it can generate a tidal wave but this hardly matters, Dr. Mark Schneider, senior analyst at the National Institute for Public Policy, told Fox News, via email. Citing a Kremlin briefing slide that was leaked in 2015, Schneider said that the weapons role appears to be the destruction of ports with a massive blast and radiation. FUTURISTIC NAVY SEAL BOAT DUBBED 'BATMOBILE' If used against major U.S. ports, it could kill millions in each attack, he explained, via email. I have called it insane because there is no way to limit damage from its use and no way to safely test it. Weapons like Status-6, Schneider said, are designed to deter retaliation against the initial Russian use of nuclear weapons. The Nuclear Posture Review recognized the need for a U.S. deterrent to Russian first use of low-yield nuclear weapons," he added. "We need such a deterrent very badly. Putin is a dangerous man." Pavel Podvig, author of the Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces blog, suspects that, despite the brouhaha over Status-6, Russia is still some way from making the decision to deploy a warhead on the underwater drone. "My understanding, it's just an educated guess, but I think that it's not there yet," he told Fox News. "As I understand it, it's still kind of a paper project." Follow James Rogers on Twitter @jamesjrogers The oceans are under attack and all signs point toward humans as the perpetrators. Sea temperatures are rising, fish populations are dwindling, and coral reefs are experiencing an unprecedented die-off called bleaching. For most accounts, the future for plants and animals on Earth looks pretty grim. One could argue that rampant advances in technology are what got us here in the first place. But, in a similar vein, technological progress may be the planets last hope for survival. In a recent study by an international team of researchers, scientists for the first time demonstrated that the groundbreaking gene-editing tool CRISPR-Cas9 can be successfully used on coral. The breakthrough paths the way for CRISPR to potentially offer a boost for conservationists trying to save these ancient animals. Corals are facing unprecedented declines due to climate change, motivating researchers to understand molecular basis of their thermal tolerance, how they complete their life cycle, and interactions with algae that live inside them, Phillip Cleves, a Stanford geneticist who co-led the research, told Digital Trends. Our ability to understand how specific genes contribute to these traits in corals is held back by the lack of methods to test how a particular gene functions in corals. By using CRISPR, a fast and precise gene-editing tool considered a resolution in biology, Cleves and his colleagues hope to make precise edits to the coral genomes, in order to study how certain genes function and why coral are so sensitive to changes in the environment. But there was a problem. Coral are selective breeders, releasing gametes (eggs and sperm) just once a year in accordance with water temperature and moon cycles. We wanted to introduce CRISPR into newly fertilized coral eggs, so we needed to be there right when they spawned, Marie Strader, a marine biologist at the University of California, Santa Barbara who co-led the research, said. Because of limited access to gametes, the timing in which to perform these experiments was limited. Luckily, Dr. Line Bay (co-author of the paper) and others at the Australian Institute of Marine Science have decades of experience on when and where corals will spawn. After traveling to Australia, the researchers used CRISPR to knock out a select few genes. Their breakthrough came when they successfully edited a gene that is thought to help regulate new coral colonization. The researchers admit that this is a small step down a long road, and they insist they arent trying to create a species of super coral. Rather, their goal is to better understand coral biology and, through that understanding, help these organisms survive the environmental trials that lay ahead. We intended this paper to serve as a humble blueprint for how researchers can use this technology to study the functions of coral genes, Strader said. We are currently conducting experiments investigating how specific genes regulate coral skeletal formation, or calcification, for example. However, we expect this technique could be useful to identify genes involved in many other ecologically important traits such as thermal tolerance or coral bleaching. There are so many open questions about which genes help corals thrive in these vibrant and changing ecosystems, she added. It is a very exciting time to do this type of work. A paper detailing the research this was published this week in the journal Processing of the National Academy of Sciences. This is a rush transcript from "Fox & Friends," April 26, 2018. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated. AINSLEY EARHARDT, CO-HOST: Well, here's the presidential seal. There is the White House and inside the White House is the President of the United States, Donald Trump. BRIAN KILMEADE, CO-HOST: And why would you be bringing that up, Ainsley? EARHARDT: He joins us now by phone. Thank you so much for being with us, Mr. President. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Well, good morning, and I picked a very, very special day because it's Melania's birthday, so I said let's do it on Melania's birthday. So, happy birthday to Melania. KILMEADE: All right. Hopefully, they'll be visits in between but have you decided on or do you want to tell us what you got her? TRUMP: Well, I better not get into that because I may get in trouble. Maybe I didn't get her so much. I'll tell you what. She has done -- a got her a beautiful card. You know, I'm very busy -- KILMEADE: At this point -- TRUMP: -- to be running out looking for presents, OK? But I got her a beautiful card and some beautiful flowers. And she did a fantastic job with France. I'll tell you what, the people of France are just -- were spellbound by what happened with their great president who just left, Emmanuel, and he is a wonderful guy and -- DOOCY: You guys really got along great. TRUMP: -- with a wonderful wife. Well, we did and -- DOOCY: You guys got along great. TRUMP: We did and, you know, they are both terrific people. And, Brigitte -- and we had a fantastic time. And much more importantly, we accomplished a lot. We really accomplished a lot. More than anybody knows. You'll be seeing what we accomplished. DOOCY: Well, give us a hint. Give us a hint. TRUMP: Well, I think we really came to recognize the -- you know, I can say it from my standpoint but he is viewing, I believe, Iran a lot differently than he did before he walked into the Oval Office and I think that's important. He understands where I'm coming from with respect to Iran. Iran is a real problem for this country. The president made a horrible deal. When I say the president, I'm talking about past administration made a horrible deal giving $150 billion, giving $1.8 billion in cash -- in actual cash carried out in barrels and in boxes from airplanes. It's inconceivable -- $1.8 billion. And all they do is scream death to America, death to America. And by the way, they're not screaming it so much anymore. They were screaming it with him. They don't scream it with me. We haven't seen their little boats circling our ships in the ocean lately because they know if they do circle the ships they're not going to be there very longer. KILMEADE: All right, I want to come back to that a little later because we do want to see if that -- because you have a big deadline coming up with the Iranian agreement. TRUMP: I do. KILMEADE: But -- TRUMP: I do. KILMEADE: -- when it comes to Ronny -- DOOCY: Your call. KILMEADE: -- Jackson, the word came out from John Roberts -- TRUMP: Yes. KILMEADE: -- now confirmed that he is no longer going to be a candidate to lead the V.A. In his statement is this. "The allegations against me are completely false and fabricated. If they had any merit, I would not have been selected, promoted, and trusted to serve in such a sensitive and important role as physician to three presidents over 12 years. In my role as a doctor, I have tirelessly worked to provide excellent care for all my patients. In doing so, I have always adhered to the highest ethical standards." Last night the report was you had a huddle. Is that what you decided last night? Is that what all of you decided? TRUMP: Well, I even told him a day or two ago. I saw where this was going. And, you know, they're very upset because Mike Pompeo who was again, first in his class at West Point, top in his class at Harvard Law School. A brilliant guy, a great guy, and somebody I get along with very well. You know, Mike got through and they thought they had him stopped. The Democrats are obstructionists. It's horrible what they're doing. They're not approving people. They're taking them out to the maximum 30 hours. That's a lot of time -- 30 hours -- to interview people that are going to be approved. I mean, they go 30 hours and then people will vote, and it's a disgrace. In fact, they had a report the other day that at this rate it will be nine years before -- DOOCY: It's unbelievable. TRUMP: -- they're allowed to come into government. So you have that have given up everything. They've given up their jobs. Top-line people -- brilliant people. They want to come in and help us in government and Chuck Schumer and the group take, you know, years to approve them -- years. We have judges that are waiting. Top of the line people. The best people in our country and -- And by the way, they're going to be approved but they take them out until the very, very end. And they said over nine years before they get approved -- KILMEADE: Mr. President -- TRUMP: -- because they're using every little trick in the book. KILMEADE: -- Mitch McConnell could keep them seven days a week until they reach their 30 hours and make them, these men and women, stay until this gets done. Why won't he do that? TRUMP: Well, he should be doing that and I think he will be doing that. And he should be doing that. Honestly, the Republicans -- look, we have some absolute warriors. We have -- when I -- I just watched your show. Jim Jordan, and Mark Meadows, and Matt Gaetz, and DeSantis, and so many -- Corey Lewandowski. We have people -- Diamond and Silk are warriors, by the way. How about Diamond and Silk? They've become amazing. You know, that started off like somebody was talking about them on the Internet. They were these two women -- these two beautiful, wonderful, women. And I said well, let me check it out. It took me about two seconds to say start them -- it's incredible. So, Diamond and Silk, these are all warriors. We have great people in the Republican Party and I think that, in one way, it's showing how bad, how obstructionist these Democrats are. It's a disgrace what's happening. EARHARDT: Do you think the obstructionist window -- as Dr. Jackson says, these allegations are baseless and they're just attacking him? This is not true, he served our country but yet, he's still withdrawing his name. So does the obstructionist win when your nominees don't fight back? TRUMP: Well, I could say yes. I can also say no because Doc Ronny -- you know, we call him Doc Ronny, we call him Admiral Ronny. He's an admiral, highly respected, a real leader. And I watched what Jon Tester of Montana, a state that I won by like over 20 points. You know, really, they love me and I love them. And I want to tell you that Jon Tester -- I think this is going to cause him a lot of problems in his state. He took a man who was just an incredible man -- an incredible man respected by President Obama. He gave him his highest rating. You saw what President Obama said. DOOCY: Yes. TRUMP: President Bush -- he was the doctor to President Bush, to President Obama and the family. He's been my doctor. And he runs a fantastic operation. You know, they have many doctors and they run a fantastic operation. And honestly, I said it to him. He didn't come to me. I said, you know, Doc, you run a great operation. How do you think you'd do at the V.A.? Now, we can talk about experience but the V.A. -- when you think about 13 million people -- DOOCY: Sure. TRUMP: -- you could take the head of the biggest hospital corporation of the world and it's peanuts compared to the V.A., so nobody has experience, you know. It's a big monster. And I'm really proud of the job we've done for the V.A. because we got -- we're working right now on Choice and really big -- but we got rid of so many rules and regulations that made it impossible and we're really doing great at the V.A. DOOCY: Right. TRUMP: But I want somebody that's going to be great. He would've done a great job -- DOOCY: Did -- TRUMP: He's got a tremendous heart. DOOCY: Any idea who you might -- TRUMP: You know, these are all false accusations that were made. These are false and they're trying to destroy a man. By the way, I did say welcome to Washington. Welcome to the swamp. Welcome to the world of politics. KILMEADE: Sure. TRUMP: But for Jon Tester to start bringing up stuff like candy man and the kind of things he was saying, and then say well, you know, these are just statements that are made. DOOCY: Right. TRUMP: There's no proof of this. And he has a perfect record. He's got this beautiful record unblemished. His son is a wonderful boy. Goes to Annapolis, at the top of his class. One of the finest cadets. For him to be doing this to this man and this family, I think Jon Tester has to have a big price to pay in Montana because I don't think people in Montana -- the admiral is the kind of person that they respect and admire and they don't like seeing what's happened to him. DOOCY: Well, the admiral has officially thrown in the towel. Any idea who you might nominate next? TRUMP: I do, actually, but I better not give it. Maybe we'll do it on my next call. I do -- I think we're going to have somebody great. DOOCY: All right. TRUMP: Somebody that's more -- you know, look, the admiral is not a politician which is what I liked, by the way. DOOCY: Is your nominee somebody in politics right now? TRUMP: Somebody with political capability, yes. DOOCY: All right. Meanwhile, let's talk a little bit about your former FBI director James Comey, who you fired. TRUMP: Right. DOOCY: He was on T.V. last night. He said -- TRUMP: I did a great thing for the American people by firing him. DOOCY: Well, he says he's not a leaker. He disputed what Anderson Cooper had said. But what's interesting is we've learned through Catherine Herridge's reporting is that apparently the guy he gave the secret memos to, Dr. Richman at Columbia University -- he had this special government employee status where he had -- you know, he could look at secrets. He had a badge to the building. And also, apparently, the memos were leaked to a wider group of people or at least two, maybe three, including former U.S. attorney Patrick Fitzgerald. Your opinion on what Mr. Comey is doing on his book tour and the fact that he had a special friend at Columbia University with an FBI badge. TRUMP: Look, Comey is a leaker and he's a liar and not only on this stuff. He's been leaking for years. He's probably been using his friend, the so-called professor who now turns out to have FBI clearance, which he never said. He even lied about that because he never said that in Congress. He said he gave it to a friend and he gave it to a friend to leak classified information. It's all classified. It was totally classified. So illegally -- he did an illegal act and he said it himself in order to get a special counsel against me. So the special counsel -- and by the way, and Intelligence Committee and everybody else has found no collusion. There's no collusion with me and the Russians. Nobody's been tougher to Russia -- KILMEADE: Right. TRUMP: -- than I am. You can ask President Putin about that. There's been nobody. Between the military and the oil and all of the other things that I've done -- the aluminum tax. They send us a lot of aluminum and I put tariffs on aluminum coming in. The 60 people that we sent out -- the 60 so-called diplomats. Nobody's been tougher. Nobody's even been close to as tough as me and we hear this nonsense. So there's no collusion whatsoever. Well, Comey -- what he did, Brian, was terrible. He leaked classified information in order to try and get a special counsel -- DOOCY: He says it wasn't classified, Mr. President. He says it wasn't classified. TRUMP: Oh, it's -- well, it's totally classified. And he also leaked the memos which are classified. Nobody unclassified them. And those memos were about me and they're phony memos. He didn't write those memos accurately. He put a lot of phony stuff. For instance, I went to Russia for a day or so -- a day or two because I own the Miss Universe pageant. So, I went there to watch it because it was near Moscow. So I go to Russia -- now, I did go there -- everybody knows. The locks are there, the planes are there. He said I didn't stay there a night. Of course, I stayed there. I stayed there a very short period of time but, of course, I stayed. Well, his memo said I left immediately. I never said that. I never said I left immediately. So he said -- and you know, the funny thing, he does these memos and then fake news CNN who's a total fake -- you know, they give Hillary Clinton the questions to the debate and nobody -- can you imagine, by the way, if you gave me the questions to a debate? They would have you out of business -- KILMEADE: Yes. TRUMP: -- and they'd have me -- you better get out of this campaign. They don't even bring it up. I mean, CNN - fake news CNN actually gave the questions to the -- KILMEADE: Yes, but don't worry about them. EARHARDT: I want to ask you -- TRUMP: No, no -- no, no, but think of it. How bad is that? So anyway -- so Comey leaked and, by the way, also what he did with CNN in order to placate them, you saw that whole scenario. This is a big mistake, this book. He is guilty of crimes and if we had a Justice Department that was doing their job instead of spending $8 million trying to find -- DOOCY: It's your Justice Department. Mr. President -- Mr. President, you're the Republican in charge -- TRUMP: You're right, yes, you're right. DOOCY: You've got a Republican running it. TRUMP: But here's what -- I answer this all the time. Because of the fact that they have this witch hunt going on with people in the Justice Department that shouldn't be there -- they have a witch hunt against the President of the United States going on -- I've taken the position -- and I don't have to take this position and maybe I'll change -- that I will not be involved with the Justice Department. I will wait until this is over. It's a total -- it's all lies and it's a horrible thing that's going on. KILMEADE: Yes. TRUMP: A horrible thing and yet, I've accomplished, with all of this going on, more than any president in the first year in our history. And everybody -- DOOCY: OK. TRUMP: Even the enemies and the haters admit that. EARHARDT: Right. TRUMP: We have accomplished more than any president in the first year, by far. If you look at regulations, and the big tax cuts, and Judge Gorsuch -- so many things -- and many other judges. But the big thing -- the tax cuts, the regulations -- nobody's done what we've done -- what I've done despite what's going on. So I'm very disappointed in my Justice Department but because of the fact that it's going under, and I think you'll understand this, I have decided that I won't be involved. I may change my mind at some point because what's going on is a disgrace. It's an absolute -- KILMEADE: All right. TRUMP: -- disgrace. And by the way, the only collusion is the collusion with the Democrats and the Russians. You take a look at what's going on there. They wouldn't even give their server -- the DNC, Democratic National Committee, wouldn't even give its server to the FBI. So what kind of an FBI -- they break down doors for Paul Manafort early in the morning. His wife is in bed like at five or six in the morning. And they undo the lock for Michael Cohen early in the morning. And yet, they walk into the DNC and they won't give them the server. They said we're not giving you the server. Oh, OK, we'll leave. That's not the FBI. That's a fix. KILMEADE: Let's talk about Michael Cohen. Yesterday, through his attorney, he's going to be taking the Fifth. What's your reaction to that being that you worked with him for a couple of decades -- TRUMP: I did. He -- KILMEADE: -- as your attorney. TRUMP: He's a good person. He's a great guy. KILMEADE: What's at stake for you, Mr. President? TRUMP: Brian, you know Michael. Michael's been on your show, I'm sure, a lot. You know, Michael -- KILMEADE: We know. TRUMP: -- is a good person. Let me just tell you that Michael is in business. He's really a businessman at fairly big businesses, I understand. And I don't know his business but this doesn't have to do with me. Michael is a businessman. He's got a business. He also practices law. I would say probably the big thing is his business and they're looking at something having to do with his business. I have nothing to do with his business. I can tell you he's a good guy. He sometimes -- KILMEADE: But isn't your business -- isn't his business your attorney, Mr. President? TRUMP: I have many, many -- just so you understand, I have many attorneys. I have attorneys -- sadly, I have so many attorneys you wouldn't even believe it. DOOCY: How many -- how much of your -- Mr. President, how much of your legal work was handled by Michael Cohen? TRUMP: Well, he has a percentage of my overall legal work -- a tiny, tiny little fraction. But, Michael would represent me and represent me on some things. He represents me -- like with this crazy Stormy Daniels deal he represented me. And, you know, from what I see he did absolutely nothing wrong. There were no campaign funds going into this -- EARHARDT: Then why is he pleading the Fifth? TRUMP: -- which would have been a problem. Because he's got other things. He's got businesses and from what I understand they're looking at his businesses, and I hope he's in great shape. KILMEADE: Yes. TRUMP: But he's got businesses and his lawyers probably told him to do that. But I'm not involved and I'm not involved -- and I've been told I'm not involved. KILMEADE: Right, Mr. -- EARHARDT: Right. TRUMP: That just came out of the newspapers. EARHARDT: Mr. President -- TRUMP: I've been told I'm not involved in that. EARHARDT: We want to get to Kanye West. He tweeted that he loves you, that you're his brother, and -- TRUMP: He's got good taste. EARHARDT: -- the left goes ballistic. What's your reaction? TRUMP: Yes. Well, they do. You know, I have known Kanye a little bit and I get along with Kanye. I get along with a lot of people, frankly. But Kanye looks and he sees black unemployment at the lowest it's been in the history of our country, OK? He sees Hispanic unemployment at the lowest it's been in the history of our country. He sees, by the way, female unemployment -- women unemployment the lowest it's been in now almost 19 years. He sees that stuff and he's smart. And he says you know what, Trump is doing a much better job than the Democrats did. And by the way, if they ever got in and started putting back all these rules and regulations where you can't breathe, where businesses go out of business, our country would be in big trouble. KILMEADE: Right. TRUMP: And had I not gotten elected, Hillary would have come in. She would have added more rules and regulations. We would have been out of business because you saw what was happening. We were going down. KILMEADE: Yes, and a couple of things on top of that. There's a bigger picture. Kanye West comes out. Regardless of what he says he doesn't have anything personally against you. He likes you even if he doesn't agree with everything. Then he has other people in the black community. Like, Chance the Rapper comes out and says black people don't have to be Democrats. Have Republicans done a bad job ignoring the black community up until now? TRUMP: You know, I think it was just a custom. People don't realize, you know, if you go back to the Civil War it was the Republicans that really did the thing. Lincoln was a Republican. I mean, somehow it changed over the years and I will say I really believe it's changing back. Remember, I was going to get no black votes? DOOCY: Right. TRUMP: I was going to get none? Well, I got a lot. I got a lot of support, you know, and I should have gotten much more. Now -- in fact, I used to go around saying what do you have to lose? I'd say that at speeches, remember? I'd go into a stadium. I'd talk about the African-American vote. I said the education is not good. The -- obviously, the law enforcement that your community -- the crime is at levels that nobody's ever seen before. You know, I'd go through like seven, 10 stats. I'd say vote for me. What do you have to lose? DOOCY: Right. TRUMP: So now they've voted for me crime is way down and really importantly, the unemployment picture -- DOOCY: Yes. TRUMP: -- is the best it's been in the history of our country for African-Americans. DOOCY: Mr. President, what does it say though about the political discourse in this country that when somebody comes out and says I like Donald Trump, suddenly the political left goes out and destroys them? Shania Twain was asked a couple of days ago about well, if you could've voted for Donald Trump would you have? And she said yes, I would have. And then she got so destroyed online she had to come out and apologize. And then yesterday, the same thing with Kanye West. Suddenly, people are saying the guy's out of his mind because he supports you. What happened to being able to have a different point of view? TRUMP: All right, I'll tell you what happened. Shania, who I think is terrific but she made a mistake by sort of saying I wish I didn't, you know, go public with it, but we know how she feels. But people have done that and they're amazed at what happens to their business because we have tremendous support. We have tremendous fans. If I ever called for a rally in Washington, D.C. we'd have millions of people coming into Washington because they love what's happening. KILMEADE: Right. TRUMP: So when I see a Kanye sticking to his guns or when I see others, and there are plenty of others, sticking to their guns and coming out and saying that you have a young lady who's been very much in the news in the last three or four days -- KILMEADE: Candace Owens. TRUMP: -- because she is -- she is fantastic. She's like the hottest thing out there now. If you have people do that they become much more popular. Remember, we won the election and we won it easily. You know, a lot of people say oh, it was close. KILMEADE: Yes. TRUMP: And by the way, they also like to always talk about Electoral College. Well, it's an election based on the Electoral College. I would rather have a popular election but it's a totally different campaign. KILMEADE: Right. TRUMP: It's as though you're running -- if you're a runner you're practicing for the 100-yard dash as opposed to the one-mile. The Electoral College is different. I would rather have the popular vote because it's -- to me, it's much easier to win. KILMEADE: Yes, it's a totally different set of goals as opposed to the Electoral College. TRUMP: Yes, but we have an Electoral College -- KILMEADE: Right. TRUMP: I got 306 and she got what, 223. So, remember -- KILMEADE: Yes. TRUMP: -- there was no way to break 270. KILMEADE: All right. TRUMP: I heard that on CBS, and NBC, and ABC. They're all fake news. KILMEADE: So -- TRUMP: I heard that for so long -- and CNN. But I heard that for so long. There is no way. So what they're trying to do is suppress the vote. Everyone goes home and says you know, I really like Donald Trump but I've watched on the news -- and they don't know it's fake news. I've taught them it's fake news. I've watched on the news that he can't win, so let's go to a movie, darling, and then we'll come home and we'll watch -- KILMEADE: And you'll find out in the midterms whether they go with the darling home or they go to the movies. TRUMP: But I think that -- KILMEADE: Let's talk about -- TRUMP: I think he'll do better than people think in the midterms. KILMEADE: Mr. President -- TRUMP: Did you know it's very -- KILMEADE: Right. TRUMP: The economy is so strong and jobs are so good that I think we're going to surprise -- you know, we won an election yesterday in Arizona. Nobody talks about it. They had these massive booths set up for CNN and everybody. They had these big booths set up because they were hoping -- you know, they spent a fortune on the Democrat and the Republican won -- Lesko. And you know what, nobody talks about it. KILMEADE: All right. But, Mr. President, you can argue -- you can argue that the midterms are going to be decided on big things like a meeting that you're going to have one-one-one with Kim Jong Un. How much are you looking at the summit that starts tomorrow with South Korea to look at what you're going to be doing when you sit down with North Korea? And on top of that, we know this is confidential but can you give us any more information on the one-on-one that Mike Pompeo had with Kim Jong Un? A lot of people are hungry for some details. TRUMP: Well, I can. First of all, we're doing very well with North Korea and we'll see how it all comes out. Again, Brian, I'm not like Obama where you go in and you have a Kerry, who's the worst negotiator I've ever seen. He goes in for the Iran deal, he never leaves. He should've left. He should've just left. He would have -- could have made a much better deal. But -- so it could be that I walk out quickly -- with respect, but it could be. It could be that maybe the meeting doesn't even take place. Who knows? But I can tell you right now they want to meet. They wanted to go to the Olympics. Look, it was very, very nasty with Little Rocket Man and with the buttons -- and, you know, my button's bigger than -- everybody said this guy's going to get us into nuclear war. Let me tell you. The nuclear war would have happened if you had weak people. We had weak people. This should have been settled long before I came into office. This is a much different ballgame than if they did it five or 10 or 20 years ago. This is a much more dangerous ballgame now. But I will tell you it's going very well. Mike Pompeo did go there. He wasn't supposed to meet with Kim Jong Un but he did. He -- you know, they arranged, actually while he was there, to say hello. We have incredible pictures of the two talking and meeting which I'd love to release. If we can I'll do that, actually. It's not a bad idea. KILMEADE: So it was just a hello, Mr. President? TRUMP: No, it was more than a hello. They got along. They were with each other for, you know, more than an hour. DOOCY: Right. TRUMP: They spoke and he also spoke with his counterparts in North Korea. They had a great meeting. He then left. It was very, very secret -- very, very quiet. They had a great meeting -- he left. And, you know, when I watch -- liked I watched sleepy eyes Chuck Todd the other day saying why is the president giving up so much and North Korea's giving up nothing? This was at the beginning of "MEET THE PRESS," which, I mean, this guy shouldn't even be -- KILMEADE: Right. TRUMP: -- on the show. So I said to myself well, wait a minute, I'm seeing it just the opposite. I haven't given up anything. I haven't even talked about it. I haven't given up anything. We're not giving up much. EARHARDT: When are you going to meet with him? TRUMP: I'm not giving up much. They've given up denuclearization, testing, research. We're going to close different sites. And I'm saying to myself, wait a minute. All of these things he's given up and we haven't even really that much asked them because we would have asked them but they gave it before I even asked. So I have this guy, fake news -- he's on television saying why am I giving up something? I never gave up anything. The people have to understand how dishonest the news is. And in all fairness to Fox, you guys don't always treat me great but you treat me fairly. You know, it's not like Fox is perfect for me. They're not -- they're tough but at least it's fair. When you look at some of the others -- you look at like a CNN, they'll have a council of seven people and of the seven people every one of them is against me. I'm saying, where do we -- where do they even find these people? I appreciate the -- KILMEADE: I'm not your doctor, Mr. President, but I would -- I would recommend you watch less of them. TRUMP: I don't watch them at all. I watched last night. DOOCY: Well, that makes it easy. TRUMP: I'll tell you what. I watched leaking, lying Comey last night and I did -- I did -- I hated to do it. You know, one of the reasons people say you're still looking good, Mr. President. How do you do it? Well, one of the things I've been able to do, which is something I never thought I had the ability -- I would always watch when I was -- now, frankly, I don't have time for two reasons. There's too much and I don't have time. But I would watch -- whether it's good or bad, I'd always watch. I have an ability -- I don't watch NBC anymore. They're as bad as CNN. I don't -- and by the way, I made them a fortune with "THE APPRENTICE." Think of that one. I made them -- and I did 19 episodes (ph). DOOCY: Your alma mater. TRUMP: No, but I made them a fortune. DOOCY: Right. TRUMP: You would think that these guys would treat me great. I made them a fortune. So they treat me horribly -- DOOCY: OK. TRUMP: -- and they treat me falsely. But just one thing. I don't watch things now. I can put it out of my mind and I never, ever thought that that would be possible. And you know what that does? It keeps you on the ball. It keeps you -- you keep your sanity and it works very well. But last night I did watch -- EARHARDT: Mr. President, I have one question. TRUMP: I did watch a liar-leaker and his performance, by the way, was horrible. And I will say this. Anderson Cooper was surprisingly tough and he did a good job. DOOCY: He did. EARHARDT: Mr. President, real quickly, have you decided on a date to meet with Kim Jong Un? TRUMP: We have a decision to be made. We have three or four dates and that includes -- KILMEADE: Right. TRUMP: -- locations. We have five locations -- KILMEADE: Great. TRUMP: -- and that will all be narrowed down. I can only say this. When I came into office people thought we were going into nuclear war, OK, and now they're saying wow -- KILMEADE: Right. TRUMP: -- it looks like that's going to be taken care. DOOCY: Mr. President -- TRUMP: I think we're doing very well. Let's see what happens. DOOCY: OK. We're running out of time but when we came down after your first month in office and we did that big famous now interview in the East Room -- TRUMP: Right. DOOCY: -- Ainsley asked you a question to grade your first month in office. Now, fast-forward. You've been in office over a year. Last year, you said in the first month I give myself an A for effort and a C for messaging because you were having trouble -- the White House was -- explaining what you were doing. How would you grade yourself now? TRUMP: Look, I'm fighting a battle against a horrible group of deep-seated people -- drained the swamp -- that are coming up with all sorts of phony charges against me, and they're not bringing up real charges against the other side. So we have a phony deal going on and it's a cloud over my head. And I've been able to do -- to really escape that cloud because the message now everyone knows -- it's a fix, OK. It's a witch hunt and they know that and I've been able to message it. I would give myself an A+. Nobody has done -- DOOCY: Right. TRUMP: -- what I've been able to do and I did it despite the fact that I have a phony cloud over my head that doesn't exist. It was what the Democrats used to try and make an excuse for their loss of an election -- for their loss of the Electoral College that they should never lose because the Electoral College is set up perfectly for the Democrats and this was an absolute total beating in the Electoral College. They should never lose the Electoral College and they did -- KILMEADE: But -- TRUMP: -- and they got thwamped (ph). KILMEADE: But does it make you want to talk to Mueller and put an end to it? Does it make you want to talk to him because that's what Rudy Giuliani -- TRUMP: Well, if I can. The problem is that it's such a -- it's such -- if you take a look they're so conflicted. The people that are doing the investigation -- you have 13 people that are Democrats. You have Hillary Clinton people. You have people that worked on Hillary Clinton's foundation. They're all -- I don't mean Democrats, I mean like the real deal. And then you look at the phony Lisa Page and Strzok and the memos back and forth, and the FBI. And by the way, you take a poll at the FBI. I love the FBI, the FBI loves me. But the top people in the FBI, headed by Comey, were crooked. You look at McCabe where he takes $700,000 from somebody supporting Hillary Clinton. He takes $700,000 for his wife's campaign. And by the way, didn't even spend that money. They kept some of it because under that law you're -- he took seven. He took $700,000 from a group headed by Terry McAuliffe who was under investigation by McCabe and the FBI and that investigation disappeared. He took $700,000. And you look at the corruption at the top of the FBI. It's a disgrace. And our Justice Department, which I try and stay away from, but at some point I won't. KILMEADE: OK. TRUMP: Our Justice Department should be looking at that kind of stuff, not the nonsense of collusion with Russia. There is no collusion with me -- EARHARDT: All right. KILMEADE: All right. TRUMP: -- and Russia, and everyone knows it. KILMEADE: Everyone. We could talk to you all day but it looks like -- TRUMP: Sure. KILMEADE: -- you have a million things to do. TRUMP: Well, you could have -- KILMEADE: But I hope you can join us again, Mr. President. EARHARDT: Thank you so much for much for being with us. TRUMP: And, Ainsley, good luck with your book. It's going to be a winner. EARHARDT: Thank you. Thank you so much. DOOCY: And happy birthday to Melania. TRUMP: Thank you very much. KILMEADE: We'll see you next Thursday, Mr. President. TRUMP: OK, thank you. KILMEADE: The phone line's open. TRUMP: Sounds OK. DOOCY: Call in again some time. EARHARDT: Thank you. TRUMP: Good. Thank you, bye. KILMEADE: Very nice of you to call in. 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. A family from South Carolina has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against American Airlines after a 25-year-old woman suffered an embolism midflight. Brittany Oswell, a nurse from the Midlands area, was flying home from Hawaii with her husband Cory on American Airlines flight A102 on April 16, 2016, when she began to feel dizzy and disoriented and ultimately fainted. A doctor aboard the flight spoke with Oswell after she regained consciousness and initially believed she was suffering from a panic attack, per court documents obtained by Columbias The State. HUSBAND OF SOUTHWEST AIRLINES VICTIM SPEAKS OUT ABOUT TRAGIC INCIDENT According to the lawsuit, a few hours later, as the plane was flying over Albuquerque, N.M., Cory took Oswell to the lavatory, where she collapsed on the floor, vomited and defecated on herself. The doctor on the flight examined Oswell again and instructed the flight crew to notify the pilot so the plane could to be diverted to the nearest airport where she could receive medical attention. The doctor then spoke with the pilot about Oswells symptoms, but after consulting with another doctor on the ground, the pilot decided to continue on to their destination of Dallas-Forth Worth, which was still about 90 minutes away, the lawsuit claims. In his attempt to help Oswell, the doctor discovered the medical equipment on board the plane wasnt functioning. One blood pressure machine was broken and the other was giving an error message. At this time, Oswell stopped breathing and no longer had a pulse. The doctor attempted to use the defibrillator, but despite three attempts, no shock was administered. Flight crew and the doctor then took turns administering CPR, but Oswell never regained consciousness. Upon landing, Oswell was taken to Baylor Medical Center. Three days later, on April 18, 2016, she was declared brain dead and taken off life support. Her cause of death was listed as acute massive pulmonary embolism and cardiogenic shock, the lawsuit states. Oswells family is now suing American Airlines, accusing them of negligence for failing to divert the plane, among other things, which they believe resulted in her death. They are seeking damages in an amount to be determined by a jury for severe emotional distress, anxiety, grief and sorrow. FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS The attorney for Oswells family, Brad Cranshaw, said they are currently waiting for American Airlines to answer the suit. Its a tragedy. We cant go back in time. The airline cant give us back Corys wife, but were interested to know what the airline plans to do, he said. A spokesperson for American Airlines released the following statement to Fox News: We take the safety of our passengers very seriously and we are looking into the details of the complaint. Actress Molly Ringwald has taken to Twitter to share her gratitude for Southwest Airlines, crediting the airliner for her dads safety. HUSBAND OF SOUTHWEST AIRLINES VICTIM SPEAKS OUT ABOUT TRAGIC INCIDENT The Brat Pack superstar used her platform on social media to personally thank Southwest Airlines and the doctor who happened to be onboard for an emergency landing that she claims saved her fathers life. We all love to publicly vent against airlines but today I would like to thank Southwest Airlines and the doctor who happened to be onboard. They emergency landed the plane for my dad. Because of their speed and professionalism, my fathers life was saved. #SouthWest #gratitude, the celebrity tweeted. A spokesperson for Southwest Airlines released a comment to Fox News about the incident. "While we are not able to share details about the emergency, we are proud of our Flight Attendants and Pilots who do outstanding things every day to ensure Safety is at the forefront of everything they do." The airline confirmed that the Austin, Texas-bound flight safely diverted to Albuquerque, NM, and was met by emergency medical crews who transported the customer to a local hospital. FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS The positive review comes a week after the airliner was in the news for a tragic accident that left one woman dead after an engine blew, throwing shrapnel into the plane window and partially sucking her out of the plane. The company canceled dozens of flights for engine inspections following the incident. Southwest Airlines has stated that last Tuesdays fatal incident aboard Southwest Flight 1380 will likely result in a softness in bookings for its second quarter. Based on current bookings and revenue trends, the Company expects second quarter 2018 [revenue per available seat mile] to decrease in the one to three percent range compared to the same time period last year, the carrier wrote in an earnings report released Thursday. HUSBAND OF SOUTHWEST AIRLINES VICTIM SPEAKS OUT Approximately one to two points of this estimated decrease is attributable to recent softness in bookings following the Flight 1380 accident. The company also said its unit cost, or the total operating expenses per available seat mile to rise based on factors including fuel costs, increases in salaries, and estimated costs related to the Flight 1380 accident, among others. "It remains a somber time for the Southwest Family following the Flight 1380 accident, and our thoughts and prayers continue to be with the Riordan family, and all of our Customers on the flight, Southwest CEO Gary C. Kelly stated at the start of the report, adding that the company is continuing to cooperate with the National Transportation Safety Board. FAMILY SUING AMERICAN AIRLINES OVER DEATH OF 25-YEAR-OLD WOMAN On April 17, Southwest Flight 1380 was en route from New York to Dallas when one of the engines fan blades failed due to metal fatigue, causing the engine to blow apart. Pieces of shrapnel shattered a window near Jennifer Riordan, who was partially sucked out of the aircraft. Riordan was pronounced dead at a Pennsylvania hospital after the plane made an emergency landing in Philadelphia. Authorities in Kansas City, Mo., were still searching Wednesday for a man who fatally shot a construction worker who reportedly couldn't meet the passerby's request for a cigarette. Police released a photo of a person of interest: a black male, about 25 to 30 years old and wearing a dark-colored hoodie with gray pants. A preliminary investigation indicated the shooting was random. The victim, Johnathon Porter, 23, was at a work site early Tuesday when he told the man he didnt smoke and asked him to leave the area, witnesses told FOX4 Kansas City. The suspect began to leave, but then he suddenly turned around and yelled, Yall dont have to lie to me, and fired seven or eight shots toward the crew. Porter, a sub-contractor with the company InfraSource, was struck in the chest and died after being taken to a hospital, police said. We are deeply saddened today after one of our InfraSource employees was shot and killed this morning while working on a construction site in Kansas City, Missouri, for our customer, Spire, a statement from his employer said. Both InfraSource and Spire shut down their work sites after the shooting and sent crews home, FOX4 reported. Porter and his fiancee had recently moved from Nebraska to be closer to their family, the Kansas City Star reported. The couple was expecting their first child next month. "I just hate the fact that he's never going to be able to hold her," his mother, Lindy Porter, told the paper. Anyone who can help police identify the man is asked to call the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-8477. All calls are anonymous, and there is a reward. A prisoner on Texas death row for killing a 5-year-old girl and her grandmother in a gang-related shooting at a child's birthday party in Fort Worth a decade ago was executed Wednesday evening. Erick Davila received lethal injection for using a laser-sighted semi-automatic rifle to spray bullets at about 20 people -- more than a dozen of them children. Annette Stevenson, 48, and her granddaughter, Queshawn Stevenson, were killed and four others were wounded, including the girl who was celebrating her 9th birthday. Davila, 31, belted to a gurney in the Texas death chamber, offered no apologies. He appeared almost cocky as several relatives of his victims entered the witness area of the death chamber, raising his head off the gurney and acknowledging some that he appeared to know. "I may have lost the fight but I'm still a soldier," he said when asked by the warden if he wanted to make a statement. "Take it as it is. To my supporters and family, y'all hold it down. Ten toes down. That's all I got to say." He was pronounced dead at 6:31 p.m. CDT, 14 minutes after the lethal dose of the powerful sedative pentobarbital was administered. Davila was the ninth prisoner executed in the U.S. this year, five of them in Texas. Authorities said the April 6, 2008, attack was in apparent retaliation for a previous run-in Davila had with the slain girl's father, who was attending the party. The U.S. Supreme Court rejected an appeal from Davila's lawyers about 30 minutes before the punishment was carried out. "We don't know what is going to come out of a person's mouth when they're on death row," Tyron Shaw, whose aunt and cousin were killed in the gunfire, said after watching Davila die. "The damage has been done. ... As I told my family, you just expect the best and prepare for the worst. "We know that justice has been served, justice has been done. This is something that we would continue to deal with the rest of our lives. We would never get over it. We would never forget it, but we can cope a little bit better." Queshawn Stevenson's sister, then, testified she saw a man inside a dark car holding a gun with "a red dot," and a short time later saw him standing next door and shoot. Davila was caught the next day after a brief police chase. Davila's attorneys argued to the Supreme Court that his execution should be stopped because it was improper for his trial judge, Sharen Wilson, now the Tarrant County district attorney, to request an execution date. They also questioned the role of a lawyer working with Wilson on capital appeals cases who had represented Davila in an earlier appeal. Prosecutors withheld information that Davila was so high on drugs during the shooting that he was "likely intoxicated to the degree that it would have rendered him temporarily insane," lawyer Seth Kretzer told the high court in a filing. He argued that could have influenced jurors to decide on a lesser penalty, and questioned the constitutionality of how Texas juries decide death sentences. State attorneys said Wilson never represented Davila, and state law and court rulings allow her office to represent the state's interests in the case. Prosecutors also argued that Wilson prohibits assistants from participating in cases where they were defense lawyers and that courts have upheld the state's capital sentencing procedure. They said evidence shows Davila's trial attorneys properly were provided notes from police investigators, that voluntary intoxication is not a defense under Texas law and that the shootings were intentional and deliberate. Katherine Hayes, an assistant Texas attorney general, told the justices that Davila told detectives he went "to a shoot `em up," was trying to "get the guys on the porch" and never mentioned any intoxication to police. Defense lawyers at Davila's trial tried to show he didn't intend to kill multiple people, a criterion for the capital murder charge. They argued he instead only intended to kill Jerry Stevenson, whose daughter and mother were shot to death. Authorities said Stevenson belonged to a rival gang and that Davila believed members of that gang shot him in 2005. Stevenson denied belonging to the gang. Davila was accused but not tried in another fatal shooting just days before the birthday party slayings. While awaiting trial for capital murder, he also attacked Tarrant County jailers and maintenance workers during an escape attempt. He previously served prison time for a 2004 burglary in Tarrant County and was released after about a year. Jane Carson-Sandler's morning in 1976 turned from innocence to terror when a masked man broke into her home and entered the bedroom where she lay snuggled with her 3-year-old son. He confronted them with a butcher knife and shone a flashlight in her eyes before tying them up. She said she was paralyzed by fear, afraid the man would kill them. When he untied her ankles, she knew he would rape her. Before assaulting her, he moved her son from her side, but she doesn't know where. After it was over, he put her son back in bed next to her. Carson-Sandler voiced relief after police arrested Joseph James DeAngelo and identified him on Wednesday as the serial killer who committed a string of killings and rapes in the 1970s and '80s in California. Carson-Sandler, now 72, wants to face her attacker in person and ask how long he had been watching her and what he did with her son during the attack. "I just wonder when he first saw me, how long he had been stalking me," said Carson-Sandler, who was in the Air Force reserves and studying to be a nurse at the time of the attack. Carson-Sandler was one of dozens of women raped by a man dubbed the East Area Rapist and the Golden State Killer, who police say killed at least 12 people and raped at least 45 in the 1970s and 1980s. She was attacked in her home in the Sacramento suburb of Citrus Heights. She and Bruce Harrington, whose brother and sister-in-law were killed in 1980 in Orange County, said DeAngelo's arrest will launch a healing process for victims that has been delayed for decades. "It is time for the victims to begin to heal," Harrington said at a news conference in Sacramento. A DNA match led authorities to arrest DeAngelo in connection with four killings in Sacramento and Ventura counties, officials said. "I feel like I'm in the middle of a dream and I'm going to wake up and it's not going to be true," Carson-Sandler said in an interview with The Associated Press. "It's just so nice to have closure and to know he's in jail." Carson-Sandler, now living near Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, said she didn't know DeAngelo or recognize his name. She wrote a book about her experience called "Frozen in Fear." She has spoken with rapists in prison about how the attack affected her. She tells them to close their eyes and imagine she is their mother or sister or lover while she tells her story. She says she hopes to make them understand the trauma they have caused so they won't hurt more people. Harrington's brother, 24-year-old Keith Harrington and his wife, 27-year-old Patrice Harrington, were beaten to death in their home, Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas said. Bruce Harrington applauded law enforcement's pursuit of justice for them. DeAngelo's arrest, he said, will "bring closure to the anguish that we all suffered for the last 40-odd years." Two people died Wednesday when a civilian-owned vintage aircraft crashed shortly after taking off from a South Texas naval air station. The single engine T-6 Texan crashed just after noon at Naval Air Station (NAS) Kingsville, station spokesman Kevin Clarke told the Corpus Christi Caller Times. The yellow and green plane was carrying a pilot and one passenger, who were visiting an employee at the airfield. Their identities weren't released, pending family notification. The vintage training aircraft had just taken off when it went down, Clarke said. Navy emergency personnel sprayed the burning wreckage with foam and put the fire out. A witness told KIII-TV that it looked like the pilot had lost control and rolled backward toward the hangars. Officials were unsure whether the problem was a mechanical failure or the wind, which had been strong at the time. The witness reported hearing the sound of the pilot hitting the throttle right before an explosion. Clarke confirmed that no Navy aviators were involved in the crash and that no damage to the airfields runway or equipment had been reported. The National Transportation Safety Board was investigating. The T-6 Texan was used as a training aircraft for most of the Allied pilots who flew in World War II, according to Boeing. In 25 years, it had trained hundreds of thousands of pilots in 34 different countries. A total of 15,495 aircrafts were made. NAS Kingsville about 30 miles southwest of Corpus Christi holds nearly 1,700 people, including about 200 flight students and 150 flight instructors, according to the Caller Times. The Associated Press contributed to this report. In Arizona, schools out -- at least for now. Thousands of educators are seeing red Thursday as they descend upon the state Capitol to demand additional school funding and more money for teacher and staff salaries. The #RedForEd walkouts will leave some 840,000 Arizona students out of school on Thursday, according to The Associated Press. The state Department of Education said it has more than 200 school districts and more than 1.1 million students. The average starting teacher salary in Arizona for the 2016-2017 school year was $34,068, according to statistics from the National Education Association. In comparison, the national starting teacher salary for that same year was $38,617. Read on for a look at what educators are demanding and what the governor has already done. Why are teachers walking out? Organized by the Arizona Education Association and Arizona Educators United, red-clad Arizona teachers are walking out Thursday in order to demand a raise for teachers and support staff as well as an increase in school funding. About 30,000 to 50,000 educators and their supporters are expected to rally in Phoenix at the state Capitol. NEA President Lily Eskelsen Garcia, who traveled to Arizona for the walkout, told Fox News that teachers, particularly in states like Arizona, have been the glue that holds schools together as they have to use their own resources at times to buy school supplies or fund field trips. All of these educators, mostly women, have picked up the slack, Garcia said. Weve done whatever it takes and now theyre starting to think, Maybe weve made a mistake. I should have made some noise about why I dont have the money to buy what my kids need. All were asking from [state lawmakers] is a real plan. What are you going to do to reverse this decade slide and race to the bottom? What is the real revenue youre going to raise to do the right thing, she said. How long will it last? Garcia said organizers havent set a timeline because we have no idea whats going to happen. What we desperately want is for the governor to respect our leaders and sit down with our folks and say, heres a real plan, she said. What we want to do is make sure people understand that this is a manmade crisis. This was not an act of God. However, Garcia said educators across the state have worked with churches, food pantries and advocacy groups to make sure students have access to food and parents have daycare options while schools are closed. A lot of students live in very, very poor situations, and they rely on a school meal to get by, she said. Were already thinking about what we can do to protect our students while were fighting for them as well. What is the governors response? Gov. Doug Ducey, a Republican, has laid out a plan for a 20 percent teacher pay raise by 2020 and has said he doesnt understand exactly why teachers are still planning a walkout. I dont know why the leaders would say that theyre going to strike when we are delivering for the teachers on what we believe they deserve, Ducey reportedly told KFYI-FM. Whatever the leaders in that movement are doing, I dont think theyre really representing the teachers that are there for their kids every day, that are there for their parents. I dont know why the leaders would say that theyre going to strike when we are delivering for the teachers on what we believe they deserve. Gov. Doug Ducey The governors plan would give a 9 percent pay raise to teachers in 2019 on top of 1 percent raise already given. It also gives 5 percent increases in both 2020 and 2021. Matthew Simone, with the conservative Goldwater Institute, suggested that teachers direct their anger at school boards instead of the state legislature, KTVK-TV reported. There should be more of a lens put on the school district governing boards right now as theyre making decisions to close, and no ones talking about their budgets, he said. Where else have teachers striked? While teachers in Arizona are marching to the state Capitol Thursday, more than 10,000 teachers in Colorado are expected to demonstrate in Denver as part of this burgeoning teacher uprise. About half the student population will have shuttered schools as a result, with teachers using personal leave time to take off. Massive teacher walkouts and demonstrations have already occurred in Oklahoma and Kentucky. In West Virginia, teachers went on strike for two weeks until Republican Gov. Jim Justice signed a bill that included a 5 percent pay increase. Arizona teachers also staged a walk-in earlier this year to express their demands. This demonstration occurred before school started, letting teachers be in the classroom by the time school started. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Two New Jersey police officers -- who remained calm and professional while a former Hillary Clinton financial adviser ranted and raved during a routine traffic stop last month -- are being lauded for their verbal judo during the tense interaction. The Tenafly cops, who appeared in a March 31 dashcam video that went viral this week, have been identified as Officers Matthew Savitsky and Tom Casper. Their handling of a confrontation with Caren Z. Turner, 60, a now-former commissioner of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, has drawn praise from across the U.S., their boss says. Im very proud of the officers, Tenafly police Chief Robert Chamberlain said. Messages are coming in from as far away as Texas, Michigan and South Carolina, praising them and wanting them to be commended. Im very proud of the officers. Messages are coming in from as far away as Texas, Michigan and South Carolina, praising them and wanting them to be commended. Chief Robert Chamberlain, Tenafly, N.J., police Turner resigned from her Port Authority job soon after the video went public. The video shows Turner being verbally abusive toward the officers, saying at one point, "You may not tell me when to take my child. You may shut the f--- up and not tell me when I may take my kid and her friends, who are Ph.D. students from MIT and Yale. It all started when the officers pulled over a vehicle in which Turner's daughter had been riding with some friends. The officers decided to impound the vehicle because the driver could not provide proof of updated insurance or registration, NorthJersey.com reported. Turner, who was called to the scene by her daughter, took over the negotiation with the officers. During the exchange with the officers, Turner appears increasingly hostile in the video as she boasts of her rank, demands they call her commissioner rather than miss, and threatens to complain to their boss. Yet the officers remain calm and polite throughout the unpleasant ordeal. On Wednesday, Turner apologized for her behavior. "I let my emotions get the better of me and regret my tone toward the police officers and use of off-color language," she said in a written statement. "I let my emotions get the better of me and regret my tone toward the police officers and use of off-color language." Caren Z. Turner, former commissioner, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Turner also denied violating the Port Authoritys Code of Ethics, insisting that she did not use her position to affect the outcome of the violations issued to the driver. Her former bosses at the Port Authority, however, apparently disagreed. The video speaks for itself, PA officials said, adding that Turner's conduct was indefensible and outrageous. Meanwhile, Turner's brandishing of a Port Authority badge during the confrontation, and boasted of her credentials, has prompted the agency to consider ending the use of badges for its non-law enforcement officials, New Jersey radio station WPG 104.1 FM reported. A Port Authority spokesman told the Townsquare News Network that the badges have no meaning beyond identification. The lawyer for the family of a former HBO executive who left a former stripper $223,000 after he died said he is reviewing a judge's decision to side with the ex-dancer. The New York Post reported that Micky Liu, a former information technology director, became friends with Veronica Beckham, 34, in July 2014. The two met at the Scores club in Atlantic City, N.J. Beckham said the two never had a sexual relationship, but what the dancer called an everlasting friendship, the report said. Lius family, however, claimed that Beckham preyed on Liu, who was living alone in New York City at the time. He died at 50. Beckham, as a professional exotic dancer, was adept at applying and using coercion and manipulation upon men, May Liu, his sister, said. Liu, who was reportedly a diabetic and obese, died shortly after meeting Beckham. He reportedly approved the beneficiary transfer sometime between October 2014 and January 2015. Beckham, who is now a Miami-based stylist for clients including Flo Rida, denied the claim that she worked on becoming his beneficiary. She called the lurid accusations untrue. Liu named her as the beneficiary of his 401(k) and retirement plan, the paper reported. Sweet veronica, theres nothing in me that would ever say or do anything to intentionally hurt you, he reportedly wrote Beckham in an email sent on Oct. 24 at 3:56 a.m. I love and care for you dearly. I wish you knew. SAN FRANCISCO (AP) _ Digital Realty Trust Inc. (DLR) on Thursday reported a key measure of profitability in its first quarter. The results beat Wall Street expectations. The San Francisco-based real estate investment trust said it had funds from operations of $345.7 million, or $1.61 per share, in the period. The average estimate of 11 analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for funds from operations of $1.58 per share. Funds from operations is a closely watched measure in the REIT industry. It takes net income and adds back items such as depreciation and amortization. The company said it had net income of $86.3 million, or 42 cents per share. The real estate investment trust posted revenue of $744.4 million in the period, which also topped Street forecasts. Seven analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $741.8 million. Digital Realty Trust expects full-year funds from operations in the range of $6.45 to $6.50 per share. The company's shares have fallen 9 percent since the beginning of the year. In the final minutes of trading on Thursday, shares hit $103.65, a decline of almost 7 percent in the last 12 months. _____ This story was generated by Automated Insights using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on DLR at https://www.zacks.com/ap/DLR The CEO of ice cream empire Dippin Dots was arrested earlier this month after he allegedly crashed his car into a power line pole and two houses in Oklahoma, police revealed Wednesday. Edmond Police said 38-year-old Stephen Scott Fischer was charged with driving under the influence for an incident that occurred after he left a local childrens hospital just after midnight on April 8. Police said an officer encountered Fischer at the scene of a crash on Boulevard Street near Covell Road. In the police report, obtained by Fox News, the officer said he noticed that power lines were arcing and a power pole had been hit. Further up the road, the office said he found a white BMW that had crashed against a house. The driver, who identified himself as Fischer, was uninjured from the crash, but pinned inside the car, officials said. The businessman admitted he drank at least three mixed drinks at a Dancing for a Miracle event sponsored by the Childrens Hospital Foundation, authorities said. According to the events website, Fischer was listed as one of the dancing celebrities. I asked [Fischer] about the accident and he said he did not remember anything from the accident and could not remember how the accident happened, the police report stated. The affidavit said Fischer was swaying back and forth, his speech was slowed and slurred. Police eventually determined Fischers car spiraled off the road, crashed through a fence and hit two other homes before coming to a stop. Fischer was taken to a local hospital for treatment. He was arrested on a complaint of driving under the influence after refusing to take a blood test and would not cooperate with police. A spokesman for Dippin Dots said in a statement to News9 that it would be inappropriate to comment on specific details. We are grateful that Mr. Fischer did not suffer any life-threatening injuries as a result of this single car accident, the statement said. He remains most appreciative of the firefighters, first responders and medical personnel who assisted him. Evacuations have been ordered around the oil refinery in Wisconsin that reportedly injured at least 11 people on Thursday, according to hospital officials, after a tank containing crude oil or asphalt suddenly exploded with a force that witnesses said rattled the air like a "sonic boom." The explosion broke out at Husky Energy oil refinery in Superior, Wisconsin, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reported, adding that as many as 20 people could have been injured. In a tweet, the Superior Police Department urged residents "who are 2 miles north, 3 miles east and west, and 10 miles south of the Husky Refinery" to evacuate. All workers were being evacuated from the building. The fire was previously said to be out but the Superior Police Department said the blaze has reignited. KBJR 6 reported there have been at least seven explosions coming from the refinery. Eleven people had been transported to a hospital for treatment, local reports said, and there appeared to be no deaths. Ten people were being treated at Essentia facilities, Essentia Health spokeswoman Maureen Talarico told The Associated Press. Of them, one person was said to have a serious blast injury, while the other nine had injuries that were not life threatening. St. Luke's Hospital in Duluth was also treating one person, who was in fair condition, spokeswoman Jessica Stauber said. Witnesses told KQDS the explosion could be felt from a few blocks away. Large clouds of smoke were seen coming from the refinery. Bob Jauch, who lives in the area, said he was home when he heard the explosion. "We felt it 20 miles away, it was like a big shake in the ground," Jauch told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. "We didn't know what it was. There was a big plume of smoke in the sky. I thought it was thunder. My daughter said, 'Was that an earthquake?'" A contractor who was inside the building told WDIO television that the explosion sounded like "a sonic boom" that happened when crews were working on shutting the plant down for repairs. The refinery, the only one in Wisconsin, has about 180 employees. Superior is a city of about 27,000 people that borders Minnesota to the north and the tip of Lake Superior. Calgary-Alberta-based Husky Energy refinery bought the refinery from Indianapolis-based Calumet Specialty Products Partners last year for over $490 million. The refinery produces gasoline, asphalt and other products. Fox News' Elizabeth Zwirz and The Associated Press contributed to his report. A Florida community is on edge Thursday after a bear mauled a homeowners dog to death in one of two attacks on pets there in the last few days, residents say. A woman, who did not want to be identified, told Fox 35 Orlando that the animal ripped through a screen around her pool at The Estates at Springs Landing in Longwood on Tuesday and killed one of her poodles in an unprovoked attack that sent her running into her home for safety. Two days earlier, another homeowner reported a bear attacked his Maltese Yorkie Mix after wandering into his garage in an attempt to find food. "When she came back the second time, I grabbed whatever I could," Rick Mann, the homeowner, told WFTV. "There was a vacuum cleaner there. I started swinging at her. The dog survived the attack, but suffered several puncture wounds and a bruised liver and kidney, his wife said. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission reportedly believes the same animal has been behind both attacks. Residents of the community say its not uncommon to see bears in the neighborhood and there are even signs alerting visitors to their presence. But, this time, they have set up a trap. Pretty much, when we know there are bears around, we stay inside. We don't wander around, Gayle Camore, a homeowner there, told Fox 35 Orlando. State officials in Florida have launched an investigation into three private schools in the Orlando area that hired felons as teachers. The probe by the state Department of Education was prompted by a recent report in the Orlando Sentinel citing three cases in which felons were hired. One woman landed a job at Winners Primary School in Orlando in November 2016, only one month after being released from prison following a conviction for Medicaid fraud, Department of Corrections records show. In another case, a man was hired by Southland Christian School in Kissimmee, despite being denied employment at another private school only one mile away. He had been convicted of three felonies in 2011. Another teacher was hired at Kingsway Christian Academy in Orlando 12 years ago, despite having been convicted of third-degree felony theft in the early 1990s. She remained at the school until March 2018, when she was arrested for abusing a child on campus. The cases at Southland and Kingsway reportedly violated Florida laws prohibiting private schools that take scholarship money from hiring employees with convictions. According to the Orlando Sentinel, private schools in Florida are responsible for conducting background checks. The education department wrote to the three schools Monday, requesting names of their employees, background checks, and evidence that the teachers with felonies had been fired. The schools responses to the department's inquiries are due May 9. The rights of former felons have been a debate topic in Florida, where in November voters will decide on a proposal to restore enfranchisement for the states 1.5 million convicted felons. An unruly female high school student was slammed to the ground by the Florida schools resource officer on Tuesday after she repeatedly defied him. Videos shared on social media showed the officer, later identified as Cpl. Richard Stackon of the Pasco County Sheriffs Office, throwing a Sunlake High School teenager to the ground and handcuffing her as she resisted. She is heard saying that the officer is hurting her. WARNING: GRAPHIC LANGUAGE The videos sparked an internal investigation by the sheriffs office. On Wednesday, Sheriff Chris Nocco released footage of the incident captured on Stackons body camera, saying that his officer did what he had to do to de-escalate the situation. According to Nocco, Stackon was called to the schools cafeteria to respond to reports that a student who was skipping class was being disruptive. In the 8-minute video, Stackon is seen approaching the unidentified student and calmly asking her what was going on. WARNING: GRAPHIC LANGUAGE The student can be heard saying: Well, I just heard that Im going to be handcuffed. I am just sitting here. Stackon is then heard asking the student several times to step outside to speak with him she resisted each time, even sitting down in defiance. Now you are testing me. Come on outside and talk to me and I wont have to lay a hand on you, he is heard saying. You are now disrupting everything that is going on. After some back-and-forth between Stackon and the teenager, she stands up and appears to cooperate, but then sits back down. While asking others to leave, the teenager stands up, at which point Stackon grabs her by the arm and slams her onto the ground, quickly handcuffing her. Dont f---- give me your s---, he tells her. The h--- is going on with you guys? Is this what I have to do every f---- day now? In the video released by the sheriffs office, the teenager can be heard telling Stackon that he was hurting her. Another unidentified adult off camera is heard telling Stackon that the teenager should be tested for drugs because she is acting very strange. The video continued until they enter the school resource officers office. Stackon was removed from the school Wednesday amid the investigation by the sheriffs department, but is expected to return soon. The students parents reportedly called the school after the incident, FOX 13 reported. Nocco said sheriffs deputies went to the students home to discuss the incident and the family declined to talk. When asked about the profane language Stackon used while arresting the student, Nocco said the officer had no other choice. If teenagers and children in schools believe they have more authority than teachers, the principal, administrators and the school resource officers, were in a lot more trouble than we think we are, he said. He did what he had to do to defuse the situation. The student faces charges of campus disruption, obstruction of justice and resisting arrest. Her age was not released. Investigators in California were able to crack the case of the Golden State Killer using genealogical websites that featured genetic information from a relative, prosecutors said Thursday. Joseph James DeAngelo, 72, was arrested Tuesday at his Citrus Heights home after a DNA sample matched that of the Golden State Killer a mass murderer who's believed to be responsible for at least 12 murders, 45 rapes and 120 home burglaries through the state in the 1970s and 1980s. GOLDEN STATE KILLER SUSPECT ARRESTED IN CALIFORNIA The Sacramento County District Attorney's Office said Thursday that investigators used DNA from a crime scene years ago and compared it to other DNA samples from family history websites which users send their DNA to in order to learn more about their ancestry. The district attorney's office "explored online family trees that appeared to have matches to DNA samples from the East Area Rapist's crimes," The Sacramento Bee reported. "They then followed clues to individuals in family trees to determine whether they were potential suspects." Officials on Wednesday said that DNA helped investigators identify DeAngelo, and led to the case being solved within the last six days. Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones referred to the genetic material as "discarded DNA," but authorities at the time refused to give specifics about how it was collected or matched to the suspect. Authorities last Thursday reportedly were able to pinpoint that DeAngelo could be a suspect which led to investigators setting up surveillance in his Citrus Heights neighborhood, and ultimately obtaining the "discarded DNA." DeAngelo, a former police officer, was taken into custody as he left his home, located 16 miles northeast of Sacramento. Jones said that the 72-year-old was surprised when deputies arrested him and told them he had a roast in the oven. He's so far been charged with eight murders. The Associated Press contributed to this report. A former California police officer identified Wednesday as the Golden State Killer had "anger pouring out of him" and once threatened to "deliver a load of death" to a dog because it barked too much, a neighbor said. The creepy threat against the yapping pooch was par for the course with Joseph James DeAngelo, 72, neighbor Grant Gorman told the Sacramento Bee. This guy just had this anger that was just pouring out of him. Hed just be yelling at nothing in the backyard, pacing in circles, Gorman, who grew up behind DeAngelo, told the Bee. Gorman said DeAngelo is the person who left a sinister voicemail in 1994 threatening to kill his familys Rottweiler if the dogs barking wasnt stopped. Gorman said DeAngelo once came to his house to yell at his mother, Sonja, to stop mowing the lawn. "He was the kind of person you didn't want to make mad," Sonja Gorman told the newspaper. "There were enough times where we just knew not to bother him and not to incite him." DeAngelo was arrested at his Citrus Heights home, located 16 miles northeast of Sacramento, after his DNA sample matched that of the Golden State Killer, officials said. He was charged with eight counts of murder in Sacramento, Orange and Ventura Counties and officials said they intended to seek the death penalty. DeAngelo graduated from Folsom High School in Sacramento County in 1964, served with the U.S. Navy in the Vietnam War and received an associates degree with honors in political science from Sierra College, according to KTVU-TV. He eventually went on to graduate from Cal State Sacramento and received a degree in criminal justice. DeAngelo joined the Exeter Police Department in 1973, three years before the Golden State Killer committed his first known crime. He then joined the Auburn Police Department in 1976, but was fired in 1979 after he was arrested for stealing a can of dog repellent and a hammer from a drug store, according to an article from the Auburn Journal. "This guy just had this anger that was just pouring out of him." Grant Gorman, neighbor DeAngelo had been working for a Save Mart grocery store distribution center in Roseville for the last 27 years until retiring last year, the Sacramento Bee reported. A spokeswoman for the company painted a different picture from what neighbors told the Bee about DeAngelos demeanor. None of his actions in the workplace would have led us to suspect any connection to crimes being attributed to him, Victoria Castro told the newspaper. We are working with the Sacramento County District Attorneys Office on their investigation. The Golden State Killer, also known as the East Area Rapist, was named for the person believed to be behind 12 murders and nearly 50 rapes across California from the late 1970s to the mid-1980s. Prior to DeAngelos arrest, investigators were reportedly looking at links between the Golden State Killers crimes and those of the so-called Mr. Cruel in Australia. The Golden State Killers last crime is believed to have occurred in 1986, a year before Mr. Cruel started his crime spree. Mr. Cruel raped three girls and is the prime suspect in the abduction and murder of a fourth girl, according to The Australian. Mr. Cruels crime spree ended in 1991. Australian authorities still arent convinced of a connection. "Victoria Police is aware of the matter regarding the Golden State Killer in the U.S.," authorities said. This was reviewed in relation to the outstanding Mr. Cruel investigations in Victoria and any connection has been ruled out. The Associated Press contributed to this report. A "homeless-looking" man in Oregon has confessed to sexually assaulting a horse after its owner found the animal tied up in an unusual way inside its stable, police and court documents say. Kenneth Lijah Duyck, 20, is in Washington County Jail Thursday on suspicion of sexual assault of an animal and second-degree burglary stemming from the incident last week on a rural property in Hillsboro. Duyck broke into the stable and went after a black mare named Ellie, The Oregonian reported, citing court records and police statements. The owner of the property later discovered a bucket overturned, and in a call to the Washington County Sheriff's Office, said the animal was "tied up in an unusual way," FOX12 Oregon reported. She then sent a photo of the horse to her daughter, a veterinarian, who said it looked like the horse was sexually assaulted. The owner also reportedly said she received a call a day earlier from a man who identified himself as "Duyck" asking if he could camp on her property. Duyck, described by the stable owner as a "homeless-looking" man who she spotted talking to neighbors around the time of the incident, was found sleeping a car Tuesday in a Walmart parking lot in Cornelius. Duyck told investigators he broke into the stable to look for work before admitting to sexually assaulting the horse, the Washington County Sheriffs Office said. An affidavit also quoted him as saying that he believes he carried out the lewd act because he was off his medications. An illegal immigrant cop killer, who made headlines when he burst into laughter in court and said he regretted not killing more people, was sentenced to death Wednesday for the 2014 murder of a California sheriffs deputy and detective -- but not before he was again booted from the courtroom for an outburst. The convicted killer, Luis Bracamontes, shouted a racial slur at motorist Anthony Holmes, whom he shot five times during his rampage four years ago, and used profane language toward former Placer County Deputy Chuck Bardo during the hearing, The Sacramento Bee reported. And in the true fashion of a coward, he retreats, Bardo said as Bracamontes was being escorted out of the courtroom, according to the newspaper. The convicted cop killer gained nationwide attention during his trial in January when he smiled and ripped into a profanity-laced tirade in court, saying, I wish I had killed more of the mother------s, and promising to kill more, kill whoever gets in front of me. ... There's no need for a f---ing trial." He also shouted in court that he was guilty and asked to be put to death. The defense tried to convince the judge to enter a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity. Bracamontes clapped as a jury recommended the death penalty in March, The Bee reported. He went on a multicounty killing rampage in 2014, murdering Sacramento County Sheriff's Deputy Danny Oliver and Placer County Sheriff Detective Michael Davis Jr. Fox News Lukas Mikelionis contributed to this report. A Delaware woman who shot and killed a Villanova University official who was having an affair with her husband reportedly tried to get marriage help from users on an app months before the shocking murder-suicide. Jennair Gerardot, 47, turned to the NextDoor app upon her move from South Carolina to Wilmington and asked her new community if anyone knew a good divorce lawyer, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported Wednesday. Gerardot posted a note in February looking for a reputable and successful and driven divorce attorney and a month later she returned looking for an EXCELLENT marriage counselor, according to the newspaper. Later, it appeared that she was seeking marriage therapy. We will need someone who is very educated and experienced dealing with couples issues including infidelity, depression, traumatic experiences, child/parent dynamics, being accountable for actions, etc., Gerardot wrote, according to the newspaper. Its unclear if Gerardot and her husband Mark Geradot ever sought marriage counseling. A set of car keys was found in Gerardot's possession after the incident and investigators determined that she actually drove to the crime scene and did not take the train, Radnor police said in a Wednesday news release. They said the medical examiner's office turned the keys over to the police. Detectives located a black Cadillac XTS that Gerardot was confirmed to have rented parked on a street near the crime scene, police said. Inside the car, authorities found a set of binoculars, ammunition, rubber gloves, and ear plugs, police said. A gas station receipt was also reportedly found, placing her in the area at 2:40 p.m. on Monday. The shooting of 33-year-old Meredith Chapman in Radnor Township, Pa., was meticulously planned, officials said. "You had a man who was married who was having an affair with this other woman, Police Superintendent William Colarulo said, according to The Associated Press. The wife knew about it, and this was a calculated, planned attack." Colarulo said Gerardot broke into Chapmans home through a front door before she came home from work. Gerardot cleaned up the pieces of glass inside Chapmans home, to avoid alerting Chapman to her presence, and then waited there with her Taurus Tracker .357 revolver. Police said Geradot shot and killed Chapman before turning the gun on herself. Mark Gerardot, at police headquarters, later stated that there was a domestic issue all three were dealing with, police said. We sympathize with both families because this tragedy has rocked their world. Its also rocked the world of our township and the residents who live around there, said Christopher Flanagan, the Deputy Superintendent of Radnor Township Police. Fox News Greg Norman, Elizabeth Zwirz and The Associated Press contributed to this report. The self-proclaimed messenger of meth vented his anger at a traffic jam by guiding his minivan into multiple collisions and then wrestling the military police officers who stopped him from breaking into a South Carolina National Guard Armory, cops said. The Springdale Police Department chronicled the alleged April 19 escapades of Marion Samuel Corba, 31, on its Facebook page -- including how they learned his distinctive nickname. CORRECTIONS OFFICERS CHARGED WITH BRIBERY, RACKETEERING Police said Corba's spree started when the man with a message struck two vehicles with his minivan after apparently growing impatient with a traffic jam. The crash left Corbas vehicle without one of it's tires -- but he kept driving until he ended up in front of the South Carolina National Guard Armory, where Corba took out a sign and struck a parked car, officials said. Then, Corba, with nowhere else to go, attempted to flee on foot and break into the armory, authorities said. But military police officers rushed in and detained Corba until the Springdale Police Department arrived. Corba, however, put up a struggle with cops, trying to wrestle the officers after they found a dagger in his pocket, police said. CORONER: INMATES IN SOUTH CAROLINAPRISON RIOT BLED TO DEATH The officers were eventually able to strap him to a bed so he could be transported to a hospital -- and that's when Corba allegedly began to sing. His songs, police said, accused the officers of being evil spirits" and proclaimed himself the messenger of meth. Corba was charged with hit and run attended vehicle, hit and run unattended vehicle, resisting arrest, unlawful weapon, and malicious injury to property. Police wrote on Facebook it was safe to assume that his message will lead to at least one additional charge in the near future. And then the cops added a moral to the story: "Meth leads to jail. The controversial migrant caravan that drew national outrage as it made its way through Mexico toward the U.S. arrived just south of the California border on Thursday. The asylum-seeking immigrants began arriving in Tijuana last week. Two more busloads arrived on Tuesday and four more on Wednesday. Several hundred immigrants, mostly women and children, are staying in temporary tents set up for them in a Tijuana shelter. They are expected to start trying to enter the U.S. on Sunday. American lawyers were giving the migrants legal advice on how to apply for U.S. asylum. The caravan incurred the wrath of President Trump, who said it was a disgrace the group could proceed with their journey undeterred even as it was getting international media exposure. Trump and senior aides have portrayed the caravans and the asylum seekers as evidence of a dysfunctional border and a serious threat. Despite the Democrat inspired laws on Sanctuary Cities and the Border being so bad and one sided, I have instructed the Secretary of Homeland Security not to let these large Caravans of people into our Country, Trump tweeted. It is a disgrace. We are the only Country in the World so naive! WALL. Despite the presidents condemnation, the caravan proceeded though it splintered. At its peak, the caravan had 1,500 people. But many split from the group once it began drawing attention. About 300 people have reached the border in the past two weeks. Its not clear how quickly U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents will be able to process the asylum applications once the migrants present themselves at the port of entry in San Ysidro. The caravans have been a fairly common tactic for years among advocacy groups to bring attention to Central American citizens seeking asylum in the U.S. to escape political persecution or criminal threats from gangs. But the latest one drew more attention because it got Trump's attention from almost the moment it began -- March 25 in the Mexican city of Tapachula, near the Guatemalan border. Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen this week said the border crossers could face prosecution. DHS continues to monitor the remnants of the caravan of individuals headed to our Southern border with the apparent intention of entering the United States illegally, Nielsen said in a statement. A sovereign nation that cannotor worse, chooses notto defend its borders will soon cease to be a sovereign nation. The Trump administration is committed to enforcing our immigration laws whether persons are part of this caravan or not. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Officials say a Minnesota woman suspected of killing her husband at their home and then killing a Florida woman and stealing her identity is heading from Texas to Florida to face prosecution. The News-Press of Fort Myers says Cameron County, Texas, Sheriff Omar Lucio confirmed 56-year-old Lois Riess was picked up at a Texas jail early Thursday morning. She's being brought back to Lee County, Florida, to face a second-degree murder charge. Riess was arrested last week in Texas. She's expected to stand trial in Minnesota after the Florida case is done. Authorities say Riess killed her husband, 54-year-old David Riess, at their Blooming Prairie home before heading to Florida and killing 59-year-old Pamela Hutchinson. Investigators say they believe Lois Riess killed the Bradenton, Florida, woman to assume her identity. ___ Information from: The (Fort Myers, Fla.) News-Press, http://www.news-press.com An Ohio man has unsuccessfully asked a judge to release him from his 22-year prison sentence on a terrorism conviction. Court records show Abdirahman Sheik Mohamud (ab-dee-RAH'-mahn shayk moh-HAH'-mud) wrote Judge Michael Watson on April 18 asking to be released to help prevent Muslim youth from becoming radicalized. Mohamud says he's learned from his mistakes and has found a purpose in life. Mohamud pleaded guilty in August 2015 to supporting terrorism and making false statements to authorities. He was accusing of plotting to kill U.S. military personnel in Texas after training with a terrorist organization in Syria. Watson sentenced Mohamud in January and said in a ruling on Wednesday that he no longer had jurisdiction. Homeland Security Investigations says it will eventually seek to deport Mohamud. A Pennsylvania man died in extreme pain after being stabbed multiple times and set on fire outside of an apartment complex earlier this week in what police are calling a very violent type of homicide. The smoldering body of 18-year-old Tyrell Michael Holmes of Bethlehem was found next to a large trash bin at the Parkhurst Apartments early Tuesday and had to be put out with a fire extinguisher, officials said. "This victim prior to dying was in extreme pain and was conscious prior to and leading up to his death, District Attorney John Morganelli said, according to the Allentown Morning Call. So this is a very, very egregious crime." Bethlehem Police Chief Mark DiLuzio added that the death was "a very violent type of homicide." An autopsy concluded that Holmes died of smoke inhalation and thermal injuries as well as multiple stab wounds. Morganelli said he believes the death is a first-degree murder case and the nature of the crime might justify capital punishment. Police told the Allentown Morning Call that about a dozen investigators are working on the case, looking for suspects among "a circle of individuals" who knew the victim. Morganelli said Holmes did not live in the apartment complex where his body was found. He once attended Liberty High School but was last enrolled there in 2015, the superintendent of the district said. Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact Bethlehem Detectives or Detective Blake Kuntz at (610) 865-7187. The Associated Press contributed to this report. A Texas man convicted of beating and stomping an 18-month-old baby to death in 2014 was sentenced to life in prison Saturday, The Dallas Morning News reported. Joshua Beard, 24, had grown angry with Tylea, the daughter of his then-girlfriend Alexis Botello, 20, at their residence in Arlington, Texas, about 20 miles west of Dallas, according to an arrest warrant from July 2014. Beard yelled and hit Tylea before throwing her across the room, the arrest warrant said. The child reportedly bounced off a bed and landed on the floor. Police say Beard stomped on the child until she started vomiting. Police reports also say the child was covered in bite marks and bruises. Botello reportedly tried to stop Beard but was unsuccessful. The couple tried to perform CPR, but the child died, the report said. A missing child report prompted authorities to investigate two days later. Botello confessed that Beard had killed Tyler but didnt mean to do it. She told authorities that she and Beard had put Tylea in the trunk of a car and buried her underneath a bridge in a town 45 miles northeast of Arlington. Along the way, she said they stopped at a Walmart to buy gloves and shovels. Botello faces charges for her role in the murder and burial, the Morning News reported. Beard will receive a concurrent 20-year sentence for tampering with evidence, the Star-Telegram reported. Three motorcyclists stopped in their tracks Sunday to help an elderly woman cross the street in a busy intersection in Arizona. Patrick Patterson, Eduardo Plascenia and Damon Pruit were cruising on their bikes in Mesa when they witnessed an elderly woman struggling to cross a busy intersection, ABC 15 reported. The woman became dangerously stuck in the middle of the crosswalk. ARIZONA SCHOOLS CLOSE AS THOUSANDS OF TEACHERS PROTEST FOR MORE PAY, SCHOOL RESOURCES "No one seemed to care," Eduardo Plascencia told ABC 15. "No one slowed down and no one offered assistance." Video from Pattersons helmet showed him and Plascenia turning around to help the woman out of the road. Pruit had already stopped to assist the woman. ARIZONA TEACHERS PROTEST IN LEAD-UP TO THURSDAY WALKOUT The three men used their bikes to stop traffic in order to let the woman cross safely. After she made it across, the woman thanked the motorcyclists and waved. "She thanked us adamantly. She waved at us and thanked us. She had stopped shaking and had extended her hand to Eduardo and Damon and I behind her," Patterson said. President Donald Trump said Thursday that North Korea's Kim Jong Un has made nuclear weapons concessions before even sitting down for talks, while the U.S. hasn't given up anything. Trump's assertions came before Friday's summit between North Korea and South Korea that's expected to pave the way for a historic meeting between Trump and Kim in May or June. Trump told "Fox & Friends" that his tough approach toward the North, and now his willingness to engage with Kim, had reduced the risk of nuclear war. He contended that North Korea has "given up denuclearization, testing, research" and that "we're going to close different sites." North Korea recently announced it will shutter its nuclear test site and suspend nuclear and intercontinental ballistic missile tests, and Kim has indicated he's ready to discuss denuclearization. That marks a dramatic shift from the high tensions of last year, when in defiance of world opinion and despite intensified economic sanctions, North Korea rapidly conducted weapons tests. "I'm saying to myself 'wait a minute, all of these things he's given up and we haven't even really that much asked them,'" Trump said. He added: "We would have asked them, but they gave it up before I even asked." But doubts linger over Kim's readiness to relinquish nuclear weapons his nation already has, and what he'd want in return. North Korea is already at the brink of being able to threaten the U.S. mainland with a nuclear-tipped missile, and views that capability as a safeguard against American aggression and a defense against regime change. Trump, who often accuses his predecessors of failing to address the North Korean threat, has argued that the only concession he has made was his surprise decision last month to accept Kim's invitation for a meeting the first ever between the leaders of the United States and North Korea during six decades of hostility. "I never gave up anything," Trump repeated. Critics say Kim may see the summit as a way to burnish his international standing and legitimize North Korea's declared status as a nuclear power. Trump acknowledged the rhetoric that both he and Kim deployed over the last year and the schoolyard taunts of nuclear "buttons" was "very, very nasty" and heightened fears of nuclear war. "This is a much more dangerous ballgame now, but I will tell you it's going very well." He said "the nuclear war would have happened if you have weak people." Trump revealed more information about outgoing CIA Director Mike Pompeo's secret trip to North Korea this month, saying Pompeo wasn't supposed to meet with Kim, but that they ended up talking for more than an hour. Later Thursday, the White House released photos of Pompeo and Kim shaking hands. Pompeo, who won Senate confirmation Thursday to become secretary of state, was the most senior U.S. official to meet a North Korean leader since 2000. "They had a great meeting," Trump said, without revealing what they discussed. For now, the diplomatic initiative lies in the hands of the rival Koreas. Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in, a key U.S. ally, were to meet Friday in the heavily militarized frontier between the Koreas. Moon will be looking to make some headway on the nuclear issue in advance of the Trump-Kim summit. They're also expected to discuss ways to both improve relations and settle the 1950-53 Korean War, which was halted with an armistice, not a peace treaty. A classified Pentagon report attributes the deaths of four U.S. soldiers who were ambushed during an operation in Niger in October to a list of military shortcomings, including complacency and a lack of training. In addition, low-level commanders took shortcuts to approve operations with at least one officer lifting orders from a different mission and pasting them onto the so-called concept of operations to gain approval, officials familiar with the report told the Wall Street Journal. President Donald Trump approved recommendations granting lower-level military commanders the ability to make decisions, but the move was not seen as a contributing factor in the Niger deaths, the Journal reported, citing information from the sources. The report also cited a culture of excessive risk, according to the paper. Initially, the mission on Oct. 3, 2017, that ultimately sent the Army Special Forces team, along with Nigerian soldiers, into a deadly ambush, was a planned meeting with local officials. However, the team was redirected to assist in a search for Doundou Chefou, a militant suspected of involvement in the kidnapping of an American aid worker. Upon returning, the team was later attacked by Islamic State-linked militants in a village near Tongo Tongo, resulting in the deaths of four U.S. soldiers and four Nigerien troops on Oct. 4. The U.S. military members killed were identified as Sgt. La David Johnson, Staff Sgt. Bryan Black, Staff Sgt. Jeremiah Johnson and Staff Sgt. Dustin Wright. The report also includes measures from Defense Secretary Jim Mattis aimed at preventing a similar incident from happening again, including, reinforce normal protocols within the chain of command, the sources told the Journal. The months-long investigation consists of testimony, diagrams, maps and video from the helmet cameras of the soldiers, as well as statements from Mattis, the Joint Chiefs of Staff and from the Africa Command, the paper reported. Families of the fallen military heroes will be briefed Monday on the 6,000-page report, along with lawmakers, before a declassified version is released to the public in the coming days. Mattis told a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing Thursday he has given a 200-page classified summary to Congress. Mattis acknowledged Thursday there was not one but many problems that led to the American soldiers being ambushed by roughly 50 heavily armed ISIS-affiliated fighters more than six months ago in West Africa. Mattis said: I think right now we have found what we believe to be the crux of the problems, not problem but problems that contributed to this. It was not a delegation of authority problem. So we know immediately how to address and we are doing that right now. Fox News' Lucas Tomlinson contributed to this report. A New York-based rights group says a British-Iranian university professor has been detained in Tehran by the country's hard-line Revolutionary Guard. The British Foreign Office said late Wednesday night it was "urgently seeking information" after the Center for Human Rights in Iran said computer scientist and mathematician Abbas Edalat had been detained. Iranian state media did not immediately report on Edalat's case. It's unclear what charges he faces. Edalat is a professor at Imperial College London. The university did not respond to requests for comment. The Center for Human Rights in Iran said Abbas has been held since April 15. It said Edalat refused to post bail Wednesday, arguing he is innocent. Iran has held a number of Western dual nationals since its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers. As decision time comes closer for President Donald Trump to stay in or withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal, more evidence of Iranian intransigence in the region was given to members of the U.N. Security Council by Israel earlier today. At a debate on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestine Question, Israeli Ambassador Danny Danon released a previously classified Israeli intelligence document showing a satellite photograph of what he said was an Iranian-run induction and recruitment center close to Syrias capital Damascus, and only 12 miles from the border with Lebanon. Danon claimed that more than 80,000 Shiite militants are operating in Syria under Iranian control. He said, We are presenting this image to the world so you can understand the depth of Irans involvement in Syria. What you see here is Irans central induction and recruitment center in Syria. It is at this base, just over five miles from Damascus, where they are trained to commit acts of terror in Syria and across the region. Without mentioning Iran by name, Danon warned: Israel has a very clear policy that we have held since the administration of Prime Minister Menachem Begin. We will not allow regimes that seek our destruction to acquire nuclear weapons. Period. Following Danons comments, United States Ambassador Nikki Haley also was critical of Iran. In her speech she condemned the growing use of using children, women and men as human shields. Haley said the use of human shields had reached epic proportions. She gave examples of how Hezbollah, Hamas, ISIS and the Houthis in Yemen have used them. Haley took aim at Tehran for its support of terrorist groups and destabilization of the region. She said, As usual, Iran is the patron and protector of many of these groups that fight from behind the bodies of innocent civilians. Groups that Iran has sponsored or supported have perfected the tactic of using human shields, and inspired others to do the same. Haley continued, Of course, this is part of Irans overarching efforts to destabilize the region efforts that include illegal weapons shipments to Yemen, and invading Israeli air space with armed drones from Syrian territory. While Saudi Arabias Ambassador to the United Nations Abdallah Al-Mouallimi harshly condemned Israel over the situation in Gaza and the occupied territories, he also joined in the criticism of regional foe Iran for its interference in the region and called for action. The Saudi Ambassador called on the Security Council to take a stricter position on Iran and insist that the international community is not going to remain silent when faced with these practices of aggression and terrorism which undermine regional and international security and peace. He also told members that Irans continued support for Yemen has resulted in 125 missiles being shot into his country Briefing members on the situation in the Middle East, Nickolay Mladenov, the U.N.s special coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, said what happened there has immediate implications for the rest of the world. In mentioning the crises in Syria and Yemen and the worsening situation in Gaza he said that the risk of miscalculation grows, increasing the danger of a wider conflagration, as violence spills across borders. Calling Gaza a powder keg, Mladenov said that 35 Palestinians had been killed over the ongoing Friday protests on the Gaza/Israel border with large numbers injured by Israeli security forces. Palestinian U.N. Ambassador Riyad Mansour speaking after Mladenov told members that Palestinians were peacefully protesting, and that since the so-called Great March of Return started at the end of March, 41 Palestinians have been killed and thousands more have been injured, giving slightly different numbers that were offered by the U.N. The Palestinian representative criticized the Trump administrations embassy move to Jerusalem calling it a violation of Security Council resolutions, and said that it has negatively impacted the resumption of peace talks. Irans ambassador, Gholamali Khoshroo, who joined the Palestinian ambassador in his criticism of the U.S. embassy move to Jerusalem complained about what he called the Iran-phobic and hysteric statements, but did not defend criticisms aimed at his country. Earlier Danon defended his countrys actions and accused Hamas of orchestrating a series of provocations and confrontations at the Gaza/Israel border, saying they were not peaceful protests but a means for Hamas to exploit its citizens and even putting them in harms way, even hoping for their people to die. next Image 1 of 2 prev Image 2 of 2 The hair of a long-dead emperor is among the artifacts Ethiopia's government is demanding be returned from Britain, as more countries seek to reclaim heritage they say was taken decades, even centuries, ago. Ethiopia's minister for culture and tourism, Hirut Woldemariam, told The Associated Press that the display of human parts on websites and in museums is inhumane. He said Ethiopia has written to the relevant officials in Britain demanding the return of the items and is waiting for a reply. He said Ethiopia will use whatever legal and diplomatic instruments are necessary to secure their return. The outcry in Ethiopia comes as the Victoria and Albert Museum in London displays some of the items in a new exhibit about the 1868 British expedition to what was then called Abyssinia. A high-profile Indian guru with millions of followers worldwide will spend the rest of his life behind bars for raping a teenage girl whose parents believed Asaram Bapu could cure the girl of ghostly powers. Bapu, 77, learned of his sentence Wednesday while in his prison cell. The verdict was read outside the prison in Jodhpur in Rajasthan state over fears Bapu's followers might become violent. Bapu was convicted on charges of criminal conspiracy, wrongful confinement and rape. He has denied the charges and his spokesperson said he would appeal the verdict. The guru has 400 ashrams around the globe where he teaches his 40 million followers meditation and yoga, the BBC reported. He began teaching his spiritualism in 1972 and started to gain a following that extended to the U.S., United Kingdom, Canada, Uganda and Kenya. SERBIA BANS CROATIAN DEFENSE OFFICIAL IN TIT-FOR-TAT MEASURE Bapu was arrested in 2013 following a complaint from two of his followers, who claimed the guru raped their 16-year-old daughter when she visited his retreat in Jodhpur. The couple, who claimed they have been followers of Bapu for more than a decade, said they brought their daughter to the guru because she was under the influence of some supernatural ghostly powers and they believed he could cure her. On Aug. 14, 2013, the guru called the girl into his room, where he forced her to perform sexual acts on him and threatened to kill her family if she said anything about the incident. Her parents were outside the room chanting his prayers at the time, police said. The girl told her parents a day later about the incident. SPAIN SENDS 5 TO PRISON FOR GANG RAPE DURING PAMPLONA FEST Bapu has been in prison since his arrest in 2013. He is also accused of raping another woman between 2002 and 2004. The trial for that case is underway. Two of his associates were sentenced to 20 years in prison each for helping him in the crime while two others were acquitted. India has prioritized a crackdown on rape in response to widespread outrage over the recent rapes and killings of young girls and other attacks on children. The countrys government last week approved the death penalty for people convicted of raping children under age 12. The Associated Press contributed to this report. The Latest on developments surrounding the killing of a Palestinian in Malaysia (all times local): 5 p.m. Israel's defense minister is denying that his country killed a Hamas-affiliated scientist who was gunned down last week in Malaysia. Avigdor Lieberman told the Arabic news site Elaph that "we did not assassinate him." When asked in the interview on Thursday who killed Palestinian engineer Fadi al-Batsh, the minister said: "Ask James Bond ... maybe James Bond killed him like in the movies." Al-Batsh, an electrical engineering lecturer at a Malaysian university, was gunned down by two men on a motorcycle as he was on his way to a mosque on Saturday. In Gaza, Hamas leaders and relatives are waiting at the Egyptian border for his body. Hamas, the militant Islamic group that rules Gaza, accuses Israel of assassinating al-Batsh. He is to be buried Friday at a ceremony led by Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas' top leader. ___ 2:20 p.m. Hundreds of Palestinians have participated in the funeral of a Gaza journalist who died after being shot by Israeli troops while covering a border protest. Ahmed Abu Hussein, 24, died Wednesday at an Israeli hospital, nearly two weeks after he was shot on April 13. Abu Hussein was covering the weekly massive protests organized by Hamas, the militant group that controls Gaza. Hamas leaders and family members were waiting Thursday at the Egyptian border for the body of a Hamas-affiliated scientist gunned down last week in Malaysia. The body of Fadi al-Batsh, an engineering lecturer in a Kuala Lumpur university, was expected to arrive later Thursday. Hamas, which accuses Israel of assassinating al-Batsh, is to bury him on Friday at a ceremony led by Ismail Haniyeh, the group's top leader. A Mexican rapper and YouTube star confessed this week to dissolving the bodies of three missing film students in acid at the behest of a drug cartel, according to new reports. Christian Omar Palma Gutierrez, better known as QBA, has been detained over the deaths of Salomon Aceves Gastelum, 25, Daniel Diaz, 20, and Marco Avalos, 20, in western Jalisco state last month, Agence France-Presse reported. He confessed to state prosecutors that he disposed of the bodies after the three victims were kidnapped, tortured and murdered, the outlet reported. MEXICAN FILM STUDENTS KILLED, BODIES DISSOLVED IN ACID, COPS SAY Gutierrez admitted that a friend recruited him three months ago to work for the Jalisco New Generation drug cartel, and that he had received 3,000 pesos nearly $159 a week. He has participated in three other previous murders, chief investigator Lizette Torres told the outlet. Read more at the New York Post. The parents of Otto Warmbier are suing North Korea for torturing their son, which ultimately led to his death. Cindy and Fred Warmbier filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on Thursday. The complaint alleges North Korea detained Otto and "forced him to falsely 'confess' to an act of subversion on behalf of the United States government." OTTO WARMBIER'S PARENTS OPEN UP ABOUT SON'S TORTURE BY NORTH KOREA: 'THEY ARE TERRORISTS' The filing also states the communist nation "tortured him, kept him in detention for a year and a half without allowing him to communicate with his family, and returned him to them in a non-responsive state and brain dead." Otto, 22, was held captive by North Korea for more than 17 months for allegedly trying to take a sign from a hotel he visited with a tour group. He was medically evacuated from the country June 13, 2017, and died six days later at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. SEE KIM JONG UN'S BIZARRE PROPAGANDA PHOTOS Fred Warmbier told "Fox & Friends" in September that when they first saw their son upon his arrival home, he "had a shaved head, he had a feeding tube coming out of his nose, he was staring blankly into space, jerking violently." "He was blind. He was deaf. As we looked at him and tried to comfort him it looked like someone had taken a pair of pliers and rearranged his bottom teeth," Fred said, adding: "North Korea is not a victim, they are terrorists. They purposefully and intentionally injured Otto." OTTO WARMBIER'S BODY SHOWED NO SIGNS OF TORTURE, CORONER'S REPORT SAYS In a statement to The Washington Post on Thursday, Fred said that Otto, was "taken hostage, kept as a prisoner for political purposes, used as a pawn and singled out for exceptionally harsh and brutal treatment by Kim Jong Un." "Kim and his regime have portrayed themselves as innocent, while they intentionally destroyed our sons life," the statement read. "This lawsuit is another step in holding North Korea accountable for its barbaric treatment of Otto and our family. The Warmbiers are reportedly being represented by Richard Cullen of McGuireWoods LLP, who also represents Vice President Mike Pence. Both President Trump and Pence's offices support the lawsuit but have not been involved, according to The Post. Trump and Pence have been outspoken about Warmbier's death, which the vice president in June labeled "a tragic example of North Korea's disregard for human life." TRUMP SAYS HE'LL 'RESPECTFULLY LEAVE' KIM JONG UN SUMMIT IF TALKS ARE 'NOT FRUITFUL' Trump on Tuesday called North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un "very open" and "very honorable" after the North announced last week it would suspend its nuclear and long-range missile tests ahead of a potential summit between the leaders to be held in May or early June. Fox News' Courtney Stein Lesskis and The Associated Press contributed to this report. A Pakistani court has disqualified the country's foreign minister from holding office after a petition from a rival politician sought his removal for concealing assets abroad. The Islamabad High Court announced the much-awaited decision regarding Foreign Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif on Thursday. Asif can appeal the decision to Pakistan's Supreme Court. Usman Dar, a member of popular politician Imran Khan's opposition Taherik-e-Insaf party, had been waging a legal battle in recent years to get Asif disqualified for concealing his assets from tax authorities. Dar praised the judges shortly after the ruling. Asif's ruling Pakistan Muslim League party has been facing a crisis since July when the Supreme Court found former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif guilty on corruption charges stemming from leaked documents known as the Panama Papers. The first photos of the meeting between Mike Pompeo and North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un were released Thursday, just hours after Pompeo was confirmed as secretary of state. The photos of the pair shaking hands in a photo op were shared by White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders. Great to have Secretary Pompeo confirmed, she tweeted. He will do an excellent job helping @POTUS lead our efforts to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula. (photos from previously confirmed Easter weekend trip) The meeting held between the high ranking officials was designed to lay the groundwork for a summit between President Trump and the leader of the hermit kingdom for later this year. CIA DIRECTOR MIKE POMPEO MET WITH KIM JONG UN OVER EASTER WEEKEND Just prior to the trip being revealed, Trump told reporters that the two countries were holding direct talks at extremely high levels in preparation for what would be an extraordinary meeting following months of heated rhetoric over Pyongyangs nuclear weapons program. The president later confirmed the meeting in a tweet, saying it went very smoothly and a good relationship was formed. During the expected summit, Trump said he expects to talk with Kim about denuclearization. The meeting could take place as early as June, the president has said. TRUMP SAYS HELL RESPECTFULLY LEAVE KIM JONG UN SUMMIT IF TALKS ARE NOT FRUITFUL Last week, the country announced that they would be suspending nuclear testing and intercontinental ballistic missile launches, as well as closing a nuclear test site. The president said the announcement was big progress and that he was looking forward to our Summit. The former CIA director was confirmed as Trumps secretary of state Thursday after a contentious nomination battle on a 57-42 vote. After the vote, Pompeo was sworn in by Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, a State Department spokesman said. Fox News Samuel Chamberlain, Alex Pappas and The Associated Press contributed to this report. Serbia has banned Croatia's defense minister from entering the country, a tit-for-tat measure against Croatia as tensions mount between the two Balkan rivals. Serbia's government on Thursday imposed the ban against Croatia's Damir Krsticevic. Last week Zagreb said Serbia Defense Minister Aleksandar Vulin was not welcome. A statement says the move was a "reciprocity measure." The spat further strains ties between the former war foes from the 1990s' bloody breakup of the former Yugoslavia. A Croatian delegation earlier this month cut short a visit to Serbia over a far-right incident. Croatia has said it banned Vulin because he declared that a decision on whether he would attend a Serb-organized World War II commemoration ceremony in Croatia depended on Serbia's president, rather than Croatia. Vulin is known for his anti-Croat stands. South Koreas foreign minister a key player in this weeks inter-Korean summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in said that a high-stakes meeting between President Trump and Kim could end North Koreas growing nuclear and missile threat. It does indicate, South Korea Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha told Fox News, that we have an historic opportunity to resolve the North Korean nuclear and missile threat once and for all. She acknowledged that re-starting talks with the top leaders, on all sides, was unusual diplomacy. But brushed off the idea that it was risky. HISTORIC NORTH-SOUTH KOREA SUMMIT WILL SET THE STAGE FOR EVEN BIGGER TRUMP, KIM JONG UN SUMMIT It has been an unusual process, she noted, but perhaps the lessons of the past 25 years of negotiations and agreements and agreements broke.are basically 25 years of failure. The foreign minister is one of several Seoul officials backing the South Korean president as he faces off against North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The two were expected to meet in person at the border on Friday. It would be the third time the two Koreas have met since the two nations divided in 1948. The last summit was in 2007. While it was unclear what early commitments Kim would make regarding getting rid of his nukes, Kang sounded determined. SEE KIM JONG UN'S BIZARRE PROPAGANDA PHOTOS Our goal is complete, peaceful denuclearization, she said. Kim Jong Un has indicated as long as he is guaranteed security then he doesnt need nuclear weapons. But she stressed that a peace mission, while urgent, probably would not be achieved in a few summits. The urgency of resolving the issue is something we all share, she said. What the time frame will be will come from discussions at the summit level. TRUMP SAYS NORTH KOREA HAS MADE MAJOR NUCLEAR CONCESSIONS As President Moons partner in this peace mission, Minister Kang gives President Trump a lot of credit. I think clearly he saw this as an immediate, the most challenging global security agenda, not just for the United States but for the whole world, she said. She said President Trumps tough talk on North Korea has not negatively impacted peace talks. The daily messaging is one thing, she said. The longer-term effect of those messages is what really mattered and it has forced the North Korean leader to change his calculations. The blueprint: Timothy Ray Brown Petersons work is part of the Hutch-based defeatHIV, a consortium headed by Kiem and virologist Dr. Keith Jerome that was first funded in 2011 by the National Institutes of Health as one of three public-private research groups investigating different HIV cure strategies. (Funded again in 2016, it is now one of six such groups.) Under its first round of funding, defeatHIV focused on autologous transplantation using genetically modified stem cells as a safer, more scalable way to cure HIV based on the only known case of HIV cure to date: that of Timothy Ray Brown. Browns case, first widely reported in 2009, has energized HIV-cure research. He had received an allogeneic bone marrow transplant using matched donor cells in 2007 to treat life-threatening leukemia. Because Brown also had HIV, his doctor in Berlin, where he was living at the time, sought out a donor with two copies of a mutation on the CCR5 gene, which results in natural HIV resistance. This is the mutation that Peterson mimicked using ZFNs. In 2008, Browns cancer returned and he required a second transplant. But he had stopped taking antiretroviral medicine for his HIV after the first transplant, and scientists have not detected the virus since. (His leukemia also remains in remission.) A high-risk bone marrow transplant Brown barely survived his second one is no way to try to cure the vast majority of people with HIV who do not also face a deadly blood cancer. But until Browns case, no one believed HIV could be cured at all because of those reservoirs of latently infected cells. Researchers are pretty sure that the donors HIV-resistant cells played a role in Browns cure; in at least two cases, people with both cancer and HIV who underwent transplants without HIV-resistant donors relapsed after being HIV-free for months. But theyre less sure about the role played by the rest of the transplant process. What about Browns intensive pre-transplant conditioning a chemotherapy and radiation regimen that destroys the immune system to make room for transplanted cells to grow or the graft-vs.-host disease he developed after the second transplant? Even for a cancer patient, he went through an extraordinarily intensive treatment, with two transplants and the chemotherapy, Peterson said. He went through a lot. The goal of defeatHIV is to not put anyone who is otherwise healthy through such a harsh treatment, which Brown himself thoroughly endorses. So although some conditioning is needed to make room for new stem cells to grow, Peterson is using a far less harsh version. Also, autologous transplantation avoids the potentially lethal graft-vs.-host disease that can arise when a donor immune system sees and attacks its new host as foreign. At the same time, it also loses a potential graft-vs.-reservoir effect, similar to the graft-vs.-leukemia effect that researchers learned is part of a leukemia cure. (That is, the donors immune cells attack and kill leukemia cells missed by chemotherapy or radiation.) For that reason, Peterson and other defeatHIV researchers believe that a second step may be needed beyond making stem cells resistant to HIV. Next steps In a study published in December, also in PLOS Pathogens, Peterson and collaborators at the University of California, Los Angeles modified stem cells by adding a chimeric antigen receptor, or CAR, programmed to kill HIV-infected cells, a process similar to a type of gene therapy being tested against cancer. Most of the still-experimental cancer therapies genetically reprogram a patients own T cells a type of immune cell that searches out and destroys abnormal or infected cells. Fred Hutch HIV cure researchers are working instead to reprogram stem cells, which give rise to T cells. Why stem cells? Long story short: Theyre going to persist for the lifetime of the individual, Peterson said. In the earlier CAR study published in December, the researchers noted that the stem cells appeared to produce anti-HIV T cells when needed. The interesting thing there is we could see that the CAR cells come and go as the virus comes and goes, he said. When we put the animals on antiretroviral therapy, the CAR cells go down. When we take them off, they go back up. They act as sentinels, going to sleep and waking back up as needed. Ideally, treatment would combine the CCR5 and CAR gene modifications marrying a defense against HIV infection with an offense against already-infected cells. We think that by enabling a cell thats CCR5-edited and infection-resistant to also seek out infected cells using a CAR molecule, we can enhance the ability to reduce or eliminate reservoirs even more, Peterson said. It would be more of an active approach rather than a passive approach. Peterson and his colleagues, along with collaborators at UCLA, continue to refine techniques to boost the proportion of gene-edited cells as well as to plan a study combining the protective CCR5 mutation with a CAR to play offense. In the meantime, City of Hope Medical Center in California and ZFN creator and defeatHIV member Sangamo Therapeutics have opened a small human clinical trial testing a CCR5-edited autologous transplant, which is similar to Petersons animal studies but uses a different conditioning regimen. Were excited to see where they go, Peterson said. 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. Four very different events put on by Long Beach's Justin Rudd and the Community Action Team are open for registration. Alleged attack on 14-year-old girl never happened : Sexual assault was entirely made-up BORNHEIM-MERTEN The 14-year-old who claimed she had been attacked by a man in Bornheim-Merten on Wednesday evening made up the story. The sexual assault never happened. Teilen Teilen Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Tweeten Tweeten Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Drucken The police has issued a statement explaining that the assault on a 14-year-old girl never happened. The teenager who was accompanied by a girlfriend, made up the incident entirely. The search for a culprit has been discontinued. The girl had reported that she was attacked at around 5.45pm by an unknown culprit on the country lane leading from the Holzweg into the nature reserve in Bornheim-Merten. She claimed that the man touched her indecently and that he had hit her in the face. When she told her parents, they immediately called the police who searched the entire area around the alleged crime scene, also bringing a tracking dog. We were under a certain time pressure, because the description of the crime was quite specific as were the search details. And there was quite an atmosphere of worry in the general public, said Robert Scholten, spokesperson for the police in Bonn. During the investigation the police did not find any indications of a crime when they interviewed residents and passers-by. We then looked back at the description of the events by the two girls and spoke to them again, said Scholten. It appeared then that the whole story was completely made-up. Due to the young age of both teenagers the police made no further comment on why the girl had made-up the story. We are closing this investigation and will discuss further action with the public prosecutors office, said Scholten. New shopping center at the train station : Ten Brinke sells Maximilian Center in Bonn for 112 million Euro Bonn Just the shell of the construction has been erected of the Maximilian Center near Bonns train station, already Ten Brinke has sold the project. Also, the company has opened its own offices in Bonn. Teilen Teilen Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Tweeten Tweeten Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Drucken According to GA information, the shopping center was bought by the supplementary pension fund of the Bavarian municipalities, under the roof of the Bavarian Supply Chambers, which is the largest public law supply group in Germany. The contract was already signed in June 2017 with Ten Brinke. The Bavarian group will also own the business passages in the underground train zone from next year on. Albert Ten Brinke had already announced early on that the business ensemble will change hands. It was important to us that the property will be in sound hands. Our focus lies completely on (the) sustainability, said Moritz Tank, project manager for the Ten Brinke group, in an interview with the GA. Once Ten Brinke finishes the construction, the ownership will change over to the new owners. Its going well, said Tank. Even though it remains exciting. The companies involved in the construction keep finding surprises in the ground - like a solid foundation, probably left after a crane was erected on top it for the construction of the Southern overbuilding and the underground system. It was located underneath the former chipper, City Pick, and stuck out underneath the road. That foundation had to be excavated in a complicated effort. First shops will open this year That didnt come as a surprise really, because the entire area was dug open between the Bonner Loch and the former Kaiserhallen, remembers Tank, a Bonn man by birth. We do it differently now and put our crane in the middle of the building, so it can reach every side of the site. Despite surprises like this causing delays, the company holds on to the ambitious plan to open the first shops in the ground floor already this year. In spring 2019, Primark will be handed the building construction - the fashion company wants to design the interior spaces on their own. The renting-out of the 22 retail spaces is practically completed. A few former tenants are returing, new contracts with Rewe To Go, Kentucky Fried Chicken and Backwerk have been signed. There will be a considerable gastronomy mix, said Tank. And more quality of choice for commuters, who use the trains in the main station and the trams. Ten Brinke opens Bonn office The projects of the Ten Brinke Group in Bonn and the region have reached such dimensions that the international property company has now opened its own Bonn office. Beside the Maximilian Center and the two GIZ buildings near the Trajektknoten, theres also a new Post construction in the planning phase. Five employees are working currently on one floor in the Schaumburg-Lippe-Strae, seven more are to follow. We look after the entire Rhineland from Bonn, all the way to Mainz and Frankfurt, said managing director Ilja Keller. The enterprise has its main offices in the Netherlands with more than 700 employees and a revenue of approximately 700 million Euro. The company also has subsidiaries in Spain and Greece. The decision to open an office in Bonn has another advantage for the company in the shape of commercial tax. The firms philosophy provides that as many task intersection points as possible in the development of new properties will be taken care of in-house - and thats not just the development and planning but also the implementation of a project. The company employs its own lawyers and notaries also. Kim Dotcom has taken to Twitter in search of a few employees, including an in-house DJ. Mr Dotcom, who recently moved to Queenstown with his family, tweeted he is after some in-house help for a range of jobs with specific skills. A chef, DJ, a counter-intelligence professional, a German teacher and a Zeppelin pilot are some of the jobs up for grabs. Alfie Evanss father wanted his son to remain on life support and be allowed to go to the Bambino Gesu Hospital in Rome for additional treatment. Earlier today, though, the UKs Court of Appealthe highest court within the Senior Courts of England and Walesdenied that request and upheld a previous ruling removing life-support for the British infant. (Rev. Ben Johnson wrote about The trial of Alfie Evans yesterday.) In this story sounds eerily familiar, its because its similar to the situation last year with another British infantCharlie Gard. Charlies parents also wanted to take their child to Bambino Gesu Hospital, but the British courts refused. In an Acton Commentary last year Anne Rathbone Bradley explained why this was an intrusion into parental rights: The state is not a legal guardian of people, an entity that assigns rights and dignity. Quite the opposite: The state is a construct that we use (often not very effectively) to protect rights and dignity that we already have. The biggest concern we should have with the state is that it has a strong tendency to violate its position, and history is a powerful reminder of this tendency. The state in fact, has no dignity, only people do. As such, the family is the most important societal mechanism for protecting and defending the rights and dignity which come from our Creator. Where the family or community cannot do this, we employ the state, bounded by the rule of law and respect for individual rights, to protect those rights. When the state crosses that boundary and assumes the role of parent, we can only expect that the natural role of families, churches, and communities will be eclipsed, and this will erode our natural rights and dignity. Parents must be the ones to make the choices about the care of their children. This is why Charlies legal battle matters so much. Read more . . . One of the most dramatic sights in a garden is an ornamental grass backlit by late afternoon sun. They seem to come alive as their tawny flowers spikes glow and sway in the breeze. Their gentle movement and soft whispering sounds can bring your garden to life as few... Last month the Trump administration killed the $117 billion sale of wireless tech giant Qualcomm to Singapore-based Broadcom. In blocking the hostile takeover of the company, the president cited national security concerns. But the move raised a host of broad-ranging questions about protectionism, international competition and Americas imperiled future as a global technological leader.In San Diego, where Qualcomm is based, most of the handwringing over the looming sale focused on something else: the local economy. The fear was that Qualcomms pervasive impact on the San Diego economy -- along with the generous philanthropy of the companys founder, Irwin Jacobs -- might vanish overnight.As a former planning director for the city of San Diego, I understood the angst. After all, a good part of my job had been making sure that Qualcomm was happy, because no business is more important to San Diego. The company employs 15,000 people at an average salary of over $100,000 per year.But even now that it looks like Qualcomm is here to stay, its worth taking a moment to think about San Diegos attitude about the possibility of losing its local economic superstar. And to that end, Id like to invoke my own law of economic development, which states that the best test of an economic development strategy is not how successful the business is, but what assets the city has left when the business leaves town. By that standard, San Diego is an enormous winner no matter what happens with Qualcomm at some point down the road.The company itself is a spinoff of the University of California, San Diego, where Jacobs and the other company founders taught. Since then, the wealth created by Qualcomm has been invested in San Diego many times over -- not least by Jacobs himself, who has endowed a number of medical facilities at the university that have, in turn, spun off successful biotech companies. Its a virtuous cycle thats made San Diego an important center for tech and biotech industries.If Qualcomm ever does leave, it may lead to a short-term reduction in well-paid workers. But it wont change the fact that Qualcomm and its wealth have helped transform San Diego from a Navy town into a tech and biotech powerhouse.Politicians always want to show they are producing jobs right now. But the truth is that when you lure a business to town, more likely than not youre renting those jobs. Whats harder for urban politicians to grasp is that investing in long-term economic assets will produce more jobs and more wealth in the future -- even if the company leaves town. Thats why its important for business, civic and educational leaders to embrace the long-term model of economic development. Every city is better off in the long run. New Hampshire doesnt collect sales or excise taxes on the purchase of liquor, yet it relies on liquor sales to keep its budget afloat. That combination has led to a long list of troubles, including allegations of bootlegging, money laundering and tax evasion, to name a few.The tax-free liquor brings in lots of customers from other states. These arent just out-of-state visitors looking to save a couple of bucks on a bottle. Its pretty common for people to drive up in trucks with New York license plates and purchase thousands of dollars worth of booze. These purchases, often made in cash, frequently total just under $10,000 apiece -- the threshold that triggers Internal Revenue Service disclosure requirements.Andru Volinsky, a member of the states Executive Council -- a sort of advisory governing board for the state -- started hearing complaints about such transactions from Liquor Commission employees. They were being encouraged to turn a blind eye to a number of practices by bootleggers, as well as their superiors at the Liquor Commission, Volinsky says.He decided to check things out for himself. Hearing that a customer had phoned in a large order one Saturday, he went to the store in question. It was in Keene, just north of Massachusetts, off Interstate 91. Volinsky watched a man and a woman buy $24,000 worth of Hennessy cognac, splitting up the order into multiple purchases, mostly paid for with cash. I saw it happen in open space, Volinsky says.He reported his findings to the governor and the attorney general and then took his allegations public. The Liquor Commission soon sprang into action, firing its own employee at the Keene store, whom Volinsky describes as a whistleblower. Blaming the messenger appeared to be the strongest initial impulse. The state Republican Party called for Volinsky himself to be investigated for running what party spokesman Patrick Hynes calls a bizarre sting operation. GOP Gov. Chris Sununu suggested that wasnt a bad idea, calling for an investigation on both sides.Because Volinsky is a Democrat, this might be dismissed as yet another skirmish in an era of partisan warfare. The reality is that what Volinsky saw was not really news to anyone. There have been complaints for years that the Liquor Commission encourages -- or at least fails to discourage -- dodgy out-of-state purchases. Back in 2012, House Speaker Bill OBrien commissioned a report that made serious allegations of impropriety. That year, a couple of drivers in Massachusetts were caught illegally transporting liquor apparently purchased in New Hampshire. One of them carried 1,676 bottles of Hennessy.OBriens report came out just before that years election, in which he and his fellow Republicans lost their House majority, so they were unable to take further action. Quite frankly, if I became speaker again, we would have looked at doing away with the commission and privatizing the sale of liquor, OBrien says. Its an agency of government that needs greater oversight and maybe the mission could be changed.Border towns in much of the country feature gas stations, liquor stores or cigarette barns that make it easy for residents of neighboring states to take advantage of lower tax rates just across the line. New Hampshires Liquor Commission makes it especially easy. Stores are located in places that happen to be convenient to bootlegging routes, and their complete inventories are publicly available online. As a result, you dont have to waste time driving around to find the stores that stock tens of thousands of dollars worth of cognac.Patrick Delaney, Vermonts liquor commissioner, says New Hampshires setup is basically tax evasion. The New Hampshire Liquor Commission insists, however, that theres nothing illegal or unscrupulous about selling to out-of-state customers. Our prices, selection and service are one of the many reasons more than 11 million customers from around the world spent $700 million with us last year. We welcome all customers, no matter where they live.The New Hampshire Liquor Commission nets $150 million a year, or about 6 percent of the states total revenues. State law makes clear that prioritizing profits is at least as important a purpose for the commission as regulating the distribution of alcohol. As Volinsky has found, pointing out the flaws in this system is more likely to lead to disparagement than change. A new study released as a prelude to Sen. Patty Murray's legislative effort to contain the opioid epidemic estimates the financial impacts of overdose deaths alone have cost Washington state $34 billion over the four years ending in 2016.The study from the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee pegs the cost of the opioid crisis to Washington residents at $9.19 billion in 2016, with roughly $7 billion of those costs attributed to the financial impacts of overdose deaths.The study was released ahead of plans by Murray and Tennessee Republican Sen. Lamar Alexander to introduce the Opioid Crisis Response Act of 2018 on Tuesday. The study reviewed the financial impacts of fatalities, health-care spending, addiction treatment, criminal justice and lost productivity.The proposed legislation would, among other actions, reauthorize grants to states and Native American tribes for opioid-related prevention, treatment and response, give states support for improving their Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs and increase access to mental-health services in schools and community organizations.Murray said the bill is a "serious step toward" tackling the many challenges posed by the opioid epidemic."Our bipartisan bill reflects many of the concerns and needs I've heard from people across Washington state, and across the country, about the importance of serious federal action to support communities on the front lines of the opioid crisis," Murray said.The question is whether the bill goes far enough to disrupt the cycle of addiction by giving addicts help, both through treatment and by providing alternative drugs.Caleb Banta-Green, the principal research scientist at the Alcohol & Drug Abuse Institute (ADAI) at the University of Washington, said the committee's estimated financial impact of the opioid crisis of $9 billion in 2016 seems reasonable for Washington.However, he said the legislation itself falls short because it fails to undermine the heroin market by making drugs like methadone easily and readily available to addicts and get them into treatment.This legislation doesn't fix that, he said."To do so means that treatment medications, buprenorphine and methadone, have to be easier to get than heroin, every single day," Banta-Green said.The Senate health committee's estimate of the financial impact of the opioid crisis is significantly higher than a 2013 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study, which put the total costs at $78.5 billion.Banta-Green said the proposed legislation may not have much impact in the West, since it will focus federal dollars in places like New England that are hardest hit by the epidemic.CDC numbers show more than 42,000 people died nationally and about 764 in Washington state from opioids in 2016. In King County, according to the ADAI, deaths from heroin slightly decreased in 2016 to 118 from 132 in 2015. Prescribed opioids killed 107 in 2016 as opposed to 97 the prior year. For one fleeting moment in Emmanuel Macrons speech to Congress, it seemed as though he would connect the transatlantic alliance on the firm basis of its common values. The strength of our bonds is the source of our shared ideals, he told lawmakers. Since 1776, the United States and France have worked together for the universal ideals of liberty, tolerance, and equal rights. The use of the phrase universal values, an ersatz substitute for Western values, preceded his assessment of the key challenges confronting the U.S. and France: Together with our international allies and partners, we are facing inequalities created by globalization; threats to the planet, our common good; attacks on democracies through the rise of illiberalism; and the destabilization of our international community by new powers and criminal states. These purported crises demand collective (and collectivist) action on at least three notable areas, based on these aforementioned universal values. Censoring Fake News. Macron couched government action to suppress certain media narratives as democracys self-defense mechanism. To protect our democracies, we have to fight against the ever-growing virus of fake news, which exposes our people to irrational fear and imaginary risks, Macron told Congress. Without reason, without truth, there is no real democracy, he continued. The corruption of information is an attempt to corrode the very spirit of our democracies. Macron has proposed giving judges the power to block stories they deem fake news, delete links to them, and close their users accounts. Censorship contravenes Americas most fundamental founding ideals. Thomas Jefferson, whom Macron praised during his speech, wrote that he opposed all efforts to silence by force & not by reason the complaints or criticisms of the press whether the stories in question were just or unjust. Jeffersons day saw more fake news than our own; however, he relished waging ideological battle in the certainty that truth would prevail. Our liberty depends on the freedom of the press, and that cannot be limited without being lost, he added. Rejoining the Paris climate agreement. In order to make our planet great again, Macron said in a playful twist on President Trumps signature phrase, I am sure one day the United States will come back and join the Paris [climate] agreement. While acknowledging concerns that the pact would harm the economy, he insisted, We must find a smooth transition to a low-carbon economy. Europes experience should provide a warning against an ambitious, government-driven green energy agenda. Germanys modest attempts to meet its energy needs with alternative energy sources have subjected whole regions to the threat of blackouts and caused energy costs to skyrocket. UK fuel regulations have forcibly separated some families for days at a time. These manifestly harm the middle class, whom Macron recognized as the backbone of our democracies. Greater economic regulation. I believe in the power of intelligently regulated market economies, he said. Reducing the inequalities created by globalization requires the opposite of massive deregulation and extreme nationalism. France offers little evidence that increased regulation creates prosperity, nor that regulation is often intelligent. After all, the recession of yesterday was produced by the regulations of two days ago. More to the point, economic inequality which is a misleading measure has been declining, not increasing, according to the IEAs Ryan Bourne. While the wealthy have gotten wealthier as globalization proceeds, the poor have gotten richer even faster. Oxfam admits that extreme global poverty has halved between 1990 and 2010 a process that came, not from regulation and redistribution, but investment and private-sector development. Absent from Macrons list are such paramount Western values as religious liberty e.g., allowing schoolchildren to wear a crucifix respecting life, and allowing people to thrive apart from the continual interference of government in their choice of media consumption or their financial affairs. As a source of shared Western values, this was thin gruel indeed. (Photo credit: www.Kremlin.ru. CC BY 4.0.) More than half a dozen governors most of them Democrats from the Northeast announced plans Wednesday to launch an unprecedented multistate consortium that will study gun violence as a public health issue.The governors said they were upset at the lack of action from Washington and are looking to fill a void left by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which has been restricted in its ability to collect data to advocate for gun control.Those of us at the state and local level are taking matters into our hands to curb violence in our communities, said New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat who took office in January, in a statement. Thats why Im proud to join my fellow governors in creating the nations first regional gun violence research consortium.The new research consortium will work across universes and government agencies across the states involved. The research will be compiled, along with existing data from institutional, federal and multistate sources, into a clearinghouse available for public review. Nearly three dozen scholars have agreed to participate. Dynamically Planned Las Vegas Broadly Partnered Olathe, Kan. Resident-Involved Seattle Race-Informed Louisville, Ky. Smartly Resourced San Antonio Employee-Engaged Fayetteville, N.C. Data-Driven San Diego Fayetteville, N.C., population 205,000, is the most innovative city in the country, according to a new report fromin collaboration with the nonprofit Living Cities.The second annual Equipt to Innovate report , released this week, assesses municipal governments on a range of metrics -- including data use and strategic planning, racial equity in decisionmaking, and citizen engagement.Fayetteville was a high performer in last year's inaugural report, in which Phoenix was ranked No. 1, but the North Carolina city rose to the top in this year's evaluation.The city of Fayetteville is both thrilled and honored to be recognized this year as the city best equipped in the nation to innovate, Fayetteville City Manager Douglas J. Hewett says. This is a reflection of the work in which the city has engaged over a number of years to utilize operational data to inform decisionmaking and to seek new ways to better respond to resident needs.While the report does rank cities, the ultimate goal is to offer them best practices and improve their ability to innovate.We didnt want this to be a rank from one to 25 and a battle over who is No. 1," says Steven Bosacker, principal of public sector and partnerships at Living Cities. "What we wanted to do is show that there are cities that are top performers in different categories and who needs to be held up as examples. We want to provide technical assistance to cities who were hungry to learn.Fayetteville was among the top six cities in all but one of the report's seven criteria."There is no way the city could land that high in different elements unless they were doing broad-based planning," says Bosacker.This year, 74 cities completed the survey, including the nations 10 largest cities and 55 of the 100 largest cities. The top performers in each category for 2018 were:Fayettevilles use of data and analytics to guide city management and long-term planning stood out, according to Living Cities. The citys TRACStat system is an open data portal that collects budget and financial data as well as performance results and makes that information available to the public.Residents said they wanted to access this information online, and we also want it to be very simple and clear, says Rebecca Jackson, Fayetteville's director of strategy and performance analytics.That data is coupled with community input in a process that is both high-tech and low-tech.At the beginning of each year, Fayetteville holds what it calls Cafe Conversations. Citizens meet with the city for free coffee (and free coffee mugs), and they're each given an electronic clicker they can use to weigh in on a host of questions.We talk to them about the strategic plan and the overall city, and then we would ask them how satisfied they are with the citys performance, Jackson says.The results are displayed live. City staff then talk to residents about their answers and conduct a resident-informed planning session. The recommendations are taken to the city council before it finalizes the citys strategic plan for the upcoming year.Fayetteville scored especially high in the area of employeee engagement, thanks in part to extensive employee surveys the city has conducted. Through those surveys, the city developed a set of core values centered around R.E.S.P.E.C.T., or Responsibility, Ethics, Stewardship, Professionalism, Entrepreneurial Spirit, Commitment and Teamwork. A Core Values Award recognizes the public employee who best exemplifies those traits.Part of this is really looking at ways we can maximize our performance with the resources we have, says Jackson.With just over 200,000 residents, Fayetteville is the sixth-largest city in North Carolina. In the new report, it outperformed much larger localities including New York, Los Angeles and last years top-ranked city, Phoenix.A city of Fayetteville's size and resources must be nimble and must find ways to do more with less," says Hewett, the city manager. "Data and technology are some of the tools with which we have addressed this issue."While the scale of the government of a large metropolis can provide a wealth of human capital and financial resources to address an issue, the same scale can often be an impediment to quick change.You have a greater chance to innovate when the bureaucracy isnt so big," says Bosacker. "You can talk across city agencies and you dont have fiefdoms." A wave of red-clad teachers will crash upon the Arizona state Capitol on Thursday for an unprecedented job action that will close schools for a majority of the state's public school students, part of an educator uprising that's also bubbled up in Colorado.Around 30,000 to 50,000 teachers and their supporters are expected to march through Phoenix to rally at the Arizona state Capitol to demand a 20 percent raise for teachers, about $1 billion to return school funding to pre-Great Recession levels and increased pay for support staff, among other things.In Colorado, more than 10,000 teachers are expected to demonstrate in Denver as part of a burgeoning teacher uprising. About half of the student population will have shuttered schools as a result, with teachers using personal leave time to take off.The walkouts are the climax of an uprising that began weeks ago with the grass-roots #RedforEd movement that spread from West Virginia, Oklahoma and Kentucky. The Governors Official Program is comprised of a wide range of constitutional and legal duties and ceremonial and community engagements. Each year, the Governor hosts thousands of visitors to Government House to take part in investiture and award ceremonies, Open Days, receptions and meetings, and travels widely throughout Queensland to support the activities of Patron groups. View a chronological record of the Governors daily program below. On Tuesday, in the morning, at ANZAC Square, Brisbane, His Excellency the Honourable Paul de Jersey AC and Mrs Kaye de Jersey attended the 52nd Battalion AIF Memorial Dedication Service, and the Governor addressed guests and laid a wreath. In the evening, at ANZAC Square, the Governor was represented by Flight Lieutenant Tim Daelman, Honorary Aide-de-Camp, at the Centaur Memorial Fund for Nurses Memorial Candlelight Vigil where FLTLT Daelman laid a wreath. The Governors Official Program is comprised of a wide range of constitutional and legal duties and ceremonial and community engagements. Each year, the Governor hosts thousands of visitors to Government House to take part in investiture and award ceremonies, Open Days, receptions and meetings, and travels widely throughout Queensland to support the activities of Patron groups. View a chronological record of the Governors daily program below. On Wednesday, in the morning, at the Shrine of Remembrance, ANZAC Square, His Excellency the Honourable Paul de Jersey AC attended the Anzac Day Dawn Service, addressed guests and laid the first wreath. Following, at Government House, the Governor hosted breakfast for current and former senior Defence and service personnel representatives. Following, at the Cathedral of St Stephen, Brisbane, the Governor and Mrs Kaye de Jersey attended the Anzac Day Mass. Following, at King George Square, the Governor and Mrs de Jersey attended the Anzac Day Parade, where the Governor read the First Resolution and reviewed the Parade. In the afternoon, at the United Service Club, Spring Hill, the Governor and Mrs de Jersey attended the Anzac Day Lunch. Description GIS 26 April, 2018: A workshop in line with the theme Powering change: Women in Innovation and creativity was held this morning at the Ebene CyberTower in Ebene, in the context of World Intellectual Property Day 2018. The workshop, organised by the Mauritius Research Council (MRC), aims to outline the contribution of women to the economic development of the country as well as their influence on the Intellectual Property (IP) landscape. A workshop in line with the themewas held this morning at the Ebene CyberTower in Ebene, in the context of World Intellectual Property Day 2018. The workshop, organised by the Mauritius Research Council (MRC), aims to outline the contribution of women to the economic development of the country as well as their influence on the Intellectual Property (IP) landscape. The Minister of Gender Equality, Child Development and Family Welfare, Mrs Roubina Jadoo-Jaunbocus and the Minister of Technology, Communication and Innovation, Mr Yogida Sawmynaden, were present at the event. In his address Minister Sawmynaden pointed out that women as agents of innovation and creativity have contributed massively to the economic development of Mauritius. The World Intellectual Property Day is an opportune time to reflect on the brilliance and courage of women for driving change in the world and shaping the future and most importantly to protect their creativity and intellectual property, he said. According to the Minister, IP protection is fundamental for the society and the economy to gain from innovative and creative initiatives. Mauritius, he said, certainly needs more of the spirit of innovation across all sectors not only to create a knowledge-based economy to boost productivity but also to unleash the potential of business and enterprises, so that it moves up to a high-income country. On that note, Mr Sawmynaden recalled that Government is bent on providing the ideal environment to foster innovative and creative practices through facilities such as the National SME Incubator Scheme, the Innovation Box Regime, the Intellectual Property Promotion Scheme, amongst others. For her part Minister Jadoo-Jaunbocus said that womens role as catalyst of change, innovation and creativity in the society should be acknowledged and celebrated. She emphasised that women have the potential of being the drivers of change which is key to bring forth the agenda of development. According to her a gender balance at work can trigger business innovation in terms of ideas and services. However, figures show that women account for only 15 % of registered inventors which clearly shows their underrepresentation. On that score, she urged women entrepreneurs to protect their creative and innovative ideas for the benefit of their business activities and to ensure that their original concept is protected. Also present on the occasion the Head of Business Outreach and Digital Content, Intellectual Property Office from the United Kingdom, Ms C Saunders said that the IP system helps to underpin future development by enabling business to grow which in turn boosts the economy. She underscored the need to have the most diverse, inclusive, representative generation of creators, innovators, and scientists to ensure that people are able to innovate and create to power change for the future. Ms Saunders lauded the initiative of the government to encourage change and remove the so as to better support women in innovation. On the same occasion Minister Sawmynaden proceeded with the launch of the IP Health Check, developed by the MRC. The IP Health Check is based on the existing model operated by the UK Intellectual Property Office (UK-IPO), known as IP Health Check . The online tool covers guidance on key IPR issues covering patents, trademarks, industrial designs, copyright and confidential information. The MRC has received the authorisation of UK-IPO to adapt the online tool for development of a similar system adapted for Mauritius. The IP Health Check is available to persons coming to the MRC requesting information on IP. What is Human-Centric Design? Human-Centric Design in Government For a long time, government has built websites, forms and services that reflect the needs of government, with little consideration for how difficult to navigate systems were for constituents.This, however, is changing. The phrase human-centric design is popping up all over government, being used by everyone from elected officials to public servants to vendors who create and sell products in the gov tech space. Whereas in the past a government website might have consisted of dozens of pages each one a dense block of nigh-impenetrable text newer platforms are being designed with users in mind, putting the search bars and the most popular pages up front while streamlining government information across easy-to-navigate layouts.This concept of human-centric design is one that has been used in the private sector for years to enable a greater ease of purchase. For big companies like Apple and Amazon, its been tantamount to success. Customers go to a site like Amazon and find a personalized experience that puts the products they are most likely to buy within reach of as few as one or two clicks, saving them time and energy.Its this friendliness that many government agencies now seek to emulate, modeling their own Web services off the success of these big companies. As a result, human-centric design is poised to become increasingly foundational to the efforts of government at the state and local levels in years to come.With that in mind,recently spoke with Erik Olesund, co-founder and design strategist of the design agency Collective Capital and a lecturer at Stanford Universitys prestigious d.school, about what human-centric design means and about the past, present and future of how it applies to state and local government.Ask what is human-centric design, and youll get as many responses to that as the number of people you ask, Olesund said.Olesund considers it to be an iterative approach to both finding and solving problems, one that puts the people who are most impacted by said problem at the center of whatever product, solution or technique is being built. The end goal is that the design stems from the needs of the people using the product, rather than the institution that wants to solve the problem.Tech companies in the private sector which is almost uniformly ahead of government in innovation and design trends went through its own process to embrace the practice of human-centered design some years ago.Many people have walked into an Apple store in a mall somewhere and been greeted by headset-wearing employees who staff the Genius Bar, which also allows customers to schedule appointments ahead of time online. Its a far cry from the imperiled and laborious reception most citizens get at their local Department of Motor Vehicles field office.Apple, however, didnt invent this out of thin air. Olesund said they looked outside of the tech sector to find inspiration for this concept, which was created using the tenants of human-centered design. They searched for examples of great service and found it among the staff of the Ritz-Carlton hotel, whose comprehensive human-centric service they studied. And so the Genius Bar was born.What qualifies a project as human-centered design, Olesund said, is often the intent of those working on a project.When youre using human-centric design, youre looking to understand deeply-held needs and motivations that people have that explain why they behave they way they do, Olesund said, and often times I think surveys are not enough to do that. Surveys can help you find a pattern or a reference point that may be interesting to explore, but you actually need to engage with people face-to-face, or at least in conversation to be able to probe deeper into why they behave the way they do.Government services, like all services, have historically used some form of design to deploy user-facing components. The design portion of this equation is nothing new. What Olesund says is new, however, is the human-centric component.In the past, government services were often designed from the perspective and need of the government institution, not necessarily with the needs or desires of residents or constituents in mind, said Olesund. This might lead, for example, to an accumulation of steps and requirements for residents, or utilization of outdated technology because the government institution is locked into a contract.Basically, government has never set out to design its services to be clunky or hard to use. These qualities have, however, grown out of the legally complex frameworks that governments must adhere to, which can subsequently result in a failure to prioritize the needs of the people using the services rather than the institution.Change, however, is underway. Human-centric design is one of the main priorities of the U.S. Digital Service (USDS) and 18F , a pair of organizations created under the Obama administration with missions that largely involve making government services more accessible to the citizenry through efficient use of tech.Although the needs of state and municipal governments are more localized, the gov tech work done at the federal level by the USDS and 18F has at times served as a benchmark or guidepost for smaller government agencies.They both redesign services to make them digital and user-friendly, Olesund said. But they also do a lot of work creating frameworks and best practices for other government agencies to adopt in order to achieve some of the broader systemic change.One of the most tangible examples of human-centered design at the state or local level can be found at Michigans Department of Health and Human Services, which recently worked with the Detroit-based design studio Civilla to reduce its paper services application from 40 pages, 18,000-some words and 1,000 questions, down to 18 pages, 3,904 words and 213 questions. Currently, Civilla is working with the nonprofit civic tech group Code for America to help bring the same massive level of human-centered design progress to the states digital services.Other work is underway in San Franciscos City Hall and within the state of California. A number of cities also have iTeams funded through Bloomberg Philanthropies, and their missions are to innovate in ways that solve ongoing municipal problems, a mission that often requires use of human-centric design.For local governments wanting to shift their work toward human-centric design, Olesund had what might seem like a simple piece of advice.If youre a leader who wants to use this, you have to be willing to let go of some control, he said. You have to admit you dont have all the answers, and you have to look for those answers among your staff and your residents. Alert View Central won first place and $2,000 for best mobile app. Its creators designed a central multimedia repository, organizers said, aimed at pushing real-time alerts from multiple sources to first responders on any device. Deaf Hack won first place and $2,000 for best IoT app, as well as sponsor recognition from FirstNet with third place for best app. Its project used Hue Lights light patterns to warn the hearing impaired in their homes when dangerous situations ranging from fires to tornadoes are occurring. Find Me received sponsor recognition from AT&T for the best use of M2X, its managed data storage service; and from Esri, the mapping technology company. Its namesake Find Me button is designed to alert first responders to the location of a person in trouble potentially speeding up important primary search. A chip worn on a first responders helmet helps locate that person and document rescuers progress on a back-end incident map visible to officials. First Volunteer won second place and $1,000 for best nobile app. It also received sponsor recognition from FirstNet with first place for best app. Inspired in part by so-called Cajun Navy rescuers following Hurricane Harvey, it created a way for civilian volunteers to register online and be identified and called on by authorities during an emergency. While it wasnt fully completed due to time constraints an issue for many creators the solution will also include an IBM Watson digital assistant component aimed at providing on site skill enhancement for civilian volunteers, such as CPR directions. GoGoStop won first place and $2,000 for best data visualization. Its team used image analysis to prevent accidents at intersections, starting with the idea of turning red lights green more quickly when theres no cross-traffic but then flipping the script to focus on holding red lights longer when its clear drivers on green wont be able to stop when their signals turn red. Incident Insight received sponsor recognition for best use of Indiana MPH data. Its solution merged MPH accident data and emergency medical services data to predict statewide whether first responders would need to use Narcan to revive an opioid overdose victim. Next Gen Emergency received sponsor recognition from FirstNet with second place for best app. It would let 911 dispatchers access a callers smartphone inputs including camera and GPS by sending a text message, during an emergency situation. ONSET won second place and $1,000 for best IoT app, and sponsor recognition for best use of Onyx technology and best use of an AT&T starter kit. It uses technology to track the equipment and so-called consumables in bags carried by emergency medical technicians, using AT&T LTE connectivity to push data to M2X, and custom mobile apps to let EMTs track their own carryables. The solution also enables location monitoring on a real-time dashboard for administrators. Report and Stop won second place and $1,000 for best data visualization. It targeted often under-reported sexual harassment, offering victims a swift, easy way to file online sexual harassment reports and aggregate data enabling keyword searches, crime map creation and database cross-referencing between law enforcement agencies. Xact Impact was a finalist that didnt place but impressed judges with its wearable IoT device capable of documenting whether a first responder has been involved in a traffic accident en route to a call, or has fallen or suffered an assault, cardiac arrest or other medical emergency. The third annual Internet of Things Civic Hackathon convened hundreds of coders, developers, officials and public safety employees last week in Indiana to find new ways in which technology could be directed toward the public good focusing this year on solutions for public safety and FirstNet, the dedicated nationwide network for first responders.The venue for the April 20-21 event the new Indiana IoT Lab in Fishers, near Indianapolis won praise from participants, but those interviewed bysaid they were even more impressed by the caliber of ideas generated by roughly 300 technologists, and the close collaboration from scores of firefighters, police and law enforcement officers and public officials on-hand.Teamwork between first responders and technology creators was baked into the event, which featured a Public Safety Equipment Rodeo during its early hours, aimed at familiarizing developers with the innovation potential in everything from mobile response units and communications vehicles to drones and helicopters. And as developers headed off to the adjacent Launch Fishers co-working space to begin designing solutions, first responders were nearby.Bill Soards, president of AT&T Indiana, said the event was a good opportunity to flex the innovation side of FirstNet and pull first responders deeper into the innovation cycle.Theyre the ones with field experience. They know the challenges they face. And when you can put first responders [together] directly with very smart software developers, magic happens, Soards said.AT&T is the FirstNet service provider.A preliminary round of judging winnowed the field from 30 entrants to 10 semi-finalists who presented their solutions on-stage during the evening of April 21. First- and second-place prizes of $2,000 and $1,000, respectively, recognized achievement in IoT, mobile and data visualization.Indianas analytics solutions provider, the Management Performance Hub (MPH), provided data streams for participants to tap into, and while its yet unclear whether finalists will go on to fully develop their projects, the states Chief Data Officer Darshan Shah pronounced the event a critical win.Each of these teams delivered a new idea and a different solution that we may not have thought of. The more we can continue to be interconnected with the technology community, the better its going to be for the tech community and the state collectively, Shah said.The winning solutions were:We thought, lets pre-register them, get them verified as first responders so whenever theres a need they can check and reach out to these [volunteers] in a more organized fashion, said graduate student Anagha Varrier, one of four team members and a graduate student in computer science at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis.If the light turns red and we realize the car is going too fast and will not stop in time, we delay the green light and the cross-traffic, said team member Felix Wyss, who leads a group of AI researchers at contact center solutions provider Genesys.Brian Norris, vice president of data and analytics at OurHealth, which provides primary care services to self-insured employers, was part of a team from the company that took part in the inaugural 2017 Indiana Medicaid Data Challenge in October.We found different areas of the state that had a higher Narcan usage than others. That could tell you I need more of a Narcan supply. Or I need [more] first responders trained, Norris said, noting that the solution will need a bit more robust data set to be completely successful.Obviously thats incredibly valuable. You can imagine a child who may have to stay quiet because somethings going on. And instead of talking, they can just punch a button, said Sally Fay, communications director for the states Integrated Public Safety Commission, which organized the equipment rodeo and is its point-of-contact agency for FirstNet.If we could really translate that [fall] into G-force, that will really give people ideas of how much impact and what kind of impact the subject suffered, said team member Bin Sun, a self-trained engineer who works for Indianapolis medical device company Roche Diagnostics. (TNS) - The first victim arrived at 10:22 a.m., brought in a pickup truck to the emergency department at Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center a young woman, bleeding from being shot in the arm.Others were on the way from the bloody scene at the Fairplex Exposition Complex about a mile away. Dozens of them.Active shooter at the Fairplex! someone called out to hospital staff, who immediately sprang into action. Theres going to be 40 or 50 more coming.Thats how the first large-scale, mass-shooting training drill to test the hospitals 1-year-old trauma center began Tuesday, April 24. The exercise unfolded in the mid-morning quiet of a typical weekday, as law enforcement and fire authorities managed the simulated concert shooting at the fairgrounds.The national readiness goal for hospitals to prepare for multiple victims is 15 minutes from first notice of an incident all too necessary in todays world of bloodbaths in places like Orlando, Fla., and Las Vegas, Nevada.This is as real as it gets, said Dr. Michael Jimenez, director of the Pomona trauma center and its lead surgeon.The center, opened in March 2017, serves cities in eastern Los Angeles County and western San Bernardino County and has eight surgeons on staff.Even for a make-believe event, there was no escaping the sense of urgency. Emergency department staff had to prepare for and treat victims of gunshot wounds transported to the Garey Avenue hospital in ways mimicking the October 2017 shooting in Las Vegas that left 58 people dead and 851 injured.The wounded, portrayed by hospital volunteers, arrived haphazardly alone, in pairs, and by the dozen in personal vehicles, a public bus, police cars and ambulances. One a dummy used in the exercise was flown by helicopter to the rooftop pad atop the patient parking structure across from the emergency department.In the midst of the pretend chaos that engaged more than 200 hospital staff and volunteers, a human touch still mattered.Do you know your name? Aimee Castillejo, a registered nurse at the trauma center, gently asked the first of 50 victims.Lauren, the young woman answered, watching Castillejo tie on a tourniquet.The nurses attached Triage Tags that include color-coded tabs to indicate a victims treatment needs. A black tab grimly represents morgue but theres a red tab for immediate, yellow for delayed, green for minor mirroring similarly colored plastic arms on the gurneys.In a space at ground level in the parking structure, collapsible lightweight gurneys made from PVC pipe called Rapid Response Emergency beds were stacked and stored where they could be quickly wheeled over and placed on a pair of tarps in the triage area. Each tarp was marked with outlines of where to position up to 10 gurneys.Wheeled into position nearby in the covered entryway: a trio of multi-tiered disaster carts packed with gauze bandages, elastic tourniquets, wound dressings, oxygen masks, sutures and splinting material.Over the din of the wounded screaming Help! or moaning in pain and the chatter of the dozens of doctors and nurses, the voice of Dr. Jimenez could be heard issuing orders as calmly as he soothed the wounded.All right, we need a tourniquet over here, he called out while examining the fifth victim to arrive. We need a tourniquet, guys.Its the job of Jimenez, 41, to guide the staff through the paces of the 15 til 50 manual, a template created by emergency planners at two other California hospitals to handle an influx of 50 victims within 15 minutes of being notified of a mass casualty incident.This is something that every trauma center needs to do, said Jimenez, who spent a year training at the R. Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore, the nations largest trauma center, where treating 15 to 20 gunshot victims at a time is not unusual.Its like a war zone, Jimenez said of the place that prepared him well for the Pomona exercise.One moment, he was comforting an older woman separated from her friend. I dont know where she is, the woman, wounded in her neck, told him. Her name is Gloria.Jimenez showed her how to put pressure on her wound and offered assurance: We dont know exactly where she is now. Well let you know if we find out anything.Next, he rushed to an operating room a few floors up to perform surgery on a police officer bleeding from his carotid artery. He walked fast but explained that if this were real, I would be in an all-out sprint.He planned to gather with staff later to go over the notes that Nurse Stephanie Smith-Raby, trauma services director, jotted on a note pad of what was working well and what wasnt things like making sure wheelchairs are available and operating rooms are ready.The next such drill will be in fall 2018.Said Jimenez when Tuesdays exercise ended less than two hours after it began: This is good for planning.2018 The Orange County Register (Santa Ana, Calif.)Visit The Orange County Register (Santa Ana, Calif.) at www.ocregister.comDistributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. (TNS) - A young girl's request for water was like a sword thrust to the heart during a recent walk through the mountain town of Casanovas during a recent mission trip to Puerto Rico.The joyful response to a simple gift box of food and case of water was symbolic of the attitude of Puerto Ricans, who showed consistent humility and thankfulness during a trip to the island, where temperatures remained constant around 85 degrees in the heat of the day.Dozens of families welcomed a mission trip earlier this month designed to help alleviate the suffering caused by Hurricane Maria, but the ongoing grinding poverty was one of the surprising aspects for those who experienced the trip first-hand.I was one of 11 on the mission, which also included Jeff Albert, of Ashtabula, eight Detroit area residents and one from Virginia. The trip was coordinated by the Great Lakes Conference of the Evangelical Covenant Church.We spent eight days on the sunny island rebuilding two roofs, cleaning a church camp, building a cement wall, painting an apartment building and church and interacting with residents of numerous communities.The hosts from Shining Bright International have been operating mission trips since September, when Hurricane Maria slammed into the island damaging infrastructure, destroying homes and forcing many to leave the island for refuge with family and friends on the mainland."It has been a reach to impact the entire island," said Humberto Pizarro, who helps coordinate the trips with a small team of tireless drivers, cooks and administrators. He is also a pastor at Connected Life Church in San Juan.Pizarro said he has helped organize 51 mission trips to help the island get back on its feet. The task has provided physical, emotional and spiritual burdens to the workers."God has trusted us as stewards," Pizarro said. "It has been extremely taxing on us as individuals. We have been stretched."Pizarro sees the weekly trips coming to an end in the near distant future, but turning around the devastating effects of the storm will take much longer."It will take years, maybe even a decade, to get back to normal," he said.Pizarro said his church lost many families. Many will eventually come back, he said, but it will likely be a long process.The groups that have volunteered their time and money to help rebuild Puerto Rico are greatly appreciated. Pizarro said the unity has been a great experience with people chipping in across denomination and racial lines.The challenge for residents is to return to their lives but also stay engaged with those in need."The island has to turn back to normalcy but never forget," he said.Power outages, emotional loss, lack of the basic necessities and other challenges make recovery difficult."You are pushing Puerto Rico into a Third World situation," he said.Albert, who spent several weeks providing disaster relief in Houston after Hurricane Harvey pounded Texas in August, said he was surprised at the gratitude of the rural poor who seemed so thankful, while some in Texas were "looking for a handout."The vast differences between San Juan, a sprawling city of more than 1.3 million people, and the rural areas were pronounced. Albert said he was surprised how many people live in San Juan."I was expecting more rural," he said.We stayed at a church seminary dormitory with bunk beds, were fed wonderful home-cooked meals and developed strong relationships with the staff that worked tirelessly.The opportunity to help meet the physical needs of the rural poor was balanced by the opportunity to share with 10th graders at a bilingual high school in San Juan. The school served a wealthier segment of the population and the students were dealing with many of the same difficulties facing mainland teenagers, including pressure from parents to make a career decision at a young age.The devastation of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico has also had ripple effects here in Ashtabula County. Ashtabula Area City Schools Interim Superintendent Mark Potts said the district has experienced an increase of six to 12 students from Puerto Rico following the hurricane.Two Lakeside High School graduates have also completed recent mission trips to Puerto Rico through H20 Church, which is based at the University of Akron where they are students.Siblings Caleb Garcia, a 2014 LHS graduate, and Carolyn Garcia, a 2016 LHS graduate, went on a trip from March 24-30 and did a variety of tasks through the disaster relief agency "Send Relief."Caleb Garcia said the 18 students were broken into teams of six people and were taken to various spots throughout the island."I did expect to see a lot more (direct) devastation," he said of downed trees and other physical destruction. What he didn't expect was the lack of supplies to meet people's needs."I expected people to have the basics by that point, but I found so many have been denied aid by FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency)," Caleb Garcia said.He said he had rewarding conversations with island residents many of whom just needed to tell their "stories" because nobody was listening.Caleb Garcia is a junior electrical engineer technician major, but he also has interest in mission work."Even before (the trip), I thought I might be interested in mission work in the future and this trip reinforced it," he said.Carolyn Garcia said she also enjoyed meeting the people of Puerto Rico and was shocked at their attitudes despite all they have suffered."They are still happy, joyful and hospitable," she said. "We were going house to house and offering people a water filter, food and a Bible with an insert from a local church."The fight for the soul of the tiny island territory will be a long battle and, while the people seem ready for the struggle, they need more help.Warren Dillaway is a staff photographer for the Star Beacon. He can be reached at warren@starbeacon.com.2018 the Star Beacon (Ashtabula, Ohio)Visit the Star Beacon (Ashtabula, Ohio) at www.starbeacon.comDistributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. After Six Corrections, LA Times Again Errs on 'Palestine' Terminology | Main | Revealed: Palestinian Journalist Killed at Gaza Border was a Terrorist April 26, 2018 NBCs CAIR-Less Coverage The Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) portrays itself as a U.S. civil rights organization. However, as numerous terrorist analysts and the U.S. government itself has noted, CAIR is an unindicted co-conspirator in the 2009 Holy Land Foundation (HLF) retrialthe largest terrorism financing case in the nations history. NBC, however, has treated the organization as a credible source on the subject of Islamic extremism. In an April 23, 2018 article, John Bolton presided over anti-Muslim think tank,? NBC reporter Heidi Przybla used CAIR to attack Bolton, who is currently the National Security Adviser to President Donald Trump, and Gatestone Institute. NBC quoted CAIR spokesman Ibrahim Hooper, who claimed that Gatestone is a key part of the whole Islamaphobic cottage industry on the Internet.? Hooper asserted that Boltons association with Gatestone was very disturbing.? However, NBC failed to inform readers about CAIRs troubling history. As CAMERA noted in an Aug. 9, 2016 Washington Times Op-Ed, at least five former staff or lay leaders from CAIR have been indicted, arrested or deported on weapons or terrorism-related charges. In an out of court settlement with the website www.anti-cair-net.org, the council did not contest assertions that it was founded and funded by some members of Hamasa U.S.-designated terrorist group that rules the Gaza Strip and calls for the destruction of Israel. As CAMERAs July 2009 Special Report The Council on American Islamic Relations: Civil Rights or Extremism?? pointed out, CAIRs executive director, Nihad Awad, stated in 1994: I am in support of Hamas.? Richard Powers, an Assistant Director for the FBI, even sent a statement to members of the U.S. Congress, stating that the bureau was ceasing official cooperation with CAIR and its executives until the council could resolve, Whether there continues to be a connection between CAIR or its executives and Hamas.? Hooper himself was once quoted as saying that he wouldnt want to create the impression that I wouldnt like the government of the United States to be Islamic sometime in the future (Minneapolis Star-Tribune, April 4, 1993).? Prior to working for CAIR, Hooper worked for the Islamic Association for Palestine (IAP), which fundraised for Hamas in America. In 2004, IAP was held civilly liable in a federal district court for financing the terrorist group. That ruling was upheld in 2008. At the HLF trial it was revealed that numerous donation checks made payable to IAP? were deposited into HLF's bank account,? in some cases with the memo line, for Palestinian Mujahideen [holy warriors] only.? As CAMERA has highlighted, CAIR has a history of skewing statistics and dataa charge that NBC levels at Gatestone. NBCs treatment of CAIR as a credible sourcewhile failing to disclose disturbing aspects of the organizations history and tiesevidences careless reporting. Posted by SD at April 26, 2018 03:56 PM Guidelines for posting This is a moderated blog. We will not post comments that include racism, bigotry, threats, or factually inaccurate material. Post a comment So, What Is a VOST? How Does It Work? Who Should You Engage as Team Members? Why Should You Care? DENVER Social media has been the basis for a lot of negative things trolls, misinformation, the list goes on. But when it all hits the fan and catastrophe looms, social media can be the difference between a complete nightmare scenario and a well-managed crisis.For agencies used to handling these crises the likes of emergency services and public safety organizations a relatively young tool has been gaining traction and changing the dynamics of how they are able to respond. Its called a Virtual Operations Support Team, and can be used to handle all sorts of situations.Experts discussed the simple but revolutionary concept during a session at the Government Social Media Conference in Denver on April 24.The idea is fairly simple: Deploy a trusted team of social media-savvy individuals to monitor public social media feeds for anything that could help a responding agency better manage a situation, said Cheryl Bledsoe, executive director of the Virtual Emergency Management Association.It is a group of trusted agents that are completing web-based missions for a public safety or emergency management agency, she said. This team of people reports to a liaison within your organization and they gather information from what they are seeing online.Bledsoe, who also works within Clackamas County, Ore., Communications, said the idea took shape around 2011, when emergency managers started looking for a way to offer support through actionable intelligence gathering during critical events.Now, to emergency managers that was kind of a novel thing, because in the emergency management community, we often push information out and say, Here is my message and what I am going to share with you, she said. But we often dont listen back to what the community is saying about our messages, about our content, about anything we are sharing in our overall space.While organizations like the Red Cross and FEMA have similar programs that use digital reservists to connect that public to the resources and information, Bledsoe said, their interactions are more focused on public outreach than gathering actionable intelligence for responders.What makes the VOST unique is that the VOS team actually connects into the emergency response. The emergency response then gathers the information and is able to make actionable decisions with the information the VOS team has collected, Bledsoe said.The immediate assumption that Bledsoe hears a lot is that the process relies on hacking on the part of law enforcement. This is not the case. Teams are primarily focused on platforms like Twitter that allow a user to share information openly.Now, one of the first questions I always get is, Are they hacking or doing anything Big Brother, or doing anything crazy? And really, the answer to that is, no. We are looking simply at open-source information that people are publicly sharing online and gathering that information really as a filter point for folks inside an emergency operations center, she said.Mary Jo Flynn, an emergency operations coordinator with Californias Sacramento County Office of Emergency Service, explained that the role these teams play is an essential part of responding to an emergency situation.Through the delivery of a listening report the teams are able to provide a glimpse into the publics feelings toward a response effort, emergency response needs and the development of a progressive strategy.One of the biggest values of a VOS team is essentially collecting all of that information and putting it together in the form of a story, and thats what a social listening report is, Flynn said. What is happening? What is the feeling direction of our community? What are some of the comments that are critical to this particular incident? And then what is our strategy and plan for responding to some of these comments as we move forward into the next operational period?As we have come to expect of social media and the Internet in 2018, not all information is useful to an emergency effort. Bledsoe estimates that between .5 and 1 percent of posts are actually valuable to a team.They can do all sorts of things. My favorite assignment is assigning them to rumor management. I dont call it rumor control because I dont believe in controlling rumors once they are out there, they are hard to reign back in. Thats control to me. Management is your approach to getting the truth corrected, Flynn said.The pair said teams are often formed organically and in advance so that when an issue arises, resources are in place to begin looking at information streams right away.Once a team is established, Flynn recommends coordinating and training to ensure that members know the protocols for activation, their individual roles and the rules of engagement.If they are a virtual team, you are going to have to set up opportunities, she said. Get people together and talk about how you are going to get that operation activated.Team members should have a variety of skill sets and be familiar with the major social channels, the pair explained.They have to be people that are willing to do some really tedious work over long periods of time that may or may not feel like a lot of fun or super sexy environment, Bledsoe said.The benefits of establishing a virtual operations support team are numerous, but Bledsoe said members can ultimately identify real threats to public safety in the process of taking the overall temperature of an incident.During response that followed a shooting at Umpqua Community College in Oct. 2015, a VOS team was able to identify a handful of other threats being made in the surrounding area. Members were able to get this threat information to law enforcement for further investigation.Flynn has had similar experiences as recently as 2017, a year she called a hideous year for disasters. In addition to widespread regional flooding, Flynn leveraged the assistance of VOS teams to aide her agencies during the Oroville Dam crisis.There was a lot of social media activity and the virtual operations support team community came to my aide during that crisis, Flynn said. (TNS) SOQUEL, CALIF. With a fruity fragrance derived from generations of careful breeding, the tall and voluptuous cannabis plant at Utopia Farms is worthy of its strain name: C. Banana.But to state regulators, its #S0411180010-01.From birth to death and beyond, when added to foods and extracts plants like this will soon enter Californias elaborate new Track and Trace program, providing the same information youd find on a pack of gum or box of copy paper. Like other consumer items that are scanned billions of times a day around the world, cannabis is joining the world of cold efficiency, identification and control that defines the mundane minutiae of modern life.For the first time, the state will know where and how much licensed marijuana is being grown, sold and produced. Software will monitor a plants every move and measure its weight along the way until its sold assuring officials that licensed crops of cannabis grown for dispensaries arent crossing state lines or going into the black market. What happens in California stays in California.Its tracking cannabis as if it were uranium, said Mark McMillan, director of systems at Harborside, a large marijuana grower and dispensary business. There will be Track and Trace stickers on everything.The program, to be launched in July, strengthens the case against federal intervention by taking steps to ensure that Californias licensed pot isnt sold to other states. It does other things as well. It tells tax collectors how much money they should be collecting. It tells local police whether a business has 50 or 5,000 plants. And if theres a product defect, it tells health officials where to do recalls.Its a big and expensive change for a culture of Birkenstock-wearing botanists who over decades have crafted a Mendelian cornucopia of pot from C. Banana to Purple Monkey Balls and Alaskan Thunderf*** to assist with anxiety, sleep or just a chill time at a Phish jam.Think of it as Big Data meets The Man, as big a buzz kill as flashing lights in your rear view mirror.The growing regulation of cannabis mandated under Prop. 64, passed in 2016, requires technical expertise for growers seeking to come out of the shadows and who are already struggling to comply with other new rules.Under the program created and mandated by the state Department of Food and Agriculture, serial numbers and RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tags will be assigned to each batch of seedlings, called clones. Individual plants are tagged later in the process.A scanner reads the encoded information, and translates it to a database, giving the state real-time visibility into the inventory at all locations.Each number holds product information. It is linked to an online file that contains information such as strain, propagation method, location, intended use and number of plants at each stage of its lifestyle nursery, vegetation, flower, harvest and sold.Every plant that dies must be counted, then subtracted. Diversion is detected if what is measured at harvest doesnt match what was expected at planting.They know exactly how many plants you have. They know exactly what the yield is, said Kaiya Bercow, co-founder of Utopia Farms.Also included in the track and trace system are the product purity results from testing labs, which screen for pesticides and toxins.The main thing the new tracking and tracing system wont do is measure and monitor the vast acreage grown by unlicensed growers. Although dispensaries cannot control what retail customers do with their cannabis products once they buy them, industry insiders say the real diversion problem is created by black market growers who supply the majority of cannabis shipped out of state.After four months of searching, California recently selected a Florida-based cannabis track-and-trace vendor called Franwell METRC (Marijuana Enforcement Tracking Reporting Compliance), which already has contracts in Nevada, Colorado and Alaska.Already, many growers such as Utopia Farms are using commercial software for internal purposes, with serial numbers and barcodes, to track their products, train their staff and work out the bugs before a computer-based system becomes mandatory. Both big and small tech companies have jumped into the business. Hewlett-Packard offers FlowHub; Microsoft, Kind; SAP, Viridian Science.The two systems the states METRC and the growers internal software will work together in a hybrid fashion, with the growers data flowing into the states central reporting system. This allows the state to manage a large amount of information, but also enables suppliers to use the tools of their choice. At any point, the state can visit farms or manufacturing facilities to do audits.We are trying to comply now, so there wont be such a huge learning curve, said Bercow. It has taken months for the company to implement it.Licensed growers like Utopia and Harborside welcome the new era of compliance but say the system creates additional expense and work.Monthly licensing fees for internal software range from $250 to $20,000 a month, depending on the size of the facility. Each METRC tag costs about 80 cents per plant.Labor is expensive, too. Staffers must be trained in how to use the software, and someone must be licensed as a weighmaster, so cannabis is weighed properly.Every step of the way involves computer entry, scanning and weighing, said Utopias cultivation manager Sean Cashman.He must apply a code to each batch of clones, then scan their codes as the plants mature from seedlings to flowering adults. If a plant dies, he marks it in the system, then measures its precise weight. A third party disposal company picks up the waste, so the state knows the product wasnt sent elsewhere.Plants must be weighed when theyre wet, then weighed again when theyre dry. Theyre weighed before and after leaves are stripped. During harvesting, buds are weighed. Theyre weighed again during trimming. When theyre put into jars as a finished product, their code goes with them. But growers are skeptical of how well the system will account for products such as edibles, oils or other products that are derived from multiple plants.There is a lot of pressure here, said Harborsides McMillan, a 25-year software veteran with experience at Oracle and other tech companies. Errors can happen by accident, by one person sneezing.In a world of horticultural techniques long cherished for their art, not science, it requires a level of operational precision and attention to detail that, if not right, he said, can get ugly really fast. (TNS) A cell signal eludes Mark Johnson in his downtown office.The chief executive of Descartes Labs, a buzzy tech startup expanding its footprint at a new headquarters on Guadalupe Street, instead uses a video-conferencing application or desk phone in his current office on Paseo de Peralta.Thats suboptimal, Matt Brown, the citys economic development director, deadpanned last week.But a wave of new telecom infrastructure is en route, and in a city where famously spotty cellular and internet service has long bedeviled 21st century businesses, residents and tourists alike, theres optimism Santa Fe will soon turn the great connectivity corner.A raft of telecommunication franchise agreements are coming down the citys legislative pike; the resulting network expansions in the citys public rights of way could eventually provide Santa Feans with faster speeds, broader coverage and additional retail competition and thus lower costs, according to city fiscal analyses.This is our biggest and best opportunity in many years, said Brown.Around the signal, however, there will be noise, as the outspoken cadre of local residents who say cellular radiation poses a grave health risk are likely to protest the proposed agreements when they appear before the City Council in early May.If they pass this, we will lose control of our streets and sidewalks, said Arthur Firstenberg, the outspoken local advocate against electromagnetic radiation. To us, this is a mortal threat. It will injure people. It will kill people. We will have no more honeybees. We will have no more birds.The proposed ordinances generally establish new access rights to the public right of way for telephone and internet service providers, whether with cables or antennas.They follow a tweak to city law approved last year that eased access for such companies an arcane smoothing of permitting processes that nonetheless drew impassioned condemnations from the anti-wireless activist bloc of Santa Feans, as well as some residents who were concerned about the debatable aesthetic effects of antennas on top of light poles.All the same, the new telecom right-of-way changes earned the unanimous support of the City Council, as it both aligned with the citys renewed emphasis on improved connectivity for economic development aims and accommodated federal law, which obligates the city to allow non-discriminatory access in public rights of way to telecom carriers.State law also has changed, with a newly approved Wireless Consumer and Advanced Infrastructure Act that establishes new access and regulation rules for small cellular facilities on public infrastructure.Per its proposed agreement with the city, NMSURF, a local provider, would provide fiber-to-the-premises internet to residences and businesses at ultra-fast gigabit speeds. Alisha Catanach, a company spokesperson, said its first phase would reach as many as 500 businesses and homes.Cyber Mesa and Plateau Telecommunications would be permitted to use the city right of way for their telecommunication services, according to their proposed agreements. Conterra Ultra Broadband, a telecommunication provider based in Charlotte, N.C., would construct a fiber-optic network connecting public schools to the Santa Fe school districts central office, with the option to expand to other businesses, schools and organizations.The fifth franchise arrangement, with a Broadband Network of New Mexico, meanwhile, would allow that company to install new poles in public rights of way and lease space there to others antennas and fiber-optic cable, according to a city fiscal write-up.What that means for our system overall is we increase resilience, Brown said, adding that the city sought to mirror the terms in the new state law.The Broadband Network franchise, of the five, should provide the greatest near-term improvement of connectivity, said City Councilor Mike Harris, who sponsored the five franchise proposals.But all of the franchisees should add to the efficiency of telecom services in our city over time, Harris added.The movement is drawing favorable responses from some who keep a close eye on the effect mediocre connectivity has had on Santa Fe business, tourism and everyday life.We favor a public-private partnership around broadband and wireless, and I think thats whats happening, said Simon Brackley of the Santa Fe Chamber of Commerce. The city is meeting with the providers to determine how to create the most competitive and reliable service throughout the community. Theres definitely optimism.At least one local telecom company representative, who asked not to be identified so as not to jeopardize the companys relationship with the city, questioned the City Hall sales pitch.This whole business of, Its going to benefit Santa Fe by increasing competition and getting more fiber in the ground, well, thats purely a justification to impose the franchise fee, the representative said, a reference to a 2 percent imposition on the companies gross charges included in each of the citys proposed agreements.City memos show the revenue from franchise fees is unknown but is expected to be minimal and decline as new competition lowers the retail rates on which most of the fees are based. The Broadband Network agreement will require one-time and annual franchise fees depending on the number of poles installed and the number of antennas co-located there.We are absolutely not doing this because it is somehow an opportunity for the city to try to generate more revenues, Brown said. We are advocating and supporting the passage of these five franchises because we think it will service those strategic goals: greater reliability, greater broadband access across our whole city and particularly in those areas that are currently underserved, and creating a greater competitions landscape to drive down costs. We expect that to happen.Of course, in Santa Fe, there are those who hope it wont.Firstenberg alongside fellow plaintiffs Monika Steinhoff and the Santa Fe Alliance for Public Health and Safety filed a federal lawsuit against the city earlier this year. It contends the citys recent telecommunication ordinance changes, as well as former Mayor Javier Gonzales emergency proclamation allowing temporary Verizon installations, should be struck down as they violate the constitutional rights of residents who claim sensitivities to radio frequencies.The lawsuit claimed such residents will no longer be safe in their homes, at work, or while traveling on the public streets, and that homes and businesses will be rendered uninhabitable and unusable.A senior U.S. judge dismissed the complaint earlier this month. Firstenberg said he is investigating an appeal.The five franchise agreements are scheduled to come before the City Council for public hearings May 9.We are raising the alarm, Firstenberg said. But, he added, referring to last years ordinance change, and the court dismissal, A lot of people are discouraged. BALTIMORE State CIOs name security and risk management as their No. 1 priorities, according to an annual survey from the National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) released at the end of last year. Their concern is not without merit, as cyberattacks and ransomware incidents are reported with alarming regularity in jurisdictions of all sizes nationwide.In light of recent attacks such as those in Atlanta Colorado and Mecklenburg County, N.C. , at NASCIOs Midyear conference in Baltimore,asked CIOs how they would respond if an agency in their state fell victim to ransomware.Indiana CIO Dewand Neely offered advice that echoed the sentiments of many of his peers, including the importance of having system backups and starting from scratch in the event of an attack if at all possible.He also discussed how the Indiana Office of Technology is working with state agencies to prepare for what many consider an inevitable breach, and he emphasized the importance not of technology to avoid issues, but of addressing the people problem.The human element is the majority of where things start and where things get in, Neely said. (TNS) A Republican-led Colorado state Senate panel rejected a net neutrality bill late Monday, the same day the Federal Communications Commission repealed protections for an open Internet.The state-level measure attempted to disqualify Internet service providers from receiving grants from a broadband program if they manipulated access and speed based on content. The measure also would have required governments contracting for service to give preference to providers who certified allegiance to open-Internet standards.It uses the nexus of state support to protect the idea of free Internet, said Sen. Kerry Donovan, D-Vail.The 3-2 party-line vote to kill House Bill 1312 came after representatives for cable companies and major technology companies voiced opposition to the measure because it was over-regulation. The FCC repealed the rule effective Monday but some provisions remain in place pending more review and lawsuits.We believe the best approach is to find a federal solution, said Matt Wendel, a lobbyist for the Colorado Technology Association.State Rep. Chris Hansen, D-Denver, said he hopes to continue to push for the net neutrality protections at the states broadband board, which oversees the High Cost Support Mechanism grant program.We should not allow public money to be spent on non-neutral service, he added. We may have a situation where an ISP could propose to serve a new area using (broadband) funds, create a low bid, and then use throttling or paid fast lanes to top up the revenue model. That is now allowed under the FCC decision, and this is our chance to help Colorado consumers and avoid that outcome. (TNS) The technology consulting arm of accounting giant Deloitte & Touche LLP has hired 25 cybersecurity specialists for an office it has opened near downtown Colorado Springs and hopes to double its staff during the next two years, a company partner said.Most of the employees in the office work on a $5.1 million, one-year Cyber Defense Engineering and Training contract awarded nearly a year ago by Air Force Space Command to Deloitte Consulting that includes two six-month options to extend the deal. Under the contract, Deloitte will develop "defensive cyber capability" for the command's space mission systems and later train command personnel how to use the systems Deloitte developed.The command said in the contract that it selected Deloitte because the company had already been working with Space Command to develop the defensive cyber capabilities.Deloitte's expansion to Colorado Springs is the latest example of cybersecurity companies flocking to the area to seek a growing number of government contracts for such work that also includes startups and mid-sized firms. The National Cybersecurity Center opened late last year in a former satellite manufacturing plant to act as a think tank and catalyst for the growing industry as part of a vision by Gov. John Hickenlooper to make the city a hub for such work."We expect to grow (the office) significantly over two years and we could be looking at doubling the size," said David Rogers, a Denver-based partner in Deloitte Advisory's federal operation who also works in the company's office in Catalyst Campus, 559 E. Pikes Peak Ave. "The growth would come from the expansion of existing contracts, but we also are pursuing contracts with Fort Carson, Northern Command and the North American Aerospace Defense Command."Deloitte located its office in the campus, which is designed to help small businesses focused on aerospace, defense and cybersecurity to grow, because of the innovative companies already located in the three-building complex, Rogers said. The 9-month-old office was part of an expansion of Deloitte's defense and national security consulting business that it eventually hopes to widen to include civilian federal agencies as well as state and local governments. DENVER For an everyday citizen, spinning up a new social media account is as simple as linking an email and finding a flattering profile picture. But for governments big and small there is much more to think about.Until fairly recently, the government social media landscape was essentially a veritable Wild West of hundreds of rogue agency accounts, little to no oversight and even questions as to who was responsible for messages going out to the public.During two separate sessions at the Government Social Media Conference April 25 and 26 in Denver, experts from state and county governments discussed how they are overseeing their respective channels and how they decide when its time to shut them down.In Michigan, Andrew Belanger is responsible for all things social media as the statewide digital content administrator. When he started in December 2016, the state had hundreds of individual agency accounts with little to unify or guide them forward.Over that three-year period, there was no centralized governance across all of our social media administrators, our agencies there was a lack of a global strategy and there was limited collaboration on projects, he explained.What at first search appeared to be 149 official accounts turned out to be more like 450, many of which Belanger said had been forgotten or were without clear management.One of the first things I was tasked with, in addition to creating a policy, was to try to figure out who was doing what, where, why and how, he said. Through working with our teams and sending out surveys and a lot of organic research on platforms and countless hours just going out and searching Google + and Facebook, searching variations of partner agency names, we identified over 450 active accounts.While multiple, or even forgotten, accounts might not be unusual for an individual, for the state, the issue posed was one of disjointed branding, customer service and adherence to policy.Ultimately, without the clear channels of ownership, Belanger said accountability was missing and left hurdles in accomplishing the overarching strategy.Throughout this entire process of figuring out who was doing what and where, we had the opportunity to assess our digital landscape and really take a look at all the accounts that were out there and through that process, we identified over 155 accounts that we actually unpublished or deleted. There just really wasnt a need for those pages.The move set the states social following back by around 50,000 followers but cleared the way for realistic conversation about how all agencies should proceed with their efforts.Rather than simply clearing the slate, outlining new rules and setting staff free online again, the Michigan team developed forms similar to an application to run an official account to identify clear account ownership and accountability.King County, Wash., Digital Engagement Officer Warren Kagarise discussed some of these issues in a separate session, dedicated to knowing when to unify account and when to let social media teams run free.The countys large territory and more than 2.1 million residents has made a number of individual agency accounts 182 to be exact almost a necessity, but Kagarise said not all of them are actually providing the value they should, and some are even costing taxpayer dollars to keep up.He advocates for taking a careful look at the digital assets agencies want to push out and having candid conversations when it comes to requests for new accounts.Who are you reaching? Who are you talking to? Kagarise said of niche accounts with small follower counts. Our smaller Facebook pages only have a few hundred likes. Theyre reaching a few dozen people on a given post. How can I justify that [return on investment]? Think of the staff time that went into generating those posts.Kagarise said his team is currently working to identify the right size for the countys digital footprint, but that there is no simple answer. While unified, single-channel approaches work well for smaller city governments, larger entities often have niche agencies that need their own accounts to reach a specific audience. Natural divisions like geography can also play a large part in the conversation.While multiple accounts can mean a headache for those charged with overseeing them or ensuring compliance with federal, state and local rules, they can also be a headache for citizens in search of information, Kagarise warned.Simplicity should be the key to all of our customer service. Thats a good argument for [consolidating] your social presence, he said. The more that you make them dig for it, the less interested they are, [and] their level of anger starts to rise.But simply shutting things down and shrinking online assets is not so simple. For government, there are things like records retention requirements to contend with. If it looks like there are some account closures on the horizon, Kagarise recommends looping in the legal counsel to ensure compliance with policy and law.The county official also suggested looking carefully at how those accounts might be rebranded to retain the audience and make what might otherwise be a dormant profile useful again. China could have been a turning point for Max Verstappen, according to former Mercedes boss Norbert Haug. Undoubtedly a young sensation, the Dutchman came under intense scrutiny after the race in Shanghai a fortnight ago following his clash with Sebastian Vettel. F1 legend Niki Lauda even questioned Verstappen's "intelligence". Former Mercedes chief Haug told Sport Bild: "I would not be surprised if that was not a key experience that will now help him to act with calculated aggression rather than crashing into rivals and wearing his tyres out." (GMM) Three energy companies have agreed to fines totaling $785,000 following investigations by the California Air Resources Board (CARB). All three companies violated provisions of the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS). SK Energy Americas agreed to a $395,000 penalty for failure to meet the carbon intensity target for 2014. Alon USA and subsidiary, Paramount Petroleum have agreed to pay a $300,000 civil judgment for failure to accurately report fuel transactions. Kern Oil & Refining agreed to a penalty of $90,000 and forfeiture of 15,838 LCFS credits for misreporting the type of low carbon fuel it sold (These credits are currently worth nearly two million dollars.) CARB first approved the LCFS in 2010 with compliance starting in 2011. The LCFS requires that companies producing fuel for use in California lower the carbon in their production process 10% by 2020. The regulation requires that fuel suppliers meet, on an annual basis, a clean fuel target for the vehicle fuels they sell in California. If an individual fuel they supply is below that annual target its carbon emissions are lower and it generates marketable credits for the producer; fuels above that number generate deficits. If producers are unable to supply enough low-carbon fuels in a year to meet the annual target, they must acquire credits from other fuel suppliers in the marketplace to make up the deficit. SK Energy Americas agreed to pay the $395,000 penalty because it failed to cover its deficit in 2014. All producers are required to accurately report the types of fuel produced for sale in California and transactions for sale of that fuel. CARB took Alon and Paramount to court for their failure to accurately report its sales. Kern Oil was fined for inaccurate reporting of fuel type, and in addition to the fine CARB invalidated the credits associated with the misreported batches of fuel. The LCFS is a tool critical to achieving Californias 2020 GHG emission reduction goal of a return to 1990 levels. It will also be important in reaching the legislatively mandated 2030 reduction goal of 40% below 1990 levels and 2050 target of reductions 40% below 2030 levels. CARB is planning to amend the LCFS starting in 2021 to require a 20% reduction in fuel carbon intensity (CI) from a 2010 baseline by 2030. The amendments also propose smoothing the near-term benchmark schedule by linearly reducing by 1.25% annually from a 5% reduction in 2018 to the 20% value in 2030. CARB staff is also proposing amendments that broaden the list of fuels subject to the LCFS regulation and alter the opt-in and/or exempt status of particular fuels. Major potential changes include: Addition of alternative jet fuels (AJF) as opt-in credit-generating fuels. CARB suggests that including AJFs would yield two main benefits. The first is signaling Californias interest in addressing a growing source of GHG emissions. The second is that because AJF and renewable diesel 9RD) are often produced in the same facility using the same feedstock, inclusion of AJF may lead to increased investment in facilities, thereby increasing the production of both fuel types. Removing the opt-in status of fossil compressed natural gas (CNG, hydrogen, and the exemption for propane. The current regulation designates hydrogen and CNG from fossil natural gas as opt-in fuels because they are presumed to have a CI that meets the benchmarks every year. Under the more ambitious CI benchmarks, however, staff anticipates some pathways for these fuels will have a CI that exceeds the benchmarks. Staff is also proposing including propane in the regulation. Allowing military fuels used in military vehicles to opt in. The LCFS currently exempts all fuels supplied for use in military tactical vehicles and support equipment from both credit and deficit generation. Producers have pointed out that this reduces their incentives to sell low carbon fuels to the military. Staff is also proposing amendments that add flexibility for accounting for renewable/low-CI electricity used in zero emission vehicle (ZEV) applications, such as electric vehicle charging and hydrogen production via electrolysis. Staff is also proposing an option to recognize and reward the GHG benefits of shifting EV charging and electrolytic hydrogen load to the periods of time when intermitten renewable electricity might otherwise be curtailed. CARB is holding a public hearing on 27 April in Sacramento to consider the amendments to the LCFS and to the Regulation on Commercialization of Alternative Diesel Fuels. Residents seeking something to do this summer have a new festival to enjoy in July. The Muley Fanatic Foundation, a conservation group based in Green River, will host its inaugural Mansface Mountain Music Festival at Expedition Island July 13 and 14. The festival, focusing on bluegrass music, is something the foundation hopes to grow into an annual event, according to Chris Steffen, director of operations for the foundation. Speaking to the Green River City Council last week, Steffen said the festival will feature local and regional performers, as well as nationally-known bluegrass musicians. The festival will also be an opportunity for the Muley Fanataic Foundation to educate visitors about the work theyre doing with the University of Wyoming, as well as promote the states new conservation license place, which was approved by the legislature during its session earlier this year. Steffen said the festival should be an economic driver for Green River and they are working to promote local opportunities for camping and lodging, as well as the restaurants available in Sweetwater County. We hope to put this on the map, Steffen told the Council. I want to make sure we have a good family-friendly event. Sweetwater County Assessor David Divis seeks election to his first full term this year. Divis, a Democrat, was selected to replace Pat Drinkle when she retired earlier this year. After he was appointed to the position in February, Divis said he planned to run for the office. Divis worked as the chief deputy Sweetwater County Assessor since 2012, when Drinkle was selected to replace David Rauzi. Prior to that, Divis worked at the Sweetwater County Treasurer's Office since 1991, working his way from auto clerk, to tax deputy and finally to office manager. He is a graduate of the University of Wyoming with a bachelor's degree in business administration. "I am a permanently certified tax appraiser by the Wyoming Department of Revenue, and have received 379 hours of continuing education in the assessment field," Divis said in a campaign announcement. Divis said a county assessor must comply with statutory requirements for assessed values, as well as be experienced with the requirements enforced by the Wyoming Department of Revenue and the Wyoming State Board of Equalization, which audit the valuation numbers proved by the assessor on a yearly basis. "Along with verifying the statistical requirements, the Wyoming Department of Revenue will audit assessment practices within the county each year to make sure each assessor is compliant with International Association of Assessing Officers standards and Department of Revenue rules," Divis said. "I recently celebrated my fifth year of membership with the IAAO." Divis said the assessor must be a permanently-certified appraiser and should be able to interpret and apply constantly changing statutes and rules to properties within the county. He said an assessor must be able to defend their values and assessment practices to not only the department of revenue and board of equalization, but to the county's taxpayers as well. "My work history in local government gives me a very unique perspective in the assessment/taxation field. I have seen the process from start to finish," Divis said. "Not only can I discuss value and assessment with taxpayers, I can also explain the taxation and distribution of tax dollars, because I have been working in both for 27 years." According to Divis, the key portion of the assessor's oath he took is to assess all taxable property within the county at its fair value. "I intend to continue to administer the office in that manner," he said. Divis said he is the most qualified candidate for the office. "Since 2012, I have built relationships with the staff of the State Board of Equalization, the Wyoming Department of Revenue, the other assessors throughout the state, our local legislators, the industry representatives we work with, our industrial appraisers and the taxpayers of this county," Divis said. Gerald B. Brown Jr., 58, passed away April 3, 2018, at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City following a lengthy illness. Brown was a lifelong resident of Rock Springs. He was born in Rock Springs Dec. 23, 1959, the son of Gerald B. Brown Sr. and Mabel Brooks Brown. Brown attended schools in Rock Springs. He married Lori Hindman March 18, 1982, in Rock Springs. Brown was employed by Bridger Coal Company Mine March 16, 1979, first as a coal truck hauler then a overland conveyor belt operator. His interests included spending time with family especially his grandchildren, hunting, fishing, shooting guns, riding Harleys and wildlife photography. He entered a contest with the Green River Chamber of Commerce and had an honorable mention with one of his photographs. Survivors include his parents Gerald B Brown Sr. and wife Mabel of Rock Springs; wife Lori Brown of Rock Springs; one son, Buck Brown and wife Bonnie of Green River; one daughter, Jennifer Reed and husband Stevven of Rock Springs; three sisters, Terrie Doak and husband Tim, Debbie O'Neal and husband David and Janet Cunningham and husband Tom, all of Rock Springs; four grandchildren, Jade Reed, Evelyn Brown, Kristi Hassell and Amanda Johnson; one great-granddaughter, Savannah Hassel, several aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews, He was preceded in death by his maternal and paternal grandparents and one great-grandson, Chase Johnson. Following cremation, military honors and a celebration of life will take place 10 a.m., April 28, at the American Legion, 543 Broadway, Rock Springs. Condolences may be left at Vase Funeral Home. Weve previously advocated for more summer events in Green River and were happy to see the Muley Fanatic Foundation follow up on that idea. Residents will have a chance to check out the MFFs first Mansface Mountain Music Festival at Expedition Island this summer, filling an important space in Green Rivers events calendar. We have Flaming Gorge Days and the Overland Stage Stampede Rodeo to start the summer in June, followed by River Festival and Art on the Green in August. With the inclusion of the Mansface Mountain Music Festival, Green River now has an event taking place during the vacant July. The music festival also provides something new to the community, focusing on bluegrass music. Concerts arent new to Green River, having been a major focus of Flaming Gorge Days, but rock and country have always been the headliners. Bringing bluegrass music into the fold not only attracts a new crowd of music fans to the city, it also exposes residents to a new genre they may not have otherwise tried to listen to. The Mansface Mountain Music Festival, should it take off, will provide a unique cultural experience through music to residents and visitors in Green River. The music festival helps promote Green River to a group of people who might not have come to Green River in the first place. The MFFs reach includes much of Wyoming, as well as southeastern Idaho, northern Utah and northern Colorado. It it isnt too far fetched to expect members of MFF chapters from as far away as Sundance and Denver to come to Green River and support the event. Those members, provided they enjoy their stay in Green River, will likely tell their friends about their experience and help sell the city as a place to visit. The MFFs website for the music festival highlights local lodging and restaurant options, as well as campgrounds and RV parks visitors can utilize, already showcasing whats available in Sweetwater County. Were happy to see the MFF attempting to build a bluegrass music festival in Green River. The timing of the event, as well as the fact it hits upon a genre of music not already represented locally, should make the Mansface Mountain Music Festival a prominent part of Green Rivers summer events. Were excited to see where the MFF takes the festival in the years to come. Local radio personality Steve Core was named Green River's Distinguished Citizen of the Year. Core, who's best known as "the voice of the Wolves," after announcing Wolves games for 32 years, was surprised he was even nominated for such a prestigious award, let alone selected. "It makes me feel real good," Core said. "You look at the names on that. It's the who's who of Green River. It's a pretty special award." He also wasn't quite sure why Reed Clevenger nominated him. Clevenger said he served on the Green River Chamber of Commerce Board prior to becoming the city's administrator and knew how important it is that people volunteer. Clevenger said he has worked with Core with various projects or committees, including a Rolling Green fundraising tournament and Ducks Unlimited. "He was always willing to help," Clevenger said. He said when he started adding up all of the boards and committees Core had served on over the years it was amazing. "It's a good honor," Clevenger said. "He's just very deserving." Core said if he had to guess why Clevenger nominated him it would be his work on the Ducks Unlimited board. "I don't know why he did it. He sits on Ducks Unlimited with me," Core said. About two years ago, Ducks Unlimited was having some problems trying to get a fundraising banquet to go. Core said it would have been the first time in over 25 years that the group wouldn't have had a fundraising banquet. Core recalled they were having problems finding a chairman to run the event. Since he had been the chairman before, he said he could do it again so they could still have the event. Not only were they able to have the fundraising event, but they made more in the last two years than in years previous. When Core isn't busy with Ducks Unlimited and the Rolling Green, he's also the Chair of the Wyoming Association of Broadcasters. "I've got a few arches in the fire," Core said. One of those arches is being an elected official. For 18 years, Core has been a Sweetwater County School District No. 2 trustee. He also served on the Castle Rock Hospital District Board for a four-year term. This is something someone pointed out to him that he hadn't realized. He has spent a total of 22 years as an elected official. Core, who grew up in a small Wyoming town, said he would just go to those events as a child not knowing all of the work that went into hosting one of those events. He later realized all of the people who were working behind the scenes to make events happen, that's what started his volunteerism. "You got to get involved," he said. "These things just don't happen." He said that's the message he'd like to pass on. Core said one of the reasons the quality of life in Green River is so good is because of the volunteers. "You want to make the community better -- get involved," Core said. Clevenger agreed with Core and said people need to start thinking about how they can help the community. He said even something simple can make a difference. OCEAN SPRINGS, Mississippi -- In its' continuing effort to force the Ocean Springs Board of Aldermen to reverse its decision to fly the Mississippi state flag on municipal properties, the Mississippi Rising Coalition is seeking to have the city removed as a nominee for USA Today's 'Best Coastal Small Town.' Ocean Springs is one of 20 communities nationwide nominated for the award and, as of midday Thursday, was running in third place in the voting behind Georgetown, S.C., and Pismo Beach, Calif. In a post to Facebook Sunday afternoon, however, Mississippi Rising is encouraging supporters to contact USA Today to have Ocean Springs removed as a candidate, saying the safety of residents and visitors is "at risk" because of the state flag. The MRC post encourages supporters scroll to the bottom of the USA Today poll and post a comment opposing Ocean Springs' inclusion. The post also provides a link to USA Today's Reader Feedback section and suggests the following "template" for use: "Dear Sir or Madam: Please remove Ocean Springs, MS, from the USA Today Favorite Coastal Small Town contest. It is a town with some amazing people and is full of potential, however, IT IS NOT SAFE RIGHT NOW. For almost a year, residents have made repeated requests to the Board of Aldermen and mayor to remove the offensive state flag containing the Confederate emblem from city properties after the new administration decided to display the racist emblem on all city properties. For nine months straight now, Ocean Springs residents have protested and pleaded with the Mayor and Aldermen to remove the flags, but their pleas have fallen on deaf ears. In recent weeks, the KKK has threatened members of the community who have protested the flag, the City has been sued by its own residents who have been threatened and white supremacist flyers have been distributed throughout the city. Currently, Ocean Springs is not a safe, welcoming & inclusive environment." It also includes links to numerous media reports of the ongoing controversy, which began last July when newly-elected Mayor Shea Dobson opted to restore the state flag to the flagpole outside City Hall after it had been taken down years earlier by former mayor Connie Moran. Dobson later reversed course and took the flag down, but aldermen responded by passing a resolution requiring the state flag be flown on all municipal properties. The board also sent a resolution to the Mississippi Legislature requesting a new statewide vote on changing the state flag be scheduled "at the earliest possible date." Meanwhile, the Ocean Springs Chamber of Commerce, Visit Mississippi Gulf Coast and the City of Ocean Springs continue to campaign to garner support for Ocean Springs in the poll. Those who wish to support Ocean Springs in the USA Today poll can do so here once per day through 11 a.m. on May 14. Somewhat overlooked is that Ocean Springs is also among the 20 national nominees for "Best Small Town Food Scene," where it was in seventh place as of midday Thursday. PASCAGOULA, Miss. -- After a nationwide search, Singing River Health System has chosen a familiar face as its newest Chief Executive Officer the hospital system announced on Thursday. Lee Bond, former Chief Operating Officer has been promoted to the hospital system's highest position after "a comprehensive search and interview process with a national health care recruiting firm." "The trustees met a number of strong candidates for the CEO position, and Lee Bond's combination of financial, operations and management expertise along with his deep commitment to our community make him the clear choice," said Board President Steven Ates. "Lee has a vision for the future of our health system that will enable us to continue providing the highest quality care, and we're delighted that he has accepted the position with our full support." Bond joined Singing River hospital in 2013 in the Finance Department, later becoming Chief Financial Officer where he was instrumental in helping lead the system's financial turnaround. He has served as the health system's Chief Operating Officer since 2016. Prior to joining the health system, Bond held leadership roles in operations and finance in the hospitality and gaming industry. A native of Jackson County, Bond graduated summa cum laude from the University of South Alabama in 1992 and has served as a Certified Public Accountant and a Past President of the Gulf Coast Chapter of the Mississippi Society of CPA's. Jackson County Board of Supervisors President Randy Bosarge said he fully supports the hire the board made and said he hopes Bond can help turn the hospital system around. "All I ever asked the trustees to do is to conduct an extensive search and to make sure there was no one else out there who could improve our system," Bosarge said. "They conducted a four to six-month search and they felt comfortable with Lee as their candidate." Bosarge said other candidates who applied for the job wanted more money than the county would be willing to pay, which may have contributed to another candidate not willing to accept the position, along with the system's decision to decline hiring other candidates. "I would rather spend less money and use the other to place into the retirement fund," Bosarge said. "I don't want to overspend for someone when that money could go into the retirement fund or anywhere else and I commend the board for that. They found the best person for the job and I, along with the board will support them." Chawanmushi with uni and caviar. Photo: Melissa Hom Sushi aesthetes tend to have different signifiers that justify their lofty judgments on what makes a certain precious little bar, or restaurant, or lordly chef worth their time and money, especially these days when the city is overrun with endless expensive-omakase options. Maybe its the quality of the rice that keeps them coming back to the same little restaurant, or the perfect brittleness of the nori, or the texture of the uni and the fatty white-tuna belly as it slips down the back of your throat. At the posh new omakase spot, Noda which opened, discreetly, a couple of months ago in a darkened, backdoor space in the Flatiron District it was egg custard that the assorted big-money swells sitting around me at the bar couldnt stop nattering about, and I have to admit, they had a point. Traditional chawanmushi isnt always included in some of the more radical, New Age omakase restaurants around town, and if it is, its usually as an afterthought. The custard is often too runny, or too hard, or chalky pale. This chawanmushi was a deep eggy yellow, and instead of being too hot or too cold, it was served at room temperature, in a small glass. The beaten eggs had the deep, complex flavor of a great savory dish and the melty, satisfying smoothness of a sweet dessert. They were topped with Osetra caviar to signify a sense of occasion, and a spoonful of deeply orange uni from the chilly waters of Hokkaido to announce the quality of the ingredients to come. Now you can taste a little bit of Tokyo without flying for 14 hours, said Shinji Nohara, who is well-known among culinary-obsessed Japanophiles as the Tokyo Fixer. Nohara has made his reputation guiding jet-lagged journalists like myself on safari dining tours around Tokyo, and when he visits New York, its usually to gorge on burgers and slabs of corn-fed beef, not sushi. But two young restaurateurs, Justin Hauser and David Hess, convinced him on one of their visits to Japan to help curate their dream omakase spot, and together they persuaded a young chef named Shigeyuki Tsunoda, who last worked at the Michelin-starred Sushi Iwa in Tokyo, to pack up his set of pointy, glinting knives, and move with his entire team of assistants across the Pacific. This is not the standard migration route for most of the citys vaunted sushi masters, many of whom work or train for a while in Japan, but dont open their own restaurants until they arrive, and work for a bit, in the States. (Nohara points out that, like Masa Takayama and his acolytes who came from L.A., even our sushi god of the moment, Daisuke Nakazawa, of Jiro Dreams of Sushi fame, worked elsewhere, in Seattle, before hitting Manhattans sushi scene.) The Noda: sake, gin, and creme de violette. Photo: Melissa Hom O-toro at Noda. Photo: Melissa Hom Although the polished little room at Noda looks an awful lot like a caricature of a young bond traders fantasy sushi den (the big-name designer, Ken Fulk, has installed violet cushioned chairs at the bar, among other baroque touches), my spare, 14-piece dinner had the focused, uncluttered feel of something you might encounter on a high-level sushi tour of one of the great sushi cities of Japan. After the chawanmushi, we watched Tsunoda construct a maki roll made with a single, long strip of silvery mackerel which had been gently cured in vinegar in the classic, pre-refrigeration edomae style and his signature brand of rice, which is unbleached, and treated with sake lees. There were fat grilled scallops served in little slips of toasted nori after that, and lustrous slices of monkfish liver, which had been softened for days in a mix of sake and soy sauce. The nigiri sushi, when it appears, includes pats of delicately molded baby shrimp brushed with proprietary nikiri, and slices of esoteric cherry sea trout, which inhabit the tidal river estuaries of northern Hokkaido in the spring. There was yellowtail belly to go along with the usual tuna belly, and before dessert arrived, Tsunoda mixed up a batch of tuna tartare in a bowl, and handed everyone a final hand roll, like guests at a party. Dinner at Noda costs $285, gratuity included, which is considerably less than what youll fork over at Masa and some of the other top-dollar sushi temples around town or even at upper-tier omakase parlors on the streets of Tokyo.* As is the high-roller custom, however, its possible to increase your bill drastically by delving into the impressive house selection of sake, Japanese whisky, and trophy European wine. To help facilitate this kind of consumption, Hauser and Hess (of the Hess Oil clan) convene everyone in the bar area for a drink before sitting down to dinner, and once youre situated on your velvet-covered chair, youll find that the bar is gently curved, to encourage conversation. Is this something youd see in the severe sushi temples of Japan? Of course not. Did your grumpy critic enjoy it? Actually, I sort of did, and if I can ever scrape together the necessary funds for a second taste of chef Tsunodas cooking, I might even be back. Nodas tamago. Photo: Melissa Hom *This post has been updated to reflect the fact that the price for the omakase menu at Sushi Nakazawa is lower than Nodas. Heartland Brewery CEO Jon Bloostein apparently drew the short straw on delivering this thing. Photo: New York City Hospitality Alliance While its never been low, the cost of running a New York City restaurant has taken quite a leap in recent years. Wages are up, rents are horrible, and employee health care is very pricey. Some city restaurant owners eager to defray these expenses any way they can are now petitioning the de Blasio administration to let them add a surcharge to bills. Yesterday, the NYC Hospitality Alliance delivered a letter signed by over 200 restaurants that outlines the alleged consequences if City Hall doesnt throw them a bone. It proposes changing the citys laws so they can add a 3 to 5 percent admin fee to customers checks. If they cant, the letter warns, New Yorks restaurants will continue closing in unprecedented numbers. The signatories include some of New York dinings biggest names and employ over 10,000 people. Among them: Drew Nieporents restaurants (Nobu, Tribeca Grill, Batard), Eleven Madison Park and the NoMad, the BLT restaurants, the Tao empire, Hill Country Barbecue, Smith & Wollensky, all of Daniel Bouluds spots, and even bars like Pouring Ribbons and Arlenes Grocery. They complain that theyve already weathered nine wage hikes in the last three years, and that 2019s $15 minimum wage could ruin them. Critics might note that the restaurateurs themselves seem to be doing just fine. (For example, Nobus reach now includes 40 restaurants and 16 hotels worldwide, the Tao Group runs Americas No. 1 and No. 3 highest-grossing restaurants, and Smith & Wollensky clocks in at No. 8.) But they argue that theres something intrinsically unfair about getting handicapped in Americas culinary capital. Thats because New York is the only major U.S. city where this kind of surcharge is banned restaurateurs elsewhere have turned to these fees to offset their increased costs of doing business, although arguably with varying amounts of success. NYC Hospitality Alliance members argue that theyve laid off tipped employees, cut hours for many employees, changed our menus to try to control kitchen payroll, been forced to increase menu prices, and even closed restaurants, but that these measures are not doing the trick. Their letter goes on to say that as a result, many restaurateurs no longer consider opening new full-service restaurants in NYC. The group begs Mayor de Blasio, Allow us the option of using a clearly disclosed surcharge to generate the revenue to simply survive. Theyre especially freaked out now that Governor Cuomo is talking about raising the tipped minimum wage to $15 an hour as well. A rep for de Blasio tells the Daily News that hospitality is no doubt a vital New York industry, but that [w]ere aware of the proposal and havent taken a position on the measure. The Four Horsemens burrata toast with ramps. Photo: Melissa Hom It happened, it seems, one night late last week. The ramps: They arrived. Everyones favorite foraged allium is back on menus around New York, causing its annual fervor among locavore chefs and diners who dont mind some garlic breath. (Its worth noting that ramps are so popular that theyve been in danger of over-foraging in recent years, so be smart out there and remember not to eat them all, or there wont be anything left for next spring.) Here, 18 dishes that will give you your ramp fix right now. Morel Mushroom Wontons Where: abcV How Much: $26 Ramps are everywhere at Jean-Georges Vongerichtens restaurants, including, of course, his vegetarian spot abcV, where theyre being served with morel-mushroom wontons with Meyer-lemon broth and sauteed fava leaves and spinach. You can catch them, too, at JoJo (roasted duck breast, $32), ABC Kitchen (ramp-and-goat-cheese toast, $15), and elsewhere. Camarones Con Atole de Maiz (a.k.a. Carolina Shrimp and Grits) Where: Alta Calidad How Much: $16 Akhtar Nawabs genre-bending Mexican restaurant serves a southern dish, shrimp and grits, with a Mexican sauce thats made from an American snack (popcorn), and for now, ramps escabeche. Hes also serving a Mangalitsa pork skillet ($14) with ramps pureed into the dough for tortillas infladas, which he says they made puffy like Indian poori. Ramp Cappellacci Brigante Where: Barano How Much: $22 Chef Al di Meglio is back to his pasta high jinks, making a dish fit for Gandalfs birthday: the wizards hat-shaped cappellacci, with Pecorino and a trifecta of ramps. Theyre in the dough, painting it green; pickled; and sauteed in butter. If youre looking for something lighter, his Williamsburg restaurant also offers a charred fava-bean-and-ramp salad ($16). Polenta With Charred Ramps & Slow Poached Egg Where: Bellwether How Much: $14 The new Long Island City restaurant chars ramps by grilling them whole, then serves them with cheesy polenta and a slowly poached egg. Ramp and Potato Paratha Where: Bombay Bread Bar How Much: $9 Fans of Floyd Cardoz know that the chef has a way with carbs, and his parathas at Bombay Bread Bar are particularly good. Right now, hes turning up the usual potato kind with some ramps. Spaghetti Where: Cafe Altro Paradiso How Much: $22 The spaghetti here is a more robust whole wheat noodle; its tossed with a pestolike mix of ramp greens and bulbs, Grana Padano cheese, chili flakes, crushed pine nuts, and olive oil; then finished with bread crumbs and more olive oil. A La Plancha Where: Cervos How Much: $18 Its a full-on onion fest: The downtown restaurant cooks ramps and spring onions on the flattop, serving it with green garlic sauce and romesco. Gordita de Cabeza Where: Claro How Much: $14 Grilled ramps and ramp salsa verde are paired with pigs head for this gordita; if thats not enough, get another helping with the rabbit barbacoa ($24), with yet more grilled ramps. Steak Tartare Where: Clay How Much: $18 Its twice as nice here, where ramps are pickled for steak tartare with celery root and cured egg yolk, or served with striped bass ($32), herb emulsion, endive, black garlic, brown butter, and cannellini beans. Bucatini Nero Where: Fausto How Much: $22 Chef Erin Shambura takes the surf-and-turf route in this dish of rock shrimp, soppressata, and of course, freshly harvested ramps. Burrata Toast Where: The Four Horsemen How Much: $18 This is like the ultimate toast: A thick slab of fried bread thats quartered and topped with a canopy of maitake mushrooms that are browned but still bouncy. Under is the slice of moist burrata, a slick of nduja used like sauce, roasted garlic, and finally the grilled ramps. During the weekend lunch ($28), theres a focaccia with ramps, too. Cuisses De Grenouilles Where: Frenchette How Much: $24 Everyone, it seems, is in love with Lee Hanson and Riad Nasrs Tribeca brasserie, where you can pair your natural wine with a dish of frogs legs, with the spring trinity of morels, nettles, and ramps. Crispy Whole Skate Wing Where: Gloria How Much: $42 Make the ramps count: A whole skate wing gets seasoned with salt and a rice-flour crust, cooked until crisp, and served with sorrel chimichurri salsa and grilled ramps. Frittata Where: Harts How Much: $18 Its ramps on ramps on ramps: Theyre cooking them into a serrano-ham frittata for brunch; serving them with fresh ricotta, saba, and pizza bianca during dinner ($15); and offering them in a special dish next week: shrimp scampi on fried toast, where the shellfish is sauteed with the ramps. Harts will start serving this dish on Monday, when they host Chicagos Giant for a pop-up of antipasto, and serve it for the remainder of the week. Calcots en Bolsa Where: La Vara How Much: $19 The Spanish restaurant nods to the countrys famous calcots by steam-roasting ramps in paper bags, and serving them in the bag along with romesco sauce and smoked olive oil. Polenta Where: Lilia How Much: $16 Pair the Williamsburg restaurants top-notch pasta with a dish of polenta with whipped ricotta, creme fraiche, lemon, and, yes, ramps. Ramps Pizza Where: Loring Place How Much: $18 Whats good on pizza? Onions. Whats better? Ramps, with mozzarella, pickled cherry peppers, and honey for a touch of sweetness. Dan Kluger loves his seasonal vegetables, and hes also serving the wild onion with baked ricotta and pistachio pesto ($16), and arctic char ($32) with favas, sea beans, sugar snap peas, and ramp leaves and pickled ramps. Chitarra Where: Popina How Much: $19 Pasta and wild onions: They go together like peanut butter and jelly. At the South-meets-the-boot restaurant in Red Hook, theyve taken the usual spaghetti with clams, subbed in chitarra (a similar egg pasta), and thrown ramps into the mix. Plus, the arancini ($9) are being made with charred ramps and Cerignola-olive aioli. Haiti - Politic : Installation of the new Minister of Justice Tuesday, Aviol Fleurant, the Minister of Planning, on behalf of the Head of Government, in the presence of many personalities including the Secretary of State for Public Security, the dean of the Court of First Instance of Port au Prince, the Government Commissioner, several members of the PNH General Staff, seated and standing judges and many Ministry employees proceeded to the installation of Me Jean Roudy Aly, he new Minister of Justice, who replaces in this position the Outgoing Minister Me Heidi Fortune https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-24186-haiti-flash-appointment-of-5-ministers.html In his remarks of circumstance, the Minister Fleurant insisted on the heavy task which awaits the new Minister. For his part, the former Director General of the Ministry of Justice (March 2012-March 2017) and new Minister, promised to implement the roadmap of the Government in the field of Justice and to tackle among others "the plague of prolonged pretrial detention" in the various jurisdictions of the country, affirming moreover that the term" zone of lawlessness must no longer exist in our vocabulary." He also intends to fight effectively against all damage to private property, including acts of spoliation which are common in some of our jurisdictions. On Wednesday, less than 24 hours after the installation of the new Minister Aly, he visited the employees of the various departments, units, services and sections of the ministry, and exchanged with the executives and members of the small staff with regard to the most pressing needs both in materials and in human resources. While promising to adopt measures to strengthen the Ministry and improve the working conditions of the employees he reminded everyone, that all officials must be at their offices between 8:00 am and 4:00 pm as stipulated in the law on public service. See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-24200-haiti-politic-installation-of-the-new-minister-of-the-diaspora.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-24196-haiti-politic-delivery-ceremony-for-the-5-new-ministers.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-24186-haiti-flash-appointment-of-5-ministers.html HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - Environment : Haiti prepares for the International Conference on Climate Change As a prelude to its participation in the International Conference on Climate Change in Bonn, (Germany, from April 30 to May 10, 2018) part of the future Haitian delegation, composed of Nicole Yolette Altidor, Director General of the Ministry of the Environment, James Cadet, Director of the Climate Change Department and Yves Bernard Remarais, Head of the Communications Department, participates from April 24 to 29 in a preparatory session on strategies to be put in place to better negotiate during the Conference, the interests of countries more exposed to the effects of climate change, such as Haiti. Note that at the conference in Bonn, will take place the 48th Ordinary Session of the organs of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the 5th meeting of the first session of the Special Working Group on the Paris Agreement. During this intersessional meeting, aspects related to monitoring the implementation of the Convention, the Kyoto Protocol and the effective implementation of the Paris Agreement will be addressed. To date, progress has been made on the development of modalities, procedures and guidelines. However, because of the scale of the damage caused by global warming, it is urgent to make considerable progress in defining the rules to be adopted. In addition, in the context of the facilitation dialogue provided for in the Paris Agreement, this conference will also be the occasion for the first exchanges on the progress made towards achieving the objective of limiting the increase of the global average temperature. Let us recall that the Haitian delegation, alongside other countries and small island developing States, will continue to defend : The irreversibility of the commitments made under the Paris Agreement (COP 21) https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-17231-haiti-environment-dieuseul-desras-to-the-signing-ceremony-of-the-paris-agreement-cop21.html , progress of climate action before 2020 and improved accessibility for LDCs to different funding mechanisms; The need to enhance mitigation ambitions to achieve the Paris Agreement objective and the full and effective implementation of Article 8 of the Loss and Damage Agreement ; Respect for the commitments of developed countries to supply the Green Climate Fund with 100 billion US from 2020, Respect for the commitments of developed countries to supply the Green Climate Fund with 100 billion US from 2020, as well as the implementation of nationally determined contributions, and technical and financial support for adaptation, research , innovation, technology transfer and capacity building. Download the Haiti proposal : https://www.haitilibre.com/docs/CPDN_Republique-d-Haiti.pdf Download the study on estimating the costs of the impacts of climate change in Haiti : https://www.haitilibre.com/docs/UNDP-HT-ProEnv-EtuEconoCC.pdf Download the COP21 agreement : https://www.haitilibre.com/docs/l09f.pdf HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - Politic : The new Minister of the Interior takes office Following the cabinet reshuffle https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-24186-haiti-flash-appointment-of-5-ministers.html Herve Denis the Minister of Defense on behalf of Prime Minister Lafontant proceeded in the afternoon of Tuesday 24, to the installation of Jean Marie Reynaldo Brunet as new Minister of the Interior and Territorial Communities in the presence among others of Fednel Monchery, the Director General of the Ministry, the Departmental Delegate of the West, Pierre Richard Duplan and various executives of the public administration including officials of the Ministry of the Interior. Jean Marie Reynaldo Brunet, former President of the Interim Municipal Commission of Carrefour (mayor ai) and member of the first Provisional Electoral Council under the Martelly administration, replaces the outgoing Minister Max Rudolph Saint-Albin. In his speech of convenience, after the traditional thanks to the Head of State and the Prime Minister for the confidence placed in him, the new Minister undertook to do his best to reinforce the actions already in progress, to bring new initiatives and lead the Ministry of the Interior to fulfill its mission of ensuring the stability of the country and ensuring the development of Territorial Communities. Minister Brunet also intends to strengthen the delegations and vice-delegations, as well as the Civil Protection and develop a frank collaboration with the Federations of elected officials. Brunet also praised the professionalism and political sense of outgoing Minister Saint-Albin who, according to him , "did a great job during his time as head of the Ministry. " He also promised, on the basis of skills, to facilitate young people's access to internships in the Ministry concluding by giving the guarantee that the sense of the State and the service, will guide his administration and all his actions. See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-24208-haiti-politic-installation-of-the-new-minister-of-justice.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-24200-haiti-politic-installation-of-the-new-minister-of-the-diaspora.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-24196-haiti-politic-delivery-ceremony-for-the-5-new-ministers.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-24186-haiti-flash-appointment-of-5-ministers.html HL/ HaitiLibre GULFPORT, Mississippi -- A 56-year-old Vancleave man was sentenced Wednesday to just over eight years in federal prison after pleading guilty to selling methamphetamine, the U.S. Attorneys Office has announced. U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola Jr. sentenced Steven Paul Salmon of Vancleave to 97 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, during a sentencing hearing in U.S. District Court in Gulfport. Salmon was arrested June 6, 2017 in possession of approximately seven ounces of crystal meth. At the time of the arrest, Salmon had been selling large quantities of methamphetamine from a hotel in Biloxi. On Jan. 26 of this year, Salmon pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The case was investigated by the FBI's Safe Streets Task Force and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Meynardie. Tennessee lawmakers decision to allow districts to essentially toss this years assessment scores due to serious technical difficulties could provide an early gauge of just how flexible U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos is willing to be when it comes to implementation of the Every Student Succeeds Act. The Every Student Succeeds Act requires states to test students in grades 3 through 8 annually, and once in high school. Those results are supposed to be used to identify low-performing schools. But after testing glitches due to venor problems, Tennessees legislature earlier this month passed a measure barring this years scores from being used in accountability systems for schools, teachers, districts, and students, according to Chalkbeat Tennessee . Tennesseewhose ESSA plan was approved late last summerwill likely need to submit a waiver from the federal testing requirement. An Education Department spokeswoman said officials are reviewing the Volunteer States law. Its not a sure thing that the state will get a waiver. DeVos and her team appear to be trying to get away from waivers, which were a hallmark of the Obama administration. The department, though, has extended states flexibility in other ways, including in allowing North Dakota districts to offer the ACT in lieu of the state test. No one is in a good position here, said Chad Aldeman, who served in the department during the Obama administration and is now a principal at Bellwether Education Partners, a consulting organization. Tennessees legislature ditched the PARCC test a few years ago and has switched testing vendors. The state has not [made] stability a key priority in their testing vendors. He said the decision to keep switching vendors and tests, spurred in part by the legislature, will mean Tennessee may need to be bailed out by the feds. Already, Democratic advocates are urging DeVos not to let Tennessee off the hook. The victims of this escape from accountability are Tennessees schoolchildren and in particular, low-income students and students of color who are most in need of the support and funding that should be directed to schools where students are falling the furthest behind, said Charlie Barone, the director of policy for Democrats for Education Reform. The ESSA statute is unambiguously clear that Tennessee must seek and obtain approval from Secretary DeVos who we hope will set aside partisanship and fully exercise her responsibility in this regard by asking tough questions and seeking a solution that best serves Tennessees students, parents, and taxpayers. Image: Getty Images Want to learn more about the Every Student Succeeds Act? Heres some useful information: Follow us on Twitter at @PoliticsK12 . EDITOR's NOTE: Early versions of HB2748 mandated a housing study by the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation and provided only a $50,000 appropriation or left the appropriation amount blank. It was only in conference committee that the $580M payout from the bill named after Hanabusa's 'rat pack' crony Bob Nakata was announced. The Conference Draft is not yet available. * * * * * KITV 4-25-18: The original bill has been "gutted" and "replaced" The bill itself was originally supposed to give $50,000 to a wait list study. The original bill has been "gutted" and "replaced" with hundreds of millions of dollars to stimulate affordable housing development. The bill gives $200-million in cash to the Hawaii Housing Finance Development Corporation to start building immediately. It also allocates $360-million for tax credits to reimburse developers whose projects meet certain criteria. That credit runs through the year 2030 when lawmakers expect Hawaii to have at least 22,000 more homes. * * * * * Colleen Hanabusa Commends Legislators, Bob Nakata for Taking Bold Action on Affordable Housing News Release from Hanabusa Campaign April 24, 2018 Congresswoman Colleen Hanabusa today commended the Hawaii Legislature for taking bold action on affordable housing by passing a strong legislative package dedicated to the Rev. Bob Nakata: Nowhere in America is there a greater gap between what our workforce earns and the cost of housing. Hawaii is one of the most expensive places to live in the world. Our affordable housing deficit has grown for decades despite campaign promises and housing programs that have come and gone. I commend the Hawaii Legislature for taking decisive action today and acknowledging the urgent need to address the severe shortage of truly affordable units. The Rev. Bob Nakata has a long history as a leader in our community and a champion of this issue. As a former legislator in both the House and Senate, and as a man of great faith, Bob knows the affordable housing fight isnt about statistics and appropriations. Its about local people working hard to provide shelter for their families and a solid foundation for the future. Bob and I got elected to the Senate at the same time. Our group was called the Rat Pack and Bob was our conscience. For us, and for so many people, he has always served as the barometer of what is the right thing to do. * * * * * EDITORS NOTE: Right thing to do??? Here is what the Star-Bulletin said about Hanabusa, Nakata and their rat pack May 24, 1999: Bronster's confirmation to a second term as attorney general was rejected by the Senate. The reaction to that vote was outrage. Bronster instantly became a martyr to the cause of reform. Crucial to her ouster were the votes of five Democratic freshman senators -- Jan Buen, David Matsuura, Colleen Hanabusa, Jonathan Chun and Bob Nakata -- who some thought would shake up the Democratic establishment. Instead they voted for the status quo, punishing someone who was trying to clean up perhaps the most shameful mess in Hawaii political history. In the wake of the vote, the five freshmen can blame themselves for pushing out of office the key figure in the Bishop Estate investigation. Would any of them like to stand up against Margery Bronster in an election? And Nakata was tossed out of office in 2002 after just one term by SD23 Democrat Primary voters. * * * * * Photo Caption: The Rev. Bob Nakata, who has been a tirelessly advocate at the Legislature for construction and funding of affordable housing for the past two decades, said he was thankful for this bill to help the people of Hawaii. With him are Chairman of the House Housing Committee Representative Tom Brower (from left), Chairman of the Senate Housing Committee Will Espero, Chairwoman of the House Finance Committee Representative Sylvia J. Luke, and Chairman of the Senate Ways and Means Committee Donovan M. Dela Cruz. LEGISLATURE PROVIDES HISTORIC FUNDING PACKAGE OF $570 MILLION TO BUILD 25,000 AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOUSING UNITS Units will be developed for struggling working families (Math: $570M / 25,000 units = $22,800 per unit) News Release from House and Senate Communications, April 24, 2018 Honolulu, Hawaii Today, Senate and House conferees agreed and voted on a comprehensive housing measure that takes a momentous step forward in addressing Hawaii's affordable rental housing crisis on all islands. House Bill 2748 HD2 SD2 CD1 provides a total of $570 million which will generate more than 25,000 affordable units by the year 2030. This will fulfill the goal of 22,500 affordable rental housing units set by the Legislature in 2016 via Act 127, Session Laws of Hawaii 2016. "This is the largest appropriation made by the Legislature and demonstrates our relentless commitment to providing innovative solutions to meet the State's long-term housing demands" said House Housing Chair Representative Tom Brower (Waikiki, Ala Moana). This measure supports development of affordable rental housing for a wide range of households spanning low income families to those making up to 140 percent of the area median income (AMI). "In addition to low income households, this measure targets Hawaii's middle-class families," said Senate Housing Committee Chair Senator Will Espero (Ewa Beach, Ocean Pointe, Ewa by Gentry, Iroquois Point, portion of Ewa Villages). "These are working families who are not wealthy enough to afford a home in our expensive housing market, but do not qualify for public housing assistance. We must support them by providing an affordable option for housing while they save for a home of their own." House Bill 2748 HD2 SD2 CD1 contains four parts: 1. Appropriates $200 million into the Rental Housing Trust Fund to generate approximately 1,600 affordable rental housing units for families at or below 80 percent AMI. The Rental Housing Revolving Fund (RHRF) provides equity gap low-interest loans or grants to qualified owners and developers for the development, pre-development, construction, acquisition or preservation of affordable rental housing. Preference is given to projects that meet certain statutory criteria. Included is a preference for projects that provide at least 5 percent of the total number of units for persons and families with incomes at or below 30 percent of the median family income. Another preference is for projects that provide the maximum number of units for persons or families with incomes at or below 80 percent of the median family income. At the end of Fiscal Year 2017, the RHRF had a balance of $156 million. This appropriation will more than double its corpus to assist low income families and individuals, including the homeless and special needs groups, in obtaining affordable rental housing. 2. Expands the general excise tax exemption for construction of approximately 24,000 affordable rental units for families at or below 140 percent AMI. The measure increases the general excise tax exemption for the construction of affordable rental units for households at or below 140 percent AMI, with at least 20 percent of those units available for households at or below 80 percent of the AMI. The exemption will increase from $7 million (the exemption amount enacted in 2017) to $30 million per year and will be extended from the year 2022 to 2030. The total value of this expanded general excise tax exemption amounts to $360 million over 12 years. This exemption is expected to result in the construction of approximately 24,000 affordable rental units. 3. Appropriates $10 million into the Dwelling Unit Revolving Fund (DURF) DURF was established pursuant to Act 105, Session Laws of Hawaii 1970, which authorized the issuance of $125 million in general obligation bonds to carry out the purposes of the Housing Development Program. Funds may be used for the acquisition of real property; development and construction of residential, commercial and industrial properties; interim and permanent loans to developers; and any and all things necessary to carry out the purposes of the Housing Development Program, including administrative expenses. DURF provides interim construction financing of affordable housing projects. This appropriation will increase its corpus by 10 percent. 4. Appropriates $50,000 to prepare an assessment of housing needs for persons with low or no income, such as the disabled and functionally challenged populations. This appropriation commissions the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation to determine the number of persons with special needs in Hawaii, identify the supportive services they may require and inventory the providers of supportive services statewide. "Former State Senator the Rev. Bob Nakata deserves the credit for today's bill," said House Finance Chair Rep. Sylvia Luke, (Makiki, Punchbowl, Nuuanu, Dowset Highlands, Pacific Heights, Pauoa). "He has said that the Legislature needs to provide funding to create 22,000 units. This bill goes beyond that." Our affordable housing crisis demands we take tangible, meaningful action. With this measure, we are responding to the needs of our community our families, children and low-income individuals and providing long-term solutions that are feasible within the context of our state financial plan, said Senate Ways and Means Chair Senator Donovan Dela Cruz (Mililani Mauka, Waipio Acres, Wheeler, Wahiawa, Whitmore Village, portion of Poamoho). The bill now moves to the full House and Senate for a final reading vote. ---30--- SA: 'Bob Nakata Act' Lawmakers commit $200M to affordable-housing fund North Korea nuclear test site out of action following massive 2017 blast China report According to a study by Chinese geologists, North Korea's main nuclear testing site has disintegrated under the stress of five successive bomb tests. A mountain above the Punggye-ri facility has collapsed, the report said, rendering the site unsafe for future testing and presenting a serious risk of radiation leaks. Map: VOA The paper's authors, Tian Dongdong, Yao Jiawen and Wen Lianxing, urged Chinese authorities to continue monitoring any leakage of radioactive materials. The test site is less than 100 km from the Chinese border. The peer-reviewed study carrying news of the collapse is by China's University of Science and Technology, and collected data after North Korea carried out its most powerful bomb test to date on 3 September, 2017. Geologists believe the explosion, with a yield estimated at 100 kilotons of TNT, may have triggered an initial collapse toward the test centre followed by an "earthquake swarm" over several weeks. This blast was at least 10 times stronger than anything the North had tested previously. The bomb dropped on Hiroshima in 1945 had a yield of about 15 kilotons. North Korean nuclear tests have been a cause for concern in China before. Tests, fears of radiation leaks and post-test earthquakes have in the past resulted in evacuations on the Chinese side of the border. Chinese authorities have said they have detected no radiation from past tests. Kune Yull Suh, a nuclear engineering professor at Seoul National University, has also warned further tests could threaten volcanic eruption at Mount Paektu, on the North Korea-China border. On April 21, President Kim Jong Un said that North Korea would cease activity on its weapons testing programme in the run up to potential meetings with his South Korean and US counterparts over the coming weeks. News that the countrys main nuclear test site is no longer useable could partially explain North Koreas unexpected conciliatory offer, although Pyongyang has not suggested it will give up its nuclear ambitions entirely. At least 21 die in illegal oil well explosion in Indonesia At least 21 people were killed and 42 others injured in an explosion at an illegal oil well in East Aceh on the Indonesian island of Sumatra, in the early hours of April 24, according to the Jakarta Post . The fire spread rapidly and destroyed at least five village houses, according to the East Aceh Disaster and Evacuation Agency. Representative image - Shutterstock All of the victims were residents of the Ranto Peureulak subdistrict. A local search and rescue team is continuing to search for other possible victims. An Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry spokesman told reporters in Jakarta that as it was an illegal well, the national and local administrations would take legal action against those found responsible. The well was drilled on state-owned oil and gas company Pertaminas operational territory in East Aceh. While the cause of the blaze remains under investigation, the Jakarta Post said eyewitnesses claimed the fire occurred after they saw welding sparks near the well and the flames instantly spread around the drilling site and oil storage area. There are several crude old Pertamina oil wells around the area, some of which have been reopened by illegal operators. A National Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesperson said the victims were extracting crude oil from the well prior to the fire, moving the oil into containers. A joint team involving the ministrys oil and gas directorate and Pertamina have been sent to the site to investigate the incident. On April 26 the well was still ablaze. This is the second crude oil-related environmental disaster to have occurred in Indonesia over the last month, after around 40,000 barrels of crude oil crude leaked from an underwater Pertamina pipeline in Balikpapan Bay, East Kalimantan, on March 31. Five fishermen died in that incident. (Bloomberg) Credit Suisse AGs first-quarter results have given CEO Tidjane Thiam ammunition against activists calling for more radical surgery. Despite a fairly weak quarter for the investment bank, the CEOs focus on wealth management while cutting costs and dumping unwanted assets is paying off. The shares rose 4 percent in response. Profitability is still below target, though. This isnt the finish line. To read this article: (Reuters) Less than two weeks after the latest round of U.S. sanctions plunged Russias rouble to 16-month lows, some global funds have already stepped back in to buy rouble-denominated sovereign bonds and take advantage of the weaker currency. Early this month, Washington imposed new sanctions on 24 Russians, striking at allies of President Vladimir Putin to punish Moscow for its alleged meddling in the 2016 U.S. election and other malign activity. To read this article: Elsewhere, Bloomberg analyses the hacker-proof digital highway that has opened between Finland and Estonia, while Business Insider Nordic shows us some images of the Earth taken by Finlands ICEYE satellite. The Finnish governments decision to ends its experiment with universal basic income caught the attention of much of the worlds international media this week. In response to the news, The New York Times takes a look at why it failed to work in Finland. Finland has second thoughts about giving free money to jobless people The New York Times For more than a year, Finland has been testing the proposition that the best way to lift economic fortunes may be the simplest: Hand out money without rules or restrictions on how people use it. The experiment with so-called universal basic income has captured global attention as a potentially promising way to restore economic security at a time of worry about inequality and automation. Now, the experiment is ending. The Finnish government has opted not to continue financing it past this year, a reflection of public discomfort with the idea of dispensing government largess free of requirements that its recipients seek work. There is a problem with young people lacking secondary education, and reports of those guys not seeking work, said Heikki Hiilamo, a professor of social policy at the University of Helsinki. There is a fear that with basic income they would just stay at home and play computer games. Original article was published by on 24/04/2018 and can be found here. Cyber pioneers in EU's north open hacker-proof digital highway Bloomberg In this age of social media leaks and foreign election hacking, the ability to transmit sensitive personal information securely across borders is more valuable than ever. Finland and Estonia, two of Europes most digitally advanced nations, are about to achieve just that. Finns who cross the Baltic Sea to visit the former Soviet nation will soon be able to pick up their doctors prescription at any local pharmacy without worrying about prying eyes. Likewise, the around 100,000 Estonians currently employed in Finland will be able to have their paycheck sent to their home countrys tax authorities for quick and easy filing. What makes applications like these possible is the first secure international data highway in the world dedicated especially to the needs of ordinary citizens. Based on open-source code, the so-called X-road has plenty of other potential applications, from the sharing of driver license data and death certificates to company data on the trade register. Original article was published by on 22/04/2018 and can be found here. Fortum secures contract from S Group in Finland Power Technology Energy company Fortum has secured a contract from Finland-based S Group for implementing solar electricity systems on the rooftops of nearly 40 commercial buildings across the country. Under the deal, Fortum will be responsible for the project planning, project management and equipment procurement, while installation works will be carried out by other teams from ARE. Fortum business development head Tatu Kulla said: Realising our vision for a cleaner world isnt easy, nor can it be accomplished overnight. With a total output capacity of nearly 10MW, the solar electricity project is reported to be the largest supply of rooftop solar electricity systems to be installed in the Nordic region. Original article was published by on 17/04/2018 and can be found here. Jehovahs Witnesses flee from Russia to Finland The Independent Barents Observer Last April, a ruling by Russias Supreme Court banned all Jehovahs Witnesses organizations throughout the country, arguing the religious group to be extremist. Meanwhile, a wave of practicing Jehovahs Witnesses is fleeing Russia. More than a thousand people are now seeking asylum in several European countries, including Finland, the newspaper Helsingin Sanomat reported earlier this winter. It all started last summer, and thats when the first Witnesses sought asylum in Finland, spokesperson Veikko Leininen with the organizations Finnish branch told the newspaper. Many dozens at least are still to come, he said. In Russia, the number of Jehovahs Witnesses are estimated to about 175,000. That be, before the organization was declared extremist. Viewed with skepticism for denying military service, voting and refusal to take blood, the members are seen as both a threat to themselves, their children and public safety. Original article was published by on 20/04/2018 and can be found here. Images of Earth are taken from Finlands first-ever commercial satellite Business Insider Nordic This January, space startup ICEYE launched Finland's first-ever commercial satellite into orbit. By 2020, ICEYE hopes to have a constellation of 18 satellites scan the entire surface of Earth, in order to provide real-time imagery and data on what's happening on the ground. The company's satellite is equipped with so-called Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) technology, which enables it to take high-resolution images through darkness, clouds and inclement weather. A satellite can detect objects as small as individual cars or trees. By collecting continuous imagery, ICEYE hopes to open up a multibillion-dollar market providing real-time data to industries ranging from shipping to forestry. For instance, ICEYE says it could revolutionize the detection of illegal deforestation and pirate ships. Original article was published by on 22/04/2018 and can be found here. Dan Anderson HT Photo: Lehtikuva / AFP Photo / European Space Agency / ATG MediaLab Theres no denying that our coalition partner pulled an ugly and deceitful stunt on us. This is an example of precisely the kind of repulsive party politics thats whats generally wrong with politics, commented Sampo Terho, the chairperson of the Blue Reform. The Blue Reform has announced its party government has decided to continue in the three-party ruling coalition despite what it described as an ugly stunt by the National Coalition. The National Coalition provoked the ire of its coalition partner particularly by failing to inform it in advance of the defection of Kaj Turunen, a second-term Member of Parliament from Southern Savonia. This kind of behaviour must change or else the esteem of politics and the entire parliamentary system will crumble in the eyes of the public, warned Terho. He also gauged that the stunt in itself is not a reason to abandon the government. Prime Minister Juha Sipila (Centre) has called a meeting of the chairpersons of the three ruling parties for next week in order to establish ground rules for the coalition co-operation. Terho said he will lay out clear boundary conditions for continuing the co-operation until the end of the electoral term. The first, obvious condition is that the coalition partners must not conspire against each other, told Terho. Its simply indefensible that in the morning the trio sits down at the same table to tackle the problems in Finland, that at noon a coalition partner stabs another in the back, and in the afternoon it's claimed that this is just a regular work day for the parliament and government, he stated. The second condition is that the government adheres to its action plan and the third that the ruling parties remain committed to carrying out all the reforms they have agreed on. The Blue Reform has floated a theory that the defection is part of a scheme to call off the social, health care and regional government reform. The National Coalition has become increasingly lukewarm towards the reform after constitutional issues in the reform bill necessitated amendments to the proposal to increase customers freedom over their social and health care provider. Simon Elo, the chairperson of the Blue Parliamentary Group, told YLE on Wednesday that the theory is based on rumours heard from credible sources. Aleksi Teivainen HT Photo: Vesa Moilanen Lehtikuva Source: Uusi Suomi The picture of student absenteeism nationwide is getting clearer, but in many ways darker. New federal civil rights data show nearly 8 million students nationwide were reported chronically absent from school in 2015-16, representing 16 percent of all K-12 students. Thats up by a million or more students from the last national count in 2013-14 , when 14 percent of students were reported as missing 15 or more days in the school year. Chronic absenteeism has been associated with a slew of problems, including lower reading achievement and engagement in school , and ultimately a higher risk of dropping out. And the most vulnerable students in a districthomeless and foster students, those in poverty, and those with chronic medical conditions like asthmaare also the students most likely to miss school repeatedly. The civil rights data are a huge alarm bell that we are missing the opportunity to improve student performance by making sure students are in class so they can benefit from the instruction that we are investing in, said Hedy Chang, the executive director of the nonprofit advocacy group Attendance Works. OCR is a call to action and a call to analysis. ... It can help us understand how large and significant a problem this is and help us see patterns in which schools and populations are most affected. White and Asian students were underrepresented among chronically absent students, while students of other racial groups were disproportionarly more likely to be chronically absent, according to a preliminary analysis of the federal data by the Education Week Research Center. State Absenteeism Issues As of this school year, 36 states and the District of Columbia now measure absenteeism as a gauge of school quality in their accountability systems under the Every Student Succeeds Act. However, most of those states define absenteeism as missing 10 percent of the school year, or 18 days of a 180-day year, while a few consider only three lost days as signalling chronic absenteeismmeaning that states may calculate their own absenteeism rates more strictly or leniently than the federal data collection does. I am not surprised at all that the numbers have gone up, Chang said. Its so easy to miss kids, to exclude absences for suspensions or not pay attention to patterns of particular kids [missing school]. I think one of the benefits of accountability on chronic absenteeism is it gets people to concentrate more on the information and whats being collected. For example, the data show the District of Columbia. had the highest chronic absenteeism rate in the country in 2015-16, at nearly 1 in 3 students. Investigations of the district a few years later found that more than a third of students who were awarded diplomas in 2017 had actually missed too much school to graduate . New Strategies to Boost Attendance Schools in Cleveland, Ohio, were shocked into action two years ago when they found that nearly half of all students were chronically absent from school. Efforts to engage parents, reduce out-of-school suspensions, and promote attendance in the community has helped reduce the districts absenteeism rate to 30 percent. The video below details some of the creative pieces in Clevelands all-out effort. Getting schools to school regularly often means providing more than just academic help to students and their families, according to new studies released this week. The Brookings Institution reported health problems and poverty can drive poor attendance , and multifaceted programs can be more effective in getting students back to school. And a new report the Regional Educational Laboratory Mid-Atlantic found benefits from regular postcard check-ins and home visits with students who are having difficulty getting to school. Education Week Researcher Alex Harwin and Video Reporter Kavitha Cardosa contributed to this report. Related: Want more research news? Get the latest studies and join the conversation. UPDATED A federal judges ruling on the future of DACA could open the door for tens of thousands of undocumented high school-age students to be protected from deportation. Handed down late Tuesday, the courts ruling is the third that ensures DACA will remain in effect for recipients after a March 5 deadline originally set by the Trump administration. While the previous two rulings required the federal Department of Homeland Security to accept renewal applications, Tuesdays ruling goes a step further: the government would have to accept new applications, potentially opening the programs to a new wave of young immigrants. The Washington, D.C.-based Migration Policy Institute estimates that, over the next four years, about 120,000 immigrants brought to the United States illegally as children would turn 15 and become eligible for DACA if they are enrolled in school . Program applicants must have arrived in the United States by June 2007 and be a current student, high school graduate, have a GED, or be an honorably discharged veteran. Despite the latest ruling, the teenagers who are now eligible remain in limbo. That because the presiding judge, U.S. District Judge John Bates, imposed a 90-day delay on his ruling to give the Trump administration a chance to re-argue its case. If enacted, the ruling could provide clarity on what has been a murky, confusing period for immigration reform. President Donald Trump announced in September that he planned to phase out the program, allowing renewals through March. Trump said he wanted to give Congress time to find a legislative solution to address the status of the young undocumented people who benefit from the program that President Obama established by executive order in 2012. While Trump publicly called on Congress to pass a bill to protect DACA recipients, he also used their fate as leverage to push priorities such as additional border security and tighter restrictions on family-based immigration. The latest twist in the DACA saga has been welcome news for scores of studentspopularly known as Dreamerswho could become eligible for protection, but also education and advocacy groups. Those organizations are now calling on Congress to find a legislative solution. Dreamers should be afforded the opportunity to remain in the place they work and study. Despite the victory, however, our nation cant wait for the judicial system to do what Congress must, Gustavo Torres, the executive director of CASA, a Maryland-based immigration advocacy and assistance organization, said in a statement. A recently released National Bureau of Economic Research working paper found that the program had a significant impact on the education outcomes of undocumented immigrant youth, including a 15 percent increase in high school graduation rates. Conversely, a national survey from the Civil Rights Project at the University of California, Los Angeles, found that nearly 80 percent of educators report having students who have experienced emotional or behavioral problems because they are concerned about immigration enforcement . Like all children, Dreamers should be free to learn, free from fear. They are hard-working, law-abiding young people, many of whom came to this country through no choice of their own, wrote Chiefs for Change, an advocacy group for district and state education chiefs, wrote in a prepared statement. Related Stories and Video Trump Says DACA is Dead. Research Shows It Raised Grad Rates for Immigrant Students DACA Continues for Now, as Does Uncertainty for Dreamers Trumps Immigration Policies Hurting Academics and School Attendance, Survey Finds Photo Credit: Demonstrators hold up balloons during an immigration rally in support of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), and Temporary Protected Status (TPS), programs. --Jose Luis Magana/AP UPDATED Autism spectrum disorder is up 15 percent, on average, among communities monitored by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the agency said Thursday. Approximately 1 in 59 8-year-olds were diagnosed with the disorder, a prevalence number based on data collected in 2014 using a combination of medical and school records in 11 states. For the past two report cycles2016 and 20141 in 68 8-year-olds were estimated to have the disorder, which is characterized by significant social, communication and behavioral impairments. Within those numbers, though, is a large variation of autism prevalence among states. In New Jersey, 1 in 34 8-year-olds were identified as having an autism spectrum disorder, the highest rate of the states monitored. In contrast, 1 in 76 Arkansas children were identified with the disorder. There were also wide disparities in prevalence by gender and by race. About 1 out of 38 of boys in these surveillance sites was diagnosed with autism, compared to 1 out of 152 girls. White children, with a prevalence rate of 1 in 58, were more likely to be diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder than black children (about 1 in 63) and Hispanic children (about 1 in 71). The CDC says the surveillance numbers cant be extrapolated to the nation as a whole, because the monitoring sites are not a nationally representative sample. However, with the prevalence rate reaching 3 percent in some communities and with an overall increase of 150 percent since monitoring first started in 2000, autism spectrum disorder is an urgent public health concern that could benefit from enhanced strategies to help identify ASD earlier; to determine possible risk factors; and to address the growing behavioral, educational, residential, and occupational needs of this population. The sites monitored as part of the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network are in Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Wisconsin. School Records Essential For Monitoring Autism Prevalence School cooperation is essential in gathering these figures, as well as in identifying children and providing the services, said CDC scientists who worked on the report. To gather data from schools, CDC researchers comb through the education and test records of children in the monitoring areas, said Daisy Christensen, a co-author of the new report and the surveillance team lead in the developmental disabilities branch of the CDCs National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities. Rather than relying on district-level identification, evaluators rate student behaviors and test results to see if they meet the definitions of autism spectrum disorder. What we found is that we really are able to ascertain more children when we have access to education records, Christensen said. Some children are not really identifed until they get to school. The data also show that more children are being identified with autism who do not also have an intellectual disability. In previous reports, about half of the children identified also had an intellectual disability; in this report, the rate was around 30 percent. The age at which children start to receive services has not changed in recent years, though there has been increasing importance put on early identification, said Stuart Shapira, the associate director for science in the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities. This report found that, as over the past several reports, children were identified at a median age of around 4.5 years. But autism spectrum disorders can be diagnosed in some children as early as age 2. The percentage of children who received a comprehensive development evaluation by age 3 in this report, 42 percent, was also essentially unchanged from previous years. More work still needs to be done in that area, Shapira said. The educators have a role to play, and physicians and parents have a role to play. The surveillance data alone cannot explain what is driving the increase, the researchers said. But they did note that the prevalence rates among children of different races closed somewhat in this report. The prevalence differences among boys and girls also closed slightly. In previous years, boys were 4.5 times more likely to be diagnosed, but in this report, they were 4 times more likely. The narrowing of those gaps may be driving some of the increase in prevalence rates, Christensen said. Image by Getty Related Story: for the latest news on special education policies, practices, and trends. Scott collected OVC Female Track Athlete of the Week honors for her record-breaking performance at the Virginia Challenge on Friday night in Charlottesville. Scott, a native of Bowling Green, Kentucky, broke her own school record in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 10:22.2. Scott collected OVC Female Track Athlete of the Week honors for her record-breaking performance at the Virginia Challenge on Friday night in Charlottesville. Scott, a native of Bowling Green, Kentucky, broke her own school record in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 10:22.2. That time is currently tops in the OVC by nearly 25 seconds and it ranks Scott No. 21 in the NCAA East Region. That time is currently tops in the OVC by nearly 25 seconds and it ranks Scott No. 21 in the NCAA East Region. Posted 4/25/18 Bass Chapel, Grand Oaks East offers food and clothing to people in need, 9 a.m. to noon, Wednesdays. Bible Baptist Church, Mo. 32 and Locust, Buffalo. AWANA program (during the school year), Posted 4/25/18 Matthew Carl Polston, 26, Buffalo, was charged in Dallas County Circuit with endangering the welfare of a child in the first degree on Jan. 19. Polston is charged with risking the health of a small In 2004, British historian David Staffords Ten Days to D-Day: Citizens and Soldiers on the Eve of the Invasion tracked Normandy through ten participants, focusing less on leaders and heroics than on the periods murky uncertainties. Now Endgame, 1945: The Missing Final Chapter of World War II brings a similar approach to the end of the war. Staffords in the-moment history draws on his varied background and talents. Born in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, he was Executive Director of the Canadian Institute of International Affairs, a nongovernmental think tank. A former diplomat, he is a television and radio consultant who has written documentaries on, as well as studies of, espionage. Holding degrees from Cambridge and the University of London, he is project director at the Centre for the Study of the Two World Wars at the University of Edinburgh. He is currently writing the official history of the Special Operations Executive in Italy. This is almost a spinoff from Ten Days to D-Day. People liked that approach, telling the story through the interwoven narratives of a handful of characters. It was new for me, but Id enjoyed it, so I thought Id try it for V-E Day. That turned out to be a little more difficult, to be honest, because V-E Day is not really a precise moment like June 6, 1944. Victory, it turns out, was not a precise moment. Isnt that your point: history isnt as clear as hindsight makes it seem? In Ten Days to D-Day I wanted very badly to show that the participants did not and could not know the operation was going to succeed. I went out of my way not to rely on memoirs but to look at contemporary letters and diaries to get inside the heads of the people involved. Thats what I wanted to do with this book, too. For the characters, the past seems very confusing and uncertain. They dont know the future. Why these nine characters? I decided pretty quickly not to deal with the eastern front, which weve had a lot of books about recently. And I had a thesis. The western half of Europe was liberated by the Western democratic powers, which had a long-term effect: Western Europe had a far, far happier postwar history than Eastern Europe. So it was important that Rome was liberated by the West and not the Russians. I definitely wanted Italy in the story, since it is often forgotten. Once I got into the raw material, what really struck me were the displaced persons, millions who are often overlooked now, though they come up again and again in contemporary diaries and accounts. So my story had to include civilians as well as soldiers. Then I had to search for individual narratives that illustrated that story. Sometimes I just happened upon a character, like Francesca Wilson. I did a search on books on the aftermath of the war and hit upon this 1946 book by Wilson about her work with DPs in Bavaria. Its a very direct first-person account. Clues in the book led me to her relatives, who had more material. Its a hit-or-miss process, but its the only way to do it. The characters breathe vivid life into cliches, like the Russians raped, gangs of DPs looted, cigarettes serving as currency. Thats the idea. Historians all know the basic story. The average readers think they do, but dont really, or they know it only in a certain way. For example, the diaries and letters show most of the people involved did not experience the end of the war as a moment of joy; it had a pretty somber effect. Like American troops worrying theyd be shipped to the Pacific. They were still under arms and in uniform and they all dreaded that prospect: it dominated their waking lives, once the immediate relief of not being fired on was over. They knew what the fighting in the Pacific was likeas savage or more savage than what theyd just experienced. I bring in Okinawa to show that this was very, very much on the minds of all of these guys. Again, I wanted to let readers today experience the feelings of people at the time. The shock and horror at the revelations of the concentration camps, for instance, is palpable in the contemporary accounts, even those from hardened reporters whod seen plenty of horror. This carries over to pretty harsh judgments on the German population as a whole, a wide spread feeling at the time, which conveyed itself to my books characters. The Russians come across as a more unknown quantity. In the press then, the Russians were looked on very favorably: they are allies, the Soviet army is a heroic army, all of which reflects wartime propaganda. But for some it already wasnt like that. Like Fred Warner. Warner, a German Jew in British uniform who parachuted into Austria, comes up against the Russians early. Clearly, he has a favorable opinion of the Red Army: above all, they smashed their way into Germany and crushed the Naziswho he blames, quite rightly, for everything bad in his life, since he only narrowly escaped from Germany. Yet very quickly you see him changing his opinion as he has to deal with the Russians: theyre pretty ruthless, fairly brutal, and, from his point of view, not very trustworthy. That was very much part of the time, though many people think the cold war doesnt begin until 1947 or 1948. This isnt standard history or historiography. I set out to muddy the waters here, because standard history has its downsides. With the benefit of hindsight and scholarship, we organize the past into neat little blocks. We might disagree about precisely where the blocks gothats historiography. But doing that, we run the risk of failing to convey the texture of the past, what it was like to be there as someone who went through this. Like Fred Warner, who allowed me to treat the story of the European exilespolitical opponents of the Nazis who were not British or American, who fled Germany or elsewhere in Europe to fight against Hitler. That story is an important part of the war, perhaps not in numerical terms, but in what it symbolized. I interviewed Fred in Hamburg, where he was born and died. He returned there after he retired because he wanted to make a point: I will not give Hitler the satisfaction of thinking he could expel me and the Jews from Germany. Then theres Leonard Linton, whose memoir I discovered accidentally in an archive in Berlin. I knew I wanted my book to finish in Berlin in July 1945, so this American with the 82nd Airborne who got into Berlin in 1945 was perfect. Born to white Russian parents who fled the Bolsheviks, he ends up in northern Germany, a sector that becomes the Soviet sector, in confrontation with the Bolsheviks himself. Warner, a German Jew, ends up doing intelligence work for the British identifying Nazis. In part they reflect how Im always struck by historys ironies. What in your research most surprised you? The diary of Robert Ellis of the 10th Mountain Division. I hadnt appreciated how dreadful the fighting in Italy was, though I should have. Italy is often regarded as a sideshow or secondary theater or even unnecessary, but it was closer to the First World War than what we oftenand mistakenlyassume about the Second: movement, Panzer tanks, air craft, and so on. Italy was mud and rain and trenches and hand-to-hand battles: an inglorious war of attrition. That comes through very vividly in Elliss story, one of the best by a combat soldier Ive ever read. I was surprised tooand again, I shouldnt have beento discover how unreconstructed so many Germans were at the end of the war. Like the former Reichsbank director disclaiming all knowledge of the camps but dismissing BBC broadcasts about them as Jewish propaganda. That came as a shock: here we are, 1945, the camps have just been liberated, and people are completely unapologetic. They just dont get it; they dont understand the story theyve just been through. Finally, theres the backdrop of the war in Iraq. The very day it was reported that the Baghdad Museum was looted, I was poring through United States military histories of World War II when it almost leaped off the pages: an American officer protesting about the looting of Munichs museums in April 1945. I had been totally unaware of the large-scale looting of muse ums and art galleries in Germany in 1945, and I might have otherwise skimmed over it except that I was so sensitized by the news from Iraq. In other words, when you write history the present always affects how you see the past. Originally published in the March 2008 issue of World War II Magazine. To subscribe, click here. The body of a man who had been reported missing by his family in Bledsoe County was located in a barrel north of Big Spring Gap Road. Authorities called it a homicide and had one suspect, Michaela Sullivan, in custody charged with criminal homicide. She was listed as the last person seen with the Thomas Rogers. Two other suspects were being sought in the murder. The body, which was found on Tuesday, has been sent for an autopsy. The Northern Irish trad merchants are on support duties as Ed heads to Dublin, Belfast, Cork & Galway Northern Irish trad merchants Beoga have been added to the bill for Ed Sheerans sellout Irish tour next month. The band, who collaborated with Ed on divide mega-hits Galway Girl and Nancy Mulligan, will be plugging their new single, We Dont Have To Run, which drops on May 4 and features a guest turn from fellow Ulsterman, Ryan McMullan. Hes such an amazing talent, enthuses Beoga bodhran man Eamon Murray. Ryan has a long and glorious career ahead of him. Its the first fruits of an extended spell in a London studio with Johnny McDaid, the Snow Patrol man whos also one of the worlds most in demand songwriters. Hes an impressive dude, Eamon notes. We built a melody with Johnny and the lads, which is very different to how we did things in the past as a self-contained, DIY sort of a group. Its quite a drawn out process that involves a degree of compromise, but were loving it. Johnny McDaid isnt the only A-Lister contributing to the singles parent album, due in early 2019. There are still a few ideas kicking around from the writing we did last year with Ed, and Foy Vance is also a major part of the team. As conversations are had and the process evolves, a lot of different people are coming on board. Beoga are allied to Spirit B-Unique, the London label and publishing company whose roster also includes John Newman, Olly Murrs, James Bay, Naughty Boy and Tiggs Da Author. The label are saying, Youre the first band weve had in a while where well have to look at pressing some vinyl! Eamon laughs. Its a really interesting time at the moment. The notion of trad music belonging in a museum is being challenged by the likes of ourselves and The Gloaming and Lankum who have an anarchic side that all the punks are drawn to. Beoga talk more about Ed Sheeran on page 29 of our new issue. As the Repeal referendum comes into view, the No campaign's unscrupulous tactics have become apparent; Facebook still haven't addressed the abuse of their platform; Maser's Project mural has been removed; and the Catholic Church have reverted to their utterly predictable conservatism. You could say it's been an eventful fortnight. The clock is ticking. The referendum is getting closer. Contrary to the old biblical aphorism, we know both the day and the hour, when the people will decide whether or not to repeal the Eighth Amendment to the constitution of Ireland. And yet, just four weeks away from polling day, it is difficult to get an accurate feel for how the campaign is progressing. What we can say is that, so far, there has been a singular absence of decisive leadership on the Yes side. The Citizens Assembly did the hard graft, recommending Repeal, and the freedom to terminate a pregnancy without limitation as to reason up to 12 weeks; the Oireachtas Committee followed suit and for a short while the momentum was clearly behind the Repeal movement. The Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, seemed to take all of these developments effectively in his stride. He had been resolutely anti-abortion, in an old fashioned and dogmatic religious way. Now, he has confirmed that his views have changed radically. In particular, he has recognised that we must end the gross hypocrisy that forces thousands of Irish women to fly to the UK, or further afield, every year, to secure terminations. The modern Leo Varadkar understands that we need to allow for abortion in cases of rape, incest, and fatal foetal abnormality. And he also acknowledges that the abortion pill has changed the landscape dramatically; that we have to be pragmatic, accept what is happening among women on the ground, and provide for the legal, medical use of the abortion pill in Ireland. Advertisement SCARE-MONGERING The leader of Fianna Fail, Micheal Martin, has also emerged in a far more progressive and positive light than might have been anticipated. Given the history of his party, to see him standing up in the Dail and giving a personal commitment to the Repeal cause represented a stunning victory for common sense. With Sinn Fein and Labour also supporting Repeal, you might assume that most of Irelands best-known politicians would be out there, going hammer and tongs, individually and collectively, to secure a victory. But that hasnt happened, or not very visibly at any rate. In contrast, the No campaign have been very well-funded, organised and focussed. That is hardly surprising. The ring-leaders are zealots. And so, they have gone about the business of lying to the electorate in exactly the way that was forecast by Hot Press. We said that they would be utterly unscrupulous in their tactics, and we were right. In this issue of Hot Press, Dr. Peter Boylan, the former Master of the National Maternity Hospital, deals specifically with the deliberate untruths that are being peddled by the anti-choice brigade. There is no need for me to repeat his rebuttal of those lies here. But I do want to state the facts. 1. The 8th Amendment seriously undermines the decision-making of doctors, as they attempt to deal with the health and safety of women who become sick as a result of problem pregnancies. Any suggestion to the contrary is either an exercise in self-delusion or a deliberate lie. Mostly it is the latter. 2. It is incontrovertible that the 8th Amendment has specifically and directly led to the deaths of Irish women. To suggest otherwise bends the truth beyond breaking point. Advertisement 3. Emotive suggestions that a foetus can see, think and maybe even pray (thats a joke) at 12 weeks are without any foundation whatsoever in scientific fact. Trying to persuade people to vote No on that basis is despicable. 4. As long as the Eighth Amendment remains in place, there is and will be no way of dealing with pregnancy as a result of rape except to force the woman to have the baby. The only alternative is to Repeal the Eighth and allow affected women decide, conscientiously, on their own terms, if they want to continue the pregnancy or to terminate it. 5. It is at best a misrepresentation of the figures, and at worst a blatant lie, to say that one in five pregnancies in the UK ends in abortion. 6. It is also a lie to say that 90% of foetuses with Down Syndrome in the UK are aborted. They are not. 7. Even more importantly, Down Syndrome is not and will not be diagnosed inside 12 weeks, and therefore falls outside the timeframe during which abortion will be allowed under the Governments proposals. 8. The legislation proposed by the Government specifically precludes a diagnosis of Down Syndrome as a basis for terminating a pregnancy. 9. These facts are known to the No campaign and yet they insist on claiming that Repealing the 8th will lead to pregnancies involving Down Syndrome being terminated. They know that this cant and wont happen. 10. They also know that any suggestion that there will be abortion up to birth in Ireland is a downright lie, and scare-mongering of the most pernicious kind. But the anti-choice mob persist in making the claim anyway. Advertisement MORTAL JEOPARDY Will the electorate in general see through this campaign of disinformation? We dont know.Equally, we have no idea what other grotesque lies might already be being peddled by the No campaign, via Social Media and via Facebook in particular. It is genuinely shocking that a trans-national Surveillance Capitalist monopoly like Facebook has been allowed to run political advertising in different jurisdictions, including Ireland, without any regulation whatsoever. The effect in the US Presidential election was to skew the result significantly to the right, and win the race for Donald Trump. That process was repeated in the UK during the referendum on withdrawal from the EU. Knowing this, we must recognise that there is a real danger that fake Facebook advertising might just help to win the upcoming referendum for the No side. All the evidence suggests that the No campaign will spend big on Facebook. There is evidence too that they will use disreputable companies who may have acquired data illegally to target the most vulnerable voters. And they will use Soviet-style propaganda, disinformation and distortion to stir up irrational fears, about the effects of change. And the State machinery, and the Government, are allowing this to happen under their noses. Advertisement A few weeks ago, Hot Press challenged Facebook to do its bit to safeguard democracy in Ireland by refusing all advertising to do with the Referendum. They have chosen not to do so. They have tried to create a fig leaf, by advising readers and users how to control their settings. Ha ha, you might post as a Facebook comment in response. This is transparently evasive, self-serving stuff. The bottom line is that they have chosen to take the money and run. And the reality is that this creates a black hole, where the democratic process is put in mortal jeopardy. Clearly, Facebooks attitude is: democracy be damned. Our profits matter more. So why arent Facebooks Irish staff walking out? Are they all happy to collude in the subversion of democracy here? PEDDLING LIES It gets worse. A couple of days ago, the news emerged that the Charities Regulator had instructed the Project Arts Centre to remove the famous Maser Repeal the Eighth mural from the wall of its premises in East Essex Street, in Temple Bar. Lets think about this for a minute. I was at a memorial mass in a Catholic Church recently. From the altar, the priest gave a sermon telling people that they should vote no in the referendum. Similarly, a friend attended a funeral. The grieving family were preparing to bury their beloved and the priest delivered a sermon urging people to vote No in the Referendum. Advertisement Now, my understanding is that the entire edifice of the Roman Catholic Church in Ireland depends on the charitable status accorded to a variety of institutions. Hospitals, schools, hospices, NGOs of various stripes and religious orders are run as or owned by so-called charitable institutions. That in itself is entirely unjustifiable. But it is the way things are. So, is the Charities Regulator seriously trying to suggest that none of the above are taking any kind of position on Repealing the Eighth? Clearly, this is not true. And so, we want to ask the Regulator the following question: will every Roman Catholic charity be pursued remorselessly, and have their charitable status stripped from them, if they express any view whatsoever in relation to Repealing the Eighth Amendment? Because in a spirit of equity, this is what should happen. A huge amount remains to be done by campaigners for a Yes vote in the final four weeks of this campaign. But even more urgently, the authorities have to ensure that there is a level playing field. Peddling lies via social media should not and cannot be allowed. Threatening to remove the charitable status of Yes campaigners, and leaving No charities to carry on proselytising is inequitable and wrong: that too must be reversed. If the apparatus of State fails to protect democracy, then we are all the losers. Oh, except the liars and the bullies. Senator Lamar Alexander urged his colleagues to support a resolution to speed up the confirmation process and end this prelude toward destruction of the Senate as a consensus building institution. The resolution offered by Senator James Lankford (R-Ok.) to reduce the amount of time the Senate must spend on presidential nominations was passed Wednesday by the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration. It would reinstate a bipartisan proposal that was adopted by the Senate in 2013 to speed up confirmation for President Obamas nominees. When the proposal was approved by the Senate on January 24, 2013, 78 senators supported the proposal, including 52 Democrats. If one party abuses the rules, the other party takes notes and they do the same thing, Senator Alexander said. Democrats are making it virtually impossible for President Trump to form his Administration. And what do you think will happen when we have a Democratic President? It doesn't take many Republican senators to take notes to remember. I would like to see if there's any way I can resurrect the bipartisan spirit that existed in 2011, 2012 and 2013 ... I would like to turn this around and head back in another direction and I think Senator Lankford has the right approachwhich is, let's take a relatively reasonable proposal that we adopted once before and adopt it as a rules change in the right way, and avoid piling on nuclear option after nuclear option after nuclear option, which is a prelude to the destruction of the United States Senate as a consensus building institution in this country. Senator Alexander spoke on Wednesday at a meeting of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration to approve Senator Lankfords resolution that would reduce the amount of time the Senate must spend debating sub-cabinet executive branch nominees from 30 hours to eight hours and district court nominees from 30 hours to two hours. The resolution would not change the up to 30 hours of post-cloture debate allowed for Supreme Court, Circuit Court, and Cabinet-level nominees. You can find a full transcript of his remarks here. As an existing print subscriber it is easy to get FREE access to all our online content. When you click get started below it will walk you through creating an online account to attach your print subscription number to. After your account is created it will ask you to either add a subscription for online access or click on the print subscriber button. Click the print subscriber button header and it will open a dropdown, now click on get started. The page will reload and you will be prompted to enter an account number and a zip code. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO USE THE NUMBER OFF OF THE MOST RECENT ISSUE OR ANYTHING AFTER JANUARY 28, 2019 TO GAIN ACCESS! OLD ACCOUNT NUMBERS WILL NOT WORK The account number and zip code are easily available on your most recent issue of the High Plains Journal or Midwest Ag Journal in the address fields as is shown here. Sometimes the account number has extra zero's in front of it, just ignore those. Subscribing to our services is a three step process. First you have to create an account and then you have to pick if you want to subscribe to digital and or print. Some people only want to be a digital subscriber to get access online and others want to also receive the print edition. If you are already a print subscriber and want online access, it is free, you simply have to create an online account and then attach your print subscription account number to the online account you create. Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam and Lt. Governor Randy McNally praised the work of the 110th General Assembly . Governor Haslam said the legislators acted to "keep Tennessee on pace to lead the nation in jobs, education and efficient and effective government." He said, The investments in this budget and our legislative priorities this session will impact Tennesseans for years to come. I am grateful to the General Assembly for partnering with us to pass meaningful legislation and for its commitment to conservative fiscal principles. "The $37.7 billion budget for fiscal year 2018-19 includes more than $15 million in new state dollars to fund treatment and services in the fight against opioid addiction and $30 million to improve school safety across the state. The budget invests $119 million in higher education initiatives and $247 million in new state funding for K-12 education, including additional funds for teacher compensation, bringing the total compensation investment of this administration and the General Assembly to more than $500 million. It provides $124 million in job growth investments, targeting programs in rural communities in particular, and it increases the states Rainy Day Fund to $861 million, more than three times its size in 2011." The General Assembly this session passed the governors measures including: "TN Together, the comprehensive plan to end the opioid crisis in Tennessee, is supported by two key pieces of legislation. The first bill, sponsored by Senator. Ferrell Haile and Rep. David Hawk, limits the duration and dosage of opioid prescriptions for new patients, with reasonable exceptions for major surgical procedures and exemptions that include cancer and hospice treatment, sickle cell disease as well as treatment in certain licensed facilities. With initial opioid prescriptions limited to a 3-day supply, Tennessee will have one of the most strict and aggressive opioid policies in the nation. "The second bill, sponsored by Senator Ken Yager and Rep. Bill Dunn, creates incentives for offenders to complete intensive substance use treatment programs while incarcerated and updates the schedule of controlled substances to better track, monitor and penalize the use and unlawful distribution of opioids. Notably, it adds synthetic versions of the drug fentanyl, linked to an alarming number of overdose deaths, to the controlled substance schedules. "The Juvenile Justice Reform Act of 2018 will make Tennessees juvenile justice system more effective, improve outcomes for youth offenders, and advance public safety. It balances judicial discretion with new guardrails on placing children in out-of-home custody, brings needed investment in treatment and other services, and ensures individualized case planning, among other improvements. Sponsored by Sen. Mark Norris and Rep. Jason Zachary, the bill will improve juvenile justice results and serve as a starting point for further reform. "The University of Tennessee FOCUS Act, sponsored by Sen. Mark Norris and Rep. David Hawk, reduces the current size of the UT Board of Trustees to 12 members, empowering the reconstituted board to better oversee the multiple campuses that comprise the UT system. In addition to modernizing the focus and responsibilities of the UT Board of Trustees, the legislation establishes advisory boards for the primary UT campuses, allowing each campus to have a local focus. The General Assembly confirmed seven members appointed by the governor during legislative session, and three additional members will be named at a later date to join a student member and the Commissioner of Agriculture on the board. "The 2018 legislative session marks the final session of the Haslam administration. The governors two terms, which, in partnership with the General Assembly, included enactment and implementation of numerous pieces of major legislation and reforms, represent a period of unprecedented success and growth for Tennessee as the state strives to meet the governors goal, announced during his final State of the State Address, of leading the nation in jobs, education and efficient and effective government. "Record job creation and the lowest unemployment in the states history; unparalleled improvement in K-12 education, outpacing every other state in the nation; unprecedented opportunity through two years of college free of tuition and fees; tax cuts totaling more than $572 million; more than $500 million cut from the state budget and the lowest debt per capita of any state in the nation all prove Tennessee can not only compete against the very best, but can in fact be the very best. Tennessee can and will lead. Lt. Governor McNally (R-Oak Ridge) said, "I am tremendously proud of the work the General Assembly has done this session. We faithfully stayed the successful course of the last seven years while tackling new challenges placed in our path. The opioid crisis presently ruining lives and killing our people has been met head-on. We not only passed Governor Haslam's Tennessee Together plan but also added several initiatives designed to minimize over-prescription and crack down on the illegal drug trade. "We have supported education in our state with money for teacher's salaries and school safety. We have invested in the education, health care and safety of our citizens. From top to bottom our budget outlines the clear priorities of our state and its people. "This General Assembly has made a strong commitment to fiscal responsibility and economic economic growth. That is why our credit remains AAA rated and our unemployment rate sits at the lowest level in history. Our success is Tennessee's success. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve the citizens of my district and the entire state of Tennessee." Music Modernization Act Passes U.S. House Unanimously The Music Modernization Act unanimously passed the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday with 415 votes. The bipartisan legislation now heads to the Senate. If passed and signed into law, the MMA brings copyright law and royalty payments to songwriters and musicians into the digital age. Backed by most music industry trade groups and major music companies, The Music Modernization Act combines three bills, including the original Music Modernization Act, which mandates a new organization to collect mechanical royalties and offers streaming music services protection from copyright infringement lawsuits filed after this last January. Also a part of the expanded legislation is the Compensating Legacy Artists for their Songs, Service, and Important Contributions to Society (CLASSICS) Act, Allocation for Music Producers (AMP) Act and part of the Fair Play Fair Pay Act which changes how the Copyright Royalty Board sets streaming rates. Industry Reaction This is an historic day for music creators. Todays overwhelming support in the House for the Music Modernization Act reflects the bills widespread consensus, both across the aisle and across the music industry," said Michael Huppe, President and CEO of SoundExchange. "This legislation stands to benefit artists, songwriters, labels, publishers, studio producers and others many of whom are represented by the SoundExchange Companies." Share on: Recording Academy, musicFirst, SoundExchange React To Music Modernization Act Vote The sweeping Music Modernization Act passed the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously on Wednesday with 415 votes. The bipartisan legislation now heads to the Senate with strong support from the music industry. The leaders of three industry trade groups shared their reaction yesterday. "Music creators compose the soundtrack to our lives. These creators deserve to be paid a fair wage for their work," said Recording Academy President/CEO Neil Portnow in a statement. "The passage of the Music Modernization Act in the House of Representatives is a historic step forward for all music creators, ensuring that they are credited, paid, and shown the respect they deserve for the impact they have on our culture and daily life. We are honored that GRAMMYs on the Hill helped to pave the way for these long overdue updates." Comprehensive music licensing reform enjoyed broad support in the House and throughout the entire music industry," said Chris Israel, musicFIRSTs Executive Director. "As the effort to update Americas music laws moves to the Senate, its critical for Senators to consider the package of legislation in a holistic rather than individual manner. Enacting the entire Music Modernization Act package approved overwhelmingly by the House will provide much-needed updates to music licensing and create a framework benefiting music creators, listening platforms and fans well into the future. This is an historic day for music creators. Todays overwhelming support in the House for the Music Modernization Act reflects the bills widespread consensus, both across the aisle and across the music industry," said Michael Huppe, President and CEO of SoundExchange. "This legislation stands to benefit artists, songwriters, labels, publishers, studio producers and others many of whom are represented by the SoundExchange Companies." What Is The MMA? The Music Modernization Act combines three bills, including the original Music Modernization Act, which mandates a new organization to collect mechanical royalties and offers streaming music services protection from copyright infringement lawsuits filed after this last January. Also a part of the expanded legislation is the Compensating Legacy Artists for their Songs, Service, and Important Contributions to Society (CLASSICS) Act, Allocation for Music Producers (AMP) Act and part of the Fair Play Fair Pay Act which changes how the Copyright Royalty Board sets streaming rates. Share on: The aging marquee in downtown is set to be repaired. Pittsfield's Capitol Marquee Bids Come In High, Council Still Supportive PITTSFIELD, Mass. The bids to repair the Capitol Theatre marquee are higher than anticipated. But, the City Council feels it is worth it. "In my opinion, the marquee is a jewel," said Ward 7 City Councilor Anthony Simonelli. The City Council had approved borrowing $150,000 to repair the aging structure. But, after a closer examination of the condition, the bids ultimately led to the project increasing to $273,400. The City Council approved on Tuesday increasing its borrowing authority to $223,500, and $50,000 of the cost will be paid from federal Community Development Block Grant funds. "The real shortfall was in the costs that exceeded estimates was in lead paint removal. It was substantially higher than anticipated," Director of Community Development Deanna Ruffer said, adding that the city had learned its lesson in the past about just encapsulating lead paint instead of removing it. Ruffer said the low bid was $249,00 for the work and $18,000 is for the design. But, with the CDBG funds and the previous authorization, the city was short. She added that because of the complexity, the city opted to create a 2.5 percent contingency in this ask just to avoid coming back to the council should there be an unexpected shortfall. If that isn't spent, then the city would borrow less. The marquee of the former theater, which is now the Ralph Froio Senior Center, is in poor condition after water damage has taken its toll over the years. It will have to be removed, new steel installed and rewired. It dates back to 1928. Ruffer said there is an option of trying to get historic tax credits, but that takes time and she doesn't believe it would enough to cover the deficit. "To do so at this point in time would require us to not award it at this time," Ruffer said. "My experience with that funding is that it will not fill this gap." Delays in construction could just raise the price more, cautioned Simonelli. "If it doesn't get approved and the bids go out in six months from now or a year from now, you can rest assure the cost will go up," he said. The council had petitioned Mayor Linda Tyer to include it in the capital plan, which she did. The councilors feel that the marquee is a landmark for the downtown. "The marquee is a historic landmark," Ward 2 Councilor Kevin Morandi said, comparing the decision to that of the former Union Station. "To take it down, that to me would be the worst thing we could do." The building was built in 1898 as the New Mills Block, which later became the home of Capitol Theatre. According to the Massachusetts Historical Commission, the marquee is a 1922 art deco. The theater closed in the 1980s and the building was turned into the senior center While the project, even with the increased cost, was supported by all councilors, some did question the methods to pay for it. Ward 4 Councilor Christopher Connell asked why free cash couldn't be used instead. Councilor at Large Melissa Mazzeo asked about using bond premiums. But Director of Finance Matthew Kerwood said increasing the already existing capital authorization was the cleanest way to manage it. "We just felt the simplest and cleanest way was to increase that authorization," Kerwood said, adding that such a move is consistent with what the city has done with similar projects. As they had when the debate was first held, Councilor Vice President John Krol and Councilor at Large Peter White voiced distaste for using CDBG funds for such a project. Those funds are limited in what they can be used for and the two councilors felt that money could have been better used for other qualifying uses. "I don't like the fact that $50,000 of CDBG fund was used for this but we are already into it," Krol said. White said he sits on the Human Services Advisory Council and hears a lot of programs in the community that need funding and could benefit from the CDBG funds. He'd have liked to see a fundraising campaign bring in private sector money to help the marquee restoration. "This better could be better spent from CDBG. I wish this could have all been out of capital as well as some fundraising," White said. "I am going to vote in favor of this tonight but I would really like to see businesses or the public step up and put in some private dollars for this." Selectmen Bruce Cullett, Verne Leach, Town Administrator Caleb Mitchell, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, and Selectman Ed Munch gave Polito a coffee mug with the town's logo as a gift. Polito Signs Community Compact With Peru Town officials, representatives from Rep. Paul Mark and Sen. Adam Hinds' office, and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito gathered at town hall on Thursday to sign the agreement. PERU, Mass. For the second time this week, small-town officials have stressed the need for relief from a mandate requiring two EMTs on every ambulance call to Lt. Gov. Polito. After hearing it from Peru Selectman Ed Munch, she immediately turned to her staff to find out where in the process a bill to allow first responders to be the driver on a run and vowed to work with the legislature on the matter. "You should have the flexibility. If there are communities that want to have two, that's their choice. But you need flexibility," Polito said. "If you don't have that second EMT that is the difference between the vehicle getting to the response or not. That to me is a public safety issue." Volunteer ambulance services have been struggling to keep volunteer emergency medical technicians. The requirement is that two certified EMTs are on every call has led to small towns not being able to get two and missing the call. That's led to longer wait times and the services losing revenue. "We've been waiting long periods of time when Hinsdale, which is our ambulance that covers the two towns, wasn't able to staff the ambulance. We had to wait for people from Pittsfield to come. It took 40 minutes to get an ambulance," Munch told the lieutenant governor. The issue is similar to what Stockbridge Fire Chief Chuck Cardillo. Cardillo said there has been a lack of paramedics because the training and certifications are costly and time-consuming. "As far as EMTs and paramedics go, there isn't a big pool of them," Cardillo told Polito on Tuesday. But Polito's visit to Peru on Thursday wasn't intended to discuss the ambulance issue. That had come about during a general conversation Polito had with the Board of Selectmen and town administrator. Polito said by the end of the day on Thursday she will have met with officials from every single community in the Commonwealth to get a grasp on the various issues towns are facing. "We are intentional about making sure our rural communities are representable. One of the things we did in the economic development bill, for example, is to carve out an allotment of funds for rural communities through the MassWorks program. MassWorks is the major infrastructure program that the state runs," Polito told Peru officials. "These dollars can easily be taken up by cities and larger communities so we have a carve out just for rural communities." The main purpose of Polito's visit was to sign a community compact. The program launched by Gov. Charlie Baker's administration crafts agreements between municipalities and the state to work on "best practices" with the state funding. In Peru, the town is looking to upgrade its buildings to become handicapped accessible. "We will assist you with an assessment of how to make your places accessible. And then we have a grant program that will help pay for the construction needed," Polito said. And, the town is looking to get a green communities designation. That will make the town eligible for grant funding to do energy efficiency projects. "We will help you get the designation. It does take effort and coordination and you don't have a lot of resources on your side. We will help you get that designation and once you have that designation we will provide you with the grants to do LED lighting, update boilers, modernize windows with property protections for reducing draft, those kinds of things," Polito said. But while she was there, the Selectmen took the time to tell her about some other struggles. Selectman Bruce Cullett said two big issues facing the town financially is funding the public school system while enrollment is declining and a large amount of state-owned land in town. The amount of state-owned land limits the space for new developments and pushes more of the tax burden onto the few residents who live there. Cullett said the state's payment in lieu of taxes payments just doesn't do enough to help the town's tax rate. Munch added that the state support for roads is not enough. He said it costs $1 million per mile and there is not enough of a tax base to keep up with the repairs. "The road is coming apart so bad that you have to drive in the other lane. It is going to happen, there is going to be a head-on collision. I know it is going to happen on one of these roads. It is not only that road, it is the secondary roads. People swerve to avoid the potholes. One of these days someone is going to hit head-on," Munch said of Main Road. He also said that when the town repaved North Road, it didn't have the funds to do the bridges and culverts. Polito pointed the officials in the direction of the state's small bridge program as something that could help and said she'd be looking to increase Chapter 90 allocations. "This winter there has been a lot of deterioration given the severity of the winter, the warm and cold temperatures, we're looking at that," Polito said. Another fairly unique issue to small towns like Peru is that a town official has to wear many hats. "We have to get the assistant town clerk to vote the other night on a subject concerning the animal control officer," Munch said. At one point Munch took on the role of plumbing inspector because the town couldn't find one. With two members of the Fire Department on the Board of Selectmen, the board has to have the town administrator sign off on the bills for that department. He's hoping the state can do something to ease the laws around such conflicts so the town can more easily conduct business. Click here for the latest Bradley County arrest report. Man Going 90 On Hixson Pike Told Officer Mercedes-Benz At Long "Owns" The Police Department Hamilton County Has 1 More COVID Death And 100 New Cases; Tennessee Has 35 More Deaths Chattooga And Whitfield Counties Have Another COVID Death; Georgia Has 162 Deaths Police saw a vehicle traveling at 90 MPH on Hixson Pike on Saturday night and initiated a traffic stop. Police said the vehicle pulled over into a Food City parking lot, and police made contact ... (click for more) The Hamilton County Health Department reported one more coronavirus death on Monday and 100 new positive cases, down from 139 on Friday. The total number of cases in the county now stands at ... (click for more) How the IDF Protects Israel The Fellowship | April 26, 2018 In recent weeks, we have seen an uptick in threats against Israel and her people. From weekly rioting along the Israeli-Gaza border to growing aggression from Iran, as it seeks to plant itself militarily in Syria, the Israeli people face danger on all sides. So how does the Jewish state a relatively tiny nation with a small number of citizens defend herself? Fellowship President Yael Eckstein comes to us from the Holy Land to discuss the IDF. She tells us how Israel and her military have with Gods help, of course maintained security and safety for the people of Israel. Chattanooga Police officers arrested two suspects involved in an armed robbery within hours of the incident. Officers responded to an armed robbery call at 5966 Brainerd Road at 1 p.m. on Wednesday. The victim told police she was exiting her vehicle when she was approached by a white male pointing a handgun at her demanding her purse and cell phone. The victim complied and the suspect fled in a gray Mitsubishi driven by a white male. A quick-acting witness was able to take a photo of the vehicle and provide officers with a detailed description of the suspects, which aided officers' search for the men. Four hours after the robbery, CPD patrol officers stopped the suspect vehicle for running a stop sign at Roanoke and Rawlings. During the stop, the officer recognized one of the occupants from the information provided by the witness. The two men were questioned and admitted to their involvement in the robbery. "The effort and quick thinking of the witness who took the photo of the vehicle greatly assisted in the apprehension of these two suspects," said Captain Zac McCullough. "The cooperation we receive from community members is crucial to making Chattanooga a safer place for all who live and visit here." Through investigation by CPD's Robbery Unit Investigators it was determined Donald Roush, 44, committed the act of aggravated robbery and James Harden, 35, facilitated the crime as the driver of the suspect vehicle. Both men are charged with aggravated robbery. They were transferred to the Hamilton County Jail. Additional charges for fraudulent use of a credit card and theft are pending. Chemotherapy nausea and vomiting: Prevention is best defense Scottsdale, Arizona - Nausea and vomiting are common side effects of chemotherapy treatment for cancer. But in most cases, these side effects can be controlled with preventive medications and other measures. Who's at risk of chemotherapy nausea and vomiting? Whether you'll experience nausea and vomiting as a result of chemotherapy depends on: What chemotherapy drugs you receive and their dosage Whether you receive other cancer treatments such as radiation during your chemotherapy treatment Whether you've experienced nausea and vomiting in the past Chemotherapy drugs are classified into four different categories based on the likelihood they will cause nausea and vomiting: high, moderate, low or minimal. If you get one of the drugs that is known to cause nausea and vomiting, your doctor will probably give you preventive medicine. Whether a drug will cause nausea and vomiting also depends on the amount you receive. Some drugs may be less likely to cause side effects at lower doses. Ask your doctor whether your treatment plan is likely to cause nausea and vomiting. Personal factors that may increase your risk Not everyone reacts to chemotherapy in the same way. Certain factors may make you more vulnerable to treatment-related nausea and vomiting. You may be more vulnerable if one or more of the following apply to you: You're a woman. You're younger than 50. You've experienced nausea and vomiting with previous treatments, or you have a history of motion sickness. You have a high level of anxiety. You experienced morning sickness during pregnancy. You are prone to vomiting when you're sick. You have a history of drinking little or no alcohol. Also, if you expect that your treatment will cause nausea and vomiting, there's a chance that it will. This might happen if you think that all cancer treatments cause these side effects, which isn't true. Your doctor can tell you whether the treatment you'll receive is likely to cause nausea and vomiting. How do doctors prevent nausea and vomiting? Most people undergoing chemotherapy receive anti-nausea (anti-emetic) medications to prevent nausea and vomiting. There are many medications used to prevent nausea and vomiting. Your doctor chooses anti-nausea medications based on how likely your chemotherapy drugs are to cause nausea and vomiting. You may take as few as one to as many as four medications, depending on your situation. Your doctor will give you some medications before the chemotherapy and then will instruct you on which medications to take on a regular schedule on the days after the chemotherapy and which medications to take only if you feel nauseated. Doctors take this proactive approach to prevent nausea and vomiting because these side effects can be difficult to control once they begin. Nausea and vomiting can make you feel miserable, add to your fatigue and distress, and make you reluctant to stick to your treatment schedule. What additional measures can you take to prevent nausea and vomiting? You can take steps to reduce your risk of nausea and vomiting. For example: Eat small meals. Stagger small meals throughout the day rather than eating fewer, larger meals. If possible, don't skip meals. Eating a light meal a few hours before treatment also may help. Eat what appeals to you. It's best, however, to avoid foods that are sweet, fried or fatty. In addition, cool foods may give off less bothersome odors. Cook and freeze meals in advance of treatment to avoid cooking when you're not feeling well. Or have someone else cook for you. Drink lots of fluids. Try cool beverages, such as water, unsweetened fruit juices, tea or ginger ale that's lost its carbonation. It may help to drink small amounts throughout the day, rather than larger amounts less frequently. Avoid unpleasant smells. Pay attention to what smells trigger nausea for you and limit your exposure to unpleasant smells. Fresh air may help. Make yourself comfortable. Rest after eating, but don't lie flat for a couple of hours. Try wearing loosefitting clothing and distracting yourself with other activities. Use relaxation techniques. Examples include meditation and deep breathing. Consider complementary therapies. Complementary and alternative therapies, such as acupuncture and aromatherapy, may help you feel better when used in combination with medications from your doctor. Tell your doctor if you're interested in trying these treatments. He or she may be able to recommend a practitioner who works with people undergoing cancer treatments. These self-care measures may help you prevent nausea and vomiting, but they can't take the place of anti-nausea medications. If you begin to feel nauseated despite the medications, call your doctor. Treatments may include additional medications, though your individual treatment will depend on what's causing your signs and symptoms. Imperial Valley Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony El Centro, California - You are cordially invited to attend the 10th annual Imperial Valley Law Enforcement Memorial ceremony on Friday, May 4, 2018 beginning promptly at 7:00 pm. Law Enforcement Officers who have died in the line of duty while serving in all federal, state, county, and city agencies in the Imperial Valley will be honored. A motorcade of law enforcement vehicles will arrive at the court house in El Centro followed by a full honors ceremony. Many surviving family members have been invited to participate. Guest speakers will address the assembly followed by the reading of the names of each fallen Officer, a 21 gun salute, the flag folding ceremony, taps, amazing grace, and a moment of silence where glow sticks will be lit to represent a candlelight vigil. Herbal treatment for anxiety Scottsdale, Arizona - Several herbal remedies have been studied as a treatment for anxiety, but more research is needed to understand the risks and benefits. Here's what we know and don't know: Kava. Kava appeared to be a promising treatment for anxiety, but reports of serious liver damage even with short-term use caused the Food and Drug Administration to issue warnings about the use of dietary supplements containing kava. While these initial reports of liver toxicity have been questioned, use extra caution and involve your doctor in the decision if you're considering using products containing kava. Passion flower. A few small clinical trials suggest that passion flower might help with anxiety. In many commercial products, passion flower is combined with other herbs, making it difficult to distinguish the unique qualities of each herb. Passion flower is generally considered safe when taken as directed, but some studies found it can cause drowsiness, dizziness and confusion. Valerian. In some studies, people who used valerian reported less anxiety and stress. In other studies, people reported no benefit. Valerian is generally considered safe at recommended doses, but since long-term safety trials are lacking, don't take it for more than a few weeks at a time, unless your doctor approves. It can cause some side effects such as headaches, dizziness and drowsiness. Chamomile. Limited data shows that short-term use of chamomile is generally considered safe and can be effective in reducing symptoms of anxiety. But chamomile can increase the risk of bleeding when used with blood-thinning drugs. Use of chamomile can cause allergic reactions in some people who are sensitive to the family of plants that includes chamomile. Other members of this family are ragweed, marigolds, daisies and chrysanthemums. Lavender. Some evidence suggests that oral lavender or aromatherapy with lavender can reduce anxiety; however, evidence is preliminary and limited. Oral lavender can cause constipation and headaches. It can also increase appetite, increase the sedative effect of other medications and supplements, and cause low blood pressure. Lemon balm. Preliminary research shows lemon balm can reduce some symptoms of anxiety, such as nervousness and excitability. Lemon balm is generally well-tolerated and considered safe for short-term use, but can cause nausea and abdominal pain. Herbal supplements aren't monitored by the FDA the same way medications are. Despite enhanced quality control regulations in place since 2010, the quality of some supplements may still be an issue. Remember, natural doesn't always mean safe. If you're considering taking any herbal supplement as a treatment for anxiety, talk to your doctor first, especially if you take other medications. The interaction of some herbal supplements and certain medications can cause serious side effects. Some herbal supplements taken for anxiety can cause you to feel sleepy, so they may not be safe to take when driving or doing dangerous tasks. Your doctor can help you understand possible risks and benefits if you choose to try an herbal supplement. If your anxiety is interfering with daily activities, talk with your doctor. More-serious forms of anxiety generally need medical treatment or psychological counseling (psychotherapy) for symptoms to improve. This article is written by Brent A. Bauer, M.D., director of Mayo Clinic's Complementary and Integrative Medicine Program. One of the things that greatly grieves me as a Christian is the ever-widening gulf between African-American and Caucasian believers. Among the issues that constitute this gulf is the presidency of Donald Trump. While President Trump is not the antecedent to differences among white and Black Christians, his presidency is the inexorable result of 21st century racial politics a politics that has its roots in the 19th century. Further, such politics is inextricably linked to the history of Christianity in America. When Donald Trump formally launched his presidential campaign, virtually no one (including me) took him seriously. Indeed, I assumed that he was simply doing what he does best, which is building his brand. (Clearly, I was wrong, though I still believe that he wanted to win the election much more than he actually wanted to govern.) Trump overcame opponent after opponent during the Republican primary races, which was surprising in and of itself given what appeared to be a formidable field. Further, his vulgarity as well as his checkered financial and marital history normally would have prevented him from securing the GOP nomination. Most importantly, Trumps apparent lack of religious conviction should have disqualified him in the eyes of the majority of Christians (of whatever race). Yet, white evangelicals couldnt seem to get enough of Trump. This is reminiscent of their embracing Mitt Romney, who is a Mormon, over President Obama, who is an avowed traditional Christian. (Evangelicals, who generally consider Mormonism to be a cult, have raged against it since its founding by Joseph Smith circa 1830.) Nothing, it would seem, trumps race in our political life. As for Trump, his religious awakening occurred coincidentally (or not) around the time that he began running for president. White Christians embraced and eagerly so a man who is the personification of nearly everything that they have publicly abhorred. I understand that the presidential election constituted a binary choice, and Hillary Clinton was simply unacceptable to many. However, following Trumps improbable Electoral College victory, I initially was surprised that such support continued unabated, despite his incessant lying and continued controversial words and actions. In the final analysis, the said reality is that evangelicals were not merely supporting Trump in spite of who he is; in some ways they were supporting him BECAUSE OF who he is. Specifically, Trumps many flaws dont disqualify him due to a single, overriding factor: He speaks to the congealed fears that most white Americans, especially Christians, have regarding this nations changing demographics. Trump, the patron saint of birtherism, gives voice to long-simmering anxieties that boiled over during the Obama years. Further, whereas the Bible commands believers to shelter, clothe and feed the foreigner/stranger, Trump and his followers argue that there is no room at the inn for Mexicans, Syrians, Muslims or people who are from s-hole countries. I would say that the racial and ethnic component to Trumps brand of racial politics is undeniable but there many people who still deny it. This brings me to my central point. Blacks and whites can, and should, have vigorous debates regarding the role of faith in our lives. (That should be true not only inter-racially, but intra-racially as well.) However, one area in which all people should agree whether Christian or otherwise is that standing on the side of racism is an inherent moral evil. It is an evil with which there can be no compromise. Like many African-American Christians, I have long bemoaned the fact that our white counterparts seem to care only about abortion and gay marriage; the fight for racial equality is the role of social justice workers. It is relevant to note that multiple studies, by faith-based as well as secular researchers, have shown that African-American Christians are the most devout group of religious people in the nation. (To be clear, most devout refers to areas such as most frequent attendance at church on Sunday, most frequent attendance at church during the week, most likely to read the Bible outside of church, most likely to adhere to traditional Christian beliefs, etc.) Importantly, I am not suggesting that Black Christians are better than white Christians. (Indeed, we have much spiritual housecleaning to do ourselves.) Still, it is important to understand that faith-in-action is an inextricable component of the African-American religious tradition, especially as it regards to those whom Jesus called the least of these. Time will tell whether we will work together to build a bridge over the racial gulf or build walls around it. A joint investigation by special agents with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, deputies with the Bledsoe County Sheriffs Department and officers with the Pikeville Police Department has resulted in the arrest of a Pikeville woman on a charge of criminal homicide. Nakayla Shawnta Sullivan, 25, was arrested and charged with one count of criminal homicide. She was booked into the Bledsoe County Jail. No bond has been set at this time. The investigation remains ongoing. At the request of 12th District Attorney General J. Michael Taylor, last Friday, TBI agents joined Bledsoe County deputies and Pikeville Police officers in a missing person investigation. Thomas R. Rogers, 30, of Pikeville, had been reported missing by a family member the day before. On Tuesday, a deputy found Mr. Rogers body in a wooded area off Valley View Road in Pikeville. During the course of the investigation, agents and deputies developed information that identified Ms. Sullivan as being responsible for the death of Thomas Rogers, the TBI said. Indian-American filmmaker Raj Amit Kumar is appalled by the lack of freedom filmmakers have in India and wonders how much self-censorship they have to do in the face of the industry's "moral police." (IANS photo) Rohingya refugees at a well in Balukhali camp in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. Over a million Rohingya have crossed the border into Bangladesh since August of last year, fleeing the violence in Rakhine State when their villages were attacked. Many worry they will face reprisals if they return to Myanmar. (Allison Joyce/Getty Images) Veeam annonce son 39eme trimestre consecutif de croissance a deux chiffres 25/04/2018 Dans Publie leDans Press Releases Le texte suivant est issu d'un communique de presse et ne reflete en rien l'opinion de la redaction. Bruxelles, le 25 avril 2018 : Veeam Software, leader dans le domaine de lIntelligent Data Management for the Hyper-Available Enterprise, presente ses resultats du premier trimestre 2018. Les commandes ont augmente de 21 % sur base annuelle, et ce pour le 39eme trimestre consecutif, permettant ainsi a l'entreprise denregistrer une croissance record. Au Benelux, le nombre de commandes a meme augmente de 39 %. La societe a gagne 12 000 nouveaux clients ce trimestre, dont 757 au Benelux, et compte desormais 294 000 clients dans le monde entier. Cette augmentation de la clientele, combinee a la croissance annuelle de 58 % des grands comptes, rapproche Veeam de son objectif datteindre le milliard de dollars de chiffre daffaires en 2018. Nous voulons aider les entreprises a repondre aux attentes en matiere de disponibilite des donnees en etant le fournisseur le plus fiable de solutions de gestion intelligente des donnees , declare Ronald Ooms, Vice President North East EMEA chez Veeam Software. Avec notre plate-forme Hyper-Availability la meilleure option pour securiser toutes les donnees, les applications ou le cloud nous aidons actuellement pres de 300 000 clients, dont 17 943 au Benelux, a passer de sauvegardes periodiques et de recuperations stressantes a des donnees auto-apprenantes dans un systeme intelligent automatise. Vous trouverez ci-dessus la partie internationale du communique de presse : This commitment to our customers is our engine of growth that will drive achieving our 2018 objective of $1B in total bookings, continued McKay. To accomplish our mission and our growth objectives, weve made significant investments in our engineering and development teams, expanded our marketing and branding, added additional programs and support initiatives to our partner programs, extended our alliance relationships and offerings, and increased our focus on the large enterprise. The outcome has been strong results in all geographies, with all reporting double-digit YoY total bookings growth for Q1. We are off to another great start for another record year, and I have complete confidence that our continued momentum, executive leadership, and our unique Hyper-Availability Platform will enable us to become the next billion-dollar software company this year. Q1 Highlights New and existing Veeam customers have accelerated the adoption of Veeam Hyper-Availability Platform the core component of Veeams most comprehensive data protection and data management solution with integrated agent management enabling Veeam to protect any app, any data, across any cloud. More than 150,000 downloads have been reported of the most recent version of Veeam Availability Suite 9.5 Update 3 since its release in December 2017. With 294,000 customers, representing more than 16.3 million VMs protected with Veeam Availability solutions, Veeam continues to average 4,000 new customers each month. New Veeam customers include Pernod Ricard Hong Kong Limited, ING Belgium, SKY Italia, Landmark Information Group, Equinix, Unipres Mexicana, HireRight, Ameritas, Termomecanica and Follett LLC. Veeams strategic alliances continue to gain momentum as total bookings driven through Alliance partnerships grew by triple-digits YoY. Veeam and HPE joint opportunities have increased by 148 percent YoY fueled by Veeam joining the HPE Complete Program, enabling customers to purchase complete HPE and Veeam solutions directly from HPE and its resellers. Now on the Cisco Global Price list, Veeam and Cisco deals have grown 299 percent quarter over quarter for Q12018. Veeam was also added to the NetApp Global Price List, which will further its foothold in enterprise accounts. The new Veeam Universal Storage API simplifies the process of integrating storage with the Veeam Hyper-Availability Platform. As a result, select Veeam Alliance Partners, like recent collaborations with Pure Storage and INFINIDAT, can be integrated more rapidly, providing more benefits to more customers in less time and delivering an even higher return on their IT investments. The Veeam Cloud & Service Provider (VCSP) program continues its positive growth trajectory with 38 percent annual growth. The number of VMs protected using Veeam-powered solutions grew 36 percent YoY, demonstrating increased confidence in Veeam being the best multi-cloud intelligent data management platform. Continuing to drive growth in the market, Veeam now has more than 3,200 partners providing BaaS and DRaaS using Veeam Cloud Connect. Veeam made its first acquisition in 10 years when it acquired N2WS, the leading provider of cloud-native Enterprise backup and disaster recovery for Amazon Web Services (AWS), in an all-cash deal. The acquisition strengthens Veeam as the leading provider of Availability for any app, any data, across any cloud, and its ability to protect AWS deployments. High growth and increased contribution from subscription products has shown dramatic momentum. Veeam Backup for Microsoft Office 365 subscription sales increased more than 3,000 percent YoY in Q1. More than 29,000 organizations, representing 2.7 million Microsoft Office 365 mailboxes, have now downloaded Veeam Backup for Microsoft Office 365 to protect their data. Veeam Availability Suite version 9.5 Update 3 enables Veeam Backup & Replication to deploy and manage Veeam Agent for Microsoft Windows and Veeam Agent for Linux (Veeam Agents) to protect physical, non-virtualized servers and endpoints as well as any public cloud workloads. Agents subscription sales have increased more than 1,000 percent YoY. With more than 3,200 employees all around the world, Veeam continues to strengthen its team of talent, including expanding internal roles within the company. ESG principal analyst, Jason Buffington, recently joined the Veeam Product Strategy team as Senior Director. Buffington will evangelize thought leadership at key industry events, establish and maintain executive relationships with Veeams most strategic enterprise accounts, and communicate our long-term vision and strategy within the industry. Buffington has worked among the leaders and disruptors of the data protection industry for nearly 30 years, covering data protection, data preservation, data management, and data availability. Ken MacAskill has been promoted to Veeam CFO. He joined Veeam in 2017 to lead the GTM Operations team. MacAskill has been leading finance organizations as CFO for 20 years with extensive experience working with high growth and venture-based businesses. Registration is now open for VeeamON 2018, the premier conference for Intelligent Data Management, which will take place May 14 16, 2018, in Chicago, IL. Nearly 10,000 customers, partners and influencers attended VeeamON 2017 in New Orleans, LA, and the regional VeeamON Forum events held all around the world. Supporting Quotes Apps and data are the backbone of our operations as they enable everything from design, collaboration and communication, to customer management and logistics. Veeam easily delivers the always-on availability our organization needs, helps us reduce the risk of data loss, and gives our IT team the comfort of sleeping at night. - Mario Foster, Group Chief Information Officer at Al Naboodah Group Enterprises (ANGE) We came to the conclusion that Veeam Backup & Replication was the most advanced virtualization availability solution on the market. Its backup and restore process was simply seamless, leading to more efficient backup data transfer and less network utilization. And it integrates nicely with our HPE systems. All of which gave us extra confidence that this was the right direction to take to stay resilient to natures challenges. - John Sew Hoy, Director, Head of IT Security at First NZ Capital Protection of our digital assets and business systems is critical. Veeam gets IT out of the way, so that we can focus on more value-add projects that enhance our visitor experience and enable our museums to focus on our stories and places. - Lisa Brady, Head of ICT at Sydney Living Museums Ensuring our customers maintain business continuity and availability for their data is critical and partnering with Veeam makes it easy to deliver backup and recovery anytime, anywhere, any cloud. Our Veeam-powered services business has grown exponentially, by going to market with Veeam we have grown our business 80 percent YOY and have no signs of slowing down. - Matt Chesterton, CEO of OffsiteDataSync, a Platinum VCSP partner At OVH, our customers are increasingly looking for offerings that are secure, have flexible data protection options, and offer full transparency on their data location. By having Veeam both built into our Private Cloud, and as a standalone backup-as-a-service solution, customers have the confidence and control they need to bring their workloads to our infrastructure. Looking at the positive feedbacks from our customers, its no surprise to us that Veeam continues to be recognized as a leader in Availability, and well continue to grow our partnership in the future. - Nicolas Savides, VP Strategy & Partnerships at OVH Group, a Platinum VCSP partner Increasingly we are finding that customers are looking for IaaS offerings that are more secure, and have flexible backup and recovery options. By having Veeam built into our Secure By Design infrastructure solutions, customers have the confidence to migrate their workloads to our compliant cloud environments. Therefore, its no surprise to us that Veeam continues to be recognized as a leader in backup and disaster recovery with their availability solutions, and were proud to call them our partner. William Bell, VP of Products at phoenixNAP, a Platinum VCSP partner Our customers trust our cloud platform backed by Veeam they know the backup will work. Around 80% of our cloud customers also deployed the Veeam backup service. Veeams global footprint is in tandem with CITIC Telecom CPCs global presence, which is aligned with our customers. Together, we can bring better value to customers whilst ensuring that their businesses are always available. - Daniel Kwong, Chief Technology and Innovation Officer at CITIC Telecom CPC, a Gold VCSP partner. What would prevent Russia from attacking the United States because of all the people that the United States is killing in our communities. Having already violated every tenet of international law in its proxy jihadist war against Syria, including the seizure of one-third of the country, the United States invoked a Non-Law, a Law That Never Was, to justify its missile strikes against fictitious chemical warfare facilities. Syrian President Assad kills his own people, said Trump, leader of the nation whose police kill more of its own people than any country except (fellow white settler state) Brazil, and whose prisons entomb one-quarter of all the worlds inmates. (One out of every eight prisoners on the planet is an African American.) On the Saturday morning after the bombs fell in Damascus and Homs, Omalii Yeshitela, chairman of the Black Is Back Coalition for Social Justice, Peace and Reparations, held a press conference in St. Louis to denounce Washingtons aggression. If you can use that justification, said Yeshitela, that, somehow, the Syrian state is attacking its own people and, therefore, the U.S. can rain missiles, along with France and England, on Syria, then what would prevent Russia from attacking the United States because of all the people that the United States is killing in our communities, all of the starvation that is imposed on our communities, the fact that more than a million Africans are lumped up in prison? Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter In his post-strike statement, President Trump called chemical weapons uniquely dangerous -- as if such uniqueness provided legal justification for Washingtons act of war. But the United States has been poisoning its own Black people for generations. They talk about chemical warfare, but books have even been written about how crack cocaine was introduced into the community through the CIA -- the same CIA thats involved in murdering people in Syria and other places around the world, said Yeshitela. The United States began in smallpox-infected blankets and mountains of Native American scalps-for-bounty, and remains true to its genocidal imperatives. We live in a country today where people are living in concentration camps that are euphemistically referred to as Indian reservations. What is it that would keep another country from attacking the United States based on that? asked Yeshitela. Imperial Shriek The fading empire refuses to accept the humiliation of defeat of its jihadist proxies, the head-cutters Washington and Saudi Arabia have nurtured as a foreign terror legion since deploying them against a leftist government in Afghanistan and its Soviet ally almost 40 years ago. The billions in cash and arms that flowed into jihadist structures in Syria and Iraq since 2011 equipped and financed an al Qaida army (al Nusra) mighty enough to absorb and dominate a menagerie of other murderous Islamic factions, and to finally birth ISIS, the death cult caliphate. But the Syrian Arab Army, with the help of Russia, Iran, and its Shia neighbors in Lebanon and Iraq, is now on the cusp of retaking the bulk of its national territory -- except for the vital region of its oil fields, upon which the U.S. military sits like flies on shit. Aside from the remaining head-hunters, Washingtons only indigenous ally in Syria is an army of Marxist Kurds who were among the prime victims -- and fiercest resisters -- of the American-sponsored jihadist onslaught. For years they were tacit allies of Syrias government -- whose secularism they share -- in the struggle against the U.S.-sponsored barbarians. But Don Uncle Sam made them an offer of protection-or-else that they believed could not be refused, and the Kurds are now pawns -- as is the whole planet, in a sense -- to Washingtons quandary: How does the worlds sole Superpower remain in a region where it is despised, after its proxy forces have been defeated? And if it cannot remain, is it any longer The Superpower? Washington is answering this imperial existential question the only way it can, with its awesome war machine, oiled by lies that no one believes outside the western corporate information bubble. There was no chemical attack by Syria, this month or last April or in August of 2013. All lies, but derivative of the much bigger lies that sought to justify the U.S.-Saudi-Turkish-French-British (and, of course, Israeli) war against, first Libya, and all but simultaneously, Syria: that these were civil wars, rather than naked imperial aggression. How does the worlds sole Superpower remain in a region where it is despised, after its proxy forces have been defeated? Huge lies require powerful megaphones to mold the minds of the host country population, the only people that can (theoretically) shut down the U.S war machine without firing a shot. The Iraq war so repulsed the U.S. public, it became politically impossible for George Bush to stay the course, or for Pentagon planners to contemplate another large scale American invasion of the region. The only alternative was an enormously beefed-up al Qaida to wage holy terror wars that the oorporate media would dutifully report as civil wars of an Arab Spring. Most white Americans bought into the lie because they wanted to: imperial-mindedness is white privilege on a global scale. Blacks have historically opposed U.S. militarism, but they acquiesced to Obama;s aggressions and neutered their own peace politics because they wanted to -- in deference to the Black family in the White House. But Obama-Time is over; the spell is broken. Donald Trump is the sum of all Black fears and loathings, an arch racist who is perceived as rendering the entire planet unsafe for people of color. Blacks are primed to oppose all of his policies, foreign and domestic. Black people are the only U.S. group that shares the general global distrust of U.S. foreign policy motives. Moreover, Black America is inherently skeptical of U.S. power structures, because Power in the U.S. has always lied about Black people -- and about people of color elsewhere in the world. As Omali Yeshitela said of Trumps flimsy excuse for bombing Syria: Its all fabrication, and we have been victims of such fabrications for 400 years in this country. BAR executive editor Glen Ford can be contacted at Glen.Ford@BlackAgendaReport.com Fact or Fiction? Analysis: Islamic State Spokesman Says New phase of Jihad Has Begun By Thomas Joscelyn April 25, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - The Islamic States Al-Furqan Media released a lengthy speech from its spokesman, Abu al-Hasan al-Muhajir, on Apr. 22. In the 49-minute message, titled So Follow Their Guidance, al-Muhajir summarizes his organizations war against its many enemies, both in the region and abroad. Far from conceding defeat, he says the fight continues. Indeed, Al-Muhajir claims that the so-called caliphates men have entered a new phase in the path of jihad as others now seek to inherit what is left behind by America after it withdraws from the region. The ISIS spokesman says the U.S. is leaving Syria and Iraq after the mujahideen exhausted it. He claims that America is incapable of countering the Russians and the Iranians, who are expanding their sphere of influence as America supposedly retreats. Thus, al-Muhajir says, the Sunni jihadists should prepare for the next stage of their war against the Magi Iranians and the Russians, making them pay for scorching the ground in the Sunni areas of Iraq and Syria. He briefly imparts some advice to the survivors fighting on, saying they should maintain secrecy while probing for their enemies weaknesses. Al-Muhajir warns that the jihadists should be protect their means of communication against the efforts of spies. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter The Trump administration claims that the Islamic State is close to defeat. But al-Muhajir seeks to refute this argument, asking how America can claim victory as the mujahideen are supposedly gaining strength once again, only now they are more experienced and better organized. He boasts that they are in a better state than when the U.S. withdrew from Iraq in 2011 a move that paved the way for the rise of Baghdadis caliphate. Al-Muhajir threatens any Iraqi who participates in the upcoming elections, arguing that it is permissible to spill their blood as they are participating in a democracy. Both the Islamic State and its predecessor, al Qaeda in Iraq (AQI), denounced Iraqi elections. For al-Muhajir and his fellow ideologues, the candidates have claimed divinity for themselves merely by running for office and those who vote for them have elevated others to a status equal to Allah an allegedly grievous sin. The ISIS spokesman argues that the Iraqi government is under the sway of the Iranian rejectionist mobilization groups and, therefore, anyone who assists in the elections assumes responsibility for them and is going to be held accountable under the same [religious] ruling as those holding the votes. The voting locations and any people within them are targets for our swords, al-Muhajir warns, according to a translation obtained by FDDs Long War Journal. The Islamic State is not content with threatening the Iraqi elections. Al-Muhajir calls for the groups members to overthrow the entire Iraqi state, destroying every security, military, economic and media institution of the rejectionist government. He adds that they shouldnt leave a single apostate tribal leader in place excepted with a severed head, and any hostile village should be marked. There are only a few moments when al-Muhajir is somewhat lenient, such as when he tells Baghdadis men that they should accept any who repent before they are captured. And the jihadists should be kind to those who house and support them. Otherwise, al-Muhajirs speech is a defiant screed. The war is not over, he proclaims, as the conflict with the rejectionist Safavids (Iranians) and others is still ongoing. Al-Muhajir defends the self-declared caliphates record, arguing that it restored Muslim honor when it was declared in 2014. The true mujahideen swore allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi at the time, thereby bringing the war to the infidels in a new manner. The Islamic State spokesman must address his groups territorial losses and he does, claiming that Baghdadis enterprise never promised its members anything in this life beyond victory or martyrdom. He portrays the trials and tribulations of the caliphates members as a necessity for any true believer. Al-Muhajir does not remind his listeners of an inconvenient fact: The Islamic State marketed the rise of its caliphate as evidence that Allahs divine will was with them and a sign that an apocalyptic showdown with the West and its allies was drawing closer. Al-Muhajir briefly mentions that the jihad will not end until Isa (Jesus), the son of Mariyam (Mary), returns to rule with justice. Otherwise, he avoids any discussion of a final battle. Al-Muhajir points to the organizations global network and praises the jihadists who continue to fight in its name everywhere from West Africa to South Asia. He notes that some are celebrating the so-called caliphates losses in Mosul, Sirte, and Raqqa the three most important cities in Baghdadis nascent empire at the height of its power. Al-Muhajir claims that some are hoping that the rule of Allah and His sharia have disappeared. He counters that the soldiers of the Caliphate in Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Khorasan, the Sinai, Libya, West Africa and elsewhere readily offer their lives for the Islamic States cause. He also claims that the organizations members in these areas plus the Philippines, Somalia and Tunisia are thwarting the designs of Americas agents. He holds up the caliphates soldiers in the Sinai as proof that the fight continues, as they have repulsed campaign after campaign by the Egyptian government. At one point, al-Muhajir puffs up the Islamic States soldiers, pointing out that more than 70 nations have allied against them, with their enemies using the mother of all bombs (dropped by the U.S. in Afghanistan in Apr. 2017) and phosphorus against them, while many Muslims have forsaken them. Still, al-Muhajir claims, the caliphates men march forward. The Islamic State has consistently portrayed its war as a grand jihad against the rest of the world. Al-Muhajir continues with this theme. He says that the Islamic State does not differentiate between the various polytheists, because Allah has commanded the jihadists to fight them all together. Therefore, there is no difference in fighting: the apostate tyrant ruling Saudi Arabia and his son, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, the Safavid rejectionist Ayatollah Khamenei, Mahmoud Abbas and Hamas, or the Americans, Europeans and Russians. Al-Muhajir does add one exception, arguing that the Arabs opposed to the caliphate are more harmful to Islam. After the Islamic States first spokesman, Abu Muhammad al-Adnani, was killed in Aug. 2016, al-Muhajir assumed the role. Al-Muhajir released his first message in Dec. 2016, seeking to rally the Sunni jihadists against Iran and the West at the time. Al-Muhajir picks up some of Adnanis motifs in his latest message, saying that the Crusader European and American unbelievers now have to worry about being run over, stabbed, or killed in the streets of Paris, London and Manhattan. Adnani was previously responsible for advocating individual jihad in the West, encouraging followers and supporters to use whatever means they had at their disposal to lash out. Al-Muhajir also calls upon Muslims to migrate to the areas where the Islamic State continues to fight, praying that Allah paves their way to the lands of jihad. This, too, was a consistent part of Adnanis messaging. Thomas Joscelyn is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Senior Editor for FDD's Long War Journal. This article was originally published by "Long War Journal " - ===== US-led coalition: ISIS may be resurgent on Russia's turf, but not ours Join the Discussion April 25, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - April 20 is cannabis cultures high holiday, and the Democratic National Committee celebrated it with fervor this year: Blaze up, get silly, file a bizarre lawsuit accusing the Russian government, Donald Trumps 2016 presidential campaign, and transparency activist group WikiLeaks of conspiring to steal an election. The suit confirms that after more than a year, special counsel Robert Mueller still hasnt amassed the evidence required for a successful criminal prosecution, requiring proof beyond a reasonable doubt. A civil suit lowers that bar to a preponderance of the evidence. But even thats a long shot. The only credible evidence produced so far implicates only the Trump campaign, not the other two defendants, and only to the same extent that it likewise implicates the Clinton campaign. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter That is, both campaigns admittedly tried to tap Kremlin-connected sources (defined as anyone whos ever been in Moscow) for dirt on their opponents. Donald Trump Jr. met with a Russian lawyer in hopes of getting the goods on Hillary Clinton. The Clinton campaign commissioned a British former spy to work his Russian regime sources for salacious tidbits on Trump the Elder. Central to the suits claims is alleged Russian hacking of the DNCs servers, followed by an embarrassing release of emails showing, among other things, attempts by DNC to rig the 2016 primaries in favor of Clinton and against her main opponent, Bernie Sanders. Problems with the case: First, the DNC refused to turn those servers over to the FBI for forensic analysis, instead hiring a friendly cybersecurity firm to announce the results it wanted announced. Secondly, metadata in the hacked files released by Guccifer 2.0 indicates transfer speeds consistent with an internal source at DNC copying the files directly to a USB drive rather than an external hacker accessing the servers. Thirdly, while the subsequent announcement by the US intelligence community of its conclusions claims methods and IP addresses consistent with Russian state hackers, those methods and IP addresses are also consistent with every other type of hacker on Earth. Fourthly and probably decisively, the DNC makes the mistake of dragging WikiLeaks into the matter. The next time WikiLeaks gets caught making a false statement will be the first time. On the other hand, the leaked emails themselves demonstrate that the DNC lies constantly and without hesitation. When it comes to credibility, WikiLeaks is the gold standard and the DNC is something one tries to wipe off the bottom of ones shoe before entering a respectable household. WikiLeaks says no, its source was neither the Russian government nor any other state party. This lawsuit is simply the latest version of what the DNC has been doing since 2016: Trying to fob blame for its loss of an election it should have won in a walk off onto someone, anyone, but itself and its insanely poor choice of presidential nominee. Its very a risky move. In civil suits discovery runs in both directions. Were about to learn a lot more about how the Democratic Party really works behind the scenes. Thomas L. Knapp (Twitter: @thomaslknapp) is director and senior news analyst at the William Lloyd Garrison Center for Libertarian Advocacy Journalism (thegarrisoncenter.org). He lives and works in north central Florida. Scarier Than John Bolton? Think of Nikki Haley for President! By Philip Giraldi April 25, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - The musical chairs playing out among the senior officials that make up the President Donald Trump White House team would be amusing to watch but for the genuine damage that it is doing to the United States. The lack of any coherence in policy means that the State Department now has diplomats that do not believe in diplomacy and environment agency heads that do not believe in protecting the environment. It also means that well-funded and disciplined lobbies and pressure groups are having a field day, befuddling ignorant administrators with their fact sheets and successfully promoting policies that benefit no one but themselves. In the Trumpean world of all-the-time-stupid, there is, however, one individual who stands out for her complete inability to perceive anything beyond threats of unrelenting violence combined with adherence to policies that have already proven to be catastrophic. That person is our own Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, who surfaced in the news lately after she unilaterally and evidently prematurely announced sanctions on Russia. When the White House suggested that she might have been confused she responded that With all due respect, I dont get confused. This ignited a firestorm among the Trump haters, lauding Haley as a strong and self-confident woman for standing up to the White House male bullies while also suggesting that the hapless Administration had not bothered to inform one of its senior diplomats of a policy change. It also produced a flurry of Haley for higher office tweets based on what was described as her brilliant riposte to the president. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter One over-the-top bit of effusion from a former Haley aide even suggested that her deft rebuttal emphasizes her qualities, enthusing that What distinguishes her from the star-struck sycophants in the White House is that she understands the intersection of strong leadership and public service, where great things happen and placing her on what is being promoted as the short list of future presidential candidates. For sure, neocon barking dog Bill Kristol has for years been promoting Haley for president, a sign that something is up as he was previously the one who discovered Sarah Palin. Indeed, the similarities between the two women are readily observable. Neither is very cerebral or much given to make any attempt to understand an adversarys point of view; both are reflexively aggressive and dismissive when dealing with foreigners and domestic critics; both are passionately anti-Russian and pro-Israeli. And Kristol is not alone in his advocacy. Haley regularly receives praise from Senators like South Carolinas Lindsey Graham and from the Murdoch media as well as in the opinion pages of National Review and The Weekly Standard. The greater problem right now is that Nikki Haley is Americas face to the international community, even more than the Secretary of State. She has used her bully pulpit to do just that, i.e. bully, and she is ugly America personified, having apparently decided that something called American Exceptionalism gives her license to say and do whatever she wants at the United Nations. In her mind, the United States can do what it wants globally because it has a God-given right to do so, a viewpoint that doesnt go down well with many countries that believe that they have a legal and moral right to be left alone and remain exempt from Americas all too frequent military interventions. Nikki Haley sees things differently, however. During her 15 months at the United Nations she has been instrumental in cutting funding for programs that she disapproves of and has repeatedly threatened military action against countries that disagree with U.S. policies. Most recently, in the wake of the U.S. cruise missile attack against Syria, she announced that the action was potentially only the first step. She declared that Washington was locked and loaded, prepared to exercise more lethal military options if Syria and its Russian and Iranian supporters did not cease and desist from the use of chemical weapons. Ironically, the cruise missile attack was carried out even though the White House had no clue as to what had actually happened and it now turns out that the entire story, spread by the terrorist groups in Syria and their mouthpieces, has begun to unravel. Will Nikki Haley apologize? I would suspect that if she doesnt do confusion she doesnt do apologies either. Haley, who had no foreign policy experience of any kind prior to assuming office, relies on a gaggle of neoconservative foreign-policy experts to help shape her public utterances, which are often not cleared with the State Department, where she is at least nominally employed. Her speechwriter is Jessica Gavora, who is the wife of the leading neoconservative journalist Jonah Goldberg. Unfortunately, being a neocon mouthpiece makes her particularly dangerous as she is holding a position where she can do bad things. She has been shooting from the lip since she assumed office with only minimal vetting by the Trump Administration, and, as in the recent imbroglio over her confusion, it is never quite clear whether she is speaking for herself or for the White House. Haley has her own foreign policy. She has declared that Russia is not, will not be our friend and has lately described the Russians as having their hands covered with the blood of Syrian children. From the start of her time at the U.N., Haley has made it clear that she is neoconservatism personified and she has done nothing since to change that impression. In December 2017 she warned the U.N. that she was taking names and threatened retaliation against any country that was so disrespectful as to dare to vote against Washingtons disastrous recognition of Jerusalem as Israels capital, which she also helped to bring about. As governor of South Carolina, Haley first became identified as an unquestioning supporter of Israel through her signing of a bill punishing supporters of the nonviolent pro-Palestinian Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, the first legislation of its kind on a state level. Immediately upon taking office at the United Nations she complained that nowhere has the U.N.s failure been more consistent and more outrageous than in its bias against our close ally Israel and vowed that the days of Israel bashing are over. On a recent visit to Israel, she was feted and honored by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. She was also greeted by rounds of applause and cheering when she spoke at the annual meeting of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) in March, saying When I come to AIPAC I am with friends. Nikki Haleys embrace of Israeli points of view is unrelenting and serves no American interest. If she were a recruited agent of influence for the Israeli Mossad she could not be more cooperative than she apparently is voluntarily. In February 2017, she blocked the appointment of former Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad to a diplomatic position at the United Nations because he is a Palestinian. In a congressional hearing she was asked about the decision: Is it this administrations position that support for Israel and support for the appointment of a well-qualified individual of Palestinian nationality to an appointment at the U.N. are mutually exclusive? Haley responded yes, that the administration is supporting Israel by blocking every Palestinian. At various U.N. meetings, though Haley has repeatedly and uncritically complained of institutional bias towards Israel, she has never addressed the issue that Israels treatment of the Palestinians might in part be responsible for the criticism leveled against it. Her description of Israel as a close ally is hyperbolic and she tends to be oblivious to actual American interests in the region when Israel is involved. She has never challenged the Israeli occupation of the West Bank as well as the recent large expansion of settlements, which are at least nominally opposed by the State Department and White House. Nor has she spoken up about the more recent shooting of three thousand unarmed Gazan demonstrators by Israeli Army sharpshooters, which is a war crime. Haleys hardline on Syria reflects the Israeli bias, and her consistent hostility to Russia is a neoconservative position. She has repeatedly said that regime change in Damascus is a Trump administration priority, even when the White House was saying something different. A White House warning that it had identified potential preparations for another chemical weapons attack by the Assad regime led to a Haley elaboration in a tweet that further attacks will be blamed on Assad but also on Russia and Iran who support him killing his own people. Earlier, on April 12, 2017 after Russia blocked a draft U.N. resolution intended to condemn the alleged Khan Shaykhun chemical attack, which subsequently turned out to be a false flag, Haley said, We need to see Russia choose to side with the civilized world over an Assad government that brutally terrorizes its own people. Haley is particularly critical of Iran, which she sees as the instigator of much of the unrest in the Middle East, again reflecting the Israeli and neocon viewpoints. She claimed on April 20, 2017 during her first session as president of the U.N. Security Council, that Iran and Hezbollah had conducted terrorist acts for decades within the Middle East, ignoring the more serious terrorism support engaged in by U.S. regional allies Saudi Arabia and Qatar. She stated in June 2017 that the Security Councils praise of the Iran Nuclear Agreement honored a state that has engaged in illicit missile launches, support for terrorist groups, and arms smuggling, while stok[ing] regional conflicts and mak[ing] them harder to solve. All are perspectives that might easily be challenged. So, Nikki Haley very much comes across as the neoconservatives dream ambassador to the United Nationsfull of aggression, a staunch supporter of Israel, and assertive of Washingtons preemptive right to set standards for the rest of the world. And there is every reason to believe that she would nurture the same views if she were to become the neocon dream president. Bearing the flag for American Exceptionalism does not necessarily make her very good for the rest of us, who will have to bear the burdens and risks implicit in her imperial hubris, but, as the neoconservatives never feel compelled to admit that they were wrong, one suspects that Haleys assertion that she does not do confusion is only the beginning if she succeeds in her apparent quest for the highest office in the land. Worse than John Bolton? Absolutely. Philip M. Giraldi, Ph.D., is Executive Director of the Council for the National Interest, a 501(c)3 tax deductible educational foundation that seeks a more interests-based U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East. Website is www.councilforthenationalinterest.org, address is P.O. Box 2157, Purcellville VA 20134 and its email is inform@cnionline.org TDOT personnel and contract crews began work Thursday to repair a section of SR-68 near log mile 5 in Rhea County that is currently closed due to a slide that occurred earlier this week. The work is expected to take approximately four weeks to complete. The road will remain closed to through traffic as the repairs are underway. Recent wet weather caused a portion of SR-68 that connects Spring City in Rhea County to Crossville in Cumberland County to become destabilized and slide down the slope, closing the road. The site of the slide is approximately three miles north of U.S. 27 in Spring City. The repair work will be done using TDOT forces and crews from GeoStabilization International, LLC (GSI) under a statewide on-call maintenance contract for soil nailing and slope stabilization. During the work, loose material will be removed from the slide area and the remaining slope will be stabilized using soil nailing. Soil nailing is an on-site soil reinforcement technique where soil nails are placed into the natural ground at relatively close spacing to increase the strength of the soil mass. As the bars are being drilled, grout is inserted into the hole to ensure that the soil nail stays put. After the slope is stabilized using the soil-nailing method, the contractor will construct a retaining wall to further reinforce the area, drainage improvements will be made, the entire area will be backfilled with new material and the roadway will be rebuilt. Message boards are posted notifying the public of the closure and detour routes will be signed. Home Search ICH By Finian Cunningham April 25, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - All the handshakes, hugs and smooching between Trump and Macron this week made for cringing viewing. Not because two males were being cordial and affectionate. No, the embarrassment stems from the French leader being such a pathetic poodle to the White House bully. The "dandruff moment" was perhaps the most revealing. At one point in the Oval Office, the American president interrupted himself mid-sentence to lean over to his French counterpart and he began grooming his collar, saying he was removing "dandruff". Macron seemed unfazed and continued smiling. Macron's Dangerous Trump Bromance It was what Trump said next that was revealing. "We want him to be perfect He is perfect." Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter The Freudian slip from the American signified that the French president is little more than a cypher, a flunkey, a perfect little poodle for Washington. Does as he's told. During the three-day state visit, Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron gave the appearance of best buddies, of being equals. That's certainly what the French leader was striving to achieve. To be seen as the top European ally of America, and the European politician who best understands Trump, best manages the maverick American. In that way, Macron aims to make "France great again"; for it to be seen as a re-energized world power on an equal footing with the US. Since Macron was elected president last May, his stated goal has been to restore France as a great power. That seemed to be working to plan this week. Macron is the first international leader to be hosted by Trump in an official state visit. The British "special relationship" with Washington has been eclipsed; and Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel who follows Macron's visit on Friday is being only afforded a low-key, one-day working meeting in the White House. But the optics of bonhomie and "bromance" aside, Macron's pretensions of standing alongside Trump as the "leaders of world freedom" are overblown. The proof of that came when Macron caved-in to Trump's antagonism over the Iranian nuclear deal. Saving that deal by keeping Trump onboard was supposed to be Macron's main mission in Washington DC. The day before Macron arrived, he gave an interview to Fox News asserting that "there was no Plan B" to the Iran nuclear accord which was signed in 2015 by the US, France, Britain, Germany, Russia and China. Macron was billed as the European leader who would persuade Trump to stick with the nuclear agreement. But this week, despite all the glad-handing with "my friend Emmanuel", Trump maintains an aggressive disdain for the Iran deal, hinting that he is ready to scrap it next month. And what was Macron's response? He said that France was now working with the US to "renegotiate a new deal" with Iran. So much for Macron standing up to Trump. Iran says that there will be no renegotiation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), as it is formally known. The JCPOA was ratified by the UN Security Council after Iran and the six world powers signed it as a done deal in July 2015. Russia and China have also said there can be no backtracking on the accord. The Europeans were also stating this at least up to this week before Macron's embarrassing U-turn. It will be very interesting to see what Merkel has to say on the matter when she arrives in Washington later this week. What the encounter between Trump and Macron shows this week is that the French president is nothing more than a lapdog. He may have been regaled with pomp and ceremony, and with florid rhetoric about representing "America's oldest ally". But in practice, all the show of two strong leaders standing side-by-side is corny public imaging. However, that's what makes Macron a particularly dangerous accessory to Trump. The French politician is evidently willing to bend over backwards to pander to Washington's demands. Macron's presumption of leading Europe is a pernicious delusion. Some media have even referred to him as "Trump's whisperer" intimating that the young French president has a Svengali-like influence over the older American. In the days before the US, Britain and France carried out their illegal missile barrage against Syria on April 14, it was Macron to whom Trump turned to for advice on what action to take. Macron reportedly briefed Trump on "French intelligence" about the alleged chemical-weapons atrocity on April 7 in Douma, near Damascus. Macron also reportedly cajoled Trump to order the military strikes a week later. It has become clear now that the chemical-weapons incident on April 7 was a false-flag provocation staged by Western-backed militants. In other words, French "intelligence" was either faulty, or more likely a fabrication. But the upshot was that the US, Britain and France committed a grave war crime by attacking Syria. This is why Emmanuel Macron should give us the creeps. He is willing to say anything to ingratiate himself with the American president in order to inflate his world standing and that of his has-been colonial nation. All the effusive body language is that of a wannabe trying to be a statesman on the world stage. Macron, like his American "daddy", is taking it upon himself to unilaterally rip up an international treaty with Iran that other world powers and the UN have already finalized. In order to justify this outrageous bad-faith and backsliding, Macron is giving credence to Trump's calumny about Iran being a sponsor of terrorism, destabilizing the region, and illegally developing ballistic missiles. Macron is saying that a "new deal" with Iran will have to be made which will curb Iranian presence in Syria, allegedly in Yemen and the Middle East. The "Trump whisperer" is not an independent, principled European leader. He is a self-aggrandizing careerist who is willing to play to Trump's worst instincts and ignorance. Even if that means inciting more war in Syria and the Middle East. Finian Cunningham has written extensively on international affairs, with articles published in several languages. He is a Masters graduate in Agricultural Chemistry and worked as a scientific editor for the Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge, England, before pursuing a career in newspaper journalism. He is also a musician and songwriter. For nearly 20 years, he worked as an editor and writer in major news media organisations, including The Mirror, Irish Times and Independent. This article was originally published by " Sputnik " - ===== Join the Discussion It is not necessary for ICH readers to register before placing a comment. We ask that you treat others with respect. Take a moment to read the following - Comment Policy - What Or Who is Information Clearing House and Purpose and Intent of this website: It is unacceptable to slander, smear or engage in personal attacks on authors of articles posted on ICH. Those engaging in that behavior will be banned from the comment section. Search Information Clearing House === Click Here To Support Information Clearing House Your support has kept ICH free on the Web since 2002. Click for Spanish , German , Dutch , Danish , French , translation- Note- Translation may take a moment to load. Where Is The Shame? By Paul Craig Roberts April 25, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - Now that the Trump, May, and Macron regimes have proven beyond all doubt that they are lawless war criminal regimes, what is next? Will the Russian president and foreign minister continue to speak of our Western partners and seek common ground with proven lawless war criminals? What would that common ground be? How can other governments accept the US, UK, and French governments that intentionally lied about a Russian chemical attack on the Skripals and about a Syrian chemical attack on Douma, risking a third world war, and then themselves attacking Syria on the basis of a transparent lie unsupported by any evidence? How exactly do you conduct diplomatic relations with war criminals? Never Miss Another Story Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter You dont. You put them on trial. Why arent Trump, May, and Macron on trial? The reason is that the world has been conditioned, like Pavlovs dogs, to expect and accept the Wests war crimes as ordinary common features of life. The Wests crimes are protected by precedents established by decades of failing to hold the West accountable. The West has squatters rights in committing unaccountable war crimes. Stymied in the effort to overthrow Syria, Netanyahu is now focusing the Trump regime on renewing Washingtons conflict with Iran. Will Washingtons vassals continue to provide cover for Washingtons crimes, or are some of the Europeans beginning to understand that the risks they assume for Washington exceed the money that Washington pays them? Where will Russia stand if Washington renews its assault on Iran? Despite the air attacks carried out on its Syrian ally by the US, NATO, and Israel, the Russian government still has not found the decisiveness to sell Syria its S-300 air defense system. Syria intercepted 70% of the US missiles in the last attack using obsolete Soviet-era air defense systems. The S-300 would allow Syria to protect itself from air attack and thus reduce the chance of war resulting from Israeli and US attacks on Syria. Russian indecisiveness combined with the rest of the worlds toleration of ongoing US war crimes suggests that more provocations will be orchestrated, that more lawless attacks will take place, and that eventually a fatal conflict will be brewed. Think about it. The British are caught in the Skripal lie. Washington, the British, and the French are caught in the Douma chemical attack lie, and there are no consequences for those governments who orchestrated hoaxes and then used the hoaxes to justify their war crime. How can it be that the American people are undisturbed by their governments 17 years of wars based entirely on blatant lies? How can it be that the American people and the Evangelical churches are unmoved by the millions of innocent peoples in seven countries who have been murdered, maimed, orphaned, and displaced by the profit-driven US military/security complex and by the neoconservative ideology in service to Israel? How can it be that the US media is as effective a propaganda ministry for Washington as the German press was for the Nazis? How can it be that the European, Canadian, and Australian governments and the citizens of these countries are not ashamed of their participation in these never-ending crimes? Where is Indias voice? Chinas? South Americas? Why is the world silent in the face of massive, long-term, ongoing war crimes? Why does the Russian government think it can have a partnership with a war criminal regime? Why would Russia want such a shameful and demeaning association? Where is Russias counterpart to NATO? Where is there any determination to put a halt to the Wests criminality? Why is the world content with Washingtons path to world war? Dr. Paul Craig Roberts was Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Economic Policy and associate editor of the Wall Street Journal. He was columnist for Business Week, Scripps Howard News Service, and Creators Syndicate. He has had many university appointments. His internet columns have attracted a worldwide following. Roberts' latest books are The Failure of Laissez Faire Capitalism and Economic Dissolution of the West , How America Was Lost , and The Neoconservative Threat to World Order . Home Search ICH Diagnosing the West with Sadistic Personality Disorder (SPD) The Empire Is Obsessed with Perverse Types Of Punishment By Andre Vltchek April 25, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - Western culture is clearly obsessed with rules, guilt, submissiveness and punishment. By now it is clear that the West is the least free society on Earth. In North America and Europe, almost everyone is under constant scrutiny: people are spied on, observed, their personal information is being continually extracted, and the surveillance cameras are used indiscriminately. Life is synchronized and managed. There are hardly any surprises. One can sleep with whomever he or she wishes (as long as it is done within the allowed protocol). Homosexuality and bisexuality are allowed. But that is about all; that is how far freedom usually stretches. Rebellion is not only discouraged, it is fought against, brutally. For the tiniest misdemeanors or errors, people end up behind bars. As a result, the U.S. has more prisoners per capita than any other country on Earth, except the Seychelles. And as a further result, almost all conversations, but especially public discourses, are now being controlled by so-called political correctness and its variants. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter But back to the culture of fear and punishment. Look at the headlines of the Western newspapers. For example, The New York Times from April 12. 2018: Punishment of Syria may be harsher this time We are so used to such perverse language used by the Empire that it hardly strikes us as twisted, bizarre, pathological. It stinks of some sadomasochistic cartoon, or of a stereotypical image of an atrocious English teacher holding a ruler over a pupils extended hands, shouting, Shall I? Carl Gustav Jung described Western culture, on several occasions, as a pathology. He did it particularly after WWII, but he mentioned that the West had been committing terrible crimes in all parts of the world, for centuries. That is most likely why the Western mainstream psychiatrists and psychologists have been glorifying the ego-centric and generally apolitical Sigmund Freud, while ignoring, even defaming, Carl Gustav Jung. The extreme form of sadism is a medical condition; it is an illness. And the West has been clearly demonstrating disturbing and dangerous behavioral patterns for many centuries. Lets look at the definition of sadism, or professionally, Sadistic Personality Disorder (SPD), which both the United States and Europe could easily be diagnosed with. This is an excerpt of a common definition of the SPD, which appears in Medigoo.com and on many other on-line sites: The sadistic personality disorder is characterized by a pattern of gratuitous cruelty, aggression, and demeaning behaviors which indicate the existence of deep-seated contempt for other people and an utter lack of empathy. Some sadists are utilitarian: they leverage their explosive violence to establish a position of unchallenged dominance within a relationship It is familiar, isnt it? The Empires behavior towards Indochina, China, Indonesia, Africa, Latin America, Russia, the Middle East and other parts of the world. What about the symptoms? Sadistic individuals have poor behavioral controls, manifested by a short temper, irritability, low frustration tolerance, and a controlling nature. From an interpersonal standpoint, they are noted to be harsh, hostile, manipulative, lacking in empathy, cold-hearted, and abrasive to those they deem to be their inferiors. Their cognitive nature is considered rigid and prone to social intolerance, and they are fascinated by weapons, war, and infamous crimes or perpetrators of atrocities. Sadists classically are believed to seek social positions that enable them to exercise their need to control others and dole out harsh punishment or humiliation Just translate sadistic individuals to sadistic states, or sadistic culture. Is there any cure? Can a sadist be effectively and successfully treated? Treating a sadistic personality disorder takes a long time And many sites and publications carry a clear disclaimer: The above information is for processing purpose. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency And humanity is right now clearly at the crossroads, facing annihilation, not only a medical emergency. The world may soon have to literally fight for its survival. It is because of the SPD of the West and its Empire. * So, what is in store for us now; for instance, for Syria? What will the sadistic psychopath do to a country that refused to kneel, to prostitute itself, to beg for mercy, to sacrifice its people? How horrible will the punishment be? We have just witnessed 103 missiles being fired towards Damascus and Homs. But that is only what the Empire did to entertain its masses. It has been doing much more evil and cruel things to the nation which constantly refuses to glorify the Western imperialist and its neocon dogmas. For instance, the Empires professionals have been manufacturing, training and arming the most atrocious terrorist groups and injecting them into the body of Syria. The torture will, of course, continue. It clearly appears that this time the script will be based on some latter adaptation of the Marquise de Sades work, on his novel Juliette, not Justine. You see, in Justine, women were only tied up, slapped and raped. In Juliette, they were cut to pieces, alive; they were burned and mutilated. While Justine can still be read, no normal human being could go through the 700 pages of pure gore that is Juliette. But our planet has somehow got used to the horrors that have been administered by the sick Western Empire. People watch occurrences in places like Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq or Libya as news, not as the medical record of a severely ill psychiatric patient. The most terrible novel in the history of our Planet has been written, for centuries, by the appalling brutality and sadism of first Europe and then by its younger co-author the United States. And the human beings in many parts of our Planet have gotten so used to the carnage which surrounds them that they do not throw up anymore; they do not feel horrified, do not revolt against their fate. They just watch, as one country after another falls; is violated publicly, gets ravaged. The mental illness of the perpetrator is undeniable. And it is contagious. In turn, the extreme violence that has been engulfing the world has triggered various neuroses and mental conditions (masochism, extreme forms of submission, to name just two of many) among the victims. * Exposure to the constant and extreme violence prescribed and administered by the West, has left most of the world in a neurotic lethargy. Like a woman locked in a marriage with a brutal religious fanatic husband in some oppressive society, the world has eventually stopped resisting against the Western dictates and tyranny, and accepted its fate. Many parts of the planet have developed Stockholm Syndrome: after being kidnapped, imprisoned, tormented, raped and humiliated, the victims have fallen in love with their tyrant, adopting his worldview, while serving him full-heartedly and obediently. This arrangement, of course, has nothing to do with the healthy or natural state of things! In Africa, Latin America, the Middle East and Asia, bizarre things are happening! People from those nations that have been robbed and devastated for centuries by the European and North American despots, have been flying happily and proudly to Paris, Berlin, London, Madrid, New York and other Western cities, in order to learn, to study how to govern their own countries. There is usually no shame, and no stigma attached to such obvious intellectual prostitution. Many victims are still dreaming about becoming like their victimizers, or even more so. Many former and modern-day colonies of the West are listening, with straight faces, to the Europeans preaching to them (for a fee) about good governance, an anti-corruption drive and democracy. The media outlets of non-Western nations are taking news reports directly from Western press agencies. Even local political events are explained by those wise and superior Europeans and North Americans, not by the local thinkers. Locals are hardly ever trusted only white faces with polished English, French or German accents are taken seriously. Perverse? Is it perverse? Of course, it is! Many servile intellectuals from the client states, when confronted, admit how sick the continuous global dictatorship is. Then they leave the table and continue to do what they have been doing for years and decades; the oldest profession in short. Such a situation is truly insane. Or at least it is extremely paradoxical, bizarre, absurd. Even a mental clinic appears to make more sense than our beloved planet Earth. However, clinical psychiatrists and psychologists are very rarely involved in analyzing the neuroses and psychological illnesses of the brutalized and colonized planet. They hardly ever analyze the perpetrators, let alone expose them for what they really are. Most of psychologists and psychiatrists are busy digging gold: encouraging human egotism, or even serving big corporations that are trying to understand their employees better, in order to control and to exploit them more effectively. Other doctors go so far as to directly serve the Empire, helping to oppress and to pacify the billions living in the colonies and new colonies of the West. In 2015, I was invited as one of the speakers to the 14th International Symposium on the Contributions of Psychology to Peace, held in Johannesburg and Pretoria, South Africa (hosted by legendary UNISA). During that fascinating encounter of the leading global psychologists, I spoke about the impact of wars and imperialism on the human psyche, but I also listened, attentively. And I learned many shocking things. For instance, during his chilling presentation, Human Rights and U. S. Psychologists Wrongs: The Undermining of Professional Ethics in an Era of Enhanced Interrogation, Professor Michael Wessells from Columbia University, New York, spoke about U.S. psychologists and their participation in torturing political prisoners. Instead of diagnosing the Empire with SPD and other violent and dangerous conditions, many psychologists are actually helping to torture those who are opposing this unacceptable arrangement of the world. Those who refuse to learn from the West, to fall in love with it, or at least to serve it faithfully, are being brutally punished. Lashes are hitting exposed flesh. Entire nations are being destroyed, genocides distributed to all continents. East Timor, Afghanistan, Iraq: it never stops. I follow the discourses of the US and especially British UN delegations, discussing Syria and even Russia. What comes to my mind is Punjab in India. I recall those old, historic photos of Indian men being hanged by the Brits, pants down, and flogged in public. They have been doing this kind of stuff, for centuries. They like it. It clearly excites them. This is their democracy, their respect for human rights and for other cultures! If someone refuses to take his or her pants down, they catch the person, rape him or her, then do the flogging anyway. I also recall what my Ugandan friend used to tell me: When the Brits came to Africa, to what is now Uganda, their army would enter our villages and first thing theyd do was to select the tallest and strongest man around. Theyd then tie him up, face towards the tree. Then the British commander would rape, sodomize him in front of everybody. This was how they showed the locals who is charge. How symbolic! How healthy is the culture that has been controlling our world for centuries! One of the most frightening things about mental illnesses is that the patient usually does not realize that he or she is suffering from them. It is about the time for the rest of the world to treat the West as a mental patient, not as the leader of the free and democratic world. We have to think, to gather, to develop a strategy of how to deal with this unfortunate, in fact, terrible situation! If we refuse to understand and to act, we may all end up in the most dangerous situation: as complacent servants of the perverse whims of a frustrated, extremely aggressive and truly dangerous SPD patient. Andre Vltchek is a philosopher, novelist, filmmaker and investigative journalist. He has covered wars and conflicts in dozens of countries. Three of his latest books are his tribute to The Great October Socialist Revolution a revolutionary novel Aurora and a bestselling work of political non-fiction: Exposing Lies Of The Empire . View his other books here . Watch Rwanda Gambit , his groundbreaking documentary about Rwanda and DRCongo and his film/dialogue with Noam Chomsky On Western Terrorism . Vltchek presently resides in East Asia and the Middle East, and continues to work around the world. He can be reached through his website and his Twitter . ===== Join the Discussion It is not necessary for ICH readers to register before placing a comment. We ask that you treat others with respect. Take a moment to read the following - Comment Policy - What Or Who is Information Clearing House and Purpose and Intent of this website: It is unacceptable to slander, smear or engage in personal attacks on authors of articles posted on ICH. Those engaging in that behavior will be banned from the comment section. Search Information Clearing House === Click Here To Support Information Clearing House Your support has kept ICH free on the Web since 2002. Click for Spanish , German , Dutch , Danish , French , translation- Note- Translation may take a moment to load. South Carolina is poised to be the first state to pass legislation to adopt an Israel-centric definition for anti-Semitism. This will then apply to the states campuses, potentially limiting discussion of Israel-Palestine to one-sided information that fosters U.S. policies that provide Israel $10 million per day. The bill has been heralded in Israel as a a landmark bill that will lead change across the U.S. and the world. April 25, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - The South Carolina Senate has recently passed legislation that changes the definition of anti-Semitism to include criticism of Israel, and then applies this new definition to college campuses in a manner that experts say will impede free academic inquiry. The U.S. gives Israel over $10 million per day, and Congress frequently approves increases to that amount; restricting discussion on this issue could serve to bolster and increase these expenditures. The legislation codifies a definition of anti-Semitism that significantly changes the meaning of the word, and it requires the states colleges to use this new definition when determining whether an action is discriminatory and therefore prohibited. This new definition declares statements that are critical of Israeleven when factualanti-Semitic and therefore impermissible. A bill on this passed in the state House of Representatives, but when promoters failed to pass it in the state Senate, they resorted to a parliamentary maneuver that may have broken their own rules. They inserted the text at the last minute in South Carolinas 545-page General Appropriations bill, which is considered a must-pass bill because it is required for state government to function. The insertion is on page 348, sandwiched between a section on Statewide Higher Education Repair and Renovation and a section that specifies the amount of money appropriated to one of the states colleges. Since the inserted text (section 11.22) does not appear germane to the bill in which it was inserted (and was ruled out of order on the first attempt to add it), the maneuver may have broken legislative rules.* However, it appears unlikely that the sponsors will be held to account, for two reasons: 1. In Israel the bill is considered extremely important, and some powerful organizations both in the U.S. and internationally support it. 2. However, in South Carolina, legislators tend to consider it insignificant legislation that will have little, if any, impact and therefore see no reason to expend political capital in questioning it. (More on this below.) While pro-Israel groups are celebrating the passage as a monumental victory, there are actually two more steps before it becomes state law. First, the bill must be reconciled with a previous appropriations bill passed by the House. This bill also contains an amendment redefining anti-Semitism and applying it to colleges, but uses different wording. Representatives of the two chambers will meet in the next week or so to create a compromise bill. After that has been accomplished, the Governor must sign it into law. It is safe to assume neither of these steps will constitute obstacles, however. The governor is in an 8-candidate gubernatorial race where campaign donations are critical, and examination of campaign finance records indicate that pro-Israel donors, often from out of state, frequently play an outsized role in such elections. If history is any predictor, neither he nor any challengers are likely to oppose the legislation. The inserted legislation does several things: First, it vastly expands the traditional, very clear meaning of anti-Semitismhostility to or prejudice against Jewish people on the basis of their being Jewishto a new definition that includes certain types of information about Israel. The Senate bill spells out a long, hazy definition that consists of an array of types of actions, certain perceptions, rhetorical manifestation, etc., that would now legally constitute anti-Semitism. Half a dozen of them are related to the modern state of Israel. The House bill, rather than spelling out the definition itself, codifies a definition adopted by a State Department special envoy in 2010, which also changed the traditional meaning of anti-Semitism to include statements critical of Israel. (Full text of both are below.) The Senate bill requires South Carolinas Commission on Higher Education to print copies of this new, Israel-centric definition of anti-Semitism and distribute them to all South Carolina public colleges and universities. Finally, both bills mandate that academic institutions use this definition in deciding whether someone has violated a schools policy prohibiting discrimination. If the legislation goes through and becomes law, as proponents appear certain it will, the consequences could be two-fold: a significant loss of academic freedom at South Carolina colleges, and, indirectly, continued one-sided U.S. Middle East policies and massive expenditures. But first lets look at the historic and geopolitical background of this new definition. The basic outline of this new, Israel-centric definition of anti-Semitism was first created by an Israeli minister in 2004. Israel partisans have successfully pushed its adoption by numerous entities around the world ever since, building on even the smallest endorsements to create momentum and a snowballing effect. (See this for details.) In the U.S., a two-step process has achieved partial success in getting the nation to legally adopt the new definition, but the effort is ongoingSouth Carolinas law would be a major step forward for proponents of the definition, and the accompanying censorship of certain types of information. The first step that would enable the adoption of the definition in the U.S. also occurred in 2004: Pro-Israel groups successfully promoted federal legislation to create a special envoy and State Department office to monitor anti-Semitism. This was done over the objections of state department officials, who said it was unnecessary. The second step was accomplished by one of these envoys, who unilaterally adopted the new, Israel-centric definition in 2009. (All three envoys have been demonstrably pro-Israel, two later working for the Israel lobbying organization AIPACthe American Israel Political Action Committee. President Trump, as part of his general cost-cutting measures, has not yet appointed a new envoy, causing many pro-Israel groups to call him anti-Semitic for this failure.) Since that time, Israel partisans have introduced legislation in the federal government and state legislaturesand even on some college campusesto adopt this definition, which they call the state department definition. South Carolina, if the bill becomes state law, will be their first success in this effort. Curtailing Freedom of Speech and Academic Inquiry These bills usually contain a final sentence that says they dont violate the Constitutional guarantee of free speech, and their sponsors make this claim to the people voting for them. However, the reality seems to be the opposite. Legal experts say the legislation will do just that, and there is a history of university administrators around the country censoring protected speech on the basis of such definitions. In fact, the author of the definition adopted by the State Department anti-Semitism envoy has vehemently opposed legislating the definition into law, specifically writing that applying it to colleges is a direct affront to academic freedom. In a letter opposing federal legislation to codify the definition as law, author Kenneth Stern stated: The definition was never intended to be used to limit speech on college campuses; it was written for European data collectors to have a guide for what to include and what to exclude in their reports. Stern, the American Jewish Committees expert on anti-Semitism for 25 years, opposed incorporating the definition into law in a way that he called unconstitutional and unwise. Stern warned that this would actually harm Jewish students and have a toxic effect on the academy. Other legal experts agree with Stern. An analysis by the Center for Constitutional Rights and other groups that examined the proposed federal bill (not yet passed) found that not only would it interfere with freedom of speech, but that such censorship was the motivation for the legislation: The Act purports to address rising anti-Semitism on college campuses, but a close reading reveals that its true purpose is to silence campus advocacy for Palestinian rights and censor any criticism of Israeli government policies. The document continues: This vague and overbroad re-definition conflates political criticism of Israel with anti-Semitism, infringing on constitutionally protected speech. Finally, the paper specifically emphasizes: The re-definition is especially detrimental to universities, where freedom of speech, critical inquiry, and unfettered debate are integral. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) also actively opposes such legislation, stating that the federal bill poses a serious threat to the First Amendment free speech rights of those on campus who may hold certain political views. In its letter of opposition to the federal bill, the ACLU stated: The First Amendment prevents the federal government from using its great weight to impose severe penalties on a person simply for sharing a political viewpoint critical of Israel. The chief of staff of the ACLUs legislative office in Washington said that the legislation opens the door to considering anti-Israel political statements and activities as possible grounds for civil rights investigations. How the Law Will Limit Free Speech in South Carolina An examination of the South Carolina situation indicates how the new law could play out. University of South Carolina guidelines contain the laudable statement that all students should be able to learn and live in an environment that is free from discrimination in all programs, activities, and services of the University. Since the new legislation defines many statements about Israel, no matter how factual, as anti-Semitic and therefore constituting discrimination, Israel partisans can be expected to invoke the law: to prevent public speakers from discussing information on Palestine, to prevent professors from educating students fully and accurately on the Middle East, and/or to punish professors or students who provide facts that Israel and its partisans dont wish students to know. Anti-Palestinian activists have invoked the definition to accomplish all of these things elsewhere, in a number of instances. In addition, the legislation could interfere with student groups ability to bring speakers to campus. While student groups are normally allowed to use student fees to bring outside speakers, under the new legislation this could change. While students could bring pro-Israel speakers without problems, groups wishing to bring speakers with different perspectives might not have an equal ability to do so. Ironically, a bill that many of its supporters intended to be against discrimination, might actually create discrimination against certain students, including those from ethnic or religious minorities. By blocking such speakers and information, the free marketplace of ideas would be severely limited on South Carolina campuses when it comes to Israel-Palestineone of the most significant issues in todays world, a critical factor in Middle East wars, and the core issue of the Middle East. For decades, the U.S. has given Israel far more of our tax money than to other nation (on average, 7,000 times more per capita than to other people), as well as massive diplomatic cover. Most of the rest of the world therefore considers the U.S. as the sponsor responsible for Israels actions. Therefore, it is particularly crucial that Americans be fully informed on Israel and its actions. No one, including the most committed supporter of Israel, benefits from one-sided, incomplete information. Friends dont let friends bury their heads in misinformation while supporting ethnic cleansing. Momentous Breakthrough Pro-Israel groups, both international and domestic, have been watchingand participating inthe South Carolina situation with great eagerness. Now that South Carolina seems poised to adopt the anti-Semitism legislation, many hope that as goes South Carolina, so goes the nationand the world. Israels Jerusalem Post newspaper called the South Carolina legislation a landmark bill that is set to be the model for states across America and countries around the world. The pro-Israel Brandeis Center, which helped promote the legislation, declared: Just as two dozen states followed South Carolinas lead on legislation condemning the movement to boycott certain countries [Israel], we are hoping this momentous step will result in another national wave to, once and for all, begin defeating rising anti-Semitism. Anti-Semitism, that is, defined to include many forms of criticism of Israel. Supporters of these bills claim their efforts are necessary to battle rising anti-Semitism. Therefore, it is important to realize and scrutinize what they mean by anti-Semitism. The much-cited Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and another group, AMCHA, classify many actions in support of international law and Palestinian human rights as supposedly anti-Semitism. Both organizations actively advocate for Israel. The ADL, which is often perceived as a civil rights organization, has been connected to some initiatives promoting Islamophobia, and it produced a campus guide describing how to block events about Palestine. Despite what the legislations supporters would have us believe, a 2017 report found that Jewish students reported feeling comfortable on their campuses, and, more specifically, comfortable as Jews on their campuses. Fewer than 10 percent of the students articulated the belief that anti-Israel sentiment is anti-Semitism. Even some Israel partisans have said that reports of alleged anti-Semitism on campuses are inaccurate. Barry Trachtenberg, who teaches in the Jewish Studies Department at Wake Forest University, said it was a factual distortion to call colleges hotbeds of anti-Semitism, and said that that criticism of Israel is part of healthy academic debate. Students who engage in speech critical of Israeli policy are largely motivated by their concern for Palestinian human rights, Trachtenberg said. They are not motivated by anti-Semitic hate, but its opposite a desire to end racial and religious discrimination of all kinds. The reality is that students who support Israel are extraordinarily well supported on American campuses. There are over two dozen organizations that collectively contribute millions of dollars to campaigns to promote Israel on campuses. Casino magnate Sheldon Adelson reportedly has raised at least $20 million to quash student speech critical of Israeli policies. Sheldon, who has said he wished he had served in the Israeli military rather than in the U.S. army, has created a task force that funds pro-Israel students to organize events on campuses, with the funding per campus reportedly in the six figures per year on at least forty campuses. Israel has long recognized the need to promote its interests on campuses. The Israeli minister who created the original formulation for the new anti-Semitism definition said that college campuses were one of the most important battlefields for Israel. An Israel lobby leader announced some years ago, after student government at U.C. Berkeley considered taking some measures to boycott Israel: Were going to make certain that pro-Israel students take over the student government. That is how AIPAC operates in our nations capitol. This is how AIPAC must operate on our nations campuses. Organizations & individuals behind the bill A number of pro-Israel organizations took credit for helping on South Carolinas anti-Semitism legislation. The Brandeis Center, named after former Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis (who for a period headed the world Zionist movement) announced that its representatives testified at multiple South Carolina hearings on the bill and have been working closely with state legislators to ensure passage. Another group that helped promote the bill was the Israel Allies Foundation. Its U.S. executive director Joseph Sabag stated: The IAF was honored to help lead the advocacy and surrounding educational efforts, as well as provided policy and legal resources to legislators for this effort. IAF is a multi-million dollar international organization that promotes Israel around the world. Sabag explained that the mission of IAF, via its 37 pro-Israel Caucuses worldwide, and in the U.S. Congress and state legislatures, is to provide policymakers with the resources they need to craft sound public policy. IAF particularly works to create support for Israel among Christians, putting on events at churches and other venues throughout the United States. Sabag said that the Israel Allies Foundation couldnt be prouder of whats been accomplished here in South Carolina. The Israel Project, with a budget of about $8 million, is another organization that helped on the legislation. Founded 16 years ago to support Israel, The Israel Project focuses on informing the media and public conversation about Israel and the Middle East. Its website proclaims that it is the only organization dedicated to changing peoples minds about Israel through cutting-edge strategic communications. We dont attack the media, we become a trusted partner and resource. Israel Project President Josh Block (annual salary half a million dollars) praised South Carolina: South Carolina was the first state to pass anti-BDS legislation and now has become the first state in the nation to pass uniform definition of anti-Semitism legislation. (BDSboycott, divestment, sanctionsis an economic campaign to pressure Israel to end its violations of international law, U.S. law, and human rights.). The Brandeis Center also credited CUFI (Christians United for Israel) and StandWithUs for their help on the legislation. Founded in 2006, CUFI claims to have 3-4 million members, though this seems to actually be the number of emails the organization has gathered; the number of active supporters may be closer to 30,000 to 50,000. CUFI lobbies on behalf of Israel and disseminates pro-Israel spin on diverse issues to Americans and Canadians. Charisma News reports: Its no secret that one of the most powerful lobbying groups in Washington, D.C., the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), has long wanted a Gentile arm, and some believe they now have it in CUFI. While CUFIs head is megachurch pastor and celebrity John Hagee, its executive director and co-founder David Brog may be the organizations real mover and shaker. According to Charisma News, Brog is the powerhouse behind the Christian organization, yet hes also a conservative (non-Messianic) Jew. The article reports: Brog, who was chief of staff to liberal Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania for seven years, is said to run CUFI like a political campaign. He has talking points, stays focused and rallies his constituency. Prime Minister Ehud Barak is his cousin. Stand With Us is an international organization supporting Israel headquartered in Los Angeles that works in the U.S., Canada, Israel, England, South Africa, China, Europe, and Australia. CEO Roz Rothstein commended South Carolinas legislation, saying: Just as South Carolina took the lead in passing anti-BDS legislation, we hope that the passage of H3643 will be the first of many states to follow suit. The Brandeis Center also credited the Jewish Federations of Columbia and Charleston, South Carolina with helping on the legislation. Representative Alan Clemmons The official author of the House bill was Representative Alan Clemmons, known for his Israel advocacy. South Carolinas Post and Courier newspaper reports that Clemmons is Israels biggest supporter in a U.S. state legislature. Clemmons sometimes meets with extremist Israeli settlers (Israeli settlements are illegal under international law), and calls them his great tutors on the issue of Israel-Palestine. (But Clemons ignores the statements of religious leaders such as Dead Sea scholar Millar Burrows, Naturei Karta rabbis, and the American Council on Judaism, who have long opposed Israeli confiscation of Palestinian land.) There is no record of Clemmons and his delegations ever traveling to Gaza or the West Bank on independent, fact-finding trips or having unscripted meetings with Palestinian Muslims and Christians. Opposition to the Legislation A number of South Carolinians objected to the legislation for diverse reasons. Some argued it could restrict thoughtful critiques of Israeli policy. A Palestinian student activist wrote a letter to the editor in which she explained that her group, which included Jewish members, fully acknowledge and sympathize with the Jewish history, but assert our right to criticize the actions of Israel. South Carolinas State newspaper reported on opponents who testified against the House bill: Speaking hurriedly to meet a two-minute time limit lawmakers had imposed, they said the bill would discourage college discussions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and gag pro-Palestine student groups. The paper reported that Caroline Nagel, an associate professor of geography at the University of South Carolina, said she feared that the bill would silence professors and student groups who are trying to explain and to give voice to a diversity of opinions about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. I am frankly baffled, Nagel said, as to why any legislator would consider an idea to curtail our freedom of speech. Some opponents felt that the House members who signed onto it had been hoodwinked. They just think its something thats nice for Israel, said David Matos, president of Carolina Peace Resource Center. They dont realize its a pretty nasty attempt to suppress free speech on college campuses to suppress debate on college campuses on Israel and Palestine. Its clearly unconstitutional, Matos said. The intent is to suppress political speech and smear it as anti-Semitism. Some State Legislators Raise Questions South Carolina State Senator Brad Hutto held up the Senate bill, leading its sponsors to slip it into the appropriations bill instead. Hutto said: I have heard not one university trustee that I know come up here and tell me that they were having any problems understanding how to read the dictionary or make up their own mind and needing our help on it. The Israel Allies Foundation, angered at Huttos action, blasted Hutto, a longtime liberal who calls anti-Semitism horrible, for allegedly working to benefit the forces of bigotry and intolerance. In reality, however, Hutto had explained that he would support the legislation if it applied to all races, ethnicities and gender identities. In an interview for this article, Hutto said that he was opposed to the bill for several reasons. Hutto felt there was no need for the legislation. While he emphasized that anti-Semitism is a horrible thing, he pointed out that the universities have an elected board of trustees fully capable of managing any complaints or problems. He said there was no need for the State Assembly to micromanage conduct on campuses. Hutto also disliked that the bill focused on only one type of bigotry, and in only one place. He emphasized that all bigotry of every kind is bad, and said its bad everywhere, in housing, at work, everywhere. Hutto said he might consider supporting a broader bill that made a general statement against all bigotries in all their various forms and locations. Hutto also felt it was a mistake to inject foreign policy into the state legislature when there are numerous pressing issues in South Carolina that the legislature needs to address. The bottom line, however, was that Hutto didnt think the law would have any impact, other than getting one or two members free trips to Israel. For that reason, he said, most Senators considered the legislation unimportant. While some other Senators also opposed the legislation, he saidmostly out of freedom of speech concernsthey didnt see the need to expend political capital on a law that they felt would do nothing. Hutto, focused on South Carolina and the needs of his constituents, seemed surprised that the bill is considered so significant elsewhere. A few people in the state house also opposed the bill. One of them, Josiah Magnuson, said in an interview for this article that he supports Israel, but thought that the bill was probably not the right approach and was concerned that it might limit free speech. Like Hutto, though, he didnt think the legislation was important or would do much. Representative Jonathan Hill, a former sponsor who took his name off the bill, said that he thought it was wrong to apply to U.S. citizens a State Department definition of anti-Semitism intended for use abroad: It does not necessarily account for the rights of American citizens to free speech. Its designed for application in a geopolitical context. In an interview for this article, Hill noted that the State Department definition was created for diplomatic purposes, not for use in the U.S. and was concerned that applying it to colleges could interfere with the Constitutional rights of Americans. Hill emphasized that he finds anti-Semitism reprehensible, but is focused on the most appropriate way to handle the situation. He said, Im not against what Senator Clemmons is trying to accomplish, but I feel that he is going about it the wrong way. The First Amendment is a pretty big deal, Hill said. At the end of the day the government cant start micromanaging the things that you say. Jewish Academics Oppose the Legislation Some Jewish groups and individuals also opposed the new definition and codifying it in federal law or state law. The American Council on Judaisms Allan Brownfeld recently wrote: There is a campaign to redefine anti-Semitism to mean criticism of Israel and opposition to Zionism. This campaign has as its goal the silencing of those who are critical of Israels 50-year occupation of Palestinian territories and are engaged in activities such as support for the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement. Brownfeld concluded: Real problems must be addressed with real discussion and debate. Only those who have something to lose by open debate would use the tactics we have seen deployed by Israel and its most fervent American supporters. Over 60 Jewish scholars signed a letter calling the federal bill misguided and dangerous. Another 300 Jewish students signed a letter objecting that the federal bill conflated legitimate criticism of the policies of the Israeli government with anti-Semitism, using a problematic definition of anti-Semitism never intended for use on college campuses At a time when freedom of expression is under threat across the country, we need to be protecting and expanding speech, not restricting it. The letter said that such legislation would limit our freedom of expression around the vital issues of our time. Truly a Vital Issue The issue of Israel-Palestine is particularly relevant right now. In the last few weeks there has been a massive uprising by men, women, and children in Gaza against the theft of their homes, their virtual imprisonment by Israel, and the decade-long blockade against them that has caused malnutrition among their children and severe hardship for their whole population. Israeli forces have injured approximately 5,000 of the demonstrators, including a child who was shot in the head. During Easter, Israeli forces blocked hundreds of Palestinian Christians in Gaza from praying at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. These are not pleasant facts to disseminate or to know. Israel partisans may wish to dispute details, and have the right to do so. But the proper way to go about this is with civil, open, fair debatenot by suppressing information, breaking the rules, cheating students of their rights, and violating a Constitution that has served the United States well for over 200 years, as we have striven ever closer to the ideal of equal rights for all. Allowing a special interest group to censor important information from our countrys students, even for the most benign of motivations, is unfair to our young people, damages our way of government, and causes profound harm to all of us. Let us hope that South Carolinas legislators rethink their support for this bill. If they dont, let us hope that other states dont follow in a direction that violates some of our nations most fundamental principles. Our students and our nation deserve better. * The first attempt to insert the text into the Senate appropriations bill, Amendment No. 49, was ruled not germane and ruled out of order. Supporters of the text then came back with Amendment No. 74, which added the requirement that the new definition be printed and distributed. Because this required an expenditure, this time the amendment squeaked through. Both amendments were introduced by Senator Larry Grooms, who had shepherded the bill in the Senate. Below is the section about anti-Semitism: 117.149. (GP: Prohibition of Discriminatory Practices) (A) In the current fiscal year and from the funds appropriated to public colleges and universities, when reviewing, investigating, or deciding whether there has been a violation of a college or university policy prohibiting discriminatory practices on the basis of religion, South Carolina public colleges and universities shall take into consideration the definition of anti-Semitism for purposes of determining whether the alleged practice was motivated by anti-Semitic intent. (B) Nothing in this proviso may be construed to diminish or infringe upon any right protected under the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States or Section 2, Article I of the South Carolina Constitution, 1895. (C) For purposes of this proviso, the term definition of anti-Semitism includes: (1) the definition of anti-Semitism set forth by the Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism of the Department of State in the fact sheet issued on June 8, 2010; and (2) the examples set forth under the headings Contemporary Examples of Anti-Semitism and What is Anti-Semitism Relative to Israel? in the fact sheet. Senate General Appropriations bill 4950 Below is the text on pages 348-9 of General Appropriations bill 4950 passed by the Senate on April 12, 2018: 11.23. (CHE: Prohibition of Discriminatory Practices) (A) In the current fiscal year and from the funds appropriated to the 16 Commission on Higher Education, the commission shall print and distribute to all South Carolina public colleges and universities 17 the definition of anti-Semitism. 18 (B) For purposes of this proviso, the term definition of anti-Semitism includes: 19 (1) a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations 20 of anti-Semitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions 21 and religious facilities; 22 (2) calling for, aiding, or justifying the killing or harming of Jews; 23 (3) making mendacious, dehumanizing, demonizing, or stereotypical allegations about Jews as such or the power of Jews 24 as a collective; 25 (4) accusing Jews as a people of being responsible for real or imagined wrongdoing committed by a single Jewish person 26 or group, the state of Israel, or even for acts committed by non-Jews; 27 (5) accusing the Jews as a people, or Israel as a state, of inventing or exaggerating the Holocaust; 28 (6) accusing Jewish citizens of being more loyal to Israel, or to the alleged priorities of Jews worldwide, than to the interest 29 of their own nations; 30 (7) using the symbols and images associated with classic anti-Semitism to characterize Israel or Israelis; 31 (8) drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis; 32 (9) blaming Israel for all inter-religious or political tensions; 33 (10) applying double standards by requiring of it a behavior not expected or demanded of any other democratic nation; 34 (11) multilateral organizations focusing on Israel only for peace or human rights investigations; and 35 (12) denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination, and denying Israel the right to exist, provided, however, that 36 criticism of Israel similar to that leveled against any other country cannot be regarded as anti-Semitic. SECTION 11 H030 COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION PAGE 349 1 (C) South Carolina public colleges and universities shall take into consideration the definition of anti-Semitism for purposes of 2 determining whether the alleged practice was motivated by anti-Semitic intent when reviewing, investigating, or deciding whether 3 there has been a violation of a college or university policy prohibiting discriminatory practices on the basis of religion. 4 (D) Nothing in this proviso may be construed to diminish or infringe upon any right protected under the First Amendment to the 5 Constitution of the United States or Section 2, Article I of the South Carolina Constitution, 1895. Below is the earlier bill, that had been held up in the Senate: TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 59-101-220 SO AS TO DEFINE CERTAIN TERMS CONCERNING ANTI-SEMITISM, TO PROVIDE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING IN THIS STATE SHALL CONSIDER THIS DEFINITION WHEN REVIEWING, INVESTIGATING, OR DECIDING WHETHER THERE HAS BEEN A VIOLATION OF AN INSTITUTIONAL POLICY PROHIBITING DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICES ON THE BASIS OF RELIGION, AND TO PROVIDE NOTHING IN THIS ACT MAY BE CONSTRUED TO DIMINISH OR INFRINGE UPON ANY RIGHTS AFFORDED BY THE FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION OR SECTION 2, ARTICLE I OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THIS STATE. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina: SECTION 1. Article 1, Chapter 101, Title 59 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding: Section 59-101-220. (A) For purposes of this section, the term definition of anti-Semitism includes: (1) the definition of anti-Semitism set forth by the Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism of the Department of State in the fact sheet issued on June 8, 2010; and (2) the examples set forth under the headings Contemporary Examples of Anti-Semitism and What is Anti-Semitism Relative to Israel? in the fact sheet. (B) In reviewing, investigating, or deciding whether there has been a violation of a college or university policy prohibiting discriminatory practices on the basis of religion, South Carolina public colleges and universities shall take into consideration the definition of anti-Semitism for purposes of determining whether the alleged practice was motivated by anti-Semitic intent. (C) Nothing in this section may be construed to diminish or infringe upon any right protected under the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States or Section 2, Article I of the South Carolina Constitution, 1895. SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor. It may seem as though Payporte has forgiven Cee-C after she berated them and ruined costumes given to her. Recall that during her stay at the Big Brother Naija house, the housemate destroyed the Efik bridal attire she received from Payporte, and she also said nasty things about the maker, asking why they wasted time to sew the dress. Her actions stirred major reactions from Nigerians, many of whom condemned her for disrespecting the Efik. Shortly after the outrage began, Payporte took to their social media to issue a statement, noting how displeased they are with her. The management of Payporte has finally made peace with Cee-C. See the statement the company made during the show below. PayPorte is very dis-pleased by the comments made by @ceec_official about the outfit given to her. We take out time to style all housemates with respect to the theme of every Saturday party. We consider this a disrespect to our brand and consider this offensive. The ex-housemate who eventually made it to the finals of the Big Brother Naija show, was around at Payportes office today and it was nothing but love as the company posted on their Instagram page. Cee-C also disclosed this during a question-and-answer session between finalists and their fans organised by Payporte. During the session, the beautiful ex-housemate acknowledged that she needed help for anger management and that she was willing to take classes for it. She replied a fan, saying, Yeah, I need anger management classes. Earlier, a foundation known as KBK gave Cee-C and Alex N250,000 each. Alex was given the money to take care of her sick dad, while Cee-C was told to use it for therapy and to also donate some of it to charity. Leave a Comment comments Members of the Nigerian senate this morning moved a motion for the impeachment of President Buhari. According to Premium Times, the senators moved the motion because the President did not seek the National Assemblys approval before the withdrawal of the $496 million used for the purchase of aircraft from the United States. Section 143 of the Nigerian constitution provides for the removal of the president from office. Senator Matthew Uroghide who moved the motion for the impeachment, said President Buharis move was a violation of the Constitution and thus, he should face the consequences. He prayed the Senate to invoke Section 143 to start the impeachment process of the President. Seconding the motion, Senator Chukwuka Utazi spoke in support of the move. This is an impeachable offence, an obviously angry Senator Utazi, said. On Wednesday, Senate President, Bukola Saraki, read a letter from President Buhari informing the house that the money had been withdrawn and paid to the United States for the 12 Super Tucano aircraft, ahead of legislative approval. The planes will be delivered in 2020. Recently, approval was granted by the United States government but with a deadline, within which part payment must be made otherwise the contract relapses. In the expectation that the National Assembly will have no objection to the purchase of these highly specialised aircraft, which is critical to national security, I granted anticipatory approval for the release of $496,374,470. This was paid directly into the treasury of the United States government. I am therefore writing seeking approval of the Senate for the sum of $496,374,470 (equivalent to N151,394, 421,035) to be included in the 2018 Appropriation Bill which the National Assembly is currently finalising. The balance of the requirement for critical operational equipment is still being collated from the different security services and will be presented in the form of a supplementary appropriation bill in due cause. Most of the senators argue that this is a breach of the constitution and that President Buhari must face the consequence. More details soon Leave a Comment comments A Nigerian woman who resides in the middle-east, has shocked many with her revelation she narrated the heartbreaking story of how her Saudi Arabian husband killed their three daughters. A Nigeria woman identified as Fatima Mohamid Khalil, has narrated how her Saudi Arabian husband allegedly slaughtered their three daughters on Sunday in Al-Rawdah District, Makkah. Fatima who disclosed that her daughters were sleeping with her in the main bedroom when their father woke them up quite early, said: This was an unusual act, but when I asked him why, he said that his father was coming to visit and that his three daughters needed to say hello to their grandfather. According to the Saudi Gazette, the woman said her husband took the three daughters to another room, adding that she didnt suspect anything, but after a while, she became suspicious and decided to go to the room to see what was happening. Fatima further said: I was shocked to see my middle daughter Rimaz in his hands soaked in her blood after he had slaughtered her with a knife. I tried to rescue her, but he pushed me away; I fell down. When I got up, he had already slaughtered our eldest and the youngest daughters. The woman said that she tried to go out, but discovered that the door had locked. She frantically searched for the key in the cupboard. While she was doing this, her husband changed his bloodstained clothes and calmly asked her to go with him to her grandmothers house. She said: He went out as if nothing had happened. I started crying and neighbours came, but it was too late. Fatima recalled that two weeks before the fateful day, her husband woke her up in the middle of the night and asked her to go to her grandmothers house. He said that he would mind the three girls. Later, the girls cried, asking for their mother. She said: Our neighbours heard their cries and informed the police, who came and arrested him, but he was soon released on bail. She said the police brought her daughters to her at her grandmothers house and their father started visiting them every day for about two weeks. Fatima recollected: He took me back to his apartment with our daughters the night of the incident. This was just a few hours before he committed his heinous crime. Fatima noted that her husband was a retired security guard, who is receiving a pension of SR4, 000, which was not enough to pay the house rent and meet other expenses. He did not pay the rent for three months and was indebted to our grocer by more than SR800, she said, adding that her life with the husband was turbulent, but she continued with him for the sake of her daughters. The man admitted to the police that he had killed his three daughters but didnt say why. The police believe that the man is a drug addict. Fatima is an orphan, who lost both her parents at an early age. She was brought up by her grandmother and an aunt. Leave a Comment comments Lilian Afegbai has confessed to have taken full permission from Alex before sitting on Tobis laps for a selfie. Fans however did not agree that Alex gave full permission because of the look she gave in the photo. See some reactions below: Meanwhile, Anita Joseph yesterday defended Alex on Instagram. She abandoned work to reply online troll accusing BBNaija Alex of being a husband snatcher. The former Big Brother housemate, Alex shared a recent photo which captured herself and Tobi smiling in a similar pose and a non Alex fan would have none of it. The lady, identified as ami_pinky took to the comment section of the photo and expressed displeasure as regards her current relationship with the Tobi and tagged Alex a husband snatcher. This attack of course did not go well with famous actress, Anita Joseph who replied the rude comment. Check out Anitas defense below: Leave a Comment comments .As APC bars Ajomale, other third term executives from re-contesting lagosAs part of preparations towards 2019 general elections, All Progressives Congress, APC, National Leader, Senator Bola Tinubu, yesterday, said the party fought hard for the conduct of congress against all odds and got it for true party democracy. Bola Tinubu He also announced ban on members who had spent a minimum of eight years as ward, council and state executive members from seeking re-election in its congresses across the state and by extension to all APC- controlled states. The announcement came barely 24 hours after Tinubu congratulated his party for embarking on the congresses inspite of oppositions, saying: It is the way to go in building and upholding a truly democratic political party. Tinubu, who announced the ban at the party Secretariat of the Lagos chapter, at ACME Road, Ikeja, during a stakeholders meeting with leadership and members of the party ahead of the May Congress, stressed that the decision was arrived at to inject new blood, new ideals, new development into the executives at all levels. According to him, The decision was to allow fresh people to occupy party offices at ward, local government and state levels with a view to taking the APC to the next level in the state. Tinubu commended the 68-member National Convention Committee headed by Governor Abubakar Badaru, saying: I congratulate the Chairman and members of the Congresses/Convention Committee of our party. Governor Abubakar Badaru of Jigawa State, who is the chairman of the committee, is a man reputed to be of high character and integrity. Working with other members of the committee, Im persuaded that our party would conduct hitch-free congresses at all levels and the national convention. I also congratulate our party for embarking on the congresses against all odds. This is the way to go if we are desirous of building and upholding a truly democratic political party. Our ultimate goal should be the greater interest of the party. Tinubu, at the meeting which was well attended said: We fought hard against tenure elongation and now we are going to have our congresses. You sent a message through our leader, Oluyole Olusi, on behalf of Lagos that we dont want tenure elongation. Ever since, we have worked tirelessly. Now the council has agreed that there will be congress. Congress committee members have been inaugurated yesterday (Monday) with Governor Badaru of Jigawa as the chairman. 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... This content is from: Culture With data out there, we can have an adult conversation about why theres so much underutilization of talented women and people of color, said Robert Raben, executive director and founder of the Diverse Asset Managers Initiative. LANSING, Mich. - April 26, 2018 (Investorideas.com Newswire) The Michigan State Board of Canvassers certified on Thursday that the Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol (CRMLA) has enough signatures to place an initiative that would make marijuana legal and regulated for adults on the state's November ballot. If approved by voters, Michigan would become the first state in the Midwest with an adult-use cannabis law. "This November, Michigan voters will have the opportunity to replace the failed policy of marijuana prohibition with a system of taxation and regulation," said Matthew Schweich, executive director of the Marijuana Policy Project and treasurer of the CRMLA committee. "With the certification process complete, we can now turn our attention to educating voters about why approving this initiative is a sensible public policy decision that serves the interests of the people of Michigan." In addition to allowing adults age 21 and older to possess and cultivate limited amounts of marijuana, the initiative would: regulate marijuana businesses that cultivate, process, test, transport, and sell marijuana; legalize the cultivation of industrial hemp (used to make textiles, biodegradable plastics, food, construction materials, and fuel); protect consumers with proper testing and safety regulations for retail marijuana; impose a 10 percent excise tax on marijuana sold at the retail level on top of the state's six percent sales tax; and give local governments the option of whether they want to allow marijuana businesses in their communities. Voter-initiated laws in Michigan are required to collect 252,523 valid signatures to have an issue placed on the ballot. CRMLA submitted more than 365,000 signatures to the state Elections Bureau in November last year. Elections Bureau staff estimate that more than 277,000 signatures were valid. Organizations supporting the coalition include the Marijuana Policy Project, the National Cannabis Industry Association, the ACLU of Michigan, the Drug Policy Alliance, the National Patients Rights Association, Michigan NORML, and MILegalize. For more information about the ballot initiative, including full language of the proposed law, please visit www.RegulateMI.org. The initiative is being certified at a time when national attention is focused on marijuana policy reform. Earlier this month, President Trump reiterated his position in favor of not interfering with state marijuana policies in a conversation with Sen. Cory Gardner and assured him that the Department of Justice would not target individuals and businesses that are in compliance with state marijuana laws. "Congress is poised to effectively end federal marijuana prohibition this year or next, but states such as Michigan will still need to enact laws that dictate how marijuana will be regulated," added Schweich. "Federal reform would not negate the need for this Michigan ballot initiative." Marijuana is currently legal for adults in nine states and the District of Columbia. Eight states have enacted laws legalizing and regulating marijuana for adult use, and marijuana possession and limited home cultivation are legal in Vermont and the District of Columbia. More than 20 states are considering bills to make marijuana legal for adults this year. The Marijuana Policy Project is the nation's largest marijuana policy organization. For more information, visit http://www.MarijuanaPolicy.org. Contact Local perspective John Truscott 517-420-0551, jtruscott@truscottrossman.com National perspective Morgan Fox 202-905-2031, mfox@mpp.org 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 Toronto, Ontario - April 26, 2018 (Newsfile Corp.) (Investorideas.com Newswire) Pancontinental Gold Corporation (TSXV: PUC) ("Pancon" or the "Company") has entered into an option agreement (the "Agreement") effective April 25, 2018 with Hastings Highlands Resources Limited ("Hastings") to earn up to 76% of the McBride Nickel-Cobalt-Copper Project (the "McBride Project or the "Project"), located in Limerick Township, 25 kilometres south of Bancroft, Ontario. If Hastings, a private company, chooses not to fund its share of the joint venture after 76% is earned, Pancon can fully fund the joint venture and increase its ownership to 90%. The McBride Project, covering 880 hectares, contains Historical Resources of an estimated 5.1 million tons of near-surface nickel-cobalt-copper mineralization. It includes: the North Zone deposit, the South Zone deposit, and the South Extension prospect [Reno Pressacco, Micon International Limited ("Micon"), 2004, NI 43-101 Technical Report]. The Project was discovered in the 1960s and diamond drill tested with more than 90 holes by Macassa Gold Mines Limited ("Macassa") and Long Lac Minerals Limited ("Long Lac"), which later acquired control of Macassa. In 1971, Long Lac produced the following Historical Resource estimate [Pressacco/Micon, 2004; and Robert Chataway, 2015, NI 43-101 Technical Report]: North Zone: 3.9 million tons grading 0.82% nickel, 0.054% cobalt and 0.25% copper; South Zone: 1.2 million tons, grading 0.30% nickel, 0.03% cobalt and 0.14% copper. The foregoing Historical Resource estimates presented above were completed prior to the implementation of the NI 43-101 requirements; however, given the high quality of the historic work completed and the respective mining companies' reputations and production history of the previous Project owners, Pancon believes the Historical Resource estimates to be both relevant and reliable. In addition, a Qualified Person has not completed sufficient work to classify these historic mineral resources as current mineral resources; and the Company is not treating the Historic Resources as current. Pancon President and CEO, Layton Croft, stated: "Adding this advanced stage nickel-cobalt-copper Project to Pancon's growing battery metals portfolio is a game changer. Given today's prices and market outlooks for nickel, cobalt and copper compared to 1971 when Long Lac planned to mine these deposits, we believe there is exceptional exploration and development potential. Its prime location and excellent infrastructure will keep costs and project risk down. The Project development plan is to re-sample existing core, conduct infill and exploration drilling, verify and possibly increase known resources, and produce an updated NI 43-101-compliant Technical Report. Following that will be state-of-the-art airborne versatile time domain electromagnetic (VTEM) surveys and airborne gravity surveys, as well as soil geochemical surveys, in order to identify and drill new targets, followed by metallurgical testing on fresh drill core and the completion of a Preliminary Economic Assessment." Option Agreement Highlights Pancon has the exclusive right to acquire up to a 76% interest in the McBride Project through three option stages. The first option, for an initial 26% interest, requires the Company: to pay $142,500 in cash plus applicable 2017 property taxes; to issue 500,000 Common Shares of the Company to Hastings; and to spend a minimum of $1.5 million on the Project within the first year of the option period. The second option, for an additional 25% interest and a total of 51% ownership, requires the Company: to make annual payments of $142,500 in cash plus applicable property taxes; and to spend at least $3 million on work essential to producing a Scoping Study (Preliminary Economic Assessment), during the next four years. The third option, for an additional 25% interest and a total 76% ownership, requires the Company to: to make annual payments of $142,500 in cash plus applicable property taxes until the property is in production; and to complete a Feasibility Study by the end of the sixth year of the option period. Once Pancon earns 76%, Pancon and Hastings will form a joint venture. If Hastings chooses not to fund its share of the joint venture, Pancon can fully fund the joint venture and increase its earned share to 90%, with Hastings retaining a 10% free-carried interest. When the Project becomes a producing mine, Pancon and Hastings will assume responsibility for paying the 16 mineral rights holders their respective share of 1.75% net smelter returns (NSR) royalty payments. If Pancon's ownership increases to 90%, Pancon will assume full responsibility for the NSR payments, noting that the 1.75% NSR can be reduced by 0.75%, to a 1% NSR, for a payment of $1 million. Pancon and Hastings have formed a 4-person Project Management Committee, with two representatives from each company. Pancon has appointed Layton Croft, its President, CEO and Director, and David Mosher, the Company's founding Director and member of its Technical Advisory Committee. Hastings has appointed its Chairman, Derek McBride, and its President, Angus Ross. The Management Committee will prepare and approve work programs and budgets, review quarterly progress reports, and monitor results during the option period. Decisions of the Management Committee will be made by majority vote, with Pancon having the casting vote. Project Development Plan Pancon, in partnership with Hastings, has developed a cost-effective project development plan that, pending funding, aims to deliver the following: an updated NI 43-101-compliant Technical Report; a Scoping Study (Preliminary Economic Assessment); and a Feasibility Study. In May 2018, the Company plans to begin digitizing all available data and surveys, compiling down-hole survey data, and planning a new drill program. The 70 drill holes from 1969-1970 will be re-logged and re-sampled since hole locations are known, all collars remain, and most were surveyed precisely. The surface exploration program will focus on the eastern contact of the Thanet Complex, along strike from both the North and South Zones. Phase 1 of the project work program will include re-establishing grid lines, prospecting, geological mapping, stripping, trenching, geochemical surveys, and state-of-the-art airborne gravity and versatile time domain electromagnetic (VTEM) geophysical surveys. Phase 2 will include infill drilling to test and confirm previous drill results, and exploration drilling on new targets generated in Phase 1, all to support an updated NI 43-101 resource estimate for the North Zone and South Zone. Phase 3 will include metallurgical work on fresh core that is not oxidized, in order to see base metal recoveries as well as precious metal content and recoveries. The technical team leader and Qualified Person for the McBride Project is Hastings' Chairman, Dr. Derek McBride, P.Eng., who possesses 40 years of professional experience as a geological engineer and structural and economic geologist. McBride is credited with discovering the Nugget Pond Gold Mine in Newfoundland, Canada, as well as the Reward Gold Deposit in New South Wales, Australia. His written reports cover deposits in 16 countries around the world and include most types of precious and base metal deposits. A Toronto native with a Diploma of Mining Technology from the Haileybury School of Mines, B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees in geological engineering from Queen's University, and a Ph.D. in structural and economic geology from the University of New Brunswick, McBride has been diligently studying for more than 17 years what Pancon has named the McBride Project. McBride Project Highlights Strategic Context The Project is located in Limerick Township, 25 kilometres south of Bancroft, 80 kilometres north of Belleville, and 250 kilometres east-northeast of Toronto. The property is easily accessible via Provincial Highway 62 and then by a gravel road for approximately 1.5 kilometres. A secondary power line runs to within 1 kilometre of the Project's North Zone, and the major Provincial power grid crosses Highway 62 about 17 kilometres south of the Project [Chataway, 2015]. The Project is proximal to the Canadian National Railway network, providing the opportunity to cost effectively transport future concentrate to the nearest nickel smelting facility, in Sudbury. The 880-hectare property consists of 41 fifty-acre half lots [Chataway, 2015]. Land titles are Fee Simple Grants, Patented Mining Claims with surface and mineral rights or mineral rights only, plus staked claims. Crown lands were staked by Hastings [Chataway, 2015]. Limerick Township is a rural area with minor logging operations and no other industrial activity, and it has little farming in the area due to a lack of arable soil and the cold mid-Ontario climate. The general region around Bancroft has a long history of minerals exploration and mining; Bancroft is the nearest community with necessities and accommodations for the rural population. Salient History Pancon has possession of Macassa's September 29, 1970 Interim Report on its Feasibility Study of the Project, conducted by W.A. Moore, P.Eng.. According to the Report, "it would appear that the property could be brought successfully into production and that it would make a profit, provided that the ore reserve grade of 0.253% copper, 0.825% nickel and 0.054% cobaltwill stand up." The Report discusses four other factors that must be considered before going into production, including "metallurgy, metal prices, tax climate, and the ore picture at depth" (Moore, 1970). The Report refers to "initial metallurgical test results which showed that recoveries of 95% for copper and 85% for nickel and cobalt were possible" (Moore, 1970). The Report models three production scenarios: 1,000 tons per day, 1,250 tons per day, and 1,500 tons per day (Moore, 1970). However, sudden changes in Long Lac/Macassa corporate leadership and a decision to focus on gold projects resulted in the Project not becoming a mine at the time. Long Lac sold the Project in 1999. Limerick Mines Limited ("Limerick") acquired the Project, and in 2003 engaged Micon to complete a National Instrument 43-101-compliant Technical Report on the Project (which was filed on SEDAR in October, 2004). Limerick conducted geophysical surveys and drilled 8 diamond drill holes, including 5 verification holes twinning historic drill holes, on the North Zone. Limerick designed a work program to confirm the Historical Resource estimate, produce a NI 43-101-compliant resource estimate, and produce a Scoping Study. The 2004 Micon Technical Report concluded that the twinning drill results essentially supported the Long Lac results, and agreed with the work program proposed by Limerick. Unfortunately, the Limerick work program was never completed. Hastings acquired the Project in 2010, and was left with the task of re-negotiating agreements with all the landowners. Hastings also conducted limited geochemical and geophysical surveys, led by Hastings' Chairman, Dr. Derek McBride, which resulted in discovery of the Project's Southern Extension prospect. In 2015, Hastings engaged Robert T. Chataway, P.Geo., to produce an updated NI 43-101 Technical Report on the Project. Technical Highlights According to S. B. Lumbers, in his 1969 "Geology of Limerick and Tudor Townships" report on file at the Ontario Department of Mines [Geological Report 67, page 75], an article published in the Northern Miner on April 12, 1962 described Macassa's resource estimate based on the 23 diamond drill holes it drilled in 1960-61. According to Lumbers [1969, page 75] referencing that 1962 Northern Miner article: "Average nickel assays as high as 1.77% over 66 feet (20 metres) and as low as 0.52% over 21 feet (6.4 metres) have been obtained. Copper is rarely present in amounts greater than 0.5%, and, in general, copper assays are highest where nickel assays are highest. Cobalt is present in the mineralized zone in amounts generally less than 0.1%, and traces of gold and silver are common." In the 1960s, Macassa drilled 23 holes (totalling 4,157 metres of core) on the North Zone, after which Long Lac drilled another 70 holes (totalling 12,800 metres of core) on both the North Zone and the South Zone [Pressacco/Micon, 2004]. The North Zone deposit was outlined with a strike length of 200-250 metres, to a vertical depth of approximately 300 metres. The South Zone deposit, located 1,200 metres south-southwest of the North Zone deposit, was outlined with a strike length of 360 metres, to a vertical depth of 150 metres. Both the North Zone and South Zone deposits are open at depth and along strike [Pressacco/Micon, 2004]. According to the 2004 NI 43-101 Technical Report by Reno Pressacco, M.Sc. and P.Geo., of Micon International Limited [page 15], "The North Zone has a core of massive to semi-massive sulphides surrounded by a halo of disseminated sulphides. The sulphides are dominated by chalcopyrite, pyrrhotite, and pentlandite. The distribution of sulphide minerals indicates that the North Zone consists of a band of massive sulphide mineralization that strikes north-south and dips west at about 75 degrees. This mineralization has been traced along a strike length of some 200-250 metres, and is in the form of a "J," with the best grade mineralization located along the base of the "J." The plunge of the mineralization is to the north between 70-80 degrees, and remains open below a depth of approximately 300 metres. The northern strike extension of the mineralization also remains untested. In the central part of the North Zone, multiple bands are present in the same hole. Such a pattern strongly suggests that the band has been deformed, producing folds plunging north at a steep angle. Fold repetition produces a mineralized pod some 90 metres in diameter in the base of the "J." The long arm of the "J" strikes in a northward direction, and the short arm strikes in a westward direction." Pressacco [2004, page 15] continues: "The South Zone is subdivided into a north and south section. Previous drilling has outlined mineralization, also consisting of pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite, and pentlandite, along a strike length of 360 metres and for depths up to 150 metres." Resource Expansion and Precious Metal Potential According to the 2015 NI 43-101 Technical Report by Robert T. Chataway, P.Geo. [page 19]: "For the most part, the strike and depth limits of these zones have not been identified by these historical drill holes. In the writer's opinion, there remains potential for the discovery of concentrations of more nickel-copper sulphide mineralization in the vicinity of the North and South Zones. As well, the strike length of the eastern contact of the Thanet Complex has not been fully evaluated for its potential to host nickel-copper mineralization, and this area is an attractive target for exploration activities. The author agrees with Micon's [2004] conclusion that the presence and approximate grades of nickel-copper mineralization at the North Zone are reliable as 'Historical Resources.' As well, the author is satisfied that the quality of information presented for the South Zone is of sufficient calibre to use as a guide for exploration activities. Potential risks to the project are a change in commodity prices." In addition to the above, historical drill logs from Long Lac show evidence of precious metals, including gold, silver, platinum and palladium. According to Chataway [2015, page 16], "early in the exploration history of this property, the lack of assay values for platinum and palladium can be attributed to the high cost of an individual assay and the low commodity prices for platinum and palladium. It wasn't until the late 1980s and early 1990s that assay costs and analytical reliabilities became acceptable for use in applications of exploration programs. Along with higher commodity prices and increased demand, the inclusion of precious group metal value became more common in the evaluation of nickel-copper deposits." Pancon: A Rapidly Growing Battery Metals Explorer and Developer The advanced stage McBride Project enables Pancon to dramatically build on its new battery metals commodity focus, taking advantage of rising market demand and prices for cobalt, nickel and copper. Like the Company's Montcalm West Nickel-Cobalt-Copper Project near Timmins, Ontario, and the Company's Jefferson Gold Project in South Carolina, Pancon's new McBride Nickel-Cobalt-Copper Project is: A highly prospective, under-explored project in a proven historic mining region; and Located in a safe, low-risk jurisdiction with a stable, predictable and pro-mining legal, regulatory and political regime, excellent infrastructure, and strong community support. However, unlike Montcalm West and Jefferson, McBride is an advanced stage Project with two existing deposits, the result of more than 100 diamond drill holes by reputable and successful exploration and mining companies. To reflect Pancon's focus on battery metals, the McBride Project acquisition, and the Company's new growth trajectory, the Board of Directors intends to propose a change in the Company's name to Pancontinental Resources Corporation at the June 21, 2018 Annual General Meeting. Qualified Person The technical information in this news release has been prepared in accordance with the Canadian regulatory requirements set out in NI 43-101 and reviewed and approved by Dr. Derek McBride, P.Eng., a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101 and a technical advisor for Pancontinental. About Pancontinental Gold Corporation Pancontinental is a Canadian-based mining company focused on the exploration and development of its McBride Nickel-Cobalt-Copper Project in Ontario, Canada; its Montcalm West Nickel-Cobalt-Copper Project in Ontario, Canada; and its 100%-owned Jefferson Gold Project in South Carolina, USA. The Company continues to focus on acquiring additional prospective properties in low-risk areas with existing resources and/or in proximity to producing or former mines. In 2015, Pancontinental sold its interest in its Australian rare earth element (REE) and uranium properties, formerly held through a joint venture, and retains a 1% gross overriding royalty on 100% of future production. For further information, please contact: Layton Croft President and CEO |1-416-293-8437 1-980-309-8419 laytoncroft@pancongold.com For additional information please visit our web site: www.pancongold.com, and our Twitter feed: @PanconGold. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Language and Forward Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking information which is not comprised of historical facts. Forward-looking information is characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. Forward-looking information involves risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events, results, and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking information include, but are not limited to, changes in the state of equity and debt markets, fluctuations in commodity prices, delays in obtaining required regulatory or governmental approvals, and other risks involved in the mineral exploration and development industry, including those risks set out in the Company's management's discussion and analysis as filed under the Company's profile at www.sedar.com. Forward-looking information in this news release is based on the opinions and assumptions of management considered reasonable as of the date hereof, including that all necessary governmental and regulatory approvals will be received as and when expected. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, other than as required by applicable securities laws. 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 26, 2018 (Investorideas.com Newswire) Canaccord Genuity analyst Eric Zaunscherb relayed where this company stands with respect to building its mine and plant. In an April 23 research note, Eric Zaunscherb, an analyst with Canaccord Genuity, reported that eCobalt Solutions Inc. (ECS:TSX;ECSIF:OTCQX;FRA:FCO) provided a progress update on its advanced-stage Idaho cobalt project, currently in the preconstruction phase. Numerous efforts in that regard have begun and are underway. Concerning the water treatment plant, contracts were awarded for its construction, Zaunscherb indicated, and components of the plant are being delivered. In general, contracts were given for construction of infrastructure, earthworks and concrete. The advanced roaster is being design engineered based on pilot tests. Key staff positions, such as mine manager, superintendents and metallurgists, continue being filled. Construction should move into full swing this summer, Zaunscherb noted. Before that, however, in Q2/18, eCobalt is expected to release its optimized feasibility study on Idaho. What Canaccord anticipates seeing in that study is "production ramping up from 2020 and achieving steady state of about 900 tons per annum cobalt in cobalt sulphate at a cash cost of US$15 per pound the following year," Zaunscherb outlined. This cost compares to the current $44 cobalt price, according to the Metal Bulletin. ECobalt stock is currently trading at CA$1.40 per share. However, a rerating should occur, Zaunscherb opined, once the company completes the feasibility study and obtains financing for development. On eCobalt, Canaccord Genuity has a CA$1.80 price target and a Speculative Buy rating. Read what other experts are saying about: Disclosure: 1) Doresa Banning compiled this article for Streetwise Reports LLC and provides services to Streetwise reports as an independent contractor. She or members of her household own securities of the following companies mentioned in the article: None. 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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 This collection features the arguments in favor of and against the renaming of Catt Hall on Iowa State's campus, which was named in Geography The small town of Seborga, with 320 inhabitants, is located inland between Ospedaletti and Bordighera and is about 46 km from the capital. From mild climate with cool summers and mild winters, Seborga is ideally located, always sunny and with large mountains behind which it is protected from cold northern winds. History There is a copy of a document dated 954, in which a marquis Guido, Imperial Count of Ventimiglia, departing for Spain, to bring help to King Alfonso (in subsidium illustris D.ni Ildefonsi, regis Hispanie), which fights against perfidos saracenos, would donate the properties located in Seborga to the Benedictine monks of the abbey of Lerins. The document also cited a "Louis, emperor of the Romans", Thomas, comite Sabaudie (and fratre uxoris mee) and Raimondo, marchione Montisferrati or characters and titles, which did not exist in the year 954 .. However, a donation of Seborga to Lerino , by a Count Guido of Ventimiglia, not dated in 954, seems to be valid during a process dating back to 1177, preserved in authentic copy of the year 1305. In fact, in the second half of the twelfth century the town of Ventimiglia claims that Seborga becomes part of its territory. Then began a lawsuit with the abbot of Lerins and July 13 1177 the sentence was rendered by the bishop of Ventimiglia and Ventimiglia consuls who recognized the legacy of Count Guido, according to the act of donation (quod for privelugium bullatum bulla dicti comitis comprobabat) and the testimony of twelve local elders. The majority of academic historians admit the authenticity of the act in 1177 but there are influential authors that put into question the act in 1177 considering it a fake of the year 1305. In 1181 the Republic of Genoa, which had extended its domains up to Nice claimed to take the protection of the islands of Lerins and therefore also of Seborga; in reality, Seborga continued to depend politically and administratively from the County of Provence. This situation remained unchanged until the eighteenth century, however centuries marked by constant bickering about the extent of the borders of Seborga. In 1666, on Christmas Eve, Abbot Cesare Bacillon outsources Bernardino Bareste a brand for a period of five years after a payment of 740 pounds a year. There are imitations of petit louis coined from 1667 to 1671. The coins bore straight side the bust of St. Benedict and the reverse the coat of arms, still in use. The circulation of these coins was prohibited by the King of Sardinia in 1667 and the coins themselves were stigmatized as fraudulent by the Bishop of Nice in 1672. There are known other contracts of the mint in 1679 and in 1684, but are not known products of these contracts afterwards. In 1697 Vittorio Amedeo II of Savoy is about to buy the territory of Seborga but the opposition of the Genoese who pressured the Pope Innocent XII makes that the sale is perfected only thirty years later (January 31, 1729). Seborga became first, with the Liguria, in 1815 part of the Kingdom of Sardinia, of the Kingdom of Italy and the Italian Republic then. From 1973 to April 30, 2011 it was part of the Mountain Community Intemelia latter suppressed by the Regional Law n 23 of December 29 2010 and in force since 1 May 2011. The alleged independence of Seborga Since the fifties of the XX century some members of the community of Seborga have claimed independence from the Italian Republic, by virtue of an alleged ancient principality status, formerly enjoyed by the locality, deeming invalid the annexation to the kingdom of Sardinia. The citizens of Seborga therefore elect a leader with purely symbolic functions: the role was played from May 14 1963 until November 25 2009, the date of his death, by Giorgio Carbone (George I), and from April 25 2010 by Marcello Menegatto (Marcello). The Prince is assisted by a council of nine ministers, with no legal power. The principality mints a coin, called Luigino (name inspired by that of the coins minted in the seventeenth century), without any legal value, but used as a voucher redeemable in the city; This gave rise to some interest in the world of numismatic collecting. The value given to the so-called luigino is set at US $ 6. Seborga also has its own "license plates" which, however, can not be used except a latere of the Italian. There are then distributed to the applicants" passports "and" driving licenses "and stamps bearing the effigy of the principality that are only for folk and tourism promotion. The supposed independence of the principality would be, according to many, just a publicity stunt to attract tourists and investors. The principality of Seborga is not recognized by Italy, which has de jure and de facto the real jurisdiction over the area. Symbols The coat of arms was approved with the decree of the President of the Republic dated February 9 1994. Economy In addition to economy as a tourist destination, Seborga is known for its agricultural activity: in particular, the growing and harvesting of the olives and the flower production. Thanks to Seborga's publicity as a principality, tourism has expanded in recent years. The principality's historic town centre was also restored, ensuring that its charms were protected from commercial overdevelopment. Monuments and places of interest Religious Architecture: . Parish Church of San Martino Tours. . Church of San Bernardo. . Palazzo dei Monaci. Civil architectures: . Government Palace. Military architecture: . The four bastions. . The old prisons. [Credits Davide Papalini] Natural areas Montenero. Museums . Museum of peasant civilization. . Museum of the mint. . Permanent exhibition of musical instruments. Events . Feast of St. Bernard, 20th August. . Night white-blue. . Feast of the Principality. . Beer Feast. Transport Seborga is situated along the provincial road 57. The highway exit of Bordighera on the A10 is the one close to it. Today Some clouds and possibly an isolated thunderstorm late. Low 72F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%. Tonight Some clouds and possibly an isolated thunderstorm late. Low 72F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%. Tomorrow A few clouds early, otherwise mostly sunny. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 92F. Winds light and variable. A train carrying two survivors and the remains of Chinese citizens killed in a road traffic accident in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) last Sunday, arrived in Shenyang, the capital of Liaoning Province, at 9 a.m. Thursday, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said. An injured Chinese tourist is treated at a hospital in DPRK. [Screenshot: CCTV] Kim Jong Un, top leader of the DPRK, went to the station to see off the train, which left Pyongyang Wednesday night, and once again expressed his condolences to the victims and their families, spokesperson Hua Chunying told a routine press conference Thursday afternoon. Kim also boarded the train to see the injured, Hua said. Several senior government and party officials of the DPRK were on board. Chinese Ambassador to the DPRK Li Jinjun, a team consisting of Chinese Embassy staff and diplomatic workers of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, as well as medical specialists were also on the train. Kim and other leaders of the DPRK sent messages of condolences to their Chinese counterparts Wednesday. A tourist bus fell from a bridge in North Hwanghae Province of the DPRK at around 6 p.m. last Sunday. The victims included 34 Chinese -- 32 dead and two seriously injured. Gao Xiaobing, vice minister of Civil Affairs, received the train in Shenyang Thursday morning, said Hua. China will continue to provide help to the families of the victims for handling the aftermath. Pixar Toy Story Land, the seventh theme park at the Shanghai Disney Resort, opened to visitors on Thursday afternoon, April 26, 2018, reports thepaper.cn. The seventh theme park opens at the Shanghai Disney Resort on Thursday, April 26, 2018. The Pixar Toy Story Land includes Slinky Dog Spin, Rex's Racer, Woody's Roundup, Meeting Post, Toy Box Cafe and Al's Toy Barn. [Photo: VCG] Inspired and based on the animation "Toy Story," the Pixar Toy Story Land includes three brand-new scenes, namely Slinky Dog Spin, Rex's Racer and Woody's Roundup. An area called Meeting Post has been created for meeting with Disney friends; Toy Box Cafe serves refreshments, while Al's Toy Barn sells toys and souvenirs. The seventh theme park opens at the Shanghai Disney Resort on Thursday, April 26, 2018. The Pixar Toy Story Land includes Slinky Dog Spin, Rex's Racer, Woody's Roundup, Meeting Post, Toy Box Cafe and Al's Toy Barn. [Photo: VCG] Robert Allen Iger, Chairman and CEO of The Walt Disney Company, attended the opening ceremony Thursday morning. Animated characters in "Toy Story," including Woody and Buzz Lightyear, were all on hand to celebrate the special moment. The seventh theme park opens at the Shanghai Disney Resort on Thursday, April 26, 2018. The Pixar Toy Story Land includes Slinky Dog Spin, Rex's Racer, Woody's Roundup, Meeting Post, Toy Box Cafe and Al's Toy Barn. [Photo: VCG] Iger said that he hoped the new theme park would bring more exciting experiences to visitors from China and elsewhere. The seventh theme park opens at the Shanghai Disney Resort on Thursday, April 26, 2018. The Pixar Toy Story Land includes Slinky Dog Spin, Rex's Racer, Woody's Roundup, Meeting Post, Toy Box Cafe and Al's Toy Barn. [Photo: VCG] Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday called for achieving high-quality economic growth through developing the Yangtze River economic belt. Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, speaks at a symposium on promoting the development of the Yangtze River economic belt in Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei Province, April 26, 2018. [Photo: Xinhua] Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks at a symposium on promoting the development of the Yangtze River economic belt in Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei Province. He stressed the importance of enhancing reform and innovation, strategic coordination as well as planning and guiding in developing the economic belt. "It is a major decision made by the CPC Central Committee and a major strategy concerning overall national development to promote the development of the Yangtze River economic belt," Xi said. He called for all-out efforts to protect the Yangtze River, saying there should be no large-scale development of the river. "In developing the economic belt, the key lies in properly dealing with the relationship between pressing ahead on the whole and making breakthroughs in key areas, between ecological environment protection and economic development, between making an overall plan and making unremitting efforts, between getting rid of old growth engines and cultivating new engines, and between developing individually and developing in a coordinated way," he said. Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, speaks at a symposium on promoting the development of the Yangtze River economic belt in Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei Province, April 26, 2018. [Photo: Xinhua] Before the symposium, Xi on Tuesday inspected Hubei Xingfa Chemicals Group, China's largest fine phosphoric chemicals maker and the largest relocated company in the Three Gorges Reservoir region. "The Yangtze River is China's mother river, and we must protect it, while enterprises are the major force in protecting and building the ecological environment of the river," he said. "We must move all polluting enterprises from along the Yangtze River with resolve... to root out hidden dangers of pollution," he stressed. Xi called for putting restoration of the river's ecological environment high on the agenda in developing the Yangtze River economic belt. "When we say there should be no large-scale development, it does not mean we cannot develop it at all, but we should stay away from destructive development of the river, and we should follow a green development path which puts ecology first," Xi said. Also on Tuesday, Xi inspected the Three Gorges Project and the dam area's neighboring ecological environment. Calling the Three Gorges Project a crucial piece of high-end equipment for the nation and a major symbol of China's development since the reform and opening-up, Xi stressed the importance of having the capability to make really important high-end equipment "using our own hands." "To get core and key technology, begging alms won't work," Xi said. "We must rely on our own hard work." On Wednesday morning, Xi inspected the ecological environment and development along the Yangtze River by ship. Describing restoration of the river's ecological environment "an arduous task that the new era has entrusted to us" and "the high expectations of the people," Xi called for top priority to be given to stopping unplanned development and capping the total pollution discharge. "We must not allow the ecological environment of the Yangtze River to continue deteriorating in the hands of our generation, and we must leave our descendants a clean and beautiful Yangtze River," he said. On Thursday afternoon, Xi chaired a symposium on promoting the development of the Yangtze River economic belt. "We must proceed from the long-term interests of the Chinese nation to put restoring the ecological environment of the Yangtze River at a dominant position, making all-out efforts to protect it, and forbidding large-scale development of the river," he said. The aim is to build the economic belt into a golden economic belt featuring more beautiful ecology, more smooth transport, more coordinated economy, more integrated market and more scientific mechanisms, he said. Saying that difficulties and challenges remain in developing the Yangtze River economic belt, Xi made five suggestions to promote the development of the Yangtze River economic belt. First, efforts should be made to properly deal with the relationship between pressing ahead on the whole and making breakthroughs in key areas, so as to protect and restore the ecological environment of the Yangtze River in all aspects. Second, efforts should be made to properly deal with the relationship between ecological environment protection and economic development, and explore a new path which puts ecology first while pursuing green development. Third, efforts should be made to properly deal with the relationship between making an overall plan and making unremitting efforts, and stick to a single blueprint until the end. Fourth, efforts should be made to properly deal with the relationship between getting rid of old growth engines and cultivating new engines, and facilitate the establishment of a modern economic system for the Yangtze River economic belt. Finally, efforts should be made to properly deal with the relationship between developing individually and developing in a coordinated way so as to make the economic belt an efficient economic entity. Vice Premier Han Zheng, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and also head of the leading group for promoting the development of the Yangtze River economic belt, addressed the symposium. FROM THEIR HOME TO YOURS Although one of the newest businesses in Jamestown will not open for a couple more weeks, the owners already are seeing curious passersby at their soon-to-be former location in North... Rental rules still in limbo A subcommittee has been formed to incorporate suggestions from the town councilors into a proposed ordinance to govern short-term rentals. The council formed the panel at its Sept. 20 meeting.... Agreement pending for Simpatico There is an apparent deal in place for the sale of Simpatico Jamestown, but the principals are being tight-lipped until its finalized. If it does happen, it will reunite a... The international community should adhere to dialogue, mutual respect and shared responsibilities in improving the global security governance system, Chinese senior official Guo Shengkun said in Sochi, Russia on Wednesday. Guo Shengkun [File photo: Xinhua] Guo, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and a member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, made the remarks in a keynote speech at the 9th International Meeting of High Representatives for Security Issues in the Russian city of Sochi, which has brought together representatives from 119 countries. Guo, also head of the Commission for Political and Legal Affairs of the CPC Central Committee, said that Chinese President Xi Jinping's proposal to build a new-type of international relations and a community with a shared future for humanity provides important instructions for all parties to work together in dealing with global security challenges in new situations and improving the global security governance system. To that end, members of the international community should adhere to dialogue and negotiations in differences, as well as sharing responsibilities and helping each other while promoting constructive cooperation among different civilizations, so as to ensure the common security for all, Guo said. For its part, China will continue to contribute to building world peace and stability and maintaining the international order by continuing to open up to the outside world while advocating the democratization of international relations, said Guo. On the margins of the Sochi security meeting, Guo also attended the informal meetings of heads of delegations of the BRICS countries and of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). Twenty-one humanitarian organizations issued a joint statement [text, PDF] on Tuesday condemning the Greek governments decision to reinstate a migrant containment policy after it was struck down by the nations highest administrative court. Amnesty International, Oxfam, and Human Rights Watch [advocacy websites] were among the groups that called the action a challenge to the rule of law in Greece. The groups called on the Greek government to rapidly expand safe accommodation and access to services on the mainland and create a system to move people quickly to mainland accommodation that provides for their medical and mental health needs while their asylum application is processed. The EU should look at sharing responsibility across member states and increasing availability of more safe and legal channels into the EU Under Greeces containment policy, migrants arriving by sea from the Middle East and Turkey are kept in conditions that the groups describe as substandard and appalling on islands in the Aegean. The Greek government claims that the policy is necessary to implement the 2016 migrant deal between the EU and Turkey. Last week, the Council of State [official website, in Greek], the nations top administrative court, ordered a stop to containment and required that migrants be able to travel to the mainland in compliance with EU standards of freedom of movement. The court found that the policy was not mandated by compliance with the EU-Turkey deal. Despite this ruling, members Greek parliament have introduced a measure to reinstate the invalidated policy. Co-Ed Scouting Move is Latest Strike in 'War on Boyhood,' Says Leadership Champion 'Struggling' boys continue to lose out when their unique needs are overlooked, warns Trail Life USA CEO Mark Hancock Contact: Adam McManus, 210-373-7499 BELTON, S.C., April 25, 2018 /Christian Newswire/ -- The leader of a boys-only outdoor adventure program has warned of the consequences of what he says is the latest strike in the "war on boyhood." Photo: Trail Life USA CEO Mark Hancock Trail Life USA CEO Mark Hancock spoke out after reports of how the Boys Scouts of America (BSA) has welcomed hundreds of girls to local groups since doing away with its boys-only policy last fall. Hancock said the way the BSA move is playing out has confirmed fears that boys would be further marginalized. He referenced how in one media report, a BSA den leader said that the new girls had been calmer and easier to manage, while the boys were more easily distracted. "Can you imagine what's going to happen in that co-ed environment, where girls raise their hands to answer questions while boys squirm and poke each other?" Hancock commented. "In no time at all, the adults will be saying, 'Why can't you behave like Susie?' That previously all-boy environment will favor the compliance of girls and, once again, boys will be told they can't quite cut it." Hancock said this latest development is another move negatively impacting boys who, according to government statistics, are: three times more likely to be enrolled in special education four times more likely to be diagnosed ADHD outnumbered two to one in top-10 senior rankings "Confined to classroom settings more suited to girls and denied rough-and-tumble experiences that help them learn and grow, it is no wonder boys are struggling," Hancock said. "They are losing out and not developing as strong, capable men because we are not letting them be fully-boys. "Weakened expectations and participation trophies have led to our culture producing unproductive narcissists. They are unproductive because we don't sufficiently challenge them, and they are narcissists because we don't let them fail." Since it was founded in 2014, Trail Life USA has been embraced enthusiastically by families seeking a faith-based, nurture-and-activity program based on traditional values. Today there are almost 30,000 members in over 750 troops across 48 states. The organization has seen significant growth since the BSA's decision to welcome girls. "Boys love boy-focused, outside challenge in hierarchically structured environments," said Hancock. "They thrive there. They need clear boundaries and designated leadership. If it's unclear, they will create this structure in a way that looks like rebellion or resistance or apathy." In contrast, Trail Life USA "offers challenging outdoor and character-buildingaccountability from mentors and peersand leadership opportunities." Typically chartered by local churches, Trail Life USA troops offer a K-12 program centered on outdoor experiences that build young men's skills and help them grow on a personal level and as role models and leaders for their peers. Trail Life USA was described as "the now preferred organization for Christians" by Walker Wildmon, assistant to AFA president Tim Wildmon, in the organization's recent "Reason & Company" video update. The report also recommended Trail Life USA's sister organization, American Heritage Girls (www.americanheritagegirls.org), for parents of girls. With more than 43,000 members in 50 states, the movement offers a similar gender-appropriate, values-based environment for growth. "It's good to know that these new organizations are growing like wildfire," said Tim Wildmon. "We say, may their tribe increase." Trail Life USA (www.traillifeusa.com) is a Christian outdoor adventure, character and leadership program for boys and young men, K-12. Chartered through churches in 48 states, the program centers on outdoor experiences and biblical values that build a young man's skills and allow him to grow on a personal level and as a role model and leader for his peers. UPDATE: Oregon State Police (OSP) have released more information on a shooting that took place near Merlin on Wednesdaynot Grants Pass, as previously reported. OSP troopers responded from the Grants Pass Area Command around 9:17 p.m. on Wednesday after reports of a shooting in the 9700-block of Monument Drive in Merlin. Troopers arrived to find 28-year-old Joshua Moore suffering from a single gunshot wound. OSP detectives from the Major Crimes Section in Central Point arrived at the scene to investigate. An as-yet unidentified person was named as the shooter, and OSP found and detained the person. According to OSP, that person has been cooperating with the investigation, and no official arrests or charges have been made at this time. OSP considers this an ongoing investigation. Moore was airlifted to Rogue Regional Medical Center in Medford, and at last report was in the ICU in serious condition. (Updated as of 11 a.m. on Thursday, April 26) GRANTS PASS, Ore. Oregon State Police confirm one person was shot in Grants Pass shortly after 9pm Wednesday evening.We don't know the victim's condition at this time.The shooting happened on Monument Drive.At this point, police say the suspect has been detained and the scene is secure.This is a developing story. MEDFORD, Ore. In one fell swoop, Southern Oregon Subaru's donation saved the lives of an estimated 493 dogs. At $75 per dog, that's how many of SoHumane's canine convalescents the dealership's contribution of $37,500 can rescue. Were just ecstatic over here, said SoHumane Executive Director Karen Evans. Southern Oregon Subaru has always been extremely generous with their support and monetary gifts but this years check is beyond belief! It really is going to save countless dogs and cats in the coming years. SoHumane can't save them all, but their Saving Train program tries to do just thatcaring for creatures indefinitely, until they can find a forever home. This is how Southern Oregon Subaru's donation can make a great deal of difference in keeping those animals alive. This year's contribution from Southern Oregon Subaru to SoHumane was twice as substantial as it was last year. Every year, Subaru holds their 'Share the Love' event, collecting money for charity from their fourth-quarter auto sales. According to Subaru, they've donated over $100 million to charities over the past eight years. Southern Oregon Subaru in particular has donated almost $94,000 to SoHumane over the past six years. GRANTS PASS, Ore. This week, Tractor Supply Company (TSC) began construction of their new location at 1427 NE 7th Street in Grants Pass. The company has announced that they hope to be open for business this summer. Were not just building a store, were building a team that understands the needs of the Grants Pass community, said District Manager Mike Hardesty. We know this community values living Life Out Here just like uswith a focus on caring for their home, land, pets and animals. With the addition of our new location, were able to ensure the Grants Pass community is fully equipped with the products they need. Tractor Supply Company generally offers products for home improvement, farming and livestock, pet care and yard maintenance. The Grants Pass location plans to hire 12 to 15 employees with firsthand knowledge and expertise in caring for pets, livestock and land, according to a statement from the company. The new TSC building is being built by Lakeview Construction, and will be nearly 30,000 square feet. Store plans include a sales floor, external support service area and pet wash station. There is currently only one TSC in Oregonin the town of Ontario, on the Idaho border. There is another location in Yreka, California. However, the company is moving into Oregon more and more, with another location in construction in Creswell, and more planned in the next several years. CA Bill Bans the Bible SACRAMENTO, Calif., April 26, 2018 / Christian Newswire / -- A California bill is so broad that it bans books, printed materials and advertisements that provide information that a person facing unwanted same-sex attractions or gender confusion can change. AB 2943 declares "advertising, offering to engage in, or engaging in sexual orientation change efforts with an individual" is fraudulent business practice. California State Assemblymember, Al Muratsuchi, said, "The First Amendment does not prohibit banning fraudulent conduct. The faith community, like anyone else, needs to evolve with the times." (emphasis added). During his speech on the California bill at Google headquarters, LGBT activist Samuel Brinton said he wanted to "figure out a way to stop" pastors and churches from offering counsel to help people change unwanted same-sex attractions. He went on to say, "I may not be able to FIND every little campevery pastor, but I can make it something that is culturally unacceptable." He added, "Yes, it's directly affecting mental health professionals, but by proxy, it's affecting everyone else." The Bible specifically refers to homosexuality 1 Corinthians 6:9. Then verse 11 states, "And such were some of you," thus clearly stating that through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, people with same-sex attractions or who engaged in same-sex behavior can change. Advertising this passage or quoting it in a brochure would be considered fraudulent business practices under this bill. This bill is a dramatic infringement on First Amendment rights and is a classic viewpoint discrimination. It declares certain kinds of speech as consumer fraud. A pastor, church or para-church ministry could be banned from holding a conference or selling books or videos about overcoming unwanted same-sex attractions or gender confusion. The California Assembly approved the bill and it now has two state Senate committees to go through before a floor vote. The Democrat-controlled California State Senate could pass AB 2943 in late May. "California AB 2943 is a dangerous bill that would punish people for their biblical beliefs about marriage, gender and human sexuality" said Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel. "This law is stunning in its breadth. The mask of those supporting this oppressive bill has been removed. Their goal is to crush Christianity and any viewpoint that does not align with the state. We stand ready to file suit to stop this assault on freedom if this bill is signed into law," said Staver. Liberty Counsel is an international nonprofit, litigation, education, and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of life, and the family since 1989, by providing pro bono assistance and representation on these and related topics. This image from video provided by WDIO-TV in Duluth, Minn., shows smoke rising from the Husky Energy oil refinery after an explosion and fire Thursday, April 26, 2018, at the plant in Superior, Wis. Authorities say several people were injured in the explosion. (WDIO-TV via AP) A man holds hardwood pellets used in a wood burning boiler at Athens Elementary School in Athens, N.Y., April 1, 2015. As Canada's attention is increasingly focused on the polarizing oil exports debate, another contentious energy export has been quietly gaining momentum. The humble wood pellet, once used mostly for small-scale home heating, has graduated to an alternative to coal in the hungry power plants of Europe and Asia with the disputed promise of carbon neutral energy. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP/Mike Groll Tributes are seen on a memorial at Yonge St. and Finch Ave. in Toronto on Thursday, April 26, 2018 for the victims of Monday's deadly van attack. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Cole Burston Eleven-year-old Syrian Hasan Diab looks at his image on a screen during a press conference in The Hague The Hague, Netherlands, Thursday, April 26, 2018. The press conference was organized by Russia in a move to discredit reports of an April 7, 2018, chemical weapons attack in the Syrian town of Douma, after briefing members of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, (OPCW). Russian diplomats claim the Syrians were used in staged videos made in the aftermath of the attack. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong) FILE - In this April 18, 2018 file photo, members of media visit the border village of Panmunjom in the Demilitarized Zone during a press tour, South Korea.Kim Jong Un will be in unchartered territory when the third-generation autocrat crosses over to the southern half of the Demilitarized Zone separating the rival Koreas on Friday, April 27, possibly on foot, and greets South Korean President Moon Jae-in. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man, File) FILE - In this June 5, 2017, file photo, Arizona state Democratic Rep. Reginald Bolding, left, calls on Gov. Doug Ducey to remove six confederate monuments in Arizona during a news conference by the NAACP and Black Lives Matter in Phoenix, Ariz. Rep. Maria Syms wrote in a column published in the Arizona Republic that Bolding, one of the two best-known leaders of the #RedforEd movement, are "political operatives" who are radicalizing Arizona youth. She called Noah Karvelis' classroom "exotic" and said he prides himself on teaching students music from the hip hop artist Kendrick Lamar. Syms included a lyric from the Pulitzer Prize-winning artist that included a derogatory term for African-Americans. (AP Photo/Angie Wang, File) Tom Evans holds up his phone showing a photo of his son Alfie as he speaks to the media outside Alder Hey Children's Hospital where the 23-month-old who has been at the centre of a life-support treatment dispute, in Liverpool, England, Thursday April 26, 2018. (Peter Byrne/PA via AP) FILE - In this Aug. 14, 2017, file photo, Libyan militia commander General Khalifa Hifter meets with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow, Russia. Libyan strongman Hifter returned to the eastern city of Benghazi after medical treatment in France. The evening arrival was announced in a statement by HifterAos media office, while video of the general walking in front of a plane wearing a suit appeared on the local channel Libya al-Hadath. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev, File) FILE - In this June 21, 2017, file photo, former FBI Director Robert Mueller, the special counsel probing Russian interference in the 2016 election, departs Capitol Hill following a closed door meeting in Washington. Republican senators are promoting an alternative to bipartisan legislation that would protect special counsel MuellerAos job _ a nonbinding resolution endorsing him. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File) Sacramento Sheriff's deputies carry evidence taken from the home of murder suspect Joseph DeAngelo to a sheriff's vehicle Thursday, April 26, 2018, in Citrus Heights, Calif. DeAngelo was taken into custody, Tuesday, on suspicion of committing multiple slayings and dozens of rapes in the 1970's and 1980's in California. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) Uh-oh! It could be you, or it could be us, but there's no page here. Manila (CNN Philippines Life) This weekend, experience interactive sculptures at Ayala Museum, celebrate International Jazz Day, watch a series of EJK-themed short films, take your kids to a solar prints art workshop, attend a benefit gig for a group of elderly gay drag performers, and discover unpopular music. Erwin Wurm at Ayala Museum Starting this weekend, the Ayala Museum will be exhibiting works by Austrian artist, sculptor, and painter, Erwin Wurm. Museum-goers will find examples of the artists One Minute Sculptures, which invite viewers to pose with a configuration of everyday objects, flipping the relationship of viewer and artwork. The exhibit opens on Friday, April 27, at 9 a.m. at the Ayala Museum, Makati Ave. cor. Dela Rosa St., Greenbelt Park, Makati City. For more information, visit the Facebook event page. International Jazz Day Celebrate International Jazz Day this Sunday with the best of the best in the local scene at Tago Jazz Cafe in Cubao. Enjoy performances by Swingster Jazzmecca, Brass Rosettes, Marga Jayy, Extrapolation, Project Yazz, and Ryan Villamor Trio. The event starts at 9 p.m. Tago Jazz Cafe is located at 14 Main Ave., Cubao, Quezon City. For more information, visit Tagos the Facebook page. Gatilyo (EJK-themed short films) For many activists, art is the best form of protest. Catch seven short films whose themes revolve around the controversial extrajudicial killings (EJKs) at Gatilyo, a screening mounted by Cinema Centenario, in partnership with Active Vista, SIKAD (Sining Kadamay) Philippines, and RESBAK (Respond and Break the Silence Against the Killings). The lineup includes EJK by Bor Ocampo, Hapag by Cha Roque, Suerte by Carlo Fajarda, Nakaw by Arvin Kadiboy Belarmino and Noel Escondo, Dutertes Hell by Luis Liwanag and Aaron Goodman, Ang Mga Kriminal by Jose Olarte, and Orphan by Isabelle Estein. The screening is happening this Sunday, April 29, from 6 p.m. onwards at Cinema Centenario, 95 Maginhawa St., Quezon City, Philippines. For more information, visit the Facebook event page. Childrens Workshop: DIY Solar Dye Prints For parents looking to get their kids into art, Bellas Artes Projects is hosting a workshop for kids this Saturday, April 28, at Bellas Artes Outpost in Pasong Tamo. The workshop is based on their latest exhibition, Bruce Conner: Out of Body, where kids aged 7 to 12 years old will be taught how to create unique prints using light exposure and negative shadows. The workshop, facilitated by artist Issay Rodriguez, is happening from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Bellas Artes Outpost, 2/F The Alley at Karrivin, Chino Roces Ave., Makati City. For more information, visit the Facebook event page. SADFEST (benefit gig for Golden Gays Manila) Golden Gays Manila is a group of elderly gay drag performers who were once housed in Home for the Golden Gays, a retirement home established by LGBT activist Justo Justo. When Justo passed, the residents were forced to seek refuge with friends and family, or take to the streets. This Saturday, April 28, at 5 p.m. head to Mows bar for a benefit gig for Golden Gays Manila. The event will feature performances by 3/3, Eyecandy, Irrevocable, Ploverstream, Equation Crisis, Through Lifes Consequences, Brickcity, Stillife, Modern Day Collapse, Call From Home, TNG, and Palepaths. Mows is located at Kowloon House Basement, 20 Matalino St., Quezon City. For more information, visit the Facebook event page. Kamuning Public Radio #8 Kamuning Public Radio (KPR) is a performance and recording series for unpopular music. The series is organized by Catch272, Subflex, WSK.FM, and Green Papaya Art Projects. For its eighth installment, KPR is inviting Cebu guitarist John Caing, Ramon Mayor of Antechamber, and Yati, alter-ego of artist Kaloy Olavides, member of bands like Pastilan Dong!, Grows, Kapitan Kulam, Kagwang, and Elemento. The event is happening on Saturday, April 28, from 10 p.m. onwards at Green Papaya Art Projects, located at 41B T. Gener St., Kamuning, Quezon City. For more information, visit the Facebook event page. EUGENE, Ore. For the third year in a row, people on the University of Oregon campus can share encouraging words for sexual assault victims. On campus this week the "Arise Institute" put up an eight foot tall, eight foot wide, 12 foot long wall. It's for people to write supportive messages to those impacted by sexual assault. Organizers said hundreds of people have signed the wall and hope it will have an impact. "I believe this is a really important event and our goal is to be able to allow people and other communities and other schools to replicate it and it's a really beautiful thing to be able to allow people to participate in the healing of survivors as well as the prevention of more sexual assault in the future," said Sharon Baker with Arise Institute. The wall is located on the Lillus Lawn on campus. It's there from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and April 26th is the last day to write messages. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 26) The demolition of controversial Boracay West Cove resort on the western side of Boracay island has begun and it will only pick up pace from here, an official said Thursday. "West Cove is already half-demolished. In fact, the demolition... will become fast tracked," Interior Assistant Secretary Epimaco Densing III told CNN Philippines' The Source. West Cove, a popular resort on Diniwid Beach, was one of the establishments ordered closed as the island was shut down for up to six months beginning Thursday, April 26. The government found the resort operating without a locational clearance, and building, occupancy, sanitary, fire safety and business permits. Densing even called the resort structure "the mother of all violations" on the island. He said Interior Officer-in-Charge Eduardo Ano gave the demolition order during a Cabinet meeting. "He mentioned, it's good that (the Department of Public Works and Highways) is here... 'I'm going to ask for assistance to borrow equipment so we can fast track the demolition of West Cove,'" Densing quoted his superior as saying. West Cove cries harassment However, resort owner Crisostomo Aquino said he was not served a notice to evacuate or a show cause order. Aquino said he agreed to self-demolish only a portion of the resort at the beach front. He maintained the order from Malay Mayor Ceciron Cawaling only covered closure, and he was not informed the whole structure would be taken down. Malay has jurisdiction over Boracay. He also cried harassment, as he lives on the property. "Pagkatapos ng closure, pinutulan pa kami ng kuryente at tubig. (May) anim na pulis sa umaga, anim na pulis sa gabi," Aquino told CNN Philippines in a phone call. "(It's) harassment... Kung putukan ka doon, sasabihin nalang, 'Ah nag-agaw ka kasi ng baril.' Wala ka nang magawa," he added. [Translation: After the closure, they cut off our electricity and water. (There are) six policemen during the day, and six at night... (It's) harassment... If they shoot us, they'll just say, 'You grabbed at our guns.' Then we won't be able to do anything.] West Cove maintains it has a lease agreement with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). The document, a Foreshore Lease Agreement for Tourism (FLAG-T), was issued in 2009 and allows West Cove to occupy the land for 25 years. However, the DENR cancelled the FLAG-T in 2014. West Cove appealed the case before the Office of the President, and this is still pending in Malacanang. Aquino says he will take the case all the way to the Supreme Court if necessary. "Sabi ko, kung hindi man favorable itong lumabas sa Office of the President, meron pa akong Court of Appeals. Kung hindi pa rin, meron pa akong Supreme Court... They allowed me (to build there)," he said. [Translation: I thought, if the result at the Office of the President isn't favorable, I still have the Court of Appeals. If that doesn't work, I still have the Supreme Court.] Aquino believes his establishment has been singled out, accusing the local government of giving a pass at other resorts breaking the rules. He called out the executive assistant to the Malay town mayor, Rowen Aguirre, claiming he was "hot to demolish us." When asked about what is next for West Cove, Aquino said he plans to sue the local government unit. He added they are still computing the damages. "We are applying for an injunction which was never given to us by the (Regional Trial Court)," he said. "We will file a case of grave abuse of authority against them with the Ombudsman." Meanwhile, the Interior Department is planning to file administrative and criminal complaints against at least ten local government officials by the first week of May over the Boracay mess. MASON CITY, Iowa A man accused of stealing nearly $700 worth of items from Wal-Mart is facing additional drug charges. Jacob Schmitt, 26, is being held in the Cerro Gordo County Jail on charges for third-degree theft, unlawful possession of prescription drugs and possesses ion of a controlled substance, third or subsequent charge. Schmitt is accused of taking $669.68 worth of goods from Wal-Mart at 3:18 p.m. Tuesday. When searched, police say they found a Alprazolam pill that requires a prescription and methamphetamine. CHARLES CITY, Iowa A man already serving time for one theft is pleading not guilty to another. Eric John Kruse, 32 of Forest City, is charged with 2nd degree theft in Floyd County. Authorities say he stole a trailer worth $2,000 from a home in Nora Springs on November 14, 2016. A warrant for that charge was served on Kruse Tuesday at the Fort Dodge Correctional Institution. Kruse is there serving a four year sentence for a Cerro Gordo County conviction on 3rd degree theft and 3rd degree attempted burglary. Law enforcement says he stole another trailer in Mason City on November 14, 2016, which held $4,200 in lawn care equipment. CHARLES CITY, Iowa A Floyd County man is facing a drug charge after a traffic stop. Sayvonne Lealbert Eugene Jordan, 21 of Charles City, is accused of possession of controlled substances with intent to deliver. Charles City police say he was stopped for a traffic violation on February 23 in the 900 block of Kelly Street. An officer says a search of the vehicle found $1,700 in cash, plastic baggies with scales, and a container holding 31.86 grams of marijuana, a small amount of methamphetamine, and pills identified at Alprazolam and Cyclobenzaprine. A criminal charge was not filed against Jordan until April 7 and he was arrested in Black Hawk County on Monday. GARNER, Iowa A Hancock County man is facing a charge of 1st degree arson. Dontau Tahrel Smith, 43 of Garner, was charged on April 14 after law enforcement was called to Smiths home in the 400 block of West 5th Street. Authorities say a woman who also lived at the home told them she had an argument with Smith where he talked about burning the house down and burning them while they sleep. The woman says she was upstairs in the home around 1:47 am when she smelled smoke. She says she saw Smith starting a small fire at the bottom of the stairs, which the woman put out with some shoes. Law enforcement says it could see black marks and ash on the steps and there was a strong odor of smoke. Authorities say they cleared the house and arrested Smith after finding him hiding in the basement under some clothes. 1st degree arson is a class B felony in Iowa, punishable by up to 25 years in prison. MASON CITY, Iowa The Mason City Police Department is asking for the publics help to locate three men believed to be in North Iowa. They are as follows: Lucas Heilskov, 35 Wanted for three active warrants for probation violation for numerous alleged controlled substance violations, operating without owners consent and driving violations. Total bond is $15,000. Matthew Lowe, 26 Wanted for two active warrants for violation of drug court and probation violation for alleged driving and controlled substance violations. Total bond is $7,000. Troy ORourke, 45 Wanted for two active warrants for first-degree burglary and domestic abuse assault, third or subsequent offense. Total bond is $30,000. If you know where any of the men are, police ask you to contact law enforcement immediately. AUSTIN, Minn. An accused heroin dealer is pleading not guilty. Authorities charged Anthony Bynum, 52 of Austin, with 2nd degree drug sales after he was arrested on April 9. Austin police say Bynum sold gram of heroin to a confidential informant in Galloway Park and a search of Bynums home found three grams of cocaine and three grams of heroin. A trial date has not been set. Bynum has three previous drug convictions in Mower County. ROCHESTER, Minn. - Rochester public school teachers may soon have a new contract. Their previous contract expired in June, and the Rochester Teacher Association and the school board have been negotiating a new one since the fall. In early March, Rochester teachers and community members marched around the Edison building protesting for teacher safety and higher wages. The national average public school teacher salary is $58,353, according to the National Teacher Association. Minnesota and Iowa fall below the national average at $56,670 and $53,408, respectively. Zumbrota resident and former North St. Paul teacher Bethany Von Steinbergs thinks the country should invest in teachers and education. "I think that we should put dollar bills behind the things that we value," she explains. "So I even look at my life as a mom. I have three boys and I think about, what is one of the things that I would pay the most money for? Well, care for my kids." Negotiators for Rochester public school teachers and the school board came to a possible tentative agreement, but details will not be released until members of the Rochester Teacher Association have the chance to review and vote on it. Officials at Rochester Public Schools say they anticipate the school board will consider the deal on May 1st. (Kitco News) - Coeur Mining, Inc. (NYSE: CDE) late Wednesday reported a small profit for the first quarter. The company listed both net income and adjusted income of $0.7 million, or zero cents per share. In the year-ago quarter, net income was $18.3 million, or 10 cents, while adjusted income was $6.8 million, or 4 cents. Revenue fell to $163.3 million from $185.6 in the same period a year ago, as the tally in the first quarter of 2017 included elevated sales of inventory carried over from the previous year, Coeur said. The average realized price for an ounce of gold rose to $1,268 from $1,149 in the first quarter of 2017, while the average silver price fell to $16.70 from $17.49. The company, which previously released its production results, said silver-equivalent output increased 4% year-over-year to 8.3 million silver-equivalent ounces mainly due to a 31% increase in silver production at Palmarejo, partially offset by a 14% decrease in gold production at Wharf. Officials said Coeur achieved several milestones during the first quarter, including the start of production slightly ahead of schedule at the Silvertip mine and announcing the results of a re-scoped mine plan and preliminary economic assessment for its Rochester mine in Nevada. The PEA reflects plans to add high-pressure grinding roll technology to Rochester's crushing circuit, potentially improving silver recovery curves. The company also completed the sale of its Bolivian subsidiary and the San Bartolome mine. Combined with the successful start-up at our new Silvertip mine in British Columbia and our announced plans to install new HPGR technology at our Rochester mine in Nevada, which is expected to more than double the mine's net asset value, we are entering the second quarter with strong momentum, said Mitchell J. Krebs, president and chief executive officer. "Lower production and higher costs companywide during the quarter were in line with our previously disclosed expectations due to the normalization of production levels at Rochester and lower planned grades and production at Wharf and Kensington. Krebs said Coeurs production and free cash flows should rise as Silvertip ramps up and development capital expenditures decrease. Coeur also announced highlights of an NI 43-101 technical report for its Kensington gold mine in Alaska. The data shows a 25% increase in proven and probable reserves to 620,700 ounces and a 10% increase in average reserve grade to 0.21 ounces per ton, or 7.2 grams per tonne, compared to year-end 2016 reserves, Coeur said. This includes an initial reserve estimate for the high-grade Jualin deposit of 74,100 contained ounces of gold. The company said it foresees a 13% increase in expected average annual production to approximately 130,000 ounces of gold from 2019 through 2021, compared to 2017. Mining costs per ounce should fall, and this will extend the mine life, Coeur said. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 26) The Chinese government dismissed as "irresponsible" the joint statement made by a number of countries on the South China Sea dispute. "We ask the relevant countries to respect facts, especially when it comes to maritime issues. They should also respect the efforts made by regional countries to uphold stability while focusing on cooperation and development, and refrain from stirring up troubles and making irresponsible remarks," Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lu Kang said in a media briefing in Beijing Wednesday. He was asked about the April 23 joint communique released by foreign ministers from seven advanced economies that form the Group of Seven (G7): Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The leaders expressed concern over the long-standing maritime row in the South China Sea, one of the issues they discussed in a meeting on April 22-23 in Toronto, Canada. The European Union was also represented in the meeting. "We reiterate our strong opposition to any unilateral actions that escalate tensions and undermine regional stability and the international rules-based order, such as the threat or use of force, large-scale land reclamation and building of outposts, as well as their use for military purposes," the G7 foreign ministers said. They said "diplomatic efforts should lead to demilitarization of disputed features" in the South China Sea. The statements come amid the reported presence of two Chinese military planes on Panganiban or Mischief Reef, and China's unveiling of a monument to mark its construction work in Kagitingan or Fiery Cross Reef. Both are in the contested Spratly Islands in the South China Sea, which is being claimed by the Philippines, China, Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Brunei. The Department of Foreign Affairs has said it will take diplomatic action whenever necessary, including the filing of a diplomatic protest against China. Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano, however, stressed the importance of carefully studying the government's moves. "The reality is that different claimants have different facilities and if in every time there's an improvement or there's something new there, we start shouting at each other, we lose the momentum on the areas that we have had agreements but it does not mean that we are not doing that," Cayetano said in an April 18 forum where he was asked about the military transport planes on Mischief Reef. He said the claimants are addressing these concerns "in a way that will not harm peace and stability in the region." China's defense ministry earlier said it has the "natural right" to station troops and deploy defense facilities in the Spratly Islands, maintaining it is part of Chinese territory. READ: China asserts right to build military structures on Spratly Islands Arbitral ruling China has refused to acknowledge the July 12, 2016 arbitral ruling in favor of the Philippines and continues to claim the South China Sea in its entirety. This landmark ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague awarded to the Philippines areas in the South China Sea that lie within the country's 200-mile exclusive economic zone, based on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), an international treaty both the Philippines and China had signed. The G7 foreign ministers reiterated their stance that the ruling is "a useful basis for further efforts to peacefully resolve disputes in the South China Sea." Critics have slammed President Rodrigo Duterte's "defeatist" stance on the issue. Duterte has repeatedly said the country cannot afford to go to war against China, but has promised to bring up the arbitral ruling with China during his term. Code of conduct The G7 foreign ministers stressed the importance of a legally binding code of conduct (COC), which will identify what claimant countries can and cannot do in the disputed waters. The government has yet to announce the start of negotiations for the COC, but Cayetano on April 18 said the parties are still "focusing on how to go about" it. China, for its part, said it is "always committed to working with the parties directly concerned to properly manage and resolve relevant differences through negotiation and consultation." China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations already signed in 2002 a Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, but they have yet to agree on its implementation. WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland will stay in Washington all of Thursday for talks on updating the North American Free Trade Agreement and no longer plans to attend a NATO summit in Brussels on Friday, a spokesman said. Freeland is in the U.S. capital for a third straight day of top-level negotiations with her Mexican and U.S. counterparts as they try to strike a quick NAFTA deal. The Minister will remain in Washington for all of Thursday to continue NAFTA negotiations, Freeland spokesman Adam Austen said in an emailed statement. Freeland said late on Wednesday that the three sides had made good progress on the key issue of auto rules. That said, major differences still remain to be settled. Freeland also underlined Canadas objection to proposed U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum imports which are due to come into force on May 1 if Washington deems that not enough progress has been made in the NAFTA talks. NEW YORK/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump distanced himself from his longtime personal lawyer Michael Cohen on Thursday, saying Cohen handled only a fraction of his legal affairs and that he had nothing to do with the criminal investigation into the lawyer. In a Fox News interview, Trump confirmed for the first time that Cohen had represented him in this crazy Stormy Daniels deal, referring to an adult-film star who says she had a one-night stand with Trump in 2006. FBI agents raided Cohens office and home on April 9, an action that infuriated the president. Prosecutors said in a court filing several days later that they have been investigating the lawyer for months, largely over his business dealings rather than his legal work. This doesnt have to do with me, Trump said in the Fox interview hours before a court hearing on documents seized in the raids. Theyre looking at something having to do with his business. I have nothing to do with his business. Trump called Cohen a good guy but said he handled only a tiny, tiny little fraction of his overall legal work. Prosecutors are investigating Cohen for possible bank and tax fraud, possible campaign law violations in connection with a payment to Daniels, and perhaps other matters related to Trumps presidential campaign, a person familiar with the probe said. A federal judge on Thursday planned to consider whose lawyers should get to see the seized documents first. Prosecutors have said they do not believe the papers are likely to contain many privileged documents related to Trump. In a court filing Thursday morning, they cited Trumps comment that Cohen handled only small part of his legal work. The investigation into Cohen stemmed in part from Special Counsel Robert Muellers probe into possible collusion between Trumps 2016 presidential campaign and Russia, something that Trump has repeatedly denied. A lawyer for Cohen did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the investigation. Cohen has admitted paying $130,000 to Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, before the 2016 election to secure her silence about a one-night stand she said she had with Trump in 2006. Cohen said the payment was legal, and Daniels has sued to end her nondisclosure agreement. Trump, who has denied having an affair with Daniels, said Cohen did nothing wrong in representing him in the Daniels case. There were no campaign funds going into this, which would have been a problem, he told Fox. Trumps comments on Thursday appeared to contradict his statements to reporters aboard Air Force One on April 5 that he knew nothing about the payment or where the money came from. Hugely damaging admission by the president, Daniels lawyer, Michael Avenatti, said on MSNBC shortly after Trumps interview. Because according to what he said on Air Force One a few weeks ago, he didnt know anything about the agreement, he didnt know anything about the payment. Michael Cohen went off and did this on a lark and Mr Trump knew nothing about it. On Wednesday, Cohen said in a filing in Los Angeles federal court that he would assert his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination in connection with the civil lawsuit filed by Daniels. COHEN DOCUMENTS A federal judge in Manhattan was expected to consider later on Thursday who should get the first look at the documents seized from Cohen. U.S. District Judge Kimba Wood ordered the hearing to discuss the possible appointment of an independent official known as a special master to review the documents and determine whether they are shielded by attorney-client privilege before handing them over to prosecutors. Lawyers for Cohen and Trump, who are seeking to limit prosecutors ability to review the documents, are expected to appear at the hearing. Attorney-client privilege shields communications between a lawyer and a client, with some exceptions. Prosecutors have said the documents should be reviewed by a taint team of lawyers within their own office, who would be walled off from the main prosecution team. Cohen filed a legal action to block them from reviewing the documents, arguing that either his lawyers or a special master should get a first look. Lawyers for Trump have also argued that they should be allowed the first look at documents related to the president. In a court filing on Wednesday, they said that Trump would personally make himself available, as needed, to aid in our privilege review on his behalf. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 26) The Department of Interior and Local Government is ready to file in May administrative charges against at least ten local officials over the Boracay island mess. "We intend to file [the complaint]by the first week of May," Interior Assistant Secretary Epimaco Densing told CNN Philippines' The Source Thursday. The official said the complaint has been drafted, and they are waiting for other agencies to authenticate evidence so far gathered by the Interior Department. Among those who may face charges include two high-ranking officials and a number of barangay chairmen in line with their responsibility to manage the world-famous tourist destination. READ: DILG to file charges vs. Boracay local officials As to the possible filing of criminal charges against them, the department is requesting the Commission on Audit to conduct a special audit on environmental fees collected from those visiting the island. "How much was taken and how it was utilized are the two main issues for [this phase]," Densing said. "This time [it's]for the potential filing of criminal charges in violation of the Anti-graft and Corrupt Practices Act." In a press conference later that day, Densing said that they found what could be a huge discrepancy between the environmental fees collected by the Municipality of Malay, Aklan and the amount that should have been collected if all two million Boracay tourists recorded in 2017 were able to pay the 75 environmental fee. "We've gotten information from the Municipality of Malay based on the official figures of the Department of Tourism, two million ang dumating na turista nung 2017," Densing said. "Kung official po yan at nagbayad sila ng 75, dapat 150 million ang nai-deklara." [Translation: "We've gotten information from the Municipality of Malay based on the official figures of the Department of Tourism, two million tourists arrived in 2017. If they were all official tourists and they each paid 75, then the municipality should have declared 150-million." ] But according to the documents obtained by the DILG, the municipality only declared a collection of 91 million after taking the 15 percent cut allotted to Malay for its own environmental projects. "It should be around 104 to 105 million," Densing said. "We would like to get confirmation that the declaration was used for environmental projects and pag nakita natin sa special audit na hindi pala we're looking at violations of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act," the interior department official added. [Translation: We would like to get a confirmation that the declaration was used for environmental projects and if we see in the special audit that it wasn't then we're looking at violations of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.] President Rodrigo Duterte in February ordered a six-month closure of Boracay beginning Thursday, April 26, to clean up the island. Officials estimate the closure's economic impact at nearly 2 billion, and would result in the displacement of about 30,000 workers. READ: Government temporarily closes Boracay Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. _ Competition lowers train fares, improves customer service _ By Yoon Ja-young The government's move to integrate the country's high-speed train operators is leading to concern it is overlooking the consumer benefits that have greatly increased thanks to competition between the two players. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport recently ordered a research project, "Evaluation of the railway industry to strengthen public benefits." Based on the six-month project, the ministry said it would set up the direction of the railway industry, after addressing concerns that competition between the two rail services hurts the public, and reaching a social consensus. KTX operated by Korail / Korea Times file The country's rail service had been monopolized by national train operator KORAIL for 117 years before the launch of high-speed rail services by Supreme Railways (SR) in 2016. SR operates the SRT high-speed train that runs between Suseo Station in southern Seoul and major cities around the country, competing with KORAIL's KTX. The 2008-13 Lee Myung-bak administration had planned to privatize the Suseo high-speed train service, but it stepped back due to strong resistance. SR was thus launched as a company 41 percent owned by Korail. The rest is held by government-owned banks and the private school teachers' pension fund. Though the ministry says it has not decided the fate of SR, the Moon Jae-in administration, which has stressed strengthening "public benefits of railways," is widely expected to integrate the two services, in line with a campaign pledge by President Moon. Transport Minister Kim Hyun-mee also said in her confirmation hearing that the ministry would consider integrating the two, saying "maintaining the public benefit" was an obligation of the government. However, many high-speed train passengers say competition between the separate train systems has greatly improved benefits. Most of all, the SRT is around 10 percent cheaper than the KTX. As around 20 million passengers used the SRT last year, they saved around 71.3 billion won. To compete with SRT's lower fare, KORAIL reintroduced membership fare benefit programs, providing its passengers with mileage equal to around 5 percent to 10 percent of the final payment. SRT operated by SR / Yonhap By Yoon Ja-young As South and North Korea head toward peace, more businesses are trying to learn about North Korea. Construction companies, which are expecting mega-scale infrastructure investment projects in the country, are especially interested in learning more. According to the Construction Association of Korea, it is preparing to hold a "unification forum" next month. It previously operated a "unification committee" with only a few major construction companies, but it decided to expand it to a forum as an increasing number of small and medium-sized construction companies also wanted to join. Those with business experience in North Korea are also actively preparing for another upcoming opportunity. They are setting up taskforces and re-examining their files related to North Korea projects. Hyundai Engineering and Construction (E&C), which has much experience in North Korea, also said it is carefully watching how the summit will unfold. Hyundai E&C closed at 51,300 won Thursday, surging 2.7 percent from the previous day. It had gained around 35 percent since early last month on expectation it would be one of the biggest beneficiaries of an infrastructure construction boom in North Korea. "Any construction company would welcome a North Korea project. We also have high expectations since we have experience in North Korea," a spokesperson for Hyundai E&C said. As the late Hyundai Group founder and chairman Chung Ju-yung had much interest in North Korea, where he was born, the group had led diverse North Korea projects when relations improved between the two countries. It built a gym and cultural center as well as leading construction of a light water reactor. Daewoo E&C is also known to be preparing a taskforce on North Korea. As now defunct Daewoo Group former chairman Kim Woo-choong had met North Korean founder Kim Il-sung several times, it is expecting an upper hand in North Korea business opportunities. Construction companies are especially active in learning about North Korea since infrastructure investments will inevitably follow. "Development of infrastructure and cities is a must in economic development policies. Investment in construction is thus likely to expand," said Lee Kwang-soo, an analyst at Mirae Asset Securities. He pointed out the highways in North Korea total only 774 kilometers in length, which is only 17.4 percent of that of South Korea. "If North Korea builds highways equal to one third that of South Korea, it would need around 35 trillion won in investments. As investments in old railways, new subways and harbors follow, infrastructure investment will surge steeply." Korea Research Institute for Human Settlements had estimated it would take 93.5 trillion won for joint development of the country, which reflects huge business opportunities there. Investment for urban development will also follow. Except for its capital city Pyongyang, most North Korean cities are small. "For economic development, North Korea will actively develop cities. The economic growth through urban development and special economic zones has already been proven in China's socialist economy model, and North Korea is likely to follow," Lee said. Analysts say North Korea's infrastructure and urban development will bring about epochal change to Korean construction companies. "Construction companies should also show their strong will and interest in North Korea projects," Lee said. By Kim Yoo-chul Maintaining flexibility and a work-life balance is truly an integral part of society and how companies and organizations should operate. There's no debate about that. But the Korean Financial Industry Union (KFIU) representing bank employees is advised to bear in mind that no matter how complex demands are, Koreans consider banking services as one of the most important of "public" services. The KFIU is an umbrella group representing unions at over 30 financial institutions, including major private and provincial banks. As the services, which provide extra value to the everyday lives of everyone in society, have been demonstrated as vital, the six demands by the KFIU _ closing between 12:30 and 1:30 p.m. for a lunch break, a maximum work week of 52 hours including overtime, a five day workweek of 40 hours, introducing "indefinite contracts" with more benefits, extending retirement to 65 from 60, and introducing a peak wage system after 60 _ are unlikely to win backing from the public. The union is also asking management to limit the wider use of performance-based pay systems. These are the key demands out of 53 the KFIU submitted to the Financial Industry User Committee in collective bargaining. The committee's key members include presidents of the country's leading banks and representatives of state-owned financial institutions. "The union wants too much. I won't simply blame them for their requests, but it's a well-known fact that employees at banks are paid better than other workers, although it's questionable whether there is a direct link between measurable talent and its impact on wages," said an official at the Korea Federation of Banks. As data provided by the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) show, a full-time employee at KEB-Hana bank working there for 14 years receives an annual salary of 92 million won. Out of the "big four" banks including Shinhan, Woori and KB Kookmin, Woori Bank paid the least; 87 million won for a full-time employe who had worked there for 16 years and three months. The main controversy is the union's demand to close all banks for lunch. In Korea, standard business hours at banks are from 9:00 a.m. to 4 p.m. During the workweek, banks are open during lunch, which typically is from noon to 1 p.m. Banks are open from Monday through Friday. "Generally speaking there has to be someone at the counter to attend to customers. Lots of office workers prefer to visit bank branches to take care of their finances. A flexible working hour system is already operating at all major banks. But the union demands more flexibility, which is going too far," said a KB Kookmin Bank official at a branch in Bundang. Huh Kwon, the union representative, said the "one hour closing" demand is aimed at protecting the "right for lunch" as employees at Korean banks work in shifts during the lunch hour. Banking requires a certain degree of adaptation as finance often requires longer working hours with tight deadlines to meet, therefore, this needs to be taken into consideration he said. "When it comes to other internal tasks such as audits, the nature of the work does not always fit into the regular nine to four routine, therefore, having one-hour guaranteed for lunch time makes sense," he said. Local banks are facing numerous challenges amid the rise of Web-only banking services. Major lenders have been busy implementing plans to improve management efficiency by restructuring branches and expanding early retirement programs. By Kang Seung-woo The upcoming inter-Korean summit appears to have contributed to the local hotel industry, as well as reducing tensions on the Korean Peninsula, as it appears that more people are booking into local hotels. According to the hotel sector, Thursday, downtown hotels in Seoul have attracted more guests, compared with the same period in previous years, raising speculation that the historic event may have helped increase guest bookings. Today, President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will hold a summit at the border truce village of Panmunjeom and 858 journalists from 180 non-Korean media outlets will come to Korea for the rare event. This is double the number that covered the first summit in 2007, according to Cheong Wa Dae According to the Westin Chosun Hotel, Tuesday, it was fully booked Wednesday, adding rooms for Thursday and Friday were also expected to be occupied. "The reservations are picking up pace and we expect to see full occupancy on those days, as well," said an official of the hotel, located near Seoul City Hall. As of Tuesday, the Westin official said its booking rate stood at 90 percent for this month, compared with 78 percent from a year earlier. The MVL Goyang in Ilsan, Gyeonggi Province, the only five-star hotel in the region, was also fully booked on the eve of the summit, thanks to its proximity to the KINTEX convention center where the main press center will be set up, Thursday and Friday. "Such a full booking seems to be because of the inter-Korean summit," said the hotel official in a media interview. A Lotte Hotel Seoul official also said a number of downtown hotels are seeing higher demand for reservations this week. "In general, the booking rate of hotels in Myeongdong is solid," said a Lotte Hotel official. However, the official added it is not easy to say the inter-Korean summit itself has contributed to the higher reservation rate _ although its influence cannot be disregarded. "In general, guests on meetings, incentives, conferencing and exhibitions businesses and some state guests visit our hotel, increasing its reservation rate," the official noted. The Westin official also said she cannot jump to the conclusion that the guests for the period are all foreign journalists. "From March, hotels have a busy season, so we have guests on group tours and on business," she said. "In this regard, it is not easy to predict." By Kang Seung-woo The nation's tourism promotion agency is seeking to promote tour programs to the heavily fortified demilitarized zone (DMZ), as the tour destination is drawing more interest, sparked by the inter-Korean summit and the PyeongChang Winter Olympics. According to the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO), Thursday, it plans to beef up its efforts to trumpet the current DMZ programs operated by Hwacheon and Yanggu counties, both of which are located in Gangwon Province. The DMZ, a four-kilometer-wide strip of land separating the two Koreas, vividly captures the scars and wounds of the Korean War; foreign tourists as well as Koreans have interest in it. However, heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula due to North Korea's nuclear tests and ballistic missile launches had prevented people from visiting there before inter-Korean rapprochement came earlier this year. President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will hold a summit today at the border truce village of Panmunjeom. Hwacheon runs a tour program featuring tours to Chilsung Observatory and Peace Dam that attracted more than 1,000 visitors since opening last year. To keep the popularity alive, the tour program will be available twice a week, or Saturday and Sunday. Plus, if more than 20 visitors apply for the program on weekdays, they can also enjoy it, according to the KTO. Yanggu also has two DMZ tour programs the punchbowl course and the dootayeon course. The punchbowl refers to the bowl-shaped Haean Valley named by United Nations Forces during the Korean War. According to the KTO, it is in talks with the county office to make an ecological peace belt the two sides believe will preserve the environment and promote its cultural and ecological value. To these ends, the KTO plans to host fan tours with social media supporters, tour agency officials, reporters and tour experts along with socially disadvantaged groups in May and June. In addition, the KTO will launch an event to pick 80 people to go on the aforementioned tour programs free _ 40 for Hwacheon on May 5 and 40 for Yanggu on May 12. Those who are interested in the events can apply from Saturday at . The KTO's promotion comes as the DMZ is the most popular tour destination among foreign visitors. According to the KTO's February study, a half-day visit to the DMZ area was the most popular tour picked by foreigners through the travel website Viator. In January, the KTO also said it would try to diversify its portfolio to stabilize and diversify the country's inbound tourism market this year. As part of its efforts, it has been seeking to develop more DMZ tour programs. At the time, the KTO said it would integrate various DMZ tour policies and businesses operated by local governments, and train 150 guides specializing in DMZ tours. US President Donald Trump on Tuesday called on North Korea to abandon its nuclear program, ahead of an expected summit with the North's leader Kim Jong Un. Earlier, the US leader who spent the day in talks with French President Emmanuel Macron had described Kim as "very open" and "very honorable" his most positive comments yet about a man he once publicly belittled. But when pressed about what he hoped to gain from Pyongyang, the 71-year-old Republican president was blunt. "Meetings are being set up, and I want to see denuclearisation of North Korea," Trump told reporters. Asked to explain what he means by denuclearisation, Trump replied: "It means they get rid of their nukes very simple." "It would be very easy for me to make a simple deal and claim victory. I don't want to do that. I want them to get rid of their nukes." While Trump has repeatedly referred to North Korea's denuclearization, Pyongyang however consistently defines the term as "denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula" - code for the removal of America's military presence in the South, a condition Washington is unlikely to accept. Amid preparations for a landmark bilateral US-North Korea summit, which could come in June, Trump had kind words for Kim, whom he once called a "madman" and "little rocket man." "He really has been very open, I think very honourable," Trump told reporters from the White House Oval office, adding that the North Koreans have said they want the meeting between the two leaders "as soon as possible." He said that "a lot of concessions have already been made" while stressing it was not the United States that had given ground. "We have made no concessions," Trump said. The talks would come after a year of heightened tensions over Pyongyang's development of nuclear weapons and an intercontinental ballistic missile that has the potential to deliver a nuclear warhead to the continental United States. Around the end of March or early April, CIA director Mike Pompeo traveled to North Korea and met with Kim to lay the groundwork for negotiations. And last week, North Korea pledged to halt its nuclear and missile tests ahead of the summit. But it has not committed to giving up its atomic weapons, which Pyongyang views as a shield against the Western overthrow of its government. As a prelude for talks with Trump, Kim will meet with South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Friday in the border village of Panmunjom. Trump reiterated Tuesday that he would walk away from the talks with North Korea if they are not fruitful, saying it is possible that "we're all wasting our time." "Unlike past administrations, I will leave the table," he said. "But I think we have the chance to do something very special." (AFP) North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un talks to a Chinese tourist, who was injured in a bus accident in North Korea, at Pyongyang Station, Wednesday, before the tourist returns to China. / Yonhap / Yonhap / Yonhap / Yonhap North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un personally saw off a train repatriating the bodies of dozens of Chinese tourists who were killed in a bus accident as he issued a fresh apology to Beijing over the tragedy, state media reported Thursday. Thirty-two Chinese tourists and four North Koreans perished when a bus they were travelling in plunged off a bridge south of Pyongyang Sunday night, according to Chinese officials. Two other Chinese nationals were injured. Beijing is the isolated regime's sole major ally, providing an important economic and political buffer against international opprobrium. The crash has sparked a series of rare mea culpas on North Korea's tightly controlled propaganda network in which Kim has taken centre stage both in responding to the crash and apologising to China. In two new dispatches on Thursday morning, the North's state-run KCNA news agency said Kim went to Pyongyang's station on Wednesday evening "to see off a special purpose train carrying the bodies of Chinese who were killed and the wounded in a tragic traffic accident". The KCNA report described Kim personally making arrangements for the train and offering "words of consolation" to the survivors. A separate report from KCNA carried a "message of consolation" from Kim to Chinese President Xi Jinping. "We make a deep apology to the Chinese comrades for the pain which cannot be alleviated with any word, consolation and compensation," KCNA quoted the message as saying. KCNA ran a similar personal apology from Kim on Tuesday after the North Korean leader visited survivors in hospital and called on the Chinese embassy. Although such moves might be unsurprising in other countries, it is unusual for state media to portray Kim in this manner, with the North Korean leader usually shown presiding over formal meetings or visiting work or army units. North Korea state media rarely carries any negative news about the tightly controlled state or its leadership. The fulsomeness of Kim's comments reflects the importance of China -- and its tourists -- to his country and economy. China is by far the biggest source of tourists for the North, with direct flights and a long land border connecting the neighbour, and tens of thousands are believed to visit every year, many crossing via train through the Chinese border city of Dandong. North Korea's KCNA news agency ran photos of Kim visiting survivors of the crash earlier this week. (Reuters) A U.S. soldier from the United Nations Command watches over the Peace House at Panmunjeom on April 18, where today's inter-Korean summit is to be held. / Korea Times file By Ko Dong-hwan The heads of the two Koreas meet at Panmunjeom today, the first inter-Korean leaders' summit in 11 years and the first at the border village divided in two by the military demarcation line (MDL). North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will cross the MDL to the south side of Panmunjeom to meet his South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-in around 9.30 a.m. They will begin their historic summit at 10.30 a.m. in the Peace House. A state dinner also will be held at the venue. The meeting has attracted the largest media contingent ever to an inter-Korean summit, with almost 3,000 reporters from South Korean and around the world covering the event. Panmunjeom is known as the truce village where China, North Korea and the United Nations Command (UNC) signed the armistice that brought the Korean War to a halt in 1953. Panmunjeom, previously known as the village of Neolmun-ri, had a group of tents erected there in 1951 so liaison officers from North Korea and the UNC could meet to talk about how to end the war. A South Korean soldier at Panmunjeom in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, watches North Korean soldiers across the military demarcation line as they change shift on April 19. / Korea Times file The village saw no progress on talks until July 1953, when both sides agreed to put hostilities on hold indefinitely. They established the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) between the two Koreas and agreed to jointly monitor Panmunjeom's security _ establishing the Joint Security Area (JSA). The first inter-Korean meeting in the post-Korean War era came in August 1971, when the two sides used Panmunjeom for the first time as the venue for talks to arrange Red Cross societies' contact. It heralded future inter-Korean talks at the truce village that have amounted to 360 more than half the 655 rounds of inter-Korean talks held so far. In 1975, the village witnessed a chilling clash between U.S. and North Korean soldiers. U.S. Army Major W. D. Henderson, a UNC security officer in the JSA, was sitting on a bench outside the UNC's Joint Duty Officer office when an argument with a North Korean journalist drew several North Korean guards who beat the major until his larynx fractured. A gruesome attack followed the next year, when North Korean soldiers in the JSA killed two U.S. Army officers who were chopping down a tree that partially blocked the line of sight with a U.N. observation post. The North's soldiers claimed their country's founder Kim Il-sung planted the tree. South Korean Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon, left, shakes hands with North Korea's Chairman of the Committee for Peaceful Reunification Ri Son-gwon in the Tongilgak building on the northern side of Panmunjeom, March 29, after discussing details for Friday's inter-Korean summit. / Korea Times file Adm. Harry Harris / AP South Korea and the United States have been working together to fill the post of U.S. ambassador to Seoul as soon as possible, the foreign ministry said. "With the understanding that an early arrival of a U.S. ambassador to South Korea is desirable, the governments of South Korea and the U.S. have been cooperating to that end," the ministry's deputy spokesperson Kim Deuk-hwan said. The Washington Post reported a day earlier that Adm. Harry Harris, the commander of the U.S. Pacific Command, who was previously nominated as the U.S. ambassador to Australia, has been newly chosen as the ambassador to South Korea. Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop was also reported to have been informed of the decision from the U.S. side. "As far as I know, the U.S. side has not officially made the nomination yet," Kim said, adding that the allies are continuing to cooperate on the issue. The U.S. ambassador's seat has been left empty for more than a year since the last envoy, Mark Lippert, vacated the seat with the inauguration of President Donald Trump in January last year. The urgency to fill the void has increased as Trump is poised to hold the first-ever U.S.-North Korea summit with Kim Jong-un in May or early June for a possible breakthrough in the North's long-running nuclear issue. South Korea is not considering establishing a replacement think tank after its decision to end funding to a Washington-based think tank led to its closure, a state council overseeing research institutes said Thursday. The National Research Council for Economics, Humanities and Social Sciences (NRC), which is under the Prime Minister's Office, decided last month to end annual funding to the U.S.-Korea Institute (USKI) of Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). The council cited the USKI's failure to comply with a demand to provide a proper financial report on where the funding was used as a reason for the decision. The think tank accused the South Korean government of attempting to hurt its academic freedom. A local newspaper reported earlier this week that the NRC, which oversees 26 state-run research institutes, is considering setting up a think tank in the U.S. specializing in Korean affairs to replace the USKI. But the council denied the report. "We will continue to move forward cooperation between the Korea Institute for International Economic Policy (KIEP) and Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) with a focus on education and research projects," the NRC said in a statement. Funds to the USKI were provided through KIEP. "A media report about setting up a think tank replacing the USKI is not true," the NRC said. The NRC recently formed a task force to review international cooperation programs that the 26 state research institutes under its oversight have been carrying out so as to come up with measures to improve the programs. (Yonhap) A foreign journalist prepares a report at the main press center of KINTEX convention center in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, Thursday. / Yonhap By Park Si-soo, Kim Jae-heun Foreign reporters at the main press center for Friday's inter-Korean summit largely said the meeting will play an important role in creating a diplomatic breakthrough for North Korea's denuclearization. But many said progress on the issue hinges on the following summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald Trump. "Things are going in the right direction," said Suzuki Sotaro, Seoul bureau chief of Japan's Nikkei. "I'm optimistic of the summit. The summit should be fruitful because it will affect the Kim-Trump meeting." Sotaro represents 10 Nikkei reporters at the main press center of KINTEX convention center in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province. His attention was on the "scope of agreement" to be reached between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Kim. "The size of the scope? It's up to Kim," Sotoro said. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 26) A Boracay stakeholder said Thursday their chief role is to ensure the government is doing its job in the island's cleanup and rehabilitation. "I think as we move forward now, our job as stakeholders and investors in the island is really to monitor what's being done," said Raintree Hospitality Group President Annabell Wisniewski. "I think they owe it to us at least to inform us as to what's going in the timeline so we can plan properly, so we can help them, so we can hopefully expedite the opening of the island." This comes amid the six-month closure of Boracay to tourists to address its numerous environmental problems. The inter-agency task force, composed of the Environment, Tourism, and Interior departments, has earlier recommended the closure. Wisniewski said she also wants "people who caused major disruption in people's lives and businesses" to be held accountable. President Rodrigo Duterte has signed a proclamation placing three barangays on Boracay Island under a state of calamity for a year. Tourism Congress of the Philippines President Jojo Clemente earlier said around 36,000 people may lose their jobs once Boracay closes. Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia has said the closure and rehabilitation of the island is expected to cost the Philippine economy P1.96 billion in six months. The scramble to cleanup the world-famous tourist destination came after President Rodrigo Duterte called it "a cesspool," and threatened to shut it down permanently if its pollution problem went unsolved. South Korea's capital welcomes the historic event with festivities, art and banners a day before the third inter-Korean summit. People watch a street performance for the inter-Korean summit in front of Seoul City Hall, Thursday. / Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul Exhibitions showcasing the summit have been set up near Seoul City Hall. /Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul A street performance in front of Seoul City Hall draws applause. /Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul A banner in central Seoul celebrates the historic event. / Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul A Seoul city government official sets up a special exhibition for the summit near Seoul City Hall. / Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul The history of the past two inter-Korean summits features at the exhibition. / Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul A visitor takes a photo of calligraphy that says "peace is spring and flower," at Seoul's Gwanghwamun Square. / Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul A man passes a big banner wrapping a building in Seoul wishing well for Friday's inter-Korean summit, Thursday. / Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul By Oh Young-jin Often in our history, we Koreans have had our fate determined by others. The division of the nation at the end of World War II was the work of the victors the United States and the Soviet Union. As the colony of the vanquished Japan, liberation was thrust upon us giving birth to the conjoined twins that act as if one's life depends on the death of the other. Indeed, that exploded into the 1950-1953 Korean War as the Soviet-backed North invaded the U.S.-assisted South in one of the first ideological proxy wars in the Cold War-era. Millions of Koreans were killed in a fratricidal conflict the result making Koreans sworn enemies of each other. Then, the ensuing seven decades are fraught with many close calls that are combined into one big cold standoff that is occasionally punctuated by sunshine in their relationship. Now, the April 27 summit at the truce village of Panmunjeom or at least in the lead-up to it has emerged as a rebuttal to all of the above or the first real case of self-determination. True, there is a great deal of skepticism. The skeptics argue that the North's abrupt about-face from its hostile policy toward the South is due to pressure of international sanctions and is a trick to trip the United States to gain recognition as a nuclear weapon state. Just as credible, is the assertion that the North is using the South to get the U.S. off the Korean Peninsula (the new U.S. secretary of state is said to have heard the North say it no longer insists on a U.S. pullout). The Friday summit is not entirely about clearing up all this old historic baggage at once, but about Korea taking ownership of its future. Security was tight at the inter-Korea border area on Thursday (April 26) a day before leaders from the two Koreas will hold their first summit in more than a decade. About 2800 journalists have registered at the main press centre for the summit which opened on Wednesday (April 25) in Ilsan, on the outskirts of Seoul. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in will sit down at the border truce village of Panmunjom on Friday (April 27) to discuss a range of issues, including North Korea's nuclear weapons programme. Official dialogue between Kim and Moon will begin at 10:30 a.m. (0130 GMT) at the Peace House in Panmunjom, an hour after Kim is scheduled the cross the border at 9:30 a.m. (0030 GMT). (Reuters) South Korean residents of a border village are wishing for lasting peace in their region, ahead of the first summit in a decade between the leaders of the two Koreas. Daesungdong, a symbolic village located just a few steps from North Korea, was set up under the armistice that ended the 1950-53 Korean War, along with North Korea's 'Kijongdong' village on the other side of the demilitarized zone (DMZ). Head of the South's border village, Kim Dong-ku, said that residents want to continue living harmoniously in the village, amid the peaceful atmosphere that was created since the two Koreas agreed to hold a summit. The principal of Daesungdong elementary school, the only school located in one of the world's most heavily armed zones, said they were eagerly anticipating the summit which could ease tensions on the peninsula that reached a crescendo last year due to North Korea's missile and nuclear tests. A North Korean flag flutters in the wind atop a 160-meter tower in North Korea's village Gijungdongseen, as seen from the Taesungdong freedom village inside the demilitarized zone in Paju, South Korea, Tuesday, April 24, 2018. South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will meet at the southern side of the Panmunjom on Friday, April 27. AP Visitors look over North Korea through binoculars from the Dora Observation Post during a press tour, in Paju, South Korea, Tuesday, April 24, 2018. AP North Korean village of Gijungdong is seen during a press tour from the Taesungdong freedom village inside the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea in Paju, South Korea, Tuesday, April 24, 2018. AP Four South Koreans from different walks of life express their hopes for the outcome of the upcoming inter-Korea summit on Friday (April 27). A young advertising executive professed to having little knowledge of the security meet, but hopes for more security in her life, while a taxi driver wants to hand a legacy of a stable country to his two sons. A war veteran said he hopes for no more conflict to break out in the country while a North Korean defector wishes for human rights issues in North Korea to be discussed during the summit. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in will sit down at the border truce village of Panmunjom on Friday to discuss a range of issues, including North Korea's nuclear weapons programme. The inter-Korean talks and a planned meeting between Kim and U.S. President Donald Trump in the coming weeks have raised hopes of an easing in tensions on the peninsula that reached a crescendo last year, amid a flurry of North Korean missile tests and its largest nuclear test. According to a survey released last week, 68 percent of South Korean people answered that the summit will make a notable achievement. (Reuters) South Korean President Moon Jae-in's summit with Kim Jong Un is an easy sell, welcome relief for South Koreans who have long lived under the North Korean threat, experts told UPI ahead of Friday's historic meeting. Even as skeptics who question Kim's ultimate intentions are dominating the conversation in the United States, South Korean analysts with expertise in Korea's politics and mass culture say the summit may feel long overdue for South Koreans, who not too long ago were being subjected to evacuation drills in central Seoul. Park Jae-hang, a senior advertising executive with Havas Korea in Seoul, and previously with Cheil Communications, said the summit with Kim and the suspension of North Korea missile disturbances do not need an explanation or a glossy promotion -- although Seoul turned heads last week with a new slogan, "Peace, A New Start," for the upcoming summit. "There's no need for a hard sell," Park said. "This product called 'peace' was something so many people wanted for such a long time but wasn't available. There's no need to promote it so vigorously." Park also said he welcomes the summit and the engagement with the North. The relief North Korea engagement provides to South Koreans has also shifted the focus to the meeting's potential upside, and away from the prospect of concessions the wealthier South may need to make to get North Korea on the track to denuclearization. The South previously planned to offer $1 billion in economic aid to the North in 2007, and former President Kim Dae-jung, the first South Korean leader to publicly meet with Kim Jong Il, secured the meeting with a controversial payment of $500 million in 2000. South Koreans may also be more willing to see a nuclear North Korea as a problem to be managed, rather than confronted, because of the harsh consequences of conflict. Oh Young-jin, who once worked as an aide to former President Roh Moo-hyun and writes a column for The Korea Times in Seoul, said there's hope and fear ahead of the meetings. "Ahead of the third inter-Korea summit we are more cautious than the previous two summits," Oh said. "We are less excited, but on the back of our minds is also the thirst or uncontrollable desire for lasting peace. "If this summit can gain us two years of peace free from the fear of war it should be qualified as a success, whether North Korea's nuclear programs are eliminated or not." Oh also said he credits U.S. President Donald Trump and Moon for the shift in North Korea's direction. "Since Trump's inauguration, my thought was if there was any U.S. president who could handle and settle the North Korean problem, it should be Trump," Oh said. "My expectation has proved right." Trump's fiery rhetoric combined with Moon's "persistent, reconciliatory policy" has given rise to a different kind of momentum on the peninsula, Oh said, one that came from the "realization that this could really lead to a major war." "The beauty of having two summits with Kim, first with Moon then Trump, is that there's a possibility for the United States and South Korea to address North Korean problems," Oh said. As the summits advance, Kim could be persuaded to take concrete steps toward denuclearization, Oh said. Park said the branded message of hope Seoul wants to convey is working for multiple reasons, and not just because South Koreans are thirsty for peace. Most South Koreans appear to trust Moon, with his approval rating at 67.8 percent in the third week of April, according to Realmeter. South Koreans also live in a country where consumer tastes, preferences and political leanings are all determined in what Park described as a "communication-intensive society," where "peer pressure to do what surrounding people are doing runs strong." "Mainstream tastes in music or trends, spread faster in Korea, and socially, through friends, because of the need to keep up," Park said. "The way things go viral, the peer pressure, also applies to politics." Moon's support base has not waned because of the social networks that rose to prominence with his presidential campaign in 2017. The tribe-like networks that spread through mobile communication apps like Kakao Talk have not diminished significantly even as the South Korean president makes bold moves, like a summit with the North Korean dictator at Panmunjom, or an online comment-rigging scandal involving his Democratic Party. But without the public's trust, Moon's support can erode as it did with his predecessor. "Former President Park Geun-hye had so forgotten the importance of keeping the public's trust, those disaffected with her presidency grew a base of support for Moon," Park said. Park Geun-hye was impeached for her involvement in a corruption scandal and was blamed widely for not doing more during the sinking of the ferry ship Sewol in 2014. But any erosion of trust in Moon remains a remote possibility, for now, because of South Korean beliefs about what to do with North Korea. "Fighting, or being hawkish on North Korea doesn't work," Park said, referring to a commonly held view in the South. "It must be transcended, and I think the government has overcome that." (UPI) People pass by a big banner featuring the summit which hangs on the Seoul Metropolitan Library building, Thursday. / Korea Times photo by Jung Da-min By Kim Jae-heun, Jung Da-min South Koreans of all ages are welcoming the inter-Korean summit, with most expressing a positive attitude toward it. Many hope the talks between President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will serve as momentum in denuclearizing the reclusive country, and achieving unification in the future. "I am happy to hear we are hosting the inter-Korean summit. I am looking forward to it," Kim Hyang-chul, 59, said in an interview. "I know unification will not happen in the near future, but the two Koreas can achieve it slowly. We are all the same Koreans in the end, and we should unify." Kim Tae-hyung, a 25-year-old university student, also agreed holding the inter-Korean summit was a good step toward bringing peace to the peninsula. "The two Koreas rarely exchanged anything in recent years. Holding the inter-Korean summit is a positive sign in initiating possible trade between the two countries in the future," the student said. "I am not sure if North Korea is really willing to give up its nuclear weapons though. For now, we have no choice but to trust them and watch how things go." A 50-year-old housewife named Yong Hyun-joo living in Seoul said she expects much from the summit. "I think President Moon has been doing well to induce the inter-Korean summit to be held here. The stern economic sanctions against North Korea played a big part and I think North Korea also wants to be recognized as a normal nation internationally now," she said. However, Yong also expressed her uncertainty over North Korea's words on denuclearization. "We can't trust them fully. They have always been changing words at crucial moments. Also, it is hard for two very different systems to get combined overnight. We have to get unified one day though." Teenagers also greeted the summit, but they did not want unification. "Students aren't interested in politics or international affairs. I know about the upcoming inter-Korean summit, and I hope it goes well. I am happy for the cultural exchange between the two Koreas that recently took South Korean musicians to Pyongyang. It's all great," Song Jin-hyuk, 18, said. "However, I personally do not want the two Koreas to get unified. We have different systems. I hope we just make exchanges and respect each other as different countries." The inter-Korean summit is set to take place in South Korea at the truce village of Panmunjeom, Friday. The two Koreas have held summits twice previously in Pyongyang. North Korea's former leader Kim Jong-il met with his past counterparts Presidents Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun in 2000 and 2007, respectively. This is the first time the North Korean leader will be crossing the border to visit South Korea for talks. Joint conference still up in air By Kim Rahn, Kim Bo-eun President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will meet at 9:30 a.m. Friday at the truce village of Panmunjeom before their first summit, a top presidential aide said, Thursday. Kim will cross the military demarcation line (MDL) on foot for the summit that will be held at the Peace House in the southern side of the joint security area (JSA), said Im Jong-seok, presidential chief of staff and the head of the inter-Korean summit preparation committee. It will be the first time for a North Korean leader to set foot in the South since the Korean War (1950-53). Moon will greet him in front of the MDL, and they will walk together to the welcoming ceremony venue which will include the inspection of a South Korean honor guard. Im said it has not been decided yet whether North Korean first lady Ri Sol-ju will attend the summit. "We are hoping she can come in the afternoon and join the welcoming dinner," he said. The leaders will begin the summit at the Peace House at 10:30 a.m. They will have lunch separately, on the North and South side of the truce village. Afterward, as a symbolic event, Moon and Kim will plant a pine tree on the MDL, which symbolizes 65 years of conflict and division. [FULL TEXT] Cheong Wa Dae briefing by Im Jong-seok (presidential chief of staff and the head of the inter-Korean summit preparation committee) I will brief you on the schedule of the 2018 Inter-Korean Summit. President Moon Jae-in and Chairman of the State Affairs Commission Kim Jong-un will begin their historic first meeting at the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) at Panmunjeom at around 9:30 tomorrow morning, April 27. Chairman Kim will walk across the MDL between buildings T2 and T3 that are used as the meeting rooms of the Military Armistice Commission. President Moon will greet Chairman Kim at the MDL line in front of the Military Armistice Commission meeting room. After meeting at the MDL, the two leaders will be escorted by a South Korean traditional honor guard to the venue for the official welcoming ceremony. At 9:40 am, they will arrive at the Panmunjeom square located between Freedom House and Peace House. The official welcoming ceremony, including the inspection of the honor guard, will be observed at the square. Back in 2000 and 2007 when President Kim Dae-jung and President Roh Moo-hyun visited Pyeongyang for a summit, they reviewed the honor guard consisting of members of the North Korean army, navy and air force during the official welcoming ceremony. After reviewing the honor guard, the two leaders will greet the official delegates of both sides accompanying them, which will conclude the welcoming ceremony. Then, they will move to Peace House where the summit will take place. Chairman Kim is scheduled to sign the guestbook prepared on the first floor of Peace House and join President Moon in the taking of commemorative photos. They will have a chat in the reception room before moving to the conference room on the second floor to start the inter-Korean summit for peace and prosperity of the Korean Peninsula at 10:30 am. After the morning session of the summit is finished, the two sides will have separate luncheons and a rest time. In the afternoon, the North and South Korean leaders will jointly plant a commemorative tree as an expression of wishes for peace and prosperity. The two leaders will together plant a pine tree, which stands for peace and prosperity, on the MDL, which has symbolized confrontation and division over the past 65 years. The spot for the tree is beside a path near the MDL, which Hyundai Group Founder and Chairman Chung Ju-yung (1915-2001) took with a convoy of cattle-filled trucks on a visit to his hometown in North Korea. The pine, a tree beloved by the Korean people, was selected as the species for the commemorative tree planting. The age of the particular tree involved dates back to 1953, when the Korean War Armistice Agreement was signed. A mixture of soil from Hallasan and Baekdusan mountains will be used for the planting, after which Chairman Kim will water the tree with water from the Hangang river and President Moon will pour some water from the Daedonggang River. Engraved on the stone plaque for the tree will be the phrase "Peace and Prosperity Are Planted," as well as the signatures of President Moon and Chairman Kim. The joint commemorative tree-planting event was suggested by the South Korean Government and agreed to by the North, which also accepted the South's choice of tree species and wording for the stone plaque placed in front of the tree. After the tree-planting, the two leaders are likely to engage in friendly conversation as they walk together to the Footbridge, where a signpost of the MDL stands. The Footbridge got its name from the United Nations Command when it was built over a marsh in the Panmunjeom area to shorten the route taken by the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission, which frequently came to Panmunjeom after the Armistice Agreement was concluded. Work to widen and extend the bridge was taken as part of preparations for the 2018 Inter-Korean Summit. Two Korea Times columnists Emanuel Pastreich, director of the Asia Institute, and Stephen Costello, Washington-based Korea watcher talk about what has led to Friday's inter-Korean summit and what should be expected from it. ED. Today's summit between President Moon Jae-in of the Republic of Korea and Kim Jung-un of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea is not a single event, but rather the culmination of a long historical process of tremendous efforts on both sides for reconciliation in the face of inflexible thinking and institutional barriers. Although the history of North-South dialogue goes back a long way, this is the third inter-Korean summit between leaders and the first in South Korea. The first summit was between South Korea's then President Kim Dae-jung and North Korea's then leader Kim Jong-il in Pyongyang, June 13-15, 2000. That remarkable encounter produced a "Peace Declaration" that set the stage for closer economic cooperation, reunions for separated families and government-government talks. Those efforts laid the foundation for the Gaeseong Industrial Region, opening in 2002, which allowed direct investment by the South in the North. That breakthrough summit, however, suffered tremendous setbacks after the George W. Bush administration came to power in the United States. It declared that North Korea could not be trusted and then refused to follow through with American commitments in accord with the Agreed Framework of 1994. Talk of regime change and the "Axis of Evil" in Washington ended prospects for real progress. The second summit was held between President Roh Moo-hyun and Kim Jong-il, Oct. 2-4, 2007, also in Pyongyang. They discussed economic and cultural cooperation and signed a peace declaration that called for an end to the Korean War and a peace treaty. There was little time left in Roh's term to follow up on the peace declaration and the following two conservative administrations of Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye showed open hostility to North Korea and raised tensions and distrust immediately. The Park administration went so far as to shut down the Gaeseong Industrial Region. So this inter-Korean summit follows that legacy, but after a decade of neglect on the American side (labeled by the Obama administration as "strategic patience") and open hostility on the part of the South Korean conservatives. This time, however, President Moon is in the driver's seat as the Trump administration lacks the expertise and focus to make policy for the Korean Peninsula. Korea has emerged as a cultural and economic power in the region and the candlelight demonstrations against the Park administration suggest a vital political culture. Perhaps a more profound geopolitical shift will result this time from the summit. 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. By Park Ji-won While the rest of the world will watch today's inter-Korean summit live on TV, people in North Korea are unlikely to see it real time. North Koreans may watch an edited version of the summit that highlights its leader as North Korea rarely airs live broadcasts. "North Korea never broadcasts important national events live," Cho Han-bum, a senior researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification, told reporters. "Even for the most significant events like military parades to mark the anniversary of the founding of the North Korean army, North Korea's state-run television did not broadcast it live." North Korea has agreed to a live broadcast by South Korean media of key parts of the summit, including the first moment when the leaders of two Koreas meet, scheduled for 9:30 a.m., as well as coverage by South Korean reporters on the North side of the Joint Security Area, Cheong Wa Dae said last week. South Korean media will air the opening part of the historic summit live. South Korean broadcasting companies SBS, KBS and MBC are planning to start a live broadcast from 8 a.m. CNN is also expected to air a special live program for the summit from April 26 to 27. In both 2000 and 2007, when the first and second inter-Korean summits were held, foreign media were not allowed to cover the summit at the scene. South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will first meet at the Military Demarcation Line that separates the truce village of Panmunjeom. The two sides held working-level talks on the North Korean side of Panmunjeom to discuss protocol, security and press coverage for the summit. By Lee Min-hyung The government's plan to have an honor guard for North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is causing a strong reaction here. Conservatives are calling the decision "ironic" for South Korean soldiers to stage a ceremony for the leader of the South's de facto enemy. The Ministry of National Defense unveiled Wednesday the plan for the three branches of the armed forces army, navy and air force to form the honor guard in front of the Peace House, the venue for Friday's inter-Korean summit, in the southern half of Panmunjeom. However the defense ministry, citing geographical difficulties, said it will scale down the event as the summit venue cannot accommodate a full-scale military honor guard. But conservatives here are expressing vehement opposition to the move. As of 2 p.m. Thursday, more than 1,000 people had signed a petition against the honor guard on the website of Cheong Wa Dae. "The event will not enhance the morale of South Korean soldiers," an online user, who identified himself as a former military officer, commented on the petition. "The decision is a humiliation to 600,000 South Korean soldiers who serve their military duty to protect the South from possible attack by the regime." "It is absurd for the South Korean military to hold an honor guard for a third-generation dictator of the regime at a time when soldiers from the South carry out military operations to fight against North Korea," he said. "A large number of North Korean citizens have fallen victim to the harsh dictatorship of the Kim dynasty." The ministry said the government scheduled the event to pay respect to the thawing inter-Korean relations and commemorate the hosting of the summit between President Moon Jae-in and Kim. It said in a statement: "We decided to hold the honor guard for Kim to revive inter-Korean trust and establish a lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula." The ministry added the decision came as part of the government's hopes to hold a successful inter-Korean summit. This will be the first time that a North Korean leader is greeted by South Korean troops. Former North Korean leader Kim Jong-il welcomed former late South Korean Presidents Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun with honor guards during summits in Pyongyang in 2000 and 2007, respectively. Reporters take part in a press briefing at KINTEX, Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, Thursday, one day before the inter-Korean summit. / Yonhap By Choi Ha-young GOYANG, Gyeonggi Province At the crack of dawn, Thursday, international journalists began to flock to KINTEX in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, where the main press center for the inter-Korean summit has been installed. Slightly flushed out of excitement to cover the historic event, journalists were upbeat in sharing their expectations of the summit's outcome, as well as the roles of North Korean officials scheduled to attend the summit. Various languages rang throughout the area coming from journalists speaking in front of cameras. Local reporters and foreign correspondents reached out to each other to collect diverse reactions across the world. Almost 3,000 reporters across the world gathered here, including 869 foreign reporters. Among them, 366 Japanese reporters accounted for the largest percentage, followed by 141 from the United States and 81 from China. Nearby accommodations were fully booked. "Already a week ago, all of our 377 rooms had been reserved. Many of our guests are foreign reporters," Kim Jung-hoon, a manger at the MVL Hotel Kintex, told The Korea Times. Im Jong-seok, presidential chief of staff and the head of the inter-Korean summit preparation committee, reveals a detailed schedule of the South-North summit at the Korean International Exhibition Center in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, Thursday. / Yonhap By Kim Rahn All eyes will be on Korea Friday as the leaders of the two countries meet at 9:30 a.m. for a historic summit that may pave the way for a resolution to North Korea's decades-long nuclear weapons program. President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will have their first encounter when the latter crosses the military demarcation line on foot to the summit venue, the Peace House, a building on the southern side of the truce village of Panmunjeom. The two leaders will discuss denuclearizing the North and establishing permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula. Unlike two previous inter-Korean summits in 2000 and 2007, this meeting is taking place at a time when Pyongyang's nuclear technology has become much more advanced and military tensions on the peninsula has been heightened. What agreement the two leaders make and how they do it will decide whether Kim's following summit with U.S. President Donald Trump in May or June will produce a meaningful outcome in resolving the nuclear issue. The historic moment has become possible following Moon's strong commitment to dialogue with the North, coupled with the international community's economic sanctions against Pyongyang which seem to have taken their toll. Dialogue with the North and the co-prosperity of the two Koreas have been longtime wishes for Moon, who was in charge of the second inter-Korean summit preparations in 2007 between former President Roh Moo-hyun and then-North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, as Roh's chief of staff. As a presidential candidate, Moon said he was willing to visit Pyongyang if it would help resolve the nuclear issue. He also presented a plan to establish a new economic community on the peninsula, seeking economic cooperation with North Korea and further cooperation with China and Russia, as a way to get Pyongyang to engage in international economic activities and thus achieve co-prosperity and eventually peace. As President, he offered a peace overture in his speech in Berlin last July. He said he would pursue a peace treaty with the North, adding the South would not seek regime collapse or unification by absorption. In the speech, Moon called on the North to participate in the PyeongChang Winter Olympics, and this was realized after Kim announced his country's willingness to do so in his New Year speech. The atmosphere surrounding the peninsula became rapidly reconciliatory. Kim sent not only athletes but also his sister Kim Yo-jong to the South for the Olympics and she delivered his invitation to Moon to visit Pyongyang for a summit. He told Moon's special envoys and U.S. Secretary of State appointee Mike Pompeo he would give up his nuclear arsenal if the safety of his regime was guaranteed and military threats were removed. Considering his previous hostility toward the South and the U.S., his changed stance was quite a surprise. Kim, who used to be reclusive, has seemingly changed recently, making his first overseas trip to Beijing and meeting foreign envoys. What has made Kim change is unclear. Some political analysts presume international sanctions are beginning to bite, while others say the U.S.'s escalating threats to use a military option have had an effect. Whatever the cause, North Korea is set to negotiate about its nuclear weapons with the South and the U.S. The three nations will even discuss signing a peace treaty to officially end the Korean War. Although the countries seek denuclearization altogether, they may have different opinions on how to realize it and this will be a contentious issue at the summits. "If we can stipulate the two Koreas' clear determination for denuclearization, and if we can confirm it is for the complete denuclearization of the peninsula, we will be able to say this summit has been successful," said Im Jong-seok, presidential chief of staff and head of the summit preparation committee. "Then this summit will be a good guide for the Washington-Pyongyang summit." By Jang Sung-min North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's surprise statement on April 20 that he was shutting down the country's nuclear testing site and ending all further nuclear and intercontinental ballistic missile tests has caused as much confusion as hope in Seoul and Washington. In a new policy decision announced by the Central Committee of the ruling Workers' Party, Kim declared that his nuclear arsenal has reached a level of sufficiency that no longer required further tests. He said it was time to focus on economic development, which forms the second plank of his "byongjin" policy of simultaneously advancing on the military and economic fronts. But the statement left many questions unanswered. For instance, what does Kim mean by ending further tests? Is this to be a simple moratorium in the current phase of missile and nuclear development? Is he offering to accept outside inspection and verification on his existing nuclear arsenal? Is he prepared to open up the entire nuclear facilities and missile locations for international inspection? What does he want in exchange for his readiness to suspend the existing nuclear program? Also the statement missed one word the rest of the world was hoping to hear from Pyongyang: "denuclearization." Failure to commit to a complete abrogation of the nuclear option can potentially overturn the whole negotiation process now underway, including preparations for the summit with President Donald Trump. In near term, it also darkens the prospects of the scheduled summit with South Korean President Moon Jae-in set for Friday at the armistice village of Panmunjeom. As we ponder these implications, one should not ignore the high price the Kim regime has paid so far to acquire weapons of mass destruction. It's not simply a matter of investment. It's a matter of determination for survival, whether it be the survival of his nation or his own regime. In North Korea where the Kim family has held sway for three generations now, the nation and regime are bound in one destiny. In the seven years he has been in power, Kim has determinedly focused all national resources on attaining a self-sufficient nuclear arsenal and missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads. Sparing no expenditure for this purpose, he has wrecked the North Korean economy in the process. Four out of six underground nuclear tests since 2006 and a whopping 86 missile launches since 2011 were all conducted under his leadership. The last ICBM launched in September had specialists worrying it could be on the brink of carrying a nuclear warhead. No wonder North Korean officials have insisted time and time again that it is simply inconceivable to give up the bomb, however high the cost. But even this iron-clad commitment may be weakening in the face of the "fire and fury" statement from President Trump. His U.N. speech last year that North Korea could expect to be "completely destroyed" in the event of war could not have escaped Kim's attention. It's an existential threat to his nation, not just to his regime. Washington's policy of exerting maximum pressure through a global sanctions regime has crippled the economy. China's participation in the ongoing sanctions has reduced the North's export earnings by as much as 90 percent. All this is coming to a nation still suffering from the lingering effects of the "Great Famine" that took the lives of incalculable numbers of people between 1995 and 2000. Is Kim confident of overcoming another catastrophe of this scale? But the irony is that Trump's threat of annihilating North Korea also scares South Korea, forcing President Moon to declare he would oppose all forms of attack by Trump. South Koreans fear that the North's retaliatory strikes could decimate their hard won democracy and economy. With casualty estimates running into the millions if war starts on the Korean Peninsula, the South is practically held hostage in this conflict. This sad scenario impels President Moon to avoid war at all cost, a situation that ironically could protect the North from U.S. military strikes. This explains Moon's recent obsession with Kim's peace offensive ahead of the summit. Kim's peace campaign is clearly intended to make it difficult for Trump to move ahead with his massive military strikes on the North. This peace agreement holds another hidden card _ Pyongyang's argument that it removes the need for maintaining U.S. forces in the South. Its logic: why the need to keep U.S. forces when there's no more military conflict on the peninsula? An arrangement of a permanent peace could bring additional benefits to the North by allowing the resumption of economic aid from the South. This accords with Kim's new policy of concentrating on economic development. Kim appears to clearly want to minimize talks on denuclearization and maximize his proposal for demilitarization of the peninsula. That can also obstruct Trump's using a military option to achieve progress on the denuclearization front. Here's the clear reason for Seoul and Washington to tread warily in the coming summits. For the time being, U.S. and South Korean officials vow that the issue of U.S. forces in the South will not be up for talks at any level. Even so, President Moon should be careful not to stray from the main agenda of denuclearization, even as Kim insists that's the agenda to be taken up between himself and Trump, and it's none of South Korea's business. The writer is chairman of the World and Northeast Asia Peace Forum, former member of the National Assembly's Unification, Foreign Affairs and Trade Committee and chief aide to former President Kim Dae-jung. He is the author of a best-selling book, "China's Push, America's Push-back," a geopolitical critique on the Korean Peninsula's relations with the two global superpowers. Other books include "War and Peace: North Korea After Kim Jong Il," and "Bush Administration's Post-9-11 Foreign Policy and Korea." By Pascal-Emmanuel Gobry France and the U.S. may have worked together to strike the Syrian regime's chemical weapons infrastructure on April 13, but the two countries have had different objectives. President Donald Trump has said he wants to reduce the U.S. presence there, while French President Emmanuel Macron has stepped up French engagement in the region. Macron is now hoping his pomp-filled Washington visit will help convince Trump to follow his lead. Trump should listen. France worries that a U.S. pullout from Syria would risk turning what's left of the country into an Iranian puppet state, a haven for Sunni jihadi terrorism or both. It would also be a precursor to massive bloodshed while Bashar Assad finishes off his enemies, something France finds unacceptable. France's official goals in Syria a negotiated end to the conflict that gives all the parties a credible stake in the country's future, defeats terrorist movements and pushes for as much humanitarian support for civilians as possible are the right ones. But while America's leadership dithers over its options in Syria, Macron has displayed a combination of flexibility and toughness that not only serves France's interests but should suit Trump's too. Macron's position took shape soon after his election when, with cunning realism, he reversed France's previous policy of making Assad's ouster a precondition to talks on the country's future. At the same time, he made a "red line" declaration of his own, purposefully echoing the warning made but not enforced by former U.S. President Barack Obama and French President Francois Hollande. When it became clear that the Assad regime had crossed that line, Macron declared that he wanted an international effort to strike Assad's chemical weapons infrastructure, but signaled that he would act alone if need be. Trump too was eager for a show of force that contrasted with Obama's inaction. The rest was easy, but what comes next isn't. In France, the strikes were viewed positively. They damaged, if not crippled, Assad's WMD infrastructure and made Russian President Vladimir Putin, who had positioned sophisticated air defenses in the region, look weak. The episode also strengthened French credibility in the region. Shortly before the episode, Turkey had attacked various positions held by French-backed Kurdish militia, in an obvious test of the new French president's resolve. France promptly reaffirmed its commitment to the region, and Turkey backed down. Macron's approach to Syria isn't all muscle though. France has worked hard to be a pivotal power in the Syrian conflict and is pretty much the only party to the conflict that can command the respect and attention of all other parties. France wants to be seen as an honest broker, able to enforce red lines but also sensitive to the complex interests of different parties. France is one of the most active countries in the UN on Syria issues. While aligned with the U.S. and U.K. in pushing back against Russia's provocations, France consistently insists on dialogue and refrains from rhetoric that would anger Moscow. In a TV interview held shortly after the strikes, Macron emphasized that he spoke with Putin multiple times before and after. France is also fighting to keep the Iran nuclear deal alive when Trump would scuttle it. The country has links stretching back decades with Syria's Baathist regime. Turkey and Israel are long-standing partners, despite France's many differences with both. And France enjoys good relations with many Sunni Arab Gulf countries; Macron just held a successful bilateral summit with Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman. All of these positions have been carefully cultivated and make France a key U.S. ally in any resolution to the conflict. France has vital interests in Syria: Islamic State, now in its death throes, has many French fighters keen to return home to wreak havoc there once defeated in Syria; France wants to ensure they are not able to do that. Macron rightly feels that France cannot afford to defend the international community's interests all by itself. Meanwhile, Trump, consciously or not, is grasping for a third way in Syria that is neither a complete disengagement that would make him look weak, nor a heavy presence that goes counter to his foreign policy instincts and that he knows would be unpopular. He should let his French counterpart take the lead. Pascal-Emmanuel Gobry is a Paris-based writer and fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center. The above column was distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. By Donald Kirk WASHINGTON Here's a hard truth that's certifiable by any rudimentary review of modern Korean history: the real news about Korea catches almost everyone by surprise. Who, for instance, would have predicted the outbreak of the Korean War nearly seven decades ago? Who knew, in the depths of South Korea's economic suffering after that titanic tragedy, that the South would burst into bloom as a major industrial power? And who would have believed, in the darkest moments of military dictatorship under Park Chung-hee and then Chun Doo-hwan, that Korea would emerge as a democracy complete with national, provincial and local elections? Those are just a few of the many shocks and surprises that have rocked South Korea since the end of Japanese rule in August 1945 and the emergence of the Republic of Korea in the South three years later. The evolution of North Korea, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, founded the next month, has been equally full of surprises, most notoriously its success in producing nuclear warheads and the missiles to send them to distant targets since the late Kim Jong-il ordered the first underground nuclear test in October 2006. A quick reminder of some of the jolts, for better and for worse, with which most of us in Korea are quite familiar, is by way of getting around to the surprises of the past year and a half. First, we had the candlelight revolution, resulting in the downfall of Park Chung-hee's daughter Park Geun-hye and the rise of a liberal president, Moon Jae-in. Then, lo and behold, came a stunning reversal of the march toward a second Korean War that seemed possible while Kim Jong-il's son, Kim Jong-un, ordered tests of ever more powerful warheads and missiles. Who would have predicted, as the New Year dawned, that Kim III, scion of the dynasty founded by his grandfather, Kim Il-sung, who orchestrated the invasion of the South in June 1950, would have decided enough was enough and send a team, accompanied by several hundred entertainers and Taekwondo wrestlers, to participate in the PyeongChang Olympics? And who knew he would actually express "willingness" to discuss giving up his nuclear program? Can all this flurry of news, including the drama of Kim's announcement of suspension of testing, be for real or are we being horribly misled? Will President Moon and "Respected Leader" Kim come up with a magic formula whereby he really does commit himself to giving up the nuclear program, not just suspending it? We're so accustomed to disappointment and disillusionment in dealing with North Korea that it's hard to be optimistic. Maybe we should just be thankful that Moon and Kim are meeting today, Friday, and see it as the beginning of an attenuated up-and-down process. For sure, whatever they say or do at Panmunjeom, the Moon-Kim dialogue will have a huge impact on whatever happens when President Trump and Kim meet a month or so later. That's assuming, of course, that Trump and Kim actually do meet. Trump himself has gone up and down on North Korea like a yo-yo. Was it not just a few months ago that he was threatening to unleash "fire and fury" on North Korea? And who can forget his references to Kim as "rocket man" and "little rocket man" the adjective "little" a sneering reminder of Kim's weight? Now Trump is reversing field to an extent that has American advocates of reconciliation criticizing him for misleading everyone by saying Kim has already agreed on denuclearization. Actually, as the usual cast of think-tank analysts and TV yakkers in the swamp of Washington have been loudly noting, Kim has done nothing of the sort. He's just said he won't test any more nukes and missiles. In fact, North Korea hasn't tested any nukes since its sixth underground test, by far its most powerful, probably a hydrogen bomb, last September. The nuclear test site, which Kim made a show of shutting down, is still functional, according to 38 North, the noted dispenser of inside info about the North's nuclear and missile program. Is it not possible, however, to be a little too skeptical if not cynical about North Korea's assurances and intentions? The reason I ask is we may be in for a surprise, and not all the surprises are bad. Might Kim have seen the light and decided he has much more to gain, and nothing to lose, by getting along with the South, and with the U.S. too? In the long history of shocks and surprises, may we dare to fantasize real and lasting peace? As Moon and Kim meet today at Peace House, just south of the North-South line in the Joint Security Area set up in the truce that ended the gunfire in July 1953, the dream lives on. Donald Kirk ( www.donaldkirk.com ) has been covering conflict and resolution in Korea and the region for decades. By Hwang Jae-ho Tomorrow (Apr. 27), President Moon Jae-in and north Korean leader Kim Jong-un are holding a sensational summit at Panmunjeom, the village which represents the division of the two Koreas. Following the summits of Kim Jong-il with Kim Dae-Jung, and Kim Jong-il with Roh Moo-Hyun, this is the third summit between leaders from the South and North. This time it has several significant points; first, from a short term perspective, it could bring about sustainable and regularized Inter-Korean talks as well as a successful U.S.-North Korea Summit; second, it could be the beginning of peace building on the Korean Peninsula over the long term. The ultimate purpose of the April 27 summit is way more meaningful than a simple meeting between the two Koreas' leaders; it is a symbolic but practical process for denuclearization, a mutual agreement on principles regarding the peace regime, a military detente and trust-building measures, and exchanges and cooperation on a civic level can be anticipated. The core of the summit is peace and security. First, a remark about denuclearization directly from Kim Jong-un will clear up not only North Korea's will and promise on denuclearization, but also the meaning of the gradual and conditional denuclearization North Korea has mentioned. Second, the further disposal of ICBMs, which is of critical interest to the U.S., can be confirmed. Though a practical dismantlement, verification and inspection of North Korea's denuclearization must be the best case, at least we will get to know North Korea's position on "CVID." Third, it will be an opportunity to tap the necessity for a newly upgraded Six-party Talks framework, and the potential possibility for North Korea's reinstatement in them. Fourth, the current Korean peninsula status and related multilateral security will be comprehensively discussed regarding the peace regime. Fifth, an approach which accompanies the denuclearization in a virtuous cycle might be recommended. Summing up, in order to settle a peace regime on detente, a symbolic and substantial outcome needs to be derived. Besides the security issue, exchanges and cooperation in sport, culture and art will be revitalized. In addition, along with efforts on specifying and expanding humanitarian aid, considerable positive impacts will spill over to unexpected sectors. However, since South Korea's independent economic cooperation with North Korea is not feasible under current international sanctions on the North, the approach will be cautiously held to a limited, selective, and gradual way. Nevertheless, the pace and the spectrum of the field are expected to increase depending on the results of the U.S.-North Korea Summit. As soon as the inter-Korean meeting ends, the government must be ready to get back to reality, preparing for later circumstances. Coordinating the potential obstacles of U.S.-North Korea Summit is a priority. To begin with, prior consultations regarding denuclearization and a peace regime should be delivered to the U.S. in order to successfully complete the talks. Furthermore, a plan needs to be established to implement any inter-Korean agreement while maintaining and institutionalizing the inter-Korean communication channel at the same time. Above all, the agenda and systems for various measures should be arranged: U.S.-South-North Korea, China-South-North Korea, U.S.-China-South-North Korea talks or others. In this sense, another Inter-Korean Summit after the U.S-North Korea Summit is a crucial necessity. So far, China and both Koreas have been the main actors in Korean peninsula issues; however, this was converted into the U.S. and two Koreas leading during the PyeongChang Olympics. An uncomfortable situation for China referred to as "China Passing" has taken place. In spite of such dynamics, China's role as ever remains critical in that North Korea will not change without its participation. In other words, China is still the key-player here as we witnessed through the China-North Korea Summit. The international condition requires China's more clear and expanded role. For instance, it should adhere to its present standpoint toward North Korea until the U.S.-North Korea Summit, in order to prove it has not released any of the sanctions on the North. Since the "Freeze for Freeze" and the "Dual-Track Approach" is actually going on, implicit cooperation with South Korea is essential to sustain these routes. Before actual multilateral talks, China must work on determining the form of a peace regime agreement: either US-South-North Korea?combination which allows China's guarantee or a U.S.-China-South-North Korea simultaneously. Today's Northeast Asia is very complicated, adding North Korea issues to the U.S.'s diplomacy, security and trade policies toward China and South Korea. Considering Trump's personal political crisis and the off-year election in November, both the U.S.-China and U.S.-South Korea relations are unpredictable. China should promote foreign policies which receive positive perceptions in South Korea. In South Korea, on the other hand, China is often recognized as an irresponsible defect in sanctions on North Korea or is supportive to North Korea. Therefore, until a tangible outcome in North Korea is proven, it seems necessary to make China a close and reliable friend of South Korea: China as a responsible power. Hwang Jae-ho is a director of the Global Security Cooperation Center, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, Seoul. By Kim Yoo-chul Samsung Electronics posted a record quarterly operating profit for the first three months of 2018, mostly powered by better-than-expected memory chip prices and solid sales of its latest flagship smartphone. In a statement, the company said its operating profit was 15.6 trillion won during the first quarter, up 58 percent from last year. Revenue jumped 20 percent to 60.6 trillion won, which was in line with earlier estimates. "The memory chip business remained strong and solid throughout the latest quarter. The mobile business division fared well thanks to not-that-bad sales of the Galaxy S9 smartphones and better cost control, especially marketing expenses," a spokesman said. Samsung also provided divisional performances in its final results announcement. Its home appliances division, which has a relatively weak market position, saw a slight decline in profits due to expenses in restructuring the unprofitable TV unit. Samsung's consumer electronics division, which is in charge of managing TVs and appliances, reported 9.74 trillion won in quarterly revenue and a 280 billion won operating profit. The semiconductor division reported 11.55 trillion won in operating profit, making up 55.6 percent of the group's total. The outlook remains positive. "The memory chip supply tightness and the increased selling price especially for DRAM chips will continue in the second quarter. We think NAND chip prices will remain healthy. These are plus factors," Samsung said. As Samsung is the global leader both in DRAM and NAND segments, with over 45 percent and 35 percent global market shares, respectively, other manufacturers take the outlook and detailed ramp up plans presented by Samsung as key references to forecast the healthiness of the industry. The mobile phone business division reported 28.45 trillion won in revenue for the quarter, with a 3.77 trillion won operating profit. "Samsung likely sold 10 million Galaxy S9s in the first quarter and appears on track to beating 37 million S8 shipments in 2017," Bernstein Research's senior analyst Mark C. Newman said in a report to clients. Samsung said it plans to roll out a new flagship phone model in the latter half of this year and to prioritize selling cheaper models via online channels for better cost control. Its display business failed to impress, earning a 410 billion won operating profit on 7.54 trillion won in sales. "That was due to poor OLED shipments for the iPhone X," said Newman, adding utilization at the "A3" fabrication facility _ the dedicated flexible OLED line for Apple _ is now below 50 percent without any major improvement seen until the new iPhone launch in the second half. Samsung acknowledged, "Demand for OLED panels from major clients remained weak." The company invested 8.6 trillion won in facilities during the quarter; 7.2 trillion won on semiconductors followed 800 billion on displays. "Samsung Electronics remains our top pick given its dominant position and cost leadership in DRAM and NAND, as well as OLED profit growth and improved cash returns. We rate Samsung as 'outperform' with a target price of 4 million won for ordinary shares," said Bernstein, adding the biggest downside risks to its target price were reduced margins in the handset business due to heightened competition, an abrupt strengthening of the Korean won which would reduce revenue and increased costs, and a sell-off in equities. Naver CEO Han Seong-sook listens to questions from lawmakers of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party who visited the company's headquarters in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, Wednesday. / Yonhap By Baek Byung-yeul Page Content Cohesion policy is the main European investment policy to achieve the EU Treaty objective of economic, social and territorial cohesion. In doing so Cohesion policy has a clear added value in creating jobs, sustainable growth and modern infrastructure, overcoming structural barriers, boosting human capital and improving the quality of life for all citizens across the EU. Within the context of the ongoing debate on the future of cohesion policy beyond 2020, numerous important actors have already expressed their view on this important matter. The national position of the Republic of Croatia on cohesion policy post 2020 was adopted on 8 February 2018. The European Committee of the Regions took its position already with the adoption of its opinion on "The future of cohesion policy beyond 2020" on 11 May 2017. Shortly before the presentation of the legislative proposals by the European Commission on 29 May 2018, this briefing session will provide an opportunity to present the Croatian position on the matter and to discuss it with an interested audience in Brussels. The event forms part of the activities of the European Committee of the Regions promoting the #CohesionAlliance for a strong and effective cohesion policy beyond 2020. Draft Agenda: Welcome and the view of the European Committee of the Regions on the future of cohesion policy beyond 2020 Karl-Heinz Lambertz, President of the European Committee of the Regions The national position of the Republic of Croatia on Cohesion Policy post 2020 Gabrijela Zalac , Minister for Regional Development and EU Funds, Republic of Croatia The view of the Croatian counties and cities towards the future of cohesion policy Nikola Dobroslavic, Head of Croatian delegation to the CoR Discussion with the participants Interpretation will be provided in Croatian, English and French. REGISTRATION HERE General Motors Co. President Dan Ammann said Thursday the U.S. carmaker is in the final stages to resolve the liquidity problems facing its South Korean unit amid talks with the Korean government. "Over the last few months, in particular over the last few weeks, a lot of very good progress has been made. We stand here today very close to a resolution on most of these particular issues," Ammann said at a meeting with lawmakers from the ruling Democratic Party in the National Assembly. The particular issues refer to the serious cash problems at GM Korea Co. Citing all stakeholders -- GM, GM Korea's labor union and the state-run Korea Development Bank (KDB) -- he said, "From the beginning, we have shared a common objective, and that common objective is to make GM Korea a successful, thriving, growing and profitable company." As clear as that objective was, because of some issues here, a number of very difficult steps have to be taken in order to get to that outcome, he said without elaborating. The related parties will be able to "disclose the final list of items over the next few hours and days," he said. GM and the KDB are in talks to decide on the size of their investments in GM Korea. The KDB is the second-biggest shareholder with a stake of 17 percent in GM Korea, with GM controlling 77 percent and SAIC Motor Corp. 6 percent. On Monday, the 12,000-member GM Korea union reached a tentative agreement on the self-help plan that includes shutting down a plant in Korea, a wage freeze and no bonuses. With the preliminary deal, GM's loss-making Korean unit could avoid being placed under court-led bankruptcy protection. In a vote held from Wednesday to Thursday, the union accepted the self-rescue plans for GM Korea. From 2014-2017, the carmaker posted 3.134 trillion won in accumulated net losses due to a lack of new models and lower demand. In February, GM unveiled its restructuring plan for its Korean operations. The Detroit carmaker said it will shut one of its four Korean plants by May, while asking GM Korea workers to make some wage concessions and the KDB to provide financial support to put its money-losing Korean unit back on track. GM proposed converting $2.7 billion debt owed to it by GM Korea into equity and offered to share an investment of $2.8 billion between GM Korea and the KDB. In the past 2 1/2 months, the union strongly protested against the self-rescue measures that drove 2,600 employees out of the company in voluntary retirement programs. The company currently has 13,000 employees that include 1,000 office workers. Under the self-help plan, GM said it will allocate two new models -- a compact SUV and a crossover utility vehicle -- to its three remaining plants by 2022. The KDB has said it will make fresh investments in GM Korea if the results of due diligence on the carmaker are satisfactory. The financial review is still under way, the state lender said. (Yonhap) Hyundai Motor's Encino / Courtesy of Hyundai Motor By Nam Hyun-woo Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors are seeking to rebound in China, hoping that the new SUV lineup could uplift their declining sales in the country. Hyundai Motor Vice Chairman Chung Eui-sun on Wednesday told reporters at the Beijing International Automotive Exhibition that Hyundai Motor's goal in China for this year is "selling 900,000 vehicles," adding that he is quite sure the goal can be met. He said the company is upbeat about this year's performance in China as it has prepared a lot to release the new models. Market observers expect spearheading Hyundai and Kia's rebound in China would be their new SUVs _ Hyundai's Encino and Kia's new Zhipao. Encino, the Chinese version of the Kona, was released earlier this month, after staging a huge introduction in China. Of note was Chung's attendance at the introduction because Chung has rarely been present at these events outside of Korea. Along with the Volvo XC 40 and Toyota's C-HR, Hyundai's Encino is one of the new cars in the small SUV segment expected to gain the attention of Chinese consumers this year. Introduced with a 1.6-litre gasoline engine with a 7-speed dual clutch transmission, the Encino is slightly lower and wider than the Kona, while providing smart sensors and other safety features. Also, it supports connectivity software developed by Chinese tech giant Baidu. During the introduction, Chung said "the Encino is aimed young customers who seek a different lifestyle" and the company plans to release new models to meet the new demands of Chinese customers. A week later, Kia also rolled out its new Zhipao, which is a Chinese version of the newer version of Kia's steady seller the Sportage. Zhipao has been one of the best-selling Kia vehicles in China. Since its China release in 2007, 891,536 Zhipaos were sold in the country by March. The Zhipao, like the Encino, targets young customers in China with its younger face, driver assistance technologies and Baidu connectivity software expected to attract the so-called "85-95 generation," which refers to those born between 1985 and 1995. At the Beijing auto show, Kia Motors also unveiled another small SUV Yipao for the first time. The model, which will be released exclusively in China in the second half of this year, also inherits Kia's family look and targets young customers, Kia Motors said. The reason Hyundai and Kia are focusing on small SUVs is because the segment is one of the fastest-growing auto segments in China. Last year, a total of 28.9 million cars were sold in China, and 40 percent or 10 million of those cars were SUVs. Hyundai Motor has been seeing its sales in China suffering since last year, amid the diplomatic friction between Korea and China over the former's decision to deploy a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) antimissile system in Korea. On Thursday, Hyundai Motor said it sold 1.05 million cars in the first quarter of this year, logging 22.44 trillion won in sales and 681.3 billion won in operating profit. Sales have declined by 4 percent from a year earlier, while operating profit has dropped 45.5 percent during the same period. Hyundai Motor attributed the contracted numbers to its weak sales in China and the U.S. It sold 880,186 cars overseas in the first quarter this year, down 2.8 percent from the previous year. "Despite the numbers, the company's sales in China have shown a year-on-year growth in March for the first time in 13 months," a Hyundai Motor official said. "We believe sales will likely recover among new models and SUVs." By Jhoo Dong-chan Union workers of GM Korea have voted for the salvage deal that union leaders and management struck earlier this week, paving the way for the carmaker to get itself back on track. According to the Korean unit of U.S. auto giant General Motors Thursday, 10,223 workers voted on passing the tentative agreement on the survival of GM Korea. Of them, 6,880 workers, or 67.3 percent, approved the agreement, which includes a base salary freeze and no bonuses for this year. The turnout was 85.3 percent, and 3,305 workers voted no to the agreement. "Over the last few months, and especially over the last few weeks a lot of good progress has been made," GM President Dan Ammann said during a meeting with the Korean ruling party lawmakers. "We appreciate the constructive efforts from all parties, and we stand here today very close to a resolution." The agreement between the carmaker's labor and management was a precondition for the troubled carmaker's Detroit headquarters and the state-run Korea Development Bank (KDB) to give new life to GM Korea with an additional investment. GM Korea came close to court receivership as the company's union and management failed to reach an agreement on its survival by Friday, a deadline its Detroit headquarters and the second-largest shareholder, the KDB, had set. Detroit and the bank, however, gave negotiators three more days to narrow their differences. The union and management managed to reach a tentative agreement on major issues such as the relocation of workers from the closed Gunsan plant and allocating a new car model to be built here. "Detroit wants to conclude the financial injection package as soon as possible since it will have an IR conference call soon," said an industry insider. "The injection package will be provided as soon as due diligence is completed next month." By Nam Hyun-woo Korea Gas Crop. CEO Cheong Seung-il Rome, April 26 - Outgoing Premier Paolo Gentiloni said Thursday that his cabinet had approved an "unusual" DEF document, the government's economic blueprint. Gentiloni's executive is in charge of the day-to-day business of administration amid efforts to form a new government after last month's inconclusive general election. The premier said the DEF works on the assumption of no changes in policy and "does not contain the reform programme part, which is the responsibility of the new government". The Italian government has to publish an economic blueprint to meet its obligations to the EU. Rome, April 26 - Alfie Evans' father on Thursday appealed to Pope Francis to travel to Liverpool to see the situation of his seriously ill son. "I call on the pope to come here to see what is happening," Tom Evans, who has been in a series of legal battles with Liverpool's Alder Hey Hospital, told the Catholic channel TV2000. "Come here and see how my son is the hostage of this hospital. What we are enduring is not right". Rome's Vatican-owned pediatric hospital Bambino Gesu has offered to treat the 23-month-old boy, who has a serious undiagnosed brain condition. The government in Rome has granted Alfie Italian citizenship in a bid to bring him to Italy and beat rulings to let him die. But the British courts have refused to allow the child, who continues to fight after being taken off life support earlier this week, to be transferred to Italy. "Thank you Italy. We love you," Tom Evans said. "Alfie is part of the Italian family. He is part of Italy. We belong to Italy". Rome, April 26 - On-trial Ostia clan member Roberto Spada on Thursday apologised to two journalists he allegedly attacked in the coastal Roman municipality in November. While being asked about the Spadas' alleged support for far-right group CasaPound, he head-butted and broke the nose of RAI reporter Daniele Piervincenzi and also attacked cameraman Edoardo Anselmi on November 7. Speaking at a hearing for the alleged attack, Spada said "I'm ashamed of what happened. "I say sorry to all journalists, but I don't remember anything about those moments, everything was blank to me". Spada is on trial with bodyguard Ruben Alvez for the attack on Piervincenzi and Anselmi, who suffered bruising on his back after being hit with a stick. Milan, April 26 - Eleven warders at Milan's San Vittore jail face possible trial for allegedly beating up a 50-year-old Tunisian inmate between 2016 and 2017 to punish him for reporting warders for beatings and cafeteria theft when he was in Velletri prison in 2011, sources said Thursday. The 11 were said to be inspectors and prison guards. The Tunisian is in jail for attempted murder. He was also allegedly beaten to stop him giving evidence in a trial, sources said. Prosecutor Leonardo Lesti notified the 11 of the end of the probe into them, which usually precedes an indictment request. They were under investigation for obstructing justice, bodily harm, misrepresentation and also abduction since one of the two alleged beatings allegedly took place in a location outside the prison. Rome, April 26 - On-trial Ostia clan member Roberto Spada on Thursday apologised to two journalists he allegedly attacked in the coastal Roman municipality in November. While being asked about the Spadas' alleged support for far-right group CasaPound, he head-butted and broke the nose of RAI reporter Daniele Piervincenzi and also attacked cameraman Edoardo Anselmi on November 7. Speaking at a hearing for the alleged attack, Spada said "I'm ashamed of what happened. "I say sorry to all journalists, but I don't remember anything about those moments, everything was blank to me". Spada is on trial with bodyguard Ruben Alvez for the attack on Piervincenzi and Anselmi, who suffered bruising on his back after being hit with a stick. Speaking on a video link with the jail at Tolmezzo in Friuli where he has been held for six months, Spada reconstructed what happened inside and outside his gym in Nuova Ostia. "In the hours after what happened I saw myself again in the video and I didn't recognise myself: there's no justification for what I did, the journalist could have asked me anything but I should not have reacted in that way". Udine, April 26 - Centre-right Forza Italia (FI) leader Silvio Berlusconi on Thursday rejected anti-establishment 5-Star Movement (M5S) leader Luigi Di Maio's contention that his TV stations were biased in his favour, allegedly highlighting a conflict of interests. Describing Di Maio's charge as "very serious", Berlusconi said "there is no commercial possibility" that media company Mediaset "can take someone's side because it would eliminate the others from its audience". The media magnate, who owns Italy's three largest commercial TV stations, said "I complain that (Mediaset) is always with everyone and a bit less with us, so as not to be a biased television". Udine, April 26 - Centre-right Forza Italia (FI) leader Silvio Berlusconi on Thursday said he had never "insulted" the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement (M5S) and had "only made a quip about none of them filing incomes returns". He said he thought this was "risible compared to what they said about me, that I am the absolute evil". Berlusconi was answering a question about centre-right leader Matteo Salvini, of the anti-migrant Euroskeptic League, who guaranteed there would be no more insults against the M5S from the centre right. Former premier and media magnate Berlusconi recently said the M5S would only be up to "cleaning the bogs at Mediaset", his media empire. On Wednesday he compared them to Hitler. Berlusconi said Thursday that the language of M5S leader Luigi Di Maio is "worrying, he wants to attack a political adversary in his private activity and patrimony, like 1970s-style proletarian expropriation, he is a danger for democracy and freedom". Berlusconi rejected Di Maio's contention that his TV stations were biased in his favour, allegedly highlighting a conflict of interests. Describing Di Maio's charge as "very serious", Berlusconi said "there is no commercial possibility" that media company Mediaset "can take someone's side because it would eliminate the others from its audience". The media magnate turned politician, who owns Italy's three largest commercial TV stations, said "I complain that (Mediaset) is always with everyone and a bit less with us, so as not to be a biased television". On Serving the People Audio Article LISTEN Hau Midakuepi (Greetings My Relatives), Growing up in Indian Country, I never heard much about such things as the... LETTER TO THE EDITOR Audio Article LISTEN Dear Editor: Ive been thinking about our Oglala Sioux Tribe for some time and wondered why development progress was... For full functionality of this site it is necessary to enable JavaScript. Here are the instructions how to enable JavaScript in your web browser The upset within the Los Angeles Times newsroom about a guild study finding lower pay across the board for women and people of color has prompted a memo to the staff today from editor in chief Jim Kirk. He doesn't say anything you wouldn't expect. But the fact of his response at least shows that the issue has reached a level of real concern at the Times. Last week, the LAT Guild raised the possibility of a class-action lawsuit against the newspaper by its own employees over the pay disparities. The LA Times Guild, using data provided by corporate owner Tronc, concluded that women and journalists of color were underpaid by thousands of dollars a year compared to their white male colleagues. The guild said the findings accounted for differences in experience. The average salary for a full-time reporter was $95,232 a year, for photographers $96,245, for editorial writers $113,833 and for critics and columnists $153,087. (The Times, incidentally, is actively recruiting for open positions and for positions the editors hope will become fill-able after the sale to Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong closes.) Here's my post on the original pay disclosures earlier this month, and below is Kirk's email to the staff this afternoon. From: Kirk, Jim Sent: Wednesday, April 25, 2018 3:25 PM Subject: Pay Study Dear Colleagues, Weve heard from many employees about the Guilds recent pay study, which the Guild compiled using salary and demographic information that the Los Angeles Times provided the union in response to its information requests. The Times takes diversity and inclusion, as well as compensation, in its newsroom seriously. We continually strive to make our newsroom reflective of the southern California region that we serve and to pay our employees fairly and competitively in the context of our challenged media business. Weve made significant strides in growing a diverse and inclusive staff. The Los Angeles Times has taken important steps to open pathways for more diverse candidates to gain experience in our newsroom, through our successful MetPro program. As a general matter, our newer employees tend to be more diverse than our longer-service employees who have worked many years, even decades, in journalism careers a dynamic that is not unique to the Times but is industrywide. In fact, based on 2017 ASNE data, the Los Angeles Times is comparatively more diverse than either of its largest daily competitors, The New York Times and The Washington Post. And weve made comparatively more progress over the past five years with our ongoing efforts to increase diversity in the Los Angeles Times newsroom: [Chart showing LA Times newsroom diversity is higher than at the New York Times or Washington Post.] We are committed to continued progress in this area. We are also committed to ensuring that our talented colleagues are compensated fairly and appropriately at the LA Times. Many legitimate factors weigh into the salaries for professional journalists. Most of our journalists perform highly individualized roles even if they share a reporter or other common job title in our newsroom. They have varying years of experience here at the Times, and they come to the Times with various levels of prior experience some after many years with other major news organizations. And they each bring individual talents, performance and contributions to their roles. We have asked the Guild for detailed information about the methodologies and factors that it considered and applied in its pay study, so that we can better understand the Study and evaluate the Guilds assessment of generalized and individualized pay differences. That information is especially important as we prepare for the start of negotiations for a first labor contract that will address, among other things, wages for unit employees. In the meantime, we will continue our efforts to produce outstanding journalism for the national audiences and California communities we serve through the increasingly diverse voices and talents in our newsroom. Jim Jim Kirk Editor In Chief Los Angeles Times That brought an immediate response from reporter and guild leader Sarah Parvini. We received an ~interesting~ email responding to the @latguild pay study that showed widespread pay inequity at the paper. I cant speak for the guild, but as a journalist of color I feel the need to point out a few things. Bear with me. pic.twitter.com/LS2Bta3g0A Sarah Parvini () (@sarahparvini) April 26, 2018 By the way, nothing new yet on the deal to transfer the paper into the hands buyer-in-progress Soon-Shiong, or the long-term status of Kirk under new ownership. Kirk was hired by the Tronc executive team twice. Here's the guild memo to members earlier. Also this: Further, @latguild points out that some editors in the newsroom have asked employees to write memos describing their merit for a raise. And it hits back hard against that. pic.twitter.com/gWVGd65IcJ Jon Schleuss (@gaufre) April 20, 2018 More Media coverage | LA Times Chief Tarilama says they want their people to relocate to Santo Science-fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke famously stated 45 years ago that any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. Today, advanced technology is commonplace. But while some tech innovations might appear as inscrutable as magic, they tend not to work nearly as well, says Meredith Broussard, whose new book, Artificial Unintelligence: How Computers Misunderstand the World (MIT Press, $24.95) warns against the blind optimism toward technology an attitude she calls technochauvinism that she argues has dominated our culture for far too long. Broussard, an assistant professor at New York Universitys Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute, began her career as a software developer at AT&T Bell Labs before transitioning to data journalism. Journalists are taught to be skeptical, she writes in the books introduction. I started to question the promises of tech culture. In the aftermath of the Facebook-Cambridge Analytica scandal and the first pedestrian death caused by a self-driving car, this line of questioning, it seems, is now on everybodys mind. I spoke with Broussard in New York City. Our conversation has been edited. How did you come up with the term technochauvinism? I needed a term to encompass the kind of bias that says the technological solution is always better than every other solution. What Ive realized after being a software developer and being in the high-tech world for many years is that we cant automatically assume the technological solution is the best one. Theres more nuance. For example, when youre teaching a kid to read, a board book is very helpful, because kids dont have the manual dexterity to use a mouse until elementary school. In order to use a mouse, you need to be able to tell your right from your left, which is something kids are not great at. A board book satisfies the need very well. It also never runs out of power. And you can drool on it. There wasnt a word that captured this particular kind of bias, so I invented one. Does the word have a gendered connotation? Absolutely, yes, there is a gender bias aspect to technochauvinism. As a woman of color in the high-tech industry, I had a very different experience than my white male colleagues. I tend to see different things. Im working in a small but growing tradition of women of color critically examining technological systems. In the book, I talk about Latanya Sweeney, a Harvard professor who pointed out the racial bias in online ads. If you had a black-sounding name, you were getting ads and search results for things like bail bonds, whereas if you had a name like Christine, you were getting something neutral. Latanya Sweeney noticed this because her name is Latanya. Its not Christine. In the chapter about schools, you write about gaining appreciation for the Gates Foundations support for the Common Core State Standards. But you go on to cite the controversy over Common Core as an example of what happens when engineering solutions are applied to social problems. Was this an example of technochauvinism? The whole Common Core situation is a mess for a lot of complicated reasons, not just that there was an element of technochauvinism in some of the microdecisions. When you read the standards, theyre absolutely impenetrable. Im a college professor, and I cant really understand what these standards mean. Things that are written to be impenetrable are not actually useful for teachers in the classroom. If I cant understand it, there are a lot of other people out there who also cant understand it and are probably not going on the record to say, I cant understand this. If youre a classroom teacher, and you dont understand the Common Core standards, who are you going to talk to? Your principal is not going to be able to change anything. Youre trapped. Its a Kafka -esque situation. So I dont know that the Common Core initiative is an example of technochauvinism. I do think theres a lot of technochauvinism in education. Something like One Laptop per Child that initiative is definitely technochauvinism. And every effort to give all the students laptops or iPads and replace something that is usually technochauvinism. 'Artificial Unintelligence' The MIT Press Its a great idea to make sure that all of your students have the same technology and that all your students have technology to use in school and at home. Im a big admirer of the CSforALL [Computer Science for All] initiative. So I am pro-technology, and I am pro-technology in schools. But I do not think that portable technology is a total replacement for anything else. Its an add-on, not a substitute. Why specifically is One Laptop per Child technochauvinism? In the One Laptop per Child initiative, they didn't think about all of the things that go along with implementing the technology. In order to have one laptop per child, you need stuff like electricity. They found out very quickly that in rural schools, kids dont necessarily have electricity at home. They dealt with that challenge by creating laptops you could charge with a crank. Great. But there were other challenges, like teachers that werent sure how to integrate computer-based education into their lessons. There either werent lesson plans or the One Laptop per Child people were not shipping lesson plans in local languages. They were assuming that everybody would just take a laptop and figure it out. So what happened? Well, the same thing that always happens. People used the laptops to watch movies, watch TV and watch porn. There also wasnt enough individualized tech support, and theres never enough Wi-Fi in schools. American school buildings tend to be these massive cinder block things. In newer schools that have wallboard, its easier for the signal to get through. But if its a cinder block wall, its harder. You also need to have a lot of tech support, so that when a students computer goes down in the middle of class, there is somebody who will come over immediately to fix the problem, so that the whole lesson doesnt come crashing to a halt. And teachers are not trained in tech support. All of these logistical issues that technochauvinists did not think through contributed to the failure of One Laptop per Child. In the book, you say that data journalists are often the ones that do "algorithmic accountability" reporting stories that investigate the social consequences of using technology to make decisions. Who do you think is doing particularly good work? Julia Angwin [formerly of ProPublica] is an inspiration. Michael Keller is leading an algorithmic investigations team at the New York Times now. Im excited to see what they come up with. The Follower Factory project was a great project led by Mark Hansen, who runs the Brown Institute for Media Innovation. That was a collaborative project that came out of Mark Hansens computational journalism class. ICIJ [the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists] had the Panama Papers and the Paradise Papers. Do you think it will become more of what journalists do in this day and age? I hope so. [Note: A day after this interview, Angwin announced she was starting a news organization focused on tech investigations with her ProPublica colleague Jeff Larson. If ever there was a time when journalists needed to work harder to analyze the impacts of technology on society, this is it, she tweeted.] One of the things about data journalism is that its actually far more expensive and time-consuming than anybody expects. Doing a very high-level computational investigation takes 10 times as long as a regular investigation, and it takes far more people. If you look at something like the Follower Factory project [at the New York Times] or one of Julia Angwins projects, there are a lot of people who work on those investigations. A lot. Upward of a dozen people even. These types of investigations are expensive and time-consuming. Theyre extremely valuable, and theyre high-impact. But theyre not easy to do. In Democracys Detectives, James T. Hamilton lays out the economic case for data journalism. He also looks at what these kinds of projects cost. It could be upward of a million dollars. If you look at the starting salary for AI researchers, its around $300,000 [a year]. The starting salary. I dont know if there are any journalists making that much money. Theres a huge war for AI talent. News organizations are simply not going to pay that. So its going to be really hard for journalism organizations to compete or to catch up. You write that Computer systems are proxies for the people who made them. A lot of these people, you say, were naive about how their technological creations would be used. Like Mark Zuckerberg, who told the New York Times he never imagined hed be dealing with campaigns interfering in national elections when he first started Facebook in his Harvard dorm room. I mean, he should have imagined it. I went through the same education, and I certainly thought of it. When you have a system that is based on popularity like Facebook, of course youre going to have people who cheat. And theyre going to cheat in every conceivable way. People are cheating Facebook and Twitter and Amazon and what have you in ways that we have not even thought of yet. But the people who made these systems fundamentally dont really care. Thats a problem. Are you referencing the Facebook memo when you say they dont care? Oh, the Boz thing. [In the leaked internal message, Facebook Vice President Andrew Boz Bosworth provocatively defended the companys growth, no matter the cost.] That goes back to the political beliefs of the people who made these systems. Theres a techno-libertarian thing that is really popular in Silicon Valley that has become the default political position [in tech]. That political position derives from the communalists [who advocated living on communes]. When the communes failed, they thought, We have this new thing called cyberspace, and were going to take the same ideology and do that in cyberspace. It didnt work there, either. It also willfully ignores the rule of law. What is the role of politicians in all of this? I think you have to look at the people who are making these systems: their total disdain for the rule of law and their aversion to regulation. I think at this point, we do need more regulation. The whole self-regulation thing has not worked out very well. Weve tried it. We tried to run cyberspace like a commune. And it failed just as badly as the communes did. Zhang is a writer and data analyst in New York City. Ford Motor Co. plans to cut several sedans, including the Fusion, Fiesta and Taurus, from its lineup to more quickly reach an elusive profit target. By 2020, almost 90% of Fords portfolio in North America will be pickups, sport utility vehicles and commercial vehicles. The cuts are aimed at kick-starting a turnaround effort almost one year after Fords board ousted its chief executive. New CEO Jim Hackett has been trying to convince investors that betting on a rebound is a worthwhile wager by laying out plans to get rid of slow-selling, low-margin car models and refocusing the company around more lucrative SUVs and trucks. The automaker expects to save $25.5 billion by 2022, Chief Financial Officer Bob Shanks told reporters Wednesday as Ford reported first-quarter earnings per share and revenue that beat estimates. Advertisement Were going to feed the healthy part of our business and deal decisively with areas that destroy value, Hackett said on an earnings call Wednesday. We arent just exploring partnerships; weve now done them. We arent just talking about ideas; weve made decisions. Ford finds itself on a road similar to the route Fiat Chrysler Automobiles followed to pass Ford in North American profitability. Chief Executive Sergio Marchionne killed the Dodge Dart and Chrysler 200 to reorient Fiat Chrysler Automobiles around Jeep SUVs and Ram pickups. General Motors, meanwhile, will end production of the Chevrolet Sonic subcompact as early as this year, the Wall Street Journal recently reported. GM is also considering discontinuing the Chevy Impala big sedan, the paper said. Cadillac plans to whittle down its sedan lineup to just three nameplates. Ford reported first-quarter adjusted earnings of 43 cents a share, topping analysts average estimate of 41 cents. Automotive revenue rose to $39 billion, exceeding the average projection for $37.2 billion in a Bloomberg survey. The company now anticipates reaching an 8% profit margin by 2020, two years ahead of schedule. Everything will be on the table to fix Ford, Shanks told reporters in Dearborn, Mich., at the companys headquarters. We can make different investments, we can partner, we can exit products, markets and we will do that. Ford said it wont invest in new generations of sedans for the North American market, eventually reducing its car lineup to the Mustang and an all-new Focus Active crossover coming next year. The automaker conspicuously left the Lincoln Continental and MKZ sedans off its hit list, but since those models share mechanical foundations with Ford siblings, their futures also are in doubt. In the 1990s, the Taurus was Americas bestselling car for five straight years. The Taurus name went away when Ford named its mid-size car the Fusion, but came back under former CEO Alan Mulally, who invested heavily in car models when gasoline was more expensive. Advertisement Going all in on SUVs and trucks got Detroit in trouble in the early 2000s, contributing to the 2009 government-backed bankruptcies of GM and Chrysler. Back then, choosing an SUV over a sedan meant significant compromise on fuel economy. When gas prices soared above $4 a gallon, Detroits shortsighted strategy was exposed and the American auto industry imploded. These days, pump prices average about $2.50 a gallon. But cheap gas isnt the only driver of the SUV boom: Todays models bear little resemblance to the hulks of yore. Built on smooth-riding, lightweight car frames, many crossovers get fuel economy close to the equivalent cars. For Ford, doubling down on trucks and SUVs could be just what the brand needs, Jessica Caldwell, an analyst for Edmunds.com, said in an email. But this move isnt without risk: Ford is willingly alienating its car owners and conceding market share. Investors had been growing impatient for additional detail on the money-losing models Ford would ditch and for signs its reorganization efforts would bear fruit. Fords stock price rose as much 3.2% on Wednesday after the close of regular trading. Before the earnings report, the stock had dropped more than 11% this year. Advertisement Its not that the market has permanently given up on good news ever happening at Ford, said David Whiston, an analyst with Morningstar Inc. who recently lowered his rating on the stock to the equivalent of a hold. But most people arent expecting it until late 2019 or 2020, and that brings up the wild card of, Will we be in a recession by then? Hackett, 63, sought to assuage those concerns by promising urgent action. The hand-wringing that has been around in our business is gone, he said. Were starting to understand what we need to do and are making clear decisions. The first fatal accident in the history of Southwest Airlines has pushed bookings down as the nations most popular domestic carrier tries to repair damage to its reputation and expedite inspections of virtually its entire fleet of planes. While reporting earnings Thursday, the Dallas-based airline said that it expects revenue per mile, which tracks average prices, to drop between 1% and 3% in the April-through-June quarter. It said that about 2 percentage points of the decline were attributable to slower sales since the April 17 accident on a flight from New York to Dallas. For the record: This article refers to an April incident as the first fatal accident in Southwests history. It was the first passenger fatality. A 2005 crash of a Southwest plane into a car near Chicagos Midway Airport killed a child in the car. The carrier, which recently announced that 2017 was its 45th consecutive year of profitability, estimated that the decline could result in a hit of $50 million to $100 million to the airlines bottom line. In last weeks accident, inspectors believe an engine fan blade failed and broke away, sending shrapnel into the fuselage and shattering a window. Jennifer Riordan, a bank executive and mother of two who was sitting next to the window, was killed. The flight made an emergency landing in Philadelphia. No other passengers were injured. Advertisement Southwest has announced plans to inspect within 30 days nearly its entire fleet of more than 700 Boeing planes, all of which are equipped with engines built by CFM International, a joint venture of GE and Safran Aircraft Engines of France. Southwest often switches engine blades between planes, which means it must inspect all the engines to ensure none of the blades are overlooked. We will keep up with all the blades in the fleet with very frequent inspections, with an abundance of caution that none slip through, Chief Executive Gary Kelly said during a conference call with reporters and analysts. To perform the inspections, Southwest has had to cancel hundreds of flights over the past few days. On Thursday, the airline canceled nearly 40 flights, most because of the expedited inspection plans, airline officials said. The airline also announced plans to begin service to Hawaii with flights to four airports: Honolulu International, Lihue, Kona International at Keahole and Kahului. Pending regulatory approval, flights are expected to start late this year or early in 2019. The airline did not say where the Hawaii flights will originate. An announcement is expected within a week. The move into Hawaii raises the stakes in a looming competition with other carriers that fly to the islands from the West Coast. Southwest disclosed the drop in bookings as it reported a 22% increase in first-quarter profit, to $463 million. The results were in line with Wall Street expectations. The focus of the conference call, however, was last weeks accident that resulted in the first fatality in the 51-year history of the airline and the first passenger death on any U.S.-based carrier since 2009. Advertisement It remains a somber time at the airline, Kelly said in a statement. He repeated condolences to the family of the woman who died when a piece of the exploding engine hit the plane, pledged to cooperate with accident investigators, and said Southwest will never compromise on safety. Later, in an interview on CNBC, Kelly said that the companys business is holding up just fine. A little bit of softness is to be expected, he said, noting that the airline had pulled all marketing following the crash. We will get back on track. Weve got very little debt. Weve got a lot of cash. Weve got a lot of liquidity. He also gave an update on inspections the airline is conducting of its fleet following an order last week by the Federal Aviation Administration that airlines inspect the same model of engine that failed, likely due to a fan blades metal fatigue. Advertisement The FAA order only applies to older CFM 56 engines while Southwest is inspecting it entire fleet. Kelly said that the airline has already finished inspections of 80% of its fleet, and is on a schedule to conduct such inspections every 18 months. We are on a very accelerated cycle. I feel very comfortable with what we are doing. The inspections are going well and I am pleased with the results so far, he said. Southwest also said it will lease coveted takeoff and landing slots at LaGuardia Airport in New York and Washington Reagan National Airport just outside the nations capital from Alaska Airlines, allowing it to expand at two airports that are essentially full. Lower income taxes helped Southwest overcome cheaper average fares and higher fuel and labor costs in the January-through-March quarter. Taxes dropped 28% from a year ago, saving the Dallas-based airline $54 million. Advertisement Excluding items such as fuel-hedging contracts, Southwest said it would have earned 75 cents per share, matching the forecast of analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research. Revenue rose 2% to $4.94 billion. That was a Southwest record for the first quarter, but it fell short of the $5.02 billion that analysts in the Zacks survey had expected. Southwest boosted revenue despite a drop of nearly 5% in the average one-way fare, to $146.33 reflecting slightly short trips and competition on key routes. However, the airline carried 6% more passengers, and the average flight was fuller 81.5% of seats were sold, compared with 79.9% a year earlier. Labor costs rose 5% and fuel costs grew 6%. But Southwest said second-quarter cost increases would be modest, even with possible pay raises for mechanics and what it termed a preliminary estimate of expenses related to the fatal accident. Southwest did not give a figure for those. Advertisement Southwest shares have fallen 18% since the beginning of the year, while the Standard & Poors 500 index has decreased slightly more than 1%. The stock has fallen roughly 6% in the last 12 months. Shares closed down 54 cents, or 1%, to $53.30 on Thursday. The Associated Press contributed to this report. UPDATES: Advertisement 2:10 p.m: This article was updated with Southwests closing stock price. 12:15 p.m.: This article was updated with more details on the accident and the airlines plans to add Hawaii as a destination. This article was originally published at 7:15 a.m. The owner and two workers at an Inland Empire trucking company operated a conspiracy to make illegal repairs on gasoline tanker trucks, a dangerous scheme that caused a fatal explosion, a federal grand jury charged. The indictment, filed Wednesday, charges owner Carl Johansson, shop manager Enrique Garcia and safety manager Donald Spicer. It alleges they also obstructed the U.S. Department of Transportation. Johanssons Corona-based company National Distribution Services Inc. was also charged, as was another firm, Quality Services, the U.S. attorneys office said in a news release. Mark Werksman, an attorney for Johansson, said his client denies all charges, including that he was the owner of National Distribution Services. Werksman declined to say what role his client had in the company. Advertisement Mr. Johansson absolutely denies that he is responsible for this horrible accident or that he could have done anything to prevent it, Werksman said. Attorneys for Spicer and Garcia did not immediately return emails seeking comment. The indictment alleges that Johansson set up Quality Services so he could continue operating after the government ordered National Distribution Services to put roughly 40 gasoline and ethanol tanks out of service because it found they were a safety risk. The transportation department was investigating National Distribution Services after a May 2014 explosion killed one welder and severely injured another, the U.S. attorneys office said in a news release. According to the indictment, Johansson and Garcia talked about having two workers perform welding on a cargo tank, even though the company was not certified to do so. The next day, Garcia ordered the workers to conduct the repairs despite one informing him it was unsafe to do so, the grand jury alleged. The welding project then caused the fatal explosion, the indictment says. According to court records, in the early 1990s, Johansson was owner of another company, Atlas Carrier Inc., when a welder was killed in an explosion while the worker performed tank repair work that Atlas was unlicensed to do. Johansson was indicted in that case as well. He was sentenced to 15 months in prison. When investigators arrived to inquire about the most recent explosion at National Distribution Services, Johansson lied, the indictment alleges, telling investigators he was a customer service representative with a different company and that the welders were employed by an outside repair firm. Advertisement After the federal government prohibited National Distribution Services from operating dozens of tanks, Johansson kept doing so and set up Quality Services, according to the indictment. Spicer, the safety manager, filed documents to obscure the fact that Quality Services was really just a new name for National Distribution Services, the indictment says. andrew.khouri@latimes.com Follow me @khouriandrew on Twitter Rep. Jeb Hensarling welcomed the new director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, a fellow Republican, to a hearing this month in the same way he did the former Democratic holder of the job by accusing him of wielding near-dictatorial authority. When Richard Cordray was director of the CFPB, I maintained it was perhaps the single most powerful and unaccountable agency in the history of the Republic, said Hensarling (R-Texas), chairman of the House Financial Services Committee and an ardent critic of the bureau. Now that Mick Mulvaney is acting director, I still maintain that the CFPB is the most powerful and unaccountable agency in the history of the Republic, he said. Republican criticism of the agency, created by the 2010 Dodd-Frank Act in the wake of the Great Recession, has focused on the bureaus unusual structure and independence: It is led by a single director who can be dismissed only by the president for cause and does not have to ask Congress for money, receiving funding directly from the Federal Reserve. Advertisement But the GOP charges appear somewhat exaggerated, even if as supporters acknowledge the powerful agency pushes the bounds of bureaucratic independence. Although the consumer bureaus structure is atypical, it is not unprecedented. In fact, what is unprecedented is a key check on the bureaus power that often goes unmentioned: the ability of a panel of other financial regulators to invalidate the agencys rules. And despite Republicans frequently declaring that the bureau is unconstitutional, a recent federal appeals court ruling upheld the bureaus structure. Former Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.), who co-authored the law establishing the bureau, called the Republican criticisms nonsense driven by politics. The very notion that the government has to have a special agency dedicated solely to preventing private entities from hurting the consumer goes against their basic doctrine that government is not the answer to the problem, government is the problem, Frank said. The bureaus existence has been a flashpoint between Democrats and Republicans since it was created. The controversy has boiled over in recent months after the first director, Richard Cordray, a Democrat appointed by President Obama, stepped down last fall. President Trump appointed Mick Mulvaney, director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, to serve as acting director in November. The move outraged Democrats and consumer advocates. One reason was that the bureaus deputy director, Leandra English, had been elevated by the outgoing Cordray to serve as the temporary chief. She is pursuing a legal challenge. Advertisement Mulvaney, a former Republican congressman, also has drawn ire because he has been an ardent bureau critic. Since taking over, he has altered the bureaus mission statement to make the top priority identifying and addressing outdated, unnecessary, or unduly burdensome regulations has and publicly declared that the agency no longer would aggressively push the envelope to protect consumers. Cordray had used the bureaus power aggressively to take enforcement actions against banks, providing consumers with about $12 billion in refunds and debt relief from financial institutions. Mulvaney had not taken a single enforcement action during his tenure until this month, when the CFPB joined with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency to fine Wells Fargo & Co. $1 billion for multiple consumer abuses. Mulvaney has infuriated Democrats and consumer advocates because he still reports directly to Trump as White House budget chief and has been outspoken about reducing the bureaus authority, including subjecting its funding to the congressional appropriations process and making the director subject to dismissal by the president for any reason. Mulvaney further riled bureau supporters Tuesday by telling a banking group that he would like to cut off public access to the bureaus online database of consumer complaints and suggested the industry donate to members of Congress to convince them to weaken the agencys authority. Advertisement Mr. Mulvaneys very presence at the consumer bureau compromises the critical independence of the agency, which was specifically designed by Congress to be an independent watchdog for Americas consumers, Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles) said at the House Financial Services Committee hearing on April 11. The Obama administration and Democratic congressional leaders crafted the consumer bureau originally the brainchild of Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) when she was an academic to be as independent from the White House and Congress as possible. Before the financial crisis, laws on mortgages, credit cards and other products were enforced by several regulatory agencies that made consumer protection a secondary priority to the safety and soundness of banks. Congress gave the Fed the power to enact rules to protect consumers from unscrupulous mortgage lending in 1994. But it wasnt until 14 years later, after risky subprime loans inflated a housing bubble that burst triggering the Great Recession, that the Fed adopted rules prohibiting unfair, abusive or deceptive lending practices. Advertisement Democrats and consumer advocates argued that consumer protection authority should be consolidated in the new bureau and that it needed independence to prevent financial industry lobbyists from using political pressure to hinder its work. It wasnt an unprecedented move. Financial regulators generally are more independent than others for the same reason. Most of those agencies including the Fed, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. also are funded outside the appropriations process, often through fees and assessments, according to a review last year by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. Five-year terms with Senate confirmation for heads of financial regulatory agencies are common, meaning they can overlap presidential administrations. The regulators also typically do not serve at the pleasure of the president and most may be removed only if a higher for cause threshold is met, said the report from the CRS, known as Congress think tank. Advertisement Congress has granted federal financial regulators independence in ways obvious (for cause removal, self-financing) and subtle (exemption of agency testimony and budget requests from OMB review), the report said. No two independent agencies have exactly the same structure, it continued. It might be impractical to assess the relative levels of independence among agencies on the basis of the number or type of characteristics of independence an agency has. Still, Todd J. Zywicki, a George Mason University law professor and coauthor of the 2014 book Consumer Credit and the American Economy, said the consumer bureau stands out because of how it combines the independence provisions. While the Fed and FDIC are funded outside of the appropriations process, they are headed by multi-member commissions that diffuse the power of the chairperson. The Comptroller of the Currency is a powerful, single bank regulator whose agency is self-funded, but that person can be removed by the president for any reason. Advertisement In American history, weve never seen, in my view, such a combination of power and unaccountability in any agency that has been constitutional, Zywicki said of the consumer bureau. Bureau supporters note that the Federal Housing Finance Agency, which oversees Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, also has a single director who can be fired only for cause and is funded outside of the appropriations process. Its likely that the Supreme Court will have the final say on the consumer bureaus constitutionality. In January, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia ruled 7-3 that the consumer bureau is constitutional. The decision reversed a 2-1 ruling in 2016 by a three-judge panel of the court that found that the bureaus structure violated the Constitutions separation of powers because it limited the presidents authority. Advertisement Frank noted that Dodd-Frank gives the Financial Stability Oversight Council, a panel of regulators headed by the Treasury secretary, the ability to freeze or veto any consumer bureau rule by a two-thirds vote if the rule is deemed to risk the safety and soundness of the U.S. banking or financial systems. Theyre disproportionately worried about an agency that is much less powerful than other banking agencies, Frank said of bureau critics. They hate it, but they know its popular, therefore they come up with procedural arguments, he said. Its a way to attack the agency without having to deal with the substance. Critics of the bureau said the Oversight Council has to overcome high hurdles to veto a rule and cant quash enforcement actions. But Congress also has the power to overturn regulations from the bureau, as it can with other agencies, for any reason by a simple majority vote. Advertisement Lawmakers did that last year when they killed a bureau rule that would have allowed Americans to file class-action suits against banks instead of being forced in many cases into private arbitration. Its not a constitutional issue. Its an ideological issue for them, Frank said of bureau opponents. Frankly, they dont want there to be a CFPB at all. jim.puzzanghera@latimes.com Twitter: @JimPuzzanghera In rolling out major updates to Gmail, Google announced Wednesday that the popular email service will soon feature a new confidential mode that promises to give users more control over who sees the emails they send, and for how long. Users should still be mindful about what they send over email, privacy experts warned, as messages sent in confidential mode could still fall into the wrong hands. With the new privacy feature, users will be able to remove recipients options to forward, copy, download or print specific messages. Useful for when you have to send sensitive information via email like a tax return or your Social Security number, Gmail product manager Matthew Izatt wrote in the companys announcement of the updates. You can also make a message expire after a set period of time to help you stay in control of your information. Advertisement It probably would be easy to circumvent the confidential mode features, privacy experts pointed out: For example, a user might simply be able to take a screenshot or photo of an email they had been blocked from forwarding, or call over office mates to read the email from their screen. Google did not respond to an email raising those concerns. Some online privacy experts, such as Sydney Li, staff technologist at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, argue that calling the new feature confidential mode is misleading. For one, Gmails servers will still contain a copy of the email, Li said. Other tech companies have dabbled with disappearing messages, most notably Snap Inc., whose Snapchat app faced some backlash in 2015 when users grew concerned that their apps new privacy policy suggested the company was keeping more of users content than it had let on. Dont send messages that you wouldnt want someone to save or share, it said. Confidential mode will begin to roll out in the coming weeks, with a broader rollout to follow. For the more than 4 million businesses that pay to use G Suite an enhanced paid version of Google products such as Gmail, Docs and Calendar confidential mode will include the option to require an email recipient to use a passcode, sent via text message, to view the email. Li said this feature raises additional concerns because to use it, you might need to tell Google the recipients phone number potentially without the recipients consent. This privacy feature is potentially harmful to users with a real need for private and secure communications, Li said. John Simpson, the privacy and technology director at advocacy group Consumer Watchdog, said enabling users to send emails that recipients cannot forward is a powerful tool, but it does raise the question of how people will get around it. Although Google might offer a confidential mode, theres only so much the tech giant can do to block human hijinks. Advertisement Its also unclear how the features will work when the email recipient is not a Gmail user. For example, Simpson said, is Gmail able to enforce a prohibition on forwarding if the recipient is using a different email service? It strikes me that people will be lulled into the feeling that this is a more confidential thing than is actually the case, Simpson said. We need to see more about how exactly its implemented, but clearly, if somebody went to the trouble to send me a message that I couldnt forward, and I looked at it, and said Holy mackerel! I want to show this to somebody else, I think I could figure out ways to do it. One aspect of confidential mode makes users more vulnerable to privacy breaches, the Electronic Frontier Foundations Li said. The feature that allows users to set a time limit on how long an email is available works by requiring the emails recipient to click a link to view the message, opening up a new attack opportunity for phishing, Li said. Advertisement If people are trained to click on links in confidential e-mails from other Gmail users, bad actors can send fake emails that resemble confidential e-mails in order to trick users into clicking links that lead to phishing sites, Li said. The phishing link could then present a fake Google login page, to try and steal the users credentials. Simpson, a longtime critic of Google, said that even as the company offers privacy enhancements, it is still looking out for itself. Last year, Google announced it would stop using or scanning any Gmail content to help it personalize ads. Simpson said that was a good move but that Google made it primarily because it already collects enough information about users to target them with ads in line with their interests, and using email content wasnt even necessarily helping the company accomplish that goal. Before the change, if a friend sent a silly email, it would often produce bizarre related ads. Advertisement Integrating more features into Gmail keeps users on the Google product as long as possible, he said. Confidential mode is going to be presented by Google as all these wonderful features that customers are out there asking for, and that theyre meeting customer demand, and while some of that may be true, its necessary to remember its also all about maximizing ways people will be enticed to continue to stay on Googles platform as much as possible so they can monetize your data, and when dealing with Google, one should never forget that, Simpson said. If you dont know, now you know. the new Gmail https://t.co/aToXavruhI pic.twitter.com/nEf8zsj3f0 Gmail (@gmail) April 25, 2018 jaclyn.cosgrove@latimes.com Advertisement Twitter: @jaclyncosgrove American photographer Thomas Laird spent 50 hours over 10 years with the Dalai Lama, and through all those candid conversations, one point stood out: Before his holiness could read, Tibetan murals were crucial to his early education. Now Laird has compiled images of 130 centuries-old, life-size artworks into Murals of Tibet, newly published by Taschen. The sumo-sized tome is the first collection of representative Tibetan art blessed by the Dalai Lama, who signed all 998 copies of the 500-page limited-edition book. The murals are housed in temples, monasteries, stupas and other sites dating from 633. Because they were in small spaces with no electricity or windows, the murals had long been challenging to view. Traditional photographic techniques couldnt capture the breadth of the paintings. Armed with new multi-image capture and render techniques, Laird spent 10 years photographing the murals in life-size resolution, some 10 feet by 10 feet. Every mural is laden with copious, intricate details relating purposeful stories. They are not just art but motivational tools and philosophical statements, Laird said. Take, for example, The Eleven Headed Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of Infinite Compassion, with more than 40 hands and multiple levels of faces. Detail of "Eleven-Headed Avalokiteshvara." Thomas Laird / Taschen Theyre a metaphor, Laird said. He is omniscient, able to see in all directions simultaneously. In each hand is a unique object indicating the Bodhisattvas power to reach out to different classes of beings. The multitude of appendages symbolize his immense ability to see pain and suffering in the world, Laird said. Dressed in robes of a prince and adorned in gold jewelry, the Bodhisattva expresses transmutation and power. A blue, red and gold aura emanates around the 11 heads. Behind is a red field, an infinite void, symbolized by flames. Beyond is an archway of lotuses, peonies and clouds. A goose on either side symbolizes long life and spiritual attainment. While objects of majestic beauty, the murals also serve as points of guidance and appreciation for those seeking spiritual mindfulness. See all of our latest arts news and reviews at latimes.com/arts. MORE ART: Glitz and glamour: the dazzling photomontages of Fay Ray Something's missing from the antiquities collection at the Getty Villa Cut, folded, pasted: Photography takes a twist and turn in the Getty's 'Paper Play' UPDATES: 9:25 a.m. This article was updated to tighten and refine some language. Laura Aguilars interest in photography began not in a museum, not in school and not while turning the pages of some hallowed book. Instead, she came to the medium as the result of mundane sibling rivalry. She was in junior high; her older brother, John Lee Aguilar, was in high school. One day he showed up at their home in San Gabriel with a fancy new camera. It had all these lenses the telephoto, right angle, micro and macro, and I wanted to touch them, she recalled in a 2014 oral history for the Chicano Studies Research Center at UCLA. He went, No! And I go: I want to do photography. I want to take pictures. Unlike her late brother, who eventually moved on to other interests, Aguilar kept her passion for photography. In fact, it is for the manner in which she deployed the camera that she will best be remembered. The Los Angeles photographer, known for chronicling the denizens of a working-class Eastside lesbian bar in the 1990s and for utilizing her nude body like sculpture in desert landscapes, died early Wednesday at a nursing home in Long Beach. She was 58. She died in peace having spent her last day with many loving visitors, said Sybil Venegas, an independent curator and friend who helped manage the artists affairs toward the end of her life. Aguilar had long contended with diabetes and was suffering from end-stage renal failure at the time of her death. Lauras passing is a profound loss, said Chon Noriega, director of the Chicano Studies Research Center. She had an ability to cut through the biases and habits of thought that makes us see a smaller world than actually exists. And she did it as an expression of the stunning beauty of the human body, including her own. Laura Aguilar's "Nature Self-Portrait #2," 1996, gelatin silver print, 16 inches by 20 inches. Laura Aguilar / UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center She was both the subject and the object. She was both the photographer and the mood. Susanne Vielmetter, gallerist Aguilar had recently been the subject of the retrospective Laura Aguilar: Show and Tell at the Vincent Price Art Museum on the campus of East Los Angeles College, and her photography appeared last year in the two-part exhibition Axis Mundo: Queer Networks in Chicano L.A. The shows, part of the Pacific Standard Time: LA/LA series of exhibitions, helped resuscitate her profile at a time when her health had been in decline. In her review of Show and Tell for this paper, Leah Ollman described the exhibit as one of the revelations brought forth by Pacific Standard Time: LA/LA. Aguilar, Ollman wrote, took the medium of photography which had democratized portraiture and pushed it forward by turning her lens toward photographically under-represented subjects like herself: Latina, lesbian, large-bodied. The exhibition chronicled the artists beginnings in the late 1980s, when she created portraits of East Los Angeles artists in Day of the Dead costumes. She photographed high-profile Latina lesbians as a way of countering the whiteness of the mainstream gay-rights movement, and later hauled her camera to a lesbian haunt in El Sereno so she could capture a slice of Latina lesbian working-class life. "Plush Pony #15," 1992, from a series by Laura Aguilar devoted to a Latina working-class lesbian bar in El Sereno Laura Aguilar / UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center Show and Tell also captured the moment, in the 1990s, when her work took a turn toward the visceral and the conceptual. In the 1990 triptych Three Eagles Flying, she renders herself nude, bound in rope and surrounded by the Mexican and U.S. flags a woman held prisoner by the conventions and ideologies of the two cultures from which she hails. Her big breakthrough came later that same decade when she created a series of poetic nude photographs that drew widespread critical attention. Inspired by the work of photographer Judy Dater, known for nude self-portraits in nature, Aguilar set out to do her own versions in expansive Southwestern landscapes draping herself on rocks, curling herself into fetal positions and otherwise inserting her naked body into the landscape in ways both wry and alluring. Shed arrange her body and those of other women like ethereal props. She is at once part of the American land, and the viewers eye, and apart from them, Michelle Hart wrote of these images in the New Yorker late last year, in her own words, both present and persistently unseen. On the occasion of a solo exhibition of these works at Susanne Vielmetter Los Angeles Projects in 2003, an LA Weekly writer said: She is apparently free from common objectification. She is free to make an object of herself. Ironically, her work was perhaps most seen and understood only at the end of her life. Venegas, who curated the Show and Tell retrospective, and who mentored Aguilar as a student in the 1980s at East Los Angeles College, said Aguilar was an artist ahead of her time. Everyone talks about gender and identity and body politics now, she said. But in 1990, she was way out there. When she started doing the lesbian portraits, there were a lot of people in the [Latino] community, they were not ready to go there. Those ideas were not really embraced by Chicano/Latino artists at the time. It was a very different world than today. Susanne Vielmetter, who organized several Aguilar exhibitions at her gallery in the early 2000s, said the artist was prescient about so many topics relevant to image-making today. At the time she was doing it, I didnt really have a language for it, Vielmetter said. But I thought what she was doing was decades ahead of its time, especially if you look at race, if you look at the history of landscape photography, if you look at the male gaze, if you look at the body and its relationship to nature and its particular connection to the American West. It was all about photography and the gaze. She was both the subject and the object. She was both the photographer and the mood. "Dont Tell Her Art Cant Hurt (Part A)," 1993, by Laura Aguilar. Laura Aguilar / UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center Aguilar was born in San Gabriel, on Oct. 26, 1959, the daughter of Paul Aguilar, a welder by trade, and Juanita Grisham, a housekeeper both of whom were of Mexican descent. She was a fifth-generation Angelena who could trace her roots to the middle of the 19th century and has ancestors buried at the San Gabriel Mission. As an adult, she settled in Rosemead not far from where she was born in a clapboard bungalow built by her great-grandfather. She remained there until this year, when her deteriorating health required a move to a nursing home. Aguilars home life, by her own account, was tumultuous. Her parents had a turbulent marriage and were unaware of her health problems: She had not only bouts of depression but also a severe case of auditory dyslexia, which made it difficult for her to read and communicate verbally. At one point, her mother suggested she drop out of high school because she didnt seem to be able to learn to read. In school ... people thought she couldnt speak English, Venegas said. People thought she was incapacitated or mentally slow. But that was not the case. Aguilar didnt learn she was dyslexic until she was almost 26. It was very painful, she stated in the oral history. How come no one else could have figured that out? Amelia Jones, a scholar and independent curator who included the artists work in a 1996 exhibition at the Hammer Museum titled Sexual Politics, said Aguilar was hilarious and also very sharp possessing the kind of intelligence that is clear in the work, but hard for much of the art world to understand. But if reading and writing proved difficult, photography was not. The camera became her outlet and her unflagging passion, a way to communicate when words often failed her. Photography, she once stated, became my escape. "Grounded #111," 2006, by Laura Aguilar. Laura Aguilar / UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center In junior high, after coveting her brothers camera, she served as his dutiful darkroom assistant. I printed up a lot of pictures of girls playing volleyball at the net and boobs bouncing up and down, she said with a laugh, recalling her brothers early photos. Then he moved on to the beach in summer [and] it was bikini tops and stuff like that. In high school, she finally took the photography class that her brother had demanded in exchange for the use of his gear. Her first assignment was a portrait of a basset hound in a cowboy hat. Later, at East Los Angeles College, she was a photographer for the school paper, for which she covered, among other things, local sports. In her spare time, she snapped images of architecture and still-life arrangements drawn from objects she found at her cousins farm in Hemet. She especially loved to photograph children because, she once joked, I was bigger than them and they would listen to me. It was at ELAC, in the mid-1980s, where she began to find her artistic voice thanks to a Chicano Studies course taught by Venegas. She was this young girl probably 19 or 20, Venegas said. Her mother had just died. She was very curious and she was always looking for stuff that might interest her. Venegas took her to East L.A.s Self Help Graphics to see exhibitions and to Day of the Dead celebrations to learn about Mexican culture. Inspired by what she saw, Aguilar hungrily threw herself into her work. There was a lot of Lauras life that was chaotic, Venegas said. In her photography, there was nothing disorganized, chaotic or dysfunctional. The years following ELAC the late 80s and 90s were a fertile time for the artist, a period in which she captured a distinct intersection of Los Angeles life, one in which the Chicano and the queer intersected. She also explored the nooks and crannies of the human body taking conventions of beauty that prize thin-ness and exploding them into bits. In one series of images from 1991, titled Nude Exercise #12, Aguilar captures close-ups of her body without clothing: her pendulous breasts, the gently undulating folds of skin at her midsection, her tanned brown hands against a white expanse of chest a woman both vulnerable and proud. She is dealing with specific issues, explained Noriega, who first came to know Aguilar and her work in the 1990s. But she is also doing something that pushes beyond that: Shes dealing with class, literacy and the body and those things belong to everybody. You are dealing with a shared experience of the human condition. These accomplishments did not go unnoticed. Over the course of her career, Aguilars images were featured in exhibitions at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Hammer Museum, Artpace in San Antonio and the New Museum of Contemporary Art in New York. In 1993, her photography was included in the Aperto section of the Venice Biennale. But if critics were encouraging, the market was not. Aguilar made little money from her work surviving on odd jobs, grants and the occasional residency. After the late 2000s, health and financial troubles made it increasingly difficult for her to make work. But the Pacific Standard Time exhibitions reignited interest in topics she began exploring back in the 80s. I feel Laura has done something that no artist that I know of has done in the past, Vielmetter said. In my opinion she is one of the great artists and one of the more important photographers of our time. The artist is survived by a nephew, Michael Aguilar. Sign up for our weekly Essential Arts & Culture newsletter carolina.miranda@latimes.com Twitter: @cmonstah ALSO Stories of the Plush Pony: Artist Laura Aguilar's portraits capture a lost era at a working-class lesbian bar Laura Aguilar at the Vincent Price museum: Turning a lens toward Latinas, lesbians and the large-bodied An exhibition on L.A.'s queer Chicano networks shows how California artists connected with the world UPDATES: 11:40 p.m.: This article has been updated throughout with additional details of Laura Aguilars life and additional comments from people who knew the artist. April 26, 11:50 a.m.: An earlier version of this article stated that Laura Aguilars parents were Grisham Aguilar and Juanita Guerrero. Their names were Paul Aguilar and Juanita Grisham. This article was originally published April 25 at 1:20 p.m. Bill Cosby was found guilty Thursday on charges he drugged and sexually assaulted Andrea Constand, and many in Hollywood immediately celebrated the news on social media. The verdict came, after the jurys 13 hours of deliberation, less than a year after a previous panel was unable to reach consensus on the charges. The accusations against Cosby, from dozens of women who say the comedian drugged and assaulted them, started long before the dawn of the #MeToo revolution. But many in Hollywood credit the movement with opening peoples eyes to the reality of improper behavior and abuse of power. As reactions to the verdict continue to pour in, here are a few thoughts from celebrities. Advertisement See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour Cosby is guilty. Im sorry if you loved a lie. His victims can now exhale. Thank you judge and jury. Thank you society for waking up. rose mcgowan (@rosemcgowan) April 26, 2018 The state of America is this- Even with dozens of accusers we were all afraid Bill Cosby would walk. Patricia Arquette (@PattyArquette) April 26, 2018 I wonder how long its going to take Trump to announce hes going to pardon Bill Cosby. Chelsea Handler (@chelseahandler) April 26, 2018 In our culture women are speaking out more & more, but the Cosby trial reminds us that male advocacy is still vital. @hannibalburess spoke truth to the disgrace of Cosbys behavior & that perspective mattered. Ana Gasteyer (@AnaGasteyer) April 26, 2018 I cant stop thinking about all the old farts in Hollywood that knew. They knew the whole time. The networks, the producers, the studios. Times not up yet. https://t.co/KS3ocB4G8L Kathy Griffin (@kathygriffin) April 26, 2018 I first heard this bit when I was 9 years old and even then I knew it was dirtier than Anything I had heard On a Carlin, Pryor or even a Lenny Bruce record. Hated it. Still do - Bill Cosby Jokes About Drugging Girls with "Spanish Fly" In 1969 Comedy ... https://t.co/2Zu1JiZH7H Hal Sparks (@HalSparks) April 26, 2018 Advertisement The #MeToo movement is vital, crushingly sad and inspiring. Cosby verdict is HUGE. I also wanna know how its going for humans abused by the NON-famous? As a person abused by only non-famous I cant see much change. Can we all talk about this? Im sure Ive missed things too.. Neko Case (@NekoCase) April 26, 2018 One of the hard parts about supporting #MeToo movement, is being consistent even when the perpetrators are people we like or admired or who made us laugh for decades. Zero Tolerance, means Zero Tolerance. Even when it is Dr. Huckstable. https://t.co/oP1yTvESCv Ana Navarro-Cardenas (@ananavarro) April 26, 2018 In a fitting end to Sexual Assault Awareness month, Bill Cosby was found guilty today. Thinking of all the women he traumatized over the past 50 years. As a survivor myself, I know that pain never fully goes away. But I hope that his victims finally feel some semblance of peace. Padma Lakshmi (@PadmaLakshmi) April 26, 2018 Finally some justice for Bill Cosbys victims. May they find a little #peace today. #GUILTY Elizabeth Banks (@ElizabethBanks) April 26, 2018 Advertisement How about - in the future, in cases like Bill Cosby or Weinstein, these women don't have to devote 15 to 20 years of their lives, fighting to get justice, while being degraded the entire time? John Lurie (@lurie_john) April 26, 2018 Good riddance to Bill Cosby! Akilah Hughes (@AkilahObviously) April 26, 2018 Good. Die in prison, you unapologetic rapist. https://t.co/rM5GUYJqAO Wil 'this account mocks fascists' Wheaton (@wilw) April 26, 2018 Advertisement More importantly, I haven't forgotten about the many women you assaulted and silenced with your power. Good riddance!!! https://t.co/PY4Dl0t1YS Larry Wilmore (@larrywilmore) April 26, 2018 Bill Cosby going down epic. Finally a conviction. Finally justice. Tina Brown (@TinaBrownLM) April 26, 2018 Bill Cosby Found Guilty of Sexual Assault After Years of Accusations https://t.co/TKRBKN5Frb Hallelujah. It's about damn time. #FinallyHimToo And I hope Stormy wins and all the other women break those NDA's so all of these bastards fall down. Terry McMillan (@MsTerryMcMillan) April 26, 2018 The Cosby conviction is a resonant reminder that power and influence come with significant responsibility, and must never, ever be abused in an evolved society. Hopefully this is only the first step forward. Seth MacFarlane (@SethMacFarlane) April 26, 2018 Advertisement Thank you to the survivors. I know reliving these nightmares is debilitating. But youve made the world a little easier for future generations in holding this monster accountable. And as a mother, I appreciate that so much. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. #MeToo https://t.co/HegPehNgcQ Alyssa Milano (@Alyssa_Milano) April 26, 2018 I took down the picture of Bill Cosby because I didnt want to see his face on my timeline. Andie MacDowell (@AndieMacDowell3) April 26, 2018 Its a bad week to be an old man who terrorized women for decades! But not as bad a week as it is to be a woman literally all of the other weeks! #GoldenStateKiller #BillCosby Allison Tolman (@Allison_Tolman) April 26, 2018 Advertisement Cosby. Guilty! On all charges! Jenny McC-Wahlberg (@JennyMcCarthy) April 26, 2018 Times up, Bill. Times BEEN up for you, for years. And now justice. Justice for women I know who youve hurt and those Ive never met. Good riddance. https://t.co/aJ0YaVhwyA Amber Tamblyn (@ambertamblyn) April 26, 2018 ACCOUNTABILITY. This is the only way things will change. https://t.co/BzCBX0Zdh7 terry crews (@terrycrews) April 26, 2018 Advertisement Just because you're rich and powerful doesn't mean another persons body is automatically available for sex. Consent must be given.#BillCosby Jessica Chastain (@jes_chastain) April 26, 2018 Wishing Bill Cosby a long life! (((Joshua Malina))) (@JoshMalina) April 26, 2018 I hope Eddie Murphy reaches out and scolds him for using "blue" words in his set. https://t.co/VvwI2AkEet dax shepard (@daxshepard) April 26, 2018 Advertisement One of the things I learned from interviewing the creator of behavioral economics, Daniel Kahneman, is that people judge their overall experiences by the way in which they end. Bill Cosby is 80. He's had a long life filled with fame and riches, but it may end in jail. Good. Michael Ian Black (@michaelianblack) April 26, 2018 libby.hill@latimes.com @midwestspitfire UPDATES: Advertisement 3 p.m.: This article was updated with additional reactions to the Cosby verdict. This article was originally published at 12:25 p.m. Videos Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. In its visual approach alone quick cuts, bold color and slow motion Charles Henri Bellevilles directorial debut would remind audiences of Danny Boyles work as a whole. But Jet Trash takes the hero worship a step further, echoing the plot and themes of Boyles The Beach, with a change in setting. It wears its influences on its tattooed sleeve, but this drug-fueled film is still an entertaining watch filled with bold style. Its initially unclear why Lee (Robert Sheehan) and Sol (Osy Ikhile) have left the U.K. for the sunny shores of Goa, but its no simple holiday. Their past in London haunts them in India, with flashbacks filling in the blanks of what caused the friends to flee. But when Vix (Sofia Boutella) shows up to harsh their mellow, they worry that their actions have followed them east. Sheehan and Ikhile turn in solid work, differentiating how the friends react in the face of danger, but the movie cant help but shift its focus to Boutella every time shes on screen. Shes largely been known as an action heroine from previous roles in Star Trek: Beyond and The Mummy, but she gets to do more dramatic work here. Manic energy courses through Jet Trash, acting at once as a travel ad for the Indian beaches and a cautionary tale against what could happen if you misbehave there. Advertisement ------------- Jet Trash Not rated Running time: 1 hour, 25 minutes Playing: Laemmle Music Hall 3, Beverly Hills See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour Movie Trailers calendar@latimes.com C. Fitzs documentary Jewels Catch One, is a love letter to a historical landmark of Los Angeles nightlife, the now-shuttered Catch One nightclub on Pico Boulevard, which was the Studio 54 of the West for decades. But more than a portrait of the club itself, the film is a tribute to Catch One proprietor Jewel Thais-Williams, an African American lesbian who broke barriers, fostering a nightlife destination that welcomed people of all races, gender identities and sexual orientations. Opening in 1973, Catch One was a hub during the gay and lesbian movement, weathering police raids and arson, serving as an important community center during the AIDS crisis, raising money for the cause and providing a place of support, love and free expression. The club was frequented by celebrities, musicians, DJs and the party people of L.A., including Madonna, Thelma Houston, Sharon Stone and Christina Aguilera, before closing its doors in 2015. Thais-Williams is more than just a nightclub owner, though. The documentary charts her history starting with the Catch One, building up her corner of the community with a vegan restaurant and a thriving acupuncture and Chinese medicine center, the Village Health Foundation. Anecdotes and photos bring the golden age of Catch One to life, with a lively disco soundtrack and Thais-Williams font of fascinating stories. But the film itself could use a more rigorous structure as it wanders from anecdote to anecdote and era to era. This piece of L.A. history is thankfully preserved on film, but the execution of Jewels Catch One lacks the kind of focus and energy that would truly represent the place. Advertisement ------------- Jewels Catch One Not rated Running time: 1 hour 30 minutes Playing: April 28, 2 p.m. Silver Screen, Pacific Design Center; also streaming on Netflix starting May 1 See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour Movie Trailers calendar@latimes.com Despite delivering few actual thrills, the fact-based Backstabbing for Beginners qualifies as an intelligent, well-crafted political thriller based on the memoirs of Michael Soussan, an idealistic American diplomat who pulls the lid off a United Nations corruption scandal. The year is 2002 and former lobbyist Soussan (an earnest Theo James) is searching for something more meaningful than tax shelters, sweatshops and ozone holes. He takes a job as a coordinator for the U.N.s Oil-for-Food program, which swapped profits from the sale of Iraqi oil in exchange for humanitarian relief under the Saddam Hussein regime. Soussan is taken under the wing of program undersecretary Pasha (the estimable Ben Kingsley), whose relationship with the truth can be summed up by his contention that what other people consider lying is merely creating the opportunity to draw a wrong conclusion, and whisked off to Baghdad where he encounters shadowy agendas at every turn. While this good-looking Canadian-Danish co-production could have benefited from more tension and intrigue, the larger issue facing Danish director Per Flys studied filmmaking is the need to blanket the movie with extensive voiceover rather than trusting the actors on-screen abilities to convey the storytelling. Advertisement To that end, although James muted performance comes across as a bit lifeless alongside Kingsleys more colorful, masterfully modulated turn, the characterizations nevertheless allow for satisfyingly complex, real-world renderings of conventional heroes and villains. ------------- Backstabbing for Beginners Rating: R for language throughout, and some violence. Running time: 1 hour, 48 minutes Playing: Laemmles Town Center 5, Encino See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour calendar@latimes.com Early on in Lucrecia Martels Zama, in a Spanish-held South American colony during the late 18th century, a crown official named Don Diego de Zama (Daniel Gimenez Cacho) tries in vain to seduce a married noblewoman, Luciana (Lola Duenas). Theres probably a metaphor to be gleaned from this failed attempt at conquest, but Martel is more interested in drawing our eyes and ears to the other person in the room: a servant (Tendjyb Manigat), an indigenous black man, fanning them in the background. Few filmmakers use sound as pointedly and evocatively as Martel does, and even when she cuts to a closeup of Zama and Luciana, the steady, distracting creak of the fan persists. The noise makes a mockery of their intimacy, and after a while, it begins to take on the quality of an indictment. In Zama, a brilliantly discomfiting portrait of European colonialism and its discontents, every sound and image tells the same sickening story. Martel adapted that story from the Argentinian writer Antonio di Benedettos 1956 novel, only recently translated into English (by Esther Allen) and now widely hailed as a modern literary classic. Its a bitterly ironic account of one mans pride, pettiness and self-pity, a devastating critique of a corrupt social order cast in intimate, existential terms. Martels Zama is remarkably faithful to di Benedettos, despite or perhaps because of the fact that is also its own highly idiosyncratic creature. Rather than losing its focus, as so many screen adaptations of first-person narratives do, the movie ingeniously forges its own point of view. Ive seen Zama three times now and can attest that it grows richer, stranger and more deeply transporting with every viewing. Remarkably, the narrative structure remains nearly as oblique and mysterious the third time as it does the first: You can never quite tell, or remember, what happens next. Never one for connect-the-dots exposition, Martel gives this fragmentation an extraordinary sense of purpose. Life, as she perceives it and as most experience it, doesnt move according to a simple chain of cause and effect. Advertisement Thats not to suggest that shes aiming for realism in any strict sense. Zama, her long-awaited fourth feature and her first one set in the distant past, is a dense, sweltering miasma of a movie, so rich in humid atmosphere that you can practically feel the characters and their awful moment wasting away. But Martels sense of historical integrity goes beyond her meticulous use of indigenous languages and moldering, lived-in production design. Its essential to her methods that we dont simply navigate this world at our convenience, that none of her characters alter their words or make their motives more transparent for our sake. We are interlopers here, and so too is Zama, a Spanish corregidor played in a superbly weary, bone-dry performance by Daniel Gimenez Cacho. Zama is a magistrate, a servant of the Old World born in the New, now separated from his wife and children in a dead-end backwater somewhere along the Paraguay River. In every sense a man without a country, he longs for a transfer to the Argentine city of Lerma, where hes certain he will find the purpose and prosperity that have long eluded him. The nod to Lerma (in the novel, its Buenos Aires) is a nice authorial touch; its located in Martels home province, Salta, the setting of her three previous narrative features. In those contemporary dramas, Martel used her remarkable formal powers to play tricks with perception, whether simulating a housewifes concussive state in The Headless Woman (2008) or plunging us into a teenagers religious confusion in The Holy Girl (2004). Bubbling beneath those stories was an instinctive sense of class rage, which makes her a natural fit for the more remote injustices of Zama. Mariana Nunes in a scene from the movie ZAMA. (Strand Releasing ) As played by Gimenez Cacho, a Spanish-born Mexican actor with a limitless range of outraged, dyspeptic reaction shots, Zama may be a figure of ridicule, but his futility is not without a certain pathos. In the opening image, he stands on a beach, a sword at his belt and a tricorn hat on his head, affecting a ludicrous, would-be heroic pose. The wry, distanced framing of the shot (by the gifted Portuguese cinematographer Rui Pocas) all but mocks his delusions of grandeur. The rest of the movie will lay waste to them, one by one. The first half plays like a Beckettian comedy of bureaucratic limbo. Looking sweaty and uncomfortable in his not-so-finery and an ill-advised wig, Zama repeatedly pleads with the local governor (Daniel Veronese) to write a letter to the king and secure his transfer. He hears the occasional case and renders arbitrary verdicts, most of them in line with official orders. But in general he just waits and waits, every scene compounding the indignity of his existence. Zama is forever being ignored by his superiors, thwarted by his colleagues and maddeningly rebuffed by Luciana (played with teasing wit by Duenas, best known for her work with one of Zamas co-producers, Pedro Almodovar). He tries to navigate a system that slights him at every turn, but which is even more obviously rigged against the poor and oppressed in his midst. And despite his haughty declaration of an exclusive preference for Spanish flesh, he visits Emilia (Maria Etelvina Peredez), a quietly scornful Guarani woman with whom he has had a child, a boy he doesnt even recognize. Colonialism is a moral blight, but it is also an ugly, messy, disorderly business. Martel doesnt just march Zama through a series of humiliations; she undermines his stature in every shot, often positioning him off to the side or in the background, as if to suggest that hes a marginal presence in his own story. He is crowded out of the frame by slaves, who are present in nearly every interior scene, and by the animals wandering freely about, none more scene-stealing than a llama who adds hilarious insult to his injury. Advertisement The severity of the framing can seem at first like a distortion of reality, much like the wild, teeming soundscape, alive with buzzing insects, cawing birds, giggling children and distant gunshots. (The sound designer is Guido Berenblum.) But give yourself some time to adjust and Martels style, at once immersive and disorienting, starts to feel like a corrective, a clearer way of seeing and hearing. The physical world here is not some abstract commodity; it is fiercely, palpably present, and utterly indifferent to the whims of men arrogant enough to think they can tame it into submission. That folly achieves a surreal apotheosis in the movies final passages, in which the displaced and increasingly desperate Zama is sent on a dangerous mission to capture a presumed enemy of the empire. Martel has never been one for simple pictorial beauty, but here her chiseled, exacting imagery turns rapturous almost in spite of itself. Juxtaposing hues of painterly green and devilish red, she brings Zama to a lyrical, terrifying close worthy of Werner Herzog or Joseph Conrad. The grand dream of human conquest ends, as it must, with a nightmarish descent into madness. READ MORE: Lucrecia Martel on the making of Zama ------------ Advertisement Zama (In Spanish, Qom, Pilaga and Mbya Guarani with English subtitles) (Not rated) Running time: 1 hour, 55 minutes Advertisement Playing: Laemmles Playhouse 7, Pasadena, and Laemmles Royal Theatre, West Los Angeles See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour Movie Trailers justin.chang@latimes.com Advertisement @JustinCChang One of writer Fuchsia Dunlops favorite stories about her adventures in Sichuanese cooking involves a group dinner she had in 2001 at a drab hotel in Chengdu, China. The meal stretched into 42 delicately intricate courses and introduced her to a young envelope-pusher of a chef named Yu Bo. It was like nothing Id ever had in China before, the kind of official banquet Id read about, but never seen. A few years later, Dunlop put Yu Bo on the map for Western readers after writing for Gourmet magazine about serving as the guide/interpreter for the Chengdu-born Yu Bo and two of his equally popular compatriots Xiao Jianming and Lan Guijan -- at a Worlds of Flavor conference in Northern California. Now based in England and the author of five cookbooks, Dunlop and Yu Bo, who currently runs a restaurant called Yu Jia Chu Fang (Yus Family Kitchen) out of his home with a prix-fixe, seasonal menu, will appear at Food Bowl on May 4. Hell be showing some of his signature dishes, including a set of 16 different cold vegetable appetizers, says Dunlop. Its a demonstration of the famous Sichuanese culinary maxim that each dish has its own style, and a hundred dishes have a hundred different flavors. We recently caught up with Dunlop to discuss Sichuan cooking and what chef Yu Bo is cooking. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Talk about Yus Family Kitchen. Advertisement Its a very different style of Chinese food from what people in the West are normally used to. Its like going to a private house and having a banquet in a private room thats incredibly elegant. Youll have dozens of courses and a variety of tastes, textures and cooking methods. His style is more like the style of a Michelin-style restaurant. Its very labor-intensive, incredible tableware. He got his inspiration from the private dining in the grand Mandarin houses in the past when the rich kept private chefs and entertained their friends to amazing dinner parties. His food, as when you go to a very accomplished Michelin-starred restaurant in the West, is a sort of thoughtful intellectual game as well as [one about] tastes. Give an example of a Yu Bo dish that makes you think. For hundreds of years, thats been very much part of Chinese classical gastronomy, sort of playing with the minds of your guests -- eating is an intellectual as well as sensory pleasure. [Yu Bos] meals are full of wit. Youll [be served] a porcelain jar full of calligraphy brushes and a dish of red ink. Even close up the calligraphy brush looks like a calligraphy brush but its actually a flaky puff pastry thats been folded in such a way that all of the layers look like the hairs of a brush. Then you dip it into the ink which is actually a sauce and then you pop it into your mouth. Theres another classic Sichuanese dish that he sometimes does. You get a bowl of what looks like freshly made silken tofu. But its actually chicken breast thats been pulverized to a very fine paste with a bit of egg white and starch. Its a kind of joke: It looks like cheap Sichuanese street food, but a lot of culinary technique has gone into it. When did official banquet dining resurface in China? This style of private dining obviously disappeared in the Cultural Revolution. It wasnt acceptable to have these kinds of banquets. Chinese cooking has been recovering and rediscovering a lot of its past sophistications. But Yu Bo is very individualistic, has always thought like an artist. He and his wife, Dai Shuang, very much understand traditional roots of Sichuanese flavoring techniques, ingredients and gastronomy but he sort of plays with tradition in a very inventive way. Hes a very unusual talent. You lead gastronomic tours of China. Whats your pitch for Chengdu? Advertisement Chengdu is famously a very relaxed place, very independent thinking. The people are famous for being idle, pleasure-loving; they just like to spend their whole lives sitting in tea houses, gossiping and eating delicious food. Because of its wonderful climate, soil and produce, Chengdu has historically been known as the land of plenty. Like California, theres an obsession with seasonality. This goes back hundreds, even thousands of years in Chinese history. Of course, the most famous ingredient is the chile and thats a fairly recent Mexican import. Its one of the most exciting culinary destinations in China because of the electrifying flavors. You have heat, the tingliness of the Sichuan pepper. Theres an amazing array of fresh ingredients. Sichuanese food is never dull. Yu Bo has spent time in Los Angeles. Is he looking to open something here? I think hed like to do something more permanent [in Los Angeles]. One of his motivations is to show people a different side of Chinese cuisine and I think hed like to do that abroad. food@latimes.com Advertisement @latimesfood Rumors of a labor crisis in the Los Angeles restaurant industry began about four years ago as a grumble whispering at the farmers market, the occasional kvetching on social media but as more and more ads for line cooks go unanswered and scheduled interviews bail without so much as a call or an apology, L.A. chefs and restaurateurs are practically shouting from the rooftops: Where are all the cooks? Its a problem that began in New York and San Francisco, before spreading to Washington, D.C., and now L.A. At Michaels in Santa Monica, assistant manager Chas McCarty will chase after anyone he sees walking down Wilshire Boulevard in chefs whites. Clemence Gossett, who runs the Gourmandise School of Sweets and Savories in Santa Monica, fields daily phone calls from chefs and restaurateurs asking if she knows of any qualified pastry chefs. At Cosa Buona in Echo Park and Alimento in Silver Lake, chef-owner of both restaurants Zach Pollack keeps an ad for a line cook open even when his kitchens are staffed up, in hopes that the right resume might trickle in. A decade ago, when Pollack was a line cook at Sona, chef David Myers now-shuttered white tablecloth restaurant on La Cienega Boulevard, there were probably fewer than 10 ambitious restaurants in Los Angeles. It was Sona, Grace, Spago, Lucques, Pollack says, rattling off the restaurants that launched todays generation of homegrown chefs, and every line cook was competing for the same position. Now you can be late to an interview, you can make a silly comment, you can leave your knife at home and you can still land a job. There are just so many more restaurants, Pollack adds, but the talent pool seems to have stayed the same. According to the Los Angeles Health Department, there were 2,228 more restaurants operating in January 2018 than there were at the start of 2014. The data reflects the restaurant boom across Los Angeles, where out-of-town chefs are arriving in droves and new developments in Chinatown and the Fashion District are converting once-industrial blocks into culinary destinations at a breakneck pace. Advertisement The crisis comes as the restaurant scene crescendos and the publics appetite for new openings reaches a fever pitch. At least on paper, there has never been a better time to be a cook. Opportunities abound and hazing rituals like placing metal tongs in the oven while a cooks back is turned, or the flinging of pots and pans by tyrannical chefs are largely a thing of the past. In the wake of #MeToo, its no longer a given that female (and male) cooks will helplessly tolerate sexual harassment. A rising minimum wage and increased scrutiny around labor laws mean cooks are making more money and working less hours than ever before and the kitchen, once a blue-collar haven for misfits, has blossomed into a glamorous profession. The possibility of celebrity lingers over every stove. Weve reached a terminal velocity about how cool and rock star chef culture has become, but we cant find chefs to execute. Kristel Arabian Weve reached a terminal velocity about how cool and rock star chef culture has become, says chef recruiter Kristel Arabian, but we cant find chefs to execute. Weve been ready for the minimum wage hike since 2015, and really what we should have been ready for is the missing talent pool. No one is even thinking about the price yet, because we dont have the people to give the money to. While a shortage of kitchen labor is a headache for business owners, the unseen consequence is actually the menus themselves. At Sona, Pollack remembers one dish that required breading and frying sweetbreads to order in a saute pan propped up by a spoon tilting the oil to just the right angle. Meanwhile, youd also be frying little pieces of cornstarch-dusted tofu, heating up your dashi and youd have a third saute pan of crispy pigs feet going, he remembers. And this is while youre getting inundated for lobster risotto. I would never in a million years ask one of my line cooks to do that today. A dish like that wouldnt even enter the repertoire unless you had a bottomless labor pit. Arabian already sees restaurant menus shifting from robust ambition to standardized preparations that require less a la minute cooking. Its the whole sous vide thing, she says, referring to the technique of cooking proteins in a water bath to a precise temperature before finishing them in a pan or on the grill. The results are flawlessly consistent, but theyre about as exciting as baby food, so, why do it if it doesnt taste as good? she asks. Because you dont want to poison your clients with undercooked chicken. You either have a tiny restaurant where you are standing at the wood grill, or you sous vide it. One answer is to look outside the traditional talent pool of culinary school grads and aspiring celebrity chefs. Howlin Rays Johnny Zone spent 13 years working for chefs like Gordon Ramsay and Thomas Keller, but his line consists of a former Peets Coffee barista and an ex-con who spent seven years in prison. There are always guys who just think its too hard, Zone says of kitchen work, but there are always going to be people who want to improve their lives, work hard and get paid for it. How do you think people got by back in the day when no one wanted to be a chef? According to Arabian, the labor crunch will spawn more specialists like Zone, who focuses all his attention on Nashville-style hot chicken. You wont see 75 items on a menu anymore, she says, youll see 12, which makes a restaurant better anyway. From her perspective, a labor crunch is just another hurdle in a wildly unpredictable industry. We do this because we love the challenge, she says. These things happen and the good ones learn and grow -- if you stop evolving and growing in this industry, youre dead. Advertisement Food Bowl Alert: As part of this years Los Angeles Times Food Bowl, there will be an L.A. Chefs Conference with panel discussions on how to retain restaurant employees and prevent sexual harassment; the state of fine dining in L.A.; and how restaurant reservations work in 2018. May 15, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the iPic Theatre in Westwood; the event is free. food@latimes.com A city water infrastructure project is scheduled to bring partial road closures to a stretch of Benedict Canyon Drive in Beverly Crest starting next month. The improvements will center around Liebe Drive and stretch from Mulholland to Hutton drives, said officials with the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. From May 1 to Nov. 30., workers will replace 5,200 feet of aging pipe with new steel pipe. They will also add four new fire hydrants. The road closures will be take place Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and on scheduled Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Advertisement Local residents and designated visitors will be allowed access to homes and businesses during the closure. Traffic officers will also be stationed along Mulholland Drive and neighboring roads to manage traffic flow that may result from the closures. When it comes to projects of this nature, there is never a convenient time for infrastructure updates, said Councilman Paul Koretz of the 5th District. Although we recognize the inconvenience it may cause in the short term, the long term benefits will serve the needs of our residents and families in the area. Visit LADWP for more information on the project . esmeralda.bermudez@latimes.com @LATBermudez 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 The break that authorities said led them to the man accused of being the Golden State Killer came when they linked DNA evidence from the slayings to genetic information contained on a consumer genealogical website, authorities said Thursday. Investigators knew the killer only through a string of DNA recorded at several of the dozen murder scenes. Shaun Hampton, a spokesman for the Sacramento County Sheriffs Department, said officials had struggled for years to figure out whom that DNA belonged to. Recently, they tapped genealogical databases that the public uses to search for relatives and ancestors, he said. Law enforcement sources told The Times that information from the websites dramatically reduced the the size of their search. Eventually they narrowed the investigation to several families listed in the database, with a pool of about about 100 men who fit the age profile of the killer, said the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity. Hampton declined to name the site used or provide details about exactly how authorities made the match. Advertisement How familial DNA searches work The trail eventually led them to Joseph James DeAngelo Jr., a 72-year-old former police officer living in Citrus Heights, a suburb of Sacramento. The sources said the detectives then retraced his life, looking for connections between the numerous crimes across California and where he was during those times. Private companies that provide ancestry searches from DNA samples submitted by paying participants usually also guarantee privacy for their users. However, customers are alerted to potential matches and can use the service to connect with possible relatives. The Sacramento County district attorneys office would not provide further details of its DNA evidence. The prosecutors office is expected to provide more details of its case during a court hearing Friday. Several popular DNA sites Ancestry.com, 23andme and MyHeritage all denied that law enforcement officials formally reached out to them about the Golden State Killer case. Its unclear whether authorities submitted samples of the killers DNA to the ancestry sites or used some other means of making the connection. Unlike the federal DNA database that law enforcement uses in hopes of an exact match with a suspect, a commercial website generally provides broader information about a family tree, said Ruth Dickover, director of UC Davis forensic science program. Its highly likely a member of DeAngelos family was using the site where the match was made, Dickover said. Youll get the most useful results from a parent or child of the person. As you go further away, itll be less and less useful. A sibling is less useful, a cousin is less useful, she said. Advertisement Since authorities were looking for a man, investigators could immediately cut out half the results from their search. If the results produced a surname a possibility if a male relative had submitted his genetic information that too could narrow the search, she added. This was a shot in the dark, definitely, Dickover said. If thats what they did, that approach is very new and innovative and explains how they were able to crack a case when the more traditional types of DNA testing couldnt. Authorities say the Golden State Killer slipped in through backdoors and windows in the dark. First he struck in the foothills east of Sacramento, raping at least 46 women, before he began killing and headed south. From 1978 to 1986, he killed 12 people in attacks ranging from the Sacramento County city of Rancho Cordova to the Orange County cities of Irvine and Dana Point. In Ventura, he tied up a couple with a drapery cord and raped the wife before fatally bludgeoning them with a fireplace log. In Goleta, he bound a doctor and his wife, a clinical psychologist, and shot them both. Advertisement The unsolved slayings were not linked with one another for years, and not linked to the rapes until 2000. When authorities announced DeAngelos arrest Wednesday, they said DNA evidence helped solve the case, but they provided few details. Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones said a task force had been conducting surveillance on DeAngelo and secretly retrieved his DNA from a discarded item. The DNA matched the samples left by the killer. California officials have been increasingly turning to so-called familial DNA to solve cold cases by scouring an offender DNA database for a father, son or brother of an elusive crime suspect. Advertisement Lab officials look for a relative by scanning genetic profiles in the offender database and looking for DNA samples that match with a suspects along several, but not all, markers. From there, Californias testing method focuses on part of the Y chromosome passed down along the male line, identifying father-son or full brother relationships. Civil liberty groups have expressed alarm at the practice, saying the searches raise significant ethical and privacy concerns. Some questioned their legality. In 2008, California became the first state in the nation to adopt a familial DNA policy. Under the policy, familial DNA is only to be used as a last resort when all other investigative angles have been exhausted. In some instances, detectives search the database several times for the same case. In the case of the Grim Sleeper killer, an initial search turned up nothing, but state officials ran another scan in 2010. A partial match came back to a man added to the database after a 2008 arrest for firearm and drug offenses. Detectives zeroed in on the mans father, Lonnie Franklin Jr., who lived close to where many of the victims bodies were dumped in South L.A. Advertisement There are few examples of law enforcement using commercial ancestry sites to track down suspects. Several years ago, law enforcement in Idaho used familial searching while looking for new clues in the 1996 killing of Angie Dodge whose death drew widespread attention amid the belief that a man was wrongfully convicted of the crime. Authorities identified a new suspect, because the suspects father had given his own DNA to a genealogy nonprofit whose forensic assets were purchased by Ancestry.com. The suspect was eventually cleared, but it set off a firestorm of questions about whether the methods used to identify him violated his civil liberties. Olu Orange, an adjunct assistant professor at USC and an expert on DNA evidence, said hes wanted to trace his ancestry through genealogical websites, but held back after reading their disclosure policies. I think people get excited about the service and the potential for what the service officers, Orange said. But their privacy is out the window as soon as they send that DNA in. Advertisement Times staff writer Alene Tchekmedyian contributed to this report. richard.winton@latimes.com | joseph.serna@latimes.com | paige.stjohn@latimes.com | benjamin.oreskes@latimes.com UPDATES: 3:40 p.m.: Updated with background on DNA testing by police. Advertisement 3:20 p.m.: Updated with more information from DNA testing firms. This story was originally posted at 2:50 p.m. He slipped in through backdoors and windows in the dark. First he struck in the foothills east of Sacramento, raping at least 46 women, before he began killing and headed south. From 1978 to 1986, he killed 12 people in attacks ranging from the Sacramento County city of Rancho Cordova to the Orange County cities of Irvine and Dana Point. In Ventura, he tied up a couple with a drapery cord and raped the wife before fatally bludgeoning them with a fireplace log. In Goleta, he bound a doctor and his wife, a clinical psychologist, and shot them both. The unsolved slayings were not linked with each other for years, and not linked to the rapes until 2000. Science allowed authorities to connect the crimes but did not lead to a suspect. Victims families speculated that the unidentified killer might have died unpunished. Advertisement But on Wednesday, a local and federal task force announced it had arrested a man suspected of being the so-called Golden State Killer Tuesday afternoon at his home in the Sacramento suburbs. Joseph James DeAngelo Jr., 72, a former police officer, was charged with eight counts of murder. Throughout Wednesday, authorities scoured his beige, single-story home in Citrus Heights, removing two cars, a boat and a motorcycle from the garage. Four initial charges are for the slaying of two married couples Brian and Kate Maggiore, who were killed in Rancho Cordova in 1978; and Lyman and Charlene Smith, who were killed in Ventura in 1980. Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones said the task force had been conducting surveillance on DeAngelo and secretly retrieved his DNA from a discarded item, such as a soda can. The DNA matched the samples left by the killer. Authorities would not say how they initially came to see him as a potential suspect. Sean Ragan, special agent in charge of the FBIs Sacramento office, said DeAngelo was a police officer decades ago, first in Exeter, Calif., near Visalia, and then in Auburn, near Sacramento. The time frame of the crimes supports that the suspect was a police officer when he committed some of these crimes, Ragan said. A front page article in the Auburn Journal dated August 29, 1979, says DeAngelo was dismissed from his position as an Auburn policeman for stealing a can of dog repellent and a hammer from a Sacramento drugstore. Orange County Dist. Atty. Tony Rackauckas office announced Wednesday evening that charges were filed against DeAngelo in four additional homicide cases. They include the killing of a couple in Dana Point and two separate slayings in 1981 and 1986 in Irvine. Finally, after all these years, the haunting question of who committed these terrible crimes has been put to rest, Rackauckas said. Advertisement On August 19, 1980, the killer entered the gated neighborhood of Niguel Shores in Dana Point and bludgeoned Keith and Patrice Harrington with a blunt object. The couple had been married just three months. He was a medical student at UC Irvine, and she was a nurse. Crime was unheard of in their community, surrounded by empty hills. Neighbors left their doors unlocked, and kids rode bikes and skateboards to the beach. The slayings shocked then-sleepy south Orange County. The victims families were in disbelief and spent the last 38 years trying to drum up information about the killer. They offered rewards and held news conferences. In 2003, Bruce Harrington, Keiths brother, spearheaded a state ballot initiative to help solve cold cases by requiring all felons or people arrested of certain crimes to submit DNA to a state database. Proposition 69 overwhelmingly passed the next year. Hope faded with every passing year, but never flickered out. Advertisement It is time for all victims to grieve and to take measure one last time, said Harrington, speaking in Sacramento at the announcement of DeAngelos arrest. Its time for the victims to begin to heal. So long overdue. Sleep better tonight, he isnt coming through the window, Harrington said. Hes now in jail and hes history. A number of people inside and outside of law enforcement refused to let the case go. Crime writer Michelle McNamara became obsessed with the serial killer in 2007 and spent years writing about the case while trying to solve it. She dubbed him the Golden State Killer and wrote magazine articles about the case. She died unexpectedly before her book was finished, but her husband, comedian and actor Patton Oswalt, helped piece together the incomplete parts with her notes. Advertisement The book, Ill be Gone in the Dark, published in February, was an instant bestseller. On Wednesday, Oswalt said, I think you got him, Michelle. Until recently, the case had not gained much notoriety, mainly because the murders and rapes were not connected until years later. And the crimes came as other serial killers were sowing nightmares up and down the state. William Bonin, the Freeway Killer, dumped the boys and young men he raped and murdered by freeways, as did Randy Kraft. The two Hillside Stranglers preyed on young women. The Grim Sleeper murdered prostitutes in South Los Angeles. Charles Ng tortured people in his dungeon at a cabin in the Sierra foothills. And the Night Stalker, Richard Ramirez, launched his satanic spree of mutilation, hitting suburban homes from Mission Viejo to San Francisco. Advertisement Ramirez sparked widespread fear in California, killing at least 13 people in a year, seven just during two summer months in 1985. In 2000, when detectives connected the Harrington case to other unsolved murders, they dubbed the killer the Original Night Stalker, because he first struck six years before Ramirez. He was alternatively known as the East Area Rapist for the rapes between 1976 and 1979. Marcus Knutson, a case agent on the East Area Rapist investigation for the FBIs Sacramento Division, described the hunt for the killer in a 2016 interview posted by the agency on YouTube. If you lived in Sacramento during that time frame, you have a story of what happened and where you were and what was going on, Knutson said. Everybody knows about East Area Rapist/Golden State Killer here in Sacramento. During that time frame, everybody was in fear. We had people sleeping with shotguns. We had people purchasing dogs. I think locksmiths business went way out of control because of the fact that everyone was changing locks on their doors. Advertisement The series of attacks began in June 1976 with the rape of a woman in the Rancho Cordova-Carmichael area of Sacramento. From there, the string of crimes extended to 24 different attacks here in Sacramento, Knutson said. The man would pry open windows and rear doors and proceed to the bedroom where either a single woman or a couple would be sleeping. He would then shine a flashlight in their eyes. They would see a dark figure with the ski mask on. He would then bind, have the female bind, the male individual, Knutson said. He would then bind the female individual with shoestrings or whatever he could find. He would then proceed to retie the male victim. At that point, Knutson said, the attacker would ransack the house. Small items rings, coins, sometimes cash would be taken. Whatever he could find, Knutson said. This individual also had the audacity to go through peoples refrigerators and eat inside their residences while the victims were tied up. Advertisement After eating, he would grab his female victim and bring her down the hallway. Sometimes, he would place plates or cups on the backs of the men and tell them that if they moved, or if he heard the plates fall, he would come back and kill him. The female would be raped in a separate room and then brought back to her male companion or, if no ones there, left alone. Knutson said. And then our guy would vanish in the middle of the night. It is unclear why the assailant moved on to murder in 1978, or why he apparently stopped the attacks in 1986, after fatally bludgeoning 18-year-old Janelle Cruz in her familys Irvine home. Jones, the Sacramento County sheriff, said he knew of no recent criminal record for DeAngelo. He has a couple of minor things in his past. Nothing of the magnitude that would raise a red flag. Advertisement He said investigators were scouring his house for physical evidence. There is a lot of material in his house, Jones said. Were looking for mementos, things that might tie him back whether its a firearm, whether its ammunition. Whatever it is, were going to be looking for it. Jennifer Carole didnt know how to react after hearing that someone had been arrested for fatally bludgeoning her father and stepmother, Lyman and Charlene Smith, in their Ventura home in 1980. She half-figured the killer was dead. Advertisement But sometimes she feared he might still be out there, and she opted to use her previous name, Jennifer Smith, anytime she discussed the killings publicly. Ive been afraid this whole time. I didnt ever want him to find me, she said Wednesday. I didnt actually believe he was still alive, and to find out hes alive and they got him its hard to know what to feel. Carole and her siblings lived with their mother at the time of the slayings. They remained in the Ventura area before they all moved back to the Sacramento area, where the family is originally from. Carole and her family assumed until the different slayings were connected that her parents had been killed by a business partner or even a stalker obsessed with Charlene. Advertisement To find out he was not only alive, but living among them in Sacramento, was an overwhelming revelation, she said. Its unbelievable, she said. How can he have just been here? A crush of police vehicles and media filled the quiet subdivision of winding roads and cul-de-sacs. Residents said they were familiar with the story of the Golden State Killer and were shocked to learn that the suspect had lived among them. Advertisement Its a little surreal, said Richelle Taylor, 42. Jack Haddad, 51, and his wife, Hala Doumat, 35, live within view of DeAngelos driveway. Neither knew him, but Doumat said she regularly walks by his house with her three kids. The couple said they had recently watched a documentary on the Golden State Killer. I knew there was a $50,000 reward, Doumat said. Her husband said he was shocked it had taken so long to solve the case. Advertisement I have mixed feelings, Haddad said about the arrest. If something so horrific can happen so close to you, anything goes. melanie.mason@latimes.com richard.winton@latimes.com joseph.serna@latimes.com Advertisement joe.mozingo@latimes.com Times staff writers John Myers and Paige St. John in Sacramento, Sarah Parvini and Matt Hamilton in Los Angeles and Anh Do in Santa Ana contributed to this report. Natalia Bedes-Correnti and her husband had nicknamed their cantankerous neighbor freak after hearing one too many expletives shouted across Citrus Heights quiet streets. Joseph James DeAngelos ire was never directed at anybody in particular as far as Bedes-Correnti could tell, but instead constituted bursts of anger out of frustration. He couldnt find his keys or something was out of place so hed shout out the F-word as he dug through his old Toyota sedans back seats, she said. A lot of the neighbors know that about Joe that he was a screamer and a curser, Bedes-Correnti said. We had nicknamed him freak, my husband and I. He used to have temper tantrums. Advertisement They expressed shock that authorities charged DeAngelo as being the notorious Golden State Killer, who terrorized Sacramento and other communities with a series of attacks in the 1970s and 1980s. Bedes-Correnti and her husband have lived in Citrus Heights Willow Oak neighborhood for more than 20 years, where they count themselves among a generation of longtime homeowners who have shared Fourth of July fireworks in cul de sacs and watched each others children grow up and move out. DeAngelo was there before Bedes-Correnti and her husband moved in. The couple left San Diego for work and moved across the street and one home down from the former police officer in the late 90s. In the years since their arrival, Bedes-Correntis impression of DeAngelo has been whittled down to a couple of peculiarities. The first was the swearing. If we were outside doing yardwork or whatever, hed start screaming or yelling or cursing. We would always go back inside like, Ugh. I was just like, You dont know where that can lead lets just go back inside, Bedes-Correnti said. The F-word was his favorite. Fing keys. The second was his lawn. I used to wave as I drove by. He would wave back. He was outside a lot he was very meticulous about his yard, she said. He had some decorative rocks on the lawn. Hed get down on his hands and knees and trim around each rock by hand. And he mowed. He kept up that lawn meticulously. But other than that, Bedes-Correnti said, nothing was memorable about DeAngelo as a neighbor. He had a fishing boat, a dirt bike and an old Toyota. She said DeAngelo was handy and even set his own concrete in the front yard. Advertisement Her neighbor, Paul, noticed someone sitting in a car parked outside of his home near DeAngelos home for more than a day. So he wrote down the license plate and was going to call police to report it. Before he could call it in, the person in the car took up another position on the street instead. Obviously he was spookin poor Paul, Bedes-Correnti said with a chuckle. It was probably one of those persons doing surveillance. DeAngelo also asked Bedes-Correnti a few years ago if she was interested in selling her Toyota Echo -- he was looking for a reliable vehicle for his daughter. She turned him down. Hes a Toyota guy, she said. Advertisement DeAngelo lived with his adult daughter and granddaughter, Bedes-Correnti said. She has not seen either of them in weeks. A New York native, DeAngelo graduated from Folsom High School outside Sacramento in June 1964 and joined the Navy that September, according to an August 1973 article in the Exeter Sun. He did his naval training in San Diego. He served 22 months in combat in Vietnam, including duty on the gun line off North Vietnam. Sean Ragan, special agent in charge of the FBIs Sacramento office, said DeAngelos stints as a police officer in Exeter, near Visalia, and Auburn, near Sacramento, took place about the time of some of the slayings he is accused of occurred. The Auburn Journal reported in a front-page article on Aug. 29, 1979, that DeAngelo had been dismissed from the Auburn police force for stealing a can of dog repellent and a hammer from a Sacramento drugstore. Advertisement More recently, he worked for Save Mart Supermarkets. Who is Joseph James DeAngelo Jr., the 72-year-old former police officer charged with eight counts of murder and accused by authorities of being the Golden State Killer? The decadelong trail of the notorious serial killer led officers from a task force of local and federal law enforcement agencies to DeAngelos suburban ranch house outside Sacramento on Tuesday. Big parts of his biography remain unknown, including how he traveled around the state during his alleged reign of terror in the 1970s and 80s. A federal law enforcement source said he served in the Navy during the Vietnam War. That led to a short law enforcement career that ended in scandal, and then to a seemingly quiet life working for a supermarket chain. Advertisement Here is a rundown: Booking photo of Joseph James DeAngelo Jr.. (Sacramento County Sheriffs Office ) What do we know about his early life? A New York native, DeAngelo graduated from Folsom High School outside Sacramento in June 1964 and joined the Navy that September, according to an August 1973 article in the Exeter Sun. He did his naval training in San Diego. He served 22 months in combat in Vietnam, including duty on the gun line off North Vietnam. DeAngelo graduated with honors from Sierra College in Rocklin with an associates degree in police science in 1970, according to a newspaper article dated that year. He received his bachelors degree in criminal justice from Cal State Sacramento. DeAngelo was married to Sharon M. Huddle, according to a 1973 announcement in the Auburn Journal. He joined the police department in Exeter in Californias Central Valley that same year, according to the Exeter Sun article. James DeAngelo Jr. believes that without law and order there can be no government and without a democratic government here can be no freedom, the article reads. Law enforcement is his career, he says, and his job is serving the community. Advertisement He later joined the Auburn police force. What do we know about his work as a police officer? Sean Ragan, special agent in charge of the FBIs Sacramento office, said DeAngelos stints as a police officer in Exeter, near Visalia, and Auburn, near Sacramento, matched those of some of the slayings he is accused of. The time frame of the crimes supports that the suspect was a police officer when he committed some of these crimes, Ragan said. The locations of his work are notable because the Golden State Killer struck in both the Sacramento and Visalia areas. The Auburn Journal reported in a front-page article on Aug. 29, 1979, that DeAngelo had been dismissed from the Auburn police force for stealing a can of dog repellent and a hammer from a Sacramento drugstore. Advertisement What did he do after his law enforcement career? This is where there are holes in his biography. Officials have not said how they determined that he was in the other various locations across California where and when the attacks occurred. Victoria Castro, a spokeswoman for Modesto-based Save Mart Supermarkets, said he worked for the chain for almost 30 years. Joe DeAngelo was a 27-year employee of the Roseville distribution center, having retired last year., Castro said. None of his actions in the workplace would have lead us to suspect any connection to crimes being attributed to him. We are working with the Sacramento County district attorneys office on their investigation. How was he captured? Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones said the task force had been conducting surveillance on DeAngelo and secretly retrieved his DNA from a discarded item, such as a soda can. The DNA matched specimens left by the killer at crime scenes. Authorities would not say how they initially came to see him as a suspect. Advertisement On Tuesday, when they were ready to act, authorities staked out DeAngelos house. When he came out of his residence, we had a team in place that was able to take him into custody, Jones said. He was very surprised by that. He said investigators were scouring his house for physical evidence. There is a lot of material in his house, Jones said. Were looking for mementos, things that might tie him back whether its a firearm, whether its ammunition. Whatever it is, were going to be looking for it. Advertisement Does he have a criminal record? Jones said he knew of no recent criminal record for DeAngelo. He has a couple of minor things in his past . Nothing of the magnitude that would raise a red flag. Sacramento County court records show a single criminal case against DeAngelo, a July 2012 charge for driving under the influence for which he was ordered to spend 48 hours in jail and three years on informal probation. A FedEx truck traveling west on the 210 Freeway crossed into a median and toppled onto Metro Gold Line tracks in Pasadena early Thursday, authorities said. The crash occurred around 1:20 a.m. near the Lake Avenue exit when a driver in a sedan crashed into the back of the FedEx truck, according to the California Highway Patrol. The sedan was disabled in traffic lanes, the CHP said in the collision report. Shortly after, a second semi-truck crashed into the sedan. That truck veered to the left, crashed into the center divider and overturned, blocking three lanes of the freeway. The semis trailer toppled onto rail tracks and struck a power pole. The driver of the sedan fled the scene and has not been located, the CHP said. The driver of the second big rig was transported to Huntington Memorial Hospital with minor injuries. Advertisement Metro suspended Gold Line train service between Memorial Park and Allen Station. Bus shuttles will be in service between the two stops until the tracks are cleared. Authorities are working to reopen the freeway, but did not have an estimate on how long lanes would be closed. The cause of the the crash is under investigation. sarah.parvini@latimes.com For more California news follow me on Twitter: @sarahparvini UPDATES: 6:45 a.m.: This article was updated with details of the crash. This article was originally published at 6:05 a.m. Elliot Rodger saw himself as a catch. The lonely, troubled 22-year-old, who called himself a supreme gentleman, seethed about his virginity and took to the internet to spew venom about attractive women who he believed had unfairly rejected him, and about men who were more successful at dating. Four years after Rodger killed six people and wounded more than a dozen others in the college town of Isla Vista before committing suicide, he has been canonized in the online world of so-called involuntary celibates, or incels a fringe group of sexually frustrated men who blame women for their misery and often advocate for violence against them. Among those Rodger allegedly inspired was Alek Minassian, the 25-year-old man accused of plowing a van onto a crowded Toronto sidewalk on Monday, killing 10 people and injuring at least 16 more. Advertisement Minutes before the Toronto rampage, Minassian, a former military recruit, wrote a Facebook post referencing Rodger and so-called Chads and Stacys derisive internet slang for men and women with more active sex lives. Minassian wrote: Private (Recruit) Minassian Infantry 00010, wishing to speak to Sgt 4chan please. C23249161. The Incel Rebellion has already begun! We will overthrow all the Chads and Stacys! All hail the Supreme Gentleman Elliot Rodger! 4chan, the conspiracy-laden website Minassian referenced, is home to some of the internets most ardent trolls. It is also well-known for propagating hoaxes. But Canadian authorities and U.S. federal law enforcement officials have confirmed the authenticity of the post, and Minassians account has been removed from Facebook. Rodgers father, Peter Rodger, told the New York Daily News that he found it very sad that Minassian claimed to be inspired by the Isla Vista killer. Its not only devastating for the victims [in Toronto], its also devastating for Elliots victims, to bring this all up again and make a hero out of a very disturbed individual, he said. Reddit and 4chan are popular forums for incels, who view sex as a basic human right for all men, said Keegan Hankes, a senior research analyst for the nonprofit Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks extremist movements. In November, Reddit banned the discussion board r/incels for promoting violence against women. On the subreddit, Rodger was often called Saint Elliot. To incels, women who deny them sex are committing a crime, Hankes said. Advertisement Elliot Rodger is glorified among these people, said Hankes, who added that they call him a patron saint. They praise his 2014 attack and reference potential copycat violence as going ER. In this courtroom sketch, Alek Minassian, second from left, appears before Justice of the Peace Stephen Waisberg in Toronto on Tuesday. (Alexandra Newbould / Associated Press ) Rodger wrote a 137-page diatribe and made a YouTube video titled Elliot Rodgers Retribution, in which he lambasted women for giving their affection and sex and love to other men and pledged to slaughter sorority members at UC Santa Barbara. Im the perfect guy and yet you throw yourselves at all these obnoxious men instead of me, the supreme gentleman, he said in the video. Advertisement His manifesto, which he titled My Twisted World, and his Retribution video have become warped guidebooks for many incels. Minassian must have been enlightened after reading St. Elliots (PBUH) life work, an anonymous 4chan user wrote Monday, using an acronym for praise be upon him. The post on the message board /r9k/ an infamous meme-filled forum where users express a violent disdain for women and social norms included a photo of a sunglasses-wearing Rodger sitting in a car, edited to look like the cover of a Penguin Classics book, with the same title as Rodgers manifesto. In a discussion of the Toronto attack on the message board, another user wrote that Mondays rampage was caused by womens rights and the refusal of women to have sex with incels. Advertisement All violence, random attacks and terrorism are done by men who cannot find GFs [girlfriends], and thus women are DIRECTLY responsible for all of it, the user wrote. The ONLY way to fix this problem is to take away womens rights and adopt a system of equal redistribution of women. On Reddit, a thread on an incel message board called Braincels bemoaned virgin shaming and the perception that the Toronto attack would lead people to think incels are terrorists. Were going to have to get virginity numbers and badges assigned to us soon. So that everyone will know what dangers to society we are, one user wrote. Not unlike Nazi Germany, someone responded. Advertisement The Star of Elliot, another wrote. An undated photo of Elliot Rodger, who killed six people and wounded 14 in the college town of Isla Vista in 2014. (Robyn Beck / AFP/Getty Images ) In dark corners of the internet, some incels already are celebrating Minassian for allegedly killing more people than Rodger did, Hankes said. Involuntary celibacy is part of a larger male supremacy movement that denigrates women and threatens violence against them. Racism also is a common theme in male supremacy discussions. Advertisement A February report by the Southern Poverty Law Center called Rodger the first alt-right killer. At least 13 such killers all men and most under the age of 30 are part of what the nonprofit center calls the far-right ecosystem that defines the alt-right. One of the killers made several references to Rodger before carrying out his attack last year, the report says. William Edward Atchison used the pseudonym of Elliot Rodger online and praised the supreme gentleman, according to the report. Atchison, 21, entered a New Mexico high school Dec. 7 and killed two students before taking his own life. This year, the law center added male supremacy to ideologies tracked on its national Hate Map because of the way the groups dehumanize and advocate for violence against women. There is an angry subset of the online incel community which has its own amorphous folklore and grievances, said Brian Levin, executive director for the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at Cal State San Bernardino. Advertisement It is yet another example in this increasingly socially fragmented age that were in, where personal animus and social withdrawal is catalyzed online into something more brazen, communal and potentially violent, he said. The desire to find a mate is universal in human society, and increasingly, traditional social ways of doing so such as attending dances, church and sporting events are being replaced by online dating and an individualization of the process of getting mated, said Jennifer Cool, an anthropologist at USC who studies internet culture and history. These dissatisfied young men are turning to what there is plenty of internet connection as a way to find a social forum, Cool said. It doesnt seem to be solving their problem of not getting laid but allows them to commiserate with other sexually unsuccessful men and blame their problems on others, she said. Advertisement Its not about this global village of everyone being interconnected, but lots of smaller circles, Cool said of such online forums. Were all in our bubbles, and its easier to get out of touch with reality. To read this article in Spanish, click here hailey.branson@latimes.com Twitter: @haileybranson Advertisement richard.winton@latimes.com Twitter: @LAcrimes Larry Pools life mission was to track down the Original Night Stalker. The retired Orange County sheriffs investigator studied thousands of clues, kept a recording of the killers voice in his desks top drawer and once exhumed a body to collect a DNA sample. He knew by heart the killers path. And his fervor was shared by countless others across California searching for a suspect who went by many names. Around Sacramento, investigators knew him as the East Area Rapist, whose string of sexual assaults and killings began in 1976. Detectives in the San Joaquin Valley searched for the Visalia Ransacker, who plundered homes there from 1974 to 1975. Advertisement Along the Central Coast, authorities focused on double-killings in Goleta and Ventura in the early 1980s. In Orange County, Pool and others focused on the murders and rapes that continued until 1986. DNA evidence had united many of these disparate crimes into a single but frustratingly cold trail for a suspect with a new nickname, the Golden State Killer. That is until Wednesday, when authorities finally put a face to that long-ago terror: Joseph James DeAngelo Jr. For detectives, journalists and the true-crime obsessives who followed the Golden State Killer, the arrest and murder charges against DeAngelo, a former police officer, marked a shocking turn in a case that had haunted and driven them for four decades. It was also a moment of consolation for victims, their families and investigators such as Pool, who had a list of 8,000 suspects, none of them named DeAngelo. I breathed a sigh of relief when I found the offender had been IDd. Its a relief I havent felt ever, Pool said. Today, we know him by name which is what weve been looking forward to for a long time. Joseph James DeAngelo. (Sacramento Sheriffs Dept. ) The Golden State Killer moniker was bestowed by the late true-crime author Michelle McNamara. Her work helped fan interest in the case, and investigators credited public awareness with leading to a flurry of tips. Its unclear how authorities zeroed in on DeAngelo, 72, who was arrested at his home in a Sacramento suburb. Officials would say only that the case relied on DNA. For years, crime labs had used a DNA profile of the Golden State Killer to evaluate and rule out suspects. In employing this technology, there was a link between the DNA that we had and the potential for examining a universe of folks, for which our guy was a member, Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones said at a news conference. Advertisement Late Wednesday, Jones office confirmed that DeAngelo was a positive match for DNA from crimes by the East Area Rapist, the Original Night Stalker and the Golden State Killer, as well as a match for the methods used by the Visalia Ransacker. The culprit was known for taking jewelry and old coins, and using cups or plates on a victims body as an alarm system, threatening death if the person moved and unsettled the dishes. Jason Salazar, Visalias police chief, said none of the Ransacker burglaries had DNA evidence, so their link to the wider series of crimes is less definitive. Although many believe, because of the modus operandi, that the Visalia Ransacker is where the Golden State Killer began committing his crimes. We believe that is also the case, Salazar added. Investigators used two DNA samples, each yielding a 100% match. Along with DNA, investigators also relied on extensive surveillance of DeAngelo, Jones said. Advertisement We found the needle in the haystack and it was right here in Sacramento County, Dist. Atty. Anne Marie Schubert said. The potential for DNA to unlock the killers identity had long been recognized by investigators and the relatives of victims. Bruce Harrington, whose brother Keith and sister-in-law Patrice were slain at their Dana Point home in 1980, allegedly by the Golden State Killer, helped bankroll the passage of Proposition 69 in 2004. The measure mandates that all felons and some people convicted of misdemeanors submit DNA samples to a state database, whose catalog has increased greatly and aided law enforcement in solving brutal crimes. That year, Harrington told The Times, Its clear from my familys point of view my two brothers and myself that the only realistic way were going to identify who killed Keith and Patti is through DNA technology. Advertisement Almost four decades ago, a killer entered the home of Keith and Patrice Harrington, newlyweds with jobs in the medical field. They lived inside Niguel Shores, a gleaming gated community in then-unincorporated Orange County, now part of Dana Point. Patrice Harrington had just finished a phone call with her sister. Shortly after 11 p.m. on Aug. 19, 1980, the suspect used a type of macrame cord and blitzed Patrice, Pool said. He bound the couple in their bedroom before taking her to another room, where, Pool said, the suspect sexually assaulted her. Two days later, one of their fathers discovered the couples bludgeoned remains. Pool last chatted with Bruce Harrington in 2004, when the brother told him, Look, its not personal I like you but I dont want to talk to you again until you ID the offender. Advertisement On Wednesday, Pool finally made the call. anh.do@latimes.com Twitter: @newsterrier matt.hamilton@latimes.com Advertisement Twitter: @MattHjourno Times staff writers Joseph Serna in Los Angeles and John Myers in Sacramento contributed to this report. To neighbors in the Sacramento suburb of Citrus Heights, Joseph James DeAngelo appeared to lead a perfectly unremarkable middle-class existence one that may have kept the man believed to be the Golden State Killer from drawing suspicion for decades. The Navy veteran and registered Democrat had recently retired from a 27-year career as a truck mechanic in nearby Roseville, and he shared his modest ranch home with one of his three daughters and a grandchild. The former police officer kept meticulous care of his small front lawn even getting down on his hands and knees to trim the grass around three decorative boulders and occupied his free time with remote-controlled airplanes, a fishing boat and a dual-sport motorcycle. But these trappings of the American dream hid a dark secret, according to authorities. From 1978 to 1986, he killed 12 people in attacks ranging from Rancho Cordova in Sacramento County to Irvine and Dana Point in Orange County, officials say. In Ventura, he allegedly tied up a couple with a drapery cord and raped the wife before fatally bludgeoning them with a fireplace log. In Goleta, he bound a doctor and his wife, a clinical psychologist, and shot them both, authorities say. Advertisement On Tuesday, authorities swept into DeAngelos quiet subdivision and arrested the 72-year-old as he was mowing his lawn. As he was taken into custody, DeAngelo told officers he had meat cooking in the oven. The arrest, based on DNA evidence, stunned DeAngelos co-workers and family members. Im pretty much in shock, said a sobbing Becky Thompson, DeAngelos sister. Im in disbelief. Its difficult to think about. Thompson said she holds out a hope that police are mistaken about her brother, whom she regarded as the kindest, gentlest man with his children. I have prayed hard that some of this isnt true, she said. Newspaper articles and interviews with relatives paint a portrait of a man who was surrounded by accomplished or high-achieving women. The woman he married, Sharon Huddle, obtained a law degree in 1982 and has drawn national attention for her work in family law. Of his three daughters, one is a physician practicing at a Roseville emergency room. Another is a graduate student. A New York native, DeAngelo graduated from Folsom Senior High School in 1964 and joined the Navy that September, according to an article in the Exeter Sun. He did his Naval training in San Diego before serving in combat on the cruiser Canberra off the coast of North Vietnam. After the Navy, DeAngelo attended Sierra College in Rocklin, and earned an associate of arts degree in police science in 1970, according to a newspaper article dated that year. He went on to Cal State Sacramento and received a bachelors degree in criminal justice. Advertisement He joined the police department in Exeter in 1973, according to an article in the Exeter Sun that year. James DeAngelo Jr. believes that without law and order there can be no government and without a democratic government here can be no freedom, the article reads. Law enforcement is his career, he says, and his job is serving the community. DeAngelo also married Huddle that year, according to a 1973 announcement in the Auburn Journal. One of the most chilling aspects of the case, investigators said, was their belief that that the killer might have been a cop. Advertisement It was a lot more than a hunch, said Wendell Phillips, a former Sacramento County deputy who was part of a team assigned to the original investigation. There was no doubt he was either military or law enforcement or both. Police have tactics that are designed to isolate people so they can catch them, and he knew how to handle that. The Sacramento County Sheriffs Office had a good-sized unit hunting him every night, Phillips said, but the killer was cunning. As surveillance teams would search through an area, he would go into the biggest, thickest, nastiest bush he could find and find a way to hide. Phillips said the man would cover himself with leaves as camouflage The search would go right over the top of him, he said. Deputies thought the killer must have been a Boy Scout or in the Navy because he tied diamond knots when he bound his victims. Advertisement For the three years DeAngelo worked as a police officer in Exeter, the police were befuddled by a spree of home ransackings and attacks in nearby Visalia, some 10 miles away. The culprit, who wore a mask, was dubbed the Visalia Ransacker. The incidents stopped in 1975 however, the year before DeAngelo moved to another job with the Auburn police. DeAngelos police career there ended ignominiously. He was dismissed after a clerk caught him shoplifting a hammer and a can of dog repellent at a Pay N Save Store in Citrus Heights, according to local reports at the time. A jury found DeAngelo guilty of misdemeanor shoplifting in 1979, and he was given a $100 fine and six months probation. Eventually, DeAngelo found work as a truck mechanic. Victoria Castro, a spokeswoman for Save Mart Supermarkets, said he worked in their Roseville distribution center and retired last year after 27 years. None of his actions in the workplace would have led us to suspect any connection to crimes being attributed to him, Castro said. We are working with the Sacramento County district attorneys office on their investigation. There were, however, those who found DeAngelo a bit odd. Advertisement Natalia Bedes-Correnti, who lives across the street from DeAngelos home, said she and her husband gave him a nickname after they realized he had a disturbing habit of swearing loudly whenever something annoyed him. Those things included misplacing his keys or finding something out of place. We had nicknamed him Freak, my husband and I. He used to have temper tantrums, she said. A lot of the neighbors know that about Joe that he was a screamer and a curser. Aside from the swearing, Bedes-Correnti said DeAngelo did little to attract attention. She did note however that he took a deep interest in his lawn. He was outside a lot. He was very meticulous about his yard, she said. He had some decorative rocks on the lawn. Hed get down on his hands and knees and trim around each rock by hand. And he mowed. He kept up that lawn meticulously. In a bid to reduce congestion in toll lanes on the 110 and 10 freeways, Los Angeles County transportation officials on Thursday opted to end a program granting solo drivers of zero-emission vehicles free access to the lanes. Drivers with state-issued clean-air stickers will be charged a toll starting in November or December of this year, Metropolitan Transportation Authority officials said. They will receive a 15% discount on the per-mile toll lane price. Clean-air stickers will still grant solo drivers access to Californias carpool lanes. Drivers who carpool in zero-emission vehicles will remain exempt from the toll. You can still save that money, said Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, who supported the policy change, in an interview with reporters. Just carpool. Advertisement Metros change to the toll policy has drawn some criticism from environmental advocates, who say saving time and money is a major reason that Los Angeles County residents buy zero-emission cars. Reducing emissions from transportation is critical to meeting the states air quality and climate goals. Metro officials said the policy is necessary to keep speeds in the lanes above the federally mandated minimum of 45 mph during rush hour. When it comes to taming congestion, they say, a zero-emission car with one occupant is no different from any other vehicle. Tolls on the Harbor Freeway and the San Bernardino Freeway fluctuate between 35 cents to $2 per mile during rush hour, based on how many drivers are in the paid lanes. Higher tolls are intended to deter some drivers, freeing up space and shortening drive times for those willing to pay. Under the previous policy, such incentives held no sway over drivers of zero-emission vehicles They contribute to the congestion, which increases the toll price for the toll-paying customers, Executive Officer Shahrzad Amiri told directors at Metros downtown meeting Thursday. The share of zero-emission vehicles in the lanes has doubled to 6% in the last two years, Metro said. The number of clean-air decals issued statewide by the Department of Motor Vehicles grew 44% between the end of 2016 and March 1, to more than 320,000. Traffic in the northbound 110 toll lane would flow 13 mph faster during rush hour if the volume of drivers fell by 5%, Metro staff said. When youre at or near capacity, the smallest changes can have a profound impact on performance, said Robert Campbell, a Metro manager of transportation planning. Currently, a zero-emission driver receives a toll waiver by indicating on the transponder device that three or more people are in the car. Advertisement Under the new policy, the driver would indicate single occupancy. The freeways computer and camera system will scan the license plate number, and apply a 15% discount if the car is registered in the states clean air system. Officials said drivers should expect that Californias policies on clean-air vehicles and carpool access will continue to evolve. Previous policy shifts have barred solo drivers of certain early-model hybrids such as the Toyota Prius from the lanes. Los Angeles County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl, the only official to vote against the plan, said the decision shows Metro isnt prioritizing the environment. We ought to simply admit that we really want to convert this to a toll lane, and we dont really care about clean air that all of the things that we adopted HOV lanes for in the first place, wed like to abandon, Kuehl said. Advertisement She also cited a recent UCLA study that found the ability to drive alone in a carpool lane or a toll lane is the single biggest incentive for Californians to buy a zero-emission vehicle if they live within 10 miles of such a lane. Other board members questioned whether Metro and Caltrans could alleviate congestion by changing other policies. Currently, any vehicle with two occupants counts as a carpool on the 110. During peak hours, the 10 has a three-person carpool requirement. Duarte councilman and Metro director John Fasana requested a study on how to begin tolling all passenger vehicles in the El Monte Freeway toll lane and busway aside from vanpools and buses. Los Angeles City Councilman Paul Krekorian said in many cases, two people in the same vehicle would not have driven separately otherwise, meaning they do not meet the traditional definition of a carpool. Advertisement It feels good for us to say, Yes, lets encourage carpooling, Krekorian said. But I believe that carpooling is largely mythical in Los Angeles. laura.nelson@latimes.com For more transportation news, follow @laura_nelson on Twitter. UPDATES: Advertisement 6:40 p.m.: This article was updated to include comment from Los Angeles County supervisor Sheila Kuehl and Los Angeles City Councilman Paul Krekorian. This article was originally published at 2:15 p.m. A federal lawsuit accusing music mogul Russell Simmons of raping a documentary filmmaker in 2016 was dismissed Wednesday. The $5-million suit, filed in January by Jennifer Jarosik, was dismissed by agreement from Jarosiks and Simmons attorneys. No reason was given in the court filing for the agreement to dismiss the case with prejudice, meaning the suit cant be filed again. An attorney for Jarosik did not immediately return a request for comment. A representative for Simmons declined to comment and did not respond to a question about whether the case had been settled. Simmons still faces a $10-million lawsuit filed last month in L.A. County Superior Court by a woman identified only as Jane Doe, who alleged Simmons forced himself on her in his hotel room after a concert in 1988. In his reply, Simmons called the allegation pure fiction and an extortion attempt. Advertisement Jarosiks lawsuit was filed after more than a dozen women came forward in media reports with allegations that they had been sexually assaulted or raped by the Def Jam founder. In the complaint, she alleged Simmons invited her to his home to discuss her documentary film project but got aggressive after she rebuffed his sexual advances. Simmons has denied all accusations against him and maintained he has never been violent toward women. On his Twitter page Wednesday, he posted an image with the words: You dont need to explain or justify your feelings to anyone, just trust your inner guidance. victoria.kim@latimes.com For more California news, follow me on Twitter @vicjkim Bryan Stevenson wants people to examine an era of American history that goes ignored a chapter often left untold. It was a time, he says, of domestic terrorism. Between 1877 and 1950, more than 4,400 black people died by lynching, according to statistics compiled by the Equal Justice Initiative, a nonprofit organization that provides legal representation to inmates and works to alleviate racial and economic injustice. On Thursday, the group founded by Stevenson will open the National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery, Ala., the country's first site dedicated to the legacy of black people lynched in the United States. Stevenson, a 58-year-old lawyer, spoke with The Times recently about the memorial, race relations, and how he sees capital punishment as a modern form of lynching. The interview has been edited for length and clarity. An Equal Justice Initiative video explains the reasoning behind the National Memorial for Peace and Justice, the country's first site dedicated to the legacy of black people lynched in the United States. First, why did you choose to focus on lynchings for this memorial? The era of racial terror is the era that is least understood in American history. After the emancipation of enslaved black people, there was this period of violence and terror and it was tragic. Enslaved people were promised freedom and what they got was terrorism and it was horrific. And I don't think we've acknowledged it. I don't think we've talked about it. More than 6 million people fled the American South during this period of time, and the demographic geography of our nation was shaped by this violence. Black people in L.A., the black people in Cleveland and Chicago and Detroit went to these communities not as immigrants, but as refugees and exiles from terror. And many of the contemporary issues are shadowed by this exodus from the American South, which was a direct response to terrorism and lynching. So, for me, if you skip from the Civil War to civil rights you're not going to understand either. And I just felt like this was a part of our history that we needed to address. You want officials from U.S. counties where lynchings took place mostly in the South, but all over the country to come and claim a column from the memorial and put it on display in their county. This is an effort to show accountability? Yes, I believe in truth and reconciliation, and we haven't been truthful about our history of racial inequality. I think that truth and reconciliation is sequential. You've got to first tell the truth about what happened and then you can begin to understand what is required to recover, to make repairs, to restore, to reconcile. And I don't want to deny any county in America that has a history of lynching an opportunity to localize this project, this effort. We have spaces in this country where the legacy of terrorism and lynching still burdens people. People of color feel menaced. There is still a presumption of dangerousness and guilt that gets assigned to black and brown people. One of the ways we can overcome these contemporary issues and problems is if we understand the history, the legacy, the circumstances that gave rise to this more clearly. So I think communities ought to have a chance to begin conversations, to facilitate dialogue that might lead them to understand the importance of bringing back their monuments erecting [the column] in a public space and allowing others to encounter this history in a more sober and thoughtful way. You've represented hundreds of inmates facing execution some who have been wrongfully convicted. In a 2016 New Yorker piece, you, in a way, compared lynchings to modern day executions. Can you talk about that? The threat that lynching represents is a threat rooted in a narrative of racial difference. I don't believe the great evil of American slavery was involuntary servitude and forced labor. I really do believe that the great evil of American slavery was this narrative of racial difference. This ideology of white supremacy. Our 13th Amendment ended involuntary servitude and forced labor, but it did not end this narrative of racial difference. Because of that I don't think slavery ended, I think it just evolved and that's what created decades of terrorism and lynching. In the 1940s and 1950s when soldiers were returning from World War II, the spectacle of lawlessness in the American South, the reckless way in which we were disregarding the Constitution and the rule of law, exposed America to our international allies. It made us seem like it was just rhetoric when we talked about justice and fairness. So pressure was placed on these communities to eliminate these optics. And what happened was that lynchings moved inside. We still executed mostly black people after proceedings that were unreliable and unfair. We promised swift justice, which was intended to be the same thing as lynching without the spectacle, without the optic, without the mob. And in that respect, I do believe that capital punishment is the stepchild of lynching. It was disproportionately used against people of color; it still continues to be shaped primarily by race. What's the biggest problem facing our criminal justice system at this moment? I think the size of it. I think the misguided war on drugs that we declared in 1970s and 80s is the part that has to be addressed immediately. We declared drug addiction, drug dependency to be a crime rather than a healthcare problem, and we threw hundreds of thousands of people into jails and prisons. That's the primary reason why the prison population has skyrocketed, that we now have the highest rate of incarceration in the world. That we've gone from spending $6 billion on jails and prisons in 1980, to $80 billion last year reveals that we have created an epidemic of incarcerations. So reducing the size and scale of the system for me is the top priority. One in three black male babies born in this country is expected to go to jail or prison during his lifetime. That has to change if we're going to have a healthy society. Part of a statue depicting slavery is on display at the National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery, Ala. Brynn Anderson / Associated Press You and others have talked about how lynchings of black people were domestic terrorism. What, in your eyes, equates domestic terrorism today? Violence directed at a group, to terrorize the entire group, not just a particular person, is what most people think of as terrorism. It's interesting, older people of color come up to me sometimes and they say, Mr. Stevenson, I get angry when I hear someone talk about how we're dealing with domestic terrorism for the first time in our nation's history after 9/11. They say, We grew up with terror. We had to worry about being bombed and lynched and menaced, and the absence of recognition of that terrorism aggravates the burden, the weight of this problem. For me, acknowledging this era becomes even more critical. Has President Trump and some of his rhetoric set us back when it comes to race relations? I don't think there is any question that when you have elected officials using race as an organizing concept for how people should be thought of, when you engage in the politics of fear and anger, it's going to be a setback. I think fear and anger are the essential ingredients of injustice and inequality and oppression. We have to resist, we have to reject that kind of narrative, banning people because they are Muslim. Denigrating people because they're Mexican is racial bigotry and we can't tolerate that. We can't accept that. And whether it's the president or any local official, we have to create a conscience in this country where no person running for office thinks it's going to benefit them to engage in that kind of discourse. And the reason why we haven't gotten there yet is because we haven't adequately educated people about this history, about this violence. There are no Adolf Hitler statues in Germany; most elected officials do everything they can to acknowledge the history of the Holocaust. Nobody is saying Make Germany Great Again by invoking the period of the 1930s and 1940s. I don't think that would be an acceptable narrative to people in Europe and to most Germans. And I just don't think we have done the same kind of work to raise the consciousness about our history of slavery, about our history of lynching, our history of segregation. As an African American, what decade am I supposed to want to relive that is the glorious era in the United States? If you had one hope for what a young boy or girl might leave with after visiting the memorial, what would it be? I went the Holocaust museum in Washington and I went through that experience and when I finished I was motivated to say, along with those who had said it before me, never again. It evoked in me a consciousness about the horrors of genocide and mass violence that made me unequivocally committed to do what I can to keep that from happening. We haven't created cultural institutions in this country that present the history of our nation and the burden of racial inequality and the mistreatment of African Americans in a way that motivates people to say, never again. Because we haven't made that commitment, we continue to see manifestations of bias and discrimination. I hope the young kids that come to our museum, that come to our memorial, will leave these places prepared to say, Never again shall we allow anything that replicates the legacy of slavery or lynching or segregation or bigotry. Never again can we allow our nation to be shaped by people who harbor bias and racial judgments that are unfair and bigoted. Overcoming a bruising confirmation fight, the Senate voted Thursday to confirm CIA Director Mike Pompeo as President Trumps second secretary of State but the first who Trump says shares his worldview and opinions on Iran, North Korea and other key concerns. The vote was 57 to 42, an unusually low margin of approval for Americas top diplomat, a position that normally draws broad bipartisan support to give a president his chosen candidate to conduct foreign policy. Pompeo was sworn in by Supreme Court Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. and immediately started work, taking off for Brussels to attend a meeting of NATO foreign ministers on Friday, according to Heather Nauert, the State Department spokeswoman. Pompeo then will travel to Israel, Jordan and Saudi Arabia, she said. Im delighted to be secretary of State and completely humbled by the responsibility, Pompeo said in a statement. Im looking forward to serving the American people and getting to work right away. Advertisement Trump said Pompeo has his trust and support. Having a patriot of Mikes immense talent, energy, and intellect leading the Department of State will be an incredible asset for our country at this critical time in history, he said in a statement from the White House. Pompeo, 54, faces major diplomatic challenges in coming weeks, including whether Trump will follow through with his threat to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal by a self-imposed May 12 deadline, and planning for a potential nuclear summit between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un by mid-June. The Senate vote reflected widespread Democratic opposition to Pompeo over his outspoken hawkish positions after he was elected to Congress in 2010 as a tea party Republican from Kansas and previous statements seen as biased against Muslims and gays, lesbians and transgender people. Many opponents also worried that Pompeo would fail to serve as a counterbalance to what one Democratic senator called Trumps worst instincts. I expect our chief diplomat to have a vision for diplomacy, Sen. Robert Menendez of New Jersey, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said on the Senate floor ahead of the vote. Pompeo failed to express any tangible diplomatic strategism during his confirmation hearing, Menendez added. He failed to be forthright with the committee, and finally, I do not have a satisfactory answer to the question: Which Mike Pompeo am I being asked to vote on? Supporters said Pompeos seven years in Congress, and especially his last 15 months as CIA director, have prepared him to head the State Department. Having the presidents ear, they said, will enhance his ability to influence foreign policy decisions. Advertisement In the end, seven members of the Senate Democratic caucus including five who face reelection battles in November in states Trump won handily in 2016 joined Senate Republicans to vote for confirmation. The margin was unusual because Senate confirmation votes for secretary of State typically are lopsided, even when the other party controls the chamber. Moreover, secretaries typically serve a full term with the president. Under President Obama, John F. Kerry won Senate approval by a vote of 94 to 3 in 2013, and Hillary Clinton was approved by 94 to 2 in 2009. President George W. Bushs two picks also sailed through. Condoleezza Rice was confirmed by a vote of 85 to 13 in 2005, and Colin Powell was approved by acclamation in 2001. Only Rex Tillerson, Trumps first secretary of State, faced such substantial opposition. His confirmation vote last year was 56 to 43, with a large group of Democrats voting in opposition. Advertisement Trump fired Tillerson, a former CEO of Exxon Mobil, via Twitter last month after the two repeatedly clashed over the Iran deal and other policy issues. Pompeo limped out of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Monday after Democrats on the committee all lined up against him. With one Republican absent, the vote initially was a tie. Rep. Chris Coons (D-Del.) then changed his vote to present to allow the nomination to proceed to the full Senate. Pompeo arguably tried out for the job by conducting a secret diplomatic mission for Trump, visiting the North Korean capital of Pyongyang on April 8 to meet with Kim and discuss planning for the summit. Trump told the TV show Fox & Friends in a telephone interview Thursday that he is looking at three possible dates and five potential sites for the talks. Trump said earlier this week that his goal was to get Kim to give up all his nuclear weapons. Advertisement Trump also has made clear he wants to withdraw from the Iran deal, which was negotiated with Tehran by the U.S. and five other world powers in an effort to block the nation from building nuclear weapons. U.S. officials say Iran has complied with terms of the accord, but Trump considers it too lenient toward the Islamic Republic. Pompeo had condemned the agreement, but he testified at his Senate confirmation hearing two weeks ago that he was open to fixing rather than nixing the deal, and would seek more intrusive monitoring of Iranian facilities and other changes. Pompeo vowed in the hearing to help rebuild the State Department, which is suffering low morale and depleted ranks, after a year of budget cutting that Tillersons critics said eroded the administrations ability to conduct foreign policy and influence events abroad. Trump has nominated Gina Haspel, a veteran intelligence officer, to replace Pompeo as head of the CIA. Her Senate confirmation hearing is scheduled for May 9. Advertisement The Senate also confirmed Richard Grenell, 51, as U.S. ambassador to Germany on the eve of a working visit to Washington on Friday by German Chancellor Angela Merkel. The vote for Grenell was 56 to 42. Trump nominated Grenell in September, but he ran afoul of Democrats over reports he often badgered people, especially women, on Twitter. Trump this week blamed what he called obstructionist Democrats for the long-stalled nomination. As the U.S. spokesman at the United Nations for eight years under President George W. Bush, Grenell worked closely with John Bolton, who served as U.S. ambassador there for 18 months in 2005 and 2006. Trump recently named Bolton as White House national security advisor. tracy.wilkinson@latimes.com Advertisement For more on international affairs, follow @TracyKWilkinson on Twitter UPDATES: 12:45 p.m.: This article was updated with a White House statement, details about Pompeos travels and a confirmation vote for Richard Grenell. Advertisement 11:20 a.m.: This article was updated to note that Pompeo will attend a NATO meeting Friday in Brussels. This article was originally published at 10:05 a.m. It took a big money push from the Republican Party, tweets by the president and the support of the states current and former governors, but the GOP held on to an Arizona U.S. House seat they would have never considered endangered in any other year. Tuesdays narrow victory by Republican Debbie Lesko over a Democratic political newcomer sends a big message to Republicans nationwide: Even the reddest of districts in a red state can be in play this year. Early returns show Lesko winning by about 5 percentage points in Arizonas 8th Congressional District, where President Trump won by 21 points. The former state senator defeated Hiral Tipirneni, a former emergency room physician who had hoped to replicate surprising Democratic wins in Pennsylvania, Alabama and other states in a year when opposition to Trumps policies have boosted the partys chances in Republican strongholds. Republican political consultant Chuck Coughlin called Tuesdays special election margin not good for national Republicans looking at their chances in November. Advertisement They should clean house in this election, said Coughlin, longtime advisor to former Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer. Theres a drag on the midterms for Republican candidates thats being created by the national narrative. And it would be very hard to buck that trend if youre in swing districts, much less close districts, if you cant change that narrative between now and November. Lesko replaces former Rep. Trent Franks, a Republican who resigned in December amid sexual misconduct allegations. The district sprawls across western Phoenix suburbs, covering some of the most conservative areas of the red state, including the retirement community of Sun City. At a victory party in her Glendale neighborhood, Lesko greeted supporters and looked back in wonder. Ive really come a long way and this is really quite overwhelming, its very surreal, she said. Twenty-five years ago I left an abusive husband and I sure as heck never would have dreamt in a million years that I would be running for Congress to be a congresswoman. Brewer, who backed Lesko and was at her victory party, also warned that Republicans need to make changes if they want to hold the district and other seats in November elections. I think all Republicans need to wake up and listen to what the public wants, she said. The Associated Press called the race for Lesko after state officials released tallies of more than 155,000 mail-in ballots, which represent about 75% of the votes expected. Its not looking terribly likely that the U.S. Supreme Court will strike down President Trumps controversial travel ban. At Wednesdays oral argument, members of the courts conservative majority seemed skeptical about the assertion that the president doesnt have the legal authority to bar travel to the U.S. from several Muslim-majority countries, or that the restriction amounted to an illegal Muslim ban. But even if the court agrees wrongly, in our view that the ban can go forward legally, the fact remains that imposing such a broad exclusion based on discriminatory misconceptions is foolish and counterproductive policy. From the early days of his candidacy, Donald Trump exhibited clear animus toward immigrants particularly those from Mexico and toward Muslims. After the December 2015 massacre in San Bernardino, in which a U.S.-born Muslim man and his Pakistani wife killed 14 people and wounded 22 others at an office holiday party before being killed themselves in a shootout with police, candidate Trump said he wanted a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our countrys representatives can figure out what is going on. He also called for a database of Muslims (before abandoning the idea later) and contemplated closing mosques, among other ideas repugnant to a free society. Whether Trumps statements on the campaign trail can be used to challenge a policy he advanced after he was elected is a sticky issue for the court to grapple with, but Trump has made it abundantly clear that he has had trouble separating violent extremism from a mainstream religion. Not a single person from any of the countries on the list has committed a fatal act of terrorism in the U.S. Advertisement Wednesdays hearing, the last case before the court this term, focused on Trumps third iteration of the ban. It bars people from seven countries from entering the U.S. without special clearance. Five of those countries Iran, Libya, Syria, Yemen and Somalia are Muslim majority. Trump extended the ban to North Korea and, to a more limited degree, Venezuela, two non-Muslim countries at diplomatic odds with the U.S. The first problem with the ban is that it is bizarrely misfocused. Not a single person from any of the countries on the list has committed a fatal act of terrorism in the U.S. The 9/11 attackers, for instance, were primarily from Saudi Arabia. Terrorist attacks in Europe have been predominately committed by Europeans who fell into Islamic extremism. Would Trump add Belgium, where many of the terrorists behind the November 2015 Paris attacks were from, to the list of nations whose residents are barred? The linkage between terrorist acts and the banned nations is nonsensical. The U.S. has for many years employed significant vetting practices in processing visa applications, procedures that were tightened after lapses allowed the 9/11 terrorists to enter. The administration has yet to spell out how and why it believes there is insufficient vetting of visa-holders from the now-banned countries (adding support to the idea that Trump was interested more in keeping out Muslims from countries not allied with the United States than in barring terrorists). The effect of the clampdown has been a further deterioration in relations between the U.S. and the Muslim world, an undercutting of the principles of openness upon which American society is founded and an embrace of rank unfairness in barring a large group of people based on the feared acts of the few. A similar construct would be for the European Union to ban American visitors because of our high levels of gun violence. Consistent with the administrations broad efforts to reduce immigration, Trumps ban serves one overarching purpose: It plays to the xenophobes among his political base. Yet most of the fatal terrorist attacks that have occurred in the U.S. were committed by U.S. citizens or longtime lawful permanent residents who were radicalized well after they arrived in the U.S. According to PolitiFact, nearly half of the fatalities were caused by hard-right gunmen, such as Dylann Roof, who killed nine African American worshipers in a South Carolina church in hopes of starting a race war. The president, though, focuses on perceived enemies from without, not the danger from within. And that is a political failure of the first magnitude. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or Facebook Teachers are walking out again, this time shutting down campuses in 90 or more school districts across Arizona. Gov. Doug Ducey claims to be puzzled: He endorsed a plan to give teachers raises that would add up to a 20% pay increase over the next three years. Why would teachers walk out now? Surely part of the reason is that teachers in Arizona know a concession on pay isnt the same thing as a genuine commitment to public education. State leaders like Ducey are so dead set on privatizing education or spending school funds elsewhere that they are ready to change any rules even longstanding constitutional and democratic norms to further that agenda. The biggest norm of all the very concept that states provide an education to all children dates back to the 1860s. State leaders then believed that for average people including African Americans newly freed from slavery to exercise their rights as citizens, they had to be educated. And unless average people participated in self-government, the country could not live up to its democratic promises. Today, all 50 state constitutions, in one way or another, guarantee access to equal, adequate and stable public education. Education advocates must start guarding our constitutional and democratic norms in education as jealously as they are guarding teachers salaries. Advertisement Various constitutional mechanisms ensure states make good on this responsibility. For instance, most require creation of a state board of education, state superintendent or both. Those officials may be elected or appointed, but regardless of the exact process, the goal is to separate education decision-making from everyday politics. In North Carolina, for example, the constitution mandates a politically and geographically diverse Board comprised of education experts who serve lengthy terms. The states constitutional framers thought this would enable the Board to place education above politics. Many political leaders today, however, dont want to abide by these norms. Some even question the states role in providing public education. If they can change constitutional norms, they can win the larger war over public education while conceding current skirmishes. Kentucky offers the most recent example. Earlier this month, a statewide teachers strike led the Legislature to increase the education budget over Gov. Matt Bevins veto. The loss did not deter Bevin. He just changed strategies. Last week, he had the state superintendent of education, who had more than a year left on his term, removed without cause. His handpicked board of education did the dirty work. The governors favored replacement is someone from his own office who could be counted on to promote charter schools. Other states have done the same. After the 2016 election in which Republicans lost the governors mansion in North Carolina, the lame duck Legislature passed a bill to strip the state board of education of its power, transferring the authority to the superintendents office, which was won by a Republican. Indiana lawmakers pursued a similar strategy in 2015 when the superintendents positions conflicted with then-Gov. Mike Pence. Courts stand as the final check on these manipulations. Where some are holding strong in important states, lawmakers are looking to amend their constitutions to fix that. The Florida Constitution Revision Commission a panel stacked by and with Republican lawmakers has just put an amendment on the November ballot that attacks public education on multiple fronts. It imposes term limits on local school boards and would let the state establish privately run charter schools over the objection of local school boards. Most insidiously, it would replace the requirement that Florida maintain a uniform system of free public schools with one that the Legislature provide for the promotion of civic literacy. Similarly, the Kansas Supreme Court repeatedly has found that the state is depriving students of their constitutional rights to education. In partial response in 2015, the state passed legislation to defund the judiciary if it continued to strike down the state laws. The state also stripped the court of its authority to appoint lower court judges. This year, Kansas legislators started calling for a constitutional amendment to deny courts the authority to hear school funding cases at all. The proponents went so far as to hold up the states entire public education budget until they got a vote on the proposal. Only a looming deadline ended the standoff. Arizona is ground zero in a fight to reshape public education led by billionaire industrialist Charles Koch and his network of conservative political donors. Last year, the state passed an expansive voucher bill that gave state subsidies for private school tuition. Now, the Koch network wants more. At a policy conference in California in January, they announced plans to support a statewide referendum that could shovel even more taxpayer money into private schools. When they offered Gov. Ducey the podium, he was all in. I didnt run for governor to play small ball. I think this is an important idea, he said. Next door, Nevadas state supreme court recently declared just this type of voucher idea unconstitutional because it put finding priorities for private education ahead of public education. Advertisement These tactics reveal that public education is under long-term assault, no matter what short-term concessions are won in Arizona or by other teacher protests. Education advocates must start guarding our constitutional and democratic norms in education as jealously as they are guarding teachers salaries. Otherwise, they will wake up one day with nothing left to defend. Derek W. Black is a professor of law at the University of South Carolina, where his scholarship focuses on education law and policy. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinionand Facebook Mike Pompeo, whos heading for confirmation as President Trumps next secretary of State, has provided plenty of reasons to worry about his fitness for the job. As a tea party congressman from Kansas, Pompeo often acted as an unrestrained partisan flamethrower. He denounced the 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran as surrender and said the United States should walk away from this deal. He suggested that the best way to avert a nuclear threat from North Korea would be to remove Kim Jong Un from power. And he was one of the most strident voices accusing Hillary Clinton of hiding the truth about the 2012 Benghazi attack. But theres a contrary case to be made in favor of Pompeo: Hes not nearly as dumb or as extreme as he made himself sound when he was a member of the House. That was Pompeos basic message in his Senate confirmation hearing this month, although he made the point a little less bluntly than I just did. Advertisement I know some of you have read [that] Im a hawk, Im a hard-liner, he told the senators. Theres no one like someone whos served in uniform who understands the value of diplomacy and the terror and tragedy that is war. The Pompeo who appeared before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee was a far more thoughtful and nuanced thinker than the Congressman Pompeo who made a career of scorching the Obama administration. Pompeo isnt nearly as dumb or as extreme as he made himself sound when he was a member of the House. On Iran, Pompeo said he hopes the nuclear deal can be improved, not scrapped. On North Korea, he renounced any thought of regime change and said he hopes Trumps upcoming summit with Kim will help achieve a diplomatic outcome that America and the world so desperately need. Most notably, he staked out several positions that sounded very unlike Trumps, although he did it quietly. One could even say diplomatically. He said the U.S. needs strong alliances in Asia to counter Chinas ambitions through multilateral diplomacy. He affirmed that climate change is real, that there is likely a human component, and that U.S. diplomacy needs to address the challenge. And he broke cleanly with his president on the question of Russia, reaffirming that Vladimir Putin meddled in the 2016 election, warning that he will try again and calling for the imposition of more U.S. sanctions. Asked whether the source of friction between the two countries was the Fake & Corrupt Russia Investigation, as Trump had tweeted, Pompeo said no, the source is Russian bad behavior. If the new secretary of State is as clear in the Oval Office as he was in the Senate hearing room, the republic will be well-served. For Pompeos most important mission in his new job wont be restoring the battered glory of the State Department. It will be acting as a Trump Whisperer as one of the few aides who have the presidents confidence plus the courage to tell him when hes wrong. Advertisement Rex Tillerson, Trumps first secretary of State, never mastered it. Jim Mattis, the secretary of Defense whom Trump insists on calling Mad Dog, has. Pompeo stands a chance, perhaps, because like Mattis, he looks and sounds hawkish and blustery even when he isnt. Pompeo appeared to know, from his first day at the CIA, that the key to power was winning Trumps trust. He made a point of delivering the presidents morning intelligence briefing in person as often as possible, and tailored it to Trumps short attention span. Pompeo brings another hidden asset to the job: He understands how to run a federal agency. Tillerson undermined his own influence by embracing budget cuts and demoralizing the State Department workforce. Pompeo, by contrast, says hell spend every dollar Congress gives him, fill dozens of empty positions and restore swagger to U.S. diplomacy. Swagger may not be the most pressing need, but its better than neglect. Advertisement That still leaves a riddle: Who is the real Pompeo? Im trying to think about which of the Mike Pompeos Im being asked to vote on, Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) said. Which is the one that is going to act if he gets confirmed as the secretary of State? People who knew Pompeo in the House, including some Democrats, say both sides are real. Under his fiercely partisan patina, Pompeo has secretly been a thoughtful internationalist all along hawkish and conservative, to be sure, but a serious student of foreign policy. Hawks can succeed as diplomats too. The best example may be George P. Shultz, Ronald Reagans secretary of State, who believed the willingness to use force was essential to diplomatic success. Advertisement There was a distant echo of Shultz in Pompeos opening statement to the Senate: The military balance of power, he said, can set the stage and create leverage, but the best outcomes are always won at the diplomatic table. Trump is no Ronald Reagan. And Pompeo is no George Shultz not yet, at least. But he deserves a chance to try, not merely to live up to the promises he made at his confirmation hearing, but to complete an unlikely but worthwhile metamorphosis from tea party tub-thumper to statesman. Doyle McManus is a contributing writer to Opinion. Advertisement mcmanus.columns@gmail.com Twitter: @DoyleMcManus Advertisement Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or Facebook To the editor: I loved Erin Aubry Kaplans piece, Black people were lulled into thinking Starbucks was different a safe space. We were wrong. I recently lost a longtime friendship over a discussion about the Philadelphia incident, in which two black men who were refused bathroom access at a Starbucks were arrested. Toward the end of a lovely dinner, I talked about how sad and disgusted I was by the mistreatment of these men. My friend defended the Starbucks employee who called the police and the right of a business to refuse service to anyone. My friends position was that we would have either ordered something or left if told to. His white privilege informed him of this view. I reminded him that we would not have been told to leave and that we could have even used the bathroom. This we is nothing more than an expression of racism and I told him that. Advertisement I dont want to belong to that club of we. Debra R. Brunsten, Los Angeles .. To the editor: Kaplan ties the arrest of two black men at Starbucks to post-Reconstruction racism. It is wrong to compare the vicious racism of that time with what happened in one or two Starbucks out of thousands of locations. Obviously racist beliefs exist in America, but to condemn a whole company because of the actions of a few prejudiced employees smacks of demagoguery. And the response of Starbucks management clearly shows it is trying to fix the problem. Robert Newman, West Hills Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook To the editor: Every once in a while there is an incident so outrageous that it should cause people to rethink certain assumptions, and the killing described in the article, As Ventura seethes over fatal stabbing, police acknowledge mistake in handling of homeless man, is one of those. A man eating dinner in a restaurant with his wife and his daughter was killed, police say, by a homeless man with a history of violent crime. Just before then, the suspect in the killing had been reported to the police as being loud and disruptive, but the 911 dispatchers did nothing but monitor him by surveillance camera. What is truly outrageous is the reaction of Venturas advocates for the homeless. They fear that the killing might reverse the citys progress in reaching out to its most vulnerable residents. Wheres the sympathy for the father who was killed while his daughter sat in his lap? Ventura Mayor Neal Andrews says there is a limitation on what might be appropriate action in cases like this. When a man is wandering in a public place being loud and disruptive, it is appropriate for police take him into custody before he does something much worse. Advertisement George Carney, San Gabriel .. To the editor: Could the senseless killing of Anthony Mele Jr. have been prevented? We will never know. Is a weaponized response the only intervention that is available? That is changing. There is a program that is being rolled out across the U.S., Mental Health First Aid, that is designed to provide a corps of trained first responder mental health workers. The program is being underwritten by the Providence Health Care System, and I am among the 48 selected train the trainer students. We will fan out through Southern California to train and certify intervention specialists. Training sites will include police departments, schools, hospitals and many other places. Decompressing an agitated person and staving off an assault is a task that people in my line of work perform often. Training others to serve their communities like we do will provide a valuable service. David Eckhous, Long Beach The writer is an occupational therapist. Advertisement .. To the editor: Recent actions by law enforcement in Philadelphia and Ventura hit a new level of ineptitude. In Philadelphia, police responded to a noncrime by arresting two black men purportedly loitering in a Starbucks. Contrast that overreaction with the nonresponse in Ventura to several 911 calls reporting a homeless man behaving erratically. Police there never initiated contact with the man, who is now accused of entering a restaurant and killing a patron dining with his family. The police are supposed to serve and protect the public. In these two unique situations, they did neither. Advertisement Marcia Goodman, Long Beach Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook Gavin Newsom releases ad that highlights his push to allow same-sex couples to marry By Phil Willon A new ad from Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gavin Newsom features Phyllis Lyon, who with her partner, Del Martin, received the first marriage license after Newsom vowed to allow same-sex couples to marry when he was mayor of San Francisco in 2004. The current lieutenant governors push for marriage equality thrust him into the national spotlight and he has emphasized that effort to portray himself as a bold, progressive leader. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Failed California housing bill was not a bad idea, Gov. Jerry Brown says By Liam Dillon Gov. Jerry Brown (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) Earlier this month, high-profile housing legislation that would have allowed for four- to five-story apartments and condominiums near transit stops failed to advance in the state Legislature. But had it reached his desk, would Gov. Jerry Brown have signed it? Maybe. I think that was not a bad idea, Brown said of Senate Bill 827 at a meeting with business leaders from the Bay Area Council on Monday afternoon. The bill, written by Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), attracted national attention and a maelstrom of opposition in part because it would have eliminated single-family zoning near transit stops in favor of apartments or condominiums. Brown said that a relative of his who lives in West Portal, a low-density neighborhood in San Francisco, told the governor he was horrified by the bill. Brown also lamented dramatically rising housing costs. He said he bought his first house in Los Angeles in 1973 for $75,000 at a time when his salary as secretary of state was $35,000. Now, he said, buying a house for a little over twice ones annual salary is virtually impossible anywhere in the state. FOR THE RECORD May 1, 9:32 a.m.: This post originally misstated the year Brown purchased his house as 1970. It was 1973. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print John Cox begins California barnstorm with the delivery of gas tax repeal signatures By Javier Panzar Gubernatorial candidate John Cox, left, and Assembly candidate Bill Essayli load boxes of signatures for the gas tax repeal initiative. (Francine Orr) GOP gubernatorial candidate John Cox strolled up to the stack of 12 boxes in front of the Los Angeles County registrar-recorders offices in Norwalk on Monday and placed his hands on top of his partys hope for success in 2018. The boxes, stacked four across and three high, contained 211,000 signatures for an initiative to repeal recent increases in Californias gas tax and vehicle fees. Cox says the effort has gathered more than 940,000 signatures from registered voters to put the measure on the ballot far more than the 585,407 signatures that are required. The aim: to bring out the partys base to the polls this November and help candidates in tough congressional and legislative races down the ticket. A USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times poll in November found 54.2% of registered voters surveyed said they would repeal the tax and fee hike, but a survey a month earlier by another group said a majority would vote to keep the higher taxes. Cox was flanked by Bill Essayli, a former federal prosecutor who is challenging Democratic Assemblywoman Sabrina Cervantes of Riverside in the June primary. Cervantes voted for the gas tax and Essayli plans to use that vote against her. He even launched his campaign at a 76 gas station in Norco. This is a central issue in my campaign, he said. Cox also submitted signatures in San Diego on Monday and is headed to Bakersfield, Fresno and Sacramento, as well as Shasta and Butte counties in coming days. We are going all across the state, Cox said. The whole state is paying this tax and the whole state wants it gone. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print All Californians would be able to serve on state boards even people in the U.S. illegally under new bill By Jazmine Ulloa Sen. Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens) (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) State lawmakers on Monday introduced legislation that would allow all Californians to serve on state boards and commissions regardless of immigration status. Senate Bill 174, by Sen. Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens) and Assemblywoman Wendy Carrillo (D-Los Angeles), comes as the state is locked in a broader legal battle with the Trump administration over state immigration laws and his call for mass deportations. Lawmakers point to what they say is the states own discriminatory history as their basis for introducing the legislation. The proposal would amend an 1872 provision that was first adopted to exclude Chinese immigrants and other transient aliens from holding appointed civil positions. At the time, antipathy toward the Chinese had been building in California, though, Chinese immigrants opened hundreds of businesses across the state and would play a critical role in building the transcontinental railroad. The Senate bill would delete the phrase transient aliens from the government code and make clear that any person, regardless of citizenship or immigration status, can hold an appointed civil office if they are at least 18 years old and a resident of the state. That would allow any Californian to serve on hundreds of boards and commissions that advice in an array of policy areas, including farm labor, history and employment development. Californias two million undocumented immigrants are a source of energy for our state, Lara said in a statement. It is shocking to read the words of fear and exclusion that are still in California law but belong in historys trash can. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Tony Mendozas fundraising dries up after resignation amid harassment inquiry By Patrick McGreevy Former state Sen. Tony Mendoza (D-Artesia). (Steve Yeater / Associated Press) Political contributions to Tony Mendoza, who resigned from the state Senate under pressure amid sexual harassment allegations, have nearly dried up. New documents he filed with the state in his bid to reclaim the seat he once held show that his support has eroded. As a result, five other candidates for the 32nd District senate seat in the June 5 election have raised more than Mendoza so far this year. With the June 5 election approaching, Mendoza has reported raising just $7,750 in cash from six supporters during the nearly four-month period from Jan. 1 to April 21. Mendoza, a Democrat from Artesia, went on a leave of absence from the Senate Jan. 3 and resigned a month later under the threat of expulsion from colleagues. An investigation ordered by the Senate found a pattern of unwanted flirtatious or sexually suggestive behavior based on testimony from six women. Mendoza has denied wrongdoing. Last year, Mendozas reelection campaign raised $412,600, or an average of about $34,000 per month, from more than 350 supporters. Most of Mendozas 2018 total was contributed by the political arm of the Southern California Pipe Trades District Council 16 on Jan. 22, a month before Mendoza resigned. Mendoza also reported that his campaign loaned $125,000 this year to his legal defense fund. That left him with $446,600 in his campaign account at the end of April. Mendoza is running against eight Democrats and two Republicans. Democrat Bob J. Archuleta, a Pico Rivera city councilman, raised the most, $210,000, during the period. On Monday, Mendoza suffered another setback when the State Legislative Womens Caucus endorsed Democrat Vicky Santana, a member of the Rio Hondo College Board. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Newsom and Villaraigosa affairs coming to TV ads in California By Phil Willon An independent political committee backing Republican John Cox for governor released an ad blasting both Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa for their past sexual affairs. The California Deserves Better ad, which was first reported by Politico, criticizes Newsom for having an affair with a woman on his staff in 2005 while he served as mayor of San Francisco. It also goes after Villaraigosa for having an extramarital affair with a television reporter in 2007 while he was mayor of Los Angeles. The ad, which begins airing on Fox stations in the states top media markets Monday, links Newsom and Villaraigosa to the men accused of sexual impropriety in the #MeToo movement, including movie mogul Harvey Weinstein and disgraced Today show veteran Matt Lauer. Powerful men are finally being held to account, punished for inappropriate sexual conduct with women over whom they exercise power, the ad begins. Newsom and Villaraigosa think the rules shouldnt apply to them. The independent campaign committee, called Restore Our Values, already has raised more than $100,000, said Leigh Teece of Emeryville in Northern California, co-founder of the group. Teece, the CEO of a nonprofit that helps line up students with professional mentors, said the campaign will actively support Cox. She called him a true conservative and noted that he supports cutting taxes and opposes Californias sanctuary state policy. John is a business person who has demonstrated integrity, Teece said. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Was that Cisneros in the voicemail? Dispute is latest espisode of Democratic infighting in crowded primary races By Christine Mai-Duc Gil Cisneros speaks during a forum at Fullerton College in January. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) With less than five weeks to go before Californias primary, insults and accusations are flying with abandon in the most crowded races Democrats hope to ultimately win. The latest example of this is in the 39th Congressional District, where a half dozen Democrats are vying for a chance to replace Rep. Ed Royce, whos retiring. Its one of several California contests where Democratic leaders are already worried that divisions could ultimately split votes and shut Democrats out of key pickup opportunities. In that race, millionaires Gil Cisneros and Andy Thorburn are going negative about going negative. Cisneros was recently elevated to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committees Red to Blue program in hopes it would serve as a signal to Democratic activists and donors that his campaign was the most viable. But both Cisneros and Thorburn have poured millions into the race, which promises to be a knock down, drag out fight through June 5. At the center of the latest controversy is a voicemail, allegedly left by Cisneros on Thorburns home answering machine earlier this month. The recording, which the Thorburn campaign turned over to media outlet The Intercept, lasts less than 10 seconds. Hi Andy, its Gil Cisneros. Im gonna go negative on you, a mans voice is heard saying. Cisneros campaign manager Orrin Evans denied the candidate made the call, posting a cease and desist letter to The Intercept on Twitter. The letter, sent by a Cisneros campaign attorney, called the voicemail fabricated and demanded that the story be taken down, calling it defamatory. It gave the publication until 3 p.m. Friday to take down the story before they pursue all legal rights and remedies. An attorney for The Intercept, in a letter to Cisneros, said the publication confirmed with multiple sources familiar with Mr. Cisneros that his voice was on the recording, and that it stands by its reporting. Thorburns camp says it flatly rejects Cisneros denial, and that the timing of a negative website filled with unflattering background on Thorburn, released three days later, suggests it was him. Track the California races that could flip the House According to The Intercepts report, Cisneros campaign manager did not respond to initial inquiries about the voicemail, calling its questions ridiculous. In a follow-up statement Friday, Evans said called the episode a dirty, desperate trick by the Thorburn campaign and said they are readying to pursue legal action for defamation and false light against both him and the publication. It sounded like him to me! said Thorburns wife, Karen, in a statement released by the campaign. She was the one who first heard the voicemail, they said. Thorburn campaign manager Nancy Leeds called Cisneros threats Trump-like tactics and accused the candidate of trying to harass and intimidate anyone who stands in his way. Its not the first time candidates from the same party have clashed in the lead-up to the June 5 primary, and its all but certain to not be the last. Cisneros sued two of his opponents, Thorburn and Sam Jammal, over their ballot descriptions until they had to change them. Earlier this month, Democrat Bryan Caforio asked his opponent, Katie Hill, to sign a pledge rejecting the use of independent expenditure committees, entities that neither of them can legally coordinate with, in the race to unseat Rep. Steve Knight (R-Lancaster). Hill refused and called the attempt hollow and likened it to political theater, while Caforio accused her of empty campaign promises. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print California Politics Podcast: The money raised in the race for governor hints at a race thats now red hot By John Myers With less than six weeks before election day, the cash raised in the California governors race mirrors the overall dynamics: one major front-runner and a heated race for second place. This weeks podcast episode offers a glimpse into those cash reports and how the Republican field seems more settled in a new statewide poll than the battle between Democrats. We also examine the reasons why a nationally talked-about housing bill in Sacramento was killed by the Democratic authors own allies. Im joined by Times staff writers Melanie Mason and Liam Dillon. You can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, SoundCloud and Stitcher. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement L.A. County politician sexually assaulted woman when she was 16, lawsuit claims By Dakota Smith A woman sued an unnamed politician in Los Angeles County on Friday, alleging the man sexually assaulted her when she was a teenager after he gave her an unusual-tasting drink. The politician, identified as John Doe, was in his early 40s and a public figure at the time of the 2007 assault, according to the lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court. The man is an elected official today and lives in Los Angeles, said attorney Lisa Bloom, who is representing the woman identified in the lawsuit as Jane Doe. Bloom declined to say what branch of government the man represents. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Villaraigosa touts his working-class upbringing, accomplishments as mayor in first TV ad By Phil Willon Democrat Antonio Villaraigosa released his first TV ad in the governors race Friday, touting his record and accomplishments as mayor of Los Angeles when up against the economic downturn during the recession. The 30-second television spot opens with a sweeping shot of Los Angeles and cuts to Villaraigosa sitting on a bus. In kindergarten, my sister and I took three buses to get to school. As mayor, I remembered that, Villaraigosa says into the camera. And despite the recession, we built more new schools and rail lines than any city in America, added 200,000 living wage jobs, built 20,000 units of affordable housing and nearly doubled graduation rates. Campaign spokesman Luis Vizcaino said the ad will air statewide over the next week at a cost of approximately $1 million. The commercial will being airing Saturday. Two Democratic rivals in Californias race for governor, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom and state Treasurer John Chiang, also launched ads this week, signaling the biggest ramp-up of the campaign as the June 5 primary approaches. Newsom is the front-runner, while Villaraigosa is battling for second place with Republican John Cox. One recent poll has Villaraigosa trailing both Cox and Republican Assemblyman Travis Allen of Huntington Beach. Chiang has been stuck in the single digits in almost all polling in the race. Last week, an independent expenditure group called Families and Teachers for Antonio Villaraigosa for Governor, funded largely by a trio of wealthy charter school backers, launched a spot in support of the former mayor of Los Angeles. That ad campaign is focused on increasing Villaraigosas chances of coming in second in the June 5 primary and moving on to the general election. Villaraigosas ad, titled Three Buses, emphasizes the struggles he faced growing up in East Los Angeles and addresses one of his central campaign themes that hes the candidate best suited to help working-class Californians. I know how far a bus can take you, Villaraigosa says in the ad. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Sen. Dianne Feinstein wont participate in pre-primary debate By Sarah D. Wire (Tom Williams / CQ Roll Call) California Sen. Dianne Feinstein will not participate in a proposed pre-primary debate because there are too many candidates in the race, her campaign spokesman said Thursday. Political activists with the group Indivisible Los Angeles said they had a venue and date May 5 reserved for a debate with four of the Senate candidates. But they said if Feinstein does not participate, it will be canceled. Feinstein faces 31 primary opponents in her bid for a fifth full term representing California in the Senate. Feinstein staffers initially said she had a prior commitment on May 5 in San Francisco. When organizers offered to let her campaign pick another date, her campaign said it wasnt fair for the group to invite only some of the candidates when there is such a big field, said Tudor Popescu, volunteer community organizer with Indivisible Los Angeles. The invited candidates, all Democrats, were Feinstein, state Sen. Kevin de Leon, political action committee director Alison Hartson and lawyer Pat Harris. They were selected based on fundraising and poll numbers. There are 11 Republicans, 10 Democrats, nine independents and 2 third-party candidates running for Senate on the June ballot. Indivisible Los Angeles is still hoping Feinstein will pick another date, Popescu said. Feinstein spokesman Jeff Millman pointed to a San Francisco Chronicle endorsement of Feinstein, which indicates that she told the editorial board she would be willing to have a debate ahead of Novembers general election. Senator Feinstein looks forward to debating her opponent in the general election, Millman said in an email. Feinstein holds a substantial lead in both fundraising and in the polls. Front-runners in statewide races have routinely declined to debate their challengers, knowing that its free publicity for candidates who dont have the cash to increase their name recognition on their own. De Leon spokesman Jonathan Underland said the state senator has done candidate forums before, but planned to attend the May 5 debate only if Feinstein did. We basically said well clear his calendar 100%, well clear his calendar if Feinstein shows up, Underland said. Wed love to make it happen, but we want her to be there. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement NRA, Olympic shooter sue California over its restrictions on ammunition sales By Patrick McGreevy Olympian Kim Rhode is a plaintiff in a lawsuit filed by the NRA and its state affiliate against California. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) The National Rifle Assn. and its state affiliate have filed a fourth lawsuit against California over its gun control laws, this time challenging new restrictions on the sale and transfer of ammunition. The NRA and the California Rifle and Pistol Assn. filed a challenge in federal court to a requirement that ammunition sales and transfers be conducted face to face with California firearms dealers or licensed vendors, ending purchases made directly from out-of-state sellers on the internet. The lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Southern District of California also challenged a requirement starting next year for background checks for people buying ammunition. The lawsuit was filed in the name of Kim Rhode, a six-time Olympic medal-winning shooter, and others. It challenges Californias new ammunition sales restrictions as a violation of the 2nd Amendment and the commerce clause of the United States Constitution. Restrictions on ammunition purchases were included in Proposition 63, approved by voters in 2016, and in bills approved by the Legislature. As a result of these laws, millions of constitutionally protected ammunition transfers are banned in California, Chris W. Cox, executive director of the NRAs Institute for Legislative Action, said in a statement. Californias law-abiding gun owners are sick of being treated like criminals and the NRA is proud to assist in this fight. Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is running for governor, defended his initiative and vowed to fight the NRA lawsuit. We wrote Proposition 63 on solid legal ground and principle: If youre a felon banned from possessing guns in California, then you should not be able to purchase the ammunition that makes a firearm deadly, Newsom said in a statement. California voters said loudly and clearly that guns and ammunition do not belong in the hands of dangerous individuals but once again, the NRA has prioritized gun industry profits over the lives of law-abiding Californians. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Republicans hope to ride a gas-tax repeal to victory By Patrick McGreevy In a Central Valley barn decked out in red, white and blue, dairyman and state Senate candidate Johnny Tacherra drew cheers from a crowd of fellow farmers when he said he opposes the California Legislatures hike on gas taxes and vehicle fees. I would not have voted for that. It is not the time to be voting on (raising) the gas tax, said Tacherra, a Republican running against Democratic Assemblywoman Anna Caballero, who voted for the tax increase last year. Three hundred miles away the same week, a campaign mailer arrived at homes in Orange County from an Assembly candidate with a message blaring from the cover in bold type: Republican Greg Haskin tough enough to stand up to Jerry Brown and repeal the gas tax. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Treasurer John Chiang launches ad in governors race touting his record as a fiscal steward By Seema Mehta In his first television ad in the governors race, state Treasurer John Chiang touts his record on fiscal issues as California faced the recession. Some thought we were done, Chiang says in a voiceover in the 30-second spot he released Thursday, with images of him standing seriously at a lectern and complimentary headlines about his work as controller and treasurer. But I knew better. I made the tough calls. And brought California back from the brink of financial disaster because you trusted me to manage our economy. Chiangs campaign is spending about $500,000 to air the ad in Los Angeles and San Diego in coming days. That buy is dwarfed by seven-figure purchases for ads supporting Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. Newsom is the front-runner, while Villaraigosa is battling for second place with Republican businessman John Cox. Chiang has been mired in the single digits in almost all polling in the race. His ad, called Quiet Storm, tries to portray Chiang as a progressive who is effective and can move policy in Sacramento. Chiang points to his work challenging Wells Fargo before arguing that he could accomplish what doubters say is impossible to improve the states healthcare, housing and schools. I say, we got this, Chiang concludes. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Been ignoring the race for California governor? Thats OK, in some ways its just starting By Mark Z. Barabak On a recent trip to Iowa, Eric Garcetti the mayor of Los Angeles and a possible 2020 White House contestant raised eyebrows with a bit of exuberant outreach. Los Angeles and Iowa, Garcetti insisted, have a ton in common, and he didnt simply mean both are inhabited by carbon-based life forms needing oxygen to survive. Urban or rural, farmer or fashion plate, all of us harbor the same hopes and dreams, the mayor suggested, and if it wasnt a terribly original thought it also wasnt the most egregious sort of political pandering like, say, ordering that every home in Los Angeles be powered by Iowa-produced ethanol. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print California voters should expect to decide on an $8.9-billion water bond in November By Liam Dillon (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) A proposal to borrow $8.9 billion for improvements to Californias water quality systems and watersheds and protection of natural habitats is eligible for the statewide ballot in November, Secretary of State Alex Padilla announced in a press release Wednesday. Padilla said the measure, which is backed by agricultural interests, had exceeded the 365,800 valid signatures it needed to qualify for the general election ballot. The bond measure will appear on the ballot unless proponents withdraw it by June 28, the release said. The bond is one of many voters could decide on in 2018. A $4-billion bond for parks and water infrastructure improvements will appear on the June 5 ballot. State lawmakers approved it last year. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print They came for Darrell Issa. They stayed with their inflatable chicken, blue wall and signs for political therapy By Christine Mai-Duc (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) A mother of two turned ringleader of the resistance and more than a hundred of her faithful followers gathered on Tuesday morning outside Rep. Darrell Issas office in a northern San Diego County suburb. Across the street was her foil, a wedding DJ in a red Make American Great Again cap, setting up hefty speakers for an upcoming war of words. For about 65 weeks the deep divide in America played out along this 100-yard stretch of road in Vista. Here, at 10 a.m. every Tuesday, passersby found signs, chants, songs and, if they were lucky, sometimes a 20-foot-tall inflatable chicken with a Trump-esque coif. Theyd also glimpse the state of the body politic in 2018, a time when shock has turned to anger and post-2016 calls for reconciliation have morphed into grudging acceptance that each side might be better off in their respective corners. Or in this case, their sides of the street. On Tuesday, the anti-Issa, anti-Trump contingent fought this particular battle for the last time, declaring it their final protest at the congressmans office. They said they planned to use their energy to knock on doors and get out the vote, with an occasional protest on the side. Their pro-Trump rivals vowed to show up wherever they do. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Efforts to regulate bail companies have some unlikely allies: bail agents By Jazmine Ulloa Jane Un, chief executive and founder of Abba Bail Bonds, works with a client. ( Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) In recent years, the seriousness and number of official complaints related to the bail industry in California have significantly increased while bail agents and bounty hunters face limited oversight, putting vulnerable communities at risk of fraud, embezzlement and other forms of victimization. This year, as Gov. Jerry Brown has pledged to work with lawmakers in a push to overhaul how courts assign defendants bail and to better regulate bail agencies, even some who profit from the court practice admit its time for regulation. These bail and bail-recovery agents could become unlikely allies, saying they advocate for change because theyve seen the system abuse the poor. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement California voters: Get ready for an onslaught of television ads By Seema Mehta After a sleepy campaign, California voters are now being bombarded with television advertisements in the governors race, an onslaught that is expected to ramp up in coming weeks. The ads most frequently seen on television are those promoting Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, the front-runner in the race, and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who is trying to secure the second spot in the June primary. Newsoms campaign and an outside group backing Villaraigosa are spending seven figures weekly on these efforts, according to filings with the California secretary of states office and a media buyer who asked not to be identified in order to freely discuss the ads. Other gubernatorial candidates are expected to hit the airwaves soon, the media buyer said. State Treasurer John Chiang has reserved a half-million dollars in the coming days in the Los Angeles and San Diego markets, and Villaraigosas campaign has requested availability in at least five of the states biggest TV markets. The GOP candidates in the race, who will be seeking the state Republican Partys endorsement at its convention next weekend, have been much less active. Businessman John Cox in recent weeks has been spending about $90,000 per week, but doubled that this week in Los Angeles and added small buys on KFI-AM radio and cable in markets including Fresno, Bakersfield and Salinas. State Assemblyman Travis Allen of Huntington Beach, who has been scooping up Republican Party endorsements across the state, has yet to make a notable television or radio buy, though he and Cox have received some attention as commentators on Fox News. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Republicans ready to turn in signatures for ballot measure to repeal California gas-tax increase By Patrick McGreevy A Chevron gas station in Sacramento shows prices last year. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) Republican activists said Tuesday that they have collected at least 830,000 signatures for an initiative to repeal recent increases in Californias gas tax and vehicle fees, more than enough to qualify the measure for the November ballot. The activists need 585,407 signatures of registered voters to qualify the ballot measure. Because signatures are still being processed and counted by the campaign, backers hope to have 900,000 by the time they begin turning them in to the counties on Friday, according to Carl DeMaio, a former San Diego City Council member and organizer of the drive. The breadth and depth of voter anger over the car and gas tax hikes is just amazing, said DeMaio, who hosts a radio talk show. We are seeing Democrats, independents and Republicans sign the petition and volunteering to carry the petition, people from all walks of life. The initiative targets a law approved in April 2017 by the Legislature and Gov. Jerry Brown that is expected to raise $5.4 billion annually for road and bridge repairs and improvements to mass transit. The money comes from a recent 12-cents-per-gallon increase in the gas tax, a 20-cent increase in the diesel fuel excise tax and a new annual vehicle fee ranging from $25 for cars valued at under $5,000, to $175 for cars worth $60,000 or more. The petition drive raised more than $2 million with significant contributions from the California Republican Party and Republican members of Congress from California, including House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield and Reps. Ken Calvert of Corona and Mimi Walters of Irvine. Republicans hope the issue will help their candidates for office in this years election and hurt Democrats who support the higher taxes. I think this is going to put Democrats in real bad spot, DeMaio said. A spokesman for Brown declined to comment until the signatures are filed. DeMaio said there were approximately 20,000 volunteer petition circulators who brought in more than 250,000 signatures, with the rest collected by paid circulators who received $1 to $2.50 per signature. Its a pretty comfortable margin [of signatures] that we have been able to hit here, DeMaio said. Opposition will grow, he said, as more Californians get their annual vehicle registration notice. The repeal campaign hopes to raise $5 million for the campaign to pass the constitutional amendment, which would not only repeal the increase in the gas tax and vehicle fees but require future increases to be submitted to voters. We know that Gov. Brown and his cohorts are going to spend an amazing amount of money to mislead voters, DeMaio said. But I feel pretty confident that we will repeal the gas tax. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Rep. Duncan Hunter sets up trust to raise money for legal expenses amid ongoing criminal investigation By Morgan Cook Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Alpine, has filed paperwork to establish a legal expense fund amid an ongoing federal criminal investigation into misused campaign cash. Hunter filed the required paperwork March 27, seeking a rarely granted Legal Expense Fund through which members of Congress under investigation or being sued in connection with doing their jobs or running for office can raise money for their legal expenses. Such funds are administered by an independent trustee and allow donors to give above the maximum amount they can contribute a candidates campaign. Hunter has spent more than $600,000 of campaign money on lawyers. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Kamala Harris says she wont take corporate donations anymore By Sarah D. Wire (Jose Luis Magana / Associated Press) California Sen. Kamala Harris says she will no longer accept money from corporate political action committees. In an interview with WWPM-FMs The Breakfast Club, in New York that aired Monday, the senator said she wasnt expecting a question at a town hall this month about whether she would accept money for corporations or corporate lobbyists. At the time, Harris said it depends, but she said on Monday that she had reflected on the matter and changed her mind. Money has had such an outside influence on politics, and especially with the Supreme Court determining Citizens United, which basically means that big corporations can spend unlimited amounts of money influencing a campaign, right? Harris said. Were all supposed to have an equal vote, but money has now really tipped the balance between an individual having equal power in an election to a corporation. So Ive actually made a decision since I had that conversation that Im not going to accept corporate PAC checks. I just Im not. You can watch the video of the interview here. (Harris corporate money comments come about 30 minutes in.) Harris wouldnt be on the ballot for a second Senate term until 2022, though its widely believed that she is planning a presidential bid in 2020. Other potential 2020 presidential candidates, including Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), have also ruled out taking corporate PAC money. Soon after Mondays show aired, Harris campaign sent out a fundraising request noting her new stance. As corporate PACs continue to corrupt our politics and twist Congress priorities at your expense, were going to focus on raising money from small-dollar, individual donors like you, the email says. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement With money tied up in court, California lawmakers try again with new plan to spend $2 billion on homeless housing By Liam Dillon A man sleeps on the sidewalk in front of the Union Rescue Mission in the skid row neighborhood of Los Angeles. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) A measure to spend $2 billion on housing homeless Californians could be on the November statewide ballot. State Sen. Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles) is pushing the idea to deal with what he said was a burgeoning humanitarian crisis whose epicenter is here in California. De Leons new measure is a do-over for a 2016 plan passed by the Legislature to redirect $2 billion toward building homeless housing from a voter-approved 1% income tax surcharge on millionaires that funds mental health services. A Sacramento attorney sued over that decision, arguing that the move violated constitutional rules on approving loans without a public vote and that lawmakers shouldnt take money away from mental health treatment. The case remains active in Sacramento Superior Court and its unclear when, or if, the state will be able to spend the $2 billion. De Leons Senate Bill 1206 would put the $2-billion loan on the ballot in November, freeing up the money if voters approve the measure. De Leon said had he been able to predict the 2016 plan would end up in court, he would have sought a ballot measure at the time. We thought this was like apple pie and baseball and puppies, De Leon said. Who would oppose the idea of repurposing the dollars to build immediate housing as a permanent solution for homelessness? Obviously with a crystal ball, had I anticipated the litigation, I would have worked to place it on the ballot. De Leon noted that the 2016 plan had bipartisan supermajority support in the Legislature, something his new bill also will need to get on the ballot. Sen. John Moorlach (R-Costa Mesa) is a coauthor of the plan. SB 1206 is scheduled for its first hearing in the Legislature on Wednesday. Should De Leons measure be approved, it will join a crowded list of housing issues before voters in November. Californians will decide on a separate $4-billion bond to help finance new low-income housing and home loans for veterans. De Leon said hes not worried those two measures will compete against each other because voters are aware of the scale of the states housing problems and the proposed homeless housing bond redirects existing dollars instead of raising taxes. Once [voters] know that the impact on their pocketbook is not existent, Im confident that theyll join me and my colleague John Moorlach in support of this measure, De Leon said. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print California lawmakers say too many former felons are being denied professional licenses By John Myers Assemblyman David Chiu (D-San Francisco) along with supporters of bills to allow more former felons to receive professional licenses. (John Myers/Los Angeles Times) A trio of California Assembly members urged colleagues on Monday to pass legislation that would prohibit state commissions and agencies from rejecting a professional license for those who were once convicted of less serious crimes. We cant say we want to rehabilitate people, and then block them from getting the jobs that they need when theyre released, said Assemblyman David Chiu (D-San Francisco). That leads to more recidivism and to more crime. The bills, scheduled to be heard in Assembly committees Tuesday, would ban the use of arrest or conviction records as the reason for denying a professional license. The bill would not apply to Californians who served time for any of the offenses on the states list of violent crimes. The authors, all Democrats, said that a government-issued professional license is required for some 30% of all jobs in the state. Their bills would change the licensing process at the California departments of Consumer Affairs and Social Services and agencies that certify emergency medical technicians. The bills would block prior convictions from leading to the delay or denial of a license unless that crime is directly related to the profession the person intends to pursue. Two of the bills also specifically say convictions less than 5 years old could continue to play a role in licensing decisions. Last year, Gov. Jerry Brown signed a law that keeps private sector employers from inquiring about a job applicants conviction history prior to an offer of employment. Advocates joined the lawmakers at a press conference in Sacramento to point out that limits on awarding licenses should focus only on those whose prior criminal activity could pose a threat to consumers. Continuing to hold people back for crimes that are 6, 7, 8, 10, 20 years old does not actually make sense if youre looking at public safety, said Jael Myrick of the East Bay Community Law Center. One of the proposals, Assembly Bill 2293, seeks to make it easier for ex-felons to get a license allowing a job with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection the same agency that often uses prison inmates to battle blazes around the state. If a person is good enough to risk their life fighting fires for the state of California as an inmate, said Assemblywoman Eloise Gomez Reyes (D-Grand Terrace), their previous actions should not prevent from having a job utilizing the skill set that they learned. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Assembly speaker rebukes building trades union after it targets Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia By John Myers ( (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press)) The decision by a politically powerful labor group to openly campaign against an embattled Los Angeles-area lawmaker drew a sharp rebuke on Friday from Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon. The Lakewood Democrat lashed out hours after the State Building and Construction Trades Council of California filed paperwork for a political action committee to defeat Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia (D-Bell Gardens). Garcia, whos seeking her fourth term, took an unpaid leave of absence in February following allegations of sexual misconduct. She has denied the reports and an Assembly investigation remains underway. Rendon didnt criticize the labor group by name, insisting instead that the decision was driven by oil and gas industry interests. This is a thinly veiled attempt by Big Oil and polluters to intimidate me and my members. It is an affront to my speakership, Rendon said in a statement. We are proud of the work that the Assembly has done to increase jobs and wages while defending our environment. We will vigorously defend the members of our caucus from any ill-advised political attack. A statement from the labor group, which sparred with Garcia last year on her effort to link new climate change policies with a crackdown on air pollution, said it had decided to reverse past support for her. The Trades have thousands of hard working members in Garcias district, and we look forward to lifting up another Democrat in the 58th Assembly to better represent them and their families, said the statement. The political action committees campaign finance filing on Friday listed nonmonetary in kind contributions from Erin Lehane, a public affairs consultant aligned with the building labor group. Lehane said she had begun researching Garcia in November. In January, a former legislative staffer accused her of groping him in 2014. Lehane, who identified herself as a spokesperson for the labor groups political action committee, said on Friday that she believed Garcias hypocrisy threatened a movement that will dictate how much harassment and abuse my daughter will face in her work life. Garcia, who has been an outspoken advocate for women in the #MeToo movement, has complained that her political opponents helped fan the flames of the accusations. Through a campaign consultant, she declined to comment on Friday. Rendons critique came on the heels of a full-page ad in The Times on Friday, partly paid for by the Trades Council, that criticized well-funded ivory tower elites who push proposals that hurt the oil and gas industry. We are the real jobs that fuel the real California economy, read the advertisement. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Legal tiff breaks out over independent committees ad backing Antonio Villaraigosa for governor By Phil Willon An attorney representing Gavin Newsoms campaign for governor is demanding that California television stations cease airing an ad by an independent political committee supporting his Democratic rival Antonio Villaraigosa. Attorney Thomas A. Willis, in a letter to the stations, said the ad is false and misleading and violates California law because it uses snippets of video footage from Villaraigosas own campaign ads. Willis called that illegal coordination between the campaign and PAC. Under California law, advertisements made by entities other than a candidate are presumed to be coordinated and thus not independent expenditures when the advertisement replicates, reproduces or disseminates substantial parts of a communication, including video footage, created and paid for by the candidate, the letter states. A representative for the independent expenditure committee Families & Teachers for Antonio Villaraigosa for Governor fired back. Attorney Brian T. Hildreth says those allegations have no merit and accused the Newsom campaign of being misleading. Hildreth sent a letter to the television stations in response, urging them to ignore the Newsom campaigns accusations. He said the Newsom camp appears to intentionally misrepresent the law and that the video use was permissible. He said only six seconds of video from Villaraigosas campaign ads was used, which is well within the legal limits. The independent committee is sponsored by the group California Charter Schools Assn. Advocates, according to the California secretary of states office. The ad is airing on broadcast and cable stations statewide. The committees ad is focused on Villaraigosas record as Assembly speaker and as mayor of Los Angeles when there was a drop in crime. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Governors race snapshot: Californians are generally upbeat but not focused on the campaign By Mark Z. Barabak Armand Werden, a 29-year-old community college student who works the taps at Dust Bowl Brewery in Turlock, said the state is on the upswing. (Phil Willon / Los Angeles Times) As California chooses a new governor one of just a handful in the last 40 years not named Jerry Brown the state seems to be enjoying something unusual in these tumultuous political times: a feeling of relative contentment. Not to say things are perfect. Still, more than 100 random interviews conducted over the length and breadth of the state from Redding in the north to Santee in the south, from the Pacific coastline to the edge of the Sierra Nevada found most saying things are looking up, at least so far as Californias direction is concerned. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Sierra Club backs Gavin Newsom for California governor By Phil Willon Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks with members of the public following a debate at USC in January. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) The Sierra Club endorsed Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom in the race for California governor, with officials in the established environmental group praising the Democrats record on climate change and clean energy. He has a proven record for leading on environmental protection, public health and clean energy, Kathryn Phillips, director of Sierra Club California, said in a statement released by the Newsom campaign. He understands that we are feeling the effects of climate change and that California must reduce carbon emissions and reach 100% renewable energy to achieve our climate goals. Phillips said the Sierra Clubs extensive network of volunteers will campaign for Newsom as the June 5 primary approaches. Sierra Club executive director Michael Brune also praised the Democrat, saying he will protect California from Donald Trumps attacks on our clean air and water. The Sierra Club joins a series of other influential groups in California that have backed Newsom. The California Medical Assn., the powerful state doctors lobby, announced its endorsement of Newsom on Thursday. The California Nurses Assn. and the Service Employees International Union, one of the most powerful labor unions in the state, also support Newsom. Newsom is the races front-runner in polls and fundraising. A poll released earlier this month by the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California found that 26% of likely voters backed Newsom. John Cox, a Republican from Rancho Santa Fe, was favored by 15% of likely voters and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, a Democrat, by 13%. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Californias GOP House members are taking their challengers more seriously and the numbers show it By Christine Mai-Duc For much of last year, consultants and campaign managers for some of Californias most vulnerable Republican incumbents maintained a bullish tone on the prospect that the GOP would hold the House in this years midterms. The National Republican Congressional Committee insisted that longtime Republican incumbents in California had built up reputations as effective champions of local issues that would help them weather a flood of Democratic enthusiasm. Since then Rep. Ed Royce (R-Fullerton) and Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Vista) have decided not to seek reelection and the NRCC has opened a West Coast headquarters in Orange County. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print California officials say Pentagon has confirmed National Guard funding despite Trump threat By John Myers (Evan Vucci / Associated Press) The awkward dance between Gov. Jerry Brown and the federal government over the National Guard jerked back toward discord on Thursday, when Trump said he would refuse to pay for a new deployment of troops just hours after his administration said otherwise. And a few hours later, California officials said they had received written confirmation from the Pentagon that the mission would indeed be funded. Trump had earlier called Browns decision to approve 400 troops for a mission focused on combating transnational crime and drug smuggling a charade in a tweet. We need border security and action, not words! the president wrote. Governor Jerry Brown announced he will deploy up to 400 National Guard Troops to do nothing. The crime rate in California is high enough, and the Federal Government will not be paying for Governor Browns charade. We need border security and action, not words! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 19, 2018 A spokesman for Brown pointed to a tweet written Wednesday night by Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, thanking the California governor for his efforts. Trump was meeting on Thursday with Nielsen at his Mar-a-Lago estate not long after his tweet was posted. A tweet later posted by the California National Guard said that almost three hours after Trumps comment, the state received written confirmation from the Pentagon to fund the mission as outlined by Brown the day before. In short, nothing has changed today, said a subsequent Guard tweet. Just spoke w @JerryBrownGov about deploying the @USNationalGuard in California. Final details are being worked out but we are looking forward to the support. Thank you Gov Brown! Secretary Kirstjen M. Nielsen (@SecNielsen) April 19, 2018 Brown was the last of the nations border governors to respond to Trumps insistence earlier this month that National Guard troops were needed to assist with immigration-related duties at the U.S.-Mexico border. And he has consistently refused to allow California troops to engage in any mission related to federal immigration law. This will not be a mission to build a new wall, Brown wrote last week to Nielsen and Defense Secretary James N. Mattis. It will not be a mission to round up women and children or detain people escaping violence and seeking a better life. Exactly what the California operations will cost remains unclear, as state officials have said it will depend on decisions made once the mission begins. The funds would not be transferred to the state, but instead would be paid directly by the Department of Defense. Trump has critiqued California several times over the past few days, often writing tweets that embrace the actions by some cities and counties to join his administrations lawsuit against the states sanctuary immigration law. He made similar comments to reporters on Thursday afternoon. If you look at whats happening in California with sanctuary cities people are really going the opposite way, Trump said. They dont want sanctuary cities. Theres a little bit of a revolution going on in California. 2:26 p.m.:This article was updated with additional information from the California National Guard and with remarks from Trump. This article was originally published at 9:51 a.m. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Gay conversion therapy services would be banned under measure advancing in California By John Myers (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) The California Assembly voted Thursday to add gay conversion therapy to the states list of deceptive business practices, following a debate that focused on the personal experiences of several lawmakers and hinted at potential lawsuits to come. It is harmful and it is unnecessary, Assemblyman Evan Low (D-Campbell), the bills author and one of the Legislatures most vocal LGBTQ members, said of the practice. Low, who told Assembly members that he explored conversion therapy as a teenager and suffered depression over his sexual orientation, insisted that the bill would be limited to efforts that involve the exchange of money. Theres nothing wrong with me, he said in an emotional speech on the Assembly floor. Theres nothing that needs to be changed. The bill, which now heads to the Senate, has become the focal point of intense debate on social media. Some religious groups have said that such a law would be a violation of their constitutional rights, while advocates insist the provisions are narrow and theres no credible evidence that the services work. One key part of the debate centers on whether Assembly Bill 2943 would stretch beyond businesses that charge for these programs and extend to printed documents, even Bibles. An analysis by the Assembly Judiciary Committee says the bill would apply only to services that purport to change a persons sexual orientation and offered on a commercial basis, as well as the advertising and offering of such services. Lawmakers who spoke in support of AB 2943 also made clear that they believe those kinds of services have been discredited. This is fraudulent, it should not be occurring, said Assemblywoman Susan Eggman (D-Stockton). But you can still try to pray the gay away, if you like. Assemblyman James Gallagher (R-Yuba City), who said the bill addresses a difficult issue, nonetheless said that its important to ensure laws dont tamper with religious freedom. We have to think about the legitimate experience of people who have gone through conversion therapy and said this was a good thing for them, Gallagher told his colleagues. California law already bans the use of conversion therapy by mental health professionals on those under age 18. Lows bill would expand the states efforts beyond minors. It would join a list of commercial activities deemed unfair or deceptive acts or practices and therefore banned under state law. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Gavin Newsom gets backing from doctors group, despite differences over single-payer healthcare By Melanie Mason Gavin Newsom speaks at the California Democrats State Convention in San Diego on Feb. 24. (Kent Nishimura) Californias doctors are siding with Gavin Newsom in the governors race, even though they dont see eye-to-eye on a defining issue of the campaign: single-payer healthcare. The California Medical Assn., the state doctors lobby and a political heavyweight, announced its endorsement of the lieutenant governor on Thursday. Gavin is a lifelong champion for health care in California, and we know he will continue to fight for pragmatic solutions to our most crucial health care challenges, including working to achieve universal access and tackling our states physician shortage, CMA President Theodore M. Mazer said in a statement. Newsom has made his support for state-financed healthcare a centerpiece of his campaign, and he earned the early backing of the most ardent single-payer supporters, the state nurses union. The doctors, meanwhile, oppose the nurses bill, SB 562, which emerged as a flashpoint in the healthcare debate last year. The CMA said the bill would dismantle the healthcare marketplace and destabilize Californias economy. Newsom has said SB 562 should advance in the Legislature, but also said it has open-ended issues that still need to be addressed. The doctors group is also battling with another prominent Newsom endorser, the Service Employees International Union, over a new measure that would impose price caps on an array of medical services paid for by commercial health insurers in the state. The SEIU is a leading sponsor of the proposal; the doctors fiercely oppose it. Newsom and the physicians group have a history of political alignment. Newsom was the first statewide official to support Proposition 56, a 2016 tobacco tax pushed by the CMA that raised revenue in part to increase money for doctors who saw Medi-Cal patients. That year, the association also endorsed two initiatives championed by Newsom: Proposition 63, which imposed new gun control measures, and Proposition 64, which legalized recreational marijuana. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Independent committee backing Antonio Villaraigosa for governor hits the airwaves with first ad By Phil Willon Antonio Villaraigosa speaks at the 2018 California Democratic Party Convention in San Diego in February.. (Denis Poroy / Associated Press) A well-financed independent committee backing Antonio Villaraigosas bid to be Californias next governor released its first television ad Thursday, praising his record for working with Republicans and as a candidate for all of California. The ad, which is to air statewide on broadcast and cable stations, is focused on Villaraigosas record as Assembly speaker and mayor of Los Angeles, including on education and a drop in crime while he was at City Hall. To move California forward, we need to help more Californians get ahead, the ad says. Thats why Antonio Villaraigosa brought both parties together to balance the state budget with record investments in public schools and new career training programs. The independent expenditure committee behind the ad campaign, Families & Teachers for Antonio Villaraigosa for Governor 2018, is sponsored by the California Charter Schools Assn. Advocates, according to the California secretary of states office. The committee is spending seven figures per week on the ad buy, said Josh Pulliam, a political consultant for the committee. As mayor of Los Angeles, Villaraigosa clashed with teachers unions, starting with his failed attempt to take political control of the Los Angeles Unified School District. His fight with those unions continued after he left office in 2013. Money has poured into the committee this month from wealthy charter schools supporters: Reed Hastings, chief executive of Netflix, donated $7 million, and Los Angeles billionaire and philanthropist Eli Broad donated $1.5 million. On Wednesday, former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan donated $1 million. The independent expenditure committee is expected to provide a boost to Villaraigosas campaign. Democratic front-runner Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom has a major advantage in fundraising over all other candidates in the race and has received the backing of the California Teachers Assn. and other education unions. A recent Public Policy Institute of California poll also showed Villaraigosa lagging in third place in the race, trailing Newsom and Republican businessman John Cox. The candidates who finish in the top two in the June 5 primary will advance to the November general election, regardless of their party affiliation. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Gov. Jerry Brown says Trump administration will fund his National Guard mission without immigration duties By John Myers (Alex Wong / Getty Images) Gov. Jerry Brown formally mobilized 400 California National Guard members Wednesday for transnational crime-fighting duties, thus preventing any effort by President Trump to have the troops focus on immigration enforcement on the Mexican border. The governor announced that federal officials have agreed to fund the plan he announced last week a mission to combat criminal gangs, human traffickers and illegal firearm and drug smugglers in locations around California, including near the border. The order Brown signed makes clear that the troops will not be allowed to perform a broader set of duties as envisioned by Trumps recent comments. California National Guard service members shall not engage in any direct law enforcement role nor enforce immigration laws, arrest people for immigration law violations, guard people taken into custody for alleged immigration violations, or support immigration law enforcement activities, the order read. The cost of the mission, a spokesman for Brown said, will be paid directly by the federal government. No initial estimate has been made, as the exact amount will depend on exactly how the troops will be used. Though the duties of California Guard members were outlined last week, the state had been waiting for an agreement by federal officials to pay for the operations. Since that time, the president has taken Brown and the state to task over its decision to avoid any immigration-related duties at the border. On Wednesday morning, Trump tweeted, Jerry Brown is trying to back out of the National Guard at the Border, but the people of the State are not happy. Want Security & Safety NOW! There is a Revolution going on in California. Soooo many Sanctuary areas want OUT of this ridiculous, crime infested & breeding concept. Jerry Brown is trying to back out of the National Guard at the Border, but the people of the State are not happy. Want Security & Safety NOW! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 18, 2018 Looks like Jerry Brown and California are not looking for safety and security along their very porous Border. He cannot come to terms for the National Guard to patrol and protect the Border, Trump tweeted Tuesday. There was no immediate reaction from the White House to Browns announcement. On Tuesday, Brown told reporters in Washington that his plan was consistent with a safer border. That sounds to me like fighting crime, the governor said. Trying to catch some desperate mothers and children, or unaccompanied minors coming from Central America, that sounds like something else. The order Brown issued Wednesday after returning from a brief trip to talk climate change in Toronto and to speak to a national trade union and visit with reporters in Washington is set to expire at the end of September. It specifically says no Guard service member may participate in a mission that would exceed the mission scope and limitations related to transnational crime activity. It also says troops cannot help build any new border barrier. 5:27 p.m.: This article was updated with information related to the cost of the Guard mission and Browns trip to Washington. This article was originally published at 5:13 p.m. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement California bill aims to end practice that keeps workplace misconduct cases out of court By Melanie Mason A California bill would prohibit employers from requiring workers to use private arbitration to settle disputes, a practice that critics say shields improper workplace conduct from public view. The bill by Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher (D-San Diego) would bar businesses from making employees, when they are hired, waive their future rights to take any harassment, discrimination or other claims to court. Arbitration can be a highly effective dispute resolution method when both parties can choose it freely, when both parties are equal, Gonzalez Fletcher said at a news conference on Wednesday. It is far less successful when the more powerful party forces the other to accept those terms, especially as a condition of employment. Forced arbitration has come under increasing scrutiny since the #MeToo movement, with high-profile figures such as former Fox News anchor Gretchen Carlson pointing to the practice as shielding workplace abusers from public disclosure because arbitration resolutions often include nondisclosure agreements. Last year, a bipartisan bill was introduced in Congress to end mandatory arbitration in employment agreements. Gonzalez Fletcher said she was pursuing an unusual tool to draw attention to the issue a subpoena issued by the Legislature to compel testimony from a worker bound by a nondisclosure agreement as a result of arbitration. The Legislature has subpoena power but it is rarely used. The bills sponsors believe lawmakers last issued a subpoena in 2001 while investigating price manipulation by Enron. Gonzalez Fletcher said she has requested Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood) to issue the subpoena to require Tara Zoumer, who sued the company WeWork in 2016 for overtime pay, to testify before the Assembly Judiciary Committee next week. Zoumers suit was moved to arbitration and resolved. She is now subject to a nondisclosure agreement and could face a financial penalty for speaking publicly about her case. A spokesman for Rendon said the subpoena request is under consideration. Business groups oppose the bill, AB 3080. The California Chamber of Commerce has dubbed it a job biller, claiming it would dramatically increase legal costs for businesses. Banning such agreements benefits the trial attorneys, not the employer or employee, the group said. The bill must first advance from the Assembly Labor Committee on Wednesday. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print At least 240 House lawmakers want a vote on immigration. California supporters say they arent ready to force one By Sarah D. Wire Rep. Jeff Denham (R-Turlock), flanked by Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-Redlands) and Rep. Will Hurd (R-Texas) speak about DACA legislation (Bill Clark / CQ Roll Call) Rep. Jeff Denham says at least 240 of the 430 current House members have signed onto his resolution to hold votes on four immigration bills, and he hopes House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) and President Trump are paying attention to the show of support. But, the Republican from Turlock and his allies said Wednesday that they are not yet willing to commit to forcing Ryans hand through a little-used procedural move called a discharge petition; they acknowledged theres no guarantee that all of 47 Republicans and 193 Democrats House co-signers will back them up if they try to force the issue. Im sure that it is something that will be discussed in the coming weeks. You should not need a discharge petition. When you can show the overwhelming majority of the House, the support of it, you should not need a discharge petition, but it is something we would talk about in the future, Denham said. It is far too early to talk about next steps. Ryan said last week that he opposes Denhams effort, saying its a waste of time for the House to vote on bills the president might veto. Denhams resolution would prompt debate and votes on four very different immigration bills: one favored by the Trump administration, one preferred by Democrats, one bipartisan proposal and another immigration bill of Ryans choice. Whichever got the most votes would move forward to the Senate. All four bills would help Dreamers to differing degrees and include varying levels of border security or immigration enforcement. For example, the Trump-backed bill would also dramatically reduce legal immigration, while the Democrats would only deal with legal status for Dreamers. Democrats say they dont expect the show of support will sway Ryan. Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chairwoman Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-N.M.) said Tuesday night she expects Ryan will have to be forced into allowing a vote. It doesnt matter how many signatures we get. We could have every signature, technically, except his, on the floor of the House and... if he doesnt want to, it doesnt happen, Lujan Grisham (D-N.M.) said. Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-Redlands), who gathered the Democratic co-sponsors for Denham, also wouldnt give a deadline for House leaders to act, but said the co-sponsors are only willing to wait weeks not months. We do want to give them an opportunity to bring up the rule and to use whatever process they want, Aguilar said. They do have options, but I think they need to understand that we have options too. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Billionaire Democratic activist Tom Steyer endorses Kevin de Leon in his insurgent bid against Sen. Dianne Feinstein By Seema Mehta Tom Steyer, left, and California state Sen. Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles). (Getty Images; Los Angeles Times) Billionaire Democratic activist Tom Steyer is endorsing state Sen. Kevin de Leon in his insurgent challenge to Sen. Dianne Feinstein, and did not rule out funding an outside effort to boost De Leons chances. I think hes the kind of young progressive that reflects California and would be a very strong advocate for our state nationally, Steyer said in an interview on Tuesday, pointing to De Leons efforts on issues such as immigration, climate change and gun control while he was the state Senate leader. I know him well and hes a friend. We share a lot of values. Steyer, who flirted with running for the Senate seat, did not criticize Feinstein as he has in the past. Sen. Feinstein has been an outstanding public servant who has dedicated the bulk of her adult life to the service of our state and the country, he said. These are two strong, very good Democrats. I just believe Kevin is the true progressive and he reflects something we need representing California going forward. I have nothing bad to say about Dianne Feinstein. I have a lot of good to say about Kevin de Leon. De Leon faces enormous odds as he tries to oust Feinstein, who has served in the Senate for a quarter-century, is well known to the states voters and has daunting leads in polls and fundraising. But De Leon has gained notable endorsements, most recently from the 2.1-million-member California Labor Federation last week. Campaign finance reports released this week show that Feinstein has more than $10 million in the bank, while De Leon has just more than $670,000. Feinstein, a multimillionaire and one of the wealthiest members of the Senate, has already lent her campaign $5 million and could easily write another check. But Steyer, a billionaire former hedge fund manager, could write a larger one. He is among the largest Democratic donors in the nation and has already committed more than $50 million to push for the impeachment of President Trump and to register young voters. He was noncommittal when asked if he would fund an independent expenditure group on behalf of De Leon. I dont have any concrete plans for that, he said. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Californias largest pension fund sends next years invoice to state government: $6.3 billion By John Myers The California Public Employees Retirement System building (Max Whittaker / Getty Images) As part of a shift toward less optimistic expectations for investment returns to pay for government worker pensions, board members of the California Public Employees Retirement System voted Tuesday to require an almost $6.3-billion payment from the state budget in the fiscal year that begins on July 1. The action, which could receive final approval on Wednesday, reflects a gradually higher annual contribution to public employee pensions by the state and from local governments across California. In 2016, CalPERS approved a half-percentage point decrease in its official estimate of the long-term investment return on its $353.3-billion portfolio. That shift was designed to happen over several years, in hopes it would lessen the financial shock of shifting more of the costs onto government employers. The highest costs are also, in part, a reflection of increases in the size of the states payroll. The states CalPERS payment will be about $450 million more than the total paid in the current fiscal year and more than double what it was only a decade ago. CalPERS board members voted on Tuesdays staff proposal with little discussion, save for a question about the increase in contributions also required from workers hired after a pension overhaul that took effect in June. It seems like it will be a ding on peoples salaries, said Theresa Taylor, the chairwoman of CalPERS finance committee and a member of SEIU Local 1000, the union that represents some 96,000 state employees. The $6.299-billion payment required from Californias state government must now be factored into the budget crafted by the Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown in late June. Brown had already assumed a similarly sized payment in his budget proposal unveiled in January. In February, a coalition representing city governments warned about the effects of rising pension costs under the expectations of less money from Wall Street investments. The report issued by the League of California Cities projected an average increase of more than 50% in annual pension payments made by the states largest cities over the next seven years. A CalPERS staff report notes that the net return on all of the funds investments for the fiscal year that ended in July was 11.2%. But expectations on profits over the next 30 years remain significantly more modest, and theres long been a robust debate about how to properly set those future expectations. The lower the rate of projected investment return, the larger the share of pension costs that must be covered by taxpayers and some employees. Overall, CalPERS officials believe the system has assets to cover 71% of its long-term obligations. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print California warns legal pot sellers not to participate in unlicensed 4/20 events By Patrick McGreevy Marijuana on display at a dispensary in Los Angeles. ( (Frederic J. Brown / AFP/Getty Images)) The state issued a warning Tuesday that businesses holding licenses to sell marijuana could face penalties if they participate in unlicensed temporary events away from their stores, including on Friday, April 20, which has become an annual celebration for counterculture groups. The warning was issued ahead of 4/20 by the state Bureau of Cannabis Control. Since Jan. 1, the bureau has issued more than 700 state licenses to sell marijuana for medical or recreational use. The bureau has issued 47 temporary event licenses to groups that are limited to holding the marijuana celebrations on county fairgrounds that have authorized such events with city approval. Any bureau licensee participating in an unlicensed cannabis event may be subject to disciplinary action, the warning said, adding that lawful participation by bureau licensees in any temporary cannabis event that allows sales and/or consumption is dependent upon issuance of the appropriate licenses from the bureau. While many Californians have been issued medical approval to sell or use marijuana, the law does not allow them to participate in unlicensed events, also referred to as Proposition 215 events after the ballot measure that legalized medical pot two decades ago in the state. Participation in such events may lead to civil penalties for unlicensed commercial cannabis activity, the warning said. Meanwhile, a survey of some 1,000 marijuana users that was released Tuesday by the firm LendEDU found that the average 4/20 participant plans to spend $71 on marijuana to celebrate the unofficial holiday, and about 35% of respondents are planning to take off work Friday. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print California police groups shift position on officer discipline records, now consider support for making some of them public By Liam Dillon Los Angeles Police Department recruits at a graduation ceremony in April (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) Some major law enforcement groups signaled Tuesday they are willing to support making part of police officer disciplinary records public, a dramatic departure from their past positions. Local and national attention on police shootings and misconduct has led law enforcement organizations to reconsider their blanket opposition to proposals that would give public access to some internal disciplinary investigations of officers. Were going to be open to supporting efforts that would allow for some records to be released, said Ryan Sherman, a lobbyist with the Riverside Sheriffs Assn. Debate over secrecy provisions in officer disciplinary files came during a legislative hearing on Senate Bill 1421 from Sen. Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley). Skinners bill, which advanced out of the Senate Public Safety Committee on Tuesday, would require public disclosure of all internal officer shooting investigations and confirmed cases of sexual assault and lying while on duty. Currently, all police discipline information is confidential outside of a courtroom in California, which has some of the nations strictest standards against public disclosure. Unfortunately, the fact that we have such strict restrictions on any access to public records has affected certain communities trust towards our law enforcement, Skinner said during the hearing. Prior to Skinners effort, other have tried to loosen these rules, some of which date back 40 years. Most recently in 2016, a bid by then-Sen. Mark Leno (D-San Francisco) failed in a Senate committee. In debate two years ago, no major law enforcement groups indicated they would accept changes to state laws that would make individual internal investigations public, saying they were essential to protect officer privacy and safety. But Tuesday, Sherman and other lobbyists including those representing the states largest police labor organization, signaled they might be willing to entertain changes. They said they were negotiating with Skinner on the bills details. Law enforcement groups still have major concerns about SB 1421 as written. Ed Fishman, an attorney for the Police Officers Research Assn., told legislators that the bill would wrongfully expose police officers who acted within departmental policy to invasions of their privacy. It has unintended consequences that are extreme and will hurt the public, Fishman said. Tuesdays hearing featured testimony from many who have had relatives killed by police officers in recent years advocating for the bill. Senators on the Public Safety Committee also gave public rebukes to law enforcement lobbyists, criticizing them for a lack of diversity and insensitivity to concerns raised by communities of color. I think that you are completely and utterly out of touch with the realities of how those you are representing are perceived by major segments of California, said Sen. Holly Mitchell (D-Los Angeles). You are not going to be able to continue to lobby your way out of it. The bill faces at least one more committee hearing in the Senate before reaching the floor. It will have to pass both houses of the Legislature by the end of August. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Newest member of the California Assembly arrives ready to work on criminal justice issues By John Myers Assemblywoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove prepares for the oath of office from Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon with her husband, Austin Dove. (California Assembly Democrats) Two weeks after winning a Los Angeles special election, the newest member of the California Assembly says she hopes to focus on reforms to the states criminal justice system during her time in Sacramento. Assemblywoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-Los Angeles) took the oath of office on Monday, filling one of three vacant seats representing Los Angeles County in the lower house. The Democrat, a former community college trustee and legislative staffer, thanked her mentors in remarks from the Assembly rostrum. So many women, and in my life so many black women, have paid in giving me the kind of morals and integrity and grit that is required to fight on behalf of people that you know, and people that you dont know, she said. Kamlager-Dove won handily on April 3, receiving 70% of the votes cast in the 54th Assembly District which encompasses communities west of downtown Los Angeles, from Crenshaw to Culver City and as far north as Westwood. She will serve the remaining eight months of the term of former Assemblyman Sebastian Ridley-Thomas, who resigned last year citing health concerns. She has said she hopes to focus her attention on poverty issues and on reform of the states criminal justice system. I think we have an opportunity to really push the needle in terms of how we look at rehabilitation, how we look at incarceration, and how we look at changing the lives oftentimes of poor men and women of color, Kamalager-Dove said on Monday in a video released by Assembly Democrats. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Survivors of violent crime raise their voices in California to call for a new approach to criminal justice By Jazmine Ulloa Aaliyah Smith marches with her cousins. (Jazmine Ulloa / Los Angeles Times) Her father, uncle, a cousin and two older brothers. Those are some of the family members 16-year-old Aaliyah Smith has lost to gun violence. Then there are her friends. Jermaine Jackson Jr., 27, was shot and killed in 2016 while he painted over graffiti in San Francisco. Toriano Tito Adger, 18, was shot there a year later at a bus stop. He called Smith, who was nearby, and warned her to run. She made it inside a library moments before the crack of gunfire. Last week, Smith was among hundreds who gathered in Sacramento for annual National Crime Victims Rights Week events, where calls were issued for a new approach to criminal justice and public safety in California, one that puts survivors at the center of policy. But a debate is brewing over what that entails. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print California expects $14 billion in tax payments this month By John Myers State workers handle income tax returns at the California Franchise Tax Board offices. (Laura Morton / For The Times) Gov. Jerry Browns proposed state budget is built on what taxpayers might find an audacious assumption: almost $14 billion in tax payments in the month of April, an average of $83 million collected per hour on every business day of the month. Most of that money will come from the taxes Californians pay in advance of Tuesday nights filing deadline for income tax returns. If history is any guide, the rate of payment could quadruple by weeks end. While tax rules have shifted some of the payment schedules to other months, April remains a vitally important month to the fiscal health of state government. The state controllers office reports more than 15% of all personal income tax revenues in 2017 were collected in April. In the recession years of a decade ago, tax revenue predictions were frequently off the mark by hundreds of millions of dollars. The last two state budgets have seen significant windfalls of personal income tax revenue, thanks in part both to an improving economy and to the continuation of a temporary surcharge on the wealthiest taxpayers extended by voters in 2016. In the budget plan he sent to lawmakers in January, Brown projected a $6.1-billion windfall and proposed using a sizable amount to top off Californias rainy-day fund ahead of schedule. The independent Legislative Analysts Office reports that through the end of last week, the months income tax tally stood at $3 billion, slightly ahead of projections. By the end of the current week, a single days total could be almost that large. Lawmakers began reviewing the governors $190.3-billion spending plan during the winter, but few decisions are made until they get a look at Aprils tax revenues. The governor will release a revised plan based on the new data next month; lawmakers are required to send him a completed budget no later than June 15. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Feinstein war chest tops $10 million while Kevin de Leon struggles to keep pace By Sarah D. Wire Sen. Dianne Feinstein widened her already-massive fundraising advantage in the run-up to Junes primary, raising twice as much in the first quarter than her strongest Senate challenger has sitting in the bank. Feinstein raised $1.3 million between January and March, bringing her war chest to just over $10 million as Californias U.S. Senate race begins in earnest, according Federal Election Commission reports. Former state Senate leader Kevin De Leon, the best known of the more than 30 people who will appear with Feinstein on the June primary ballot, raised just $575,991 in that same period, bringing his cash on hand to $672,331, according to his quarterly FEC report. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trump has met his match, says Gov. Jerry Brown in promoting climate action on a quick trip to Canada By John Myers (Rich Pedroncelli/Associated Press) Gov. Jerry Brown told a Canadian audience Monday that he believes President Trumps efforts to reverse course on climate change policy are a momentary deviation as others in the United States seek limits on greenhouse gas emissions. Thats very temporary, I can assure you, Brown said at a joint event in Toronto with Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne. The governors quick international trip, announced only late last week, comes as Wynnes Liberal Party faces a stiff challenge in Junes election from the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario and its leader, Doug Ford. Critics of Wynnes party have called for Ontario to pull out of the Western Climate Initiative, a cooperative agreement between three Canadian provinces and California on efforts to limit greenhouse gases. Brown sought to link the efforts of Canadian conservatives with Republicans in the United States who oppose existing climate change programs. In contrast, he told the audience, several GOP lawmakers voted last summer to renew Californias cap-and-trade program. I would say to the conservatives of Canada, wake up and see what your friends in California are doing, he said. The Democrat took particular notice of Trumps efforts to shift away from climate change policies from the administration of former President Obama, as well as a push by the Environmental Protection Agency to cancel Californias strict limits on automobile emissions. If Trump tries to change that, well have litigation well beyond his term in office, Brown said while also noting Chinese government efforts to produce more low-emissions vehicles. Between California and China, Trump has met his match. What hes saying is not going to happen. Many of the governors remarks, though, were aimed at the tough political situation in which Wynne finds herself with seven weeks to go before Ontarios parliamentary elections. Dangers abound, but success is right in our hands, Brown said. So dont blow it! Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print California voters are getting to know the states attorney general through his aggressive stance challenging Trump By Patrick McGreevy Less than two months from his first statewide election, California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra has become adept not only at challenging President Trump but at using the bully pulpit of his office to raise his profile with voters. The aggressive effort may help boost the former Los Angeles congressmans chances at winning a full term in office this fall, almost two years after he was appointed to replace Sen. Kamala Harris in 2017. Appointed by Gov. Jerry Brown, Becerra took office as attorney general four days after Trumps inauguration. Thats afforded him an opportunity to get in front of Californians and potential voters on an array of issues including immigration, healthcare and the environment. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Gov. Jerry Brown forms commission for 2020 census outreach By Melanie Mason In an effort to make sure California has a strong showing in the next national census, Gov. Jerry Brown on Friday established a state commission to prepare outreach for the decennial count. It is vitally important for California to do everything it can to ensure that every Californian is counted in the upcoming census, Brown said in a prepared statement. The commissions formation comes on the heels of a Trump administration plan to ask about citizenship status as a part of the census. State officials fear that such a question, which has not been asked in a census since 1950, could chill participation among California residents. That could result in the state losing billions of dollars in federal funds and a seat in Congress. The 23-member panel, appointed largely by Brown as well as picks by legislative leaders, comes from private- and public-sector backgrounds, including civil rights groups, religious institutions and educational institutions. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Garcetti kicks off Iowa visit with 2020 on his mind and a hardhat on his head LA Mayor - and 2020 prospect - Eric Garcetti makes his Iowa debut at the Carpenters Union Training Center. Fearlessly flaunts the never be photographed in head gear/safety glasses rule. pic.twitter.com/14bUOPXMvF Mark Z. Barabak (@markzbarabak) April 13, 2018 Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Asm. Rocky Chavez takes the lead in race to replace Issa, while Doug Applegate slips By Joshua Stewart A new poll shows that Republican Assemblyman Rocky Chavez has taken a clear lead over 15 other candidates running to replace Rep. Darrell Issa in Congress and has overtaken Democrat Doug Applegate, the previous frontrunner. In a SurveyUSA poll by 10News and The San Diego Union-Tribune, Chavez, R-Oceanside, has support of 16 percent of likely voters, putting him ahead of Applegate, a lawyer, who was favored by 12 percent of voters and is in second place. The top two vote-getters in June, regardless of party, will proceed to a November runoff election. Competing with Applegate for the No. 2 spot is Democrat Mike Levin, also a lawyer, with support of 9 percent of voters. Several other candidates were right at his heels. Democratic Businessman Paul Kerr and Board of Equalization Member Diane Harkey, R-Dana Point, were tied for fourth at 8 percent each. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Pro-Kevin de Leon group launches ad castigating Dianne Feinstein By Seema Mehta A group that is supporting Kevin de Leons bid for the U.S. Senate launched a blistering ad against Sen. Dianne Feinstein on Thursday, questioning her progressive principles and tying her to President Trump. The ad buy from A Progressive California is minuscule $10,000 to air it in Los Angeles for one day on CNN and MSNBC during programming such as The Rachel Maddow Show, Hardball with Chris Matthews and Anderson Cooper 360. The minute-long ad features news clips about Feinstein not getting the California Democratic Party endorsement earlier this year, as well as footage of Feinstein saying that Trump can be a good president and appearing to share a laugh with Trump. That moment actually came during a White House meeting in the aftermath of the Parkland, Fla., school shooting when the president suggested an assault weapons ban should be included in a bipartisan bill to expand gun background checks. It also features extensive clips of de Leons speech at the state partys convention. De Leon, who just ended his final term as leader of the state Senate, announced last year he would run against fellow Democrat Feinstein as she seeks her fifth full term. Feinsteins longtime political advisor dismissed the ad, noting the size of the buy. Its not really a buy, said Bill Carrick. Ten thousand dollars in cable in L.A. Poof, its gone. Still, he said he planned to have the campaigns lawyers review the ad to see if it violates campaign law that limits what outside groups like A Progressive California can do. Such groups cannot coordinate with campaigns or candidates, and are limited in how much their messages can support a candidate. Ann Ravel, the former chair of the Federal Election Commission and the California Fair Political Practices Commission, said if the ad was in a state race, she is certain that the state commission would open an investigation into potential coordination with de Leons campaign because of the messaging and the types of footage in the ad. But the bipartisan federal commission cant agree on how to enforce the federal regulations, she said. The problem is [outside groups] understand that given the lack of very strong enforcement at the federal level, theres the ability to stretch the law, she said. A spokeswoman for the FEC declined to comment. Dave Jacobson, a spokesman for A Progressive California, disputed the suggestion that the ad violated campaign law. This frivolous allegation shows that Sen. Feinstein is afraid of the public seeing an ad which showcases her own words, that Donald Trump can be a good president, he said. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Dispute over money emerges in campaign to repeal Californias gas tax increase By Patrick McGreevy A motorist prepares to gas up her vehicle in San Rafael, Calif., in 2015. (Justin Sullivan / Getty Images) A proposed initiative to repeal hikes to Californias gas tax has been caught in the middle of a dispute involving Republican rivals in the governors race. Assemblyman Travis Allen, a Republican candidate for governor, decided in January to drop plans for his own initiative and said he would urge supporters to sign a separate petition being supported by several Republican members of Congress. Then last week, the committee Allen formed to finance his ballot measure reported a $300,000 contribution from PISF Inc., a Novato, Calif., real estate firm. Now, an organizer of the still active Give Voters a Voice committee is urging the Allen committee to immediately donate their funds in support of the ongoing signature gathering efforts. There is only one gas tax repeal measure currently in circulation and that is the measure sponsored by the Give Voters a Voice Committee, said Dave Gilliard, a consultant to the group. PISF Inc., he said, gave to repeal taxes a The legal thicket around a hush-money payment to a porn star was tangled further Thursday after President Trump appeared to confirm that Michael Cohen was representing him when the lawyer paid $130,000 to Stormy Daniels on the eve of the 2016 election. Trump, who previously said he was unaware of Cohens payment, vigorously defended his longtime personal lawyer and fixer, shrugging off news that Cohen, who is under federal criminal investigation in New York, will plead the 5th Amendment to avoid testifying in a civil lawsuit with Daniels. In a telephone interview on Fox and Friends, Trump said Cohen had handled a tiny, tiny little fraction of his legal work before he was elected president. He represents me like with this crazy Stormy Daniels deal he represented me, Trump said. And, you know, from what I see he did absolutely nothing wrong. There were no campaign funds going into this, which would have been a problem. Advertisement But Trump tried to distance himself from his lawyer, saying prosecutors are looking at something that has to do with his business. This doesnt have to do with me. Federal prosecutors in Manhattan immediately pounced on the presidents remarks, putting them in a court filing to argue that Cohens office files, which the FBI seized in a series of court-approved raids on April 9, probably dont contain a lot of privileged attorney-client information related to Trump. U.S. District Judge Kimba Wood, who is hearing the New York case, settled a related dispute Thursday by naming a former federal judge to review Cohens files and decide which records are protected by attorney-client privilege and which can be used by prosecutors to help build a potential criminal case against him. After prosecutors on Thursday dropped their opposition, Wood appointed attorney Barbara S. Jones to be a special master in the case, as the position is known. Wood said she hoped the review would be speedy. Jones served as a federal prosecutor in New York under former U.S. Atty. Rudolph W. Giuliani, who joined Trumps legal team last week. She is accustomed to high-profile cases; as an arbitrator in 2014, she overturned the NFLs indefinite suspension of running back Ray Rice, who was filmed punching his fiance in an elevator. FBI agents raided Cohens office, home and the hotel room where he was staying as part of an investigation that is reportedly focused, at least in part, on whether he violated federal banking and campaign finance laws with the hush-money payments. Using a shell company called Essential Consultants, and fake names on a contract, Cohen paid $130,000 to Daniels 12 days before the 2016 election. Cohen also intervened in a deal to steer a $150,000 payment to a former Playboy model who also says she had an affair with Trump. The presidents comments Thursday appear at odds with his statement on April 6 that he knew nothing about Cohens payment to Daniels, including why Cohen made it or where he got the money. Advertisement Cohen has said he used his own money and never consulted Trump about it. The White House has denied that Trump and Daniels had an affair. The actress lawyer, Michael Avenatti, said Trumps latest comment proved his previous statement was false. Mr. Trump and Mr. Cohen previously represented to the American people that Mr. Cohen acted on his own and Mr. Trump knew nothing about the agreement with my client, Avenatti said on Twitter. As I predicted, that has now been shown to be completely false. After Daniels disclosed her encounters with Trump, Cohen filed an arbitration proceeding seeking to enforce the original deal to keep quiet. Avenatti countered with a lawsuit, now in federal court in Los Angeles, that argues the deal is unenforceable in part because Trump never signed it. Advertisement Cohens attempts to force Daniels into silence appear to have backfired. His lawyer, Brent Blakely, has moved to put the lawsuit on hold, saying that Cohen cant defend himself because any statements would put him in jeopardy in the criminal case in New York. Based on the advice of counsel, I will assert my 5th Amendment rights in connection with all proceedings in this case, Cohen declared in a court filing Wednesday, citing the raids and the ongoing criminal investigation. Legal experts said Trump was putting himself and Cohen at risk by publicly discussing the case. Theres a reason why its conventional wisdom that, if you are in litigation, you should stop talking and let your lawyer talk for you in court, said Harry Sandick, a former assistant U.S. attorney in Manhattan. Advertisement joseph.tanfani@latimes.com Twitter: @jtanfani Allies balk at Trump administration bid to block Chinese firm from cutting-edge telecom markets By David S. Cloud Britain and Germany are balking at the Trump administrations call for a ban on equipment from Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei, threatening a global U.S. campaign to thwart Chinas involvement in future mobile networks. Both countries are expected to limit Huawei and other Chinese companies from providing core components including routers. But other types of Chinese equipment for next-generation, high-speed communications could still be installed on British and German networks, officials and analysts say. The U.S. push to ban Huawei has provoked a global dispute in recent weeks, with senior U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo, publicly urging NATO allies in Europe to exclude the company and warning that the United States might limit its military presence in countries that did not do so. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Confucius Institutes: Do they improve U.S.-China ties or harbor spies? By Don Lee Hanging red lanterns welcome visitors to the University of Marylands Confucius Institute, the oldest of about 100 Chinese language and cultural centers that have popped up over the last 15 years on American campuses, subsidized by millions of dollars from Chinas central government. But last fall, when four U.S. Senate investigators walked into the Confucius offices in Maryland and spent hours questioning staff, they werent looking for an educational exchange. The committee has been seeking detailed information from the university about the program, including contracts, email exchanges and financial arrangements that school administrators have kept under wraps since it started in 2004. American colleges once viewed these jointly funded institutes as an economical way to expand their language offerings one that could also bring warmer ties with China and, importantly, an influx of Chinese international students paying full tuition. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Watch Live: White House holds surprise news briefing amid government shutdown Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement U.S. policy toward China shifts from engagement to confrontation By David S. Cloud For decades, China had no closer American friend than Dianne Feinstein. As San Francisco mayor in the 1970s, she forged a sister-city relationship with Shanghai, the first between American and Chinese communities. As U.S. senator, she dined with Chinese leaders at Mao Tse-tungs old Beijing residence. And in the 1990s, she championed a trade policy change that opened a floodgate of Western investment into China. Today the Democratic senator sees China as a growing threat, joining a broad array of Trump administration officials, national security strategists and business executives who once favored engagement with Beijing and now advocate a confrontational approach instead. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Mnuchins attempt to calm markets backfires as Trump takes another shot at the Federal Reserve By Jim Puzzanghera An attempt by Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin to calm plunging financial markets backfired Monday, further rattling investors with new fears about whether major U.S. banks have enough cash on top of worries about interest rates, political instability in Washington and a slowing global economy. Adding to the volatile mix was a fresh attack on the Federal Reserve by President Trump, who declared that the central bank was the U.S. economys only problem and that it didnt have a feel for the market. The Fed is like a powerful golfer who cant score because he has no touch -- he cant putt! Trump said on Twitter. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print He speaks to Democratic hearts. But is Beto ORourke a serious White House contender? By Mark Z. Barabak Hes a failed U.S. Senate candidate with an undistinguished congressional record who, for the moment, is a blazing-hot 2020 presidential prospect despite the fact that he may not run and faces long odds if he does. Beto ORourke suggests the will-he-or-wont-he speculation is something he himself cant quite fathom. I think thats a great question, he responded in a Dallas Morning News interview when asked whether his unsuccessful November Senate bid merited a promotion to the White House. I ask that question myself. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Russian disinformation teams targeted Robert S. Mueller III, says report prepared for Senate By Craig Timberg, Tony Romm, Elizabeth Dwoskin Special counsel Robert S. Mueller III. (Associated Press) Months after President Trump took office, Russias disinformation teams trained their sites on a new target: special counsel Robert S. Mueller III. Having worked to help get Trump into the White House, they now worked to neutralize the biggest threat to his staying there. The Russian operatives unloaded on Mueller through fake accounts on Facebook, Twitter and beyond, falsely claiming that the former FBI director was corrupt and that the allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 election were crackpot conspiracies. One post on Instagram which emerged as an especially potent weapon in the Russian social media arsenal claimed that Mueller had worked in the past with radical Islamic groups. Such tactics exemplified how Russian teams ranged nimbly across social media platforms in a shrewd online influence operation aimed squarely at American voters. The effort started earlier than commonly understood and lasted longer while relying on the strengths of different sites to manipulate distinct slices of the electorate, according to a pair of comprehensive new reports prepared for the Senate Intelligence Committee and released Monday. Read more Timberg, Romm and Dwoskin report for the Washington Post. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement President Trump announces Mick Mulvaney as acting White House chief of staff By Associated Press President Trump says budget director Mick Mulvaney will serve as acting chief of staff, replacing John F. Kelly in the new year. I am pleased to announce that Mick Mulvaney, Director of the Office of Management & Budget, will be named Acting White House Chief of Staff, replacing General John Kelly, who has served our Country with distinction. Mick has done an outstanding job while in the Administration.... Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 14, 2018 Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print It aint over when its over: In Michigan, Wisconsin and elsewhere, losers seek to undermine election results By Mark Z. Barabak Democrat Gavin Newsom has yet to become California governor, but already a candidate for state Republican Party chairman is promoting a recall effort. In Michigan and Wisconsin, GOP lawmakers have rushed through legislation to thwart their incoming Democratic governors and hamper others in the opposing party from doing the jobs voters chose them to do. In Congress, GOP leaders have echoed President Trump and sought to undermine the legitimacy of Democrats strong midterm performance, raising unsubstantiated allegations of fraud and political malfeasance. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print New CFPB Director Kathy Kraninger says she wont be a puppet of Mick Mulvaney By Jim Puzzanghera On her first full day leading the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Kathy Kraninger said she wont be a puppet of Mick Mulvaney, the controversial acting director whom she replaced in the powerful regulatory position. To underscore that point, the former White House aide said she would even reconsider a Mulvaney action that critics saw as a gratuitous jab at Democrats who championed the agencys creation: changing its name to the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection. Kraningers declaration during a meeting with reporters Tuesday addressed one of the main criticisms of her selection. She is considered a protege of Mulvaney, her boss at the White House Office of Management and Budget who has executed a dramatic, industry-friendly shift at the watchdog agency. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trumps pick for chief of staff, Nick Ayers, out of running By Associated Press Nick Ayers, right, with Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch, at the funeral service for George H.W. Bush on Dec. 3. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Associated Press) President Trumps top pick to replace John F. Kelly as chief of staff, Nick Ayers, is no longer expected to fill that role. Thats according to a White House official who is not authorized to discuss the personnel issue by name and spoke on condition of anonymity. Ayers is Vice President Mike Pences chief of staff. The official says that Trump and Ayers could not agree on Ayers length of service. The father of young children, Ayers had agreed to serve in an interim capacity though the spring, but Trump wanted a two-year commitment. The official says that Ayers will instead assist the president from outside the administration. Trump announced Saturday that Kelly would be departing the White House around the end of the year. Thank you @realDonaldTrump, @VP, and my great colleagues for the honor to serve our Nation at The White House. I will be departing at the end of the year but will work with the #MAGA team to advance the cause. #Georgia Nick Ayers (@nick_ayers) December 9, 2018 Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement U.S. hiring slows to 155,000 jobs, unemployment rate holds at 3.7% By Jim Puzzanghera Job growth slowed significantly in November but still was solid, indicating the economy remains in good shape but not expanding so quickly that it will lead to sharply higher interest rates. U.S. employers added 155,000 jobs last month, well below analyst expectations and a steep decline from Octobers strong 237,000 figure, the Labor Department reported Friday. Still, monthly job gains are averaging 206,000 this year, the best since 2015. Even the slower pace of 170,000 over the last three months is close to last years average of 182,000 and well above the amount needed to keep up with population growth. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump is expected to pick State Department spokeswoman for U.N. ambassador By Associated Press Heather Nauert at a briefing at the State Department on Aug. 9, 2017. (Alex Brandon / Associated Press) President Trump is expected to nominate State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert to be the next U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Two administration officials confirmed Trumps plans. A Republican congressional aide said the president was expected to announce his decision by tweet on Friday morning. The officials were not authorized to speak publicly before Trumps announcement. Trump has previously said Nauert was under serious consideration to replace Nikki Haley, who announced in October that she would step down at the end of this year. Trump has been known to change course on staffing decisions in the past. Nauert was a reporter for Fox News Channel before she became State Department spokeswoman under former Secretary Rex Tillerson. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Senate confirms new consumer financial protection chief: Kathy Kraninger, protege of industry-friendly Mick Mulvaney By Jim Puzzanghera The Senate, in a party-line vote Thursday, confirmed White House aide Kathy Kraninger to head the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and experts predicted a continuation of the industry-friendly shift it has taken since President Trump installed an acting director last year. Kraninger is a protege of acting director and White House budget chief Mick Mulvaney, an outspoken critic of the agency that was created in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis to prevent predatory lending and other abuses that led to it. Democrats and consumer advocates have denounced him for sharply departing from the aggressive watchdog role the bureau had pursued under its first director, Obama-appointee Richard Cordray, including scaling back enforcement and moving to reassess tough new rules on payday loans and narrow the definition of abusive practices by banks and other firms. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Shutdown postponed by two weeks under plan approved by Congress By Erik Wasson Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.), shown at the Capitol on Tuesday, says President Trumps border wall is a waste of money. (J. Scott Applewhite / Associated Press) Congress passed a two-week stopgap spending bill that will delay the chance of a partial government shutdown until Dec. 22 as lawmakers and President Donald Trump negotiate over his demands to pay for a wall on the southern border. The House and Senate passed the measure Thursday without dissent, and Trump has indicated hell sign the bill before the current shutdown deadline of midnight Friday. Negotiations were delayed by memorial services this week for former President George H.W. Bush. The temporary measure gives Democrats and Republicans more time to find a resolution to their biggest hurdle: funding a wall on the U.S. Mexico border wall. Trump says he wants $5 billion for parts of a concrete wall on the southern border and is willing to shut down the government if he doesnt get it. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York has said Democrats will provide no more than $1.6 billion for border security, because the wall is a waste of money. The presidents demands for wall funding from Congress come after he said during the campaign that Mexico would pay for it. This week he said on Twitter that a $25 billion border wall would pay for itself in two months, without providing evidence. Most of the U.S. governments $1.2 trillion discretionary budget has been appropriated already by Congress for the fiscal year that began on Oct. 1. Departments at a risk of a partial shutdown late this month include the departments of State, Interior, Agriculture, Commerce, Justice, Treasury and Homeland Security. Talks to resolve the differences have been on hold since a meeting among Trump, Schumer and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of California originally slated for Dec. 4 was postponed due to Bush memorial events. The three are scheduled to meet on Tuesday, according to a person familiar with the matter. Senate Appropriations Chairman Richard Shelby of Alabama told reporters the rest of the seven-bill spending package being negotiated is basically done. Shelby in recent weeks had tried to broker a compromise in which Trumps $5 billion request would be split over two years, but Schumer has rejected that. Some Democrats have been willing to trade border wall funding for deportation protections for young undocumented immigrants. Pelosi ruled out such a deal in remarks to reporters Thursday. The stopgap government funding measure also would extend the National Flood Insurance Program, which provides subsidized coverage for homes in flood-prone areas, to Dec. 21. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Bipartisan Senate group wants to formally blame Saudi crown prince for journalists killing By Karoun Demirjian Saudi Arabias Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the G-20 summit in Buenos Aires. (Associated Press) A bipartisan group of senators filed a resolution Wednesday condemning Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as responsible for the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, directly challenging President Trump to do the same. This resolution -- without equivocation -- definitively states that the crown prince of Saudi Arabia was complicit in the murder of Mr. [Jamal] Khashoggi and has been a wrecking ball to the region jeopardizing our national security interests on multiple fronts, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said in a statement accompanying the release of the resolution. It will be up to Saudi Arabia as to how to deal with this matter. But it is up to the United States to firmly stand for who we are and what we believe. The resolution put forward by Graham and Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), who are expected to lead the Judiciary Committee together next year, comes just one day after CIA Director Gina Haspel briefed leading senators about the details of the agencys assessment that Mohammed ordered and monitored the killing and dismemberment of Khashoggi in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, Turkey. Senators emerged from that closed-door briefing furious not only with Saudi Arabia, but Trump as well for dismissing the heft of the CIAs findings. You have to be willfully blind not to come to the conclusion that this was orchestrated and organized by people under the command of MBS and that he was intricately involved in the demise of Mr. Khashoggi, Graham said following the briefing, referring to Mohammed by his initials. He added that Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo and Defense Secretary James N. Mattis, who briefed senators last week, were at best being good soldiers and at worst were in the pocket of Saudi Arabia for presenting the evidence of Mohammeds involvement as inconclusive. The release of the resolution condemning Mohammed also comes as the Senate is preparing to move ahead with debate on a resolution to curtail U.S. support for the Saudi-led military campaign in Yemen. Though the Yemen resolution does not directly address Khashoggis murder, its popularity is a sign of how strained the United States patience with Saudi Arabia is on multiple fronts, including its role in worsening the civilian cost of the war in Yemen, cited by the United Nations as the worlds worst humanitarian crisis. Last week, the Senate voted 63 to 37 to advance the Yemen resolution past an opening procedural hurdle. But Graham and Feinsteins resolution on the crown prince has the potential of drawing broader support, especially from Republicans, who are deeply divided about how fiercely to punish Saudi Arabia over Khashoggis killing. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), who has been an outspoken advocate for human rights and is seen as one of the more influential foreign policy voices in the GOP, did not vote for the Yemen resolution last week or sign on to a bipartisan measure last month to sanction Saudi officials and cease weapons transfers to the kingdom. But he is an original co-sponsor of the resolution condemning Mohammed over Khashoggis death. So is Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.), who represents the other end of the GOP spectrum in terms of recent Saudi-related votes and endorsements. Young was an initial co-sponsor of the bill Graham wrote with Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) to sanction Saudi officials deemed responsible for Khashoggis killing and stop the sale of anything but exclusively defensive weapons to the kingdom until it ceased hostilities in Yemen. Young also voted to advance the Yemen resolution something Graham did as well, though Graham has signaled he will not be lending any similar support to the measure, fearing it may establish a precedent of invoking the War Powers Act too broadly. Sens. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Chris Coons (D-Del.) are listed as original co-sponsors of the resolution condemning Mohammed, which also urges Saudi Arabia to negotiate with Houthi rebels to end the Yemen war, work out a political solution to its standoff with Qatar and release political prisoners. But how much sway the resolution has probably comes down to how forcefully the administration decides to heed it -- and thus far, Trump has not shown any interest in condemning the crown prince the way the senators hope he will. Demirjian reports for the Washington Post. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Los Angeles County offices and U.S. Postal Service closed Wednesday in honor of George H.W. Bush By Brian Park The Honor Guard carries the casket of former U.S. President George H. W. Bush following his funeral on Dec. 5 in Washington, DC. (Doug Mills - Pool/Getty Images) The U.S. Postal Service will suspend regular mail delivery Wednesday, which President Trump has declared a national day of mourning in honor of former President George H.W. Bush. All retail postal outlets will be closed, and package delivery will be limited. In Los Angeles, all nonessential county departments, offices and libraries will be closed for the day, L.A. County officials said. The Los Angeles County Library said no overdue fines will be assessed for books, and due dates will be moved forward one week. Los Angeles County Department of Public Health offices also are closed Wednesday. The Sheriffs Department, Fire Department, clinics and hospitals will continue to operate, the county said. The Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health clinics are being operated with reduced staffing, and the department asked patients to confirm or reschedule any appointments. All county courts and the disaster recovery centers for the Woolsey fire in Malibu and Agoura Hills will remain open. Larger federal government operations will be closed Wednesday. To honor the life and legacy of President Bush, the Postal Service will observe the National Day of Mourning. Learn how Postal operations will be affected. https://t.co/Mffch7bPCh pic.twitter.com/vG46BsIOpm U.S. Postal Service (@USPS) December 4, 2018 L.A. County offices and libraries will be closed tomorrow (Dec 5) in observance of the #NationalDayOfMourning for President George H. W. Bush. The Countys Disaster Recovery Centers in Malibu & Agoura Hills will remain open from 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. pic.twitter.com/Sv1J7GoJ7T Los Angeles County (@CountyofLA) December 4, 2018 @LAPublicHealth offices will be closed tomorrow December 5 in observance of the national Day of Mourning for President George H. W. Bush. Essential Services including clinics and other services will remain open: https://t.co/tZGoGGHRlg pic.twitter.com/ypXsV6vlYY LA Public Health (@lapublichealth) December 4, 2018 Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick to skip 2020 White House race, sources say By Associated Press Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick speaks during an interview in Boston on Dec. 15, 2014. (Elise Amendola / Associated Press) Former Gov. Deval Patrick of Massachusetts will soon announce he wont launch a 2020 presidential campaign, according to three sources familiar with his plans. They did not say why the Democrat decided against a run. A formal announcement was delayed as the country observed a day of mourning for President George H.W. Bush, one source said. News of Patricks plans was first reported by Politico. Patrick, 62, served two terms as governor, from 2007 to 2015, was assistant attorney general for civil rights in the Clinton administration and since leaving the governors office has been a managing director for Bain Capital. Patrick traveled the country in support of Democratic candidates in the recent midterm election. Earlier this year, some of Patricks supporters and close advisors started the Reason to Believe political action committee, a grassroots organization dedicated to advancing a positive, progressive vision for our nation in 2018 and 2020. Reason to Believe PAC had been holding meetups across the country, including in early presidential primary states. While Patrick is opting against a 2020 run, dozens of Democrats are considering jumping in, including nearly a half-dozen members of the Senate, several House members, and other Massachusetts politicians. On Tuesday, Michael Avenatti, the attorney for adult film star Stormy Daniels and a vocal critic of President Trump, said in a statement that he would run. Patrick had previously expressed some concerns about breaking through if he sought the nomination, telling David Axelrod, a former advisor to President Obama, that he wasnt sure he could stand out in such a large field. Its hard to see how you even get noticed in such a big, broad field without being shrill, sensational or a celebrity, and Im none of those things and Im never going to be any of those things, Patrick said in a September interview with Axelrod. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Former Trump adviser Roger Stone invokes 5th Amendment right and wont testify before Senate Judiciary Committee By Associated Press Roger Stone in 2017. (Joe Raedle / Getty Images) Roger Stone, an associate of President Trump, says he wont provide testimony or documents to the Senate Judiciary Committee. An attorney for Stone said in a letter to Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the committees top Democrat, that Stone was invoking his 5th Amendment right against self-incrimination in refusing to produce documents or appear for an interview. Stone has been entangled in investigations by Congress and special counsel Robert S. Mueller III about whether Trump aides had advance knowledge of Democratic emails published by WikiLeaks during the 2016 election. Stone has not been charged and has said he had no knowledge of the timing or specifics of WikiLeaks plans. In the letter to Feinstein, Stone said the committees requests were far too overbroad, far too overreaching and far too wide-ranging. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Watch live: Vice President Pence and lawmakers honor George H.W. Bush at the U.S. Capitol before he lies in state Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Rebuilding crumbling infrastructure has bipartisan support. But who gets to pay for it? By Jim Puzzanghera The grades for major U.S. infrastructure would give any parent indigestion if they were on a childs report card. Roads: D; bridges: C+; dams: D; ports: C+: railways: B; airports: D; schools: D+; public transit: D-. The nations overall grade: D+, which translates to being in fair to poor condition and mostly below standards with significant deterioration and a strong risk of failure, according to an evaluation last year by the American Society of Civil Engineers. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trump calls former lawyer Michael Cohen a weak person who is lying By Associated Press President Trump says his former lawyer Michael Cohen is lying to get a reduced sentence. The president is reacting to Cohens guilty plea Thursday to lying to Congress about work he did on a Trump real estate project in Russia. During a surprise court hearing, Cohen admitted to lying in testimony to the Senate Intelligence Committee about a plan to build a Trump Tower in Moscow. Cohen in his guilty plea said he made the false statements to be consistent with Trumps political message. Cohens lawyer says he continues to cooperate with special counsel Robert S. Mueller IIIs investigation into Russian election interference and possible coordination with Trump associates. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print As California Republicans confront a congressional wipeout, GOP leader Kevin McCarthy faces a reckoning By Mark Z. Barabak When the House voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act, Kevin McCarthy trooped with other Republican lawmakers to a splashy Rose Garden celebration, smiling alongside President Trump as they celebrated the moment. As majority leader, McCarthy had helped round up the votes to narrowly pass the hard-fought legislation, convincing 13 other California Republicans to go along, even though several faced tough reelection fights. Fewer than half will be returning in January. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print As California Republicans confront a congressional wipeout, GOP leader Kevin McCarthy faces a reckoning By Sarah D. Wire When the House voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act, Kevin McCarthy trooped with other Republican lawmakers to a splashy Rose Garden celebration, smiling alongside President Trump as they celebrated the moment. As majority leader, McCarthy had helped round up the votes to narrowly pass the hard-fought legislation, convincing 13 other California Republicans to go along, even though several faced tough reelection fights. Fewer than half will be returning in January. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Michael Cohen, President Trumps ex-lawyer, pleads guilty to lying to Congress about Trump real estate project in Russia By Associated Press Michael Cohen, President Trumps former personal lawyer, pursued a Russian real estate project on candidate Trumps behalf well into the 2016 campaign, he said Thursday while pleading guilty to lying to Congress. Cohen had previously said that the project was abandoned in January 2016, but he now admits he continued to pursue a deal and says he updated Trump and members of his family about the negotiations, according to a new court document. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement James Comey says acting Atty. Gen. Whitaker may not be the sharpest knife in our drawer By John Wagner Acting Atty. Gen. Matthew Whitaker speaks at the Justice Department in Washington on Nov. 14. (Pablo Martinez Monsivais / Associated Press) Former FBI Director James B. Comey apparently isnt too impressed with the mental prowess of President Trumps acting attorney general. Matthew Whitaker may not be the sharpest knife in our drawer, Comey said during a radio interview on Monday night in which he sized up the man Trump installed this month to replace ousted Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions. Comey was asked by WGBH News in Boston if he thinks Whitaker could derail the investigation of special counsel Robert S. Mueller III into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. Whitaker has spoken critically of the probe, and Trump as recently as Tuesday continues to call it a witch hunt. I think its a worry, but to my mind not a serious worry, Comey said. The institution is too strong, and [Whitaker], frankly, is not strong enough to have that kind of impact. He may not be the sharpest knife in our drawer, but he can see his future and knows that if he acted in an extralegal way, he would go down in history for the wrong reasons, and Im sure he doesnt want that, added Comey, who was fired by Trump last year and later wrote a book that portrays the president as an ego-driven congenital liar. Whitaker, a former U.S. attorney in Iowa, was Sessions chief of staff before being picked by Trump to lead the Justice Department. Trump has called Whitaker a very smart man. Earlier this year, Trump called Comey an untruthful slime ball. Wagner writes for the Washington Post. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Interior Department watchdog clears Zinke in investigation of Utah national monument By Juliet Eilperin Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke, third from the left, and Gov. Jerry Brown tour fire damage in Paradise, Calif., on Nov. 14. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) The Interior Departments Office of Inspector General has cleared Secretary Ryan Zinke in a probe of whether he redrew boundaries of a national monument in Utah to aid the financial interests of a Republican state lawmaker and stalwart supporter of President Trump. In a Nov. 21 letter to Zinkes deputy, David Bernhardt, Deputy Inspector General Mary Kendall wrote that her office found no evidence that the secretary or his aides changed the boundaries of Utahs Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in an effort to help former Utah state representative Mike Noel, who serves as executive director of the Kane County Water Conservancy District. Last December, Trump shrank the monument, first established by President Clinton in 1996, by 46% based on Zinkes recommendation. Noel owns 40 acres that had been surrounded by the monument, but now lies outside its boundaries. The new boundaries also would make it easier to construct the proposed Lake Powell Pipeline, which would deliver water to sites in Kane County that include Noels property. Earlier this year, the Interior Department had proposed selling off 120 acres of federal land from the former monument that lay adjacent to some of Noels land holdings, but later reversed the plan. We found no evidence that Noel influenced the DOIs proposed revisions to the [monuments] boundaries, that Zinke or other DOI staff involved in the project were aware of Noels financial interest in the revised boundaries, or that they gave Noel any preferential treatment in the resulting proposed boundaries, Kendall wrote. Neither the Interior Department nor the inspector generals office would release the actual investigative report. In the letter, Kendall writes that her office will provide the report to Congress no sooner than 31 days from Nov. 21, when it is provided it to Zinkes office. The Associated Press first reported the inspector generals conclusions Monday night, but did not provide details from the report itself. Noel emailed Zinke about the effort to alter Grand Staircase-Escalante, according to emails released by Interior under the Freedom of Informational Act. But those emails do not make references to Noels land holdings. Noel also pushed to rename a Utah highway in honor of Trump, but abandoned that effort in March after some of his fellow Republicans objected to the idea. Noel did not respond to requests for comment Tuesday. The inspector generals office still has at least two ongoing probes of the secretary, including one focused on his real estate dealings in Whitefish, Mont., and another regarding his decision to deny a permit to two Connecticut tribes who were hoping to jointly run a casino after MGM Resorts International lobbied against it. Interior Department spokeswoman Heather Swift welcomed the watchdogs conclusions. The report shows exactly what the secretarys office has known all along that the monument boundaries were adjusted in accordance with all rules, regulations and laws, she said in an email. This report is also the latest example of opponents and special interest groups ginning up fake and misleading stories, only to be proven false after expensive and time consuming inquiries by the IGs office. But Kendalls spokeswoman, Nancy DiPaolo, defended the inquiry, even though she said the report has not been publicly released and we will not be speaking specifically about the matter at this time. The OIG opens investigations based on credible allegations and reports our findings objectively and independently, DiPaolo added. Any time or resources spent investigating conduct or activity that may be a violation of law, regulation or policy is a service to the public, Congress and the Department. Rep. Raul Grijalva of Arizona, the top Democrat on the House Natural Resources Committee, said in a statement that he still intended to investigate the way Zinke and his colleague redrew the boundaries for Grand Staircase-Escalante and another Utah national monument, Bears Ears, next year. I have great respect for the inspector general, and I accept these findings, but Secretary Zinke should have known the people he listened to while destroying our national monuments had disqualifying conflicts of interest, he said. Should I chair the Natural Resources Committee in the next Congress, the process he and President Trump used to destroy Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante will be front and center in our oversight and investigations efforts. We need to know why they ignored overwhelming public expressions of support for both Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante, why they ignored Native American tribes throughout their decision-making, and why they removed protections on parcels of land with known mineral deposits. Eilperin and Rein report for the Washington Post. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump advisor Larry Kudlow says China must do more to end trade war By Jim Puzzanghera Larry Kudlow, President Trumps top economic advisor, said Tuesday that Chinas response to U.S. efforts to rework the two economic superpowers trade relationship has been extremely disappointing but the planned meeting this weekend between the nations leaders is an opportunity for a breakthrough. They have to do more. They must do more, Larry Kudlow, director of the White House National Economic Council, told reporters ahead of a Saturday dinner between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Group of 20 Summit in Argentina. I think the president is exactly right to show strong backbone when prior administrations did not, to break through these Chinese walls, Kudlow said. Theyre so resistant to change. We have to protect the country. We have to protect our technology, our inventiveness, our innovation. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Watch live: White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders holds a media briefing amid tensions at the border By Los Angeles Times Staff Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Democrat TJ Cox grabs lead over Republican David Valadao in nations last remaining undecided House race By Maya Sweedler Democrat TJ Cox slipped past Republican incumbent David Valadao on Monday to take the lead in the countrys sole remaining undecided congressional race, positioning Democrats to pick up their seventh House seat in California and 40th nationwide. Cox, who trailed by nearly 4,400 votes on election night, has steadily gained as ballot counting continues nearly three weeks after the Nov. 6 election, a pattern consistent with the states recent voting history. On Monday, he pulled ahead by 438 votes after Kern County updated its results. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Former CIA director Michael Hayden hospitalized after suffering a stroke By Deanna Paul Then-CIA Director Michael Hayden testifies before a Senate committee in 2008. (Saul Loeb / Getty Images) Former CIA Director and retired Air Force Gen. Michael Hayden has been hospitalized after suffering a stroke, his family said Friday. He is receiving expert medical care for which the family is grateful, according to a statement issued by his namesake organization. The General and his family greatly appreciate the warm wishes and prayers of his friends, colleagues, and supporters. Hayden, 73, served as director of the CIA and National Security Agency during the George W. Bush and Obama administrations. He retired from the CIA in 2009. Hayden has been a vocal critic of Donald Trumps campaign and presidency. Earlier this year, after Trump decided to revoke the security clearance of former CIA director John Brennan, Hayden was one of several former intelligence leaders who signed a statement in opposition. Criticizing the president for crossing a line, he quickly became one of the individuals whose security clearance Trump threatened to review. Deanna Paul writes for the Washington Post. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump tells troops hes thankful for what hes done for the U.S. and rails against courts and migrants By Associated Press President Trump talks with troops via teleconference from his estate in Palm Beach, Fla., on Thanksgiving. (Susan Walsh / Associated Press) President Trump used his Thanksgiving Day call to troops deployed overseas to pat himself on the back and air grievances about the courts, trade and migrants heading to the U.S.-Mexico border. Trumps call, made from his opulent private Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Fla., struck an unusually political tone as he spoke with members of all five branches of the military to wish them happy holidays. Its a disgrace, Trump said of judges who have blocked his attempts to overhaul U.S. immigration law, as he linked his efforts to secure the border with military missions overseas. Trump later threatened to close the U.S. border with Mexico for an undisclosed period of time if his administration determines Mexico has lost control on its side. The call was a uniquely Trump blend of boasting, peppered questions and off-the-cuff observations as his comments veered from venting about slights to praising troops You really are our heroes, he said as club waiters worked to set Thanksgiving dinner tables on the outdoor terrace behind him. It was yet another show of how Trump has dramatically transformed the presidency, erasing the traditional divisions between domestic policy and military matters and efforts to keep the troops clear of politics. You probably see over the news whats happening on our southern border, Trump told one Air Force brigadier general stationed at Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan, adding: I dont have to even ask you. I know what you want to do, you want to make sure that you know who were letting in. Later, Trump asked a U.S. Coast Guard commander about trade, which he noted was a very big subject for him personally. Weve been taken advantage of for many, many years by bad trade deals, Trump told the commander, who sheepishly replied, Mr. President, from our perspective on the water we dont see any issues in terms of trade right now. And throughout, Trump congratulated himself, telling the officers that the country is doing exceptionally well on his watch. I hope that youll take solace in knowing that all of the American families you hold so close to your heart are all doing well, he said. The nations doing well economically, better than anybody in the world. He later told reporters, Nobodys done more for the military than me. Indeed, asked what he was thankful for this Thanksgiving, Trump cited his great family as well as himself. I made a tremendous difference in this country, he said. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trump contradicts CIA assessment that Saudi crown prince ordered Jamal Khashoggi killing By Josh Dawsey | Washington Post (Susan Walsh / Associated Press) President Trump on Thursday contradicted the CIAs assessment that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had ordered the killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, insisting that the agency had feelings but did not firmly place blame for the death. Trump, in defiant remarks to reporters from his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, defended his continued support for Mohammed in the face of a CIA assessment that the crown prince had ordered the killing. He denies it vehemently, Trump said. He said his own conclusion was that maybe he did, maybe he didnt. I hate the crime .... I hate the cover-up. I will tell you this: The crown prince hates it more than I do, Trump said. Asked who should be held accountable for the death of Khashoggi, who was killed at the Saudi Consulate in Turkey, Trump refused to place blame. Maybe the world should be held accountable because the world is a very, very vicious place, the president said. He also seemed to suggest that all U.S. allies were guilty of the same behavior, declaring that if the others were held to the standard that critics have held Saudi Arabia to in recent days, we wouldnt be able to have anyone for an ally. Trumps remarks came after he held a conference call with U.S. military officers overseas, during which he repeatedly praised his administration and sought to draw the officers into discussions of domestic policy. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Former FBI Director James Comey gets subpoena from House Republicans By Bloomberg Former FBI Director James B. Comey said he has received a subpoena from House Republicans, according to a Twitter post on Thursday. Bloomberg News reported last week that Comey would be receiving a subpoena alongside former Atty. Gen. Loretta Lynch as part of continuing probes into their handling of investigations into Hillary Clinton and Russian election meddling, according to a top House Democrat. Happy Thanksgiving. Got a subpoena from House Republicans. Im still happy to sit in the light and answer all questions. But I will resist a closed door thing because Ive seen enough of their selective leaking and distortion. Lets have a hearing and invite everyone to see. James Comey (@Comey) November 22, 2018 Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Republican David Valadaos lead slips to 447 votes over Democrat TJ Cox in still-undecided Central Valley House race By Mark Z. Barabak Rep. David Valadao (R-Hanford), right, finds himself in an increasingly harrowing cliffhanger against Democrat TJ Cox. (Bill Clark / CQ Roll Call) On election night, it looked like Rep. David Valadao had survived a close shave and was destined to return to Washington for his fourth term. But on Wednesday, when Fresno County announced its latest vote totals, the Hanford Republican found himself in an increasingly harrowing cliffhanger against Democrat TJ Cox, with his lead in the Central Valley district shrunken to 447 votes. Thousands remain to be counted. Valadao, a repeated Democratic target, finished election night with a lead of nearly 4,440 votes. Cox, an engineer and a business owner who unsuccessfully ran for Congress in 2006, has steadily gained ground in the 21st Congressional District ever since. The trend is consistent with historic patterns showing Republicans in California tend to vote early and Democrats later, meaning their mail ballots continue to stream in past election day. Under California law, ballots postmarked up to midnight on Nov. 6 will be counted. Democrats have already picked up six House seats in California. They ousted Reps. Dana Rohrabacher, Mimi Walters, Steve Knight and Jeff Denham and won the seats of retiring Reps. Ed Royce and Darrell Issa. All six represented districts that backed Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump in 2016. Valadao was the seventh California Republican in a district Clinton won, though his previous successes he last won reelection by a 14-point margin suggested his ouster was a longer shot for Democrats. If Cox prevails, it would give Democrats a 40-seat gain nationwide, far more than the 23 seats needed to take control when Congress reconvenes in January. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trump says no new punishments against Saudi Arabia in Jamal Khashoggi murder By Eli Stokols In this Oct. 25 photo, candles are lit in front of a photo of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. (Lefteris Pitarakis) President Trump made it clear on Tuesday that he does not intend to punish Saudi Arabia or Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for the murder of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi, an American resident killed by Saudi officials in Turkey in October. In a remarkable statement replete with exclamation points, Trump cast doubt on the CIAs reported conclusions that it has a high degree of confidence that the crown prince ordered Khashoggis murder and sent his closest allies to Saudi Arabias consulate in Istanbul to carry it out. Read MoreThis article has been updated with staff. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Sixteen House Democrats vow to oppose Nancy Pelosi as next speaker By Mike DeBonis | Washington Post House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (J. Scott Applewhite / Associated Press) Sixteen House Democrats said Monday that they will vote to deny Rep. Nancy Pelosi another stint as House speaker, a show of defiance that puts her opponents on the cusp of forcing a seismic leadership shake-up as their party prepares to take the majority. Their pledge to oppose Pelosi (D-San Francisco), both in an internal caucus election and a Jan. 3 floor vote, delivered in a letter sent to Democratic colleagues, comes as Pelosi has marshaled a legion of supporters on and off Capitol Hill to make her case. But her opponents said Monday they are convinced it is time to select a new leader. We are thankful to Leader Pelosi for her years of service to our Country and to our Caucus, they wrote. However, we also recognize that in this recent election, Democrats ran on and won on a message of change. Pelosi has expressed complete confidence that she will retake the speakers gavel in January eight years after she lost it following massive Republican gains in the 2010 midterms and 16 years after she was first elevated to the top Democratic leadership post in the House. Come on in, the waters fine, she said Friday about a potential leadership challenge. The signers might not be able to force Pelosi out themselves. The size of the Democratic majority remains in flux, but Democrats have already won 232 seats, according to the Associated Press, with five races still undecided. All those races have Republican incumbents, but the Democratic challenger is ahead in only one of them. If the leads hold in the uncalled races, Democrats would have won 233 seats, a 16-seat majority. That means Pelosi could lose as many as 15 Democratic votes when she stands for election as speaker on Jan. 3. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Democratic senators sue over Whitakers appointment as acting attorney general By Associated Press Acting U.S. Atty. Gen. Matthew Whitaker (Nicholas Kamm / AFP/Getty Images) Three Senate Democrats filed a lawsuit Monday arguing that Acting Atty. Gen. Matthew Whitakers appointment is unconstitutional and asking a federal judge to remove him. The suit, filed by Sens. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Mazie Hirono of Hawaii and Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, argues that Whitakers appointment violates the Constitution because he has not been confirmed by the Senate. Whitaker was chief of staff to Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions and was elevated to the top job after Sessions was ousted by President Trump on Nov. 7. The Constitutions Appointments Clause requires that the Senate confirm all principal officials before they can serve in their office. The Justice Department released a legal opinion last week that said Whitakers appointment would not violate the clause because he is serving in an acting capacity. The opinion concluded that Whitaker, even without Senate confirmation, may serve in an acting capacity because he has been at the department for more than a year at a sufficiently senior pay level. President Trump is denying senators our constitutional obligation and opportunity to do our job: scrutinizing the nomination of our nations top law enforcement official, Blumenthal said in a statement. The reason is simple: Whitaker would never pass the advice and consent test. In selecting a so-called constitutional nobody and thwarting every senators constitutional duty, Trump leaves us no choice but to seek recourse through the courts. The lawsuit comes days after a Washington lawyer challenged Whitakers appointment in a pending Supreme Court case dealing with gun rights. The attorney, Thomas Goldstein, asked the high court to find that Whitakers appointment is unconstitutional and replace him with Deputy Atty. Gen. Rod Rosenstein. Rosenstein, the second-ranking Justice Department official, has been confirmed by the Senate and had been overseeing special counsel Robert Muellers Russia investigation. Whitaker is now overseeing the investigation. The Justice Department issued a statement Monday defending Whitakers appointment as lawful and said it comports with the Appointments Clause, the Federal Vacancies Reform Act and legal precedent. There are over 160 instances in American history in which non-Senate confirmed persons performed, on a temporary basis, the duties of a Senate-confirmed position, Justice Department spokeswoman Kerri Kupec said. To suggest otherwise is to ignore centuries of practice and precedent. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Gov. Rick Scott says Sen. Bill Nelson concedes Florida Senate race By Associated Press Republican Senate candidate Rick Scott speaks with his wife, Ann, by his side at an election watch party in Naples, Fla., on Nov. 7. (Wilfredo Lee / Associated Press) Floridas Republican Gov. Rick Scott says incumbent Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson called him to concede defeat in their extremely tight race. Scott issued a statement Sunday saying Nelson graciously conceded their Senate race shortly after the states recount ended. The final results show Scott defeated Nelson by just over 10,000 votes out of 8 million cast. Nelson is scheduled to release a videotaped statement later Sunday. The defeat ends Nelsons lengthy political career. The three-term incumbent was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2000. Before that he served six terms in the U.S. House and as state treasurer and insurance commissioner for six years. Scott spent more than $60 million of his own money on ads that portrayed Nelson as out-of-touch and ineffective. Nelson responded by questioning Scotts ethics and saying he would be under the sway of President Trump. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Orange County goes blue, as Democrats complete historic sweep of its seven congressional seats By Michael Finnegan Gil Cisneros defeated Republican Young Kim on Saturday in the last of Orange Countys undecided House races, giving Democrats a clean sweep of the states six most fiercely fought congressional contests and marking an epochal shift in a region long synonymous with political conservatism. With Cisneros victory, Democrats will constitute the entirety of Orange Countys seven-member congressional delegation, the first time since the 1930s that the birthplace of Richard Nixon, home of John Wayne and spiritual center of the Republican Party will have no GOP representative in the House. Sitting back in the 1960s, I would never have believed this would happen, said Stuart K. Spencer, a party strategist who spent more than half a century ushering Republicans, including President Reagan, into office. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Going, going ... with midterm wipeout, California Republican Party drifts closer to irrelevance By Michael Finnegan For a party in freefall the last two decades, California Republicans learned that its possible to plunge even further. The GOP not only lost every statewide office in the midterm election again, in blowout fashion but Democrats reestablished their supermajority in Sacramento, allowing them to legislate however they see fit After major defeats in Orange County and the Central Valley, two longtime strongholds, Republicans will have a significantly smaller footprint on Capitol Hill. (Democrats hold both Senate seats.) When the vote-counting is finished, the GOP may not even have enough lawmakers in Californias 53-member House delegation to field a nine-person softball team. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Congresswoman-elect Katie Porter says she will support Rep. Nancy Pelosi for speaker By Maya Sweedler Democratic Rep.-elect Katie Porter is congratulated by volunteers at her campaign headquarters in Irvine. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) Congresswoman-elect Katie Porter said she plans to support Rep. Nancy Pelosis bid for speaker of the House and will make campaign finance reform her top priority when she enters the chamber in January. Im going to continue to have conversations, but so far I feel like Leader Pelosi is definitely making the things that were a priority to the families that elected me her priorities, including announcing her support for campaign finance reform and anti-corruption as HR1, Porter said in her first public appearance since being declared the winner in Californias 45th Congressional District on Thursday evening. It means a lot to me that she is a Californian. She understands our state, Porter added. When we talk about environmental protections, this is a person who understands as a Californian how fragile our environment is and whats at risk in things like drilling off our coasts. Porter, a law professor at UC Irvine, defeated two-term Republican Rep. Mimi Walters. The 45th District, covering inland Orange County, has never been represented by a Democrat. Porter became the third Democrat to claim a Republican-held seat in Orange County, following the victories of Harley Rouda in the 48th District and Mike Levin in the 49th. A fourth, Gil Cisneros, is running slightly ahead of his Republican opponent in the race for the open seat in the 39th District, which extends into Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties. Porter attributed the massive political shift in the county, for decades a conservative stronghold, to increased levels of political engagement. Folks here care about education, they care about the environment, they believe climate change is real, they want healthcare that protects preexisting conditions, they want a tax system that doesnt punish California, they want our schools and places of worship to be safe from gun violence, she said. Those are the issues we campaigned on, and to the extent that Donald Trump and Mimi Walters were on the wrong side of those issues, the voters have made clear what direction they want us to go. Porter was flying back from the East Coast when her race was called, she said. She turned on her phone to find 167 text messages from friends and supporters. Among them was Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), who was one of Porters teachers in law school and with whom she has remained close. The pair spoke via FaceTime this morning, she said. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Bitter battle for Senate seat in Florida goes to hand recount By Associated Press Employees look through damaged ballots during a recount Thursday in West Palm Beach, Fla. (Wilfredo Lee / Associated Press) Floridas acrimonious battle for the U.S. Senate headed Thursday to a legally required hand recount after an initial review by ballot-counting machines showed Republican Gov. Rick Scott and Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson separated by less than 13,000 votes. But the highly watched contest for governor between Republican Ron DeSantis and Democrat Andrew Gillum appeared to be over, with a machine recount showing DeSantis with a large enough advantage over Gillum to avoid a hand recount in that race. Gillum, who conceded the contest on election night only to retract his concession later, said in a statement that it is not over until every legally casted vote is counted. The recount so far has been fraught with problems. One large Democratic stronghold in South Florida was unable to finish its machine recount by the Thursday deadline due to machines breaking down. A federal judge rejected a request to extend the recount deadline. We gave a heroic effort, said Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections Susan Bucher. If the county had three or four more hours, it would have made the deadline to recount ballots in the Senate race, she said. Meanwhile, election officials in another urban county in the Tampa Bay area decided against turning in the results of their machine recount, which came up with 846 fewer votes than originally counted. Media in South Florida reported that Broward County finished its machine recount but missed the deadline by a few minutes. Counties were ordered last weekend to do a machine recount of three statewide races because the margins were so tight. The next stage is a manual review of ballots that were not counted by machines to see whether there is a way to figure out voter intent. Scott called on Nelson to end the recount battle. Its time for Nelson to respect the will of the voters and graciously bring this process to an end rather than proceed with yet another count of the votes which will yield the same result and bring more embarrassment to the state that we both love and have served, the governor said in a statement. The recount has triggered multiple lawsuits, many of them filed by Nelson and Democrats. The legal battles drew the ire of U.S. District Judge Mark E. Walker, who slammed the state for repeatedly failing to anticipate election problems. He also said the state law on recounts appears to violate the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that decided the presidency in 2000. We have been the laughingstock of the world, election after election, and we chose not to fix this, Walker said during a morning hearing. Walker vented his anger at state lawmakers and Palm Beach County officials, saying they should have made sure they had enough equipment in place to handle this kind of a recount. But he said he could not extend the recount deadline because he did not know when Palm Beach County would finish its work. This court must be able to craft a remedy with knowledge that it will not prove futile, Walker wrote in his ruling turning down the request from Democrats. It cannot do so on this record. This court does not and will not fashion a remedy in the dark. The overarching problem was created by the Florida Legislature, which Walker said passed a recount law that appears to run afoul of the 2000 Bush vs. Gore decision by locking in procedures that do not allow for potential problems. A total of six election-related lawsuits are pending in federal court in Tallahassee as well at least one lawsuit filed in state court. Walker also ordered that voters be given until 5 p.m. Saturday to show a valid identification and fix their ballots if they have not been counted due to mismatched signatures. Republicans appealed the ruling, but an appeals court turned down the request. State officials testified that nearly 4,000 mailed-in ballots were set aside because local officials decided the signatures on the envelopes did not match the signatures on file. If those voters can prove their identity, their votes will be counted and included in final official returns due from each county by noon Sunday. Walker was asked by Democrats to require local officials to provide a list of people whose ballots were rejected. But the judge appointed by President Obama refused the request, calling it inappropriate. Under state law, a hand review is required with races that have a margin of 0.25 percentage points or less. A state website put the unofficial results showing Scott ahead of Nelson by 0.15 percentage points. The margin between DeSantis and Gillum was at 0.41 points. The margin between Scott and Nelson had not changed much in the last few days, conceded Marc Elias, an attorney working for Nelsons campaign. But he said that he expected the vote tally to shrink due to the hand recount and the ruling on signatures. The developments fueled frustrations among Democrats and Republicans alike. Democrats want state officials to do whatever it takes to make sure every eligible vote is counted. Republicans, including President Trump, have argued without evidence that voter fraud threatens to steal races from the GOP. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Democrat Gil Cisneros pulls ahead of Republican Young Kim as more votes are tallied in Orange and San Bernardino counties By Michael Finnegan Congressional candidate Gil Cisneros (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) Democrat Gil Cisneros pulled ahead of Republican Young Kim in one of Californias undecided congressional races Thursday, an ominous sign for a GOP already reeling from its loss of four House seats in the state. In updated vote counts released by the registrars for Orange and San Bernardino counties, Kim fell 941 votes behind Cisneros in the contest to succeed Republican Rep. Ed Royce in Californias 39th Congressional District. The 39th straddles Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Orange counties. In another unresolved House race, Democrat Katie Porter pulled further ahead of Republican incumbent Mimi Walters in the 45th District, which includes Mission Viejo, Tustin, Irvine, Rancho Santa Margarita and Laguna Hills. Porter, a consumer attorney and UC Irvine law professor, is now 6,203 votes ahead. The Nov. 6 midterm election has been devastating to Republicans in California. If Cisneros and Porter win, the party will have lost six of its 14 House seats in the state, essentially a wipeout in every contest that both parties spent heavily to win. The three Republicans already bounced from Congress are Reps. Dana Rohrabacher of Costa Mesa, Steve Knight of Palmdale and Jeff Denham of Turlock in the San Joaquin Valley. Democrat Mike Levin won the seat of retiring GOP Rep. Darrell Issa of Vista in the fourth district flipped so far. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Florida Senate race likely headed to second recount By Associated Press A Palm Beach County Sheriffs deputy walks past boxes of ballots before a recount on Nov. 15 in West Palm Beach, Fla. (Wilfredo Lee) Unofficial Florida election results show that the governors race seems to be settled after a machine recount but the U.S. Senate race is likely headed to a hand recount. Republican Ron DeSantis is virtually assured of winning the nationally watched governors race over Democrat Andrew Gillum. Florida finished a machine recount Thursday that showed Gillum without enough votes to force a manual recount. Unofficial results posted on a state website show the margin between U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson and Gov. Rick Scott is still thin enough to trigger a second review. State law requires a hand recount of races with a margin of 0.25 percentage point or less. Counties have until Sunday to inspect the ballots that did not record a vote when put through the machines. Those ballots are re-examined to see whether the voter skipped the race or marked the ballot in a way that the machines cannot read but can be deciphered. The election will be certified Tuesday. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Pelosi says she has the votes to become the next House speaker By John Wagner Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi speaks during a news conference in Washington on Nov. 14. (Susan Walsh) House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi insisted Thursday that she has the votes to become the chambers speaker despite solid opposition from more than a dozen Democrats who want fresh leadership when the party takes control next year. I have overwhelming support in my caucus to be speaker of the House, the San Francisco lawmaker told reporters. I happen to think at this point, Im the best person for that. A vote within the Democratic caucus is scheduled for Nov. 28. The full House votes on Jan. 3 to elect a new speaker. During her remarks, Pelosi touted the size of the Democratic victory in the midterms, which she called almost a tsunami. With a few races still to be decided, Democrats are poised to pick up close to 40 seats in the chamber. Pelosi called that the biggest victory for the Democrats since 1974, when the Watergate babies came in. Pelosis comments come as she faces solid opposition from at least 17 Democrats, setting the stage for a battle over who will ascend to one of the most powerful positions in Washington. After a campaign in which some Democrats prevailed in competitive districts by promising to oppose her, a coalition of incumbents and newly elected members has denied her a smooth path to the speakership. The defections, if they stand, would leave Pelosi, who has led the Democrats for more than 15 years, several votes short of the 218 she would need when the full House votes for speaker Jan. 3. However, no Democrat has stepped forward to run against her for a job she held from 2007 through 2010. Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-Ohio) told reporters Wednesday that shes being encouraged to stand for speaker if Pelosi doesnt have the votes. In an interview with the Washington Post on Thursday, she said she has been overwhelmed by the support from many of her colleagues for her possible entry into the race for House speaker. Over the last 12 hours, Ive been overwhelmed by the amount of support Ive received, Fudge said, adding that there are probably closer to 30" Democrats who have privately signaled that they are willing to oppose Pelosi. Things could change rapidly, Fudge said. Fudge, 66, a former chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, said she is building a diverse coalition as she mulls a speaker run, talking with allies in the caucus, moderate Democrats and newly elected members. To this point, Pelosi has enjoyed the strong backing of the Congressional Black Caucus. On Thursday, Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Ill.), one of its members, wrote a letter to colleagues praising her insight, fortitude and strategic thinking and urging support for her speakership bid. Former Atty. Gen. Eric H. Holder Jr., an African American who is contemplating a 2020 presidential bid, also voiced support for Pelosi, praising her in a tweet as an architect of the recent midterm success. Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), a leader of the resistance to Pelosi, said during an interview on CNN on Thursday that Fudge is the kind of new leader that we need in this party. Shes in touch with middle America. She understands what the American people want. Shes a next-generation leader that people will look to and say, Thats the future of our party, thats the future of our country, and thats exactly the kind of leader that I want to see as our next speaker. Wagner reports for the Washington Post. The Posts Robert Costa, Erica Werner, Mike DeBonis, Paul Kane and Elise Viebeck contributed to this report. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement GOP Rep. Jeff Denham concedes to Democrat Josh Harder in Central Valley race By Maya Sweedler Rep. Jeff Denham (Bill Clark / CQ Roll Call) Republican Rep. Jeff Denham has conceded to Democrat Josh Harder in the race to represent Californias 10th Congressional District in the San Joaquin Valley. It has been an absolute honor to serve our community and represent the Central Valley in Congress over the past eight years, the 51-year-old congressman said. The enormity of the responsibility was never lost on me. My wife Sonia and I look forward to starting the next chapter of our lives. Harder said he had spoken with Denham and the two were committed to a productive transition. Denham, an Air Force veteran, previously represented the region in the state Senate for eight years and founded a company specializing in plastic packaging used in agriculture. While a member of Congress, he sat on the Transportation and Infrastructure, Veterans Affairs and Agriculture committees. First-time candidate Harder was born and raised in the district. After graduating from Stanford University, he served as vice president of a Silicon Valley venture capital firm. Since moving back, he has been teaching at Modesto Junior College. Denhams House seat is one of four in California that Republicans lost in the Nov. 6 election, with two contests in Orange County still undecided as of Thursday morning. Jeff Denham called me this morning and we had a very productive conversation. I'm honored that I've been chosen to serve our community in Congress, and we're both looking forward to a productive transition that best serves the people of District 10. Josh Harder (@JoshHarder) November 14, 2018 Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Democrat Katie Porter now nearly 3,800 votes ahead of GOP Rep. Mimi Walters By Maya Sweedler Rep. Mimi Walters thanks all of her supporters as she watches election results in Irvine on Nov. 7, 2018. (Alex Gallardo / Associated Press) Democrat Katie Porter opened a 3,797-vote lead Wednesday over Republican Rep. Mimi Walters in Orange Countys 45th Congressional District. In the neighboring 39th, Democrat Gil Cisneros has nearly tied the race against Republican Young Kim. Cisneros now trails Kim by a razor-thin margin of 122 votes. The 39th District straddles Los Angeles, Orange and San Bernardino counties; Wednesdays updated ballot counts came from the latter two. There are more than 202,000 ballots left to count in Orange County, which includes parts of seven congressional districts. The 45th is entirely in inland Orange County. In California, the ballots counted first tend to lean Republican and those tallied later skew Democratic. In the Central Valleys 21st Congressional District, Democratic challenger TJ Cox has pulled within 2 percentage points of Rep. David Valadao, who is serving his third term. The Associated Press had projected a win for Valadao on election night, but his 4,839-vote advantage has shrunk to 2,090. Back in CA-21, Valadao (R) wins a batch of ballots from his stronghold in Kings Co., but by a considerably smaller margin (14 points) than his previous ~30-point margin in the county. We're moving to Lean R from Likely R; today a bit scary for Valadao.https://t.co/WqJVUVkqGW Nate Silver (@NateSilver538) November 15, 2018 A spokesman for Valadao told the Fresno Bee that the changes were expected and that [s]tatistically, David Valadao has won this race. Democrats in California have already flipped four House seats, defeating three Republican incumbents and claiming an open seat previously held by the GOP. Reps. Steve Knight of Palmdale, Dana Rohrabacher of Costa Mesa and Jeff Denham of Turlock have already lost their races, and retiring Rep. Darrell Issas San Diego County seat was claimed by Democrat Mike Levin. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump aide departs West Wing after rebuke from Melania Trump By Associated Press First Lady Melania Trump. (Alain Jocard / AFP-Getty Images) Deputy national security advisor Mira Ricardel is leaving the White House, one day after First Lady Melania Trumps office issued an extraordinary statement calling for her dismissal. No replacement was named. Aides said Ricardel clashed with the first ladys staff over her visit to Africa last month. Yet it is highly unusual for a first lady or her office to weigh in on personnel matters, especially the presidents national security staff. White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Ricardel would have a new role in the administration. On Tuesday, Stephanie Grisham, the first ladys spokeswoman, released a statement saying, It is the position of the Office of the First Lady that she no longer deserves the honor of serving in this White House. President Trumps White House has set records for administration turnover. Ricardel was the third person to hold the post under Trump. An ally of national security advisor John Bolton, Ricardel began her service in the Trump administration as associate director in the White House Office of Presidential Personnel, then moved to the Commerce Department last year. Bolton brought her into the West Wing shortly after taking the job in April. He is traveling in Asia this week alongside Vice President Mike Pence. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Race for House Minority Leader is Kevin McCarthys to lose By Associated Press (Bill Clark / CQ Roll Call) House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy is running to take over next years shrunken caucus in closed-door elections that will set the tone for the new Congress. The race for minority leader is McCarthys to lose Wednesday. But the California Republican, who is an ally of President Trump, must fend off a challenge from conservative Jim Jordan of Ohio. Jordan is a leader of the House Freedom Caucus. The two encountered questions and finger-pointing during a private meeting with lawmakers Tuesday night as the GOP sorted through the midterm defeat that put Democrats in the majority next year. Elections Wednesday will also determine party leadership in the Senate. Voting for the biggest race, Nancy Pelosis bid to return as the Democrats nominee for speaker, is later this month. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Melania Trump calls for the firing of deputy national security advisor By Justin Sink First Lady Melania Trump arrives at the Chateau de Versailles outside Paris on Nov. 11. (Alain Jocard / AFP/Getty Images ) First Lady Melania Trumps office said she wants Mira Ricardel, the deputy national security advisor, ousted from the White House. It is the position of the Office of the First Lady that she no longer deserves the honor of serving in this White House, Trumps spokeswoman, Stephanie Grisham, said in a statement in response to a question about reports the first lady had sought Ricardels removal. Ricardel is the top deputy to national security advisor John Bolton. She drew the first ladys wrath after threatening to withhold National Security Council resources during Melania Trumps trip to Africa last month unless Ricardel was included in her entourage, one person familiar with the matter said. Grishams statement comes as several media outlets have reported that President Trump is considering a broader shakeup of his administration, including ousting Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen. Sink and Jacobs report for Bloomberg. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print CNN sues Trump over the suspension of Jim Acostas White House press credentials By Jim Puzzanghera CNN said Tuesday that it is suing President Trump and other administration officials over the decision to suspend the White House press credentials of correspondent Jim Acosta after a conflict at a news conference last week. The suit, to be filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, escalates an ongoing battle between Trump and the cable news outlet that he frequently accuses of disseminating fake news for its aggressive coverage of him and his administration. The wrongful revocation of these credentials violates CNN and Acostas 1st Amendment rights of freedom of the press, and their 5th Amendment rights to due process, CNN said in a written statement. If left unchallenged, the actions of the White House would create a dangerous chilling effect for any journalist who covers our elected officials. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Maxine Waters to take aim at Wells Fargo and Deutsche Bank as new head of House Financial Services Committee By Jim Puzzanghera Rep. Maxine Waters plans to zero in on two big banks Wells Fargo & Co. and Deutsche Bank when she becomes head of the powerful House Financial Services Committee. The Los Angeles congresswoman, now the committees top Democrat, is widely expected to gain the gavel after her party won control of the House in last weeks elections. While Waters has outlined a wide-ranging agenda, she said her focus on bank oversight will target two large institutions she has been tangling with for a while including one, Deutsche Bank, that spills into her bitter feud with President Trump. With Trump in the White House, I know that our fight for Americas consumers and investors will continue to be challenging. But I am more than up to that fight, Waters wrote in a letter last week to her Democratic colleagues on the committee that was obtained by The Times. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Heres how a controversial voting system will decide a congressional race in Maine By Kurtis Lee For the first time in U.S. history, a controversial voting system known as ranked choice is being used to decide a federal election. Its happening in Maine, which adopted the system in 2016. Rather than marking a single candidate, each voter ranks them all, assigning a first-place vote, a second-place vote and so on down the ballot. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print ACLU files suit to stop Trumps new asylum limits By Associated Press A group of Central American migrants march to the office of the U.N.'s humans rights body in Mexico City on Nov. 8. (Rebecca Blackwell / Associated Press) The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a legal challenge to President Trumps order denying asylum to migrants if they cross the U.S.-Mexico border illegally. The lawsuit was filed Friday in federal court in San Francisco and argues the new rules are against the law. Attorney Lee Gelernt said the regulations will put families in danger. The suit seeks to declare the regulations invalid and wants a judge to stop the rules from going into effect while the litigation is pending. The new rules were spurred in part by caravans of Central American migrants slowly moving north on foot, but officials say they will apply to anyone caught crossing illegally. Officials say about 70,000 people who enter the country illegally claim asylum. The order invoked the same national security powers Trump used to push through his travel ban. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump on new acting AG: I dont know Matt Whitaker By Associated Press President Trump talks with reporters before departing for France on the South Lawn of the White House on Nov. 9. (Evan Vucci / Associated Press) President Trump is moving to distance himself from Matthew Whitaker as he faces criticism over his choice for acting attorney general. Trump told reporters Friday that I dont know Matt Whitaker and said he didnt speak with Whitaker about special counsel Robert Muellers Russia investigation. Whitaker has made public comments critical of Muellers investigation, and critics have called on Whitaker to recuse himself from oversight of the inquiry. Under former Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions, the investigation was overseen by Deputy Atty. Gen. Rod Rosenstein. Of the scrutiny Whitaker is facing, Trump said: Its a shame that no matter who I put in they go after. He also called Whitaker a very highly respected man. Whitaker was Sessions chief of staff before Trump made him Sessions interim replacement. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg out of hospital after fall By Associated Press The Supreme Court says 85-year-old Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is home after being released from the hospital. She had been admitted for treatment and observation after fracturing three ribs in a fall. The court said Ginsburg was released Friday. Supreme Court spokeswoman Kathy Arberg says she is doing well and working from home. The court had previously said the justice fell in her office at the court on Wednesday evening and went to George Washington University Hospital in Washington early Thursday after experiencing discomfort overnight. Ginsburg broke two ribs in a fall in 2012. She had two prior bouts with cancer and had a stent implanted to open a blocked artery in 2014. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Gun-control activist Lucy McBath defeats GOP Rep. Karen Handel in Georgia By Associated Press Lucy McBath speaks during a rally for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams on Nov. 2 at Morehouse College in Atlanta. (Alyssa Pointer / Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP) Democratic gun-control activist Lucy McBath has defeated Republican Rep. Karen Handel of Georgia in a suburban congressional district long considered safe for the GOP. Handel had to seek reelection after winning her seat last year in a close special election race against Democrat Jon Ossoff. McBath became an advocate for stricter gun laws after her son, Jordan Davis, was fatally shot at a Florida gas station in 2012 by a man angry over loud music the teenager and his friends were playing in a car. McBaths margin of victory was narrow enough for Handel to have requested a recount. The Associated Press declared McBath the winner Thursday after Handel conceded. Handel conceded in a statement Thursday morning, stating that after reviewing all of the election data, its clear she came up a bit short in Tuesdays vote. Handel congratulated McBath, offering good thoughts and much prayer for the journey that lies ahead for her. McBath, who is African American, declared victory Wednesday. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg hospitalized after fracturing 3 ribs in fall By Associated Press Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg (Jacquelyn Martin / Associated Press) The Supreme Court says 85-year-old Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg fractured three ribs in a fall in her office at the court and is in the hospital. The court says the justice went to George Washington University Hospital in Washington early Thursday after experiencing discomfort overnight. The court says the fall occurred Wednesday evening. Ginsburg was admitted to the hospital for treatment and observation after tests showed she fractured three ribs. Ginsburg broke two ribs in a fall in 2012. She has had two prior bouts with cancer and had a stent implanted to open a blocked artery in 2014. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print White House suspends press pass of CNNs Jim Acosta after heated exchange with Trump By Associated Press The White House on Wednesday suspended the press pass of CNN correspondent Jim Acosta after he and President Trump had a heated confrontation during a news conference. They began sparring after Acosta asked Trump about the caravan of migrants heading from Latin America to the southern U.S. border. When Acosta tried to follow up with another question, Trump said, Thats enough! and a female White House aide unsuccessfully tried to grab the microphone from Acosta. White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders released a statement accusing Acosta of placing his hands on a young woman just trying to do her job as a White House intern, calling it absolutely unacceptable. The interaction between Acosta and the intern was brief, and Acosta appeared to brush her arm as she reached for the microphone and he tried to hold onto it. Pardon me, maam, he told her. Acosta tweeted that Sanders statement that he put his hands on the aide was a lie. CNN said in a statement that the White House revoked Acostas press pass in retaliation for his challenging questions Wednesday, and the network accused Sanders of lying about Acostas actions. This conduct is absolutely unacceptable. It is also completely disrespectful to the reporters colleagues not to allow them an opportunity to ask a question. President Trump has given the press more access than any President in history. Stephanie Grisham (@PressSec) November 8, 2018 Contrary to CNNs assertions there is no greater demonstration of the Presidents support for a free press than the event he held today. Only they would attack the President for not supporting a free press in the midst of him taking 68 questions from 35 different reporters... Stephanie Grisham (@PressSec) November 8, 2018 As a result of todays incident, the White House is suspending the hard pass of the reporter involved until further notice. Stephanie Grisham (@PressSec) November 8, 2018 Sanders provided fraudulent accusations and cited an incident that never happened. This unprecedented decision is a threat to our democracy and the country deserves better, CNN said. Jim Acosta has our full support. Journalists assigned to cover the White House apply for passes that allow them daily access to press areas in the West Wing. White House staffers decide whether journalists are eligible, though the Secret Service determines whether their applications are approved. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trump spars with reporters at post-election news briefing, ordering several to sit down By Associated Press President Trump assails CNNs Jim Acosta at a White House news conference. President Trump sparred with reporters at his post-election news conference, ordering several to sit down and telling another hes a rude, terrible person. He told another reporter hes not a fan of yours, either. The presidents mood turned sour Wednesday after reporters pressed him on why he referred to a migrant caravan making its way to the U.S. on foot through Mexico as an invasion. Trump ramped up his anti-immigrant rhetoric against the caravan in the final days of the midterm elections. Trump was also pressed on why his campaign aired an ad featuring a Mexican immigrant convicted of killing American police officers and linking the mans actions to the caravan. Several television networks pulled the ad after airing it or declined to air it at all. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Im living one hour at a time at this point By Christine Mai-Duc Republican congressional candidate Young Kim and gubernatorial candidate John Cox campaign in Rowland Heights. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) Republican congressional candidate Young Kim greeted gubernatorial candidate John Coxs giant campaign bus, the words HELP IS ON THE WAY emblazoned across it, as it rolled into the parking lot outside her Rowland Heights field office. Standing beside Cox on Saturday, Kim predicted that a string of GOP victories Tuesday would start with voters repealing the gas tax hike. Can you imagine Gavin Newsom being our governor? Can you imagine Gil Cisneros being your representative? Kim asked the crowd, to loud boos and cries of Nooo! The former state assemblywoman who worked for retiring Rep. Ed Royce (R-Fullerton) is vying for his seat with Democrat Gil Cisneros. She led the crowd in chants of Enough is enough! and, though short-lived, Drain the swamp! Ive served you in Sacramento and Ive seen dysfunction personally, Kim continued. We cannot continue that route. She urged her supporters to stay and help make phone calls or walk neighborhoods. Lets get out there the 72 hours is really critical. Its all going to come down to a few votes, it could be your vote, she said pointing to her left, then pivoting right, it could be your vote. So dont sit back and do nothing. Every night I go to sleep thinking, OK, how many more votes can I get or how many more people can I call tomorrow? Kim said. It can be physically exhausting but Im mentally, emotionally very energized. She listed off her events so far that day and the next one she was heading to. Thats just what I can remember, she said. Im living one hour at a time at this point. Kims campaign invited press to two of her events on Saturday. After she was whisked away to her next event a high tea fundraiser in Walnut, a couple dozen volunteers remained. John Freeman, a statewide field manager for the state Republican Party, tried to pump them up. This is the Super Bowl. Were not in an NFL stadium, were not getting paid millions of dollars, but you know what? Freeman said. Were walking on the field right now. This is that high-stakes-level game. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Its going to be tough out there Democratic candidate Katie Porter speaks to volunteers in Mission Viejo. Jon Bauman, Bowzer from the band Sha Na Na, is in the background. (Victoria Kim / Los Angeles Times ) Judging from the cheers in the crowd, about half those assembled at Katie Porters campaign headquarters in Mission Viejo Sunday morning were old enough to remember 70s rock n roll star Bowzer from the band Sha Na Na. Jon Bauman, as Bowzer is known off stage, said it was her position on senior issues including retirement and social security that has him out supporting Porter over her opponent, incumbent Rep. Mimi Walters. I want you to make sure every phone is called and every door is knocked, he told the crowd of about 80 volunteers. There has never been a more important election. Both Bauman and his nephew, California Democratic Party Chairman Eric Bauman, were interrupted by yells from Trump supporters coming from an adjoining hillside. We love Trump, the voice cried out. We love him too, he makes great fodder, the younger Bauman retorted, before introducing Porter. Porter, a UC Irvine law professor and first-time candidate, acknowledged the uphill battle some of her canvassers might face in this more conservative end of the long-red Orange County district. I know its going to be tough out there, she said, motioning to the hillside. But she said the attacks meant the other side viewed her campaign as a significant threat. This election is going to be close, she said. If we dont fight all the way to the finish line, until 8 oclock on Tuesday, this could slip away. Bowzer then took to a keyboard piano to lead the crowd in a reworded rendition of the song Good Night Sweetheart: Good night, Mimi Walters, he crooned. A woman in a black tank top, jeans and flip flops holding a cup of coffee later joined the crowd with her two sons, 17 and 14, the younger one wearing a Trump 2016 T-shirt. She declined to give her name, saying she was concerned about being attacked, but said she lived up the hill and said she had been the one yelling. She said she was encouraging her sons to talk to people on both sides and make up their own minds. We need to have a government that runs the way government teachers are telling kids its supposed to be run, said the woman, a retired registered dental assistant who voted early for Mimi Walters. Referring to Democrats, she said: Theyve had control over all these years and Californias gone to crap. Among those canvassing was Stacie Campbell, 37, who was at the launch with her husband Jerome and three children, the youngest of whom was 2 months old. Campbell, a Mission Viejo resident who runs a business, had never canvassed or volunteered for campaigns before, and her husband is a French citizen and unable to vote. She said they had been talking to their children the older ones are 5 and 2 about the presidency and the government since Trumps election. Together, they worked on homemade Katie Porter lawn signs and put them up around town. This is the first time its felt like a big deal and there isnt a president up for election, she said. Because her city is a mix of conservatives and liberals her next-door neighbor is an NRA-supporting Republican she the race felt m President Trumps White House physician, Rear Adm. Ronny Jackson, withdrew his nomination to serve as secretary of Veterans Affairs on Thursday, citing the distraction from a string of what he termed completely false and fabricated allegations. While I will forever be grateful for the trust and confidence President Trump has placed in me by giving me this opportunity, I am regretfully withdrawing my nomination to be secretary for the Department of Veterans Affairs, Jackson wrote in a statement released by the White House. The White House said he would remain in his current job, at least for now. Adm. Jackson is a doctor in the United States Navy assigned to the White House and is here at work today, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said. Advertisement Nonetheless, the public airing of charges against Jackson could jeopardize his current position. His case provides another high-profile example of reputation damage done to someone in Trumps orbit. Other examples include Trumps former press secretary, Sean Spicer, who became the butt of jokes, and Michael Flynn, the former national security advisor, who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI. Jackson served three presidents as a White House doctor and drew high praise from both Trump and former President Obama. But he was an unorthodox pick for the VA job, which requires managing a federal bureaucracy of more than 300,000 employees. He had no previous experience in managing a large staff and had no known positions on the policy issues facing the VA. That lack of management expertise had led senators in both parties to question the nomination even before a rash of allegations of misconduct became public this week. Trump, speaking on Fox and Friends, blamed Jacksons withdrawal on obstructionist Democrats angry that his pick for secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, was headed for confirmation. Hes an admiral, highly respected and a real leader, Trump said of Jackson. He would have done a great job. These are all false accusations. These are false, and theyre trying to destroy a man. By the way, I did say Welcome to Washington. Welcome to the swamp. Senators in both parties, however, had decided earlier this week to indefinitely postpone a confirmation hearing for Jackson after a series of witnesses, mostly current and former military personnel, contacted congressional staff members with troubling accounts of Jacksons behavior. Advertisement On both sides of the political aisle, senators also had expressed concern about a lack of proper vetting of the nomination by the White House. Trump picked Jackson in late March after minimal consultation with his staff, and as former colleagues began to come forward in recent days with their accusations, White House officials seemed caught unawares. Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.), the senior Democrat on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, said this week that 23 individuals had contacted the committee with allegations against Jackson that included drunkenness on the job, poor management and over-prescribing of drugs. Most of those leveling the charges were current or former military personnel, Senate aides said. Testers staff released a summary of the allegations earlier this week, including accusations that Jackson had dispensed Percocet, a narcotic, inappropriately and that he had gotten drunk and wrecked a government vehicle at a goodbye party for a Secret Service member. Advertisement Jackson has denied some of the accusations, including the one about wrecking a car. On Thursday, he issued a blanket criticism of his accusers but did not respond to the specifics. Going into this process, I expected tough questions about how to best care for our veterans, but I did not expect to have to dignify baseless and anonymous attacks on my character and integrity, he said. The allegations against me are completely false and fabricated, he added. If they had any merit, I would not have been selected, promoted and entrusted to serve in such a sensitive and important role as physician to three presidents over the past 12 years. Trump made a similar blanket denial in his Fox & Friends comments. Advertisement Theres no proof of this, and he has a perfect record. Hes got this beautiful record, unblemished, Trump said. The president added that he had a replacement candidate in mind: somebody great somebody with political capability. House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) praised two potential candidates who now serve in the House: Rep. Phil Roe, a Tennessee Republican who chairs the Veterans Affairs Committee, and Jeff Miller, a Florida Republican who held that job before Roe. The current acting VA secretary, Robert Wilkie, may also be a candidate, in part because hes already been vetted and confirmed as the Defense Departments personnel chief. Trump took aim at Tester, who is running for reelection this year in a state the president won in 2016. Advertisement I think Jon Tester has to have a big price to pay in Montana, he said. Tester, in a statement, thanked service members who bravely spoke out over the last week, pointing to his constitutional duty to make sure the veterans of this nation get a strong, thoroughly vetted leader who will fight for them. The next secretary must have a commitment to reform a strained healthcare system and a willingness to stand up to special interests who want to privatize the VA, he said. Controversy over conservative efforts to turn more VA functions over to the private sector played a major role in Trumps firing of the previous VA chief, David Shulkin, who opposed that idea. Trump campaigned on improving the VA, which has faced a slew of management problems for years. Advertisement Just hours after Jackson withdrew, Trump held an event at the White House honoring wounded veterans, underscoring the real-world impact the VA has. Surrounded by dozens of disabled veterans, Trump spoke about their unshakable will in the face of hardship and made a sacred commitment. My pledge to you, our noble warriors, is that my administration will support you and your loved ones and your amazing families every single day, now and always, he said. Trump, speaking from a teleprompter, did not mention Jackson. But he paused and raised his voice as he praised Wilkie, a late add to the guest list, for doing a great job over at the VA. Trump also recognized the fourth anniversary of the scandal at a VA hospital in Phoenix that highlighted concerns over patient care and wait times around the country. He emphasized his response, including a measure passed into law that makes it easier to fire employees. He cited his efforts to allow veterans to use more private medical providers which he said would reduce wait times as the next step in his reform efforts. Advertisement We must make sure that this kind of tragedy never, ever happens again, Trump said. Given the immense management challenges at the VA, Jacksons lack of management experience immediately became an issue for his nomination. Concerns on Capitol Hill deepened after senators saw a 2012 inspector generals report detailing unprofessional behaviors, poor morale and a toxic unsustainable atmosphere at the White House medical office. That report may have been as damaging to Jacksons prospects among Republican senators as the more salacious allegations of drinking on the job. In the wake of those allegations, few Republicans on Capitol Hill defended him, with some complaining that the White House had not done enough to answer their questions. Advertisement Sen. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) devoted his morning remarks on the Senate floor Thursday to Democrats slow-walking Trumps nominees, but did not mention Jackson. Ryan said he expected the House might still look into the allegations. I dont know whether these allegations are baseless or not, he said. I wont comment on his nomination, other than the fact that he probably did what he thought was in his best interest, he added. Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), a disabled Iraq war veteran, blamed Trump for creating needless chaos by firing Shulkin. His rash decision to replace Dr. Shulkin with someone so clearly unprepared for the job only made the problem worse, she said. Advertisement House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi called the nomination another example of the culture of corruption, cronyism and incompetence of the Trump administration. Nor did Jackson receive particularly strong support from veterans groups. Disabled American Veterans urged the administration to work with veteran stakeholders to bring forward a well-qualified candidate and praised employees for working on needed reforms despite the lack of permanent leadership. Earlier in the week, Trump said publicly that he did not know why Jackson was putting himself through the stress of the nomination, comments that foretold Thursdays withdrawal. I told Adm. Jackson just a little while ago I said, What do you need this for? Trump said Tuesday. Advertisement On Thursday, he cited his prescience, recounting his conversation with Jackson. I even told him a day or two ago I saw where this is going, Trump said. Follow the latest news of the Trump administration on Essential Washington noah.bierman@latimes.com Advertisement Twitter: @noahbierman UPDATES: 2:50 p.m.: This article was updated with additional reaction. 10:05 a.m.: This article was updated with additional comments by Trump and other details. Advertisement This article was originally published at 5:30 a.m. Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt offered lawmakers little contrition Thursday for questionable spending and management decisions that have plunged his agency into scandal, as he accused critics of fabricating stories about him in an effort to undermine President Trumps agenda. Pruitt spent a tense day on Capitol Hill fielding pointed questions from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle who have grown uncomfortable with mounting allegations against him and his agency. As Pruitt testified in back-to-back budget hearings, at least 10 investigations into reports of ethical lapses and mismanagement at the EPA hung overhead. I, more than anyone, want to establish the hard facts, Pruitt said in an opening statement before a House Energy and Commerce Committee panel. I have nothing to hide. Pruitt admitted that there has been a learning process and vowed to take some corrective action. But he mostly expressed defiance. Advertisement Facts are facts; fiction is fiction, Pruitt said. A lie does not become truth just because it appears on the front page of a newspaper. He accused his critics of twisting a narrative about him to the point that it does not reflect reality. Those attacking the EPA and attacking me do so because they want to derail the presidents agenda, he said. I am simply not going to let that happen. The latest from Washington But with the unflattering headlines piling up, some of Pruitts most steadfast supporters are expressing doubts about whether the hard-charging crusader for deregulation and fossil-fuel interests is still the right man for the job. And the White House is having trouble mustering enthusiasm for its man at the EPA. I am concerned the good progress being made on the policy front is being undercut by allegations about your management of the agency and use of its resources, said Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.), the Energy Committee chairman. These issues are too persistent to ignore. During hours of testimony Thursday, Pruitt repeatedly deflected blame for controversial agency actions that have put his job in jeopardy. He said a $43,000 soundproof office phone booth that was built for him illegally according to the Government Accountability Office was not something he signed off on. Pruitt said he merely had asked his staff to get him access to secure communications. Out of that came a $43,000 expenditure I did not approve, he said. Advertisement Pruitt blamed his chief of staff for large salary hikes given under his authority to two aides from Pruitts home state of Oklahoma, even after the White House rejected the raises. But Pruitt contradicted his earlier public assertion that he had no idea the raises were granted until the media reported on them. I was aware one of those individuals was receiving a raise, he said in response to questioning from Rep. Ryan Costello (R-Pa.). He said he was not aware how big the raise was, or that it was made in defiance of White House guidance. House Democrats, who throughout the hearings admonished Pruitt for ethical failings and called on him to resign, were unimpressed by his explanations. Rep. Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.) pointed to an email from one of the two aides in which she wrote that Pruitt specifically authorized the salary hike. When Pruitt said he hadnt, Tonko responded, Then, I am concerned you have no idea what is going on under your name in your agency. He accused Pruitt of a propensity for grift. Advertisement Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. (D-N.J.) called Pruitt unfit to hold public office. What you have done is generate scandal after scandal, he said. When confronted about them you have repeatedly refused to take accountability. Republicans on the committee proceeded cautiously. Some expressed concern about Pruitts stewardship of tax dollars but tempered their comments with praise for his overturning of Obama-era environmental policies. If you cant debate the polices in Washington, you attack the personalities, Rep. Joe L. Barton (R-Texas) told Pruitt. And that is what is happening to you. Advertisement Republicans are conflicted because Pruitt has been among Trumps most effective Cabinet members, aggressively dismantling clean water and air rules, working from the inside to weaken the authority and power of federal environmental regulators, and rolling back the Obama-era climate policies loathed by the coal and oil industries, with which Pruitt has long aligned himself. Yet Pruitts support even among conservatives has faded. On Wednesday, after a reporter at the White House briefing listed several of Pruitts alleged misdeeds and asked Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders why he still had a job in the administration, she answered with what amounted to a shrug. Were evaluating these concerns, and we expect the EPA administrator to answer for them, and well keep you posted, Sanders said. Several Republican senators said before the hearings that Pruitt needed to explain why he is not, in effect, a creature of the swamp that Trump had vowed to drain. Advertisement Republican Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana complained that Pruitt had hurt the credibility of all of us. Senate Environmental and Public Works Committee Chairman John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), who has resisted pressure from Democrats to hold his own hearings, conceded this week that there continue to be serious questions about whether EPA money is being spent appropriately. Even Pruitts mentor, Sen. James M. Inhofe (R-Okla.), is no longer an unflinching defender he now says he wants answers from Pruitt and has called for Barrasso to hold his own oversight hearing. The list of allegations against the EPA chief is a long one: Pruitt strained at the hearing to explain a discounted housing deal that he arranged in Washington with the wife of a top energy lobbyist; the huge raises; a pattern of flying first-class at taxpayer expense; and the $43,000 phone booth. Advertisement Former staffers have stepped forward to accuse Pruitt of various abuses of power, including requesting sirens and lights to get to a dinner, having the government pay for bulletproof tires on his SUV, and ginning up official events to justify luxury travel around the world and to his home in Oklahoma. Pruitt and his spokespeople have said security concerns justified some of the requests, although they have not produced evidence that he faced threats. Recent reports havent helped Pruitts case. One disclosed that as attorney general of Oklahoma, he bought a lavish home from a telecommunications lobbyist at a fire-sale price using a shell company that concealed his interest. Then came the news that the energy lobbyist whose wife rented Pruitt a bedroom in Washington had brought a client to meet with Pruitt at the EPA despite earlier insistence that no such meeting took place. Advertisement I want to give him every chance, Inhofe said Wednesday when asked by ABC News about Pruitt. But, he added, I am concerned about some of the accusations. Even as Pruitt was finishing his responses to a long list of allegations, a new one arose. The EPAs Office of Inspector General said Pruitts explanation for why he needed to travel first-class and spend so much on security was not accurate. Pruitt had said that a threat assessment written by the inspector general justified the expenses. The inspector general on Thursday denied issuing any such report, saying the document Pruitt cited was a memo drafted by one employee that was improperly leaked. It did not reflect official findings, the inspector general said. Advertisement More stories from Evan Halper evan.halper@latimes.com Follow me: @evanhalper UPDATES: Advertisement 3:30 p.m.: This article was updated with comments from the afternoon hearing and a statement by the EPA inspector general. 9 a.m.: This article was updated with comments from the morning hearing. The article was originally published at 3 a.m. In a rambling, grievance-filled interview, President Trump on Thursday threatened to intervene in the Justice Departments Russia investigation, again derided former FBI Director James B. Comey as a leaker and a liar, and defended allies now under investigation. Trump also used the wide-ranging half-hour phone conversation with the hosts of Fox & Friends to praise his handling of Iran and North Korea, and said his accomplishments as president were unparalleled. I would give myself an A-plus, he said. Yet even in that friendly territory, the focus came back again and again to what Trump called the phony cloud of controversy surrounding him. He flared with anger at the Justice Department, which he said should be investigating his enemies instead of him. Advertisement Im very disappointed in my Justice Department, he said. The FBIs actions in investigating his former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, and his personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, were an absolute disgrace, Trump added, citing particularly the ways federal officials searched for evidence at their homes and offices. Thats not the FBI, thats a fix, he said. He also suggested that his pledge not to intrude on the Russia investigation a vow he has broken many times with verbal suggestions to Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions could be reversed. I have decided that I wont be involved. I may change my mind at some point, because whats going on is a disgrace, he said. The president also perhaps stoked concerns among some members of Congress from both parties that he might try to fire the two men in charge of the Russia probe, Deputy Atty. Gen. Rod Rosenstein and special counsel Robert S. Mueller III. He referred caustically to the witch hunt with people in the Justice Department who shouldnt be there. Trump indicated that he had watched some of CNNs Wednesday night town hall discussion with Comey, whom the president fired last spring and who has resurrected his criticisms of Trump on a book tour for his new memoir. I did a great thing for the American people by firing him, Trump said. Look, Comey is a leaker and hes a liar and not only on this stuff hes been leaking for years. Trump insisted that memos Comey had given a friend recounting conversations with Trump were not only false but classified, a charge the former FBI director has denied. He is guilty of crimes and if we had a Justice Department that was doing their job Trump said before being interrupted by the Fox News hosts, who repeatedly struggled to keep the president on topic. Advertisement Trump also defended Cohen, who said in court papers on Wednesday that he would decline to testify in upcoming proceedings, citing his 5th Amendment right against self-incrimination. The president called him a good person, a great guy who did only a tiny, tiny, little fraction of Trumps legal work. With that, Trump likely caused some shudders among his legal team, by undercutting their argument that Cohen was acting as Trumps lawyer and anything seized in the raids on his property is protected by attorney-client privilege. Indeed, prosecutors in New York quickly cited Trumps remarks to legally counter the Trump teams privilege claim. Theyre looking at something that has to do with his business, Trump said of federal investigators, distinguishing that from Cohens legal work. This doesnt have to do with me. The president did say that Cohen represented him in this crazy Stormy Daniels deal, referring to the $130,000 payment made to an adult film star shortly before the election to silence her allegations that she and Trump had an affair a dozen years ago. Advertisement From what I see, he did absolutely nothing wrong, Trump said of the deal, which Cohen has said was financed by his own home equity loan. There were no campaign funds going in, which would have been a problem. On policy, Trump once again criticized the Iran nuclear deal; he faces a May 12 deadline to decide whether to pull out of the agreement. The topic was prominent in Trumps talks earlier this week with French President Emmanuel Macron, who pleaded with Trump to remain part of the multinational 2015 agreement. He came to recognize, I can say it from my standpoint, he is viewing, I believe, Iran a lot different than he did before he walked into the Oval Office, Trump said of Macron. However, in Macrons address to a joint session of Congress on Wednesday, he outlined additions to the deal to placate Trump, but stood by the agreement and said the United States should, too. Trump called Iran a real problem for this country, but said that he has forced Iran into behaving better than it did under President Obama. Advertisement He also said he was looking forward to meeting with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un. And he mocked people who, he said, expected him to engage in a nuclear war with a country whose leader he has often derided in the past. It was very, very nasty with Little Rocket Man and with the buttons my buttons bigger he said, recounting his tweeted gibes at Kim. Everyone says, This guy is going to get us into nuclear war. Let me tell you: Nuclear war would happen if you had weak people. He also continued to exaggerate Kims promises leading up to the proposed summit. I havent given up anything. I havent even talked about it, he said. They have given up denuclearization, testing, research, [said] were going to close different sites They gave it up before we even asked. Advertisement While North Korea has paused some of its nuclear activities, it has not promised a permanent change, including giving up its nuclear weapons and its vows in the past have proved to be fleeting. The interview came just minutes after Trumps nominee as secretary of Veterans Affairs, White House physician Dr. Ronny Jackson, withdrew under a torrent of allegations about his personal conduct. Trump called the accusations false. Theyre trying to destroy a man, he said, blaming Democrats. Advertisement He took particular umbrage at Sen. Jon Tester of Montana, who released a list of the accusations Wednesday. Trump noted his own popularity in the state where Tester must run for reelection. I think Jon Tester has to have a big price to pay in Montana, he said. In the interview, Trump also touched on topics as diverse as entertainer Kanye Wests support of him Hes got good taste and his wifes 48th birthday on Thursday. I may get in trouble, maybe I didnt get her so much, Trump said of First Lady Melania Trump, citing his busy schedule. I got her a beautiful card and some beautiful flowers. Advertisement He also recited familiar complaints dating to the 2016 campaign, and lashed out at the news media. He recalled the alleged leak of a primary debate question to Hillary Clintons camp by a CNN consultant with such extended vehemence that even Fox anchor Brian Kilmeade sought to calm him down. Dont worry about that, Kilmeade counseled, barely breaking into the presidents long list of grievances. The latest from Washington For more on politics from Cathleen Decker Advertisement cathleen.decker@latimes.com Twitter: @cathleendecker 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. Republicans are on the verge of turning in at least 830,000 signatures for an initiative to repeal the tax increase. Even before they know for sure it will appear on the November ballot, the partys candidates up and down the state already are acting to direct voter anger over higher fuel prices at Democrats who boosted the levies. Advertisement Everybody on the Republican side, at least all my clients, are definitely making this an issue, said David Gilliard, a political consultant representing candidates including Haskin. Its generating a lot of support in their districts, because people are angry about this gas tax and the price of gasoline in California. Democrats say they are not worried, because the gas tax is paying for much-needed road and bridge repairs. The thinking is that President Trumps policy decisions will be a bigger factor for voters. The condition of our infrastructure is an embarrassment that hurts the entire economy of the state, and Californians want it fixed, said John Vigna, a spokesman for the California Democratic Party. Republicans are deluding themselves if they think this is a silver bullet that will save them from the Trump-sized anchor weighing them down. The initiative targets a law approved as SB 1 in April 2017 by the Democratic-controlled Legislature and signed by Gov. Jerry Brown. It is expected to raise $5.4 billion annually for road and bridge repairs and improvements to mass transit. The money comes from a 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. Californians started paying the higher taxes in November, and more are to come. In lieu of gas taxes, electric car owners will pay a $100 annual fee starting in 2020. The repeal ballot measure is a constitutional amendment, and if it passes, it would also require approval by voters of any future gas tax increases. Track the congressional races that will make the difference in California Advertisement (Courtesy Haskin campaign ) Brown said at the time he signed the bill that it was needed to address a backlog of seriously deteriorated roads and bridges in the state. Safe and smooth roads make California a better place to live and strengthen our economy, Brown said then. This legislation will put thousands of people to work. But Republicans are betting big financially that the higher gas tax is an issue that can help them win races in a state where voter registration favors the Democrats and the stakes are high for control of the U.S. House and restoring a Democratic supermajority in the Legislature. Advertisement The California Republican Party has sunk $300,000 into Give Voters A Voice, the campaign committee seeking to qualify the repeal measure for the November ballot. Top Republicans have donated, with House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield giving $400,000. Another $250,000 came from Republican gubernatorial candidate John Cox, and hundreds of thousands more were donated by other GOP congressional candidates. The campaign needs 585,407 signatures of registered voters to qualify the ballot measure and hopes to turn in some 900,000 to county elections officials starting Friday, according to former San Diego City Council member Carl DeMaio, a lead organizer of the effort. 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. Opponents of the tax hikes have suggested transportation projects can be funded by state budget surpluses and by taking away the billions of dollars proposed for a high-speed train project that Tacherra called a boondoggle in his Central Valley campaign speech last week. Advertisement Higher gas taxes mean less take home pay for working families all to pay for more spending by career politicians like Anna Caballero, he said after the event. Caballero did not respond for a request for comment on Tacherras criticism in the race for the senate seat left vacant by Sen. Anthony Cannellas retirement from the upper house. Among others in the contest for the 12th Senate District, Republican Rob Poythress, a member of the Madera County Board of Supervisors, also opposes the gas tax increase. A second Democratic candidate in the race, Daniel Parra, who unsuccessfully ran for Congress in 2016, could not be reached for comment. Sign up for the Essential Politics newsletter Advertisement A spokesman for Brown declined to comment until the signatures are filed, but the governor has made clear he will defend the increases as a necessary investment for Californias future. Opponents of the tax hike are misjudging how concerned and frustrated voters are about the states crumbling infrastructure, according to supporters of SB 1. California voters understand that our roads are a mess, our freeways and major thoroughfares are among the most congested in the nation, and Californians spend too much time stuck in traffic away from family and work, said Michael Quigley, executive director of the California Alliance for Jobs, a coalition of construction industry labor groups and contractors. Republicans are predicting the issue will energize like-minded voters and hurt Democrats who supported the higher taxes. I think this is going to put Democrats in real bad spot, DeMaio said of the repeal initiative. Advertisement 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 levies. 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. Opposition to the new law will grow, he said, as more Californians get their annual vehicle registration notices. The repeal campaign hopes to raise $5 million for the campaign to pass the constitutional amendment. Advertisement 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. Indeed, a coalition of business, civic and labor groups called Fix Our Roads has vowed to spend whatever it takes to defeat the initiative. Were confident the voters of California will opt to protect funding for local transportation improvements by rejecting this ill-conceived measure, Quigley said. patrick.mcgreevy@latimes.com Advertisement Twitter: @mcgreevy99 State officials announced Thursday that $2.4 billion from increases in the gas tax and vehicle fees will be spent on dozens of transit projects, including work to prepare Southern California for the 2028 Summer Olympics. The announcement came just before Republican activists plan to file signatures for a ballot initiative to repeal the increases. An additional $1.9 billion for the projects will come from funds collected by the states landmark climate change program, which requires polluters to buy carbon emission credits, the officials said. The money will go to six Metropolitan Transit Authority expansion projects, including light-rail extensions to Torrance and Montclair, and additional rapid transit service along congested corridors, according to the California State Transportation Agency, which allocated the money. Advertisement Officials said money will also go toward making the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner and Metrolink commuter lines faster and more reliable by improving tracks and signals at locations such as Los Angeles Union Station. In the San Francisco Bay Area, it will help complete the funding for a Bay Area Rapid Transit line to San Jose and the creation of new SamTrans express bus routes along the U.S. 101 corridor. These zero-emission bus and rail projects mean millions of tons less pollution in the air we breathe, Gov. Jerry Brown said in a statement. The money is part of the $5.4 billion expected to be raised annually for road and bridge repairs and mass transit improvements through increases in the gas tax and vehicle fees approved last year by the Legislature and Brown. The rail and transit money announcement was made as Republican activists prepare to file more than 830,000 signatures in an effort to qualify a measure for the November ballot that would repeal the 12-cents-per-gallon gas tax increase, 20-cent diesel fuel excise tax increase and new annual vehicle fees. Brown lobbied lawmakers hard for their votes on the tax measure, SB 1, citing a large backlog of repairs and improvements. But Republican critics and lawmakers who are pushing the ballot initiative said the state could pay for the work by tapping budget surpluses and abandoning the high-speed rail project being pushed by the governor. Republican activists predict the initiative will drive turnout by more conservative voters upset with Democrats for raising the gas tax. The ballot measure drive has received significant funding from the California Republican Party and Republican gubernatorial candidate John Cox, as well as GOP lawmakers such as House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield. Advertisement State officials hope to show voters evidence of progress from the higher taxes and predict the initiative will be rejected. The real-life ways SB 1 benefits drivers and commuters will make their own compelling case, especially where long-needed projects are already underway, said Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Paramount). Local Republican leaders around the state were an important part of the SB 1 coalition, so Im not sure how the more radical members of the party will be reconciling that in their attacks. The transit projects funded Thursday also help the state meet climate and air quality goals, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by more than 32 million tons, said Brian Annis, secretary of the California State Transportation Agency. The funding includes $36 million of the $102-million cost to the city of Los Angeles for 112 zero-emission buses to replace existing propane-powered vehicles and expand the DASH bus fleet so it will run more often and in more areas. Advertisement This month, Los Angeles officials proposed adding 10 routes to the local, shuttle-style bus network, extending service to North Hollywood, Boyle Heights, Canoga Park, Glassell Park and other neighborhoods. Additional buses will help the agency run more evening and weekend service, and decrease wait times to less than 15 minutes during peak hours. Los Angeles successful bid to host the 2028 Summer Olympics touched off an effort to accelerate improvements to mass transit in the region. More than $1 billion in state grants will be matched with local tax revenue to help fund the $5.7-billion plan to extend the Gold Line to Montclair, the Green Line to Torrance, and a rapid bus route between rail stations in North Hollywood and Pasadena, among other projects. This is a good, broad set of projects across the county, said Michael Turner, Metros deputy executive officer for government relations. He said the agency strongly supports the gas tax, which he said is providing a vital infusion to transit, highway and road projects. Advertisement Coverage of California politics The $290 million allocated for the Gold Line will close the estimated funding gap for the $1.5-billion, six-station project from Glendora to Montclair, transportation officials said. Planners had long hoped to extend the Gold Line to Montclair, which is in San Bernardino County, but L.A.s sales tax revenue cannot be spent in other counties. Eventually, the two counties submitted a joint application for the project grant, Turner said. Its the kind of uncommon arrangement that can benefit from state funding programs, he said. Another $874 million will go toward the $2-billion project to provide run-through tracks at Union Station as well as other improvements. The money will improve the frequency and performance of Metrolink services to Moorpark, Santa Clarita, San Bernardino, Riverside and Orange County. Advertisement Another project will increase Pacific Surfliner service to Santa Barbara by five to six round trips. Meanwhile, the staff of the California Transportation Commission on Wednesday released recommendations for competitive grants that would use the gas tax funds for local projects that include relieving traffic in congested freeway corridors. The commission will finalize those grants in May. patrick.mcgreevy@latimes.com Advertisement Twitter: @mcgreevy99 laura.nelson@latimes.com Twitter: @laura_nelson UPDATES: Advertisement 6:15 p.m.: This article was updated with details about route expansions in Los Angeles. This article was originally published at 12:30 p.m. 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. There is one particular way in which California has come to resemble Iowa: the dynamic in the states widely overlooked race for governor. Advertisement With just over five weeks to the June 5 primary, and less than two weeks before voting by mail begins, the contest has turned into a mad dash reminiscent of Iowas presidential caucuses, where the formula for winning, as a popular saying goes, is to organize, organize, organize and get hot at the end. There are, of course, vast differences between Iowa and California with all due respect to his honor, the mayor and not just the winter weather or number of plastic surgeons. The caucuses, the first vote of the presidential contest, are an up-close-and-personal experience. Candidates are expected to campaign in the flesh, preferably early and often, giving voters a chance to interact on an intimate level. (For Donald Trump, this meant giving kids helicopter rides at the Iowa State Fair.) In California 800 miles long, 250 miles wide, population pushing 40 million its possible to spend a lifetime without inhabiting the same ZIP Code as a candidate for governor. A close encounter with a presidential contender might consist of stewing in traffic as his, or her, motorcade comes whizzing past. Indeed, on a recent road trip across the length and breadth of the state, reporters for the L.A. Times conducted more than 125 random interviews and, lo, the overwhelming majority of residents had little or no clue as to who was seeking the states top job. Most couldnt even name a single candidate. Joe Vega, a 45-year-old television producer from Venice, was typical. Since Trump got elected, I havent been in tune as much with the news, said the self-described independent as he enjoyed a Sunday lunch in Santa Monica. Its too absurd whats going on. The way most voters get to know candidates running statewide is through the glossy mailers they send, or in the 30- to 60-second dollops they appear on TV, computer monitors or smartphone screens; another old political saying holds that a political rally in California consists of three people gathered around a television set. Which means that for most Californians the race for governor is just starting, as the first widely broadcast commercials emergent like the first shoots of spring, but much less lovely begin to fill the airwaves. Advertisement As it stands, the race appears to be a contest between Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, the Democratic front-runner, and the remainder of the field vying to win one of two top-finishing slots. (A brief refresher: Under Californias primary system, first put in effect in 2012, the two candidates receiving the most votes will advance to a November runoff, regardless of their political parties.) On the Democratic side, the leading contenders are former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, state Treasurer John Chiang and former state schools superintendent Delaine Eastin. Among Republicans, the two major candidates are businessman John Cox and state Assemblyman Travis Allen of Huntington Beach. Newsom enjoys certain inherent advantages, not least his pedigree as a former San Francisco mayor; the Bay Area, which is far more politically cohesive than Southern California, routinely favors its homegrown candidates. But theres enough history to hold out the prospect of a surprise, or two. Advertisement In 1990, another ex-San Francisco mayor, Dianne Feinstein, was flailing in her bid for governor. (Things got so bad the candidate was fired by her campaign manager.) Then a grab-em-by-the-throat TV spot, opening with Feinsteins anguished announcement of the 1978 assassinations of Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk, helped her vault past the front-running John Van de Kamp to capture the Democratic nomination. Although Feinstein eventually lost the contest to Republican Pete Wilson, that race made her a shoo-in two years later for the U.S. Senate seat she still holds today. In 1998, then-Lt. Gov. Gray Davis, underfunded and charismatic as a plate of vanilla wafers, lagged far back in the polls against two big-spending millionaires, fellow Democrats Al Checchi and Jane Harman. The front-runners savaged one another, clearing the way for Davis to surge in the last weeks of the campaign, win the nomination and, ultimately, the governors office. Advertisement With so many undecided not to mention inattentive voters, this years gubernatorial contest remains far from settled. Whoever advances on June 5 may do so taking a page from the Iowa political playbook and giving it a California twist: Advertise, advertise, advertise and get hot at the end. mark.barabak@latimes.com @markzbarabak on Twitter ALSO Advertisement He struck out at baseball, but made it big in politics. Now hes returned to his first love Why the rise of the independent voter is a political myth Tom Steyer has gathered more than 3 million signatures to impeach Trump. Why are Democrats so annoyed? 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. The data come from the CDCs Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network. ADDM researchers pore over medical reports from pediatric clinics, neurologists, child psychologists, speech pathologists and physical therapists, as well as records of special education services provided through public schools. Advertisement The report for 2014 focused on 42,644 children in 11 states (Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, Tennessee and Wisconsin). Researchers determined that 5,473 of these kids met the definition for an autism spectrum disorder. Since the data come from select sites where researchers are able to conduct a thorough analysis, the findings are not necessarily representative of the nation as a whole. But experts value them because they are more comprehensive than the results from other surveys that rely on interviews with parents. The new study appears in Fridays edition of the CDCs Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Heres a summary of the findings: ASD prevalence is still increasing Out of every 1,000 8-year-olds in the ADDM study, 16.8 had an autism spectrum disorder. That works out to 1 in 59 kids included in the analysis for 2014, or 1.7%. Those figures represent a slight increase from the previous ADDM report, which found that 1 in 68 8-year-olds had ASD in 2012. Six of the 11 sites in the new study also participated in the last one. In these states, the prevalence of ASD was 20% higher in 2014 than it was in 2012. Back in 2000, when the first ADDM study began, only 1 out of every 150 8-year-olds was identified with ASD. ASD is far more common among boys than girls The prevalence of autism spectrum disorders for boys (26.6 cases per 1,000 boys) was four times higher than for girls (6.6 cases per 1,000 girls). Advertisement This gender gap was seen in each of the 11 study areas, though the magnitude varied by state. In Arizona, the prevalence for boys was 3.2 times higher than for girls. At the other end of the spectrum was Georgia, where it was 4.9 times higher for boys than for girls. ASD prevalence varies by state Autism spectrum disorders were most common in New Jersey, where researchers identified 29.3 cases for every 1,000 8-year-olds. Minnesota came in second, with 24 cases per 1,000 kids. The state with the lowest prevalence in the study was Arkansas, with 13.1 cases per 1,000 8-year-olds. Four other states were close to that mark: Colorado (13.9 per 1,000), Arizona (14 per 1,000), Missouri (14.1 per 1,000) and Wisconsin (14.1 per 1,000). Racial gaps remain White children were still the most likely to meet the definition for ASD. In the 11 states combined, 17.2 of every 1,000 white 8-year-olds had the disorder, compared with 16 of every 1,000 black children, 14 of every 1,000 Latino children and 13.5 of every 1,000 Asian and Pacific Islander children. Advertisement Racial disparities between white and black children were statistically significant in three states (Arkansas, Missouri and Wisconsin). Racial disparities between white and Latino children were statistically significant in seven states (Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Missouri, North Carolina and Tennessee). New Jersey, the state where ASD was most common, had almost no difference in prevalence for white, black and Latino children, the study authors noted. For all three groups, the prevalence ranged from 26.8 to 30.2 cases per 1,000 children differences that were too small to be statistically significant. The researchers took this as a sign that when the accounting of ASD is more complete, differences between groups will either narrow or disappear altogether. That should help make ASD therapies and services available to all children who need them, they added. Disparities in intellectual ability Nine of the sites examined data on childrens intellectual ability. This revealed that 31% of the 8-year-olds with ASD had an IQ less than or equal to 70, which qualified them as having an intellectual disability. An additional 25% were in the borderline range (with an IQ between 71 and 85), and 44% had average or above-average intelligence. Advertisement Overall, girls with ASD were more likely than boys to be categorized as intellectually disabled, while boys were more likely than girls to find themselves in the average or above-average range. Among the 8-year-olds with ASD, 22% of white children, 35% of Latino children and 44% of black children had an IQ at or below 70. True prevalence may be higher Some records that researchers looked for could not be found. If they had been included in the analysis, the study authors estimate that the prevalence of ASD would have been nearly 20% higher in Arkansas and Tennessee, about 8% higher in Maryland and up to 5% higher in Colorado, Missouri, New Jersey and North Carolina. Changing definition of ASD Psychiatrists officially changed the definition of autism spectrum disorder when they rewrote the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders in 2013. Researchers applied the new criteria to a subset of the children in the study, along with the older criteria they had been using since 2000. Advertisement The new definition is likely to translate into fewer cases of ASD, the study authors wrote. For instance, estimates based on the new criteria were about 3% lower for boys and 6% lower for girls. They also were 3% lower for white and black children, 5% lower for Asian children and 8% lower for Latino children. karen.kaplan@latimes.com Follow me on Twitter @LATkarenkaplan and like Los Angeles Times Science & Health on Facebook. MORE IN SCIENCE Advertisement For firefighters who worked in World Trade Center rubble, the future includes a heightened risk of cancer Scientists have a promising new approach for treating drug-resistant tuberculosis A pileup of 14 distant galaxies is set to become the most massive structure in the universe Its been nearly 16 years since cleanup work officially ended at New York Citys ground zero, but the health effects for rescue and recovery workers are still making themselves known. Two studies published Thursday in the journal JAMA Oncology suggest that the firefighters who came to lower Manhattan after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center face a heightened risk of cancer and will continue to do so for years to come. From the time that airliners flew into the twin towers through the months it took to remove the wreckage, ground zero was replete with substances that are either known or suspected carcinogens. Dust from the collapsed buildings, smoke from smoldering fires and exhaust from heavy equipment put workers in contact with asbestos, glass fibers, lead, dioxins, PCB (polychlorinated biphenyl), PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) and other hazards. Researchers have been tracking people who spent time at the site, including thousands of the New York City firefighters and EMS workers who are part of the World Trade Center Health Program. In the first decade after the attacks, 697 cancers were diagnosed among 15,507 participants. Advertisement In all likelihood, some of those cancers would have been diagnosed if the Sept. 11 attacks had never happened. But not all of them. To see how many could be traced to ground zero exposure, a team from the FDNYs Bureau of Health Services and Office of Medical Affairs compared data on firefighters who worked at the site with data from a cancer registry of New York residents. To simplify the analysis, the researchers focused on white men. Based on their actual cancer incidence through the end of 2011, the 12,374 firefighters were on track to be diagnosed with 2,714 cancers between the start of 2012 and the end of 2031, the researchers found. However, if those same firefighters got cancer at the same rate as other white men in New York City, they would expect to be diagnosed with only 2,596 cancers during that 20-year period. Firefighters among the ruins of the World Trade Center a month after the 2001 attacks. (Stan Honda / Associated Press ) That difference 118 additional cancers was too large to be due to chance, said Rachel Zeig-Owens, director of epidemiology for the FDNYs WTC Health Program, who led the study with Dr. David Prezant, the Fire Departments chief medical officer. Three types of cancer appeared to fuel this increase, the research team found. They calculated that this cohort of firefighters would be diagnosed with 574 extra cases of prostate cancer, 16 excess cases of thyroid cancer and 70 additional cases of melanoma over the 20-year period. However, cases of several other kinds of cancer were projected to be lower for the firefighters than for the general public. Cancers of the prostate and thyroid are more likely to be diagnosed in patients who get more frequent screenings, and the people who worked at the WTC site may be more likely to be screened because researchers are tracking them. When the study authors accounted for that potential source of bias, they found that the total number of cancers expected to be diagnosed in white male firefighters who worked at the WTC site was not significantly higher than for other white male New Yorkers. However, the firefighters still faced a greater risk of prostate cancer, with 408 additional cases expected to be diagnosed over 20 years. Advertisement The study authors warned against extrapolating their findings to other people who were exposed to toxins and carcinogens at ground zero. The firefighters may have a different baseline cancer risk due to the nature of their jobs, they wrote. On the flip side, since their work is physically demanding, they may have been in better health than other New Yorkers at the time of the attack. Either way, the researchers said firefighters and others who put their health on the line should be required to use appropriate protective equipment. They also called for limits on the amount of time workers can spend at disaster sites. Firefighters at the World Trade Center. (Shawn Baldwin / Associated Press ) A second study focused on a single type of cancer: multiple myeloma. As of July 1, 2017, 16 white male firefighters who worked at ground zero were diagnosed with this cancer, which affects plasma cells in the bone marrow. Advertisement Although 16 cases may not sound like very many, the study authors were struck by certain features of these patients. The youngest of them was only 38 years old when diagnosed with the disease, and the oldest was 76. The median age for the group was 57 12 years younger than for the United States as a whole. Seven firefighters had their bone marrow tested for a tumor marker called CD20 that is associated with a poorer prognosis, the study authors wrote. Five of them or 71% tested positive. In a more typical population, only about 20% of multiple myeloma patients would have this marker. The researchers also screened 781 white male firefighters who worked at the WTC site to see if they had early signs of multiple myeloma. Sure enough, these men were about 80% more likely to have the precursor disease than those in a comparison population of white men from Minnesota who were previously screened for the condition. Advertisement Whats more, the firefighters were disproportionately likely to have a type of this disease that was also more common among veterans who were exposed to the cancer-causing chemical defoliant known as Agent Orange, the study authors noted. Working at ground zero was almost certainly hazardous to ones health. But proving that it caused cancer, especially in a particular person, is easier said that done, according to Dr. Otis W. Brawley, the chief medical and scientific officer for the American Cancer Society. When these WTC heroes are diagnosed as having a cancer, even a cancer common in the population, there is a natural tendency to assume it is due to their service at the WTC, Brawley wrote in an editorial that accompanies both studies. But that might not be the case, he wrote. Advertisement A combination of factors including the relatively small number of people who worked at the site, the relatively short period of time since the exposure occurred, and the relatively low incidence of some of these cancers in the general population make it hard to find a definitive signal. The WTC attack is an emotional subject. Cancer is also an emotional subject, Brawley wrote. Perhaps this issue is beyond the limits of science. karen.kaplan@latimes.com Follow me on Twitter @LATkarenkaplan and like Los Angeles Times Science & Health on Facebook. Advertisement MORE IN SCIENCE Scientists have a promising new approach for treating drug-resistant tuberculosis A pileup of 14 distant galaxies is set to become the most massive structure in the universe In human cells, scientists find DNA that looks like a twisted knot instead of a double helix After clawing for seven years over the same turf, Southern Californias two large public television stations KCET and KOCE are merging to become a stronger voice in local broadcasting. The consolidation, announced Wednesday, will bring together two nonprofit organizations with separate strengths and programming philosophies. For the record: An earlier version of this story incorrectly said KCET was the second educational television station to go on the air. KCET was among the first educational television stations in the country but it was not the second. KCETLink Media Group, which runs the Los Angeles station, has long enjoyed a prominent profile in the community, but its 2010 decision to sever ties with the national Public Broadcasting Service proved to be a costly blunder. Orange Countys KOCE-TV picked up the PBS affiliation and its award-winning programming and branded itself as PBS SoCal. But over the years, it, too, has struggled to win acceptance and prime channel locations from pay-TV operators that would enhance its exposure and fundraising might. Both stations have been hampered by lingering confusion in the market about their roles and programming. This merger has been in the works for many, many years, said Dick Cook, chairman of KCETs board, who will become chairman of the combined entity when the deal closes this summer. There is a time and a place for everything, and this is the time, the right moment, for these two great institutions to come together. The Corp. for Public Broadcasting, which allocates federal dollars to public stations, long had prodded the two stations to unite. That goal made even more sense in an era in which President Trump and some members of Congress have threatened to slash funding for public broadcasting. Merger talks began three years ago but were put on hold because of the Federal Communications Commissions spectrum auction last year. More than half of the $19.8 billion generated in the auction went to broadcasters that were willing to relinquish some of their spectrum. KCET, based in Burbank, received about $65 million from the auction, while KOCE collected about $49 million. That money allowed the organizations to fortify their finances and establish endowments for programming. That provided a unique opportunity to pay off existing debt and get on a more solid financial footing, said Cook, a former Walt Disney Studios chairman. It was very important to build a strong financial foundation. The two stations will fold together their separate assets, with neither side making any payments to the other, the officials said. Andrew Russell, president and chief executive of PBS SoCal (KOCE) will run the combined entity, which will have about 130 employees. No layoffs are immediately planned. KCET has been without a chief executive since February, when Michael Riley joined Ellen DeGeneres company. The proposed marriage comes amid a period of frenzied consolidation in commercial television. CBS Corp. and Viacom Inc. are pondering a tie-up; Walt Disney Co. has made a $52.4-billion bid to swallow much of Rupert Murdochs 21st Century Fox; and telecommunications giant AT&T Inc. has been on an 18-month quest to buy Time Warner Inc., which includes CNN, HBO, TBS, Cartoon Network and the Warner Bros. film and television studio. TV station chains have been consolidating, too. Thats because local television stations, even those affiliated with big broadcast networks, are facing headwinds as advertisers move their dollars to digital media in search of younger viewers and more-targeted consumers. Also making headlines has been the conservative-leaning Sinclair Broadcast Group, a Maryland company that already owns more than 190 stations and is seeking regulatory approval to buy Tribune Media, which owns one of Los Angeles original television stations KTLA-TV Channel 5. (The Times and KTLA were part of the same company until a 2014 separation.) Such ownership changes, centralized decision-making and viewership shifts, including the rise of online streaming services, have prompted organizations including KCET and KOCE to take stock of their missions and roles in a fast-changing environment. We are building something for future generations, Cook said. And the demand for high-quality storytelling has never been greater or more important. KCET and PBS SoCal will remain separate channels available to 18 million residents of metropolitan Los Angeles and will continue to offer different types of programming. The combined company will operate seven broadcast channels, including the free PBS Kids and digital channels. This is a merger where there is not a lot of overlap, Russell said. There are a lot of complementary strengths. We are excited about bringing both stations together and continuing to bring all the programming that people love. KCET launched in September 1964 and was once a model in public television. For decades, it was part of a core cluster of over-the-air stations in L.A. But after cutting ties with PBS, following a dispute over the fees that KCET had to pay for programming, there were fears that KCET might go out of business. In 2011, the station sold its landmark property more than 4 acres on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood to the Church of Scientology for an undisclosed sum. But over time, KCET made the most of its independence and developed its own streaming service. It also began producing in-depth original programs that filled a niche that was all but abandoned by commercial stations. Last year, for example, KCET produced 54 hours of original content, which the station said boosted its ratings compared with 2016. Fan favorites include KCETs award-winning SoCal Connected, weekly prime-time newsmagazine. KCET continues to get mileage from the late Huell Howsers jaunts around the Golden State. KOCE began broadcasting in November 1972 from Huntington Beach. The station, which was formed by the Coast Community College District, was proud of its Orange County roots at a time when commercial stations were concentrated in Los Angeles, Hollywood and Burbank. The stations worldview expanded in 2011 when KOCE became the PBS station for Greater Los Angeles and changed its name to PBS SoCal. Almost immediately, the station soared to new heights with the popular Downton Abbey. It also runs PBS NewsHour and Frontline. Its been quite a journey, Russell said. Weve seen great membership growth, and our strength continues to be community service and education. A 32-person board will oversee the combined entity. It will be composed of 14 members from KCET, 14 members representing KOCE and four new appointees. The two sides said the name of the combined entity will be announced when the merger closes, most likely in July. meg.james@latimes.com @MegJamesLAT With the Legislature recently passing Senate Bill 54, it has become increasingly important to speak up on issues regarding the publics safety. Many cities have been taking different approaches, anywhere from resolutions, to lawsuits, to ordinances, and all have different impacts. But the need to take action on this important issue is clear. Back in 2006 I pushed for an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent to be in our jail to screen arrestees for their immigration status. As a result we turned over to ICE 1,300 undocumented immigrants who were charged with committing crimes in Costa Mesa. These were serious crimes like burglary, robbery, drug offenses, sex offenses, weapons charges, etc. During that time other cities and politicians largely took no action on the issue. In 2010 I put a resolution forward to make Costa Mesa a rule of law city the first in the country to make such a declaration. Again, other cities and politicians were mostly silent. I am glad to see them finally catching on and bringing the issue forward for their councils to vote on. I have requested that our City Council take up this issue at our first meeting in May. But dont hold your breath on the outcome. A couple of months ago I put forward a letter opposing SB 54, the sanctuary state bill, but it was voted down 3-2 by the council majority. I have complete respect for legal immigration, as both of my parents immigrated to this country legally, and I am a first-generation American. We all take an oath of office to uphold our laws and the people in our city deserve no less. ALLAN MANSOOR is a member of the Costa Mesa City Council. The biggest sailing week in Newport Beach is here as the Newport to Ensenada International Yacht Race approaches. Actually, three races the classic 125-nautical-mile N2E from Newport to Ensenada, Mexico; the Border Run race to San Diego; and a sprint to Dana Point for young sailors in smaller boats will set off Friday near the Balboa Pier, starting with N2E at 11 a.m. This is the first year for the expanded program. The Newport Ocean Sailing Assn., which puts on N2E, merged with the Border Run late last year and added the short course for high school and collegiate racers in an effort to increase regatta participation. The Newport to Ensenada race has been a local sailing institution since 1948, but participation has dwindled in recent years. In 2008 there were 388 entries, then 272 in 2009, 212 in 2016 and about 185 in 2017. This year, 193 boats are entered. The Border Run, established in 2009, also has seen shrinking fields. New this year: NOSA has partnered with YB Tracking to enable sailors friends and fans to follow the boats via satellite as they make their way south. NOSA will provide a link to the tracker on its website, nosa.org, and will show a live drone feed of the start on its Facebook page, facebook.com/NewportToEnsenada. Annual pre-race festivities this week include the Skippers Luncheon on Wednesday at the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club; the Skippers VIP Reception, which raises funds for Ensenada charities, on Wednesday evening at Sterling BMWs Newport Beach showroom; the Mayors Reception on Thursday evening, with Newport Beach Mayor Marshall Duffy Duffield welcoming Mexican dignitaries at the Marriott Bayview hotel; and the Sail Away Party on Thursday night at the American Legion Yacht Club. hillary.davis@latimes.com Twitter: @Daily_PilotHD Newport Beach is dropping its attempt to form a port master plan intended to give the city more direct control over some types of development in Newport Harbor after the California Coastal Commission cast a disapproving eye on the proposal. The City Council voted 4-1 on Tuesday night, with member Scott Peotter dissenting, to abandon the effort. Instead, the council may consider other plans to manage small in-water projects such as dock rebuilds and minor dredging. Councilman Jeff Herdman was absent Tuesday, and Mayor Marshall Duffy Duffield recused himself because of his business interests in the harbor. Don Schmitz, the lobbyist the city retained as its advocate to the Coastal Commission, gave the council an optimistic yet frank assessment of the commissions recent reaction to the first step in the port plan process: a proposed amendment to the California Coastal Act to legally designate Newport Harbor as a port. I believe that their position is pretty much galvanized in opposition, Schmitz said. I think one of the things thats very telling at this point, both in the staff report and in the comments of several commissioners, was that they are bridling over what is seen as an usurpation of their authority and their jurisdiction. The city would want substantive amendments to Assembly Bill 1196, a state bill that would grant Newport Beach port status, showing the city had listened to the commissions concerns, Schmitz said. He suggested highlighting Newports size and economic importance as setting it apart from other municipal harbors and narrowing the focus with assurance that the harbor would not become an industrial port. Schmitz said development of Newports Sunset Ridge Park, Marina Park and eelgrass management plan also initially were hard sells with the state, but now the city has all three. When Newport Beach has prevailed, it has prevailed because it has been highly professional, it has brought good arguments and sound compromises to the table and eventually won over the Coastal Commission and the staff, he said. The commission voted 9-3 on April 12 to oppose AB 1196 by Assemblyman Matthew Harper (R-Huntington Beach), which would amend the Coastal Act to designate Newports largely recreational harbor as a port and put it among the likes of the deepwater industrial ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach, Hueneme and San Diego. Opponents say the port label simply isnt appropriate for Newport Beach. Observers even laughed a couple of times during the commission meeting when staff and commissioners said as much. The plan would allow Newport to issue state-sanctioned permits for small in-water harbor projects much like it handles development on land close to shore through its Coastal Commission-granted local coastal program. Councilwoman Diane Dixon liked some aspects of the port plan, such as local control, but said there are too many unknowns, plus the risk of damaging the citys relationship with the commission. Are we willing to put that at risk and put a finger in the eye of the Coastal Commission and say, We know more than you, and this is the most important improvement that we want to make? she said. Dixon suggested studying alternatives in a few months. Those could include a public works plan and a master permit for docks to streamline the permitting process. City Manager Dave Kiff said the port master plan would give the city more flexibility and control but added that a public works plan and master permit for docks dont require amending the Coastal Act. The Coastal Commissions vote doesnt directly affect the outcome for AB 1196 in the state Legislature. But commission legislative analyst Sarah Christie, the key staff member in opposition, has a lot of influence in the Legislature, Kiff said, and hes not sure the bill could overcome that. Peotter, who traveled to the commission meeting in Redondo Beach to try to sell the port plan, said the roadblock was frustrating. He sought to forge ahead at least until the June state Senate hearings for AB 1196, but his motion died for lack of a second. A lot of the docks that I see out there are in disrepair, Peotter said. Its not like were going broke and Newport Beach is falling apart. But the harbor is probably our most valuable asset in the city and a lot of dock owners arent maintaining their docks at the level they probably would if it wasnt for the permits, red tape and cost to actually get permission to do the work. hillary.davis@latimes.com Twitter: @Daily_PilotHD An electrode-rigged helmet on her head, 81-year-old Jean Hedrick stared intently at three LED lights as they alternated on and off. A robotic arm slowly started to move. The Mind-Controlled Robotic Arm is one of four prototypes a group of residents at the Morningside of Fullerton retirement community were able to learn about and test through a live demonstration on April 12 from the Cal State Fullerton Bio-Electric Signal Based Systems Laboratory. I thought it was exciting just really neat, Hedrick said. That technology was way advanced from anything Ive ever heard or seen. The program, a partnership between the retirement community and the Cal State Fullerton laboratory, was aimed at educating senior citizens about technology that could be available to them in the not-too-distant future, as well as allow laboratory students to feature their work. Thirteen lab students, in small groups, demonstrated their respective projects to the residents. Demos such as the one we did today helps us showcase the wonderful work our students have been doing at the university, said Kiran George, professor and coordinator of Cal State Fullertons Computer Engineering Program, who oversees the laboratory. Activities such as todays not only provide students an opportunity to share their work, but also boosts their confidence. Furthermore, feedback from the audience potential users can provide rare insights into how their current device could be alternatively designed. The other three prototypes demonstrated to seniors included a self-driving wheelchair, a memory aid for those with Alzheimers disease and Mind-Controlled Home Automation a home automation system used with ALS patients who cant speak. By concentrating on an audio frequency while wearing a 3-D printed device on his head, senior citizen Hans Hennecke was able to turn on a lightbulb during a demonstration by Cal State Fullerton engineering students at Morningside of Fullerton on April 12. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer ) George said laboratory students work on projects that can potentially help individuals with disabilities, those with neuromuscular degenerative diseases, such as ALS and Alzheimers, and senior citizens. He said the main purpose underlying the projects is to develop devices that are accessible both low-cost and easy to use. Some devices that you get on the market [are] so expensive, George said. Morningside of Fullerton Marketing Director Taylor Bentley said the residents enjoy educational lectures. The retirement community has an ongoing partnership with the college, allowing for such events. We have active residents eager for educational opportunities, Bentley said. The key for us is bringing these different generations together to help teach our seniors about what the future may hold. The Cal State Fullerton demonstration isnt the only program aimed at seniors. Cox Communications held an event at the Cox Connected Independence smart home in Lake Forest, which shows how internet-enabled devices give seniors the ability to live independently at home, said Ryland Madison, director of product marketing at Cox Communications. Nearly 90% of adults age 65-plus would prefer growing old in their current home instead of moving to an assisted living facility, Madison said. Given that there is smart home technology readily available on the market today, the ability to age in place is becoming a more realistic option for many aging Americans. Some of the technology demonstrated at the smart home included Cox Contour, which allows for voice-commanded, remote-free viewing; Anova Precision Cooker, allowing for cooking via an app; The HAPIfork, an electronic fork that monitors eating habits; Joy For All Orange Tabby Cat, a realistic model cat that purrs and responds to petting and LiveFine Automatic Pill Dispenser, in which a caregiver can load up to 28 days of medications in sealed compartments that are dispensed on a programmed schedule. A silver tsunami of aging baby boomers is already having a huge impact on consumer purchasing, technology and senior housing, Madison said. Many seniors will be unable to afford a retirement community even if theyd like to live in one especially given the high cost of housing in California and aging in place is a reality for them. Fortunately, staying in their own home is becoming more viable for seniors as a result of smart technology devices and monitoring apps that offer independence through connectivity. Jessica Peralta is a contributor to Times Community News. April 17 Petty theft, unlocked vehicle: 1800 block of Fairmount Avenue. A man reported that sometime between 3 and 7 a.m. that day, someone entered his unlocked 2010 GMC Yukon, ransacked the interior and stole a parking pass, three house keys, a flashlight and a black bag containing miscellaneous gift cards and a Costco card. Vehicle tampering: 4800 block of Tocaloma Lane. A man said hed just installed a surveillance system at his home the day before and was reviewing footage that day when he saw a male adult attempt to enter his 2012 Toyota Rav 4 at around 3:12 a.m. by pulling on the drivers door handle before walking away. The man had short hair and was wearing a hooded sweatshirt and long pants. His face was partially obscured by a piece of clothing. Burglary, residence: Berkshire Place. A man told deputies sometime between 4:30 p.m. the day before and 7 a.m. that day, someone cut the chain links attached to a front gate lock and gained entry into his frontyard. The suspect(s) appeared to have used an unknown object to break the plywood around his unlocked front door in order to steal multiple boxes of Greystone European oak hardwood from inside. Identity theft: 4100 block of Cambridge Road. A man said three weeks earlier he received a call from a collection agency claiming hed co-signed on a credit card opened in August 2018 and that money was owed on the card. The next day, a bank representative told him the matter would be investigated as a potential fraud case, pending a police report. Burglary, locker: 1900 block of Foothill Boulevard (Crescenta-Canada YMCA). A man said at around 5:30 p.m. he placed his wallet and sunglasses inside a gym locker, securing it with a combination lock. He returned about an hour later and noticed the lock was missing and someone had stolen the glasses and his wallet, containing a drivers license and State Bar of California card as well as credit cards and an unspecified amount of cash. April 20 Burglary, locker: 1900 block of Foothill Boulevard (Crescenta-Canada YMCA). A man told deputies at around 5:30 p.m. on April 17, hed left his wallet inside a locker, securing it with a combination lock. When he returned an hour later, he discovered the lock was missing and someone had stolen his leather wallet, which contained a drivers license, several cards and an unspecified amount of cash. Compiled by Sara Cardine sara.cardine@latimes.com Twitter: @SaraCardine Hawaii tourism officials want visitors to know that Kauais North Shore is open for business, though some roads and resorts remain closed after disastrous, record-shattering rains flooded the area in mid-April. The powerful storm dropped 28 inches of rainfall during a 24-hour period on April 14-15. On Tuesday, the County of Kauai issued this update on conditions. Whats open Most of the North Shores resorts, restaurants and shops are open, including the St. Regis Princeville and the Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas, both in Princeville, as well as the Tahiti Nui restaurant in Hanalei. George Szigeti, president and CEO of the Hawaii Tourism Authority, stressed that tourists will play an important role in getting residents back on their feet. Advertisement Visitors have been staying away from Hanalei, which is hurting businesses and putting at risk the jobs they provide to residents, Szigeti said in the Tuesday news release. Visitors can help with the North Shores recovery by patronizing Hanaleis restaurants, retail shops, specialty stores and activities that support the livelihoods of so many area residents. Whats closed The Kuhio Highway between Waikoko and Wainiha remains closed because of landslides. Flooding and landslides are not uncommon along the highway, but this storm stunned even longtime residents. It left hundreds of people living west of Hanalei cut off and without water or electricity for roughly a week. The Hanalei Colony Resort, located on the ocean in the hardest-hit area, remains closed and will stay shuttered for several weeks. The resort itself emerged from the storms in excellent shape, but the surrounding area remains inaccessible and in a state of emergency, read a notice on the resorts website. Hanalei Colony Resort is currently not receiving guests and canceling all reservations through May 31. All pre-paid bookings through that date will be refunded in full. The statement also urged would-be guests to be patient in their efforts to reach the property. Only a limited number of employees are available to handle phone calls. Kauai Countys planning director Michael Dahilig is using the resort as a base of operations from which to provide information and resources to affected residents. Communities west of Hanalei remain inaccessible due to the closure of the highway. Officials have not yet determined when the two-lane road to the remote, northwest tip of the island with its beautiful, isolated beaches will reopen. Advertisement ALSO In Kauai, where to eat for cheap: 20 places to chow down for $20 Now guests can take a private plane from Honolulu to Four Seasons Resort Lanai That sunscreen that protects you? It harms Hawaiis corals. Now one airline is doing something about that Advertisement travel@latimes.com @latimestravel It seemed like a tall order: My wife and I had a four-day window we wanted to fill with history, hiking, good eats, an interesting hotel and pleasant weather. And it had to be somewhere neither of us had visited and within a reasonable days drive. After eliminating every other town youve ever heard of, we settled on Prescott, Ariz. After a meandering eight-hour drive (the 375 miles can be driven faster) through the California desert, we disembarked at the Hassayampa Inn. The tab: We spent $366 for three nights of hotel, about $300 on food and drink, and about $200 for gas. (Los Angeles Times ) THE BED We had booked the Hassayampa after seeing images of the historic hotel online and realizing it was possibly the only swanky place in town. The Hassayampa was built in 1927 by a consortium of leading citizens who thought their mineral-rich mountain town needed an elegant hotel to anchor its banking and mercantile efforts. The Depression arrived in time to quash the investors dreams, but the hotel has been largely preserved. The high lobby ceilings feature hand-painted beams, and the original elevator requires a licensed operator. Advertisement THE MEAL The Hassayampa has its attractive Peacock dining room, but the towns many historic bars and restaurants invited culinary exploration. We marched half a mile for a hearty, solid breakfast at SueAnns Apple Pan. That night, after a series of local hikes, we wanted another big meal and found we had plenty of choices. Downtown Whiskey Row is lined with Old West-themed hotels and saloons, many largely intact from the towns glory days. We ate well (a richly flavored and substantial bowl of chili at $7.50 for me, pork rib plate at $19 for Julie) at the subdued Bistro St. Michael in the Hotel St. Michael, built in 1901. THE FIND We didnt expect the local hiking to be nearly as dramatic as in Sedona, about 65 miles northeast of Prescott, but we had a fine march the first day to the top of Thumb Butte. The trailhead, only 15 minutes from our hotel, led to a paved pathway that climbed sharply to a fine overlook with a commanding view of the region about an hour round trip, up and back. That afternoon we scrambled over boulders and the strange, prehistoric rock formations at Watson Lake, about 20 minutes north of downtown. THE LESSON LEARNED We have enjoyed northern Arizona in the past, but on this trip we found we preferred Prescotts less self-conscious Old West to Sedonas New Age. We didnt nearly exhaust the restaurant options, could have chosen another half a dozen places to hike and felt quite at home in the Hassayampa. By the end of the stay we were calling the town Pres-cutt, as the locals do, instead of Pres-cott, which is how the tourists say it. Hassayampa Inn, 122 E. Gurley St., Prescott; (928) 778-9434, hassayampainn.com. Rooms from $89. Wheelchair accessible. SueAnns Apple Pan, 510 W. Gurley St., Prescott; (928) 756-2515, sueanns.com. Open 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily. Wheelchair accessible. Advertisement Bistro St. Michael, 205 W. Gurley St., Prescott; (928) 778-2500, lat.ms/stmichaelbistro. Open 7 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. daily (but extending until 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays). Wheelchair accessible. Watson Lake Park, 3101 Watson Lake Park Road, Prescott; (928) 777-1122, lat.ms/watsonlake. Some trails wheelchair accessible. travel@latimes.com The Armenian parliament on Thursday called for an extraordinary session next week to vote for a new prime minister after the country was plunged into a political crisis with the abrupt resignation of its leader. Serzh Sargsyan, who had ruled the country for 10 years, surprised many when he stepped down as prime minister Monday amid massive anti-government protests. Parliament said in a statement that a vote would be held Tuesday to elect a new leader, potentially spelling a way out of the former Soviet republics biggest political crisis in years. Nikol Pashinian, who leads the opposition and wants to be nominated for prime minister, held talks earlier Thursday with parliamentary factions to secure support for his candidacy. Advertisement Sargsyans party still holds a majority in the parliament, however. Sargsyan won two presidential terms by landslide votes before moving to the role of prime minister this year. His popularity has waned, however, amid allegations of cronyism and rampant corruption. The opposition rallies that began two weeks ago focused on protesting against what was seen as Sargsyans attempt to stay in power indefinitely. Tens of thousands of opposition supporters rallied Wednesday in Yerevan, capital of the impoverished country, calling for Pashinian to become prime minister. Protesters on Thursday morning blocked traffic on major roads in and outside Yerevan before retreating. Pashinian is calling for another major protest in the capital later Thursday as an apparent show of popular support for the opposition. Chiefs from Pentecost would offer land to Ambae volcano victims but want the government to settle compensation for Lonorore Airport (photo:MariusZ Hubski in Ievamar Blog) Two men face sex charges and a third is charged with corrupting a minor after a child predator online sting, the Monroe County District Attorney's Office reports. Cesar Aponte-Ortiz, 28, of Palmerton, and Stephan Warren, 31, of Shepherdsville, Kentucky, are charged with attempted involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and attempted statutory sexual assault among other counts after contacting a county detective posing as a 14-year-old, authorities said. During the communication, both expressed concern that the person on the other end was a police officer, but, in the end, both showed up Friday at an agreed upon location and were arrested, authorities said. Aponte-Ortiz was jailed in lieu of $50,000 bail while Warren was jailed in lieu of $100,000, records show. Aponte-Ortiz remained jailed on Thursday morning, but records show Warren was released on Sunday. Matthew Russo, 34, of East Stroudsburg, was charged with corruption of a minor when he arranged with the detective posing as a child to smoke marijuana, the district attorney's office said. Sex was raised by the detective, court papers show, but Russo was not charged with such a crime, the district attorney's office said. Russo was released on $25,000 unsecured bail, authorities said. All three men face preliminary hearings tentatively scheduled May 4. The sting was part of a larger operation run with the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office, Pennsylvania State Police, Homeland Security Investigations and the Lackawanna County District Attorney's Office, which led to charges against 11 people in northeast Pennsylvania, the district attorney's office said. Monroe County District Attorney's Office Detective Brian Webbe ran the local part of the effort, authorities said. Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyRhodin. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. One person died Thursday morning in a fire in the Bush House Hotel, a boarding house that holds more than 100 residents in Quakertown, authorities say. The victim was a woman in her mid-80s who lived alone in the apartment where the fire started, The Intelligencer newspaper out of Doylestown, citing police, reported via Twitter. The Bucks County Coroner's Office confirmed sending a deputy coroner to the scene. The coroner's office only responds to fatalities. The coroner's office had yet to hear back from the deputy, so more information wasn't immediately available. The coroner will determine the cause and manner of the victim's death. Quakertown police chief Scott McElree says the first alarm for the Bush House Hotel was reported just before 9 a.m. pic.twitter.com/Lkd8R6MzKs James Boyle (@jamesboylejr) April 26, 2018 Police arrived just before 9 a.m. in the 200 block of West Broad Street and found the fire burning in ground floor apartments, borough police Chief Scott McElree said in a video posted on Twitter by a reporter for the Intellegencer. The fire department "very quickly extinguished the flames," McElree said. The effort drew praise on social media. "Great job to all the firefighters for a great knockdown of the fire!!! Could have been a whole lot worse!!!!" Valerie Feldbrugge Pfaff said on a Facebook post about the blaze. From @jamesboylejr - A two-alarm fire has been reported at the Bush House Hotel in Quakertown. https://t.co/psNsCB9Av4 pic.twitter.com/660NaKuYZ4 The Intelligencer (@TheIntellNews) April 26, 2018 There was a "fair amount of smoke damage" in the building, McElree said. But about half of the residents will be able to return to their rooms, he added. In the end, nine people were displaced, the Intelligencer said. And the Red Cross was assisting those people, the local branch tweeted. A Pennsylvania State Police fire marshal was at the scene, according to The Morning Call. The Dublin barracks declined to confirm that report. Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyRhodin. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. Not all who wander are lost If youre a fan of the Lord of the Rings trilogy (like I am), then youre probably familiar with one... Remember When How America was settled is a passion of mine, since part of my family got here in the 1600s from... Implications of population decline The recent U.S. 2020 Census Count revealed that Flint and Genesee County experienced a decline in population over the past... The city of Easton's proposed zoning revisions for College Hill are headed to city council for final approval next month, but plenty of neighborhood residents told city officials Wednesday that the plan is flawed. The recommendations arose from a committee of city officials, residents and Lafayette College representatives, after a previous expansion plan by the college met with controversy and opposition. The college is looking to build a mixed-use residence hall in the block bordered by McCartney, Cattell and High streets. The primary change would make a residence hall a permitted use in the neighborhood, rather than requiring a special exception with approval by the zoning hearing board. The city planning commission rejected the college's earlier plan last fall. The planners would still have to approve a new plan for a mixed-use residence hall. To address residents' concerns about crowded on-street parking, the college said it would operate a operate a shuttle bus to take students to a parking lot on Bushkill Drive, and hire a full-time parking enforcement officer. Students living in the residence hall ineligible for an on-street parking permit. The college also would pay full property taxes on the new building. Many residents said the proposal doesn't go far enough. At a meeting Wednesday night, several people accused city officials of changing the zoning code to meet the college's needs, not those of the neighborhood or residents. City council is scheduled to vote on the zoning change May 9. What do you think? Is this a fair compromise? Is the neighborhood being short-changed? Have a say in our informal poll, and feel free to elaborate in the comments section. Business Innovative Prison Systems and GlobeStar Systems, Inc. working together to improve efficiency in the Correctional Sector 26.04.2018 17:43:16 - Innovative Prison Systems and Connexall announce their partnership to develop and implement a powerful and exclusive communication and workflow automation platform in order to leverage quality and efficiency in prisons globally. (live-PR.com) - Toronto, Canada | Lisbon, Portugal (April 24th, 2018) GlobeStar Systems, Inc. and IPS_Innovative Prison Systems announced their partnership to leverage intelligence, security, and process efficiency in correctional systems globally through the deployment of Connexall, GlobeStars patented and reputed communications and workflow automation platform. Connexall is an intelligent communication and workflow automation platform implemented in healthcare facilities, homeland security, and law - Toronto, Canada | Lisbon, Portugal (April 24th, 2018) GlobeStar Systems, Inc. and IPS_Innovative Prison Systems announced their partnership to leverage intelligence, security, and process efficiency in correctional systems globally through the deployment of Connexall, GlobeStars patented and reputed communications and workflow automation platform.Connexall is an intelligent communication and workflow automation platform implemented in healthcare facilities, homeland security, and law enforcement agencies all over the world. Its capabilities act as a backbone for workflow in correctional systems, communicating the right information to the right person, at the right time, on the right device. Connexall, the leading, award-winning alarm management, and event notification platform creates a Correctional Care Internet of Things providing prison-wide interoperability to people, systems, tasks and devices. Connexall helps industries with several applications including secure text messaging, facilities management, building automation, workflow communications as well as security and FireAlert. Customizable notifications via voice, text and email alert all first responders in emergency situations. The increased efficiencies and improved communication enabled by Connexalls range of applications enhance community safety and staff satisfaction. We are very enthusiastic to support Connexall in leveraging such a comprehensive suite of technological solutions in corrections. Experience in more than a thousand sensitive and secure facilities shows the value to all stakeholders, announced Pedro das Neves, CEO of IPS_Innovative Prison Systems. David Tavares, CEO of GlobeStar stated: Connexall is delighted to partner with IPS_Innovative Prison Systems to support the deployment of Connexalls vendor and device neutral interoperability platform to increase operational efficiency and collaboration across prison systems worldwide. The deployment of Connexall into prisons will reduce operating costs, enhance procedures and monitoring capabilities, ultimately improving outcomes to correctional facilities and to the business as a whole. ___ Connectivity, reporting, and analytics that allow cross-platform communications Connexall is an intelligent workflow automation platform that connects security and correctional care devices, information systems, and communication platforms in order to leverage intelligence, process efficiency, and security. Go on connecting even after Connexall is deployed Once it is deployed, all types of systems and devices can be added to the platform, placing more and more devices in communication to achieve full integration of what had once been disconnected systems. Enabling the internet of all things With more than 20 years experience in the sectors of healthcare and homeland security, Connexall is the industry leader in alarm management and event notification, with implementations in over 1000 facilities. It provides interoperability to people, systems, tasks, and devices, acting as a backbone for any system workflow: it communicates the right information to the right person, at the right time, on the right device. ____ IPS_Innovative Prison Systems (IPS) is a boutique research and consulting firm specialized in the field of justice, penitentiary services, community sanctions and measures, juvenile justice, and law enforcement. IPS management team relies on more than 15 years of expertise in policy advisory, strategic consulting, training, and implementation of technology solutions for probation and correctional systems in different countries in Europe and in Central and South America. IPS develops integrated projects, supporting change management in complex organizations while developing and implementing programs targeting prison staff, top management, and offenders. IPS is also the publisher of JUSTICE TRENDS, a bi-annual premium magazine directed at the global criminal justice and corrections community. For more information please visit GlobeStar Systems, Inc./Connexall is an enterprise-grade event management and control platform that delivers facility-wide interoperability to people, systems, tasks, and devices. Its capabilities act as a backbone for comprehensive workflow, communicating the right information to the right person, at the right time, on the right device. Connexall is completely vendor-neutral and device-independent. Connexall has offices in Canada, the United States, Brazil, Portugal and Hong Kong. For more information please visit enforcement agencies all over the world. Its capabilities act as a backbone for workflow in correctional systems, communicating the right information to the right person, at the right time, on the right device. Connexall, the leading, award-winning alarm management, and event notification platform creates a Correctional Care Internet of Things providing prison-wide interoperability to people, systems, tasks and devices.Connexall helps industries with several applications including secure text messaging, facilities management, building automation, workflow communications as well as security and FireAlert. Customizable notifications via voice, text and email alert all first responders in emergency situations.The increased efficiencies and improved communication enabled by Connexalls range of applications enhance community safety and staff satisfaction. We are very enthusiastic to support Connexall in leveraging such a comprehensive suite of technological solutions in corrections. Experience in more than a thousand sensitive and secure facilities shows the value to all stakeholders, announced Pedro das Neves, CEO of IPS_Innovative Prison Systems.David Tavares, CEO of GlobeStar stated: Connexall is delighted to partner with IPS_Innovative Prison Systems to support the deployment of Connexalls vendor and device neutral interoperability platform to increase operational efficiency and collaboration across prison systems worldwide.The deployment of Connexall into prisons will reduce operating costs, enhance procedures and monitoring capabilities, ultimately improving outcomes to correctional facilities and to the business as a whole.___Connectivity, reporting, and analytics that allow cross-platform communicationsConnexall is an intelligent workflow automation platform that connects security and correctional care devices, information systems, and communication platforms in order to leverage intelligence, process efficiency, and security.Go on connecting even after Connexall is deployedOnce it is deployed, all types of systems and devices can be added to the platform, placing more and more devices in communication to achieve full integration of what had once been disconnected systems.Enabling the internet of all thingsWith more than 20 years experience in the sectors of healthcare and homeland security, Connexall is the industry leader in alarm management and event notification, with implementations in over 1000 facilities. It provides interoperability to people, systems, tasks, and devices, acting as a backbone for any system workflow: it communicates the right information to the right person, at the right time, on the right device.____IPS_Innovative Prison Systems (IPS) is a boutique research and consulting firm specialized in the field of justice, penitentiary services, community sanctions and measures, juvenile justice, and law enforcement. IPS management team relies on more than 15 years of expertise in policy advisory, strategic consulting, training, and implementation of technology solutions for probation and correctional systems in different countries in Europe and in Central and South America. IPS develops integrated projects, supporting change management in complex organizations while developing and implementing programs targeting prison staff, top management, and offenders. IPS is also the publisher of JUSTICE TRENDS, a bi-annual premium magazine directed at the global criminal justice and corrections community. For more information please visit www.prisonsystems.eu GlobeStar Systems, Inc./Connexall is an enterprise-grade event management and control platform that delivers facility-wide interoperability to people, systems, tasks, and devices. Its capabilities act as a backbone for comprehensive workflow, communicating the right information to the right person, at the right time, on the right device. Connexall is completely vendor-neutral and device-independent. Connexall has offices in Canada, the United States, Brazil, Portugal and Hong Kong. For more information please visit www.connexall.com Contact information: IPS - Innovative Prison Systems Parkurbis Parque Ciencia e Tecnologia, 6200-865 Covilha, Portugal Contact Person: JUSTICE TRENDS magazine Correctional Services EN Marketing and communication manager Phone: +351275957031 eMail: eMail Web: http://www.prisonsystems.eu Author: Silvia Bernardo e-mail Web: http://www.prisonsystems.eu Phone: +3512755890191 26.04.2018 17:43:16 - 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. Health ISA Pharmaceuticals' ISA101 Studied in Phase II Oropharyngeal Cancer Combination Trial at MD Anderson Cancer Center 26.04.2018 09:22:31 - (live-PR.com) - Leiden, The Netherlands, April 26, 2018 - ISA Pharmaceuticals B.V., a clinical-stage immunotherapy company focusing on rationally designed immunotherapeutics against cancer and persistent viral infections, today announced the start of a Phase II combination trial of its lead compound ISA101b and Pfizers 4-1BB agonist Utomilumab, which will be sponsored and conducted by The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center - Leiden, The Netherlands, April 26, 2018 - ISA Pharmaceuticals B.V., a clinical-stage immunotherapy company focusing on rationally designed immunotherapeutics against cancer and persistent viral infections, today announced the start of a Phase II combination trial of its lead compound ISA101b and Pfizers 4-1BB agonist Utomilumab, which will be sponsored and conducted by The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (Houston, TX). The goal of the open-label Phase II study in patients with HPV16-positive, incurable oropharyngeal cancer is to investigate whether a combination of ISA101b with Utolimumab is able to shrink or slow the growth of tumors. The safety of the study drugs will also be evaluated. The study will enroll up to 27 patients, who will receive three subcutaneous administrations of ISA101b at four-week intervals and Utolimumab intravenously every 4 weeks for up to 12 doses. Primary endpoint of the study will be Overall Response Rate (ORR) assessed by RECIST 1.1 criteria. Secondary endpoints include adverse events, response rates monitored by radiographic assessment and immune-related progression-free survival monitored by radiographic assessment. ISA Pharmaceuticals lead compound ISA101 is a clinical-stage SLP immunotherapy targeting HPV16-induced diseases such as cervical cancer and head and neck cancer. Utolimumab, a 4-1BB agonist, is under investigation by Pfizer for the treatment of various cancers. "We are very excited to launch this second trial in our collaboration with ISA and Dr. Melief. The study has the potential to demonstrate Utomilumab's specific effect on vaccine-induced T cells with enhanced tumoricidal activity," said Bonnie Glisson, MD, Professor in the Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology at MD Anderson and principle investigator of the study. "The ISA101b plus Utomilumab trial represents the clinical translation of research at MD Anderson by Drs. Curran and Sastry which showed that an HPV peptide vaccine and 4-1BB agonist antibody was the most effective vaccine I/O combination in mouse models of HPV-driven cancer." "We are delighted to expand our collaboration with MD Anderson by this second Phase II trial," said Prof. Cornelis Melief, CSO of ISA Pharmaceuticals. "ISA101 has so far demonstrated great potential for the treatment of patients with HPV16-positive solid tumors and our goal is to provide novel, advanced therapeutic options for these patients. Combining our vaccine with Utolimumab is an exquisite opportunity to explore a promising new option, because Utolimumab is likely to expand vaccine-induced tumor-specific T cells." Oropharyngeal cancer, a subtype of head and neck cancer, affects tissues of the throat (oropharynx), e.g. the base of the tongue, the tonsils, the soft palate, and the walls of the pharynx. Oropharyngeal cancers can be divided into two types: HPV-positive, which are related to human papillomavirus infection, and HPV-negative cancers, which are usually linked to alcohol or tobacco use. ### About ISA Pharmaceuticals ISA Pharmaceuticals B.V. is an immunotherapy company developing rationally designed, fully synthetic immunotherapeutics against cancer and persistent viral infections. The company has built a proprietary immunotherapy platform based on the Synthetic Long Peptide (SLP) concept and AMPLIVANT technology. SLP immunotherapies are designed to fully harness and direct the body's own defenses towards fighting the disease. In December 2017, ISA Pharmaceuticals closed a clinical immuno-oncology collaboration with Regeneron to advance its SLP lead compound ISA101, an immunotherapy targeting human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV16)-induced cancer, in combination with cemiplimab (REGN2810), a PD-1 (programmed cell death protein 1) antibody. In addition, ISA develops MyISA, a personalized SLP immunotherapy, targeting tumor-specific, mutation-derived neo-antigens. For more information, please visit SLP, AMPLIVANT and MyISA are registered trademarks in Europe. Contact & Media Inquiries: akampion Dr. Ludger Wess , Ines-Regina Buth Managing Partners Tel. +49 40 88 16 59 64, +49 30 23 63 27 68 info(at)akampion.com (Houston, TX).The goal of the open-label Phase II study in patients with HPV16-positive, incurable oropharyngeal cancer is to investigate whether a combination of ISA101b with Utolimumab is able to shrink or slow the growth of tumors. The safety of the study drugs will also be evaluated. The study will enroll up to 27 patients, who will receive three subcutaneous administrations of ISA101b at four-week intervals and Utolimumab intravenously every 4 weeks for up to 12 doses. Primary endpoint of the study will be Overall Response Rate (ORR) assessed by RECIST 1.1 criteria. Secondary endpoints include adverse events, response rates monitored by radiographic assessment and immune-related progression-free survival monitored by radiographic assessment.ISA Pharmaceuticals lead compound ISA101 is a clinical-stage SLP immunotherapy targeting HPV16-induced diseases such as cervical cancer and head and neck cancer. Utolimumab, a 4-1BB agonist, is under investigation by Pfizer for the treatment of various cancers."We are very excited to launch this second trial in our collaboration with ISA and Dr. Melief. The study has the potential to demonstrate Utomilumab's specific effect on vaccine-induced T cells with enhanced tumoricidal activity," said Bonnie Glisson, MD, Professor in the Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology at MD Anderson and principle investigator of the study. "The ISA101b plus Utomilumab trial represents the clinical translation of research at MD Anderson by Drs. Curran and Sastry which showed that an HPV peptide vaccine and 4-1BB agonist antibody was the most effective vaccine I/O combination in mouse models of HPV-driven cancer.""We are delighted to expand our collaboration with MD Anderson by this second Phase II trial," said Prof. Cornelis Melief, CSO of ISA Pharmaceuticals. "ISA101 has so far demonstrated great potential for the treatment of patients with HPV16-positive solid tumors and our goal is to provide novel, advanced therapeutic options for these patients. Combining our vaccine with Utolimumab is an exquisite opportunity to explore a promising new option, because Utolimumab is likely to expand vaccine-induced tumor-specific T cells."Oropharyngeal cancer, a subtype of head and neck cancer, affects tissues of the throat (oropharynx), e.g. the base of the tongue, the tonsils, the soft palate, and the walls of the pharynx. Oropharyngeal cancers can be divided into two types: HPV-positive, which are related to human papillomavirus infection, and HPV-negative cancers, which are usually linked to alcohol or tobacco use.###About ISA PharmaceuticalsISA Pharmaceuticals B.V. is an immunotherapy company developing rationally designed, fully synthetic immunotherapeutics against cancer and persistent viral infections. The company has built a proprietary immunotherapy platform based on the Synthetic Long Peptide (SLP) concept and AMPLIVANT technology. SLP immunotherapies are designed to fully harness and direct the body's own defenses towards fighting the disease. In December 2017, ISA Pharmaceuticals closed a clinical immuno-oncology collaboration with Regeneron to advance its SLP lead compound ISA101, an immunotherapy targeting human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV16)-induced cancer, in combination with cemiplimab (REGN2810), a PD-1 (programmed cell death protein 1) antibody. In addition, ISA develops MyISA, a personalized SLP immunotherapy, targeting tumor-specific, mutation-derived neo-antigens.For more information, please visit www.isa-pharma.com SLP, AMPLIVANT and MyISA are registered trademarks in Europe.Contact & Media Inquiries:akampionDr. Ludger Wess , Ines-Regina ButhManaging PartnersTel. +49 40 88 16 59 64, +49 30 23 63 27 68info(at)akampion.com Contact information: ISA Pharmaceuticals Contact Person: eMail: eMail Author: Ines-Regina Buth e-mail Web: http://www.akampioneer.com Phone: 030-23632768 26.04.2018 09:22:31 - 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. Stock Market News BAE Systems could be left out of new European warplane project 25-04-2018 16:19 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 Credit Suisse upgrades UK shares to 'overweight' 26-04-2018 12:23 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 FDM trades in line as Mounties revenue rises 26-04-2018 08:49 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 Iranian official says changes to nuclear deal 'will not be accepted' 26-04-2018 14:10 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 Thursday broker round-up 26-04-2018 13:21 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 Verditek adds former science minister Lord Willetts to board 26-04-2018 11:39 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 Volex proposes to buy MC Electronics in all-share deal 26-04-2018 14:21 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 Mark Makela/Getty Images(NORRISTOWN, Pa.) -- After years of innuendo, allegations and ultimately two criminal trials -- the second of which ended with a guilty verdict Thursday -- Bill Cosby has been convicted on felony sexual assault charges. The actor and entertainer -- known as "America's Dad" during the 1980s and beyond -- will be sentenced to go to prison later this year. Heres how prosecutors from Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, finally did it: The prosecution team of District Attorney Kevin Steele and assistant district attorneys Kristen Feden and Stewart Ryan appear to have benefited from at least three key factors in which the first trial differed from the retrial. Five additional accusers were allowed to testify in the retrial, versus one additional accuser in the first - allowing the Commonwealth to demonstrate far more clearly what it has described as a decades-long pattern of alleged abuse by the defendant. Prosecutors savvy use of an effective sexual assault expert as its first witness set the stage for the succession of claims that six women gave on the witness stand about being drugged and molested by Cosby. The testimony of Dr. Barbara Ziv also seems to have helped inoculate those accounts from relentless attempts by the defense to discredit the women - for coming forward years after the alleged incidents, for having sometimes hazy memories of the alleged attacks themselves, and for minor and major inconsistencies in their stories. The retrial unfolded in the looming shadow of the #MeToo movement, a powerful and ubiquitous phrase that was virtually unknown during Cosbys first trial. Between the first hung jury and the start of the retrial, some of the biggest and most respected male stars in Hollywood, media and the arts were felled when multiple accusations of sexual harassment and assault drove them from their lofty perches into a new and devastating kind of public disgrace. Finally, the prosecution appears to have benefitted from a gross miscalculation by the defense, which took a ferocious approach to impeaching both the women who testified and the #MeToo movement as a whole. The Most Important Ruling Prosecutors won a major pre-trial victory in March when Judge Steven T. ONeill, who also oversaw the first case, ruled that five additional women with similar accounts to Andrea Constand -- that they were drugged and molested by Cosby -- could testify. In the first trial, he only allowed one additional accuser to testify. Normally, prosecutors cannot introduce evidence of prior bad conduct from other cases because it could be prejudicial in the eyes of the jury. But Pennsylvania law allows for exceptions if such evidence establishes a modus operandi or common scheme to each alleged assault. Prosecutors argued the need to demonstrate to the jury a specific pattern of behavior they believe underscores the similarities between nearly all of the dozens of accusers they interviewed and the account of Constand. ONeill had to weigh the value to the jury of hearing additional evidence from other accusers with similar stories against the prejudicial effect the new witnesses could have on the defendant. Legal experts described ONeills decision as a game-changer. It was the most important ruling in the first trial, and ... the most important ruling in the second trial, Steve Fairlie, a former Montgomery County prosecutor, told ABC News. In another new strategy employed in the retrial, prosecutors called as their first witness Dr. Barbara Ziv, an expert in sexual assault who outlined for jurors how the majority of sexual assault victims in the U.S. tend to display counter-intuitive behavior to other types of crime victims. It can be confused by observers and prompt them to doubt the victims stories, she said. Ziv testified that the majority of victims in the U.S. fail to make timely reports, are often fuzzy on details and facts, often do not fight back, and are known to maintain contact with their attackers after the assault. Most of what people believe, the most common knowledge, about sexual assault is wrong, she testified earlier this month. Women dont tend to report such attacks, she said, because theres shame involved, theres a sense of culpability, Ziv said from the stand. Its talking about the most private areas of their life. Women do not talk about sex, consensual sex, very often to very many people. That testimony appears to have inoculated jurors against defense attacks on the credibility of the additional five accusers. Recognizing this, defense attorneys in closing arguments took #MeToo head-on in a blistering attack on both the movement, the additional accusers and Dr. Ziv. They banked on a backlash to the #MeToo movement against the abuse and sexual harassment of women, describing it as a mob mentality based primarily on emotion and anger. When you join a movement based primarily on emotion and anger, you dont change a damn thing, defense attorney Kathleen Bliss told jurors. And one by one they took aim at the five additional accusers, especially former model Janice Dickinson, whom Bliss described as a failed starlet and an aged-out model and mused that it sounded like she slept with every man on the planet. The Night Of... One of the most striking and overlooked aspects of both trials is not what divided the prosecution's and defense attorneys' arguments, but rather the facts upon which they agreed. Both sides stipulated that on a night sometime in or around early 2004, Constand visited Cosby at his suburban Philadelphia estate, that Cosby handed her three pills he referred to as friends, and that Constand ingested them. Both sides agreed that Constand grew dizzy, uncomfortable and sleepy, and that Cosby led her to a couch and laid her down. They also agreed that Cosby penetrated her with his fingers and used her hand to masturbate himself, and that afterward he left her on the couch and went upstairs to bed. From there, the two sides diverge sharply. Cosbys attorneys described the incident as part of a consensual, if unorthodox, romantic relationship. Prosecutors said the entertainer viciously drugged and incapacitated Constand before raping her and leaving her passed out on the couch with her bra around her neck and her clothes disheveled before heading upstairs to bed. Copyright 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. To access our in-house intelligence please request a trial here. Read this article and more for a 30 day period. Are you already an Managing IP subscriber? Login here PTAB Forum 168 Managing IP is holding two PTAB Forums in May, in New York and Palo Alto. The events are free to in-house counsel to attend. The events are very timely given this weeks Oil States and SAS Institute rulings from the US Supreme Court. The Oil States ruling held the IPR process is constitutional, although two justices dissented and the court left IPRs open to due process arguments. The SAS ruling held that the PTAB must review all or none of the challenged claims. The forums will also cover other topics including: lessons learned and tips for future success; evolving procedural challenges associated with AIA; influences on filings, success rates and identifying what is working well; decoding recent decisions; and examination of the future of the PTAB. You can find out more information about the Managing IP PTAB Forum here, and download the brochures for each event below. The forum is an opportunity to debate the biggest issues that are influencing PTAB proceedings, and to hear from world leaders in corporations, government officials and legal experts on implementing winning strategies to overcome complex issues and the changing AIA landscape. Download the New York brochure here Download the Palo Alto brochure here The material on this site is for law firms, companies and other IP specialists. It is for information only. Please read our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Notice before using the site. All material subject to strictly enforced copyright laws. 2021 Euromoney Institutional Investor PLC. For help please see our FAQs. Share this article An often polarizing figure, Grenell has a history of sparring with reporters on Twitter and has come under scrutiny for making derogatory comments about prominent women. In tweets he later deleted, Grenell stated that MSNBC host Rachel Maddow needs to take a breath and put on a necklace and suggested former first lady Michelle Obama, a fitness devotee, was sweating on the East Room carpet. Grenell also criticized the appearances of Hillary Clinton and Callista Gingrich. Today, as has already been announced, three more comrades were released from the Rangers headquarters Karachi, while others were released yesterday. Now three comrades, Bilawal Baloch, Mohammed Gulbaz and Umar Riaz, remain in custody and the Rangers have said they will be released tomorrow, 27 April. Click here for the latest information on the abductions, a letter to send to your local Pakistani embassy and a model motion for trade union branches and student groups. Comrades who have been released so far are travelling to their homes and will report when they arrive safely. They will also send detailed accounts of the ordeal they had to face in these past days and nights. The releases so far are a victory for working-class solidarity across the world, and a vindication of the protests that have been held inside Pakistan and in many other countries. Many left-wing organizations in Pakistan supported the comrades of the IMT in this ordeal, which required a lot of courage and political understanding on their part. The leadership of the PTM also issued a solidarity appeal last night on social media and asked for protests across the country for the nine comrades arrested by the Rangers. In one protest in Lahore today, however, there was a crackdown, and many left-wing activists, over 35 in total from different organisations, were arrested by the police. These also include comrades of the Progressive Youth Alliance in Lahore. According to latest information 10 comrades of PYA and RWF have been arrested and are being kept in separate police stations in Lahore. Their names are: 1. Adeel Zaidi 2. Farhan Gohar 3. Khalid Nadir Jan 4. Rai Asad 5. Rai Nadeem 6. Aneeb Zubair 7. Amir Saadi 8. Saad Ibrahim 9. Sohrab Baqi 10. Amir Khan Our comrades are not being allowed any kind of assistance and all efforts to assist them are being blocked rigorously. We continue our struggle for the release of our three previously abducted and now these arrested comrades. We will provide a detailed report soon and will inform all our comrades and sympathizers around the world of the situation here on the ground. Until then, we appeal to comrades to remain active and carry forward the campaign to highlight the atrocities of the Pakistani state against socialists across Pakistan. Lal Salaam! FOCUS ON DEFENSE CAPABILITY DEVELOPMENT IN SOUTHEAST ASIA AND OCEANIA In the weeks and months to come, the world could be facing multiple famines of biblical proportions. These are the words of David Beasley, Executive Director of the UN World Food Programme (WFP). With war, poverty and now a pandemic spreading across the globe, recent predictions are showing that the worst-off are being hit harder than ever, with millions likely to be forced into extreme hunger and starvation within the year. The international campaign demanding the release of our comrades, who were abducted by the Rangers in Karachi on 22 April, continues to build. There have been demonstrations at Pakistani embassies all over the world, and our official petition has acquired thousands of signatories, including from some prominent figures from the political left and trade union movement. Here, we provide an update on the solidarity campaign's latest activities. Click here for the latest information on the abductions, a letter to send to your local Pakistani embassy and a model motion for trade union branches and student groups. Brazil We received a solidarity message from the teachers' union APP. Additionally, comrades from Esquerda Marxista in Brazil picketed the Pakistani embassy in Rio de Janeiro, demanding the immediate release of the abductees in Karachi: USA Socialist Revolution, the Marxists in the USA, protested the Pakistani consulate in New York City. They also sent in solidarity photos from Oakland, California; Ames, Iowa and Boulder, Colorado: A solidarity motion was also passed, and photograph taken, by the Paterson DSA branch in New Jersey: Comrades staged a demonstration in front of the Pakistan Consulate in Chicago in solidarity with the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement and demanding the immediate release of the seven abducted comrades. They created and distributed a leaflet explaining the situation and printed a letter with our demands to the Consul General in Chicago, with a space for supporters to sign. Venezuela A Caracas branch of Lucha de Clases sent a solidarity photograph for the abducted comrades: Mexico In Mexico, the following left-wing and labour organisations signed our petition: La Izquierda Socialista (IMT Mexco) Comite de Lucha Estudiantil del Politecnico (CLEP) Liga de Mujeres Revolucionarias Juventudes Marxistas Frente de Escuelas Democraticas Febrero 25 (FEDEF-25) Federacion de Estudiantes Democraticos (FED) Students at the National Polytechnic Institute in Mexico sent their solidarity to the arrested Pakistani comrades, as did the well-known, left-wing writer and activist, Paco Ignacio Taibo II: The comrades also picketed their embassy: Canada Amir Khadir, Quebec Solidaire member of the National Assembly of Quebec, sent a letter to the Pakistani Consulate demanding the immediate release of our comrades: The comrades of Socialist Fightback at York University assembled to show their solidarity: Fightback also paid a visit to the Consulate in Toronto: Germany The Alzey branch of Linksjugend ['solid] (the youth organisation of Die Linke) expressed its solidarity with our abducted comrades: Switzerland As reported yesterday, the Swiss Marxists protested the Pakistani embassy in Bern and the United Nations building in Geneva: Spain National spokesman for the Andalusian Trade Union of Workers, Oscar Reina, recorded a message in solidarity with the IMT comrades disappeared in Pakistan: The comrades in Madrid sent a solidarity photograph for the abducted activists: We have received a number of new prominent signatories in Spain, including: Jorge Martinez Crespo, responsable de Movimientos Sociales de IU Madrid Henar Moreno Martinez, del Secretariado del Partido de la Izquierda Europea (European Left) Javier Couso, MEP, United Left Denmark The Danish comrades picketed their Pakistani embassy, where they were harassed and filmed by officials: Catalonia Vidal Aragones, CUP member of the Catalan Parliament, added his voice to the chorus of protest. IMT comrades from the Barcelona branch of REVOLUCIO also took a solidarity photo: Britain Veteran class fighters from the Merseyside Pensioners' Association, who participated in the struggle against Margaret Thatcher, passed the following, unanimous statement of soldiarity with the abducted comrades: The MPA notes that seven prominent youth and trade union activists have been disappeared in Karachi by the Army and Sindh Rangers, a paramilitary state department notorious for extra-judicial killings. Nobody has been told about their whereabouts so far and no case has been registered against them. These activists, were arrested because they joined the solidarity protest of Pashtun Tahafuz (Protection) Movement (PTM) in front of the Karachi Press club.The protest was organized and called by the leadership of the PTM as they were being denied the right to hold a peaceful public meeting in Lahore. The MPA demands the immediate release of these seven activists abducted by the Pakistan Army. Their only crime is to have expressed their views about the Pakistani State and supported the PTM. We also insist that the demands of the PTM be accepted immediately and that the State end its atrocities in the tribal areas and stop supporting Islamic fundamentalism. We resolve to write to the Pakistan ambassador with copies to the foreign secretary & shadow foreign secretary. Italy Yesterday, the Italian section of the IMT, Sinistra Classe Rivoluzione, made interventions raising the abduction of our comrades at April 25 rallies celebrating of the fall of fascism in Rome, Milan, Bologna, Modena, Parma, Pavia, Padua, Naples, and other towns: The comrades also contacted the Pakistan embassy in Rome asking for an urgent meeting. The response was that the officials have applied to the Ministry in Pakistan and are waiting for an answer, but at the moment they are not in a position to grant an appointment. As the embassy was closed yesterday due to the national holiday, a picket will be organized in the coming days, which will require police permission. We publish here a list of the first signatories from Italy. The comrades also collected other signatures in yesterday's rallies: Eleonora Forenza, an Italian Member of the European Parliament, part of the European United Left/Nordic Green Left group Claudio Bellotti (spokesperson of the electoral list For a Revolutionary Left) Mario Iavazzi (National Committee, Cgil) Alessandro Giardiello (National Execeutive, Sinistra Classe Rivoluzione) Alessio Marconi (National Executive Sinistra Classe Rivoluzione) Paolo Brini (Central Committee Fiom-Cgil, metalworkers union) Gianplacido Ottaviano (Central Committee Fiom-Cgil and factory committee Bonfiglioli Bologna) Domenico Loffredo (Fca-FIAT Pomigliano DArco Fiom Naples) Paolo Grassi (National Committee unemployed workers union Nidil-Cgil) Margherita Colella (National Committee School Workers Union, Flc-Cgil) Sonia Previato (Editor, Rivoluzione) Serena Capodicasa (Editorial Board, Falcemartello) Franco Bavila (Lombardy Regional Committee, Bank Workers Union, Fisac-Cgil) Daniele Prampolini (Fiom Provincial Committee, Modena) Piero Ficiara (Fiom Provincial Committee, Modena) Luca Paltrinieri (Fiom Provincial Committee, Modena and Netscout factory committee) Giuseppe Violante (Fiom-Cgil Modena and Maserati shop stewards committee) Matteo Parlati (Fiom-Cgil Modena and Ferrari shop stewards committe) Giuseppe Faillace (Fiom Provincial Committee, Modena and Motovario factory committee) Luca Acquarico (Fiom Provincial Committee, Modena) Francesco Favalli (Sempre in Lotta student coordinating committee) Davide Bacchelli (Fiom-Cgil Bologna provincial committee and shop steward at IMA factory) Gian Pietro Montanari (Fiom-Cgil Bologna provincial committee and Toyota factory committee) Gianluca Sita (Fiom-Cgil shop steward at IMA factory) Domenico Minadeo (Fiom shop stewards committee Metaltarghe plant, Bologna) Massimo Pieri (Shop steward in Tas plant, Casalecchio di Reno and Fiom-Cgil Bologna provincial committee) Beatrice Bonaldo (Marxist Study Group at University of Milan) Luca Ibattici (Rsu Spal Shop steward committee, Reggio Emilia, and Regional Committee Fiom Emilia Romagna) Davide Ledda (Cft shop steward, and Fiom-Cgil Parma provincial committee) Arianna Mancini (Usb Asl Roma) Diego Sabelli (Elt shop steward and Fiom-Cgil Rome provincial committee) Vincenzo Chianese (Ergom shop steward, Caserta, and Fiom-Cgil Campania Regional Committee) Marco Mussini (Fiom-Cgil Reggio Emilia committee) Emilio Di Lorenzo (Marxist Study Group, Naples University) Angelo Raimondi (shop steward Esselunga supermarket Corbetta-Milan, and Lombardy Regional Committee Filcams-Cgil) Davide Longo (Collettivo Varese Rossa) Antonio Forlano (UPS shop steward and Filt-Cgil Lombardy |Regional Committee) Laura Parozzi (UPS shop steward Vimodrone, Milan and Filt-Cgil provincial committee) Cinzia Crespi (UPS shop steward Vimodrone, Milan and Filt-Cgil provincial committee) Barbara Lietti (Shop steward at Sacco Hospital, Milan and Lombardy regional committee Civil Service Union-Cgil) Antonio Esposito (shop steward Slc-Cgil, Almaviva, Naples) Fulvio Beato (USB Private Sector, Caserta) Simona Leri (Shop steward, Coop Alleanza 3.0, Filcams-Cgil Modena provincial committee) Joan Valdiviezo (shop steward Filt-Cgil Italgroup depot, UPS Milan) Jeisson Zuniga (shop steward Filt-Cgil Planet depot, UPS Milan) Luca Pezza (shop steward at Michelin plant, and Filctem-Cgil Milan provincial committee) Fiammetta Fossati (shop steward at Etipak and Fiom-Cgil, Milan) Davide Tognioni (shop steward Rolo local council, Reggio Emilia and FP-Cgil) Ilic Vezzosi (Cgil, Reggio Emilia provincial committee) Marco Paterlini (shop steward Olmo, Reggio Emilia and FP-Cgil) Alessio Sammartino (Filcams-Cgil, Rome provincial committee) Lidia Luzzaro (Nidil-Cgil Cosenza provincial committee) Serenella Ricci (Lombardy regional committee Fisac-Cgil) Lorenzo Esposito (Shop steward, Banca DItalia, Milan) Sergio Schneider (Shop steward Flc-Cgil, Milan) Greece In Greece, the following prominent figures have added their names to our petition: Coordination Committee of ANTARSYA EC member of the Federation Unions of the workers in the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Giorgos Ortantzoglou EC member of the workers union in municipality of N. Filadelfia Gianna Katsiampoura, General Secretary of the Union of Teachers in the Hellenic Open University Ilias Loizos, retired, former chairman of the Union of Workers in the Municipality of Neo Iraklion, Attica, former member of the General Council of POE-OTA (National Federation of Municipal Workers) Manos Skoufoglou, member of the Board of the Panhellenic Association of Architects (Sadas-Pea), member of the Central Coordination Committee of ANTARSYA Taxiarhis Efstathiou, member of the General Council of ADEDY (National Confederation of Public Sector Workers) Panagiotis Tselepis, Chairman of the Union of Workers in the Municipality of Agios Ioannis Renti, Attica Xidis Ioanis - Coordinator of LAE in Cyprus Furthermore, the Greek comrades protested outside the Pakistani embassy in Athens: Nepal Our comrades in Nepal wore photographs of the abducted Pakistani Marxists and publicly protested their disappearance: Czech Republic The state abductions in Pakistan was raised at a young unionist meeting in Prague. Some of the attendees agreed to take a photo to show their international solidarity, and draw attention to the case: Indonesia Comrades in Indonesia publicly protested the abduction of PYA and RWF activists by the Rangers: Furthermore, the following Indonesian trade unions, student organizations, and other activist groups have signed our petition condemning the abduction of socialist activists for their solidarity activity with the Pasthun people, and demanding their immediate release: 1. Militan Indonesia 2. Indonesia United Workers Confederation (KPBI, Konfederasi Persatuan Buruh Indonesia) 3. Committee of People's Struggle (KPR, Komite Perjuangan Rakyat) 4. The National Central of Workers Movement (Sentra Gerakan Buruh Nasional) 5. National Trade Union Confederation (KSN, Konfederasi Serikat Nasional) 6. Federation of Independent Workers' Struggle Union - Gresik (FSPBI-Gresik, Federasi Serikat Perjuangan Buruh Independen) 7. Anti-Capitalist Students Front (Front Mahasiswa Anti Kapitalis) 8. Papua Students Alliance - Surabaya (Aliansi Mahasiswa Papua - Surabaya) 9. Central Leadership of Confederation of Congress Alliance of Indonesian Labor Unions (PP Konfederasi KASBI) 10. Christian Youth Union for the Socialist Struggle (SPARTAKUS) 11. SBPBI-FSBRK-KASBI Trade Union Protests within Pakistan Finally, there were a number of protests and demonstrations against the abductions in different parts of Pakistan, including Islamabad, Multan, Peshawar, Rawalakot, Buner and Quetta: However, a large demonstration in Lahore was broken up by the Punjab police, leading to the arrest of over 30 activists, including members of the IMT. Keep up the pressure! Comrades' international solidarity has had an effect: four of the abductees have recently been released. However, three remain in the Rangers' custody in Karachi: Bilawal Baloch, Umer Riaz and Mohammed Gulbaz. Not to mention the comrades who have now been arrested by the police in Lahore. Comrades and supporters must keep an international spotlight on the actions of the Pakistani state to ensure all the activists are released unharmed. The world is watching! Release our comrades! Lal Salaam! SPRINGFIELD -- DevelopSpringfield's dormant Innovation Center project at 270-284 Bridge St. could restart construction in the next few months once DevelopSpringfield gets an expected loan from MassDevelopment, the state's economic development and finance agency. Little work has been done at the site for about a year. Once the loan is approved, work could restart at 270-284 Bridge Street in as little as 30 days, said Nicholas Fyntrilakis, chairman of the DevelopSpringfield board of directors on Wednesday. MassDevelopment said Wednesday through a spokeswoman only that it has not yet closed on a deal for the Innovation Center. Remaining work on the project interior could be completed in four to five months, he said. But the building's crumbling -- but historic -- terracotta facade will probably take a year to restore. "I'm literally waiting for the phone to ring," Fyntrilakis said referring to news on the financing for the project. Up until this point, MassDevelopment was one of the funders with a donation but the lender for the project. Refinancing all the previous loans Berkshire Bank and Common Capital, a nonprofit lender based in Holyoke, is taking time. Also, DevelopSpringfield had to pay the contractor on the project and settle complaints that it hadn't paid for work already completed. NL Construction of Ludlow filed papers last summer with the Hampden Registry of Deeds showing it was owed $254,000. Work began in 2016 and stopped in April 2017. Jay Ash, state Secretary of Housing and Economic Development, once called the Innovation Center the 'secret sauce' that would help small innovative companies gain a foothold in the marketplace and grow in Springfield to join the ranks of household names like Smith & Wesson and MassMutual. At what was a budget of $5.5 million, the 24,000-square-foot Innovation Center was built to house Valley Venture Mentors and its programs for small business, a cafe, co-working space and offices for community groups and startups. Fyntrilakis said Wednesday that Valley Venture Mentors and the cafe -- called Ground Up Cafe -- are both till planning to move in. As of now, the center just has one office tenant. Work was about 80 percent complete when it stopped. But the interior spaces on the upper floors were done. The bottom floors were not. In September, DevelopSpringfield CEO Jay Minkarah left for a job in New Hampshire. At the time, he said construction would restart sometime in the fall of fall of 2017. The problem, said Fyntrilakis, is that work on the 96-year-old building was simply more expensive than was thought. The exterior facade, as an example, was budgeted at $150,000 and will cost $750,000. And Develop Springfield couldn't do away with the terracotta if it wanted to. It's already accepted historic tax credits to help finance the project. Built in 1922 as the Trinity Block, named after the property's former occupant, Trinity Methodist Church, the property was once home to a furrier. Fyntrilakis said besides getting an additional $1 million from the refinancing, DevelopSpringfield has a fundraising goal for the project of an additional $500,000. MassMutual and the Davis Foundation have already donated, he said. There is some money left to raise before reaching that goal. Fyntrilakis is a former MassMutual executive who now is president and CEO of the Massachusetts Association of Insurance Agents. MassMutual is a longtime backer of DevelopSpringfield. DevelopSpringfield is a nonprofit developer that takes on risky projects private developers won't touch but with an eye towards rejuvenating neighborhoods. It tore down the old River Inn on State Street and has since sold the land to Pride Stores for redevelopment. Money form that sale, and another property it plans to sell soon on Carew Street, also makes it easier to move forward. In 2016, DevelopSpringfield received a $2.2 million grant from the state's MassWorks Infrastructure Program for the project. It also received $500,000 from MassMutual Financial Group and $30,000 from the Beveredge Family Foundation. Common Capital Inc. lent DevelopSpringfield a $250,000 first mortgage on the property in 2016, according to papers on file at the registry of deeds. Berkshire Bank has a $723,000 mortgage on the building, also according to papers on file at the Registry of Deeds. Just as we're admonished not to judge a book by its cover, we found it's best to never categorize a restaurant solely on the basis of its decor. Macho Taco, a casual eatery located in Agawam, exemplifies that reality. Though operating out of a storefront with a minimum of visual "wow", the restaurant delivers a noteworthy Mexican dining experience. As the eatery's name suggests, tacos are the house specialty. Made with hand-pressed tortillas, they come in all the usual variations, including Street Tacos ($1.99 each) topped with cilantro, onions, and tomatillo sauce or as Taco Americano ($2.50), which feature handmade shells filled with lettuce, tomato, cheese, sour cream, and a choice of protein filling. The latter is available as shredded chicken, chorizo, and seasoned ground beef as well as carne asada, birria (spicy stew), and tinga (chipotle-spiced chicken). Burritos ($8.99) are available, as is a Burrito Bowl ($7.99) that's basically the standard fillings without the tortilla wrapper. A Buffalo Chicken Quesadilla ($8.50) comes layered with chicken, grilled peppers, cheese, and onions while deep-fried Chimichangas ($7.50) are custom-assembled with an individual diner's choice of fillings. "Authentic" Mexican dishes such as Huarache (a griddle-cooked filled tortilla -- $8.99) and Sopes (garnished masa cakes -- $9) are available and can be customized. Appetizer options at Macho Taco range from Nachos ($8.50) and Jalapeno Poppers ($5.50) to Mexican Street Corn ($4) and Carne Asada Fries ($8.99), the last garnished with chopped grilled beef and a host of nacho-style toppings. Though the starters sounded tempting, our intention to order one was preempted by the arrival of a complimentary basket of tortilla chips and scratch-made salsa. A plate of Chicken Enchiladas ($10.99) was handsomely composed affair. Three tortilla rollups, each filled with shredded chicken and moistened with the restaurant's red enchilada sauce, were oven finished and then garnished with diced onions, minced cilantro, and a drizzle of sour cream. The enchiladas had fresh-from-the-kitchen appeal, thanks in part to the sauce in which they had been baked. It had none of the tomato-paste notes that typically characterize commercial enchilada sauce. Mexican rice and smoky, savory black beans completed the presentation. An "Authentic Quesadilla Meal" ($9.99) wasn't as well received, at least partly because it differed so greatly from our everyday idea of what a quesadilla should be. Made from a hand-pressed corn tortilla, the foldover we ordered was filled with Oaxaca cheese and carne asada. The tortilla had a soft, somewhat doughy character, and the mild cheese that filled it did little to jazz up the flavor profile. Slices of carna asade (marinated skirt steak- $.75) did contribute texture and taste along with the diced onion, cilantro, and sour cream that topped the quesadilla. Nonetheless, the comparison to the toasted golden cheesiness of quesadillas, American style, was unavoidable. Mexican rice and a side of refried beans - pleasingly smoky, with whole bean texture to spare - the dish was our least favorite of the three we sampled. Fish tacos are a dish we particularly enjoy. Brought to the U.S. from Baja California by surfers in search of the ultimate wave, fish tacos bring together an intriguing combination of flavors and textures. The version served at Macho Taco (they're priced at $3.99 each) is superior to any we've sampled. Beer-batted fish filets are folded into warm corn tortillas along with shredded fresh cabbage, pickled red onions, crumbled queso fresco, and a dab of pico de gallo to create a truly memorable eating moment. Macho Taco isn't licensed, so beverage options are limited to soft drinks and house-made flavored waters. The restaurant is, however, BYOB friendly. For dessert, Macho Taco offers two options - Tres Leche Cake ($4.50) and Churros ($2.50). We tried the later and enjoyed thin, freshly fried treats filled with dulce de leche and dusted with cinnamon sugar. Serving South-of-the-Border favorites and honoring authentic food ways in the process, Macho Taco delivers a Mexican dining experience that, although not elegant, is certainly satisfying. Name: Macho Taco Address: 67 Springfield Street, Agawam Telephone: (413) 285-7060 Website: Machotacorestaurant.com Hours: Monday through Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, noon to 9 p.m.; and Sunday, noon to 6 p.m. Entree prices: $7.50 - $11.99 Credit cards: Discover, MasterCard, Visa Handicapped access: Accessible; rest room equipped for wheelchairs Reservations: Not normally taken A Boston firefighter accused of sexually assaulting a woman inside a city firehouse is now on administrative leave. Boston Fire Department Commissioner Joseph Finn released a statement Thursday confirming Firefighter David Sanchez will remain on leave while he faces charges in court. "The Boston Fire Department takes these allegations very seriously and they warrant our full attention. As a result, Firefighter Sanchez has been placed on administrative leave while this situation is adjudicated through the court system," Finn said. "We will continue to monitor this situation and take swift and appropriate action if and when it is necessary." The 37-year-old firefighter from Hyde Park was arraigned April 18 on indecent assault and battery and assault and battery charges, the Suffolk County District Attorney's office reports. The charges were filed in a West Roxbury court. Authorities said he is accused of sexually assaulting a woman at the firehouse located on Centre Street in Jamaica Plain on Jan. 14. A police report reviewed by WCVB News said a woman went to the Jamaica Plain station to retrieve personal belongings. The television station reports Sanchez is accused of pulling down the woman's pants, exposing himself and trying to kiss her. Sanchez was released on personal recognizance and is scheduled to return to court June 13, according to the district attorney's office. A Lawrence man and his Florida cohort have pleaded guilty to charges they conspired with others to move large quantities of oxycodone in pill form as well as heroin and fentanyl to New England for resale, then laundered the money they got from the sales through banks, according to prosecutors. Johnny Urena, 30, of Lawrence, and Jenssi Astacio, 32, of Sunny Isles, Florida, entered guilty pleas in U.S. District Court in Boston Wednesday. They were arrested in March of 2017 after a three-year federal investigation into the pipeline. Amy Hosney, special agent for the IRS Criminal Investigation Unit, said Urena and Astacio are the last two to plead guilty. Six others are awaiting sentencing after they admitted guilt. Only one of the original nine defendants is facing trial. Hosney said the money made from the sale of the drugs was funneled through various bank accounts to try to hide the origin and actual owners of the cash. If found guilty, Urena and Astacio face up to 40 years in federal prison along with a $5 million fine on the drug charges, and up to 30 years in prison for laundering the receipts. They would also face fines of up to three times the value of the funds they hid. The two face sentencing July 24 and July 31, respectively. Former President Barack Obama's environmental chief and the chairman of the panel overseeing the troubled MBTA are among the people who have expressed interest and have been considered to take over as chancellor of UMass Boston, MassLive has learned. Regina "Gina" McCarthy, a Massachusetts native who served as Obama's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) chief during his second term, graduated from UMass Boston in 1976 with an anthropology degree and is currently working at Harvard University's School of Public Health. Joseph "Joe" Aiello is chairman of the five-member fiscal and management control board for the MBTA. A UMass Amherst graduate, he is a partner and director at Meridiam Infrastructure Managers, a global equity investor and developer. Whether they're still in contention for the job is unclear, though Aiello and McCarthy were active candidates as of mid-March. The UMass Boston job comes with a six-figure salary and an operating budget of $436.1 million. The campus, which receives roughly 30 percent of its funding through the state, employs 2,600 people and has nearly 17,000 students. University of Massachusetts officials launched a search for a new UMass Boston chancellor in October 2017, as the Boston Harbor campus faced budget problems and after the city's only public research university lost its longtime chancellor, Keith Motley. The interim UMass Boston chancellor, Barry Mills, has indicated he is willing stay in the role if the search continues past the end of this academic year. The firm Isaacson Miller is working with a 15-member search committee to fill the role. The committee, headed by Springfield native Henry Thomas III, met behind closed doors for several hours on Tuesday inside the UMass Club. Finalists haven't yet been announced. A UMass spokesman said the search committee is still in the confidential review stage of the search and declined further comment. McCarthy, whose EPA had 15,000 staffers and an $8 billion budget, did not respond to emails seeking comment Tuesday and Wednesday. Since July 2015, Aiello has chaired the MBTA's fiscal control board, an all-volunteer panel tasked with reforming the public transit agency after a series of harsh winter storms highlighted management and infrastructure problems. While on the MBTA board, he has sought to drive down structural deficits and negotiated collective bargaining agreements with two top unions. UMass Boston sits on 120 acres in Boston's Dorchester neighborhood, next to the JFK Library and Presidential Museum, the Massachusetts State Archives and the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate. UMass Boston, which first opened in 1965, is part of a five-campus system overseen by UMass President Marty Meehan and a 22-member board of trustees. In her 2015 commencement address to UMass Boston students, McCarthy recalled a time when the campus was located in downtown Boston. "My freshman math class was in the Combat Zone above a strip joint - no joke," she said according to remarks posted on the college's website. "It was the only math class I ever took that wasn't incredibly boring." UMass Boston moved to the Columbia Point peninsula in Dorchester in 1974, and McCarthy graduated in 1976. McCarthy, who grew up in Dorchester, added that UMass Boston is "my family." Her father attended Boston State College, before it became UMass Boston, and that she met her husband Ken at UMass during a French class in 1972, she said. DEF LEPPARD Announce 6 Date Australia/New Zealand Tour w/ SCORPIONS Def Leppard 2018 Def Leppard have today announced six new shows in Australia and New Zealand with the Scorpions on the Hysteria tour. The band will make their return to Australia for the first time since 2015 and New Zealand for the first time since 2011. The shows take place in Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney and Auckland. They will be playing the ICC Sydney Theatre venue in Sydney and the Perth Arena for the very first time. Support comes from the Scorpions as revealed a few days ago by Phil in a radio interview. This comes after the Hawaii show was announced. The opening date of the Hysteria leg of the 2018 tour. Like that show this tour will feature the Hysteria & More show with the full album played in sequence. Tickets for this show go on sale from Friday 4th May. Further dates in Japan are set to be confirmed and announced very soon. Sydney, Melbourne and Perth were last played in November 2015. Adelaide, Brisbane and Auckland were last played in October 2011 on the Mirrorball tour. Visit the Tour News section. For more news on future tour plans. Def Leppard 2018 Australia/New Zealand Tour Dates 2nd November 2018 - Perth, WA, Australia @ Perth Arena The first show here since November 2015. First time at this venue. 4th November 2018 - Adelaide, SA, Australia @ Adelaide Entertainment Centre The first show here since October 2011. Fourth time at this venue. 6th November 2018 - Brisbane, QL, Australia @ Brisbane Entertainment Centre The first show here since October 2011. Fourth time at this venue. 8th November 2018 - Melbourne, VIC, Australia @ Rod Laver Arena The first show here since November 2015. Sixth time at this venue. 10th November 2018 - Sydney, NSW, Australia @ ICC Sydney Theatre The first show here since November 2015. First time at this venue. 12th November 2018 - Auckland, New Zealand @ Spark Arena The first show here since November 2011. Third time at this venue. Headliner - Def Leppard - Def Leppard Support Act - Scorpions - Scorpions Tickets On Sale - 4th May Def Leppard 2018 Australia/New Zealand Tour - News Quotes "Def Leppard are back for an Australian tour in 2018, and its going to be an amazing one, as the 80s icons play their greatest record Hysteria in full, taking hits like Pour Some Sugar On Me and Love Bites to Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth." "Better yet? Theyll be throwing in their biggest hits from their other albums too, and even bringing the legendary Scorpions (and their host of classics like Rock Me Like A Hurricane) along for their first ever major Australian tour." Im delighted that we can bring the whole Hysteria album to Australia and New Zealand later this year, said bassist Rick Savage. From Women to Love and Affection plus many other faves thrown in for good measure. We cant wait! Def Leppard 2018 New Zealand Tour - News Quotes Rock icons, DEF LEPPARD, have extended their 70-plus US and UK tour to run riot Down Under, finally playing their landmark, longest recording in full - 1987s seminal Hysteria LIVE! German rock legends SCORPIONS, join the tour for their first-ever New Zealand concert in the bands 50-plus year history. Four years in the making, Hysteria is the groundbreaking, 12-track album that saw Def Leppard overcome the adversity of drummer Rick Allens car crash injury and conquer the world. An enduring legacy dripping with rock anthems such as Animal, Pour Some Sugar On Me, Hysteria, Armageddon It, Love Bites, Woman and Rocket. 2018 also marks the 35th anniversary of Hysterias predecessor Pyromania, home to "Photograph. Igniting this epic piece of rock music history, Def Leppard will perform Hysteria in full alongside other songs from their 100-million-plus selling catalogue, at Aucklands Spark Arena on November 12. SCORPIONS join this tour as very special guests. The rock heavyweights played their debut Australian show in Melbourne in October 2016 as part of their 50th Anniversary World Tour however they never made it to New Zealand. Arguably Germanys most successful rock band with massive hits Wind of Change and Rock You Like A Hurricane, their November performance will be the bands first-ever New Zealand show. Rock! Rock! Legends @DefLeppard are headed to Perth November 2! Tickets go on sale May 4 at 1pm through @Ticketek_AU pic.twitter.com/stL2vm8qI7 Perth Arena (@PerthArena) April 25, 2018 JUST ANNOUNCED! @DefLeppard are heading to Auckland on November 12! Tickets go on sale May 4 at 1pm from @Ticketmaster_NZ More info https://t.co/ILkcWrrnkl pic.twitter.com/t1D2Wy9OLY Spark Arena NZ (@SparkArenaNZ) April 25, 2018 Related News - DEF LEPPARD Announce First Show In Hawaii For 35 Years Related News - SCORPIONS To Open For DEF LEPPARD In Japan/Australia/New Zealand Related News - DEF LEPPARD To Tour Japan/Australia/NZ In 2018/2019 Tour Plans Related News - PHIL COLLEN Says DEF LEPPARD/JOURNEY Tour Will Be A Blast Related News - PHIL COLLEN On Upcoming DEF LEPPARD/JOURNEY US Tour (Audio) Related News - PHIL COLLEN On DEF LEPPARD's Really Cool 2018 Tour Staging/Setlist share this story: AGAWAM -- Officer Christopher Lanski has received the Medal of Valor, the Agawam Police Department's highest commendation, for saving an unconscious woman from a burning building on March 20. Lanski, who has been in local news headlines before, was honored at last week's Agawam City Council meeting at the Roberta G. Doering School, where he received the valor medal and several other citations for bravery and heroism. "Officer Lanski's quick response prevented a loss of life and represents the caliber of police officers that are here to serve your community," the Police Department said in a statement. Lanski, who had to kick down a door to gain entry to the burning home, was honored by the City Council, Mayor William P. Sapelli, police Chief Eric P. Gillis, state Sen. Donald F. Humason Jr., and state Rep. Nicholas A. Boldyga. Family, friends and colleagues lined the hallway of the school and applauded as Lanski left the ceremony. "He was first on the scene and needed to get the woman out," Humason said on Facebook, adding that there was no time to wait for the arrival of Agawam firefighters. The senator called Lanski "a genuine hero." The officer was treated for smoke inhalation, but the status of the woman, who was taken to Baystate Medical Center in Springfield and later transferred to a Boston hospital, was not immediately known. This is not the first time Officer Lanski has grabbed news headlines. In April 2015, he helped disarm a knife-wielding man during a traffic stop near the Route 57 rotary, confiscating marijuana found inside the car, police said at the time. In September 2017, Lanski helped prevent a potential tragedy by stopping a wrong-way driver on Route 5 in Agawam. Spotting a northbound vehicle in the southbound lane, Lanski immediately activated his cruiser lights and pursued the car as it headed toward oncoming traffic, police said. Half a dozen vehicles, including two tractor-trailers, pulled over for Lanski. But George Simpson, who at the time headed the Pioneer Valley Performing Arts Charter Public School in South Hadley, continued driving until reaching Warren Street in West Springfield, said police, who charged him with negligent operation, failure to stop for an officer, and other offenses. He was arrested again three months ago by police in Reading, who charged him with erratic driving and possession of heroin and methamphetamine. The Pioneer Valley Performing Arts school fired Simpson in February. SPRINGFIELD -- An anti-gun mural that was painted last week outside the South Congregational Church by the parent of a boy killed two months ago in the Parkland, Florida, school massacre has been found destroyed, apparently by vandals. "It's utterly destroyed," said Aamad Rivera, a former Springfield City Councilor. "It didn't even last a week." Damage to the four-panel mural, set on a wood frame outside the Maple Street church, was discovered Thursday morning, said Rivera. It had been fine when he checked on it Wednesday evening, he said. "It looked like it had been kicked in, knocked over and ripped in half," he said. The mural, a tribute to the 17 victims of the Feb. 14 school shooting at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, was created on site April 20 by Manuel Oliver. One of those victims was Oliver's 17-year-old son, Joaquin. Oliver and his wife, Patricia, appeared in Springfield last week to take part in a discussion on gun violence at the church moderated by Rivera. The event was co-hosted by the local chapter of March for Our Lives, a nationwide organization that is pushing an agenda of reform for the nation's gun laws. Rivera said that since the mural was installed, he had been checking in on it daily, and checked on it Wednesday evening to check to see how a cover was holding up during the rain. He said organizers with March For Our Lives were in discussions about what to do with the mural, and there was talk about auctioning it off with the money going toward further anti-gun violence activities. Now it will have to be tossed in the trash, he said. Rivera said in a telephone conversation with a reporter that he did not not file a police report on the damaged painting. A short time later, he said in an email that he had called the police to report it. It is unclear if the mural was destroyed by someone making a political statement or by someone engaged in random vandalism, and Rivera said he did not care to speculate about that. "I don't know and I don't want to speculate about the person's intent," he said. He said he has not alerted Oliver about it yet. Oliver has gone to 17 cities since the shooting to speak about gun violence, and at each one he has painted a similar mural. Rivera said that as far as he knows, only the Springfield one was vandalized. "It's disheartening" he said. Chicopee School Committee Jeanette DeForge | jdeforge@repub.com School administrators are trying to make cuts while preserving student programs CHICOPEE The School Committee began the work to shave expenses from its budget for the next year in the hopes of preserving as many programs as possible and avoiding as many layoffs as possible. The School Committee has been battling budget problems for a minimum of two years and this year is not going to be any easier, said John Miarecki, director of budget and finance. When figuring the current cost of running the schools and taking the current estimates of the funding the city will receive from the state, the federal government and the city, the schools will have to cut between $4 and $4.5 million from the budget, he said. School administration has been looking at the budget for weeks to talk about where cuts can be made, how jobs can be preserved through attrition and what efficiencies can be adopted to save money, Superintendent Richard W. Rege Jr. said. We have been looking at where could we make cuts, cuts that would not have a negative effect on our students, he said. Don't Edit What is the current budget situation? The School Committee last year adopted a $81.9 million budget which did not cut programs but was only balanced because the City Council agreed to add $1.25 million above the minimum spending required by state law. The budget had no raises for any staff eliminated some salaries through attrition and used money saved in revolving accounts such as school sports, which makes money through the sale of tickets at games. Then the bad news came over the summer: The schools ended the previous fiscal year with a $3.2 million deficit because the salary account was overspent. To make up the deficit, the School Committee emptied every single revolving account and used state reimbursements for special education, a $491,000 surplus from the transportation account and other funds. Officials balanced the budget but some of the money, including the funds from the revolving accounts, had been allocated already for this year's budget. That left the fiscal 2019 budget with a projected deficit of $1.6 million, Miarecki said. That deficit is slowly being reduced. Last week Miarecki announced savings had cut it in half to about $880,000 and this week the city received news it would receive more than $300,000 in assistance for taking in children whose families moved from Puerto Rico to escape devastation from September's hurricane. That can be used to reduce the deficit to about $500,000. Don't Edit Administrators cut $525,000 in first phase of budget cuts In the School Budget Subcommittee meeting Tuesday, Miarecki released what he called Phase 1 of the budget cuts. All the positions so far being cut will be absorbed through retirements and resignation, but this is only the first phase of the budget cuts, he said. In total administrators cut $1,960,000 through consolidations, cuts and finding small amounts of money. But there are also about $1,434,900 in additional costs the School Department will face this year, including a 4 percent increase in staff health insurance that will total $461,640, he said. Also increasing by about $200,000 is tuition for disabled students who attend private schools because city schools cannot meet their needs. The number of children who need special placements is increasing and the state recently approved an increase in tuition for those schools, Rege said. Also increasing are costs for insurances, services provided by the city and charged to the schools and extra duty pay for teachers and assistants, Miarecki said. The additional expenses mean in the first phase the School Department was able to cut about $525,000 from the budget. Don't Edit There will be more cuts There will be more cuts There will be three or more phases of the budget cuts as staff continues to scrutinize the budget, Miarecki said. School staff is looking at every account to try to shave expenses without laying off employees or cutting programs. In one example, Miarecki said the School Department is cutting a line item called census because it hasnt been used in a number of years. I know it is a small amount, $3,000, but every bit helps, he said. One of the difficulties of trying to set the budget now is the School Department does not know how much money it will receive in state assistance since the House and Senate is still developing their own budget. Currently the House Ways and Means proposal on education spending is higher than Gov. Charlie Baker's and could increase Chicopee's school funds by about $700,000, Rege said. Every year principals and teachers submit a wish list of staffing, equipment and supplies they would like to have to enhance education. School Committee Member Michael J. Pise asked if those lists will be filled. Unfortunately this is not going to be a wish list kind of budget. It will be a necessity budget, Rege said. Miarecki warned the School Department that the budget will be very tight and there will be no extra money in an emergency. This is an exact budget, he said. If there is $100,000 in the budget we have to be conscious of the $100,000 and not go over. Don't Edit Will there be layoffs In March Rege said he may have to send layoff notices to all the non-professional staff, who have fewer than three years of experience, which totals about 100 people. Some of the professional staff may also be notified. He said he would likely be able to rescind many of the notices, but under state law the School Department must issue layoff notices by June 15 to any teacher and other staff members who will not have a job in the next fiscal year which begins on July 1. But this week Rege said he now does not believe there will be the need to issue as many layoff notices and the number of people who lose their jobs will be smaller. I dont see huge layoffs, he said. There may be a slight possibility we may not have any layoffs. Don't Edit Don't Edit Mayor Richard J. Kos MICHAEL S. GORDON/ REPUBLICAN FILE Mayor pledges to match any cuts made Mayor Richard J. Kos, who also serves as School Committee chairman, pledged to ask the City Council to match any cuts made by the School Committee with additional money. The state provides about two-thirds of the funds for Chicopee and sets the minimum amount the city must contribute toward the schools. In most years the city has spent no more than the minimum, except in the past two years when it added $1.25 million and then about $1.75 million into the budget above the minimum required. The consensus among the City Council is members do want children to have a good education and want to be partners with the School Committee, Kos said. I think the superintendent has a goal of $2 million in terms of consolidation and savings, he said. Kos said he would support matching up to the $2 million, which would total the about $4 million the School Committee would need to cut. He repeated his concern about health insurance, criticizing the Chicopee Education Association for not considering an option that would increase members co-pays for doctor visits, medications and emergency room visits but save the school department up to $320,000 and employees $100 for a single plan and $400 for a family plan in their cost to pay a share of the insurance premium. The union, which continues to negotiate for a new contract, rejected the proposal saying it would cost the majority of its members more than they would save. Don't Edit Jeanette DeForge | jdeforge@repub.com The cuts: High school department supervisors will be consolidated One of the biggest savings will come from changing the way the different academic departments are led. The plan, which is common in most urban districts with multiple high schools, is also educationally sound, Rege said. Currently each school has a supervising teacher who oversees each academic department. That person teaches three courses a day and spends the rest of the time on curriculum and supervision duties. The consolidation plan calls for one supervisor to work full-time on the curriculum and supervision duties and the remaining department chairs will return to teaching full-time, Rege said. Currently there are 12 supervisors and Rege said he will likely reduce that to five, saving nearly $575,000. The benefit of the consolidation is it will ensure both high schools are teaching the same thing, he said. Don't Edit A student in the carpentry department at Comprehensive High School works to build a house last year. Don Treeger/Republican file Cuts in vocational shops While career technical education programs overall remain popular overall, there are several which students are not that interested in taking and have a reduced enrollment, Rege said. When the money is rolling in you can have five kids in a classbut the moneys not there, Rege said. The drafting program specifically only has four or five students per class so one teacher will be eliminated to save $69,600. The horticulture program, which serves students with learning disabilities, also has a low enrollment so one teacher will be cut and the program will also be joined with the building and grounds program to include the students with disabilities with those who have none. The savings will also be $69,000, Rege said. The welding program also has low enrollment so one welding teacher will be cut and replaced with a teaching assistant to save $42,000, Rege said. The automotive program remains popular but one of the teachers resigned recently and research showed the schools can use an automotive technician instead of a higher paid teacher, also saving $42,000, Rege said. Don't Edit Jeanette DeForge | jdeforge@repub.com High School teaching positions to be cut Enrollment at both high schools is decreasing and some of the classes are small so a total of six teachers will be cut. "Elementaries are full. There's not much consolidation we can do there," Rege said. All six positions are being eliminated through attrition so no one will lose their jobs, Miarecki said. Four teaching positions will be cut at Chicopee High School saving $265,000 and two will be cut at Comprehensive High School saving $144,000. Don't Edit Other staff positions to be cut A variety of other staff positions will also be cut or consolidated. Here are some examples: The district wide nurse job will be eliminated at a savings of about $62,000. That position has been vacant for part of this school year, Miarecki said. The number of noon attendants will be reduced to save $16,500. A special education supervisor and a middle school special education team leader will eliminated saving $144,000. The supervisor position has been vacant for most of this year. Don't Edit Don't Edit Expenses will be cut Cuts will also be made in expenses with the larges one being $125,000 for maintenance at all schools and grounds, he said. Miarecki said officials analyzed the use of the copier and will reduce the amount of paper purchased by $20,000. At the same time staff will change the coding for the use of the printer to ensure people are not using paper for their personal needs. The department is also reducing the amount spent on legal fees by $20,000, special education travel by $2,000 and auto maintenance by $5,000. Don't Edit What will be preserved The priority will be to preserve all programs that directly impact students. School Committee member David Barsalou, who recently retired as an art teacher and also plays drums, said he was concerned that there will be cuts to the arts. But Rege has always supported teaching arts in the schools and said that is not being considered now. Also not on the chopping block is the elementary gifted program called REACH, which was cut and then restored by the School Committee last year in part thanks to a grant. Don't Edit What other cuts may be made? The School Committee still must cut $1.5 million at a minimum to balance the budget. Tuesday members offered some ideas. For more than a decade the school system is the only one in Western Massachusetts to hire a private company to provide substitute teachers. School Committee member Donald J. Lamothe asked if it will be less expensive to have school staff do the work themselves, especially since the number of substitutes the company is providing does not fill the need. The School Department has gone out to bid to see if other companies can provide the same services at a reduced cost and has received a minimum of six bids. It is now examining them to see which company would be best to hire, Miarecki said. The school department is also looking at contracts with companies that provide computer technology services to see if changes can be made to save some money, Miarecki said. One long-discussed proposal is to combine city and school departments which do the same job such as maintenance and information technology. School Committee members and City Councilors support the idea and have been waiting for the results of a study being conducted by the Collins Center at the University of Massachusetts, Boston, on the consolidation proposal. The center was hired a year ago to do the work. While Kos said he is also interested in the idea and believes it will streamline some operations he is not sure if there will be immediate savings that would help the School Department save money this year. Lamothe is also questioning if the School Department can continue to afford to operate the city's local access cable channel, which costs about $286,000 to just operate the channel. The School Department spends additional money on educational programs tied to the station and does receive about $25,000 a year in fees from Charter Cable for its involvement with the television studio. He said it may be time for the School Department to give up running the station. The FBI, Somerset County Sheriff's Office and Maine State Police have announced that there is a reward of up to $20,000 for information that leads to the arrest of suspected cop killer John Daniel Williams. Authorities have been on the hunt for Williams since he allegedly shot and killed Somerset County Sheriff's Deputy Cpl. Eugene Cole on Wednesday morning. Williams, 29, drove off in Cole's cruiser, which was later located, officials said. Anyone with information about William's location is asked to call the Maine State Police at 207-624-7076 or submit tips electronically at tips.fbi.gov. Williams is 5 feet 6 inches with blue eyes and brown hair and weighs about 120 pounds. He was last seen wearing a black beanie hat, a dark-colored zip-up jacket, gray pants and tan boots, the FBI said. He also has at least eight tattoos, the FBI said, including the words "SEVEN ELEVEN" on his chest, below his collarbones; the abbreviation "est" in between his pectorals; the name "WILLIAMS" on his lower abdomen, above his navel; a half sleeve on his left arm; the word "Semper" on his upper right arm; the word "Fidelis" on his upper left arm; and a small safety selector symbol on the back of his left hand; and "Molon Labe" on his right forearm. According to records checks, Williams does not have any military experience. "Mr. Williams poses a very real danger to the public. We're hoping this reward incentivizes anyone with information about his whereabouts to contact law enforcement. And if you see him, call 911 immediately but do not approach," said Harold H. Shaw, the special agent in charge of the FBI Boston Division. On Thursday morning, Somerset County Sheriff Dale P. Lancaster issued a plea: "John Williams, if you are listening to my words today I implore you to turn yourself in." Nearly 200 officers on Thursday morning were canvassing the area in Maine where Williams was last seen. Police executed a search warrant at his last known address in Madison, Maine, officials said. Williams was scheduled to be in court in Massachusetts on Wednesday on gun charges. Instead, he was in Maine, where he allegedly shot Cole in Norridgewock, Maine. After driving off in Cole's cruiser, Williams committed a theft in the town and drove off again, the FBI said. Gov. Charlie Baker on Thursday called for Massachusetts court officials to review William's case. A judge William's arraignment on the gun charges set bail at $7,500 and after a bail review hearing on March 28, the figure was reduced to $5,000, according to authorities. Williams posted bail on March 31. "The tragedy of this is an officer was shot and killed, and that's the worst part of all of this," Baker told reporters after an unrelated event in Boston's Jamaica Plain neighborhood. Massachusetts court officials should look into the local case of John Williams, the man accused of killing a sheriff's deputy in Maine, Gov. Charlie Baker said Thursday. Williams, who remains at large, was due in court on Wednesday in Haverhill District Court on gun charges. A judge at his arraignment on the gun charges set bail at $7,500 and after a bail review hearing on March 28, the figure was reduced to $5,000, according to authorities. Williams posted bail on March 31. "The tragedy of this is an officer was shot and killed, and that's the worst part of all of this," Baker told reporters after an unrelated event in Boston's Jamaica Plain neighborhood. "But I think it's really important for the courts to take a look at the process, the information, when it was made available, what it said, and if there are things we need to do with laws, they need to tell us that, and we'll change them," he added. "If there are things they need to do with their administrative procedures, that should happen, too." Baker noted that after Auburn Police Officer Ronald Tarentino Jr. was fatally shot after he stopped a vehicle in 2016, the suspect's criminal record was reviewed. Jorge Zambrano, who was later killed by police, had a previous assault on a police officer that had been treated as a misdemeanor. Baker said his administration worked with the state legislature to change the law so assault and battery on a police officer that involves an injury is treated as a felony. Baker also pointed to the case of Jared Remy, who pleaded guilty to stabbing his girlfriend to death. Court officials realized they were not tracking every instance somebody ended up in a different court when charged with domestic violence, and that resulted in a change in state law. "In this particular case, one of the things I would like to know is, 'Do we need to change the status for a dangerousness hearing?'" Baker said, turning back to the Williams case. "Because there are certain circumstances in which people do pursue dangerousness hearings, but they don't do it all the time, obviously." Asked whether laws need to be changed, Baker said, "I don't know until the courts do some more homework on the specifics of the case." Police across New England are "bringing all hands on deck" as the search for John Williams, who allegedly shot and killed a Maine sheriff's deputy on Wednesday, intensifies, Maine officials said in a news conference Thursday morning. Maine law enforcement officials urged residents to lock their homes and cars Thursday morning because they believe Williams is still armed and "extremely dangerous." "John Williams, if you are listening to my words today I implore you to turn yourself in," said Somerset County Sheriff Dale P. Lancaster. Early Wednesday morning, Maine State Police said Williams, 29, shot and killed Somerset County Sheriff's Deputy Cpl. Eugene Cole and stole his cruiser. Police later found the car, but are still searching for Williams, who was supposed to appear in Haverhill District Court on gun charges Wednesday, prosecutors said. Nearly 200 officers are canvassing the area in Maine where Williams was last seen. Police executed a search warrant at his last known address in Madison, Maine last night, State Police Lt. Col. John Cote said at the news conference. Detectives in New Hampshire and Massachusetts are "making this a priority," Cote said. Police received five calls reporting suspicious activity overnight, but none yielded any information, Cote said. Anyone who has spoken with Williams is asked to contact police. HOLYOKE -- The mayor of San Juan, Puerto Rico told a crowd of hundreds Wednesday that Hurricane Maria's devastation showed her the difference between the American government and the American people. "We knew that we were in trouble. It was evident the president wasn't hearing us, the guy that lives in that big white house at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., so we had to do for ourselves what they neglected to do and what the American people were doing out of the goodness of their hearts," Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz said. (see video above) Her remarks referred to President Donald Trump and how the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) failed to help after Hurricane Maria in September 2017 destroyed most of the island, home to 3.4 million people, and killed over 1,000. Cruz' visit at Gateway City Arts on Race Street was part of Holyoke Innovation Week and was arranged through Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley and Holyoke City Councilor Jossie M. Valentin. Valentin asked questions of Cruz as a standing crowd of a few hundred listened, cheered and shouted remarks in Spanish. Stools were provided on stage but Cruz, displaying the "woman of the people" behavior that has made her popular, shunned the convenience. "If they're going to stand up for the whole thing, we're going to stand up for the whole thing," Cruz said. She thanked the crowd for welcoming her and said she appreciated the opportunity to make remarks. She flashed a sense of humor at times -- noting she'd been married in 2017 but was no longer, "I am single, gentlemen. What can I do? You've got to put it out there" -- but soon was talking about ruined homes, lack of water and glazed eyes. "When situations get really bad, you have two choices, that's it. You stand up and speak up or you stand down and become an accomplice to people that, even though they have blood running through their veins, they're really not human...You have to stand up to injustice," she said. Her taking on Trump and FEMA was sparked by seeing her home destroyed and residents going without food, electricity and medicine for much longer than was necessary, she said. "I'm not politically correct. I tend to say things like I see them, and as somebody described me, I'm Mother Teresa with a foul mouth. So if you're faint of heart, please forgive me," she said. FEMA was telling Puerto Rico that people seeking help had to fill out forms on the in internet, she said. "There was a total blackout, we had no electricity," she said. "I kept going outside and seeing people with glazed looks....We were like lost, we didn't know what hit us." FEMA, she said, kept asking her, how much food do you need, what are your priorities? "And I thought, what the f--- are these people talking about? It was very frustrating," she said. She also discussed what Puerto Rico needs to do to get stabilized, which she said features elimination of a federal control board whose rules are squeezing instead of helping. Help includes Puerto Ricans being accountable and fulfilling their responsibilities instead of blaming others, she said. Cruz has become the face of Puerto Rico in the American media on the storm's devastation and the slow and lacking federal aid. Gaddier Rosario, who was born in Puerto Rico and now lives in Amherst, said he showed up at the event because there are two kinds of leaders: those who give orders from behind a desk and those who go where people are. Cruz is the second, he said. "I think she gets out into the street to work instead of just" giving orders, said Gaddier, 48, a painter. Jesus Espinosa, 56, of Holyoke, said Cruz has shown herself to be a leader who speaks when she has something important to say and not just to talk. Her work in helping people with the hurricane's ravages and criticizing slow efforts of federal officials showed her sincerity, he said. "I think she was really outspoken. Every time they needed her, she was there," said Espinosa, who was born in Puerto Rico. "Cruz's legacy will be marked by her uncompromising refusal to let anyone ignore the lives of those affected by the hurricane," said an article written by actor Benicio Del Toro for the Time magazine series on 100 influential people. As The Guardian newspaper reported March 21, "Cruz, who rose to prominence as an unsparing critic of the Trump administration in the hours after Maria made landfall, said the halting and, in her view, neglectful federal response to the crushing devastation on Puerto Rico was a glaring reminder of the island's 'status as a US territory.' " Cruz' visit is part of Holyoke Innovation Week April 22 to 29. The $165 million Massachusetts Green High Performance Computing Center is the the anchor for the Holyoke Innovation District, which, officials have said, is both a geographic zone and a plan. The district consists of the downtown blocks around the computing center, which is between Cabot and Appleton streets overlooking the first-level canal. The idea is to maximize city benefits from the computing center such as by attracting and helping business owners, and workshops and other events like those scheduled this month, officials said. HOLYOKE -- As San Juan, Puerto Rico, Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz walked on the stage, Priscilla Rivera and Migdalia Thomas, of Holyoke, cheered loudly. "She is a true superwoman," said Rivera, who was among a large group of people who came out to Gateway City Arts on Wednesday night to hear Cruz speak. Cruz was named by Time Magazine as one of the 100 most influential people of 2018 for her efforts to bring attention to the crisis Puerto Rico faces in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria. She is visiting Western Massachusetts to give a lecture at Mount Holyoke College on Thursday night, but she made a stop in Holyoke, a city with a large population of Puerto Ricans. "I wanted to come to giver her the honor and respect that she deserves," said Thomas, who is originally from Puerto Rico. "She is a woman with power, with a great mind, and leadership that represents not just Puerto Rico, but the community and our heritage." Cruz arrived on stage with Holyoke City Councilor Jossie Valentin. The women were offered seats, but Cruz said if the audience had to stand, than she would too. Cruz thanked the people of Holyoke for welcoming her and said she has always made a clear distinction between the American government and the American people. She said while the government abandoned the people of Puerto Rico in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, the people did not. "I saw the outpouring of support not helping us because we were American citizens, but helping us because we were human," she said. Kim Rivera, Zaida Govan and Rachel Fontanez drove from Springfield to attend the event. "Our politics are extremely crooked, but it's hit a new low, and she is like a beacon of positivity and change," said Fontanez, who was born in Puerto Rico and raised in Springfield. "She makes me as a woman be more independent and strive harder for what I want and what I need from my government and from myself." Rivera and Govan said they are also inspired by Cruz. "I think she is a superwoman and she inspires many of us," Rivera said. During her visit, Cruz talked about the aftermath of the hurricane, which struck the island Sept. 20, and asked if there was anyone in the crowd who had survived it. Valerie Gonzalez Roman raised her hand. "I was there," she said and Cruz came down from the stage and the women embraced. "I was with her then and I'm with her now," said Gonzalez Roman. Yulin is expected to be in Holyoke again on Friday. WEST SPRINGFIELD - Police arrested a Springfield man and a Connecticut woman on drug charges Tuesday night outside of a Riverdale Street hotel, and seized more than 100 packets of heroin and some cocaine, police said. Arrested shortly after 7 p.m. outside the Red Roof Inn, 1254 Riverdale St., were Devin Martinez of Hayden Ave., Springfield, and Jennifer Poulin of Torrington, Connecticut. Martinez was charged with single counts of possession of heroin with intent to distribute, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, and driving a vehicle without a license. Poulin was charged with possession of heroin and outstanding warrants. According to police, detectives with the West Springfield Narcotics Unit were conducting a surveillance operation in the hotel parking lot when they spotted Poulin sitting in a car. Police said the detectives had known Poulin from what was described as "prior interactions." They learned there were warrants issued against Poulin for motor vehicle violations, and when they looked for her again, they spotted her talking with some men who had just come out of a hotel room to talk to her. She was taken into custody on the warrants, and detectives, while talking to Martinez, who was behind the wheel of the car, spotted a small packet of heroin on the floor of the car. Martinez was not the owner of the car, and when the owner told police it was OK to search the vehicle, they found drugs hidden inside. He was taken into custody. Police recovered 100 packets of heroin, each labeled "Pikachu", 13 grams of crack cocaine and 6 grams of marijuana. They also found packaging materials and a digital scale inside the car. While being booked at the police station, Poulin was found to have 4 packets of heroin in her pockets. SPRINGFIELD -- West Springfield Police Capt. Daniel Spaulding, suspended from the force in 2017, was arraigned Thursday in connection with the alleged theft of more than $1,000 from the department. Spaulding, of West Springfield, denied a charge of violating standards for public employees. He was indicted in April. Hampden Superior Court Judge Richard J. Carey ordered Spaulding released on his own recognizance. Conditions are that he turn in his firearms, surrender his passport and not leave the state without permission from the Probation Department. Assistant Attorney General Heather Valentine is prosecuting the case. Spaulding is accused of taking more than $1,000 from the West Springfield Police Department evidence room between May 2016 and May 2017. "Authorities further found that Spaulding later replaced all of the missing cash and returned the missing evidence bags in May 2017. The West Springfield Police Department and the City of West Springfield assisted in and fully cooperated with this investigation," a statement from the Attorney General's Office said. Worcester attorney Austin Joyce is representing Spaulding. Spaulding, 50, who began work with the force in 1988. He was placed on paid administrative leave in August, but is no longer getting paid as a result of the indictment. Updated at 3:48 p.m. Thursday, April 26, 2018 to note that the statement about the April 11 meeting of the Friends of Mater Dolorosa and election of a new chairman came from newly elected chairman John Fydenkevez. HOLYOKE -- Simmering behind the scenes for months, disputes have spilled public between groups that have been working to preserve the closed Mater Dolorosa Church. Members of the elder of the two groups, Friends of Mater Dolorosa (FOMD), met April 11 and elected a new chairman. But the long-time, and now possibly ex-chairman, Victor M. Anop, a lawyer and member of the Chicopee Board of Assessors, said the meeting was unauthorized and bogus. (see below) John Fydenkevez, president of the nonprofit Mater Dolorosa Church Preservation Society of Holyoke Inc., was elected the new chairman of the Friends of Mater Dolorosa at the meeting at Pilsudski Park off County Road. That's according to a statement from Fydenkevez. (see below) The clashes come as Mayor Alex B. Morse said Wednesday his negotiations are continuing with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield over the fate of the 116-year-old church at Maple and Lyman streets. Morse initiated talks with Bishop Mitchell T. Rozanski in October as the Diocese obtained a demolition permit and a city board was about to begin a hearing about designating the church a historic site, a designation intended to block demolition. The Diocese owns the church at 71 Maple St. and closed it in 2011 because of declining parishioner numbers and concerns about the steeple's stability, though others have said the church structure is sound and will last for years. Anop has headed the Friends of Mater Dolorosa group whose members' devotion to saving the church included a year-long, round-the-clock vigil inside the church. Anop also appealed the closure to the Vatican's highest court in Rome. Mater Dolorosa Church Preservation Society of Holyoke Inc. officially organized with the state as a nonprofit corporation on Oct. 4, 2016 for the purpose of trying to buy the church and preserve it for another use. According to the preservation society statement, FOMD members had been seeking a meeting and updates about events, advertising, appeals finances and Morse's negotiations with the Diocese, but Anop was unresponsive. "It is truly sad that Victor had not heeded the pleas of the members these past years" said Fydenkevez in the statement. "As a result, the vast majority of members were in agreement that the time for a formal meeting was overdue." "As a result, at the meeting, formal nominations, voting, and election of new officers resulted in John Fydenkevez being elected President/Chairperson while Pamela Chirgwin was nominated and voted in as clerk and Karol Szostkiewicz was elected to fill the financial position as treasurer," the statement said. The statement said the FOMD members would begin mending fences and try to unite "present, past and new members" to preserve the church if Morse's negotiations succeed. Anop dismissed the validity of the meeting as being called by former FOMD members, whom he called " 'dropouts' without legal or practical standing." He noted he has had Fydenkevez served with cease and desist orders advising he has no legal authority to conduct FOMD meetings. "Many of us received an anonymous, unsigned letter, without a return address, on April 7, 2018 with nonfactual information calling for an FOMD meeting which was done as an unauthorized, bogus gathering cited in the cease and desist order to Mr. Fydenkevez," Anop said. At an April 3 FOMD meeting, no members called for a meeting to elect officers, he said. "As chairman of Friends of Mater Dolorosa, I will most likely have no further public comment on this matter of our former members' activities as 'sensitive negotiations' between the mayor of Holyoke and the Diocese are still ongoing ...," Anop said. Fydenkevez confirmed he has received cease-and-desist orders from Anop even though he did not call for the April 11 meeting in which officer elections were held. He never "dropped out" from Friends of Mater Dolorosa, he said. A registered letter signed by eight founding FOMD members was sent to Anop about the April 11 meeting and its agenda, but Anop failed to attend, he said. "Those in attendance were disappointed that Mr. Anop did not attend as they want unity and solidary. This meeting was a 'making things whole meeting' that the members of FOMD have been requesting for some time and Victor refused to call for reason still unknown," Fydenkevez said. "We thank Mr. Anop for his time as chairman. But, now is time to do as the Friends of Mater Dolorosa membership has requested and that is to work in unity to save our beloved church building," he said. In closing the church nearly seven years ago, the Diocese combined Mater Dolorosa with the former Holy Cross Church to form Our Lady of the Cross at 23 Sycamore St. Attendance issues aside, opponents of demolition say Mater Dolorosa Church is special, having been built and paid for by Polish immigrants in 1901. Statement about meeting and election of new Friends of Mater Dolorosa chairman: by Mike Plaisance on Scribd Victor M. Anop's reply: by Mike Plaisance on Scribd Two Worcester Canal District eateries are gearing up to reopen after having to temporarily close when the former holder of their liquor license pleaded guilty to hiding and spending the drug money of former Worcester restauranteur Kevin A. Perry Jr. The Hangover Pub and Broth by The Hangover on Green Street are now a part of the newly-formed Hangover Corp. Michael Arrastia, a chef at the Green Street restaurants, is the president of the new corporation and will be hiring more help for the kitchen so he can lead the businesses. Arrastia and attorney Henry Simonelli appeared before Worcester's License Commission on Thursday morning, asking for an all alcohol license and a common victualer license. The commission wanted to ensure that Christopher Slavinskas, a previous owner of the Hangover Pub and the holder of its liquor license, would not be involved in the business in any way. With assurance from Arrastia and Simonelli that Slavinskas will have nothing to do with The Hangover and Broth, the commission approved the licenses. Arrastia told the commission he wants to reopen the restaurants as soon as possible. The two eateries are popular for their creative menus, with The Hangover focusing its dishes on bacon and Broth specializing in ramen. Arrastia and Simonelli declined to comment after the hearing aside from saying that they are excited to reopen. On March 29, Slavinskas pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of lying to the Drug Enforcement Administration. Slavinskas admitted that he hid and spent drug money proceeds belonging to Perry, who previously ran The Usual restaurant on Shrewsbury Street. Slavinskas is scheduled to be sentenced in June. The next day, the Hangover owner and manager surrendered the liquor license, a city spokesman confirmed. The Hangover Pub and Broth have not been implicated in the Perry investigation. Prior to the temporary closure of The Hangover and Broth, Jay Grey, of the restaurants, confirmed that Slavinskas was no longer involved. "In regards to Christopher Slavinskas we are currently in the process of removing Chris from our liquor license and are working with the City of Worcester to expedite this process," Grey said at the time. "As soon as the transfer is complete, this information will be made public record. Chris is no longer affiliated with The Hangover Pub and once removed from our liquor license will have no involvement in our business moving forward." Arrastia, an award-winning chef who has been in the business for 16 years, decided to step up and take over The Hangover and Broth, Simonelli told the commission. Questions also arose about Grey's involvement with The Hangover. Before the commission, Simonelli and Arrastia confirmed that Grey is just a lender for the restaurant. Simonelli told the commission that Grey "has absolutely no control" over The Hangover and Broth. An exact date for the reopening of The Hangover and Broth is not yet clear. By Lauren A. Wright Special To The Washington Post This was a week of stark contrasts for the Office of the First Lady. The nation mourned the death of one of America's most beloved first ladies, Barbara Bush, and witnessed something of a public rebirth of our current first lady, Melania Trump, who received rave reviews as hostess of the state dinner for France's leader on Tuesday. Despite concentrated public interest in Trump (her white wide-brimmed hat alone nearly broke the Internet), she has not been as publicly active as her predecessors. And her few public appearances have often been made controversial. Trump has been criticized for apparently plagiarizing Michelle Obama's convention speech, for choosing cyberbullying as her signature policy initiative, and for wearing stilettos aboard Air Force One to visit Hurricane Harvey victims. But that criticism also has been criticized. "The Left makes sure nothing is off limits to politics," said Tina Lowe of the detractors in the National Review after the stiletto incident. One Washington Post reader accused fashion critic Robin Givhan of trying to "enrage the reader with the fashion of a person who was not elected" in her article about the first lady's shoes. When Jimmy Kimmel made a joke about Trump's accent after she read to children at the White House Easter Egg Roll, the resulting firestorm was so intense that Kimmel eventually apologized. A similar discussion swirled around Bush's funeral last week. While some extolled the former first lady for her grace and grit and love of family, others pointed to more controversial moments in her biography, including Bush's comments that Hurricane Katrina was "working well" for the people uprooted by the storm and that Anita Hill had smeared "good man" Clarence Thomas. Fresno State professor Randa Jarrar tweeted that Bush was an "amazing racist" and "I'm happy the witch is dead." The backlash for taking aim at Bush was swift and emanated from all corners of politics. "It's quite appalling that someone would use the death of a beloved figure like Barbara Bush to drag her memory through the mud," Siraj Hashmi wrote for the Washington Examiner. "It's indecent to let politics erase everything admirable about a person, especially at the moment of her death," Michelle Goldberg wrote for the New York Times. Debates surrounding the legacies of public figures are nothing new, but what is striking is the degree to which arguments over Bush and Trump center not on the veracity of the various critiques but on their propriety. All of this back and forth raises a question that America has never quite fully answered: Is the first lady of the United States fair game? The public can be forgiven for possessing a confused, at times contradictory notion of the Office of the First Lady. First ladies are unelected, un-appointed, unpaid and unmentioned in the Constitution. They participate in cookie baking contests and respond to press inquiries on their fashion choices. After Trump's apparent plagiarism of a Michelle Obama speech, one columnist urged the public to "leave Melania alone," noting that she is "not a campaign adviser" and that "her speech would have been fluff even if it had been 100% original" - a defense that manages to also feel like an insult. On the one hand, it seems unfair to criticize a person who did not choose this job. And it seems especially unfair to criticize that person because of something her spouse did - critiques that were made of Hillary Clinton repeatedly and continue to be made of Melania Trump, who is often dragged into conversations about the president's sexism. But my research also shows that first ladies do more policy advocacy and public relations work than any official presidential surrogate. They have highly professionalized and congressionally funded staffs, have more access to presidents that anyone in the administration and wield immense influence over matters of global import. And the strange amalgam of responsibilities with which first ladies are tasked has been intentionally cultivated by successive administrations, which struggled to balance first ladies' valuable attributes as surrogates (as family members, they can boost perceptions of presidential character in convincing ways) with the public's reluctance to have an unelected person influencing policy too directly. Following Hillary Clinton's disastrous attempt to advance health-care reform in the 1990s and the sharp public criticism surrounding it, the first lady's role was initially restored to the ceremonial status quo. But in short order, presidential spouses' unique ability to enhance White House communications proved too irresistible to leave first ladies out of the political arena for good. The modern Office of the First Lady that resulted is a highly strategic, public-facing operation that expects to deal with intense scrutiny and is structured precisely to do so. The role of first lady is fundamentally a messaging role. The ace the East Wing has up its sleeve that the West Wing does not is the voluntary nature of the role of first lady. That means presidential spouses can claim credit for their public activities, especially because they are not required to do anything, and when they slip up, the White House can leverage the same unofficial status to portray the first lady as a beleaguered altruist. As I show in my book, "On Behalf of the President: Presidential Spouses and White House Communications Strategy Today," first ladies have taken full advantage of this special status, advocating in effective but subtle ways for the president's policy initiatives while participating in apolitical events so as to appear to remain above the partisan fray. This strategy reached a peak in the Bush and Obama administrations. Almost 25 percent of Laura Bush's public remarks and 30 percent of Michelle Obama's public remarks were campaign speeches. An even larger share were speeches about their initiatives, handpicked projects aimed to improve public opinion of the administrations' policy agendas under an apolitical veil. Laura Bush's literacy initiative was a perfect vehicle for promoting No Child Left Behind. Michelle Obama's program to combat childhood obesity, "Let's Move!", helped frame the Affordable Care Act. To be sure, Bush and Obama also gave numerous speeches on foreign and domestic policy, but rarely without mentioning their personal connection to a topic. Bush often leaned on her professional background as a librarian and teacher, for example, and Obama made constant references to being a mom when she talked about health-care reform. To make matters even more complicated, first ladies often make policy pitches through alternative media, appearing on "Ellen" or late night, reality or scripted television to talk about their projects, further reinforcing the idea that they are outsiders with no political ax to grind, just everyday mothers and wives talking about everyday things. And these appearances work. In addition to marginally improving public opinion of the policies that spouses mention and the presidents who sponsor them, first ladies have been able to maintain levels of fame and popularity over the course of their husbands' administrations that most politicians could never dream of. Despite appearances, the modern first lady is all but a de facto politician, and should be regarded as such. Her public comments should be treated with the same degree of seriousness that goes into crafting them behind the scenes. But because of the intense and concerted effort to create an apolitical image, direct attacks on presidential spouses are guaranteed to elicit fierce reaction. Lauren Wright is a lecturer in politics and public affairs at Princeton University and the author of "On Behalf of the President: Presidential Spouses and White House Communications Strategy Today." The visit to the city of Holyoke and Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley by San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz serves as a needed reminder that the crisis affected her island of Puerto Rico continues, long after its story began disappearing from the daily news. Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico in September. Springfield and Holyoke have absorbed hundreds of displaced children from the island, and Massachusetts has been a leader in helping Puerto Ricans restore some normalcy to lives that will never be the same. Before the hurricane had even fully subsided, Massachusetts officials created a fund to help Puerto Ricans. Too many Americans either forget, don't know or callously dismiss that Puerto Ricans are American citizens - not immigrants, not foreigners but full U.S. citizens from birth - with every bit as much claim to help from their fellow citizens and government as any of the 50 states. They remain in dire need of such help. Restoration of power and electricity across the island is at least a month away. A transmission line failure caused a blackout just one week ago. Puerto Ricans are already looking at the calendar with trepidation, for they know hurricane season will soon be upon them again. In addition to speaking at Mount Holyoke, Mayor Cruz was also scheduled to visit Holyoke, where a large Puerto Rican population has expanded to help displaced family members and friends from the island. The mayor has been outspoken in her efforts to bring help and awareness to the island's situation. She has also been willing to accept controversy by taking on President Trump, whose relationship with Puerto Rico has been rocky, to say the least. What the mayor's visits to many mainland U.S. cities and the local region accomplish is to keep Puerto Rico's plight in the news. This is important in a world of 24/7 news cycles that bring spectacular attention to news stories for a short time, then quickly move on to the next headline before "yesterday's crisis" is resolved. This rapidly changing cycle ignores the reality of the crisis and challenges facing those affected by it. Those don't go away overnight, or even in weeks or months. Mount Holyoke's invitation to Mayor Cruz and her appearance provide a human perspective to the daunting task of using available resources to help Puerto Rico lift itself out of the crisis, and to help Puerto Rican Americans who have relocated here. Hopefully this visit will strengthen the understanding between Massachusetts residents and those on the island. Hurricane Maria is no longer in the daily headlines, but it's far too soon to put the task of helping a devastated island out of sight and out of mind. After former Newton Mayor Setti Warren dropped out of the Democratic gubernatorial primary, one of his opponents said his exit illustrates the problems with the electoral system. "When a lack of money forces an excellent candidate to withdraw, it is yet another sign that our electoral system is broken," said environmentalist and entrepreneur Bob Massie in a statement. Massie said he and Warren have been friends for years, and they enjoyed seeing one another on the campaign trail. "Though money matters, I know that what we have is much more valuable: the growing desire of the people of Massachusetts for a more just economy, more affordable healthcare, a cleaner environment, and a governor who will stand up to (President Donald) Trump," Massie said. Former state budget chief and health insurance executive Jay Gonzalez, in a statement, thanked Warren for his contribution to the race and for highlighting the issue of economic inequality, which had been Warren's signature issue. "It was a pleasure spending time with Setti over the last year on the campaign trail," Gonzalez said. "I appreciate the sacrifice he and his family have made in the name of public service, and I wish them all the best." Gonzalez thanked Warren's supporters and said, "I ask for their support so that together we can make Massachusetts a leader again and make a meaningful difference in people's lives." Warren's exit leaves Massie and Gonzalez as the two Democrats vying to challenge Republican Gov. Charlie Baker's reelection. Warren dropped out of the race abruptly Thursday morning citing fundraising difficulties. Warren ended his campaign with $51,600 in the bank. Massie has even less than that - just $20,800 in his campaign account. Gonzalez has $127,400. Baker has $7.9 million. SPRINGFIELD -- Tahirah Amatul-Wadud, a Springfield attorney running for Massachusetts' 1st Congressional District, took issue this week with incumbent U.S. Rep. Richard Neal's response to local Puerto Rican hurricane evacuees' who recently sought help in extending FEMA housing supports. Amatul-Wadud offered that although Neal traveled to Puerto Rico in January to inspect the island's recovery from Hurricanes Irma and Maria, the Springfield Democrat's response on the issue has largely been "lacking" -- even as his colleagues urged the Federal Emergency Management Agency to extend the temporary housing benefit deadline for dozens of evacuees living in Western Massachusetts hotels. The longtime congressman, she argued, "should have been proactive in using his accumulated seniority to sign the letter" that Democratic leaders from House committees with jurisdiction -- Energy and Commerce, Transportation and Infrastructure, Homeland Security and Natural Resources -- sent to FEMA Administrator William "Brock" Long about extending the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' mission assignment to restore power in Puerto Rico. "Taking such steps is how an elected representative fights for their constituents," the Democratic congressional hopeful added. Neal serves as the top Democrat on the House Ways and Means Committee. Amatul-Wadud said she will fight for hurricane evacuees and their families living in the 1st Congressional District if sent to Washington, offering that while "our Puerto Rican friends and neighbors may be invisible to many," they are not to her. The Democrat, for example, said she'd like to overhaul the Stafford Act, which defines how federal disasters are declared, so funding used to relocate people, protect buildings and stimulate future planning can be allocated before a predicted disaster hits. Amatul-Wadud added that under the current law, destroyed infrastructure must be rebuilt exactly as it was before the disaster -- something which she argued "effectively bars improvements that could bring our infrastructure up to date." "It has been nearly eight months since Hurricanes Maria and Irma. We must take action to better prevent and recover from catastrophes like these," she said. "Doing so requires compassionate leadership across the country committed to building a strong infrastructure." Amatul-Wadud's criticism of Neal came hours before the congressman met with former Puerto Rico Secretary of State Kenneth McClintock and Ponce Mayor Mayita Melendez to discuss the island's recovery needs. "We must continue to signal the importance of restoration. A long-term plan is imperative," he tweeted Thursday morning. This morning I met with Kenneth McClintock, former Sec of State and LG of #PuertoRico & Mayita Melendez, Mayor of #Ponce to discuss the needs of the still recovering island. We must continue to signal the importance of restoration. A long-term plan is imperative. pic.twitter.com/vCrx03BQYA Rep. Richard Neal (@RepRichardNeal) April 26, 2018 McClintock, in response to Amatul-Wadud's remarks, offered that the Stafford Act "has already been amended with (Rep. Richard Neal's) support to build better!" "His record is ahead of her promises," he tweeted. Actually, Congressional candidate who criticized Congressman Neal's 'lacking' response to hurricane evacuees, didn't know that the Stafford Act has already been amended, with @RepRichardNeal's support to build better! His record is ahead of her promises! https://t.co/TRyoOAu1SQ Kenneth D McClintock (@PRKDMc) April 26, 2018 Melendez, meanwhile, thanked the congressman "for being such a committed leader when it comes to Puerto Rico." FEMA announced last week that it would extend the Transitional Sheltering Assistance program for nearly 2,000 hurricane evacuees whose housing benefits were set to run out. With some Puerto Rican families reportedly being asked to leave their Western Massachusetts hotels by 11 a.m. last Friday, local hurricane evacuees and activists urged U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey, D-Massachusetts, to help them find short-term housing solutions. The senators' announced that their staffs would meet individually with evacuees facing the April 20 deadline at their Springfield offices to help them find short-term housing. Warren and Markey further noted that they had called on the FEMA administrator to allow families enrolled in the Transitional Shelter Assistance Program to continue living in Massachusetts shelters in wake of power outages in Puerto Rico and evacuees' limited financial resources. Now, all families who were receiving FEMA shelter assistance will have their benefit extended until May 14, the program's end date. Neal, who toured Puerto Rico with other members of Massachusetts' congressional delegation in January, praised FEMA's response to hurricane damage on the isalnd, but offered that intitial efforts could have been more efficient. Weeks after the trip, the congressman asked Trump administration officials to provide an update on the federal government's efforts to restore electricity and other basic services in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, arguing that Republican leaders had fallen short in appropriating funds requested for recovery efforts. WASHINGTON -- Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt faces potentially make-or-break hearings Thursday on Capitol Hill, where he is expected to be peppered with questions about spending and ethics scandals that have triggered bipartisan calls for his ouster. Pruitt was scheduled to testify about his agency's budget in back-to-back hearings before two House subcommittees. The public grilling comes amid notable erosion in support for Pruitt among fellow Republicans after a nearly monthlong hammering of negative headlines about outsized security spending, first-class flights and a sweetheart condo lease. President Donald Trump has continued to stand by his EPA chief, but behind closed doors, White House officials concede Pruitt's job is in serious jeopardy. In the last week, a growing list of Republican lawmakers has joined the chorus of Democrats calling for new investigations into Pruitt's actions. Republican Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana said Pruitt's behavior has begun to hurt Trump's credibility, as well as the Republican Party generally. "I don't mean to be too harsh, but you can't just go around acting like a big shot, and you can't go around seeing how close you can come to the line, and you can't go around disrespecting taxpayer dollars," Kennedy said Tuesday. "It shouldn't be tolerated. That's part of the swamp that we're trying to clean up." Pruitt has faced a steady trickle of revelations involving pricey trips in first-class seats and unusual security spending, including a $43,000 soundproof booth for making private phone calls. He also demanded 24-hour-a-day protection from armed officers, resulting in a swollen, 20-member security detail that blew through overtime budgets and racked up expenses approaching $3 million. White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said officials were "evaluating these concerns and we expect the EPA administrator to answer for them." Pruitt's prepared testimony for the House environment subcommittee made no reference to ethics issues. Released ahead of the hearing, Pruitt promoted his prior accomplishments and remarked on his priorities for the coming budget year. EPA spokesman Jahan Wilcox said congressional hearings were an opportunity to describe the agency's accomplishments, which he said included efforts to repeal the Obama administration's clean power plan, eliminating lead and reducing staffing levels at EPA. Pruitt in the past has often sought to deflect questions about any missteps by blaming his subordinates. Asked about his frequent use of premium-class airfare in February media interviews, Pruitt said, "I'm not involved in any of those decisions." The administrator said his security chief made the decision for him to fly in first class after an unpleasant interaction with another traveler raised safety concerns. Pruitt's troubles began in earnest last month, when ABC News first reported he had leased a Capitol Hill condo last year for just $50 a night that was co-owned by the wife of a veteran fossil fuels lobbyist whose firm had sought regulatory rollbacks from EPA. Both Pruitt and the lobbyist, Steven Hart, denied he had conducted any recent business with EPA. But Hart was forced to admit last week he had met with Pruitt at EPA headquarters last summer after his firm, Williams & Jensen, revealed he had lobbied the agency on a required federal disclosure form. EPA's press office has declined to discuss the meeting. Thursday's hearings will be Pruitt's first major appearance since a Fox News interview in early April that was widely considered to be disastrous within the West Wing. Pressed on reports of significant raises awarded to two close aides he had brought with him to EPA from Oklahoma, Pruitt denied having any role in the decision. Documents later showed Pruitt's chief of staff signed off on the pay increases, indicating he had the administrator's consent. A lawyer and former Oklahoma attorney general, Pruitt is known to meticulously prepare for congressional hearings, with his office schedule showing he often blocks off hours huddled with top political aides. An administration official confirmed that Pruitt declined an offer of White House assistance in preparing for the latest congressional hearings. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive internal conversations. Environmental groups opposed to Pruitt's efforts to gut anti-pollution regulations have attempted to ramp up the pressure this week, paying for TV ads attacking Pruitt to be aired during the "Fox & Friends" morning show on Fox News. Trump is known to be a devoted viewer. A union representing EPA employees also rallied Wednesday outside the agency's headquarters in Washington to denounce Pruitt's leadership. Republican Sens. John Barrasso of Wyoming and John Thune of South Dakota said Pruitt faces "serious questions" about his use of taxpayer money. "I want to make sure taxpayers are getting value for their dollars, make sure money is being spent appropriately. So there continue to be serious questions," said Barrasso, chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. "We'll see what comes out of the hearings." --By Michael Biesecker Three statewide candidates from the Green-Rainbow Party will launch their campaigns with stops in Holyoke and Pittsfield this Saturday. "We want voters to know that they can cast a vote for justice, fairness, and openness - that they have an alternative to voting for the machine candidates of the two parties that rule Beacon Hill," said Secretary of the Commonwealth candidate Juan Sanchez, a community activist from Holyoke who previously ran unsuccessfully for Holyoke City Council. Jamie Guerin, who is running for state treasurer, is a mother of five from Northampton. Guerin's platform includes establishing a state-run bank, ensuring that marijuana revenues benefit local communities and creating "socially just investment programs." Jed Stamas, running for state auditor, is a science educator from Northampton. He wants to improve the education system, audit state agencies that are not achieving their intended results and ensure that tax revenues are used "ethically and efficiently." The three candidates will hold rallies at 11:30 a.m. at Park Square in Pittsfield and at 2:30 p.m. at El Mercado Holyoke on Main Street in Holyoke. They will hold a rally at the Statehouse in Boston on May 1. He's got a high approval rating in public polls, a pile of campaign money in the bank, and one less opponent. But Gov. Charlie Baker, a Republican in liberal-leaning Massachusetts who won by a slim margin of 40,000 votes in 2014, laughed when asked whether he was unbeatable as he goes for a second four-year term in the Corner Office. "There's no such thing in politics as a sure thing and we all know that," Baker said. "I think what voters want more than anything out of their elected officials is that they spent more time focusing on the work and a little less time focusing on the noise," Baker added. Baker's comments came hours after one of the Democrats who had launched a campaign to knock the governor off his perch, Setti Warren, told supporters he is dropping out. Warren, the former mayor of Newton who also worked in the Clinton White House and US Sen. John Kerry's office, pointed to fundraising woes in his email. "The money just isn't there to run the kind of campaign I want to run," he wrote. As MassLive noted in January, Baker generally raises more money in a two week period than his opponents have in their bank accounts. Two other Democrats are still vying to take Baker on in November 2018: Jay Gonzalez, former budget chief under Gov. Deval Patrick, and Bob Massie, an environmental activist. The primary is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 4. "Decisions to get into races, decisions to get out, they're personal and people make them for whatever reason makes sense for them," Baker said Thursday morning. "And I wish Setti nothing but the best. He's a war veteran, he served the town of Newton for two terms admirably, and he's a very good guy." Asked what it does for his own chances on the ballot, Baker said, "My focus is on doing the job, and in the end I really do believe that voters will make the call based on the quality of our performance, the quality of our case for a second term and the quality of whoever our opponent's case is when they make it. And that's as it should be." Shira Schoenberg contributed to this report. BOSTON -- The Massachusetts Senate on Thursday unanimously passed a bill to make it easier for consumers to monitor and protect their credit. The bill's passage came in the wake of a major data breach at the credit monitoring agency Equifax in 2017, in which 145 million U.S. consumers had personal data stolen. "The recent Equifax breach left the personal information of millions of Bay Staters vulnerable," said Sen. Barbara L'Italian, D-Andover, who sponsored the bill and chairs the Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure. "This feels like a massive betrayal." L'Italian, who is running for Congress in the 3rd District, said the federal government is not doing enough to protect consumers from data breaches, so states must take action. She said the passage of the bill "moves us one step forward toward achieving a sense of assurance that our information is safe." The House previously passed a different version of the bill, so the two versions will have to be reconciled by a committee of negotiators and voted on again before going to the governor. Rep. Jennifer Benson, D-Lunenburg, who sponsored the House version of the bill, said she is "confident" a compromise bill will be worked out, because it is a priority in both chambers. "I think this will be done. I think it will be signed," Benson predicted. The Senate bill, S.2455, would allow anyone to freeze or unfreeze their credit without fees. A credit freeze prevents someone from opening a line of credit, so it could stop a thief from opening a line of credit in someone else's name. Typically, credit services today charge $5 to freeze or unfreeze credit. If a credit monitoring agency is breached, the agency would have to provide consumers with five years of free credit monitoring. Any other company whose data is breached would have to provide consumers with two years of free credit monitoring. For the first time, a consumer would be notified and would have to consent before anyone can pull their credit report. Credit reports are pulled when someone is conducting a transaction that requires credit, such as taking out a mortgage or buying a car. "Consumers have to be empowered to know who is pulling your data and why," L'Italian said. The bill would also require the creation of a website where someone can request a credit freeze from all three major credit agencies at once. The House bill, like the Senate bill, would remove fees for credit freezes. But the House bill requires shorter credit monitoring periods after a breach, has a narrower provision regarding consumer consent, and does not include the creation of an online portal for all three agencies. The Senate bill also includes a provision that is not in the House bill requiring all companies that collect personal information to take steps to protect consumer data. Today, 13 states require the credit agencies to offer free credit freezes, according to Dierdre Cummings, legislative director of the consumer advocacy group MassPIRG. Nine of those states passed their laws after the Equifax breach. Cummings said consumers are not customers of the credit monitoring agencies, since they do not have the ability to not have their credit monitored. "Because we're not their customers, it's our responsibility to put into place meaningful consumer protection laws so that we can balance out that relationship, so we can truly protect consumers," Cummings said. Rep. Randy Hunt, R-Sandwich, a certified public accountant who supports the bill, said Equifax failed to install a software security patch that could have protected the data, failed to alert the public immediately, initially charged consumers to freeze their credit, then tried to require consumers to waive their legal rights in order to receive a year of free credit monitoring. Hunt said the bill addresses several of those problems by allowing free credit freezes, requiring free credit monitoring after a data breach and protecting people's right to sue after a breach. President Donald Trump acknowledged Thursday for the first time that his longtime lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen represented him in efforts to silence Stormy Daniels, a porn star who has alleged a sexual encounter with Trump more than a decade ago. However, the president sought to distance himself from Cohen, who is the focus of a federal criminal investigation. "Michael is in business. He is really a businessman, a fairly big business as I understand it. I don't know his business, but this does not have to do with me," Trump during an interview on "Fox and Friends." Trump said he has many lawyers and that Cohen handled just a "tiny, tiny little fraction" of his legal work "like with this crazy Stormy Daniels deal." Later, federal prosecutors cited Trump's comment about "tiny, tiny little fraction" of legal work to bolster their argument that documents seized in a FBI raid of Cohen's office are "unlikely to contain voluminous privileged documents." The president's comments on "Fox and Friends" came after Cohen revealed he would invoke his Fifth Amendment rights in a lawsuit involving Daniels. During the 2016 presidential campaign, Trump lashed out at former Hillary Clinton staffers who invoked the Fifth Amendment during an investigation into the use of private email servers, even though he invoked that right 97 times during divorce proceedings. "The mob takes the Fifth," Trump said at a September 2016 campaign rally. "If you're innocent, why are you taking the Fifth Amendment?" U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, D-Springfield, will meet with Puerto Rico's governor Friday morning to discuss the island's recovery from Hurricanes Irma and Maria and issues facing evacuees who have yet to return to their homes. The congressman, who faced criticism from a congressional opponent Thursday over his efforts to help Western Massachusetts residents impacted by the September storms, will sit down with Gov. Ricardo Rossello at his Washington office "to discuss the issue of hurricane evacuees," Neal spokesman William Tranghese announced. The meeting is expected to follow up on issues raised during the congressman's Thursday conversations with former Puerto Rico Secretary of State Kenneth McClintock and Ponce Mayor Mayita Melendez about the island's ongoing recovery efforts. This morning I met with Kenneth McClintock, former Sec of State and LG of #PuertoRico & Mayita Melendez, Mayor of #Ponce to discuss the needs of the still recovering island. We must continue to signal the importance of restoration. A long-term plan is imperative. pic.twitter.com/vCrx03BQYA Rep. Richard Neal (@RepRichardNeal) April 26, 2018 Tranghese contended that Neal "has consistently worked with his colleagues in the U.S. Congress to secure the necessary federal response to help those Americans impacted by the unprecedented natural disaster" since the hurricanes touched down in September, including co-hosting a meeting with U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey in Springfield last week and participating in bi-weekly conference calls with Federal Emergency Management Agency officials. The spokesman added that the congressman's "trip to Puerto Rico with FEMA representatives in January underscores his commitment to the rebuilding, recovery and healing process." "In times of emergency, Congressman Neal believes the American family should come together and support our friends and neighbors in need," Tranghese said in a statement. Neal, who toured Puerto Rico with other members of Massachusetts' congressional delegation praised FEMA's response to hurricane damage on the island, but offered that initial efforts could have been more efficient. Following the trip, the congressman asked Trump administration officials to provide an update on the federal government's efforts to restore electricity and other basic services in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, arguing that Republican leaders had fallen short in appropriating funds requested for recovery efforts. Tahirah Amatul-Wadud, a Springfield attorney and Democrat running against Neal in Massachusetts' 1st Congressional District, took issue with the congressman's response to local Puerto Rican hurricane evacuees' who recently sought help in extending FEMA housing supports. She argued that he "should have been proactive" in using his seniority in Congress to sign a letter, which Democratic leaders from House committees with jurisdiction -- Energy and Commerce, Transportation and Infrastructure, Homeland Security and Natural Resources -- sent to FEMA Administrator William "Brock" Long about extending the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' mission assignment to restore power in Puerto Rico. Neal serves as the top Democrat on the House Ways and Means Committee. Despite Amatul-Wadud's criticism, McClintock touted Neal's record. Melendez, meanwhile, thanked the congressman "for being such a committed leader when it comes to Puerto Rico." FEMA announced last week that it would extend the Transitional Sheltering Assistance program for nearly 2,000 hurricane evacuees whose housing benefits were set to run out. Now, all families who were receiving FEMA shelter assistance will have their benefit extended until May 14, the program's end date. As of April 16, FEMA reported that 445 families had applied for shelter assistance in Massachusetts, with 481 rooms being occupied. U.S. Sen. Ed Markey, D-Massachsuetts, continued to rail against the FCC's December decision to undo Obama-era net neutrality protections Thursday, arguing that the ruling could especially hurt Americans living in rural communities who face fewer choices when it comes to high-speed internet providers. Markey, who is leading a Senate effort to override the Federal Communications Commission's controversial rollback, joined U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minnesota, and other net neutrality advocates in highlighting the challenges rural Americans could face if the internet does not remain "free and open." Stressing that the internet "is our great equalizer," allowing Americans and businesses to have the same access and reach as their counterparts across the country, the Massachusetts Democrat cautioned that the lack of net neutrality protections could lead some providers to slow certain websites or charge customers more for streaming and other services. That, he argued, could particularly hurt Americans living in more rural parts of the country -- like areas of Western Massachusetts -- where there are fewer, and in some cases only one, provider offering high-speed, broadband internet access. "They say news travels fast in small towns, but that won't necessarily be the case if we lose net neutrality -- especially when 87 percent of rural Americans have no choice for high-speed, fixed broadband," he said in a conference call with reporters. "That is going to be unacceptable." Klobuchar offered that several small businesses in rural parts of her state have raised particular concerns about being able to compete with those in more urban environments without net neutrality protections. "The problem here is that the only protections maintained under (FCC Chairman Ajit Pai's) plan are requirements for service providers to disclose their internet traffic polices," she said. "But, for consumers with only one choice for internet service, which is many in our rural areas, there's no real opportunity to shop around, compare prices and policies or to find a new provider." Klobuchar pointed to Ada, Minnesota-based chainmaille company Weave Got Maille as an example of a small business that could be unduly impacted by the FCC's ruling. The senator offered that the company's internet service "is now so bad (the owner) has to have her salespeople in Moorhead and Fargo to make it." "You think about these types of companies, they are not going to be able to compete on an equal playing field. And we already have so much consolidation in general in this country; this makes it even more unequal," she said. Markey and Klobuchar noted that the Congressional Review Act resolution to restore net neutrality rules needs the support of just one more senator to clear the chamber's floor. "All we need is just one more vote. Momentum continues to build in every corner of the country ... It's time to heed the call of the millions of innovators, entrepreneurs, consumers, urban and rural, young and old who rely on a free and open internet," Markey said. "It's critically important that every community continues to make its voice heard. Rural America is critical in creating the political firestorm of support for net neutrality." The senator formally offered his resolution to restore net neutrality rules in late February. Upon its introduction, the measure had garnered support from all 47 chamber Democrats, as well as independent U.S. Sens. Bernie Sanders, of Vermont, and Angus King, of Maine, and U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine. The introduction triggered a 60-day period for lawmakers to seek a vote on the CRA resolution. Although support from only 30 senators is needed to force a vote on a resolution of disapproval, it must receive a simple majority, or 51 votes, to pass. U.S. Rep. Mike Doyle, D-Pennsylvania, meanwhile, has introduced a similar CRA resolution in the House. That resolution has garnered support from at least 150 representatives, according to Markey's office. Broadband for America, however, has argued that the CRAs "would be a step backwards." The organization, which represents a coalition of consumer groups, companies and content providers, has instead called on Congress to "pass a substantive, bipartisan bill that makes net neutrality the law of the land and establishes 21st century rules for a 21st century internet." The U.S. Senate confirmed President Donald Trump's pick of Mike Pompeo for secretary of state Thursday, giving the CIA director final approval to formally takeover the high-profile diplomatic role. Pompeo's nomination cleared the chamber on a 57-to-42 vote along party lines, despite pushback from Democrats, who continued to raise concerns about his record on human rights, views on Muslims and stance on nuclear nonproliferation. With the Senate's confirmation, Pompeo -- who had recently taken on more diplomatic duties, including engaging in direct negotiations with North Korea -- can now formally lead the U.S. State Department. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, called Pompeo an "outstanding nominee," arguing that he has "earned the trust and confidence of the commander-in-chief by providing top-notch counsel on critical issues and helping lead ongoing efforts to lay the groundwork for negotiations aimed at denuclearizing the Korean peninsula." The Republican leader added that he's "glad President Trump nominated this distinguished leader to be America's chief diplomat." He further slammed Democrats' opposition to Pompeo, accusing the party of attempting to block, obstruct and delay the president's nominees. Massachusetts Democrats, however, defended their opposition to the secretary of state nominee. U.S. Sen. Ed Markey, D-Massachusetts, who voted against recommending Pompeo to the full Senate earlier this week, argued that his opposition to the secretary of state nominee was not about politics or policy, but rather whether he could "credibly fulfill his duties as our nation's chief diplomat." "America's top diplomat should embody the best of America's values and diplomatic traditions, not attack people's race, defend torture, promote division, ignore human rights, propose military force as the primary solution to our problems around the world or reject solutions to the climate change, which is threatening our planet,"he said in a Wednesday floor speech. U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, also raised concerns about Pompeo's past actions and comments, saying she believes he's "completely unfit to serve as America's chief diplomat." "Whether it's his support for interrogation techniques that amount to torture, his preference for war over diplomatic solutions or his hateful, blatantly discriminatory views about Muslim and LGBTQ Americans, Mike Pompeo's confirmation would ... erode our moral standing on the world stage," she said in a floor speech. Mike Pompeo has repeatedly embraced military action over diplomatic solutions, supported interrogation techniques that amount to torture, & smeared Muslim & LGBTQ Americans. Tune in live as I speak about why he's unfit to serve as Americas chief diplomat: https://t.co/5NIqzBJ8xK Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) April 26, 2018 Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, meanwhile, argued that the CIA director had failed to assure him that he'd serve as a check on the White House, if needed. "This is not about politics; this is not about denying the president his team just for the sake of it," Schumer said in a Senate floor speech. "It's about the role of Congress, but also of the cabinet to provide a check on a president who might go off the rails and undo the respect for rule of law, the tradition of rule of law that we have had in the country for so long." The full chamber's confirmation came just days after a Senate panel narrowly voted to recommend Pompeo as the next secretary of state. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee sent the nomination to the chamber floor Monday after Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul, who said he'd oppose Pompeo's nomination, announced he would support it. Trump named Pompeo as his choice to take over the State Department after ousting Rex Tillerson as secretary of state last month. Weeks later, the secretary of state nominee was sent to secretly meet with Kim Jong Un to help set up direct talks between the North Korean leader and Trump. This is a breaking news story and will be updated. Bozeman is a rapidly growing city with a high quality of life in part due to the easy access to the outdoors, burgeoning tech industry, and cultural experiences it offers. Since 1997, DR1 has been covering the Dominican Republic in English. A site overhaul had long been due. Here is the beta version of the first phase of the new DR1. We have upgraded the website with user-friendly software to serve our community better. We have kept the up-to-date content. Now it is your turn to give the new DR1 a test run! We are tough-skinned. Go ahead and tell us what we are doing right, wrong, and what we need to change asap or work on next. Tell us what you would like to see less or more of, and what we shouldnt change! Imagine we have bought a new house for DR1. The house comes with: New server that ensures DR1 can handle peaks in traffic New DR1 Forums Improved Search New DR1 Calendar DR1 News and DR1 Calendar are integrated into the DR1 Forums New DR1 Wiki for frequently asked topics New Trending Topics emails We now need to furnish the house. It is YOUR DR1! We invite you to collaborate in adding valuable content. What content or services should we add? Check out the new resources, but get creative, too. You can contribute and play a key role in helping people connect, enjoy and be productive in the Dominican Republic. Dolores Vicioso, founder Write to support@dr1.com The 20-episode Bloody bet thriller to be broadcast on Ucom's Armenia Premium TV channel 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 Google Ad Joint statement Statement by the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group Covid-19: 163 new cases in Armenia Armenia: Remarks by Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi at the press point with Acting Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan The United States Welcomes Azerbaijans Release of Armenian Detainees and Armenias Actions to Facilitate Demining 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 The 20-episode Bloody bet thriller to be broadcast on Ucom's Armenia Premium TV channel 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 Google Ad 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 Google Ad Joint statement Statement by the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group Covid-19: 163 new cases in Armenia Armenia: Remarks by Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi at the press point with Acting Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan The United States Welcomes Azerbaijans Release of Armenian Detainees and Armenias Actions to Facilitate Demining 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 Photo courtesy of the Grand Hotel MACKINAC ISLAND, MI - It is crunch time at the Grand Hotel, where the countdown clock to opening day is ticking loudly and workers are scurrying to complete a long list of finishing touches before the official opening on May 4. Teams of horses arriving by ferry are being walked up the long hill in front of Mackinac Island's iconic landmark, headed for their summer stable. Hundreds of bottles of wine are being laid gently in racks, just waiting for a discerning guest to order that particular vintage. Inside the guest rooms, new furniture is being assembled and last-minute projects are being crossed off long lists. "Frantic is a good word," Grand Hotel President Dan Musser III said with a laugh when asked about the atmosphere inside the hotel. "My great uncle always said that when you have a party at your house, you always do the stuff you've been putting off. We are really under the gun." While the hotel won't officially open until May 4, there is an Open the Grand package being offered for guests who want to take advantage of a special rate on Thursday, May 3. New this year are two third-floor rooms that have been renovated and named the Lilac Suite and the Prentiss M. Brown Suite. Both suites offer expansive views of the Straits of Mackinac. They join the hotel's list of more than 40 named rooms that celebrate historical figures and events. Work on the grounds has been delayed a bit due to the fact spring has only recently made an appearance in Northern Michigan. "Winter has not been in our favor this year, and we are trying to catch up outside," Musser said. " But the inside looks great." Returning guests may notice some dramatic new wallpaper, giving a fresh look to the corridors. What they likely won't see are the huge number of staff who work behind the scenes to keep the Grand Hotel running seamlessly. More than 550 employees are currently on hand. That number will rise to 700 by opening day, and peak at about 750, Musser said. For details about special May packages available at the hotel, check here. For more information about the Grand Hotel, to make reservations, and to see the special packages it is offering, check the website. Don't Edit Photo courtesy of the Grand Hotel A worker repairing and painting the iconic Grand Hotel pillars. Don't Edit Photo courtesy of the Grand Hotel The Dorothy Draper & Co. design team are working day and night, putting the new Lilac Suite together. Don't Edit Photo courtesy of the Grand Hotel Putting together the headboards in the new Lilac Suite. Don't Edit Photo courtesy of the Grand Hotel The Percheron horses making their way to the Grand Hotel Stables. Don't Edit Don't Edit Photo courtesy of the Grand Hotel Lots of vacuuming and polishing throughout the hallways of Grand Hotel. Don't Edit Photo courtesy of the Grand Hotel Master Sommelier, Elizabeth, works putting away over 900 bottles of wine. Don't Edit Photo courtesy of the Grand Hotel Installing the desk lamp in the Prentiss M. Brown Suite. Don't Edit Photo courtesy of the Grand Hotel The weather has been great so far. Don't Edit Photo courtesy of the Grand Hotel The crew at Mackinac Market works to organize all the inventory. Don't Edit Don't Edit Photo courtesy of the Grand Hotel Everything gets a fresh coat of paint. Don't Edit Photo courtesy of the Grand Hotel Installing the beautiful new carpet in the Lilac Suite. Don't Edit Photo courtesy of the Grand Hotel Lighting fixtures are installed in the new Lilac Suite. Don't Edit Photo courtesy of the Grand Hotel Horses making their way up the Grand Hill. Don't Edit Photo courtesy of the Grand Hotel Vacuuming the newly-installed carpet in the Prentiss M. Brown Suite. Don't Edit Don't Edit Photo courtesy of the Grand Hotel Rudy with the Carleton Varney crew works to unwrap the furniture in the new Lilac Suite. Don't Edit Photo courtesy of the Grand Hotel Putting the finishing touches on on the Prentiss M. Brown suite. Don't Edit Photo courtesy of the Grand Hotel Just a few windows to be washed. Don't Edit More glimpses into life at the Grand Hotel and on Mackinac Island Want to see more behind-the-scenes pictures, tips and highlights of Mackinac Island? Follow some adventures of our Michigan's Best team: Mackinac Island: Can you find these hidden gems? Here's how to make the Grand Hotel's famous pecan balls. Mackinac Island's Ice House BBQ Don't Edit Don't Edit PITTSFIELD TOWNSHIP, MI - A Detroit man accused in the stabbing and beating death of an Ypsilanti woman appeared in Washtenaw County District Court Thursday morning. Demetrius Montgomery, 38, was in 14A1 District Court Thursday, April 26, for a probable cause conference, but was the hearing was adjourned to May 17. Montgomery's attorney Robert Killewald told Judge David L. Jordon the defense needed more time to prepare due to lab testing and other portions of the case that are underway. Judge Jordon is a retired magistrate who filled in on Thursday. Montgomery was arraigned on April 5 on one count of open murder in the death of Latisha Bargaineer, 29, who police say was Montgomery's reported girlfriend. Bargaineer was found dead June 18, 2017, inside Montgomery's vehicle in Detroit, but the crime scene was found at the couple's Ypsilanti apartment, in the 300 block of West Cross Street, police previously said. Police believe Montgomery fled in a cousin's vehicle. Montgomery was arrested on June 25, 2017, in Lincoln, Alabama, for attempting to elude police, resisting arrest, and using a false identification to obstruct justice, Talladega County Jail records show. At his arraignment in Michigan, Montgomery said he pleaded guilty to charges in Alabama and was sentenced to time served before being extradited to Michigan. Montgomery had a pending case in Washtenaw County for receiving and concealing a stolen vehicle and unlawfully driving away a motor vehicle on June 18 - the same date Bargaineer was found dead - before the homicide charge was authorized. Those charges were dismissed during the day of his arraignment. Montgomery is scheduled for a preliminary examination on May 24. ANN ARBOR, MI - Over the course of a career that spanned four decades, W. Scott Westerman Jr. became a pillar in the Ann Arbor education community as he led Ann Arbor Public Schools through tumultuous times, and shaped the next generation of teachers at Eastern Michigan University and the University of Michigan. Westerman, who oversaw the introduction of Ann Arbor's first sex education program and the hiring of the school district's first black counselor, died April 18 at 92. He often attributed his success to simply being "the right person, in the right place at the right time," wrote Westerman's son, Scott Westerman III, in a tribute to his father. Some who knew Scott Westerman Jr. agreed with that serendipitous description of his career, and others saw the leadership roles he took on as a natural fit for a man who was gifted in public speaking, committed to addressing racial inequities and passionate about education. "I don't have anybody I can match him to. I held him in very high regard," said Dave Harrell, who was a high school teacher when he first met Westerman in the late '60s, when Westerman was the assistant superintendent at Ann Arbor Public Schools. Westerman was born in Ann Arbor and then grew up in Ohio, according to his obituary. He completed one year at Ohio Wesleyan University before joining the U.S. Army during World War II. He met his wife Marcy Percy at Ohio Wesleyan University and the two married in 1948. After his military service, Westerman completed his undergraduate degree at Northwestern University and then earned a Ph.D. at the University of Michigan. He taught at UM's College of Education and University High School from 1948 to 1960 and then worked at Ann Arbor Public Schools from 1960 to 1971, spending the last four years there as superintendent. After resigning from Ann Arbor Public Schools, Westerman took a position leading a department in EMU's College of Education and went on to become dean. He spent a total of 20 years at EMU before retiring in 1991. In 2015, AAPS named its preschool and family center after Westerman. "Scott was a unique individual," said Bert Greene, who got to know Westerman when Greene was a professor at EMU's College of Education from 1963 to 1998. "I've never seen him angry. I've never heard him shout. I've never heard him say an unkind word against anybody. I often said to him that he should have been like his father, a minister." After seven years as social studies coordinator and then assistant superintendent at AAPS, Westerman became superintendent from 1967 to 1971 - a time marked by racial tensions within the school district. Students protested the low number of black teachers and counselors employed by the school district, complained that black students faced harsher discipline and called for black history to be included in the district's American history curriculum. The tensions reached a boiling point in the fall of 1970, when a student protest resulted in thousands of dollars worth of damage to Pioneer High School. Westerman insisted Huron High School hire a black counselor. And the district did add black history to its curriculum. Westerman's tenure at AAPS also saw the opening of three schools and the introduction of the district's first sex education program - despite pushback from parents. Larry Hunter, a 1969 graduate of Pioneer High School, recalled Westerman making a concerted effort to gather feedback from students about issues facing the school district. Hunter was an officer for Pioneer's Black Student Union, and he worked with Westerman to communicate students' concerns with racial issues at the school, and to propose solutions. "It was a time full of a lot of student unrest in the high school," Hunter said. "He had to work with the school board, who was at that time resisting change, and the students. He figured out lots of pathways to meld the two entities. ... We had our confrontations with him, but I think he was a great superintendent - one of the best Ann Arbor has ever had." Kevin Hay, a 1973 graduate of Pioneer High School, also appreciated Westerman's willingness to take student input seriously. During his sophomore and junior years of high school, Hay was involved with the committees that guided the formation of two alternative high schools - Earthworks High School (also known as Pioneer II) and Community High School. Westerman had recently resigned as AAPS superintendent when the vision for Earthworks School came together, but he remained involved in the process and even invited Hay to share his ideas on alternative education with classes at Eastern Michigan University. Hay remembered Westerman for his commitment to diversity and willingness to educate people on complex issues. "He knew that it was going to take a lot of work to change things, and he was extremely committed to that change," Hay said. At EMU, Westerman saw the College of Education through a period of change as future teachers began learning more about incorporating the latest technologies into the classroom, Greene said. He also remembered Westerman for actively recruiting women to administrative positions in the college. "It was an era in which there was a lot of growth. ... He certainly was supportive of everything that we wanted to do," Greene said. Westerman was an avid runner, a car enthusiast, a longtime Rotary Club member and he sang in the Ann Arbor men's choir Measure for Measure. Westerman is survived by his son, Scott Westerman III; his daughter; Judith Silver; four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. His wife, Marcy, preceded him in death after more than 50 years of marriage. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 29, at the First Presbyterian Church of Ann Arbor with a reception to follow in the Social Hall. Wayne State University reinstated a Christian club as a recognized student organization a day after the group filed a federal lawsuit claiming religious discrimination. The InterVarsity Christian Fellowship is now asking a federal judge to issue a permanent injunction against the university to make sure they are never denied certification again. The filing says Wayne State University issued this statement a day after the group filed its federal lawsuit: Wayne State University values student groups as an integral part of campus life and co-curricular learning. We strive to foster student groups that are inclusive, diverse, and expand student experiences. After a review of the situation and communicating with the InterVarsity Christian Fellowship organization, Wayne State has decided to recertify the group as an official student organization. The InterVarsity student group is committed to welcoming and including all students, and the university will not intervene in the group's leadership selection. The Christian organization must, however, reapply for recognition as a student organization each year. "All that remains is to ensure that InterVarsity's rights are protected and not subject to revocation at will or with each annual renewal," the request for judgement says. There are nearly 550 student organizations listed on Wayne State University's website, but after 75 years as part of the Detroit institution, the InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, for a brief period, was no longer among them. The university said the organization's Christian beliefs, based on the Bible, violated the non-discriminatory policy. The InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, in response, said the university was acting in a discriminatory manner based on the group's religious beliefs. There is no timeline set for when the federal judge may rule on the group's request for a permanent injunction against Wayne State University. The Motown Museum celebrated its past and future Wednesday in a founders day celebration as the Detroit institution prepares to break ground on a 50,000-square-foot expansion in October. The event offered half-off admission and live performances by Motown musicians Dennis D. Bowles, Dennis Coffey, Kern Brantley and others to honor its late founder, Esther Gordy Edwards. Wednesday marked Edwards' birthday. She established the museum in 1985 at 2648 W. Grand Blvd. "Founder's Day is a celebration we look forward to every year. Not only is it an opportunity to reflect on Motown's rich history that has influenced Detroit's music scene and the music industry in general, but it's also an opportunity to honor the life and legacy of the Museum's founder, my grandmother Esther Gordy Edwards," Chairwoman Robin Terry said in a news release. Motown Museum's $50 million expansion is expected to be completed by the end of 2019. The project will include a large addition, along with renovation of the existing museum and three surrounding houses. A donor-led fundraising campaign has helped raise money for the project. "It's time," said museum visitor and Detroit entertainer Mike Bonner about the planned expansion. "It has a name that's recognized all over the world, but why not (add) a wow effect." Included in the new 50,000-square-foot planned addition will be more interactive exhibits, a "state-of-the-art" theater, recording studios and expanded retail. "We wouldn't be anywhere without these artists' music," said Motown Museum guide Jordan Lyons, who welcomes the new addition as a tribute to Motown's contribution to modern music. FLINT, MI -- After marching at the state Capitol, more than 60 protestors marched on the lawn of Flint's City Hall to bring attention to the city's water crisis. Wednesday, April 25, marks the four-year anniversary of the initial switch from the Detroit water system to the Flint River as the city's main water source. The water source changed back in October 2016, but that has not changed many Flint residents' concerns. "I'm just hurt. I'm sad that we're still going through this four years later with no solution. When we say four years later, there should be a solution, not this ongoing problem," said Flint resident Ariana Hawk. "I want the state officials and Rick Snyder to see that Flint is still suffering and now we're going through it by ourselves. We shouldn't be doing that. We should be doing this with the support of the people we elected in office. Flint lives matter." Officials announced Friday, April 6, the state was ending the free bottled water program after testing showed Flint's water quality was below federal action levels for lead for nearly two years. Water distribution officially ended April 10. Crews began the next round of lead service line replacement on April 18. Work is expected to continue into 2019. U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Flint Twp., issued a statement Wednesday saying while he is proud that U.S. Congress passed a $170 million Flint aid package to help remove lead pipes and expand health care for families exposed to high levels of lead, he wants more to be done to ensure Flint recovers from this "man-made crisis." "Four years later, Flint families still do not trust the water coming out of their taps because of a complete lack of faith in their state government that created this crisis," he said. Kildee said Flint is a warning to other communities across the country, as improving the nation's water infrastructure is necessary to avoid this from ever happening again. After shouting out their message at the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality office in Lansing, protestors joined hands in prayer in Flint. The group silently marched with a cardboard casket around the lawn and sidewalks in front of city hall to remember the lives lost to the water crisis. At least a dozen people died in the Flint-area and dozens more were sickened due to a Legionnaire's disease outbreak that coincided with the city's water switch. People also performed spoken word and original rap songs with lyrics that portrayed the emotional toll the crisis has had on Flint residents. Child after child -- as young as 4 and into their later teenage years -- stepped up to a microphone to give their testimony of how the water has affected their lives and what each wants to see done. "This ain't right. We've been dealing with this for four years. Who's tired of this? Who's tired of trying to fight for human rights? Who is tired of not being able to turn on your faucet and drink water? Who's tired of having to pay for water to have something to drink in your house? Who's tired of having to heat up water so you have to take a bath?" asked teenager Tiara Dansaw of Flint. "This is enough. The City of Flint, we're tired of this. I believe everyone should stand up no matter your age. Everyone has a voice and everybody is dealing with the same water crisis and this poison water." On Tuesday, April 24, the Michigan House of Representatives voted on the fiscal year 2018-19 budget and rejected an amendment to provide an additional $2.9 million from the general fund for water bottle distribution in the city of Flint, according to State Rep. Sheldon Neeley. Neeley, D-Flint, said this gave the Legislature the opportunity to make up for Gov. Rick Snyder's failure to do right by the people of Flint but they failed. "The people of my city are still in desperate need of bottled water delivery, especially those who are homebound and unable to access clean water by any other means," Neeley said. "And though my amendment proposed using money that is already available to help them receive this most basic resource, my amendment was rejected." State Senate Minority Leader Jim Ananich, D-Flint, said there is still a long road ahead to recovery, and that road is not made any easier by Snyder's administration declaring Flint 'fixed,' while failing to lower the action level for lead. "(The administration) has walked away from its moral obligations to provide clean water until every corroded pipe is replaced," Ananich said. "My work isn't done until we can trust the water and the pipes that carry it, we can trust that our children will have all the health care and education services they need to mitigate the effects of lead exposure and until we have restored trust that our government is watching out for us." FLINT, MI -- Three former Flint police officers sold stolen police reports that included the personal information of crash victims, which eventually wound up in the hands of doctors, chiropractors and personal injury lawyers, according to a recently filed federal indictment. More than 600 internal crash reports were stolen from the Flint Police Department and eventually sold to a third party for resale to medical and legal professionals, according to the federal indictment filed April 18 in Flint U.S. District Court. Joseph DeSanto and Anthony Sereno were charged in the indictment with theft from an organization receiving federal funds and conspiracy to commit theft from an organization receiving federal funds. Both men have pleaded not guilty to the charges and were released on $10,000 unsecured bond. Neither man has an attorney on file. The indictment claims the conspiracy involved three former Flint police officers who provided the stolen reports to DeSanto and Sereno. Nearly $9,000 was paid for the more than 600 reports stolen from the Flint Police Department. The indictment does not identify the officers involved in the conspiracy. However, the indictment comes on the heels of two former Flint police officers pleading guilty to federal charges after admitting to selling stolen internal crash reports. Former Flint police Sgts. Richard Besson and Jason Groulx both pleaded guilty on Wednesday, April 18, in a separate case in Flint U.S. District Court after being charged the same day with a single count of conspiracy to commit theft from an organization that receives federal funds. Besson and Groulx were not named in the indictment. Investigators claim DeSanto and Sereno made money by taking the personal information of victims listed on the Flint police crash reports and referring them for treatment to certain medical and chiropractor facilities or for legal services from certain personal injury attorneys. The pair would then be paid for the referrals. Crash reports can contain a wide range of personal information, including the patient's name, address, driver's license number and the severity of their injuries. The state typically redacts much of the victim's information when crash reports are released to the public, and the courts have upheld exemptions to the state's Freedom of Information Act to prevent the release of that information. DeSanto, of Baca Raton, Florida, was in charge of a company that operated in Florida and Michigan that would collect automobile crash victim information from police reports -- some of which were stolen, the indictment said. DeSanto's company solicited the crash victims and referred them to chiropractors, health care providers and personal injury lawyers, federal authorities claim. Sereno, who has residences in Detroit, Metamora and Summit, New Jersey, worked for DeSanto, according to the indictment. Sereno and another person, who was not identified in the indictment, then converted the stolen police reports into summaries containing information about victims and their automobile crashes. These summaries were then used by workers at call centers in Boca Raton, Fla., to solicit crash victims. The companies would then send "runners" to visit crash victims at their residence to schedule them for medical and legal services, according to the indictment. DeSanto also directed the use of a portion of the referral fees he received to fund the purchase of additional stolen police reports, federal authorities allege. No lawyers who used the information were named in the indictment. But those who used the information to solicit clients could find themselves in trouble with the state's Attorney Discipline Board. Nelson Miller is an associate dean at Western Michigan University Cooley Law School and spent decades in the personal injury field and teaches lawyer ethics. He said lawyers with this type of information would get an inside edge on the competition because they could make inferences about who might file personal injury or malpractice lawsuits. Attorneys also could reach more clients if they used this method because they wouldn't have to wait on FOIAs or for the redacted crash reports. "They're going about it all wrong," Miller said. "You have an opportunity to potentially target clients." Miller said in-person contact by attorneys to potential clients or through a third party violates the Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct that governs lawyers. "You have to wait, basically, for the client to contact you," he said. "Solicitation is a big prohibition for lawyers." Those who violate the rule could face discipline that includes a reprimand, license suspension and lawyers also could lose their license because of the violation, Miller said. FLINT, MI -- Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Director Nick Lyon never made comments attributed to him by a Wayne State University researcher, a deputy director in his office says. Farah Hanley, deputy director for financial operations at MDHHS, testified in Genesee District Court Thursday, April 26, during Lyon's preliminary examination on charges including involuntary manslaughter in connection to the Flint water crisis. Hanley contradicted WSU researcher and professor Paul Kilgore, who in November testified that Lyon told him during a 2016 meeting about Flint water, "We can't save everyone, everyone has to die of something' ... or something similar to that," Kilgore said at the time. Hanley, who also attended the meeting, told Judge David Goggins that she did not recall Lyon having made the remarks and described her boss as "calm, steady and measured" during the meeting. However, Kilgore used profanity and turned bright red during the meeting, special prosecutor Todd Flood said of Hanley's testimony. Lyon, 49, faces charges of involuntary manslaughter and misconduct in office in relation to his role in water crisis and his handling of outbreaks of Legionnaires' disease in Genesee County while the city of Flint used the Flint River as its water source in parts of 2014 and 2015. Officials at MDHHS were aware of the Legionnaires' outbreaks and suspicions they were related to river water in 2014 but never warned the public until January 2016, the same month the water crisis was recognized as a federal public health emergency. Hanley's testimony came on the 20th day of Lyon's preliminary examination. Although Flood wrapped up his District Court case against the director, attorneys for Lyon have called experts, including Hanley, Virginia Tech professor Marc Edwards, and two medical doctors to combat the prosecution case. On Thursday, Dr. Marc S. Brodsky testified for Lyon, calling into question whether two men -- Robert Skidmore and John Snyder -- died as a result of Legionnaires' or other medical issues. Flood has said he plans to ask Goggins to bind Lyon's case over to Genesee Circuit Court on two charges of manslaughter -- one for Skidmore and one for Snyder. Brodsky testified after reviewing the men's medical records and said Skidmore didn't present the classical symptoms of Legionnaires' and died because of his underlying condition of heart disease. The Beaumont Health System cardiologist said he could not give a conclusive cause of death for Snyder. Special prosecutor Todd Flood, for the second time this week, questioned a defense witness who testified he was being paid as an expert. On Wednesday, April 25, he questioned Dr. Jeffrey Band, an infectious disease specialist at Beaumont about payments he received to review files and testify in the case of state medical director Dr. Eden Wells. Goggins questioned Brodsky, who said he could not recall having treated a patient with Legionnaires', about why he did not review transcripts from the victims' families in attempting to determine their causes of death. "How is that not an important piece of the puzzle to looks at?" the judge asked the doctor. Goggins must decide whether prosecutors have presented enough evidence to bind the Lyon case over to Circuit Court for a jury trial. GRAND RAPIDS, MI - The Grand Rapids Police Department consistently compares itself to other law enforcement agencies nationwide in an effort to be progressive and provide top-notch service to Michigan's second-largest city. So it's no secret to the department's less than 300 sworn officers that the force is understaffed in comparison to national and regional averages, and relative to cities of similar size across the country. As the department's shaky relations with segments of the community have come to the forefront of conversations in Grand Rapids in recent years, cries by police leaders for more officers have only gotten louder. Is adding more officers - especially community-policing specialists - the solution to improving community-police relations? Police leaders not only say yes, but they point to a high-profile incident from 2017 as an example of how more officers could have produced a more acceptable outcome by community standards. The department came under scrutiny last spring for their guns-drawn stop of five black, unarmed youths suspected of leaving the scene of a fight in possession of a handgun. Consider these scenarios, the first based on the actual police report and body-cam footage, and the second being hypothetical: On March 24, 2017, an officer canvassing the area saw a group of five young black males walking on Francis, approximately two blocks north of where a witness stated he saw a teen drop and pick up a gun. The police officer ordered all five of them down to the ground at gunpoint and waited for backup to arrive while the youths laid on their stomachs in fear. In a Grand Rapids with a larger community-policing presence, the officers would have located the group using the same witness-given description. As they approached, a community-policing specialist assigned to the neighborhood would have recognized the youths as regulars from the local basketball scene. Likewise, some of the five would have recognized the officer who weeks earlier had stopped to play a quick basketball game of "HORSE." With tensions de-escalated, the officers make contact, ask to search the group, determine they're unarmed and explain why they stopped them. The second, fictional scenario provides an outcome Jacquetta Sims - mother of two of the boys - would have been able to accept. It's an outcome Chief David Rahinsky believes could have been a reality if the Grand Rapids Police Department had more officers at its disposal. "That situation could have transpired completely differently," Rahinsky said. "There wasn't that intimate knowledge of who they were dealing with. They did exactly as they were trained to do. They responded accordingly. But if they get to that call and they know that kid ... that dynamic plays out completely differently. "That's the goal in terms of community policing. That's what I hear from the community. That's what they want, and I hear it from the officers, too." With significant cuts in staffing made over the last two decades and increased expectations, Grand Rapids police are feeling the strain of providing more than a base level of service to the community they serve. And police leaders are asking city officials for help in the form of funding additional officers. Staffing concerns In 2002, Grand Rapids had 382 sworn police officers serving a population of about 196,500 - or about 1.9 officers per 1,000 residents. Sixteen years later, after an economic recession-sparked population decline and subsequent rise, the community's population has returned to its 2002 form. It's likely soon to surpass the 200,000-resident mark. What hasn't come close to returning to its 2002 size is the city's police force, which has seen an almost 23 percent decline in its ranks. Today, the department features 295 sworn officers, about 1.5 officers per 1,000 residents. Capt. Mike Maycroft said the city doesn't have enough officers to fill every beat. At times, leadership must pick and choose how to spread out officers to cover the community. Fewer men and women in uniform, Maycroft said, means more reactive policing. It also results in an exhausted police force, which can lead to officers making mistakes, he said. "We consistently hear the need from our citizens for more community officers and community outreach," said Maycroft, who has more than 23 years of law enforcement experience, including 21 years in Grand Rapids. "Without the addition of more officers and detectives, any increase in crime will not allow us to sustain our current levels of service from an already over-tasked police department." Help needed Since being hired as chief in 2014, Rahinsky has annually requested funding from the city manager for the addition of about a dozen officers. Specifically, he said he's asked for additional community-policing specialists. And in response to the majority of challenges the department has faced since 2014, the chief has pointed to those staffing woes. "You put your dollars where your priorities are, and the city needs to re-prioritize just how important these (police-community) relationships are," Rahinsky said. "We hear it constantly. Now we need to act on it." Those pleas were laid out in the chief's budget presentation to the city manager's office each year but didn't make it into the budget proposal submitted to the city commission for a vote. If Rahinsky had his say, the department would have added 27-36 officers over the last three years. Instead, it added two in 2015 and three in 2017. The department's last significant staffing increase was in 2014 when it added 10 officers through a $1.25 million federal grant. The city covered $1 million at the time, but will have to absorb the cost of those officers in fiscal year 2019 with the expiration of the temporary grant. Interim City Manager Eric DeLong said the disconnect between Rahinsky's request and the city's final budget in each of the last three budget cycles has come down to "not being able to clearly identify the outcomes" that could be expected by adding officers. "We need clarity in what we're trying to achieve in order to make additional investments," DeLong said. "Our whole transformation has been on investing for outcomes. That's the nature of the discussion we need to have. What outcomes do we achieve with additional investment?" The current debate over the police department's size and relationship with the community comes after some high-profile, controversial incidents, including the five youth held at gunpoint, a black girl being handcuffed while police searched for someone else and a 2017 traffic-stop study that revealed racial bias within the department. 'Not a simple formula' DeLong, like multiple city commissioners, is relying on input from 21st Century Policing Solutions - the firm hired by the city to assist a policy and procedures review task force in auditing the police department. Ronald Davis, principal for 21st Century Policing Solutions, said it's premature for him to take a stance on if the Grand Rapids Police Department needs more officers, though the kind of community-policing his firm is advocating for is "resource intensive." "If you're at the lower end (of the officer-to-residents ratio), it can be an indicator that you should take a look at your numbers because you are probably overworking staff and you might have a lot of calls eating up your time," Davis said. He added that many police departments around the country took a hit to their staffing levels during the economic recession of 2007-08. Grand Rapids was no different, losing 56 sworn officer jobs between 2008 and 2013. But as places like Grand Rapids have experienced an economic recovery, cities are having important conversations as to where to use its resources, Davis said. Community-policing specialists The idea of getting officers out of their cars to do more community policing was a growing national trend in the early 1990s. By 1998, then-Police Chief Harry Dolan brought the community policing model to Grand Rapids. Grand Rapids is divided into five service areas for the police department's community policing. Two sergeants oversee 16 community-policing specialists, each designated to a specific area or neighborhood. Those specialists are officers who work daytime shifts on weekdays. They can respond to calls or conduct traffic stops when necessary, but they are largely given freedom to walk their areas, attend meetings and visit schools, businesses and public parks to strengthen relationships with community members. Rahinsky's goal is to have additional community-policing officers to assign to evenings and weekends. He, along with other officers and commissioners, said that's a public request they hear consistently. "They don't have enough officers," said First Ward Commissioner Jon O'Connor. "To build that trust, to get to know people better, to be in our schools and at our business district and neighborhood meetings, we need more people so we can have those officers making more positive interactions." While O'Connor said the department does a "phenomenal job" with the resources they have, he sees the need for more community officers in order to rise above base-level policing. He would "absolutely" support adding community-policing specialists, and he said an additional 10-12 officers is a reasonable step toward ensuring 24/7 community-policing coverage. "In time of need, they respond," O'Connor said. "But to develop relationships, they need to go beyond maintaining a base level of policing. It's going to take more men and women in blue doing the hands-on work our community deserves." Grand Rapids' 1.5 officers per 1,000 residents is less than the 2016 national average of 2.4, according to FBI data. It's less than the 2016 Midwest average ratio of 1.6, and Detroit's ratio of 3.5. It also falls short of several comparable cities, including Worchester, Massachusetts (2.36), Akron, Ohio (2.28), Knoxville, Tennessee (2.14) and Rockford, Illinois (1.95). However, Second Ward Commissioner Ruth Kelly is cautious to act based on number comparisons to other cities. She said she's leaning on expert opinions from Davis and 21st Century Policing Solutions before taking a stance on increasing the city's police staffing. "It's not just a conversation about numbers, but about the kind of policing we employ," Kelly said. "Before we just add numbers, we have to have a change in thinking about how we deploy, how we engage and how we heal." Commissioner David Allen said adding police officers is not something the city commission discussed as a body during the last two budget cycles. He said he hasn't talked with Rahinsky about additional staffing, though he would support increasing the ranks if the chief presented how exactly those additions would improve the city. "I have a lot of faith in the chief," Allen said. "If he said, 'We need more officers, and this is why and this is what they would do specifically,' I'd be behind it. I don't want to hear because other cities have these officers; I want to know how it will affect Grand Rapids." City officials are in the process of setting the city budget for fiscal year 2019, which begins July 1. A 2019 expense forecast for the police department from the general fund is almost $53.5 million -- or 37 percent of the fund's expected expenditures. In last year's budget, the city approved $1 million to be set aside for community-police relations for five years through 2022. DeLong said that fund, the majority of which hasn't been touched, would likely be tapped if the city decided to add more community officers. On Tuesday, O'Connor pushed again for the commission to discuss funding more community-policing specialists through the money set aside to improve community-police relations. Mayor Rosalynn Bliss avoided a clear stance on police staffing levels, but said she looks forward to discussing the topic during the budget process, which expands into the summer leading up to the adoption of the budget on June 12. She said it's important to look at outcomes and how the department is able to respond to incidents with its current staffing. She also said it's important to consider long-term sustainability, referencing past cuts due to the economic recession. "I think we have a great police department," Bliss said. "I think they respond really effectively. We have a stellar department, that's what we need to highlight. They do incredible work with the resources they have right now." Over-policing concerns The counter argument to additional officers is a concern of over-policing, and inequitable outcomes related to police stops and arrests. A 2017 study, which covered 2013-2015 data, found that black drivers were twice as likely to be stopped by police in Grand Rapids. Hispanic motorists were also stopped more than their percentage makeup of the population. Second Ward Commissioner Joe Jones said he has heard "loud and clear" from parts of the community that they don't want more police officers out of concerns of over-policing. He said he's willing to have a difficult, uncomfortable conversation about hiring more community police officers, but he's hesitant to hire more officers for the sake of hiring more officers. "I don't have a lot of confidence in putting our officers in a setting that is not the best for them in term of their well-being," Jones said. "As we look at hiring community officers, or officers as a whole, unless we have substantial changes to policies and procedures, or at least a good hard look at policies and procedures, and perhaps a rather across-the-board commitment to de-escalation, I don't think it's wise for us to go the route of adding more officers in the current system. "It's just not healthy right now." Jones did praise the department for recent incidents in which it de-escalated potentially critical situations, including when a 41-year-old man wielding an airsoft pistol shot at four officers in what police called an attempted "suicide by cop." The man was taken into custody and has been charged with assaulting the officers. "That was very encouraging," Jones said. "Our police department is working hard and diligently. We have a police department that cares about being the very best police department. Yet with any profession, there are always areas to improve." In regard to over-policing, Rahinsky said there is a "definite legitimacy" to the perception that some areas of the city are policed more than others. However, he argues that it's not over-policing, so much as it's being responsive to crime trends. "The areas you concentrate on are ultimately going to lead to where we have arrests and traffic stops, and making sure areas aren't being over-policed, either in actuality or perception, could lead to disparate outcomes," Rahinsky said. "We need to do a better job releasing crime data and letting the community know what we're doing and why. "I'm not asking for more officers to do more over-policing. I'm not looking to write more tickets. I'm not looking to affect more arrests." The Rev. Nathaniel Moody, pastor at Brown Hutcherson Ministries and co-chair of the Grand Rapids Association of Pastors, said there's no doubt the city's police department is understaffed. He said a police department with additional officers isn't a threat to minorities in the city. The threat, he said, is having a police department that is "only one color." Last spring, 89 percent of the department's sworn officers were white. Compared to 2010 census data, that's a significantly larger makeup than the citywide demographic, which was 64.6 percent white. The department did reduce barriers to allow for more diverse recruits in 2017, and in October it swore in its most diverse class of police recruits. "We need a police force with adequate numbers, and it needs to be diverse," Moody said. "We need a police department that is balanced to what the city looks like." Jacquetta Sims hasn't forgotten her sons' experience with police on March 24, 2017. The teens haven't either. And while the police department has since adopted a youth interaction policy in an attempt to avoid a similar, scarring incident, Sims said she'd like to see increased efforts by police to get to know the community's youth. "I wish (police) would come around more, know the kids, in a sense, in a positive sense, not a negative," she said. "You have to handle our young men with grace like anyone else. It's all about respect and at the end of the day, if you have respect for the individual, you'll have a lot better outcome." WASHINGTON, D.C. -- A West Michigan native will serve as the new United States ambassador to Germany. Richard Grenell, a 1984 Jenison High School graduate, was previously nominated for the position by President Donald Trump. That nomination was confirmed by the U.S. Senate Thursday, April 26, in a 56-42 vote. With his confirmation, Grenell becomes the most senior openly gay official in Trump's administration. A frequent commentator on Fox News Channel, Grenell also served as the United Nations director of communications for eight years under former President George W. Bush. He later ran his own communications firm in California, where he now lives. Grenell also worked for former New York Governor George Pataki and former U.S. Rep. Dave Camp. He had a brief stint as a spokesperson on national security and foreign policy for Mitt Romney's 2012 presidential campaign, prompting some to cite it as the first appointment of an openly gay spokesman by a major GOP presidential candidate. He resigned within two weeks of his appointment. Though some pointed to pressure by social conservatives as a factor in his resignation, Grenell blamed criticism from liberals in a newspaper interview. In a statement, he said his "ability to speak clearly and forcefully on the issues has been greatly diminished by the hyper-partisan discussion of personal issues." Michigan's two senators -- U.S. Sens. Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters -- joined the majority of their Democratic colleagues in voting against Grenell's confirmation. Six Democrats and 50 Republicans voted in favor of his confirmation. U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga, R-Zeeland, represents Michigan's 2nd congressional district, which includes Grenell's hometown of Jenison. The congressman posted a tweet Thursday congratulating the newly minted diplomat. Congratulations to West Michigan native Richard Grenell on being confirmed as Ambassador to Germany! Germany is a strategic ally and important economic partner. I am glad to see the Senate finally confirm him! Rep. Bill Huizenga (@RepHuizenga) April 26, 2018 Grenell is not the first West Michigander to be tapped by the presidents to serve as an ambassador. Pete Hoekstra, a former congressman and candidate for governor, was appointed to serve as ambassador to the Netherlands. A native of Holland, Michigan, Hoekstra was born in the Netherlands and immigrated to the United States with his parents at the age of 3. ST. IGNACE, MI -- Crews working to cap and seal two severed power cables in the Straits of Mackinac say they have discovered additional power cables damaged by what was believed a dragging anchor. The cables, de-energized and retired Consumers Energy power lines, were discovered as a remotely operated underwater vehicle took images to assess damage to two American Transmission Company (ATC) lines. The Consumers Energy cable was installed in 1956 and de-energized and retired in 1990. Unlike the ATC cables containing potentially harmful dielectric fluid, the Consumers Energy lines contained no fluid. According to the U.S. Coast Guard, crews plan to do chemical testing on the cables to gauge any risk to the environment. To date, more than 600 gallons of dielectric fluid -- mineral oil -- has been extracted from the ATC cables since April 1. A plan is underway to raise the broken segments above water so they can be capped and sealed. So far, authorities say they have noticed no adverse impact to wildlife or the environment due to any leaking. An estimated 600 gallons of mineral oil spilled into the lake before recovery efforts began. The dragging anchor also is being blamed for three dents in the controversial Line 5 oil and gas pipelines. GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- A 34-year-old Newaygo man who caused a crash that killed a mother of six children in November will serve at least six years in prison. Ralph Reichard Jr., who has a history of impaired driving, was sentenced Thursday, April 26, to 75-180 months in prison. "There's nothing anyone can point to, with certainty, and put a price on the loss you created by your drunk driving causing death and serious injury," Kent County Circuit Court Judge Dennis Leiber said. The man was driving a 2003 Chevy Cavalier around 11:45 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 25, when his vehicle crossed the center line on Sparta Avenue NW near Ball Creek Road, and crashed head-on into an SUV. Reichard's passenger, Christina Domina-Kent, 39, died in the crash. Four people in the SUV -- two from Newaygo and two from Howard City -- were also injured and transported to Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital for treatment. Reichard pleaded guilty on March 7 to four counts related to operating a vehicle while intoxicated and with a suspended license, causing death and serious injury. As part of a plea deal, Leiber indicated the minimum sentence wouldn't be higher than 75 months in prison. In addition to prison time, Leiber ordered Reichard to pay significant restitution, including $101,934 to Domina-Kent's family and $200,000 to be split among the other four individuals injured in the crash. "There are six children, along with grandchildren that will come that will never see Christina again," said Leonard Domina, who spoke to Leiber on behalf of Domina-Kent's family. "The children at the time of her death, the youngest was only 6 years old. That's a huge loss I cant even imagine. I don't understand what it is that they're supposed to look to for all of the love she gave them. I don't know how you put a dollar amount on that sir." Reichard declined comment regarding restitution. He did take responsibility for the crash with a brief statement. "I'm taking responsibility for my actions and I'm really sorry for the families," he said. "I didn't mean for any of this to happen and I'm willing to take any sentence you decide." Reichard's driving record includes two charges in October 2005, the first for driving while impaired in Hastings and the second for operating while intoxicated, also in Hastings. Reichard also was charged with a drug-related crime in August 2005, Michigan Secretary of State records show. ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, MI -- Two men who perished in an early morning fire Wednesday, April 25 in Mendon Township were migrant workers, police said. The identifies of the two men have not been released pending completion of autopsies, St. Joseph County Undersheriff Mark Lillywhite said. He said other workers were living in the house, in the 53000 block of Silver Street, but were not home when the fire started early Wednesday. The fire was reported about 3:30 a.m. Lillywhite said the other people who lived in the house had gone to a store for food. The structure is an old farmhouse and was engulfed in flames when Mendon area firefighters arrived at the scene. Lillywhite said the fire is not believed suspicious. Investigators may never know the cause because of the extensive damage. The fire destroyed the residence. The men who died are believed to be in their late 30s. It's not clear if the house had any working smoke detectors. They worked for a dairy farm affiliated with a national farming operation, police said. Lillywhite said anyone with information about the fire can call police at 269-467-9045. Actor and entertainer Donnie Wahlberg will be visiting Metro Detroit's two Wahlburgers location today, April 26. Wahlberg, the older brother of Mark Wahlberg and founding member of the band New Kids on the Block, will be visiting the sandwich chain's Taylor location located on Penn Street just off Eureka Road around 3 p.m. That will be followed by a visit to the Detroit location around 5 p.m. "We just welcomed Mark Wahlberg to our community, and we look forward to meeting Donnie," said Taylor Mayor Rick Sollars in a statement. "My family has been at the new Wahlburgers' location several times, and we're really impressed. We'd like to have a crowd out there tomorrow to welcome Donnie to town." Wahlberg, who has appeared in films such as "The Sixth Sense," "Dreamcatcher," Righteous Kill" and the "Saw" franchise, is currently a cast member on the CBS show, Blue Bloods. He is an integral part of the family's restaurant business. He confirmed he would be heading to the Motor City via Twitter. Stop One, or should I say #StepOne? Michigan @Wahlburgers (and BH Familia) here I come! https://t.co/ns8vdp1Bzg Donnie Wahlberg (@DonnieWahlberg) April 25, 2018 Founded in 2011 by Paul, Donnie and Mark Wahlberg, Wahlburgers currently has nearly 30 locations across the United States and Canada, with more on the way. A petition to legalize and regulate recreational marijuana has enough signatures to move forward, a state board determined Thursday. In a 4-0 vote, Michigan's Board of State Canvassers voted to approve signatures submitted by The Coalition to Regulate Marijuana like Alcohol at its Thursday meeting. The vote was immediately followed by whoops and cheers from supporters of marijuana legalization. The petition would legalize, regulate and tax recreational marijuana. Those over 21 could use marijuana, but would still be unable to consume it in a public place or drive under the influence. Local governments would decide whether or not to allow these businesses within their boundaries, and then the state Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs would regulate those businesses. To move forward, the coalition needed 252,523 signatures. A Bureau of Elections review found the group turned in 365,384 signatures. After excluding 3,282 signatures for errors, its review of a 500-signature sample concluded the Coalition to Regulate Marijuana like Alcohol had enough to move forward. No formal challenges were filed to the petition, although some opposed the concept of recreational marijuana at the board hearing. Scott Greenlee of Healthy and Productive Michigan, a group opposing recreational marijuana legalization, told the board the proposal is "fundamentally flawed." "If enacted, the law would immediately be in violation of federal laws and the constitution," he said. Greenlee later told reporters his group is considering legal action against the coalition as an option. Coalition spokesperson John Truscott said in a statement the decision gives voters the chance to eliminate Michigan's existing marijuana laws. "Just like with alcohol, it is clear that prohibition doesn't work and that regulation and taxation is a far better solution," Truscott said. The petition language now moves to the state legislature, which has 40 days to consider the plan before it moves to the ballot for voter approval. Some lawmakers have considered the possibility of legalizing recreational marijuana before the 40-day window is up, but it's unclear whether that will happen. Jeff Hank of MILegalize said following the board's decision that he would support the legislature passing as is or making improvements to the proposal - "This prohibition should be over today," he said. But he said he wouldn't want lawmakers to take away the hard work that's been done to make it a plan that's acceptable for Michigan voters who want to legalize marijuana. "People are tired of the shenanigans," he said. "The majority of people in the state of Michigan support it." LANSING, MI - Rep. Abdullah Hammoud, D-Dearborn, is calling on Republican gubernatorial candidate Patrick Colbeck to resign from the Senate after Colbeck made controversial remarks about a Muslim group using what many describe as a conspiracy theory. The controversy started on Wednesday, when Buzzfeed News reported on Colbeck's comments before a group the Southern Poverty Law Center categorizes as an "active anti-Muslim group." In a video of what appears to be Colbeck's voice over a presentation, a slide talks about "civilization jihad," and suggests placing Muslims in powerful positions is part of that plan. "There's a lot of pressure being applied in our society right now. You're seeing Muslim legislators in the state legislature," said Colbeck in the video, an apparent reference to Hammoud, the only Muslim serving in the state legislature. Hammoud released the following statement calling for Colbeck's resignation: "I am deeply disturbed and disgusted by the remarks made by state Sen. Patrick Colbeck. These remarks reek of desperation and echo the sounds of a political career coming to its rightful end. His words have no place anywhere, let alone in a legislative body. "I am proud of my Muslim faith; it was one of the reasons I was drawn to public service in the first place. As the only sitting Muslim legislator, Sen. Colbeck need only walk across the hall to his neighboring chamber and ask any questions he may have about my faith or my interests in serving our residents. "I urge Sen. Colbeck to study and commit to deep self-reflection to rid himself of this radical and willful ignorance, and to resign immediately as his comments show he is unfit to represent his constituents or to serve in our state Legislature," Hammoud said. Colbeck doubled down on his comments Thursday during Senate session, insisting they were rooted in fact via a 1991 memorandum obtained by the FBI. The plan included an anti-American agenda known as "civilization jihad" to eliminate and destroy the Western civilization from within, Colbeck said. The memo is a 1991 document recovered by the FBI in the course of a money-laundering trial, according to The Bridge Initiative, a project of Georgetown University's Prince Alwaleed bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding. The Bridge Initiative noted there is no evidence it was adopted by the Muslim Brotherhood, describing it as a single author's "utopian vision." The Bridge Initiative and others have described "civilization jihad" as a conspiracy theory. Sen. David Knezek, D-Dearborn Heights, said in the Senate Thursday Colbeck's comments were "ignorant and close-minded" and invited him to meet with his Muslim friends and constituents in his district. A spokesperson for Colbeck's campaign said the campaign appreciated Hammoud sharing his opinion and provided a statement from Colbeck, who said, "Free speech, even on sensitive topics, is still welcome while I'm serving in office." Note: This story has been updated with comment from Colbeck's campaign. LANSING, MI - One day after gubernatorial candidate Sen. Patrick Colbeck, R-Canton, was the center of a national media story and accused of peddling conspiracy theories, he expanded on his comments in a Senate floor speech. On Wednesday, Buzzfeed News reported on Colbeck's comments. In a video of what appears to be Colbeck's voice over a presentation, Colbeck alleges without substantiating it that Democratic gubernatorial candidate Abdul El-Sayed has ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, a group considered to be a terrorist organization by some foreign governments. The presentation slide talks about "civilization jihad," and suggests placing Muslims in powerful positions is part of that plan. El-Sayed's photo appears on the next slide, titled "positions of influence." On Thursday, Colbeck brought the controversy to the Senate Floor during floor statements, a period of time senators sometimes use to talk about issues that are important to them or recognize people from their districts or charitable causes. He talked about a document called the "Explanatory Memorandum," something he said outlined the intent of the Muslim Brotherhood and other groups affiliated with it to implement Islamic law in America. The plan that included an anti-American agenda known as "civilization jihad" to eliminate and destroy the Western civilization from within, Colbeck said. "All of this information is a matter of evidentiary fact. It is not conjecture. It is not a conspiracy theory, as some have asserted," Colbeck said. The memo is a 1991 document recovered by the FBI in the course of a money-laundering trial, according to The Bridge Initiative, a project of Georgetown University's Prince Alwaleed bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding. The Bridge Initiative noted there is no evidence it was adopted by the Muslim Brotherhood, describing it as a single author's "utopian vision." The Bridge Initiative and others have described "civilization jihad" as a conspiracy theory. Colbeck said those calling him a racist or xenophobe were trying to silence the truth, and he would continue to speak it regardless of any name-calling. "We cannot afford to be silent on this issue, my colleagues. The organizations which share the professed mission of the Muslim Brotherhood to destroy our nation from within are real, not theoretical. They are active right here in the state of Michigan," Colbeck said. Sen. David Knezek, D-Dearborn Heights, also spoke on the Senate floor. He called Colbeck's comments "ignorant and close-minded." Knezek said his comments did not extend to the chamber's other Republicans, many of whom have expressed support for his Muslim friends and constituents. "We do have a lot of good people here in this chamber. Good people who are embarrassed by this type of behavior and rhetoric," Knezek said. Michigan Republican Party spokeswoman Sarah Anderson said in a statement Wednesday the party "isn't interested in peddling any conspiracy theories." Knezek closed his comments on the Senate floor by inviting Colbeck to his district, which has a large Muslim population. "For maybe the fourth or fifth time now, I'd like to invite the senator from the seventh district to join me in my district to meet with some American Muslims. Because I believe you will find that same patriotism and love of country in their hearts as he claims to have in his," Knezek said. In a statement Wednesday, El-Sayed said he knew "in choosing to run for Governor as an unapologetic, proud Muslim and American, I was going to contend with the ugly face of white supremacy that Donald Trump and his friends have sanctioned." Thursday, he tweeted a response as well. My face when I get accused by bigoted conspiracy theorists that Im trying to take over the country when Im really just trying to get folks healthcare, a livable wage, and better education: pic.twitter.com/AvZrmdlVEZ Abdul El-Sayed (@AbdulElSayed) April 26, 2018 After Senate session on Thursday a spokesperson for Senate Majority Leader Arlan Meekhof, R-West Olive, declined to comment on what had transpired. "Senator Meekhof has absolutely no comments on Senator Colbeck," Amber McCann said. Senate Minority Leader Jim Ananich, D-Flint, kept his comments short. "I think he's continuing to prove that he's an ass, and that's all I'm going to say about that," Ananich said. Supporters of a petition to repeal Michigan's prevailing wage law say they're headed to court after a state board deadlocked on moving the proposal forward. Michigan's Board of State Canvassers voted 2-2 Thursday on a petition to approve the signatures of Protecting Michigan Taxpayers, a group working to repeal the state's existing prevailing wage law. Because the board only has four members, the deadlocked vote means the petition did not move forward. The wage law being contested applies union-level wages to job sites for public projects like schools and government buildings. The decision came after a series of legal arguments between Protecting Michigan Taxpayers -- which is funded by the nonunion group Associated Builders and Contractors -- and Protect Michigan Jobs, a pro-prevailing wage group supported by several unions, over petition circulators with questionable residential addresses on their forms. Secretary of State Bureau of Elections staff recommended Protecting Michigan Jobs' petition should be certified after reviewing a larger sample size of the submitted signatures. The board's two Republicans, Colleen Pero and Norm Shinkle, agreed with those findings, but Democrats Julie Matuzak and Jeannette Bradshaw argued there were too many discrepancies with the filing for them to support it. "I think there is a real and legitimate legal conflict that needs to be sorted out by the legislature or the courts," Matuzak said. Jeff Wiggins, president of Protecting Michigan Taxpayers and state director of Associated Building Contractors of Michigan, called the board's decision unfortunate. He and attorney Eric Doster said the group plans to appeal the decision to the state Court of Appeals. "We had a clear opinion from the Secretary of State's office," Wiggins said. "Unfortunately, two of the board members chose to shirk their duty to the citizens of the state of Michigan who wanted to see this repealed." The vote also prompted one call for Matuzak and Bradshaw's resignations - Michigan Freedom Fund Executive Director Tony Daunt said in a statement the two board members "abdicated their responsibility to Michigan voters and to state law." "These members of the Board voted today to disenfranchise hundreds of thousands of voters because they were told to by desperate union bosses and Democrat Party power brokers. They must resign immediately," Daunt said. Union leaders who oppose the prevailing wage repeal plan said they were happy with the board's decision and were ready to keep fighting the issue in court. "We feel that the working men and women of the state of Michigan, union and non-union, were represented well today," said Steve Claywell of the Michigan Building and Construction Trades Council. "We applaud the efforts of the board - they did their job." Prevailing wage repeal is popular among Republican leadership in the Legislature. Senate Majority Leader Arlan Meekhof, R-West Olive, sponsored prevailing wage repeal legislation earlier this year. But Republican Gov. Rick Snyder has said he's supportive of the existing prevailing wage law. In 2015, Protecting Michigan Jobs successfully fought back against repeal efforts, challenging the signatures collected by Protecting Michigan Taxpayers that year. State officials determined Protecting Michigan Taxpayers turned in an unusually high number of invalid signatures. KALAMAZOO, MI -- Western Michigan University President Edward Montgomery will help hand out over 2,400 diplomas Saturday during his first spring commencement since taking the helm at WMU. Getting students to stay in school and eventually cross the stage to graduate tops the first-year WMU president's to-do list. "This is my number one priority," Montgomery said. In both his first State of the University address last fall and his closing remarks at WMU's Student Success Summit this spring, Montgomery spoke extensively about improving retention and graduation rates. It's also the motivation behind a $1 million Transformational Initiative Fund announced in October. WMU's 54 percent six-year graduation rate as reported by the Chronicle of Higher Education is ranked in the top half of the state's 15 public universities, but for Montgomery that won't cut it. Montgomery, who took over at WMU last August, said during his October address to the campus community that WMU's retention and graduation rates have been "average" for many years. "We are not an average university. We are an exceptional university," he said. "A six-year graduation rate of 54 percent is not good enough." Then began his push to make it better. Building a community During his State of the University address, Montgomery announced the Transformational Initiatives Fund, which granted $1 million to two campus-generated ideas that would help raise the retention and graduation rates. One of the two new programs, Success@WMU, a community and mentorship building initiative, will launch this fall. The program in which all new undergraduate students will be part of a small learning environment is intended to welcome and orient students and to build essential skills. It was given over $800,000 from the Transformational Initiatives Fund, to be matched in that amount with other university funds. Sue Stapleton, interim provost and vice president for academic affairs, said the new program is modeled after smaller ones at WMU that have seen success, including Foundation Scholars, a scholarship program for underprivileged students, and Seita Scholars, a support system for students who came from the foster care system. But what makes Success@WMU "special and unique" from existing programs at WMU or similar ones at other universities is that it will be offered to all first-time freshmen and new transfer students, numbering about 5,500 in total, according to Stapleton. It's will foster a community that helps students "orient to this new environment ... It's about building a sense of connectedness. It's about building a sense of belonging," she said. "The mission of the learning community is the success of students." Feeling disconnected is among reasons students drop out of college, she said. But when they can connect with older peers who have faced similar difficulties, it can help new students feel like they aren't alone. "There should never be a student who comes to Western Michigan University that feels isolated or alone," Stapleton said. Helping students make it to graduation was the focus of the Student Success Summit, which brought together over 130 faculty, staff and administrators in March for discussion on graduation and retention rates. Speakers brought in from elsewhere talked about how their institutions improved retention rates, including use of predictive analysis, degree auditing and strategies to make campus more accessible. The University of Texas uses a variety of resources to identify which students are more likely to drop out so it can intervene, Phaedra White Abbott, director of the Discovery Scholars Program at that university, said. The Texas flagship university has created a Student Success Initiative with the goal of increasing the four-year graduation rate to 70 percent over a five-year period. Coming together and talking across departments and colleges, using predictive analytics to identify students at risk of dropping out and making it clear to incoming students at orientation that the expectation is they will graduate in four years helped UT nearly reach its goal, Abbott said. "We branded them with the year they're going to graduate, not the year they're coming in," she said about the new students. During his closing remarks for the summit, Montgomery said WMU has a "moral and ethical" responsibility to help students graduate. "When we accept a student, we aren't just accepting money, we are accepting an obligation in partnership with them ... We must do better." Colleges are "positioning students to realize their potential," the WMU president said. "If that doesn't get you out of bed in the morning as an educator, I don't know what will ... You are a part of a movement to change their lives." Keith Hearit, assistant to the provost, said "[Montgomery] has had a cultural effect" on WMU in his short as president. "So much of doing well is believing you can ... and having high expectations for yourself. I really see on campus a lift. Maybe we will be calling it the 'Montgomery Effect.'" "Retention is everybody's business because it's just the right thing to do," Hearit said. "When we admit students, they are ours, and we have an obligation to them to do anything and everything we can to help them succeed ... This is why we chose higher education." What the numbers say Western's 54 percent rate of students graduating within six years of starting classes lands it in the top third among Michigan public universities, below the University of Michigan and Michigan State University and also lower than more similar Central Michigan and Grand Valley State universities. WMU ranks above universities including Eastern Michigan, Northern Michigan and Saginaw Valley State universities. WMU Associate Provost for Enrollment Management Terrence Curran said while the six-year graduation rate is the "gold standard" universities use to measure themselves, it has limitations. Graduation rates and retention rates only include first-time freshmen students just out of high school and omit non-traditional students like new transfer students, he said. In addition to the six-year graduation rate, campuses start to assess retention as soon as sophomore year, Hearit said. WMU loses just over 20 percent of its first-time, full-time freshmen students after one year. This number has varied over the last decade, records from the Office of Institutional Research show. WMU retained 72.4 percent of first-time, full-time freshmen in 2008, a figure that climbed to 79 percent in 2014. The increase in retention "really shows that all of the myriad of things we have been doing have had a positive impact," Hearit said. Hearit said other factors make retention rates and comparisons complex, such as the type of student universities accept. The University of Michigan, for example, sees a 90 percent second-year retention rate. When students are coming in with high GPAs and ACT scores over 30, "it's no wonder they persist and do so well," he said. WMU is about "high academic expectations but also access," Hearit said. "If you think you can do it and are committed to the classroom, we are more than willing to admit you and give you a chance to succeed ... We have it in our DNA to take students from all academic backgrounds and do what it takes to get as many of them to graduation as possible." Being accessible is important, Montgomery said during an April 3 interview with MLive and WMUK. "But getting people in the door isn't sufficient if they can't succeed and walk out the door with a diploma ... Students who come to campus and leave four years later with nothing but debt, that's not success," he said. Impact on the bottom line When students leave before graduating, whether they drop out or transfer, their money goes with them. In 2016, WMU lost 632 freshmen after their first year at the university. Had they all stayed, assuming were Michigan residents, they would have paid about $7.5 million in tuition. "There is no question that there is a financial hit that happens when a student leaves the institution," Hearit said. Success@WMU leader Stapleton said the university's goal is to reach a second-year retention rate of 80 percent within the next couple of years. By increasing that rate two percentage points to 80 percent, the university would retain around $700,000 in lost tuition. KALAMAZOO, MI -- With a GPA below 2.0 and too many failing grades, Robert Snyder packed his bags and left Western Michigan University. Five years later, the 28-year-old is two days from getting his bachelor's degree from WMU, ready to head off to graduate school. "I came back with a different mindset ... I gave myself no other option," Snyder said about returning to college three years after dropping out. "I wasn't willing to quit." The Coldwater High School graduate credits the mentoring he received from advisors like Kevin Knutson for his newfound determination and success. Knutson, who has worked at WMU as an academic advisor for nearly two decades, teaches an academic recovery course to students who were previously academically discharged, helping them find their passions and learn critical skills to succeed in college. "When I get to give them a hug across the stage at graduation, that's the fun part," he said. "You can tell I love my students," Knutson said, wiping away tears as he talked about the many students like Snyder who have come through his office doors and later earned their diploma. WMU ranks 6th in state According the Chronicle of Higher Education, 54 percent of WMU students graduated within six years of beginning classes in 2010, the most recent year available. That ranked 6th among Michigan's 15 public universities. During an interview with MLive and WMUK earlier this month, WMU President Edward Montgomery said, "Being accessible is important but getting people in the door isn't sufficient if they can't succeed and walk out the door with a diploma ... Students who come to campus and leave four years later with nothing but debt, that's not success." Montgomery on April 28 will preside over his first spring commencement since coming to WMU last August. The university will grant 2,462 diplomas during four ceremonies in Miller Auditorium. Snyder will graduate with a GPA over 3.4 and with plans to go on to study Clinical Behavioral Psychology in Eastern Michigan University's graduate program. The soon-to-be alumnus first came to WMU as a public relations major because he thought that career was something he could be good at it. But he had little interest in the course material, didn't take his classes seriously and his grades dropped. Seeing the dismissal notification from the university was embarrassing and a shock. "It was hard to believe I had just been kicked out of college," Snyder said. After leaving WMU, he worked various jobs. "I knew I wasn't living up to my potential," he said. In 2016, he decided to return to Western. He was re-admitted and began the climb toward graduation with the help and encouragement of Knutson, a handful of faculty and older students and Western's Career Services and Writing Center. "My testament shows it's not too late to make a change. You can come back from academic failure," Snyder said. "It's not easy, but it is possible." How Western can help WMU works to identify struggling students early on, said Keith Hearit, assistant to the provost and former vice provost for enrollment management, noting there are "indicators of concern" or red flags with students at risk of dropping out. "One of the biggest indicators is class attendance," Hearit said. How much a student attends class within the first three weeks of a semester is "highly predictive" of whether they might end up leaving college, he said. The university uses a survey during orientation for new students to identify variables that could impact their likelihood to stay in school. These include a "student's academic commitment, their degree of social support for attending college, their level of personal engagement, and the resources that they have available," Hearit said. WMU instructors are encouraged to give a graded assignment within those first few weeks because it not only gives them an idea which students are at risk, but "sets a culture within the classroom that academic performance matters greatly," he said. Instructors can also flag students who need extra help with a "student concern form" that gets multiple offices in the university involved to "create a culture of support around students," Hearit said. Responses include "intrusive advising" that shifts the role of an advisor from someone the student might meet once per semester to one who helps the student become both academically and socially involved or to choose his or her major. "It communicates to students that we have standards... and we're concerned about you. We want you to succeed," Hearit said. Rebounding and then paying it forward Another student who found success through Knutson's academic recovery course has gone on to pay it forward by helping to encourage second-semester freshmen students. "Nobody will dare to mention the possibility of failure," Aaron Thompson said in a handwritten letter he wrote to a younger student. "But I will." A portion of the handwritten letter sent to a freshmen student from Aaron Thompson. The junior statistics student at WMU said he was told the same things as many freshman entering college, that it was the "best time of your life," how smart he was and how well he would adjust to the college lifestyle. But in the next paragraph, he revealed he failed two classes his first semester and had a 2.0 GPA. He was academically discharged in 2016 after his third semester. "See, everyone is ready and willing to tell you about all the great things that college has to offer ...," Thompson wrote. "But nobody is willing to tell you about the hardships you will face ... dealing with the difficulties of stress and time management and the frustrations that come with the workload of college." Thompson told the freshman student how he wished someone would have told him about the downsides of college, because with two failing grades staring back at him, "I did not know what to do ... And here I thought college was going to the best time of my life." He stressed to the first-year student the importance of being "honest with yourself" about shortcomings and in the end, left him with a message of success. "Over the course of 2017, I went from flunking out of my dream school to becoming a student with a semester GPA near 4.0," Thompson wrote. MUSKEGON, MI - A dilapidated Muskegon bridge could be completely rebuilt in 2021 if the city can secure a $600,000 grant from the Michigan Department of Transportation. The bridge on Ottawa Street stretches more than 35 feet over the south branch of the Muskegon River leading to Richards Park. It was built in 1929 and is listed by city engineers as being in "very poor" condition. Muskegon officials want to rebuild and replace the existing structure with a 95-foot long bridge with a $1.3 million price tag. The city plans to apply for an MDOT grant to help pay for the project, with Muskegon putting up $600,000 in matching funds to be spent in 2020 and 2021. Construction would most likely begin in 2021 once funding becomes available. The Muskegon City Commission passed a resolution on Tuesday allowing city staff to apply for the grant. At least $300,000 of that money would be used on engineering costs, said Muskegon City Manager Frank Peterson. According to a recent inspection, the bridge's damage is extensive. Two of the bridge's beams have holes that are more than 4-feet long, missing pieces and heavy rust. Water is also leaking through the deck surface, with several sections of the deck's underside breaking apart. That water damage has caused some of the concrete to crumble, along with the bridge's facade. Peterson said the city has been monitoring the bridge's condition for at least a decade, posting heavy weight restrictions to avoid further deterioration. The bridge's northbound lane was closed to thru-traffic in 2016. City engineers expect the bridge to be closed during construction. MUSKEGON HEIGHTS, MI - Medical marijuana can be grown in Muskegon Heights but not sold after the passage of an ordinance regulating marijuana products within city limits. The ordinance allows growers, processors, testing facilities and secure transporters to operate if they have obtained a special use permit from the city's Planning Commission. It was approved by the Muskegon Heights City Council on a 5-2 vote Monday. With the ordinance, the city has opted in to new state rules that allow medical marijuana plants and products to be grown and manufactured. Council members specifically barred dispensaries out of fear that they would spread to every block and be accessible to children. Michigan's Licensing and Regulatory Affairs issued a new set of rules in early 2017 that allows municipalities to regulate medical marijuana on their own terms. According the ordinance, Muskegon Heights will issue the following licenses to prospective growers: Five Class C licenses, which allow a single license-holder to grow up to 1,500 plants. Five processor licenses. Two licenses for safety compliance, or product testing. Two licenses for secure transporters. Growers will be allowed to stack licenses to increase plant capacity after a year in operation. The ordinance also builds a framework for monitoring and inspecting facilities with the aid of Muskegon Heights public safety officers. It also stipulates that former council members would be barred from growing medical marijuana within city limits to avoid potential kickbacks and corruption. City staff will determine who receives a license through a vetting process that includes a review by City Clerk Sharon Gibbs and a number of other city employees. Fully vetted applicants will be placed in a lottery. A drawing will take place with city staff and Mayor Kim Sims at City Hall. From there, Muskegon Heights will pass those applications on to LARA for state approval. All approved facilities must carry a $1 million insurance policy as well as other insurance policies required by law. They must also maintain video surveillance with a 360-degree view of the facility, its plants, equipment and cash assets. Surveillance footage will also be subject to inspection by city staff and law enforcement. Applications will be accepted during two periods, from Jan. 2 through April 1 and June 1 to Sept. 1 of every year. The city may assess an annual fee of no more $5,000. While five council members supported the measure, Councilman Andre Williams and Councilwoman Bonnie McGlothin opposed the measure. Williams said allowing medical marijuana within city limits is a mistake that will haunt the city for years to come. He also claimed that the ordinance was rushed and that the council didn't understand all of the unknowns. Sims, who supported the ordinance, responded by saying the council has done more than its due diligence on the matter. LANSING, MI -- Two years after a Saginaw County judge ruled a jury erred in finding a man guilty of conspiring to murder another man, an appeals court has reinstated the defendant's conviction. In an April 24 decision, a Michigan Court of Appeals granted prosecutors' request to reverse the March 3, 2016, decision by Saginaw County Circuit Judge Darnell Jackson to give a directed verdict of acquittal in the case of 28-year-old Dominique A. Ramsey Jr. As such, the appellate court denied granting Ramsey a new trial and upheld the jury's findings. The appellate court ordered Ramsey be remanded for sentencing. A jury in January 2016 found Ramsey guilty of conspiring to commit first-degree murder in the shooting death of Humberto Casas Jr. Ramsey's defense subsequently renewed a motion for a directed verdict of not guilty, which Judge Jackson granted in March. "The trial court also 'conditionally' granted (Ramsey's) motion for a new trial, concluding that the jury's verdict was against the great weight of the evidence, resulting in a miscarriage of justice," the appellate court justices wrote. Prosecutors challenged Jackson's decision and filed two motions with a Court of Appeals. The higher court in December 2016 denied both motions, prompting prosecutors to then take the matter to the Michigan Supreme Court. That court later remanded the issue to an Appeals Court, which in turn yielded the April 24 ruling. Casas, 43, died after he was shot seven times, including once in the head and three times in the back, about 1:30 p.m. June 21, 2015, at 1401 Cumberland St. on Saginaw's southeast side. Prosecutors argued Ramsey was driving a vehicle that contained Travis T. Sammons as a passenger and that Sammons fired the shots at Casas. Testimony in the trial included that of a 17-year-old who denied he identified Sammons to police as Casas' killer and of Michigan State Police Lt. David Rivard, who told the jury the teen did, in fact, identify Sammons at the Saginaw Police Department about four hours after Casas' death. The teen provided descriptions of the shooter and the driver of a silver Jeep that was involved in the homicide. Police about 10 minutes after the homicide stopped a silver Jeep on Dixie Highway in Bridgeport Township, and Ramsey was driving the vehicle with Sammons as a passenger. Surveillance footage from numerous cameras showed the Jeep stop at a house on Baldwin in Buena Vista Township before the traffic stop and showed people getting in and out of the vehicle. The jury found both Ramsey and Sammons guilty of the conspiracy charge, but acquitted both men of open murder and various other felonies. Judge Jackson in March 2016 sentenced Sammons to life in prison. Ramsey remains in the Saginaw County Jail pending his sentencing, which has yet to be scheduled. ST. CHARLES, MI -- A few Michigan Department of Natural Resources -- including one who was off-duty -- apparently ended a one-night crime spree after encountering and arresting two suspects. About 11 a.m. on Wednesday, April 25, DNR Conservation Officer Will Brickel received a call from a Shiawassee River State Game Area employee reporting a truck appeared stuck in an area that is off-limits to motor vehicles. Brickel, off-duty at the time, notified fellow Conservations Officers Joe Myers and Adam Beuthin. Myers and Beuthin responded to the scene, accompanied by Brickel. They located the stranded truck and recorded its license plate number, and shortly thereafter noticed two men walking along a trail. When Brickel approached the men and identified himself, they took off running into the woods. Brickel, Myers, and Beuthin worked together to locate the two men, who eventually surrendered after a brief chase. Beuthin, who graduated from the DNR Conservation Officer Recruit School in December, took the men into custody without further incident. The trio of officers later discovered the marooned truck had been stolen and that the two arrestees were suspected of committing at least 30 breakings-and-enterings from the prior night. The officers turned the men over to Chesaning police, who are continuing to investigate. "All three conservation officers did an outstanding job of apprehending the suspects," said 1st Lt. Jeremy Payne, district supervisor for the DNR Law Enforcement Division. "The fact that one officer responded while off-duty and another is a recent Recruit School graduate speaks to the dedication and quality of our conservation officer team. The DNR Law Enforcement Division sets the highest standards of conduct and professionalism, and I'm proud to say all three officers exceeded them." SAGINAW, MI -- Speaking to a man who embezzled a six-figure sum from an area credit union, a Saginaw County judge lauded him for being a good father to his kids. And, as part of his fatherly duties, he'd be teaching his kids about responsibility and consequences for one's actions by spending the next several years in prison. "I commend you for being what appears to be a good father," Saginaw County Circuit Judge Andre R. Borrello said to Stanley Hayes the morning of April 26. "You have raised five children. You gave them unconditional love and support. You've shown your children you are responsible, and now you need to show them as a human being, you err. "In the totality of what you've provided your children," the judge continued, "you're going to show that you're going to be held responsible for your actions. It's a lesson you can give to them so that they can grow up in a man's life or a woman's life. Thankfully, most time it doesn't end up in an incarceration, but this is the responsibility you have to your society." Borrello ended up sentencing the 46-year-old Hayes to 13 concurrent sentences, one for each of the charges he pleaded guilty to in February. The charges and their respective sentences are as follows: One count of conducting a criminal enterprise -- four to 20 years. Two counts of embezzling $20,000 or more but less than $50,000 -- 18 months to 20 years. Seven counts of embezzling value of $1,000 or more but less than $20,000--15 months to five years. Three counts of using a computer to commit a crime--five to 20 years. Borrello gave Hayes credit for two days served in jail. He also ordered Hayes to pay $709,000 in restitution and $1,014 in court fines and costs. The charges against Hayes came nearly a year after the Saginaw Township financial institution, Valley State Credit Union, was declared in "unsafe and unsound condition" and placed into a conservatorship by state officials in August 2016. Hayes was CEO of Valley State Credit Union from 2005 until he was fired in 2016. Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette has said during his time as CEO, Hayes used money embezzled from the institution to pay for his insurance, property taxes, travel and other personal expenses. In addition to those accusations, Schuette has said Hayes used embezzled funds to pay defaulted loans and loans held by dead people in an attempt to cover up the financial problems the credit union was facing. While most of the embezzlement was done electronically, almost $200,000 in cash was taken from Hayes' teller drawer during his tenure, Schuette has said. Before Borrello imposed sentence, defense attorney Alan A. Crawford reminded the judge of numerous letters of support written on Hayes' behalf, calling them "very moving and compelling." Hayes himself appeared contrite. "First off, your Honor, I'd like to apologize to you and everybody for being the reason we're here today," he said. "I apologize to my family for the embarrassment, the worry that I've caused them. I've got a good family; they're strong and supportive. They've really gone through wringer on this, because of my actions. "I've always tried to be a good citizen," he continued. "I've worked hard, took care of family, and never been in trouble in 46 years. I've tried to help others and give back to my community in many different ways." He said he felt he had been backed into a corner, both personally and professionally, and made bad decisions that compounded that. He added his main concern in going to prison was being separated from his children. Michigan Assistant Attorney General Norm Donker took issue with Hayes' statement, saying his professed grief and regret are not for having committed a crime, but for it costing him time with his family. "There's no remorse for the crimes he committed, the destruction of a credit union," Donker said. "He caused the ruin of a credit union." In August 2016, Valley State Credit Union was placed in a conservatorship after an investigation by the Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services found the financial institution was "operating in an unsafe and unsound condition," according to previous MLive-Saginaw News reports. The investigation concluded the credit union had "high risk in its loan portfolio, lack of internal controls, inaccurate reporting and failure of management and the board of directors to address these problems," according to Schuette. The investigation also turned up the embezzlement allegations against Hayes, who was fired shortly after the credit union was placed under the state agency's control. At the time, the credit union had 3,116 member accounts. Before Hayes was remanded to custody to begin serving his sentence, Borrello told him he believed he meant to help people, but violated rules that were place for others' protection. "You gave people false hope," Borrello said. "You failed in your commitment to your community and you failed in that vital role to be a person of trust." SAGINAW, MI -- The trial of a man who is charged with shooting his ex-girlfriend as she left her job took an unexpected turn during the second day of testimony. Torye Gilbert, who was facing a possible life sentence, will have a second chance to present his defense after a judge declared a mistrial. Circuit Judge Manvel Trice III expressed concerns that Gilbert's criminal past could unfavorably bias the jury. Gilbert, 44, is charged with two counts of assault with intent to murder, which carries a maximum penalty of life with parole; four counts of felony firearms, two counts of felon in possession of a firearm, one count of resisting and obstructing and one count of fleeing and eluding. Gilbert appeared in court Thursday, April 26 wearing a black suit and accompanied by his attorney William White. In an interrogation interview played for the all-woman jury, Gilbert told Detective Sgt. Chad Brooks, of Saginaw Township police, that he had previously served 15 years in prison. After that was played, Trice stopped the proceedings and excused the jury. After a brief recess, White formally made a motion for a mistrial claiming the information could unfavorably bias the jury's decision concerning the outcome for his client. Trice agreed and ordered Gilbert held pending a new trial date. Saginaw County Assistant Prosecutor Sharonndra Clement alleges that Gilbert shot at Tiffany Owens twice with a shotgun as she and her daughter tried to drive away from her job at Morley Companies, 2717 Schust in Saginaw Township on Feb. 9, 2017. Owens was shot in the knee by a pellet from a shotgun that police recovered from Gilbert, according to Clement. SAGINAW, MI -- Two Saginaw school board members could be facing a recall election after petitions were filed at the Saginaw County Clerk's Office on Thursday, April 26. If the petition language is approved, Treasurer Mattie Thompson and Secretary Kim "Tody" Hamilton will be subject to a recall if enough signatures are collected. Saginaw resident Stephanie Cureton filed the petitions stating her concerns about a vote to not renew Superintendent Nathaniel McClain's contract. Thompson and Hamilton said they both just learned of the petition and declined to comment. The petition references a vote that board members supported to rescind a one-year extension to McClain's contract and another to not renew his contract, arguing the action caused instability within the district as well as with the partnership agreement with the Michigan Department of Education. Of the four who voted McClain out, President Rudy Paterson and Vice President Jason Thompson can't legally be recalled since both of their seats are up for election in November. If the ballot language is approved during a clarity hearing, Cureton will have 180 days to collect signatures. The number of required signatures is equal to 25 percent of the votes in each area of the district from the 2014 gubernatorial election. The district is comprised of the city of Saginaw, Zilwaukee, and parts of Buena Vista and Kochville townships. In Saginaw, for instance, 3,145 signatures are needed, according to Chief Deputy County Clerk Kyle Bostwick. "We would still have to determine Buena Vista, Kochville and Zilwaukee," Bostwick said. Buena Vista could prove to be tricky, since only parts of its former school district were annexed to Saginaw. Signatures from Buena Vista residents could be invalid if they are not in the Saginaw district's territory, Bostwick said. If enough valid signatures are collected and turned in by the Aug. 3 deadline, Thompson and Hamilton will appear on the Nov. 6 ballot and other candidates can run against them. Patterson, Jason Thompson and Trustee Ruth Ann Knapp's are up for re-election in November. After a 4-2 vote on March 21 action meeting, McClain was relieved of his duties effective June 30. He became the district's leader in August 2015 with an initial contract through 2018. Patterson recommended rescinding an extension the board gave McClain in 2016 that would have him employed through 2019. Vice President Jason Thompson, Hamilton, Mattie Thompson, along with Patterson, voted in favor. Trustees Tamara McRae and Ruth Ann Knapp were against it. Joyce Seals was absent from the vote. The action sparked a reaction from community members, educators and leaders who supported McClain and did not agree with the board's decision. The Saginaw chapter of the NAACP called on the board to give the community members a reason for their decision. However, the board voted to seek legal opinion before commenting on McClain's firing. While this might sound like the punchline to an immature joke, NASA and the Gemini Observatory finally confirmed that Uranus smells like rotten eggs earlier this week. The smell, described by NASA as something "that most people avoid," is due to the planet's cloud tops containing hydrogen sulfide which is an odiferous gas. The findings were presented by the U.S. space agency, Gemini Observatory and in a study published in the Nature Astronomy journal. "We've strongly suspected that hydrogen sulfide gas was influencing the millimeter and radio spectrum of Uranus for some time, but we were unable to attribute the absorption needed to identify it positively," Glenn Orton of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory said in a news release. "Now, that part of the puzzle is falling into place as well." Uranus has been holding in one big secret -- it stinks! Researchers had long wondered about what composed the clouds of the gassy planet. Now, they say it's hydrogen sulfide. Learn why Uranus stinks like rotten eggs: https://t.co/xmb7Au9wor pic.twitter.com/IPWc3bPITU NASA (@NASA) April 24, 2018 NASA says it detected the hydrogen sulfide, "the gas that gives rotten eggs their distinctive odor," using the Gemini North telescope on Hawaii's Mauna Kea. The Gemini is primarily funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation through five different countries, and is not owned by NASA. These findings comes after the space agency's legendary Voyager 2 spacecraft visited the planet back in 1986, and took a very clear photo of the gassy planet. This image of a crescent Uranus, taken by Voyager 2 on January 24th, 1986, reveals its icy blue atmosphere. Despite Voyager 2's close flyby, the composition of the atmosphere remained a mystery until now. "The detection of hydrogen sulfide high in Uranus' cloud deck (and presumably Neptune's) is a striking difference from the gas giant planets located closer to the Sun -- Jupiter and Saturn -- where ammonia is observed above the clouds, but no hydrogen sulfide," the space agency reports in the release. "These differences in atmospheric composition shed light on questions about the planets' formation and history." 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, Man sentenced to life, plus 9 to 18 years, for depraved killing of ex-girlfriend in Whitemarsh Of All Things: How to keep your brain busy After more than a year, Santa Clara County planners are almost complete with the Environmental Impact Report for the Cordoba Center mosque and community center project in San Martin. Proposed by the South Valley Islamic Community, the project will eventually be built on a 16-acre undeveloped parcel near the intersection of Monterey Road and California Avenue. The proposal consists of a two-story, 9,000-square-foot mosque; a two-story, 14,500-square-foot multipurpose building; a four-acre Islamic cemetery; a one-third-acre campground; and additional support and ancillary structures, according to plans submitted to county officials. Planners began the environmental study of the project, which is designed to accommodate up to 300 people at a time, in January 2017. Santa Clara County Planning Manager Rob Eastwood said Tuesday that the initial draft of the EIR is slated to be complete by mid- to late-May. After that will follow a minimum two-month public review period for folks to read the EIR and provide comments. Planners will conduct at least one public meeting on the Cordoba Center EIR in San Martin, and county staff will spend several weeks responding to each comment on the EIR submitted by the public, Eastwood explained. After that, the project will be filtered through the San Martin Advisory Committee and the county planning commission before the board of supervisors takes a vote on the Cordoba Centers site plan, Eastwood added. He estimated the public hearings before those bodies could begin in fall of 2018. The Cordoba Center has generated ongoing skepticism from South County residents who fear the project will be significantly larger than typical existing commercial or religious uses in the rural, unincorporated town of San Martin. Eastwood noted that the top three concerns that San Martin residents have identified about the project are the potential impact of the cemetery on the groundwater, increased vehicle traffic associated with the site and the visual impact. The EIR will offer a detailed analysis of these and other potential impacts of the Cordoba Center on the surrounding community. At previous public hearings on the Cordoba Center projectwhich was first proposed in 2012some residents expressed more hateful concerns related to the SVIC members religion, culture and beliefs. County planners have told the residents that the county cannot legally reject a project based on the religion of those who proposed it. The SVIC includes about 400 residents of South County. These families currently attend prayer services in a barn in San Martin. SVIC spokesman Hamdy Abbass said the SVIC remains committed to developing the new Cordoba Center as a modern central religious and cultural center for the local Muslim population. On occasion, they also plan to open up the Cordoba Center to the surrounding community for events. Family fights intolerance The SVIC and the Cordoba Center proposal gained national publicity last week when NPR and National Geographic published a lengthy story about the discrimination faced by local Muslim families. The story featured a teen in Gilroy who has been bullied in class because of her religion, and her efforts to use education to eliminate such ignorance. The teens mother, Noshaba Afzal, told the Times recently that one of the initial town hall meetings on the Cordoba Centerwhich drew hundreds of residentsfelt like we were living in the 1600s in the deep south due to the procession of prejudicial comments submitted by attendees opposed to the SVIC. While the effort to build the Cordoba Center continues, Afzal and her daughterwho the Times is declining to name at her mothers requesthave made ample progress toward creating a more comfortable environment in the Gilroy school. The teen and her family have worked with Gilroy Unified School District to eliminate culturally insensitive classroom lessons and encourage more education of different cultures. The Christopher High School sophomores academic experience has thus improved since she spoke to National Geographic more than a year ago. At this point of time, its old news, said Afzal, who hopes the bullying behavior does not return with the recent publicity. Reporter Scott Forstner contributed to this story. Storage and impound fees for vehicles towed by order of the Morgan Hill Police Department will soon rise, in order to offset the citys increasing costs, according to city staff. The Morgan Hill City Council approved the new fees April 4 as an update to the citys Two Franchise Agreements with two local towing companies: Community Tow, and California Tow and Salvage. Under the new towing agreements, the towing companies tow fee charges to vehicle owners will rise from $180 per hour to $225 per hour; the daily storage fee for vehicle owners will increase from $60 to $100; and the towing companies franchise tow fee paid to the city will rise from $97 to $128 per police-ordered vehicle towed. The franchise tow fee is designed to ensure 100 percent cost recovery for the police department and its staff who order vehicles to be towed and process the related paperwork, according to MHPD Sgt. Carlos Guerrero. In the last three years, MHPD has towed an average of 612 cars per year from local streets and properties. Police order parked vehicles to be towed when they are in violation of city ordinances, abandoned or illegally parked. The fee increases will also maintain consistency throughout the region, reads a staff report by Guerrero. Besides the franchise tow fee, the city also charges impounded vehicle owners $165 each to release their vehicle to them. Morgan Hills franchise tow program was started in 2009, and was revised in 2011 to cut down on some of the labor costs involved in administering it, Guerrero added. Since then, the citys costs associated with towing and processing vehicles has risen, and the city has been losing money on towed vehicles. In 2017, Morgan Hill Police recovered a total of about $113,300 in vehicle release fees ($165 each vehicle) and franchise tow fees ($97 per vehicle, paid by towing companies). But the citys cost to administer the towing program is about $126,177, or about $206 per hour of staff time, according to Guerreros staff report. Staff positions involved in administering the program include sergeants, officers, dispatch and records personnel. Thus, police calculated that a higher franchise fee of $128 would recover the difference in costs, and the council agreed. Before 2011, the city was charging the franchised towing companies 20 percent of the revenue recovered from police-ordered tows. However, this required too much officers staff time, and that fee was changed to a flat rate of $97 per vehicle, Guerrero explained to the council. Kadence Names Indonesia and Boston MDs Insights agency Kadence International has promoted Febri Nugraha to the position of Managing Director in its office in Indonesia, while hiring Miriam Konz as MD in Boston. The firm, which is owned by Japanese MR group CMG (Cross Marketing Group), also has operations in India, Singapore, and Vietnam, and recently opened new offices in China and the Philippines. Nugraha, previously Qualitative Head Director of Kadence Indonesia, takes on the MD role after six years at the company and eighteen years in Indonesia's market research industry at agencies including Firefly Millward Brown, Nielsen and Research International, and client side at Danone and United Laboratories. Konz joins the company with 25 years' experience in quantitative MR and analysis. For the past nine years, she worked at in4mation insights, latterly as Managing Director of Client Service. Before this she held senior roles at TNS NFO and Knowledge Networks. Having worked with clients in a wide range of industries, Konz will now explore opportunities for Kadence's expansion into new sectors, while further developing its identity in the US. Commenting on the appointments, Masaaki Nomiya, VP of Global Research said: 'Indonesia is the largest economy in South East Asia and a key emerging market on a global scale. From a research perspective, no one knows the region better than Febri. We're delighted to announce the promotion and are confident he will continue our tradition of being at the forefront of research in that region. Miriam comes to us with a wealth of experience across multiple sectors and markets in the US, and we're extremely excited she will be leading the team and expanding Kadence in to new areas'. Web site: www.kadence.com . Tyler Jacob Capek earned a Department of Energy research fellowship to study the optical properties of aerosols during atmospheric processing at the Los Alamos National Laboratory. Tyler Jacob Capek, a PhD student in the Department of Physics, was awarded a research fellowship funded by the Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Science Graduate Student Research (SCGSR) Program. As one of just 60 STEM-focused graduate students accepted from across the country, the fellowship not only provides financial assistance, but it also enables Capek to pursue research for his dissertation at a DOE laboratory. Capek's winning proposal has him working with Manvendra Dubeys team at Los Alamos National Labs (LANL) to study changes in the atmosphere that occur from particles in wildfire smoke. The process of reduction occurs from a laser-based instrument under development at LANL in New Mexico. Capek, a self-described northerner from Wisconsin, will avoid the summer desert heat by waiting until August and the start of the fall semester, to kick off his four-month fellowship. Claudio Mazzoleni, associate professor of physics and Capek's advisor, says he is extremely impressed with Capek and suggested Los Alamos as the perfect venue for Capek's research, a claim Mazzoleni can confidently make, having conducted his own research at LANL. In addition, Mazzoleni says that Michigan Tech has a strong relationship with researchers there already, "we've collaborated with them over the years; we had some graduate and undergraduate students [working with] them." In the end, Capek chose Los Alamos after learning about Dubeys development of an instrument akin to a laser that, as Capek explains, can "mitigate some of the uncertainties that are currently present in relation to how water affects particles in the atmosphere. Picture a laser going through the clouds. Capek has a passion for lasers. Tyler wants to use the most powerful laser, Mazzoleni jokes. We like lasers. I think every other week we talk about purchasing a new laser. And while theres plenty of lasers to shoot through clouds in Michigan Techs cloud chamber facility, LANL offers Capek more direct access to a more nuanced study he cant pursue at the Great Lakes Research Center. Michigan Techs three-year cloud chamber device allows student and faculty researchers the opportunity to simulate atmospheric conditions. Instead of traveling to the clouds, the clouds travel to researchers via chemical simulation, with a size hundreds of times the larger than the inside of a beaker. When Michigan Tech received its Turbulent Cloud Chamber in 2015, it was the only one in the country that could reproduce clouds and turbulence. The fellowship grants Capek the opportunity to pursue research that he can't conduct at Michigan Techresearch that aims to impact climate change and human healthand that occurs through the use of one of LANLs system[s] for the cloud chamber to understand how the water vapor might affect the optical properties of the particles. Going there and doing it on combustion processes with different instrumentations will be really great," Capek says. The instrument Capek will work on in Los Alamos has the potential to provide new information on combustion particles that heat or cool the earth when they are emitted in the atmosphere and can fill our lungs when we breathe them in. The instrument can help measure the properties of particles that can occur from forest fires, power plants and inside of coal mines or cheese factories. "I used to work at a cheese factory where we smoked a lot of cheese. I think our instruments could be a good tool to monitor health conditions from smoky aerosol particle exposure," says Capek. Whether it's Gouda or a wildfire, Capek will observe and report back on the behavior of those aerosol particlesaiming to influence environmental and policy change, while taking a deep dive into his dissertation project. 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. Vous etes confrontes a une infestation par la puce, la punaise de lit ? Voici plusieurs actions qui sont a mettre en uvre pour faire [] HUNTSVILLE, Texas (AP) A prisoner on Texas death row for killing a 5-year-old girl and her grandmother in a gang-related shooting at a child's birthday party in Fort Worth a decade ago was executed Wednesday evening. Erick Davila received lethal injection for using a laser-sighted semi-automatic rifle to spray bullets at about 20 people more than a dozen of them children. Annette Stevenson, 48, and her granddaughter, Queshawn Stevenson, were killed and four others were wounded, including the girl who was celebrating her 9th birthday. Davila, 31, belted to a gurney in the Texas death chamber, offered no apologies. He appeared almost cocky as several relatives of his victims entered the witness area of the death chamber, raising his head off the gurney and acknowledging some that he appeared to know. "I may have lost the fight but I'm still a soldier," he said when asked by the warden if he wanted to make a statement. "Take it as it is. To my supporters and family, y'all hold it down. Ten toes down. That's all I got to say." He was pronounced dead at 6:31 p.m. CDT, 14 minutes after the lethal dose of the powerful sedative pentobarbital was administered. Davila was the ninth prisoner executed in the U.S. this year, five of them in Texas. Authorities said the April 6, 2008, attack was in apparent retaliation for a previous run-in Davila had with the slain girl's father, who was attending the party. The U.S. Supreme Court rejected an appeal from Davila's lawyers about 30 minutes before the punishment was carried out. "We don't know what is going to come out of a person's mouth when they're on death row," Tyron Shaw, whose aunt and cousin were killed in the gunfire, said after watching Davila die. "The damage has been done. ... As I told my family, you just expect the best and prepare for the worst. "We know that justice has been served, justice has been done. This is something that we would continue to deal with the rest of our lives. We would never get over it. We would never forget it, but we can cope a little bit better." Queshawn Stevenson's sister, then, testified she saw a man inside a dark car holding a gun with "a red dot," and a short time later saw him standing next door and shoot. Davila was caught the next day after a brief police chase. Davila's attorneys argued to the Supreme Court that his execution should be stopped because it was improper for his trial judge, Sharen Wilson, now the Tarrant County district attorney, to request an execution date. They also questioned the role of a lawyer working with Wilson on capital appeals cases who had represented Davila in an earlier appeal. Prosecutors withheld information that Davila was so high on drugs during the shooting that he was "likely intoxicated to the degree that it would have rendered him temporarily insane," lawyer Seth Kretzer told the high court in a filing. He argued that could have influenced jurors to decide on a lesser penalty, and questioned the constitutionality of how Texas juries decide death sentences. State attorneys said Wilson never represented Davila, and state law and court rulings allow her office to represent the state's interests in the case. Prosecutors also argued that Wilson prohibits assistants from participating in cases where they were defense lawyers and that courts have upheld the state's capital sentencing procedure. They said evidence shows Davila's trial attorneys properly were provided notes from police investigators, that voluntary intoxication is not a defense under Texas law and that the shootings were intentional and deliberate. Katherine Hayes, an assistant Texas attorney general, told the justices that Davila told detectives he went "to a shoot 'em up," was trying to "get the guys on the porch" and never mentioned any intoxication to police. Defense lawyers at Davila's trial tried to show he didn't intend to kill multiple people, a criterion for the capital murder charge. They argued he instead only intended to kill Jerry Stevenson, whose daughter and mother were shot to death. Authorities said Stevenson belonged to a rival gang and that Davila believed members of that gang shot him in 2005. Stevenson denied belonging to the gang. Davila was accused but not tried in another fatal shooting just days before the birthday party slayings. While awaiting trial for capital murder, he also attacked Tarrant County jailers and maintenance workers during an escape attempt. He previously served prison time for a 2004 burglary in Tarrant County and was released after about a year. Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. BARRE, Vt. (AP) Vermont's stock-car-racing governor is questioning whether to race this season at a local speedway where many spectators are hunters after an outcry over gun restriction legislation he signed. A spokeswoman for Republican Gov. Phil Scott says the governor is checking with the owners of Thunder Road and other drivers to see if they have any concerns about whether the animosity about his signing of the legislation might affect the atmosphere at the speedway. A teen's alleged plot to shoot up the Fair Haven Union High School provoked Scott to change his stance on some gun restrictions. That led to the first significant limitations on gun ownership in Vermont history, including raising the age for buying firearms and banning high-capacity magazines. Many Vermonters support the legislation, but hunters and gun rights advocates have opposed it. Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. MONACO (AP) New rules for female athletes with high natural testosterone levels could force two-time Olympic 800-meter champion Caster Semenya to stop running middle-distance races, and were denounced as racist by South Africa's ruling political party. The IAAF said on Thursday that from Nov. 1 it will limit entry for all international events from 400 meters through the mile to women with testosterone levels below a specified level. Women with elevated testosterone must reduce their level for "six months (e.g., by use of hormonal contraceptives)" before being eligible to run, and maintain that lowered level. The African National Congress party said it supports Semenya in "yet another attempt ... to exclude and discriminate against her." "We call on government to challenge this grossly unfair, unjust and blatant racist attempt by the IAAF to the Court of Arbitration for Sport and have these regulations set aside," the ANC said in a statement. The new rules could yet be challenged, including by Semenya, at sport's highest court in Lausanne, Switzerland. CAS already has ruled once against the IAAF in trying to impose rules on hyperandrogenism. IAAF president Sebastian Coe said it had "a responsibility to ensure a level playing field for athletes ... where success is determined by talent, dedication and hard work rather than other contributing factors." "Our evidence and data show that testosterone, either naturally produced or artificially inserted into the body, provides significant performance advantages in female athletes," Coe said in a statement. Semenya now faces taking daily medication or start racing at 5,000 meters. Without the rules, the 27-year-old South African would likely defend her 800 world title in Doha, Qatar, next year. She also took bronze in the 1,500 at the 2017 worlds in London. In 2011, the IAAF enacted a rule to force athletes with hyperandrogenism to artificially lower their testosterone levels to be eligible to compete. Two years earlier, Semenya clocked a 1-minute, 55-second time to win her first world title as a teenager in Berlin. While the previous rules were enforced, her season-best times were around 1:59 or slower. The previous rules were challenged at CAS by sprinter Dutee Chand of India and overturned before the 2016 Olympics. In Rio de Janeiro, Semenya retained her Olympic title, running 1:55.28. On her Twitter account on Wednesday, Semenya did not comment but posted an image of the statement: "How beautiful it is to stay silent when someone expects you to be enraged." Semenya hinted at a potential shift to the longer distance events later in her career after clinching an 800-1,500-meter double at the Commonwealth Games in Australia earlier this month. After winning the 800 in a meet-record 1 minute, 56.68 seconds, Semenya was asked about her plans to challenge the world record of 1:53.28 set by Jarmila Kratochvilova in 1983. "I'm still young just turned 27. Still want to have three, four ... months before I decide if I want a world record or not," she said. "What's important now is to be able to win every race that I run." At the time, she was targeting an 800-1,500 double at every major championship right through to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. "We need to run four championships in doubles and then decide if we still have speed for the 800," she said. "If we do, we continue with 800. If not, we go further. We have 5,000 and 10k I believe I can still do better in future. "I feel I can fit into distance running. For me, this is more than a game." The ANC statement on Thursday was accompanied by a photograph of Semenya being embraced by Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, the anti-apartheid icon who died this month at age 81. The South African Olympic body's president said it was "disappointed by the IAAF ruling, and especially given that Caster's name is again being dragged through the publicity mill." "We are concerned that the decisions have been approved without taking into account all factors," Gideon Sam said, adding that athletes' "dignity and human rights are at the top of the agenda." Still, the IAAF said on Thursday there was "broad medical and scientific consensus, supported by peer-reviewed data and evidence" to back its position. "There is a performance advantage in female athletes with DSD (Differences of Sexual Development) over the track distances covered by this rule," Dr. Stephane Bermon, who works in the IAAF medical and science department, said in the statement. Research over a decade showed 7.1 in every 1,000 elite track and field athletes had elevated testosterone levels a ratio 140 times greater than the general female population. "The treatment to reduce testosterone levels is a hormone supplement similar to the contraceptive pill taken by millions of women around the world," Bermon said. "No athlete will be forced to undergo surgery." Testosterone is a naturally produced steroid that helps maintain muscle mass, and production of oxygen-carrying red blood cells. For male athletes, anti-doping rules require further study for potential abuse if the ratio of testosterone to epitestosterone in a urine sample is above a specified level. Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. WASHINGTON (AP) Defense Secretary Jim Mattis on Thursday emphasized the value of certain aspects of the Iran nuclear agreement, even as President Donald Trump considers pulling out of the 2015 deal, which he has attacked repeatedly and this week called "insane." Without explicitly giving his opinion about whether the United States should stick with the agreement, Mattis said that after reading the full text of the deal three times, he was struck by provisions that allow for international verification of Iran's compliance. He said that since becoming defense secretary in January 2017, he also has read what he called a classified protocol in the agreement. "I will say it is written almost with an assumption that Iran would try to cheat," he said in testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee. "So the verification, what is in there, is actually pretty robust as far as our intrusive ability to get in" with representatives of the International Atomic Energy Agency to check on compliance. "Whether that is sufficient I think is a valid question," he said after Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, said the nuclear deal was not supported by the Congress. The committee's senior Democrat, Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island, told Mattis the Iran deal is "working as intended" and that withdrawing would ease Iran's path to nuclear weapons. Mattis said Iran's history of hiding a nuclear weapons program makes it "suspect," and he noted his concern about other Iranian activities, including its role in supporting Syria's president, Bashar Assad, and supplying its proxy forces in Yemen. The Pentagon chief said the administration was still considering whether the nuclear deal can be improved enough to persuade Trump it is worth preserving. "It's going on today as we speak," he said of the consultations. Trump has said he will decide by May 12. Mattis reiterated his view that the deal is "imperfect" and said "there are obviously aspects of the agreement that can be improved upon." The question being discussed within the administration, and between the U.S. and its European allies, he said, is "whether we can repair it enough to stay in it or if the president is going to decide to withdraw from it." He said Trump has not yet made a decision. After meeting with Trump at the White House this week, French President Emmanuel Macron made clear that France would not follow the U.S. lead if Trump decides to withdraw from the agreement. "We signed it at the initiative of the United States. We signed it, both the United States and France," Macron said Wednesday. "That is why we cannot say we should get rid of it like that." Macron later told French reporters that he has no "inside information" on Trump's decision on the Iran deal but noted that it's clear the U.S. president "is not very much eager to defend it." Iran's president on Wednesday ruled out any changes or additions to the accord. Mattis in the past has said he believes the agreement is flawed but that the U.S. should stick with it. He also addressed a point made by others that withdrawing would undermine U.S. leverage and credibility in coming talks with North Korea about eliminating its nuclear weapons. Mattis said he does not see this as the most important consideration with Iran, given that North Korea's leader, Kim Jong Un, has been consistently unreliable in honoring any agreement. "In light of Kim's family and himself breaking every international treaty, every agreement, they've ever made" whether with South Korea or the United States "I'm less concerned with that ripple effect right now," Mattis said. "I think we need to focus on what is in the best interest of Middle East stability and the threat that Iran poses" with its potential to resume a nuclear weapons program, he said. In this context, he said, the administration has to weigh the impacts on Middle East stability if the Iran agreement "does not get extended and maintain the verification intrusive verification that we need." Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. WARSAW, Poland (AP) Polish officials on Thursday criticized the claim of a U.S. congressman that a new Polish law glorifies Nazi collaborators and denies the Holocaust. The charge was made by Ro Khanna, a Democrat from California, one of two congressmen leading a bipartisan effort urging the U.S. State Department to pressure Poland and Ukraine to combat state-sponsored anti-Semitism. "Our government should be concerned with the resurgence of anti-Semitism in Ukraine and Poland. Both countries recently passed laws glorifying Nazi collaborators and denying the Holocaust," Khanna wrote Wednesday. In the Polish case, Khanna referred to a new law that makes it a crime to blame Poland for the Holocaust crimes of Nazi Germany. The law has sparked criticism in the U.S. and particularly in Israel, where some fear its aim is to quash discussions about Polish anti-Semitic violence during the German occupation in World War II. However, even critics to date have not tried to argue that the law glorifies Nazism. Andrzej Pawluszek, an adviser to Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, told The Associated Press on Thursday that Khanna's words were "irresponsible and shocking." Polish deputy foreign minister Bartosz Cichocki retorted Wednesday on Twitter: "Sir, I would appreciate if you indicated a single law passed in my homeland Poland (recently or not), which glorifies Nazi collaborators and/or denies Holocaust." In a separate post, he added: "Equally, I would love to learn what exactly your government did to combat (the) Holocaust after being requested to do so by the Polish government-in-exile." During Germany's occupation of Poland during the war, the Polish government-in-exile struggled to warn the world of the mass killing of Jews a message that was largely ignored. The Auschwitz-Birkenau state museum also weighed in, saying "there is no law in Poland that would glorify collaborators of the German Nazis or that would deny the Holocaust." The AP made attempts by phone and email seeking comment from Khanna, but received no response. Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) Russia ratcheted up its efforts Thursday to try to disprove that a Syrian town was hit by a poison gas attack, bringing a group of Syrians, including an 11-year-old boy, to the global chemical weapons watchdog's headquarters to denounce the reports as fake. The U.S., Britain, France and their allies boycotted the event at the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, branding it as "nothing more than a crude propaganda exercise" and an "obscene masquerade." The Syrians were flown to Europe to tell their stories at the OPCW and then ushered into a roomful of reporters at a nearby hotel where they all repeated nearly identical accounts: There was no chemical attack in Douma, near Damascus, on April 7. Patients who visited the hospital suffering from asphyxiation had inhaled only smoke and dust. There were no chemical traces or smells. Panic was sparked when first responders entered the hospital and began yelling that chemical weapons had been used. One of them told reporters that the Syrians were in The Hague of their own free will and had not been put under any pressure. The insistence by Russia and Syria that the chemical weapons attack was staged runs counter to witnesses and survivors interviewed by The Associated Press, some of them in Douma, who described being overwhelmed by a strong smell of chlorine. The survivors interviewed by the AP in Douma after government forces took control of the town blamed rebels from the Army of Islam group of being behind the attack. Other survivors who left Douma said the chlorine attack occurred amid government airstrikes and blamed the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad. The OPCW sent inspectors to Syria to investigate what happened. The team is not mandated to apportion blame. The U.S., Britain and France launched airstrikes on April 14, targeting suspected Syrian chemical weapons facilities. Russia has accused the Syrian opposition and its first responders, known as the White Helmets, of fabricating videos of chemical weapons attack to frame the government. Following a sarin gas attack in the northern town of Khan Sheikhoun last year, Russia dismissed U.N. accusations that the Syrian government was responsible and said photos and videos made by the White Helmets at the site show them without proper protection gear an indication the attack was a fabrication. A joint OPCW-U.N. investigation, however, blamed Syria for the attack. Russia has never before gone to the lengths it did Thursday, including bringing Syrians to Europe to back its claims. The youngest participant was 11-year-old Hassan Diab, who was seen on video after the Douma attack being doused with water in a hospital. With little more than his head and shoulders visible above the table, he looked healthy if slightly bewildered as he briefly recounted what happened to him before returning to sit with his mother in the front row of the audience, starting to fidget and walk around during the lengthy news conference. "We were in the basement; we heard cries on the street that we should go to the hospital. We got scared. We went to the hospital through the tunnel," he said, largely echoing what his father had said before him. "They started pouring water on me at the hospital. I don't know why. After that they took me to a different place. Thank you." Russian Ambassador Alexander Shulgin defended bringing the child to The Hague. "Little Hassan is an eyewitness today, an extremely important witness," Shulgin said, speaking through an interpreter. "He's proving an innocent child he's telling the truth. You know that out of the baby's mouth comes the truth, and today that truth you don't want to hear." Shulgin said Russia has been accused repeatedly of spreading fake news. "After this briefing, no one would have a shadow of a doubt who distributes fake news and who is waging an information war," he added. The United States and its allies were not convinced. "The authenticity of the information gathered to date on the chemical attacks that occurred in Douma on 7 April, through numerous testimonies, is unassailable," the nations said in a statement. "Medical NGOs have found traces of chemical agents on the victims. Photographs and videos, numerous and mutually reinforcing, have been authenticated. The symptoms of more than 500 patients who presented on the same day of the attack in health care facilities undoubtedly corresponded to gas intoxication," the statement said. Britain's ambassador, Peter Wilson, said he and other Western allies refused to attend the briefing. "This obscene masquerade does not come as a surprise from the Syrian government, which has massacred and gassed its own people for the last seven years," said France's ambassador to the Netherlands, Philippe Lalliot. Inside Syria, government forces on Thursday pushed into a Damascus neighborhood held by the Islamic State group from different directions, capturing buildings and tunnels used by the extremists, state media said. The state news agency SANA said dozens of IS fighters were killed in battles in the southern Damascus neighborhood of Hajar al-Aswad, where ground troops closely coordinated airstrikes with the air force. The weeklong fighting in Hajar al-Aswad and the nearby Palestinian refugee camp of Yarmouk has killed dozens of people. The area is the last district not in government control in Damascus, and its capture would boost security in Assad's seat of power. The opposition's Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Syrian authorities ordered rebel groups in the southern Damascus suburbs of Babila, Beit Sahm and Yalda to give up their positions along fronts lines with IS in the area or face government bombardment. The Britain-based Observatory said the fighting that started April 19 has killed 68 Syrian troops and pro-government fighters as well as 52 IS militants. ___ Associated Press writers Bassem Mroue and Zeina Karam in Beirut contributed. Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. MADRID (AP) Protests erupted across Spain Thursday after a court in the northern city of Pamplona sentenced five men to nine years each in prison for the lesser crime of sexual abuse in what activists saw as a gang rape during the 2016 running of the bulls festival in Pamplona. "It's not abuse, it's rape!" shouted protesters in live television broadcasts from the gates of the Navarra provincial court when the ruling was announced. Police stopped the crowd from advancing toward the entrance to the court, with some angry demonstrators shoving officers. Thousands of protesters gathered hours later in central Pamplona and most of Spain's major cities, including Madrid, Barcelona, Sevilla, Bilbao, Valencia and Zaragoza. Demonstrators shouted slogans like "No is no, the rest is rape!" while some waved homemade signs saying "Enough of a patriarchal justice system" or wore red gloves as a symbol of protest. "I am asking myself what is happening with the justice system in Spain and in the world,"29-year-old student Nuria Beltran said in Madrid. "For a long time now the status of women has been denigrated by all governments. It is mind-blowing what is happening here, this is clear example that the masculine laws rule." The five members of "La Manada" or "The Pack," after the nickname the group gave themselves were found guilty of sexual abuse, which doesn't involve violence or intimidation under Spain's criminal code. The prosecution had argued that violence was used and the 18-year-old victim didn't consent to intercourse. The court on Thursday chose the lesser sexual abuse charge in contrast to the more severe charge prosecutors sought along harsher sentences of more than 22 years in prison each. But the court agreed there was no consent because the defendants were in a position of "superiority that curtailed the victim's freedom." One of the three judges in the panel voted in favor of acquitting the defendants, the court said. Both the prosecution and the defense announced later they would appeal the decision. The five men, all Spanish citizens between 27 and 30, were friends who traveled to Pamplona to party during the San Fermin festival in July 2016. According to testimony at the trial, the men offered to accompany the victim to her car but instead hauled her into a building where they filmed their assault with their smartphones. They then took her mobile phone and left. The men argued that the young woman had consented to intercourse. To support the claim, their lawyers produced detectives' reports on the victim's behavior after the incident, causing outrage among women's rights groups who said the victim was being judged for her behavior rather than the attackers. The defense then withdrew the report. In addition to the prison time, the court ruled they should jointly compensate the victim with 50,000 euros ($61,000) and refrain from contacting her for 15 years. The five have been in pre-trial custody since they were arrested after the incident. The president of Spain's Feminist Party, Lidia Falcon, told La Sexta television that the ruling means rape in Spain is "practically free" of punishment. Spanish Deputy Prime Minister Soraya Saenz de Santamaria said the government "had to respect" the controversial ruling, while adding that authorities must respond to the public uproar. "I think we have to analyze what we as public authorities must do so that incidents like this don't happen again in our country," she said. Justice Minister Rafael Catala said that the laws in question date from 1995 should be reviewed to see if "it is convenient to push for their revision." ___ AP journalist Iain Sullivan contributed to this report. Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. LONDON (AP) The U.K. parliament's media committee demanded Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg appear before the panel after lawmakers said the senior executive who testified Thursday failed to fully answer their questions about the data protection scandal that has engulfed the company. Committee members didn't hide their frustration with Facebook's chief technical officer, Mike Schroepfer, who was forced to defend the company against suggestions that it was cavalier with user data and has done little to stem the spread of fake news. Facebook dispatched the unassuming engineer to London despite a previous request for Zuckerberg to appear. During a four-hour plus session that covered many of Facebook's perceived sins, lawmaker Julian Knight accused the company of "bullying journalists, threatening academic institutions and impeding investigations by legal authorities," before declaring the company to be "a morality-free zone." Schroepfer said he "respectfully disagreed" with such characterizations. Immediately after the session, committee Chairman Damian Collins issued a statement saying that said Schroepfer answer's fell short "on 40 separate points," particularly in regard to Cambridge Analytica and associated companies, which allegedly misused data from 87 million Facebook accounts. The committee asked Zuckerberg to appear on May 24, during what it described as a planned trip to Europe to give testimony to the European Parliament. "As an American citizen living in California, Mr. Zuckerberg does not normally come under the jurisdiction of the U.K. Parliament, but he will the next time he enters the country," Collins said. "We hope that he will respond positively to our request, but if not the committee will resolve to issue a formal summons for him to appear when he is next in the U.K." Collins sharply worded statement came after a session in which lawmakers demanded specificity, particularly in regard to the social media company's actions on elections and alleged Russian interference. In one moment of candor, Schroepfer acknowledged that he himself was disappointed with Facebook's handling of Russian disinformation campaigns. "We were slow to understand the impact at the time, and I am way more disappointed in this than you are," Schroepfer said to laughter from the room. "It's a high bar," Collins retorted. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that," Schroepfer replied. "It's something we're working very hard on." Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. OCALA, Fla. Marion County students held a rally to end gun violence in schools and the community. Marion Co. students hold rally to end gun violence Rally follows April 20 shooting at Ocala's Forest High Organizers say they're promoting gun legislation, safety laws RELATED: Marion sheriff identifies alleged gunman in high school shooting It comes after the April 20 shooting at Forest High School. Brandon Almeida is Forest High School's student body secretary. He was at Wednesday afternoons assembly where students thanked those who helped them recover after Friday's shooting inside the school. "As soon as it happened, you know, it's something that you know you just have to accept and see where you go on from here," Almeida said. Some students are moving forward with the #NeverAgain movement. Organizers of the Wednesday rally called "Never Again Ocala's Forest Strong" say they're demanding change now by promoting sensible gun reform legislation and common sense safety laws. The event featured Forest High students and former Marjory Stoneman Douglas students, as well as candidates for the Florida House and Florida Senate. "They're allowing different people to speak with different opinions, and that's something I think is really beneficial to progress and moving on is letting everyone have a chance to speak, and allowing everyone (to) share their side of the story," Almeida said. Last Friday, authorities say 19-year-old Sky Bouche shot thought a door and into a classroom, injuring a 17-year-old student. He told Spectrum News 13 that he could have hurt a lot more people if he wanted to and that he surrendered to a teacher. Marion County Public School officials say teacher Kelly Panasuk spoke directly to the alleged shooter; she spoke at Wednesday's assembly. "I'm so, so proud of you guys with how you've handled things, and I want to give a big shootout to my period too, because they were put in a horrible situation, and they handled it so well, so well and so proud of them, Panasuk said. I'm proud of everybody here and I can't say enough I mean it just it went the way it was supposed to go. TALLAHASSEE -- The State of Florida on Wednesday night landed a temporary legal win for its Clemency Board and its process to allow ex-convicts to vote after being incarcerated. Appeals court stays felon voting rights restoration ruling Lower court ruled Florida procedure unconstitutional Felons must wait 5 years after sentence completed to apply The Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeal issued a stay on a lower judge's ruling that Florida's procedure for restoring voting rights to felons who completed their sentences was unconstitutional. The State of Florida currently allows ex-cons a chance to apply for voting rights 5 years after their sentencing date end. The application is approved by the state Clemency Board - but many argue the process is too discretionary and has led to a backlog of thousands of ex-cons that have applied, but to date have not had voting rights restored. A judge in Tallahassee ruled against the state and set a deadline for last night for law makers to overhaul the application process, making it easer for ex-cons to have voting rights restored - however the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals sided with the state, essentially giving the governor a win on the state's current process. At the same time, a demonstration in the state capital today will push Florida voters to approve Amendment 4 on the ballot this coming November. It would give immediate voting rights to all of Florida's 1.5-million ex-convicts that have served their complete sentences, without the need to apply with the Clemency Board. The Reverend Al Sharpton and other local church leaders are expected to attend the demonstration. Amendment 4 would need more than 60 percent of the vote to pass in November. MERIDEN Marc Nemeth, president of Jonal Laboratories Inc., has been doing business in France and Europe after the aersopace company began putting a higher priority on exporting. In 2015, the Center Street Company received the Presidents E award, the highest recognition any U.S. company can receive for making a significant contribution to the expansion of U.S. exports. Jonal Laboratories makes elastomeric seals for the aerospace industry. Nemeth was U.S. Sen. Christopher Murphys guest in Washington Wednesday for French President Emmanuel Macrons speech to Congress. It is such a thrill to be invited to President Macrons speech to Congress, Nemeth said in a press statement. Jonals deepening involvement in the European Aerospace Industry whose heart is in France is a testament to our long term commitment and our governments support for U.S. global exports. Macron called on Americans to reject isolationism, and warned that the international community would continue to evolve with or without the U.S. He also took aim at a culture of "fear and anger" that has emerged in the U.S. and Europe, and called on Americans to turn away from "extreme nationalism." In what appeared as a subtle jab at President Trump, who has criticized international trade agreements and imposed tariffs on imports like steel and thousands of products from China, Macron said, We need a free and fair trade for sure, and commercial war is not the proper answer. Nemeth had a more neutral reaction to that comment and said it remains to be seen what happens with the tariffs Trump has proposed on different products from different countries. Trump has always said we want fair trade, Nemeth said. Youre already seeing China making adjustments on some of the things that are required. I dont take Trump at face value. He throws a bomb on the right side while hes working on the right side. Nemeth said Macron made a good speech and I was thrilled to be there. Murphy, who has embarked on weekly manufacturing tours statewide, said Nemeth represented all of the state manufacturers who are growing their businesses and exporting their goods around the world. Jonal Laboratories has an impressive track record of selling their goods in Europe, and theyve developed strong relationships with France, he said. Increasing Connecticut exports means more business and new jobs for our states workers. Im grateful for the strong alliance we have with France, and Ill keep fighting to make it easier for Connecticuts manufacturers to export their goods and do business abroad. Murphy said Macrons rejection of nationalism and call to rejoin the Paris Climate Treaty were very strong. He said the French president was also asking Americans to resist trade barriers and commercial wars with Europe when our beef is with China. He made the case for knocking down trade barriers, not making new ones, Murphy said. mgodin@record-journal.com 203-317-2255 Twitter: @Cconnbiz SOUTHINGTON What adjustments to town spending would you make? Use the sliders to increase or decrease spending in different areas of the budget and see how the changes impact the tax rate. Share your thoughts in the comments. BACKGROUND: The Board of Finance last month unanimously approved a budget of $95,312,329 for the Board of Education and a general government budget of $53.3 million. The Town Council must approve a final budget by May 14. School Superintendent Timothy Connellan had sought a $97.3 million, an increase of about $3 million from the current year. In January, the school board approved a $96.8 million education spending plan. SOUTHINGTON A Hamden man and East Hampton man have been charged in a December fight at Hollywood Bar and Lounge. Marcin Szwedo, 29, of 64 Nutmeg Hill Road, Hamden and Kieda Mariusz, 34, of 72 Tarragon Drive, East Hampton, were charged with third-degree assault and breach of peace. They are free on $50,000 bond and are scheduled to appear in Bristol Superior Court on April 30. In December, Szwedo and Mariusz allegedly entered an employee-only area at Hollywood Bar and Lounge, 1104 Queen St. After being asked to return to the area for patrons, Mariusz headbutted an employee, Lt. Stephen Elliott said in a statement. Szwedo also became involved in the altercation. When additional employees attempted to intervene, Szwedo and Mariusz fled, Elliott said. Two employees were taken to the hospital for treatment of injuries. One employee required stitches and suffered a broken nose, and the second employee suffered leg, knee and shoulder injuries, Elliott said. blipiner@record-journal.com 203-317-2444 Twitter: @BryanLipiner Two Meriden men and a Cheshire man have been indicted on charges stemming from their alleged involvement in a New Haven-based heroin and cocaine trafficking ring. Through the investigation and arrests Wednesday, authorities seized hundreds of grams of fentanyl, heroin and cocaine, as well as more than $90,000 cash. Neftali Fernandez, a.k.a. Nef, 31, of Meriden, was charged with possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, heroin or cocaine and conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine Natividad Diaz, a.k.a. Nat, 34, of Meriden and Leon Greene, a.k.a. Gotti, 43, of Cheshire were charged with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine Sixteen people from across the state, California, Puerto Rico and Mexico were also charged in the indictment, which was returned on April 19. Seventeen of the 19 defendants were arrested Wednesday. One defendant is in state custody and one defendant is in Immigrations and Customs Enforcement custody in Michigan. Through the investigation conducted by the FBI, DEA and New Haven Police Department, authorities seized more than 200 grams of heroin and a kilogram of cocaine through controlled purchases and interceptions of transactions, according to a U.S. Department of Justice statement. During Wednesdays arrests, officers seized three firearms, 360 grams of fentanyl, 340 grams of heroin, and 80 grams of cocaine, as well as vehicles, jewelry, precious metals and more than $90,000 cash. As alleged, this drug trafficking organization, which used multiple sources of supply, has been responsible for the distribution of significant quantities of heroin and cocaine in Connecticut, U.S. Attorney for Connecticut John Durham said. The U.S. Attorneys Office is committed to working closely with the DEA, FBI, and our state and local law enforcement partners to disrupt drug networks especially those that distribute heroin, fentanyl and other dangerous opioids and prosecute those responsible. New Haven man Duane Filyaw allegedly operated the ring, and conspired to purchase narcotics from supplies before distributing the drugs to dealers in the New Haven area, the statement said. DEA is committed to investigating and dismantling large scale poly drug trafficking organizations like this one operating in the New Haven area, DEA Acting Special Agent in Charge Albert Angelucci said. Let these arrests serve as an example to those who distribute heroin and cocaine in order to profit and destroy peoples lives, that DEA will aggressively pursue and hold you accountable. If convicted, Fernandez, Diaz and Greene could face up to life in prison. All illicit drugs being sold in our communities are a problem, but the illegal distribution of opioids has proven to be the greater issue here and across this country, said FBI Special Agent in Charge Ferrick. We will continue to dismantle groups like this in every city in our effort to save lives. blipiner@record-journal.com 203-317-2444 Twitter: @BryanLipiner By Express News Service VIJAYAWADA: Ironically, just a day after Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu inaugurated The Andhra Pradesh Cyber Security Operations Centre (APCSOC), touted to be the first-of-its-kind in the country, an independent security researcher Kodali Srinivas has exposed how a State government website itself was leaking Aadhaar data, bank accounts complete with IFSC codes, caste and religion besides geo-location of 1.34 lakh beneficiaries of housing schemes. Srinivas, who had earlier helped out the way government websites were leaking Aadhaar data of NREGS workers, told TNIE that this time, he had found that the State Housing Corporation's website had personal details of beneficiaries on a document titled Beneficiary Details belonging to Entry Report for Scheme Hudhud and the Urban Housing Scheme. Clarifying that he hadn't hacked the website, he explained that he had merely exposed the details already uploaded for everyone to see and download. He alerted the Universal Identification Authority of India, the National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre, CERT-In, the Centre's cyber response wing and the State government authorities. Last checked, the private details of the citizens have been removed. When contacted, Vijayanand, IT Secretary, Government of Andhra Pradesh, said he had despatched a team headed by an officer of the rank of joint secretary, to sit with officials in the Housing Department and sort out the issue. I cannot comment more on this since we don't have complete information. We will get full details by tomorrow," he added. Srinivas, pointing at the State government's all-out efforts to collect citizens' information, observed that it was doing so in the name of transparency and e-governance and reasoned, but all these details are not necessary if the purpose is just transparency." Referring to e-Pragathi, a massive State government programme aimed at creating an eco-system for e-governance, he wondered if the so-called State Enterprise Architecture was meant for 360 degree coverage of all citizens. "Why do they need profiles, building locations, income details, bank accounts etc? A quick glance at the CM dashboard reveals medical profiles, student profiles among others. Now, for all you know, police could be using the same information. The UIDAI discounts the possibility of profiling individuals, and says it is up to the governments. In Andhra, the authorities are going overboard. For instance in Vizag, auto-drivers are forced to display Aadhaar details on the vehicle," he pointed out. Speculating on the reason behind Andhra Pradesh government going full throttle in collecting Aadhaar details among others, Srinivas speculates it might be doing so either deliberately or under the influence of techno-utopians, who believe technology will solve all issues, and wonders why the officialdom is insisting on Aadhaar for even Leprosy patients. He also raised a few pertinent questions: What if political parties harvest this data? or what if vested interests use the data to target people? Cyber fraud using bank details cannot ruled out either. What is ePragathi? e-Pragati is a large programme, with a long term vision for creating a sustainable eco-system of e-Governance, attempted on a scale like this by very few Governments in the world like Korea, Estonia and Singapore. e-Pragati covers 33 departments and 315 agencies and around 745 services. This is the largest e-Governance programme approved by any State with a total outlay of Rs 2398 crore, out of which the Government Capex would be to the extent of Rs 1528 crore. Just on Tuesday, the Chief Minister had held a review meeting on the progress of e-Pragathi. Details of 9,766 teachers too leaked Aadhaar and personal details such as caste of 9,766 of teachers are easily downloadable from the website of the Commissionerate of School Education, AP. This was brought to the notice of Elliot Alderson, a French researcher, by a netizen on Twitter last week. Alderson has reached out to IT Minister Nara Lokesh on Wednesday, but the latter hasn't responded yet. Reporter Debra Pressey is a reporter covering health care at The News-Gazette. Her email is dpressey@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@DLPressey). Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (L) and his counterpart Lee Hsien Loong in Singapore on April 25th (Photo: VNA) The Vietnamese leader paid a courtesy call to the Singaporean President and had talks with his counterpart on April 25th. At the events, the Singaporean leaders welcomed PM Phucs first official visit to Singapore, stressing that the trip is a milestone in the celebration of the 45th anniversary of the two countries diplomatic ties and five years of the strategic partnership. They congratulated Vietnam on multiple development achievements and spoke highly of the countrys resolve to build an incorruptible and growth enabling government. PM Phuc congratulated Singapore on remaining an economic highlight of the region and always taking the lead in new economic and scientific trends in the world. Both sides noted that their countries cooperation has developed stably in all aspects on the basis of the trustworthy political relationship. Singapore is always one of the top 10 trade partners and the third biggest investor of Vietnam with 2,000 projects worth USD43 billion. During their talks, PMs Phuc and Lee sought ways to grasp opportunities of regional economic links generated by the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) to which both Vietnam and Singapore are signatories, and the fourth industrial revolution. Host and guest agreed to maintain political trust and ties through all-level delegation exchanges via the Party, State, Government, National Assembly and people-to-people exchange channels. The two sides will join hands to organise the 45th anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic ties and the 5th anniversary of the strategic partnership, especially cultural programmes and people-to-people exchanges. They will also increase consultations and expand cooperation between parties, while stepping up affiliation in national defence and security, with attention paid to practical collaboration between naval, aviation and search and rescue forces, and in defence technology. They agreed to coordinate with each other in settling common security challenges such as piracy and terrorism, ensuring navigation security and safety, as well as cyber security. In the sphere of economy, PM Lee Hsien Loong pledged that Singapore will increase its investments in Vietnam in new, high-tech, high-value and environmentally friendly areas like clean energy, waste treatment, water resources management, and high-tech park and smart city building. Singapore stands ready to share its experience with and support Vietnam in building seaports and developing logistic services and high-tech agriculture, and invest in Vietnamese technological start-ups, he said, noting that Singapore will consider facilitating the access of Vietnamese exports, especially agro-forestry-fishery products, to the Singaporean market. Stressing the significance of cooperation in personnel training, the host affirmed that Singapore will increase scholarships for Vietnamese students and help Vietnam with English language teaching and labour training. The two sides recognised the new strides in cooperation in connectivity promotion, finance and science-technology, which have greatly contributed to their countries economic development. They agreed to expand connections in these potential fields through increasing flights linking big cities of Vietnam like Da Lat and Nha Trang with Singapore. They will further cooperate in the management of the financial and stock markets and supporting big Vietnamese businesses in listing on the stock market. The countries are also set to step up initiatives and joint projects on innovation and intellectual property, while working together to commercialise intellectual property, share the application of patents, and provide training in intellectual property. Aside from bilateral cooperation, the two PMs also discussed international and regional issues of shared concern. They pledged to enhance bilateral ties at international forums, especially within the framework of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), and the United Nations. PM Phuc affirmed that Vietnam supports and is ready to coordinate with Singapore in ASEAN Year 2018 to consolidate ASEANs solidarity and central role in the region, towards building a resilient, innovative and united ASEAN that plays a central role in the region and the world. At the talks, the two sides affirmed the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the region along with freedom of navigation and aviation in the East Sea, not threatening to use or using force, respecting all diplomatic and legal processes, peacefully resolving disputes on the basis of international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). They reiterated their support for the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and early finalisation of an effective and binding Code of Conduct (COC) of parties in the waters. The meeting and the talks took place in a friendly and straightforward manner with mutual understanding. On this occasion, the two PMs approved a joint statement on the visit and witnessed the signing of several cooperation deals, including a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on technical cooperation in environmental and water issues between Vietnams Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and Singapores Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, and another MoU on cooperation in standards and conformance areas between Vietnams Ministry of Science and Technology and Singapores Ministry of International Trade and Industry. The State Bank of Vietnam and the Monetary Authority of Singapore also signed a MoU on financial innovation and another on cooperation and information exchange in banking inspection and supervision. Meanwhile, Vietnams Ministry of Industry and Trade and Singapores Ministry of International Trade and Industry inked MoUs on cooperation in renewable energy and in investing and developing liquefied natural gas import projects. On April 25th evening, PM Phuc, his spouse and the high-ranking delegation of Vietnam attended a banquet hosted by Singaporean PM Lee and his spouse at the Istana Palace./. Biden Tells GOP to 'Get Out of the Way' on Debt Limit (Newser) Maria Saliagas has multiple sclerosis and can't sit up on her own. Typically, Delta accommodates her with a wheelchair featuring straps that help support her, but during a trip earlier this month the airline didn't have one availableso, Saliagas tells WSB-TV, Delta employees used someone else's blanket to tie her to a regular wheelchair. "They took a dirty blanket and tied her forcefully with it and she has bruise marks on part of her arm because it was so tight and she started crying," says her son. A photo was taken at that moment, which you can see here. On Facebook Tuesday, Saliagas' son said his mother "was told to 'shut the f--- up' or she will be 'left there'" after she started crying. The incident unfolded at the Amsterdam airport after Saliagas and her husband flew to Europe out of the Atlanta airport April 1. story continues below "We regret the perception our service has left on these customers," Delta told WSB-TV in a statement. "We have reached out to them, not only to resolve their concerns, but also ensure that their return flight exceeds expectations." But Delta tells the New York Post an airport-contracted wheelchair vendor met the Saliagas at the gate and Maria Saliagas chose a wheelchair out of several options presented to her. After she complained of "slipping," the airline says, she agreed to the blanket plan proposed by a wheelchair assistant and a new blanket was used to secure her. The airline says its "findings do not align with details shared by the customers family," but that it is "disappointed that our customers didnt have a satisfying travel experience." The Saliagas return to the US April 30 and say Delta has offered them 20,000 free SkyMiles, but they want to see a change in the airline's policy for handling customers with disabilities. (Read more Delta Air Lines stories.) (Newser) Another person in Illinois has died after using synthetic marijuana, reports the Chicago Tribune. The central Illinois woman, who was in her 30s, is the fourth person to die in the state after apparent use of the tainted substance. She's the third central Illinois victim; the fourth was from Chicago. In the last few weeks, more than 150 people across 13 counties have been hospitalized after using synthetic pot laced with what health officials believe to be a type of a rat poison known as brodifacoum, a powerful anti-coagulant. story continues below A widely used pesticide, when ingested by humans brodifacoum can cause bleeding from the nose or gums, as well as internal bleeding. Symptoms include coughing up blood and bloody urine, health officials say, and brodifacoum poisoning can be treated with vitamin K administered via IV to stabilize the bloods clotting ability. The treatment is effective if initiated before excessive bleeding occurs, per the American Council on Science and Health. CNN reports health officials urge anyone who has a reaction to synthetic marijuana to call 911 or go to an emergency room. (Read more synthetic marijuana stories.) (Newser) Some of the 60 Russian diplomats recently expelled from the US were suspected of spying on Russian defectors, including at least one person who was given a new identity under a CIA program, CNN reports, citing officials briefed on the matter. The diplomats were expelled in response to the nerve agent poisoning of a former Russian spy in the UK, an act the US blames on Russia, and the report raises the possibility that the Kremlin was looking to target enemies of the state who resettled in the US in a similar way. story continues below CNN points out that in a January report, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee drew attention to the suspicious deaths of some two dozen critics of Russian President Vladimir Putin and highlighted a Russian law passed in 2006 "that permits the assassination of 'enemies of the Russian regime' who live abroad." "It is imperative that the American people better understand the true scope and scale of Putin's pattern of undermining democracy in Russia and across Europe," Sen. Ben Cardin wrote at the time, per Mediate. The State Department previously said some of the expelled diplomats could be replaced by other Russians, the Hill points out. (Read more Russia stories.) (Newser) Lawyers for a British tourist who claims he was badly hurt taking part in an illusion by Las Vegas Strip headliner David Copperfield told a judge on Wednesday that they've found three other people who were injured in Copperfield shows over the years, the AP reports. The three women came forward after hearing that Copperfield and the show's executive producer, Chris Kenner, denied knowing about anyone being hurt over the period of more than 15 years that the trick was performed in Las Vegas and other cities, says Adam Deutsch, a lawyer for plaintiff Gavin Cox and his wife. "They felt compelled to testify because of the dishonest stuff that was put out by the defense team," Deutsch said. "Mr. Copperfield testified that nobody has ever gotten hurt, ever." story continues below One woman was hurt in 2002 during a performance in Seattle, Deutsch said, and another was hurt in a fall in June 2013. The third woman would testify that she knows about someone who was injured at another show, Deutsch said. Cox has said he fell after being hurried by stagehands through an alleyway coated with a powdery residue near a trailer-sized trash bin. Copperfield's lawyer, Elaine Fresch, complained that defense legal teams were unfairly "sandbagged" during the ongoing trial by the bid to add last-minute witnesses. "They're saying things that I've never heard about," Fresch said. "Mr. Copperfield and Mr. Kenner stated they are unaware, they have no knowledge, of other injuries." (Last week, the trial revealed the secret of one of Copperfield's tricks.) (Newser) "Goodnight, Michelle. You did good," comedian Patton Oswalt tweeted Wednesday, praising his late wife's role in the Golden State Killer case. Suspect Joseph James DeAngelo was arrested almost two years to the day after the death of Oswalt's wife, true-crime writer Michelle McNamara. She chronicled her 10-year-long hunt for the sadistic California serial killer accused of 12 murders and around 50 rapes in the '70s and '80s in I'll Be Gone in the Dark, the Washington Post reports. Oswalt helped finish the best-seller, which was released earlier this year, after McNamara died unexpectedly in her sleep at age 46. "You did it, Michelle," Oswalt said Wednesday, calling the day the "definition of bittersweet." story continues below Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones says the book "helped keep interest in tips coming in," but "there was no information extracted from that book that directly led to the apprehension," the AP reports. Patton says his wife's determination helped put a spotlight on the case. She "aimed a light and helped the hunters catch a monster," he says. Jones says DeAngelo, a 72-year-old ex-cop, was "very surprised" when he was arrested outside his home on the basis of DNA evidence, the Sacramento Bee reports. "It looked as though he might have been searching his mind to execute a particular plan he may have had in mind he was not given the opportunity," the sheriff says. McNamara's book predicted a very similar arrest. "The doorbell rings," she wrote. "This is how it ends for you." (Read more Golden State Killer stories.) (Newser) Two families have finally received some answers in what had been a nearly 20-year-old cold case, but an Oklahoma district attorney says those answers "no doubt [come] as little solace to their grief." The Tulsa World reports on the charges brought this week against 66-year-old Ronnie Dean Busick in the case of missing 16-year-olds Ashley Freeman and Lauria Bible, who vanished from Freeman's mobile home in Welch in December 1999 during a sleepover; Freeman's parents were found shot dead inside the burned home. Two other suspects, Warren Welch and David Pennington, have since died. An affidavit in the case says the three men were at the Freemans' home on Dec. 30, 1999, to make a drug deal with one of Ashley's parents, with witnesses claiming the murders resulted from a drug debt. story continues below New leads in the case were spurred after the 2017 discovery of a crate in the Craig County Sheriff's Office said to hold "extremely valuable" info, including case notes and interviews with more than a dozen people, per KFOR. "The girls were kept alive for an unknown number of days" after the fire in the Freemans' home, says Craig County DA Matt Ballard, who adds Polaroids of the teens "in their final days were seen by multiple people." The affidavit says the teens were raped and tortured before they were strangled to death. Charges against Busick include kidnapping, arson, and first-degree murder. Authorities' next step: finding the teens' remains. Busick said Wednesday he'll "only talk to the families" about the girls' bodies, but then changed course and said he didn't know where they were, per the Tulsa World. (Read more cold cases stories.) (Newser) About 130 Central Americans, mostly women and kids, have arrived at the US-Mexico border in a "caravan" of asylum-seeking immigrants that has drawn the fury of President Trump. Two busloads arrived late Tuesday in the Mexican border city of Tijuana at two migrant shelters just steps from one of the most fortified stretches of border, per the AP. They joined another 50 or so who arrived in Tijuana over the last week or two. Four more busloads of about 200 Central Americansmostly women and children but including some menalso were expected to arrive in Tijuana, says a coordinator for Pueblo Sin Fronteras, which is organizing the effort. US lawyers planned to lead clinics later this week on US asylum law to tell the immigrants what to expect when they seek asylum. The first groups plan to try to enter the US on Sunday at San Diego's border crossing. story continues below US Customs and Border Protection has space to hold about 300 people at the crossing, says the director of the agency's San Diego field office. If asylum seekers make it through initial screenings with asylum officers by establishing "credible fear" of being returned to their homelands, they're allowed in and face what can be lengthy proceedings before US immigration judges, often wearing ankle monitors to track their movements. Trump and senior aides have portrayed the caravans and the asylum-seekers as evidence of a dysfunctional border and a serious threat. Taxi driver Jovanne Torres, who says he fled his hometown in El Salvador after a gang threatened to kill him and his wife, says Trump's attacks make him doubt whether he'll get asylum for himself, his wife, and his young daughters, but he still plans to try. "Trump's words have made it difficult for us," he says. (Read more Central America stories.) (Newser) Kim Jong Un won't be taking any chances Friday when the North Korean leader crosses the border for a historic summit with his counterpart in the South. Apparently that means bringing along his own toilet. Accompanied by his sister, Kim Yo Jong, top military officials, and armed soldiers from the North Korean Guard Command, Kim will bring "a personal toilet that follows him around when he travels," a former NKGC official tells the Washington Post. "The leader's excretions contain information about his health status so they can't be left behind." More details: For the world to see: The summit will include a live broadcast of Kim crossing the military demarcation line for a meeting with South Korean President Moon Jae-in around 9:30am local time, which is 8:30pm Eastern Thursday. Official talks kick off about an hour later at the Peace House in the village of Panmunjom, located inside the demilitarized zone that separates the two countries, per the BBC. story continues below A first: Kim is the first leader from the North to cross the border. His father, Kim Jong Il, hosted South Korea's government in Pyongyang in 2000 and 2007, but this marks the South's first hosting of such talks. It is Kim's second known meeting with another head of state, after a visit with China's Xi Jinping last month, per the Guardian. Kim is the first leader from the North to cross the border. His father, Kim Jong Il, hosted South Korea's government in Pyongyang in 2000 and 2007, but this marks the South's first hosting of such talks. It is Kim's second known meeting with another head of state, after a visit with China's Xi Jinping last month, per the Guardian. Precise planning: Everything from a tree planting (using soil and water from both North and South Korea) to the distance between the leaders during talks (2,018 millimeters, or a little less than 80 inches, to mark the year) has been carefully planned, per the Post. Everything from a tree planting (using soil and water from both North and South Korea) to the distance between the leaders during talks (2,018 millimeters, or a little less than 80 inches, to mark the year) has been carefully planned, per the Post. The agenda: Denuclearization will be the primary topic, along with terms for a peace deal to officially end their war, the BBC reports. Depending how things go, a meeting between Kim and President Trump could follow in May or June, perhaps with more concrete results. Kim's aims: Experts weigh in at Time, with one noting Kim has "a lot of leverage" given advances in the North's nuclear missile capabilities. At the Post, some wonder whether he's only playing the diplomat to get economic sanctions against the North lifted. Experts weigh in at Time, with one noting Kim has "a lot of leverage" given advances in the North's nuclear missile capabilities. At the Post, some wonder whether he's only playing the diplomat to get economic sanctions against the North lifted. Moon could win big: He campaigned on improving relations with North Korea, and only a year into his term, the South Korean president could pull off a huge, early victory if all goes well. Editors at Bloomberg, however, fear he may be "too eager." He campaigned on improving relations with North Korea, and only a year into his term, the South Korean president could pull off a huge, early victory if all goes well. Editors at Bloomberg, however, fear he may be "too eager." Cautious optimism: Recalling his meetings with Kim and Moon regarding North Korea's participation in the 2018 Winter Olympics, International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach makes a case for "cautious optimism" at the Independent. Controversy already surrounds a summit dessert . (Read more Kim Jong Un stories.) Ambassador Ho Minh Tuan speaking at the ceremony (Photo: vov.vn) The main ceremony was organized solemnly with 37 delegations, representing organizations in the Czech Republic, Germany and Slovakia, with offerings to the Hung Kings. During the event, the organizing board introduced cultures and special foods of Vietnams localities through 20 kiosks of fellow-countrymen associations, overseas Vietnamese branches and Vietnamese businesses throughout the Czech Republic. At the event, visitors enjoyed Quan ho folk singing, Thai Nguyen Then singing and special foods of Vietnam. On this occasion, the Vietnamese Embassy organized a photo exhibition on sovereignty over Vietnams sea and islands, and Chung cake. According to Mr. Nguyen Huu Dung, the success of the event in the Czech Republic with the presence of overseas Vietnamese representatives of nearly 20 countries should be researched and made a model for national death anniversary ceremonies in Europe./. (Newser) A traffic stop in New Jersey over Easter weekend was pretty routinea car with tinted front windows, obstructed tags, and expired registration was impoundeduntil the ethics chair of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey turned up. Caren Turner, the mother of one of the car's passengers, resigned last week, just a few days before Tenafly police released a dashcam video showing the 60-year-old cursing at police officers, flashing her Port Authority badge, and describing herself as a "friend of the mayor" on the side of a highway on March 31, per NPR. Turner had arrived to pick up her daughter but became enraged when officers said they weren't legally required to tell her what led to the traffic stop because those involved were adults. A police report notes Turner "was attempting to misappropriately use her professional position to gain authority," reports NJ.com. story continues below At one point, Turner called an officer "an ass" who had a "smug-ass look" on his face, per NPR. When told she was free to leave, Turner continued, "You may shut the f--- up and not tell me when I may take my kid and her friends who are PhD students from MIT and Yale. I will be talking to the chief of police and I will be speaking to the mayor," reports Ars Technica, describing the officers as "exercising remarkable restraint." The Port Authority says Turner resigned Friday after learning about an investigation into possible ethics violations. "The video speaks for itself. The conduct was indefensible," the agency adds, per NPR. In a statement Wednesday, Turner said "at no point did I violate the Port Authority's Code of Ethics or ask for special treatment for anyone involved." She did apologize for "my tone toward the police officers and use of off-color language," per NJ.com. (Read more New Jersey stories.) (Newser) Texas Monthly is out with a fascinating account of how the FBI stopped the mastermind of a series of violent armored-car robberies in Houston beginning in 2015. In some of those heists, guards were essentially executed without a chance to surrender. The big break came when an informant, apparently nursing a grudge, told the feds that the ring's leader was a polite, dapper dresser named Redrick "Red" Batiste. The FBI didn't have enough evidence to make an arrest, however, so agents began following the 36-year-old and bugging his calls. Finally, they spotted something strange: Batiste arranged to have someone drive a rented Jeep Cherokee to his home, and in a subsequent phone call, Batiste told a colleague he was "having trouble trying to copy this mother------." Hours later, he returned the vehicle to the rental agency. story continues below Perplexed FBI agents soon learned why: They discovered that Batiste had installed a GPS tracker in the vehicle and deduced that he had copied a key foball so he could find the vehicle and steal it at a moment's notice for the next heist. The FBI installed a GPS tracker of its own, plus an engine kill switch and camera, then waited. "It was like the Spy vs. Spy comic strip in Mad magazine," one attorney in the investigation tells writer Skip Hollandsworth. "Batiste comes up with a pretty smart plan to trick up a car so he can steal it. And the FBI slips in and tricks up the same car so they can catch him." A few days later, after watching Batiste stake out his next robbery, agents moved in just as the heist was about to go down. After the kill switch stopped Batiste's escape, he came out of the vehicle firing and was shot to death. Click for the full story. (Read more Longform stories.) (Newser) During a half-hour phone conversation with Fox & Friends Thursday morning, President Trump acknowledged that attorney Michael Cohen made a deal on his behalf with adult film star Stormy Daniels. The Washington Post notes that it's the first time Trump has confirmed that Cohen represented him when paying Daniels $130,000 to keep quiet about an alleged affair with Trump. Two weeks ago, the president flatly denied any knowledge of the deal. "Michael represents me, like with this crazy Stormy Daniels deal, he represented me," Trump said. "And from what I've seen, he did absolutely nothing wrong. There were no campaign funds going into this." A big deal? Daniels' attorney thinks so, calling it a "hugely damaging admission" on MSNBC's Morning Joe program, per NBC News. story continues below Michael Avenatti later elaborated in a tweet: "Mr. Trump and Mr. Cohen previously represented to the American people that Mr. Cohen acted on his own and Mr. Trump knew nothing about the agreement with my client, the $130k payment, etc." he wrote. "As I predicted, that has now been shown to be completely false." On the Fox morning program, Trump also distanced himself from Cohen's legal trouble. "This doesn't have to do with me," he said. "Michael is a businessman. He's got a business. He also practices law. I would say, probably, the big thing is his business. I have nothing to do with his business." And he made a point to say that Cohen is only one of many attorney who represent him. "So many attorneys you wouldn't believe," he said. (Cohen plans to plead the Fifth.) (Newser) Bipartisan legislation to protect special counsel Robert Mueller now lies in the hands of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell after the GOP-led Senate Judiciary Committee voted Thursday to advance it, the AP reports. McConnell has said the bill is unnecessary and he won't let it reach the Senate floor. But the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee added to the pressure on McConnell by voting for the measure and saying McConnell should change his mind. "While my constitutional concerns remain, I believe this bill should be considered by the full Senate," said Sen. Chuck Grassley. Republicans have split on the issue amid President Donald Trump's repeated criticism of Mueller's Russia investigation. That break was apparent Thursday as four Republicans joined Democrats in the 14-7 vote to pass the legislation from committee. story continues below For now, the move is largely symbolic, given McConnell's opposition, but it shows the complexity of Republican support for Trump when it comes to the president's attacks on Mueller. Nearly all GOP senators say Trump shouldn't fire Mueller. But Republicans who support the legislation say it's necessary to guard against presidential interference by giving Congress more oversight power. The legislation would give any special counsel a 10-day window to seek expedited judicial review of a firing and would put into law existing Justice Department regulations that a special counsel can only be fired for good cause. Per Bloomberg, multiple Republican lawmakersincluding ones who oppose the legislation protecting Muellerhave warned Trump could face impeachment were he to fire the special counsel. On Fox & Friends Thursday, Trump called Mueller's probe a "witch hunt." (Read more Robert Mueller stories.) (Newser) The Rex Tillerson era is officially over. The Senate on Thursday confirmed Mike Pompeo to be the next secretary of state by a vote of 57-42, reports the AP. The confirmation of Pompeo, who is leaving his job as director of the CIA for the new position, had been in jeopardy before Rand Paul's last-minute switch in favor allowed him to clear the Senate Foreign Relations Committee earlier this week. Still, Thursday's Senate vote is one of the slimmest margins for the job in recent history. story continues below Every past nominee since at least the Carter administration has received 85 or more yes votes, with the exception of Trump's first secretary of state, Rex Tillerson. He got 56 yes votes. Pompeo, a former Republican congressman from Kansas, is expected to be sworn in almost immediately so he can begin serving as top diplomat. Pompeo has been deeply engaged in the administration's efforts on North Korea and recently traveled to Pyongyang. (Read more Mike Pompeo stories.) (Newser) He got a mistrial the first time around, but now Bill Cosby is guilty and facing the possibility of prison time. A jury in Pennsylvania on Thursday convicted the 80-year-old comedian on all three counts of sexually assaulting a woman in his suburban Philadelphia home in 2004, reports the AP. Cosby, accused of drugging and violating Andrea Constand, had been charged with three counts of aggravated indecent assault, with each one carrying the potential of 10 years in prison. After the verdict, he lashed out at the prosecutor. Details: Cosby's anger: As Montgomery District Attorney Kevin Steele argued that Cosby should be jailed until sentencing, Cosby erupted in anger. He doesnt have a plane, you a--hole," he said, per the Philadelphia Inquirer, referring to Steele's assertion that he could flee on a private jet. "I'm sick of him!" The judge allowed Cosby to remain free until his sentencing hearing, the date of which hasn't been announced. The outburst put the "real Bill Cosby on display," Steele said later. story continues below Now what? Cosby must undergo an assessment to determine whether he must register as a violent sexual predator. Meanwhile attorney Tom Mesereau promised to appeal. It's not clear whether Cosby will go directly to prison once he is sentenced or be allowed to remain free while his appeal winds through the courts, per the Inquirer. Cosby must undergo an assessment to determine whether he must register as a violent sexual predator. Meanwhile attorney Tom Mesereau promised to appeal. It's not clear whether Cosby will go directly to prison once he is sentenced or be allowed to remain free while his appeal winds through the courts, per the Inquirer. The scene: As the verdict was read, Cosby stared straight ahead and Constand was stoic, in the words of the AP. But two female Cosby accusers who did not testify burst into sobs and were escorted from the courtroom. "Their tearstears of joy, sadness and exhaustion after a frustrating years-long strugglestill filtered into the courtroom through the heavy closed wooden doors," recounts the Washington Post. As the verdict was read, Cosby stared straight ahead and Constand was stoic, in the words of the AP. But two female Cosby accusers who did not testify burst into sobs and were escorted from the courtroom. "Their tearstears of joy, sadness and exhaustion after a frustrating years-long strugglestill filtered into the courtroom through the heavy closed wooden doors," recounts the Washington Post. The damning clip: Cosby's downfall began when this clip by standup comic Hannibal Buress went viral in 2014, notes Business Insider. Cosby's downfall began when this clip by standup comic Hannibal Buress went viral in 2014, notes Business Insider. Allred: High-profile attorney Gloria Allred, who represents three of the five women who testified at this trial, declared "justice has been done," reports CBS Philly. "We are so happy that finally we can say women are believed." High-profile attorney Gloria Allred, who represents three of the five women who testified at this trial, declared "justice has been done," reports CBS Philly. "We are so happy that finally we can say women are believed." #MeToo: An analysis by Anna North at Vox sees the case as a big validation of the #MeToo movement. The conviction "suggests that #MeToo could have already started to change how people think about sexual violence." An analysis by Anna North at Vox sees the case as a big validation of the #MeToo movement. The conviction "suggests that #MeToo could have already started to change how people think about sexual violence." Show pulled: Bounce TV has pulled reruns of The Cosby Show from its lineup in the wake of the guilty verdict, notes the Wrap. (Read more Bill Cosby stories.) (Newser) The parents of US college student Otto Warmbier filed a wrongful death lawsuit against North Korea on Thursday, saying its government "brutally tortured and murdered" their son, the Washington Post and the AP report. Fred and Cindy Warmbier filed the lawsuit in the US District Court in Washington, DC, seeking compensation for the death of the 22-year-old, whose plight had compounded tense US-North Korean relations. Otto Warmbier, who was a student at University of Virginia, was arrested by North Korean authorities in January 2016 for stealing a propaganda poster and sentenced to 15 years in prison with hard labor. He died in June 2017, days after he was repatriated to the US with severe brain damage. "Otto was taken hostage, kept as a prisoner for political purposes, used as a pawn and singled out for exceptionally harsh and brutal treatment by Kim Jong Un," Fred Warmbier said in a statement. story continues below "Kim and his regime have portrayed themselves as innocent, while they intentionally destroyed our son's life. This lawsuit is another step in holding North Korea accountable for its barbaric treatment of Otto and our family," he said. The lawsuit says that when Warmbier returned, his parents "were stunned to see his condition. Otto was blind and deaf. He had a shaved head, a feeding tube coming out of his nose, was jerking violently and howling, and was completely unresponsive to any of their efforts to comfort him." His once straight teeth were misaligned and he had an unexplained, scarred wound on his left foot. While the lawsuit may prove largely symbolic given the difficulty of recovering any damages the court might order, it comes at a delicate time in relations between Washington and Pyongyang. President Donald Trump is planning an unprecedented summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in the coming weeks. (Read more Otto Warmbier stories.) Sorry! This content is not available in your region Delegates and students at the event (Photo: quehuongonline.vn) The ceremony was attended by over 70 delegates and guests, including leaders of Hyogo prefecture, Kobe city and Nagata district, students and their parents, and overseas Vietnamese students. Speaking at the event, Consul General Vu Tuan Hai highly appreciated the establishment of the class and the efforts of teachers to maintain the class. He also proposed that leaders of Hyogo prefecture and Kobe city continue to support the class so that the Vietnamese community there maintains its national identity and further contributes to the relationship between Vietnam and Japan./. Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi holds talks with his Kyrgyz counterpart Erlan Abdyldaev in Beijing, capital of China, April 25, 2018. (Xinhua/Shen Hong) BEIJING, April 25 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi Wednesday held talks with his Kyrgyz counterpart Erlan Abdyldaev, and the two sides agreed to promote cooperation on the Belt and Road Initiative. "China always respects Kyrgyzstan's choice of development path that suits its national conditions and firmly supports the new government of Kyrgyzstan to speed up national development and construction," Wang said. He said China stands ready to work with Kyrgyzstan to enhance alignment of respective development strategy, expand cooperation in various fields, and bring the two countries' relations to a new level under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative. Wang said China stands by Kyrgyzstan to take the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) rotating chair after the Qingdao summit, and will work with the Kyrgyz side to hold a successful summit in 2019. Abdyldaev, who is on a visit to China, attended the meeting of the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers Tuesday. Abdyldaev said Kyrgyzstan would fully cooperate with China to guarantee the success of the upcoming SCO Qingdao summit in June. [ Editor: Zhang Zhou ] New Delhi: Ford has unveiled a cross-hatchback in the Indian market Freestyle at a introductory price of Rs 5.09 lakhs (ex-showroom Delhi). The car is also Indias first Compact Utility Vehicle (CUV). Anurag Mehrotra, President of Ford India said, We wanted to offer a crossover to our consumer that didnt just have cladding around it but a real SUV (sports utility vehicle) feel. The newly-launched car will be in direct competition with Maruti Suzuki Ignis, Toyota Etios Cross and Hyundai i20 Active. Ford Freestyle features. All you need to know - 1.2l Ti-VCT Petrol Engine1.2l Ti-VCT Petrol Engine which produce 94bhp of power and 120Nm of torque - 1.5l TDCi Diesel Engine which produces 100bhp of power and 215Nm of torque - 5-speed Manual Transmission. - 6.5-inch touchscreen Infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay - ABS with EBD, dual front airbags - Reverse parking camera - Active Rollover Protection (ARP) - Mileage for the petrol variant is 19kmpl, and diesel variant is 24.5kmpl The Ford Freestyle will be available in four variants of petrol and diesel, Ambiente, Trend, Titanium and Titanium +. New Delhi: Post the commendable success of his last release Padmaavat, Shahid Kapoor has been on the role. The actor has been roped in for another mega project, Hindi remake of Sandeep Reddy Vanga's debut directorial Arjun Reddy. The Telugu movie featured Vijay Deverakonda in the lead and was highly appreciated by the audience. And now Vanga will be remaking the movie in Hindi. While there have been reports that Arjun Kapoor was in talks for the project, director Sandeep Reddy Vanga has confirmed of taking Shahid on board and believes that he is a perfect choice for the role. "As an actor, he has no inhibitions. Arjun Reddy is a character with a lot of rage and I think Shahid can convincingly bring it alive on screen. I was clear from the beginning that I wanted to work with him," Sandeep told Firstpost. He further revealed that the movie will hit the floors in July his year. Were planning to commence shooting from July. Telugu audiences loved the core emotion of Arjun Reddy and we dont want to tamper with it. The newness and shock value that worked in favour of the original will be retained. When I made Arjun Reddy, I wasnt sure where to draw the line in terms of representation of certain things. I dont think Id have to restrict myself when it comes to the Hindi version. I believe Ill have more freedom in Bollywood. We can make it even more hard-hitting. Were planning to shoot the college portion in Delhi. Ill be here for the next few days and explore a few places. Were yet to zero in on other locations, Sandeep added. Indeed, it will be interesting to see Shahid in another hard-hitting role after Padmaavat. Currently, the actor is busy shooting for Shree Narayan Singh's Batti Gul Meter Chalu opposite Shraddha Kapoor and Yami Gautam. The movie expected to release in August this year. New Delhi: In what looks like a build-up to a massive confrontation between the government and the judiciary, the Centre on Thursday asked the Supreme Court collegium to be objective and fair and reconsider its recommendation for elevating Justice KM Joseph to the apex court. The Modi governments reaction came a day after it approved the elevation of senior advocate Indu Malhotra to the post of a Supreme Court judge but held back Justice Josephs promotion to the same post. Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad wrote a letter to Chief Justice Dipak Misra and said that Justice Josephs elevation was not appropriate as there were 11 Chief Justices of various High Courts, who were senior to him, according to the sources. On January 10, the Supreme Court collegium a group of five senior most judges headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra had recommended the names of Malhotra and Justice Joseph. Modi governments decision to block the promotion of Joseph was being linked with his 2016 verdict that struck down Centres order to impose Presidents rule in Uttarakhand and allowed Harish Rawat-led Congress government to return to power. Is Modi government above the law? Reacting to the Centres decision to segregate the appointments, the Opposition Congress has attacked the Modi government and asked if it was above the law? "As the law stands now, the recommendation of the SC collegium is final and binding in the appointment of judges. Is the Modi government above the law?" senior Congress P Chidambaram said. Chidambaram accused Modi government of punishing Justice Joseph for his 2016 verdict that struck down Centres order to impose Presidents rule in Uttarakhand. Government interfering in functioning of the judiciary Although, the Supreme Court Bar Association welcomed Indu Malhotras elevation, it accused the government of interfering in the functioning of the judiciary by not clearing justice josephs name. Indu Malhotra is a fine lawyer & she will prove to be a great judge. I have huge reservation at the attitude of the government, there is no way by which they should not have cleared Justice KM Joseph's name, said Advocate Vikas Singh, President, Supreme Court Bar Association. He said by making one appointment and holding the other, the Modi government interfered in functioning of the judiciary and the matter should be taken up very strongly. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday addressed BJP leaders and candidates in Karnataka through the Namo app and laid down a three-point strategy for the poll-bound south Indian state. Modi said that the BJPs agenda for Karnatakas development would be: Development, fast-paced development, and all round development. Kicking off his election campaign in Karnataka, Modi attacked the Congress and said Indias politics was needed to be purified as it was associated with the misdeeds and sins of the Congress. Indian mainstream politics is associated with the misdeeds and sins of Congress. The countrys politics cannot be purified unless the country is free from the Congressi culture, Modi said. Attacking the Congress over the issue of Lingayats, Modi said that some political parties kept on giving lollipop to some communities for political gains and forgot them after the elections. Those who fought on issue of religion, caste, kept on giving lollipop to specific castes and kept on changing this equation. They used them for election and forgot, Modi told his party candidates, MPS, office bearers, and workers in Karnataka. Modis scathing attack on Congress came ahead of Rahul Gandhis two-day visit to the poll bound state on Thursday. Also Read | Karnataka polls: PM Modi trying to take jail birds into Vidhan Sabha, says Rahul Gandhi The Congress president would visit Uttara Kannada district in the northwestern part of Karnataka and hold several public gatherings in Ankola, Kumta, Honnavar, and Bhatkal. He would also launch the election manifesto of the Congress party on Friday. Earlier on Wednesday, the Gandhi scion also slammed Modi for trying to take jail birds BS Yeddyurappa and Bellary Gang (Reddy brothers) into Karnataka Vidhan Sabha. Gandhi said that Yeddyurappa and Reddy Brothers looted Karnataka when they were in power but brought to justice by Siddaramaiah-led Congress government. When in power, Yeddyurappa and Reddy Brothers looted Karnataka. Our Govt. brought them to justice. Now Mr Modi is trying to take 8 of them from jail, into the Vidhan Sabha, Gandhi tweeted. This is an insult to every honest citizen, to Karnataka and to the spirit of Basavanna, he added. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: In a heart-wrenching incident, at least 13 children were killed and many others injured after a speeding train crashed into a school van at an unmanned railway crossing in Uttar Pradeshs Kushinagar. The tragic accident took place on Thursday morning, when Thawe-Kapatanganj passenger train (55075) crashed into the mini-bus of Divine Public School at Behpurva crossing, said Ved Prakash, spokesperson for Railways. It was unmanned level crossing gate at Behpurva, with Gate Mitra deployed there. He tried to stop but unfortunate incident happened at unmanned gate 45 near Dudhi station in Banaras division, he added. Most of the children died on the spot while injured were rushed to a nearby local hospital. The death toll was likely to go up as few of the injured were in critical condition. Also Read | Maneka Gandhi lends support to petition on male child sexual abuse According to the officials, the mini-bus was carrying at least 25 people, including children, most of whom were below the age of 10 years. Total 18 school students were travelling in the vehicle out of which 11 have died, many of the rest 7 are critically injured, and death toll may go up, said Anand Kumar, ADG (Law and Order). Terming the incident unfortunate, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced an ex-gratia of Rs two lakh each to the kin of deceased and promised adequate medical treatment to the injured. The Chief Minister also ordered an inquiry into the incident and said that strict action will be taken against those found guilty. "Spoke to Railway minister. Prima facie appears to be mistake of van driver, he had earphones on & there are questions over his age too. There are rules in place, inquiry will be conducted as to why they were not followed. Strict action will be taken," he said. An accident relief medical train from Gorakhpur had been dispatched to the site, spokesperson for Railways said. (With inputs from agencies) For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: By all indications, Congress leader Sonia Gandhis plan to forge a united front of opposition parties to fight the Bharatiya Janata Party in the 2019 general elections is coming unstuck. Indeed, Gandhis burning desire to have her son and party president Rahul Gandhi at the head of a conglomerate to challenge Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a few takers in major parties. The hard reality is that while Sonia commanded respect as Congress president, Rahul is considered an upstart who lacks leadership qualities despite his vociferous expression of anti-Modi and anti-BJP feelings. His claim that if he gets 15 minutes to speak in Parliament he would demolish Modi so completely that the prime minister would not have feet to stand on, is dismissed derisively by most leaders in the Opposition privately. With West Bengals stormy petrel Mamata Banerjee having mooted the idea of a Third Force - regional leader and party to fight the BJP and the Congress in each state on the basis of the strongest opposition party in each state being supported by the others, there is some traction but that idea too has serious limitations. That DMKs MK Stalin has welcomed the idea and offered unstinted support to it does not make the task any easier. Clearly, Stalin is salivating at the thought of the Bengalis of Tamil Nadu gravitating towards the DMK in the Lok Sabha polls while he bids for the spoils in a few seats with Tamil concentration in West Bengal but this is hardly a panacea for the Oppositions whining and frustration. The Congress knows only too well that under such an arrangement, it would be left high and dry and any hopes that it may nurture of a leadership role for Rahul would be dashed to the ground. There is no way the party would accept such a proposition and without the Congress participation any Opposition challenge to the BJP would be a mirage. What the experiment would lead to is a three-way contest which would be hugely beneficial to the BJP. Even if Mamata makes the deal somewhat palatable for the Congress, there is no way she would accept Rahuls supremacy in an opposition arrangement. The Congress has indeed been wiped out from much of the country. Of the two major states in which it currently rules, it could well lose Karnataka where elections are due in three weeks. In states in which it is the dominant opposition party it could have a chance to improve its performance due to the anti-incumbency against the BJP, but will the other opposition parties add strength to it considering that they have a poor base there? The whole exercise seems utterly devoid of any promise. This is no way to challenge a well-entrenched and wily BJP which is riding high but could wilt under opposition pressure if the challenge is well-thought-out and strategically sound. At this rate, if the Opposition fails to get its act together, some of the parties that are on the sidelines could still opt to go with the BJP. Of all the opposition parties, while the Congress could gain traction in the northern belt due to anti-incumbency, BSPs Mayawati is striving to make a mark in Uttar Pradesh. If the deal with the Samajwadi Party works out, the two together could put up a strong united front. The DMK could well benefit from the incompetence of the AIADMK government led by Palaniswamy, but there is little for it to gain from a tie-up with the Trinamool Congress. All eyes are on Karnataka which goes to polls shortly but while opinion polls there are predicting a close Congress-BJP fight in the Assembly polls, the fact is that BJPs star campaigner Narendra Modi has yet to start his intensive five-day tour of the state with rallies all across the state. The BJP has already breached the Northeast bastions of the Congress and the Left, but the TMC citadel of West Bengal still seems impregnable under Mamata Banerjee. All in all, posing a challenge to the BJP would be no cakewalk for the Opposition. The lack of agreement on a common leader could well be a major handicap. A visitor looks at exhibits during the press preview of Chinese Medicine in America: Converging Ideas, People and Practices and On the Shelves of Kam Wah Chung &Co. in the Museum of Chinese in America in New York, the United States, April 25, 2018. New York City's Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA) Wednesday unveiled two groundbreaking exhibitions on Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and practices in America through historical medical artifacts and contemporary art. Chinese Medicine in America: Converging Ideas, People and Practices and On the Shelves of Kam Wah Chung &Co. will both be on view for the public at the museum in Manhattan's Chinatown from April 26 to Sept. 9. (Xinhua/Wang Ying) NEW YORK, April 25 (Xinhua) -- New York City's Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA) Wednesday unveiled two groundbreaking exhibitions on Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and practices in America through historical medical artifacts and contemporary art. Chinese Medicine in America: Converging Ideas, People and Practices and On the Shelves of Kam Wah Chung &Co. will both be on view for the public at the museum in Manhattan's Chinatown from April 26 to Sept. 9. "These exhibitions break new ground by promoting a multi-faceted discussion of how ancient Chinese medicine principles and practices evolve when circumstances and space demand its change," said Nancy Yao Maasbach, MOCA's president at Wednesday's press preview. "By seeing how we treat illness and maintain our health, we hope visitors can learn about the ancient philosophical concepts that are the backbone of Chinese culture," said Herb Tam, MOCA's Curator and Director of Exhibitions. "For a period of time in America, Chinese medicine seemed relegated to the past -- particularly in contrast to the high-tech advances made in biomedicine during the 20th century," said Donna Mah, a faculty member of Pacific College of Oriental Medicine in New York. "But it is fortunate that much has been preserved and brought forward, as Chinese medicine is relevant today in our evolving understanding of the human body, medical sensibilities, and the nature of health and healing," The exhibition Chinese Medicine in America: Converging Ideas, People and Practices tells a cross-cultural story of Chinese medicine and practices in America through historical medical artifacts, contemporary art, and profiles on notable figures in Chinese medicine history to create an engaging space for exploring how medicine, philosophy and history are linked. On the Shelves of Kam Wah Chung &Co.: General Store and Apothecary in John Day, Oregon, is an immersive historical exhibition that celebrates the medical practice of Ing "Doc" Hay who became a prominent figure in eastern Oregon after the California Gold Rush. Ing Hay, who immigrated to the United States in 1887, brought his knowledge of herbology and pulsology to a remote part of Oregon during a time when Western medicine was still in its infancy. Through the presentation of the historical Kam Wah-chung general store, the exhibition includes Chinese patent medicines developed by the doctor, archival materials such as historical photos, patient records and correspondences with non-Chinese settlers. It also provides an illustration of day-to-day life in the region, and a lesser-known history of Chinese immigration in the Pacific Northwest. The exhibitions, the first of their kind to be shown in New York City, feature work by local artists including Zhang Hongtu and by infographics pioneer Fritz Kahn. MOCA also has commissioned emerging artists Vincent Chong and Robert Cipriano to create original woodblock prints, a technique deeply rooted in Chinese culture, to highlight the historical figures featured in the exhibition. For decades, Traditional Chinese Medicine has been recognized as an alternative therapy in the United States. The treatment is included neither in the country's medical system, nor in the curricula of most of its medical schools. Yet demands for TCM, and acupuncture in particular, has been on the rise. Only four states in America to date do not have legislation on professional practices of TCM. It has grown into an industry with 40,000 licensed therapists, and treats over 380 million patients every year. 6 1 [ Editor: WPY ] New Delhi/Wuhan: Both the Indian and Chinese media are speculating and raising hopes of positive outcome of the talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Wuhan Summit which begins on . And it is likely that their meeting could stabilise ties between the two militaries, help maintain peace at the borders and settle differences, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) said on . "It is the common expectation of both peoples to stabilise relations between the Chinese and Indian armed forces and maintain peace and tranquillity at the border areas," military spokesman, Col. Wu Qian, told the media in Beijing. Modi on left for China to hold talks with Xi at a two-day informal summit in Wuhan starting . The Wuhan Summit is being held to improve ties between the countries. The border issue and the Doklam standoff of 2017 are expected to figure in their talks. Post-Dokalam standoff, the relations between the two militaries were picking up. ALSO READ: Islamabad High Court terminates Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif in Iqama case "Although the relations between the two militaries still face some difficulties and obstacles, we are willing to use the important consensus of the leaders of the two countries as guidance to deepen our understanding, enhance mutual trust, properly settle differences, and continue to accumulate the positive energy of the healthy and stable development of the relations between the two armed forces," Col Wu said. Col Wu was replying to a question about the expectations from the Modi-Xi summit and as well as the outcome of the meeting between Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and her Chinese counterpart General Wei Feng this week. Col Wu's comments were significant as President Xi is also the head of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) and the military. Regarded as the most powerful Chinese leader in recent times, Xi is the Chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC) which is the overall high command of the Chinese armed forces. Ahead of Modi's visit to China for the Wuhan Sunmmit, Sitharaman was in Beijing to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Defence Ministers' meeting. She held talks with her Chinese counterpart Wei and discussed steps to improve military ties. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Greek pensioners shout slogans during a demonstration in Athens, Greece, on April 25, 2018. Thousands of Greek pensioners took to the streets of Athens on Wednesday to protest a new planned round of cuts to payouts scheduled for 2019 under bailout agreements with Greece's international lenders. (Xinhua/Marios Lolos) By Maria Spiliopoulou ATHENS, April 25 (Xinhua) -- Thousands of Greek pensioners took to the streets of Athens on Wednesday to protest a new planned round of cuts to payouts scheduled for 2019 under bailout agreements with Greece's international lenders. Although Greece is due to exit this summer the third bailout program since 2010, harsh austerity policies and bold reforms will continue under the agreements, a prospect which does not please the retirees who have seen their pensions shrinking to half in many cases the past eight years. Based on laws voted by the parliament the past three years, pensioners will suffer a further 18-percent cut in auxiliary pensions from the new year. As about one in two pensioners currently, according to official data, supports with monthly pensions as low as 700 euros (852 US dollars) entire families, because children and grandchildren are jobless for several months or years, the new blow will be severe for many Greek households, protesters said. "We request what they have taken away. We have worked hard and they took away so much. There seems to be no end in the pay cuts," Panagiotis T., one of the protesting pensioners told Xinhua on Wednesday. "Since I received my pension for first time in 2010 I have lost about one third of my income to pay cuts," he said. "Pensioners will continue the struggle. We will not allow anybody to go ahead with such laws which are against the interests of workers and pensioners, and have reduced pensions to more than half," Panagiotis Tsichlis, President of the Pensioners of Aghia Paraskevi district in Athens told Xinhua. "Otherwise, we will all end up as beggars. This is it. We will continue our mobilization in the near future. There is no other way than protesting," he said. Pensioners will be back on the streets again on Labor Day on May 1st and plan at least three more rallies until mid June, he added. 4 1 [ Editor: Xueying ] Japanese education minister Yoshimasa Hayashi apologized Wednesday for "causing confusion" over a magazine article that said he used an official vehicle during daytime on a weekday to go to a yoga class. "I will make even more efforts to stay focused on performing my public duties in order to avoid any unnecessary misunderstandings at a time when the government is being severely reprimanded and criticized (over a spate of scandals)," he also told a press conference. Hayashi explained that he has taken the lesson several times a month for five to six years for health management. His use of an official vehicle should be permitted under education ministry regulations, because its purpose was to ensure the smooth performance of official duties, the minister claimed. Asked about his trip to the Tokyo yoga class on a weekday during the day, Hayashi said: "The job of a cabinet minister is special as there are no set days or hours off. I visited there during free time between official duties." Ashley Madison, the world's leading married dating website, has released the findings of an Ernst & Young LLP (EY Canada) report on the 2017 membership statistics of AshleyMadison.com verifying more than 15,000 new member accounts were added on average each day. The EY Canada Report on Customer Statistics further revealed that for every active paid male account there was 1.13 active female accounts created in 2017 and the site nearly doubled the number of member accounts joining daily from 10,715 in April to 20,518 per day by October. This report validates and clearly demonstrates the health and vibrancy of this unique community of like-minded people. Ashley Madison spent the greater part of 2017 focusing the company on its original married dating roots - a space it invented and continues to lead. This report comes as the company is continuing its efforts to create a better Ashley Madison for its members, through platform enhancements and a renewed passion for improving the member experience. Last year alone, this focus on its members and commitment to the married dating space translated to 5,673,024 new accounts on the site. "At Ashley Madison, our members' experience is paramount," said Ruben Buell, President and CTO, Ruby Life Inc. (parent company of AshleyMadison.com). "That experience starts with trust; trust that we have built a community of like-minded individuals, trust that you will be able to find and connect with other members in this community, and trust that your experience will remain discreet." For 2018, the company is continuing that commitment to its members with planned improvements that will make it easier for them to join, find, and connect with one another in more than 50 countries and in 19 languages. Investing in the member experience is clearly paying off as seen by the growth in new accounts and a ratio of 1.13 active female accounts for every 1 paid male account. What is behind this gender ratio? Dr. Alicia Walker researched the female members of Ashley Madison for her book The Secret Life of the Cheating Wife and found that women lacked sexual satisfaction in their primary partnerships but still possessed a great deal of love for their partner and no desire to actually end the marriage. According to Walker, these women were actually cheating to stay married. For many Ashley Madison members, having an affair allows them to return to their marriage and their household unit as a happier more satisfied partner. "We heard our members loud and clear when they told us married dating is what they want from our site," said Buell. "Every day we ask how can we make Ashley Madison better for them - that's what drives us and believe me when I say, we're just getting started." To access the full EY Canada report, click here. Ashley Madison numbers at a glance: 5,673,024 new accounts were registered on Ashleymadison.com in 2017 There was an average of 15,542 new member accounts opened each day in 2017 For accounts created in 2017, the ratio of active paid male accounts to active female accounts in 2017 was 1 to 1.13 On average there were 472,752 new monthly sign ups in 2017 The low and high months for registrations, in 2017, were April (321,460) and October (636,073) respectively AshleyMadison.com is the original destination for married dating and the global leader for affairs. With more than 54 million member accounts worldwide since 2002, Ashley Madison is the premiere destination for married dating. For more information please contact: Isabella.mise@rubylife.com Ruksina@midas-pr.com Tel 080-304-8870 TOKYO, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Jack Ma, founder and chairman of China's e-commerce giant Alibaba Group, discussed entrepreneurship with Japanese young business starters at Waseda University here on Wednesday. During his dialogue with the young entrepreneurs, Ma said that an entrepreneur needs to have the combination of EQ, IQ, and what he called LQ, or the ability to win love and respect from people. But what's particularly important is to have a vision that is different from other people and be committed to this vision, Ma noted. "As an entrepreneur, you have to believe what you have believed, not because of what other people said, not because of money, but because you can make things different, and you can do things differently." Hiroki Imabayashi, a doctorate candidate at Waseda University and CEO of an artificial intelligence data security company, asked Ma about how to select team members that one can trust. "If you want to trust people, the first thing you should do is to make your people trust you," Ma replied, adding that it's the target or mission that brings people together. Seiya Ashikari, also a doctorate candidate, started a company to make insects into fish feeds. He asked Ma about the prospect of having insects as human food to solve the global food crisis. "The bigger problem you want to solve for the world, the bigger your company could be, and with large company comes large responsibilities," Ma acclaimed the young entrepreneur's sense of social responsibility. "With growing global population, food crisis is indeed something that's worth thinking." Ma also encouraged young entrepreneurs to pursue their dreams and never give up, but not to blindly start a business. "It's not easy. Don't think you can become an entrepreneur if you have an idea, but you can join a team that has the idea and gain some experience," he said. "I was happy and excited to be able to ask Mr. Ma some questions and get his suggestions on my business. I will start following his advice from tomorrow," said Imabayashi after the discussions. "I was really inspired by what Mr. Ma said. I learnt from him that we should stick to our vision that is beneficial for the society," said Ashikari. Emy Tamaki, associate professor of Waseda University, said that Ma pointed out universities should focus more on the research most needed by enterprises and industries, and she would like to give more guidance to her students in this regard in the future. Ma answered questions at the discussion attended by some 1,200-people audience at the auditorium on a number of issues, including chip development, health industry, employment, and business operation, among others. [ Editor: Xueying ] WASHINGTON, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov on Wednesday criticized the "unfriendly" U.S. entry into the former Russian Consulate residence in Seattle, media said. The U.S. officials' intrusion was "nonconstructive and unfriendly ... anti-Russian actions," the ambassador was quoted as saying by Russian media outlet Sputnik at a ceremony commemorating the Elbe Day, which heralded the efforts of U.S. and Soviet Union troops to end World War II. "They entered in breach of all international conventions and agreements," Antonov said. Earlier on Wednesday, officials with the U.S. Department of State drilled out the lock on the front gate to the consulate in downtown Seattle in the western state of Washington, and entered the main residence building. The move came a day after Russian diplomats left the residence following an order by U.S. President Donald Trump to cease operation of the consulate and vacate it by April 25. U.S. State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert tweeted that the officials "walked through the property ... to confirm it had been vacated," adding that it was not an invasion, but "a firm, lawful response to Russia's continuing outrageous behavior." The consulate office closed earlier this month amid escalating tensions between the two sides, after Washington and some Western nations accused Russia of being involved in the poisoning of a former Russian spy and his daughter in Britain last month. Moscow denied any involvement in the incident, and recently accused British secret services of conducting the attack to discredit Russia. Following the poisoning case, the Trump administration expelled 60 Russian diplomats in the country, while Moscow responded in retaliation by expelling the same number of U.S. diplomats. The Russian Consulate in Seattle was opened in December 1992 as the first new Russian diplomatic mission in the western United States in the post-Soviet era. [ Editor: WPY ] This is the 20th time Vietnam has taken part in the event. Over the past five years, the Vietnamese corner is one of the ten biggest in the expo. This years event brought together more than 1,850 units from 79 countries and territories worldwide. It is expected to draw over 28,000 visitors, including European seafood distributors and processors who come to seek business opportunities. At the opening ceremony, Vietnamese Ambassador to Belgium Vu Anh Quang visited Vietnamese booths, pledging that the Vietnamese Embassy will try its best to facilitate the access of Vietnamese products to the European market. To Tuong Lan, Deputy Secretary General of the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), said that the expo is very useful as it helps businesses promote their products and explore the taste of consumers, urging Vietnamese enterprises to grasp market trends in order to introduce suitable products. Statistics show that Europe was Vietnams biggest seafood importer in 2017 with a turnover of US$1.5 billion. 2018 is expected to be a promising year for Vietnams shrimp exports. In September 2017, the European Commission issued a yellow card warning Vietnam for failing to progress in fighting illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. After April 23, the EU will assess Vietnams efforts to fight IUU fishing. The "yellow card" is followed by a "green card" if the problem is resolved or a "red card" if it isnt. A red card can lead to a trade ban on fishery products. The suspected California serial killer dubbed the "Golden State Killer" was born in Upstate New York, records show. Joseph James DeAngelo Jr. was arrested Wednesday in connection with 12 murders and dozens of rapes that haunted California in the 1970s and 1980s. The 72-year-old accused serial rapist and killer has lived in the Sacramento area for most of his life, reported The Sacramento Bee. But DeAngelo was born in Bath, New York -- a town in Steuben County in the Finger Lakes -- before he moved to California as a child, according to The Exeter Sun's archives. DeAngelo, then 27, was profiled in a 1973 story in The Exeter Sun. At the time, he was working as a new officer at the Exeter Police Department. "James DeAngelo Jr. believes that without law and order there can be no government and without a democratic government there can be no freedom," the newspaper wrote. "Law enforcement is his career, he says, and his job is serving the community." The FBI said the Golden State Killer, also known as the East Area Rapist, has been linked to 45 rapes, 12 deaths and a slew of burglaries across California. The crimes started in the summer of 1976 with a spree of rapes and burglaries in the Sacramento area. The attacks appeared to end in 1986, according to the FBI, when the killer beat 18-year-old Janelle Cruz to death inside her home. DeAngelo worked as a police officer in Auburn. Calif. until 1979, when he was fired for stealing from a drugstore, reported the Los Angeles Times. So far, police have charged DeAngelo with eight counts of murder in three California counties. Ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo on Wednesday asked the people of the South East geopolitical zone to vote out President Muhammadu Buhari ... Ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo on Wednesday asked the people of the South East geopolitical zone to vote out President Muhammadu Buhari in the 2019 general elections in their own interest.Speaking at a meeting of the Coalition of Nigerian Moment in Awka, Anambra State, Obasanjo said the Igbo would be the most beneficiary in Buharis ouster.He asked the Igbo not to believe the promise that the Igbo would produce the President in 2023, describing it as a grand deceit and evil machination.Speaking through the South East convener of CNM, Dr. Okey Nwosu, the ex-president asked the people of the zone to collectively work with the CNM towards ousting Buhari from office in the 2019 general elections..He accused the All Progressives Congress government of perpetrating carnage and wanton destruction of lives and property across the country.He said, The meeting is a wake-up call for NdIgbo to dump APC and collaborate with CNM, which is the best alternative for their rescue from poverty, hunger, recklessness and ethnic cleansing in the hands of the Hausa/Fulani marauders.Every Nigerian leader is very much embarrassed with the state of the nation where people are attacked, killed, raped and made refuges in their own homes.Political leaders must advocate action against these senseless killings and seek how to design a new democratic action plan to ensure we take care of this conundrum democratically, and say, Enough is enough.If unchecked, these unethical activities will lead to the destruction of the country. It does not augur well for Nigerias development.He said the objective of CNM was mostly on how to sack Buhari from Aso Rock in 2019 and ensure that a visionary government is elected.He added, Nigerias eminent personalities, including Generals Yakubu Gowon, Ibrahim Babangida and T.Y. Danjuma have all spoken and condemned the killings and destruction in the country.If these people can say that the nation needs to be saved from these calamities, the South-East geo-political zone must add their voice to the clarion call.He said the CNM had mobilised no fewer than five million Nigerians to realise its objectives in 2019. The People Democratic Party (PDP) has urged the people of the South-East not to allow themselves to be taken for a ride by the Presidency with the claim that its support for President Muhammadu Buharis re-election bid would help facilitate the Igbo quest to have one of its own occupy the highest seat of power.The party also challenged the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to demonstrate its new found love for the South-East by ensuring the implementation of the 2014 confab report, part of which recommendation is the rotation of the Presidency among the six geo-political zones.In an exclusive chat with Vanguard on Thursday, National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan said if the ruling party is truly in support of the Igbo Presidential aspiration, it should forward the report to the National Assembly for possible input in the amendment of the 1999 constitution.He said: The South-East is a traditional stronghold of the PDP and APC on realizing this is coming up with all forms of gimmicks to garner the votes of the South-East. Does APC look like a party that believe in the minority rights? If APC believes in the minority rights, they should go and dust up the 2014 confab report and begin its implementation.The question surrounding the possibility of the South-East producing the President is answered in the 2014 confab report. They should take up that report and begin the implementation or forward the report to the National Assembly, and allow the lawmakers to make use of same in amending the relevant provisions of the 1999 constitution.While urging the people to embrace the PDP platform, the publicity scribe argued that the South-East would continue to receive the attention of the party, arguing that if the South-South could produce the nations first citizen on its platform; there is no reason the South-East would not repeat the feat.That promise to the South-East is not necessary. If they have not done this (implementation of the confab report), they are merely deceiving our brothers in the South-East. But our brothers in the South-East know that the PDP belongs to all Nigerians. They also know that if the South-South can be President, it is equally certain that the South-East can also be President, he stressed. There was outrage across the country yesterday following the spate of killings, especially in Benue State where for the second day run... There was outrage across the country yesterday following the spate of killings, especially in Benue State where for the second day running, gunmen attacked villages, killing 13 people.On Tuesday, 19 people, including two priests, were killed in two attacks in Ukor Mbalon Gwer Local Government Area.The first attack was at dawn during a Catholic mass; the second during a burial.Yesterdays attack took place at Tse Umenger in Mbadwem Council Ward and Mbakpaase in Saghev in Guma Local Government Area, where 13 people were killed, according to Police Commissioner Fatai Owoseni, who spoke to our correspondent on the telephone last night.Also yesterday, seven people were killed in Ihuman village in Awe Local Government Area of Nasarawa State. Killings have been rampant in the area in the last two months.Owoseni said the attacks have gone beyond herders/farmers clashes or communal clashes.It is pure murderous insurgency. These people are enagaged in unconventional warfare and sheer killings, he said.The police chief said some of the villagers disclosed that the attackers came at about 5 a.m.A cross section of the villagers confirmed the attack and said people were killed.One of them, Shaapera Nyon, said the attackers came at about 5a.m while most people were still asleep.He said the residents were woken up by gunshots and the cries of agony from gunshot victims.It was learnt that houses were also razed by the invaders.A survivor, Mrs Bridget Ugbuusu, said the attackers were armed with sophisticated weapons. They shot at every door while it was raining and killed many people who tried to escape .They shot me in the left leg and I fell down; they thought I was dead and later on I tried to escape and they met me again and machete me on my right hand, said Mrs .Ugbuusu.She said one of her four children was killed; three are missing.Mrs Ugbuusu, who is at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi, slumped on hearing that her children was killed.Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Southern and Middle Belt Leaders, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) and fomer Semate President David Mark, among others, expressed strong positions against the killings.CAN called on Chrisians to protest peacefully in churches on Sunday against the killings.CAN President Olasupo Ayokunle, in a statement by his spokesman Adebayo Oladeji, said Sunday had been declared a National Day of Protest against unending killings in the country.The day is to be dedicated to pray for the freedom and liberty of Leah Sharibu, the remaining Chibok girls and others still in captivity of the Boko Haram terrorists. We are already at a breaking point and a state of anomie is almost here, he said.The Christian body said the protest should be peaceful and done within premises of churches. It urged the Federal Government and security agencies to stop the unending killings and bloodshed in the country.Christians are to carry placards with inscriptions meant to address issues about sustained killings, attacks and destruction of their property.The inscriptions on placards could read, Enough of bloodshed in Nigeria, Enough of unlawful killings in the country, FG, Release Leah Sharibu from the bondage, FG, Stop Herdsmen Killings, CAN rejects FGs poor handling of insecurity, etc.Government should be called upon to perform their constitutional responsibility of protecting citizens now. No excuse should be given for this wicked act again and perpetrators must be brought to book now. CAN appealed to the government of President Muhammadu Buhari to mount different effective plans aimed towards disarming herdsmen across the northern states and in communities where they have been wreaking havoc across the country in national interest. Boko Haram Terrorist has launched a daring attack to enter Maiduguri, the Borno State capital. Residents said the insurgents are in a h... Boko Haram Terrorist has launched a daring attack to enter Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.Residents said the insurgents are in a heavy exchange of fire from Molai village along Damboa Biu road.Aliyu a staff of NTA Maiduguri informed that they have been stocked in the office as all access roads have been blocked by security.Another resident who spoke from a heavy hold up in town said they have been locked down by traffic as many residents are hurriedly going home.So far, details of the attack are still sketchy.The army in Maiduguri has however called on the residents of Maiduguri to remain indoors and not panic.Colonel Kingsley Samuel, Deputy Director Army Public Relations in a statement made available to newsmen in Maiduguri assured that the situation s under control, while calling on the public to be vigilant.The statement reads; The general public is please requested not to panic and discountenance rumours of Boko Haram presence.You are further enjoined to please remain at home and be vigilant. The security situation in Maiduguri is under control. Some members of the Senate have asked that the process to impeach President Muhammadu Buhari be started, for failing to get the approval for the withdrawal of $496m from the Excess Crude Account to purchase military aircraft.Senator Mathew Uroghide, who moved a motion at the plenary on Thursday, specifically urged resident of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, to allow the chamber to invoke Section 143 of the Constitution.Uroghide stated that the President had breached Section 80 of the Constitution which stipulates that all governments spending must be appropriated by the legislature.Also, Senator Chukwuka Utazi stated that it was time for the legislature to be decisive.Saraki had on Wednesday read a letter from Buhari in which the President disclosed that the money had been withdrawn and paid to the United States for the 12 Super Tucano aircraft, ahead of legislative approval. This, he said, was done to beat the deadline for the arms deal.The planes will be delivered in 2020.The President said, Recently, approval was granted by the United States government but with a deadline, within which part payment must be made otherwise the contract relapses. In the expectation that the National Assembly will have no objection to the purchase of these highly specialised aircraft, which is critical to national security, I granted anticipatory approval for the release of $496,374,470. This was paid directly into the treasury of the United States government.I am therefore writing seeking approval of the Senate for the sum of $496,374,470 (equivalent to N151,394, 421,035) to be included in the 2018 Appropriation Bill which the National Assembly is currently finalising. The balance of the requirement for critical operational equipment is still being collated from the different security services and will be presented in the form of a supplementary appropriation bill in due cause.Senator Shehu Sani has described the expenditure as a gross abuse of the Constitution.While Sani stated that he was not in support of the impeachment call, he asked that the money should be refunded and the transaction started afresh to allow due process.Senator Abu Ibrahim, however, recalled that former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan made withdrawals from the ECA without seeking National Assemblys approval.Describing the impeachment as a PDP conspiracy, Ibrahim challenged the opposition lawmakers to name any state governor who benefited from the withdrawals from the ECA and sought the approval of the state House of Assembly before spending the money. The request was part of Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dungs directions on the three planned urban rail lines in Hanoi. He said the capital city is facing greater pressure on its transport system as a result of an increasing population and a growing number of private cars and motorbikes. Therefore the city needs to modernise its public transport system, including the urban rail network, in order to ease traffic congestion. Deputy PM Dung added that constructing rail lines requires huge costs while the state budget is limited, therefore it is necessary to call for private funding in order to finance rail projects and the citys transport infrastructure in general. He asked the municipal authorities to promptly complete the projects documents to submit them to the National Assembly for approval at its year-end meeting, while continuing with other tasks such as technical design. In his instructions, Deputy PM Dung also asked the Hanoi government and the transport ministry to continue dealing with the problems plaguing the two metro lines currently under construction, namely the Nhon-Hanoi Station Line and Cat Linh-Ha Dong Line. Payment of April salary to civil servants may be delayed as the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) has for the second month i... Payment of April salary to civil servants may be delayed as the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) has for the second month in a row rejected the revenue figures presented by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). In March, the FAAC meeting had ended in a deadlock because of a shortfall of N37.7 billion in NNPC remittances until Kemi Adeosun, minister of finance, intervened. Yunusa Mahmoud, chairman, Finance Commissioners Forum, who confirmed the postponement on Wednesday, said the situation had resulted in a meeting of governors and top officials of the NNPC. We have some challenges, the figures we have gotten is far below what we expected to be remitted by NNPC. As it is now, there is a meeting between the governors and the top management of NNPC at the state house, he told journalists. I believe this is a very high-level deliberation and something good will come out of it. Before now, you did not hear such news, but because this government is a government of change, some level of transparency is expected. When you pick your figures and you submit your figures, the person that is supposed to look at it and deliberate on it will ask questions if need be. However, Mahmoud did not describe the situation as insincerity on the part of the NNPC, saying it could be an error. I dont want to use the word insincerity. What happened could be an error. If one party is wrong, the other party is right; if you add it together at the end of the day you make progress, he said. The last FAAC meeting was postponed twice and at the end of the day, we made progress. In the spirit of Easter, we held a meeting, because we were looking at the plight of the workers that were supposed to receive their salaries as and when due, but based on the submission we have now, some states will not pay salaries now. The Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, on Thursday, gave the Federal Government the nod to produce and display weapons that were allegedly recovered from the residence of the detained former National Security Adviser, NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki, retd.Justice Ahmed Mohammed fixed May 22 for FG to tender the weapons which are currently in the custody of the Department of State Services, DSS, as exhibits in the ongoing trial of the embattled ex-NSA.FG had in the charge before the court, alleged that Dasuki was on July 17, 2015, at his house situated at No. 13, John Khadiya Street, Asokoro, Abuja, found to be in possession of various range of firearms without requisite license, an offence punishable under section 27 (1)(a) of the Firearms Act Cap F28 LFN 2004.He was accused of retaining the sums of $40,000, N5millon and another $20,000 in the same house and same date, contrary to section 15 (2)(d) of Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011.FG further alleged that the ex-NSA had on July 16, 2015, at his residence at Sultan Abubakar Road and Sabon Birni Road, Sokoto State, retained another $150,000 and N37.6m being part of proceedings of unlawful act, contrary to Section 15 (3) of the Money Laundering Act 2011.It listed the alleged illegal arms it found at Dasukis residence in Abuja as five Tavor Assault Rifles, 1 Macro Uzi with serial No 60244(Rifle), 20 magazines (Ammunition), 1 packet of MOD (Ministry of Defence) APG calibre gun, Luger No 033375 ( gun), small magazine containing 16 rounds of ammunition, and bigger magazine containing live rounds of ammunition.At the resumed hearing on the matter, Dasuki, through his lawyer, Mr. Adeola Adedipe, opposed any public display of the said arms and ammunition that were recovered from his house.Dasuki said his stance was based on the fact that the court allowed his trial to be conducted in semi-secrecy, with all the witnesses testifying behind a screen.Relying on sections 190 of the Evidence Act, 232 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA, 2015, and section 36 of the 1999 constitution, as amended, Dasuki, contended that going by the nature of his trial, the weapons ought to be displayed inside the Judges chamber rather than in the open court.However, the prosecution counsel, Mr. Okpeseyi Oladipupo, SAN, urged the court to dismiss Dasukis objection, maintaining that the only thing not permitted to be displayed in the open court in such trial, are official records of the state and not items recovered in the house of a suspect during investigation.In his ruling, Justice Mohammed said it was in the interest of justice and fair play to both the prosecution and the defense that the alleged weapons be displayed before the court.He held that Dasuki, being the defendant in the case, would not suffer any prejudice if the alleged weapons are displayed and tendered as exhibit by those who investigated the allegations against him.Besides, Justice Mohammed said the weapons were listed in the proof of evidence already made available to the ex-NSA by the prosecution.Earlier, a prosecution witness, Mr Williams Obiara who is a DSS operative, told the court that he was a member of the team that was directed by the Director General of DSS in 2015 to carry out a search operation at Dasukis house.He said the search followed an intelligence report that weapons injurious to national security were kept in the former NSAs house.The witness who testified behind a veil, said his team, led by one Ali Burara, after they had secured a search warrant, stormed Dasukis residence at Asokoro in Abuja where he said they met a retinue of armed soldiers.He said the soldiers initially prevented then from conducting the search.The witness told the court that after about 3hours, a military truck arrived the house and moved the soldiers out of the house to pave way for the search operation.According to him, all the weapons that were recovered during the operation, were recorded on the search warrant.FG had shortly after Dasuki pleaded not guilty to the charge, applied through a motion dated June 3, 2016, for the witnesses to be allowed to testify behind a screen that will be provided by the court.It told the court that Dasuki is a crowned prince of the Sokoto caliphate who has large followers both within and outside the country that may be aggrieved.FG decried that most of the witnesses, being security operatives, were scared that they could be hunted by people that are sympathetic to the defendant.Besides, FG alleged that Dasuki imported sophisticated firearms while he held sway as the NSA, saying most of the firearms have not been accounted for and could be in th possession of those sympathetic to the defendant. Controversial Nigerian senator representing Kogi West, Senator Dino Melaye has said that he has not been allowed to see his family, his ... Controversial Nigerian senator representing Kogi West, Senator Dino Melaye has said that he has not been allowed to see his family, his lawyers.He also said that he has been denied food at the National Hospital in Abuja where the operatives of the Nigeria Police moved him to yesterday.The Senator tweeting on his Twitter handle said that he was at the Trauma section of the intensive care unit of the national hospital. Senator Oluremi Tinubu, from Lagos State, has warned lawmakers against linking the travails of embattled Kogi West Senator, Dino Melaye to... Senator Oluremi Tinubu, from Lagos State, has warned lawmakers against linking the travails of embattled Kogi West Senator, Dino Melaye to the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government. The lawmaker, who is the wife of Bola Tinubu, national leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, gave the warning while the senate deliberated on the matter, on Wednesday. According to Tinubu, If we are talking about a particular issue, we should stay with it but when we are bringing in a government that a lot of people supported to be here, using whatever happened to implicate the government, I think I am against that. We should face the issues. I am not in support of what happened to Dino. If we have anything against the executive, we have the leadership here who is supposed to go and meet with Mr. President. This government is only three years old compared to 16 years of rot. It has only been in power for 3 years and inherited a lot of trouble. Melaye is currently at the intensive unit of the National Hospital, Abuja, after he allegedly jumped off a police vehicle while being transported to Lokoja, the Kogi State capital to face criminal charges. Bandits suspected to be Fulani herdsmen on Wednesday attacked Tiv farmers at Ihuman village in the Awe Local Government Area of Nasarawa ... Bandits suspected to be Fulani herdsmen on Wednesday attacked Tiv farmers at Ihuman village in the Awe Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, killing seven persons.It was learnt that the attackers, armed with sophisticated weapons, invaded the community at about 5pm, shooting at the villagers.Investigation also revealed that the victims, who had been taking refuge at Kange town in the Awe Local Government Area following attacks on Tiv communities in the Southern Senatorial Zone of the state, had gone back to the village to take some food items in their homes when the attackers emerged from the bush and opened fire on them.One of the residents of the area, Mr. Philip Dodo, who survived the attack, informed newsmen hat three of his relations were still missing.Confirming the attack to newsmen, the President of the Tiv Youth Organisation in Nasarawa State, Peter Ahemba, described the attacks as unfortunate.He said, For us the indigenous Tiv people of Nasarawa State, we have no any other place to run to, and that is why we continuously count on our Governor, Tanko Al-Makura, for a solution to this unfortunate development.We appreciate the efforts being made by the state government and other stakeholders towards the restoration of peace to our communities but we can only stop crying to the authorities when a solution is finally found.The Police Public Relations Officer, Nasarawa State Command, John Kennedy, told our correspondent on the telephone that he had not been briefed about the attack.He said, The command has yet to be briefed on the attack on Ihuman village in the Awe Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.Meanwhile, the death toll in the communal clashes in the Toto Local Government Area of the state has risen to 30, Bassa community has claimed.Investigation revealed that the crisis started with an attack on Sebu village at about 10.30pm on Monday.The Public Relations Officer of the Bassa Cultural and Development Union in Nasarawa State, Duniya Moreh, disclosed this in a statement issued in Lafia on Wednesday.He said, No fewer than 30 Bassa persons have been murdered with many still missing and unaccounted for. This figure includes women and children, whom it is universally accepted, should be spared and unharmed in a situation of crisis.It is disheartening that over 50,000 Bassa persons are currently displaced and living in the surrounding local government areas of the state. Many more are still in the bushes trying to find their way out of the local government area.He traced the crisis to an inter-communal clash that took place in Kogi State.True to their threats, the Egbura, on Sunday, April 22, 2018, kidnapped two Bassa brothers from the same parents who are residing in Umaisha town. The boys, Ephraim Gunu and Manaseh Gunu, have not been found till date and are presumed to have been murdered.It was also learnt that unidentified gunmen attacked Bassa village at about 5.30am on Monday.Following the development, a former Nigeria Ambassador to Poland, Dr Samuel Jimba, called on both the national and state emergency management agencies to immediately open up Internally Displaced Persons camps within the local government and send relief materials to the victims of the clash scattered in various parts of the state and the Federal Capital Territory.He called for a total cessation of the clashes and a return to dialogue towards lasting peace in the Toto Local Government Area. National President, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, MACBAN, Alhaji Mohammadu Kiruwa has disclosed that the Sultan o... National President, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, MACBAN, Alhaji Mohammadu Kiruwa has disclosed that the Sultan of Sokoto, Mohammadu Saad Abubakar III, has given them two months to fish out criminal elements among herdsmen in the country. The National Secretary of MACBAN, Alhaji Baba Othman Ngelzarma, made the disclosure during a stakeholders meeting between the farmers and herdsmen held at the instance of the Edo State Police Command to foster peace in the various communities in the state. He said they were duty bound to proffer lasting solutions to the incessant herdsmen attacks on innocent citizens in the country. The Sultan of Sokoto has given us two months mandate to fish out criminal elements among the herdsmen in the country. If those things that have been alleged have been done by the herdsmen we must do all we could to fish out the criminal elements. He has given us the mandate and, in two months time, he wants us to give him results, Kiruwa said. Kiruwa said they were in Edo State to sensitize herdsmen on how to avoid conflict and live peacefully with the people of their host communities. We are here in Edo State for the past three days. We came in respect of what is happening across the states. We have talked with our members and have also heard from them. We also taught them how we want them to behave because they are at the receiving end when trouble starts. Because they move with all they have in this whole world, which are the cows, children and their families. We are here, mediating between the farmers and the herders in Odighi and the rest. I am sure that from now on, things will begin to change. This is just the beginning and we are going to sustain it. We are here for peace, we are here to condemn the atrocities in whatever forms by whoever. We are not a terrorist group, but we are peace-loving association and that is why we have his eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto, as the Chairman, Board of Trustees, of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeder Association, and we have other members like the Emir of Kano. We have the Lamido of Adamawa and the Emir of Katsina. These are other members of trustees of the association. This association has been in existence for over 30 years. So, it is a peaceful association. We do not condone violence and we condemn violence by whoever, either by a cattle herder or a farmer. We are not a party to violence. We see violence being perpetrated by criminals wherever they take place because, what a lot of people do not know, our members are at the receiving end of most of these crises. Today, it is on record that our members have lost about two million cows as a result of cattle rustling. Our members also suffer from the hands of the kidnappers. Our members were not spared by the farmers and cattle breeders dispute. Though we know we have our faults there because of the relationship between the tongue and teeth, so, such a thing is bound to happen. They have the habit of making destruction in farmlands, and these are things that we always condemn; more especially we are not a party and we do not like night grazing. We always kick against night grazing because, of all these ones that is why we have a lot of problems. And at times, allowing minors to go on grazing, that is what is causing most of the problems and, above all, when all these are not there when the relationship is good, they settle in the farms, they see each other, shake hands and continue to live; but today, because of so many things, politicians have made this crisis a fertile ground. The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has given approval to the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NAPRED) and... The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has given approval to the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NAPRED) and May and Baker Plc to scale up the commercialisation and marketing of Niprisan, an anti-sickle cell drug for the treatment of sickle cell patients in Nigeria.This was revealed on Wednesday by the Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, while addressing State House correspondents at the end of FEC meeting, held inside the council chamber of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.Mr Adewole said FEC gave the licensing agreement to NAPRED and May and Baker Plc to produce the drugs in commercial scale with the aim of reducing the burden of the disease in Africa and other parts of the world where the disease is common.Mr Adewole explained that sickle cell disease is a common problem particularly among blacks in Africa, South East Asia and Latin America.It is estimated that about 25 per cent of Nigerians carry the sickle cell gene and over two million people have sickle cell anemia that is having the two genes combined. For many of them, when they are under stress, take ill, what happens is invariably they develop severe bone crisis, they develop infection and some of them die from it, he said.According to Mr Adewole, the drug was first used in Oyo State over 20 years ago and NAPRED conducted clinical trials to ensure that they were able to document that the drug is safe, efficacious and was licensed at an international organisation which went into bankruptcy.What we have done is to reactivate the product and it will now be marketed in Nigeria through this agreement and we believe that the marketing and production in Nigeria will bring a lot of comfort to millions of Nigerians who are infected with sickle cell gene, he said.Mr Adewole said the approval of Naprisan is coming at the eve of an approval granted by government to establish a department of traditional medicine in the Federal Ministry of Health.This will be the first time that this will happen and that department will really provide us the leeway to research into many of our traditional products and the first mandate of this department will be to look into cure for malaria in our forest, he said.Also, the minister said the council approved the construction of a Trauma Centre at Federal Medical Centre, Owerri.The construction cost is totaled at N840.8 million and the centre must be completed within 48 weeks.Mr Adewole said the new centre is expect to serve as a first class centre for the care of accident and trauma cases along Port Harcourt, Owerri, Enugu axis.The establishment of the centre along that axis is expected to change the dynamics of trauma and accident care in these areas, he said. President Muhammadu Buharis Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, has said his principal will respond appropriat... President Muhammadu Buharis Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, has said his principal will respond appropriately when officially summoned by the House of Representatives. Adesina stated this in an interview with Channels Televisions Politics Today on Wednesday night. Members of the House of Representatives decided to summon the Buhari in reaction to the continued killings in Benue and other parts of the country. Asked if the President would appear before the lawmakers, Adesina said the House had not communicated the summon to Buhari yet. It is a development that just happened and almost throughout the day we have been in the Federal Executive Council meeting. That meeting did not rise until after 5pm. So, it was after 5pm when I got back to my office that I saw that news scrolling on the television. That means that the President himself hadnt heard of it at that time. So, when the lawmakers the Houses of Representatives communicate their decision to the President, it would be handled appropriately, he said. Although Adesina acknowledged the right of the lawmakers to summon anybody to appear before them, he did not say whether the President would honour their summon if it is communicated to him. It is democracy in action. The House has the right to ask anybody to appear and the President is holding the position as a trust for Nigerians. It is the mandate of Nigerians that he is holding. The 12-year-old boy who died after he was hit by a truck Tuesday had just moved to Garfield, police said. A release from Garfield Police Chief Raymond Kovach stated the boy, whose name has not been released, was riding his bicycle east on the sidewalk on Lanza Avenue. The truck, also heading east, was traveling alongside him when the driver made a right turn onto Pleasant Avenue and hit the boy as he started crossing the street. &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;span id="mce_marker" data-mce-type="bookmark"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;E&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/span&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; The boy was pronounced dead at the scene and was taken to the Bergen County Medical Examiner's Office in Paramus, Kovach said. The driver of the truck, who has only been identified as a 43-year-old man, cooperated with authorities and declined to be taken to the hospital. Kovach said the driver is not facing any charges at this time. The chief said the boy's family had recently relocated to Garfield and that they were in the process of enrolling him in the school district. Grief counselors were on hand at schools on Wednesday, he added. Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @chrisrsheldon Find NJ.com on Facebook. As 12-year-old Elios Xhemollari rode his bicycle on a sidewalk in Garfield, his mother was nearby cleaning a new apartment where the family would live. Elios Xhemollari Elios had recently moved to New Jersey from Albania and the Xhemollaris were setting up residence in Garfield. "The family was in the process of enrolling the child into the Garfield school district," said City Police Chief Raymond S. Kovach. Elios was hit by a box truck about 1:15 p.m. Tuesday as he rode his bike east on Lanza Avenue near a mixed-use area made up of homes, a factory and a delicatessen. He died at the scene. The 43-year-old truck driver, who has not been charged, was driving on Pleasant Avenue, when he turned and struck the boy, according to Garfield police. Police say the investigation is continuing. "He was such an amazing little guy," said family friend Elona Gjekaj of East Rutherford. "He was so friendly, very energetic." If Elios had one fault, Gjekaj said, it was that he wanted to take in everything all at once. "He wanted to explore, do things. He was not staying home trying to adapt to things little by little," she said. "He just wanted to grasp things all at once." So, as his mother cleaned their new home, Elios hopped on his bike and rode through the streets of Garfield, ultimately meeting a tragic end, Gjekaj said. On Wednesday, Gjekaj created a GoFundMe page to raise money for funeral and other expenses. In less than 24 hours, the page had exceeded its goal by raising more than $66,000 from 1,070 donors. "(Elios) moved from Albania to the U.S. five days ago for a better future and life," Gjekaj wrote on GoFundMe. "As his family was adjusting and trying to begin their life here a tragedy happened. We are all devastated and heartbroken." Elios was the son of Besnik and Florida Xhemollari, who moved here from Albania with another son, age 17, after the family won green cards through their country's lottery system, Gjekaj said. The family has no plans to go back to Albania, she added. "It would be harder for them to go back," Gjekaj said. "The opportunity is here, even without their son. To take the body and go back would be too hard." A funeral is planned for 9 a.m. Friday at the Albanian American Islamic Center, 43 Monroe St., Garfield. In announcing services, Gjekaj said she couldn't be more grateful to those who donated. "I truly appreciate all the help and the generosity for this tragedy that has touched our hearts," she said. Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook. The diplomat made the remarks at a reception for consultants and assistants of parliamentarians offices and major committees of the USs Senate and House of Representatives on April 23. He praised the role played by the consultants and assistants as well as their contributions to promoting the comprehensive partnership between Vietnam and the US across fields over the past time. Ambassador Vinh noted his hope that the relationship will be consolidated and enhanced following high-level visits, especially the official visit to the US by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc in May 2017, and President Donald Trumps State visit to Vietnam and his attendance in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders Meeting in November 2017. The diplomat said he wishes to welcome the delegations of parliamentarians and parliamentarians assistants in Vietnam, expressing his hope that the visit will contribute to fostering the Vietnam-US relations in all fields, both bilaterally and multilaterally, for the sake of the two countries, and for peace and stability in Asia-Pacific. At the meeting, the US consultants and assistants affirmed the support of the US Congress and ruling parties for the bilateral relationship. They also applauded socio-economic achievements Vietnam has recorded as well as its role in region, saying they will work harder to contribute to boosting the relations across fields from politics, diplomacy, economic-trade, national defence-security, education, science-technology and people-to-people exchange, to regional and international issues. A grand jury has brought murder charges against a father and son accused of stabbing two New York men during a fight in February. Supreme Life, 56, and son Antoine Ketler, 33, got in a fight outside their home on Coriander Drive in Lumberton on Feb. 4, the Burlington County Prosecutor's Office announced. They fought with Moriah Walker, 26, of Brooklyn and Raheem Williams, 23, of Queens. Walker died from his injuries at Cooper University Hospital, while Williams was released after surgery. Prosecutors say Life wielded the knife and stabbed Walker and Williams. In addition to the murder charge, the grand jury charged the men with attempted murder and added multiple weapons charges for Life. The men will be arraigned "soon" in Superior Court in Mount Holly, officials 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 UPDATE: Newark shooting claims lives of brothers, ages 20 and 21 One person was shot and killed and another wounded Wednesday night in Newark, according to the Essex County Prosecutor's Office. Essex County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Thomas Fennelly said his office is investigating the shooting which occurred on Bergen Street. Fennelly said when police arrived on the scene they found one person dead and another having suffered gunshot wounds. Both of their names have not been released. The investigation is still in its early stages and Fennelly said he could not release additional information as of Wednesday night. Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @chrisrsheldon Find NJ.com on Facebook. A New Jersey woman was arrested Wednesday for her alleged role in an international smuggling ring that shipped more than $2 million worth of aircraft parts from the United States to Iran, a violation of sanctions against the country, federal officials said. Joyce Eliabachus faces charges of conspiracy to violate Iranian transactions and sanctions regulations, conspiracy to commit money laundering and conspiracy to smuggle goods from the United States, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Newark. She was released on $100,000 unsecured bond with home confinement after a court hearing. The 55-year-old Morristown resident served as principal officer and operator of Edsun Equipments LLC, an aviation parts trading business Eliabachus ran from her home, according to a criminal complaint. She is accused of working in a "sophisticated" network that covertly moved large amounts of plane components from U.S. companies to Iran through freight-forwarding businesses in United Arab Emirates and Turkey. In a statement, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito said some of the parts went to an airline which provides various support to Iran's powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The scheme involved at least 49 shipments of approximately 25,500 aircraft parts from the U.S. to Iran between May 2015 and October, according to the complaint. Those shipments were made without proper licenses. Eliabachus worked with an Iranian procurement firm, which had clients that are designated as threats to U.S. national security, foreign policy or economic interests, according to prosecutors. After the Iranian Revolution, the U.S. has imposed sanctions banning various dealings with the county. "This arrest will cut-off a key supplier to a proliferation network which illegally sold U.S. origin items to Iran," said Jonathan Carson, special agent in charge of the federal Commerce Department's Office of Export Enforcement in New York. "Violations such as these jeopardize national security and undermine U.S. foreign policy. We will continue to vigorously pursue violators wherever they may be." Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Every 40 seconds, someone in the United States experiences a stroke. On Friday, April 20, that someone was Danny Farquhar, Chicago White Sox relief pitcher, shortly after he stepped off the mound as his team faced the Astros. "Reports tell us Danny was vomiting in the dugout before he passed out and was rushed to the hospital. These are telltale signs of a brain bleed," said Dr. Paul Saphier, a board-certified endovascular neurosurgeon and stroke specialist at Atlantic NeuroSurgical Specialists (ANS), one of the most advanced neurosurgical practices in the country. Dr. Saphier recently spoke with NJ Advance Media about brain bleeds, providing baseline information everyone should know. Q: How dangerous and common are strokes and brain bleeds? Dr. Paul Saphier, endovascular neurosurgeon, stroke specialist, Atlantic NeuroSurgical Specialists A: The majority of strokes, about 87 percent, are ischemic strokes, which occur when there is a blockage in a blood vessel leading to the brain. This scenario -- for example, a blood clot in the brain -- is what most people think of when they think about a stroke. But the 'other' type, hemorrhagic strokes, also called brain bleeds, are no less worthy of attention . Unfortunately, Danny's situation shows us exactly why. Q: What causes a hemorrhagic stroke, or 'brain bleed'? A: Hemorrhagic strokes occur when blood escapes from the blood vessels into the brain. It can be the result of an aneurysm -- a weakening in the wall of a blood vessel -- which can rupture and allow blood to escape; high blood pressure, which, over time, weakens the smallest vessel; blood-thinning medication; vascular malformation, in which there is stress on blood vessel walls; or abnormal deposition of material into blood vessel walls. Brain bleeds are often associated with head trauma in people younger than age 50. Sometimes, no exact cause is determined. Q: Who is most likely to have a brain bleed? A: In general, the risk factors associated with hemorrhagic strokes are age 50 and older, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, blood-thinning medications and family history of brain bleeds. Q: What are the symptoms of a brain bleed? A: Brain bleeds often are associated with severe headaches, vomiting, altered mental status, confusion and disorientation, paralysis or weakness, issues with speaking or understanding speech, and increased lethargy or sleepiness. In severe cases, brain bleeds can lead to coma or even sudden death. Q: What should someone do if they think someone is experiencing a brain bleed? A: Dial 911 and seek emergency medical care at the closest emergency department and/or hospital. Q: What type of doctors treat brain bleeds? A: Neurosurgeons, or neurological surgeons, are specialists trained to treat brain bleeding and the associated disorders of the brain's blood vessels. Some neurosurgeons not only perform traditional 'open' surgeries, but also endovascular or catheter procedures. These surgeons are referred to as endovascular neurosurgeons. Q: How are brain bleeds treated? A: The root cause must be addressed. Brain aneurysms, for example, can be repaired using traditional surgery or endovascular therapy, which treats the aneurysm using a catheter inserted near the groin that travels up to the brain. If a vascular malformation is present, this may require surgical removal, treatment with endovascular therapies or even radiation therapy. The course of treatment depends on the individual case, so patients and their caretakers should review all available options with their doctor before they commit to a course of action. While everyone who has had bleeding in the brain is confronted with a life-threatening, emergency condition, patients can -- and do -- make tremendous recoveries. Many patients continue to live healthy, functional and independent lives, and we certainly hope that is the case for Danny. For more information on innovative stroke and neurovascular treatments, visit ansdocs.com/neurovascular_center.php. HOBOKEN -- City officials are hoping Hoboken becomes the first municipality in the state to require single-occupancy bathrooms be labeled as gender neutral in an effort to be more inclusive to the transgender community. Mayor Ravi Bhalla signed an executive order Wednesday morning putting the policy, which affects all city-owned single-occupancy bathrooms, into effect immediately. Bhalla plans to institute the same policy in private businesses and restaurants as early as next month through a city ordinance. "The trans community remains one of the most systemically persecuted groups in the country," Bhalla said. "They deserve our respect. They deserve our support. And they deserve our protection." The executive order would only immediately affect "a few" restrooms. City officials say the measure is just one to further respect the rights of the transgender community. The citywide ordinance will be introduced for a first reading on May 2 and is being sponsored by First Ward Councilman Michael DeFusco and Councilwoman-at-large Emily Jabbour. A second reading of the ordinance and public hearing would be held May 16. If it passes during that meeting, Bhalla intends to sign to measure the following day. DeFusco, the city's first openly gay councilman, called the ordinance a "small and symbolic, meaningful step" toward equality. He says he plans to introduce another ordinance that would add a trans-inclusive healthcare program for city employees. "This is a great first step, but we have a lot of steps ahead of us to truly make us a place that is welcoming for all of us," DeFusco said. City officials have not met with business owners to discuss the proposed changes, but do not anticipate much resistance. La Casa, a small restaurant on Newark Street one block away from city hall, only has one bathroom that is already marked with a gender-neutral sign. Manager Alan Fox, who has worked in Hoboken businesses for more than two decades, approves of the city's plan. "Everyone should feel comfortable when they are out," Fox said. "There's no reason to feel uncomfortable going anywhere." Caitlin Mota may be reached at cmota@jjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter @caitlin_mota. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook. Lincoln High School is on lockdown after police were made aware of a threat that a person was going to the school to shoot a student, sources at the scene said. The freshman academy and high school are being searched by police for a gunman after it was reported that there was a shooting threat posted on Facebook. Sources at the scene said a student from Snyder High School is the one who posted the threat and may be in the building. According to police radio transmissions, police are stationed on every floor of the buildings and at all the exits. The school has been locked down since 1 p.m. The parent of a student at the school said that the girl and her classmates are huddled in a corner and have little information of what's going on outside their classroom. Jersey City school district spokeswoman Maryann Dickar confirmed that the school was on lockdown, but added that she had no other information. Jersey City police did not immediately respond to requests for more information. UPDATE: Students were dismissed at 2:40 p.m. after what Jersey City police spokeswoman Kimberly Wallace-Scalcione called a "precautionary lockdown." She said the police were searching "a young male for possibly trespassing." JERSEY CITY -- A 44-year-old Jersey City sex offender deemed "a danger to the community" has again been arrested on charges he moved from his residence without notifying his parole officer as required under Megan's Law. Raymond Gorczycki, whose last address was on the 100 block of Old Bergen Road, was released from prison on May 22, 2017 and he was released from electronic monitoring on Dec. 8, 2017, the criminal complaint says. He was ordered to report to his parole officer on Jan. 5, 2018 and a warrant for his arrest was issued when he didn't show up. He was arrested and remanded to prison for the same offense in January of 2016, the complaint says. "Due to his history of sexual assault against a minor, his extensive drug abuse, his mental health issues, and his failure to adhere to his conditions of supervision by avoiding contact with parole, he represents a danger to the community," the complaint says. Gorcycki made his first appearance on the charges on Friday in Criminal Justice Reform Court in Jersey City via video link from Hudson County jail in Kearny. He has been convicted or pleaded guilty 11 times since 1992, when he was first arrested. He was charged in 2001 with criminal sexual contact, but most of his convictions stem from violations of parole supervision, according to electronic criminal records. JERSEY CITY -- A 49-year-old Clifton man has been charged with sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl in Jersey City and Clifton after meeting the girl on the messaging app "WeChat," authorities said today. Mohammed Zeidan, a self-employed real estate agent, was arrested on April 19 and charged with sexual assault, criminal sexual contact, luring or enticing, endangering the welfare of a child and refusing to provide a DNA sample, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said in a press release today. On April 13, the girl's brother contacted Jersey City police saying he was being harassed by Zeidan and the alleged contact between the girl and Zeidan came to light. The girl told police she met Zeidan on WeChat about two months earlier, the criminal complaint says. The girl told police Zeidan told her he was 27-year-old, but she said she believed he was much older, the complaint says. She described sexually activity she said she had with Zeidan inside his car in parking lots or in front of her home in Jersey City. She said Zeidan would also pick her up and drive her to his home where they would engage in sexual activity, the complaint says. Zeidan made his first appearance on the charges on Friday in Criminal Justice Reform Court in Jersey City via video link from Hudson County jail in Kearny. At the hearing, he was ordered released pending trial, with home detention and electronic monitoring. Bad blood getting worse. A lack of leadership. And a new governor learning the ropes. Those are three reasons New Jersey is without legal recreational marijuana, a law supported by a majority of residents. Adult-use marijuana, of course, had been a campaigning point and a "First 100 Days" priority after Phil Murphy was elected governor and took office in January. Day 100 came and went Wednesday and there's still no sign of legislation, much less a law. So what happened and why is Jan. 1, 2019 Murphy's new target? In a word, politics. NJ Cannabis Insider, a new premium briefing tracking the marijuana industry, has multiple stories this week on the the political logjam in Trenton over legal weed. (You can try a sample issue of the product here or get more information if you're interested in subscribing here.) In addition to Justin Zaremba's story on Murphy's fragile relationship with Senate President Stephen Sweeney, NJ Cannabis Insider subscribers also get exclusive updates this week from Payton Guion, Susan K. Livio, Claude Brodesser-Akner and Jonathan Salant. Their specialized reporting and stories are all in addition to what you will find regularly at nj.com/marijuana. And so what's the next step for adult-use marijuana in New Jersey and how can the big program be saved? Insiders are still optimistic. They see Murphy's expansion of the medical marijuana program as an immediate benefit, something that sets the table for adult-use later this year. Ultimately, they say, the parties in Trenton -- the governor's office, Sweeney, and leadership in the Assembly -- have to get on the same page. Then and only then can the real action begin: The horse trading to get enough votes behind cannabis legislation to pass a bill and send it to Murphy. Interested in the marijuana industry news and business developments? NJ Cannabis Insider is your premium briefing that features exclusive weekly content geared toward entrepreneurs, lawyers and realtors. View a sample issue. What do a meat processing site, an abandoned gas station and two abandoned industrial sites have in common? They're all getting hundreds of thousands of dollars in federal grant money dedicated to cleaning them up. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced on Wednesday that four New Jersey brownfield sites, two in Newark and two in Camden, were each being awarded $200,000 in federal grants to help cover cleanup costs. Going forward, the cities will be primarily responsible for cleaning up the sites while the EPA will hold an oversight role. These kind of cleanup projects typically take about two years to complete, said Walter Mugdan, the acting deputy regional administrator for EPA Region 2. The announcement was made at the site of the former Berkowitz Fat Company in Newark's Ironbound neighborhood. Owned by Seymour Berkowitz, the company was a meat rendering operation that turned meat scraps into oils, tallow for candles and other animal products. The Berkowitz operations began in the 1970s. From 2005 to 2007, the site was repeatedly inspected by NJDEP, which resulted in more than $2 million in pollution fines. Now the site is largely vacant, though it does serve as a storage area for heavy construction equipment. But more cleanup still needs to be done, and the EPA grant money will help the city remove a dozen underground and above ground storage tanks. Beyond the $200,000 EPA grant, Newark has applied for $83,000 in funding from NJDEP for the cleanup of the Berkowitz site according to Bill Lindner, the NJDEP's Office of Brownfield Reuse manager. "This piece of property is the only thing [Berkowitz] left behind, and the city now owns it," Mugdan said. The other Newark site is the former Allen's Amoco gas station site at 861-869 Clinton Avenue. The gas station was operational from its opening in 1937 to its abandonment in 1991, when the structures were demolished but the six underground storage tanks were left behind. "We're excited to put these resources to use as part of our overall strategy as we're currently cleaning up 35 acres of brownfields within the city," said Carmelo Garcia, Newark's deputy mayor for economic and housing development, of the new EPA grants. Since 2008, EPA has provided 23 brownfield grants to Newark for a total of $5.75 million, according to Mugdan. Two former industrial sites were the grant winners in Camden. The first site, a parcel at 726 Kaighn Avenue in the Bergen Square neighborhood, was home to an electroplating facility that shut down in 2004. "The property has been vacant and a blight on our community for decades, attracting nothing but trash and drug activity," Camden Mayor Frank Moran said in a press release. The Kaighn Avenue property will be cleaned up to create a new industrial park at the site, with the hopes of bringing new manufacturing jobs to Camden. The second Camden site is the Camden Laboratories site at 1667 Davis Street that has been vacant since 2008. The city plans to clean the soil and groundwater at the nearly 4 acre large site before making the property an expansion of Whitman Park. "The presence of the dilapidated structure has long been an eyesore next to the adjacent Whitman Park recreational fields and a nuisance to the surrounding residential neighborhoods," Moran said. "Our vision calls for the extension of the recreational fields in order to provide greater usage by the community." Michael Sol Warren may be reached at mwarren@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MSolDub. Find NJ.com on Facebook. The events were co-chaired by Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Vu Hong Nam and Moroccan Secretary of State to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Mounia Boucetta. At the fourth meeting of the Vietnam-Morocco Joint Committee, Mounia Boucetta highly valued the development achievements gained by Vietnam. Meanwhile, Deputy Minister Nam expressed his delight at the sound development of the countries relations, adding that the visit to Vietnam by President of the Moroccan House of Representatives Habib El Malki in December 2017 and the trip to the North African nation by Vice Chairman of the Vietnamese National Assembly Phung Quoc Hien in July 2017 set up their close parliamentary ties. Vietnam thanked Morocco for supporting its candidacy for a non-permanent membership of the UN Security Council for 2020-2021 and Morocco also appreciated Vietnams support for its participation in the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia. Regarding economic links, the two sides agreed to boost bilateral trade and investment by increasing mutual visits by their businesses in order to explore markets and join hands in projects in other African countries. They said that their current bilateral trade, estimated at US$170 million in 2017, remains modest compared to the countries potential and political cooperation. To enhance connections in this field, Morocco asked the two sides to consider reactivating the bilateral business council and promoting relations in complementary areas such as fertiliser and pharmaceutical production, aquaculture, and rice trading. The countries also affirmed that they will continue graduate and postgraduate scholarship programmes and step up ties in education and training through signing cooperation deals between their research establishments, organising mutual visits between researchers, and holding symposiums. Vietnam welcomed Moroccos sending of Maghreb Arab Press (MAP) correspondents to Vietnam and the establishment of the Morocco-Vietnam Friendship Association to boost people-to-people exchanges. The two sides will also promote pairing Vietnamese and Moroccan localities, including Nha Trang and Agadir, Ho Chi Minh City and Casablanca, and Da Nang and Tangier. At the meeting, a memorandum of understanding on cooperation was signed by Vietnams Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs and Moroccos Ministry of Labour and Professional Integration. Vietnams Maritime University and Moroccos Institute of Maritime Studies also signed a memorandum. At the two foreign ministries political consultation, the officials discussed regional and international issues of shared concern such as cooperation within the framework of the UN, ASEAN and the African Alliance, the situation in the Asia-Pacific and North Africa, climate change prevention, and sustainable development. The autism rate in New Jersey continues to skyrocket, and the state once again leads the nation with the highest percentage of children with the disorder, according to the federal government's latest comprehensive study of eleven states. One out of every 34 children in the state is affected by autism, according to a new report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which used research by Rutgers University. That represents a 19-percent increase from two years ago when the report was last released. At that time, one out of every 41 children were affected. One autism expert noted, however, that more minority kids are being identified as autistic, which could help explain the increase. Nationally, the report also found that one in 59 children is affected by autism, a 15 percent jump from two years ago, but only 11 states participated in the study. It's still unknown whether New Jersey families are more likely to have an autistic child, or whether doctors in the state are better at diagnosing the disorder than in other states. New Jersey is widely recognized for providing substantial clinical and educational services for children with autism. But, some experts think other factors could be at play. Walter Zahorodny, an associate professor of pediatrics at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School who led New Jersey's portion of the study, said even though New Jersey may be more aggressive in diagnosing autism, he doesn't believe that alone can explain the rising trend. Autism in New Jersey has climbed roughly 200 percent since 2000, Zahorodny noted, adding that he believes that increase is far too dramatic to attribute solely to better diagnostic techniques, especially since rates are going up across the country. "That's similar to what they find in all other states ... It all points to some factor that is causing autism rates to increase," Zahorodny said, adding that he believes it must be due to some "unknown, environmental factors." The study puts the national rate of autism at 1.7 percent of the childhood population, compared to 2.9 percent for New Jersey. Of the 11 states that participated in the study, Arkansas had the lowest rate at about 13 cases per 1,000 children. Autism NJ Executive Director Suzanne Buchanan said while she was surprised in the stark increase in autism rates, she is encouraged by the way in which New Jersey is continuing to identify and treat kids . "The good news here in New Jersey is that we're doing a better job at identifying all children, in particular girls, children with average or above average intelligence and children in ethnic minority groups," she said. Historically, she noted, white children were identified with autism at a higher rate than black and Hispanic children. "And we see them being equally identified now," she said. Anyone seeking services can call the organization's helpline at 1-800-4AUTISM. The CDC study included Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, Tennessee and Wisconsin. Researchers analyzed information collected from the health and special education records of children in certain areas who were 8 years old in 2014. Researchers also found "a significant increase" nationwide in 8-year-olds with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), according to a statement from Rutgers University. ASD includes subtypes like Asperger syndrome. Zahorodny said he is concerned by the number of questions that have gone unanswered in autism research in the past decade. "I would have hoped that we could have, by now, identified some of the real factors at play," he said. Despite the ongoing uncertainty, experts believe there are some factors that can contribute to a higher risk for autism, including parents having children at an older age, maternal illness during pregnancy, genetic mutations, birth before 37 weeks, gestation and multiple births. According to Zahorodny, children who are diagnosed early often respond better to treatment. According to Rutgers, the average age of diagnosis is 53 months, which has not changed in 15 years. If there is one component Zahorodny said he believes would make a significant difference in treating autism, it is universal screening for infants at the age of 18, 24 and 30 months. "Many children with autism are still not identified early enough," he said. 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 NEW YORK--In a sharp rebuke of a former commissioner forced to resign over an obscenity-laced tirade caught on video during a routine police traffic stop, Port Authority officials publicly censured Caren Z. Turner for a litany of ethics rules they claimed she violated. At the same time, they apologized to the police chief in Tenafly and the two patrol officers in the Bergen County community where the incident occurred for "the outrageous and abhorrent conduct" of Turner, and the "unwelcome attention that followed." Port Authority Chairman Kevin O'Toole said Turner "clearly and unambiguously" violated the board's code of ethics. "Commissioner Turner's conduct was outrageous and profoundly disturbing and represented a betrayal of the public trust," he said. The board, which voted unanimously for a resolution of censure, also referred the matter to the New Jersey Ethics Commission. Turner sparked a firestorm of criticism after the video of the March 31 traffic stop involving her daughter by the Tenafly police became public. It showed the 60-year-old Democratic lobbyist attempting to intervene--first by flipping out her Port Authority gold badge and insisting she be addressed as "commissioner," then trying to bully the officers by dropping the names of higher-ups in town, and then ending with a string of profanities. She was never charged by police. But all of it was captured on a dashcam video, and Tenafly Police Chief Robert Chamberlain sent a copy of the recording to the Inspector General for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. That led to Turner's resignation as a board member of the powerful bi-state agency last week, after an internal investigation. Taking issue with Turner's assertions that she never violated the Port Authority's Code of Ethics, the Port Authority board in its resolution detailed those violations, including seeking "unwarranted privileges" for herself and family members, using her Port Authority badge for non-official purposes, and "pursuing a course of conduct that was plainly in violation of her trust." O'Toole said her actions "badly damaged the reputation" of the agency, and that had she not resigned, she would have been asked to do so. The resolution came a day after Turner issued a statement that included an apology of sorts, but insisted she had done nothing wrong--setting off even more scorn by suggesting that the police "review best practices with respect to tone and de-escalation, so that incidents like this do not recur." In the statement issued by her attorney, Turner referenced the traffic stop of her daughter and three of her friends in a car that had been pulled over by Tenafly police officers "for non-moving violations, including having tinted windows." She said she went to the scene after the officers decided to impound the vehicle, which they determined had an expired registration from Nevada. "As a parent, I was upset and uncomfortable with the unfolding events. I let my emotions get the better of me and regret my tone toward the police officers and use of off-color language. For this, I apologize," Turner said in the statement. But she added: "at no point did I violate the Port Authority's Code of Ethics or ask for special treatment for anyone involved, nor did I suggest, in any way, that I would use my position at the Port Authority to affect the outcome of the violations issued to the driver. My resignation from the Port Authority is a recognition that this unfortunate incident could and should have been avoided." She also suggested the fault did not rest not entirely on her shoulders. "As a long-time Tenafly resident, I have always taken an active role in the community, including working with law enforcement officials, and I encourage the Tenafly Police Department to review best practices with respect to tone and de-escalation, so that incidents like this do not recur," she said. O'Toole said he went to Tenafly on Wednesday to deliver a personal apology on behalf of the board to the chief of police and the officers who became the focus of Turner's wrath. In a letter, released by the Port Authority, the chairman thanked Chamberlain and the two patrolmen for the department's handling of the "outrageous and abhorrent conduct" of Turner. Ted Sherman may be reached at tsherman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TedShermanSL. Facebook: @TedSherman.reporter. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Newark's closest held secret is finally out. The city released the bid it submitted for Amazon's new HQ2. Read the document below. (It is just over 200 pages.) Want a full idea of how Newark pitched to Amazon? Check out this website titled, 'Yes, Newark'. The website, a sleek marketing tool, is designed to give Amazon representatives an idea of what it would be like to live and work in Newark. Until today, New Jersey's politicians held its Amazon proposal close to the chest. The online retail giant had asked finalist cities to stay quiet while it contemplated where it would open its new headquarters. Over the last four months, several residents and organizations in New Jersey --including New Jersey Policy Perspective and clients of a prominent law firm-- have filed records requests with the city to find about more about the bid. Every one of them was denied. Steve Wronko, a New Jersey resident, sued Newark for access to the proposal. Newark had previously denied his record requests for not only the proposal, but also for any contracts the city held with third-party vendors who helped prepare the bid. Today, Newark released the proposal to Wronko and his lawyer, CJ Griffin, an attorney at Pashman Stein Walder Hayden. The law firm first posted the proposal on its New Jersey OPRA blog. Boston, Philadelphia and Miami have also released their proposals to the public. The Newark proposal details the state's transit system, its housing, and its focus on higher education. But there's one big thing missing: The details about Newark's incentive package. The city has offered Amazon a whopping $7 billion dollars in tax credits. But details of how that deal will work are unclear. The city redacted six pages that could explain. Newark proposed six locations for an Amazon HQ2 in two districts (Broad Street Station and Newark Penn Station). The locations include Washington Park Campus, Lotus Riverfront, Matrix Riverfront, Gateway Center, Mulberry Commons and RBH SoMa. Gov. Phil Murphy and Mayor Ras Baraka met with Amazon representatives earlier this month to discuss possible HQ2 locations. U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., and businessman and philanthropist Ray Chambers also attended the meetings. When asked about the meeting during an event in Montclair, Murphy declined to say whether it happened or to provide any details. "We're gonna respect the process they've (Amazon) laid out, so I'm not gonna speak to anything specific," Murphy told reporters. "We're a long way from the goal line. We're one of 20. But I love what Newark's putting forward," he said. Despite the hype over the Newark offer, analysts have predicted the company will most likely land elsewhere. D.C. or Virginia are both likely picks given Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos' relationship to the area. (He owns The Washington Post). &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/public/search/projectid%3A%2038376-amazon-hq2-newark%20"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;View/search document collection&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; Erin Banco may be reached at ebanco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @ErinBanco. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Staff reporters Karen Yi and Brent Johnson contributed to this report. A 23-year-old man from Red Bank has been accused of making a violent threat against his Vermont college, according to police. Eric Smith, 23, of Red Bank Vermont State Police responded to the report of a written, violent threat March 3 targeting the Landmark College. Officials searched the campus and cleared it of any viable threat, police said. Further investigation led them to arrest Eric Smith this week. He faces charges of causing false public alarm and disorderly conduct. Smith has been placed on interim suspension from the school as the investigation into his conduct continues, Christopher Lenois, Landmark's associate director of marketing communications, said in a statement. Such conduct violations can be met with suspension or expulsion, he said. "We did not feel the threat was credible at the time of the incident back in early March, but contacted Vermont State Police out of an abundance of caution," Lenois said in a statement. "Nothing that has transpired during the course of the investigation has changed that initial perception." The college in Putney, Vermont caters exclusively to those with diagnosed learning disabilities, such as attention disorders or autism, according to its website. A call to a phone number associated with Smith's relatives in New Jersey was not immediately returned Thursday. Amanda Hoover can be reached at ahoover@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @amandahoovernj. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips If you have been following the news from Nicaragua you no doubt noticed that the supermarkets were looted a few days ago amid protests against the Sandinista-run government. That represents real progress compared to the last time the Sandinistas were in power. Back then, the supermarkets didn't have anything worth looting - except for rum. I recall visiting the site of a former supermercado in 1987 looking for food, only to find that the shelves were empty except for some crudely made wooden toys and a few shelves of rum. If you bought the local rum, you didn't get the bottle. They poured the rum into a plastic bag and kept the bottle to refill. For twice the price you could get Havana Club - and keep the bottle. Big spender that I am, I dug out 16,000 cordobas and splurged. That may sound like a lot. But it was just two dollars in American money. The Nicaraguan currency was so debased at the time that you needed a backpack just to tote around enough money to get through the day. I bring this up not to have a laugh at the expense of our Latin neighbors but to impart the political insight I gleaned from that experience: What happens there can happen here. I learned that in short order last month when I went to Puerto Rico to write about the problems with the island's electricity grid that were exposed by Hurricane Maria last September. No sooner did I return home than I learned New Jersey's grid had the same problem I'd seen on the island: Trees were permitted to grow in the right-of-way for power lines. A few storms that didn't have half the force of Maria had cut the power to tens of thousands of homes. Puerto Rico also suffers from an unfunded pension liability that is huge - but not as huge as New Jersey's. And then there's the issue that sparked the protests in Nicaragua: Social security. President Daniel Ortega recently announced that the government would be cutting benefits and hiking contributions to keep the system afloat. Ortega dropped that plan after the protests broke out, but this represents a wonderful irony that should not go unremarked. Ortega first came to power in 1979 as a Sandinista rebel determined to establish a socialist economy. Now the former Marxist is pushing reform in that country's social security program. Meanwhile here in America no leading politician of either party would dare suggest reforming our Social Security system. The Democrats in Congress recently accused the Republican majority of plotting such reforms. The Republicans recoiled in horror. But the Republicans were guilty of Sandinista-style bookkeeping themselves when they enacted a tax reform that cuts revenue $2 trillion with no counterbalancing cut in expenditures. Something's got to give if we want to avoid the sort of turmoil seen in Nicaragua, where those protests turned deadly after police opened fire and killed about 30 people. (Another reason the Nicaraguans are upset is that Ortega is spending $80 million to buy Russian tanks.) I got a good whiff of how grim our future could be when I put in a call to Laurence Kotlikoff, an economics professor from Boston University who coined the term "intergenerational accounting." "We're bankrupting our kids with this big credit card bill," Kotlikoff said. "The fiscal gap is growing by about five trillion dollars a year." The "fiscal gap" is the difference between "the present value of all projected future expenditures ... less the present value of all projected future tax and other receipts," according to the website for the Inform Act. That's a bill before Congress endorsed by 17 Nobel laureates in economics. It would require Congress to do an analysis of the long-term fiscal effects of any bill. Of course, we could just keep printing money to cover all those costs. Just for the fun of it, I asked Kotlikoff how much money we'd need to print. He did some quick calculations and concluded that to close the fiscal gap the feds would have to print out 60 times as many dollars as the total amount of dollars now in circulation. "Of course you can't increase the money supply 60 times," he added. Unfortunately, you can - and Venezuela is doing it. The bolivar, that country's currency, is worth one ten-thousandth what it was worth in 2012. The unfortunate souls living there are enduring the sort of bread lines the Nicaraguans endured in the 1980s. But there's nothing uniquely Latin about that, Kotlikoff pointed out. Right next door to Nicaragua is Costa Rica, which has a stable government and a strong economy. "This is all about bad government," he said. "It's not any product of history or politics or culture. It's just crappy government." It is indeed. And at the moment we are experiencing it on a bipartisan basis. PLUS - WHIP INFLATION NOW: A reader brought up the 1971 decision by President Nixon to take the U.S. entirely off the gold standard. This was of course a way to avoid raising taxes to pay for the disastrous Vietnam War started by the same guy who started the disastrous War on Poverty, Lyndon Johnson. The predictable inflation followed almost immediately and before long Nixon's successor, President Gerald Ford, began the ill-advised "Whip Inflation Now" campaign - complete with silly campaign buttons. That blunder helped Ford lose the 1976 election to Jimmy Carter, who had to deal with hyper-inflation during his four-year term. I like to run the numbers through an inflation calculator like this one, to show how much value the dollar has lost in a given time period. It turns out that a dollar in 1971 is worth $6.15 in today's currency. This brings up a question the Beltway crowd has been avoiding: How long before we re-center our currency, as often happens in banana republics. At the moment, a dollar is worth what a dime was worth when I was born. Or to put it another way, a dime is worth what a penny was worth back in 1950. Pennies are useless these days and just create unneeded complications at the cash register. Why not make the current dime the penny and the $10 bill the dollar? Don't laugh. It's going to happen one day. BELOW: If you're going to live in a banana republic you might as well get the advantage of the warm weather (interestingly this song was written by the late Steve Goodman, probably the most talented songwriter in recent history.) WASHINGTON -- Just as Russian officials intervened in the 2016 presidential election, U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez suggested they secretly could work to defeat him this fall. "I"m a great target for their next efforts," Menendez, D-N.J., said at a briefing with reporters. "It's well known that they are in the midst of engaging in our elections generally as we speak. The whole system is under assault, as far as I'm concerned." Menendez said he didn't know if Russia would get involved, only that the government could. U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded that Moscow intervened on behalf of Donald Trump in 2016, and Special Counsel Robert Mueller is investigating whether Trump campaign officials colluded with Russian officials. Mueller in February indicted Russian individuals and companies for their efforts to tilt the election to Trump. Trump has denied all collusion charges and Menendez has criticized the administration for failing to fully impose sanctions against Russia for its actions. As the ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the former chairman, Menendez has led congressional efforts to penalize Russia for its invasion and annexation of Crimea in the Ukraine. In retaliation, Russian President Vladimir Putin has sanctioned Menendez, including banning him from entering the country in retaliation for the economic sanctions the U.S. and its allies imposed on Russia over its actions in Ukraine. "No one has pushed Russian sanctions harder than I have," Menendez said. "So if you can mess around with an election, why not?" Menendez led his Republican opponent, former Celgene Corp. executive Bob Hugin, by double digits in two polls taken after the U.S. Justice Department dropped criminal corruption charges against him. He is strongly favored to win a third term by the two Washington-based publications that track congressional races, Inside Elections and the Cook Political Report. Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant or on Facebook. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook. A former child welfare worker has settled her sexual harassment lawsuit against her manager and the state agency that employed them, in a deal that awards her $350,000 in taxpayer money and doesn't assign him any blame, according to state records. Yet the legal issues aren't over for Reinaldo Gibbs of Matawan, a former manager at the Paterson office for the Division of Child Protection and Permanency, and the state of New Jersey. Next week, Gibbs and the state are scheduled to go on trial in a sexual harassment case brought by another woman he supervised. In the lawsuit that was settled Tuesday, Latrece Hagans of Paterson accused Gibbs of making sexually suggestive comments, and sending texting photos of his penis and lewd messages. Gibbs asked for a hug after a private meeting and grabbed her breasts, lifted up her skirt and exposed his penis. She tried to fight him off and fled after a janitor entered the room, according to the lawsuit. "My client is happy that she resolved the litigation, she doesn't have to endure a trial, and it has been resolved amicably between the parties," said her attorney, Demetrios Stratis of Fair Lawn. Gibbs admitted to doing nothing wrong, Stratis said, "but we know what happened -- we know what the truth is." Gibbs' Attorney Cedric Ashley of Princeton said his client "happy to have this behind him and to move on with his life." "He has never been criminally charged, he's never been criminally investigated, and a complaint was never made by Ms. Hagans, despite the alleged gravity of the allegations. We believe that is because those allegations are and were unfounded," Ashley said. "This is an one individual case. In no way does it refute the fact women in the workplace continue to face unwelcome advances and harassing conduct. It just wasn't the case in this instance," Ashley added. The Attorney General's Office represented the child welfare agency, which Hagans accused of failing to implement anti-sexual harassment training programs and policies. The state paid the settlement, according to the agreement, which also says Hagans is barred from working in the Department of Children and Families. The state hired Gibbs in 2013 and terminated him in 2015, according to a state spokeswoman. Ashley has declined to disclose the circumstances of Gibbs' dismissal. The two employees alleged the harassment began in 2013. Evelyn Nieves-LaLama, a family service specialist and a state child welfare employee since 1999, said she repeatedly asked Gibbs to stop making suggestive comments and touching her, and following her around the office. Seeking help, Nieves-Lalama said her immediate supervisor, Kim Drayton, who is also named in the lawsuit, told her to "pray." When Nieves-Lalama said she did not feel comfortable around him, Drayton replied: "Pray hard," the lawsuit said. Nieves-Lalama has been on unpaid medical leave since 2016 related to her anxiety over the harassment, according to her attorney Stephen Bosin of River Edge. The case will be heard in state Superior Court in Passaic County. Susan K. Livio may be reached at slivio@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @SusanKLivio. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook. WATCH Ranking Member @FrankPallone show that @EPAScottPruitt is not prioritizing human health and the environment at EPA. #BootPruitt pic.twitter.com/HZBcEn5ofO Energy and Commerce Committee (@EnergyCommerce) April 26, 2018 WASHINGTON -- Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. lashed into the head of the Environmental Protection Agency Thursday, calling him "unfit to hold public office and undeserving of the public trust." "Every indication is you really should resign," Pallone, D-6th Dist., told EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt at a hearing of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, where he is the ranking Democrat. Pruitt, accused of misusing taxpayer funds and for renting a room from the wife of a lobbyist with business before the EPA, said the attacks on him were an effort to sabotage President Donald Trump's agenda of rolling back regulations. "Much of what has been targeted toward me and my team have been half truths or at best stories that have been so twisted that they do not resemble reality,"Pruitt said in his opening statement. "Those who have attacked the EPA and attacked me are doing so because they are trying to attack and derail the president's agenda and undermine this administration's priorities," Pruitt said. "I'm not going to let that happen." Pallone said Pruitt was hurting, not helping, Trump. "I think your actions are a embarrassment to President Trump and distract from the EPA's ability to effectively carry out the president's mission," Pallone said. "If was the president, I wouldn't want your help." Pallone earlier this month called on Pruitt to resign, calling him the "poster child for the Trump administration's shameful culture of corruption." He questioned Pruitt about the EPA's proposed ban on methylene chloride, a chemical found in paint strippers. The chemical has been linked to several deaths, but the EPA has delayed action on a proposed ban. "You have the power immediately to get this chemical off the shelf and you're not doing it," Pallone said. He said the EPA should have acted under the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act, signed by President Barack Obama in 2016 and named for the late New Jersey senator, which requires the agency to impose regulations if chemicals are shown to pose a health risk.. Pruitt said the agency was reviewing the proposal to ban the chemical. "There has been no decision at this time," he said. Later at the hearing, Rep. Leonard Lance, R-7th Dist., a member of the committee, took aim at a $43,000 on a secure telephone booth built for Pruitt at EPA. Pruitt said the decision to build the booth was made by career officials. Lance said one of Pruitt's precedessors at EPA. former New Jersey Gov. Christie Whitman, thought the expenditure was injustified. "She has indicated she saw no need for such an enhanced telephone system when she was administrator," Lance said. "She has indicated she did not think this was appropriate. Respertuflly, I do not think it was appropriate." Earlier, another New Jersey Republican, Rep. Frank LoBiondo, R-2nd Dist., called on Pruitt to resign. Yes EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt should resign. Wrong fit from start for agency dedicated to protecting our environment. #EarthDay2018 reinforces our need to promote pristine planet via clean air & water, leaving it better for future generations. Requires leadership & balance. https://t.co/kxuU0os8F9 Frank LoBiondo (@FrankLoBiondoNJ) April 22, 2018 Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant or on Facebook. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook. The conflict between Gov. Phil Murphy and fellow Democrats who control the New Jersey Legislature hit a new high Thursday. Both of the state's top legislative leaders warned the new governor not to let an outside group put pressure on lawmakers to get behind his state budget proposal as the clock to the June 30 deadline counts down. The men reacted to a report that Murphy's allies might launch a public campaign to pitch his budget, which includes tax increases that top lawmakers have not supported. The campaign could include digital and TV ads. "Trying to pressure our members would be an unfortunate decision," state Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, D-Middlesex, said in a statement. "Our caucus is focused on crafting a budget that represents the best interests of the taxpayers and no amount of pressure will deter us from doing what we believe to be in the best interest of New Jersey's families," Coughlin said. "I would strongly advise the administration to distance itself from these remarks and these tactics." State Senate President Stephen Sweeney said he's ready if Murphy's allies run ads. "If they want to run a campaign to attack legislators, bring it on," Sweeney, D-Gloucester, told NJ Advance Media. "We will continue to work for working-class families in this state." The outside group that roiled lawmakers is called New Direction New Jersey, formed by a series of former Murphy campaign consultants and staffers, including Brendan Gill, Murphy's former campaign manager. Gill said group planned to begin digital and possible TV ads in the coming weeks, according to a report in The Record. When asked by NJ Advance Media, Gill declined to discuss any specifics on future ad campaigns. Instead, he said in a statement that the group doesn't have any plans to "pressure" lawmakers. "New Direction New Jersey is focused on a positive mission of building a stronger and fairer New Jersey. Any indication of exerting negative pressure on legislators was a mischaracterization on my part," Gill said. A spokesman for Murphy, Dan Bryan, declined to comment. State Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin (let) smiles with state Senate President Stephen Sweeney (right) at the Statehouse in Trenton earlier this year. Murphy has called for more than $1.5 billion in new taxes in his first budget to help pay for increases to education, transportation, public-worker pensions, and more. During a speech Thursday, he pitched the increases as "the right thing to do" to help strengthen New Jersey's economy and boost the middle class. But with Democratic lawmakers still opposed, that means the stage is set for gridlock when it comes time to pass a budget by the end of June. If a budget isn't passed and signed by the governor at that point, the state government shuts down. Sweeney said he still believes tax hikes should be a last resort. He said Murphy "hasn't even attempted" to try to curtail spending instead. "Finding more revenue is not the answer," Sweeney said. "The answer is dealing with cost." For Coughlin, the statement was his most forceful condemnation of the governor to date. The speaker has publicly positioned himself as the quiet observer as Murphy and Sweeney have taken shots at one another. Both men of publicly denied a rift between one another. But the privately discussed chill spilled out into recently when Sweeney said Murphy "sounded like Donald Trump" after a spat over the governor's picks to oversee education departments. NJ Advance Media staff writer Brent Johnson contributed to this report. Matt Arco may be reached at marco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MatthewArco or Facebook. Given an opportunity for freedom, this bobcat at first didn't take it. One month after being struck by a car on Route 206 in Andover Township, the now-healed, 1-year-old female bobcat was brought to the wilds of Sussex County. The bobcat as seen during her recovery (Photo courtesy of Kelly Simonetti) However, when the door to its crate was raised, the bobcat remained still -- exiting only after being gently prodded with a stick. Rather than fleeing, the bobcat turned once, and then a second time, to look back at the two who were setting her loose. Then its hesitation lifted out and the bobcat took off, disappearing from view within seconds. It was a happy outcome that seemed unlikely when Andover Township police, in March, responded to a report of a injured bobcat struck by a car, Chief Eric Danielson said on Wednesday. Paul Sedlacek, a veterinarian, works on the bobcat (Photo courtesy of Kelly Simonetti) The wounded animal had a collapsed lung and a damaged eye socket. It underwent surgery to repair the lung and was brought to Antler Ridge, a rescue animal service in Warren County, for treatment. Antler Ridge was where the deer that famously got caught on an icy pond in Roxbury last winter was taken to recover. Bobcats are an endangered species in New Jersey, mostly residing in Sussex, Warren, Morris and Passaic counties, and are rarely seen in part because of their natural shyness and elusiveness. It is not known how many are in the state, but occasionally, bobcat sightings prompt concern. In June 2017, a mother and her two young children locked themselves in their bathroom after a bobcat entered their home in Washington Township, Morris County. Police officers responded to the house and opened doors and windows prompting the bobcat to flee. Kelly Simonetti, director of Antler Ridge, said the bobcat spent her recovery inside an indoor, and then an outdoor, cage, eating processed pheasants and rabbits and gaining nearly 3 pounds. The bobcat weighed about 12 pounds when brought to the vet, she added. When it was set free on Saturday, the two Andover Township police officers who had responded after it was struck by a car were invited along to watch. Asked if anyone had been given a name, Andover Township Police Chief Eric Danielson said he didn't know, but that 'lucky' would be appropriate. Rob Jennings may be reached at rjennings@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @RobJenningsNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook. The ambassador made the statement at the April 25 plenary meeting of the second session of the Preparatory Committee for the 2020 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) from April 23 to May 4, at the UN Office in Geneva. He stressed the importance of the balanced implementation of the NPTs three pillars, which are nuclear disarmament, non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and the right to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. He urged the countries to participate further in international treaties on nuclear disarmament and the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, and strengthen the resolve to make progress in their nuclear disarmament and comprehensive and complete disarmament. The diplomat joined the other ASEAN member states in calling for nuclear powers to join the Southeast Asian Nuclear-Weapon-Free-Zone (SEANWFZ) Treaty and related protocols. He said their involvement will ensure security for nations without nuclear weapons. He also called on countries to implement the Resolution of the 1995 NPT Review and Extension Conference on creating a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East. Regarding the use of nuclear power for peaceful purposes, the Ambassador thanked the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for its support for Vietnam and other developing countries in the field. He highlighted Vietnams determination and commitments to implement the NPT as a trustworthy partner who spares no efforts for a peaceful world without nuclear weapons. Shots fired. For the second time, actually. Twins slugger Logan Morrison called Yankees fans stupid after they've been jeering him at Yankee Stadium this week. "They didn't like the Gary Sanchez thing with the Home Run Derby," Morrison said Tuesday, according to a report from The Pioneer Press' Mike Berardino, "but you can't fix stupid, you know?" What have fans been saying to Morrison? From the report: "I've heard a lot of stuff but it's not original," the Twins first baseman said before the series began. "It's, 'You suck,' all that kind of stuff. I mean, they'll boo me, but other than that ..." Yankees fans were getting on Morriston particularly hard because last year he said Sanchez didn't deserve to be in the Home Run Derby over him. At the time, Morrison, who was then with the Rays, had 24 homers while Sanchez had 13 and Morrison the selection process "a flawed system." "Gary shouldn't be there," Morrison said back then. "Gary's a great player, but he shouldn't be in the Home Run Derby." Here's some info on Wednesday's game, via Yankees PR: AT A GLANCE: The Yankees are 6-2 on their season-long-tying 10-game homestand after winning the first two games of their 4G series vs. Minnesota... went 1-1 vs. Miami and 3-1 vs. Toronto... on Friday, begin a 7G road trip that includes 3G in Anaheim (Fri.-Sun.) and 4G at Houston (4/30-5/3). OVERALL TRENDS/FACTS: The Yankees are 2-0 vs. the Twins in 2018...will meet seven times in 2018 (4G in the Bronx this week, 3G in Minnesota from 9/10-12)...are 16-4 in the last 20G since 7/25/15...have won six of their last seven series (since 7/3/14)...are 52-21 (.712) against the Twins since 2008, their best record vs. any AL club over the last 11 seasons...are 80-31 since 2002...IN 2017: Went 4-2 vs. Minnesota, including 3-0 at home and 1-2 in Minneapolis...IN SEASON SERIES: Have won 11 consecutive season series (2007-17)...have won or split 16 consecutive season series vs. the Twins, going 14-0-2 since 2002 (went 3-3 in 2005 and 2006)...marks their longest active streak of non-losing season series vs. any AL opponent...since 1993, are 21-1-3 in season series (went 2-4 in 2001)... Brendan Kuty may be reached at bkuty@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BrendanKutyNJ. Find NJ.com Yankees on Facebook. A 17-year-old Bonnabel High School student was arrested Thursday morning (April 26) after authorities found a gun in his school bag. The Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office did not identify the student, who was taken into custody after he stepped off his bus at the school, located at 2801 Bruin Drive, Kenner, according to Glen T. Boyd, spokesman for the department. School officials received word that the student intended to bring a gun to school, according to Beth Branley, spokeswoman for the Jefferson Parish Public Schools System. The teen had apparently had the gun earlier in the week, according to Boyd. When deputies detained him Thursday morning, they checked his bag and found a small-caliber revolver, Boyd said. The teen was taken to the Sheriff's Office investigations bureau in Harvey for questioning. He was later booked with possession of a firearm on a school campus and possession of a gun with an obliterated serial number, Boyd said. The teen had not made any threats of violence, Boyd said. The arrest did not interrupt school and classes continued as normal. "We are thankful for the positive relationship among students, staff and the police on campus, which averted a potential crisis," Branley said. A Hollygrove man, who has been in jail since his arrest in December after he was accused of repeatedly sexually abusing a 10-year-old girl, was indicted Thursday (April 26). Michael Vanwhalraven, 47, was charged with first-degree rape of a victim under age 13, sexual battery of a victim under 13 and indecent behavior with a juvenile under 13 in the indictment handed up by an Orleans Parish grand jury, according to District Attorney Leon Cannizzaro's office. The abuse is alleged to have occurred between Sept. 26, 2014 and March 13, 2017, at Vanwhalraven's home on Apricot Street, according to Cannizzaro's office. The victim was between 8 and 10 during the time of the alleged abuse. New Orleans police issued an arrest warrant for Vanwhalraven in April 2017, after the girl disclosed the sexual assaults to a school counselor, detectives and a forensic interviewer from New Orleans' Child Advocacy Center, according to Cannizzaro's office. According to Vanwhalraven's arrest warrant, a doctor at the Audrey Hepburn Care Center at Children's Hospital, which provides care to victims of child abuse, performed a medical exam on the girl. The doctor found she "provided a clear history of sexual abuse... by Michael Vanwhalraven," according to the warrant. Valwhalraven fled the state and was arrested by U.S. Marshals in Modesto, Calif., on Dec. 14, 2017. He was extradited and booked into the Orleans Justice Center jail on Dec. 31. Criminal District Judge Robin Pittman increased Vanwhalraven's bond amount from $200,000 to $2 million after the indictment was read, Cannizzaro's office said. Assistant District Attorney Payal Patel presented the case to the grand jury. Court records show the Orleans Public Defenders office is representing Valwhalraven. A Jefferson Parish judge on Thursday handed down a mandatory life sentence to a man convicted of murdering his former girlfriend's new lover, dismembering his body and dumping the remains in a canal. Viusqui Perez-Espinosa, 45, was also sentenced to an additional 40 years in prison for obstruction of justice, according to the Jefferson Parish district attorney's office. Judge Ellen Shirer Kovach of the 24th Judicial District Court ordered him to serve the sentences consecutively. "I can think of no worse obstruction of justice than what occurred in this case," she said. Perez-Espinosa was found guilty of second-degree murder on March 26. A jury rejected Perez-Espinosa's claim that victim Alexis Portales-Lara, 27, fatally cut his own throat when he attacked Perez-Espinosa with a knife at the Kenner apartment the two men shared with the woman at the center of the love triangle. Perez-Espinosa, a Cuban national, dated the 53-year-old woman for 18-months before he ended their relationship in September 2016, according to authorities. He left their Baylor Place apartment to move in with another woman. Perez-Espinosa encouraged Portales-Lara, a co-worker and friend, to move in with his ex-girlfriend to help her cover rent, police said. Portales-Lara had moved to East Jefferson from Honduras to be with his now-5-year-old daughter, according to the district attorney's office. Portales-Lara agreed to move into the Baylor Place apartment, but he also began a romantic relationship with the woman. 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 When Perez-Espinosa's new relationship ended, his former girlfriend allowed him to move back into her apartment and onto the couch in November, authorities said. Desperate to get Portales-Lara away from the woman he now wanted back, Perez-Espinosa tried to offer him money to move out and get his own apartment, according to the district attorney's office. Perez-Espinosa is accused of sexually assaulting his former girlfriend in her bedroom after Portales-Lara left for work on the morning of Nov. 11, 2016. Portales-Lara was never seen alive after that evening, authorities said. Prosecutors say Perez-Espinosa, who worked as a butcher in Cuba, killed his rival, dismembered Portales-Lara's body, placed the remains in black garbage bags and tossed them into the Reserve Canal off Interstate 10 in St. John the Baptist Parish. Kenner police discovered found blood in the apartment floor that matched Portales-Lara. A fisherman discovered Portales-Lara's severed right arm floating in the canal on Dec. 29, 2016, authorities said. Though his legs and torso were found on Jan. 12, 2017, Portales-Lara's head and left arm were never recovered, the district attorney's office said. In a written statement from Portales-Lara's ex-wife, she told the court her daughter misses her daddy, whose death has cause emotional and financial hardships, the district attorney's office said. Assistant District Attorney Kellie Rish and Richard Olivier prosecuted the case. A man accused of killing another man by setting him on fire behind a vacant building in Gentilly Woods in February has been indicted by an Orleans Parish grand jury for second-degree murder. David Klein, 52, is accused of killing 28-year-old Henry Dunaway on Feb. 23. Witnesses told police the men were arguing behind a former Winn-Dixie in the 4600 bock of Chef Menteur Highway. Witnesses said Klein threw liquor on Dunaway and he caught fire. Police arrested Klein hours after the fire. Witnesses identified him as the only other person seen near Dunaway when the fire and his body were discovered, according to according to District Attorney Leon Cannizzaro's office. Criminal District Judge Robin Pittman increased Klein's bond amount from $500,000 to $1 million after the indictment was read Thursday (April 26), according to Cannizzaro's office. Assistant District Attorney Taylor Anthony presented the case to the grand jury. Court records show Klein was represented by the Orleans Public Defenders at recent appearances in magistrate court. In his speech at the two-day meeting, which opened on April 25, Minister Lam clarified Vietnams viewpoint on the need for common and consistent solutions to this issue on an international scale. The countries concerned and the international community must work together to thoroughly address the root causes of the problem, especially to end armed conflicts, restore peace and stability in war zones, and enhance their cooperation to fight terrorism and extremism. Certain countries need to immediately end their intervention that is causing political instability and armed riots in other countries to serve their own intentions and strategic targets regardless of the heavy impact on the relevant nations and the world community, he emphasised. He highly valued the significance of the meeting and expressed Vietnams wish to continue learning from other countries experience, adding that Vietnam is ready to share experience in terrorism prevention and control with law enforcement agencies and international organisations. The official also voiced his belief that the meetings success would promote cooperation among law enforcement agencies of countries to effectively fight crimes, including terrorist and extremist activities, thereby helping to ensure peace, security and sustainable development in each country and the world. At the meeting, hundreds of delegates from 118 countries and UN representatives are discussing hot issues in international and regional security, particularly amid the surging risks of conflicts and the unpredictability of international relations. They will also look into the evolution of international terrorist organisations strategy and tactics, global information security, growing illegal production and use of drugs, and security of important sports, cultural and social events. On the fringes of the meeting, Vietnamese Minister To Lam had talks with Secretary of the Security Council of Russia Nikolai Patrushev and met with the delegations of China, Laos, Mongolia, Venezuela and the Philippines. The state of Louisiana will receive $82 million in Gulf of Mexico offshore revenue in the next few months under the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act, representing the first large payment under the revenue sharing program created by Congress in 2006. The Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority will oversee the spending of $65.6 million of the money, while 20 coastal parishes will split $16.4 million. Texas, Mississippi and Alabama will split the remaining $106 million in offshore revenue generated during the first year of GOMESA's larger Phase II distribution. The payment was announced by both state officials and Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke. Zinke pointed out that the money is part of $1 billion in increased energy revenue going into federal coffers during the first year of the Trump administration. But the payment remains far short of the maximum $176 million that Louisiana and coastal parishes could receive under GOMESA. The difference results from less production of oil in the Gulf from wells drilled and completed during the time period for Phase II, both because of lower oil and gas prices worldwide and because of delays in development of wells in the Gulf in the aftermath of the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010. "The people of Louisiana have waited for over ten years for Phase II of GOMESA to begin and for our state to start receiving a larger portion of the revenues derived off of our coast," said Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards in a news release. "This revenue stream is one we have planned our coastal program around, and we are happy to finally be able to put it to use to help address our land loss crisis. A healthy coast is absolutely essential to a healthy oil and gas industry in Louisiana, as well as our economy overall. The dedication of these funds to address our coastal issues is the smartest investment we can make. Louisiana had budgeted the maximum $140 million in GOMESA revenue for its fiscal year 2018 annual coastal restoration and hurricane protection plan, but only expected to use $28.6 million of it for projects. The fiscal year 2019 annual plan, approved by the state Senate Natural Resources Committee on Thursday (April 26) after a three-week delay, projected only $47.5 million in projects paid for with GOMESA money, again because of concerns about how much the state expected to receive. Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority Chairman Johnny Bradberry said Thursday that Interior officials had informed the state several months ago that the state's share would only be between $60 million and $70 million a year during the first five years of Phase II. He said state officials also have decided against using any of the GOMESA money in the foreseeable future to pay part of the $100 million a year bill the state will receive from the Army Corps of Engineers to pay the state's share of the $14.6 billion post-Katrina New Orleans area hurricane levee reconstruction project. But Bradberry said the state does not know yet how it will pay the $100 million a year bill, which is expected to come due at the end of 2019 and recur for 30 years. State officials have been attempting to work with the state's Congressional delegation on legislation that would forgive the debt, but the chances of that happening are slim, observers say. Another option would be to include the bill as an item in the state capital budget approved by the Legislature every year, but such a large expenditure would reduce money available for other needed infrastructure projects statewide. Bradberry said that's one reason that the state is working with the state's Congressional delegation to attempt to remove the present $176 million cap on the state's share of GOMESA money in the future, which might also be linked to a proposed reduction in royalties for offshore oil to spur increased production. Thursday's Interior announcement came on the same day that the U.S. House Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee held an oversight hearing on GOMESA spending that focused on Louisiana. "This subcommittee recognizes the need to rehabilitate our Gulf Coast and therefore it is critical to secure and maintain dedicated funding to our energy producing Gulf States to protect and enhance the region that has so long served the nation in the past and will continue to do so in the future," said Subcommittee Chairman Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., at the beginning of the hearing. Testimony during the hearing focused on defending the present 37.5 percent of Gulf offshore money going to coastal states under GOMESA. Some Democratic members of Congress have suggested that the share going to Gulf states be reduced or eliminated, meaning a larger share of money would go to the federal treasury. President Donald Trump had recommended dropping GOMESA as part of his 2018 budget, but included it in the fiscal year 2019 budget now before Congress. Rep. Alan Lowenthal, D-Calif., the ranking Democrat on the subcommittee who has in the past questioned why Gulf Coast states should share offshore revenue that is not produced within their borders, seemed more receptive of Louisiana receiving a share of the money on Thursday. Environmental news in your inbox Stay up-to-date on the latest on Louisiana's coast and the environment. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up But Lowenthal also suggested that the funding be tied to two key issues -- requiring the oil and gas industry to pay for wetland damages it has caused, and creating a "carbon tax" program aimed at reducing carbon emissions that would also provide a portion of its revenue to Louisiana's coastal restoration projects. Speaking before the subcommittee were former U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu, who was the original author of the GOMESA bill in 2006, and Tulane historian John Barry, who as vice president of the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East, led that body to sue oil and gas firms to force them to restore wetlands damages or pay for improvements to the levee system required by that damage. After opening statements, Rep. Garret Graves, R-Baton Rouge, and a member of the subcommittee, stepped as chairman for Gosar. During the hearing, Graves said the state, possibly because of its lack of political clout, does not get the same treatment as other areas of the country that have had environmental projects declared to be eligible for federal funds because of their national importance, including the Everglades and the Great Lakes. Landrieu, who now lobbies on behalf of both the state Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority and several energy companies, said GOMESA's funding doesn't go far enough to provide money to Louisiana for its restoration program. She pointed out that GOMESA provides 35 percent of offshore revenue to bordering states, another program for onshore oil and gas production on federal lands gives 50 percent of the revenue to the states in which it is produced. Since 1920, she said, those states have received more than $200 billion, while Louisiana and other Gulf Coast states have received well less than $1 billion. Indeed, state officials say Louisiana received just under $12 million from GOMESA through 2017. Landrieu said the federal government has a greater responsibility to provide additional revenue to Louisiana because of the benefits the nation has received from the leveeing of the Mississippi River since the 1927 flood that cut off the flow of sediment that rebuilds wetlands, and because that was done to provide a water highway for grain and other products from the nation's interior to the rest of the world, as well as to other states. "Has the oil and gas contributed to the erosion of our coastal wetlands? Should they pay their fair share? Yes," Landrieu said, adding that holding them accountable doesn't reduce the obligation of the federal government to provide a share of offshore oil revenue to the state. Barry agreed with the role of the Mississippi River levee system in reducing sediment, adding that upstream dams, especially six in the Missouri River system, have cut half the river's sediment load, which will make it more difficult for state officials to rebuild wetlands with proposed diversions or other restoration projects that would be built in part with GOMESA money. He also agreed with Lowenthal that the oil and gas industry should be required to pay for wetland damages caused by its actions, pointing to a series of studies blaming the industry for between 36 percent and 90 percent of the state's wetland losses. Barry pointed out that the industry violated the terms of state laws before 1980 that required canals to conform to drawings attached to their permit requests. During that period, access canals were allowed to widen to "vast dimensions" without being repaired, he said. Since the 1980s, changes in state law required companies to restore land to preexisting conditions, but those requirements also were violated, he said. And in recent years, Barry said, at least one federally-funded restoration program has spent more than 80 percent of its money on projects that restore damage caused by oil and gas operations. Also testifying was Reggie Dupre, now executive director of the Terrebonne Levee and Conservation District. As a member of Legislature representing Houma, Dupre authored the 2006 state Constitutional amendment requiring offshore oil revenue, including GOMESA money, to be used only for coastal restoration and protection. He also authored legislation creating the CPRA. "You see the actions taken by the federal government in the 20th century are destroying my homeland before my very eyes," Dupre said. "The action before you is, is it fair for Congress to share its oil and gas revenue with the Gulf states? The answer is absolutely. In fact, Congress needs to raise the percentage to 50 percent, just as it's shared on onshore land." For the past month, Loyola University Law School graduate Robert Wilkie has been acting secretary of the U.S. Department of Veterans of Affairs. And now that President Donald Trump's secretary-designate, Ronny Jackson, has withdrawn his name from the confirmation process to take the top job, Wilkie presumably will stay longer, until the White House comes up with another nominee. Wilkie's regular job is at the Pentagon, as the Defense Department's undersecretary for personnel and readiness. He moved to Veterans Affairs temporarily after Trump fired Secretary David Shulkin on March 28, and he has urged the department's 360,000 employees to remember the agency's mission: caring for people who have served in the military. One one veterans group was not pleased with his appointment. American Veterans, commonly called AMVETS, sent an April 3 letter urging Trump to return Wilkie to the Defense Department and put Deputy Veterans Affairs Secretary Tom Bowman in as interim leader, Stars and Stripes reported. "We need someone who can keep things moving forward," AMVETS Executive Director Joe Chenelly told the publication. "This needs to happen now. Tom Bowman is clearly qualified in a lot of different ways to serve as interim." Wilkie's Defense Department biography says he holds an undergraduate degree from Wake Forest University, a law degree from Loyola, a masters in international and comparative law from Georgetown University and a masters in strategic studies from the Army War College. He grew up in North Carolina, son of an Army artillery commander at Fort Bragg. During President George W. Bush's administration, Wilkie was assistant secretary of Defense from 2005 to 2009 and "was the youngest senior leader in the Department," his biography says. Before that, he was special assistant to the president for National Security Affairs and a senior director of the National Security Council. He has shepherded the Senate confirmation process for defense secretaries James Mattis and Robert Gates and Admiral Mike Mullen as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and he prepared Gen. David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Croker for their multiple appearances before the Congress in defense of the Iraqi war surge. In Congress, Wilkie has worked for Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., and former Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott of Mississippi. Wilkie is an Air Force Reserve officer assigned to the office of the chief of staff. He previously served in the Navy Reserve with the Joint Forces Intelligence Command, Naval Special Warfare Group Two and the Office of Naval Intelligence. . . . . . . . Drew Broach covers Jefferson Parish politics and Louisiana interests in Congress, plus other odds and ends, for NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune. Email: dbroach@nola.com. Facebook: Drew Broach TP. Twitter: drewbroach1. Google+: Drew Broach. When St. Tammany Parish sheriff's deputies arrested a 21-year-old man accused of stealing the feather from Abita Springs' prized bronze "Abita Princess" statue last year, they said the feather had not been recovered. The Princess statue sits beneath the pavilion at the Tammany Trace trailhead, a popular location for festivals and the town's weekly farmer's market. After the feather was plucked from the princess' headdress last July, townsfolk wrote it off as a loss. Ron Blitch, who had donated the statue to the town, had a new feather made and added to the statue, Mayor Greg Lemons said. But on Wednesday (April 25), the purloined feather was returned - along with a sincere-sounding apology, Lemons said. Lemons said he arrived at Town Hall to see a couple of sheriff's deputies there to see him. With them was another man who Lemons said apologized for the incident and wanted to return the feather. Lemons spread the news with a post on the town's Facebook page. "He was very sincere," the mayor said. "Hopefully -- and my feeling is he did - he learned something from this." St. Tammany top stories in your inbox A weekly guide to the biggest news in St. Tammany. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Lemons said the man offered this explanation: "He said 'We do stupid things,'" Lemons said. "Growing up I did some stupid things, too, so I can sympathize," the mayor added. NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune is not identifying the man because is charged only with a misdemeanor, one count of theft under $750. The Abita Princess statue has sat beneath the pavilion since 2009. Blitch, an architect, commissioned Gabriele Mossa, an artist in Florence, Italy, who created the Abpiece over 18 months using an old wax casting method. Blitch donated the art in memory of his father, J. Buchanon Blitch, an architect who worked to preserve much of the North Shore town's architecture and helped get downtown Abita Springs listed as a National Historic District. Lemons said the returned feather will likely go to the town's museum. "Hey, we actually have an extra feather," he said. A spring job fair is planned in Slidell for May 8. The job fair, co-sponsored by Tri-Parish Works Business & Career Solutions and the city of Slidell, will be held from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Slidell Municipal Auditorium in Olde Towne. The Northshore Spring Forward Job Fair is free and open to both job seekers and employers, Tri-Parish said in a recent news release. More than 30 companies have already signed on and other businesses are encouraged to register for space as soon as possible at www.triparishworks.net. A crowd of several hundred job seekers is expected. "In November of last year, we conducted one of the largest and most successful job fairs ever held in the area," Tri-Parish Works center operator Jennifer Barnett said in the news release. That job fair, at the Castine Center in Mandeville, drew a large crowd and organizers of the May job fair expect similar interest. St. Tammany top stories in your inbox A weekly guide to the biggest news in St. Tammany. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up St. Tammany's unemployment rate has fluctuated over the last 10 years from a low of 2.8 percent in 2007 to a high of 5.6 percent in 2013. Last year the rate was 4.3 percent, according to statistics complied by the St. Tammany Economic Development Foundation. Tri-Parish Works serves employers and job seekers in St. Tammany, St. Bernard and Plaquemines parishes. It is part of the Louisiana Workforce Commission. The Slidell Municipal Auditorium is located at 2056 Second St. For more information about the activities of the Tri-Parish Works Business & Career Solutions and the Louisiana Workforce Commission, contact the St. Tammany Business & Career Solutions Center at (985) 646-6410, or visit www.triparishworks.net. The Mandeville-area fire department has renewed its push for an annual $75 parcel fee on homes and businesses, which would generate an additional $1.5 million annually for the fire district. Fire Protection District 4 in November had asked the St. Tammany Parish Council to put the parcel fee proposal on Saturday's (April 28 ballot), but it withdrew its request after some council members expressed reservations about the idea. Fire Chief Kenneth Moore is now asking the council to put the proposal - along with two department millage renewals - on the Nov. 6 ballot. Revenue from the 23-year parcel fee would be used to back a $6 million bond issue that would pay to build, equip and staff two new stations and renovate four existing stations deemed "obsolete," he said. Moore appeared Wednesday night before the council's Agenda Review Committee, which sent the request to the full council for consideration at its May 3 meeting. The council will consider two separate resolutions: one to put the parcel fee proposal on the ballot, another to put the 25-mill and 1-mill property tax renewals before voters. "I'm asking to let the voters decide what level (of service) the voters want," Moore told committee members regarding the parcel fee. Councilwoman Maureen O'Brien said she did not object to letting the voters decide. "I believe you have the right to ask," she said. "I don't know if you're going to get it." The parcel fee would apply to all lots on which there are improvements, such as a house or a business. The district covers 70 square miles from the Tchefuncte River to an area near Lacombe, and from Lake Pontchartrain to Louisiana 36 near Abita Springs. Because of growth in the district, an increase in the number of calls and traffic congestion, firefighters cannot meet their benchmark response time of 5 minutes, 20 seconds in some areas, Moore said. "This timeline is crucial in saving lives and property," the department said in a 16-page handout given to council members. St. Tammany top stories in your inbox A weekly guide to the biggest news in St. Tammany. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Moore said there are three areas of concern: from Beau Chene subdivision to the Tchefuncte River, U.S. 190 above Lakeview Regional Medical Center and Louisiana 1088 to Interstate 12. The amount of damage done by fire increases dramatically after the 5:20 mark, while the likelihood of surviving a major medical emergency decreases greatly after that amount of time, Moore said. Moore said everyone who pays taxes to the fire district should be receiving the same services, but, "That's not happening." He told council members he would be "incompetent" if he did not seek to put the proposal before voters. The proposal calls for new stations to be built in the Louisiana 22 and U.S. 190 corridors. Of the existing stations, the oldest is about 54 years old; the newest is over 30 years old, the department says. Councilman Steve Stefancik, who is not a member of the committee but attended Wednesday's meeting, noted the fire department's property tax revenue increased from about $8 million to $14 million from 2007 to 2017. He asked how the increased tax dollars were spent. Moore said he could only answer to the spending since he became chief in December 2016. Stefancik said he is not a fan of "large parcel fees." He added: "To me, fire departments, some of them, are the most lucrative groups in the parish. They get more money per capita than anyone else." The state will soon be pushing the locally elected officials of Powhatan out of the way to administer the finances of the northwest Louisiana village that in mid-July had only $105 in its general fund and is hiring a cop to drum up some money from As if Louisiana hasnt had enough of tropical weather this summer, Gov. John Bel Edwards was told Saturday that the states residents need to brace themselves for the possibility of another system coming ashore perhaps as early as next Friday. Vice President Thinh said Vietnam always treasures and wants to strengthen relations with Australia, noting that the elevation of bilateral ties to a strategic partnership will create a foundation for their relations to grow more strongly. She highly valued Australias official development assistance for Vietnam, especially for the building of Cao Lanh Bridge in Dong Thap province that will be completed this May as scheduled. The Vice President agreed to augment cooperation in education, tourism and people-to-people exchange, considering these fields the two countries strengths to reinforce friendship and mutual understanding. She affirmed that Vietnam will work closely with Australia to implement the New Colombo Plan. Minister Bishop said Australia was satisfied with and highly valued the outcomes of the official visit to her country by Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, as well as Vietnams participation in the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit, hosted by Australia for the first time last March. She said that Vietnam is one of the priorities in her countrys foreign policy. She applauded increased exchanges of high-level delegations, asking the two sides to promote bilateral cooperation mechanisms, including the joint committee at the ministerial level. The official also spoke highly of the role of the Vietnamese community in Australias socio-economic development. She noted that her country is always ready to cooperate to solve issues that could affect Vietnam and bilateral ties on the basis of Australias regulations and policies. With regard to the East Sea issue, Minister Bishop affirmed that Australia always attaches importance to the maintenance of peace, stability, security, safety and freedom of navigation in and overflight over the East Sea, as well as the settlement of sea-related disputes based on international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. The two sides agreed to continue working closely at regional and international forums. Vice President Thinh thanked Australia for supporting Vietnam in APEC Year 2017 and its candidacy for non-permanent membership in the UN Security Council. Also on April 26, Vice President Thinh received Governor of the Australian state of New South Wales David Hurley. She noted with satisfaction the cooperation between Vietnamese localities and New South Wales, especially in trade and investment. She said with its strength in industry, agriculture, finance and services, the state will become the leading locality in fostering ties with Vietnam. Governor Hurley lauded Vietnams attainments in ensuring gender equality, adding that the countrys participation in the Global Summit of Women not only affirms the development of Vietnamese women but also help inspire women in Australia and the world. He promised to create conditions for Vietnamese localities to seek and set up cooperative ties with New South Wales. He also agreed to cooperate strongly to ensure the Vietnamese community is united and contribute to the development of each country and Vietnam-Australia relations. In his opening remarks, UN General Assembly President Miroslav Lajcak emphasised the need to scale-up efforts to prevent conflict and renewed the UNs commitment to conflict prevention. For his part, the UN Secretary General highlighted the need to strengthen partnerships around all efforts, and at every stage, from conflict prevention and resolution to peacekeeping, peace building, and long-term development. The UN chief said that more countries are experiencing violent conflict than at any time for nearly three decades, noting that we need greater unity and courage to lay the foundations of sustainable peace and development. Speaking at the meeting, Ambassador Nguyen Phuong Nga, head of the Vietnamese mission to the UN, affirmed Vietnams commitment to global and regional peace and security. She iterated Vietnams stance of resolving disputes, including the East Sea dispute, through peaceful means and on the basis of international law. Ambassador Nga also welcomed the UN chiefs reform proposals so that the body can fulfil its peacekeeping missions and help country members to meet their development goals. During her meetings with Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni, Prime Minister Hun Sen, and newly-reelected President of the Senate Say Chhum in Phnom Penh on April 26, Politburo member Phong informed them about the outcomes of the hand-over of the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF) chairmanship to the Cambodian NA, the talks with Second Vice President of the Cambodian NA Nguon Nhil, and the talks between General Secretary of the Cambodian NA Leng Peng Long and Vice Chairman of the Vietnamese NAs Committee for External Relations. She said the visit aims to strengthen the traditional friendship and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries and the two legislatures in particular. The Party, State, NA and people of Vietnam are deeply grateful to valuable and effective support and assistance that Cambodia has offered to Vietnam, she said, adding that Vietnam will do its best, together with Cambodia, to push forward the effective and practical development of bilateral ties in all areas, and help Cambodia fulfill its role as APPF Chair. The Cambodian leaders asked Vietnam to help Cambodia successfully host the 27th annual meeting of the APPF (APPF-27) in January 2019. They expressed gratitude to the Vietnamese Party, NA, Government and people for their assistance to Cambodia in the struggle to topple the Pol Pot genocide regime, as well as in the current cause of national construction and development. The Cambodian leaders also expressed delight at the growing ties between the two countries, especially the two legislatures, thereby helping to improve their positions in the regional and global arenas. During their talks, Vietnamese NA Vice Chairwoman Tong Thi Phong and newly-reelected First President of the Senate Nay Pena agreed to create favourable conditions for Vietnamese and Cambodian enterprises to do business in the two countries, and offer mutual support to fulfill each sides role and successfully hold the APPF-27. In the morning the same day, the Vietnamese delegation offered incense and laid wreaths at the Vietnam Cambodia Friendship Monument. On the afternoon of April 26, the Vietnamese legislators left Phnom Penh, concluding their two-day working visit to Cambodia. Simon Gripenberg, an artist from Finland, developed new types of vertical windmills, inspired by ancient Persian windmills and built from recycled materials. Most interestingly, the windmills float in water or spin on ice, so that Gripenberg manages to obtain low friction at low cost. The vertical windmill on ice uses a number of skis to benefit from the low friction of the ice. The windmill spins around an axis that is fixed into the ice. The small prototype works very good, but if scaled up in size it would be necessary to take lifting forces into account. [Video] A similar concept is applied to a vertical windmill floating on water, contained within a rigid structure. The windmill rotates smoothly with the use of a simple water bearing. [Video] Gripenberg also made a wind-powered carousel from a 6 ton ice sheet. [Video] Images: Simon Gripenberg The experts lauded the Vietnamese Governments and the PMs care about impacts of the fourth industrial revolution and emphasised the need to adopt cloud-based computing technology, artificial intelligence, big data and 3D technology in the fields of health, agriculture, industry, building of smart cities and e-government, and corporate governance. They suggested training workforce to tap opportunities arising from the revolution, including issuing mechanisms to attract domestic and foreign scientists and intellects and enhancing training on automation, robotics and nano materials. In order to fuel innovation, the experts suggested the Vietnamese Government issue policies to connect innovation ideas with businesses to put them into life. According to them, the world will use cloud-based computing technology and Internet-of-Things that will make changes in many countries. With a young population and presence of the worlds major hi-tech groups in the country, it will be easier for Vietnam to successfully apply new technologies, they said. PM Phuc, for his part, said Vietnam is building a strategy on the implementation of the fourth industrial revolution and wished that experts would help Vietnam adopt smart technologies in health care to offer cheaper and better services to patients. He said Vietnam recommended three cities to join the ASEAN Network of Smart Cities proposed by Singapore, adding that he wants to continue listening to valuable experiences of Singaporean and Vietnamese intellectuals in national construction. The leader also committed all possible favourable conditions for Singaporean hi-tech firms to invest in Vietnam and support Vietnamese start-ups. In the afternoon of the same day, PM Phuc visited the Government of Technology Agency of Singapore and study Singapores plan on building a smart country and digital government. Meeting the Vietnamese embassys staff and Vietnamese nationals in the country, the PM briefed them about the outcomes of the talks with his Singaporean counterpart Lee Hsien Loong, the meeting with President Halimah Yacob and working sessions and the signing of agreements with Singaporean agencies and businesses. He wished that young Vietnamese intellectuals in Singapore will partner with domestic and foreign partners to create collective power to bring the home country forward during the fourth industrial revolution. The ACTH convened its regular meeting for April in The Hague on April 24 with the attendance of the ambassadors from Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam. The meeting approved the activities of the ACTH for the next six months of 2018 and proceeded to transfer the chairmanship of the ACTH from Indonesian Ambassador I Gusti Agung Wesaka Puja to Vietnamese Ambassador Ngo Thi Hoa. Speaking at the meeting, Ambassador Hoa conveyed her congratulations to the Indonesian diplomat who successfully fulfilled the chairmanship role over the past six months and affirmed that Vietnam would endeavour to operate the Committee during the next term with practical results. The ASEAN ambassadors congratulated Ambassador Hoa on her new role and expressed their confidence that Vietnam would play a good role in the new term, helping to promote solidarity and cooperation between ASEAN and the Netherlands, the European Union, and other international organisations headquartered in The Hague. During the six-month tenure, the Embassy of Vietnam will continue to play an active and responsible role in organising the main activities of the Committee, such as chairing meetings of the ASEAN Ambassadors with working groups, facilitating contacts with local scholars, businesses and local community, and promoting ASEAN cooperation with international organisations in fields of mutual interest. In addition to official activities, the embassy will host a range of ASEAN exchanges to enhance the understanding and solidarity among officials and employees of the ASEAN representative missions in the Netherlands. Through its rotating presidency, the ACTH will continue its activities in promoting and enhancing ASEAN understanding among the local communities, especially in the business community and among local youngsters, thereby contributing to enhancing the role and position of Vietnam in ACTH as well as among local partners. Ugandan-born British fashion designer known worldwide by her brand name Jose Hendo is passionate about eco- sustainability at all levels. It is why she mainly uses organic cotton, bark cloth, and recyclable materials in her design process. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle - the R3 has become the cornerstone of Jose Hendo. Jose Hendo (R) with one of her models showcasing her designs I have to be conscious of the fact that I use techniques that can save on energy and on wastage. I believe in zero waste, she said. Josephine Kyomuhendo was born in Uganda to Mr and Mrs Bahemuka, the third born in a family of nine children. She received lots of hand-me-downs from her siblings, which taught her the value of resizing. Starting out Her fashion story started in 1989 at the Paris Fashion Academy. She told The Observer that when her S6 results went missing, she could not join university to pursue Fine Art like she had wanted. She had completed her UACE at Maryhill High School, but that is a part of her story she would rather not discuss. Fast-forward, she graduated from Paris and started a career focused on bridal wear. But something was missing. As an artist I have stories to tell and bridal wear could not let me do that. I was looking for something more. This drive saw her joining University of the Arts London College of Fashion in 2001 and the unapologetic artist inside was born. Enter the mutuba tree Hendo had used a lot of material but while putting together a collection called Resonance, she needed a fabric that had a story to tell; one that was organic and had movement. She searched England and France but could not find it, although she was drawn to trees and bark. It was during a trip back home when she landed on bark cloth. She took some with her to London and started figuring out how she was going to make it fashionable. That was 2008. It was not until 2014 that she decided to showcase Resonance in Uganda at the first edition of Kampala Fashion Week in Kololo. The collection received thunderous applause as the designer walked the runway with Aamito Lagum for the finale. Resonance has also been a hit in London, Paris, Vancouver, Berlin, Frankfurt, Madrid, New York and Dublin. In 2015, she travelled to Bukomansimbi where bark cloth is produced in large quantities by Bukomansimbi Organic Tree Farmers Association (BOTFA); it is where it all fell in place. She planted her first mutuba tree and the one million Mutuba Trees campaign was born. This is also in line with the Bark to the Roots (B2TR) that aims at promoting the use of bark cloth globally, anchored in the ethos of the sustainable development goals. Many people do not realize that as artists we have a lot more to give than to receive, she said. Getting more Ugandans on board Jose Hendo is passionate about spreading the gospel of sustainability, which she believes goes beyond the fashion industry. What is happening now is that we are trying to get so westernized, forgetting the Western world is already changing, she said, citing the thousands of plastic bottles being churned out everyday and use of air conditioning instead of inbuilt ecosystems. She advised fashion designers to create garments that can be won more than just once. Could your next dress be made from tree bark? #Uganda is turning heads in the #fashion world and #ecodesign industry. Artist Fred Mutebi and fashion designer @JoseHendo discuss the environmentally-friendly, renewable barkcloth material on 'Inside Africa'.https://t.co/VZHprsaAXX Michael Kirkpatrick ? (@OtimMichael) April 12, 2018 barangasam@gmail.com A head-teachers union in the UK recently reported that youths have become so accustomed to using digital devices that they are having trouble correctly reading time on analog clocks, forcing schools to replace them. According to Malcolm Trobe, deputy general secretary at the Association of School and College Leaders, children and young teens arent as good at reading an old-fashioned clock as previous ones. Because phones, tablets and computers play such a huge role in their lives, they are constantly exposed to time in digital format, so seeing the time displayed in analog format in examination halls can be a cause of unnecessary stress for children. For this reason, some schools are removing analog clocks and replacing them with digital ones. Photo: GabrielleMerk/Wikimedia Commons The current generation arent as good at reading the traditional clock face as older generations, Mr Trobe, a former headmaster, told The Telegraph. They are used to seeing a digital representation of time on their phone, on their computer. Nearly everything theyve got is digital so youngsters are just exposed to time being given digitally everywhere. Until now, it was assumed that by the time students reach secondary school, they are able to read analog clocks, but Mr. Trobe claims that this is often not the case anymore. His experienced is shared by other teachers, who recently took to social media to complain about this issue. For example, Stephanie Keenan, head of English at Ruislip High School in north-west London, said that her school decided to replace analog clock in exam halls with digital ones, after it became clear that some year nine, ten and eleven students had difficulties reading an analog clock face. Photo: SJu (cs:SJu)/Wikimedia Commons Cheryl Quine, a head of department at Cockermouth School and chair of the West Cumbria Network, said that some children at her school couldnt read analog clocks in exam rooms either. It may be a little sad if youngsters coming through arent able to tell the time on clock faces, Malcolm Trobe said. One hopes that we will be teaching youngsters to read clocks, however we can see the benefit of digital clocks in exam rooms. To make matters worse, earlier this year, a senior pediatric doctor warned that young children are finding it increasingly difficult to use analog writing tools like pencils and pens, due to being exposed to phones and tablets all the time. Photo: Elke Wetzig/Wikimedia Commons To be able to grip a pencil and move it, you need strong control of the fine muscles in your fingers. Children need lots of opportunity to develop those skills, head pediatric occupational therapist Sally Payne said. Its easier to give a child an iPad than encouraging them to do muscle-building play such as building blocks, cutting and sticking, or pulling toys and ropes. Because of this, theyre not developing the underlying foundation skills they need to grip and gold a pencil. All we can do is hope that modern technology never fails, otherwise were in big trouble. Singapore acts as the chair of ASEAN for 2018 under the theme "Resilience and Innovation." The summit and related meetings will end on April 28, when leaders of most ASEAN member countries gather under the host of Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. According to a press release issued by Singapore's Prime Minister's Office on April 24, the leaders will discuss ASEAN's priorities, as well as the challenges and opportunities that it faces. They will also exchange views on regional and international developments. Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak will be absent from the summit as it coincides with his country's election season, according to reports from Kuala Lumpur. The related meetings of the summit include the 16th ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Council Meeting and the 17th ASEAN Political-Security Community Council Meeting. The two meetings will be chaired by Singapore's Minister for Trade and Industry (Trade) Lim Hng Kiang and Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan, respectively. The 16th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting and the 11th Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle Summit will also be held on the sidelines of the summit. The United Arab Emirates has hired Hill+Knowlton Strategies to handle strategic communications and global PR for the World Energy Councils 24thWorld Energy Congress slated for 2019 (Sept. 9-12) at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center. The Congress headlined Energy for Prosperity, will attract heads of state, energy executives, community leaders and members of academia who will discuss the energy trilemma of security, equity and environment sustainability. Abu Dhabi won the bidding to host the 2019 Congress in 2014. H+Ks offices in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and London will begin their PR work by showcasing the planning and progress made to put on the event. The WPP unit will promote a flurry of announcements leading up to the Congress and conduct outreach to leading influencers in the energy sector. The London-based World Energy Council has more than 3,000-member organizations in 90 countries. YICHANG, Hubei, April 25 (Xinhua) -- President Xi Jinping has urged stronger independent innovation capacity for China during an inspection to the Three Gorges Dam, saying the country must master the core technology of high-end equipment. China must rely on its own efforts, Xi said Tuesday at the dam, which lies on the Yangtze River near Yichang City, central China's Hubei Province. As the world's largest hydropower project, the Three Gorges project is a multi-functional water control system consisting of a dam stretching 2,309 meters long and 185 meters high, 32 hydropower turbo-generators, a five-tier ship lock and a shiplift. China would not have its leading ability if it had relied on others to build the dam, said Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission. The great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation can only be achieved through untiring struggle, he said. Xi inspected the ship lock, the shiplift and the power plants on the northern bank of the Yangtze River, and listened to reports about work on topics including construction, power generation, navigation and environmental protection. During an inspection to a new material industrial park on the Yangtze River, Xi stressed coordination in ecological protection and economic development. Ecological restoration should be the top priority, Xi said, noting China's mother river must be protected, and any exploitation that is destructive to the environment must be forbidden. China will push for industrial transformation and upgrades in the region, and foster suitable sectors under the precondition of ecological protection, to achieve high-quality development in a scientific, orderly manner, Xi said. Lu Kang, spokesperson for China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, reiterated at Wednesday's daily press briefing that China welcomes the visit of US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to negotiate the China-US trade issue. US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said Treasury Secretary Mnuchin would head to China to negotiate over the trade dispute within days, but the US and China have yet to reveal details of the visit. Earlier this week, China's Commerce Ministry also responded to the report of Mnuchin's potential China visit after he said he's considering visiting the country to solve the differences over trade. China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang [Photo: fmprc.gov.cn] "A trip is under consideration," Mnuchin said at a press conference during the International Monetary Fund and World Bank spring meetings in Washington, DC, on April 21. "I am not going to make any comment on timing, nor do I have anything confirmed, but a trip is under consideration." Tension has mounted over the past a few weeks between the two countries on trade and intellectual property as both China and the US have proposed tariffs of 50 billion US dollars on each other's products, and Trump is still planning to impose tariffs up to 100 billion US dollars more on Chinese goods. Chinese lawmakers are reviewing a draft law to protect the reputation and honor of heroes and martyrs, vowing to punish those who "glorify wars of invasion" and disturb social order. People visit the memorial hall of the victims of the Nanjing Massacre by Japanese invaders in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province. [File photo: Xinhua] "People who profane the deeds and spirit of the heroes and martyrs and those who glorify wars or acts of invasion and disturb the social order shall be punished," according to the second draft law under review at the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee's bimonthly session running from Wednesday to Friday. The wording was added following recent disturbing incidents in which a handful of persons dressed in Japanese WWII army uniforms and spread the photos online to glorify the war, triggering a strong public backlash. In one incident earlier this year, two young men were held by police after posing in front of anti-Japanese invasion war ruins in Nanjing city, dressed in the uniform of Japanese invaders and holding "army weapons." Nanjing is the site of the Nanjing Massacre where about 300,000 civilians and unarmed Chinese soldiers were brutally murdered by Japanese troops over about 40 days after capturing the city in December 1937. In February 2014, the top legislature designated December 13 as "National Memorial Day for Nanjing Massacre Victims." Memorials have been held every year since to mourn those who died in the atrocities. The draft, which is expected to be adopted this week, aims to promote patriotism and socialist core values. "China has had more than 20 million heroes and martyrs since the mid-19th century, many of whom remain anonymous," Hu Keming, deputy chairman of the NPC Constitution and Law Committee, said in a report to lawmakers. "The law will protect the heroes, martyrs and revolutionists who devoted and sacrificed themselves for the Chinese nation and the people since modern times," Hu said. "All members of society should honor them, learn from them and guard their reputation," the draft says. The draft got its first reading in a bimonthly session of the top legislature last December. It requires Internet operators to speedily handle online information that infringes on heroes and martyrs. In its second draft, the law says harmful information originating from overseas should be intercepted using technology or other necessary means. Also to be banned is using radio, television and film products that violate the heroes and martyrs' rights of name, portrait, reputation and honor in public or online. "After revisions, the NPC Constitution and Law Committee has suggested putting it to vote at this session," Hu said. Updated Thursday, April 26 Beaverton police say officers shot a suicidal man Wednesday after he fired at them. The unidentified man was shot a little before 1:50 p.m. near Southwest Farmington Road and Murray Boulevard, said Beaverton police spokesman Officer Jeremy Shaw. The incident happened after officers had talked with the man for two-and-a-half hours due to his apparent mental health crisis, Shaw said. The man was taken to a hospital, where he remained Thursday. No officers were injured in the shooting. Those involved have been put on paid administrative leave, which is standard protocol after a police shooting. How many officers fired and their identities have not yet been released by police. The shooting remains under investigation. -- Jim Ryan By Richard W. Etulain | For The Oregonian/OregonLive Talented and blustery Peter Burnett deserves historical resurrection, particularly for Oregon and California readers. In Oregon in the 1840s, Burnett proved an ambitious, go-ahead leader in political and judicial pursuits. Later in California he rose to the top, named the state's first governor in 1850. Thereafter Burnett took on roles as a banker, developer and writer. But over the years Burnett's important contributions have been lost. R. Gregory Nokes restores Burnett to the front pages of West Coast history in the smoothly written biography "The Troubled Life of Peter Burnett: Oregon Pioneer and First Governor of California" (Oregon State University Press, 288 pages, $19.95). Nokes exhibits once again his first-rate talents as journalist and historian. He fashions a superb story about a notable pioneer leader, repeating sterling performances in "Massacred for Gold: The Chinese in Hells Canyon" (2009) and "Breaking Chains: Slavery on Trial in the Oregon Territory" (2013). Burnett's "troubled" personality surfaced in his first years and reappeared on his trip up the Oregon Trail in 1843. Burnett was named wagon train captain of nearly 1,000 overlanders, but after a week of inflexible, unpopular decisions and actions, he resigned rather than listening to his fellow emigrants and changing his attitudes. It was an erratic, disruptive pattern that characterized his life time and again. In Oregon, Burnett, with a wife and six children to support, tried farming and then attempted, unsuccessfully, to found Linntown along the Willamette River north of Portland. After only nine months in Oregon, he was named to the territory's legislative committee. The assertive Burnett early on exhibited anti-black attitudes by sponsoring an odious "Lash Law," which included a beating for blacks who refused to leave the territory. Burnett continued to gain offices in Oregon. In 1845, he was named supreme judge of the Territorial Supreme Court, but resigned to enter private law practice. In 1848, he was elected to the new territorial legislature, but resigned after two months and left for California, where he hoped to get rich in the Gold Rush. Nokes makes clear that Burnett was "generally highly regarded in Oregon." Still, as the author adds, Burnett was already displaying his "proclivity toward hyperbole, exaggeration, self-justification, and evasiveness." Author R. Gregory Nokes at the Burnett Cutoff trail used by westward emigrants and named for the subject of Nokes' new biography, Peter Burnett. Burnett's ability to capture attention and high position reasserted itself on his way to California. Chosen a trail leader in 1848, he led 150 travelers with 46 wagons and ox teams south and established the Burnett Cutoff from Oregon to California. Quickly, Burnett was involved with land developer John Sutter and eventual millionaire Mormon Sam Brannan. In November 1849, roughly one year after his arrival, he was easily elected the first governor of the state of California, although Congress did not recognize the state until September 1850. Again, Burnett had overnight captured attention and votes. And, again, amidst criticism, disagreement and increasing unpopularity, he resigned in January 1851. Nokes devotes several chapters to Burnett's rise, his continued support for anti-black legislation, his ins and outs as a land investor, banker, his Catholic faith and his writings. Burnett died in San Francisco, in May 1895, after nearly a half century in northern California. Nokes furnishes lay and specialist readers with an extraordinarily readable and dependable biography. Particularly valuable are the author's assessments of Burnett's mercurial personality, his ups and downs as a leader and his now-odious racial attitudes. Present in these pages are both narrative power and apt analyses and evaluations, a combination too often missing in purely academic books. One quibble. Most western historians are likely to disagree with Nokes' assertion that Burnett's "resume is the most impressive of any leader in the early American West" when they keep in mind the achievements of such men as Brigham Young, Stephen F. Austin and John C. Fremont. In fact, Joseph Lane, Matthew Deady and several others were more important than Burnett in shaping Oregon. In addition, in other chapters, Burnett is often lost in contextual backgrounds. Nokes' largest achievement is his storytelling power. Undoubtedly his appealing narrative style was honed during his years writing for The Oregonian and The Associated Press. Here is the revealing, exceptionally readable biography we have needed to bring Peter Burnett deservedly back on the scene. *** R. Gregory Nokes When: 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 2 Where: Oswego Heritage Council, 398 10th St., Lake Oswego Admission: Free Also: Nokes also appears from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday, June 2, at the Wilsonville Festival of Arts, Town Center Park, 29600 S.W. Park Place, Wilsonville. Din Tai Fung, the international chain of dumpling restaurants once recognized by the New York Times among the top ten restaurants in the world, appears to be planning its first Oregon location. That's according to a business license first spotted by Eater PDX for a "Din Tai Fung (Washington Square) Restaurant, LLC," registered with the Secretary of State in late December, 2017. That name indicates a restaurant could be headed for Washington Square, the mall just off Oregon 217 near the Portland-Beaverton border. Details remain sparse. Din Tai Fung has yet to make an official announcement, and did not immediately respond to an email requesting comment (or, let's be honest, a dozen other emails I've sent over the past 10 years asking when they would come to Portland). Until then, here's a Q&A that details everything we know so far: Wait, I didn't read the intro. What's happening? Soup dumpling destination Din Tai Fung might be opening its first Portland restaurant at Washington Square mall. Also, c'mon, man. I've never been. What's it like? Though it started in Taipei, Din Tai Fung now has a global reach, with locations in 15 countries, including 11 in the United States, all on the West Coast. If it opens, the Washington Square location will probably be much like the others: Located in or near a mall, with a window out front where folks waiting in line can look in on the dumpling station, often filled with dozen or more employees wrapping ground pork in dough sealed with many intricate folds. The menu is built around soup dumplings, a dish more commonly associated with Shanghai, though the rest of the menu, from fried pork chops to the beef noodle soup, actually looks a lot more like a Taiwanese restaurant. That's because Din Tai Fun actually started as a small shop that doubled as a cooking oil retailer on Xinyi Road in Taipei, Taiwan, near Yongkang Street, the city's famous snack row. If you want to add some sauteed string beans or fried rice to round out your dumpling order, I won't stop you. A soup dumpling at Din Tai Fung And what exactly are soup dumplings again? I've probably written about soup dumplings too many times already. Give this XLB preview from last year a read. Will the Oregon location be good? The short answer: Yes. There's been some concern among folks left with a bad taste in their mouth from Yong Kang Street, the no-good dim sum spot in Pioneer Place Mall. But while that was a loosely affiliated spin-off of a relatively unknown Las Vegas restaurant, Din Tai Fung is a global force. I've been to Din Tai Fung locations in three countries, and while the Seattle soup dumplings don't droop quite as nicely as the ones at, say, the Taipei original, they're still damn good. More importantly, Din Tai Fung is a model of consistency. Seattle's U Village location, where I've probably eaten the most, has produced the same very good dumplings, noodles, veggies and sides every time I've visited, at all times of day. I heard Din Tai Fung was overrated? Now for the long answer. First of all, yeah, if you've had A+ xiaolongbao, these are going to be B+s. But if you've heard they're overrated, it's probably because our neighbors to the north are getting jaded. Specifically, Seattleites have turned their eyes to Dough Zone, another slick, dumpling-focused restaurant that started in the eastern suburb of Bellevue before heading downtown. But that's not a Portland problem. Locally, good soup dumplings have popped up at downtown Portland's Duck House and North Portland's counter-service XLB, a restaurant that took a bit of inspiration from Din Tai Fung. But no one in town combines Din Tai Fung's scale and execution. Time will tell if the Portland opening happens at just the right time, or a few years too late. Who will own the Portland location? Franchise owner David Wasielewski is listed as the manager of the LLC, meaning the Portland location will most likely be part of the Seattle group. Wasielewski was the first non-family member franchisee. Why Washington Square? We still don't know. Assuming any of this actually happens, it does seem to follow Din Tai Fung's Washington State expansion plans. Wasielewski opened his first Din Tai Fung in Bellevue, the Seattle suburb and Asian food destination, before growing to four area locations, including one downtown. Beaverton, already home to a handful of Chinese restaurants with Seattle-area ties, including the great Taste of Sichuan, is probably the closest thing Portland has to Bellevue, only without the skyscrapers. Will there be a line? Oh yeah, especially early on. When you go, you're going to walk past the little dumpling mascot by the door, give the hostess your name, then likely wait 30 minutes to an hour or more. But here's a little tip for you to put under your cap: If you're in a small group, you can avoid the whole sign-in experience by grabbing a seat at the first-come, first-served bar. Don't say I never did anything for ya. -- Michael Russell China plans to introduce default judgment in corruption-related criminal cases as authorities step up the fight against crooked officials who have fled overseas. Zhou Jiyang, a former party official in Zhejiang Province, is the 50th returned fugitive from China's 100 most wanted list. [File Photo: QNSB] Lawmakers were briefed on the move Wednesday as a draft revision to the Criminal Procedure Law was submitted to the top legislature for review. The bimonthly legislative session of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) will run from Wednesday to Friday. "The default judgment will be used against suspects and defendants in corruption or bribery cases who have fled abroad," said Shen Chunyao, chairperson of the Commission for Legislative Affairs of the NPC Standing Committee. This piece of legislation is meant to strengthen the efforts to catch overseas fugitives. "It is a brand new practice in our legal system," said Zhang Xingkuan, a Beijing-based lawyer, adding that the practice will become increasingly important as the country's anti-corruption fight deepens. Shen, the NPC official, said China's international hunt for fugitives and stolen assets has made great progress since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. It has won broad support from the public. According to a government white paper, from 2014 to mid-October 2017, 3,453 fugitives were brought back from more than 90 countries and regions. Illegal assets worth 9.5 billion yuan (around 1.5 billion U.S. dollars) were recovered. "In the past, fugitive officials can only be tried after being repatriated," said Chen Weidong, a professor at Renmin University of China. "With default judgment in place, they will be punished by law even if they escape to the farest corner of the world." "Under default judgment, prosecutors having thoroughly investigated the case and obtained clear and substantial evidence can bring these cases to court," Shen said. "A collegiate panel will be formed and a copy of the subpoena needs to be sent to the defendant. If the defendant fails to appear, the court can adjudicate the case by default and rule on the defendant's ill-gotten wealth and other related assets. The defendant's rights to litigation will be protected." According to the draft, the defendant has the right to be represented by defense lawyers. Upon reaching a judgment, the court should inform the defendant of his or her right to object. If such an objection is raised, a retrial will be initiated. "The draft gives substantial protection of the defendant's rights. It is in line with internationally recognized principles and is similar to the practices taken by most countries," said Chen, the law professor. Besides corruption cases, Shen said default judgment could also be invoked in other cases if the defendant had died or was mentally ill to the level of being unfit for trial. Shen said the draft revision to the Criminal Procedure Law would also codify leniency for guilty pleas. The practice allows suspects and defendants to be considered for mitigated punishment if they voluntarily confess and sign affidavits. The prosecutors make the proposal and the court, upon examining whether the guilty plea is voluntary and the affidavit is legitimate, decides on it. A pilot has been in place since September 2016. In the 281 participating courts and procuratorates, the practice was invoked in 91,121 cases, or 45 percent of the total cases settled in the court. Chen said the practice worked and raised the efficiency of litigation. Time is running out. The weather, at last glance, is great. It's been great all week. But it's going to be less-than-great soon. The National Weather Service expects sunny skies and a high near 79 degrees Thursday in Portland. Showers are likely Friday, Saturday and Sunday. So don't wait. Get outside -- now. It'd be foolish to squander your last several hours of summer-like April weather behind a computer. Here are 10 things you can do before precipitation rolls back in to Portland: Mark Graves/Staff One Ditch work. Thats right. Your to-do list can wait. You can telecommute late tonight. Work a bit extra Friday. You wont regret it. (We hope.) Don't Edit Beth Nakamura/Staff Two Wear your favorite sunglasses all day. Were doing it right now. While we type this. (Kidding.) Don't Edit Beth Nakamura/Staff Three Eat ice cream really fast until you get a brain freeze. This is obviously a good way to celebrate our dwindling taste of summer. Don't Edit dreamstime Four Get a sunburn that's bound to keep you warm for another few weeks. This way, youll remember our sunny stretch amid the showers in the forecast. Don't Edit Randy L. Rasmussen/File Five Make some margs. Fire up the grill. Eat your dinner on your patio/in your backyard/in the park down the street. This is a surefire way to juice every last drip out of our summery stint. Feeling lazy? Visit one of our 45 great places to eat and drink outdoors right now. Don't Edit Don't Edit Dave Killen/Staff Six Run through the Salmon Street Springs fountain. You know you want to. Don't Edit Dillon Pilorget/File Seven String up your hammock. Bonus points if you combine this with No. 5. Don't Edit Marcia Westcott Peck Eight Mow your lawn. Mowing -- and other outdoor chores -- are both practical and enjoyable uses of time. Plus, youll treat your neighbors to the smell of fresh-cut grass. Whats more summer-like than that? Don't Edit Mark Graves/Staff Nine Run. Walk. Ride. Zoom around on your hoverboard. (Or dont.) Do anything thatll get you outside and keep you there. And do yourself a favor: Leave your phone behind, or at least keep off it as much as possible. Don't Edit Mark Graves/Staff Ten Complain about the heat. Because its bound to be back before we know it. Jim Ryan jryan@oregonian.com 503-221-8005; @Jimryan015 Don't Edit Mat Coley/@thechetco A group of responders working together to rescue a man trapped inside the cabin of a capsized boat Wednesday in Brookings was caught on film by a bystander. Don't Edit Mat Coley/@thechetco According to a Coast Guard press release, a witness called the Coast Guard at 11:06 a.m. after seeing a 26-foot Army Corps of Engineers boat capsize approximately 200 yards south of the Chetco River south jetty. Don't Edit Mat Coley/@thechetco A Coast Guard boat arrived at the vessel at 11:14 a.m. and reported one of the two people on the boat was able to swim to shore and another was unaccounted for. Don't Edit Mat Coley/@thechetco At the time of the incident, waves were two to four feet high with four foot breaks. Don't Edit Mat Coley/@thechetco Don't Edit Don't Edit Mat Coley/@thechetco As the Coast Guard boat arrived on scene in the water, a beach rescue began. Coast Guard responders in dry suits attempted to walk a 50 foot line to the overturned boat. However, once it was attached and rescuers began pulling that line with a winch, it broke. Don't Edit Mat Coley/@thechetco A second, thicker line was attached and rescuers were able to use a tractor to pull the boat 30 feet closer to shore, where they were finally able to free the Army Corps of Engineers employee stuck in the cabin. Don't Edit Mat Coley/@thechetco The man was not injured during the incident and, according to Army Corp of Engineers spokesperson Jeffrey Henon, he was "released from the hospital soon after being evaluated." Don't Edit Mat Coley/@thechetco According to Coast Guard spokesperson Levi Read, many agencies joined in the rescue effort, including Curry County Sheriff's, Brookings Police Department, Brookings Fire, Port of Brookings and the Coast Guard Station Chetco River, as well as "several good Samaritan beachgoers." Don't Edit Rescue at Sporthaven Beach Coast Guard Rescue (FULL VIDEO) from today at Sporthaven Beach in Brookings, Oregon. KUDOS TO THE RESCUE WORKERS AND CIVILIANS THAT HELPED SAVE THIS MAN'S LIFE!! Video by: Mat Coley Disclaimer: To use this video in a commercial player or in broadcasts, please email licensing@storyful.com Posted by The Chetco on Wednesday, April 25, 2018 Watch the video, taken by Mat Coley, above. Don't Edit In 2016, four people in Jackson County died of heroin overdoses. Six died in 2017. Within the first four months of the year, 10 people have died, according to county Medical Director Dr. Jim Shames. That's a nearly 70 percent increase in nearly a quarter of the time. "It's a huge increase and unfortunately we just don't know enough to be sure what the cause is," Shames said. Multnomah County can see 20 overdose deaths in a month, according to county records, but it's population is close to 800,000 people. Jackson County has just over 200,000, according to the last Census numbers. Shames said that right now, the spike is focused in Southern Oregon, but he is talking with health departments, police, medical examiners, substance abuse agencies and social workers throughout the state. "The concern is that we could be the canary in the coal mine," Shames said, because Jackson County is the first stop in Oregon on the Interstate 5 corridor heading north from California. Oregon has reduced the number of prescribed opioids, which, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has in turn decreased the number of overdose deaths. However, the state is seeing a significant increase in deaths due to synthetic opioids. So authorities expect either the synthetic opioid fentanyl has moved into the market or a new supplier with stronger heroin. Fentanyl has boomed in the illicit drug market with people who lose access to prescription opioids. It can be cut into heroin without users knowing, causing it to become a leader in a nationwide trend of increasing opioid overdose deaths. "When you look at communities where fentanyl has come to town, this is what it looks like," Shames said. Fentanyl is one of several increasingly common synthetic opioids that are especially potent. Jackson County is reaching out to everyone who deals with heroin and synthetic opioid users to encourage people to test their heroin before using it to check whether it has fentanyl mixed in. Government and nonprofit groups also are trying to make sure the lifesaving overdose medication naloxone is available in areas where a lot of people use drugs. The United States surgeon general issued a rare national advisory in early April that encouraged people to carry naloxone, which is expensive but relatively easy for people without medical training to use. -- Molly Harbarger mharbarger@oregonian.com 503-294-5923 @MollyHarbarger A caregiver at Providence St. Vincent's Medical Center has been diagnosed with tuberculosis, a contagious disease. The hospital is in the process of notifying patients who came in contact with the employee, said Jennifer Burrows, chief nursing executive. Hospital administration is still investigating how long the employee might have been infected with the bacteria to figure out how many patients must be contacted. The hospital will offer free testing to anyone notified. Burrows declined to specify which kind of tuberculosis the employee has, what the employee's job is, how that person contracted tuberculosis or any other details that might identify who the caregiver is. The employee with tuberculosis notified the hospital recently about the diagnosis and is now in treatment. Providence St. Vincent requires all employees -- from doctors to support staff -- to be tested every year for tuberculosis. If the bacteria is found, the staff person is treated even if the infection has not progressed to illness. Burrows said that tuberculosis rarely results in sickness. The bacteria is slow moving and many people who are infected never show signs of illness. Often, someone must be in close face-to-face contact for hours to be affected. "Everyone here at Providence St. Vincent takes this situation very seriously," Burrows said. -- Molly Harbarger mharbarger@oregonian.com 503-294-5923 @MollyHarbarger The April 22 guest opinion from Ginny Lang, Duncan Wyse and Sandra McDonough, "Starting the serious work to turn Oregon around," had some serious misconceptions which will make solving Oregon's financial problems even more difficult. First, the assumption that everyone wants what's best for Oregon. In fact, many people want what's best for themselves. Leadership and legislative compromise are needed to address the issue successfully. Second, the assumption that education is the path to prosperity ignores the fact that education and training must be tailored to the needs of the marketplace. Producing more college graduates only works if there are jobs available for those people that contribute to the economy. Finally, calling spending "investment" is a cop-out. To correct our financial imbalance, we need to match the revenues to the spending. Let's stop assuming that the problem will be solved by goodwill alone. Don Jortner, Southwest Portland UMATILLA A father died after saving his son from drowning in the Columbia River. Umatilla County Sheriff Terry Rowan reported a family was fishing Wednesday evening near the Umatilla Marina on the Columbia River when the young boy slipped into the water. The father jumped in to rescue his son. Umatilla Police Chief Darla Huxel said the father saved his son, but later drowned. Rowan said the man died after several minutes of CPR. Emergency responders took the boy to Good Shepherd Medical Center, Hermiston, for treatment of symptoms of hypothermia. Huxel said the wife and mother was present and went to the hospital with her son, who was alive. Investigative authorities did not have the boy's medical condition, nor did they release the identities of the family. The sheriff's office and Oregon State Police are assisting the Umatilla Police Department, which is the lead agency on the case. Huxel said while the drowning occurred within the jurisdiction of Umatilla police, the sheriff's marine deputy would also investigate the death. --The Associated Press A 60-year-old man pleaded guilty Thursday to reporting a fake bomb on a MAX train last June. Wilfredo Reyes admitted he left a backpack on a Green Line train and then called 911 to say it was suspicious. Portland police were called to the Hollywood station about 12:15 p.m. on June 9 to investigate the backpack. It had protruding wires that made it look like an explosive, according to police. Officers from the bureau's Metropolitan Explosive Disposal Unit examined the backpack with a remote-controlled robot. Police closed parts of Interstate 84 and surrounding streets for at least two hours as they evacuated the train. By 4 p.m., the bomb squad determined the pack wasn't dangerous. Before he faced a federal indictment, Reyes told The Oregonian/OregonLive in September that he called 911 while he was still on the train. He had his name on the backpack. He said the wires were from a spiral calendar in the pack. He also left a pair of old shoes, a newspaper and a shirt inside the bag, he said. At his arraignment, Reyes apologized and said he called 911 for attention. The disruption came two weeks after Jeremy Christian is accused of stabbing three men aboard a Green Line train at the Hollywood station. Two of the men died. They were trying to protect two teenage girls from a racist rant, police and witnesses said. Reyes faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. He will be sentenced Aug. 14 before U.S. District Judge Anna J. Brown. Officers from the Portland FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force worked with Portland police, Portland fire and TriMet investigators on the case. -- Maxine Bernstein mbernstein@oregonian.com 503-221-8212 @maxoregonian A state police oversight board Thursday refused to accept a recommendation allowing former Portland police Chief Larry O'Dea to keep his police certification. Marion County Sheriff Jason Myers, who serves as the board's chairman, said he had concerns about maintaining O'Dea's certification after two city investigations found O'Dea was dishonest, misled investigators about his handling of a 2016 off-duty shooting of a friend and failed to immediately act on an employee's complaint of a hostile work environment. "In good conscience, I cannot pass this forward,'' said Myers, who had the recommendation pulled from the board's consent agenda. Myers pointed out that Portland's human resources director and its Independent Police Review division upheld the findings that O'Dea was not truthful. Myers also said police executives must immediately report any complaints of a hostile work environment to human resources officials. "The bar as you know is set very high for public safety officials,'' Myers said. "It's even higher for leadership and executives as they set the tone of what's acceptable.'' All but one of the other members of the state Board of Public Safety Standards and Training present agreed with Myers, marking one of the rare instances when the board has sent a policy committee recommendation back for more review. "I felt very uncomfortable with this case myself and want to revisit,'' said Liz Lawrence, a Bend police sergeant on the board. Keizer Police Chief John Teague was the lone dissenter on the board. He also is a member of the police policy committee. He said he didn't believe the documents before him supported suspending or revoking O'Dea's certification. "I don't think I have enough to establish it was a category 1 lie,'' Teague said. He referred to a matrix that law enforcement officials and prosecutors in the state use to determine if an officer's actions amount to a level of dishonesty that must be disclosed to defense lawyers in any criminal prosecution under the 1963 U.S. Supreme Court Brady v. Maryland ruling. "That should inform our thinking on this,'' Teague said, though he acknowledged that the board is a regulatory group, not involved in criminal prosecutions. Two months ago, the police policy committee, made up mostly of other chiefs and sheriffs across the state, considered O'Dea's case. The committee found that O'Dea's handling of the shooting of his friend and an employee's discrimination complaint against a co-worker showed a "failure of leadership'' but didn't warrant taking away his certification. The committee said O'Dea had suffered enough by losing his job as chief. O'Dea retired in June 2016 while he was under criminal investigation for shooting Robert Dempsey with his .22-caliber rifle during a camping trip in Harney County two months earlier. O'Dea and his friends were on lawn chairs, shooting at ground squirrels. A hollow-point bullet from O'Dea's rifle hit Dempsey in the lower back and fragmented. Dempsey was released from the hospital the next day, the bullet still in his body. The day of the shooting, O'Dea told a Harney County deputy that he thought Dempsey had shot himself. A subsequent administrative investigation by Portland's Independent Review office found that O'Dea delayed reporting the shooting and then lied to investigators about the shooting while he was still chief. A separate investigation by city human resources officials found that O'Dea failed to follow reporting requirements when an administrative assistant in his office came to him with allegations that the Police Bureau's diversity manager, Elle Weatheroy, had made racist remarks to her. Investigators found that O'Dea lied about what he knew when they interviewed him. A grand jury indicted O'Dea on a negligent wounding charge, but a Harney County judge agreed to a civil compromise and dismissed the charge. O'Dea's case now goes back to the police policy committee for review. The board suggested that agency staff seek unredacted records from the criminal investigation of O'Dea. O'Dea's lawyer Derek Ashton said there's no need for another committee review, considering O'Dea is retired. Neither O'Dea nor Ashton attended the board meeting. "The police policy committee got it right when it voted against revoking or suspending Larry's police certifications,'' Ashton said. "The credible evidence remains clear: with regard to the camping accident, Larry was not intoxicated, was not untruthful and did not mislead investigators or his command staff; and with regard to the personnel matter, Larry took decisive action once the allegations were coherently communicated to him and he was not untruthful during the ensuing workplace investigation. Larry has retired. There simply is no compelling public interest in continuing this matter.'' If the committee sends the case back to the board with the same recommendation, the board would need a two-thirds vote, or 16 members, to overturn the recommendation. The board recently crafted a temporary rule to allow the board to defer or overturn recommendations from its policy committees. -- Maxine Bernstein mbernstein@oregonian.com 503-221-8212 @maxoregonian The American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon is picking up the baton in the legal fight over the March arrest of a Latina David Douglas School Board member at an Old Town Chinatown TriMet station. Ana del Rocio was arrested March 13 on a MAX platform and charged with providing false information to a police officer. She was also cited for fare evasion and will appear in Multnomah County Circuit Court on Friday where a trial date is expected to be finalized. More than a month after del Rocio's arrest produced a wave of news stories and social media outrage backing the 31-year-old single mother of two, the incident is drawing renewed interest -- with TriMet and del Rocio's supporters taking to the internet to state their points. In the past week, a friend circulated an online petition calling for the charges to be dropped. Del Rocio, whose legal name is Rosa Valderrama, was also the subject of a April 17 blog post on TriMet's website where the agency took the unusual step of posting its version of events. "We felt we needed to provide the facts," Roberta Altstadt, TriMet's communications manager said in an interview. TriMet refers to del Rocio by her legal name throughout the post, and says she was cited for fare evasion less than two weeks earlier at a nearby station, insinuated she lied about having an annual pass and provided her legal driver's license in that instance. TriMet also said del Rocio previously used the TriMet smartphone application to buy tickets multiple times in March alone. The agency is troubled, Altstadt said, by the petition and social media accounts stating del Rocio was asked about her citizenship status. Community nonprofit groups have called the agency to express their concerns. "We wanted to clarify for all folks that we do not ask about immigration status, we do not work with ICE [the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency]," she said. But Mat dos Santos, ACLU of Oregon's legal director, described TriMet's web post as "troubling" and he said the issue isn't whether del Rocio paid her fare. "The issue is about how law enforcement officers that are carrying out TriMet business are interacting with communities of color and poor people," he said Thursday. He criticized TriMet for using del Rocio's legal name, which she does not use, as "downright offensive," and said it poses broader concerns for marginalized communities. Del Rocio declined an interview request, but dos Santos said she doesn't remember being asked if she was a citizen. "But they definitely asked her where she was born, and if she had a passport," he said. "I don't think it is necessary for an officer to say, 'are you a citizen,' to inquire about their citizenship," he said. The ACLU of Oregon has been looking for a test case, dos Santos said, that highlights circumstances where fare evasion stings unfairly target people of color or poor people. He applauded a TriMet policy change approved this year to lower fines and decriminalize fare evasion in favor of community service. The agency is planning to ramp up its unarmed security force. It plans to bring on 30 officers in the short term, with plans to hire as many as 50 or 60. Dos Santos said adding enforcement may be problematic for minority groups. Portland Police declined a records request for the police report, citing an ongoing district attorney's investigation, and a request for video from the MAX platform also was rejected. -- Andrew Theen atheen@oregonian.com 503-294-4026 @andrewtheen U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson on Wednesday proposed raising the amount that low-income families are expected to pay for rent - tripling it for the poorest households - as well as encouraging those receiving housing subsidies to work, according to a legislative proposal obtained by The Washington Post. The move to overhaul how rental subsidies are calculated would affect 4.7 million families relying on federal housing assistance. The proposal legislation would require congressional approval. "There is one inescapable imperative driving this reform effort," Carson said in a call with reporters. "The current system isn't working very well. Doing nothing is not an option." Tenants generally pay 30 percent of their adjusted income toward rent or a public housing agency minimum rent -- which is capped at $50 a month for the poorest families. The administration's proposal sets the family monthly rent contribution at 35 percent of gross income, or 35 percent of their earnings working 15 hours a week at the federal minimum wage. Under the proposal, the cap for the poorest families would rise to about $150 a month -- three times higher than the current minimum -- affecting about 175,000 families currently paying the minimum rent, HUD officials said. The bill would also allow public housing agencies and property owners to impose work requirements. Currently, only 15 housing authorities in about a dozen states require some sort of work or job training in return for benefits, HUD officials said. In Atlanta and Charlotte, North Carolina, at least one adult needs to work 30 hours a week for a household to receive housing benefits. Chicago requires able-bodied beneficiaries to work 20 hours a week. Seniors over the age of 65 and individuals with disabilities would be exempt from the rental increases for the first six years. They would also be exempt from any work requirements. HUD officials said that group makes up more than half of the 4.7 million families receiving subsidies. "Every year, it takes more money, millions of dollars more, to serve the same number of households," Carson said, citing years-long waiting lists for federal housing assistance. "It's clear from a budget perspective and a human point of view that the current system is unsustainable." Carson said decades-old rules on how rent is calculated are "far too confusing" and convoluted, often resulting in families who earn the same income paying vastly different amounts of rent "because they know how to work the system." "They know how to include certain deductions that other people may not be aware of," Carson said. "We really want to level the playing field and make it much more even for everyone." HUD also seeks to eliminate deductions for medical and child-care costs when determining a tenant's rent. Carson said the current rules that require an annual review of beneficiaries' household income also creates "perverse consequences" that discourage people from earning more income. Under the proposed bill, income verification would only be required every three years, which Carson said would encourage residents to work more without immediately facing a rent increase. The Trump administration has long signaled through its budget proposals and leaked draft legislation that it seeks to increase the rents that low-income tenants pay to live in federally subsidized housing. The White House budget proposal for the 2019 fiscal year indicated that it would "encourage work and self-sufficiency" across its rental assistance programs. "When we are in the middle of a housing crisis that's having the most negative impact on the lowest-income people, we shouldn't even be considering proposals to increase their rent burdens," said Diane Yentel, president of the National Low Income Housing Coalition. Carson laid out the administration's plans in a press call about an hour before a Wednesday afternoon House Financial Services subcommittee hearing on rent reform. "Changes that are made to the rental structure ultimately have to be approved by Congress," Carson said. "These are the suggestions that we are making." --The Washington Post China is planning four deep space exploration missions before 2030, including probes to Mars, asteroids and Jupiter, says Pei Zhaoyu, deputy director of the Lunar Exploration and Space Program Center of the China National Space Administration. China would launch its first Mars probe in 2020, and it was expected to orbit around, land and put a rover on the Red Planet, Pei told a space conference on Tuesday, China's Space Day. A Long March-7 carrier rocket lifts off from Wenchang Satellite Launch Center, south China's Hainan Province, June 25, 2016. [File Photo: Xinhua] It also plans to probe asteroids around 2022, followed by a probe in 2028 to bring Mars samples back to Earth. An exploration mission to the Jupiter system was planned around 2029. Lunar and deep space exploration were important for China's endeavor to become a major space power, Pei said. As for a manned lunar landing, Pei said he personally thought a launch vehicle was still the largest technical challenge, and the huge costs should also be taken into consideration. Based on China's circumstances, he proposed an unmanned lunar research station in about 10 years to accumulate technical expertise, and a lunar research and development base around 2050. The base would be operated by robots over the long term, and visited by humans, Pei envisioned. A homeless man in Washington County faces felony charges after authorities say he admitted to breaking into a barn and having sexual contact with a horse. Kenneth Lijah Duyck, 20, entered the stables at a rural home in the 200 block of Northwest 334th Avenue near Hillsboro last week and targeted a black mare named Ellie, court records and the Washington County Sheriff's Office allege. The homeowner later found the horse tied up in an unusual manner and alerted law enforcement, the sheriff's office said. Deputies found an overturned bucket near the animal, Jeff Talbot, a Washington County sheriff's spokesman, told The Oregonian/OregonLive. A veterinarian examined the horse and determined it had been sexually assaulted, Talbot said. Based on accounts from the homeowner and neighbors, who had seen Duyck in the area, authorities eventually tracked the young man down at a Walmart parking lot in Cornelius on Tuesday, the sheriff's office said. Duyck first told deputies he had only entered the horse stables to look for work, Talbot said. He later admitted he had sexual contact with the horse, the sheriff's office said. He was booked Wednesday in the Washington County Jail on suspicion of sexual assault of an animal and second-degree burglary. -- Shane Dixon Kavanaugh skavanaugh@oregonian.com 503-294-7632 II @shanedkavanaugh With less than three weeks until the May 15 election, money is pouring into the Washington County District Attorney race, which pits a veteran prosecutor against a criminal defense lawyer. The influx -- more than $300,000 for both candidates -- is unprecedented for a DA race in Oregon. State records show a political action committee this week reported a $100,000 cash donation to another committee backing defense lawyer Max Wall. Wall, who also worked as a Polk County prosecutor, is running against Kevin Barton, the chief deputy district attorney for Washington County. The Law & Justice political action committee reported the cash donation this week and also has given Wall $21,400 in in-kind donations listed as research and polling, according to the Oregon Secretary of State campaign finance website. The PAC lists a Washington, D.C., law firm as its address. The cash contribution went to the Oregon Law & Justice PAC, which supports Wall. That PAC lists Whitney Tymas as director. Tymas is a Virginia-based consultant who advises PACS, including one primarily funded by billionaire George Soros. Oregon Law & Justice PAC already has spent nearly $100,000 on prime-time television ads for Wall. Liz Kaufman, a consultant to Wall's campaign, said she doesn't know where the funding is coming from. "We know they are organizations or funders that care about the same values as candidates like Max Wall," she said. "We have been told it is not Soros. We have not been told who it is." Barton this week blasted Wall for not being transparent about donors to his campaign. "You can't be a DA or a DA candidate and lie to the public about the source of your support and the source of your money," said Barton, who has raised about $156,000, including $25,000 from Nike co-founder Phil Knight. Nationally, Soros has invested in electing district attorneys in places including Harris County, Texas, and Philadelphia, where in 2017 the liberal philanthropist spent more than $1 million to help elect Larry Krasner, a defense attorney. Krasner last month made headlines when he issued a memo directing prosecutors to stop charging some cases, including marijuana possession, and negotiate plea deals that result in lighter sentences. Wall also has financial support from the Oregon-based Safety and Justice Action Fund, which earlier this year reached out to multiple lawyers to mount a challenge to Barton. Soros and groups like the Safety and Justice Action Fund have sought a candidate who will support a shift from prison and mandatory minimum sentences while emphasizing drug and alcohol treatment and mental health services. Barton said the influx of outside money for Wall is at odds with remarks Wall made at a March 19 public forum where he dismissed speculation about outside support as "rumors" and "untrue." Campaign finance filings show that three days earlier, the PAC directed by Tymas spent $9,000 on unspecified research. Shortly after the forum, another $12,400 went toward polling. Wall's campaign manager, Sami Alloy, issued a statement on Wall's behalf saying he "wasn't ever promised financial support." "As my campaign has gained energy and momentum, more and more people and advocates have chosen to support me because they agree that the DA's office is not doing enough to reduce crime, be smart with a our tax dollars and reform the criminal justice system," Wall said. Kaufman said at the time of the forum, Wall was aware the Law & Justice PAC was doing its "due diligence" on the candidates but did not know it would end up supporting him. "They didn't ask us for background," she said. "We didn't know who they were. No one is trying to pull anything." -- Noelle Crombie ncrombie@oregonian.com 503-276-7184 @noellecrombie President Xi Jinping asks about the living conditions of villagers in Xujiachong, which is near the Three Gorges Dam in Yichang, Hubei province, on his inspection tour on Tuesday. Ju Peng/Xinhua Xi visits Three Gorges, checks on ecology protection National rejuvenation relies on the "hard work" of the Chinese people, and the country's innovation capacity must be raised through independent efforts, President Xi Jinping said on Tuesday. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remark in an inspection tour to the Three Gorges Dam in Yichang, Hubei province. National rejuvenation will not be easily achieved, and it will need continuous efforts and diligent work, Xi said while praising the contributions of technology workers at the dam. China could scarcely create a leading role for itself if it had relied on foreign countries to build the Three Gorges Dam, Xi said. The president said he was proud of the technology workers as well as the country's ability to build such massive projects. China must develop key technology, and the country's innovation capacity must be improved, Xi said. At the village of Xujiachong near the dam, Xi asked about development of local industries and the living conditions of the villagers, most of whom were relocated after their homes were flooded by the dam. Villagers told Xi while they previously washed clothes in the river, now they use tap water, which is then processed by a sewage plant. Xi praised the environmentally friendly change. After hearing village officials recite the rules of Party members in a local musical melody, Xi said that it's a good practice to publicize Party discipline in such interesting ways. On Wednesday morning, Xi boarded a ship at Jingzhou and inspected ecological protection and development on the Yangtze River. On Tuesday morning, Xi had traveled to the new materials industrial park of Hubei Xingfa Chemicals Group on the banks of the Yangtze to inspect the environmental protection there after he got off the plane from Beijing. Xi told the workers of the company, which produces phosphoric products and other high-quality industrial chemicals that the restoration of the environment along the Yangtze River should be a top priority. He urged the development of proper industries and pursuit of high-quality growth with the premise of protecting nature. China Wednesday announced plans to allow the issuance of securities backed by residential rental properties amid its drive to foster the growth of rental housing market. A public rental housing area in Xiamen, Fujian Province [File photo: VCG] The country will encourage companies to conduct rental housing asset-backed securitization and strengthen supervision of such securities to contain risks, according to a document jointly issued by the Ministry of Housing and Urban-rural Development and China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC). The issuance of real estate investment trust (REIT), a means of property asset securitization for companies to raise funds, will be piloted. The country will encourage rental housing companies to conduct asset securitization according to their operation conditions and financial demand, the CSRC said on its website, adding that this will reduce the companies' leverage ratio and diversify options for investment on the capital market. Companies will have to meet certain requirements to issue such securities, including the underlying property such as an apartment must have been built with clear ownership and the companies must have a clean record of abiding by laws and regulations during the past two years. Large and mid-tier cities, the Xiongan New Area and cities under the pilot program of building rental housing on collective construction land will be the first to get the green light, according to the document. This comes as the country strives to develop the rental housing market as one of the long-term strategies to ensure sustainable and steady development of the real estate market, alongside various home purchase restriction policies. Authorities have reaffirmed their commitment to ensure a stable housing market and secure supplies of housing through multiple channels to meet residents' demand. The aircraft carrier CNS Liaoning leads its battle group on its first combat exercise in the western Pacific on Friday. [Hu Kaibing/For China Daily] Beijing will take further action to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity if Taiwan separatists continue to carry out secession activities, a senior mainland official warned on Wednesday in Beijing following recent military drills in the Taiwan Straits. Ma Xiaoguang, spokesman for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, spoke in response to a question during a news conference about whether "military force for reunification" should be employed. "The recent live-fire drills carried out by the People's Liberation Army have sent an explicit and clear messagewe aim to pursue peaceful reunification with sincerity and great efforts, but we have the resolve, the confidence and the ability to defeat secessionist attempts in any form, to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity," Ma said. Last week, the PLA Ground Force and Air Force conducted live-fire exercises and several training operations in the Taiwan Straits. Ma said the drills targeted a "Taiwan independence" force, and the government aims for a peaceful and steady cross-Straits relationship and to protect the common interests of people on both sides of the Straits. "It (the live-fire drill) is a warning to the United States, to Tsai Ing-wen and Lai Chingte," said Wang Hailiang, a researcher of Taiwan studies at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences. Tsai is the island's "president" and Lai is the "premier". "The message is clear. The statement made by the Taiwan affairs office is very sharp and it has sent a strong and clear signal. ... Further military activities can be carried out around Taiwan if the tension escalates," he said. A series of military and political events between the US and the islandsuch as whether US Marine Corps units protect the new site of the American Institute in Taiwanwill take place in May and June, Wang said. "If the US and Taiwan have recognized the signal from the mainland's military drill, they should keep a low profile to avoid incurring Beijing's anger," he said. Spokesman Ma Xiaoguang said on Wednesday, "China has always objected if countries with a diplomatic relationship with China establish any form of official or military connection with Taiwan," commenting on remarks that US Marines may guard the AIT. 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. Li Zhanshu, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, presides over a bimonthly legislative session of the NPC Standing Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, April 25, 2018. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing) BEIJING, April 25 (Xinhua) -- China's top legislature began its bimonthly session on Wednesday, with amending the Criminal Procedure Law and several other pieces of legislation on the agenda. Li Zhanshu, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, presided over the meeting, which was attended by 169 committee members. DEFAULT JUDGMENT A highlight of the session is the draft revision to the Criminal Procedure Law. Shen Chunyao, chairman of the Commission for Legislative Affairs of the NPC Standing Committee, said the revision would codify default judgment, and leniency for guilty pleas, as well as expedite trial practices. The default judgment, for example, will be used against suspects and defendants in corruption or bribery cases who have fled abroad as authorities step up the fight against corrupt fugitives. The legislation plans to strengthen efforts to catch overseas fugitives. "China's international hunt of fugitives and stolen assets has made great progress since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. It has won broad support from the public," Shen said. According to a government white paper, from 2014 to mid-October 2017, 3,453 fugitives were brought back from more than 90 countries and regions. Illegal assets worth 9.5 billion yuan (around 1.5 billion U.S. dollars) were recovered. "In the past, fugitive officials can only be tried after being repatriated," said Chen Weidong, a professor at Renmin University of China. "With default judgment in place, they will be punished by law even if they escape to the farest corner of the world." Leniency for guilty pleas allows suspects and defendants to be considered for mitigated punishment if they voluntarily confess and sign affidavits. Also added is the practice of expedited trial at primary people's courts, involving mostly petty criminal offenses. Both leniency for guilty pleas and expedited trial have been tested in pilots. The revision will also adjust certain provisions of the Criminal Procedure Law to avoid conflict with the Supervision Law. The Criminal Procedure Law was created in 1979 and underwent two major revisions, in 1996 and 2012. LAWS ON ASSESSORS, HEROES AND MARTYRS A draft law on "people's assessors" and another to protect the reputation and honor of heroes and martyrs were tabled to the legislature for second readings. The first legislation will give assessors a bigger role to play, including in cases in which the death penalty is possible and cases which cause "severe social impact." Zhou Guangquan, deputy chairman of the NPC Constitution and Law Committee, said the bill was now ready for a vote. The second legislation adds punishment for people who "glorify wars of invasion" and disturb the social order. Hu Keming, another deputy chairman of the NPC Constitution and Law Committee, said the bill was meant to protect public interest and promote socialist core values. "The legislation is very necessary and the text is now mature enough to be adopted," Hu said. President of the Supreme People's Court Zhou Qiang briefed the legislature on a decision to set up a special Shanghai Financial Court to deal with finance-related commercial and administrative cases in the city. "The court will bolster the international influence of China's financial justice, forestall financial risks and steer the financial sector to serve the real economy, and to build Shanghai into an international financial center by 2020," Zhou said. Justice Minister Fu Zhenghua explained a motion to revise seven laws. The revisions will bring the laws in line with a State Council institutional reform adopted at the NPC annual session in March. On Wednesday morning, the top legislature also heard reports on environmental protection, supply-side structural reform in agriculture, rights protection for overseas Chinese and a pilot reform of the people's assessors system. Panel discussions were held on Wednesday afternoon. Li, the NPC Standing Committee chairman, also took part in the discussions. The legislative session will run until Friday. Li Zhanshu, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, attends panel discussions to review a draft of a law on "people's assessors" and a draft law to protect the reputation and honor of heroes and martyrs during a bimonthly legislative session of the NPC Standing Committee in Beijing, capital of China, April 25, 2018. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing) In a post on Facebook, the president promised the government would work hard to prevent the recurrence of such situation in the future Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi said on Thursday that he understands the suffering of some Egyptians resulting from the heavy downpours in the country over the past two days. I completely understand the suffering that was felt by some Egyptians as a result of the rains that fell in an unexpected and unusual way over the past two days, the president said in a post on his official Facebook page. "I assure that the government, with all its institutions, will intensify its efforts to prevent the recurrence of such repercussions again." On Tuesday and Wednesday, parts of Cairo, mainly the southern and eastern suburbs, were inundated by heavy rainfall, which flooded roads, paralysed traffic and caused property damage. Many Egyptians have expressed frustration with the situation, sharing videos and photos online showing up to two feet of rain deluging apartments, garages and shutting down major roads. On social media, users complained about what they perceived as inaction by emergency departments and municipal officials in the first hours of the crisis. Some residents accused officials of failing to take necessary precautions to avoid the damage despite warnings days earlier by forecasters about the impending bad weather. Others blamed inadequate infrastructure and drainage systems. There have been no reports of deaths or injuries caused by the floods. On Wednesday, the government launched an emergency hotline to help people affected by the flooding. New Cairo municipal officials brought in vacuum trucks and equipment from neighboring governorates and cities to assist in removing the rainwater. Later that day, the housing ministry announced that almost 80 percent of the rainwater that flooded the streets of New Cairo, on the eastern outskirts of the capital, had been removed. The Egyptian cabinet's Information and Decision Support Centre (IDSC) also said municipal workers removed water from neighborhoods on Cairo's southern outskirts. Over the past few years, Egypt has been hit with several bouts of torrential rain, which caused a number of deaths, power cuts and road accidents in several parts of the country. In November 2015, the governor of Alexandria resigned after officials failed to take adequate measures to deal with a wave of torrential rain which flooded the city, leaving five dead. In 2016, 26 people died in the governorates of South Sinai, Sohag and the Red Sea as a result of flooding after heavy rainfall. Search Keywords: Short link: Bill Cosby has been found guilty of all charges three counts of aggravated indecent assault of Andrea Constant in 2004 in his recent sexual assault case. The 80-year-old comedian and actor was originally tried last year for the same charges against Constant, who was a Temple employee that Cosby was mentoring at the time of the assault. Last year's case ended in a mistrial. In the two-week retrial, which took place in Norristown, Pennsylvania, 5 other women testified saying they were also drugged and assaulted by Cosby. There testimonies were used to establish a pattern of predatory behavior. Over 60 women have accused him of sexual misconduct, but many could not speak out because of the short statute of limitations of reporting assault and rape, Jezebel reports. District Attorney Kevin Steele initially wanted to present 19 women's stories in the case, but Judge Steven O'Neill only allowed 5. Only one additional woman was a witness in last year's trial. When Cosby was declared guilty, many of the survivors in the room were visibly emotional, some crying and some cheering. When Montgomery County district attorney Kevin R. Steele suggested that Cosby's 1 million dollar bail be revoked because he is a flight risk as he owns a private plane, Cosby proclaimed, "He doesn't have a plane, you asshole." Cosby's lawyer Thomas A. Mesereau Jr. said he would appeal the case as they don't "believe Mr. Cosby is guilty of anything." Cosby could now face 10 years in jail and a $25,000 fine on each count he was accused of. Image via Getty Early this morning Patently Apple posted a report titled "Apple's CEO Attended the State Dinner at the White House last night and will meet privately with the President this Afternoon." Now that the meeting is over, we're learning that President Donald Trump and two top aides talked about trade issues with Cook as the White House prepares to try to avert a trade war with China, a manufacturing hub for the iPhone maker. Reuters notes that "Cook, who has urged calm during the recent flare in U.S. trade tensions with China, held private talks with Trump in the Oval Office. He also spoke with the president's top economic adviser Larry Kudlow and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer. Trump is preparing to send a delegation to China to try to head off a trade war that stands to harm Apple, the world's largest technology company, and other hardware makers that build products in China. Trump has threatened a new round of $100 billion in tariffs on Chinese products that could target cellphones, computers and other consumer goods. China retaliated against an initial round of $50 billion in tariffs. The meeting, which the White House said had been in the works for a couple of weeks, came the day after Cook sat at Trump's head table at his first state dinner, held in honor of French President Emmanuel Macron. A White House official described the meeting as "good" but neither the White House nor Apple provided details of the discussions. For more on this report click here. I'm sure that President Trump wanted to know more about iCloud having to be opened to the Chinese government and other issues related to tech companies, not only Apple. Trump will be bringing concerns that his government, Silicon Valley and business in general have to the negotiating table in China. For that reason, we're likely not to know the details of today's meeting at any time. About Making Comments on our Site: Patently Apple reserves the right to post, dismiss or edit any comments. Those using abusive language or negative behavior will result in being blacklisted on Disqus. Yesterday Patently Apple posted a report titled "Apple's CEO met with President Trump, U.S. Trade Representative Lighthizer and Larry Kudlow over Trade Issues." Today Larry Kudlow, the President's top economic adviser, spoke with CNBC from the White House lawn about the meeting with Apple's CEO Tim Cook. Kudlow stated that the first topic on the agenda was actually tax cuts. Kudlow noted that Cook "loves the tax cut and tax reform. He said it's great for business." Kudlow added that Apple is going to be building plants, campuses, adding jobs, lots of business investment. That was the first point he made to President Trump. "Tim Cook was most helpful, I really enjoyed the meeting," Kudlow told CNBC's "Squawk on the Street." While we'll never know the specifics of the conversation, Kudlow noted that "I spent a good amount of time with him, and then we came back and we visited the POTUS. He has a lot of experience in China, obviously. He was very helpful in making some suggestions." President Donald Trump says he's sending some of his top economic advisers to China "in a few days" for talks on the simmering trade tensions between the world's two largest economies. About Making Comments on our Site: Patently Apple reserves the right to post, dismiss or edit any comments. Those using abusive language or negative behavior will result in being blacklisted on Disqus. In an effort to catch up with some of Samsung's higher profile granted patents this month, today's report covers five patents: two related to an AI Speaker, another for a Magic Trackpad-like Device, Samsung's 4th Drone design and finally one for a flexible hinge for a notebook. In August 2014 Samsung filed a detailed patent application for a hybrid notebook with a new flexible hinge. Lenovo has been praised by reviewers like Anandtech for their 'amazing' flexible hinge for their Yoga notebook as noted in our cover graphic. Today Samsung was granted a patent for their flexible hinge as noted below which mirrored their 2014 utility patent filing. While Samsung has yet to implement this design feature to date, it's a possibility for a future Samsung notebook now that its design is protected by the U.S. Patent Office. Unlike "patent applications," design patents published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office never reveal pertinent information about a particular design. We can look at the design and appreciate it for what it projects, but we'll never discover which materials may be used to construct the design and beyond. Samsung's 4th Drone Design Patent On April 11th Patently Mobile posted a report titled "Samsung is granted their Third Design Patent for a Drone Device." A week later Samsung was granted their fourth Drone patent as noted below. It has more of a UFO design twist to it. Magic Trackpad-Like Device for Samsung Pen Samsung was granted a utility patent earlier this month for a device that mirrors Apple's Magic Trackpad yet with added Samsung Pen support for drawing, writing and doubling as a mouse with just a single button mode switch. A patent pending equivalent was filed by Apple in July 2016. Samsung actually filed for this patent back in Q3 2010. So it took close to 8 years to get this approved. Smart Speaker Design Patent On the same day this month Samsung was granted a design patent for a smart speaker noted above along with a utility patent for an AI speaker. For the later, Samsung's granted patent states that it covers apparatuses and methods consistent with the exemplary embodiments relate to an artificial intelligence audio apparatus which is capable of interacting with a human. In particular, exemplary embodiments relate to an artificial intelligence audio apparatus and an operation method thereof which determines an existence of a human and says a greeting that is suitable for a current time and surrounding environment, asks the human whether to play music, and upon request, selects and plays music that is suitable for the surrounding environment and mood. Further, when certain music is played, adjusts lighting suitable for a type of the played music to create a mood. Further, Samsung notes that an aspect of exemplary embodiments may provide an artificial intelligence audio apparatus including: a sensing part which is configured to sense a current location of the artificial intelligence audio apparatus and at least one of a temperature and a humidity of the current location, and sense whether a human exists in the current location; a first communicator which is configured to communicate with an external server through a network; a storage which is configured to store greeting data which includes at least one of a plurality of greeting voices and a plurality of greeting texts according to a plurality of circumstances, and music data which includes a plurality of music; a voice processor which is configured to process and output a voice and music; a display processor which is configured to process and output a text; and a controller which is configured to receive weather information of the current location from the external server using location information of the current location sensed by the sensing part, determine whether a predetermined greeting should be output when the sensing part senses an existence of the human in the current location, and in response to determining that the predetermined greeting should be output, extracts at least one of a greeting voice and a greeting text, from greeting data stored in the storage, which corresponds with a current time, at least one of the temperature and the humidity sensed by the sensing part, and the weather information of the current location received from the external server, and output the extracted at least one of the greeting voice and the greeting text through at least one of the voice processor and the display processor. The sensing part may include a location sensor which is configured to sense the current location, a temperature and humidity sensor which is configured to sense the temperature and the humidity and a human body detection sensor which is configured to sense whether the human exists in the current location. Here, the location sensor may include a global positioning system (GPS) module. Also, the human body detection sensor may include at least one of a passive infrared (PIR) sensor which is configured to sense infrared rays, and a camera which is configured to photograph an image. Samsung's AI patent was originally filed in Q2 2016 and granted this month. Note for Tech Sites covering our Report: We ask tech sites covering our report to kindly limit the use of our graphics to one image. Thanking you in advance for your cooperation. Cut Out Of Domestic Market, Iranian Paper Producers Shut Down 04/26/18 Source: Radio Farda Paper production in Iran has come to a complete stop until further notice, the chairman of the Paper and Cardboard Producers Union of Iran announced April 24. Abolfazl Roghani Golpayegani, who is also managing director of Mazandaran Wood and Paper Industries (MWPI), says the reason for the industry-wide production stoppage is the massive supply of cheap imported paper and cardboard on the Iranian market, mostly from China, and the fact that the government no longer supports local producers. In the past, MWPI has boasted of being "proud of its position as the largest integrated pulp and paper manufacturer in the Middle East," but now the paper mill is silent. According Golpayegani, "The total demand on the local market during the last Iranian calendar year (ending March 20, 2018) was supplied by imported paper and cardboard, and the national producers were forced to either store their products or turn them into pulp." Referring to the three main domestic manufacturers, MWPI, Tabriz Kaghaz (Tabriz Paper), and Pars Paper Industrial Group, Golpayegani noted, "None of these three factories that used to manufacture writing and printing paper had a significant output last year." President Rouhani's administration announced April 18 that it had added paper to the list of "principal commodities," along with medicines and foodstuff. This decision means imported paper will now benefit from government subsidies. Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Abbas Salehi tweeted after the announcement, "This is good news for publishers, writers, and the press. From now on, paper is officially listed as a principal commodity, which shows the government believes cultural needs are as important as drugs and foodstuff." "Some government entities, including the Education Ministry and the Ministry of Culture & Islamic Guidance, are reluctant to buy locally produced paper and prefer the imported products," claims Golpayegani. Since it is much cheaper, imported paper is less of a drain on government coffers. Golpayegani says if supported by the government, domestic producers have the capacity to provide for 60 percent of the paper needed for printing newspapers and 40 percent of the nation's writing paper. Meanwhile, state-run Mehr News Agency (Mehr News Agency) says cheaper Chinese paper falsely labeled as locally produced has appeared at markets in recent years, enraging Iran's paper manufacturers. Nostos is the beginning of an ambitious project under-consideration to acknowledge the cultural contributions of the foreign communities who once lived in the country, the minister explained to Ahram Online Nostos is the name that the ministers of emigration from Egypt, Greece and Cyprus have chosen for a week-long event that will open on Monday in Alexandria to celebrate the Greek and Cypriot communities in Egypt. The literal translation of the Greek word Nostos is return to the roots. It is a theme used in Greek literature which includes an epic hero returning home by sea. This is precisely why Egypt's Minister of State for Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates' Affairs Nabila Makram and her counterparts from Greece and Cyprus chose this name for the event, which will give an opportunity for Greeks and Cypriots who once lived in Alexandria to return to their old homes in the Mediterranean harbour city, which was originally built by no other than Macedonian King Alexander the Great. Makram said in an interview with Ahram Online that the event will be inaugurated by Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and his visiting counterparts from Greece and Cyprus, who will address some 200 attendants, including 120 Greeks and Cypriots who will arrive in Egypt over the weekend to take part in the event. Makram explained that the visiting, or rather homecoming, Greeks and Cypriots will later go on a tour of the city to visit their old homes and those of their families. The tour will involve a walk through the city, with its many cosmopolitan stops including the Greek schools and other institutions, including the Greek Orthodox Patriarchy in Alexandria. The visitors will then go to Cairo and Giza to see the historical sites, including the pyramids, before moving on to Sharm El-Sheikh to visit St Catherines Monastery, which is affiliated with the Greek Orthodox Church. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many Greeks and Cypriots emigrated to Egypt, especially Alexandria, to live and work in a country that was flourishing and where foreigners had certain colonial privileges. Many stayed in Alexandria, at least for the first few years, and some moved on to live in other parts of the country, including Cairo, the Suez area, and the Nile Delta. By the third decade of the 20th century, the Greeks and Cypriots had established a very visible presence in the heart of Alexandria, side by side with other foreigners. Unlike other foreigners, however, many of the Greeks and Cypriots considered themselves nationals of Alexandria. In the 1950s and 60s, however, the foreign presence in post-independence Egypt started to decline, which included the Greek and Cypriot communities. Most left the country, while some stayed and others chose to go back and forth between Egypt and their country of origin. The imprint of these foreign communities, especially the Greeks and Cypriots, on the city of Alexandria in particular cannot be overlooked; it is an imprint that is part of the colourful and diverse profile of the city. It is a diversity that has always been cherished, and not just by Alexandrians who had lived with these communities, said Makram, who was herself born and raised in Alexandria. This is one of the purposes of the Nostos event: to celebrate diversity and to show the many and true colours of Egypt as a country that has always managed to accommodate, she said. And it is also about showing the wish of Egypt to honour all the participations of these communities. Another purpose of the event, according to Makram, is to remind the world that Egypt can still, as it once did, host and accommodate diverse cultures, and that Egypt is a safe haven and destination today as it has always been and should always be. With this event, we should also be able to encourage tourism and foreign investment, as well as promote wider cultural cooperation among these three Mediterranean countries, who have always shared so much and who today have so much in common to work on and to hope for. The idea for Nostos, Makram said, came up during a discussion about enhancing cooperation with the Greek emigration minister. The project was later was expanded to include Cyprus given the close links between the Greek and Cypriot communities in Egypt. Obviously, the clear growth in high-level cooperation among the leaders of the three countries is a key factor, and certainly President El-Sisis support of this event and his willingness to be there for its launch helped the idea take off, Makram said. The leaders of Egypt, Greece and Cyprus have been intensifying cooperation since El-Sisi was first elected to office in June 2014. Throughout these four years, Greece and Cyprus have expressed their support for Egypt and have been close economic partners, especially in ambitious gas projects in the eastern Mediterranean. So, in a sense, Nostos is also about the twining of public diplomacy with the high-level state cooperation that the three countries already have and are working to expand, she said. Nostos, which will bring together Greeks and Cypriots who left Egypt to go all over the world, not just back to Greece and Cyprus, is only the beginning of a very ambitious project that is currently being considered to acknowledge the cultural contributions of the foreign communities who lived in Egypt in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Makram said. Future steps, the minister explained, may include Nostos II, which will allow more Greeks and Cypriots to return to Egypt given the big interest that many have demonstrated, and allow them to connect with family who remained in Egypt. By the early decades of the 20th century, Egypt was host to around half-a-million Greeks and a quarter million Cypriots. Today, there are no more than a few thousand Greeks, a little under 5,000 by estimates from Greek community leaders in Egypt, and less than 500 Cypriots by estimates from Cypriot community leaders. The future recognition of the foreign communities of Egypt, Makram said, would not just be confined to Greeks and Cypriots, but would include Armenians, whose presence and cultural imprint in the past and today is also worth acknowledging. We are still in the early phase of brainstorming, but I can say that we are currently considering a similar event for the Armenians and possibly the Italians of Egypt, and then we could [move on to other communities], Makram said. Search Keywords: Short link: In Iran's Tough Job Market University Graduates Face High Unemployment 04/26/18 Source: Radio Farda More than forty percent of the unemployed in Iran are university graduates, says a representative of the government's Planning and Management Organization (PMO). Graduates of Tehran University Medical College (July 2017 photo by Mehr News Agency) "42 percent of unemployed people in Iran have a university degree, and huge sums of money have been spent on their education," said PMO Deputy for Social Development Sa'eed Namaki, adding that unemployment among university graduates leads many of them to leave the country in search of opportunities. "We are facing a grave problem, and we have to address it fundamentally to stop elite Iranians from leaving the country," said Namaki. cartoon by Firoozeh Mozaffari Out of 3.2 million jobless people between 2016-17 in Iran, more than 1.3 million, or 42 percent, held university degrees, according to a recent report presented at the Second Conference on Iranian Economy in Tehran in mid-December. "This is a clear indication of an imbalance between supply and demand for the educated workforce," wrote one analyst in the Iranian daily Donya-ye-Eqtissad (Economic World), adding, "This comes as only 24 percent of jobholders in the same year were university graduates." There is also a huge discrepancy between the level of education held by job seekers and the jobs available on the market, especially for women, the report noted. According to Namaki, "University studies in Iran are lengthy, expensive, and irrelevant to market demands." Prominent Stockholm-based Iranian economist Ahmad Alavi told Radio Farda that the unemployment problem is the result of insufficient investment in individuals. "Investment in human resources is one of the most important elements in creating sustained development in any society. Unemployment among university graduates in Iran means that investment has ended, leading to the reduction of economic efficiency and consequently to the reduction of economic growth," said Alavi. The easiest way out of such "misery," for young, educated Iranians, according to Alavi, is leaving Iran in the hope of finding opportunity in the globalized job market. State-run Mehr News Agency (Mehr News Agency) has reported that those with degrees in Computer Science top the table of unemployed graduates with 41.14 percent unemployment, followed by unemployed graduates in Environment (37.6 percent), Arts (28 percent), and Physics (27.8 percent), while graduates of Veterinary Science are at the bottom of the table with the lowest unemployment. Graduates of Tehran University Medical College (July 2017 photo by Mehr News Agency) Meanwhile, the Statistical Center of Iran (SCI) reports the rate of unemployment in the last Iranian year (ending March 20, 2017) for the country as a whole at 12.1 percent. The unemployment rate among 15 to 29-year-olds was 25.3 percent. However, many analysts believe the actual unemployment rates in Iran are much higher than what is reported by the SCI. A report compiled by Iran's parliament from December 2017 highlights the fact that unemployment among female graduates is much higher than the national rate in some provinces. "The unemployment rate among university-educated young women in the provinces of Kurdestan, Kermanshah, and Kerman hovers near 80 percent. The same rate is 70 percent in the provinces of Chaharmahal-Bakhtiari, Ilam, Kohgilouyeh-Boyerahmad, and Khuzestan," the report read. According to the same report, "The lowest unemployment rate among university-educated young women has been registered for Qazvin and Hormozgan provinces at less than 35 percent." The capital Tehran has 41 percent unemployment overall, the research revealed. In some provinces, youth unemployment rates range from 50-63 percent. Profile: Priya Natarajan Published: September 26, 2018 Talitha Williams: The more astronomers looked, the more dark matter there seemed to be. But how much is there? And where exactly is all this mysterious stuff? Astrophysicist Priya Natarajan is trying to find out. Priya Natarajan: I have worked my entire career trying to understand the nature of dark matter. Williams: But how do you understand what you cant see? Luckily, this invisible dark matter gives itself away because it has a habit of playing tricks with light. Natarajan: In 2014, with the Hubble Space Telescope, a very intriguing kind of object was observed. Williams: It appeared to be a galaxy with four exploding stars, called supernovae, going off at the same time. Natarajan: Like, four evenly spaced supernovae. Williams: In reality, there was only one supernova. But it somehow shows up in four different places. Whats going on? Natarajan: This configuration of four, evenly spaces multiple images is an Einstein Cross. It was predicted by Einstein. When one supernova went boom, and we had a little gift. The paths of light rays are bent into a configuration with four distant images of the same supernova. Williams: Somehow, the light from that one supernova traveled along several bending pathwaysarriving at four different spots in the sky. Natarajan: The phenomenon of light bending is something we actually encounter every day and all around us. So for example, if you look at graph paper through the bottom of a wine glass. You know that this is a regularly-spaced grid but because of the light bending, you actually see a stretching of the grid pattern. Williams: In the cosmos, what bends light is gravity distorting the fabric of space. Its called gravitational lensing and it can produce spectacular resultssmears, rings, smiley faces. It can even make a supernova show up in four different places at once. For Priya, these arent just fascinating illusions. They are crucial clues in the dark matter mystery. Since gravity is what bends the light in these images, and dark matter creates gravity, the distortions can reveal where dark matter is in the universe. Natarajan: And so its the dark matter that is producing this huge amount of distortion. Williams: So, Priya is gathering a giant database of these distortions all in her quest to map out dark matter throughout the universe. And Priya and maps? Well, they go a long way back. Natarajan: Were going to one of my favorite places where I fulfilled all of my childhood fantasies. The map room at the Beinecke Rare Book Library. Williams: Priyas quest grew from an obsession thats gripped her since she was a young girl. Natarajan: I was obsessed with all kinds of maps and atlases when I was young. Im crazy about maps. These mappers of yore, when they ran out of data or knowledge, it was marked as terra incognita. Mythical places that await exploration. Williams: The places young Priya most wanted to map, were not on Earth, but in the heavens. Natarajan: There was something about the cosmos being a little bit out of reach that really attracted me. Williams: As soon as she got her first computer, she used it to create a star chart. Natarajan: It was a hard problem and I sat down for six weeks and I wrote the program. These were not things that no one had figure out before, right. But I was figuring them out for the first time. I was hooked. Williams: Today, Priya is fulfilling her dream of exploring the frontiers of the universe. Shes one of several researchers Writing computer programs that use gravitational lensing to map the location of dark matter. Natarajan: This is one of the largest maps of dark matter. The red regions are where you have an excess of dark matter. If we zoom in to a dark matter simulation, it looks rather like these fibersalmost like neurons. Williams: Using computer simulations of the early universe, astronomers now think that dark matter formed a giant web. Natarajan: Where the matter filaments cross, at these nodes, you form these clusters of galaxies. Williams: Astrophysicists now realize dark matter must have played a central role early on, drawing together ordinary matter, allowing galaxies to form. We wouldnt be here if it werent for the powerful pull of dark matter. Natarajan: Our current understanding of dark matter is that it shapes the universe that we see. Natural resources, in general, and oil, in particular, are often considered as curse. No country has succeeded in avoiding the oil curse. Norway is often mentioned as a poster child for avoiding such a curse. Still even that rich country had suffered on account of oil resources though in small ways. Ghana has been trying hard to avoid or at least minimize the effect an oil curse. It may succeed like Norway, thanks to the involvement of civil society in monitoring the energy sector. One very powerful tool to help the civil society in such an activity is what I referred to as Energy Value Chain Model (EVCM). While working as USAID consultant in Georgia in 2002, I had developed EVCM for the oil sector of that country. I was able to show leakage of government on a large scale. The Georgian government was able to collect only 20 per cent of the total revenues from the oil sector. It clearly showed the leakage of revenues on a large scale. It was the time when the country did not have credible data on oil consumption. The EVCM showed where the government was losing money and what needed to be done to plug the leakage. These e?orts finally succeeded in helping the Georgian government to increase revenues from oil sector by more than 70 per cent. While studying human resources requirement for Ghana's oil and gas sector as part of a USAID project in 2010, I had developed an Oil Value Chain model for Ghana's energy sector. It was presented to Energy Commission. Such a model gives an estimate of the total value generated in Ghana's upstream, midstream, refining, marketing and power sectors. It also gives the total government revenues from these different energy sectors. Such a model helps the Energy and Finance ministries to assess the efficiency of different pricing policies (what price to pay for gas, oil prices to be paid to producers, oil prices to be charged to refiners, impact of subsidies on different petroleum products, price to be charged to different power sector users etc and also to find out the quantum of revenue leakages. Information on the latter helps the government to plug the leakages and help improve government revenues from energy sector. From just one page, it is possible to learn about the cashflows of different energy sectors (see Appendix -1). An oil value chain model can help the government to improve transparency of energy sector. It shows how much revenues should be generated on a normative basis and what actually is generated. Such a comparison will show revenue leakages and will force the ministry or department concerned to remedy the problem. The model also helps the regulatory bodies to assess the economic consequences of their decisions and help them to improve their operations. For Civil Society, Oil or Energy Value Chain Model can be of great help. It will help the NGOs involved in oil sector to monitor government revenues and to raise issues when the actual revenues differ from the potential ones. For example, let us take the current topic of ExxonMobil contract signed by the government. Even if one gets the actual contract with the latest agreed terms, it is not possible to assess that the government has succeeded in getting the best terms for the country or not. One can always claim that the government could have gotten more. Source: The Finder Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Central Bank says its fashioning out modalities for possible acquisitions and mergers in the countrys banking sector ahead of the December 31, 2018 deadline for recapitalization. According to the regulator, it would not renege on its directive to both foreign and indigenous players to shore up their capital to GH400 million from the current GH120 million, adding that this is to help prepare them to take advantage of big ticket transactions. Even though local banks have called for its postponement, the regulator insists it will inure to the benefit of players. Elsie Addo Awadzi, Second Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana (BoG), who disclosed this on Tuesday in Accra at a breakfast meeting, said: We will facilitate banks mergers and acquisitions and other transactions by issuing some guidelines on the process. She also added that the Bank of Ghana expects all banks to comply with the requirement by the specified date of December 2018. It remains our view that this new capital floor will help make banks stronger and resilient, and position them to better support the Ghanaian economy. Capital restoration plans She also said her outfit was currently supervising banks submission of capital restoration plans, noting that persistent liquidity shortfalls had become the norm for a number of banks as a result of poor credit risk and liquidity risk management practices. As a result, a number of banks were heavily dependent on the Bank of Ghanas emergency liquidity assistance (ELA) as their main source of liquidity. To avoid such undue reliance on ELA with attendant moral hazard risks and credit risks for the Bank of Ghana, the Bank of Ghana has initiated a review of its ELA framework to make it more robust and less prone to abuse. Poor corporate governance Touching on corporate governance, the second deputy Governor said poor governance practices were prevalent in some banks, associated with concentrated shareholding structures with control exercised by one or two key shareholders sometimes to the detriment of depositors, little or no independence on bank boards and the lack of compliance with the fiduciary responsibilities of bank directors. To strengthen corporate governance in the industry, she said the Bank of Ghana had recently published the Corporate Governance Directive, which all banks are required to comply with forthwith. Breaches Regarding regulatory breaches, she said there were wanton breaches of regulatory requirements such as failure to submit prudential returns; breach of single obligor limits; breach of exposure limits on related party loans/transactions and misreporting of financial data and others. Restricted borrowing Customers of commercial banks would be restricted in their borrowings from any bank in the coming months if they did not have a credible loan repayment track-record. This will follow the strict enforcement of the new Borrowers and Lenders Act by commercial banks in the country. The Bank of Ghana has served notice it is currently engaging industry players for a repeal of the current law on borrowing and lending. We also hope that banks will do their part so that the entire current infrastructure in place is working well. We are actually proposing a repeal of the Borrowers and Lenders Act and the replacement of the Act. It is early days yet as the law is currently going around the major stakeholders for their inputs, she stated. Source: Daily Guide Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Ghana is at the 13th edition of the annual Salon International Agriculture Fair of Morocco, (SIAM) 2018 in Meknes, Morocco to market its cocoa, coffee and shea nut products in that country. Ghana is being represented at the exhibition by the Ghana Cocoa Processing Company (CPC), Ghana Produce Buying Company (PBC) and the Plantation Resources Ltd, a private cocoa, coffee, palm oil producing company. In the Ghana stand are a variety of chocolates and other array of newly added brands of chocolate and pebbles and other cocoa products. Other products are coffee beans and grounded coffee as well as shea nuts and shea butter. The 2018 edition of the annual exhibition brings together the business community in the agricultural sector both in Africa and other countries to showcase their cutting edge technology and to create a platform for interaction and sharing of best practices. The fair, which was officially opened by the Prince of the Kingdom of Morroco, Prince Moulay Hassan, is being participated by 1,400 exhibitors from 67 countries with more than 850,000 visitors expected to visit the five-day fair. Download and install the Graphic News App for the latest news in Ghana and digital replica's of Graphic Publications The SIAM, through its role as a platform for exchanging ideas, networking and exhibiting the latest agricultural technology, forms part of the development strategy of the Moroccan agriculture. Ghana is hoping to attract the over 35 million Moroccan population with her processed cocoa, coffee, shea nut products. The Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto who is attending the fair as leader of the Ghana government delegation was hopeful to get the Moroccan business community to take orders of the three commodities to sell in their market. He said Morocco was a potential market for Ghanas processed cocoa products such as chocolate, roasted ground coffee and processed shea nuts and, therefore, invited that countrys business community to patronise the products. Dr Akoto explained that over 100 years since Ghana started producing cocoa, it had been exporting the raw cocoa beans. The new government in Ghana led by Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has decided that instead of selling beans to the world, we would add value to it so that we get more proceeds from cocoa, he said, adding that Ghana was looking at entering the Moroccan market with its variety of chocolate, processed coffee and shea nuts. 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 The Director of Communications for the Domestic Lumber Traders Association of Ghana, Anthony Partey Asare, has said the Association is contemplating importing lumber from Liberia since the lumber from Ghanas forests are fast losing their quality. Speaking in an interview with Citi News, Mr. Partey Asare said we as wood sellers in the country have traveled to other countries around our sub region to see if we can get access to import quality lumber because the quality we have here is not the best. We found our way to Liberia and when we got there, we saw that the quality we want is there. He said the Association again traveled to South America and is looking at importing lumber from some countries there to serve the Ghanaian market and also add value for export. For now, we are looking at importing quality lumber from Liberia to serve the local market and also add value to it for the international market. Mr. Partey Asare said we are only appealing to government to waive tax on the importation so that we can import in the short-term so that in the future, the forest can recover and produce for us the quality of timber needed for our construction works. The forest is a renewable resource and when given some time, it can recover. Wood dealers allege extortion by Forestry staff Meanwhile, some wood dealers are accusing officials of the Forestry Commission of extortion and day light thievery. According to the dealers, these officials are engaged in various forms of extortion, a situation they say is taking a huge toll on the wood industry. They claim the officials have devised various means by which they illegally surcharge them and illegally seize and divert legally acquired lumber from the forest. The Chairman of the Timber Market Wood Dealers Association, who doubles as the Director of Communications for the Domestic Lumber Traders Association of Ghana, Anthony Partey Asare, expressed concern about the situation, saying The same commission will give you a permit to convey lumber from anywhere to Accra and when you get to Accra, the same Commission will seize the wood..You will later be asked to pay between 8,000 and 10,000. Instead of giving the wood after we have paid, they will discharge about 40,000 worth of lumber from the wood and then they ask you to take the rest away. We see that as naked robbery. Source: citinewsroom.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 The Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET), has the potential to lift Ghana out of its economic difficulties and setting it on the path to prosperity, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, Minister of Education, has stated. He said there was, therefore, the need to continue with the conversation on the best strategies needed to transform Ghanas national vision on technical education into actionable reality. Ghana welcomes investors who seek to pitch camp here and collaborate with local institutions in bolstering our technical capacity, and strengthening skills training in the country, Dr Opoku Prempeh, remarked in a statement read on his behalf on Tuesday at a Youth Employment and Skills (YES) Stakeholder Engagement Platform Meeting in Accra. We similarly welcome collaboration and partnership in the area of equipment manufacture and the building of laboratories to feed our fledgling technical institutions and universities, he added. The Yes programme was organised by the African Centre for Economic Transformation (ACET) with a particular focus on TVET and secondary education. It focused on the levers through which youth unemployment could be reduced by enhancing skills development to help meet the future job needs of young people. Dr Opoku Prempeh said a nations competitiveness depended to a large measure on the productivity of its work force, which in turn rested on the knowledge and skills of its work force. He said technical and vocational education had enormous potential for developing human capital for national development. Indeed, an effective TVET system has the potential for skill development; improving the competitiveness of the work force; fostering income earnings potential of the people of Ghana and reducing poverty and wealth creation, thus moving our socio-economic development forward, he said. He said the Government had laid emphasis on education and in particular, technical and vocational education as a major pillar for development. He said the Free Senior High School (SHS) system was an integral part of the system for ensuring that the pipeline for such a development would continue to be primed and the One District, One Factory would help to better utilise the products of the TVET system. Dr Opoku Prempeh said the Government was positioning itself to mainstream technical and vocational education by redeeming the misconception that technical and vocational education was inferior, and patronised only by less endowed students. We are undertaking structural reforms by setting up a TVET Service and TVET Council, and dedicating a whole division of the education service to technical and vocational education, which would have its own Director General, he stated. He said the Government would construct 20 modern TVET institutions and colleges of education that specialised in technology cross the country; adding that 35 national vocational training institutes across the country and colleges of education that specialised in technology would be upgraded. Mr Daniel Nti, the Chief Operating Officer, ACET, said achieving decent work for all was key not only to promoting the wellbeing of African youth and driving economic prosperity in the region, but also in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Dr Fred Kyei Asamoah, the Executive Director, Council for Technical and Vocational Education Training (COTVET), said the Government this year had increased the budgetary allocation to the TVET sector, as part of efforts to ensure its growth and expansion. Dr George Afeti, a former Rector of Ho Technical University, called for adequate financing for the TVET sector from both government and industry; in order to enhance quality. He said training by itself does not translate into jobs; stating that what is important is the demand side. In otherwise, if government policies do not encourage the growth and expansions of enterprises, of course they would not be in a position to employ anybody with skills. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Ghanas security services are getting increasingly worried about the activities of pirates in the countrys territorial waters. Credible reports say that since January there have been at least 11 serious incidents of piracy in Ghanaian territorial waters. In one instance, a vessel carrying crude oil was hijacked and allegedly moved eastwards by the pirates believed to be of Nigerian and North African origin. Many of the recorded cases have had to do with kidnapping for ransom. A security source told The Insight that Ghana has had to co-operate with South Korea, China, Nigeria and other countries in the fight against the pirates. Interestingly, president Nana Akufo-Addo has vowed that this government will take firm and decisive action toward off pirates from Ghanas territorial waters. Speaking at the inauguration of the refurbished and expanded Sekordi Fishing Harbor, the president threatened to do everything possible to disable criminals and pirates from creating an unsafe situation in the countrys waters. He said more resources will be made available to the security services to fight the pirates. Source: The Insight 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 Vodafones Chief Executive, Yolanda Cuba was heading off to a meeting when she stopped to assist a customer into the Vodafone building. As it turned out, this man, Andrew Kufuor, a cousin of former President J. A. Kufuor, had come to personally thank a staff of Vodafone for saving his life. Eunice Ampomah-Manu, with the SME Enterprise team, had called Mr Kufuor sometime last week, on a routine customer check-up. Whilst on the call, Mr Kufuor suffered an attack. He was breathless and told Eunice, he was dying. She panicked but kept her composure. In a flurry of activity, including keeping Mr Kufuor on the line for about ten minutes, she managed to extract the digits of his wifes number and called her. In a matter of minutes, Mr Kufuors wife rushed home and managed to get her husband to a nearby clinic to receive medical attention. Later in the week, Eunice also called to check up on him at the hospital. I was helpless. Her call came in good time and I really want to thank her for what she did. She saved my life. Without that, I perhaps wouldnt be here today, he said. What started out as a cursory offer of assistance to a customer at the headquarters at Vodafone Ghana has become a very defining story of effective customer service. Yolanda Cuba, Chief Executive of Vodafone Ghana, said: Providing unmatched customer experience is what we stand for. It is not mere rhetoric; it is a way of life for us and the value system of our business. We really care for each and every one of our customers and we will never renege on this. Source: adomonline.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 Special forces units from the Egyptian Armed Forces concluded on Thursday in Bahrain the joint military exercise Khaled Ibn Al-Walid 2018 with the Royal Bahraini special forces, the Egyptian army announced. The exercise, which started on Monday, included hostage rescue operations as well as anti-terror operations. Units from the Bahraini air force participated in the military exercise. A number of military officials from Bahrain and Egypt, as well as the Egyptian ambassador to Manama, attended the drills on the final day of the exercise. Search Keywords: Short link: Two social workers are under investigation in Ghana for allegedly faking the death of a day-old baby and then selling her for $3,600 (2,600). The suspects - a probation officer and justice administration officer - were helping the baby's mother after she sought assistance from the social welfare department in the Ashanti region after her boyfriend abandoned her during her pregnancy. Ashanti police spokeswoman Juliana Obeng said that after the woman gave birth in hospital, the suspects allegedly took the new-born to another hospital under the guise of treating rashes on her body but they returned with news of the babys death. Meanwhile, they are alleged to have sent the baby to a children's home in Kumasi, from where she was later put up for sale. The two provided no evidence of the dead baby, but allegedly succeeded in manipulating the mother to stay with the probation officer for two months. They allegedly sold the baby on 3 February and shared the money, police said. The suspects are currently out on bail, while being investigated on charges of stealing a child and conspiracy to steal a child. Source: BBC 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 Hanson Kumi, a 19-year-old mason has been put before an Accra Circuit Court for allegedly defiling a six year old boy at Teshie. Kumi, charged with defilement pleaded not guilty and the court presided over by Mrs Abena Oppong Adjin-Doku remanded the accused into Police custody to reappear on May 8. The trial judge however doubted Kumis age and asked him to produce records indicating that he was indeed 19 years. To the amazement of the court, Kumi said he had no records depicting his age. The court therefore ordered that Kumi be taken to the Police Hospital for age assessment. Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Agnes Boafo said the complainant in the matter is the mother of the victim whiles all of them and accused live in Teshie. ASP Boafo said on April 13, this year, at noon, Kumi returned from work and lured the victim into a bathroom of an uncompleted building, licked the victims penis, and had sex with him through his anus on the floor. Prosecution said after the act Kumi offered the victim GH1.00 and the victim defecated and left same in the bathroom. ASP Boafo said the complainant later found out and quizzed the victim and his siblings. Prosecution said the victim narrated his ordeal to the complainant and mentioned the name of the accused as the one responsible. ASP Boafo said a report was made to the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit at Nungua, where a medical report form was issued to the complainant to seek medical attention for the victim. Source: GNA 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 Merck, a leading science and technology company, today signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Infanta Malaria Prevention Foundation, of the First Lady of the Republic of Ghana, Mrs. Rebecca Akufo-Addo, and ASPIRx, a Ghanaian owned and vaccine operated bio-pharmalogical manufacturer, to support Ghana Health Services National Malaria Control Program. This aims at exploring solutions for malaria prevention, including supporting the development of the new Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) facility. The entire membership of Infanta Malaria, with the guidance of our First Lady and Chairperson of Infanta, remain committed to serve as a national strategy for promoting accessible and quality health services to all Ghanaians particularly those in the rural areas said Mrs. Ophelia Akiwumi, Deputy Director, Infanta said. In recognition of the World Malaria Day in Ghana on April 25th, Merck has partnered with ASPIRx to enhance planned commemoration with the Ghana Health Service and the Infanta Malaria Prevention Foundation, under the theme How best to protect children and pregnant women from malaria infection. This relationship with Merck and ASPIRx, offers yet another opportunity to invest in what we believe will make a difference in the lives of women and children The First Lady, Rebecca Akufo-Addo said. Our President has set our tone of action and our First Lady has inspired us with her dedication to service. It is now our responsibility to bring our achievements back home to Ghana. I am extremely proud to announce today that I am bringing my achievements and lifes work back home to invest in my country. We are building the first World-class vaccine and research platform in Africa, here in Ghana ASPIRx Executive Chairman, Andrew Clocanas said. Merck, through the Merck Global Health Institute, and the Life Science and Performance Materials business sectors, has formalized the initiation of a long-term research and capacity-building consortium to identify and deploy timely and effective malarial prevention solutions for vulnerable communities. It has been a great opportunity to mark the World and Merck Malaria Day this year with new partners in the fight against malaria said Beatrice Greco, Head of Research & Development and Access for the Merck Global Health Institute at Merck. In the context of our research and development programs for health solutions in infectious diseases, this initiative will certainly contribute to the success of our integrated One Merck for Malaria program for the pillar on transmission control she added. In addition, this initiative complements the December MoU between Merck and RMS for Ghana being the first country in West Africa to get a purpose-built vaccine manufacturing factory. said Fritz Sacher, Head of Strategy Realization for Africa About ASPIRx ASPIRx is bringing world-class biomedical manufacturing and research to Ghana, and all of Africa for the benefit of the continents human resource development, for timely and affordable research into Africas emerging healthcare needs, for security, affordability and accessibility of locally produced vaccines and pharmaceuticals. About Merck Merck is a leading science and technology company in healthcare, life science and performance materials. Around 50,000 employees work to further develop technologies that improve and enhance life from biopharmaceutical therapies to treat cancer or multiple sclerosis, cutting-edge systems for scientific research and production, to liquid crystals for smartphones and LCD televisions. In 2017, Merck generated sales of 15.3 billion in 66 countries. Founded in 1668, Merck is the world's oldest pharmaceutical and chemical company. The founding family remains the majority owner of the publicly listed corporate group. Merck holds the global rights to the Merck name and brand. The only exceptions are the United States and Canada, where the company operates as EMD Serono, MilliporeSigma and EMD Performance Materials. About Infanta Malaria Prevention Foundation Infanta Malaria Prevention Foundation is a Ghanaian privately funded on governmental organization, active in the country since 2005. Our organization chaired by Madam First Lady, Mrs Akufo-Addo, has brought together women committed to issues of child health and women's development. Infanta members through their own contributions and fundraising have carried out many projects across the country in the past twelve years. We recognize that the burden of malaria and malnutrition is not the same in all of Ghana. There are specific groups of people like pregnant women and children under the age of five years, who suffer more than others and there are specific communities that contribute greater proportions of the incidence of malaria in the country. 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 Editor's note: This story was updated to include reaction from the Piazza family. The attorney general's office filed notice Thursday that it is appealing the dismissal of some charges in the 2017 hazing death of Penn State student Timothy Piazza. "We laid out the required elements of the charges which were dismissed at a preliminary hearing last month," said spokesman Joe Grace said in a news release. "In the interest of justice for the Piazza family, our office today filed a notice of appeal with respect to charges against eight of the defendants in this case." He said Attorney General Joshua Shapiro will speak about his office's comprehensive review of the Piazza case early next week. Timothy Piazza, a 19-year-old sophomore from Lebanon, N.J., died on Feb. 4, 2017, a little more than 24 hours hours after he suffered fatal internal injuries in a series of drunken falls following his acceptance of a bid to join the Beta Theta Pi fraternity at Penn State. The attorney for the Piazza family, Thomas R. Kline, said the family wholeheartedly supports the appeal of dismissal of involuntary manslaughter charges. Former Centre County District Attorney Stacy Parks Miller charged more than a dozen members of the fraternity with counts ranging from furnishing alcohol to minors to involuntary manslaughter. District Judge Allen Sinclair last year threw out involuntary manslaughter charges and a series of other charges against a group of former Penn State fraternity brothers. The case was handed over by the Centre County District Attorney to the state Attorney General's office, which refiled the charges. But Sinclair again threw most of the charges out after a preliminary hearing last month, even though prosecutors brought forth some new evidence and a new legal theory this year. Fourteen fraternity members are still facing face trial on a battery of reckless endangerment, hazing, furnishing alcohol to minors and other counts stemming from that night. WILLIAMSPORT - Weis Markets Inc. has been accused of unlawful race discrimination in employee hiring and promotions. The allegation is made by Jason Allen, an African-American employee at the company's Milton warehouse, in a civil rights suit filed Wednesday in U.S. Middle District Court that he wants certified a class action. The Sunbury resident says he wants to represent all African-Americans who were not hired or promoted by Weis or subjected to a racially hostile work environment there. "Per company policy, we do not comment on pending litigation," Weis spokesman Dennis Curtin said. Allen, who has been a Weis employee since 2012, claims in his complaint he repeatedly has been passed over for promotion in favor of similarly situated or less qualified Caucasians. The discriminatory practice is evident in the racial imbalance of the workforce, management and supervisory staff of the Sunbury-based food market chain, he claims. Weis' executive leadership "has executed a top-down promotion policy, which consistently, systematically and willfully discriminates on the basis of race," Allen charges. He also accuses the executive leadership of not maintaining a zero tolerance policy for racial discrimination despite doing so for other types of discrimination including sexual harassment. His suit claims he suggested at a meeting last October with management representatives the company adopt a "zero tolerance" policy for racial discrimination, but was told Weis would not countenance such a policy. The court document quotes one of the management representatives as saying in his more than 20 years with Weis he had never seen a black manager or supervisor in the warehouse. Another is alleged to have said Weis would hire a Hispanic supervisor over an African-American should the choice presented itself, the suit states. Allen contends he has endured a racially hostile work environment including a co-worker referring to him by the "N" word. He says he was transferred at his request to a different department after reporting the incident to a supervisor, but the co-worker who made the comment followed him several weeks later. His suit cites an exchange between Caucasians workers in which one told used a racial slur while talking to him. When he complained about that environment, Allen claims a supervisor told him he should not have taken offense because the racial slur was not directed at him. Allen claims he suggested a warehouse-wide meeting to discuss racial discrimination in the workplace but one never took place. He estimates in his lawsuit there are hundreds if not thousands of individuals, including current and former employees and job applicants, who would become plaintiffs if the suit is certified a class action. Allen seeks for himself and the others unspecified compensatory and punitive damages that would include pay they would have received if had been promoted. He wants an injunction to prevent Weis from discriminating on the basis of his race and a declaration the chain's employment decisions, policies and practices violate the Civil Rights Act. Last November, Allen filed class action racial discrimination complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Pennsylvania Human Relations Committee. The EEOC issued him a right to sue notice in February, he said. A 52-year-old Harrisburg man was arrested this week in connection with the sexual assault of an intellectually disabled woman. Police said Francisco M. Moffa took photos of the buttocks of a 43-year-old woman and sodomized her on March 18. The victim told him to stop because it hurt. Moffa then reportedly told her not to tell anyone. The victim, however, told a friend who took her to a hospital, where she reported the crime. Police arrested Moffa on Tuesday and charged him with involuntary deviant sexual intercourse and sexual assault. He was jailed without bail. It was the second time he has been arrested for sex crimes associated with the same victim, police said. Moffa was originally arrested by Lower Allen Township in late 1996 for raping the woman when she was 21 years old and he was in his 30s. In that incident, Moffa took photos of her and raped her, police said. Although he originally was charged with rape, statutory rape and two counts of sexual assault, Moffa pleaded "no contest" in a deal with Cumberland County prosecutors to one count of sexual assault with a jail sentence of 80 days to two years. It's unclear why the deal was proposed. Moffa was paroled in March 1997, but soon violated the terms of his release and was sent back to jail to serve the remainder of his sentence. Online court records show he still owes fines and court costs stemming from the case. Moffa's criminal history revealed he had been arrested in 1984 in Westmoreland County, Virginia, for Involuntary Deviant Sexual Intercourse, Indecent Assault, and Corruption of Minor, police said. It's unclear how many years Moffa served for those convictions, but he wrote a letter to the editor at the Patriot-News in 1991 supporting prison educational programs that said he served six years in prison and had been released two years prior. "Without an education, an inmate is given no way out, but crime," Moffa wrote in 1991. "And if it weren't for the education I received (at taxpayer expense), I can honestly say that I would have landed back into the "system." I would have robbed again, or possibly killed someone. But now I have an education to help me survive outside those feared prison walls." Moffa's criminal record includes several arrests for driving under the influence, including a 2002 arrest where he stole gas from a Sheetz station in Halifax. Moffa drove south on Route 225 and lost control on a curve at the top of Peter's Mountain. His 1986 Ford Crown Victoria skidded off the road and crashed into an embankment. Moffa also was arrested in November for DUI and running a stop sign in Harrisburg. That case still is pending. Sixteen percent of inmates released from the Dauphin County Prison in 2016 had a serious mental illness, according to a report released Wednesday by the Dauphin County Board of Commissioners. The report, produced by The Council of State Governments Justice Center at the request of the commissioners, provides unprecedented local detail on one of the biggest problems facing the nation's correctional system: jails have become warehouses for people with mental illness. "Today's findings provide hard numbers to back up what people on the frontlines have been telling us," commissioner George Hartwick said in a statement. "There are too many people with mental illness in prison." The study found that Dauphin County inmates who have a serious mentally illness stay 30 percent longer in prison and are more likely to return than than those who don't have a serious mental illness. Additionally, the report found, the average number of lifetime bookings in the prison is 66 percent higher for people who have serious mental illness than those who don't The report's findings tackle a key problem identified in a 2015 PennLive series, From Patient to Prisoners. PennLive found that while officials across Pennsylvania recognized that huge numbers of seriously mentally ill people were being locked up, few had made attempts to track the scale of the problem or the recidivism rate among those with serious mental illnesses. In PennLive's reporting, Dauphin County Prison's healthcare contractor conservatively estimated that 10 percent of the county's prisoners had a serious mental illness. Wednesday's report suggests that number is far higher: 16 percent. By comparison, the rate of serious mental illness in the general population is only four percent. In addition to its statistical analysis, the report detailed a series of recommendations to the commissioners, including: Provide support for law enforcement to improve responses to people who have mental health needs. Conduct pretrial risk assessments to everyone processed through the Dauphin County Judicial Center. Ensure that the results of mental health screenings inform decisions about the delivery of mental health services. Increase the county's ability to connect people who have SMI to community-based treatment. And develop a plan to increase the successful completion of supervision for people who have SMI. In a statement, the Dauphin County Board of Commissioners said it endorsed those recommendations. The board will hold a public meeting on the report on Wednesday from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Harrisburg Area Community College, Midtown 2, Room 206, 1500 N. 3rd St., in Harrisburg. More than any other state, Pennsylvania is aggressively going after child sex predators. From multiple grand jury investigations into the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, a similar grand jury probe into the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown, the prosecution of Jerry Sandusky and the investigation into systemic sex abuse of students at a New Hope private school, state prosecutors have positioned the state as arguably the most aggressive in the nation against child sex crimes. A pending grand jury investigation into six Roman Catholic dioceses in the state is poised to further ratchet up the scope of that outlook. The probe ostensibly will provide a complete look into clergy sex abuse in Pennsylvania. "Pennsylvania is to be commended for pursuing these criminal matters," said Mitchell Garabedian, an attorney who specializes in sexual abuse cases and represented hundreds for victims in lawsuits against the Catholic Church. "In a way they are showing many states the great need for criminal actions to be pursued with regard to clergy sex abuse and sex abuse of children." Garabedian was featured prominently -- as portrayed by Stanley Tucci -- in the film "Spotlight," which disseminated to a global audience the story of decades of abuse and cover-up in the Archdiocese of Boston. Mitchell Garabedian, an attorney who specializes in sexual abuse cases, has represented hundreds for victims in suits against the Catholic Church. This 2017 photo was taken at a news conference in Boston in a case against actor Kevin Spacey. (AP Photo/Bill Sikes) When released, the grand jury report, which is expected out as early as May, will position Pennsylvania as the state with the most grand jury reports into child sex abuse by institutions. "No other state prosecutors have taken this issue as seriously as they have here," said Marci Hamilton, a University of Pennsylvania law professor and one of the nation's leading advocates for reform to child sex crime laws. "Some other state might have one. It might be into a diocese but this persistent follow up, largely started by Lynne Abraham, sent the message that whether or not the statute of limitations have expired, we need to know what happened. I think that's what has been happening in the state of Pennsylvania." Abraham, a former Philadelphia district attorney, in 2005 led the grand jury investigation that found the Philadelphia archdiocese for decades failed to investigate claims of sexual abuse of children by priests, and failed to protect children. Hamilton, who has during her career represented scores of plaintiffs in child sex abuse cases, said the scope of the pending grand jury investigation report is likely to eclipse other reports. Hamilton said the report will give insight into how systemic abuse of children happens in institutions -- whether religious or secular. "This is huge," she said. "No other state attorney general has done this before. I believe that what they are going to do is give a comprehensive picture of the system in the Catholic Church that put children at risk." The grand jury has been investigating allegations of sexual abuse by priests in the Catholic dioceses of Harrisburg, Allentown, Pittsburgh, Greensburg, Erie and Scranton. The probe comes in the wake of four other similar reports in Pennsylvania: three reports out of the Archdiocese in Philadelphia and the 2016 report on the Altoona-Johnstown Diocese. The capacity to recommend that criminal charges be brought against individual perpetrators as well as church hierarchy, says Hamilton, will be among the compelling outcomes of the report. A grand jury has no power to charge or convict, but it can present probable cause to bring a case to trial. Hamilton said the probability is high that criminal charges will come out of the pending grand jury report. She points specifically to the case against Monsignor William Lynn, the church's most senior official to have been convicted in this country for his handling of pedophile priests. Lynn, a former secretary for clergy in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, was convicted in 2012 for transfering a known pedophile priest. As a result of an unresolved defense appeal, Lynn currently is a free man, and may not face retrial for months. He had served nearly three years of a three- to six-year sentence. "The Lynn case opened the door to being able to charge supervisors for endangering the welfare of children," Hamilton said. "There is every reason to believe there is a possible charge here." Advocates for victims increasingly are looking to Australia as a potential change in outlook towards the decades-old clergy sex abuse scandal. Australia is poised to prosecute the country's top Catholic official, Cardinal George Pell. The case against Pell stemmed from a national inquiry into child abuse in Australia a few years ago. The Australia Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in 2012 launched an investigation into how the Catholic Church and other institutions responded to sexual abuse of children in Australia over 90 years. Garabedian said that Pennsylvania's aggressiveness in pursuing criminal matters pertaining to child sex abuse has set a tone and signals probable outcomes. "I think one will see a lot more criminal actions being filed," he said. "If the aggressiveness of the state of Pennsylvania in its investigation is any indication, I believe you will see a lot more criminal actions being pursued in Pennsylvania than most other states." The Pennsylvania Catholic Conference has long said it advocates for the rights of victims and their healing. "The Catholic Church has embraced the need to make this right for survivors," conference spokesperson Amy Hill recently said to PennLive in a written statement. "Pennsylvania's dioceses have fully cooperated with the grand jury's investigation. Every diocese in Pennsylvania has helped survivors and their families pay for counselors and treatment programs of their choice, and will continue to do so. We pray the victims and their families can recover as they continue through a difficult healing process." Both Hamilton and Garabedian note that the statute of limitations in Pennsylvania present a primary barrier. No criminal charges, for example, resulted out of the grand jury report into the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown. Most, if not all, victims in that report had "timed out" of the legal system -- meaning the statute of limitations had expired for them. Under current law, civil action can be pursued only until the victim reaches 30. A victim can bring criminal charges against an offender until he or she reaches 50, as long as he or she turned 18 after Aug. 27, 2002. The law allows victims older than that to report until their 30th birthday. "The state of Pennsylvania is one of the more aggressive states pursuing the facts and law concerning criminal actions, but Pennsylvania, like so many other states, has to amend its statute of limitations," Garabedian said. Hamilton said that while she expects the majority of the cases that will be outlined in the pending grand jury report are likely to be out of statute, she is still confident criminal charges could result, perhaps not so much on predator priests but on church hierarchy. "With respect to the endangerment claim against Lynn, the argument is not only had he endangered children with respect to particular cases, but that it was an ongoing activity of endangerment by a diocese," Hamilton said. "The question will be 'what was the last act by a church official that would have endangered children?' That could be more recent even if most victims claims have expired." Update: Ruling on superintendent's reinstatement sets back women's rights 50 years: attorney. The legal battle over the reinstatement of a Dauphin County school district's superintendent went all the way up to the state's highest court, and on Thursday the justices came back with a decision. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court today reversed a lower-court ruling that had reinstated Susan Kegerise as Susquehanna Township School District's superintendent. The Commonwealth Court previously sided with Kegerise, concluding she did not resign from her superintendent job, even when she filed a lawsuit against the school board in April 2014. But today's Supreme Court ruling overturns the lower-court decision and upholds her resignation from the school district. Kegerise had returned to work briefly after the lower-court order but struck a deal with the school board to wait until the legal fight concluded before returning to her former role as the district's top educator. The suit she filed against the school board in 2014 remains active and accuses the board of subjecting her to a hostile work environment and seeks millions of dollars in damages. Check back with PennLive soon for more on today's ruling. Majority Opinion Reversed 10352157135879380 by Teresa Bonner on Scribd Hamid Chekakri, 47, is shown in this Montreal police handout photo. A suspect in a series of alleged chocolate-drugging robberies is set to appear in Montreal today. Police allege Hamid Chekakri would arrive at the home of senior citizens who were looking to sell their property and then express interest in buying it. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO - Service de police de la Ville de Montreal MANDATORY CREDIT Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman vowed in an interview Thursday to strike at any attempt by Iran to establish a "military foothold" in Syria, following an attack this month attributed to his country. Speaking with a news website run by a Saudi businessman that regularly interviews Israeli officials, Lieberman also threatened firm retaliation if Israel was attacked by Iran. "If they attack Tel Aviv, we'll strike Tehran," he told the Elaph website. The comments came as Lieberman visited Washington to meet US National Security Adviser John Bolton and other officials to discuss what his office called Iran's "expansion" in the Middle East. "We don't intervene in the war, don't fight there, but Iran is trying to establish bases there and attack us from there with advanced arms it brings to them," Lieberman said of neighbouring Syria. "I can't stand by when I see Iran do that close to the Golan, and when it supports Hezbollah in Syria and Lebanon, and tries to establish a foothold in Syria in order to attack Israel." He added that "any site in which we see an Iranian attempt to achieve a military foothold in Syria will be struck. We won't let that happen, regardless of the price." On April 9, seven Iranian personnel were among 14 people killed in a strike on the T-4 airbase in Syria, with regime allies Iran and Russia blaming Israel for the attack. Israel has neither confirmed nor denied responsibility, but has repeatedly said it cannot accept Iran establishing itself militarily in Syria. Lieberman's visit to Washington comes ahead of a May 12 deadline US President Donald Trump has set to decide on the fate of a nuclear deal with Iran. Israeli leaders have repeatedly called for the deal to be scrapped or improved, though others say it is working as intended to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons for the time being. Search Keywords: Short link: FILE - In this Jan. 12, 2012 file photo, comedian Patton Oswalt, left, and his wife Michelle McNamara arrive at the 17th annual Critics' Choice Movie Awards in Los Angeles. Patton Oswalt is crediting his late wife for her work in pursuit of the so-called Golden State Killer. Michelle McNamara had made it her mission to find the person responsible for at least 12 murders and 50 rapes throughout California in the 1970s and 80s. She died in April 2016. On Wednesday, April 25, 2018, authorities said a DNA match led them to arrest Joseph James DeAngelo, a 72-year-old former police officer, as a suspect. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles, File) The UN in South Sudan said Thursday a convoy including 10 aid workers had gone missing in the southwest of the war-torn country, presumed kidnapped. The convoy disappeared after departing from the town of Yei, in Central Equatoria, early Wednesday heading for Tore, according to a statement issued by the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). "We are deeply concerned about the whereabouts of these humanitarian workers and are urgently seeking information about their well-being," said Alain Noudehou, the UN's humanitarian chief in South Sudan. Aid workers have frequently been targeted during South Sudan's four-year-old civil war. The conflict has killed tens of thousands, forced millions from their homes and pushed millions more to the brink of starvation. In its statement, OCHA said this was, "the second incident involving aid workers being held by armed groups in April alone, and the third in six months." "These individuals, UN and NGO staff, are here to help the people of South Sudan and should not be targeted. Our colleagues must be released without condition so that their work can continue," he said. The statement added that the 10 missing aid workers are all South Sudanese nationals. They include staff working for OCHA and the UN's children's agency (Unicef) as well as the South Sudanese Development Organisation (SSDO), Christian aid group ACROSS, Plan International and Action Africa Help (AAH). Search Keywords: Short link: British director Ken Loach participates in a media conference prior to receiving an honorary degree from the Brussels ULB university in Brussels on Thursday, April 26, 2018. The university has come under criticism alleging it was too tolerant by awarding Loach an honorary doctorate, since the director has been accused in the past of anti-Semitism. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert) FILE - In this April 16, 2018, file photo, Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's personal attorney, center, leaves federal court, in New York. A New York judge wants more information from prosecutors and lawyers for President Donald Trump and personal attorney Cohen to help speedily analyze materials seized from Cohen. U.S. District Judge Kimba Wood set a hearing for Thursday, April 26. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, File) Perryville soccer coach Jerry Fulton has been approached about how good his team is, because according to the results, they have to be pretty good.Perryville claimed first place in the Hillsboro The St. Vincent cross country teams made a statement. The boys finished first, while the girls took second place at the Perryville High School Invitational on Tuesday in the Perryville City Park.It St. Vincent football has asserted itself the past few years when it comes to matchups with their crosstown rival Perryville. The Indians had won three straight contests against the Pirates. St. Roth to help raise money for cancer society During last years Perryville homecoming game, the football coaches donned pink hats and pink pants in honor of a noble cause. They hope to do so again this year.Perryville football head coach Pirates play to win against Blackcats Perryville football has had a flair for the dramatic this season. This past week was no different as they held on late for a 21-14 victory over Fredericktown on Friday at Pirate Stadium. Perryville St. Vincent keeps foot on the gas in victory St. Vincent made quick work of Herculaneum in week four. The Indians got off to a quick start and kept it rolling as they dispatched of the Blackcats 49-0 on Friday at Herculaneum High School. That Click Here For Our Local Sports Page ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) Alaska Airlines has updated its policy on emotional support animals following an increase in incidents involving them on planes and in airports, including some customers and employees suffering bites. Starting May 1, customers flying with psychiatric service animals must provide animal health and behavioral documents and a signed document from a medical professional at least 48 hours prior to departure. The airline also will stop allowing amphibians, goats and animals with hooves, tusks or horns. Alaska Airlines spokesman Tim Thompson said there will be an excepti... Oil prices rise Thursday on Iran sanctions worries, falling Venezuelan output By Henning Gloystein SINGAPORE Petroleumworld 04 26 2018 Oil prices rose on Thursday, supported by expectations the United States will re-impose sanctions against Iran, a decline in output in Venezuela and ongoing strong demand. Brent crude oil futures LCOc1 were at 74.27 per barrel at 0643 GMT, up 27 cents, or 0.4 percent, from their last close. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were up 14 cents, or 0.2 percent, at $68.19 per barrel. Traders said markets climbed on expectations that the United States will in May re-impose sanctions against Iran, a major oil producer and member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). French President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday that he expected U.S. President Donald Trump to pull out of a deal with Iran reached in 2015, in which Iran suspended its nuclear program in return for western powers lifting crippling sanctions. Trump will decide by May 12 whether to restore U.S. sanctions on Tehran, which would likely result in a reduction of its oil exports. Further pushing oil prices has been declining output in Venezuela, OPEC's biggest producer in Latin America. Venezuela's crude production PRODN-VE has fallen from almost 2.5 million barrels per day (bpd) in early 2016 to around 1.5 million bpd due to political and economic turmoil. U.S. oil major Chevron Corp ( CVX.N ) has evacuated executives from Venezuela after two of its workers were imprisoned over a contract dispute with state-owned oil company PDVSA. Venezuela's plunging output and looming U.S. sanctions against Iran come against a backdrop of strong demand, especially in Asia, the world's biggest oil consuming region. However, not all market indicators point towards tighter supplies. U.S. crude oil inventories C-STK-T-EIA rose by 2.2 million barrels in the week to April 20, to 429.74 million barrels. That's almost 10 million barrels above the five-year average. (Graphic: U.S. crude oil production, storage levels - reut.rs/2Fi2ouG ) U.S. crude production C-OUT-T-EIA climbed by 46,000 barrels per day (bpd) on the previous week, to 10.59 bpd. That's an increase of more than a quarter since mid-2016. American crude oil output has overtaken that of top exporter Saudi Arabia. Only Russia currently produces more, at around 11 million bpd. The soaring U.S. output has made WTI crude around $6 per barrel cheaper than Brent, the international benchmark for oil prices. Dutch bank ING said the wide discount for WTI to Brent saw exports rising 582,000 bpd week-on-week to a record high of 2.33 million bpd. With U.S. output and exports surging, some analysts warn that the 20-percent climb in Brent prices since February is starting to look overdone. The market does look a little toppish, said Greg McKenna, chief market strategist at futures brokerage AxiTrader. (Graphic: Russia vs Saudi vs U.S. oil production - reut.rs/2KdnFtj ) Petroleumworld.com Hit your target - Advertise with Us Guyana GRA to put safeguards in place to ensure oil's companies paid correct amount of taxes By Kaieter News GEORGETOWN Petroleumworld 04 26 2018 Oil companies are notorious for using inflated costs to reduce the profits that should go to the countries they are operating in. But Commissioner General of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), Godfrey Statia recently assured that all is being done to ensure that safeguards are put in place to combat such practices. During a press conference that was held on Tuesday, the tax chief said that addressing inflated costs requires that there is adequate information flow at all times with all oil companies. You cannot wait until the end of the period within which you are going to start an audit or I wouldn't even call it that, I would say a review. A review should be continuous. You should have persons on the spot specifically trained in these activities and have them reviewing the activities on a day by day basis Commenting further on the need to have competent staff, Statia revealed that by 2020 to 2021, GRA's team would increase by 100 persons. He said it would entail people from all spheres of the petroleum industry. We would need to have a mix of engineers and lawyers too, or else you would be in problems. Additionally, we are slated to send eight persons from GRA to England to study oil and gas and we are trying to be at the forefront of these issues instead of waiting on the other departments. The Commissioner General subsequently reiterated to Kaieteur News that GRA is working towards ensuring that the necessary safeguards are in place to ensure Guyana gets its fair share of taxes. INFLATED COSTS Statia also informed this newspaper that he is very much aware of the tricks employed by oil companies around the world when it comes to using inflated costs. He said that he has reviewed several case studies which includes nations such as Indonesia. This newspaper reported on several occasions that all oil producing nations faced issues with inflated costs by operaotors. As such, strict mechanisms are often put in place to ensure that such abuses are nipped in the bud. Indonesia is just one nation which ended up taking its mechanisms to the extreme. Not only did it put stronger systems in place, but it also moved away from the use of the Production Sharing Agreement model. Indonesia's move from Production Sharing Agreements to a new model in January last was long in the pipeline. In several media reports in that country, the Government of Indonesia said that under cost recovery, contractors inflated costs to increase their share of production, the result being that Government's share is reduced. In fact, the Supreme Audit Agency of Indonesia found that several oil and gas production sharing contractors inflated their operating costs claims to US$300M. The Agency also noted that many of the costs claimed by the company were not even in keeping with the rules and regulations of Indonesia. By moving to a gross-split model, the Government argues that contractors are forced to bear the costs of operating themselves. The Government believes that the new method will encourage the oil operators to spend more efficiently since there is no way to recover them. The Government of Indonesia feels justified in doing away with a cost recovery mechanism for oil operators. The citizens there believe that for too long, they have been abused by oil operators. The Government also expressed alarm at the fact that in 2016 alone, cost recovery by oil operators climbed up to $13.9B. This was more than the sector even contributed in non-tax revenues for that year. Additionally, the Government bemoaned the administrative challenges that came with addressing cost recovery as claimed by companies. In fact, the Government said that the problem with cost recovery is, there have been endless debates as to how much exactly the production costs should be. The Government said it is not easy to calculate technology costs, especially in cases where only one company has a particular technology. It was also noted in the Indonesia media that SKK Migas, a government owned entity that manages the oil sector has a staff of 750 professionals. Approximately 80% of that staff is involved in the arduous task of ensuring that cost recovery claims by company are fair and accurate. Anticorruption advocates in Indonesia are of the firm view that given its limited audit resources, and benchmarks to evaluate cost claims, the Government's response to move away from cost recovery as a basis for production sharing is perhaps a sensible move. ZERO PROTECTION IN CONTRACTS Any careful assessment of Guyana's Production Sharing Agreements (PSAs) with ExxonMobil , Tullow Oil, Ratio Oil, Eco Atlantic and CGX, would reveal that there are mechanisms in place for these oil operators to recover their exploration, development and production costs. But what is lacking in all of these contracts is a single clause that speaks to how the Government of Guyana should deal with inflated costs, once detected by these entities. While such lose provisions exist, other nations have ensured that the necessary provisions have been taken to guard against inflated costs. Liberia for example, is known for its oil rich potential just offshore West Africa. Its oil industry has attracted multinationals such as Chevron and ExxonMobil. Even though the Government of this English speaking nation is elated to have the attention of these oil giants, it is by no means an indication that there would be a free for all for those entities as it relates to inflated costs. In one of its PSAs, Liberia ties ExxonMobil and its other oil partner to a strict set of provisions. The 2013 Production Sharing Agreement says, If any such inspection or audit is finally determined to have overstated Petroleum Costs or understated revenue derived from Total Production by more than three percent (3%), all costs of the inspection or audit shall be borne or reimbursed by the Contractor and no portion of such costs of inspection or audit may be included in Petroleum Costs. Appropriate adjustments in payments and cumulative recoverable costs shall be made to adjust for all misstatements identified as a result of any such inspection or audit. (More in this regard on the contract can be seen by following the said link: (http://www.theperspective.org/2012/block_13_agreement.pdf)). Petroleumworld.com Hit your target - Advertise with Us Guyana revenue authority at odds over number of fuel import licence By Kaieteur GEORGETOWN Petroleumworld 04 26 2018 The detaining of a boat last week has brought the spotlight sharply back on the fuel industry. This week, Commissioner-General, Godfrey Statia, disclosed that there are almost 100 import licences in place, and this is proving to be a major policing challenge for the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA). His statements, in response to media questions, would come after a locally-owned fuel ship was found with over 200,000 gallons in the Demerara River. The vessel was not checked and recorded by Customs, GRA investigations found. It was only after the vessel was boarded that attempts were made to record the entry of the vessel at the nearby Boat House. GRA is now moving to collect over $36M in taxes owed from the fuel with the captain of the Jubilee likely to be slapped with a massive fine. GRA has found a number of weaknesses in its systems and is investigating whether the vessel could have also been involved in smuggling in other instances. The statements of almost 100 import licences also touched a chord with the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) which polices the fuel trade. Yesterday, the agency made it clear that the number of licences is definitely not 100. In fact, according to figures, GEA said that there are 13 Import and Importing Wholesale Licences for fuel; inclusive of diesel, gasoline, kerosene, and aviation fuel. Additionally, there are 22 Import and Importing Wholesale Licences issued for the importation of either lubricants and/or LPG only; one Export Licence; 14 Wholesale Licences; 113 Retail Licences: Petrol Filling Stations; 464 Retail Licences for LPG, Kerosene and Lubricants; 230 Consumer Installation Licences and 630 Bulk Transportation Carrier Licences. GEA said in its statement that it publishes annually in the Gazette a list of all licences issued in accordance with the Petroleum and Petroleum Products Regulations. These numbers and licence holders are therefore a matter of public record. Abuse of Licences However, the GRA chief, in response, said he standing by his statements that in effect there are 100 licences. It was explained that while some sectors, like the fishing ones, were granted licences for fuel importation for its use, in effect, several trawlers are known to be purchasing fuel and bringing it back. Those trawlers are operating under one licence but really in effect it is several licences that require monitoring. With some fishing companies owning several trawlers, the challenges for GEA and GRA have been increased significantly. GRA as the premier tax collection agency for government also has to monitor large scale private importers like Bosai, Rusal, Guyana Goldfields and hundreds of gold miners who are granted fuel concessions. Under arrangements for miners, those that declare more than 5,000 ounces of gold only pay 10 percent tax on fuel imported. Below that declaration ceiling, the taxes are about 25 percent. The rest of Guyana is saddled with a hefty 50 percent, a major source of revenue for government. However, the lack of capacity in properly monitoring the waterways near the border, coupled with corruption at especially border points like Morawhanna, in Region One, there have seen leakages of revenue in the hundreds of millions of dollars annually, almost mirroring the illegal drug trade, some say. The fuel there has been making its way to the coastlands. According to Statia yesterday, it is a well known fact that in the Essequibo River islands and in Bartica, Region Seven, that most of the fuel sold are unmarked and on which no taxes are being paid. E'bo rampant The Parika area, leading up the Essequibo River, is filled with operations of illegal fuel, the GRA chief complained. GRA is moving in on them. With a number of other areas that GRA is clamping down on to collect, the fuel trade with its experienced operators who have perfected their smuggling systems, have proven a major challenge to confront. On top of that at GEA, there have been recurring reports that markers, used to indicate taxes on fuel have been paid, are being pilfered by staffers and sold to smugglers. Some of the smuggled fuel is ending up in some gas station, with the markers being used, making it harder for GEA and GRA to track. What makes the situation harder is that there has been little success, at least announced publicly, of GEA making progress to crack the alleged corruption that exists within that state-controlled organisation. Only last week an outsider was arrested with over $1.5M in markers. He fingered three GEA staffers. GEA has not made any statements on that matter. The fact that one boat alone had over 200,000 gallons of fuel last week would contrast sharply with the success rate of GEA versus what is believed to be smuggled into Guyana. In 2017, GEA said that its inspectors visited 12,882 sites and collected 33,891 samples, which resulted in 29 discoveries of illegal fuel and the seizure of over 11,000 gallons of illegal gasoline and diesel. The work of the GEA is supported by the Guyana Police Force (GPF), Guyana Defence Force Coast Guard (GDFCG) and Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) Customs, the agency said. Apart from Georgetown, GEA continues to operate out of bases on the Essequibo Coast, Bartica and Linden. Further, routine and intelligence based operations continue to be done in various areas across the country as needed. For 2017, the GEA recorded 6 convictions. Compensation was accepted from 4 individuals under GEA's legislation in the sum of $1,237,000, the statement said. For 2018, the Inspectors have visited 3,191 sites and collected 8,339 fuel samples in the first quarter of the year. This represents an achievement of 22% and 24% respectively for its annual target. Additionally, seven discoveries of illegal fuel were recorded and over 9,000 gallons of gasoline and diesel seized for this period. There were two convictions so far and three matters are ongoing. GEA boasted that the obligation of conformity through the licensing process supports the GEA's rigid stance in stamping out illegal fuel smuggling through proper monitoring, enforcement and compliance. With Guyana a net fuel importer, the annual cost is billions of dollars, a major chunk of this country's foreign exchange and major profits for those who are involved illegally in the trade. Petroleumworld.com Hit your target - Advertise with Us Veteran Libyan military commander Khalifa Haftar returned to Benghazi on Thursday after a two-week absence for medical treatment in Paris, according to a statement posted on a social media account used by his forces. Haftar, 75, was greeted by a delegation of senior officials after landing on a late afternoon flight from Cairo, according to the statement, posted on the Facebook account of Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA). No pictures or footage of Haftar's arrival were immediately released. News that Haftar had been treated at a Paris hospital had triggered fierce speculation over his condition. Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA) is aligned with a parliament and a government that has been based in eastern Libya since 2014. They control most of eastern Libya, including the majority of its oil fields and ports, as well as parts of the south. LNA spokesman Ahmed al-Mismari said that on his return Haftar would take part in celebrations marking the anniversary of his "Karama" (Dignity) campaign, the military operation he started in 2014 to drive Islamist militants and other opponents out of Benghazi. Haftar declared victory in July 2017, though sporadic fighting continued until late last year. *This report was edited by Ahram Online. Search Keywords: Short link: Iraq's Shi'ites split ahead of crucial vote after 15 years in power By Ahmed Aboulenein BASRA/NAJAF, Iraq Petroleumworld 04 26 2018 United in their fight against Saddam Hussein's oppression for decades, Iraq's Shi'ites have become deeply fragmented and disillusioned with their leaders after 15 years in power. In Iraq's Shi'ite heartlands, many who once voted blindly along sectarian lines are now turning their ire against the Shi'ite-led governments they say have failed to repair crumbling infrastructure, provide jobs or end the violence. The divisions within the community now risk splitting the Shi'ite vote in a May 12 election, which could complicate and delay the formation of a government, threaten gains against Islamic State and let Iran meddle further in Iraq's politics. In the oil-rich southern province of Basra, 81-year-old retired teacher Mowafaq Abdul Ghani is disappointed with the performance of the Shi'ite leaders since Saddam fell in 2003. I've been waiting for Saddam to fall since the 1970s. I've been waiting for you! Why would you do this to us? he said. Look around. The streets are filthy, there are flies everywhere, pot holes at every step. Twenty years ago Basra was terrible but it was better than this, Abdul Ghani said. In the holy city of Najaf, home to Imam Ali's shrine and Iraq's most revered Shi'ite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, there was a similar feeling of disillusionment. At midnight on April 13 when official campaigning began, hordes of party activists plastered campaign posters on every visible surface, in same cases covering pictures honouring those who died fighting Islamic State. They took down the martyrs and replaced them with thieves, said unemployed 29-year-old Abbas Saad. Even Sistani seems unhappy with the performance of the politicians, issuing a fatwa recently implicitly calling on Shi'ites to vote for new blood. The tried should not be tried, said the fatwa from Sistani, whose decrees are sacrosanct to millions. NEW GENERATION Under the informal power-sharing arrangement in place since Saddam's fall, the prime minister has always come from the Shi'ite majority with a Kurdish president and a Sunni speaker. In the past, while no party has won enough seats to govern alone, there has typically been one Shi'ite leader with enough support to shape a ruling coalition government. This time there are three Shi'ite frontrunners: incumbent Haider al-Abadi who has promoted a more inclusive government, his overtly sectarian predecessor Nuri al-Maliki who failed to inspire unity and Hadi al-Amiri, a military commander close to Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guards seen as a war hero by many. If no clear winner emerges, Iran could have more of a chance to act as a broker between the Shi'ite parties and influence who becomes prime minister, while Islamic State could capitalise on any power vacuum and exploit Sunni feelings of marginalisation. At a party for university graduates in Najaf, dozens of young people danced under a glittering disco ball and listened to poetry in a packed hall. At the event sponsored by Adnan al-Zurfi, a former governor running on Abadi's Victory Alliance list, the talk was of inclusiveness. About 60 percent of Iraqis are 27 or younger and many young people in urban areas say they want a secular government, underscoring the split within the Shi'ite voter base. I'm against voting based on sect, said student Ali Reda. Abadi's list, touted by Zurfi as cross-sectarian, is the only one contesting the election in all of Iraq's 18 provinces. The youth care about unemployment, education, and freedoms, he said at a nearby cafe surrounded by young men playing billiards. The Shi'ite majority has a responsibility to calm the fears of other communities. We are proposing an inclusive government in which everyone is represented. SHI'ITE RULE Just an hour away from Najaf in Karbala, the holy city visited by 30 million Shi'ite pilgrims a year, sharing power with Sunnis and Kurds is not seen as a solution. Iraq has a Shi'ite majority. It is natural that it be ruled by a Shi'ite, said Muntazer al-Shahrestani, who runs a school for Shi'ite clerics. While there has been no census for a long time, U.S. figures from 2003 put the breakdown of the Iraqi population at roughly 48-60 percent Shi'ite Arabs, 15-22 percent Sunni Arabs, 18 percent Kurds with other groups making up the rest. Shahrestani said while the rights of minorities should be protected there should be a Shi'ite government, echoing a popular opinion among religious Shi'ites. Many campaign on that sentiment, none more than former prime minister Maliki, who is widely viewed by Sunni and Kurds as sectarian and oppressive. Maliki is also blamed by many Shi'ites for losing a third of Iraq to Islamic State in 2014 before being replaced by Abadi, but he remains popular with others who credit him with signing Saddam's death warrant. MEN OF GOD In Hayaniya, one of the poorest parts of Basra, Ali Khaled plans to vote for Amiri's Conquest Alliance, as do many in his neighbourhood. Khaled's brother was killed fighting Islamic State for Amiri's Badr Organisation, an Iran-backed militia that is one of the many state-sponsored groups collectively known as the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) that emerged as a response to a Sistani fatwa calling on Iraqis to fight Islamic State. He receives up to $675 a month as payment for the death of his brother but he's not thanking the current government. The PMF follow God, they don't have bureaucracy like the government, Khaled said. Hadi al-Amiri fought with us. He left his cushy post as a minister to fight for us. He eats our food. He lived with us. But many others view Amiri, whose candidates hang photos of Iranian Supreme Leaders Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini and Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in their offices, as having a stronger allegiance to Iran than Iraq. Amiri is a hero but he is too close to Iran. A vote for him is one against Iraq's sovereignty, said Abdul Ghani, the retired teacher in Basra. NEGLECTED HEARTLAND For years, the province was a support base for Shi'ite leaders. Now, many Basrawis are fed up. Basra produces about 3.5 million barrels of oil per day, the vast majority of Iraq's oil wealth equivalent to more than 80 percent of the federal budget. But many in the city don't believe they get a fair share of government revenues handed out to the 18 provinces and say what little they do get is squandered by local officials. The city's water is undrinkable, its roads neglected, and its streets overflowing with waste. The al-Ashar river that divides the city was once a source of prosperity for its people, but now its clogged with rubbish. Jobs are scant, as are school supplies and medical equipment but there is no shortage of posters for the Shi'ite candidates. At the same house in Hayaniya where Khaled was speaking, his neighbour, a soldier with an elite Interior Ministry unit, said he would just not vote, even for Abadi, his commander-in-chief. Many do still plan to vote for Abadi, though more out of pragmatism than passion with some describing him as the best of the worst. Wounded fighting Islamic State in Mosul last year, the soldier, who requested anonymity, sipped tea sitting on the floor, his leg still in a cast he was forced to pay for himself. When I was first injured I got visits and promises (from officials) but nothing, ultimately. I have no faith in the government or parliament, he said. A majority of those interviewed by Reuters in Basra said they would not vote. Two men, who declined to be named, said they planned to sell their families' votes to the highest bidder, just to help make ends meet. I am hungry. I have eight votes and I want to sell them, said one. Petroleumworld.com Hit your target - Advertise with Us Petrobras eliminates Liquigas Petroleum Gas IPO and out it up for sale, eyes antitrust risk By Tatiana Bautzer and Carolina Mandl SAO PAULO Petroleumworld 04 26 2018 Petroleo Brasileiro SA has given up on the idea of selling its Brazilian liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) unit through an initial public offering (IPO) and decided to reopen a sale process, three people with knowledge of the matter said. The state-controlled oil company has not yet set a date for interested companies to deliver bids and is still discussing the best way to avoid problems with antitrust authorities, the sources added, asking for anonymity because talks are private. Petrobras, as the company is known, has sounded out banks and investors for a potential IPO of Liquigas Distribuidora SA, but advisers said it would be a hard sell, especially to international investors, according to the sources. Liquigas sells gas cylinders, used mainly for cooking in Brazilian households not served by gas pipelines a segment unfamiliar to investors in more developed markets. Petrobras had agreed to sell the subsidiary to a unit of Ultrapar Participacoes SA in 2016 for 2.8 billion reais ($800 million), but Brazilian antitrust watchdog Cade blocked the deal. Ultragaz, a unit of Ultrapar, is Brazil's largest LPG distributor and Liquigas is the second biggest. In talks with banks, Petrobras has discussed how to structure the sale process without triggering antitrust issues. The easiest solution would be a sale to foreign buyers with similar businesses, such as Turkey's Aygaz AS or Chile's Empresas Copec SA, sources said. Some of the Brazilian rivals that bid for the asset are still interested, such as Copagaz Distribuidora de Gas. But a sale to a Brazilian rival would be trickier, and some representatives of Brazilian companies have been lobbying Petrobras to break up the subsidiary before the sale, one of the sources said. A third option would be to require proposals that already include remedies for potential antitrust concerns. So far, no decision has been taken, the sources added. Petrobras responded to a request for comment by referring to a previous securities filing in which it said details of the deal had not been defined. Copagaz, Aygaz and Copec did not immediately comment on the matter. $1 = 3.50 reais Petroleumworld.com Hit your target - Advertise with Us Related Mike Pompeo becomes new US secretary of state New US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo plans to travel to Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Israel over the weekend after a stop in Brussels for a NATO meeting, the State Department said on Thursday. "No other secretary in recent history has gone on a trip as quickly as he has, department spokeswoman Heather Nauert told reporters. Pompeo was confirmed by the Senate on Thursday and sworn in shortly afterward. Search Keywords: Short link: The average price of gasoline in Pennsylvania went over $3 a gallon this week, including this Speedway station in Zelienople, Pa. Read more Average gasoline prices in Pennsylvania have hit $3 a gallon, the highest price since November 2014, according to AAA and GasBuddy. Rising crude oil prices and the annual switchover to summer-grade gasoline the lower-volatility fuel mandated for use in regions with persistent air pollution have caused pump prices to surge recently, according to market-watchers. "Government data highlighted a new record for gasoline demand was breached last week, and we're not even into the summer driving season yet," said Patrick DeHaan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy. "The road ahead at the pump looks quite ominous if that demand number proves common in the coming weeks." President Trump last week on Twitter singled out the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries for causing prices to rise. OPEC last year decided to curtail production when oil prices sank below $50 a barrel. The price is currently close to $70. According to AAA, the average Pennsylvania gas price hit $3 Wednesday, up 6 cents in the last week. In New Jersey, the average was $2.84, up 9 cents in the last week. In Delaware, the average price was $2.74, up 10 cents in the last week. The biggest cause for different prices in different states is motor fuel taxes: Pennsylvania has the highest gas tax in the nation, 58.7 cents, or 21.6 cents more a gallon than New Jersey. Gasoline prices typically increase during the spring, when refineries schedule annual maintenance outages, reducing market supplies, and begin deliveries of lower-volatility fuels to regions operating under U.S. Environmental Protection Agency air-emission mandates. Most coastal cities from Norfolk, Va., to Boston are required to sell reformulated gasoline during the summer. There are several other regional variations for fuel volatility more volatile fuel evaporates more readily into the atmosphere that depend upon the degree and persistence of local air quality. "Instead of having one big pool of gasoline in the nation, you create a number of regional markets, that usually leads to some supply constraints," said DeHaan. DeHaan anticipates that gas prices are likely to continue to drift higher before a possible peak in mid-May. Inquirer Business section editor Karl Stark moderates the April 25 tax panel and Influencers of Finance awards ceremony, Ballroom at the Ben. Read more The most significant change in America's new tax law is the corporate rate's being cut to 21 percent, "the lowest tax rate since 1919. Corporate rates haven't been this low since then, and the corporate rates are now significantly lower than individual tax rates," said Saba Ashraf of Ballard Spahr at the Philadelphia Inquirer's tax panel Wednesday at the Ballroom at the Ben on Chestnut Street. What was missing? Any quid pro quo for that tax break, such as increased hiring, capital expenditures, or investment, she added. Still, "the corporate tax cut rate is permanent, unlike the individual tax cuts, which expire in 2025." The Inquirer on Wednesday hosted a tax panel featuring La Colombe Coffee entrepreneur Todd Carmichael and a host of state and local taxation experts, including Ashraf, co-practice leader, Ballard Spahr; Michael Bryan, managing director, Deloitte Tax LLP; Raman Mahadevan, tax partner and Philadelphia tax market leader, Ernst & Young LLP; and Ryan Sweet, director of real-time economics, Moody's Analytics. Mahadevan of Ernst & Young said the U.S. corporate rate "was now competitive with the rest of the world. Will it help investment? It's debatable, because we don't yet have the data to know for sure. But an EY survey of 500 CEOs showed they intend to spend more on capex and they now see real reasons to reengage in M&A and focus on the U.S." Michael Bryan of Deloitte said the tax break ultimately took the place of Congress' failed infrastructure bill. "Lawmakers couldn't get that done, so they turned to tax reform. But it wasn't as last-minute as people think," Bryan said, noting that tax-cut bills had been under discussion for as long as two years before the most recent legislation. State and local governments have been pondering workarounds of the $10,000 limit on state and local tax deduction for individuals, he added, such as New Jersey. "But I don't think the U.S. Treasury will let that work," Bryan said, adding that Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin "will put a bullet" in any effort to get around the limit. Carmichael, who cofounded La Colombe and opened its first coffee shop in Center City in the early 1990s, said the tax cut wasn't necessary. He'd like to pay more in taxes. The better the city is doing, the better his company will do, he said. And it all starts with upgrading the city's schools. Carmichael defended his views (which he editorialized about Nov. 29 in the Inquirer) at the Ballroom at the Ben, 834 Chestnut St., by saying "I think the new tax reform law is [nonsense] and I'm lobbying against it," he said in front of 200 guests. "This tax cut is a booby trap for our future. The lion's share of the tax savings isn't going into investing, but into dividends" to shareholders. "I don't agree that the U.S. isn't competitive. We're insanely competitive, we're the Shaquille O'Neal of economies in this world." The ratio of business earnings to topline revenues "is the fattest we've ever seen. But it's not doing our children any favors. This tax break is temporary and it's creating a huge debt. CEOs know it's a farce, and some of them tell me privately that I'm crazy to say what I'm saying, although most of them agree with me and say 'keep going.'" Carmichael advocates raising the business tax in Philadelphia to fund the city's public schools. La Colombe pays an effective tax rate of 21 percent in Philadelphia and 23.7 percent in New York City, where the company has eight locations. Carmichael said he would even submit to a coffee tax similar to Philadelphia's sweetened-beverage tax "if it was applied evenly all over every cup of coffee." Ryan Sweet of Moody's predicted that wages nationally would likely rise with the economy's expansion regardless of the tax law. "There hasn't been a boom in investment as a result of the tax cut yet. There have been some one-offs like bonuses. But, if we want to see a sustained impact, we need increased labor force growth and productivity growth." He predicts 3 percent annual GDP growth and the potential of a "fiscal hangover" in 2020 with higher recession odds, given the likely enormous U.S. deficit of $1 trillion by 2019. "We haven't seen fiscal stimulus of this size, plus wage growth, since the mid- to late-1960s. Unlike some other countries, the U.S. debt-to-GDP ratio is still low. But it's not a sustainable path." Protesters demonstrate outside the Starbucks at 18th & Spruce Streets earlier this month. Read more What happened in that Starbucks on that fateful Thursday earlier this month was not unique in the way it began, but its climax smudged the images of the self-worshiping coffee chain and also what we call (even though we know better) the City of Brotherly Love. Aggressively progressive Starbucks embarrassed itself in 2015 with a Race Together brainstorm encouraging its baristas (elsewhere known as servers) to launch conversations with customers about race. That might fly in its overwhelmingly white, progressive hometown of Seattle (66.3 percent white, 13.7 percent Asian, 7.7 percent black), but there are vast stretches of America in which "race" joins three other things you aren't supposed to talk about in polite company religion, politics, and money. The same Starbucks employees who were to be racial intermediaries in 2015 now must endure a May 29 half-day reeducation camp on racial bias. When you pour sanctimony like hot milk, Starbucks has learned, your cup had better not be cracked. I wondered how often Philly cops get called for retail trespass. From the police, I got reports of other trespass and loitering arrests for a 30-day period in the four Center City zip codes 19102, 19103, 19106, 19107. The month was March 16 to April 16. There were eight arrests, and I went to Municipal Court case records to get the details. Six of them were people suspected of breaking and entering for burglary. The trespass was incidental. The seventh was a March 10 armed robbery of a Park America garage at Second and Lombard by a 31-year-old white male. The eighth was a March 22 arrest in the probation office at Broad and Arch. A 22-year-old black male was charged with defiant trespass and resisting arrest. The numbers make it seem that calls from restaurants are rare but the numbers are misleading, I was told by a police commander who requested anonymity for fear of becoming enmeshed in the Starbucks mess that had his commissioner groveling. "Citywide, it's not uncommon for retail to ask someone to leave," the commander told me. "Whether it gets coded as 'trespass' depends on whether the person leaves." In most cases, he or she does. "It doesn't feel right that it results in an arrest," he said. Those four words are incisive "it doesn't feel right." It doesn't, and it didn't look right, either. At Starbucks, it looked like racism, but where is the actual proof? Retailers say they have a legal right to throw freeloaders out. Cops say that when they are called they must respond. Most blacks, Mayor Kenney, and others say the Starbucks incident was bigotry. Let's go to the "coulds." The store manager could have waited a few more minutes to see if the two men would order something once their meeting began. The cops as peace officers could have taken a few minutes to try to resolve the confrontation. Rashon Nelson and Donte Robinson could have left the store or ordered a tall Red Velvet Cake Creme Frappuccino. Everyone's actions were somewhat justified, but none were the best and brightest. Next month, Starbucks will have a self-flagellating session to command compassion in its stores. Philly's cops will issue new directives for retail trespass any minute now. Problem solved? Probably not. You can't legislate common sense, especially in a culture looking for any reason to be offended. New Philadelphia school board member Maria McColgan (facing camera) listens as she participates in a small group session aimed at improving education for Philadelphia students. Read more Add more art and music to schools. Better equip teachers to handle the challenges of children who live in deep poverty. Earn the public's trust and improve community relations. Make sure kids have mentors, and job training, and access to robust after-school programs. Members of the new Philadelphia school board got an earful from the public Wednesday night on the first stop of that body's citywide listening tour. "This is part of their orientation, in a way, a way to hear from the people in the public about the issues that are most important to them," Otis Hackney, Mayor Kenney's chief education officer, told about 100 people who gathered in the auditorium at Dobbins High School in North Philadelphia. Four members of the new board attended Wednesday's session: Maria McColgan, Angela McIver, Wayne Walker, and Joyce Wilkerson. Board members have been sworn in, but they won't begin governing the school system which has 205,000 students in traditional public schools and charters until July 1, succeeding the state-run School Reform Commission. The task in front of them is enormous. Currently, just 33 percent of students in the district can read at grade level, and only 19 percent meet state standards in math. Mike Seidenberg, a South Philadelphia parent who homeschools one daughter and is about to send another to Central High, summed up his concerns for the new board. "We just keep doing the same stuff, and it's not working," said Seidenberg. "I don't know how much of this falls on the school board or the mayor or the city, but something completely different has to be done. I hope that the board or whoever is creative enough, is courageous enough to really take a different direction." The board must confront a public that is historically wary of the district and the people who run it. Anna Figueroa, a grandparent concerned about the quality of education available to kids in struggling neighborhoods, said she was paying close attention to what comes next. Figueroa works for Educational Opportunities for Families, a charter-advocacy group. "The district is failing the children in our community," said Figueroa, whose children graduated from district schools. Her grandchildren attended them, but now go to charters. She said the board may say it means business, but she wonders. "Right now, I think you don't care about us," she said. Attendees included current Dobbins students, teachers, retired educators, other community members, and people hoping to sell products to the district. And there were such people as Syreeta Campbell, who has a 4-year-old starting kindergarten in the fall. She lives in North Philadelphia and would never send her child to a public school unless things inside the district improve dramatically, she said. Instead, Campbell pays for private school, an option that many families don't have. What does she want the board to know? "I think our public schools should be viable options, and a lot of them aren't," said Campbell. "We need a new model, because what we have is outdated, obsolete, and it doesn't work." Kim Leake lives in Mount Airy and has a daughter at F.S. Edmonds, a district school. Leake, a former employee at the now-closed Germantown High School and also at Martin Luther King High, wanted to impress upon the board members the need for more mental-health and behavioral supports inside city schools. "The classrooms are off the hook," Leake said. "The teachers spend more time disciplining the students than teaching." The board members said that they were taking careful notes, and that they knew the job ahead was enormous. They urged the people in attendance to be their partners going forward. "There are a lot of people just look at the turnout here that want to make a difference," said McColgan. "I heard a lot of hope. I'm really excited about that." Mayor Kenney shakes hands with newly introduced school board member Wayne Walker, standing with fellow board members (from left) Mallory Fix Lopez, Angela McIver, Julia Danzy (not seen), Joyce Wilkerson, Leticia Egea-Hinton, Maria McColgan, and Lee Huang. Read more The members of the soon-to-be-extinct School Reform Commission were often businesspeople or lawyers politically connected types, and dominated by men. The soon-to-take-power Philadelphia Board of Education is heavy on teachers, people with social-service backgrounds, women, and very few people well-known in education or government circles until Mayor Kenney called their names Wednesday morning. The nine new members of the board have impeccable resumes, and are being greeted largely with enthusiasm. But the panel has not been universally hailed. Activists who helped push for a return of the district to local control were left off the list, and no one directly connected to the city's most troubled schools is on the panel. Miguel Andrade, an official with Juntos, an organization that advocates for Latino and immigrant rights, said the board's composition was "disheartening." Juntos is part of Our City Our Schools, a coalition of city organizations that pushed hard for years to end the SRC and put forward its own slate of school board candidates immigrants, parents with children in struggling schools, even students. "We've been actively organizing and have been doing a lot of the work that led to this moment of local control," said Andrade. "The people who are most affected by these decisions should have a voice on that board." The majority of Philadelphia district schools are low-performing, scoring below a 50 out of 100 on the school system's own internal performance metric. Citywide, 33 percent of children read on grade level, and 19 percent meet state standards in math. That gets to the heart of Sylvia Simms' worry for the panel. Simms was a stunning choice when former Mayor Michael Nutter picked her for an SRC seat in 2013. She was a former bus attendant, a woman without a college education whose grandchild attended a North Philadelphia school whose academic state was so shaky the district eventually proposed closing it. "On this board, I don't see parents that have children in failing schools, parents who bring that perspective to the table," said Simms, who now heads a lobbying group that often advocates for charter school expansion. "I see a lot of people connected to universities, a lot of power in this group. The majority of the district is parents with children in failing schools. Are they going to represent these folks, too?" The new school board members are Julia Danzy, Leticia Egea-Hinton, Mallory Fix Lopez, Lee Huang, Maria McColgan, Christopher McGinley, Angela McIver, Wayne Walker, and Joyce Wilkerson. McIver's children attend Central High and Penn Alexander, a district school in West Philadelphia that often lands at the top of academic performance metrics, and which gets extra funding from the University of Pennsylvania, and Huang also has children at Penn Alexander. McColgan has children in Philadelphia Academy Charter, also a high-performing school. (Fix Lopez has a young child who will eventually attend Childs, a neighborhood school in South Philadelphia.) The board's makeup was dictated in part by who was nominated: Kenney had to choose from the 45 candidates vetted by his nominating panel. Jane Slusser, Kenney's chief of staff, said the mayor and his advisers paid close attention to the mix who had experience running large organizations, who had been actively involved in their community. But it was not just coincidence that the board has a heavy focus on human services and education Danzy and Egea-Hinton are trained as social workers, McColgan is a pediatrician, and McColgan, Fix Lopez, McGinley, and McIver have all worked as teachers. "It wasn't something that we didn't notice," said Slusser, whose boss has proclaimed education the centerpiece of his administration. "It was felt that it would be a strength. We have a lot of understanding and experience of what's going on in our kids' lives outside the classroom, and how that affects what's going on inside the classroom." When the state-controlled SRC took over the district in 2001, the school system's finances were in shambles. After years of ups and downs, they have now stabilized, thanks in large part to cash infusions from the city and a forthcoming planned tax increase that would net the district nearly $1 billion over five years. Michael Masch, an original SRC member and, later, the district's chief financial officer, took note of the new-look board. "The first SRC was very business-dominated," Masch said. "Now we're kind of swinging in a different direction. I don't think that's a bad thing." Kendra Brooks sat on the nominating panel that sifted through 500 applications before whittling the list to 45. The choices Kenney ultimately made, said Brooks, a district parent and member of Parents United for Public Education, were safe ones people with strong resumes and relevant experience who interviewed well. "He picked folks that weren't controversial," said Brooks. "But I would have loved to see more activists as a part of this list. I feel like he made choices that were in the middle of the road of the group that we had." Going up against people who have served on philanthropic boards, run large organizations, started businesses, or have law degrees is tough, Brooks said, and the activist community "needs to do more to prepare our leaders so they can compete on paper with corporate people, doctors, and others." Finding a balance for the board was a challenge, Brooks said. School board jobs are unpaid and require a serious time commitment meetings at least monthly and sometimes more, plus committee assignments, community obligations, and the mountain of work that goes into running a complicated public organization making it difficult for hourly workers, people for whom finding and paying for child care is a stretch, and others with economic challenges. "There were good folks paying attention to representation across gender, race, and class, but it was very hard, especially when we got into class," she said. The board has already begun the work of getting its arms around the school system, which has a $3.2 billion budget and educates more than 200,000 children in traditional public and charter schools. The nine have their first orientation session this weekend, and for them to receive sensitive information about the district, they will be sworn in, though they will lack governing authority until July 1. Though some have criticized the board's makeup, Kenney said he was thrilled by it. "We got the best mix that we were able to get based on who had come forward in the nominating process," said Slusser. Members of the school board will hold several community listening sessions beginning later this month, but those are a start, said city officials. A parent and community advisory board is being contemplated. "We are looking for ways to continue to build on the enthusiasm of all the people who reached out to put themselves forward to be on the board," said Slusser. "While these nine folks have been chosen to govern, they are not the only people who are going to make a difference in the schools. We want to involve as many people as we can moving forward, and we want to make it real involvement, not superficial." People are already lining up to do just that. "We may be disappointed, but that doesn't mean we're going to stop," said Andrade. "This board has to listen, and it has to be accountable." This weekend, Danny DeVito returns to his old stomping grounds when he heads to the Asbury Park Music & Film Festival, where, on Saturday, he will be honored with an evening dedicated to his career. Dubbed "An Evening with Danny DeVito," the event will feature a Q&A session with the Matilda star, as well as other special programming. While the DeVito event is currently sold out, the APMFF runs Friday through Sunday at locations along or near the Asbury Park boardwalk. Launched in 2015, the festival benefits several arts-focused youth programs throughout Asbury Park, and will feature about 30 film screenings, as well performances by Wyclef Jean and Sublime with Rome. DeVito was born in Neptune Township and raised in Asbury Park. In his late teens, he headed to New York to pursue acting. The move clearly paid off. Today, the Emmy Award-winning DeVito is known for his role as rich, amoral bar owner Frank Reynolds on It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, which is preparing to enter its 13th season on FXX. He also recently wrapped work on the live-action adaptation of Disney's Dumbo, slated for release early next year. Personally, however, he is mostly missing Jersey right now, he hasn't been back home in about year. We recently caught up with DeVito about his time growing up in Asbury Park, his move out, and, seeing as he's an Eagles fan, the Birds' first Super Bowl victory earlier this year. READ MORE: watching the Eagles win their first Super Bowl Was that great or what? I was with Rob [McElhenney] and Kaitlin [Olson], and I was blown away by it. It was the best Super Bowl of my life. Every turnaround, everything that happened was just too much. I was so excited. It would have been an awful trip back to California if we had lost. It seemed like Rob was really going nuts. Yeah, Rob was losing his mind. They were such good players. I mean, come on. Every time they threw the ball, it was like it had eyes. They did it, man! They beat their ass. So youre coming home to Asbury Park soon. Going to Jersey, man. Going on a Satur-dee, looking forward to it. I got peeps down there, some old buds. I see them once in a while, and I always love going down the shore. Maybe I sneak in a caramel apple, know what I mean? READ MORE: Jack Valenti award and being named a Grand Officer of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic I like to be in that company. I saw Bruce twice on Broadway, and it's amazing. If you get a chance to see that show, yeah. It's so good to see him close-up. All the songs just bring you back to your roots, your Jersey roots. But I grew up on doo-wop. I listened to a Philly show called Jocko's Rocket Ship Show. Do you remember it? I dont remember it. But Im aware of it. Well, the big thing with Jocko was he played all the simple, heartfelt doo-wop songs, and he'd do a rhyme every night that meant a lot to me. He'd go, "Eee-tiddly-ock, this is Jock. And I'm back on the scene with the record machine. Correct time now: 11:17." He did that every night at 11:17, and what used to pump me up is that that's my birthday. I would say to my friends, "Jocko's reaching out to me." Besides radio, what do you think about when you remember Asbury Park? The beach was my home. I lived about 13 blocks from the beach, and I'd get on my bike every day. I'd go out as soon as I was allowed to leave the radius of the front stoop, and I'd ride down Second Avenue all the way to the boardwalk. Straight down, in and out of traffic like, "What the hell?" This was way before video games, but that's exactly what it was like just screaming down that street. Flying. We couldn't wait to get to that sand. We'd jump from corner of blanket to corner of blanket and piss off everybody, and then just dive in the ocean. READ MORE: quite the dancer growing up Basically, we did all the dances. The mashed potatoes and all that. I was a fast dancer. All the guys would go and try and get close to any girl that would have you near her that's the whole idea. Bradley Beach was all filled with city girls. All the girls from Newark and East Orange and South Orange would come down in the summertime. You know, you've been down there. It's an amazing sea of humanity, all having a good time. READ MORE: the introduction of heroin into the area It was tough, man. My father was very sensitive to that because my Uncle Frank, his brother, years and years ago died from a heroin overdose. In those days, when I was a young teenager, there were a lot of opioids, if you can imagine. Not as serious today, maybe, but there were also people with Bennies and Benzedrine and Seconal and everything. It was pharmaceuticals coming in. I don't know how, but everybody was tampering a little bit with it. I was in Asbury High School, and he found a school in Summit, N.J., called Oratory Prep, a boarding school. So as a protection from that, your dad got you out of it? Yeah. In the long run, I appreciated that. Not that my real close friends ever succumbed to that, but a few did. A cousin and a couple of friends wound up shooting smack, and not having a life at all. It was there. Was it in Summit that you first got into acting? The first play I did was in Summit. I played St. Francis of Assisi. This was a Catholic high school and they did a play, and I don't even know if I read it. I was the smallest, so they put me in a robe with no shoes and socks. Talk about being against type. Are you kidding me? They cast me as a saint. That is creative casting. Before you broke into acting, you were a hair stylist. How did you fall into that gig? One of my big jobs in the summer was cutting grass. Then, my sister decided that I would go to Wilfred Academy Beauty School on, and I said, "That is the most ridiculous idea I've ever heard in my life." But she had a beauty parlor on Main Street, and she said, 'You're not going to go to college. What are you going to do? I'll give you a job if you go." So, she sent me to school. Did you stick with it for long? I did it for two years, and I went to New York and got exposed to the acting world. I used to go back and forth, too, because I went to night school. Then, I decided to enroll at American Academy of Dramatic Arts, and I'd save a few bucks cutting people's hair and stuff. After that, you started your career in acting. Is there a moment where you first felt like you made it? It's step by step, as an actor. It's always that way. One job leads to another, or a friend tells you about something. Every once in a while, you land a really good part. It's a lot of disappointments. It's a lot of people saying no. Sometimes, I'd get into a play where it wasn't the lead, but it was encouraging. You need that little bump every once in a while. SEE THIS Asbury Park Film and Music Festival Former Vice President Joe Biden now owns the caricature of himself that used to adorn the Palm Philadelphia prior to the steakhouse's renovation in 2016. Palm general manager Julie Sloviter and former PREIT executive chairman Ron Rubin presented Biden with the framed illustration on Tuesday at the National Museum of American Jewish History's "Only in America" gala. Biden served as keynote speaker at the event, which was held at the Bellevue Philadelphia, where the Palm is also located. A Scranton native, Biden represented Delaware as a state senator between 1973 and 2009 before joining former President Barack Obama's cabinet as Vice President. His Palm caricature comes from his time as a senator for the First State. The caricature was painted directly on a wall in the Palm Philadelphia up until March 2016, when the restaurant closed for renovations after 27 years in business. According to an article from Michael Klein that year, construction workers peeled down about 500 caricatures in order to preserve them and give them to the people who inspired the illustrations. Prior to its redesign, the Palm was known in part for its thousands of caricatures of regular and well-known Philadelphians alike, as well as national celebrities. The practice is tradition at the Palm restaurant chain, which began putting caricatures of its customers on its walls in New York in 1920, according to the Palm website. The Philly location reopened in July last year sans its original caricatures, but new ones have since started making their way onto the Palm's redone walls, as the steakhouse's Instagram shows. Biden, meanwhile, has taken a liking to Philadelphia in his post-White House life, last year accepting the University of Pennsylvania's "Benjamin Franklin Presidential Practice Professor" role and being named to the school's Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement. Biden also partnered with Penn in 2016 to launch a cancer research initiative following the death of his son, Beau Biden, a 1991 alumnus of the school. This week, Biden spoke at St. Joseph's University as part of a lecture series, and discussed public service with students. "We have to sand up and get involved," Biden said at his talk, according to CBS. "We have the power to change so many things." If the zombie apocalypse ever gets here, City Councilman David Oh might make out a little better than your average politician thanks to his relation to one Walking Dead star. As Oh tweeted, he's actually related by marriage to Steven Yeun, who famously played Glenn Rhee on AMC's The Walking Dead from 2010 to 2016. Yeun's character, one of the most popular on the Walking Dead, was axed (batted?) from the show following the arrival of murderous villain Negan in its sixth season. His character was married to Maggie Greene, played by Cherry Hill's Lauren Cohan. On Monday, Oh posted a photo of himself with Yeun to Twitter, captioning the photo "that time you went to a wedding and found out you're now related to Steven Yeun," complete with a sideways smiley face. The photo, as it turns out, is a few years old, and came up by chance as Oh was searching for another picture, the councilman told the Inquirer. The wedding that led to the photo with Yeun, Oh said, was for his cousin's daughter's son. Since it was a local affair, Oh and his wife attended the ceremony and reception, where they met the Walking Dead star. The bride, Oh said, is Yeun's cousin, and he is "very close with her family," which is why he was in attendance. "My wife came up to me and said she thought she saw the actor from The Walking Dead was in attendance," Oh wrote in an email. "I didn't think that would be likely. Later, she came back with excitement and told me it [was] him. So, we went over to say hello. Of course, a very nice guy." While Yeun has departed from the Walking Dead in recent years, his acting career is going strong. Last year, he appeared in feature films including Mayhem, Okja, and The Star, and leant his voice to animated series like 3 Below and Final Space this year. "Walking Dead was such an incredible experience for me," Yeun told Elle of the show last year. "I got a great crash course in jumping into Hollywood." You find yourself laughing quite unexpectedly and quite a bit during Philly native Jon Kean's documentary After Auschwitz, his revealing look at the lives of six survivors living in California in the decades after the war, playing at AMC Cherry Hill through Thursday. Part of that reflects the personalities of the women he selected for the narrative natural storytellers, candid, charming, often quick to joke and quick to laugh. And part of it is almost by design Kean had set out to make a different kind of movie, inspired by Billy Crystal's remark that humor exists anywhere you find two Jews in a room. If that's true and Kean thinks it is could that instinct for humor have existed in the most extreme circumstances, during the darkest chapters of Jewish history? "I was looking at the idea of spiritual resistance in the camps, thinking of humor in this case as a form of spiritual resistance. Did they have access to the full range of their emotional lives? Was there laughter in the barracks at Auschwitz? What were the examples?" Kean said. "Ultimately, the film that I wanted to make didn't work. People remember joking, but nobody remembers the punch lines, just the laughter." >> Read more: 'After Auschwitz': The women who lived to tell, and the inspiring lives they've lived Still, he ended up contacting more than 300 people on the phone, interviewing 18 on camera, and meeting the women who form the basis of two subsequent documentaries about Auschwitz. He didn't set out to use only women. "Their stories just stood out. The women give emotional detail that the men don't. Men remember the physicality of the situation. Women, I found, were much more attuned to emotional nuance, and for me, that made their stories more compelling," said Kean, who was born in Philadelphia and raised in Lower Merion (his film company is called Bala Cynwyd Productions), where he attended Friends Central before heading off to the University of Pennsylvania, then L.A. to make movies. In Lower Merion, he attended the Main Line Reform Temple, where he met his first Holocaust survivor his Hebrew school carpool driver. "I'm looking at a guy with a number on his arm every Tuesday and Thursday when I was 11," said Kean, who remembers listening to the man's stories at school. They left an impression. For his bar mitzvah, he spoke about writer and Nazi hunter Simon Wiesenthal, and as a filmmaker, looked for a way to integrate his life's work with his passion for history. His first documentary, 2007's Swimming in Auschwitz, was about the experiences of the women in the camps. He then became interested in what happened after liberation. "One woman thought it was a trick. She stayed in her barracks for eight hours, thinking she'd be shot if she ventured out," Kean said. "There is a split second of euphoria, then you come back to reality. You're half starving, half dead, you have nowhere to go, no one to help you. You don't know who has survived. You don't know that 6 million Jews have been killed. You only know your little area." Each of "his ladies," as he calls them, made the bold decision most still teenagers to leave Europe and head to the strange new world of the United States. They settled in California, one after a short stint in Allentown. The bulk of Kean's film examines their lives the United States, and becomes imbued with their spirit full of hope and grit and humor. There are melancholy notes, to be sure the women live always with what they have lost and feel culturally homeless. Yet in California, they are also free to choose who they will be and how they will live in ways that would have been unthinkable in postwar Europe. They survive, adapt, and even thrive. "The fact that they saw more trauma and more tragedy than we will ever see, and that they came out the other side and found meaningful lives, I love that. The fact that they affected the community around them in such a positive way, to me that's the core of the film. We all have trauma and tragedy. It's what we choose to do to come out the other side of it that counts," he said. Kean has been in Philadelphia recently, visiting a daughter at college. Like other ex-pats, he's reveling in the Eagles' Super Bowl win ("My dad waited 58 years for that"), and enjoying the Sixers' success. He's grappling, though, with the change in the collective psychology of the city where he grew up. "I think the city is now a kinder, gentler place," Kean said. "It's so friendly, it's almost off-putting." Jazz guitarist Dave Manley was in the right place (Philly) at the right time (the rise of neo-soul), and now hes back, for this years Center City Jazz Fest. Read more Dave Manley has an uncanny knack for being on the scene when a new musical trend takes off. As a high school guitar whiz in Detroit, he got pulled into the garage studio of pioneering producer Juan Atkins, adding licks to some of the foundational recordings of techno. Arriving in Philly in the early 90s, he got a job at Tower Records, where his coworkers included innovative DJs King Britt and Josh Wink, who enlisted him for their earliest sessions. At the same time, Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson and Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter were busking outside on South Street, where no one throwing change at their feet would imagine they'd someday lead the house band for The Tonight Show. Not much later, Manley became a regular at the Center City club Wilhelmina's, where the likes of Jill Scott, Musiq Soulchild, Bilal, and Jeff Bradshaw were planting the seeds of the neo-soul movement. Through those connections he ended up honing his studio skills in the basement studio of DJ Jazzy Jeff. "It really all came from just hanging out," Manley says. "When you were doing it, you weren't aware that something was happening. But if you were sitting in, making yourself available, being a team player, it snowballed from there." Manley left Philly in 2013, carrying that philosophy with him to a few new cities, with varying results. The eclectic "Butter N Jam" session that he hosted at Dozen Street in Austin, Texas, continues even though he's left town. A short stint in Nashville was less productive, though he's optimistic about his newly adopted home of Washington, D.C. He returns to Philadelphia this weekend as part of the Seventh Annual Center City Jazz Festival. Manley will lead a version of his Indigenous 3iO trio with bassist Jason Fraticelli and drummer Matt Scarano (stepping in for Francois Zayas) Saturday afternoon at Time. From Miles Davis to Depeche Mode The trio's music continues Manley's lifelong interest in mixing and matching diverse styles of music. They play a blend of jazz and Latin influences, applied to a songbook that includes everyone from Depeche Mode to Chick Corea, Miles Davis to Aerosmith. His wide-ranging tastes stem from his childhood in Detroit, where he'd hear hard rock by the likes of Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, and Van Halen alongside the funk and R&B of the Isley Brothers and Parliament-Funkadelic, while his trumpet-player uncle would take him to local clubs to hear jazz. "Like Philadelphia, Detroit had a long history of jazz spread through the neighborhoods," he says. "Both places had working-class people that were great musicians: guys that worked at the post office or worked in a factory but would go out and play gigs at night or on the weekends. So it was always in my periphery." That upbringing served Manley well as he carried his guitar into burgeoning scenes where artists were intent on blurring the lines between genres. "It came from being exposed to stuff and just saying, 'I'll try it out.' Like Philadelphia still is, Detroit was a very nurturing environment for young musicians to cut their teeth. The thing that was unique to Philly was that the musicians freestyled. They would make things up as they go, and the band would vibe together and create." The founders festive vibe Since founding the Center City Jazz Festival in 2012, trombonist Ernest Stuart has brought a similar attitude to presenting music in the city. The festival is unique in its club-hopping atmosphere, where the spirit of the day audiences making the rounds of five different clubs along the Sansom Street corridor while music spills into the street is as much of a draw as the artists themselves. This year's impressive roster includes locals such as trombonist Bradshaw, pianist Dave Kikoski, and the duo of violinist Diane Monroe and vibraphonist Tony Miceli along with imports like the electronica-jazz-rock-classical fusing band Big Yuki, gifted saxophonist/composer Sharel Cassity, and saxophonist Marcus Strickland's hip-hop-infused group Twi-Life. The festival has always been a celebration of the local scene, but that's complicated now by the fact that Stuart is no longer a permanent part of it he's started a family and settles in Indiana, where he teaches at the University of Indianapolis. "I was kicking and screaming," he says with a laugh. "I didn't want to leave Philly. This year has been very difficult in terms of planning, but there's something to be said for perseverance. The response so far has been so positive; it reminds me that a great deal of people out there want this to happen and see the value in it. I always knew it was a small thing compared to what could happen in Philadelphia, but it's still important to a lot of people and that keeps me going." Police in Philadelphia say they caught a coyote in the Northeast section of the city. Read more Jerry Czech, a game warden for the Pennsylvania Game Commission, has heard of coyotes wandering into Philadelphia one was even struck and killed by a car a few years ago near Pennypack Park. But he hadn't heard of one making its way far into an urbanized residential area until this week when Philadelphia police called Monday afternoon to say they had a coyote cornered in the city's Mayfair neighborhood. "This just happened to be a coyote that wandered off and probably got lost," Czech said. According to Czech, police in the 15th District spotted the coyote and followed it a few blocks. It wandered through an alley before walking onto the 4200 block of Greeby Street, between Vogt Park and Roosevelt Playground. Using their squad cars, the police cornered the coyote to an area fenced in on three sides and called Czech's office. But Czech was on duty in Delaware County and too far to be of immediate help. The officers said that, rather than wait, they would try to snare the animal with a "catch pole" a stick with a loop at the end. Czech was doubtful. "But sure enough, they did," he said. Police put the coyote in the back of the squad car and sent Czech some pictures to examine if the animal might be diseased. Rangers from the city's Parks and Recreation Department also were called. "From the pictures, I could tell it was perfectly healthy," Czech said. Chris Zapart, another game warden, met police and then drove the coyote north about six miles and let it go into Pennypack Park near Verree Road. The wardens chose the area because it provided thick cover and the animal had farther to roam, even into Montgomery County. Czech said it was possible coyotes have made their way into other highly urbanized parts of the city before, but residents might assume they are dogs. Indeed, coyotes in this region are likely Eastern coyotes, which some label a coywolf: a hybrid coyote, wolf, and dog. Coyotes have been spotted in suburbs for a number of years, but sightings within the city's borders are more recent. The animals feed on mice, voles, rabbits, and woodchucks, so Pennypack Park could be a good feeding ground. However, coyotes are shy and normally avoid people, so finding one in daylight in an urban area is unusual. The longhorned tick, native to East Asia, has now been confirmed in two New Jersey counties, the first time its presence has been established in the United States. Read more An exotic tick from East Asia that infested a sheep in one New Jersey county has now been confirmed in a second county, according to the New Jersey Department of Agriculture. The confirmation is another sign the longhorned tick, Haemaphysalis longicornis, has become established in the state its first known presence in the U.S. The confirmations have made it even more urgent to find how far it has spread and how to best control it. The two locations are about 40 miles apart. Though not necessarily an immediate threat to people, the tick nonetheless has the potential to infest a range of species, including dogs, cats, and livestock, the department said in a statement issued Wednesday. The first infestation occurred in August 2017 on a sheep and its one-acre paddock in Hunterdon County. The infestation was so severe that ticks swarmed the pant legs of investigators when they went to the site in October. Officials thought the pest might have been killed off over the winter but recently discovered it had survived. The newly confirmed presence at Watchung Reservation in Union County actually predates the sheep infestation, tracing back to May 2017 during a routine collection of ticks for a study. The National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Iowa confirmed this week that one of those ticks was a longhorned tick. And just last week, federal and state wildlife officials were combing the same area for presence of the longhorned tick when they found what appeared to be one on a white-tailed deer. On Tuesday, the veterinary lab confirmed the tick was a longhorned. It was the first time the pest had been found on wildlife in the state. Local, state, and federal animal health officials, as well as Rutgers University, are working together to identify the range of the ticks and develop a plan to eliminate the pest. In addition, the Rutgers University Center for Vector Biology and the Monmouth County Mosquito Division will host a "tick blitz" in May to educate all mosquito control commissions in New Jersey on the new pest. Part of the problem in detecting the arachnid's spread is its size. Longhorned ticks are similar in size to deer ticks, and their nymphs resemble tiny spiders, so it's easy to miss them. The ticks can easily go unnoticed on animals and people. The tick is native to Japan, the Korean peninsula, and China. But it has recently become a major problem in New Zealand, where it transmits a disease in animals called theileriosis, which can lead to anemia and is potentially fatal. The tick has also become a problem for cattle in Russia, Australia, and several Pacific Islands. How it spread to New Jersey is still a mystery. Andrea M. Egizi, an author of the Rutgers study on the longhorned tick infestation in New Jersey, said previously that the tick has been associated with rare diseases found in people, such as spotted fever rickettsiosis. But she said scientists need more information before they can assess whether the new tick poses a threat to local residents. She said the tick transmits human pathogens in its native range in Asia, but only on occasion, and usually affects only people who are in contact with livestock. Those pathogens are not normally present in U.S. soil. The question, she said, is whether the longhorned tick can transmit pathogens native in the U.S. However, the study notes that New Jersey already "has one of the highest burdens of Lyme disease in the nation, accounting for almost 14 percent of all cases reported in 2015." Harvey Karp is a pediatrician known for his best-selling book "The Happiest Baby on the Block." I admire the fact that Karp took his thoughtful observations about dealing with crying babies and helped thousands of mothers deal with a mysterious condition of early childhood called infantile colic. But now he wants to sell parents a $1,160 bassinet, called Snoo. The bassinet keeps a baby swaddled safely, sways when needed, plays white noise, has sensors that can change the intensity of each stimulus, and can be adjusted from afar by a smartphone. Sounds great, right? It actually makes me a bit uncomfortable. Before I share why, I'll provide some background. As pediatricians, Karp and I have met several times. We've also argued online about some details of swaddling. Even as we disagreed strongly about whether one should swaddle the arms after a baby has learned to turn over on this stomach (Karp says "yes" and I say "no"), he has remained cordial. He is warm, kind, and cares about children. He also clearly thinks that a doctor should discuss the details of a child's medical care with his parents and come to a consensus. It's the correct approach endorsed by all the experts, but not always used since it's time consuming. His breakthrough philosophy is known as the five S's: Swaddling, Shushing, placing the baby on the Side or Stomach, gentle rhythmic Swinging/Swaying and letting the baby Suck. Some pediatricians take issue with Karp's advice, such as my objection to arm swaddling in older babies, while others object to having babies placed stomach down since sleeping on the stomach is associated with "crib death." Overall though, his advice is quite sound when used with common sense. Colic is often defined as crying more than three hours daily for more than three days per week. It often starts in the first week of life and continues for four months or more. When combined with the stress of one's first child or post-partum depression, infantile colic has been known to lead to disrupted households, child abuse, and broken homes. Before Karp's advice, some doctors told families to let the baby cry it out, which clearly did not work. But Karp's ability to simplify, codify and publicize the five S's changed American childcare for the better. The second of my four children was very colicky: swaddling, sucking and swaying helped a lot and got us through that first year of her life. Advice on baby care is omnipresent. And though the rules of childcare are very simple, it can be a challenge at times. Consider this advice: Hold the baby. Human contact is key. Talk, sing, and read to the baby incessantly since continuous structured human language makes the baby smarter. It must be a person not a machine talking so babies can learn more than just the words, but the deep and emotional meaning of language. Breast feed, if you can. Every baby's needs and every parents' needs are a little difference. Life is a compromise. Use the five S's with common sense. All of my principles involve physical contact and proximity with other people. Karp's electronic bassinet encourages lack of intimate contact. The product seems to follow a trend I now see parents who only look at their smartphones and barely make eye contact with their child. His design team is also trying update the Snoo app to introduce alerts if the baby's diaper is full, has a runny nose, and if the humidifier is on. Nina Montee, Karp's wife, in a recent article in the New York Times, explained why they're updating the Snoo app: "I see Lexi's (Montee daughter from a previous marriage) friends turn to an app just to tell them what breast they fed from last. It's a different generation." But it seems to be a generation not paying as much attention to the child or themselves. Sometimes, it's better to get back to the basics. A Bordentown woman alleges that Children's Hospital of Philadelphia seeks to take her gravely ill son off life support against her wishes, her attorney said after seeking a temporary restraining order against the hospital Thursday. Areen Chakrabarti, 14, suffered severe smoke inhalation in a fire on April 14, and CHOP physicians have described him as brain-dead, said attorney Christopher Bagnato, who is representing the boy's family. The boy's mother, Rumpa Banerjee, said he has responded to her touch, according to a legal brief filed in Common Pleas Court. She seeks to transfer the boy to another hospital that will keep him on life support, Bagnato said. CHOP officials have declined to comment. > > UPDATE: Hospital must keep 'brain-dead' boy on life support, judge rules As Judge Abbe Fletman prepared to hear the case, attorneys for the hospital sought to close the proceedings to the public, citing privacy concerns. Bagnato replied that his client was willing to waive privacy rights, and offered to produce emails and texts to that effect from the boy's mother, who was not at the hearing. Fletman initially seemed receptive to his offer, telling the hospital's attorneys, "Courts are generally presumed open." But after considering the matter further, she said an email was insufficient, and she sealed the proceedings because Bagnato did not have a signed, sworn document. After the hearing, Banerjee said the judge had postponed making a decision until Friday, meaning that Areen will stay on life support at least until then. All she wants is to find another hospital that will take her son, she said. "We wanted time," Banerjee said. Areen has special needs and was injured in the fire because he ran upstairs in the confusion instead of fleeing the house, Bagnato said. aiku poet Nick Virgilio works at a typewriter at his home in Camden, N.J., in this April 11, 1974, photo. Read more This weekend, after years of effort, a devoted community of friends and admirers will open the Nick Virgilio Writers House in Camden, at the corner of Broadway and Jasper Street, with two days of poetry and related activities. The center is a tribute to Virgilio, the "patron saint of haiku," a bohemian eccentric who wrote about the Waterfront South neighborhood, the Vietnam War, and Philadelphia. The house will host programs encouraging literacy for children, especially through poetry, as well as other writing-related activities. On Saturday, a "Poets Preview Day," a roster of poets will read, including Mariko Kitakubo of Japan, New York haiku master Al Pizzarelli, and poets from Camden and Philadelphia. There will also be house tours and an open mic. Two films are scheduled: Remembering Nick Virgilio by documentary filmmaker Sean Dougherty, and Nick of Time Nick of Time, a film of a play about Virgilio by Joseph M. Paprzycki. On Sunday, along with films, house tours, another open mic, and poetry readings, Camden Mayor Frank Moran will cut the ceremonial ribbon. The Rev. Michael Doyle, longtime pastor of Sacred Heart Church in Camden, where Virgilio was a mainstay ("often whispering haiku in people's ear during Mass," according to Doyle), will bless the house. Sunday's program will also include workshops in haiku and origami, a cherry tree planting, refreshments, and activities for kids. "I'm so grateful that now we have this house dedicated to him," says Doyle, "about 100 feet from where he went to church every Sunday for the last 12 years of his life." Doyle is also founder of Heart of Camden, the redevelopment organization that played a big role in the development of the writers' house. For years, the Nick Virgilio Haiku Association and others had been in talks with Rutgers University at Camden about founding a writers' house that would be associated with Virgilio. In the end, the Virgilio group took its own path, and through Heart of Camden, donors such as Campbell Soup Co. and PNC Bank helped it acquire and renovate the house when it became available. Rutgers is still involved, digitizing Virgilio's archives of poetry and papers. Virgilio (1928-89), a fixture for years on the byways of his beloved Camden, was a man with next to no visible means of support, yet he made himself into a master. One of his earliest haikus was also one of his best: lily: out of the water . . . out of itself The poem is inscribed on Virgilio's gravestone in Harleigh Cemetery in Camden. "It's amazing," Doyle says, "that here was a man from Camden, writing on his old standup Remington typewriter beneath a bare bulb, sitting next to the washing machine, and he became one of the finest writers of haiku in English." Doyle remembers this one, based on a Depression-era memory: the sack of kittens sinking in the icy creek, increases the cold "It's still breathtaking to think of Nick dying at 60," says poet Kathleen O'Toole. "I think it blew a hole in a lot of hearts. But his spirit and influence were so large. He created a community of people that have made a lot of miracles happen." For the death camp survivors we meet in the brisk, engaging, and sneakily profound After Auschwitz, the day of liberation was the best and worst day of their lives. There was a flash of euphoria when they realized they had survived and were free, then a new kind of terror as they realized they had nowhere to go a dread that grew as they slowly grasped the enormity of the historic mass atrocity they had outlasted. Friends and family gone, their homes destroyed or confiscated (along with their possessions), abandoned to a Europe that didn't want them, and had made no provision for their return. But the hopeful tone that quickly takes hold of After Auschwitz reflects experiences of the survivors as they make their way to the United States, and ultimately to sunny California, where they reinvent themselves taking advantage of the possibilities offered by the hustle and bustle of the country's postwar boom. They marry, work, study, raise kids, work, and work, and work a deli owner, a fashion designer, a social worker, an educator, a hypervigilant mother. They succeed by most conventional metrics, and become a part of the prospering America a mood captured by director Jon Kean with jaunty music and vintage artifacts (advertisements, jingles, evocative photographs) that give the movie its unexpected snap and swing. The subjects are all women, and roughly the same age they were children when they entered the camps, young women when they emerged. They were quick to marry (mostly to fellow survivors), and tried to re-create in America the sense of family life, of home, taken from them in Europe. Kean inherited these subjects from his earlier documentary Swimming in Auschwitz, and has said that gender informs the film the women are particularly attuned to the emotional nuance of the survival story, which comes through beautifully. There is insight, for instance, into the unique nature of the marriages that occurred immediately after the war hastily and pragmatically arranged, but lasting lifetimes. The women are also candid, thoughtful, often funny, and have a knack for telling anecdotes. Linda Sherman speaks of taking her son to his first day of school and staying at the gate until the bell rang to pick him up so fearful was she of not seeing him again. She'd never heard of the Boy Scouts when her son asked to join, and when she was told he'd be "picked up" and taken to camp, she was naturally stricken with fear. The deal-breaker: She saw the uniforms. "They looked like little Nazis." Eva Beckmann kept her perspective doggedly forward-looking. She doesn't like the word "survivor," and prefers to think of herself in America as a "newcomer." The women mostly kept mum about their experiences, for fear people in the United States wouldn't understand. Their instincts were sometimes correct. When Erika Jacoby confided to a friend that upon liberation and at the point of starvation, she'd looted an abandoned home, she was told such behavior was unacceptable, under any circumstances. She was judged by the standards of her new reality, not the reality of the post-camp desperation. "After that," she said, "I kept my mouth shut." And yet, in time, most opened up. They told the truth to their families, to their synagogues, to schools, to filmmakers, and, through movies like this one, to the world. It's a privilege to hear their stories. MOVIES After Auschwitz An online platform, ATTIC showcases vintage furniture and home decor from local, independent businesses. This pair of Mid-Century Modern Adrian Pearsall Craft Associates Chrome Lounge Chairs, featuring geometric orange upholstery and chrome base, from Annex Marketplace is one of the many current listings on the site. Read more Furnishing a home can be a daunting task. It's frequently the root of painful indecision, requiring hours upon hours of driving back and forth to stores, online browsing, and weighted financial conversations, both internally and/or with partners in crime. Attic, recently launched in the Philly market, seeks to simplify that process with a one-stop shop showcasing all local stores. An online platform, Attic creates what's essentially a vintage furniture and home decor version of Etsy for small, independent businesses solely in Philadelphia and the surrounding area. Currently showcasing more than 35 independent stores, the site brings together items from places like Mid-Century Furniture Warehouse of Philadelphia, Jinxed, Vintadelphia, Forever Pink, and Classic Antiques. Shoppers can find everything from minimalist coffee tables to vintage steel cabinets to midcentury walnut chests to art-deco-style mantle lamps. "The idea came out of personal need more than anything," says founder Tarek Anandan, who moved to a new home in Washington with his wife four years ago. "We started dating by basically visiting vintage stores around town, and when we moved, we were pretty set on the aesthetic of older pieces." Jumping from website to website and across multiple social media feeds to discover what was inventory new, Anandan realized that there had to be a more accessible way to facilitate the furnishing of their new place. "It's more difficult to try to find what's available at local stores than trying to find out what's at your local Ikea," says Anandan. "But with independent stores, you get so much diversity and so many ranges of styles that create character and charm. We wanted to level the playing field and make it easier for consumers to shop local." A developer by day, Anandan decided to launch Attic in his spare time with the help of fellow developer Francisco Serrano. They started in Washington and expanded to Baltimore, Boston, and Philadelphia. Since opening to the public three years ago, Attic now displays nearly 70,000 items. Anandan hopes that one day, Philadelphia's listing of nearly 300 items will eventually near that number. Attic runs on a programming system that scans websites from a curated list of businesses in a given city, including online-only retailers and brick-and-mortar shops. Whenever a store on the list launches a new product, either on its own website or on an external site like Etsy, it gets pulled into Attic's site. What results is a continuously updating marketplace of local furnishing and home decor options. "It's a visual, near-real time mechanism to see what's available in your neighborhood," says Anandan. Products are sorted by categories, including "industrial," "midcentury modern," "art deco, art nouveau and Hollywood regency," and "shabby chic, country, and rustic," as well as by type of furnishing. The site also offers a "flea" section where visitors can source various vintage housewares, such as dinner plates and vases. Attic doesn't sell any of the items for sale on its website. It's simply designed to connect visitors directly with each business. "Furniture is one of these things where people still want to touch it, feel it, and understand the space that it occupies before you buy it," says Anandan. "Our idea is to put the products out there and enable people to get in touch with the store, maybe make a trip down there, and handle the sale one-on-one with the business." For businesses that offer online sales, users will be directed to each individual store's sales platform. With a rich vintage dealer community in Philadelphia, Anandan expects the site's offerings will only continue to grow. "There were a couple furniture dealers in Philly, like Niji Furnishing and Vintadelphia, that caught my eye before we even knew where we were going to go next," says Anandan. "We were also getting traffic from Philly onto our D.C. site and had people from there telling us about how vibrant the scene was in Philly. It all seemed like the perfect fit." Those looking for the perfect fit in terms of, perhaps, a new loveseat for the living room or a chandelier for above the dining table, can see whether Attic has a local option by heading to www.philadelphia.attic.city. Shop-owners are also invited to reach out via the website for listing consideration. Carmela Apolonio Hernandez, center, smiles as speaker after speaker supports her cause for immigration relief during a press conference at the Church of the Advocate on Thurday. Read more It's a long shot, but a shot nonetheless a chance for Carmela Apolonio Hernandez and her four children to avoid deportation to Mexico. U.S. Rep. Bob Brady (D., Philadelphia) has introduced a bill that would grant the family new immigration statuses as permanent residents, allowing them to leave the North Philadelphia Episcopal church where they took sanctuary four months ago. "If you put yourself in my shoes for a while, you will know why we need the help of politicians. They can save five human lives," Hernandez said in Spanish at a formal announcement of the filing Thursday morning at the Church of the Advocate, where the family lives in a basement room. She thanked Brady and everyone who has helped her, saying, "It's difficult being here in sanctuary, but we still have strength, me and my children." Brady, who is not seeking reelection, introduced what is called a "private bill," one that affects a particular person, group of people or corporation. Generally, these bills face tough roads to passage. Next, the congressman intends to seek signatures of at least 200 colleagues on the bill. He said that would "send a message" to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement that "this family is supported by members of Congress" and by a large contingent of education, community, and immigration groups. "I couldn't live with myself if this mother and her four children were deported and were killed or attacked because we couldn't find it in our hearts to offer the opportunity to live and work free of fear in the U.S.," Brady said in a statement. He could not attend the announcement because his presence was required in Washington for congressional votes, according to his office. Supporters of the family said they would ask Sen. Bob Casey (D., Pa.) to introduce a similar bill in the Senate. A spokesperson said Casey has not introduced private bills because he's concerned they can be unfair and lead to an uneven application of the law. In a statement, ICE officials said Hernandez was "an unlawfully present citizen of Mexico" who had been ordered to be deported in September 2016. In the past, the statement said, when a private bill was introduced, ICE granted a stay of removal once it received a written request for an investigative report from the chair of the House or Senate Judiciary Committee or the appropriate subcommittee. Now, ICE will consider and issue a stay only if the chair of the committee or subcommittee makes a written request, independent of any request for an investigative report. Further, ICE will grant no more than one stay, limited to six months. A dozen or more supporters gathered with Hernandez at the church on Thursday, as she and her four children entered their fifth month there. "This is a happy day," said Jazmin Delgado, part of the new Sanctuary Advocate Coalition that has taken over support of the family from the New Sanctuary Movement of Philadelphia. "This is Philadelphia and Pennsylvania standing up for justice." Among the supporters was Alma Lopez, the wife of Javier Flores Garcia, who spent a year living in sanctuary at the Arch Street United Methodist Church before being able to leave in October. Garcia was granted "deferred action," allowing him to live and work in the United States while awaiting approval of what is called a U visa. It covers victims of crimes who have suffered serious injury Garcia was stabbed in a 2004 assault and are willing to assist the government in prosecuting those responsible. "I'm here to tell Carmela she needs to keep fighting," Lopez said. Hernandez, 36, says that if she and her family are deported to Mexico, they could be killed by the same gangsters who murdered her brother and two nephews. Her relatives were taxi drivers, she said, and were killed when they were unable to pay an extortion fee. She was threatened and assaulted by the same people, she said. In August 2015, Hernandez gathered the children and fled north, approaching U.S. immigration authorities at the border in San Diego. She asked for asylum, and after three days in detention, the family was released to the care of a relative, a U.S. citizen in Pennsylvania. The family later settled in Vineland. In December, with deportation imminent, she and her children Edwin, 9, Yoselin, 11, Keyri, 13, and Fidel, 15 took shelter in the Church of the Advocate. Hernandez has challenged ICE by asserting her children's right to a public education, sending them out of the church to attend school each day. ICE guidelines dissuade agents from taking action inside "sensitive locations" such as churches, hospitals and schools, though arrests have been made immediately outside those places. "This is a moment of hope for freedom," said the Rev. Renee McKenzie, vicar of the Church of the Advocate. "We know there are a lot of other families in the same situation, but Carmela Apolonio Hernandez is the one we have in front of us." READ MORE: In an ICE lobby in Center City, a microcosm of immigration battles News flash: Jake Tapper, CNN anchor and chief Washington correspondent, has published his first novel, The Hellfire Club. It's a thriller set during a few months in 1954 in that quiet American backwater known as Washington, D.C. A newly minted congressman falls afoul of a shadowy network of power-brokers and interest peddlers modeled on the Hellfire Club, to which Ben Franklin once belonged. Tapper knows how Washington works, how politics works, and how history comes back around. He brings The Hellfire Club to the Free Library at 7:30 p.m. Thursday. A Philadelphia native, young Jake used to visit the office of Pulitzer Prize-winning Inquirer cartoonist Tony Auth, who encouraged him. As part of his Sunday State of the Nation show on CNN, Tapper has a regular "State of the Cartoonion" segment of animated political cartoons. Tapper spoke from his CNN office in Washington about his novel, its resemblance to the present, and the lives of Washington politicians. You're a prominent journalist and media host with an 80-hour-a-week job. So you go and write a novel? I've been working on it for years: That's the truth. I had the concept of it for maybe a decade I had the themes and the setting, Washington during a few months in 1954, with McCarthy and Cold War tension in the air. It took a lot of work. Before I started writing, I consulted a lot of people, did one of those Facebook University courses with Aaron Sorkin. And there was a point, about three and half years ago, when it really started coming together in earnest. It's been a project. Some folks will look at the themes and characters in The Hellfire Club and think of right now, starting with the themes of corruption and abuse of power. Roy Cohn, defender of Joe McCarthy and also a mentor to the young Donald Trump, is here in all his bullying glory. The book isn't meant to be a specific comment on what's happening right now, but, sure, there are obvious tie-ins. Some of the resonance was purposeful, but most is not. I'd say there's only about a page and a half that's any different because of the Trump era. What was true in 1954 is still true today. There's a saying that history doesn't repeat itself, but it does rhyme. Roy Cohn, obviously, was going to be in the book. And the more I researched the era, the more the themes kept coming front and center. Abuse of power was rampant. The D.C. swamp. The demagoguery. And, most of all, ethical and moral compromise. How much are you willing to compromise your beliefs and values to achieve what you want to do, rise in your field, protect the United States of America? Your central figure, Charlie, is a study in the hazards of compromise. He's a sympathetic character, even naive, yet he ends up doing some questionable things. I cover politicians all the time in Washington, and with Charlie, I wanted to explore what you see constantly here: How a person can come to Washington for all the right reasons, wanting to be a good person, and end up making deals with the devil. Very few bad guys think they're bad guys. I'll bet you most of the people making headlines right now don't think they're the bad guys. And if we think of 1954, with this large-scale battle, as people saw it, for the soul of America, you had Joe McCarthy, or Eisenhower, or even the Communists, all fighting for the United States, for reasons they all sincerely believed in. The same thing holds true for Charlie on a smaller scale. Charlie, like a lot of people, just wants to get in with powerful people. Nothing wrong with that, per se. But to get in with them, he does things for them, and little by little he compromises what he believes. Meanwhile, his wife, Margaret, is in shock at the man he's becoming. What you dramatize is the gradual, all but unconscious, progression of it. You don't leap all at once into the swamp. You take one step into it, and another and another, until you've eased all the way in. At one point, Margaret thinks to herself, "The human soul isn't sold once but rather slowly and methodically and piece by piece." Right at the end, even Eisenhower, whom we think of as a principled man, admits to a loss of courage when he could have excoriated McCarthy in public but stopped short, afraid it would lose him the electoral vote in Wisconsin. It's a true story. Ironically, he did not need the Wisconsin vote at the end of the day but I think we know who needed it in 2016. You mention Charlie's wife, Margaret, who has a steadier moral vision. To me, she's the strongest of the good guys in the book. A woman friend told me she thinks Margaret is the hero. She doesn't flinch when she sees what's right and wrong. She does see Charlie as redeemable. In the thrillers I admire, the best ones have strong women. That's one reason I wanted Reagan Arthur [editorial director of Little, Brown] as my editor. I learned a lot from her, and from my wife, about creating a strong, fully alive female character. I have, I hope, a few of them in the book. The swamp, the web of conspiracy it has always extended well beyond just "government corruption," reaching far into the private sector, into business and international power interests. Is there a sense at the end that you can't beat it, that it'll always be there? The Hellfire Club doesn't have a naive ending, let's put it like that. It's not as though Charlie single-handedly changes the political system. Look, that's why the book's about the swamp: The swamp exists. Trump wasn't wrong when he talked about it on the campaign trail. When Charlie finds out that his intern, Sheryl Ann Bernstein, reads about only politics and international affairs but not business, he says: "And who do you think is telling those politicians what to do?" A tremendous amount of political energy is spent catering to business interests. Sometimes that's good, because it creates jobs. And sometimes it's bad. An example in the book, Sam Zemurray of United Fruit, had a tremendous influence on U.S. foreign policy. And Eisenhower warned about the military-industrial complex. Do you have another novel in the pipeline? I have lots of ideas for other Charlie and Margaret books, taking them through different periods in recent history, one in 1962, one in the late 1960s. But let's see what happens first with this one. So awe-inducing is the talent onstage in Mean Girls, now playing to packed houses at the August Wilson Theatre in Manhattan, that you could almost lose sight of the musical itself. The singing is sky-high; the cast is starry. The dancers, a galloping cavalry led by Casey Nicholaw's choreography, have limitless, inventive energy. Author Tina Fey's one-liners fall like a tart rain zing zing zing powered by the often brilliant lyrics of Nell Benjamin and the hard-charging music of Jeff Richmond. It's bright, often pink, often frothy, but it's a comic "cautionary" tale that gets you thinking almost as much as it gets you laughing. Which is a lot. That is to say, Tina Fey does it again. Mean Girls blows your hair right back. The audience (many of whom had clearly seen it several times, already had favorites in the cast) went nuts for two and a half hours. And I expect it to be a favorite for years, especially among middle-school, high-school, and college women, who are living through or just lived through the throes of high-school madness. It has too much truth. It sees the 2006 film Mean Girls and raises it. A ton. Before things start, we feel the mean. Walls are plastered with images from somebody's "Burn Book," an album of schoolmate head shots scribbled over in hot-color markers with insults: "You could live off the food in his braces" or "Jessica Sampson can't contour for s" or "Dawn Schweitzer is a fat VIRGIN." At North Side High School in Chicago, we first meet Damian (Grey Henson) and Janis (Barrett Wilbert Reed), "starter companions" for Cady (Erika Henningsen), a home-schooled kid recently from Kenya. In "Where Do You Belong?" they warn her that "You'll be judged on sight and made to fit/ So pick a clique and stick to it." Henson is a crazy powerhouse, great dancer, and tireless voice, plus a genius of comedy; Reed is all that, plus she gets to act later, when she gets sucked into the maelstrom. Cady is going to make all the wrong choices. She'll face the big question "How far would you go to be popular and hot?" and mess up. Henningsen persuasively travels Cady's arc from nice to mean "Mean is easier than nice," we're told to chastened. Damian and Janis are good counselors: "When you feel attacked/ That's just a feeling, not a fact" and "The world doesn't end, it just feels like it does." Of course, as we also learn, your frontal cortex doesn't fully mature until you're 25, so high-schoolers are the least likeliest of people to get some distance on their feelings. Cady tries to get in with The Plastics ("shiny, fake, and hard"), the acid focal point of the show. As Regina, the "Apex Predator," Taylor Louderman has a brassy ruthlessness and the number "Apex Predator" is hilarious, with its biological extended metaphor reducing all high-school life to a food chain, dancers hilariously mimicking jungle beasts and raptors. Regina's sidekicks are "dumb girl" Karen (Kate Rockwell), and beta-girl Gretchen (Ashley Park), self-esteem-challenged and over-eager to please. Park just about runs away with the show, with her big number "What's Wrong With Me?" that speaks the anxieties of a million high-schoolers. Park won many hearts with this line: "Sometimes I feel like an iPhone without a case. I have a lot of good functions, but at any time I could just shatter." Many are the telling tunes. In "Stupid With Love," math whiz Cady plays dumb so a boy will talk to her. As the meanness escalates, Regina sings "Someone Gets Hurt," and those she hurts sing "Revenge Party." My favorite might have been "Stop," in which Damian and Janis counsel Cady to get off social media. Janis' big number, "I'd Rather Be Me," which rejects compromise-burdened faux friendships, got the biggest applause ("I'd rather be me/ Than be with you"). Be strong enough to love yourself, don't get dirty ("I was offered bad choices," sings a sadder-but-wiser Cady, "but I could have said no"), turn away from hurtful entanglements, no matter how attractive. The largely young, largely female audience related powerfully, as did everyone else. Yes, these are the expected, perhaps too-predictable takeaways from Mean Girls. And maybe I'm a mean boy, but I found the musical funnier and more interesting when folks were plotting and having meaner-than-thou contests. Tina Fey does such things very well. Yet I've also parented some young adults through high school, and, believe me, Mean Girls nails too much too well to be simply a froth-fest. Yes, it's warm and ends with smiles, but it does explore the hard side of being young. And it is a Broadway board-buster. The final number is "I See Stars," and we all sure did. Deej Johnson (right) and others march around City Hall in Philadelphias first Black Pride march. Read more Chanting "I'm proud of my black skin, I'm proud of my brown skin," 35 people walked in the streets surrounding City Hall during Philadelphia's first march to honor LGBT people of color. Wednesday's march kicked off the five-day Philadelphia Black Pride festival, which is in its 19th year, though this is the first time it's featured a march. "This is a chance to just have something of our own, even though we welcome our white brothers and sisters in solidarity," said Antar Bush, an LGBT community organizer who planned the march with the help of the city's LGBT Affairs Office. "It's not about exclusively. It's about being more inclusive." Other cities such as New York and Miami also hold events for LGBT people of color. Those events are separate from the annual Pride parades held nationwide in cities, including Philadelphia, each year. The Black Pride festival comes as Philadelphia tries to overcome its legacy of racism in the Gayborhood, where most bar owners are white and the city has acknowledged discrimination has existed for decades. The event also comes two weeks after the arrest of two black men at a Starbucks in Center City sparked national backlash and questions about how customers reacted. We asked attendees of Wednesday's march how much progress Philadelphia has made in addressing racism in the LGBT community and what work remains. Here is what they said. Weve done a lot with our gay and lesbian community, but we havent dealt with the racism Theres still too many people that are afraid of black people Its not just the LGBTQI community. Its all communities when it comes to racism Were having really tough conversations, and its important to do that Calls to boycott the bar ICandy erupted in 2016 when a video was posted on YouTube of owner Darryl DePiano saying the N-word. Black patrons at other Gayborhood bars also reported having to show multiple IDs to gain entry and bouncers turning them away for wearing sweatpants or Timberland boots. The city subsequently mandated anti-bias training at Gayborhood bars and at the Mazzoni Center, the city's largest LGBT health-care provider. The center's CEO was ousted last year amid allegations she had fostered a hostile environment for people of color and covered up a medical director's sexual misconduct. The hiring last month of a straight Latina woman as the nonprofit's new CEO has since drawn backlash due to its lack of transparency. On Wednesday, though, the theme was unity. Romaine Gibbs, a gay Philadelphia man, had everyone link arms before the march began. "When we bind and unite like this," Gibbs said, "people cannot destroy us." Mayor Kenney, who also spoke, said the LGBT community and people of color deserve respect. "You are my brothers and sisters," Kenney told the crowd. "You are human beings who deserve dignity." The Black Pride festival continues Thursday with a panel discussion at the University of Pennsylvania's LGBT Center about discrimination and stereotypes. Various bars throughout the city will also hold events through Sunday. Activist Bird Milliken reacts as Bill Cosby leaves the Montgomery County Courthouse after being found guilty of sexual assault. Read more The guilty verdict in Bill Cosby's retrial drew an outpouring of reaction from the courthouse, across the region and on social media. In Philadelphia and Norristown, some people said they support the verdict, while others questioned it. Here are some of their reactions: In favor of the verdict Jamie Lange, 52, said at Independence Mall that she wanted Cosby exposed. "I was sick of the victim shaming. It was insane," Lange said. "It's nice that money can't buy you freedom." Lili Bernard, one of Cosby's accusers, said, "If you still believe that he's innocent, then you're either stupid or evil." Duncan MacDonald, 55, of Manayunk, said Cosby should have been found guilty the first time around. "I don't care who he is. I don't care if he's Bill Cosby or Harvey Weinstein," MacDonald said. "The abuse has been there and it needs to stop." Ronald Blue, 33, of Philadelphia, said his father attended Mary Channing Wister Elementary School with Cosby. While Blue and his family would watch The Cosby Show regularly as a child, he said his father thought Cosby was a "nasty person" and never would join them. "In some way, in some form, justice has been served," Blue said about the verdict. As for Cosby: "I just hope he knows God." >> READ MORE: Bill Cosby is guilty. What happens next? Against the verdict David Smith, 65, of Nicetown, was upset. "I grew up with Bill Cosby, jello pudding and all that. I grew up watching him. I don't think it's right," Smith said. "I think the lady was lying on him to get money." Dee Fass, 53, of Philadelphia, called the verdict a "shame." "It's a crying, crying shame," Fass said. "It's a shame about the person he projected to be and a shame about the women who waited so long." Fass disagreed that Cosby was guilty, saying, "women know what's going on when they go to a man's house at that time of night." A victory for the #MeToo movement On social media, some called the verdict a turning point for the #MeToo movement. A call to bring President Trump to justice Some said other powerful figures accused of sexual assault such as President Trump should also be brought to justice. Outside the courthouse, Cosbys accusers embraced and fought back tears District Attorney Kevin Steele lauded Cosby's chief accuser, Andrea Constand. Inside the courtroom, the verdict drew sobs and sighs of relief Constand displayed little emotion. So did Cosby. Read all the coverage on the Cosby trial here. Learn more about the Bill Cosby case with our day-by-day recap of the trial, timeline, and explainer on everything you need to know about the case and its major players. Police block off the subway entrance at the southeast corner of 8th and Market Streets on Wednesday, April 25, 2018, after two teens were stabbed in the station. Read more Two 17-year-old boys critically injured in a Wednesday afternoon stabbing at SEPTA's Eighth and Market Streets subway concourse attend the nearby Charter High School for Architecture and Design (CHAD), the school's top official said Thursday. Gregory Wright, chief executive officer, said he had spoken by phone with the parents of one victim, who had surgery Wednesday night at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and who police said had been stabbed in his neck, stomach, and left arm. The teen is expected to recover, Wright said. The other youth was taken to Hahnemann University Hospital after being stabbed in his chest and stomach and cut on the wrist, authorities said. As of early Thursday afternoon, Wright had not been able to contact that boy's parents. No arrests had been made in the attack. Philadelphia police on Thursday described the assailant as a black male, 17 to 18 years old, 5-foot-9, and about 160 pounds. He had close-cut black hair and wore a blue-and-gray hooded jacket with a red stripe, black pants, and black sneakers, police said. The suspected assailant "did not attend this school, as far as I know," Wright said in an interview at the school along South Seventh Street. Both Wright and a police spokesman said they did not know the reason for the fight. SEPTA authorities said the stabbings occurred about 3:30 p.m. Wednesday on the eastbound side platform of the subway line. Witnesses reported that a fight broke out and that another teenage boy stabbed the two 17-year-olds before fleeing, possibly on the train, spokesman Andrew Busch said. Wright expressed concern about the SEPTA student transit pass, which allows students to take unlimited rides on subway, trolley, and bus lines until 7 p.m. on weekdays. "It means they can hang out, they can go everywhere they want," he said. Every day, he said, the school's security officers escort students from the school, which has a 2:49 p.m. dismissal time, to the underground concourse to ensure that they board their trains, he said. Wednesday's stabbings occurred after security officers had done that, he said. Busch, the SEPTA spokesman, said SEPTA police patrol the Eighth and Market concourse every weekday, and city police survey the streets above. The regular police presence is a precaution because that intersection is a major transit hub, he said. Busch said the station "doesn't have a higher rate of incidents compared to other stations" and is "not a location where we're having regular after-school problems." Students from several nearby schools use the station, he said. The last major incident involving students at the station occurred Dec. 1, when more than 100 teenagers were involved in a lunchtime brawl, three of whom were arrested, Busch said. At that time, Busch had said the melee erupted around noon and involved youths from the Charter High School for Architecture and Design. Busch said Thursday he did not know whether students from that school were among the three arrested. Wright did not comment Thursday on the December incident, but said students from various schools were in the subway at the time. In response to Wright's concerns about the student transit passes, Busch said the vast majority of the 55,000 students who use the passes use them responsibly. The 7 p.m. shutoff time takes into account after-school activities, and SEPTA is unable to adjust the time for individual students on its current transit cards, he said. Rapper Meek Mill rings the Liberty Bell replica before the playoff game between the Sixers and the Heat at the Wells Fargo Center on Tuesday. Mill, who has been incarcerated since November, was released on bail. Read more In his first sit-down TV interview since being released from prison on bail Tuesday, Philadelphia rapper Meek Mill said he still doesn't feel free. Mill spoke with Lester Holt on NBC's Nightly News Wednesday, talking about the controversial prison sentence and what he hopes to do moving forward. The rapper said he's been experiencing a bit of a "culture shock" while transitioning back to reality after spending the last five months in a cell in a Chester prison. Last year, Common Please Court Judge Genece E. Brinkley sentenced Mill to two- to four-years behind bars for probation violations related to a decade-old conviction on gun and drug charges. >>READ MORE: Listen up, Meek Mill, whether you want to be or not, you're now a role model | Editorial The Pennsylvania Supreme Court on Tuesday granted the rapper "extraordinary relief" after the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office recently raised questions concerning the credibility of his arresting officer. Upon release, Mill was immediately rushed off to the 76ers game, where he was joined by the team's co-owner Michael Rubin, comedian/actor Kevin Hart and Gov. Wolf. While he may be out of prison, Mill is still technically battling a conviction and is scheduled to appear in court in June. "No, I don't feel free," Mill told Holt during the broadcast. "I ain't feel free since I caught this case at the age of 19. I'm 30 now. And me, I just pray. I believe God is my first lawyer, I always believed that." The award-winning rapper told Holt that he recognizes the responsibility he carries as a public figure. "I got a lot of important people depending on me," he told Holt. "And I'm not talking about them people, public officials, I'm talking about the men that's depending on me going through the same thing I'm going through." >>READ MORE: Meek Mill, freed from prison, has his biggest audience ever Holt also spoke to District Attorney Larry Krasner, whose office did not oppose the rapper's release on bail, as well as Rubin, who shared similar sentiments as Mill. "His story is so much bigger than his life," Rubin said. "This is about how he can be the symbolic change agent that was needed for major criminal justice reform. That's why you should care." The Nightly News conversation will be featured on a Dateline broadcast later, Holt wrote on Twitter. Mill's Wednesday interview came just two weeks after Holt spoke to the rapper by phone in prison. Natalie Diaz couldn't find a parking place when she stopped at an Oaklyn, Camden County, convenience store, so she left her car near the parking lot exit while she bought a cup of coffee. Minutes later, after a brief police pursuit, Diaz was attacked by a police dog, she alleges in a newly filed federal lawsuit. When Diaz came out of the store that night in 2016, the suit says, a police officer screamed at her to move her car, then followed her as she headed to her Collingswood home. The police officer ordered her to get out of her car, a struggle ensued, and a second officer released a dog to attack Diaz, according to the suit. The dog tore through her clothing and ripped into the flesh of her left leg, the suit says. Oaklyn police used excessive force, a lawyer for Diaz contends in the suit, ordering the dog to attack without justification as Diaz sat in her parked car with its engine turned off and driver's door wide open. Diaz, then 36, became "frightened and disoriented" as an officer approached her car and began "yelling" at her, which is why Diaz did not immediately get out, according to the lawsuit. A police dashcam video obtained by the Inquirer, Daily News, and Philly.com shows Sgt. Jayne Jones following Diaz's blue Crown Victoria and attempting to pull Diaz over for 96 seconds as she drove the half-mile to her home before she parked. Officer Matthew Olivieri then arrived with his K-9, Enzo. Less than a minute after he arrived, Olivieri can be heard on the video ordering the dog to "get her." Diaz had serious dog-bite injuries to her left leg, according to the suit. Diaz alleges she is permanently scarred, physically and emotionally. Oaklyn Police Chief Mark Moore said in an interview this week that the department's internal affairs officer reviewed the incident in 2016, which is standard procedure, and determined Olivieri's use of Enzo was justified. Moore said he could not comment on the specifics of the lawsuit, but confirmed Olivieri and Jones are still on the force. The officers, through the department, declined comment, citing the pending lawsuit. Last week, Diaz pleaded guilty to eluding police and attempting to injure a law enforcement animal. Sentencing is scheduled for May 25. Diaz's lawyer, Thomas Gosse, declined comment on the lawsuit and her criminal case. Efforts to reach Diaz for comment were not successful. The lawsuit alleges Jones and others in the convenience-store parking lot screamed at Diaz when she returned to the parking lot and was told to move her car. In police reports, Jones contends that Diaz cursed her and refused to move her car to a parking space while the officer wrote a citation, instead pulling onto the White Horse Pike, nearly causing a collision. Jones said Diaz tried to hit her with her elbow and swung at her head with her fist. The incident unfolded Feb. 2, 2016, around 7:20 p.m. when Jones was stopped at a nearby light and saw Diaz park in the 7-Eleven lot at White Horse Pike and West Clinton Avenue. Here's what the dashcam video shows: Diaz got into her car, turned west on the Pike toward Collingswood. "All right, it looks like it's going to be an attempt to stop," Jones said in a radio transmission as she began following Diaz using her lights and siren. The officer, sounding calm throughout the short pursuit, noted Diaz was driving toward her home, at one point traveling 33 mph. The speed limit is 30 mph. About a minute and a half after the pursuit began, Diaz parked at an apartment complex, Heights of Collingswood, on North Newton Lake Drive. Jones parked behind Diaz, approached the vehicle and said: "Get out of the car. I'm trying to get her out of the car. Are you trying to get arrested?" Within seconds, at least three other police cruisers arrived. Olivieri took Enzo from the backseat of his patrol car, and struggled to control the dog as he rushed toward Diaz and Jones. Less than 30 seconds after Olivieri arrived, he shouted, "Jayne, get back!" and then repeatedly yelled at Diaz, "Get out of the car, or you're gonna get bit." About 20 seconds later the officer instructs Enzo, "Get her," and Diaz started to scream. She was pulled from the car with Enzo's mouth clamped on her left leg. Within seconds, officers physically forced Diaz to the ground and Olivieri tugged at Enzo to release Diaz. Another officer put Diaz in handcuffs and she said to him, "You let that dog attack me. Really?" Diaz, limping, lost her balance as police led her away. According to police reports, Olivieri administered first aid until an ambulance arrived and took Diaz to Cooper University Medical Care in Camden. According to the lawsuit, the dog "viciously attacked and bit" Diaz, "tearing holes into her clothing and ripping her leg open," causing her to "bleed profusely" and causing permanent scars and disfigurement. The suit alleges the officers are not properly trained in using a police dog, or properly supervised. Jones wrote in her report that when she got to the hospital, Diaz told her she did not intend to hit her, saying, "Us women have to stick up for each other," and "I would never hurt you." Gov. Wolf on Friday vetoed a controversial bill that called for overhauling Pennsylvania's workers' compensation system and had pitted the insurance industry and the chamber of commerce against labor unions and trial attorneys. The Republican-backed bill, which passed the General Assembly last week, would have created a list of pre-approved drugs permitted to be prescribed under the state's workers' compensation program, similar to lists used by Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurers. Supporters said that would curtail the overprescription of opioids to injured workers, as well as reduce medical costs by cutting off payments for exorbitantly priced compounded pain creams that are not approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration. But Wolf, a Democrat, said it was too broad and would interfere with the doctor-patient relationship. He described it as a giveaway to insurance companies and corporations disguised as a public safety measure. "Make no mistake, Senate Bill 936 is not a bill designed to fight the opioid crisis," he said in a statement Friday. "Senate Bill 936 threatens health care for millions of workers who could be injured on the job, including police, corrections officers, and firefighters, who put their lives on the line every day, and whose injuries can be unique, debilitating and severe." The veto comes a day after Wolf announced new regulations to combat opioid abuse within the workers' comp system and to crackdown on compounding pharmacies. The Inquirer and Daily News have reported on several Philadelphia-area pharmacies charging upward of $4,000 per tube of the creams. The pharmacies often target workers' comp patients, whose medical bills are covered by their employer or by the employer's insurance carrier. The individual ingredients are purchased cheaply, but sold at exorbitant markups once they are mixed together. Wolf said Thursday that he would order the Department of Labor & Industry to propose regulations that require the pharmacies to bill insurance companies for the creams at the ingredient level, instead of the "staggeringly high" prices currently charged, his office said. "My administration is taking these steps to limit overprescribing of opioids to injured workers, limit expensive opioid-based medications, and combat the potential for opioid abuse without rationing health care for millions of workers who could be injured on the job," the governor said Thursday. Senate Bill 936 gained traction in Harrisburg following the newspapers' September investigation into the prescribing patterns of pharmacies owned by workers' comp lawyers and doctors. Legal and medical ethicists say the arrangements can pose conflicts of interest. One of the pharmacies, Workers First, was owned by partners at Pond Lehocky Stern Giordano, which describes itself as the largest workers' comp law firm in the state. The newspapers reported that one of the law firm's founding partners, Sam Pond, had sent an email asking doctors to use its pharmacy: "For all patients that you may see with a workers' compensation claim, referred to you from our office or elsewhere, we ask that you have our pharmacy, Workers First Pharmacy Services, fill the scripts." Some of the doctors that sent patients to Workers First also owned a piece of the pharmacy, enabling them to make money from both patient care and the expensive prescriptions. Abraham Reich, an attorney for Pond Lehocky, said Thursday that the firm's partners sold their interest in Workers First in November and have had "nothing to do with the pharmacy ever since." "We're not involved," Reich said. Wolf, who is running for reelection this year, has received substantial financial support from Pond Lehocky and pharmacy interests, much of it channeled through the Center City-based Fairness PA political action committee, which gave the governor's campaign $1 million last year. Insurance and business groups were lobbying for the passage of Senate Bill 936. In January, Wolf issued a disaster declaration that streamlines the state bureaucracy to more effectively fight the opioid crisis and reduce overdose deaths. He renewed it this month. Thursday's executive action requires doctors, nurses, employers, and others to form a task force to create prescribing guidelines for injured workers. It also calls for additional training for workers' comp judges and for providers on the dangers of overprescribing opioids. House Speaker Mike Turzai, a Republican, had criticized Wolf's executive action and said he "caved to powerful special interests" with his Friday veto. "During the debate in both the House and Senate, the governor was nowhere to be found, nor did he weigh in or offer any meaningful solutions to the prescribing abuses occurring in workers' compensation," Turzai said in a statement after the veto. "Instead, today he served as a backstop for his wealthy trial attorney friends who apparently profited from the abuses and demand they continue." The shadows of striking faculty of West Chester University march across the schools large sign October 19, 2016 as they and the rest of the professors in the states higher education system go on strike. Read more The Pennsylvania state university system needs drastic restructuring in order for its 14 campuses to overcome and survive the enrollment losses and chronic state funding shortages that have weakened it, according to a new study conducted by the Rand Corp. for the Pennsylvania legislature. Modest changes to the status quo likely are not enough to stabilize the 102,000-student system, the study's authors concluded Wednesday in a presentation to members of the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee in Harrisburg. They suggested instead some combination of the following: Merging the 14 universities regionally, reducing their ranks to as few as five to eight. Converting the universities to state-related status, like the University of Pittsburgh or Pennsylvania State University. Putting the State System universities under the management of a state-related school for a period of time, perhaps 10 years. Merging the state-related universities to become branches of the state-related schools. "Our research indicates a continuation of the current system is unlikely to address these challenges fully," said Charles Goldman, chief economist with Rand Corp., in testimony before the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee. "Instead, we recommend major structural changes," he said. "These options are likely to be more difficult to implement and could entail other risks." Goldman noted, for example, that if State System universities become independent state-related universities or merged with state-related institutions, they could lose sovereign immunity from lawsuits, which might lead to increased student costs. For in-state undergraduates, State System tuition was $7,492 for 2017-18, not counting fees and room and board. In addition, he said such changes could affect transparency and collective bargaining agreements with faculty and other unions. State System Interim Chancellor Karen Whitney, who appeared before the committee Wednesday, said the universities have already begun to make real change as a result of their own review. The State System last year conducted its own strategic review and brought in a different consultant, the Boulder, Colo.-based National Center for Higher Education Management Systems (NCHEMS). The NCHEMS report released in July stopped short of recommending any closures or outright mergers of the 14 universities. But it said those in the most tenuous place should be reconfigured, and suggested administrative and academic program consolidation. It also said the system needed a governance overhaul, recommending the current board of governors be abolished and replaced with one whose members had fewer ties to the universities. NCHEMS also suggested revisions in price policies, including ending the single tuition rate across the State System and giving individual campuses more say over collective bargaining. System officials said they already have begun realigning academic programs to meet regional needs and provide universities greater flexibility. The 14 universities enrolled 102,000 students last fall, down from a high of nearly 120,000 in 2010. A range of factors, including population declines and student retention woes, have contributed to the problem. The schools in the system are Bloomsburg, California, Cheyney, Clarion, East Stroudsburg, Edinboro, Indiana, Kutztown, Lock Haven, Mansfield, Millersville, Shippensburg, Slippery Rock, and West Chester Universities. WILLOW STREET, Pa. With just under three weeks left until the primary, the Republican candidates for governor slipped into their Wednesday night debate criticisms not only of one another but also of the Democratic governor they all hope to challenge in November. State Sen. Scott Wagner (R., York) criticized donations that Gov. Wolf receives from various unions and said, if elected, he would reverse the governor's moratorium on the death penalty. Former health-care consultant Paul Mango, of Allegheny County, questioned the governor's handling of Medicaid. And Pittsburgh attorney Laura Ellsworth said she fears Wolf's proposed severance tax on gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale would turn away the industry. Their remarks came during an hour-and-a-half appearance at the Cultural Center at Willow Valley Communities, a senior living complex in rural Lancaster County. It was their second-to-last debate before the May 15 primary and had, perhaps, one of their largest TV audiences yet. The first hour of the debate aired on stations across the state and in Youngstown, Ohio. The last half hour, during which residents asked the majority of the questions, appeared online. The candidates fielded questions about how to help struggling dairy farmers, whether to eliminate property taxes. and whether they felt nursing homes had appropriate regulations. State Democrats late Wednesday questioned all three candidates' responses, particularly on questions about education and health care. All three lack "the courage to put Pennsylvanians first," party spokeswoman Beth Melena said in a statement. For a brief period, the debate also focused on negative ads that have run in recent months. The Pennsylvania Republican Party earlier this month called on Mango to stop running a negative ad criticizing Wagner, who received the party's endorsement. Wagner has also run at least one ad that was critical of Mango. Asked Wednesday night whether they would make a promise not to run negative ads attacking their GOP opponents for the remainder of the primary, Mango said he was "not attacking anyone's character. What I'm doing is revealing my opponent's character." He added later: "I'm sorry, but I'm not going to stop." Wagner asked Mango whether they would agree for the remainder of the primary not to run ads that mention each other. Mango responded: "I'll run my campaign, Senator. You can run your campaign." Ellsworth, who has said she does not believe in negative ads, said that if her opponents continue with the personal attacks "they will have armed Gov. Wolf with a war chest [of negative material] on either of them that he does not deserve to have." Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson wants to triple what some people pay toward their rent. Read more WASHINGTON U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson on Wednesday proposed raising the amount that low-income families are expected to pay for rent tripling it for the poorest households as well as making it easier for property owners to demand work requirements for those receiving federal housing subsidies. The move to overhaul how rental subsidies are calculated would affect 4.7 million families relying on federal housing assistance. The proposal legislation would require congressional approval. "There is one inescapable imperative driving this reform effort," Carson said in a call with reporters. "The current system isn't working very well. Doing nothing is not an option." Tenants generally pay 30 percent of their adjusted income toward rent or a public housing agency minimum rent which is capped at $50 a month for the poorest families. The administration's proposal sets the family monthly rent contribution at 35 percent of gross income, or 35 percent of their earnings working 15 hours a week at the federal minimum wage. Under the proposal, the cap for the poorest families would rise to about $150 a month three times higher than the current minimum. About 712,000 households would see their rents rise to the new monthly minimum of $150, HUD officials said. Housing advocates criticized the proposal as "cruel hypocrisy," coming on the heels of tax breaks to wealthy Americans and corporations. "When we are in the middle of a housing crisis that's having the most negative impact on the lowest-income people, we shouldn't even be considering proposals to increase their rent burdens," said Diane Yentel, president of the National Low Income Housing Coalition. The bill would also allow public housing agencies and property owners to impose work requirements. Currently, only 15 housing authorities in about a dozen states require some sort of work or job training in return for benefits, HUD officials said. In Atlanta and Charlotte, North Carolina, at least one adult needs to work 30 hours a week for a household to receive housing benefits. Chicago requires able-bodied beneficiaries to work 20 hours a week. Seniors over the age of 65 and individuals with disabilities would be exempt from the rental increases for the first six years. They would also be exempt from any work requirements. HUD officials said that group makes up more than half of the 4.7 million families receiving subsidies. "Every year, it takes more money, millions of dollars more, to serve the same number of households," Carson said, citing years-long waiting lists for federal housing assistance. "It's clear from a budget perspective and a human point of view that the current system is unsustainable." Carson said decades-old rules on how rent is calculated are "far too confusing" and convoluted, often resulting in families who earn the same income paying vastly different amounts of rent "because they know how to work the system." "They know how to include certain deductions that other people may not be aware of," Carson said. "We really want to level the playing field and make it much more even for everyone." HUD also seeks to eliminate deductions for medical and child-care costs when determining a tenant's rent. Carson said the current rules that require an annual review of beneficiaries' household income also creates "perverse consequences" that discourage people from earning more income. Under the proposed bill, income verification would only be required every three years, which Carson said would encourage residents to work more without immediately facing a rent increase. The Trump administration has long signaled through its budget proposals and leaked draft legislation that it seeks to increase the rents that low-income tenants pay to live in federally subsidized housing. The White House budget proposal for the 2019 fiscal year indicated that it would "encourage work and self-sufficiency" across its rental assistance programs. Barbara Sard, vice president for housing policy at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, said the latest proposal, if passed, could result in millions of individuals losing their homes. "The very purpose of these programs is to provide a stable home for people who otherwise can't manage on their own," Sard said. "Ignoring that destroys the effectiveness of these programs to prevent homelessness and keep children out of foster care." Carson laid out the administration's plans in a press call about an hour before a Wednesday afternoon House Financial Services subcommittee hearing on rent reform. "Changes that are made to the rental structure ultimately have to be approved by Congress," Carson said. "These are the suggestions that we are making." This combination photo shows, top row from left, film producer Harvey Weinstein, former Amazon Studios executive Roy Price, director James Toback, New Orleans chef John Besh, bottom row from left, fashion photographer Terry Richardson, New Republic contributing editor Leon Wiseltier, former NBC News political commentator Mark Halperin, former Defy Media executive Andy Signore.. In the weeks since the string of allegations against Weinstein first began, an ongoing domino effect has tumbled through not just Hollywood but at least a dozen other industries. Read more If you watch a lot of TV or read a newspaper, it's inescapable that this is the 50th anniversary of the tumultuous year of 1968, the peak year of 1960s social unrest and the so-called counterculture. And if you've been getting your daily dose of nostalgia, it's probably sure to wear some flowers in its hair, with a side of love beads and a soundtrack laced with acid rock. But while an uprising of young people, non-whites and women did win some battles some of which still echo today their revolution wasn't the ultimate victor in the broader political struggle for the soul of America. The winner was the backlash. When the fuzztone guitar solos faded out, rising from the ashes of the 1960s were tin soldiers and Nixon coming, followed by the "war on drugs," Ronald Reagan, mass incarceration, and a renewed veneration of American militarism. Cultural reaction is a powerful thing, yet no one sees it coming until it's too late. People were still partying in the streets over the election of Barack Obama as the Tea Party rebellion brewed, foreshadowing a right-wing takeover of the government that has undercut everything that historic moment seemed to mean. The power of reaction, of morally flawed hierarchies that will do anything to cling to power when they are under assault, cannot be underestimated. So if you followed 2017's remarkable moments in the history of female empowerment the massive Women's March, the award-winning journalism that outed powerful abusive men from Hollywood and Silicon Valley to D.C. and Wall Street, and the online movements that rose in tandem and cheered them on, you probably also should have been looking over your shoulder. The #MeToo backlash is already here, and it may get even uglier than the hideous creature of your worst imaginings. It was Karl Marx who said that history repeats itself "first as tragedy, then as farce." The #MeToo backlash now crawling out from the rubble of last year's four-alarm fire for the American patriarchy has predictable elements of both. The inevitable comic relief came Wednesday with news that disgraced TV interviewer Charlie Rose whose career reached its seeming end when eight women came forward to say he'd groped them or paraded around naked or made lewd phone calls is promoting a show in which he'd interview other men taken down by the #MeToo movement, presumably mixing half-hearted mea culpas with the ultimate goal of clinging to the public stage and the wealth and power that comes with it. Indeed, many of the men who were dinged last fall NBC's Matt Lauer, the comedian Louis C.K. are already acting as the worst of the storm has passed and are looking to crawl out of the cellar, head-bandaged but still influential and entitled. It's farce that's maybe not so farcical, since history suggests their schemes might work especially when they have powerful allies in the media, in politics, and elsewhere. On the media front, the Washington Post's often lamentable Richard Cohen spread more seeds last week with a bizarre defense of the patriarchy that started with the graves of male soldiers who died for liberty and then complained about that one time he was passed over for a job by a woman, although "[i]n short order, I was made a columnist, so I didn't even get a chance to cry." Funny how one momentary hiccup breeds lifelong resentment for a white male who's so blind to his daily triumphs of privilege. The thing is, you're going to be hearing stuff like this a lot more in 2018 as the backlash builds. And you're going to hear echoes of the past as if Harvey Weinstein or the Women's March had never happened. That's what happened this week in a Norristown courtroom where lawyers for no-longer-funnyman Bill Cosby the Patient Zero for today's #MeToo movement turned to old-fashioned, 20th-Century style slut-shaming in a pathetic bid to keep a man with a trail of harassment allegations going back to the 1970s from spending his last years behind bars. But that's not the tragedy when it comes to the history repeating of the male backlash. That occurred across the border in Canada, with the deadly actions of an acolyte of a frightening underground movement called "incel" short for the "involuntary celibacy" of young men who, for whatever reason, aren't having sex, and have lit an internet-soaked bonfire from their anger and despair to fuel a warped fraternity of hatred toward the women they blame. A 25-year-old man-child absorbed so much of that misogyny that he rented a van and drove down a Toronto sidewalk, looking for women to run over. He killed 10 people. That's the frightening terrorism of misogyny that we tend to overlook when we focus on the sad follies of the rich and famous like Charlie Rose or Matt Lauer. It's the ability in the wider society to inspire hate and support for autocratic means to keep the patriarchy in power and keep women in line electing politicians who owe nothing to gender equality and who spend their testosterone-fueled electoral capital on keeping females out of power and on legislation to control women's bodies. The political power of patriarchy protection comes into focus when you consider it in terms of a major study that was just released here in Philadelphia, which analyzes what drove President Trump's 2016 victory. Penn political science professor Diana C. Mutz found that it wasn't economic distress but "fear of losing status" that motivated Trump's base. That refers in good measure to immigration, the population trends likely to make whites a minority of Americans by mid-century, and the rise of foreign powers like China but it also means old-fashioned contempt for powerful women, which was given the perfect foil when Hillary Clinton emerged as Trump's opponent. Anyone who's attended a Trump rally (and I have) knows that the moment of pure catharsis where everything peaks the raw equivalent of Orwell's "two minutes hate" is not over immigration or, heaven forbid, jobs, but when the crowd chants "Lock her up! Lock her up!" with a strong emphasis on the "her." Hatred of Hillary as a surrogate, in some ways, for some broader unspeakable rage is the glue that hold Trump's movement together, so much so that an obsession with jailing Clinton still electrifies his supporters, long after the election was decided in Trump's favor. You can draw a line between the frenzied anger of a Trump rally to the mayhem that just occurred in Toronto and, sadly, it's not a very long one. It's a strain of hatred that bleeds into so many things, into everything from physical assaults to the daily drone of office harassment to politics, where Trump can appoint a steady stream of white male prosecutors and judges and bureaucrats and this patriarchical American government is seen not as an outrage but merely the spoils of victory. All that said, the #MeToo backlash of 2018 isn't fated to succeed just because the reactionary counter-revolutions after 1968 and 2008 did. That outcome may well be decided this November, when a record number of female candidates not just for Congress but for key state or local offices are slated to appear on the election ballot. The fact that Charlie Rose and Bill Cosby are even still a thing is a reminder that real progress will only come when, if I may be allowed to quote Aretha and Annie, sisters are doing it for themselves, especially on Capitol Hill. This week is a reminder that the arc of gender justice is incredibly long. November is a rare chance to bend it. In a meandering interview on Fox & Friends Thursday morning that turned at times into an angry phone rant, President Trump admitted that Michael Cohen represented him in the Stormy Daniels case and confirmed he stayed overnight in a Moscow hotel, contradicting a claim he made to then-FBI Director James Comey. Cohen, Trump's longtime personal attorney, said in a court filing in California on Wednesday that he would invoke the Fifth Amendment in a lawsuit filed by Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, over a $130,000 payment made days before the election to silence her claims about an alleged affair with Trump. Trump has previously stated that he didn't know anything about the payment and denied his involvement in the settlement, but admitted to the hosts of Fox & Friends that Cohen had represented him on the case. "Michael would represent me and represent me on some things. He represents me like with this crazy Stormy Daniels deal, he represented me," Trump said, adding that he has many lawyers working for him. From what he has seen, the president said, Cohen did "absolutely nothing wrong." "Then why is he pleading the Fifth?" cohost Ainsley Earhardt asked. "Because he's got other things. He's got businesses. And from what I understand they're looking at his businesses," Trump responded. "I have nothing to do with his business, I can tell you." Appearing on MSNBC's Morning Joe Thursday during Trump's interview, Daniels' attorney, Michael Avenatti, responded to Trump's admission that Cohen represented him on the case. "Another gift from the heavens in this case," Avenatti said. "It's a hugely damaging admission by the president." Trump made another surprising statement later in the interview, admitting that he had in fact stayed overnight in a Moscow hotel in 2013. The admission contradicts memos made by Comey about a conversation with Trump regarding the evening in question. The president told Comey that salacious claims in an intelligence dossier about a night he spent at the hotel were impossible, because "he had spoken to people who had been on the trip with him and they had reminded him that he didn't stay over night in Russia for that." "He said I didn't stay there at night. Of course I stayed there," Trump said of Comey's memo. "His memo said, 'I left immediately.' I never said that. I never said I left immediately." Earlier this week, Bloomberg uncovered flight records that revealed Trump's plane was in Moscow for more than 24 hours during the weekend of the Miss Universe Pageant. Former MSNBC anchor Thomas Roberts, who hosted the pageant that year, confirmed to the Daily Beast that Trump had indeed stayed overnight. Fox & Friends has often been a safe landing spot for Trump, who has repeatedly referred to it as his favorite news program. But Thursday, the hosts were surprisingly tough, interjecting often and asking follow-up questions, such as when the president complained about the Justice Department not doing its job. "It's your Justice Department!" cohost Steve Doocy exclaimed. "Mr. President, you're the Republican in charge and you've got a Republican running it." Trump responded: "Because of the fact that they have this witch hunt going on with people in the Justice Department that shouldn't be there I've taken the position that I will not be involved with the Justice Department." Later in the interview, after saying he tries to stay away from the Justice Department, he added: "But pretty soon I won't." In recent months, President Trump has largely avoided television interviews, choosing instead to communicate through Twitter. He's even avoided the opinion hosts on Fox News, which remain largely supportive of him and his administration. Trump's last on-camera interview on the network was back in November, when he sat down with Laura Ingraham. He last called into Fox News in February to discuss the investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election on Justice With Judge Jeanine host Jeanine Pirro. "The president is bunkered down almost in hiding, avoiding the media," CNN Reliable Sources host Brian Stelter said Thursday morning. Despite his affinity for Fox News, Trump hasn't sat for an interview with anyone from the news side of Fox News since before he was elected president. The avoidance led Special Report host Bret Baier to take the unusual step of addressing Trump directly on a show last August and publicly requesting he appear for an interview. "President Trump, I assume you know you will be treated fairly here and, of course, asked tough but fair questions," Baier said. "I look forward to getting you back on the number-one news show on the number-one news channel very soon." In this April 18, 2018 file photo, President Trump listens during a news conference with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at Trump's private Mar-a-Lago club, in Palm Beach, Fla. Read more President Trump's effort to hire new defense lawyers in the Russia investigation had faltered badly when he met at Mar-a-Lago this month with Jane and Martin Raskin, a husband and wife who practice law together in a Miami suburb. Trump had little time. One of his top lawyers, John Dowd, had resigned over disagreements with his client, and several prominent law firms had declined to take the case. A key decision was pending about whether the president would agree to give an interview to Special Counsel Robert Mueller. So Trump hired the Raskins after meeting them for the first time. The decision was overshadowed by the simultaneous announcement that former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani would also join the team and take the lead in negotiating with Mueller. But the Raskins could play as important a role if the case escalates. They have both tried and defended clients in criminal cases and in hardball negotiations with prosecutors, skills that Trump would need if the Mueller case escalates. Among their early assignments is to try to use attorney-client protections to keep investigators from scouring Trump's communications with his personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, who is under federal scrutiny, according to a person familiar with the president's legal strategy who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss confidential discussions. Jane Raskin has a long-ago work connection with Mueller, which associates said could be a plus to Trump's legal team. She prosecuted Mafia underbosses for a federal Organized Crime Strike Force in Boston when Mueller held supervisory positions in the U.S. attorney's office there. Mueller closely tracked her work, according to associates. She also has a reputation for independence: During the Reagan administration, she resigned in protest from a criminal division post in the Justice Department over the actions of Attorney General Ed Meese. Martin Raskin headed the criminal division in the U.S. attorney's office in Miami. After his marriage to Jane, the couple opened a two-person firm, Raskin & Raskin, in Coral Gables, specializing in white-collar defendants. "Both Marty and Jane, with their DOJ background, they know their way around the system," said David Weinstein, a former prosecutor who is a partner at Miami-based Hinshaw & Culbertson and knows the couple well. "Contrary to the way Giuliani is portrayed as a 'yes man,' Marty and Jane are not going to tell their client what they think they want to hear. They will give a realistic picture of what is going on." Giulianion Tuesday met with Mueller to discuss a possible presidential interview, according to three individuals. He did not respond to a request for comment. The Raskins declined to comment. Trump's difficulties in filling his legal team have included the reluctance of some firms to be associated with him and concerns about conflicts of interests with other clients, according to people familiar with the discussions. Trump is also known for ignoring legal advice, the people said. Trump had considered hiring the husband-and-wife couple of Joseph diGenova and Victoria Toensing in March, but declined after determining they had conflicts. The small size of the Raskins' firm and their distance from typical Washington, D.C., clients give them few, if any, conflicts of interest, which the Trump team regarded as a plus. In contrast to diGenova's outspoken criticism of Mueller on television, the Raskins are low-profile attorneys who prefer to work out of the spotlight and have not commented on the investigation. Jane Serene, as Raskin was known before her marriage, worked early in her career as a private attorney, and her clients included the Boston Globe. In the mid-1908s, after joining the federal strike force, she took on one of the prosecutions of the New England Mob. She was the lead prosecutor in a successful 1987 case against underboss Ilario M.A. Zannino, whom she told the court was "most assuredly one of the most vicious and ruthless criminals ever to be sentenced in this district." While the strike force reported directly to the Justice Department in Washington, Muellerclosely monitored its work. "Mueller admired the fact that she took on the Mafia and organized crime," said Mark Robinson, who worked at the time with both of them. "He saw things very much as good guys and bad guys, and Jane went after the bad guys, and he liked that." Robinson said Jane Raskin's knowledge of Mueller could prove useful in her role as Trump's attorney because "she has some experience with Bob, who respected her greatly, and she respected him." After the Mob case, Jane Raskin moved to Washington with the Justice Department and served as counsel to William Weld, who headed the agency's criminal division and later became Republican governor of Massachusetts. At the time, an independent prosecutor was investigating Meese over allegations of financial impropriety. With calls growing for Meese's departure, Weld resigned in protest of Meese's conduct, and Raskin joined him. Robinson, who had followed Weld to the Justice Department and also resigned, said Jane Raskin's departure demonstrated her ethics. "It was the right thing to do," he said. "A point needed to be made publicly, regardless of personal cost, on principle." Meese eventually stepped down but no charges were brought against him, demonstrating the importance of a diligent defense. "Jane was in the crucible," Weld said, referring to her work in Boston and Washington, both of which he observed closely. He said Trump "couldn't do better" than hiring her. Raskin followed Weld into private practice, and she attended a legal conference where she met her husband-to-be. Although the Raskins are little known outside of South Florida, Trump's legal team and associates of the Raskins said in interviews this week that the couple are uniquely suited to their monumental task. "Their breadth of experience as former federal prosecutors and also in private practice that's a unique skill set," said Jay Sekulow, one of Trump's lawyers in the Russia probe. In their private practice, the Raskins' best-known case involved defending an aircraft maintenance company charged in a case connected to the 1996 crash of a Valujet plane, which killed 110 people. The Raskins won acquittal for the client on most charges, according to the Raskins' account of the case. The Raskins have not been prominent politically. But in the wake of the 2000 presidential campaign, the Raskins played a small role in the Florida recount, which led to the election of George W. Bush. "If anybody has a chance to provide wise counsel and handle the circumstances, it would be them," said Al Cardenas, a former chairman of the Florida Republican Party who went to Seton Hall Law School with Martin Raskin and knows the couple well. "They have handled their fair share of challenging clients." The Washington Post's Alice Crites and Carol Leonnig contributed to this report. U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez acknowledges supporters while arriving to an event kicking off his campaign for re-election at Union City High School, Wednesday, March 28, 2018, in Union City, N.J. Read more Sen. Bob Menendez may have escaped federal prosecution on bribery charges, but his colleagues issued a rare public rebuke Thursday and declared his actions had "reflected discredit upon the Senate." The criticism was lodged in a letter from the Senate Ethics Committee that "severely admonished" Menendez for accepting numerous gifts from a donor without prior approval and then failing to report them. The committee also said Menendez had inappropriately used his position as a senator to advance the personal and financial interests of the donor, Salomon Melgen, a Florida eye doctor. The committee ordered Menendez, a New Jersey Democrat up for reelection in November, to repay fair market value for all gifts it deemed impermissible. It wasn't immediately clear how much Menendez might owe. He previously repaid $58,500 for flights on Melgen's private jet. "You demonstrated disregard for [ethics] standards by placing your Senate office in Dr. Melgen's service at the same time you repeatedly accepted gifts of significant value from him," the letter says. "Your assistance to Dr. Melgen under these circumstances demonstrated poor judgment, and it risked undermining the public's confidence in the Senate." The Ethics Committee opened its investigation in late 2012 but had put it on hold while his criminal case was ongoing. The rebuke it issued Thursday was "basically the highest level of sanction the committee could impose," Robert L. Walker, former chief counsel and staff director of the Senate and House ethics committees, said in an interview. Menendez' lawyer, Marc Elias, released a statement late Thursday that didn't take a position on the committee action but said: "We are glad that this Ethics Committee process that began nearly six years ago is finally resolved." The two-paragraph statement said Menendez had "acknowledged and made substantial payments" for Melgen's gifts more than five years ago, but that he had halted making remedial action, including amending his financial disclosure forms to reflect them, at the request of the committee staff. With the committee's process concluded, the statement said, "Sen. Menendez looks forward to continuing to serve the people of New Jersey." Menendez's bribery trial ended in a hung jury in November. A federal judge later acquitted the senator of some of the charges, and prosecutors subsequently dropped the case against the senator and Melgen. In a separate case, Melgen was convicted of Medicare fraud and sentenced to 17 years in prison. Menendez had been accused of accepting trips on Melgen's private jet, hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions, a $1,500-per-night hotel room in Paris, and vacation stays at Melgen's villa in the Dominican Republic. In exchange, prosecutors said, Menendez helped obtain visas for Melgen's foreign girlfriends, pressured government officials to resolve his $8.9 million billing dispute with Medicare, and sought to protect Melgen's port security contract with the Dominican Republic. At trial, Menendez's lawyers said Menendez's actions were motivated by his longtime friendship with Melgen and legitimate policy beliefs. The last New Jersey senator to face such public reprimand from the Ethics Committee was Robert Torricelli, a Democrat who ended his 2002 reelection bid shortly after being admonished. For his part, Menendez has the full support of the party establishment in what is expected to be an expensive Senate campaign against Republican Bob Hugin, a former pharmaceutical executive. U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain speaks in support of Philadelphia Police to commanders and recruits at the Police Academy on Thursday, April 26, 2018. Read more The new U.S. attorney for Philadelphia spoke Wednesday to a room full of city police officers and commanders, expressing support for local law enforcement despite what he described as an atmosphere of criticism of cops across the country. "I respect you, I admire you, and I thank you," William McSwain said, earning a standing ovation from the crowd of several hundred uniformed officers. His appearance at the Police Academy in Northeast Philadelphia was McSwain's first public event since being confirmed as the top federal law enforcement officer in the region by the U.S. Senate last month. McSwain, formerly a prosecutor and attorney in private practice, told the officers that "some agenda-driven individuals want to highlight a more critical viewpoint" of police. Asked afterward, he said he was "not referring to anybody specifically. I was talking about more the climate right now that has been critical." During his speech, he highlighted several recent cases that federal prosecutors built with the help of Philadelphia police officers, covering areas such as drug enforcement and wire fraud, and said he hoped to continue having a productive relationship with the department. His appearance seemed to pass without controversy, a contrast from this winter, when District Attorney Larry Krasner visited the academy to speak with police recruits. After Krasner's remarks, the police union released a letter blasting his speech as "ridiculous and dangerous," saying he had delivered incorrect advice on how to use a firearm. Krasner's spokesman, meanwhile, called those assertions a "total lie" and later released video of the district attorney's speech, in which Krasner discussed the use of police weapons but said he would leave training decisions to the department. McSwain, who in the past had gained some notice defending conservative causes, seemed eager to avoid any strife. Speaking with reporters after his remarks, he declined to offer specific stances on topics such as safe injection sites or gun laws. As for Krasner, McSwain said that the two met several weeks ago and that "we are trying to find ways, if we can, to work together." The most beloved figure in the retrial of Bill Cosby, which ended in a conviction Thursday, may be a dog from the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office. Turks, a yellow Labrador retriever who has her own Twitter account, has helped comfort jurors and prosecution witnesses. One of the witnesses, Judith Regan, tweeted last week that the dog was the "best part of the Cosby trial." Cosby's chief accuser, Andrea Constand, also tweeted about Turks. Judge Steven T. O'Neill said Thursday morning he had brought the alternate jurors back from the hotel where they have been staying since deliberations started because they wanted to play with Turks. >> Read more: Bill Cosby jury deliberations continue into 2nd day O'Neill said he didn't want the alternates to feel forgotten. They got an hour of play time before being sent back to hotel. During the first week of the trial, O'Neill told jurors, "The court's comfort dog came to have a visit over lunch. I am expecting that we can continue to do that at breaks and the like. We have Sudoku, cryptogram and I really want to do the best that I can do make sure that we are comfortable." Turks joined the district attorney's office in 2014 to help reduce the stress and anxiety that crime victims and witnesses sometimes experience during court proceedings. The office collaborated with Canine Partners for Life, an agency in Chester County, to obtain Turks. Read the latest on the Cosby trial here. Keep up with every development with our day-by-day recaps, timeline, and explainer on everything you need to know about the case and its major players. Staff writers Jeremy Roebuck and Laura McCrystal contributed to this article. Joseph Michael Phillips, 85, of Philadelphia, a retired high school English teacher, James Joyce scholar, and the father of nine children, died Thursday, April 19, of complications from Lewy body dementia at the VNA Hospice in East Falls. Dr. Phillips lived in Lansdowne while raising his family and later moved to Center City. He was best known as an educator, as the head of the English department at Central High School and later, Thomas A. Edison High School, both in Philadelphia. Laurie Allen, a digital-scholarship librarian at the University of Pennsylvania Library, was in Dr. Phillips' senior advanced-placement English course at Central High in 1993-94. He required his students to memorize and recite the difficult General Prologue to Chaucer's Canterbury Tales in Middle English. The YouTube recording below breaks down the unfamiliar language: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXMypzdWxsc "If you're too shy to do it during class, you may find me in my office during office hours," Allen remembers Dr. Phillips telling the students. "He was a great teacher. He took his subject and his students really seriously. He could be sort of light, but he was also sort of terrifying. He loved the literature he taught and he expected his students to try to love it, too." Born in Philadelphia to Maryellen Lynch and John Phillips, Dr. Phillips had a difficult start. His father died when he was 3. His mother, who had five other children, sent him to Girard College, an orphanage and school that served fatherless boys. He spent the next decade living and studying at the school and when he graduated in 1950 was voted "most radical" member of his class. Dr. Phillips earned a bachelor's degree in philosophy from Villanova University in 1954, a master's degree in philosophy from the University of Pennsylvania in 1957, and a doctoral degree in English literature from Temple University in 1971. His doctoral thesis was an analysis of how modern scientific and philosophical concepts of space and time were used in James Joyce's final novel, Finnegans Wake. In 1955, Dr. Phillips married Bertha Ann Hughes, a nurse and political activist, with whom he had nine children. "He was a working-class intellectual," said his daughter Susan Phillips, a reporter at WHYY. "Although he spent most of his life exploring ideas of the mind, he could build anything, from a backyard deck to a swing set. Our home was full of books, our basement full of tools." He began teaching English at Central High School in 1959. By 1968, he had transferred to Edison High School, where an experimental "career academy" was underway. The pilot program, a brainchild of then-Deputy Mayor Charles Bowser, was intended to increase attendance, graduation rates, and employment rates among failing students. According to a 2014 study, Dr. Phillips was the first academic person to join the program. As head of Edison's English department, he became an important component, wrote study author Mark A. Thompson in his doctoral thesis in the Graduate College at the University of Nebraska. At the end of the first year, the academy's 25 students were attending school most of the time, participating in class, and learning a trade. Edison's successful model was replicated in the Philadelphia School District and across the nation, the study said. While at Edison, Dr. Phillips also taught English as an adjunct professor at La Salle College, now a university. He returned to Central High School as English department chair in 1986 and remained there until his retirement in 1995. Afterward, he continued to work as a consultant for Edison High School. For the last decade, Dr. Phillips had battled Lewy body dementia, an illness that resembles Parkinson's disease. Rathe Miller, a close friend for the last five years, said he spent hours learning about literature, theology, education, politics, and philosophy from Dr. Phillips. "I learned from him to drink my coffee black and keep my intellectual processes rigorous," said Miller. Dr. Phillips was proud to have met several famous public figures. In 1980, he served Jimmy Carter cookies and coffee while the president campaigned for reelection. The meeting took place in the Phillipses' backyard in Lansdowne. In 1989, President George H.W. Bush recognized him for excellence in teaching during a ceremony at the White House. Dr. Phillips and his wife divorced. She died in 2012. He married and divorced Judith Renyi, who survives. In addition to his daughter, he is survived by daughters Maryellen Stoykov, Monica Cook, Patricia Phillips-Batoma, Angela Phillips, and Rachel Phillips; sons Joseph Jr., Frank, and Al; 16 grandchildren; and a large extended family. A viewing starting at 9 a.m. Thursday, April 26, will be followed by a 10 a.m. Funeral Mass at Our Mother of Consolation Catholic Church, 9 E. Chestnut Hill Ave., Philadelphia. Burial is private. Like thousands of others in America, my family and I are political prisoners trapped by our legal system. We committed no crime, yet we received life sentences with no possibility of parole or reprieve. Thirty-seven years ago, Mumia Abu-Jamal murdered my husband, Officer Daniel Faulkner, by shooting him point-blank in the forehead as he lay unarmed and wounded on the sidewalk. Today we hear so many stories about innocent cops being murdered; they seem as common as reports of bad traffic accidents. Most law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty receive the tears, concern, honor, and thanks they deserve, only to fade away in the public's consciousness to become sociology statistics. On Monday, Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner will have to fight to keep Danny's guilty killer in prison. Mumia Abu-Jamal's attorneys will argue that past Philadelphia District Attorney Ron Castille violated Abu-Jamal's constitutional rights when, as a state Supreme Court justice, Castille chose not to recuse himself from involvement in the state Supreme Court's reviews of Abu-Jamal's many appeals in the 1990s. Because the appeals process can be skewed in favor of convicted killers, Abu-Jamal and dozens of other guilty criminals have been given a new tool with which to retroactively attempt to pick the lock on the courtroom door that leads to freedom. Gov. Wolf and Krasner have politicized the use of capital punishment and life sentences in Pennsylvania, so for all practical purposes, each of us who has lost a loved one to murder is a political prisoner. Politicians have taken away the hope we once had that our suffering might finally end when the person who murdered our loved one was put to death. Today, thousands of survivors in Pennsylvania endure endless cruel and unusual punishment in silence. Many haven't eaten or slept properly for decades, and some become physically or mentally ill due to the psychological suffering we endure. All of us must suffer frequent bag-over-the-head punches to the face that come in the form of unexpected and unending legal appeals, and we survive in a state of constant darkness, not unlike that experienced in solitary confinement; never knowing if the person who murdered our loved one will someday find a sympathetic district attorney or judge who will set him free due to a legal technicality. Despite the suffering I have endured, I still absolutely and unwaveringly support the death penalty in Pennsylvania and throughout the country as do nearly 70 percent of all Americans. There are many ugly secrets people against capital punishment don't want you to hear, among them that every time an appellate judge uses a legal technicality to overturn or reduce a death sentence to life in prison, he also imposes an emotional life sentence on the family and friends of the victim. >> Read more: My brother's killer was sentenced to death, but I hope he is allowed to live Now, my family and I must stop our lives to attend a hearing where a Philadelphia judge will decide if, back in the mid-1990s, Justice Castille should have had the foresight to see the possibility that the U.S. Supreme Court, more than 20 years later, might make a decision that suggests he should have considered recusing himself from a single case in which he had no significant involvement. If he prevails, Mumia Abu-Jamal will be permitted to set the legal clock back to 1995 and have his appeals re-reviewed by the current state Supreme Court. Given the current political environment, my family and I have grave concerns about how the judge might rule. We are asking Krasner to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the Faulkner family, as so many district attorneys have before, and oppose any efforts by Abu-Jamal and his attorneys to free a clearly guilty and properly convicted cop killer. We ask Krasner to set aside his desire for social and legal reconstruction and aggressively perform the duties of the job he swore to perform, and fight for all victims of murder and violent crime. If you agree, please call Krasner and respectfully advise him you expect the same thing. Maureen Faulkner is the wife of slain Philadelphia Police Officer Daniel Faulkner, who was killed in 1981 by Mumia Abu-Jamal. Dallas Officer Rogelio Santander died Wednesday from wounds he suffered in a Tuesday shooting. (Photo: Dallas PD) A Dallas police officer who was critically wounded in a shooting at a North Dallas Home Depot Tuesday has died. Officer Rogelio Santander, 27, died in an area hospital Wednesday morning, the Star-Telegram reports. Police say the other officer shot in the Tuesday incident, Crystal Almeida, is still in critical condition. She and a Home Depot employee also wounded in the incident are expected to survive. The shooting suspect, 29-year-old Armando Juarez of Dallas, was in a white pickup truck that led dozens of police cars on a chase speeding through neighborhoods, driving on sidewalks before he was apprehended around 9:10 p.m. Tuesday, police say. Juarez now faces a capital murder charge. Joseph James DeAngelo, 72, was arrested in Sacramento Tuesday and booked on two counts of murder. He is a suspect in at least 12 murders and 45 rapes dating back to the early 1970s. (Photo: Sacramento County SO) After four decades of dead ends, Sacramento law enforcement leaders announced Wednesday they arrested the man they believe was the East Area Rapist who killed and terrorized people in the 1970s and 1980s. Sacramento County District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert and Sheriff Scott Jones said they relied on DNA evidence to arrest Joseph James DeAngelo, 72, who lived for more than three decades on a quiet street in Citrus Heights. He was never considered a suspect until six days ago, the Sacramento Bee reports. The East Area Rapist, also known as the Golden State Killer, the Original Night Stalker and the Diamond Knot Killer, is believed to have killed at least 12 people, raped at least 45 victims and burglarized hundreds of homes. Nearly all of the rapes and homicides between 1976 and 1978 occurred in the Sacramento region, followed by rapes in the Bay Area and later homicides in Southern California. Investigators zeroed in on DeAngelo within the past six days, Schubert said. Between then and now, Sheriff's detectives conducted surveillance on DeAngelo to determine his habits and how he might react to an arrest, Jones said. Detectives arrested him Tuesday. They relied on a "discarded DNA sample," Schubert said, adding that she would not provide more DNA specifics at this time. An Iowa State Patrol trooper was seriously injured when he crashed his patrol vehicle while chasing a vehicle linked to several shooting incidents in eastern Nebraska and southwest Iowa. The trooper, identified by the Iowa State Patrol as Dillon Malone, was taken by medical helicopter to a hospital. Police said they didnt think the troopers injuries were life-threatening. Malone was listed in fair condition Thursday at Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. William Stanfill, 28, and Jacqueline Streich, 37, both of Bellevue, have been charged in Iowa with attempted murder of an officer, felony assault, felon in possession of a firearm, eluding, reckless driving and several traffic violations. They were ordered held on $1 million bail. Authorities said the pursuit got its origins in a road-rage shooting Tuesday afternoon in Bellevue, Omaha.com reports. An NYPD sergeant urged a Midtown Starbucks to stop giving free food to the homeless after dozens of disturbance calls at the location. But the coffeehouse, not far from the Port Authority Bus Terminal, ignored the warning and that same officer wound up being assaulted by a vagrant who was angry over the quality of his free croissant, the officer charges in a lawsuit. I warned that someone would end up getting hurt it was an unsafe environment. It turned out to be me, Sgt. Timothy Wall told The Post. And despite 80 disturbances involving vagrants at the store in 2017 alone, according to Walls suit, Starbucks says the officer has no one to blame but himself. Starbucks lawyers say Wall brought on his injuries through his own culpable conduct . . . and assumption of risk, according to response papers filed in February. OTTUMWA, Iowa The Iowa crop report says local crop planting has fallen behind, but behind is a matter of perspective. Mike Naig, Iowa secretary of agriculture, said the cold, wet weather of early April that lingered into mid April, challenges cow-calf producers and has made most fieldwork difficult. "Not much has been done, but the weather hasnt been conducive to do such," said Rebecca Vittetoe, Iowa State University Extension field agronomist last week. "But we need to keep perspective. Yes, we may be behind calendar-wise, but its just a later spring. Everybodys in that same boat with that. We could go to more perfect conditions within the month depending on Mother Nature." She said ISU recommends the soil temperature be at 50 degrees and warming for planting. "The weather forecast for the next couple of weeks looks mixed, so we are still likely a few weeks out from widespread spring fieldwork," Naig said. It is better to fall behind than to plant too soon and lose crop, according to Vittetoe. "We may be running behind slightly from last year, but things can change so quickly," said Mark Jackson, local farmer and previous Iowa Soybean Association director. "Farms can easily catch up with good, modern machinery and tools. And, of course, the ambition of a typical Iowa farmer." Both Jackson and Vittetoe said the possibility of rain would definitely help. The soil hasnt totally replenished, according to Vittetoe. Neither are too concerned with crops or livestock, stating it will only take a bit more hard work. Jackson agreed with Vittetoe that waiting, and setting a good crop, is best. "Not uncommon to have up to 50 percent sold before I even plant," Jackson said. "Same for most farmers. You can pretty well lock down your money stream up to a point." Soybeans dont usually get planted until late April, according to Jackson, but it is crunch time for corn planting. Once a warm enough week comes, local farmers can knock out their whole fields in a short time. While the calendar says local farmers are behind, Vittetoe said the weather just hasnt permitted planting yet. She said to keep an eye out in the next couple weeks for warmth and rain to allow the best planting conditions. In spite of the surprise snowfall last week, Minnesota breweries are releasing beers for the warmer weather we should have soon. While there arent a lot of styles associated with the end of winter and the renewal of life after the dead season, spring usually signals a move from dark, heavy beers to something lighter. I say its A-OK to drink any beer any time, but in the spirit of spring, Ive chosen beers you might enjoy as we move from a frozen climate to warmer weather. Eventually. Maybe. New Glarus Imperial Weizen Some may not like having to drive across the border for this beer, but I havent stopped thinking about it since I first had it in 2011 the last time it was brewed, as far as I know. And I make it my business to know these things, especially when it pertains to one of New Glarus best beers. In this case, the April release is full of the Hefeweizen staple of clove spice, dialed up with some cinnamon, nutmeg, citrus undertones, and a bubblegum flavor that remains throughout the experience. Its unlike anything youve probably had before and better for it. Its the best thing a cascade hop has ever been in. Summit Maibock This is the quintessential spring beer brewed in Minnesota. Summits Maibock brings together flavors of lightly toasted bread crust, a bit of honey, and a hint of spice thanks to the Czech Saaz hops used. Its an easy-drinking, smashable beer that has remained consistent for years. LTS Bock Bock Bock Not a lot of places make bocks. Its really sad. New Glarus Back 40 is the beer that really got me into the craft beer craze, and aside from the Wisconsin giant, only Indeed Brewing Co. out of Northeast Minneapolis has brewed anything close to it. Now LTS has a nice, local, third option. Like the other two, its not overly sweet, which some bocks can be, veering into dopplebock territory. This one is unique in that on top of its caramel base is an estery flavor of banana just a hint. Ill be "bock" for this one. Tin Whiskers Wheatstone Bridge One of Minnesotas best beers in terms of having a proper beginning, middle, and end, with a perfect mouthfeel. This wheat beer doesnt overdo it on the honey or chamomile tea, but has just enough to please. The jalapeno-infused version remains the favorite of my wife, my mother, and myself. The regular is editor Allisons favorite, so Im told. Fulton Lonely Blonde Easy to find, easy to quaff. The light base is perfect for warm weather. But dont let the color and style fool you. The German noble hops which are lovely, by the way give a subtle intensity so you know youre not drinking a macro lager. It leans a bit more on the sweet side, and is intensely underrated. Today is the 40th anniversary of when Bill Clinton, then the Attorney General of Arkansas, allegedly raped Juanita Broaddrick. Ms. Broaddrick noted the anniversary with a series of tweets that comprise a timeline of that days events. It starts innocuously: 2. On 4-25-78 at approx 8am, I called Bill Clintons campaign office. I was given another no. to call. He answered. Juanita Broaddrick (@atensnut) April 25, 2018 Things went South rather quickly: 7. After the coffee arrived, there was a knock on the door. I opened it and there stood Bill Clinton in sunglasses. I ushered him to the table and poured the coffee and began to talk about info I had brought. Juanita Broaddrick (@atensnut) April 25, 2018 Of course, Horndog Bill wasnt interested in the info she had brought: 9. As he pointed to it, he put his arm around my shoulder and I backed away. He then grabbed me and started kissing me. I was so startled and shocked. I told him NO!! Juanita Broaddrick (@atensnut) April 25, 2018 10. When I realized he was not taking No for an answer I began to screamthat is when he began to bite my upper lip every time I screamed. .then he shoved me backwards onto the bed Juanita Broaddrick (@atensnut) April 25, 2018 It gets worse from there. Ms. Broaddrick has told this story consistently and unwaveringly for decades. She concluded her Twitter series with this: As Bill Clinton begins his new book tour this month, I want EVERYONE to know Bill Clinton, 42nd President of the US, IS A RAPIST. Juanita Broaddrick (@atensnut) April 25, 2018 There were no witnesses. We can all draw our own conclusions. But I have always thought that she is telling the truth. Ms. Broaddrick spent the rest of the day responding to vicious personal attacks by Democrats (as she was when she allegedly was raped by Bill Clinton) on Twitter. The #MeToo movement has not been heard from. Bill Clinton has moved on. As the Democrats hero and most effective spokesman, he served two terms as President. In retirement, he has been a frequent guest on the Lolita Express. In the Democratic Party, it is no longer a liability to be named in newspaper headlines along with Under Age Sex Slaves. Had Clintons wife not been a uniquely inept presidential candidate, Bill Clinton would be living (occasionally, anyway) in the White House. The corruption of the Democratic Party continues apace. Candace Owens may have lit the fire that burns down the liberal order. Hyperbolic? No doubt. But one of Americas most respected conservatives emailed a couple of days ago: I think we have all had a big boost in our struggles by Kanye Wests outreach to Candace Owens (I see that John has already invited Candace to Minnesota a big coup!). Because of Wests influence in the culture and among blacks in particular, this is a huge development. In case you missed it Candace faced down Black Lives Matter and told them to stop whining about past injustices which didnt affect them. West tweeted, I love the way Candace Owens thinks. and all hell broke loose. It certainly did. But so far, at least, West has held firm. Today he tweeted: my MAGA hat is signed pic.twitter.com/DrDHJybS8V KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) April 25, 2018 You can imagine the meltdown on the left. Someone on Twitter invoked Chance the Rapper, who responded: As you would expect, President Trump has also been active on Twitter, hailing both Wests and Chances tweets. Why the disenchantment on the part of African-Americans? Another Kanye West tweet suggests part of the answer: Obama was in office for eight years and nothing in Chicago changed. KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) April 25, 2018 Are we witnessing the beginning of a historic crack-up on the Left? I dont know. One thing I will say for sure: if the Democrats think they are cementing their status among African-Americans by focusing their insane hatred on President Trump, they are deluded. The woman who sparked this upheaval, Candace Owens, tweeted this today: I WILL NOT ACCEPT THE NARRATIVE THAT BLACK PEOPLE ARE VICTIMS. VICTORS-ONLY CLUB. Candace Owens (@RealCandaceO) April 25, 2018 This is Owens challenge to the black community: do you want to be a victor or a victim? If you want to see the woman who ignited the current cultural moment in person, and you live within driving distance of the Twin Cities, you are in luck. Center of the American Experiment is hosting Candace at a lunch forum in downtown Minneapolis on May 8. We are expecting a sellout crowd; if you want to join us, go here to buy a ticket. High school and college age people are comped. Senate Democrats are holding up President Trumps nominees to a degree never witnessed before in my lifetime, and probably not in all of American history. In the first two years of the last six presidencies combined, going all the way back to President Carter, the Senate subjected nominees to a total of only 24 cloture votes. So far, less than half way through President Trumps second year, there have been 90 cloture votes. Majority Leader McConnell put flesh on these numbers: Its not just the high-profile nominations. Scores of unobjectionable choices for all kinds of posts have languished on the Senate calendar. It took months and months and several deadly accidents to persuade Senate Democrats to stop obstructing a fully-qualified nominee to lead the Federal Railroad Administration. Or take the example of district court judges. With only one exception, weve had to file cloture on every single district court nominee. It doesnt matter if every Democrat on the Judiciary Committee supports the nominee. It doesnt matter if every Democrat in the whole Senate supports the nominee. No matter what, our colleagues across the aisle are insisting on obstruction for no reason. No reason other than the Democrats desire to prevent the Trump administration from governing. What is to be done? Sen. James Lankford has presented a resolution that would cut post-cloture debate for most executive branch nominees from 30 hours to just eight. It passed the Senate Rules and Administration Committee on a 10-9 straight party line vote. Unfortunately, it seems destined to fail in the Senate. It would require a nuclear option to make this rule change. Sen. Susan Collins is highly unlikely to buy in. With Sen. John McCain absent (and who knows how he would vote if present), the votes almost certainly will not be there. But never fear, Amy Klobuchar is on the case. She is working with Sen. Roy Blunt to find a bipartisan solution to the gridlock. Says Klobuchar, Its a big job, but I think were up for it. In the unlikely event that Klobuchar ever tires of politics, she should turn to stand-up comedy. The real solution is for Majority Leader McConnell to start making the Senate work a full week, including weekends. If Susan Collins and the Democrats want 30 hours of debate for district court judges and sub-cabinet nominees, then make the time for it. Dont let Senators work only three days. Dont let vulnerable Democratic Senators go home to campaign. When McConnell threatened to keep the Senate in session a few weeks ago, the Democrats caved and six nominees were confirmed. But the Majority Leader has not repeated this tactic. Thus, confirmation continues at a snails pace. Its fine for McConnell to rail against Democratic obstruction, but unless he takes measures to combat it that are within his power, he will become a part of the problem. Another travel day for me today and tomorrow, but there are several short news items worthy of note: William F. Buckley Jr once remarked to the effect that liberalism is the impulse to reach in and turn down your shower. Well: This Eco-Warrior Shower Curtain Forces You to Get Out of the Shower After 4 Minutes London-based artist Elisabeth Buecher, the designer of the inflatable curtains, explains the reasoning behind the design: I looked at the environmental issue of excessive water consumption. I designed a series of water-saving shower curtains which inflate after four minutes spent under the water, taking over the space and discouraging long water-wasting showers. With this fun, but impactful design, she hopes to bring a broader awareness to the public about issues of water consumption. Shall we call her Frau Buecher perhaps? (Insert horse whinny here.) Heres what this contraption looks likebut how long until metal spikes are made mandatory by the burnabout bureaucrats in Brussels? Ive written previously that French President Emmanuel Macron might be more interesting and possibly sound than we first thoughtcertainly hes better than Frau Merkel. (Insert horse whinny here.) While we await a verdict on this, heres one small sign of creeping sanity in France: For decades, France has been fighting a fruitless battle to ban English loan words from the mother tongue. Now the country has turned its obsession with language purity to vegan products. The parliament approved a ban last week on borrowing terminology from animal products to market foods not made of animals, like vegetarian sausage apparently because they confuse shoppers into thinking that soy milk, for instance, is really milk milk. It is important to combat false claims, tweeted National Assembly member Jean Baptiste-Moreau, who proposed the ban, in French. Our products must be designated correctly: the terms of #cheese or #steak will be reserved for products of animal origin. Viva la France! Gotta run. Theyre boarding my flight. The Supreme Court heard oral argument today on President Trumps proposed ban on travel to the United States from a handful of countries nearly all of which happen to be predominantly Muslim. Things went considerably better for the attorney defending the travel ban (Solicitor General Noel Francisco) than for the attorney challenging it (Neal Katyal). The New York Times account is here. This is the report of ScotusBlogs Amy Howe. This is the transcript of the argument. Its worth reading. In the Times view, the Courts five-member conservative majority signal[ed] it was ready to approve a revised version of the presidents plan. Howe reports that the travel ban seems likely to survive [the] Supreme Courts review. Opponents of the ban were hoping that Chief Justice Roberts and/or Justice Kennedy would join the courts four-member liberal wing to strike it down. This is still possible. However, neither Justice seemed receptive to Katyals arguments against the ban. Chief Justice Roberts was all over Katyal early and often with skeptical and politely hostile questions. Kennedy was less involved, but nearly all of his questions were adverse to Katyals position. Even Justice Kagan seemed troubled by aspects of Katyals argument. Kagan noted that the presidents order highlighted important national security concerns. She then asked how the Supreme Court is supposed to determine the legality of the presidents order without evaluating these national-security concerns. Kagan seemed uncomfortable with the Court engaging in such evaluation. Kennedy did too. They should be. Evaluating security concerns is a role far better suited to the executive branch than to the courts. Im not predicting the government will gain Justice Kagans vote. However, Howe reminds us that when the justices granted the governments request last December to enforce the full set of restrictions in the current incarnation of the travel ban while its appeals moved forward, only two justices Ginsburg and Sotomayor publicly disagreed with that decision. Howe concludes: We have yet to ascertain the source of the counterintelligence investigation that culminated in the Mueller Switch Project. Andrew McCarthy and Lee Smith are the two analysts who have both refused to disseminate the carefully cultivated stories of the Obama/Clinton apparatus and provided their own invaluable analysis to the proceedings. Today Lee Smith complicates my understanding of the Steele Dossier in the intensely reported RealClearInvestigations column Unpacking the other Clinton-linked dossier. Lee has obtained the dossier of Clinton operative Cody Shearer that appears to have been fed to the FBI via the Obama State Department and Christopher Steele. Here let me just pull two quotes from this long piece. Quote 1: Shearer tried to drum up interest in the collusion narrative but no one in the press was biting. No one was willing to sink time and prestige on material sourced to unnamed Russian intelligence officials that was provided by a Clinton political operative whose partner, Sidney Blumenthal, had an even more controversial reputation. But it would be different if it came from someone else, an intelligence operative whose American handlers worked up a suitable legend of his exploits in a glamorous, allied clandestine service, and his deep knowledge of all things Russian. So what did it matter if Steele had become an executive in a corporate intelligence firm whose official cover had been blown a decade before and who hadnt been to Russia in years? The byline of a former MI6 agent could credential a compendium of unsubstantiated rumors when the names of Clinton confederates Cody Shearer and Sidney Blumenthal could not. Quote 2: If it seems strange that many of the media figures attacking Trump for his ostensibly pro-Putin positions have signed up to attack an anti-Putin activist like [Bill] Browder [the object of one of Glenn Simpsons projects], one explanation is that they are longtime associates of Glenn Simpson and the recipients of Fusion GPS tips and leaks. Do read the whole thing when you can. It is must reading. Przepraszamy! Ogoszenie na stanowisku: Senior MSSQL Database Administrator wygaso z dniem 2018-05-12 Ta propozycja bya zozona przez Luxoft Mozliwe przyczyny wygasniecia ogoszenia to: propozycja zamieszczona przez pracodawce zostaa usunieta z naszych zasobow ogoszeniodawca zakonczy proces rekrutacji uzyskujac odpowiednia ilosc zgoszen zleceniodawca zmodyfikowa tresc zlecenia i jest ono dostepne pod innym adresem url dostawca tresci usuna ogoszenie z bazy danych niewasciwy adres WWW ogoszenia Jezeli poszukujesz pracy w branzy Informatyka / Telekomunikacja, zajrzyj tutaj: Praca Informatyka / Telekomunikacja Jezeli poszukujesz pracy na stanowisku Senior MSSQL Database Administrator, zajrzyj tutaj: Praca Senior MSSQL Database Administrator Jezeli poszukujesz pracy w miescie: Wroclaw, zajrzyj tutaj: Praca Wroclaw Pamietaj, ze mozesz takze rozpoczac poszukiwanie pracy od strony gownej, kliknij tutaj. Inne propozycje, ktore mogy byc w kregu Twoich zainteresowan: PUNE, India, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The report "Alumina Trihydrate Market by Application (Flame Retardant, Filler, Antacid), End-Use Industry (Plastics, Building & Construction, Paints & Coatings, Pharmaceuticals, Glass, Rubber), and Region (APAC, North America, Europe, MEA) - Global Forecast to 2023", published by MarketsandMarkets, the global alumina trihydrate (ATH) market is projected to grow from USD 1.51 Billion in 2018 to USD 1.99 Billion by 2023, at a CAGR of 5.7% from 2018 to 2023. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/660509/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg ) Browse 111 market data Tables and 46 Figures spread through 135 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Alumina Trihydrate Market" https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/alumina-trihydrate-market-80048766.html Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report The growth of the Alumina Trihydrate Market is driven by the rising demand for alumina trihydrate as a flame retardant or filler from the plastics, building & construction, and other end-use industries and increasing regulations related to fire safety. Get PDF Brochure @ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownload.asp?id=80048766 The flame retardant application segment is estimated to account for the largest share of the Alumina Trihydrate Market in 2018. Based on application, the flame retardant segment is estimated to account for the largest share of the Alumina Trihydrate Market in 2018. The growth of this segment can be attributed to the increasing regulations of flame retardant across the world in plastics, building & construction, and other industries. The plastics segment is estimated to be the fastest-growing end-use industry segment of the Alumina Trihydrate Market during the forecast period. Based on end-use industry, the plastics segment is expected to grow at the highest rate due to the growing demand from emerging economies of the Asia Pacific and Europe. Alumina trihydrate is very effective in flame retardant and filler applications. Alumina trihydrate is used in thermosets and plastics applications. Asia Pacific is expected to lead the Alumina Trihydrate Market during the forecast period. China is the largest market for alumina trihydrate in the Asia Pacific region, in 2018. The growth of the plastics and building & construction industries is expected to be the key growth factor for the Alumina Trihydrate Market in the Asia Pacific region. The growing consumption of flame retardant in China is also leading to the growth of the Alumina Trihydrate Market in the country. The increased demand for cost-effective flame retardant and filler is another factor fueling the consumption of alumina trihydrate in China. China is the largest consumer of alumina trihydrate in the Asia Pacific region. Key players in the Alumina Trihydrate Market include Albemarle Corporation (US), Nabaltec AG (Germany), Huber Engineered Materials (US), and LKAB Minerals AB (Sweden), among others. Know more about Alumina Trihydrate Market: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/alumina-trihydrate-market-80048766.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, "Knowledge Store" 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/chemical Connect with us on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsandmarkets SOURCE MarketsandMarkets NEW DELHI, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Tata Realty and Infrastructure Limited (TRIL) commissioned BrandBerry Marcom to stage shoots for a coffee table book, a powerful piece of work covering Ramanujan IT Park's architectural splendor. If there's one thing that BrandBerry has learnt over several years of producing coffee table books like the one it's doing for Tata Ramanujan IT Park, Chennai, it's that the first impressions of an area can be deceiving. "I was first drawn to the concrete," said Aayushi Jain, BrandBerry's creative director. "But, it wasn't long before I began seeing a much bigger picture that is being reflected in our book for Tata Realty and Infrastructure Limited (TRIL)." "These are not just pictures of an information technology park. This is a book I know people will take pride in holding as an example of the diversity of the Tata Ramanujan IT Park," added Aayushi. 'Beyond Infinity' is a well-researched, over-sized and sturdy tome with glossy pages overflowing with color photos, and extensive 2D and low poly graphics for artwork. The book is broken into sections including infrastructure, sustainability and amenities, and they cut a wide swathe of TRIL's infrastructural prowess, technological richness, approach to luxury and everything in between. So what does the book tell about TRIL? It looks at Tata Realty's innovation at a moment in time - celebrates its multifaceted, futuristic aura and introduces to their tenants whose technologies and products are prompting the world to sit up and take notice. A flagship project of Tata Realty and Infrastructure Limited (TRIL), Ramanujan IT City has many firsts to its credit: the first in India to receive quality certification from Bureau Veritas Quality International (BVQI) for energy management, the first special economic zone to be developed using the 'alliance approach', and the first such tribute to mathematical genius Srinivas Ramanujan. Spread over 25.27 acres, it is strategically located at the heart of Chennai's Southern business district at Taramani - the gateway to the city's rapidly developing IT Corridor. Currently, six towers, Hardy, Carr, Neville, Littlewood, Cambridge and Infinity are fully occupied and operational by some of the top companies of the world including Amazon, Infosys, Mindtree, AstraZeneca, Cisco, Wipro, Wolters Kluwer, Philips, etc. The book will be ready to adorn coffee tables later this week. Whether the onlookers spend hours diving into the details or a couple of minutes flicking through its 30 glorious pages, 'Beyond Infinity' will leave them with a powerful impression of TRIL. About BrandBerry: BrandBerry Marcom is a full-service advertising and marcom agency based out of Delhi, focused at providing turnkey advertising and digital marketing solutions to a global portfolio of clients. For more information, visit: http://www.brandberrymarcom.com/ Aayushi's also open to specific suggestions on photo subjects for the coffee table book. She can be reached by email: [email protected] . Sales enquiries should be directed to [email protected] . Media Contact: Aayushi Jain [email protected] +91-9654591813 BrandBerry Marcom Pvt. Ltd. . SOURCE BrandBerry Marcom Pvt. Ltd. AHMEDABAD, India, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- CIGNEX Datamatics recently got recognized with Great Place to Work certification by the Great Place to Work Institute for the period of March-2018 to February-2019. This is for the second consecutive year that CIGNEX Datamatics has successfully bagged the certification. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/682196/CIGNEX_Datamatics_Logo.jpg ) Every year 8000+ companies from 20+ diverse industries participate in the rigorous assessment. During the audit, the Great Place to Work Institute surveys the employees, evaluates the cultural briefs and analyses the Trust Index score of all participating organizations. Based on this Trust Index score organizations are then recognized with the certification. CIGNEX Datamatics met all the thresholds on the pre-defined parameters and stands amongst the few who have earned this recognition. Speaking on this achievement, Vidur Bhogilal, Chairman, CIGNEX Datamatics said, "We are extremely proud to receive this recognition as it is a testament of the strong culture we have built over the years. Our culture promotes growth, leadership and teamwork where every team member gets an opportunity to contribute and is an equal stakeholder in the success of the organization. We congratulate and thank everyone on this achievement." Receiving this certification showcases CIGNEX Datamatics' dedication towards creating a great workplace by winning its employees' trust. Strong focus on employee engagement, talent management, company-wide transparency, and open communication has led them to this achievement. Apart from this, CIGNEX Datamatics has also been felicitated on various platforms with industry awards like 'Design Thinking organization of the year', 'Best Employee Reward & Recognition Strategy' and 'Best Employer of the year' in the CY2018. About Great Place to Work Institute Great Place to Work Institute is a global research, consulting and training firm that helps organizations identify, create and sustain great workplaces through the development of high-trust workplace cultures. The institute serves businesses, non-profits and government agencies in over 52 countries on all six continents and has conducted pioneering research on the characteristics of great workplaces for over 25 years. Every year, they partner with more than 8000 organizations around the world to help create and sustain a High-Trust, High-Performance Culture. About CIGNEX Datamatics CIGNEX Datamatics, a subsidiary of Datamatics Global Services Ltd., is a Michigan-based global consulting company offering solutions, services and platforms in Open Source, Cloud and Automation. Since 2000, CIGNEX Datamatics has been delivering enterprise class solutions using leading platforms and tools that integrate with existing systems to achieve unparalleled results. Find out more at http://www.cignex.com. Media Contact : Priyanka Sharma [email protected] +91-79-6701-0345 Marketing Manager CIGNEX Datamatics, Inc. SOURCE CIGNEX Datamatics Technologies Pvt Ltd 1. We, as managers of airports and OTAs, attended Dali Forum on April 26 in Dali where the building of a new type of aviation hubs in the future was discussed. 2. We recognize that the air transport industry, under the circumstance of The New Normal, still maintains steady growth with each economic indicator demonstrating a sound trend. 3. We recognize that the domestic air travel needs are robust, the throughput of airports maintains high growth, and air travel has become increasingly popular among the public. 4. We recognize that the imbalance between the demand and supply of the domestic aviation industry has become increasingly prominent, and we face a common challenge of striking a fine balance between safety and development, between safety and benefits, and between safety and normal operations. 5. We recognize that initiatives, including "Sincere Service" and "Building of Civil Aviation Service Quality System", carried out by the Civil Aviation Administration of China are aimed at driving the high quality development of the aviation industry, encouraging and promoting the application of new technologies and service innovation, and improving the public's satisfaction and sense of gain towards aviation services. 6. We recognize that under current circumstances, there is a common need and urgent desire among airports of different regions to cooperate on matters including cross-airlines transfer service and information sharing, which is an integral part of the building of a new type of aviation hub and also conducive to building groups of airports with clearly-defined functions as well as convenient national flight route network. 7. We recognize that the development level of domestic airports across different regions of China is imbalanced and these airports urgently need to strengthen their cooperation so as to continuously improve their operating efficiency and customer satisfaction. 8. We recognize that if Chinese airports set up harmonized cooperation standards, work together to improve their traveler service quality, and enhance traveler's experience, they, despite the limited resources, will be able to help more travelers access to civil aviation services, resolve the pain points in interlining among different airlines, and improve the airlines' load factor. 9. The Dali Declaration is agreed upon at this conference and the attending managers are committed to the following goals: 1 Promoting the application of new technologies, improving the standards for ground passenger and baggage service 1.1 Accelerating the building of fast customs clearance facilities at airports. Clear customs with e-boarding pass by 2019 and clear customs with documents by 2020. 1.2 Enhancing airports' capability to track baggage. Help more airlines to meet the requirements of IATA Resolution 753 in 2018 and realize the tracking of baggage status. 1.3 Improving the baggage transport efficiency of airports. Make sure the baggage transport time of connecting passengers meets the airports' MCT requirements and the baggage arrives when the passengers land at the airport. 2 Driving the formulation of cross-airlines transfer (CAT) standards 2.1 Driving the sharing of CAT data. 2.2 Supporting the through-check of baggage when a traveler makes cross-airlines transfer. 2.3 Supporting travelers who need to make a cross-airlines transfer to print their boarding pass at the previous airport. 2.4 Providing travelers who make cross-airlines transfer with assistance during the process. 2.5 Shortening the minimum connecting time (MCT) of airports. 3 Developing value-added aviation service products All parties will, through data sharing, wok together to develop the following value-added aviation service products and set up a value-added aviation service products network: 4 Sharing and mutual access 4.1 Commit to improve the aviation service quality, promote and manage the application of new technologies and service innovation, and encourage the sharing of resources with industry counterparts. 4.2 Commit to enhance the airport's utilization efficiency and the building of regional hubs, strengthen synergy and encourage mutual access. Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20180426/2116090-1 SOURCE ChinaAviationDaily.com PUNE, India, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a new market research report "Enterprise File Synchronization and Sharing (EFSS) Market by Component (Standalone EFSS Solution, Integrated EFSS Solution, & Services), Deployment Type (Cloud & On-Premises), Organization Size, Industry Vertical, and Region - Global Forecast to 2023", published by MarketsandMarkets, the global market size is expected to grow from USD 3.35 Billion in 2018 to USD 10.94 Billion by 2023, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 26.7% during the forecast period. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/660509/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg ) Browse 70 market data Tables and 41 Figures spread through 165 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Enterprise File Synchronization and Sharing (EFSS) Market" https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/enterprise-file-sharing-and-synchronization-market-149308334.html Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report The growing digital workplace and mobile workforce, the emphasis of businesses on the security aspects of the corporate data, and stringent government compliances and regulations are some of the major factors driving the EFSS market. The integrated EFSS solution segment is expected to hold the larger market size during the forecast period. Among components, the integrated EFSS solution segment is expected to hold the larger market size during the forecast period. This growth can be attributed to the widespread adoption of integrated EFSS solutions among enterprises. With the advent of technologies and digital transformation trends, businesses focus more on workforce collaboration and productivity. Hence, companies prefer deploying EFSS solutions with other third-party business applications, such as Enterprise Content Management (ECM), Microsoft office, and information rights management. Inquiry Before Buying @ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_Buying.asp?id=149308334 The cloud deployment type is expected to grow at the faster rate during the forecast period. Under deployment types, the cloud deployment type is expected to hold the larger market size, and is also expected to grow at a higher CAGR during the forecast period. The adoption rate of the cloud deployment type is said to be on a rise, due to its wide range of features and functionalities, such as reliability, speed in accessing information, pay-per-usage models, and lower operational costs. Owing to initial investments and maintenance hassles in the on-premises deployment type, businesses are rapidly switching to the cloud deployment type. The healthcare industry vertical is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. The healthcare industry vertical is expected to be the largest-growing industry vertical in the EFSS market. The use of mobile devices among patients, doctors, nurses, and other supporting staff has increased across the globe. Moreover, organizations in the healthcare industry vertical are required to adhere to Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulations for data sharing and storage. These factors would drive the adoption of EFSS solutions in this industry vertical. North America is expected to hold the largest market size, while Asia Pacific (APAC) to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Among regions, North America is expected to have the largest size in the Enterprise File Synchronization and Sharing (EFSS) Market during the forecast period, followed by the European region. The North American region is receptive toward adopting EFSS solutions within organizations to safeguard its content from piracy and data breaches, web and network threat security, cyberattacks, and severe data losses. The Asia Pacific (APAC) region is expected to register strong growth in the coming years, as organizations in this region are expected to adopt EFSS solutions to meet their respective government regulations and the demands of dynamic mobile workforce. Traditional and the emerging vendors in the EFSS market include Dropbox (US), Microsoft (US), Box (US), Citrix Systems (US), Syncplicity by Axway (US), Egnyte (US), BlackBerry (Canada), IBM Aspera (US), VMware (US), Google (US), Acronis International (Switzerland), OpenText (Canada), Thru. Inc. (US), Accellion (US), j2 Global (SugarSync) (US), SkySync (US), HighQ Solutions (UK), Nextcloud (Germany), ownCloud (Germany), CodeLathe (FileCloud) (US), Intralinks (US), Qnext Corp. (FileFlex) (Canada), XMedius Solutions (Canada), Inspire-Tech (Singapore/US), Northbridge Secure Systems (Australia), MyWorkDrive by Wanpath LLC (US), and CTERA Networks (Israel/US). Know more about the Enterprise File Synchronization and Sharing (EFSS) Market: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/enterprise-file-sharing-and-synchronization-market-149308334.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, "Knowledge Store" 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/telecom-it Connect with us on LinkedIn @ http://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsandmarkets SOURCE MarketsandMarkets Endpoint management provider, FileWave, announces release of version 12.8 with full support for iOS 11.3, tvOS 11.3, and macOS 10.13.4 WIL, Switzerland, Apr, 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- FileWave, a global leader in multi-platform endpoint management, announced today its release of FileWave 12.8, featuring full support for Apple's latest operating systems. Although FileWave was compatible with iOS 11.3, tvOS 11.3, and macOS 10.13.4 upon their release, version 12.8 adds support for the new features introduced in these Apple updates. Notable features of FileWave 12.8 include: Administrator controlled timing and versioning of OS updates New DEP profile options for a customized user experience Expanded MDM commands Various profile changes, including Autonomous Single App Mode and Content Caching The new features found in version 12.8 enable IT administrators to better manage their Apple devices using the same management solution and interface that is used to manage their Windows and Chrome devices. A complete breakdown of the new features, including a video overview, is available at https://www.filewave.com/the-news/filewave-12-8. "We're excited to follow up on our zero-day support for the Apple spring release with added support for all of the new features," said Tim Williams, VP Global Marketing and Product Strategy at FileWave. "We have a 25-year tradition of the most robust support for Apple technologies, which is rare in a multi-platform solution. With the recent end-of-life announcement for LANrev, we are just about the only multi-platform option on the market." Williams, who spent more than seven years with LANrev, added that "the many former LANrev team members who've joined FileWave look forward to reconnecting with our customers." ABOUT FILEWAVE A pioneer in Multi-platform Endpoint Management, FileWave was founded in 1992. Offering a single management solution for apps, devices, and configurations for Mac, Windows, and mobile, FileWave gives IT the ability to proactively and automatically provision and maintain every device. FileWave makes multi-platform endpoint management simple. To learn more about FileWave, or to begin a free trial, visit https://www.filewave.com. Contact Information Jason Noel FileWave (888) 345-3928 [email protected] Related Links http://www.filewave.com SOURCE FileWave PUNE, India, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The report "Green Tires Market by Vehicle Type (Passenger Cars, Light Commercial Vehicle), Application (On-Road, and Off-Road), and Region (North America, Asia-Pacific, Europe, South America, and Middle East & Africa) - Global Forecast to 2022", published by MarketsandMarkets, the market is expected to reach USD 104.23 Billion by 2022. The Green Tires Market is estimated to be USD 62.68 Billion in 2017 and is projected to reach USD 104.23 Billion by 2022, at a CAGR of 10.7% from 2017 to 2022. This growth can be attributed to the increased demand for green tires for use in passenger cars and light commercial vehicles across the globe. Apart from low rolling resistance, these tires also provide greater fuel efficiency. In addition, the increasing environmental initiatives by governments of various countries and increased stress on fuel efficiency is further anticipated to fuel the consumption of the Green Tires Market. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/660509/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg ) Browse 69 market data Tables and 30 Figures spread through 106 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Green Tires Market" https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/green-tires-market-100595227.html Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report The passenger cars segment is the fastest-growing vehicle type segment of the Green Tires Market. Based on vehicle type, the passenger cars segment of the Green Tires Market is projected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Passenger cars lead the automotive production across the globe. The use of green tires in passenger cars has garnered industry-wide acceptance for the former's performance and general characteristics. In recent years, automotive manufacturers have been focusing on enhancing the overall fuel efficiency of vehicles, which, in turn, has created the demand for fuel-efficient tires. Get PDF Brochure @ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownload.asp?id=100595227 On-road application segment accounted for the largest share of the Green Tires Market in 2016. Based on application, the on-road application segment accounted for the largest share of the Green Tires Market in 2016. On-road vehicles include passenger cars, LCVs, and trucks, which run on roads to transport passengers and goods from one place to another. The demand for on-road vehicles, such as passenger cars and LCVs is on the rise and is expected to drive the on-road application segment of the Green Tires Market. Europe is the largest market for green tires. The European region is estimated to be the largest market for green tires, in terms of volume, in 2017. Germany is a key consumer of green tires in the European region. The increased use of green tires in passenger vehicles in the region has contributed to the growth of the Europe Green Tires Market. New product launches & developments and expansions are the key growth strategies adopted by the leading manufacturers of green tires in the European region. Bridgestone (Japan), Goodyear Tire and Rubber (US), Michelin (France), Continental (Germany), and Hankook (South Korea) are the key players operating in the Green Tires Market. Know more about Green Tires Market: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/green-tires-market-100595227.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, "Knowledge Store" 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/chemical Connect with us on LinkedIn @ http://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsandmarkets SOURCE MarketsandMarkets PUNE, India, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The report "Indoor Farming Technology Market by Growing System (Hydroponics, Aeroponics, Aquaponics, Soil-based, Hybrid), Facility Type, Component, Crop Type (Fruits & Vegetables, Herbs & Microgreens, Flowers & Ornamentals), and Region - Global Forecast to 2022", published by MarketsandMarkets, the market was valued at 25.40 Billion in 2017, and is projected to reach USD 40.25 Billion by 2022, at a CAGR of 9.65%. Indoor farming uses different growing systems and structures, from urban and small-scale farming to highly controlled and semi-automated systems; this results in the production of more than three-fold yield as compared to traditional farming, within the same area of land. One of the major factors driving the growth of the Indoor Farming Technology Market is the lesser impact of changing weather conditions. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/660509/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg ) Browse 75 market data Tables and 37 Figures spread through 150 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Indoor Farming Technology Market" https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/indoor-farming-technology-market-40175861.html Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report Hydroponics segment dominated the market with the largest share in 2017. Hydroponics technology offers several benefits such as no use of soil and low cost of water, as the water remains in the system and can be reused. The nutrition levels can entirely be controlled, resulting in lower nutrient cost with stable and high yield. In addition, hydroponically grown plants generally have a higher yield than similar plants cultivated in soil because of the higher control over nutrients. Due to these benefits, the hydroponics segment occupied the largest share in 2017. Ask for PDF Brochure @ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownload.asp?id=40175861 The indoor vertical farms segment is projected to grow at the highest rate during the forecast period. Indoor vertical farms are fully enclosed and opaque rooms that make use of artificial lights and consist of vertical growing systems such as hydroponics, aeroponics, or aquaponics. Indoor vertical farming cultivates crops in vertically stacked layers such as skyscrapers, used warehouses, or shipping containers. In this technique, all environmental factors can be controlled within the enclosed structure by utilizing artificial lights, environmental control systems, irrigation, and fertigation systems. Hence, this facility type is projected to grow at the highest rate during the forecast period. The European region is estimated to dominate the market in 2017, while the Asia Pacific region is projected to grow at the highest rate during the forecast period. The European region accounted for the largest share owing to unfavorable weather conditions that hinder year-round crop production. In addition, players such as Philips Lighting (Netherlands), Logiqs (Netherlands), Richel Group (France), and agrilution (Germany) are driving the Indoor Farming Technology Market growth in this region. The Asia Pacific region is projected to grow at the highest rate, as the demand for indoor farming technology has been increasing in this region, due to rise in investment of overseas business lines in agricultural operations to exclusively meet the demands of the crop growers to attain export-quality crops. This report includes a study of the marketing and development strategies, along with the product portfolios of leading companies. It also includes the profiles of leading companies such as Philips Lighting (Netherlands), Netafim (Israel), Argus Controls Systems (Canada), EVERLIGHT Electronics (Taiwan), and LumiGrow (US). Know more about the Indoor Farming Technology Market https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/indoor-farming-technology-market-40175861.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, "Knowledge Store" 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/agriculture-industry Connect with us on LinkedIn @ http://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsandmarkets SOURCE MarketsandMarkets Frost & Sullivan finds the rise of smart pumps and new IIoT business models are among trends creating growth opportunities SANTA CLARA, California, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The North American centrifugal pumps market is witnessing a renaissance with the adoption of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), digitization, and next-gen prognosis offering significant growth opportunities and paving the way for smart pumps. The Industrial Automation and Process Control team at Frost & Sullivan expects to see a focus on developing energy-efficient solutions and analytical strategies to cater to end-users' demand for actionable insights. Frost & Sullivan's recent analysis, North American Centrifugal Pumps Market, Forecast to 2024, reveals growth opportunities, innovations, industry challenges, disruptive trends, companies to action, market leaders, and revenues across key sectors such as single-state pumps, multi-stage pumps, axial and mixed pumps, submersible pumps, and sealless and circulator pumps. For further information on this analysis, please visit: http://frost.ly/2fl "As most end-user industries are highly competitive while operating with low margins, companies require performance excellence and cost efficiencies from their equipment. To meet this demand, pump manufacturers must integrate IIoT technologies, such as sensors, remote monitoring, predictive analytics, and next-gen prognostics, into their processes to control costs and improve efficiency," said Anand M Gnanamoorthy, Industrial Automation and Process Control Senior Industry Analyst at Frost & Sullivan. Key trends leading to new growth opportunities include: The North American centrifugal pump market growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.2 percent from 2017 to 2024; Rise of new IIoT business models such as gain sharing, pay-per-use, and product-as-a-service; Investment in new facilities and expansions in water and wastewater, oil and gas, and chemical industries; Growing demand for centrifugal pumps across end-user industries; Recovery of realty and construction market; and Rise in replacement and servicing market. "Market growth is being interrupted by pump manufacturer cost pressures, end-user price sensitivity, threats from alternative technologies such as positive displacement pumps, and low-cost products from other regions," noted Gnanamoorthy. North American Centrifugal Pumps Market, Forecast to 2024 is part of Frost & Sullivan's global Industrial Automation & Process Control Growth Partnership Service program. About Frost & Sullivan Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, works in collaboration with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that will make or break today's market participants. For more than 50 years, we have been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector and the investment community. Contact us: Start the discussion North American Centrifugal Pumps Market, Forecast to 2024 K228_10 Contact: Jaylon Brinkley Corporate Communications P: 1.210.247.2481 E: [email protected] http://ww2.frost.com Related Links http://www.frost.com SOURCE Frost & Sullivan Recently in Vietnam, the largest ICO scam in history was recorded as some 32,000 investors lost a total of over $660 million USD for the Modern Tech exit scam. In related news, three of the co-founders of the Centra ICO, a well-known project with celebrity backing, have been charged with fraud. According to market research organization Token Data, among the 902 ICOs conducted last year, 276 or over 30%, failed to reach commercialization after achieving their investment goals. ESC LOCK was created to address these issues in the ICO market where investors lack protection. ESC LOCK only deposits the investment to the ICO company if certain required conditions are met. If these conditions are not met in full, the investment is returned to the investor, minimizing investor loss. Conditions for deposit of the investment to the ICO company are 1. being listed on an exchange 6 months after the ICO, 2. maintaining a fixed price 1 month after listing, 3. and achieving over 50% of the escrow amount through a standard ICO. The exchanges where the listings are recognized are limited to the top 30 Korean and foreign exchanges established by the ESC LOCK review committee. In addition to the basic conditions listed above, investors can set further options such as development and business progress to further secure their investments. As Ethereum (ETH) is predominantly used for ICO investments, the Korea M&A Center will immediately convert the invested ETH into cash and deposit it into a bank escrow account to eliminate the risks and damages of price fluctuation. This structure allows investors to receive a return on the amount of ETH invested even if the ICO fails or the price drops after listing. In addition, the opportunity to participate in ESC LOCK is only granted to select ICO companies that have completed a strict pre-verification process by the ESC LOCK review committee, so investors are provided with a safe investment opportunity and do not have to worry about choosing a proper ICO to invest in. From the perspective of ICO companies, ESC LOCK has a number of benefits. First, with the secure investor protection devices in place, it is easier to raise investment funds because investors can rely on the ICO company. In addition, it is also possible to stabilize prices by distributing the amount of cryptocurrency open to the market after being listed, and to immediately raise additional funds when successful development or business is completed. The structural stability of ESC LOCK makes it highly attractive to companies and funds that have previously been hesitant about participating in the ICO market. The investment base is expected to expand to the general public, those with no ICO investment experience, by providing a foundation for the entire market where scam companies cannot enter. ESC LOCK is not only able to fundamentally prevent scam ICOs that have been spreading recently, but is also structured so that the immediately escrowed full investment amounts are refunded if a problem occurs. The Korean M&A center will hold a public briefing session on May 10th at the Dongjak Art Hall near Seoul Station in Seoul, Korea to officially launch ESC LOCK as the world's first ICO scam prevention model both domestically and globally. At this public briefing session, which will be held with the "29th Win-Win Matching Conference", the first ICO companies to adopt the ESC LOCK service will also present their business models to the audience. Sean Ryu, the CEO of the Korea M&A Center stated, "As many investors, both domestically and globally, have become victims of failed ICOs, unrealistic White Papers, and ICO scams, the need for a service that provides advantages to ICO companies while also protecting investors has never been more important. ESC LOCK is a patented financial model (Application No. 10 -2018-0045475) that does this. In the recently subdued ICO market, ESC LOCK will become a major power in the further development of the blockchain ecosystem and a safe ICO investment culture. The Korea M&A Center is a specialized M&A and investment platform dedicated to create a sound M&A ecosystem and virtuous investment structure. The Korea M&A Center has introduced 'Win-Win Crowd Funding', a protection system for start-up investors that is a financial patent model integrating investment and M&A. Since 2015 has held over 30 Win-Win Matching Conferences and IR seminars. Although it has succeeded in Win-Win Crowdfunding, the Korea M&AS Center has also created a stir among crowdfunding investors by returning the investment capital and interest of a recently closed startup to investors on behalf of the start-up. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/682668/ESC_LOCK_Structure.jpg SOURCE Korea M&A Center Advanced chemistries with attractive finishes expand application scope of powder coatings, finds Frost & Sullivan LONDON, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Frost & Sullivan's recent analysis, Global Powder Coatings Market, Forecast to 2023, finds developing markets such as Asia-Pacific (APAC) and Rest-of-the-World (ROW), following the footsteps of developed markets, such as North America and Europe, are increasingly replacing liquid coatings with powder coatings. End-user markets, including automotive, construction, appliances, and industrial, are shifting to higher-performing powder coatings in these regions due to the rising purchasing power of citizens and the subsequent demand for technologically superior products. The growth of these sectors is expected to steer the $7.88 billion global market toward $10.61 billion by 2023. The analysis explores the key powder chemistries of epoxy, polyester, epoxy-polyester hybrids, acrylic, PVC, polyamide, polyolefins, and fluoropolymer. It also analyzes the growth opportunities for these chemistries in the application segments of appliances, automotive, architectural, furniture, industrial, agriculture, construction, mining equipment (ACME), and pipe in the North American, Europe, APAC, and ROW markets. For further information on this analysis, please visit: http://frost.ly/2fd "An important driver for getting the powder coating market over the $10-billion line is technological advances," said Soundarya Gowrishankar, Visionary Science Industry Analyst at Frost & Sullivan. "Most of the innovations have been aimed at resolving the challenges in powder coating difficult surfaces like non-conductive molded parts. There has been heated R&D activity in the areas of attractive finishes, low-temperature cure coatings, as well as self-healing, self-cleaning, heat-reflective, and energy-efficient coatings." Although there is some resistance to the adoption of powder coatings due to the competition from alternate techniques like anodizing and the price sensitivity of customers, the market will enjoy huge growth opportunities created by: Regulatory trends because powder chemistries' very-low/no-solvent formulations exempt them from volatile organic compound ( VOC ) emission and hazardous air pollutants ( HAP ) regulations. exempt them from ( ) emission and ( ) regulations. Powder coatings' aesthetic, functional, environmental, and cost advantages over liquid coatings. Smart coatings that respond to color shifts, are corrosion resistant, water repellent, and have tribological and electrical properties. These coatings are particularly popular in electrical processes, food and beverage handling equipment, and fire detection systems. that respond to color shifts, are corrosion resistant, water repellent, and have and electrical properties. These coatings are particularly popular in electrical processes, food and beverage handling equipment, and fire detection systems. The low manufacturing costs across regions and increasing focus on quality in the APAC and ROW markets. China and India will be the key growth engines in APAC owing to the rapid growth of their appliance sector, while the Middle East will be a lucrative market for coating suppliers to the construction industry. "When looking to make the most of the significant opportunities in the global market, powder coating manufacturers need to offer products with unique functionalities to stand out," noted Gowrishankar. "Although APAC and ROW will drive volume shipment, North America and Europe will continue to be the hub of R&D activity." Global Powder Coatings Market, Forecast to 2023 is part of Frost & Sullivan's global Future of Chemicals & Materials in Infrastructure & Mobility Growth Partnership Service program. About Frost & Sullivan For over five decades, Frost & Sullivan has become world-renowned for its role in helping investors, corporate leaders and governments navigate economic changes and identify disruptive technologies, Mega Trends, new business models and companies to action, resulting in a continuous flow of growth opportunities to drive future success. Contact us: Start the discussion. Global Powder Coatings Market, Forecast to 2023 K211-39 Contact: Kristi Cekani Corporate Communications - Frost & Sullivan, Europe P: +39.02.4851.6133 E: [email protected] http://www.frost.com Related Links http://www.frost.com SOURCE Frost & Sullivan MUMBAI and SAN MATEO, California, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Clinical study shows company's deep learning algorithms can identify bleeds, fractures and other critical trauma in head CT scans with more than 95% accuracy Qure.ai (http://www.qure.ai), a healthcare AI startup, today launched a new AI-powered technology to accurately identify bleeds, fractures and other critical abnormalities in head CT scans. Qure.ai has also released the results of an unprecedented clinical validation study confirming its algorithms' near-radiologist performance on 21,000 patients and has made a dataset of almost 500 AI-analyzed head CT scans available for download. A CT scan of the head is usually the first diagnostic test patients undergo if they have a head injury or symptoms suggesting stroke. The problem, however, is that radiologists might not be immediately available to read a scan or might have many scans pending. Prompt reading of the CT scan is critical for stroke patients, as every minute that goes by, brain cells die. "Qure.ai's new head CT scan technology rapidly screens scans in under 10 seconds to detect, localize and quantify abnormalities, as well as assess their severity," said Prashant Warier, Co-Founder and CEO, Qure.ai. "This enables patient prioritization and the appropriate clinical intervention." Qure.ai trained the new AI using a collection of 313,318 anonymized head CT scans, along with their corresponding clinical reports. Of these, 21,095 scans were then used to validate the AI's algorithms. Finally, the AI was clinically validated on 491 CT scans, with the results compared against a panel of three senior radiologists. The panel of radiologists included Norbert G. Campeau, M.D., a senior neuro-radiologist from the Mayo Clinic's Department of Radiology. The validation study found that Qure.ai's AI was more than 95% accurate in identifying abnormalities. The results have been published today in a research paper on Cornell University's online distribution system for research, arXiv.org. The paper is titled "Development and Validation of Deep Learning Algorithms for Detection of Critical Findings in Head CT Scans." The Mayo Clinic's Dr. Campeau co-authored the paper with Qure.ai. Additional co-authors hailed from the CT & MRI Center, India and the Centre for Advanced Research in Imaging, Neurosciences and Genomics. Further details are available here: http://headctstudy.qure.ai. "This is important new technology," said Dr. Campeau. "The strong results of the deep learning system support the feasibility for use of automated head CT scan interpretation as an adjunct to medical care. This improves the quality and consistency of radiologic interpretation." In addition to the study, Qure.ai has made a dataset of 491 AI-interpreted head CT scans, as well as the corresponding interpretations from the three radiologists, publicly available for download. This dataset is from the Centre for Advanced Research in Imaging, Neurosciences and Genomics, and includes both out-patient and in-patient scans from 7 centers. To download the full dataset, visit: http://headctstudy.qure.ai. "We are releasing these scans so that others can compare and build on the results we have achieved," added Warier. "We encourage others to explore the data, review our work, and consider possibilities for the future." "We are delivering near-radiologist accurate AI to support radiologists, physicians and healthcare providers," said Sasank Chilamkurthy, AI Scientist, Qure.ai. "Our deep learning algorithms can accurately detect and highlight head CT scan abnormalities, reducing the chances of missing a diagnosis. Our technology can also localize the brain regions affected and quantify the bleed regions in a fully-automated report." Qure.ai's new solution can automatically generate abnormality reports. These automated reports are a first-to-market capability in the AI and radiology category, helping radiologists and hospitals prioritize care, make smarter and faster diagnoses and reduce costs. To date, Qure.ai has delivered AI-powered chest, abdomen and musculoskeletal image interpretation technology. With today's launch, Qure.ai is launching capabilities for head and brain CT scans for the first-time. Founded in 2016, Qure.ai is funded by Fractal Analytics, a global leader in artificial intelligence and analytics that powers decision-making in Fortune 500 companies. For more information about Qure.ai, please visit, http://www.qure.ai. About Qure.ai Qure.ai's mission is to make healthcare affordable and accessible using the power of artificial intelligence. Qure.ai's deep neural networks can understand and interpret medical images with unprecedented accuracy and enable machines to perform routine diagnostics, thus improving healthcare outcomes and costs. Qure.ai was founded in 2016, with funding from Fractal Analytics, and has a team comprising computer scientists, deep learning experts, medical practitioners and bioinformaticians. SOURCE Qure.ai PUNE, India, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the new market research report "Tunnel Monitoring System Market by Offering (Hardware, and Software & Services), Tunnel Type (Highway, Railway), Networking Technologies (Wired and Wireless), and Region (Americas, Europe, Asia Pacific) - Global Forecast to 2023", published by MarketsandMarkets, the market is expected to grow from USD 340.7 Million in 2018 to USD 663.8 Million by 2023, at a CAGR of 14.27% between 2018 and 2023. The growth of the tunnel monitoring system market can be attributed to the increasing investments in tunnel infrastructure across countries worldwide, catastrophic failure of tunnels resulting in loss of lives and incurring high costs, decreasing cost of sensors resulting in reduced cost of tunnel monitoring systems, and strict regulations pertaining to tunnel safety. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/660509/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg ) Browse 66 market data Tables and 41 Figures spread through 141 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Tunnel Monitoring System Market - Global Forecast to 2023" https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/tunnel-monitoring-system-market-171294326.html Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report The market for software and services to grow at a higher CAGR between 2018 and 2023 The tunnel monitoring system market, on the basis of offering, has been segmented into hardware, and software and services. The market for software and services is expected to grow at a higher rate between 2018 and 2023. The growth of this market can be attributed to the predictive analysis provided by software and the increasing demand for maintenance services for infrastructure. Services are integral part of tunnel monitoring systems. Services pertaining to tunnel monitoring include design and installation, real-time monitoring, data analysis and reporting, and preventative maintenance and repair services. The market for railway tunnels to grow at the highest CAGR between 2018 and 2023 The highest growth rate of the market for railway tunnels can be attributed to the growing railway tunnel infrastructure worldwide, which would increase the demand for tunnel monitoring systems to maintain and monitor the health of railway tunnels. Some of the critical tunnel projects are concentrated in the Americas, the Middle East, and Europe. For instance, the 57km (35-mile) twin-bore Gotthard base tunnel will provide a high-speed rail link under the Swiss Alps between northern and southern Europe. It is the worlds longest and deepest rail tunnel. Ask for PDF Brochure @ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownload.asp?id=171294326 Wired networking technology to hold a major share of the tunnel monitoring system market in 2017 Among the 2 networking technologies, wired networking technology is likely to hold a larger share of the tunnel monitoring system market throughout the forecast period. Wired networking technology-based tunnel monitoring systems are widely deployed in tunnels as these systems offer reliable connectivity, and there is no limitation on data transfer range. Europe held the largest share of the tunnel monitoring system market in 2017 Europe is among the technologically advanced regions worldwide. Well-established manufacturing industries in countries such as Germany, France, and the UK are the major concentration units for hardware manufacturers and software developers of tunnel monitoring systems. In the past two decades, the number of tunnel projects in Europe has increased, and the technical capabilities required in the tunneling industry have also been strengthened. The road and rail projects in the EU-15 countries in 2015 had an estimated value of USD 1.43 trillion; of which, tunnels and bridges accounted for USD 226 billion, and trams and metros accounted for USD 95.6 billion. Due to these factors, Europe held a major share of the tunnel monitoring system market in 2017. The major players in the tunnel monitoring system market include Nova Metrix (US), SISGEO (Italy), James Fisher (UK), GEOKON (US), COWI (Denmark), Ramboll (Denmark), and Fugro (Netherlands). Know more about the Tunnel Monitoring System Market: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/tunnel-monitoring-system-market-171294326.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, "Knowledge Store" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets. Contact: Mr. Salgarkar MarketsandMarkets INC. 630 Dundee Road Suite 430 Northbrook, IL 60062 USA: +1-888-600-6441 Email: [email protected] Visit Our [email protected] http://www.marketsandmarketsblog.com/market-reports/electronics-and-semiconductors Connect with us on LinkedIn @ http://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsandmarkets SOURCE MarketsandMarkets The transaction doubles Vistra's International Expansion Services (IES) business, making it a market leader in IES services, including the number one market position in the USA. Vistra's IES business helps clients navigate expansion into new markets, including establishing offices, obtaining the necessary licensing to operate in foreign markets and ongoing services, such as compliance and payroll. Radius, headquartered in Boston with offices across the United States and in the United Kingdom, India, China, Singapore, Brazil and the Netherlands, provides managed services, advisory services and OverseasConnect, its integrated cloud-based software platform, to more than 500 clients operating in 80 countries. The firm has 880 employees globally. Radius is led by CEO Stephen M. Chipman, who will become the Group Managing Director of Vistra's IES business. Following the acquisition, Vistra will have a global IES team of 1,300 employees and a support network of over 3,300 staff, operating in over 70 offices and 40 jurisdictions. Martin Crawford, CEO of Vistra, said: "The Radius team has developed a highly successful global business, which is a natural fit with Vistra's IES operations. Joining forces means our clients will have the highest quality people, technology and processes to help them grow with confidence when they are expanding internationally. We are delighted to welcome Stephen and his team to the Vistra family." Stephen Chipman, CEO of Radius, said: "The combination of Vistra and Radius creates a leading global provider of quality international expansion services. Vistra is the ideal partner for Radius given our values and culture align so closely. We are excited about the future opportunities for our clients and employees." Radius will be rebranded under the Vistra brand following completion of the transaction. Annex: Biographies Martin Crawford, Chief Executive Officer of Vistra, joined the OIL Group as CEO in 2009, and led the successful merger of OIL with Vistra in 2011. As the CEO, Martin leads the firm towards its aspiration to become the 'best in breed' among the global players in terms of client opinion and as a place to work. He is involved in managing the financial performance of the Group, the interactions with our majority shareholder and the setting and execution of the Group's strategy, with a specific focus on building relationships with strategic clients and M&A projects. Stephen Chipman, Chief Executive Officer of Radius, is a recognized global leader and experienced CEO with a lifelong passion for international business and successful global growth. Before joining Radius, Stephen capped his 34-year career with Grant Thornton as CEO in the U.S. where he led the $1.5 billion firm through the post financial crisis period, returning it to growth with double-digit increases in revenue and profitability. Prior to this role, Stephen was CEO of Grant Thornton in China where he headed the restructuring of start-up operations to create a national firm with more than 2,500 people in 17 offices. A U.S. and British citizen, Stephen is a certified public accountant in Illinois and Texas as well as a chartered accountant in England and Wales. He is based in the Radius Boston, MA headquarters. Editor Notes Ranked in the top four corporate service providers globally, Vistra is a versatile group of professionals, providing a uniquely broad range of services and solutions. Our capabilities span across company formations to trust, fiduciary, private client services, and fund administration. Vistra employs over 3,300 employees across over 40 jurisdictions. For more information, please visit www.vistra.com Media Contact: Vistra Sylvia Evans [email protected] +852 2848 0295 Radius Melinda Babin [email protected] +1 857 770 1767 Teneo Strategy Dan Chan [email protected] +852 3655 0519 Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/682763/Vistra_Logo.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/682762/Martin_Crawford_Vistra_CEO.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/682764/Stephen_Chipman_Radius_CEO.jpg Related Links http://www.vistra.com SOURCE Vistra Group DEERFIELD, Illinois, April 25, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT / NYSE Euronext: CATR) informs its stockholders that today, a Form DEF 14A and DEFA14A was filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). Caterpillar files electronically with the SEC required reports on Form 8-K, Form 10-Q, Form 10-K and Form 11-K; proxy materials; ownership reports for insiders as required by Section 16(a) of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; and registration statements on Forms S-3 and S-8, as necessary; and other forms or reports, as required. All of the forms and reports filed electronically with the SEC are available on the SEC Internet site (www.sec.gov). Caterpillar also maintains an Internet site (www.Caterpillar.com ) and copies of its annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and any amendments to these reports filed or furnished with the SEC are available free of charge through Caterpillar's Internet site(www.Caterpillar.com/secfilings) as soon as reasonably practicable after the relevant document has been filed with the SEC. CONTACT: Corrie Scott, Corporate Public Affairs, +1- 224-551-4133 This is a disclosure announcement from PR Newswire. SOURCE Caterpillar Inc. (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/682572/Badr_Al_Olama_GMIS.jpg ) (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/682573/Suhail_Mohamed_Faraj_Al_Mazrouei.jpg ) This announcement reaffirms the importance of achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by enabling and inspiring a worldwide community of makers to create transformative solutions to solve some of the world's greatest challenges. A humanitarian champion who has impacted and improved the lives of over 130 million people across 116 countries, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, and Ruler of Dubai, has placed great emphasis on the role of innovation to reshape industries, and strengthen economies and societies. By bringing together manufacturers, startups and entrepreneurs, and governments and NGOs to enable global collaboration and partnerships, the initiative will create an ecosystem to unlock and accelerate innovation designed to enhance global prosperity through product innovation. "Creating an innovative global community of makers dedicated to spreading prosperity across the world, the Mohammed Bin Rashid Initiative for Global Prosperity is designed to promote unconventional thinking, develop unobvious partnerships, and drive unexpected outcomes. We are honoured and proud to be partnering with key UN entities to advance our shared mission - to build a stronger, better, more prosperous, more equal, and more empowered world," said Badr Al-Olama, Head of the Organising Committee for the Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit. The initiative combines the Mohammed Bin Rashid Global Maker Cha l lenge , an online open-innovation platform through which 'makers' and innovators will apply a design-thinking approach to solve specific real-world challenges; and the Mohammed Bin Rashid Global Pro s perity Award , a prestigious global accolade that recognizes and rewards social innovation, and promotes the benefit that manufacturing brings to humanity. The initiative invites world-leading manufacturers and entrepreneurs to adopt one of the global themes identified by the partner UN agencies, and work alongside them through an integrated open-innovation platform that enables ideas to be shared and solutions to be co-created. The themes are: *Sustainable Energy: The challenge will tackle how renewable resources can be applied for humanitarian action, while also reducing inequalities through economic prosperity and industrialisation. *Digital Divide and Digital Literacy: The challenge will focus on ensuring underserved communities and vulnerable populations have access to digital innovation capacity that accelerates digital transformation, thereby narrowing the digital skills gap in the context of emerging technologies. *Rural Transformation and Zero Hunger: The challenge will focus on promoting and enabling inclusive rural transformation in an increasingly urbanised world and enable investment in smallholder farmers, with a focus on developing entrepreneurship in agribusiness, specifically for women and young people, and achieving the Sustainable Development Goal of Zero Hunger. *Sustainable Cities: The challenge will tackle how cities can become incubators for innovation and growth, and drivers of sustainable development. The comprehensive partnership and associated themes were announced in the presence of LI Yong, Director General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), and Suhail Al Mazrouei, UAE Minister of Energy and Industry, as well as world-respected thought-leaders, ministers, academics, and business executives. H.E. Eng. Suhail Mohamed Faraj Al Mazrouei, UAE Minister of Energy and Industry, said: "The Mohammad Bin Rashid Initiative for Global Prosperity is rooted in the UAE's deep belief that innovation is able to overcome the difficulties that our world faces and open new horizons of development, growth and prosperity. The positive outcomes of this innovation should not be limited to one nation only - but by the whole world." The initiative was first launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, on the sidelines of the inaugural Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit, held at the Paris-Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi in March 2017. For more information, please visit http://www.makingprosperity.com Contact: Michael Wallis +(00)971-4390-1950, michael.wallis@wallispr.com SOURCE Mubadala Foreign exchange market Crypto Valley Association Gets Ready to Welcome a New Member Crypto Valley Association is a cryptocurrency association backed by the Swiss government. Its also known as Crypto Valley. The association is located in the center of Switzerland. It united the owners of leading cryptocurrency exchange tokens, including Bitcoin Suisse AG, Ethereum, Monetas, Xapo, and so much more. The association also includes PwC, a respected European consulting firm, and Crypto AG, the world-famous corporation specializing in cryptographic and encoding systems for the National Security Agency (US), not to mention a range of international banks and financial holdings. According to several experts, the association acts as a powerful lobby for cryptocurrencies in the EU, the UK, Switzerland, and the USA . The author of the idea and the name is said to be Ethereum co-founder Mihai Alisie. When it comes to Crypto Valley Associations role in the financial circles of Europe, Thomson Reuters President David Craig assumes that the making of Crypto Valley Association has been involving local authorities, startups, venture capitalists, and major corporations. This gives us the access to the source of promising startups, talents, and opportunities to investing in them while stimulating the development of crypto technologies. The association is run by former CIO of UBS Group Oliver Bussman. According to Masterforex-V Academy , Crypto Valley Association is about to welcome another member The World Bit Bank (WBB), which has recently obtained two major EU licenses. The World Bit Bank (WBB) has neither approved nor disproved this info so far. All the official info related to the Wibcoin token (the pre-ICO is scheduled for the end of April 2018) and The World Bit Bank can be found on the companys official website www.wbb.io You are free to discuss this article here: forum for traders and investors Got a question? Ask it here VWAP Indicator. Usage Peculiarities. In order to get a competitive edge over others and simplify the process of reaching the trading goals, many traders take advantage of a number of helper tools like trading strategies and indicators. Today, we are going to take a closer look at the indicator named Value-Weighted Average Price (VWAP). What are the benefits of using it and why do they recommend using it? Read more Forex Consolidation. EUR/USD and GBP/USD The stock market has been ambitious in its attempt to eliminate September's retracement and take the "blue wave" into account but the forex market has been more conservative recently in terms of restoring risky bets. However, when it comes to the stock market, each and every scenario out there eventually boils down to the smart money, which cannot but affect the international currency market. Still, there are many questions to be answered yet, which makes it really difficult to make more or less clear predictions. Read more Tape Patterns Indicator Traders often use various kinds of technical indicators these days. The list can be rather long, from popular ones like RIS, MACD etc. to less popular ones like Tape Patterns. Read more Bitcoin's Getting Ready For a Strong Rally While Bitcoin could have been more volatile over the recent weeks, the king of cryptocurrencies stoped in the range between 10K and 11K dollars per coin. Do BTC miners know in which way the coin is going in the near future? Read more Bloomberg: Crypto Is Better Than Gold In 2020 According to the recent Bloomberg report, cryptocurrencies are way better than gold in terms of investments in 2020. Which is interesting, most cryptocurrencies have been growing much faster than gold this year. It's not a secret that gold is considered a safe-haven asset amid crises. Bloomberg Galaxy Crypto Index (BGCI) has gained 66% this year,while gold has gained only 20% over the same period. Read more Gold Prices Drop Below $1860/oz, Seeing A Major Downtrend On Thursday morning, the spot price of gold dropped roughly down to $1850/oz withing the scope of a strong downtrend started earlier this week, with a strong gap from the consolidation level. The key factors contributing to the price drop was the sudden strengthening of the U.S. Dollar. Read more Texas Authorities Spot New Crypto Scams The TSSB, which is the financial regulator of Texas, is reported to have revealed a couple of potential scams in the international market of cryptocurrencies. These are named Forex Birds and PEK Universe. From now on, both of these projects cannot work in Texas anymore. These projects were banned on September, 3rd. Read more Cryptocurrencies On Sale: ChainLink and TRON Go Down, Bitcoin Is Stable Wednesday's session is bringing a retracement in the market of digital assets, which is affecting the entire crypto market cap. Chainlink (LINK), TRON (TRX), and Tezos (XTZ) have been the biggest losers over the last 24 hours. They lost 9,7%, 8,7%, and 5,5% respectively. Bitcoins remains stable and one of the very few tokens among the top 20 that are still showing some gains, though modest ones. Read more What's Next For Bitcoin? Some analysts argue the future of Bitcoin, also known as the digital gold. Last week, the Winkelvoss brothers stated that the BTC price may skyrocket all the way up to 500.000 dollars per coin in the near future. This opinion is shared by Bloomberg analysts. But on the other hand, Bitcoin may see the opposite scenario, which is a major crash to make it as cheap as dirt. Read more 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 This is a very exciting time for Infinity as we continue to expand rapidly and explore new channels, and Im grateful for the opportunity to play a part in that growth. Infinity Massage Chairs recently announced the appointment of Bari Garceau to Director of Special Events. As Director of Special Events, Garceau is now responsible for mentoring and training current brand ambassadors, recruiting and hiring new sales team members, sourcing new events, further building the Infinity brand at special events, and working closely with the logistics department. This is a very exciting time for Infinity as we continue to expand rapidly and explore new channels, and Im grateful for the opportunity to play a part in that growth, Garceau said. Im most looking forward to training and working with all of our brand ambassadorsboth new and veteranas well as growing the special events division to its full potential. Garceau has been a part of the Infinity team from the beginning. Throughout her seven years in the field, she has successfully exhibited and sold Infinity Massage Chairs at over 200 special events, while being responsible for training numerous brand ambassadors. Garceaus experience includes everything from major industry conferences, such as the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), to professional, home, and special interest shows. In fact, she has worked closely with show promoters as well as helped plan several of these major events. Additionally, she holds a Bachelors Degree in Marketing from Merrimack College. Were really looking forward to seeing Baris great ideas and plans come to fruition and grow this integral channel of our business, Dan Grover, Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing, stated. As the Infinity brand develops and the number of events we attend increases, its important to have someone with a strong vision directing this vital teamand that someone is Bari. Some of Garceaus early plans include implementing a new sales training process, revamping the booth design, and adding new and more influential special events. Bari has spent years in the field, crushing sales show after show, which makes me confident that no one is more deserving of this role than she is, Jim Coppins, Chief Operations Officer of Infinity Massage Chairs, explained. Were confident that between her extensive knowledge and well-rounded leadership abilities, Bari is the perfect fit as Director of Special Events. About Infinity Massage Chairs Infinity Massage Chairs is the fastest-growing massage chair brand in North America and is headquartered in a 45,000-square-foot office and distribution center in Seabrook, N.H.. Over the years, the manufacturer has added significantly to its product line and continues to be recognized as a leader among the industry. Infinity ensures attentive sales support from the beginning and guarantees all of its massage chairs with a comprehensive warranty and lifetime technical support. The companys mission is to deliver innovative solutions to unlimit wellness for all lifestyles. To learn more about Infinity Massage Chairs, call 603-910-5000 or visit Infinity Massage Chairs. As of today, cannabis is legal for medicinal purposes or for adult use in 29 out of 50 states in America. Although the cannabis industry is young it is rapidly evolving and is on the precipice of becoming mainstream. Legal marijuana sales were nearly $10 billion in North America in 2017 according to a new report from industry analysts ARCview Market Research in partnership with BDS Analytics. Each day additional investor capital is entering this market. At city and state levels legalization is spreading before our eyes it would not be surprising in the very near future if all forms of cannabis become legal on a national level. Andrew Glashow, member of the Board of Directors for Cannabis Life Sciences USA, Inc (CLS), has played a significant role in directing all growth initiatives, particularly mergers and acquisitions and capital markets activity for the company. CLS is on the cusp of becoming a diverse and integrated cannabis company. The company is focused on cultivation, conversion and extraction, and dispensaries. In the next two to three years we can expect to see some form of cannabis legalization in at least 40 states. I would also not be surprised in the next five years to see some form of federal legislation, said Andrew Glashow Economically, the legalization of cannabis creates a booming industry. In 2017, in a matter of just eight short months Colorado alone eclipsed $1 billion in sales. By the end of 2017, the industry across the entire United States was estimated at more than $7 billion. The cannabis industry is on the verge of becoming regulated, similarly to alcohol and tobacco. Through legalizing, taxing, and regulating marijuana, we can expect major impacts on society in its entirety. According to Harvard Medical School, cannabis has numerous medicinal benefits. First and foremost, it helps individuals manage many disease states, from cancer to glaucoma, arthritis, and more. Medical marijuana is a meaningful alternative for those looking for something other than opioids. Legal, medicinal cannabis products are what individuals with health needs can turn to for managing their pain and other symptoms. In terms of recreational or adult use, criminalization of cannabis use derives from the War on Drugs. Although this plant has been used for many years, the black market has tragically damaged its reputation. As authorities target poor communities, poverty only increases from felony convictions. From an economic standpoint, crises are created from these arrests, and they not only affect individuals, but families, jobs, housing, and more. As eyes turn towards this industry to see how Jeff Sessions latest rescinded policies from the Obama Era affect states that have already legalized cannabis, we can still expect to see more states join in legalization. More than half of both Democrats and Republicans stated that they are in favor of legalizing cannabis. It is expected that these numbers will only increase in the coming years. With his passion and profession firmly behind this industry, Andrew Glashow leaves us with a few final notes on medicinal cannabis: It is scary to watch so much of the population be killed by opioids and by illegal drugs. Its upsetting. The purpose of legalizing cannabis is to eliminate the black market. To create a market where people get real medicine through proper procedures. No difference than buying something in the store. You know what youre gettingyoure getting a clearly stated product. The United States is still only in the beginning stages with this increasing industry. Will this industry be legal on a national scale for medicinal purposes in the next few years? Industry professionals have their highest hopes towards that answer being yes. Source: https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/medical-marijuana-2018011513085 Im looking forward to managing a larger team with more clients and taking on a bigger leadership role here at JEB. Senior Affiliate Manager Kristin Wardwell describes affiliate marketing as a constant learning process. But when it comes to the results shes achieved at JEBCommerce, theres no end to the learning curve in sight. Whether its a new affiliate, new technology or new tools for analyzing data, theres never a dull moment in affiliate marketing, said Wardwell, who was promoted from Affiliate Manager to a senior-level role in March. Im looking forward to managing a larger team with more clients and taking on a bigger leadership role here at JEB. Over the last four years on JEBCommerces affiliate team, Wardwell has showcased a consistent affinity for driving results. Her proudest accomplishment to date? Using technology to help one client improve its incrementalitythe Holy Grail of affiliate program success. Many clients are concerned that coupon websites come into the purchase process at the last minute and receive credit for a sale they did not refer, she said. By using network technology, we were able to adjust commissions and save one client more than $77,000 in 2017. In her new role, Wardwell will provide her peers with wisdom, guidance and specific affiliate marketing tactics that have proven successful for her clients, said Founder and CEO Jamie Birch. Her attitude and positivity are contagious around the company. JEBCommerce is known for its strong company culture. The agency was ranked #19 on Entrepreneur Magazines 2017 Best Company Cultures list and prioritizes opportunities for professional development. We love to promote from within and help our team members grow as our company grows, Birch said. Its a value we truly take to heart, and we are super excited that today we get to be a part of yet another JEB-ers professional development. Based in Coeur dAlene, Idaho, JEBCommerce is an award-winning performance marketing agency that helps online brands increase customer acquisition and drive growth. The agency was a 2016 finalist for the Rakuten Marketing Golden Link Awards OPM Agency of the Yearan accolade it took home in 2009 and has been nominated for three times since. For more information, visit jebcommerce.com or email Jamie@jebcommerce.com. Calgary alcohol treatment The CDR website has become an important resource for people looking for alcohol treatment options in many cities, including Calgary. Sunshine Coast Health Centre, one of the top Centres in Canada for alcohol treatment, is proud to announce an update to its CDR, Canada Drug Rehab, website. Specifically, the Centre is announcing updates to its information for Calgary alcohol treatment information. The CDR website has become an important resource for people looking for alcohol treatment options in many cities, including Calgary, explained Casey Jordan, Chief Marketing Officer. We're ramping up our blog activity and other information so as to better serve those who want to find alcohol treatment programs in Calgary and other cities in Alberta. To view the updated page on Calgary alcohol treatment, visit https://www.canadadrugrehab.ca/alberta/alberta-locate-your-health-authority/calgary/. With a population of approximately 1.2 million people, Calgary offers a variety of private and public programs for drug rehabilitation, alcohol treatment and detox. Interested persons can use this page as a gateway to Calgary quick facts, emergency numbers relating to drug abuse, alcoholism, and detox services as well as how to locate your health authority. To do so, click on the "Get Help Today" section of the page, select an addiction or program, select Alberta, and select Calgary. Those seeking to read a new blog post that is specific to Alberta can visit https://www.canadadrugrehab.ca/blog/addiction-recovery-aftercare-relapse/alberta-government-drug-and-alcohol-treatment-strategies/. Those seeking to learn about private alcohol treatment options, can visit the primary website at https://www.sunshinecoasthealthcentre.ca/calgary-alcohol-treatment/. ABOUT SUNSHINE COAST HEALTH CENTRE Sunshine Coast Health Centre is a 47-bed drug and alcohol rehabilitation facility exclusively designed for men, officially opened on the 15th of March 2004. The Centre has a philosophy of care that goes beyond just addiction to include personal transformation based on three key therapeutic principles: interpersonal relatedness, self definition (autonomy & competence), and intrinsic motivation. The Centre offers both drug rehabilitation and alcohol treatment near Vancouver, BC, but serving patients across Canada, particularly British Columbia and Alberta and cities such as Calgary, Edmonton and Red Deer. Sunshine Coast Health Centre uses a form of drug rehabilitation based on the research of Viktor Frankl and methodology of Paul T.P. Wong, namely 'Meaning Centered Therapy'. Website. http://www.sunshinecoasthealthcentre.ca Marijuana DUI attorney Its going to take some time for the legal system to sort out rules about marijuana use, especially given how complicated correct testing is to determine the impact of marijuana on someone's cognitive abilities. Elliott Law Group is proud to announce a new informational page concerning marijuana DUI issues. Washington State and Idaho may share a border, yet marijuana laws and cultural tolerance can be very different. The new page is an Internet "first step" for someone who may be accused of so-called "Marijuana DUI" and looking for an attorney to represent him or her. Its going to take some time for the legal system to sort out rules about marijuana use, especially given how complicated correct testing is to determine the impact of marijuana on someone's cognitive abilities. Right now, things are very confusing, explained Lana Elliott, managing partner at the law firm. "Thats why weve posted a new page specifically for those looking for marijuana DUI attorneys in Spokane, Spokane Valley, and Coeur d'Alene. To review the new page posted by Elliot Law Group regarding marijuana and DUIs, please go to https://www.elliottlawgroup.com/areas-of-practice/dui-marijuana/. Marijuana use may be legal in Washington State and yet illegal in Idaho; cultural norms may be different; and yet in both states "driving under the influence" is a serious allegation. It should be noted that the firm also has a page on DUI attorney issues at https://www.elliottlawgroup.com/areas-of-practice/criminal-and-dui-defense/. LAWYERS FOR SPOKANE, WASHINGTON HELP LOCALS CLEAR THE AIR ON MARIJUANA DUI CHARGES The legal use of marijuana or as it is often called, "cannabis," has begun to rise in America. States such as Washington have approved new laws legalizing recreational use. Neighboring states, like Idaho, however, have yet to legalize cannabis. Laws surrounding the use of marijuana can seem confusing including up to the issue of whether it is legal to drive after ingesting marijuana and what are the legal restrictions. Confusion prevails among the public, among law enforcement, and even to some extent in the law. It is not surprising, therefore, that Elliott Law Group has seen an uptick in inquiries from those seeking "marijuana DUI attorneys" in Spokane, in Spokane Valley, and even in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. In order to better understand new cannabis legalities, it could be helpful to learn the rules from top immigration lawyers in Spokane, Washington. For these reasons, Elliot Law Group has announced a new informational page specifically for marijuana DUI issues in Spokane. A new page highlighting the details about marijuana and DUI can help citizens understand the rules. New marijuana laws can seem foggy to citizens in Washington and Idaho. Reading the new page, and if accused, seeking out an attorney consultation can be important steps. ABOUT ELLIOTT LAW GROUP With law firm offices in both Spokane Valley, Washington, and Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, Elliott Law Group (http://www.elliottlawgroup.com/) aims to be one of the top-rated immigration law firms in Spokane, Spokane Valley, Coeur dAlene and all of Spokane, Okanogan and Kootenai Counties. Persons looking for not only an immigration lawyer but also a DWI / DUI attorney or perhaps a lawyer for defense against traffic tickets, can seek help. Areas of specialty include visa issues (including DACA), working as DUI defense attorneys or criminal attorneys (including marijuana DUI and traffic ticket charges), assisting with green cards or obtaining K1 (fiance) visas and citizenship in both Washington and Idaho. The firm has attorneys who are both Russian-speaking and Spanish-speaking attorneys and staff. Service areas include Brewster, Cheney, Airway Heights, and Moses Lake in Washington, as well as Post Falls, Coeur d'Alene and Sandpoint in Idaho. Media Relations. 509-891-4301 Image used with permission. Contact Thinkstock for usage and licence. Ref: 86532131 Aquarium Software is developing tech that makes it easier for insurer and policyholder alike to see the key points at a glance. This is in response partly to many of us never reading the small print and it can make all the difference when it really matters. There is no reason why men and women cannot travel alone safely, and Aquarium Softwares Mark Colonnese says as long as people follow a few simple rules, it is possible to seek solitude in safety, as long as comprehensive travel insurance is the foundation underpinning any trip. Thinking of solo travel, we tend to think of young back-packers, but the average age of single travellers is now 54 and 58 percent of those are female," said Aquarium Software Director, Mark Colonnese. Insurance is vital, as in the UK we can turn to friends, family and the authorities for assistance but seeking help abroad is much harder. A friendly, knowledgeable voice at the end of a line should you need help makes a big difference, so when choosing a provider, always look for one available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, ideally with an easy to navigate app to manage any queries or claims. The primary reason for insurance is to cover medical emergencies. To lose 1,000 on a cancelled flight or to be mugged without insurance is bad enough, but to be trapped overseas requiring 100,000 to be repatriated due to inadequate cover is quite another. Colonnese advises that if planning a long trip, it is well worth taking the time to ensure your insurance covers everything you are likely to need and to be honest about any existing or past medical conditions if in any doubt at all, contact customer support for advice. Aquarium Software is developing tech that makes it easier for insurer and policyholder alike to see the key points at a glance, added Mark. This is in response partly to many of us never reading the small print and it can make all the difference when it really matters. You want the most bang for your buck, but try not to be swayed simply by the cheapest deal as they dont always offer the best value for money or cover, concluded Colonnese. Aquarium Software is used by a number of travel insurers; pet insurers; and other consumer service providers and affinity partners in the UK, Europe, USA and Canada. For further information contact Aquarium Software on +44 (0)161 927 5620 or visit http://www.aquarium-software.com Home Pickup and Delivery Dry Cleaning Darien While we service much of Connecticut and the New York suburbs north of New York City, we are very fond of Darien, Fairfield, and Norwalk as we have facilities in those cities. Fabricare, Connecticut's top dry cleaning service offering home pickup and delivery dry cleaning and laundry, is proud to announce review milestones on social media that directly relate to its service areas in Darien, Fairfield, and Norwalk. The company's best-in-class home pickup and delivery dry cleaning and laundry is garnering rave reviews online. While we service much of Connecticut and the New York suburbs north of New York City, we are very fond of Darien, Fairfield, and Norwalk as we have facilities in those cities, explained Michael Astorino, CEO of Fabricare. We are so proud to top eight reviews in total, and as we accelerate our Internet presence are sure even more happy customers will be finding us, and reviewing us, online for their dry cleaning and laundry needs. To read the reviews online, visit Darien (https://goo.gl/txs47A), Fairfield (https://goo.gl/WCAEc7), or Norwalk (https://goo.gl/adG2w1). To view the locations online, visit https://fabricarecleaners.net/locations/. There one can learn about the home pickup and dry cleaning option that has become so popular with residents of these affluent Connecticut communities. HOME DELIVERY PICKUP AND DELIVERY DRY CLEANING AND LAUNDRY IN DARIEN, FAIRFIELD, AND NORWALK Here is background on this release. With locations in Darien, Fairfield, and Norwalk, Fabricare is known as one of the most beloved small businesses in these cities. Residents know that when they are looking for the best dry cleaner, the best service for wedding dress cleanings, and even the best purse cleaner, Fabricare is the place to go. Many residents enjoy coming into the store and chatting with the friendly staff, and a few have taken to the Internet to "share the love" that they feel for Fabricare by posting reviews on Google about what many consider the best dry cleaner in Darien, Fairfield, and Norwalk. Beyond these cities, however, the company is expanding its home pickup and delivery services, so that even those who live in cities as diverse as Stamford or Greenwich can experience the best-in-class service that makes Fabricare the #1 dry cleaner in Connecticut. ABOUT FABRICARE CLEANERS Fabricare Cleaners, with physical dry cleaning locations in Fairfield, Noroton Heights, and Norwalk, and servicing key cities such as Stamford and Greenwich, is the leader in advanced laundry services in New England. The company is an industry leader offering two new services in the dry cleaning industry: home pickup and delivery dry cleaning and same day dry cleaning / wash and fold service. For todays busy customers in cities like Stamford, Greenwich, or New Canaan in Connecticut or Larchmont, White Plains, or Yonkers in New York, these services make life easier than ever. Customers also come to Fabricare as a specialty cleaner of hard-to-clean items such as purses, wedding dresses or shoes. Customers are encouraged to visit the company website or contact the company by phone, as well as to visit its convenient locations. Web. https://fabricarecleaners.net/ Phone. 203-229-0001 The Conversation: Who's Talkin?, a story about a family man coping with the same issues most other families face today in America, is the creation of published author, Thomas Vanleer. Born in the early thirties to a teenage mother and raised by his grandfather, Elize K. Nesbitt, Thomass education began in a one-room school house. The Nesbitt School was founded by his great-grandfather. He and his family eventually moved to Evansville, Indiana where he attended Lincoln Elementary and High School. At the age of fourteen, he enlisted in the United States Armed Force. In 1948, Thomas was honorably discharged. He enrolled in Indiana Bible College and later attended Moody Bible College. Thomas was ordained as an itinerant elder in the African Methodist Church then became a chaplain in the Minnesota and Hennepin Correctional Institution. He has been one of the chaplains of the Minnesota Timberwolves for twenty-three years. He is currently an associate minister of Progressive Baptist Church. Thomas Vanleer has written two books. They include his autobiography, From Promise Land to the Promised Land, and his current publication, Im Just Sayn. This man whom I know as a company janitor is an angel. Damn right, I have plenty to talk about, why my wife left, I need to talk about my wayward children, but especially my wife, whom I miss very much, a daughter that had everything going right for her and turned to drugs, a son who is on a soul-searching mission, who was somewhere in India when last I heard from him, and lastly, Donald announcing that he was gay, and what about me, doing my best to stay pure, to worship God in truth and spirit? I hope He has plenty of time, because this conversation could take weeks! --Thomas Vanleer Published by Christian Faith Publishing, Thomas Vanleers new book delves into the spiritual struggles of the modern family. To the outsider, the Goodlow family seems to have it all together. Like many families across the US, however, they struggle with numerous setbacks and untold circumstances beyond their control. The family is fortunate enough to be relatively wealthy, but they face a multitude of other issues. They must deal with the numerous social problems that far too many families are confronting in this violent, fast-paced, technology-driven, and constantly evolving world. Benjamin Aaron Goodlow II worked his way up the ladder to become the CFO of J. J. Meany Consulting Inc. by demonstrating his excellent skills as an accountant. The father of four children, Benjamin methodically prepared for his and his wifes retirement, but Sara Helena decided to move several States away after she walked away from their marriage of thirty-five years. Coping with the loss, he heads to Big Ben Lake where he encounters a host of visitors, including a janitor who worked for his company. The experience will change his life forever. View a synopsis of The Conversation: Who's Talkin? on YouTube. Consumers can purchaseThe Conversation: Who's Talkin? at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble. For additional information or inquiries about The Conversation: Who's Talkin?, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919. "With a wealth of life experiences to share," said Shari Smith, the Sierra OLLI program coordinator, "they learn not only from the instructor but from each other." Over lunch at Panera Bread in Rocklin, Gretchen Cypin is looking over a catalog of courses at Sierra College. "Everything that interests me is here," she says. "I'd love to take this Tai Chi class for the exercise. Maybe I can after Benjamin starts Kindergarten." Remarkably active in retirement, Gretchen looks after two grandchildren three days a week and "gets out to do things" whenever she can. After moving from the Bay Area to Roseville several years ago, she discovered the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at Sierra College. Since then she's taken one or two courses each semester. There are no tests or homework, she says. "Its learning for the love of it. Her favorite classes have been the variety of film courses that are offered each semester. "My courses are like a book club," said OLLI film instructor Linda Derosier. "Students come and watch a movie and we discuss it." Her love of movies began at an early age when her mother took her in 1966 to see Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? In high school she organized a film club and later earned her college degree in history. In her popular classes Linda shows movies of a wide variety from the Golden Age until today. In discussions after the showings, Linda puts each film viewed into historical perspective--what was happening in the culture when the film was made and how it affected people at the time. While many OLLI teachers are professors, others are community members like Linda who possess great knowledge of a subject and whose proposals to teach a class are approved by the OLLI curriculum committee. OLLI offers courses in creative writing, personal investment, music, fitness, humanities, politics, and science, among other subjects. Courses for special interests include book discussion groups and field trips. One recent trip was a visit to the tiny town of Volcano, California, south of Placerville, to see nature's underground wonders including the stalactites at nearby Black Chasm Cavern. Sierra Emeritus College began providing courses for seasoned adults in 2001. Through a grant from the Bernard Osher Foundation in 2004, the program became the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI). It grew rapidly and thrived. In response to its success, the program was selected to receive a $1 million endowment. Today, the Osher program supports 122 lifelong learning programs on university and college campuses across the countryonly four at community colleges, and Sierra College is the only community college in California to have an OLLI program. Courses are designed for learners 50 years and older who are known to participate more actively in their studies than younger students. "With a wealth of life experiences to share," said Shari Smith, the Sierra OLLI program coordinator, "they learn not only from the instructor but from each other." Students come to learn something new or something they didn't have the time to learn during their lives. And Shari, who has been with OLLI since its days as the Emeritus College, said she cant count the number of people whove told her how thankful they are to have OLLI in their community. Shes met a number of students who've lost a spouse and are wonderingnow what? "They've been isolated for a year or so, she added. "They say 'Oh my gosh, I wish I'd known about OLLI before. They've stepped out to take some courses and to meet people. OLLI offers two six-week sessions in the fall and spring semesters, and one six-week session in the summer semester. OLLI offers two ways of taking courses, Club OLLI and Tuition Free OLLI. Club OLLI requires an annual membership fee of $20. Then, for each course taken, there's a fee of $5 to $40 based on the number of course meetings which can be from one to six. The Tuition Free OLLI program offers students the opportunity to take a limited number of short-term courses in Drama, English and Music with no membership or course fees required. These are taught through the college system but with no tests, grades or credits. Courses are held at the Sierra College Roseville Center (Vernon Street); the Sierra College Nevada County Campus in Grass Valley; the Sierra College Rocklin Campus and at the Twelve Bridges Library in Lincoln. The OLLI office is located at 316 Vernon Street, Suite 220 in Roseville, CA telephone (916) 781-6290. With this guide, Mac admins can plan for a smooth server transition, which should be completely transparent to end-users. HELIOS Software GmbH, a leading developer of cross-platform file server software, today issued a white paper to help Mac server administrators migrate from macOS Server. The document describes how to replicate the server services offered by macOS Server, on an alternate system. Over the years, Apple has gradually been diminishing its role in the network server market. Apple has not offered true server hardware since 2011, and Apple will deprecate many features of macOS Server software in 2018. See: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208312. Consequently, current and prospective users are considering alternatives. This can be a daunting proposition for Mac admins, but the HELIOS macOS Server migration white paper offers a detailed guide to ease the transition. In it, macOS Server services are listed, along with tips on migrating to 3rd-party alternatives. Key to such a transition is file sharing support for Mac and iOS network clients. The HELIOS Universal File Server software provides native file sharing and synchronization to Mac and iOS users (as well as Windows, web, and Android users). Universal File Server includes a range of server services that replicate and are fully compatible with Apple technologies, such as AFP, Spotlight indexing and searches, Time Machine backup server, Bonjour server, etc., all managed via the HELIOS Admin app. The Universal File Server software runs on all major server platforms, so businesses of any size can install it on their server of choice from a Mac mini for a small workgroup, to enterprise grade servers. This allows administrators to select server hardware that is optimized for their specific needs. See all supported platforms on the HELIOS website: http://www.helios.de/platforms. Helmut Tschemernjak, President of HELIOS Software, notes that with this guide, Mac admins can plan for a smooth server transition, which should be completely transparent to end-users. The white paper is available for free on the HELIOS web site: http://www.helios.de/web/EN/news/migrate-macOS.html Click on: macOS Server migration to a HELIOS server White Paper (PDF) Additional information about HELIOS Universal File Server software is available on the HELIOS web site at http://www.helios.de. Smart Ideas for Better Networking HELIOS UB64 Unbreakable Server Solutions deliver mission critical server solutions to enterprise, government, university, and prepress sites. The HELIOS Universal File Server UB64 software incorporates HELIOS EtherShare, PCShare, WebShare, Document Hub, and IT Monitor Server to provide integrated cross-platform networking for Mac, Windows, Web, and mobile clients, with advanced file and print server services, and easy remote server administration. HELIOS ImageServer, PDF HandShake and PrintPreview bring high efficiency and advanced capabilities to design, prepress and printing operations. HELIOS products run on powerful and scalable servers including Apple macOS, IBM AIX, Linux, Oracle Solaris, and Windows systems. HELIOS products provide reliable cross-platform support for Mac, Windows, Web, UNIX, and mobile clients. Distributors sell HELIOS products worldwide to value-added resellers who provide complete networking solutions to customers. HELIOS also works with many strategic partners that incorporate HELIOS server software to provide powerful third-party archive, asset management and workflow solutions. "The importance of an international, multibillion dollar company selecting Fort Lauderdale to locate a headquarters office for their U.S. presence cannot be overstated, Stiles' Kimberly Barbar said. CDB has tremendous growth potential, and the sky is literally the limit for their success. Stiles announced today that CDB Aviation Lease Finance DAC (CDB Aviation), a wholly owned subsidiary of China Development Bank Financial Leasing Co., Limited (CDB Leasing), has enlisted Stiles Realty to lease its first U.S. headquarters to accommodate its regional business platform, CDB Aviation Americas LLC. The group, which specializes in the lease and finance of commercial aircraft, has leased an office at 515 East Las Olas Boulevard, also known as Las Olas Square. CDB Aviation, currently with a fleet of more than 400 commercial jet aircraft on lease and on order, plans to support a fleet growing to 600 aircraft with a top-tier leasing program based out of its new Fort Lauderdale offices, alongside those in Hong Kong and Dublin. CDB Leasing is a 33-year old leasing company majority owned by China Development Bank, the worlds largest development finance institution. Stiles Realty Vice President Kimberly Barbar executed the lease for CDB Aviation. Las Olas Square, which is undergoing a major reconstruction, is ideally located in the heart of the Fort Lauderdale financial district with direct frontage on Las Olas Boulevard. The reconstruction of Las Olas Square is being managed by Stiles Construction. "The importance of an international, multibillion dollar company selecting Fort Lauderdale to locate a headquarters office for their U.S. presence cannot be overstated, Barbar said. CDB has tremendous growth potential, and the sky is literally the limit for their success. CDB Aviation recently committed $12.6 billion to increase its fleet and is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. CDB Aviation has undergone a remarkable evolution over the past year with a vision to become a true frontrunner of the next generation of industry-leading aircraft lessors, said Peter Chang, CDBs president and chief executive officer. Our strategic goals include expanding global operations, providing an excellent experience to airline customers in all key markets, diversifying funding sources, and accelerating growth of our aircraft portfolio. A U.S. presence helps us in all of those pursuits. President of CDB Aviation Americas Michael Dolsingh added: Kimberly Barbar made a very compelling case for CDB to locate their Americas operations in Fort Lauderdale. This excellent location along one of South Floridas most active thoroughfares will give CDB Aviation vital access to the burgeoning aircraft industry across North America, Latin America and the Caribbean by harnessing the communications and other access advantages and airline community in and around Fort Lauderdale International Airport and South Florida. About Stiles Stiles is a full-service commercial real estate firm with a clear mission: Invest. Build. Manage. Stiles services include development, construction, tenant improvement, realty, property management, architecture, acquisitions and financing. Headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Stiles maintains regional offices in Miami, Fort Myers, Tampa and Orlando, Florida, and has a development office in Charlotte, North Carolina. Stiles is responsible for more than 43 million square feet of office, industrial, retail and mixed-use residential projects throughout the southeastern United States. For more information, please visit http://www.stiles.com or call 954-627-9300. Contact: Adrienne Zalkind Email: adrienne.zalkind(at)stiles.com Office: 954-627-9148 Contact: Brant Long Email: brant.long(at)stiles.com Office: 954-627-9102 Wayk Now Free is available at no cost, and can be used for any personal and commercial purposes. Devolutions, an enterprise software development firm whose remote connection and password management platform Remote Desktop Manager is used by more than 335,000 IT professionals worldwide, announced today that it has released Wayk Now version 2.0. Wayk Now, which can be downloaded for free from https://wayk.devolutions.net, is a flexible, easy to use, and lightweight tool that enables help desk technicians, sysadmin, and other IT professionals to securely launch LAN and over-the-internet remote sessions. Wayk Now, which supports the same rich feature set for Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS and Android, can also be configured to restrict access to specific resources on shared servers, and execute multiple types of commands and scripts. All communications are secured using strong TLS 1.2 encryption with certificate validation. Key additions and enhancements in Wayk Now 2.0 include: New Wayk Den cloud services for peer-to-peer connectivity over the Internet Improved certificate validation timing during TLS handshake Enhanced stability of locael network name resolving protocols Rapid loading of embedded images Improved robustness of remote execution Improved UI (menus, notification area icons) A complete list of all upgrades in version 2.0 is available on the Wayk Now change history page. In addition, for the first time Wayk Now is now fully integrated into Devolutions Remote Desktop Manager solution. As a result, Remote Desktop Manager users are automatically setup to launch LAN and over-the-internet remote sessions, without having to download a separate remote desktop client on multiple machines. IT professionals know that a flexible, easy-to-use and highly secure remote desktop access solution is essential for supporting end users, managing multiple remote servers, and reducing implementation time, commented David Hervieux, Devolutions CEO and Founder. Wayk Now is designed to meet this need, while at the same time ensuring that organizations get sustainable affordability and long-term investment protection. Added Mr. Hervieux: Many of the improvements in Wayk Now 2.0 were suggested by our incredible community of IT pros, including many who volunteered to participate in our beta testing rounds. Our development team is eager to continue evolving Wayk Now, and we will definitely be making more exciting product announcements in the months ahead! Wayk Now is offered in two editions: Free and Enterprise. Wayk Now Free is available at no cost, and can be used for any personal and commercial purposes. Wayk Now Enterprise is available for an affordable yearly subscription fee (user, site, country or global options are available), and delivers a more sophisticated enterprise-level feature set that includes concurrent sessions and remote execution. A comparison of both editions is available at: https://wayk.devolutions.net/compare. New users are invited to try Wayk Now Enterprise at no cost for 30 days by requesting it from: https://wayk.devolutions.net/trial. After their trial period expires, they can choose to purchase a license, or downgrade to Wayk Now Free and continue using it for as long as they wish. For all other information or media inquiries, contact Maxime Trottier, VP Sales & Marketing, at (514) 360-3686 or mtrottier@devolutions.net. About Devolutions Established in 2004, Devolutions is a Canadian-based company located near Montreal, Quebec. The firm currently has over 335,000 users in over 140 countries, and is on a mission to develop innovative enterprise software that helps users cost effectively, simply and effectively achieve their network management, password management, credentials management and security goals. The firm is also committed to providing exceptional technical support, ensuring an excellent user experience that exceeds expectations, and delivering high performance with superior quality. The firms current roster of solutions includes: Remote Desktop Manager, Devolutions Server and Wayk Now; all of which are supported by Devolutions Cloud. Media Contact Maxime Trottier, VP Sales & Marketing (514) 360-3686 mtrottier@devolutions.net SITC logo By partnering with these leading organizations, SITC is committed to developing an online destination where people can find the scientific and clinical information they need when they need it, said SITC President Lisa H. Butterfield, PhD. The Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) today announced its new partnerships with three leading cancer organizations: the Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation (ALCF), the Cancer Support Community and Fight Colorectal Cancer. With the rapidly expanding cancer immunotherapy field, SITC created an online community, SITC Cancer Immunotherapy CONNECT (SITC CONNECT), to educate all who want to learn more about cancer immunotherapy. This active community of researchers, physicians, nurses, allied health professionals, industry personnel and patients serves as the gateway for accessing current information on cancer immunotherapy. Now, with these new partnerships, visitors to SITC CONNECT can access resources from ALCF, the Cancer Support Community and Fight Colorectal Cancer in the SITC Resource Library. By partnering with these leading organizations, SITC is committed to developing an online destination where people can find the scientific and clinical information they need when they need it, said SITC President Lisa H. Butterfield, PhD. Through our societys partnerships, we remain at the forefront of cancer immunotherapy research and education, and increasingly, in patient outreach. The partnerships provide unique benefits, as each organization serves a different audience. Our immunotherapy-related materials continue to be among our most sought-after resources for patients, said Kim Thiboldeaux, CEO of the Cancer Support Community, a global nonprofit that operates in 175 locations. As new reports on this treatment continue to make headlines, the Cancer Support Community is thrilled to collaborate with SITC CONNECT to ensure patients and their loved ones can get answers to their questions about immunotherapy-related options. Dozens of high-quality, informative, immunotherapy-related resources have been added to the SITC Resource Library to date, with many more to come in the future. Working together to increase the number of educational resources available is key to our future success in the rapidly growing cancer field, said Anjee Davis, president of Fight Colorectal Cancer. Our valuable partnership with SITC expands the reach of Fight Colorectal Cancers scientific and clinical resources as they are now available on SITC CONNECT. SITC CONNECT also provides a collaborative forum, SITC communities, for online discussion of scientific breakthroughs and innovative research. The partnering organizations can now contribute to the societys online community. By engaging in SITCs existing online communities, we can better facilitate collaboration between researchers and clinicians to help transform this field and the treatment of lung cancer specifically as it relates to helping lung cancer patients live longer, said Danielle Hicks, associate executive director of patient services and programs at ALCF. With the expansion of information and organizations focused on cancer immunotherapy, a critical need exists for a resource destination for people to find trustworthy content. SITC continues to expand its resources through innovative partnerships with other leading cancer organizations. For more information on SITC or to create a SITC CONNECT account, visit sitcancer.org. About SITC Established in 1984, the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) is a nonprofit organization of medical professionals dedicated to improving cancer patient outcomes by advancing the development, science and application of cancer immunotherapy and tumor immunology. SITC is comprised of influential basic and translational scientists, practitioners, health care professionals, government leaders and industry professionals around the globe. Through educational initiatives that foster scientific exchange and collaboration among leaders in the field, SITC aims to one day make the word cure a reality for cancer patients everywhere. Learn more about SITC, our educational offerings and other resources at sitcancer.org and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube. About the Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation The Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation (ALCF) is one of the largest philanthropies (patient-founded, patient-focused, and patient-driven) devoted exclusively to eradicating lung cancer through research, early detection, education, and treatment. The foundations goal is to work with a diverse group of physicians, organizations, industry partners, individuals, patients, survivors, and their families to identify solutions and make timely and meaningful change and turn lung cancer into a chronically managed disease by 2023. The ALCF was established on March 1, 2006 as a 501c(3) nonprofit organization and has raised over $30 million for lung cancer research and related programs. The foundation has received four stars from Charity Navigator and has earned the platinum GuideStar nonprofit seal of transparency. For more information about the ALCF please visit http://www.lungcancerfoundation.org or follow us on Facebook or Twitter. About the Cancer Support Community The Cancer Support Community (CSC) is a global non-profit network of 175 locations, including CSC and Gilda's Club centers, health-care partnerships, and satellite locations that deliver more than $50 million in free support services to patients and families. In addition, CSC administers a toll-free helpline and produces award-winning educational resources that reach more than one million people each year. Formed in 2009 by the merger of The Wellness Community and Gildas Club, CSC also conducts cutting-edge research on the emotional, psychological, and financial journey of cancer patients. In addition, CSC advocates at all levels of government for policies to help individuals whose lives have been disrupted by cancer. In January 2018, CSC welcomed Denver-based nonprofit MyLifeLine, a digital community that includes more than 30,000 patients, caregivers, and their supporters that will enable CSC to scale its digital services in an innovative, groundbreaking way. For more information, visit http://www.CancerSupportCommunity.org. So that no one faces cancer alone. About Fight Colorectal Cancer Fight Colorectal Cancer (Fight CRC) is a trusted national nonprofit advocacy organization fighting for a cure. It was founded in 2005 by Nancy Roach, a patient advocate who witnessed the need for colorectal cancer advocacy after her mother-in-laws diagnosis. The organization plays an important role in rallying colorectal cancer advocates to action. Fight CRC is known for activism and patient empowerment throughout patient, academic, political, scientific, medical and nonprofit communities. With a mission focused on advocacy, research, patient education and awareness, the organization serves advocates in every state of the U.S. and many others around the world. Fight CRC is rated Platinum by nonprofit monitoring group GuideStar and is a 4-star charity by Charity Navigator. To learn more, visit FightCRC.org. SmartProfile for Broadsoft and Netsapiens SmartProfile is a vital tool for helping service providers define sales and marketing strategies that respond to distinct customer characteristics. Cloud Optik, a cloud insights platform for service providers, today announced their latest integration focusing on Broadsoft BROADWORKS and Netsapiens SNAPsolutions platforms. The companys SmartProfile tool analyzes providers existing data for better understanding of current customers, service analytics, and opportunities to provide deeper services to the existing customer base. After 12 years of owning and operating a successful service provider, we noticed some key gaps in the industry when it comes to using data and targeting customers, so we set out to address them, said Michael Sterl, CEO of Cloud Optik. Using big data and business intelligence, we developed a platform that helps providers and channel partners dive deeper into their customer base and better target opportunities to better engage with existing customers. SmartProfile allows providers like Broadsoft and Netsapiens to track which features are being sold to customers, which ones they are using and historical customer trends. In doing so, the platform enhances customer loyalty by leveraging insights and giving providers the insights they need to provide more targeted feature training. Additionally, Cloud Optik uses license optimization to create tailored features bundles while focusing on customer education and data utilization to enable upsell/cross-sell opportunities. SmartProfile is a vital tool for helping service providers define sales and marketing strategies that respond to distinct customer characteristics, said Catharine Trebnick, Senior Research Analyst at Dougherty & Company LLC. By identifying customer location and device type and determining active features customers use, Cloud Optik cuts through the data to present a more comprehensive and multi-layered understanding of customers. Businesses are actively expanding services into cloud-based technologies, and Cloud Optik is focused on helping service providers harness the power of data to provide better customer experiences and deeper relationships. We see data as king, said Sterl. We will continue to expand not only to UCaaS platforms but also Identity Management Providers as we execute our business plan going forward. About Cloud Optik Cloud Optik is a cloud analytics platform that is engineered to connect business intelligence data with proprietary data models to identify and unlock new sources of value for Service Providers and Channel Partners. The platform generates insights across the business, from operational improvements to enhanced customer profile information and new sales opportunities. For more information, visit https://www.cloudoptik.com/. About BroadSoft BroadSoft, now a part of Cisco, is a technology innovator in cloud PBX, unified communications, team collaboration, and contact center solutions for businesses and service providers across 80 countries. We aim to empower users and teams to share ideas and work simply to achieve breakthrough performance. For additional information, visit http://www.BroadSoft.com. About Netsapiens Netsapiens offers a comprehensive suite of unified communications (UC) services and feature-sets to service providers and large enterprise customers with existing network infrastructure. This includes VoIP, Hosted PBX (UCaaS), SIP trunking, contact centers, device provisioning, multi-tenant user portals and much more. Custom-built to provide its partners with unprecedented levels of flexibility, customization, and ease of use, the SNAPsolution UC and Collaboration tools can be quickly deployed so that the companys service provider partners can realize their ROI as quick. For more information, visit http://www.netsapiens.com and follow us on Twitter at @netsapiens. Mohr Partners, Inc., the worlds largest wholly-owned commercial real estate advisory firm exclusively focused on representing tenants, announced the MENTOR Networks 30,000+ SF lease in Lupoli Companies Riverwalk property. Mohr Partners Account Manager Victor Salvino IV, along with the Boston Mohr Partners team, represented MENTOR in the transaction. Mohr Partners, Inc. is excited to bring MENTOR to Lawrence and its growing market, Salvino said. We feel moving MENTOR to Lawrence was the best direction for our client given the area amenities and the improvements that Lupoli Companies are putting into the buildings at Riverwalk. This was a long-term strategy for our client and we are pleased with how everything is coming together on their new space. The MENTOR Network is exactly the kind of mission-driven organization we want to attract at Riverwalk, President and CEO of Lupoli Companies Sal Lupoli said. Their decision to expand to Lawrence demonstrates the citys increasing appeal as a place where employers want to grow their businesses. We are excited to have this great organization as a Riverwalk tenant and look forward to the positive impact they will have on our community. The MENTOR Network is a national network of local health and human services providers offering quality, community-based services to adults, children and elders in need. The new office in the historic Riverwalk area will hold over 200 MENTOR employees. The building is also home to other organizations in the education and social service industry, such as Melmark New England, Clarendon Early Education Services and Family Continuity. The MENTOR Network has long provided quality of life enhancing services to residents of Lawrence and we now look forward to locating our Shared Services Center in this vibrant and growing city, said Bruce Nardella, President and CEO of The MENTOR Network. This lease is significant for Lupoli Companies and we are thrilled to welcome The MENTOR Network to the Riverwalk community, Senior Vice President of Lupoli Companies Gerry-Lynn Darcy said. Our team of architects is actively designing the perfect space for this innovative national organization. The MENTOR organization is expected to move in fall 2018. About Mohr Partners, Inc.: Mohr Partners, Inc. is a global corporate real estate services firm providing tenants and occupiers integrated solutions including strategic consulting & advisory, portfolio strategy/lease administration, research and site selection, location incentives consulting, transaction advisory, project management and business intelligence/data analytics services. Since 1986, Mohr Partners has been managing real estate portfolios for organizations around the world. Mohr Partners 200 professionals working from the firms 22 North American owned offices, deliver integrated services worldwide through strategic alliances with best-in-class partners in Mexico/Latin America, EMEA and Asia. As the leading diverse commercial real estate firm, Mohr Partners became a certified Minority Business Enterprise (MBE), by the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) in 2017. For more information please visit mohrpartners.com or please contact: John Wickes Managing Director, Marketing & Communications 214 273 8647 john.wickes@mohrpartners.com This release may contain forward-looking statements. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, including statements that address activities, events or developments that we or our management intend, expect, project, believe or anticipate will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on managements assumptions and assessments in light of experience and trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other relevant factors. They are not guarantees of future performance, and actual results may differ significantly from those envisaged by our forward-looking statements. Among the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described or implied in the forward-looking statements are general business and economic conditions, production delays resulting from lack of regulatory certifications and other factors, competition in our existing and future markets, lack of market acceptance of our products and services, the substantial leverage and debt service resulting from our indebtedness, loss or retirement of key executives and other risks disclosed by us or generally associated with our business. On May 12, 2018, the Abraham Lincoln Brigade Archives (ALBA) will present the ALBA/Puffin Award for Human Rights Activism to the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) in support of their continued efforts to protect the rights of agricultural workers, prevent involuntary servitude, and create a food supply chain that is fair from bottom to top. Founded in 1993 by a small group of workers who had been meeting in a church, the Coalition of Immokalee Workers fought to raise the wages and working conditions of tomato pickers in Southern Florida. After years of organizing in Immokalee, in 2001, the CIW launched the first ever boycott of a national fast food companyTaco Bell. Four years later, the company agreed to support wage increases and workplace protections for tomato pickers. Since then, food corporations, such as McDonald's, Burger King, Whole Foods, Subway, and Walmart have followed suit and reached agreements with CIW. Today, 14 of the worlds largest food retailers and restaurants have signed fair food agreements with the CIW. Building off these unprecedented agreements, the CIW created a revolutionary program to make the agriculture supply system more equitable: The Fair Food Program, a groundbreaking partnership among farmworkers, food retailers, and growers to ensure decent wages, safe working conditions, and a real voice on the job for farmworkers. The program, which today spans seven states and three crops, has virtually eliminated some of the industrys worst human rights abuses from participating farms, including sexual violence and slavery. The Fair Food Program has proven itself to be a uniquely effective solution to the scourge of slavery and other human rights abuses in agriculture said CIW Member Julia de la Cruz. Even more recently, the program has provided a success model for ending sexual violence in the age of #MeToo, as the country seeks to combat sexual harassment and assault in the workplace. In its commitment to social justice and human dignity the CIW keeps alive the same values that motivated the women and men who stood up to fascism in the Spanish Civil War said Fraser Ottanelli, Chair of ALBAs board. The ALBA/Puffin Award for Human Rights Activism is an initiative to sustain the legacy of the experiences, aspirations and idealism of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade. One of the largest monetary awards for human rights in the world, this $100,000 cash prize is granted annually by ALBA and the Puffin Foundation in honor of the 3,000 Americans who volunteered in the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) to fight fascism under the banner of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade. It supports contemporary international activists and human rights causes. The award was created by visionary and philanthropist Perry Rosenstein, President of the Puffin Foundation, which established an endowed fund for this human rights award in 2010. Award Ceremony: Saturday, May 12, 2018 at 2:30 pm Japan Society, 333 E 47th St New York, NY 10017 ### BACKGROUND The Abraham Lincoln Brigade Archives: http://www.alba-valb.org The Abraham Lincoln Brigade Archives (ALBA) is an educational non-profit dedicated to promoting social activism and the defense of human rights. ALBAs work is inspired by the American volunteers of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade who fought fascism in the Spanish Civil War (1936-39). Drawing on the ALBA collections in New York Universitys Tamiment Library, and working to expand such collections, ALBA works to preserve the legacy of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade as an inspiration for present and future generations. Other recipients of the ALBA/ Puffin Award for Human Rights Activism include investigative journalists Lydia Cacho and Jeremy Scahill; Judge Baltaser Garzon; Kate Doyle and Fredy Peccerelli, who work to expose human rights violations in Guatemala; United We Dream, a national network of youth-led immigrant activist organizations that fight for the rights of millions of undocumented immigrants in the United States, and public-interest lawyer Bryan Stevenson. The Puffin Foundation: http://www.puffinfoundation.org Since it was founded in 1983, the Puffin Foundation Ltd. has sought to open the doors of artistic expression by providing grants to artists and art organizations who are often excluded from mainstream opportunities due to their race, gender, or social philosophy. The Puffin, a species whose nesting sites were endangered by encroaching civilization, were encouraged to return to their native habitats through the constructive efforts of a concerned citizenry. The Foundation has adopted the name Puffin as a metaphor for how it perceives its mission, which is to ensure that the arts continue to grow and enrich our lives. In so doing it has joined with other concerned groups and individuals toward achieving that goal. The Puffin Foundation is also a long-standing supporter of ALBAs educational mission. Coalition of Immokalee Workers: http://www.ciw-online.org The Coalition of Immokalee Workers is a human rights organization internationally recognized for its achievements in the fields of social responsibility, anti-sexual violence, community organizing, and sustainable food. The CIWs Fair Food Program is a groundbreaking partnership among farmworkers, Florida tomato growers, and fourteen major food retailers. Participating retailers agree to purchase exclusively from suppliers who meet a worker-driven Code of Conduct, which includes a zero-tolerance policy for slavery and sexual harassment. Retailers also pay a penny-per-pound premium, which is passed down through the supply chain and paid out directly to workers by their employers. Since the Programs inception in 2011, buyers have paid over $26 million into the FFP. HCMC Legal, Inc. (HCMC Legal), the parent company of Hire Counsel and Mestel & Company, significantly enhances its eDiscovery center in downtown Washington, DC on 1990 K Street Northwest. The expansion of its existing footprint in Washington, DC is in response to their additional offerings to contractors and clients and the increased demand for legal services in the region. This aligns with the companys strategic growth initiative and follows the success of its eDiscovery center launches in Chicago and Raleigh-Durham (Morrisville, North Carolina) last year. The company is close to announcing the launch of its eDiscovery center in New York City. The state of the art center in Washington, DC is designed to be flexible and can staff 125+ contract attorneys, project managers, and support staff in various review rooms, management offices, private conference rooms, and breakroom. In addition, HCMC Legal can build pop-up facilities in any location within North America to accommodate document reviews of any size. DC is a global business and education hub, making it a terrific market for HCMC Legal to expand further, said Joan Davison, CEO of HCMC Legal. We are appreciative of the support demonstrated by the DC legal community and the confidence they place in us. We will continue to provide superior legal services and offerings to our clients and contractors in the region. For more information about HCMC Legal or to request a tour of the Washington DC eDiscovery center, please visit http://www.hirecounsel.com and http://www.mestel.com, or call 202.524.6360. About HCMC Legal HCMC Legal, Inc., the parent company of Hire Counsel and Mestel & Company, is a national leader in attorney placement, legal staffing, eDiscovery services, and project management since 1987. Hire Counsel partners with top corporations, law firms, and government agencies across the US, helping them to leverage exceptional talent and technology and to develop customized and cost-effective strategies. Mestel & Company specializes in legal search, outplacement, and M&A consulting. HCMC is the only 100% employee owned company in the legal staffing industry and one of the Largest Legal Staffing Firms in the US, ranked second-largest by Staffing Industry Analysts in 2017. Additionally, Hire Counsel has been named one of America's Best Professional Search Firms in 2017 by Forbes and a Top 250 Company for Flexible Jobs in 2016 by FlexJobs. In 2018, Mestel & Company was recognized by Forbes in two categories, Best Executive Recruiting Firms and Best Professional Recruiting Firms. For more information, visit http://www.hirecounsel.com and http://www.mestel.com. Follow us on Twitter@HireCounsel and Twitter@Mestel. Press Contact: Alison Chin, Executive Director of Marketing HCMC Legal (Hire Counsel | Mestel & Company) achin(at)hirecounsel.com, 646.356.0502 Tiger SEO Marketing Website We are proud of our forward thinking contributors who created a website that allows for enhanced user interaction, and introduces business owners and managers to new internet marketing tools and strategies. - Jim Hobson, President Tiger SEO Marketing, a full service digital marketing agency and website design company, formally announces the launch of its new responsive website. The new responsive HTML website replaces a responsive WordPress website, and offers an enhanced user experience. A unique feature of the new website is the Services landing page. This page allows users to select from a list of common marketing objectives, and then be presented with options relative to their particular need. The benefit from this presentation model is empowering potential clients to quickly identify which services are their best options to improve their situation. The new Tiger SEO Marketing website has a clean contemporary design and improved functionality. The use of SVG graphics, Schema Markup and AMP companion pages demostrate the company's capabilities and knowledge to create and manage leading edge services. The site features updated mixed media content to present viable and effective internet marketing solutions to solve common online marketing challenges. Additional content, including more pages and informative articles, is scheduled to be phased in throughout 2018. A key area to be further developed in 2018 is the subject of website and server security relative to mitigating hacking threats and problems with injection malware. "We are excited about our new website launch, and the important role it will play in our 2018 go-to-market strategy," said Jim Hobson, Tiger SEO Marketing Founder and President. "We are proud of our forward-thinking contributors who created a website that allows for enhanced user interaction, and introduces business owners and managers to new internet marketing tools and strategies. This approach aligns with what differentiates us from our competition - we create superior deliverables blending technical expertise with real-world business knowledge." The new site was built using HTML and advanced coding methods to achieve top scores on the Google Page Speed Insights (GPSI) tool and Pingdom. GPSI scores the website 94/100 for mobile search and 96/100 for desktop search. Pingdom scores the website 93/100 with a page load time of 1.38 seconds. The information on the new website was created to be both promotional and informative. The Company recognized a need to go beyond simply presenting what it can do, and educate clients on trends, opportunities, and best practices. In particular, the website will continue to focus on best-practices for achieving improved ranking with methods that conform to Google's preferences and requirements. Tiger SEO's new website also features a Careers section which publishes job openings. The company's growing need for internet marketing and web design specialists mandated the need to be more proactive in soliciting quality applicants. The Careers section includes specific information on the company's culture and expectations of employees and contractors. Additionally, the area calls out the active use of E-Verify, drug testing and background checks to assure the company hires only quality personnel. About Tiger SEO Marketing Tiger SEO Marketing is a full service digital marketing agency, owned by E-Platform Marketing, with locations in Atlanta, Georgia, and Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The company offers web design and development, and a wide range of customized internet marketing services and products. Tiger SEO Marketing's services have been utilized by small to mid-sized companies throughout the United States. For more information on the Company, its products and services, please visit https://tigerseomarketing.com. HD LifeSciences' Soft Titanium lattice technology. ...we expect our new implants to demonstrate a decreased rate of subsidence in patients with low bone density... HD LifeSciences Soft Titanium lattice technology will be exhibited at the 2018 AANS Annual Meeting in New Orleans. HD LifeSciences booth will feature their latest Hive interbodies, including the new Long TLIF, Wide ALIF and Hyperlodotic ALIF configurations. Lucas Diehl, CEO of HD LifeSciences states, We are tremendously excited to expand our lumbar interbody portfolio, and apply our technology across a broader range of surgeon preferences and technique variations. I think the advantages of our Soft Titanium technology will be especially evident when used to treat high risk patients. For example, we expect our new implants to demonstrate a decreased rate of subsidence in patients with low bone density. Developed through extensive research and engineering, and in partnership with surgeons, HD LifeSciences lumbar implants were FDA approved and released to market in 2017. Designed to overcome limitations of current industry-standard implants, each Hive ALIF, PLIF, and TLIF features four pillars of technology: stiffness, in growth, on growth, and imaging. All HD Lifesciences products are based on the patented Soft Titanium technology platform. Soft Titanium is an innovative honeycomb lattice engineered to have an "elastic modulus" that is lower than PEEK, yet maintains the durability necessary for a permanent implant. Due to this robust technology, HD has not had any reported incidents of implant fracture. HD LifeSciences invites AANS Annual Meeting attendees to visit Booth #1745 to learn more about their Soft Titanium technology and rapidly expanding Hive interbody line. About HD LifeSciences: HD LifeSciences is improving orthopedic care with additively manufactured Soft Titanium lattice. Soft Titanium provides advantageous stiffness, in growth, on growth, and imaging properties. For more information, please visit hdlifesciences.com. Its been said that people are creatures of habit and travelers even more so. A 2013 New York Times article stated that upward of 20 percent of a hotels travelers can contribute up to 60% of the revenue. (NYT, October 7, 2013 Hotels Go The Extra Length for Repeat Customers). Many of these frequent travelers stay more than 20 times a year at a hotel. Capturing the heart of a frequent guest is a combination of good service, comfortable accommodations and good recall, said Mark Zisek, Front Desk Supplys Director of Commercial Operations, and Front Desk can help hotels with the recall aspect of this formula for success. We have an array of promotional items for your hotel, each of which can be branded with your hotel logo, name, websiteor all three! Zisek continued, And once youre on their mind, you capture their loyalty! The following are some typical promotional items, which can be personalized with your Branding: 1. Hats A branded hat that a guest can grab as they head off to a casual meeting, yoga session or jog can create an emotional tie with your hotel. The pleasant experience, enhanced by your thoughtfulness will be remembered that next time they travel to your city. 2. T-Shirts A branded t-shirt for guests who finds themselves in the need for an extra shirt can make the difference between an average stay to a memorable stay. That ability to workout, or go for a casual dinner will remain with them the next time they are debating where to stay. 3. Tote Bags Who among us hasnt bought a souvenir and then realized they dont have room in their luggage for it. A branded hotel tote bag to send them off on their journey home is always much appreciated and serves as a reminder to them on where to stay in the future. Front Desk Supply offers a host of promotional items for your hotel. Not only, hats, t-shirts, and tote bags, but umbrellas, yoga mats and eco-friendly water bottles and travel mugs. This April, Front Desk Supply is offering a $50 discount on new promotional item orders for clients. Questions? If you need some advice on your Promotional Item order, please feel free to contact Front Desk Supply. Their experienced sales team is available to review options, provide a competitive price quote and answer any questions. Simply, call: (888) 859-2061. Or visit: FrontDeskSupply.com Why Front Desk Supply? Whichever products customers choose, Front Desk Supply successfully competes with all other providers. Why? Because Front Desk Supply doesnt charge the large industry standard markups like many other competitors do and is keenly focused on efficiencies. Unlike other suppliers, Front Desk Supply is invested in becoming a preferred partner with hotels for many years to come. People interested in placing a new business card order, may telephone Front Desk Supply: 888-859-2061 to be eligible for up to $25 off their first order! About Front Desk Supply Front Desk Supply has over 50 years of Sales, Marketing and Advertising, and Operations experience, along with the wealth of experience that comes from producing millions of products for thousands of hotels in the hospitality industry. Their experience includes a wealth of customer relationship experience, including large and small companies in diverse industries. This experience gets ingrained in all employees to put the customer first and do their best to understand each unique situation. Front Desk Supply excels when being able to provide multiple products it makes for a one stop shopping experience for customers and ensures messaging flows consistently across products. They do our best to make recommendations that make good business sense. Front Desk Supply: Making hotels more profitable and their guests stays more memorable. Lormand Law Firm - Baton Rouge Medical Malpractice Lawyer We are excited about our new website, how it serves our clients, and the important role it will play in our 2018 business development strategy." - Attorney Bobby Lormand The Lormand Law Firm, the private practice of attorney Bobby Lormand, formally announces the launch of its new mobile-friendly website. The new responsive HTML website offers an enhanced mobile search experience through companion accelerated mobile pages (AMP). The launch of the new website is part of the 2018 marketing campaign to promote law firm representation for persons needing a nursing home abuse attorney, or medical malpractice lawyer in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The new Lormand Law Firm website has a bold, contemporary design and updated informative content. Users of the new website can learn important facts including their rights to file a lawsuit, restrictions, and how the law firm can serve them. The website includes representative examples of the law firms experience and success in numerous cases. Additional content, including more pages and informative articles, is scheduled to be phased in throughout 2018. The Importance of AMP Design The law firm chose to go further than a basic website after recognizing that the volume of mobile searches exceeds desktop searches. Accelerated mobile pages (AMP) are the cornerstone of Googles Mobile First initiative. AMPs are specially coded website pages which provide ultra-fast page load times for pages viewed on mobile devices. Google widely implemented the Mobile First initiative in late 2017 and provides a premium experience for mobile search users. AMP pages empower users to get the information they need, with the fastest possible page load times. "We are excited about our new website, how well it serves our clients, and the important role it will play in our 2018 business development strategy," said Bobby Lormand, Lormand Law Firm Founder and Owner. "In our pursuit to improve our public presence we felt that modernizing our website was an essential need. We understand that in many instances our website may be the first point of contact people have with our law firm." The new website will support the firms 2018 business development strategy including online and offline campaigns. The website includes landing pages for paid search advertising and serves as an engagement platform for prospective clients reached through local search marketing efforts. About Lormand Law Firm Lormand Law Firm, located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is the private practice of attorney Bobby Lormand. The law firm, founded in 1994, represents clients in the State of Louisiana in matters of medical malpractice, caregiver and nursing home abuse. The law firm is well known for its client friendly No Fee Unless We Win policy. For more information on the law firm, its services and history, please visit https://lormandlaw.com. The Franchise Show, presented by Allstate, is pleased to be taking place at The Prime F. Osborn III Convention Center, April 28 & 29, 2018. The Show is the perfect venue for attendees to find their best opportunity to attain prosperity and success by taking the first step to becoming a business owner. Many entrepreneurs dream of starting their own business and every year thousands of Americans consider franchising as a way to make it happen. Visitors have the chance to speak directly with representatives from proven, successful franchises. Full-time franchises and part-time business opportunities are available across Florida. The show plays a critical role in helping people find the business thats right for them. Franchising gives people the opportunity to start a business without feeling overwhelmed and alone. They have the support system of a company behind them with training, marketing and in most cases a proven brand, said Fred Cox, president, National Event Management, which produces the Franchise Show. The event features companies that are household names such as Allstate, Benjamin Moore, Circle K, and Rosatis Pizza. The exhibitors at the show offer a variety of industries from traditional retail stores and restaurants to fitness, home services, education and printing. The Show is also an excellent venue to discover new franchises and get in on the ground floor of a new opportunity. The Franchise Show successfully hosts thousands of attendees across North America every year, with the hope of helping each one become their own boss. Its important to be able to meet and speak with representatives from the companies at the event because it gives you a better understanding of the culture of a company and gives you a better indication of whether or not a company complements your specific personality, says Mr. Cox. The opportunity to speak directly with representatives from the hottest franchises as well as industry experts make this event a must attend for anyone considering owning a small business or looking to grow their already established business. The show is a significant source of information for people looking to open their own business and research franchising in depth. Visitors may attend free daily seminars given by industry experts including lawyers, financial specialists and franchise experts that have information that entrepreneurs need to know to start and grow a business. Seminar topics include: 5 Lessons I Learned in My First Year as a Small Business Owner, Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Franchising, First Time Franchise Buyers: Should You Buy a Single Territory or Multiple Territories?, and Learn about Financing Your Franchise Business using SBA-backed Loans. For a full schedule of free seminars please visit http://www.franchiseshowinfo.com/jacksonville/visitor/show-features/seminar-schedule/ Learn about Financing Your Franchise Business using SBA-backed Loans The Franchise Show Dates: Saturday, April 28 and Sunday, April 29 Time: Saturday: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Location: The Prime F. Osborn Convention Center 1000 Water Street Jacksonville, FL Admission: $8 at the door For more info: http://www.franchiseshowinfo.com/jacksonville/visitor/ Contact Information For media accreditation and more information, contact: Lisa Spodek, Director of Marketing 1-800-891-4859 ext. 225 lspodek(at)nationalevent.com Distance Learning Systems announces it has been awarded an $80,000 grant from the Skills Enhancement Fund and $450,000 in EDGE TAX Credit to meet the companys commitment to improving the standard of living for Indiana residents by adapting programs that support jobs creation, capital investment, job training, and skill enhancements for the workforce. Indiana offers various programs to make doing business here simple and affordable, said Derrick Christy, CEO at Distance Learning Systems. We are very excited to see that Distance Learning Systems will utilize IEDC programs to support jobs creation and training in order to help our mission of improving the standard of living for Indiana residents. One of the programs that Distance Learning Systems has received a credit certification for is the Economic Development for Growing Economy (EDGE) Tax Credit. This credit certification provides an incentive to the business to generate new jobs and to leverage capital investments in order to sustain job growth up to 10 years based upon the employment ramp-up outlined by the business. Our goal is 85 new jobs by 2022, said Derrick Christy, CEO of Distance Learning Systems. We believe that hitting this goal will positively impact the quality of life for residents in the communities where we operate our businesses. The other program that the online learning platform and education solutions provider has adapted is the Skills Enhancement Fund (SEF), which is a workforce training grant. This grant provides the necessary assistance to a business that will support employee training and upgrading of skills that are required to support new capital investment. The SEF grant not only helps support new capital investment for our communities, but it also helps to ensure that our employees will be given the opportunity to enhance their skills which leads to keeping our new workforce engaged while staying in our communities long term, said Christy. The EDGE Tax Credit certification and SEF grant are programs recommended by the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) for businesses like Distance Learning Systems that are focused on further rooting themselves and expanding their operations within the state. In addition to these programs recommended by the IEDC, the American Council on Educations College Credit Recommendation Service (ACE CREDIT) has evaluated and recommended college credit for fifteen (15) courses offered by Distance Learning Systems. With todays increasing cost and time required for higher education, it has become extremely challenging for many to fast-track, or even obtain a college degree, said David Christy, President of Distance Learning Systems (DLSII). ACE CREDIT recommendation now provides us with what many believe to be the best and most affordable platform for advancing the academic credentials of thousands of new students. Distance Learning Systems maintains a 97% national pass rate, and has saved students over $200 million in tuition and fees. All this while making it possible for students to complete college courses attending only 1 class per week. This unique program is delivered live online and classes are recorded for student review. ACE CREDIT helps adults gain academic credit for courses and examinations taken outside traditional degree programs. More than 2,000 colleges and universities consider ACE CREDIT recommendations in determining the applicability of coursework and examination results to satisfy their courses and degree programs. About Distance Learning Systems Headquartered in Greenwood, Indiana, Distance Learning Systems (DLSII) is one of the nations leading online learning platforms with over 10,000 clients nationwide. DLSII is the only external learning program that offers customized, structured, and instructor- led online programs that allow individuals to earn college credits through ACE CREDITs College and University Network. More than 2,000 higher education institutions consider ACE credit recommendations for transfer to various degree programs. Note: The decision to accept specific credit recommendations is up to each institution. Established in 1999, DLSI develops, supports and delivers comprehensive educational solutions for students, enabling them to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to achieve their academic goals. For more information visit: http://www.dlsii.com , call toll free, 1-888-955-3276, or email intake(at)dlsii(dot)com. This is going to be the most amazing show the aesthetics industry has ever seen! We can't wait to provide the industry and consumers with the most vast education and information available in aesthetics and beauty" Vanessa Julia, CEO and Founder, Aesthetic Everything Beauty Expo Vanessa Julia, The CEO of the nations premier aesthetics promoter is thrilled to announce the Aesthetic Everything Beauty Expo, August 10th and 11th, 2018, will be hosted by celebrity, Gretchen Christine Rossi. Aesthetic Everything is the Largest Network in the World for Aesthetic Professionals. With over 200,000 subscribers and more than one million social media followers, Aesthetic Everything is the nations largest aesthetics industry network, bringing together the fields top practitioners and companies for collaboration, information sharing, and empowerment. The Aesthetic Everything Beauty Expo is the industrys premier event, featuring more than 50 award-winning physician and company educators scheduled to present, over 100 exhibitors, and countless opportunities for networking and professional growth. This years star-studded speaker lineup will cover topics on everyones mind, including the latest in anti-aging, beauty, and cosmetic surgery. Dedicated to supporting and enhancing the aesthetic industry, CEO and Founder Vanessa Julia worked hard for over two decades to curate Aesthetic Everythings one-of-a-kind network of industry professionals and practitioners. The secret to her success depends on one simple word: credibility. It takes time and consistent effort to build credibility, and credibility means everything when connecting people within the beauty industry, says Julia. The time and effort, however, are well worth it for the reward of helping others grow. I am passionate about what I do and honored to help people connect with each other in order to reach their highest potential. This years host has built her brand on a strong conviction that couture fashion and top quality beauty products or services should be accessible to all. Beauty guru and Real Housewives of Orange County alum, Gretchen Christine Rossi, is thrilled to attend and speak at this years event. I am so excited to host the Aesthetic Everything Beauty Expo this year in Scottsdale, Arizona. I love Scottsdale and I love all things beauty, so I cant wait to go to each booth and spend time learning about new beauty brands and cutting edge devices! says Rossi, who will be attending both days for a glamorous red carpet opening night, a meet and greet with attendees, and memorable photos opportunities. The Aesthetic Everything Beauty Expo is one weekend only, August 10th and 11th from 8:00am 6:30pm at the luxurious Phoenician Resort, 6000 E Camelback Road in sunny Scottsdale, Arizona. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet the best aesthetic doctors in the nation, such as your favorite physicians from Botched, Dr. Paul Nassif, Dr. Doris Day, and Dr. Steven Dayan. Plus, view exhibits from Americas top aesthetic companies, such as Merz, Allergan, Galderma, Nestle Skin Health, Oxygenetix, and so many others. Find out more, reserve your exhibitor booth and get your tickets for this cant-miss event at AestheticEverythingBeautyExpo.com. Contact vanessa(at)aestheticeverything.com with questions, and visit AestheticEverything.com to learn more about the countrys top aesthetic networking club and become a member today. About the Aesthetic Everything Beauty Expo: The second annual Aesthetic Everything Beauty Expo trade show is designed specifically for practitioners and professionals to exhibit, impress, and sell! The event features Americas largest network of aesthetics and beauty professionals, cosmetic dentists, dermatologists, plastic surgeons, medical spas, and aesthetics companies showcasing procedures, products, and the industrys latest technological advancements. Participants call it fantastic and amazing an event that brings everyone in the beauty industry all to one location so they can talk about a common interest and passion. Visit AestheticEverythingBeautyExpo.com to watch 2017 highlights and view this years star-studded lineup of speakers, presenters, and exhibitors such as: Russel Bartels MD, Sheila Nazarian MD, Todd Hobgood MD, Susan Van Dyke MD, Dr. Jody Comstock, Lawrence Janowski MD, Andre Berger MD, David J Goldberg MD, Jason Emer MD, Cynthia Price MD, Michael Somenek MD, Dr. Swanick Summer, Dr. Suneel Chilukuri, Christopher Zoumalan, MD, and Jennifer Haley MD. Over 100 Aesthetic and Beauty Companies exhibiting to include: Merz Platinum Sponsor Allergan Galderma Oxygenetix Skin Better Science Bovie Medical Genesis Biosystems Envy Medical Esthetic Skin Institute ZIMMER Crystal Clear Inmode Eclipse Aesthetics Kaufmann de Suisse Epionce Lightstim Lutronic Viveve Sharplight A4 Beauty NUSKIN A4 Beauty Pharmanex Sono Bello CareStream America Rodan and Fields Stratpharma Image Skincare Medler and Ferro JetPeel USA Sciton Lumenis Miramedtech Cynosure Venus Concept Paul Nassif MD PCA Skin Skin Elegance Dermasweep New Medical Skinceuticals Canfield Viora eRelevance NuFACE Replenology Patient Now Fotona Totally Derma Cellfina Ultherapy Xeomin Coolsculpting Skin Medica Aclaris Red Spot Interactive California Mango AIVITA Biomedical Celluma Glowbiotics Rohrer Aesthetics TIZO Quanta Lasers Bellaire Industry Sensus Healthcare Solta Medical Care Credit YMS Consulting LLC Cellese AW Practice Management, Associates,llc AMP Medical Products Priyana Skincare Dermodality Skincare & OxyGeneo Bellus Uvida Sportsware Crisalix Theresienol MD BrandingMD LIGHTWAVE LED Therapy The Revenue Hub Opatra Hair Science Corp Dermaka Skinuva Scar HansBiomed USA Inc. Sedona Pines/The Highlands Resorts View all speakers and their talks: HERE Buy tickets: HERE DRE Medical a leading provider of new and refurbished medical equipment is pleased to announce it will be attending The Aesthetic Meeting 2018 April 26 - May 1 in New York. Visit DRE equipment experts Misty Hampton and Vivian Willinger in booth #758 to see the companys latest selection of premium plastic surgery equipment. DRE will be showcasing top products from its current line, including the DRE Milano E20 Power Procedure Chair. The DRE Milano E20 features 180-degree chair rotation and a tapered head rest, allowing aesthetic practitioners access to the operative field. Using either the handheld remote control or foot panel, clinicians can adjust the chairs height, backrest, seat rest, and leg rest. Visit Hampton and Willinger in New York at The Aesthetic Meeting to learn more about the DRE Milano E20, as well as these other customer favorites: DRE SLS 9000 Plus LED Surgical Light DRE Torino 550 Mobile Surgery Table DRE Waveline EZ Portable Patient Monitor Refurbished GE Aestiva 5 Anesthesia Machine Refurbished Valleylab Force FX Refurbished Zoll AED Plus Defibrillator For information on more upcoming meetings and trade shows, visit the DRE Medical Trade Show and Conventions Calendar a continually-updating, free resource. About DRE Medical DRE Medical is a leading surgical and medical equipment supplier that provides a combination of new and professionally refurbished equipment to professionals around the globe. The company specializes in complete suites of anesthesia machines, monitors, lighting, respiratory ventilators, electrosurgical units, microscopes, defibrillators, and more. DRE is an Avante Health Solutions company and is located in Louisville, Ky. Kids Self Defense Summer Camps Self Defense instruction is increasingly important. Our summer camps can provide kids with valuable basic self-defense instruction. - Professor Kevin Bellard, Owner Bayou Jiu Jitsu Bayou Jiu Jitsu has announced plans for two Self Defense for Kids Summer Camps to be held at the Bayou Jiu Jitsu training center in Baton Rouge. These fun instructional sessions are designed to teach some basic self defense skills to children. Students of any age or experience level, from begnner and up, can join either or both sessions. Why Choose Bayou Jiu JItsu Bayou Jiu Jitsu is the only true Gracie Jiu Jitsu academy for self defense lessons in Baton Rouge. The business is owned and managed by Professor Kevin Bellard, a Gracie Black Belt under Master Ralph Gracie. Professor Kevin Bellard is a friendly and patient instructor who offers expert instruction in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Self-Defense, Judo, Wrestling, and Bully Prevention. Bayou Jiu Jitsu Academys mission is to provide each individual with the instruction, guidance, and support needed to allow each person to achieve their goals. About the Summer Camp Sessions Our week-long sessions are more than just self defense lessons. We will blend in off-site fun activities at local venues. During the daily activities of the Summer Camp we encourage Focus, Respect and Self-Discipline. These valuable life skills are incorporated throughout the day in Jiu Jitsu sessions as well as other activities. Our objective is to help kids develop confidence and a better attitiude while gaining important knowledge of practical methods for personal self defense. The dates for our two sessions in 2018 are June 4-8, and July 23-27. Class space is limited, and available on a first-come-first-served basis. For more information you may call 225-505-8500 or visit our website via the link found below. About Bayou Jiu Jitsu Bayou Jiu Jitsu, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is a martail arts and self defense academy which offers expert training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Bayou Jiu Jitsu offers group training for all ages and any skill level. Advanced training is available for persons pursuing competition level skills. For more information, please visit the Bayou Jiu Jitus website at https://bayoujiujitsu.us ProcessPro We are committed to continued investment in ProcessPro Premier to further extend its industry leading functionality and keep your business competitive within ever-changing markets ProcessPro, leading mid-market ERP software solution company, is pleased to announce the release of its newest version, Premier 10.8. Premier 10.8 is a comprehensive release incorporating client feedback and industry trends to offer a versatile and user-friendly program. Many application enhancements are designed to place more power in the end users hands, leading to an overall improved experience for users and increased efficiencies across clients organizations. Highlights of the release include: updated messaging and alerts, streamlined sales order and return order entry, addition of e-signatures to QC results entry and increased visibility of the Materials Requirement Planning (MRP) functionality. ProcessPro is also pleased to announce the updated release of ProcessPro Advanced Analytics, a powerful tool for delivering analytics and reporting. The end users experience is more streamlined to optimize the reporting functionality and mobile access, including updated connections, themes and support. We are committed to continued investment in ProcessPro Premier to further extend its industry leading functionality and keep your business competitive within ever-changing markets. Feedback and suggestions from our customers allow us to continue to evolve the product and we are happy to provide our clients with a solution that will enhance their users day-to-day experience, stated Molly Caron, Director, ProcessPro Operations. ProcessPro, a division of Open Systems, Inc., is a leading mid-market ERP software solution for the process manufacturing industry. Designed specifically for manufacturers that combine batches of mixtures in highly regulated environments, ProcessPro seamlessly integrates all aspects of plant operation, from beginning order entry through manufacturing, packaging, shipping, inventory and accounting. ProcessPro has been serving the food, beverage, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, cosmetic, cannabis and specialty chemical industries for more than 30 years. More information about ProcessPro is available at http://www.processproerp.com. Bay Area Employment Discrimination Law Firm Much of our practice focuses on our work as sexual harassment attorneys in San Francisco and other Bay Area communities. California Civil Rights Law Group, a San Francisco Bay Area law firm specializing in sexual harassment and discrimination law, is proud to announce an informative new post to their blog on the topic of pregnancy discrimination. Women are often the victims of sexual harassment at work, even in San Francisco, Oakland, and other seemingly "progressive" cities. However, the situation can become even more difficult when a woman becomes pregnant. The new post overviews the main issues for a lay audience. "Much of our practice focuses on our work as sexual harassment attorneys in San Francisco and other Bay Area communities," explained Larry Organ, principal attorney at the Bay Area-based law firm. "Our latest post, however, explains that discrimination against pregnant women is yet another obstacle that women may face in employment." MORE ABOUT THE POST To read the post on pregnancy discrimination issues and the need to seek out assistance from an attorney in Oakland, San Francisco, or elsewhere in the Bay Area if one suspects discrimination, visit http://www.civilrightsca.com/2018/03/23/pregnancy-discrimination-2/. The post explains that while women are often the victims of sexual harassment at work, pregnancy can create a new set of vulnerabilities and unfortunate opportunities for discrimination. Harassment and discrimination may only get worse when a woman decides to start a family. If a woman cant work during her pregnancy, her employer might try to fire her or deny her leave. Worse, employers might try to demote employees or take away their seniority when they decide to come back to work. Anyone who is thinking about getting pregnant needs to understand the law and the requirements of employers. The post also explains the main points of California's Pregnancy Disability Leave Law or PDLL. Finally, it concludes with a suggestion that any woman who believes she may be experiencing pregnancy discrimination at work should reach out for an attorney consultation. No two situations are alike, and the first and most important step is an attorney consultation. Consultations do not cost money, and are the best and easiest way for a trained pregnancy attorney discrimination attorney to get the basic facts and to give advice as to whether filing a lawsuit is warranted. With law firm offices in Oakland (Alameda County) and San Anselmo (Marin County), it's easy to make an appointment for an attorney consultation. For those who live in cities such as San Francisco or Palo Alto, phone consultations are available. ABOUT CALIFORNIA CIVIL RIGHTS LAW GROUP Headed by renowned trial lawyer Larry Organ, California Civil Rights Law Group (http://www.civilrightsca.com/), is a leading employment law firm with San Francisco Bay Area offices in Oakland, Alameda County and San Anselmo, Marin County, California. Employees experiencing sexual harassment, race harassment, disability discrimination, LGTBQ discrimination, pregnancy discrimination, whistleblower retaliation and/or wrongful termination should reach out for an attorney consultation in either our Oakland/East Bay or San Anselmo/Marin County office. Media Relations. Tel. 415-453-4740 Purified Carpets - Professional Carpet Cleaning Services in Atlanta GA We are pleased to announce the launch of our new website as part of our 2018 marketing program. Our new website will be as fresh as the results we create for our customers. - Will Houston, Owner, Purified Carpets Purified Carpets, an Atlanta carpet cleaning service, has announced the upcoming launch of their new website. The new website will showcase the company's full capabilities for deep cleaning carpet, upholstery, drapery, tile and grout flooring. The website will include functionality for customers to contact Purified Carpets to arrange for scheduling. Purified Carpets, located in nearby Austell, Georgia, provides a full range of specialty cleaning and restoration services for commercial buildings and residential homes. The company's cleaning expertise includes specialized services for odor removal, stain removal, VA tile stripping and waxing, floor polishing, and water extraction from minor flooding. The mobile-friendly website will include a section for price specials and coupons for the companies many services. Future plans for the website include consumer education articles and guides for care and maintenance of carpet, rugs, upholstery and floor tiles. Purified Carpets plans to also share content for related home care services to become a valuable resource for residential and commercial property owners and managers. "We came to the decision to create a new website because our company needs an online presence that better represents our quality and what we offer our customers. Our customers provided great content ideas which will make the website's information be very relevant to consumers interests.", remarked Will Houston , owner of Purified Carpets. In addition to launching a new website, the company has embarked on a strategic marketing campaign to expand its online visibility throughout the Atlanta area and surrounding suburban communities. The company can now be found on local search venues including Google My Business, Bing Places for Business, Yelp and similar venues featuring carpet cleaning service companies. About Purified Carpets Purified Carpets is a family owned carpet, upholstery and flooring cleaning business located in Austell, Georgia. Founded in 2006, the company has served over 10,000 Atlanta area residential homes and commercial businesses with the best in truck-mounted, hot water extraction cleaning. For more information, please visit the company's website at https://PurifiedCarpets.com Restaurant Uniform Supplier These days there seem to be so many choices when it comes to dining out. Uniform Solutions, a five-star rated restaurant uniform supplier online, is proud to announce a new blog post just in time for the busy summer restaurant season. The post focuses, enigmatically, on the 'missing element' to success in the restaurant business. These days there seem to be so many choices when it comes to dining out. Customers are looking to find the next hot place in town while restaurant owners are figuring how to stand out, explained Bruce Bagley, Manager of Uniform Solutions for You. "We know being served by a well-dressed and attentive wait staff can be the so-called 'missing element' to success in the restaurant business. Interested parties can review the new blog post by Uniform Solutions at http://www.uniformsolutionsforyou.com/own-a-restaurant-the-food-is-the-most-important-element-but-what-about-your-waiting-staff. Raising the bar on a restaurant in order to gain attention from patrons can include dressing staff in sharp looking employee uniforms. Attire for restaurant employees can include host and hostess clothing, waiter and waitress clothing and bartender aprons. Persons seeking more information on restaurant uniform suppliers can visit the restaurant uniform page, for example, at http://www.uniformsolutionsforyou.com/restaurant-uniform/. RESTAURANT UNIFORM SUPPLIER HELPS ESTABLISHMENTS FIND THE SECRET INGREDIENT TO SUCCESS Here is the background for this release. Competition among eating establishments can be fierce since the rise of the foodie culture, and summer is peak season for eating out. Filling in the blanks to create a high-quality experience for guests could be a key piece to success. Eateries throughout the United States have benefitted from the foodie culture craze. Cosmopolitan cities and small town main streets can offer several unique choices for adventurous diners. The competition for a newly opened bistro can be fierce. A restaurant team may have spent months creating an exciting and uncommon menu appealing to the public. Patrons might be interested in visiting an eatery offering creative cooking, yet find the general appearance of the dining area lacking. A top restaurant uniform supplier can help add the extra touch required to make the visit a truly special experience. What then is the next step towards success? The answer is restaurant uniforms that make a restaurant stand out amongst the competition. For these reasons, Uniform Solutions for You has announced a new blog post on the missing element. Restaurateurs can spend months dabbling with menus and decor before opening an establishment. Sauces can be tested and re-worked until the missing element is found to create a truly stand-out dish. If the ambiance seems to be lacking, it could be time to work with a top restaurant uniform supplier online. The right colorful uniform could be the missing element pulling the entire dining experience together. Attentive wait staff dressed in clean, handsome employee uniforms can make an impact on guests. It can be a simple apron or a complete outfit, a top restaurant uniform supplier can add the right mix to a successful dining experience. Please see the blog post for even more insights into how to succeed at restaurants, starting with restaurant uniforms online from a top supplier. ABOUT UNIFORM SOLUTIONS FOR YOU Uniform Solutions for You is a division of Santa Rosa Uniform & Career Apparel, Inc. The division focuses on online sales of employee uniforms in key industries: restaurant, hotel, and casino. The website has a unique consultation request feature, wherein interested parties can reach out to a human uniform idea consultant to brainstorm employee uniform ideas. Casino and restaurant employee uniforms are included. Uniform Solutions for You http://www.uniformsolutionsforyou.com/ Robert Anstruther CAD-IT's Director of Operations. Connell Gallagher, CAD-IT's VP SLM and Managing Director, and CaseBanks Steve Downie, VP International Sales, seal the partnership with a handshake. With the best-in-class SpotLight troubleshooting solution CAD-IT will empower its global base of manufacturing customers and their maintenance organizations to improve first-time-fix rates while capturing field experience. CaseBank Technologies a division of ATP, and the leading provider of troubleshooting and diagnostic solutions for complex equipment today announced that it has entered into a partnership with CAD-IT Consultants (Asia) Pte Ltd. a global technology solutions provider offering world-class services that enable companies and their supply chains to achieve greater product innovation, quality and productivity. With this partnership, CAD-IT will leverage CaseBanks industry-leading SpotLight technology to offer manufacturers worldwide the most advanced troubleshooting solution that captures and shares field experience and deploys best practices to quickly isolate the cause of defects and performance issues. The core of the partnership is a value-added-reseller agreement that was forged to jointly offer advanced software solutions and professional services for diagnosing, troubleshooting and repairing equipment. CAD-IT will sell, service, support and provide training for the CaseBank suite of software, globally, in all locations and industries where it has market presence. By leveraging CaseBanks innovative technology, CAD-IT will empower its global base of manufacturing customers and their maintenance organizations with insightful knowledge that makes it possible to resolve equipment performance issues, said Phil DEon, Senior Vice President of Strategy for ATP and CaseBank Technologies. Our vision aligns closely with CAD-ITs vision, and this partnership will provide innovations that benefit our joint users and customers. The SpotLight troubleshooting solution is an outstanding addition to our toolset and offerings, because it complements and integrates seamlessly with everything we do, said Terence Chan, Co-founder and CEO, CAD-IT Global Business. Our new partnership with CaseBank combines CAD-ITs global reach and technological expertise in servicing customers in various key industries with CaseBanks proficiency and strength in diagnostic and troubleshooting systems, which we expect will provide best-in-class solutions for our customers in Asia and throughout the world. A product of CaseBank Technologies, the SpotLight solution guides service technicians and call center personnel to optimize the troubleshooting process with unprecedented speed and accuracy, and it delivers critical insights into emerging failure modes and trends. By combining OEM engineering knowledge with the accumulating field experience of equipment maintainers through diagnostic reasoning technology, maintenance organizations are able to quickly identify the equipment failure modes and apply the proper solution to improve first-time-fix rates. The SpotLight solution effectively replaces the traditional fault isolation manual. It enables maintenance organizations to be more efficient in finding and fixing maintenance problems, and it permanently retains critical and perishable knowledge that is accrued by their experts in engineering and field service. About CAD-IT Formed in 1991 with a vision to be a global premier technology solutions provider, the CAD-IT group of companies has since built a customer base of over 2,000 engineering companies employing over 100,000 engineering professionals and has trained over 10,000 professionals. Ranked number 4 in the 2016 Singapore Enterprise 50 Award recognizing top privately held companies in Singapore and number 94 amongst Singapore 180,000 privately held local enterprises, CAD-IT currently has offices in Singapore, United Kingdom, USA, China, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia. CAD-IT's mission is to provide world-class software solutions and services that enable companies and their supply chains to achieve greater product innovation, quality and productivity with drastically reduced time-to-market and cost. CAD-IT is the partner of the worlds leading PLM/SLM/IoT technology providers, namely Ansys, Autodesk, PTC and Siemens PLM. For more information visit http://www.cadituk.com. About CaseBank Technologies CaseBank Technologies Inc., a Division of ATP, is the aviation industrys leading software and services company providing troubleshooting, reliability and defect trend analysis so engineering and service teams can accelerate equipment repair, increase uptime, reduce warranty costs and enhance product support and performance. Founded in 1998, CaseBank has deep roots in the aerospace and defense industries and has deployed solutions worldwide to support Fortune 1000 companies. For more information visit http://www.casebank.com Find us on: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn The inaugural Bass Classic Invitational is sst for April 27 Its our chance to give back to our military heroes and show them our gratitude for what they do for our great country. - Garrick McPherson Data Center infrastructure company Instor Solutions, Inc. announced it is hosting the Instor Bass Classic Invitational in Lewisville, Texas this April to benefit the Hookset Brothers foundation. Set for April 27, the event will pair amateur anglers with professional bass fishermen for a day of competitive bass fishing on Lewisville Lake north of Dallas. The event features 20 teams of three anglers and will include pro anglers such as Jesse Timmons, Keith Glasby, Kevin Dritschler, Mike Big Bass McWhorter and many others. Proceeds from the tournament will benefit Hookset Brothers Combat Recovery, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting veterans who are suffering from combat-related post-traumatic stress disorders by taking them on outdoor trips to hunt, fish and partake in other activities. To learn more, go to http://www.hooksetbrothers.org. The tournament runs from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 27. First place wins $1,500; second place takes $1,200; third place gets $900, with all winners receiving plaques. A one-day all-water license is required for all participants. Lunch, weigh-in and awards will follow at 2 p.m. at Sneaky Petes in Lewisville. Garrick McPherson, Director of Sales for Instors Southwest territory, helped organize the event. He said the tournament is a chance to enjoy a day of fishing while helping a good cause. We are excited to see this unique event come together, McPherson said. Everyone will have a good time and its for a great cause. Its our chance to give back to our military heroes and show them our gratitude for what they do for our great country. McPherson is a competitive angler himself, having won the 2017 Kings of Cowtown event. He also won the 2017 Bass Champs Angler of the Year award and has been a three-time Bud Light Trail Angler of the Year. About Instor Solutions, Inc. Instor is the global leader in rapid deployment of Data Center Infrastructure. Our core service offering, Data Center Fit-Up, packages the design, procurement and build-out of the white space inside a data center. Our teams technical and industry expertise enables the rapid build out of our customers data centers, so they can focus on their core business. Headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area, and with regional offices throughout for complete U.S. coverage. Instor operates throughout the U.S., the United Kingdom and in the European Union. The outdoor room itself includes plenty of room for entertaining, plus a lap pool, outdoor shower, summer kitchen, and a fireside lounge. We had to do some creative problem solving with this project, but we were inspired to make something beautiful. Last night, residential architecture and design firm Chas Architects was honored by Luxe Magazine with its prestigious Residential Excellence in Design Award (RED Award) in a presentation ceremony at Neuehouse Madison Square in New York City. Chass work on its 2017 project Westlake Hill Residence received Best Outdoor Living Space in its region, topping submissions from luxury architecture firms and designers from around the country, after being selected by a panel of the some of the countrys most prestigious voices in residential design. Obviously, we dont design homes for the recognition, but were thrilled and honored to receive this award, said principal architect Charles Travis. We had to do some creative problem solving with this project, but we were inspired to make something beautiful. Its a delight that Luxe found it beautiful and inspiring, too! Judges Kathryn Ireland, Holly Hunt, Ellie Cullman, Tom Kligerman, Paul Wiseman and Luxe founder Pamela Jaccarino selected Chas Architects project as the best representative of the awards three values: Aesthetics, regional relevance and creativity. The forward-thinking contemporary design and the projects subtle but genius architectural solutions keep the focus on the main event: An outdoor living area perched on the edge of a high bluff overlooking the Austin skyline. In service to the incredible view, every room in the house particularly the central living and dining area directs attention to the eastern view, seamlessly connecting the outdoor living areas to the interior of the home through 35-foot long pocketing glass doors. The outdoor room itself includes plenty of room for entertaining, plus a lap pool, outdoor shower, summer kitchen, and a fireside lounge. The award-winning outdoor space began with a simple idea: The homeowners wanted to showcase their lots incredible view of downtown Austin as much as possible while maintaining an air of casual modernity to the interior. To these ends, Travis and company designed a home that prioritized floor-to-ceiling sightlines of the ever-changing Austin skyline in the distance. To keep the view unobstructed, the design utilizes a 9,000-pound I-beam to support the overhanging structure without having to add intrusive columns or pillars to distract from the view. For the same reasons, the interior details of the Westlake Hills Residence are clean and simple, with themes of white marble and dark metal running throughout the home. The finished home is a lesson in focus and simplicity, where design concepts, both architectural and interior, work together to accomplish a singular design goal all while creating a welcoming, livable space with plenty of functionality and comfort. This home was everything we dreamed it would be and more, said the homeowners, who came to Chas Architects to design the home. One of our biggest priorities was the exchange between indoor and outdoor spaces that and being able to entertain. Every decision Charles and his team made in this project kept those priorities in mind, and the result is better than we couldve imagined. More information on Chas Architects can be found on the firms new website: http://www.chasarchitects.com. ### About Chas Architects Chas Architects is a boutique architecture firm based in Austin, Texas. Founded in 1999 by Charles Travis, Chas serves discriminating homeowners looking to differentiate themselves through quality design. With projects ranging from rustic weekend retreats to transitional lakeside estates, the firm prides itself on creating sophisticated and dynamic environments that combine graceful modern living with the timeless warmth of hand-crafted traditional architecture. Comprised of a talented team of architects and industry professionals, Chas is well-versed in all aspects of residential architecture, from new construction to additions and remodels. Hospice Utilization and Preventable Hospital Visits Going forward our Customers can compare their hospitalization rates on a true apples-to-apples basis by diagnostic category and acuity level, thereby allowing them to market their superior performance to their referral partners. Excel Health, the healthcare industrys only source for current and complete outcomes data and performance analytics, announced major enhancements to its industry leading web-based Market Intelligence Portals for Home Health and Hospice. In an ongoing effort to supply the home-based care industry with the most complete and actionable performance and market analytics, Excel Health has added over two dozen enhancements to its already robust product lines. Highlights include the ability to compare potentially preventable hospital visits with physician hospice utilization rates, and home health hospitalization rates by major diagnostic category and acuity level. To better serve our clients need for greater trending analysis, four additional quarters of historical referral data have also been added. We listen to our Customers, who provide feedback to enhance our product offerings with new performance metrics and user tools, said Ian Juliano, CEO of Excel Health Group. When our Customers wanted to see the impact of their physician partners hospice utilization on preventable hospital visits, and when they wanted to better compare their home healthcare hospitalization rates on major diagnostic category and patient acuity versus the competition, we answered their call. No other data provider in the industry has the data, the resources and the singular focus on post-acute providers needed to drive this level of innovation and transparency in this market. Physician Hospice Utilization and Preventable Hospital Visits It has long been believed by hospice agencies that encouraging physicians to refer more of their patients to hospice, and at an earlier stage, would result in better outcomes. Now Excel Health is putting the hard facts behind the premise. For every physician in the country, Excels customers will be able to identify the rate at which the physicians patients received hospice care, the average length of stay of the hospice care, and compare it with potentially preventable emergency department encounters and hospitalizations. Says Juliano, We are giving our Customers yet another arrow in their quiver with which they can show physicians the difference in outcomes when physicians refer patients to hospice care. Imagine walking into a Cardiologists practice with this data and comparing the practices relatively low hospice utilization to peer practices, and then showing the resulting higher rate of hospitalization the practices patients face; this information will change future behavior. Home Health Hospitalization Rates By Major Diagnostic Category and Acuity For every home health agency in America, Excel Health tracks hospitalization rates by major diagnostic category and patient acuity for the 30 and 90 day periods following the start of care. Agencies can benchmark themselves against county and state averages, or directly against a competitor, and market themselves based on their superior performance. Agency clinical leaders can benchmark and find the opportunities to improve and track their improvements versus their peers. Many of our Customers have long held the belief that they perform better than the competition when it comes to patients with similar acuity and diagnoses but havent had the facts to prove it Juliano says, Going forward our Customers can compare their hospitalization rates on a true apples-to-apples basis by diagnostic category and acuity level, thereby allowing them to market their superior performance to their referral partners. Other notable enhancements include: Data profiles for patients discharged into post-acute care from every facility in America, including diagnostic category, age, county and zip. The addition of four additional historical quarters of referral data, for a total of eight quarters, for all facility and physician referral sources. Level of affiliation between hospitals and their hospice and home healthcare partners Improved user experience such as detailed search and filter of physician and facility referral sources. For more information, please visit: http://www.excelhealthgroup.com or to see a demonstration email us at sales(at)excelhealthgroup(dot)com. About Excel Health Excel Health enables healthcare providers to thrive in the new paradigm of value-based care. With access to complete Medicare Part A and Part B data, refreshed quarterly with only about one quarter lag, (over 1.25 billion claims annually), Excel Health has put the most current, comprehensive, and robust medical databases in the world at your fingertips in our easy to use Home Health and Hospice portals. Our goal is for care networks to be constructed and providers selected based on care efficacy (superior outcomes) and care efficiency (reduced utilization). The potential of our suite of on-demand, cloud-based data solutions to profoundly impact healthcare and patient lives is immediately evident in client success stories. For more information, please visit: http://www.excelhealthgroup.com or to see a demonstration email us at sales(at)excelhealthgroup(dot)com. The Drip Club "With Candy POP! we really wanted a line that takes traditional flavors like menthol or grape and does something a bit different something recognizable" The Drip Clubs Candy POP! line of e-juice flavors has been named winner of the Best Mint/Menthol category at West Coast Vape Expo in Pasco, Washington. Sweet Mint Gum Candy POP! isnt just another menthol flavor it combines mint and candy to create a unique, realistic spearmint gum taste. Candy POP! is a twist on iconic sweets and confections, taking recognizable flavor profiles and making them fresh. Our objective with Candy POP! was to create amazing value juices that speak for themselves we use real quotes from real customers to describe the flavors on our marketing materials. There are five flavors on offer and all juices come as 100ml in a 120ml capacity short-fill style bottle: Grape Chew Candy a combination of soft, chewy candy and grape juice Peach Gummies fresh peaches with a gummy candy base Sweet Mint Gum a sweet, refreshing spearmint chewing-gum Blue Raspberry Hard Candy full-flavored raspberry with hard candy Strawberry Watermelon Hard Candy refreshing strawberry and watermelon with a hard-candy base We are very proud to have won Best Mint/Menthol at West Coast Vape Expo winning this award makes all the hard work seem worthwhile!, says Quinten Thompson, Director of Product Development. With Candy POP! we really wanted a line that takes traditional flavors like menthol or grape and does something a bit different something recognizable. For more information about Candy POP!, The Drip Club or any brands mentioned, please contact Quinten Thompson - Director of Product Development via quinten@thedripclub.com. About West Coast Vape Expo 2017 The 2017 West Coast Vape Convention took place between the 9th and 10th of December at the TRAC Center in Pasco, Washington, and was attended by over 100 vendors. Further information on West Coast Vape Convention, can be found at http://www.westcoastvapeexpo.com. Other award categories included Best Candy, Best Tobacco, Best Fruit and Best in Show. About The Drip Club The Drip Club is a consumer products company engaged in the development of innovative vaping products and brands. Since 2014, the L.A.-based company has been the purveyor of iconic brands such as the Milkman, ANML, and Modus. With a focus on quality and safety, the company strives to create products that resonate with consumers with the ultimate goal of one day inhabiting a cigarette-free planet. Its products include Milkman Heritage, that redefines tobacco flavors by providing tobacco enthusiasts an introduction to sweet dessert flavors and Candy Pop! a breakthrough offering in the candy category. Both products have won awards at the Vape Showcase in Dallas, TX (Heritage) and West Coast Vape Expo in Pasco, WA (Candy Pop!). The Drip Club also leads the industry in providing 1st generation Nicotine Salts in the form of CRFT Salts and Milkman Salts, all higher nicotine concentrations, for low-powered, convenience-centered devices. Find out more about The Drip Club on our website, by following us on Instagram @DripClub, or on LinkedIn. Columbia Southern University President Robert Mayes, center, stands with recently honored graduates Daniel Hughes, left, and Howard "Skip" Elliott. Credit: desertrosephoto.com The Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC) recently recognized Columbia Southern University (CSU) graduates as Outstanding Graduate and Famous Alumni during the commissions 92nd annual DEAC conference in San Diego April 22-24. The annual conference features an awards ceremony that recognizes individuals and outstanding graduates from the DEACs accredited organizations. CSU graduates Daniel Hughes and Howard Skip Elliott were recognized respectively. The event honors recipients based on contributions to their career fields, public interests served and how they have used their degrees to advance their personal and professional lives. Hughes, a division safety manager with Parsons, earned his bachelors degree in occupational safety and health from CSU and is currently working on his masters in occupational safety and health at CSU and is studying to become a Certified Safety Professional via the Board of Certified Safety Professionals. A dedicated humanitarian, Hughes was one of 11 Parsons employees selected for a bridge-building project in Rio Grande, Panama in 2017. Hughes has worked alongside regulating organizations including the Department of Defense, Department of Transportation, Environmental Protection Agency, OSHA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. I am humbled and honored to be the outstanding graduate. Distance learning and specifically Columbia Southern has afforded me opportunities that a few years ago really did not exist, at least not for me. I will be forever grateful. Elliott, who holds a masters degree in criminal justice from CSU, is an administrator of the U.S. Department of Transportations Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration. He was nominated by President Trump and confirmed by the U.S. Senate for this position. A veteran of the U.S. freight rail industry, Elliott has been leading safety initiatives in the boardroom, city halls, state houses and on Capitol Hill for more than 40 years. As the vice president of public safety, health and environment for CSX, Elliott oversaw environmental, hazardous materials transportation safety, medical, occupational health and industrial hygiene, railroad policing and homeland security initiatives. Elliott retired from CSX in March 2017. About Columbia Southern University This year, Columbia Southern University celebrates its 25th anniversary. As a pioneer in online education, CSU was established in 1993 to provide an alternative to the traditional university experience. CSU offers online associate, bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees such as business administration, criminal justice, fire administration and occupational safety and health. Visit ColumbiaSouthern.edu or call (877) 347-6050 to learn more. Moreno Ranches is always looking to make it easier for cattlemen around the world to have access to the best Brahman cattle and genetics. Moreno Ranches, a top producer of Gray and Red Brahman cattle for sale, hosted its fourth annual 'Viva La Brahman Fiesta Sale' on April 4, 2018. This annual spring sale was once hosted as a live sale, but has become an online sale to allow breeders to bid and buy from anywhere in the world. Moreno Ranches is always looking to make it easier for cattlemen around the world to have access to the best Brahman cattle and genetics, explained Kelvin Moreno, head of Moreno Ranches. We are constantly seeking the latest technology and resources to make the buying experience a pleasant one. During the fourth annual Viva La Brahman Fiesta Sale, the sale offerings commanded top pricing. For example, MORENO MS. LADY KEYSTONE 768/1 sold for $16,250 and MORENO MS. LADY SANGRIA 750/1 sold for $13,000. To browse Brahman cattle for sale on the website, visit http://www.morenoranches.com/brahman-cattle-for-sale/. Moreno Ranches has become one of the leaders of Brahman cattle for sale not only via online sales but also via its Ranch locations in Florida and in Texas. In fact, when people are searching for Brahman cattle for sale in Florida or Brahman cattle for sale in Texas they often discover that the Ranch has locations in both key Southern states, and - more importantly - that the Ranch is a leader when it comes to online technology. It is because of its genetically superior seedstock that it has obtained recognition as a strong contender in the show ring and an exceptional value in the sales market. Moreno Ranches Brahman cattle for sale are backed by the M-check brand and are guaranteed to change the future of any ranch with any purpose in mind. To learn more about Moreno Ranches and their top-rated Brahman cattle for sale, visit http://www.morenoranches.com/. Interested parties are referred particularly to the page on Red Brahman females for sale at http://www.morenoranches.com/red-brahman-cattle-for-sale/ as the Ranch is experiencing high demand for its Red Brahman bulls and heifers. Those in the Fort Worth and North Texas area are urged to visit the Ranch at the shows that are upcoming; others can use the website to obtain information on the Ranch and its Brahman Cattle for sale. ABOUT MORENO RANCHES Moreno Ranches is a top producer of Brahman females for sale. Customers come to the company for genetically superior Brahman bulls for sale and Brahman semen (seed stock) as well as Brahman embryos. The company produces both Brahman cattle for sale including heifers and calves, including for use as show cattle or to produce Brahman F1 hybrids. Visit the company's website to browse stock. The company is a trusted source of Brahman cattle for sale whether a buyer is in Florida, Texas, or Louisiana - Latin America, or anywhere in the world. Web. http://www.morenoranches.com/ Tel. 863 444 8745 At an increasing rate, Americans separate themselves into culturally and ideologically homogenous enclaves. Tax reform expert and CEO of Engineered Tax Services, Julio Gonzalez, hosted a private dinner for supporters of National Review Institute (NRI) at his home in Palm Beach County. The main speaker at the event was NRI Senior Fellow and Director of NRIs Center for Unalienable Rights, David French. Mr. French spoke to the group about First Amendment issues, including freedom of speech and religious liberty. He also addressed the danger of group polarization and the threats to the culture of free speech. At an increasing rate, Americans separate themselves into culturally and ideologically homogenous enclaves, said Mr. French. He argued that Americans need to learn to tolerate one another, and that begins with building a healthy culture of respect for free speech, even speech we disagree with. NRI brings fellows like David French to events around the country to meet current and new supporters in different local areas. Members of NRIs 1955 Society get exclusive opportunities to interact with NRIs top talent through NRI salon dinners, such as the one hosted by Julio and Leslie Gonzalez. We are thankful to have Mr. Gonzalez and his wife, Leslie, as supporters and we are grateful to them for opening their home and hosting this NRI salon dinner, said NRI Director of Philanthropy Francisco Gonzalez. The support of people like Mr. and Mrs. Gonzalez make the work of National Review Institute possible. The salon dinner they hosted allowed us to bring one of the best minds in the conservative movement David French to meet with some of our top local supporters and grow our influence in the greater Palm Beach area, he continued. More About the National Review Institute William F. Buckley, Jr. founded the NRI as a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) charitable organization in 1991. NRIs mission is to advance the conservative principles he championed, complement the mission of National Review magazine, and support NRs best talent. Mr. Buckleys goal was to preserve the foundations of our free society and to conserve our inheritance from Americas Founders. NRI supports conservative writers and their ideas on how to guard and build on our countrys strengths, core principles, and freedoms, how to revitalize and add vigor and practical application to our conservative convictions, and how to better influence our culture while opposing its determined foes. NRIs educational programs bring together leaders in business, philanthropy, media, and policy to help strengthen the broader conservative movement, while also educating emerging leaders and our fellow citizens on the principles of a free society. This letter underscores the vital importance of preventing nuclear proliferation and an arms race in the Middle East while nations in that region move forward with nuclear power programs to meet their energy and environmental goals. The Partnership for Global Security (PGS), a leading policy and research organization with a history of offering innovative solutions to global nuclear security challenges, has joined a group of prominent, bipartisan nonproliferation advocates in calling for a pragmatic agreement with Saudi Arabia to develop its nuclear energy sector while preventing the spread of nuclear weapons in the Middle East. The 24 policy experts today sent a letter to Congressional leaders in which they stated their strong opposition to the proliferation of nuclear weapons and weapon-usable materials in the Middle East and encouraged the United States to conclude a nuclear cooperation agreement with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia that erects effective barriers to prevent the misuse of civil nuclear power for nuclear explosive or military purposes, but does not seek to impose conditions that the Saudis will ultimately reject. Letter marks the first time that leading, bipartisan experts in nonproliferation have joined together on a major policy statement about nuclear development and security that recognizes the new nuclear realities of the 21st Century. Ken Luongo, President of PGS, said: This letter underscores the vital importance of preventing nuclear proliferation and an arms race in the Middle East while nations in that region move forward with nuclear power programs to meet their energy and environmental goals. The most pragmatic way to prevent weapons potential in Saudi Arabia is to deeply engage that nation in the web of U.S. nonproliferation conditions and controls through a nuclear cooperation agreement. This approach will serve U.S. national security objectives and global nonproliferation goals. Failure to conclude an agreement with the U.S. will allow another nation to be the primary nuclear partner with Saudi Arabia for the remainder of this century - and it may be one that does not demand the same rigorous non-proliferation controls as the U.S. The letter is available here. Notes to editors: Kenneth Luongo is a recognized international leader in nuclear and transnational security policy. He is the President of the Partnership for Global Security and leads the Global Nexus Initiative, which explores the interrelationships between climate change, nuclear energy and global security. He has authored nearly 100 articles and briefed audiences around the world on global security challenges. Mr. Luongo previously served as the Senior Advisor to the Secretary of Energy for Nonproliferation Policy and as the Director of the Office of Arms Control and Nonproliferation at the U.S. Department of Energy. He also served as the Director of the Department of Energy North Korea Task Force and as Director of the Russia and Newly Independent States Nuclear Material Security Task Force under the Clinton Administration. Samuel Vega Cotto of Midlothian stands with his $10,000 prize from Neighborhood Credit Union as a reward for good savings habits. Its also important to have a savings account for your everyday use as well as have a spare account for emergencies. As Financial Literacy Month comes to a close, one Midlothian man experienced firsthand the difference credit unions make in peoples lives. Samuel Vega Cotto awaited what he thought was going to be a prize of $500 only to step on his front porch to see Neighborhood Credit Union leadership with an oversized check for $10,000. The actual $10,000 prize was deposited directly into his Prize Savings Account at the credit union. I dont know what to say, Vega said. It feels good. Vega has been a member of the credit union for three years where he and his family all have accounts. He said he knew of the prizes the credit union gives away each month but never thought he would win anything more than $5. This is our way of showing our appreciation to Mr. Vega for being a fantastic member, said Francis Santana, vice president of business development. He is a fantastic saver and we really appreciate it. Dallas-based Neighborhood Credit Union established the Prize Savings Account 10 years ago to encourage people to save more money, at a time when the personal savings rate had dropped to one of the lowest levels in U.S. history. But by being a consistent saver, Vega firmly believes that its critical to always have savings built up for both regular use and emergencies. He also had advice for younger individuals looking to learn to save saying to take advantage of their companys 401K and have other savings accounts that youre not allowed to touch. You never know when something is going to happen, Vega said. So its important to have a job where you have an employer that supports you by providing some funds for your retirement. Its also important to have a savings account for your everyday use as well as having a spare account for emergencies. See the Video of the surprise delivery: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyBQ7t0FYIs&t How the Prize Savings Account works: Neighborhood Credit Union members receive one drawing entry for every $25 monthly average balance in their Prize Savings Accounts. The greater the savings, the greater the chance a member has of winning. Members are eligible for monthly drawings up to $5,000 and quarterly $10,000 drawings. At the start of each year, a winner is drawn for the newly-increased $49,999.99 grand prize based on the average monthly balance in the savings account at close of business December 31. The upcoming 2018 drawing marks the 10th Anniversary Grand Prize Savings drawing for Neighborhood Credit Union. About Neighborhood Credit Union: The oldest credit union in Dallas (chartered April 18, 1930), Neighborhood Credit Union is a not-for-profit financial organization serving Dallas, Denton and Ellis counties, as well as the City of Arlington. With branches in Dallas, Richardson, Arlington, Mesquite, Duncanville, Waxahachie, Lancaster, Grand Prairie, Coppell, and Highland Village, and assets topping $600 million, Neighborhood Credit Union has a membership of 49,000 and continues to welcome new members daily. For more information, call (214) 748-9393 or visit http://www.myncu.com. "With the rise of compliance regulations, specifically GDPR, the EU Cloud will be especially beneficial to customers concerned with data privacy, data protection and the rise of preferences for data localization," said Assembla CTO Jacek Materna. Assembla, the worlds only provider of Enterprise Cloud Version Control (ECVC), is expanding its cloud infrastructure to the European Union. With international growth on the rise, and looming General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the move will best accommodate the companys growing customer base, 46% of which is international. Assembla is thrilled to be expanding our presence internationally with cloud in the EU, said Paul Lynch, Assembla CEO. Not only is our plan to offer fully scalable and secure cloud infrastructure, but the growing demands of our business also require us to increase headcount in our Dublin office to ensure the continued success of our global presence. This expansion is a direct result of our business growth and a necessary next step to accommodate the momentum. The Assemba EU Cloud will run on modern AWS infrastructure in the Europe (Frankfurt) Region. Customers using the Assembla EU Cloud will be able to take advantage of low latency and world-class AWS performance with failover options. At Assembla, we want to offer choices for our customers that make the most sense for their businesses and teams. This update will offer one more tool in our customers toolkit as they develop and build the next generation of innovative products, said Jacek Materna, Assembla CTO. In addition, with the rise of compliance regulations, specifically GDPR, the EU Cloud will be especially beneficial to customers concerned with data privacy, data protection and the rise of preferences for data localization. In conjunction with the EU Cloud, Assembla is providing customers an automated way to formalize and share with their stakeholders that they use Assembla in a manner that meets GDPR data processing obligations. The Data Processing Addendum (DPA), pre-signed by Assembla, is a self-serve and easy-to-execute document that only requires an electronic signature from Assembla customers. Customers can learn more by visiting http://www.assembla.com/gdpr. About Assembla Assembla is the worlds only provider of Enterprise Cloud Version Control (ECVC), bringing multi-repository secure source code management to the cloud. Founded in 2005 and acquired by San Antonio Venture Equity firm Scaleworks in 2016, Assembla is focused on providing scalable, secure and flexible options for enterprise version control. Serving some of the worlds biggest brands and leading innovations, Assembla is a mission critical component to securing source code. We are fortunate to have a Partner with the longevity and extraordinary history of Dohrmann Insurance become part of our organization. United Benefit Advisors (UBA), the nations leading independent employee benefits advisory organization, is pleased to welcome Dohrmann Insurance Agency as its newest Partner Firm. In 1868, Dohrmann Insurance was founded in Stockton, Calif. A family legacy of 150 years, Greg Dohrmann, CEO of Dohrmann Insurance, is the fifth generation Dohrmann to lead the company. Dohrmann Insurance primarily focuses on serving non-profits, commercial businesses and farming operations in Northern California. Were excited to be part of the United Benefit Advisors (UBA) national network. UBA gives our clients access to national resources like the largest benefits benchmarking database in the country. The collaboration we have with UBA Partners gives us the opportunity to learn and deploy the most innovative solutions for our clients. UBA and UBA Partners are leading the industry with these innovative strategies and programs and we couldnt be more pleased to part of this great network of people and resources. Greg Dohrmann, CEO UBA President Peter Weber, M.S., CAE, says, We are fortunate to have a Partner with the longevity and extraordinary history of Dohrmann Insurance become part of our organization. Greg and his staff have a heritage of stability, innovation, and passion for protecting their customers assets and treating customers as family that mirrors the lifeblood of the UBA culture. Dohrmann Insurance further strengthens UBAs extensive presence in California, while their diversified staff experience will add to the collaborative efforts with our other Partner Firms. Dohrmann Insurance is committed to helping people put their lives back together after an accident or illness and improving the lives of the people they serve. Dohrmann Insurance has very simple and effective core values. Be honest. Work hard. Improve every day. They have a passion for creating customer value by deploying the latest technology and innovation to help their clients. Dohrmann Insurance also truly believes in giving back to the community they serve. In 2017, Dohrmann Insurance made over 50 donations to local charities and non-profits in excess of $100,000. About Dohrmann Insurance Dohrmann Insurance was established in 1868 and offers decades of experience in creating customized solutions for business insurance, employee benefits and personal insurance clients. We work with a wide variety of businesses and individuals in the Stockton, California, area and are licensed to provide insurance solutions in Alaska, Arizona, California, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, Utah and Washington. Our mission is very simple: provide a true, concierge client experience which is unique in the insurance industry and give clients the power of choice from the top rated national and regional insurance carriers. About United Benefit Advisors United Benefit Advisors (UBA) is the nations leading independent employee benefits advisory organization with more than 200 offices throughout the United States, Canada, England, and Ireland. UBA empowers more than 2,200 Partners to both maintain their individuality and pool their expertise, insight, and market presence to provide best-in-class services and solutions. Employers, advisors and industry-related organizations interested in obtaining powerful results from the shared wisdom of our Partners should visit http://www.UBAbenefits.com. Habitat for Humanity and O-Cedar are celebrating the closing of the second annual Home is the Key campaign with a special key dedication ceremony and ribbon cutting with two families in Nashville. Americans clearly recognize the strong and growing need for affordable housing, said Jonathan Reckford, CEO of Habitat for Humanity International. That recognition is important, but we cant stop there. Through the Home is the Key campaign, were delivering tangible ways people can take action to support more affordable housing in their own communities. We cant thank O-Cedar and their customers enough for their support of affordable housing in the United States. Featured on the TODAY Show, Home is the Key brought together sponsors, celebrities and community leaders to build homes, raise funds, and speak out about the need for affordable housing. Continuing our partnership with Habitat, as one of their valued partners, means we can help the organization continue to build affordable housing with more people, and play a role in the positive impact they have on families, said Mike Esposito, Director of Marketing at O-Cedar- Freudenberg Household Products. Over the last 40 years, Habitat for Humanity has helped more than 13 million people obtain a safe, decent and affordable home in the U.S. and around the world. But a significant challenge to home ownership remains. According to a survey of more than 1,000 Americans conducted by Habitat, one in four of those surveyed said the cost of housing will prevent them from continuing to live in their current neighborhoods. Approximately 30 percent said they had to compromise on either the neighborhood they want to live in or the size or type of home they want to purchase to be able to afford a home that meets their families needs. The survey also found that 84 percent of Americans believe there is an extreme shortage of affordable housing in the country and that the issue is critical for the government to address. There is still time to support the campaign and contribute to the cause. Until June 15, 2018. O-Cedar will donate $1 to Habitat for every ProMist MAX Microfiber Spray Mop sold by O-Cedar to any U.S. retail channel in the U.S. up to a maximum of $200,000. Visit https://promistmax.com/habitat-humanity/ for more information. By purchasing O-Cedar ProMist MAX Microfiber Spray Mop, donating directly at habitat.org or by sharing support using #HomeIsTheKey on social media. Launched in 2017, Habitats Home is the Key campaign aims to demonstrate how a decent, affordable home creates a better life for families and individuals. The campaign recently won two PR News CSR & Nonprofit Awards and was named as a finalist for Engage for Goods Halo Awards and Ragans PR Daily Awards. Additional photos and video from the Home is the Key campaign and the work in Nashville are available here. To learn how to get involved with Home is the Key, visit habitat.org/homeisthekey. About Habitat for Humanity Driven by the vision that everyone needs a decent place to live, Habitat for Humanity began in 1976 as a grassroots effort on a community farm in southern Georgia. The Christian housing organization has since grown to become a leading global nonprofit working in local communities across all 50 states in the U.S. and in more than 70 countries. Families and individuals in need of a hand up partner with Habitat for Humanity to build or improve a place they can call home. Habitat homeowners help build their own homes alongside volunteers and pay an affordable mortgage. Through financial support, volunteering or adding a voice to support affordable housing, everyone can help families achieve the strength, stability and self-reliance they need to build better lives for themselves. Through shelter, we empower. To learn more, visit habitat.org. About O-Cedar O-Cedar, the category leader in traditional floor care, is part of Freudenberg Household Products, a division of the Freudenberg Group headquartered in Weinheim, Germany. For more information visit http://www.ocedar.com/. Sorry for inconvenience! You have been redirected to this page due to the following reasons:-- Your session has expired. You have closed the browser, without logging out. If the problem persists, kindly remove all the temporary files and cookies from your browser. For IE - 1. Click on tools from the task bar of browser. 2. Click on Internet Options. 3. Click on "Delete temporary files." For Mozilla Firefox - 1. Click on tools from the task bar of browser. 2. Click on "Clear recent history." Welcome Guest! You Are Here: Home Regional News East Posted Tuesday, April 24, 2018 8:00 pm An ironic truth of being a journalist is that the richer a real-life story is, the harder it is to tell properly, which makes Port Townsend documentarians Shelly Solomon and Kent Cornwells film Ebb and Flow all the more impressive. Ebb and Flow encompasses the history of the Yamashita family, Japanese immigrants to America, whose lineage descends directly from actual samurai. It also documents how the Yamashita family helped resurrect oyster farming along Americas Pacific Coast throughout the 20th century. In the telling of this family saga, Solomon and Cornwell also focus heavily on how the Yamashita family was affected by the internment of Japanese in America during World War II. They intersperse the Yamashitas story with mouthwatering foodie segments on the Pacific oysters that the family patriarch, Masahide Yamashita, helped foster in the Pacific Northwest in the early 1900s. This is a film necessarily juggling a number of subjects and moods, but Solomon and Cornwell bring their decade of experience in documentaries to bear, creating a holistic piece out of these potentially disparate elements by framing them in the narrative device of a conversation between Masahides son, 95-year-old Eiichi Jerry Yamashita, and Jerrys own adult son Patrick. Speaking from experience, I will say that when your interview subject is as stoic as Jerry, it can be challenging to get him to talk about himself. Solomon and Cornwell rely on Patrick to draw his father out of his shell, as father and son sit together on the beach at night, their faces lit by the fire cooking their oysters. The documentary also makes effective use of Jerrys colleagues in the oyster farming industry, which he did not retire from until he turned 88. Their love and respect for him shine through and help reveal the character of a man whose grown children admit he is reticent to dwell on the past, particularly events as significant as his WWII internment at Tulelake, California. Michael Yamashita, one of Jerrys other sons, apologizes for getting emotional as he recalls when he first learned about his fathers internment, after a history lesson at school. This contrasts sharply with a moment from a reunion of Tulelake survivors, when two women, who are roughly Jerrys age, laugh and tell him, Were the only ones left from Block 13. If you didnt know they were talking about their own wartime imprisonment by the government, youd think they might be sharing memories of attending school together. Their attitude underscores the resilience of their generation and illustrates how, in his sons words, Jerry tends to move past old tragedies. Jerrys family had no shortages of hardships to overcome. Even after his family was released from internment, Masahide had to start his business from scratch yet wasnt allowed to own property. However, his son Jerry, who was born in Seattle, could. Jerry coped with the impact of pollution on his own oyster farming, just as the pollution of the early 20th century necessitated the replacement of the native Olympia oysters with Pacific oysters from Japan. He survived by gaining support for oyster farming on an individual basis, earning converts by serving them oyster and pickle sandwiches from his mothers recipe. Jerry eventually turned over his oyster farming operation to the Nisqually Indian Tribe, which seems fitting, considering both of their cultures have persevered even in the face of systematic discrimination. To learn more about Ebb and Flow, visit Solomon and Cornwells website at leapingfrogfilms.com. LONDON US President Donald Trump will visit the UK in mid-July, according to multiple news reports. Sky News, The Guardian, and CNN are among the news outlets reporting, citing anonymous sources, that Trump will visit the UK in July for a trip which would mark his first visit to the UK since he became president. A formal announcement is expected in the next few days. The trip will reportedly be a so-called "working visit" without the full regalia and royal status of a full 'state visit", with officials keen to minimise the risk of disruptions and protests. Trump's visit to Britain was first mooted in January last year, just seven days after his inauguration, when May extended him the offer of a state visit, something usually reserved for a president's second term. But plans for a state visit have been subjected to repeated cancellations and delays, with May's attempts to woo the president complicated by his deep unpopularity in Britain and the threat of widespread protests. Over 1.5 million people signed a petition calling for May to retract the president's invitation in January last year, while 67% of the population said in a recent poll that he has been a "poor" or "terrible" president. Earlier this year, Trump cancelled a planned visit to open the new US embassy in London, criticising its move from the prestigious Mayfair to an "off location" at Nine Elms, in south west London. The president said the move was a "bad deal" for the US, but media reports speculated that the real reason could have been the widespread animosity towards him in the country. The news that Trump will visit the UK appears to be an indication that relations between the two countries has improved since last year, when May criticised the president for retweeting anti-Muslim videos from a far-right British fringe group. The pair reportedly spoke extensively on the phone last week as they discussed their response to the chemical weapons attacks in Douma in Syria. The reports of Trump's visit to the UK followed his state visit to France, where he developed close ties with President Emmanuel Macron. They will met in Panmunjom, the site of the signing of the Korean Armistice Agreement in 1953 that's known as the "truce village." Since then, Panmunjom has become the only part of the demilitarized zone where soldiers from the two Koreas face one another every day, and where foreign dignitaries come to peer into North Korea for themselves. But life in Panmunjom and the surrounding villages is remarkably ordinary. People shop, kids attend schools, and farmers till the fields though mostly with a backdrop of high tensions and a military presence. There's also a thriving tourist scene. According to PRI, visitors must sign a form that says they understand it "will entail entry into a hostile area and the possibility of injury or death." Here's what the "truce village" is like. The "Peace House" sits on the South Korean side of Panmunjom in the demilitarized zone, where talks between North Korea and South will take place on Tuesday. The six blue-and-white buildings, used as conference rooms, straddle the demarcation line. Over the years, many photos have captured North Korean soldiers looking into these rooms while South Korean officials use them. On several occasions, North Koreans took photos of the rooms through the windows. Here's are minutes from a Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission meeting in a mailbox marked KPA, an abbreviation for the Korean People's Army, in a conference room. These are the tables where the Korean Armistice Agreement was signed on July 27, 1953. Outside, North Korean workers sweep the country's compound. They also tend the lawn on North Korea's side. Trees line the "Bridge of No Return," where, after the 1953 agreement, prisoners of war could walk to either of the two Koreas. Some North Korean propaganda paintings are in Panmunjom. Here, South Koreans watch an announcement of a North Korean missile launch on TV inside a store. And students study under a heavy military presence. In Daeseong-dong, the village in the DMZ where South Korean citizens can reside, soldiers regularly attend school graduations. Panmunjom can be reached by train. Here's the entrance to Dorasan Station, the northernmost stop on South Korea's railway. While civilian trains don't run to Pyongyang, there was briefly cross-border trade around 2007, and the signs remain. Source: Groups of tourists are allowed into the heavily guarded conference rooms across the border, allowing them to technically enter North Korea. They can pose in front of a giant picture of the DMZ border ... ... or take photos of the real thing. Decades ago, North Korea built four tunnels designed to send troops quickly and quietly into South Korea. Tourists now visit these. Source: An observation platform lets tourists and foreign dignitaries look into North Korea. What they see is North Korea's so-called propaganda village of Gijungdong. They can also see workers in North Korean fields. DMZ souvenirs are available for purchase. And a few kilometers away, a South Korean souvenir shop sells North Korean beer. It also sells locally produced soybeans. A few hundred farmers in the region also grow ginseng and rice. Camp Bonifas, a UN Command military post, is also near Panmunjom. In this 2003 photo, US soldiers there watch President George W. Bush's State of the Union address. Also near Panmunjom is the Imjingak Peace Park. People regularly leave messages of peace and unity on ribbons at a DMZ fence. But border issues still affect residents. In 2015, people in another village just south of the DMZ were evacuated to a shelter after an exchange of fire. Source: In Panmunjom, North Korean soldiers directly face South Koreans. This is near the spot where a North Korean soldier defected across the border in November. Source: North Korea and South Korea spoke on a dedicated phone line at Panmunjom for the first time in two years in January. On Thursday, Bill Cosby, 80, was found guilty of drugging and sexually assaulting Andrea Constand in 2004, and he could face up to 30 years in prison. The sexual-assault allegations that brought Cosby to trial were in part reignited by a 2014 stand-up comedy bit at a club in Philadelphia in which the comedian Hannibal Buress joked about Cosby's "rape." Mocking Cosby, Buress said: "Pull your pants up, black people. I was on TV in the '80s. I can talk down to you 'cause I had a successful sitcom." "Yeah, but you rape women, Bill Cosby," Buress added, "so turn the crazy down a couple notches." Audience footage of Buress' joke subsequently went viral. (Warning: There is explicit language used in the video.) Hannibal Buress Called Bill Cosby a Rapist During a Stand up Many people on social media vilified Cosby, and several news outlets picked up the subject. Cosby also faced persistent criticism from other notable comedians, including Judd Apatow. Numerous women have come forward to accuse Cosby of sexual misconduct. Thursday's verdict came after a two-week retrial during which prosecutors put five other women on the stand who testified that Cosby drugged and sexually assaulted them too. Constand's was the only criminal case to arise from allegations from his more than 60 accusers. In an exclusive interview with Pulse.com.gh, the 'grieved' actress who doubles as the CEO of 'Nayas 1 movie production' sorrowfully narrated how their dating journey began and where they've reached now. "We met some months back, Ernest Opoku proposed to me claiming he was single. I doubted in the beginning but later accepted his proposal. My residence at Ashongman Estate was where he resided whenever he came to Accra till I got pregnant," she stated. The Gospel musician who is alleged to have had a secret abortion with Criss Waddle's ex-girlfriend, Yaa Mary, attempted to repeat the abominable act this time around victimizing actress Nayas. However, all his efforts proved futile after the actress failed to take the abortion drug Ernest Opoku bought for her. The producer of 'Endwene Bone' movie further revealed that, Ernest Opoku, after realising she refused to take the drug got irritated, not withstanding, led her to a hospital to abort the pregnancy the second time to save his image and credentials as a Gospel musician. READ More: Shatta Michy jabs Shatta Wale in latest Instagram post According to the actress, she connived with the doctor to fake the abortion because she couldn't afford to lose her life. The Gospel songster upon coming to the realisation that the second attempt also failed, got extremely angry and began misbehaving which compelled her to fly from Accra to Ernest Opoku's residence in Kumasi to cause chaos. "I did that because I realised I was being taken for a ride and needed to act swiftly to avert any misfortune, but he turned a deaf ear to all the melees. I went ahead to report to a police station in Bantama, not knowing Ernest had already called a friend there known as Ofori to act in his favour, but he(Ofori) resisted because his(Ernest) explanations held no substance" she explained. After a meeting held, which included movie director, Jackson K Bentum, Nayas, Ernest Opoku, Ofori and one Ericus Papa, Ernest agreed to pay a compensation fee of 5,000 cedis and 6 GTP cloths as requested by the actress, which was duly paid, but she was never persuaded to abort the pregnancy. As it stands, Ernest Opoku still insists the lady aborts the innocent fetus. Moreover, his demeanour depicts he cares very little about the entire issue and his image being dented by his own actions. He needs to be called to order because he's gradually getting out of hand as a Gospel artiste. The actor and entrepreneur was arrested at the Ejisu Market Thursday, April 26, after verbally abusing a police officer for demanding a permit for selling a fruit juice called 'Drop'. An eye witness divulged that "Kwaku Manu was selling a fruit juice called 'Drop' in a Kia vehicle at the market when a police officer on duty approached him to demand for a permit. At first, he thought it was an alcoholic beverage until he was proven wrong and Kwaku Manu even provided his permit." The eye witness further told Pulse.com.gh that Kwaku Manu was later gave him the permission to continue selling his product but a few minutes later, ten police officers arrived in a patrol car to pick up the actor. Classy Judy, the host of the show brings her several years of experience in media work and married life to the love show, making "Odo Confessions" the most talked about love TV program. The show is specifically crafted to give lovers the opportunity to confess to each other so as to keep many marriages and relationships alive and also reduce divorce rates. Viewers simply call into the show to confess to their lover after which they are assisted with advice by Classy Judy and her renowned resource team. This is to help rekindle failing relationships and marriages. Distinguished personalities such as counselors, pastors, celebrities, and reverend ministers in the field of love and relationship, come on the show to advise viewers on their various issues. They share some practical relationship experiences to help couples spice up their love lives. It may be recalled that early this year, the said unnamed lady shared her predicament with a relationship expert, David Papa Bondze-Mbir and it sent shivers down the spines of many people especially men who take delight in sleeping with any woman they come across. For an unknown reason the ladys story has resurfaced online and causing frenzy among social media users. What is striking and intimidating in the ladys story is the fact that she threatened to start going round the various regions of Ghana and begin to have sex with any man who appears pleasing to her, if no man is willing to stay with her alone without having anything to do with any other woman. Her reason is that she is sexually active and needs satisfaction. Read her full story below: Dave, I will be 38 years in July, 2017. And, I have been married, Three (3) times. I have Two (2) kids, with two different late husbands, whom I dearly loved. This is my story: when I was 18 years, I dated this gentleman, who was then, a Third-year, University Student, at Legon. I was in my final year at Senior Secondary School (SSS). He was my first love, and we had dated for just Five (5) months. We had so many dreams together for our future.He mysteriously died. I dated a married man, at age, 20, for just, Four (4) weeks. The first time we had sex at a hotel, he died in his home, the very next day. I didnt date for a while, due to fear until a friend at Church, proposed to me, four years later. I was 25 years old, when I first got married. Two (2) years into our marriage, he died one dawn, after making love to me. We had no kids. I moved to Canada, to further my education. I met this Nigerian Army guy, who showed interest in me. He married me, when I was 30 years old. He died when I was, Seven (7) months pregnant, with our first child. When I was 34, my third husband, a White Canadian Man, also married me. We had an argument one day, when I was Three months pregnant with our daughter. He was getting involved with his Ex wife, and apparently, they had had sex. He confessed to me, about sleeping with his Ex, and was asking for my forgiveness. Dave, I loved my husband very much, so I willingly forgave him that afternoon, and made passionate love to him, that very moment. He died in his sleep that afternoon. Since relocating to Ghana, two years ago, I decided never to date or marry again, however, I was getting horny a few times, so I hooked up with a colleague at work, for just a one night something. He died in the house of his girlfriend, a day after sleeping with me. As I write this letter to you, I am in Takoradi. I had to move from Accra, to a different City. I couldnt stand the horror of my life. I met a guy at a night club, three weeks ago, whom I had a fling with, at a hotel. I never saw or heard from him again, until yesterday, when I saw his obituary poster, pasted on the main gate, of the night club. He died, three weeks ago. Any man I sleep with, who just happens to sleep with another woman, dies after having sex with me. I am relocating to Accra, again, to finally settle. I may not marry or date anyone, until my death. However, I might need sex, every now and then. I want to know if there is any man, amongst your friends, who wouldnt mind wanting to be intimate with only me, without any commitments? I just got a new job in Accra, so he wouldnt have to worry about spending on me. I will take care of myself and the kids. He just shouldnt have a girlfriend or a wife. He shouldnt be a player. I dont want to be responsible for the death of another man. All I need is one faithful man, who wouldnt mind giving me pleasure. Else, I might have to travel to each Region, anytime I desire for sex, and hook up with any fine man I find attractive. I am currently chatting and texting with one Ghanaian parliamentarian, whom I suspect, is interested in me. He is a married man, and it was because of his connections that got me a job, and a place to stay in Takoradi. He is a good man, a fine lawyer. I want to give in to his demands, but I fear for the unknown. Hes gotten me so many job opportunities with numerous MPs. I am not a prostitute, I am just a human being, who also has genuine needs. Had it not been for my unfortunate history, I would have been happily committed to just one man. Fatima Mohamid Khalil said her husband woke the children up early and when she enquired, he claimed the childrens grandfather was visiting and he needed the youngsters to be present and welcome him. The man then took the children to a different room. She became worried and followed up after some few minutes to ascertain what was going on, and to her surprise, the husband had already killed two of the children. She said all attempts to restrain the man from murdering the last one did not materialize. The man pushed her out and accomplished his mission. READ MORE: How using your arm as pillow when sleeping could land you in surgical room The incident happened on Sunday in Al-Rawdah District, Makkah. Fatima who herself lost her two parents since infancy told the Saudi Gazette that: This was an unusual act, but when I asked him why, he said that his father was coming to visit and that his three daughters needed to say hello to their grandfather. She added: I was shocked to see my middle daughter Rimaz in his hands soaked in her blood after he had slaughtered her with a knife. I tried to rescue her, but he pushed me away; I fell down. When I got up, he had already slaughtered our eldest and the youngest daughters. After the heartless act, Fatima said: He went out as if nothing had happened. I started crying and neighbours came, but it was too late. The distressed mother also disclosed that the man had earlier asked her to go stay with her grandmother for a while, and she did. She said the children were heard one day crying loudly and our neighbours heard their cries and informed the police, who came and arrested him, but he was soon released on bail. He took me back to his apartment with our daughters the night of the incident. This was just a few hours before he committed his heinous crime. Reports say the man might be a drug addict, but it is suspected that he must have committed the act out of frustration. Though the dead and burial of the cat happened in July, 2015, the number of sympathisers who turned up from all walks of life to witness the ceremony and the loads of gifts that were showered on the dead cat are the reasons why it has become talk of the town currently. Called Tama the stationmaster, the cat was given an official custom-made cap which it wore on a daily basis. During Tamas reign as stationmaster, it was always seen sitting quietly at the ticketing gate welcoming and seeing off passengers. Apparently, as a result of the cats friendliness and humanlike manner in which it conducted its duties, most passengers fell in love with it, hence the large turnout for its funeral. Tears flow as sympathisers throng burial ceremony of cat Those who knew or has ever encountered Tama, but could not make it to the funeral resorted to social media to express their last respect for the cat. The new product, Cowbell Gold, is a fantastic, Crispy fortified chocolate milk drink, which is rich in proteins and vitamins to keep the body energized. This new product joins the family of the nutritious cowbell products, which has been in the Ghanaian market for about 2 decades. Cowbell Gold is made from the finest Ghanaian cocoa, rich malt, and the perfect amount of our milk and sugar making it the winning chocolate drink for the Ghanaians. The product, with the slogan Energy for winners! can be found in an eye-catching golden colored sachet, depicting the drive to win. READ ALSO: Traffic wardens plead for new jobs after East Legon tunnel opens Speaking to the media on the products, Sales and Marketing Director for Promasidor Ghana Limited, producers of Cowbell, Mr. Timo Van Vooren described Cowbell Gold as the winning fortified chocolate milk drink, which will revolutionize the food-drinks market. We call it Energy for winners! because the product contains highly nutritional ingredients that provides the consumers with the needed energy to be successful, to reach their goals, go for the win and in essence go for gold. Cowbell gold wants to provide inspiration for patrons to excel in all their endeavors Mr Van Vooren explained. In his address to the general public during the launch of the product, Marketing Manager for Promasidor Ghana limited, Mr. Shine Akiem Torsoo reiterated the commitment of the Cowbell brand to continually contribute to the development of the Ghanaian society through the numerous CSR activities and tailor-made marketing activities that will benefit the Ghanaian populace. Cowbell Gold is a refreshing 4-in-1 product which is convenient to prepare and can be served either hot or cold. The launch of the product took place at the forecourt of the Kumasi City Mall on the 21st of April under an electrifying atmosphere amidst fireworks, musical performances, dance competition and several giveaways. The ECOWAS Court ordered Ghana not to take any further measures against the applicants who include Justice Paul Uuter Dery, Habib Logoh and Ayisi Addo. This order was given at the second session held on Wednesday, 25 April 2018 in Bamako, Mali, presided by Justice Yaya Boiro. In an application dated April 13, 2018, the applicants indicated that they had earlier filed a suit for provisional measures (interim measures) pursuant to Article 20 Protocol (A/P1/7/91); Article 79 of the Rules of the CCJ. They said: "The defendant (Republic of Ghana) despite the suit in this Court, is proceeding with the impeachment proceedings aimed at terminating the appointment of the applicants/plaintiff. "The defendant, by letters dated April 6, 2018, to each of the plaintiffs, has ordered the plaintiffs to appear for commencement of impeachment proceedings" They, therefore, invoked the authority of the ECOWAS Court to restrain the Republic of Ghana from going ahead further with the impeachment proceedings. Justice Boiro subsequently granted the application by the plaintiffs to have the Republic of Ghana halt any impeachment proceedings until the case concerning the violation of their human rights have been determined. Suit against impeachment In 2016, three embattled judges have filled a suit at the court of ECOWAS for alleged violations of their human rights. Justice Paul Dery, Justice Mustapha Habib Logoh and Justice Gilbert Ayisi Addo, in a joint suit, named the Ghana Government, the Chief Justice of Ghana, the Ghana Judicial Council and the Attorney General of Ghana as the first, second, third and fourth respondents, respectively. By the suit, the three justices are seeking the enforcement of their human rights which have been allegedly violated by the Ghana Government. The judges are seeking 11 reliefs from the ECOWAS Court under the following laws: United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights; the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights. The judges claim: That their human rights have been violated; That the Government of Ghana "owes it as a duty to respect and uphold and also ensure that every person within the jurisdiction of the Republic of Ghana respects and upholds individual human rights enshrined in the laws mentioned earlier; That the Government of Ghana has violated their rights to fair trial and administrative justice; That the Government of Ghana has violated their rights to equality before the law and freedom from discrimination; and The court presided over by Justice Anthony Yeboah in his ruling held the decision by the Fire Service, saying it was discriminatory and a breach of the fundamental Human Rights of the two applicants in the matter. The court added that the victims should be compensated GH50,000 for the trauma and inevitable inconvenience of the wrongful dismal. READ MORE: Gas tanker crashes on Tema motorway The two, Grace Fosu and Thelma Hammond, are to receive full salary payment for the period they were dismissed. Dismissal letter In 2013, two female personnel whose appointments were confirmed on June 1, 2012 in a letter signed by Ag. Chief Fire Officer, Brigadier General J.B.E Guyiri, and copied to the Regional Fire Officer, Director of Accounts and Administration (Records & Statistics) after passing through a stipulated six-month training and another six-months of probation, were issued dismissal letters on June 14, 2013. The said letter, which copy this paper has intercepted, partly read: You were recruited into the service on the 1st of August, 2011. You were supposed to serve for six months after passing out and be confirmed. As stated in the Conditions of Service, you are expected to serve the first three years before you could get pregnant. READ ALSO: Dozens evacuated as gas leaks at La Marwako Restaurant In the said video, the undercover journalist, who pretended to be a concessioner, captured a conversation with Mr. Yahaya centred on acquiring a land to mine. The journalist warns him that the Government of Ghana and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are on a serious mission to arrest all illegal miners across the country. However, the Lebanese national, who claims to have been born in Ghana, shrugged off the warnings, insisting he has strong connections at the Presidency which would immune him from any punishment if arrested. for this one I dont have any problem, you get me, nobody can touch me. Just give me the boss number and dont worry... I will let them come to the flag house (Jubilee House). As for connections, I have I have very good connections, nobody can disturb me, Mr. Yahaya confidently asserted. He, therefore, asked the concessioner to simply give him the number of the EPA boss, stressing his contacts at the seat of government will handle the rest. He further disclosed that he was in partnership with Aisha Huang, an alleged suspect who was earlier accused of being the leader of some Chinese galamseyers in the country. Shocked by the revelation, the journalist further warned him that there is an Operation Vanguard team set up to go after all illegal miners around the country. However, Mr. Yahaya again appeared very confident that his works will not be disturbed by the joint Police and military task force. According to him, the boss of the Operation Vanguard task force is actually his best friend and will not allow him to be caught. The Lebanese national was ready to fork out a hopping GHc40,000 as advance payment for the concession, whiles also accepting to pay GHc20,000 each month after that. A Sanitary Engineer at the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area Sanitation and Water Project, Gabriel Engman said the GHC6 million World Bank-funded project is being implemented by the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources (MSWR). It is expected to be completed in 50 days. READ ALSO: Police Hospital to bury 120 unclaimed dead bodies Mr Engman said, Put together the project should be completed in 40 days but unforeseen circumstances may extend the period of completion to 50 days. Consequently, the three main roads stretching from Lapaz through Awoshie and Mallam Junction would be diverted when work begins next week. READ ALSO: Ban on noise making begins May 14 This will disrupt the flow of traffic in the area, so the MSWR together with the Ghana Highway Authority have installed sign posts indicating diversion routes to drivers plying the stretch of road. The robbers, suspected to be Niger nationals were arrested by a team from the Rapid Deployment Force at Ngleshi Amanfrom, a suburb of Weija in the Ga South Municipality of the Greater Accra Region. The suspects, Malik Bashiru, 32, and Abdul Aziz Tahiru, 38 who were riding a Bawue Motor Bike with registration number M-15, GR 4107 were arrested after they refused to stop when the police instructed them. READ MORE: 3 Police officers arrested for renting out guns to armed robbers A pistol, Ruger SR45, No. 38064386, 1 empty magazine, 4 assorted used mobile phones, 2 wrist watches, 1 ear piece, 1 ring and a sun glass were retrieved on them after search. READ ALSO: 2 Social Welfare officers arrested for stealing and selling baby2 Social Welfare officers arrested for stealing and selling baby The two suspects were arrested after Inspector Isaac Baidoo, who was leading a team of five officers on patrol, spotted the two Nigeriens on a motorbike with registration M-15, GR4107 on Tuesday morning. A statement from the Police said the suspects were stopped at a Police checkpoint but the refused to stop. The suspects ignored the directive from the officers, rather opting to speed off, which led to the Police giving them a hot chase. Upon their arrest, mobile phone, a pistol, two wrist watches and other valuables were retrieved. The team gave them a hot chase and captured them at a segment of the road. A search was conducted on them. One pistol, Ruger SR45, No. 38064386; one empty magazine; four assorted used mobile phones; two wrist watches; one earpiece; one ring and one sunglasses were found on them, sections of the Police communication stated. Naabu, who is seeking reelection is reported to be in a critical condition and has been flown to Accra for proper medical examination. The outspoken Chairman is said to have been involved in the crash on his way to Tamale from Damango where he met some NPP delegates to campaign. Mr. Naabu received first aid treatment at the Tamale Teaching Hospital before he was airlifted to Accra. The cause of the accident is currently unknown but eyewitnesses at the scene said all they saw was the vehicles involved summersaulting. Welcome to the Pulse Community! We will now be sending you a daily newsletter on news, entertainment and more. Also join us across all of our other channels - we love to be connected! In a statement jointly signed and issued by Adwoa Pomaah Sanwu, Martha Kodua and Linda Darkwa, it said "We wish to state, without equivocation, that, we have not sanctioned the printing of any new shirts for our group, and do not have any members of our group defecting to the NDC, as the hopeless NDC would seek to portray, this weekend." The members accused the NDC of wearing a Loyal Ladies branded shirt at their Unity walk in the Upper West Region. It said former President "John Mahama and his demoralised NDC cannot begrudge Loyal Ladies for the incompetence they displayed in government." Below is the full statement: The leadership of NPP LOYAL LADIES has been duly notified of plans by the National Democratic Congress (NDC), to distribute Loyal Ladies-branded shirts to some NDC ladies, at their next Unity walk, slated for Saturday, in Kumasi. Loyal Ladies is reliably informed that our shirts are being printed by a print house at Asafo in Kumasi, on the orders of the NDC. We wish to state, without equivocation, that, we have NOT sanctioned the printing of any new shirts for our group, and do not have any members of our group defecting to the NDC, as the hopeless NDC would seek to portray, this weekend. This is yet another weak attempt by the frustrated NDC to court disaffection for Loyal Ladies within the ranks of the NPP, and to throw dust into the eyes of the public-a trait they are well known for. We recall a similar incident, where a known NDC lady was spotted wearing a Loyal Ladies-branded shirt at their Unity walk in the Upper West Region. This is testament to the fact that, the NDC is bereft of ideas and lack ingenuity. John Mahama and his demoralised NDC cannot begrudge Loyal Ladies for the incompetence they displayed in government and their spectacular incompetence in opposition. It is obvious the NDC is gasping in desperation and cluelessness, and would clutch onto any successful brand to give hope to its members. We, however, caution the NDC to stay clear off the path of Loyal Ladies, as we are not going to be intimidated by their see-through antics. We have reported the matter to the police, as this connotes criminality on the part of the print house. We hope the police treats it with all the seriousness it deserves. We also call on the general public to treat with scorn, any persons seen in NPP Loyal Ladies attire in Kumasi, this weekend. The Ghanaian people are discerning enough to appreciate the timely election of President Akufo-Addo to salvage Ghana from the ruins left by the inept NDC, led by John Mahama. "And then we will see how we will handle it." Trump announced last month that the United States would impose tariffs of 25 percent on steel and 10 percent on aluminium, claiming foreign imports were harming US national security by undermining the domestic production needed for military readiness. After an outcry from US allies, Trump granted a temporary exemption to key partners, including Canada and the European Union. Among Merkel's priorities during her visit to Washington would be to deepen economic ties with the US, the German government source said, adding that Berlin is ready to renegotiate industrial tariffs with the US. "We can talk about this thing again," said the source. The EU's top trade official Cecilia Malmstrom last week said Brussels expected nothing less than to be permanently excluded from the US tariffs. Vice President Yemi Osinbajo expressed happiness and joy as he commissioned the newly built headquarters of the Deeper Life Church situated in Gbagada, Lagos. This is one of the proudest moments for me as a Christian, being alive and here seeing this sweet edifice built solely for the propagation of the Gospel of Christ. I am proud of what has been achieved here; the amenities, the IT architecture, and ambiance, It is my prayer that, with the way this church has been growing, the coming Glory will be greater than the one gone by, the Vice President said. Congratulating the General Superintendent and members of the Deeper Life for the vision and execution of the edifice, Osinbajo called on them to sustain the message of undiluted gospel of Christ the Church has been known for while also ensuring that the Temple of Christ which the church was built is also built in the hearts of the people. The Vice President also challenged the leaders and members of the Church to continue spreading the message of Christ, especially in this end time by making disciples of all nations, expressing his confidence that the ultra-modern headquarters will provide greater motivation and inspiration to preach the word of God with greater fervor. Addressing the congregation, the General Superintendent of Deeper Christian Life Ministry, Pastor Williams Kumuyi thanked the Vice President for finding time to witness the official commissioning of the new auditorium, which he described as historical the journey of the Church towards evangelizing the world. Pastor Kumuyi who drew the gathering down memory lane to the modest beginning of the church, said Deeper Life has remained true to the propagation of the message of love embodied in the life of Jesus Christ on earth and promised that the new auditorium will be a pilgrimage centre for spiritual development designed to emancipate the society from the shackles of sin. Persecution of Christians is on the rise - Osinbajo Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo has lamented on the growing persecution of Christians in many parts of Nigeria. Osinbajo made this known during the commissioning the over 40,000 capacity new headquarters building and church auditorium of the Deeper Life Bible Church situated in Gbagada area of Lagos. The VP used the opportunity to call on Nigerians across religious divides to rise in unison against growing cases of religious intolerance in Nigeria. Osinbajo, however, promised that the Federal Government is doing everything in its powers to protect the rights of all citizens for freedom of worship. He also said the religious intolerance remains a major challenge against the socio-economic revival of the country while assuring that President Muhammadu Buhari has given him the mandate to intervene in areas that are facing such challenges with the aim of bringing enduring peaceful co-existence. Persecution of Christians is on the rise. The devil is hard at work, stoking religious tension. I call on all Christians not to be broken even as security are working hard to prevent such occurrences and protect the lives and property of every citizen, he stated. The bill which was recently passed by the National Assembly was praised by experts as a step in the good direction in strengthening digital rights on the continent. The experts made this call at the 6th Internet Freedom Forum, an international conference organised by Paradigm Initiative, which is currently taking place at NAF Conference Centre, Abuja. Ephraim Kenyanito of Article 19 East Africa, while speaking at the event, said, It would be great if the Nigerian president could immediately sign the bill into law. This would be seen as a challenge to other African countries. It would be great for Nigeria to set a good example in this area. In the same vein, John Edokpolo, Microsoft Nigeria Head of Legal Affairs, also called on the government to enact good laws in encouraging innovation and development in the tech industry. "If you want foreign direct investment in the technology industry, you need to have a good data privacy law, among other things. It helps when businesses can help government see the economic benefits of having positive legislation around digital rights. The job should not be left to the civil society alone." According to Adeboye Adegoke, Paradigm Initiatives Digital Rights Program Manager, The Digital Rights and Freedom Bill was drafted by a coalition of civil society, private sector and government to protect the digital rights of Nigerians in the emerging digital age. The bill is great for the protecting citizens rights and also great for the economy as it would energise the tech industry. The Forum also provided an opportunity to discuss the adversarial relationship between government and media in the digital age. Speaking at the session dedicated to the theme, Henry Maina, Regional Director of Article 19 Eastern Africa, said: Nigeria remains one of the many African countries which still retain criminal libel laws, an unfortunate reality that simply erodes freedom. Tolu Ogunlesi, Special Assistant to the Nigerian President on Digital Media, said, an effective media ensures a free society and serves as a check on government. The media should, therefore, avoid engaging in only broadcasting what different actors are saying but go beyond the press statements to finding out the truth. The media must do more to combat fake news and ensure truthfulness in their reports. While I would not campaign for government regulation of media space, I would argue for the media to be more accountable and self-regulate. Dapo Olorunyomi, the publisher of Premium Times, said the media was already accountable and it was the government that needed to improve transparency and its proactiveness in releasing information. The 6th Internet Freedom Forum The Forum also had a session dedicated to discussing the impact of intentional internet disruptions on the economy. This session, coordinated by the Centre for Intellectual Property and Information Technology Law (CIPIT) at Strathmore University Kenya, analysed the economic impact of internet shutdown on the economies of the countries that have experienced. Speakers at the session bemoaned the ease with which African countries now resort to internet shutdown without any consideration for its impact on their peoples and economy. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images(LOS ANGELES) -- The suspected "Golden State Killer" behind serial rapes and murders across California in the 1970s and 1980s has finally been identified. Joseph James DeAngelo, a 72-year-old former police officer, was arrested this week in the decades-old case. His alleged "reign of terror" spanned from the Sacramento area in Northern California down to Orange County in Southern California, Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas said Wednesday. DeAngelo is believed to have committed 12 murders, at least 50 rapes and multiple home burglaries. Here is a closer look at the timeline: 1973-1976 DeAngelo was a police officer in Exeter, California, from 1973 to 1976, officials said. 1976-1979 DeAngelo was then a police officer in Auburn from 1976 to 1979 until he was fired for allegedly stealing a hammer and a can of dog repellent, The Associated Press reported, citing Auburn Journal articles from the time. 1976-1978 The terror started with burglaries and rapes in the eastern district of Sacramento County in the summer of 1976, the FBI said. The "Golden State Killer" would break into his victims' homes by prying open a window or door while they slept, the FBI said. Sometimes he would take jewelry, identification, cash and coins from the victims' homes. There were five incidents in 1976 and 17 incidents in 1977, according to SFGate. 1978-1981 The crimes turned to murders in February 1978, when the "Golden State Killer" shot and killed Brian and Katie Maggiore, who were walking their dog in the Sacramento area. They were the killer's last victims in the Sacramento County Sheriffs Departments jurisdiction, according to The Sacramento Bee. After the attacks in the Sacramento area, crimes continued in the East Bay area of Northern California, and then escalated into rapes and murders along the California coast, the FBI said. 1986 No crimes were attributed to the "Golden State Killer" from July 1981 until 1986, when 18-year-old Janelle Cruz was raped and murdered in Irvine. That was his last known crime. 2018 Last week, DeAngelo's name came up for the first time in the investigation, Sacramento District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert said. DeAngelo was then surveilled and DNA from an item police had collected of his was confirmed as a match. "We had our man," Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones said at a news conference Wednesday. On Tuesday afternoon, DeAngelo was confronted by officers and arrested in Citrus Heights in Sacramento County, said Jones. He has not yet appeared in court. 2020 On June 29, 2020, DeAngelo pleaded guilty to 13 counts of first-degree murder in front of dozens of victims and victims' relatives. The plea deal also required DeAngelo to admit to multiple uncharged acts, including rapes, which were described in horrific detail by prosecutors. The death penalty will be taken off the table and he will serve life without parole, prosecutors said. Copyright 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Some may feel sad and powerless when they find themselves in a certain situation, but as a Muslim, a conscious one, you are not expected to lose hope in the mercy and blessing of your Lord, regardless of the situation you find yourself. Allah says: So, verily, with every difficulty, there is relief: Verily with every difficulty there is relief. Therefore, when you are free (from your immediate task), still labor hard. And to your Lord turn (all) your attention. Quran 94:5-7. So, instead of lamenting and surrendering oneself to hardship, Islam recommends something to do, and from the above verse, it is clear that the worship of Allah is very important no matter what we are going through. 1. Salah. Muslims are expected to perform the five times prayers daily. In fact, no hardship should make anyone ignore this duty because it is one of the recommended means to ease oneself out of a difficulty. 2. Read the Qu'ran Reading the Quran is so beautiful that no matter what difficulties you face youll find solace in it. Its recitation will grant you the needed rest of mind and restore your hope in the mercy of Allah. ALSO READ: 5 things you should know about Islam 3. Make Dua/Pray For anyone going through any form of hardship, Islam recommends some prayer points to make while you sit to remember Allah. Here is one of such prayers: O Allaah, I take refuge in You from anxiety and sorrow, weakness and laziness, miserliness and cowardice, the burden of debts and from being overpowered by men. 4. Give Sadaqah/Charity Giving charity is a very good and highly rewarding act of worship in Islam and one of its benefits is that it helps push away hardship. But if you cant give money, even kind words or physical sadaqah can do (i.e. helping people physically or emotionally) 5. Wake up early and perform Tahajjud The websites according to Punch obtain questions before the start of exams, solve it and sell the answers to senior secondary school students sitting for WAEC and NECO exams. Punch investigation reveals that one of the websites sells answers to Theory and Objective questions for N400, while another sell same for N800. After payment, candidates, who subscribe to the result peddling websites get the answers to the questions they request delivered to their phones. These are the five websites that have allegedly been exposed in the exam malpractice scandal. 1. examcrown.com This website makes it clear that its administrators are into exam malpractice (runs) business. The information on the websites encourage students who want to do 'runs' to pay a day before their exam and also urges them to invite their friends for better results. The site also boasts that its ''RUNS IS 100% TRUSTED''. Examcrown published the answers of some papers on its site days before the exam is written. For instance, Government paper 1 and 2 are slated to be written on Monday, April 23, 2018, but the answers to the questions were published on the site on Saturday, April 21, 2018. 2. Examsort.com This website prides itself as the number one exam runs platform as it sells answers to exam questions in exchange for recharge cards. 3. Guruslodge.com According to Punch, Guruslodge demands N800 from candidates to send the answers directly to candidates phones, while others demand N400 MTN recharge cards to send a link to the answers. Pulse logged onto the site to get information how the site peddles exam questions and answers but the site seems to have been taken down as the information on the site reads: This domain name has Expired. 4. Waecexpo.com Waecexpo.com too has been taken down probably because of the allegations against them. Pulse visited the site to get information about how the site peddles exam questions and answers but the site seems to have been taken down as the site links about 'exam expo' leads to a page about money and business. 5. naijaclass.com Naija class describes itself as a Student Comprehensive Online Portal. But the website has been shut down as the information on the site reads: WE ARE CURRENTLY CARRYING ON A SYSTEM UPGRADE ON OUR WEBSITE PLEASE BEAR WITH US. We will be back in a short while. Simon Godwin Idoko, a 26-year-old man from Udaburu Owukpa, Ogbadibo LGA of Benue State is one of the unlucky admission seekers, who had to write JAMB so many times before securing admission. As frustrating as that may sound, his experience with JAMB is now a success story as he graduated with a First Class degree from the Department of Applied Chemistry, Usman Danfodiyo University, Sokoto. Narrating his story, Idoko said, I left secondary school in 2007 from Wesley High School, Otukpo where I was awarded the overall best in Mathematics. I took UTME six times before I got admission to study Applied Chemistry. I was initially applying for Medicine and Surgery due to the advice from different people. I have never scored below 200 in UTME and the most disappointing time during the period of struggling to get admission was when I scored 264 in UTME and 68 in Post UTME in 2012 but I was not offered admission to study any course. The only course I was offered throughout the period of the six years was the course that I studied (Applied Chemistry). It was very frustrating then. Idoko offers tips on how to graduate with a first class degree Achieving first class degree in any course according to Idoko is not easy because one is expected to do what ordinary students cannot do. ALSO READ: 20 expensive private universities in Nigeria and their tuition fees Telling anyone that graduating with first class is easy is one of the most expensive lies in the world. To achieve such feat, one must be ready to do what ordinary students cannot do such as spending money on good textbooks, spending more time reading and spending less time on social activities. Idoko who graduated with a CGPA of 4.75 plans to start his MSc program immediately after his NYSC as he wishes to become a lecturer or work in a multinational company. West is openly a supporter of the Trump administration and one of the celebrities who rooted for him during the US presidential election. West had visited the president-elect at Trump Tower during the presidential transition. On Wednesday, West tweeted, "You don't have to agree with trump but the mob can't make me not love him. We are both dragon energy. He is my brother. I love everyone. I don't agree with everything anyone does. That's what makes us individuals. And we have the right to independent thought." Trump liked West's tweets and responded, "very cool". The rapper also posted a photo of himself wearing a "Make America Great Again" hat. ALSO READ: Kanye West talks about running for president West has also raised eyebrows in recent days for praising Candace Owens, an African American pro-Trump activist who has almost 200,000 subscribers on YouTube. The Marvel Cinematic Universes latest entry screened on Wednesday, April 26, 2018 at the Genesis Deluxe cinemas, Palms mall Lekki. The event which was organized by Blue Pictures - the official distributors of Marvel films in Nigeria - was attended by celebrities such as Bryan Okwara, Blossom Chukwujekwu, Tope Oshin, Frank Donga, Timini Egbuson, Timi Dakolo, Ini Dima Okojie among others. In the anticipated superhero movie, the Avengers join forces with the Guardians of the Galaxyto confront Thanos, who is trying to collect the Infinity Stones. Anthony and Joe Russo, who directed Captain America: Winter Soldier and Captain America: Civil War, returned to direct Avengers: Infinity War, which also sees Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Chadwick Boseman, Tom Holland, and Mark Ruffalo reprising their roles. "Avengers: Infinity War" is the beginning of the end for the first major story arc of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and features almost every main character from the Marvel Cinematic Universe to date. This was confirmed by Mr. Agboola Dabiri, the Commissioner for Youths and Social Development in Lagos. He mentioned that 100 girls and 62 boys were rescued following a recent raid, the BBC News reports. They have been relocated to new residents provided by the government. "The children and teenagers rescued from the 'baby factory' and homes were placed at government-approved homes for care and protection," Dabiri revealed according to the BBC. ALSO READ: Deadly kidnappers order Rivers chief to surrender bank account or die Husband doubts wife who took in 2 months after delivering last baby In Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Rita Nwolu, the wife of a 33-year-old commercial motorcyclist, Uche Duru, has been questioned by her husband after she got pregnant two months after delivering new baby. In a chat with Punch News, Duru accused partner of selling his child to a person identified as Mrs. Ngozi Egeonu, for a sum of N300,000. The latter who reportedly runs a baby factory rented his wife an apartment in order to have her within reach. The husband seemed baffled about a situation that saw his wife take-in in quick succession. This ensured that he remained doubtful about the paternity of the anticipated child. I have been looking for my wife since December. I never knew that she had already sold my baby to a woman for N300,000. "I also learnt that she is two months pregnant; how can my wife who was delivered of a baby two months ago be pregnant? I am not the owner of that pregnancy because I did not sleep with her. I have not seen her for the past two months and it is the police that discovered that she went to sell my baby. "I will leave her if she fails to tell me where the pregnancy came from, says Duru. Nwolu, who has been accused of adultery however denied engaging in the practice of grooming her babies so that they can be sold for me. The woman attributed her pregnant state to her husband's high libido. Occasionally, he assaulted her with a cutlass in a bid to initiate sexual intercourse report says. This is after he has taken a high in-take of Indian Hemp. My husband is the owner of the pregnancy. He impregnated me. After I gave birth to the baby, my husband would smoke Indian hemp and forcefully sleep with me. It continued to happen like that until I noticed that I was pregnant. Each time I refused to have sex with him, he would use a cutlass to threaten me, the wife alleged to have cheated on husband revealed. This occurred on Wednesday, April 25, 2018, according to a Channels News report. An eyewitness confirmed to the news platform that the truck which was transporting sand, crashed into a pillar holding Banex bridge, killing all its occupants. A Toyota Hilux vehicle and a cab had earlier rammed each other, setting a precedence for a fresh disaster. Pictures capturing the scene showed a nasty wreckage which expressed the state of devastation. ALSO READ: Zamfara lawmaker loses 10 family members in nasty car accident Policemen crushed by truck while requesting bribe in Asaba A truck has reportedly killed two policemen in Asaba, Delta State. The pair were killed on Tuesday, April 24, 2018, while requesting for bribe. A post shared by Instablog9ja contained images of the deceased. Their mother, Patience Isua, who had earlier caught the infants in the act of homosexuality, made a video of a recent display and sent it to estranged husband, Emmanuel Ikanta, who is also the father of the twins. According to The Nation News, the mum suspects her children may have come in contact with the odd behaviour based on the influence of Ikanta who lives with another woman after abandoning her. Despite genuine concern over the wellbeing of her kids, Patience Isua, unfortunately lost the children to the Lagos State Government following a complaint made at the police station by their father who showed the clip to the police. ALSO READ: Lady threatens to frame man as gay for refusing to have sex with her The boys were reportedly taken away from their mother by the Lagos State Police Commissioner Imohimi Edgal and some officials of the Ministry of Women Affairs. Yes, I took the video myself. He was not around when I sent it to him. My children stay with me and they stay with him as well. He comes to pick the children to wherever he is staying. We have been living apart since last year that he took me to a human rights organisation. It was agreed that he should have 12 hours with the kids at weekends but he did not stick to the agreement. "Sometimes, he took them with him for many days and when they came back, they usually exhibited strange behaviours. I am aware that he lives with an older woman. So, he takes them there and whenever they are there, I get worried because I do not know what my children are going through in the hands of the woman. Somebody trained my boys to practice such devilish act. This is an abuse. I do not know who trained them to be like this. "Before I saw them and videoed it, I had told their father that whenever they came back from his house they usually complained of pain. There were signs before it got to this stage. I dont know where he takes them to and what they are fed. "Most times they come back stooling blood or complaining of pains in their anus. I called his attention to it but he didnt listen. This is what has been killing me silently. There was a day they went to school from his house and their auntie (teacher) called me to complain that my children were stooling blood. "I told her to report to their father because they came to school from his house. "Then I called him the following day to ask if their auntie complained to him and he said yes. When I asked what they ate, he hung up. Another time, one of my sons while pooing, said his anus was paining him. I took him out of the toilet and I saw fresh wounds. "Again I called to find out where he usually took the kids, because I did not understand what was happening. I told him his children would come back from where he takes them to and they would sit on the chair and start saying mummy, daddy kiss. So, when I saw them that day, I had to video and send to him so that he would see the damage he was causing to our kids. "He now turned the whole thing around and wants to blame me, whereas, I told him to stop taking my kids where he usually took them. I know they picked up the habit where he usually took them to, because in my house, they do not have access to television and they do not go out. I only take them to school and church. "I live with my sister, who goes to work and comes back late. So, it is certainly not in my house that they saw such devilish act," Isua told police commissioner, Imohimi Edgal. Satan expected to save twins from sexual abuser Patience Isua has expressed a high level of concern over the wellbeing of her twin boys. To protect them in the hands of more sexual abusers, the mum had told them to call on Satan. I also trained them. I told my kids to shout and tell their daddy should anyone try to touch their private parts. I told them to scream Satan!," Isua told the police while anticipating another attack on her kids. ALSO READ: Spread of HIV among gay partners in Ikotun leads to bloody fight The Magistrate, Mrs B.O. Osunsanmi, who refused to take the plea of the accused, said he should be kept behind bars pending advice from the State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). The accused, who resides at Iyana-Iba area of Lagos, is being tried for rape. The prosecution told the court that the accused committed the offence sometime in November 2017, at his residence. The accused had sexual intercourse with his 21-year-old daughter severally which resulted in pregnancy, he said. He said the girl was staying with her aunt after her parents had separated, but in November 2017, the accused begged the aunt to return her home. The accused took his daughter away from his sister who took custody of her and he started sleeping with her against her wish. When the community discovered that the girl is pregnant for her father, it reported the case to the police and the accused was arrested, he said. He said the accused, who made a confessional statement to the police, claimed that he slept with his daughter only five times, attributing it to the handiwork of the devil. The offence contravened Section 260 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015(Revised). NAN reports that the section prescribes life imprisonment for rape. This is following several sex escapades with different women on matrimonial bed - a factor that has reportedly ensured an infection in her private part which itches badly. Bolaji was accused of impregnating another woman according to Tribune News which also reported that the randy husband nursed an intention to use their son for a ritual. Bolaji brings home girls of different sizes, shapes and colours and made love to them on our matrimonial bed. I used to see used condoms hang on every corner of our bedroom. Whenever he made love to me, I suffered infection with serious itching on my private parts that I have to use drugs before relief, says Ojelabi while addressing the Igando Customary Court, Lagos. The President of the court, Mr. Akin Akinniyi, heard that the respondent also stole his wife's ATM card and withdrew a sum of N620,000. Her husband reportedly paid N350,000, to her to compensate for her son's actions. My husband borrowed N170,000 from me and took N150,000, my contribution money in our room without telling me. He also took my ATM card to withdraw N300,000 from my account without my consent. When the issue resulted in a fight, his mother singlehandedly paid N350,000 out of the money. My husband is a wife-beater who always disgraces me in public by stripping me naked during the beatings. He used to tell me that he was a cult member, that he committed atrocities in school which made him be rusticated, that he could do such atrocities to me. Bolaji also threatened to use our son for ritual, Mrs. Sherifat Ojelabi told a court. The defendant, Bolaji, admitted taking his wife's ATM card following her refusal to give him an amount of money. An exhausted Ojelabi had also accused him of bragging about being a cultist while also pointing his abusive behaviour. The court president observed in a Tribune News report, the youthfulness in the couple who were urged to preserve their marriage. Further deliberation on the case has been shifted to Thursday, May 24, 2018. Pastor ordered to pay 15k to wife who deprived him of sex A sex-deprived pastor, Joshua Aranse, has lost his marriage due to a lack of intimacy with wife who denied him conjugal rights. This prompted him to seek a relationship with another woman who is reportedly pregnant. He explained this to the Alagbado Customary Court, Lagos, during a hearing held on Thursday, March 8, 2018. An absence of sexual intercourse for a period of four years provided good motivation for the act. His wife, Funmilayo, who is described as a trader according to Vanguard News, has alleged abandonment. The woman who lives in Meiran, claimed that her husband neglected his family between the year 2010 and 2014. This proved to be the catalyst inspiring a desire for divorce. My husband has not set his eyes on his three children since June 30, 2014. He refused to pay their school fees. "They no longer go to school because I do not have money to send them to school. "He sold our car and gave the money to the woman he impregnated. He has refused to take care of the children and I. "Please separate us because I no longer love him," says Funmilayo while addressing the court. Aranse submitted a different view explaining why he sought a relationship with another woman. He however refused to agree with an opinion describing him as an adulterer. I did not commit adultery except the woman I impregnated, the respondent offered a comment while addressing the issue. According to reports, a court president ordered him to pay a sum of N15,000 monthly for the welfare of three children nursed with Funmilayo. The spokesman for the Commission, Mr Femi Akinbiyi made this known in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos. Akinbiyi quoted Mr Sam Olumekun, the states Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) as saying this when he visited the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Orientation Camp on Wednesday in Lagos. According to Akinbiyi, Olumekun sought support of the NYSCs state Coordinator, Prince Mohammed Momoh and the National Orientation Agency to enhance success of the 2019 general elections. We thank you for your usual support, the commission will like to improve the MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) between us. Please, if there is an area we need to fine-tune in the MoU, let us know now, so as to cement the synergy for it to work better in future. Since there is an advancement in technology and other issues, we must commence early training of youth corps members on the handling of the smart card readers ahead of the election. This time around, we want to devote time to educate the Corps members during their Community Development (CD) activities at various Local Governments, he quoted Olumekun as saying. Akinbiyi quoted Momoh, in his response as giving the commitment of NYSC to support INEC in order to deliver acceptable elections in the state. Meanwhile at the NOA, Akinbiyi said Olumekun commended the state Director of the agency, Mr Waheed Ishola for the support to INEC in a bid to deepen democracy in the country. I want to ask you for more support in mobilising Lagosians to participate in the electoral processes ahead of 2019 polls. I want the NOA to especially join the Commission in mobilising eligible voters who have abandoned their Permanent Voter Cards (PVC ) to come and claim them. I acknowledge the strength of NOA and the fact that INEC cannot do it alone. Our people must participate in electoral process for democracy to thrive. The Commission is ready to partner with NOA and other stakeholders in our drive to deliver credible, transparent, free and fair elections in 2019. If the last election was rated very high by both local and international observers, we are prepared to deliver a more credible one in 2019 to surpass previous achievement, the statement quoted the INEC REC as saying. Ishola, in his response, promised to assist INEC to publicise its activities and mobilise people to participate in the electoral process. The president said this while on his two-day visit to Bauchi state on Thursday, April 26, 2018. According to the president's Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, he said education is the greatest cure for the country's security and numerous other problems. The president further asked Fulani youths to follow his example by embracing education. Prof. Francis Ezeonu, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Imo, gave the advice at a two-day workshop on Responsible Media Coverage of Elections organised by the Nigeria Press Council (NPC) in Owerri on Thursday. The workshop was facilitated by Hammersmith Training Consult Ltd. Ezeonu said that a situation where individuals were subjected to repeated image capturing by the Motor Licencing office, Nigeria Immigration Services, National Identity Managament Office, INEC, network providers and the banks was unwarranted. According to him, an integrated e-data system will check the cumbersome nature of reapeated capturing, thereby enabling a one-time capture of such individual by a particular agency with other agencies queuing in to extract same information. A central data system is necessary and important in Nigeria because once a child is up to 18 years and registers with any of the above agencies, he is not expected to be subjected to another capturing since the profile is already in the central data base, he said. Ezeonu said that electoral activities ran in a cycle which is broadly classified into three segments pre-election, election day and post-election activities. He said that in all, the media was expected to be accurate, fair, balanced and timely in reporting the commissions activities. He said that most media outfits usually reported from the point of ignorance and advised them, as the fourth estate of the realm, to always cross check their facts before disseminating their reports to the public. We expect the media to help out with voter education, sensitization and mobilisation of the public. We expect that election matters should rule our airwaves and dominate the print media space henceforth. While INEC is doing its bit, it will depend on the corparate social responsibility of the media to steer the public to understand issues that would shape the election, rather than promote hate speech. We also expect the media to grant equal space and opportunity to all contending political parties and candidates in line with the NBC code, he said. The REC said that there was the need for media officers to understand the procedure and the supporting law and legislative enablements to avoid undue sensationalisation which might upset the process. Ezeonu plegded INECs commitment to work closely with the media and adhere strictly to the guidelines governing electoral processes as unathorised announcement of results would attract penalty. The Chairman of the ocassion, Pastor Ralph Afoaku, who is the Director General of the Imo Broadcasting Corporation(IBC), said that the workshop bordered on a succesful 2019 election. He urged the media to be guided by the electoral laws, processes and guidlines as well as the ethics of the profession. The recommendation was made at the NEC meeting, chaired by the Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, on Thursday, April 26, 2019. The ban is expected to start in the five states that are most affected by the herdsmen crisis. The states are Benue, Taraba, Adamawa, Kaduna and Plateau. Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi disclosed the outcome of the meeting to State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Umahi said it was resolved that ranching would be adopted in the affected five states and that the state governments will provide lands for that purpose. The Governor, who chaired the technical committee on farmers and herdsmen conflicts, said the decision was made after he submitted the committee's report. The committee identified causes of the conflicts to include media perception, competition for scarce resources and banditry through cattle rustling and kidnapping among others. Umahi said, "In all, we agreed that movement is not profitable to the herdsmen because they value the milk from the cow even more than the cow itself. "So, movement is not healthy for the cows as it dries up the meat and give less than two litres of milk per cow per day. "So, we condemn the issues of foreign invasion by foreign herdsmen and l am happy that the FG is doing something about it. "We also agreed that these movements have to stop and occasionally by those who have settled and integrated from other parts of the country like the middle belt, they sometimes go into conflicts with farmers. "So, in all we agreed that there is a more profitable and modern way of raising these cows which is by ranching. So, we have agreed that the states involved are going to give lands. Niger and Kaduna have given lands and Plateau is also giving land. "Ranching in being practised in Mambila in Taraba State and they have success stories with regards to that." ALSO READ: Kwara Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed appoints Special Assistant on Fulani affairs The herdsmen have murdered over 200 people since January 1, 2019, in Benue alone. The state government has on January 11 conducted a mass burial ceremony for the 73 victims of the savage attacks staged by Fulani herdsmen. The president made his feelings known in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, in Abuja on Thursday. He noted that the deceased was best known and highly respected across the continent for the achievements recorded during his tenure as United Nations Under-Secretary General and Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa. He said that Adedeji used his leadership of this pan-African institution to promote African development and was in the vanguard of intellectual efforts to find solutions to Africas developmental challenges from within the continent. According to the president, Africa remains grateful to him for the intellectual effort to challenge and reverse the damaging Structural Adjustment Programmes imposed on the continent by conceiving the African Alternative Framework for Structural Adjustment Programmes (AAF-SAP). It is noteworthy that Prof. Adedeji was one of the first people to realise, as far back as the early 1980s, that environment, gender, and governance, which have now become common place in development discourse, were important for sustainable development in Africa. The extent of his commitment and contribution to these issues was demonstrated when he served in his latter years as the first Chairman of the African Peer Review Mechanism which gave Africa ownership of its own governance agenda. It will also be recalled with nostalgia that Prof. Adedeji was a leading exponent of Regional Integration in the continent, he said. The president also noted that during his tenure as Nigerian Federal Commissioner for Economic Development, the deceased successfully spearheaded the establishment of the Economic Community of West African States which became the template for regional integration arrangements across the continent. He also maintained that Nigeria owed late Adedeji a debt of gratitude for his leading role in the establishment of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) when he was Federal Commissioner for Economic Development. He said the NYSC was one of the most enduring initiatives for nation building. The president, therefore, noted that Adedejis work had impacted on several generations of young Nigerians in addition to the impact he made from teaching and mentoring early generations of Nigerian administrators as Director of the Institute of Administration at the then University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University). Prof Adedeji was also Asiwaju of Ijebuland and his death is a great loss to Ogun State, Nigeria and indeed the rest of Africa. His life was one of patriotism, distinguished service, hard work and unrelenting intellectual activity. As we mourn the demise of this great man, I extend sincere condolences on my part and on behalf of the Government and people of Nigeria to the entire family, his friends and associates and the entire African development community, the President said. Media reports had indicated that Sheriff would be received formally into the party by national officials by 12pm on Thursday, April 26, 2018. Daily Trust had quoted the APC's National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, of saying, "The information I heard is that it will be tomorrow (Thursday) at 12pm." However, in a new statement released Abdullahi, he has asked the former Borno governor to go register for the party in his ward as is custom for everybody. According to The Punch, Abdullahi said the party's membership cards are not issued at its National Secretariat. The statement read, "Our attention has been drawn to reports in some sections of the media that the former factional chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff plans to defect to the All Progressives Congress today at the APC National Secretariat in Abuja. "While we are aware of such intentions, we wish to restate our earlier position that anyone who wants to join the Party should do so at the ward level. "We are happy to welcome new members to our party, but membership cards are not issued at the Party National Secretariat." Sheriff was expected to be accepted into the party on Thursday alongside the PDP's 2015 gubernatorial candidate in Borno state, Gambo Lawan, who said the PDP has been hijacked by some people. He said, "Yes, we have moved to the APC; I and former Governor Sheriff have left the PDP for the APC and there are reasons. Sheriff for instance is only going back home; he is the father of APC in Borno, he is a founding member of the party because he partook in taking the ANPP as one of the legacy parties that formed the APC. "He only left the APC in 2015 when he was unfairly treated during the sharing of leadership positions when his candidate for the national secretary, Matawalli Kashim Imam was short-changed. "So there is nothing new; Sheriff is the face of APC in Borno and the North East; he is the one who enthroned the incumbent governor and is behind the success story of many politicians. "For me, I am not used to defection but was compelled to leave the PDP because it has been hijacked by some few people; the party has not reformed. "And most importantly, politics is local; Borno is APC and it is for President Buhari. Our joining the party with millions of our supporters will strengthen it in Borno and environs." According to sources that spoke to Daily Trust, Sheriff and Lawan recently met with President Muhammadu Buhari who directed the leadership of the APC to accept them into the party. Sheriff's controversial time with PDP Sheriff was Borno state governor between 2003 and 2011 under the platform of the All Nigeria People's Party (ANPP) before he defected to the PDP in 2014. In February 2016, he was installed as the party's National Working Committee (NWC) chairman in an acting capacity until he was removed during the party's 2016 National Convention three months later. Sheriff rejected the convention's decision, declaring that any other chairman was a 'counterfeit'. According to a report by Daily Trust, the APC's National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, disclosed that Sheriff would be received formally into the party on Thursday, April 26, 2018. "The information I heard is that it will be tomorrow (Thursday) at 12pm," he said. The former PDP governor is expected to defect with the PDP's 2015 gubernatorial candidate in Borno state, Gambo Lawan. Lawan confirmed that he would be defecting with Sheriff, saying he is leaving the PDP because it has been hijacked by some few people. He said, "Yes, we have moved to the APC; I and former Governor Sheriff have left the PDP for the APC and there are reasons. Sheriff for instance is only going back home; he is the father of APC in Borno, he is a founding member of the party because he partook in taking the ANPP as one of the legacy parties that formed the APC. "He only left the APC in 2015 when he was unfairly treated during the sharing of leadership positions when his candidate for the national secretary, Matawalli Kashim Imam was short-changed. "So there is nothing new; Sheriff is the face of APC in Borno and the North East; he is the one who enthroned the incumbent governor and is behind the success story of many politicians. "For me, I am not used to defection but was compelled to leave the PDP because it has been hijacked by some few people; the party has not reformed. "And most importantly, politics is local; Borno is APC and it is for President Buhari. Our joining the party with millions of our supporters will strengthen it in Borno and environs." According to sources that spoke to Daily Trust, Sheriff and Lawan recently met with President Muhammadu Buhari who directed the leadership of the APC to accept him into the party. The sources also revealed that Sheriff would have been unveiled as a new APC member on Wednesday, April 25, with Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, in attendance, but the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting lasted till evening. The source said, "What would happen tomorrow in Abuja is a mark of respect for Sheriff but I want to assure you that he had done all the processes of defection from his ward in Ngala town in Central Borno. The Borno APC is fully aware that he is coming." Sheriff's controversial time with PDP Sheriff was Borno state governor between 2003 and 2011 under the platform of the All Nigeria People's Party (ANPP) before he defected to the PDP in 2014. In February 2016, he was installed as the party's National Working Committee (NWC) chairman in an acting capacity until he was removed during the party's 2016 National Convention three months later. Sheriff rejected the convention's decision, declaring that any other chairman was a 'counterfeit'. His move back to the APC is yet one more proof that we have been blessed with the most ideologically bereft set of politicians mankind has ever seen. To wrap your head around Modu Sheriffs brand of politics, you need to go back to his days in the ANPP. Modu Sheriff threatens to beat up Tinubu Senator Ali Modu Sheriff served as governor of Borno State from 2003 to 2011 on the platform of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP)one of the legacy political parties that collapsed into the APC. At an APC National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of 2014, Modu Sheriff threatened to beat up Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu after the Jagaban cautioned him on speaking of the APC in negative and not too glowing terms. It took then presidential aspirant Muhammadu Buhari to prevent Modu Sheriff from roughening up Tinubu. According to a report by Premium Times at the time: The former Lagos State Governor also asked Mr. Sheriff to quit the APC and go elsewhere, if he was not comfortable with the party. At this point, Mr. Sheriff, who was now holding firmly to the microphone, allegedly began to insult Mr. Tinubu, asking him if he owned the party. Who are you? Who do you think you are? Are you the owner of the party? the former Borno governor reportedly inquired from Mr. Tinubu in a fit of anger. All the leaders of the party present at the meeting reportedly watched with amazement as the 58-year old former Borno State governor reportedly rained abuses on Mr. Tinubu, 62, who on his part, kept his cool all through. Our sources said Mr. Buhari saved the day when, sensing danger in allowing Mr. Sheriff to continue insulting Mr. Tinubu, intervened. The former head of state was said to have tongue-lashed Mr. Sheriff for losing his composure. Boko Haram links Sheriff wanted more powers within the newly formed APC. But no one within the decision making organ of the APC was ready to hand recognition and responsibilities to a politician on whose watch Boko Haram grew to become the monster it is today. It was even alleged at a time that Sheriff was the high ranking government official who purchased the first guns and bullets for Boko Haram members. Modu Sheriff wept uncontrollably during one press conference he summoned to push back claims that he was a Boko Haram backer and sympathizer. Let me state categorically at this point that I do not share the ideology of the Boko Haram sect, which is against western education, western culture and modern science or any other sect with similar ideology, he said, as tears rolled down his cheeks. Starved of power and recognition in the APC, Modu Sheriff walked. Right into the warm embrace of the PDP. On the day he couldnt stop the tears from flooding the venue of his press conference, Modu Sheriff accused the APC of being behind stories of his links to Boko Haram. It is rather curious that the campaign against me is becoming more stringent at the time I decided to take Borno into mainstream national politics by joining the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Modu Sheriff said. PDP parallel convention After the PDP lost the 2015 presidential election, Sheriff anointed himself the partys chairman at a parallel convention in Port Harcourt in May of 2016. In his corner were powerful State Governors Nyesom Wike and Ayodele Fayose who would later desert him and forge themselves into the formidable force that kicked him out. Fayose, Wike and former Aviation Minister Femi Fani Kayode often said Modu Sheriff was a mole sent by the APC to wreck the PDP. PDPs parallel conventions of May 2016 plunged the opposition party into a crisis it couldnt recover from until its elective convention of December 9, 2017. For close to two years, Modu Sheriff made sure the PDP spent all the time it should have used in rebuilding, in courts. After the PDP ostracized him on the heels of the Supreme Court decision, Modu Sheriff weighed his options and today, he wants to return to the APC. APC playing games Our attention has been drawn to reports in some sections of the media that the former factional chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff plans to defect to the All Progressives Congress today at the APC National Secretariat in Abuja, APC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi said, after news emerged that Modu Sheriff was about to storm the APC secretariat with hundreds of his followers. While we are aware of such intentions, we wish to restate our earlier position that anyone who wants to join the party should do so at the ward level. We are happy to welcome new members to our party, but membership cards are not issued at the Party National Secretariat, Abdullahi added. In essence, the APC is simply trying to pull a wool over a few pair of eyes. The governing party just doesnt want it to look like it is celebrating Modu Sheriffs return with pomp and pageantry. The APC doesnt want it to look like it is rolling out the red carpet for a man it once kicked out onto the streets. The APC wants Modu Sheriffs defection to look really low-key. But the APC is fooling no one. Modu Sheriff would return to the APC by registering at the ward level and he would strive for some relevance once more in the sorry politics of our nation. Those who say the lines between APC and PDP are blurred or almost nonexistent, have a point. Modu Sheriffs defection reflects the sorry state of our nations politics in its entirety. Politicians don't swap parties because their values aren't in sync with their old platforms, they do so because they are only looking for a meal ticket from the party with the nation's purse strings. Modu Sheriff's defection is yet another sad commentary on the lack of values sweeping through our nation like the symbolic APC broom. And it all has to do with whether Okonjo-Iweala made the right call when she accepted to return as minister in the Goodluck Jonathan years of 2011 to 2015. In Okonjo-Iwealas new book titled: Fighting Corruption Is Dangerous: The Story Behind The Headlines, she dedicated a few paragraphs to how she took up the job of finance minister in the Jonathan cabinet. By now, it was mid-May and I was mulling over these issues when I got a call from another old friend, Governor Donald Duke, former governor of Cross River State. An enlightened governor of the cleanest State in Nigeria who had tried to build a tourism and services base for his State, Okonjo Iweala wrote in her book. He (Duke) told me he was in Washington DC and would like to see me. I invited him to my office. Governor Duke told me there were rumours that I was being asked to return as Finance Minister. He asked if there was any truth to these rumours. I confirmed that I had been asked and was reflecting on it. Rejecting Jonathan's job offer Okonjo-Iweala said Duke advised her to reject Jonathans job offer. He then told me that he brought a message from a group of concerned people whose advice was that I should turn down the offer. I asked him who the concerned people were and what would be their reason for this advice. He would not give me their names but mentioned that I would know some of them and some even said they were my friends. As to the reason, he said that these people felt that my acceptance would give Jonathan and his government credibility and he did not deserve that. If I turned down the offer, the administration would be weak and would likely not succeed. Okonjo-Iweala wrote that Dukes cynicism as it related to the Jonathan administration, shocked her. I was shocked at the cynicism and pointed out that Nigerians had just elected President Jonathan to office with 58.89 percent of the vote, which meant that they had faith in his ability to steer the country. I also mentioned that Jonathan had asked me to join his administration not to support him but to help improve the countrys finances and steer the economy in the right direction to create jobs and improve living standards, especially for the youth. What about all the people who elected Jonathan? Didnt they deserve qualified people to serve them? He said he was just transmitting friendly advice to me and would counsel me to take it. He left without obtaining my commitment to turn down the offer, Okonjo-Iweala wrote. Donald Duke responds Duke didnt like that Okonjo-Iweala had gone public with details of what was a private meeting, so he released the following statement by way of a push back. It is true I met with Ngozi when the rumors were swirling about her being considered for appointment. As friends, she having been literally dismissed from an earlier appointment as finance minister, I urged caution. I made no mention of adding or subtracting credibility to anyone or government. It was two friends discussing careers. It ended there and she subsequently made her choice which I respected". According to Duke, Okonjo-Iweala used him as fodder for her image laundering scheme. However, I think it is in poor taste and demeaning of her to report a private conversation in whatever self laundering attempt she may be up to. With hindsight, I was vindicated. Ngozi, as Minister of Finance and Economy, despite massive revenue receipts, left Nigeria poorer than she met it, Duke wrote. Duke, Okonjo-Iweala served Nigeria in different capacities Donald Duke was Governor of Cross River Statefrom May 29, 1999 to May 29, 2007. Suave, urbane and often looking the part, Duke has been nursing a presidential dream since 2007 Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala served as Minister in the administrations of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan. Okonjo-Iweala served as Minister of Finance under Obasanjo from July 15, 2003 to June 21, 2006. Okonjo-Iweala also had a brief spell as Foreign Affairs Minister under Obasanjo from June 21, 2006 to August 30, 2006. She is credited with achieving debt forgiveness for Nigeria under Obasanjo. Okonjo-Iweala returned as Coordinating Minister of the Economy under Jonathan; a position she held from August 17, 2011 to May 29, 2015. Nigeria frittered its oil wealth in Okonjo-Iwealas second coming under Jonathan. The former minister blamespowerful State governorsfor her countrys inability to save; at a time when the price of oil in the global market hovered above the $100 mark. "Any other punishment than life imprisonment is excluded," prosecutor Hans Ihrman said in his closing remarks. "Akilov is a danger to society and will be so in the future as long as he has the same beliefs that he has today," Ihrman said, arguing the accused planned his assault "against infidels" in Sweden for months. Akilov has expressed no remorse for his actions throughout the trial. Ihrman added that Akilov was at risk of recidivism. A life term in Sweden averages 16 years. The longest term a person has served in the Nordic nation is 34 years. Prosecutors have also called for Akilov to be expelled from Sweden after serving his sentence. Defence lawyer Johan Eriksson is expected to contest the life sentence when he presents his closing arguments next week. A verdict is due in June. On the afternoon of Friday, April 7, 2017, Akilov stole a beer delivery truck and barrelled down a bustling pedestrian shopping street, swerving wildly to hit as many people as possible before smashing into the facade of a department store. Went underground Akilov, born in 1978, was arrested in a Stockholm suburb hours later thanks to public transport video surveillance footage, and confessed. Having arrived in Sweden four years ago, he went underground after his application for Swedish residency was rejected in 2016. Akilov's wife and four children had stayed behind in Uzbekistan. Prosecutors have argued that he acted alone, even though he chatted with unidentified contacts on social media about his plans as far back as January 2017. When his trial opened in February, Akilov told the court that he wanted "Sweden to end its participation in the fight against the caliphate, to stop sending its soldiers to war zones". Sweden, which introduced laws on terrorist crimes in 2003, has experienced only one other terror attack in modern times. On Wednesday, however, we witnessed a rare side of Ruto he had very little to say about the late champion of multiparty politics. In his characteristic suaveness, Ruto blamed his relatively young age as the reason he did not have much to say about Matibas famed struggle in the fight for democracy. The statement by Ruto was an outright lie and I will explain why. Ruto at University of Nairobi Ruto joined the University of Nairobi in 1987 when the struggle for multiparty politics was taking shape. While Ruto would want us to believe that he was too young to play a role in the struggle for good governance, a majority of students at the University of Nairobi were actively involved in agitation for better governance. Whenever the majority of comrades engaged in civil protests against the Moi government, the young Ruto remained in the minority - students who resorted to prayers and praise worship to save them from the brutal policemen who raped and maimed their innocent colleagues. Gift of the garb A few years later, Ruto organised a group of his tribesmen to go see Moi the man who had overseen the torture and killings of those who were calling for a democratic government. But rather than use the platform to make a case for Matiba or for the millions who were suffering under the Nyayo regime the young Ruto used his gift of the garb to lead a colourful prayer in praise of the dictator Moi. So good was the prayer that he later got the opportunity to join Mois campaign team through the notorious YK 92. Ruto YK 92 Ruto, through YK 92, actively sabotaged Matibas presidential campaign through a myriad of criminal activities including use of taxpayers money to campaign as well as physical attacks in Opposition rallies. As Malema would put it, it is extremely hypocritical for Ruto to claim to mourn Matiba when he was in the forefront of sabotaging the freedom fighters dreams and spirations. Shortly after making a speech at Matiba's funeral service held at the All Saints Cathedral, the President tweeted on the need for leaders to emulate the deceased politician with regard to youth mentorship. "Leaders should mentor young people who will take over the mantle of leadership in all spheres of life just like Matiba did. True leadership is not scared of mentoring and training others to take over from them ," President Kenyatta stated. Wainaina Kariuki's reply tweet, which later went viral, noted the government's failure to end the lecturer's strike that has lasted for more than two months. "If you care about the youth, the Lecturers strike will be over by now," Kariuki stated. Other users challenged President Kenyatta to highlight any leaders he has mentored in the spirit of honouring Matiba. 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! CZECH REPUBLIC: Infrastructure manager SZDC has awarded AZD Praha a KC383m contract to install ETCS Level 2 on the 108 km Ceska Trebova Prerov section of the main rail corridor running east from Praha. Fire team commander involved in Kemerovo fire case to stay detained until June TASS, Alexander Patrin 09:59 26/04/2018 MOSCOW, April 26 (RAPSI) The Kemerovo Regional Court on Thursday upheld detention of fire team commander Sergey Genin involved in a case over the fire in the Zimnyaya Vishnya (Winter Cherry) shopping mall that left 60 people dead, the courts press service told RAPSI. Genin, who stands charged with negligence, will remain detained until June 11. According to investigators, Genin ignored information about scores of people at the cinema on the fourth floor and the nearest way to the movie hall he received from a witness of the fire. Other firemen obeyed their chief in accordance with applicable regulations. The defendant sent his subordinates to the far-away stairs and lost the time. His negligence resulted in the death of at least 37 people, the Investigative Committee said earlier. The blaze in the mall occurred on March 25. According to investigators, 60 people including dozens of children were killed by fire. Initially it was reported that 64 people died. A criminal case has been launched over involuntary manslaughter, violation of fire safety regulations that left more than two persons dead and provisions of services that dont meet safety requirements. Eight persons were charged and detained in the case. They are: Yulia Bogdanova, CEO of the Kemerovsky Confectionary Combine, a company owning the mall, Tanziliya Komkova, chief of the regions State Construction Inspection, a formal head of the malls owner company Georgy Sobolev; the malls manager Nadezhda Suddenok; CEO of the company System Integrator that developed the fire safety system Igor Polozinenko; an employee of the company, who personally installed the fire alarm Alexander Nikitin, a guard who allegedly turned off the emergency notification system when he received a fire signal Sergey Antyushin and fire team commander Sergey Genin, who was charged with negligence. Moreover, on March 28, the court issued an arrest warrant for Ukrainian national Nikita Kuvikov known as pranker Yevgeny Volnov, who allegedly disinformed people of the death toll in the blaze, in absentia. He was charged with inciting hatred and enmity. According to investigation, the pranker called medical settings and government agencies on the phone and distributed false information on the death toll in the accident in order to destabilize the situation. Reportedly, he said that about 300 people were killed by fire. Ex-banker Motylev appeals bankruptcy ruling Fotolia/ Irochka 10:46 26/04/2018 MOSCOW, April 26 (RAPSI) Former head of a prominent banking group, which included Russian Credit Bank, Anatoly Motylev has filed an appeal with the Ninth Commercial Court of Appeals against the April 9 ruling that initiated a property sale procedure, the court documents read. The appeal will be reviewed on May 24. In February, the Moscow Commercial Court declared Motylev bankrupt. In January, the court granted claims filed by two companies and a number of persons asking to include 15 billion rubles (about $266 million) in creditors demands list against Motylev. On February 6, 2017, the court initiated debt restructuring process against Motylev on the request of Flowery Development Limited. The businessman owes the company 974 million rubles ($17.2 million). On July 22, 2016, Flowery Development filed the bankruptcy claim against Motylev but it was not reviewed by the court because of lack of provided evidence. The court accepted the claim after all violations were lifted. Motylev is the former owner of several Russian banks including Russian credit, M-Bank and Tulsky Industrialist. In the summer of 2015, the Central Bank of Russia withdrew the licenses of those banks. All four banks were declared bankrupt. According to business media, Motylev is a defendant in a large-scale fraud case reportedly related to alleged embezzlement at M-Bank. In May 2016, the Basmanny District Court of Moscow seized Motylevs property including land plots and apartments in the Moscow Region. Aeroflot will name one of its airplanes in honor of outstanding Russian lawyer Plevako 12:31 26/04/2018 MOSCOW, April 26 (RAPSI) Aeroflot airline will name one of its aircrafts in honor of the prominent Russian attorney Fyodor Plevako known for his efforts to develop practice of court defense in the Russian Empire, the press-service of the Federal Chamber of Lawyers has stated. According to the press-service, the airline approved the suggestion proposed by lawyers. In 2017, the Chambers president Yury Pilipenko asked Aeroflot head to name an airplane in honor of Plevako in the anniversary of the lawyers 175th birthday and 15th anniversary of the Federal law On Legal Practice and Advocacy in the Russian Federation. Pilipenko noted that the Court reform of 1864 resulted in democratization of Russian justice system and creation of the attorney institution with Plevako being recognized as a symbol of these changes. 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Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff.com When I started my HUL career (incidentally, in data processing), some data work was already being undertaken in Tata under US-returned Lalit Kanodia, Yash Sahni and some others. On April 1, 1968, the Tata Consultancy Services was set up -- with that name and style -- as a division of Tata Sons. Recently TCS celebrated its 50th anniversary. Happy birthday, TCS. Among post-independence start-ups, TCS has emerged as Indias most valuable company, and is a symbol of Indian entrepreneurship. Before words like pitching, venture capital and Series A were invented, a 44-year old MIT-trained engineer named F C Kohli did pitch to the investment committee of a VC -- JRD Tata, Nani Palkhivala, Freddie Mehta and PM Agarwala. Several hugely successful start-ups with distinctly Indian models have grown up over the last 70 years -- TCS, Infosys, Wipro, Bharti Airtel in the tech sector; Reliance, HDFC Bank and Titan in the traditional sector. These grown-ups can now offer lessons for wannabe start-ups. According to World Bank India head, Junaid Kamal Ahmad, India has the potential to do a Silicon Valley within five years. Silicon Valley has no cultural connection with India; can it work? I pondered the question: Is Indias culture of entrepreneurship accelerating? Recent researchers point out, as indeed does the World Bank, that any entrepreneurial society requires an ecosystem that is embedded in the unique heritage and culture of that society. According to professor Daniel Isenberg of Booth School, several elements comprise the ecosystem. If the elements are individually improved, ecosystem effectiveness is attenuated, according to Isenberg. Together, however, these elements turbocharge venture creation and growth. A proof of social acceptance of entrepreneurship would be when parents are delighted to have a start-up son-in-law. Academics Eric Stam and Ben Spigel of the University of Edinburgh also note that the ecosystem is a set of interdependent actors and factors coordinated in such a way that they enable productive entrepreneurship within a particular territory. I will dwell on the culture element in this article. Culture means a wide social acceptance of entrepreneurship as a laudable activity. In some cultures, children are expected to become entrepreneurs; Chettiar, Marwari or Bhatia parents would be shocked if their ward joins Tata or Infosys. The opposite happens when a middle-class Tamil or Bengali brahmin wishes to start a business. Widespread acceptance means that society as a whole welcomes start-ups. The cultural element improves with networking and social ties, supportive government policies, and a social approval of the activity. With the emergence of city angel networks, TiE and YPO, nowadays, there is clearly considerable energy in the swirling entrepreneurial undercurrents. Changing a deeply ingrained culture is enormously difficult. Other societies have demonstrated that it is possible to alter social norms in less than one generation. In Ireland and Chile, as in Silicon Valley, Boston and Israel, entrepreneurs learned that it is possible to fail, regroup and try again. A good test for whether start-ups have been accepted is whether it is alright to fail and try again -- India is not quite there yet. Indian society has not yet reached the stage of applauding the dropping out of college, but we may not be too far away. My father developed his career from the 1930s till the 1960s. The favoured avocation then was government service -- revenue, railways, P&T, the Army and so on. This choice arose out of the social and cultural pressure for status and stability. In my growing-up years, I recall that among my fathers friends, society prefixed the employer to the name like a Telugu intiperu or Malayali tharavad -- for example, Tea Board Venkatachari or P&T Ramanujachari. As I developed my career from the 1960s until the new century, the shift away from government service towards professional management sprung strong roots. People would flaunt a foreign academic credential on their CV -- a Massachusetts Institute of Technology degree, Harvard diploma, or an international posting, all hallmarks of distinction and accomplishment. For the new millennium generation, slowly and at an accelerating pace, it is attractive to harbour a start-up ambition. It is stylish to announce, I am on my third start-up. Start-up as an avocation is still suspicious to the parent when a young man seeks the hand of a daughter. An acid test of social acceptance will be when parents are delighted to have a start-up son-in-law, but that is some distance away. That there is an inter-generational transformation should not surprise anyone, but the oncoming tsunami of accelerating cultural change could well surprise us. R Gopalakrishnan is a distinguished professor of Indian Institute of Technology-Kharagpur and author of A biography of innovations from birth to maturity. The payroll estimates, released by the EPFO based on its enrolment, threw up some contrasting trend between September 2017 and February 2018. Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com The Union governments first-ever estimate of payroll count based on Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) subscription database showed that 3.11 million jobs were added in the formal economy in six months, even as there was a fall of 22 per cent in incremental employment in February 2018, compared to January to a four-month low of 472,075 persons. The payroll count is essentially the difference between the number of workers who joined and exited from the EPFOs fold and as such is the net addition to jobs. The provisional figures released by the EPFO for six months showed 3.11 million workers joined the workforce in the formal sector during September 2017-February 2018. On a pro-rata basis, this would mean that 6.22 million additional jobs were created in 2017-18. However, this may be a generalisation as the pattern of jobs every month was quite erratic from September to February. For instance, addition to jobs slowed in three months out of the six months under review. The slowdown was steepest for February on a monthly basis. Madan Sabnavis, chief economist with CARE Ratings, said, Definitely some jobs are being created. The last few months of a financial year are never really a recruiting time, if you are looking at the organised sector. Also, people may exit during the end of the financial year. That is why February figures might be throwing a lower number." However, more hands were hired in February than September and October. It has now been decided to publish the age-band wise estimate of all new subscribers as declared by their employers. "This data can be helpful in policymaking, planning and research work as the planners may have an idea as to what is the estimate of employees in different age band, the Ministry of Labour and Employment said in a press statement. The payroll estimates, released by the EPFO based on its enrolment, threw up some contrasting trend between September 2017 and February 2018. While there was a net addition of 8.4 per cent to non-farm sector payroll in January, there was a net reduction of around 14 per cent in workers on payroll in December 2017. In November, while there was a 64.3 per cent jump in workers on payroll, there was a 9.5 per cent decline witnessed in the previous month. A majority - over 57 per cent - of the new enrolments was in the age group of 18-25 years in February 2018. Workers over 35 years of age constituted around 15 per cent of net addition to the payroll. One significant trend observed from the payroll estimates is that there was a consistent dip in the payroll for workers belonging to the age group of less than 18 years and 18-21 years since November last year. The payroll addition of workers belonging to these age groups was the lowest in February in the last six months. This is the first-ever month-wise estimates on payroll count released by a government agency in India. The EPFO manages social security funds of workers in the organised and the semi-organised sector and it has 60 million members with active contribution at present. However, the payroll database by EPFO will cover firms, employing more than 20 workers, which are required to mandatorily make provident fund contributions, at present. In India, 99.35 per cent of the firms employ less than 20 workers, as per the Sixth Economic Census of 2013-14. The governments payroll estimates follows a study titled Towards a Payroll Reporting in India conducted by State Bank of India (SBI) Chief Economic Advisor Soumya Kanti Ghosh and Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Bengaluru professor Pulak Ghosh in January. The study had estimated 7 million jobs employment generation in 2017-18 and critics had argued for a similar access to EPFO, National Pension System (NPS), and Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) database based on which the two researchers had arrived at its estimates. Ghosh and Ghosh had recommended the government to release a monthly payroll data. Instead of using EPFO payroll data on the pro-rata basis for the remaining months of 2017-18, if one combines Ghosh and Ghosh data with the one released by the EPFO on Wednesday, around 4.6 million jobs were created during April-February 2017-18, Soumya Kanti Ghosh said. If we project the March number on pro-rata basis, the total FY18 payroll as per the EPFO records would be thus around 5.1 million, he said. However, the task force on employment data, led by former NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman Arvind Panagariya, had pointed to a few serious limitations to gauging job creation based on administrative data from EPFO, NPS, and ESIC. An important limitation of these datasets as sources of estimates of job creation is that new entries into these datasets do not necessarily represent new jobs. "For example, only firms with 20 or more workers are required to contribute to EPFO for their employees. "This means that when a firm with 19 workers adds another worker to its payroll, it must begin contributing to the EPFO for all its employees, the taskforce said. It, however, said that the data sources can be useful in getting a count of formal jobs. In the European countries, one of the pivotal issues is quality control. Once a product is granted GI there is little possibility of fakes, which is not the case in India Be it Basmati Rice, or Darjeeling Tea or Hyderabadi Biryani, getting a Geographical Indication tag (GI) for items exclusive to India has been a contentious issue. Though Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection Act), enacted in 2003, has brought the much-needed transparency and clarity into the entire field, a lot of confusion and complications still remain, say experts. These originate primarily due to lack of quality control once the tag is obtained and also limited hand-holding prior to applications being made to the Registrar, leading to half-baked attempts to seek a GI certification. Darjeeling tea became the first GI-tagged product in India, in 200405. Since then over 300 goods have been added to the list. Indias vast and vibrant agricultural and food varieties along with inter-regional variations also make it a nightmare while applying for GI. The latest case in point is Madhya Pradeshs claims of GI tag for the basmati grown in the state and also its dispute with neighboring Chhattisgarh for kadaknath chicken (a particular black chicken breed grown largely in tribal areas of the state). The GI Registry on March 15 rejected the Madhya Pradesh government's claim over GI tag for basmati rice. The state has challenged the order in the Madras high court. It has contended that the order should be set aside since it "relies on an extraneous and non-statutory metric such as popular perception to dismiss the case for GI tag". The states Basmati Growers Association too joined the government in challenging the order of the GI registry. In May 2010, GI status was granted to basmati grown only in Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and parts of western Uttar Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. Madhya Pradesh was excluded from the list. The state then moved an application that rice grown in its 13 districts should also be considered basmati as these districts have been growing this variety for several decades and its qualities was similar to the rice grown in Indo-Gangetic plains. Madhya Pradeshs opponents contend that granting GI tag to basmati grown everywhere will lower its market value and the rice would stop commanding premium in the world market. Even as the case relating to basmati GI is pending in courts, Madhya Pradesh got a big respite when the GI Registry recognised kadaknath chicken grown in the state as the real one rejecting neighboring Chhattisgarhs claim on the variety. Kadaknath is an indigenous black-feathered chicken breed found in tribal-dominated Jhabua district in the state. The application for GI tag was filed by Madhya Pradesh in 2012. Chhattisgarh contested the GI claims on the grounds that the chicken belonged to Dantewada district in the state, where several women-led Self Help Groups (SHGs) have been cultivating it for decades. The GI Registry rejected its claims. Kadaknath Chicken, which is one of the rarest poultry breeds of India, is famous for its black meat, low cholesterol, high protein, quality, texture and taste. It is sold at over Rs 500 per kilogram. Post-the GI tag, sources said its price in the market has zoomed and in some cases crossed even Rs 1000 a kg. A factor in granting a GI tag for any product is public perception about the same. This is easier for products which are associated with a particular area like Darjeeling Tea, Champagne of France, but when it comes to generic items like Pashmina which is not usually associated with a particular area or region by the virtue of its name, granting a GI becomes highly challenging, said Rajendra Kumar, senior partner at K&S Partners, one of the leading firms dealing with GI related issues. He said GI Act and its implementation in India is relatively new - it started from 2003 onwards - while in other countries the concept has been in existence for long. The other big challenge in getting GI in India, experts said is the improper filing and lack of knowledge which sometimes leads to half-baked applications being filed increasing their chance of rejection by competent authorities. Latha Nair, partner in K&S Partners said there are no provisions for quality control in the GI Act once GIs are registered, which is why there is proliferation of applications in India. In the European countries, one of the pivotal issues is quality control. Once a product is granted GI there is little possibility of fakes, which is not the case in India, Nair said. A GI tag brings its own brand equity for the product and it commands premium in the market, but to get that a lot of background work needs to go into before a formal application is made, something which is absent in India leading to higher number of rejections. A case in point is Hyderabadi Biryani which failed to get the GI tag as the applicant for it could not prove the historical origin and data relating to dish with supporting documents. The application was filed by Deccani Biryani Makers Association (DBMA) a few years back. In India there is urgent need to have a body which can guide or handhold all GI applicants as to what is required and how the process could be mastered or else rejections would continue to be high given the diverse number of products and cuisines and process that India possesses, unmatched by many countries globally, another expert said. Photograph: Jayant Dey/Reuters Villagers have been protesting against the Sterlite factory since February 12, with an effigy of Vedanta Chairman Anil Agarwal as the backdrop. More than 75 days hence, the dharna continues, the summer vacation seeing children joining the protest. A Ganesh Nadar reports from Kumararettiyarpuram. IMAGE: The Sterlite factory at Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu. Photograph: Reuters Sterlite Industries, whose copper plant has been functioning since 1996 in the industrial town of Thoothukudi, southern Tamil Nadu, has seen it all. There have been minor accidents where workers have died, and a major incident in 2013 when more than 100 girls fainted in the compound next door. Despite opposition from environmentalists and locals, the factory has continued to function. But this year has been different. IMAGE: An effigy of Vedanta Chairman Anil Agarwal at the protest site in Kumararettiyarpuram village, Thoothukudi. Photograph: A Ganesh Nadar/ Rediff.com When Sterlite -- which is owned by the London-based metal and mining magnate Anil Agarwal's Vedanta Ltd -- decided to expand and announced the doubling of its capacity from 400,000 tonnes a year to 800,000 tonnes of copper, a dam of protests burst open, leading even newbie politician Kamal Hassan and Rajinikanth to jump on the protest bandwagon. The epicentre of the protest is Kumararettiyarpuram, about 5 km from the Sterlite factory. Here, under the aegis of the Uyirkolli Sterlite Ethirpu Makkal Iyakkam (people's movement against killer Sterlite), villagers have been protesting against the factory since February 12, with an effigy of Anil Agarwal as the backdrop. More than 75 days hence, the dharna continues, the summer vacation seeing children joining the protest. IMAGE: Protestors gather in Kumararettiyarpuram village, Thoothokudi. Photograph: A Ganesh Nadar/ Rediff.com Given the organic nature of the protest, politicians have been quick to lend support. "All the Opposition leaders from Vaiko (of the Marumalarchi DMK) to (M K) Stalin (of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) came and said they are supporting us, but nothing has happened," one elderly lady tells this reporter. Kumararettiyarpuram village does not have a school or hospital. For primary education students have to travel to the nearby village 3 km away. Higher secondary education is even further, at Pudukottai, 10 km away. The nearest primary health centre is 3 km away. But what the villagers lack in facilities, they make up in terms of steely resolve. A young graduate, A Mahesh, who used to work at a factory nearby, quit his job to participate in the agitation. "They have announced another unit when they don't have land for it. SIPCOT (the State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu) has started buying land for expansion, but it (Sterlite) does not have environmental clearance, how can it do this?" Mahesh asks indignantly. IMAGE: A file photograph of the Sterlite factory in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu. Photograph: Reuters The factory, locals contend, has affected the groundwater in the area. One woman hands out a bottle of water which she says came from her well. It tastes like seawater. "The water in our hand pump is the same," she laments. One way to avoid using the ground water is to buy tanker water from Sivalaperi village nearby, but it comes at considerable cost: Rs 10 for a pot. "We get two pots per house if we stand in line," says an elderly gentleman. IMAGE: M Krishnamoorthy. Photograph: A Ganesh Nadar/ Rediff.com Krishnamoorthy, who leads the agitation, is a businessman in Thoothukudi. He also heads a union for salt pan workers. "The protest started in this village, but now it has spread to 16 villages in the area," says Krishnamurthy. Krishnamoorthy has been opposed to the Sterlite factory since he was in college. He alleges that arsenic and fluoride have contaminated the ground water and Sterlite is the only industry in the vicinity that has both in its waste product. Sterlite received a blow recently when the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board rejected its plea to renew its consent to operate licence for its smelter plant. The factory, which was shut in January for maintenance, is yet to resume operations. "We have been here for years," says Jijo Mathew, Sterlite's manager, PR. "The protests started only after we announced our expansion." Asked about the pollution control board's action, Mathew says, "We have explained all the points raised by them." "We don't have a consent to operate licence," says Mathew, adding, "none of the industries have it, but we are singled out." Quizzed about the villagers' charges against the factory, Mathew insists, "We are a zero discharge unit. Our waste products are turned into by-products." "From sulphur dioxide we make sulphuric acid and the gypsum goes to cement factories. The copper slag goes for laying roads," he adds. Sterlite, Mathew says, will not talk to the agitators, but plans to approach the courts for justice. The company has since filed a petition against the PCB's denial of the CTO licence. 'Loss of faith in the fairness of the system and the perception that one cannot expect justice are the first few steps to the slippery slope of anarchy,' warns Colonel Anil A Athale (retd). IMAGE: Congress workers participate in a candlelight march to protest the government's 'inaction' in the Kathua and Unnao rape cases near India Gate, New Delhi, April 12, 2018. Photograph: Arun Sharma/PTI Photo While travelling in Sri Lanka recently, one was often asked by lady Western tourists about the 'rape' situation in India. This was nearly two months before the horrific Kathua and Unnao crimes. The coverage of the crimes has created a sense of crisis and therefore warrants an effort in seeing the larger perspective. If the crimes against women (both reported and un/under-reported) are seen in the context of India's nearly one-and-a-quarter billion population, these indeed are insignificant. Seen as a proportion of population these figures are possibly the lowest in the world. Certainly far lower than in the prosperous countries of the West like the US. It is also a fact that any generalisation is wrong in the case of a continent-sized country like India. The crime in general is more rampant in the northern parts of the country than elsewhere. Taking Delhi as an example and making a generalisation is like taking, say Rio de Janeiro's crime stats and making a generalisation about the situation in Brazil. India is far more diverse than even the European Union. How fair is it then to extrapolate, say, the situation in Bosnia on Spain or Germany? The real concern is not that the crime rate has increased or is alarming, but the fact that almost every crime is followed by public agitation, street protests and even violence. This is true of not just heinous crimes like rape and murder, but even a road accident. It has become common practice that a death in a road accident is followed by blocking the roads, stone peltings and attacks on the police. This cycle of violence is due to the public perception that justice will not be done in the normal course and the culprit -- especially the politically influential and/or the rich -- will get away with, well, a murder. It is this perception that ought to be the real cause of worry for all right-thinking citizens. Loss of faith in the fairness of the system and the perception that one cannot expect justice are the first few steps to the slippery slope of anarchy. This situation has not arisen in a day and has been building up over a period of time. The rapid urbanisation that has been underway in India has given rise to lumpen elements in urban slums. People migrating from rural areas suffer a cultural shock when they migrate from a conservative village environment to a relatively 'open' urban culture. Unlike a village, the city offers anonymity that leads to freedom from moral inhibitions. Most crimes occur due to the combination of these factors. Add to this the breakdown of the joint family system and the tensions of urban living, and you have a potent witches' brew. In addition to these factors, India has also unfortunately seen the erosion of religious beliefs and values. Pseudo intellectuals have been conflating social ills with religion and have thrown away the proverbial baby with the bathwater. Many visitors to the Middle East marvel at the absence of street crime in brutal regimes like Saudi Arabia and root for the medieval laws of 'an eye for an eye' variety. On the other hand, very few Indians bother to ever study our South Eastern neighbours, predominantly Buddhist but also Muslim majority countries like Indonesia. In all these countries, some of them poorer than even India, street crime is very low. All these are deeply religious countries and the concept of 'good karma', earning merit for the afterlife, keeps the social peace. It is essentially their Indian heritage, which they openly acknowledge, including Muslim majority Indonesia, that is responsible for this. The motto of the Indonesian air force special forces is from the Bhagvad Gita: Karmanye eva adhikar as the, ma falreshu kadachina, roughly translated as doing one's duty without expectations or attachment to the result. A visit to South East Asia leaves one with the sad feeling that while these countries have accepted, adopted and internalised Indian ethical and moral concepts, we in its birthplace have forsaken it. This civilisational flaw has been compounded by our hubris and pride in our colonial heritage. In 1947 we accepted Anglo-Saxon jurisprudence and its systems in toto. However, in 1960, in the wake of the Nanavati case, the jury system, an inseparable part of Anglo-Saxon jurisprudence, was abolished. One does not recall much public debate or even parliamentary deliberations on such a momentous step. The result of that unfortunate and hasty decision has been that justice in India has been totally divorced from commonsense and become more and more 'technical'. A great majority of acquittals in our system have been on 'technical' grounds. This has indeed skyrocketed the prices of clever lawyers. Since only the rich can afford their fees, it has become almost a sine qua non that the rich, famous and well-connected get away scot-free. Verdicts are increasingly divorced from reality and fact, as seen so clearly in the infamous Jessica Lal murder case. That should have been a wake-up call for reform of the criminal justice system, but it did not happen since the status quo suits the rich and powerful. The concept of an independent office of public prosecutor or bifurcation of the police between law enforcement and investigation received short shrift. Instead of reforming the system, we have a court monitored investigation, a sort of poor cousin of an independent public prosecutor. With the court itself acting as prosecutor by proxy and sitting in judgment, we have violated the first principle of separation of powers. Finally, we come to the issue of judicial delays, especially in criminal matters. The Constitution lays down that the primary duty of the Supreme Court is to interpret the law and Constitution. It is, of course, the highest court of appeal. But the apex court has been accepting appeals even in cases where no substantial point of law or Constitution is involved and the issue is mere interpretation of facts. As a convention, in most other democracies, that is left to the high courts. One can understand an admission of appeal if there has been a gross misinterpretation of facts at the high court level, but in India, our apex court has admitted appeals even when the issue involved is only of facts and not a point of law. The result: The court is clogged with pending cases. If we are serious about the rule of law and wish to prevent anarchy in the country, judicial reforms is the answer to cases like the Kathua and Unnao rape cases, and not lighting candles at India Gate on one hand and disrupting Parliament on the other. Colonel Anil A Athale (retd) is a student of military history and specialises in studies in internal conflicts. 'Problems will keep recurring unless China vows to resolve all outstanding issues between the two sides,' says Sana Hashmi. IMAGE: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj greets Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, April 23, 2018. Photograph: Courtesy, MEA on Flickr In May 2014, when Prime Minister Narendra D Modi came to power, speculation was at its peak that he might get closer to China than the United States, considering his bitter personal experience with the latter. The first meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Modi in September that year gave a further boost to the perception that he would take the India-China relationship to new heights. However, Barack Obama's charm on one hand, and China's apathy to India's concerns, made such crystal-gazing fall flat. China's opposition to India's entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group, repeated overlooking of India's concerns on terrorism and trade deficit, and more importantly the Doklam episode brought the relationship to an all-time low last year. Despite efforts by senior officials from both sides, the situation has remained as gloomy and polluted as the weather of the capital cities of India and China. However, with an objective to break the ice, Prime Minister Modi will visit Wuhan in Hubei province, central China, on April 27-28 for an informal summit with President Xi. This is a significant development following the two-month standoff in Doklam, the event which made both sides equate and put Doklam on par with the 1987 Sumdorong Chu standoff which destabilised India-China relations for at least a year. It took a visit by then prime minister Rajiv Gandhi to China in 1988 to restore warmth in bilateral ties. This month has witnessed several back-to-back high profile visits from India. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval held talks with senior foreign policy advisor Yang Jiechi in Shanghai. Doval will visit Beijing in May for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation national security advisors meeting. Cooperation under the SCO framework is important for India. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also visited China to attend their respective SCO meetings as also to prepare the ground work for Modi's China visit. With all these meetings, hopes are high that India-China relations will come back on track sooner rather than later, with, of course, the Modi-Xi summit in Wuhan leading the way. This is part of Prime Minister Modi's style of giving a personal appeal to India's relations with countries of importance. Also, both Asian leaders will meet at a personal level before the SCO summit in June. China also had such 'informal meetings' with United States President Donald J Trump, and his predecessor Barack Obama. A long-term view of the India-China interaction demonstrates that such upward and downward swings have been a characteristic of their relationship. An element of striking continuity marks the dialogue between the two sides. While Premier Li Keqiang's 2013 visit to India was overshadowed by the three week-long military standoff in India's Depsang Valley, Dr Manmohan Singh's visit in October 2013 resulted in a confidence building agreement, now known as the Border Defence Cooperation Agreement. In sum, there are at least three counts on which Modi's Wuhan visit is crucial. First, its significance lies in the fact that it is taking place at a time when China has abolished a term limit for its president. Both Modi and Xi are aware that a hostile approach will not let the two countries remain in peace, to say the least. The fact that no joint communique or statement will be issued after the Modi-Xi summit indicates that the leaders wish to have a free and frank dialogue, away from the constraints of diplomatic procedures. Such a meeting might provide India and China with more avenues to discuss their concerns. While India can use the opportunity to discuss China's ongoing projects in disputed territory and terrorism in the region, China may use the opportunity to express its concerns on the quadrilateral dialogue between Australia, India, Japan and the United States. Second, China is trying to be a leader of a multilateral world. One of the reasons for the resolution of the Doklam issue was the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) summit in Xiamen in September 2017. Both sides, particularly China, did not want the Doklam issue to take the limelight away from the summit, especially when it was being held in China. This time, the SCO summit is taking place in Qingdao in China's Shangdong province. Given the SCO's importance, both leaders will attempt to improve ties through re-establishing personal rapport. Both leaders have been giving a personal touch to their visits. Modi received Xi in Ahmedabad in Gujarat in September 2014. In May 2015, during Modi's visit to China, in an unprecedented move, Xi received the Indian leader in Xi'an. That was the first time any foreign leader was received by the Chinese leadership outside Beijing. Third, China needs India's endorsement of its One Belt, One Road initiative. Australia, India, Japan and the United States are not willing to be associated with the OBOR and have been voicing their concerns. The OBOR was recently sharply criticised by a report compiled by 27 European Union ambassadors. Despite all efforts, problems will keep recurring unless China vows to resolve all outstanding issues between the two sides. For lasting stability in relations, it may be useful to encourage more such dialogues and informal visits. Sana Hashmi, a regular commentator on Chinese foreign policy, is a researcher at the School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University. She is the author of China's Approach towards Territorial Disputes: Lessons and Prospects. This article reflects the author's personal views. The nation ranked 138 among 180 countries, according to the annual World Press Freedom Index report. IMAGE: The annual report noted that that journalists are increasingly the targets of online smear campaigns by the most radical nationalists, who vilify them and even threaten physical reprisals. Photograph: Chris McGrath/Getty Images India slipped in the annual World Press Freedom Index for the second straight year, falling two places to rank 138th among 180 countries in the latest list released on Wednesday. The country was ranked 136th in 2015, gained three places to 133rd in 2016, and fell back to 136th last year. In its 2018 report, media watchdog Reporters Sans Frontieres noted that journalists are increasingly the targets of online smear campaigns by the most radical nationalists, who vilify them and even threaten physical reprisals. Speaking of India, the media watchdog further stated, Prosecutions are also used to gag journalists who are overly critical of the government, with some prosecutors invoking Section 124a of the penal code, under which sedition is punishable by life imprisonment. No journalist has so far been convicted of sedition but the threat encourages self-censorship. Norway once again topped the list, while North Korea found itself at the bottom. The United States fell two places to 45th, Pakistan was ranked 139th, Russia 148th, and China was at 176th. The annual report, which started in 2002, said that reporters were the target of a growing wave of authoritarianism with leaders whipping up hostility against them. The group accused the worlds three superpowers -- the US, China and Russia -- of leading the charge against press freedom, with Trump regularly launching personal attacks on reporters and Beijing exporting its media control model to strangle dissent elsewhere in Asia. Rankings of press freedom Rank Country 1 Norway 2 Sweden 3 Netherlands 4 Finland 5 Switzerland 6 Jamaica 7 Belgium 8 New Zealand 9 Denmark 10 Costa Rica 138 India 180 North Korea RSF said that hostility towards the media is no longer confined to authoritarian countries such as Turkey and Egypt, but was poisoning the political atmosphere in some of the great democracies. More and more democratically elected leaders no longer see the media as part of democracys essential underpinning, but as an adversary to which they openly display their aversion, the report said, picking out Trump, Indias Narendra Modi and Philippine leader Rodrigo Duterte for particular criticism. The US president had referred to reporters as enemies of the people, a term once used by Stalin, it said. But not all the news was bad. Ecuador jumped 13 places after tensions eased between the government and privately-owned media, while Justin Trudeaus Canada entered the European-dominated top 20. Jamaica climbed to eighth overall, above Belgium and New Zealand, and Gambia jumped 21 places -- the biggest rise in Africa -- just ahead of Angola and Zimbabwe. She is the first woman lawyer to enter the top judiciary directly. Senior advocate Indu Malhotra would be administered oath of office by Chief Justice Dipak Misra on Friday morning at the Supreme Court, making her the first woman lawyer to enter the top judiciary directly. The name of Malhotra, 61, cleared by the government, was one of the two recommended by the collegium to be elevated to the apex court bench. The list of the business of the apex court mentions that Malhotra will be sworn in on Friday. Earlier in the day, a Law Ministry communique said: 'In exercise of the powers conferred by clause (2) of article 124 of the Constitution of India, the President is pleased to appoint Ms Indu Malhotra, to be judge of the Supreme Court of India with effect from the date she assumes charge of her office'. Her name was approved by the SC collegium on January 10, with a resolution of the apex court saying, 'In our considered opinion, at present, Indu Malhotra, Senior Advocate, is eminently suitable for being appointed as a Judge in the Supreme Court.' While Malhotra's name was recommended by the collegium for elevation along with that of Uttarakhand high court Chief Justice K M Joseph, the Centre has sought reconsideration of the proposal for the latter. Malhotra would be the seventh women judge in the top court since Independence as only six women judges have made it to the Supreme Court so far. Other women judges were elevated to the apex court from high courts. Currently, Justice R Banumathi is the lone woman judge in the apex court. Malhotra joined the legal profession in 1983 and was enrolled with the Bar Council of Delhi. She qualified as an Advocate-on-Record in the Supreme Court in 1988 and has been dealing with several matters of constitutional importance. She was one of the prominent senior advocates regularly appearing in educational matters pertaining to medical and engineering colleges. Malhotra was one of the members of the Vishaka Committee on sexual harassment at workplaces, as also of a 10-member committee constituted by the top court to deal with complaints of sexual harassment within the court. She was appointed as the standing counsel for Haryana in the apex court from 1991 to 1996. Malhotra has represented various statutory corporations like Securities Exchange Board of India, Delhi Development Authority, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research and Indian Council for Agricultural Research, before the Supreme Court. She was designated senior advocate by the top court in 2007 and became the second woman to be designated as such by the apex court after a gap of over 30 years. Malhotra was born in Bangalore and after her schooling from Carmel Convent School in New Delhi, she did her B.A. (Hons.) in Political Science from Lady Shri Ram College. She obtained her law degree from the Faculty of Law in Delhi University. The first woman judge of the apex court was Justice Fathima Beevi who was appointed in 1989, 39 years after the Supreme Court was set up in 1950. Justice Beevi was elevated to the apex court after her retirement as judge of the Kerala High Court. After serving the top court till April 29, 1992, she was appointed the governor of Tamil Nadu. The second woman judge in the Supreme Court was Justice Sujata V Manohar, who started her career as a judge from the Bombay high court and rose to become the chief justice of Kerala high court. She was elevated to the apex court where she remained from November 8, 1994 till August 27, 1999. Justice Ruma Pal followed Jusitce Manohar after a gap of almost five months and became the longest-serving woman judge from January 28, 2000 to June 2, 2006. After her retirement, it took four years to appoint the next woman judge. Justice Gyan Sudha Misra was elevated to the Supreme Court from the Jharkhand high court where she was the chief justice. Her tenure in the apex court was from April 30, 2010 to April 27, 2014. During her stint, she was joined by Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai, who served the apex court between September 13, 2011 to October 29, 2014. These two judges also created a history by holding court together as an all-women bench for a day in 2013. Justice Banumathi, who at present is the only sitting woman judge, had joined on August 13, 2014 and would retire on July 19, 2020. In the 67-year history of the Supreme Court, there have been only two occasions when it has had two sitting women judges together, the first being justices Misra and Desai and later justices Desai and Banumathi. While the Congress has found success in scoring over the BJP on Twitter and Facebook, it has failed to match the Sangh Parivars finesse at utilizing WhatsApp as its primary medium to send its message across to the Karnataka electorate, reports Archis Mohan. Image used for representational purposes. Photograph: Nand Kumar/PTI Photo. The battle for the Karnataka assembly is being fought as much in the cities and villages of the state, as on social media. While Janata Dal-Secular has struggled to make its presence felt in the virtual world, self-goals have marred the efforts of the Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party. The BJP and Congress social media chiefs, Amit Malviya and Divya Spandana, are currently stationed in Bengaluru and trying to build a narrative in favour of their respective parties. There have been repeated bloopers in the BJP campaign, including when party chief Amit Shah described the BS Yeddyurappa-led BJP government as the most corrupt Karnataka has ever seen, when what he had meant to say was that Siddaramaiah-led Congress government has been the most corrupt. Some of the Congress social media messages, particularly when it ridiculed the PM for his hugoplomacy during the visit of the Israeli PM, have been criticised, and not just by the BJP, but within the party as well. If the Congress has found success in scoring over the BJP on Twitter and Facebook, it has failed to match the Sangh Parivars finesse at utilising WhatsApp as its primary medium to send its message across to the Karnataka electorate. The BJP and Sangh Parivar have honed their WhatsApp outreach in Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat assembly polls, and have made the medium an effective campaign tool at the polling booth level. To Congress social media teams pleasant surprise, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has emerged an unlikely Twitter star. The BJP leaders havent matched up to Siddaramaiahs witty repartees on Twitter. The Congress has also found support from activist groups, including Karnataka for employment, whose members have gone about setting up freshly fried pakoda stalls in urban areas to highlight the Modi governments failure to deliver upon its promise of creating 20 million jobs a year, as also ridicule Modis comment that frying pakodas was gainful employment. The campaign, or so the group claims, has struck a chord among the urban youth, and videos and pictures shared on social media have helped in disseminating the message across the state. The Congress has made jobs a central theme of its campaign. The BJP has taken to galvanize its support base on the streets, either by organising small marches or having its supporters fly the BJP flag outside their houses. In Karnataka, the Congress government led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah created 1.5 million jobs, while the Modi government has failed to deliver on its promise of 20 million jobs a year. The BJPs policy is beating drums and staying mum, Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said. Given Bengalurus reputation as the IT hub, the Congress on Wednesday said the Modi government has failed to protect interests of Indians working in the United States. It said 750,000 Indians living in the US on H1B visas will be deported if the new rules announced by the Trump administration come into effect. These are youths from Bengaluru and Karnataka. The Modi government has failed to protect their jobs, Surjewala said. The Congress social media campaign has also taken to highlight BJP fielding tainted people as party candidates, including the mining mafia of Bellary brothers. As part of its Namma Mane BJP Mane (our house is BJP house) campaign, BJP general secretary in-charge of Karnataka P Muralidhar Rao said 1.1 million houses flew BJP flags atop their homes on Wednesday. The party has regularly posted videos and pictures of well-attended marches of party supporters, to tell the electorate that they should look at the party's strength on the ground, and not social media. Mocking at the Karnataka BJP unit, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has called Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Uttar Pradesh counterpart Yogi Adityanath "North Indian imports" in the May 12 election campaign and said it had no leaders in the state. With the PM slated to address 15 to 20 public rallies from May 1, and Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath to address two dozen rallies, the Congress on Wednesday attempted to further discredit Yeddyurappa as a credible challenger to Siddaramaiah. It has learnt from the experiences of Delhi, Bihar and Punjab elections, where strong local leaders neutralised Modis impact. Siddaramaiah said BJP's chief ministerial candidate Yeddyurappa had been reduced to a "dummy." He tweeted: Karnataka BJP by waiting for North Indian imports like PM Modi, UP CM Adityanath is admitting they have no leaders in the state. They have reduced their CM face @BSYBJP to a dummy." He said the prime minister may come and go, but in Karnataka it is a battle between him and Yeddyurappa, and the BJP knows who is winning in the May 12 assembly polls. The BJP said Siddaramaiahs attempt to divide north and south India is "disgusting" and the party understands the CMs anxiety of being "rejected" by his constituents. Alluding to Sonia Gandhi, the BJP asked Siddaramaiah what he had to say about occupants of 10, Janpath, when he is calling Modi and Adityanath north Indian imports. 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. Sao Paulo, Brazil -- (ReleaseWire) -- 04/26/2018 --Brazilian companies interested in exporting will now benefit from a new partnership between the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex-Brasil) and B2Brazil Servicos Interativos Ltda. ("B2Brazil"). With the signing of their cooperation agreement, both will work to promote Brazilian companies and products in the international market through the use of online trade tools. Initially, the parties will concentrate their efforts to promote companies and products of specific segments in four target markets: the United States, China, Argentina and Mexico -- the same as the E-xport Brasil Program, launched by Apex-Brasil in October 2017. However, cooperation is already underway. The first actions that benefit Brazilian companies include the registration and promotion of companies that have expressed an interest in integrating in E-Xport Brasil (more than 700 companies) as B2Brazil members, which, besides being registered in B2Brazil's portal will also include exclusive training to increase the utilization of online trade tools; the participation of B2Brazil at APAS 2018 (the largest fair in the Latin American supermarket sector) in order to announce the partnership and opportunities for the participating companies (150 Brazilian companies and 50 international buyers participating in a buyer project organized by Apex-Brasil); and the participation of the partners in the Argentina Mission, which is being planned. Apex-Brasil supports the international promotion of Brazilian companies, having as partners more than 70 representative entities of the manufacturing sector of Brazil and of the public sector. B2Brazil has grown organically and through a number of strategic partnerships, including with Brazil's largest bank, Banco do Brasil, becoming the largest B2B trade portal that promotes Brazilian companies internationally. B2Brazil services are multilingual, with websites in Portuguese, Spanish, English and Chinese. The more than 25,000 Brazilian companies that use the platform are promoted globally to companies interested in finding new potential suppliers and to realize foreign trade transactions. Just in 2017, B2Brazil generated more than 450,000 business opportunities for its members, with communications between buyers and sellers automatically translated from the language of the sender to the language of the recipient in order to facilitate communication and transactions. Through the partnership, Apex-Brasil will promote B2Brazil to its clients, partners and sector entities and the parties will create segmented online strategies in the four target countries to generate business and international sales to participating companies. B2Brazil will support the efforts of Apex-Brasil and will offer training and support to participating companies, as well as special discounts to companies selected by the Agency for B2Brazil's paid services. "To achieve our goal of promoting Brazilian companies and products internationally, we must use more online platforms and tools, a growing tendency today, " says Apex-Brasil's Export Manager, Christiano Braga, who adds: "Our agreement with B2Brazil is an important part of achieving this goal, we want to take advantage of new opportunities for the companies we support." "Our mission is to increase international trade opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises Brazilian companies, and this fits perfectly with the objectives of APEX-Brasil," said Alexandre Ferreira Martins, managing director of B2Brazil in Brazil. "This agreement will give more sales opportunities to Brazilian companies through the country's principal B2B trade portal. " About B2Brazil B2Brazil (https://b2brazil.com) is one of the leading trade platforms focused on generating business contacts and transactions for companies (B2B) between Brazilian and international companies. B2Brazil is the solution for companies that want to expand their business effectively and efficiently, increasing international sales and prospecting global clients. The core business is to be an important trade facilitator between the Brazil and the world through its online directories and platforms in Portuguese, in English, in Spanish and in Chinese. The hotsites of companies are published in four languages and communications between buyers and sellers are automatically translated. Buyers from 200 countries use the services of B2Brazil for information on products and companies and to help them buy, sell, and provide products and services. About Apex-Brasil The Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex-Brasil) acts to promote Brazilian products and services abroad and attract foreign investment to the Brazilian economy. To achieve these objectives, Apex-Brasil carries out diverse promotional activities aimed at promoting exports and enhancing the value of Brazilian products and services abroad, such as prospecting and commercial missions, business roundtables, support for the participation of Brazilian companies in major international fairs, visits by foreign buyers and opinion makers to learn about the Brazilian production structure among other business platforms that also aim to strengthen the Brazil brand abroad. LOVELAND The iconic Schmidts Bakery & Delicatessen building in south Loveland, which has sat empty for five years, has new owners and a new lease on life. Three Loveland residents bought the building at 808 14th St. SW at the end of January, and they are working with the city of Loveland to get approval for their plans to divide it into four spaces. Already, the western portion of the building has a new look: a fresh coat of barn-red paint, with white trim on the windows and doors that lends the look of a barn. That barn motif was the dream of Shannon Fancher even before she, her sister Stephanie Fancher-English and brother-in-law Darryl English bought the 18,000-square-foot building for $1.025 million from an investor. Shannon Fancher, a practicing veterinarian in Loveland for 20 years, owns Barnyard Vet Supply at 1021 S. Lincoln Ave. with her business partner, Erin McCrimmon. Theyre planning to move their veterinary and pet-supply store to the building as soon as possible. We drive by it all the time, she said of the empty building. I could just see the barn. I could visualize it taking shape. When she and her late husband, Richard Rule, and McCrimmon opened Barnyard Vet Supply in November 2013, they had a barn mural painted on the front of the building they leased. Now, she said, shell actually have a barn. Room for four Darryl English, owner of Tylo Electric, will move his electrical contracting business from leased space at 1151 Eagle Drive to the newly acquired building, she said. Barnyard Vet Supply will change its name to Barnyard Vet & Pet Supply and expand from its current 3,000-square-foot size to 5,000 square feet in the old Schmidts building, she said. Tylo Electric will take another 2,800 square feet. That will leave two more spaces totaling almost 10,000 square feet that the owners plan to lease to businesses. The A-frame portion on the east end of the building could work for a restaurant, Fancher said. The other space, at the southwest side, has its own entrance and an open floor plan. The skys the limit. That could be renovated into anything, she said. Although the partners cant get started on interior renovations until the city signs off on their plans and issues building permits, Fancher said passersby will be seeing exterior improvements. Its been abandoned and neglected for too long, she said. Well repave the parking lot and redo the landscaping. Weve got great big plans for it. The buildings history The purchase of the building represents the latest chapter in a saga that began in 1964 with the construction of Ram Lanes at the site. The bowling alley entertained Lovelanders for 34 years until it closed in 1998. Timeline 1964: Building constructed at 808 14th St. SW for Ram Lanes bowling alley. 1982: Harry Schmidt starts a bakery in his Berthoud home. 1985: Schmidts Bakery & Delicatessen moves to 2248 W. First St. in Loveland. 1988: Ram Lanes closes. 2001: Schmidts moves into former Ram Lanes building. March 2010 and March 2011: State of Colorado seizes Schmidts for nonpayment of taxes. The business reopens each time. September 2011: Harry Schmidt sells his business to a group of investors led by Tracy and Deb Hilker. January 2013: State shuts down Schmidts again for tax liabilities, locking the doors and leaving display cases full of food to rot. February 2013: New owners file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. March 2013: Denver-based auction and liquidation company Dickensheet and Associates presides over auction of Schmidts Bakery & Delicatessen assets to satisfy liabilities of more than $814,000. August 2013: California investor J. Massey, CEO of West Egg Enterprises in Orange County, Calif., buys the building, which still has the bowling lanes under the floor, for $740,000. January 2015: Vinnie Skarajunsky of Loveland and Ben Mahrle of Wellington say they will open an Ace Hardware and separate gun store in the building later in the year. Their plans dont come to pass. January 2018: 808 West 14 Properties LLC, a partnership of Shannon Fancher, Stephanie Fancher-English and Darryl English, buys the building for $1.025 million. The new owners will move Barnyard Vet & Pet Supply and Tylo Electric into the building and lease out two more spaces. Three years later, Harry Schmidt, the son of German immigrants, bought the building and moved his Schmidts Bakery and Delicatessen from 2248 W. First St. He had started the business in his Berthoud home in 1982 and moved it to Loveland three years later. Schmidts pastries, wedding cakes, deli meats and cheeses and German delicacies made it a popular destination, but economic pressures, including the decimation of the workforce at the Hewlett-Packard and Agilent campus across the street, led to financial problems for the owner. The state of Colorado seized the business for unpaid taxes in March 2010 and March 2011. Schmidt sold the business in September 2011, and the state shut down the new owners in January 2013. That closure proved to be the last. The owners filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in February 2013, and the U.S. Bankruptcy Court commissioned an auction and liquidation company to sell off the assets of the business in March of that year to satisfy liabilities of more than $814,000. Harry Schmidt, a part-time employee of the new owners, showed up at the auction and said it was kind of like a funeral. He died less than nine months later. A California investor bought the building in August 2013 but hadnt been able to lease it to tenants. In January 2015, two partners announced their plans to open an Ace Hardware and a gun store in the building, but their plans never came to fruition. Local businesses Fancher emphasized that she and her partners are local business owners who want to be able to set up shop in a building that they own. And they appreciate the history of the space, she said. Before she had the large mural of a mountain valley on the front of the store painted over, Fancher took a picture of it and plans to frame it and hang it inside her store. She said shes also hoping to locate Harry and Charlotte Schmidts daughters and offer them some of the Schmidts Bakery keepsakes that remain in the building. We miss Schmidts Bakery, too. We frequented it a lot, she said. Craig Young: 970-635-3634, cyoung@reporter-herald.com, www.twitter.com/CraigYoungRH. LOVELAND A 3-year-old Loveland insurance agencys approach to business has caught the eye of the Better Business Bureau, which awarded All About Insurance its inaugural Spark Award for Entrepreneurship. For two decades, The Better Business Bureau serving Northern Colorado and Wyoming has honored local businesses with its Torch Awards for Ethics. For the first time this year, the BBB gave three local companies Spark Awards, which recognize ethical companies that have been in business for only six months to three years. The Spark and Torch awards were presented in an event April 19 at the Embassy Suites Loveland. In addition to All About Insurance, the Spark Awards went to everHuman of Fort Collins and American Electrical Innovations of Wellington. They specially called out the fact that I create a team culture and a team environment thats based on positivity and community outreach, said Heidi McBroome, who launched the full-service All About Insurance agency June 1, 2015. All About Insurance donates regularly to local nonprofits, including monthly gifts to WomenGive of Larimer County and the pantry at Loveland Vineyard, she said, plus donations to Children of Peace International, Alternatives to Violence and several others. McBroome said she puts a strong emphasis on training the people in her four-person office. Champions train every day, and thats what we do, she said, adding that her staff celebrates all the time for successes little and big. Im all about being positive; zero negativity is allowed in this office. It has to be upbeat and positive, McBroome said. The Spark Award was an affirmation for her that its OK to have a relational agency; it doesnt have to be transactional, she said. For its Torch Awards, the BBB recognizes businesses in four categories. This year, two of the winners were Loveland-based. Large business: Group Publishing, Loveland. Nonprofit: Larimer Humane Society, Loveland. Medium business: All Phase Restoration, Windsor. Small business: Intermountain Record Center, Casper. Group Publishing Thom Schultz, CEO of the Christian publishing company, said he believes the ethics recognition for his company traces back to our faith-based roots, and that is a reflection of the Golden Rule, treating others as we would like to be treated. It applies to how we treat each other internally and how we treat customers and vendors and anyone else on the outside as well, Schultz said. It was great fun to have many of our staff at the awards yesterday, he said Friday. As I view it, it really is a recognition of the staff. The award really speaks to the quality of the staff, the people who reflect those ethics every day. Group Publishing, which Schultz founded in Loveland in 1974, has about 190 employees, he said. Larimer Humane Society Kaylene Weingardt, marketing and community outreach manager for the nonprofit animal-protection and control organization, said: We are proud to have our community recognize our commitment to our people and to the community as a whole. Larimer Humane Society is fortunate to not only have employees united around a common mission and vision, but also our volunteers in the community we serve share the same passion for our mission, she said. Although the Humane Society, which has 55 to 60 employees and more than 600 active volunteers, is surrounded by animals, the organization is committed to treating people with respect and compassion, Weingardt said. Thats why were so humbled by the award, she said. Craig Young: 970-635-3634, cyoung@reporter-herald.com, www.twitter.com/CraigYoungRH. The farmer who plans to grow hemp in west Loveland this summer spent two hours Thursday night talking to people at a neighborhood meeting about the unusual crop. Tom Hewson, a retired high school science teacher, said such educational efforts are critical. The meeting that he scheduled at Namaqua Elementary School, just across from his leased field off West First Street, drew about 50 community members. Audience members seemed mostly curious, asking questions about how he would grow and harvest the crop, why he chose that location, whether the plants would smell and how the aroma might affect neighbors with breathing problems. At the end of the meeting, they applauded Hewson. Afterward, Hewson judged the event outstanding. It was exactly what I was looking for, he said. We had a full-spectrum conversation. At the start of his presentation, Hewson anticipated neighbors concerns by assuring them that industrial hemp, which he is growing for the oil it produces, is entirely legal and registered with the Colorado Department of Agriculture. He also explained that while his plants look just like marijuana, they are lacking in the THC molecule that produces a high. Absolutely, unequivocally, you cannot have any kind of psychotropic experience from the industrial hemp plant, he said. Ive never grown marijuana, Ive never used marijuana and I never intend to do so. Hewson will test his crop weekly once its in the ground, he said, and the state will test it, too. If it contains more than 0.3 percent THC, he will destroy it, he said. To help with his educational efforts, Hewson brought a small hemp plant in a pot and asked audience members if it was the first time theyd seen one. About half raised their hands. That was me three years ago, he said. When he planted his first crop to help someone who wanted to grow more acreage, he didnt know anything about the CBD, or cannabidiol, oil that the plant produces. I thought it was snake oil, he said. But after using it for a physical condition that was bothering him, and seeing dramatic results, he became a believer, he said. Sentinel Mountain, the company that he formed with business partner Russ Rogers, will sell the oil-bearing blossoms and also high-quality CBD oil extracted from the flowers. Hewson said he will plant the crop in June and harvest it in the middle of October. He said the hemp plants will smell like marijuana, especially when they start flowering toward the end of the summer. An audience member asked Hewson how the smell would affect his wife, who is on oxygen. Hewson said he didnt know but said he has suffered from asthma his whole life, and working with hemp plants doesnt bother him. One audience member who lives in the area asked why Hewson would grow the plant so close to homes and schools. The man said hes not opposed to industrial hemp but said it carries a stigma that shouldnt be brought to the neighborhood. Until we get educated, the stigma will always exist, Hewson said. I hope the entire town of Loveland at some point sits through one of these educational meetings so we can change that. We should have a picnic at the field and educate. Hewson leases only a few small pieces of land, and he said this field has the best soil for the crop. After responding to several more of the mans concerns, Hewson thanked him for his questions, and the man said he had learned some things from Hewsons presentation. Audience member Barbara Moore, who lives two blocks from the site, said she attended the meeting after seeing the signs Hewson put up at the edge of the field on April 1 and hearing about the meeting. I knew nothing about hemp, Moore said. I was a little concerned about the smell. I have allergies. He definitely answered every question, she said. I feel much better leaving tonight having all the information he provided. Hewson said his biggest concern with the location is how the smell will affect residents. He said he wants to get back together with as many people as possible at the end of the growing season to hear their feedback. Wait till November. You have a voice. I want to know how it went, he said. If it turns out that the public doesnt like his crop, he said he would take it elsewhere. Hewson said people can email him at sentinelmountainco@gmail.com to ask questions or provide feedback. He said he hopes to have two informational meetings a month to continue educating the public. Craig Young: 970-635-3634, cyoung@reporter-herald.com, www.twitter.com/CraigYoungRH. Thompson school district employees will receive a 3.5 percent cost of living raise next school year under a proposal accepted by the school board on Wednesday. As part of contract negotiations for the 2018-19 school year, which are underway, the Thompson Education Association proposed the salary increase in light of the Colorado Legislature increasing per pupil student funding for that year. The one-year state funding increase will add an extra $6.2 million to the district coffers, and the 3.5 percent raise would cost $3.2 million alongside a $90,000 expense to increase extra duty pay, according to information provided by Bill Siebers, the districts chief human resources officer. Members of the Thompson school board supported the cost of living increase, which will go into the contract that will be up for approval May 2. All seven board members stressed how important it is to support the teachers, who already are paid less than those in surrounding districts. They spoke of how it is the boards top priority to recruit and retain teachers and that this is an opportunity to walk the talk. Its a movement in the right direction, said Lori Hvizda Ward, board president, but its still not where I want to be to recruit and retain teachers. On average, Thompson teachers make 10 to 12 percent less than those in surrounding districts, and the district has been feeling the pinch of that in recent years with more and more teachers leaving their jobs because of salary issues, district officials have said. Weve been asking our people to do more with less the entire time Ive been here, said Superintendent Stan Scheer, who is in his sixth year with the district. Weve lost some really good people the last couple of years, really good, he added. We cant afford to do that any more. Weve got some really good people working for us, and we need to support them. Board members Dave Levy and Paul Bankes mentioned that it is difficult to approve spending more money when the district is operating at a deficit, pulling from reserves each year and juggling with ways to balance the budget. They spoke of justifying spending more money and the perception to the public, and Bankes mentioned not having information to balance the raise versus a boost to curriculum or other district needs. We would be increasing our deficit spending at a time were trying to get out of that hole, Bankes said. However despite those reservations, Levy said he would vote for the increase to support the teachers. Its the right thing to do, and Im supporting it, Levy said. The cost of living raise, and the associated cost, would be for all district employees and not just teachers and would be on top of a regular steps and columns increase that is already included in the proposed budget for next year. That increase will cost $918,000. Last year, the board approved a half percent cost of living raise, and many staff members for years have accepted low raises despite higher salaries and higher raises in surrounding districts, board members noted. Again, Poudre, and St. Vrain districts are looking at comparable or higher increases. The teachers are the most important thing we can do; you invest in your excellent, excellent people and you get the returns, said board member Marc Seter, emphasizing his support is absolutely 110 percent. To which other board members answered, No, 3.5 percent. Pamela Johnson: 970-699-5405, johnsonp@reporter-herald.com As neighboring St. Vrain Valley School District announced that it has canceled classes April 27 due to a scheduled teacher walkout, Thompson School District is keeping a close eye on its robust substitute pool. Thompson spokesman Michael Hausmann said the district has not planned to cancel any classes due to the Colorado Education Associations scheduled teacher walkouts on April 26 and April 27, which will call attention to school funding. Its a situation were monitoring closely, Hausmann said Thursday afternoon. We have a robust substitute system set up. Hausmann said the decision to cancel classes will be made only if the district cannot supply enough substitutes to fill the positions of teachers taking time off for the walkout. Teachers have to file for that leave, and then we pull from our pool of substitutes for the district, he said. At a certain level, you get too many (teacher) absences for the pool to cover. He said until that pool runs out, schools in session. Were going to do what we can to keep students safe, we want them in school. The CEAs walkout has also effectively canceled classes in the Jeffco Public School District for April 26, when many teachers said they plan to go to the Capitol. A release from the Denver Classroom Teachers Association stated that Denver teachers would lead the statewide walkout which has gained traction among Colorado public schools. Walkouts performed on Monday similarly closed Englewood Schools, as the number of teacher absences would have left classrooms empty. It is not yet clear whether teachers in the Poudre School District will participate in the walkout. The district announced on its website that officials will monitor staff availability for April 27 with the safety of students in mind. If the District determines there is not enough staff available to adequately supervise students, it may designate April 27 as a non-student, teacher workday, the announcement states. As such, students may not have school on Friday, April 27. The decision about whether school will be in session on April 27 will be communicated to staff, parents and the community by this Friday, April 20. This will give families time to plan accordingly. Hans Peter: 970-635-3630, hpeter@reporter-herald.com LOVELAND After lengthy discussion Tuesday night, members of the Loveland City Council ultimately decided to informally support a pilot initiative to house homeless youths in Northern Colorado. At the council study session, city staff members and representatives from the Loveland Housing Authority presented information about the effectiveness of regional solutions to homelessness to the council and asked if it would permit the Housing Authority to depart from its roughly 40-year practice of exhibiting preference for housing candidates who live or work in Loveland. Last fall, the city applied for vouchers to house homeless youths, not knowing they came with a condition of using a regional approach, said Alison Hade, administrator of the citys Community Partnership Office. Loveland received nine vouchers, which are enough to cover costs of housing and providing services to nine homeless youths, which are being held until the city can determine a way to move forward, she said. The vouchers are funded through the Colorado Department of Local Affairs Division of Housing with money collected from marijuana sales taxes. Each voucher covers $11,400 in housing and service costs per individual per year, Hade said. The advantage to using the vouchers is to have both housing and services completely covered with no cost to the city, City Manager Steve Adams clarified. The sticking point, he said, is the possibility that the vouchers could be used to house kids in Loveland housing units who are from other areas of Northern Colorado such as Greeley or Fort Collins. Beyond the nine vouchers, there is considerable state-funded and federally funded grant money available that also requires giving up some local control in favor of the regional model, known as Coordinated Entry, Hade said. A Coordinated Entry model for Larimer and Weld counties would help homeless families and individuals move into permanent housing by identifying and prioritizing individuals according to level of need, regardless of their location, and then placing them on a regionwide list to receive housing. The screening process would eliminate people who have been charged with serious sexual or drug-related offenses but would not deny people based on their compliance with drug treatments or lack of income, said Vanessa Fenley, a consultant managing Coordinated Entry efforts for Larimer and Weld counties. But individuals placed in housing are required to live up to regular standards for a lease, she said. We have very skilled providers that are able to have those conversations with individuals: What can you do to be compliant with your lease?' Fenley said. The initiative would partner with 30 local governments and housing agencies, including 15 Loveland-based organizations such as the House of Neighborly Service and the Matthews House, the presentation stated. Members of the council were at first divided over Hades presentation: Some, like Councilor Kathi Wright, supported both the Coordinated Entry initiative and acceptance of the vouchers. Others, including Councilor Steve Olson, were hesitant to delve into Coordinated Entry because of its furtherance of housing first programs, which he said give people handouts and do not expect them to put in any work in return. Currently, the 70-unit Edge apartment complex in east Loveland run by the Loveland Housing Authority operates under Coordinated Entry, said LHA Executive Director Sam Betters. The Edge houses homeless veterans, who are referred by a variety of organizations around the region, he said. The decision to use a regional model was expedited by consideration of the scope of the veterans service, Betters said. The point is that veterans serve the whole country all of us, not just Loveland, Betters said. Led by Councilor John Fogle, the council informally agreed that the regional model makes sense for The Edge. Hade said the effort to house homeless veterans was used as something of a test study for the regional approach. In partnership with the local agencies, the initiative identified 340 homeless veterans and housed 220 over 26 months, Hade said. Taking into account those who are looking for housing on the private market and those who have moved away from the region, thats just over 80 percent of the regions veterans housed via the initiative, Hade said. The number of people experiencing homelessness in the region is expected to rise due to expected growth to the Northern Colorado general population, staff said. Councilors and staff agreed that it was about time that the city had a strategic plan to address homelessness. That plan could incorporate a variety of approaches, they said, and will be brought forward to the council in future at an undetermined date. The Inn Between of Longmont celebrates 25 years with tiny-home project The council also heard an update from David Bitler, executive director of The Inn Between housing program in Longmont. The Inn Between helps eligible individuals and families in Longmont enter four types of housing programs. The Inn provides access to an education center, food pantry, case management and more services in exchange for residents completing efforts to improve their situation and one third of their monthly income in payment for rent. This model is what is referred to as a hand-up model, Bitler said. Bitler said the program is now embarking on a project to build six new permanent housing units with the help of several local entities. The housing, called The Micah Project, is intended for clients who will never be able to afford market-rate housing in Longmont on their own, Bitler said. This could be due to a disability that prevents them from holding a job, or due to being elderly. Were doing that because theres no place for people to go, Bitler said. The housing units are small; 350 square feet for a one-bedroom, and 750 square feet for a two-bedroom. The Inn Between received help from the city of Longmont, which reduced and waived fees associated with the project, as well as from a local church that donated land. Bitler said his organization is doing what it can to get the cost of the housing to zero, and for the project to be self-sustaining. Julia Rentsch: 970-699-5404, jrentsch@reporter-herald.com. A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind. LACMTA The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA), elected officials and community members gathered April 25 for a ceremonial naming and unveiling of the tunnel boring machines (TBMs) that will dig twin four-mile tunnels under Wilshire Boulevard for the Purple Line Extension Project. Representatives for LACMTA, elected officials and community members attended the ceremony, which was held in L.A.s Mid-Wilshire District. Subway tunneling is expected to begin later this summer, officials said. LACMTA Board Chair and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti awarded TAP Cards and other prizes to students who won contests to name the TBMs and create illustrations for the TBM tail shields. The names Elsie and Soyeon were selected from a winning entry submitted by Fairfax High School student Marianne Gutierrez. Soyeon is Korean for bright and beautiful and was named after female astronaut and mechanical engineer Yi Soyeon. Elsie was named after Elsie Eavers, the first female to be elected as a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers. Lauren Park, a third-grade student from Palm Crest Elementary in La Canada who also goes to Prism Art School in Koreatown after school, won the art contest. Her illustration portrayed her ideal community, which included Purple Line Extension service. LACMTA said it would issue commemorative TAP cards featuring the illustration at 7th Street/Metro Center, Wilshire/Vermont and Wilshire/Western Purple Line Stations starting April 26. Im proud to introduce our two newest Angelenos Elsie and Soyeon who embody the ambitious, resilient spirit of Los Angeles, Garcetti said. Their work will bring us one step closer to realizing an integral part of our transportation future a 25-minute subway ride from Downtown to the Westside. LACMTA has received the cutterhead and shield for its TBMs, which are now staged at LACMTAs Wilshire/Fairfax station construction yard. TBMs will be assembled at the Wilshire/La Brea station site and will initially travel east to Wilshire/Western in Koreatown. Parts of the TBMs will be retrieved from underground, with the rest moved back to the La Brea Station through the new tunnel. The TBMs will then be reassembled and relaunched west to Beverly Hills as part of the first construction segment. LACMTA contractor Skanska, Traylor Shea, a joint venture, is constructing this portion of the project. The Purple Line Extension will be a game changer for the entire L.A. region, said LACMTA CEO Phillip Washington. We are working aggressively to provide fast, frequent, reliable subway service between our countys two largest employment centers. This high-priority transit line is part of a much larger countywide transportation building boom that will create an infrastructure inheritance for future generations of Angelenos. The TBMs are manufactured in Germany by Herrenknecht AG. The machines weigh approximately 1,000 tons, are 450 feet long and are 21.5 feet in diameter. The TBMs will advance about 60 feet per day once digging begins, and twin tunnels will be separated from each other by about 16 feet of soil. Tunnels will be about 50 to 70 feet deep, though some areas will be deeper. TBMs will tunnel five days per week, 20 hours per day and take roughly two years to mine both subway tunnels, officials said. The Purple Line Extension Project is a nine-mile subway project that consists of three construction phases. The project will extend LACMTA Purple Line service farther west from Koreatown to West L.A. The project will add seven new stations, officials said. The first subway segment is set to be operational in 2023. When it is completed in 2026, the entire subway extension is expected to serve 59,000 riders daily. The project was funded by Measure R and accelerated by Measure M, the two most recent sales tax measures approved by voters for transportation improvements in Los Angeles County. European stocks held steady on Thursday as investors awaited rate decisions from both the European Central Bank and the Bank of Japan. No changes are expected from the ECB when it reviews its monetary policy later today. But the language and the forward guidance will be crucial. The Bank of Japan is also expected to keep its policy unchanged when it ends a two-day rate review on Friday. The pan-European Stoxx Europe 600 index was up 0.40 percent at 381.68 in late opening deals after falling 0.8 percent on Wednesday to hit a one-week low on concerns over rising bond yields. The German DAX and the U.K.'s FTSE 100 were up around 0.2 percent, while France's CAC 40 index was rising half a percent. Steinhoff International Holdings N.V. rallied 4 percent after it announced the settlement of German litigation with Seifert entities, controlled by Andreas Seifert. Deutsche Bank was up about half a percent, giving up some early gains. The German lender announced 'significant' job cuts after net income in the first quarter declined 79 percent. Automaker Volkswagen Group climbed 2 percent after confirming its 2018 outlook. Finnish telecoms equipment maker Nokia slumped 7 percent after posting its fifth straight quarterly loss. Philips Lighting lost 11 percent after its first-quarter core earnings fell short of forecasts. Royal Dutch Shell declined 3 percent. The company posted strong earnings for the first quarter, but cash flow fell short of forecasts. Taylor Wimpey fell over 2 percent. After recording a lower order book at the start of the year, the housebuilder said it continues to see good demand for new housing through early 2018. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Market Analysis Bitcoin continued to trend lower Thursday, while some main altcoins recovered likely due to profit-taking and FUD. A South Korean mining giant reportedly is the suitor for the crypto exchange Bitstamp. One of the top three credit rating agencies has said that blockchain is a "game-changing " for the insurance industry. And a leading brokerage placed its ad in the blockchain, which is to remain there forever. Here is a wrap of the main news from the cryptocurrency and blockchain world over the past 24 hours. South Korean Gaming Firm Nexon May Buy Crypto Exchange Bitstamp Major cryptocurrency exchange Bitstamp is in talks to be acquired by South Korean gaming giant Nexon, Business Insider reported, citing sources familiar with the matter. The sale price in negotiation of the oldest surviving bitcoin exchange is $350 million, reports said. Bitstamp reportedly had been involved in at least one other sale process before the Nexon deal. Read more... Blockchain Is 'Game-changing Technology' For Insurance: Fitch Ratings Prominent credit rating agency Fitch Ratings thinks blockchain is a "game-changing technology" for the insurance industry over the long term. In a report published Wednesday, titled "Blockchain and Insurance The Trust Machine," Fitch Ratings assessed the potential benefits and risks of blockchain's application to the insurance industry. Read more... TD Ameritrade Places Ad In Blockchain Online broker TD Ameritrade is perhaps the first brand to place an advertisement in blockchain. It has imprinted its flag and name using ASCII art on the Bitcoin permanent ledger with the title saying "Greetings from the Blockchain." TD Ameritrade said, "The blockchain is an amazing piece of technology. And we're proud to be part of it. Forever. Through a series of transactions we became the first brand to place an ad in the blockchain." Read more... IAMGOLD Invests In VaultChain Developer Tradewind Blockchain Canadian gold miner IAMGOLD Corp. announced a strategic investment in Tradewind Markets, Inc., a financial technology company that uses blockchain to speed up and streamline digital gold trading. The miner did not elaborate on the investment amount, while Tradewind in its statement said it has closed a $10.6 million strategic placement. Read more... Millennium BlockChain Invests $5 Mln In Healthcare Blockchain Data Firm BurstIQ Millennium BlockChain Inc. (MBLC), a holding company focused on blockchain technologies and crypto-assets, announced the closing of its $5 million investment in healthcare blockchain data company BurstIQ Analytics Corp. Under the deal, Millennium Blockchain will receive a significant number of BurstIQ tokens (BIQ) as well as traditional equity. BurstIQ has received five million shares in Millennium BlockChain. Read more... Banking, Tech Giants Added To Global Blockchain Think-Tank The Blockchain Research Institute (BRI) has expanded its Board by adding 12 new members, including global leaders in Banking and Technology. Funded by leading companies and governments, the Blockchain Research Institute is a multi-million dollar global blockchain think-tank devoted to the study of blockchain strategies, applications and obstacles to implementation. Read more... Arizona Bill To Allow Tax Payments In Cryptocurrency Clears Hurdle A bill that would allow residents in Arizona to pay their taxes in cryptocurrency cleared hurdles in a key committee in the state's House of Representatives. Senate Bill 1091, sponsored by Republican Senator Warren Petersen, passed the Upper chamber on February 8. The Rules Committee of the Arizona House Monday approved the Bill with amendments, paving the way for a full House vote. Read more... Tutorial: Crypto Lexicon - NOOB In crypto sphere, a NOOB is someone who is new to the cryptocurrency world and inexperienced in the ways of it. The NOOB would have little knowledge of the different cryptocurrencies, their venues, discussion forums and the slang used. Read more... Current Prices As of 10.24 am ET on Thursday, Bitcoin was down 1.6 percent at $8,798.65, while Ethereum was up 3.8 percent at $629.07 on Coinbase. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Forex News The Philippine government for the first time has granted permission to operate cryptocurrency exchanges in the country. Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA) is about to issue license to 10 platforms for Blockchain and cryptocurrency companies to operate in the exclusive Economic Zone to take advantage of tax perks while generating employment, Reuters reported. "They are Japanese, Hong Kong, Malaysians, Koreans. They can go into cryptocurrency mining, initial coin offerings, or they can go into exchange," the news agency quoted CEZA spokesman Raul Lambinos as saying. CEZA established a fintech hub in the northeastern tip with the aim of creating an Asian "Silicon Valley." CEZA is a state-owned corporation that manages the Cagayan Special Economic Zone and Freeport. In February, the Philippines had legalized economic zones for doing digital currency . Local authorities estimate that in a period of two years, crypto companies will invest more than $1 million, 10 percent of which will go to government coffers as license fees. The east Asian country is also reportedly planning to establish a blockchain-based financial university. Earlier this month, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) of the Philippines had issued an advisory on cryptocurrency Cloud Mining contracts, demanding that they be classified as securities. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, the central bank of the Philippines, has not endorsed the use of cryptocurrencies, citing the risk of its misuse. 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. Facing allegations of misconduct, Rear Admiral Ronny Jackson, M.D., announced Thursday he is withdrawing his nomination to be Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs. The withdrawal comes as Jackson, who has served as a White House physician since 2006, has been accused of creating a toxic work environment, overprescribing medications and drinking excessively on the job. Jackson called the allegations "completely false and fabricated," arguing he would not have been entrusted to serve in such a sensitive and important role as physician to three presidents if the claims had any merit. "In my role as a doctor, I have tirelessly worked to provide excellent care for all my patients," Jackson said in a statement. "In doing so, I have always adhered to the highest ethical standards." He added, "Unfortunately, because of how Washington works, these false allegations have become a distraction for this President and the important issue we must be addressing - how we give the best care to our nation's heroes." Jackson said he expected to face tough questions during the confirmation process but did not expect to have to dignify baseless and anonymous attacks on his character and integrity. Earlier this week, the leaders of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee indefinitely postponed a hearing on Jackson's nomination in order to review the allegations. A report subsequently released by Senate Democrats said several staffers "raised serious questions about Jackson's temperament and ethics and cast doubt on his ability to lead the second largest agency in government." Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee ranking member Jon Tester, D-Mont., who released the report, said in a statement on Thursday that it is his Constitutional responsibility to make sure veterans get a strong, thoroughly vetted leader who will fight for them. "The next Secretary must have a commitment to reform a strained care system and a willingness to stand up to special interests that want to privatize the VA," Tester said. "I'm ready to work with Chairman Isakson to vet and confirm a Secretary who is fit to run the VA." Meanwhile, President Donald Trump defended Jackson in an interview on "Fox & Friends," accusing opponents of trying to "destroy" the physician. "He would have a done a great job. A tremendous heart," Trump said. "These are all false accusations. These are false. They are trying to destroy a man." Trump suggested that Tester, who is facing a tough re-election fight in November, would have "a lot of problems in his state" over his role in Jackson's withdrawal. In a statement, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders noted that Jackson would continue to serve as White House physician "Admiral Jackson is a doctor in the United States Navy assigned to the White House and is here at work today," Sanders said. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Political News French President Emmanuel Macron said his efforts to convince his American counterpart Donald Trump of the importance to stay in a nuclear deal that U.S.-led major powers signed with Iran in 2015 has apparently failed. "My view -- I don't know what your President will decide -- is that he will get rid of this deal on his own, for domestic reasons," Macron told reporters in Washington on Wednesday, at the end of a three-day state visit to the United States. Following a question and answer session with students at George Washington University, Macron said he did not have any specific inside information but believed there was "a big risk" Trump would leave the hard-earned pact. "It can work in the short term, but it's very insane in the medium to long term," the French leader said. According to Trump, the international agreement is "insane" and "ridiculous." Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has warned Trump of "severe consequences" if Washington withdraws from the agreement. The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) granted several exemptions to Iran in return for agreeing to limitations on its nuclear program. But Trump has been critical of the Obama-era deal and said recently that the deal may be scrapped unless it is significantly strengthened and expanded to include issues not covered in the original agreement. Other signatories of the nuclear deal - Germany, Britain, China, and Russia - are scrambling to convince President Trump not to pull out. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News While President Donald Trump suffered a setback earlier in the day with Rear Admiral Ronny Jackson, M.D., withdrawing his nomination to be Veterans Affairs Secretary, the president will have his choice as the new Secretary of State. The Senate voted 57 to 42 on Thursday to confirm CIA Director Mike Pompeo's nomination as Secretary of State, replacing Rex Tillerson. The vote largely came down along party lines, although six Democratic Senators and Independent Senator Angus King, I-King, voted in favor of Pompeo's confirmation. Pompeo's confirmation was practically guaranteed after the Senate Foreign Relations Committee favorably reported his nomination to the full Senate for consideration on Monday. Ahead of the vote, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker, R-Tenn., called Pompeo one of the most outstanding nominees for Secretary of State. "I don't know of a person in the United States of America that could have more current knowledge about what is happening around the world in his current role," Corker said. "As we know, he already met with the North Koreans. We have known for some time that the C.I.A. has been our contact, our backchannel, with the North Koreans," he added. "He's the perfect person to come in at this time and lead those efforts diplomatically." Most Democrats opposed Pompeo's nomination due in part to comments the former congressman made attacking Muslims and homosexuals. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Political News Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday accused the Congress of spreading lies by hiring foreign agencies and dividing societies on caste lines. He said political purity cannot come unless the Congress culture ends. In an interactive session with BJP candidates, state office bearers and leaders of Karnataka via the Narendra Modi app, the Prime Minister urged them not to fall for the Congress's lie and focus on people-to-people contact till the voting. "If you analyse last few elections, you will realise how a few political parties have indulged only in dividing societies on religious lines. They give lollipops to a community before elections and then forget them," he said. Modi said that this is the working style of the Congress in which they exploit emotions of some community before elections and forget them after the elections. "They will never give account of their works. They keep indulging in dividing the society. The political purity can not be established in the country till the Congress culture is finished from the mainstream," he added. Hitting out at the Congress for spreading "rampant" lies, Modi asked the party workers not to fall for the opposition's trap of falsehoods. "Congress has resorted to rampant lying after a series of defeats in elections. Earlier, the Congress used to spread lies over five to 10 issues they raised. Now out of 50 issues, 40-45 are based on lies," the Prime Minister said. Modi said, in such circumstances, karyakartas must stand their ground, expose their lies and also fight their means of deceiving people by "hiring foreign agencies". The Prime Minister said that the other political parties hesitate to talk on development because development can be quantified. "This was unacceptable to those parties which only concentrated on division. We govern and also fight elections based only on development model," he said. The aircraft carrier CNS Liaoning leads its battle group on its first combat exercise in the western Pacific on Friday. (Hu Kaibing/For China Daily) Beijing will take further action to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity if Taiwan separatists continue to carry out secession activities, a senior mainland official warned on Wednesday in Beijing following recent military drills in the Taiwan Straits. Ma Xiaoguang, spokesman for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, spoke in response to a question during a news conference about whether "military force for reunification" should be employed. "The recent live-fire drills carried out by the People's Liberation Army have sent an explicit and clear messagewe aim to pursue peaceful reunification with sincerity and great efforts, but we have the resolve, the confidence and the ability to defeat secessionist attempts in any form, to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity," Ma said. Last week, the PLA Ground Force and Air Force conducted live-fire exercises and several training operations in the Taiwan Straits. Ma said the drills targeted a "Taiwan independence" force, and the government aims for a peaceful and steady cross-Straits relationship and to protect the common interests of people on both sides of the Straits. "It (the live-fire drill) is a warning to the United States, to Tsai Ing-wen and Lai Chingte," said Wang Hailiang, a researcher of Taiwan studies at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences. Tsai is the island's "president" and Lai is the "premier". "The message is clear. The statement made by the Taiwan affairs office is very sharp and it has sent a strong and clear signal. ... Further military activities can be carried out around Taiwan if the tension escalates," he said. A series of military and political events between the U.S. and the islandsuch as whether U.S. Marine Corps units protect the new site of the American Institute in Taiwanwill take place in May and June, Wang said. "If the U.S. and Taiwan have recognized the signal from the mainland's military drill, they should keep a low profile to avoid incurring Beijing's anger," he said. Spokesman Ma Xiaoguang said on Wednesday, "China has always objected if countries with a diplomatic relationship with China establish any form of official or military connection with Taiwan," commenting on remarks that U.S. Marines may guard the AIT. 3 Chennai students drown in Pune dam Three teenagers of a Chennai school who were here on a summer camp, have drowned in a village dam, a police officer said on Thursday. They were part of a team of around 20 boys from ECS Matriculation School, Chennai, who arrived here for the summer camp in Mulshi taluka, along with four teachers. Though the details of the incident were being investigated, police said the body of one victim was recovered, while search continues for the remaining two missing boys. According to Pune Rural Control, the drowning incident took place on Wednesday in a small village dam of Katarbhadak. The group from Chennai with the children aged between 13-16 was attending a week-long vacation camp at the Jackukine School of Thought, here. It was after completing the first day's activities that the children went to the dam and stepped in for a swim, when the tragedy struck. The Pune Police have identified the victims as: Danish Raja, Santosh K., and Sarvanna, all aged 13. Late on Wednesday the search teams recovered the body of Danish Raja and the hunt was resumed on Thursday to trace out the other two. Parents of the deceased students has been informed and were expected to reach here later. A police team, village divers and others are engaged in the search operation. COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) A self-taught Danish engineer was convicted of murder Wednesday for luring a Swedish journalist on to his homemade submarine, then torturing and killing her before dismembering her body and dumping it at sea in a sensational case that has gripped Scandinavia. Peter Madsen, 47, was sentenced in Copenhagen City Court to life in prison for killing Kim Wall, a 30-year-old freelance reporter, after bringing her aboard his submarine with the promise of an interview last summer. "We are talking about a cynical and planned sexual assault and brutal murder of a random woman, who in connection with her journalistic work had accepted an offer to go sailing in the defendant's submarine," presiding Judge Anette Burkoe told the court. Life sentences in Denmark usually mean 16 years in prison, but convicts are reassessed during their incarceration to determine whether they would pose a danger to society if released and can be kept longer. Prosecutor Jakob Buch-Jepsen said he was satisfied that Madsen got "the heaviest penalty in Danish law, namely prison for life." Wall was at a waterfront party with her Danish boyfriend on Aug. 10 when she received a text from Madsen that he would grant her the interview she had been waiting for months for if she joined him immediately. She was last seen waving goodbye to her friends from the bridge of the submarine as it sailed into the Baltic. The submarine was spotted the next day as it passed a lighthouse in waters between Denmark and Sweden, then sank shortly afterward in what police later concluded was an intentional act. After being rescued, Madsen told authorities that before the submarine went down he had dropped Wall off on Copenhagen's trendy Refshale island, where she lived and he kept his workshop. After further questioning, that story changed and Madsen claimed that Wall hit her head on the submarine's hatch and died accidentally. He said he then buried her at sea. Eleven days after her disappearance, a cyclist found Wall's mutilated torso. Police divers then recovered a weighted-down bag containing her head, other body parts and clothing in October. When no injuries were found to her skull, Madsen changed his story again, saying that she died of carbon monoxide poisoning in a malfunction on the submarine. Wall, he told the court, had "a wonderful evening until it ended in an accident." Although he insisted he did not kill Wall, Madsen did eventually admit to dismembering her body, but struggled during his trial to explain why. "What do you do when you have a large problem?" he said at one point. "You make it smaller." The specific cause of death was never established, but Buch-Jepsen introduced evidence that Madsen stashed a saw and sharpened screwdrivers on board the submarine, suggesting it was premediated murder. Investigators also found dozens of links on his computer to sites about the sexual torture of women, and the night before the crime he ran a search for the terms "beheading," ''girl" and "agony," according to evidence presented in court. Wall's dismembered torso had multiple stabs wound, including in the genitals. Though there was no evidence she had been raped, semen was found in Madsen's underwear, according to evidence presented in court. In her verdict, Burkoe noted the discrepancies in Madsen's stories, saying he had "failed to give trustworthy explanations." She added that the court found he "has shown interest for killing and maiming of people and has shown interest for impaling." Madsen listened quietly as the verdict was read, looking down at the desk in front of him. Immediately after his conviction on charges of murder, sexual assault and defilement of a body, Madsen's lawyer, Betina Hald Engmark, told the court she would appeal. The court ordered Madsen kept behind bars during the appeals process. Wall had reported for The Atlantic, The New York Times, The Guardian and other publications and was preparing to relocate with her boyfriend to China a move they were celebrating with friends the day she went missing. Despite the widespread international interest in the case, the court did not allow the verdict to be broadcast live and restricted delayed broadcasts to Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland. The case prompted investigators to re-examine several unsolved killings in Denmark, including the 1986 discovery of the dismembered remains of a 22-year-old Japanese tourist in plastic bags in Copenhagen harbor, but no links to Madsen were found. During the trial, witnesses painted a picture of Madsen as a tech nerd who was intensely competitive, often to the detriment of friendships and relationships. He was involved in Copenhagen's art scene once hosting a mini ballet on board his submarine but also in its bondage club scene, where one member testified he had been kicked out for being too passive. His wife, who initially supported Madsen, but reportedly sought a divorce from him earlier this year, told authorities he openly spoke about attending fetish parties without her. Madsen, who grew up in a small town west of Copenhagen, built rockets in his spare time but never went to university. In 2008, he launched his UC3 Nautilus submarine, which he claimed was the largest privately built submarine in the world. Wall had planned to interview Madsen for a story on a rocket program he founded in 2014, with the goal of building a crowd-funded rocket to launch himself into space. But by the time he finally texted her, his cash flow had dried up and he had cancelled the planned test launch later that month. During the trial, Madsen appeared uninterested when the prosecution detailed a court-ordered psychiatric report describing him as "emotionally impaired with severe lack of empathy, anger and guilt" and having "psychopathic tendencies." But he became animated when technical details about his projects were described. SEOUL, South Korea (AP) Kim Jong Un will be in uncharted territory when the third-generation autocrat crosses over to the southern half of the Demilitarized Zone separating the rival Koreas on Friday, possibly on foot, and greets South Korean President Moon Jae-in. Cameras wielded by one of the most aggressive media contingents on the planet will fire live images of a man used to controlling every aspect of his public persona into the homes and onto the phones of millions of people around the world though it's not yet clear if it will be seen instantly in North Korea. But as Kim navigates this minefield (figuratively; he's not passing through that part of the DMZ) at the third-ever leadership summit between the rivals, he may actually have an ally of sorts in Moon. Despite an announcement that some bits of the summit will be shown live, and the possibility of a joint news conference, Moon seems intent on keeping the North Korean leader at ease, and an aggressive local media at bay, while engineering a summit meant to move the Koreas from what seemed like the brink of war last year to the engagement that the liberal Moon has always dreamed of. This mindset could make it hard for Moon keen on creating a legacy-defining moment that will set up Kim's summit with President Donald Trump in the coming weeks to resist whatever media controls the North demands. "The South Korean government is so anxious and invested to ensure the Kim-Trump summit happens, and isn't a failure, that acceding to media choreography is a very small price to pay when Kim and Moon meet," Vipin Narang, a Koreas specialist at MIT, said by email. "If Kim asks for it, I don't see the South Koreans pushing back too hard." At home, thousands of people work to craft Kim's image. Even when Kim traveled to China earlier this month, the self-censoring Chinese media and the autocratic government in Beijing helped cloak the trip in secrecy; the North then later packaged a sanitized video presentation of the visit for state-controlled TV. While Kim may not be able to control every aspect of what happens on the South Korean side of the DMZ, Seoul seems eager to make sure things go smoothly, even preparing a banquet that includes dishes from Switzerland, where Kim studied during his teens. Seoul also planned three days of extensive, closed-door dress rehearsals, one of them involving North Korean officials, leading up to the summit Friday. The information the world receives will likely be closely controlled: Except for a group of pool reporters at the summit, whose access may be extremely limited, journalists will be sequestered at a media center well away from heavily guarded Panmunjom, the border village where the summit will take place. "I'm sure part of the ground rules for the North-South meeting will be tight controls on the South Korean press," Ralph Cossa, president of Pacific Forum CSIS and a longtime Koreas expert, said in an email. "Besides that, Pyongyang will have total control over how the meeting is portrayed in the North so the risk is minimal. Kim Jong Un seems to exude great self-confidence so he may think he is prepared to take on the South Korean press, but I assume he and his handlers will be very cautious on this point." Moon, ahead of the summit, has faced media reports that his government allegedly pressured prominent defectors and conservative analysts to stay out of the press, presumably because they might anger the North, which keeps a close eye on such things accusations the government in Seoul has strongly denied. South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-hwa seemed to indicate that Seoul won't raise at the summit what the U.N. says is Kim's pattern of starving and abusing his people, despite being pressed by activists to do so, when she told reporters that to "include the (human rights) issue in the inter-Korean dialogue now is something that will require more preparation." And in what critics took as an attempt to muzzle dissent, Moon this week asked "that our political circles halt their political warfare at least during the summit." "It is understandable that Seoul wants to avoid annoying Pyongyang ahead of the April 27 inter-Korean summit. But in order for its policy to work, the government must open its ears to various voices on North Korea," the conservative Korea JoongAng Daily recently wrote. "The president cannot push ahead with (his) rapprochement policy if (he) does not gain support from the people. Many conservatives believe the government is too soft toward Pyongyang." The Minister of Justice and Courts Administration (M.J.C.A.), Faaolesa Katopau Ainuu, has denied claims that Land and Titles Court files were removed from the vicinity of the Court and taken to his Office. The files are in relation to the Ainuu title of Sapapalii and one other about the boundaries of Atua. The files were allegedly delivered by the Ministry of Justice and Courts Administration employee, Tulima Pio, to the Ministers Office. He was accompanied by the Secretary of Chief Executive Officer, Papalii John Taimalelagi. I took the boxes of files to the Ministers Office; I was escorted by the C.E.O.s Secretary, Mr. Pio told the Samoa Observer. When I reported this matter to the Chief Justice; I told him that I was instructed by the C.E.O. to take these boxes of files. I followed orders even though I know deep down that this was wrong. I dont care what the outcome of this is, but at least I came clean and reported the matter to the Chief Justice. He also gave the Samoa Observer a document that lists the names of 10 Land and Titles Court files that were allegedly removed from the Court and taken to the Ministers Office in October 2016. Asked for a comment, Minister Faaolesa said: That is not true. I cannot respond to the questions if you will not tell me who said these things to you. But Mr. Io said he was the one who delivered the files in 2016, upon instructions from his superior. At the time, he was the driver for the Chief Executive Officer of M.J.C.A., Papalii John Taimalelagi. I took the boxes of files to the Ministers Office; I was escorted by the C.E.O.s Secretary, he said. I have already reported this to the Chief Justice earlier this month. It was not possible to get a comment from Chief Justice, His Honour Patu Tiavaasue Falefatu Sapolu, at press time. Mr. Io came to the Samoa Observer Office last month with the claims. Asked why he has waited for so long, Mr. Pio said: I can no longer carry this burden. I followed orders even though I know deep down that this was wrong. I dont care what the outcome of this is, but at least I came clean and reported the matter to the Chief Justice. Mr. Io said he has worked at the M.J.C.A. for six years and hes never seen anything like this being done before. The Head of State; the Prime Minister and all Cabinet Ministers come down to the Court to view the Court files; because we all know the Court files are not allowed to leave the Court, he said. It is prohibited. He also raised concerns about some of the activities at the Ministry of Justice. I have picked up family members (of senior officials) and driven them around for grocery shopping; run errands yet this was not my job in the first place. I am not being paid by the Government to run errands for the A.C.E.Os and their family members. When the Minister was queried, he referred all questions to C.E.O. Papalii, who strongly denied the allegations. This type of allegation questions the integrity of the Ministry and that is why I want to make it clear that these are not true, Papalii said. There was never a time that Court documents have left the Court house. According to Papalii, there is a long-standing policy, which prohibits the removal of any Court records from the Courthouse. There is no law or a regulation specifically on the removal of Court records. But it has been a long-standing policy since the establishment of the Court, this is not allowed. Everyone and I mean everyone has to go through the process, he said. Even his Highness the Head of State, Prime Minister, Cabinet Ministers or Members of Parliament, C.E.O.s if they want to conduct research on any Court filings, they have to file a request form to me. And keep in mind these records are not public records and so if you want to see these files, you have to prove in your request form your eligibility to view any file. These are different from court rulings, which are public. But Court filings and in this case the Land and Titles Court; they have to be a party in order to view the files. The request form is vetted thoroughly and we do not grant any request without going through the proper procedures. Papalii added that they have been working with the Samoa Law Reform Commission to revisit the Land and Titles Act 1981, to insert a clause making it illegal for court documents to leave the court premises. As it stands now, it is only a policy which has been in place long before I came on board. Court Officers Mane Jr Sua and Vili Matthes have been arrested and charged. This was confirmed by Police Superintendent, Auapaau Logoitino Filipo, in response to questions from the Samoa Observer yesterday. The charges are in connection to the glass pipe used to smoke methamphetamine or ice that the Police confiscated from the Court compound last week. Sua, was arrested and charged on Tuesday while Matthes was arrested and charged on Wednesday night. They are both being charged with possession of utensils and were remanded in custody at Tafaigata and will appear in Court on 30 April, 2018, said Auapaau. That is all I can say on this matter. Questions regarding allegations, regarding personnel cheques were not answered by Auapaau. He confirmed the Court Officers are in Police custody until next week. C.E.O. of the Ministry of Justice and Courts Administration (M.J.C.A.), Papalii John Taimalelagi, confirmed the Court Officers are both suspended in accordance with the Public Service Act 2004. The matter is now before the Court, I cannot comment any further, he said. Last week, M.J.C.A. Assistant C.E.O., Veatauia Faatasi Puleiata, confirmed that Police confiscated a glass pipe used to smoke methamphetamine from the M.J.C.A.s compound. Supreme Court Justice Vui Clarence Nelson has described an incident involving a woman, who was stabbed by her estranged husband in public in broad daylight, as one of the "worst domestic violence cases" in the history of Samoa. The defendant, a 33-year-old man convicted of attempted murder, has been jailed for nine years. Justice Vui issued the comment during sentencing, where he also issued a suppression order on the details of the defendant, to protect the interest of the victim. In the interests of the wife and children, I issue a suppression order prohibiting publication of the names and other details of all parties involved in this case, he said. That includes publication of such details on Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp and all other forms of social media. The defendant pleaded guilty to attempted murder, to causing grievous bodily harm and to being armed with a dangerous weapon, namely a kitchen knife. According to the Police summary of facts, the couple had issues regarding their marriage. The wife took their children and lived with her aunty. The Police report says the defendant approached his wife and started questioning her about various marital matters. An argument ensued and the victim stood up to leave. According to the summary, the defendant grabbed her handbag and slapped her. He then pulled out his knife and stabbed her numerous times. The medical report on the victim notes multiple stab wounds including to the left jaw, right side of the neck, left upper breast down to her rib bones, left forearm also right down to the bone, left lower abdomen and left thigh. By my count, that is at least six separate stabs inflicted by the defendant although the medical report refers to other injuries suggesting there were more than six stabs delivered. It is a miracle no major arteries or internal organs were affected. According to the summary of facts, some of these wounds were delivered while the victim was lying on the ground unconscious. After he attacked his wife, the defendant just left the scene leaving the woman lying there and bleeding on the sidewalk. He told the probation office he went home. It was onlookers who rushed to the aid of the injured lady and took her to hospital where her wounds were treated. Justice Vui pointed out the summary of facts goes on to state the defendant stabbed himself with the same knife. But I do not accept that because the defendant told the probation office that he slipped on his way home after the attack and accidently stabbed himself in the stomach. This is a case of domestic violence at its worst. The defendant went to the scene of this incident on the morning in question carrying a knife clearly intending to use it. That is why he has pleaded guilty to attempting to kill her. He attempts in the probation office pre-sentence report to put the blame of this matter on his wifes unfaithfulness, but there is no evidence to support that suggestion and the Court therefore completely rejects it. Justice Vui took issue with the defendant by blaming everything else on his wife. You sir are not the victim, your wife is. You were not the one stabbed more than six times and left to die on the side of the road, your wife was. The purpose of sentencing you for your offences includes holding you accountable for your actions and the harm you caused to your wife. It is also to denounce your conduct and to deter you and other males from this sort of behaviour. The Court must also have regard to the gravity and seriousness of this kind of offending, said Justice Vui. He pointed out many studies and statistics show domestic violence is a scourge in the community that we live in and shows no sign of abating. The damage that domestic violence inflicts on families and victims is akin to a stone being cast into the still waters of a lake. It has a ripple effect not only upon those immediately affected but on all those surrounding them. And its spread is capable of reaching the remote corner of every family and community. Justice Vui made it clear the message from the Courts of Samoa must be unequivocal and must continue to be sent to the public and to people like this defendant. This sort of behaviour is deserving of only one punishment, a term of imprisonment reflecting the circumstances of the case and the seriousness of the conduct of the offender. Among the aggravating factors of the offending is firstly the vulnerability of the victim who was unarmed and no doubt completely unaware the defendant was in possession of a knife that morning, plus the fact that some of these stabs were delivered while she lay defenseless on the ground. Justice Vui considered the premeditated aspect of the attack because the defendant came armed and sought out his wife that morning. If bystanders had not intervened, this merciless attack could possibly have carried on. There is also the fact that multiple stabs were delivered by the defendant and to vulnerable areas of the body - the face, the neck, the chest and the abdomen. Relevant also is the depth of some of the wounds, in the case of the wound to the upper breast, the medical report says it extended down to the womans ribs. And the wound to her left forearm was down the bone. This is indicative of the force and fury involved in the attack. An attack that has caused some permanent damage, said Justice Vui. For the attempted murder, the defendant is convicted and sentenced to nine years in prison. On the charge of causing your wife grievous bodily harm, hes sentenced to six years in prison and they are to be served concurrently. Justice Vui noted the charge of armed with a dangerous weapon that is a superfluous charge is dismissed. The Pacific climate warriors are in Samoa for their Pacific fossil free gathering. All around the world, different communities and groups that come under the umbrella of 350.org come together to have their own fossil free gathering. According to Samoas Pacific Climate Warrior, Brianna Fruean, this retreat is the first time that theyve had a regional gathering in Samoa. Normally we will meet up in Fiji but the team here in Samoa did a real push that we share it amongst the countries, said Brianna. Having it here in Samoa is very special because our past leader was also Samoan. It also showed that Fiji is passing the baton to Samoa and gives team Samoa an opportunity to step up. Pacific Climate Warrior, Fenton Lutunatabua, of Fiji, told the Samoa Observer the focus for this gathering was mainly about growing their collective, as well as deciding what their next move entailed. Mr. Lutunatabuas journey with the Pacific Climate warriors began in 2013 when he met other global youth leaders like Brianna at a global climate event in Instanbul. Together with 15 other Pacific Islanders, they realised that they shared common view and values. When we met, we realised that the story told about the Pacific Islands in the climate discourse was inauthentic to them, said Mr. Lutunatabua. Those stories only painted us as mere victims of climate change just waiting for a handout. So we wanted to reclaim that narrative, the innovativeness of our young people and the wisdom from our elders and their traditional knowledge and how we use that to live a sustainable life. At this gathering, we specifically want to focus on that the Pacific, in many ways, can show the world what true climate leadership looks like. A lot of that is involving young people and building power from the ground up. In these trainings we are discussing ways in which we can work with our people, our youth groups, our church groups, our communities to really stay committed to telling the stories, using our moral voices of why its so important that the world moves away from using fossil fuels because we know the impact fossil fuels have on our island homes and making a condition to a 100 percent community led renewable energy that is both fair and just. Moving forward, the Pacific Climate Warriors intend to find ways to empower their youth in the Pacific at the grass roots level by working with their local community groups particularly the church. Weve been speaking a lot about what we want to do next, said Brianna. Last year we had #haveyourseicampaign and where to now? We have a lot about renewable energy and how we want to really push our community levels to push for renewable energy in our islands so we can model what a fossil free country looks like. Its also about how we can grow the movement. We have a lot of interest from the N.U.S. students joining us. For Samoa, its about how we can get more young people involved in this work. And then we are looking at working with our churches, which is very big in the Pacific and Samoa and how we can work with our grassroots community to really grow the movement towards climate justice for us in the Pacific. The fossil free retreat took place at Ritas Lodge in Lotopa. It started on Monday and was attended by representatives from 14 different Pacific countries who are part of the climate organisation, 350.0rg. Dermtreat, a Danish biomedical company developing an autoimmune disease treatment, has opened its North American headquarters in San Diego. The headquarters will support U.S. clinical testing of the treatment, which delivers a drug for a painful mouth disorder, the company said Wednesday. At the same time, Dermtreat has named San Diego biotech executive Nishan de Silva, M.D., as chief executive officer. De Silva was most recently president of Poseida Therapeutics, and before that chief financial officer and a vice president at Ligand Pharmaceuticals. Dermtreat specializes in drug delivery through the skin. Its founder, Jens Hansen is most known for developing the Nicorette transdermal patch and Taclonex ointment for psoriasis. Advertisement The company has developed a new kind transdermal patch called Rivelin. It adheres to the wet surfaces of mucus membranes, such as that of the mouth. This allows prolonged, efficient delivery of drugs to areas otherwise hard to treat. For its first product, the company chose the painful mouth disorder called oral lichen planus, because theres a high need for better treatment, de Silva said. No drug is specifically approved to treat oral lichen planus, which is caused by abnormal activity of immune cells called T cells. It can produce white lesions, red swollen tissue, or open sores, according to the Mayo Clinic. These most often appear on the inside of cheeks, along with gums, the tongue, or the inner side of the lips. Aside from causing pain, oral lichen planus can lead to cancer. The disease affects about 1 to 2 percent of the general population, mostly women, but often is symptomless. De Silva said he took the CEO job because of the promise of Dermtreats approach. In addition, de Silva said he was impressed by the investors who have supported the company, along with founder Hansen, who is the president. Hes truly an expert in transdermal drug delivery, de Silva said. The company has already conducted early testing of Rivelin alone, with no drug, to show safety. It plans to enter midstage clinical testing of the patch combined with the drug clobetasol by the middle of this year. Advertisement This combo, called Rivelin Clobetasol, will be tested in the United States and Europe. Clobetasol suppresses the immune response. It is used to treat inflammatory skin conditions caused by abnormal immune responses, such as psoriasis. By firmly adhering to the affected area, the patch is expected to deliver the drug directly and for a prolonged period of time, to maximize effectiveness, Dermtreat says. Last year Dermtreat raised $18 million in a financing led by Sofinnova Ventures, with Lundbeckfonden Emerge, Novo Seeds and Welfare Tech Invest. Advertisement Science Playlist On Now In a first, scientists rid human embryos of a potentially fatal gene mutation by editing their DNA On Now Space station flyovers visible from San Diego this week 0:55 On Now UCSD's 'ghost drivers' begin testing people's reaction seemingly empty cars 1:29 On Now 10 interesting facts about Mars On Now Kids can add years to your life On Now LA 90: SpaceX launches recycled rocket On Now Big passions, big giving: Malin Burnham 2:30 On Now Big passions, big giving: Darlene Shiley 2:40 On Now Big passions, big giving: Joan and Irwin Jacobs 2:45 On Now Ocean temperatures warming at rapid rate, study finds bradley.fikes@sduniontribune.com Advertisement (619) 293-1020 The recently opened Tule Wind Project, located in part of the rugged terrain in San Diegos East County, has been knocked offline for the past two weeks due to a faulty underground power cable. A spokesman for the wind farms operator, Avangrid Renewables, said the company is still trying to figure out what went wrong and when the facility will get back up and running. The outage has shut down all 57 of the giant turbines that cover an expanse of 5 miles along Interstate 8 in the McCain Valley. Were continuing to work to assess all the necessary remediation actions and then well implement a complete fix as quickly as possible, said Art Sasse, director of communications and brand for Avangrid, which is based in Oregon. All turbines are not compromised in any manner as a result of the outage. The curtailment began on April 11 and according to the California Independent System Operator, which oversees the operation of about 80 percent of the states electric power system and electricity market, the outage has been listed as forced, which means it was unplanned. Advertisement The Tule Wind Project opened a little more than three months ago after 13 years of bureaucratic and legal battles. The turbines reach 262 feet in height and the blades attached to each rotor stretch to a diameter of 351 feet. The electricity generated by the 131.1-megawatt wind farm is fed into a substation operated by San Diego Gas & Electric and is part of a 15-year power purchase agreement the operators signed with Southern California Edison. Avangrid officials have predicted Tule will generate enough electricity to service about 40,000 homes and deliver more than $39 million in state and local tax benefits over 25 years. Eight full-time employees work at the site. The Tule Wind Project takes up about 12,000 acres of backcountry territory that includes bighorn sheep and golden eagles. Some environmental groups have opposed the wind farm, saying it poses a danger to the areas habitat, eagles in particular. Avangrid officials have long maintained the company has been careful to protect wildlife and birds. Business Advertisement rob.nikolewski@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1251 Twitter: @robnikolewski ALSO Tule Wind farm now producing electricity Advertisement Wind energy in California: The good news and bad news Group files appeal to stop expansion of Tule Wind Project A bill in Sacramento that would require utilities to submit detailed plans outlining how they would handle disastrous wildfires is moving through the California Legislature but its facing fierce opposition from consumer groups who say it amounts to a giveaway to power companies. And some of the utilities arent crazy about it, either. The legislation, Senate Bill 1088, authored by Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Santa Rosa, breezed through the Governmental Organization Committee on an 11-1 vote Tuesday and is heading to the Senate Appropriations Committee in Sacramento. We need the electric utilities and the Public Utilities Commission to implement best practices and also mandate that our investor-owned utilities do the best job they can to harden the grid and prevent these types of fires, Dodd said. Advertisement The bill comes after a series of deadly wildfires scorched the state last year. Fires have been occurring with greater frequency, with eight of the 20 most destructive fires in California history coming since 2015. SB 1088 wants to make sure the equipment owned by the states major investor-owned electric and natural gas utilities is more resilient and resistant to damage from wildfires and other major events, including earthquakes. The legislation calls for utilities to submit a safety, reliability and resiliency plan to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) every two years. The CPUC would then review those plans in a single, consolidated proceeding and make sure the utilities are complying with those plans, which also include spending estimates. We need to think innovatively and proactively about fire prevention, said Dodd, who lives in Napa and said 151 homes in his neighborhood burned down in 2017. Opposition to the bill But some consumer groups find fault with SB 1088 on a number of fronts and say the bill will lead to utility customers paying higher rates. Under the legislation, once the CPUC approves a utilitys safety plan, the commission would be required to pass along the costs of the plan to the power companys customers. That, says The Utility Reform Network (TURN), undercuts the process of general rate cases that utilities make before the CPUC. Those hearings are complex and detailed, often taking two years sometimes longer to get resolved. The bill, TURN argues, would put the plans submitted by the utilities on too fast a track. Advertisement TURNs communications director Mindy Spatt said utilities would have carte blanche to raise rates with limited or no regulatory review. TURN and other consumer representatives would be shut out under SB 1088, unable to hold utilities accountable for spending or stop rates for essential services from skyrocketing for so-called safety initiatives of no proven value. Also, if the CPUC does not approve a given utilitys safety plan by the end of the year in which it was submitted, the utility can go ahead and implement the plan, getting full rate recovery, until the commission eventually OKs it. Thats not enough time for the CPUC to go over the details of each utilitys plan, said TURNs executive director Mark Toney, who called the timeline wildly unrealistic. The California Large Energy Consumers Association agreed. Los Angeles-based Consumer Watchdog denounced the bill as a massive bailout. Advertisement The legislation changes the standard so that as long as (a utility) files a nebulous plan for fire control then the company is not legally accountable for its failure to take reasonable steps that prevent wildfires, Consumer Watchdogs president, Jamie Court said in a letter this week to Senate Pro Tem Toni Adkins, D-San Diego, and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, D-Lakewood. Dodd said Thursday that recent amendments to the bill could expand the time for the CPUC to review a utilitys plan from one year to two years. I felt that was a legitimate criticism, Dodd said. Utilities mum or even skeptical Advertisement San Diego Gas & Electric declined to say if it supports or opposes SB 1088, writing in an email, We are currently in the process of reviewing the new amendments to the bill. Southern California Gas has not taken a position on the bill. But other utilities have been more vocal. In an April 13 letter, Southern California Edison said SB 1088 needs to be improved and alluded to the legal concept known as inverse condemnation that, according to the California Constitution, says utilities can be held liable for damages caused by wildfires linked to their own equipment even if the companies followed accepted safety procedures. Edison said it wanted to see a move away from the current structure of allowing what is essentially limitless utility liability, and instead include appropriate cost recovery standards. Advertisement Pacific Gas & Electric sent its own letter to the chairman of Senate Committee on Energy, Utilities and Communications Sen. Ben Hueso, D-San Diego making similar arguments. PG&E spokesman Ari Vanrenen told the Union-Tribune that SB 1088 includes some good ideas but we believe it is only one part of what needs to be a broader solution to address Californias new normal of climate-driven wildfires. Large parts of the Wine Country fires last year that killed 44 people and scorched 245,000 acres occurred in PG&Es service territory. There has been speculation that PG&E power lines blowing in a windstorm may have sparked some of the fires but investigations by Cal Fire and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection are still underway and have not reached any conclusions. San Diego attorney Michael Aguirre, a longtime critic of the states investor-owned utilities and the CPUC, said he suspects the utilities actually favor the bill but are pushing for more, such as protection from inverse condemnation. Advertisement I think they like it, Aguirre said, they just want some whipped cream and a cherry on top. Going forward Dodd said he has worked really hard to thread the needle among the groups criticizing the bill. The reality is I dont believe youre going to get the investor-owned utilities to invest what they need to invest to make our grid safer without some assurances that theyre going to get compensated for it, Dodd said. Theres no free lunch. Advertisement But at the same time, Dodd said, his proposal isnt a slush fund that (utilities) can use for corporate executives. This isnt a slush fund they can use for anything else other than doing the job. The bill calls for fines to be levied against utilities who dont adhere to their safety, reliability and resiliency plans. The CPUC would be in charge of determining the size of those fines, Dodd said. According to PG&Es website, Dodd received $4,200 from the utility in 2016 campaign contributions. During the campaign I raised over $2 million, Dodd said. The fact of the matter is people that know my record know that doesnt play into what I do I am a ratepayer. Im not interested in paying higher rates, but at the same time Im interested in keeping communities safe. Advertisement SB 1088s hearing in the Senate Appropriations Committee is expected within a couple of weeks. Should the committee pass it along, it will then go to the Senate floor. If approved by the Senate, the bill would go to the Assembly where it would run a similar legislative gauntlet. Advertisement Business rob.nikolewski@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1251 Twitter: @robnikolewski ALSO Advertisement Looking for answers to Californias growing wildfire threat SDG&E wants another shot at billing customers $379 million for 2007 wildfire costs State regulators adopt stronger fire safety rules for utilities A behavioral health clinic for children in La Mesa is breathing a sigh of relief after the City Council told the operator of a medical marijuana collective in San Ysidro he would not be able to open a dispensary in La Mesa. The La Mesa City Council on Tuesday unanimously overturned a Planning Commission decision granting a conditional-use permit to New Origins Management Inc. to open a collective in the La Mesa Medical Plaza on El Cajon Boulevard. Family Wellness Center/East County Outpatient clinic, part of the San Diego Center for Children, had appealed the Planning Commissions decision. The outpatient clinic serves more than 500 at-risk children and their families at 7339 El Cajon Blvd. in Suites J and K. Wayne Alexander Scherer, the proprietor of New Origins, was looking to open at the same address, in Suite C. Advertisement La Mesa voters in 2016 passed Proposition U, which states that dispensaries cannot be located within 1,000 feet of sensitive-use locations and minor-oriented facilities or city-designated licensed childcare centers, playgrounds, other dispensaries or schools. San Diego Center for Children, a nonprofit that helps youngsters struggling with mental, emotional and behavioral issues, told the city that its La Mesa outpatient clinic falls under that definition. It has a contract with the County of San Diego and works with 27 schools in four school districts in East County. Earlier this month, Moises Baron, who runs the center, said he would appeal the Planning Commissions findings that the dispensary was within its legal rights to open, a position backed by city staff. Baron said the dispensary would be disruptive in an area where vulnerable and at-risk children and families go for therapeutic help. Baron was out of town for the hearing but Cheryl Rode, vice president of clinical operations for the center, and several employees of the center spoke to the City Council reiterating the centers concerns. The council said it would uphold the appeal and not allow the dispensary to open. It is my understanding that it is a minor-use facility and fits the definition of an after-school program, said City Councilman Bill Baber. They have a contract with eight schools in La Mesa Spring Valley. When you read Prop. U, it speaks to any after-school program and therefore minor-oriented facilities. Voters understand that if you want to open a medical marijuana collective, it would not be in places where children are likely to go. San Diego Center for Children is probably a place where children will be centered. Scherer said he was under the impression the center did not qualify as a sensitive use. He said he has invested about $200,000 on rent, architectural and land-use costs, and attorneys fees since. He has operated a collective in San Ysidro since 2015. Advertisement The reassurances we had from the city attorney and city staff created the path that we took, Scherer said. We thought it would be OK. We did look at the facility. It looked like offices to us and we thought their services were more out in the field and occasionally had families and kids there, not a place where kids congregate without parental supervision. Scherer said he was concerned about a lack of due process and isnt sure the City Council did enough research into the matter. Mayor Mark Arapostathis, an educator, said he is familiar with the San Diego Center for Children as it contracts with his employers at the La Mesa-Spring Valley School District. Arapostathis said the city is still learning the nuances involved with medical marijuana dispensaries in the city and that the process continues to evolve. Advertisement karen.pearlman@sduniontribune.com Citing an anonymous source, Reuters said, "President Donald Trump's nominee to be secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, had asked Harris to take the key post in Seoul, which has been vacant since Trump took office in January last year." The White House is considering switching the nominee for ambassador to Australia, U.S. Pacific Command chief Adm. Harry Harris, to the post of ambassador to Korea, Reuters reported Wednesday. Harris was nominated for the Canberra job in February, but the dramatic change in the security situation on the Korean Peninsula seems to have changed Trump's mind. The North has pledged to freeze nuclear tests and missile launches while closing down its nuclear test site. Marc Knapper, the charge d'affaires, has been serving as acting ambassador in Seoul. Harris is known for his hawkish approach to North Korea. He has helmed the Pacific Command, which oversees the U.S. Forces Korea, since 2015 and retires next month. The U.S. is a rare case in the world in making political appointments for ambassadorial posts rather than using career diplomats. After decades of false starts and unfulfilled proposals, Chula Vistas bayfront redevelopment finally has the financial backing it needs to build its flagship project. Chula Vista and the Port of San Diego approved a development agreement, revenue-sharing plan and public subsidy for the $1.1 billion hotel and convention center Tuesday. Chula Vista Mayor Mary Casillas Salas called the unanimous vote to approve the financing a historic moment. Good things come to those who wait, she said. Advertisement Salas, who was first elected to the City Council since 1996 and heard multiple proposals throughout the years, said the hotel and convention center will spur development along Chula Vistas bayfront. The citys master plan envisions the area turning into a tourist hub with hotels, restaurants, stores, and water front parks. Houston-based RIDA Development will put up $785 million to build the hotel and convention center. Chula Vista and the Port of San Diego will pay $343 million $240 million for the hotel and convention center and $103 million for infrastructure and parking improvements. Additionally, the port will forego ground lease revenues for 38 years, resulting in a $245 million subsidy. To fund their portion of the project, Chula Vista and the Port created the Chula Vista Bayfront Financing Authority and will issue taxable and tax-exempt bonds. The city and port will pay for the bonds with a combination of general fund revenues and tax revenues from the hotel and convention center. Once completed, the project is expected to bring in annual tax revenues of $23 million to Chula Vista, which will help pay the bondholders. After the debt is paid, those revenues will go toward the general fund. The project sits on a 36.5-acre site on the bay near H Street. Part of the site is currently occupied by the Chula Vista RV Resort, whose lease expires next year. On Monday, the Port of San Diego approved a new RV park a few yards north of the existing one. Ira Mitzner, CEO of RIDA Development, envisions the hotel and convention center being the best resort in California. Were excited, he said. Quite frankly, we believe this is going to be the best resort in the state and, as a partnership, the best free-standing conference hotel. Advertisement The project includes a 1,600-room hotel, 275,000 square feet of event space, a 1,500-space parking garage and resort-style amenities such as a wave pool. The project is expected to bring in approximately 2,200 construction jobs and 4,470 permanent jobs. Estimates include, direct, indirect, and induced jobs, generated by the project. In addition to tax revenues from the hotel and convention center, Chula Vista will pay off the bond with annual payments of $1.3 million from its general fund and the Port of San Diego will pay $2.1 million from its general fund. Both payments begin July 1, 2018, according to a staff report. Chula Vistas general fund expects to see net positive from the hotel and convention center 23 years after it opens, according to the staff report. Advertisement Chula Vista currently faces a $2.2 million deficit in the fiscal year 2019 budget and city officials are asking taxpayers to vote for a sales tax increase to hire more police officers and firefighters. The citys finance director, David Bilby, says the city can make up the $1.3 million that will go toward the bond payments. Its about what the project does as a whole, he said. Theres lots of ways that we can leverage our citys resources to move funding up and back as long as theres a net positive impact in the long term. Because the $1.3 million coming out of the citys general fund is a relatively small percentage of the citys $180 million budget, staff can find one-time funds until the project become cash-flow positive, Bilby added. Advertisement Chula Vistas contribution is no different than what other cities and states offer to businesses to try to woo them into their communities, said Seth Kaplowitz, a lecturer at San Diego State Universitys Fowler College of Business who has worked in real estate development and construction. Kaplowitz called the move a long-term, patient money play. The long and short of it is, I dont see any red flags to tell me this is a bad deal, he said. I see the city is willing to take a calculated risk in an effort to preserve and improve the character of the city. As San Diego keeps moving south and the border keeps moving north, theyre betting on that entire area to become much more user-friendly. Analysts who wrote the economic development subsidy report have reservations about the developers ability to generate revenues that are consistent with the rest of the industry. Advertisement Councilmember Pat Aguilar asked Paul Marra, the managing principal at Keyser Marston Associates San Diego office, what they meant when they wrote, RIDA will need to control development costs and or improve operating performance in order to achieve satisfactory long-term return. Marra explained that RIDAs internal long-term rate of return is 13.8 percent but their target should really be up to 16 percent or 17 percent. So our conclusion was that even with the proposed contribution for the project, RIDA is not fully feasible, he said. They will need to tighten their development budget or achieve better revenue projections, lower operating expenses in order to achieve an industry standard return. Contact Gustavo Solis via Email or Twitter Spend the day in Linda Vista with cultural exhibits, ethnic food, artistic performances and a parade to celebrate the different cultures of San Diego. This years 33rd annual event is highlighting Linda Vista: Our Stories, and will include a world arts village with artists and crafters selling their work, hands-on workshops for kids, musical performances, carnival games and rides, and a parade that begins at 11 a.m. with marching bands, clubs and community officials. Linda Vista Multi-Cultural Fair and Parade: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. 6900 block of Linda Vista Road, between Comstock and Ulric streets, San Diego. Free. (619) 828-3101. lindavistafair.org Choreographer Peter G. Kalivas, founder of the PGK Dance Project, also produces Dance on the EDGE, a showcase for dance performances staged at this weekends Mission Federal ArtWalk. He jokingly describes his role as being like the dance police. Kalivas strives to keep the peace by helping to ensure that the choreography is appropriate for a large and diverse, family-friendly showcase. No politics. No nudity. No religious themes. And if you refer to the event as a street fair, hell issue a warning. We have 21 dance companies this year and they all submitted an application stating who they are, what style of dance they perform and a video that represents the quality of the work, Kalivas explains. Advertisement We sit down and judge the presentations based on various factors. We cant warn the audience if someone is going to curse or not be fully clothed. Its an outdoor event, so it has to be appropriate for most audiences. Mission Federal ArtWalk is more accurately a celebration of visual and performing arts that spreads throughout 17 blocks in Little Italy this Saturday and Sunday. Theres a diverse selection of art to peruse, along with music concerts, kids activities and spoken word and dance performances. The Dance on the EDGE artists, Kalivas explains, are professional or semi-professional companies rather than recreational groups that entertain just for fun. We have approximately 10,000 people who see our stage over the course of two days, he says. Thats huge and a marketable opportunity. Its most definitely a promotional platform for regional dance. These artists are investing in the idea and how they want it to serve them. At the Dance on the EDGE stage corner of Grape and India streets attendees can witness the San Diego Civic Youth Ballet, a fiery flamenco performance by Flamenco Arana or pulsing hip-hop by Culture Shock Dance Troupe. The show by PGK Dance Project invites the audience to join in the performance. We are teaching a country line dance to the song Footloose, says Kalivas, who has produced Dance on the EDGE for seven years. I try to get the audience more involved with what we do. I dont want them to sit in a plastic chair and stare while we are jumping around. Those who stand up and join us can have a physical experience and feel the joyfulness of moving the body. Advertisement ArtWalk gives emerging choreographers like Shannon Mueller a chance to present new work to a large audience. In fact, it was the size of the audience, with people of all ages and from all walks of life, that inspired her idea to create movement that would reach everyone, even those who might dismiss watching a dance performance because of a disability. A Chapman University graduate who teaches at Shadowridge Dance Center and Carlsbad Performing Arts Academy, Muellers new work, They, will be performed by eight dancers to the poignant instrumental They Move on Tracks of Never-Ending Light by This Will Destroy You. Mueller was once a volunteer at Reins, a therapeutic riding program in Fallbrook, where she assisted children and adults with mental and physical disabilities to ride horses. As a choreographer, I think Im really lucky to have all my senses and have the ability to move my body as an instrument, Mueller says. So I approached the work differently from just wanting to create cool movement. I started thinking about people who dont have the luxury of sound and how can I bring dance to their eyes so they can enjoy it. Art can tap into so many senses and with this piece, it went into a deeper state for me. Advertisement In They, as the music becomes more layered, the dancers become instruments of sound in a movement language that speaks to everyone, even those who are hearing or visually impaired. Dancers link arms, resembling a sound wave with a rippling motion. At other times, Mueller says, it looks as if the notes are taking over the body as dancers jump up with a crescendo or reflect subdued movement to quieter strains. They inhale together and feet hit the ground in a rhythm that supports the music. ArtWalk has so many types of people, its a huge public event, Mueller says. I think about people who might be missing out on certain aspects of art because of some sort of disability and I try to tap into that instead of just creating for myself. I think that is why dance is so beautiful. It offers something for everyone. Mission Federal Credit Union ArtWalk Now in its 34th year, Mission Federal ArtWalk is one of the longest-running fine arts festivals in Southern California. Its expansive, too, with ArtWalk @ Liberty Station celebrating its 13th year on Aug. 11-12 at Liberty Station. And Carlsbad ArtWalk makes its debut Sept. 22-23 in North County. Information about all three events can be found online at artwalksandiego.org. Visitors to this weekends Mission Federal ArtWalk in the Little Italy neighborhood will discover: More than 300 local, national and international artists, displaying and selling paintings, sculpture, photography, glass, and jewelry. Live music shows, including performances by local recording artists Tom Griesgraber, Sara Petite and Robin Henkel. A dozen spoken-word artists such as Gill Sotu, Viet May and Amen Ra performing 10-minute works that can incorporate rhythm, improvisation, rhyme, word play and slang. An interactive project hosted by Artist & Craftsman Supply that invites attendees to create an abstract painting and a community mural led by Carly Ealey. Dance on the EDGE showcasing 21 dance troupes, including performances by City Ballet II, PGK Dance Project, Flamenco Arana, Shannon Mueller and more. KidsWalk, with face-painting, wildlife programs, circus arts and an interactive photography exhibit. 2018 Mission Federal Credit Union ArtWalk When: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday Advertisement Where: Between Ash and Grape Streets in downtown Little Italy Tickets: Free Online: artwalksandiego.org A lieutenant assigned to the 1st Marine Division attempted to murder a fellow commissioned officer during a fight in North Carolina, prosecutors say. Marine 1st Lt. William L. Coville of Richmond, in Contra Costa County, faces multiple charges in connection with the beating of an unnamed officer on May 21, 2017, in Sneads Ferry, N.C., including attempted murder, maiming and assault, according to a charge sheet released to The San Diego Union-Tribune following a federal Freedom of Information Act request. Sneads Ferry is near both Camp Lejeune and the U.S. Marine Corps Special Operations Command. Coville serves in 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms in San Bernardino County and his court-martial is overseen by 1st Marine Division in Camp Pendleton. Advertisement Authorities believe that he was drunk when he allegedly beat and slashed a fellow officer on his neck and head with a beer bottle and punched him in the mouth. The unidentified victim reportedly suffered seriously disfiguring facial fractures, according to the charge sheet. Coville allegedly threatened to kill the officer, later saying that he hoped the Marine would bleed out and die. Covilles next court appearance is May 15 in Twentynine Palms. He joined the Corps in 2016 and has never deployed overseas. He has received both the National Defense Service Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal. According to the Marine Corps recruiting office in Berkeley, Coville graduated from the University of California at Davis and had been working as a personal trainer before attending Officer Candidates School in Quantico, Virginia. In another case at Twentynine Palms, commanders dropped all charges against Cpl. Gage L. Lobraico. He faced four specifications of sexual assault and another for unlawfully touching the genitals of an unidentified female Marine on March 26, 2017. The charges were withdrawn without prejudice, which means they can be resurrected if more evidence becomes available, but this occurs very rarely, according to his defense team of Marine attorneys Maj. Susan Upward and Capt. Adrian Kinsella. Advertisement We believe that this is absolutely the just result, as pre-trial investigation, motions, and litigation revealed serious credibility issues about the complaining witness in this case, Upward said by email. While we are confident that Cpl. Lobraico would have been acquitted at trial, we are pleased that he has been vindicated before the court-martial was convened. We are only saddened by the fact that the stigma of this accusation alone may forever follow our client and tarnish his good name. 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 A Los Angeles Police Department officer has been charged with attempting to transport two people in the country illegally through an immigration checkpoint in Southern California. A federal court filing Wednesday said Mambasse Koulabalo Patara was arrested this week at a San Diego County checkpoint about 12 miles north of the border with Mexico. According to the complaint, Patara had two people in his car and appeared nervous when questioned. The documents said the officer was taken into custody after his passengers said they were not U.S. citizens. The filing said Patara, who was off-duty, showed his LAPD identification and had his service weapon inside the vehicle. Advertisement His passengers were detained by Border Patrol officers. A man living in the U.S. illegally has been sentenced to the death penalty for the 2014 killing of a Northern California sheriffs deputy and a detective. The Sacramento Bee reports that Luis Bracamontes smiled during Wednesdays sentencing and was eventually tossed out of the courtroom for yelling. He was earlier convicted of killing Sacramento County sheriffs Deputy Danny Oliver and Placer County sheriffs Det. Michael Davis Jr. The two mens family members and friends made emotional pleas and statements ahead of the sentencing. Former Placer County Deputy Chuck Bardo called Bracamontes a monster and a coward. Advertisement Bracamontes is a Mexican citizen who repeatedly entered the United States illegally. Beyond the consulate's opening, he gave no further timetable. He ended his speech at the Prague Castle at a party to celebrate Israel's 70th anniversary by saying: "Next year in Jerusalem." But the Czech government, which controls foreign policy, didn't confirm the announcement. President Milos Zeman spelled out the process of moving the embassy, saying it would take place in three steps: An honorary consulate will be opened in Jerusalem next month, followed by other Czech institutions before the embassy's actual transfer. The Czech Republic's president suggested Wednesday that his country was considering joining the U.S. in moving its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. In a letter to Zeman, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he hoped he would jointly open the new embassy in Jerusalem at the end of this year. The Czech foreign ministry didn't immediately confirm the embassy's move, though it did say that the opening of the consulate and the Czech cultural center in west Jerusalem was the first step toward having its embassy in the capital of the host country. But it also said the Czech Republic "fully respects'' the common position of the European Union that Jerusalem must be the joint capital of Israel and a future Palestinian state. As that's unlikely to happen soon, the embassy transfer Zeman hopes for is far from being imminent. The Czech presidency is a largely ceremonial post. Zeman previously voiced support for President Donald Trump's decision to move the U.S. Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, which sparked outrage among Palestinians and across the Muslim world. Palestinians claim eastern Jerusalem, territory captured by Israel from Jordan in the 1967 war, as their future capital. Israel claims all of Jerusalem as its eternal capital. An armada of community leaders armed with birthday wishes will descend on Christ United Presbyterian Church Sunday afternoon. The object of their accolades? The retired Rev. George Walker Smith, who will be celebrating his 90th birthday. Several current and former legislators are planning to attend even newly named state Sen. Pro Tem Toni Atkins has the visit on her calendar unless a crisis intervenes. A state resolution has been jointly drafted in Smiths honor. Its fitting that the event is at the church he started when he moved here from Pittsburgh in 1956 and ran for nearly a half century until he retired in the year 2000. Ever committed to education, Smith continued to serve until a year ago on the board of the McGill School of Success, a charter school he launched in 1991 with Sol Price in a portion of his church. Advertisement Education and has been Smiths hobby and his passion for decades. He was the first African-American member of the San Diego Board of Education, which he served on for 16 years. In 1976, he was elected president of the National School Boards Association. He also served on the National Advisory Commission on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the White House Committee on Education and the Arts, the California School Boards Association, the San Diego Community College District board and the San Diego Crime Commission, to mention just a few. But many know Smith through the Catfish Club, which he founded in 1970 when he fried catfish and invited community members to an informal serve-yourself lunch and conversation on the issues of the day. The club, currently on hiatus as the search ensues for a new meeting place, became a go-to forum for civil discussion of simmering local issues, especially turbulent race relations during the Watts riots and Rodney King beating by police. After O.J. Simpsons trial, Smith co-founded the Coalition for Equality to address discrimination, which he has experienced first hand. I grew up on a sharecroppers plantation where black folks had the status of a slave, Smith recalled in an interview Wednesday. But the white family who owned the plantation, they got me tutored. They practically adopted me. I had what you would call a decent life there. But when I arrived in San Diego, I found some of the same problems that blacks had experienced in Alabama. There was discrimination in almost every aspect of San Diego life. So I said, I will build a church with a mission of bringing folks together, not apart. And that is what he did, starting in Golden Hill and then later moving to the current South Park location at 30th and Fir streets. Sen. Toni Atkins commented: Ask me about San Diegos most important civic and social-justice leaders since the middle of the 20th century and Ill say the Reverend George Walker Smith. From leading the congregation at what was San Diegos only integrated church to creating the must-attend Catfish Club civic forum, he has been a key figure in our citys political and social evolution -- and a fierce champion for our African-American community. I dont feel like Im 90, said Smith, whose robust frame has shrunk to 120 pounds in recent years, but who remains in great mental and spiritual health. He still lives in his Valencia Park home, where his daughter, Carolyn Brown, helps care for him. Years are nothing but numbers, Smith noted. Its what you do with the years youve lived thats important. Advertisement Brown is coordinating Sundays birthday brunch, which runs from noon to 3 p.m. She expects 250 to 300 guests but admits, because it is an open invitation, she has no idea how many will show up. Katherine Faulconer hosted the Better a Block event in Mountain View to build a stronger relationship with the community, churches and the police who patrol the area. (David Brooks / San Diego Union-Tribune ) Taking orders: Katherine Stuart Faulconer, the wife of Mayor Faulconer, and Marcela Celorio, Consul General of Mexico, have a new line of work Thursday. Both are putting a surprise twist on public service. They will be waitresses from noon to 2 p.m. in Hillcrest at Ortegas Mexican Bistro, 141 University Ave. Joining them will be the Rev. Penny Bridges of nearby St. Pauls Cathedral not to pray but to bus dishes. Marcela Celorio, the Consul General of Mexico in San Diego, will be serving lunch at Ortegas in Hillcrest. ((Courtesy of the Mexican consulate) ) Advertisement It is all part of Dining Out For Life, a day to raise money to fight AIDs, explains LGBT activist Nicole Murray Ramirez. He will be the lunch maitre d. Close but no cigar: Winners of prestigious International Songwriting Competition categories did not include two semi-finalists with San Diego ties. Nevertheless, at 19, Grossmont College student Everen Maxwell Graves is delighted just to have made the 15 semi-finalists in the electronic dance category in this major global contest. Everen Maxwell Graves, 19, won placement in an elite group of song creators in the electronic music category of a major global contest. (Courtesy photo ) Adrielle Bow Belle, who grew up in Chula Vista but moved to New York City as a high school freshman, also was a semi-finalist in the unsigned artists category. Advertisement Quote of note: After 30 years in the Marine Corps, Chief Warrant Officer 3 Christian Flores was given a formal retirement ceremony at MCRD. During the April 17 event, he was presented with a San Diego County proclamation declaring that day Christian Flores Day. Following this announcement, a Marine Corps colonel stepped to the microphone and showed he clearly knew now to win over the crowd. Christian Flores Day?, the officer repeated. OK, we all have the day off! Advertisement diane.bell@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1518 Twitter: @dianebellSD Facebook: dianebell.news A man accused of shooting at police officers atop a Bankers Hill condominium building in 2015 brought his trial to abrupt end this week by pleading guilty to some charges and agreeing to a 20-year prison term. Titus Colbert, 35, changed his plea Monday to guilty on four counts of assault with a firearm on peace officers and allegations that he personally used a firearm against each officer. He was arrested on Nov. 4, 2015 after a five-hour SWAT standoff during which he exchanged gunfire with San Diego police, prompting airport officials to cancel landings at nearby San Diego International Airport for a time. No one was injured in the shootings. Advertisement In exchange for the guilty plea, prosecutors dismissed four counts of attempted murder of a peace officer and various firearms allegations. Colberts trial, which opened on March 7, was entering its eighth week. Deputy District Attorney Michael Runyon said he had anticipated finishing presenting his case this week. Deputy Public Defender Melissa Tralla would have then begun her defense case. In early court appearances soon after his arrest, Colbert disrupted proceedings by singing to the judge, We are the Illuminati; we stand for a new world order. Another time, he shouted, May 1, 1776!, a reference to the founding day of the Illuminati, an Enlightenment-era secret society. Colbert was removed from the courtroom at those times. Once, he refused to leave his cell. He underwent a psychiatric evaluation but was deemed competent to stand trial. Runyon said Colbert made no similar disruptions during his trial. Tralla told jurors that Colbert has a long history of mental illness, being diagnosed as schizophrenic and bipolar by age 16. She said he suffered a psychotic break the day of the shooting. Authorities said that in 2015, Colbert took two rifles and a revolver from his roommate in Las Vegas and headed to San Diego, where his ex-girlfriend lived. Advertisement He showed up unannounced at her Brant Street condo. She sent him away, then spent the night elsewhere to avoid him. She testified that he had phoned her several dozen times leading up to his unwanted visit. While she was away, Colbert let the woman know that he had broken into her sixth-floor condo, with the firearms and extra ammunition. She called police about 9:10 a.m. to report his intrusion. Two officers with a police dog found a broken glass door and went inside the penthouse condo. A shot was fired at them through a partly open door. They fired back and retreated, Runyon said in court. When the officers radioed for backup, the hours-long siege started. Colbert stepped outside and fired rounds, then went back inside. Nearby schools were locked down and tenants in an apartment building within his rifle range were told to stay indoors. Advertisement Planes headed into the airport were feared to be within Colberts rifle range, so they were diverted for some time. Colbert dropped the guns out a window and surrendered at 2:40 p.m. He had a criminal history including a drug dealing conviction in San Diego in 2012, an assault conviction in Maricopa County, Ariz. in 2010 and a weapons conviction in San Bernardino County in 2003. Colbert is the brother of Tecumseh Colbert, who is on Death Row for fatally shooting Robert Anthony McCamey and Richard Hammes during a 22-day crime spree in 2004. Advertisement pauline.repard@sduniontribune Advertisement Twitter: @pdrepard A little more than a year ago, 27-year-old Daniel Ivan Reyes drove to the store on his motorcycle to pick up a movie, Finding Dory, for his young son. That same morning, Richard Gideon Hammond, also 27, smoked some marijuana and headed out on an errand, but somehow ended up driving nearly to the Mexican border. Hammond pulled a U-turn on Interstate 5 and started north the wrong way, in southbound lanes. He made it three miles before crashing head-on into Reyes at full speed, killing the motorcyclist instantly just north of Dairy Mart Road on Dec. 3, 2016. On Wednesday, Reyes family pleaded with a judge to send Hammond to prison for the longest possible time as they tearfully read statements about how much they missed the Chula Vista father of two boys, ages 2 and 5 when he died. Advertisement Chula Vista Superior Court Judge Garry Haehnle agreed with the family that Hammond deserved six years in prison for his February conviction on one count of gross vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence. Richard Gideon Hammond was sentenced Friday to six years in prison for the wrong-way crash that killed Daniel Ivan Reyes of Chula Vista in 2016. He chose to smoke marijuana. He chose to drive a car, Haehnle said. It seems to me this guy doesnt have any clue of what happened that night. He said he did not know where Hammond entered the freeway, but he would have passed several exits if he was trying to run an errand at a pharmacy. The judge said authorities dont know exactly how impaired by marijuana Hammond was that night because he was taken to a hospital and never given a field sobriety test by the California Highway Patrol. Deputy District Attorney Christopher Chandler said laboratory tests showed a higher level of marijuana than they normally see. This was a horrible crime that could have been avoided had Mr. Hammond made better decisions, Chandler added. In a statement after court, Chandler said a toxicologist could not exclusively attribute Hammonds wrong-way driving to marijuana, but said it was consistent with marijuana use. Advertisement In California, it is unlawful to drive under the influence of any drug. Prosecutors must show that the driver was impaired, not simply that the driver took the drug and then drove. There is no exception for lawful users of medical marijuana. Hammonds pregnant fiancee broke into quiet sobs in court as the judge imposed the stiffest penalty available to him, denying a defense request for probation. Michelle Godfrey gave a lengthy statement asking leniency for Hammond, saying their baby is due in September and she cant run their natural herb remedy and handmade soap business alone if he is incarcerated. She also expressed grief for the Reyes family. She said she met Hammond in 2016 when she was ill and alone, and his herbal remedies cured her. He worked as an IT technician and an inventor, and dreamed of opening an aerospace firm one day, Godfrey said. Advertisement Richard is not without suffering, he is not without injury himself, she added. He has been unable to socialize and express himself the way he used to or work the same way due to the guilt, agony and disability this accident has caused. Reyes family took exception to defense attorneys who called the crash an accident during the trial. It was not an accident, it was a collision that could have been avoided, said Reyes aunt, Maria Sanz-Vasquez. In my opinion, Mr. Hammond is a killer, and the way he used to kill my nephew was his car. Her daughter, Stephanie Sanz, recalled her cousin a funny and amazing person who put everyone in a good mood by his presence. Advertisement Her sister, Susan Sanz, told the judge even a six-year sentence was not enough for Hammond. I wish our pain only lasted six years. I wish I could tell my nephews their father would be gone only six years, she said. Advertisement pauline.repard@sduniontribune Twitter: @pdrepard The University of San Diego on Wednesday received a $10 million donation from La Jolla philanthropists Raffaella and John Belanich to create state-of-the art classrooms, laboratories and other spaces in the Shiley-Marcos School of Engineering. The renovations will be carried out in Loma and Guadalupe Halls, and an intermediate annex building, campus officials say. When the work is done, the facilities will collectively be known as the Belanich Engineering Center. We are deeply grateful for Raffaellas and Johns transformative gift to provide cutting-edge facilities offering students the opportunity to be changemakers for innovation, social justice and peace, Engineering Dean Chell Roberts said in a statement. The couple is widely known for its support of the arts, particularly opera, in San Diego. But John Belanich is also an engineer and real estate developer, which further aligns the couples interests with the university. A Turkish court on Wednesday handed down prison sentences to a group of journalists and employees working for a Turkish opposition newspaper on terrorism-related charges, in a case that has focused attention on the erosion of press freedoms under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Fourteen of the defendants, who work for Cumhuriyet, one of Turkeys oldest newspapers, were given sentences of up to 7 1/2 years. The defendants have been released from custody, pending an appeal. Three other employees were acquitted. The journalists were arrested in the months following an attempted coup in 2016 that the authorities blamed on Fethullah Gulen, a Turkish cleric living in exile in the United States. Thousands of people who were accused of aiding the coup plotters were arrested or dismissed from government jobs. However, the authorities also targeted opposition politicians, journalists and dissidents who played no part in the coup, human rights advocates said. Gulen has denied any involvement in the coup attempt. Advertisement Lawyers for the Cumhuriyet staff members, who were charged with aiding terrorist organizations, have called the accusations baseless and said they stemmed from the newspapers frequent opposition to Erdogans government. The paper, which is associated with Turkeys mainstream opposition, was frequently critical of Gulen and his followers. Press advocates said the prosecution of the newspapers employees was part of a broader attack by Turkish authorities on the news media that included the closure of independent news outlets, the arrest of journalists and the consolidation of media outlets under government-friendly owners. Can Atalay, a lawyer for Ahmet Sik, one of the journalists on trial, said the harsh sentences were a surprise, if only because they exceeded the prison terms handed down in other cases to actual members of Gulens movement. Those sentenced on Wednesday included the papers cartoonist, Musa Kart, and Aydin Engin, a 78-year-old columnist. This part is incomprehensible, Atalay said, in a videotaped interview that was published on Cumhuriyets website. This is not a state of law. The sentences could have a chilling effect on the news media at a critical moment, with Turkey heading toward elections in late June that could give Erdogan enhanced powers. Doing journalism in Turkey in these circumstances - just to make the news, just to arrange a front page, just to make a headline - will be much more difficult than yesterday, Atalay said. Bill Bloomfield, one of Californias biggest political donors, has funded campaign mailers supporting Mike Levin, a Democrat running for the House. Bloomfield is an independent and former Republican who has supported candidates on both sides of the aisle. Levin and the Bloomfield family are long-time personal friends. One of Californias biggest political donors has funded mailers supporting Democrat Mike Levins run for Rep. Darrell Issas seat in the House of Representatives. Federal Election Commission records show Bill Bloomfield spent $41,310 on Levins behalf, the first major source of outside money in support of that campaign. Levin and the Bloomfield family are long-time friends. Bloomfield said besides the personal familiarity, hes backing Levin because hes committed to ending gun violence and stopping global warming and has dedicated his professional career to environmental causes. Mike is young, but I think his whole life has prepared him for this, Bloomfield said by phone. If we cook ourselves and we dont deal with the climate change issue, not really much else matters. Advertisement From Manhattan Beach, Bloomfield is an independent who left the Republican party in 2011 and has backed candidates from both sides of the aisle. A one-time independent House candidate and a current board member for California Common Cause, he describes himself as liberal on social issues, but has put millions into pro-charter school groups as well and pro-business candidates and government reform efforts. Bloomfield declined to say if he will provide Levin with any additional support. State campaign finance records show he gave $2.94 million last year to California campaigns, committees and other political groups. In addition to the money Bloomfield spent on the pro-Levin mailers, federal records show he has given about $38,000 to congressional committees this cycle. All the candidates he has supported this cycle are Democrats. William Bloomfield knows that Mike is a strong Democrat who has been involved in progressive campaigns and causes for more than two decades, Levins campaign consultant, Parke Skelton, said by email. An attorney from San Juan Capistrano, Levin is a law school classmate and personal friend of Bloomfields son Wyatt Bloomfield. Im just somebody trying to help a friend whose trying to help our country, Bloomfield said. Bloomfields mailer is the second instance of major spending from an outside group in the race. Earlier this month a super PAC for EMILYs List, a group that backs Democratic women who support abortion rights, sent mailers and aired television commercials for Sara Jacobs, a Democratic candidate in the race. The 49th District stretches from La Jolla to Dana Point and is one of the most-watched and expensive races in the country. Issa, R-Vista, won re-election in 2016 after he defeated Democrat Doug Applegate by 1,621 votes, the closest margin of any federal race in that election cycle. Issa announced in January that he would not seek re-election this year. Advertisement Besides Levin and Jacobs, Applegate is also running, as is businessman Paul Kerr, a Democrat. The major Republican candidates include Assemblyman Rocky Chavez of Oceanside, Board of Equalization member Diane Harkey of Dana Point, San Diego County Supervisor Kristin Gaspar of Encinitas, and San Juan Capistrano Councilman Brian Maryott. Advertisement Twitter: @jptstewart joshua.stewart@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1841 A Los Angeles police officer who was arrested at a San Diego County immigration checkpoint on suspicion of illegally transporting two Mexican citizens into the country pleaded not guilty in federal court Thursday afternoon, officials said. According to a federal complaint, Mambasse Koulabalo Patara was stopped with two passengers in his car at the checkpoint on Interstate 8 in Pine Valley shortly after midnight Tuesday. Border Patrol agents said Patara pulled up to the primary inspection area in a black 2006 Toyota Corolla sedan and immediately told agents at the checkpoint he was a U.S. citizen, an off-duty police officer and showed them his Los Angeles Police Department identification card. Patara appeared nervous and was visibly shaking, according to the complaint, and was referred to a secondary inspection for further questioning. Advertisement Once there, Patara informed the Border Patrol agent that he was a Los Angeles police officer and was carrying his service-issued weapon. The agent found a pistol concealed in the rear of Pataras waistband. Both passengers, identified as Fermin Lopez and his nephew, German Ramirez-Gonazalez, initially said they were also U.S. citizens, but later told agents they were Mexican citizens who did not have immigration documents allowing them to enter or remain in the U.S. According to the filing, Ramirez-Gonzalez told agents he and Lopez had illegally crossed the border six days prior. Lopez told agents the two had walked for a day and a half after crossing the border on April 22 before reaching the Golden Acorn Casino. Ramirez-Gonzalez told a different story. He said he had gone up to Los Angeles and then to the Viejas Casino in Alpine with Patara, whom he said he had known for about five years and had done work for on his property. After gambling at Viejas for an hour, the two went to the Golden Acorn Casino. Ramirez-Gonzalez said the group had left the casino between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. and drove toward Los Angeles. He couldnt explain why they were at the checkpoint around midnight. Ramirez was asked how it was possible for a 15-20 minute drive to the checkpoint (to take) over three hours. Ramirez stated that he does not know, the complaint said. The two passengers are material witnesses in the case. Advertisement Patara, who works as a traffic officer, was placed on paid administrative leave after his arrest, a Los Angeles police official said. Hes been with the department for about 11 years. In San Diego federal court on Thursday, Patara was ordered to surrender his passport and any firearms he has. He was granted bond was expected to be released from custody. He is represented by Federal Defenders of San Diego and his preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 9. If convicted, he faces up to five years in custody. Pataras attorney did not respond immediately to messages left at his office by phone and email. Advertisement Staff writer Lyndsay Winkley contributed to this report. Advertisement dana.littlefield@sduniontribune.com Twitter: @danalittlefield A Pauma Valley man was killed Wednesday night when the motorcycle he was riding struck a car on Valley Center Road. According to the California Highway Patrol, the 45-year-old man was riding a silver Honda motorcycle northbound on Valley Center Road at about 6 p.m. when he crashed into a silver Toyota Tacoma stopped at an intersection. The motorcycle had been behind the car as they both headed north on Valley Center Road toward the West Tribal Road intersection, about a quarter mile south of state Route 76. The driver of the Tacoma, a 26-year-old Valley Center woman, reached the intersection and stopped, intending to make a left turn. According to the CHP, the motorcycle did not slow down and crashed into the rear of the stopped Tacoma. Advertisement The man sustained fatal injuries during the collision and died at the scene, according to the CHP. Homeless Playlist On Now San Diego hepatitis outbreak continues to grow: 481 cases On Now Homeless entrenched in booming tent city along Santa Ana River On Now San Diego mayor agreed to homeless hub, then delayed, advocates say On Now Homeless outreach in San Diego On Now Video: Street Art: Portraits of San Diego's Homeless #8 On Now In poverty himself, 'Water Man Dave,' is the fearless saint of San Diego's homeless 5:41 On Now Video: Homeless living in cars find safe havens 2:21 On Now Street Art: Portraits of San Diego's Homeless #7 On Now Pitching a tent plan for San Diego's homeless On Now Homeless efforts get $80M boost for various services gary.warth@sduniontribune.com Twitter: @GaryWarthUT Advertisement 760-529-4939 The White House is rejecting accusations President Donald Trump and his administration are hampering freedom of the press in the United States. A media watchdog and advocacy group has dropped the United States two places to 45th in its annual press freedom rankings, blaming Trump's repeated verbal attacks on reporters, publications and TV news networks. "I think we're one of the most accessible administrations that we've seen in decades," replied White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders at Wednesday's briefing just hours after the release of the Reporters Without Borders 2018 World Press Freedom Index. "I think by my mere presence of standing up here and taking your questions unvetted is a pretty good example of freedom of the press and I think it's ridiculous to suggest otherwise," Sanders said, responding to a question from VOA. The response did not satisfy the chief White House correspondent for the Cable News Network, which has been repeatedly singled out by the president as a purveyor of "fake news." Jim Acosta, who sits in the front row for the White House press briefings, asked Sanders whether she was trying to say, in response to VOA's question, whether the Trump administration was a champion of the free press. "We support a free press, but we also support a fair press," Sanders replied. "And I think that those things should go hand in hand and there's a certain responsibility by the press to report accurate information." The press secretary then said she frequently finds herself "taking your questions in a tone that's completely unnecessary, unneeded and frankly doesn't help further the conversation or help the American people get any more information in a better way, which is your job and my job." Sanders then moved on to another reporter as Acosta attempted to continue his line of questioning, but not before Acosta interjected with a comment of his own that "the president's tone toward the press obviously is not helpful at times, and I think that's plain to see." Such testy televised exchanges between prominent American journalists and the White House press secretary -- and sometimes the president himself -- have further polarized Americans about both the conduct of the administration and the media since Trump's surprise election victory in 2016, which followed an unconventional campaign filled with the candidate's criticism of the press. Scott Pruitt gave little ground Thursday as he testified before two House panels about controversial spending and management decisions he has made while at the helm of the Environmental Protection Agency, blaming aides for exorbitant spending and saying career officials signed off on other controversial decisions. Bolstered by Republican lawmakers, who praised his push to unravel Obama-era regulations and cut the agencys workforce, Pruitt suggested that the censure hes faced in recent months stems largely from opponents who want to stall President Donald Trumps environmental policies. Those who have attacked the EPA and attacked me are doing so because they want to derail the presidents agenda. Im not going to let that happen, Pruitt told members of the House Energy and Commerce environment subcommittee during the morning. A lie doesnt become true just because it appears on the front page of the newspaper. Whether Pruitts composed performance will be enough to preserve his job remains unclear, but there were few signs Thursday that House Republicans were ready to abandon him. Few GOP lawmakers - among them, Rep. Ryan Costello, Ill., who is retiring, and Rep. Leonard Lance, N.J., who is locked in a tough reelection fight - criticized Pruitt during more than five hours of questioning. Advertisement Three White House officials said Pruitts testimony - while not good, in the words of one - did not deliver a knockout blow to his tenure. The EPA chief has little support among senior aides there, and the president has voiced more concern as allegations and investigations involving Pruitt have accelerated. Multiple probes are underway by the agencys inspector general, as well as by the House Oversight Committee, the Government Accountability Office and the White House itself. Trump did not watch much of the administrators testimony live, one official with direct knowledge of his schedule said, but will probably view segments later along with media coverage. Democratic lawmakers pushed Pruitt hard on several fronts, prompting him to concede that he had known in advance of an aides pay hike, that he had not sought an ethics ruling on his rental of a condo from a lobbyist and that a costly soundproof phone booth installed in his office did not constitute the kind of secure communications facility commonly used by federal officials for classified discussions. Im not afraid to admit that it has been a learning process, he said. Pruitt repeatedly faulted staff for spending decisions that have drawn intense heat and denied that he had reassigned or demoted anyone who questioned those expenditures. Several people - including Pruitts former deputy chief of staff for operations, Kevin Chmielewski - have charged that they faced retaliation after challenging plans to spend taxpayer funds on first-class travel, office upgrades and other perks for him. The EPA chief insisted there was no truth to such reports, adding, Im not aware of that ever happening. He also said he had no idea that his request to install a secure phone line in his office would lead to the customized, soundproof phone booth costing $43,000. I was not aware of the approval of the $43,000, Pruitt said at one point, and if I had known about it, congressman, I would not have approved it. Midafternoon, Pruitt moved over to a House Appropriations subcommittee and was again pressed on how that phone booth came about. The decision to install it should not have been made, he said. Advertisement Referring more broadly to management and spending missteps at the agency, Pruitt told the panel, If there are processes that have not been followed internally . . . I commit to make those changes prospectively. He addressed questions about his first-class travel by saying that, even with ongoing security concerns, he had returned this year to flying coach. I recently made changes to that because I felt like, from an optics and perception standpoint, it was creating a distraction and I thought it was best to go another direction, he said. He said he was aware of the move to give agency senior counsel Sarah Greenwalt a raise but did not push for it. She and another staffer received significant raises this spring over the objections of officials in the White House Personnel Office. Advertisement I was aware of one of those individuals receiving a raise, Pruitt told Costello. Greenwalt got a 52 percent increase last month, while Millan Hupp, director of scheduling and advance, got a 33 percent boost. The Washington Post first reported last week that Greenwalt had emailed a colleague in EPAs human resources department that the raises had been discussed with the administrator in advance.Each woman had worked for Pruitt in Oklahoma before coming to Washington. Earlier, when Rep. Paul Tonko, D-N.Y., asked Pruitt if he had authorized chief of staff Ryan Jackson to sign the raises, Pruitt had replied, I was not aware of the amount, nor was I aware of the [Personnel Office] process not being respected. He said he had delegated authority to Jackson to review and approve such personnel actions - a move that was documented by a March 2017 memo the agency released Thursday. Jackson reversed both raises on April 5, according to EPA documents. Advertisement While Costello and Lance bore in on his spending on security and travel, other Republicans lauded his aggressive actions to roll back regulations, most prominently the Obama administrations signature effort to cut carbon emissions from power plants. The greatest sin youve committed, if any, is youve actually done what President Trump ran on, won on and what hes commissioned you to do, Rep. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., told Pruitt during the first hearing. The EPAs press office issued a news release shortly before the second hearing, with quotes from Pruitts congressional supporters, including Cramers comment: I never cease to be impressed by the level of detail you know. But Democrats were unsparing in their criticism. Advertisement Tonko, the House Energy and Commerce subcommittees top Democrat, delivered a fusillade as Pruitt looked on impassively. After ticking off several allegations about the administrators personal financial dealings and professional decisions, the lawmaker said, In almost all cases, the more we have learned, the worse they get. He concluded by telling Pruitt, You have failed as a steward of American taxpayer dollars and of the environment. Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., N.J., the Energy and Commerces top Democrat, was even harsher. You are unfit to hold public office, and you are undeserving of the public trust, he told Pruitt. The administrator rebutted most charges, though he did retreat some during an exchange with Rep. Diana DeGette, D-Colo. Previously, EPA officials had likened the privacy phone booth to a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF) that Pruitt needed for secure conversations with the White House and other officials. A recent GAO report did not assess the booths security merits but said Pruitt violated federal spending laws by spending more than $5,000 upgrading his office without advance notice to Congress. Advertisement The phone booth is actually not a SCIF, Pruitt said, even as he rejected the GAOs conclusion. He acknowledged that he has only used the booth sparingly. Its for confidential communications, and its rare, he added. At times, he professed to be unfamiliar with some of the technology his aides had installed in his office. What is a biometric lock? Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt., asked. I dont know, the administrator replied. I just put a code in. They were born weeks apart, then died weeks apart, too, at age 95. Melba and Ralph Margolis were inseparable in a lot of ways. Married for more than 60 years, they owned and occupied the same Serra Mesa home for almost as long. They were passionate about the same causes, even if if meant biting the hand that fed them. In 1967, they joined a landmark lawsuit against the San Diego school district Ralphs employer claiming it maintained racially segregated campuses that favored white children academically. Advertisement Nothing aint right, he liked to say, adopting a strong Yiddish accent from his native Bronx, but some things are wronger than others. The suit was successful. A judge ruled that 23 schools were racially isolated and that the districts commitment to integration was less than satisfactory. That led to a voluntary busing program that took minority students from inner-city neighborhoods to more-affluent white ones, and white students to inner-city magnet schools with specific academic themes. One of the children who got on a bus: The Margolis daughter. They thought all kids deserved an equal education, and they were willing to do what it took to make sure they were heard, the daughter, Naomi Gary, said. Ralph Margolis died at home under hospice care on Nov. 1 from complications of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and pneumonia. His family held off on memorial services, anticipating that his death would adversely affect his wife, which it did. Her health deteriorated, relatives said, then she had a fall and went into hospice care, too, dying on Dec. 12. A celebration of life is planned for both at noon on May 5 at the First Unitarian Universalist Church in Hillcrest, where they were longtime members. They met in 1949 at a Thanksgiving dinner in Flint, Mich. She had a masters degree from the University of Minnesota in clinical social work, the first from her family to go to college. He was a World War II Army vet who had grown up on a commune in Michigan, a bit adrift about what he wanted to do next. Advertisement She told him to get going and go to college, Gary said. He earned a masters degree, too, and a teaching credential, and in 1953 they were married. When a recruiter for San Diego Unified offered to double his salary, they moved here in 1960. He taught a variety of subjects at Marston Middle School, joking that because he had skipped those grades living on the commune he was fated to relive them year after year. She raised their children, and after they were grown, returned to social work at Home Start. They both retired in 1989. They were committed to liberal causes, especially civil rights. They donated money to send a Unitarian minister to the Selma March in 1965. They went to Los Angeles to campaign door-to-door for Tom Bradley in his successful bid to become the first African-American mayor there. On the school desegregation suit, their daughter was among 10 plaintiffs five white, three black, one Latino and one Asian for what became known as the Carlin case, named for the child whose last name appeared first alphabetically on the legal paperwork. Advertisement Gary said her mom became aware of inequities in the schools through sixth-grade camp, which some kids at inner-city schools missed because their parents couldnt afford it. That made it personal for her, the daughter said. She realized her children were getting a better education because of where they lived. There was some backlash to the activism, family members recalled. They got angry phone calls. Someone splashed black paint on their garage door. In later years, the Margolises focused their support on two organizations, the ACLU and Planned Parenthood. At a joint birthday party last May both were born during that month in 1922 guests were asked to make donations to those groups in lieu of gifts. Their daughter said a similar sentiment is behind the May 5 celebration of life, which will have a civil-rights theme. My parents fought the good fight, she said. They would want us to keep the momentum going. Advertisement Survivors include six children, Angelo Margolis of Grants Pass, Ore.; Margo Margolis of Bellingham, Wash.; Nathan Margolis of Craig, Colo.; Rebecca Margolis Steele of Silver City, N.M.; Zachary Margolis of Breckenridge, Colo.; and Naomi Gary of San Diego; eight grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and one great-great grandchild. Advertisement john.wilkens@sduniontribune.com The Census Bureau, on the 2020 Census, intends to ask: Is this person a Citizen of the United States? Note that the question is about citizenship, not legal status. The question is not new. It was first asked on the 1820 census and has been asked almost continuously since 1890 on the long or short census forms or, more recently, the annual American Community Survey. The plan to return it to the census has caused much consternation for those in the increasingly left-leaning Democratic Party who support open borders. Related: A citizenship question will lead to an inaccurate census count in 2020 The reasons given by the Census Bureau for asking the question seem reasonable: Advertisement We ask questions about a persons place of birth, citizenship, and year of entry into the United States to create data about citizens, non-citizens, and the foreign-born population. Agencies and policy makers use our published statistics to set and evaluate immigration policies and laws, understand the experience of different immigrant groups, and enforce laws, policies, and regulations against discrimination based on national origin. These statistics also help tailor services to accommodate cultural differences. ... We compile the results from these questions to provide communities with important statistics to help ensure equal opportunity, educate children, and understand change. The Census Bureau produces data and statistics not information about any individual. It is against the law for any Census Bureau employee to disclose or publish any census or survey information that identifies an individual. No other government organization is allowed to access this information. Given the Census Bureaus reasons for accurately knowing the size of the immigrant population, and given the difficulty in determining that number, it makes sense to try to get a more precise count. What better way than to ask? While I could say more, that is essentially my argument in favor of including the citizenship question on the 2020 census. It seems so benign and inconsequential an issue that one must ask why the uproar. A couple of thoughts come to mind: First, the uproar is typical of the current political climate. Some of the faux indignation about this issue comes from the coalition of never Trumpers and some from the left which is trying to gain power by demonizing almost everything that our government stands for and does, especially by fueling the flames of identity politics. But there is more to it the age-old motives of power and money. Democrat leaders have expressed concern that asking the citizenship question will cause some immigrants not to complete the census forms. Certainly there is no reason for legal immigrants not to participate. Any reduction in participation will be from those here illegally and even that seems unlikely given the law regarding handling the form. But, were there to be a reduction in undocumented immigrants completing the form, it would mean a reduction in various types of funding, and reduced representation in the House of Representatives, for the overwhelmingly Democratic large metropolitan areas that are disproportionately home to undocumented immigrants. Advertisement Another threat to Democratic Party power that an accurate count of the noncitizen population might pose is a greater likelihood of exposing voter fraud. Given loose standards for registering to vote and for casting a vote, and the overwhelming propensity of undocumented noncitizens to support the Democratic Party, fraud likely benefits them. A more accurate count of residents who are not citizens might make it easier to detect voter fraud if and when it happens. Finally, having accurate counts of noncitizens will shine light on the real foreign influence in our politics. Americans living outside the large Democratic Party-controlled metropolitan areas will be made aware of the voting advantage those areas gain by counting undocumented noncitizens when allocating seats in the House of Representatives, and of the amount of additional federal money those areas receive for the same reason. Those Americans will then be more inclined to support efforts to limit the number of immigrants in our country to those here lawfully. No individuals, by anonymously stating whether or not they are citizens, will be affected by the census question. Advertisement Voluntary participation in the census by those here legally will not be affected at all. I do not know how much the question will impact those here illegally (and, since they are here illegally, I dont care) but most likely it will be small. The hysterical reaction to this question by the open border, left-wing Democrats tells a story about the methods they use to gain and control power. Buckley, a La Mesa resident, is a retired U.S. Navy officer and Helix High math/statistics teacher. Unless the Trump administration reverses course as it pertains to a new question on the 2020 U.S. Census and fast the United States stands to log the single most inaccurate resident count in the history of the nation. On March 26, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced its plans to add a citizenship question to the decennial survey. The decision to add an untested question undermines the integrity of one of the most preeminent scientific agencies in the world, jeopardizing the accuracy of the 2020 census and wasting millions of taxpayer dollars in the process. Related: A citizenship question is needed for accurate census data The U.S. Constitution lays out the Census Bureaus job clearly and with exacting detail: Count every resident living in the United States every 10 years. That is every resident, not every citizen. Advertisement Objections to the addition of a citizenship question were swift and numerous. One day after U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross announced the departments decision, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra filed a lawsuit, arguing that the question will interfere with the actual enumeration of the people required by the Constitution by depressing response rates from noncitizens and their relatives. The implications of including a question about citizenship are significant as an accurate count will suffer. Business will not have the information they need for planning and investments, and states with large or emerging immigrant populations will be left without access to an equal share of federal funds and political representation. The consequences of an inaccurate count are considerable for all Americans, but especially for residents of the Golden State. As the most populous state in the nation, California is home to large numbers of youth, immigrants, highly mobile residents, and those with limited-English proficiency. This diversity is an asset, helping make California the sixth-largest economy in the world, but it also means that the state population is hard to count. Adding an untested question on citizenship at this point would only seek to make an already-difficult job even harder for the Census Bureau. With more than $600 billion in federal funding up for allocation, the costs of an undercount to state governments, counties and localities are staggering. George Washington University researchers reported in 2017 that for every resident not counted in the 2010 census, $1,000 in federal funding was lost. California knows firsthand how an inaccurate census can affect the bottom line of the state. An estimated undercount of 1.5 million people in California in 2010 meant a loss to the state of $1.5 billion. With an even higher undercount expected for the 2020 census, critical services in health, education and safety and welfare, emergency preparedness and relief funds would undoubtedly be in jeopardy. Field representatives conducting surveys and other experiments are already reporting widespread and unprecedented fear among test respondents, according to a Census Bureau report issued late last year. Adding a question on citizenship only fans the flames of fear and distrust, further risking depressed census response rates and costing taxpayers millions of dollars. Estimates from the Census Bureau show that every 1 percent decrease in the self-response rate will increase the cost of conducting the census by $55 million. NALEO Educational Fund and the Latino Community Foundation will be working hard in the coming days, weeks and months to reach out to Latinos in California and nationwide to address fears within the community and the importance of being counted. Advertisement To ensure those with malicious intentions do not win by having Latinos and immigrants sit out the 2020 census, we will work with others across the state and nation to mobilize the Latino community and fight back against efforts to sabotage the Census Bureaus efforts. We have begun this process by bringing policymakers, stakeholders and community advocates together to discuss the options for reversing this costly and disastrous course of action before it is too late. The census was never intended to be abused for political purposes. Its nonpartisan status must be protected given the vital role the bureau plays in the accurate allocation of hundreds of billions of federal dollars to states and communities. We as a nation only have one chance every 10 years to get a fair and full count right. We will not rest until all legal and legislative options have been exhausted to assure a complete and accurate count is achieved. The clock is ticking on this critical course correction. The stakes are too high to fail. Advertisement Martinez Garcel is chief executive officer of the Latino Community Foundation based in San Francisco. Website: latinocf.org. Vargas is executive director of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund based in Los Angeles. Website: naleo.org/education. A debunked claim making the rounds in recent weeks that a new California bill would prohibit the sale of the Bible in the state continues to spread, especially on social media, despite reports from Politifact and Snopes explaining why its untrue. Taking its turn in Americas culture wars is Assembly Bill 2943, which proposes to set strict restrictions on services to change a persons sexual orientation, also known as gay conversation therapy. Current state law prohibits sexual orientation change efforts or SOCE for children under the age of 18, but AB 2943 would extend the ban to any person of any age and it would prohibit the advertising or sale of SOCE goods and services in the state, Snopes reported. AB 2943 has passed in the assembly and is awaiting a vote in the state senate. But the claim that such a bill could ban the sale of the Bible or other Christian books took off after remarks Assemblyman Travis Allen, R-Huntington Beach, made on One America News Network in April. Allen is a candidate running to be governor of California and he said the bill would literally ban Bible sales. This is essentially criminalizing religious beliefs, OANN host Liz Wheeler said in an interview with Allen. And I dont mean to speak in hyperbole here, but if this bill were to pass, would this prohibit the sale of the Bible, that teaches these things about sexual morality? Well, literally, according to how this law is written, yes, it would, Allen replied. This is, you know, PC culture, politically correct culture, gone horribly awry. This is really directly hitting at our First Amendment rights as American citizens. Now the Democrat legislators in this building, right behind me, the California state legislature, they want to tell you how to think, what sort of books that you can read, write and purchase, Allen said. The claim has since spread like wildfire. The interview was posted on YouTube on April 18 and has since been seen more than 100,000 times. Wheelers tweet containing the video has been seen more than 37,000 times. Conservative websites like The Daily Caller and The Federalist have also helped spread the claim. But most prominently, National Review columnist David French this week wrote that yes, California is on the verge of banning some Christian books. Frenchs column zeroes in on the broad interpretation of the law that could apply to SOCE goods sold, which could include the Christian books, he says without going as far as including the Bible as a Christian book. Some agree with French that the law, as written, is too broad and too sweeping. Others have gone as far as calling it a war on Christianity. Skeptics are also pushing back. Anthony Samson, a Sacramento-based attorney, told Snopes that the bill does not apply to sales of books nor would it prevent people from speaking or writing freely about conversion therapy. The bill applies to such conversion therapy as a commercial service in exchange for monetary compensation. Legal experts told Politifact that the bill would have to pass a constitutional test and that the Bible neither promotes or advertises gay conversion therapy in its text. We rate this claim Mostly False, Politifact concluded. The claim has also generated a lot of fierce reaction online. One Washington D.C.-based Catholic priest, Fr. Matthew Schneider, said spreading the false claim can hurt someones credibility, though it was not clear whether he was referring to Allen. Will California effectively ban the sale of the Bible in bookstores? Thats unlikely. Even French, the National Review columnist, doubts that will happen. French says he doesnt believe the state would go into bookstores looking to purge Christian texts, but he says there could be other unintended consequences. Its far more likely that the recommendation or sharing of certain kinds of Christian books and other written materials would be deemed evidence of fraud and would present a core part of the case against a minister or counselor, he writes. And so the debate continues. Do you believe this bill would ban the sale of the Bible or do you believe the fact checkers who said thats not the case? Do you think the law is too broad and in need of better language? Could this hurt or help Allens prospects as a California gubernatorial candidate? Share your thoughts and opinions with me. Correction: This story previously stated that David French had argued that AB 2943 could potentially ban certain books, but did not include the Bible as one of them. Email: luis.gomez@sduniontribune.com Twitter: @RunGomez Read The Conversation on Flipboard. North and South Korea will discuss a phased removal of guard posts in the demilitarized zone separating the two Koreas as well as disarming the remaining soldiers stationed in the border truce village. The idea is part of efforts by South Korea to turn the DMZ from a symbol of division into a symbol of peace, according to government sources. Under the armistice that halted the Korean War in 1953, North and South Korean soldiers in the DMZ are allowed to carry handguns and non-automatic rifles. Amidst bickering and accusations of two camps on the Board of Education, the members of the Poway Unified School District board passed several policy changes at their April 19 meeting. The new policy changes affect the position of the student board member and how he or she is elected. The changes were made to bring the district up to date with the policies and bylaws issued by the California School Board Association and is an ongoing process for the PUSD board members. Board Member Kimberley Beatty proposed changing the role of the single student board member to a new student every month, a suggestion met with opposition by Vice President Darshana Patel. Patel said that while the idea was intriguing, she felt it was too late in the year to make the change, considering that applications for the position for the next school year were already being accepted. Patel also read statements made by replace current student board member Shaina Mishra and former student board member Ella Smith, who both said they needed the entire year to build relationships, learn about policy and reap the most benefits. Patel suggested that next year, the board could get student input from the Superintendents student advisory council on the issue. Beatty said she felt Patel had committed a Brown Act (state open meeting law) violation by discussing this exact issue with the student board representatives prior to the meeting, and that Patel had clearly been privy to the suggestion Beatty was going to make. Patel said she did not know about Beattys suggestion beforehand and that she spoke to the student board members about their experiences. Beattys motion to change the student board representative position did not pass, with a 3-2 vote. The board members showed a sharp divide when it came to voting on which two members would be part of the committee to decide on the next student board member, who will replace Mishra when she graduates next month. The committee consists of the current student board member, the superintendent or her designee, and two members of the Board of Education. Board Member Charles Sellers said he had a suggestion to try and move this along, wherein the board members would pick one person from each camp, quote unquote, I think everyone knows what I mean when I say that. Sellers suggested the two board members should be Beatty and someone else should suggest someone else to be the second person. Board Member Michelle OConnor-Ratcliff proposed that herself and Patel serve as the two board members on the selection committee. Sellers proposed Beatty and OConnor-Ratcliff. Patel said that she had a strong interest in serving on the committee and she felt very strongly about being a part of it, a sentiment that OConnor-Ratcliff echoed. When asked by Beatty if OConnor-Ratcliff would give up her spot for Patel, OConnor-Ratcliff declined. The committee members were decided by having each board member write their two picks on a notecard and the top two vote-getters winning. The votes concluded with Sellers and Beatty voting for Beatty and President T.J. Zane, while Zane, OConnor-Ratcliff and Patel voted for OConnor-Ratcliff and Patel. OConnor-Ratcliff and Patel were confirmed as the board members for the student board member selection committee in a unanimous vote. Sellers addressed the incident later in the meeting during his board report, saying he was really disappointed in what happened in regards to selecting the two board members for the committee. I tried really hard to be an adult about it, Sellers said, I tried to recognize reality, that we have two factions on this board, and that unless its life-and-death, its nice to try and accommodate everybody. Sellers continued by saying that unfortunately, the way things go up here is, might makes right. Instead of working out an amicable position, Michelle and Darsh, they wanted these positions, so they took them. Sellers also said he was particularly disappointed in Zanes leadership, for failing to find a middle ground but instead accommodating what OConnor-Ratcliff and Patel wanted. Thats how it is up here, power is not shared, its not considered or even passed around. Its all about winning. Patel responded to Sellers comments, saying she did not necessarily think there was a camp of two thoughts and board members agree on most of all the items. Most of our differences are just in philosophical differences on how we approach things, Patel said. Patel also said she could not imagine a situation where the board members could not find room to compromise. Email: news@pomeradonews.com Imagine for a moment that California now had a top four primary election system instead of the top two it now uses. In that alternate for now world, the four leading vote-getters in this Junes primary election would advance to the November runoff election rather than just the top two. With two Democrats Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa currently at or near the top of the seven-person field of credible candidates for governor no one would have to pay much attention to either of them during the leadup to this Junes primary. Instead, attention would be focused on the other five candidates, bunched until days ago in single-digit territory in every poll. Thats because the real contest wouldnt be for the two top slots, but for the other two positions on the fall ballot. And if one of the other two Democrats and one of the two current Republican candidates should win those two runoff spots, it would be highly possible that heavily Democratic California could end up with a GOP governor, even though that party now trails Democrats by about 20 percent in voter registration. This would happen if the full 25 percent of voters registered as Republicans voted for their partys surviving candidate, who would likely also pick up some independent no-party-preference voters, while the three Democrats splintered their partys vote. Dont laugh. Something like this actually happened in 2012 in a largely-Democratic San Bernardino County Congressional district where Republicans wound up with both November ballot slots because a bunch of Democrats splintered their partys vote. A very improbable scenario, you may say. But it is exactly the kind of situation a currently circulating potential ballot initiative would create. The measure, sponsored by Orange County accountant Richard Ginnaty, needs 585,407 signatures to qualify as a November ballot proposition. Since this cause appears unlikely to draw hordes of volunteer petition carriers, and since paid carriers often get $5 or more per valid voter signature they gather, it would likely cost upwards of $3 million to qualify the plan. Ginnaty says he doesnt have that kind of cash, but might get outside support. For sure, this is the simplest way yet proposed to give Republicans a chance in many California elections, where Democrats rarely show the discipline to get out of each others way for the sake of their party. Of course, neither have Republicans, or one of the current GOP hopefuls might have dropped out of the gubernatorial run by now. Ginnaty says his measure is not designed specifically to benefit Republicans, even if it ends up accomplishing that. Republicans have been monumentally ineffective in making their case (in California) and have ignored the initiative process, a good way to bring ideas before the voters, said the self-described old Tea Party guy. That ticked me off and I want strong new voices that arent heard now to have a chance. Meanwhile, the reaction is lukewarm from other election experts who have been fighting the top two for years on grounds that it squelches minor parties by virtually never giving them a November voice. Said Richard Winger, the San Francisco-based editor of the Ballot Access News newsletter and blog, This definitely could lead to situations like what happened in San Bernardino County. But it could also help minor parties in state legislative races, where there arent usually many candidates if an incumbent is involved. But for statewide races, it just wouldnt work. That judgment doesnt faze Ginnaty, who is out to clean up what he sees as a Sacramento swamp. We have a swamp because we only have one party with power now, he said. As an example of what a swamp can bring, he cites the states bullet train project, whose recent cost estimates are more than seven times higher than the bond amounts originally approved by voters. A responsible Legislature would have put that to another vote of the people long ago, he said. Especially with self-driving cars coming, its an outmoded technology. The bottom line: Top 4 is unlikely to make the ballot, but if it did and it passed, it could radically change todays political reality in California. 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. Daegu is getting ready for its unique festival to be held next month. More than 4,000 residents are expected to participate in the annual festival named "Colorful Festival" which opens on May 5. The two-day festival includes a variety of events and performances, but the highlight of the festival will be a parade which walks along a 2-km route through the main streets of the city on the first day of the festival. This year's parade is expected to be even more "colorful" as as it will bring more participants from eight cities in four countries such as China, Japan, Russia and Vietnam. They will present exotic dances and other performances, wearing their traditional costumes. The finale of the festival will feature cheerful music and spectacular dance performances as the city will transform into a lively nightclub at night for about an hour before closing. Visitors can purchase handicrafts and various souvenirs from local vendors or get hands-on experiences by making crafts or traditional costumes. Diverse street foods will be available at 60 food trucks, with offerings including homemade hamburgers, lamb skewers and many others. The city is accessible by air or bullet train. It just takes two hours from Seoul to Daegu or 50 minutes from Busan. The bills House Bill 144, sponsored by Rep. Bealquin Bill Gomez, D-La Mesa, allows the state to begin licensing farmers to grow industrial hemp for research purposes. Senate Bill 6, sponsored by Sen. Cisco McSorley, D-Albuquerque, allows the state to begin licensing farmers to grow industrial hemp for research purposes. SB 134, sponsored by Sen. Jacob Candelaria and Rep. Debra M. Sarinana, both Albuquerque Democrats, allows high school students to count computer science courses toward the math or science credits needed to graduate. SB 184, sponsored by Senate President Pro Tem Mary Kay Papen, D-Las Cruces, changes how the state goes about revoking licenses for horse racing. HB 126, sponsored by Rep. Doreen Gallegos, D-Las Cruces, gives preference to New Mexico students in a program that awards medical school scholarships if the student commits to working in a medically underserved area of the state. SB 24, sponsored by Sen. Michael Padilla, D-Albuquerque, and Rep. Jim Smith, R-Sandia Park, gives local governments a new option to pay for expansion of broadband access. SB 64, sponsored by Sen. Mimi Stewart, D-Albuquerque, allows the Public School Capital Outlay Council to continue budgeting up to $10 million of the public school capital outlay fund for education technology initiatives. SB 67, sponsored by Sen. Nancy Rodriguez, D-Santa Fe, requires that the county treasurer be notified of the formation of any tax increment development district within that county. SB 356, also sponsored by Rodriguez, requires that the county treasurer be notified of the formation of any public improvement district within that county. SB 222, sponsored by Sen. Liz Stefanics, D-Cerrillos, changes the definition of political subdivision, cutting the number of entities under the oversight of a watchdog office in the Department of Finance and Administration by an estimated 141 entities. National security adviser Chung Eui-yong met with his U.S. counterpart John Bolton for about an hour in Washington on Tuesday, presidential spokesman Yoon Young-chan told reporters Wednesday. Chung was originally expected to visit North Korea ahead of Friday's cross-border summit to discuss denuclearization, but ended up heading to the U.S. instead. He apparently discussed the issue of North and South Korea signing a declaration ending the Korean War. Yoon told reporters that Chung "fine-tuned opinions about the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and the post-summit situation." President Moon Jae-in and U.S. President Donald Trump will speak on the telephone following Friday's summit, Yoon added. Moon is also scheduled to head to the U.S. in May ahead of a meeting between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Close consultation between Seoul and Washington are essential so they do not end up at cross purposes in their summits with North Korea. "Denuclearization encompasses the two Koreas as well as the U.S. so the matter can't just be resolved at the inter-Korean summit," a senior Cheong Wa Dae official said. Chung had been consulting with the putative U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo about the issue. Moon said in a telephone call with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Tuesday that declaring a formal end to the Korean War can only succeed if South Korea, North Korea and the U.S. reach an agreement. He envisions a trilateral summit on the question. The official said, "Chung visited the U.S. not only to ensure the success of the inter-Korean summit, but also to reflect the president's hopes for a successful North Korea-U.S. summit." Youve found the perfect beach rental online and wired your payment to the owner. The problem? That house doesnt exist and youve been scammed. Weekly Newsletter The best of The Saturday Evening Post in your inbox! Join Steve Weisman is a lawyer, college professor, author, and one of the countrys leading experts in cybersecurity, identity theft, and scams. See Steves other Con Watch articles. Recently, the Delaware attorney general issued a warning about scams involving vacation rental properties. Many people will be renting a summer vacation home in the days and weeks ahead in order to get that perfect place at the beach, mountains, or some other popular vacation venue. While it is generally safer to work directly with licensed real estate agents and brokers, there are many excellent websites such as VRBO and HomeAway where you can find wonderful vacation homes without having to incur the costs of a real estate agent. Many people will also go to Craigslist, Airbnb, and other similar sites to find their perfect vacation rental. These websites can be easy and efficient ways to locate a great vacation home. Unfortunately, they are also a great way for scam artists to steal money from unwary vacationers. What to Know When Using Vacation Rental Sites Anything popular with the public is also popular with scammers, and reports are increasing about scams involving people paying a non-existent room or a place that the scammer does not own. Many of the victims do not find out that they have been scammed until they show up at the rental only to learn that it is not for rent and their money is gone. Subscribe and get unlimited access to our online magazine archive. Subscribe Today The scam usually starts with a listing that looks quite legitimate, and there is a good reason for that. The listing is often a real online listing that has been copied by the scammer who merely puts in his or her own name and contact information. The price is usually quite low, which attracts a lot of interested people. Because there are so many people competing for the low-priced property the vacationer is told he or she has to act fast and wire money to the owner, who is often outside of the country. Wiring money is a scammers first choice for a payment method because it is impossible to get your money back after you discover that you have been defrauded. Another telltale sign that the listing is a scam occurs when the homeowner asks to communicate with the victim outside of the rental websites communication system. Tips to Avoid Vacation Rental Scams First, as always, if the price is too good to be true, it usually is. Be wary of vacation home owners who live outside of the country. Peruse any on-line listings for vacation rentals carefully for improper grammar and misspellings. Many vacation scams originate overseas where English may not be the primary language of the scammer. Never send your deposit, security deposit, or rent by a wire transfer or a cashiers check. Use a credit card, PayPal or some other payment system from which you can retrieve your funds if the transaction is fraudulent. Only communicate with owners through the rental website and make payments through the sites payment system. Verify the legitimate owner of the property. There are several ways to do this. Look up who is listed as the owner from the online records of the tax assessors office of the city or town where the property is located. If it doesnt match the name of the person attempting to rent you the home, it may be a scam. Google the name of the owner with the word scam next to his or her name and see if anything comes up to make you concerned. Search online to see if you can find a duplicate listing for the home indicating a different owner than the person offering to rent it to you. If the property is listed with a legitimate real estate agency, contact them to find out who the owner is. Always get a written lease agreement for any vacation rental and make sure that you understand all of the terms of the agreement. Summer vacations can create wonderful memories, but those memories can be painful if your summer vacation involves getting scammed. Fortunately, by taking a few simple precautions you can relax and enjoy your time off. Youve earned it! Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/26/2018 -- Driven by a small number of players, the global market for hepatitis E diagnostic tests exhibits a highly competitive landscape, finds a new report by Transparency Market Research (TMR). With a share of nearly 31%, Beijing Wantai Biological Pharmacy led the global market in 2015 and was distantly followed by Mikrogen. Competitive pricing strategy among the leading players is expected to intensify the rivalry within the market in the forthcoming years. According to the research report, the global hepatitis E diagnostic tests market stood at US$43.7 mn in 2015. Expanding at a CAGR of 3.80% during the period from 2016 to 2024, the opportunity in this market is likely to increase to US$60.4 mn by the end of the forecast period. Being the primary test for the detection of hepatitis E, the kits used for ELISA HEV IgM tests have been the most valued diagnostic kits in this market in the recent past and will continue to be so due to the same reason. Request a Brochure of the Report @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=16859 Hepatitis E Hyperendemicity in Asian Economies to Ensure Dominance of Asia Pacific Region The research report has also analyzed the worldwide market for hepatitis E diagnostic tests on the basis of geography. According to the study, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, North America, and the Middle East and Africa have surfaced as the main regional markets for hepatitis E diagnostic tests across the world. Due to the hyperendemicity of hepatitis E in various Asian economies, such as Nepal, Pakistan, India, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma, Kazakhstan, and Thailand, Asia Pacific has surfaced as the leading regional market for hepatitis E diagnostic tests and is expected to remain so over the forecast period. The Asia Pacific market for hepatitis E diagnostic tests is likely to acquire more than 48% of the overall market by 2024. Besides, the Middle East and Africa is also projected to witness a significant rise in the market for the hepatitis E diagnostic tests over the next few years due to the increasing prevalence of hepatitis E in various countries in this region, such as Kenya, Morocco, Uganda, and Nigeria, owing to lack of safe drinking water and poor sanitation facilities. Growing Prevalence of Hepatitis E to Boost Demand "The growth of the global market for hepatitis E is directly proportional to the prevalence of hepatitis E across the world," says the author of this study. As per the WHO, nearly 20 million people suffer from HEV infections every year, worldwide, among which around 3.3 million are symptomatic cases. Request For Discount On This Report @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=D&rep_id=16859 With the increasing scarcity of potable water and the lack of sanitation, the cases of hepatitis E infection is likely to increase considerably over the forthcoming years and will result in a substantial rise in the need for hepatitis E diagnostic test in the near future, states the research report. Rising Incidence of Asymptomatic Diseases to Hamper Market's Growth Although the worldwide market for hepatitis E diagnostic tests currently looks teeming with opportunity, it may face a severe challenge over the years to come from the rising incidence of asymptomatic diseases, which are difficult to diagnose. The low level of awareness among consumers is also expected to emerge as a restraining factor for the growth of this market in the long run, notes the study. About Transparency Market Research Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMR's experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge. Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector - such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMR's syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement. US Office Contact 90 State Street, Suite 700 Albany, NY 12207 Tel: +1-518-618-1030 USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453 Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.com Website: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Pune, India -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/26/2018 -- Market Scenario: Mobile business intelligence also called as mobile BI or mobile intelligence is the application of data generated by usage of mobile systems to help in taking timely and informed business decisions so as to better performance, resulting in higher customer service and satisfaction. The global mobile business intelligence market is projected to grow at a 23.2 % CAGR during the forecast period of 2016 to 2022. Prominent Players: The dominant players of global mobile business intelligence (BI) market report include IBM Corporation (U.S.), TIBCO Software (U.S.), SAP SE (Germany), Tableau Software (U.S.), Oracle Corporation (U.S.), Microsoft Corporation (U.S.), Micro Strategy (U.S.), Yellowfin International Pty Ltd. (U.S.), SAS Institute (U.S.), Information Builders (U.S.), Qlik and others. Request a Sample Report @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/2364 Market Dynamics Drivers: Mobile BI has demonstrated a momentum growth owing primarily to growing adoption of mobile devices in particular and transition from a wired world to a wireless world in general. The pace of adoption of mobile devices is so phenomenal that 60 % of the internet usage is expected from mobile devices in the next 5 years, which is attested from numerous studies. According to Pew research, Smartphone ownership growth, is at its all-time high at 86 % of in 2015 in the age group of 18- to 29-year-olds. Even the search giant Google has validated the seismic shift of mobile devices, resulting in clear favour for mobile technology in its strategy of Google analytics. The development of antecedents including market pressures such as the need for higher efficiency and productivity in business processes, need for better and faster decision making, and growing demand from customers, explosive growth in analytics and big data technology, and potential of real time bi-directional data are driving the growth. The commercial engines of the growth of the market are rising ecommerce and mobile shopping, increasing use of mobile advertising, surging customer centric market, growing integration of wireless technologies, falling prices and growing affordability of mobile devices. Restraints: Mobile BI is a nascent technology and is in the early adopter phase with skepticism of the business benefits and coupled with lack of validated business cases and tangible return on investment. Mobile BI faces strong competition from other enterprise mobile applications as well as mainstream desktop BI. The situation is acute developing regions of the world owing to low mobile and network coverage, poor penetration of smart devices, digital divide, concerns over information security and privacy. Segments: To generate a detailed understanding of the intricacies of the global Mobile Bi Market the report has been segmented by services, business function, end-users and regions. Based on Services, the market has been sub segmented by Managed Services and Professional Services. Based on Business Function, the market has been sub segmented by IT, Finance, Sales, Marketing, Operations, HR, and Others. Based on end-users, the market has been sub segmented by BFSI, healthcare, retail & e-commerce, IT & telecommunication, manufacturing, government and others. Based on regions, the market has been sub segmented by North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa. Access Report Details @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/mobile-bi-market-2364 Regional Analysis: While mobile BI grew out of industrialized nations, the market has shifted in favor of the developing countries, stemming from the rapid rise of mobile phone penetration especially in the developing regions. For example, in a Pew research study stated that in comparison to a median of 45 % internet usage across emerging and developing countries in 2013, the concurrent number in 2015, rose to a whopping 54 % with the largest growth from emerging economies such as Malaysia, India, Brazil and China. The comparative figures in 2015 for advanced economies such as U.S. and Canada, major Western European nations, Australia, Japan etc. was 87 %. Smartphone ownership rates in developing countries rose from a median of 21 % in 2013 to 37 % in 2015. The demographic dividend is also paying in favor of the market as millennial are much more likely to be internet and smartphone users compared with population ages 35 and older. Smartphone ownership rates have demonstrated an increases of over 25 percentage points in Turkey, Malaysia, Chile and Brazil. However Africa remains a challenge for the market due to its poor socio economic conditions with Tanzania (11%), Uganda (4%) and Ethiopia (4%) being the countries with the least smartphone ownership rates. About Market Research Future At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services. MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by Solutions, Application, Logistics and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions. Lewes, DE -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/25/2018 -- North America is situated in the Northern Hemisphere. North America is has Arctic Ocean to North, to the east by the North Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by the Caribbean Sea, and to the west by the North Pacific Ocean. North America covers an area of more than 9.5 million square miles and has a population of nearly 530 million. The North America is the third largest continent in the world after Asia and Africa. Big economies like USA, Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama and Haiti. The economy in North America is a diverse one. While the US and Canada is blessed with a modern and sophisticated economic system, the economy of Mexico is still undergoing major developments in sectors like power, transportation and manufacturing. Report Package (Visit Individual Links for More Details): USA PESTEL Analysis Market Research Report Mexico PESTEL Analysis Market Research Report Canada PESTEL Analysis Market Research Report Central America PESTEL Analysis Market Research Report Advantages of Group Reports: 1- All our reports follow straight forward structure, which will help you design your own metrics and compare common macroeconomic factors. 2- Especially helpful if you are studying group of countries like BRICS, ANZUS, etc. 3- Discount on group reports. Scope of the North America PESTEL Analysis, SWOT Analysis and Risk Analysis Market Research Reports - These reports provide information about key macroeconomic indicators for North America. - These reports provide PESTELE (political, economic, social, technological, environmental and legal) analysis for North America. - These reports provide SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis for North America. - These reports provide risk analysis for North America. For more information and to purchase North America PESTEL Analysis Market Research Report please visit: https://www.marketresearchreports.com/market-research-reports-inc/north-america-pestel-analysis-market-research-report For more information and to purchase North America SWOT Analysis Market Research Report please visit: https://www.marketresearchreports.com/market-research-reports-inc/north-america-swot-analysis-market-research-report For more information and to purchase North America Risk Analysis Market Research Report please visit: https://www.marketresearchreports.com/market-research-reports-inc/north-america-risk-analysis-market-research-report About Market Research Reports, Inc. Market Research Reports Inc. is world's largest store offering quality market research, SWOT analysis, competitive intelligence and industry reports. We help Fortune 500 to Start-Ups with the latest market research reports on global ional markets which comprise key industries, leading market players, new products and latest industry analysis & trends. Contact us for your market research requirements: http://www.marketresearchreports.com/contact The Japanese government has protested against the South Korean government's decision to serve a dessert at the inter-Korean summit with a map of the Korean Peninsula that includes the Dokdo islets. According to Japanese media on Wednesday, Kenji Kanasugi, the Japanese Foreign Ministry's director-general for Asian and Oceania affairs, called in Lee Hee-seop, a diplomat at the South Korean Embassy in Tokyo, to lodge a protest. Japan insists on a flimsy colonial-era claim to the Korean islets that has poisoned relations for years. Tokyo's beady eye spotted the detail when Cheong Wa Dae unveiled the menu, and it was sufficiently outraged for the Japanese Embassy in Seoul also to lodge a complaint with the Foreign Ministry here. Kanasugi in a baffling comment said the map must not be allowed during the summit because the meeting is "political" in nature. Most major Japanese media reported the pudding scandal. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and President Moon Jae-in are expected to walk past a South Korean honor guard in front of the Peace House in the truce village of Panmunjom on Friday, a first for a North Korean leader, the Defense Ministry said Wednesday. "Former Presidents Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun were welcomed by the North Korean military honor guards when they went to the North for the summits" with former leader Kim Jong-il, a government official said. "The decision was made based on reciprocity." According to a press release from the ministry the gesture is one of "courtesy aimed at establishing peace on the Korean Peninsula and restoring trust between the two sides." The ministry was careful to deflect criticism by pointing to precedent. "The leaders of the U.S., the Soviet Union, and China inspected each other's honor guards even at the apex of the Cold War," it said. "The custom originated from a ceremony aimed at displaying the ruler's power to foreign guests of state during the medieval times," it added. But there will be no gun salute or ceremonial hoisting of flags since the summit takes place in the truce village. Economic cooperation will not be on the agenda of Friday's inter-Korean summit, sparing the government's blushes over rash proposals like reopening the Kaesong Industrial Complex. "Economic cooperation isn't a major agenda item," a senior Unification Ministry official told reporters Tuesday. "That will be possible only if there is progress in inter-Korean relations as a result of denuclearization." The government's hands are at any rate tied as UN Security Council sanctions against North Korea forbid practically all business cooperation. Resuming inter-Korean projects like the joint Kaesong Industrial Complex or package tours to the Mt. Kumgang resort, which used to serve as cash cows for the regime, would violate the sanctions, which are unlikely to be eased until North Korea makes significant progress in scrapping its nuclear program. The U.S. will also continue its maximum pressure campaign until it can see the concrete results in the "complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization" of North Korea, according to a White House spokesperson on Monday. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un could still throw a curveball at the summit by bringing up the projects in a bid to soften the sanctions, where he sees Seoul as the weakest link. The regime changed its doctrine from "parallel development of nuclear weapons and the economy" to "economic growth" at the latest session of the Workers Party Central Committee on April 20. "That's a kind of message that South Korea should play a role in building up the North Korean economy," a researcher at a government-funded think tank here said. "We need to open up the possibility but also emphasize that the top priority should be denuclearization." The Korea Customs Service said Wednesday it launched an internal audit on suspicion that customs officials were given priority seats on Korean Air flights for helping the owner family smuggle in luxury goods. The KCS has raided Korean Air headquarters as well as the owner family's homes and has now set up a website for tipoffs on other alleged offenses. According to internal Korean Air e-mails that surfaced on Tuesday, a manager at the carrier's flight operations center told a staffer in charge of assigning seats that a director at the KCS at Incheon International Airport wanted a front-row seat in economy class, which offers more legroom, on his flight to Paris. The staffer replied two days later that the request was "reflected." A KCS official said, "We are questioning the director mentioned in the e-mail." A website set up by Korean Air staff to blow the whistle on alleged offenses committed by the founding family is filling up with testimony about alleged ties between the carrier and the KCS. "Founding family members' luggage is passed right through customs," one post read. "A customs official just looks the other way." "Big cargo can't pass through x-ray scanners and goes through the arrival gate, but customs officials just let it pass through," wrote another staffer. Other posts allege that KCS officials either have their Korean Air seats upgraded or are treated to meals and liquor. Airline chairman Cho Yang-ho "distributes smuggled whiskey to KCS staffers, who drink it at after-work gatherings," wrote one. Critics worry that the KCS's own investigation will be a whitewash. "Who is investigating whom?" one poster asked. Some Korean Air staffers are suspicious of the intentions of the KCS and are urging coworkers not to cooperate with their probe. Others want the police to handle the investigation. Meanwhile, police said they will summon Cho's daughter Hyun-min for questioning on charges that she assaulted an advertising company employee during a meeting by allegedly throwing a bottle of water in her face. Iceland launches products in China via JD From:ChinaDaily | 2018-04-26 01:26 Supermarket is latest British brand to make the move British supermarket chain Iceland has made its first foray into the Chinese market after its products went on sale online through e-commerce retailer JD. The store is selling Icelands own-brand products such as biscuits, cereals and sauces as well as a selection of other branded items including cosmetics. The rapid growth and opportunities the market in China offers were significant, and we decided it was time to act, said Icelands founder Sir Malcolm Walker. JD is a magnificent partner for us and we are excited to see the response of customers in China to our product range. China remains the largest single e-commerce economy in Asia as the Chinese mainlands burgeoning middle class continues to grow and embrace quality over price. Were delighted to be working with Iceland to bring their renowned products to Chinese consumers for the first time, said Yang Ye, general manager of JD. With consumer demand for imported British products growing rapidly, this is an ideal time for a respected brand like Iceland to enter the China market. Iceland adds to the growing number of British brands on our platforms as we continue our push to bring the best of Britain to Chinese consumers. The move comes as JD plans to sell 2 billion pounds ($2.78 billion) worth of UK products to Chinese consumers in the next two to three years. In February, British Prime Minister Theresa May met JD chairman and CEO Richard Liu during her first state visit to China. Among the topics discussed were JDs plans to help more UK brands reach the Chinese retailers 266 million customers. Over the last two years, the number of UK brands on JD has doubled, with sales in 2017 growing 100 percent year-on-year. World famous brands such as household appliance maker Dyson, Clarks shoes, Johnnie Walker whisky and Lipton tea have been popular with JD consumers and over the past three years, Dyson sales on JD have increased by more than 60 times. Americans dominate lawsuits over IP From:Shine | 2018-04-26 01:29 Nearlyone in three civil lawsuits on intellectual property violations involving foreigners concerned Americans, Shanghai Higher Peoples court said yesterday. Between 2014 and 2017, Shanghai courts received 1,244 intellectual property disputes, and more than 96 percent of the cases were filed by foreigners. Trademark infringement was the most serious problem, accounting for more than 30 percent, followed by copyright piracy. Over the same period, local courts made decisions on 1,219 out of the 1,244 disputes. Of them, 409 cases involved Americans, followed by French with 134 cases and Germans with 47. Americans fell victim to copyright infringement over computer software, which accounted for nearly 60 percent of the total. Another major problem was trademark infringement, accounting for nearly 20 percent. Also, in the last four years, Shanghai courts heard and received 27 criminal lawsuits filed by foreigners for intellectual property infringement. In most cases, domestic offenders sold counterfeit international brands. Trademark infringement is also a headache for local businessmen with nearly 90 percent of them involved in 210 cases. This second Meraviglia-class ship is under construction at STX France and due to enter service in March 2019. New features for Asian cruisers Following its inaugural season in the Mediterranean next summer, MSC Bellissima will redeploy to China and Japan. The ship will introduce the market to features like the longest LED Sky Screen at Sea within a Mediterranean-style promenade, new Cirque du Soleil at Sea shows available nightly and a next-generation MSC Yacht Club spanning three decks. While MSC Bellissima will be mostly based in Shanghai to serve the Chinese home market, the ship also will offer a number of sailings from Japan. Speaking at an official meeting with Shanghai Vice Mayor Chen Qun, Gianni Onorato, MSC Cruises CEO, said the Asia market is a 'global priority, and we are committed to serving it with our very best ships and products.' MSC Splendida's inaugural season from Shanghai and Yokohama In addition, MSC Splendida has completed its 'Maritime Silk Road' sailing, from Dubai to Shanghai. During the ship's inaugural season, it will operate mainly from Shanghai and Yokohama, Japan. The 137,936gt vessel is among the largest and most modern cruise ships currently deployed in Asia. It can carry 4,363 passengers. MSC Splendida just completed an extensive overhaul to renovate interiors and install new features and experiences to meet the expectations of Chinese and Asian travelers. The ship now features an exclusive selection of Asian and Western cuisines in three new restaurants: the signature hot pot restaurant, Sea Pavilion, by the acclaimed Chinese chef Jereme Leung; the Hong Kong style Dim Sum & Teahouse; and the Butchers Cut, an American-style steak house that's a signature MSC venue. MSC for Me MSC Splendida is also now equipped with the latest evolution of MSC for Me, the company's digital innovation program. Features include a dedicated app to help cruisers tailor their experience at any point on their journey, whether booking their excursions prior to embarkation or reserving a specialty restaurant while relaxing by the top-deck pool. MSC Splendida also provides a portable Wi-Fi translator enabled by Baidus AI technology and supports payments via Alipay, an easy-to-use payment method providing discounted exchange rates without Internet connection. On April 27 the ship is due to arrive in Yokohama, where MSC Cruises will celebrate its 10th anniversary in Japan. Opening the conference Singapore senior minister of state for transport and health Lam Pin Min noted that the environment for Singapore as an international maritime centre is changing with the rise of digitalisation. The industrys rules of engagement are also changing due to new technologies such as blockchain, artificial intelligence and autonomous technology, he noted. To continue to remain relevant and competitive, we have to innovate and re-invent ourselves. This is why innovation is a key focus of the Sea Transport Industry Transformation Map (ITM), Lam reiterated. The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) has aligned with these objectives signed at the conference, five Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) and two agreements with local and international partners, that will strengthen Singapores connectivity, deepen maritime R&D capabilities and create a vibrant innovation culture. These include an MoU with Keppel Offshore & Marine and the Technology Centre for Offshore and Marine Singapore to jointly develop remotely controlled or autonomous vessels for harbour operations, with Wartsila to promote the development of technologies on digital acceleration, cyber-physical security and intelligent vessel and port operation, with the IACS class societies to share data about Singapore-registered ships, with NUS Enterprise and PortXL to grow the maritime start-up ecosystem and international networks, as well as a renewal of the existing MoU with the Research Council of Norway to continue cooperation in maritime R&D and education. We are glad to have like-minded partners who strongly believe in the importance of digitalisation, technology and innovation. These MOUs will help us to take the maritime sector to a new level of development in areas such as automation, data analytics, intelligent systems and cybersecurity. Along with support for maritime start-ups, MPA hopes to create an enabling environment for both existing and new players to co-exist side by side as part of a vibrant innovative cluster. That way, Maritime Singapore will be able to stay ahead of the curve as a world class hub port and international maritime centre, said MPA ce Andrew Tan. The agreements signed included the $1.1bn Tuas Terminal Phase II development deal signed with Penta Ocean, Hyundai and Boskalis that will increase total port capacity by another 21m teu by 2027 and a deal awarded to a group of ST Electronics and Kongsberg Norcontrol to purse the Next Generation Vessel Traffic Management System (NGVTMS) Innovation Programme. Awarded under the Maritime Innovation and Technology (MINT) Fund the consortium will co-invest $7.5m to set up a NGVTMS Lab which will seek to set new frontiers for navigation safety and security as well as improve the efficiency of maritime operations. These initiatives and projects are not disparate initiatives, said Lam. They are part of a larger effort to create the environment and ecosystem in Singapore for maritime enterprises to thrive, he concluded. Read all the news from Singapore Maritime Week on our dedicated Live From Singapore Maritime Week 2018 page ONE sees two main ways technology can be applied. Firstly to improve the customer experience through improvements in supply chain visibility and better inventory control, and secondly to improve the companys own processes and efficiency. Nixon said ONE sees five key areas where a digital transformation will be most pronounced: analytics and artificial intelligence, robotics and automation, the Internet of Things (IOT), drone technology and blockchain. He further divided these areas into short, mid-term and long-term development goals. In the short-term, ONE has been focussing on electronic customer service platforms to improve service through applications such as electronic data interchanges or EDIs so information can be easily shared. Further out however, and perhaps holding more potential for gains, the use of data analytics to make better decisions. We dont necessarily use that data today but we bring it together so that key decision makers can make decisions more quickly and clearly, he elaborated. Some examples include a system that has been developed to optimise equipment within the group and another to analyse vessel operations and fuel savings. Looking out to 18 months to 24 months in the future, Nixon highlighted the key areas of machine learning and blockchain as holding potential. The predictive analytics function of machine learning enables trends to be gleaned from collected data and can help with forecasting. Its a huge area and its got tremendous potential. The challenge is we have good accurate data which is up-to-date, he said. Nixon also warned of the danger of getting analysis paralysis with too much analysis hampering action. While the ability to forecast trends is very helpful, sometimes exceptional events happen that need human intervention, Nixon concluded. Read all the news from Singapore Maritime Week on our dedicated Live From Singapore Maritime Week 2018 page The Vintage Market has found its home. And what a reception it received. After five years of organizing and hosting its own events, the popular traveling pop-up market opened the doors to its first brick-and-mortar location in downtown Wyandotte this weekend. Attendance was in the thousands, say the owners, with a line of people that wrapped around the block. Co-owners Rina Belanger and Angie Guzzardo started the business as friends, each with an interest in re-finishing vintage furniture but with nowhere to sell it. Five years ago, they formed the Vintage Market and it grew and grew, gaining hundreds of vendors and tens of thousands of visitors for each of their monthly events. The Vintage Market Home developed in a similar fashion. Everyone always asked us where home was, so we decided to start The Vintage Market Home, says Belanger. Its a taste of what you can find at our shows. The Vintage Market Home has about twenty vendors, selling clothing, furniture, home decor, antiques, collectibles, and more. And all of it truly vintage--an important distinction, says Belanger. We actually do have lots of vintage items. Some other places just say they do, she says. We have pickers. We have junkers. We have salvagers. These are people that find vintage items for a living. The pair are pickers themselves, and also operate as the company Backroad Divas, driving around the country in search of vintage finds. Belanger and Guzzardo will continue throwing their Vintage Market events. In fact, theyre hoping to expand in that arena, as well. Currently organizing events in Michigan and Ohio, the duo hopes to grow a presence in at least ten states. Theyre currently looking to add their next. In the meantime, catch the two at their new home, The Vintage Market Home, open five days a week. The Vintage Market Home is located at 110 Sycamore St. in downtown Wyandotte. Got a development news story to share? Email MJ Galbraith here or send him a tweet @mikegalbraith. Tony England has good reason to be excited. As the dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, England gets to take part in what could be a transformative moment for the university: The construction of a new Engineering Lab Building. A $90 million project, groundbreaking for the new Engineering Lab Building, or ELB, was celebrated this past Friday, April 20. England expects an opening date of May 2020. For Tony England, a new Engineering Lab Building was long overdue. The original ELB was one of the oldest buildings on campus. And while it was designed well, it was designed well for 50 years ago. UM-D and its students need a modern building with modern amenities, says England. All in all, through a combination of demolition, new construction, and partial renovations, the Engineering Lab Building will have grown from 93,000 sq. ft. to 123,000 sq. ft. of modern applications. "Even though the building is a third larger, because of the flexibility built in, it will service twice as many students as the old building did," says England. Once opened, the new ELB will have collaborative spaces, hybrid classrooms, and adaptable labs. Clean rooms, essential to contemporary engineering, werent available at the old building, and students would have to travel to the Ann Arbor campus to access them. The new ELB will have those, as well. The new ELB is the biggest of three improvements to the College of Engineering and Computer Science. A student project center was finished in 2016 and a prototyping building in the fall of 2017. "These upgrades will make our facilities comparable to any modern engineering college of our size in the country," says England.Got a development news story to share? Email MJ Galbraith here or send him a tweet @mikegalbraith Lebanese cafe and Ferndale favorite Anitas Kitchen will be bringing its flavors to two new locations soon. Owners Jennifer and Joe Wegrzyn will open another branch in Lake Orion, Oakland County, and fast-casual dining place (called AK Takeaway) in downtown Detroit. Kate Roff chats to Joe about why the AK brand is branching out and how the stalwart restaurant is changing. Metromode: Tell us about how it all started for Anitas Kitchen. Joe: Its generational. Both of my in-laws [Pierre and Anita Farah] are originally from Lebanon so most of our menu today continues that tradition of things that they had on a daily basis. They came out to the States in the 50s, and the opportunity came up in 1980 where they were able to get into a food court out in Farmington famously known as Tally Hall. At that time, they became, singularly, the first Middle-Eastern Lebanese restaurant in all of Oakland County. For 38 years they struck a chord and had great success, and Jennifer and I have been involved for the last 15 years. Metromode: Why have you chosen downtown Detroit and Lake Orion to expand? Joe: Ferndale couldnt be more central and I think that storys been told quite a few times, my wife Jennifer grew up in Ferndale, so it was a bit of a homecoming when we located that restaurant in 2008 there. Given the amount of patronage that weve had from people who have come from Detroit proper as well as coming from as far north as Flint, the idea of expansion was always part of a communal conversation with our guests, who were always hopeful that wed come to an area near them. Metromode: Why a fast-casual style for downtown Detroit, how will AK Takeaway differ from Anitas? Joe: Weve reduced our [downtown Detroit] menu to a point where we think we can make all of those items incredibly fresh but at the same time incredibly fast. Its location is just so central to commercial America the 9-to-5 people who are working Monday through Friday so serving breakfast and lunch down there is a natural extension of the menu. Its all fast people only have a finite amount of time so being able to get them a salad, a sandwich, a soup, or a bowl (that well be introducing down there) and being able to get them in and out the door within 7 minutes, so they can enjoy a lunch hour, instead of standing in line, is really the focus for us. Metromode: Your Lake Orion location is in a historic building, how are you incorporating the history in the new space? Joe: Weve had a long-term commitment, and connection to, Lake Orion. Our children were educated at a small farm-based school in Lake Orion/Oxford, Upland Hills, so weve become part of that community through the years. It really is why weve taken this old building and are looking to rehab it back into something that maintains the history of the community but at the same time its bringing a diversity of menu selection and is hopefully just another great gem that adds to the growing desire for people to come and visit Lake Orion. Jack Kobliska, and his company Lands Friend Builders, has done an amazing job of taking that building and stripping to down to its shell and revealing a lot of great features that we hope to keep in there, as well as some of the new additions. Metromode: Whats the toughest part of being restaurant owners in Detroit at the moment? Joe: I think the renaissance thats going on in Detroit area, in general, is amazing, I mean, its what we all hoped for! But when that happens you get this proliferation of so many great competing restaurants out there, so man-power and staffing models become a challenge. Metromode: Whats the key to running a successful restaurant here in Detroit? Joe: Maintaining a high-quality customer service comes down to the people factor. So for us, we spend a lot of time working with those who work alongside us, we dont necessarily take the approach that people work for us, we like to think that everybody works with us, on trying to continue the Anitas Kitchen story. Fundamentally it comes down to the people. Thats what sets you apart in this industry. Metromode: Favorite item on your menu right now? Joe: It always goes to hummus for me. What Ive been doing is taking our jalapeno hummus and having it within a pita sandwich, and I think the combination of flavors and that little bit of heat is one of my favorite items going on right now. It is terrific. Metromode Where else can we catch you eating in Detroit? Joe: We have two sons, and its always been important to Jen and me to take them out and let them explore different flavors and concepts, so the small-plate thing thats been going on has always struck a chord with us. There are places like La Feria, which is a Spanish tapas place in Mid-town, and Chartreuse, those two places do an unbelievable job of allowing you to blend a lot of different things. Metromode: When can we visit your new places? Joe: Downtown should be late April, and Lake Orion will be late 2018 would be my anticipation date. Michigans successful mobility future isnt just about the technical innovations under the hood. The transition to mainstream connected and autonomous vehicle use on Michigan roadways is also driven by issues related to insurance, liability, legislation, talent, and accessibility, according to the Michigan Council on Future Mobility 2018 Annual Report.The report , which the council presented to Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder this week, outlines recommendations for policy action on several key points, and is designed to position and maintain Michigan as the global leader in mobility innovation, research, and testing. The council itself is a group of individuals representing public and private sector entities charged with asking the important questions regarding the successful adoption of connected and autonomous vehicle use, and keep Michigan in the lead of next-generation mobility, nationally and globally.During a roundtable discussion held at at the George W. Romney building in Lansing, council co-founder and report co-author John Peracchio, managing member with Grosse Pointe Shores consulting firm Peracchio & Company, L.L.C., detailed the depth of industry expertise from academia, law enforcement, risk management, insurance, and legal, that met with the council to help determine the actions and recommendations in the report.In addition to poring through the Michigan Vehicle Code and the Michigan Insurance Code to determine appropriate language and terminology amendments to reflect potential driverless scenarios, the council will develop ways to educate first responders and law enforcement officials on the changing landscape, and establish regional infrastructure pilot programs specific to connected and autonomous vehicles.A standout from the report is the creation of a public-private collaboration to create a high definition map database, starting with southeast Michigan. The data, captured during routine daily activities for salt trucks, plows, and other public sector vehicles, will be available for use by any public or private organization for R&D and testing.This will be the only one that exists in the union available to researchers, Peracchio says.Recognizing that no one agency can solve the vast issues of successful next-generation mobility, council co-chair and director of the Michigan Department of Transportation Kirk Steudle, emphasized the critical value of collaboration.Whats really changed from 10 or 20 years ago is the collaborative nature, and the understanding that it will take a lot of good minds to work through these issues, he says.With new risks emerging, including possibilities of cyber attacks, and the infrastructure required to support autonomous vehicles, Amy Mass, vice president and counsel with Howell-based Hanover Insurance Group/Citizens Insurance, stresses the need for insurance will remain, even in the eventual age of fully autonomous vehicles, and certainly in the years where roads will be mixed-use.Ultimately, the road carrying autonomous vehicles will be safer, even when stakeholders and the public recognize the risks in the wake of the recent pedestrian death involving an Uber autonomous vehicle in Arizona. Members of the roundtable acknowledged that in the U.S., more than 100 people are killed in crashes involving non-autonomous vehicles every day, and that increased technology has the potential to dramatically reduce that statistic.Finally, while the report recognizes that some jobs, including taxi, delivery, and truck driving, may dwindle as autonomous vehicles become more widespread, Michigan must continue to be proactive in training workers to take advantage of new job categories that will be created, including mobility technicians that will be valuable to every dealership and vehicle repair shop in the state.Snyder addressed talent concerns, referring to his Marshall Plan for Talent, announced earlier this year, that will address investments and partnerships to attract and develop talent, especially in the mobility sector.In his closing remarks, Snyder focused on mobilitys impact on talent, safety, and the future of society.Mobility has a transformative impact. It will make lives safer, roads safer, and provide those with disabilities or who are economically disadvantaged to get to work, or training, or quality of life opportunities that they dont have today. We will be smarter about infrastructure, which provide better quality of life for all of us, he says. We are the world leaders, and the council is at the forefront of that leadership. 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." All major Nepali and English broadsheet dailies published from Kathmandu on Thursday have carried stories about post-earthquake reconstruction efforts on their front page today as the country marked the third anniversary of devastating tremor yesterday. On the other hand, the claim of National Bureau of Statistics about Nepals increase per capita income, and its growth rate projection have also received a high priority. Many newspapers have carried reports about progresses made by police regarding investigations into the disappearance of 33.5 kg gold that they had confiscated from the Tribhuvan International Airport. Important Who are dragged into 33.5 kg gold disappearance? Kantipur, Naya Patrika, Nepal Samacharpatra and Rajdhani have published reports about a mysterious disappearance of 33.5 kg gold that police had confiscated from alleged smugglers. Kantipur lead story for the day police have already arrested 20 people including senior police officials whereas circulars have been issued to arrest two more. Two persons allegedly involved in the case have already committed suicide whereas one person was killed, Naya Patrika report says, adding no one knows about the whereabouts of the mastermind and the stolen gold itself. Nepal Samacharpatra says Nepal Police is preparing to seek the help of international police organisation, Interpol, to nab the alleged mastermind, Chudamani Upreti aka Gore. It has already been two months since the police launched an investigation and they are planning to handover the case to the Morang District Court next week, according to the report. Meanwhile, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has been briefed about the progress made by police in investigation of this case, according to Rajdhani. Politicians to be barred from constitutional positions The Himalayan Times lead story for the day says the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers has recently drafted a National Integrity Policy, and it will bar members of political parties and organisations to join constitutional bodies as officials. The draft states that persons recommended for constitutional positions should sign an affidavit before appointment mentioning they never joined any party or paid levy to them. Meanwhile, the policy proposes stricter provisions for national and international non-government organisations too, according to the report. Ignored House of Representatives regulation stuck in dispute Gorkhapatra has published a single column boxed story on its front page today to inform that the regulation for House of Representatives currently being drafted by a lawmakers panel has been stuck halfway due to differences among key political parties. The report adds that parties do not have an agreement on whether lawmakers sent to the judicial custody while they are yet to be convicted should be suspended from their position. Nepal wont seek TPS extension from Trump As the United States government has decided to discontinue the states of temporary protected status given to Nepalis after the 2015 earthquake, the Nepal government is planning to just let it go and not request the Donald Trump government to rethink the decision, according to The Kathmandu Post. Although the formal decision has not been made yet, senior officials at the Foreign Ministry here said the government is unlikely to make any request, reads the report. Madheshi parties left with tough choices Two Madhesh-centric parties in ParliamentFederal Socialist Forum-Nepal and Rastriya Janata Party-Nepalhave failed to continue negotiations with the government though they were said to be preparing to join the government earlier. Therefore, they only have three choices, which are equally unfavourable for them now, according to Republica. The three choices include: joining government on terms and conditions set by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and his party, severing ties with the government and launching a fresh protest, and just waiting for an opportune time to join the government. Zero tolerance to sexual exploitation: Nepali Army Following reports about involvement of Nepali Army soldiers currently employed in South Sudan as United Nations peacekeepers in sexual abuse and exploitation of local women and children, the national military organisation says it is committed to taking action against its staff if they are found guilty, according to The Kathmandu Post. The Army says it has adopted a zero tolerance policy to such cases and hence a board of inquiry has already formed in response to the reports from African country. Interesting Reconstruction of 70 per cent quake-hit schools over Three years on, around 70 per cent of school buildings destroyed by the 2015 earthquake have been reconstructed by now, Karobar anchor story for the day informs, quoting officials of the Central Project Implementation Unit-Education under the National Reconstruction Authority. However, the government does not have any plan about constructing remaining 3,000 schools, according to the report. 2018 Gilmore Artist Igor Levit There are no walls between 2018 Gilmore artist Igor Levit, his music, and the rest of the world.Levit says it's an artist's right to stay silent about current events if they wish.But anyone who says he should just stick to playing the piano, and keep his mouth shut about the U.S. president or the rightward nationalist turn in his native Europe, as some have suggested, should be prepared to hear exactly what's on his mind."It is absolutely ludicrous to imagine that any citizen, any human being should not speak out, whatever he does (for a career)," Levit says from his home in Berlin. Those encouraging silence might as well just "wrap up whatever democracy is and flush it down the toilet."Igor Levit was born 31 years ago in Russia. He started on the piano at three and was soon performing concerts in his hometown of Nizhny Novgorod. When he was eight his family moved to Germany to find better educational opportunities for him and his sister. There, Levit studied with masters at various prestigious music schools.This path led him to major competition wins in the early 2000s, three albums in the past decade, and the chance to sip some high-quality Scotch in a London bar with the Gilmore director Dan Gustin On a 2016 December night, Levit had given a Beethoven recital at London's Wigmore Hall, had gone through the rituals of the after-show reception, and was on his way to the hotel to crash exhaustedly to sleep.But in the taxi, he got a call from the executive director of Switzerland's Lucerne Symphony, Numa Bischof-Ullmann, who told Levit he needs to meet at a bar with someone.The pianist was tired and he had a morning flight to catch. He wasn't in the mood to meet mysterious strangers at a bar. But Bischof-Ullmann insisted. Levit redirected his taxi, went to the bar. Sitting at the bar was Gustin."It was very unexpected, to put it mildly. Very funny," Levit says. He'd gotten to know Gustin when Levit played Kalamazoo as a Gilmore Young Artist the previous year."I was really amazed to see him, on so many levels. First of all, I really like him, and I didn't see it coming at all," he says."It" was the news that Gustin, Bischof-Ullmann, and other jurors in the Gilmore Artist Award committee had been secretly following Levit's performances, and after his recital that night decided that he should be named 2018 Gilmore artist.The $300,000 award is non-competitive -- in other words, instead of knowingly competing for it, pianists are secretly judged for their regular concert and recital performances.Levit says,"My first reaction was, 'what the hell are you doing here?' He says, 'Well, why don't you just take a seat?' So I took a seat, and then he presented the news."Gustin writes in an email about the night, "We had all heard Igor perform a number of times... but this concert was the tipping pointwe all agreed (no vote taken!) that he was our 2018 Gilmore Artist!""The others had departed and I was waiting for him in the bar," Gustin writes. "I asked him if he wanted a drink. He says, 'No, its late, and I have a morning flight tomorrow.' So we sat together, and I laid the news on him."He sat there for a few moments, and then says, 'I think Ill have that drink now!' We both shared a couple of 18-year old Glenlivets, and laid out the plans for the months ahead. It wasnt easy, but we kept the Award a secret until its announcement this January."Levit laughs at the memory of "a couple whiskeys.... It was really deeply moving and touching and beautiful."Levit says that he's "deeply honored" to receive the award.Of the pot, $50,000 can be spent as he wishes, and $250,000 is to go towards his career.Where could this take his career?"Don't ever ask me the question! I don't like predicting the future. I like the here and today. Asking me of where it will take me, rarely will lead to a satisfactory answer. No idea! But -- you're speaking to a very happy guy, indeed."Levit goes his own way. Along with Bach and Beethoven, he performs modern and new works, such as the social/political themed compositions of Frederic Rzewski . He collaborated with artist Marina Abramovic in a recital of Bach's "Goldberg" Variations where the audience sat in deck chairs for 30 minutes with noise-canceling headphones on, as Levit and piano moved slowly down a runway track, before he began playing Levit takes risks. "All the time! But they don't feel like risks. I do what I think is not only right, but necessary, and whenever I feel urgency to do something, I do it. Not only in my artistic, but daily life. So when I feel the urgency to do something, I just go for it, whatever it takes."He went for it at a Nov. 9, 2016, concert in Brussels, Belgium. Before playing, he spoke to the audience, saying, "Yesterday, the greatest economic power in the world has freely elected a bigot, an opportunist, an angry and dangerous man as their new president...."This isn't something that happens in classical concerts. Performers typically make sure to take their audience on an escape into a world of centuries-old music, not give them opinions on current events, no matter how earth-shaking.Levit then nailed his 11/9/16 statement to the top of his Twitter page . He spoke about more than just the election of Donald Trump; his concern was also for the right-ward, nationalistic shift in European politics."And I know, life isn't a concert hall," he said that night. "But music is life, we are here together, you listen to me, I listen to you. Listening to each other -- this is civilization! The great music we are sharing creates a great bond between us, and reminds us of the best that human life can create and share together."This speech got him tagged by the New York Times as the " Pianist of the Resistance" . The Times quoted him as saying, "the idea that art is an excuse for not engaging is utterly ridiculous." What did he mean by that?"I would double down on that," Levit says. "As we all know, art is -- for artists of any kind -- is a very comfortable sort of momentum, pursuit of things that relate to a certain value, a certain ideal," he says.Artists devote their lives to the ideals and values of art, but that doesn't mean they should not act on the ideals and values that are important in society, even if it might be uncomfortable for them or their audience, Levit says.Also, for him, the ideals of art and society are connected. "If you open your mouth and you link yourself to ideals, if you speak of music as the universal language, music as something that would bring people together, and so on and so on... I only believe you if you not only live these values within a concert hall, from a concert stage, but you actually live these ideals," he says."The music and artist narrative of being the kind of good person, per se, because you make music, but outside of the concert hall you don't give a damn about it (society) and you don't care, this I find a hypocrisy beyond belief. And this is what I argue against."He continues, "If you decide to not speak out, fine. This is your decision, we are a free society, this is a democracy. I believe in the right to even be ignorant. That is a right -- I find it wrong, even dangerous, but you have a right to do so. But to not relate to (societal) values and ideals, and then say 'oh, I am an artist, I have so much to do with Mozart and Beethoven I don't have time to do anything else -- this is hypocrisy, this is what I absolutely hate, and this is what I was talking about."As someone born of a Jewish family from Russia, now living in Berlin, Levit is primarily concerned about the rise of European right-wing nationalism."That's our daily life here, now. We are not burning out every day, it's not that we have 54 breaking news (stories) every hour, that's not the case. But we are in a very dangerous situation, absolutely. And we should never underestimate the danger."He points out a growing neofascism movement in Germany, Poland's recent "Holocaust law" that bans the blaming of Poles for any crimes committed during the Holocaust , and Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban's election earlier this month.Hungary "elected a guy who ran a campaign of anti-semitism," Levit says. "And then the same conservative politicians here in Germany did not hesitate to say 'we congratulate Mr. Viktor Oban for his election.' And I'm like, seriously guys? This is deeply disturbing. That's why I say we are not safe."He adds. "Let me again put it mildly, it kind of freaks me out, is that I will never understand how people can be ignorant."Ultimately, culture, including music, "needs the freedom to exist, and if there is no freedom to exist, we have a big problem."That there are no walls between Levit's work on stage and his thoughts on the rest of the world shows in his performance of Beethoven's "Ode to Joy" at the 2017 BBC Proms (the Henry Wood Promenade Concerts)."I believe it was the first prom after Brexit," he says. So, as a response to the U.K.'s withdrawal from the European Union he selected the official anthem of the E.U., while also wearing an E.U. flag on his lapel."I did that in order to express my feelings about what I believe in," he says. "I"m a very critical European citizen. I am critical of the European Union, but I am a European. And so I take every right I have to express it and protect it against every single one of those who treat all of our ideals as if it was garbage."Mark Wedel has been a freelance journalist in southwest Michigan since 1992. For more: http://www.markswedel.com/ As part of the citys inclusive Imagine Kalamazoo 2025 plan, the Edison Neighborhood Association and the City of Kalamazoo want to know what improvements are important to residents, and theyre seeking input. Tammy Taylor, Director of the Edison Neighborhood Association, has created a survey that asks residents to rank their priorities for neighborhood improvements. Among the list of suggestions are reconstruction and beautification of Portage Street; greater disability access; rehabilitation of existing housing to increase home ownership; better signage and lighting at significant intersections; safety for children; free neighborhood Wifi; and more family-friendly shopping options and services, among others. The Edison Neighborhood Plan, when finished, will be partially adopted by the City of Kalamazoo and added to the Imagine Kalamazoo 2025 Plan, says Taylor, adding that the ENAs goal is to get input from every resident and business owner in the Edison Neighborhood and have a huge plan reveal at the neighborhood's National Night Out event at 5:30 p.m., Aug. 7, 2018. Each resident in a household can complete the survey, regardless of age, and they are encouraged to do so, so that their preferences are heard. Neighborhoods do not become great by accident, said Rebekah Kik, Community Planning and Economic Director of the City of Kalamazoo. It is the hard work of visioning and planning from the community that moves a plan from idea to action. We look to the residents of the Edison neighborhood to be sure we are doing the right projects, in the right places, at the right time. It is important that we hear from as many residents as possible to ensure the plan is informed with the collective ideas of everyone. If there are other improvements you would like to see in the Imagine Edison plan that are not on the list, please call Taylor at 269-382-0916 or email Edison@chartermi.net. Theresa Coty O'Neil is a Kalamazoo area freelance writer. Her articles have appeared in many local publications and her short stories have been published in Alaska Quarterly Review and West Branch, among others. She is the Project Editor for On the Ground Edison. Southwest Michigan Second Wave's "On the Ground Edison" series amplifies the voices of Edison Neighborhood residents. Over three months, Second Wave journalists will be embedded in the Edison Neighborhood to explore topics of importance to residents, business owners, and other members of the community. To reach the editor of this series, Theresa Coty-O'Neil, please email her here or contact Second Wave managing editor Kathy Jennings here. The On the Ground program is made possible by funding from the City of Kalamazoo, LISC, the Fetzer Institute, the Irving S. Gilmore Foundation, United Way of the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo Region, Michigan WORKS!, the Kalamazoo Community Foundation and the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo. Press Release April 26, 2018 Sen. Bam eyes permanent residency for religious workers, missionaries like Sister Fox In light of the deportation order against Sister Patricia Fox, Senator Bam Aquino renewed his call for the passage of his measure seeking to give permanent residency to foreign religious workers and missionaries as recognition of their work to promote the welfare of the poor. "Foreign religious workers like Sister Fox are partners for change. Many of them are fighting for the rights and welfare of the poor through outreach work and social missions," Sen. Bam said in Senate Bill No. 702 or the Permanent Residency to Qualified Religious Workers Act. In his measure, which was filed last July 20, 2016, Sen. Bam emphasized that foreign religious workers have sacrificed a lot, including leaving the comfort of their homes and their families, just to serve the Filipino people. "These are devoted individuals who intend to live the rest of their lives serving the Filipino people," Sen. Bam stressed. The measure seeks to amend Commonwealth Act No. 613, otherwise known as the Philippine Immigration Act of 1940, to spare foreign religious from burdensome requirements and procedures to stay in the country and performing their chosen vocation here that benefits our communities. "This bill seeks to assist the many religious workers who have already dedicated long years of their lives to their missionary work and vocation in the country," said Sen. Bam. According to the senator, the measure is also aimed at updating the antiquated immigration law to better address the changing needs and demands of the increasing globalized and interconnected international community. Earlier, Sen. Bam condemned the deportation order against Sister Fox, saying the government overlooked the missionary's help to poor Filipinos just because she fought for their cause. "Binalewala ng administrasyon ang ilang taong pagtulong ni Sister Patricia Fox sa mahihirap na Pilipino dahil siya'y nakikiisa sa kanilang ipinaglalaban," said Sen. Bam. "Lantaran na ang panggigipit sa mga taong lumalaban at hindi sunud-sunuran." Sen. Bam has committed to file a resolution to investigate possible abuses in the deportation of foreign nationals. In the 16th Congress, Sen. Bam filed Senate Resolution No. 260 to ensure that the freedom of expression of foreign nationals is not curtailed. Press Release April 26, 2018 Dispatch from Crame No. 291: Sen. Leila M. de Lima's Statement on the BI's Deportation of Sr. Patricia Fox 2/26/18 The deportation of Sr. Patricia Fox, a human rights defender who lawfully entered and stayed in our country under a missionary visa, says a lot about the state of democracy in our country. It is clear that, as things are currently being run, the Rule of law bows to the will of a tyrant. But, more than that, it exposes how this Administration is systematically doing its best to insulate us from the outside world, especially those who have enough malasakit for our countrymen to come in our defense when we are being oppressed by our own government. It clearly shows the bias of this Administration against foreigners who defend human rights, and in favor of foreigners who care nothing for it. It won't be long until we will be no different from the people of other nations who are so used to being the victims of repression in their own countries, they would not recognize abuse in others, let alone have the inclination or means to fight against it. They want us to become a country of lost sheep, so they are getting rid of those who are simply doing their missionary's work of guiding us towards good and away from evil. It is also clear that such an act is just another step towards ensuring the impunity with which this Administration tramples on people's rights. It is too easy to predict that this is the precedent that they are setting in order to blacklist, deny entry to and/or order the deportation of representatives or agents of international human rights bodies, such as the ICC, whom Duterte deems a threat to his tyrannical rule. The old man is so scared of his own shadow, he lashes out at a nun who is doing nothing but nurturing his people. The noose around our collective heads are getting tighter and tighter. With the persecution of Filipino human rights defenders, our isolation from foreign human rights defenders, and the attacks on the independence of government institutions, the legs of the table we are standing on are being chopped off one-by-one. The moment that the table topples over, we are lost. We must fight to escape the stranglehold that this Administration continues to hold us under. We must defend ourselves by defending our defenders. Otherwise, we will find that it is too late. To paraphrase a known quote from an outspoken critic of Adolf Hitler: First they came for the poor and defenseless, and I did not speak out--Because I was not whom they were targeting. Then they persecuted and silenced the political opposition, and I did not speak out--Because I am but an ordinary citizen who knows nothing of politics and affairs of the state. Then they came for the human rights defenders, local and foreign, and I did not speak out--Because if the defenders are powerless to defend themselves, who am I to even try. Then they came for me, my family, my community and my nation--and there was no one left to speak for me. Press Release April 26, 2018 FOREIGN POLICY IS NOT SIMPLY A SOCIAL MEDIA BLITZ *Statement of Akbayan Senator Risa Hontiveros The expulsion of the Philippine ambassador to Kuwait is both unfortunate and shameful. It exposes our overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to greater risk and reveals the Duterte government's haphazard and amateurish approach to foreign policy. Rescuing our abused OFWs is correct. What is patently wrong is to exploit the rescue of our distressed kababayan to score propaganda points even if it means trampling on the sovereignty of a nation-state and straining long-nurtured bilateral relations. May I remind the Duterte government that foreign policy is not simply a social media blitz. It is the careful and diplomatic promotion and safeguarding of a nation's interests while recognizing multilateral and bilateral relations with other countries. There is a way of rescuing our OFWs without violating the sovereignty of another country. Gusto daw ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte na igalang ng buong mundo ang soberenya ng Pilipinas, pero hindi pala ito kayang gawin ng kanyang gobyerno sa ibang bansa. I call on the Duterte government, particularly the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), to take concrete steps to rebuild our strained bilateral relations with Kuwait. I also call on them to implement measures to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the thousands of Filipinos working in Kuwait, and to make sure that their harmonious relationship with the Kuwaiti people is not strained by incident. The government must seriously address this issue instead of brushing this aside as a simple case of "misunderstanding." Lastly, I reiterate my call for the development and implementation of a judicious, progressive and consistent foreign policy capable of responding to the challenges of modern international relations. The Duterte government's treacherous mishandling of the crisis in the West Philippine Sea and the Kuwait debacle demand that all stakeholders sit and talk to craft a foreign policy that is truly reflective of the Filipino people's interests and aspirations. Hindi uubra ang bara-barang foreign policy. Press Release April 26, 2018 Speech of Senator Loren Legarda Press Conference on "The City Who Had Two Navels" Philippine Participation at the 16th Venice Architecture Biennale 26 April 2018 | NCCA Boardroom, Intramuros, Manila It is with great pride and honor that I welcome all of you today as we officially present our curator and his curatorial concept for the Philippine Pavilion at the 16th Venice Architecture Biennale. I am proud and exuberant because we are on our fourth consecutive participation in the oldest and most prestigious contemporary art platform in the world. But what makes me even prouder is that our national pavilion will be housed, once again, at the Artiglierie of the Arsenale, one of the main exhibition spaces of the Venice Biennale. We have really come a long way from trying to return to the Venice Biennale after 51 long years of absence, to actually being able to do so despite the challenges that almost had us giving up. Imagine if we had not pushed through, if we let the hurdles get the better of us, then we would not be here today. That is why I am extremely grateful to the NCCA, which was then led by Professor Felipe de Leon Jr., and now by National Artist Virgilio S. Almario, to the Department of Foreign Affairs, and to the Philippine Arts in Venice Biennale (PAVB) Coordinating Committee for supporting me in turning my vision into reality. It was a vision to make the Filipino talent be part of the global contemporary art scene, because I know we can. The curatorial proposals we receive every year prove the talent, creativity and intelligence of our curators, artists and architects. But apart from bringing the Filipino talent to the global center stage, I envision our participation in the Venice Biennale to open more opportunities for the growth of our curators and artists and encourage more Filipinos to unleash their creativity. I want Filipinos to realize the importance of art, that it is an expression of one's self, of one's society, of one's nation. In terms of architecture, we sometimes dismiss it as merely the design or construction of buildings and spaces without realizing that it has an effect in our life, in our community, and even in our past, present and future as a nation. Architecture is an integral part of our life. It is in our daily journey. Architecture, likewise, helps define our perception of our community. Architecture makes us appreciate our history and heritage. Moreover, I see architecture as a crucial element of building equitable, sustainable and inclusive societies. These facets of architecture are present in our Philippine Pavilion. The curatorial concept of Dr. Edson Cabalfin does not look at city as mere built heritage, built structure or architecture, but it looks deeper into the people who live in the city, the souls, the whole ecosystem. I am excited, as I know all of you are, to see how the concept will be mounted as our national pavilion. I am certain this is a work that we will truly be proud of. I would also like to thank those who joined the open call for curatorial proposals for the 2018 Philippine Pavilion. All the proposals were well-written and well-thought-out and reading them made me appreciate the Filipino even more. In closing, I wish to stress that our presence in the Venice Biennale is an advocacy in itself. Through our national pavilion, we converse with other pavilions and with every individual who visits our pavilion. We are able to relate our truths to the world while also connecting with Filipinos, showing them the importance of architecture in inspiring life, shaping society, and building a nation. Thank you. Press Release April 26, 2018 The Philippine Pavilion at the 16th Venice Architecture Biennale: The City Who Had Two Navels Inspired by Filipino National Artist for Literature Nick Joaquin's novel "The Woman Who Had Two Navels," published in 1961, the Philippine Pavilion at the 16th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia confronts the tension between the vicissitudes of the past and the challenges of constructing contemporary subjectivity. Following the call for examining an idea of "Freespace" by the Biennale curators Yvonne Farrell and Shelley McNamara, the Philippine Pavilion seeks to interrogate architecture and urbanism's ability to empower and transform people's lives. "Freespace" or "Pookginhawa" in the Philippine context underscores the strategies by which Filipinos use the built environment as modes of resistance and appropriation to an ever-changing world. Titled "The City Who Had Two Navels" as a critical response to Joaquin's important literary work and celebration of his birth centennial, the Philippine contribution to the Biennale highlights two "navels" that are in constant dialogue: first, how colonialism impacts the formation of the built environment; and second, how the process of neoliberalization alters the urban landscape. First Navel The first "navel", "(Post)Colonial Imaginations", presents major expositions and world's fairs showcasing the Philippines, including the 1887 Exposicion General de las Islas Filipinas (Madrid, Spain), the 1904 St. Louis Fair (St. Louis, Missouri, USA), the 1998 Expo Pilipino (Clark Airbase, Pampanga), and other expositions during the colonial and post-colonial periods. Through images and artifacts, the first section looks at how Philippine displays in expositions reproduced colonial narratives of the exotic and the primitive. The first section of the pavilion presents the question: can we truly escape the colonial? Second Navel The second navel, "Neoliberal Urbanism" presents the development of Philippine cities as embedded within processes of neoliberalization. Under a neoliberal agenda, cities are placed in a hierarchy based on their ability to compete for capital following principles of privatization, deregulation, free market, and minimal state intervention. Examples include mixed-use developments and business process outsourcing (BPO) offices, enclave central business districts, peri-urban residential subdivisions, and informal settlements as part of urban growth. By exposing contemporary issues in Philippine cities, the pavilion poses the question: is neoliberalization a new form of colonialism? Intersection In the central part of the exhibition, a video installation explores the intersection of the two forces of colonialism and neoliberalism. The juncture of these two "navels" represents an emergent wave of postcolonial anxieties born out of the process of exiting the colonial condition. This immersive experience asks visitors to contemplate on their own experiences with the colonial and the neoliberal. Through a transnational and transhistorical investigation, the pavilion argues that the Philippines does not exist in a vacuum, is implicated within power relations, and is inextricably intertwined with other nations and people. Consortium To address this emerging postcolonial anxiety, the Philippine Pavilion invited future architects, planners and designers to respond to the two "navels" in the exhibition. As part of the exhibit, a think-tank consortium was created comprising students and faculty from select architecture, design, and planning programs in the Philippines. They are: (1) Yason Banal, contemporary artist and filmmaker; (2) TAO (Technical Assistance Organization) Pilipinas, Inc. a women-led, non-stock, non-profit, non-government organization that assists urban and rural poor communities; (3) De La Salle - College of Saint Benilde; (4) University of San Carlos - School of Architecture, Fine Arts and Design; (5) University of the Philippines Diliman, College of Architecture; and (6) University of the Philippines Mindanao, Department of Architecture. The consortium was commissioned to conduct research on the current state of three Philippine cities of Metro Manila, Metro Cebu and Metro Davao and were tasked to respond to the identified issues and to present proposals about the future. Through the speculations about the two "navels" and the concomitant architectural and urban issues, Philippine "Freespace" or "Pookginhawa" anticipates possibilities for renewed life and hope. The Curator Edson G. Cabalfin is Associate Professor at the School of Architecture and Interior Design at the University of Cincinnati. He received his Ph.D. in Architecture (Major in History of Architecture, Minors in Historic Preservation and Southeast Asian Studies) in 2012 from Cornell University. Under a Fulbright Fellowship from 2001 to 2003, he received his M.S. Architecture degree from the University of Cincinnati. Prior to coming to the U.S., he received his B.S. Architecture (cum laude) and Master of Architecture degrees from the University of the Philippines - Diliman in 1996 and 2001 respectively. National Participation The Philippine participation at the 16th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia is a collaborative undertaking of National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), and the Office of Senator Loren Legarda. Cabalfin's curatorial concept was selected among 12 proposals that were submitted to the Coordinating Committee in response to the open call for curatorial proposals for the Philippine participation at the 2018 Venice Architecture Biennale. The Commissioner of the Philippine Pavilion is Virgilio S. Almario, NCCA Chairman and Filipino National Artist for Literature. Almario said, "The Philippine Pavilion places a spotlight on the discussion of how our cities have transformed, an important global conversation seeing how more than fifty per cent of the world's population live in urban settlements." He explained, "It is relevant because if we can make sense of our cities and how it is shaped by our past as well as by neoliberal agendas then learning about the presence of these invisible forces empower us to make better choices for the future of the cities and the people that occupy it." Meanwhile, Senator Loren Legarda, the visionary and principal advocate of the Philippine participation in the Venice Biennale, stressed the importance of the country's presence at the Architecture Biennale. "As an advocate of the preservation of Philippine heritage, I see architecture as a crucial element of building equitable, sustainable and inclusive societies. Through our participation in this year's Venice Architecture Biennale, we relate our truths as we also learn from the realities of other nations. It serves as a reminder of how architecture is not only about building structures but also about inspiring life, shaping society, and building a nation," said Legarda. The Philippine Pavilion at the 16th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia will be housed at the Artiglierie, Arsenale and will run from May 26 to November 25, 2018. Chitwan, April 26 The Chitwan National Park (CNP) says it is preparing to send a male rhino calf to China. It will be one of the four rhinoceros that Nepal is gifting the northern neighbour within next three months. According to the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservations Director General, Man Bahadur Khadka, a team of wildlife experts including veterinarians from China and Nepal examined the first rhino calf and verified it to be healthy enough to be sent to China. The rhino calf was bred by the CNP at its enclosure at the National Nature Conservation Trust in Sauraha. The government had decided to gift China with two pairs of rhino within the next three months. RSS Statement of Sen. Kiko Pangilinan on Boracay closure Boracay island is a tourist destination with a long coastline of soft, white sand beach. It is not a conflict area or a war zone. Why is the government deploying over 600 personnel from the ranks of the police, armed forces, coast guard, Bureau of Fire Protection, and civic groups in Boracay island during its six-month closure? There are no terrorists or invaders in Boracay. Meanwhile, China's aircraft freely landed on Mischief Reef recently even if the area is within our exclusive economic zone as ruled upon by the United Nations tribunal. Also, China has unveiled a monument in Fiery Cross Reef on Spratly Islands to mark its construction activities there -- an area also within our exclusive economic zone based on the same UN ruling, to which the government's response appears to be meek submission. It is a shame that the administration is deploying the military, police, and the coast guard in Boracay while China has been blatantly trespassing in our territory and disrespecting our sovereignty. The only threat to the Boracay island and its residents is the government that ordered Boracay's closure without a plan for the 36,000 people who will lose their jobs. It is ironic that the government can express so much love to China's President Xi Jin Ping but can't be bothered to provide jobs for the displaced Boracay workers. I heard the driver say tiger, but he said it like he had seen a jackal. He didnt slow down or go faster. Photo: Sagar Giri Wisps of mist rose like incense smoke from the meditatively slow river. Across it, the jungle was still in a deep slumber. We waded barefoot, halfway up to the knees, stepping easily from a village into Bardia National Park, the largest protected area in Nepals lowlands. Tulasi, the veteran jungle guide who was my chaperon for the day, did not take the crossing lightly. We are now in a jungle, he began as soon as I had put my shoes back on. His tone was ceremonious, like a teacher ushering in a new pupil at a gurukul, the Vedic school in which students lived with teachers in a forest hermitage. There are tigers and rhinos and elephants here. Its rare, but if we run into any of them, there are certain ways to protect ourselves. If its a tiger, never turn your back on it; stand tall and stare into its eyes, then walk backward, one step at a time. If a rhino charges you, hit it on its nose with a stick. There is only one way to escape an elephant: climbing a treea tall tree. Tulasi then handed me a four-foot-long staff, as though it was a rifle. I looked around. We were on a jeep track that bisected a grassland. The nearest trees were several hundred meters away, and they were all sal hardwoods, straight as Roman columns, their first limbs some thirty feet from the ground. I processed the survival tips and our surrounding topography, and in my head, Tulasis spiel condensed to: Each man for himself when under attack from a wild animal. After the statutory pep talk, Tulasi turned onto a trail that passed through grass ten feet tall. I kept picturing a rhino or a tiger charging us around a corner. I tightened my grip on the stave Tulasi had given me. Of course, by then Tulasi was in tiger-showing mode, an avatar that guides in Bardia assume when in the jungle. In that mode, their desire to find a tiger is second only to a tiger seeking a partner during mating season. As I walked behind the old-timer, I wondered what I had done to give him the impression that I was desperate to see a tiger. One of my happiest childhood memories is being in sal forests, to which my uncle and cousins occasionally took me when they went hunting. Those days of combing dappled jungles for quarry ceased abruptly when Maoist guerillas moved into the wilderness. But now, the rebellion over, I wanted to be among the ancient sals again. I harbored a faint hope of seeing a tiger, but it was never the reason for my coming to Bardia. For Tulasi, a visit to Bardia was meaningless without a tiger sighting. At the time I was visiting, the tiger frenzy had spiked due to the sheer good luck of a Scot who was staying at the same resort as me. Tulasi worked there. The Scot had seen a tigress and her two adolescent cubs on his second day in the park. Tulasi told me that news the first time we met. His tone seemed to imply that it was now up to me to match the foreigners feat. He was asking me to rise above my tourists status; I was a Nepali first and foremost. A Nepali had to see at least one tiger. The Scot, on the other hand, exulted around a campfire about the spiders on his rooms adobe walls and the mouse that made nocturnal visits to fossick in the empty potato chips packet under his bed. He mentioned tigers almost as an afterthought. This place is what Scotland must have been like two centuries ago, he mused, delighted at having traveled back in time. Our march ended on the high bank of a sluggish stream. A noticeably worn out spot turned out to be the coveted hideout we had walked like crazy to get to before others. The place was called Tinkune, literally three corners. The view the confluence of two almost stagnant streams was hardly worth sitting for hours on the buttock-numbingly cold sand. But Tinkune was a promise, not instant gratification. Across the second stream, behind a belt of trees, was a large phanta, a grassland. The place was tailor-made for a tiger: the tall grass provided cover to hunt and eat in, and the stream was its water cooler. On our side, a screen of drooping branches gave humans a slight chance against the jungle folks superior senses. All we had to do was stay hidden, keep still and quiet and, with a bit of luck, wed see a Panthera tigris. It took more than luck to see a tiger, however. You needed to be as still, as camouflaged and as quiet as a tiger stalking preyqualities that were Tulasis second nature. He could sit stock-still, eyes scanning the landscape, for well over an hour at a time. He barely spoke when in the jungle; outside, he couldnt stop talking. Occasionally, he sprinkled anecdotes of tiger sightings into the simmering silence, as though to make it more palatable. Only last year I was with a gori [white woman] from England. She had a huge camera. We were sitting right here when from nowhere a tigress and her cubs walked out on to the bank there he pointed to a sandbar across the stream The gori took dozens of photos. She even gave me one. It hangs in my house. The recounting irritated me. I had begun to covet a tiger sighting. Waiting suffering in the hideouts had its rewards, but I, hungry for a tiger, never fully appreciated the beauty of those moments at the time. Across the stream a rhino sauntered along the bank, sampling the grass. Spotted deer and hog deer browsed peacefully, their composure itself a clue that no tiger was near. In one place there was a sinuous mark on the wet mudthe bodywork of a python. Also in attendance was a match made on the Mongolian steppea Ruddy Shelduck pair, conversing in sonorous honks. And sunlight glinted off a Smooth-coated River Otter as it suddenly surfaced. Tulasi sat beside me, an old sage taking in the scene before his eyes, ready to whisper a morsel of jungle wisdom. One afternoon, as we sat scanning the banks, an elephant descended to the stream some hundred and fifty yards from us. One by one, dozens more appeared. A large bull elephant with tusks that were National Geographic cover material trundled down to the stream and stopped right in the middle. He stood there for the next twenty minutes as his herd, from cows with little calves at their heels to dilly-dallying adolescents, crossed over to the forest on the other side. It was a scene from a textbook on a family. Tulasi told me I was very lucky to see such a large herd29 in all. Bardias wild elephant population is a shadow of what it once was. Encouraged by the governments quelling of malaria in the Terai, thousands of people migrated from the hills to the fertile lowlands in the 1960s. Axes swung and great swathes of prime elephant habitat vanished. Pachyderm numbers tumbled. Bardias elephants have lost a lot to humans, but once in a while, they get one over them. Like on the day before we had seen the herd. We were in Bagh Machan, a fifty-foot high wooden tower, breakfasting on hard-boiled eggs and flatbread when two men came riding upon an elephant. Tulasi knew them. They were employees of a high-end park resort. One of their female elephants had eloped the night before with a wild bull. The mahouts were out to find her. The scene encapsulated Bardia beautifully: the wildness and vastness of the place, human encroachment on it and their follies, and sweetest of all, the urge to mate, if not love, triumphing. The Bardia guides obsession to see wild animals resembled the paparazzis thirst for celebrities. Whenever two guides met in a hideout, on a trail in the jungle, at the parks entrance gate or in the village teashop they asked each other about animal sightings. What did you see? When? Where? Never an inquiry about the other mans family, the preamble to the Nepali Book of Conversation. I felt sorry for their families. If thinking more about another creature than ones wife is betrayal, then Bardias guides were lost cases. Above their bedposts would be a framed photo of a tigress; below it a guide snoozing, dreaming of his next sighting of the striped beauty. Of course, that was a harsh way of looking at a guides professionalism.The truth was that guides in Bardia depended so much on the wildlife to sustain their lives that they had become non-participant members of the ecosystem. On days he was guiding, the fifty-five-year-old Tulasi got up at four in the morning, sometimes walked nearly twenty kilometers in the sapping heat, and sat patiently for hours. Not to mention the risks of being a jungle guide. He did all this to feed his family, to send his sons to colleges in Kathmandu. If he was obsessed with a tiger it was for me, although his zeal made me wonder at times if he was also trying to surpass a local record for most tiger sightings. The day after wed seen the elephant herd, Tulasi suggested we take turns sleeping while we waited in the hideout. I was first. I lay on the warm sand, rested my head on a log, and fell asleep. Shortly after, Tulasi shook me awake. He put a finger to his lips to signal me to remain silent, then pointed to the stream. I thought only a tiger would warrant such a stress on silence. I rose slowly and peered over the bush. A swamp deer stood in the middle of the stream, motionless, neck erect, ears cocked, ready to bolt at the slightest sound. The stillness of the moment deepened her beauty. But I wasnt too impressed. I was under the spell of the tiger: beauty to me was whiskers, stripes, and paws. Tulasi and I tried for several days to see a tiger. We walked for hours to get from one location known for tiger sightings to another and spent hours in hideouts. We even took a break and went to see Nepals last wild herd of blackbucks, which had gotten so used to humans that they let people get to within thirty feet of them before sauntering away toward a couple munching on peanuts. But we didnt see a tiger. After three days of waiting for a tiger, I ran out of patience. I decided to leave. Tulasi suggested I return in spring. He assured me I would see a tiger then. A year after the last time sitting in the hideout with Tulasi, I was on a bus cruising on the highway that goes through Bardia National Park. I heard the driver say tiger, but he said it like he had seen a jackal. He didnt slow down or go faster. I looked out the window and saw a large tiger. He looked back at the bus as we passed by. There was none of the legendary fieriness in his eyes, only a haggard look that was perhaps a feline sigh. Inside the bus, safe and detached, I felt no excitement. No heart-thumping, no adrenaline rush. I understood the lack of emotion in the drivers voice. Both he and I had only seen the tigers body. The bus was too fast, too detached, too safe to allow us to get a feel for its spirit. *** Places to stay Thakurdwara, the village at the doorstep of the Bardia National Park, is one of the fastest growing areas in terms of hotels and guesthouses. You will be spoiled for choices there. Here are some recommendations: Tharu Home Resort As the name suggests, this place is built and decorated to resemble a traditional Tharu home, complete with finger-painted animal figurines on the facades of huts. It combines the traditional and the modern to provide a comfortable stay in the midst of nature. The place is solar powered, so guests dont plunge into darkness with Thakurdwaras frequent power outages. Rooms start at 1000 rupees a night. Attractions: a pier extending into the canal in front of the hotel makes an idyllic spot to unwind at the end of a sapping day in the jungle. The Tharu cuisine here is delicious. Contact: 9848022906 (Mohan Chaudhary); www.tharuhomeresort.com Bardia Eco Lodge In terms of leaving carbon footprints, a stay at this place is like gliding over the ground. This lodge takes environment-friendly practice to new heights. They even have compost toilets! Not that they have only given thought to being green. Their rooms are minimalist delights, with traditional Tharu decor. Even if you dont stay there, their dining hall is worth a visit for their collection of Tharu household articles. Attractions: secluded location, situated along a river. The bar on the first floor of their dining hall has a wonderful view of the river, where sometimes animals come to drink. Contact: 9848237634 (Madhu Tharu); www.bardiaecolodge.com Anjali Dolphin Resort The name is almost an attempt to camouflage the exquisite taste of the owner of this resort. Everything from straw mats to the bed sheets to the dustbins in the small cottages here are designed and woven by Tharu craftsmen. The walls and floors are adobe, done like the interiors of Tharu houses. There is nothing traditional about the bathrooms, whose fittings would rival any luxury hotels of Kathmandu. The resort is owned by a Frenchman, and he lets it be known through his dining room, which is decorated beautifully, down to the plates with Maithali paintings and custom-made cutlery. Contact: 9815555900/084-402080; [email protected] Alibaba Group chief executive Daniel Zhang will meet with business leaders and government agency heads, but doesn't have any formal ministerial meetings planned during his trip to New Zealand. The Chinese e-commerce platform has invited a number of government agencies to several events where Zhang will speak to New Zealand businesses about Alibaba's own enterprise and global initiatives, a spokeswoman for the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Trade said in an emailed statement to BusinessDesk. Zhang will also co-host a lunch with New Zealand Trade and Enterprise head Peter Chrisp for chief executive-level representatives at "a number of leading New Zealand businesses and government agencies". "Given the business focus of Mr Zhangs programme, at this stage he is not scheduled to meet any ministers," she said. The visit comes ahead of the May 14 China Business Summit where Alibaba managing director of Australia and New Zealand Maggie Zhou will deliver a keynote speech on the changing nature of retail in China. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Trade Minister David Parker are also scheduled to talk at that event. In 2016, Alibaba and NZTE signed a memorandum of understanding for discussions to strengthen trade between the two nations in a ceremony overseen by then-Prime Minister John Key and Alibaba executive chair Jack Ma. E-commerce was an area both countries agreed fell within the scope of negotiations for the upgrade to the nations' existing free trade agreement. Earlier this year, Fonterra Cooperative Group launched a fresh milk product in China in partnership with Alibaba's Hema Fresh retail concept, selling fresh milk in Shanghai and Suzhou sourced from the New Zealand dairy company's farm hub in the Hebei province. Zhang's New Zealand trip is hot on the heels of Ma's brief visit in February when he checked on a local farm investment in the Waikato region. The Alibaba CEO's visit is more formal and follows a trip to Australia earlier this week, where he spoke of the opportunities for exporters to take advantage of China's growing consumer appetite for imported goods and played down the impact political tensions between Australia and China were having on business. (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. 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Related News: NZME Limited (NZX: NZM) Market Update - COVID-19 Impacts QEX Logistics Limited (NZX: QEX) NZ Markets Disciplinary Tribunal Censure 5th October 2021 Morning Report 4th October 2021 Morning Report Auckland International Airport Limited (NZX: AIA) Announces New Chief Executive Plexure Group Limited (NZX: PX1) Completes TASK Deal and Announce New TASK Clients 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 ASX-listed Volpara Health Technologies is in a trading halt while the Kiwi digital health firm raises capital from institutional investors ahead of next week's quarterly cash flow report. Wellington-based Volpara, which focuses on early detection of breast cancer using artificial intelligence, sought a trading halt on the ASX today to let company raise money through an institutional placement "in an orderly manner", it said in a statement. The placement is part of a proposed capital raising, which will also include a share purchase plan for existing investors. The shares last traded at 69 Australian cents, and while they've dipped 1.4 percent so far this year, the stock is still trading above its 2016 initial public offering price of 50 cents. The halt will lift once Volpara announces the outcome of the placement or when trading opens on Monday. The company this month said it beat its goal of lifting annual recurring revenue 200 percent in the March 2018 year, with ARR at $3.6 million as at March 31. Volpara is scheduled to release its quarterly cash flow statement and hold an investor briefing on April 30. It had cash on hand of $7 million as at Dec. 31. (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: NZME Limited (NZX: NZM) Market Update - COVID-19 Impacts QEX Logistics Limited (NZX: QEX) NZ Markets Disciplinary Tribunal Censure 5th October 2021 Morning Report 4th October 2021 Morning Report Auckland International Airport Limited (NZX: AIA) Announces New Chief Executive Plexure Group Limited (NZX: PX1) Completes TASK Deal and Announce New TASK Clients 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 CropLogic's managing director has resigned with immediate effect, with the company's chief financial officer appointed as acting chief executive. The Christchurch-based agritech firm, which listed on the ASX last year, said today that Jamie Cairns had tendered his resignation and the board had accepted. James Cooper-Jones, CropLogic's CFO and company secretary, has been appointed acting CEO. The CropLogic system gathers field data, via in-field sensors coupled with satellite communications, to help growers improve the productivity of their crops. Successful trials of the CropLogic system have been completed on potatoes in China, the US, Australia and New Zealand with four of the major multinational potato processors. Further to this, CropLogic is poised to start trials of the CropLogic system in other commodities such as corn, wheat, soybean and cotton. Under Cairns' watch, CropLogic raised A$8 million in an initial public offering on the ASX last year, selling 40 million shares at 20 Australian cents apiece. The shares debuted at 17 cents and have since tumbled, recently trading at 6 cents. Christchurch-based incubator Powerhouse Ventures owns about 31 percent of CropLogic. Earlier this month, the company said it had made its first Australian acquisition with Ag Logic, a Tasmania-based precision agriculture and monitoring firm, for up to A$320,000 based on whether Ag Logic meets certain milestones. At the time, Cairns said the company was continuing to look at other acquisition opportunities, but saw the deal as a way to support the company's presence in Australia and globally. (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: NZME Limited (NZX: NZM) Market Update - COVID-19 Impacts QEX Logistics Limited (NZX: QEX) NZ Markets Disciplinary Tribunal Censure 5th October 2021 Morning Report 4th October 2021 Morning Report Auckland International Airport Limited (NZX: AIA) Announces New Chief Executive Plexure Group Limited (NZX: PX1) Completes TASK Deal and Announce New TASK Clients 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 New Zealand's export log market has picked up following a slowdown ahead of the Chinese New Year period and traders are optimistic about the outlook for the year ahead, according to the latest AgriHQ forestry market report. The country's log export volumes in February were 1.6 percent ahead of the three-month average and 18 percent up on the same time last year as weaker exports to India and South Korea were offset by strong exports to Japan and China, the report said. Lumber exports also picked up, with February export volumes up 25 percent on the same time last year, driven by strength in China and the US. Overall, the log trade into China, New Zealand's largest log market, weakened in February with imports down 32 percent on the three-month average and 14 percent below the same time last year because of disruption due to Chinese New Year celebrations, AgriHQ said. A similar pattern occurred for lumber imports, down 18 percent on the same time last year and 34 percent below the three-month average. Still, New Zealand's softwood log exports have picked back up following a slowing of the market prior to the Chinese New Year, AgriHQ analyst Reece Brick said in his April report under the heading '2018 log exports off to a good start'. "Import levels witnessed in February hold very little credence for coming months. It is forecast for log and lumber inputs to remain strong or to increase further on past years," Brick said. "If the past month is any indication then 2018 should be another good year for the export log trade. Any post-Chinese New Year jitters have essentially disappeared as the port-level log offtake has risen to the level required to keep the market sturdy." Brick noted buyers in China are becoming more selective about their logs based on the fairly large volume of logs still on port, with the AgriHQ Log Price Survey showing lower value logs held at levels near to a month ago while better quality logs trended upwards. He said higher shipping rates and a higher local currency were weighing on the export log market through March and early April, although he noted these appeared to be short-term issues and overall the export log market remains in a "healthy position". "Each of the main export markets are still showing positive levels of interest which has log traders optimistic that the highs of the past 12 months or so can be repeated again throughout 2018." Brick said competition with the export log market was still driving contract negotiations in New Zealand's domestic market and holding the market solid across the board. "Mills hoping for a reduction in log prices look like theyll be out of luck for at least the next few months," he said. "Domestic log demand remains solid, more so on pruned logs than unpruned, while overseas markets are continuing to absorb any product coming out of NZ with relative ease." Forest products are New Zealand's third-largest commodity export group behind dairy and meat products. (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: NZME Limited (NZX: NZM) Market Update - COVID-19 Impacts QEX Logistics Limited (NZX: QEX) NZ Markets Disciplinary Tribunal Censure 5th October 2021 Morning Report 4th October 2021 Morning Report Auckland International Airport Limited (NZX: AIA) Announces New Chief Executive Plexure Group Limited (NZX: PX1) Completes TASK Deal and Announce New TASK Clients 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 STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- An Ocean Breeze felon with a history of starting fires will cool his heels in prison for setting a trash container ablaze in his community last year, which, in turn, damaged an adjoining home. Stephen Udvari, 35, was sentenced Thursday under a plea agreement to 18 months to three years behind bars. The incident occurred about 10:40 p.m. on Feb. 23, 2017. The structure was unoccupied, and no injuries were reported, police said. Udvari was arrested the next day and ultimately indicted on felony and misdemeanor charges of arson and criminal mischief. He also was accused of misdemeanor reckless endangerment. Two months ago, Udvari pleaded guilty in state Supreme Court, St. George, to third-degree criminal mischief, a felony, to satisfy all charges against him. A stocky bald-headed man, Udvari was garbed Thursday in orange Correction Department scrubs. He declined to make a statement before Justice Mario F. Mattei imposed sentence. "I think it was a fair disposition," defense lawyer Louis Gelormino said outside court. "Mr. Udvari took responsibility for his actions. He'll avail himself of programs in prison and get the help he needs." Assistant District Attorney Mark Palladino prosecuted the case. According to Advance reports, Udvari was sentenced in March 2009 to three to six years behind bars after he confessed to setting a Midland Beach blaze in June 2008 that completely gutted an unoccupied home under renovation, as well as an SUV. Four other buildings, including Udvari's home, also were damaged, and five firefighters were injured. At that time, Justice Stephen J. Rooney ordered Udvari to undergo treatment for substance abuse and receive psychiatric counseling while in prison, the Advance reported. Udvari had previously served during a six-month jail stint for setting two brush fires in New Dorp Beach in 2006. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Phil Giordano packed up his entire life in Staten Island to attend NYC's Tish School of the Arts Asia in Singapore. There, the Oakwood native studied film and immersed himself into the culture. This is where the idea for his college thesis, turned internationally acclaimed short film "SUPOT" was born and brought to fruition. After making its way through festivals (with the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, Florida Film Festival, BUSAN International Film Festival, etc.) "SUPOT" is officially available to view through Vimeo. The controversial, but raw drama film was chosen by Film Shortage as a "Daily Short Pick." This is the first time Staten Islanders will be able to view the full-length movie for free. FLASHBACK TO 2016: Six years ago, Giordano was just a typical South Shore kid deciding where to go to college. He knew he wanted to pursue a career in film but also didn't want to stay in New York due to his limited "exposure to culture." After being placed on the wait list for New York University, Giordano decided to pack his bags and attend NYU'S Tisch School of the Arts Asia in Singapore. Quite a big move for a native New Yorker, no? In Giordano's case, relocation paid off. "I knew I didn't want to do one of those 'white guys to go Asia' movies," Giordano told SILive. "I wanted to make a film from the perspective of a child in the culture." Translated, "Supot" means someone who is uncircumcised. His 12-and-a-half-minute film is about the fear and anxiety a young boy faces when it's his time to become a man. "It's a story of father and son," said Giordano. "Without giving too much away, the theme of the movie is about the bond of manhood." We've seen it -- and it's a richly accomplished work from a man who can no longer be described as a "student" filmmaker. The Staten Island filmmaker christened the "Werner Herzog of the Phillipines" lensed his new project in Magallanes -- a fourth-class municipality in the province of Cavite, Philippines. Giordano looked to the streets and slums to cast the children of "SUPOT." Andrei Fajarito, who plays the lead role of "Rene-boy," was found in city of Batangas. Fajarito had no prior acting experience, but caught the eyes of the crew. Giordano gave Fajarito a scenario of his father being mad at him for going out past his curfew. Giordano asked him to act out how he would apologize to him. Fajarito said nothing, began to sob and walked over to his "father" and hugged him. Once the scenario was over, Fajarito simply wiped his tears and began to laugh. That was the deciding factor for Giordano. John Arcilla of America's "The Bourne Legacy" and "Heneral Luna," one of the highest-grossing Filipino films, plays the role of Rene-boy's stoic father. Cora, Rene-boy's nurturing mother, is played by Mercedes Cabral. The actress is known as the "Indie princess of the Philippines" and a Cannes Film Festival veteran who is "very selective of her roles," according to Giordano. Asian critics already have praised Giordano's exploration "of the Filipino masculine psyche" in his depiction of a cultural rite of passage. "It happens," said Giordano when asked why he chose the concept of circumcision as the film's premise. "This is still a practice that is happening. The men that do this aren't doctors, they were taught the practice by their uncles or fathers in the village." Despite the smoldering heat and limited water supply in the village during production, the finished film is evocative and gorgeously filmed. "SUPOT" makes its 2016 Busan International Festival debut on October 8, 2016. (The film already won the Grand Jury Prize at the 2016 New York Screenplay Contest, among other festival honors.) "This is a big deal for me," said Giordano on getting the chance to film "SUPOT." "Most of my films have been in English. I jumped in head first with this." STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. - What kind of world are we living in where it seems like every New York Democrat but Mayor Bill de Blasio is looking to legalize marijuana for recreational use? Advance file photo Public Advocate Letitia James jumped on the weed wagon the other week, saying that it's "high time" that recreational weed was legalized. High time? Yeah, saw what you did there. Don't Edit Advance file photo James said that recreational weed should be legalized to further the cause of racial justice, because statistics show that blacks and Hispanics are arrested more often than whites on weed charges, even though usage rates are roughly the same among the groups. She also said that legalizing made sense economically. Don't Edit AP photo One of New York's biggest Dem guns, U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, chimed in a few days later, saying he wants to see marijuana decriminalized on the federal level. Schumer said that his thinking on recreational weed had evolved, that it was up to each state to decide what worked for them. The senator spoke to the racial justice angle, and said that too many people had had their lives ruined because they did jail time for possession of small amounts of weed. Schumer also said that most Americans agree that possessing weed shouldn't be a crime. Yeah, well a lot of people think normal road speed is 85 mph. We don't see them jacking up the speed limit. Don't Edit AP photo Schumer also said that states that have already legalized are reaping a financial windfall because of it. Taken altogether, "This is not only misguided, but it undermines the basic principles of fairness and equal opportunity that are foundational to the American way of life," Schumer wrote in a post on Medium. By all means, then, let's blaze it up in the interest of truth, justice and the American way. So as far as New York is concerned, there doesn't seem to be much debate left. Don't Edit AP photo Gov. Andrew Cuomo has also said that he's more open to the notion of legalization, pointing to all the other states that have legalized, and to the fact that New Jersey is looking at it seriously. Don't Edit Don't Edit AP photo All this after Democratic primary opponent Cynthia Nixon said she would look to legalize if she were elected governor. Funny what a heated campaign can do. It was only a couple of years ago that Cuomo drew the line in the state's medical marijuana program, saying that smokeable forms of marijuana would be prohibited. And the governor's turnaround came not long after Cuomo called for the formation of a commission to study the problem. Don't Edit AP photo But the way New York Dems are talking now, it sounds like no study is going to be necessary. Or a commission is going to be put together to come to the pre-ordained conclusion that New York should legalize. I'm not saying New York shouldn't legalize. But it has to make you wonder when every politician all of a sudden starts rushing toward the same conclusion. Nothing in government ever moves this fast. You can't even get a stop sign installed this fast. New York Democrats can't even come together to give the party its majority in the state Senate. Don't Edit AP photo But now all the New York Dems are getting on the same page? Something stinks, and it's not the sweet smell of herb. Maybe the Dems just decided that they wanted to chase the weed vote. Don't know why they would feel the need given this supposed blue electoral wave that's coming. Maybe the wave ain't so big. Or ain't so blue. And if you want racial justice in policing, why not have the NYPD arrest more white people smoking weed? Don't Edit AP photo Not only that, with the city's decriminalization of possession of nearly an ounce of weed, arrests should be down significantly, if not eliminated entirely. So how is there still injustice when nobody's supposed to be arrested for having weed? So if you do want to legalize for monetary reasons, just say so. Or if you're caving to the inevitable, just admit it. Let's not make pot into some big social justice cause. Let's have a real discussion about legalizing weed. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Two months before the Democratic congressional primary, the six Democratic candidates squared off on Wednesday, debating each other on how to address the opioid crisis and address Medicare. The candidates disagreed with each other over how to best address the deadly drug crisis. Several of the candidates said the solution is to restrict addictive medication, punish pharmaceutical companies or their executives. "[We need] handcuffs, not fines," said Zach Emig, a Tompkinsville bond trader. Michael DeVito, a Marine veteran and not-for-profit executive, agreed and added that he would vote for a House bill to remove marijuana as a schedule 1 drug so it could be more easily used as an alternative pain medication. "It can be used in a meaningful way (instead of) opioids," said DeVito. Max Rose, a Purple Heart veteran, said that putting $25 billion towards education and treatment was the solution. ON HEALTH CARE Omar Vaid, DeVito, and Paul Sperling, a 25-year-old who works in real estate, supported universal Medicare. "We should be guaranteeing health care as a right," said Sperling. Rose said that he supports giving a public option for health care in every state, expanding Obamacare subsidies, and covering "essential benefits" on a non-profit basis. The U.S. Army combat veteran stopped short of endorsing universal Medicare. "That would be easy for me to say and we can just walk away," said Rose. "The truth of the matter is I am not ready to put this entire system through radical transformation when we can establish universal health care in this country in a far less radical way...by extending Obamacare." ON INFRASTRUCTURE DeVito said that he would support a $2 trillion infrastructure package and would look to bring "shovel ready projects" to Staten Island. DeVito also said that he wants to begin building a new railway to the Island within a decade. Sperling also supported bringing in a railway to the Island. Rose mentioned that infrastructure should focus on 21st century projects such as a smart grid and cybersecurity. The candidates were all largely receptive to some form of gun reform, including universal background checks and banning assault rifles. The debate was co-hosted by Wagner College, the Staten Island Democratic County Committee and Swing Left. A crowd of nearly 100 came to Spiro Hall's Room 2 at Wagner College on Wednesday evening to watch the debate between the six Democratic candidates. The forum was hosted by Swing Left is a liberal grassroots group with 300,000 volunteers formed after the Nov. 2016 election that's seeking to flip the House of Representatives to Democrats in the midterm elections. The primary election is on June 26. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Pass a school bus that is dropping off or picking up children and risk receiving a ticket due to a special enforcement effort that is underway on Thursday. The Operation Safe Stop campaign enforcement is being conducted throughout New York City and New York State, according to the Twitter feed of Inspector Steven D'Ulisse, Commanding Officer of the NYPD Highway District. "Passing a school bus that is picking up or dropping off students is a dangerous act that could harm or kill a child," D'Ulisse said on Twitter. Thursday is Operation Safe Stop Education and Enforcement Day. In the last four years, 35 students were hit by vehicles passing stopped school buses in New York State. Each school day, nearly 50,000 motor vehicles illegally pass school buses, according to a public safety announcement from Operation Safe Stop and the Governor's Traffic Safety Committee. It's even illegal to pass a stopped school bus with its sign out in the school yard, according to the campaign. Drivers in both directions are required to stop on any public or private roadway when a bus is picking up or discharging passengers as indicated by flashing red lights. Buses on Staten Island also are equipped with stop signs. Traffic is not allowed to proceed until the school bus starts moving again or the bus driver or a police officer signals that other drivers may pass, according to information on the campaign website. BROOKLYN, N.Y. -- The deputy director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) fired back at Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who called the agency's enforcement practices "reckless and unconstitutional." Thomas D. Homan said he was "disappointed" about the governor's grandstanding over the immigration issue Wednesday, and was defiant about complying with the politician's cease and desist order. "ICE cannot and will not cease and desist from fulfilling our agency's congressionally mandated mission of enforcing federal law," Homan said in a statement. "ICE will continue to protect New York communities against public safety and national security threats and it is false and offensive for the governor to say otherwise." Cuomo sent the letter demanding ICE stop their arrest policies and signed an executive order requiring ICE agents to have a judicial warrant to enter state buildings. "ICE is violating the law and endangering public safety in all of those instances," Cuomo said. Cuomo's comments in the wake of the recent raids in New York City, which included the apprehension of more than 150 individuals across the five boroughs, and the arrest of an immigrant inside a Staten Island courthouse Tuesday morning. The mid-April busts on Staten Island led to the arrests of five borough residents after ICE officers went into a home with a picture and name of someone that didn't live there, according to immigrant activists on the borough. But the immigrants opened the door, and were taken into custody, they said. But, Homan argues his officers have increased their resources and efforts to deal with immigration cases in sanctuary cities. "Many of these arrests were conducted at large in the community, which ICE is increasingly forced to do due to sanctuary policies in the state that prevent us from taking custody of criminal aliens in the secure confines of a jail," he said in his statement. "The governor supports these policies at the expense of the safety of the very same communities he took an oath to protect." WASHINGTON -- The Senate narrowly confirmed Mike Pompeo to be secretary of state on Thursday, clearing the path for him to take over as the top U.S. diplomat just as President Donald Trump faces high-risk moments on Iran and North Korea. Pompeo, the outgoing CIA director, secured support from 57 senators, with 42 voting no -- one of the slimmest margins for the job in recent history. Every past nominee for the job since at least the Carter administration has received 85 or more yes votes in the Senate, with the exception of Trump's first secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, who got 56. He is expected to be sworn into office immediately and then to depart within hours of the vote for Europe on his first trip as secretary of state. Pompeo, a former Kansas congressman, is expected to guide Trump's foreign policy in a more right-leaning direction than Tillerson, the former Exxon Mobil CEO fired by Trump on Twitter last month. He inherits a State Department and diplomatic corps that is deeply demoralized after a tumultuous first year under Tillerson, who pushed budget and staff cuts and eschewed public appearances while leaving key diplomatic positions unfilled. Rep. Daniel Donovan (R-Staten Island/Brooklyn) described Pompeo as a proven leader, in a statement to the Advance. "Strong American leadership abroad is needed more than ever, and I applaud the Senate on confirming Mike Pompeo as our nation's next Secretary of State," said Donovan. "He is a proven leader who will confront international threats, strengthen our alliances, and defend our interests abroad. Many challenges lie ahead, including issues with North Korea and Iran, and I am confident that Secretary Pompeo will be a strong and effective voice for the U.S." The Senate vote followed an uneasy confirmation process for Pompeo that underscored President Donald Trump's growing difficulties in getting nominees in place for top positions. On Monday, it appeared Pompeo would fail a vote in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, but the panel ultimately cleared him after last-minute support from Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky. A long list of pressing issues awaits him including a decision on the Iran nuclear deal and Trump's upcoming summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Previously confirmed by the Senate for the CIA job, Pompeo was supported by all the Republican senators and by six Democrats. The Democrats included several up for re-election in conservative-leaning states, including Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota and Joe Manchin of West Virginia. GOP Sen. John McCain of Arizona, who is being treated for cancer, was absent. In the run-up to Pompeo's confirmation, his backers emphasized his resume as a West Point and Harvard Law School graduate and former congressman who enjoys a close relationship with Trump particularly on North Korea. Pompeo, as CIA director, traveled to Pyongyang over Easter after being nominated for secretary of state. In the North Korean capital he met with leader Kim Jong Un ahead of the planned meeting with Trump, expected in late May or June. "He's the perfect person to come in at this time and lead those efforts" on North Korea, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker, R-Tenn., said on the Senate floor moments before Pompeo was confirmed. Yet his opponents had warned that his hawkish foreign policy views and negative comments about gay marriage and Muslims made him ill-equipped to serve as a diplomat or to represent the United States on the world stage. Pompeo used his confirmation hearing to try to soften that image, edging away from past comments about regime change in North Korea. Pompeo will take the helm at the State Department ahead of Trump's expected decision on May 12 about whether to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal and re-impose sanctions on Tehran. Pompeo, a staunch Iran critic, has long deplored the 2015 nuclear accord, but has supported Trump's efforts to get European allies to strengthen restrictions on Iran. "If there's no chance that we can fix it, I will recommend to the president that we work with our allies to achieve a better outcome and to achieve a better deal," Pompeo said in his confirmation hearing earlier this month. Ahead of his confirmation vote, the State Department was making contingency plans for Pompeo to travel to Brussels for a meeting of NATO foreign ministers immediately after his swearing-in, administration officials said. Acting Secretary of State John Sullivan was originally scheduled to take the trip starting Thursday but was expected to defer to Pompeo instead. From Brussels, Pompeo was expected to travel to the Middle East with stops in Saudi Arabia, Israel and Jordan over the weekend and Monday, said the officials, who were not authorized to publicly discuss the planning and spoke on condition of anonymity. In Brussels, Pompeo will keep up pressure on NATO's European members, particularly Germany, to boost their defense spending to 2 percent of their gross domestic product by 2024 as they pledged to do at an alliance summit in Wales in 2014, one senior official said. The official singled out Germany, the alliance's largest and wealthiest European member, for not having plans to increase defense spending to more than 1.25 percent of GDP by 2021. Only six NATO allies currently meet the goal, and only nine allies have produced realistic plans for reaching it by 2024. That spending level, frequently incorrectly referred to by Trump as a contribution to NATO itself, is particularly important given the allies need to combat increased Russian aggression, the official said. In Riyadh, Jerusalem and Amman, the future of the Iran deal and the conflict in Syria will be significant agenda items. Pompeo will arrive in the region ahead of a series of events that could potentially plunge it into deeper disarray, including the Iran deal decision and the relocation of the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Deeply opposed by the Palestinians, the opening of the Jerusalem embassy is expected only two days after the May 12 deadline on the Iran deal. May 12 is also the date for parliamentary elections in Iraq that will be held amid concerns that pro-Iranian candidates may win, giving Tehran further influence in Middle East. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Someone was thirsty. Authorities allege that 21-year-old Richard Moscato broke into the Seaside Turkish Restaurant in South Beach early Sunday morning. Once inside the Ocean Avenue restaurant, the Great Kills resident went behind the bar and drank from a bottle of whiskey, according to a source with knowledge of the investigation. When cops arrived on the scene, Moscato was still inside, and told them he broke in to get food and warmth, according to law enforcement sources. Surveillance footage reviewed by police showed Moscato kick in the glass panel of the restaurant's front door, according to sources. Neither the manager at the restaurant nor Moscato's attorney could be reached for comment Wednesday night. Moscato is charged with burglary, criminal mischief and petit larceny. He was arraigned Monday, and is being held on $5,000 cash or bond bail. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Vintage toy-collecting, often thought of as a male-dominated hobby, was something that always interested Brooke Haramija. From Fisher Price wooden pull toys and Vintage Tonka Trucks, to old children's coloring books, she would get excited hunting down vintage toys at garage and yard sales. "I loved the feeling I got every time I found a new toy to add to my growing collection," said Haramija, a Richmond resident. "I also was obsessed with shopping at flea markets growing up, and that adventurous feeling of 'you never know what you'll find' never left me," she added. Once the eBay craze hit, it was a natural progression for Haramija to start buying and selling her toys via the Internet and later in person at toy fairs. "It dawned on me that lots of people must share the same passion, and considering collectible toys from the '70s and '80s were becoming more and more popular with the Gen X crowd, I saw that there was a market for reselling the stuff I was finding for good prices at garage sales and yard sales," she said. That's when she started Brooke's Nook, an online retailer of all different types of vintage and new toys. Haramija attends toy fairs, church and school fairs and craft shows, where she sells her most coveted finds, along with all the in-demand new toys. HARD-TO-FIND ITEMS And if it's out there, Haramija will make it her business to find it for the avid collector -- whether it's a Star Trek Enterprise space shuttle, Wanda the Walking Doll from the 1950s, a 1970s Eval Knievel figure and scramble van, or a hard-to-come-by Star Wars collectible figurine. To acquire merchandise, Haramija will help people clean out their homes and businesses. "It's not just a needing-more-space issue; sometimes there is an emotional involvement to items also, and I have helped people heal and get closure. I also keep my ears and eyes open for items others ask me to find all the time," said Haramija. "I'm not afraid to 'dig' and get dirty to find the best bargains, and am constantly on the lookout for treasures in the rough," she added. LIVING WITH A RARE DISEASE Haramija suffers from a rare disease, Nail Patella Syndrome, a genetic disorder involving the bones, joints and connective tissue. But she doesn't let her disability define her. "It is generally a genetic disease. I got it from my mom and my grandfather," she said. "It causes multiple symptoms that affect my daily life, from extreme fatigue, pain in the joints/tendons, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, memory loss, inability to focus, multiple bilateral kidney stones, multiple gastrointestinal issues, and very bad teeth/bone/dental problems. I've had 50 to 60 major surgeries on my teeth so far and still have three to five years more of work ahead and many more surgeries," added Harmaija. Despite this, she still manages to work two full-time jobs; she is also an administrative coordinator for Sundog Theatre in St. George. HER BEST 'FIND' Every collector has a story about a great "find." Haramija's centers around the toy she uses as her logo that she picked up at the Salvation Army. "As far as my greatest find, there are several, but one good one is the story of my logo -- my little mouse guy -- that I got in a 25 cent bin at the Salvation Army on Mosel Avenue a few years ago. And since it was half-price day, they didn't charge me anything for him," she said. "When I got home, I discovered he was actually manufactured in another country and actually worth a decent amount of money. So, he is my good luck charm and sits on my night table as a reminder of how hard I work and he keeps me company at the bigger shows. He 'squeaks' when you push down on his head. So cute!" The toy can be seen in the gallery below. Vintage toys sold by Brooke's Nook 12 Gallery: Vintage toys sold by Brooke's Nook BROOK'S NOOK AT A GLANCE Website: www.brookesnookvintage.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/BrookesNookVintageToys/ New Businesses in Focus is a weekly column that relates the stories of new Staten Island businesses owners. If you have a new business on Staten Island, e-mail porpora@siadvance.com. FOLLOW TRACEY PORPORA ON FACEBOOK and TWITTER S. Korea's Lotte to sell some China stores after missile row Seoul, April 26 (AFP) Apr 26, 2018 South Korea's retail giant Lotte Shopping will sell some of its Chinese stores to a local chain after suffering huge losses due to a diplomatic row with Beijing over a US missile defence system, it said Thursday. Lotte has been targeted by Chinese authorities after the group provided land to the South Korean government to host the high-tech US Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system, whose deployment infuriated Beijing. It has seen scores of its 120-plus outlets in China shut down, ostensibly over "safety issues", with angry protesters holding demonstrations against it. The Lotte crackdown was among a series of moves by Beijing seen as economic retaliation for the deployment of THAAD, including banning group tours to the South. Lotte affiliate Lotte Shopping Holdings said it will sell 87.38 percent of its shares in its northern China unit to Wumei, the Chinese firm that operates the Wumart chain, for 240 billion won ($175 million). The unit controls 21 Lotte shops in the Chinese capital. In the face of mounting losses in the world's second-largest economy, Lotte said in September it would put its Chinese retail unit up for sale. Taiwan court upholds jail term for Chinese student spy Taipei, April 26 (AFP) Apr 26, 2018 Taiwan's high court Thursday upheld the conviction of a former Chinese student on charges of recruiting spies for Beijing, saying his actions had posed serious threats to the island. The decision comes as cross-strait tensions rise, with China accusing Taiwan of moves towards formal independence. The self-ruling democratic island has never formally declared a split from the mainland and Beijing still sees it as a renegade province to be brought back into the fold, by force if necessary. Zhou Hongxu, 31, who graduated from a top Taiwanese university in 2016, will serve out the 14-month jail term handed down by a lower court after his appeal was rejected. "The defendant's actions posed serious threats to our territory and national security, given the disharmony and even hostile situation between the two sides," said high court spokesman Chiou Jong-yi. The court had shown leniency in sentencing since Zhou had confessed and his attempt to recruit spies had been unsuccessful, he added. Taiwan and China have spied on each other since 1949 when nationalist troops fled to the island and set up a separate government after losing a civil war on the mainland to communist forces. Taiwan's National Security Bureau chief Peng Sheng-chu has said that Chinese espionage is "more serious than before". Local media report up to 5,000 people may be spying for China on the island. Zhou was instructed by officials in Shanghai in late 2015 to recruit "Taiwanese government personnel and other people of influence" while he was studying and working in Taiwan, according to Thursday's ruling. Zhou had attempted to recruit a man working in the Taiwanese government from August 2016, promising payment of at least $10,000 per quarter before the man turned him in to local authorities. China last week staged live-fire drills in the Taiwan Strait -- the narrow waterway separating the Chinese mainland from Taiwan -- following weeks of naval manoeuvres in the area. Chinese officials said the drills were to safeguard Beijing's territorial sovereignty and issued a fresh warning Wednesday that they would take further actions if "Taiwan's independence forces were to continue their reckless course". Taipei accused China of being "extremely irresponsible" and said it was threatening peace in the region. Beijing is deeply suspicious of President Tsai Ing-wen's traditionally pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party and has cut off official communication with Taipei since she came to power in 2016 as she refuses to accept that the island is part of "one China". Chinese officials have also railed against Premier William Lai in recent weeks who has repeatedly declared his personal support for Taiwan's independence. In collaboration with the St. Peters neighbourhood, the Netherlands Red Cross, through its St. Maarten branch, is organizing an information session about our current recovery programs in St. Peters . Currently, the Red Cross has three programs aimed at helping families who were been impacted by Hurricane Irma. The Red Cross has launched the second phase of the Supermarket Voucher Programme through which families in need receive Red Cross food vouchers allowing them to purchase groceries in participating supermarkets. In addition, the Home Repair Programme has completed its first assessments, with technical officers providing expertise and the Red Cross providing materials to support families in the repair of their homes. Finally, the School Meal Programme, which provides breakfasts and hot lunches to thousands of students each day, has been extended until the end of the school year. PHILIPSBURG:--- The Ministry of VSA recently received a courtesy visit from the Naturalis Biodiversity Center of Leiden, the Netherlands. The team was hosted by the Collective Prevention Services (CPS) in person Ms. Maria Henry and its vector team, from April 16th to April 20th in relation to a research project of potential mosquito-borne disease hazards currently being conducted by the team of Naturalis in the Dutch Leeward Islands. The project is focused on identifying the number of various species of mosquitos on the island. This is significance from a health perspective; to know since specific disease are carried by specific species of mosquitos. Having a better understanding of which mosquitos are actually, here on the island, gives us better insight on which diseases the population is at risk for. We also discussed various mitigation strategies, which was a very interesting and education conversation. Emil Lee, Minister Public Health The project is funded by Gieskes Strijbis Fund. The Naturalis research team consisting of six students and two supervisors will be doing assessments on St. Eustatius, St. Maarten and then Saba. A baseline of potential mosquito-borne disease hazards on Saba, St Eustatius, and St Maarten is needed, but the vector fauna has not been surveyed since 11 species were found 60 years ago. Based on adjacent islands, between 20 and 25 species are likely to occur on the three islands, while the total number of species in the Lesser Antilles is almost 60. Moreover, the species local ecology is unknown. The Naturalis team will undertake an initial survey of natural and disturbed habitats on Saba, St Eustatius, and St Maarten. The circle that mosquitos will travel from their breeding site is a small circle. For example, Mosquitos in the Guana Bay area are not going to travel to the Colebay area or to St. Peters. The issues are very much localized issues. As a community, if we do a good job at regulating mosquito breeding sites and controlling the mosquito population in our neighborhoods, we will all see the results of improvement. Emil Lee, Minister Public Health The accumulated data will describe the species and its habitants on St. Maarten as well as in comparison to its neighboring islands namely Saba & Sint Eustatius. Based on the findings of this project there may be possibilities to expand and/or repeat similar activities. Madame President, Members of Parliament, good morning. Thank you for the opportunity to address you in this setting and to elucidate budget 2018 in its latest format. But before I go to the budget I would like to set the stage, if I may, and if you permit me: Those of us who are either born here, or born to be here for the past 60 years or more, have witnessed the growth of an island from a sleepy laid-back natures paradise, to a bustling mecca of businesses that served as a magnet to tourists as well as job-seekers from abroad, especially from right here in the Caribbean, looking for a better life. This 37-square mile island catapulted to the top of the tourism food chain through the vision of great politicians like Dr. Claude Wathey, Clem Labega, Lionel B. Scott, dr. Hubert Petit, Sam Hazel, Felix Choisy, Albert Fleming, Vance James and others, who laid the ground work for modern St. Maarten/Saint Martin. Fast forward to September 2017, when after having endured many previous hurricanes like the Big one in 1950, Donna in 1960, Luis in 1995, Lenny in 1999, numerous other smaller ones in between, Hurricane Irma knocked us to the ground, leaving our Island, its people and our economy in shambles. In the USA, when a hurricane is threatening a state, the Governor of that state can, even before the hit, declare a state of emergency. That act triggers access to and mobilization of Federal emergency funds and manpower. These are Federal government funds sitting in a calamity war chest, contributed to, by taxpayers of the ENTIRE United States of America. In other words, no individual state as small as Vermont and up to as large as California needs to go it alone in case of calamities, This 37-square mile island, as is the case with ALL of our Caribbean neighboring islands, is no match for a huge calamity like Hurricane Irma. WE do not have a FEMA to call for help. We do not have a calamity war chest. At best, what we have is some insurance, some savings and for the most, a resilient population with a drive to rise again from the ashes. In times like these, all we need is help to get us over the hump, out of the gutter, however you want to phrase it, to get back on our feet and be off to the races we have ran so well in the past once more, in spite of our size. That is why when Holland generously made it known to the world that they are making 550 million euros available for the recovery and reconstruction for the Southern side of Sint Maarten, we were delighted, although taken aback that this recovery and reconstruction aid was offered subject to months old pre-Irma conditions. True St. Martiners are no beggars, and I dare say that eventually even without any help from outside, because of the previously mentioned resilient spirit of our people Sint Maarten / Saint Martin would get back on its feet. It would only take a lot longer because of our economy of scale. I say again, we are grateful for the help and generosity we have received and are receiving from abroad. All we need is to be able to shift our sluggish post-Irma economy into a higher gear in order to pick up speed again. For that we must firstly get our International SXM-airport, the MAIN portal to our economy, repaired and up & running on short notice. The present tents are simply not good enough, as with even the THREAT of any Category hurricane, will cause the closure of our airport for days and possibly weeks due to tear down and rebuild of the tents. Secondly, we need our major stayover guest hotels and resorts rebuilt and back online. Thirdly, we need as many of the small, medium and large businesses on the Island to be able to access low interest financing to see them through the remainder of 2018 and deep into 2019, all with the ultimate goal to create employment for our citizens and produce tax revenues for this and future governments. The interim government headed by Prime Minister Leona Romeo-Marlin, under very, if not THE most challenging governing circumstances encountered in the history of our Island, has since January 15th last, given its ALL to accomplish as much as possible for our community. All this with one hand tied behind our collective backs, due to an aggravated cash flow shortage that will only get worse, before it gets better. So, the budget I am about present to you is not a pretty picture. Do we believe it is an adequate budget? Absolutely not. Do we believe that this budget will meet the needs of our population? Absolutely not, especially since post-Irma we have drastically reduced income and at the same time extra ordinarily higher expenses. This is why the promised 550 million euros sounded like music to our ears. But because of warranted, unwarranted and perceived lack of trust of the Dutch in the body Politics of Sint Maarten, they decided in their infinite wisdom to enlist the services of the World Bank (who work in accordance to set rules and norms we now have to live up to) by strategically placing it between us (SXM) as Recipient and them (Holland) as Donors, to manage the spending of THEIR taxpayers promised 550 million euros. After deduction of fees, a Nafl 50 million loan to Sint Maarten and other upfront expenditures, the 550 million euros have in the mean time already dwindled to 470 million euros or approximately 526 million US dollars. The good news is that ALL the money that is allocated to the TRUST FUND for the the recovery of St. Maarten, is a grant (or gift) to St. Maarten and NOT a loan. Madam President, through you I need all to understand that it is estimated by the World Bank and corroborated by the IMF, that hurricane Irma has caused over 2 billion US dollars worth of physical damage and economic losses for our 16-square mile half of this Island. So even when we eventually receive the very last Euro of this Trust Fund - which by the way is not going to be available in a lump sum, but in tranches over a 3,5 year period we will still be short another 1.5 billion US dollars to complete the recovery - barring any further disasters. I therefore ask for collaboration, rather than confrontation. I ask that all Members of this prestigious body put aside petty partisan politics and for this budget cycle and hopefully the next 3 following cycles during which the post hurricane Irma recovery efforts will be ongoing, we come together and truly make a difference for the people of this Island nation. As Parliament, as Government, as a people, as a community we have ALL been touched by the devastation. We now have a choice: raise the level, so all boats can float together, or look for easy to find sticks to beat this dog. The budget deadline of May 1st, 2018 is one of the conditions set by the Kingdom Council of Ministers to prevent Sint Maarten from getting a Financial/Formal Instruction. Hence, my April 9th, 2018 memo to all concerned respectfully requesting an expedited handling of budget 2018, so we can move on and concentrate on the important and daunting task of repairing some, if not most of the yet untouched damaged roofs of our citizens 7 months after that faithful day. Permit me now to shed some light on this latest version of budget 2018: Minister of Finance Michael J. Ferrier St. Maarten, April 26th 2018 PHILIPSBURG:---The Philipsburg Jubillee Library partnered with former librarian Mrs. Barbra Arrindell and archivist Julian Arrindell as they donated funds that were raised by Chr. Dalton Primary School De Maten school in the Netherlands where their grandsons, Tim who is in group 5, Ravi in group 2, and Stan in group 1, go to school. The monetary donation was collected at the request of Jenny Valk, the director of the primary school and it was meant to be donated to a school that was in dire need of some assistance after the passing of Hurricane Irma on September 6th, 2017. St. Maarten archivist Julian Arrindell was born and raised in the Middle Region district. As a proud grandfather he opted, together with his wife, former librarian of the Philipsburg Jubilee Library, to assist their grandchildrens school by bring their school community funds to St. Maarten to be donated to a school in need. After hearing that the school in his district had been severely damaged by the storm the logical choice became clear to assist Sr. Marie Laurence School and their students; which is one of the six Roman Catholic schools on our island. The school building is damaged in such a way that it has to be demolished and rebuilt hopefully by the next school term. Currently, a number of groups are still being taught, however group 1, 4, 7 and 8 are temporarily being housed at the other Catholic schools. Sr. Marie Laurence School Manager Karen Wattley was excited and honored when Public Relations and Activity Coordinator of the Philipsburg Jubilee Library, Maryland Powell approached the school on behalf of the Arrindells family. School Manager Karen Wattley disclosed to the Arrindells after the hurricane that some of the 198 students are still with family members in the Netherlands. It is very difficult for many children to deal with the trauma and the consequences of the aftermath of the passing of the hurricane. Some have really suffered the trauma and are being taught separately, while others can handle it better, however in unexpected moments, strong emotions are released. Ms. Wattley went on to say that one of our main priority is the well-being of our students and because it is, we find it important for the children to share their feelings with each other. Every month all students, including those at the other locations, come together for a day at the Sr. Marie Laurence School premises in the district of Middle Region, because it is important that the children can share their experiences. There is also a Skype connection with the children in the Netherlands. The monetary donation will go towards purchasing their mascot PB Rex that had been stolen during the looting and vandalism directly after the passing of Hurricane Irma. The Mascot PB Rex represents their program for Positive Behavior Support, where students receive a token for good/ positive behavior. With ten tokens a student has earned a place on the monthly Wall of Fame and they also receive encouraging bracelets given as a token that reflects their achievements. The students are crazy about PB Rex and the bracelets, but unfortunately they both disappeared in the aftermath of hurricane Irma. The funds came in on time as they will be purchasing a new PB Rex mascot and bracelets as the program has not ceased, it is now being used provisionally. On Wednesday, April 18th, 2018, the money was handed over to the students and teachers of the Sister Marie Laurence School by proud grandparents Mr. and Mrs. Julian and Barbra Arrindell and the Philipsburg Jubilee Librarys Public Relations Officer and Activity Coordinator, Maryland Powell. In addition, on this occasion the students were treated to a storytelling session and the school received 3 cases of Dutch books that were donated to the school for their reading pleasure. Besides the Sister Marie Laurence School, Asha Stevens Hill Side Christian Campus and Methodists Agogic Centre Campus, and Browlia F. Maillard Campus received one case of Dutch books each for their school library. The Philipsburg Jubilee Library is proud to support Mr. and Mrs. Arrindell in their efforts for the schools. The library provides many services and is not just limited to books. We are a central hub of our community. Visit your library, walk-in or visit us online@ www. stmaartenlibrary.org, Facebook: stmaarten.pjlibrary, or on twitter: sxmlibrary. So as we all face some challenges due to the consequences of Hurricane Irma, we are moving forward , working hard towards a temporary building as we continue to serve you with in our current situation. We are open for YOU! Serious injuries caused to 3 occupants of the SUV after accident at Lincoln and Colorado Earlier today, Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD) Traffic Investigators filed charges on a suspect involved in a traffic collision involving a vehicle and a Metro Expo Line train. The suspect is identified as Anthony Manuel Beltran Sr., a 54-year old male from Waterford, Connecticut. The charges were filed with the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office - Airport Division. AdvertisementOn April 18, 2018 at about 12:23 a.m., officers responded to a radio call for service regarding a traffic collision involving a vehicle and a Metro Expo Line Train at Lincoln Blvd and Colorado Avenue. The three occupants of the vehicle suffered significant injuries requiring transportation to a local hospital for treatment. One of the passengers of the vehicle remains hospitalized in critical condition. A preliminary investigation by SMPD's Major Accident Response Team revealed the train was travelling west approaching Lincoln Blvd as a vehicle travelling north on Lincoln Blvd ran a red light causing the collision. Investigators determined a contributing factor to the collision appears to be that the driver of the vehicle was driving under the influence of alcohol. Beltran (driver) was placed under arrest and booked after he was treated at the hospital. Beltran has been charged with 23153(a) CVC Driving Under the Influence-Injury Involved; 273a (a) PC Child Endangerment-Serious Injury; and 25658(a) B&P Furnishing Alcohol to a Minor. Beltran remains in custody with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office on a $ 410,000.00 bail pending future court proceedings. This investigation is on-going. Anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact Investigators Pace or Olson at (310) 458-8954; or the Santa Monica Police Department at (310) 458-8491. The Minister of Works, Infrastructure and Transport, Papalii Niko Lee Hang, has rubbished reports the Government is not doing anything about the state of Cross Island Road. There are Government processes that we go through to assure that once we start working on this project there are no hurdles, he said. The Cabinet has already approved the resurfacing of the Cross Island Road but then again, like everything, there is a process put in place that everyone adheres such as surveys, financials, engineers, getting the contractors, the bidding process and these things take time." It cannot be done overnight. The Minister was asked for a comment after the Cross Island Road was described as the irony of all ironies by motorists. They say the part of the road from Tanugamanono all the way to Vailima has got to be one of the worst roads in Samoa. And yet the road is used by thousands of road users every day. The section of the road in question is not only narrow but the heavy downpours have virtually turned the condition of the tar into something of an access road. Its a disaster in the making, says one road user. General Manager of Robert Louis Stevenson Museum, Margaret Silva, shares the same concerns. She told the Sunday Samoan that for the 15 years shes worked at the Museum, she has seen the condition of the road deteriorate. It has caused many problems for the residents who live in this area. It affects the business people, their clients and people working in the Vailima area, including vehicle owners, Ms. Silva said. Two years ago, the Land Transportation Authority (L.T.A.) came here to do a survey and still there has been no progress made with this road." There are usually guys who come here and try to maintain the road by just filling the potholes with mud but it does not help, it keeps getting worse. Papalii told the Samoa Observer during an interview over the phone, this project has been in the works for some time and it takes time. As I have said, the said project is Cabinet approved and currently we are nearing the end of getting the bidders and fix the road, said the Minister. He also took issue with the newspaper. I was going to call you and your Editor Mataafa to please publish balanced articles, dont lean too much on the negativity around the work the government does." There are so many good things this Government has done and continue to do." As a matter of fact, we are obligated to any project that better serves our people and this project has been in the works, just may not be in the publics eye, but its in the works, said Papalii. I dont understand why the C.E.O. of the Land Transportation Authority (L.T.A.) did not reply, but I should have been consulted for an explanation. The Samoa Observer reached out to GalumalemanaTaatialeoitiiti Tutuvanu-Schwalger via email for a comment however there has been no response as of press time. Profits up at Facebook, with no impact from privacy scandal San Francisco, April 25 (AFP) Apr 25, 2018 Facebook on Wednesday reported a sharp jump in profits in the past quarter, with gains in its user base and strong ad growth as the social network appeared to see no impact from a controversy on privacy. Profit in the first quarter of 2018 jumped 63 percent from a year ago to $5 billion, and total revenues increased 49 percent to $11.97 billion, Facebook said in an earnings update which topped most analyst forecasts. Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg, who has spent most of the past month on the fallout from the revelations on the hijacking of personal data by a political firm, sought to reassure investors in the latest update. "Despite facing important challenges, our community and business are off to a strong start in 2018," Zuckerberg said. "We are taking a broader view of our responsibility and investing to make sure our services are used for good. But we also need to keep building new tools to help people connect, strengthen our communities, and bring the world closer together." Facebook shares climbed more than 4.7 percent to $167.33 in after-hours trades that followed release of the earnings figures. The number of people using Facebook monthly climbed 13 percent from last year to 2.2 billion as of the end of March, despite concerns that users would abandon the network. The earnings results "should give the bulls finally something to hang their hat on after the company (and its investors) have just gone through the darkest chapter in Facebook's history," GHB Insights analyst Daniel Ives said in a research note. Facebook strong earnings report comes as it grapples with a data privacy scandal that strikes at how the huge social network makes money from what it knows about people. Zuckerberg two faced questioning in congressional panels about revelations that personal data was harvested on 87 million users by Cambridge Analytica, a consultancy working for Donald Trump's 2016 campaign. Whether the scandal is taking a toll on membership or advertising at the online social network was not likely to be revealed in earnings numbers from the first three months of this year, and the topic was expected to come up during a routine call with financial analysts. Using information about people's lives to target advertising is a standard internet business model, and any effort to rein it in could ripple through the industry. Head of Tesla Autopilot project leaves for Intel San Francisco, April 26 (AFP) Apr 26, 2018 The head of Tesla's Autopilot project is leaving the carmarker, amid a US government probe into a fatal accident involving a vehicle using the semi-autonomous driving system. The executive, Jim Keller, is moving to chipmaking giant Intel, both companies said Thursday. Keller's departure adds to the challenges of the electric car giant's effort to craft self-driving technology. Keller's last day at Tesla was Wednesday, and he was the third Autopilot project head to leave in about two years. He oversaw low-voltage hardware, autopilot software, and "infotainment," according to Tesla. "We appreciate his contributions to Tesla and wish him the best," the auto firm said in a statement. Pete Bannon, whose background includes working on Apple computer chips, was named the new head of Autopilot hardware. Responsibility for Autopilot software was given to Tesla director of artificial intelligence Andrej Karpathy "Tesla is deeply committed to developing the most advanced silicon in the world and we plan to dramatically increase our investment in that area while building on the world-class leadership team we have in place," the company said. Keller next week will start his job as an Intel senior vice president leading silicon engineering, according to the chip maker. The move comes with US safety investigators probing a March 23 accident in which a Tesla Model X operating on Autopilot collided with a highway barrier near the town of Mountain View in California, catching fire before it was struck by two other cars. The driver, identified as a 38-year-old man, Wei Huang, later died in hospital. Tesla said this month it "withdrew" from a party agreement governing a National Transportation Safety Board probe. But the NTSB announced the "removal of Tesla," after the company disclosed information the agency said could taint the public understanding of what happened, in violation of the agreement. Bolton, Mattis meet at Pentagon Washington, April 25 (AFP) Apr 25, 2018 US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis met with John Bolton, the new national security advisor to President Donald Trump, at the Pentagon on Wednesday, a spokeswoman said. The breakfast meeting came amid US media reports that Mattis risks being isolated by Trump's more bellicose coterie of advisors, including Bolton, an Iraq War-era hawk who has advocated for military action in both Iran and North Korea. Bolton "was here this morning," Pentagon spokeswoman Dana White said. The two men decided to have "regular" meetings, she added, noting that CIA Director Mike Pompeo, Trump's pick to run the State Department, could join them. When Mattis first met Bolton at the Pentagon last month, the defense secretary jokingly said: "I've heard that you're absolutely the devil incarnate and I wanted to meet you." Mattis, a retired four-star Marine general, is one of a dwindling pool of original Trump picks not to have drawn negative attention from his mercurial boss. According to multiple reports, after a suspected chemical attack in Syria this month, he successfully pushed Trump to only taking limited action in response, while Bolton wanted a larger operation. Mattis used to meet regularly with Rex Tillerson, who was fired last month from his position as secretary of state. Pompeo is seen as being more hawkish than Mattis, further raising the possibility of the Pentagon chief's influence waning. France's Macron pessimistic about future of Iran nuclear pact Washington, April 26 (AFP) Apr 26, 2018 Donald Trump may well pull out of the Iran nuclear deal for domestic political reasons, French President Emmanuel Macron said Wednesday, after he and his American counterpart held talks addressing the agreement's future. Near the end of his three-day state visit, Macron told US media that while he did not know specifically what Trump will decide, he believes the US leader "will get rid of this deal on his own, for domestic reasons." Trump -- a fierce opponent of the July 2015 agreement signed by Tehran and international powers -- must declare by May 12 if he will essentially walk away from the existing deal when the renewal deadline arrives on May 12, or stay in. Macron had come to Washington in part to plead for a more comprehensive "new agreement" that would address what he and Trump believe to be shortcomings of the existing accord. Trump has branded the Iran deal "insane" and the "worst" in history. "I have no inside information" on what decision Trump will make on the agreement, Macron told journalists. But "I listen to what President Trump is saying and it seems to me that he is not very eager to defend it." Macron recalled that Trump made killing the Iran nuclear accord a campaign pledge during his 2016 presidential run. "The rational analysis of all his statements does not make me think that he will do everything to maintain" the agreement signed with Iran to prevent the Islamic republic from acquiring an atomic bomb. Asked whether such a decision would signify a personal failure for him, Macron stressed that his role "is not to try to convince President Trump to walk away from his campaign commitments." Instead he offered further defense of the deal, saying "I'm trying to prove that this agreement makes sense." The proposal that Macron put forward to his US counterpart involves preserving the existing agreement on the first of "four pillars" of a future deal. The others would address the period after 2025, when certain clauses concerning nuclear activities will sunset; Tehran's highly controversial ballistic missile program; and its "destabilizing" role in the region. "For me it's progress, it avoids falling into the complete unknown if the US decision is a hard exit," said Macron, who confirmed that the proposal was a strategy coordinated with European partners and not a unilateral one. N.Korea sanctions must stay pending 'concrete changes': NATO chief Brussels, April 26 (AFP) Apr 26, 2018 The world must maintain sanctions on North Korea until "concrete changes" in its actions are seen, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg warned Thursday on the eve of a historic inter-Korean summit. Stoltenberg welcomed the meeting planned for Friday between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and the South's president Moon Jae-in but said there should be no let up yet in pressure on Pyongyang. "Until we see a concrete change in North Korea's actions we must continue to put pressure on North Korea and continue with the sanctions," Stoltenberg told reporters at NATO headquarters in Brussels. Friday's meeting at the line that divides the Korean peninsula will be only the third of its kind, following summits in Pyongyang in 2000 and 2007. Stoltenberg said the summit, which comes ahead of a much-anticipated meeting between Kim and US President Donald Trump, was "a first important step towards a negotiated peaceful solution to the crisis on the Korean peninsula". "One of the reasons why we see the progress we have seen over recent weeks is because there has been strong pressure on North Korea, not least by sanctions that the UN has adopted," Stoltenberg said. "I welcome both that UN has been able to agree on stricter sanctions on North Korea but also that we have seen that they have been implemented to a higher degree than before." The tension-wracked peninsula has seen a dramatic diplomatic rapprochement in recent weeks, since Moon used the South's Winter Olympics as an opportunity to broker dialogue with Pyongyang. China sends bombers around Taiwan in new show of force Beijing, April 26 (AFP) Apr 26, 2018 China flew bombers and fighter jets around Taiwan on Thursday, officials said, in a new show of force that the defence ministry said was directed at "independence forces" on the self-ruled island. H-6K bombers, early warning aircraft, reconnaissance planes and several types of fighter jets took off from multiple airports for "combat drills", the air force said in a statement on its official microblog. The planes flew over Bashi Strait, south of Taiwan and the Miyako Strait, near Japan's Okinawa Island, it said. The air force said its H-6K bombers have completed several drills that involved circling Taiwan since April 18 "to strengthen its capacity to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity". "The series of operations we are carrying out is directed against Taiwan independence forces and activities in the island," defence ministry spokesman Wu Qian told a monthly press conference. "Their purpose is to prevent that the Taiwan independence forces' plot damages the welfare of the Taiwanese people. If the independence forces continue to wantonly take rash actions, we will take further actions," Wu said. China sees the democratically-governed island -- which has never formally declared independence from the mainland -- as a renegade part of its territory to be brought back into the fold, and has not ruled out reunification by force. Taipei has accused Beijing of "sabre rattling" and trying to stoke regional tensions with its recent drills. Taiwan announced on Tuesday that it will practise thwarting a Chinese "invasion" in annual live fire drills in June by simulating surprise coastal assaults. Chinese H-6K bombers and spy planes had previously flown around Taiwan last week. Chinese combat helicopters conducted live-fire drills with missiles off southeast China on April 18, state media said last week without confirming whether the exercises took place in the sensitive Taiwan Strait. Beijing has stepped up military patrols around Taiwan and used diplomatic pressure to isolate it internationally since President Tsai Ing-wen, of the traditionally pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party, took office in 2016. Beijing's sole aircraft carrier and two destroyers crossed waters south of Taiwan Saturday and carried out "offensive and defensive" drills in the Pacific, China's navy said. NATO could help with Afghan election security: Stoltenberg Brussels, April 26 (AFP) Apr 26, 2018 NATO forces could help ensure security for Afghanistan's upcoming elections, alliance chief Jens Stoltenberg said Thursday, three years after they ended their combat operations in the country. Days after a suicide bomber killed 57 people at a Kabul voter registration centre, highlighting the security challenges around October's parliamentary polls, Stoltenberg said NATO forces could play a "limited" security role. The US-led alliance handed over responsiblity for security in Afghanistan to local forces at the end of 2014 but has a 13,000-strong training and support mission in the country. "Our main contribution to make sure that the elections can be held in a safe and secure way is to continue to provide support to the Afghan security forces with training, with advice and also with funding," Stoltenberg told reporters on the eve of a meeting of NATO foreign ministers. "Having said that, I also envisage a limited role for NATO forces to help to make sure that elections can be held in a safe way." The Taliban and other militant groups have been resurgent since NATO ended its combat role and on Wednesday the militants announced their annual spring offensive, heralding the start of Afghanistan's so-called "fighting season". The Taliban said the offensive was partly a response to US President Donald Trump's new strategy for Afghanistan announced last August, which gave US forces more leeway to go after insurgents. NATO is also in the process of expanding its Resolute Support mission by 3,000 troops and Stoltenberg said the alliance's commitment to Afghanistan would not waver. "The Taliban have to understand they can never win at the battlefield," Stoltenberg said. "We will continue to train, to advise and to support Afghan national security forces and that will provide the framework, the conditions for the Taliban at some stage to sit down and negotiate for a peaceful solution." But the Taliban's spring offensive appeared to be a rebuff to President Ashraf Ghani's February offer of peace talks, though the militants' announcement did not refer to it directly. Ghani's government is under pressure on multiple fronts this year as it prepares to hold October's long-delayed elections while its security forces struggle to get the upper hand on the battlefield and prevent civilian casualties. A NATO official said the alliance was looking to help with election security "within the existing mandate" on security planning and coordination. Going home to Chernobyl ghost town 32 years on Pripyat, Ukraine, April 26 (AFP) Apr 26, 2018 Natalia Shevchuk gazes at the peeling walls inside her old flat and tears run down her cheeks: 32 years after the Chernobyl disaster she is finally revisiting her childhood home in the ghost town of Pripyat. "Come inside: this is Apartment No. 3, we lived here until 1986," she says, as memories stir up from when she was 18, the last time she was in the building. Now 50, Shevchuk's world was ripped apart on April 26, 1986, when a reactor at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant exploded in then-Soviet Ukraine, spewing a cloud of radioactive material across several European countries. All the inhabitants of Pripyat, a town of nearly 50,000 built just two kilometres from the plant to house its employees, were evacuated the day after the world's worst nuclear disaster. Shevchuk's parents and her sister were among those who fled, while she happened to be staying in Kiev at the time. On a tatty bookcase, some of the family's old books lie unread amongst the dirt, dusty relics of another century. "It was my mum who bought this one," Shevchuk says. She points to a yellow-coloured book called "Ulyanovs" about the family of Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov, the Russian revolutionary better known as Lenin, and starts to cry. The huge meltdown at Chernobyl poisoned the air with deadly radioactivity but the disaster was initially covered up by the Soviet authorities. Mikhail Gorbachev, the Soviet head of state, did not make a public statement about it until May 14, more than two weeks after the event. Eventually, nearly 350,000 people were evacuated from within a 30-kilometre radius around the plant, an exclusion zone that remains uninhabited, apart from some 150 elderly residents who returned despite an official ban. "It was a very hard blow for them," Shevchuk recalls. "My parents could not accept the fact that they would not return here again." Her father came back to help in the power plant clean-up operation in the years afterwards but like other former residents was barred from living in his old home. - Worst nuclear disaster - For a long time Shevchuk, who now lives in Kiev, did not feel mentally ready to return to Pripyat and see the town of her childhood. "I wondered what impact (the radiation) would have on my health because I had children to raise," she says. "But this year, I realised it was time to go, because the buildings are falling apart." The decaying remains of the town have come to symbolise the effects of a nuclear disaster. Blocks of flats stand with broken windows, roads are covered with moss, and dense vegetation has made the deserted neighbourhoods almost unrecognisable. As a Geiger counter beeps continuously, signalling high radiation levels, Shevchuk pushes through the undergrowth and uses a GPS navigator to find the address she is looking for: 30 Lesya Ukrainka Street. "It's here!" Shevchuk stops, gasping. She is with her husband on a day-long tour of the area. "Do you think I can go inside?" she asks. The authorities in charge of the exclusion zone forbid entering buildings because of the risk of collapse -- but they walk into the dark entrance hall. "Here is the list of residents! Shevchuk, apartment number three! That's my surname!" she cries out. Hurriedly walking forwards, she arrives at the entrance of her old apartment on the ground floor. The front door stands open and she goes inside. "It's so small, it used to be so big," she says, commenting on the living room as she crosses the crumbling, mouldy floor. Her husband Volodymyr, a strongly built man with a buzz cut, films the moment so they can show their two sons back home. "She was dreaming about this for a long time and I said: 'Let's go,'" he says. Later, she regains her composure and almost looks serene. "I didn't expect ever to get here," she says. "I've found what I had lost, at least a small part of my memory," adding that she feels "guilt" that the disaster was allowed to happen. "It was a shock at first, but now I feel I have done my duty to my town and my apartment," she says. "I don't forget and I never will forget." 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 Optimization Are you frustrated with a slow pc or a hard disk not performing as it should? Try SLOW-PCfighter to speed up boot time on a slow PC, or try a free scan of FULL-DISKfighter to recover space on a full disk. The latest offering is DRIVERfighter to update your driver updater. Get complete PC optimization and extend the life of your PC with these must-have software tools. London, April 26, 2018 (SPS) - More than 1.5 million tonnes of phosphate of the occupied Western Sahara, worth over USD142 million, were illegally exported by Morocco in 2017, according to a new annual report of the Western Sahara Resource Watch (WSRW), published on Wednesday. The 5th report of WSRW on Western Sahara phosphate underlines a total exported volume from Western Sahara in 2017 of 1.59 million tonnes, illegal shipped in 27 bulk vessels. Six companies in five countries internationally imported Western Saharas phosphate in 2017, and about 70 companies worldwide have been identified as owning or operating the vessels transporting ore. In 2012, there were 15 importers in 12 countries. The largest importer of Western Saharas phosphate in 2017 was "Agrium Inc" (now Nutrien Inc) of Canada. The most heavily involved operator is Ultrabulk A/S" of Denmark, says the report which released the list of all the countries and all companies involved in this illegal trade in 2017. The report underlines that the illegally exploited phosphate remains an important source of income for the Moroccan government which holds large part of the Western Sahara territory under military occupation, contrary to international law.SPS 125/909/700 Sri Lanka is one of the countries where women percentage in population is markedly higher than men (52%). Therefore, their social burden is also higher. Extremely high number of women-led households particularly in the North and the East clearly indicate that one reason for the situation was the long-drawn-out destructive war. by Laksiri Fernando ( April 26, 2018, Sydney, Sri Lanka Guardian) It is still not too late to make a major focus on the rights/needs of working women in the coming May Day celebrations, whether it is celebrated on the 1st or the 7th. An arbitrary decision by the President has unfortunately created a confusion and a division among those who intend to celebrate the event for more positive and constructive purposes. May Day is an opportunity to think about how Sri Lanka could collectively improve the working conditions of women, their rights and needs, and bring their best contribution/s to the economy and its development. Although in theory, we pay lip service to gender equality or non-discrimination on the basis of sex or gender, this is not the case in practice. Article 12 (1) and (3) of the Constitution is almost forgotten in practice. The way the fundamental rights are formulated in the Constitution as at present, they are not strictly applicable in the private sector, unless private companies make a voluntary effort. Sri Lanka ratified the ILO Convention relating to non-discrimination in employment and occupation way back in 1998, but there are no much follow up efforts to ensure those principles. In the Trade Union Field A crucial question for the trade union leaders to contemplate on this May Day is whether they have opened up equal opportunities for women in their leadership and organizational structures? There is obviously a macho culture in the trade union movement. This is also the case in the left movement in general. An easy excuse can be that trade union work is hard and arduous and therefore women hardly can afford them. The question however is whether the trade union leaders have made any effort to promote women to leadership positions. It is possible that many women would be reluctant to come forward due to personal or societal reasons. However, if their menfolk do encourage and support them, they could also play an important role. Without their participation, the trade union demands or struggles could be one sided. Also without them, the trade union organizations are not properly democratic. Take the example of trade unions in the teaching profession. Over 70% of the school teachers are women, almost all permanent teachers having membership in trade unions. Nevertheless, all the key positions of important teacher unions are held by men except in few small unions. This is irrespective of the good work done by the Joint Sri Lanka Women Teachers Network (JSLWTN) since mid-1990s. There were times that trade unions like the Ceylon Mercantile Union (CMU) promoted women participation in leadership positions and militancy in their activities. May Wickramasuriya was a product of that effort, but after she got married to the General Secretary, to my knowledge, all efforts went astray! It has to be admitted that there are obvious social and other constraints in promoting women in trade unions and beyond. That is why it has to be a broader social reform effort encompassing many fields and sectors. One possibility in the trade union sphere is to form women action committees to look into this matter and make proposals to the present leaders and members. Women in the Workforce Sri Lanka is one of the countries where women percentage in population is markedly higher than men (52%). Therefore, their social burden is also higher. Extremely high number of women-led households particularly in the North and the East clearly indicate that one reason for the situation was the long-drawn-out destructive war. They still live and work under extremely difficult circumstances and their plight and needs have to be taken into account on this May Day when discussing working peoples rights. Although the women percentage is higher in the population, economically active women population is less than 35%. This is not conducive for economic development or for their social betterment. There are social and cultural reasons for this situation, but at the same time, low pay for equal work and the lack of further opportunities are also reasons for the women to drop out from the workforce earlier than the retirement age. Men and women also do not enter the workforce equally for similar reasons. These have to be rectified, the trade unions taking a more active role in national policy formulation and implementation. There is no question of appreciating that particularly in education and health, women are equal as men or even better. However, when it comes to pay, working conditions and treatment by the bosses, there are issues of discrimination or even abuse. If not the trade unions or the working class movement in general, who would take up these issues with the employers or the government? It is generally acknowledged that in terms of pay, the gender gap is narrower in public services than in the private sector. This has to be rectified and the trade unions should take an active role. One reason for the situation is the excessive competitiveness in the private sector, other than the disadvantaged bargaining position of women due to social taboos and/or male dominated hierarchies. Like in politics to an extent, some of the Colombo boys schools and their networks dominate the scene. This is also disadvantageous to young men from out of Colombo schools, who seek employment in the private sector, and particularly the graduates from rural areas. Good Signs in the Service Sector? Nevertheless, there are good signs in the expanding service sector. Women participation in the industrial sector is the lowest, according to Labour Force Surveys, constituting around 25%, irrespective of the textile/garment industries. Women participation approximately is 35% in the agricultural sector, which includes the estate sector as well. This figure also includes a high component of women underemployment in the rural sector without much gain to themselves or to the economy. These are the poorest of the poor. The good sign is the high women participation in the service sector, topping over 40%. Traditionally, women in the service sector are the typists or the secretaries. However today, many of them are computer operators or IT workers with at least medium skills although not remunerated adequately compared to male counterparts with similar or lower qualifications. These young women might not take interest in traditional trade union activities, nevertheless they are for women rights/needs with potential interest in broader social justice issues. Sri Lankas major foreign exchange earners are undoubtedly women, particularly among the migrant workers, apart from the textile/garment employees and the estate workers. Migrant workers are not organized, without much potential to be organized. Nevertheless, the organized workers and the trade union movement should recognized them as part of their constituency and should address their needs and rights on this May Day. A Womens Bank! Labour is not completely divorced from entrepreneurship or innovation. This is increasingly true in the services and knowledge sectors. This is something that the traditional trade unionists and the leftists need to recognize. A successful worker/employee today can become at least a small entrepreneur tomorrow. There is no Chinese wall between the two. Sri Lanka might be at the very early stages of this development, but the trade unions or their leaders should not be averse to the possibility. It is the old capitalism that kept a strict division between the labour and the entrepreneurship. Socialism also cannot emerge without merging the two, labour and entrepreneurship. Japan is a country where innovative capacities of workers are properly being utilized for industries and services. Workers are handsomely rewarded for their innovative contributions. China today might be the same or more so on these lines. While the trade unions fight for higher wages and better working conditions, they also should encourage the members to save and invest at least for their future and the future of their children, however difficult that may be under the present circumstances. A common old age pension scheme for all is also necessary, like in Australia. To afford such a possibility, Sri Lanka should develop and develop fast. Women have a special place, when it comes to savings and investments. I have seen how female university employees struggle to save through Seettu (money pooling) system for their broader needs. I believe, this is a unique Tamil (women) cultural contribution to all Sri Lankans. Irrespective of the occupation, ethnicity or the economic sector, women are in the forefront of the struggle to save and possibly invest. The setting up of a specialized Womens Bank on a commercial and a professional basis is in order to encourage women workers to save and invest. It could be called Vanitha. Equivalent name is the same in Tamil, I understand (). The migrant women workers, the garment factory workers and the new female employees in the service/knowledge sectors might make a special contribution to this venture. The expanding middle class women also could take the opportunity. (The bank obviously should not exclude men, if they could save some, after their drinks!). A Womens Bank could be a specialized venture also to cater to small to medium scale women entrepreneurs. Encouragement of savings and the utilization of the scattered savings or potentials in the country are national needs where the household saving ration is not that low (24%). This is not the first time that such a proposal for a womens bank was mooted. However, some efforts in this direction have not reaped desired results as they were not professionally or commercially organized. There is of course a more broader economic rationale why a Womens Bank might be necessary and viable in the country. The reason to make this proposal for the May Day is to emphasize that the trade unions and the workers movement in general should focus more and more on broader issues of the workers and the people, especially women at this stage, without confining merely to wages and working conditions. Women (Only) Buses? A recurrent theme of public discussion in recent times has been on sexual discrimination and harassment of women in professions, at work place, and more tragically in public transport. Sugandhika Fernando, a young lawyer has recently exposed, among other serious aberrations and irregularities in the legal profession, what prevails in terms of sexual discrimination or harassment. What the trade unions can do in curtailing such harassment at work place is to suggest to the employers or the officials in charge to issue guidelines to prevent harassment and perhaps put up even public notices to that effect at work places. Simple notices such as Respect your women colleagues might go a long way. These might improve working relations and also productivity. There have been continuous letters to editors or opinion pieces in newspapers highlighting what women face while travelling by public transport. Just three days back, one Sumith de Silva from Kesbewa wrote to The Island on what he called Uncouth conductors (23 April). It is perhaps not only from conductors that women face these harassment in public transport. The overcrowding of buses is also inconvenient for mature women to travel in comfort. Some women, as I understand, travel to work now in private vans, but obviously all cannot afford that luxury. Therefore, women only special buses might be the solution during rush hours to resolve this unfortunate situation until perhaps the society becomes more civilized. The drivers and conductors of these buses also could be women. The trade unions on behalf of women workers should ask for these arrangements from the SLTB, the government and the private owners. May Day might be the best opportune time to do so. There are countries which have made such arrangements facing similar situations to Sri Lanka. One recent example is Papua New Guinea. Likewise, there can be reserved compartments for women in trains specially during rush hours, however strictly enforced. There can be a tendency for the ruffians to violate the restriction on various pretexts. Conclusion There can be many other May Day contemplations for the trade unions to follow, highlight or demand, for the betterment of the working populations or the people at large. One such a long term demand could be the Universal Basic Income (UBI) for all. As there are many controversies surrounding the concept, it should be better proposed after much study and reflection. The trade unions should go beyond their traditional confines and address particularly the broader issues, needs and concerns. That is the reason to highlight the rights/needs of working women in a non-traditional manner for this May Day. The trade unions should address not only the rights, but also the needs of the workers. What might be necessary is to come up with relevant and practical solutions as much as possible for the benefit of the workers and the country. Why is the UNP taking this huge risk in sidelining the ITAK? Why is it appointing Councilors from Wigneswarans list while fully ignoring the ITAK list? Does the government know that they have effectively handed over the university to TMP extremists? Prof. Jeyadeva Uyanoda Emeritus Prof. C. Sivayokanathan, Peradeniya Agriculture Rev. Jero Selvanayagam former Rector, St. Patricks Dr. T. Sathiyamoorthy, Director/Jaffna Teaching Hospital Mr. P. Eswarathasan, Administrative Service Mr. S. Vishnukanthan, a Colombo Lawyer Mr. N. Vethanayahan, G.A/Jaffna Dr. Aru Thirumurugan (Honourary Jaffna doctorate) Mr. Mano Sekaram Prof. H.S. Hisbulla, Peradeniya Emeritus Dr. S. Sivasekaram, Peradenya Mech. Eng. Mr. V. Kanagasabapathy Dr. Puhupalan Lakshman, Jaffna Hospital Ms. Shantha Abimannasingam, PC Eng. D.K.P.U. Gunathillaka, CEB Prof. V. Tharmaratnam Prof. S.K. Sitrampalam Dr. N. Jeyakumaran Dr. Devanesan Nesiah Mr. S. Rangarajan Mr. M. Kanapathipillai ( April 26, 2018, Jaffna, Sri Lanka Guardian) Each University is run by its Council. The Council has internal ex officio members (VC, Deans, Senate Reps, et al.) and the number of such internal members plus one appointed by the University Grants Commission. These external members therefore have the majority vote.The UGC has set criteria for whom it puts on the Council. These are, i) should possess a bachelors degree or professional qualification, ii) be of high caliber and have rendered distinguished service in educational, professional, commercial, industrial, scientific or administrative spheres for at least 10 years in a senior capacity; and iii) demonstrate interest in higher education and possess a commendable grasp on policies, issues and challenges of the higher education sector.In theory, that is. In practice, however, if one external member is a stooge of the VCs, the majority goes to the internal bloc. We have seen trained teachers, sooth-sayers and other nobodies put on Councils because they knew someone. Getting on to the Council is a way of credentialing because if a nobody gets on the Council, it is presumed that he is a somebody.External Members of Councils are appointed on three-year terms. The University of Jaffna is one of the smaller universities with 7000 students, but it has one of the largest Councils, a lot bigger than mighty Peradeniyas almost double. This is by Jaffna Councils manipulation by proliferating faculties to reward more people. Its Council of 29 members (14 internal, 15 external), had the external members appointments just expiring on 20 April said a Council member whose term expired. Jaffna was abuzz as people ran helter-skelter to be appointed to these prized 15 vacancies.Although Council appointment is nominally by the UGC, the practice has been for the Minister to come up with a list. The Minister would put together a list of names (often after a discussion with the UGC chairman or other UGC nominee). They would look into addressing every constituency, having accountants, lawyers, women, Christians etc. Recommendations from local MPs and the opposition were also sought. The Ministers list is the final list, consisting mainly of the Ministers choices plus some others accepted by the Minister.The UGC would appoint those on the Ministers list as if it is their decision. When queried as to why the charade of the UGC making appointments when they were really the Ministers, a former UGC Chairman responded We are one team and work cooperatively. The system generally worked.The earliest meddling came during the last UNP period (when Mr. Kabir Hashim was Minister of Higher Education). A Protestant Bishop and a highly qualified Roman Catholic priest (and later bishop), both with doctorates, were Council members. The case was made for Hindu religious leaders (although the two Christians were not there as clergy) and we got a Hindu priest and an astrologer, both unlettered. Having little knowledge of English, they could not participate at Council meetings, so they came bare-bodied to Council, read palms at Council meetings without charge for Council colleagues, and left after marking attendance. The Council had been made a joke.The ground, firm until then, had been shaken. When President Mahinda Rajapakse came, the few remaining standards went out of the window said a Council member of that time. Now many had never even studied at a university let along graduate. Protestants lost their representatives. The entire Council was made up by Douglas Devananda whose list was rubber stamped by the Minister. The Council now went to Devananda to ask how they should vote on every issue. Every Council meeting was preceded by a Pre-Council meeting at Srithar Theatre, private property which was forcibly occupied by Devananda and served as his office. Devananda was effectively a one-man council and VC. Even laborers nominated by him were appointed by the nominal VC without advertisement.With the revolution of 2015 came new opportunity for improvement. Devananda lost control except for the people he had already installed. Using the change, the new council of 2015 had only one non-graduate. Seven of the 15 were highly credentialed ITAK nominees accepted by the Minister, as admitted by ITAK Secretary General Mavai Senathirajah when academics complained about the parlous state of the university. He claimed that the university was running well after the ITAK had appointed seven good people. He did not reveal that the VC installed by Devananda last was his relation and he had intervened to save her when other VCs were axed by the new government in 2015. Jaffna which needed the most cleaning up lost the opportunity.The seven ITAK councilors out of 29 could do little. With the other 8 vacancies going to serve other constituencies and with Douglas Devanandas remnants including VC still on board as internal members, the Council functioned without effect wrote a Council member in trying to explain why there was no change in governance style. He said that the careful internal-plus-one formula was thwarted when two externally appointed persons were seen to be the VCs stooges. Academic appointments, so critical to good governance, continued therefore to be in brazen violation of circulars.Terribly for the university, with the new government in 2015 came a new UGC whose appointing authority is the President who was not quite in synch with his Prime Minister. An official of FUTA blamed President Maithripala Sirisena for this new terrible UGC, terrible especially for Jaffna. Why so?The other universities had been cleaned up but not Jaffna. Mohan de Silva was the new UGC Chairman. He had had little experience in university governance but, it is widely believed, he had obliged the President with some minor surgery to qualify as UGC Chairman. The Universities Act governing universities says that the object of the UGC is, among other things, the regulation of university administrations and their academic standards. When appointments are wrong and the unqualified and the second best are appointed to key positions, no academic standards can be sustained. It becomes the duty of the UGC then to intervene.Quoting from the writings of Professor Ratnajeevan Hoole a fierce critic of Mohan de Silva and what he calls the do-nothing Jaffna Council of second grade people hiring third grade people although the Universities Act gives the UGC the power to do anything to accomplish its objects, de Silva read university autonomy into the Act. However, the Act does not mention the word autonomy even once. With this laissez faire attitude, de Silva has claimed that when universities act unlawfully, he has no power to do anything about it. Mohan de Silva thereby set the stage for total lawlessness in our universities, and Jaffna in particular.Encouraged by de Silva, several illegal appointments had been made at Jaffna in contravention of Ordinances as detailed in a careful study by the Jaffna University Science Teachers Association (JUSTA). When the Federation of University Teachers Associations, FUTA, took up JUSTAs report with the UGC, de Silva had dismissed JUSTA as being personally against the VC, the then FUTA president has told JUSTA officials.The University Services Appeals Board, the USAB, to which appeals are made in such cases, deliberately to advance autonomy perhaps, has been made dysfunctional by not quickly appointing a new Board when the old one expired, and then dissolving the new Board after a few months. Now the new new-USAB was appointed at long last, it was stymied by archaic procedural rules on meeting only once a week, and being unable to meet when academic staff are on strike. So the rot continues.With Douglas Devanandas appointee as VC finishing her second and final three-year term in 2017, a new opportunity arose again for change. The ITAK, supporting the new government, had the alliance strained by the Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran developing his own political ambitions says senior academic Ratnam, addingWigneswaran saw a return to militancy as a means of challenging the staid R. Sampanthan and becoming the new Tamil leader. The government backtracking on promises like the return of occupied lands and the release of political prisoners was his cue. He refused to campaign for ITAK candidates in the parliamentary elections. He breathed fire against the government and Sampanthan. He seemed to have stoked successfully the fires of ethnic discord among university youth.A new Thamil Makkal Peravai ( TMP ) was formed with Wigneswarans inspiration as an alternative to the ITAK. Kumar David describes its policies as an ideological throw back to LTTE-era Eelamist views. Kumaravadivel Guruparan, Head of the Department of Law at Jaffna, is one of the key TMP leaders and legal advisers. He has complete freedom to violate rules at the university. A Council member says he has been appointed legal consultant to the university at Rs. 30,000 a month violating procedures in the Establishments Code for such appointments, such as giving the basis of the fee computation, list of duties, period of work, and interruption of internal work, among other things. The Council failed to address conflict of interest in his advising on cases filed by colleagues. He practices in court during office hours appearing for the TMP.Guruparans father, Professor R. Kumaravadivel, had once been an unsuccessful VC candidate at Jaffna. He had even introduced and unveiled a monument to the dreaded Black Tigers on campus while he was Acting VC and trying to be VC. Yet, he was appointed to the UGC by the new government where he had access to de Silva and safeguards his sons interest, alleges this Council member. Critics say that the ITAK did not understand universities after abandoning them to Devananda, and nominated Kumaravadivel just like it had nominated CV Wigneswaran.A move was mounted by the TMP to make a supporter of theirs the new Vice Chancellor and use students in their radical political misadventures said the same Councilor. Jaffna academics and radical students in 2017 identified as their VC candidate one who as Dean had failed to stem the on-campus Sinhalese-Tamil riots that followed a dispute over whether the Sinhalese students should be allowed to stage their own dance at a function. Guruparan and the Jaffna University Teachers Association, say academic staff, campaigned heavily with the Council in 2017 to have their man elected VC. Their man became number 1 in the Council vote, well ahead of others. Strangely, the ITAK too no interest in keeping radical politics out of the university. It was left to Governor Reginald Cooray to alert the President.As a result, the new VC picked by the President from the top three as provided by the Act, was Prof. R. Vigneswaran. Prof. Vigneswaran is quoted by the newspapers when queried how, as saying that Mr. Guruparans candidate, despite doing very well in the Council vote, was not appointed because the intelligence services had given an adverse report on him over the clashes among students.Now, except for the new VC, the TMP has almost complete mastery of the university and holds sway over both staff and student unions. Hotbeds of radical politics, these unions mount shop closures and street demonstrations at will. Just this month it organized a protest over Mullivaikal. Such protests have wide support because the government had steadfastly refused justice and closure to Tamils over the killings, says a regular feature writer, thereby tending to displace Sampanthan and make Wigneswran more attractive. The missing piece in complete control is the VC, R. Vigneswaran, who is already under pressure to make bad appointments for example.For the TMP to have complete mastery over the university, the next VC must be a TMP man. To get this done, they need control over the Council. As the present external membership of the Council expired, many lobbied for nomination. The ITAK gave a list of 9 names, having been promised 9 says a person who was among the nine, but was asked to give 15 so that the government could choose. Others made nominations directly to the UGC Chairman, to Angajan Ramanathan, and, yes, Chief Minister Wignesawaran too. The latters nominees were the TMP nominees.Much like how political parties had to nominate women but had not been prepared with good candidates, Wigneswarans list contained some very poor candidates. It is said by a university academic on the Council that Wigneswarans list was assembled by Guruparan. The main qualification to be on the list was that they should be TMP men or Hindu leaders. Those on the TMP list included old Council members like Dr. Lakshman and Shanta Abimanasingham, PC who are highly active TMP activists. It favoured some allegedly without first degrees like Aru Thirumurugan with Hindu credentials over those with postgraduate degrees, etc.The ITAK was confident that at least nine of their nominees would be appointed, said a lecturer on an ITAK Local Council. He flashed their list of 15 on his hand phone to many. This included Dr. Jeyakumaran the cancer specialist, and Prof. Tharmaratnam presently of the Council. Bishop Daniel Thiagarajah, and former VCs Hoole and Balasundarampillai were also there. Dr. S. Sivanandarajah who has lobbied without success for years when sudden vacancies arose to be on the Council, was at the top of the list. He had been promised a place many times and repeatedly let down. This time he seemed sure because he was on 5 lists of recommendations including the VCs, the ITAKs, Angajan Ramanathanss, Kabir Hashims and one other.The new external appointees would have their names released on Thursday 19after the UGC meeting. ITAK was confident and failed to keep its ears to the ground.Unbeknownst to most, a coup had been staged by de Silva and Kumaravadivel claimed a member of the UGC who also said that the two were huddled in a meeting for long before the actual UGC meeting on the 19and before. The President was away at CHOGM. Minister of Higher Education Kabir Hashim was resting after throat surgery. Mohan de Silva had planned to release the list on his own. He had slashed all names on the ITAK list and had put in those that Kumaravadivel had proposed. The UGC met and approved the proposed list. Even when a UGC member supported an ITAK nominee, it was ignored. Letters of offer were being typed on the 19th after the meeting.Then a major mistake. TMP activists boasted indeed gloated of their coup, giving the names of those who had been appointed and those whose nominations were rejected. Word reached ITAK.Mr. MA Sumanthiran protested saying they had been promised 9 places, says a person on the ITAK list who had been eliminated. ITAK MP Sivamohan also intervened. They reportedly begged at least for two. There was no success with de Silva. The Minister and President were not available. Sri Lanka Guardian learns through a reporter researching the story that an appeal was made to the Presidents Secretary Austin Fernando to put matters on hold until the Minister and President could be briefed. A Sinhalese MP who enquired said the matter would be finalized on Friday.By Friday 20afternoon, the names came out:Newly AppointedExisting Members ReappointedFormer Members RemovedAll those eliminated had in some way called for adherence to Circulars at Council meetings. It looks like Prof. Sitramapalm, a TMP man, would not be forgiven for asking for rules to be observed. A UGC member claimed that de Silva produced a letter from the present VC saying he did not want Prof. Tharmaratnam (who is a stickler for rules) because he is an obstacle to smooth administration. Prof. Vigneswaran denies having ever written such a letter. Mr. Sumanthiran had insisted that Prof. Hoole and Dr. Jeyakumaran be appointed. With Prof. Hooles enmity with de Silva, that seems to have doomed Dr. jeyakumaran also. When enquired through the ministry why Dr. Jeyakumaran was removed, the answer was that he would disrupt Council meetings by joining Prof. Hoole.Ultimately not one person from the ITAK list was there. Those newly on board were either people being cultivated by the TMP or at best neutral.MP Sumanthiran had come to Jaffna for a meeting on Sunday (22) thinking the list was on hold. When he heard the news on Friday, he was livid. He phoned Minister Kabir Hashim but his calls were not answered. He planned to return to Colombo on Saturday, and was overheard saying I asked for a Bishop. They put in an unheard of priest. We supported them. This is what we get. This has to be raised with the PM. It is known he got a call through to the PM. Little else is known.A political observer known to be sharp said, This is the UNPs autonomy project. However bad, they want to give the UGC a free hand. I am sure that is why the Minister did not answer Mr. Sumanthirans calls. It was deliberate. I am amazed that the government would allow the UGC Chairman to undermine its own ally, the ITAK. We voted against the no confidence motion. Sampanthan Aiyah said in Parliament that Ravi Karunanayake is a gentleman who voluntarily resigned. He took heat for that from Mr. Dinesh Gunawardena who sidled up to him and insulted him for that. Sumanthiran staved off a discussion on the bond-scam report until a Tamil translation is available effectively stalled the discussion forever given its volume. I have not seen greater incompetency in a government in snubbing a critical ally whose vote may be needed again soon. Is it worth defending this government?An ITAK official said, We Tamils are there as coolies, only to clean the hind-side of the UNP after they have done their dirty job. Mark my words. The UNP will give us nothing.Why is the UNP taking this huge risk in sidelining the ITAK? Why is it appointing Councilors from Wigneswarans list while fully ignoring the ITAK list? Does the government know that they have effectively handed over the university to TMP extremists?These are the questions uppermost in the minds of Tamil intellectuals who were sympathetic to the ITAK but now wonder if their sympathies are misplaced. One of them, a Tamil Chartered Accountant in Colombo,said The ITAK should have voted against the no confidence motion but never have made speeches exonerating Ravi Karunanayake nor undermining the bond-scam report. We should not do the UNPs dirty work. They have enough people for that. Mr. Sampanthan holding on to the Leader of the Opposition post is unethical and scandalous. We have offended many Sinhalese. It is a great mistake to let them see us as working against the national interest.ITAKs Hon. Mavai Senathirajah said, Something has gone wrong. (Etho thavaru nadanthu vittathu). I do not know what?That certainly does not sound like the ITAK is controlling the rudder of Tamil politics, a social science professor quipped. Working people all over the world celebrates their traditions, histories and victories on May 1, every year. The socialists and communists of the Second International commemorated the Haymarket Affair in Chicago on the first of May, which became May Day as we know it. But what else are there? by Lionel Bopage ( April 26, 2018, Melbourne, Sri Lanka Guardian) May Day was declared a holiday in Sri Lanka in 1956 for the government sector, bank and mercantile sectors. May Day celebrations have never clashed with the interests of or activities conducted during Vesak celebrations. Despite this situation and without consultation, the President has unilaterally decided to postpone May Day on the pretext that there will be a Vesak Week this calendar year. A gazette notification issued by Home Affairs Minister yesterday cancelled the May Day holiday which is due on May 1. The Presidents postponement of the May Day celebrations in Sri Lanka to May 7 is allegedly because of a request made by Mahanayaka Theros., This is a crass political ploy of exploiting religious sentiment to inhibit protests of the working people by diverting their attention away from the burning issues of the day. Some of the parties and unions who are supposed to represent workers interests have already fallen in line with the government. Others have decided to take their protests to the streets on May 1, despite a municipal ban on marches. The issue of overlapping of May Day with Vesak Day has arisen many times previously. The facade of religiosity becomes apparent at times when this occurs. In 1967, the UNP regime postponed May Day celebrations to the 2nd of May. As quoted in news reports, the Communist Party (Peking Wing) opposed it and Maithripala Sirisena supported the Communist Partys decision. Now he himself is displaying his opportunism by postponing May Day celebrations. Several trade unions in Sri Lanka have strongly objected to this decision to postpone May Day, emphasising that it is a right of workers to celebrate international workers day on May 1. The JVP has declared that they will go ahead with the May Day Rally but will hold the Colombo rally on May 7. It is holding its May 1st rally in Jaffna, which is interesting. One could question whether this option is utilised not to confront the issue giving prominence to religion over workers rights. According to the JVP, bringing large crowds to Colombo on May Day for celebrations would become an obstacle for Vesak celebrations that will be held in Colombo. This is not the first time the JVP seems to have wavered on this issue. In 2008, the JVP took the initiative to change the May Day from May 1 due to Vesak celebrations, by requesting the government to do so. This year, Vesak Day does not fall on May 1. The clash is due to the declaration of a Vesak week this year. If the Vesak Week is turned into an annual event, it will be interesting to find out what the JVP position would be. One could easily interpret and equate the JVP position to killing two birds with one stone. Thus, they avoid having a May Day rally in Colombo on the May Day itself, despite the relevance of the International Working Day to the working people of the south of Sri Lanka, many of whom reside in Colombo. When we were released from prison in November 1977, the position of the JVP towards the mobilisation of workers was to organise them in a single workers federation, without being concerned of their individual political affiliations. The slogan was One Trade Union for One Industry. However, this did not materialise and the JVP then formed its own trade union under the banner of Socialist Workers Union. This fragmentation of workers unity along party lines can be seen in many countries including Sri Lanka and India. In Sri Lanka, workers have joined ranks with capitalist political parties such as the UNP, the SLPP and the SLFP. Even those on the left are associated with and scattered around, many political parties and groups. These political entities, when they were in power directly or as constituents of capitalist ruling coalitions, have violently suppressed many struggles led by the workers and the youth of the country. Sectarianism among trade unions contributes to not having joint May Day events, thus contributing to the weakness of the workers movement. This is also one of the factors that has affected the legitimacy of the trade unions in the public eye and has also contributed to the apathy of some sections of the working people. Workers instead of mobilising independently to safeguard their own interests, are now paying lip service to their cause. Meanwhile the regime is working on the advice and agenda of the IMF and the World Bank by stripping hard-earned workers rights, including the eight-hour working day. This situation will not change, until trade unions organise on the basis of One Trade Union for One Industry policy. At the same time, the only guarantee for such unity will be to practice democracy within trade unions. Apparently, one of the main trade unions that allow working people with diverse political views to come together for participative decision making is the Ceylon Mercantile Union that had been previously led by comrade, the late Bala Tampoe. However, despite workers with diverse political views being allowed to join the union, I note that during his long tenure, a solid grip was maintained on the union by the General Secretary till his demise. Thus, this Government has declared May Day a working day. Furthermore, the Colombo Municipal Council controlled by the UNP has refused to grant permission to hold May Day rallies in public parks in Colombo on May 1. This is clearly a ban on all May Day celebrations in Colombo. The sort of repressive action this government takes against those organising May Day events on May 1, could very well be on par with the violent repressive action the previous regime took against e workers struggles at the time. As the United States and several other countries had done, the Government of Sri Lanka seems to have come forward to openly curb democratic rights of the working people. One could observe historic parallels; when many socialist groups came into being during the latter half of the nineteenth century. Some of them were political parties and others just choirs. Many socialists were even elected to represent their constituencies. However, big businesses and the state controlled the political process. Seeing that there was no way they could advance for a better future, many rejected the available political space, which had been designed to protect the wealthy. Most of them broke away from political organisations to become anarchists. They stressed the need for worker directed industries and cherished direct action over bureaucratic political processes. Working people all over the world celebrates their traditions, histories and victories on May 1, every year. The socialists and communists of the Second International commemorated the Haymarket Affair in Chicago on the first of May, which became May Day as we know it. It is now a public holiday in many countries with workers around the world including Sri Lanka celebrating May Day with protest rallies and marches. For many millennia, May Day has been a day celebrating rebirth and fertility. Originally, it was a pagan holiday celebrating the start of summer. May Day is also related to the festival of Flora, the Roman goddess of flowers, and is associated with the spring festivals of the Renaissance, particularly in the northern hemisphere and to this day is celebrated in many cultures. Later, the pagan nature of May Day gave way to a more secular celebration in Europe and North America. In this sense, there is no contradiction or clash between the interests of those celebrating May Day as the International Working Day and those who celebrate it in a cultural manner. Since the 1880s, it has been recognised as the International Worker's Day. At the time, working class movements had been fighting for fair working conditions including a standardised eight-hour working days and the rights of the trade unions. Under drastic and adverse working conditions, workers had to work 10 to 16-hour days with no holiday provisions. Due to unsafe work practices, death and injury were a commonplace occurrence. During this time, the working class was in constant struggle to gain an 8-hour work day. However, it was only in the late 1880's that organized labour was able to gain sufficient power to declare the 8-hour working day, without the consent of employers. In 1884, Federation of Organized Trades and Labor Unions (which later became the American Federation of Labor) proclaimed that "eight hours shall constitute a legal day's labour from and after May 1, 1886." Many reiterated this proclamation and wished to support it with strikes and demonstrations. Initially, anarchists and radicals thought this was too reformist as it failed to strike "at the root of the evil." Despite these hesitations, an estimated quarter million workers in the Chicago area became directly involved in the crusade to implement the eight hour work day. With this, the radicals agreed to fight for the 8-hour working day, but with the realisation that greater issues than the 8-hour day existed. May 1, 1886 was the first May Day celebration in the world. In Chicago, 40,000 went out on strike. Parades, bands and tens of thousands of demonstrators on the streets illustrated the workers' strength and unity. Strikers responded to the police beatings by throwing rocks and the police responded with gunfire, killing several strikers and wounding many. The Chicago protests spread across Europe. Yet, many being not aware of this believe it is a day celebrated only by the communists and socialists. Despite this belief, May Day has continued to be associated with the objective of achieving social and economic fairness and justice for all working people. Socialism became an attractive proposition to workers only at a later stage. The idea of working class control over production and distribution of all goods and services was new and very attractive. They came to the understanding that capitalism worked only in favour of owners of means of production by trading the labour and lives of workers for profit. With thousands of needless deaths of men, women and children at work, life expectancy was as low as early twenties in certain industries. When there was no hope but death and destitution, socialism offered them a humane alternative. Nowadays workers in the west: coming from many faiths and ethnicities work together to protect the rights of immigrants and asylum seekers. For the past several years, immigration policy has been a focus for mobilising at May Day events. In the modern movement for workers rights, immigrants and their supporters march in the streets. Immigration has been compounded by the ruling classes into a divisive political issue; we need to transform it into a human issue. History teaches us that people fought for the rights and dignities we enjoy today. There is a lot more to fight for. If we remember that people were shot for us to enjoy the eight hour working day; if we recognise that homes were burnt down for us to have Saturday as part of the weekend; if we recollect child victims of industrial accidents who marched in the streets protesting working conditions and child labour only to be beaten down by the police and company thugs, then only can we understand that our current conditions cannot be taken for granted. The sacrifices so many people made cannot be forgotten. Otherwise, we will have to fight all over again to gain the very same rights our forbearers won. That is the historical lesson we need to learn when celebrating May Day, which is vital. 24 April 2018 Rancho Markets closes one of two Ogden locations; store relocating to Clearfield OGDEN Rancho Markets, at 404 Washington Blvd., has closed its doors permanently. According to Brenda Leon, store manager of the company's location at 905 26th. St., the store is relocating to 580 State St. in Clearfield. In response to an email sent by a customer, Manager Irma Munoz said the company decided to sell Washington Boulevard property to an apartment developer with plans of redeveloping the entire block. Rancho Markets President and CEO Eli Madrigal did not respond to requests for comment. An engineer on-site last week, who declined to give his name or disclose the ... A more recent publication of this set of statistics is available. Latest publication: Preliminary population statistics 2021, August Published: 26 April 2018 Finlands preliminary population figure 5,513,708 at the end of March According to Statistics Finland's preliminary data, Finland's population at the end of March was 5,513,708. During January-March Finland's population increased by 578 persons, which is 1,134 less than in the preliminary data the year before. The reason for the population increase was migration gain from abroad: the number of immigrants was 3,273 higher than that of emigrants. There was no natural population growth, since deaths exceeded births by 2,695 persons. Population increase by month 20142018* According to the preliminary statistics for January-March 2018, a total of 11,635 children were born, which is 472 fewer than in the corresponding period 2017. The number of deaths was 14,330, which is 289 lower than one year earlier. Altogether 6,742 persons immigrated to Finland from abroad and 3,469 persons emigrated from Finland during January-March period. The number of immigrants was 613 lower and the number of emigrants 338 higher than in the previous year. In all, 1,658 of the immigrants and 2,215 of the emigrants were Finnish citizens. According to the preliminary data, the number of inter-municipal migrations totalled 57,398 by the end of March. Compared with the previous year, the increase was 334 migrations according to the municipal division of 2018. Same-sex marriages took legal effect in March 2017. A total of 30 women and 24 men entered into marriage in which the spouse was of the same sex during January-March period in 2018. In all, 40 women and 27 men changed their registered partnership into marriage. According to preliminary data by region, the population grew only in Uusimaa, Pirkanmaa, North Ostrobothnia and Aland in the beginning of 2018. The population grew most in absolute numbers in Uusimaa, where it grew by 3,991 persons. The next largest increase in population was seen in Pirkanmaa, 298 persons. Relative to the population, population increase was highest in Uusimaa, 2.4 per mil, in Aland, 1.3 per, mil and in Pirkanmaa, 0.6 per mil. Population loss was highest in absolute numbers in the region of Etela-Savo that lost 607 persons of its population. The population of Kymenlaakso decreased by 478 persons, which was the second biggest population loss. Relative to the population, the biggest population loss was found in Etela-Savo, 4.1 per mil. Most migration gain from intramunicipal and international migration was collected by Uusimaa, 3,165 persons and Pirkanmaa, 468 persons. Most migration gain in relative terms based on total net migration was attained by Uusimaa, 1.9 per mil and Aland, 1.8 per mil. In absolute numbers, migration loss from total net migration was biggest in the region of Etela-Savo, 271 persons. In the region of Kymenlaakso the loss was 137 persons. In relative terms, the biggest migration loss from total net migration was found in the region of Etela-Savo, 1.8 per mil of the population. During January to March 2018, migration between regions numbered 24,955, which was 3,627 moves greater than in the previous year. The positive gain from migration between regions was seen in Uusimaa, Pirkanmaa, Paijat-Hame and Aland. In absolute numbers, the highest gain from migration between regions was received by Uusimaa, 1,435 persons. The relative migration gain was also highest in Uusimaa, 0.9 per mil of the population. Migration loss from migration between regions was biggest in absolute numbers in the region of Etela-Savo, 308 persons. Migration loss from migration between regions was biggest in relative terms also in the region of Etela-Savo, 2.1 per mil of the population. Source: Preliminary population statistics, Statistics Finland Inquiries: Joonas Toivola 029 551 3355, Joni Rantakari 029 551 3249, Matti Saari 029 551 3401, info@stat.fi Director in charge: Jari Tarkoma Publication in pdf-format (308.0 kB) Updated 26.4.2018 Referencing instructions: Official Statistics of Finland (OSF): Preliminary population statistics [e-publication]. ISSN=2243-3627. March 2018. Helsinki: Statistics Finland [referred: 5.10.2021]. Access method: http://www.stat.fi/til/vamuu/2018/03/vamuu_2018_03_2018-04-26_tie_001_en.html South Korea's daily new coronavirus cases fell below the 2,000s on Monday as fewer people took virus tests over the weekend amid fears over the wide spread of the virus. The co... Understanding the rivers flow In determining wetland hydrological connectivity, Jaramillo and colleagues findings suggest that major hydrological connectivity loss and heavy siltation threaten the CGSMs sustainability. Channels constructed in the CGSM area are supposed to allow for fresh water from the Magdalena River and increase hydrological connectivity within the wetland. The results show that some of the channels route freshwater into the CGSM wetland, which has helped reduce the salinity in some areas. The channels, however, have complicated the connectivity of the area, with possible local impacts on mangrove ecosystems. Channels that were built to increase wetland hydrological connectivity have actually had the opposite effect. Sediment build up in some of the channels has blocked freshwater from the Magdalena River, and as a consequence, increased pore and surface water salinity in the wetland. In turn, this affects the ability of mangrove species to thrive. Turning to restoration The case study of the CGSM wetland highlights that even when landscape changes are taken into consideration, results can still be surprising. In this case, even though channels were created to allow for water flow from one side of the road to the other. However, sediment build-up and seasonal changes influence the wetland hydrological connectivity. To restore the CGSM wetlands, the authors suggest: (1) Restrictions to the regulation of incoming freshwater (2) Avoid isolating neighbouring mangroves along the channels within the wetland Officials from Sidney Regional Medical Center spent part of an evening last week going over changes at the hospital before a group of about 30 local residents. SRMC Chief Executive Officer Jason Petik took the lead in reviewing expansion of programs and highlighted the hospitals new providers and systems. A number of staff members were also on hand. Petik said three new providers, Physician Assistants Steve Rolls and Jonna Beyer join Nurse Practitioner Stephanie Green on staff. Petik said the hospital and clinic plans to staff with three full time doctors, three PAs and a full time hospitalist for its front line care givers. The hospital is also working on a new medical records system that, when in place, will make serving its patients easier. He said timing of Sidneys transition places it behind other larger hospitals who are also going to the new system, putting Sidneys completion out 12-16 months. Petik said the goal is to go live by January 1, 2020 This is one of the most important decisions and investments the board and I have made, Petik said of the new system. The hospital will have approximately $8 million in the new system. Petik also reviewed the facilitys new Direct Access Testing, which provides blood screening to patients without a doctors orders. The limited screenings are performed once a week at a reduced cost. A number of changes are also in store for the way patients can obtain care. Petick outlined changed to the clinic in Chappell, and also told those in attendance about two types of electronic contact with the care network. Starting in July, patients will be able to speak to providers at the walk-in clinic over the telephone to determine courses of treatment and if they should be seen in person. Down the road, the network will also roll out an app that will allow for consultation via Facetime. Petik also introduced team members from Medical Air Rescue Company (MARC), which earlier this year opened air ambulance operations with a Sidney base. The company has a number of other bases for both helicopter and fixed-wing aircraft and expanded to Sidney with its first flights in late February. MARC Regional Manager Jay Johnson answered questions about the service, payment types and how the local services work. One question Johnson said he has fielded is in regard to Air MedCare Network memberships. Audience members again asked if they should keep the membership. Johnson said he believes those holding the membership should hold onto it for the simple fact that if were not here when a flight is needed. It was explained that in critical time of need, the closest air service is contacted. If MARC is already on a flight, AirLink out of Scottsbluff or another service will be called. While MARC does not currently have a membership program, Johnson said the company is developing one. Petik was asked how the hospital is doing financially. He said the facility is doing well, in particular since building the new facility. He explained that in the old hospital, there was no debt for depreciation. With the new facility, there is depreciation, which raises the amount of reimbursement the facility gets from Medicare. On the subject of the old hospital, Petik said old patient rooms have been converted to living spaces for staff and the occaisonal family in need while in town, while the remainder of the facility has been moth balled. The hospital is the second largest critical care facility in Nebraska, and hosts 17 specialty physicians for services. LINCOLN, Neb. The public is invited to celebrate International Migratory Bird Month by participating in Willows and Wings on May 19 at Willow Creek State Recreation Area in Pierce County. This event includes a bird identification hike and an introduction to eBird, an online citizen science tool for monitoring bird populations. All ages and experience levels are welcome. No park entry permit is required as May 19 is Free Fishing and Park Entry Day in Nebraska. Flights of birders will leave the areas northwest parking lot, off 547th Avenue, at 6 and 9 a.m. This event is a partnership of the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and the Northern Prairies Land Trust. Call Jen Corman at 402-893-3109 for more information. Ten years after the property bubble burst, the Malaga economy is back on track. Construction, property development and sales have once again become the leading sectors in which to set up in business in the province, according to the report 'Statistics regarding companies in Andalucia' from the Institute of Statistics and Cartography of Andalucia (Ieca). One in every three companies created in Malaga last year was linked in some way to property; more than 1,700 new competitors joined the sector, encouraged by signs that Malaga is the Spanish province with the most sales in relation to its size. Of the companies created in the province last year, 789 were in real estate and 785 were in construction. In addition there were 155 new companies dedicated to specialised construction, which is also in the top ten of the most dynamic sectors. Altogether in these three segments there were 1,729 new companies, which is about 33.8 per cent of the total of 5,111. This increase is evident from a walk down any main shopping street, where estate agencies once again proliferate. Not only are franchises such as Tecnocasa, Redpiso, Look & Find, Unicasa and RE/Max speeding up their expansion plans in Malaga province, but new local or regional chains are also growing, as are new independent agencies. The number of self-employed professionals in the property business is also increasing, and they do not need an office because they take advantage of the potential of the internet and social media. When the construction industry in Malaga began to pick up again in 2014, most new companies were in this sector. In that year 1,103 construction companies were set up in the province. Estate agencies also increased, but at a slower rate: 699 were created in 2014. The proportion in 2015 and 2016 was similar, but last year more new businesses were involved in real estate. Judging by the figures for January this year, the trend is intensifying. In that month alone, 115 new estate agencies were set up, compared with 54 in the construction industry. An obvious question arises: is there a risk of another property bubble? To answer that, it is best to look at different sectors. In terms of construction, the general secretary of the Association of Constructors and Developers of Malaga (ACP), Violeta Aragon, is clear: Bearing in mind the huge numbers of construction companies that have disappeared in the past ten years, there is still a long way to go for the sector to get back to where it was, she says. The statistics support that: according to the 'Directory of economically active establishments and companies in Andalucia', in 2007 there were 17,512 active construction companies in Malaga. That figure dropped from 2009 onwards, and reached rock bottom in 2012 when there were just 11,475, a reduction of 34.5 per cent. In 2016, the last year for which figures are available, there were 12,268, still far lower than pre-crisis levels. We are starting from levels that are so low that the growth seems exorbitant, but we aren't worried at all about a possible saturation, at least for the moment, says Violeta Aragon. A good time She is convinced that this is a good time to open a business in the property sector and points out that new niches have arisen in the market: share management, residential and commercial letting and restoring properties for holiday rentals, for example. Properties are being restored because of the increased demand for holiday apartments, not only in Malaga city, but in other municipalities such as Marbella, she says. In terms of construction, the focus has been mainly on small specialist companies which offer their services to the big construction firms. Obviously we are talking about residential building, because there are still very few infrastructure contracts on offer, says Violeta. Until there is investment in public works again we will see very little development in inland areas or on the east coast of Malaga. The construction sector is still nowhere near the size it should be in a province like this. Fewer new businesses have been set up in the property development sector, partly because of the difficulties that still exist in obtaining bank finance. Residential development in the province these days is still dominated by major international and Spanish companies and financial institutions, apart from some Andalusian companies such as Myramar or Insur. With regard to estate agencies, opinions differ about the risk of saturation. For Lazaro Cubero, the head of the analysis and reports department of Grupo Tecnocasa, the sector is returning to normal after the crisis which resulted in many agencies closing down. The number of estate agencies has to correspond to the level of sales and demand, he says, although he admits that the risk of saturation does exist, mainly in the big cities, which is where most new businesses open. At present Tecnocasa has 24 offices in Malaga province; it opened three last year and plans to open a further six this year. In Malaga city alone we have 14,300 clients who want to buy an apartment to live in, another 1,500 who are looking for a house and 3,500 clients who want somewhere to rent, says Lazaro. Jose Antonio Perez, director of the Real Estate Chair of the Institute of Business Practice, confirms that numerous new businesses have opened now that the market has picked up, but he also warns: If the trends in growth are not maintained, the current cannibalism with regard to resale properties will increase, because the more companies open up the less business there is to go round. The same thing will apply to legal and technical studios, and construction companies. Among the estate agencies, one type is proving particularly successful: companies which specialise in foreign buyers. One of these is Azul Real Estate, an agency founded in 2013, the worst year of the crisis. We knew that was the time to do it because if you start when things have already begun to improve you miss out on an opportunity, says Paco Sanchez, one of the partners in the company. It was a risky commitment at the time, but worked out well. The company now has three offices, two in Malaga city and one in Marbella, and 26 staff. About 70 per cent of our sales are to foreign clients. The market is growing thanks to foreign demand, but not everybody can access it. This is a highly professional business and you need to be a certain size, have international contacts, financing ability and technology, he says. Azul Real Estate has an alliance with the multinational Coldwell Banker. Local estate agencies work in a smaller market, but in times of growth everyone gets their share of the cake, he says. Where there is a risk of saturation, in his opinion, is in property development. Prices are going up too quickly and there could be an excess of property on the market in the short term. Many of the projects planned at the moment are not going to succeed because they don't meet clients' demands with regard to location or facilities, he says. Find an expert for comment Search for a Swinburne researcher or academic expert who is available for media comment about their field of expertise. Please enable JavaScript to get the full experience of this website. PHOENIX, N.Y. -- An Oswego County man is accused of raping a victim under the age of 17, according to Oswego County sheriff's deputies. Robert C. Henderson, 38, of 544 County Line Road, Phoenix, was arrested at about 2:26 p.m. Wednesday, deputies said. Henderson faces the following charges: Four counts of third-degree rape, a felony Five counts of endangering the welfare of a child, a misdemeanor Third-degree sexual abuse, a misdemeanor Henderson was arraigned in the town of Granby court and held at the Oswego County Justice Center on $10,000 cash bail or $20,000 bond. He is due back in court on Monday, deputies said. A Southern Tier brewery twice voted the "Best in New York State" is for sale. A nearby brewpub is closing and turning its space into a event venue. An Adirondack brewpub, closed since a New Year's Day emergency, will remain closed indefinitely. The number of new breweries opening in Upstate New York continues to strongly outpace the closings, so that makes any change in the existing line-up of beer-makers newsworthy. Here's the news: * Horseheads Brewing Co., just outside Elmira, is up for sale. Owners Ed and Brenda Samchisen, who opened the brewery in 2007, are retiring. "It's been a good run," Ed Samchisen said. "Now we're headed to a condo in Florida." Horseheads is notable for twice winning the F.X. Matt Cup as the Best New York State Brewery at the annual TAP New York festival at Hunter Mountain in the Catskills, the state's largest craft brew fest. It took home the trophy in 2010 and 2015. It's also known for its Pumpkin Ale and its pepper-infused Hot Jala Heim Ale, among many others. In addition to serving out of its tasting room, Horseheads beers are distributed across the Southern Tier and Finger Laks, and Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse. The brewery is listed for $625,000 in a "turnkey" sale. Samchisen said that includes the building, "state-of-the-art" brewing equipment, beer recipes and more. * Heavily Brewing Company, which opened in 2014 in Montour Falls south of Watkins Glen, is closing with a farewell party May 26. It will then convert to a event-only venue called FLX Barn Events at Heavily Brewing Company, and will no longer make beer, a post on it Facebook page says. It will host events such as weddings, fundraisers, parties, rehearsal dinners, etc. That should open by June 1. Owners Wayne and Laura Lynch have offered a range of beers from IPAs to wheats and stouts from their brewery located in a repurposed dairy barn The menu featured "beer bites." It has also hosted live music and private events. * The future is uncertain for Great Adirondack Brewing Co., and its affiliated restaurant, Great Adirondack Steak & Seafood, on Main Street in the heart of Lake Placid. The restaurant has been closed since New Year's Day, when frozen pipes burst and caused heavy damage. The business has not reopened since then, in part because of a dispute in the family that has operated it since 1996, said general manager Rob Kane, son of founder Ed Kane, who died in June 2017. "Great Adirondack is closed till further notice sorry," Rob Kane wrote in a email. The rustic restaurant opened in 1987, and the brewery was added in 1998 (it had started as Lake City Brewing in Plattsburgh in 1996). The brewpub recently made plans to relocate to a larger location, but those fell through. Great Adirondack is also a former award-winner at TAP New York. It's known for its John Brown IPA, Whiteface Stout and other beers. Don Cazentre writes about craft beer, wine, spirits and beverages for NYup.com, syracuse.com and The Post-Standard. Reach him at dcazentre@nyup.com, or follow him at NYup.com, on Twitter or Facebook. SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Cynthia Nixon today said the governor's response to immigration raids in New York amounts to "fiery rhetoric," but doesn't do enough to protect immigrants. Nixon, who is running for governor as a Democrat, was in Syracuse Thursday to condemn the policies of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement as well as the response from her opponent, Gov. Andrew Cuomo. "These attacks on immigrants by Donald Trump's ICE agents don't reflect American values and they don't reflect New York's values," Nixon said. Cynthia Nixon speaks alongside supporters on South Salina Street in Syracuse, Thursday, April 26, 2018. She demanded Cuomo take stronger action against ICE. Cuomo Wednesday threatened legal action against ICE if the agency doesn't reform its tactics in New York. He also signed an executive order barring ICE from making arrests at state facilities without a warrant. Nixon said that's not enough. She said there are three things Cuomo could do by executive order to push back against federal immigration agents: 1. Order the New York Department of Criminal Justice to stop sharing its fingerprint database with ICE; 2. Order the Department of Corrections to stop honoring detainer requests from ICE; 3. And order the Department of Motor Vehicles to stop sharing biographical information like addresses with ICE. "He gave [ICE] a warning," she said. "They've been coming after our people for more than a year, this is a little late." In a statement, a spokeswoman for Cuomo's campaign said no governor in the nation has been as aggressive as Cuomo against ICE. She cited a fund he created to cover legal costs for immigrants facing deportation, as well as Wednesday's cease and desist order to ICE. Nixon pledged her support for the Liberty Act, which would establish New York as a sanctuary state, banning detention based on residency status. She also urged lawmakers to adopt legislation making driver's licenses available to undocumented immigrants. A spokeswoman for Cuomo said he supports such license legislation. Nixon spoke outside an ICE office on South Salina Street in Syracuse, flanked by about 20 people holding signs with sayings like "You don't have to be born here to belong here." Carly Fox, a committee member for the New York Working Families Party from Rochester, read testimony from a woman in the Finger Lakes whose husband was recently deported. The woman said the agent who took her husband "has a heart of rocks." Sheila Sicilia, of Syracuse, shared a story of border patrol agents at the Regional Transportation Center in Syracuse asking travelers their country of origin. Nixon's Syracuse stop was her third in upstate New York Thursday. She was in Buffalo in the morning to criticize details of Cuomo's "Buffalo Billion" plan. She also visited Geneva to discuss her plan for protecting the Finger Lakes. In Syracuse, she answered a question about former Mayor Stephanie Miner, who has for months said she is considering running for governor. Miner is a Democrat and also a critic of Cuomo. "I'm a great admirer of hers, I think she's a tremendous New York leader," Nixon said of Miner. "I have had conversations with her, I don't want to say more than that." FULL RANKING: 35 most burglarized towns and cities in Upstate NY, according to FBI crime data New FBI crime statistics count burglaries for cities and towns across Upstate New York and provide a glimpse into which areas suffer from higher rates than others. The 2016 data, which is the latest available, includes total number of burglaries and property crimes per municipality and population. Syracuse, the third largest city in Upstate NY after Buffalo and Rochester, comes in at #14 on the list of the most burglarized towns and cities in Upstate NY from NYup.com. The village of Solvay also made the top 35. Here's the breakdown: #34. Solvay Village (Onondaga County) Burglaries per 100,000 people: 469 Number of burglaries: 30 Total property crime: 114 Population: 6,394 The owner watches as police investigate a burglary at M. Lemp Jewelers, 300 South Warren Street, Syracuse, Saturday, May 30, 2015. #14. Syracuse (Onondaga County) Burglaries per 100,000 people: 709 Number of burglaries: 1,021 Total property crime: 4,651 Population: 143,925 The list ranks the 30 most burglarized cities and towns with populations above 5,000 using a standard of number of burglaries committed per 100,000 people based on the most current FBI data (2016). Towns with populations below 5,000 were not considered for this ranking to eliminate extreme outliers. Other Central New York cities on the list: Oswego, Oneida, Auburn and Fulton. See the other 33 cities on the list, including Buffalo, Rochester, Utica, Watertown and more, and their crime statistics, on the full ranking from NYup.com, below. By David Preston Editor's note: David Preston was one of 21 people who went to Washington, D.C., in March to participate in "Guns, An American Conversation." The monthlong project is an initiative by Advance Local newsrooms from across the country in partnership with Spaceship Media. The project has brought together those 21 D.C. attendees and more than 100 other engaged readers with a broad spectrum of opinions to talk about guns in an honest and civil way through a closed Facebook group. David Preston of Mobile, Ala. (Photo By Seth Siditsky / Advance Local) By some estimates, there are just about as many guns in America as there are Americans. And yet, amid all the talk about gun control, we haven't had a frank discussion about responsible gun ownership. Let's have one. In my home city of Mobile, Alabama, for instance, the district attorney, the police chief and the public safety director have recently been begging gun owners to at least lock their vehicles and/or take their weapons inside their home with them at night. The week after the Parkland, Florida, high school massacre, District Attorney for Mobile County Ashley Rich went on the local radio to say 90 percent of all the gun violence committed in our community is from illegal guns. She also pointed out that none of the gun-control measures being suggested at the time would have done anything to prevent one of those crimes. In 2012, NOLA.com reported that approximately 70 percent of all of the illegal guns on the street of New Orleans came from unlocked vehicles. Mobile Police Chief Lawrence Batiste said recently the No. 1 item stolen out of vehicles in Mobile is guns. Thieves aren't doing some stealthy maneuver to gain access to these vehicles, either, officials say. All they are doing is going to your parked vehicle in your driveway or your carport and pulling on the door handle. This month, I have had the opportunity to participate in the four-week project, "Guns, An American Conversation," sponsored by Advance Local. It's a moderated, online conversation with nearly 150 people from all over the country from all sides of the gun debate. We're talking -- in a civil way -- about what we can do to make our country safer. Personally, I own a small handgun. I've summarized some of the ideas that have emerged from our group, for your consideration: 1. Suspend concealed-carry permits for improper storage. If you have your weapon stolen from your unlocked vehicle, then you should have your concealed-carry permit suspended for a specific period of time. Say up to a year. I find this idea more appealing than having the person pay a $1,000 fine -- as they do in California -- because it doesn't give the government an opportunity to turn it into a revenue source. This approach also doesn't victimize the victim of a theft twice. Furthermore, it does not infringe upon one's Second Amendment right to own a handgun. This idea does not take away your weapons or even restrict your ability to carry. (In the state of Alabama, you don't need a permit to open carry.) 2. Federal prison for those in possession of illegal guns. This idea comes from the Richmond, Virginia, program Project Exile. The program, which was suspended in 2016 and is now being reconsidered, was such that if you are caught with an illegal gun, you don't go to state court and get charged with the state-level crime. You go to federal court. Richmond teamed up with its local U.S. attorney to charge anyone caught with an illegal weapon, either stolen or a person prohibited from owning a weapon, with a federal crime that carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years. 3. Liability insurance. People would likely change their behavior if they were on the hook for potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages. This is the area in which I have personally most evolved after a robust discussion in the online group. First, I wanted this to be charged as a misdemeanor crime, then to mandatory gun-owner's liability insurance. Here's the position I hold today: Homeowner's insurance companies should write gun owner's liability as a special rider to their homeowner's policy. The insurance industry did this after hurricanes Katrina and Ivan. Because the insurance companies lost their shirt on those hurricanes, they put their money and time into research into understanding how buildings are built and how they could be built to better withstand hurricanes. That is why you now have the bronze-, silver- and gold-fortified standards in the construction industry. Gold-fortified homeowner's insurance rates are much lower than standard rates. If insurance companies offered insurance policies for gun owners, they would pour that same kind of effort into research into understanding guns and the broader gun culture in America. There are other ideas on how we could reduce gun violence in America without infringing upon Second Amendment rights. Our group conversation is just one place where hard questions are being asked. What more can we do in our communities? David Preston is a small business owner and a citizen concerned about gun violence. He lives in Mobile. Follow him on Twitter @dpreston2020 or Facebook facebook.com/dpreston2020 Cayuga County Democrats have designated John W. Mannion as their pick for the party's ballot line in the 50th Senate District election to fill the seat that will likely be left open by the retirement of state Sen. John DeFrancisco. The county's Democratic committee on Wednesday night selected Mannion, 49, a biology teacher at West Genesee High School, over Joseph Chiarenza, a two-term member of the DeWitt Town Board. Ian Phillips, chairman of the Cayuga County Democratic Committee, said both candidates had a chance to address committee members and answer questions before the vote. A third Democratic candidate, DeWitt Town Councilor Kerin Rigney, withdrew from the race last week and said she hoped her exit would help Democrats unite behind a single candidate. Mannion is not related to John F.X. Mannion, a longtime Democratic power broker in Upstate New York and husband of former Syracuse mayor Stephanie Miner. The 50th District seat has been held by two Republicans -- DeFrancisco, R-DeWitt and Tarky Lombardi Jr. -- for the past 52 years. DeFrancisco had been running for governor until Wednesday, when he decided to stop actively campaigning for the Republican nomination. DeFrancisco, 71, said he will likely retire, rather than seek re-election to his Senate seat in November. The 50th District covers parts of Onondaga and Cayuga counties, including the suburbs around Syracuse and the city of Auburn. It excludes most of Syracuse, except for areas around Destiny USA and a small piece of the North Side. The Onondaga County Democratic Committee has not yet met to designate a candidate for the Senate seat. In other designations Wednesday, Cayuga County Democrats also chose Cayuga County Legislator Keith Batman to take on state Assemblyman Gary Finch, R-Springport, in the November election. Finch represents the 126th Assembly District, which includes parts of Cayuga, Onondaga, Cortland and Chenango counties. Contact Mark Weiner: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 571-970-3751 For more than 24 years, North Tonawanda High School alumnus Jennifer Chiaravalle wondered if police would ever get enough evidence to arrest the person who murdered her close friend and classmate, Mandy Steingasser. During all that time, Chiaravalle said she has heard only one name as a potential suspect -- Joseph H. Belstadt, the last person to be seen with Steingasser on the night she disappeared in September 1993. "Over all these years, we've always heard that Mandy got into a car with Joe and was never seen again," Chiaravalle said. "Friends of Mandy have always heard that Joe was the one person that the police were looking at." On Wednesday afternoon, Belstadt, now 43, was arraigned in Niagara County Court on a charge of second-degree murder in connection with Steingasser's death. Man indicted on a 24-year-old murder cold case https://t.co/6ib1aMXXTf The Buffalo News (@TheBuffaloNews) April 25, 2018 Chiaravalle said she was "relieved and thankful" to learn of the arrest, which happened Tuesday night outside Belstadt's Town of Tonawanda home. "I was overcome with emotion, very excited and crying at the same time," Chiaravalle told The Buffalo News on Wednesday. "Hearing about the arrest brought back all the memories from a very sad time in my life." North Tonawanda police said Belstadt has been a suspect since the earliest days of the investigation, but over the decades, he repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, under questioning by detectives and in two interviews with The Buffalo News. Police said Steingasser was murdered Sept. 20, 1993, after she accepted a ride from Belstadt at about 1:30 a.m. after Steingasser had spent a night partying with friends. She was last seen alive getting into his car at Fifth Avenue and Oliver Street in North Tonawanda. Her body -- bearing heavy wounds to the head and neck -- was found five weeks later in Bond Lake Park in Lewiston. Belstadt, employed as a tow truck driver, was arrested by North Tonawanda police Tuesday night outside his Town of Tonawanda home a few blocks away from the intersection of Brighton Road and Colvin Boulevard. Although he acknowledged that the case still has to be proven in court, no one was happier about the arrest than retired North Tonawanda detective chief Gabriel DiBernardo, who called the Steingasser murder the most frustrating and upsetting case of his more than 35-year career. "For years, I have prayed for this," DiBernardo told The Buffalo News on Wednesday. "Every night, I would pray for my own two daughters and then say a prayer for Mandy. I knew this beautiful little girl. I knew her family. Her father was my friend for 50 years." "This is great news ... I call it justice for Mandy," said Glenn Gardner, a retired North Tonawanda detective who also worked on the case for years. "Hearing about the arrest was kind of numbing for me. So many of us worked on this case for years. It meant a lot to me because it was a terrible crime that happened in our community, and also because Mandy was a friend of my daughter's in high school." Similar comments came from two other retired detectives who worked on the case, Jack Dierdorf and Edward Schintzius. Belstadt pleaded not guilty Wednesday afternoon to the one-count indictment before Niagara County Judge Sara Sheldon, who set his bail at $250,000 cash bail and scheduled his trial to begin Sept. 10. Belstadt was arraigned on his 43rd birthday. "This case was always a strong circumstantial evidence case," Niagara County District Attorney Caroline A. Wojtaszek said in court. "We now have new forensic evidence tying this defendant to this case." She did not disclose what that new evidence was. Wojtaszek said Belstadt was the last person seen with Steingasser, who entered his car on Oliver Street in North Tonawanda at about 1:20 a.m. "In our opinion, he made up a fictitious story of dropping off the victim at some steps on Oliver Street," Wojtaszek said. She said the person Belstadt allegedly left the girl with was "a composite of some people he knew." Wojtaszek said Belstadt "has no alibi" for the time between 1 and 4 a.m., when Steingasser was believed to have been killed. "He asked three people to lie for him and make up an alibi that he was in Canada," Wojtaszek said. Some actually did so, but she said they dropped that story when police pressured them. Between 2 and 2:30 a.m., Belstadt was seen coming back from a car wash, "having washed his car inside and out," Wojtaszek said. North Tonawanda Police Capt. Thomas Krantz said that Belstadt was arrested at about 6:10 p.m. Tuesday by officers who approached Belstadt's car as he returned home from work. Wojtaszek said Belstadt rolled up his windows and locked the car doors until he was told that would make no difference to whether or not he was arrested. Assistant Public Defender Dominic H. Saraceno, who appeared in court with Belstadt, said Belstadt received a letter six or seven months ago informing him that the probe was being reopened. "If he was going to abscond, he could have absconded then," Saraceno said. "He didn't run. He stayed here." Saraceno said he didn't know anything about the new forensic evidence yet, but he doubted that the circumstantial evidence was as good as Wojtaszek claimed. "I think if it were that strong, one of the last two DAs would have decided to charge this case," Saraceno said. "This case was a priority from the moment I took office as district attorney and underscores our commitment to unsolved crimes in Niagara County," Wojtaszek said at a 3 p.m. news conference at the North Tonawanda Police Department. "We leave no one behind." She declined to comment when asked if DNA evidence was instrumental in the arrest. She also declined to say whether Belstadt has given any statement to police or made any admissions. Wojtaszek said Belstadt served two years in prison for a 1996 third-degree arson conviction, but violated parole twice and didn't complete his sentence until 2004. She said Belstadt also has a youthful offender case on his record. North Tonawanda Police worked on the case for decades under DiBernardo, and later, under Krantz. State Police, FBI agents, Niagara County Sheriff's deputies and other agencies have assisted in the probe. Wojtaszek also thanked police from the Town of Tonawanda, City of Tonawanda and Amherst for their assistance. Among the current and former police officers in the courtroom for the arraignment was the retired Schintzius, 73. "I'm very happy that it's come to this conclusion, but it's a difficult time for the family, and also all the investigators that worked on this all these years," Schintzius said. "This is something they'll never forget." He added: "This is just one step. There's still a trial ahead." Retired North Tonawanda High School guidance counselor Mary Jane Clark-Wolentarski said rumors about Belstadt's alleged involvement began almost immediately after Steingasser disappeared in 1993. But Clark-Wolentarski, who knew both students, never thought she would see the day when Belstadt would be arrested. She recalled a "very strange, very intense" atmosphere in the school, with students knowing that one of their classmates had been murdered and that another was the prime suspect. "The arrest came as a total surprise, even though we'd been hearing for years that he was the suspect," Clark-Wolentarski said. "We always heard that the police were sure he did it, but couldn't come up with enough evidence." Steingasser's late father, Richard, talked to The News about the case in 2000. "I try not to think about it. I know we're never going to get her back. You got to get on with your life," he said. "I try to keep it out of my mind, but there are 20 things that happen every day to remind me of her. The memories keep coming back." Belstadt spoke to a News reporter about the investigation in 2000 and again in 2016. During both interviews, he vehemently denied killing Steingasser. "I've been through pure hell with this over the years," Belstadt said in 2016. "I have a wife, I have young kids now. Was I a screwup back in the day? Yes, I was, but I never did anything on this order." "I didn't do it," he said during an interview in 2000. "I'm not the guy they make me out to be." - By Dan Herbeck, The Buffalo News, N.Y. Gov. Andrew Cuomo Wednesdy afternoon staged a press conference to blast federal immigration officials, threatening to sue if agents don't stop what he described as "reckless and unconstitutional enforcement" practices. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Deputy Director Thomas D. Homan responded hours later with a six-paragraph statement that accused Cuomo of "grandstanding." Cuomo cited a raid last week on a farm in Rome, N.Y. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents entered John Collins' property and detained a worker, Marcial DeLeon Aguilar, without presenting a warrant to Collins. That worker was later arrested and is still being detained. "The reckless and unconstitutional practices ICE is deploying in our communities violate everything we believe in New York and are an assault on our democracy," Cuomo said in a prepared statement. "I demand ICE immediately cease and desist this pattern of conduct, and if they fail to do so, I will pursue all available legal recourse and commit to doing everything in my power to protect the rights and safety of all New Yorkers." At about 7:30 p.m., Homan issued this response: "As a native New Yorker who began my law enforcement career as a police officer in the state, I was disappointed to learn about the Governor's grandstanding today over the issue of immigration enforcement. The Governor's comments were inaccurate and an insult to ICE's sworn law enforcement officers who conduct their lawful mission professionally and with integrity. These brave men and woman leave the safety of their homes every day to protect this great nation and our communities. ICE cannot and will not cease and desist from fulfilling our agency's congressionally mandated mission of enforcing federal law. "Reflecting our commitment to public safety, since September 2016, ICE has arrested nearly 5,000 criminal aliens in New York--individuals with a criminal conviction in addition to their violation of immigration laws. Many of these arrests were conducted at large in the community, which ICE is increasingly forced to do due to sanctuary policies in the state that prevent us from taking custody of criminal aliens in the secure confines of a jail. The Governor supports these policies at the expense of the safety of the very same communities he took an oath to protect. "Through Operation Matador, an operation focused on dangerous MS-13 gang members and associates in New York, ICE has arrested 484 individuals for both criminal and/or immigration violations. ICE has increased our resources and assistance upstate to assist local law enforcement in opioid and fentanyl investigations and dismantling cross border crime. "With respect to the cases the Governor mentioned, Ravi Ragbir, arrested in Staten Island, is a convicted aggravated felon in addition to his immigration violations. Marcial DeLeon-Aguilar, also a criminal alien, arrested in Rome, New York, is a three-time prior deportee who has felony criminal convictions for reckless aggravated assault and illegal re-entry- also a felony "In each targeted enforcement action in which these specific individuals were sought, ICE officers acted professionally and within their legal authorities under federal immigration law. "ICE will continue to protect New York communities against public safety and national security threats and it is false and offensive for the Governor to say otherwise." Candidates named in city and school elections With the passing of the filing deadline for the upcoming city and school election, several area governing bodies including the City of Tama and ... This page no longer exists or may have been moved.If you believe this is a mistake please email In 2016, Apple converted its gun emoji to a water pistol for unspecified reasons. It didn't catch on until recently, amid the tense atmosphere on gun violence across America. Now, Google is following suit. In the upcoming version of Android, the gun emoji will be turned into a toy-themed water pistol, a move that seems significant now than when Apple did it years ago, considering recent events regarding gun control and school shootings. Google Updates Gun Emoji In a blog post, Emojipedia said Google has updated its NotoColorEmoji library by converting the revolver with a brightly colored water pistol. The blog adds that Google was cautious about making the change, citing a desire to maintain "cross-platform communication." Other companies that made the change include Twitter and Samsung. A Facebook spokesperson has confirmed that the gun emoji design on Facebook platforms will be replaced with a toy squirt gun, but as of this writing, the new design doesn't appear to be live yet. The spokesperson adds that Facebook is looking to bring the matter to the Unicode Consortium for further discussion. Microsoft, meanwhile, has declined to comment on its future plans regarding its gun emoji design, but to be fair, it was the first vendor to show the pistol gun emoji as a toy gun, but switched the same time Apple switched. Coming With Android P The new emoji should be adapted system-wide once Android P rolls out later this fall. It should be noted, however, that not all OEMs will get Android P at the same time, because each develop a version of Android P differently. Google's main line of flagships, the Pixel phones, will definitely get it first, though. As Emojipedia makes clear, Google's design change is a matter of clarity in communication. It can't risk users trying to send a water gun emoji from one platform then it showing up as a real gun within Android. If a person was to send a cutesy toy gun emoji to a person who's using a platform that doesn't support it, then all sorts of trouble and misunderstanding might ensue. Google doesn't explicitly mention the political climate around gun control, but it might have played a role in its decision. Americans, particularly a lot of millennials, have recently been hitting the streets advocating for gun control, and the subject remains heated and polarizing as ever. The movement, called March For Our Lives, arose when 17 people died in a school shooting in Parkland, Florida in February. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. European Space Agency astronomers involved with the Gaia mission is set to release a map of the Milky Way soon. It is the largest and most precise charting effort of our own galaxy. It's part of a $1 billion mission designed to measure the distances of stars with unprecedented accuracy. Launched in 2013, the Gaia spacecraft observes the universe from above the side of the earth opposite the sun. The map it was able to produce is an amalgamation of 25 separate observations of stars and their movements over about two years. Gaia To Release DR2 Data The DR2 data, described in a series of papers published on April 25 in the Astronomy & Astrophysics journal, can be used to make models of the Milky Way's past and future states. "We are measuring a map in a moment in time, but we can also go backward and forward," said Gaia deputy project scientist Jos de Bruijne, as Scientific American reports. In 2016, Gaia released data for 1.1 billion stars, including brightness and positioning. The latest release will bump that number to 1.7 billion stars, which is a pretty significant deal for astronomers and star enthusiasts alike. "It will be the most precise and complete stellar catalog ever produced," said Gaia science operations manager Uwe Lammers, as Gizmodo reports. The new round of data extends coverage of Gaia from 500 to 8,000 light-years, according to Lammers. It'll also have data on velocities, stellar temperatures, and parallaxes or the fancy term for how the stars have moved compared with objects located even farther. "The precision of the proper motions measured by Gaia is what really makes it so revolutionary," said astrophysicist Allyson Sheffield, though she was not involved in the Gaia mission. Why This Star Map Matters The release is a crucial step toward understanding some mysteries about the universe. For starters, scientists predict that our universe is expanding, but they don't exactly how fast it's ballooning up. They also don't know just how many spiral arms the Milky Way has. These are some of the questions Gaia's new data could answer. It doesn't stop there, though. In 2020, astronomers expect for yet another data release from Gaia, which contains spectral information, or the specific wavelengths of light released by stars. Such information might help researchers further determine star compositions. Gaia, however, isn't without its limitations. For one, it isn't able to see through space dust, so expect void spots in the map. Perhaps in the future, another telescope, one with infrared capabilities, could be launched to surpass this hurdle. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. NASA's Hubble Space Telescope releases a video showing off colliding spiral galaxies. The collision between the two galaxies is expected to continue for several million years. The 48-second video features the NGC 2207, a pair of colliding spiral galaxies. The clip reveals the bright central nuclei of the colliding galaxies that, according to the video's description, has a striking resemblance to a set of human eyes. Colliding Spiral Galaxies The Hubble telescope, the Spitzer Space Telescope, and the Chandra X-ray Observatory have worked together to make the clips of the NGC 2207 available for public view. The visible light from the Hubble telescope unveils the trails of stars and the gas trace out spiral arms, which are stretched by the tidal pull between the galaxies. The glow of the warm dust becomes visible in the video with the aid of the infrared light from the Spitzer. The team behind the footage explains that the dust is the raw material essential in the creation of new stars and planets. Finally, the X-Rays from Chandra showed the areas where there is an active star formation. It is also the region where super star clusters will be born. The Hubble team explains that stars are extremely far away from each other to actually smash together. However, in the course of smashing into each other, the dust between these stars joined together to create a high-density pocket of gas. A gravitational collapse of these regions will trigger a firestorm of star births. Meanwhile, as the progression toward the actual galaxy collision takes place, the galaxies will also take the form of new shapes. NGC 2207 and IC 2163 NASA had first spoken about the impressive light display of two colliding galaxies, specifically the NGC 2207 and IC 2163, in 2014 and then, most recently in 2017. The agency says that the NGC 2207 and IC 2163 are located at about 130 million light-years from Earth. They are in the constellation of Canis Major. This pair of galaxies has hosted three supernova explosions in the last 15 years. Consequently, it produced the most abundant display of super bright X-ray lights or what scientifically termed as ultraluminous X-ray sources. The ULXs were identified using data from Chandra. The colliding galaxies, such as the pair NGC 2207 and IC 2163, are expected to bring with them an intense star formation. It is estimated that stars associated with the ULXs may only be as young as about 10 million years old. While NGC 2207 and IC 2163 are in the course of their collision, stars are estimated to form at a rate equivalent to form 24 stars the mass of Earth's sun per year. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. More information about the LG G7 ThinQ has surfaced and this time, from the South Korean company itself. Apparently, the handset's display can get super bright. Thanks to previous leaks, fans now know that the LG G7 ThinQ's display will have a notch like the one on the iPhone X and a bottom bezel. Its official reveal is only a few weeks away, yet the company feels that it should provide more details about its upcoming flagship. LG G7 ThinQ Display Completely Revealed LG has announced that the G7 ThinQ's 6.1-inch display with a QHD+ resolution can go up to 1,000 nits. In comparison, most smartphones peak at 400 to 700 nits. The Samsung Galaxy S9 and the Note 8 come to mind with their ability to go beyond 1,000-nit brightness. However, users cannot control it unless it is in direct sunlight. LG's Super Bright Display LCD technology should allow users to use it comfortably in any lighting condition, especially under bright sunlight. Even so, the company claims that it consumes less power than the LG G6 by up to 30 percent. Also, the smartphone maker has developed the colors on the display to look under sunlight. "Color tones on the LG G7 ThinQ will look rich and natural even under bright light courtesy of the newly developed Super Bright Display by LG that covers 100 percent of DCI-P3 color space," said LG in its press release. The LG G7 ThinQ's LCD display will also have the ability to adapt to six color modes, namely Auto, Cinema, Eco, Expert, Games, and Sports. Turning on the Auto mode will allow the handset to analyze the content on the display such as a photo or a game, and turn on the corresponding color setting while reducing power consumption. The photo accompanying the press release also confirms the notch, which can disappear if the top bar's background is black. LG G7 ThinQ Design And Specs Leaked A fairly recent leak courtesy of notorious tipster Evan Blass showcased the LG G7 ThinQ in every angle, revealing the notch and the yet another controversial feature, the dedicated Google Assistant button. Previous leaks also exposed five color options of Platinum Grey, Aurora Black, Moroccan Blue, Matte Moroccan Blue, and Raspberry Rose, as well as the G7 ThinQ's hardware specifications. The new flagship will reportedly have a Snapdragon 845 chip, 4 GB RAM, and 64 GB internal storage. The cameras at the back both have 16 megapixels. Putting all these pieces of information together, fans now have a pretty good picture of the LG G7 ThinQ. Still, LG is set to reveal some more of its features in New York on May 2. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Following the blockbuster success of The Jungle Book and Beauty and the Beast, Disney has greenlit a slew of live-action remakes of its animated classics. The Walt Disney Company has now revealed the first footage of its upcoming roster of live-action reboots during its CinemaCon press conference in Las Vegas on Tuesday, April 24. Fans were treated to sneak peeks at several films including Aladdin, Dumbo, and The Lion King, all of which are slated to hit theaters sometime next year. Aladdin Cathleen Taff, Disney's head of distribution, took the stage to deliver the first footage of the forthcoming Guy Ritchie-directed film Aladdin, which is scheduled for theatrical release in May 2019. The behind-the-scenes clip shows how the town of Agrabah from 1992 original is recreated as a physical set. The footage also reveals a kinetic camera following Aladdin as he jumps and leaps around rooftops and tangles alleyways of Agrabah to evade Sultan's men in a scene. The preview also introduces the film's cast including Mena Massoud, who takes on the role of Aladdin, Naomi Scott, who plays the role of Princess Jasmine, and Will Smith, who portrays the character of The Genie in the film. During the presentation, Taff also noted that in the live-action reboot, Smith will bring his own distinct style and won't try to imitate Robin Williams who famously voiced The Genie in the original animated feature. "No one can replicate the iconic performance of Robin Williams," Taff said about Smith's portrayal before describing his character as "a little Fresh Prince, a little Hitch, and a whole lot of attitude." Dumbo During the Dumbo presentation, Taff pointed out that the upcoming Tim Burton-directed live-action reboot would be a different, more expanded version of 1941 animated classic that audiences fell in love with. She also revealed that the film will pick up where the original left off, with the titular big-eared elephant taking flight in the circus. Audiences then got to see a sneak peek at Danny DeVito as the ringmaster in the cast, which includes Eva Green, Michael Keaton, Alan Arkin, and Colin Farrell. The film arrives in theaters on March 29, 2019. The Lion King Disney concluded the presentation with footage from The Lion King, which is directed by The Jungle Book director Jon Favreau. The preview featured an early-in-development opening similar to the footage from Circle of Life showcased last year at D23 Expo, made famous by the 1994 animated classic. The clip concludes with the iconic moment in which Rafiki (John Kani) introduces an adorable young Simba (Donald Glover) on Pride Rock as "Circle of Life" plays in the background. Favreau is directing an ensemble cast that includes Glover, Beyonce, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Alfre Woodard, Seth Rogen, John Oliver, John Kani, as well as James Earl Jones. Lion King is slated to hit theaters on July 19, 2019. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The Food and Drugs Administration is conducting a further review of Parkinson's drug, Nuplazid, over potential serious risks, but has not cited it as particularly harmful. The initiative to evaluate Acadia's Parkinson's drug comes during the congressional budget hearing. Scott Gottlieb, the FDA commissioner, said the agency would take another look at Nuplazid amid concerns of hundreds of deaths reported by doctors and other medical professionals. Gottlieb added that the review already began several weeks ago. The FDA did not mention specific reasons for conducting another review on Nuplazid, but only that it is based on new information on the drug's potential adverse events. Although an evaluation is underway, the FDA is not limiting physicians to prescribe the drug or to stop patients from their current prescriptions. "I have accumulated a great deal of experience with this drug," Dr. Joseph Jankovic, a professor of neurology at Baylor College of Medicine, told CNN. "While not all patients are completely satisfied, many of my patients have experienced marked improvement in their visual hallucinations, paranoia, and other psychotic symptoms." Parkinson's Drug-Related Deaths Nuplazid, with a generic name pimavanserin, is the only FDA-approved drug for the treatment of hallucinations and delusions related to Parkinson's disease psychosis. People with a hypersensitivity reaction to pimavanserin and its components are advised not to take Nuplazid. Some of the reported side effects include peripheral edema, nausea, confusion, hallucinations, constipation, and gait disturbance. In 2017, Nuplazid sales roughly reached $125 million as more caregivers and families had availed the drugs for its promised benefits. Dr. Paul Andreason warned that patients who took the drug during Acadia's clinical trials experienced severe adverse events including death, which is more than twice the rate in the placebo group. Consequently, FDA called Nuplazid a "breakthrough therapy." The agency also noted the numerous pleas from patients' families and the lack of safer alternatives. However, Dr. Andreason said he was not convinced of the FDA's ruling that the drug's benefits outweighed its risks. Thomas Moore, senior scientist for drug safety and policy at the Institute for Safe Medication Practices, said that the related deaths are "important warning signal[s]" that warrant additional review by the authorities. In November 2017, the ISMP published an analysis of adverse events related to Nuplazid reported within a 12-month period. Of 2,236 incidents, 244 were attributed to deaths and 333 for the ineffectiveness of the drug. Acadia In Defense Approximately 50 percent of Americans with Parkinson's disease experience psychosis. The Tennessee-based pharmaceutical company said that the high death rates associated with the use of Nuplazid are common among patients with advanced stage of Parkinson's. Acadia also defended that the drug is distributed mainly in a network of specialty pharmacies, allowing them to communicate frequently with both the care providers and the patients. In an official statement, Acadia said that mortality rates have improved since the launch of Nuplazid. They highlighted that Nuplazid underwent 25 clinical studies before it was introduced in the market. The studies involved more than 1,200 patients, 600 of which had Parkinson's disease psychosis. "Acadia continues to vigorously monitor all adverse events through robust pharmacovigilance activities and evaluates the benefit/risk profile of Nuplazid on an ongoing basis," Acadia said in an official statement. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Bristol-based indie Offspring Films will make its BBC debut this Spring with an hour-long documentary about orangutans for BBC2. Red Ape: Saving the Orangutan uses exclusive access to frontline conservation efforts in Borneo, expert testimony and previously unscreened archive footage to highlight why one of mankinds closest relatives is being pushed towards the brink of extinction. Offsprings founder and executive producer Alex Williamson said: Were thrilled to be working with the BBCs Natural World team on this really important film. As a production company working in natural history were able to film some of the most incredible landscapes on Earth and the extraordinary animals that inhabit them like the orangutan. However, we also get to see how vulnerable our planet is and meet the extraordinary people working on the front line of conservation to protect them. Red Ape tells the story of a team of medics from International Animal Rescue (IAR) fighting to save Borneos critically endangered orangutans. Armed with cameras, International Animal Rescue has documented their fight for 10 years: pulling apes from the devastated jungle and administering emergency medical care on the frontline, caring for orphaned babies and returning characters like Pelangsi, who lost an arm to a hunters snare, to the wild. Among the films expert interviewees offering ways to secure a future for orangutans are IAR founder and programme director Dr Karmele Sanchez; primatologist Dr Ben Garrod; John Sauven, director of Greenpeace UK and Gemma Tillack, of Rainforest Action Network. The film will get its first airing on BBC2 on Thursday 10 May (9pm). It is written and directed by Rowan Musgrave. It was commissioned by the BBCs Roger Webb, editor of the Natural World strand, as a co-production with BBC Worldwide and Discovery, overseen by John Hoffman and Jon Bardin. Offspring was set up in 2014 by Williamson, an ex-BBC Natural History Unit exec. Other up-coming projects include a three-part series for Sky1 on giants of the animal kingdom due to be shown this summer. Share this story Comedy Central UK has re-commissioned Stand Up Central from Avalon for a fourth series with comedian, writer and actor Rob Delaney hosting the new series. The new 8 x 30-minute series will begin filming in May at The Electric Ballroom in Camden. Each episode will feature stand-up from Rob Delaney, before he welcomes two guest comedians on stage to perform in front of a live audience. Previous series have included performances from Katherine Ryan, Al Murray, Russell Howard, Isy Suttie, James Acaster, Bridget Christie, Desiree Birch, Nish Kumar, Ellie Taylor, Jimmy Carr, Roisin Conaty, Lee Nelson, Sara Pascoe, and Chris Ramsey. The fourth series of the top-rating show will air later this year on Comedy Central UK. Louise Holmes, General Manager, Comedy Central UK commented: Rob has outstanding stand-up credentials and we are delighted to be home to his uniquely cool and charismatic brand of comedy. Im thrilled to have him take the reins of the new series which promises to bring the very best stand-up to our comedy hungry audience. Rob Delaney said Im excited to be hosting a series for Comedy Central that will showcase a slew of great standups and is also walking distance from my house. Rob Aslett, Executive Producer at Avalon, added: Were delighted to be working with Comedy Central to bring more of the most exciting stand-ups out there to the channel and incredibly pleased to have the exceptionally talented Rob Delaney on board to host it. Comedy Central UK has been recently increasing its volume of non-scripted comedy airing Roast Battle and commissioning Talkback to produce a third and fourth series of noughties gameshow, Your Face or Mine and is currently airing the channels first ever topical chat show, The Chris Ramsey Show, also produced by Avalon. Share this story Youths missing, hurt in Israel flash floods Jerusalem, April 26 (AFP) Apr 26, 2018 Several young people were missing and others badly hurt Thursday as flash floods swept through an area of southern Israel where they were hiking near the Dead Sea, police and media reports said. Police did not specify how many students were missing but media reports said at least seven hikers were in critical condition, from a group of about 25 from a pre-army preparatory programme. Students in such programmes are usually around the age of 18. "Police and emergency units continuing to search for a number of missing students in the south near the southern part of the Dead Sea," a police statement said. Military helicopters were taking part in the search in an area known as the Tzafit Stream. Two teenagers died in a series of floods that hit Israel and the Palestinian territories on Wednesday, the first of three forecast days of heavy rain. 6 dead in Algeria floods Algiers, April 26 (AFP) Apr 26, 2018 Six people including two children were killed in 48 hours as flash floods swept away their cars in heavy rainfall over northwest Algeria, rescue services announced Thursday. Civil defence spokesman Colonel Farouk Achour told AFP the children and a man died when a wadi flooded late Wednesday in the Tiaret region, 330 kilometres (200 miles) southwest of Algiers. One of the children was earlier reported as missing. Three other people drowned on Tuesday night when a river burst its banks in El-Bayadh, 800 kilometres southwest of the capital. Emergency services said they carried out several rescue operations for Tiaret residents stranded in their homes or cars and at a school in the neighbouring region of Tissemsilt. Sen. J.P. Morrell, D-New Orleans, center, gestures using air quotes in response to a comment about whether 'jurors have agendas,' during debate on his SB243 by in the House Criminal Justice Committee at the State Capitol, Wednesday, April 25, 2018. At left is Rep. Edmond Jordan, D-Baton Rouge, and at right is Alexandria attorney Ed Tarpley, left, former District Attorney for Grant parish, who had earlier testified in favor of the bill. It was voted on favorably by the committee, and concerns a constitutional amendment that would require unanimous jury verdicts for serious crimes in Louisiana. After the governor's office on Wednesday announced proposed changes to the way the state handles industrial tax exemptions, the East Baton Rouge Metro Council paused its own process for determining how to award those tax abatements. The council's proposed rubric shows how at least one councilman would have addressed the tax issue and prompted backlash from community organizers who found the city-parish plan insufficient. For years, the state Industrial Tax Exemption Program allowed manufacturers to forgo local property taxes in an effort to spur economic growth. However, groups like Together Baton Rouge have criticized the arrangement, saying the tax breaks are hurting public services like schools. Gov. John Bel Edwards had committed to giving local tax-collecting agencies a say in their tax breaks. He backed off the position on Wednesday when the administration instead pitched an 80 percent write-off for qualified companies. Locals would then give an up or down vote on the state's ITEP contracts. Before Edwards released the new plan, however, Metro Councilman Matt Watson and school board member Michael Gaudet introduced their own proposal for granting tax abatements. Those bodies, as well as the sheriff's office, all collect property taxes and decide whether to grant exemptions for projects currently participating in ITEP. Watson and Gaudet proposed a rubric to guide which applicants would be accepted. Companies would be able to see between 50 and 100 percent of their property taxes waived if they meet certain benchmarks. The property owners could make capital investments in their property, hire more workers or add environmental controls above the minimum state requirements. Watson proposed installing the matrix for at least two years. Top stories in Baton Rouge in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Members of Together Baton Rouge opposed Watson's plan, though several decided not to speak at Wednesday's council meeting upon hearing the proposal was on hold. The organization has criticized the matrix, writing that it would allow "exemptions at 100 percent in most instances, without any requirement for the applicant company to create jobs or produce a return on investment," they wrote in a Tuesday news release. "I'm not seeing the 'Woe is Exxon' story. They can afford to pay their taxes," said Jennifer Carwile of Together Baton Rouge. Several business leaders, including Exxon staff, attended Wednesday's meeting but did not take a turn at the lectern. Council members did not discuss the merits or drawbacks of the Gaudet-Watson proposal. When the matter came up for consideration Wednesday, Watson deleted the item until the city-parish can see how Edwards's new proposal plays out. "It's a moot point to proceed with the legislation at this point," Watson said. He re-introduced the item so it can be discussed at the next meeting on May 9. "I'm just kind of waiting for what the governor does," Councilwoman Donna Collins-Lewis remarked. Councilman Buddy Amoroso said he'd like to collaborate with the governor but noted that the administration didn't ask the city-parish about ITEP the first time they tried to change it, and they haven't asked East Baton Rouge politicians to come to the table now that they want to shake it up again. As they agreed to study Baton Rouge Police Department pay and benefits, city-parish officials said Wednesday they hope the review will result in higher pay for police officers, fewer overtime hours worked and more time for police to spend with family. BRPD starting salaries are lower than the cost of the study. Starting pay for Baton Rouge police officers is $33,968 a year once they have completed a training academy and are six months into their job. The review of their pay, benefits, incentives and more will cost City Hall $39,500. This study could address our concerns and let us know what the pay should be compared to cities of our size with similar responsibilities, said Police Chief Murphy Paul as he asked Metro Council members for their blessing on the study. Underpaid Baton Rouge police? City, BRPD ask for study of salaries, benefits, incentives The city-parish is taking the first steps toward trying to fulfill Baton Rouge Police Chief Murphy Paul's pledge last month to create a plan t BRPD counterparts at the East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office earn $38,153 a year as starting salaries, while Louisiana State Police earn $49,448 a year after they complete field officer training. New Orleans police recently received 10 percent pay raises, boosting entry-level officer pay there to $46,900 a year. Paul said after the vote he did not want to pinpoint a specific number to target as the starting salary because he wants the study to examine if benefits for BRPD officers are more generous than those at other departments. But he did say he wants starting pay to be competitive, and noted the stresses of policing in Louisianas capital city. Metro Council members asked about those stressors as they weighed whether to approve the contract with SSA Consultants for the study. Councilwoman Tara Wicker reflected on the early years of her marriage, when her husband served as a State Police trooper. She said the long hours he worked grated on their relationship, and she asked about BRPD divorce rates. Through their church, she said, she and her husband, now a pastor, counsel a number of law enforcement officers going through similar struggles with their marriage and family. Our officers are often casualties, Wicker said. And I think we forget that. In BRPD retirement dispute, officials argue some OT should count toward benefits A fight between City Hall and the Municipal Police Employees Retirement System has called into question a distinction that Baton Rouge officia Top stories in Baton Rouge in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up The BRPD union backed the pay study, and Paul credited the union with bringing up some of the points about the toll the job takes on personal lives. He said its a concern for all of them that police come to work healthy in mind, spirit and body. Councilman Chandler Loupe and Councilwoman Chauna Banks also prodded Paul for answers about the overtime hours police officers can amass. City-parish salary data show that officers can earn more in overtime pay than their base salaries, with the highest earner last year collecting $61,120 in base pay and $108,117 in overtime pay. That officer worked more than 2,250 overtime hours last year. Loupe said BRPD needs to revise its overtime policy because the department will never get the full support you need for raises when police officers so frequently work overtime. And Banks called it a sweet deal for police to accumulate base pay, overtime pay and extra duty dollars while they also use their police vehicles. I have police friends; they live in much nicer houses than me with RVs, Banks said. Paul said afterward that BRPDs deputy chiefs are working to rein in the overtime hours that some officers work. Deputy Chief Jonny Dunnam added, though, that its not always feasible and gave an example of a detective with a hot lead, and said forcing the detective to stop working could endanger the case. Though council members unanimously agreed to fund the study, several said they are concerned about whether it would translate into police pay raises. After a 2013 SSA study of City Hall employees salaries and benefits, the city-parish did follow through with pay raises but they were not as large as the study recommended, Banks recollected. Were doing the easy part right now, said Councilman Buddy Amoroso. The hard part is actually funding what your research comes (up with). In other news, Banks urged her fellow council members to remove BREC commissioners from their jobs after repeated problems at the Baton Rouge Zoo. Banks and Keep the Zoo at Greenwood activists distributed a report from someone they identified as a whistleblower who slammed zoo management for poor animal care. "What we did have, they gave it away because they did not want to invest properly into the zoo," Banks claimed. The Metro Council took no action on the discussion item, but council members did say they will review the report and are also awaiting a BREC review of the allegations. Purchases made via links on our site may earn us an affiliate commission The woman pulled from her apartment unconscious during a fire on Coursey Boulevard early Wednesday died from her injuries the following day, the Louisiana State Fire Marshal's Office said Thursday morning. The victim, who was 50 years old and lived there with her son, died later from injuries. She was able to donate organs before she died, according to Ashley Rodrigue, a spokeswoman for the State Fire Marshal's Office. Authorities said Wednesday they believed the flames resulted from an accidental cooking fire. Rodrigue said the victim and her son lived in an apartment on the second floor of the commercial building, which houses the business office downstairs and living space upstairs. The State Fire Marshal's Office said Thursday their investigation is ongoing. Crews initially responded around 1:15 a.m. Wednesday to Safeguard Self Storage, 10811 Coursey Boulevard. Firefighters found the victim unresponsive near the stairs on the second floor. She was removed from the building and taken to a hospital. Rodrigue said the woman worked for the storage company and lived in the apartment above the office with her son, who was not home at the time of the fire he was at a restaurant across the street when he noticed fire trucks outside his home and ran over to alert firefighters his mother was inside the building. An effort to create a standalone bestiality law separate from Louisianas unconstitutional sodomy statute passed another hurdle in the Legislature Wednesday. Senate Bill 236 by Sen. JP Morrell, D-New Orleans, cleared the House Criminal Justice committee and will move to the full House. The bill previously passed the Senate in a 29-10 vote, with some lawmakers saying the bill was a sly effort to nix the states sodomy laws. Morrells bill would remove or with an animal from the existing crimes against nature law, decoupling the states bestiality law from its unconstitutional sodomy provision. He said though he supports same-sex marriage and LGBT rights, this bill was not related to that aim. An amendment added to the bill clarifies it does not negate convictions or adjudications under the crimes against nature law. Establishing a separate bestiality law helps bring the issue and its policing into the modern day, Morrell said. Currently, law enforcement agents often turn to animal cruelty laws to fill the loopholes in the states bare bones bestiality provision. However, animal cruelty doesnt explicitly cover many animal sexual abuse offenses, he said. SB236 makes it illegal to have sex with an animal, observe or assist a person having sex with an animal, solicit animal sex online, or possess and traffic pornographic material of animals engaging in sex with humans, among other acts. Why bid to toughen Louisiana anti-bestiality law is drawing unexpected pushback In Louisiana, a proposal to strengthen the law against bestiality is facing unexpected opposition from conservative lawmakers who see it as an Offenders would relinquish ownership of animals, serve prison time up to five years and or pay a fine of up to $2,000, receive mental health treatment and undergo a sexual offender program if found guilty. If an offender causes serious bodily injury or death to the animal, they would be fined between $5,000 and $25,000 and or imprisoned up to 10 years. Rep. Valarie Hodges, R-Denham Springs, voiced concerns Morrells measure was too broad and lacked clarification about where convicted offenders can and cannot go. Hodges said it may be difficult to place a convicted offender in a prison facility because many house livestock. There are no vegan jails, Hodges said. 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 She said she was also concerned the courts would strike down the law for denying individuals the right to housing and gainful employment. Hodges also questioned how a convicted offender who has nowhere to go could live with his parents after release if they have an animal in the home. Then the parents have to pick between the parakeet and their kid, Morrell said. He added that the bestiality law parallels the states child molestation law in its limitation of housing and employment options, and the standards have been upheld repeatedly. Hodges also opposed the bills lack of explanation for what constitutes a dead animal. Under the bill, the offenses apply whether the animal was dead or alive. Hodges said the bill could be misconstrued to limit offenders travel to grocery stores and other places where dead animals are sold. When an animal is packaged its food, Morrell said, commenting that fried chicken doesnt count as an animal. Hodges later brought an amendment attempting to cut the bills removal of or with an animal from the crimes against nature law. She said it was to ensure a back-up bestiality law was in place should Morrells bill be deemed unconstitutional. The amendment failed in an 8-3 vote. Louisiana Family Forum executive director Gene Mills commended Hodges efforts to maintain the existing crimes against nature law and said while bestiality is a heinous and punishable offense prohibited in Scripture for thousands of years, it should not exist in a separate statute. He said retaining the bestiality reference in the crimes against nature statute sends a stronger message than a standalone law would by communicating that the behavior violates the acceptable standards of the community. He went on to say that new or amended legal efforts against bestiality have not been uniform nationwide, and pursuing a new, overly broad measure could be dangerous. Dont repeal a tried and true standard in favor of an untested theory, Mills said. Despite opposition from Mills and several other Baptist leaders, Morrells bill advanced to the House floor without objection from the committee. Council member Tara Wicker, left, listens as colleague Matt Watson addresses his concerns regarding confusion behind the proposed marijuana ordinance during a meeting of the metro council, Wednesday, February 28, 2018, at City Hall in Baton Rouge, La. Smoothie King CEO Wan Kim, center, watches in the first half of an NBA basketball game between the New Orleans Pelicans and the Philadelphia 76ers in the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, La. Sunday, Dec. 10, 2017. Less than two years after taking the helm of The Times-Picayune, former Idea Village founder Tim Williamson is stepping down. In an email to the staff Thursday, Williamson, who became president of the NOLA Media Group in August 2016, said, I know this seems very sudden. But its something Ive been thinking about as Ive watched this team grow and hit its stride." An article posted on nola.com said Williamson will not be replaced. Instead, the NOLA Media Groups vice president of content, Mark Lorando, and vice president and chief revenue officer, Alisha Owens, will handle the day-to-day operation of news and sales. David Francis will remain executive vice president. At the time he was hired, Williamson succeeded Ricky Mathews, who led the media company when it was formed in 2012 to absorb The Times-Picayune and shift toward an emphasis on the web. During Mathews' tenure, the company reduced the papers home delivery schedule to three days a week. In his letter, Williamson touted the companys successes during his brief tenure. I was brought here to help position NOLA Media Group for the future, he wrote. Today, you have a clear mission and purpose, a dynamic leadership team, a strong plan and swagger. I believe you have all the pieces in place for a sustainable model for local journalism. He did not say what his future plans are. Seandell Kelly took the stand to claim that his videotaped sexual encounter with a woman on a street in the St. Roch neighborhood two years ago was bloody and tawdry but ultimately consensual. Kelly said the woman who alleges he raped her was trying to get back at him for not paying her the $80 he owed her. I should have gave her the money. I think about that every night in my cell, Kelly said. Theres a lot of dumb decisions I made. Jurors were considering the fate Wednesday of Kelly, 27, who faces life imprisonment if convicted as charged of first-degree rape and second-degree kidnapping. Over the course of a tumultuous two-day trial in Orleans Parish Criminal District Court, the jury heard two stories about what happened on a deserted stretch of Florida Avenue on Nov. 30, 2016. The woman said she was brutally raped by a stranger, but Kelly claims she offered to sell him sex in the first place. Nobody disputed that the woman struggles with substance abuse. Taking the stand on Tuesday, she said she has sometimes used child support money to pay for heroin and cocaine. Yet prosecutors said in closing statements that no one deserves what happened to the woman that night. They pointed to a surveillance video that shows Kelly slapping, choking and tossing a woman to the ground. Then he bends her over and has sex with her in an alley. What would you have heard if this wasnt on video? Assistant District Attorney Jason Napoli said to the jury. Seandell Kelly would have said, I never met her that night. Instead, Napoli argued, Kelly was backed into a corner by the graphic footage and by DNA evidence that proved he had sexual contact with the woman. Saying shes not a victim is absolutely insane when youve seen that video, he said. Kelly claimed the video shows the woman was traveling with him in his SUV before the beating. He said he had spotted a woman to whom he had sold heroin. She asked him for drugs and then offered him sex for money, he said. Kelly said he failed to get an erection. He noted he had been drinking all night and taking Percocet. Kelly said the woman left. He ran after her for his money and they fought, he said. Im not going to sit here and say I did not hit her. I did hit her. I slapped her, he said. Im really grabbing her trying to get the money. Yet at some point the woman changed her mind, Kelly claimed. He said the video showed the two of them calmly discussing payment during the sexual act that followed the beating. Afterward, he dashed away without paying, he said. I was mad at the time, he said. On cross-examination, Napoli asked Kelly why he told police that he had been at a restaurant at the time. Napoli also played a phone call from jail in which Kelly told his brother he had never had sex with the woman. Hes willing to amend his story as the evidence keeps coming, Napoli said. Shes never been caught in a single lie. Hes caught in lie after lie. Mention of the jail phone call prompted a motion for a mistrial from Kellys lawyers with the Orleans Public Defenders, on the grounds that the state had failed to turn it over to them before the trial. Judge Robin Pittman and the state 4th Circuit Court of Appeal rejected the motion. That mistrial request was the second one rejected during the trial. The first came on Tuesday after the woman tried to leave the courthouse in the middle of her testimony. A wall of prosecutors and police blocked her way. Napoli acknowledged warning the woman that she could be jailed. Defense attorney Juan Fiol, in his closing statement, said it was not easy to bring up the womans drug abuse. Yet he noted that at one point on the stand, in apparent sarcasm, she had asked if he could sell her heroin. Her testimony showed she had no respect for the jury or the truth, he said. I submit to you that if a person is so addicted and so desperate that she would use her childrens money, money that was meant for their well-being, to buy the drugs that shes taking, that shes willing to come in here and say whatever it takes to go home, Fiol said. The 50,000 miles of pipelines that crisscross private and public land in Louisiana are virtually certain to be designated as critical infrastructure. That will mean enhanced penalties for criminal damage, for which you could be sentenced to 15 years, and for unauthorized entry, which would carry a maximum of five. Exactly how one commits unauthorized entry of a pipeline has not been explained. Even the most dedicated environmental protester is hardly likely to crawl inside one. Keeping your distance is the safest policy. The bill that adds pipelines to the critical infrastructure list originally criminalized conspiracy, but that was amended out at a Senate committee hearing Tuesday. So, if you ever do figure out how to commit unauthorized entry of a pipeline, they can't touch you for plotting to do so. The pipeline legislation, filed by Rep. Major Thibaut, D-New Roads, has dozens of co-sponsors, and passed the House 97-3 and the Senate committee 5-1. Several state legislatures are considering similar bills, following a model drafted by the right-wing American Legislative Exchange Council in response to the stand at Sandy Rock against the Dakota Access pipeline. Prominent among the proponents testifying at the Senate committee hearing was Tyler Gray, attorney for the Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association. Not that anyone needed reminding that this legislation was required by the real power brokers around here. The bill was filed following protests against the Bayou Bridge pipeline, which will run across the state and through the Atchafalaya basin, allegedly wreaking environmental havoc. Construction crews found equipment had been vandalized last week. Gov. John Bel Edwards is a fan of Bayou Bridge, and no one is on tenterhooks waiting to see how the full Senate will vote. We may not be short of pipelines, but another one is in our future. Environmentalists have been frothing at the mouth over the Thibaut bill, which they denounced as an infringement on their First Amendment rights. The Senate committee largely countered that objection by removing the section that criminalized conspiracy and therefore appeared to threaten imprisonment for the mere discussion of protest. The bill in its current form does not seek to impose any restrictions on the right to lodge peaceful protest. If it is liable to constitutional challenge, it will presumably be because unauthorized entry is an amorphous concept when it comes to hundreds of miles of pipelines. Where does the no-go zone start and end? Criminal laws need to make it explicit. Proponents of the legislation are fond of claiming that its real purpose is to bring condign punishment to the perpetrators of criminal damage, but we have plenty of laws that do that already. Thibaut has even averred that his bill will be a boon for environmentalists. By discouraging criminal damage, it will keep protests sites safer, he said. Oddly, the green lobby has not expressed its gratitude. Obviously, this bill is a sop to the oil and gas industry, but that is hardly a novelty in Louisiana. By granting pipelines the privileged status of critical infrastructure, the bill merely prescribes stiffer penalties. Criminal damage to regular property carries a maximum of six months,or 1-10 years if it is worth more than $50,000. Proponents of the new legislation also like to portray it as a response to violent protests, and even terrorism. Its targets, as one of the proponents claimed at Tuesday's committee hearing, were those intent on tampering with pipelines or blowing them up. But the law already prescribes severe punishment whenever it is foreseeable that a criminal act will endanger human life. The bill seems unlikely to make much difference. Protesters do not run afoul of the law now so long as they don't commit criminal damage and neither will they in the future. Of course, peaceful and legal protests aren't going to stop Bayou Bridge, or slow the catastrophic degradation of the shrinking landscape for which the oil and gas companies behind this bill played a prominent part. But they never were. Email James Gill at Gill1407@bellsouth.net. Groundbreaking, game-changer, revolutionary. These words have all been used to describe the discovery that undetectable HIV is sexually untransmittable. But what good is groundbreaking science if people don't know about it? Bruce Richman, the driving force behind U=U, describes how the once-unpopular campaign gained critical mass. When my HIV doctor told me in 2012 that I could not sexually transmit HIV because I had an undetectable viral load, it changed my life. I was elated. For years I'd been so afraid of passing on HIV that I hadn't opened myself up to love. Now I felt free. But it struck me that nobody seemed to be talking about this earth-shattering news. HIV information sites were saying that there was a risk of transmission -- even when you're undetectable. I started talking to researchers, heads of clinics and some HIV-positive community leaders. They knew about the research but it seemed to be a big secret in the field. Most people weren't being told that when you have an undetectable viral load, you cannot transmit HIV sexually. It was known to only a privileged minority. Millions were left in the dark, especially people already marginalized by the healthcare system. I felt that I had to do something to get the word out. So, in the summer of 2015, I began organizing with other activists and researchers to launch the Undetectable=Untransmittable (U=U) campaign, to make sure that the breakthrough science of HIV transmission would reach the people it was meant to benefit. I had developed cause-related campaigns for high-profile people and brands before, but this was the first time I was to embark on something so close to my heart, with so much potential to help people and the field. I gave up my income from previous clients, moved into a studio apartment in New York City and had absolute faith that truth and science would be my guides. Related: "U=U": What's It All About? Laying the Ground It's mind-blowing to look back at how much the global U=U community accomplished in a short time. Just over two years ago a small group of us started drafting the U=U consensus statement with researchers from groundbreaking treatment as prevention studies -- HPTN 052, PARTNER, Opposites Attract and the Swiss Statement. We planned to use that statement as an advocacy tool to secure influential endorsements to support the overwhelming evidence confirming U=U. When we issued the consensus statement in the summer of 2016, we felt we had the holy grail. It was a life raft in a sea of HIV stigma. We needed to find champions. U=U was brought to life when the pioneering Dr. Demetre Daskalakis from New York City's Department of Health signed on that summer and Terrence Higgins Trust led the way in the U.K. But even after New York City and several powerhouse U.S. organizations joined a few months later, there was a frustrating lack of acceptance of the science, or even an understanding as to why the message was so important. Quite often, I felt that life raft sinking. Reservations and Resistance The initial response was mixed. Few recognized that U=U was true. We found visionaries who stepped up, but most of the established HIV organizations worldwide were telling our advocates that we were wrong, and even a danger to public health. People worried about the Pandora's box that might open up if people with HIV stopped using condoms and about the rise in STIs that could ensue. Some worried that people might not realize that they need to take their meds every day to stay undetectable. In other words, they worried about whether people living with HIV would understand that meds only work if you take them. We were told this would be a disaster in places where people don't have access to treatment and regular viral load testing. People who doubted the science felt we were being unethical and dishonest. Essentially, we were told to stay silent. The Canadian Connection The campaign picked up momentum in January 2017, when CATIE's executive director Laurie Edmiston was unequivocal in her support of U=U: All of us here at CATIE, and indeed around the world, are celebrating the most significant development in the HIV world since the advent of effective combination therapy 20 years ago: People living with HIV with sustained undetectable viral loads can confidently declare to their sexual partners, "I'm not infectious!" When Bob Leahy, the leading Canadian U=U advocate and publisher of positivelite.com, sent me CATIE's endorsement, I couldn't speak. I was sobbing. CATIE's credibility and reach helped set the message on an international trajectory. CATIE's statement and ongoing advocacy and education have paved the way for other organizations in Canada and abroad to embrace the message. These organizations now recognize that U=U must be a headline, not an asterisk. This builds on the years of work of Julio Montaner, director of the B.C. Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, and colleagues promoting HIV treatment as prevention in Canada and internationally. Canadian organizations are engaging in open and challenging dialogue to explore the complex issues related to U=U -- such as the social determinants of health, the criminalization of HIV non-disclosure and women's reproductive health. U=U is a leading topic at Canadian HIV and sexual health conferences that set the priorities for the field and at conferences led by and for people living with HIV throughout the country. Every time I've gone back to Canada, I'm moved and inspired by the trailblazing work of our Canadian partners. International Momentum Builds Soon after CATIE signed on, other globally respected HIV research and HIV/AIDS service organizations joined, and we started gaining critical mass. It was a glowing validation that the message we were shouting from the rooftops was not only factual but a game changer for the field. In September 2017, history was made at the United States Conference on AIDS (USCA) when one of the world's preeminent immunologists, Dr. Anthony Fauci, declared that "the science really does verify and validate U=U." Later that month, because of the groundswell of data and our community's activism, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed that there is "effectively no risk" of sexual transmission of HIV when undetectable. That update to the CDC's messaging had a transformative impact not only in the U.S. but around the world. U=U and similar messaging is now being integrated into policy and communications in many parts of the world, including China, Uganda, Kuwait, Malaysia, England, South Africa, Australia, Guatemala and Vietnam. I was overcome with joy to be in Toronto when the Canadian Government declared its support of U=U on World AIDS Day 2017. U=U has been featured in national and global media and was even lauded by the editorial board of the leading medical journal The Lancet: U=U is a simple but hugely important campaign based on a solid foundation of scientific evidence. It has already been successful in influencing public opinion, causing more people with HIV (and their friends and families) to comprehend that they can live long, healthy lives, have children and never have to worry about passing on their infection to others. The clarity of the message will make it easier to promote the undeniable benefits of treatment, which will encourage more and more people with HIV to seek treatment, bringing the HIV community one step closer to achievement of the UNAIDS 90-90-90 target by 2020 and to complete elimination of the entirely unfair and outdated stigma still faced by many people living with HIV today. U=U has now been widely accepted by the global medical and scientific community. More than 600 pioneering community partners, including research associations and public health bodies from 75 countries, have joined the campaign. In Eastern Europe and Central Asia: H=H; in Vietnam: K=K; in Brazil: I=I; in the Netherlands: N=N; in Turkey: B=B. Ganges Part 11: The Last Leg I awoke at 4:30 a.m. with a terrible pain in my stomach. When I got up to go to the bathroom, I realized my back hurt worse than my stomach.... Ganges Part 10: Bojbasa Rest House It was torture. Linda and I had trekked over eight miles that day from 10,000 feet to 12,000 feet above sea level on our pilgrimage to the source of the... Billie Eilish blasts Texas abortion law at Austin City Limits the Grammy-winner admitted she contemplated calling off her texas show but decided it was unfair on her fans who are already the 'victims'. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Jony Eko Yulianto (The Jakarta Post) Surabaya Thu, April 26, 2018 17:27 1257 a7124a1e87885b91d244660f9e0bf2ff 3 Opinion #2019PresidentialElection,2019-presidential-election,Jokowi,Prabowo-Subianto,netizens,Indonesian-politics Free That Prabowo Subianto accepted yet another nomination from his party Gerindra to challenge President Joko Jokowi Widodo in 2019 was not a surprise. As the 2017 Election Law requires any presidential candidate to meet a threshold requirement of being backed by coalition of political parties having at least 20 percent of the seats in the House of Representative or 25 percent of the popular vote in the previous election, it is the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS)which has tentatively agreed to team up with Gerindra. Prabowo, Jokowis former contender and a former Special Forces army commander, could be above the threshold. If it becomes a reality, the popular vote slated for April 17, 2019, could become a dogfight rematch between the two foes. We need to care about this as after the 2014 presidential election, Indonesians became more polarized than ever before on their preferred presidential candidates. In social psychology this smacks of group polarization. People with different views keep on disagreeing with one another in a knee-jerk response because they have strongly associated with their ingroup. At best, its a problem. At worst, its dangerous. Such a situation can create a vicious circle in which the more we dislike a certain group, the more negatively we judge whatever they have to say. The more negatively we judge their statements, the more we dislike them and the more we dislike them, the more we negatively we judge their statement. This generalized negative attitude about opponents may be more emotion-based rather than fact-based. This places us in danger of living in silos where whatever stereotypes we have about people from the other side are reinforced more by social agreement and selective attention than by complete understanding of the relevant facts. It could be worse since we tend to access certain information through social media by deliberately or unwittingly selecting news that we only want to read. According to Pew Research, 61 percent of millennials use Facebook as their primary source for news about politics and government. Our Facebook feeds are personalized based on past click and likes behavior, so we mostly consume political content similar to our views and gradually we develop a tunnel vision. Rarely will our Facebook comfort zone expose us to opposing views, and as a result we eventually become victims to our own biases. As many have noted, our digital social existence has turned into huge echo chambers, where we mostly discuss similar views with like-minded peers and miserably fail to penetrate other social bubbles that are often misled by fear and xenophobia. People become narrow-minded in supporting a politician, or avoid politics instead if they feel disgusted. They will be less aware of their political system, less informed and in turn less likely to vote. These are all bad signs for a healthy democracy. To tackle partisan polarization, we can work on multilayer ideas. At the national political level, the reported third axis is a hope to avoid group polarization. The third axis could be an alternative to the way we look at the world. For example, the political parties Gerindra and the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) project different views of the world. Indonesians opinion about current affairs and their views of the future are sharply delineated by the political party which they support, though many dont support any party. However, any hopes for a third axis depends on the political dynamics in the upcoming months. At the individual level, citizens should try to be exposed to materials that they would not have chosen in advance. Serendipity is a good thing. Unplanned encounters are central to democracy. It might involve topics and views that people have not sought out and perhaps find quite irritating. Still that might change their lives in fundamental ways. This is important to prevent polarization -- a predictable outcome of any situations in which like-minded people speak only with themselves. Citizens should also try to have a wide range of common experiences. Without shared experiences, a heterogeneous society will have a much more difficult time in solving social problems. People would tend to see each other as strangers, foreigners, possibly even enemies. Common experiences made possible by social media provide some social glue. Contact is minimizing bias, as Harvard social psychologist Gordon Allport said. Last but not least, citizens should improve their literacy to distinguish truth from falsehood, and to know when democratic processes are being manipulated. In democracies, it is fair for people to disagree about what truth is. But if we know people are spreading lies, some process should be in place to enable citizens to access the truth. As policy-makers are pushing the responsibility and accountability of the likes of Facebook, users should also refrain from being so gullible. *** The writer teaches social psychology at Universitas Ciputra Surabaya. --------------- We are looking for information, opinions, and in-depth analysis from experts or scholars in a variety of fields. We choose articles based on facts or opinions about general news, as well as quality analysis and commentary about Indonesia or international events. Send your piece to academia@jakpost.com. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Riyadi Suparno (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, April 26, 2018 09:05 1257 a7124a1e87885b91d244660f9e0a51e4 3 Opinion #commentary,EU,European-Union,Indonesia,#Indonesia,palm-oil,trade-dispute,#PalmOil Free Indonesia is currently at loggerheads with the European Union over the palm oil trade, which looks as though they might be headed toward a trade war. Its high time that the two sides find a common ground, as they did in the forestry sector. The palm oil conflict is just growing bigger and more bitter. Initially, the conflict was between Indonesia and individual EU countries that imposed barriers on palm oil imports. But it is now between Indonesia and the entire EU, following prohibitive legislation by lawmakers in Brussels to phase out palm oil in biofuels by 2021 over environmental concerns. And the response from Indonesia has been unprecedented. President Joko Jokowi Widodo himself made an open call to the EU not to discriminate against palm oil. Vice President Jusuf Kalla went further, saying that the government would retaliate against any discriminatory measures. Kalla even reminded the EU that Indonesias two biggest airlines were both buyers of aircraft from France-based aeronautical company Airbus. The next day, the CEO of Indonesias biggest budget airline, Lion Air, indicated that it might turn to Airbuss competitor. Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukito also threatened to ban imports of certain products from individual EU countries that had taken a discriminatory stance on palm oil. For example, he said, he might ban fish imports from Norway following its parliaments proposal to exclude palm oil biofuels from government procurements. Indonesias concern over the EUs parliamentary move is valid. The EU anti-dumping duties, which were overturned recently, had cut down bio-diesel exports to Europe. Once the proposed legislation by the EU Parliament is passed, Indonesia will no longer be able to export its biodiesel to the EU. Palm oil is becoming more and more important to the national economy. The sector directly and indirectly provides the livelihoods of 16 million people. Moreover, it is the biggest contributor to the countrys foreign exchange revenues. Last year, Indonesia exported 31 million tons of palm oil, valued at US$22.9 billion. Securing the EU market for Indonesian palm oil is critical for at least two reasons. First, the EU is the countrys second biggest export market after India, and any trade barriers would therefore affect export performance. Second, the EU has one of the most stringent requirements for imports, so securing the EU market would make it easier to penetrate other foreign markets. Therefore, it is in Indonesias interest to break the current impasse. The government can refer to its experience negotiating with the EU on its timber legality assurance system, or Sistem Verifikasi Legalitas Kayu (SVLK), to build a common ground for the two sides to resolve their palm oil issue. Back in the early 2000s, Indonesia initiated the SVLK as a market mechanism to combat illegal logging to complement its tough law enforcement measures. The way the SVLK works is by providing incentives to timber industry players for trading their products in a sustainable manner. The mechanism also provides incentives for legality by promoting market access for legally verified timber products and blocking market access to illegal timber products. Using the SVLK, Indonesia then entered into negotiations over the Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) with the EU on the EUs Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) action plan. As negotiations progressed, Indonesia adjusted its SVLK regulations in accordance with the strict FLEGT requirements. After years of negotiations, the EU finally recognized the SVLK in 2016 as a mandatory certification for all timber and wood product exports destined for the EU market, making Indonesia the first country in the world with the authority to issue FLEGT licenses. Today, Indonesias certified timber and wood products can enter the EU market without going through the long process of due diligence. The SVLK has been the result of a unique process, the multi-stakeholder process, that involved representatives of the government, the private sector and civil society. As officials at the Environment and Forestry Ministry said, the multi-stakeholder process had been cumbersome and tiring, but the outcome was a strong sense of ownership in the SVLK among all stakeholders. The success of the SVLK in the forestry sector should be used as a model to find common ground between Indonesia and the EU in the palm oil dispute. Toward this end, the Indonesian side could offer its Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil (ISPO) standard as a platform for negotiating with the EU to ensure sustainable production. It takes two to tango. This requires the EU to consent to starting negotiations using the ISPO as a starting point, even though the ISPO has been controversial because it was born out of Indonesias decision to withdraw from the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil. But the two sides have to start somewhere. We have recently seen good signs from the EU side, with several ambassadors and representatives from the bloc taking part in an excursion the Foreign Ministry organized to oil palm plantations in Jambi, so that they could conduct their own field observations. And in early May, a delegation from the European Parliament will be in Jakarta to get a first-hand account on the issue. The government should seize this momentum and start offering a discussion platform. If Indonesia and the EU could succeed in bringing the SVLK on a par with the EUs FLEGT, they should take the same bold step in bringing the ISPO to fulfill the EUs strict requirements on sustainable crop production. *** The writer is the executive director of Tenggara Strategics, a business intelligence institution founded by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, The Jakarta Post and Prasetiya Mulya University. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin EDITORIAL (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, April 26, 2018 08:05 1258 a7124a1e87885b91d244660f9e0a3ca3 4 Editorial #Editorial,foreign-workers,workforce,#ForeignDirectInvestment,foreign-direct-investment,Jokowi-administration,Jokowi Free There are two main reasons as to why Presidential Regulation No. 20/2018 on the employment of foreign workers, which will become effective in early July, has stirred widespread uproar. One reason is that leaders of opposition parties and their supporters tend to assess every government policy through the prism of politics in view of the legislative and presidential elections in April 2019. The second is that the government seemed to be ignorant over the vital need to communicate and market its policies because inordinately high levels of nationalistic sentiment usually rear their ugly head in an election year. If we peruse the presidential regulation in good faith, we find not a single reason for government detractors to warn of an invasion by foreign workers. The regulation has been designed in large part to expedite the permit process of hiring foreign workers for occupations that cannot be filled by local workers in light of speeding up investment. The government requires that employers prioritize the hiring of local workers, and only when local workers are not available for particular occupations can foreign workers be recruited for a fixed period of time, according to the requirements set by the manpower minister. The perception among critics that the Jokowi administration has allowed foreign workers to invade the country is simply misguided, because as the Manpower Ministry said the total number of foreign workers licensed in Indonesia as of early this year was less than 100,000, including foremen, supervisors, managers, senior executives and consultants. This number is negligible compared to the countrys workforce of 125 million people. The number of Indonesian workers overseas, comprising mostly construction and plantation workers and maids in Malaysia, the Middle East, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore, was estimated at 6 to 9 million. Indonesian maids in Hong Kong alone were estimated at 160,000 and factory and construction workers in Taiwan at around 200,000, while there were only around 25,000 Chinese workers licensed to work in Indonesia. How could we possibly suspect that Chinese workers have invaded Indonesia? The new regulation obliges companies intending to recruit foreign workers to submit to the Manpower Ministry their Expatriate Placement Plan stipulating the reason, duration, the kind of occupations to be filled and the fixed period time for the transfer of skill to local workers. However, in case of contingencies or an urgent need for foreign workers to complete work within a certain period of time, employers can have their Expatriate Placement Plan ratified or approved by the manpower minister within two days after their submission. The presidential regulation has been designed to expedite the permit process of hiring foreign workers, with severe restrictions on the occupations that are open to foreign workers. In any case, commercial rationale requires that investors hire most workers locally. With greater economic growth comes a greater need for more skilled workers in more categories. Part of this need should be fulfilled temporarily by foreign workers because of the low education levels of most of our workforce. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ichal Supriadi and Josef Benedict (The Jakarta Post) Bangkok Thu, April 26, 2018 14:01 1257 a7124a1e87885b91d244660f9e0b57c2 3 Opinion ASEAN,#ASEAN,human-rights,#humanrights,democracy,Southeast-Asia Free As the 10 heads of state from ASEAN gather for the groups latest summit in Singapore this week to discuss security, trade, and tensions in the South China Sea, the state of human rights and democracy in the region will once again be sidelined. For many, it will come as no surprise that ASEAN leaders, who have been called by Human Rights Watch as a club of cozy dictators or rights abusers, would shun any discussion on the rights of their citizens. Since the last bi-annual summit in the Philippines in November, the regions 640 million citizens have faced unrelenting attacks on their core civic and democratic rights. In Cambodia, Hun Sens regime has moved to dismantle the main opposition party, the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), and jail its leader, in the run up to Julys elections. In the same period, the Philippines announced its withdrawal from the International Criminal Court, after the body announced an investigation into President Dutertes bloody war on drugs. As the summit approaches, its near four years since the Thai military junta seized power. At the same time, no credible solution has been found to address the brutal crackdown against the Rohingya which left around 700,000 people displaced, as the bloc has shielded Myanmar from criticism. Furthermore, after a decade in existence, the ASEAN Inter-Governmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) continues to lack the political will or the consensus to address threats to fundamental freedoms, despite some commissioners attempting to push the boundaries. This unfortunate reality is reflected in research and analysis undertaken by the CIVICUS Monitor a platform used to track developments related to citizen rights and civic space in 198 countries. All 10 ASEAN countries have dismal civic space ratings, with five countries identified as obstructed (Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei) three as repressed (Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia) and two which are completely closed (Vietnam and Laos). Our findings show that the threat to fundamental freedoms in the ASEAN region is intensifying and has manifested itself in various ways over the last year. This includes the use of restrictive laws and decrees against critics, the assault on the media and the targeting of civil society. Restrictive legislation continues to be introduced or implemented in the ASEAN region to stifle freedom of expression, assembly and association. In Malaysia, just a month ago the authorities bulldozed an anti-fake news law through parliament which many believe will be used to suppress critical thinking and dissent. There will be no protests outside the gates of the ASEAN summit, as Singapores legislators amended its draconian Public Order Act to further limit peoples right to hold public protests and public assemblies. Meanwhile, Cambodia has begun to implement the controversial law on NGOs (LANGO) to silence civil society, most notably with the banning of the watchdog election monitoring platform, Situation Room, comprised of 40 local NGOS in July. ASEAN governments have also intensified their assault on the media and journalists, many of whom are on the frontlines of exposing abuses by state officials and private actors. Two Reuters journalists in Myanmar have been behind bars since Dec. 12, 2017, facing trial because of their investigations into atrocities committed against the Rohingya people by the security forces. In the Philippines, President Duterte has attempted to stifle the media by moving to shut down the online news organization Rappler, because of allegations of foreign ownership. Rappler has been fearless in holding those in power to account and are known for their in-depth investigative reporting. ASEAN governments also regularly vilify civil society activists or paint them as national security threats in order to silence them. Many of the activists being jailed in Vietnam have been charged for conducting anti-state propaganda. These include pro-democracy, environmental activists as well as minority rights activists. In the Philippines, the government has brazenly accused land rights and indigenous rights activists of being involved in terrorism. Those accused include Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples and a Philippines national. We are seeing similar patterns playing out in Indonesia, despite the relative openness and better protections for freedom of expression. In March, lawmakers introduced a new law known as MD3 which can be used to prosecute and jail anyone who disrespects the countrys parliamentarians. The Electronic Information and Transactions (ITE) Law has been increasingly used to investigate and criminalize online expression, including of journalists, for defamation. In an attempt to silence peoples participation in development projects, anti-mining activist, known as Budi Pego, was sentenced to 10 months imprisonment in January for spreading Communist ideology. Despite this onslaught, we are also seeing civil society in ASEAN fighting back and building resolute resistance, like in many other parts of the word. Thai activists, despite harassment and arrests, continue to come out onto the streets to demand the military government not to delay a general election scheduled for November. Cambodians living overseas have increased their activism since the government crackdown on dissent at home began last year. In Myanmar, civil society is not only taking on the government but also Facebook for turning a blind eye to hate speech. In Indonesia, anti-graft activist Novel Baswedan who was half-blinded in an acid attack, 10 months ago is back at work. Lets stay focused. Stay brave, he told colleagues in a video posted online. ASEAN leaders meeting this week in Singapore have a stark choice. They can either continue to ignore and suppress the voices of civil society or they can take the brave step to build a more inclusive vision for the region. They can do that by attaching as much value on human rights as they do on economic growth and security. *** Ichal Supriadi is secretary-general of the Asia Democracy Network (ADN) based in Bangkok. Josef Benedict is a researcher on civic space for the CIVICUS Monitor focusing on the Asia-Pacific. Interested in more premium articles like this? Click here to subscribe for full access, which starts from $11 a month. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post. Researchers warned Tuesday of a "troubling" accumulation of microplastics in sea ice floating in the Arctic ocean, a major potential source of water pollution as global warming melts the sheets of frozen water. A team from the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research (AWI) found 17 different plastic types in ice samples gathered during three Arctic expeditions on board the research icebreaker Polarstern in 2014 and 2015. They included plastic from shopping bags and food packaging, from ship paint, fishing nets, nylon and polyester found in synthetic fabrics, and cigarette filters. One sample contained the highest concentration of microplastics ever found in sea ice -- up to 12,000 particles per litre of frozen water. This was two- to three times higher than any past measurement, the research team wrote in the journal Nature Communications. The discovery suggests microplastics "are now ubiquitous within the surface waters of the world's ocean," sea ice physicist Jeremy Wilkinson of the British Antarctic Survey said in a comment on the study. "Nowhere is immune," he said via the Science Media Centre in London. Sea ice grows from the freezing of seawater directly underneath the existing ice, thus incorporating floating microplastics as it grows downward, he explained. This means the plastics were present as the ice was growing, and drifting, in the Arctic Ocean. Of particular concern was the particles' small size. Some were only 11 micrometres across -- about a sixth the diameter of a human hair, the team said. A micrometre is a millionth of a metre. This "means they could easily be ingested by Arctic micro-organisms" such as small crustaceans on which fish feed," said study coauthor Ilka Peeken, an AWI biologist. Read also: Warming Arctic is 'new normal,' will affect us all: Report What's the harm? "No-one can say for certain how harmful these tiny plastic particles are for marine life, or ultimately also for human beings," she said. Micro-plastics are less than five millimetres (0,2 inches) long, about the size of a sesame seed. They come in the form of "micro-beads" used in face scrubs and toothpaste, or are created when larger pieces are degraded by the Sun, temperature changes, mechanic abrasion, or ocean wave action. The contribution of microplastics to the headache of ocean pollution is unclear. According to environmental group WWF, 8.8 million tonnes of plastic enters the oceans every year, the equivalent of a garbage truck dumping a full load every minute. On current trends, warns the UN, there will be more plastic than fish in the sea by 2050. For the study, Peeken and a team used a spectrometer to bombard the ice cores with infrared light. They analysed the radiation reflected by the plastic pieces to determine their likely origins. Samples from the Canada Basin, fed by water from the northeast Pacific via the Bering Strait, were high in polyethylene used in packaging material, leading the authors to conclude these particles came mainly from the so-called Great Pacific Garbage Patch -- a swirling plastic dump in the ocean now bigger than France, Germany and Spain combined. Others were rich in particles from paint and varnish used on ships, while nylon bits from fish nets were "found frequently in almost all sea ice cores." "Fisheries accounts for a major share of the ship traffic in the Arctic Ocean and continuous reduction of sea ice is assumed to increase fisheries further, particularly in the high Arctic," wrote the team. The sea ice binds the particles for between two and 11 years, said the researchers. This is the time it takes for the sheets to travel southward from the seas of Siberia and the North American Arctic to the Fram Strait between Greenland and Norway, where they melt while new ones are formed in the north -- a cycle accelerated by global warming. "The melting of multi-year sea ice exacerbated by climate change could reasonably lead to the release into the water column of large amounts of plastics stored in the Arctic sea ice cover," Newcastle University oceanographer Miguel Angel Morales Maqueda said in another comment. What happens to it then, is unclear -- do the particles remain in the Arctic, are they transported to waters further south, or do they sink? Other studies have recently warned that humans are ingesting microplastics in shellfish, tap water and bottled water. The health risks remain unclear. A winner of a past graphic art competition held by Bentara Budaya cultural center, Muhlis Lugis presented a number of his artworks at a solo exhibition at Balai Soedjatmoko in Surakarta, Central Java. Previously exhibited at Bentara Budaya Jakarta and Yogyakarta, the works of Muhlis carry the theme Kemana Harga Diri (where is dignity). As a man who hailed from Ulo, South Sulawesi, Muhlis was raised to become a man with integrity. His homeland is associated with the siri principals, or the pride to always be truthful, honest and just in life. Muhlis expresses his concerns about moral degradation through Kemana Harga Diri, portraying the battle of ego, loss of shame and other social phenomena. Images of tangled body parts or close ups of human faces are formed by woodcut technique. Muhlis Lugis' graphic artwork depict greed and absurdities as opposed to ethics and moral values. (JP/Ganug Nugroho Adi) All are metaphors of todays human problems with dignity presented in a world of absurdities. But it is actually a reality, in front of our very eyes. Ardus M. Sawega, curator of the exhibition, said Muhlis had delivered the details and moods of his works poignantly. It signals that woodcut could be further explored in the Indonesian art scene, said Sawega. True to the way Muhlis was brought up, his art pieces are the embodiment of strong concept, skill and hard work. He is a graphic artist who represents todays Indonesian artists in that field, going against the main direction of contemporary arts, Sawega went on saying. Portraits by Muhlis Lugis (JP/Ganug Nugroho Adi) The 29-year-old artist was the third winner of Graphic Art Triennial International Competition V in 2015 held by Bentara Budaya cultural center. First winner was Jayanta Naskar from India, and first runner-up was Puritip Suriyapatarapun from Thailand. Read also: Tumurun Private Museum opens with modern art, classic cars Other exhibitions that featured Muhlis works include Makasar Biennial #2 Maritim in Makassar, South Sulawesi, and Yogyakarta Graphic Art Week at SCOPE Art Show, Switzerland. (mut) Situated in the lobby of Lotte Shopping Avenue in Kuningan, South Jakarta, from April 25 to 29 are several pieces of history narrating the visual ride of Indonesias longest running English newspaper, The Jakarta Post. To mark the papers 35th anniversary this year, the Posts photography team assembled an exhibition featuring the best 100 photographs ever featured, taken and published by the papers photography team throughout the years. From the papers origins in the 1980s to the tumultuous 1990s, the shifting 2000s and the extraordinary 2010s, the Headliners Photo Exhibition tells both the history of The Jakarta Post and Indonesia at the same time. What we can see here is the chronology of both the paper and Indonesian history, said the Posts former chief editor Endy M. Bayuni. These photographs are landmarks of journalistic photography, as they are all able to tell the story as well as the articles that come with them. We have our photographers to thank for sustaining this quality. The exhibition showcases photographs that have made the front page, and all of them offer both small and grand visions of the goings-on in Indonesia. Journalism is usually the first sketch of history, added current Post chief editor Nezar Patria. Whatever is recorded on camera immediately becomes history. Snapshots taken during the Soeharto dictatorship of either him or the events that unfolded under his leadership offer a glimpse into the tension at the time. Images of the Reform Era saw new faces photographed in the political light. The damage of the countless natural or man-made disasters that Indonesia has gone through are shown through the faces of the affected, or through the damage itself. Brute criminals such as Tommy Soeharto and crafty ones like Muhammad Nazaruddin reluctantly show their faces as they walked handcuffed into the line of camera fire. For almost every major incident in the past 35 years, the Post was there to capture the moment. Some of the more notable headline photographs include those that singularly feature prominent figures: Joko Jokowi Widodo captured winning the presidential election of 2014, the aftermath of graft investigator Novel Baswedans unfortunate acid attack in 2017 as well as a 2006 photo of Abdurrahman Gus Dur Wahid smiling widely, proclaimed in the headline as the cleric of pluralism. The Gus Dur photograph struck me the most because youre able to see that he is a man of great respect and pluralist values, even just through his smile, Deputy Foreign Minister Abdurrahman Mohammad Fachir commented during his visit to the exhibition. Along with the exhibition, the paper has launched its own photography archive website thejakartapostimages.com, where a comprehensive digitized collection of the papers best images are available to view and use personally, socially and commercially. The archives serve a great purpose for us in the diplomatic community as we are able to easily access the Posts collection of photographs relating to diplomacy, both for official and leisurely uses, Fachir said. Highlights of the event on Friday will be a discussion and book signing of the Guardians of Tradition photo book by the Posts senior photographer P.J. Leo. With the help of honey, sun and light-sensitive papers, Iswanto Soerjanto goes on a cameraless exploration, producing works on display at his first solo exhibition, titled RE-DEFINITION at Bale Tonggoh, Selasar Soenaryo in Bandung, West Java. Among the artwork being exhibited until April 30 is a stand-out installation called Transformative Moments. It is a line of hanging glass bottles filled with alkaline and acidic liquids that endlessly drip onto three photo papers. Honey that covers the photo papers slowly reacts with the chemical substances and the surrounding light, creating unpredictable patterns on the papers. The piece is based on Iswantos contemplation of the Zen Buddhism teaching of uncertainty, impermanence and constant change. We should not think of our final destination because it will be the beginning of our woes. If we accept those three things, we will continue going with the flow peacefully, the Jakarta-based artist explains. In fact, the rest of Iswantos artwork wholeheartedly embrace uncertainty and change. Exploration: The I Can See the World camera obscura installation is made of plywood and acrylic. (JP/Yuliasri Perdani) He creates the image on the photo papers by exposing them to a certain amount of sunlight, artificial light and chemicals. The dots, line and circle patterns were created by masking the papers with shaped papers. As curator Argus FS pointed out, Iswanto had limited control over how the chemical reactions shaped the tone and composition of the images. Iswanto Soerjantos cameraless images lean toward meditative practices through their abstract imageries and tonal changes, he says. The chemical reactions continued as the artwork reached the exhibition space. Iswanto does not apply fixer to the photo paper, resulting in the abstract images to change in color and shape depending on the humidity and light surrounding them. The abstract black-and-white image in Line Meditations #3, for instance, slowly becomes bolder and develops silver hues. Meanwhile, another artwork gets brighter, revealing its sublime strokes and patterns that were once hidden. The changing nature of his artwork offers an interesting experience to visitors, as they will see slightly different artwork depending on the day of their visit. His five-year exploration of cameraless photography enables Iswanto to employ different techniques to create images on the light-sensitive paper. With The Day I Was Born, he created layers of circles on 51 pieces of aquarelle paper marking Iswantos age, through cyanotype an old monochrome photographic printing process that produces a cyan-blue print. Work in progress: The Transformative Moments installation comprises hanging glass bottles filled with chemicals that drip onto sheets of honey-covered photo paper. (JP/Yuliasri Perdani) Iswanto created overlapping strokes on silver gelatin print in Transformation#3 through chemigram, a technique that involves resistant material on the light-sensitive paper similar to the use of wax in batik works. The exhibited works stand in contrast with the current photography scene that is dominated by digital gadgets and process. Back then, someone needed three things to be a photographer: money, intelligence and patience, said Iswanto, who studied photography at Brooks Institute of Photography in California in 1988 and became a professional commercial photographer since 1990. With the presence of DSLR and a smartphone camera, everyone can snap photos without involving many thoughts. addedThis digital trend, he added, had trapped the current photography practice into a mere documentation process. This concern prompted Iswanto to find the roots of photography. He became enthralled with the works of American visual artist Man Ray and Hungarian photographer Laszlo Moholy-Nagy, who experiment with photogram a photographic process of exposing light-sensitive paper with objects laid on it Iswanto later went on to discover more cameraless artists, such as Belgian artist Pierre Cordier, who developed the chemigram technique in 1956. He began exploring cameraless techniques in his photo studio in South Jakarta, which has been turned into a dark room and an open space. The space enables Iswanto to create images with the help sunlight and artificial lights. Up close: Untitled #5 is chemigram on silver gelatin print. (JP/Yuliasri Perdani) Iswanto draws inspiration from abstract expressionist artwork at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) and several New York art galleries, and also Dansaekhwa a subtly layered, texturized monochrome painting style that arose in the 1970s in South Korea. [Dansaekhwa artists] they do everything repeatedly and consciously until they gained in-depthness. It is what I am trying to do here with Line Meditations, Iswanto said, referring to his work. While RE-DEFINITION is largely devoted to photographic exploration with the absence of a camera and lens, Iswanto has dedicated one installation to marvel at the inverted images of camera obscura the basis of the early photographic camera. A visitor stepping into the installation I Can See The World will see a series of images projected by scores of lenses around it. The exhibition does more than explore old photographic techniques or experimenting with chemicals. In essence, it also reflects the transformation of an artist. As celebrated artist Sunaryo told to Iswanto: You said you threw away your camera. Your technique is changing, why did it happen? Because you have changed from the inside. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, April 26, 2018 08:05 1258 a7124a1e87885b91d244660f9e0a308c 1 City night-club,closure,drug-abuse Free The management of Old City discotheque in Tambora, West Jakarta, has deplored the city administrations plan to shut down the place following the arrest of an alleged drug user who started a fight inside the club on Monday, saying the move would make 100 club employees jobless. A man identified as FB was arrested by police after allegedly causing a fight in the club and was found to be under the influence of ecstasy and crystal methamphetamine. Old City operational manager George M. Andaritji said on Wednesday he had asked the police to consider the livelihoods of 100 club employees who would be jobless should the club be shut down. The workers, all above 20 years of age, have been working for years, he said, as quoted by wartakota.tribunnews.com. According to George, FB did not consume drugs or liquor at the club but at another place before coming to the club to ask for money from his friend, but his friend failed to fulfill his request. He asked for Rp 50,000 [US$3.59], but his friend only gave him Rp 5,000. He became angry and the fight began. He threw a glass at the wall near the DJs stage and mens toilet, he added. Old City has been temporarily closed since the arrest. The Jakarta administration has committed to eradicating drug distribution at nightclubs. Jakarta Deputy Governor Sandiaga Uno said the administration had sent a letter to the West Jakarta Police and the Tambora Police to ask about the details of the incident. (cal) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, April 25, 2018 18:32 1258 a7124a1e87885b91d244660f9e09b306 4 Business Airlines,relocation,Terminal-3,soekarno-hatta-airport Free Thai Airways, Qantas and Jetsar Asia are set to move from Soekarno-Hatta International Airports Terminal 2 and start operating out of Terminal 3 in May, an official from state-owned airport operator PT Angkasa Pura II (AP II) said on Wednesday. Thai Airways will make the move on May 1, while the two other airlines will move on May 11, said Erwin Revianto, AP II senior manager of branch communications and legal affairs for Soekarno-Hatta Airport, as reported by tribunnews.com. He said the relocation was part of AP IIs commitment to improving its services to both airlines and passengers. Among the facilities that are available at Terminal 3 include e-parking, a crowd management system, free WiFi, self check-in (in progress), digital banners, an e-kiosk way finding system, body scanners, auto-gate immigration service and a trolley management system. During the transitional period, the airport operator will provide passengers with flight information to assure the relocation can proceed smoothly. We understand the importance of helping airlines provide the best services. Therefore, AP II will fully support the relocation of Thai Airways, Erwin said, adding that the passengers needed to arrive at the airport earlier during the transitional period. (bbn). Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Gemma Holliani Cahya, Stefanno Reinard Sulaiman, and Apriadi Gunawan (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta/Medan Thu, April 26, 2018 10:38 1257 a7124a1e87885b91d244660f9e0b1d87 4 National aceh,oil-well,explosion,Indonesia,#Indonesia,Indonesia-accidents,#IndonesiaAccidents Free At least 21 people were killed and 42 others injured in an explosion at an illegal oil well in Pasir Putih village, Ranto Peureulak subdistrict, East Aceh, in the early hours of Wednesday morning. The fire spread rapidly and destroyed at least five houses, according to the East Aceh Disaster and Evacuation Agency (BPBD). All of the victims were residents of Ranto Peureulak. A local search and rescue team is continuing to search for other possible victims. Of the injured 20 were taken to Zubir Mahmud Hospital, 16 to Abdul Azis Hospital, while six others are being treated at Graha Bunda Hospital, all in East Aceh. The police are still investigating the cause of the explosion, Ranto Peureulak subdistrict head Saiful said. Meanwhile, the government said that it would take legal action against parties responsible for the incident. This is an illegal [well]. So, we, along with the local administration, will take legal action, Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry spokesman, Agung Pribadi, told reporters in Jakarta. Read also: Illegal oil exploration activities in Aceh must stop: WALHI Agung said the illegal oil well was drilled on state-owned oil and gas company Pertaminas operational territory in East Aceh. He said a joint team involving the ministrys oil and gas directorate and Pertamina had been sent to Pasir Putih to investigate the incident. As of Wednesday afternoon, firefighters and the BPBD team were still working to extinguish the blaze that was rooted in the 250-meter well. While the cause of the blaze remains under investigation, eyewitnesses claim the fire occurred after they saw sparks near the well and the flames instantly spread around the drilling site and oil storage. National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) spokesperson, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, said the victims were extracting crude oil from the well prior to the fire, moving the oil into containers. We have reason to believe that the blaze was triggered by welding sparks, Sutopo said, adding that ownership of the well had yet to be confirmed. There are several crude oil wells around the location, but only one caught fire, East Aceh BPBD head Syahrizal said, adding that the BPBD and Pertamina were still trying to bring the fire under control. Yuyun Ismawati, cofounder of environmental organization Bali Fokus, warned of the danger from toxic chemicals in the fire, urging the authorities to immediately extinguish it. There is a mixture of toxic chemicals being burned and released into the air. It should be controlled and put out immediately, she said, pointing out that these materials might include oil, heavy metals, arsenic, chromium, mercury and naturally occurring radioactivity. The government should impose strict controls to monitor and seal old oil wells. Most of the illegal mining and oil-drilling activities are backed up by corrupt police and military or influential politicians, she said. Yuyun further said that although Law no 4/2009 on mineral and coal mining regulated artisanal mining, the law did not provide clear guidance for small-scale oil drilling. Common problems in small-scale mining include the lack of standard safety procedures. Workers were exposed to various operational risks without protection or safety plans, she said. Lastly, the government should prohibit the re-opening of old oil and mining sites especially those that have already been rehabilitated. We still dont have that in our law, she said. The Aceh oil well fire is the second crude oil-related environmental disaster to have occurred this month, after around 40,000 barrels of crude oil crude leaked from an underwater Pertamina pipeline in Balikpapan Bay, East Kalimantan, on March 31. Five fishermen died in that incident. Authorities declared an emergency status following the oil spill. The police investigation into the oil spill is still ongoing. Interested in more premium articles like this? Click here to subscribe for full access, which starts from $11 a month. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ni Komang Erviani (The Jakarta Post) Denpasar, Bali Thu, April 26, 2018 16:03 1257 a7124a1e87885b91d244660f9e0bc64c 1 National ANZAC,ANZAC-Day,Australian-consul-general,Australian-citizen,Australia,New-Zealand,New-Zealand-citizen Free The Australian Consulate General in Bali, along with representatives from the New Zealand Embassy in Jakarta, held a small dawn service at the formers office in Bali on Wednesday to commemorate Anzac Day. Around 200 Australian and New Zealand citizens living in Bali attended the event to honor the servicemen and women who served their nation in times of war, conflicts and in peacekeeping operations. As we pause to honor the past and the Anzac spirit, we also recognize todays veterans, the young men and women who have returned from places like Afghanistan and Iraq. We honor their sacrifice through our remembrance said Australian Consul General Helena Studdert. The Anzac tradition was established on April 25, 1915, when thousands of young Australian and New Zealand Army Corps troops landed on the shores of Gallipoli in Turkey at dawn to begin a hard-fought campaign that lasted eight months. The anniversary of the landing is observed by Australians and New Zealanders around the world. The Anzac spirit lives in the hearts and minds of all Australians as we acknowledge the courage and sacrifice of those who contributed so much in shaping the identity of our proud nation, Studdert said. Counselor Barbara Welton of the New Zealand Embassy in Jakarta, representatives of the Australian Defense Force, crew members from HMAS Broome and Bali administration officials attended the Anzac Day ceremony. Officials from the Udayana Military Command, Ngurah Rai Air Force Base, Banyuwangi naval post, Bali Police and Badung Police were also present. (ebf) Remembering the forgotten: Servicemen put out the Australian national flag during the commemoration of the ANZAC Day held by the Australian Consulate General in Bali on April 25. along with representatives of the New Zealand Embassy in Jakarta. (Courtesy of the Australian Consulate General/File) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Indonesia Thu, April 26 2018 Vice President Jusuf Kalla has assured dozens of Rohingya refugees cast ashore on Kuara Bireuen Beach in Aceh on Friday they will be accommodated in a shelter. Our nations principles require us to welcome those refugees, give them shelter and provide them with food, said Kalla on Tuesday. The Vice President said he would collaborate with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to handle the matter. Refusing those who seek refuge in our country is just the same as defying the second principle of [the state ideology] Pancasila, he said, referring to the principle, which is A Just and Civilized Humanity. Bireuen Deputy Regent Muzakkar A.Gani said the Rohingya refugees had been found by a local fisherman. They stayed on the beach to receive proper medical tre... Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Rachmadea Aisyah (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, April 26 2018 State-owned lender Bank Mandiri, Indonesias largest bank in terms of assets, is hoping to raise its fee-based income through wealth management services following a recent deal with Lombard Odier, one of Europes oldest and largest asset management companies. The partnership with Lombard Odier, a Swiss bank, will enable publicly listed Mandiri to improve its wealth management unit as its seeks to entice Indonesians to repatriate assets stored overseas. The deal will see Lombard Odier, which will celebrate its 222nd anniversary in June, cooperate with Bank Mandiri to manage the latters 51,000 priority customers, who each have accounts over Rp 1 billion (US$71,850). As many as 1,700 customers were categorized by Bank Mandiri as private clients, with each having accounts of over Rp 20 billion, said the lenders small business and network dire... The body of the male rhino was found inside West Java's Ujung Kulon national park, the creature's last remaining habitat. Its death was believed to be from old age rather than poaching. The animal has been driven to the brink of extinction as their horns are highly valued in traditional Chinese and Korean medicine, although most countries in the region have banned the trade. In this undated handout picture released by Ujung Kulon national park on December 30, 2011, a Javan rhino, part of a group of 35 critically endangered Javan rhinos, is seen at the Ujung Kulon national park. Hidden cameras in the jungles of Indonesia's Java island have captured images of 35 critically endangered Javan rhinos, including five calves, an official said December 30. (Ujung Kulon National Park/AFP/File) "We found it on (Monday) and are now performing an autopsy," said environment ministry spokesman Djati Witjaksono Hadi. The 40-year-old rhino didn't had any offspring, he added. Javan and Sumatran rhinos are classified as "critically endangered" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The Javan rhino is distinguished from African rhinos by its smaller size, single horn and loose skin folds which give it the appearance of wearing armour plating. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, April 26 2018 Presidential Regulation No. 20/2018 on foreign workers aims to improve the investment climate, says Industry Minister Airlangga Hartarto. Foreign workers, particularly those with expertise, come with investors and dont just come to seek jobs, said Airlangga in a statement on Wednesday. Airlangga made the statement in response to criticism from lawmakers and workers organizations following the issuance of the regulation. Critics claim the regulation may result in a large inflow of foreign workers. Airlangga said an improved investment climate would lure investors, thus creating more jobs. Through the regulation, the government would facilitate foreign workers with expertise in obtaining work visas, the minister said. The presence of foreign workers with certain expertise will also facilitate knowledge and technology transfer, he added. Th... Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, April 26, 2018 12:17 1257 a7124a1e87885b91d244660f9e0b427f 4 Business Mitsubishi,Xpander,exports,Philippines,Airlangga-Hartarto,comments Free Industry Minister Airlangga Hartarto has praised Mitsubishi Motors Krama Yudha Indonesia for exporting 21,000 Xpander multipurpose vehicles (MPVs) to the Philippines. The improvement in the automotive sector will greatly affect the countrys economic activities in other sectors, said the minister on Thursday as reported by kompas.com Mitsubishi began exporting Thursday Xpander vehicles to the Philippines. In its initial step, the carmaker sent 400 of the 21,000 cars ordered for 2018. Mitsubishi set a target to export 30,000 Xpander MPVs to the country. The carmaker also plans to export the MPVs to Thailand (6,000 cars), Vietnam (1,000), African countries (1,000), Middle Eastern countries (500) and South American countries (500). Airlangga expressed appreciation over Mitsubishis contribution to the countrys economy. This year, it has invested Rp 7.1 trillion (US$509.79 million) to increase its production to 160,000 cars annually and employ about 3,000 workers. Although the company has employed sophisticated robots, [...] human resources are still needed. I heard Mitsubishi targets to employ 4,000 people, he added. Meanwhile, Mitsubishi Motors Corporation CEO Osamu Masuko explained that the company had expanded monthly production of Xpander MPVs to 8,000 from the previous 5,000 cars. He said that in July, the company would expand production to 10,000 cars to serve both the domestic and international markets. Last year, Mitsubishi exported 231,000 completely built-up vehicles, a 20 percent growth from the previous year. (bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Rachmadea Aisyah (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, April 26, 2018 09:48 1257 a7124a1e87885b91d244660f9e0b0ed9 1 National digital-economy,digital-technology,Indonesia,#Indonesia,social-media,Facebook,Instagram,Internet,small-and-medium-enterprises,SMEs Free Forty-year-old Diah Arfianti never dreamed that using Facebook would help transform her pastry-baking hobby into something profitable. She initially started selling two dozen jars of cookies in 2001 to friends in her hometown of Surabaya, East Java, during the Ramadhan fasting month to earn extra income. The business then became more serious as she needed to feed her family following her husbands redundancy in 2010. I used to sell my pastries door-to-door, but business got so much better with Facebook, Diah told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday. Now, I can sell hundreds of jars every month and employ housewives from my neighborhood to help them earn extra money. Indonesias social media boom has contributed to Diahs business growth, as 80 percent of her customers now connect with her through Facebook. During Idul Fitri in 2017, she earned Rp 1 billion (US$71,827) within a couple of weeks just by selling her products on Facebook. As her business mostly depends on Facebook, Diah is concerned by rumors that the social media giant will be blocked in Indonesia following a data-breach scandal in the United States implicating the platform and political consultant Cambridge Analytica. Read also: Will Facebook Indonesia face criminal charges for data breach? Diah is only one among millions of Indonesians who rely on the services, known as over-the-top (OTT) services, of internet giants such as Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and LINE, often without realizing it. A joint report by think-tank Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and the Asia Internet Coalition (AIC), which represents the worlds leading technology companies in Asia, has found that in Indonesia popular internet platforms, initially intended to help people exchange information and communicate, have become trading websites. The report cited 2017 data by the Indonesian E-Commerce Association, which says that 43 percent of Indonesias small and medium enterprises (SMEs) use Facebook to market their products, followed by Instagram and other websites at 11 percent and 7 percent, respectively. OTT services really help SMEs to connect and communicate with their customers. It also helps them connect to the global marketplace, AIC managing director Jeff Paine told the Post on Wednesday. For them, being able to sell domestically and in distant markets is quite powerful too. CSIS economic department head Yose Rizal Damuri pointed out that OTT platforms were popular with SMEs as they personalized communication between sellers and buyers. Users can also file more direct complaints and suggestions to other parties through [OTT] services compared to when they use websites that are less interactive, he said. However, Paine argued that difficulties remained for the government in finding a balance between implementing regulations related to OTT services and supporting its development. He said the government insisted that OTT companies have a physical presence, pay tax and use the assigned national payment gateway, in line with the stance taken by authorities in Thailand and Vietnam. Some social networks operate in more than 200 countries, so its not really feasible for them to have an office in every one of those countries, said Paine. With respect to the digital ambitions that Indonesia harbors, they shouldnt discriminate against digital companies [as opposed to tangible goods firms]. The CSIS-AIC report also refers to a draft decree from the Communications and Information Ministry on OTT services, which first emerged in September 2017. Communications and Information Minister Rudiantara had earlier aimed to complete the decree by the end of 2017, but then revised it to the end of March, but it still remains unissued. Speaking at the report launch on Wednesday, the ministrys Director General of Information Application Samuel A. Pangerapan promised that the decree would be issued in late May with an adjusted focus. He said the ministry would shift from regulating physical data centers to data categorization, namely strategic, risky and less-risky information. Former trade minister and senior CSIS fellow Mari Pangestu said the government remained behind the curve on many issues regarding OTT services, so it should be educating citizens on how to utilize the platforms in a better and more structured manner. Interested in more premium articles like this? Click here to subscribe for full access, which starts from $11 a month. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, April 26, 2018 14:59 1257 a7124a1e87885b91d244660f9e0b6f0e 1 City KPU-Jakarta-chairman-Sumarno,resignation Free Jakarta General Elections Commission (KPU Jakarta) head Sumarno has decided to resign from his post to nominate himself as a candidate for the Regional Representatives Council (DPD) in the 2019 general election. I want to nominate myself as a DPD member candidate from Jakarta in the 2019 general election. Because of that, I wish to resign from my post of KPU Jakarta head, Sumarno stated in his resignation letter dated April 20. Sumarno confirmed that the letter was authentic, and he intended to lodge it with the KPU Jakarta on Thursday. Yes, that is true. Today, I will send my resignation letter to KPU Jakarta, Sumarno said on Thursday as reported by wartakota.tribunnews.com. Sumarno said he hoped the process would run smoothly. He presided over the divisive 2017 Jakarta gubernatorial election, which brought Anies Baswedan and Sandiaga Uno to the governor and deputy governor seats. Sumarno was accused of not being neutral. The Election Organization Ethics Council (DKPP) decided that Sumarno had violated the code of conduct following accusations by supporters of former Jakarta governor Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama in April last year. Prior to the Jakarta election, Sumarno held a meeting with firebrand cleric and Muslim Peoples Forum (FUI) secretary-general Muhammad Al Khaththath, one of the initiators of street rallies against then-incumbent governor Ahok, at the KPU Jakarta office in March last year. Previously, the media reported that he met with Anies at a polling station in Kalibata, South Jakarta, in February last year. (ami) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, April 26, 2018 10:22 1257 a7124a1e87885b91d244660f9e0b1585 1 Business Kadin,vocational-programs,Central-Java,East-Java Free The Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) signed on Wednesday a memorandum of understanding on vocational training with the East Java professional certification body and Central Javas Kadin chapter. Under the agreement, the two sides will implement a vocational training program as part of a partnership between Kadin and German businesspeople group IHK Trier. An agreement was signed between Kadin and IHK Trier in January to develop vocational training in Indonesia. The event on Wednesday was the first step toward realizing the goal. Kadin deputy chairman of labor and industrial affairs Anton J. Supit welcomed the agreement, saying it was an effort by Kadin and IHK Trier to develop skills in labor and boost competitiveness to meet the demand in the labor market. Todays cooperation is part of our commitment to support the governments effort to accelerate the improvement of skills in Indonesian labor, Anton said in a statement on Wednesday. One of the goals of the vocational training program is to reduce the mismatch between the need for skilled labor in Indonesia and the supply for skilled labor. Kadin and IHK Triers cooperation also aims to develop vocational program instruments in the local industry, a master trainer program and a dual system program between the school and industry. Anton added that the availability of skilled and competitive workers in the labor market was important to attract investment and boost productivity of existing industries. (mrc/bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, April 26, 2018 18:00 1257 a7124a1e87885b91d244660f9e0c274e 1 City MayDay,MayDay-parade,jakarta,labor,labor-rally Free Workers from across Greater Jakarta are set to march around the area of the National Monument (Monas) in Central Jakarta in celebration of May Day. Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Argo Yuwono said the workers would assemble at the Monas parking area. Then they will march to the horse statue [Arjuna Wijaya Monument], Argo said on Thursday, as reported by kompas.com. Argo said the workers would continue their march to the Office of the Coordinating Human Development and Culture Minister on Jl. Medan Merdeka Barat, Central Jakarta, before entering Monas through the Palace View Park. Argo said the police had started with preparations for security and traffic measures for the upcoming May Day celebration. He said the Jakarta Police was in touch with the Banten Police and the West Java Police to estimate how many workers would gather in Jakarta for the May Day rally. He also advised the workers to use May Day to spend some time with their families. We are informing the workers that May 1 is Labor Day, the governments appreciation of the workers so they can spend time with their families and enjoy some recreation. It is a holiday, after all, he said. (ami) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Jon Afrizal (The Jakarta Post) Jambi Thu, April 26, 2018 17:39 1257 a7124a1e87885b91d244660f9e0c1bbc 1 National Jambi,land-and-forest-fires,land-clearing,forest-fires,land-fires Free Land and forest fires have been detected in the regencies of Batanghari and Kerinci, as well as Sungai Penuh city in Jambi, the Batanghari Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) has said. Two fires occurred in January, while one incident occurred in April. A total of 3.2 hectares has been burned down, with five hot spots, he said on Thursday. Production Forest Management Office (KPHP) unit I head Neneng Susanti said that as of April, the office had extinguished fires on 288.5-ha of land and forests in Kerinci regency and Sungai Penuh city, of which 122-ha of land and forests were burned down in January and the remaining 83.5-ha in February. The land and forest fires have caused hundreds of millions of rupiah in losses." Citing reports from the Land and Forest Fire Control task force, Neneng said the forests were intentionally burned using slash-and-burn techniques to open plantations. The team found evidence, including gasoline, on the burned areas, she said. Neneng called on farming communities to use traditional techniques to clear land to protect and conserve forests. Land and forest fire cases occur in Jambi every year. The Jambi Forestry Agency said 566- ha of land and forests across the province were burned down in 2017, up from 254-ha in the previous year. A massive forest fire in 2015 destroyed 19,528-ha of land and forests in Jambi. (ebf) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Anton Hermansyah (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, April 26, 2018 15:14 1257 a7124a1e87885b91d244660f9e0b8076 1 Business OJK,margin-call-regulation,removal Free The Financial Services Authority (OJK) has removed the 10 percent margin call from option contracts that are commonly used for hedging. OJK chairman Wimboh Santoso said on Thursday that removing the margin call aimed to boost financial transactions in Indonesia. In other markets like Singapore, the same contract does not require a margin call. "Some customers prefer to have contracts in Singapore because there is no margin call there. With this removal, we hope the transactions will move to Indonesia," he said during a press conference at the OJK's Jakarta headquarters. Meanwhile, under OJK Regulation No. 7/POJK.03/2016, the transactions are only open to financial companies and other professional customers that have at least Rp 20 billion (US$1.44 million) in equity. Under the previous regulation, all customers were required to pay a 10 percent margin call, except for customers of four categories: banks, the government, the central bank and multilateral development banks. The revised OJK Regulation No. 6/POJK.03/2018 frees all customers from the margin call obligation. "But if the transaction does not carry underlying requirements, such as paying a bond coupon or foreign exchange dividend, it will still be subject to the 10 percent margin call," Wimboh said. (bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ivany Atina Arbi (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, April 26 2018 Dozens of Pari Island residents in the Thousand Islands regency staged a rally in front of City Hall on Wednesday, demanding legal certainty over land that was claimed by private company PT Bumi Pari Asri in 2014. The Jakarta Ombudsmand had previously discovered maladministration in the issuance of several land ownership certificates (SHM) to individuals and right to build certificates (SHGB) to Bumi Pari Asri. The plots of land in question take up more than 90 percent of Pari Island. Meanwhile, Jakarta Bylaw No. 6/1999 on spatial planning regulates that 40 percent of the 41.32-hectare island should be dedicated to settlements, 50 percent for the economy and the remaining 10 percent for the development of the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI). Therefore, LIPI urged the Jakarta administration to allocate the land in accordance with the existing regula... Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, April 26, 2018 12:18 1257 a7124a1e87885b91d244660f9e0b48fa 1 City taxi,crime,West-Jakarta,app-based-transportation Free The police are in the dark over the alleged mugging of a woman who was locked inside a ride-hailing vehicle for seven hours in West Jakarta. A resident of Tambora, identified only as Santi, 24, was reportedly robbed while inside a GrabCar minivan on the way to her office in Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta, on Monday morning. West Jakarta Police general crimes unit chief Adj. Comr. Rulian Syauri said on Wednesday that Santi was still in shock, making it difficult for the police to gather information. The police alleged that the minivan driver, Gugun Gunawan, worked with two accomplices who hid in the back seat of the car to assist in the premeditated crime. The victim was choked with a jacket right after she entered the car, Rulian said as quoted by wartakota.tribunnews.com. The suspected perpetrators, he added, allegedly threatened to kill Santi while pointing a sharp object at her hip. They allegedly robbed her of her necklace, bracelet, mobile phone and money. Rulian said Santi was locked in the car with her eyes closed while Gugun drove for seven hours. Gugun allegedly dropped the victim off near her house at around 1 p.m. We have yet to determine why the perpetrators took [Santi] home, Rulian said. Guguns identity is registered by Grab's administration. But we should make sure of that because sometimes drivers use fake identities, he added. Grab Indonesia managing director Ridzki Kramadibrata apologized on behalf of the company for the alleged incident. We regret that the mugging incident involved one of our drivers. Were willing to provide any help to ease the victim and her family, he said during a press conference on Wednesday. (vla) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, April 26, 2018 17:35 1257 a7124a1e87885b91d244660f9e0c03b9 1 City taxi,crime,shooting Free Jakarta Police have shot dead a man, LI, who allegedly planned the mugging of a woman in West Jakarta. The victim was reportedly locked inside a ride-hailing vehicle for seven hours. Two of the dead suspects alleged accomplices had been arrested earlier. The arrested suspects, in their 20s, were identified as LI, SN and AP. West Jakarta Police chief Sr. Comr. Hengki Haryadi said LI had resisted arrest in Kebon Jeruk, West Jakarta, on Thursday at 5 a.m. Police officers then fired the shots that killed LI. He was the mastermind of the crime. His body is currently at the morgue, Hengki said on Thursday at Kramatjati Police Hospital in East Jakarta as reported by kompas.com. He said police arrested LIs alleged partners in crime, SN and AP, in Penjaringan, North Jakarta, on Wednesday at 10 p.m., and extracted information regarding LIs whereabouts from the two suspects. The suspects have been charged under Article 365 of the Criminal Code (KUHP) on violent robbery with a maximum prison sentence of nine years and Article 285 on attempted rape with a maximum prison sentence of 12 years. Previously, a 24-year-old female resident of Tambora was reportedly robbed while inside a GrabCar minivan on the way to her office in Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta, on Monday morning. The suspects allegedly threatened to kill the passenger and stole her necklace, bracelet, mobile phone and money before dropping her off near her house in the afternoon. (ami) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Fachrul Sidiq (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, April 26, 2018 15:45 1257 a7124a1e87885b91d244660f9e0ba3ca 1 City Taiwan,shabu-shabu,crystal-methamphetamine,smuggling,drug-smugglers,death-penalty Free A panel of judges at the South Jakarta District court handed down the death penalty on Thursday to three Taiwanese standing trial for their roles in smuggling crystal methamphetamine in July last year. The three were identified as Liao Guan Yu, Chen Wei Cyuan and Hsu Yung Li. "The defendants have been found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt," presiding judge Efendi Mukhtar read out the verdict. While there was no mitigating factor to hand down a lighter sentence, the judge said the crime had contravened government efforts to fight illegal drugs and could harm the country's future generations. According to a statement in the previous hearing, the three men were waiting in Anyer Beach in the province of Banten for the five other suspects to offload the amphetamines from a Taiwanese yacht. The police said the drugs weighed 1 metric ton and were worth Rp 2 trillion (US$143.9 million). The three remained silent when a translator delivered the judge's verdict. The court will issue another verdict to the other five in a separate hearing on Thursday. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Fri, April 27 2018 The Financial Services Authority (OJK) has removed the 10 percent margin call from option contracts that are commonly used for hedging. OJK chairman Wimboh Santoso said on Thursday that removing the margin call aimed to boost financial transactions in Indonesia. In other markets like Singapore, the same contract does not require a margin call. Some customers prefer to have contracts in Singapore because there is no margin call there. With this removal, we hope the transactions will move to Indonesia, he said during a press conference at the OJKs Jakarta headquarters. Meanwhile, under OJK Regulation No. 7/POJK.03/2016, the transactions are only open to financial companies and other professional customers that have at least Rp 20 billion (US$1.44 million) in equity. Under the previous regulation, all customers were required to pay a 10... Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Manila Thu, April 26, 2018 15:16 1257 a7124a1e87885b91d244660f9e0b9257 2 SE Asia Manila,domestic-worker,migrant-workers,migrant-protection,Kuwait,diplomatic-spat Free Manila demanded an explanation Thursday after its ambassador to Kuwait was expelled, shocking Philippine authorities and deepening a diplomatic row over the treatment of domestic workers in the Gulf state. The two nations had been working to resolve differences sparked by the murder of a Philippine maid, whose body was found stuffed in her employer's freezer in Kuwait earlier this year. But relations plunged after videos emerged last week of Philippine embassy staff helping Filipina workers flee from allegedly abusive employers, which Kuwait called a violation of its sovereignty. Kuwaiti officials announced Wednesday they were expelling the Philippine ambassador Renato Villa and recalling their own envoy from Manila. "President [Rodrigo Duterte] and everyone else was shocked at this development because the president's meeting with the Kuwaiti ambassador went well," presidential spokesman Harry Roque said. A foreign ministry statement said the expulsion was "deeply disturbing" and it will ask for an explanation. Tensions rose earlier this year following the murder of maid Joanna Demafelis, prompting Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte to ban Filipina workers from deploying to Kuwait for work. Duterte had alleged that Arab employers routinely rape their Filipina workers, force them to work 21 hours a day and feed them scraps. Relations appeared to recover after a Kuwaiti court sentenced to death in absentia a Lebanese man and his Syrian wife for Demafelis's killing. Following the verdict, Duterte this month announced plans to visit Kuwait to seal an agreement on workplace safety guarantees for the 252,000 Filipinos already working there. The proposed deal would have set terms for vacation leaves, food and custody of passports, Duterte's spokesman Roque said, adding that the visit timing was now in doubt. Some 10 million Filipinos work abroad and the money they remit back is a lifeline of the Philippine economy. Nigerias army says it wants to turn the Sambisa forest into a tourist destination. The plan, however, has a catch: the area is home to a vicious insurgency. At least 34,000 people have died in Boko Harams nine-year revolt, according to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project. The Islamist militant group, which gained global notoriety in 2014 kidnapping more than 270 schoolgirls from the town of Chibok, uses the forest in northeastern Nigeria as a stronghold. Nigerias Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, announced the plan and it was tweeted by a presidential aide on Wednesday. Nigerian Army to collaborate with National Park Service and Borno State Government to turn Sambisa forest to tourist center to attract tourists into the country Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, said Bashir Ahmad, President Muhammadu Buharis new media aide. Ahmad did not say how the military plans to attract tourists to Sambisa while it shelters Boko Haram and a military spokesman did not respond to requests seeking comment. Read also: Essential guide to remote travel in eastern Indonesia Buhari and Buratai have said repeatedly the insurgency is defeated, but while the group has lost ground in recent years it continues to carry out attacks. Splinter group Islamic State in West Africa kidnapped more than 100 schoolgirls from the town of Dapchi in February. Most were released. The armys plan appears to reflect a disconnect between the perception of Nigerias leaders and the situation on the ground. The army has lost some recent clashes with the insurgents and civilians still face kidnapping, robbery and frequent suicide bombings. The insurgency began in 2009 when police killed Boko Harams leader, Mohammed Yusuf. Before that, the northeastern state of Borno was popular with tourists. Sambisa itself was a game reserve under and after British colonial rule. More recently, the thick vegetation which extends for hundred of square miles has provided a haven for the militancy and helped thwart army attempts to eradicate the group. A bullet riddled mosque is pictured along Konduga-Bama road in Bama, Borno, Nigeria, August 31, 2016. (REUTERS/Afolabi Sotunde) The 2018 blockbuster movie Black Panther gives a nod to Sambisa and Boko Haram as the superhero rescues kidnapped schoolgirls from a militant group in the forest. Many of the actual Chibok girls were held in Sambisa. More than 100 remain unaccounted for, though investigative journalist Ahmad Salkida has said only 30 remain alive. It is not the first time Nigerian authorities have mooted turning a Boko Haram site into an attraction. Last year, Borno state officials discussed turning the group founder Yusufs house into a museum. This raised concern it could become a place of homage for Boko Harams sympathizers. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, April 26, 2018 18:20 1257 a7124a1e87885b91d244660f9e0c7230 1 News Indonesian-students,awards,gold-medal,Science Free A team of Indonesian high school students has come home with two gold medals from the 2018 International Conference of Young Scientists held from April 19-25 in Belgrade. The national team also won three bronze medals, two special awards and a best poster recognition, according to a statement from the Center for Young Scientists. "The gold medals were obtained by Muhammad Firman Naruddin from Taruna Nusantara Magelang high school in the Environmental Science field and Ian Santoso from Cita Hati West Campus Surabaya high school in the Life Sciences field," the statement said. Read also: Indonesian student wins Youth Olympic Games design competition Bronze medal winners included Firman Fathoni from SMP 1 state junior high school in Surabaya for his achievement in environmental science, Michael Teguh Laksana from St Aloysius Bandung high school for physics and Peter Gonawan from Cita Hati East Campus Surabaya high school in the field of engineering. Nicholas Patrick from Cita Hati Surabaya junior high school received a special award in mathematics, while Stephanie Susanto and Suzan Basaran from Budi Utama Yogyakarta high school jointly won the special award in life sciences. Meanwhile, the designer behind the best poster in computer science was Arflyno Chrisdion Pudayar Pahombar Ludjen from Bina Cita Utama Palangkaraya high school. The Indonesian team was formed following an extensive selection process held from August to November last year. Students began with examinations at their respective provincial level before participating in the national level selection conducted by the Center for Young Scientists, which worked together with provincial education agencies, universities and NGOs throughout the process. (liz/wng) The Wound (Inxeba) was South Africa's Oscar entry for Best Forgeign Languague Film that made the December shortlist, but ultimately missed out on being nominated. That's an absolute travesty. The film is a raw and honest exploration of masculinity, depicting the struggle of balancing cultural and queer identities in the context of a Xhosa coming of age ritual. Though received well in certain spaces, the film has faced a lot of push-back from traditionalists in South Africa, and it is currently embroiled in a legal battle to retract the X18 'pornography' rating applied to it. We caught up with the co-writer and director John Trengove, and the absolutely captivating lead Nakhane Toure, about whether they knew that this was the sort of film that would change the conversation when they were making it. "God no," said Trengove. "I mean, in writing it and thinking about it, we certainly understood that we were moving into potentially triggering and complex terrain, and we knew where the reactions would come from. What we didnt know was the extent of the reactions." "Theres such a disconnect between the film and this conversation about pornography, he continued. Its not even about the film or what its showing any more - its actually about power structures and pressures coming form invisible sources, and suddenly youve got a committee deciding its pornography. And not even being able to justify it. It points more to an irrational neurosis that sits at the base of these different power structures. And a very interesting moralism as well, Nakhane adds. An openly queer Xhosa musician who writes and sings about his own identity, this seems distinctly personal to him. Slapping it with the label of pornography also says that pornography is something to be ashamed of. That people should have a certain idea of moral values, and one of those things is that they should not watch pornography. They want to sully and mar this films reputation by calling it pornography, and theres nothing worse than that! Its very conservative. Suddenly it wasnt about what the film was, Trengove said, it was about everything else. It was about freedom of speech, what were saying as artists, how we define pornography, this puritanical aspect that suddenly emerged. So suddenly there was all of this noise, and it felt like the film was getting lost somewhere in it. The film being as critical of queer culture as much as it is of conservative culture - this is a conversation that is only beginning now to emerge. It got drowned out. I dont know if its a bad thing necessarily - again we come back to this idea that we knew what film we were making. We knew what buttons we were pressing. And theres a positive side to it - the sheer noise then amplified the idea of the film, and it started reaching people that wouldn't otherwise have seen it. Mostly through piracy, but it was amazing. You would see these illegal links appear online, and within a day or two there were hundreds and thousands of views. Just astonishing. People were so interested in the film. So arguably we potentially reached a queer audience in remote parts of the country that would never otherwise have seen the film, and that has to be some kind of moral victory. Nakhane laughed, adding, I remember being called by relatives I hadnt spoken to in years, going Are you okay? I sort of pooh-poohed the whole thing, but I remember thinking, if so-and-so is calling me, I guess its gone really far out. As much as I was concerned, I also felt really happy that there was a kid out there who know that this is happening. The concern came from graphic death threats he received in response to the film, that he seemed remarkably blase about. As well as backlash from conservative groups, there has also been a surprising response from queer audiences around the world. We had a few screenings with largely middle aged white gay men in America, and that was one of the toughest crowds, explained Trengove. This is a community who in their lifetime fought for gay liberation, and so theres a sense of betrayal by the end of the film. And that was absolutely the intention. With myself as an outsider to this culture, I also felt that if I was going to so this, I would face a lot of backlash, and legitimate criticism, but for that reason it was important to try and challenge my own sensibilities as much as possible. Without spoiling what the ending is, Trengove said, I think that when that ending presented itself, something clicked for me. I though oh my god, of every other possible ending that weve considered, there is nothing that is as interesting as this. So from that day onwards it became a process of finding a connection between that resolution and what the film was. I think what that moment does for me is to put all of it back in the audiences lap, and say Do you think you know what is right for these people? Something of the complacency of the audience is shaken up in that moment, and youre asked to interrogate something about your own world view. And some people at that point just cannot deal with it, and reject it, and other people go there. But thats the film that we chose to make. You think you have an idea of who [Xolani] is, added Nakhane about his own character. You think you understand what could be good for him - and these are all privileged thoughts. But then [the ending] forces you to question your own preconceptions of what is right for people in different spaces from you. On the conversation about representation thats at the forefront of the film industry at the moment, Trengove said, If you absolutely hate it, if youre a young queer kid and you go This is not my experience, maybe thats a moment where you can think about telling your own story. Just to start something would maybe be the best possible outcome of this film. Nakhane added Sometimes people who are modernised can tend to insist that there can only be one: one representation. Cardi B or Nicki Minaj - cant you have both?! Rihanna or Beyonce - theyre incredibly different! Thats what I really hope this film shows. On comparison The Wound has garnered with Moonlight (2015), Nathan exclaimed Where?! Where are the similarities? Thats because of scarcity. Because there is no other precedent, continued Trengove. How many heterosexual stories - kissing in the rain - have we watched?! Im tired of them, said Nakhane. Arent we all?! The Wound is released in select UK cinemas and on demand tomorrow, distributed by Peccadillo Pictures. In response to the incident, Starbucks has announced that it will run unconscious bias training for all of its US employees. Perhaps in the specific setting of Starbucks, where their staff turnover is lower than most by far , this might make a small difference to the race-awareness culture of its employees. Maybe. But we cannot escape the fact that it is much wider societal prejudice at play here. This isnt something that Starbucks alone can fix. When society at large, aided and abetted by the state, is festering an atmosphere of extreme and in many cases lethal suspicion of black people , just how effective can a piece of work-based anti-bias training actually be? Of course, some will opine that it is a much needed start. For me, a better start would be for legislation to change where it would become an offence to call out the police to arrest people on the grounds of what turns out to be totally unfounded suspicions. Merely being in a public space should not be routinely assigned to guilt. Perhaps if people knew that there could be real legal consequences to their surveillance tendencies (that are based on unfounded suspicion and shaped by personal prejudice), they might think twice before engaging law enforcement to deprive innocent people of their liberty (no matter how temporary). Businesses could set an example on this front by making it a sackable offence for employees to act in this manner. Jim Crow at work The consequences of inaction, however, could cause a catastrophic return to the Jim Crow era of racial segregation. If African Americans continue to feel uncomfortable or endangered in certain spaces they are going to find spaces where they are welcomed or feel safe. This idea has already been suggested by the #ReplaceStarbucks trend where African American patrons are encouraged to give their business to black-owned coffee shops instead of Starbucks. Of course, supporting locally-owned black businesses is not a negative thing. But fostering segregation even more than it already persists in the US is problematic, to say the least. UK parallels Writing as I am from the UK, some may look to the US with smug satisfaction that this could never happen in Britain. But British people should not forget the shame of the Windrush scandal that is sweeping Britain at the moment and bears eerie similarities when it comes to the way certain segments of society suffer from surveillance and a heightened level of scrutiny. The act also turned civic officers (including healthcare professionals, teachers, landlords and employers) into border control officers. With the act requiring these workers to report any suspected immigration irregularities to the Home Office, the governments policies have even been compared to Nazi Germany So the civilian paranoia of what people of colour are doing is mirrored here in the UK. There is a disproportionate surveillance and reporting of the black body, where both African American and Afro-Caribbean diaspora communities are marginalised and treated as outcasts in their own countries. Michael Arntfield, Western University Like other Canadians, I was horrified upon learning of a van attack along Torontos famed Yonge Street this week. Struggling to make sense of it, my first question was: Why? Two students comfort each other during a candlelight vigil held to honour the victims of Elliot Rodger in Isla Vista, Calif., in May 2014. Was Torontos van attack suspect inspired by Rodger? (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) As it turns out, the attack was possibly a disturbing reprise of a similar massacre, targeting mostly women and perceptively sexually active men in the California community of Isla Vista in May 2014. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) Rodger has apparently now become, in a disturbing twist, the martyr for a larger incel (short for involuntary celibacy) subculture. He shot and killed himself in his BMW after colliding with a parked car during his rampage. The Toronto case, as we know, ended differently. Const. Ken Lam was captured on cellphone video arresting the van attack suspect and doing so without firing a shot. This despite having his service weapon drawn, while the suspect pantomimed having a pistol of his own. In fact, the suspect also announced he had a gun while engaging in what appeared to be a well-rehearsed quick draw involving a mobile device made to look like a handgun, all in a bid to have the officer shoot and kill him. Its what is often called suicide by cop and its a preferred ending among some of the odious and cowardly offenders out there, including lone-wolf terrorists. Focusing on the motive But Lams remarkable restraint has instead allowed the media to focus on the real subtext of this horrific rampage the motive no one saw coming, but one with a series of disturbing antecedents that we all need to pay attention to. While there has been a movement of late in the media to omit any reference to the name or image of mass murderers when reporting on these events, incel requires a conversation because it represents only the latest online movement catering to the disordered and the disaffected. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Alexandra Newbould The devotees to this movement include those suffering from what is known as schizoid personality disorder . The biographical details emerging about the Toronto van attack suspect may fit some symptoms of this disorder. While it sounds like schizophrenia, its not. In fact, unlike schizophrenia, schizoids know exactly what theyre doing. It might be best described as the closest thing to clinical misanthropy a visceral hatred of people as you can get. Its also a personality disorder, not an illness per se; in fact, its very rare in clinical settings, or among populations suffering from mental illness. Schizoid red flags As the latest edition of the DSM-5 , the definitive text on personality disorders, reveals, along with a review of the literature on schizoids involved in school shootings, some of the disorders hallmarks and red flags: Disinterested in group or social activities. Solitary by nature, in part due to an overriding arrogance, anger at the world and sense of entitlement. Takes pleasure in few activities, generally solemn and inactive. A dull, cold affect, coupled with indifference to praise or criticism. Late onset of of formative life experiences or rites of passage, such as education, obtaining a drivers licence or job and intimacy. But while the schizoid is generally averse to sexual activity, we see a preoccupation with sex in a number of noteworthy cases. The objectification of women, an inability to distinguish between sex and real intimacy and a fixation on fantasy in the absence of real-life experiences can all prove to be a dangerous cocktail that fuels new and more violent fantasies. This is especially the case when, for reasons not fully understood, the schizoid also exhibits psychopathic tendencies. Many schizoids end up relegated to their parents basements and nurture their angry oeuvre as YouTube trolls the same trolls who, in some unconscious manner, might have at least in part influenced Const. Lams decision not to pull the trigger in an otherwise justifiable shooting that day. Others take their anger into the real world. Dark corner of the internet With Elliot Rodgers last will and testament published to YouTube before his massacre as a call to action, and his earlier manifesto, My Twisted World, as its script, it seems the incel is only the latest dark corner of the internet. If ISIL has its soldiers of the calpiphate, we are possibly seeing the next iteration of deadly lone-wolf emissaries in the case of incel. Const. Lams cool and measured apprehension of the Toronto van attack suspect may certainly mark the first occasion on record where a mass murderer purportedly armed with a deadly weapon was taken down with a night stick. But Lam did more than simply refrain from shooting and using his expandable baton in order to bring about the arrest as he continuously assessed and reassessed the situation. But only if they want him to. Source: The Late Show with Stephen Colbert For the last 29 years Hank Azaria has been the voice of Apu Nahasapeemapetilon on The Simpsons. As with most social injustices, no one really cared until a documentary was made, allowing armchair activists to post their support on social media. The character was recently the focus of a truTV documentary by Hari Kondabolu called The Problem with Apu. In the doc, Kondabolu discussed the problems of the character's stereotypical portrayal and how it influenced society's treatment of Indian-Americans. Appearing on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Azaria responded to the criticism of the character, stating he was willing to stop voicing him, if that's what The Simpson wants him to do. "I'm perfectly willing and happy to step aside, or help transition [the character] into something new. I really hope that's what The Simpsons does. Not only does it make sense it feels like the right thing to do." The Simpsons as a show recently addressed the criticism, with a segment that featured Marge reading Lisa a fairy tale she edited that turns into the two of them talking directly to the audience. Lisa talks about shifting perspectives of art saying, "It's hard to say. Something that started decades ago and was applauded and inoffensive is now politically incorrect. What can you do?" The camera then pans to a photo of Apu which has "Don't have a cow, man!" written on it. Marge then says, "Some things will be addressed at a later date," to which Lisa adds, "if at all." Which completely dismisses the criticism. Azaria disagreed with the show's handling of the situation, telling Colbert that he wants the producers to get more diversity in the writer's room. "That's not the way I feel about it, that's not the message I want to send. As you know in television terms, 'listening to voices' means inclusion in the writers' room. I really want to see Indian and South Asian, writers in the writers' room, not in a token way, genuinely informing whatever new direction this character may take. Including how it is voiced or not voiced." The Simpsons airs Sundays at 8pm on Fox. Snowguard is a teenager of Inuit ancestry with the power to shapeshift and take on different animal traits. Source: CBC Changes are coming to the Marvel Universe, or at least the Champions universe, starting with Champions #21. The issue will see the addition of the latest team member Snowguard, the Snow Justice Warrior or SJW for short. Snowguard is a teen girl of Inuit ancestry with the power to shapeshift and take on different animal traits. Amka Aliyak gains her powers from the Inuit spirit force known as Sila, a concept taken from indigenous beliefs. Writer Jim Zub consulted with Nyla Innuksuk, founder of the Toronto-based virtual reality production company Mixtape VR, who, like Amka, is of Inuit descent. Innuksuk spoke to CBC about the character. "I was really excited to hear that there would be an Inuk superhero in the Marvel Universe... Inuit are oral storytellers and our myths and legends are full of spirits and characters that take both human and animal forms, so I was excited to see how those elements could be interpreted within the structure of a graphic novel. There is a certain amount of hesitancy that I feel when I hear about a non-Indigenous organization interpreting Inuit culture for a commercial project. What I valued with Champions was that Jim and the team at Marvel had reached out early in the process to have input from an Inuk collaborator." Innuksuk went on to express her joy at the positive portrayal of an Indigenous character. "Amka is an activist and cares about real issues. In the Arctic there are a lot of things to fight for; food security, environmental impact, social issues, lack of resources...et cetera. To see a young woman fighting for her community is the kind of story that needs to be told. Indigenous women are often represented in mainstream media as victims, and to see a powerful young person who is fighting back against what she sees as wrong has the potential to make a real difference." Champions #21, written by Zub with art by Sean Izaakse, is set to release June 20, 2018, University structure in South Dakota could get a major overhaul The South Dakota Board of Regents is considering everything from selling buildings in Sioux Falls to redefining university missions. . - . : Grab our new app rova and stay tuned to The Sound Stay tuned to The Sound and download our new app rova and take the greatest music ever made with you wherever you go. 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. The Office of the UnitedNations High Commissioner for Refugees was established on December 14, 1950 bythe United Nations General Assembly. UNHCRs mandate under the Statute of theOffice of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is to lead andco-ordinate action for international protection to refugees; seek permanentsolutions for the problems of refugees and safeguard refugee rights andwell-being. UNHCR has an additional mandate concerning issues of statelessness,as it is given a designated role under Article 11 of the 1961 Convention on theReduction of Statelessness. Catholic Relief Services (CRS)is an international non-profit organization which implements the commitment ofthe Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas.Our Catholic identity is at the heart of our mission and operations. We welcomeas a part of our staff and as partners people of all faiths and seculartraditions who share our values and our commitment to serving those in need. ABSTRACT Any system producing or containing information intended for transmission is an information source. This study examines the use of multivariate statistical analysis and total information score for information sources of irrigation farming in North western Nigeria. A questionnaire survey of 368 household was used to explore the impact of information sources in accessing agricultural information by irrigation farmers. Three States were studied using qualitative and quantitative research approach. The results of the study revealed that irrigation farmers in the study area opted to use information emanating from public and private sources. The results further reveal that there is a strong positive linear relationship between agricultural information needs of irrigation farmers and the sources of that information. The study therefore, suggested that in order to fill the information gaps of the irrigation farmers, more sources should be explored and be made available to the irrigation farmers. Subject Areas: Information Science Keywords: Multivariate, Irrigation Farming, Private Information Sources, Public Information Sources, Information Needs, North Western Nigeria 1. Introduction A principal component which is concern with explaining the variance-covariance structure of a set of variables through a few linear combinations of these variables is usually referred to as multivariate. Therefore, its general objectives are Data reduction and Interpretation. Multivariate statistics provides the ability to analyze complex set of data. For instance, there are many independent variables (IVs), and possible dependent variables (DVs), which are correlated to each other to varying degrees (Osborne, 2002) [1] . Any system producing or containing information intended for transmission is an information source. Information sources, according to Feather & Sturges (2004) [2] , are distinguished by the form of representation, textual (books, journals, manuscripts), graphics (graphs, diagrams, plan charts), and audiovisuals (sound recordings, motion pictures, slides). Therefore, the characteristics of good information sources are relevance, timeliness, accuracy, accessibility, cost effectiveness, reliability, usability, exhaustiveness and aggregation levels (Feather & Sturges, 2003). Oladele (1999) [3] stresses that the efficiency of technologies generated and disseminated depend on effective communication which is the key process of information dissemination. Therefore, it is expected that the message from the client should be passed back to the source or researchers for the communication process to be complete. Despite the attempts at technological innovation transfer, the wide gap between the levels of production which research contends is attainable and that which farmers achieve, suggests a missing link (Oladele, 1999). What is more, weak linkages between the farmer, extension workers and researchers mean that farmers are not included in the planning of the innovation, hence they do not know where to get information despite the fact that they are the end users. Agricultural information disseminated by different information sources needs to be determined. It is imperative therefore to identify the sources of agricultural information. Opara (2008) [4] investigated the overall sources of agricultural information available to farmers in Imo State (Nigeria), as well as the farmers preferred sources. The study revealed that 88.1% of the farmers source of agricultural information was through extension agents. Similarly, Ozowa (2008) [5] shows that among all the existing channels of communication, Nigerian farmers ranked extension workers the highest in providing credible information and advice. The investigation was carried out on small farmers in Imo state, Nigeria. Mokotjo & Kalusopa (2010) [6] found out that print sources are among the sources of information to farmers in Lesotho. Their study revealed that though most of the farmers have acquired primary education, the agricultural information delivered to them is written in local languages. This enables them to utilize the information effectively. It also demonstrates the high literacy level in Lesotho and according to the literacy rate in Africa, Lesotho occupies the seventh position with a literacy rate of 84.80% (Aneki, 2012) [7] . However, only 13% out of 61.7% of the farmers in Lesotho are of the view that prints media is one of the appropriate technologies to disseminate information. However, Lwoga, Stilwell & Ngulube (2011) [8] significantly differ from Mokotjo & Kalusopa (2010). For them, print materials have low usage due to their unavailability and illiteracy levels of most of the farmers in Tanzania. Mass media also provides support for the growing involvement of farmers/producers and their organizations in the information dissemination arena. The rapid development of information technologies has profoundly changed the media landscape in African countries. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is a term that combines computer and telecommunications technology in handling, acquiring, processing, storing and disseminating information (Chauhan, 2009; and Malhan, 2007) [9] [10] . Information and Communication Technology is a general or an all-inclusive term that embraces all those technologies that are employed in collecting, storing, organizing and communicating information in various forms (Chisita, 2010) [11] . ICT can become a key enabler of the agricultural-food sector by making dynamic and real time global level exchange of data. As stated by Rao (2009: p. 492) [12] , Effective deployment of ICT can lead to increase in agricultural competitiveness through cuts in production and transaction costs, raising production efficiencies and farm incomes, conserving natural resources, and by providing more information, choice and value to stakeholders. In using ICT successfully to support farmers and rural communities, the first step is to empower farming communities to define their own needs (Ballantyne, 2009: p. 356) [13] . With wider access to and use of ICT, the potentials of opening up of communication as well as sharing information would be enhanced so as to assist farmers, researchers, extension workers and policy makers. It will also narrow the information gap that exists between farmers and the researchers because there will be a feedback (Ballantyne, 2009). Similarly, Renwick (2010) [14] , pointed out that most of the small island nations are above the 100% or with some over 200% mobile phone penetration mark. This implies that many people had more than one cell phone and over 100% of the farmers used cell phones to receive agricultural information. This indicates that ICT is a very useful tool in the dissemination of agricultural information to farmers especially in rural areas where cell phones have been embraced by both literate and illiterate farmers. Therefore ICT has become the most important tool in processing and disseminating agricultural information. In the same vein Bolarin & Ayanlade (2010) [15] maintained that mobile phones and computer systems are the most used and widely owned tools today by extension workers and their organizations. This is because, about 75% of the respondents surveyed by Bolarin & Ayanlade (2010) perceived themselves as frequent users of multimedia and other ICT tools. Other sources of information that are equally important, but less recognized are traditional sources. These include information emanating from colleagues, during weddings, naming ceremonies, burials, agricultural shows and festivals and in some cases through town criers (Aina, 1995) [16] . Demiryurek et al. (2008) [17] argue that dairy farmers in Turkey use four categories of information all of which are traditional and relayed from family members. They are: extension workers, posters and leaflets, family members and the electronic media. In the Caribbean, farmers rely heavily on traditional knowledge and informal meetings among themselves for (Renwick, 2010). Questions as to what to plant, what moon phase is best for sowing seeds and transplanting seedlings, and how often to rotate crops are answered through colleague discussion. This suggests that, one of the sources of information for farmers in the Caribbean is the traditional source which is transmitted through oral channels by colleagues. This is similar to the situation obtainable in Nigeria as reported by Aina (1995). Similarly, Opara (2008) reported that agricultural information in its broadest sense includes indigenous agricultural knowledge (IAK) which is transmitted orally. This is a very common practice in Nigeria and is hugely relied on by old farmers as well as the illiterate and many others who favour oral dissemination of information. Oral tradition is an important method of disseminating agricultural information in many African cultures because it recognizes existing traditional or indigenous channels of information dissemination. Lwoga et al. (2011) in their study on access and use of agricultural information and knowledge in Tanzania reported that the major sources of information for farmers are predominantly local (neighbours, friends and family) meaning that they are traditional. To emphasize the importance of traditional information in Africa, Aina (1995) points out that one of the sources of information for farmers in Nigeria is traditional. That is, information obtained not from official sources directly but through colleagues or family members. Aina holds the view that though the majority of the farmers in Africa are illiterate, it is possible to supply them with necessary information through information gate- keepers popularly known in North Western Nigeria as SARKIN RAFI (Information gate keeper), this is a literate farmer among the farming community with a wealth of experience and vast land. The role of a SARKIN RAFI is to offer advice and information on a regular basis to other farmers for improvement. In a study conducted on access to agricultural information by fish farmers in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria, Ugboma (2010) [18] buttresses the various studies cited when she observes that 63% of the respondents indicated that their source of information is traditional, as well as personal experience. 2. Objectives of the Study 1) To identify the different sources of information available. 2) To examine whether these sources of information were adequately utilized by the respondents group; 3) To identify the relationship between information needs of the respondents and access to the sources of information. 4) And to identify the gaps that exists in accessing information through these sources. 3. Methodology The methodology used in this study was the survey research method in which quantitative and qualitative approach was used. In other words, the mixed research method was used. A population of 368 households were studied. Findings: Main Sources of Information There is a wide range of information sources. However, four sources were the most common sources of information for the irrigation farmers. These are personal information, public information sources, private information sources and mass media and there is an association between these categories of information sources. Personal sources include farmers to farmers, friends and relatives. Public information includes extension workers, researchers and educators. Private information sources are NGOs, agro-allied industries and private consultants, while mass media include radio, television, projector and slides. Figure 1 shows the main sources of information for irrigation farmers. In this study, 105 (28.5%) irrigation farmers indicated that their main source of information was the electronic media. Electronic media, in the context of this study refers to programmes on agriculture that are aired through radio and television either weekly or fortnightly. Another set of 174 (47.2%) respondents indicated that their main source of information was extension workers, while 17 (4.6%) indicated that their main sources of information were newspapers and magazines. Furthermore, 38 (10.3%) respondents stated that ICT tools were their sources of information, while 26 (7.0%) mentioned books as their main source of information. The other 8 (2.2%) respondents stated journals to be their main source of information. In order to properly link the sources of information extension workers used to disseminate agricultural information to the irrigation farmers, extension workers were asked what their main sources of information were. From the responses, 27 (37.5%) respondents indicated that their main sources of information were government documents. These are publications emanating directly from government, for example, white paper, magazines and monthly reports dealing with agricultural issues. Another 14 (19.4%) extension workers indicated that their main sources of information were the research results usually generated from universities and research institutes. Also, 5 (6.9%) extension workers indicated Figure 1. Information for irrigation farmers. that their sources of information were online sources and ICT tools, which include computers, internet and Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) cell phones. Another 18 (25.0%) extension workers indicated that their sources of information were books and journals, while 8 (11.1%) indicated their sources of information to be multimedia or electronic media. Such types of resources are radio, television, projectors and slides. While interviewing extension workers on what were the main sources of information for irrigation farmers, all the 72 (100%) indicated extension workers, newspapers, magazines, journal, books and ICT tools. From the cross tabulation made and based on the regression analysis it was found out that three most significant factors affecting access to and adoption of information, in descending order of their significance, were information contact, source of information and usefulness of information in irrigation farming. In this study, sources of information had a significant relationship with agricultural knowledge and information systems. The cross tabulation made on the main source of information with agricultural knowledge and information justified the relationship between these variables as shown in Table 1. From the cross tabulation made between the main source of information for irrigation farmers and their agricultural information and knowledge needs for irrigation farming, Table 1 shows that the number of valid cases is 368, the Pearson Chi square 2 value is 30.479. The calculated p-value is 24.995, the degree of freedom is 15 and the Asymp. Sig. (2-sided) is 0.010. The likelihood ratio value is 31.374 and the linear-by-linear association is 12.912. The result of this cross tabulation implies that the p-value is greater than 0.05 and therefore, the main source of information determines the agricultural information and knowledge needed for irrigation farming. Thus, there is a significant relationship between the main source of information and agricultural knowledge and information needs of irrigation farmers. Table 1. Main source of information with agricultural knowledge and information needed for irrigation farming (N = 368). In this study, one of the variables information sources, was observed to have outliers as seen in Figure 2. The appearance of outliers may either positively or negatively skew the result of the study unless a data transformation is done to correct the anomaly. Data transformation is the application of a mathematical modification to the value of a variable. There are a great variety of possible data transformations, from adding a constant to multiplying, squaring or raising to a power (Osborne, 2002). Thus, one reason researchers utilised data transformation is to improve the normality, kurtosis, negative skewness and outliers from the data sets that can alter estimates of the variable. In this study, the outliers were removed by adjusting the affected variables (squaring) until skeweness and kurtosis are nearest to zero and also to conform to the Gausian probability Function using -log base 10 SPSS. Irrigation Farmers Perceived Ease of Access to Information The issue of access to information was central to understanding the extent of information utilization in irrigation farming. For ease of access to information obtained, irrigation farmers were asked to indicate how easily they retrieved information. Farmers were asked multiple questions which require multiple answers. Table 2 shows a score of 46 (12.5%) respondents who indicated that they found it very easy to find information. A huge 251 (68.0%) respondents indicated that they found it easy to locate information from the main source. On the contrary, 23 (6.2%) respondents indicated that it was not easy for them to locate and have access to information. This implied that it had been very difficult for them to access information. Figure 2. Normality test for sources of information (Source: field survey, 2014). Table 2. Perceived ease of access to information (N = 676). The respondents were also asked questions which required such specific answers as agree, disagree or strongly agree. Table 2 explains the level of access to information by irrigation workers. In the study, 24 (6.5%) respondents indicated that they strongly disagreed that access to information was reliable and the sources helped in irrigation farming, while 47 (12.7%) respondents disagreed that access to information was reliable and the sources helped in irrigation farming. In addition, 93 (25.2%) respondents indicated that they strongly agreed that access to information was reliable and the sources helped in irrigation farming. Other 192 (52.0%) respondents indicated that they agreed that access to information was reliable and the sources helped in irrigation farming. The responses in this case were divided at the level of access to information and whether it was useful or not. The results showed that accessibility to agricultural knowledge and information was very poor. Irrigation Farmers Contact with Information Sources In order to explain the extent of contact and usefulness, the respondents were asked to specify the various channels of information with their frequency of contact (both receiving and giving information, that is the source and the irrigation farmers who are the end users). The channels of information and technology exchange in this context are the means through which irrigation farmers receive from or give information to the main source (feedback). Under each of these information and technology sources are many information channels which were grouped under personal information sources, public information sources, private information sources and mass media (Demiryurek, 2000) [19] . According to Demiryurek, et al. (2008), the score value for the frequency of contact and the weighted values of the usefulness of the information source were used to calculate the total information score as: TIS = number of contact usefulness of information Total Information Score i j = F C i j I U i j where FC is the number of contacts with information sources for the i-irrigation farming and IU is the usefulness of information for irrigation farming. The weights were given to each component according to the extent of information contact. The weight of 0 was given to no contact, 1 for once a year, 2 for two or three times a year, 4 for four or five times a year, 12 for once a month, 30 for two or three times a month, 52 for once a week, 130 for two or three times a week and 365 for information contacts once a day. Therefore, the degree of information contact can be categorized into different groups according to information scores of each information source and its usefulness. These methods of presenting the multiple choice question would provide a positive correlation in order to increase the validity of the measurement. Table 3 provides a tabular presentation of the weighted values of information contact, sources of information and usefulness of information. The dissemination and adoption of improved farming techniques by the farmer require efficient mechanisms for the acquisition of farm inputs and equipment. As the name implies, farm or agricultural inputs are items farmers add to farm resources in order to enhance productivity, stability or continuity. The most commonly used agricultural inputs include fertilizers, other agrochemicals, sprayers and improved seeds. In order for the irrigation farmers to get access to these inputs and information on how to get them, they must have priority on the type of information they needed and the level of contact they had with the information providers. Table 3 depicts that information. 4. Conclusion and Recommendation Based on the findings from this study, it was gathered that sources of information to irrigation farmers in North Western Nigeria was very important in determining their information needs. It should therefore be noted that information is the basic requirement for knowledge and for development. Having access to knowledge and information through an effective and efficient source is a fundamental right of every irrigation farmer. Hence, this study recommended some measures to be taken in order to rescue irrigation farmers from taking the wrong decision due to ineffective and inefficient sources of information. Table 3. Agricultural knowledge and information needs of irrigation farmers with level of the information contact with sources (extension workers) (N = 368). Effective and Timely Radio Broadcast Poor timely radio broadcast and signals were identified as part of the bottlenecks in having access to information. Hence, efforts should be made to ensure that broadcast time for radio programmes is sufficient, appropriate, timely, and clear and that wide coverage is made possible. Transmission signals must always be strong. This is because it has been observed that farmers prefer radio as one of their suitable technologies for retrieval of information. Agricultural broadcast which covers various aspects of agricultural production activities at different times of the year should be made more accessible to irrigation farmers by removing all possible obstacles. The farm broadcast should cover several farming activities such as agro-forestry, agro-processing, agro-marketing, crop production and protection. Effective Deployment of ICT Facilities Access to ICT facilities was identified to be a hindrance in having access to information by both irrigation farmers and extension workers. Therefore, an effective ICT facility should be made available and accessible. There is need to emphasize the acquisition of persuasive communication skills by extension workers to enable them to function effectively as change agents and in aiding irrigation farmers to acquire theoretical as well as practical experience. Also, the need for training and re-training of extension workers and irrigation farmers on ICT is paramount so as to bridge the digital divide. Training will update and enhance the capacity of the EWs to utilize ICTs and other tools for food security. Provision of Effective Library Services Despite the fact that the majority of the irrigation farmers were illiterate and dont have time to visit the library, there is need to strengthen the available agricultural libraries. There is need to establish a functional and efficient library in State Ministries of Agriculture to enable policy makers, researchers, teachers, students, extension workers and literate farmers to have access to up-to date and accurate agricultural knowledge and information. Gray literature, especially conference proceedings, annual, research and technical reports should be collected, organized and bibliographically controlled since these documents are very difficult to locate and retrieve. Provision of Sufficiently Trained Extension Workers The provision of sufficiently trained extension workers is paramount. The government at all levels should embark on the recruitment of trained extension workers who are versed in agricultural science, information technology and management, and who are capable of using modern techniques in information resource management. The extension workers should be given the chance to receive training and re-training so that they could acquaint themselves with new innovation, knowledge and information. The sustainability of such training and re-training is very important and should be funded adequately. The type and level of training depend on the readiness of the agricultural information centres (ministries), user-researcher, extension workers and rural irrigation farmers and policy makers. This is because the lack of articulated agricultural information user training down to the grass-root level has often impeded the dissemination of agricultural information to the farmers. Cite this paper Sani, L.I. and Maiwada, U. (2018) Total Information Score, Multivariate Analysis and Usefulness of Agricultural Knowledge and Information of Irrigation Farmers in North Western Nigeria. Open Access Library Journal, 5: e3132. https://doi.org/10.4236/oalib.1103132 References Irans president on Wednesday ruled out any changes or additions to the 2015 nuclear deal, amid European efforts to convince U.S. President Donald Trump to stick with the landmark agreement. French President Emmanuel Macron suggested during a state visit to Washington this week that there could be a way to move toward a new agreement that would address Trumps concerns about so-called sunset provisions in the accord, as well as Irans ballistic missile program and involvement in Middle East conflicts, which were not part of the nuclear accord. Britain, France and Germany, which also signed the deal along with Russia and China, want the U.S. to remain a part of it. But Iranian President Hassan Rouhani appeared to throw cold water on those efforts Wednesday. I have spoken with Macron several times by phone, and one time in person at length. I have told him explicitly that we will not add anything to the deal or remove anything from it, even one sentence. The nuclear deal is the nuclear deal, he said during a conference in the northwestern city of Tabriz. He suggested Macron has no right to amend an agreement signed by seven nations. As long as our interests are guaranteed we will remain in the deal, whether the U.S. remains or not, Rouhani said. But he added that if our benefits are not guaranteed, we will not remain in the deal, no matter what the circumstances are. Rouhani went on to lash out at Trump, saying: You have no clue about politics, no clue about the law or international treaties. You are just a businessman, a tradesman. You are a tower builder. How is he going to pass judgment on international issues? He also dismissed Trumps remarks during a press conference with Macron, when the U.S. leader said the Iranians will have bigger problems than theyve ever had before if they restart their nuclear program. Mr. Trump thinks that it is just hot air when we say that if the nuclear deal falls apart, we will restart (our nuclear program) at a new speed which will be shocking to them. His threats are empty. Trump has called the nuclear accord insane and ridiculous, but he has declined to say whether he will withdraw the U.S. by a May 12 deadline he has set. The agreement required Iran to curb its nuclear enrichment program in exchange for relief from international sanctions. The U.N. nuclear watchdog says Iran is meeting its commitments under the accord. European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said Wednesday that the current deal is working effectively to keep Tehran from developing nuclear weapons and should be preserved for the future. Israel, which was among the fiercest critics of the deal, has meanwhile welcomed Trumps hard line. Israeli Intelligence Minister Israel Katz said Wednesday that the nuclear deal must be fundamentally amended, and if not cancelled. He said Macron and his European colleagues must understand that putting heavy pressure on Iran today can prevent violence and perhaps war tomorrow. (AP) In a major hit against cybercriminals, an international police operation has taken down what investigators called the worlds biggest provider of potentially crippling Distributed Denial of Service attacks. Police hailed the success of the operation Wednesday, saying that a joint investigation led by Dutch and British experts and supported by European Union police agency Europol led to the arrest on Tuesday of the administrators of the website webstresser.org. Europol said webstresser.org had more than 136,000 registered users and racked up 4 million attacks on banks, governments, police forces and the gaming industry. Distributed Denial of Service, or DDoS, attacks attempt to make online services unavailable by overwhelming them with traffic from multiple sources. It used to be that in order to launch a DDoS attack, one had to be pretty well versed in internet technology, Europol said in a statement. That is no longer the case. The agency said that registered users could pay a fee of as little as 15 euros ($18) per month to rent its services and launch cyberattacks. Administrators of the service were arrested Tuesday in Britain, Croatia, Canada and Serbia, Europol said. The illegal service was shut down and computers and other infrastructure seized in the Netherlands, the United States and Germany. Gert Ras, head of the Dutch polices High Tech Crime unit, said the operation should send a clear warning to users of websites like webstresser. Dont do it, Ras said. By tracking down the DDoS service you use, we strip you of your anonymity, hand you a criminal record and put your victims in a position to claim back damages from you. (AP) To the Trump administration, the recovered missile fragments were incontrovertible proof that Iran was illicitly arming Yemens Houthi rebels. Yet Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif is brushing it off as little more than cheese puffs. During a visit to New York, the Iranian diplomat accused U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley on Tuesday of displaying fabricated evidence that missiles lobbed by the Houthis at civilian areas in Saudi Arabia originated in Iran. Though Tehran supports the Shiite rebel group, it firmly denies giving them missiles. But Haley has invited journalists and U.N. Security Council diplomats to inspect missile parts recovered after strikes on Saudi Arabia, bearing what U.S. military officials said were Iranian markings and characteristics. Zarif, in an Associated Press interview, said that one such logo was from the Standard Institute of Iran, which he said regulates consumer goods not weapons. Its a sign of quality, Zarif said. When people want to buy it, they look at whether its been tested by the Standard Institute of Iran that your cheese puffs are good, your cheese puffs will not give you a stomach ache. He laughed and added, I mean, nobody will put the logo of the Standard Institute of Iran on a piece of missile. The United States stood by its claims, pointing out that the evidence Haley presented went far beyond a single logo. The evidence in the Iranian Materiel Display is not fabricated, said Defense Department spokeswoman Laura Seal. She said the U.S. had shown the evidence to 65 countries, allowing the world to assess the evidence for themselves. But Zarif also pointed to a truck-size section of a missile that the U.S. said was recovered in Saudi Arabia and was transferred to a military base near Washington, where it was on display behind Haley for a photo-op. Zarif noted that the missile had been supposedly shot down in mid-air. Im not saying Ambassador Haley is fabricating, but somebody is fabricating the evidence she is showing, Zarif said. Some of the fragments Haley presented, if authentic, would implicate Irans military industry more directly, including some with the logos of Shahid Bakeri Industrial Group and Shaheed Hemat Industries Group, Iranian defense entities under U.S. sanctions. Others had what Haley called Iranian missile fingerprints, such as short-range ballistic missiles that lacked large stabilizer fins a feature she said only Irans Qiam missiles have. Haleys office responded to Zarifs comments by calling the evidence of illegal Iranian weapons shipments overwhelming and beyond dispute. The fact that the Iranian regime insists on lying about that only highlights its lack of trustworthiness on every international agreement it is party to, the U.S. Mission to the U.N. said. Tehrans denials aside, theres broad agreement among the United Nations, Western countries and the Persian Gulfs Arab leaders that Iran has armed the Houthis with ballistic missiles, even though U.N. Security Council resolutions prohibit it. With U.S. support, a Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemens civil war has been bombing the Houthis, who control the capital Sanaa and much of northern Yemen. Yet Irans opponents have struggled to provide foolproof evidence to back up their claims, creating an opening for Iran to deny. After Haleys presentations at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, some national security experts raised questions, even drawing parallels to Secretary of State Colin Powells 2003 speech to the U.N. making the case for the Iraq War. The fragments Haley presented were turned over to the U.S. by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates two of Irans fiercest critics and U.S. military officials had trouble tracing the fragments chain of custody. Nor could they say when the weapons were transferred to the Houthis or, in some cases, precisely when they were launched. (AP) The Russian military indicated on Wednesday it will supply the Syrian government with a sophisticated air defense system following Moscows condemnation of the missile attack launched by the United States, Britain and France earlier this month. Col. Gen. Sergei Rudskoi said Russia will supply Syria with new missile defense systems soon. Rudskois statement did not specify the type of weapons, but his remarks follow reports in the Russian media that Moscow is considering selling its S-300 surface-to-air missile systems to Syria. Top Russian officials said that in light of the airstrikes on Syria earlier this month, Moscow may reconsider a pledge it gave a decade ago not to provide Syria with the S-300 system. The strikes were in retaliation to an April 7 suspected chemical weapons attack in the town of Douma, near Damascus, that killed more than 40 people. The U.S., Britain and France blamed the attack on President Bashar Assads government. The three governments launched airstrikes into Syria, hitting alleged chemical weapons facilities. Syria and Russia, a key ally of Assad, strongly deny the Syrian government was behind the attack. Transferring upgraded air-defense systems to Syria could be seen as an escalation by neighboring Israel and raises the risk of Israeli attacks. Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman warned Tuesday that if Syria uses Russian-made air defense missiles against Israel, the IDF will strike back. Whats important to us is that the defensive weapons the Russians are giving Syria wont be used against us, Lieberman told Israeli news website Ynet. If theyre used against us, well act against them. Israel has not taken sides in the Syrian civil war, but its air force has carried out dozens of airstrikes during the fighting, most of them believed to have been aimed at suspected arms shipments to Hezbollah. More recently, Israel has warned that it will not accept a permanent Iranian military presence in Syria. In February, Israel shot down what it said was an armed Iranian drone that penetrated its airspace from Syria. Israel responded by carrying out airstrikes in Syria, drawing anti-aircraft fire that shot down an Israeli warplane. Israel then retaliated by destroying Syrian anti-aircraft batteries. Israel and Russia have maintained close contact in order to prevent any clashes between their air forces in the skies over Syria. In the interview, Lieberman said that Russia already has air-defense systems in Syria. He said Israels concerns are Iran and Syria. For several years weve been constantly in coordination and able to avoid friction with the Russians, he told Ynet. The only ones to act against us are the Syrians. When the Syrian systems acted against us, we destroyed them, the defense minister stressed. One thing should be clear. If anyones shooting at our planes, well destroy them, he said. (AP) Milos Zeman, the President of the Czech Republic, has become the latest foreign leader to announce his intentions to move his countrys embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. However, the move was not confirmed by the countries foreign ministry, which would have to approve the decision. The President made a statement concerning his intention to do so during a festive celebration to celebrate Israels 70th anniversary, which was attended by Israels Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely. The President specified and said that the move would be accomplished in a three-step process, the first of which would be opening a new Consulate in Israels capital next month. According to Zeman, the entire process would be complete in a few months time, and all of the diplomatic operations of the Czech republic would operate out of Israels capital, Jerusalem. Just a few years ago I said that we need to move the embassy to Jerusalem. The time has come to act upon that idea, Zeman said. He concluded his speech at the Prague Castle by saying: Next year in Jerusalem. With the declared intention of moving their embassy, the Czech Republic has joined the ranks of the United States and Guatemala who will be moving their embassies next month, and Romania who has declared intentions to move theirs as well. In a letter to Zeman, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he hoped he would jointly open the new embassy in Jerusalem at the end of this year. The Czech foreign ministry didnt immediately confirm the embassys move, though it did say that the opening of the consulate and the Czech cultural center in west Jerusalem is the first step toward having its embassy in the capital of the host country. But it also said the Czech Republic fully respects the common position of the European Union that Jerusalem must be the joint capital of Israel and a future Palestinian state. As thats unlikely to happen soon, the embassy transfer Zeman hopes for may not be imminent. The Czech presidency is a largely ceremonial post. Zeman previously voiced support for President Donald Trumps decision to move the U.S. Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, which sparked outrage among Palestinians and across the Muslim world. (AP / YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) (VIDEO & PHOTOS IN EXTENDED ARTICLE) A horrific tragedy struck Eretz Yisroel on Thursday afternoon. A group of 25 youths traveling on a bus in Nachal Tzafit in the Aravah found themselves trapped, during flash flooding on Wednesday. Police and volunteers from the Aravah Search & Rescue Unit, working in cooperation with military helicopters began the search for the missing youths. ZAKA is reporting that the death toll in the flash flood disaster has reached ten RL. (Earlier reports that the victims are from a Hesder Yeshiva were inaccurate.) At one point, the students got off the bus they were in, entering the nachal and began walking. It was then that they were literally swept away by the powerful flash-flood. It is confirmed that there were both males and females on the trip to the Aravah area nachal. Eight of the victims, all listed in critical condition, continue receiving medical care in the field by civilian and military paramedics and physicians. Two persons, in non-life-threatening condition, have been transported to Soroka Medical Center in Beersheva, the area level 1 trauma center. Rescuers explain time is not on their side as the sun is setting. Bchasdei Hashem, it is not raining in the search area at this time. Victims were found as far as a kilometer from one another due to the strong current of the flood waters. Three Israel Air Force Yasur (Sikorsky CH-53 Sea Stallion) choppers and two additional choppers of the elite 669 airborne rescue unit are working with ground forces. A MDA chopper was involved in the effort earlier as well. Soroka Medical Center in Beersheva has declared a multicausality incident, mobilizing all emergency services in the emergency and trauma rooms accordingly. Soroka is the southern area Level 1 trauma center. Search & Rescue units from Dimona, Beersheva, Yerucham, Beit Shemesh and fire department divers are involved in the efforts to find the missing youths. Rafts and other marine rescue craft stand by to respond to rescue those still missing from the flash flood. The operation is being overseen by area Israel Police commanders. Rescue personnel are doing their utmost, as visibility begins to wane with shekiya and nightfall approaching. The IDFs elite 669 search & rescue choppers have been involved in the operation since it was realized just how many persons were involved. The experts explain that once the sun drops, the situation will become far more difficult and rescue efforts will be complicated at best. A MDA chopper is also operating in the area. At least one person rescued is Bchasdei Hashem reported in only light-to-moderate condition, as s/he succeeded in finding safety by holding on to and then climbing onto large boulders. KAN News reports the victims are all about 18-years-old, all from the same educational institution, located in the center of the country. Israel Chief Rabbi Dovid Lau has spoken with leaders of the school that the students attend. Rav Lau is calling on the tzibur at large to be mispallel on behalf of the victims, who are in need of Rachmei Shomayim. Rav Lau calls on those who can to recite Tehillim. Police state that they continue overseeing the operation, which everyone davens will be a rescue operation and not chas vsholom recovery. An emergency information number has been established for the families 050-507-3789. Soroka Hospital has established emergency information numbers: 12-55-177 08-624-4434 (fax for hearing impaired) Meanwhile, Tamar Regional Council officials urge the general public not to come to the Dead Sea and Aravah areas due to the inclement weather condition and flash floods in the area. As a result of the nature of the area topography, visiting and hiking during these weather conditions can be extremely dangers. Schools in the area were closed on Thursday, 11 Iyar, due to roads be closed or blocked as a result of the stormy condition. The Education Ministry Situation Room reports this trip was not filed or cleared by the ministry and therefore, it was unauthorized. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is being kept up to date, as he monitors events closely, aides report. He is being briefed by senior police and rescue officials. Mr. Netanyahu said, I am strengthening the security and rescue forces currently working to save lives and locate those missing in the severe disaster that occurred today in Nachal Tzafit. We all pray for better news. THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY REFRESH FOR UPDATES (YWN Israel Desk Jerusalem) The decline in the number of new cars built in factories across the UK accelerated last month as demand fell from both overseas and home buyers. A total of 147,471 vehicles rolled off assembly lines last month, which was 13.3 per cent down on the number of units made in March last year. This marks the eight consecutive month of decline, and is a significant acceleration from the 4.4 per cent drop in February. Declining: Production was down for both domestic and overseas markets Both export and home markets saw double-digit falls, with production for export down by 11.9 per cent due to fluctuations in demand in some global markets and orders for the UK market down 17.7 per cent. Releasing the monthly figures, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders said the drop in car production was exacerbated by adverse weather, which hit some car manufacturers. SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes said the double digit decline in car manufacturing for both home and overseas markets was of considerable concern. Following recent announcements on jobs cutbacks in the sector, its vitally important that the industry and consumers receive greater certainty, both about future policies towards diesel and other low emission technologies, and our post-Brexit trading relationships and customs arrangements. Maintaining free and frictionless trade is an absolute priority it has been fundamental to our past success and is key to our future growth. The car manufacturing figures comes as the UK motor industry has recorded a significant stall in showroom activity since new Vehicle Excise Duty tax rules were applied last April and threats of diesel surcharges gathered pace. As a direct result, factories have taken a hit from shrinking sales activity. Production figures for UK motor plants were down 6.3 per cent in the first three months of 2018, with 440,426 cars leaving production lines in total this year 29,415 fewer cars than the first quarter of 2017. Almost 80 per cent of these were exported, and while demand from overseas customers fell by 4 per cent in the first quarter, this was dwarfed by the 14.1 per cent decline in manufacturing for the UK market. Experts have warned that orders for the UK sector are likely to continue to stutter throughout the next year as yet more VED changes were introduced this month. As of this month, all new diesel models move one tax band higher in the first year as part of ministers' ploy to wipe out the under-fire fuel type and persuade drivers to switch to greener cars. Amazon shares soared to an all-time high as the internet giant reported stellar sales of $51billion (36.6billion) for the first three months of the year. Its bumper revenues beat even the most optimistic of analysts' expectations, who forecast sales in the region of 35.8billion. The results sent Amazon's shares flying by more than 7pc to a record $1,625 after the US market closed, adding more than 38billion to its value. The surge in the share price reopens the race to become the world's first trillion dollar company, with Apple leading the way and Microsoft and Amazon vying for second place. Amazon's bumper revenues beat even the most optimistic of analysts' expectations, who forecast sales in the region of 35.8bn Its North America revenue shot 46 per cent to 21.5billion, while its international revenue was up 34 per cent to 10.6billion. The firm's sales were driven largely by its fast-growing and lucrative cloud computing arm, AWS, which generated more than 3.9billion of revenue in the first quarter a 49 per cent year-on-year increase. Amazon's bricks and mortar division, which includes clean-living supermarket chain Whole foods, clocked up sales of more than 3billion. Its speedy delivery service, Prime, which last week Amazon founder Jeff Bezos boasted has notched up more than 100m members paying an annual subscription, brought in over 2.2billion of revenue in the first three months of the year. The Amazon results marked a stunning turnaround for the tech giants of Silicon Valley, following on from Facebook's startling rise in advertising revenue on Wednesday evening. Last night, Intel, another of America's giant chip makers, beat its earnings expectations and its shares rose 8 per cent. On Thursday, travel website Expedia boasted of a 15 per cent year-on-year increase in revenue to 1.8billion. Meanwhile, Bezos has vowed to 'double down' on investment in its Echo speaker featuring the voice assistant Alexa. In the past year, Amazon has unveiled plans to expand into even more areas of business, such as healthcare, advertising and logistics. However, the AWS unit, which allows customers to store millions of gigabytes of data on giant servers, has become a world leader. Privately, the company believes it could become a giant enterprise in its own right. In a prepared statement, Bezos highlighted the massive success of AWS. 'AWS had the unusual advantage of a seven-year head start before facing like-minded competition, and the team has never slowed down,' he said. ' As a result, the AWS services are by far the most evolved and most functionality-rich.' The rise of Amazon has turned Bezos into the world's richest man. The firm is currently seeking a new headquarters in the US, which has sparked a multi-million pound beauty pageant from states hoping to woo the internet giant. Amazon's growth has also attracted the attention of a powerful opponent Donald Trump. In a series of tweets since he took office, the US President has accused the firm of not paying enough tax, ripping off the US Postal Service and driving retailers out of business. Trump, who was last month reported to be 'obsessed' with Amazon and Bezos, is said to have ordered White House officials to draw up policies that would target what he claims are the company's unfair business practices. 'Our fully paying retailers are closing stores all over the country. Not a level playing field', he stormed earlier this month. This week, Bezos responded. 'All large institutions should be scrutinised or examined,' he said while attending an awards event. 'It is not personal. 'We will work with any set of regulations that we are given. We will follow those rules and find a new way to delight customers.' Following the results, Bezos is now expected to lay out to investors future plans for the growth of AWS, as well as further investment in the company's logistics division, and plans to expand its grocery delivery and Alexa speaker service. Last year, Amazon bought Ring, a video doorbell system, which allows homeowners to let in delivery men even when they are not at home. MBABANE The beaauty pageant industry is also taking Swazilands name change to Eswatini very seriously. Jiska Uwimana, a Swazi studying in Ukraine, has joined Miss Africa Ukraine under the name Miss Eswatini. In the past, Swazis in Ukraine who joined Miss Africa Ukraine registered under Miss Africa Ukraine Miss Swaziland as a contestant. The name in which Uwimana joined the paegant with was a response to the declaration by His Majesty King Mswati III last week during the 50/50 celebrations, that he is officially changing Swaziland to Eswatini. The Miss Africa Ukraine organising team confirmed with this publication that the University of Ukraine General Medicine fourth year student is a finalist in the pageant, that will be held on May 5. Uwimana is one of our great finalists and we are training her with the rest of the team for the big day. We hope she makes Eswatini proud, said the organising team member, who preferred that his identity be kept confidential. Also, the Miss Africa Ukraine finalist confirmed with this publication that she was part of the pageant and she was proud to use the name Eswatini. When I heard the news of the name change, I was excited and proud of being Swazi. The patriot in me awoke and I pleaded with the organising team to change the name from Swaziland to Eswatini, said Uwimana. She also said the humanitarian side of her compelled her to join the pageant. My optimistic and calculated life approach to lifes challenges is what drives me towards success and I consider myself a very loving, caring and outspoken person, who is not afraid to stand for what she believes in, she said. MANZINI When the intention is not to cause trouble but to get what is rightfully yours, compromise is easily attainable. This proved to be the case with Raleigh Fitkin Memorial (RFM) Hospital employees, who continued work as usual although they had planned to down their tools yesterday. This followed a meeting that the employees representatives had with the institutions management in the morning. On Monday, the hospitals nurses had vowed to down their tools after they failed to reach consensus with the institutions management on salary payments that were due on the same day. The initial plan was that they would not return to work until their grievances were resolved. This decision came about after the employees expectations to get paid the previous week; April 18, 2018, just like their counterparts working at government hospitals. According to sources, some determined nurses did not report to their work stations in the morning when they got to work, but they stood outside the hospital building with placards ready for action. Their zest for protesting was allegedly doused by the fact that some of their colleagues continued with work. This, according to the sources, instilled fear in the aggrieved nurses. As a result, they convened a meeting with the hospital management and the outcome was that they should return to work. According to the Nurses Unit Committee Chairperson Similo Simelane, the management promised that their salaries would be paid by midnight tomorrow. Similo said for this reason, and that their consultations revealed that if they undertook the strike action, it would backfire because it would have been illegal since the right procedure for engaging in a lawful protest action was not observed. The nurses concern was that the payment delays would land them in trouble with some institutions that they owed money. In this regard, Similo said management invited the nurses to engage the institutions human resources department, to arrange how the matter would be tackled. In the afternoon, the nurses convened at the hospital premises to discuss a way forward. MATSAPHA I walked from Matsapha to Siphofaneni as a weird voice kept on ordering me to do so. These were the words of Sergeant *Mduduzi, the suicidal police officer who disappeared from his house in the Matsapha Police Camp and was found 24 hours later burning, near the Usuthu River, in Siphofaneni. The officer was yesterday afternoon found seated with his wife and children and in a relaxed mood in his two-bedroom house at the camp. After regaining composure, officer Mduduzi yesterday spoke to the media and revealed that he had been informed by certain people he had consulted that he had lubane, something which totally drives him crazy to a point where he contemplates suicide. I remember vividly leaving the house on Monday, however, I do not remember retrieving a rope from the bin as my children alleged. I do recall getting to the forests in Mhlane and standing under a tree.While I was near the tree, I remember seeing Pastor Dlamini, who is in charge of the church nearby and he called me, however when I wanted to go to him near the church, the strange voice ordered me to leave the place and keep on walking, Mduduzi said. He added that he could also not recall walking all the distance from Mhlane to Siphofaneni, but he remembered passing through Phonjwane and noticed that a few vehicles were slowing down, upon seeing him. At the time, it was already dark as I had left Manzini at around 2pm, he said Mduduzi said he could not even recall how he got to Siphofaneni but he remembered buying some boiled peanuts and getting apprehended by the police later on, who took him to the nearest police station and prayed for him. When I saw the burnt T-shirt I had been wearing, I realised that they had found me burning. I was not in my complete senses when they took me to Manzini to be prayed for again. I thank God that this curse only attacks me and not my family, my wife and my children. I do need help, this is making my life miserable and even affects my work as each time I get such attacks, I have to be off work for a while, Mduduzi added. Traditionalists call the curse lubane and the officers wife, *Mary, confirmed that they had been living a miserable life since August last year as everything her husband owned got burnt. Before Mduduzis disappearance on Monday, they had gone to the nearest bank to withdraw a sum of E2 500, which when they got home, got burnt inside their vehicle. Mary revealed that when her husband tried to put out the flames on the notes, he got burnt on the stomach and sustained injuries in the process. Everything he owns gets burnt and in a strange way, from his clothing, his work uniform, shoes, food items and even the house we currently occupy at the police camp. When he withdraws some money, it all gets burnt. MANZINI His Majesty King Mswati III returned from Angola yesterday afternoon. The King had joined other Southern African Development Community (SADC) heads of State during the Double Troika Summit that took place in Luanda on Tuesday. His Majesty was accompanied by Inkhosikati LaMahlangu. The King and Inkhosikati were dressed in matching 50/50 emahiya following the double celebrations of the Kings Birthday and the attainment of 50 years of Independence last week. The King landed at the KMIII International Airport yesterday afternoon after holding talks with other heads of State where among other issues that were discussed was the situation in Lesotho. A question was raised on whether a Swati judge would be nominated to assist in the clearing of the criminal justice backlog in that country. The King also met with newly-elected South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. One of the highlights of the trip was that SADC member States were quick to embrace the countrys now official name, which is the Kingdom of Eswatini. Among other well-wishers who welcomed the King at the airport were members of the royal family and government officials. MBABANE Hardly 48 hours after his return from England, the countrys Premier Sibusiso Barnabas Dlamini, has been admitted to the Mbabane Government Hospital ICU. ICU is an acronym of Intensive Care Unit. According to reliable sources, the prime minister arrived at the hospital yesterday at around 9am. The sources further revealed that close family members, including his wife Primrose, also came to visit him at the hospital. There was tight security outside the ICU where the PMs personal protection officers were stationed since morning. Notably, there were three plain-clothes policemen including Superintendent Schoolboy Simelane, who were in a sombre mood manning the entrance. Simelane is the assistant personal protections officer. The officers looked anxious and were constantly on their mobile phones. Officers Next to the ICU entrance there was a woman seated next to one of the police officers, while two were seen regularly moving about. From afar, the woman looked very concerned with her arms folded most of the time. This reporter observed the quartets movements for about 20 minutes and noted that they neither entered nor peeped through the ICUs door. Also noted was that within the hospital premises, a white Toyota Land Cruiser Prado, with government registration numbers GSD 003 PC, was parked. This is the same vehicle that was pictured at Ngwenya Primary School where the PMs wife is a head teacher. News of the PMs admission to the hospital had spread like wild fire on social media network Facebook by yesterday afternoon. At the beginning of March, 2017, the PM left the country for his annual medical check-up which he undertook in neighbouring South Africa over a period of three days. On his return, the PM stressed the importance of having regular or annual medical check-ups, which he said were important for the early detection of any ailment that a person might have. In August last year, doctors who looked after Dlamini while he was in Taiwan arrived in the country to check on him. The PM had been away from the country for almost a month in May (last year) after he underwent a medical surgery in that country. However, the PMs ailment has to date not been revealed. The premier, during his thanks- giving celebration which was held at Bhekinkhosi Church of the Nazarene in July last year, disclosed that he almost died on his birthday. The premiers actual birthday is on May 15. However, he could not celebrate it as he was away in Taiwan for a medical check-up. The PM said he got sick a few days before his big day, and the illness got so severe that their Majesties facilitated that he went to see advanced medical doctors overseas. On his birthday, May 15 when he was turning 75 years, Dlamini said he was on the operating table in Taipei and it occurred to him that his birthday was meant to be the same day he died. The way things were happening, I felt like I was losing the battle and I confessed my sins, ready to give up, the premier was quoted saying much to the empathy of the congregation and well-wishers. However, he said God willing, let him live. After he regained consciousness and woke up from his temporary sleep, Dlamini said he was humbled by the tonnes of messages that flooded his mobile phone. Prayed He said by this gesture, he realised just how much people cared and prayed for him. Im healthy and happy to say that my sins were left in Taipei, he joked. During his birthday celebration, the premier also thanked his family for being by his side through it all. [April 26, 2018] 12 ReTech Corporation's Teams Up With The Hunger Project for the launch of the 12Sconti APP The 12Sconti Business Model Provides Philanthropic Donations To a Worthwhile Cause. Carson City, NV & Hong Kong, April 26, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- 12 ReTech Corporation (OTC: RETC), announced today that its new 12Sconti APP which will go live in Zurich in the next few weeks will provide The Hunger Project with much needed donations to help feed the worlds hungry. 1% of all sales done through the 12Sconti App will go to this world recognized charity organization. The donations come from the merchants who use the 12Sconti APP Angelo Ponzetta, CEO of 12 ReTech, commented, We are thrilled to team up with The Hunger Project as we are about to launch the 12Sconti APP in Switzerland. The needs filled by this outstanding charity are large and resources scarce. In addition, The Hunger Project should help us to drive more people to download the 12Sconti APP when they learn that part of their expenditures will be donated to this worthy cause. The Hunger Project has also agreed to drive the marketing of the 12Sconti APP between their stakeholders. Angelo Ponzetta concluded, For every $100 that gets sold through our App, The Hunger Project receives $1 dollar. As the 12Sconti APP succeeds and expands its footprint around the world, it could become an important source of funds for our good friends. About The Hunger Project The Hunger Project is a global, non-profit, strategic organization committed to the sustainable end of world hunger. Our vision is a world where every woman, man and child leads a healthy, fulfilling life of self-reliance and dignity. Our mission is to end hunger and poverty by pioneering sustainable, grassroots, women-centered strategies and advocating for their widespread adoption in countries throughout the world. Founded in 1977, The Hunger Project is committed to the sustainable end of world hunger. We are a strategic organization, and have reinvented ourselves time and again to meet each challenge and opportunity along the pah of ending hunger. Our global movement of individuals and organizations in 22 countries worldwide is a demonstration of authentic partnership. Committed investors in the United States, where our Global Office is based, and in our affiliates known as Partner Countries (in Australia, Canada, Germany, Japan, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom) support the actions of more than 16,000 communities throughout Africa, South Asia and Latin America (in Bangladesh, Benin, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Malawi, Mexico, Mozambique, Peru, Senegal, Uganda) who are leading their own change. We earn top ratings from Charity Navigator (4 stars) and the American Institute of Philanthropy (A grade). We are a Better Business Bureau seal-holder and GuideStar Exchange platinum recipient, and are proud to be a founding member of InterAction and meet all their membership standards for accountability, transparency and effectiveness. We hold consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), and are a participant of the UN Global Compact. The Global Hunger Project is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization in the United States. Our Federal tax number (EIN) is 94-2443282. About 12 ReTech Corporation: At our core, we are a software company whose technology allows retailers to combat the dual threats of Walmart and Amazon both online and in physical stores. Our microbrand rollup acquisition strategy allows us to demonstrate the effectiveness of our software, devise and test new products, while providing shareholder value through immediate revenue and earnings growth. The Company operates through our subsidiaries on three continents: 12 Hong Kong, Ltd., 12 Japan, Ltd., 12 Europe A.G., 12 Retail Corporation (and its subsidiary in North America, E-Motion Apparel, Inc.). For more information please visit our website at www.12ReTech.com . 12 Retech Corporation is publicly listed on the OTC Markets under the symbol RETC. Safe Harbor: This document contains certain 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, which are intended to be covered by the safe harbors created thereby. Investors are cautioned that all forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainty, including without limitation, the ability of the Company to successfully implement its turnaround strategy, changes in costs of raw materials, labor, and employee benefits, as well as general market conditions, competition and pricing. Although the Company believes that the assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements contained herein are reasonable, any of the assumptions could be inaccurate, and therefore, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking statements included in this letter will prove to be accurate. In light of the significant uncertainties inherent in the forward-looking statements included herein, the inclusion of such information should not be regarded as representation by the Company or any other person that the objectives and plans of the Company will be achieved. In assessing forward-looking statements included herein, readers are urged to carefully read those statements. When used in the Annual Report on Form 10-K, the words "estimate," "anticipate," "expect," "believe," and similar expressions are intended to be forward-looking statements. Tom Nelson Ten Associates, LLC Tenassociates33@gmail.com 480-326-8577 (USA) Mark Gilbert Magellan FIN, LLC mgilbert@magellanfin.com 317-361-2392 (USA) Investor Relations [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 26, 2018] California Water Service Group Confirms Proposal to Acquire SJW Group for $68.25 Per Share in Cash California Water Service Group (NYSE: CWT) today confirmed that it proposes to acquire SJW Group (NYSE: SJW) for $68.25 per share in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately $1.9 billion including assumption of debt. California Water's proposal, which exceeds SJW's all-time high closing share price, represented a 30% premium to SJW's share price at the time of California Water's April 4, 2018 proposal, and represents a 20% premium to SJW's closing stock price yesterday, was reiterated today in a letter to SJW's Board of Directors (see below). California Water is confident of its ability to obtain timely regulatory approval and to finance the transaction. Martin A. Kropelnicki, President and CEO of California Water, said: "We have repeatedly sought to discuss privately our superior proposal with SJW's Board, but SJW has refused to engage and just informed us last night that the SJW Board rejected it on April 13, 2018. Their lack of engagement has prevented their stockholders from learning about the substantial and immediate value we can deliver. We are now making our proposal public so stockholders can evaluate it for themselves. We are confident they will view it as clearly superior to the Connecticut Water transaction and to SJW's standalone prospects." Strategic and financial benefits of a transaction include: Superior value to SJW's pending all-stock merger with Connecticut Water . California Water's proposal would provide SJW stockholders with substantial and certain near-term value greater than SJW's proposed all-stock merger with Connecticut Water given the current premium to SJW's stock price. . California Water's proposal would provide SJW stockholders with substantial and certain near-term value greater than SJW's proposed all-stock merger with Connecticut Water given the current premium to SJW's stock price. The creation of a larger and stronger California-based water utility. SJW would be a superb strategic and operational fit that would enhance California Water's position as the country's third-largest regulated water utility, with a rate base of $1.9 billion. The company would be better positioned to anticipate and meet the needs of the more than 3,000,000 people it would serve in California, Washington, New Mexico, Hawaii, and Texas, including approximately 1.4 million people in the greater Bay Area. It would also have greater ability to invest in employees and offer broader career opportunities, as well as actively support the communities served. SJW would be a superb strategic and operational fit that would enhance California Water's position as the country's third-largest regulated water utility, with a rate base of $1.9 billion. The company would be better positioned to anticipate and meet the needs of the more than 3,000,000 people it would serve in California, Washington, New Mexico, Hawaii, and Texas, including approximately 1.4 million people in the greater Bay Area. It would also have greater ability to invest in employees and offer broader career opportunities, as well as actively support the communities served. Firm commitments to deliver significant value to California customers through this transaction, including sharing the benefits in ways partners without a local presence cannot. The transaction is expected to result in meaningful cost savings, which will be shared with customers. Working together, we are confident that customers would benefit from increased efficiencies and sharing of resources, our award-winning customer service programs, and leading-edge information technology systems. The transaction is expected to result in meaningful cost savings, which will be shared with customers. Working together, we are confident that customers would benefit from increased efficiencies and sharing of resources, our award-winning customer service programs, and leading-edge information technology systems. The ability to invest in critical infrastructure projects. Combining the two companies would enable continued investment in key projects needed to ensure a reliable water supply that meets increasingly stringent water quality standards. California Water is committed to maintaining both companies' capital expenditure programs and would expect to increase investments post-transaction. Combining the two companies would enable continued investment in key projects needed to ensure a reliable water supply that meets increasingly stringent water quality standards. California Water is committed to maintaining both companies' capital expenditure programs and would expect to increase investments post-transaction. Intimate familiarity with SJW and its operations. Since California Water is headquartered in San Jose, as is SJW, California Water is intimately familiar with the community, its priorities, and its decision-makers. We also have deep insight into many of the operational, water supply, water quality, and environmental sensitivities of SJW's system. This knowledge of SJW's operations and adjoining service territories would also enable us to seamlessly integrate and efficiently operate the combined system. Morgan Stanley is acting as financial advisor to California Water, and Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP is acting as its legal advisor. The text of the letter sent today to Robert A. Van Valer, SJW's Lead Independent Director, follows: April 26, 2018 Robert A. Van Valer Lead Independent Director SJW Group 110 West Taylor Street San Jose, CA (News - Alert) 95110 CC: Eric W. Thornburg, Chief Executive Officer and President; Daniel B. More, Board Member Dear Mr. Van Valer: We are writing to reiterate our $68.25 all cash proposal to acquire 100% of the outstanding shares of SJW Group ("SJW"). As you know, we have had a long-standing interest in combining SJW with California Water Service Group ("Cal Water"), and have reached out to your Board of Directors numerous times over many years, most recently in letters dated September 18, 2017, April 4, 2018 and April 17, 2018. We have expressed our strong desire to hold private discussions with SJW, and we remain deeply disappointed that you and your Board have not engaged. At this point, you have left us with no choice but to make our proposal public, so your stockholders can evaluate it. We are confident they will view our proposal as clearly superior to the Connecticut Water transaction and to your standalone prospects. Our compelling all-cash offer of $68.25 exceeds SJW's all-time high closing share price, represented a 30% premium to SJW's share price at the time of our April 4, 2018 proposal, and provides your stockholders with a 20% current premium. We are confident in our ability to finance this transaction and there would be no financing condition in our proposal. We have previously provided a Highly Confident Letter from our financial advisor, Morgan Stanley, for the full amount of the transaction. Further, based on consultation with our counsel, Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP, we are prepared to enter into a merger agreement on terms consistent with those of your merger agreement with Connecticut Water, adjusted to reflect the all-cash nature of our proposal. Based on our strong track record of operating in California, we are confident in our ability to obtain regulatory approval of the transaction on a timely basis. Unlike the Connecticut Water transaction, our proposed transaction offers substantial and certain value to SJW stockholders. In the Connecticut Water transaction, your stockholders would have to wait for uncertain benefits that, by your own admission, would accrue over the long term, while bearing the substantial execution risks associated with operating in two separate businesses located 3,000 miles apart in different regulatory environments. Why should your stockholders forego superior certain value based on your promises of long-term accretion that may never materialize? The combination of SJW and Cal Water is supported by a compelling strategic rationale. The acquisition would create a larger and stronger California-based water utility that would be better able to anticipate and meet the needs of the 3,000,000 people our companies serve in the Western U.S., including approximately 1.4 million people in the greater Bay Area. Since both companies are headquartered in San Jose, CA, we are already intimately familiar with the community, its priorities, and its decision-makers. We also have deep insight into many of the operational, water supply, water quality, and environmental sensitivities of SJW's system. Our familiarity with SJW's operations and our adjoining service territories would enable us to seamlessly integrate and efficiently operate the combined system. Furthermore, our enhanced economies of scale will enable us to continue to invest efficiently in infrastructure needed to ensure a reliable water supply that meets increasingly stringent water quality standards. In addition, we firmly believe our proposal offers substantially greater benefits to customers, employees and the communities we collectively serve than the Connecticut Water transaction, and these benefits support our belief in our ability to achieve timely regulatory approval. Customer Benefits & Cost Savings: We are prepared to make firm commitments to deliver significant value to California customers, including sharing the benefits we receive in ways that partners without a strong local presence cannot. We expect the transaction to result in meaningful cost savings which we can share with customers. We believe our combined customer base will receive better service through increased operational efficiencies, additional resources, award-winning customer service, and leading-edge information technology systems. We are prepared to make firm commitments to deliver significant value to California customers, including sharing the benefits we receive in ways that partners without a strong local presence cannot. We expect the transaction to result in meaningful cost savings which we can share with customers. We believe our combined customer base will receive better service through increased operational efficiencies, additional resources, award-winning customer service, and leading-edge information technology systems. Commitment to Employees: Combining SJW and Cal Water would lead to greater opportunities for employees. Operations and customer service personnel would benefit from more opportunities and resources to enhance their careers by working for a larger California-based water utility. We share the same union and would honor all of SJW's existing collective bargaining agreements. We would not reduce the combined company's union-represented front line operations or customer service personnel. We do not anticipate any significant changes to employee compensation or benefits. Combining SJW and Cal Water would lead to greater opportunities for employees. Operations and customer service personnel would benefit from more opportunities and resources to enhance their careers by working for a larger California-based water utility. We share the same union and would honor all of SJW's existing collective bargaining agreements. We would not reduce the combined company's union-represented front line operations or customer service personnel. We do not anticipate any significant changes to employee compensation or benefits. Serving Our Local Communities: Cal Water actively supports our communities. We have a proven track record of working successfully with the California PUC and community leaders. In 2017, we donated to over 320 local community organizations. SJW customers would benefit from our continued emphasis on improving the quality of life in our communities. Cal Water actively supports our communities. We have a proven track record of working successfully with the California PUC and community leaders. In 2017, we donated to over 320 local community organizations. SJW customers would benefit from our continued emphasis on improving the quality of life in our communities. Environmental Stewardship: Improving water quality and environmental stewardship are key pillars of Cal Water's strategy. Our industry-leading efforts, combined with increased size and scale, will enable us to bolster key programs such as conservation, affordability, sustainability, environmental protection, and assistance to neighboring disadvantaged communities that do not have access to safe and reliable water. We are committed to pursuing this transaction. We have sought for many years to work with you on a business combination on a friendly, constructive and private basis. We have been consistently rebuffed and thus have no option but to make our compelling proposal public. We are convinced that the substantial benefits of this transaction for stockholders and other constituencies merit an open-minded evaluation by the SJW Board of Directors who will now have the ability to consider feedback from stockholders and others. We stand ready to engage, and have the resources internally and externally to move expeditiously toward completing confirmatory due diligence and finalizing definitive agreements. We would appreciate your timely response. Sincerely, Martin A. Kropelnicki Peter C. Nelson Chief Executive Officer and President Chairman of the Board California Water Service Group California Water Service Group Additional Investor and Conference Call Information Cal Water will discuss the proposal later today at its regularly scheduled first quarter 2018 earnings conference call at 8:00 a.m. PDT / 11:00 a.m. EDT. The call may be accessed by dialing 1-833-832-5130 or 1-509-844-0151 and keying in ID# 4077849. A replay of the call will be available from 2:00 p.m. ET on Thursday, April 26, 2018 through June 25, 2018, at 1-855-859-2056 or 1-404-537-3406, ID# 4077849. The replay will also be available under the investor relations tab at www.calwatergroup.com. The call will be hosted by President and Chief Executive Officer Martin A. Kropelnicki and Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Thomas F. Smegal. About California Water Service Group California Water Service Group is the parent company of California Water Service, Washington Water Service, New Mexico Water Service, Hawaii Water Service, CWS Utility Services, and HWS Utility Services. Together, these companies provide regulated and non-regulated water service to nearly 2 million people in California, Washington, New Mexico, and Hawaii. California Water Service Group's common stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "CWT." Additional information is available online at www.calwatergroup.com. Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning established by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 ("Act"). The forward-looking statements are intended to qualify under provisions of the federal securities laws for "safe harbor" treatment established by the Act. Forward-looking statements are based on currently available information, expectations, estimates, assumptions and projections, and management's judgment about the Company, the water utility industry and general economic conditions. Such words as would, expects, intends, plans, believes, estimates, assumes, anticipates, projects, predicts, forecasts or variations of such words or similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. They are subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances. Actual results may vary materially from what is contained in a forward-looking statement. Factors that may cause a result different than expected or anticipated include, but are not limited to: the failure to consummate the proposed transaction with SJW upon the terms set forth in Cal Water's proposal; governmental and regulatory commissions' decisions; changes in regulatory commissions' policies and procedures; the timeliness of regulatory commissions' actions concerning rate relief; changes in environmental compliance and water quality requirements; electric power interruptions; changes in customer water use patterns and the effects of conservation; the impact of weather and climate on water availability, water sales and operating results; civil disturbances or terrorist threats or acts, or apprehension about the possible future occurrences of acts of this type; labor relations matters as we negotiate with the unions; restrictive covenants in or changes to the credit ratings on our current or future debt that could increase our financing costs or affect our ability to borrow, make payments on debt or pay dividends; and, other risks and unforeseen events. When considering forward-looking statements, you should keep in mind the cautionary statements included in this paragraph, as well as our annual 10-K, Quarterly 10-Q, and other reports filed from time-to-time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Cal Water assumes no obligation to provide public updates of forward-looking statements. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180426005903/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 26, 2018] Pioneering BDC China trade mission opens doors for women tech leaders Canadian AI-driven software companies Irystec, Zighra, Miovision and Fluent.ia met key Chinese customers MONTREAL, April 26, 2018 /CNW Telbec/ - Four early-stage Canadian tech firms led and co-led by women met key Chinese customers in a pioneering week-long trade mission to China in April organized by the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC). The mission allowed artificial intelligence-driven software companies Irystec, Zighra, Miovision and Fluent.ia to meet major Chinese business partners and institutional investors in Beijing, Shenzhen and Hong Kong. "This was one of the most successful trade missions I have been involved with in many years of supporting Canada-China trade. I believe it significantly raised Canada's profile as a country with disruptive and highly innovative technology companies," says Alison Nankivell, Vice President, Global Expansion at BDC. "We wanted to organize a BDC-focused trade mission built around the needs of our clients. Most other missions focus on industrial and id-sized companies, but fewer focus on the technology sector, early-stage companies or women entrepreneurs. If it makes sense for our companies, we'll hold more missions like this in China and elsewhere," Nankivell says. "BDC's sponsored trade mission for Canadian women entrepreneurs helped Zighra make invaluable introductions to tech savvy partners and customers in China and Hong Kong" said MJ Couldridge, VP of Partnerships and Sales, Zighra. Michelle Scarborough, Managing Director, Strategic Investments and Women in Tech at BDC Capital, agreed on the mission's success: "We are very excited about the new opportunities for our participants. Some of the Chinese investors were so impressed they are interested in meeting other Canadian women-led and co-led tech companies. We had greater-than-expected benefits. "If Canadian businesses don't go abroad, they will miss out. There is no substitute for face-to-face meetings," she says. The mission culminated with a visit to Hong Kong's International ICT Expo, Asia's premier ICT trade fair, where the four companies had a space in the Team Canada booth. The mission is part of BDC's effort to support women entrepreneurs, which includes $1.4 billion in loans to women-owned firms by 2021 and $200 million in investments through the Bank's Women in Technology program. About BDC BDC is the only bank devoted exclusively to entrepreneurs. It promotes Canadian entrepreneurship with a focus on small and medium-sized businesses. With its 118 business centres from coast to coast, BDC provides businesses in all industries with financing and advisory services. Its investment arm, BDC Capital, offers equity, venture capital and flexible growth and transition capital solutions. BDC is also the first financial institution in Canada to receive B Corp certification. To find out more, visit bdc.ca. SOURCE Business Development Bank of Canada [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 25, 2018] QMC announces closing of R$ 150 million facility for Brazil tower operations with ING SAO PAULO, April 25, 2018 /CNW/ -- QMC Telecom International Holdings, LLC ("QMC"), a leading independent owner and operator of wireless communications infrastructure in Latin America, announces the closing of a R$150MM Delayed Draw Credit Facility and Term Loan between two of its Brazilian operating subsidiaries, and ING Bank N.V., Filial de Sao Paulo. The credit facility provides QMC with additional financing for new tower development and related acquisitions across the country. "The closing of this groundbreaking facility in Brazil is a testament to the strong platform our management team has built over the years," stated Jose Stella QMC's Co-CEO and founder. "ING has a strong global presence in the tower industry and we are thrilled to be partnering with them as we continue to serve our clients in Brazil and expand our installed tower base," adds Rafael Somoza, also a QMC co-CEO and founder. "Latin America is the midst of building a wireless infrastructure designed to meet the needs of the nxt generation of communications and technology. QMC is on the forefront of this development through its installation of new towers across Brazil and Latin America," said Valtin Gallani, Director, ING. "QMC's management team has built a unique growth platform with an impressive investor base, and we are proud to be partnered with them to extend these efforts." For more information, please visit www.qmctelecom.com.br. About QMC Telecom International Founded in San Juan, Puerto Rico in 2008, QMC Telecom International ("QMC") is a multinational independent owner and operator of wireless infrastructure. The company develops, owns, acquires and manages rooftops, macro sites and DAS solutions in Brazil, Colombia, Mexico and Puerto Rico. QMC is backed by a group of renowned investors including Accel Partners, Housatonic Partners, and Grupo Santo Domingo. About ING ING Bank N.V., Filal de Sao Paulo is part of ING Group N.V. ("ING") a global financial institution with a strong European base, offering banking services through its operating company ING Bank. The purpose of ING Bank is empowering people to stay a step ahead in life and in business. ING Bank's 51,000 employees offer retail and wholesale banking services to customers in over 40 countries. View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/qmc-announces-closing-of-r-150-million-facility-for-brazil-tower-operations-with-ing-300636706.html SOURCE QMC Telecom International Holdings, LLC [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 26, 2018] RPost and Global Micro Make Email Security Ubiquitous in South Africa LOS ANGELES and JOHANNESBURG, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- RPost, a leader in email cybersecurity software services, announces an expansion of its email security, compliance, and productivity services across South Africa, in partnership with Global Micro. Global Micro is one of the leading Microsoft hosted email providers globally, and the market leader in South Africa. "RMail adds so many business essentials to the Microsoft Outlook email interface in a simple, elegant user experience," states JJ Milner, Managing Director, Global Micro. "After initial introductions to our customers and partners, we received immediate requests to deploy and purchase. We are in the midst of turning on RMail for a few tens of thousands of business users initially over the forthcoming months." RMail's Anti-Whaling email imposter protection was an important feature considering recent heightened hacker sophistication. RMail adds into Microsoft Outlook an all-in-one email extension for security, compliance and productivity, providing senders with simple-to-use email encryption, open tracking, Registered Email certified e-delivery proof, email imposter protection, and more. Users that install RMail also receive RSign. RSign is a simple to use, full featured, web-based e-signature service that makes it easy for signers to complete and sign documents electronically using any web browser, in an intuitive, self-guided signing process. "RMail adds more email privacy and cybersecurity to Microsoft Outlook, perhaps most importantly, with user simplicity in mind -- simple for the sender and for the recipient. Then we delight users when they realize we have also packed RMail with tools like e-signatures and Registered Email services that let them do more, faster," adds Zafar Khan, CEO of RPost. "RMail simply makes Microsoft email better." About RPost: RPost is a leading cyber security company providing email security, compliance, and productivity services to more than 25 million users worldwide over more than a decade. Recipient of the World Mail Award for Best in Security, Best Innovation in IT Award in Germany, and voted Top Choice for GDPR Email Data Privacy Compliance in Europe, RPost services are in use in nearly every country. www.rpost.com About Global Micro: Global Micro is trusted by over 4,500 businesses with the largest Microsoft Exchange customer base in South Africa with over 80,000 users. www.globalmicro.co.za Media Contact: Aaron Williams 194036@email4pr.com 310-356-6909 View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/rpost-and-global-micro-make-email-security-ubiquitous-in-south-africa-300636694.html SOURCE RPost [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 25, 2018] Tennessee ABC Enforcement Section Fortifies Underage Drinking Prevention with Intellicheck's Age ID Tennessee's Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) enforcement section is using Intellicheck's (NYSE AMERICAN: IDN) Age ID to prevent underage drinking and advance the enforcement of laws that make it illegal to sell alcoholic beverages to minors. Forty law enforcement agents are using Age ID throughout the state to authenticate driver licenses and other forms of identification to prevent the use of altered and fake IDs. According to Chief Bond Tubbs, "Our law enforcement agents are committed to protecting our youth, and enforcing the laws prohibiting the sale of alcohol to minors. It is essential that we equip our dedicated men and women with the most effective identity verification technology solution available to deal with the sophisticated fake IDs that are so easily obtainable by young people. I am confident that Age ID will be a vital tool for our agents in the field." The TABC's agents focus a great deal of their efforts on preventing underage sales of alcoholic beverages to minors. Sales to minors and compliance checks of licensed establishments are conducted on a regular basis to prevent underage sales of alcoholic beverages. Minor compliance checks are an integral part of protecting Tennessee youth against underage drinking by ensuring that licensed establishments comply with the state laws against sales of alcohol to minors. "We are honored to partner with TABC and are proud that Age ID has been selected to support these law enforcement agents in achieving their mission to prevent underage drinking. Our growing partnerships include more than 30 enforcement agencies across the country who recognize that it takes state-of-the-art identification authentication and age verification to successfully address underage drinking," said Intellicheck CEO Bryan Lewis. Age ID authenticates IDs and verifies age information in real-time with 99.9% accuracy. It can be deployed on mobile devices including smartphones and tablets and can be integrated with point-of-sale solutions. The cutting-edge technology solution draws on a comprehensive, proprietary database, updated on an ongoing basis, to ensure information is timely and accurate. About Intellicheck NYSE American: IDN Intellicheck is a trusted industry leader in technology solutions that provide real-time identification authentication and age verification. We make it possible for our clients to enhance safety and awareness, increase revenues, improve customer service, and increase operational efficiencies. Founded in 1994, Intellicheck has grown to serve dozens of Fortune 500 companies including retailand financial industry clients, police departments, national defense clients at agencies, major seaports, and military bases, and diverse state and federal government agencies. For more information on Intellicheck, visit http://www.intellicheck.com/ and follow Intellicheck on Twitter @IntellicheckIDN, on Facebook (News - Alert) https://www.facebook.com/intellicheckidn/, on Instagram @IntellicheckIDN, on LinkedIn (News - Alert) https://www.linkedin.com/company/intellicheck-inc-, on YouTube (News - Alert) https://www.youtube.com/user/ICMOBIL, and read Intellicheck's latest blog post at http://intellicheckidn.com/. Safe Harbor Statement Statements in this news release about Intellicheck's future expectations, including: the advantages of our products, future demand for Intellicheck's existing and future products, whether revenue and other financial metrics will improve in future periods, whether Intellicheck will be able to execute its turn-around plan or whether successful execution of the plan will result in increased revenues, whether sales of our products will continue at historic levels or increase, whether brand value and market awareness will grow, whether the Company can leverage existing partnerships or enter into new ones, and all other statements in this release, other than historical facts, are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (PSLRA). These statements, which express management's current views concerning future events, trends, contingencies or results, appear at various places in this website and use words like "anticipate," "assume," "believe," "continue," "estimate," "expect," "forecast," "future," "intend," "plan," "potential," "predict," "project," "strategy," "target" and similar terms, and future or conditional tense verbs like "could," "may," "might," "should," "will" and "would" are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the PSLRA. This statement is included for the express purpose of availing Intellicheck, Inc. of the protections of the safe harbor provisions of the PSLRA. It is important to note that actual results and ultimate corporate actions could differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements based on such factors as market acceptance of Intellicheck's products and the presently anticipated growth in the commercial adoption of the Company's products and services, changing levels of demand for Intellicheck's current and future products, Intellicheck's ability to reduce or maintain expenses while increasing sales, customer results achieved using our products in both the short and long term, success of future research and development activities, Intellicheck's ability to successfully manufacture, market and sell its products, Intellicheck's ability to manufacture its products in sufficient quantities to meet demand within required delivery time periods while meeting its quality control standards, any delays or difficulties in the Company's supply chain, the success of the Company's sales and marketing efforts coupled with the typically long sales and implementation cycle for its products, Intellicheck's ability to enforce its intellectual property rights, changes in laws and regulations applicable to the Company's products, the Company's continued ability to access government-provided data, the risks inherent in doing business with the government including audits and contract cancellations, liability resulting from any security breaches or product failure, and other risks detailed from time to time in Intellicheck's reports filed with the SEC (News - Alert) . We do not assume any obligation to update the forward-looking information. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180425005266/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 25, 2018] Adqlo Launches Social Media Statistic for Malaysia's 14th General Election PETALING JAYA, Malaysia, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Adqlo launched Social Media Statistic for Malaysia's 14th General Election (GE 14). CEO of Webqlo, Ginz Ooi stated, "We aim to provide an open, transparent & neutral point of view to the public on the strategies of political parties and politicians to engage voters on social media." Adqlo, a social media analytic tool developed by Webqlo, offers insights to help the public understand how politicians and political parties interact with their target audience on social media by breaking down interaction components into a clean and understandable report, including: 1. Fans & Interactions 2. Content Type 3. Total Iteractions First, Adqlo categorize Politicians & Political Parties into total fans like and interactions on social media. With the content type distribution feature of all listed politicians & political parties, users are able to determine how active each candidates & parties are on social media. Depends on the level of response and engagement, users will also be able to determine how engaging politicians & political parties are on social media. Furthermore, users are able to see top posts from each party and this gives them a clearer picture on topics that resonates with people the most. As a result, users will have a clearer picture on which conversations or topics get the most attention from target audience. From 9th Apr 2018 - 9th May 2018, Adqlo is able to track the total interactions by measuring changes from any social profiles based on engagement and popularity to give users a better perspective. With this feature, users are able to use Adqlo for any content comparison to achieve better engagement and interactions with target audience on other business modules. All findings are accessible on www.adqlo.com/ge14, pertaining to each political social profile on Facebook. About Adqlo Adqlo is a social media analytics tool using Big Data Technology to improve social media marketing strategy. Adqlo enables the ability to Analyse, Monitor & Benchmark brands performance through major social media platforms including Facebook & Instagram. Learn more and sign up at www.Adqlo.com For further information, please contact: Francis Lee, Digital Marketing Specialist Francis.lee@webqlo.com Office: (03) 7734 7247 B-2-5, Pacific Place Commercial Center, Jalan PJU 1A/4, Ara Damansara, 47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20180425/2114843-1 SOURCE Webqlo [April 25, 2018] Edge Computing New Breakthrough Bridges the "Last Mile" for Industrial Internet HANNOVER, Germany, April 25, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- At the world's largest industrial fair HANNOVER MESSE 2018, more than 20 international organizations and leading industry vendors jointly announced the "Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) + OPC Unified Architecture (OPC UA)" smart manufacturing testbed covering six major industrial Internet scenarios. The stakeholders engaged in the testbed include the Alliance of Industrial Internet (AII), Avnu Alliance, Edge Computing Consortium (ECC), Fraunhofer FOKUS, Huawei, Schneider Electric, HollySys, National Instruments Corporation (NI), B&R Automation, TTTech, and Spirent Communications. Huawei's TSN switches provide highly reliable and ultra-low-latency industrial control network for the testbed. At the event, the testbed was demonstrated by simulating a range of real-life smart manufacturing conditions to show its key technical highlight -- TSN + OPC UA, which is the major driving force for new technologies such as predictive maintenance, data analytics, machine learning, and artificial intelligence (AI). TSN + OPC UA helps industrial companies enhance efficiency by reducing downtime, improving overall device efficiency, and reducing total cost of ownership (TCO). Smart manufacturing requires flexible production systems and cross-platform, cross-industry applications, however this demands large-scale real-time industrial communications networks which present significant challenges for operators. Launched at the HANNOVER MESSE 2018, the testbed complies with the OPC UA standards, ensuring that multiple devices from different vendors can easily collaborate with each other in a single system. The TSN testbed integrates Software-Defined Networking (SDN) technology to prioritize traffic ased on precise timing and transmit both real-time and non-real-time data over a single network. This enables connectivity and interoperability for machines, people, and things across the entire network and bridges the last mile for the industrial Internet. Huawei and several other pioneers have established the smart manufacturing testbed for six industrial Internet scenarios: TSN for Predictive Maintenance (by Huawei and AII), Motor Synchronization (by Huawei and NI), Racing-Car Game (by Huawei and HollySys), Plotter Motion Control (by Huawei and Linmot), LED synchronization (by Huawei and Schneider Electric), and OPC UA over TSN (by Huawei and B&R Automation). This testbed verifies the highly deterministic and low-latency nature of the TSN network in complex environments, and ensures strict synchronous motion control in industrial scenarios. Spirent Communication's test devices were used to generate TSN and non-TSN traffic, to prove the benefits brought by new industrial network architecture and services. "Since the introduction of Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) in the 1970s, industrial automation processes have been optimized significantly," stated Dr. Alexander Willner from Fraunhofer FOKUS. "The convergence of these operational technologies and modern information and communication technologies will fuel interesting and exciting innovations across the whole value chain. With OPC UA and TSN, we have two promising building blocks towards interoperable real-time information exchange in industrial domains. The scenarios demonstrated in our joint testbed showcase our respective technological advancements as we look to the future of digital networking." "In the future, tens of billions of devices will be connected to the Internet in the industrial sector. The traditional industrial Ethernet is unable to manage the huge volumes of data generated by these devices, and therefore a new architecture is required to deliver large bandwidth, high speed, and support for multiple protocols to enable massive connectivity," said Dr. Jesse Luo , European Solution & Product Management and Marketing Director of Huawei. "In the future, Huawei will help build an industrial Internet ecosystem by deepening cooperation with more organizations and vendors in the industry. These moves are part of Huawei's ongoing efforts to continuously optimize TSN technology and standards, achieve network-wide connectivity and interoperability enabled by the TSN network, and accelerate digital transformation of the entire industry." Huawei works with global partners to develop more efficient and smarter innovative digital industrial solutions for customers, making it possible to build new operational processes and infrastructural platforms for Industry 4.0. The solutions have helped more than 1,000 manufacturing companies worldwide enhance their production efficiency. HANNOVER MESSE 2018 will be held from April 23-27 in the Hannover Exhibition Center, Germany. Huawei's booth is located at D18 of Hall 6. For more information about Huawei's products and solutions to be highlighted at HANNOVER MESSE 2018, visit http://e.huawei.com/topic/hannovemesse2018-en/index.html. SOURCE Huawei [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 25, 2018] Smart Factory developer ulalaLAB raises $2M in Series A to strengthen its R&D and accelerate market expansion SEOUL, South Korea, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- ulalaLAB, an IoT development company, raised $2 million during its Series A, led by STIC Investment and MAGNA Investment. The lead investor in this round is one of the top venture capital firms in South Korea. Founded in 2011 as K-ICT Born2Global Centre's member company, ulalaLAB has since refocused its technological capabilities and grown into the most recognized Smart Factory Platform provider in South Korea with ever expanding local and international customer and partner portfolio. Now, it's raised Series A round to strengthen its technological capabilities through more R&D in AI and other areas, as well as to expand further in overseas market. Along with its angel and seed financing, the Series A brings ulalaLAB's total funding to about $3 million so far. ulalaLAB says its goal is to solve SME's manufacturing problems by providing cost effective, easy-to-implement solutions that effectively combine innovative technologies with humans at the center of everything. ulalaLAB's WimFactory platform enables SMEs and even large enterprise manufacturers to digitalize their production, enabling factories to gain instant access to real time data by capturing, analyzing and displaying operations data from all types of sensors surrounding the production line, even in old and outdated equipment, allowing better and more informed decision making. Hakju Kang, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of ulalaLAB said, "The time was right for ulalaLAB to raise again because its WimFactory platform is already implemented in dozens of SMEs and Large factories in South Korea and with ever increasing demand from abroad - overseas markets cannot wait." Nike and Adidas shoes OEM/ODM factories in Vietnam, Indonesia and mainland China already implemented the WimFactory platform in their everyday operations. ulalaLAB recently signed $16 million overseas export deal to expand the business further into Taiwan, mainland China, Thailand and Indonesia markets. ulalaLAB is focusing now more on predictive maintenance, developing and implementing more advanced algorithms to detect abnormalities in production early on. Besides that, the company is dedicated to making its platform as easy to implement and operate as possible. For more detailed information on ulalaLAB, visit www.ulalalab.com Media Enquiries: Jina Lee jlee@born2global.com Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20180425/2113315-1-a Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20180425/2113315-1-b Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20180425/2113315-1-c SOURCE K-ICT Born2Global Centre [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 25, 2018] Agenda Announced for Inside 3D Printing Conference & Expo Seoul SEOUL, South Korea, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Legendary industry figures confirmed to speak at Inside 3D Printing Seoul include Avi Reichental, Founder & Chairman, Xponentialworks (former President of 3D Systems); Maurizio Costabeber, CTO, DWS; Byoung-Bag Lee, Senior Vice President, Sindoh; Terry Wohlers, Principal Consultant and President, Wohlers Associates; Michelle Baek, Director of Asia Sales, 3D Systems. Rising Media hosts the Inside 3D Printing Conference & Expo, a globally-renowned event that takes place in major cities around the world and serves as a gathering place for all the innovators and disruptors in the additive manufacturing industry. Inside 3D Printing Seoul has become one of the most influential events in the worldwide series in just 4 years. Rising Media has just announced the schedule for the upcoming Inside 3D Printing Conference & Expo Seoul, which will be held June 27-29 in KINTEX (Seoul), Korea. With the theme of 'New Era of Advanced Manufacturing', the conference will bring together over 40 industry experts to present on the latest AM applications, materials, processes and research. The agenda for the event has been announced, and there's a lot to look forward to as it approaches. "You'll hear from the most influential leaders in the industry about how 3D technologies can cut costs, reduce time to market, produce stronger and lighter parts, improve efficiency, ceate complex geometries, and solve many other challenges," said Christoph Rowen, Managing Director, Rising Media Asia-Pacific. The industry has been continuing to increase the focus on adoption and advancement of metal 3D printing, which is why Inside 3D Printing Seoul is making it easier than ever for conference attendees to find the presentations related to metals, like the Advances in Metal 3D Printing -- From Prototyping to Mass Production presentation, by Desktop Metal. One of the other fastest-growing areas of application for 3D printing technology is biomedical. South Korea is well-known for its advanced medicine and biomedical 3D Printing is actively used in various cases. "YB Kim, Project Manager, says, "From manufacturing of end-use surgical devices and personalized implants, to bone scaffolds and functioning organ replacements, 3D printing is changing our lives. At the conference, you can explore in-depth sessions covering design and manufacture of implants, dental devices, tissues and more using a variety of additive manufacturing technologies." Additional speakers include: Peter Rogers , Additive Manufacturing Product specialist, Autodesk Netfabb , Additive Manufacturing Product specialist, Autodesk Netfabb Alex Lalumiere , Director of APJ Client Sales, HP , Director of APJ Client Sales, HP Stephan Beyer , CEO of BigRep GmbH , CEO of BigRep GmbH Dermot Desmond , Sales Manager of LPW Technology , Sales Manager of LPW Technology Amit Dror , CEO & Co-Founder, Nano Dimension , CEO & Co-Founder, Shamil Hargovan, CEO, Wiivv In-hyuk Hwang, Technical Director, MSC Software Seok Jin Youn , Head of Digital Supply Chain and Manufacturing Division, SAP , Head of Digital Supply Chain and Manufacturing Division, SAP Ilyong Jung , Sales Manager, GE Additive , Sales Manager, Chun Kit Kan , APAC Regional Director, Desktop Metal , APAC Regional Director, Desktop Metal Youngjun Kim , Principal Researcher, Korea Institute of Science and Technology , Principal Researcher, Korea Institute of Science and Technology Daejung Kim , Process R&D Director, InssTek , Process R&D Director, InssTek Tony Kim , Director, Hepzibah , Director, Hepzibah Seung-chul Lee, Territory Technical Manager, Dassault Systemes Tamer Mohammed, President & CEO, Aspect Biosystems Mohsen Seifi , Director of Additive Manufacturing Programs, ASTM International , Director of Additive Manufacturing Programs, ASTM International Shri Shetty , CEO, Printerprezz , CEO, Printerprezz Kyu Won Shim , Medical Doctor, Severance Hospital , Medical Doctor, Severance Hospital Junyoung Lim , Manager, CGBio, Inc. , Manager, CGBio, Inc. Jin-Hyung Shim Assistant Professor, Korea Polytechnic University Mike Vasquez , CEO, 3Degrees Inside 3D Printing is proud to have PR Newswire as the Official News Distribution Partner. Inside 3D Printing Seoul, hosted by Rising Media, will be held at Korea International Exhibition Center (KINTEX) on June 27-29. It starts in just 2 months, so make sure to register at www.inside3dprinting.com/seoul or contact inside3dprinting@kintex.com for more detailed information. Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20180425/2114584-1 SOURCE Rising Media [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 25, 2018] Commercial Real Estate - Digital Opportunities in a Shifting Industry MANILA, Philippines, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Technology is poisoned to bring change to the Philippine real estate industry. Access to data for business decision making is one aspect of the ongoing digitalization of the industry and seems to be the most critical in the coming years. Like other industries in the past, this offers opportunities for early adopters to move ahead of the pack and gain a competitive advantage, especially as the market is tightening. And good news, it will enhance the collaborative experience between two of the industries' main stakeholders -- landlords and brokerage firms. The Urban Land Institute (ULI) Philippines launched its Property Technology ("PropTech") series last Friday with the headline topic: "Digital Opportunities in a Shifting Industry." Real estate industry leaders shared their thoughts on the current challenges and how tech can solve them. The expert roundtable panel was moderated by Eric Manuel, Vice President & Head of Real Estate at Primeiro Partners and attended by Raymond Rufino, Co-President of The Net Group; Antton Nordberg, CEO of Talox; and Morgan McGilvray, Senior Director of Tenant Representation at Santos Knight Frank. The evening started with an overview of PropTech -- the evolution from 1.0 to 3.0, which is the progress in property related technology from property listings sites to complex platforms that digitalize entire workflows. On the other hand, 3.0 is the future with smart contracts and blockchain being some of the buzzwords circulating; however, these technologies are still in an early stage, so the current tech adoption of the industry is focused around connectivity, data accessibility, and industry collaboration. When asking about the market adoption of technology, Antton Nordberg, former head of research at the Savills affiliate office, now Chief Executive Officer of Talox, a commercial leasing and asset management software commented, "PropTech is still in a very early stage in the Philippines, a few landlords/developers are using enterprise solutions. But enterprise solutions are internal systems, rather than a market-driven platform. And that's where Talox comes in, we provide an ecosystem for the key stakeholders in the commercial real estate industry, landlords and brokers alike. Effectively Talox operates side-by-side with enterprise solutions, so it's users can have the both of best world -- dynamic market information and ERP solutions -- because I think both address very critical needs of any real estate investor." Raymond Rufino shared his many years of industry experience. "Since the 90s, most property companies have used Microsoft Office as their primary software tool. And for most professionals, a majority of the data is not sitting anywhere exciting." Then he added, "At most, the bigger companies are running some ERP, which is mostly accounting and finance. But anyowner/developer who does not start using a platform like Talox is going to lose out on opportunities - leasing teams will be missing deals, and tenants will likely favor developers that are using suitable technology because deals are being managed more professionally and efficiently." Morgan McGilvray, the representative from the brokerage firm SKF shares the same sentiment, "Regretfully most information is locked away in some excel spreadsheet, which doesn't really offer a dynamic solution and makes collaboration quite challenging." Buds Wenceslao, one of the attendees and who is the Managing Director of Aseana Holdings Inc. that built and manages more than 80,000 square meters of Grade A office space in the Bay City adds, "It surprises me that after all these years, it still takes one to two days to gain access to specific internal portfolio information and often longer for critical market information, hence I am really looking forward to gain real-time access to information such as prevailing net effective rents and demand drivers." Also discussed was the common fear of technology replacing the middleman, in this case, the real estate brokers. Tyler Station, Chief Commercial Officer of Talox, believes, "In fact, the right technologies will foster collaboration and free up brokers from manual and repetitive tasks so they can focus on relationships while accessing information in real-time. Eventually, technology will push brokers to higher value activities, more in an advisory role." And when asked about their two-year outlook, they mutually agreed that data will be impacting the industry the most. Because the ongoing digitalization will enhance the access to data and lift the level of collaboration, Raymond Rufino thinks, "We are moving towards a time where owners and developers will take data collection really seriously. Currently, a lot of developers, owners, and managers are only collecting tiny bits of data, but I believe over the next two years real estate companies will collect larger amounts of data, more data points across everything from building performance to leasing flow to market information. Most Philippine real estate companies have not really explored the value of collecting, analyzing, and acting on data. While companies in the US or Europe have been doing this for a long time, we are just barely scratching the surface of that locally." Real estate market participants need to give up on the idea that data itself brings value to their buildings and portfolios - the value creation comes from transparency. The more transparent the market, the lower the cap rates / higher the real estate values. Hence technology is the tool for driving their building values. Antton Nordberg's agreed, "It's the data collection and digitalization, and basically getting on record everything you are doing, and trying to measure your business." Raymond concludes, "We should be encouraging more technopreneurs to start thinking about how we can solve the big problems that we have with technology, we are already starting to see a lot of young guys exploring really interesting solutions for our industry. In the case of Talox, it is really exciting because it is built by former real estate professionals directly for the commercial real estate industry." Antton acknowledges, "It is very valuable that organizations like the ULI are organizing events like PropTech, as they support the ongoing educational process in the industry. Ultimately, it's not a matter of is it going to happen, but rather it's a matter of how quickly it will happen. Because we have seen it in other markets and industries, the ones who adapt quickly gain the advantage, and the ones missing out will be left behind." About ULI Urban Land Institute (ULI) is a nonprofit research and education organization supported by its members. Its mission is to provide leadership in the responsible use of land and in creating and sustaining thriving communities worldwide. Founded in 1936, the institute has now more than 40,000 members worldwide representing the entire spectrum of land use and real estate development disciplines, working in private enterprise and public service. Across Asia Pacific and Japan, the Institute has more than 1,800 members, with a particularly strong presence in Hong Kong, Greater China, Japan, Southeast Asia, and Australia. The regional office is headquartered in Hong Kong, with a satellite office in Tokyo, and active district councils in key gateway cities in the region such as Manila, Shanghai, Singapore and Sydney.Visit the Asia Pacific website asia.uli.org/ About Talox Talox is an independent cloud-based real estate platform that digitalizes and optimizes commercial leasing & asset management workflows and data analytics. It helps owners and agents of office spaces collaborate, and to unlock value in their real estate portfolios. The long-term vision of the PropTech venture is to fully digitalize the commercial real estate industry, and to create a real-time exchange. Founded by commercial real estate professionals, the software application is designed for the current and future needs of the industry, fostering collaboration and data driven decision making. For more information visit talox.com SOURCE Talox [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 25, 2018] Red Box Recorders Selects AINEO Networks as Distributor in Japan and Korea TOKYO, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Red Box Recorders a leading global provider of cloud and premise-based voice and data recording solutions, announced today the selection of AINEO Networks as their authorised distributor in Japan and Korea for selling, installing, maintaining and supporting Red Box Recorders systems nationwide. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/682437/Red_Box_Recorders_Logo.jpg ) (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/682438/AINEO_Networks_Logo.jpg ) Founded in Tokyo, Japan in 1997, AINEO Networks is Japan's leading distributor of cutting edge technology. Best known for supporting airlines, financial institutions, hospitality, dealing rooms and omni-channel contact centers in Japan with the best technology products, AINEO Networks is also known for localizing and introducing both North American and European technology software and hardware products into the Japan market. Peter White, General Manager of APAC at Red Box said, "AINEO Networks offers technical depth and market know-how in the world's third largest conomy. We look forward to employing their experience in engaging both our global customers as well as developing this growing market." Spencer Wolfe, Managing Director at AINEO Networks commented, "Our team is very excited to take up the challenge of rolling out more Red Box Recorders products into Japan and Korea. Many companies sell voice recording for the enterprise but not many do it as well as Red Box.We look forward to demonstrating the importance of having the solid voice recording and security that Red Box offers into Japan ." About Red Box Recorders Red Box Recorders is a leading provider of communication recording solutions to store, retrieve, and analyse voice, IM, video and data for policy and legal compliance, fact verification, business investigation and quality monitoring. The company's Quantify Recording Suite is trusted by leading organisations across financial, contact center, government and public safety sectors, including the world's top 6 banks, 85% of global interdealer brokers and nearly 70% of UK police forces. Designed to be reliable, easy to use and swift to deploy, Quantify integrates seamlessly with established telephony, UC, mobile, trading, radio and contact centre platforms to deliver the reliability and functionality needed to meet strict compliance regulations and standards around the world. Red Box has offices in the UK, USA, Hong Kong and Singapore and is supported by a global network of partners to deliver high levels of service and support. Visit http://www.redboxrecorders.com. About AINEO AINEO Networks is an engineering firm, communications service provider (CSP), and a technology firm based in Tokyo Japan. AINEO (eye-neh-o) was founded in 1997 by engineers from AT&T and NEC. Besides rolling out Japan's fastest growing phone service, AINEO has helped introduce several brands into the Japan market for software, telecom, WIFI, and session border controllers. Some of these brands include as GFI Software, ShoreTel, Mitel, Snom, and Audiocodes. AINEO's mantra is to be BQF or bright, quick, and flexible in business from the young new hire player to the CEO. Red Box Recorders and the Red Box logo are registered trademarks of Red Box Recorders Innovations Limited. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 26, 2018] MDxHealth Announces Positive Clinical Updates for ConfirmMDx NEWS RELEASE REGULATED INFORMATION MDxHealth Announces Positive Clinical Updates for ConfirmMDx ConfirmMDx included in the 2018 EAU Guidelines for Prostate Cancer Publication of ConfirmMDx Validation Study in African American Men IRVINE, CA, and HERSTAL, BELGIUM - 07:00 CEST, April 26, 2018 - MDxHealth SA (Euronext: MDXH.BR) today announces two positive clinical developments for its ConfirmMDx for prostate cancer test. In line with its strategy to drive greater adoption, MDxHealth is pleased to announce the inclusion of ConfirmMDx in the 2018 European Association of Urology (EAU) guidelines. The EAU guidelines assist clinicians in making informed treatment decisions, taking into account the available scientific data. The inclusion of ConfirmMDx in the EAU guidelines will facilitate adoption of the test in EU member State-specific guidelines. Recently, urologists in several European countries have expressed interest in ConfirmMDx, and the Company has decided to pursue CE marking to enable sale of the test in Europe through selected partners. The company completed a multicenter validation study demonstrating the utility of ConfirmMDx in African American men at risk of aggressive cancer missed by prostate biopsy. The paper entitled "Evaluation of an Epigenetic Assay for Predicting Repeat Prostate Biopsy Outcome in African American Men" was published in the journal Urology (The Gold Journal). The study population consisted of 211 African American men from seven urology centers across the U.S. ConfirmMDx was shown to successfully identify African American men who had received false-negative biopsy results. Upon repeat biopsy, 38% of subjects with a previous negative diagnosis were diagnosed with prostate cancer, of which 33% were harboring high-grade disease (Gleason Score > 7). Importantly, ConfirmMDx's clinical performance was equivalent to published studies that were conducted in primarily Caucasian populations. When the test was negative, it yielded a 94% negative predictive value for ruling out aggressive prostate cancer, consistent with previously reported results. "African American men have the highest incidence of prostate cancer and are roughly 1.6 times more likely to develop the disease than Caucasians and 2.7 times more likely than Asian Americans, because their cancer behaves differently on a molecular level, we do not yet have a tool to safeguard against potentially fatal false-negative results," said Dr. Robert Waterhouse MD, study investigator and urologist at Consortium on Disparities in Urologic Conditions, Memphis, Tennessee, US. "Te findings from this study are critical because they demonstrate the applicability of this test for this high-risk population who may harbor more aggressive disease. It's encouraging that ConfirmMDx provides consistently accurate results across ethnic groups." "This study clearly demonstrates that ConfirmMDx is a valuable tool for the risk stratification of African Americans, who have a greater risk for aggressive prostate cancer," said Dr. Jan Groen, CEO of MDxHealth. "Moreover, inclusion of ConfirmMDx in the EAU guidelines is another important milestone for MDxHealth, and provides further recognition of the test's clinical value." About ConfirmMDx for Prostate Cancer ConfirmMDx for Prostate Cancer is the first epigenetic, and only tissue-based test in the 2016 NCCN Guidelines for early detection of prostate cancer which addresses false negative biopsy concerns. It is the only molecular diagnostic test that provides a very high negative predictive value (NPV) of 96% for clinically significant prostate cancers, and 90% NPV for all prostate cancers, as well as prostate mapping of the test results to help guide repeat biopsies. Each year, more than 1 million American men undergo an invasive prostate biopsy with a negative result, however approximately 30% of those men have prostate cancer. The current standard of care for prostate biopsy procedures samples less than 1% of the prostate, leaving men at risk for undetected cancer and leading to a high rate of repeat biopsies, even on cancer-free men. ConfirmMDx for Prostate Cancer helps urologists identify low-risk men who may forego an unnecessary repeat biopsy and high-risk men who may benefit from intervention. ConfirmMDx has qualified for Medicare reimbursement and covered by numerous private health insurance plans. About MDxHealth MDxHealth is a multinational healthcare company that provides actionable molecular diagnostic information to personalize the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. The company's tests are based on proprietary genetic, epigenetic (methylation) and other molecular technologies and assist physicians with the diagnosis of urologic cancers, prognosis of recurrence risk, and prediction of response to a specific therapy. The Company's European headquarters are in Herstal, Belgium, with laboratory operations in Nijmegen, The Netherlands, and US headquarters and laboratory operations based in Irvine, California. For more information, visit mdxhealth.com and follow us on social media at: twitter.com/mdxhealth, facebook.com/mdxhealth and linkedin.com/company/mdxhealth. For more information: MDxHealth Dr. Jan Groen, CEO US: +1 949 812 6979 BE: +32 4 257 70 21 info@mdxhealth.com LifeSpring LifeSciences Communication, Leon Melens NL: +31 6 538 16 427 lmelens@lifespring.nl Consilium Strategic Communications Amber Fennell, Chris Welsh & Hendrik Thys UK: +44 20 3709 5701 mdxhealth@consilium-comms.com This press release contains forward-looking statements and estimates with respect to the anticipated future performance of MDxHealth and the market in which it operates. Such statements and estimates are based on assumptions and assessments of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which were deemed reasonable but may not prove to be correct. Actual events are difficult to predict, may depend upon factors that are beyond the company's control, and may turn out to be materially different. MDxHealth expressly disclaims any obligation to update any such forward-looking statements in this release to reflect any change in its expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based unless required by law or regulation. This press release does not constitute an offer or invitation for the sale or purchase of securities or assets of MDxHealth in any jurisdiction. No securities of MDxHealth may be offered or sold within the United States without registration under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or in compliance with an exemption therefrom, and in accordance with any applicable U.S. securities laws. NOTE: The MDxHealth logo, MDxHealth, ConfirmMDx, SelectMDx, AssureMDx, PredictMDx and UrNCollect are trademarks or registered trademarks of MDxHealth SA. All other trademarks and service marks are the property of their respective owners. Attachment MDxHealth_Confirm_EAU _EN.pdf [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 26, 2018] Vistra doubles international expansion services business with acquisition of US-market leader Radius HONG KONG, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Vistra, one of the world's leading providers of international incorporations, trust, fiduciary, private office and fund administration services, today announced it has entered an agreement to acquire Radius, a specialist US-based provider of international expansion services. Vistra is acquiring Radius from the private equity firm Hg. The transaction doubles Vistra's International Expansion Services (IES) business, making it a market leader in IES services, including the number one market position in the USA. Vistra's IES business helps clients navigate expansion into new markets, including establishing offices, obtaining the necessary licensing to operate in foreign markets and ongoing services, such as compliance and payroll. Radius, headquartered in Boston with offices across the United States and in the United Kingdom, India, China, Singapore, Brazil and the Netherlands, provides managed services, advisory services and OverseasConnect, its integrated cloud-based software platform, to more than 500 clients operating in 80 countries. The firm has 880 employees globally. Radius is led by CEO Stephen M. Chipman, who will become the Group Managing Director of Vistra's IES business. Following the acquisition, Vistra will have a global IES team of 1,300 employees and a support network of over 3,300 staff, operating in over 70 offices and 40 jurisdictions. Martin Crawford, CEO of Vistra, said: "The Radius team has developed a highly successful global business, which is a natural fit with Vistra's IES operations. Joining forces means our clients will have the highest quality people, technology and processes to help them grow with confidence when they are expanding internationally. We are delighted to welcome Stephen and his team to the Vistra family." Stephen Chipman, CEO of Radius, said: "The combination of Vistra and Radius creates a leading global provider of quality international expansion services. Vistra is the ideal partner for Radius given our values and culture align so closely. We are excited about the future opportunities for our clients and employees." Radius will be rebranded under the Vistra brand following completion of the transaction. Annex: Biographies Martin Crawford, Chief Executive Officer of Vistra, joined the OIL Group as CEO in 2009, and led the successful merger of OIL with Vistra in 2011. As the CEO, Martin leads the firm towards its aspiration to become the 'best in breed' among the global players in terms of client opinion and as a place to work. He is involved in managing the financial performance of the Group, the interactions with our majority shareholder and the setting and execution of the Group's strategy, with a specific focus on building relationships with strategic clients and M&A projects. Stephen Chipman, Chief Executive Officer of Radius, is a recognized global leader and experienced CEO with a lifelong passion for international business and successful global growth. Before joining Radius, Stephen capped his 34-year career with Grant Thornton as CEO in the U.S. where he led the $1.5 billion firm through the post financial crisis period, returning it to growth with double-digit increases in revenue and profitability. Prior to this role, Stephen was CEO of Grant Thornton in China where he headed the restructuring of start-up operations to create a national firm with more than 2,500 people in 17 offices. A U.S. and British citizen, Stephen is a certified public accountant in Illinois and Texas as well as a chartered accountant in England and Wales. He is based in the Radius Boston, MA headquarters. Editor Notes Ranked in the top four corporate service providers globally, Vistra is a versatile group of professionals, providing a uniquely broad range of services and solutions. Our capabilities span across company formations to trust, fiduciary, private client services, and fund administration. Vistra employs over 3,300 employees across over 40 jurisdictions. For more information, please visit www.vistra.com Media Contact: Vistra Sylvia Evans Sylvia.Evans@vistra.com +852 2848 0295 Radius Melinda Babin Melinda.Babin@radiusww.com +1 857 770 1767 Teneo Strategy Dan Chan Dan.Chan@teneostrategy.com +852 3655 0519 Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/682763/Vistra_Logo.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/682762/Martin_Crawford_Vistra_CEO.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/682764/Stephen_Chipman_Radius_CEO.jpg [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 26, 2018] Fiscal year 2017: TUV Rheinland continues growth strategy with investments in future-oriented topics COLOGNE, Germany, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The international testing service provider, TUV Rheinland, continued its ongoing healthy growth in the fiscal year 2017. TUV Rheinland's revenues increased in 2017 by EUR54 million or 2.8% to the current figure of EUR1.972 billion. Earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) at EUR130.6 million also posted the best figure in the company's 145-year history. The EBIT margin also inched up 0.2 percentage points to 6.6%. At EUR91.3 million, investments were at the level recorded in 2016. The average number of employees at TUV Rheinland over the course of 2017, expressed as full-time equivalents, increased to 19,924. It has since moved past the 20,000 mark. "2017 was a year of important moves. For three years, we have set the accent on improving profitability. For us this is more important than merely increasing revenues. As a result, we can make considerable investments in important future markets and implement digitalization," said Dr. Michael Fubi, CEO of TUV Rheinland AG. This relates not only to the IT infrastructure and software, but also specifically the development of new services for the digital economy as well as investments in inspection technologies for networked "smart" devices and products. Dr. Fubi: "We are not yet completely satisfied with the result achieved so far -- especially with a view to some global competitors -- but we are on the right track. In a challenging industry environment we continued the successful growth trend of recent years." Our home market in Germany developed very positively in 2017. In Germany, TUV Rheinland's revenues climbed by EUR122 million to almost EUR1.1 billion, representing growth of 12.7%. On the other hand, outside Germany revenues decreased by 7% to EUR895 million. This was due particularly to what remains the difficult development in Brazil. Overall, at TUV Rheinland the international share of sales is currently 45%. Development in the business streams Traditionally Industrial Services, Mobility and Product Testing have a strong share in overall revenues, each generating approximately 25%. The revenue trend in the Product Testing business stream was again very good in 2017. Revenues increased by 1% to EUR524 million. The Mobility business stream generated revenues of EUR508 million (+4.4%). One of the key factors here was very good growth in the Vehicle Inspections and Driving Tests business areas. In the Industrial Services business stream, revenues moved down slightly by 3.4% to EUR503 million, mainly due to the weakness of the Brazilian market. In Industrial Services, business was positive in Germany, China and Korea. The Academy & Life Care business stream with the services of professional qualification and corporate health management developed in a very pleasing fashion. Revenues rose by a moderate 3.2%, but significant progress was achieved in terms of the business stream's earnings in particular. In the ICT & Business Solutions business stream, TUV Rheinland posted a revenues upturn of almost EUR8 million or 5.8% to EUR139 million. The acronym ICT stands for Information and Communication Technology. This business stream bundles cyber security and telecommunications infrastructure services. The Systems business stream considerably improved its results with services for the certification of management systems. Revenues surged by 22.5% to more than EUR200 million. This was due to various reorganizational measures, which included sales, and to considerable growth with services in the accreditation business. This includes auditing in line with global standards for quality management, environmental management systems, IT security or occupational health and safety. Further improving appeal as an employer The good market trend in Germany is also reflected in workforce numbers. The number of mployees in Germany rose by 218 to 8,504 full-time equivalents. Beyond the borders of Germany, headcount increased only slightly by 35, as the more than 300 additional jobs outside Germany were offset by job cuts in Brazil. The Group is currently seeking staff for over 400 vacancies. To increase the appeal as an employer and to convince applicants has become important for TUV Rheinland in many career areas. "To find meaning in one's own work -- this is what drives TUV Rheinland employees the world over. Their high motivation and comprehensive expertise create value and establish the foundation for our success," stated Ruth Werhahn, member of the TUV Rheinland AG Executive Board and responsible for Human Resources affairs since April 2018. Just how important meaningful work is is shown in a representative survey of the Civey opinion research institute among over 12,000 people in Germany in April this year. Questioned about what most strongly characterizes a good employer, 26.2% responded the balancing of family, leisure and career. Almost 19% stated job security and over 16% purposeful and varied work. Good development opportunities (11.8%) were ranked higher than good remuneration (9.5%). Ruth Werhahn: "Employees at TUV Rheinland can develop their knowledge and abilities for the whole of their professional career -- just as technologies are developing. This is what makes TUV Rheinland unique as an employer." In order to further increase its appeal as an employer, the topics of diversity and variety are an important element of the corporate culture at TUV Rheinland. People from 110 nations are working within the company. Gender equality, increasing the number of women in the workforce (currently 15% in management committees, 37% overall), the integration of experienced older employees and the exchange with new specialists is also part of diversity at TUV Rheinland. Stable financial situation and investments at the level of the previous year TUV Rheinland's equity increased by almost EUR13 million from EUR346 million to EUR359 million in the 2017 fiscal year. The equity ratio improved from 18.4% to 20.1%. Cash flow from operating activities in 2017 was stable at almost the level of the previous year. It was EUR161.8 million in the past fiscal year after EUR163 million in 2016. As in the previous years, TUV Rheinland made considerable investments in its future viability again in 2017. At EUR91 million, investments were at the level recorded in 2016. The focal points were various software and digitalization projects, the expansion of inspection capacity and developing new testing laboratories, especially in Asia, and completion of the expansion and energy renovations at our Group headquarters. In April 2017, the renovated high-rise building started being used again. Around EUR10 million was invested in new testing labs, particularly for energy efficiency, electromagnetic compatibility and chemical testing. A highlight here was opening the new state-of-the-art laboratory center in Bangalore, India in October 2017 that has 14,000 square meters of space and employs some 300 staff. Further focus areas for investments included wireless and cyber security. TUV Rheinland currently has eight laboratories for testing radio technologies and wireless standards. Such investments in future-oriented technologies and new testing capacity are needed internationally on the market. Our main investment activities also include the expansion of IT infrastructure at TUV Rheinland itself and the purchase of specialized testing software. The performance of the IT infrastructure was strengthened particularly by means of investments in improved hardware, increased server capacity, and more efficient telecommunications equipment. Digitalization changes and extends traditional inspection business For TUV Rheinland, a look into the future is positive. It is true that digitalization would radically change the inspection business in numerous fields and industries, but at the same time it would extend it. Dr. Michael Fubi, CEO of TUV Rheinland AG, comments, "For our company, digitalization has several dimensions. First, the internal digitalization and automation of our processes, as well as the expansion of our IT infrastructure. Particularly for us as a 'people company,' digitalization is a question of the culture and skills of the people who work for us. Second, the digitalization of our existing services and customer interface for our customers and our business. And last but not least, we develop new services for the digital economy." Digitalization now reaches almost every area of life. This applies to the networking in billions of products and applications in the Internet of Things with the design of the smart home as well as to industrial production with Industry 4.0, the learning and working worlds, health care or infrastructure. Dr. Fubi, "In all areas, smart living has one thing in common - networking for the use of technologies requires collecting and exchanging data. No data, no digitalization. No networking, no smart solutions." Current incidents and discussions about social media platforms, the European General Data Protection Regulation, insecure networked consumer electronics or autonomous driving showed the wide range of the issues of cyber security, data protection and criminal practices. TUV Rheinland is reacting here in all areas of the inspection business. The international expert teams for cyber security, future mobility, and inspections in the Internet of Things are industry leaders. In 2017, the Center of Excellence IoT Privacy launched two new test marks for data protection for networked products and smart services. The experts are assuming that in as soon as five years every private household will have roughly 500 electric products and household devices connected to the Internet. It is particularly these "smart" devices which currently offer poor levels of protection. Attacks on critical infrastructures and government authorizations also make it clear just how great the damage can be for entire economies and states. In the middle of May 2018, for the fifth time TUV Rheinland will publish its global cyber security trends, analyzing such topics and technical trends. Dr. Fubi, "We take our responsibility for the safety of people, technology, and the environment very seriously. For almost 150 years, we have been accompanying technical innovations, creating greater quality of life and are the engine of a modern society. It is here we see our mandate for the future. All indicators are pointing to the fact that our work will change very significantly, but that our role as an independent testing organization will remain indispensable." The 2017 TUV Rheinland annual report can be found online at www.tuv.com/corporatereport. TUV Rheinland is a global leader in independent inspection services, founded 145 years ago. The group maintains a worldwide presence of more than 20,000 people; annual turnover is nearly EUR 2 billion. The independent experts stand for quality and safety for people, technology and the environment in nearly all aspects of life. TUV Rheinland inspects technical equipment, products and services, oversees projects, and helps to shape processes and information security for companies. Its experts train people in a wide range of careers and industries. To this end, TUV Rheinland employs a global network of approved labs, testing and education centers. Since 2006, TUV Rheinland has been a member of the United Nations Global Compact to promote sustainability and combat corruption. Website: www.tuv.com SOURCE TUV Rheinland Singapore Pte Ltd [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 26, 2018] IROOTECH signs cooperation agreements for the entry of the IIoT platform ROOTCLOUD in Europe HANNOVER, Germany, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Irootech, a leading Chinese supplier of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) platform, announced that it had expanded the presence of its global IIoT platform Rootcloud to the European market. At Hannover Messe 2018, Irootech signed cooperation agreements with international partners to shape its IIoT ecosystem in Europe. At a grand ceremony which took place at the Hannover Messe, Allen Liang, president of Irootech, signed the agreements along with Martin Knotgen, CEO of Putzmeister, Christoph Hoch, CEO of Munich Reinsurance Company, Greater China and Cristoff Martin, CMO of Telenor Connexion for IIoT cooperation. Technology experts of Honeywell also attended the ceremony as the partner of Irootech. Irootech's first European customer is Putzmeister, a worldwide known manufacturer of concrete pumps. To optimize the performance of its machines, Putzmeister develops the Rootcloud-based Machine Cockpit. "Together with our partner Irootech, we are able to provide our customers with real-time machine information that reduces down-time, improves the machine utilization and even prevents machine theft. In addition, the connectivity of our mchines allows Putzmeister to reshape and enhance the services we are offering to our customers. In this way, Irootech's technology enables Putzmeister to pursue our vision: Offer innovative solutions that create real value," Mr. Knotgen said. Irootech works together with several experienced and renowned partners to create the design for the ecosystem of its cloud. Its partner for cloud service is Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Norwegian company Telenor Connexion is Irootech's telecommunications service partner. "We are pleased to have got off to such a good start with such excellent partners," said Allen Liang, "We are certain that our customers can only benefit from this cooperation. With this cooperation-based ecosystem, Irootech will be able to offer its customers an even better service experience." Seth Ryding, Head of Region - APAC at Telenor Connexion, stated that the two companies have a common background of connecting devices which is a stable platform to move into new verticals and create new value for customers. Christoph Hoch further said "Irootech has very strong IoT capabilities and the open platform which enables partners along the value chain contributes to it, which is the key factor to corporate." More than 400,000 devices from 42 industries are connected to the Rootcloud. Irootech uses its extensive know-how in big data, artificial intelligence, blockchain, virtual reality and other innovative technologies to make operations safer and more efficient. Rootcloud customers receive secure services of the highest quality, which also meet all the legal requirements of the European market. Globalization is the trend of the development of Industrial Internet platforms. The new industrial Internet of Things model can not only realize the interconnection of everything, but also greatly enhance the production efficiency and reliability of enterprises in the industrial field, promote the development of eco-cooperation and provide a win-win development for the industry. "We are now providing service globally, and we have a truly global team to serve our clients around the world. Our three solutions now available on the market are: lease management, asset performance management, and service management" said Allen Liang. More information about "Rootcloud" and "Irootech" is available at www.Irootech.com View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/irootech-signs-cooperation-agreements-for-the-entry-of-the-iiot-platform-rootcloud-in-europe-300637044.html SOURCE Irootech [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 26, 2018] Alibaba Cloud Receives MySQL Corporate Contributor Award Alibaba Cloud, the cloud computing arm of Alibaba Group, has won the 2018 MySQL Community Awards: Corporate Contributor, which recognizes its contribution to the MySQL ecosystem, the world's most popular open source database. The award, presented earlier this week at the Percona (News - Alert) Live conference held in Santa Clara, California, is another accolade for the global cloud services provider. The award recognized Alibaba Cloud's contributions to the open source communities and its efforts to empower developers around the world in recent years. Today, more than one hundred thousand MySQL instances are running on ApsaraDB for RDS, Alibaba Cloud's relational database services. This is the second time Alibaba has received the coveted award from the MySQL community. In 2015, Alibaba Group became the first Asian company to be named a WebScaleSQL Contributor, alongside Facebook, Google (News - Alert) , Twitter and LinkedIn. The award is a 'from-the-community, by-the-community, and for-the-community' initiative and winners are selected by an independent and diverse group of MySQL members. "Alibaba Cloud authors AliSQL, a free and open source MySQL branch. They both take patches from various contributors, as well as providing Alibaba Cloud's own at-scale patches for the MySQL server, whih are innovative and disruptive. Alibaba Cloud has made an investment in MariaDB that will no doubt help in keeping the MySQL ecosystem competitive and thriving," MySQL said in an official statement. In March last year, Alibaba Cloud became a platinum sponsor of the MariaDB Foundation and a supporter of merging AliSQL patches into MariaDB. In September, Alibaba led a USD$27 million investment in MariaDB, to increase efforts in the development of open source database solutions and emerging technologies. Hong TANG, Chief Architect of Alibaba Cloud, said: "As a longtime contributor to MySQL and other open source communities, Alibaba Cloud has fostered a culture that encourages our teams to voluntarily contribute to various open source projects, either by sharing experiences or helping others to solve problems. We believe this truly represents the essence of open source development, where everyone can build on each other's knowledge as both a teacher and a student. By continuously contributing to bug-fixing and patch optimization for MySQL and other open source communities we can continue to make our technology inclusive." Since 2011, Alibaba Group has been actively involved in building open source communities, with the number of open source projects increasing every year. Currently, Alibaba has more than 150 on-going open source projects. Alibaba Cloud has been an active participant in global open source communities. It became a gold member of the Cloud Foundry Foundation earlier this month, and joined the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) as a platinum member and The Linux Foundation (News - Alert) as a gold member in 2017. For more information about Alibaba Cloud's open source projects, please click here. About Alibaba Cloud Established in 2009, Alibaba Cloud (www.alibabacloud.com), the cloud computing arm of Alibaba Group, is among the world's top three IaaS providers according to Gartner (News - Alert) , and the largest provider of public cloud services in China, according to IDC. Alibaba Cloud provides a comprehensive suite of cloud computing services to businesses worldwide, including merchants doing business on Alibaba Group marketplaces, start-ups, corporations and government organizations. Alibaba Cloud is the official Cloud Services Partner of the International Olympic Committee. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180426005634/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 26, 2018] GrayMeta Appoints Matt Eaton as General Manager of EMEA THOUSAND OAKS, Calif., April 26, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- GrayMeta, a leading provider of professional media players and metadata solutions for content owners, is proud to announce and welcome Matt Eaton as the companys General Manager of Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA). Based in London, England, Matt will play a key role in strengthening GrayMeta's global strategy and will oversee international business development, partner relationships and key accounts in EMEA. With over 20 years of experience, Matt has led initiatives and teams at media powerhouses such as BBC, Disney, Turner, Sky, WPP, Channel 4, UKTV, Foxtel, Virgin Media and others. His in-depth knowledge and experience in content supply chains, IP rights management, metadata, media asset management and broadcast operations has helped studios, broadcast networks, and publishers around the world use new technology to transform their content operations. Matt rings volumes of experience and knowledge to GrayMeta, enabling growth in vital markets, says Josh Wiggins, Chief Commercial Officer at GrayMeta. After seeing strong growth in US markets, GrayMeta is now positioned to accelerate growth in EMEA Matt will effectively grow the UK team and orchestrate the value of the GrayMeta Platform to organisations who are looking to leverage the power of machine learning and artificial intelligence. Most recently Matt led Cognizants broadcast media consulting practice where he oversaw strong revenue growth and delivered complex programs which dramatically increased revenue growth. In recognition of his achievements, Matt was awarded Global Consultant of the Year at Cognizant. Matt is also a frequent speaker at industry events and the co-chair of the MESA Content Localisation Council. I am excited to be joining GrayMeta at their time of expansion in the United States and internationally. Matt commented, Im looking forward to the opportunities of using the GrayMeta platform to bring the very latest machine learning and artificial intelligence capabilities to media operations across EMEA. About GrayMeta GrayMeta is a forward-thinking data company that powers automated metadata collection and represents a new way of extracting metadata across the enterprise. The GrayMeta Platform offers the freedom to extract, store, update and add intelligence to metadata which expands search-ability across more applications, turning information into valuable data. Media Contact: Mel Jensen Vice President, Design, Marketing & Communications mel.jensen@graymeta.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 26, 2018] LendUp Grows its Data and People Teams in Richmond, VA RICHMOND, Va., April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- LendUp, a fast-growing financial services firm for the emerging middle class, today announced key leadership hires in Richmond, VA, growing the office to include executives overseeing card operations, data and people. "We're a passionate team that's reimagining financial services for the 56 percent of America shut out by mainstream banking, and we're thrilled to be strengthening our ranks with such high caliber executives," said Eric Nelson, RVA-based VP of Customer Operations at LendUp. "Richmond, with its rich talent pool, is establishing itself as a fintech hub, and we're excited to be part of the growing community." LendUp was founded in San Francisco in 2012 and is the first venture-backed credit card company. The company is on a mission to provide anyone with a path to better financial health, offering better financial products for the emerging middle class -- many of whom have low credit scores, thin credit files, or income volatility. In 2016 the company opened its Richmond office to bolster its customer operations team. The Richmond team has significantly expanded over the last two years, and now has a workforce of more than 60 employees. In addition to being LendUp's center of customer operations, the office also has growing engineering, compliance, fraud, and business operations teams. Mike Lempner joined as Head of Data, and Patricia Wooten will join as People Operations business partner on May 7. Lempner has over 25 years of experience consulting at Fortune 500 firms and startups. He specializes in building data and analytic solutions and has expertise in data management and governance across multiple industries, including financial services, retail, CPG, telecommunications, media and defense. At LendUp he will work closely with business units and develop the data strategies, solutions, processes, platforms, and tools that meet their needs. Lempner holds a degree in Finance and Marketing from the University of Richmond. "The ability to harness internal and external data is table stakes for any financial services company," said Lempner. "Data not only supports operations and the servicing of customers, but is also a critical component and enabler for LendUp's mission of helping customers get on a path to better financial health. I look forward to using my experience with data, particularly with financial services and customer intelligence, to help provide LendUp with business capabilities that support our mission." Wooten brings more than a decade of Human Resources expertise, previously serving as Vice President of People at Hospital Corporation of America. She's also held various human resource operations roles at Coventry Health Care and Pitney Bowes focusing on culture, engagement, and talent acquisition. At LendUp, Wooten will provide HR support and guidance for the growing Richmond team, design HR processes and execute people programs and initiatives throughout the organization. Wooten earned her Bachelor's degree in Business Management from Southern Connecticut State University and is currently enrolled in Liberty University's MBA program. "LendUp's mission to expand financial inclusion really resonates with me, and the Richmond team plays a huge role in delivering it," said Wooten. "I couldn't be more excited to provide HR leadership for this talented group." About LendUp LendUp is a fintech company on a mission to redefine financial services for the emerging middle class the half of Americans shut out of mainstream banking due to poor or thin credit files. LendUp offers technology, credit and savings products, and educational experiences that haven't existed before, to help people build credit, save money and get on a path to better financial health. View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lendup-grows-its-data-and-people-teams-in-richmond-va-300636933.html SOURCE LendUp [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 26, 2018] Nintex Recognised as one of the UK's Best Workplaces in 2018 Employees applaud Nintex company culture for its transparency, accountability, and respect for one another LONDON, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Nintex, the world's leader in intelligent process automation (IPA), has been named to the UK's Best Workplaces ranking by Great Place to Work. This is the second year in a row where Nintex has been recognised by its United Kingdom-based employees as an organisation that promotes trust, camaraderie, and celebrates results. "We're thrilled to be continually recognised as a great place to work," said Nintex CEO Eric Johnson. "Our company runs on three core tenants: don't wait, deliver on commitments, and operate with respect. As our leaders and employees advocate and demonstrate these principles, Nintex will continue to flourish." Nintex was recognised in this year's medium category, designed for organisations with between 50-499 employees. The company currently employs more than 60 people in London and more than 400 globally, and ranked along with 66 other medium-sized UK organisations. UK's Best Workplaces ranking surveys employees (Trust Index), the results of which represent two-thirds of the company's fina score. The remaining third is the Culture Audit, a business-driven questionnaire that Great Place to Work uses to understand and evaluate the organisation's HR and leadership practices, policies, and culture. Nintex offers competitive salaries, flexible working environments, and generous employee benefits. The company has a solid track record of winning awards for culture and innovative IPA technology, including its cloud-first platform Nintex Workflow Cloud. To see open positions at Nintex offices including Australia, Dubai, United Kingdom, United States, and Malaysia, visit https://careers.nintex.com/. Media Contact Kristin Treat kristin.treat@nintex.com cell: (215) 317-9091 About Nintex Nintex is the world's leader in intelligent process automation (IPA) with more than 7,500 enterprise clients and 1,700 partners in 90 countries who have built and published millions of workflow applications. With its unmatched breadth of capability and platform support delivered by unique architectural capabilities, Nintex empowers the line of business and IT departments to quickly automate, orchestrate, and optimize hundreds of manual processes to progress on the journey to digital transformation. Nintex Workflow Cloud, the company's cloud platform, connects with all content repositories, systems of record, and people to consistently fuel successful business outcomes. Visit www.nintex.com to learn more. About Great Place to Work Great Place to Work UK is a consultancy specialising in workplace culture, helping organisations to create exceptional, high performing workplaces where employees feel trusted and valued. We help employers improve recruitment, retention and productivity by putting employees at the heart of the organisation, analysing what they think and feel and identifying the real issues that need to be addressed. Part of a global organisation, we apply data and insights from approximately 10,000 organisations across the world to benchmark individual performance and advise employers on how to continuously improve employee engagement and wellbeing and so help build and sustain business performance. We run the Best Workplaces awards to enable the organisations we work with celebrate their achievements, build their employer brand and inspire others to take action. Product or service names mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/680292/Nintex_UK_Great_Place_to_Work_2018_UK.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/257450/nintex_logo.jpg [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 26, 2018] Codewise Named One of 50 Most Valuable Brands of 2018 by The Silicon Review SANTA MONICA, Calif., April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Codewise, the industry's first provider of an AI-powered ad exchange, DSP, and online ad measurement and optimization platforms for digital marketers, announced today that it was named one of the 50 Most Valuable Brands of The Year 2018 by The Silicon Review. Published annually by The Silicon Review magazine, the list of the 50 Most Valuable Brands includes high-growth companies that are changing the technology industry by introducing breakthrough products and services. Ranked 14th on the list, Codewise is the technology pioneer that developed the first AI-powered ad exchange, DSP, and online ad measurement and optimization platforms available to digital marketers today. Because of the exponentially growing popularity of its products around the world, Codewise was named among the fastest-growing companies in Europe by the Financial Times in 2017 and 2018. "I am excited to see that Codewise has been recognized as one of the most valuable brands of 2018 by The Silicon Review magazine. Our team's relentless efforts to develop industry-leading ad exchange, measurement, and optimization platforms enabled us to become one of the fastest-growing technology companies in Europe and globally, and I am proud to see that this fact is now being acknowledged by influential publications around the world. Every member of the Codewise team contributed to this remarkable achievement, and we will continue to innovate and develop groundbreaking products and technologies to achieve even greater heights in the near future," said Robert Gryn, CEO and owner of Codewise. "Being recognized by the Financial Times among the FT 1000 fastest growing companies in Europe in both 2017 and 2018 and now as one of the most valuable brands of 2018 by The Silicon Review demonstrates once again that growing profitably by 16,900 percent since our first year of perations, and by an average of 290 percent annually, is not a coincidence but the outcome of reverse engineering the entire company around the needs of our customers. Our team leverages constant customer input to drive unabated product innovation and customer success excellence, ensuring a tight match between clients' expectations and product values. Our unconditional dedication to this blueprint naturally leads to customer adoption and satisfaction and results in exponential revenue growth," said Dr. John Malatesta, President and Chief Revenue and Marketing Officer at Codewise. The full profile of Codewise as one of the 50 Most Valuable Brands of The Year 2018 published by The Silicon Review can be found at http://thesiliconreview.com/magazines/the-place-where-talented-people-thrive-and-produce-great-products-codewise. About Codewise Codewise is a place where talent thrives. Since 2011 it has provided a collaborative environment that fosters creative solutions and growth, enabling it to build its flagship advertising technology platforms: Zeropark, a performance traffic exchange, and Voluum, the market-leading campaign tracker with an integrated native advertising Demand-Side Platform. Codewise is an entirely self-funded, venture-building company, headquartered in Krakow, Poland, with offices in London and Santa Monica. The company employs over 200 talented individuals and supports customers in 190 countries worldwide. www.codewise.com About Voluum Voluum is a full-stack marketing platform for all your performance analytics, tracking, optimization and media buying. The suite consists of the Voluum Tracker, the trusted leader in cross-screen performance tracking, and the integrated Voluum DSP, a next-generation native advertising Demand-Side Platform. Voluum is the go-to tool for optimizing and scaling your campaigns, featuring anti-fraud filtering, whitelisting and an outstanding reporting speed. Powered by a powerful proprietary database, since September 2014, Voluum has served thousands of SaaS customers in over 190 countries worldwide. www.voluum.com About Zeropark Zeropark is a performance traffic exchange connecting the advertisers, affiliates and media buying teams with high performance traffic sources, in Real-Time. It offers hand-picked traffic from parked domain redirects, Mobile App and Premium Pop. It features robust targeting options and powerful optimization tools bolstered by machine learning mechanisms, all in a user-friendly interface. Zeropark serves 150 million ad views every day. www.zeropark.com PR Contact: media@codewise.com View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/codewise-named-one-of-50-most-valuable-brands-of-2018-by-the-silicon-review-300636958.html SOURCE Codewise [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 26, 2018] Baylin Technologies Announces Release of its New Generation 600W C-Band Gallium Nitride (GaN) Technology Based Solid State Power Amplifier (SSPA)/Block-Up-Converter (BUC) for Ultra HD 4K/8K Broadcasting Applications TORONTO, April 26, 2018 /CNW/ - Baylin Technologies Inc. ("Baylin") (TSX: BYL) today announced that its subsidiary, Advantech Wireless Technologies Inc., ("Advantech"), has released its new generation 600W C-Band Gallium Nitride (GaN) technology based Solid State Amplifier (SSPA)/Block-Up-Converter (BUC) for ultra HD 4K/8K broadcasting applications. Mr. Cristi Damian, VP Business Development at Advantech Wireless Technologies, explains that "the new 600W C-Band GaN SSPAs/BUCs offer elevated linearity while supporting higher modulations of up to 256 APSK in a single compact unit. The enhanced linearity comes with no increase in size, weight or energy consumption thereby maximizing efficiency and reducing operational costs." "In an Ultra HD broadcasting environment, such as premium cable and satellite television networks, additional power is required in order to transmit higher modulation at a lower cost", described Mr. Randy Dewey, President and CEO of Baylin. "In recent field trials, these units were able to transmit 500 Mbps data over satellite with perfect video quality", clarified Mr. Dewey. Mr. Damian added, "The new generation GaN based SSPAs are designed for very high order modulation transmission, which will make Ultra HD 4K/8K broadcast over satellite more cost effecive. For example, if today's standard uses 8PSK with 3 bits/Hz efficiency on most HD video transmissions over satellite, using 256 APSK will allow 8 bits/Hz which is a 2.6 time increase in bandwidth efficiency." About Baylin Baylin (TSX: BYL) is a diversified leading global wireless technology management company. Baylin focuses on research, design, development, manufacturing and sales of passive and active RF products and services. We aspire to meet our customers' needs and anticipate the direction of the market. Forward-looking Information Cautionary Statement This news release contains statements that may constitute "forward-looking statements" or "forward looking information" under applicable securities laws, including statements relating to, the customers and potential sales of products by Baylin and assumptions regarding the future performance of Baylin. Certain statements made in this news release that are not historical facts are also forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements reflect management's current internal projections, expectations or beliefs and are based on information currently available to Baylin. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "may", "will", "should", "expect", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "predict", "potential", "continue" or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. A number of factors could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to those described under "Risk Factors" in Baylin's most recent annual information form, which is available on SEDAR. Baylin has made a number of assumptions in making forward-looking statements in this news release. Although management believes that the forward-looking statements contained herein are based on reasonable assumptions, an investor cannot be assured that actual results will be consistent with such statements. The forward-looking statements contained herein are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. Baylin cannot provide any assurance that forward-looking statements will materialize. The forward-looking statements included in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and Baylin undertakes no obligation to publicly update such forward-looking statements to reflect new information, subsequent events or otherwise except as may be required by applicable securities laws. SOURCE Baylin Technologies Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 26, 2018] BlackChain Solutions Inc. Signs LOI With DMG Blockchain Solutions Inc. to Bring P2P Lending to the Cryptocurrency Market VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- BlackChain Solutions Inc. (the "Company" or "Blackchain") (CSE: BIS), announced today that it has signed a letter of intent with DMG Blockchain Solutions Inc., (DMG) a TSX Venture Exchange listed company (TSXV:DMGI), to license DMG's Prometheus technology for deployment as part of BlackChain's P2P Lending Platform. Under the proposed license, BlackChain will retain exclusive rights for use of the technology for P2P Lending. DMG will be entitled to a royalty on commercial revenues generated by Blackchain using the technology. The parties intend to negotiate and finalize a definitive agreement by May 15th, 2018. Prometheus is one of the first browser-based blockchain technologies developed by a Silicon Valley-based leader in blockchain and artificial intelligence - Blockseer. Blockseer, which has expertise from Harvard and Stanford, was recently acquired by DMG early in 2018. The platform allows users to seamlessly connect on the blockchain via a traditional web browser, such as Chrome and Firefox. This drastically reduces the barriers to entry for blockchain participation. Daniel Reitzik, CEO and Director of DMG commented that, "We are extremely pleased to be partnering with BlackChain on their first commercial venture. Prometheus represents the next generation in blockchain technology, whose simplified, browser-based platform is opening up whole new markets in the cryptocurrency space. W hope that this LOI will be just the beginning in a growing relationship between DMG and BlackChain." Integrated with BlackChain's P2P Lending Platform, Prometheus opens the door to cryptocurrency asset lending for individuals, without the need of traditional banks. This opens up both sides of the trillion USD credit debt market to individual users. BlackChain's P2P Crypto-Lending Platform also provides users with the opportunity to leverage their existing cryptocurrency holdings to turning a static, speculative holding into a yield-bearing investment. Zayn Kalyan, BlackChain's Chief Technology Officer commented on this agreement: "DMG and Blockseer have developed a truly next-generation blockchain platform with Prometheus. As the crypto space matures, evolutionary approaches to system design will be the foundation for growth. Prometheus will enable BlackChain to deliver a cutting-edge product in our P2P Lending Platform. We look forward to working with DMG on other projects in the future." About BlackChain Solutions Inc. (CSE: BIS) ("BlackChain") BlackChain Solutions Inc. is a financial analytics and risk management company that is leveraging blockchain technology to transform lending for the rapidly emerging cryptocurrency economy. Building on an industry-proven credit-risk database and software platform, BlackChain provides the tools and services to bring cryptocurrency lenders and borrowers together, with confidence. BlackChain is a publicly-traded company listed on the Canadian Stock Exchange (CSE); trading symbol BIS (C.BIS or BIS.cn). For more information about our company please contact us at +1 (604) 602 0001 or visit http://www.blckchain.ca BlackChain Solutions Inc. Geoff Balderson CEO Forward-Looking Information This press release may include forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation, concerning the business and trading in the common stock of Blackchain Solutions Inc. Such information is based on assumptions made by the company's management. Although the company believes these assumptions are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking information because the company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release and the company disclaims any obligation to update publicly any forward-looking information, other than as required by applicable securities laws. The CSE has not reviewed, approved or disapproved the content of this press release Contact: +1-604-602-0001 or visit http://www.blckchain.ca [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 26, 2018] Cardiac Dimensions Announces $39 Million Series B Financing for Innovative Device to Treat Patients With Heart Failure Cardiac Dimensions, a leader in the development of innovative, minimally invasive treatments for patients with heart failure, today announced the company has closed a $39 million Series B financing. The round includes new investor, Australia-based Hostplus, venture debt from Oxford Finance LLC, as well as support from existing investors M. H. Carnegie & Co., Arboretum Ventures, Lumira Capital, LSP Health Economics Fund and Aperture Venture Partners. The financing will be used to continue to build clinical evidence for Cardiac Dimensions' Carillon Mitral Contour System for the treatment of functional mitral regurgitation (FMR) in patients with heart failure, including continuing The CARILLON Trial U.S. pivotal study and completing the follow-up and publication of the landmark randomized, double-blinded REDUCE FMR global study. The Carillon System is designed to offer physicians a safe and easy-to-use option to treat patients earlier in their disease diagnosis, including those with lesser degrees of FMR (2+ MR grade), to slow disease progression, and stabilize or improve quality of life. "Our clinical data and commercial experience suggest that the Carillon System offers a viable treatment option that addresses the underlying mechanical problem of FMR with a catheter-based alternative to medications and invasive surgery. This funding will provide the resources to complete and publish the landmark REDUCE FMR trial, continue to support enrollment in The CARILLON pivotal trial here in the U.S., and enhance our presence throughout world markets," said Gregory D. Casciaro, president and CEO of Cardiac Dimensions. "We welcome our newest investors to the team and are grateful to our returning investors for their continued support." Functional mitral regurgitation affects approximately seven million people in the United States, and occurs when the left ventricle of the heart is enlarged, dilating (stretching) the valve opening (annulus) and causing a backward flow of blood into the atrium. Left untreated, FMR contributes to heart failure - a chronic, progressive condition that weakens the heart and makes everyday activities difficult. The primary therapy for patients with this disease is to treat them with medical management. "Hundreds of thousands of people around the world, and an estimated 50,000Australians, have heart failure and FMR, and could benefit from treatment with the Carillon System," said David Elia, chief executive officer of Hostplus. "We are excited to work with Cardiac Dimensions to expand access to the Carillon System to patients in need, not only here in Australia, but across the globe." About Hostplus Hostplus is the national superannuation fund for those that live and love Australian hospitality, tourism, recreation and sport. The Australian Hotels Association and United Voice jointly established the fund in 1987. Hostplus is one of the largest in the country with over one million members, 170,000 employers and $30 billion in funds under management. About Oxford Finance LLC Oxford Finance is a specialty finance firm providing senior secured loans to public and private life sciences and healthcare services companies worldwide. For over 20 years, Oxford has delivered flexible financing solutions to its clients, enabling these companies to maximize their equity by leveraging their assets. In recent years, Oxford has originated over $4 billion in loans, with lines of credit ranging from $5 million to $100 million. Oxford is headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, with additional offices in San Diego, California; Palo Alto (News - Alert) , California; and the greater Boston and New York City areas. For more information, visit oxfordfinance.com. About the Carillon Mitral Contour System The Carillon Mitral Contour System is an innovative minimally invasive treatment for people diagnosed with FMR. The Carillon System is designed to offer physicians a safe and easy-to-use option to treat patients earlier in their disease diagnosis, including those with lesser degrees of FMR (2+ MR grade), to slow disease progression, and stabilize or improve quality of life. The Carillon System treats the dilated mitral annulus, the underlying mechanical problem of FMR, with a catheter-based alternative to medications and invasive surgery. Unlike other mitral regurgitation therapies, the Carillon System replicates traditional surgical standards through a simple, minimally invasive approach that offers patients annular reduction, while keeping adjunctive therapy options open. To date, more than 850 patients worldwide have been treated with the Carillon System. The Carillon System has CE Mark and is available in certain European markets as well as other key geographies including Turkey, the Netherlands and Italy. Clinical data from three completed international studies of the Carillon System (AMADEUS, TITAN, and TITAN II) have demonstrated the performance of the device. In addition, the company is completing the follow up period of the landmark REDUCE FMR Trial - the first randomized, blinded evaluation of a therapy for FMR. The results of the REDUCE FMR Trial are expected before the end of 2018. Additionally, The CARILLON Trial, the company's U.S. pivotal study, is currently enrolling participants. About Cardiac Dimensions Cardiac Dimensions is the leader in innovative, minimally invasive treatment modalities addressing the heart failure patient population. Left untreated, FMR contributes to heart failure - a chronic, progressive condition that weakens the heart and makes everyday activities difficult. The Carillon System addresses the underlying mechanical problem of FMR with a catheter-based alternative to medications and invasive surgery. Cardiac Dimensions has operations in Kirkland, Sydney, and Frankfurt, Germany. The Carillon Mitral Contour System is limited to investigational use in the U.S. For more information, please visit www.cardiacdimensions.com. Cardiac Dimensions, Carillon and Mitral Contour System are registered trademarks of Cardiac Dimensions. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180426005531/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 26, 2018] Robotic Assistance Devices Deploys SCOT Solution to Educational Campuses RENO, NV, April 26, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On the Move Systems (OTC PINK: OMVS) is pleased to announce that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Robotic Assistance Devices (RAD - www.roboticassistancedevices.com ), has deployed its latest guarding solution, the Security Control and Observation Tower (SCOT), to an educational campus to improve school safety and augment existing guarding services. SCOT, a standalone, remote, portable, self-sufficient intelligence observation tower designed to instantly expand an organizations security reach, was implemented at the request of the school that desires cost-effective and high-tech solutions to ensure the protection of its students. The SCOT unit increased guarding capabilities, allowing the school's security team to monitor students at night after traditional school hours were over while there were activities such as sporting events on campus. During this time, SCOT's help button was activated by a student whose phone had died and needed to get a hold of his parents. Through the help button, the student was connected to an operator who was able to call the parents and notify them that the child was waiting. Educational campuses make the perfect market vertical for SCOT as we've seen in this latest deployment, said Steve Reinharz, President and CEO, RAD. SCOT's ability to provide guarding services at a time when they would otherwise be cost-prohibitive or ineffective is a major upside for any school looking to increase its situational awareness of the campus and help keep its students safe. SCOT ads significant benefits to educational campuses by harnessing artificial intelligence that powers human detection analytics to expand a school's security reach. Implementing SCOT into a security team is considerably more affordable than any human or automated solution on the market. About RAD Robotic Assistance Devices (RAD) is an innovator in the delivery of artificial intelligence-based solutions that empower organizations to gain new insight, solve complex challenges and fuel new business ideas. Through its next-generation robotic product offerings, RAD can help organizations streamline operations, increase ROI and strengthen business. RAD robotics technology improves the simplicity and economics of patrolling and guard services, and allows experienced personnel to focus on more strategic tasks. Customers augment the capabilities of existing staffs and gain higher levels of situational awareness, all at drastically reduced cost. RAD robotic solutions are well suited for use in multiple industries such as enterprises, government, transportation, critical infrastructure, education and healthcare. To learn more, visit www.roboticassistancedevices.com or follow us on Twitter @RADbotsecurity. The company may post important information about its subsidiary RAD on its website at www.Robotic AssistanceDevices.com and through tweets from RAD President and CEO Steve Reinharz ( https://twitter.com/SteveReinharz ) CAUTIONARY DISCLOSURE ABOUT 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 the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements in this news release other than statements of historical fact are "forward-looking statements" that are based on current expectations and assumptions. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the statements, including, but not limited to, the following: the ability of On the Move Systems to provide for its obligations, to provide working capital needs from operating revenues, to obtain additional financing needed for any future acquisitions, to meet competitive challenges and technological changes, and other risks. On the Move Systems undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statement(s) and/or to confirm the statement(s) to actual results or changes in On the Move Systems expectations. Investor Relations: Everest Corporate Advisors Inc. Jack Thompson www.everestcorp.net 702-902-2361 [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 26, 2018] Strategic Hires for AdvancedMD Growing RCM Division SOUTH JORDAN, Utah, April 26, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AdvancedMD, the pioneer of Rhythm, a unified cloud platform of smart clinical, billing and patient applications that automate tasks for all roles in the practice and patients, appoints John Marron as Vice President and General Manager of the Revenue Cycle Management division. John Marron, Vice President and General Manager of the Revenue Cycle Management division at AdvancedMD. For nearly 25 years, Marron has led healthcare organizations to improve business performance through product innovation and operational efficiencies. In his new role at AdvancedMD, he will ensure superior claims processing through innovation and automation, backed by white glove client support. Independent practices are looking for an RCM partner they can trust who has the experience and insight to get them paid quickly, said Raul Villar, CEO at AdvancedMD. John is here to help relieve the burden of reimbursement, particularly under value based care, so physicians can focus on patients. Previously, Marron was Vice President of business development and product management for Gateway EDI, expanding its software and technology services division from the ground up. Marron also was responsible for assisting with the Gateway EDI acquisition by TriZetto Provider Solutions (a Cognizat Co.), as well as other acquisitions for the new company. Most recently, Marron served as CEO of inMediata Health Group, Charlotte, NC, focusing on leveraging technology to reconcile payments, remittances and deposits, and delivery of innovative solutions to reimbursement challenges. There, he improved operational efficiencies, accelerated business growth, and transformed the culture of people development while also bringing to market several new innovative RCM products. Previously, Marron gained deep payer experience during 10 years at Aetna, NYSE: AET where he led the team supporting electronic transactions with their provider network, achieving millions of dollars in savings each year. Maximizing revenue collections for our practice clients requires a deep understanding of what payers need, to process claims quickly and accurately, Marron explained. Im committed to applying our technology and expertise to ensure our clients get paid for their efforts to keep patients healthy. Also joining the AdvancedMD RCM leadership team reporting to Marron is Greg ONeil, Director of RCM Operations who is the former Operations Team Director for Intermountain Healthcare Revenue Cycle. Greg is a very progressive leader for revenue cycle. He brings EDI and claims processing expertise and has a great sense for cross-functional cooperation. Im excited for Gregs ability to produce exceptional service and bottom line results for our clients, said Marron. Marron holds a Masters degree in Business Administration from Temple University, Philadelphia, Pa. He is an active member of the industry, having served on the board of the Workgroup for Electronic Data Interchange (WEDI) from 2001-2002; as a Commissioner for the Electronic Healthcare Network Accreditation Commission (EHNAC) from 2003-2006; and presented at the MGMA annual conference in 2009, 2010 and 2012. About AdvancedMD AdvancedMD strives to be the community of choice for independent providers by delivering an integrated workflow and personalized service to ensure the health of every practice and their patients. AdvancedMD Rhythm, the companys complete integrated suite of cloud solutions includes practice management, electronic health records, telemedicine, patient relationship management, business analytics reporting, and physician-performance benchmarking all backed by expert practice advocates. AdvancedMD also offers full service revenue cycle management and serves an expansive national footprint of more than 27,000 practitioners across 8,500 practices and 600 medical billing companies. Visit www.advancedmd.com. Media contacts: Jim Elliot Chief Marketing Officer (801) 984-9500 jelliot@advancedmd.com Yuliya Kutuzava Account Director KNB Communications (203) 504-8230 ext. 131 ykutuzava@knbcomm.com A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://resource.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/5b967d4f-e579-4e45-bd49-05b1be0e70d1 [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 26, 2018] SYNERGY MEDSALES Releases OPTIC | SLIM Aesthetic Imaging Platform DALLAS, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- SYNERGY MEDSALES, a global leader in aesthetic device sales, has announced the official North American release of the OPTIC | SLIM advanced aesthetic imaging platform. This breakthrough skin analysis system allows aesthetic experts the convenience of a simplified consultation process to increase procedure bookings and product sales significantly. Utilizing several lighting techniques, including Ultraviolet and Polarized, the OPTIC | SLIM captures multiple photos and analyzes the results to uncover; pores, wrinkles, sebum, Porphyrins, UV damage, brown spots, age spots, skin texture, and pigmentation. This product advances the aesthetic imaging sector by providing one of the fastest image captures and analysis available on the market. This advancement in aesthetic imaging supports one of the first tablet displays pre-installed and synchronized to the imaging module. The slim and sleek design allow for more mobility. SYNERGY MEDSALES now offers their proprietary and exclusive CSP platform plug-ins with the device. These additions were derived from clinical trials and research with advocacy from op key opinion leaders in Dermatology and Plastic Surgery. It's time to increase your patients potential by providing the Real Selfie. Learn more about how the CSP and The OPTIC | SLIM can change a callback to a client and demo the revolutionary technology at any of the following exhibits in 2018: ICES Dallas May 6th & 7th IECSC Las Vegas June 23-25th The Aesthetic Show Las Vegas July 5th - 8th IECSC Fort Lauderdale October 21st & 22nd ICES Miami October 28th & 29th Austin JM Podowski, SYNERGY MEDSALES CEO comments, "We are ecstatic to release the OPTIC | SLIM into the North American market. This product allows aesthetic practices the ability to enhance consultations with 3x faster capturing modes, unlike existing bulky and antiquated tech, thus providing tangible evidence to the patient of underlying harmful skin conditions as well as before and after results in minutes. Sleek, Fast, Efficacious; that's Aesthetics, that's Sexy, that is Team Synergy." You can visit the official distributor website here: www.opticslim.com Follow and see daily content @optic.slim on Instagram or with #therealselfie About SYNERGY MEDSALES SYNERGY MEDSALES serves new and certified pre-owned distribution points from an array of best in-class technologies and energy based devices with head-quarters in Dallas- Fort Worth. Our company's vision derives from the modernization and development of aesthetic medicine therapies with exclusive attention towards supplying efficacious technologies and optimizing return-on-investment for our valued clients. For more information, please visit www.synergymedsales.com. View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/synergy-medsales-releases-optic--slim-aesthetic-imaging-platform-300636986.html SOURCE Synergy MedSales [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] WNCF/ABCNews.com (ALEXANDER CITY, Ala.) -- A man in Alabama who was inspecting a carnival ride slipped and fell about 30 feet and died, police told ABC News. The accident occurred around 5:30 p.m. local time as the man was working at the Kiwanis Club Fair in Alexander City. The operator of a ride called "Ring of Fire" asked the man if he could climb up to inspect a small wheel on the ride that didn't look right, Tallapoosa County Coroner Mike Knox told ABC News. Knox said the employee who usually inspects the ride returned and told the man to climb down, and as he did he slipped and fell. He was taken to Russell Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, Alexander City Police Chief Jay Turner told ABC News. The name of the man wasn't yet released because his family hadn't been notified. At the time of the incident, the ride wasn't in service and the fair wasn't open to the public. Copyright 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. [April 26, 2018] Finance and Technology Sectors Account for 70% of All Attack Targets in the Americas According to NTT Security 2018 Global Threat Intelligence Report OMAHA, Neb., April 26, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NTT Security has released its 2018 Global Threat Intelligence Report (GTIR), which reveals attacks on the finance sector have increased 43% in 2017 up from 15% in 2016 in the U.S., while ransomware detection increased globally by a staggering 350% in 2017. The 2018 NTT Security GTIR summarizes data from over 6.1 trillion logs and 150 million attacks, and analyzes global threat trends based on data from NTT Group operating companies: NTT Security, NTT Communications, NTT DATA and Dimension Data. This report analyzes attacks against 18 industry sectors and shares observations on some of the more highly targeted sectors globally and in each of four regions. See each regions highlights with an exploration into an industry sector which was highly targeted within the region. Then find the biggest regional impact predictions for 2018 with security recommendations based on the trends. Summary of key findings in the Americas: Finance sector attacks increased to 43% of attacks in the Americas, up from 15% in 2016. The finance and technology sectors together accounted for 70% of all attacks. Activity from the United States and China accounted for 62% of attacks. In the finance sector, 70% of attacks came from the United States. The finance industry was the target of 59% of all phishing attacks. For the retail sector, 71% of incident response engagements resulted from malware. Summary of key findings globally: Ransomware increased from being 1% of global malware in the 2017 GTIR to nearly 7%. Ransomware incident response engagement fell from over 22% of incidents in 2016 to just over 5% in 2017. Business and professional services joined the list of the top five globally attacked industry sectos in third position at 10%. The gaming sector was the most targeted by ransomware in 2017 at 20%, followed by business and professional services at 17%, healthcare and manufacturing both at 12% and technology at 11%. Financial services (18%) and health care (15%) were the two most common sectors to seek incident response services. In an ever-evolving threat landscape, defending your organization is no small task, but focusing on key areas outlined in our report, such as incident response plans, multi-factor and strong authentication, comprehensive and reliable patching and usable but effective security measures, can help to build the security posture of an organization. To learn more about the most important global threats and the actions management, technical staff and users can take to improve their security posture, follow the link to download the NTT Security 2018 GTIR: https://www.nttsecurity.com/gtir-us About NTT Security NTT Security is the specialized security company and the center of excellence in security for NTT Group. With embedded security we enable NTT Group companies (Dimension Data, NTT Communications and NTT DATA) to deliver resilient business solutions for clients digital transformation needs. NTT Security has 10 SOCs, seven R&D centers, over 1,500 security experts and handles hundreds of thousands of security incidents annually across six continents. NTT Security ensures that resources are used effectively by delivering the right mix of Managed Security Services, Security Consulting Services and Security Technology for NTT Group companies making best use of local resources and leveraging our global capabilities. NTT Security is part of the NTT Group (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation), one of the largest ICT companies in the world. Visit nttsecurity.com to learn more about NTT Security or visit www.ntt.co.jp/index_e.html to learn more about NTT Group. For U.S. sales enquiries, please contact us here: https://www.nttsecurity.com/en-us/contact. Media Contacts: Janice Maurer/NTT Security 914 282 7186 janice.maurer@nttsecurity.com www.nttsecurity.com Sara Chaput/LRG Marketing 845 358 1801 schaput@lrgmarketing.com www.lrgmarketing.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 26, 2018] SkySync achieves 300%+ YoY revenue growth, releases newest version of innovative Enterprise Content Integration Platform ANN ARBOR, Mich., April 26, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Riding a wave of momentum, SkySync today announced that it has achieved the highest growth rate in the companys history, posting year-over-year revenue growth of 320% for the first quarter of 2018. SkySyncs continued success is a testament to the growing evolution of our platform and the myriad of business challenges it solves, said Mark Brazeau, SkySync founder and CEO. Global enterprises continue to realize value and accelerate their trust in the SkySync Platform to solve their complex content integration and migration initiatives. Today were pleased to announce that weve closed projects in Q1 to integrate and transfer more than four petabytes of content, representing more than 250,000 users. SkySync has systematically grown across various industries however it has been particularly successful within Fortune 500 organizations. The scalable SkySync Platform is setting a new market standard for enterprise content integration. SkySync integrates dissimilar storage systems, enabling organizations to seamlessly migrate and synchronize files, modernize and enable their workforce, and fully govern and control their files through a single pane of glass no matter where the content resides. The platform delivers unparalleled agility to the enterprise, eliminating access boundaries created by siloed content systes that often constrain business operations. As a fully-integrated module within the most recent platform release, SkySyncs new system analyzer interrogates files, file structures, and all related data within any supported platform. These capabilities provide granular detail, no matter where files are physically located local servers, remote sites or user desktops. The analyzer also provides a simulation mode, enabling system administrators to predict the precise outcome of a SkySync file transfer operation prior to its actual execution. Our latest enterprise-wide file interrogation, reporting, and predictive functions eliminate the guesswork from content integration and migration projects, said Steve Woodward, SkySync Chief Technology Officer. With our robust feature-set and extensive SDK, the SkySync Platform is purpose-built to meet the demands of the worlds largest enterprises. About SkySync SkySync enables the worlds most successful enterprises with total control over and unbounded access to their content, empowering their evolving modern workforce. The platform connects disparate storage platforms, unites silos of information, and synchronizes content spread across the enterpriseat scale. We enable our customers to achieve singular access and unified control over their content, so they can support the evolving needs of a modern workforce. Learn more at www.skysync.com. Follow us: SkySync on LinkedIn SkySync on Twitter Contact Krystal Elliott 734-619-8818 kelliott@skysync.com For Sales and Marketing Information SkySync, 801 West Ellsworth Road, Suite 200, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48108, (888) 550-3721 http://www.skysync.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 26, 2018] Radio Interview 12 Noon ET Today, April 26, 2018, With Cleartronic, Inc.'s CEO - Larry Reid; Discussion About Subsidiary VoiceInterop's Signing a Definitive Agreement to Acquiring the Assets of CanniPlus Global, Inc. BOCA RATON, Fla., April 26, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cleartronic, Inc., (OTCPINK:CLRI) announces its CEO, Larry Reid to appear on South Florida radio show, today, April 26, 2018, at 12 noon www.wsbrradio.com. The main topic of discussion is about CLRIs subsidiary VoiceInterop, Inc. signing a Definitive Agreement for the acquisition of the assets and intellectual property of CanniPlus Global, Inc., a Florida based medical CBD company. Cleartronic, Inc., (OTCPINK:CLRI) announces its CEO, Larry Reid to appear on South Florida radio show, today, April 26, 2018, at 12 noon www.wsbrradio.com. The main topic of discussion is about CLRIs subsidiary VoiceInterop, Inc. signing a Definitive Agreement for the acquisition of the assets and intellectual property of CanniPlus Global, Inc., a Florida based medical CBD company, www.cleartronic.com. Reid states, At 12 noon, today - Thursday, April 26, 2018, I will be appearing LIVE in studio on 740 AM, 103.9 FM, and 96.9 FM to discuss the CanniPlus Transaction. I will be interviewed by longtime radio show host Mick Bazsuly. His show will be broadcast all around South Florida as well as worldwide on www.wsbrradio.com and filmed on AMP2.TV. Questions may be submitted prior to the show to mickespn@aol.com and will be asked on air. The show will be viewable at www.youtube.com under the Mick Bazsuly Show. The closing of the Asset Purchase Agreement is conditioned on VoiceInterops business being spun-off from Cleartronic in the second or third quarter of fiscal 2018. VoiceInterop will file a Form S-1 registration statement wit the SEC to register the shares being distributed to Cleartronic shareholders and the shares being issued to the shareholders of CanniPlus Global, Inc. VoiceInterop also intends to register its common stock under the Exchange Act. Larry Reid, President of VoiceInterop stated, We are extremely excited to enter the medical Cannabidiol (CBD) marketplace. Numerous studies and recent news articles show that CBD use is increasing worldwide and the timing of our entry into this market space could not be better. Prior to our acquisition of the assets and IP, CanniPlus launched a new line of CBD products. In addition, CanniPlus signed exclusive consulting and distribution agreements with Florida based Medical Marijuana Consulting Group (MMCG) and HL Medical, Inc. said Reid. MMCG has five retail locations in South Florida where they assist with the application process for clients seeking a State of Florida Medical Marijuana Card. HL Medical is a network of 20 clinics and 109 certified and experienced medical marijuana physicians in the State of Florida. Reid continued, Our exclusive agreements with MMCG and HL Medical will provide consulting services and an immediate vertical distribution channel for our line of CBD tinctures, edibles and topicals. Studies suggest that CBDs may lead to relief of pain, stress, and anxiety. Our HL Medical Doctor network will provide clients with evaluations and recommendations on the use of our CBD products. Cannabidiol, also known as CBD is found throughout the seeds, stalk, and flowers of cannabis plants including hemp and marijuana. Because of the numerous medical benefits, people are continually seeking CBD products, creating a high growth market in cannabidiol consumption. About Cleartronic, Inc. Cleartronic, Inc., a diversified holding Company, creates and acquires operating subsidiaries with the goal of manufacturing and selling products, services, and integrated systems to government agencies, business enterprises, and the general public. In addition to its ongoing research and development projects, Cleartronic currently has two operating subsidiaries, ReadyOp Communications, Inc. and VoiceInterop, Inc. - www.cleartronic.com, www.voiceinterop.com and www.readyop.com. About VoiceInterop/CanniPlus Global, Inc. CanniPlus Global is a Medical CBD Company focused on improving and preserving the health of people using the benefits and medicinal qualities of the Cannabis sativa plant. We take into account the needs of those looking for an alternative to traditional medicine by providing high-quality products extracted from Cannabis sativa plants. CanniPlus Global owns the exclusive licensing and grows production rights of CanniPlus Colombia SAS - www.canniplus.com. Safe Harbor Statement This news release contains statements that involve expectations, plans or intentions (such as those relating to future business or financial results) and other factors discussed from time to time in the Cleartronics Securities and Exchange Commission filings. These statements are forward-looking and are subject to risks and uncertainties, so actual results may vary materially. You can identify these forward-looking statements by words such as "may," "should," "expect," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "intend," "plan" and other similar expressions. Our actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements because of certain factors not within the control of the company. The factors that could cause actual future results to differ materially from current expectations include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties relating to Cleartronic and VoiceInterops ability to finalize and enter into definitive agreements with strategic partners, VoiceInterops ability to have its registration statement on Form S-1 declared effective by the SEC, VoiceInterop and Cleartronics ability to close the acquisition of CanniPlus Global, the availability of additional funding, the early-stage nature of the industry sector; regulatory changes affecting the sale, transport or consumption of Cannabidiol or hemp based products by humans or animals, commercial impacts to the Companys business, related agreements, product development, marketing and distribution plans and strategies. Cleartronic cautions readers not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. Cleartronic disclaims any obligation subsequently to revise any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of such statements or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events. Contact and Inquiries for Investor Relations: Larry Reid 561-939-3300 Ext 143 A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://resource.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/c2b915e5-8c5e-47af-b899-98ac712e7f06 [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 26, 2018] The Keystone School to Offer Postsecondary Career Education Program As the need for skilled workers in today's high-demand occupations increases, The Keystone School, an accredited private online school for students nationwide, has launched Keystone Career Connect, a career education program for adults. Georgetown University predicts that by 2020, 65 percent of all jobs in the United States will require postsecondary education and training beyond high school. Keystone Career Connect is available to adults 19 and older who have their high school diploma or GED, or in conjunction with Keystone's adult learner high school completion program. The program's goal is to fill the gap that exists between high school completion and readiness for employment or college success for adult learners. Keystone Career Connect initially will offer three career pathways: Information and Support Services, Medical Billing and Coding, and Mdical Transcription. In addition to the pathways, which are comprised of six courses each, students will receive personal and professional skills training tailored to what each student needs in his or her life to ensure readiness for employment. "Keystone Career Connect is focused on what our students will do after they complete the program," said Elizabeth Jones, deputy head of school for adult learning at The Keystone School. "Our goal is for our students to be prepared to take exams for nationally recognized certifications, find a job or continue on to more advanced training or schooling. Online learning with Keystone is especially suited to adult learners who don't want to wait for a 'new session' to begin and seek on-demand learning." The Information and Support Services pathway prepares students to test and evaluate computer network systems, set up or repair computer equipment and related devices, and help customers solve computer-related problems. A career as a computer technician, systems support specialist, computer engineer or network administrator could await a student following completion of the pathway and certification exam. The Medical Billing and Coding pathway prepares students for careers in healthcare related to record keeping, insurance coding and patient medical histories, with potential career opportunities available in hospitals, physicians' offices, surgery centers, nursing homes and dental offices. Students will be prepared to take the Billing and Coding Specialist certification exam through the National Health Career Association. Students in the Medical Transcription pathway are also prepared for careers in the healthcare field. Medical transcriptionists listen to records of healthcare workers and convert them into written reports. They interpret medical terminology and abbreviations in preparing patients' medical histories and other documents. Students will be prepared to take the Registered Healthcare Documentation Specialist certification exam through the Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity. Students can finish the Keystone Career Connect program in 12 months, but flexibility is built in for students to finish quicker or for those who need more time. The Keystone School begins accepting enrollments for the Keystone Career Connect pathways today. The program cost of $995 includes the fee for the certification exam. Adults without a high school diploma are encouraged to contact Keystone about high school diploma completion options and receive a future 20% discount on a Keystone Career Connect pathway. About The Keystone School The Keystone School from K12 Inc. (NYSE: LRN), the nation's leading provider of proprietary curriculum and online education programs, is an accredited private online school for independent learners who seek a highly flexible education. With more than 40 years of experience in distance learning, we offer flexible education programs for students in all grades to help them achieve their unique academic and personal goals. Learn more at http://www.keystoneschoolonline.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180426006041/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 26, 2018] Delayed payments increase hospitals' administrative tasks, drive up costs CHICAGO, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Using data gathered by the Crowe Revenue Cycle Analytics (Crowe RCA) software, Crowe Horwath LLP analyses revealed significant differences in the time it takes to reimburse hospitals for services rendered by traditional Medicare versus commercial payers (insurance companies). Differences in days-to-pay among individual commercial payers also take time to resolve and increase healthcare providers' "cost to collect." The Crowe report, "It's Not Just Denials It's Delays: Delayed Payments for Clinical Services a Drag on Hospital Cash Flow," provides supporting analyses of these findings. Crowe is one of the largest public accounting, consulting and technology firms in the U.S. and the Crowe RCA solution captures every patient financial transaction in more than 850 hospitals. The report takes a deep look at denials, when payers request more information before determining if the claim will be paid. Final denials, when payment is never made, represent a nearly 2 percent decrease to an average hospital's annual net revenue. Payment delays on denied services, when a payment is ultimately made after the denial is resolved, also have a profound effect on cash flow, requiring an average of 16.4 more days to pay than claims that have not been denied. The expense and cash flow implications of payments secured 16 days later than usual are generally equivalent to at least 1 percent of a provider's cost structure, illustrating the impact that denial-related delays have on the bottom line. According to the data, more than 76 percent of denied claims are ultimately paid. "Healthcare providers generally have etire departments dedicated to resolving denials, and their success begs the question of why hospitals need to incur such expensive and compromised cash flow for services that will ultimately be paid anyway," said Brian Sanderson, managing principal of Crowe healthcare services. Denied services generally are categorized as administrative (membership not on file, lack of coordination of benefits, bills not sent on a timely basis) or clinical (not medically necessary, prior authorization required, unfulfilled request for medical records). Significant investments by healthcare providers related to revenue cycle accuracy have gradually improved administrative denial rates. However, the data shows many providers may not have sufficient control over their clinical denials, as each commercial payer has its own process for medical necessity requirements, precertification of services and requests for medical records. For example, one type of clinical denial is "request for information," where the payer requests medical record information or asks the patient to provide clarification. This could be for an orthopedic claim where a payer seeks to confirm that the services were not related to an auto accident or workers' compensation-related accident and therefore another payer's responsibility. These requests for data frequently involve traditional mail, hard copies of medical records or coordination with clinical care departments and take resources to coordinate. Despite this, more than 80 percent of these denials end up paid but take, on average, more than two months to resolve. In a comparison of five major commercial payers, request for information denials resulted in average days-to-payment ranging from 76 to 121 days, illustrating the variance that hospitals are dealing with on a payer-by-payer basis. "With the increasing emphasis on controlling healthcare costs, it appears as though a focused collaboration between providers and payers may decrease the administrative expenses related to securing payment for appropriate clinical services," added Sanderson. To download a copy of the report, please visit www.crowehorwath.com/benchmarking-release. About the Crowe RCA Benchmarking Analysis The Crowe RCA benchmarking analysis includes more than 850 distinct hospitals classified as acute, critical-access, rehabilitation, psychiatric or cardiovascular care facilities. About Crowe Horwath Crowe Horwath LLP (www.crowehorwath.com) is one of the largest public accounting, consulting and technology firms in the United States. Crowe uses its deep industry expertise to provide audit services to public and private entities while also helping clients reach their goals with tax, advisory, risk and performance services. Crowe is recognized by many organizations as one of the country's best places to work. Crowe serves clients worldwide as an independent member of Crowe Horwath International, one of the largest global accounting networks in the world. The network consists of more than 200 independent accounting and advisory services firms in nearly 130 countries around the world. View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/delayed-payments-increase-hospitals-administrative-tasks-drive-up-costs-300637298.html SOURCE Crowe Horwath [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 26, 2018] Stream Data Centers Announces Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) Certification DALLAS, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Stream Data Centers has announced the inclusion of the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) Certification version 3.2 to its menu of industry-compliant certifications and services. PCI DSS is a comprehensive set of standards requiring service providers that store, process, or transmit customer payment card data to adhere to strict information security controls and processes. Stewart Collier is the Managing Director of Stream's Critical Environments Services and operations practice, and ultimately oversees compliance across Stream's portfolio of data centers and mission-critical operations. Collier stated recently, that he was "Pleased to announce that the PCI DSS v3.2 certification is applicable across each facility in the company's data center portfolio," and added that, "Stream Data Centers designs its facilities to comply with rigorous standards set by trade groups and certifying organizations, while maintaining relevant certifications and attestations. For Stream, it's all about maximizing uptime and value, without compromising health, safety and security." He added that the Stream Data Centers Critical Environments Services practice is "dedicated to continually improving and maintaining compliance certifications that are critical to our data center customers." The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) was created to meet the rising threat to individuals' payment card inormation. Compliance with PCI DSS is mandatory for all organizations dealing with credit, debit and ATM cards, as defined by the PCI Security Standards Council, which includes industry giants like Visa, Master Card and American Express. The standard includes twelve requirements that include the following: Security management Policies and procedures Network architecture User access management Network and systems monitoring Software development According to Collier, "Applicability of this attestation is for physical security and management processes that govern access to customer equipment all through security systems, policies and procedures." The certification is now active for facilities in San Antonio, Minneapolis and Houston, with plans for Stream to apply the PCI ethos to design and operations of developments in DFW, Chicago, and all data centers going forward. ABOUT STREAM DATA CENTERS Since 1999 Stream has been an industry leader, providing premium data center solutions and optimized value to Fortune 500 companies. To date, Stream has acquired, developed and operated more than two million square feet of data center space in Texas, Minnesota, Illinois, California and Colorado, representing more than 200 megawatts of power. Stream develops and operates highly resilient, scalable and efficient data centers, with products including fully-commissioned Hyperscale Data Centers, Private Data Center Suites, Ready-to-Fit Powered Shells, Build-to-Suit Infrastructure and Retail Colocation Environments all with immediate connection to network carriers and public cloud providers. Stream Data Centers is committed to improving the data center experience through exceptional people and service. Services supporting critical environments and energy procurement leverage the combined skill sets and resources of Stream's technical real estate professionals with fine-tuned data center and energy expertise, to deliver end-to-end solutions for mission-critical infrastructure needs. Learn more at www.streamdatacenters.com. Media Contact Mary McAuliffe MMcAuliffe@streamdatacenters.com 214-560-2427 View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/stream-data-centers-announces-payment-card-industry-data-security-standard-pci-dss-certification-300637309.html SOURCE Stream Data Centers [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 26, 2018] U.S. District Court Denies Concierge Auctions' Motion to Dismiss Case of Appel vs. Concierge Auctions, LLC The United States District Court for the Southern District of California has issued an order on Concierge Auction's motion to compel in the case of Howard Appel and David Cohen vs. Concierge Auctions, LLC (Case No. 17-cv-02263-BAS-MDD). Real estate investors Howard Appel and David Cohen filed suit on Nov. 6, 2017 alleging that Concierge Auctions engaged in unlicensed real estate broker activities through which it fraudulently induced them to bid (and then increase their bid) on a luxury residential property located in the Republic of Fiji - despite Concierge's actual pre-auction knowledge that the property seller had refused to sell the property. Concierge thereafter told Appel and Cohen that they had "won" the auction, and induced them to pay a $285,000 earnest deposit, which Concierge has refused to return. In response, Concierge filed a motion on Dec. 15, 2017, asking the court to, among other things, (1) compel Appel and Cohen to submit their claims to binding arbitration in New York, (2) dismiss Appel and Cohen's claims or stay their proceedings pending the outcome of the arbitration, or, in the alternative (3) to transfer Appel and Cohen's action to the Federal District Court for the Southern District of New York. The order issued on April 13, 2018 (1) denied Concierge's motion to compel Appel and Cohen to submit their claims to binding arbitration in New York, (2) denied Concierge's motion to dismiss Appel and Cohen's claims, and (3) denied Concierge's motion to ransfer venue to the Federal District Court for the Southern District of New York. Instead, the Court "STAY[ed] all proceedings in this action and ORDER[ed] the parties to proceed to arbitration in the Southern District of California for a determination of arbitrability and possible arbitration of Plaintiffs' claims" The Court also specifically found that despite Concierge's insistence on adjudicating this dispute in New York based on New York law, "New York has no substantial relationship to the parties or the transactions at issue here. Neither party is located in New York, nor is there evidence to suggest that either party conducts substantial business in New York." "This ruling is significant because the court denied Concierge's attempt to shut us down, as they have done in previous cases with buyers, sellers and at least one former whistle blower employee in Texas that we are aware of," Cohen said. "Concierge has a history of forcing litigation into arbitration in their attorney's backyard in New York, or simply settling before the facts become public. That won't happen here." "It is astonishing that we are even in this litigation. Concierge's contract requires sellers to execute a purchase agreement in advance of the auction, which the sellers did not do here," Appel said. "We later learned that the sellers notified Concierge of their intention to cancel the auction of their property well before the scheduled auction, but Concierge went ahead with the auction anyway. Concierge informed us that we were the high bidder and we then wired the deposit as they instructed. Not surprisingly, the sellers refused to sell the property to us. Now 10 months later Concierge still refuses to return our deposit for this property. "Concierge knowingly ignored the seller's instructions, violated the conditions of their own agreements, misled us into believing that we had won the auction, and is now forcing us to spend enormous resources through litigation to get our deposit and other expenses related to this failed transaction back," Appel continued. "We want others to know, that despite its fancy marketing and well-known celebrity advisors, great caution should be exercised to avoid falling prey to Concierge's unlawful and abhorrent business practices." Concierge Auctions is a real estate marketplace that says it is revolutionizing the sale process for the world's most unique properties. The company says it has generated nearly $2 billion in sales and is active in 38 U.S. states/territories and 19 countries. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180426005577/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 26, 2018] En.yiwugo.com Launches Buyer Membership Scheme YIWU, China, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- To better serve international buyers, en.yiwugo.com has recently launched a membership scheme. On paying an annual fee of USD 99, overseas buyers can enjoy four kinds of services including fast access to desired supplies, guided physical shopping tours, exclusive customer service and trade dispute settlement. Yiwugo.com is the official website of the Yiwu Commodity Market, which is the largest small commodities wholesale market in the world, and is dedicated to the Online-Merge-Offline (OMO) strategy which facilitates overseas buyers choosing suppliers and goods from Yiwu Market through online channels. Given the low frequency but large quantity of most international bulk purchaes, buyers generally set high standards on suppliers and need professional services throughout the complex process from the selection of goods and suppliers, payment to logistics. Against this background, Yiwugo.com launched its membership scheme featuring the following services: Fast access to desired supplies: The r ight goods and suppliers will be identified from over 1.8 million commodities and 50,000 suppliers based on the buyers' needs, and optimal choices will be presented through big-data exact match ing and manual screening; Guided physical shopping tours: M embers will be accompanied by professional s who provid e guidance on physical shopping tours around the Yiwu Market to save buyer s' time and reduce cost s ; Exclusive customer service: E xclusive service staff will establish separate profiles for each member and take care of its purchase orders. Once a new order is received, the service staff will help to select the right suppliers and goods and follow through the subsequent delivery process; Trade disputes settlement: Should any trade disputes arise, reconciliation will be performed. Suppliers will be urged to deliver goods with both quality and quantity guaranteed, and provide proper after-sale services. Mr. Wang Jianjun, CEO of Yiwugo.com, explained that wholesale business is what differentiates Yiwugo.com from average cross-border platforms. While global strategy is the first priority in 2018, more exclusive services for overseas buyers will be expected in the future. The membership scheme will lead to better services. Meanwhile, en.yiwugo.com will merge with physical stores in quite a profound way, deploying more functions and eventually channeling more buyers from abroad to Yiwu Market for business trades with local suppliers. View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/enyiwugocom-launches-buyer-membership-scheme-300637120.html SOURCE Yiwugo.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 26, 2018] Switch CIO Missy Young Accepted into Forbes Technology Council LAS VEGAS, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Missy Young, Chief Information Officer of Switch (NYSE: SWCH), the global technology infrastructure corporation that is powering the future of the connected world, has been accepted into the Forbes Technology Council, an invitation-only community for world-class CIOs, CTOs and technology executives. Missy Young joins other Forbes Technology Council members, who are hand-selected, to become part of a curated network of successful peers and get access to a variety of exclusive benefits and resources, including the opportunity to submit thought leadership articles and short tips on industry-related topics for publishing on Forbes.com. Forbes Councils combines an innovative, high-touch approach to community management perfected by the team behind Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) with the extensive resources and global reach of Forbes. As a result, Forbes Council members get access to the people, benefits and expertise they need to grow their businesses and a dedicated member concierge who acts as an extension of their own team, providing personalized one-on-one support. "It's an honor to be selected to join the Forbes Technolgy Council and to join peers from across the globe who are truly influencing thought leadership in the ever-changing technology world," said Switch CIO Missy Young. "At Switch, we are constantly pushing the frontiers of technology to power the future of the connected world and being part of the Technology Council helps to further our efforts." Scott Gerber, founder of Forbes Councils, says, "We are honored to welcome Missy Young into the community. Our mission with Forbes Councils is to curate successful professionals from every industry, creating a vetted, social capital-driven network that helps every member make an even greater impact on the business world." About Switch POWERING THE FUTURE OF THE CONNECTED WORLD Switch (NYSE: SWCH), the technology infrastructure corporation headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada is built on the intelligent and sustainable growth of the internet. Switch founder and CEO Rob Roy has developed more than 500 issued and pending patent claims covering data center designs that have manifested into the company's world renowned data centers and technology solution ecosystems. Visit switch.com for more information. About Forbes Councils Forbes partnered with the founders of Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) to launch Forbes Councils, invitation-only communities for world-class business professionals in a variety of industries. Members, who are hand-selected by each Council's community team, receive personalized introductions to each other based on their specific needs and gain access to a wide range of business benefits and services, including best-in-class concierge teams, personalized connections, peer-to-peer learning, a business services marketplace, and the opportunity to share thought leadership content on Forbes.com. For more information about Forbes Technology Council, visit https://forbestechcouncil.com/. To learn more about Forbes Councils, visit forbescouncils.com. View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/switch-cio-missy-young-accepted-into-forbes-technology-council-300636898.html SOURCE Switch [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 26, 2018] Echodyne CTO to Speak on Revolutionary Machine Perception Radar for the Autonomous Age Echodyne, the manufacturer of innovative high-performance radars for autonomous machines, announces today that its co-founder and Chief Technology Officer, Dr. Tom Driscoll, will speak on the company's patented Metamaterial Electronically Scanning Array (MESA) radar technology at AUVSI's (News - Alert) XPonential Conference next week in Denver, Colorado. The new technology offers unprecedented detection capability and intelligent control for autonomous vehicles and unmanned aerial systems, and enhances public safety and security for borders and critical national infrastructure. Dr. Driscoll's presentation, "MESA: Radar Vision for the Autonomous Age," is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, May 2 from 1:30-2:00PM in room 203 of the Colorado Convention Center. The session will address how this radically new architecture provides unprecedented detection capability and phased-array lke performance, but at orders of magnitude lower Cost, Size, Weight and Power. Echodyne will also be exhibiting in booth #1625 at the Xponential Conference. "The central advantage of MESA over phased-arrays is that it does not require the discrete phase-shifters and associated electronics that make modern phased arrays so complex and costly," said Driscoll. "This is a game changer for advancing and accelerating the pace at which autonomous machines go to market." Echodyne has attracted the attention of the world's leading innovators and developers of industry transforming technologies including: Bill Gates, NEA, Madrona Venture Group, Vulcan Capital, and Lux Capital among others. About Echodyne Echodyne's innovative high performance radar sensors are built on patented MESA technology that provides high-resolution 3-D situational awareness data for autonomous vehicles, unmanned aircraft systems, sensitive and critical infrastructure security, and public safety. A unique blend of agile hardware and intelligent software provides unprecedented perception, safety, and reliability for the autonomous age. Privately held, the company is based in Bellevue Washington, and is backed by Bill Gates (News - Alert) , NEA, Madrona Venture Group, Vulcan Capital, and Lux Capital among others. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180426005999/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 26, 2018] Liberty Science Center Genius Gala 7.0 To Honor Sara Seager, 'Indiana Jones Of Astronomy'; Vitalik Buterin, Creator Of Cryptocurrency Ethereum; Yale's Science Of Happiness Professor Laurie Santos; And Legendary Genomics Pioneer George Church JERSEY CITY, N.J., April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- One is an MIT professor who has been called the "Indiana Jones of Astronomy" because of her quest to find the "Holy Grail of Planetary Science"a second Earth. Another is a Russian-Canadian programmer, age 24, who created Ethereum, the world's second-most valuable cryptocurrency network behind Bitcoin. The third is a Yale professor renowned for both her work looking at the uniqueness of the human mind through the lens of the comparative cognitive abilities of humans, monkeys, and dogs, and for teaching the "Science of Happiness," the single most popular course at the Ivy League institution. And the last, but certainly not the least, is a legendary genomics pioneer and serial entrepreneur who invented the technique of direct genome sequencing and whose latest company plans to sequence an individual's genome for less than $1,000 and securely store the data in blockchainthe technology that underlies cryptocurrencyso that individuals retain permanent ownership and control of their DNA data. They are Sara Seager, Vitalik Buterin, Laurie Santos, and George Church, and they are the distinguished scientists who have been selected to receive Liberty Science Center's 2018 Genius Awards, the highest honor bestowed by the Center. The quartet will be honored at a creative black-tie gala at the Center in Jersey City, NJ on Friday, May 11. The event, celebrating LSC's 25th anniversary, will benefit the Center's exhibitions and programs, particularly the science education programs that LSC delivers to 91,000 "at-risk" children annually across the New Jersey/New York region. "Our 2018 Genius Award winners are four visionary women and men of science, ages 24 to 63, who are busting paradigms," declared LSC President and CEO Paul Hoffman. "Each personifies what it means to be a genius; each is using his or her exceptional intellectual and creative abilities to disrupt and innovate both in their respective fields and for the betterment of humanity." The 2018 Genius Gala, which begins at 6:00 pm, brings together more than 700 industry leaders and philanthropists from the NY/NJ metropolitan area. And the chairs and co-chairs of the Center's 25th Anniversary commemoration represent a veritable "Who's Who" of the tri-state area's business and industry titans. The corporate chairs are Steve Howe, US Chairman and Americas Managing Partner, EY, and Ralph Izzo, Chairman, President, and CEO, PSEG. The co-chairs are: David Barry, President and CEO, Urby and Ironstate Development Company; Christopher S. Boerner, President and Head of International Markets, Bristol-Myers Squibb; Jennifer A. Chalsty, Director, Advisory Council, James Buchanan Brady Urological Institute, Johns Hopkins University; Kevin P. Conlin, Chairman, President, & CEO, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey; Michael DeMarco, CEO, Mack-Cali Realty Corporation; Alma DeMetropolis, Managing Director, JPMorgan Private Bank; Matthew D. Ellis, EVP and CFO, Verizon Communications; Robert C. Garrett, Co-CEO, Hackensack Meridian Health Network; David T. Gockel, President and CEO, Langan; Brian Gragnolati, President and CEO, Atlantic Health System; S. Joseph Hand, JD, VP, Chief of Staff, Celgene Corporation; Robert J. Hariri, MD, Co-Founder and Vice Chairman, Human Longevity, Inc. and Chairman, Founder, and CEO, Celularity, Inc.; Barbara G. Koster, SVP and CIO, Prudential Financial; Carl R. Kuehner, III, Chairman and CEO, Building and Land Technology, Inc.; Bruce L. Levy, President and CEO, BMR Energy; Mitch Livingston, Esq., President & CEO, NJM Insurance Company; Barry H. Ostrowsky, President and CEO, RWJBarnabas Health; Laura Bilodeau Overdeck, Founder and President, Bedtime Math; John Overdeck, Co-Chairman and Co-Founder, Two Sigma; Chirag Patel, Co-CEO, Co-Founder, and Chairman, Amneal Pharaceuticals; Carlos Rodriguez, President and CEO, ADP; Vijay Swarup, PhD, VP of R&D, ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company; Gregory Tusar, CEO, Greywolf Consulting, LLC; Josh S. Weston, Honorary Chairman, ADP; Susan Keating; and Norman Worthington, Executive Chairman, The Star2Star Communications and Blueface Companies. Ticket prices start at $1,250 per guest with options for table sponsorship ranging from $12,500 to $100,000. For more details, please visit lsc.org/gala. About the Genius Gala Honorees SARA SEAGER, 46, has been called the Indiana Jones of astronomy. An astrophysicist at MIT, the native of Canada is on a quest for the "holy grail of planetary science": a second Earth. A pioneer in the new field of exoplanetology, she invented the concept that forms the foundation of exoplanet atmosphere studies today. She and her colleagues also made the first detection of light emitted from an exoplanet and the first spectrum of an exoplanet. "I like to think of finding a true Earth analog as the completion of the Copernican Revolution," she has said. "Copernicus started a new paradigm when he said that the Earth was not the center of the universe. If we can identify another Earth-like planet, it comes full circle, from thinking that everything revolves around our planet to knowing that there are lots of other Earths out there." When she began her PhD thesis on exoplanets in the mid-1990s, there was skepticism about their detection, and her work was initially ignored. But as of April 25, 2018, there have been 3,717 planets detected around 2,794 stars, and astronomers estimate that there are 100 billion planets in the Milky Way alone. Seager's work is the blueprint for finding another Earth. VITALIK BUTERIN, 24, is the Russian-Canadian programmer who created Ethereum, the world's second-most valuable cryptocurrency network behind Bitcoin. Ranked No. 10 on Fortune's 2017 list of the most influential people in business under the age of 40, he was born in Kolomna, Russia, and raised in Toronto, where he was recognized as mathematically gifted at a young age. In 2010, he learned about Bitcoinunstoppable, unmediated digital paymentsfrom his computer-scientist father and started earning Bitcoin himself by writing about cryptocurrency for specialty blogs and scholarly journals. A year later he cofounded Bitcoin Magazine, the first serious publication about cryptocurrency. Two years later, he published a white paper describing how blockchainthe distributed ledger technology that underlies Bitcoincould be an enabling platform for all kinds of autonomous software such as "smart contracts" which self-execute. Thus was born Ethereum. In 2014, the venture capitalist Peter Thiel awarded Buterin $100,000 to drop out of the University of Waterloo, where he had completed one year in computer science, and finish writing the code for Ethereum. Today, Ethereum is still in its infancy, albeit with a market cap on April 25 of $61 billion. LAURIE SANTOS, 42, is professor of psychology at Yale University and director of its Comparative Cognition Laboratory and Canine Cognition Center. Her work focuses on the age-old question of what is unique about the human mind, approaching this question by comparing the cognitive abilities of humans, monkeys, and dogs. A related inquiry into the origins of human irrationality led Santos to teach capuchin monkeys to use money. She found that, in monkey business, capuchins make the same poor economic choices that humans do (such as overbuying certain food items when their prices drop). Her research suggests that monkeys possess a theory of mindthe ability to think about what other monkeys think. At the Canine Cognition Center, Santos studies the canine mind: how dogs perceive the world, solve problems, and make decisions. Her work reveals that Fido is smarter than he appears. Santos also studies the science of happiness. In January 2018, she started teaching a course at Yale called "Psychology and the Good Life," which is breaking attendance records at the 316-year-old university. One-quarter of Yale's undergraduates1,182 studentshave enrolled in the hope of learning evidence-based strategies for reversing harmful ingrained behaviors and leading happier lives. GEORGE CHURCH, 63, is a serial entrepreneur and genomics pioneer at Harvard University. On February 7, 2018, he launched his latest startup, Nebula Genomics, which plans to sequence an individual's genome for less than $1,000 and securely store the data in blockchainthe technology that underlies cryptocurrencyso that the individual retains permanent ownership and control of his or her DNA data (unlike companies like 23andMe and AncestryDNA, which own the genomic data once an individual provides a saliva sample). He is public about his personal medical data, publishing his own genome online for all to see and freely discusses the medical conditions that govern his lifehigh cholesterol, dyslexia, and narcolepsy. Falling asleep multiple times a day, he has said, affords him more time for visionary dreaming. One of his dreamsof woolly mammoths roaming the Earth againis now the subject of a de-extinction effort at Harvard involving the insertion of DNA preserved from the Pleistocene into modern Asian elephants. Church has been on the bleeding edge of genetics research for four decades. He invented the technique of direct genome sequencing in 1984, which led to the landmark sequencing of the entire human genome in 2003. More recently, he is a champion of the well-known CRISPR gene-editing technology. He has also been a leader in demonstrating that DNA is an efficient and durable computer storage medium. In 2012, he encoded a 50,000-word book he co-authored, called Regenesis: How Synthetic Biology Will Reinvent Nature and Ourselves, into DNA. Seager, Santos, Buterin, and Church will join previous Genius Award recipients Katherine Johnson, Ray Kurzweil, Marc Raibert and SpotMini, Frank Gehry, Jack Horner, Ellen Langer, Kip Thorne, Sir Richard Branson, Garry Kasparov, Jane Goodall, Oliver Sacks, Temple Grandin, Dean Kamen, Sylvia Earle, J. Craig Venter, Cori Bargmann, Erno? Rubik, Jeff Bezos, Vint Cerf, and Jill Tarter in LSC's Genius Gallery, a permanent, interactive display at Liberty Science Center. About Liberty Science Center Liberty Science Center (LSC.org) is a 300,000-square-foot not-for-profit learning center located in Liberty State Park on the Jersey City bank of the Hudson near the Statue of Liberty. Dedicated to inspiring the next generation of scientists and engineers and bringing the power, promise, and pure fun of science and technology to learners of all ages, Liberty Science Center houses the largest planetarium in the Western Hemisphere, 12 museum exhibition halls, a live animal collection with 110 species, giant aquariums, a 3D theater, live simulcast surgeries, a tornado-force wind simulator, K-12 classrooms and labs, and teacher-development programs. More than 250,000 students visit the Science Center each year, and tens of thousands more participate in the Center's off-site and online programs. Welcoming more than 700,000 visitors annually, LSC is the largest interactive science center in the NYC-NJ metropolitan area. View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/liberty-science-center-genius-gala-7-0-to-honor-sara-seager-indiana-jones-of-astronomy-vitalik-buterin-creator-of-cryptocurrency-ethereum-yales-science-of-happiness-professor-laurie-santos-and-legendary-genomics-pioneer-ge-300637304.html SOURCE Liberty Science Center [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 26, 2018] Zignal Labs Partners with Reddit to Offer Real-Time Brand Health Analysis SAN FRANCISCO, April 26, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Zignal Labs today announced that Reddit social media data is now supported within the Zignal Enterprise Platform. The dataset of conversations analyzed from the Reddit community will provide rich insights into brand health, corporate reputation and audience sentiment. With more than 330 million active monthly users, 138K+ active subreddit communities and more than 2.8 million comments a day, Reddit has become a dominant social platform and the front page of the internet. Reddit conversations help communications and marketing teams assess public opinion, conduct market research, detect an imminent crisis and garner product feedback. With todays integration, Zignal clients will now have access to Reddits full set of social listening data. The Reddit community represents a vocal and passionate voice within the social media universe, said Adam Beaugh, President and Chief Product Officer of Zignal. By incorporating Reddit with Zignals cross-media data set and real-time streaming analytics, organizaions will gain unprecedented visibility into the health and heartbeat of their brands. Today, the Zignal Enterprise platform incorporates the broadest set of social, digital and traditional media data sources. Through real-time and predictive analytics, Zignal surfaces insights through reports, dashboards and powerful visualizations. The inclusion of Reddit data will deliver deeper insights across the enterprise supporting brand health, reputation and issues management, risk mitigation, government affairs, competitive insights, C-Suite and event reporting, and influencer identification. As a top-5 web destination in the U.S., Reddit is a trove of consumer insights, a leading indicator of a companys brand health and an increasingly valuable part of any brands social strategy, said Alex Riccomini, director of business development at Reddit. Were pleased to partner with Zignal Labs to help organizations instantly analyze a range of topics, issues and trends that impact their brands. About Zignal Labs Zignal Labs is reinventing how companies use media data to measure the brand and business impact of their communications. Through real-time and predictive analysis of the full-media spectrum, Zignals centralized platform empowers corporate communications, marketing and executive teams build and protect brand reputation, inform strategy and take action. Headquartered in San Francisco, and with offices in New York City and Washington D.C., Zignal serves customers around the world including Airbnb, Citrix, IBM, NVIDIA, Uber, The Sacramento Kings and FleishmanHillard. To learn more, visit: www.zignallabs.com. Contact: Thomas Howells Zignal Labs Thomas@zignallabs.com 415 683 7871 x335 [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 26, 2018] Legal Tech Firm Cicayda Announces That Bill Carlson Joins as Vice President of Sales for West Coast: Opens San Francisco Office FRANKLIN, Tenn. and SAN FRANCISCO, April 26, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Expanding its West Coast presence, legal technology firm Cicayda today announced that Bill Carlson joined as Vice President of Business Development, West Coast, and that it will have operations in the Pacific Northwest and Bay Area. Cicayda is a leading legal technology firm that combines powerful software and analytics with its legal expertise. As Vice President of Business Development for the West Coast, Carlson will be responsible for the developmentof Cicaydas Reprise eDiscovery and Fermata Legal Hold Cloud-based solutions, working with law firms and corporation legal departments in California, Oregon and Washington state. Carlson joins Cicayda with more than 18 years of experience in legal technology and eDiscovery. Prior to joining Cicayda, Carlson was an Advisor for ClearView Legal. Before that, he co-founded and ran eDiscovery Trainers and spent 11 years as founder and president of DSU Discovery, Inc. We are expanding our presence on the West Coast. We are excited to have a permanent presence in San Francisco Bay area, and to have Bill join us to head up our sales efforts there, said Cicayda CEO Billy Hyatt. Bill brings strong experience in business development and legal technology, with an expertise in eDiscovery. About Cicayda Cicayda, founded in 2012 in Nashville, Tenn. by a team of legal experts, provides leading-edge Cloud-based Analytics and eDiscovery (Reprise) and legal hold technology solutions (Fermata) to serve the global needs of law firms and corporations. Using a SaaS-based subscription model, the company couples its powerful legal software with legal experts to provide 24/7 service, strategy, analytics and support. It helps clients save time and money with fast, accurate and highly scalable solutions. For more media information, contact: Lisa Hendrickson, LCH Communications for Cicayda 516-767-8390 lisa@lchcommunications.com [April 26, 2018] CIRI Alberta Announces 2018 Annual General Meeting Voting Results The Canadian Investor Relations Institute ("CIRI") Alberta Chapter is pleased to report that, at its Annual Meeting of Shareholders held on April 19, 2018, 13 nominees were elected as Chapter Executives, with Helen Kelly, Director, Investor Relations, MEG Energy Corp., re-appointed as the Chair. "CIRI contributes to the transparency and integrity of the Canadian capital markets by advancing the practice of investor relations, the professional competency of our members and the stature of the profession," stated Helen Kelly. "In the past year, the Alberta Chapter hosted several successful events focused on supporting our members in continuous learning and staying connected; including our marquee event featuring the Right Honourable Stephen Harper. As we welcome outstanding new members to the Alberta Executive, we look forward to fresh ideas and energy to continue to enhance the quality of our programming. Thank you to the Executives standing for re-election, as well as those who stepped down from the Executive in 2018. Your commitment and hard work keeps the Alberta Chapter moving forward. Finally, thank you to our members, who have continued to support CIRI Alberta through what has been a challenging environment in our province." The following individuals were elected to serve as Executives of CIRI Alberta at the Annual General Meeting: Andrew Elford Director, Investor Relations, Canadian Pacific Railway Megan Hjulfors Senior Analyst, Investor Relations, MEG Energy Corp. Nick Kuzyk Chief Strategy Officer & Senior Vice President Capital Markets, High Tide Ventures Inc. Stephanie MacVicar, CPIR Vice President, Business Development, Laurel Hill Advisory Group Dave Mann Wakefield Communications Shauna Mason Manager, Corporate Affairs, Bellatrix Energy Ryder McRitchie Vice President, Capital Markets & Public Relations, Juniper Resources Inc. Ashley Nuell, CPIR Senior Analyst, Investor Relations, AltaGas Ltd. Lisa Ottmann Vice President, Investor Relations, Trinidad Drilling Ltd. Anne Plasterer Investor Relations Consultant Odette Ries Bustin Strategic Account Director, Cision Krista Severson Norlin Senior Advisor, Investor Relations, Enerplus Together, the newly elected CIRI Alberta Executive looks forward to engaging with fellow members and continuing to deliver value through quality educational events and networking opportunities. On behalf of CIRI Alberta, the Executive would like to thank the following Executives that are stepping down this year: Hugh Harley, Sonia Kirby, Hayley McKenzie and Paul Moon. Thank you for your hard work and contributions to a vibrant IR community in Alberta. About CIRI CIRI is a professional, not-for-profit association of executives responsible for communication between public corporations, investors and the financial community. CIRI contributes to the transparency and integrity of the Canadian capital markets by advancing the practice of investor relations, the professional competency of its members and the stature of the profession. With close to 500 members and four Chapters across the country, CIRI is the voice of IR in Canada. For further information, please visit CIRI.org. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180426006352/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 26, 2018] FPS Group Unveils Updated IPX Platform to Help RIAs Expand to 403(b) Market FPS Group, LLC, an innovative solutions provider for retirement plan professionals operating in the 403(b) and 457(b) markets, is introducing updates to the user interface and experience on its Investment Provider Xchange ("IPX"). The IPX platform provides registered investment advisors (RIAs) with a more manageable entry point into the complex 403(b) and 457(b) markets by streamlining the requisite custody, trust, trading and administrative services. The redesign comes as the 403(b) market falls under increased criticism for its complex and costly offerings, while plan sponsor and participant calls for a more transparent, less unwieldy program have grown louder. As more advisors move away from commission-based products and seek opportunities to expand their businesses, IPX removes barriers to entry in the 403(b) space by allowing RIAs to design their own investment solutions and have more control over participant accounts and outcomes. Through IPX, RIAs gain increased access to participants, allowing them to communicate more efficiently and direct them toward the right solutions and products. "The 403(b) space presents a complex landscape with countless products and advisors operating under an evolving regulatory environment. As a result, fee-only advisors have a hard time wrestling with the market," says James Olson (News - Alert) , Managing Director of FPS Group. "Our firm is deeply committed to the 403(b) space and there is an emerging opportunity for advisors who are willing and interested to engage in 403(b)s. We've designed IPX to be the best practice for advisors entering or operating in the space." IPX is a modernization of trditional recordkeeping platforms that serve plans with multiple providers. The solution was created following 2009 regulatory changes, which sought to structure the 403(b) offering similarly to the traditional 401(k) retirement savings vehicle. However, as the regulatory changes failed to create their intended result, IPX quickly became the marketplace's answer for navigating the space by providing a single-source, end-to-end solution for advisors as well as other investment providers and third party administrators. "The industry is desperate for increased awareness and training around the 403(b) space, and the participant experience is undoubtedly improved by better equipping those who serve the plans," Olson added. "IPX can be part of the solution for advisors interested in growing their business in this way." The updates will be introduced this week at the Fi360 Annual Conference in San Diego, Calif. Olson will be hosting a panel discussion on The Essentials of Government Markets on Thursday, 4/26, which will offer insight into the government retirement plan market. For more information on IPX, please visit www.ipxplatform.com. About IPX Investment Provider Xchange ("IPX") is a single-source end-to-end solution for providers in the 403(b) and 457(b) plan markets, offering the benefits of a multiple provider approach with the simplicity of single provider. IPX combines a technology platform for fund trading, recordkeeping and online account access with a custom plan design and consulting from a third-party administrator. Features include transaction processing for contributions, distributions, and participant loans, aggregated participant data accessed via a single, robust web portal and the ability to access mutual funds and annuities on one platform. For more information, please visit www.ipxplatform.com. About FPS Group FPS Group, LLC develops products and services designed to offer retirement planning industry stakeholders innovative and efficient ways to streamline processes, cut costs and improve their bottom line. FPS Group offers the Investment Provider Xchange ("IPX"), providing RIAs with a renewed entry point to the 403(b) market. The firm also specializes in Paying Agent Services and Automatic IRA Rollover Services, and offers custody and safekeeping, recordkeeping, tax reporting, income collection, investment of cash balances and other non-fiduciary activities. As a result, FPS clients are more efficient and can offer improved functionality and responsiveness to their clients. For more information, please visit www.fpsgroupllc.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180426006289/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 26, 2018] Rainbow Design Services Announces Launch of New Multi-Platform App, HELIX LOUISVILLE, Ky., April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Development team at Rainbow Design Services is pleased to launch our newest workflow and field collection tool for the telecommunications industry: HELIX. With its fusion of both project assignment and map markup capabilities, HELIX streamlines the overall workflow process, saving businesses time and money. HELIX allows users to capture field data in real-time, manage work records from a mobile device, and deploy work requests with easethrough automation or individual assignment. HELIX brings an end to the back-and-forth between the office and field techs. It allows for instantaneous field updates to be received, which significantly cuts down on drive times and labor costs. "In the past, you'd have a field tech that had to physically mark up and mail a map," says Randy Riggs, Technology Director at Rainbow Design Services. "Now, with the data being transferred to the back-office user in real time, it's all done instantaneously." HELIX's format is intuitive and user-friendly, allowing for in-app image markup and editing, automatic geotagging, custom data fields, custom drop-down selectors, and secure cloud-based storage. Since 1994, the mission of Rainbow Design Services has remained the same to provide our customers wit products and services that are consistently equal to or better than the high standards we set for ourselves. Rainbow Design Services has raised the bar even higher with HELIX, and Rainbow Design Services is excited to show you the difference it can make for your business. Key Capabilities: Efficient workflow management Intuitive design Cloud-based storage In-app image markup & editing Automatic geotagging Custom data fields Custom drop-down selectors Where Can I See More? For more information about HELIX, please visit http://info.rainbowdesign.net/helix.html. About Rainbow Design Services Widely acknowledged as a telecom industry leader, Rainbow Design Services is a full-service engineering and design firm. We specialize in documenting and engineering FTTx, RF, HFC and ISP. We deliver customized GIS & engineering services related to these assets to clients across an expansive range of markets and localities. Rainbow Design Services is proud of our strong reputation for consistently meeting aggressive deadlines while continually delivering high-quality products that exceed our clients' expectations. Everything we do is done in a GIS (mapping) platform, and thus can be delivered in most any standard CAD/GIS format. Founded in 1994 and headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, Rainbow Design Services' two decades of practice has resulted in a solid foundation of technical expertise thanks to the dedication of our diverse staff. Media Contact: Renee Mardis Phone: 502-266-5357 Email: renee.mardis@rainbowdesign.net View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/rainbow-design-services-announces-launch-of-new-multi-platform-app-helix-300637421.html SOURCE Rainbow Design Services [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 26, 2018] Penguin Computing Named an ANSYS Advanced Solutions Partner Penguin Computing On Demand (POD) coupled with ANSYS simulation software helps engineers simulate, design and prototype new products while lowering cost and risk As the companies expand their partnership, they initiate the first in a series of joint seminars focused on Engineering Simulation on the Cloud FREMONT, Calif., April 26, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Penguin Computing, provider of high performance computing (HPC), artificial intelligence (AI), enterprise data center and cloud solutions, today announced that ANSYS, the global leader in engineering simulation software has promoted Penguin Computing to its highest technology partnership level, recognizing Penguin Computing as an ANSYS Advanced Solutions Partner. With this expanded partnership, Penguin Computing and ANSYS will also premier the first in a series of joint seminars. Beginning in Chicago on May 3, 2018 (with subsequent cities and dates to follow), the half-day seminar, Engineering Simulation on the Cloud, welcomes engineers and IT managers to learn how engineering simulation on the cloud provides flexible access to ANSYS software and scalable high-performance computing (HPC) resources. As digitalization progresses from trend to core competency, enterprises are increasingly adopting a cloud platform throughout all aspects of their businesses, including their engineering departments. Engineering innovation and success have become closely linked to the performance of compute-intensive, interdependent simulation tools. Computing throughput, and the number and quality of simulations an engineer can test, directly impacts the design quality, potential costs and overall risk. To meet this growing need, Penguin Computing partners with ANSYS to enable seamless, secure and affordable access to ANSYS software on Penguin Computing On Demand (POD), a true HPCin-the-cloud platform, that scales on demand and helps engineers solve their tough engineering challenges. Naming Penguin Computing as an ANSYS advanced partner demonstrates the power of Penguin Computing On-Demand (POD) to offer our customers agility, scale and security," said Wim Slagter, Director HPC and Cloud Alliances, ANSYS. "For three years, Penguin Computing has helped customers tap the benefits of the cloud. The expanded partnership is a natural progression for Penguin Computing and ANSYS." Penguin Computing has deep expertise in engineering and manufacturing and has delivered hundreds of enterprise-class manufacturing solutions, powered by its award winning HPC cloud platform, Penguin Computing On Demand (POD). POD is a cloud HPC service that allows organizations to utilize a high-performance, bare-metal, HPC computing environment in the cloud without having to invest in on-premise infrastructure. On POD, customers can take advantage of scalability and performance with expert support included in a secure on-demand environment. POD also offers a clear and concise billing model and no data transfer charges. Customers may wish to run simulations at scale or many different permutations simultaneously but may require more computing resources than are readily available in-house. said Victor Gregorio, Senior Vice President of Cloud Services, Penguin Computing. The Penguin Computing On-Demand (POD) HPC cloud offers organizations a flexible, cost effective approach to meeting simulation and modeling requirements. POD removes the complexity and high costs of cloud computing while offering a secure and reliable solution that is optimized for ANSYS users. The value of POD extends beyond engineering and manufacturing as POD's bare-metal, InfiniBand on demand HPC compute clusters are ideal for organizations engaging in meteorology, biosciences, energy, design and finance - or any other organization with high-performance computing needs. Penguin Computing and ANSYS Event Series What: Penguin Computing and ANSYS Event Series | Engineering Simulation on the Cloud When: May 3, 2018 | 9:30 AM - 2:30 PM (CST) Where: MicroTek Lombard | 720 East Butterfield Road | Lombard, Illinois 60148 Special Offer: All seminar attendees will be eligible for FREE trial access to 1,000 core hours HPC-enabled ANSYS simulation on Penguin Computings HPC Cloud platform: Penguin Computing on Demand (POD). For additional information, including registration details and the seminar agenda, please visit: https://bit.ly/2JhmmrS About Penguin Computing Penguin Computing, Inc. is a 20-year-old, U.S.-based global provider of high-performance computing (HPC), artificial intelligence (AI), and data center solutions with more than 2,500 customers in 40 countries, across eight major vertical markets. Penguin Computing offers a comprehensive portfolio of hardware, software and services, including solutions based on the Open Compute Project (OCP), as well as financing and top-rated customer support. Penguin Computing products include Linux-based servers; software; integrated, turn-key clusters; enterprise-grade storage and bare metal HPC on cloud via Penguin Computing On-Demand (POD). Visit www.penguincomputing.com/ to learn more about the company. For further information, contact: Rachel Shatz Karbo Communications for Penguin Computing 650-270-1097 penguin@karbocom.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 26, 2018] Krone North America Names Sandhills Publishing a Preferred Website Provider for its Dealer Group LINCOLN, Neb., April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Sandhills Publishing has been named a preferred website host and service provider for dealers representing Krone products across North America. The agreement between Sandhills Publishing and Krone North America facilitates access to professionally designed websites at an economical price point, while also providing back-end tools and features that ensure ample exposure to ag equipment buyers. Sandhills Publishingthe Nebraska-based tech company behind such brands as Machinery Trader, TractorHouse, Truck Paper, AuctionTime.com, RentalYard.com, FleetEvaluator, and morehas long worked with Krone North America to improve exposure for used assets and facilitate remarketing efforts overall. Through a co-op agreement, Krone North America subsidizes print advertising in Sandhills' TractorHouse, which is distributed to ag equipment buyers across North America and all over the world. Krone dealers list assets for sale in print every week, and are able to in turn list all inventory online at TractorHouse.com. By leveraging Sandhills as its preferred website provider, Krone North America and its dealerships benefit from the convenience of inventory management tools that seamlessly transition equipment through valuations, inspections, spec and photo updates, print and online advertising, an invoicing. Machines can be posted online with a simple click, updating listings across TractorHouse.com, the dealership's individual website, and Krone North America's used equipment website. In addition to making it easy for dealers and manufacturers to list equipment online and increase site traffic, the sites are also designed to collect and catalog sales leads using cloud-based tools that make them easily accessible to UEMs and staff. Meanwhile, the Used.Krone-na.com website pulls together listings from across Krone North America's dealer group into a central location for the convenience of both buyers and sellers. Through a protected login, dealerships within Krone North America's dealer group are also able to log in to the Used.Krone-na.com website to view wholesale listings from sellers within the dealer group. For Krone North America, working with Sandhills presents a clear opportunity to actively support the short- and long-term success of its dealer group. "The business relationship between Sandhills and Krone continues to grow as we work together to support Krone North America's dealer group," explains Sandhills Publishing's Scott Lubischer. "We at Krone North America value the expertise and support that the Sandhills team provides," adds Krone North America's Marketing Manager Dave Patterson. "Sandhills is a respected resource for our dealers." About Sandhills Publishing Sandhills Publishing is an information processing company headquartered in Lincoln, Nebraska. Our broad range of products and services gather, process, and distribute information in the form of trade publications and corresponding websites that connect buyers and sellers across the trucking, agriculture, construction, heavy equipment, aviation, and technology industries. Our integrated, industry-specific approach to hosted technologies and services offers solutions that help businesses large and small operate efficiently and grow securely, cost-effectively, and successfully. Sandhills Publishingwe are the cloud. Contact Us: (402) 479-2181 (800) 334-7443 feedback@sandhills.com About Krone North America Over a century-old, family-owned and operated business based in Spelle, Germany, Krone has been providing customers with premium-quality, Cutting Edge hay and forage equipment in North America for over 45 years. Because Krone's sole focus is on hay and forage equipment, we truly understand our customers. That means when Krone employees set out to design and build equipment, we begin by asking customers exactly what they need. And because Krone is a privately held company, we answer only to customer needsnot corporate shareholder demands. For more information, visit www.krone-na.com. Contact Us: (901) 842-6011 info@krone-na.com View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/krone-north-america-names-sandhills-publishing-a-preferred-website-provider-for-its-dealer-group-300637574.html SOURCE Sandhills Publishing [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 26, 2018] Crypto Collectible 'CryptoPuppies' Partners with WAX and OPSkins Marketplace KHARKOV, Ukraine and GRAND CAYMAN, Cayman Islands, April 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- CryptoPuppies and Worldwide Asset eXchange(WAX) today announced that the company's Crypto Collectibles will be available on OPSkins, the world's leading marketplace for online video game assets, and will be tradable with WAX Tokens, Bitcoin, ETH, US dollars, Euros and dozens of other currencies. CryptoPuppies is a decentralized game built on smart contracts running on the Ethereum blockchain. Players can buy, sell and breed their virtual creatures, called CryptoPuppies each of which has a unique name, appearance and attributes. Gameplay revolves around players training and competing with their puppies against other players. "With online gaming, decentralized applications (Dapps), and blockchain technology on the rise, 2018 The Year of the Dog is the perfect year to launch CryptoPuppies. We wanted to create a game highly inspired by the new era of crypto-games, with a vibrant economy and fun, addictive gameplay via extendable mini-games," said Valery Kuznetsov, CEO of CryptoPuppies. "We are thrilled to help get people excited about the blockchain with their best friend a CryptoPuppy!" "Our fascination with collecting begins in childhood. It's a very emotional attachment that we carry throughout our lives. The inception of blockchain-based collectibles presents a new opportuniy for the crypto community to get involved, and game developers are taking notice," said Malcolm CasSelle, CIO of OPSkins and President of WAX. "As the popularity of these Crypto Collectibles grows, so does the need for a trustworthy marketplace, which is where WAX and OPSkins come in. Integrating CryptoPuppies to that ecosystem is an exciting move for us and for the blockchain-based gaming community as a whole." With the integration of CryptoPuppies onto the OPSkins platform, WAX Tokens gain additional utility and more players are incentivized to join the ecosystem. OPSkins is rapidly becoming the go-to marketplace to trade these Crypto Collectibles, also known as non-fungible tokens or NFTs. CryptoPuppies is the latest game based on NFTs to be added to OPSkins and tradable with WAX Tokens the first was CryptoKitties in December 2017, and there are more to come. OPSkins boasts over two million weekly transactions on its platform, has millions of active customers, adds 200,000 new users each month and offers over five million items available for purchase using WAX. WAX allows anyone to create a virtual goods marketplace, onboarding millions of gamers to the growing cryptocurrency space. About CryptoPuppies CryptoPuppies is a blockchain-based game. Players collect, breed and compete with CryptoPuppies, which are all unique thanks to a digital genome that defines how they look and what attributes they have. Players can compete with their best friends for fun, money or rare prizes. For more information, check out https://cryptopuppies.org/, join their discord or read the medium article. About WAX WAX is a functional utility token that supports a decentralized platform, enabling anyone to operate a fully functioning virtual marketplace with zero investment in security, infrastructure or payment processing. Developed by the founders of OPSkins, the world's leading marketplace for online video game assets, WAX is designed to serve the 400+ million online players who already collect and trade video game assets and Crypto Collectibles. With the inclusion of the WAX simple exchange widget, gamers will have access to a worldwide market with blockchain trust and transaction verification. For more information, please visit https://wax.io and http://www.opskins.com. Worldwide Asset eXchange, WAX and Crypto Collectibles are trademarks and the sole property of Worldwide Asset eXchange. All other registered or unregistered trademarks are the sole property of their respective owners. Media Contact: Jackie Eicholz WAX 831.401.3175 wax@43pr.com View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/crypto-collectible-cryptopuppies-partners-with-wax-and-opskins-marketplace-300637528.html SOURCE WAX [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 26, 2018] Vox Mobile Launches All-Inclusive Managed Service for Apple Devices Vox Mobile announced today, as a newly signed Apple (News - Alert) Authorized Managed Service Provider and Reseller, the company has launched DaaS + MMS for Apple, an all-inclusive Device-as-a-Service (DaaS) offering for iPhone (News - Alert) , iPad and Mac, fully integrated with its industry leading Managed Mobility Services (MMS). This one-of-a-kind program offers companies the best products and platforms for business and the best end-to-end lifecycle management services for one affordable monthly price - lowering total cost of ownership, streamlining support, and enhancing employee productivity. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180426006673/en/ Vox DaaS + MMS for Apple provides companies with everything they need to empower employees with the devices they love to use for work. For a predictable monthly price, starting as low as $15 per-device, companies can finance or lease Apple products as part of a complete managed solution. The program can be customized to include fixed-fee consulting and assessment services, device procurement, repair and replacement, provisioning and deployment, device management licensing and administration, cellular activation and usage optimization, and help desk support. Vox Mobile has over a decade of experience delivering scalable managed mobility services, and is a recognized industry leader [Gartner Magic Quadrant] based on customer satisfaction [NPS score], mobile technology expertise, and global support capabilities. Vox Mobile supports iPhone and iPad in 80 percent of its one million devices under management, including a Northeast Ohio-based, top-ranked health system, the world's largest global energy supplier, a Fortune 500 insurance group, a Nevada-based hotel and casino industry leader, and a global industrial materials and tooling supplier. A recent Jamf Employee Choice survey showed, when given a choice, three out of four employees would choose Apple devices for work. "We're seeing a similar demand for Apple products in our client base," stated Jeff Canter, Executive Chairman and CEO, Vox Mobile. "Our Vox DaaS + MMS for Apple program makes it even easier for companies to promote employee device choice while delivering an exceptional user experience. Bringing the as-a-service model to Apple devices in the enterprise is a game changer," continued Canter. The Vox DaaS + MMS for Apple program offers a unique combination of devices and managed services bundled into an easy to consume monthly price including: Vox consulting and Apple Professional Services assessments to design an Enterprise Blueprint for iOS and Mac iPhone, iPad and Mac procurement and financing, provisioning and zero-touch deployment at scale with flexible upgrade and refresh programs Device management set-up, policy configuration and administration; automated device enrollment and over the air configuration of settings and apps with Apple Device Enrollment Program Global 24/7 on-demand help-desk including enhanced support options available from AppleCare ; Apple Authorized Service Provider repair services with next day device replacements ; Apple Authorized Service Provider repair services with next day device replacements iPhone and iPad cellular activation, usage optimization and ongoing cost control Affordable, predictable per-device, per-month bundled pricing, backed by Apple Financial Services' programs that make leasing devices and services easy Vox DaaS + MMS for Apple is available starting today. For more information contact Vox Mobile at info@voxmobile.com or 1.800.536.9030. About Vox Mobile Vox Mobile provides Complete Enterprise Mobility as a service. As companies seek to drive mobility-based innovations, the costs and complexities of infrastructure management and the large requirements for administrative and user support become overwhelming. The diverse technologies and people-intense processes required for managing mobility create the M-Gap - where innovation potential falls way to the burdens of infrastructure management. Around the world, companies have turned to Vox Mobile for comprehensive mobility management to drive application success and a great user experience. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio and with offices and support centers around North America, Vox Mobile has the industry's highest Net Promoter Score (NPS) and customer satisfaction levels. As a founding member of the Global Enterprise Mobility Alliance (GEMA), Vox Mobile provides global support for multi-national corporations. For more information, visit www.voxmobile.com. Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone, iPad, Mac and AppleCare are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180426006673/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 26, 2018] Jobillico Partners with Google to Improve the Job Search Experience in Canada QUEBEC CITY, April 26, 2018 /CNW Telbec/ - Jobillico, the only nation-wide employment website owned and operated by Canadians, is proud to announce its new partnership with Google. Job seekers across the country will now be able to use Google to easily access the 30,000 job openings posted on our website. "This new partnership with Google, the world's largest search engine, will help us go even further in the pursuit of our mission. We define this as helping Canadian workers find their dream job while supporting the growth of Canadian companies so they can reach theirfullest potential" says Serge Lavallee, President and Co-Founder of Jobillico. The Largest Canadian Job Network Combining the power of attraction of several partner websites in one network, Jobillico is the foremost employment platform in the country. Jobillico can reach millions of potential candidates while also engaging them with more than 15 million job alerts every month. "Our business model is unique in Canada and has made it possible for us to transform the employment market in the country" adds Serge Lavallee. "Our Action Plans can be tailored to a company's specific needs and let employers enjoy unlimited posting at a fixed annual cost". With this new partnership, employers on the Jobillico network could advertise their job openings on Google's new job search feature simply by posting via the Jobillico platform. This provides a simple and effective means of reaching out to an unparalleled number of job seekers. About Jobillico Jobillico is an ambitious spirited Canadian company founded on the core values of being collaborative, appealing and proactive. We offer an innovative web recruiting solution for employers to recruit the best talent that also helps candidates reach their full potential in a job that makes them happy. Since our founding, more than 10,000 businesses and 2 million job seekers have chosen us, making us the largest Canadian job network. jobillico.com SOURCE Jobillico [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 26, 2018] Good Life Networks Inc. Achieves Record $9.7 Million in Revenue and Record $1.7 Million in EBITDA for 2017 VANCOUVER, April 26, 2018 /CNW/ - Good Life Networks Inc. ("GLN", or the "Company") (TSX-V: GOOD, FSE: 4G5), a Vancouver-based programmatic advertising technology company, is pleased to announce that it has filed its consolidated financial statements and management's discussion and analysis for the year ended December 31, 2017, available for viewing on www.sedar.com. All figures are expressed in Canadian dollars unless otherwise stated. Financial Highlights Record revenue during the twelve months ended December 31, 2017 increased 278% to $9,723,075 compared to $2,571,311 during the twelve months ended December 31, 2016 ; increased 278% to compared to during the twelve months ended ; Gross profit during the twelve months ended December 31, 2017 increased 800% to $4,334,670 from $481,795 during the twelve months ended December 31, 2016 ; increased 800% to from during the twelve months ended ; Gross margin as a percentage of revenue during the twelve months ended December 31, 2017 increased to 45% compared to 19% during the twelve months ended December 31, 2016 , representing a 137% increase; increased to 45% compared to 19% during the twelve months ended , representing a 137% increase; Record net income for the twelve months ended December 31, 2017 was $1,337,726 compared to a net loss of $3,000,692 during the twelve months ended December 31, 2016 ; was compared to a net loss of during the twelve months ended ; EBITDA for the twelve months ended December 31, 2017 was $1,716,189 . BUSINESS UPDATE During fiscal year ending December 31, 2017, the Company achieved the following milestones: GLN placed ads about three times faster than IAB standards (250 milliseconds, IAB Standard 700 milliseconds). This mean more ads are sold that are more accurately targeted and at a higher price creating more revenue for the company. GLN completed 17 API Integrations into our patent pending exchange during 2017 expanding our global reach eightfold over 2016. Placed nearly 1BN video ads Increased capacity to allow for future additional integrations Subsequent to Fiscal Year-End Completed RTO transaction with Exito, and concurrently raised $9.2M of equity. of equity. Granted patent pending status by the USPTO on several innovations related to our exchange platform, algorithms and blockchain design. MOVING AHEAD The Company continues to expand and execute its integration and acquisition strategy. During 2018, the Company plans on integrating with between 25 and 35 additional partners and plans to complete strategic acquisitions previously identified. To date, Good Life Networks Inc has been working on and completing the following initiatives: March 8 th , we continued our aggressive integration strategy by entering a commercial agreement with U.S. based Answer Media, giving us access to a global supply chain consisting of over one hundred million unique users and over three hundred publishers (websites on desktop and mobile). , we continued our aggressive integration strategy by entering a commercial agreement with U.S. based Answer Media, giving us access to a global supply chain consisting of over one hundred million unique users and over three hundred publishers (websites on desktop and mobile). March 22 nd , we expanded into the U.K. with Advenue Limited ("Advenue"). Our agreement and integration with this London based company expands GLN's global reach by up to nine new regions and includes access to over 4,000 mobile publishers across Android and iOS platforms." , we expanded into the U.K. with Advenue Limited ("Advenue"). Our agreement and integration with this based company expands GLN's global reach by up to nine new regions and includes access to over 4,000 mobile publishers across Android and iOS platforms." April 3 rd , CEO Jesse Dylan and his team rang the bell at TSX to open the stock market marking GLN's public listing on TSX-V under the stock symbol GOOD. , CEO Jesse Dylan and his team rang the bell at TSX to open the stock market marking GLN's public listing on TSX-V under the stock symbol GOOD. April 12 th , GLN announced its listing on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (third largest exchange globally in terms of volume of trading behind New York and NASDAQ) under the trading symbol 4G5. , GLN announced its listing on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (third largest exchange globally in terms of volume of trading behind and NASDAQ) under the trading symbol 4G5. April 19 th, GLN entered into an Advisory Agreement with First Coin Capital (a Vancouver -based technology services company dedicated to advising established companies and providing access to the emerging digital currency asset class.) to assist in the detailed analysis and planning of the GLN accounts receivable ("AR") Blockchain application. Jesse Dylan, President and CEO commented, "A few years ago, I had the pleasure and honor of entertaining Don Miguel Ruiz (author of the international best-selling book The Four Agreements) in my home for dinner. One of Don Miguel's Four Agreements is "Be Impeccable with Your Word," the financial statements that we are releasing today to the market, to our shareholders, family and friends clearly demonstrate that we are executing our plan and being impeccable with our word. It will continue to be our honor and pleasure to execute the GOOD plan!" Summary of Financial Results and Information Consolidated Statement of Operations Twelve months ended December 31, 2017 2016 Revenue $ 9,723,075 $ 2,571,311 Cost of Sales $ 5,388,405 $ 2,089,516 Gross Profit $ 4,334,670 $ 481,795 Gross Margin 45% 19% Expenses $ 3,105,850 $ 3,284,504 Operating Income (Loss) $ 1,228,820 $ (2,802,709) Net Income (Loss) for the year $ 1,337,726 $ (3,000,692) Income (Loss) per share Basic $ 0.01 $ (0.04) Diluted $ 0.01 $ (0.04) Total Assets $ 9,832,633 $ 1,117,819 Total Liabilities $ 12,094,377 $ 4,922,616 Total Shareholders' Equity (Deficiency) $ (2,261,744) $ (3,804,797) Financial Reports Full details of the financial reports and operating results for the twelve months ended December 31, 2017 are described in the Company's consolidated financial statements with accompanying notes and related Management's Discussion and Analysis. These documents and additional information on Good Life Networks Inc. is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Management appointments Konstantin Lichtenwald has been appointed as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the Company. Mr. Lichtenwald is a CPA/CGA offers extensive knowledge and know-how for companies in two key financial jurisdictions, North America and German-speaking parts of Europe. His accounting, financial skills offer a multifaceted hands-on approach to strategic management and problem solving. Andrew Osis has resigned from his position as Chief Financial Officer and returns to his role as Advisor. GLN wishes to thank Mr. Osis for his contributions over the last year. Conference Call The company will also host a live conference call on April 26th, 2018, at 2 p.m. PST. To access the conference call by phone, please dial: Canada/USA: 1-800-319-4610 International Toll: 1-604-638-5340 Germany: 0800-180-1954 UK: 0808-101-2791 Callers should dial in five to 10 minutes prior to the scheduled start time. The GLN Story GLN harnesses the power of artificial intelligence to improve marketing return on investments for advertisers using its patent pending video advertising technology. By 2020, MAGNA, the research arm of media buying firm IPG Mediabrands, expects digital ads to make up 50 percent of all ad spending, expected to reach $237 billion this year. GLN recently closed a $9.2 million subscription financing prior to closing its qualifying transaction and trades on the TSX Venture Exchange under the stock symbol "GOOD" and The Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the stock symbol 4G5. 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. SOURCE Good Life Networks Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 26, 2018] Airware Labs Announces Name Change to Item 9 Labs Corp. and New Ticker Symbol "INLB" SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., April 26, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Airware Labs Corp (OTC:AIRW) (Airware or the Company), is pleased to announce that today the Financial Industry and Regulatory Authority (FINRA) has approved the Companys previously announced name change to Item 9 Labs Corp., reflecting the Companys new business direction within the Cannabis Bio-Medical industry, and a ticker symbol change. Effective on the open of markets April 27, 2018, the Companys name will be Item 9 Labs Corp. and will trade under the ticker symbol 'INLB.' The corporate name change was taken pursuant to the Companys acquisition of BSSD Group, LLC, an Arizona limited liability company, doing business as Item 9 Labs, which was completed on March 21, 2018. In conjunction with the acquisition, Airware closed on a material definitive financing agreement in the principal amount of $1.09 million. Bryce Skalla, Co-Founder & CEO of Item 9 Labs, commented, Todays announcement marks a key milestone in the Companys strategy to focus its operations on the Cannabis Bio-Medical space. Item 9 Labs is dedicated to creating cannabis health solutions that deliver the industrys highest-quality, medical-grade medical marijuana in todays most advanced delivery platforms. We are in a strong position to enter the high-growth Cannabis Bio-Medical market as we are now combining our superior, organically grown marijuana flower with our first proprietary delivery device,a nasal mucus-membrane delivery system. Effectively, we will be producing the industrys first medicated nasal delivery device that administers specific cannabinoid dosing to meet the growing demand of todays modern consumer. We are excited about what we have already accomplished and look forward to sharing progress updates in the future. About Item 9 Labs Corp.: Item 9 Labs Corp. (OTC:INLB) is focused on the development of technology and products that administer high-quality medical marijuana through a novel, proprietary intra-nasal delivery system to deliver significant health benefits. The Company is headquartered in Southern Arizona where it owns and operates 50 acres, the largest property in the U.S. zoned to grow and cultivate the medical marijuana flower. Item 9 has a proven track record of providing consumers with high-quality medical marijuana flower and products focused on organic, cost-effective solutions for whole body health. By combining high-quality, medical-grade product with the Companys proprietary nasal mucus-membrane delivery system, Item 9 plans to produce the industrys first market medicated nasal delivery device that administers specific cannabinoid dosing to meet the growing demand of todays modern Cannabis consumer. Forward-Looking Statement: This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements involve risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, risks and effects of legal and administrative proceedings and governmental regulation, especially in a foreign country, future financial and operational results, competition, general economic conditions, proposed transactions that are not legally binding obligations of the company and the ability to manage and continue growth. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual outcomes may vary materially from those indicated. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements we make in this news release include the introduction of new technology, market conditions and those set forth in reports or documents we file from time to time with the SEC. We undertake no obligation to revise or update such statements to reflect current events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. Media Contact: Investor Relations: Jeffrey Rassas (480)463-4246 or (877)876-4868 Email: jeffrey@airwarelabs.com Investor Contact: Scott Eckstein KCSA Strategic Communications seckstein@kcsa.com 212-896-1210 [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] FORMER CORRECTIONS OFFICER PLEADS GUILTY TO CONTRABAND SMUGGLING AT JACKSON COUNTY DETENTION CENTER Today's news of the ongoing efforts to clean-up an ongoing hot mess include guilty pleas to multipleCheck the presser . . .Admitted that he told a confidential informant that he would smuggle two packs of cigarettes, a cell phone and a cell phone charger to an inmate in the detention center for $500. He met the informant at a Churchs Fried Chicken restaurant on June 2, 2017, where he received the payment and the contraband items.The next day, June 3, 2017, he entered the inmates cell and put the contraband on the bed. They engaged in a conversation regarding potential future contraband transactions. Dickerson asked if the inmate would be interested in paying him a monthly fee of $2,500. In exchange, the former guard would ensure he would be the only inmate on the fifth floor to receive contraband cigarettes, narcotics and telephones. Other inmates would then shop through him for their contraband.The inmate smoked one of the packs of cigarettes and exchanged the second pack of cigarettes with other inmates for food from the commissary. On the same day, detention center personnel searched his cell and found the phone and phone charger.On June 18, 2017, a corrections officer found the former guard's cell phone in the fifth floor control station. Text messages contained information recording drug deals between the former guard and inmates within the Jackson County Detention Center.THE FORMER GUARD was arrested on June 27, 2017. At the time of his arrest, he had two cell phones in his possession while he was on duty in the inmate area of the detention center. Corrections officers are not allowed to have cell phones in their possession while on duty and in the areas of the detention center where inmates are housed.In a separate but related case, another former corrections officer at the Jackson County Detention Center has also pleaded guilty. The former Jackson County Employee admitted that she conspired with others including a co-defendant, an inmate at the Jackson County Detention Center to smuggle contraband to inmates between May 2 and June 26, 2017. She also admitted that she actually smuggled contraband into the Jackson County Detention Center and delivered the contraband to an inmate.#######Developing . . . Lenexa, Kansas, police are asking for the public's help in identifying a woman in an auto burglary and theft case. Police said that a woman's vehicle was broken into on April 9, outside the post office in the 8800 block of Monrovia Street. The woman's purse was stolen. $4-MILLION MORE THAN WHAT WAS INITIALLY PLEDGED BY VOTERS!!! The KC Pet Project is $3-million short in funding required by City Hall in this public/private partnership AFTER A YEAR-LONG FUNDRAISING DROUGHT, INSIDERS FEAR KANSAS CITY PET LOVERS WON'T CLOSE THE FUNDING GAP AND CITY HALL WILL BE FORCED TO PICK UP AN EVEN GREATER PORTION OF THE TAB!!! "They're not going to meet their goal. Council will provide another emergency ordnance to close the gap and that will be the end of it. People love their pets but there simply isn't that kind of private funding available in the metro . . . Unless some rich old lady kicks the bucket and leaves millions to her dog. None of this is to say that the local animal activist community didn't do more than their fair share in getting the ballot question passed. The public relations and good will they provided ultimately helped pass all of the GO Bonds. But when it comes to cold hard cash and asking people to chip in . . . It just doesn't make any sense . . . Why pay for something when the city is picking up most of the bill? That's the problem fundraisers are encountering and it's pretty hard to make a plea when all of the spin coming out of City Hall is upbeat. Meanwhile, I think pet lovers are more inclined to help animal rescue missions where the needs are more immediate." BROKEN PROMISE ANIMAL SHELTER FUNDING FAIL A year after voters agreed to chip-in the vast majority of funding, Kansas City pet lovers aren't anywhere close to coming up with their portion of the cash needed forRecently, Mayor & Council gave final approval of- That was afterEven more interestingly, public discussion of the shelter's progress reveals . . .PR Juggernaut, senior vice president of the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce have offered their assurances in meeting this goal.However, here's an insider look at how this thing is going to unfold . . .Here's perspective from behind the scenes . . .Accordingly . . .In the aftermath, Kansas City taxpayers might want to remind animal lovers of their fundingas they continue to ask City Hall for more doggie park and animal care resources during the warmer months.Developing . . . Daily Star And Tribute To Pammy: Baywatch's Charlotte McKinney puts bikini through its paces as boobs spill from all angles Even More Dangerous Local Curves This is where the most crashes occur in Kansas City KANSAS CITY, Mo. - If you go to a game at Kauffman or Arrowhead stadium, you might want to slow down and pay attention. So far in 2018, the I-70 and I-435 interchange has ranked the highest on the Kansas City Police Department's High Crash Locations. Kansas City Obamacare Shutdown Kansas City Hospital To Close, Will Lay Off More Than 100 Employees Select Specialty Hospital-Western Missouri, a long-term acute care facility on East Meyer Boulevard in Kansas City, is closing its doors and laying off 105 employees. The hospital announced the closure in a notice to the state of Missouri under the Worker Adjustment Retraining and Notification Act. KCK Scare Today Scrap metal found in suspicious bag left outside KCK police headquarters Terry Zeigler SOURCE: Terry Zeigler Authorities said scrap metal was found in a suspicious bag found outside Kansas City, Kansas, police headquarters Wednesday morning. Overland Park's bomb squad officers X-rayed the bag and determined there wasn't anything hazardous inside. Downtown Kansas City, Kansas, at Seventh Street and Minnesota Avenue was shut down for about two and a half hours. Today's Decapitation Case Hiccup Case against KCK Schlitterbahn Waterpark in boy's death dropped on technicality KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- A judge dropped the case against Schlitterbahn Waterpark of KCK on Wednesday in connection to the death of a 10-year-old. But it could be just temporary. Why? Technically, there is no such thing as Schlitterbahn Waterpark of Kansas City, Kansas. That company name does not exist. Ripoffs Other Than Rising Bills KCP&L warns customers of increase in scams KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Kansas City Power and Light is warning its customers of a dramatic increase in reported scammers posing at KCP&L employees over the phone. KCP&L said in a news release that 326 attempted utility collection call scams were reported in the first quarter of 2018 compared to 185 in 2017, a 76 percent increase. Local Crime Life Discussion Crime Files: Listen to the full podcast series About 40 percent of the murder cases in Kansas City are unsolved. Many of those cases are considered cold. FOX4 Crime Files takes an in-depth look at some of these cases, each one representing a life lost, and loved ones searching for answers. Check TKC Comments For Contestants Know Someone Who Needs A Makeover? Netflix's 'Queer Eye' Is Casting In Kansas City Do you have a friend or loved one in need of a little push when it comes to fashion or confidence? Netflix's " Queer Eye" wants to know. The streaming service's revival of the Bravo TV makeover show "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" (which aired from 2003-2007) is looking for subjects in Kansas City, Missouri. More Booze For Can City KC's Boulevard Brewing fires up $10 million beer canning operation Kansas City, MO - After years of bottling their beer, Boulevard Brewing Company is now going to sell its product in cans. Company officials say their $10 million canning line is now fully operational, completing the final phase of Boulevard's expansion plan that started in 2004. brightens the gloomiest day and offers a quickie newsworthy distraction.Closer to home, here are more than a few MSM news links worth sharing. Take a peek:And this is thefor right now . . . "After eight years of working with an entrenched power structure, I'm fine with term limits at the County. What the piece fails to mention until the final couple of lines is the proposal also includes pay raises for JaCo electeds (seriously?) and he says it establishes a municipal court. We already have a court, it changes how the judge is chosen. That proposal is being written by Grounds and his friend Waits, who practice law at the county. But hey, nothing to see here. The more you know . . ." Special thanks to our blog community for saving this local government social media critique of a political lady responding (poorly) to talk of term limits.Money line:Take a look:The implication targeting her colleagues suggests self-interest. In the meantime, expect more support her primary opponent given this social media feuding.You decide . . . A huge fan of the Aegean, along with her mother Goldie Hawn and step father Kurt Russell, who spend every summer in the Greek island of Skiathos Hollywood actress and popular celebrity Kate Hudson has told worldwide leading fashion publication Harpers Bazaar that Greece is her favourite place in the world. Greece is my favorite vacation spot; I feel really at home there. I love the culture, the people are wonderful, and the water is just so incredibly appealing, she confessed in her interview. The star of Bride Wars, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days and Fools Gold is a huge fan of the Aegean, along with her mother Goldie Hawn and step father Kurt Russell, who spend every summer in the Greek island of Skiathos. Kate is currently pregnant with her third child and says there is nothing better than being in Greece with her family and even though she loves all the islands and visits many, she cant go passed spending time with her loved ones in Skiathos. Read article in full in Harpers Bazaar here. RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report Photo Source:pixabay.com Source: greekcitytimes.com From large hangar doors to the smallest window rolling shutters, Bahrain-based Al Nisr Aluminium and Metal Fabrication Company is promoting its comprehensive range of rolling shutters for windows and doors at the Gulf Construction Expo. Returning to the expo for the fifth consecutive year, the specialist in rolling shutters and sectional doors is showcasing the diverse choice it offers, right from Efaflex high-speed doors from Germany to small solar-powered window shutters that use Solar Pro II operators and OZRoll Drive Systems for small window openings. Efaflex high-speed doors are offered in widths of up to 10 m and heights up to 12 m for use in airports, parking garages and production facilities. They have been installed at the Toyota repair workshops in Bahrain. The Gulf Construction Expo has established itself as a major platform to promote innovative products and services to the sector. As a leading supplier in Bahrain, we have taken the opportunity to promote our company by being Gulf Construction Expos first Doors and Rolling Shutter product sponsors, remarked Devraj Das, the general manager. Established in 1976, Al Nisr Aluminium was the first company to introduce window rolling shutters into Bahrain. The companys dedication to be the best in their field, saw it bring micro-perforated rolling shutters to the market in 1989. "We are at the show yet again to reinforce our presence in the market and showcase our new products," he added. Al Nisr Aluminium has introduced several models of rolling shutters, sectional overhead doors, aircraft hangar doors, folding doors, high-speed doors, window rolling shutters and fire-curtains. The company is also Bahrains agent for international brands such as Flexidoor, R&D Doors, Kent, Sipar, Jewers, ISEA and OCM. With over 35 models of rolling shutters, customers have a wide range to choose from, stated Das. According to him, the company has in the past two years supplied more than 2,500 rolling shutters to Bahrains Ministry of Housing projects. Some 200 to 250 shutters from Al Nisr Aluminium have also been installed at the Bahrain City Centre. Other projects include Enma Mall and Seef Mall, Police Fort (Jewers doors for the helicopter hangars) and fire stations, he added.-TradeArabia News Service Work on Oman's Duqm Refinery project will kick start with a ground-breaking ceremony scheduled to be held today (April 26). The event, at the project site in the Special Economic Zone Authority of Duqm (Sezad), will be held under the auspices of Sayyid Haitham bin Tariq Al Said, Minister of Heritage and Culture and will be attended by senior officials and representatives from Oman and Kuwait, said a Times of Oman report. The Duqm Refinery project is a 50/50 joint venture between Oman Oil Company and Kuwait Petroleum International. It is a project that would energise the area of Duqm and make it a viable and strategic energy hub in the region, said the Duqm Refinery and Petrochemical Industries Company. The ceremony is an important step forward in the development of a world-class integrated refining and petrochemicals project, said the company. A consortium between Oman Oil Company and Kuwait Petroleum International, the project is aimed at boosting the refining industry of Oman and Kuwait and enhancing Duqms position as a new business hub in the region, it said. Earlier, Duqm Refinery had awarded EPC contracts for the construction of the 230,000 bpd refinery. The EPC scope of work is divided into three separate packages. The scope of EPC 1 includes the process units of the refinery, while EPC 2 consists of the utilities and offsite facilities. EPC 3 includes the product export terminal in Duqm Port, the Duqm Refinery dedicated crude storage tanks in Ras Markaz and the 80 km interconnecting pipeline from these crude tanks to Duqm Refinery. The contractors for the three EPC packages are: EPC Package 1: Joint venture of Tecnidas Reunidas and Daewoo Engineering & Construction; EPC Package 2: Joint venture of Petrofac International and Samsung Engineering; EPC Package 3: Joint venture of Saipem and CB&I. The ICO is Dead, Long Live the ICO Democratizing access to early-stage capital raising has been the raison d'etre for initial coin offerings since their beginning, but many investors quickly find that some investors are still more equal than others. Retail investors have discovered it is difficult to dislodge well-funded venture capitalist from their role in capital formation. "Today, if you look at ICOs, they look like early-stage registered rounds where there are syndicates as well as party rounds in some cases," said Michael Steinberg, a general partner at venture-capital firm Reciprocal Ventures, during a recent panel at the Empire Startups conference in Midtown Manhattan. "If you look at March's figures on the total funds raised through ICOs, 60% of that was done in private sales, which is code for institutional money." Steinberg attributed the increased investment by professional money managers to venture capitalists adapting to a new funding model. "I think that the yearly returns of some of the tokens were so eye-popping and venture capital firms are a pretty curious bunch and they adapted pretty quickly to it," he added. The US financial regulators also have tilted the playing field towards professional investors by deeming many ICO offerings as unregistered securities, which often limits participation to sophisticated and accredited investors. The 2017 ICOs are basically dead, agreed fellow panelist Rod McLeod, senior communications director at Kik Interactive. "Nobody wants to hear that they cannot do a 2017 ICO," noted David Concannon, a partner at the law practice of Latham & Watkins and who also participated in the panel. "I deal with frustrated clients all the time. Everyone is advising everyone to do a standard agreement for future tokens (SAFT) and that is kind of where people are going." However, the US Securities and Exchange Commission does not like that approach, he added. "If you look at the SEC, it directed subpoenas to exchanges, some ICO issuers, and, most notably, focused on some advisors and a lot of issuers of SAFTs." The healthy ICO market outside of the US market just may render the entire regulatory conversation within the US moot. "It is important to talk about these issues, but I see a lot of people who have no connection to the US or touch US investors and they are the ones who are driving the grass root ICOs," said Jeannette Spaulding, co-founder and CEO of the Crypto Research Group and the final panelist. For more information on related topics, visit the following channels: During its annual meeting at the Transylvania County Library this month, the Friends of the Library (FOL) announced the appointment of its new board president. Tia Ramsey, who previously served as the board secretary, takes over the position upon the departure of Alice Hardy. Both women have long records of dedicated service to the FOL. Ramsey is a life-long friend of libraries. Ramseys love of libraries began as a young child, she explains, when she would rush out on her bicycle to the library to check out the latest Hardy Boys mystery book and continued through her college years when she worked shelving books in her college library. Tia has worn many hats over the years and has served the library in many different capacities, Library Director Anna Yount said. She has been on the library staff, twice. And for many years, she was the secretary that every organization dreams of, preparing accurate minutes, rosters and keeping all of us organized. Ramsey is also what she calls a lifetime Girl Scout. From 1999-2016 she was training director for the Girl Scout council that serves Western North Carolina, designing and delivering leader training in 40 North Carolina counties. Hardy has served on the FOL board for 10 years, including two stints each as president-elect and president. Hardy explains her many years in leadership positions with the organization this way: It wasnt a matter of the board not being able to find anyone else to fill the slot but because I wanted so much to stay on. A retired educator who has served on numerous community committees and boards, Hardy describes her years of service with the Friends as a grand and happy experience. She said, Volunteering at the library in any capacity is a totally rewarding experience. The FOL, the library staff and governing boards all represent a total body of dedicated people who share their time and talents to enrich our community in so many ways. It will be hard to imagine our Friends Board without Alice Hardy on it, Yount said. She has provided exceptional leadership in so many ways twice! It is not often that someone says they will miss having a meeting, but I will truly miss my meetings with Alice they are always a pleasure, said Yount. Yount also says she is looking forward to working with Ramsey in her role as FOL president for many reasons. Both women are serious outdoor enthusiasts and Yount lists one of the reasons shes excited about Ramseys new position is that we can have our meetings out on the trail. Hardy has seen many changes over the years and is particularly pleased with the success of The Second Story Book Store, which now offers online sales and expanded hours of operation. She adds that she is very proud of the hard work of the board. The Friends of the Library has a wider audience than ever before, said Hardy. Ramsey is excited about the librarys outreach efforts to take their programs to all edges of the county. One of her goals as the new board president is to continue Hardys focus on making every Friends member feel valued and involved, and to realize how their membership makes a difference to the entire community. Lastly, Ramsey wants to continue efforts to inform the public on the great value the Friends organization brings to the community. Ramsey explains that the library receives no county money for programming. Every single program offered at the library from movies, to childrens summer reading, to musical productions, to discussions of current events is paid for by the Friends of the Library. By filling this void, the Friends provide a vital service to the county, said Ramsey. Echoing that sentiment, Yount says that Friends organizations are vital to the success of every public library. Our Friends, with a capital F, are our staunchest supporters and our most effective advocates, said Yount. If you are interested in becoming a FOL member, you can sign up at the main information desk at the Transylvania County Public Library. (Pam Drellow is an FOL board member.) During 2017 Taste of Transylvania, guests try out Ms. DeJong's Google Cardboard viewers. Ms. DeJong, a Brevard Elementary 5th grade teacher, received a TCSEF grant to purchase the viewers for use in her classroom. On May 1, the Transylvania County Schools Educational Foundation (TCSEF), in partnership with First Citizens Bank, will host the 2018 Taste of Transylvania at the Brevard Lumberyard, 170 King St. in Brevard. This annual event is the primary fundraiser for TCSEF and for the Creative Classroom Grants that are awarded each January to Transylvania County Schools (TCS) teachers and staff. In 2018, TCSEF awarded 32 grants, totaling $18,000, with grants being awarded at each of the nine TCS schools. During Taste of Transylvania, many of the grant recipient teachers will be available to discuss their grant projects. The awarded grants support a variety of subject areas, including health education, STEM, experiential learning, career development, arts education and much more. Teachers have 18 months to utilize their grant funds and many of the programs implemented will have continued effect beyond this school year. Taste of Transylvania will feature 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 http://www.TasteofTransylvania.org and for cash or check at Broad Street Wines in Brevard and Headwaters Outfitters in Rosman. Doors 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 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, and local experiences, and to be prepared to bid on auction items such as Brevard Music Center tickets and a Headwaters Outfitters fly-fishing trip for two. The evening will include live music, and 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 guest judges, as well as the Taster's Choice Award, will be announced. TCSEF, 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 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. Purchase your tickets to support TCS public schools and discover the innovative and creative ways our teachers are engaging our students every day. Tickets for the seventh annual Taste of Transylvania are on sale now at TCSEF.org. According to the U.S. Global Change Research Program and its Climate Science Special Report, which was released last fall, the globally averaged surface temperature has increased by 1.8 degrees during the past 115 years, making it the warmest period in the history of modern civilization. Deke Arndt corroborated that research recently during the Transylvania County Natural Resources Councils (TNRC) monthly meeting. Each month, the council invites a speaker to address topics of local and big-picture concern. Arndt is the chief scientist of the Asheville climate-monitoring branch of the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Arndt said that NOAA was mandated to conduct the study in 1989 by President George H.W. Bush, and then Congress followed up in 1990, requiring the study every four years. The first study was published in the early 1990s and the second study was published eight years later. Arndt said the studys publication is now on a four-year schedule. It is 13 national agencies that publish this work, he said. We are now meeting the rhythm that Congress dictated in the early 90s and thats in large part due to the tech-support unit. Those are all the people who do the layout and make sure there is transparency in our research. Thats what happens in Asheville. The data is compiled and shared with the broader science community, and we make sure we can shine a light through the report into the data it is based on. Arndt said that most of the information comes from the National Weather Service and from partnering national weather services that other countries have established to monitor climate change. He said most of that information is shared in real time and is meant to inform forecasting. By observing past data that is still available in print, such as ice core samples and tree ring studies, they compare todays conditions to the old data and make better predictions and look for patterns. He said U.S.-based scientists have been monitoring the weather systematically since the late 1800s, and that this past March was the fourth warmest on record. We track drought, and trends with heat and cold and flood and stuff like that, and make sure that we can put todays conditions into historical perspective, so people have something to compare it to, and so we can identify trends with whats going on, he said. Last falls Climate Science Special Report will be included as part of the larger national climate assessment and summarizes what scientists know about the climate system the physical science, oceanography, meteorology and the atmospheric science. That stuff is a subset of what will be the National Climate Assessment, which comes out later this year, Arndt said. Its in public review right now. The assessment brings in stuff beyond my expertise like how prepared are we to deal with ecosystem resiliency and our human infrastructure? It looks sector by sector on a national scale on how well positioned we are in the face of a changing climate. The special report reads that based on extensive evidence it is extremely likely that human activities, specifically emissions of greenhouse gases, are the dominant cause of the observed warming since the mid-20th century. The study claims that many other aspects of climate change are directly related to human population growth, like changes in atmospheric temperature, oceanic temperature, melting glaciers, reduced snow cover in high elevation and polar regions, shrinking sea ice, rising sea levels, acidity levels rising in the ocean and more. Just last week in Smithsonian Magazine, it was reported that 30 percent of the Great Barrier Reef died during the 2016 heat wave. Half of the 2 billion corals have perished since 2015 due to rising ocean temperatures. Global sea levels are expected to continue to rise by around 1 to 4 feet by the year 2100, but a rise as high as 8 feet could not be ruled out. The report claims that sea levels will rise higher on the East and Gulf Coasts of the U.S. More frequent and more intense storms are expected across the East Coast, as well, with the most intense storms occurring in the northeastern states. Heat waves are going to be more frequent, with record setting temperatures to trend, while cold fronts and extreme cold weather will become less frequent. Annual average temperatures are expected to rise by about 2.5 degrees in the United States, according to the report. The incidences of large forest fires in the Western United States and Alaska have increased since the early 1980s and are projected to further increase in those regions as the climate changes, with profound changes to regional ecosystems. Earlier spring melt and reduced snowpack are already impacting water resources in the Western United States, and these trends are expected to continue, according to the report. The report says that assuming no change to current water resources management, chronic, long-duration drought will increase by the end of the century. The impact of climate change beyond the next few decades will depend primarily on the amount of greenhouse gases (especially carbon dioxide) emitted globally. According to the NOAA, the U.S. is the largest carbon polluter in history, releasing 8 billion metric tons of CO2 into the atmosphere between the years 1850 2014. The global atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration has now passed 400 parts per million, a level that last occurred about 3 million years ago, when both global average temperatures and sea levels were significantly higher than today. Continued growth in CO2 emissions over this century and beyond would lead to an atmospheric concentration not experienced in tens to hundreds of millions of years. There is broad consensus that the further and the faster the Earth is pushed toward warming, the greater the risk of unanticipated changes and impacts, some of which are potentially large and irreversible, the report said. The observed increase in carbon emissions over the past 15 to 20 years has been consistent with higher emissions pathways. In 2014 and 2015, emission growth rates slowed as economic growth became less carbon-intensive. Even if this slowing trend continues, however, it is not yet at a rate that would limit global average temperature change to well below 3.6F above preindustrial levels. More from the TNRC meeting will appear in Mondays edition. Decarlos Lynch, of Brevard, was recently sentenced to up to 58 months in prison for assaulting his girlfriend on at least two occasions. Lynch appeared before Judge Marvin Pope in the Transylvania County Superior Court last week and entered a guilty plea to two counts of felony assault. The original complaint made to Brevard Police, according to a press release from District Attorney Greg Newmans office, came on April 26, 2017, alleging that Lynch assaulted the victim, his girlfriend at the time. The victim told police that she had been sleeping when the defendant began kicking her in her back for some unknown reason. She was in extreme pain and was taken to Transylvania Regional Hospital. CT scans revealed fractures of the vertebrae in her back, the release said. The victim also had a shirt with marks on the back that looked like footprints. The Brevard Police collected the shirt, along with the shoes worn by the defendant when he was arrested. These items were sent to the North Carolina Crime Lab where an analyst formed the opinion that the tread pattern observed on the victims shirt was consistent with the tread pattern from the defendants shoes. Lynch was charged with felony assault inflicting serious bodily injury. He was released on bond and ordered to have no contact with his victim. The victim was uncooperative with the prosecution of Lynch and requested the charge be dismissed. The District Attorney refused the request. On Sept. 25, 2017, while out on bond, Lynch again assaulted her. She went to her family doctor for shortness of breath and the doctor determined that she had been choked and punched in her ribs. She told her doctor that Lynch had assaulted her four days previous to her medical appointment, but she was emphatic about not wanting police intervention. She also refused to have any pictures taken of her injuries. When medical personnel made a report to the Brevard Police, the defendant was charged with felony assault. Again, the victim was uncooperative with the prosecution of the charge, requesting the charges be dropped by the District Attorneys Office on multiple occasions. On the day of trial, the defendant entered guilty pleas. The victim spoke on his behalf and asked Pope for leniency in his sentence. She then revealed that she had been the one who posted the bond for the defendants pre-trial release. The work of Brevard Police officers Rinehart and Simpson was critical to our success in this case, said District Attorney Greg Newman. They collected every type of evidence to support the criminal charges for Lynch. The medical evidence, lab analysis, law enforcement and stubborn determination of Assistant District Attorney Beth Dierauf allowed my office to secure a conviction in a case where the victim refused to testify against her boyfriend. I appreciate the efforts of everyone involved to hold Lynch accountable and to protect (the victim). Editor's Note: The Transylvania Times recently sat down for an interview with Ron Paulus, president and CEO of Mission Health - the parent company of Transylvania Regional Hospital - as it considers selling to the Hospital Corporation of America (HCA). This is the first of two parts on the interview. Preparing for the uncertain future of rural hospitals in America, Ron Paulus, president and CEO of Mission Health, said is just one of the reasons for the Mission Health Board of Directors discussing selling to Hospital Corporation of America (HCA). "More than one hospital closes every mo... State Superintendent of Public Instruction Mark Johnson, who is visiting schools throughout Western North Carolina this week, visited Brevard Elementary School and Brevard Academy on Tuesday as a part of a "listening tour." "This is something he initiated when he first took office," said Graham Wilson, community outreach coordinator at the N.C. Department of Instruction. "It's listening tour, visiting schools in counties across the state to listen to teachers, to listen to superintendents and to take a look at some of the innovative things that some of the schools across the state are doing." According to Wilson, Johnson has been to 35 counties across the state since he first took office in January of 2017. In March of this year, Johnson announced that the Department of Public Instruction made $4.8 million available to school districts and charter schools in North Carolina to be used for kindergarten through third-grade literacy support, with district and charter schools that have early elementary grades receiving $200 for each kindergarten through third-grade teacher to purchase literacy materials. "Early-grade teachers are working extremely hard to get students' reading on track by the end of third grade, and we are very pleased to be able to support them with these resources," Johnson said in a press release. "Rather than make the decisions for them in Raleigh, we want districts and principals to partner with their K-3 reading teachers to decide what materials they need for their students and classrooms." The funding comes from the Read to Achieve legislative initiative, which is a part of the Excellent Public Schools Act state law that requires third-grade students who are not reading at grade level by the end of third grade to receive extra help, such as a summer camp or other intervention, to help them catch up to a fourth grade reading level. Totaling $4.8 million, the amount represents $200 each for the 24,000 K-3 teachers and their 479,000 students across North Carolina. "Preparing our youngest students to read successfully in school will prepare them for success in life," Johnson said. It is good news for people looking forward to a holiday in the Emirates city of Dubai or anywhere in UAE. Rayna Tours and Travels, a reputable tour company, launches Book Dubai Visa, a website that eases the process of applying for a Dubai visa. (TRAVPR.COM) INDIA - April 26th, 2018 - Pune, Maharashtra (April 24, 2018): It is good news for people looking forward to a holiday in the Emirates city of Dubai or anywhere in UAE. Rayna Tours and Travels, a reputable tour company, launches Book Dubai Visa, a website that eases the process of applying for a Dubai visa. Right from selecting the type of visa to recognizing the documents need to be submitted, Rayna Tours offers help at every step of the application process. The company deals in all types of UAE visas which are 7 days, 14 days, 30 days, 30 days multiple entry, 90 days and 90 days multiple entry visa. The consultants are trained to help customers identify the type of visa they need as per the purpose of the visit. A spokesperson from Rayna said, "Most people are confused about the type of visa when it comes to applying for a UAE visa. We help them to identify the right visa for them as per their requirements apart from aiding them in the application process. The main purpose of this website is to help people in applying for Dubai visa without any stress. Rayna Tours and Travels has years of experience in the industry and can make the process of applying for a visa easy. "Many of our customers feel overwhelmed when it comes to applying for a Dubai visa. First, there is the application form which has to be filled without any mistakes. Then there is the list of documents that have to be submitted along with the application. This can take away the excitement of travelling to Dubai. Our professionals help with all the paper work, leaving our customers to plan their Dubai or UAE holiday", said Rayna Tours' spokesperson. The website of Book Dubai Visa (bookdubaivisa.com) has all the information about Dubai visa. Be it the types of visa available, documents required and the importance of 'ok to board', one can get all information here. While the contact details are available on the website, Rayna Tours also responds to enquiries sent through the inquiry form. There is also an FAQ page which tries to answer all the commonly asked questions in detail. Apart from Dubai visa, Book Dubai Visa also offers tour packages to those interested. The tour packages are carefully selected to include the best of Dubai. The tours, for now, include city tour, Burj Khalifa tour, dhow cruise dinner tour and desert safari tour. "With our visa services, we aim to make the process really smooth and easy for our customers. If all the papers are in order, we assure that you would receive your visa within 3 days. We would suggest you to give us a call before submitting your visa application as we can help you to avoid any minor or major mistake which can lead to the rejection of your visa application." Book Dubai Visa has already helped several customers in getting their visa on time. The review section on the website has published positive experiences of real travellers. About Rayna Tours and Travels Rayna Tours and Travels has been in the tourism industry for more than 10 years. Tour packages, hotel bookings and visa services are some of the services offered by this tour company. Rayna Group offers tour packages and visa services for almost every continent in the world. Apart from all this, the company is known for their affordable prices and 24/7 customer support. For more details visit www.bookdubaivisa.com ### editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service New Delhi, April 25 Bharti Infratel and Indus Towers on Tuesday agreed to merge in a deal that will create the worlds No. 2 telecom tower company with an estimated equity value of $14.6 billion. Seeking to capitalise on rapid growth in smartphone usage in the country, the transaction, which values Indus Towers at roughly $10 billion, will create an infrastructure giant with more than 1,63,000 towers, lagging only China Tower. Bharti Airtel and Vodafone will jointly control the merged entity, the two companies said. The combined company, which will fully own the respective businesses of Bharti Infratel and Indus Towers, will change its name to Indus Towers Limited and will continue to be listed on exchanges. The transaction is subject to regulatory and other approvals, including from the Competition Commission of India, the Securities and Exchange Board of India, National Company Law Tribunal, Department of Telecom (FDI approval), and is expected to close before the end of the fiscal year. Indus Towers will be merged with and into Bharti Infratel through a scheme of arrangement. Following deal completion, the board of the combined company will comprise of 11 directors, of whom three will be appointed by each of Bharti Airtel and Vodafone, one will be appointed by KKR/Canada Pension Plan Investment Board and four (including the Chairman) will be independent, Bhartis statement said. Bharti Airtel, which currently owns 53.5 per cent in Bharti Infratel, will get 33.8 per cent to 37.2 per cent stake in the combined entity. Its shareholding is dependent upon what Aditya Birla Groups Idea and Providence do with their minority shareholding in Indus Tower. Vodafone India will get between 26.7 per cent and 29.4 per cent of the Indus-Bharti Infratel combine. Vodafone has 42 per cent stake in Indus Tower. Bharti Infratel too has an equivalent stake while the remaining is with Aditya Birlas Idea (11.15 per cent) and Providence (4.85 per cent). The combination of Bharti Infratel and Indus Towers, with their highly complementary footprints, will create a pan-India tower company with the ability to offer high-quality passive infrastructure services to all operators on a non-discriminatory basis, needed to support the pan-India expansion of wireless broadband services, it said. Under the deal, Idea has the option to sell its 11.15 per cent stake in Indus for cash at the merger ratio that values the stake at Rs 6,500 crore. Bharti Infratel agreed to pay 1,565 of its own shares for each Indus Tower share. Vodafone India will receive 783.1 million shares in the combined company, valuing the UK-based firms stake at Rs 28,400 crore. If Idea decides to sell off of its stake and Providence sells 3.35 per cent of its 4.85 per cent shareholding, the new entity will be 37.2 per cent owned by Bharti Airtel and 29.4 per cent by Vodafone, while 1.1 per cent will be with Providence and the rest by public shareholders. PTI editorial@tribune.com New Delhi, April 25 The 27th meeting of the GST Council, the highest decision-making body of the GST regime, will meet on May 4 to discuss a simpler return form. Sources said Finance Minister Arun Jaitley would the chair the meeting of the GST council comprising state finance ministers. The meeting is expected to be held through video-conferencing at the PMO. A decision on return simplification could be on the cards with the Sushil Modi-led Group of Ministers putting before the Council the three models of new return form for discussion, an official said. Meanwhile, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Tuesday attended a Cabinet meeting, the first since he was diagnosed with a kidney ailment that has kept him away from office for over three weeks now. TNS editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Chandigarh, April 25 The Verna car that was robbed at gunpoint by car thief Jagseer Singh, alias Seera, and his accomplices, in Sector 35 on March 17, has been recovered by the UT police from Sector 25. The police said the car was recovered from near the Cremation Ground in Sector 25 after a tip-off. Seera and his accomplices drove the car several thousand kilometres within a month. Police sources said Vikram (30), a native of Abohar, was going to Mohali, Phase II, at 2.30 am when a Hyundai Creta hit his car from behind near the flower market in Sector 35. Occupants of both cars entered into an altercation after the accident. In the meantime, one of the accused pulled out a pistol and threatened the victim. They accused fired twice at the victim before fleeing with his car. editorial@tribune.com Ishrat S Banwait Tribune News Service Chandigarh, April 25 The oldest graft case pending in the CBI court here is set to finish on Thursday when a decorated sub-inspector of the Chandigarh police, along with a trader, will be awarded the quantum of sentence. The case was registered in 2008 and is a unique one with the complainant setting the trap instead of the CBI. The CBI on November 7, 2008, arrested SI Sanjiv Kumar (Presidents Medal recipient), then in charge of Neelam police post in Sector 17, along with Subhash Kataria of Delhi Jewellers, Sector 17, on the allegations of demanding a bribe of Rs 50,000. They were arrested on a complaint of Arvind Kumar Pandey, a bookstore owner, who had alleged that Subhash and Sanjiv had demanded Rs 50,000 from him in kickbacks for evicting his tenant from his shop in the bridge market. This was perhaps the only such case wherein the complainant himself recorded the whole episode, including the transaction of the graft amount, as per CBI prosecutor KP Singh. In most cases, it is the CBI that sets up a recorder on the body of a complainant. Why the delay Charges were framed in June 2013. The reason for the delay was multiple applications that were being filed by the accused against their arrest. The charge sheet was also filed after around two years. Another reason was the high number of defence witnesses in the case. While there is no restriction on the number, it is generally less than half a dozen. However, in this case, there were 15 defence witnesses and 36 prosecution witnesses. Yet another unique factor in this case was the cross-examination of the witness. It lasted for almost 15 months as there were three accused in the case. The number of pages of cross-examination is in three figures. Accused refused to give voice sample The complainant could not provide the original recordings of the incident and gave a copy of the same in a CD ROM. He claimed to have lost the original one. This was contested by the accused in the High Court. They had thus also refused to give a specimen voice sample, which they ultimately had to, as per the courts directions. ASP, accused of thrashing complainant, gets clean chit Then ASP Madhur Kataria was accused of thrashing and threatening the complainant, Arvind Kumar Pandey. The complainant had told the court that days after the accuseds arrest, he had gone to the ASP to submit a complaint. However, along with three gunmen, Kataria thrashed him and threatened him with dire consequences if he did not take back the case. An inquiry conducted by the UT police, however, gave clean chit to the ASP. CBI withdrew voice sample plea After the complainant submitted a copy of recordings and not the original ones, the accused refused to give a voice specimen. They said they would do so only if directed by the court. When the court did so, they contested it in the High Court. The CBI withdrew the plea seeking voice specimen, which were to be matched with the recording of the original incident. However, then Assistant Superintendent of Police Madhur Kataria told the court that the recordings included his as well as the two convicts voices. The CBI thus took the same, made it the specimen and sent it to the CFSL. editorial@tribune.com Mohit Khanna Tribune News Service Chandigarh, April 25 The woman doctor, who had repeatedly slapped an HIV patient at the New OPD of the PGI, has tendered an apology in writing and expressed regret over her action. Earlier, the doctor denied slapping the patient, claiming that she was not present at the New OPD during the time of incident. The written apology came a day after a team of the Chandigarh State AIDS Control Society conducted a probe into the incident. The team submitted its preliminary report to Dr Vanita Gupta, Project Director, Chandigarh State AIDS Control Society. It has been found that misunderstanding led to the incident. However, strict warning has been issued to Dr Puja Chauhan. She has been asked to abstain from taking any such action in future, said Dr Gupta. The team took the statements of doctors, staff and patients who were also present at the PGI on April 23 when the incident took place. Owing to heavy rush, patients generally get agitated. It has been stated that the HIV patient had used abusive language. The doctor thought that abuses were aimed at her. She lost her cool and took such an action, said Dr Gupta. It was unbecoming of a doctor to slap a patient. Dr Puja should have called the security staff instead, she added. Though she has tendered an apology and expressed regret over her action, the inquiry will continue. The team may visit Ambala to record the statement of the HIV patient, stressed Dr Gupta. Victim denies abuse allegation The victim has maintained that he did not use abusive language. I have received a call from Chandigarh SACS. They were also asking me whether I had abused the doctor. I have categorically denied the allegation. I was there for treatment. Why would I abuse the doctor. I thank the people standing there for intervening, otherwise the doctor would have continued slapping me, said the patient. editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Chandigarh, April 25 The Court of Additional District and Sessions Judge RK Sharma on Wednesday acquitted seven persons in a case pertaining to firing on the Panjab University campus here in 2016. The prosecution could not prove the charges against the accused after the complainant turned hostile in the court. However, the main accused in the case is a proclaimed offender. Thus, trial is pending against him. The acquitted persons are Resham Singh Godara, Gurpreet Singh, alias Gopi, Amrik Singh, alias Vicky, Mander Singh, alias Kabal Singh, Randeep Singh Khrode, Satwinder Singh, alias Naval, and Susham Nonia. They were acquitted of offences under Sections 307, 427, 147, 148 and 149 of the IPC. The main accused in the case is Harvinder Singh, alias Rinda, a notorious gangster, who is wanted in multiple cases, including the murder of a sarpanch Satnam Singh in Sector 38 in April, 2017. However, the witnesses, including Manpreet Aulakh and Jashandeep, turned hostile and failed to identify the accused in the court. Defence counsel Amarjeet Singh said the police could not recover any weapon from which the bullets were allegedly shot. The police had recovered bullet shells from the spot, but the CFSL expert told the court that they could not ascertain from which weapon the bullets were shot. SOI leader Manpreet Aulakh was shot at on April 8, 2016, after an altercation with PUSU supporters during a fashion show. One of the accused had fired eight gunshots before fleeing. An argument had started over catcalls inside the law auditorium during a fashion show that led to the incident. Ramakrishna Upadhya Ramakrishna Upadhya Senior Bengaluru-based journalist The teachings and vachanas of Basavanna or Basaveshwara, the 12th century philosopher and social reformer, are known to Kannadigas for a long time. Perhaps, there is not a single home in Karnataka that does not have a few books of his vachanas. In April 2017, on its golden jubilee, Bengaluru-based Basava Samithi brought out 23 volumes of vachanas in 23 Indian languages and requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to release them in New Delhi to ensure wider publicity. Having unveiled a statue of Basavanna on the banks of River Thames in London in November 2015, Prime Minister Modi is aware of Basavanna's revolutionary work and his popularity in Karnataka. With the the Assembly elections in Karnataka approaching, the BJP machinery also got into the act and the Basava Samithi programme in the national capital was turned into a glittering affair. The import of that event was not lost on Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. He knows that through such activities, the BJP's game plan is to completely win over the followers of Basavanna, known as Lingayats, who form nearly 17 per cent of the state's population. As Basavanna's birth anniversary was approaching, in a brilliant counter-move, Siddaramaiah ordered that government offices would henceforth display a portrait of Basavanna along with the photos of Mahatma Gandhi and BR Ambedkar. The Lingayats were extremely happy. To celebrate the announcement and felicitate the Chief Minister, the Veerashaiva Mahasabha, an umbrella Lingayat body, organised a huge rally in Bengaluru. Having been projected as anti-upper caste during his four-year rule, Siddaramaiah was pleased as punch with this felicitation. He was more pleased when the office-bearers of the Mahasabha revived their demand to accord recognition to Lingayats as a separate religion and be given minority status. He knew that it had the potential to bring valuable votes to the Congress party, but he had to tread carefully. Siddaramaiah deployed three Lingayat ministers in his cabinet MB Patil, Basavaraj Rayareddy and Vivek Kulkarni to organise rallies across the state with the help of pro-Lingayat sadhvis like Mate Mahadevi to garner support. At the academic level, retired IAS officer SM Jamadar and his team were busy unearthing records to show that the demand for a separate Lingayat religion had been raised at least since the 1940s and the Lingayats were following traditions distinct from the Hindus. Though Veerashaivas and Lingayats are generally clubbed together and used as synonyms, there is an undercurrent of tension between the two. The Veerashaivas follow Brahmanical practices and consider themselves superior to the Lingayats. Basavanna, who believed in a casteless society, converted thousands of people belonging to such lower castes as cobblers, weavers, blacksmiths and goldsmiths to 'Lingayatism'. He made them wear the 'Ista Linga' around the neck to create a sense of oneness and discouraged them from going to temples or following any Hindu rituals. But over a period of time, they could not be separated from Hinduism, though the hierarchical differences with the Veerashaivas and 'no inter-marriage pact' among the groups continued. Though Veerashaivas form only one-third of the group, they control most of the powerful mutts and educational institutions and dominate the political space as well as government jobs. It has led to a sense of deprivation among Lingayats that has fuelled the demand for a separate religion status. Siddaramaiah was aware that in 2013, Yeddyurappa's KJP taking away 10 per cent of the Lingayat votes from the BJP helped the Congress to return to power. Now that Yeddyurappa was back in the BJP, he needed a plan to divide them. The Chief Minister urged the Veerashaiva and Lingayat leaders to come together and present him a joint memorandum so that he did not have to take the blame for splitting the community. When that did not happen, he set up an expert committee headed by a retired high court judge, Nagmaohan Das, to submit a report. There were no experts on Lingayatism in that committee, but its job was to simply rubber-stamp the government's wish to recommend a separate status for the Lingayats, and it did just that. With the Election Commission set to announce the poll date any time, Siddaramaiah had to move quickly. On March 19, his cabinet decided to recommend to the Centre to recognise Lingayats as a separate religion and accord them a minority status. A week later, a gazette notification was issued. Siddaramaiah cleverly managed the dissenting Veerashaiva ministers in his cabinet by convincing them that the minority status would actually benefit the educational institutions run by them. When this was happening, the BJP leaders had been stunned into silence because they could neither support nor oppose the government's move. They accused Siddaramaiah of dividing the Hindu community for political gain and secretly hoped that the Lingayats would see through his game and continue to back the BJP and Yeddyurappa, who has the best chance of becoming the chief minister. A lot of churning is currently going on within the Veerashaiva-Lingayat community, especially in the Lingayat heartland of Mumbai-Karnataka, Hyderabad-Karnataka and central Karnataka where Lingayats are a dominant force and where 116 out of 224 seats are at stake. So, when Karnataka voters go to the polls on May 12, Siddaramaiah's gamble could either pay off or boomerang spectacularly on the Congress. monicakchauhan@gmail.com Washington, April 26 Top Indian-American Democratic lawmakers have vehemently opposed the Trump administration's plan to scrap an Obama-era rule allowing spouses of H-1B visa holders to work legally in the US. The Trump administration is planning to propose to end allowing spouses of H1-B visa holders to work legally in the US, a move that could have a devastating impact on tens of thousands of Indians. The plan to end the Obama-era rule could have an impact on more than 70,000 H-4 visas holders, who have work permits. "I will say that the H-4 visas go to women who are just as qualified, sometimes more qualified, than their spouses but haven't been able to work," Indian-American Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal said at an event at the US Capitol organised by the US India Friendship Council. "I oppose the move to terminate work permits to H-4 visas," Jayapal, the first Indian-American woman elected to the House of Representatives told PTI. This is a gender issue as well, she emphasised, referring to the fact that a significantly large number of beneficiaries H-4 work permits are women. Before being elected to the Congress, Jayapal had worked to build a coalition across the country to get permits to the spouses of H-1B visa. H-4 is issued to the spouse of H-1B visa holders, a significantly large number of whom are high-skilled professionals from India. They had obtained work permits under a special order issued by the previous Obama administration. Indian-Americans were a major beneficiary of this provision. More than 100,000 H-4 visa holders have been beneficiary of this rule. A 2015 rule issued by the Obama administration allows work permits for spouses who otherwise could not be employed while H-1B visa holders seek permanent resident status -- a process that can take a decade or longer. "We worked with the Obama administration to institute a rule that said that the spouses of H-1B should also be able to work. If we have talented men and women who are spouses, we want them to be able to also contribute those skills. We passed that rule administratively. Now the Trump administration is threatening to pull that rule back. It would hurt many many people spouses and children across the country," Jayapal told the audience. Immigration she said is good for the economy. "It is a core part of who we are as a country. The issue of immigration has never just been about immigration, it has been about who we are as a country and what we're willing to stand up for," she said. Jayapal said she represented the Seattle district where many of the large corporations have a need for skilled workers. "I myself was on an H-1B at various times. I understand how important it is that we have our H1B visa programme in a way that works," she said. "Yes, there are some places where we need to reform and adjust it to make sure that we're not taking advantage of that programme; to make sure that we continue to allow American workers to have jobs. But all of the research shows us that immigration does not take jobs away from people it actually contributes to greater economic growth but also the ability for American workers to move up themselves," Jayapal said. She also advocated for family-based immigration system. During the conference on Wednesday, she was joined by several other Democratic Congressmen Joe Crowley, Ami Bera and Raja Krishnamoorthi -- on H-1B and H4 visas. Republican Senator Thom Tillis said that H-1B brings much needed talent to the country. President Donald Trump is aware about this and wants to have an immigration system that attracts and retains talent in the country. PTI rchopra@tribunemail.com Tribune News Service Karnal, April 26 Seven students were injured when an auto-rickshaw they were travelling in overturned near Sector-6 chowk here. Two of them received head injuries and were rushed to Kalpana Chawla Government Medical College. According to the auto driver, a car hit his auto from behind resulting in the mishap. editorial@tribune.com Saurabh Malik Tribune News Service Chandigarh, April 25 The Punjab and Haryana High Court has asked a Superintending Engineer to either comply with its order or personally pay Rs50,000 as costs in a service matter. The judgment is distinctive as costs are normally imposed after the court takes cognisance of non-compliance of its orders following the expiry of the prescribed period. The order by Justice Jaswant Singh of the High Court came on a contempt-of-court petition filed by Manphool Singh against Mukesh Gupta. In case speaking order is not passed, the Superintending Engineer concerned shall be personally liable to pay costs of Rs50,000 to the petitioner by way of demand draft for non-compliance of the present directions, Justice Jaswant Singh asserted. The Bench was told that the petitioner, while working as assistant lineman through an outsource agency, sustained injuries on account of an accident on March 1, 2013. The accident took place allegedly due to negligence of the officials of the Electricity Department. The Bench was told that the High Court, in its order dated January 9 last year, directed the competent authority to pass a speaking order on the claims in the legal notice dated August 3, 2016. Justice Jaswant Singh added that the panel advocate for the DHBVN was directed to verify facts to elicit factual position. He pointed out that the petitioner was an outsourced employee and all admissible dues under the Employees State Insurance Corporation Act had since been released. On the issue of his claim for reinstatement, the counsel claimed that the petitioner had compromised with the outsourcing agency in a reference before the Labour Court. He further submitted that the accident had occurred in March 2013. He claimed that as such, the petitioner was not entitled to the benefit of compensation under a policy framed in 2017. He conceded that a speaking order had not yet been passed in the compliance of the order dated January 9 last year. Counsel for the parties have agreed that the present contempt be disposed of with the direction to the Superintending Engineer to pass a speaking order on or before April 30. It is disposed of in the above terms, Justice Jaswant Singh asserted before directing future imposition of costs in case of non-compliance. editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Solan, April 25 The body of Sepoy Ajay Kumar of the 42 Rashtriya Rifles, who was martyred on Tuesday in the Tral region of Jammu and Kashmir in a counter-terrorist operation, was brought to his native Kotla Panjola panchayat at Pachhad in Sirmaur district on Wednesday and cremated with full military honours. He is survived by his mother Kamla Devi and father Suresh Kaundal while his younger brother Sanjay Kumar had died of cancer a few months ago. His father is a carpenter and Ajay was the only earning member of the family. The parents were inconsolable as the news of his death reached the village. Ajay, who was born on June 25, 1992, had joined the Army in 2013 as his remote village had little to offer in terms of employment. Governor Acharya Devvrat and Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur expressed grief over the death of Ajay Kumar. He belonged to Thurag village of Kotla-Panjhola panchayat . The Governor said Ajay Kumar laid down his life for the nation and people would always remain indebted to him for this supreme sacrifice. In his condolence message, the Chief Minister said Himachal Pradesh had been a land of brave soldiers and Ajay Kumar sacrificed his life for the integrity of the country. He expressed sympathies with the bereaved family members and prayed to the Almighty for the peace of the departed soul. editorial@tribune.com Lalit Mohan Tribune News Service Dharamsala, April 25 The Dalai Lama has said the 11th Panchen Lama, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, according to reliable source, is alive and carrying normal education. He was talking to mediapersons at the Gaggal Airport on Wednesday. The statement of the Dalai Lama came on the occasion of the birthday of Panchen Lama. The Tibetan spiritual leader, who had just returned from a four-day Delhi visit, was asked to respond on the occasion of Panchen Lamas 29th birthday. I hope the official Panchen Lama studies quite well under the guidance of a good teacher. When I recognised Panchen Lama sometime ago, there was no news about him. But according to reliable information, he is still alive and carrying normal education, the Dalai Lama said. He said there were instances in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition where a reincarnate Lama took more than one manifestation. One century ago, a famous Khyentse Wangpo, manifested five incarnations (body, speech, mind, quality and activity). Of course, holding of the seat is just one thing, but something like manifestation of the previous incarnation could be more, he said. Prior to the media interaction, the Dalai Lama had a brief meeting with Jillian Turner, programme officer from the US State Department, Bryce Isham, First Secretary at the US Embassy, and JP Das, country exchange officer at the American Centre, Ngawang Younten, Department of Education, and Tenzin Choephel, programme coordinator at Tibet Fund. Representatives of the Central Tibetan Administration, including president Dr Lobsang Sangay, speaker Khenpo Sonam Tenphel, Tibetan parliament-in-exile, Kalon of Department of Security, officials of CTA received the Dalai Lama at the airport. Meanwhile, Tibetan activists carried out a candlelight march to mark the 29th birthday of Panchen Lama. On May 14, 1995, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, aged six, was recognised by the Dalai Lama as the 11th Panchen Lama of Tibet. Three days later, on May 17, 1995, he along with his family went missing. Since then, their whereabouts have remained unknown and Gedhun Choekyi Nyima is one of the worlds longest serving political prisoners, the CTA maintains. The Panchen Lama is significant in the Tibetan culture because of the tradition that he heads the teams who identifies reincarnation of the Dalai Lama after his death. editorial@tribune.com Jammu/Kathua, April 25 A day after the court rejected his bail application, no lawyer came forward to defend the juvenile arrested in the Kathua rape-murder case on his first hearing in the court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Kathua, on Wednesday. The juvenile was brought to court amid tight security and produced before AS Langeh, CJM. Since the juvenile came without a defence lawyer, the court fixed May 7 as the next date of hearing in the case. As soon as the juvenile was produced before the court, the CJM asked where his lawyer was, to which he did not respond, said an advocate. On Tuesday, the court had rejected the bail application filed by the juvenile, saying the bail application has no merit at this stage. While hearing the defence lawyer and public prosecutors, the court had observed, Courts must be sensitive in dealing with a juvenile who is involved in heinous cases like rape, gangrape and murder. The criminal act attributed to the petitioner herein, by all conceivable standards, seems to be prima facie a grave and heinous criminal activity and not a juvenile offence. On April 19, the Supreme Court had pulled up Kathua lawyers for obstructing the filing of the chargesheet in the Kathua rape and murder case and directed the Bar Council of India (BCI) to submit a report on the conduct of the lawyers within three days. Thereafter, a fact-finding team of the BCI had met members of the Jammu and Kathua Bar Associations to look into the overall conduct of lawyers and find out the truth. The Crime Branch had filed two chargesheets one against the seven accused, including alleged key conspirator and policemen, before the Kathua CJM on April 9, and another against the juvenile on April 10 despite protests by local lawyers, who demanded that the case be handed over to the CBI. The accused pleaded not guilty on the opening day of the trial in the principal district and sessions court on April 16. The court posted the next hearing in the case for April 28. TNS Two accused move SC for CBI inquiry New Delhi: Two prime accused in the Kathua gangrape and murder case on Wednesday moved the Supreme Court opposing the plea of the victims father seeking transfer of trial outside the state, preferably to Chandigarh. Sanji Ram and Vishal Jangotra, who have been chargesheeted by the Crime Branch of the J&K Police in the case, have also sought transfer of probe to the CBI besides seeking to be impleaded as parties in the petition filed by the father of the victim. Recently, the top court had said it would decide on the prayer for transfer of the case out of Kathua after the state government filed its reply. PTI rchopra@tribunemail.com Aditi Tandon Tribune News Service New Delhi, April 26 Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday named senior leader Kamal Nath as the new chief of partys Madhya Pradesh unit also appointing Jyotiraditya Scindia as the state campaign committee president. Madhya Pradesh goes to polls at the end of this year and the organisational change was long due. Gandhi has also named four working presidents for the state to look after four different zones and cover the state geographically. Gandhi has been appointing working presidents in larger states to ensure booth management, a weak spot for the Congress. Kamal Naths appointment in MP means he will step down as AICC general secretary in charge of Haryana where a reshuffle would then become necessary. In Madhya Pradesh, Nath, the seniormost Congress MP in Lok Sabha, is seen as the best bet to reinvigorate party cadres ahead of the crucial assembly election. The BJP has held power in MP for three terms consecutively and is again making a bid. The Congress has long suffered infighting in the state with three poles of power--Nath, Scindia and former CM Digvijay Singh. Its only now that the Congress has managed to reconcile factional differences with Gandhi conveying to leaders that their wars would not help the Congress reclaim MP. Nath had been interested in a Madhya Pradesh role for years and never quite got a handle in Haryana where the party organisation suffered because of the differences between state chief Ashok Tanwar and former CM Bhupinder Hooda. All eyes are on Haryana where there are many claimants to the state chiefs post, including Hooda, Randeep Surjewala, Kumari Selja and Kuldeep Bishnoi. ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM Smita Sharma Tribune News Service New Delhi, April 25 With the US on a confrontational path with Russia reminiscent of the Cold War era, India is walking a tightrope between Moscow and DC. The Ministry of External Affairs is lobbying hard with the US administration to ensure the showdown between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin does not impact major deals in pipeline with Russia. The Tribune has learnt that India has made a three-fold argument on Capital Hill to seek exemptions from CAATSA (Countering Americas Adversaries through Sanctions Act). Under CAATSA, third countries dealing with Russian oligarchs and firms blacklisted by the US could face the heat of secondary sanctions. This could have a significant impact on Russias profitable military and nuclear relationship with India. For instance, NPO Mashinostroyeniya, the Russian firm partnering on flagship JV Brahmos project, is sanctioned and under CAATSA India could be subject to punitive restrictions for dealing with it. India, meanwhile, has argued with Americans that its dependence on Russian arms is reducing. We have asked the US to look at our trend of defence purchases for past 10 years. Not only have we diversified our supplies, but substantial part has gone to the US which is the net beneficiary, said an official source. According to the latest report published by SIPRI (Stockholm International Peace Research Institute), Indian import of Russian military hardware stands at 62 per cent during past five years compared to 79 per cent between 2008 and 2012. Washington today is the second largest arms supplier to India with military sales worth $15 billion. Indias negotiations with Russia on major S400 air defence missile systems and Kamov-226 T helicopter deals have been moving at a slow pace leading to questions of possible American pressure. Russian entities like Rosboronexport partnering with India on dual use technology, too, face the heat. India has told the US that any such restrictions could impact its existing arms and ammunition reserves and defence preparedness, thus adversely affecting its capacity to act in areas where the two countries have major security convergences. It is not known yet as to how will CAATSA kick in. If spares for legacy items will come under its ambit or not. But if we have sourcing issues how can be of help in areas where our interests converge with the US like in Indo-Pacific or Afghanistan? remarked a source. New Delhi has also told the US that Russian purchases are not to be used against America or its strategic interests. Past few weeks on allegations against Russia from Salisbury UK to Syria, India has treaded cautiously without criticising or backing Kremlin. Reducing dependence on Russia India has argued with America that its dependence on Russian arms is reducing We have asked the US to look at our trend of defence purchases for past 10 years. Not only have we diversified our supplies, but substantial part has gone to the US which is the net beneficiary, a source said New Delhi has also told the US that Russian purchases are not to be used against America or its strategic interests . ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM Our Correspondent Jodhpur, April 25 A special trial court set up at the heavily fortified Jodhpur Central Jail on Wednesday sentenced self-styled godman Asaram Bapu to jail till death, finding him guilty of raping a teenaged girl in his ashram in August 2013. Edit: Fall from grace This is the second conviction in a high-profile sexual offence case involving a self-styled guru after Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was sent to jail for 20 years last August. Special Judge Madhusudhan Sharma sentenced co-accused Shilpi and Sharad to 20 years jail each and acquitted two others, Prakash and Shiva. Besides, the court slapped a fine of Rs 1 lakh on Asaram and Rs 50,000 each on the other convicts, public prosecutor Pokhar Ram Vishnoi said. Soon after the verdict, 77-year-old Asaram and other convicts broke down. The court considered Asarams act under the heinous crime category, victim-familys counsel Rajendra Singh told mediapersons. A self-claimed spiritual guru has done the disgusting act of sexual exploitation with his teenaged disciple who had full faith on him. The convict should not be spared and the maximum punishment be awarded, lifer to Asaram till natural life time, and 20 years each to his assistants who felicitated him in the act, Singh said, quoting from the 453-page verdict. We had complete faith in the judiciary and are happy that we got justice, the victims father said, adding that the family had been living in constant fear and their business had been hit. Asaram sexually exploited a 16-year-old girl from UPs Shahjahanpur in his Manal ashram near Jodhpur on the intervening night of August 15-16, 2013. The chargesheet against Asaram and the four co-accused was filed by the police on November 6, 2013, under various Sections of the POSCO (Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences) Act, Juvenile Justice Act and the Indian Penal Code. Arrested in Indore and brought to Jodhpur on September 1, 2013, Asaram was under judicial custody since September 2, 2013. He also faces a rape case in Surat in which the Supreme Court earlier this month gave five weeks to the prosecution to complete the trial. Asaram unsuccessfully moved 12 bail applications, of which six were rejected by the trial court, three each by the Rajasthan High Court and the Supreme Court in the last 56 months. The city of Jodhpur on Wednesday turned into a fortress with the deployment of the RAC, RPF and the state police in strength. Also, flag marches were held throughout the city, DCP-East Aman Deep Singh said. Several die-hard Asaram followers were detained early this morning from the railway station, bus terminals and in the vicinity of the jail. The Union Home Ministry had issued an advisory to Rajasthan, Gujarat and Haryna to remain alert. SAINT TO SINNER Aug 15, 2013: A 16-year-old girl accuses Asaram of raping her in his Jodhpur ashram Sept 1: Asaram brought to Jodhpur, remanded in custody October: Three women accuse Asaram and his son Narayan Sai of rape in Surat, Gujarat June 11: Surat case witness dies after being shot at in Rajkot hospital January 2015: Asarams cook Akhil Gupta, another witness, shot in Muzaffarnagar May 13: Mahendra Chawla, prime witness in case against Sai, shot at in Panipat March 14, 2016: Accused of killing Akhil Gupta, Asarams henchman Kartik Haldar held Nov 6: Chargesheet against Asaram and four co-accused March 19, 2017: Trial begins against Asaram in Jodhpur April 7, 2018: Special court hears final arguments April 17: Rajasthan High Court orders the special court to deliver verdict in Jodhpur Central Jail rchopra@tribunemail.com Tribune News Service New Delhi, April 26 The Congress on Thursday attacked the BJP-led government for rejecting the elevation of Indias seniormost Chief Justice of a high court J Joseph to the Supreme Court saying the judge was being targeted for his role in the Uttarakhand Presidential Rule order. Congress Communications Incharge Randeep Singh Surjewala called the government decision unprecedented saying, It is shocking that the government has disregarded the decision of the Supreme Court collegium of elevation of Indias seniormost Chief Justice, J Joseph to the Supreme Court. This is part of Prime Minister Narendra Modis revenge politics qua judiciary and conspiratorial suffocation of the Supreme Court. Surjewala said J Joseph is Indias seniormost Chief Justice of a High Court and yet the government refused to clear his elevation to the SC. Was this done as retribution for Chief Justice Joseph quashing the presidential rule in Uttrakhand? the Congress asked. Surjewala called the government a habitual offender with respect to trashing judicial integrity and constitutional supremacy of institutions, adding, In June 2014, they refused to clear noted jurist G Subramaniams name for elevation to the SC as he was a lawyer against Amit Shah and company. The Congress accused the PM of comprehensively attacking institutionshe has abandoned parliamentary privileges, road-rolled independent media and is now attacking the judiciary. Surjewalas parting note was a warning to the country, If we dont stand united against this, totalitarianism will triumph. amansharma@tribunemail.com Shiv Kumar Tribune News Service Mumbai, April 26 A special court set up under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act has ordered the attachment of properties owned by former actress Mamta Kulkarni who is wanted in a narcotics case. Judge H M Patwardhan of the special NDPS court at Thane ordered the attachment of three flats owned by the actress at Sky Enclave society in Mumbais Versova after she and her husband, Vicky Goswami did not appear before the court. According to reports here, the three flats are worth around Rs 20 crore. Last year, both Kulkarni and Goswami were declared proclaimed offenders by the court. According to the police, both Kulkarni and Goswami were wanted for illegally manufacturing and exporting Ephedrine and party drug methamphetamine to various countries, including the US. The two along with three other accused had allegedly contracted a pharmaceutical company called Avon Lifesciences Ltd in Solapur to manufacture the party drug. The Kenya-based Kulkarni-Goswami duo had set up a meeting of their associates in Mumbai with potential importers, according to the chargesheet filed in the case. According to police Goswami, 53, was earlier sentenced to 25 years by the United Arab Emirates in 1997 for smuggling Mandrax but was released in November 2012 after a deal with the authorities there. monicakchauhan@gmail.com Bengaluru, April 26 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday accused the Congress of spreading "lies and false" propaganda, and dividing society along caste lines, as he sounded the bugle for the bitterly contested Karnataka Assembly polls. He also asserted the development of the state was his party's only agenda. "BJP has a three-pronged agenda for Karnataka-- development, fast paced development, all round development," he told party leaders, office bearers and elected representatives through his mobile app. "Our agenda is vikas, vikas, vikas (development, development and development)," he said. Claiming that electors have resolved to usher in a change of government in the Congress-ruled state, he said those who wished that party well had started a debate about a hung Assembly. He said such "false" propaganda was spread even before the last Lok Sabha poll which the BJP won with an absolute majority. "A government with absolute majority is needed to change Karnataka's destiny. India is shining in the world today only because we have a government which has a complete majority at the Centre after 30 years," he said, and asked BJP workers to endeavour to achieve that goal in the only big state the Congress still rules apart from Punjab. Apparently referring to pre-poll surveys, the prime minister said "false propaganda" about a fractured mandate, with BJP as the single largest party, was being spread as part of a "conspiracy". These surveys have projected a cliffhanger of a contest in the only southern state where the BJP had its government once. They said the JD(S) of former prime minister H D Deve Gowda would play the role of a kingmaker after the polls. Rattling off figures about development work undertaken by the Centre in the state, he accused the Siddaramaiah government of stalling its progress, and spreading "falsehood". "So, you will have to fight against lies, false propaganda. As part of a conspiracy, efforts will be made to mislead you by hiring foreign agencies. Karyakartas (party workers) should not be shaken, their trust should not be shaken," he said. Modi was apparently referring to the Cambridge Analytica controversy over alleged attempts by the Congress to use the data firm to influence the outcome of elections in India. "The Congress, after repeated defeat in elections, is spreading lies. Earlier, out of 50 things they said there were 5-10 lies. Now, out of the 50 things they say, 40-45 are lies and the rest five would also lack clarity," he said. The prime minister said there was a need to cleanse Indian politics of Congress culture. "The mainstream of India's political culture is associated with Congress' misdeeds. Unless we liberate this mainstream from Congress culture, we cannot cleanse Indian politics," he said. Without naming the Lingayats, the prime minister accused the Congress government of doing caste politics. "When elections come, these clever people (the Congress) offer lollipops to a caste group so they get busy with it and vote on emotion. "When the next election comes, they leave that community and get hold of another caste group or community and give them a new lollipop. They keep changing and giving new lollipops every time and run their politics without any accountability," he said. The Siddaramaiah government recently recommended religious minority status for the Lingayat and its sub-group Veershaiva Lingayat community. The move is seen as an attempt to divide the Lingayats, the bedrock of the BJP's voter base in the state. Seeking to strike a chord with BJP workers on the ground, Modi said, like them, he was also a "karyakarta". "Like you, I am also a karyakarta (worker) from Karnataka. Believe this and move ahead. I am also a Kannadiga. Believe this and move ahead. I will work with you shoulder to shoulder," he said. Modi began the interaction with opening remarks in Kannada where he welcomed the BJP leaders and workers. He was apologetic about not being able to learn Kannada language despite wanting so. "I'm sorry, despite having interest I could not learn Kannada," he said. PTI ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM New Delhi, April 25 Two senior judges of the Supreme Court, Justices Ranjan Gogoi and MB Lokur, have urged Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra to hold a full court to discuss the institutional issues plaguing the higher judiciary. The letter was written a day before Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu rejected the Opposition impeachment notice against the Chief Justice of India. The issue raised in the letter is understood to have come up on Monday morning at the tea meeting attended by all the judges, which delayed the start of the days court proceedings by about 15 minutes. Sources said Justices Gogoi and Lokur signed the joint two-line letter on April 22 in which they spoke about holding of a full court. The same issue was for the first time raised by Justice J Chelameswar on March 21, which was followed by a similar missive on April 9 by Justice Kurian Joseph who had sought the setting up of a Bench of seven senior-most judges to deal with the issues plaguing the top court. The short letter by Justices Gogoi and Lokur urged the CJI convene a full court on the judicial side to discuss institutional issues and the future of the top court, they said. As per convention, a full court meeting of the Supreme Court, involving all judges, is usually convened by the CJI when a matter of public importance relating to the judiciary comes up. The Monday morning tea meeting of all the judges was held just after Naidu had announced rejection of the impeachment notice. The sources said the CJI did not say anything about the outcome. PTI ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM Washington: The prices for energy commodities like oil, natural gas and coal are expected to jump by a whopping 20% this year, the World Bank has said in a report. This is expected to have an adverse impact on India, given that the country is heavily dependent on import of major energy commodities. Agricultural commodities, including food, are anticipated to see a price rise of over 2% this year. PTI rchopra@tribunemail.com New Delhi, April 26 A seven-year-old girl died and 17 other students were injured after a milk tanker rammed into a school van on Thursday morning near Kanhaiya Nagar metro station in northwest Delhi, police said. The school van was carrying children from two schools in Keshavpuram, they added. The deceased was identified as Garima and the injured children are being treated at different hospitals, police said. The drivers of both the vehicles were detained, they added. Further details are awaited. PTI editorial@tribune.com Peshawar, April 26 A Hindu Member of the Provincial Assembly-elect in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa was on Thursday acquitted by a Pakistan anti-terrorism court in the murder case of a Sikh lawmaker the then adviser to CM of the province. Baldev Kumar of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf was a prime suspect in the murder case of his own party lawmaker Sardar Soran Singh, who was shot dead in April 2016 in Buner district. Singh was elected to the provincial assembly on a minority seat. Judge Jamaluddin acquitted Kumar due to lack of evidence, the Express Tribune reported. The trial was conducted over two years. Kumar was on the second spot on the priority list of the ruling party for the minority reserved seats. He was arrested when the police claimed that the motive for the murder was to take Singhs position as an MPA. PTI amansharma@tribunemail.com New Delhi, April 26 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday evening arrived in the central Chinese city of Wuhan for a two-day informal summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping which is expected to improve bilateral ties hit by a tense border standoff in Doklam and differences over several sticky issues. PM Modi was received by Kong Xuanyou, Assistant Minister of the Ministry of foreign affairs of China, Luo Zhaohui (Ambassador), Tong Daochi (Vice-Governor of Hubei) and many others. In a pre-departure statement, the PM, without specifically mentioning about any issue, said he and President Xi will review the developments in Sino-Indian relations from a strategic and long-term perspective during the summit beginning Friday. #WATCH: Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives in Wuhan, #China. The PM was received by Kong Xuanyou, Assistant Minister of the Ministry of foreign affairs of China, Luo Zhaohui (Ambassador), Tong Daochi (Vice-Governor of Hubei) and many others. pic.twitter.com/Kuq2k2j8gy ANI (@ANI) April 26, 2018 "President Xi and I will exchange views on a range of issues of bilateral and global importance. We will discuss our respective visions and priorities for national development, particularly in the context of current and future international situation," PM Modi said. "We will also review the developments in the India-China relations from a strategic and long-term perspective," he further said. Besides the Doklam standoff, relations between India and China have witnessed a nosedive over a series of other issues, including China blocking India's move to get Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar banned by the UN, its opposition to India's bid for NSG membership. India has also been severely critical of China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) as the USD 50 billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor, which is part of the BRI project, passes through Gilgit and Baltistan in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). India says it cannot accept a project that ignores its core concern on sovereignty and territorial integrity. There was no clarity on whether these issues will figure in the talks between PM Modi and President Xi. Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Kong Xuanyou on Tuesday had said the two leaders will try to reach important consensus to resolve outstanding issues and build mutual trust during their talks in Wuhan. Sources here had said the meeting will not have an "issue-based discussion but a strategic conversation between the two leaders to understand each other's perspective on national and international matters". The informal summit between PM Modi and President Xi is taking place in the backdrop of an escalating trade dispute between China and the US and it will be keenly observed whether the issue figures in the talks between the leaders of two major economies of the world. - PTI rajivbhatia82@gmail.com Tribune News Service New Delhi, April 26 The Congress today demanded a probe into unexplained technical snags in an aircraft carrying party president Rahul Gandhi from Delhi to Hubli today and said the violent shuddering of the aircraft endangered the life of passengers including Gandhi. In a letter to Neelmani Raji, DGP Karnataka, Gandhis aide Kaushal Vidyarthee, also in the aircraft said the aircraft descended rapidly while tilting to one side and shuddered severely until descent at Hubli at 11.25 am. Gandhi and four co passengers boarded the special flight by aircraft VT (AVH) at 9.25 am and were to land at Hubli at 11.25 am. At around 10.45 am the aircraft heavily titled to one side and the altitude dipped steeply combined with heavy shuddering of the aircraft body. For some time the flight was out of radar as the auto pilot was not functioning. A clunky sound was heard from one side of the aircraft throughout the shuddering, Vidyarthee said. He added that the life of those on board was endangered and the possibility of intentional tampering could not be ruled out. The Congress has sought a formal probe into what could be a serious accident. Congress media head Randeep Surjewala later said normally flight details of an SPG protectee is submitted to DGCA and only then is the flight cleared. What happened in this case was very serious, Surjewala said as the Congress added that the snags were not related to weather as the weather outside was sunny. monicakchauhan@gmail.com Satya Prakash Tribune News Service New Delhi, April 26 The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to stay the appointment of senior advocate Indu Malhotra as a judge of the top court, terming it "unthinkable". "What kind of prayer is this? It is unthinkable, unimaginable, inconceivable and never heard of," a three-judge Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra told senior advocate Indira Jaising after she mentioned an urgent petition seeking stay of Malhotra's elevation as a Supreme Court judge. Is it a demolition matter or a question of personal liberty? There is no question of staying the warrant of appointment," said the Bench, which also included Justice AM Khanwilkar and Justice DY Chandrachud. The warrant of her appointment is understood to have been signed by the President and she is to take oath on Friday. Her name was recommended by the collegium in January along with that of Uttarakhand High Court Chief Justice KM Joseph for appointment as SC judges. Accusing the government of cherry picking, Jaising said the government has cleared her appointment while withholding that of Justice Joseph because he had delivered an "unpalatable" verdict with regard to President' rule in Uttarakhand. The Bench told Jaising that her prayer was problematic. Often the collegium recommended 30-35 names for bigger high courts and the government withheld a few while going ahead with the appointment of the rest. "We don't know what is the position. May be the government has returned Justice Joseph's file for reconsideration. We don't know. We will consider it," the Bench said. However, it said it was ready to consider the larger issue and the petition would be taken up in due course. The issue of appointment of judges in the Supreme Court and high courts has been in the news since the top court declared the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) in October 2015. While the government and the judiciary indulged in slugfest, vacancies in various high courts rose to the highest level. Even the Supreme Court is functioning with only 26 judges against a sanctioned strength of 31 judges. Malhotra's appointment will take the number of judges in the top court to 27. gspannu7@gmail.com Kathmandu, April 26 Seven Indians have been arrested with a cache of drugs and a US-made pistol from Biratnagar near Nepals border with India, police said on Thursday. Binod Yadav, 30, a resident of Araria Batanaha in Bihar and his six accomplices from Biratnagar were arrested yesterday, they said, adding the police have also recovered a US-made automatic pistol and six live bullets from them. Three motorbikes, six mobile phones, Rs 81,000 in cash, 1,775 ampoules of avil, 500 ampoule of dyzelyab, 1,776 tablets of spasmo proxivan and 725 nitrosane tablets have also been recovered, they added. Further investigation is on, police said. In a separate incident, a Chinese national has been arrested for allegedly smuggling gold into the country. Zezhong, 40, was arrested from the Tribhuvan International Airport on Tuesday after he landed in Kathmandu from China. The arrest of Chinese national came after the police nabbed five Nepalese citizens for allegedly being involved in smuggling of gold. Police had arrested 27-year-old Pembar Dorje of Nepals Sindhupalchowk district and recovered 14-kg gold from him. Acting on a tip-off, they arrested four more Nepalese citizens, involved in smuggling of gold, and recovered 7-kg of yellow metal. The Chinese national is said to be the mastermind of the smuggling racket, they said. PTI rchopra@tribunemail.com Saurabh Malik Tribune News Service Chandigarh, April 26 A senior judge of the Allahabad High Court, Justice Krishna Murari, is all set to take over as the Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. His name has been cleared for elevation as the Chief Justice and a formal notification is expected to be issued soon. Justice Murari will take over from Chief Justice Shiavax Jal Vazifdar, who retires early next month. Known for his integrity, hard work, dedication and liberal attitude, Justice Muraris understanding and deep appreciation of the judicial system has been honed over a long career as a practising lawyer and as a High Court judge. Justice Murari belongs to a family of lawyers. His uncle GN Verma was a senior advocate and a leading lawyer on the civil constitutional and revenue side. He had also been general secretary and president of the high court bar association. Before being called to the Bench, Justice Murari was known for his practice on the civil side and was considered proficient in company matters and consolidation cases. Born on July 9, 1958, Justice Murari was elevated as an Additional Judge on January 7, 2004 and took oath as a Permanent Judge on August 18, 2005. His elevation comes at a time when the Punjab and Haryana High Court is facing acute shortage of judges. As of now, the High Court has 50 judges, including the Chief Justice, against the sanctioned strength of 85. The pendency of case, too, is at an all-time high, with more than 3, 36 lakh cases awaiting adjudication. editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Patiala, April 25 A day after assuming charge, Jails Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa paid a surprise visit to the Central Jail here at 7.30 am on Wednesday. He expressed satisfaction at the conditions in the jail. The minister got firsthand information about the lack of facilities being faced by the staff in dealing with prisoners. Sources said the minister was told that even as the Maximum Security Jail, Nabha, was only 30 km away, the government has kept 37 dreaded gangsters, a majority of them A category, in Patiala jail. The jail, which is facing staff shortage, was assured of additional battalion or central force for security, but it got none, they said, adding that the minister promised to look into the matter. Randhawa said the jail system needed more reforms to deal with gangsters and hardcore criminals. Psychologists would be hired for counselling inmates, he said. Security to 2 jail officials up Following intelligence inputs of threat to two senior jail officials from gangsters, the security for both of them and their family members has been raised. Sources said there were reports of threat to Rajan Kapur, Superintendent, Patiala Central Jail, and Inderjit Kahlon, Deputy Superintendent, Mansa jail. editorial@tribune.com Vishav Bharti Tribune News Service Chandigarh, April 25 Health Minister Brahm Mohindra was left furious on Wednesday as senior officials, including the Administrative Secretary of his own department, failed to turn up for a meeting of the task force on dengue. Officials of 11 departments were supposed to be present at the Punjab Bhawan. Sources revealed that the minister initially expressed annoyance in general over the absence of senior officials of various departments. When he noticed that there was no representative even from his own Medical Education and Research Department, besides Labour, he made a specific mention of the absence of Sanjay Kumar, Principal Secretary. Mohindra is also Kumars boss directly, as he is Minister for Medical Education and Research too. Had my own secretary been here, two most important departments responsible for dengue control would have been represented, he said. When contacted, Mohindra confirmed that he did not receive any intimation from officials of both the departments. Sanjay Kumar did not take calls, neither did he reply to an SMS sent on his mobile phone. The minister raised questions over other departments indifference. He said he had written to three departments Education, Rural Development and Local Bodies but none of them had replied so far. He reminded them that it was not solely the Health Departments responsibility to deal with outbreak of vector-borne diseases. Dengue preparedness n Facility of free dengue testing extended to 33 centres across the state n Training to be given to government doctors on preventive measures required to check the outbreak and spread of dengue n Free-of-cost supportive treatment in all government hospitals editorial@tribune.com Our Correspondent Phagwara, April 25 Most business establishments in the town remained shut on Wednesday on a bandh call given by the General Samaj Manch in protest against the renaming of the citys Gol Chowk as Samvidhan Chowk. The protesters also demanded arrest of Dalits for allegedly creating trouble in the town. A heavy police force was deployed at all sensitive places of the town. Meanwhile, manch activists lifted their dharna near Gandhi Chowk on the Phagwara-Banga road following an intervention by IGP Naunihal Singh. Several politicians belonging to both SAD-BJP and the Congress extended support to the general community and joined the protest. Phagwara MLA Som Parkash, Mayor Arun Khosla, SAD leader Jarnail Singh Wahid, Sarwan Singh Kular, Congress Councillor Sanjeev Bugga and many others were present. They demanded arrest of Lok Insaaf Party leader Jarnail Nangal and Ambedkar Sena (Mool Niwasi) president Harbhajan Suman, blaming them for the clash on April 13. Addressing the protesters, Som Parkash blamed politicians of other districts for playing politics on the issue. He claimed before renaming a chowk, the issue should be taken up in a meeting of the Municipal Corporation. He said that the CM or the DGP had no authority to rename a roundabout. He claimed that the MC had passed an agenda seven years ago to rename Gol Chowk after Bhagat Singh. Khosla said he had put an agenda to call a meeting of all councillors to name the chowk as Bhagat Singh Chowk. Many Congress councillors announced that they would submit their resignation in protest of against the Congress governments decision to rename the chowk. Manch leaders, including its president Fateh Singh Parhar and general secretary Girish Sharma, left for Chandigarh to knock on the doors of the Punjab and Haryana High Court regarding the April 13 incident. On April 13, a clash had broken out between members of a Dalit outfit and Hindu right-wing groups over the renaming of the chowk. editorial@tribune.com Ruchika M Khanna Tribune News Service Chandigarh, April 25 The cash-strapped Punjab Government has found a novel way to bring down the cash component of its power subsidy farmers who grow cereals will get power supply for eight hours every alternate day, and vegetable growers will get four-hour supply daily for the next two months. Though the Power Department authorities say the reason for easing the power supply to agriculture sector is the low demand till the paddy season starts in mid-June, farmers across the state allege that the electricity supply is being reduced to farms in order to bring down the farm power subsidy component in the total subsidy of Rs 13,700 crore that the government has to pay. A major part of this subsidy (Rs 6,256 crore for this year and Rs 4,964 crore as arrears, totalling Rs 11,220 crore) is given to the farm sector. Farmers are already complaining about the erratic power supply. Though as of now there is minimal demand for the farmers who grow wheat and paddy, those who have sown fodder, corn and vegetables require regular power supply. Across the state, the supply to the agriculture consumers is now being given every alternate days, some feeders located in vegetable crop growing areas are officially getting four hours of supply in the fields every day. Gurlal Singh, a farmer at Tumberbhan village in Ferozepur, told The Tribune that it had become difficult for corn and fodder growers to operate their tubewells. Not only is the power supplied on alternate days, but even on days power is given, there are no fixed timings, keeping us on tenterhooks, he said. PSPCL officials maintain that there is little demand for power in the agriculture sector and that they are using this low demand period for upgrading the power distribution system. We have got Rs 1,000 crore worth of grants under Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana and Integrated Power Development Scheme. We are trying to upgrade the system to SAP in 95 towns, which will help generate computerised bills. The feeders catering to the vegetable growing areas are getting four hours of supply daily as per our notification, said A Venu Prasad, Chairman and Managing Director, PSPCL. Farmers, however, refute this claim of regular supply. Gurbhej Singh of Jawaharsinghwala village said this was the time the fields needed irrigation for moong and fodder crops. But the power situation seems to be getting worse by the day. The claim of Punjab being power surplus is hollow, he added. The PSPCL authorities said as against the demand of 1,235 lakh units of power, the supply was also as much. No power cuts this summer: Minister Bathinda: Power Minister Gurpreet Singh Kangar on Wednesday said power sector reforms would be his top priority. On his first visit to his Rampura Phul constituency after taking charge of the ministry, Kangar said he would soon hold a meeting with top officials of the PSPCL and ensure that there were no power cuts in the state during summer. He said farmers would get uninterrupted supply in the paddy season. He said power subsidy to the agriculture sector would continue. tns singhking99@yahoo.com COPENHAGEN, April 25 Danish inventor Peter Madsen was sentenced to life in prison on Wednesday for murdering, sexually mutilating and dismembering a Swedish female journalist with premeditation aboard his home-made submarine in Copenhagen harbour in 2017. Madsen, dressed entirely in black, sat motionless as the Copenhagen City Court handed down its verdict in a grisly case straight from the pages of a dark Scandinavian psycho-thriller. Already well known in Denmark for his submarines and his plan to send a human into space in a home-made rocket, Madsen was detained last August when he emerged from his submarine without Wall, a 30-year-old who was researching a piece on him. Later that month, the police identified a torso washed ashore in Copenhagen as Walls. Her arms, legs and head were found later. Madsen changed his version of events several times, finally arguing that Wall had been suffocated by an accidental gas leak. But forensic tests found that she had either been strangled or had her throat cut - and that around the time of her death, Madsen had stabbed her in her breasts and genitals with a knife or screwdriver. Judge Anette Burkoe said the panel of judges had been unanimous in finding him guilty of a murder that had been planned. During the trial, a police prosecutor said images of women being strangled and decapitated, which we presumed to be real, had been found on Madsens computer in a laboratory he ran. Wall was a freelance journalist whose work had appeared in Harpers Magazine, Time, the New York Times, the Atlantic Magazine, the Guardian, Foreign Policy and the South China Morning Post. Wall had been writing an article for the U.S. magazine Wired on Madsens race against another Danish group to be the first to send a person into space in a home-made rocket, her boyfriend told the court during the trial. Wall had split her time between New York and Beijing, and was planning to move to China with her boyfriend less than a week after the fatal trip. Reuters gspannu7@gmail.com Singapore, April 26 Singapore Airlines is set to launch the world's first non-stop flight with almost 20 hours in the air, by the end of this year, the media reported on Thursday. Singapore Airlines' newest plane, the Airbus A350-900ULR for Ultra Long-Range will travel on a record-breaking, globe-spanning flight that will connect Singapore to New York, reports CNN, Earlier, the airline used to fly the gas-guzzling, four-engine A340-500 on the 9,500-mile route, with just 100 business-class seats on board. The service proved to be inefficient, and Singapore Airlines cancelLed the flights in 2013. Singapore Airlines is now taking delivery of Airbus' newest wide-body, the A350-900. It has 21 planes in its fleet, of an order for 67 aircraft. It has ordered seven of the Ultra Long-Range planes. On April 23, the plane had its first test flight, an almost five-hour round-trip that launched from the airframer's assembly plant in Toulouse, France. The Ultra Long-Range will be able to fly a remarkable 11,160 miles, an increase of more than 1,800 miles over the standard A350. It means that Singapore Airlines will reclaim the crown of running the world's longest non-stop air route. Keeping passengers' comfort in mind, the A350s share Airbus' design philosophy that makes the aircraft cabin feel more like a room, rather than a long tube. The plane has high ceilings, sophisticated LED lighting, almost vertical sidewalls and a low noise level. "The A350 is a clean-sheet design that has been designed for those long-range flights," Florent Petteni, Airbus' aircraft interiors marketing director for the A350, told CNN. The air circulation system on the A350 has also been designed to be quiet and draft-free. IANS. singhking99@yahoo.com Seoul, April 25 Is unification of North and South Korea the solution or the problem? The recent detente between North and South Korea has given new life to talk of unification for the two countries divided since the 1950s. Its a term that conjours up visions of the Berlin Wall falling, families reunited and armies disbanded. Both Koreas have repeatedly called for peaceful unification and marched together under a unity flag at the recent Winter Olympics. And when a group of K-pop stars visited the North recently, they held hands with Northerners and sang: Our wish is unification. But on a peninsula locked in conflict for 70 years, unification is a concept that has become increasingly convoluted and viewed as unrealistic, at least in the South, amid an ever-widening gulf between the two nations, analysts and officials say. The South has become a major economic power with a hyper-wired society and vibrant democracy; the North is an impoverished, isolated country locked under the Kim family dynasty with few personal freedoms. Unlike East and West Germany, which were reunited in 1990, the Korean division is based on a fratricidal civil war that remains unresolved. The two Koreas never signed a peace deal to end conflict and have yet to officially recognise each other. Those unresolved divisions are why seeking peace and nuclear disarmament are President Moon Jae-ins top priorities in Fridays summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, said Moon Chung-in, special national security adviser to the president. Unification a key topic at the two previous summits, in 2000 and 2007 isnt expected to be discussed at any great length, he said. If there is no peace, there is no unification, Moon Chung-in told Reuters. In the past, some South Korean leaders have predicated their reunification plans on the assumption the Norths authoritarian regime would collapse and be absorbed by the South. But under the liberal President Moon, the government has softened its approach, emphasising reconciliation and peaceful coexistence that might lead to eventual unity, current and former officials say. Reuters Public support on the wane in South Public support for reunification has declined in the South, where 58% see it as necessary, down from nearly 70% in 2014, according to a survey by the Korea Institute for National Unification. A government poll in 1969 showed support for unification at 90% The economic toll would be too great on South Korea, says Park Jung-ho, a 35-year-old office worker in Seoul. I am strongly against unification and dont think we should unify just for the reason we come from the same homogenous group, he said Estimates of the cost of reunification have ranged widely, running as high as $5 trillion -- a cost that would fall almost entirely on South Korea. Both Koreas have enshrined reunification in their constitutions, with North Korea describing it as the nations supreme task Pyongyang slams US censure on human rights North Korea condemned US criticism of its human rights record as ridiculous as a diplomatic whirlwind accelerated ahead of leader Kim Jong Uns summits with the South and with the US President The isolated North has been accused of a litany of state-sanctioned rights abuses including extrajudicial killing, torture, brutal crackdowns on dissent and even kidnapping foreign citizens The US State Departments rights report on the North described egregious human rights violations in the authoritarian state from public executions to widespread surveillance of citizens. North slammed the report for viciously slandering the nation, accusing the US of being a hotbed of rights abuses itself, beset by cancer-like gun violence and all sorts of injustice, deprivation of rights Moons three Noes South Korean President Moon Jae-ins, in a speech in Berlin last July, outlined what he called the Korean Peninsula peace initiative with three Noes: No desire for the Norths collapse, no pursuit of unification by absorption, and no pursuit of unification through artificial means. A load of publicly held trucking fleets released first quarter 2018 earnings Forward Air, Knight-Swift, Landstar, Covenant, Echo Global, and Heartland with all but one reporting better numbers than the same time a year ago. Forward Air Profit Totals Nearly $18 Million Forward Air Corp. reported income during the quarter of $17.7 million, or 60 cents per share, compared to $14.6 million, or 48 cents per share, in the prior year quarter. Revenue for the most recent quarter increased 15.5% to $302.6 million. The first quarter results were ahead of the companys earlier guidance, despite some adverse weather, according to Bruce Campbell, president and CEO. Expedited less-than-truckload drove strong volume growth amid a tight truckload market to deliver solid performance despite a higher use of brokered transportation, he said. Truckload premium services also faced a higher use of brokered transportation as it continued adjusting its customer contracts to market rates. Our intermodal group delivered broad-based growth that extended beyond its recently completed acquisitions. Pool distribution had a solid quarter driven by volume growth and new business wins. The company said it expects second quarter year-over-year revenue growth to be 16% to 20% and for income per share to be up over last year. Knight-Swift Profit Surges At Knight-Swift Transportation Holdings Inc., both net income and revenue swelled greatly compared to a year ago, which was before Knight Transportation and Swift Transportation merged into one powerhouse operation last September. Net income was $70.4 million, a 373% increase from a year earlier, or 39 cents per share versus 18 cents per share a year earlier. The results do not include the operations of Abilene Motor Express, which Knight-Swift acquired in March of this year. Revenue increased by nearly as big a margin, totaling $1.27 billion. "Our results for the first quarter were encouraging, reflecting further progress on synergy opportunities across our brands and continued strength in freight demand and pricing, a marked improvement over the difficult first quarter of last year, said Dave Jackson, CEO. Freight demand was generally strong across our network on a better than seasonal basis throughout the quarter. However, due to tight unemployment in the U.S., the company has faced its most difficult driver-sourcing challenge, resulting in a headwind when it comes to its unseated truck count and utilization metrics. We expect this driver environment will persist, and as a result, sourcing and retaining drivers remains a top priority across our fleets, Jackson said. We are increasing our efforts and our investment in recruiting and retaining professional drivers for our asset-based businesses. The companys average tractor counts in the first quarter were down 1.9% at Knight and 8% at Swift year-over-year, though on a sequential basis it achieved a slight increase in the Knight fleet, prior to acquisitions, and slowed the decline in the Swift fleet. Landstar Reports Record Revenue, Earnings Per Share Landstar System Inc. had record first quarter earnings per share of $1.37, on record first quarter revenue of $1.05 billion. This compares to earnings per share of 77 cents on revenue of $781 million in the 2017 first quarter. Net income jumped to $57.5 million in the most recent quarter compared to $32.4 million a year earlier. The number of Landstar loads hauled via truck in the 2018 first quarter increased 12% over the 2017 first quarter, driven by a 13% gain in the number of loads hauled via van equipment, an 8% hike in the number of loads hauled via unsided/platform equipment, and a 12% improvement in less-than-truckload volume, according to the company. The number of loads hauled via railroads, ocean cargo carriers and air cargo carriers jumped 20% higher, primarily due to a 25% increase in rail intermodal volume. As expected, the pricing environment for our truckload services continued to be very strong in the 2018 first quarter, as industry-wide truck capacity continued to be very tight, said Jim Gattoni, president and CEO. Revenue per load on loads hauled via van equipment increased 24% over the 2017 first quarter, and revenue per load on loads hauled via unsided/platform equipment increased 17% over the 2017 first quarter. As a result, revenue per load on loads hauled via truck was 21% higher than the 2017 first quarter. He said through the first few weeks of April, load growth on a year-over-year basis in loads hauled via truck was consistent with the load growth experienced in the first quarter. I expect that trend to continue and, therefore, expect the number of loads hauled via truck in the 2018 second quarter to increase in a 10% to 12% range over the 2017 second quarter, Gattoni said. My expectation is that pricing conditions for truck services in the 2018 second quarter will continue to be very strong, with little change in the level of available truck capacity. Covenant Transportation Rebounds With Profit Covenant Transportation Group Inc. turned its fortunes around in the first quarter of the year, reporting net income of $4.4 million, or 24 cents per share, compared with a net loss of $39,000 in the first quarter of 2017. The loss a year ago was attributed to a $600,000 charge resulting from a cargo claim judgment stemming from a cargo loss in 2008. Total revenue in the first quarter of 2018 was $173.6 million, an increase of 9.3% compared to a year earlier, while freight revenue moved 7.4% higher to $150.5 million. The company reported operating income of $6.4 million and an operating ratio of 95.7%, compared with operating income of $300,000 and an operating ratio of 99.8% in the first quarter of 2017. We were pleased that each of our three asset-based units (expedited, dedicated, and solo refrigerated) generated an improved operating margin compared with the 2017 quarter, said Chairman and CEO David Parker. The expedited and solo refrigerated units improved by approximately 500 basis points each, while the more consistent dedicated unit improved by approximately 100 basis points. Average freight revenue per tractor per week for this parent to Covenant Transport, Southern Refrigerated Transport, and Star Transportation increased to $3,993 during the 2018 quarter from $3,755 during the 2017 quarter. Average freight revenue per total mile increased by 15.4 cents per mile, or 9.5%, compared to the 2017 quarter. However, average miles per tractor dropped by 2.9%, thanks to a lower average seated truck percentage and a drop in the percentage of team trucks. The fleet dropped to an average of 894 teams (35% of the total fleet) in the first quarter of 2018 compared to 1,003, or 39%, in the first quarter of 2017. The company is looking to add at least another 100 teams, as more customers affected by the ELD mandate are asking for them. Looking ahead, CTG is forecasting sequential operating income improvement in each of the remaining quarters of 2018. Based on our expectation of a continuation of recent U.S. economic growth, as well as continued regulatory and demographic capacity constraints on driver availability, we expect year-over-year average freight revenue per total mile to be positive over the remainder of the year by a high single digit percentage, said Richard Cribbs, executive vice president and chief financial officer. All in all, we expect meaningful year-over-year improvements in earnings per share each quarter of 2018. Echo Global Logistics Moves Back into Black Another fleet that rebounded in the first quarter of 2018 is Echo Global Logistics Inc. It reported net income of $4.7 million, or 17 cents per share, compared to a net loss of $2.9 million in the first quarter of 2017. Revenue increased 38.8% to $577.1 million from the first quarter of 2017. "Continued tight capacity and higher rates drove another record quarter for Echo," said Doug Waggoner, chairman and CEO. "While revenue growth rates accelerated for the fifth consecutive quarter, we were able to maintain margin and deliver record earnings by continuing to leverage our access to capacity, technology, and our talented people across all segments of the market." The Illinois-based company also reported truckload and what it calls partial truckload revenue increased 42.9%, while less-than-truckload revenue increased 29.3% from the first quarter of 2017. We expect revenue for the second quarter to be between $580 million and $620 million and we are increasing our full year 2018 revenue guidance range to $2.25 billion to $2.40 billion, said Kyle Sauers, chief financial officer. Heartland Express Profit Declines Slightly While most publicly held fleets reported increased profits, Heartland Express Inc. recorded a small drop, although it was still in the black. The Iowa-based operation had first quarter net income of $13.4 million, or 16 cents per share, compared to $14 million, or 17 cents per share, in the first quarter of 2017. Revenue increased to $156.7 million from $129.9 million. Revenue for the quarter included fuel surcharge revenues of $21.5 million compared to $14.9 million in the same period of 2017. According to the company, revenue increased 17.5%, excluding fuel surcharge revenues, during the first quarter of 2018 as compared to the same period in 2017. That was primarily due to more miles driven following the Interstate Distributor Co. acquisition. Operating income for the three-month period decreased $6.4 million to $12.9 million, primarily due to lower gains on the sale of equipment, combined with the negative operating impacts from the consolidation of IDC financial results when compared to the prior period, according to Heartland. The domain turkeytelegraph.com may be for sale. Please click here to inquire When I started working and living abroad, staying connected to family and friends back home in Kenya was important. The mobile phone has been instrumental in facilitating this communication, and more recently mobile money has greatly enhanced the ability to stay connected and give back to my community. This experience has contributed to the confidence I have on the vital role, potential and power of mobile technology for sustainable development. UNDPs new Strategic Plan calls for bolder innovation to respond to the new and emerging needs of Member States. One way were doing that is by exploring the possibilities of new technologies as well as new ways of using existing technology to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Advances in digital and mobile technologies have expanded financial inclusion. Mobile money provides easy and convenient means to transfer cash within and across nations, enabling direct cash transfer to the intended recipient, at any time of the day or night, without requiring a bank account or even the ability to read or write. For many in the diaspora, a ready means to conveniently give back to family and friends back home is priceless. Mobile phone technology has already transformed societies around the globe, reaching across geographies, income levels and cultures - helping to empower women, create jobs, spur financial independence, improve education, boost agriculture production, and promote better health. Mobile phones have enabled communities to monitor elections, hold governments accountable, and save lives in natural disasters all of which contributes toward progress on the SDGs. Achieving the SDGs demands new technologies, innovations, and data collection that can integrate and complement traditional statistics. A driving force behind this data revolution is mobile technology. To tap into this potential, UNDP is partnering with GSMA Foundation, with support from the British Government and the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA), to promote business solutions for the SDGs, by working with the mobile industry. UNDP is working with the Government of Ghana, GSMA and other partners to support digital transformation. Photo: UNDP Ghana This partnership is pioneering multi-stakeholder collaboration for sustainability through national dialogues for digital transformation that convene government and mobile industry leadership to jointly identify solutions for national development priorities and leverage resources and innovation for sustainable development. So far, the national dialogues have been initiated in Ghana and Bangladesh. The Ghana mobile-enabled digital transformation dialogue was held in October 2017. A communique was signed between industry leaders, the Government of Ghana, UNDP and DFID, agreeing to, among other things: Coordinate and support efforts from the Government of Ghana, mobile operators and the GSMA, to facilitate the development of an enabling social, business and policy environment for digital transformation in Ghana. Continue to explore the potential of mobile usage and social impact across sectors such as inclusive financial services, agriculture, gender equity, energy, water and digital identity, dependent on strategic priorities. A joint UNDP/UNCDF digital transformation programme on access to finance with a focus on youth and women is under development. In Bangladesh, the digital transformation dialogue was held in January 2018, and follow-up action is ongoing to define a joint action plan that identifies affordable commercially viable mobile solutions that use innovative technologies such as, drones for field monitoring, sensors for soil monitoring and water management to end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture. . This year, GSMA has committed continued support to agreed actions from the Ghana and Bangladesh dialogues as well as to expand to new markets in Uganda and one country in Asia. This initiative is enhancing collaboration between government, the mobile industry, UNDP and other development partners to co-design mobile solutions with positive impact on the SDGs. In my personal life, I have witnessed how mobile technology can help avail opportunities for women, young people and vulnerable groups. It is a pleasure to be working with UNDP and our partners to harness this power in support of sustainable development on a global scale. About the author Lucy Wanjiru is a partnerships Specialist with the Strategy and Innovation Unit, Bureau of External Relations and Advocacy, UNDP. Follow her on Twitter: @wanjirua Brussels, 25 April 2018 - Delegates to a conference co-hosted by the European Union and United Nations in Brussels pledged some US$4.4 billion to efforts to reach 22 million affected people inside Syria and in neighboring countries. Thirty-six donors at the conference made pledges towards the Syria Humanitarian Response Plan and the Regional Refugee and Resilience Plan. Coordinated by UN humanitarian and development agencies, the plans aim to reach 13.1 million people in need of humanitarian assistance inside Syria, 5.6 million refugees in neighboring countries, and 3.9 million vulnerable members of communities hosting refugees. The international community showed strong solidarity with affected Syrians inside Syria and in neighboring countries, as well as the countries who since 2011 have shown tremendous generosity by hosting record numbers of refugees, said Achim Steiner, Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme. More funding will be needed to address the deepening needs of affected and vulnerable communities, however today the focus is on reaching as many people as we can. By the close of the conference, with delegates including host countries, specialized United Nations agencies and non-governmental organisations, a further US$3.4 billion had also been pledged for humanitarian and development programmes in 2019 and 2020. The Syria crisis is the worlds largest protection and displacement crisis and 13.1 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance and protection inside the country. The conflict continues to drive the largest refugee crisis in the world there are 5.6 million Syrian refugees registered, with over 2.6 million being children, in a region faced with deepening economic, social and development challenges. It is also a development crisis, with 69 per cent of people inside Syria living in extreme poverty, and over 80 per cent of refugees living in poverty in some host countries. Host countries have demonstrated outstanding generosity to Syrian refugees for over seven years despite the huge pressure on services, infrastructure and labor markets. The United Nations and the European Union cooperated very closely and substantially in the preparation of the conference, which further reaffirmed that only an inclusive, comprehensive and genuine political solution will ensure a sustainable end to the Syrian conflict. More about UNDP's work in responce to the Syria crisis here. Contact information: Theodore Murphy, theodore.murphy@undp.org +1-718-915-2097 Ludmila Tiganu, ludmila.tiganu@undp.org +32 471 702 903 PSI Shinde get judicial custody in bribery case 04 Oct 2021 | 11:48 PM Nashik, Oct 4 (UNI) A court here on Monday sent police sub-inspector of Rural Police Mahesh Wamanrao Shinde and a private person Sanjay Kharade, who were arrested in a case of bribery, to judicial custody for 14 days. see more.. Huzurabad bypoll: Eatala Rajendars wife, Jamuna files nomination 04 Oct 2021 | 11:43 PM Hyderabad, Oct 4 (UNI) : BJP leader and former TRS health Minister Eatala Rajenders wife on Monday filed her nomination for the Huzurabad Assembly bypoll scheduled to be held on October 30. see more.. Criminals looted over Rs 47 lakh in Bihar 04 Oct 2021 | 11:43 PM Patna, Oct 4 (UNI) Some criminals, laced with firearms looted Rs 47 lakh in two separate incidents of crime at different places in Bihar today. see more.. Kozhikodes Jolly Shaju Murder Saga retold in bestselling author Sourabh Mukherjees latest book 'Death Served Cold' 04 Oct 2021 | 11:42 PM Kochi, Oct 4 (UNI) The sensational story of Kozhikode cyanide murders, which rocked the South Indian state of Kerala, is now set to be revisited in nationally-acclaimed and bestselling author Sourabh Mukherjees latest book Death Served Cold. see more.. April 26 2018 Ambassador LB has committed to invest 7m across three commercial office buildings in Glasgow, delivering 60,000sq/ft of Grade A office space in the process.The partnership between Ambassador Group and ICG-Longbow will deliver improved digital infrastructure to the Ink Building, Hanover House and the Forsyth Building (formerly RWF House), bringing all three in line with current market expectations.Chris Richardson, Ambassador Groups investment director, explained: The enhancement programme across our portfolio will directly respond to the needs and wants of modern businesses. It is testament of our desire to cater for forward-thinking occupiers and set new standards in Glasgow.At Ink, we have earmarked 3m for a new roof, glazing, lifts, reception and facade improvement works.The largest of these will be the Ink Building on Douglas Street, subject to a revised planning application from Stallan-Brand to deliver 40,000sq/ft of refurbished accommodation when complete early next year. April 26 2018 East Renfrewshire Council has appointed a contractor to build a 12.2m primary and nursery school in Newton Mearns, within Glasgows south side.The BDP designed Maidenhill Primary will sit at the heart of a 150m development of 834 new homes being delivered by CALA and Taylor Wimpey.Accommodating 444 primary school pupils and 120 nursery places in addition to a range of joint community facilities such as multi-use games hall and 3G pitch.BAM regional director Bruce Dickson, commented: Maidenhill Primary is the centrepiece of this new community and we are delighted to have again been selected by East Renfrewshire Council to deliver such a key project to unlocking the full potential of this area.BAM will move on-site next month in the expectation of handing over the new school in summer 2019. April 26 2018 Chris Stewart Group have welcomed tenants to a 38,000sq/ft of office space at Blenheim Place, Edinburgh, after repurposing a tired 1980s commercial building retaining features such as stone, concrete and lead in the process. Greenside is arranged over five floors and backing onto Calton Hill the space ISA-designed space offers a de-furbished finish following a complete overhaul by GHI Contracts in just nine months.Fintech firm Nucleus Financial occupies 50% of the resulting space, specifying an amphitheatre staircase to connect different levels, top lit by a newly installed skylight.Retained fabric of the original office building has been overlaid with charred and treated douglas fir timber fins and vertical panels as well as steel overcladding, revealing the original concrete 'waffle' ceilings emphasised by feature lighting and a newly enlarged reception.Chris Stewart, CEO of Chris Stewart Group, commented: Blenheim House, as it was originally known, was a tired and inefficient office building when we bought it in mid-2016. We knew it had potential and Im delighted with the completed building, now known as Greenside.Greenside won the refurbished/recycled workspace category at the British Council for Offices awards. Welcome to followthemedia.com The article or material you have chosen... Michael Hedges April 26, 2018 - Press and media freedom are not abstractions. The gains are genuine for leaders, institutions and the public informed directly. The loss is destructive; confidence shed, reality twisted. And, too, people die. A Free Press Is The Heartbeat Of A CountryMichael Hedges April 26, 2018 - Follow on Twitter Press and media freedom are not abstractions. The gains are genuine for leaders, institutions and the public informed directly. The loss is destructive; confidence shed, reality twisted. And, too, people die. ...is available for restricted access. 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You can JOIN ftm here The ftm newsletter available at no charge to all with registration To register click here. sticks in their craw Trudeau defends summer jobs grant to anti-pipeline activists on free speech groundsOTTAWA Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Wednesday theres no problem with a Canada Summer Jobs grant that will fund anti-pipeline activism, arguing his government must stand up for the principle of free expression and advocacy.That may surprise the religious organizations who have been battling the government for months over the same summer jobs grants, thanks to a new clause that requires them to attest their core mandate respects reproductive rights, defined as the right to access abortions.The issue dominated a fiery question period in the House of Commons Wednesday, as the Conservatives hammered Trudeau over the fact the British Columbia-based Dogwood Initiative was approved for federal government funding that, according to a job posting, will be used to hire an assistant to help our organizing network stop the Kinder Morgan pipeline and tanker project.The summer jobs grant is normally a feel-good program that allows MPs to prioritize groups in their ridings to get funds to hire students. Dogwood spokesman Kai Nagata said the group has received summer jobs funding every year since 2010 including when the previous Conservative government was in power, though their applications have always gone through Vancouver and Victoria ridings held by Liberal and NDP MPs.But this year the summer jobs funding program has been swamped in controversy thanks to the abortion-rights attestation added by the Liberal government. Conservatives blasted the Liberals not only for approving grants to fund anti-pipeline activism, but also for what they called the governments hypocrisy.There is nobody who believes that the Prime Minister is committed to free speech when he punishes all those in this country who do not agree with his personal point of view, said Conservative leader Andrew Scheer, describing the grant as taking tax dollars from people who are out of work in the energy sector and giving it to people who are trying to block a project in the national interest.Trudeau responded by defending the right to advocacy but defended the attestation as well.He also argued Conservatives had sought to defund left-leaning organizations and label environmentalists as eco-terrorists.We remember the Stephen Harper years that so many of the members opposite were part of where anyone who dared disagree with official government position was persecuted, marginalized, had their funding yanked, shut down, he said. We will always support the right of Canadians to express themselves. I really don't think that Trump committed any crimes during his campaign for president. At the very worst, he may have spent more than the allowable amount, but that is not unusual. As far as RussiaGate goes, and all the complaints about how Russia used Social Networks to influence Americans ..... Well, why else does anyone post to Twitter or FaceBook and the like if it is not to influence somebody's opinion? I watched an interview earlier today where the person said that the West is trying to bankrupt Russia in order to prevent Russia from developing gas/oil in the Arctic. Not sure how much weight I would add to this opinion, but it was the first time I heard it being mentioned. Rescue workers in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue try to save victims of a scaffolding accident that occurred yesterday. - VNA/VNS Photo Ho Cau The case has raised concerns regarding safety at construction sites in the province. The scaffolding set for the construction of a gas station in Truong An Ward in the provinces municipal Hue City collapsed on Sunday morning, left seven workers trapped at the site. Witnesses said the scaffolding collapsed when the workers were moulding a concrete porch at a height of some 3m at around 8am in the morning. Firefighters and rescuers spent nearly four hours to rescue the trapped workers, of whom 11 were sent for treatment to a local hospital. Of these, 10 were discharged with light injures while a woman, who was working under the scaffolding, continues to receive medical attention as she had sustained heavy injuries. Col Hoang Long, head of the city police, said the investigation is ongoing to determine the cause of the collapse, as well as to ensure workers safety once the work is resumed. Two men representing the investor and contractor at the site have been detained for investigation. Construction activities are at their peak in Hue thanks to the sunny days. At the locality, contractors often use timber to make scaffoldings instead of steel. Vehicles inch along a road leading to HCM Citys Tan Son Nhat Airport on April 23, well before the start of the long national-holiday weekened.-Photo thanhnien.vn On Monday afternoon thousands of vehicles were stuck on Bach Dang and Truong Son streets up to Lang Cha Ca roundabout for hours, causing traffic to spill over into nearby streets like Cong Hoa, Hoang Van Thu, and Tran Quoc Hoan. Motorbikes clambered on to the pavements as usual, worsening the situation. Hoang Mai of Binh Tan District told Thanh Nien (young people) newspaper that the traffic did not ease up until 8pm. As the holiday draws closer people will be rushing to the airport, and it surely will be worse. According to Bui Xuan Cuong, director of the transport department, roads near the airport are traffic hotspots since they are also gateways to south-eastern and south-western provinces. The number of vehicles using these roads is increasing but traffic infrastructure is not keeping pace, he said. A number of works to reduce congestion will be undertaken in the area in the next couple of years. But out of a planned 15, only eight have been approved or begun so far, with one, the flyover on Truong Son and the road connecting Tan Son Nhat Binh Loi and the outer beltway (including Hong Ha, Bach Dang and Pham Van Dong streets) has been completed. The first stage of an N-shaped flyover at the Nguyen Thai Son-Nguyen Kiem roundabout in Go Vap District near the airport has opened to traffic, and the rest of it is expected to be completed some time this year. Other plans include expanding and upgrading Hoang Minh Giam, Hoang Hoa Tham, Cong Hoa, Truong Chinh and Tan Ky Tan Quy streets, but are awaiting land acquisition. There are many challenges in terms of land and capital [availability] but the city is speeding up work to complete the works on schedule to reduce congestion in this area, Cuong said. In the meantime, to regulate traffic and ensure safety during the upcoming holidays, the city has stationed task forces at traffic hotspots near the airport to quickly handle problems and repair sinkages and other damages to streets. Police officers are diverting traffic during peak hours in Tan Binh, Phu Nhuan and Go Vap districts and imposing severe penalties on people parking illegally on streets. Tackling illegal pick-up/drop-off The chief inspector of the citys transport department, Tran Quoc Khanh, said the department would monitor Tan Son Nhat Airport, Sai Gon Train Station, and the Eastern and Western bus stations to ensure safety and vehicle quality standards are not violated. With lots of people travelling during the national holidays, the department will keep an eye out for buses picking them up illegally at non-designated locations, especially around Kinh Duong Vuong Street in Binh Tan District, Dien Bien Phu in Binh Thanh District and Nguyen Thai Binh, Pho Duc Chinh and Vo Van Kiet streets in District 1 Success in the FMCG sector verified Digiworld's strategy Digiworld (DGW) has just approved the target of VND4.7 trillion ($207 million) in net revenue this year, an increase of 23 per cent compared to last year. Distribution of laptops, mobile phones, and office devices is expected to make up 96 per cent of this. However, chairman of Digiworld Doan Hong Viet affirmed that this figure will change drastically in the middle and long term due to the emergency of the FMCG sector. Digiworld is the exclusive distributor of the washing liquid, fabric softener, and toothpaste of Japan's Lion Corporation. We only started in the middle of 2017 but the growth is astounding, Viet said. This company confirmed that its FMCG business segment will bring VND200 billion ($8.8 million) in revenue, four times higher than last, year due to good market development, including research and development, expansion of distribution channels, marketing campaigns. Digiworld also broke into the pharmaceutical sector last year, and confirmed the great market potential, because demand for healthcare among Vietnamese consumer is on the increase. The sector is expected to grow by 100 per cent in revenue, hitting VND1 trillion ($44 million) within the next two years. The chairman of Digiworld identified that pharmaceutical distribution is very different from the firms traditional sector, electronic devices. Digiworld will strengthen connectivity with pharmacies to create and expand its distribution system as well as launch new healthcare products. In order to implement this plan, Digiworlds management board planned to raise charter capital by issuing six million individual shares. In the first three months of this year, the company recorded VND1.264 trillion ($55.7 million) in net revenue, increasing 66 per cent compared to the same period last year. Gross profit doubled to nearly VND20 billion ($0.88 million), making up 19 per cent of the annual plan. France's President Emmanuel Macron addresses a joint meeting of Congress inside the House chamber at the US Capitol in Washington, DC. (MANDEL NGAN/AFP) The French leader's feisty speech to lawmakers was a dramatic twist near the end of a three-day visit that had showcased his warm personal relationship with Trump, despite the gulf between their visions of world affairs. The two presidents had literally embraced each other, repeatedly talking up their much-vaunted friendship during the trip, but in his speech to Congress Macron rigorously pushed back against Trump's trade, climate and non-proliferation policies. "We can build the 21st century world order based on a new breed of multilateralism, based on a more effective, accountable, and result oriented multilateralism," Macron said, defending the rules-based world order. Trump has threatened to tear up international trade deals, scorns the United Nations, accuses US allies of not pulling their weight, walked away from Paris climate accord and hates dealing with transnational bodies like the European Union. But Macron, who one day earlier had appeared hand-in-hand with Trump at the White House, received applause from the US leader's domestic Democratic opponents by calling for a "strong multilateralism" and avoiding an isolationist approach akin to "closing the door to the world." He declared that France would not pull out of the Iran nuclear deal, warned against imposing trade tariffs on allies and stressed that global action on climate change is vital because there is "no Planet B." 'HE IS PERFECT' "The United States is the one who invented this multilateralism. You're the ones now who have to help to preserve and reinvent it," he said, in a tacit nod to Trump's efforts to shake off international shackles. In doing so, he flipped the script of the trip - the Trump White House's first full state visit - which was until now dominated by intimate images of the French and US first couples planting trees, exchanging kisses and socialising. Trump at one point brushed Macron's shoulder and said: "He is perfect." Transatlantic political reality reasserted itself on Wednesday, however, as Macron - speaking in an accented but increasingly confident English - recalled the glories of past US-French cooperation. Trump's trade sanctions against European steel and aluminium will enter into force in the coming weeks unless Trump agrees to sign a waiver. Despite his affection for Macron, he has not yet said he will do so. Macron hit back. "We need a free and fair trade, for sure," Macron said. "A commercial war opposing allies is not consistent with our mission, with our history, with our current commitments for global security." Trump has also warned he may not renew sanctions waivers on Iran next month, which would effectively torpedo the 2015 nuclear deal, a triumph of multilateral diplomacy. Macron has more sympathy than perhaps any other foreign leader for Trump's arguments that the deal falls short of sealing off Iran's alleged quest for a nuclear weapon - which the French leader vowed before lawmakers Tehran would "never" be allowed to possess. "Not now. Not in five years. Not in 10 years. Never," he said. Together with Trump, Macron called Tuesday for a "new" deal with Tehran, but he made it clear to lawmakers that France would not be walking away from the existing accord. "It is true to say that this agreement may not help all concerns, and very important concerns," he told the lawmakers. "But we should not abandon it without having something substantial and more substantial instead." "That's my position. That's why France will not leave the JCPOA, because he signed it," he said. 'UNCOMFORTABLE MOMENTS' Several Democrats said they were impressed by Macron's impassioned call for US engagement on multiple fronts, particularly on climate change and Iran. House Democrat Adam Schiff judged however that Macron had offered "more of a direct contradiction of the president than I was expecting." "There were more than a few uncomfortable moments on the GOP side of the aisle," he told AFP. But Republican Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy said he didn't feel Macron had rebuked his host. "He said in there that he believes in free and fair trade. That's exactly what the president asked for," McCarthy said. Macron's provocative speech came after he enjoyed an exuberant welcome from the Republican president - an elaborate state dinner, an intimate get together for four with their wives at George Washington's Virginia estate Mount Vernon, and repeated vows of friendship. The 40-year-old French leader spoke at length of "how deep, how strong, and how intense the relationship is between our two countries," and marvelled at the unforeseen rapport he has forged with the 71-year-old Trump. But while the "bromance" has provided plenty of material for late night TV comedy, the key question is whether Macron can translate the privileged relationship into concrete results - be it on trade, Iran or the climate. After his Congress speech, Macron addressed students at George Washington University, where he pledged to help "win peace" in Syria by defeating Islamic State extremists in the war-scarred nation. He also spoke of the "tremendous challenge" facing America's younger generation as it grapples with global issues like climate change and geo-politics, but offered words of encouragement. "At the end of the day you will be the one to decide," he said. The central province of Quang Binh has attracted crowds of international visitors who are not only interested in seeing the beautiful caves, including the worlds largest cave Son Doong, but are also curious about the unique local life of ethnic groups. Homestays are a brilliant type of green tourism accommodation for international visitors to discover the native culture. Foreign tourists can experience riding buffalos through the paddy fields in Quang Binh. Visitors are impressed by the cultural characteristics and tranquil atmosphere of Vietnams villages. It is not easy for foreign tourists to mount the buffaloes. Female tourists are excited to feed a flock of ducks. VOV/Dan Tri British toddler Alfie Evans suffers from a rare neurological disease. (Photo: AFP/Action4Alfie) Toddler Evans, who suffers from a rare neurological disease, had his ventilator support removed late on Monday, but has continued breathing independently for more than a day. Three judges sitting in London's Court of Appeal upheld a Tuesday ruling that the 23-month-old could be taken home from Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool, northwest England, but could not be taken to Rome for further treatment. "The respective appeals ... must be refused," said Judge Andrew McFarlane. Noting the boy's father, Tom Evans, had displayed "utter focus and tenacity", the judge added: "this is awful for everyone concerned". Paul Diamond, a lawyer for Tom Evans, told the court the parents were not "seeking a miracle cure in Italy". "They are simply seeking the palliative care that is needed," he added. Diamond told the judges a plane would be leaving from northern Italy tonight, ready to transport Evans back to the country if permitted. "We accept this is an uphill task, that we are pushing the boundaries." Andrea Williams, chief executive of Christian Legal Centre whose lawyers lodged the appeal, told AFP after the ruling: "now we all need to reflect". "Alfie is obviously now very vulnerable and so everyone is very emotional," she said, praising his parents' strength. "They've left no stone unturned for their child. "They have great tenacity and believe passionately in life, and in giving Alfie the chance of life with appropriate care for as long as possible." Tom Evans told reporters outside the hospital on Tuesday his son "could be in Italy right now". "I'm not giving up because Alfie's breathing away, he's not suffering," he added. Scores of people continued to protest outside Alder Hey Hospital in support of the father's plea. However, in an open letter released on Wednesday evening its leadership complained that staff had faced a "barrage" of abuse. "As an organisation, we have endured attacks upon our motivation, our professionalism and our ethics," said hospital chairman David Henshaw and chief executive Louise Shepherd. "It has been a very difficult time." 'WANT HIM TO DIE NATURALLY' Pope Francis has intervened in the case that has attracted worldwide attention, writing on Twitter that he hoped the parents' "desire to seek new forms of treatment may be granted". Italy has previously said it was granting citizenship to the toddler and an Italian defence ministry medical evacuation plane is on standby to fly Evans to Italy. High Court judge Anthony Hayden on Tuesday rejected claims by the parents that Evans was "significantly better" since doctors first withdrew life support on Monday. The judge said the best they could hope for was to explore the options of removing the boy from intensive care either to a ward, a hospice or his home. Hayden on Monday rejected another appeal for a delay in order to give the parents time to present a new challenge. The ruling allowed doctors to withdraw treatment. HIGH-PROFILE BATTLES British law states that parents "cannot demand a particular treatment to be continued where the burdens of the treatment clearly outweigh the benefits for the child". If agreement cannot be reached between the parents and the healthcare professionals, "a court should be asked to make a declaration about whether the provision of life-sustaining treatment would benefit the child". The case is the latest in a series of high-profile battles between parents of ill children and the British authorities. The most recent example was that of Charlie Gard, who was born in August 2016 with a rare form of mitochondrial disease. He died last year, one week short of his first birthday, after doctors withdrew life support treatment. Gard's parents fought a five-month legal battle for him to be taken to the United States for experimental treatment. The parents of Ashya King defied professionals in 2014 when they snatched their cancer-stricken son from a British hospital and took him to Prague for proton beam therapy. King, now eight years old, has since been declared clear of the disease. The Bambino Gesu (Baby Jesus) paediatric hospital in Rome, which is administered by the Vatican, has said a specially-equipped plane is on standby to fly to Britain to pick up Evans if he is released. Tom Evans met the pope in the Vatican last Wednesday after several statements of support made by the pontiff. Soldiers and police have held show of force drills ahead of Boracay's planned shutdown AFP/NOEL CELIS Assault-rifle wielding police were posted at entry points to the once-pristine island that has become tainted by heavy commercialisation and overdevelopment. Regional police head Cesar Binag told AFP the shutdown began past midnight, with tourists barred from boarding the ferry that is the main way onto the island. "Boracay is officially closed to tourists. We are not closing establishments but tourists cannot enter. We are implementing the instruction of the president," Binag said. About 600 policemen were deployed, with some performing life-like drills including riot officers battling bottle-hurling protesters and mock hostage taking of sunbathers - all before startled locals. "It looks like we are at war," Jessica Gabay, a grocery seller, told AFP late Wednesday. "Maybe the authorities are doing this to instill fear so people will follow the rules." President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the shutdown this month after calling the resort a "cesspool", dirtied by tourism-related businesses dumping raw sewage directly into the ocean. During the closure only residents with ID cards are allowed to board ferries to the tiny island that is home to around 40,000 people. On Thursday morning, police began patrolling the beach to enforce a rule prohibiting swimming except in one designated area marked by buoys. Boats are barred from sailing within three kilometres (1.9 miles) of the shoreline and only Boracay residents are allowed to fish in its waters. The government said the heavy security presence was intended to squelch any unrest from those unhappy with the shutdown, including some of the roughly 30,000 people employed in the island's bustling tourist trade. But resistance was light in the run-up to the closure, with no violent protests and most of the criticism focusing on the plight of laid-off staff. The workers have been drawn by the relatively good wages on the island that has seen the number of visitors roughly quadruple to two million since 2006. YEARS OF UNCHECKED GROWTH Those tourists, a growing number of whom are Chinese and Korean, pumped roughly US$1 billion in revenue into the Philippine economy last year. But its growth from a sleepy backpacker hideaway into a mass-tourism hub with fast food outlets on the beach has taken a toll. Unchecked construction has eaten away at the island's natural beauty, while slimy algae-filled waves in some areas and mountains of discarded drink bottles are problems acknowledged even by critics of the shutdown. "I'm all for rehabilitation and preserving it but clearly this is not the way to do it," Philippine politics expert Ashley Acedillo told AFP. He called the closure an "ill-thought through, unplanned and knee-jerk action" that did not take into account the economic impact on the island's workers and business community. The Philippines has pledged to use the closure to shore up the island's infrastructure, bulldoze illegal structures and clean up the mess left by years of unchecked growth. For its part, the government has billed it as a long-overdue response to a problem that is not without precedent. Other Southeast Asian tourism destinations have also cracked down on uncontrolled tourism welcomed by locals needing income and authorities eager for development. Thailand's Maya Bay, made famous by the 2000 movie "The Beach" starring Leonardo DiCaprio, will be off limits for four months from June to September, officials announced last month, in a bid to save its ravaged coral reefs. PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc attends the Viet Nam-Singapore Business Forum, April 26, 2018 - Photo: VGP/Quang Hieu Speaking at the forum, the PM highlighted that Singapore poured more than US$43 billion in nearly 2,000 projects in Viet Nam. In 2017, the two-way trade value reached US$8.3 billion. Viet Nam has invested in 93 projects in Singapore, with the total capital investment of US$235 million. In 2017, 280,000 Singaporeans visited Viet Nam and around 400,000 Vietnamese travelled to Singapore. Currently, around 10,000 Vietnamese students are studying in Singapore. These active achievements have helped the nation be determined to establishing a Government of integrity and creativity serving the people and businesses, striving to improve the improve the business environment to be listed among top ASEAN countries and heading to standards of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), he said. The nation heads to reduce business expenditures, especially expenditures on administrative procedures and logistics, improve the growth quality based on capacity and renovation as well as take advantages of the fourth industrial revolution and harmoniously connect the State sector with foreign-invested one for a more sustainable development and higher economic growth, the PM asserted. PM Phuc stressed that Viet Nam now has 52 million people getting access to the Internet, accounting for 54% of the total population and ranking fifth in the Asia-Pacific region and around 55% of Viet Nams population are using smart phones, supposing that these help investors to bring their products and services to the huge number of customers in Viet Nam. Viet Nam encourages investment funds to provide sponsors for start-up enterprises and enhancing creativity, he asserted. The Vietnamese Government commits to supporting and facilitating start-up initiatives, protecting intellectual property rights within the framework of the Intellectual Property Law and realizing commitments on intellectual property rights within Free Trade Agreements the nation has joined, PM Phuc added. The Vietnamese leader expected that the forum will open more cooperative opportunities for the two nations businesses for the comprehensive development of both sides and the region. Singaporean Minister for National Development Lawrence Wong expressed his hope that through the forum, the two sides will strengthen connection to seek for partners, bringing benefits for both. At the forum, PM Phuc witnessed the exchange of 16 memorandums of understanding and cooperative documents. The forum, jointly organized by the Vietnamese Ministry of Planning and Investment, Vietnamese Embassy in Singapore, Singapore Business Association and Singapore Manufacturing Federation, attracted the participation of more than 700 delegates from the two nations large corporations. PV Power to take over Nhon Trach 3 and 4 thermal power plants The prime minister recently approved the proposal of PV Power to take over these two projects from PetroVietnam after collecting the opinions of ministries and relevant authorities. Previously, in February 2017, the prime minister agreed to add the Nhon Trach 3 and 4 projects to the National Power Development Master Plan VII and assign PetroVietnam as the investor of the projects. According to the plan, the two thermal power plants will cover an area of 34 hectares and have a total investment capital of VND33.3 trillion ($1.46 billion), with the production capacity of 750-800MW each. PV Power will use VND9.99 trillion ($438.29 million) of its equity and VND23.31 trillion ($1.02 billion) from loans to develop these two projects. Nhon Trach 3 power plant will occupy nearly 16.6 hectares, while the second power plant will be spread over an area of 17.4 hectares (excluding the complex area, surface water, and public service buildings). They will use liquefied natural gas (LNG) imported from the Thi Vai storage terminal. Nhon Trach 3 thermal power plant is expected to come into commercial operation in 2020, while Nhon Trach 4 is due for 2012. PV Power will use VND9.99 trillion ($438.29 million) of its equity and VND23.31 trillion ($1.02 billion) from loans to develop these two projects. In late January, PV Power organised a successful IPO by selling out the offered shares and acquiring VND6.99 trillion ($307.8 million) in proceeds. PV Powers success came as no surprise because the company has been reporting profitable operations with profit and stable, increasing revenue and profit figures. After the successful IPO, PV Power reported positive business results in the first quarter of this year. Notably, the firm acquired VND8.38 trillion ($368.08 million) in revenue and VND726.9 billion ($31.9 million) in pre-tax profit, exceeding its quarterly targets by 110 and 224 per cent. VSIP Hai Duong's new office The new office will bring a fresh look to VSIP Hai Duong and provide a better overall operating environment for its staff to ensure they continue to provide high-quality services to its clientele. Additionally, the attainment of ISO & OHSAS certificates further demonstrates VSIPs commitment to become an entity that possesses quality management systems which conform to customers regulatory expectations and requirements. These two certificates also demonstrate VSIP Hai Duongs commitment towards improving customer service. VSIP Hai Duong is the sixth project of VSIP Groupone of the successful models of economic cooperation between Vietnam and Singapore. This industrial park was officially approved in April 2015 and has been quick in turning the 150 hectare agricultural land into a modern and clean industrial park. VSIP Hai Duong is strategically located at Luong Dien-Cam Dien commune, Cam Giang district, with good and easy connectivity to amenities, the city centre, major seaports, and has direct access by major highways to China. VSIP Hai Duong offers investors a comprehensive infrastructure system and on-site amenities ranging from a good road system to general utilities and a sewage treatment plant to meet the operating needs of companies in the zone. Unique to VSIP Group, VSIP Hai Duong provides one-stop customer service which supports investors in license application as well as their day-to-day operations. The ribbon cutting ceremony took place in the presence of regional leaders and business partners Hai Duong province warmly welcomes investors and commits to supporting them through Hai Duong Industrial Zone Authority as a focal point to connect with other government agencies. Hai Duong province and our management has always recognised VSIPs performance in attracting investment and creating a green-clean-beautiful industrial park which revolves around high standards and professionalism. As commented by investors, they highly appreciate supporting services from VSIP. VSIP facilitates investors throughout the investment process and guides them through the pitfalls of Vietnamese regulations, said Pham Minh Phuong, director of the Hai Duong Industrial Zones Management Authority. Howard Shi, general manager of Best Pacific Vietnam Co., Ltd., shared: Best Pacific selected VSIP Hai Duong for three main reasons. First, this industrial park is near to Hanoi and Haiphong. Second, the infrastructure system is very comprehensive, and third, the parks staff support customers very diligently. To date, seven enterprises have invested in VSIP Hai Duong with a total estimated investment of $150 million, accounting for 40 per cent of the total area. This is an impressive number after coming into operation in 2017 only. VSIP Hai Duong will continue to make breakthroughs and strike to make its industrial park a better operating location for both domestic and international enterprises. 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. Gibraltar Crown Counsel Completes Project with UNDP and Government of Afghanistan In October 2017, Gibraltar Crown Counsel Muhammad M. Rahman was selected by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as an International Consultant to develop a Legislative Drafting Manual for the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. Mr Rahmans assignment for the UNDP covered the following: a) to develop a Legislative Drafting Manual for use by the Legislative Drafters in Afghanistan; b) to (review existing manuals, if any); and c) to build capacity of the Taqnin (Legislative Drafting Department) of the Ministry of Justice and line ministries legal drafters how to use the legislative drafting manual and consequently draft laws and other legal documents in compliance with the international standards. In the 1st week of March 2018 Mr Rahman visited Kabul, Afghanistan, where he was warmly received by both the UNDP and the Ministry of Justice of the Government of Afghanistan as an International Expert from Gibraltar. Mr Rahman undertook meetings with the Ministry of Justice and led a highly successful training workshop for 65 legislative drafters and legal advisers of the Government of Afghanistan. The workshop taught the modern style and techniques of legislative drafting, how these should be used in the Afghan civil law style of drafting, and how the legislative drafting manual should be used in the day-to-day drafting of legislation. Commenting on his work, Mr Rahman said: My role throughout has been as a Gibraltarian Expert and I wholeheartedly represented Gibraltar in my work and during my travels. Its been a huge challenge for me as Afghanistan is a civil law country and its overall legal, judicial and legislative systems are quite different from other parts of the world Gibraltar, for example, follows a common law system. Furthermore, the Afghan official language is not English: the official languages are Dari (Farsi) and Pashto. Afghanistan is a multi-language country with Islamic Sharia influenced culture and traditions. However, my knowledge in Islamic Sharia and huge experience in legislative drafting, both academically and practically, was an advantage when undertaking this massive challenge. At the end of my visit, I submitted the Final Version of the Manual to the Project Manager of the Access to Justice Project in Kabul, with my recommendations for improvements of the existing system. The Minister for Justice of the Government of Afghanistan thanked Mr Rahman with a farewell reception and an official Letter of Appreciation. The Ministry of Justice of the Government of Afghanistan has also expressed its gratitude to the Government of Gibraltar for allowing Mr Rahman to undertake this important work for the UNDP as well as for Afghanistan. Mr. Rahman is currently seconded to the Gibraltar Maritime Administration and Gibraltar Port Authority as Crown Counsel and drafter. Minister for the Port and Maritime Services, the Hon. Gilbert Licudi QC, said: I would like to congratulate Muhammad Rahman on his successful project; one that does not just reflect his own vast personal knowledge and dedication to public law drafting, but also the high level expertise we have available within HM Government of Gibraltar in specialised subjects. New Mental Health Act and Lasting Powers of Attorney Act The Minister for Health, Care and Justice, Neil F Costa has announced the commencement of the Mental Health Act 2016 and Lasting Powers of Attorney and Capacity Act 2018. The new Mental Health Act is primarily concerned with the circumstances in which a person with a mental health condition can be detained for treatment. It sets out the processes that must be followed and the safeguards for patients to ensure that they are not inappropriately detained or treated. The Act ensures that people with serious mental conditions, which threaten their health or safety or the safety of the public, can be treated where it is necessary to prevent them from harming themselves or others. Some of the main changes are Creating a new independent Mental Health Board whose function is primarily to review and monitor treatment of patients and generally to represent the interests of the patient. The introduction of Community Treatment Orders for patients following a period of detention in hospital to assist in their transition back into the community. An overhaul of the Mental Health Review Tribunal by giving greater access to the patient. The patient now has a right to legal representation before the Tribunal and the Tribunal now has greater powers to review the case of a patient and to order their discharge where appropriate. The second Act that came into force yesterday is the Lasting Powers of Attorney and Capacity Act. This Act builds on the new Mental Health Act by making provision to allow persons who anticipate they may lack capacity in future to manage their health, welfare, property and financial affairs To confer authority on individuals to make certain decisions on their behalf and to allow for the creation and safeguards and registrations of Lasting Powers of Attorney. To make provision for a person to be able to decide about specific treatment they may not want to receive in future, known as Advanced Decisions. The Acts came into being following representations from, and consultations with, local mental health professionals. Mr Costa said: It is a great personal pleasure to announce the commencement of these two landmark pieces of legislation which build on HM Government of Gibraltars commitment towards the most vulnerable members of our society. I am thankful to my predecessor as Minister for Health, Prof. John Cortes, for having led the multidisciplinary team that researched, drafted and consulted on the legislative changes to the Mental Health regime and presented the Bill on that Act before Parliament. His and his teams work on this was exemplary. I would also like to thank psychologist Dr Alan Lillywhite and our excellent professionals at the Gibraltar Health Authority, the Elderly Residential Services and the Care Agency, for all their work. Bill Cosby. Photo: Mark Makela/Getty Images Bill Cosby had no reaction when the guilty verdict was announced Thursday during the 80-year-olds felony sexual-assault trial outside of Philadelphia, but the comedian erupted during a subsequent discussion on whether he was a flight risk. Initially, the prosecution team was concerned about Cosby having access to a private plane. Cosby denied having a private plane to the judge. Specifically, he said, I dont have a private plane, you asshole! A more jubilant reaction came earlier, when shortly after the verdict was read several women ran out of the main courtroom, crying and embracing each other in celebration. Andrea Constand, the woman at the center of this case who accused Cosby of drugging and raping her at his home in 2004, left the courtroom smiling, with her arms around supporters. Shes expected to deliver a press conference Thursday afternoon. The Montgomery County Courthouse is buzzing with speculation about whether the comedian will face jail time up to ten years on each count. District Attorney Kevin Steele already asked the judge to revoke Cosbys bail and send him to jail immediately. Cosby, normally silent, erupted in obscenities aimed at Steele, saying that hes sick of him. Under judges orders, Cosby was sent home on house arrest, likely with a monitoring device, until sentencing, the date of which has yet to be announced. Cosby and his legal team did not react to questions by reporters about whether he was prepared to do jail time for his crimes. Hes expected to stay in his Cheltenham, Pennsylvania, estate until he is either sentenced or his legal team files an appeal. Security was tighter than ever at the courthouse as the sheriffs department led Cosby, the former TV star turned felon, to his private car, with his legal team and publicist, Andrew Wyatt, by his side. Throughout the trial, Wyatt has been very vocal about the case, even going so far as to interrupt attorney Gloria Allred during a press conference, and often taking time out to criticize each of the accusers who testified on a daily basis. But on Thursday, he was surprisingly silent. Photo: Gilbert Carrasquillo/Getty Images On Thursday afternoon, the jury in the Bill Cosby felony sexual-assault retrial found the 80-year-old comedian guilty on all counts. Cosby now faces up to ten years for each of the three counts of drugging and raping Andrea Constand in his suburban Philadelphia home in 2004. The much-awaited announcement came just after lunch at the Montgomery County Courthouse near Philly. The jury in this closely watched retrial deliberated for less than two days before reaching this decision. The first trial against Cosby ended in a hung jury last year after the jury deliberated for more than 50 hours over the course of six days. All members of the jury agreed on the verdict. Sobbing could be heard coming from the main courtroom. A group of women broke through the courthouse doors, crying and embracing each other after the verdict was announced. This case was the last chance Cosbys accusers had to find justice in a criminal court, as Andrea Constands accusations were the only ones that fell within the states statute of limitations. Both legal teams are expected to make statements about the verdict. This is a developing story. Photo: Gilbert Carrasquillo/Getty Images After deliberating for only a few short hours today, the jury in the felony sexual-assault retrial of Bill Cosby had a key question for the court. Just after lunch at approximately 1 p.m., the jury asked the judge: What is the legal definition of consent? The jury will decide what consent means to them, Judge Steven ONeill told the court before sending them back to the deliberation room. Based on the question, it appears that the jurors are zoning in on Andrea Constands central allegation that Cosby drugged and raped her in his suburban Philadelphia home in 2004. While the 80-year-old comedian never took the stand during his retrial, he said in a deposition from 2005 that his relationship with Constand was consensual. By mid-afternoon, court was again reconvened for a second question, this time the jury wanted to hear Marguerite Margo Jacksons prior sworn statements. Jackson, a witness for the defense, accused Constand of fabricating allegations about Cosby to coax money from him. Both women worked at Temple University during the time of the alleged assault. Constand claimed that she never spoke with Jackson about her allegations. The jury for this closely watched case has been sequestered for the more than two weeks, and is comprised of seven men and five women (two of whom are African-American and ten of whom are Caucasian). The first trial against Cosby ended in a hung jury after jurors were unable to reach a verdict after deliberating for 52 hours during six days in June. Cosby currently faces up to ten years in prison for each of the three charges against him. Okay! Photo: Erika Goldring/WireImage Let no one ever tell you that your life story is too insignificant for the big screen: Deadline reports that pop star Halsey is getting the biopic treatment, and will likely play herself in the film. Sony Pictures has acquired her life rights and is said to be positioning Halsey as a movie star with a film about her origin story thats being pitched as her own version of Eminems 8 Mile you know, minus Detroit, battle rapping, and dudes shooting themselves in the leg, we assume. But it wont be her film debut: She also reportedly has a small role in Bradley Coopers A Star Is Born. Halseys biopic will recount her life growing up biracial in New Jersey, becoming an icon to the Tumblr generation, the launch of her career, and her personal struggles, likely including her battle with endometriosis. Did we mention shes only 23? I dont believe in Heaven, if what you mean by that is the whole St. Peterpearly gatesthrone of Godangels and harps and togas scenario. But it would be cool if everyone ascended to their ideal place after they died a genuine Good Place filled with whatever activities and people and locations they had found most pleasant and fulfilling in life. Im thinking about this as Liz Phair greets me with a hug on a perfect blood-warm spring day high in the hills above Los Angeles. She smells like pinon incense and honey and she looks like a tiny, blue-eyed angel. Did I die? Whatever; here I am! Phair, whose lyrics and music have been like scripture for me since I was 12, whose life and talent and career obsess me like no one elses, is going to spend this whole day hanging out with me at the Getty museum, which in and of itself seems heavenly due to all the cream-colored marble and its panoramic perch high above the city. Then were going to eat several perfect salads at some airy sunlit rich-person L.A. lunch restaurant and a French chauffeur is going to drive us around, past manicured palms and Michael Jacksons old house and the Playboy mansion. The only out-of-place detail in this me-specific eternal paradise is that Im seven months pregnant and sort of waddling around and I always have to pee, but in L.A. theres always a comfortable nice bathroom nearby and you never have to walk very far. The museum currently hosts an exhibit about ancient Egypt, which fascinates Phair, though history fascinates her in general: Shes always scrutinizing art from other times and places and looking for the women. This is what she tries to do with her albums, too, she tells me. In my mind, Im making historical documents. Im doing these things to log on to history, like, A woman lived in this time, and this is what it was like for her back then, she says. Phair flits through the gallery like a hummingbird, all flowing hair and floaty boho-chic maxidress. We have fun assessing the statues attractiveness; one reminds her of an Egyptian Channing Tatum (stupid-looking in a hot way). A multi-chinned fellow reminds us both of Rob Kardashian. Then we come to the prettiest statue weve yet seen, of a boy who died in his prime, a young companion of Emperor Hadrian who, the legend on his vitrine says, was posthumously honored with a cult. That sounds good. Wheres my cult? Phair jokes. Of course, she sort of already has one: a group of faithful whove been haunting message boards and collecting B-sides and rarities since the 1990s, venerating their goddess even through career transitions that have flummoxed less-fervent devotees. Phairs current project caters to those loyalists. A new boxed set titled Girly-Sound to Guyville is the first commercial release of the three bedroom-recorded tapes that first introduced the world to Phair; it includes a brief oral history of the tapes secretive creation and quasi-accidental initial release. It also has a simple, poetic essay by Phair about what a typical day of her life was like back in 1991, when she was 25: living in Chicagos Wicker Park and hanging out in that very macho music scene. It was there that she began to transform these bedroom demos into what would be her debut album, Exile in Guyvillean influential record whose success has defined her career ever since, making her, forever and unimpeachably, a rock star. Left: Dress by Awaveawake, leather jacket by OFF WHITE, necklace and ring by Elisabeth Bell. Right (and top image): Dress by Helmut Lang, boots by Dior, bracelet by Lilou, earrings by Shay Photo: Radka Leitmeritz/New York Magazine Photo: Radka Leitmeritz/New York Magazine Photo: Radka Leitmeritz/New York Magazine From the beginning, Phair was ambivalent about her fame; she initially shared the tapes not to book gigs or launch a career but to convince a select group of mostly male friends that she was serious. When I ask if she cared whether anyone ever heard them, she tells me, I cared, but my ambition wasnt that wide. I needed certain people to see it. But no, honestly, in a weird way, I dont have that gene I have the need to be taken seriously. Though she played guitar and wrote songs from childhood on, shed never considered herself a performer, and when she went to college, she studied visual art, not music. Many songs on the Girly-Sound tapes were composed on an unamplified electric guitar in a tiny Lower East Side apartment during a junior year spent away from Oberlin while interning in New York City for visual artist Nancy Spero. They sound so personal because Phair literally was trying to keep her roommates from hearing her record them in her bedroom. Paradoxically, they are lyrically bold, stadium-bombastic. Years before it was de rigueur for women to sing about sexual conquests and furious horniness, Phair sang, I keep a close watch on this twat of mine / and the condom on your dicks the tie that binds. There was a new kind of radical honesty there, too, not just braggadocio: And we took off all our clothes / had a lot of sex and then fell asleep, goes one verse of In Love W/ Yself. The agonizing process of taking these songs out of the bedroom and into the recording studio for Exile in Guyville, and then out on tour, had a lasting effect on Phair. I went from unemployed and super-avoiding-joining-society to being famous. Like famous-famous. She is claustrophobic carpools are a no-go, as are crowds and subways. And after her next album, Whip-Smart, failed to catch fire, she was ready to retreat, at least temporarily, into a life that was the complete opposite of the adamantly free one shed described on Exile in Guyville. She met Jim Staskauskas, whod also grown up in the posh suburbs of Chicago, when he edited one of her music videos, and in 1995, at 27, she married him. At 29, she gave birth to their son. Elizabeth Staskauskas, as she was legally then known, was an entirely distinct entity from the woman Rolling Stone had featured on its cover under the headline A ROCK & ROLL STAR IS BORN. At first, this was a relief. Being a musician, even now, doesnt feel like my rightful job, Phair explains. Its kind of weird when Im onstage now, I love it. Once Im going, I feel like this is where I belong and this is where I am, but leading up to it, Elizabeth takes over. When Im on downtime, shes around. Elizabeth spent the six years of her marriage near Winnetka, where she grew up, surrounded by the rich Chicago doctors and their wives shed lived among as a child and teenager. You have to start giving dinner parties; you have to like do things in the community. There was just a whole extra job component. I imagine the Phair Ive long revered in this bizarre, reverseSasha Fierce mode, a suburban matron at 30; it makes me see the album she wrote next, Whitechocolatespaceegg,in a whole new light. Whitechocolatespaceegg is almost nobody elses favorite Liz Phair album, but lately it is mine. Of course, when it came out, I was 17, and I didnt understand it one bit. At 36, pregnant and with a 2-year-old, I tear up as I tell Phair how much the lyric Its a death in our love that has brought us here / its a birth that has changed our lives resonates with me. She says she can still cry thinking about that time, too. I did bait-and-switch him a little bit, she says of her ex-husband. She had thought that she could live happily as Elizabeth, but it soon turned out that she needed freedom to be Liz. Her claustrophobia isnt only about crowds and tight spaces; its also about commitments. She had written Divorce Song many years before her actual divorce, but her insight about how its harder to be friends than lovers, and that you shouldnt try to mix the two, turned out to be prescient. She took five years to make her next album, a long time in pop culture; the difference between 1998 and 2003, to someone who wasnt an adult during that time, is hard to explain. People stopped having CD collections and feeling safe in tall buildings? Everyone hated Liz Phair, Liz Phair fans most of all. And to be honest, I dont love it either. The album contains no trace of Girly-Sound no vestige of the lo-fi Phair whod sung at the bottom of her register to avoid being heard. Instead, she posed nude behind an electric guitar on her album cover and sang about seducing a boy too young to know who Liz Phair is. The New York Times likened the album to a midlife crisis. Phair was 36. Thinking about that moment now, Phair muses thoughtfully and without any visible rancor about how male rock musicians have long been allowed to have multistage, evolving careers, whereas women rock musicians havent often been afforded the same opportunity. I felt like women are really seen as a version of a human. Were not the main humans. Were not here to stay. Were not the firmament, were a shooting star. She also says something that she claims no one wants to hear about those early-00s albums that while she made them, she was momming. Her son was young; she was single and supporting him. Everyones like, Wheres your edge? And Im like, Well, Im not attracted to the edge right now. But then later I was violently attracted to the edge, cause Im like, Get me out of this momming phase. My very favorite of her songs, Shitloads of Money, appears in an early version on Girly-Sound and in a more polished version, with a very different verse but the same chorus, on Whitechocolatespaceegg. It contains what Ive long thought of as her motto, words that she herself has possibly tried and failed to live her life by: Its nice to be liked / but its better by far to get paid. When Liz Phair came out, I remember thinking, This is Liz being not liked but getting paid. Is that how she saw it, then, too? And did it work? Clothes by Prada. Photo: Radka Leitmeritz/New York Magazine Her perspective now, at 51, about that particular dichotomy is that striving for anything pushes you further away from it like the scene in Alice in Wonderland (which she loves) where walking toward the house pushes Alice further away from the house. These days, her eye is on a different prize entirely: Im not in it for approval. Im in it for a totally different drug. Im in it for creation itself. Im obsessed with the creative process. I love it. It doesnt bother her that Mick Jagger has, she is almost certain, never heard Exile in Guyville, which she loosely structured as a response to Exile on Main St. It also doesnt bother her that Harry Styles, whom she has run into at her recording studio a few times, definitely has no idea who she is. (She didnt know who he was at first either; she joked around with him when she thought he was the new intern, then froze in starstruck terror when she realized her mistake.) It might be that shes currently finally just far enough above the fray to both see it clearly and make the kind of art she truly wants to, for the first time since the early days of her career. But that will come after the Guyville tour five stops in intimate venues, a challenging prospect not only because she has to play songs she hasnt played in years, some of which shes never played in public at all, but also because those songs are so similar in some instances to versions that made it onto her later albums. Im actually abjectly terrified to be up there and have like a brain short-circuit. But its exciting to know that shell be playing to some of her most devoted fans, as well as some new acolytes. On the day we meet, Donald Trumps lawyers office has just been raided by the F.B.I., and the national mood (at least in my bicoastal bubble) is hopeful, in that bitter, punch-drunk way weve come to be so familiar with. One of the first signs that Im not actually in Heaven is when Phair brings up Trump: Ill do anything I can to take him down, she says as we stroll through the peaceful gallery full of artifacts of a dead civilization. But Phair feels energized by current events, not enervated, and almost obligated to be more visible now, even though part of her would still like to stay home and be Elizabeth. Im coming out with a lot of content the next couple of years, and its specifically to push back, to make sure that that influence is there available and present. Just like a woman working. Heres my thoughts. Here are my opinions. I feel like we are obligated to put stuff out to counteract what is coming in. A new album, the first since 2010s quirky Funstyle, is in the works and will supposedly be produced by Ryan Adams, who announced with great Twitter fanfare that he was thrilled to be working with Phair, though Phairs currently mum about the specifics. And Random House has just signed her up to write a memoir called Horror Stories. She says she reads every sentence out loud as she writes to make sure it sounds right. After our perfect salads, Phair insists that we order dessert, profiteroles for her and a warm chocolate-chip cookie for me, and we talk about my son and her sons early childhoods and for a moment I forget that Im interviewing my idol and that this Heaven is temporary, not just an average day in my life. Phair asks tons of questions, giant blue eyes blazing with fervent interest; she makes me feel like were close even as she explains that this is a skill shes honed over years of being a confessor for fans who, tricked by her intimate lyrics, mistake her for a friend. When people come up to me that I dont know, and they have something really important to tell me, I have this depth where I can take them in enough to feel what theyre saying, but I dont have to feel it all the way to my full self. Its so nice there in that depth; I wish I could stay there forever. Production Credits Photographs by Radka Leitmeritz for New York Magazine Styling by Samantha Burkhart for the ONLY.AGENCY Makeup by Melissa Rogers for the ONLY.AGENCY using CHANEL Hair by Fallon Chavez for the ONLY.AGENCY using Leonor Greyl Patton Oswalt and Michelle McNamara. Photo: John Shearer/2011 Getty Images On Wednesday, police apprehended a man they suspect to be the Golden State Killer, a serial killer and rapist who terrorized California communities in the 1970s and 1980s. The mystery went for decades without a suspect, but there was a renewed interest in the case with true-crime writer Michelle McNamaras book Ill Be Gone in the Dark. The book was released in February, nearly two year after McNamara had died it was finished posthumously by an investigative journalist and a researcher hired by her husband, the comedian Patton Oswalt. According to The Hollywood Reporter when the authorities were asked at a press conference if McNamaras book helped the investigation, they responded that it had not. Oswalt disagreed with the officer. He wrote on Twitter: It did, but #MichelleMcNamara didnt care about getting any shine on herself. She cared about the #GoldenStateKiller being behind bars and the victims getting some relief. She was Marge Gunderson in Fargo, not Chilton in Silence of the Lambs. He also claimed that the police never give credit to writers or journalists for helping to solve a case. He noted, however, that because McNamara was the one to rename the serial criminal as The Golden State Killer (the murderer was previously known as the East Area Rapist), he felt that her work had been vindicated. Every time they said #GoldenStateKiller they credited the work of #MichelleMcNamara and #IllBeGoneInTheDark, Oswalt wrote. Earlier in the day, as news broke that the police had arrested the suspect, Oswalt tweeted, I think you got him, Michelle. It did, but #MichelleMcNamaradidnt care about getting any shine on herself. She cared about the #GoldenStateKiller being behind bars and the victims getting some relief. She was Marge Gunderson in FARGO, not Chilton in SILENCE OF THE LAMBS. https://t.co/krMOWaWh9m Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) April 25, 2018 Riverdale Chapter Thirty-Two: Prisoners Season 2 Episode 19 Editors Rating 3 stars * * * Previous Next Photo: Katie Yu/The CW The River Vixens have donned their mourning uniforms, complete with black cloaks, for their fallen sister Midges memorial service. Thats right: This time shes actually dead. With all due respect to the deceased, how long is an appropriate period of time to wait before we can start shipping Moose and Kevin again? In a dark-purple grief lip, Cheryl sings Youll Never Walk Alone from Carousel (wrong musical beginning with the letters C-a-r, but she sounds great!) and the cheerleaders raise their pom-poms overhead in a solemn salute. Your days of failing this town over and over again are numbered, Cheryl growls at Sheriff Keller. Ethel tearfully cops to sending the letters about recasting Cheryl out of jealousy, though she insists she never planned to hurt anyone. For her part, Betty is suspicious of Chic: He may not have known Midge, but Id personally consider him a person of interest for any and all murders committed in a 100-mile radius, just to be on the safe side. After Betty reminds Jughead that both Chic and Svenson (as groundskeeper) spent time at the Sisters of Quiet Mercy, Nancy Drew and her Hardy Boyfriend pay a visit to the group home. A stern nun initially refuses their request to review Chics records, until Betty threatens to tip the FBI off to their secret gay reeducation camp. (Excuse me, hold up: Are there still other children being held prisoner in said secret gay reeducation camp? Is no one concerned about liberating them?) Jughead and Betty discover that the two did overlap for two years, and more alarmingly, that the boy seen in the photo in Charles Smiths file is decidedly not Chic not even Chic with the cosmetic assistance of any number of Instagram filters. And yet Sister Whomever is positive thats the boy she knew as Alices biological son. When confronted, Chic grabs a knife from the Coopers kitchen table, swinging it wildly and even drawing blood from his mother before Betty knocks him out. Sure seems like theres an innocent explanation. Archie is newly convinced that Joseph Svenson was not, in fact, the Black Hood and that his own father could be in terrible danger once more. After specifically promising Veronica he wouldnt go creeping around Svensons old house, Archie goes creeping around Svensons old house. There, he comes across a black-clad figure scurrying around the backyard wearing a mask, but not a hood and then another, and then another. This trio promptly kicks the shit out of Archie. Meanwhile, Veronica gets a call from his number, but its not Archie on the line. Its our old friend, Nick St. Clair! The attempted rapist and Kirkland Signature brand Chuck Bass is holding Archie captive for a $1 million ransom, eager both to get revenge for his dorm-room, double-cast beatdown, and also to make his bones with his mobster dad by eventually killing Archie as initiation. Until then, hes got him tied to a chair, in perfect getting-repeatedly-punched position. Just in case all of this information wasnt enough to convince you that Nick has grown even more unhinged than we last saw him, consider his newly sprouted, very Mens Rights Activisty facial hair. Veronica is horrified when her parents refuse to either pay up to this teen terrorist or call the police; the St. Clairs are an underworld family themselves, and they cant risk involving the authorities. Chic comes to, tied to a chair in the Cooper family basement. You must have known him, Betty says, so where is her brother? Chic spins a tale: They met on the streets and Chic moved into his crappy motel room. Charles once came to the Coopers door, but Alice slammed it in his face. That very night, he overdosed on jingle jangle. At least part of this story is true: Alice remembers a boy coming to the door, and that she asked him to leave. Shes distraught, believing herself to be responsible for killing her son. This demands biblical punishment, she says. She finds her way to F.P.s trailer, still sobbing, and confirms for the first time who the father really was. I had your baby, she tells Jugheads father. I named him Charles and now hes dead. Hes dead because of me. F.P. responds by wrapping her up in a big, silent hug. Veronica plunders what funds she can from the family safe (I mean, where do you keep your massive stacks of cash?), but its not enough. She meets Nick at Pops, where he shows her a photo of a badly banged-up Archie as proof of life. (I originally misspelled Archie as Achie in that last sentence, which feels appropriate.) She hands over the money in a duffle, but he can tell from the weight of the bag that its not nearly as much as hed asked for. Thats okay. She can pay him another way: By finally giving him the night together hes owed. Gee! Im starting to think this Nick St. Clair isnt a very nice young man. Betty, who really should take, like, 30 seconds to change that Lollipop ringtone, gets a call from the Black Hood. Chic, he warns her, lived in a den of sinners and has murdered before. And so Betty and Jughead are off to the cheap motel where they found Chic to canvass the neighbors. A woman on the second floor recognizes Charles, the nice one, from the picture. May he rest in peace, she says. Charles used to live with Chic, the bad one, until suddenly she stopped seeing him around and she spotted bloody bed linens in the dumpster. Back at the Cooper home, Chic continues to be extremely unforthcoming about Charless real demise, even after Jughead punches him a whole bunch. (This episodes theme: hitting tied-up people.) And yet the Coopers cant exactly let him go what if he rats to the police about the death of Pseudo Cumberbatch? Black Hood calls to offer another option: Deliver Chic directly to him. Nick opens up a laptop in front of Archie with a livestreaming video of his suite in the Five Seasons. Veronica arrives to find a luxurious spread of champagne, caviar, and pate (the gassiest of aphrodisiacs) awaiting her. She pours Nick a drink; he purrs that Archie is beneath her. Watching them, Archie hulks out, managing to knock his chair over, free himself, and clonk Nicks henchman in the head with relative ease. Nick asks Veronica to dance and sniffs her perfume like a grade-A creep as Teen Houdini sprints for the Five Seasons. Archie breaks down the door to their room to find Nick passed out on the floor. Veronica, fittingly, drugged him. Later, she presents her parents with a million dollars in cash, a ransom for Nick courtesy of the St. Clairs. With the help of the handy-dandy revolver she swiped from Miss Grundy, R.I.P. (Real Icky Pedophile), Betty marches Chic out of the basement and to the cemetery. Holding him at gunpoint, she asks him again if he killed her brother. We got in a fight, he admits. I lost control. I didnt meant to hurt him. Whether thats true or not, its time for him to answer for his sins. The Black Hood is there, waiting. Chic takes off running; the Black Hood gives chase. I have to say, the Black Hood is in pretty good shape. Murder must be great cardio. Having overheard her blast the sheriff at Midges funeral, Hermione recruits Cheryl to write an anti-Keller op-ed in the Register. To the credit of Cheryls persuasive skills, I suppose, it does some serious damage both emotional, as Keller doubts himself and whether he cut a few corners with the Svenson evidence, and literal, as someone smashes the windshield and spray-paints KILLER on the side of his cop car. Before long, the deputy mayor demands he step down. Unless Fred Andrews wins the mayoral election, Keller is permanently out of a job. As we wind things down, Archie wants to bone er, I mean, make his bones with Hiram, who maybe will make the slightest effort to rescue his loyal Mafiachef Jr. the next time hes inevitably kidnapped, but I wouldnt count on it. Oh, and he also wants to do it by bringing down the Black Hood. Betty comes home to tell her mother she took Chic away, to the bus station. Suddenly, she realizes someone else is missing: Wheres Hal? He went looking for you, Alice says. Hmm. Did he happen to leave the house in a hood, by chance? Maybe a dark-colored one? But not navy blue? Photo: Roy Rochlin/Getty Images If you hadnt talked about it enough with that ex-boyfriend you hope you dont run into at parties, you may now be able to reimmerse yourself in Less Than Zero by Brett Easton Ellis. Variety reports that Hulu has optioned it as a series, and while theres no green light for an episode order yet, the project is in development. The book was previously adapted into a movie starring Andrew McCarthy, Jami Gertz, and Robert Downey Jr. in 1987, with McCarthy starring as the college boy who visits home in Los Angeles after a semester away at school to find his ex-girlfriend dating his close friend, and both are nurturing savage drug addictions. Its like a worst-case version of 1980s L.A. that unloads all the stereotypes of neon-soaked, privilege-powered debauchery in a Reagan-era City of Angels. As Variety reports, The series is described as a look at the culture of wealthy, decadent youth in Los Angeles, and if it goes through, it will be the first series treatment for a book by Ellis. Your ex-boyfriend is stoked, and hoping that the rest of his bookshelf including but not limited to Atlas Shrugged, I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell, and Fight Club can get the serial treatment he knows it deserves. Photo: Shutterstock Little Woods, the first feature from writer-director Nia DaCosta which premieres this week at the Tribeca Film Festival, uses the majesty of wide open spaces to tell a panicked, grueling emotional story. Its a Western with fresher stakes, centered on two sisters and their strain to pull together the money for a legal abortion. Tessa Thompson and Lily James play Ollie (short for Oleander) and Deb, adopted sisters traversing their now-deserted North Dakota oil boomtown, selling illegal drugs and working long diner shifts to pool cash to terminate Debs pregnancy. Ollie is the rational, thorough thinker, winding down her last days of probation; Deb is a single mom skilled at self-sabotage. Both sisters love and spar fiercely; theyre the only family each other has. I have sisters, and Im really close to them. Its complicated theres always stuff there, Thompson told Vulture, tearing up. This movie broke my heart. Every time I would think about these two sisters, and think about a reality in which they dont figure out how to come together, just killed me. Because I just think of my sisters, and what those relationships mean to me. James and Thompson talked with Vulture about sisterhood, and making a movie that personalizes todays politics. Tessa, this is a project youve been attached to for some time, right? TT: Nia and I met at the Sundance Lab. She was in the writing program and then the directors labs, and I came just as an actor a hired hand, basically to read the scenes and play them so she could shoot them. I just fell in love with her and with the script. What I found so striking about Nia is she has such ambition, really incredibly elaborate ideas about stories to tell, but theyre so specific. Theres a complete convergence between what she wants to accomplish visually and the world that its set in, and also ideas that she wants to communicate that are essential. In Little Woods, she wanted to talk about poverty, the gendered experience of poverty, and that was the seed of the movie. Shes like, I want to make a Western, so I want it to feel like a modern Western. I was so struck by that in her, and I just knew that I wanted to do it immediately. I just thought, Shes gonna be a special filmmaker, and Ill be sad if I get to watch someone else get to do her first movie with her. You play a set of adopted sisters, Ollie and Deb, who are selling drugs to make ends meet and pay for Debs abortion. Can you talk to me about building that relationship? LJ: We had three brief rehearsals because we were coming from different places, but I feel like its so beautiful in the script. For me to be directed by a woman, and for us all to be of a similar age and really be talking about it and discovering what it is and sharing something that felt so honest I felt so assured that there would be a shared experience, that we would get to something that felt really truthful and real. What do you think? TT: It was so finely drawn in the script, so we were really lucky. This relationship between two sisters is really the core of the movie, and thats so unique for a Western. Plus, it really zeroes in on access to abortion and reproductive rights. TT: Plus, all of the producers are women, many of the department heads are women. I think that feels like a breath of fresh air, because thats not always the case. Particularly in a movie thats about sisterhood in a familial way, its really also cool just to be working inside of something that feels like a sisterhood, on set. I have sisters, and Im really close to them. Its complicated theres always stuff there. This movie broke my heart. Every time I would think about these two sisters, and think about a reality in which they dont figure out how to come together, just killed me. Because I just think of my sisters, and what those relationships mean to me. It was really heartbreaking to watch these two women spend an entire movie trying to figure out how to pay for and get an abortion. Its absolutely insane that something legal is this hard! TT: The movie felt deeply personal and exciting for me, because I think we also have the chance to humanize things that are often politicized. You know, like the opiate crisis in this country, or access to health care, or reproductive rights. The movie sees people inside of that, and not just ideas. To me the fact that its centralized: The heart of these sisters dynamic is that you really feel like youre on a journey thats deeply personal. Wow, Im getting emotional. Lily, do you have sisters? LJ: I dont, I have two brothers. But like Tessa said, my girlfriends mean the world to me. This idea that both of these sisters save each other, that they rescue each other is so key. That last scene we did outside the motel where they just sat, there was such a peace to this newfound bond. The clutter of everything just was brushed away, and it just felt so centered. There are so many unsettling scenes where you never knew how the men would react to your characters. Theres the threat of male violence constantly, which felt very true and timely, especially to womens experience of poverty. Did you think about that as you were shooting? TT: I thought about that a lot. I took a trip four or five days to North Dakota to do research before we started shooting. I went alone to this tiny oil-boom town where the jobs just arent there anymore. I was talking to locals there, who told me that women were raped in the parking lot and inside of that Walmart at the height of the boom. LJ: Yes, and when you interviewed a people, a girl spoke about getting the gun from her boyfriend TT: Her boyfriend gave her a handgun for her birthday. I Airbnbd a place because I felt a little weird about staying in a hotel, and I also thought itd be so cool to do research because they came there as a family and lived in a trailer for a year. I asked the mother if she felt safe going to Walmart, shes like, Oh yeah, I have no problem, and then a couple exchanges later she was like, Well, I mean I have my gun in my purse. That sense comes through in the movie: the physicality of wide-open spaces and the American West, but also these cramped interiors where youre talking over each other, on top of each other, around each other. LJ: And then for me having a son, having this child I felt like I needed to protect everything felt like it was closing in on my character. I felt that space as well. A question for both of you: Is there a character that you want to play that you dont think youve gotten a chance to play yet? LJ: I feel like Im just starting and all I want to do is keep trying to find different people, different explore different parts of myself, I think TT: I havent gotten to do much period stuff, so doing something that is period, I just really love lots of something that requires a lot of research. And then playing someone that is you know, I got to do it a little bit with playing Diane Nash, but just playing someone that was a person. Lily, youve done some period-piece work. Any advice for Tessa? TT: Yeah, please, I need it all. LJ: I know nothing! [Laughs.] I can tell you the order of when you eat, like, what knife and fork goes with each course. I learned that, but thats it. TT: When I watch Cinderella, you get to play all sorts of emotions. But to able to not to play it, because you cant play it but, to be able to project majesty and the effervescence a princess, I was like, Hey! But Tessa, you do that too! TT: When have I played a princess? Okay, so you werent a princess in Ragnarok, but you definitely projected majesty TT: It is not the same vibe! When she puts on that dress and spins around and look, youre just like, Holy hell. I mean I know shes doing that with a green screen LJ: Yeah, on a spinning platform. The dress did that though, to be honest. TT: No, no, but you communicated it in your eyes and in your being, thats hard. Those archetypes are hard to do, and have it feel honest and not feel like youre playing at something, you know? LJ: The thing that I do like about being period, like you said, is researching and finding yourself in a totally different world. How you convey your emotions is so determined by etiquette or time. You have a conflict as an actor, because you cant just express in a completely natural way. Right, Im thinking about how a lot of period acting plays with repression, almost everything you cant do with your performance because of the social codes of the time. LJ: Exactly, and also just how you fit into history and what it means. TT: I felt that with Selma, too. It was the first time that I really considered in a real way what side of history I would have been on. Its really easy to be like, Well, I wouldnt have been a racist, but as a black American, would I have been the person that would be able to live inside of a segregated space and be like, Well, this is just the way it goes, or would I have been as radical a thinker as Diane Nash? Where would I have been? So it is interesting to consider yourself in different times and question how much a product of your time you are. Tessa, Janelle Monaes album and emotion picture comes out this week, and youre playing a lead role in the visual. What can we expect? Its a portrait of sort of a dystopian future, in which the government is capturing people that are labeled as sort of dirty computers many of them in the emotion picture are black and brown and queer people and erasing the things that make them who they are. It was exciting to work inside of a space that was narrative, but also like a music video, and to get to support not just Janelle, but everyone at Wondaland. This project is such an ambitious thing for them, and the record is so beautiful. I think it marks a time when Janelle is really coming into her own in terms of the intersection of her work and activism and also not necessarily playing a character, but allowing her fans and fandroids and people to get a real window into who she is. Im really proud of her for that and really happy to be a part of that in the way that I am. This interview has been edited and condensed. Photo: FX Spoilers below for this weeks episode of The Americans. I want you to come at me and hit me. That invitation from Philip Jennings to Paige in Wednesday nights exceptional episode of The Americans led to a father-daughter sparring match that qualifies as one of the more memorable moments in the shows six seasons. Like many memorable Americans scenes, it stands out because of its violence Philip almost chokes out his own daughter! but even more because of the layers of emotion and subtext stacked beneath its surface. Its a grudge match of sorts, in the sense that its motivated by a number of grudges that Phillip is currently holding against his wife and daughter. In his recap of The Great Patriotic War, Scott Tobias writes that Philips increasingly intense training session allows Philip to express his simmering frustration with both Elizabeth and Paige: Children are often the victims of a proxy battle between dysfunctional parents, and Paige becomes the vessel through which Philip can unleash his hostility toward Elizabeth. But theres plenty left over for Paige, too, for denying his true reasons for walking away and for allowing herself to be so easily manipulated by her mother. This is all very true. Before Philip visits Paige at her apartment, hes long felt like the third wheel in the family. (The fourth wheel, Henry, has basically been removed from the car entirely, which is why it hurt when Elizabeth previously told Philip that Henry is your department, the equivalent of giving him busy work while she handles the real job of toughening up Paige.) Even the framing of an earlier scene in which Paige and Elizabeth spar in the garage, where Philip peeks around corners and eavesdrops on their conversation while they ignore him, suggests that in this parent-child relationship, hes been pushed out and forced to (irony alert!) spy to know whats really going on with his daughter. So when he gets to Paiges apartment and has to listen to her say, I know youre not into what me and Mom do, as if she and her mother were the original spy duo and he has zero spy credits on his resume, it triggers him. His initial response should be instantly recognizable to anyone whos ever been a parent or mentored young adults: Its that wave of outrage that washes over you when they act like they know better than you do. Matthew Rhys is so, so good in this scene, specifically the way Philip cocks his head after hearing Paiges comment. (It screams, What did you just say to me?! without him ever needing to utter those words.) Also, funny side note: When I talked to Rhys on set about this scene, one I had not yet watched, he self-deprecatingly said that hes not as gifted at picking up fight choreography as Keri Russell and Holly Taylor. In the fight scenes, they go, Oh, I just need to see it once, and then they do it inch-perfect every time, where Im the blundering fool more often than not. Russell immediately denied this Oh, thats so not true! but perhaps feeling a bit lesser-than was helpful to Rhys in playing out this dynamic. Part of what motivates Philip to challenge Paige to spar without pads, a word he practically spits at her is that he wants to assert his authority, not just as a father but as a trained professional who has more experience than she does and was actually very good at his job. And yes, I think a bit of testosterone kicks in, too. On more than one occasion, Elizabeth has spoken to Paige about her father in a way that makes him seem weak. Philip is tired of being emasculated, and that makes him take their sparring match more seriously and much farther than his better judgment would normally allow. Ultimately, though, its Philips anger with Elizabeth that motivates him here, both because of his emasculation and also because he feels manipulated by her. Earlier in the episode, Elizabeth who has been too tired to devote much energy to anything outside her work, including her marriage initiates sex with Philip for the first time in what were led to believe is a while. I believe she does this in part out of genuine love for him the way she tenderly touches his cheek conveys as much but theres also no question shes buttering up her husband so that when she asks him the next morning to go see Kimmy in Greece and use her as collateral to get intel out of Kimmys father, hell be more inclined to say yes. It is still a calculated move, and dont let the fact that Elizabeth tosses aside Philips calculator when they start kissing make you think otherwise. Philip knows this and he resents it, and that resentment about what hes forced to do with Kimmy sparks even more resentment about Elizabeth taking control of Paiges life. In his mind, Elizabeth is creating scenarios that endanger two women who are, literally in one case, figuratively in the other, daughters to him. When he spars with Paige, squeezing her in a headlock so she almost cant breathe, hes really trying to suffocate his wife or whatever it is that compels her to act the way shes acting. (Theres no denying that Elizabeths moral compass has gone totally kablooey this season, but in her partial defense, shes taking the steps shes taking because she knows her own life and potentially her familys lives is in jeopardy. Philip doesnt have any information about Dead Hand, so he has no way to fully comprehend whats motivating her.) In a conversation about this episode, Voxs Todd VanDerWerff notes that the toe-to-toe match between Philip and Paige is shot in ways that mirror the flashback in the pilot of a young Elizabeth sparring with her Russian mentor and then being raped by him. Obviously Philip does not rape Paige, but by so forcefully battling with her, he consciously or subconsciously conveys the same message that was conveyed to Elizabeth when her superior took advantage of her in the most terrible way: Men, even ones you trust or think you can overpower, can still be dangerous. (Its worth noting that at another point in this episode, based on the grim look on his face while he has consensual sex with Kimmy, Philip feels like a rapist.) The sparring scene also reminded me of another event from the pilot: the moment when Philip tracks down Errol, the dude who hit on Paige at the mall, and beats the snot out of him. (Its no use fighting guys like that, Philip told Paige before he went to the guys house and stabbed him in the penis with a barbecue fork. Obviously, she has forgotten that advice.) Philips ethical code has always full-stopped at the thought of older men hitting on young girls. The fact that Elizabeth forces him to do just that with Kimmy makes him angry with her and himself. The fact that Paige is now going to bars and possibly sleeping with multiple partners makes him mad at Paige, the guys who disrespected her, Elizabeth, and, again, himself, not to mention the whole life they created that has led to this situation. In the first episode of The Americans, Philip tried to protect Paige by unleashing his rage on Errol. In one of the shows last episodes, he unleashes his rage for a whole lot of reasons, including the fact that he knows he cant protect his little girl anymore. If season one of The Handmaids Tale revolved around the profane rituals of life inside Gilead, this season looks into the dark places outside its walls: the landscape destroyed by war, the women not fit to serve as Handmaids in the city, the buildings and lives abandoned by the fleeing and the dead. June is being moved again, and this time her drop-off advice is even less inspiring. I come by here once a week, says the elderly driver. Check the rat traps and make sure nothings leaking too bad. He offers her no instructions except to stay inside. The building turns out to be eerily, for this journalist the home of the Boston Globe, not just shuttered but obviously shut down in some sort of raid. She glances through cubicles, finding the abandoned remnants of everyday life: coffee mugs, photos, kids art, and a single high heel, kicked off in mid-flight. The headline of the papers on the abandoned press reads, The Aftermath Americas Bloodiest leading us to believe that the government was entirely seized because of the D.C. attacks, or that something even worse came afterward. It makes sense that any coup bent on total authoritarian domination would dismantle the media, but in this case, the presses didnt stop because of threats or coercion. The hanging nooses, the walls covered in bullet holes, the dried blood on the floor, and the matching high heel strewn on the floor confirm as much. This was the site of mass execution. Junes breakdown is a long time coming. Shes not only opening the floodgates on her own trauma, but seeing, perhaps for the first time, the destruction of the world she used to live in. So when Nick arrives, and he isnt there to flee with her to Canada, Junes rage makes sense. Shes been captured by militant religious forces, her husband may be dead, her daughter was ripped from her arms, shes been raped, humiliated, oppressed, and enslaved. Anything short of a run for the border feels too slow, too gradual. An exceptionally long sex scene lets June unleash some of that anger and wraps up with Nick panting, I cant, I cant, and Junes pert response, Try. Our girl is back to form, which includes building an altar to the Boston Globe victims and finding her way back to her own God. But really, this episode belongs to Emily, whom we last saw plowing an SUV over a Guardians body, trying to rack up as much carnage as possible since she already saw herself marked by the Aunts as trouble, with her clitoris surgically removed in a dead end. But it turns out that life can get worse. Much, much worse. In Margaret Atwoods novel, it isnt clear if the Colonies are actually real. Theyre a vague threat deployed to keep Gileads citizens, especially the Handmaids, in line. But their depiction here is even more brutal than what Atwood described. In a cold, dry, toxic wasteland, Unwomen (the term used to describe women who have violated Gileads codes and lose their status) stand toiling in the dust, shoveling dirt into bags without the benefit of the gas masks that the guards wear. Its a foreboding place, like a Gulag that was bombed into radioactive nonexistence, and Emilys face shows the wear of even a few weeks of toil. Inside their barracks, conditions arent much better the sights and sounds are like something from one of Dickenss squalid homes for the poor and its clear that whatever doesnt kill the women in the short term will certainly dig into their bodies and grow like a cancer in the long run. Emily, whom we discover in the flashbacks was a university biology professor, has taken on the role of camp doctor, bandaging infected blisters and doling out bartered Tylenol. But her work only has minimal effect. The women are broken down, both physically and emotionally, and Emily is bandaging minor wounds while their insides turn to ash. Only the slightest hint of her former spunk rears its head when another Unwoman jokes that Emilys work on her hands was the best manicure in town. Leave me a good review on Yelp, she lets out with a tiny crack of smile. A bus of new recruits pulls up, and the first womans blue cloak marks her as a Wife (Marisa Tomei, whose work here is phenomenal). She receives the expected greeting from a group of former Handmaids: spit to the face, a fucking bitch, reluctance to let her take a cot. The first thing she does is to kneel down and pray, Dear God, thank you for your good and generous blessings. One gets the feeling that if she were smacked in the face with a chain, shed thank God for his loving wake-up call. Infection is apparently a way of life in the Colonies. Even the water is contaminated, Emily explains to the Wife, offering her alcohol to scrub her hands. The Wife, alone and justifiably disliked, wants to worm her way into Emilys good graces, so she explains that she wasnt in favor of the university purges, assuming that is why Emily has been sent here. Like a new prison inmate who doesnt know the drill, the Wife too readily answers Emilys question about why shes been sent. I was weak. I committed a sin of the flesh. And my husband was so busy with the Handmaid, he didnt even notice. Emily listens with a seemingly sympathetic ear, and there could be a flash of commiseration when the Wife half-jokes that her husband was probably promoted after she was caught in her affair. Emily then offers what she says are expired antibiotics to combat the E. coli in the water. You are truly a lamb of God, the Wife responds before asking why Emily is being so kind to her. A mistress was kind to me. Once. In flashbacks in some of the most heart-wrenching, devastating scenes that this epic encourager of emotional self-flagellation has given us were shown Emilys life in the immediate time before Gilead. A university biology professor, shes pulled aside by her dean, Dan, and told that shell be gaining some extra lab time next semester, meaning shell be teaching in the classroom less. But Emily sees through the babble. Its cautionary, Dan explains: The new board ostensibly some religious body that has been put in place is concerned that she isnt maintaining a healthy learning environment. In other words, shes a lesbian, and her students know about it, courtesy of the photo of Emily, her wife, Sylvia, and their son thats on her phone. Dan recommends that she lay low for a while, which Emily interprets as an appeal to crawl back into the closet, and hide who she is, something she is unwilling to do. Dan explains that hes taken down all the photos of his partner, Paul, from his office (a move that earned him the title of collaborate from Paul), but shes still hopeful that this crackdown on the LGBTQ community is a blip on the radar, something to endure. The conversation asks a larger question: In the face of such a mighty, violent foe, is it more honorable to flee or fight? To stay alive and live to battle another day, or to stand your ground and force the enemy to face you? We know, however, that this conversation comes after the attacks on D.C. things wont improve. And they dont. Dan is strung up by a noose over a university path, the word Faggot spray-painted at his feet. Hes a warning sign one that Emily heeds. Emily and Sylvia (Clea DuVall, who Im praying returns in later episodes with more to do) head to the airport, baby in tow. The check-in area is overflowing. Crowds extend out the doors and soldiers patrol the crowd with machine guns. The rules for who can exit the country and how they can get out are suddenly Byzantine. If youve wondered to yourself, as I have, Why didnt more people just flee America when they realized what was happening? the airport scene answers that question. And if your anxiety has kept you awake with thoughts of whether or not you should get your baby a passport, just in case, or keep a go bag somewhere by the door, youll feel unhappily justified in your neuroses by what awaits Emily and Sylvia. If it took you two hours to get through this scene pausing and then unpausing, pacing a little, and then calming yourself back down you arent alone. Even though Emily makes it through check-in after wielding her and Syls marriage license, her passport wont allow her to leave the country under normal circumstances. The scene looks typical enough by normal standards a beige cubicle somewhere in the airport but in this case, an egotistical ICE agent has been given license to assert his authority and take an extended power trip. And this is how Emily realizes that the protections of bureaucracy demanding a lawyer, insisting on speaking to a superior no longer matter, because bureaucracy only exists when the government is interested in serving its citizens. Emilys marriage license, he declares, is no longer valid. You are not married. It is forbidden. And in one fell swoop, her life is declared null. The next silent moments, as she walks Sylvia to the escalator, hugs her son, and tearfully presses her lips to her now non-wifes, are the best and emotional worst of an already outstanding episode. Back in the present day, the Wife is sick, vomiting and shaking, covered in sweat. She realizes that the pills Emily provided werent antibiotics, but some sort of poison. Yet shes still claiming that God will save her. Emily wont let that happen. Every month, she reminds the Wife, with the cold stare of someone who might be dead inside, you held a woman down and your husband raped her. This Emily is vicious, and now we can see why. You should die alone, she mutters before walking away. The Wife, in a sick parody of the Lord she thought would come save her, ends up strung high on a cross. Annette Bening. Photo: Nicole Rivelli/Sony Pictures Classics As he demonstrated in The Seagull and would refine in the three arguably greater dramatic masterpieces that followed, Anton Chekhov had a genius for transforming seemingly idle conversation into music, with every instrument noodling away in its private sphere and yet somehow coalescing into a melancholy human symphony. The new film adaptation, directed by Michael Mayer from a script by Stephen Karam (who wrote the ghostly, neo-Ibsen drama The Humans), pares down the chitchat and breaks up some of that ensemble flow. The narrative beats are heavy, reaction shots abound, and wordless discursions are numerous. The intent, of course, is to make a movie rather than another stodgy piece of filmed theater, with the result that some of Chekhovs music is lost but that a surprising amount of tension is gained. Above all, Mayers The Seagull is a platform for several definitive performances. Chief among those is Annette Benings Arkadina, the aging actress who returns to her estate on a lake outside Moscow with her lover, the celebrated short story writer, Trigorin (Corey Stoll). There awaits her high-strung son, Treplev (Billy Howle), eager to show off his own artistry, a symbolic dream play he intends as a challenge to the classical theater in which his mother made her name. Given that its a provocation, it shouldnt surprise him that Arkadina makes stinging comments, but he stomps off into the woods while Arkadina asks, with feigned ingenuousness, What did I do? What did I do? makes my blood boil every time. Arkadina is one of literatures most narcissistic mothers which is saying something, given how much of the Western canon is revenge on Mom. But Bening makes her damnably human. No actor is better at suggesting the tension between the public persona and the desperate soul beneath, struggling to hold the mask in place. Benings Arkadina puts all her acting wiles into convincing her family, maybe even herself, that her fame and youthful good looks are at their peak. How deluded she remains about her miserliness in the realms of both money and mother love. And how hungrily she monitors her lover Trigorins responses, so dependent on the famed author to complete her that she pays scant attention to the son who begs her to complete him. No wonder Treplev has a Hamlet complex. A character lamely jokes that unrequited love happens only in plays, and this one is a riot of the unrequited: One person loves another who loves a third, each longing to fill an essential emptiness. Mayer and Karams swift pacing brings out Chekhovs farcical underpinnings. Watch Elisabeth Mosss Masha, the floridly forlorn daughter of the estate manager, trail after Treplev, who trails after his actress-muse Nina (Saoirse Ronan), while the hapless school teacher (Michael Zegen) trails after Masha observed by Mashas mother (Mare Winningham), who pines for the middle-aged doctor, Dorn (Jon Tenney). The actors are all you could wish for and Moss is something more. Swilling vodka more and more openly, she gives Masha a tragic awareness and a hint of the demonic. Watching this The Seagull, you see how Chekhov physician, famed author, struggling playwright split himself into three: Dorn, the sympathetic healer who wishes he could minister to sick souls; Treplev, the show-boater obsessed with new artistic forms to express human suffering; and the celebrated Trigorin, a borderline vampire who constantly takes notes on people hell transform into characters. Trigorin (whom Stoll underacts cunningly, as a man who guards his energy) is Chekhovs warning to himself of what happens when artistic dispassion interferes with empathy. Howle looks and acts like too much of a soap stud to fully convey Treplevs inner flip-flops, but hes intense, and he and Bening do a bang-up job in the bandaging scene, in which Arkadina ministers to Treplevs self-inflicted gunshot wound and ends up ripping off whatever emotional scabs her son has formed. As Arkadinas elderly brother, Sorin, Brian Dennehy is merely perfect. He has the serenity and morbid humor of a man who knows hes on his way out. The lone disappointment is Ronan, whos never less than magnetizing but turns out to be limited in a way I hadnt anticipated: She cant fully give herself to a character she doesnt respect. She plays the early Nina as a mindless romantic, blushing at her proximity to fame, while the Nina of the final act, beaten down by two years of crushing emotional trials, is too guarded. The role is admittedly a killer. Ive seen half a dozen actresses go down in flames and even Vanessa Redgrave in Sidney Lumets over-effusive film, in which character keep taking one anothers heads in their hands got only halfway there. The exception was Carey Mulligan, who evoked the tragedy of a woman simultaneously opened up and destroyed. (She got double points since her Treplev was Gareth from the original British The Office a born Uriah Heep.) Mayer and Karam keep their touch relatively light until the end, when they do two things that are very smart and one thats unforgivable. They eliminate the last words of the play, now redundant. They close on Arkadina, who knows in her bones what has happened and Bening has made an art of such shots since her wordless but epic reaction to news of her boyfriends death in Bugsy. The unforgivable: repeating, in voice-over, a line from Treplevs allegorical play. It works, as cheap tricks can. But repurposing the words of a soulful but pretentious young character as an epilogue for the whole play is using Chekhovs dramatic instincts against him. A more histrionic critic would call for Mayer to be beaten on the kidneys with a stick and forced to remove the offending line. Id settle for his removing the line. *A version of this article appears in the May 14, 2018, issue of New York Magazine. Subscribe Now! Photo: Bleecker Street Media Some spoilers below for Disobedience. Disobedience, based on Naomi Aldermans award-winning 2006 novel of the same name, is a story of women finding long-sought solace in each other. Successful New York City photographer Ronit (Rachel Weisz) returns to the Orthodox Jewish community in London that she ran away from as a teenager when she receives word that her father the Rav, or the communitys most beloved rabbi has died. An already awkward homecoming gets more complicated when she discovers Esti (Rachel McAdams), the former classmate with whom she had a same-sex romance when the two were teenagers, and Dovid (Alessandro Nivola), their childhood friend who became the Ravs protege, are married. Old passions rekindle, religious authority is tested, and the question of whether the support of a close-knit, insular community is worth more than the freedom to love whom you choose bubbles urgently to the surface. So it was a perfect first foray into English-language filmmaking for Chilean director Sebastian Lelio. Lelio, 44, took home a Best Foreign Film Oscar this year for his transgender drama A Fantastic Woman and garnered critical acclaim for his 2013 work Gloria, an affectionate comedy about the romantic misadventures of a 58-year-old divorcee; when Disobedience arrived on the festival circuit last year, it was heralded as the third installment in his trilogy of women. Lelio spoke to Vulture about adapting Aldermans novel, learning the secrets of a notoriously secretive community, and what went into crafting Disobediences mesmerizing climactic sex scene. Encountering the Story Before Lelio himself knew it was the perfect project for him, someone else did: producer Frida Torresblanco. She and Rachel Weisz had watched my film Gloria, he says, and she said she thought I could be the right person for this story. I said, Tell me, what is the story? She did, Lelio says, and I just loved it. He was intrigued by its triangular love story, where three close school friends reunite in adulthood and become a sort of family of lovers. I love this mess that they are, he says. And for Lelio, who grew up moving from one Chilean town to the next, Disobediences story of choosing not to conform even in an oppressive environment resonated on a personal level. I grew up in a dictatorship in a very Catholic country, he says. He doesnt necessarily consider Londons Orthodox Jewish neighborhood of Hendon to be a dictatorship, he clarifies, but its strict, to say the least. I have never been religious, but Ive seen the strength of it. Assembling the Team When Lelio decided to make Disobedience, he was obsessed with portraying Hendon accurately. I didnt know much about this community. No one does. Not even people who live in nearby neighborhoods, Lelio says. So he spent hours talking to Alderman herself, who began writing Disobedience while still a member of the Hendon community and left after shed finished it. Alderman was a natural and generous consultant, Lelio says; she even took him to a shop where Orthodox women buy the bodysuits they often use as undergarments or layering garments. They can unbutton from the ! Lelio gestures between his legs and laughs. I love them! I was surprised to learn that [it was] not unusual for them to wear that. Underneath the wigs and the very unflattering clothes, there is something else. After Lelio had written the first two or three drafts (through the violent process of adapting, he calls it), he enlisted the help of playwright and screenwriter Rebecca Lenkiewicz, co-writer of the 2014 Polish drama Ida specifically because, as he puts it, English is not my language. She is a great playwright, and she added great texture to the dialogue. Casting the Rachels Though hed never watched the two women who would be the leads in his film interact, Lelio had a good feeling from the start. I just had this strong feeling that they would have great chemistry, he says. When the three finally met for a meal in a restaurant, Lelio finally watched McAdams and Weisz interact and in an instant, he recognized exactly what hed hoped to see. I was over the moon. Related Stories Rachel Weisz and Rachel McAdams Have Incredible Sex In Disobedience There is something about them, he says, theyre like the inverses of each other. Like when you have a card with a queen, you have both the top and bottom reflecting each other. Its like in a certain way they are the same woman. Which surely lent itself well to their contrasting story lines in Disobedience. In the film, Lelio nods, one escaped and lost her origin, and one stayed and lost herself. Making a Few Tweaks When Lelio sat down to adapt the screenplay, he made a few departures from the novels story line. For starters, he changed Ronits occupation in New York from financial analyst to photographer. There is a certain rejection [in Orthodox Jewish communities] towards images, Lelio says. Ronits obsession with imagery, then, he says, felt subversive. The end of the film also notably strays from the book, in that the novels Esti, even after briefly rekindling her romance with Ronit and coming clean about it to her community, stays in Hendon to raise a child with Dovid. The movies Esti, meanwhile, asks Dovid for her freedom and makes moves toward leaving the community. Lelio says the new ending was the product of a long discussion. It was a lot of work to find a way to finish the story in a more open way, he says. I wanted to give all of them the chance to be in front of an open space. A space that is pure potential. Because you dont really know what Dovid will do. Will he found a new synagogue, a new shul, or will Esti divorce him? Will she escape from the community? I dont think so. And how Ronits life will change is also an open question. I love this idea of the things being in flux. Nothing being fixed, which is something that is a very Jewish idea, he adds. The novel was written in 2006, while Naomi was part of the community. My feeling was, I am not part of the community. I have nothing to lose. In a certain way, that allows me to be more irresponsible. That Sex Scene Much has been written, here on Vulture and elsewhere, about the films tender, beautifully shot lesbian sex scene between McAdams and Weisz. Erotic without ever seeming exploitative, it functions as a sort of centerpiece for the film, and for Lelio, it was always meant to be that way. I was a believer that the love scene, the sex scene, was the heart of the film. I was talking about that all the time, he says. The scene itself was a feat of choreography and chemistry: Minimally sketched out in the script (Lelio says it was two or three sentences; They make love, and they feel excruciating pleasure) and barely even implied in the novel, the scene came to life on Lelios storyboards. I presented the Rachels with this idea of, they go through stages. They start leaning up against a table. This and this happens. They are on the floor, and then, we will do that moment, he says. The tasteful eroticism of that scene in a London hotel can be partly chalked up to a challenge Lelio gave himself: I was obsessed with the question, Is it possible to reach a high level of eroticism without showing skin? he says. Clearly, it is and to achieve precisely that, Lelio drew inspiration from Italian comic-book writer Milo Manara and his work from the 1970s. He portrayed women in a very glamorous way, but he uses a lot of the out-of-frame to tell the story, Lelio says. Their faces are lost in pleasure. You dont see whats really happening, but you know. It traps you, because you have to complete with your imagination what is not there. And whose idea was it to add the shot that serves as the centerpiece of the centerpiece, a surprisingly gorgeous close-up of Weisz gently spitting into McAdamss mouth? Lelio covers his mouth with his fingertips for a moment. Oops, he chuckles impishly. Yeah, me. Condola Rashad in Saint Joan. Photo: Joan Marcus What is it that keeps artists coming back to the story of Joan of Arc, and why do they keep making a royal mess of it? The material is certainly captivating: Lone young woman champion of faith and courage, victorious in battle and glorious in martyrdom faces down the establishment, saves her country, dies bravely and achieves immortality by an age where a lot of us are sleeping through 9 a.m. lecture courses and pretending we enjoy the taste of keg beer. Its strong stuff, but its also deceptively tricky: What does the myth of a zealous Christian nationalist have to say to us today? Is Joan actually a feminist hero, much as wed like her to be? Theater artists who set out to resurrect the saint often seem to do so with the facile understanding of her story as an inspirational one. And thats inspirational to borrow from David Foster Wallaces beautiful essay How Tracy Austin Broke My Heart in its ad-cliche sense, one basically equivalent to heartwarming, or feel-good, or even (God forbid) triumphant. Its a sentimental, flattening approach that renders Joan dead in the water before she ever reaches the fire, and its the interpretation thats currently on stage in Daniel Sullivans positively inert revival of George Bernard Shaws Saint Joan at MTCs Samuel J. Friedman Theatre. Shaws a tricky playwright cantankerous and proudly verbose but hes also a ferocious wit. Despite the weight of its literally canonized subject matter, his Saint Joan is two-thirds comedy, one-third fiery courtroom drama, and Ive seen more than one production of it that earns its length sometimes over three hours; here, two hours and 45 minutes by virtue of its inexhaustible vitality (in 2012, Bedlam brought the sprawling play gloriously to life using only four actors). But if your first experience of Shaw or his Joan is Sullivans tepid production and its disappointingly soft starring turn by Condola Rashad, you could be forgiven for writing this vigorous play and its fascinating playwright off as a collective bore. The trouble starts before anyone even sets foot on stage. Scott Pasks set design which resembles the innards of a massive golden pipe organ and is clearly inspired by the bells in which this Joan hears the voices of her saints immediately tells us were in for something Epic. Shaws play begins with a comic debate about eggs between a French captain and his steward. Joan, whom the steward calls the Maid and blames for the inability of the captains hens to lay, is still just an enthusiastic 17-year-old farm girl. When she appears, shes all bouncy, generous excitement, a kind of sharp, persistent Pollyanna who wants the captain to give her a horse so that she can go to war and save France. The scene, like those that follow, is bright, fast, and witty not a self-conscious chapter of a historical saga but a sly piece of social comedy. But Pasks set, heavy and gleaming, gives us the end of the story, not its beginning. It traps Joan inside the gilded cage of her saintliness from the start, making it as difficult for her to move and breathe as the clunky suits of full plate armor with which costume designer Jane Greenwood loads down the actors. Why Greenwood and Sullivan have decided that Saint Joan needs to be layered with shining armor and cumbersome technicolor medieval robes, I have no idea. Like the set, the costumes feel self-serious, and in their bright, primary-colored tidiness, they also feel a bit silly, only a few degrees removed from the Danny Kaye comedy The Court Jester. (As with Carousel a few blocks away, Saint Joans is apparently a premodern world without dirt.) The choice to go period accurate or at least period pretty also seems like a hat on a hat. Shaws characters tell us who and what they are as soon as we meet them: What am I? Am I Robert, squire of Baudricourt and captain of this castle of Vaucouleurs, or am I a cowboy?; You see, I am an archbishop, and an archbishop is a sort of idol. This kind of exposition frees a director up to make visual choices beyond the literal, but Sullivan and his designers have chosen to go down the most unimaginative road. Most grating of all is Bill Frisells original music, a variety of treacly piano melodies that, especially near the shows ending, combine with Christopher Ashs sparkly projection design to push Saint Joan into maximum mawkishness. This aesthetic schmaltz might in fact be the productions only real emotional extreme, for Sullivan has somehow managed to anesthetize the majority of plays action. Saint Joan, for all its energy and intelligence, is overwritten: Shaw restates his arguments and doesnt kill his darlings in a series of notes before his play, he even gets snippy about the suggestion that cutting would improve it. A production can make this excess verbiage work, but only by lighting a fire under it, by turning Shaws arguments into zinging pitched battles, powered by both by a sense of urgency in the actors performances and an underlying joy in the language itself. Here, scenes coast where they should roller-coast, snooze where they should crackle, and actors are constantly dropping punch lines. (That some of these jokes do get scattered laughs is a testament to the strength of the writing.) And at the center, the sometimes-exquisite Condola Rashad is turning in a surprisingly edgeless performance. Rashad was sneaky-brilliant in last years A Dolls House Part 2, as a young woman whose conventional desires, floaty voice, and soft, unblinking smile belied something iron-willed about her, perhaps even a tiny bit touched. That sense of backbone, and of rapt intensity, would seem to make her a perfect candidate for Joan, and I believe that in another production, she could find her fire. But the dreamy softness that served her well in A Dolls House Part 2 has followed her here, and its dragging down the show. What distinguishes Shaws Joan is her boundless energy and her sharp sense of humor. She really is a 17-year-old, naive and stubborn and immensely excited. When de Baudricourt, the captain shes come to convince in the plays opening, responds to her sunny, exalted certainty of purpose with, Well, I am damned!, Joan quips brightly, No, squire: God is very merciful. Shes quick, and her head isnt so much in the clouds that she doesnt know a joke when she hears one. But Rashad apparently doesnt, or Sullivan isnt helping her find them. She plays Joan sweet and straight, and when her big moments come two speeches of blazing defiance that should bring down the roof of the theater she plants her feet and gets serious, but she only achieves about a quarter of the wallop these passages are capable of packing. As for the rest of the ensemble, Sullivan is tying cinder blocks to their feet. They often have to deliver huge chunks of vehement argument while seated you can actually see their bodies twitching, begging to get involved and the lackluster staging often seems to obey a rule that, whenever one person is talking, no one else can move. During a scene in which Joan quarrels with John Glovers incredulous Archbishop of Rheims, I actually watched Daniel Sunjatas Dunois one of Joans most ardent, concerned friends stare blankly into the middle distance as she spoke. Its the most basic acting misdemeanor switch off while you wait to talk again and its shocking that Sullivan has allowed such lifelessness to become the signature of his production. There are a few notable exceptions. Patrick Page, who does double duty as Robert de Baudricourt and the Inquisitor who ultimately sends Joan to the stake, has a good ear for the text and is especially effective in his second role (I even had to check the program to make sure it was him, so distinctly does he draw the two characters). His Inquisitor is a deep-voiced, unflappable, utterly chilling bureaucrat an executioner in the guise of a forgiving father figure. Hes got to deliver one of the shows longest speeches, and more so than any other actor, he holds our attention and guides us powerfully through the meticulously crafted argument. Jack Davenport is also a standout as the Earl of Warwick, the English politico who has no patience for religious cant and has to dance carefully through a debate about Joans fate with Peter Cauchon, the Bishop of Beauvais. Both men want the same thing the troublesome girls death but the cynical Warwick has to placate Cauchons desire to frame the dirty business as a righteous mercy killing. Davenport drips with polite skepticism as he winds his way through the circuitous scene, which might as well occur over whiskey and cigars in a London gentlemans club. The fact that hes actually British doesnt hurt: Its not that Saint Joan needs to be performed in its authors accent, but it does have British cadences to it, and Davenport is one of the few that picks up the plays brisk native rhythm. Saint Joan climaxes with its protagonists trial, specifically with the moment when she tears up the recantation that was manipulated out of her and goes boldly to the stake. Frustrated as I was by this productions persistent flatness, I was shocked when a group of audience members started to cheer. As Rashads Joan faced down the inquisitors with newfound fervor His ways are not your ways. He wills that I go through the fire to His bosom; for I am His child, and you are not fit that I should live among you. someone in the crowd even jubilantly shouted Say it!! Again, I couldnt help thinking that language this powerful is capable of finding its mark even through the haze. But I thought something else too, and it was this: Are people cheering specifically for Joans faith, for her unwavering commitment to a God that they recognize and share? I dont know, but I think that some might have been. Sullivans ad-cliche-inspirational production certainly enables such a response, but I challenge the notion that faith in Christ is actually what Saint Joan is about, or that its what keeps artists returning to her story. For me, Joan is a figure like Don Quixote, immortal precisely because she was always doomed. Shaws play is about not heavenly triumph but human hypocrisy how we crush the dreamer under our heel and then memorialize her. That, at least, is a point still sharp as Joans sword and vivid as the fire that consumed her. This weekend, James Shaw Jr. from Nashville, Tennessee will be honored at Oakwood University Church in Huntsville. Shaw was hailed a hero after he wrested a rifle away from alleged shooter Travis Reinking at a Nashville Waffle House restaurant on Sunday. Four people were killed and two were injured in the attack. Shaw's arm was grazed by a bullet and he suffered a burn from grabbing the rifle's barrel. At 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 28, Oakwood University Church and Breath of Life Television Ministries will recognize Shaw for his bravery and he will address the audience. The event is open to the public. The Tennessee General Assembly recoginzed Shaw this week for his heroism in a joint resolution. Reinking was arrested Monday after a woman spotted him walking through a construction site. His $2 million bond was revoked by a Tennessee judge on Tuesday. A fire in the Shoals destroyed the inside of home in Center Star, according to volunteer firefighters. The Center Star Volunteer Fire Chief told WAAY 31 the fire broke out a little before 7 a.m. at a vacant home on County Road 69. A Lauderdale County bus driver saw smoke coming from the home and called 911. Firefighters said it was a difficult fire to battle because it was at the rear of the home and flames got up into the attic. No one was in the home and no firefighters were injured. Officials have called in the State Fire Marshal's office because the home did not have any power to it. Officials don't know how the fire started or if it was intentionally set. Center Star Volunteer Fire Department, Greenhill Volunteer Fire Department, Elgin Volunteer Fire Department, and the Rogersville Volunteer Fire Department all responded to the house fire. Huntsville police said another person is in custody in connection with a January shooting at a Binford Drive apartment. Fotino Davis, 24, is being held in the Shelby County Jail in Memphis, Tenn. Huntsville police said he will be extradited to Huntsville for the murder of Raemon Ross Jan. 28. Ross told police he was shot when two people came to his door at Spring Branch Apartments with the intent to rob him. He died a short time later. Another man in the case, Charles Anthony Mosby, was arrested in New Orleans in March. He's charged with capital murder. According to Huntsville police, Davis was in New Orleans with Mosby at one point but then left for Memphis. Police are also looking for Kason Christopher Grady, 28, and one other suspect in connection with Ross's murder. WASHINGTON (AP) - The Senate has narrowly confirmed Mike Pompeo to be secretary of state. The outgoing CIA director secured support from 57 senators, with 42 voting no and one senator absent. It's one of the slimmest margins for the job in recent history. Every past nominee since at least the Carter administration has received 85 or more yes votes, with the exception of Trump's first secretary of state, Rex Tillerson. He got 56 yes votes. Pompeo is a former Republican congressman from Kansas. He is expected to be sworn in almost immediately so he can begin serving as top diplomat. Pompeo has been deeply engaged in the administration's efforts on North Korea and recently traveled to Pyongyang. (Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.) Almost a week after an investigator with the Marshall County District Attorneys Office was shot at in Arab, there are still no new leads on where the shooting suspect might be. That suspect, 35-year-old Cody Light, was last seen at a gas station in Guntersville getting beer last Friday. He wasnt hostile or trying to hurt me or anything, but he wanted to know if I could give him some money for gas or if I could help him with some beer or something like that, and since he did have a gun with him, I wasnt about to tell him no, said Sydney Whisante. Whisante works at Pier 69 where she was the last person to see 35-year-old Cody Light after police say he shot at an investigator with the Marshall County District Attorneys Office last Thursday--which is something a lot of people are shocked aboutincluding police. It is a little surprising, the situation, the way it has turned out, because his history, he has had a lot of criminal charges but hes never had anything really, really violent in his past," said Shane Washburn with Arab Police. Hes really a nice person," Whisante added. "Like when hes good, hes good. He goes to work, comes in every morning with his boss and stuff, and gets coffee. Still, Light is very well known to local law enforcement. Weve had about 17 charges on Mr. Light since 2004," Washburn said. "And those charges are anything from DUI to public intoxication. He has an assault charge, resisting arrest, just a plethora of different charges that hes had over the years. However, Whisante says Light told her he didnt know he was shooting at an investigator. He thought it was someone else. A friend of his that hes been into it with, and had already shot at one of his friends, supposedly," she said. Either way, police say theyre asking other neighboring agencies for help until Light is found. But Whisante says she doesnt think he would go far from home. I guarantee Ill see him again before the police do. Police say theyre still asking for tips from the public, and they say if you see him, do not approach him because they are still considering him armed and dangerous. However, theyre hoping Light will turn himself in peacefully. At least three vehicles were involved in a wreck that blocked westbound lanes of Jordan Lane at Mastin Lake Road Thursday morning. The wreck happened around 7:30 a.m. Traffic coming in to Huntsville from Harvest was slow during the morning commute while police worked on the scene. There was no immediate report on injuries or what may have caused the wreck. The wrecked vehicles were cleared by 8:45 a.m. HONG KONG, April 25, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reolinks first and game-changing wire-free 4G-LTE rechargeable security camera Reolink Go has comfortably surpassed its funding goal to raise $35,187 USD on Indiegogo only 30 hours after the launch. 100% Funded Milestone Only 30 hours into the Indiegogo campaign, Reolink Go has hit its first milestone and demolished its funding goal to be 100% funded with $35,068 USD pledged by 220 backers and counting from the U.S., UK, Germany, and Italy at the time of writing. It received overwhelming support and contributions from eager early adopters the moment it hit the crowdfunding platform Indiegogo with $136 early bird solar panel pack sold out instantly and was quickly featured by multiple top-tier media and publications like Stuff, Android Police, and New Atlas. Reolink Go wire-free 4G-LTE mobile security camera redefines the video surveillance and push new boundary by reducing hassles and headaches that come with setting up a security camera in locations and properties with no WiFi/bandwidth network. It connects to 4G cellular networks by various network service suppliers including the nationwide AT&T (U.S.), T-Mobile (U.S. & Germany), EE Limited (UK), Vodafone (UK, Germany & Italy), O2 (UK & Germany), Three UK, and Wind Tre (Italy), and runs on the rechargeable battery and supports solar charging with Reolink Solar Panel. Monitoring properties or locations with no WiFi connection and the power outlet is now as simple as a tap on an app thanks to Reolink Go. "Were grateful for the support and contributions we received from the Indiegogo community, said Pam, the Reolink crowdfunding campaign manager. Their amazing support helps us reach our funding goal in such a short period of time. Special Offers & Perks Reolink is offering many special offers and great deals for early adopters on Indiegogo starting from $119 USD (52% off) for the early birds on a first-come-first-serve basis. Early bird perks including $159 USD (36% off) for Reolink Go 1-Pack, $329 USD (41% off) for Reolink Go 2-Pack with Reolink Solar Panels and more special offers are available. All items are estimated to be shipped in July 2018 to the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, and Italy. Mobile data plans are required to work with the camera and will be offered separately at your own choosing. More supported cellular network service providers are to be updated later. About Reolink Reolink, a leading provider of home security products and camera solutions, has been dedicated to delivering advanced and high-quality consumer security cameras/systems and reliable solutions for home and business. The products range from PoE security cameras/systems, wireless security cameras/systems, to wire-free battery-powered security cameras, which are widely used in home surveillance, business surveillance, baby monitoring, etc. Reolink products are available and sold worldwide, providing video surveillance and protection for millions of homes and families. For more information about Reolink and its products, please visit https://reolink.com. Contact Olivia/PR manager Email: pr@reolink.com Tel: +1 2134012832 Address: Room G, 8th Floor, King Palace Plaza, 55 King Yip Street, Kwun Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong Oslo, Norway, 26 April 2018 Vistin Pharma ASA delivers a revenue growth of 22 percent from NOK 43.4 million in the first quarter 2017 to NOK 52.8 million in the first quarter 2018. The underlying demand for metformin is still strong and Vistin Pharma sales of metformin as active pharmaceutical ingredients were nine percent higher compared to first quarter 2017. EBITDA from continuing operations came to NOK 6.3 million for the first quarter, compared to NOK 5.2 million first quarter last year. "Our production is running at full capacity to ensure that Vistin Pharma meets the demand of our customers. We are working to increase the existing annual capacity metformin through an ongoing efficiency program", says Kjell-Erik Nordby, CEO. New business area Vistin Pharma announced in March that the company will establish an energy trading business unit. Vistin Pharma has engaged Torbjrn Kjus and Kenneth Tveter to lead the new business area. A private placement of NOK 300 million was successfully completed and announced in March. The new activity and the private placement is subject to approval by the annual general meeting on 8 May. Vistin Pharma will hold a presentation today at 08:30 CET at Carnegie AS, Fjordalleen 16, Oslo. CEO Kjell-Erik Nordby and CFO Gunnar Manum will represent the company. Please find the report and presentation for the first quarter 2018 enclosed. The report and presentation will also be made available on www.vistin.com. ***** For further information, please contact: Kjell-Erik Nordby CEO +47 91 36 42 80 kjell-erik.nordby@vistin.com Gunnar Manum CFO +47 95 17 91 90 gunnar.manum@vistin.com About Vistin Pharma Vistin Pharma is a Norwegian pharmaceutical company producing Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) for the global pharmaceutical industry. The Group was established in 2015 when Vistin Pharma AS, a wholly owned subsidiary of Vistin Pharma ASA, acquired the metformin and opioids business and tablet production assets from Weifa AS. Vistin Pharma is a pure play metformin producer, with a strong position in the global metformin market and clear ambitions for growth. Metformin is used as the first-line treatment of diabetes 2, a disease which is expected to grow by 50 per cent toward 2030, affecting more than 500 million people. The global market for metformin is expected to grow by four to five per cent per annum, and Vistin Pharma is attractively positioned to capture part of this growth. This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act. Borregaard's operating revenues reached NOK 1,217 million (NOK 1,136 million) in the 1st quarter of 2018. EBITA adj. was NOK 177 million (NOK 200 million). Other Businesses had an improved result compared with the corresponding quarter of 2017, whereas Performance Chemicals and Speciality Cellulose had a decline. Costs increased by approximately NOK 40 million due to higher wood and caustic soda prices, higher lignin distribution costs and increasing manning related to the Florida project. The net currency impact was insignificant. In Performance Chemicals, increased sales of specialities and improved product mix compensated for the negative impact from strong price competition in certain regional construction markets as well as increased costs. For Speciality Cellulose, higher wood and caustic soda prices and lower sales of acetate cellulose were the main reasons for the lower EBITA adj.. Other Businesses had an improved EBITA adj. due to higher sales in Ingredients and Fine Chemicals, partly off-set by increased net costs in Cellulose Fibrils. Profit before tax was NOK 169 million (NOK 195 million). Earnings per share were NOK 1.37 (NOK 1.48). - We are pleased with the positive market development for lignin specialities and wood-based vanillin. The Florida project is on track and the plant is ready for start-up mid-year, says President and CEO Per A. Srlie. Contacts: Director Investor Relations, Jrn Syvertsen, +47 958 36 335 Communication Manager, Tone Horvei Bredal, +47 924 67 711 1. Figures in parentheses are for the corresponding period in the preceding year 2. Operating profit before amortisation and other income and expenses This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to Section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act. English French Press release Bone Therapeutics Strengthens Board with the Appointment of Claudia D'Augusta as Non-Executive Director Claudia D'Augusta brings significant financial and capital markets experience Gosselies, Belgium, 26 April 2018, 7am CEST - BONE THERAPEUTICS (Euronext Brussels and Paris: BOTHE), the bone cell therapy company addressing high unmet medical needs in orthopaedics and bone diseases, today announces that it has appointed Claudia D'Augusta, Ph.D., to its Board of Directors as a Non-Executive Director. Claudia D'Augusta is a seasoned financial professional with more than 20 years' experience in corporate finance, capital markets and M&A. She is currently Chief Financial Officer at TiGenix N.V. and is part of the management team at TiGenix, which Takeda has announced its intention to acquire for EUR 520 million. Prior to TiGenix, Claudia D'Augusta held various other senior financial positions across a number of international public and private companies. Claudia D'Augusta replaces Wim Goemaere, formerly Chief Financial Officer, who will step down as a Non-Executive Director of the Company. Claudia D'Augusta holds a degree in Economics and a Ph.D. in Business Administration from the University of Bocconi, Milan, Italy. Welcoming Claudia D'Augusta to the Bone Therapeutics Board, Jean Stephenne, Chairman, said: "We are delighted to welcome Claudia D'Augusta to the Board of Directors. I have had the privilege of working with Claudia at TiGenix where she proved an extremely able Chief Financial Officer. I am confident Claudia will provide further valuable financial guidance and support as we continue to progress the Company towards commercialization." "On behalf of the Board and leadership team of Bone Therapeutics, I would like to extend my thanks to Wim Goemaere, who was a capable and supportive member of our management team and Board through many pivotal moments in the Company's development. We wish him all the best with his future endeavours." Claudia D'Augusta, commented: "I'm pleased to join to the Board of Bone Therapeutics at this exciting time in the Company's development. I believe Bone Therapeutics products have the potential to revolutionize the field of orthopaedics and bone diseases and I am looking forward to contributing to the Company's future success." About Bone Therapeutics Bone Therapeutics is a leading cell therapy company addressing high unmet needs in orthopaedics and bone diseases. Based in Gosselies, Belgium, the Company has a broad, diversified portfolio of bone cell therapy products in clinical development across a number of disease areas targeting markets with large unmet medical needs and limited innovation. Bone Therapeutics' technology is based on a unique, proprietary approach to bone regeneration, which turns undifferentiated stem cells into "osteoblastic", or bone-forming cells. These cells can be administered via a minimally invasive procedure, avoiding the need for invasive surgery. The Company's primary clinical focus is ALLOB, an allogeneic "off-the-shelf" cell therapy product derived from stem cells of healthy donors, which is in Phase II studies for the treatment of delayed-union fractures and spinal fusion. The Company also has an autologous bone cell therapy product, PREOB, obtained from patient's own bone marrow and currently in Phase III development for osteonecrosis of the hip. Bone Therapeutics' cell therapy products are manufactured to the highest GMP standards and are protected by a rich IP estate covering nine patent families. Further information is available at: www.bonetherapeutics.com. Contacts Bone Therapeutics SA Thomas Lienard, Chief Executive Officer Jean-Luc Vandebroek, Chief Financial Officer Tel: +32 (0) 71 12 10 00 investorrelations@bonetherapeutics.com For Belgium and International Media Enquiries: Consilium Strategic Communications Amber Fennell, Jessica Hodgson, Hendrik Thys and Lindsey Neville Tel: +44 (0) 20 3709 5701 bonetherapeutics@consilium-comms.com For French Media and Investor Enquiries: NewCap Investor Relations & Financial Communications Pierre Laurent, Louis-Victor Delouvrier and Nicolas Merigeau Tel: + 33 (0)1 44 71 94 94 bone@newcap.eu For US Media and Investor Enquiries Westwicke Partners John Woolford Tel: + 1 443 213 0506 john.woolford@westwicke.com Certain statements, beliefs and opinions in this press release are forward-looking, which reflect the Company or, as appropriate, the Company directors` current expectations and projections about future events. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties and assumptions could adversely affect the outcome and financial effects of the plans and events described herein. A multitude of factors including, but not limited to, changes in demand, competition and technology, can cause actual events, performance or results to differ significantly from any anticipated development. Forward looking statements contained in this press release regarding past trends or activities should not be taken as a representation that such trends or activities will continue in the future. As a result, the Company expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release any update or revisions to any forward-looking statements in this press release as a result of any change in expectations or any change in events, conditions, assumptions or circumstances on which these forward-looking statements are based. Neither the Company nor its advisers or representatives nor any of its subsidiary undertakings or any such person`s officers or employees guarantees that the assumptions underlying such forward-looking statements are free from errors nor does either accept any responsibility for the future accuracy of the forward-looking statements contained in this press release or the actual occurrence of the forecasted developments. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. 26/04/2008 PRESS RELEASE - REGULATED INFORMATION - INSIDE INFORMATION Not for release, publication or distribution, directly or indirectly, in the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan or any other country or jurisdiction where its publication would be unlawful Gfi Informatique launches its friendly tender offer over Realdolmen today The initial acceptance period of the offer will start on April 26 and will end on May 31, 2018. This operation will enable Realdolmen to rely on an industrial partner of international scope so as to secure its development in the midst of a market in consolidation. The Gfi Informatique offer received the unanimous support of the Board of Directors of Realdolmen. The historical shareholders have committed themselves to contributing their shares to the offer, i.e. ca. 22% of the capital. Saint-Ouen (France) and Huizingen (Belgium), April 26,2018 - Gfi Informatique, major player in digital solutions and services, and Realdolmen, a leading IT provider in Belgium and Luxembourg, announce today the launch of a voluntary and conditional public tender offer in cash for the shares of Realdolmen, at the price of 37 per share and 11.03 per warrant. An operation initiated by Realdolmen The digital environment is constantly changing and of increasing complexity. In order to ensure the delivery of advanced solutions and services, substantial investments are required to meet the customers' needs. These different elements explain the consolidation movement experienced by the computer services industry. In this context, Realdolmen wanted to rely on an international industrial partner in order to meet these challenges and to accelerate their strategy. "An alignment with Gfi Informatique will enable us to benefit from the advantages offered by a large multinational group and to ensure our development while preserving our leading position in Belgium and Luxembourg," explains Marc De Keersmaecker, Realdolmen's Managing Director. "It will also enable us to continue to attract the finest talent and meet the expectations of customers looking for world-class, cutting edge services." An offer resulting from a competitive process Realdolmen has asked the investment bank Lazard to assess the interest of about twenty players in the market. "Based on the different offers that were submitted, Realdolmen's Board of Directors unanimously considered that Gfi Informatique's offer was the best, both on the financial level for the shareholders as on the industrial level and for the Realdolmen customers and employees," says Henri Van Engelen, Chairman of the Board of Realdolmen. The offer was also supported by Realdolmen's historical shareholders, namely the Colruyt family and QuaeroQ CVBA, which together represent 21.94% of the company's capital. The latter committed themselves to contributing their shares to the offer. Gfi Informatique offers 37 per share and an equivalent price of 11.03 per warrant, which represents a premium of 11% compared to Realdolmen's last closing price on 22nd February 2018, the day before the announcement of the offer, and a premium of 22% and 28% compared to the volume weighted average share price over 3 months and 6 months, respectively. The two groups are very complementary on the industrial front, in geographic terms but also regarding the products and solutions offered and customers targeted. Present in 20 countries, Gfi Informatique is established predominantly in France and in the Iberian Peninsula. Realdolmen is primarily present in Belgium and Luxembourg. Gfi Informatique is a multi-specialist that combines proximity with high added value.Its value proposition includes specialized offers (outsourcing, processing, digital technology, IT migration, CRM and Big Data) as well software solutions (ERP softwares for insurance, e-commerce companies, time-management, public service, or customer relationship management/editing, etc.). Realdolmen is moreover recognized for its IT application and IT infrastructure services, and its offer regarding CRM, digital transformation and outsourcing services for medium-sized companies. Realdolmen also provides specific solutions in healthcare and finance. "Gfi Informatique aims to strengthen its foothold in Belgium and Luxembourg; this operation is in line with our international expansion strategy," says Vincent Rouaix, CEO of the Gfi Informatique Group. "We will rely on the management and employees of Realdolmen to continue to develop our platform in the Benelux." Publication of documents On April 24, 2018, the Belgian Financial Services and Markets Authority (FSMA) approved the Prospectus relating to the tender offer of Gfi Informatique, including the Response Memorandum of Realdolmen (the "Prospectus"). An electronic version of the Prospectus (including a copy of the Response Memorandum) is available on the following websites: http://www.realdolmentenderoffer.com, http://www.bnpparibasfortis.be/epargneretplacer (French and English), http://www.bnpparibasfortis.be/sparenenbeleggen (Dutch and English), http://www.gfi.world and http://www.realdolmen.com. The Prospectus (including a copy of the Reply Memorandum) can also be obtained free of charge by contacting BNP Paribas Fortis at +32 (0) 2 433 41 13. Finally, a toll-free number (0800 705 28) is available, Monday to Friday, from 10:00 to 18:00 to answer questions from Realdolmen shareholders. Initial acceptance period of the offer The initial acceptance period of the offer starts today April 26, 2018, and will end on May 31, 2018, at 16h00 CET. Acceptance Forms must be submitted to BNP Paribas Fortis, acting as Centralizing Receiving Agent, either directly or through a financial intermediary.The completion of the offer is conditional to Gfi Informatique holding more than 75% of Realdolmen's fully diluted share capital and more than 75% of the voting rights at the end of the initial acceptance period of the offer. The results of the offer will be communicated on June 4 and the payment of the submitted shares is foreseen on June 12, 2018. - - - About Gfi Informatique Gfi Informatique is a major player in value-added IT services and software in Europe, and occupies a strategic position in its differentiated approach to global firms and niche entities. With its multi-specialist profile, the Group serves its customers with a unique combination of proximity, sector organisation and industrial-quality solutions. The Group has around 15,000 employees and generated revenue of 1,132 million in 2017. Gfi Informatique is listed on the Paris Euronext, Euronext (Compartment B) - ISIN Code: FR0004038099. For more information: www.gfi.world About Realdolmen Realdolmen is an independent ICT expert with over 1,200 highly skilled ICT professionals, serving more than 1,000 customers in the Benelux with their strategical, tactical and operational ICT demands. In every cooperation Realdolmen endeavors to realize the potential of people and organizations and wishes to make ICT human again. All of this guided by the company motto "To get there, together". http://www.realdolmen.com For more information, please contact: akkanto Nathalie van Ypersele +32 (0)478/20.10.62 Nathalie.van.ypersele@akkanto.com Shareholders can call the toll-free number 0800 705 28 from Monday to Friday from 10:00 to 18:00 in case of questions. Warning: this communication contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and may include projections and estimates and their underlying assumptions, statements regarding plans, objectives, intentions and expectations with respect to future financial results, events, operations, services, product development and potential, and statements regarding future performance. Forward-looking statements are generally identified by the words "expects", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "plans", "will be" and similar expressions. Although Realdolmen and Gfi Informatique's management each believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, investors are cautioned that forward-looking information and statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and generally beyond the control of Realdolmen and Gfi Informatique, that could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied or projected by, the forward-looking information and statements. These risks and uncertainties include among other things, risks related to Realdolmen and Gfi Informatique's ability to complete the acquisition on the proposed terms or on the proposed timeline, risks associated with executing business combination transactions, such as the risk that the expected benefits of the acquisition will not be realized, risks related to future opportunities and plans for the combined company, including uncertainty of the expected financial performance and results of the combined company following completion of the proposed acquisition, risks that it would be more difficult to conduct business as usual or to maintain relationships with customers, employees, manufacturers or suppliers and the possibility that the market price of Realdolmen's shares could decline, as well as other risks related to Realdolmen and Gfi Informatique's respective businesses. While the list of factors presented here is representative, no list should be considered a statement of all potential risks, uncertainties or assumptions that could have a material adverse effect on the companies' consolidated financial condition or results of operations. The governments blaming the regulator, but the government picked all these appointees, he said. "This has all happened on (former Chairman Greg) Medcrafts watch and he was an investment banker, for God's sake. You tell me where Medcrafts experience was to be a regulator. You get who you pick." Mr Medcraft, who was appointed by the Rudd Labor government repeatedly and publicly called for additional resources and tougher penalties when he was in the post, was unavailable for comment. Former ASIC head Greg Medcraft. Credit:James Alcock Mr Coburn said he had told a series of ASIC commissioners and senior managers their softly-softly approach to regulation would not work. He said he had warned Deputy Chairman Belinda Gibson in 2012 that ASIC needed to pursue more robustly Gold Coast-based companies following complaints. Mr Coburn also told her ASIC was also making too much use of "enforceable undertakings" - agreements between companies and the regulator to improve behaviour - rather than criminal prosecutions. Loading "I told her we needed to push the envelope on corporate investigations. She said: 'that's why you're not a director - my directors don't push the envelope'," he said. Mr Coburn said that in an address to ASIC staff Ms Gibson had told staff she had no experience in enforcement. "I said, 'what are you doing here then?' Im outspoken and I believe in my team to be outspoken." Mr Coburn said several of his cases that resulted in jail terms had initially been marked for closure by ASIC. The cases included the prosecution in 2000 of fraudster George Balos, who fleeced victims of thousands of dollars by setting up a fake bank at the MLC Centre in Sydney. ASIC wasnt going to investigate it. They said it wasnt a security and I said its a collective investment scheme, just because its called a 'bank' doesnt mean its a f bank," he said. And then the wife of a commissioner of police in NSW got ripped off and so he called (then ASIC chief) Alan Cameron and then they got me down and gave me the investigation to shut me up." Mr Balos was later sentenced to 11 years jail. Mr Coburn said he was passed over for a promotion to the post of head of enforcement because of his reputation as a "wolf' investigator. He said he left ASIC for the first time in 2002 because he was "sick of the politics" and then, after returning, departed again after his contract was not renewed. Now in private practice as an investigator and writer on corporate compliance, Mr Coburn splits his time between Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast, where he recently bought 50 acres of pasture near Noosa where he plans to breed polo ponies. He stresses they will be for amateur country polo - in which he won his first international tournament in Argentina last year at the age of 57 - and not the elite version. He said he did not harbour a grudge and would work for ASIC again. "I was interviewed for one of the ASIC commissioner's jobs last year," he said. "It only lasted half an hour. I think they were just going through the motions. I told them I was going to be a wolf investigator and I never heard from them again. In its most recent annual report ASIC said it had completed 13 criminal proceedings in the last financial year resulting in 10 convictions. Of those cases, seven resulted in jail terms being handed out although some were fully suspended. The number of civil litigations completed has increased markedly from 12 in the 2014 financial year to 55 last year. Mr Coburn said his investigations had resulted in at least nine people in jail, including in cases initially been marked for closure by ASIC. He won an Australia Day medal for corporate investigations in 2002 and led ASIC's case against failed white goods company Kleenmaid, which led to two directors receiving jail terms. While head of enforcement at the Dubai financial regulator between 2002 and 2009, he prosecuted fraudsters and money launderers and investigated accounts run by terrorist group al-Qaeda. Mr Coburn said the substance of the revelations emerging from the Hayne Royal Commission was not surprising but their extent was. He said the biggest risk in the wash-up from the inquiry was allowing executives who had been shown to have lied to ASIC off the hook. If ASIC knew what it was doing, like in America, all these guys would be going to jail," he said. "You can't have people lying to ASIC because it undermines the whole system we have to protect the trillions of dollars we have put away in superannuation for our elderly." The Federal Court has ordered Ford to pay a $10 million penalty after finding the way it responded to consumer complaints about PowerShift transmission (PST) cars was unconscionable. Its the equal highest penalty handed down under Australian Consumer Law, matched only by a $10 million penalty handed to Coles in 2014. At least 2000 consumers who made complaints about Ford vehicles with PST between May 2015 and November 2016 will be able to have their complaints independently assessed. Credit:Daniel Acker "Under the current law it's an excellent penalty," Australian Competition and Consumer Commission chairman Rod Sims said. Ford admitted that, between May 1, 2015 and February 29, 2016, it mishandled responses to complaints from customers who had bought Fiesta, Focus and EcoSport vehicles fitted with PST. On Thursday afternoon, Hannah Goland was within hours of running out of food for her newborn son. Six-month-old Archer relies on a single brand of prescription infant formula, the only powder that wont trigger his serious milk allergy, and accompanying hives and anaphylactic reaction. But for months, getting even a single tin of any type of special formula for allergic or intolerant babies has been incredibly difficult, as parents desperately criss-cross cities, or drive for hours, to find pharmacies with remaining stock. Hannah Goland is fast running out of options to feed her baby boy Archer. Credit:Justin McManus Chinese demand for baby formula is now affecting the prescription market, as suppliers report being overrun by those purchasing the powder to resell overseas. A teenage boy has escaped with his life after being struck by a train in Kenwick on Thursday. Police were called around 4pm with reports the boy had been running across the lines behind a Perth-bound train in an attempt to catch an approaching Armadale-bound train, but had been hit by the Armadale train. St John Ambulance took the boy to RPH. Credit:St John Ambulance Paramedics rushed the 17-year-old under priority conditions to Royal Perth Hospital, where he remains in serious but stable condition. The Armadale train line reopened at 4.45pm and has returned to normal scheduling. Royal Street, Kenwick, has also reopened to traffic. Manila: Tensions between Kuwait and the Philippines have been further inflamed after a mounting dispute over the treatment of Filipino workers in the oil-rich Arab state resulted in the expulsion of the Philippine ambassador this week. The ambassador, Renato Villa, on Wednesday was given one week to leave Kuwait just days after Philippine Embassy staff members attempted a so-called rescue of Filipino domestic workers that they said had been abused by their Kuwaiti employers. The effort, which critics have described as a stunt, was recorded and posted on social media, embarrassing Kuwait. Kuwait city skyline is seen through the haze of a sand storm in Shuwaikh, Kuwait City. Credit:AP About 260,000 Filipinos live in Kuwait, and many of them are employed as domestic workers. Cumulatively, they send millions of dollars back to the Philippines in remittances each year. But the country's relationship with Kuwait has been stormy for much of this year after the body of a Filipina maid was discovered inside her employer's freezer in February, prompting Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte to bar citizens from taking new jobs in the Arab country. Villa's expulsion came as the two countries were negotiating an end to the travel ban and was met with outrage by Philippine officials. London: The woman hoping one day to replace Theresa May as Tory leader, Ruth Davidson has announced she is pregnant, with her girlfriend Jen, after conceiving using IVF. She announced the news on Twitter with a photo of her, Jen and their dog, saying their family of three was about to become four. Like the New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Arden, the Scottish Conservative leader said she had no intention of stepping down from her position but confessed to feeling "excited and daunted" "like all new parents-to-be" by the prospect of becoming a Mum in "the late (Scottish) Autumn." "Mostly we are over-joyed at the prospect of starting a family together," she said in a statement. English French Press release 26.04.2018 Sustained dynamics in Q1 2018, with +5.3% economic growth Q1 revenues up +6.7% to 625.9m, economic growth at +5.3% Steady performance in key countries (France +5.4%, Germany +10.0%, Americas +8.7%, Italy +9.2% and Iberia +9.8% economic growth) Altran delivered consolidated revenues of 625.9m in the first quarter of 2018, up +6.7% year on year, with an organic growth of +3.9% and an economic growth of +5.3%. Reported revenues benefit from Aricent's contribution from 20th March of 20.5m ($25.3m) Dominique Cerutti, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Altran Group, declared: " While Q1 was a very busy period for Altran between the closing of the Aricent acquisition in a record timeframe, and the launch of what was to be a successful capital increase, the team has continued to execute and delivered revenues growth in line our plan. As we focus on the convergence of Aricent and Altran in the coming quarters, we remain excited with the outlook of the combination." Geographic breakdown of Q1 2018 performance: France : +5.4% economic growth, with a continued focus on project based and client-transformation-led business. Northern Zone : Germany posted strong growth this quarter in a still challenging market (with +10.0% economic growth) while UK returned to economic growth in Q1 (+2.2%). Improvement plan continues in smaller north European countries. Southern Zone : Italy and Iberia posted economic growth exceeding 9%, benefiting from good market positioning. Americas : +8.7% economic growth. Reported growth (+86.8%) benefits from Aricent revenues being consolidated in this geography's revenues from 20 March 2018, contributing $25.3m or 20.5m. Asia: +4.1% reported growth and -3.1% economic growth. Figures for Q1 2017 have been restated to factor: (i) implementation of IFRS 15, (ii) discontinuation of US utilities business (IFRS5) and (iii) reclassification of Luxemburg revenues from Benelux to France and of Romania revenues from Italy to Germany / Austria * Growth at constant forex and perimeter ** Organic growth adjusted for working days effect Trends in staff levels As of 31 March 2018, total headcount of the Altran group was 45,011 employees following the closing of Aricent, compared with 33,665 at 31 December 2017 and 30,296 at 31 March 2017. Aricent headcount as of 31 March 2018 was 10,920. Financial calendar 27 April 2018: Annual General Meeting 28 June 2018: Investor Day (London) 6 September 2018: First-half results 26 October 2018: Q3 2018 revenues A conference call for investors will be held on Thursday April 26 at 9:00 am Paris time (CET) Telephone numbers: +33172727403 or +442071943759 Confirmation Code:99076950# About Altran Altran ranks as the undisputed global leader in Engineering and R&D services (ER&D), following its acquisition of Aricent. The company offers clients an unmatched value proposition to address their transformation and innovation needs. Altran works alongside its clients, from initial concept through industrialization, to invent the products and services of tomorrow. For over 30 years, the company has provided expertise in aerospace, automotive, defense, energy, finance, life sciences, railway and telecommunications. The Aricent acquisition extends this leadership to semiconductors, digital experience and design innovation. Combined, Altran and Aricent generated revenues of 2.9 billion in 2017, with some 45,000 employees in more than 30 countries. www.altran.com Contacts Stephanie Bia Group Vice-President Investor Relations Tel: + 33 (0)1 46 41 72 01 stephanie.bia@altran.com Marine Boulot Group Vice-President Communications Tel: + 33 (0)1 46 41 71 73 marine.boulot@altran.com Follow us on Twitter: @Altran DISCLAIMER This press release contains forward-looking statements (as defined in the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act, as amended) based upon current management expectations. Numerous risks, uncertainties and other factors (including, risks relating to: government legislation affecting our businesses; competition; our ability to manage rapid technological change in the industries in which we compete; litigation risks, labour issues; unanticipated costs from disposals or restructuring) may cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated, projected or implied in or by the forward-looking statements. Many of the factors that will determine our future results are beyond our ability to control or predict. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties and, therefore, actual results may differ materially from our forward-looking statements. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements which reflect our views only as of the date of this presentation. We undertake no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statements, or to make any other forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. English Swedish The shareholders of Fingerprint Cards AB (publ), Corp. Reg. No. 556154-2381 (hereinafter referred to as the "Company"), are hereby invited to attend the Annual General Meeting ("AGM") to be held at 3.00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 29, 2018 at Elite Park Avenue Hotel, Kungsportsavenyen 36 - 38, Gothenburg, Sweden. A. Right to participate at the Meeting Shareholders wishing to attend the AGM must be entered in the share register maintained by Euroclear Sweden AB by Wednesday, May 23, 2018 and must notify the Company of their intention to attend the AGM no later than May 23, 2018, either via the following link: https://portal.computershare.se/00000/tilmelding_adgangskort-sv.asp?ASIdent=60060&MoedeNr=509&lan=en&Intranet=1, by telephoning +46 (0)8 518 01 552 or by posting a letter to the following address: Computershare AB, "Fingerprint Cards AB AGM", P.O. Box 610, SE-182 16 Danderyd, Sweden. On giving notice of attendance, shareholders must state their name, personal or corporate identity number, address, telephone number, e-mail address and details of their shareholdings and any attending advisors. A proxy form for shareholders wishing to participate via proxy will be available from the Company's website, www.fingerprints.com. Shareholders represented by proxy must issue a dated Power of Attorney authorizing the representation. If a Power of Attorney is issued by a legal entity, a certified copy of the registration certificate or the equivalent for the issuing legal entity must be appended. The Power of Attorney and registration certificate must be sent by letter to the Company at the above-stated address in due time prior to the AGM. Power of Attorney-documents may not be older than five years. To be entitled to participate in the proceedings of the AGM, shareholders with shares that are nominee-registered through a bank's trustee department or other trustee must temporarily re-register the shares in their own name with Euroclear Sweden AB. Since such registration must be completed by May 23, 2018, the trustee must be notified in due time before the said date. Participation passes for the shareholders who have registered an intention to participate in the AGM will be sent by regular mail starting on May 24, 2018. The participation pass shall be displayed at the entrance of the AGM premises. B. Matters to be addressed at the Meeting Proposed agenda Opening of the Meeting Election of Chairman of the Meeting Preparation and approval of the voting list Approval of the agenda Election of two persons to attest the minutes Determination of whether the Meeting has been duly convened The President's presentation Presentation of the submitted Annual Report and the Auditor's Report, and the Consolidated Financial Statements and the Auditor's Report on the Consolidated Financial Statements Resolutions regarding: adoption of the Income Statement and the Balance Sheet, and the Consolidated Income Statement and Consolidated Balance Sheet appropriation of the Company's profit/loss according to the adopted Balance Sheet discharge from liability of the Board of Directors and the President Determination of the number of Board members Determination of remuneration of the Board of Directors Determination of remuneration of the Auditors Election of Board members and Chairman of the Board Election of Auditors Resolution regarding the Nomination Committee Board of Directors' motion concerning approval of guiding principles for remuneration of senior executives Board of Director's motion concerning authorization of the Board to decide on the repurchase and transfer of Class B treasury shares Board of Directors' motion concerning authorization of the Board to decide on the issue of new shares with or without preferential rights for the shareholders Board of Director's motion concerning authorization of the Board to execute minor adjustments to resolutions passed at the AGM in conjunction with registration with the Swedish Companies Registration Office and Euroclear Sweden AB. Closing of the Meeting Proposals for resolution, etc. Nomination Committee's proposals concerning items 2, 10 - 15 on the agenda The Nomination Committee has been formed in accordance with the resolution passed by the 2017 AGM and comprises Johan Carlstrom (Chairman of the Nomination Committee), Dimitrij Titov and Jan Wareby. Claes Romander has participated in the Nomination Committee's work until his resignation from the committee on February 13, 2018. Item 2 - Election of Chairman of the Meeting The Nomination Committee proposes that Attorney-at-law Axel Calissendorff be appointed Chairman of the AGM. Item 10 - Determination of the number of Board members The Nomination Committee proposes that the Board of Directors comprise seven (7) regular members and no deputy members. Item 11 - Determination of remuneration of the Board of Directors The Nomination Committee proposes that the Board of Directors be paid fees totaling SEK 2,245,000, of which SEK 625,000 to the Chairman of the Board and SEK 270,000 to each other Member of the Board. Furthermore, fees for work on committees is proposed in an amount of SEK 370,000, to be distributed as follows: Audit Committee: SEK 115,000 to the Chairman and SEK 60,000 to each other member. Remuneration Committee: SEK 65,000 to the Chairman and SEK 35,000 to each other member. Item 12 - Determination of remuneration of the Auditors Remuneration of auditors is to be paid in accordance with approved invoices. Item 13 - Election of Board members and Chairman of the Board The Nomination Committee proposes re-election of: Urban Fagerstedt Alexander Kotsinas Tomas Mikaelsson Dimitrij Titov and new election of: Johan Carlstrom Ted Elvhage Juan Vallejo It is proposed that Johan Carlstrom be elected as Chairman of the Board. Jan Wareby, Asa Hedin, Carl-Johan von Plomgren and Ann-Sofie Nordh have declined reelection. It is noted that Dimitrij Titov has not participated in the Nomination Committee's proposal regarding himself. A detailed description of the proposed Board members is available at the Company's website, www.fingerprints.com. Item 14 - Election of Auditors The Nomination Committee proposes that the Company have a registered firm of accountants as its auditor and that, in accordance with the Audit Committee's recommendation, the registered firm of accountants KPMG AB be re-elected as auditor for a term of office of up to one year up until the end of the 2019 AGM. KPMG AB has announced the intention that Authorized Public Accountant Joakim Thilstedt be appointed Auditor-in Charge. Item 15 - Resolution concerning the Nomination Committee Nomination Committee's proposal The Company is to have a Nomination Committee comprising four (4) members. During the year, the Chairman of the Board is to convene a meeting of the three (3) largest shareholders of the Company in terms of voting power and ask them to each appoint one representative who, in addition to the Chairman of the Board, will constitute members of the Nomination Committee. Should one of the three largest shareholders choose to waive their right to appoint a representative of the Nomination Committee, the shareholder who is next in line in terms of size is to be given an opportunity to appoint a member of the Nomination Committee. The Nomination Committee may also decide, if this is regarded as appropriate, to appoint an additional representative of a group of major shareholders as a co-opted member of the Nomination Committee. The Chairman of the Board is to convene the first meeting of the Nomination Committee. The member representing the largest shareholder in terms of voting power is to be appointed Chairman of the Nomination Committee. The term of office of those appointed to the Nomination Committee extends until such time as a new Nomination Committee is appointed. The composition of the Nomination Committee is to be disclosed no later than six months before the AGM. The Nomination Committee is to be constituted based on the largest shareholders in terms of voting power registered for the holder or known in some other manner as per the last banking day in August. If one or several of the shareholder/s who has/have appointed members of the Nomination Committee no longer belong to the three largest shareholders, their representative/s is/are to step down, whereupon the/those shareholder/s who has/have been added to three largest shareholders will be entitled to appoint a new representative. However, marginal changes that have occurred in the number of voting rights need not be taken into account, assuming that no special circumstances prevail. If a member steps down from the Nomination Committee before its work has been completed, the Nomination Committee is to urge the shareholder who appointed such a member to appoint a new representative to the Nomination Committee without undue delay. Should this shareholder refrain from appointing a new representative, the right to appoint a new member of the Nomination Committee will accrue to the next largest shareholder in terms of voting power who is not represented on the Nomination Committee. Any changes to the composition of the Nomination Committee must be disclosed as soon as they occur. The Nomination Committee is to draft proposals on the following issues for resolution by the 2019 AGM: proposal concerning Chairman of the AGM proposal concerning Board members proposal concerning Chairman of the Board proposal concerning auditor proposal concerning remuneration of Board members proposal concerning remuneration of the auditor proposal concerning guidelines for appointing the Nomination Committee Board of Directors' motions for resolutions concerning items 9b, 16 - 18 on the agenda Item 9 b - Appropriation of the Company's profits The Board of Directors proposes that the net profit for the year and retained earnings be appropriated in accordance with the motion in the Annual Report. The motion entails that no dividend will be paid. Item 16 - Board of Directors' motion concerning approval of guiding principles for remuneration of senior executives. The Remuneration Committee, which is appointed from among Board members, is to prepare guidelines in respect of pay and other employment terms for the President and senior executives and present the Board with proposals in respect of these issues. The Board decides on pay and other remuneration of the President. The President is to determine the salary and other remuneration payable to other senior executives in accordance with the Board's guiding principles. The term "other senior executives" refers to the individuals who, in addition to the President, constitute the Executive Management Group. The basic remuneration levels are to be market-based. Remuneration comprises a fixed basic salary, variable remuneration calculated according to predetermined targets, other benefits, pension and financial instruments in the form of performance shares. The distribution between fixed salary and variable remuneration is to be proportionate to the executive's responsibilities and authorities. The variable remuneration payable to the President and other senior executives may not exceed one-hundred per cent (100 %) of their fixed annual salary, with the exception of a sign-on bonus. Pension terms and conditions are to be based on defined-contribution pension schemes. The period of notice from the Company is not to exceed six (6) months. During the period of notice of no longer than six (6) months, full salary and employment benefits are payable. If employment is terminated by the Company, severance pay is payable in an amount corresponding to not more than twelve (12) monthly salaries. Decisions regarding share and share-price-based incentive programs are to be made by the AGM. In certain cases, the Board of Directors is to be entitled to disapply the guidelines if special circumstances prevail. Item 17 - Board of Director's motion concerning authorization of the Board to decide on the repurchase and transfer of Class B treasury shares The Board of Directors proposes that the AGM authorize the Board to repurchase, on one or several occasions up until the next AGM, as many Class B shares in the Company as may be purchased without the Company's holding at any time exceeding ten per cent (10 %) of the total number of outstanding shares in the Company. The acquisitions shall take place on Nasdaq Stockholm and only at a price per share within the share price interval registered at that time, which means the difference between the highest buying price and the lowest selling price. Payment for the shares shall be made in cash. It is also proposed that the Board of Directors be authorized to resolve, on one or several occasions up until the next AGM, to transfer the Company's Class B shares, deviating from the shareholders' preferential rights. Transfers of Class B shares shall take place on Nasdaq Stockholm. Transfer may also be made in other ways, against cash payment or against payment through set-off or contribution in kind, or otherwise with conditions. Transfers may be made of no more Class B shares than the number of such shares held by the Company at the time of the Board's decision regarding transfer. Transfers on Nasdaq Stockholm may only be carried out at a price per share within the share price interval registered at that time, which means the difference between the highest buying price and the lowest selling price. If transferred otherwise than on Nasdaq Stockholm, the share price shall be established so that it is not below market terms. However, a discount to the stock market price may apply, in line with market practice. The purpose of the authorizations is to promote efficient capital usage in the Company and to create flexibility in the Company's ability to seize attractive business opportunities by wholly or partly financing acquisitions of companies or business operations through the transfer of own shares. Item 18 - Board of Directors' motion concerning authorization of the Board to decide on the issue of new shares with or without preferential rights for the shareholders The Board of Directors proposes that the AGM authorize the Board to resolve, on one or several occasions up until the next AGM, with or without deviation from the shareholders' preferential rights, on new issues of Class B shares, warrants and/or convertibles entitling to subscription of Class B shares, corresponding to no more than ten per cent (10 %) of the total number of outstanding shares in the Company on the day of publication of this notice. The authorization shall also include a right to resolve on a new issue of shares, warrants and/or convertibles against payment through set-off or contribution in kind or otherwise with conditions in accordance with the Swedish Companies Act. Issue of share against payment in cash or through set-off with deviation from the shareholders' preferential rights shall be carried out on market terms. The purpose of the proposal and the option to deviate from the shareholders' preferential rights is to provide flexibility in connection with possible raise(s) of capital or acquisitions of companies or business operations. Item 19 - Minor adjustments The Board of Directors proposes that the AGM authorize the Board, or such person appointed by the Board, to make minor adjustments to the resolutions passed at the AGM should they be required in conjunction with registration with the Swedish Companies Registration Office or Euroclear Sweden AB. C. Information, documentation and number of shares and votes A valid resolution pursuant to items 17 - 18 above requires the support of not less than two-thirds of both the votes casts and the number of shares represented at the AGM. If so requested by any shareholder, and if the Board deems that it will not pose any material damage for the Company, the Board and the President shall disclose information concerning circumstances that could affect the assessment of an item on the agenda, circumstances that could impact the financial situation of the Company or its subsidiaries, and the Company's relationship with other Group companies, as well as its consolidated financial statements. The financial statements, auditor's report, auditor's statement and other documentation will be available at the Company and on its website, www.fingerprints.com, no later than three weeks prior to the AGM. These documents will also be sent to shareholders requesting such documentation and who have provided their postal address. On the date of publication of this official notification, the total number of shares in the Company is 313,967,675. The total number of votes is 367,967,675. ____________________ Gothenburg, April 2018 Fingerprint Cards AB (publ) Board of Directors English Swedish The shareholders of LeoVegas AB (publ), reg. no. 556830-4033, (the "Company"), are hereby convened to an annual general meeting to be held on Tuesday 29 May 2018, at 12.30 p.m. at the cinema Grand's premises on Sveavagen 45 in Stockholm. The doors to the meeting will open at 11.30 a.m. Right to attend the Annual General Meeting and notice: Shareholders wishing to attend the Annual General Meeting must: on the record date, which is Wednesday 23 May 2018, be registered in the share register maintained by Euroclear Sweden AB. Shareholders, whose shares are registered in the name of a nominee, must temporarily register the shares in their own name at Euroclear Sweden AB. Shareholders whose shares are registered in the name of a nominee must, no later than on Wednesday 23 May 2018, via their nominee, temporarily register the shares in their own name in order to be entitled to participate at the general meeting; and notify the participation at the general meeting no later than Wednesday 23 May 2018. Notice of participation at the general meeting shall be sent by regular mail to Annual General Meeting, LeoVegas AB (publ), c/o Euroclear Sweden AB, Box 191, 101 23 Stockholm, by telephone +46 8 402 90 97 or at the company's website www.leovegasgroup.com. Upon notification, the shareholder should state their full name, personal identification number or corporate registration number, address and telephone number, and, where applicable, details of representatives, proxy holders and advisors. A shareholder who wishes to be represented by proxy shall issue a written and dated proxy to the proxy holder. If the proxy is issued by a legal entity, a certified copy of the registration certificate or corresponding document ("Registration Certificate") shall be enclosed. The proxy in original and the Registration Certificate, if any, must be available at the general meeting and a copy should well before the meeting be sent to the Company by regular mail to Annual General Meeting, LeoVegas AB (publ), c/o Euroclear Sweden AB, Box 191, 101 23 Stockholm, and should, in order to facilitate the entrance to the general meeting, be at the Company's disposal no later than on 23 May 2018. A form proxy will be available for downloading on the Companys website www.leovegasgroup.com. Proposed agenda: Opening of the meeting and election of the chairman of the general meeting Preparation and approval of voting list Election of one or two person to certify the minutes Determination of whether the general meeting has been duly convened Approval of the agenda Presentation of the group operations Presentation of the work of the board of directors and nomination committee Presentation of the annual report and audit report and the group annual report and group audit report Resolutions regarding: adoption of income statement and balance sheet and group income statement and group balance sheet; appropriation of the Company's profit or loss in accordance with the adopted balance sheet; and discharge of liability for the directors and the managing director Determination of remuneration to the board of directors and the auditors Election of the board of directors and the auditors Election of the chairman of board of directors Resolution regarding adoption of principles for the nomination committee Resolution regarding guidelines for the determination of remuneration to senior executives Resolution regarding incentive program 2018 for senior executives and employees through issuance of warrants to the subsidiary Gears of Leo AB with subsequent transfer to the participants Resolution regarding issue of warrants to the Subsidiary Resolution regarding approval of transfer of warrants to the Subsidiary Preparations of the board of directors' proposal for Incentive program 2018/2021 Closing of the meeting Proposals for resolutions: Item 1: Opening of the meeting and election of the chairman of the general meeting The nomination committee proposes that Carl Svernlov, attorney at law, Baker & McKenzie Advokatbyra, is appointed as chairman of the general meeting. Item 9b) Appropriation of the Company's profit or loss in accordance with the adopted balance sheet The board of directors proposes that SEK 1.20 per share are distributed to the shareholders as dividend, in total SEK 119,634,564. The record date proposed for the dividend is 31 May 2018. If the annual general meeting resolves in accordance with the board of directors' proposal, the dividend will preliminary be paid out from Euroclcear Sweden AB on 5 June 2018. Items 10-12: Determination of remuneration to the board of directors and the auditors, election of the board of directors and the auditors and election of the chairman of the board of directors. The nomination committee proposes that the board shall consist of seven directors. The nomination committee further proposes that the number of auditors shall be one registered accounting firm. The nomination committee proposes that the remuneration is to be SEK 2,500,000 in total, including remuneration for committee work (SEK 1,500,000 previous year), and shall be paid to the board of directors and the members of the established committees in the following amounts: SEK 300,000 (SEK 200,000) for each of the non-employed directors and SEK 600,000 (SEK 400,000) to the chairman provided that the chair is not an employee; SEK 50,000 (SEK 25,000) for each of the non-employed members of the remuneration committee and SEK 100,000 (SEK 50,000) to the chairman of the committee who is not also an employee; and SEK 50,000 (SEK 25,000) for each of the non-employed members of the audit committee and SEK 100,000 (SEK 50,000) to the chairman of the committee who is not also an employee. The nomination committee proposes that the auditor shall be entitled to a fee in accordance with approved invoice. The nomination committee proposes the re-election of Per Brillioth, Barbara Canales, Marten Forste, Anna Frick, Tuva Palm, Robin Ramm-Ericson and Patrik Rosen, and to re-elect Marten Forste as the chairman of the board. The nomination committee further proposes the re-election of the registered audit firm PricewaterhouseCoopers AB as the company's auditor for a period up until the end of the next annual general meeting. PricewaterhouseCoopers AB has announced its appointment of Aleksander Lyckow as main responsible auditor. Independence in accordance with the Swedish Corporate Governance Code After an assessment of the proposed directors' independence the nomination committee has found that their proposal for the composition of the board of directors of the Company fulfills the requirements stipulated in the Code. With respect to the proposed members of the board, Robin Ramm-Ericson may be considered dependent in relation to the Company, the management and the Company's major shareholders. The other proposed directors are considered independent to the Company, the management of the Company and the Company's major shareholders. Further information regarding the re-election proposed directors is available at the Company's website www.leovegasgroup.com and in the annual report for 2017. Item 13: Resolution regarding adoption of principles for the nomination committee The nomination committee propose that the following principles for the nomination committee are adopted. Role of the nomination committee The Company shall have a nomination committee with the task of preparing and proposing decisions to the shareholders' meetings on electoral and remuneration issues and, where applicable, procedural issues for the appointment of the subsequent nomination committee. The nomination committee is to propose: the chairman of the annual general meeting; candidates for the post of chairman and other directors of the board; fees and other remuneration for board work to each director; fees to members of committees within the board; election and remuneration of the Company auditor; and principles for the nomination committee. The nomination committee shall in its assessment of the evaluation of the board an in its proposal in particular take into consideration the requirement of diversity and breadth on the board and strive for equal gender distribution. Regardless of how they have been appointed, the members of the nomination committee are to promote the interests of all shareholders of the Company. Members of the nomination committee The nomination committee shall consist of four members, of whom three shall be nominated by the Company's three largest shareholders with respect to voting power and the fourth shall be the chairman of the board. The chairman of the board shall as soon as reasonably practicable after the end of the third quarter, in an adequate manner, contact the three owner registered largest shareholders, with respect to voting powers, according to the share register kept by Euroclear Sweden AB at that time and request that they, taken into consideration the circumstances, within reasonable time which can not exceed 30 days, in writing to the nomination committee nominate that person whom the shareholder wishes to appoint as member of the nomination committee. If any of the three largest shareholders wish not to exercise their right to appoint a member of the nomination committee, the next shareholder in consecutive order shall be entitled to appoint a member of the nomination committee. In the case that several shareholders abstain their right to appoint a member of the nomination committee, the chairman of the board shall not be required to contact more than eight shareholders, unless its necessary in order to obtain a nomination committee consisting of a minimum of three members. Unless otherwise agreed between the members, the chairman of the nomination committee shall be nominated by the largest shareholder. A member of the board shall never be the chairman of the nomination committee. If a shareholder who has appointed a member of the nomination committee during the year ceases to be one of the Company's four largest shareholders, the member appointed of such shareholder shall resign from the nomination committee. Instead, a new shareholder among the four largest shareholders shall be entitled to independently and in its sole discretion appoint a member of the nomination committee. However, no marginal changes in shareholding and no changes in shareholding which occur later than two months prior to the annual general meeting shall lead to a change in the composition of the nomination committee, unless there are exceptional reasons. If a member of the nomination committee resigns before the nomination committee has completed its assignment, for reasons other than set out in the paragraph above, the shareholder who is represented by such member shall be entitled to independently and in its sole discretion appoint a replacement member. If the chairman of the board resigns from the board, his/her successor shall replace the chairman of the board also on the nomination committee. A change in the composition of the nomination committee shall be published immediately. Announcement of the nomination committee members The chairman of the board shall ensure that the names of the members of the nomination committee, together with the names of the shareholders they have been nominated by, are published on the Company's website no later than six months before the annual general meeting. If a member leaves the nomination committee during the year, or if a new member is appointed, the nomination committee shall ensure that such information, including the corresponding information about the new nomination committee member, is published on the website. Shareholders rights to submit proposals to the nomination committee Shareholders shall be entitled to propose board members for consideration by the nomination committee. The nomination committee shall provide the Company with information on how shareholders may submit recommendations to the nomination committee. Such information shall be announced on the Company's website. The chairman of the board of directors shall, as part of the work of the nomination committee, keep the nomination committee informed about the work of the board of directors, the need for particular qualifications and competences, etc., which may be of importance for the work of the nomination committee. The nomination committee's proposals, work and fees When preparing its proposals, the nomination committee shall take into account that the board of directors is to have a composition appropriate to the Company's operations, phase of development and other relevant circumstances. The directors shall collectively exhibit diversity and breadth of qualifications, experience and background. The nomination committee shall further strive for equal gender distribution. The nomination committee shall provide the Company with its proposals for board members in such time that the Company can present the proposals in the notice of the shareholders' meeting where an election is to take place. When the notice of the shareholders' meeting is issued, the nomination committee shall issue a statement on the Company's website explaining its proposals regarding the composition of the board of directors. The nomination committee shall in particular explain its proposal against the background of the requirement to strive for an equal gender distribution. The statement is also to include an account of how the nomination committee has conducted its work and a description of the diversity policy applied by the nomination committee in its work. In case a resigning managing director is nominated for the position of chairman of the board of directors, the nomination committee shall specifically explain the reasons for such proposal. The nomination committee shall ensure that the following information on candidates nominated for election or re-election to the board of directors is posted on the Company's website at the latest when the notice to the shareholders' meeting is issued: year of birth, principal education and work experience; any work performed for the Company and other significant professional commitments; any holdings of shares and other financial instruments in the Company owned by the candidate or the candidate's related natural or legal persons; whether the nomination committee deems the candidate to be independent from the Company and its executive management, as well as of the major shareholders in the Company. If the committee considers a candidate independent regardless of the existence of such circumstances which, according to the criteria of the Swedish Code of Corporate Governance, may give cause to consider the candidate not independent, the nomination committee shall explain its proposal; and in the case of re-election, the year that the person was first elected to the board. When appointing a new auditor the nomination committee is also to present proposals on the election and remuneration of the statutory auditor. The nomination committee's proposal to the shareholders' meeting on the election of the auditor is to include the audit committee's recommendation (or that of the board of directors if it does not have an audit committee). If the proposal differs from the alternative preferred by the audit committee, the reasons for not following the committee's recommendation are to be stated in the proposal. The auditor or auditors proposed by the nomination committee must have participated in the audit committee's selection process if the company is obliged to have such a procedure. Account of the work of the nomination committee All members of the nomination committee, where possible, and as a minimum one of the members, shall be present at the annual general meeting. The nomination committee shall at the annual general meeting, or other shareholders' meetings where an election is to be held, give an account of how it has conducted its work and explain its proposals against the background of what is provided about the composition of the board in accordance with the above. The nomination committee shall in particular explain its proposal against the background of the requirement in accordance with above to strive for an equal gender distribution. Fees and Costs The Company shall bear all reasonable costs associated with the work of the nomination committee. Where necessary, the nomination committee may engage external consultants to assist in finding candidates with the relevant experience, and the Company shall bear the costs for such consultants. The Company shall also provide the nomination committee with the human resources needed to support the nomination committee's work. Item 14: Resolution regarding guidelines for the determination of remuneration to senior executives Upon recommendation of the remuneration committee, the board of directors proposes that the annual general meeting resolves to adopt the following guidelines for remuneration to senior executives. The remuneration to the senior executives in the Company shall comprise of fixed salary, possible variable salary, other customary benefits and pension payments. The total remuneration shall, on a yearly basis, be in line with market practice and competitive on the labor market where the senior executive is based and take into account the individual qualifications and experiences of the senior executive as well as reflecting any notable achievements. The fixed salary shall be revised on a yearly basis. Senior executives mean the managing director and the other members of the group management. Fixed and variable salary shall be related to the senior executives responsibility and authority. The variable remuneration shall be paid in cash and/or shares/warrants/convertibles or in other share based instruments such as synthetic options or employee stock options, and be based on the outcome of pre determined targets and should be designed with the aim of achieving greater community of interest between the participating senior executive and the Company's shareholders. The vesting period, or the time from the conclusion of the contract until the shares may be acquired, shall not be less than three years. The variable remuneration shall amount to a maximum of 50 per cent of the fixed salary (calculated at the date for vesting or, as regards, shares/warrants or share based instruments the date of allotment). Terms for variable remuneration should be designed so that the board of directors may limit or omit payment of variable remuneration, provided that exceptional economic circumstances are at hand, if the board of directors finds the payments unreasonable and incompatible with the Company's responsible in relation to its shareholders. With respect to yearly bonuses, it should be possible to limit or omit payments, if the board of directors finds it motivated because of any other reasons. The senior executives will be offered to participate in incentive program 2018/2021 where the senior executives have the right to participate in accordance with item 15. Payment of consultancy fees and additional remuneration may be paid to directors after decision by the board of directors, if a director performs services on behalf of the Company, which do not constitute board work. Fixed salary during the notice period and severance pay shall in total not exceed an amount corresponding to a maximum of a two years' fixed salary. Pension payments shall be fee determined. A maximum of 45 per cent of the pension based salary may be pension premium. Employees have the right to salary exchange (i.e., instead of salary choose to receive salary as pension payments salary exchange shall be cost neutral for the employer). Right to pension occurs normally at 65 years of age. The board of directors of the Company shall aim to achieve that all the subsidiaries in the group apply these guidelines. The board of directors shall be entitled to deviate from the guidelines in an individual case if there are special reasons for it. Decisions regarding salary and other remuneration to the managing director and other senior executives are prepared by the remuneration committee and resolved on by the board of directors. For current programs and remuneration as well as paid remuneration and the Company's incentive programs, please refer to the board of directors' full proposal for guidelines as well as the annual accounts for 2017, available at the Company's website www.leovegasgroup.com. Item 15: Resolution regarding incentive program 2018 for senior executives, other employees and other key employees through issuance of warrants to the subsidiary Gears of Leo AB with subsequent transfer to the participants Upon recommendation of the remuneration committee, the board of directors of the Company proposes that the annual general meeting resolves to implement an incentive program through issuance of warrants to Gears of Leo AB, reg. no. 556939-6459, (the "Subsidiary"), with subsequent transfer to senior executives, other employees and other key persons within the Company and the group ("Incentive program 2018/2021") in accordance with the below. Background and purpose The purpose of the proposal, as of previous incentive programs, is to establish conditions to recruit and maintain qualified personnel in the company group and increase the motivation of the participants. The board of directors finds that it is in all shareholders' interest that current and future senior executives, other employees and other key persons have a long term interest in developing a high value of the Company's share. A long term ownership engagement is expected to stimulate an increased interest for the business and result in a whole as well as to increase the motivation for the participants and to create a common interest for the Company's shareholders and the participant. Resolutions in accordance with items 15 A-15 B below shall be made as one resolution and are therefore conditional on each other. A resolution in accordance with this item 15 is valid where supported by shareholders representing at least nine tenths of both the votes cast and the shares represented at the general meeting. A description of other incentive programs, the preparation of the proposal, costs for the program and effect on important key figures etc. is presented under item 15 C. Item 15 A : Resolution regarding issue of warrants to the Subsidiary The board of directors of the Company proposes that the annual general meeting resolves to issue a maximum of 1,250,000 warrants, which may result in a maximum increase in the Company's share capital of EUR 15,000.000028. The warrants shall entitle to subscription of new shares in the Company. The following terms shall apply to the issuance: The warrants shall be subscribed for by the Subsidiary, with the right and obligation to, at one or several occasions, transfer the warrants to senior executives, other employees and other key persons, who are or will become employed by the Company or within the group, at a price that is not less than the fair market value of the warrant according to the Black & Scholes valuation model and otherwise on the same terms as in the issuance. The warrants shall be subscribed for by the Subsidiary no later than on 30 May 2018 on a separate subscription list, with a right for the board to extend the subscription period. The warrants shall be subscribed for by the Subsidiary at no consideration. Each warrant entitles to subscription of one (1) new share in the Company during the period from 1 June 2021 up to an including 30 June 2021 or the earlier date set forth in the terms for the warrants, at a subscription price of approx. SEK 124.55 per share. A new share subscribed for by exercise of a warrant has a right to dividends as of the first record day for dividends following registration of the new share issue with the Companies Registration Office and after the share has been registered in the share register maintained by Euroclear Sweden AB. The purpose of the issuance and the deviation from the shareholders preferential rights is to implement the Incentive program 2018/2021. The purpose is to establish conditions to recruit and maintain qualified personnel in the company group and increase the motivation of the participants. The board of directors finds that it is in all shareholders' interest that current and future senior executives, other employees and other key persons have a long term interest in developing a high value of the Company's share. A long term ownership engagement is expected to stimulate an increased interest for the business and result in a whole as well as to increase the motivation for the participants and to create a common interest for the Company's shareholders and the participant. The complete terms and conditions for the warrants are available at the Company and will be published on the Company's website no later than three weeks before the general meeting, including conditions regarding re-calculation, in certain cases, of the subscription price and the number of shares a warrant entitles to. The board of directors or a person appointed by the board of directors shall be authorised to make such minor adjustments in the above resolution that may be required in connection with the registration with the Swedish Companies Registration Office and, if necessary, with Euroclear Sweden AB. Item 15 B : Resolution regarding approval of transfer of warrants to the Subsidiary The board of directors proposes that the annual general meeting resolves to approve that the Subsidiary may transfer a maximum of 1,250,000 warrants in the Company of series 2018/2021, to current and future senior executives, other employees and other key persons within the Company and group, or in any other matter dispose of the warrants to fulfill the obligations under Incentive program 2018/2021. Current and future senior executives, other employees and other key persons within the Company and group will within Incentive program 2018/2021, be offered to acquire warrants in accordance with four different categories as set out below: The management of the group and other senior executives (maximum 60 persons) are offered to acquire between a maximum of 10,000 and a maximum of 15,000 warrants per person and in total a maximum of 750,000 warrants; Other senior key persons (maximum 80 persons) are offered to acquire a maximum of 7,500 warrants per person and in total a maximum of 600,000 warrants; Other employees and key persons (maximum 700 persons) are offered to acquire a between a maximum of 500 warrants and a maximum of 2,000 warrants per person and in total a maximum of 800,000 warrants; and Any additional future senior executives and key persons are offered to acquire in total a maximum of 100,000 warrants. The board of directors, who is not also employed within the group, will not participate in Incentive program 2018/2021. Notification to acquire warrants shall be made during the period from 30 May 2018 up to and including 8 June 2018. The warrants shall be transferred to the participants no later than on 10 June 2018. The board of directors shall, however, be entitled to extend the time for notification of participation and time for transfer and offer a corresponding notice and transfer period for new participants who acquire warrants after the initial notification period is ended, provided that a transfer under the above distribution does not exceed the maximum issued warrants. If notifications to acquire warrants from the above categories are less than all warrants, the persons in categories A - C above who have notified themselves for acquisition, (maximum 840 persons) have the right to acquire maximum additional 15,000 warrants per person, in total a maximum of 500,000 warrants. There will be no guaranteed allocation. In case of over notification by the above persons covered by the allotment principles, the allotment shall be made as follows. First, allocation shall be made pro rata in relation to the number of warrants notified. Secondarily, allocation shall be made through the drawing of lots executed by the Company. Transfer of the warrants shall be made at a price equal to the warrant's market value, which shall be calculated according to the Black & Scholes valuation model or other generally accepted valuation model. Valuation of the options shall be performed by an independent appraiser or audit firm. In connection with the transfer of the warrants to the participants, the Company or the Subsidiary shall through an agreement reserve the right to repurchase the warrants, if the participant's employment or assignment in the group ceases or if the participant, in turn, wishes to transfer the warrants. The Subsidiary shall be entitled to retain warrants that later may be offered to current and future senior executives, other employees and other key persons within the group in accordance with the proposed acquisition and allotment principles. The warrants shall be transferred to senior executives, other employees and other key persons no later than before the annual general meeting 2019, where any not transferred warrants shall be cancelled. A general meeting in the Subsidiary shall also approve the subsequent transfers of warrants as set out above. Item 15 C : Preparations of the board of directors' proposal for Incentive program 2018/2021 Incentive program 2018/2021 has been prepared by the board of directors and members of the group management and external advisors and in accordance with guidelines for remuneration to senior executives adopted by the annual general meeting 2017 as well in accordance with guidelines from the remuneration committee, and in consultation with major shareholders. Valuation Transfer of the warrants shall be made at a price equal to the warrant's fair market value, which means no social fees should arise for the group in connection with the transfer of warrants. The warrants' fair market value, according to a preliminary valuation based on the market value of the underlying share of SEK 88.90, approx. SEK 8.55 per warrant, assuming an exercise price of approx. SEK 124.55 per share. The Black & Scholes valuation model has been used for the valuation, assuming a risk free interest rate of -0.40 percent and a volatility of 34 per cent, taking into account that no dividends and other distributions to shareholders are expected during the period of the program. Costs and effects on key figures As the warrants are subscribed for and transferred at fair market value, it is the Companys assessment that there will be no social fees for the Company as a result of the subscriptions and transfers. The costs will therefore consist only of minimal costs for the implementation and administration of Incentive program 2018/2021. The program is expected to have a marginal effect on the Company's key figures. Upon full exercise of the warrants and at a subscription price of SEK 124.55, the Company will receive proceeds amounting to SEK 155,687,500. Dilution The total number of registered shares and votes at the time of this proposal amount to 99,695,470. The maximum dilution of Incentive program 2018/2021 is estimated to be a maximum of approximately 1.24 per cent of the total number of shares and votes in the Company (calculated on the number of existing shares the Company), assuming full subscription and exercise of all warrants offered. The dilution of Incentive program 2018/2021 taking into account the full subscription and exercise of all warrants outstanding in the Company is estimated to approximately 3.51 per cent of the total number of shares and votes in the Company, provided that full subscription and exercise of all issued warrants occurs. Other outstanding share based incentive programs For a description of the Company's other share based incentive programs refer to the Company's annual accounts for 2017, and the Company's website. Other than there described programs no other share based incentive programs exists within the Company. Number of shares and votes The total number of shares in the Company as of the date hereof amounts to 99,695,470 shares, whit a corresponding number of votes. The Company holds no own shares. Further information Copies of accounts, audit report, auditor statement regarding guidelines for remuneration to the senior executives, proxy form, complete proposals and other documents that shall be available in accordance with the Swedish Companies Act are available at the Company at Luntmakargatan 18 in Stockholm and at the Company's website www.leovegasgroup.com, at least three (3) weeks in advance of the annual general meeting and will be sent to shareholders who request it and provide their e-mail or postal address. A statement on the nomination committee's proposal regarding the board of directors is available on the Company's web site www.leovegasgroup.com as from today and will be sent to shareholders who request this report and provide their e-mail or postal address. The shareholders hereby notified regarding the right to, at the annual general meeting, request information from the board of directors and managing director according to Ch. 7 32 of the Swedish Companies Act. **** Stockholm in April 2018 LeoVegas AB (publ) The board of directors For further information, please contact: Gustaf Hagman, Group CEO and co-founder: +46 (0) 8 410 367 66, gustaf.hagman@leovegas.com Philip Doftvik, Head of Investor Relations and Corporate Finance: +46 73 512 07 20, philip.doftvik@leovegas.com About the LeoVegas mobile gaming group LeoVegas' passion is "Leading the way into the mobile future". LeoVegas is Sweden's premier GameTech company and is at the forefront of using state-of-the-art technology for mobile gaming. In 2017 the company passed the threshold for being classified as a unicorn, i.e., a start-up valued at more than USD 1 billion. A large part of this success can be credited to an extreme product and technology focus coupled with effective and data-driven marketing. Technology development is conducted in Sweden, while operations are based in Malta. LeoVegas offers casino, live casino and sport gaming, and operates two global and scalable brands - LeoVegas and Royal Panda - as well as a local, multibrand operator collectively referred to as Rocket X. The company's shares are listed on Nasdaq Stockholm. For more about LeoVegas, visit www.leovegasgroup.com. Attachment The WCO supports the Directorate General of Customs (DGD) of Cote dIvoire in its efforts to strengthen its tariff classification and Customs valuation control infrastructure, which will enable it to carry out its work effectively and independently. The first aspect of this support was a diagnostic mission by two WCO Secretariat experts to assess the tariff classification and Customs valuation control system. This successful first mission took place in Abidjan between 9 and 13 April 2018, thanks to financial support from the Japanese Customs Co-operation Fund (CCF/Japan) and the effective co-operation of the Ivorian Customs Administration. During the mission, the WCO experts held working meetings with the heads of Ivorian Customs departments, whose concerns on the organization of Customs valuation and tariff classification operations were addressed. These exchanges helped to provide a clearer view of the current situation of goods monitoring infrastructure and to shed light on measures to be taken and potential obstacles to be overcome to improve the monitoring of Customs valuation and goods classification procedures. The mission also involved a visit to a major operational service to observe practices for monitoring goods imported into Cote dIvoire, meetings with the relevant private-sector partners to discuss Customs clearance practices for imported goods, and a visit to the private goods inspection company which forms part of the chain for monitoring goods imported into Cote dIvoire. At the feedback meeting on the final day of the mission, the experts activities as a whole were brought together in a presentation of the overall situation of work carried out in these two areas of Customs operations, accompanied by a list of draft recommendations that will be developed subsequently in a detailed report. Release no. 16/2018 With reference to release no. 14/2018 of 25 April 2018, changes in Columbus A/S Articles of Association as a consequence of the board resolution regarding issue of warrants in pursuance of the authorization in Section 5.1 in the Articles of Association, have today been registered in the Danish Business Authority. At the same time the new Articles of Association for the company are hereby published. Ib Kune Chairman Columbus A/S Thomas Honore CEO & President Columbus A/S For further information, please contact: CEO Thomas Honore, T: +45 70 20 50 00. Attachments Sellbyville, Delaware, April 26, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fluid Conveyance Systems Market for Aerospace & Defense is set to reach USD 22 billion by 2024; according to a new research report by Global Market Insights, Inc. Increasing aircraft production and deliveries across the globe will primarily drive the industry growth over the forecast timeframe. Continuous growth in defense sector, especially in emerging economies will led to rising demand for military aircrafts thereby escalating the revenue generation. Rising urbanization in various regions has led to increased air passenger traffic owing to affordable flight rates. This has resulted in growth of aircraft deliveries, positively impacting the aerospace & defense fluid conveyance systems market share till 2024. OEMs are likely to dominate the aerospace & defense fluid conveyance systems market, surpassing USD 14 billion over the forecast timeframe. Their large-scale installation in aircrafts for fluid transmission will primarily support the industry dominance. Substantial aircraft production globally along with continuous efforts of OEMs to install advanced components in aircrafts will further strengthen the industry penetration. Aftermarket will witness substantial growth at over 3.5% from 2018 to 2024. This can be credited to high replacement needs, particularly in ageing aircrafts. The aftermarket players ensure the quality maintenance of these systems, further supporting the industry growth. Request for a sample of this research report @ https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/2518 The industry is witnessing continuous innovations for fluid conveyance technologies owing to need to develop high thrust turbofan engines. High requirement of conveyance systems in these engines is likely to enhance product sales, instigating immense growth potential to the industry size. However, usage of high quality materials in manufacturing process of these conveyance systems leads to excessive cost, hampering the industry growth till 2024. Rising demand for energy-efficient engines & lightweight materials are few trends significantly impacting the aerospace & defense fluid conveyance systems market share from 2018 to 2024. The competitors are indulged in developing enhanced products with advanced technologies. For instance, Parker Hannifin has developed one stop system integration that is adopted by major aerospace industry players. Parker had partnered with Boeing 787 and had created a hydraulic equipment module by integrating around 60 components into a single sub system. This technology is created to provide the aircrafts with appropriate hydraulic support and structure. Browse key industry insights spread across 350 pages with 433 market data tables & 12 figures & charts from this 2018 report Aerospace & Defense Fluid Conveyance Systems Market in detail along with the table of contents: https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/aerospace-defense-fluid-conveyance-systems-market Commercial aircrafts will dominate the aerospace & defense fluid conveyance systems market with more than 80% share over the forecast timeframe. This can be attributed to their continuously rising production. In addition, substantial production rates of popular aircrafts such as B787, B737, A320 family, A350XWB, etc. will further support the industry dominance. Regional jets will exhibit over 5.5% CAGR till 2024 owing to rising investments in aviation industry coupled with provision of optimized capacity by these jets. Hydraulic fluid systems is anticipated to showcase dominance with approximately 40% revenue share by 2024. These systems are highly prominent in conducting various critical operations of aircrafts. Provision of the benefits such as cost-effective installation, easy maintenance, and negligible losses will further contribute towards the revenue generation. Fuel systems will witness approximately 4% CAGR from 2018 to 2024 owing to regular innovations to develop enhanced products. Continuous focus from the manufacturers to offer wide product range to fulfil the rising requirements of OEMs will further strengthen the industry penetration. Ducts will account for more than USD 7 billion in aerospace & defense fluid conveyance systems market by 2024. Their high usage for transmitting the fluids from the engine to aircraft wings edges will essentially contribute towards the revenue generation. They are also used in applications such as starter systems, engine bleed air, and thermal anti-ice systems, accelerating their demand. Hoses will witness around 4% CAGR from 2018 to 2024 owing to their high flexibility and strength. Fluid conveyance systems market for aerospace & defense from airframe is likely to capture over 60% share till 2024 owing to high implementation of these systems in applications such as brakes, flight control surfaces, landing gear, etc. Engine is likely to exhibit 4% CAGR from 2018 to 2024 owing to extensive usage of fluid conveyance systems for fluid transmission between the tank and aircraft engine. North America aerospace & defense fluid conveyance systems market will dominate the industry will over 50% revenue share over the next seven years. Rising aircraft production coupled with high presence of component manufacturers will support the regional dominance. Asia Pacific will witness 4% CAGR till 2024 owing to proliferating aircraft deliveries. It is attributed to the surging air passenger traffic in developing countries across the region. GKN Aerospace, Parker Hannifin Corporation, Eaton Corporation, ITT Corporation, Encore Group, Arrowhead Products, and Triumph Group are among prominent players in aerospace & defense fluid conveyance systems market. Other key players include Exotic Metal Foaming, Unsion Industries, Stelia Aerospace, Senior Plc, and AIM Aerospace. The competitors are involved in adopting new product offerings as their core strategy to gain competitive edge and expand their portfolio. Make an Inquiry for purchasing this report @ https://www.gminsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/2518 Browse Related Reports: Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) Market Size By Technology (Adaptive Cruise Control, Automatic High Beam Control, Autonomous Park Assist, Blind Spot Detection, Driver Monitoring, Forward Collision Warning, Front Lighting, AEB, Night Vision, Head Up Display, Lane Departure Warning, Park Assist, Surround View System, Traffic Sign Recognition, Tire Pressure Monitoring System), By Sensor (LiDAR, Infrared, Ultrasonic, RADAR, Image Sensor), By Vehicle (PCV, LCV, HCV), By Distribution Channel (OEM, Aftermarket), Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook (U.S., Canada, Germany, UK, France, Italy, Spain, Russia, Poland, China, Japan, India, South Korea, Australia, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Saudi Arabia, UAE, South Africa), Growth Potential, Price Trends, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2017 2024 https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/adas-market E-commerce Automotive Aftermarket Size By E-Commerce Retail (Third Party Retailers, Direct To Customer), By Parts (Braking [Brake Pads, Hydraulics & Hardware, Rotor & Drum], Steering & Suspension [Control Arms, Ball Joints, Tie Rods, Sway Bar Links, Bushings, Bearings/Seals, Coil Springs], Hub Assemblies, Universal Joints, Gaskets, Wipers, Filters, Lighting, Spark Plug), By Consumer (B2C, B to Big B, B to Small B) Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook (U.S., Canada, France, Germany, Poland, UK, Spain, Russia, Benelux, Nordics, China, India, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, KSA, South Africa, UAE), Growth Potential, Price Trends, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2018 2025 https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/e-commerce-automotive-aftermarket 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. Second Toronto INFINITI LAB to take place in Toronto following 2017s successful accelerator program Applicants accepted in the program have the opportunity to pitch to Alliance Ventures TORONTO, April 26, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- INFINITI LAB, in partnership with Multiplicity, returns to Toronto this May with applications opening today, Thursday, April 26, 2018. For the first time, LAB participants will have the opportunity to pitch to the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi venture capital fund, Alliance Ventures. INFINITI LAB Toronto will run for the second time after last years successful accelerator program, gaining the support of the local government and the Ontario Centre of Excellence. INFINITI has an ambitious vision, recognizing the agile nature and benefits that startups can bring to our organization. Over the past three years we have worked with exceptional startups to develop pilots and partnerships that could transform our business. 2018 marks an exciting time as we strengthen our commitment and support for entrepreneurs worldwide, said Roland Krueger, chairman and global president of INFINITI. The Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance Ventures capital fund, of up to $1 billion USD, was launched to target new innovation for the Alliance. Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi launched Alliance Ventures earlier this year, targeting investments in technology and business model innovation in vehicle electrification, autonomous systems, car connectivity and new mobility services. We're excited to be working together with INFINITI LAB to identify new investment opportunities. Toronto is one of the leading startup ecosystems globally, and we anticipate that members of the upcoming LAB programs will be a fit with our mission to invest in innovative startups, commented Francois Dossa, head of Alliance Ventures. INFINITI LAB Toronto is an intensive six-week program where eight selected startups in the Smart Cities and Internet of Things (IoT) industry will receive expert mentoring and access to an unrivaled network of partners and investors. Promising Toronto startup, Rover Parking, progressed from last years program to the global LAB at INFINITIs headquarters in Hong Kong. This year, the same opportunity will be offered to Toronto LABs top startups. INFINITI Canada is committed to supporting homegrown entrepreneurs and open innovation. The program enables us to access new ways of thinking and support the local ecosystem with an opportunity to scale globally, said Adam Paterson, managing director, INFINITI Canada. 2018 marks the third year of operations for INFINITI LAB, which has seen successful partnerships come to life with augmented and virtual reality developers, Visionaries 777, enhancing INFINITI showrooms, and an on-going pilot with real-time routing and fleet management experts, Pantonium, a native Toronto startup. INFINITI LAB Toronto is open Thursday, April 26th for applicants. To find out more about the program, applicants can visit: www.infiniti.com/LAB/ For more media information, please visit INFINITInews.com. About INFINITI INFINITI Motor Company Ltd. is headquartered in Hong Kong with representations in 50 markets around the world. The INFINITI brand was launched in 1989. Its range of premium automobiles is currently built in manufacturing facilities in Japan, the United States, United Kingdom and China. INFINITI design studios are located in Atsugi-Shi near Yokohama, London, San Diego and Beijing. INFINITI is in the middle of a major product offensive. The brand has been widely acclaimed for its daring design and innovative driver-assistance technologies. From the 2016 season, INFINITI is a technical partner of the Renault Sport Formula One team, contributing its expertise in hybrid performance. More information about INFINITI and its industry leading technologies can be found at INFINITI.ca. You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and see all our latest videos on YouTube. Media contacts: Didier Marsaud Director, Corporate Communications INFINITI Motor Company - Canada Telephone: (905) 629-6400 Email: didier.marsaud@INFINITIcanada.com Jenn McCarthy Manager, Product Communications INFINITI Motor Company - Canada Telephone: 905-629-6350 Email: jennifer.mccarthy@nissancanada.com Roxane Barry Specialist, Corporate Communications INFINITI Motor Company - Canada Telephone: 905-629-6461 Email: roxane.barry@nissancanada.com A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://resource.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/0ab41a3b-309c-485d-a897-2ade858c027b. FORM 8.5 (EPT/NON-RI) PUBLIC OPENING POSITION DISCLOSURE/DEALING DISCLOSURE BY AN EXEMPT PRINCIPAL TRADER WITHOUT RECOGNISED INTERMEDIARY ("RI") STATUS (OR WHERE RI STATUS IS NOT APPLICABLE) Rule 8.5 of the Takeover Code (the "Code") 1. KEY INFORMATION (a) Name of exempt principal trader: HSBC Securities (South Africa) (Pty) Limited (b) Name of offeror/offeree in relation to whose relevant securities this form relates: Use a separate form for each offeror/offeree Intu Properties plc (c) Name of the party to the offer with which exempt principal trader is connected: Intu Properties plc (d) Date position held/dealing undertaken: For an opening position disclosure, state the latest practicable date prior to the disclosure 25-Apr-2018 (e) In addition to the company in 1(b) above, is the exempt principal trader making disclosures in respect of any other party to the offer? If it is a cash offer or possible cash offer, state "N/A" YES - Hammerson plc. 2. POSITIONS OF THE EXEMPT PRINCIPAL TRADER If there are positions or rights to subscribe to disclose in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(b), copy table 2(a) or (b) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant security. (a) Interests and short positions in the relevant securities of the offeror or offeree to which the disclosure relates following the dealing (if any) Class of relevant security: Interests Short positions Number % Number % (1) Relevant securities owned and/or controlled: 168,774 0.012 (2) Cash-settled derivatives: 104,479 0.008 (3) Stock-settled derivatives (including options) and agreements to purchase/sell: TOTAL: 273,253 0.020 All interests and all short positions should be disclosed. Details of any open stock-settled derivative positions (including traded options), or agreements to purchase or sell relevant securities, should be given on a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions). (b) Rights to subscribe for new securities (including directors' and other employee options) Class of relevant security in relation to which subscription right exists: Details, including nature of the rights concerned and relevant percentages: 3. DEALINGS (IF ANY) BY THE EXEMPT PRINCIPAL TRADER Where there have been dealings in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(b), copy table 3(a), (b), (c) or (d) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant security dealt in. The currency of all prices and other monetary amounts should be stated. (a) Purchases and sales Class of relevant security Purchases/ sales Total number of securities Highest price per unit paid/received (ZAR) Lowest price per unit paid/received (ZAR) (b) Cash-settled derivative transactions Class of relevant security Product description e.g. CFD Nature of dealing e.g. opening/closing a long/short position, increasing/reducing a long/short position Number of reference securities Price per unit (ZAR) Ordinary Shares Swap Opening a Long Position 272 3435.000 c (c) Stock-settled derivative transactions (including options) (i) Writing, selling, purchasing or varying Class of relevant security Product description e.g. call option Writing, purchasing, selling, varying etc. Number of securities to which option relates Exercise price per unit Type e.g. American, European etc. Expiry date Option money paid/ received per unit (ii) Exercise Class of relevant security Product description e.g. call option Exercising/ exercised against Number of securities Exercise price per unit (d) Other dealings (including subscribing for new securities) Class of relevant security Nature of dealing e.g. subscription, conversion Details Price per unit (if applicable) 4. OTHER INFORMATION (a) Indemnity and other dealing arrangements Details of any indemnity or option arrangement, or any agreement or understanding, formal or informal, relating to relevant securities which may be an inducement to deal or refrain from dealing entered into by the exempt principal trader making the disclosure and any party to the offer or any person acting in concert with a party to the offer: Irrevocable commitments and letters of intent should not be included. If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state "none" (b) Agreements, arrangements or understandings relating to options or derivatives Details of any agreement, arrangement or understanding, formal or informal, between the exempt principal trader making the disclosure and any other person relating to: (i) the voting rights of any relevant securities under any option; or (ii) the voting rights or future acquisition or disposal of any relevant securities to which any derivative is referenced: If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state "none" (c) Attachments Is a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions) attached? No Date of disclosure: 26-Apr-2018 Contact name: Abdul Qader Telephone number: 0207 088 2000 Public disclosures under Rule 8 of the Code must be made to a Regulatory Information Service. The Panel's Market Surveillance Unit is available for consultation in relation to the Code's disclosure requirements on +44 (0)20 7638 0129. The Code can be viewed on the Panel's website at www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk. See Plans for Dog Park at Civic Center Tonight Advertisement By West Kentucky Star Staff Apr. 23, 2018 | PADUCAH, KY By West Kentucky Star Staff Apr. 23, 2018 | 12:59 PM | PADUCAH, KY The Paducah Parks & Recreation Department is inviting the public to attend a meeting TONIGHT 5 - 7 pm to view the future plans for the Paducah Dog Park. The meeting is in the Robert Cherry Civic Center at 2701 Park Avenue. Citizens will be able to view renderings of the planned improvements and provide feedback. The upgrades to the Paducah Dog Park will be funded in part by a $10,000 Bark for Your Park grant through PetSafe. The City received notification last August that it is one of 25 cities receiving the grant from 215 applications. The money will be used to implement irrigation and improve drainage and erosion issues at the dog park. The park opened in August 2012 on a seven-acre tract of land at Stuart Nelson Park. The park has water, fencing, shelters, parking areas, and pet waste receptacles. It is partitioned into two sections for dogs weighing above or below 30 pounds. For more information, visit http://paducahky.gov/paducah-dog-park. Trigg Co. Man Charged with two counts of murder from July shooting Email To : Multiple e-mail addresses must be separated with a comma character(maximum 200 characters) Email To is required. Your Full Name: (optional) Your Email Address: Your Email Address is required. Shooting Near Austin Peay Injures One Person Advertisement By West Kentucky Star Staff Apr. 25, 2018 | CLARKSVILLE, TN By West Kentucky Star Staff Apr. 25, 2018 | 05:47 PM | CLARKSVILLE, TN A man was injured Wednesday afternoon in a shooting incident near the campus of Austin Peay State University. According to the Clarksville Police Department, they were called to the scene at 12:24 pm. The university's Twitter account alerted everyone to avoid the area. Police say witness accounts revealed that a man was walking toward College Street on Ford Street when an unidentified male in an older model Ford, possibly a Taurus, fired several shots in his direction. The vehicle reportedly turned onto Shearor Street and fled the scene before police arrived. The pedestrian was struck in the leg, and was taken by Life Flight to a Nashville Hospital in stable condition. The APSU Twitter feed described the suspect as a light-skinned black male in a red Taurus. Police say the man was described as tall and thin, with a short afro. The university tweeted about an hour later that police believed the campus was no longer in danger. Anyone with information about this shooting is asked to contact Clarksville Police at 931-648-0656, ext. 5487, or call the TIPSLINE at 931-645-8477. RALEIGH, N.C., April 26, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Percona, the company that delivers enterprise-class MySQL, MariaDB, MongoDB, PostgreSQL, and other open source database solutions and services, announced it is extending its world renowned open source database support expertise to PostgreSQL. As a result, organizations can, for the first time, work with a single, trusted vendor to meet their support needs for MySQL, MongoDB, MariaDB, PostgreSQL, or any hybrid combination of these database technologies, whether deployed on premises, in the cloud, or in a Database as a Service (DBaaS) environment. Open source databases are now mainstream, solving critical business problems for enterprises while delivering excellent value. Each major open source database has compelling features that make it attractive for specific workloads, and earlier this year, PostgreSQL won the DBMS of the Year 2017 award from DB-Engines with a 17 percent increase in popularity. An RDBMS with a reputation for reliability, data integrity, and correctness, PostgreSQL has been adopted by a wide range of organizations, including Etsy.com, Fujitsu, Greenpeace, IMDB.com, MobyGames, Safeway, the University of California at Berkeley and many more. By adding PostgreSQL to its portfolio of services, Percona has made it faster and easier for organizations to get the PostgreSQL support they need. With Perconas expert advice, these organizations can also reduce costs by avoiding problems before they arise, allowing their teams to shift their focus from maintenance activities to more strategic initiatives. In addition, organizations using PostgreSQL in combination with other open source databases can get all the support and advice they need from a single, trusted vendor, resulting in a streamlined support process and faster issue resolution across their infrastructure. Customers can access Percona Support for PostgreSQL via telephone, chat, email, and the web. The service will be available starting July 1, 2018. Quotes Peter Zaitsev, Co-founder and CEO of Percona Perconas mission is to be an unbiased, expert advocate for a variety of open source database technologies. The addition of PostgreSQL to our enterprise-class support services makes it easier for our customers to focus on business performance, knowing a single, trusted advisor can contain costs and maximize their ROI by recommending the right solution for their specific needs. Company Information Press Contact Brigit Valencia For Percona (360) 597-4516 bdbvalencia@gmail.com About Percona With more than 3,000 customers worldwide, Percona is the only company that delivers enterprise-class solutions for MySQL, MariaDB, MongoDB, and PostgreSQL across traditional and cloud-based platforms. The company provides Software, Support, Consulting, and Managed Services to large, well-known global brands such as Cisco Systems, Time Warner Cable, Alcatel-Lucent, Rent the Runway and the BBC, as well as smaller enterprises looking to maximize application performance while streamlining database efficiencies. Well established as thought leaders, Percona experts author content for the Percona Database Performance Blog and the Percona Live Open Source Database Conferences draw attendees and expert technical speakers from around the world. For more information, visit www.percona.com. Percona is a registered trademark of Percona LLC. All other registered and unregistered trademarks in this document are the sole property of their respective owners. Spring Hope, North Carolina, April 26, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hemp, Inc. (OTC PINK: HEMP), a global leader in the industrial hemp industry with the largest multipurpose industrial hemp processing facility in the western hemisphere, announced today that the Companys wholly-owned subsidiary Industrial Hemp Manufacturing, LLC (IHM) has finished harvesting 200 acres of North Carolina-grown kenaf, planted just last year. The approximate 2 million pounds of harvested kenaf will be used to create Hemp, Inc.s proprietary natural absorbent and Loss Circulation Material (LCM) products for the oil and gas well drilling industries. Kenaf (hibiscus cannabinus, a cousin of hemp) is a non-wood fiber plant that has been likened to okra and cotton and typically grows 12 to 18 feet tall in a six-month growing season. The kenaf was grown by IHMs strategic growing partner John Finch Farms in Spring Hope, North Carolina and will be processed at Hemp, Inc.s 85,000 square foot manufacturing facility in Spring Hope, North Carolina. The harvested kenaf will be used in the manufacturing of Spill-Be-Gone, an oil spill cleanup product, and DrillWall, a Loss Circulation Material (LCM). LCM is a term for substances added to drilling fluids when drilling fluids are being lost to the formations downhole. Notably, Spill-Be-Gone was one of the products used to help clean up wildlife during the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Our first kenaf crop of 150 acres planted in 2015, in North Carolina, was harvested in 2016. That was a milestone. Now weve just hit another milestone with this 200-acre kenaf harvest. The process was long but well worth the time to ensure a high-quality harvest, said Hemp, Inc. CEO Bruce Perlowin. Hemp, Inc. announced earlier this year that it had completed its first purchase orders for Spill-Be-Gone, DrillWall and other products. This harvested kenaf will support the production of our environmentally-friendly products that provide a nontoxic solution to cleaning up spills and absorbing various materials, said David Schmitt, COO of Hemp, Inc.s wholly owned subsidiary, Industrial Hemp Manufacturing, LLC. We are also proud to work with local farmers in order to meet the growing demand in the oil and gas well drilling industries for high quality, consistent, safe products. The hemp planting season in the state of North Carolina last year was delayed. According to Perlowin, the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) took eight months to give the state its hemp growing permit which caused farmers across the state to either plant their crop late or not at all. Due to this unfortunate delay by the DEA, Hemp, Inc. only planted 550 acres of hemp last year. The late planting negatively affected the number of acres executives believed would yield a much more successful crop, for all the North Carolina farmers. This year, however, will be a game-changer for Hemp, Inc. and North Carolinas farmers. We are already gearing up to potentially plant up to 25,000 acres of hemp this year as we continue to ramp up operations and expand our footprint in the market. As the tobacco crop continues to become a less reliable source of revenue for farmers, we are proud to empower small and medium size farms by introducing kenaf and most recently hemp into their crop rotation. ABOUT HEMP, INC. With a deep-rooted social and environmental mission at its core, Hemp, Inc. seeks to build a business constituency for the American small farmer, the American veteran, and other groups experiencing the ever-increasing disparity between tapering income and soaring expenses. As a leader in the industrial hemp industry with ownership of the largest commercial multi-purpose industrial hemp processing facility in North America, Hemp, Inc. believes there can be tangible benefits reaped from adhering to a corporate social responsibility plan. HEMP, INC.'S "TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE" With a deep-rooted social and environmental mission at its core, Hemp, Inc. seeks to build a business constituency for the American small farmer, the American veteran, and other groups experiencing the ever-increasing disparity between tapering income and soaring expenses. As a leader in the industrial hemp industry with ownership of the largest commercial multi-purpose industrial hemp processing facility in North America, Hemp, Inc. believes there can be tangible benefits reaped from adhering to a corporate social responsibility plan. Thus, Hemp, Inc.'s "Triple Bottom Line" approach serves as an important tool in balancing meeting business objectives and the needs of society and environment at the same time. SOCIAL NETWORKS http://www.twitter.com/hempinc (Twitter) http://www.facebook.com/hempinc (Facebook) https://www.facebook.com/KingOfPot (Bruce Perlowin's Facebook Page) https://www.facebook.com/TheHempUniversity/ (The Hemp University's Facebook Page) SUBSCRIBE TO HEMP, INC.'S VIDEO UPDATES "Hemp, Inc. Presents" is capturing the historic, monumental re-creation of the hemp decorticator today as America begins to evolve into a cleaner, green, eco-friendly sustainable environment. What many see as the next American Industrial Revolution is actually the Industrial Hemp Revolution. Watch as Hemp, Inc., the No. 1 leader in the industrial hemp industry, engages its shareholders and the public through each step in bringing back the hemp decorticator as described in the "Freedom Leaf Magazine" article "The Return of the Hemp Decorticator" by Steve Bloom. "Hemp, Inc. Presents" is accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, by visiting www.hempinc.com. To subscribe to the "Hemp, Inc. Presents" YouTube channel, be sure to click the subscribe button. UPCOMING INTERNATIONAL AND DOMESTIC EVENTS Across the globe, the hemp industry is rising to astronomical levels. In the wake of the hemp industry projected to grow 700% and hit $1.8 billion by 2020, there has been more education and networking within the industry. That means more events and conferences, thus, Hemp, Inc. has started compiling an ongoing list of upcoming hemp events around the world. Check out the listing of international and domestic events here. FORWARD-LOOKING DISCLAIMER AND DISCLOSURES This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements and information, as defined within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and is subject to the Safe Harbor created by those sections. This material contains statements about expected future events and/or financial results that are forward-looking in nature and subject to risks and uncertainties. Such forward-looking statements by definition involve risks, uncertainties. MINNEAPOLIS, April 26, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ceridian HCM Holding Inc. (Ceridian), a global human capital management software company, announced today the pricing of its initial public offering of 21,000,000 shares of common stock at a price of $22.00 per share. In addition, the underwriters have been granted a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 3,150,000 shares at the initial public offering price, less underwriting discounts and commissions. The initial public offering is expected to close on April 30, 2018, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions. The New York Stock Exchange has approved the listing of the shares and the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) has conditionally approved the listing of the shares. Listing on the TSX is subject to Ceridian fulfilling all of the requirements of the TSX on or before July 12, 2018, including distribution of the shares to a minimum number of public shareholders. Ceridians shares are expected to begin trading on the New York Stock Exchange and on an if, as and when issued basis on the TSX on April 26, 2018 under the ticker symbol CDAY. Ceridian intends to use the net proceeds that it receives from this offering and a concurrent $100.0 million private placement to redeem the $475.0 million principal amount of its outstanding 11% Senior Notes due 2021 as well as to pay a portion of the interest on the Senior Notes that will have accrued at the time of the redemption. Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, J.P. Morgan, Credit Suisse and Deutsche Bank Securities are acting as joint lead book-running managers, and Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC and J.P. Morgan are acting as representatives of the underwriters for the offering. Barclays, Citigroup, Jefferies LLC, CIBC Capital Markets and Wells Fargo Securities are also acting as book-running managers for the offering. Baird, Canaccord Genuity, Piper Jaffray, William Blair and MUFG are acting as co-managers for the offering. The offering of these securities is being made only by means of a prospectus. When available, a copy of the prospectus related to the offering may be obtained by contacting: Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, Attention: Prospectus Department, 200 West Street, New York, New York 10282, via telephone: 1-866-471-2526, or via email: prospectus-ny@ny.email.gs.com; J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Attention: Prospectus Department, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, NY 11717, or via telephone: 1-866-803-9204; Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, Attention: Prospectus Department, One Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10010, by telephone at (800) 221-1037, or by email at newyork.prospectus@credit-suisse.com; Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., Attention: Prospectus Group, 60 Wall Street, New York, NY 10005, Telephone: 800-503-4611, or email: prospectus.CPDG@db.com; or CIBC World Markets Inc., Attention: Lovena Doodahnand, 161 Bay Street, Toronto, ON M5R 1C5, by telephone at (416) 594-7270, or by email at lovena.doodahnand@CIBC.ca. A registration statement relating to these securities has been filed with, and declared effective by, the Securities and Exchange Commission. Ceridian has obtained a receipt for a final base PREP prospectus filed with the securities commissions or similar securities regulatory authorities in each of the provinces and territories of Canada (except Quebec) on the date hereof. A copy of the supplemented PREP prospectus containing pricing information and other important information relating to the common stock may, when available, be obtained from the underwriters at the addresses set out above and will be available on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com under Ceridians profile. No securities regulatory authority has either approved or disapproved the contents of this press release. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. About Ceridian HCM Holding Inc. Ceridian. Makes Work Life Better. Ceridian is a global human capital management software company. Dayforce, our flagship cloud HCM platform, provides human resources, payroll, benefits, workforce management, and talent management functionality. Our platform is used to optimize management of the entire employee lifecycle, including attracting, engaging, paying, deploying, and developing people. Ceridian has solutions for organizations of all sizes. For more information, contact: Jeremy Johnson Vice President, Finance and Investor Relations Ceridian HCM Holding Inc. (952) 853-3740 jeremy.johnson@ceridian.com English Finnish Sp Mortgage Bank Plc & Savings Banks Group: Half- year Reports for 1 January - 30 June 2018 will be published on 15th August 2018. Sp Mortgage Bank Plc & Savings Banks Group Stock Exchange Release 26 April 2018 at 14 pm (CET +1) Sp Mortgage Bank Plc & Savings Banks Group: Half- year Reports for 1 January - 30 June 2018 will be published on 15th August 2018 as a stock exchange release and at www.saastopankki.fi. SP MORTGAGE BANK PLC & SAVINGS BANKS GROUP Further information: Laine Spellman, Director, marketing and communications Savings Banks Union Coop laine.spellman@saastopankki.fi +358 40 455 5562 Tomi Narhinen, Managing Director Savings Banks Union Coop tomi.narhinen@saastopankki.fi +358 40 724 3896 Sp Mortgage Bank is part of the Savings Banks Group and the Savings Banks Amalgamation. The role of Sp Mortgage Bank is, together with Central Bank of Savings Banks Finland Plc, to be responsible for obtaining funding for the Savings Banks Group from money and capital markets. Sp Mortgage Bank is responsible for the Savings Banks Group's mortgage-secured funding by issuing covered bonds. Read more at http://www.saastopankki.fi I interviewed him shortly before the tasting which was scheduled to start at 4 pm that saturday, he remembered me, he was regisseur at the time at Emmannuel Giboulot, he didn't have "private" parcels of his own then, he was already quite busy with his job with Giboulot's 11 hectares, he had started working with him in 2004, doing both vineyard management and cellar management in 2005 because Giboulot was having missions abroad and when he returned, he left in 2008, went to work with a very big negoce house for 6 months, he can't tell which but says it was very interesting because he had never vinified so much wine, premiers crus, grands crus, and he had free rein to work his way; he'd start in august, direct the harvest teams, rent a warehouse in Nuits-Saint-Georges for the vinification as well as all the tools, he'd overlook the vinification, put the wine in barrels and the wines in the barrels (both 400 and 228 liters) would be shipped to the negoce cellars in the following march, the warehouse being given back to its owner right away. In 2009 he was offered a job by two associates in their 40s' to manage their newly-started domaine (Maison en Belles Lies) working with purchased grapes, some time later they had financial difficulties and Pierre bought the domaine from them. He says with a grin that he was a bit obliged to follow suit because he was the one who had signed the contracts with the growers and in Burgundy if you don't honor your signature you're finished, so although it was not his initial plan he invested himself in this new venture especially that he knew the domaine already, being already inside. Rue Daguerre , Paris I was stuck in Paris that weekend although i had other plans and I had the chance to make the best of a bad situation by jumping on the opportunity to go taste the wines of Pierre Fenals at the Cave des Papilles and meet him again after so many years. I had met him while visiting Emmanuel Giboulot in 2006 as he was working there at the time, and B. and I were impressed at his command of the vineyard management side. He was already on the living-vineyard & soils philosophy and thus when I heard a few years ago that he had his own domaine I was eager to visit him, which didn't happen yet but here he commes to Paris.... More crowded Pierre Fenals kept the original name of this domaine (Maison En Belles Lies) which he now owns with his wife since 2011. He farms with biodynamie and vinifies completely narually, only indigenous yeast, no sulfites no filtration. Of course he had to work a lot on the sales side and found export markets quite easily (today he exports 90% of his wine) due to his references as he had worked for Domaine Trapet, Emmanuel Giboulot, Anne Claude Leflaive as well as with Marcel Lapierre & Foillard in Beaujolais, plus his wines were also signed on the labels when he was still only an employee at the domaine. And he says he was lucky, he had people come early taste his wines, he didn't have time to travel around to market his wines (he had a lot of work in the vineyards__and still has) and it started swiftly. Now they have around 3 hectares in ownership and buy grapes from an additional 3,5 hectares. For the contracted grapes he does the plowing, the organic/biodynamic sprayings and the picking (not the pruning and other manual work). This still makes a lot of with with a total of 6,95 hectares (almost 7). He has a yearly production of 40 000 bottles from 12 appellations, small parcels with 35 kilometers for the farthest. Speaking of the export markets the biggest buyers are the United States (Zev Rovine), Japan (Vintners Inc., subsidiary of Kamei Group), then Asia and lots of other European countries. The Japanse visit every year and this year thz CEO of the Kamei Group came for a visit, they spent the morning together and he tasted everything. Crowded wine shop The free tasting at the wineshop is always popular especially given the quality of the guest, and you had to find your way to the central counter for a fill but the efficient stakk makes sure that clean glasses are ready for all the visitors. Pierre Fenals poured several of his cuvees for the event, but overall he's making 12 every year, from a very small cuvee like his Corton Charlemagne (which he makes since 2011) 2,5 pieces (barrels), Corton Perrieres 2,5 pieces, then for the other cuvees between 8 & 10 pieces each. The whites are vinified in 400-liter barrels, the reds in open-top fermenters and regular-size barrels. Pierre Fenals says that he has no order for the tasting and leaves you choose the order yourself which is confusing. I chose the younger white first. __ Bourgogne Blanc 2016 (Chard), bottled december 2017, no SO2 added anytime (like all of his wines). Malolactic completed, he doesn't do intervention to prevent it. Nice gliding feel alonf the palate, creamy, buttery side but very enjoyable. Was racked very clear he says. He racks the whites during the harvest to make room for the barrels (choosing the appropriate lunar cyclen), the bottling taking place usually in november or december so that the wine settles its lees naturally through the colder temperature. Bourgogne Aligote Pierre Fenals says at one point that he left Paris at the age of 51 abnd started hs own domaine at 61, learning the trade in 10 years by beginning to work as employee and viticulture worker here and there. He was a chemist in his former like which is a good starting point to handle the complex vinification issues but the experience on the ground mattered most (he still studied oenology afterthen). Pierre Fenals says also (we'd have guessed it) that he doesn't chaptalize, something which is allowed every year in the limit of the equivalent of 2 % alcohol, and he says 95 % of the domaines chaptalize. He says the organic domaines have been asking for years that this chaptalization be authorized only on exceptionnal circumstances but the authorities didn't answer positively to their demand. Because of his non-chaptalization vinifications, some of his cuvees make only 11,5 % in alcohol. Asked about the thermo-vinification he says it's not used anymore but many vignerons in Burgundy heat the juice at the end of the vinification to get extraction and color, they do that when the wine reaches a density of 995-1000, they heat tp 36-38 C (96,8-100,4 F) and leave it cool down by itself. __ Bourgogne Aligote 2016, vines are 50 years old, elevage in barrels, bottled december 2017. The vines are located in Saint Aubin, near the winery. Quite demonstrative wine in the mouth, and with something I'd call a vibrant energy that resonates in the palate. Pouring the Santenay Pierre brought some Maranges, an appellation from the south of Beaune, he has two versions of this terroir,two vinifications/elevages, one that never sees oak but amphora while the other coming from the same parcel goes through the classical Burgundy vinification. But here I'll taste another white first, the Santenay, which he had aerated beforehand in a carafe. __ Santenay 2009, spent 7 years sur lies in barrel, racked in november 2016 and bottled in march 2017. 2009 was a hot year and the wine lacked acidity, length and freshness, so he sold part of the batch and kept the rest for a longer elevage to see if with its power (14 %) it could refine in time, it's the only wine he worked this way. The nose has notes of elderflowers with softened edges, the mouth feels a bit short at first sip, longer in the 2nd. Subtle. __ Maranges (vinified in amphora) 2016. The color looks evolved and mature, nice legs on the inside of the glass. Delicate mouth with a sweetness side, that's the fruit. He put the whole-clustered grapes in the amphoras, the, they're sealed tight with the air exchange system at the top that prevents the oxidation and they just forget about the thing until the right moon of january, it just ferments by itself without other intervention for several months (3 to 4). It's basically a carbonic maceration, a very long one and in january they take all the grapes out and press with a small basket press, after which they put the juice back in the amphorae where it'll continue its fermentation. Bottled in march 2018. He says that he's new to amphora vinification and he went to see how it worked, travelling to Georgia, Italy, Spain, although tyhe varieties are different and the sun conditions are different too. He says Maranges makes structured wines, the soils is deep marls and this yields bitterness and tannins, which made him thing it would be interesting to eschew the additionnal tannin input of the barrel. I think he was right. It's been 4 years they use amphora for whites and 2 years for a red. __ Maranges 2016, the other half, vinifies in barrels, the Burgundy way, bottled december 2017. Nose with pepper notes, eucalyptus. A bit young for me, with a more serious structure but not as easy to drink. 2nd mouth gets somehow softer. I still have a real preference for the amphora version of this Maranges. Beaujolais ! __ Beaujolais Villages 2016, this is made from a parcel in Quincie (Cote de Brouilly) planted in 1876 with a few replantings of course to replace the dead vines but much of the parcel is more than 100 years old. Plus the parcel is not trellised it's planted en foule, not aligned like it used to be at the time, you can walk around each vine and to work on the soil you have to till by hand or use a Walk-Behind Roto-Tiller. It's all gamay and massal selection only, he got the parcels for 3 years and replanted the missing spots with massal selections from the same parcels. He bought these two parcels which are 90 kilomueters from his base in Burgundy. He drives there on weekends to do some work when needed. He recounted how he found these two parcels, this was by pure chance : he was in the Beaujolais with friends on their way to dine somewhere and they stopped in a bar he knew, and at the counter tere was a guy, obviously an old vignerons who was chatting with the bar owner, lamenting he didn't know what to do with these parcels of old vines especially that the pruning season was nearing. That's when the bar owner told Pierre Fenals who could hear the conversation, "why don't you buy Gilles' parcels, Pierre ? and he decided to go see it with Gilles right away, they drank a couple of bottles over there and he got interested by what he saw, in the beginning he just hired the owner to do the work on the parcel (it's all by hand or walk tools) and then later bought the surface. This former owner used a bit of chemicals but not much and he plowed the soil, so these vines were in pretty good condition, it was a good luck to have found them.... The wine (poured from a magnum) : nose is very meaty, exciting. Super nice tension in the mouth with also a sweet side. It was vinified on the Burgundy style, not along a Beaujolais carbo. Telling about the wines __ L'Etrange, Vin de France 2016, a red made from a parcel he bought in 2009 when he started, the parcel was pretty messy, he didn't know exactly what were or was the variety(ies) in there and when the grapes went out they realized there was all together Gamay, Pinot Noir & big grapes of Chardonnay Muscate (a few vines here and there). He decided to vinify the whole thing together (too tricky to explain to the pickers to differentiate between the Gamay and the Pinot Noir) in a classical maceration. The parcel that makes 50 ares is located in Meursault and the vines which are 60 + are plowed and farmed on biodynamy. That's because of the unconventional blend that it's labelled as Vin de France (table wine). Majority of Gamay (he thinks 60 to 65 %), it's a peculiar type of Gamay with tiny berries, the Pinot also has small berries alyjough a bit bigger. They keep vinifying this parcel in one batch as a blend, first because the result is fine and also because that makes conveniently the volume of a fermenter. 30-day carbonic maceration. Although the blend may seem odd this cuvee may well reflect the wines of Burgundy back in the time varieties were complated en foule in the parcels. Of course like the rest, wild yeast, no filmtration and no added SO2 any time. Dust notes on the nose with hints of a beautiful energy like you have in whites, that may be the homeopathic signal of the Chard. Very acidic behind the chalky tannins. Crowd of demanding wine lovers __ Maranges 1er Cru Les Clos Roussots 2016, comme from the same village as the other Maranges, same owner but located on the cadastral Premier Cru on a higher slope. 65 year old vines, all massal selections. Very, very classy mouth, well structured, juicy, feels like liquid food, and to make things even better, easy drinking. I see that he's pouring a few magnum and I ask how many he makes (by the way the Cave des Papilles has an impressive range of natural wines in magnums year around), he says he makes 1000 of them altogether spread of the different cuvees.At one point because he was asked about his farming management, Pierre said he was using 4 types of tools, a draft horse, a straddle tractor, a crawler tractor and even a winch machine to pull a walk plow. I was probably in the mood for whites that days and I asked for a refill at the end for the Aligote, a great deal at 19,7 , this wines feels free and vibrant. The other one I asked again also was the Maranges in Amphora, very lovely, and the empty glass smells so good, that's the ultimate test when your wine is gone, here I delighted in meat juice, prune & blackberries... A glimpse at the available magnums at the Cave des Papilles HALIFAX, Nova Scotia, April 26, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Immunovaccine Inc. (TSX:IMV) (OTCQX:IMMVF), a clinical stage immuno-oncology company, today announced that its abstract has been selected for an oral presentation at the upcoming 2018 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, which takes place June 1-5 in Chicago, IL. The presentation will include an update on the DeCidE1 (Dpx-Survivac with CyclophosphamIDe and Epacadostat) clinical trial, which Immunovaccine is conducting in collaboration with Incyte Corporation. The Phase 1b/2 study is evaluating the combination of its lead candidate, DPX-Survivac, Incytes IDO-1 inhibitor epacadostat, and low dose cyclophosphamide in patients with advanced, recurrent ovarian cancer. Immunovaccine announced initial results from this trial in December 2017. Despite advances in other cancer treatment regimens, ovarian cancer remains a particularly difficult-to-treat disease, and one that represents one of the most underserved areas of the treatment landscape, said Frederic Ors, Chief Executive Officer at Immunovaccine . We look forward to providing this update on our innovative clinical program alongside our industry peers and partners at this important medical meeting. Oral presentation details are as follows: Session Title: Engaging the Immune System in Ovarian Cancer Location: S406 Abstract Number: 5510 Title: Clinical data from the DeCidE1 trial: Assessing the first combination of DPX-Survivac, low dose cyclophosphamide (CPA), and epacadostat (INCB024360) in subjects with stage IIc-IV recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer. Presentation Date and Time: Sunday, June 3, 2018, 9:57 AM - 10:09 AM CT Presenter: Oliver Dorigo, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology (Oncology), Stanford University Medical Center, Stanford, CA, DeCideE1 Clinical Investigator and Lead Author Following the presentation at ASCO, Immunovaccine will post the presentation on the Events and Presentations page on its website: www.imvaccine.com. About DPX-Survivac DPX-Survivac consists of survivin-based peptide antigens formulated in Immunovaccines proprietary immune-activating delivery technology. DPX-Survivac is thought to work by eliciting a cytotoxic T cell immune response against cells presenting survivin peptides. Survivin, recognized by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) as a promising tumor-associated antigen, is broadly over-expressed in most cancer types, and plays an essential role in antagonizing cell death, supporting tumor-associated angiogenesis, and promoting resistance to anti-cancer therapies. Immunovaccine has identified over 15 cancer indications in which the over-expression of survivin can be targeted by DPX-Survivac. DPX-Survivac received Fast Track designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as maintenance therapy in advanced ovarian cancer, as well as orphan drug designation status from the U.S. FDA and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) in the ovarian cancer indication. About Immunovaccine Immunovaccine Inc. is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to making immunotherapy more effective, more broadly applicable, and more widely available to people facing cancer and other serious diseases. Immunovaccine is pioneering a new class of immunotherapies based on the Companys proprietary drug delivery platform. This patented technology leverages a novel mechanism of action that enables the reprogramming of immune cells in vivo, which are aimed at generating powerful new synthetic therapeutic capabilities. Immunovaccines lead candidate, DPX-Survivac, is a T cell activating immunotherapy that combines the utility of the platform with a target: survivin. Immunovaccine is currently conducting three Phase 2 studies with Incyte and Merck assessing DPX-Survivac as a combination therapy in ovarian cancer and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Connect at www.imvaccine.com. Immunovaccine Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking information under applicable securities law. All information that addresses activities or developments that we expect to occur in the future is forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements are based on the estimates and opinions of management on the date the statements are made. However, they should not be regarded as a representation that any of them will be achieved. Actual results may differ materially from those set forth in this press release due to risks affecting the Company, including access to capital, the completion of clinical trials and receipt of all regulatory approvals. Immunovaccine Inc. assumes no responsibility to update forward-looking statements in this press release except as required by law. Contacts for Immunovaccine: MEDIA Mike Beyer, Sam Brown Inc. T: (312) 961-2502 E: mikebeyer@sambrown.com INVESTOR RELATIONS Pierre Labbe, Chief Financial Officer T: (902) 492-1819 E: info@imvaccine.com Patti Bank, Managing Director, Westwicke Partners O: (415) 513-1284 T: (415) 515-4572 E: patti.bank@westwicke.com DETROIT, April 26, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Jeffrey Davidson has joined the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute Board of Directors for a three-year term, effective immediately. Davidson will collaborate with other board members to support the Institutes mission of leading transformative cancer care, research and education. Karmanos treats more than 14,000 new patients annually and is Michigans largest cancer care and research network. I am extremely pleased to welcome Jeff to the board, said Gerold Bepler, M.D., Ph.D., president and CEO of Karmanos Cancer Institute. He and his wife Beth have been wonderful supporters of the Institute. They have done so much to assist our patients by helping to maintain our healing arts program. The program provides complementary therapies to individuals who are undergoing cancer treatment, as well as therapeutic services for our patients caretakers and children. Davidson created the Leah A. Davidson Healing Arts Fund at Karmanos in January 2012 after his wife of 41 years died from leukemia in December 2011. The late Leah Davidson was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 2000 and fought bravely over the next 11 years. During that time, she had two stem cell transplants at Karmanos under the care of Joseph Uberti, M.D., Ph.D., co-leader of the Stem Cell and Bone Marrow Transplant Multidisciplinary Team at Karmanos. While still under treatment, she worked with Kathleen Hardy, LMSW, oncology social worker at Karmanos Weisberg Cancer Treatment Center in Farmington Hills, to provide healing arts, including meditation, Reiki (a Japanese relaxation technique), massage, healing touch, guided imagery, art therapy, music therapy, aromatherapy, tai chi and other therapies. Leah would have been proud to know that over 1,000 patients annually are helped through this program that she worked to develop, said Davidson at the recent Karmanos Heroes of Cancer Award ceremony, where he and Beth were honored with the Philanthropy Award for 2017. Davidson is president of Taubman Ventures Management in Bloomfield Hills. He joined Taubman as its president in 2003. Prior to that, he worked at Deloitte for 33 years. Davidson moved to Cincinnati to help create the Deloitte national Private Client Practice in 1995. In this role, he became the national leader for Family Business Succession Planning. He then moved to Detroit in1999 to assume leadership of the Private Client Practice for the Great Lakes Region. Davidson received his Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from the University of Florida. He is a certified public accountant and a certified financial planner. He serves on the investment committee of The Jewish Foundation of Metropolitan Detroit and on the board of directors of The Jewish Fund. Jeff and Beth Davidson live in Birmingham with their schnoodle Connor, who works as an emotional support dog for Karmanos patients at Weisberg in Farmington Hills. About the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute Karmanos Cancer Institute is headquartered in Detroit, with 14 locations throughout Michigan. As part of McLaren, Karmanos is the largest cancer care and research network in the state. It is among the nations best cancer centers as one of the National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer centers in the United States and the only one located in metro Detroit. Karmanos cancer experts focus solely on cancer to prevent, detect and treat as well as eradicate all forms of cancer. Its long-term partnership with the Wayne State University School of Medicine enhances the collaboration of critical research and academics related to cancer care. For more information, call 1-800-KARMANOS (800-527-6266) or visit www.karmanos.org. Follow Karmanos on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. MEDIA CONTACT: Patricia A. Ellis, 313-576-8629 A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://resource.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/89d615f6-4988-45d0-b27d-605521519595 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! Notice is hereby served that the Annual General Meeting (the "AGM") of EAM Solar ASA (the "Company") will be held at 15:00 CET on 23 May 2018 at the Company's offices at Dronningen 1, Oslo. For information, please contact: Viktor E Jakobsen, CEO, phone +47 9161 1009, viktor@eam.no About EAM Solar: EAM Solar is a utility company that acquires and operates solar power plants. The Company currently owns solar PV power plants in Italy. The plants are operating under long-term sales contracts. In addition, the Company's business is lawsuits in relation solar power plants. This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act. Fossil teeth reveal new facts about a mass extinction Around 260 million years, the earth was dominated by mammal like reptiles called therapsids. The largest of these therapsids were the dinocephalians, a genus composed of several herbivorous and carnivorous species. Then something enormous happened: a mass extinction event killed off between 75% and 80% of all the creatures that lived on land around the world. Many ocean creatures were also rendered extinct. The dinocephalians were wiped out. Several hypotheses have been offered about what could have provoked this mass extinction. For instance, many scientists have favoured the notion that a volcanic eruption was the trigger. It has been demonstrated that at the time of the extinction interval a gigantic volcanic eruption occurred at Emeishan in the south of China that lasted for almost two million years. It released around 300 000 km of lava. My colleagues and I wondered whether a change in climate might have caused or contributed to the mass extinction in South Africa. So we examined environmental change during the extinction event in whats today the western and northern Cape of South Africa. We studied the fossil teeth of Diictodon feliceps, a small herbivorous therapsid which lived before the extinction event and survived through it (as with much else from this period, we dont know how the species survived the catastrophe). Our findings suggest that a local event rather than a global shift in climate was to blame for the mass extinction in South Africa. Specifically, we propose that deformations in the Cape Fold Mountains meant there was less water available; species in the region were decimated. This marks the first time that data has shown a correlation between the mass extinction event and an event of aridification the process that occurs when a region becomes increasingly dry. Its a long-term shift in climate rather than a seasonal variation. Our findings are supported by earlier work conducted on sediment which showed a decrease in river and stream output in the basin of the Cape Fold Mountains during that time. It seems from this study that while the Emeishan eruption may have triggered the mass extinction event other more local events might have amplified it. Teeth reveal climate secrets Fossil teeth contain different atoms, like oxygen or carbon, which are represented with several forms, called isotopes. Examining their ratio allows scientists to interpret how the humidity and temperature were changing when the animal in question was alive. The teeth we studied showed that an aridification a decrease in humidity as produced by water supply or rainfall occurred at the time of the extinction. But there was no change in temperature. This suggested that global climate change didnt lead to the mass extinction, since in the case of global climate shifts humidity and temperature changes go together. The Drakenstein Mountains are part of the Cape Fold Belt. Shutterstock/Victoria Field Our focus was on the stable oxygen and carbon isotope compositions in the fossil teeth. Several factors can affect the ratio between the different isotope of these elements. For instance the ratio of oxygen isotopes is correlated with the air temperature of the environment; for carbon, the isotope ratio depends on the water availability. This makes it a good proxy to estimate an environments aridity. Measuring the oxygen and carbon isotope composition in the teeth helped us estimate the temperature and the aridity of the environment where the animal lived. Future learning This kind of work is valuable because it shows how local climate events like aridification can affect a regions ecosystems. It might also help climate change researchers to better estimate how certain parts of the planet might react as water becomes scarcer. Kevin Rey, Postdoctoral researcher, Evolutionary Studies Institute, University of the Witwatersrand. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. Can the Iran nuclear deal be saved? It's looking like a long shot. Hours after President Donald Trump blasted the deal as "insane," French President Emmanuel Macron said he expected Trump to pull the United States out next month "for domestic reasons," according to several reports. German Chancellor Angela Merkel is likely to lobby Trump to stick with the accord when she meets him on Friday. Europe is trying to save a deal signed in 2015 under which the United States and other powers agreed to lift some economic sanctions in return for Iran agreeing to rein in its nuclear program. Trump has vowed to rip up the agreement, which he has described as "the worst deal ever." He's now threatening to reject an extension of the agreement ahead of a May 12 deadline. So who loses out if Trump does decide to abandon the nuclear deal? 1. Car drivers Iran has the fourth largest crude oil reserves in the world and claims nearly one-fifth of the planet's natural gas. The country has ramped up production since sanctions were eased to about 3.8 million barrels a day. That's about a million barrels a day more than in 2015. New sanctions on Iranian oil exports would put a dent in global supply and could cause prices to spike higher. They've already soared 13% this year to their highest level in three years, and the price of US gas has jumped to a national average of $2.79 a gallon. "A lot of the reason for higher prices is the president's policy on Iran," said Joe McMonigle, senior energy policy analyst at Hedgeye Risk Management last week. "You're talking about a huge amount of oil at risk. You're going to see prices spike." Related: Surging oil prices rattle President Trump 2. Boeing and Airbus The biggest deals signed with foreign companies so far have been for airplanes to modernize Iran's creaking fleet. Boeing signed an $8 billion deal to sell 80 jets to Iran Air after the sanctions were lifted. The first jets are due to be delivered this year. Boeing has said the airplane sales to Iran Air will directly support tens of thousands of US jobs. The company noted that 100,000 Boeing employees will be involved with making good on the deal. It has also agreed to sell 30 737 MAX airplanes worth $3 billion to Aseman Airlines, another Iranian carrier. European rival Airbus wants a share of the action too. It has agreed to sell 100 jets to Iran for about $10 billion. Those sales could be in trouble if Trump reintroduces sanctions because Airbus uses parts made in America. 3. GE, Volkswagen and Total While many major foreign companies have remained on the sidelines because of fears over a return of sanctions, a handful have jumped in. Total signed a $2 billion agreement to help develop Iran's giant South Pars gas field, together with Chinese state oil company CNPC. But the French company has cautioned that a tough approach from Trump could kill the deal. "Either we can do the deal legally if there is a legal framework," CEO Patrick Pouyann- told CNNMoney last year. "If we cannot do that for legal reasons ... then we have to revisit it." General Electric has received millions of dollars in orders from Iran in 2017, according to company filings, for its oil and gas business. In 2017, Germany's Volkswagen announced that it will sell cars in Iran for the first time in 17 years. 4. Airlines and hotel groups Travel operators have taken advantage of the renewed interest in Iran as a business and tourist destination since sanctions were eased. European airlines such as British Airways and Lufthansa have resumed direct flights to the country, and Iranian authorities have relaxed visa requirements. France's Accor was the first international hotel chain to open in Iran in 2015. Spain's Melia and Rotana of the United Arab Emirates have also announced plans to open hotels in Iran. 5. Iran's economy Growth has returned to Iran in recent years, but the economic recovery remains fragile. "As the full suite of American sanctions, including penalties on importing Iranian crude oil, snap back into place, Iran's precarious economic situation will certainly deteriorate," Suzanne Maloney, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, wrote earlier this month. There have been warning signs already. The Iranian rial has plunged against the US dollar in recent months. The currency has lost roughly a third of its value over the past year, and media reports suggest the decline has been steeper on black market exchanges. The fall has made imports more expensive, and some Iranians are reportedly cashing in their savings to buy dollars and euros. Unhappiness over the economy, and the government's management of the situation, helped fuel major protests in late 2017. -- CNN's Ivana Kottasov- and Zahraa Alkhalisi contributed to this report. The family of Tim Bergling, the Swedish DJ and producing star known as Avicii, has issued a new statement regarding the musician's sudden death last week at age 28. "Our beloved Tim was a seeker, a fragile artistic soul searching for answers to existential questions," the statement obtained by CNN read. "An over-achieving perfectionist who traveled and worked hard at a pace that led to extreme stress. When he stopped touring, he wanted to find a balance in life to be happy and be able to do what he loved most -- music." The statement continued: "He really struggled with thoughts about Meaning, Life, Happiness. He could not go on any longer. He wanted to find peace. Tim was not made for the business machine he found himself in; he was a sensitive guy who loved his fans but shunned the spotlight. Tim, you will forever be loved and sadly missed. The person you were and your music will keep your memory alive." Avicii was found dead last Friday in Muscat, Oman. A cause of death has not been announced, but police said over the weekend that there is no suspicion of foul play. Musicians like Madonna, Calvin Harris and Charlie Puth shared messages of condolence on social media following his death. A town in Utrecht, Netherlands paid tribute to the Swedish artist by playing some of his most popular tunes over its bell tower. Related: Avicii's family arrives in Oman as new details emerge on his death Avicii was one of the world's most successful DJs and a big name in the musical genre known as EDM, or electronic dance music. He worked with Madonna and Chris Martin, among other artists, and had a crossover pop hit in 2013 with "Wake Me Up." Despite a life of jam-packed arenas and screaming fans, Avicii acknowledged struggling with fame and health issues. He retired from performing two years ago to take a break from touring. In messages posted on social media, he said stress, anxiety and illness were factors in his decision. Walking away was tough, he said, but he also needed to pursue other interests. "Creating music is what makes me happy and I have gotten to know so many great people in my days of touring, seen so many amazing places and created endless of good memories," Avicii wrote at the time. "The decision I made might seem odd to some but everyone is different and for me this was the right one." CNN's Faith Karimi and Mohammed Tawfeeq contributed to this report. English French VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 26, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Alderon Iron Ore Corp. (TSX:IRON) ("Alderon" or the Company) is pleased to announce that it has engaged BBA, Inc. (BBA) to update the Feasibility Study (FS) on the Rose Deposit of the Kamistiatusset (Kami) Iron Ore Property in Western Labrador. This FS will underpin Alderons renewed focus on project financing. Alderon has retained BBA, headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, to lead the study with input from other engineering and consulting firms including Golder Associates, Duro Felguera Mining and Handling, and GEMTEC Consulting Engineers and Scientists (GEMTEC). The updated study will build on the previous FS dated December 17, 2012, the most recent Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) dated November 7, 2017, as well as the detailed engineering carried out between 2013 and 2015. The flowsheet and product characteristics will remain unchanged and focus will be on tailings management facility, market analysis, capital and operating expenditures and updated reserve estimates. This marks the beginning of another significant milestone for Alderon as we prepare to update our bankable feasibility study, stated Tayfun Eldem, President and CEO of Alderon, this study will further demonstrate the robust economics and strong fundamentals that the Kami Project possesses and will bring us closer to advancing the project into production. Given the advanced state of the detailed engineering and recent studies, the Company expects to release the results of the FS and file a technical report prepared in accordance with National Instrument (NI) 43-101 in Q4 2018. Kami Project Updated Preliminary Economic Assessment Highlights US$1,781 million Net Present Value (NPV) at 8% discount rate 25.7% Internal Rate of Return (IRR) and 3.7 projected years to payback US$999.4 million total estimated capital cost US$29.94/dmt average estimated operating costs (loaded in ship Port of Sept-Iles) The PEA Highlights are taken from the technical report entitled Update to the Re-Scoped Preliminary Economic Assessment of the Kamistiatusset (Kami) Iron Ore Property, Labrador, dated effective November 7, 2017 (the Updated PEA). The Updated PEA was prepared under the supervision of Mr. Angelo Grandillo, P.Eng, of BBA, a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101, with contributions from GEMTEC and Watts, Griffis and McOuat Limited (WGM). Mr. Grandillo is a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101 and Mr. Grandillo is independent of Alderon. Mr. Grandillo has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in the PEA Highlights. For further information please refer to the Updated PEA that is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. About Alderon Iron Ore Corp. Alderon is a leading iron ore development company in Canada. The Kami Project, owned 75% by Alderon and 25% by HBIS Group Co. Ltd. (formerly Hebei Iron & Steel Group Co. Ltd.) (HBIS) through The Kami Mine Limited Partnership, is located within Canadas premier iron ore district, the Labrador Trough, and is surrounded by two producing iron ore mines. Its port handling facilities are located in Sept-Iles, the leading iron ore port in North America. HBIS is Alderons strategic partner in the development of the Kami Project and Chinas second largest steel producer. The Kami Project will produce a superior, premium iron ore product with very low levels of impurities and high Fe content (65.2% Fe). The Platts Index assesses the price and premiums for different iron ore products and now includes a 65% premium product assessment with a significant price spread above the base quality iron ore (62% Fe). The market demand for premium iron ore product is higher than for base quality iron ore product due to the advantages it offers to the steelmakers in meeting more stringent emissions requirements. Premium product allows end users to improve productivity, reduce costs and meet stringent environmental standards. For more information on Alderon, please visit our website at www.alderonironore.com. ALDERON IRON ORE CORP. On behalf of the Board "Tayfun Eldem" Director & CEO Alderon is part of the King & Bay group of companies. King & Bay is a merchant bank that specializes in identifying, funding, developing and supporting growth opportunities in the resource, aviation, and technology sectors. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act and Canadian securities laws concerning anticipated developments and events that may occur in the future. Forward-looking information contained in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to (i) the financing plan for the Kami Project; (ii) future demand for production from the Kami Project; (iii) the next steps in the development of the Kami Project; (iv) the market and future price of iron ore and related products; and (v) the results of the Updated PEA including statements about future production, future operating and capital costs, the projected IRR, NPV, payback period, construction timelines and production timelines for the Kami Project. In certain cases, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved" suggesting future outcomes, or other expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions, intentions or statements about future events or performance. Forward-looking information contained in this press release is based on certain factors and assumptions regarding, among other things, receipt of governmental and other approvals, the estimation of mineral resources, the realization of resource estimates, iron ore and other metal prices, the timing and amount of future development expenditures, the estimation of initial and sustaining capital requirements, the estimation of labour and operating costs, the availability of necessary financing and materials to continue to explore and develop the Kami Project in the short and long-term, the repayment of the secured note held by Liberty Metals & Mining Holdings LLC that is due December 31, 2018 (the Liberty Note), the progress of exploration and development activities, the ability of the Company to use the multi-user terminal facility at the Port of Sept-Iles, the receipt of necessary regulatory approvals, the estimation of insurance coverage, assumptions with respect to currency fluctuations and exchange rates, environmental risks, title disputes or claims, and other similar matters. While the Company considers these assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available to it, they may prove to be incorrect. 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 future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such factors include risks inherent in the exploration and development of mineral deposits, including risks relating to changes in project parameters as plans continue to be redefined including the possibility that mining operations may not commence at the Kami Project, risks relating to variations in mineral resources, grade or recovery rates resulting from current exploration and development activities, risks relating to the ability to access rail transportation, sources of power and port facilities, risks relating to changes in iron ore prices and the worldwide demand for and supply of iron ore and related products, risks related to increased competition in the market for iron ore and related products and in the mining industry generally, risks related to current global financial conditions, uncertainties inherent in the estimation of mineral resources, access and supply risks, reliance on key personnel, operational risks inherent in the conduct of mining activities, including the risk of accidents, labour disputes, increases in capital and operating costs and the risk of delays or increased costs that might be encountered during the development process, regulatory risks, including risks relating to the acquisition of the necessary licences and permits, financing, capitalization and liquidity risks, including the risk that the financing necessary to fund the exploration and development activities at the Kami Project may not be available on satisfactory terms, or at all, the risk that funds are not available to repay the Liberty Note; risks related to disputes concerning property titles and interest, risks related to disputes with Aboriginal groups, risks related to insufficient capacity being available for the Company to access the multi-user terminal facility at the Port of Sept-Iles, environmental risks and the additional risks identified in the Risk Factors section of the Companys Annual Information Form for the most recently completed financial year, or other reports and filings with applicable Canadian securities regulators. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The forward-looking information is made as of the date of this press release. Except as required by applicable securities laws, the Company does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking information. The debate over teacher salaries seems to be getting a lot of the attention as teachers protest on Thursday and Friday. Education funding is a big piece of the puzzle as well. The Colorado Department of Education says our state's 178 public school districts receive funding from a variety of sources. Most of it comes through the Public School Finance Act of 1994. According to the state, in budget year 2017-18 the budget legislation provides more than $6.6 billion in funding to Colorado school districts. Here's the breakdown: State taxes: $4.2 billion Vehicle registration: $172.7 million Local property taxes: $2.24 billion When it comes to teacher salaries, the state of Colorado is in the middle of the pack compared to other states. According to the National Education Association, Colorado ranks 31st this year in average teacher salary at $51,808. The highest paid teachers live in New York. Average pay there is $81,902. Colorado economists told lawmakers this past March they have an extra $1.3 billion to spend or save in 2018-19. That's thanks to a thriving economy and some wiggle room in the state budget. Additionally, Governor John Hickenlooper is calling for $200 million in additional money to K-12 education for next school year and another $100 million to the state education fund for the 2019-20 school year. Despite the extra money coming, the recent protests are revealing many people don't think it's enough. New York State is reminding farmers that several tax credit programs are available to help them offset business and labor costs for the 2018 tax season. The Farm Workforce Retention Credit has increased to $300 per eligible farm employee who works at least 500 hours annually, and it will increase to $500 in the 2019 tax year. The Retention Credit is expected to save farmers an estimated $14 million this year, according to the state. The Minimum Wage Reimbursement Tax Credit is also available for farms who employ students ages 16-20 who are paid the New York minimum wage. The agricultural industry, especially the dairy sector, has experienced some challenging times over the last few years due to a number of factors, including weather and market conditions, said Richard Ball, commissioner of the state Department of Agriculture, in a news release. We want to remind our farmers that there are assistance programs available to them and opportunities to reduce costs that will have a meaningful impact on their bottom line. For more information about the tax credit programs available for farmers, click here. The Masonic Care Community of New York will celebrate its 125th anniversary next Tuesday, but today the organization was honored in Washington, D.C. Congresswoman Claudia Tenney spoke about Masonic on the House floor on Thursday during general speeches. Tenney talked about Masonics start in 1893 and how the masons had a goal of providing high-quality care to fellow elderly masons. The Masonic Care Community has a timeline exhibit in the history hallway of the Masonic's Health Pavilion, which highlights major events throughout history, leading up to today. Masonic Care has supported, nurtured and educated the community by providing exceptional care and services with compassion and pride guided by the masonic principles of brotherly love, relief, truth and integrity, Tenney said in Washington. On May 19, Masonic will celebrate its anniversary with a big party, and admission is free. There will be pony rides, bounce houses, live music and fireworks. For more information about the anniversary celebration, click here. A Utica man is facing a felony charge after he was allegedly found to be driving with more than six pounds of marijuana in his vehicle, according to New York State Police. Around 2:10 a.m. Thursday, state police stopped a vehicle driven by 42-year-old Carlloyd Gowe of Utica on I-87 in the town of Coeymans for a traffic violation. Police say while they were interviewing Gowe, they had probably cause to search the vehicle and its occupants, and they found approximately 6.5 pounds of marijuana. Gowe was taken into police custody and charged with felony second-degree criminal possession of marijuana, and vehicle and traffic violations. Police say he was scheduled to be arraigned on the Town of Coeymans Court on Thursday. English Dutch Lochem, 26 April 2018 Resolutions Annual General Meeting of Shareholders ForFarmers N.V. During the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders of ForFarmers N.V. (hereafter: the 'General Meeting' and 'ForFarmers' respectively), which was held today in Laren (Gelderland, the Netherlands), the shareholders adopted the ForFarmers annual accounts over the 2017 financial year and approved the appropriation of profits for the same financial year. Dividend has been fixed at 0.30 per ordinary share and will be paid entirely in cash to the shareholders of ForFarmers, after deducting 15% dividend tax. The ex-dividend date is 30 April 2018. Payment will take place on 9 May 2018. Other resolutions All members of the Executive Board have been discharged from performing their duties during the financial year 2017. All members of the Supervisory Board have been discharged from performing their duties during the financial year 2017. KPMG Accountants N.V. has been appointed as auditor of ForFarmers for auditing the 2018 financial statements and board report. Mr Y.M Knoop (CEO) has been reappointed as member of the Executive Board. R.H.A. Gerritzen has been appointed as member of the Supervisory Board following the stepping down of Mr J.W. Eggink according to schedule. Mrs J.W. Addink-Berendsen and Mr V.A.M. Hulshof have been reappointed as members of the Supervisory Board. The Executive Board has been designated as the competent body, upon approval of the Supervisory Board, to issue ordinary shares and grant rights to subscribe for ordinary shares with a limitation up to 10% of the issued ordinary shares, increased up to 20% in the event of mergers, acquisitions or strategic partnerships, for the duration of 18 months. The Executive Board has been designated as the competent body, upon approval of the Supervisory Board, to restrict or exclude the pre-emptive right of shareholders for the duration of 18 months. The Executive Board has been authorised, upon approval of the Supervisory Board, to have ForFarmers acquire (other than without consideration) shares in its own share capital (irrespective of the type) up to a maximum of 10% of the issued share capital of ForFarmers (determined at the time of the General Meeting). ForFarmers has the intention to purchase shares in ForFarmers' own capital for the implementation of the employee participation plans in 2018 (cf.: the employee participation plan 2017 involved 358,465 shares). Insofar as use is made in 2018 of shares purchased based on the authorisation granted in 2017 for the implementation of the employee participation plans, the purchase programme will fill this up to the original amount of purchased shares. The start of the purchase programme will be announced by means of a separate press release. Subsequently, the progress of the purchase programme will be disclosed weekly by means of a press release. Share purchase programme for employee participation plans Following the General Meeting, the Executive Board, upon approval of the Supervisory Board, decided to start, as of 2 May 2018, with the purchase programme of own shares for the implementation of employee participation plans in 2018. This press release contains information which qualifies as inside information within the meaning of Article 7, paragraph 1 of the EU Market Abuse Regulation. Note to the editor / For additional information: Caroline Vogelzang, Director Investor Relations and Communications T: 0031 573 288 194 M: 0031 6 10 94 91 61 E: caroline.vogelzang@forfarmers.eu ForFarmers Company profile ForFarmers N.V. ('ForFarmers', Lochem, the Netherlands) is an internationally operating feed company that offers total feed solutions for conventional and organic livestock farming. ForFarmers gives its very best "For the Future of Farming": for the continuity of farming and for a financially secure sector that will continue to serve society for generations to come in a sustainable way. By working side-by-side with farmers ForFarmers delivers real benefits: better returns, healthier livestock and greater efficiency. This is achieved by offering tailored and Total Feed solutions and a targeted approach with specialist and expert support. With sales of approximately 9.6 million tons of feed annually, ForFarmers is market leader in Europe. ForFarmers has approximately 2,300 employees and production facilities in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and the United Kingdom. In 2017, revenues amounted to over 2.2 billion. ForFarmers N.V., Postbus 91, 7240 AB Lochem, T: +31 (0)573 28 88 00, F: +31 (0)573 28 88 99 info@forfarmers.eu, www.forfarmersgroup.eu. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This press release contains forward-looking statements, including those relating to ForFarmers legal obligations in terms of capital and liquidity positions in certain specified scenarios. In addition, forward-looking statements, without limitation, may include such phrases as "intends to", "expects", "takes into account", "is aimed at", ''plans to", "estimated" and words with a similar meaning. These statements pertain to or may affect matters in the future, such as ForFarmers future financial results, business plans and current strategies. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, which may mean that there could be material differences between actual results and performance and expected future results or performances that are implicitly or explicitly included in the forward-looking statements. Factors that may result in variations on the current expectations or may contribute to the same include but are not limited to: developments in legislation, technology, jurisprudence and regulations, share price fluctuations, legal procedures, investigations by regulatory bodies, the competitive landscape and general economic conditions. These and other factors, risks and uncertainties that may affect any forward-looking statements or the actual results of ForFarmers, are discussed in the last published annual report. The forward-looking statements in this press release are only statements as of the date of this document and ForFarmers accepts no obligation or responsibility with respect to any changes made to the forward-looking statements contained in this document, regardless of whether these pertain to new information, future events or otherwise, unless ForFarmers is legally obliged to do so. FRENCH LICK, Ind. (AP) Authorities say an overdue hiker has been found safe in the Hoosier National Forest in southern Indiana after more than 12 hours of searching. The Indiana Department of Natural Resources says the 19-year-old's father became concerned after his son left Saturday for a hike and failed to return Monday. Indiana Conservation Officers, forest personnel and members of the Orange County sheriff's department started searching late Monday. The man was found Tuesday dressed in a tank top and shorts along a trail near French Lick. The DNR says he was exhausted but otherwise in good condition. LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI)-- A Lafayette taxi driver was held at gunpoint after picking up one of her passengers. According to Lafayette Police, the robbery happened last Thursday around 6 a.m. near the corner of US 52 and Old 231. The passenger was picked up and asked to be dropped off at a new location. Once the driver reached the destination, she heard a gun cock and the passenger asked her for money. Driver Virginia Graves said this trip was nothing out of the ordinary. "The first thing I did when I got out of the cab was I ran to the cop and I hugged him because I hadn't talked to anyone or physically seen anyone until then," Graves said. When a driver picks up a passenger, they are encouraged to have the person sit in the front seat and not the back. If they're sitting in the back they can't exactly see what they are doing and that's exactly what happened when he pulled his gun out. Chaney's Magic Taxi owner Lester Chaney has been a driver in Lafayette for more than 30 years. He said he has run into similar situations. "In this type of business, we have to interact with a lot of people that are drinking or are intoxicated," said Chaney. "Sometimes it gets a little complicated." The person involved in this robbery has yet to be identified and Lafayette police are still continuing this active investigation. Chaney said he will now be putting in video cameras inside of his vehicles to make sure his drivers feel safe. English French OAKVILLE, Ontario, April 26, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- No one ever thinks they will be impacted by an impaired driving crash. But, as the victims and survivors of impaired driving can attest, it happens to people every day and its effects are devastating. This weekend, more than 200 people who have lost loved ones or suffered injuries through impaired driving crashes will come together to gain support, share experiences and honour loved ones at the MADD Canada National Conference for Victims of Impaired Driving. Held from April 27 29, the conference offers keynote and workshop sessions to help victims and survivors cope with their losses and injuries. Sessions include: Surviving Adversity and Loss; Living with Injuries; Understanding the Criminal Justice System; Victims Rights; Coping with Anger; and Updates on Provincial and Federal Legislation Aimed at Preventing Impaired Driving. Our conference offers victims and survivors a safe, welcoming place where there is no judgement and no one telling them how they should be dealing with their grief, said MADD Canada National President Patricia Hynes-Coates. There is just a deep empathy for all they have lost, understanding of the challenges they face, and support to help them cope and begin to move forward with their new reality. For so many victims and survivors myself included this conference has been a lifeline. The emotional cornerstone of the weekend is the powerful Candlelight Vigil of Hope and Remembrance, held on Saturday evening. Delegates will gather for a moving ceremony to remember loved ones who have been killed and acknowledge injuries sustained in impaired driving crashes. Photos of victims and survivors are shown, a tribute is read and a candle is lit for each victim and survivor. MADD Canada thanks Impact Auto Auctions, Henderson Structured Settlements, PIA Law, Department of Justice Canada and Manitoba Justice for their support of the conference. With hundreds of Canadians killed and tens of thousands injured in impaired driving crashes every year, the need to offer support and services to victims and survivors is crucial. With volunteer-driven groups in more than 100 communities across the country, MADD Canada offers: grief and bereavement support; support through the criminal justice system; assistance with victim impact statements; help with understanding victims rights; a lending library; brochures; community referrals; and trained victim service volunteers. To learn more about the conference, visit: http://madd.ca/pages/programs/victimsurvivor-services/national-conference-for-victims-of-impaired-driving/ Media in the Toronto area are welcome to attend the Candelight Vigil of Hope and Remembrance (please RSVP). 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 NEW YORK, April 26, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Northeast DAS & Small Cell Association (NEDAS), the wireless association for the Heterogeneous Network (HetNet) community advancing communications anywhere, and iMiller Public Relations (iMPR), a results-driven, independent public relations and content marketing consulting firm, today announce the appointment of Linda Michaels as Vice President of Business Development, NEDAS. In this role, Linda will drive strategic growth initiatives for the organizations sales and partnership development while managing the team to achieve revenue goals and marketing objectives. We have been patiently searching for the right individual with proven experience and expertise in telecommunication sales and business development to join the NEDAS team. Linda Michaels is the perfect candidate to help drive strategic growth, and she will prove to be an immediate asset to the organization, shares Ilissa Miller, President of NEDAS, and Founder and CEO of iMiller Public Relations. We are excited to welcome Linda to our growing team and look forward to receiving her expert guidance as we work toward converging the wireless and wireline community and addressing the evolving needs of emerging technology and industry trends such as IoT and 5G. Linda is a seasoned technology sales management professional with extensive experience in the IT and telecommunications industry. In previous roles, she has demonstrated success in identifying new business opportunities and increasing revenue, delivering outstanding sales performance in highly competitive markets. As the face of NEDAS, Linda will identify new sponsorship, advertising and sales opportunities for NEDAS events as well as digital publications, Data Center POST and CloudPOST. In addition, she will be responsible for management of event sales associates and will monitor and track sales to ensure the achievement of annual revenue goals. Linda previously served as the Director of Sales and Business Development, Wireless Carriers at Uniti Fiber (formerly Tower Cloud). During her tenure, she overachieved sales quota and sold more than $1.5 million in Ethernet backhaul solutions to Tier 1 wireless carriers. Prior to this role, Linda worked with Conterra Broadband Services, FiberTower Network Services, XO Communications and British Telecom, functioning as director of sales at each organization. I look forward to leading the NEDAS team towards achieving our most successful year to date as we bring new value to the telecommunications community by providing a platform for collaboration among key wireless and wireline industry stakeholders, says Linda. It is with great excitement that I enter this new role where I will leverage my telecom sales expertise to the benefit of NEDAS. Together we will develop and execute effective strategies to increase organizational revenue and enhance sponsorship value for our NEDAS supporters. Linda will be attending ITW 2018 in Chicago, IL from May 7-9, 2018 on behalf of the Northeast DAS & Small Cell Association and iMiller Public Relations. To request a meeting with Linda at ITW 2018 please email: info@nedas.com. For more information about NEDAS, visit www.nedas.com . About Northeast DAS & Small Cell Association (NEDAS) Northeast DAS & Small Cell Association (NEDAS) is a grassroots wireless telecom association whose mission is to create a positive, nonpartisan and invigorating environment in which local industry professionals can learn, discuss, debate, socialize, collaborate with their peers, and encourage networking, public outreach and education about the DAS and Small Cell industries. For more information, visit www.nedas.com. About iMiller Public Relations iMiller Public Relations (iMPR) is a results-driven, independent public relations and content marketing consulting firm. iMPR works with global telecom and technology companies that when coalesced represent more than $100B in revenues. At the forefront of our market leadership positioning is iMPRs industry thought-leadership, where our consultative, industry-insider perspective helps clients propel their messages more effectively. Our services include: Strategic Media Relations, Digital Marketing, Product Marketing, Social Media, Event Planning, Creative and Content Development, and more. For more information, visit www.imillerpr.com. MEDIA CONTACTS Anne Whealdon iMiller Public Relations +1 866 307 2501 nedas@imillerpr.com A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://resource.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/dc78bdce-7f20-4834-95e5-7faeed9cf0af Philippines to draw up nuclear energy policy 26 April 2018 Share The Philippines Department of Energy has submitted its recommendation to the President on the country's nuclear energy policy. The policy will include a decision on the future of the mothballed Bataan nuclear power plant. The mothballed Bataan plant (Image: I Rotaru/IAEA) Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi was cited as saying by the Business World newspaper that he had "submitted the papers, the policy direction and the national policy proposal", adding that the formal transmission letter had been submitted last week. Cusi said the objective of formulating a national nuclear policy is not just to decide whether the Bataan plant should be rehabilitated, but "to find final closure" on the facility because of the 300-hectare site it occupies. "So we have to do something about it," he said. As Energy Secretary, he does not have the authority to declare the abandonment of the Bataan plant, he said, so a process would be required if that decision was taken. The first 620 MWe unit of the Bataan plant - owned by National Power Corporation - was completed in 1984 but was never fuelled or operated. The Philippines government finally paid off the cost of building the plant in April 2007. In November, Russia and the Philippines signed a cooperation agreement which included an audit and assessment of the technical condition of the mothballed Bataan plant, "including the option of its rehabilitation". The nuclear policy, Cusi said, will consider whether nuclear energy is going to be an option for the country, especially as there are already provinces "that are available [and] ready to take nuclear as a power source". He added, "We are processing it as an alternative power source." In February, following technical cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency, Cusi was cited by The Philippine Star as saying: "Based on the technical assessment, the use of nuclear technologies, including nuclear energy, is seen as a long-term energy option for the country. The possible inclusion of nuclear power in the current energy mix is consistent with the national policy towards a technology-neutral energy sector." Researched and written by World Nuclear News Related topics Namibian mine prepares for care and maintenance decision 26 April 2018 Share Paladin Energy has begun preparations at Langer Heinrich ahead of a potential decision to put the Namibian uranium mine under care and maintenance. A decision is expected within two months. Langer Heinrich (Image: Paladin) Langer Heinrich produced 3.4 million pounds U3O8 (1308 tU) in 2017 from the processing of stockpiled medium-grade ore: physical mining activities were curtailed at the end of 2016. However, these stockpiles are expected to be exhausted before mid-2019. A decision as to whether to restart physical mining, process low grade stockpiles, or place the operation on care and maintenance must be made at least six months before the stockpiles become exhausted, Paladin said. "Given the continued deterioration of macro factors, including the stubbornly low spot uranium price but also factors such as foreign exchange rates and prices of processing reagents, it's becoming less likely that the Company will be in a position to resume physical mining activity at LHM [Langer Heinrich Mine] in 2018, nor would processing low grade stockpiles be viable," the company said yesterday. "As a result, Paladin has commenced preparatory steps towards being in a position to formalise a care and maintenance decision with relevant stakeholders." Paladin believes it will be in a position to make a formal decision on care and maintenance within the next two months, subject to receiving any necessary approvals and completing preparatory initiatives. Consultations with relevant stakeholders including government, customers, joint-venture partners and employee representatives, and other preparations including changes in certain supplier arrangements and staffing, have already begun, the company said. Uranium production would cease one to two months after a decision is made. Paladin CEO Alex Molyneux said the uranium market had failed to recover since the Fukushima accident of 2011, with average spot prices so far this year the lowest in 15 years. "It's deeply distressing to have to consider suspending operations at LHM because of the consequences for our employees, and the broader community. However, as there has yet to be a sustainable recovery in the uranium market, and with the aim of preserving maximum long-term value for all stakeholders, it is clearly prudent to consider these difficult actions," he said. Western Australia-based Paladin entered administration in mid-2017 but recommenced trading on the Australian Securities Exchange in February, following the successful completion of a recapitalisation which saw Deutsche Bank become the company's biggest shareholder after buying debt in the former entity from French creditor EDF. The company's Kayelekera mine in northern Malawi has been under care and maintenance since 2014. Researched and written by World Nuclear News Related topics Earnings Release: Tuesday, May 1, 2018, After Market Close Conference Call and Webcast: Wednesday, May 2, 2018, at 8:30 a.m. ET MONACO, April 26, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Costamare Inc. (NYSE:CMRE), announced today that it will release its results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2018 after the market closes in New York on Tuesday, May 1, 2018. Conference Call Details: On Wednesday, May 2, 2018 at 8:30 a.m. ET, Costamares management team will hold a conference call to discuss the financial results. Participants should dial into the call 10 minutes before the scheduled time using the following numbers: 1-844-887-9405 (from the US), 0808-238-9064 (from the UK) or +1-412-317-9258 (from outside the US). Please quote "Costamare". A replay of the conference call will be available until May 9, 2018. The United States replay number is +1-877-344-7529; the standard international replay number is +1-412-317-0088; and the access code required for the replay is: 10119948. Live Webcast: There will also be a simultaneous live webcast over the Internet, through the Costamare Inc. website (www.costamare.com) under the Investors section. Participants to the live webcast should register on the website approximately 10 minutes prior to the start of the webcast. About Costamare Inc. Costamare Inc. is one of the worlds leading owners and providers of containerships for charter. The Company has 44 years of history in the international shipping industry and a fleet of 71 containerships, with a total capacity of approximately 466,000 TEU, including one newbuild containership on order. Eighteen of the Companys containerships, including the one newbuild, have been acquired pursuant to the Framework Deed with York Capital Management by vessel-owning joint venture entities in which we hold a minority equity interest. The Companys common stock, Series B Preferred Stock, Series C Preferred Stock, Series D Preferred Stock and Series E Preferred Stock trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbols CMRE, CMRE PR B, CMRE PR C, CMRE PR D and CMRE PR E, respectively. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify these statements by forward-looking words such as believe, intend, anticipate, estimate, project, forecast, plan, potential, may, should, could and expect and similar expressions. These statements are not historical facts but instead represent only the Companys belief regarding future results, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of the Companys control. It is possible that actual results may differ, possibly materially, from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements. For a discussion of some of the risks and important factors that could affect future results, see the discussion in the Companys Annual Report on Form 20-F (File No. 001-34934) under the caption Risk Factors. Company Contacts: Gregory Zikos - Chief Financial Officer Konstantinos Tsakalidis - Business Development, Investor Relations Craig Breen says he feels sharp ahead of his return to the driving seat of a Citroen C3 WRC at this weekends YPF Rally Argentina (26-29 April). Despite scoring a career-best second place at February's Rally Sweden, the Irishman was forced to sit out Rally Guanajuato Mexico and Corsica linea - Tour de Corse as he made way for the returning Sebastien Loeb. Breen has tried to stay active while hes been away to ensure hes ready for action when the rally gets underway. Ive done a lot of karting. Ive been at the track for a day or two every week during the last fortnight, he explained. When I got back in the C3 I felt pretty sharp. The speed wasnt an issue. Breens two-month WRC absence was his longest spell away from competition since he was eight-years-old. He admitted its was tough to watch from the sidelines. Craig Breen claimed a career-high second at Rally Sweden I tried not to pay any attention to it but I couldnt, its in the blood, he said. Missing Corsica was particularly hard. I live and breathe that event I love it so it was pretty tough to sit that one out. One consolation for Breen is that his recent inactivity means he will start lower down the road order for Fridays seven stages in Argentina. However, he doesnt have much experience at the South American event. His debut there ended after four stages last year because of a gearbox issue. Having seen the stages on the recce earlier this week, he said: Its definitely quite loose on some stages because of the rain in the last few days so we can definitely take some advantage. But Im going to lose some of that advantage because of a lack of experience. Im probably the only person in the WRC field that hasnt completed Argentina before so its going to be tricky. Head to WRC+ to watch All Live from YPF Rally Argentina, including every stage broadcast live, breaking service park news and expert studio analysis. Video More News Careers Wales promotes importance of Welsh language to local primary school pupils This article is old - Published: Thursday, Apr 26th, 2018 Over 160 primary school pupils recently gathered at the first ever event hosted by Careers Wales aimed solely at primary school pupils, highlighting the opportunities that the Welsh language can give to young people. Teams of year six pupils from four Wrexham schools, including Ysgol Hooson, Ysgol Hafod, Ysgol Penycae CP, and Ysgol Maes y Mynydd took part in the event. Held at Ysgol y Grango, Rhosllanerchrugog, the schools taking part in the event were piloting an initiative jointly planned by Wrexham County Borough Council, Careers Wales and a representative from the schools to support Wrexhams Welsh in Education Strategic Plan (WESP). The pupils attending had the chance to speak about Welsh-speaking opportunities with workers from organisations including: Scottish Power Energy Networks Principality Building Society Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board Welsh Water DFS4 /Big Ideas Wales role model Wrexham County Borough Council Excell Supply Coleg Cambria Menter Iaith The Presbyterian Church The speed-networking event saw individual groups of pupils spend 10-minute sessions with each group of employees, and quiz them on details such as their day-to-day work, how much they use Welsh during their working day and the sort of skills and qualifications needed to fulfil their role. Following the event, pupils will prepare a presentation during their school lessons based on the benefits of being able to speak Welsh in the workplace. Prizes will be awarded to pupils who create the best poster, Powerpoint presentation and best audio-visual presentation. Cllr Phil Wynn, Lead Member for Education, said: As part our Welsh Education Strategic Plan (WESP), we want to do everything we can to encourage more people to learn Welsh be that through traditional education, or other wider channels outside of the classroom setting. But as well as teaching pupils Welsh, we also want to show them how learning Welsh can benefit them later in life and can open doors in the workplace. With that in mind we wanted to give them the chance to speak to people who use Welsh in their day-to-day work and give them an insight into how bilingualism can be a real benefit when it comes to paid employment. Id like to thank everyone who took part in the days event, schools and employers alike. Graham Bowd, chief executive of Careers Wales, said: The use of Welsh in the workplace has become more prominent over the last few years, with employers viewing it as an increasingly valuable skill among their employees. If the number of Welsh speakers in Wales continues to grow in line with the governments aim to increase this number to one million by 2050, the demand for a bilingual workforce will inevitably grow, too. By targeting pupils from both English and Welsh medium schools, our aim was to encourage pupils in English-speaking schools to consider taking Welsh as GCSE and A-Level options, while highlighting the need for native welsh speakers to continue speaking the language. Native welsh speakers shouldnt underestimate the advantages that bilingualism could bring to their future careers. For more information on Careers Wales services visit www.careerswales.com. Videos: Group marches & congregates outside Wrexham courts to show support for Alfie Evans This article is old - Published: Thursday, Apr 26th, 2018 Update: A march through the town centre and gathering took place this evening as planned, with videos broadcast online as below. The father of Alfie has issued a statement this evening thanking supporters, and asking them to return to your everyday lives. He said: Our lives have been turned upside down by the intense focus on Alfie and his situation. Our little family along with Alder Hey has become the centre of attention for many people around the world and it has meant we have not been able to live our lives as we would like. We are very grateful and we appreciate all the support we have received from around the world, including from our Italian and Polish supporters, who have dedicated their time and support to our incredible fight. We would now ask you to return to your everyday lives and allow myself, Kate and Alder Hey to form a relationship, build a bridge and walk across it. We also wish to thank Alder Hey staff at every level for their dignity and professionalism during what must be an incredibly difficult time for them too. Together we recognise the strains recent events have put upon us all, and we now wish for privacy for everyone concerned. In Alfies interests we will work with his treating team on a plan that provides our boy with the dignity and comfort he needs. From this point onwards there will be no more statements issued, or interviews given. We hope you will respect this. Original information from this morning below A protest is planned for later today outside of Wrexham Law Courts on Bodhyfryd. The group are supporting seriously ill 23-month-old Alfie Evans. Alfies treatment at Alder Hey hospital in Liverpool and various legal battles have recently made UK and international news. The group are due to gather outside of the Wrexham Law Courts at 6pm, with the protest explained to us as: taking place to show the love Wrexham as a town has for the little boy Alfie Evans and to put the message to the courts to let the little boy go home with his parents We asked why the courts was chosen as the location, and have been told: The courts was chosen as the location as there is no houses near by where we wont be causing a nuisance to other people Organisers added publicly: We are not wanting to start a war, we want to show our love and support to this strong little boy hopefully will see you all there blue balloons few songs and a march for the precious beautiful young man. Online Facebook has been the main vehicle for supporters, along with a separate 250,000 name petition asking to the Queen to intervene in the case in what has become a polarising issue. Yesterday a request to move Alfie to Italy for treatment was rejected, and an attempt at a private prosecution against 3 doctors with the charge of conspiracy to murder was also revealed in court. This morning the BBC are reporting Alfies parents will meet with doctors later to discuss taking him home. Investment of approximately $3.7 million by Goldcorp Inc. to acquire a 14% interest Creation of Quebec Precious Metals Corporation, a new James Bay-focused gold exploration company controlling 942 km 2 (see Figure 1): (see Figure 1): Transaction combining proven team with access to capital, and gold assets Sphinx Resources focuses on zinc MONTREAL, April 26, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Matamec Explorations Inc. (Matamec) (TSX-V:MAT), Canada Strategic Metals Inc. (Canada Strategic) (TSX-V:CJC) and Sphinx Resources Ltd. (Sphinx) (TSX-V:SFX) are pleased to announce that Canada Strategic and Matamec have agreed to a business combination by way of court approved plan of arrangement (the Arrangement) to create a new James Bay-focused gold exploration company (to be named Quebec Precious Metals Corporation (the Name Change), herein referred to as QPM). In addition to and immediately prior to and conditional on the successful Arrangement, Canada Strategic will acquire Sphinxs three (3) gold projects by way of an asset purchase, including the 50% interest of Sphinx in the Cheechoo-Eleonore Trend project and also the other 50% interest in such project held by Sirios Resources Inc. (Sirios) (TSX-V:SOI). In connection with the Arrangement, Goldcorp Inc. (Goldcorp) will invest to acquire a 14% interest in QPM (Canada Strategic) under a subscription agreement executed as at the date hereof between Canada Strategic and Goldcorp whereby on or about June 18, 2018, Goldcorp will subscribe for 6,068,787 subscription receipts of Canada Strategic (the Subscription Receipt) at a price of $0.61 per Subscription Receipt for gross proceeds of C$ 3,701,960 (the Goldcorp Investment). Each Subscription Receipt shall automatically be converted upon the closing of the Arrangement, for no additional consideration and on a post-consolidation basis (see below for more details on the proposed consolidation of the share capital of Canada Strategic), into a unit of QPM (Canada Strategic) (the Unit) at a price of C$0.61 per Unit representing a pre-share consolidation and share exchange premium of 41% to the 20-day volume weighted average price (VWAP) of Canada Strategic on the TSX Venture Exchange (TSX-V) prior to the announcement of the Arrangement. Each Unit will be comprised of one common share (on post-consolidation basis) of QPM (Canada Strategic) and one half of one common share purchase warrant, with each whole warrant (a Warrant) exercisable to acquire one additional post-consolidated common share of QPM (Canada Strategic) at a price of $0.85 per common share for a period of two (2) years from closing of the transaction. The pricing of the Subscription Receipt of Canada Strategic on a pre-consolidation basis is equal to C$0.1466 and to C$0.2043 for the Warrant. The closing of the Goldcorp Investment is conditional on numerous conditions customary to this type of transaction including, notably, the completion of the Arrangement, Canada Strategic raising gross proceeds of a minimum of $5,000,000 under the Subscription Receipt offering (including the Goldcorp Investment) (the Minimum Raise), Canada Strategic acquiring a 100% in the Cheechoo-Eleonore Trend project, the execution of a subscription receipt agreement with Computershare Trust Company of Canada governing the issuance of the Subscription Receipts, any amounts owing to insiders of Matamec and of Canada Strategic by both companies, as applicable, being paid in common shares of QPM (Canada Strategic) (the Shares for Debt) and the execution of an investor rights agreement between Canada Strategic and Goldcorp (the Investor Rights Agreement) where, for as long as Goldcorp holds 7.5% or greater of the outstanding common shares of QPM (Canada Strategic), Goldcorp will have certain rights, including: the right to participate in any future equity financings undertaken by QPM in order to allow Goldcorp to maintain its then percentage ownership interest in QPM; the right to acquire such additional number of QPM Shares in future financings undertaken by QPM such that Goldcorps ownership percentage on closing of such financing would equal up to 19.9% (on a non-diluted basis); the right of first refusal to match any third party offers regarding non-equity financings, including, a tolling arrangement, streaming arrangement, royalty sale or other non-equity financing for the purpose of funding the future exploration and development of any of QPMs projects now owned or after acquired; and the right to request that QPM form a technical committee and the right to appoint 50% of the members of such committee which shall be comprised of a minimum of four (4) members. The above rights shall automatically terminate and be or no further force or effect upon Goldcorp ceasing to beneficially own more than 7.5% of the issued and outstanding QPM common shares (on an undiluted basis). Accordingly, Goldcorp will be acquiring beneficial ownership of: (i) 6,068,787 Common Shares, representing approximately 14.0% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares following the completion of the Arrangement on a post-consolidation basis; and (ii) 3,034,393 Warrants representing approximately 5.2% of the issued and outstanding warrants of the Company. Should Goldcorp exercise all of the Warrants, Goldcorp would hold 8,560,183 Common Shares representing approximately 19.2% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares (on a partially diluted basis). Prior to this acquisition Goldcorp did not own any securities of Canada Strategic. Goldcorp is acquiring the beneficial interest in the securities for investment purposes. Goldcorp will evaluate its investment in QPM from time to time and may, based on such evaluation, market conditions and other circumstances, increase or decrease shareholdings as circumstances require. The exemption relied on by the Company for the sale of the Subscription Receipts to Goldcorp was Section 2.3 of National Instrument 45-106 - Prospectus Exemptions. Goldcorp will be filing an early warning report in connection with the acquisition which will be filed on Canada Strategics SEDAR profile. Goldcorps head office is located at Suite 3400 - 666 Burrard St. Vancouver, BC, V6C 2X8. The Arrangement and the Goldcorp Investment are referred to as the Transaction. Highlights of the Transaction The Transaction offers a number of positive benefits to the shareholders of Canada Strategic, Matamec and Sphinx, including, among others, the following: Execution of a gold consolidation strategy with a highly prospective land package: The business combination will result in QPM being a well-capitalized company with a large land position and significant holdings in the highly prospective Eeyou Istchee James Bay region, Quebec, near Goldcorps Eleonore gold mine. The land package contains high quality early stage exploration gold targets. Key shareholder support: Goldcorp is expected to hold approximately 14% of QPM on an undiluted basis following completion of the Transaction. Pursuant to the Investor Rights Agreement, Goldcorp and QPM shall have the right to form a technical committee to allow QPM to benefit from Goldcorps technical expertise and knowledge of the region. Proven management team and Board with access to capital: The QPM management team and Board have proven and extensive mine finding and development experience and demonstrated capabilities in the financing, acquisition, and development of mines. They have high visibility in the mining industry and significant relationships with key sector investors and analysts that should help to attract strong retail and institutional support. The ability of this team should be a catalyst for development of the QPM business. Well-defined drill-ready targets: QPM will own the Sakami gold project with recent drill intercepts showing significant gold mineralization up to 35 m in true thickness and grades ranging from 1 to 5 g/t gold which has been derived from exploration on a small portion of 700 m by 300 m and up to a down-plunge length of 450 m (see press releases of Canada Strategic and Matamec of February 8, 2018). Through further drilling, QPM intends to rapidly advance the Sakami project to mineral resource estimate and pursue additional identified exploration targets. Premium to Matamec and Canada Strategic shareholders: The Transaction provides Canada Strategic and Matamec shareholders with premiums of 41% and 32% respectively to the VWAP of the respective shares on the TSXV ending prior to the announcement of the Transaction. Canada Strategic, Matamec and Sphinx believe this platform provides a good basis for share price re-rating based on QPM's size, diversity of assets and broader shareholder base. A platform for future consolidation: QPM, with quality gold exploration assets and a key shareholder, will be in a good position to attract additional growth opportunities. QPM will be headquartered in Montreal. Completion of the Transaction is subject to the approval of the Arrangement by the Quebec Superior Court and the shareholders of Matamec, approval of the Canada Strategic Consolidation (as defined below) by the shareholders of Canada Strategic, and TSX-V approval. Sphinx will become a pure-play zinc-focused exploration company where it is developing attractive zinc projects in the Grenville geological province located in southern Quebec. Management of QPM will seek to monetize non-gold assets following the completion of the Transaction. Figure 1 Map indicating Territory to be Held by Quebec Precious Metals is available at http://resource.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/a3ee06a9-d5f5-49ab-98e2-3d7c2da95257 Team The transaction brings together a highly experienced mining industry team composed of John W.W. Hick, as Chair of the new board of directors, Francois Biron, as Vice-Chair of the board, and Jean-Francois Meilleur, Normand Champigny, Jean-Sebastien Lavallee, Jean-Raymond Lavallee and Michel Gauthier as directors. Management changes will see Jean-Francois Meilleur, appointed President and Normand Champigny appointed Chief Executive Officer of QPM, respectively. Jean-Francois Meilleur, President and Chief Executive Officer of Canada Strategic, stated: We are very pleased to announce today's strategic combination of companies and exploration assets and the investment by Goldcorp. This transaction provides an excellent opportunity for Canada Strategic, Matamec and Sphinx shareholders to combine assets with strong access to capital, and our management groups experience and track record. With the successful conclusion of this deal, QPM will focus on gold exploration in the Eeyou Istchee James Bay territory. Francois Biron, Interim President and Chief Executive Officer of Matamec, stated: We are enthusiastic to be joining forces with Canada Strategic, a critical step that will help move the Sakami project to the resource estimation stage. The combination of the teams and projects with Canada Strategic and Sphinx with the significant investment by Goldcorp will be beneficial for the shareholders of the three companies. Normand Champigny, President and Chief Executive Officer of Sphinx, commented that, The transaction is expected to provide QPM with required funds to accelerate the drilling at Sakami and confirm what we believe to be its multi-million ounce potential, and to further explore the other projects of the Eeyou Istchee James Bay territory portfolio. Particulars of the Arrangement In connection with the Arrangement, Matamec shareholders will receive 0.267697315 of a common share of Canada Strategic (on a post-consolidation basis) in exchange for each common share of Matamec (on a post-consolidated basis as per the terms of the Arrangement). As part the Arrangement, the common shares of Canada Strategic and common shares of Matamec will each be consolidated on the basis of one post-consolidation share for each 4.16 pre-consolidation shares (the consolidation of the common shares of Canada Strategic is referred to as the Canada Strategic Consolidation and the consolidation of the common shares of Matamec is referred to as the Matamec Consolidation). The Matamec Consolidation forms part of the Arrangement whereas the Canada Strategic Consolidation shall be approved by way of a special resolution of the shareholders of Canada Strategic at the Canada Strategic Meeting (as defined below). The approval and completion of the Canada Strategic Consolidation is a condition of the completion of the Arrangement. The Arrangement includes customary deal-protection provisions including a mutual $250,000 termination fee in certain circumstances. In relation to the Sphinx Asset Purchase, Canada Strategic has agreed to issue to Sphinx 1,200,000 common shares of QPM (on a post-consolidation basis) for the purchase of an undivided 100% interest in Sphinxs Chemin Troilus and Somanike project and its 50% interest in the Cheechoo Eleonore Trend project. In relation to the Sirios Asset Purchase, Canada Strategic has agreed to offer Sirios 300,000 common shares of QPM (on a post-consolidation basis) for the purchase of its undivided 50% interest in the Cheechoo Eleonore Trend project. Upon completion of the Arrangement, the Consolidation and the Minimum Raise, Goldcorp will hold approximately 14% of the issued and outstanding common shares of QPM on a non-diluted basis and 19.2% on a partially diluted basis, assuming full exercise of the Warrants issued to Goldcorp under the Goldcorp Investment. On completion of the Transaction and the Minimum Raise, QPM (Canada Strategic) will have approximately 47.4 million common shares issued and outstanding, and Canada Strategic shareholders will own 57.1%, Matamec shareholders will own 20.5%, Goldcorp 14%, Sphinx 2.8% and Sirios 0.7% of such common shares on an undiluted basis, with the balance being held by additional participants to the Subscription Receipt offering. Canada Strategic's financial advisor is Canaccord Genuity Corp., and its legal counsel is Fasken Martineau DuMoulin S.E.N.C.R.L., s.r.l. Canaccord Genuity Corp., provided an opinion to Canada Strategic's Board of Directors that, as of the date thereof and subject to the assumptions, limitations and qualifications set out therein, the Arrangement is fair, from a financial point of view, to the shareholders of Canada Strategic. The Board of Directors of Canada Strategic has unanimously approved the Transaction and recommend that Canada Strategic shareholders vote in favour of the resolution approving the Canada Strategic Consolidation and Name Change. Matamec's financial advisor is Sprott Capital Partners, a division of Sprott Private Wealth LP, and its legal counsel is McCarthy Tetrault LLP. Sprott Capital Partners provided an opinion to Matamec's Board of Directors that, as of the date thereof and subject to the assumptions, limitations and qualifications set out therein, the Arrangement is fair, from a financial point of view, to the shareholders of Matamec. The Board of Directors of Matamec has unanimously approved the Transaction and recommend that Matamec shareholders vote in favour of the resolution approving the Arrangement. Sphinxs financial advisor is Paradigm Capital Inc., and its legal counsel is Osler Hoskin & Harcourt S.E.N.C.R.L., s.r.I. The Board of Directors of Sphinx, on the Arrangement recommendation of its independent Special Committee, has unanimously approved the sale of Sphinxs three (3) gold projects by way of the Sphinx Asset Purchase to Canada Strategic conditional on the completion of the Transaction. Shareholders Approvals The closing of the Arrangement is subject to conditions customary to this type of transaction including a requirement to obtain 66 2/3% support from the shareholders of Canada Strategic and Matamec, present in person or represented by proxy at the Canada Strategic Meeting or the Matamec Meeting (as defined below), for the respective items submitted for approval as described below. As mentioned above, the closing of the Arrangement is a condition to the completion of the Goldcorp Investment. At the Canada Strategic Meeting scheduled for on or about June 14, 2018, the shareholders of Canada Strategic will be asked to approve, by way of special resolutions: (i) the Canada Strategic Consolidation and (ii) the Name Change. The approval of the Name Change is not a condition precedent to the completion of the Transaction. At the Matamec Meeting scheduled for on or about June 14, 2018 (the Matamec Meeting), Matamec shareholders will be asked to approve the Arrangement by way of special resolution. Full details of the Arrangement (including the Matamec Share Consolidation forming part of the Arrangement), Goldcorp Investment, Name Change, Canada Strategic Consolidation, the Sphinx Asset Purchase, the Sirios Asset Purchase and Shares for Debt transaction will be included in the joint management information circular of Canada Strategic and Matamec describing the matters to be considered at the Canada Strategic Meeting and Matamec Meeting, respectively, which is expected to be mailed to the Canada Strategic shareholders and Matamec shareholders by mid-May 2018 and made available on SEDAR under the issuer profiles of each of Canada Strategic and Matamec at www.sedar.com. Offering Including Minimum Raise In connection with the Transaction, an agreement has been entered into with Canaccord, Sprott Capital and Paradigm (the Agents) in connection with the completion, on a best efforts, of a private placement offering (the Offering), including the Minimum Raise and the Goldcorp Investment, of subscription receipts. The Offering may include the issuance of securities of Canada Strategic (QPM) issued on a super flow-through or flow-through basis and will include the Goldcorp Investment (the Offered Securities). In connection with the Offering, the Agents will be entitled to a cash fee in an amount equal to 6.0% of the gross proceeds of the Offering. As additional consideration, the Agents will receive common share purchase warrants (the Broker Warrants) entitling the Agents to subscribe for 6.0% of the aggregate number of Offered Securities placed in the Offering. Subject to regulatory approval, each Broker Warrant will be exercisable to acquire one Offered Security at a price equal to the issue price under the Offering for a period of 24 months following closing. Conference Call Information Canada Strategic, Matamec and Sphinx will host a conference call on Thursday April 26, 2018 at 14:00 pm EDT, to discuss the details of the combination. Those interested in participating in the conference call (listening mode only) should dial in approximately five to ten minutes before the start of the conference to allow ample time to access at +1-888-527-2162 (North American toll free), or +1-416-620-2162 (international), access code 7826663. The conference call replay will be available from 14:00 EDT on Friday April 27, 2018 until 23:59 EDT on May 11, 2018 with the following dial in number: +1-888-527-2162, access code 7826663. Qualified Person Jean-Sebastien Lavallee (OGQ #773), geologist, shareholder, Executive Chairman and Exploration Manager of Canada Strategic and a Qualified Person under NI 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical content of this release. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities 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 Canada Strategic Metals Inc. Canada Strategic Metals is an emerging company focused on the exploration and development of a number of projects covering over 57,084 hectares in Quebec. With broad management experience in green technology and junior resource exploration and development, Canada Strategic Metals is well positioned to aggressively advance this promising property portfolio for its shareholders. About Matamec Explorations Inc. Located in Montreal (Quebec), Matamec Explorations Inc. is a junior mining exploration company in which primary activities are oriented on the development of gold assets. Matamecs main focus is on the SAKAMI gold property (50%), in proximity to the Eleonore Mine (in James Bay, QC); Opinaca Gold West (100%), located in the Quebec Plan Nord region in similar geological settings as established gold-producing mines; and the Casa-Detour property (100%), located east of the Burntbush property of Detour Gold Corp. Matamec has two other gold projects in Ontario, Matheson JV (50%) and Pelangio (100%) located near the Hoyle Pond Mine in Timmins. Matamecs other mining projects include key elements for technologies related to energy containing, among others, lithium (Tansim-under option), Cobalt (Fabre-100% owned), nickel (Vulcain-100% owned) and rare earths (Kipawa-72% owned by Matamec). The Kipawa Heavy Rare Earth Elements (HREE) project is a joint venture owned at 72% by Matamec and 28% by Ressources Quebec (acting as agent of the Government of Quebec). Toyota Tsusho Corp. of Nagoya, Japan holds a 10% royalty on net profit from the deposit. About Quebec and Sphinx Resources Ltd. Quebec has established itself as one of the worlds most attractive mining jurisdictions, ranking 6th globally (Fraser Institute press release, February 22 2018). The Quebec government has created market confidence by following a proactive approach to mining policy. Quebecs mining sector has also been encouraged by the clarity and certainty of the legal and regulatory framework adopted by its government. Sphinx is engaged in the generation and acquisition of exploration projects in Quebec. For further information on Canada Strategic please contact: Jean-Francois Meilleur President and Chief Executive Officer Tel: 514.952.2730 Email: jfmeilleur@csmetals.ca Paradox Public Relations Tel: +1.514.341.0408 For further information on Matamec please contact: Francois Biron President per Interim and Chief Executive Officer Tel: 514.953.9356 Email: info@matamec.com For further information on Sphinx please contact: Normand Champigny President and Chief Executive Officer Tel: 514.979.4746 Email: nchampigny@sphinxresources.ca This news release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that involves discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as "expects", or "does not expect", "is expected", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans", "budget", "scheduled", "forecasts", "estimates", "believes" or "intends" or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results "may" or "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. In this news release, forward-looking statements relate, among other things, to: the anticipated benefits of the Arrangement to Canada Strategic and Canada Strategic shareholders; the anticipated benefits of the Arrangement to Matamec and Matamec shareholders; the exchange ratio and value of the Canada Strategic Shares being delivered as arrangement consideration; the market capitalization of Canada Strategic following the completion of the Arrangement; the timing and receipt of the required shareholder, court, stock exchange and regulatory approvals for the Arrangement; the timing and ability of Canada Strategic and Matamec to satisfy the conditions precedent to completing the Arrangement; the anticipated timing for mailing the joint management information circular to the Canada Strategic shareholders and Matamec shareholders in respect of the matters to be considered by such shareholders at the Canada Strategic Meeting and Matamec Meeting, as the case may be, in respect of the Arrangement; the closing of the Arrangement; the Goldcorp Investment; the timing and receipt of the required stock exchange and regulatory approvals for the Arrangement; the length of the current market cycle and requirements for an issuer to survive in the current market cycle; future growth potential of Canada Strategic and their respective business; and future exploration plans. These forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions and estimates of management of Canada Strategic and Matamec, as the case may be, at the time such statements were made. Actual future results may differ materially as forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Canada Strategic or Matamec, as the case may be, to materially differ from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors, among other things, include: satisfaction or waiver of all applicable conditions to closing of the Arrangement (including receipt of all necessary shareholder, court, stock exchange and regulatory approvals or consents and the absence of material changes with respect to the parties and their respective businesses, all as more particularly set forth in the Arrangement agreement); the synergies expected from the Arrangement not being realized; business integration risks; fluctuations in general macroeconomic conditions; fluctuations in securities markets and the market price of Canada Strategic and Matamec Shares; the satisfaction or waiver of all applicable conditions to closing of the transaction (including receipt of all necessary stock exchange and regulatory approvals or consents); fluctuations in spot and forward prices of gold, silver, base metals or certain other commodities; fluctuations in currency markets (such as the Canadian dollar to United States dollar exchange rate); change in national and local government, legislation, taxation, controls, regulations and political or economic developments; risks and hazards associated with the business of mineral exploration; inability to obtain adequate insurance to cover risks and hazards; the presence of laws and regulations that may impose restrictions on mining; employee relations; relationships with and claims by local communities and indigenous populations; availability of increasing costs associated with mining inputs and labour; the speculative nature of mineral exploration (including the risks of obtaining necessary licenses, permits and approvals from government authorities); and title to properties or projects. In addition, the failure of a party to comply with the terms of the Arrangement agreement may result in that party being required to pay a noncompletion or other fee to the other party, the result of which could have a material adverse effect on the paying party's financial position and results of operations and its ability to fund growth prospects and current operations. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management of Canada Strategic, Matamec and/or Sphinx, as the case may be, believes, or believed at the time, to be reasonable assumptions, Canada Strategic, Matamec and/or Sphinx, as the case may be, cannot assure shareholders that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking statements, as there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Readers should not place undue reliance on the forwardlooking statements and information contained in this news release. Except as required by law, Canada Strategic, Matamec and Sphinx assume no obligation to update the forwardlooking statements of beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change, except as required by law. 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. Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn has committed any future government he heads to inaugurate St Georges Day, April 23, as a national holiday. Corbyn told the Communications Workers Union conference in Bournemouth that he would seek agreement with the Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish administrations for UK-wide national holidays marking the patron saintsSt David, St Andrew, St Patrick and St George. The aim would be to give Britains workers the break they deserve and bring our four nations together. Corbyns references to fairness, inclusivity and social justice to describe his proposal cannot disguise the fact that it is a significant concession to the right wing, with wholly reactionary implications. St Andrews and St Patricks Days are already national holidays in Scotland and Ireland. It is the proposal to restore St Georges Day as a national holiday that is the most significant aspect of the proposaland deliberately so. St George is a Christian martyr and military figure associated with the Crusades, who is the patron saint of some 25 countries. He became the patron saint of England in the 14th century, held up as the quintessential example of English chivalry and bravery as evoked by Shakespeare in Henry V call to battle, Cry God for Harry, England, and Saint George! A national feast day to mark the occasion was begun in 1415 but fell out of use after the Acts of Union between England and Scotland in 1707. The most significant factor in the declining fortunes of St George was the spread of socialist ideas at the head of a militant, unified movement of the working class. Advanced workers looked not to national pride but the class struggle as the real basis for social improvement. This meant that, for much of contemporary history, St George has been associated with right-wing political extremism. Corbyns proposal is a repudiation of this socialist tradition and an open embrace of populist nationalism. This is not changed one iota by Corbyns sermonising over how Labour will never allow people to be divided on the basis of race or religion, or that as the message of our movement has it, unity is strength. Far from overcoming the divisions between the four nations of the UK caused by the damaging and divisive policies of this Conservative government, the assertion of English nationalism will do the opposite. As for ending the pandering to a rich elite at the top and their attempts to divide the rest of us, the adoption of national identity as the basis for social cohesiveness is designed to conceal the fundamental class issues and provide a political vehicle for an aggressive reassertion of British imperialisms interests, made all the more necessary by the crisis over Brexit. Corbyns proposal was made just after the English Labour Network (ELN) published a report attacking the party for being ashamed to assert English national pride. The demand for Labour to promote an English national identity has long been made by sections of the partys right wing under the banner, Flag, faith and family. Associated with the Blue Labour group led by Maurice Glasman, Liam Byrne and Jon Cruddas, it is touted as a means of dealing with the constitutional implications of Scottish and Welsh devolution, as well as combating the influence of the British National Party (BNP) and the UK Independence Party (UKIP). Cruddas and Byrne are now leading lights in the English Labour Network, established in 2017 to promote the distinct political identity of England and the creation of an English parliament. The BNP and UKIP have both collapsed. As for an English identity, the ELN report acknowledges that there is very little real English nationalism, and that debates over an English parliament are primarily about how democracy should work for all the people who live in England, not just the people who feel English. None of this matters to the ELN. Its authors are some of the leading figures in Tony Blairs New Labour, which repudiated any connection to the working class as it was transformed into the preferred party of big business and the City of London. Their real concern is the promotion of national unity under conditions in which the traditional parties and institutions of bourgeois rule are breaking down under the impact of social tensions. For the ELN, Englishness is shorthand for the white, working classwho it is routinely asserted proved to be irredeemably racist and nationalist by voting to leave the European Union in the Brexit referendum. Labour, therefore, can only win over Englands equivalents of the basket of deplorables by adopting their supposed fixation on national pride. On April 18, ELN launched a briefing for Labour Party activists, For Labour, England and St George, on why national identity is important and why the left has much to gain and nothing to lose from progressive patriotism. Putting forward practical suggestions on ways of engaging with English identity, including the celebration of St Georges Day, it complained that Labour has cut itself off from a sense of national pride in England due to misplaced fears that this will appeal to, or even strengthen, far right extremists. Trailing Corbyns announcement of four new national holidays, it asserted that to win government, Labour needs to win England and more votes from people who have a strong sense of English identity. In an insecure, uncertain world people still want a sense of shared identity. Often, people are turning to identities based on the place they live and the nation they belong to. In a very unequal society where many feel they dont have a voice and are not listened to it can be a powerful voice for change. The sense of national identity is often strongest amongst people who feel they are doing less well in a fast-changing world: they are people Labour should not only aim to represent but to help transform their lives and opportunities. Changing the conditions of inequality and insecurity faced by working people would require, at its minimum, far-reaching and radical measures to break the monopoly of the super-rich over economic and political life. The briefing acknowledges, England is a divided nation: divided by wealth and incomeby social class, race and faith. But on the class divide, there is not a single practical suggestion and not even the pretence of any redistributive measures. Instead it insists that the majority share a common interest in building an economy and a society that works for the common good, and complains, Across Europe, the populist right has been much more effective at tapping into this politics of people, nation and place. The left is accused of making things too easy for the populist right by failing to respect national identity Labour must respect those who identify as English and wants Labour to stand up for people like them. The briefing is interspersed with statements such as Labour should always reflect the majority view that Englishness is not a white, ethnic, identity and all communities feel welcome to participate. These caveats are worthless. There is nothing to distinguish the ELNs proposals from those of Frances National Front, the Alternative for Germany or the numerous populist parties in Europe promoting national pride. The real measure of Corbyns proposal is made clear by Nigel Farage, former UKIP leader, on his LBC radio talk show. Farage had long campaigned for St Georges Day to be a national holiday. A gentle form of nationalism is not a bad thing, but it is about degrees, he opined cynically. Asking rhetorically whether Corbyns proposal meant he has converted himself? he said, We should reclaim it [St Georges Day] and be proud of it, regardless of what our intellectual classes think. Press Release 26 April 2018 Crossword Cybersecurity plc ("Crossword'' or the ''Company'') Final Results Crossword Cybersecurity Plc (NEX: CCS), the technology commercialisation company focusing exclusively on the cyber security sector, today announces its Final Results for the year ended 31 December 2017. Highlights for the period Generated 737k of revenue in 2016 vs 345k in 2016, recording revenue growth of over 113%, as we continue to accelerate sales activity, whilst still investing significantly in product R&D Launched Rizikon Assurance, a GDPR Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solution based on a recurring revenue model, designed to enable medium and large companies to assess and monitor the cyber security risks of their large supplier base. Launched a major initiative, CyberAI, applying leading edge Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning techniques to real world cyber security challenges with academic researchers from MIT, Imperial College and Edinburgh University and four major companies: a global investment bank, a FTSE 100 retail bank, a multinational insurance company and a big four professional services firm. CyberOwl, the spin out from Coventry University funded by Mercia Fund Management that Crossword created, is making strong progress and raised a further 750k from Mercia and Coventry University Created a spin out company called ByzGen, based around blockchain research work with Warwick University and EPFL in Switzerland, attracting 500k of funding from RFS Ltd. Appointed Rob Johnson as Chief Operating Officer from Mercia Technologies, the AIM listed tech transfer business, where he managed the software and internet investments General Nick Houghton, Baron Houghton of Richmond, former Chief of Defence Staff of the British Armed Forces joined as a senior adviser bringing his considerable knowledge of global security issues to the company as we start to consider international expansion. Raised 145k in May 2017 at a subscription price of 2.30 Post period end highlights Appointed Ruth Anderson as a Non-Executive Director with over 15 years of experience in security, intelligence, cybercrime, and risk management. She is currently Head of IT and Cyber Risk at Lloyds Banking Group and was previously a director of Cyber in the Financial Service Department of KPMG Raised 2.16m in two successful placings and subscriptions at a price of 2.70 in March 2018 Commenting on the results, Tom Ilube, CEO of Crossword Cybersecurity PLC, said "2017 was another excellent growth year for Crossword. We are starting to see our commercial activity yielding positive results, with Rizikon well positioned to capitalise on the introduction of GDPR. We have invested in our sales team and are looking for 2018 to be another strong year." - Ends - Further information, please contact: Tom Ilube CEO, Crossword Cybersecurity Tel: +44 (0) 20 8973 2350 Email: info@crosswordcybersecurity.com NEX Corporate Advisor Nick Michaels and Jon Isaacs, Alfred Henry Corporate Finance Limited www.alfredhenry.com Tel: +44 (0)203 772 0021 NEX Corporate Broker Claire Louise Noyce - CEO, Hybridan LLP Tel: +44 (0)203 764 2341 Email: claire.noyce@hybridan.com About Crossword Cybersecurity Crossword is a technology transfer company specialising in cyber security. Crossword works with universities who undertake advanced cyber security research in order to take their research through productisation to market. BUSINESS REVIEW 2017 was the year when Crossword transitioned from an R&D focused company to unleashing our sales and marketing capability. We generated more revenue in the first half of 2017 than we did in the whole of 2016, and this momentum continued through the year. As reported in our trading update in February 2018, we ended the year having grown revenue by over 113%. As we continue to develop Crossword's technology commercialisation business focused exclusively on cybersecurity, there is no let-up in global cyber security incidents. 2017 saw several of the biggest and most alarming cyber security challenges to date. Equifax, the global credit reference agency, reported a data breach affecting over 145m consumers. Hackers accessed Uber's servers containing the personal details of 57 million customers. Wannacry was described as the worst cyber-attack ever. This global cyber event impacted hundreds of thousands of computers worldwide, including crippling NHS hospitals on a large scale, once again thrusting cyber security into the national headlines. It was quickly followed by the Petya ransomware virus that leveraged some of the same techniques. Crossword works with universities to commercialise technology based on their extensive cyber research. In 2017 we extended the group of universities that we are working with to include Imperial College, Edinburgh University, EPFL in Switzerland and MIT in the USA. This brings to a total of ten the number of universities that we are involved with: Bristol, Warwick, Coventry, Surrey, South Wales, City, Imperial, Edinburgh, EPFL and MIT. In the middle of 2017, Crossword launched a major initiative, CyberAI, applying leading edge Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning techniques to real world cyber security challenges. CyberAI brought together world leading academic researchers from MIT, Imperial College and Edinburgh University with four major companies: a global investment bank, a FTSE 100 retail bank, a multinational insurance company and a big four professional services firm. Led by Crossword, this powerful group has identified a specific AI-based, cybersecurity concept aimed at very large scale corporate customers. The next stage is to deliver a proof of concept and ultimately a commercial product. CyberOwl, the spin out from Coventry University funded by Mercia Fund Management that Crossword created, is making strong progress, having been selected for and participated successfully in GCHQ's new Cyber Accelerator. Mercia and Coventry University invested a further 750k into CyberOwl, bringing the total they have invested so far to 1.4m. CyberOwl has also secured over 100k in government grants and expects to launch its early warning cybersecurity product in early 2018. In partnership with the University of Warwick, Crossword completed a Ministry of Defence funded proof of concept for blockchain-enabled smart documents. Based on the positive results of this proof of concept work, we engaged with the world renown blockchain team at EPFL, the federal university in Switzerland, to leverage their expertise. We then created a spin out company called ByzGen, and helped it raise 500k of funding from RFS Ltd. With the imminent introduction of GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) in 2018, our cyber risk product Rizikon Assurance, based on City, University of London research, is attracting considerable interest. Rizikon Assurance, a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solution based on a recurring revenue model, is designed to enable medium and large companies to assess and monitor the cyber security risks of their large supplier base. We estimate that the UK market alone for Rizikon Assurance is worth 300m per annum. Our specialist cyber security consulting subsidiary, Crossword Consulting Ltd, goes from strength to strength, building on its experienced team of ex-military, intelligence, and corporate cybersecurity professionals. On the corporate front, Rob Johnson joined Crossword as Chief Operating Officer from Mercia Technologies, the AIM listed tech transfer business, where he managed the software and internet investments. Prior to his role with Mercia, Rob was a successful entrepreneur and has led five technology companies through successful exits. General Nick Houghton, Baron Houghton of Richmond, former Chief of Defence Staff of the British Armed Forces joined Crossword as a senior adviser bringing his considerable knowledge of global security issues to the company as we start to consider international expansion. RESULTS AND FINANCIAL POSITION Crossword generated revenue of 736,546 during the year ended 31 December 2017 (2016 - 344,736). At the period end, Crossword had 490,090 in cash and cash equivalents, as part of total equity of 586,266. While the group results show an increased loss of 1.24m against 953k in the prior year, this is as budgeted as the group is seeking to expand its presence in the market particularly with investment in staff capability in the areas discussed in the review of the year. In May 2017, Crossword raised 145k in a placing and subscription at 2.30/share, a 20% premium to the then prevailing share price. Following the year end, in March 2018, Crossword further strengthened its balance sheet by raising 2.16m from existing and new shareholders at 2.70/share. This will strengthen the balance sheet position in order to provide sufficient cash flow for the business to develop in line with its objectives. No dividends were paid or recommended to be paid during the year. KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS The Board monitors the activities and performance of the Group on a regular basis. The indicators set out below were used during 2017 and will continue to be used by the Board to assess performance over the coming year. UNIVERSITY RELATIONSHIPS The number of active university relationships is a key performance indicator as it represents the pipeline of potential opportunities that may turn into commercial products in due course. We regularly review these relationships and the actions being taken to enhance existing relationships and establish new ones. TECHNICAL DEVELOPMENT We monitor progress demonstrated in the development of our cybersecurity products that are in the development phase. BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT We monitor relationships with existing customers the pipeline of potential new clients, pipeline conversion and the rate of acquisition of new customers, for our products that have completed development and are in the commercial phase. HUMAN RESOURCES We monitor and review the development of a well-balanced management team and the recruitment, performance, and retention of suitably skills personnel. FINANCIAL INDICATORS The Board use financial indicators based on budget verses actual to assess the performance of the Group. The key aspects monitored is the Group's working capital requirements, its current cash balance, monthly expenditure against forecast expenditure and quarterly revenue growth. These are as follows: 2017 2016 Working capital 572,956 1,622,980 Cash balance 490,090 1,548,906 Expenditure - Actual 2,019,878 1,374,068 - Budgeted 2,000,000 1,246,885 Working capital is defined as current assets minus current liabilities. POST YEAR END In February 2018, Ruth Anderson joined the Board as a Non-Executive Director. Ruth has over 15 years of experience in the field of security, intelligence, cybercrime, and risk management. She is currently Head of IT and Cyber Risk at Lloyds Banking Group and was previously a director of Cyber in the Financial Service Department of KPMG. Ruth previously held senior roles at the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre and served in intelligence and security in the British Army, following a degree in Arabic and Modern Middle Eastern Studies from Oxford University. In March 2018, Crossword strengthened its balance sheet with an oversubscribed funding round, raising 2.16m from existing and new investors, including over 100,000 from the Chief Executive and other senior executives. OUTLOOK Crossword is seeing strong interest in Rizikon Assurance, our supplier risk assessment product. We are investing rapidly in our product sales team and are aiming to have in the region of a hundred meetings with potential commercial clients by the middle of 2018. We are very excited about the prospects for Rizikon Assurance as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) comes into force in May 2018. In addition to rolling out Rizikon, we aim to launch our second product, Nixer, into the market in 2018 and we are actively working on our third product that should emerge from our CyberAI initiative. Meanwhile, we expect to see continued strong revenue growth from our expert consulting team. PRINCIPAL RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES The management of the business and the nature of the Group's strategy are subject to a number of risks. The Directors have set out below the principal risks facing the business: Intellectual property acquisition & development Crossword acquires intellectual property (IP) rights from universities via licensing and IP transfer arrangements and then develops this IP into commercial products. Failure to secure good quality IP deals will make it difficult for us to generate new products. Crossword has in-house expertise on IP arrangements and makes use of external law firms where assistance is required. Reputational risk As a cybersecurity company, Crossword is very conscious of its external reputation. If we are compromised as a result of a cyber incident it would impact our client's confidence. Crossword has an experienced Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) and a strong technical team who actively mitigate threats. Working capital management Crossword needs to manage its working capital tightly to ensure that its funds are properly controlled. Failure to do so could cause problems with cash flow. Crossword has robust internal procedures to ensure that working capital is managed carefully on an ongoing basis. CREATING COMMERCIALLY VIABLE PROPOSITIONS The Group's strategy is to convert interesting academic cybersecurity ideas into commercially viable products. Failure to develop appropriate commercial opportunities for its emerging products represents a major risk. The Group is managing this risk by conducting significant market research to position our emerging products and investing in a strong, professional sales, marketing, and product management team. MAINTAINING UNIVERSITY PARTNERSHIPS Crossword needs to establish and maintain relationships with leading cybersecurity universities. Failure to establish commercialisation partnerships with leading research universities will limit our ability to generate new products. Crossword has recruited a Chief Scientific Officer with a strong reputation and significant experience specifically to focus on university relationships. Over the past year we have been able to expand our set of relationships from six to ten leading universities. COMPETITION FROM ESTABLISHED TECH TRANSFER BUSINESSES The Group faces competition from existing IP transfer businesses seeking to engage in cybersecurity commercialisation activity. Crossword ensures that we know the main players in the UK technology transfer sector and we tend to cooperate with them rather than compete. We have deep cybersecurity sector knowledge and they have considerable financial resources to deploy, so the relationships are largely complimentary. ATTRACTING AND RETAINING CYBERSECURITY TALENT The market for experienced cyber security experts is highly competitive. Crossword relies on having real expertise in our teams. We go out of our way to create a positive working environment that is attractive to talented individuals and we adopt flexible working practices to fit in with individual's lifestyles. In contrast to large corporates and consultancies, our team are treated as individuals. We also have incentives in place, such as share options for all staff. At present the Directors are pleased with progress in these areas and consider these risks are sufficiently mitigated. T Ilube Director 25 April 2018 CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2017 Year ended 31 December 2017 Year ended 31 December 2016 REVENUE 736,546 344,736 Cost of sales (1,062,350) (788,666) GROSS LOSS (325,804) (443,930) Other operating income including research and development tax credits 97,716 78,354 Administrative expenses (956,126) (585,329) Share based payments (50,875) - Finance income - bank interest receivable 976 1,354 Finance costs - other interest payable (1,402) (73) NET LOSS BEFORE TAXATION (1,235,515) (949,624) Tax expense (4,730) (3,267) LOSS FOR THE YEAR (1,240,245) (952,891) OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME Items that will not be classified to profit or loss: Foreign Exchange Translation Gain 4,265 6,205 TOTAL COMPREHENSIVE LOSS (1,235,980) (946,686) EARNINGS PER SHARE (0.39) (0.39) DILUTED EARNINGS PER SHARE (0.38) (0.37) CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION AT 31 DECEMBER 2017 2017 2016 ASSETS NON-CURRENT ASSETS Property, plant and equipment 12,408 2,280 Intangible assets - 583 Investments in other unlisted investment and subsidiary 31 31 Total non-current assets 12,439 2,894 CURRENT ASSETS Trade and other receivables 175,813 178,154 Cash and cash equivalents 490,090 1,548,906 Total current assets 665,903 1,727,060 TOTAL ASSETS 678,342 1,729,954 EQUITY Attributable to the owners of the company Share capital 159,173 156,015 Share premium account 3,555,522 3,413,416 Other reserves 50,875 - Retained earnings (3,186,833) (1,946,821) Translation of foreign operations 7,529 3,264 Total equity 586,266 1,625,874 LIABILITIES CURRENT LIABILITIES Trade and other payables 92,076 104,080 Total current liabilities 92,076 104,080 TOTAL LIABILITIES 92,076 104,080 TOTAL EQUITY AND LIABILITIES 678,342 1,729,954 CONSOLIDATED CASH FLOW STATEMENT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2017 2017 2016 CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES Cash generated from operations (1,192,688) (1,053,300) NET CASH OUTFLOW FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES (1,192,688) (1,053,300) CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES Purchase of property, plant and equipment (15,657) (880) Purchase of shares in other unlisted investment - (31) NET CASH OUTFLOW FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES (15,657) (911) CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES Proceeds from issue of shares 145,264 1,369,431 NET CASH INFLOW FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES 145,264 1,369,431 NET INCREASE IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS (1,063,081) 315,220 FOREIGN CURRENCY TRANSLATION DIFFERENCE 4,265 6,205 CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PERIOD 1,548,906 1,227,481 CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT THE END OF THE PERIOD 490,090 1,548,906 NOTES TO PRELIMINARY RESULTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2017 The financial information set out above does not constitute statutory accounts for the purpose of Section 434 of the Companies Act 2006. The financial information has been extracted from the statutory accounts of Crossword Cybersecurity Plc and is presented using the same accounting policies, which have not yet been filed with the Registrar of companies, but on which the auditors gave an unqualified report on 26 April 2018. The preliminary announcement of the results for the year ended 31 December 2017 was approved by the board of directors on 25 April 2018. A recent healthcare affordability study has found Australia ranks among the most unaffordable for people aged 65 and over, when compared to 11 comparable OECD countries, including New Zealand. In Australia nearly 20 percent reported spending $1,000 or more in out-of-pocket healthcare costs during the year, the third largest proportion after Switzerland (53 percent) and the US (37 percent). Out-of-pocket expenses are extra costs not covered by private or public health insurance. Published in December, the 2017 International Health Survey performed by the Commonwealth Fund, a private US foundation, surveyed 24,000 people across the 12 countries, which included 2,500 from Australia. The study focused on the costs of healthcare for an aging populationthat is, people who more commonly suffer from multiple chronic illnesses, compared to younger people. When asked about the difficulty of paying medical bills, 13 percent in Australia said they had problems, the highest rate of all the countries surveyed. In the United States, where the privatisation of the health system is most pronounced, resulting in soaring health costs, 10 percent reported problems paying medical bills. The remaining 10 countries in the survey recorded 5 percent or less. They were Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Germany, Switzerland and New Zealand. In Australia, 8 percent of those surveyed said they had skipped medical care due to cost and 14 percent missed filling out a medical prescription. This was second only to the US (13 percent and 23 percent, respectively). These results indicate working-class elderly people, usually those most in medical need, are likely to be suffering serious health consequences, with major impacts on their quality of life, purely because of their inability to pay the high costs of treatments and medications. Surgical expenses for such common procedures as hip replacements in Australia, for example, can typically add $5,500 to out-of-pocket costs, unless patients wait months for a public hospital operation. Australia and the US recorded the highest prevalence of elderly patients who responded as being high-needsuffering from multiple chronic conditions, having limitations with basic function and requiring assistance. Asked if they considered themselves economically vulnerable, in the US one-third of the high-need respondents worried about not having enough money to buy nutritious meals, and pay for housing, utilities and medical needs. This was followed by both Australia and Germany, with one quarter considering themselves economically vulnerable. In all countries, many high-need respondents expressed low levels of satisfaction with the quality of their care. Australia was again on top, with 41 percent of this group giving their care low marks, compared to the lowest result of 21 percent in Switzerland. Australia recorded the highest proportion of elderly patients missing dental appointments due to cost (23 percent), eclipsing the US on 21 percent. Yet, regular access to dental care is also vital for maintaining health. Poor oral health leads to increased likelihood of tooth loss, periodontal disease and oral cancers. The impacts on daily life are significant, such as reduced chewing performance, constrained food choice, weight loss and impaired communication, as well as low self-esteem and wellbeing, leading to poor quality of life. These findings debunk the myth of free or socialised health care in Australia, as well as the conception that Australias system is more humane than the more overtly profit-driven US healthcare system. The study suggests that health care is deteriorating in Australia, with a damaging impact on the elderly and the poor in particular. Deepening real cuts to public health funding mean that patients confront higher out of pocket charges from doctors, clinics and hospitals. Those patients who can afford take out private insurance in the hope of securing better treatment are also facing soaring premiums and bigger gaps between their medical bills and the refunds they receive from the insurers. Years of funding cuts by both Liberal-National Coalition and Labor governments are resulting in increasing sections of the population unable to access the required health care. Statistics from the Australian government-funded Institute of Health and Welfare show that total government health expenditure for 201516 was $114.6 billion, up by just 4.1 percent from the previous year. That was lower than the average annual rise of 4.4 percent for the decade. When the almost 10 percent population increase in the same period is taken into account, healthcare funding has been cut significantly. Moreover, medical treatment and pharmaceutical costs are rising at a faster pace. There has been an unending drive in Australia, mirroring processes in the US and other countries, to create an increasingly profit-driven, privatised healthcare system. This has created a two-tier health system, with an increasing proportion of the population forced to buy private insurance to avoid delays. However in the past two years, there has been a reversal in private health coverage. The proportion of people privately insured fell to 45 percent in 2017, after rising from 43 percent in 2006 to 47 percent in 2015. Annual hikes in private health insurance premiums sanctioned by successive governments have averaged 5.35 percent per year since 2000, far outstripping wage rises. This is now resulting in an exodus from private health coverage, and this is placing greater demands on the already underfunded public health system, resulting in longer waiting lists and sub-standard treatment. Those most affected are the working class and poor. The Australian Bureau of Statistics annual Patient Experiences in Australia survey in 20162017 showed that the percentage of patients who delayed or failed to seek treatment was highest among the poorest fifth of the population. For instance, 27 percent of the poorest quintile delayed seeing a dentist, or did not see one at all, compared to 11 percent of those in the wealthiest fifth of the population. Dental care in Australia is not covered by the Medicare public insurance scheme and 80 percent of people are not eligible for public dental care. Such is the dearth of public dental services that even those who are eligible face extraordinarily long waiting lists that preclude timely and adequate treatment. These studies further demonstrate the worsening state of the health system and the growing healthcare inequality, which is accelerating the social inequality being driven by the widening gap between the incomes and wealth of working-class households and the tiny corporate elite. The author also recommends: Studies reveal stark health divide in Australia [6 July 2017] On Monday Conservative Party Home Secretary Amber Rudd apologised again to Windrush Migrants, the generation named after the first ship bringing workers from the Caribbean to the UK in 1948 to help fill a massive labour shortage following the Second World War. Hundreds of members of the Windrush generation have been denied free healthcare and benefits, lost jobs and have been threatened with arrest and deportation as a result of the hostile environment for illegal immigrants introduced by then home secretary, now Prime Minister Theresa May in 2013. Rudd lamented the hardship they had endured, claiming it was an unfortunate mistake by over-zealous civil servants and declared, It is only right that the significant contribution the Windrush generation have made to the UK is recognised. She announced that citizenship and compensation would be offered to their families and those of other Commonwealth nations who came to the UK between 1948 and 1973. The UK governments scandalous persecution of Caribbean migrant workers is just the tip of an iceberg, however. According to Robert McNeil, deputy director of the Migration Observatory, this could affect tens of thousands of people from other Commonwealth countries in Asia, Africa, the Americas and elsewhere because they did not regularise their residency status and are threatened with deportation. Margaret OBrien, 69, who emigrated from Canada in 1971, got married and had three children, told the Guardian how she has fought for over two years to persuade the Home Office to be allowed to stay. In 2015, OBrien, after being refused disability benefit, received a letter stating, Home Office records indicate that you do not have permission to be in the UK. You should make arrangements to leave without delay. The letter informed her of our intention to remove you from the UK to your country of nationality if you do not depart voluntarily. No further notice will be given. Soon afterwards, OBrien received another letter with her photo declaring, You are a person without leave who has been served with a notice of liability to removal. It was only due to the diligence of her lawyers in finding supporting evidence that OBrien did not suffer the fate of countless others. In 2016, almost 40,000 people were removed from the UK or classified as departing voluntarily, after receiving threatening letters. Many more are detained at Britains airports and ferry terminals and sent to another country under the deport first, appeal later policy. Figures also show that around 10,000 people are waiting for more than six months for a decision on their asylum claims and, because they are banned from work, are forced to live on an allowance of 37.75 a week. The Red Cross has said these conditions are pushing a growing number of vulnerable people into destitution. No belated apologies, emergency measures and attempts to blames the civil service can hide the fact that the Conservative government and its Liberal-Democrat coalition partners ignored warnings about the consequences of the hostile environment policy, which Rudd has escalateda promise she made to her predecessor. The results were both inevitable and intended. It was what the system was designed to do. They knew peoples lives would be wrecked and families torn apart. Former Head of the Civil Service Lord Robert Kerslake likened Mays hostile environment to fascism. You cannot create a climate and then not expect it to have consequences, Kerslake explained, adding, I think it was not just a question of the home secretary being told it was a challenging policy, the prime minister [David Cameron] was as well. This was a very contested policy across all Government departments. Now I cant say, and shouldnt say as a former Head of the Civil Service, precisely who gave advice to whom but what I can tell you is that it was contested. And there were some, who I shall not name, who saw it as almost reminiscent of Nazi Germany in the way it was working. Kerslake has called for an inquiry into why the Home Office decided to destroy thousands of documents such as landing cards relating to the Windrush generation, which made it much harder for them to prove their status. Short shrift should also be given to Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson who yesterday repeated his call, subsequently dismissed by May, for a broader amnesty for those from Commonwealth nations who had no criminal records and had lived in the UK for more than 10 years. Johnson is resorting once again to disgusting politicking in the wake of Brexit and attempts by the ruling elite to re-establish the Commonwealth with its more than 50-member nations as an economic and trading partner and alternative source of labour to the European Union (EU). Johnsons newfound sympathy for immigrants is, of course, not extended to EU workers. The Migration Observatory also reports that substantial numbers of UK residents could be at risk of losing their legal status after Brexit, with particularly vulnerable groups including victims of domestic abuse, elderly people and children, many of whose parents mistakenly believe that they are automatically UK nationals. In addition many people do not realise that they are covered by the new regulations and need to apply for Settled Status. The reaction of the Labour Party opposition has been predictable and tame. Shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry declared that there was something rotten at the heart of government, urging that Rudd should take the decision to resign. People have died, people have lost their jobs, lost their futures. People working in the National Health Service all their lives suddenly lose their jobs I really think she should quit. Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn called on May to repeal the 2014 Immigration Act, which imposed requirements on employers, landlords, employers, banks and the NHS to check peoples immigration status. Diane Abbott, shadow home secretary, criticised Rudd for blaming the scandal on successive governments, including Labour, and said it was mainly the fault of the 2014 Immigration Act. Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell said Labour would substantially change the 2014 legislation. This is about as far as Labours left leadership can go, because they are intent on concealing the partys despicable anti-immigrant history. Only 18 MPs, including Corbyn and Abbott, voted against the Immigration Bill in 2014. And little wonder, because former Blairite home secretary from June 2009 until May 2010, Alan Johnson, pioneered the approach prior to Labour losing the 2010 general election. The BBCs Nick Robinson told Thornberry that it wasnt the Tories who first used the phrase hostile environment, referring to a UK Home Office report from February 2010, which said, This strategy sets out how we will continue our efforts to cut crime and make the UK a hostile environment for those that seek to break our laws or abuse our hospitality. This was the policy underscoring Labours election campaign that saw the party selling mugs and badges reading, Controls on immigration. Im voting Labour. Thornberry was forced to admit, Alan Johnson first used it in a speech, while suggesting that to lift that phrasing, to embed it as much as it was, to strengthen it, to make it sharper and nastier, that was the difference. The words were used but the culture was not. Her objection is difficult to understand, given her insistence that she did not have a problem with checks being made on people seeking homes, jobs and health carethe provisions introduced by the 2014 Act: Its right that we should have rules and that they should be enforced, and that it should be done fairly and fast and it should be firm. Emmanuel Macrons address to a joint session of the US Congress on Wednesday was one of the most belligerent public statements ever made by a French president. Hailing the unprovoked bombing of Syria on April 14 by Washington, London and Paris as a model for a new world order in the 21st century, Macron declared his support for US war threats against Iran, North Korea and beyond. The address capped off Macrons three-day state visit to Washington, amid the deepest crisis of the trans-Atlantic alliance since the end of World War II. Panic is mounting in European ruling circles over US moves to slap trade tariffs on European and Chinese goods, threatening a spiral of retaliation and a global trade war, and Washingtons announced plans to cancel the Iranian nuclear treaty, threatening the eruption of war throughout the entire Middle East. Yet Macron had nothing to propose save more calls for aggressive military action, covered over with hollow bombast about the defense of democracy. Our two nations are rooted in the same soil, grounded in the same ideals of the American and French revolutions, Macron declared. The strength of our bonds is the source of our shared ideals. This is what united us in the struggle against imperialism during the First World War, then in the fight against Nazism during the Second World War. This is what united us again during the era of the Stalinist threat, and now we lean on that strength to fight against terrorist groups. Macrons rhetoric about Washington and Paris carrying out an eternal war for democracy, which takes the form in our epoch of a war on terror against Islamist groups, is a pack of lies. The trade rivalries between major US and European corporations, and US-European conflicts over whether to break Europes economic ties with Iran and risk war in the Middle East, are not conflicts to save democracy from terrorism. They are inter-imperialist conflicts rooted, as the great 20th century Marxists explained, in the violently clashing interests of rival nationally based capitalist ruling classes. Macron proceeded to contradict his own fraudulent presentation. He appealed to Washington to drop its threats of trade war and coordinate its war policies more closely with Europenot in order to fight terrorism, but to preserve the dominant role played in world politics by the imperialist powers against unnamed great-power rivals. He said, We have two possible ways ahead. We can choose isolationism, withdrawal and nationalism. This is an option. It can be tempting to us as a temporary remedy to our fears. But closing the door to the world will not stop the evolution of the world Other powers with a stronger strategy and ambition would then fill the void we would leave empty. Other powers will not hesitate once again to advocate their own model to shape the 21st century global order. The better way, Macron claimed, is to build a 21st century world order based on a new breed of multilateralism. As an example of this, he said: In Syria, we work very closely together. After prohibited weapons were used against the population by the regime of Bashar al-Assad two weeks ago, the United States and France, together with the United Kingdom, acted to destroy chemical facilities and to restore the credibility of the international community. This action was evidence of this strong multilateralism. Macrons hailing of the April 14 bombing of Syria as a model for the future constitutes a warning to workers and youth internationally. Behind empty rhetoric about democracy and the rule of law, the ruling classes in the imperialist centers act ruthlessly, with utter contempt for international law, in order to assert and maintain their dominant world position against their geostrategic rivals such as China and Russia. The April 14 attack was a war crime, based on NATO lies that Assad regime forces had used chemical weapons in the city of Douma. As Moscow presented evidence that the attack was staged by the NATO-backed White Helmets militia to provide a pretext for bombings, Washington, London and Paris launched missile strikes on Syrian state buildings, preempting UN investigations of the alleged chemical attack. Macrons praise for this attack underscores that the 21st century order he foresees would be based on endless, lawless violence by the imperialist powers. On this basis, Macron endorsed US threats against targets across Eurasia. The terrorist threat is even more dangerous when combined with the nuclear proliferation threat, he said. France supports fully the United States in its attempts to bring Pyongyang through sanctions and negotiations towards denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. As for Iran, our objective is clear: Iran shall never possess any nuclear weapons: not now, not in 5 years, not in 10 years, never. Having already indicated yesterday that he would accept Trumps cancellation of the Iranian nuclear treaty, paving the way for renewed economic sanctions and a likely US war against Iran, Macron nonetheless issued the following pathetic proviso: But this policy should never lead us to war in the Middle East. We must ensure stability and respect the sovereignty of the nations, including of Iran, which represents a great civilization. Let us not replicate past mistakes in the region. Macrons argument is a hypocritical fraud. On the one hand, he gave a blank check to Trump, who has threatened North Korea with fire and fury like the world has never seen and is backing Israeli threats of military action against Iran; on the other, he insisted that he did not support the war that flows from such policies. Then he tacked on an impotent appeal to avoid repeating past mistakes, that is, imperialist wars and military occupations in the Middle East over the last 25 years, without saying what these were. Following the Stalinist dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, the imperialist powers were freed from any effective military counterweight to their neocolonial interventions in the Middle East. A series of bloody imperialist wars in the strategic and oil-rich regionfrom Iraq to Afghanistan, Libya and Syriaclaimed millions of lives and forced tens of millions to flee their homes. The class interests driving these wars were obscured, however, by imperialist lies that they were motivated by the need to fight terrorism and save democracy. The Big Lie of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction set the pattern for the succeeding neocolonial wars. The geopolitical crisis provoked by these decades of war is escalating into a military confrontation between the major world powers. As Russian and Iranian forces fight in Syria against NATO-backed rebels, and China seeks closer ties with Russia to protect itself from US threats over trade, the South China Sea and North Korea, the danger of the eruption of a war directly between major nuclear armed powers is growing. The April 14 attacks were stunningly reckless precisely because of the danger of their provoking a clash between Russian and NATO forces. The attack on workers living standards necessary to finance these wars is now provoking a growing fightback in the working class. Mass strikes by teachers are proceeding in the United States as rail workers strike and university students occupy their classrooms in France to protest Macrons drastic reforms, which he has pursued despite broad popular opposition. This growth of working-class struggle is itself a major factor driving the ruling classes in both France and the US to escalate their military aggression abroad in an attempt to divert social tensions outward against a foreign enemy and create conditions for the use of state violence and censorship to crush opposition at home. It looked like a Mission Impossible. The French President came to Washington with the conflicting goals of simultaneously seducing President Trump -- whose concept of love demands effusive public displays of affection -- and the people of the United States, most of whom, according to polls, are not quite in love with their President. Making the French President's job even more complicated, he had to worry about the audiences at home in Europe, particularly in France, where Trump is even more unpopular than in the United States. For Emmanuel Macron, capturing Trump's heart risked turning the rest of the world's stomachs. But somehow, with the suave moves of an amorous fictional Frenchman, he pulled it off. Of course, this romance was driven by cold calculation. And that was the secret of Monsieur Macron's success. He wanted to prove he is, in fact, the Trump whisperer, capable of coaxing Trump away from his worst instincts. More specifically, Macron wanted to persuade Trump not to tear up the Iran nuclear deal, not to remove US forces from Syria, and to return the United States to the Paris Agreement on climate change. From the moment he arrived, the physicality of his political maneuvers was something to behold. A relationship that started last May with a legendary bone-crushing handshake and continued in Paris with perhaps the longest handshake in recorded history, moved to US soil with a festival of macho touching, with endless, frequently awkward interactions. The two men competed to see who could touch the other more. There were backslaps and backrubs. Every handshake required a tap with a third hand, a squeeze with a fourth one. There was the unforgettable "dandruff brush off" by Trump, and the "I love this guy," after Macron kissed him following a press conference. The body language detonated all manner of primate behavior analysis. The two were clearly in a competition for dominance. Other experts detected genuine affection. The back rubs appeared to produce some results. He appeared to convince Trump that leaving Syria would open the country to Iran, and by combining Iran and Syria and proposing a "new deal" -- a renegotiation of the nuclear agreement that would, among other things, address Iran's activities in Syria and Yemen -- he left Trump intrigued. "I think we will have a good shot at doing a much bigger, maybe, deal," the President mused in Trumpian syntax, "maybe not deal." But that was all a means to an end. Trump, who has presided over a historic plummet in international approval for US leadership, wanted to show he has friends, and wanted to enlist France's support on the global stage. Macron needed this trip to cement his alliance with Washington, so he could show he is the new leader of Europe. With Trump in his corner, Macron addressed Congress, the American people and, really, the world. In a rhetorical pirouette, his Wednesday speech delivered a repudiation of much of what Trump stands for. Macron brought members of Congress -- both houses, both parties -- to their feet, proving that there is common ground in US politics, a surprise to many Americans. He started by speaking the language of freedom, which resonates in this country. But then he seemed to tacitly refer to Trump when he spoke against nationalism, against fearmongering, against isolationism. Nationalism "can be tempting," he said, "but closing the door to the world ... will not douse but inflame the fears of our citizens." He spoke of the threats to the global order, warning that "what we cherish is at stake. What we love is in danger." He called on the United States to lead the defense of the values and institutions of the free world that it helped promote and defend. He warned against protectionism, against "securing current industries" rather than "transforming our economies to meet the global challenge." He admonished on climate change, saying, "There is no Planet B," and adding, "I'm sure, one day, the United States will come back and join the Paris Agreement." He said the United States, along with its allies, needs to lead in the defense of the global order. The United States, Macron was saying, remains the indispensable nation. And until the president of the United States returns to the role of advocate for human rights, democracy and multilateralism, Macron would be the one nudging the current President in that direction. And if that requires kissing him, praising him, and whispering in his ear, he showed he was up to the task. His audience understood exactly what he was doing. It was a masterful performance for a man tackling a nearly impossible mission. No wonder the entire Congress gave him a lengthy standing ovation. INDIANAPOLIS (AP) Vice President Mike Pence is traveling to Indianapolis this week for what state officials say will be a significant economic development announcement with India-based information technology outsourcing company Infosys. The Indiana Economic Development Corp. says Pence will attend Thursdays event with Gov. Eric Holcomb and Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett at the companys downtown offices. Infosys announced nearly a year ago that it would establish an Indianapolis tech hub with 2,000 employees by the end of 2021 as it plans opening at least four U.S. hubs with 10,000 workers. Indiana officials offered Infosys up to $31 million of incentives, worth potentially $15,000 for every worker hired. Pence had been expected to speak Thursday at an Indiana event promoting the Trump administrations tax plan, but that event has been postponed. PARKE COUNTY, Ind. (WTHI) - 20-year-old Carolyn Schreiner is putting herself in the shoes of law enforcement. "I found a new found respect for law enforcement, which I think is kind of lacking now," she said, "People don't really have respect, and I understand why, but they don't really have an idea." Schreiner was among several others at the Parke County Sheriff's Office on Wednesday night. She's part of their first-ever Citizens Academy, a program that gives everyday people an inside look into the life of a police officer. Students attend two-hour classes, once a week, for four weeks. Participants range from different ages and backgrounds, as well as high school seniors and retirees. Instructed by members of the Parke County Sheriff's Office, students go through a variety of training and classroom coursework. Topics cover basic criminal law and traffic law, use of force, firearms safety, taser instruction, firearms simulator (shoot or no shoot scenarios), simulated traffic stops, crime scene investigation, drug ID and awareness, target practice and firearms qualifications (with adaptive training pistols) as well as K9 demonstrations. The program comes at a crucial time with law enforcement in the national spotlight. "It's a little bit scary," said Sheriff Justin Cole, "Luckily, we're in a smaller, rural area, and we don't see a lot of that, but it's still scary. You're a little more antsy about what you do, calls that you respond to, traffic stops that you go out on. You might have someone jump out of the car and run up to you with a cell phone in their hand trying to video you." Cole says the different scenarios featured in the Citizens Academy are part of their every day on the job. News 10 was there Wednesday night as the class went through simulated traffic stops, firearms training, and qualifications, along with practicing shoot or no shoot scenarios on the simulator. "We're just trying to show our citizens group that that does happen, and how incidents do occur," Cole said, "Some it may be unfortunate, but you have a split second to make a decision on if somebody's got a weapon. If you're telling them to put it down, show you their hands and they don't do it, or if they keep approaching you, rushing you." While it's the first year for the program, Cole says they're noticing that students are realizing how difficult, or scary, the job may be, all while having a positive and fun experience with law enforcement. "Some of the stuff we're doing, they said it still gives them the chills," he said, "A lot of them haven't shot firearms before, so everything is kind of a new experience to them, but they said they're getting a good grasp on it." For Schreiner, it's a grasp she plans to hold on to for the rest of her life, especially now as a college student majoring in criminal justice. "It made me think that I could do something like that," she said, "Maybe work with children, some juveniles, or something like that, that are going through a hard time and helping them, or maybe work in the jail for a few years and just figure out where I want to go. There are so many different options." OKLAHOMA CITY, April 26, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Chaparral Energy, Inc. (OTCQB:CHPE) today announced that it will issue its first quarter 2018 financial and operational results with the filing of its 10-Q report on Thursday, May 10, 2018. The company will also host a conference call to discuss its results that morning at 9 a.m. Central. Interested parties may access the call toll-free at 800-263-0877 and ask for the Chaparral Energy conference call 10 minutes prior to the start time. The conference ID number is 6702870. In addition, a live webcast of the call will be available through the Investor section of the companys website. For those who cannot listen to the live call, a recording will be available shortly after the calls conclusion at chaparralenergy.com/investors. A copy of the companys 10-Q and corresponding release will also be available on the Investor section of the companys website at chaparralenergy.com/investors, as well as the Securities and Exchange Commissions website at sec.gov. About Chaparral Chaparral is an independent oil and natural gas exploration and production company headquartered in Oklahoma City. Founded in 1988, Chaparral is a pure-play operator focused in Oklahomas highly economic STACK Play, where it has approximately 117,000 net acres primarily in Kingfisher, Canadian and Garfield counties. The company has potential total production reserves of more than 1 billion barrels of oil equivalent and approximately 315,000 net surface acres in the Mid-Continent region. For more information, please visit chaparralenergy.com. Investor Contact Joe Evans Chief Financial Officer 405-426-4590 joe.evans@chaparralenergy.com US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley called out the Iranian government on Thursday as "the patron and protector" of groups that use civilians as human shields in conflicts throughout the Middle East. "Groups that Iran has sponsored or supported have perfected the tactic of using human shields," she told the UN Security Council, "and inspired others to do the same." "Of course, this is part of Iran's overarching efforts to destabilize the region -- efforts that include illegal weapons shipments to Yemen, and invading Israeli air space with armed drones from Syrian territory," she added, blasting the Iranian government as the Trump administration is considering pulling out of an international nuclear agreement with Tehran. In her remarks, Haley said the use of civilians as human shields in conflict is "a war crime" and an "outrageous practice (...) reaching epic proportions in the region." She specifically called out ISIS, Hezbollah and Hamas for their actions in Iraq, Lebanon, and Gaza respectively. "Each time ISIS, Hezbollah, or Hamas succeeds in using a village, or a family, or a child, to protect its terrorist operations, the use of this grotesque tactic grows," said Haley. Addressing the situation in Gaza, Haley cited the discovery of rockets in Hamas tunnels under schools operated by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) last year, adding, "Hamas has exploited and endangered the very Palestinian people it claims to represent by locating rocket launchers near schools, apartment buildings, hotels, churches, and UN facilities." UNRWA condemned the placement of the rockets and tunnels at the time. The Trump administration announced earlier this year it is cutting US funding to the UN group, which provides humanitarian aid to Palestinians. UNRWA funding is expected to dry up by summer, according to Nickolay Mladenov, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process. Much of the debate in the Security Council Thursday focused on more recent violence in Gaza, during which dozens of Palestinians have been killed by Israeli security forces amid protests over the occupation, pegged to the 70th anniversary of Israel's declaration of independence. Israel has defended its response, accusing the targeted protestors -- and two journalists -- of being members of Hamas. But addressing the Security Council, the Palestinian representative to the United Nations, Riyad Mansour, insisted the protesters are civilians, and called for "an independent, transparent investigation." "Such willful targeting of civilians is terrorism," said Mansour. "It's terrorism in every meaning of the word." DALLAS (AP) A Dallas police officer died Wednesday after a shooting that wounded another officer and an employee at a home improvement store, the city's mayor said. Mayor Mike Rawlings was presiding over a city council meeting when he announced the death of Rogelio Santander, a member of the police force for three years. Santander, officer Crystal Almeida and a loss-prevention officer for Home Depot were shot Tuesday by a man identified by police as 29-year-old Armando Luis Juarez. Armando Juarez | Photo: MGN Online Armando Juarez | Photo: MGN Online The two officers and the store loss-prevention officer underwent surgery for their injuries after the shooting in the north of the city, Dallas Police Chief U. Renee Hall said late Tuesday. Almeida and the loss-prevention officer, who hasn't been identified, were in critical condition Wednesday. Police arrested Juarez following a high-speed car chase. He's being held at the Dallas County jail on charges of aggravated assault on a public servant and felony theft. He was taken into custody shortly before 10 p.m. "We got our man," Rawlings said at a late-night news conference at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas. But relatives of Juarez said they couldn't believe he would be involved in such a violent episode. "There's no way my son could've done this," Ruben Juarez told The Dallas Morning News, adding that he didn't think his son owned any guns. Armando Juarez's grandmother, Janie Longoria, told reporters Tuesday that her grandson is a "sweet, lovable person," but that his friends are a bad influence. "And I told him to stay away from those people," she said. Police were called to the store to help an off-duty police officer to remove Juarez from the store. Police have not said if he was suspected of shoplifting or why he was being ejected from store. Juarez opened fire as he was being escorted from the store and made his escape. Several law enforcement agencies were involved in the pursuit that led to his eventual arrest. Rawlings said late Tuesday that he remains "upset at the lack of respect for our police in this city and in our country." In 2016, four Dallas police officers and a transit officer were shot dead by a sniper in an ambush that came toward the end of a peaceful protest over the police killings of black men in other cities. Juarez was arrested in January on a charge of unlawful use of a motor vehicle after authorities say he was found in a stolen vehicle. He also pleaded guilty to a drug-possession charge. NORRISTOWN, Pa. (AP) Bill Cosby has been convicted of drugging and molesting a woman in the first big celebrity trial of the #MeToo era. A jury outside Philadelphia convicted the "Cosby Show" star of three counts of aggravated indecent assault on Thursday. The guilty verdict came less than a year after another jury deadlocked on the charges. Cosby was charged with violating Temple University employee Andrea Constand at his suburban Philadelphia home in 2004. His lawyer called Constand a "con artist" who leveled false accusations against Cosby so she could sue him. Cosby could get up to 10 years in prison on each of the counts. BREAKING: Bill Cosby's lawyer says "fight is not over" and plans to appeal after comedian convicted at sexual assault retrial . The Associated Press (@AP) April 26, 2018 Dozens of women have come forward in recent years to say he drugged and assaulted them. Five of the other accusers testified against him at the retrial. The Associated Press does not typically identify people who say they are victims of sexual assault unless they grant permission. Constand has done so. SCOOBA, Miss. (WTVA) - Police released four people from Noxubee County after they were being held in connection to a shootout at a Kemper County gas station. WTOK in Meridian reports that the shootout happened Tuesday night in the parking lot of the Chevron gas station in Scooba along Hwy 45. Investigators believe the incident stemmed from an altercation earlier that day at East Mississippi Community College. According to WTOK, Kemper County Sheriff James Moore said one vehicle followed another to the gas station and minutes later two individuals began exchanging gunfire. Investigators say at least nine gunshots were fired and four vehicles were struck. No injuries were reported. Originally seven people were taken into custody for questioning, four from Noxubee County, but those four have since been released. No formal charges have been filed yet and the incident remains under investigation. SOUTH JORDAN, Utah, April 26, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AdvancedMD, the pioneer of Rhythm, a unified cloud platform of smart clinical, billing and patient applications that automate tasks for all roles in the practice and patients, appoints John Marron as Vice President and General Manager of the Revenue Cycle Management division. For nearly 25 years, Marron has led healthcare organizations to improve business performance through product innovation and operational efficiencies. In his new role at AdvancedMD, he will ensure superior claims processing through innovation and automation, backed by white glove client support. Independent practices are looking for an RCM partner they can trust who has the experience and insight to get them paid quickly, said Raul Villar, CEO at AdvancedMD. John is here to help relieve the burden of reimbursement, particularly under value based care, so physicians can focus on patients. Previously, Marron was Vice President of business development and product management for Gateway EDI, expanding its software and technology services division from the ground up. Marron also was responsible for assisting with the Gateway EDI acquisition by TriZetto Provider Solutions (a Cognizant Co.), as well as other acquisitions for the new company. Most recently, Marron served as CEO of inMediata Health Group, Charlotte, NC, focusing on leveraging technology to reconcile payments, remittances and deposits, and delivery of innovative solutions to reimbursement challenges. There, he improved operational efficiencies, accelerated business growth, and transformed the culture of people development while also bringing to market several new innovative RCM products. Previously, Marron gained deep payer experience during 10 years at Aetna, NYSE: AET where he led the team supporting electronic transactions with their provider network, achieving millions of dollars in savings each year. Maximizing revenue collections for our practice clients requires a deep understanding of what payers need, to process claims quickly and accurately, Marron explained. Im committed to applying our technology and expertise to ensure our clients get paid for their efforts to keep patients healthy. Also joining the AdvancedMD RCM leadership team reporting to Marron is Greg ONeil, Director of RCM Operations who is the former Operations Team Director for Intermountain Healthcare Revenue Cycle. Greg is a very progressive leader for revenue cycle. He brings EDI and claims processing expertise and has a great sense for cross-functional cooperation. Im excited for Gregs ability to produce exceptional service and bottom line results for our clients, said Marron. Marron holds a Masters degree in Business Administration from Temple University, Philadelphia, Pa. He is an active member of the industry, having served on the board of the Workgroup for Electronic Data Interchange (WEDI) from 2001-2002; as a Commissioner for the Electronic Healthcare Network Accreditation Commission (EHNAC) from 2003-2006; and presented at the MGMA annual conference in 2009, 2010 and 2012. About AdvancedMD AdvancedMD strives to be the community of choice for independent providers by delivering an integrated workflow and personalized service to ensure the health of every practice and their patients. AdvancedMD Rhythm, the companys complete integrated suite of cloud solutions includes practice management, electronic health records, telemedicine, patient relationship management, business analytics reporting, and physician-performance benchmarking all backed by expert practice advocates. AdvancedMD also offers full service revenue cycle management and serves an expansive national footprint of more than 27,000 practitioners across 8,500 practices and 600 medical billing companies. Visit www.advancedmd.com. Media contacts: Jim Elliot Chief Marketing Officer (801) 984-9500 jelliot@advancedmd.com Yuliya Kutuzava Account Director KNB Communications (203) 504-8230 ext. 131 ykutuzava@knbcomm.com A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://resource.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/5b967d4f-e579-4e45-bd49-05b1be0e70d1 SNEADS, Fla. (WTXL) - A Florida Department of Corrections officer has been arrested, accused of bringing marijuana and cigarillos into a state prison in Jackson County. Alexandria T. Trask, 25, of Quincy is charged with introducing contraband into a state correctional institution and possession of cannabis. She brought 14 grams of marijuana and 27 cigarillos into the Apalachee Correctional Institution East Unit grounds on April 20, 2018, "and did surpass detection into the secure facility," according to an affidavit-complaint. The document said the contraband was found when another officer relieved Trask of her post so Trask could take an emergency phone call. The other officer reportedly noticed a "Stouffer's" lasagna box with tissue paper coming out of the box, which was near Trask's personal belongings. A captain the officer informed about the box contacted an inspector, who investigated and took photographs of the box and Trask's personal cellphone and opened the box in Trask's presence. Trask invoked her rights and refused to answer questions about the incident without an attorney present. A search of Trasks's car turned up 31 more cigarillos. Trask was transported to the Jackson County Jail, an FDOC news release said. LOWNDES COUNTY, Ga. (WTXL) - A doctor in Valdosta is facing felony charges after making violent threats to employees at her medical practice. Dr. Marian Antoinette Patterson turned herself into the Lowdnes County Jail on Thursday. In February, Lowndes County deputies responded to a disturbance at Patterson's family medical practice on North Valdosta Road. According to a license suspension order from the Georgia Composite Medical Board on Feb. 21, Patterson yelled expletives at employees in her office and repeatedly threatened to "slit their throats." The order states she told another employee she was going to "cut her" from her "throat to private parts." Patterson also allegedly threatened to cut another employee's head off, "roll it down a hallway" and "call the employee's children so that they could see it." At one point, Patterson grabbed an employee by the arm and refused to allow the employee to leave. Documents state she then threw water on two employees, threw various items to include a reflex hammer, and grabbed her "diploma off the wall, threw it to the floor and stomped on it." It is believed that Patterson could have been "under the influence" more than once at her practice, according to the order. The board suspended her license on March 5 because her practice "poses a threat to the public health, safety, and welfare, and imperatively requires emergency action." Following an investigation, detectives issued arrest warrants for Patterson. Patterson turned herself into the Lowndes County Jail Thursday and has since been released on bond. She is being charged with three counts of terroristic threats and one count of false imprisonment. Patterson has been licensed to practice since 1996. Board records show no disciplinary actions have been taken against Patterson prior to this incident. It's unclear if the practice is operating under a subcontracted doctor or if it's closed completely. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - Florida legislators have failed yet again to reach a long-sought-after agreement on gambling. Senate President Joe Negron announced Wednesday legislators will not be holding a special session this year on gambling. Last month, top Republicans started holding private talks about the state's current deal with the Seminole Tribe of Florida and other gambling issues. The tribe operates several casinos in the state. There was a fear that the tribe could end payments to the state. But tribal officials recently agreed to keep paying the state until May 2019. Negron said that while top House and Senate Republicans reached an accord on many issues they were unable to agree on everything. Legislators have had trouble the last few years passing a gambling bill due to squabbles among different gambling interests. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - Hundreds are expected to join a march in the Capitol City on Thursday to restore voting rights to Florida felons. Generations and backgrounds will cross Thursday for the Unity March as hundreds team up to advocate for multiple civil rights issues. Organizers tell me this march seeks to bring everyone in the community together, not tear it apart. Leading that march is Bethel Pastor R.B. Holmes, attorney Ben Crump, and Rev. Al Sharpton. The march is being put on by the National Action Network. It is a non-profit civil rights organization founded by Sharpton. Holmes, the president of the local chapter, said this march is to push the state to vote for Amendment 4, which would restore civil and voting rights for 1.6 million former Florida felons. They will also adress guns in schools, the midterm election, and preogress made in Tallahassee since the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Anyone interested in participating can meet at Bethel Missionary Baptist Church at 11 a.m. and, from there, march to the Capitol. THOMAS COUNTY, Ga. (WALB) - Less than a week after a diesel spill prompted a school evacuation, emergency management crews are working to figure out how to better respond to those types of situations. Environmental officials estimate close to 2,000 gallons of diesel was spilled into a retention pond behind the Murphy's USA gas station off Highway 319. Murphy USA will be reimbursing the county for that expense since it occurred on their property but starting their own investigation into how the diesel was spilled and who did it. More than 700 students had to be evacuated from Garrison-Pilcher Elementary. EMA officials say next time in a situation like this they would need to notify the hospital, and make sure they are using social media quicker to put out factual information to the public. "Because we work so well together on planning for storms and other events," said Chris Jones, EMA Director. "When you have an incident like this it really helps us to work through those key components and key milestones we need to achieve because we already know each other on a first name basis." EMA Officials are applauding the quick work of the school system. Within 20 minutes, 14 bus drivers were called in and evacuated students off the elementary school campus. EMA Officials say there is a lot that goes into restoration after a spill like this. Crews are still working on Hall Road, they're replacing the soil where the diesel was spilled. THOMAS CO., GA (WALB) - A diesel spill near Hall Road and Highway 319 prompted an evacuation at a Thomas County elementary school Thursday morning. School officials said that the students at Garrison-Pilcher Elementary were moved to the Thomas County Central High School gym to be released to their parents. "From the time we notified the bus drivers we had all the students gone. It was really a good test for our evacuation procedures," said Scott James, Assistant Superintendent of Operations for Thomas County Schools. "It was important but not critical, certainly a good test." The call came in just after 9 a.m., and the evacuation took about 20-25 minutes. The spill was not on campus, but there is diesel in the ditches near the school. Students were evacuated as a safety precaution. Fire officials say it appears that diesel was dumped in a ditch on Hall Road. From there it spread under the road and drained into a nearby creek. Public works crews will be on the scene through the day to keep the diesel from spreading. Officials say they aren't sure yet how it got into the ditch, but it has already begun soaking into the ground. Environmental experts will have to be called in to get the area cleaned and replace the soil. Copyright 2018 WALB. All rights reserved. THOMAS COUNTY, Ga. (WALB) - Ahead of The Rose Show and Festival, "Hands on Thomas County" is devoting the entire week to celebrating service and volunteers. Tuesday night, hundreds of volunteers were honored and given awards at the Cheers for Volunteers event. The event was held at the Amphitheater downtown. Hands On Heroes, who are nominated by their peers for going above and beyond and making a difference in their community were honored at the event. This annual event is always the week of the Rose Show & Festival. The organization says, they couldn't be more excited about this year's rose parade theme: "Helping Hands: A Celebration of Community Volunteers." "There are over 200 different and active nonprofits in Thomas County, Georgia and for a community that size, our size to be able to support those nonprofits and their missions and their causes is just truly amazing," said Angela Kiminas, HOTC Executive Director. This week, several businesses are hosting Appreciation Stations around town, giving volunteers coffee or food for their service in the community. LIBERTY COUNTY, Fla. (WTXL) - One person is in critical condition and another is in serious condition after being T-boned and ejected from a motorcycle. The Florida Highway Patrol says the crash happened Wednesday around 2:18 on S.R. 20. Troopers say Charles Jordan, 67, of Bristol was driving his Toyota Camry eastbound on S.R. 20 in the inside lane while Donald Shepard, 67, of Lakeland and his passenger, Nancy Shepard, 62, of Lakeland, were traveling westbound. Jordan turned left directly in front of Shepard, causing the two vehicles to collide. Both Donald and Nancy Shepard were ejected and propelled from the motorcycle due to the impact. Donald was hospitalized in serious condition while Nancy was hospitalized in serious condition. Jordan was uninjured. Troopers say Jordan has been charged with failure to yield to on coming traffic. They do not believe alcohol or drugs were a factor in the crash. English Danish Annual General Meeting of TK Development A/S on 26 April 2018 Today the Annual General Meeting of TK Development A/S was held. Items 1-3 on the agenda were considered and adopted in accordance with the submissions. No dividend will be declared in respect of the 2017/18 financial year. The Board of Directors proposal for approval of fees payable to the Board of Directors for the 2018/19 financial year was adopted, see item 4.1.1 of the agenda. The Board of Directors proposal to revise the general guidelines for the companys remuneration of members of the Board of Directors and the Executive Board, including the incentive remuneration of the Executive Board, was adopted, see item 4.1.2 of the agenda. In accordance with item 5 of the agenda, the proposal for the Board of Directors to continue to consist of five members was adopted. Peter Thorsen, Henrik Heideby, Arne Gerlyng-Hansen, Anne Skovbro Andersen and Michael Bruhn were re-elected. The Board of Directors proposal that one auditor be elected was adopted. Deloitte, Statsautoriseret Revisionspartnerselskab, was re-elected as the Companys auditor; see item 6 of the agenda. After the General Meeting, a meeting was held for the purpose of electing officers, with Peter Thorsen being re-elected as the Chairman, and Henrik Heideby being re-elected as the Deputy Chairman of the Board of Directors. TK Development A/S Peter Thorsen Chairman of the Board of Directors Contact information: Robert Andersen, Interim CEO Tel. +45 8896 1010 Attachment Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-25 23:45:13|Editor: yan Video Player Close BEIJING, April 25 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese mainland's Taiwan affairs chief Wednesday called on people from all walks of life across the Taiwan Strait to promote the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations and reunification of the motherland. Liu Jieyi, head of the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, made the remarks while meeting with a Taiwanese business delegation led by Chou Jih-shine, special advisor of chairperson of the Kuomintang (KMT) party and director of its mainland affairs department. Liu reiterated adherence to the "1992 consensus," which embodies the one-China principle while opposing separatist "Taiwan independence" activities. "They should also advance cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation in various fields and work to bring more benefits for compatriots on both sides," the official said. The delegation consists of nearly 40 KMT delegates conducting business on the mainland. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-26 01:20:43|Editor: yan Video Player Close BEIJING, April 25 (Xinhua) -- China Wednesday announced plans to allow the issuance of securities backed by residential rental properties amid its drive to foster the growth of rental housing market. The country will encourage companies to conduct rental housing asset-backed securitization and strengthen supervision of such securities to contain risks, according to a document jointly issued by the Ministry of Housing and Urban-rural Development and China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC). The issuance of real estate investment trust (REIT), a means of property asset securitization for companies to raise funds, will be piloted. The country will encourage rental housing companies to conduct asset securitization according to their operation conditions and financial demand, the CSRC said on its website, adding that this will reduce the companies' leverage ratio and diversify options for investment on the capital market. Companies will have to meet certain requirements to issue such securities, including the underlying property such as an apartment must have been built with clear ownership and the companies must have a clean record of abiding by laws and regulations during the past two years. Large and mid-tier cities, the Xiongan New Area and cities under the pilot program of building rental housing on collective construction land will be the first to get the green light, according to the document. This comes as the country strives to develop the rental housing market as one of the long-term strategies to ensure sustainable and steady development of the real estate market, alongside various home purchase restriction policies. Authorities have reaffirmed their commitment to ensure a stable housing market and secure supplies of housing through multiple channels to meet residents' demand. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-26 01:40:48|Editor: yan Video Player Close BEIJING, April 25 (Xinhua) -- Chinese lawmakers are reviewing a draft law to protect the reputation and honor of heroes and martyrs, vowing to punish those who "glorify wars of invasion" and disturb social order. "People who profane the deeds and spirit of the heroes and martyrs and those who glorify wars or acts of invasion and disturb the social order shall be punished," according to the second draft law under review at the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee's bimonthly session running from Wednesday to Friday. The wording was added following recent disturbing incidents in which a handful of persons dressed in Japanese WWII army uniforms and spread the photos online to glorify the war, triggering a strong public backlash. In one incident earlier this year, two young men were held by police after posing in front of anti-Japanese invasion war ruins in Nanjing city, dressed in the uniform of Japanese invaders and holding "army weapons." Nanjing is the site of the Nanjing Massacre where about 300,000 civilians and unarmed Chinese soldiers were brutally murdered by Japanese troops over about 40 days after capturing the city in December 1937. In February 2014, the top legislature designated December 13 as "National Memorial Day for Nanjing Massacre Victims." Memorials have been held every year since to mourn those who died in the atrocities. The draft, which is expected to be adopted this week, aims to promote patriotism and socialist core values. "China has had more than 20 million heroes and martyrs since the mid-19th century, many of whom remain anonymous," Hu Keming, deputy chairman of the NPC Constitution and Law Committee, said in a report to lawmakers. "The law will protect the heroes, martyrs and revolutionists who devoted and sacrificed themselves for the Chinese nation and the people since modern times," Hu said. "All members of society should honor them, learn from them and guard their reputation," the draft says. The draft got its first reading in a bimonthly session of the top legislature last December. It requires Internet operators to speedily handle online information that infringes on heroes and martyrs. In its second draft, the law says harmful information originating from overseas should be intercepted using technology or other necessary means. Also to be banned is using radio, television and film products that violate the heroes and martyrs' rights of name, portrait, reputation and honor in public or online. "After revisions, the NPC Constitution and Law Committee has suggested putting it to vote at this session," Hu said. VILNIUS, April 25 (Xinhua) -- Lithuanian Minister of Agriculture Bronius Markauskas stepped down on Wednesday amid accusations of misuse of European Union (EU) agricultural funds. "The first and the main reason is that during the period of these groundless accusations, my family and other relatives were involved. I apologized many times, and I was not prepared for this," the minister was quoted as saying by local media. According to media reports, the family of Markauskas was allegedly engaged in farming in Klaipeda district but did not pay land rental fees to some land owners. It transpired that mother of the agriculture minister has been using land plots for five years without permission whereas the National Paying Agency allocated EU pay-outs for four land plots cultivated without rental agreements. The minister rejects any wrongdoing. Markauskas does not face any legal claims so far, Lithuanian Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis said Wednesday after meeting with the minister. "I want to emphasize that the minister is not under any criminal or other investigation. He did not steal anything, did not abuse his position," Skvernelis was quoted as saying by local media. According to Skvernelis, the issue is related to "certain systemic problems as regards activities of farmers." The head of government asked Markauskas to stay in office until June 1, as the international agricultural event is planned on the grounds of cooperation of formation 16+1, involving Central and Eastern European countries and China. Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite welcomed the decision of agricultural minister. Chinese State Councilor and Minister of Public Security Guo Shengkun holds talks with Russian Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev in Beijing, capital of China, March 21, 2017. (Xinhua/Ding Haitao) SOCHI, Russia, April 25 (Xinhua) -- The international community should adhere to dialogue, mutual respect and shared responsibilities in improving the global security governance system, Chinese senior official Guo Shengkun said here Wednesday. Guo, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and a member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, made the remarks in a keynote speech at the 9th International Meeting of High Representatives for Security Issues in the Russian city of Sochi, which has brought together representatives from 119 countries. Guo, also head of the Commission for Political and Legal Affairs of the CPC Central Committee, said that Chinese President Xi Jinping's proposal to build a new-type of international relations and a community with a shared future for humanity provides important instructions for all parties to work together in dealing with global security challenges in new situations and improving the global security governance system. To that end, members of the international community should adhere to dialogue and negotiations in differences, as well as sharing responsibilities and helping each other while promoting constructive cooperation among different civilizations, so as to ensure the common security for all, Guo said. For its part, China will continue to contribute to building world peace and stability and maintaining the international order by continuing to open up to the outside world while advocating the democratization of international relations, said Guo. On the margins of the Sochi security meeting, Guo also attended the informal meetings of heads of delegations of the BRICS countries and of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-26 02:46:08|Editor: yan Video Player Close BEIJING, April 25 (Xinhua) -- The joint communique of the Defense Ministers' Meeting of the Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) was released Wednesday. Held on Tuesday in Beijing, the meeting saw the ministers exchange views on the current international and regional security situation, further enhancing practical cooperation in defense and security fields among the SCO member states and other issues of common interest. They reached broad common understanding. The defense ministers pointed out that peace and development remained the theme of the time, while the destabilizing and uncertain factors of the world were increasingly outstanding. They agreed that fighting terrorism, extremism and separatism, and strengthening regional peace, security and stability were the priority tasks of the SCO members. "New thinking on common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security should be fostered to strengthen the defense and security cooperation by the organization," according to the communique. "SCO members should also be committed to creating favorable security environment for the connectivity of the development strategies of the countries, facilitate the efforts to build a community with a shared future for humanity, and a fair and stable multi-polarized world." Defense ministers from India and Kazakhstan, Chinese State Councilor and Minister of National Defense Wei Fenghe, and defense ministers from Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan attended the meeting. The chief of the general staff of the Kyrgyz Republic attended the meeting. The defense minister of Belarus attended the meeting as the chairman country guest. They decided that the 2019 defense ministers' meeting of the SCO member states would be held in the Kyrgyz Republic, according to the communique. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-26 03:51:30|Editor: yan Video Player Close WASHINGTON, April 25 (Xinhua) -- American scientists identified one inducing factor for preterm labor, a common pregnancy complication: the fetal immune system "wakes up" too early and begins to reject the mother, causing the uterus to start contracting. A study published on Wednesday in the journal Science Translational Medicine, showed the fetal immune system became triggered in a case of mistaken identity. An initial infection in the mother could result in inflammation and arouse the fetal immune system. The fetal immune cells confuse the mother's cells for an invader and mount an attack, in the form of inflammatory chemicals and these chemicals then trigger contractions, leading to preterm labor, the leading cause of infant mortality, according to the researchers. The paper's senior author Tippi MacKenzie, associate professor in the University of California San Francisco's Division of Pediatric Surgery and the Fetal Treatment Center, said the finding contradicted the dogma that the fetus had a very immature immune system, and as a result, people hadn't really considered its possible role in pregnancy complications. The researchers tested umbilical cord blood, which contains fetal cells, along with blood taken from 89 women who had healthy pregnancies and 70 who went into early labor. While the scientists saw no signs of an immune response in the mother's blood, they detected activation in two types of immune cells in the cord blood of preterm infants. Just as in an organ transplant, the immune systems of the mother and the fetus have to tolerate one another, so the fetus is not rejected. This tolerance is governed by immune cells known as regulatory T cells, which dampen the immune system by keeping the other types of T cells in check. However, during preterm labor the infant's immune system was found to be activated specifically to attack the mother's cells. The researchers detected higher levels of both dendritic cells and effector T cells in the cord blood of preterm infants. Dendritic cells present foreign substances to the T cells to signify that they are a potential threat, and T cells, the primary fighter cells of the immune system, then mount an attack by releasing inflammatory chemicals, according to the researchers. The researchers found that T cells from preterm infants made significantly higher levels of inflammatory chemicals and interferon gamma than those from full-term infants. In a laboratory model of uterine contraction, the researchers discovered that these chemicals induced contraction of uterine cells. "The medicines we use to treat preterm labor right now are just aimed at stopping the uterus from contracting. But at that point, the horse is out of the barn," MacKenzie said. "What we really have to do is diagnose and treat fetal immune activation, which is probably starting weeks before the patient comes in with the uterine contractions." MacKenzie's lab is now pursuing biomarkers in the mother's blood that can identify whether the fetal immune system is activated and increasing risk for preterm labor. English French INFORMATION CONCERNING THE AVAILABILITY OF ALL THE EXPLANATORY DOCUMENTATION TO THE COMBINED GENERAL MEETING TO BE HELD ON MAY 17, 2018 Paris, 26 April 2018 The shareholders of the Company are invited to participate to the Combined General Meeting, to be held on May 17, 2018 at 2 p.m. at l'Etoile Business Center: 21-25, rue Balzac 75008 Paris. The notice to shareholders (avis de reunion) which included the agenda, the draft resolutions as well as the practical details regarding attendance and voting rights at the General Meeting has been published on March 30, 2018 in the BALO (French official legal announcement publication) n 39. The documents and information referred to in articles R.225-73-1, L.225-115 and R.225-83 of the French Commercial Code are available on Company's website at www.jcdecaux.com. For further information, please contact: Arnaud COURTIAL Head of Investor Relations Sainte Apolline 78378 Plaisir Cedex (France) Telephone : +33 (0)1 30 79 79 93 Email : arnaud.courtial@jcdecaux.com Key Figures for JCDecaux Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-26 03:51:30|Editor: yan Video Player Close HARBIN, April 25 (Xinhua) -- China has the technological basis for a manned lunar landing, says Zhou Jianping, chief designer of China's manned space program. Human exploration of the universe would not stop in low-Earth orbit as China was drawing up the blueprint for manned space development after the construction of its space station, Zhou told a space conference in Harbin, capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province. With Mars as a long-term target and the Moon as a transition goal, manned lunar expeditions were a focus for global space activities. "We have had in-depth discussions with many experts about manned lunar exploration, and conducted research on key technologies in recent years," Zhou said. He also introduced the plan for China's space station, which is expected to be completed around 2022. The development of the capsules for the station had started, said Zhou, and many advanced technologies would be used to construct and operate the station. China's Tiangong space station, weighing 66 tonnes, would consist of the Tianhe core capsule and the Wentian and Mengtian lab capsules. The station could be enlarged to 180 tonnes if required for scientific research. It could accommodate three to six astronauts and was designed to last at least 10 years, said Zhou, but this could be prolonged through in-orbit maintenance. The station would stay in orbit at an altitude of about 393 kilometers. A capsule flying in the same orbit would hold a large optical telescope with a field of view 200 times larger than that of the Hubble space telescope. It could dock with the space station if necessary. While smaller than the International Space Station (ISS), the construction and materials supply of China's space station would be close to the ISS, and its technologies in information, energy and dynamic systems were more advanced. Its main purpose would be cutting-edge scientific research, including space medicine, space life sciences and biotechnology, material sciences, microgravity basic physics, astronomy and astrophysics. "Constructing the space station, which is a complicated large structure, is a new challenge, but it will push forward the development of space technology," Zhou said. "We will also test the key technologies needed for human deep space exploration." MEXICO CITY, April 25 (Xinhua) -- Mexico's top two universities on Wednesday warned of rising crime against the nation's youth, in the wake of the grisly murders of three film students. In a joint statement, Mexico's National Autonomous University (UNAM) and the University of Guadalajara (UdeG), the country's top two institutions of higher education, cited the recent killings as a sign of a growing wave of violence targeting youth. The three students, enrolled at Guadalajara's University of Audiovisual Media, were abducted in March in the town of Tonala, Jalisco, not far from the state capital Guadalajara, but prosecutors only this week revealed the details of their gruesome deaths and disposal of the bodies, which were dissolved in acid. "The deaths of Javier Salomon Aceves, Jesus Daniel Diaz and Marco Francisco Avalos are added to a cruel and growing reality that threatens Mexican youth," the universities said. According to official figures, 35.6 percent of the 34,268 people reported as missing or disappeared nationwide are under 29 years of age, the statement said. UNAM and UdeG called for immediate measures to stop the violence, adding "it's not possible to continue like this." Jalisco state prosecutors on Monday announced their findings, saying members of the Jalisco New Generation cartel mistook the three students for members of a rival gang. The three were seized on March 19 as they were returning by car from a weekend filming school project at a cabin that was loaned to them. They were beaten to death and dissolved in acid to eliminate the evidence, prosecutors said, adding the students were unaware the cabin belongs to a cartel rival currently serving time in prison. Authorities have arrested two suspects in connection with the killings, which recalled the similarly brutal abduction and massacre of 43 students from a teachers college in the southern state of Guerrero in 2014. The latest crime has sparked protests in Mexico City and Guadalajara, where a student march is planned for Thursday. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-26 04:41:47|Editor: yan Video Player Close BRUSSELS, April 25 (Xinhua) -- The fighting against terrorism in Syria needs to continue in parallel with pushing for the ceasefire between Syrian government and opposition, Chinese special envoy Xie Xiaoyan said on Wednesday. Speaking at a press conference at the Chinese mission to the EU, Xie stressed that the international community should continue to apply the same and unified standard when striking all terrorist organizations listed by the United Nations(UN). Despite that the group the Islamic State was defeated in Syria, he said, there are other groups of terrorists in the country and the neighboring regions. "The breeding ground for terrorist has not yet been uprooted," he noted, adding that the fight would take quite a long time. Xie was in Brussels attending a two-day international conference on the future of Syria co-hosted by the EU and the UN. The conference,aimed to pump financial aid for Syrians and garner political support for UN-led Syria peace talk , brought together participants from more than 85 countries and organizations at ministerial level, as well as those from more than 200 non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The special envoy said China is deeply concerned about the worsening situation in Syria and urged the relevant parties to resolve the issues within the framework of international law and through dialogue and consultations. "We should stick to the direction of the political settlement. Military action will only bring more suffering to the Syrian people," he said, To find out a sustainable political solution, he said, there must be respect for sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Syria and the Syrian people must decide the future of their country by themselves. He added that UN should continue to serve as the main channel of mediation for the Syrian crisis. BERLIN, April 25 (Xinhua) -- The federal government in Germany lowered its growth forecast for the current year slightly on Wednesday. The ministry of economics predicted that gross domestic product (GDP) would increase by 2.3 percent in 2018, marking a slight downward revision in an earlier estimate of 2.4 percent growth. The figures were released shortly after leading economic research institutes downgraded their outlook for the German economy in the annual "spring forecast" and the closely-watched Ifo Business Climate Index indicated falling levels of confidence among executives in April. However, Economy Minister Peter Altmaier (CDU) emphasized at the presentation of official figures in Berlin that economic growth would remain at historically-high levels in Germany despite growing downside risks. His department predicted that GDP growth would still be measured at 2.1 percent in the following year of 2019. The government's projections were consequently more upbeat than those showcased in the "spring forecast". The economic experts cited in the report had expressed the view that growth would be measured at 2.2 percent in 2018 and 2.0 percent in 2019. The authors further warned that firms were increasingly nearing the limits of their productive capacity due to a scarcity of skilled labor. The Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce (DIHK) similarly cautioned on Wednesday that productive "bottlenecks" posed a real threat to German economic momentum. DIHK urged the government to take steps to increase the supply of skilled workers as a matter of priority, for example by expanding access to child daycare facilities. Nevertheless, Altmaier expressed confidence that Germany would continue to benefit from broad-based growth reflected in rising wages, rising employment and falling unemployment. "The boom is reaching the people", the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) politician told press. By 2019 there would be an additional one million individuals in employment while the unemployment rate continued to decline to 5.2 percent in 2018 and 5 percent in the following year. As a consequence, Germany was increasingly approaching a state of full-employment on the basis of its own national methodology. Altmaier vowed that the coalition agreement of the CDU, Christian Social Union (CSU) and German Social Democrats (SPD) would soon release more "forces of growth". He pointed to plans to offer domestic entrepreneurs more support and reduce bureaucracy in this context. Additionally, Berlin would dedicate more resources to infrastructure investment and digitalization. Although he recognized the growing difficulties which businesses faced in keeping up with demand, the minister did not perceive an imminent risk of the German economy "overheating". Instead, Altmaier identified the ongoing trade conflict with the U.S. over protectionist tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump as the biggest risk to domestic growth. SAN FRANCISCO, April 25 (Xinhua) -- Officials with the U.S. Department of State drilled out the lock on a front gate to the former Russian Consulate residence in downtown Seattle in the U.S. western state of Washington Wednesday morning, a Seattle-based newspaper reported. A locksmith employed by the U.S. officials worked for about 15 minutes to open the gate of the Russian Consulate before they moved on to the residence's front door, an apparent access to the main residence building, the Seattle Times daily said. The move came one day after Russian diplomats left the residence following an order by U.S. President Donald Trump to cease operation of the Consulate and vacate it last month. The Russian Consulate office in downtown Seattle closed earlier this month amid escalating tensions between the U.S. and Russia, after Washington and the West accused Russia of being allegedly involved in the poisoning of a former Russian spy and his daughter in Britain. The Trump administration ordered the expulsion of 60 Russian diplomats in the country, including a dozen at Russia's mission to the United Nations, while Moscow responded by expelling the same number of U.S. diplomats from Russia as "persona non grata." On Wednesday morning, the Russian Embassy tweeted that the U.S. State Department is to break open the Russian Consulate. "US special services are preparing to invade Russian diplomatic property in Seattle," it said on Twitter. "After breaking Russian diplomatic property's gates lock @GK_Seattle , the intruders got inside," it added. Russian officials said they locked the residence "but retained the keys" because the facility is "property of Russia." The Russian Consulate in Seattle was opened in December 1992 as the first new Russian diplomatic mission in the U.S. west in the post-Soviet era. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-26 07:32:23|Editor: Liu Video Player Close MINSK, April 25 (Xinhua) -- Five Belarusian poultry factories are going to start selling poultry meat into China, the Belarusian Agriculture and Food Ministry told local media on Wednesday. Aleksei Bogdanov, Head of the Central Office for Foreign Economic Activities of the Belarusian Agriculture and Food Ministry, said that the Chinese side has decided to authorize five Belarusian poultry farms to supply poultry meat to China after recent inspections and visit in Belarus. The Belarusian side is now getting the relevant veterinary certificate approved so that the companies could start selling poultry meat to China in May, Bogdanov said. The five Belarusian companies, which have been authorized to sell poultry meat to China, are Agrokombinat Dzerzhinskiy, the Vitebsk broiler poultry factory Ganna, the poultry factory Druzhba, SZAO Servolux, and the broiler poultry factory in Smolevichi, Minsk region. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-26 07:37:25|Editor: Liu Video Player Close BRASILIA, April 25 (Xinhua) -- Brazil's Supreme Federal Court (STF) is to vote on a motion starting May 4 that could potentially release ex-president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva from prison, the court said on Wednesday. Lula's defense team hopes to overturn a decision by Sergio Moro, a federal judge and head of a key corruption investigation, that determined Lula had to begin serving a 12-year sentence for accepting bribes. Lula was imprisoned on April 7, effectively derailing his bid to run for a third term in October elections. STF judges will have until midnight of May 10 to submit their electronic votes, without having to meet in person to debate the case. Should all the votes be in before the deadline, the much-anticipated results could be announced earlier. Lula's Workers' Party (PT) has said he remains their candidate despite his legal troubles, which it claims have been politically motivated to keep him out of the race. His lawyers argue that Moro's decision to have him begin his sentence was premature, since they have not exhausted his appeals process. U.S. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump welcome French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte for a State Dinner at the White House in Washington, U.S., April 24, 2018. (Xinhua/REUTERS) By Matthew Rusling WASHINGTON, April 25 (Xinhua) -- Questions remain unresolved over the Iran nuclear deal, even after U.S. President Donald Trump wraps up an official visit from his French counterpart. "The major unresolved issue is the Iran nuclear agreement. All of the European countries want the U.S. to uphold that agreement. Trump has major reservations about it, but seems to have a better understanding of the risks if he nullifies that agreement," Brookings Institution Senior Fellow Darrell West told Xinhua. Christopher Galdieri, assistant professor at Saint Anselm College, also noted the Iran deal is a key challenge. "For me, the biggest question is whether the existing Iran deal can be preserved. Trump's tone on it changed dramatically over the course of the visit, but with Trump there's always a chance -- a likelihood, even -- that what he says one day won't stick," he told Xinhua. From the start of the Iran nuclear agreement, Trump has continuously called it a "bad deal," but experts said that outside of the Iran issue, Trump's chemistry with French President Emmanuel Macron went well. "The meetings seem to be going well. Macron is the Western leader best able to connect with Trump and get him to shift his views," West said. "He has encouraged America to stay engaged in Syria and Trump appears to be open to that. It remains to be seen what concrete progress will come out of the conversations because it is hard to pin Trump down on specifics," West said. Galdieri said: "I think the apparent development of a working relationship between the two, whether out of genuine affinity or necessity, is the big takeaway. The fact that Macron is floating a new Iran deal that would run alongside the existing one strikes me as particularly noteworthy." For it's part, Iran this week blasted Trump. A senior Iranian security official said on Tuesday that his country would consider withdrawing from the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) if the U.S. scraps the 2015 nuclear deal, Tehran Times daily reported. "According to the NPT, the (contracting) countries can easily withdraw from the treaty if they realize that it does not benefit them and this is a possible option for the Islamic Republic of Iran," said Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council. Iran has not benefited from the fruits of the nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which went into effect in January 2016, Shamkhani said. "The other side (the United States) has been creating obstructions since the day of implementation of the agreement," the Iranian official added. He also highlighted Iran's capability of "resuming nuclear activities," saying his country will take "surprising actions" if the nuclear deal is sabotaged. U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to decide by May 12 whether to pull the U.S. out of the nuclear deal reached between Iran and six major world powers in 2015. Trump, however, has said he would not extend the waiver suspending the U.S. sanctions on Iran. The U.S. president has repeatedly criticized the landmark nuclear pact in which the West promised to relieve sanctions on Tehran in exchange for a halt in Iran's efforts to develop a nuclear weapon. SINGAPORE, April 26 (Xinhua) -- The 32nd Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit has kicked off here under the theme "Resilient and Innovative". The building process of ASEAN Community started in 2003 when leaders of the 10 ASEAN member states agreed to establish a community at the 9th ASEAN summit. At the 12th ASEAN Summit held in January 2007 in Cebu of the Philippines, the leaders made a strong commitment to facilitating the establishment of an ASEAN Community by the end of 2015 and signed the Cebu Declaration on the Acceleration of the Establishment of an ASEAN Community by 2015. The ASEAN Community comprises three pillars, namely the ASEAN Political-Security Community, the ASEAN Economic Community and the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community. Each pillar has its own blueprint, and, together with the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) Strategic Framework and IAI Work Plan Phase II (2009-2015), they form the Roadmap for an ASEAN Community (2009-2015). The ASEAN Charter, which entered into force in 2008, serves as a solid foundation and a significant milestone in achieving the ASEAN Community goal by providing legal status and institutional framework for it. It also codifies ASEAN norms, rules and values, sets clear targets for ASEAN, and presents accountability and compliance. To gear up capacity building, ASEAN has set up the ASEAN Coordinating Council and three ASEAN Community Councils, including the ASEAN Political-Security Community Council, the ASEAN Economic Community Council and the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Council. At the 19th ASEAN Summit held in Bali, Indonesia, in November 2011, the ASEAN leaders adopted the Bali Declaration on ASEAN Community in a Global Community of Nations, or the Bali Concord III, a historic outcome document which is widely expected to increase ASEAN's active role in addressing global issues and to map out the road for ASEAN's interaction with the global community. ASEAN leaders also affirmed their commitment to adopt a more coordinated, cohesive and coherent ASEAN position on global issues of common concern which would further raise ASEAN's common voice in relevant multilateral fora, and develop an enhanced ASEAN capacity to contribute and respond to key global issues of common interest which would benefit all ASEAN member states and their peoples. At the 21st ASEAN Summit held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, in 2012, ASEAN leaders agreed to sign, adopt, and note different documents including the Phnom Penh Statement on the Adoption of the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration, the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration (AHRD), the ASEAN Leaders' Statement on the Establishment of an ASEAN Regional Mine Action Center and the Bali Concord III Plan of Action (2013-2017). They also launched the ASEAN Institute for Peace and Reconciliation while pledging to bring the ASEAN common platform on global issues into reality by 2020. At the 22nd ASEAN Summit held in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei, in April 2013, the leaders agreed to push ahead with the ASEAN Roadmap and ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Blueprint, and intensify regional and sub-regional efforts in the spurt to realize the goal of establishing an ASEAN Community by the end of 2015. While spelling out concrete measures and steps necessary for ensuring the ASEAN Community be established as scheduled, the leaders, in view of unbalanced development within the block, reached consensus that the AEC shall be firstly established in 2015. Leaders attending the 23rd ASEAN Summit, held in October 2013 also in Bandar Seri Begawan, reaffirmed their commitment to intensifying efforts towards realizing the ASEAN Community by 2015. The summit adopted a statement on the ASEAN Community's Post-2015 Vision, under which the ASEAN Coordinating Council is tasked to develop ASEAN's future development plans in consultations and coordination with the three ASEAN Community Councils. The 24th ASEAN Summit, held in Myanmar capital of Nay Pyi Taw in May 2014, focused on the timely realization of the ASEAN Community by 2015, strengthening ASEAN institutions and envisioning a strategic direction for the ASEAN Community post-2015. By then, a review of the achievements of the cause showed that 80 percent of the required measures of the ASEAN Community had been implemented. With merely one and half years before the 2015 deadline, the summit adopted a declaration on the realization of the ASEAN Community in 2015, in which leaders recognized the urgency of the successful establishment of the ASEAN Community by 2015 and agreed to strengthen ASEAN unity and expedite the implementation of the remaining action lines under the ASEAN roadmap. At the 25th ASEAN Summit also held in Nay Pyi Taw, ASEAN leaders promised to strengthen their efforts to meet the goal of establishing an ASEAN community by 2015. They reaffirmed their vision stated in ASEAN Vision 2020 as a concert of Southeast Asian nations, outward looking, living in peace, stability and prosperity, bonded together in partnership in dynamic development and in a community of caring societies. The leaders were also determined to shape a bold and forward-looking future for ASEAN which will enhance and strengthen the ASEAN Community and enable the realization of a politically cohesive, economically integrated, socially responsible, and a truly people- oriented, people-centered and rules-based ASEAN. Leaders at the 26th ASEAN Summit in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur and northwestern resort island of Langkawi reaffirmed to make their utmost for the establishment of the ASEAN Community that is politically cohesive, economically integrated and socially responsible by the year-end of 2015 and agreed to tackle non-tariff barriers in order to further boost free movement of goods and services. At the 27th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, ASEAN 2025: Forging Ahead Together, which charts the path for ASEAN Community building over the next 10 years, was endorsed. The document is a forward looking roadmap that articulates ASEAN goals and aspirations to realize further consolidation, integration and stronger cohesiveness as a community. At its 28th and 29th ASEAN Summits held in Vientiane of Laos in 2016, the leaders adopted the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) Work Plan III and the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity (MPAC) 2025, an integral part of the ASEAN 2025: Forging Ahead Together, in a bid to advance the ASEAN community building process. Leaders at the 30th ASEAN Summit, held in Manila last year, reaffirmed their commitment that the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 and the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development will be implemented in a mutually-reinforcing manner to build a truly inclusive and people-oriented, people-centered ASEAN Community. At the 31th ASEAN Summit, leaders signed the ASEAN Consensus on the Protection of the Rights of Migrant Workers that strengthens the social protection, access to justice, and ensures humane and fair treatment of the growing numbers of migrant workers in the region. They believed the document will help establish a framework for cooperation on migrant workers in the region and contribute to the ASEAN community building process. ASEAN, established in 1967, groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. WASHINGTON, April 25 (Xinhua) -- White House spokesperson Sarah Sanders on Wednesday said the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) was "moving in the right direction" on the issue of Korean Peninsula denuclearization. Earlier on Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump said the DPRK top leader Kim Jong Un is "very open" and "very honorable," and he hoped that Washington could deal with Pyongyang in an "honorable fashion." In a press briefing, Sanders said the DPRK has "been open with their willingness to denuclearize." "They're moving in the right direction," she said, adding Trump "wants to have the ability to sit down and have these conversations" with the DPRK side. She reiterated that the United States will not let up on the maximum pressure campaign against Pyongyang "until we see some of the words that they've made go into concrete action." South Korean President Moon Jae-in will meet with Kim Friday. Trump said his meeting with Kim may happen in May or early June. TORONTO, April 26, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Data Deposit Box Inc. (Data Deposit Box) (CSE:DDB) (OTCQB:DDBXF) (Frankfurt:2DD) today announced it has signed a contract with DSD Europe BV as of April 16th, 2018. "This contract represents our third large partner in Europe, adding to previously announced Claranet and Brigantia. DSD customers are IT/Telecom Resellers, MSPs, web stores and retailers of all sizes. DSD will sell Data Deposit Box applications for a minimum of 12 months using their unique platform for software distribution of ESDs, software licenses and monthly services. DSD will share revenue with Data Deposit Box on a 50/50 split. We are very pleased to announce the closing of this deal prior to the quickly approaching deadline for the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) regulation on May 25th, 2018. We have been working with DSD since September of 2017 and this has been a very fast closing. Our new partner is a master distributor with more than 2,500 MSP clients and has a very successful and growing business, said Tim Jewell, CEO, Data Deposit Box. ABOUT DATA DEPOSIT BOX: Providing advanced, cloud-based data back-up since 2002, Data Deposit Box is one of the world's first and foremost data backup, protection and recovery providers for Managed Service Providers (MSPs), as well as Small and Medium Businesses (SMBs). Data Deposit Box offers full white labeling for larger MSPs. Based in Toronto, Canada, Data Deposit Box is trusted by over 5,000 MSPs, SMBs and personal end-users world-wide to make data back up as simple and smart as possible. Our recently introduced Secure Email Archiving has great potential in the larger Enterprise market as well as in our existing market. Data Deposit Box has refactored components of its existing cloud platform to develop products for the Blockchain industry. ProActiveMSP, patented web based remote device management software that does not require a Virtual Private Network (VPN), is being released in Q1 of 2018. The applications for this product cross many OEM markets such as Network Attached Storage (NAS), printers, routers, firewalls, etc. Applications also exist for the Internet of Things (IOT) which involves products for the Consumer, Business and Public markets. For more information, please contact: Tim Jewell tjewell@datadepositbox.com (416) 238-7596 This news release contains certain forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward looking information is frequently characterized by words such as plan, expect, project, intend, believe, anticipate, estimate, may, will, would, potential, proposed and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions may or will occur. These statements are only predictions. Forward-looking information is based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the information is provided, and is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information. For a description of the risks and uncertainties facing the Company and its business and affairs, readers should refer to the Companys Managements Discussion and Analysis. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change, unless required by law. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. A visitor experiences a VR device at the booth of China Aerospace Science and industry Corporation at Hanover Fair 2018 in Hanover, Germany, April 24, 2018. (Xinhua/Shan Yuqi) by Xinhua writer Ren Ke HANOVER, Germany, April 25 (Xinhua) -- As the world's leading trade show for industrial technology, the Hanover Industrial Technology Fair is renowned for its showcase of the latest trends in production. This year, the expanded use of Industry 4.0 in the whole production process has been in the spotlight of the exhibition. With the theme of "Integrated industry -- Connect & Collaborate," Hanover Fair 2018 has attracted over 5,000 exhibitors from 75 countries and regions. It runs until April 27. Among the world leaders in manufacturing, Chinese companies are catching up with their latest in cutting-edge technology. Photo taken on April 23, 2018 shows a view of a hall of Hanover Fair 2018 in Hanover, Germany. (Xinhua/Shan Yuqi) MORE INTELLIGENT, CONNECTED PRODUCTION As the organizer of the fair, Deutsche Messe said this year witnessed the trend of more digitized production, the integration of automation technology, IT platforms and machine learning which would take Industry 4.0 to a higher level. These include the integration of IT and traditional industry, artificial intelligence, Internet of Things and others. For example, Europe's largest software company SAP showcased a simulated production line for beverage bottling. Thanks to the AI system in analyzing real-time data on the production line, bottles can be filled with beverages with different colors, an example of efficient customized production. The latest IT technology makes machines more clever. Germany's leading intelligent censor maker SICK demonstrated its products that not only know the dimensions of a vehicle, but also could judge whether it is a car, a bus or a truck. "Traditional sensors transmit only data, which is the result of the third industrial revolution. But smart sensors not only transmit data, they can also process and analyze data into information. That is Industry 4.0," SICK's senior vice president Bernhard Mueller told Xinhua. "The Industry 4.0 implementation is no longer a showcase or test, instead it is a series of practical implementations," said Wolf-Henning Scheider, CEO of German car parts maker ZF Group. "With the help of intelligent sensors, cloud computing and the Internet of Things, robots can see and think," said Scheider. ZF Group demonstrated a fully-automatic electric forklift with AI control modules, which enable humans to teach machines so that the forklift can select solutions by itself under any situations, and hence substantially reduce error rates and improve productivity. PROGRESS IN ADVANCED INDUSTRY The Hanover Fair is a miniature of the development of industry technology in its 71 years of history. As China has become one of the world's major manufacturers, over 1,000 Chinese companies participated the fair this year, ranking second after Germany. China's home appliance maker Haier demonstrated its new industry idea: from mass production to mass customization. Taking into customers' preferences into consideration, a model fridge or washing machine was produced within six minutes. The production of customized product with Haier's COSMOPlat is displayed at the booth of Haier at Hanover Fair 2018 in Hanover, Germany, April 24, 2018. (Xinhua/Shan Yuqi) At the booth of China's IT giant Huawei, a robot, empowered by the high-speed 5G technology, can analyze and process data in order to prevent a ball from falling out of a tray by constantly adjusting the position of the tray. "I had thought Chinese products were simply cheap. But when I saw Haier and Huawei's cool technologies here I was really impressed," said Jorn Ids Heins, a student from the Netherlands. A robot, capable of analyzing and processing data to prevent a ball from falling out of a tray by constantly adjusting the position of the tray with the high-speed 5G technology, is displayed at the booth of Huawei at Hanover Fair 2018 in Hanover, Germany, April 24, 2018. (Xinhua/Shan Yuqi) Similar to Germany's Industry 4.0 concept, China unveiled a 10-year national plan, Made in China 2025, designed to upgrade the country's manufacturing industry. The plan aims to promote development in 10 key sectors, including robotics, aerospace equipment and new materials. Since the plan was introduced in 2015, steady progress has been made in industrial capability, smart manufacturing, innovation, as well as product quality and branding. Besides Huawei and Haier, the cloud service of heavy machinery maker SANY displayed the integration of traditional industry with intelligence. With the service, heavy machines and wind turbines can be monitored and their data analyzed so that they can be better maintained. "China has a large number of high-quality professionals," said Ulrich Spiesshofer, CEO of ABB Group, the Zurich-headquartered industry giant expert in robotics, power and automation technology. Spiesshofer added that China will continue to play an important role in artificial intelligence, and ABB will deepen its cooperation with Alibaba, Baidu and other Chinese companies. STRIVING FOR CORE TECH As the rising tide of isolation and protectionism was perceived as a major threat to the global economy, ideas for free trade and global cooperation were widely embraced at the fair. Juergen Friedrich, chief executive of Germany Trade and Investment, the country's economic development agency, said that over 4,000 Chinese companies operating in Germany have created more than 60,000 jobs, a solid proof of China's contributions to Germany. Friedrich called for the Germany-China relationship to be furthered tapped. "Globalization is an inevitable and irreversible trend and we are the beneficiary of the process. Only through opening up and cooperation can a win-win outcome be achieved," said Wei Yiyin, vice president of the China Aerospace Science & Industry Corporation (CASIC). After acquiring an electronic engineering company in Luxembourg in 2013, the CASIC's sales volume was doubled five years later. A DS 7 Crossback vehicle of PSA Group, using "Connected Vehicle Modula Platform" and equipped with Huawei technology for new connected services, is displayed at the booth of Huawei at Hanover Fair 2018 in Hanover, Germany, April 24, 2018. (Xinhua/Shan Yuqi) Qiu Heng, head of global market of Huawei, said the company is making forward-looking plan for core technologies like 5G and a time-sensitive network. "Corporations must input more in R&D," said Qiu, adding that the company's investment in R&D this year will surpass 100 billion yuan (15.86 billion U.S. dollars). Ren Xueliang, senior director of Haier Industrial Engineer, said the company spent 10 years to develop COSMOPlat, an industrial Internet platform introducing users into the whole process of production and mass customization solutions. R&D needs time, resolution and patience, said Ren, stressing that only persistence can lead to success. "One of the major differences in industries between China and the developed countries is the accumulation of experience: we have only 30 years of history but Schneider almost two centuries," said Gao Jianguo, president of Changde Tianma Electrical Corporation, which signed a new cooperation agreement with France's electrical giant company Schneider Electric. "If we want to catch up with the world's most advanced technologies, we need to be open and keep learning," Gao said. by Zhu Dongyang, Liu Chen, Matthew Rusling WASHINGTON, April 25 (Xinhua) -- The upcoming meeting between top leaders of South Korea and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) could start the process of ending the current confrontation, rather than be an endpoint in itself, U.S. experts said. A positive momentum around the Korean Peninsula has been built up in recent months ahead of the meeting between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and the DPRK's top leader Kim Jong Un that is slated for April 27 at the border village of Panmunjom. WHAT MADE THE MEETING POSSIBLE? Analysts said that the inter-Korean good faith resulting from the inter-Korean diplomacy around the PyeongChang Winter Olympics and Peninsula denuclearization has helped make the Moon-Kim meeting possible. Pyongyang's statement on Saturday to halt its nuclear and long-range missile tests, together with the good faith efforts in recent months, has removed potential obstacles to dialogue and further enhanced mutual trust. Dan Mahaffee, senior vice president and director of policy at the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress, told Xinhua that the push around the Olympics by the two top leaders has lowered tension on the Peninsula and led to the dialogue. Troy Stangarone, senior director at the Korea Economic Institute, a Washington-based non-profit policy research institution, said that enormous credit should go to related countries like China "for creating the environment needed for the upcoming inter-Korean summit." Without these continuous efforts to push for dialogue with the DPRK, the world "might not be where we are today," he added, explaining that Pyongyang's participation in the PyeongChang Olympics helped "shift the narrative of confrontation on the Korean Peninsula to one of dialogue." Michael J. Mazarr, a senior political scientist at the U.S. RAND Corporation, told Xinhua that the primary factor that made the meeting possible was Kim's "apparent appetite for improved relations with the region and possibly the U.S., and thus by extension with South Korea." "My own sense is that the 'maximum pressure' campaign may have affected the timing but didn't change the fundamentals of Kim's strategy," he added. Mazarr noted that South Korea's appetite for better relations has also played a crucial role. "Obviously, the Moon administration has taken a very different line than its predecessor, and the summit might not have happened without that change," Mazarr said. WHAT CHALLENGES DOES THE MEETING FACE? According to Mahaffee, efforts to continue lowering tensions and reversing specific tensions related to the DPRK's nuclear and missile programs are essential for the success of the meeting. "How Kim and Moon work together will set a foundational tone headed into the proposed U.S.-DPRK meeting, but that will also have a broader range of factors to consider," he added. In the eyes of Stangarone, the upcoming Kim-Moon meeting is "about starting a process rather than resolving issues." "The most pressing areas for the two Koreas to begin discussions are on denuclearization and creating peace on the Korean Peninsula," he said. There have been reports and indications that the two leaders would declare an end to the Korean War, he said. "But we should think about this more as beginning the process of ending the conflict that has taken place rather than an endpoint in itself." He further noted that the most significant challenge to moving the process forward could come from Pyongyang's requests for sanctions relief or economic aid in exchange for abandoning its nuke storage. But for RAND's Mazarr, the single key issue of the Kim-Moon meeting will be the precise shape of the denuclearization component and "whether there's a deal to be had there." The good news is that all parties concerned are open to a big geopolitical and diplomatic settlement of the Peninsula issue. "The question is whether the U.S. will be able to live with something short of immediate, complete, verifiable disarmament, and what exactly it conveys to South Korea before the inter-Korean meeting," said Mazarr. HOW WILL THE MEETING DEFINE FUTURE? Stangarone told Xinhua that the Kim-Moon meeting's influence on the inter-Korean relations might be "subtle" initially. "With sanctions likely to remain in place for a while," the DPRK and South Korea will "need to be creative in improving inter-Korean relations," he explained. "The most pressing goal for the summit will be creating an environment conducive to the U.S.(-DPRK) summit," he said. As for Mazarr, the most important influence of the meeting -- if the two leaders agree to end it with an agreed roadmap on the nuclear issue and a set of larger initiatives to surround it -- will be the setting of a very specific context for the meeting between Kim and U.S. President Donald Trump. "I would not expect Seoul to do anything that surprises the U.S., but we'll have to see," he said. Experts added that the meeting might even create the space for dramatic conventional arms reductions, a real boost for global disarmament. S.Korean president to greet DPRK leader in military demarcation line for summit: Blue House Source: Xinhua 2018-04-26 10:17:53 GOYANG, South Korea, April 26 (Xinhua) -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in planned to greet Kim Jong Un, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) in the military demarcation line (MDL) inside Panmunjom, a border village dividing the two Koreas, the Blue House of South Kores said Thursday. Editor: Shi Yinglun GOYANG, South Korea, April 26 (Xinhua) -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in planned to greet Kim Jong Un, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) in the military demarcation line (MDL) inside Panmunjom, a border village dividing the two Koreas, the Blue House of South Korea said Thursday. Im Jong-seok, presidential chief of staff who is leading South Korea's preparation for the Moon-Kim summit, told a press briefing at the media press center in Goyang, outside of Seoul, that Moon and Kim will make their first historic encounter at 9:30 a.m. local time (0030 GMT) Friday on the MDL inside Panmunjom. Kim will cross the MDL, marked only by a low concrete slab, through a narrow aisle between the blue pavilions sitting in the middle of the border village and straddling the two Koreas. The blue pavilions are used as the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission meeting room. File Photo taken on Oct. 24, 2006 shows the beach at the famous resort Boracay Island, Philippines. (Xinhua/Fan Yuelong) MANILA, April 25 (Xinhua) -- Starting Thursday, no foreign or local tourists will be allowed to enter the world-class Boracay Island resort in the central Philippines. "The Boracay closure will begin on April 26, 2018 as it undergoes environmental rehabilitation for the next six months. We urge the public to be guided accordingly as we restore the island to its former glory," said the Department of Tourism (DOT) in an advisory issued on Wednesday. The DOT warned that "identified tourists will be stopped at the jetty port" if they would attempt to enter the island, adding that only residents, workers and resort owners with proper identification cards and terminal passes will be allowed access to the island. Moreover, the DOT said that only residents will be allowed to swim in designated beach. Not even visitors of Boracay residents will be allowed entry into the island "except under emergency situations with the clearance security of the (government) security committee," the DOT said. The DOT said "no floating structures will be allowed up to 3 km from the shoreline." "Foreign residents will undergo checks and will have to be revalidated by the Bureau of Immigration." About 2 million tourists pour into Boracay every year to enjoy the popular resort island's powdery white sand and calm blue waters. Malay Mayor Ciceron Calawaing and Caticlan port administrator Never Maquirang vowed to implement President Rodrigo Duterte's order to close the island for six month to give way to the government's efforts to clean up and rehabilitate the island. Some business owners, resort owners and sporting associations on the island have opposed the shut down. Already, armed security personnel have been sent to provide "maximum" security to the island. Some 600 policemen will be sent to the island to maintain peace and order, the police said. On Tuesday police held a practice run of security measures in case there will be disturbances that may break out during the clean up period. For instance, police conducted exercises simulating clashes with protesters, terrorist attacks and even hostage incident. The military and the Coast Guard said they are ready to help the police maintain order. Coast Guard spokesman Capt. Armand Balilo said the Coast Guard will deploy two ships, three rigid-hulled inflatable boats and about 100 personnel on Monday next week. "We (Coast Guard) will extend whatever help we can give...We will help in the patrol and enforcement of regulations.....We will monitor the development there," Balilo said. "If there will be people who will try to enter, we will block them if they will insist. We will help the PNP (Philippine National Police) since we have the water assets." Military spokesman Col. Medel Aguilar said Army troops based in nearby Cebu in the central Philippines have been tapped to help ensure security on the island. The shut-down will affect the lives of nearly 47,000 residents on the island. Duterte ordered on April 4 the temporary closure of the world-class resort island Boracay in central Philippines for six months beginning April 26 to rehabilitate the island. The sixth month closure of Boracay will cost the Philippine economy about 1.96 billion pesos (roughly 34.5 million U.S. dollars), according to Economic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-26 10:43:04|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close TOKYO, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Jack Ma, founder and chairman of China's e-commerce giant Alibaba Group, discussed entrepreneurship with Japanese young business starters at Waseda University here on Wednesday. During his dialogue with the young entrepreneurs, Ma said that an entrepreneur needs to have the combination of EQ, IQ, and what he called LQ, or the ability to win love and respect from people. But what's particularly important is to have a vision that is different from other people and be committed to this vision, Ma noted. "As an entrepreneur, you have to believe what you have believed, not because of what other people said, not because of money, but because you can make things different, and you can do things differently." Hiroki Imabayashi, a doctorate candidate at Waseda University and CEO of an artificial intelligence data security company, asked Ma about how to select team members that one can trust. "If you want to trust people, the first thing you should do is to make your people trust you," Ma replied, adding that it's the target or mission that brings people together. Seiya Ashikari, also a doctorate candidate, started a company to make insects into fish feeds. He asked Ma about the prospect of having insects as human food to solve the global food crisis. "The bigger problem you want to solve for the world, the bigger your company could be, and with large company comes large responsibilities," Ma acclaimed the young entrepreneur's sense of social responsibility. "With growing global population, food crisis is indeed something that's worth thinking." Ma also encouraged young entrepreneurs to pursue their dreams and never give up, but not to blindly start a business. "It's not easy. Don't think you can become an entrepreneur if you have an idea, but you can join a team that has the idea and gain some experience," he said. "I was happy and excited to be able to ask Mr. Ma some questions and get his suggestions on my business. I will start following his advice from tomorrow," said Imabayashi after the discussions. "I was really inspired by what Mr. Ma said. I learnt from him that we should stick to our vision that is beneficial for the society," said Ashikari. Emy Tamaki, associate professor of Waseda University, said that Ma pointed out universities should focus more on the research most needed by enterprises and industries, and she would like to give more guidance to her students in this regard in the future. Ma answered questions at the discussion attended by some 1,200-people audience at the auditorium on a number of issues, including chip development, health industry, employment, and business operation, among others. File Photo: Kobe Steel CEO Hiroya Kawasaki (C) bows during a press conference held in Tokyo, Japan, March 6, 2018. (Xinhua/Ma Ping) TOKYO, April 25 (Xinhua) -- Japanese investigators on Wednesday began a probe into a protracted data-fabrication scandal by Kobe Steel Ltd., that authorities believe might have violated an unfair competition law, which could result in criminal charges. By misrepresenting inspection data and providing false information about the strength and durability of its products, authorities believe the firm, Japan's third-largest steelmaker, may be criminally liable and could face criminal charges. "We deeply apologize for causing great trouble to the people involved" and the company will "sincerely respond to the probe and cooperate with the authorities," Kobe Steel said in a statement. The scandal-mired steelmaker said in October last year that it had found cases of improprieties regarding inspection data that failed to meet industry inspection standards. The results of an internal probe initially found that products sold that had their inspection data fabricated were shipped to hundreds of companies. Japan's quality control authorities subsequently revoked certification for some copper products of a Kobe Steel subsidiary and the Japanese government said it had tasked industrial standards-approved bodies to carry out inspections at Kobe Steel Ltd.'s plants in an effort to deal with the company's wide-reaching falsified inspection data scandal. Kobe Steel Ltd. had initially admitted to falsifying inspection data on a number of its products, including aluminum, copper, steel powder and special steel products. It came to light that the embattled steel maker's own investigations had, additionally, revealed cover-ups and more incidents of data falsification thereafter. Companies ranging from automakers and airplane manufacturers, to defense equipment and Shinkansen bullet train makers, have been affected by the scandal. Kobe Steel said that its products, with falsified data about their strength and durability, had been sold to around 600 companies. Investigations first revealed that Kobe Steel knowingly shipped at least 20,000 tons of aluminum and copper products with fabricated inspection data. The products were sent to around 200 companies. The scandal-plagued firm also admitted that an internal probe had revealed that 140 tons of iron powder shipped in fiscal 2016 did not meet customer specifications. It also said that one of its subsidiaries, Kobelco Research Institute, had falsified data related to the production method of liquid crystal displays, DVDs and other electronic equipment. In Japan, major railway operators Central Japan Railway and West Japan Railway have stated that their Shinkansen bullet trains contained aluminum parts sourced from Kobe Steel that did not meet industry standards. Beyond automakers and trains, Kobe Steel has also been implicated in fabricating data for aerospace and defense-related products. Along with domestic firms such as Toyota Motor Corp., Nissan Motor Co., Honda Motor Co. and major Japanese railway operators, the scandal has also affected overseas companies including General Motors Co., Ford Motor Co., Airbus and Boeing Co. These companies have been undertaking investigations to see if their products have been adversely affected by Kobe Steel's erroneous data-related practices. As a result of this, the U.S. Department of Justice ordered Kobe Steel to handover documents relevant to the data falsification scandal, and a number of the firm's overseas clients have filed class-action civil lawsuits against Kobe Steel for providing products that were not up to industry specifications. Based on the company's latest findings following the conclusion of a probe and a report released in March, Kobe Steel said in order to make it look like their products met their clients' specifications, they deliberately falsified the strength and other data pertaining to the products. The company admitted that more than 40 employees were involved in the falsification practice, which the firm said had been endemic in the company since the 1970s. Kobe Steel was founded in 1905 and has been a bastion of Japan's manufacturing sector. The revelations of the data fabrication scandal, however, have cast doubts over corporate governance in the manufacturing industry and beyond in Japan, and cast serious aspersions over Japan's once stellar reputation for precision manufacturing, industry experts here said. Last year saw a slew of scandals related to Japanese manufacturers, including Mitsubishi Materials Corp.'s subsidiaries who were found to have falsified quality data for products used in multiple industries, including in equipment used by Japan's Self-Defense Forces (SDF), which compounded growing concerns about quality control in Japan's manufacturing sector. Uncertified safety checks were also found to have been routinely carried out by automakers Nissan Motor Co. and Subaru Corp., which led to extensive recalls. WASHINGTON, April 25 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Acting Secretary of State John Sullivan on Wednesday attacked Taliban's launch of its annual Spring Offensive in Afghanistan, saying there is no justification for it. The Taliban militants announced earlier on Wednesday the start of their yearly rebel offensive, accusing U.S. troops of sabotaging all chances of peace and playing a decisive role in prolonging the conflict in Afghanistan. They urged civilians to stay away from places regarded as legitimate targets by militants, and warned people not to support the government. Later in the day, the Taliban claimed multiple attacks across the country. In an announcement, Sullivan said Taliban's remarks affirmed its responsibility "for the insecurity that destroys the lives of thousands of Afghans each year." "There is no justification for the announcement of a new offensive. There is no need for a new 'fighting season,'" he said. "More violence will not bring peace and security to Afghanistan." "We support the brave Afghan security forces who are standing against the Taliban and terrorist groups that seek to destroy Afghan society," he added. The U.S. diplomat urged the Taliban to "turn their bullets and bombs into ballots." "They should run for office. They should vote. We encourage Taliban leaders to return to Afghanistan from their foreign safe havens and work constructively for Afghanistan's future," Sullivan noted. The Taliban militants, who ruled the country before being ousted in late 2001, renewed armed insurgency. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization and U.S. forces completed their combat mission in Afghanistan by the end of 2014 after 13 years of military presence in the country. However, around 16,000 foreign troops remain to train and assist the Afghan forces. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-26 11:48:15|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close MANAGUA, April 26 (Xinhua) -- A week of harsh, violent protests against the government of Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega and disputed social security reform has claimed to date 34 lives, according to media reports. The country has witnessed large-scale demonstrations since April 18, as Ortega intended to implement pension reforms that sought to increase the contributions of employers and employees while cutting overall benefits. Although Ortega withdrew the reform amid rising opposition on Monday, the deadly unrest continued. The disturbance has exposed public outrage and discontent of the 72-year-old leader, as well as his wife Rosario Murillo, who is the vice president. By early Wednesday, the rallies appeared to moderate after Ortega decided to make compromises, including holding talks with business magnates, releasing some arrested protesters and removing restrictions on independent media. The protests are the worst since Ortega took office in 2007. He is now in his fourth term as president. The U.S. State Department issued on Wednesday a travel alert for the U.S. government workers in Nicaragua. GOYANG, South Korea, April 26 (Xinhua) -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in planned to greet Kim Jong Un, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), in the military demarcation line (MDL) inside Panmunjom, a border village dividing the two Koreas, the Blue House of South Kores said Thursday. Im Jong-seok, presidential chief of staff who is leading South Korea's preparation for the Moon-Kim summit, told a press briefing at the media press center in Goyang, outside of Seoul, that Moon and Kim will make their first historic encounter at 9:30 a.m. local time (0030 GMT) Friday on the MDL inside Panmunjom. Kim will cross the MDL, marked only by a low concrete slab, through a narrow aisle between the blue pavilions sitting in the middle of the border village and straddling the two Koreas. The blue pavilions are used as the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission meeting room. Im said President Moon will greet Kim, chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the DPRK, on the MDL, noting that Kim will walk over the MDL under the escort of South Korea's honor guard. Moon and Kim will walk to a square between the Freedom House and the Peace House, located in the South Korean side of Panmunjom, to hold an official welcoming ceremony that includes the inspection of the honor guard. Kim would become the first DPRK leader to set foot on the South Korean soil since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War. After the welcoming ceremony, the two leaders will move on foot to the Peace House, a venue for the third inter-Korean summit since the first in 2000 and the second in 2007 were held in the DPRK's capital of Pyongyang. At the first floor of the Peace House, Kim will sign his name in the visitors' book and take a commemorative photo with Moon. Moon and Kim will start their first tete-a-tete from 10:30 a.m. local time (0130 GMT) at a conference room on the second floor of the Peace House to discuss issues on peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula, Moon's chief of staff said. Im said the upcoming summit will be focused on key issues including the denuclearized Korean Peninsula and the establishment of a permanent peace. The leaders of the two Koreas will have lunch separately after the summit meeting in the morning, with Kim slated to return back to the DPRK side of Panmunjom for lunch and a break. After lunch, Kim will cross the border to the South Korean side of Panmunjom in the afternoon to plant a pine tree, which symbolizes peace and prosperity, together with Moon on the MDL that had been a symbol of confrontation and division of the Koreas for the past 65 years. The pine tree will be planted in a so-called cattle road, through which late Hyundai Group founder Chung Ju-yung went to the DPRK to deliver 50 truckloads of 500 cows to DPRK farmers in June 1998. Later in the year, Chung led 501 more cows to the DPRK. Moon and Kim will take a walk to the Footbridge inside the border village after the pine tree-plating event, while sharing pleasant conversation. After the friendship stroll, the two leaders will resume the summit talks at the Peace House. Moon and Kim will then sign and announce a joint statement. Whether Moon and Kim will jointly announce the agreed statement would be determined according to the level of the agreement which the two leaders reach. A welcoming banquet will be held on the third floor of the Peace House from 6:30 p.m. local time (0930 GMT), attended by the two leaders and their entourages. The list of Moon's entourage includes Im Jong-seok, presidential chief of staff; Chung Eui-yong, top national security advisor for the president; Suh Hoon, chief of the National Intelligence Service (NIS); Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha; Defense Minister Song Young-moo; Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon; and Jeong Kyeong-doo, the head of South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). The DPRK entourage accompanying Kim will be Kim Yong Nam, president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly; Kim Yong Chol, vice chairman of the Central Committee of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea (WPK); Kim Yo Jong, first vice director of the WPK Central Committee and the younger sister of the DPRK leader; Ri Myong Su, chief of the General Staff of the Korean People's Army (KPA); Minister of People's Armed Forces Pak Yong Sik; Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho; and Ri Son Gwon, chairman of the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland, among others. NEW YORK, April 26, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Young Jewish Professionals (YJP) will be hosting its second 2018 CEO Healthcare Symposium, a gathering of the top executives and investors in the healthcare industry. The two-day conference will be held on May 1st and 2nd in Manhattan. This 2018 CEO Healthcare Symposium will bring together leaders in the healthcare industry from the hospital, homecare, digital health, biotech, and pharmaceutical sectors to discuss innovation, disruption, and future predictions for the industry. We are looking forward to continuing our 2018 YJP Life Sciences and Healthcare Network programming with this exciting CEO Healthcare Symposium. This stellar group of leaders and entrepreneurs will delve into valuable topics such as precision medicine, digital therapeutics, the importance of innovation, and many more. We look forward to seeing the new ideas and meaningful relationships that are sure to come from this event, said Gabrielle Petrosino, Development Director - Healthcare Division for YJP. More information about the 2018 CEO Healthcare Symposium can be found here. Speakers at the YJP 2018 CEO Healthcare Symposium will include: Stanley Bergman, Chairman of the Board and CEO, Henry Schein Paul Black, CEO, Allscripts Matt Wallach, Co-Founder & President, Veeva Kevin Conroy, Chairman & CEO, Exact Sciences Richard Park, CEO, CityMD Bill Enright, President & CEO, Altimmune Alina Moran, CEO, NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan Gary Jacob, Executive Chairman, Synergy Pharmaceuticals Michael Prilutsky, COO, Jersey City Medical Center Pavan Cheruvu, CEO, Axovant Sciences Akiko Tanaka, President & CEO, Canon Biomedical Bozidar Jovicevic, Global Digital Medicines Head, Sanofi About Young Jewish Professionals (YJP): The YJP Organization is the worlds largest community of business leaders, executives, and investors to teach, mentor, and invest in the new generation of Jewish business leaders. Our community of leaders, executives, and professionals are dedicated to combining their efforts to make the world a better place through Goodness & Kindness. Contact: Gabrielle Petrosino Development Director - Healthcare Division Young Jewish Professionals 646-202-1685 Gabrielle@yjpnewyork.com Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-26 12:08:20|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close TOKYO, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo shares inched up Thursday morning on upbeat earnings releases of technology companies as well as the yen's weakness. The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average rose 130.92 points, or 0.59 percent, from Wednesday to 22,346.24. The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange was up 4.25 points, or 0.24 percent, at 1,771.98. Gainers were led by electric appliance, machinery and metal product issues. HO CHI MINH CITY, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Vietnamese police have detained a 27-year-old woman from southern Tay Ninh province for trafficking 16 local women to Malaysia, the provincial police said on Thursday. Lam Thi Thao was detained at Tan Son Nhat international airport in Ho Chi Minh City on Tuesday when she was preparing to take three local women to Malaysia. Thao confessed that from early 2017 till her arrest, she trafficked 16 Vietnamese women from such southern provinces as Tay Ninh, Dong Thap and Bac Lieu to Malaysia. Thao told her victims that they would work in bars or karaoke lounges in Malaysia, but in fact they were forced to work as prostitutes. Tay Ninh police are further investigating the human trafficking ring, and coordinating with relevant agencies to rescue Vietnamese victims in Malaysia. KATHMANDU, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Nepal's per capita income is estimated to have crossed 1,000 U.S. dollar mark for the first time, a major boost for the country which has targeted to upgrade from the least developed country to a developing country by 2022, Nepal's Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) said Wednesday. According to CBS, the country's central agency for the collection, consolidation, processing, analysis, publication and dissemination of statistics, Nepal's per capita income has estimated to reach 1,012 U.S. dollars in the current fiscal year 2017-18 that concludes in mid-July this year. "It is for the first time that our income per person has reached four digits," said Suman Raj Aryal, director general of CBS while presenting the National Account Estimate of the current fiscal year at a press meeting on Wednesday. "This is a good indication for the country's target to graduate to the developing country from the Least Developed Country (LDC)." The country achieved this milestone with significant rise in per capita income in the current fiscal year. The per capital income is estimated to rise by 135 U.S. dollar, a 15.39 percent growth from 877 U.S. dollars in last fiscal year. Aryal said that extensive rise in economic activities including construction, mining and various activities in the service sector helped to expand the country's economy well this year which ultimately reflected in per capita income. In order to ascend to the developing country category, an LDC should meet at least two of the three criteria set by the United Nations (UN) which are related to per capita income, human asset index and economic vulnerability index. As per the standard set by the UN in 2015, a country needs to have a per capita income of 1,242 U.S. dollars or more to be called as a developing country, provided other two criteria are also met. Economists warned that there might not be a similar rise in per capita income in the upcoming years as the country's economy will grow on a higher base in the upcoming years. "Nepal's agriculture is based on the weather condition and industrial and service activities. It will also grow on a higher base which may limit the growth of the economy as well as the per capita income," Shankar Sharma, an economist and former vice-chairman of National Planning Commission of Nepal, told Xinhua on Wednesday. ULAN BATOR, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Mongolia and India have agreed to improve bilateral ties and expand cooperation in a wide range of areas, the Mongolian Foreign Affairs Ministry said Wednesday. Minister of External Affairs of India Sushma Swaraj arrived in the Mongolian capital Ulan Bator on Tuesday for a two-day visit, becoming the first Indian foreign minister to visit Mongolia in 42 years. Swaraj co-chaired the 6th Meeting of the Mongolia-India Joint Committee for Cooperation with his Mongolian counterpart Damdin Tsogtbaatar on Wednesday, during which the two sides signed agreements on cooperation in politics, defense, trade, investment, information technology, agriculture, education and health, the ministry said. India has offered a line of credit of 1 billion U.S. dollars for the construction of an oil refinery in oil-rich Mongolia. The two sides also exchanged views on opening a direct flight between the Indian capital New Delhi and Ulan Bator. Mongolia and India established diplomatic relations in December 1955. The trade volume between the two countries amounted to 25.6 million dollars in 2016. COPENHAGEN, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Danish submarine inventor Peter Madsen who admitted dismembering a Swedish female journalist and discarding her body last August was convicted of killing her and sentenced to life in prison on Wednesday. "Given all of the evidence, the court has concluded that Madsen is guilty of murdering Kim Wall," a judge read the verdict in Copenhagen City Court. Madsen said last October in an interview with police that Wall died of carbon monoxide poisoning while on the deck of the submarine built by Madsen, an 18-meter vessel named UC3 Nautilus. He also acknowledged that he had dismembered Wall, who was last seen on Aug. 10 last year when she went inside the submarine with Madsen. However, he said earlier that Wall died when she was hit by a heavy hatch on her head and he subsequently threw the body intact into the ocean. Madsen was rescued shortly before the vessel sank and brought back to Copenhagen on Aug. 11 last year. He was then charged with manslaughter and the prosecution has requested he undergo psychiatric evaluation. Copenhagen police said that Wall's legs, arms and head were removed deliberately, and that the body had been tampered with to make it sink. MAIMANA, Afghanistan, April 26 (Xinhua) -- A would-be suicide bomber was gunned down by police in the northern Faryab province before reaching his target in provincial capital Maimana on Wednesday, a police spokesman in the northern region Sayed Sarwar Hussaini said Thursday. According to the official, a militant was attempting to enter a funeral ceremony and blow himself up on Wednesday afternoon, but was identified by police and gunned down on the spot. The official blamed Taliban militants for organizing the failed suicide bombing, but the armed outfit has yet to make comments. KUNDUZ, Afghanistan, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Taliban attack on the checkpoints of Afghan forces in Dasht-e-Archi district of the northern Kunduz province claimed eight lives and injured five others on Thursday, district governor Nasrudin Nazari Saadi said. "Taliban militants launched multi-pronged offensives on the army security checkpoints in Kaltarash area of Dasht-e-Archi district early today morning, killing eight soldiers on the spot and injuring five others," Saadi told Xinhua. He also contended that over a dozen Taliban insurgents were killed and injured in the firefight lasted for a while. Meantime, another official who refused to be identified asserted that 12 security personnel were killed and eight others injured in the attack and gun battle. The attack on security points is part of the Taliban outfit that launched its so-called annual spring offensive on Wednesday and targeted government interests in parts of the insurgency-battered Afghanistan. CANBERRA, April 26 (Xinhua) -- The Australian government has committed an extra 1.5 million Australian dollars (1.13 million U.S. dollars) to prevent the spread of flesh-eating ulcers. Greg Hunt, Australia's minister for health, announced the funding to stop the spread of the Buruli ulcer in Victoria and Queensland on Thursday. Commonly found in west or central Africa and usually associated with stagnant water, the tissue-destroying Buruli ulcer can cause permanent disability and deformity if not treated properly. In Victoria, the number of diagnosed cases of the ulcer has soared with 182 cases in 2016 and 275 in 2017, with experts warning it could affect thousands in the state each year. The government money will fund a two-year study by the University of Melbourne's Tim Stinear who previously discovered the key role mosquitoes have in transmitting the disease. Stinear's study will begin with a cull of mosquitoes in coastal Victorian areas. The federal government funding has been matched by the Victorian government with two local councils also contributing to the research. "This is a horrible and painful medical condition and research is vital to get to the bottom of this new health challenge," Hunt told the Guardian Australia on Thursday. "My hope is that research will eventually identify a common source of the cause of this type of bacterium, which will lead to faster diagnoses, treatment and prevention strategies." The bacterium responsible for Buruli ulcers developing belongs to the same family as those that cause tuberculosis and leprosy. If diagnosed early, an eight-week course of antibiotics has been found to be effective in treating the condition in 80 percent of patients. CANBERRA, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Camel milk has emerged as a potential major growth industry for Australian farmers. Following on a major boom in demand for camel milk in the United States, the demand for the product in Australia has exceeded the supply, putting farmers under pressure to keep up. John Harvey, managing director of agricultural research firm AgriFutures Australia, said that camel farms often start as alternative income sources but could soon become powerhouses. "Milk from camels has been consumed by people for more than 6,000 years, much longer than we have consumed cows' milk," Harvey told News Corp Australia on Thursday. "Over the next five years, don't be surprised to see a major increase in Australian camel milk production. "The fact that camels are so well suited to Australian conditions and we have a large population of wild camels is also assisting with the growth of the industry. Some dairies are domesticating wild female camels to use as dairy camels." In addition to milk, camel farmers also produce camel cheese, yoghurt, ice cream, skincare and camel milk powder. Warwick and TJ Greena are camel farmers in South Australia (SA) who recently moved their herd of 48 camels from desert north of Adelaide to open a tourist venue in the coastal town Robe, 340 kilometers south-east of the state's capital. "The industry here is in its infancy, but has been very successful in the United States," TJ Hill told News Corp Australia. "There are certainly more and more camel dairies popping up in every state. I see huge potential." Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-26 13:43:41|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close BEIJING, April 26 (Xinhua) -- More than 140,000 people have been infected with hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) and six died from the disease in China this year, according to China's Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). As of April 20, a total of 141,978 cases had been reported, with six deaths and 581 in critical conditions. The disease incidence rate was lower than the same period of last year, the CDC said in a statement. Zhang Jing, researcher with the CDC, said HFDM was a common infectious disease that usually affects infants and children younger than five years old. During the peak season for HFMD, from April to June, the CDC said measures are needed to closely monitor and prevent transmission of the disease, especially at primary schools and kindergartens. Qian Suyun, doctor at Beijing Children's Hospital, reminded parents and teachers to take children to hospital as soon as they show symptoms such as fever, vomiting, irritation, and limb weakness. The disease can be transmitted through close contact with excreta and respiratory secretions, among other ways. English French First quarter of 2018 A quarter marked by a strong euro Total organic growth, first quarter: +2% Paris, 26 April 2018 - In the first quarter of 2018, Ipsos' revenue stood at 367 million, down 5.9% on the first quarter of 2017. In the absence of any scope effect, this change was driven by currency effects. The sharp decline of many currencies, such as the US dollar (-15.5%), the Japanese Yen (-10%), as well as those of many emerging economies, including the Brazilian real (-19.3%) or the Chinese RMB (-6.6%) compared to the euro, had the effect of reducing Ipsos' revenue by 8%. Conversely, organic growth had a positive effect of +2% and the transition to IFRS 15 had an impact of +0.4%. The increase in the organic growth is an improvement on the first three months of 2017 (+1%). It is weaker than in the second half of 2017, which had seen organic growth rates of more than 4%, in part, as we had indicated in July, due to the closing of the gap observed in mid-2017 between stable revenue and a rise in the value of contracts sold. To a certain extent, the same phenomenon could occur in 2018. At the end of March, revenue growth (+2%) lagged behind the growth in sales by 100 basis points. This phenomenon of a lag in the conversion of sales into revenue, seen now for the second year running, stems from a change in the structure of contracts won and performed by Ipsos. In short, our position in the market and our ability to carry out large, complex, multi-country projects, mean that we manage more large-scale contracts for which work is spread over one or more years. Consequently, the rate at which the revenue generated is recognised is lower. In 2017, activity in the second half of the year thus appeared more positive than in the first-half. This scenario could be repeated again in 2018, on condition, of course, that the volume of new sales continues its rise. Performance by region and business line Performance by geographical area and business line as recorded at the start of the year should be treated with caution. The first quarter is always the lowest in terms of revenue recorded, accounting for only 20% of full-year revenue. The indications it provides tend therefore to be unreliable as soon as performance is reviewed at the level of smaller sub-aggregates, whether these are regions or business lines. That said, in 2018, the performance in Asia-Pacific is, and will probably remain, more buoyant than in the rest of the world. The difference between the Americas and Europe, Middle East and Africa is likely to narrow. Looking beyond the regions, emerging countries are growing at a faster rate than developed markets. The difference in performance is only 200 basis points (+3% in organic growth for the first and +1% for the second). It reflects, however, and for the first time, a faster growth of the New Services in emerging countries. These 17 New Services rolled out from 2015 represent, in the first quarter of 2018, 13.9% of Ipsos' revenue compared with 12% in the first quarter of 2017. They are up +14%, or +27.5% in emerging countries - a considerable achievement - and +10% in developed countries, which is also clearly significant. They now represent 12.3% of Ipsos' total performance in emerging markets and 14.7% on the same basis in developed countries. These figures are satisfactory and consistent with previous years. Nevertheless, in themselves they are not sufficient to achieve Ipsos' ambition to return to a rate of growth closer to the top of the range ("between 2% and 5%") announced in 2015 and confirmed in 2017. Consolidated revenues by geographical area (in millions of euros) 1st quarter 2018 1st quarter 2017 Change 2018/2017 Organic growth Europe, Middle East and Africa 167.5 168.2 -0.4% 3% Americas 129.4 149.8 -13.6% -2% Asia-Pacific 70.1 72.0 -2.6% 7% Quarterly revenues 367.0 390.1 -5.9% 2% Performance by business line is more consistent. The excellent performance of Opinion & Social Research nonetheless stands out, with organic growth of +6% year-on-year, confirming the strong growth seen in recent years. Consolidated revenues by business line (in millions of euros) 1st quarter 2018 1st quarter 2017 Change 2018/2017 Organic growth Media and Advertising Research 76.6 81.3 -5.8% 3% Marketing Research 195.0 208.6 -6.5% 1% Opinion & Social Research 43.6 44.7 -2.5% 6% Client and employee relationship management 51.8 55.4 -6.5% 1% Quarterly revenues 367.0 390.1 -5.9% 2% Impact on revenue of the transition to IFRS 15 IFRS 15 replaced IAS 18 Revenue and IAS 11 Construction contracts from 1 January 2018 and incorporates new principles for the recognition of revenue, in particular in respect of the obligating event for the recognition of revenue, the identification of performance obligations, the recognition of variable revenue and the allocation of the transaction price for contracts with multiple components. In general, revenues from contracts with Ipsos clients will still be recognised according to the percentage of completion under IFRS 15, since control in respect of the service provided is generally seen to be passed on a continuous basis. Methods that do not reflect the percentage of completion of research have been abandoned under IFRS 15, in favour of the straight-line method, as much as this reflects the percentage of completion in a reliable manner. In addition, Ipsos has elected to apply the simplified transition method, which involves restating only revenue from contracts impacted by the change in standard and still in force at 1 January 2018. The impact of this change is recognised in opening consolidated shareholders' equity at 1 January 2018. Accordingly, FY 2017 presented for comparison is not restated. Throughout 2018, for the calculation of organic growth in 2018 and as required for the disclosures in the notes to the financial statements published in respect of the impact of the change in method, revenue (and other items impacted) have continued to be monitored in accordance with the former standard (IAS 18) solely in the Group's internal reporting. As announced, this change in accounting principles does not have a significant impact on Ipsos' revenue under IFRS 15. In the first quarter of 2018, the change amounted to +0.4% compared to the former method under IAS 18. Other information about operating conditions in the first quarter Profitability is in line with the objectives announced for the full year. Net gearing at 31 March 2018, at 47%, is down compared to that recorded at 31 December 2017 (53%). This reduction was made possible by good free cash flow generation. OUTLOOK FOR 2018 In 2018, Ipsos is using a variant of the so-called "same time" method. At the same time as the teams are working hard to prepare and implement the Total Understanding project, they are continuing to work on everything that will enable Ipsos to achieve acceptable performance in 2018. At the same time, Ipsos is looking to resume a programme of targeted acquisitions in areas where acquiring transformational and pertinent skills, technologies and know-how would be a faster and more reliable way to attain them than organically. As we have already said, the Total Understanding project is about growth. It takes into account the existence of a robust but transformed market, global but at the same time regional and local, defined by data - not only by its production but also by its use, driven and embodied by major companies but also by many specialised new companies known for the systematic, normative use of one or a group of new technologies. The Total Understanding project's architecture has already been presented. Two further communications will be made on it: in July, at the presentation of the first-half results, a few weeks after its operational launch set for 1 July 2018, and again on 7 November, during the Investors' Day that Ipsos will hold in Paris. Its effect on Ipsos' growth is expected to be limited in 2018, a year in which the pace of the company's development should be similar to 2016/2017, at between 2% and 3%. More substantial growth should come in the following year. Operating profit in 2018, here again as in 2017, will increase modestly, followed by more rapid growth from 2019/2020 as the effects of the Total Understanding project create enhanced growth, a greater weighting of high value-added services and stronger relations with companies and institutions who have chosen Ipsos as the preferred partner in the "holistic" understanding of Society, Markets and People. Next publication: 25 July 2018, first-half results 2018 Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-26 14:03:49|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close NEW YORK, April 25 (Xinhua) -- American companies that supply chips and other components to Chinese telecom equipment maker ZTE Corp. are experiencing sizable revenue loss after the United States imposed a denial of export privileges against the company on April 16. Shares of several U.S. suppliers of ZTE slumped immediately after the U.S. Department of Commerce banned sales of components to ZTE for seven years for its alleged violations of the Export Administration Regulations. The stock prices of Acacia Communications Inc., Oclaro, and Lumentum plunged 35.97 percent, 15.18 percent and 9.06 percent, respectively, on the day when the ban was announced. Acacia, the Massachusetts-based optical interconnect components maker, is among the major affected American companies. The company noted in a February filing that ZTE accounted for 30 percent of its 385.2-million-U.S.-dollar yearly revenue in 2017. "We depend on a limited number of customers for a significant percentage of our revenue and the loss or temporary loss of a major customer for any reason could harm our financial condition," said Acacia in the filing. The company is taking steps to suspend affected transactions as a result of the ban and is assessing the impact of these developments on Acacia, it said in a statement. Oclaro, a U.S.-based business manufacturing and selling optical components, also does substantial sales to ZTE. According to Oclaro's annual fiscal report, ZTE accounted for 105.3 million dollars, or 18 percent of its revenues in the fiscal year that ended July 1, 2017. Lumentum, which does substantial sales to ZTE, also suffered collateral damage from the U.S. punitive decision. Its stock price has slid by 20.3 percent since the denial order was announced. "The ban will not only severely impact the survival and development of ZTE, but also cause damage to all partners of ZTE including a large number of U.S. companies," ZTE said in a statement. More than a dozen U.S. companies listed ZTE as a customer in previous financial filings. NeoPhotonics, a California-based optical gear maker, issued a statement on April 17, saying that its direct revenue from ZTE during fiscal year 2017 was approximately 1 percent of its total revenue of 292.89 million dollars. NeoPhotonics provides component products to certain ZTE supply chain partners, which are estimated to account for approximately 3 percent of its total revenue in 2017, according to the statement. Without the ban, the company believes its annualized revenue with ZTE and its supply chain partners would have grown up to 5 percent, but the expectation "will not be realized," the company said. On April 19, China's Ministry of Commerce (MOC) said that the U.S. action against ZTE will damage itself. "The action targets China, however, it will ultimately undermine the United States itself," said MOC spokesperson Gao Feng. MAZAR-E-SHARIF, Afghanistan, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Up to two dozen militants have been killed and three dozen others injured as government forces from ground and air begun targeting Taliban positions in Charbolak district of the northern Balkh province on Thursday, army spokesman in the province Mohammad Hanif Rezai said. "The government forces from ground and air begun attacking Taliban hideouts and positions in Koshka area of Charbolak district at 01:30 a.m. local time today (Thursday) and have killed 24 insurgents and injured 36 others," Rezai told Xinhua. Without hinting at possible casualties of the security personnel, the official stressed that the government forces would continue to target militants elsewhere in Balkh province and adjoining areas. Taliban militants launched their so-called spring offensive on Wednesday and since then they are engaged with government forces in parts of the insurgency-battered country including the restive Charbolak district. WASHINGTON, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov on Wednesday criticized the "unfriendly" U.S. entry into the former Russian Consulate residence in Seattle, media said. The U.S. officials' intrusion was "nonconstructive and unfriendly ... anti-Russian actions," the ambassador was quoted as saying by Russian media outlet Sputnik at a ceremony commemorating the Elbe Day, which heralded the efforts of U.S. and Soviet Union troops to end World War II. "They entered in breach of all international conventions and agreements," Antonov said. Earlier on Wednesday, officials with the U.S. Department of State drilled out the lock on the front gate to the consulate in downtown Seattle in the western state of Washington, and entered the main residence building. The move came a day after Russian diplomats left the residence following an order by U.S. President Donald Trump to cease operation of the consulate and vacate it by April 25. U.S. State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert tweeted that the officials "walked through the property ... to confirm it had been vacated," adding that it was not an invasion, but "a firm, lawful response to Russia's continuing outrageous behavior." The consulate office closed earlier this month amid escalating tensions between the two sides, after Washington and some Western nations accused Russia of being involved in the poisoning of a former Russian spy and his daughter in Britain last month. Moscow denied any involvement in the incident, and recently accused British secret services of conducting the attack to discredit Russia. Following the poisoning case, the Trump administration expelled 60 Russian diplomats in the country, while Moscow responded in retaliation by expelling the same number of U.S. diplomats. The Russian Consulate in Seattle was opened in December 1992 as the first new Russian diplomatic mission in the western United States in the post-Soviet era. A technician looks for malaria parasites in a lab inside Comoros' anti-malaria center, April 17, 2018. Malaria kills about half a million people every year in the world, with Africa claiming some 90 percent of the casualties. (Xinhua/Lyu Shuai) by Alex Osei-Boateng ACCRA, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Ghana is readying itself for the smooth pilot of the world's first malaria vaccine later in the year, officials said here on Wednesday. Ghana, Kenya and Malawi will be the first African countries to try out the MosquirixTM vaccine, which acts against Plasmodium falciparum, the most deadly malaria parasite globally, and the most prevalent in Africa. Specifically, the pilot implementation program will evaluate the feasibility of delivering the required four doses of the vaccine, impact of the vaccine on lives saved, and the safety of the vaccine in the context of routine use. The vaccine is being considered as a complementary malaria control tool in Ghana that could potentially be added to and not replace malaria preventive, diagnostic and treatment interventions such as bed nets and insecticide spraying. Kezia Malm, Manager of the National Malaria Control Program (NMCP), said Ghana was selected for the trial because of its high malaria burden and well-functioning malaria and immunization programs. Malaria more children than any other diseases and is the leading cause of miscarriage and stillbirths in pregnant women in Ghana. In Ghana, malaria occurs every year with varying transmission intensity throughout the year, affecting all ages, with children under-five and pregnant women being the most vulnerable. In 2017, Ghana recorded approximately 10.2 million suspected malaria cases in the out-patient department (OPD) in a population of some 30 million people, representing a 23-percent decrease over OPD malaria cases reported in 2016. Malaria deaths also dropped from 1,264 in 2016 to 599 in 2017, representing a decrease of 52.6 percent. "Although the figure from 2016 represents an improvement over that of 2015, we recognize that a lot of work has to be done in reducing prevalence of malaria to the barest minimum," Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo said at a Malaria Summit in London recently. Badu Sarkodie, Director of Public Health at the Ghana Health Service, has called for the support of the citizenry in the fight against malaria, as Ghana joined the rest of the world to observe World Malaria Day (WMD). He said Ghana had the potential to eliminate malaria, and called for the maximum support and collaboration of stakeholders and individuals to reach that goal. "The idea is not just to put malaria down but to end it forever," he said at an outreach service to mark the WMD at Ashaiman, a cosmopolitan community near the port city of Tema, 38 km east of the national capital. The WMD is an occasion to highlight the need for continued investment and sustained political commitment to malaria prevention and control. Ghana has set the target to reduce malaria morbidity and mortality by 75 percent by the year 2020. Ghana's goal, through the national strategic plan for malaria control, is to achieve and sustain near-zero malaria deaths and ultimately a malaria-free nation. Key interventions of this plan include integrated vector management; malaria case management, seasonal malaria chemoprevention; integrated support systems; surveillance; and the strengthening of health systems. Malm said if stakeholders lost focus, Ghana risked losing giant strides made in the fight against malaria over the past decades, calling on all to put in more efforts to beat malaria. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-26 15:24:12|Editor: ZX Video Player Close BEIJING, April 26 (Xinhua) -- China is well prepared for any U.S. move to set limits on Chinese investment in science and technology, the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) said Thursday. "We have thought about worst-case scenarios and are well prepared for any possibility," MOC spokesperson Gao Feng told a press conference. Gao made the remarks when asked about China's response towards the possibility of the U.S. government to further restrict investment from China. "China is firmly against unilateralism and protectionism of any form," Gao said. He spoke of contributions made by Chinese investment to employment and economic growth in the United States. However, "some enterprises have slowed their paces or even canceled their plans for investment in the United States" due to uncertainty in the investment environment, he said. "We hope the U.S. side do more things that are in line with the law of economic development and conform to the tide of global economy," the spokesperson told reporters. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-26 15:34:14|Editor: Yamei Video Player Close Photo taken on April 26, 2018 shows Long March-11 carrier rocket lifting off from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Jiuquan, northwest China's Gansu Province. China on Thursday sent five Zhuhai-1 remote sensing satellites into space on a single carrier rocket. (Xinhua/Wang Jiangbo) JIUQUAN, April 26 (Xinhua) -- China on Thursday sent five Zhuhai-1 remote sensing satellites into space on a single carrier rocket. The Long March-11 carrier rocket lifted off from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China at 12:42 p.m. The launch was the 272nd flight mission for the Long March series of carrier rockets. Zhuhai-1 is a commercial remote sensing satellite constellation invested in by Zhuhai Orbita Aerospace Science and Technology Co. It will provide data services for areas including agriculture, land and water resources, environmental protection and transport. China launched two Zhuhai-1 satellites on June 15, 2017. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-26 16:24:27|Editor: pengying Video Player Close URUMQI, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Imports of live donkeys from Kyrgyzstan to Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region more than doubled in Q1, port figures show. From January to March, 8,000 live donkeys were imported to Xinjiang, about 2.1 times the number in Q1 last year. Irkeshtam port in Xinjiang began handling imports of live donkeys from Kyrgyzstan in August 2016. A total of 27,000 donkeys have since been imported. The increase is driven by demand for donkey hides used to make ejiao, a kind of gelatin used in traditional Chinese medicine. About 90 percent of China's ejiao products are made in Shandong Province, which mainly imports donkey hides from Peru, Mexico and Egypt. With a history of around 2,500 years, ejiao is made by soaking and stewing donkey skin and refining the results into a supposed remedy for a wide range of ailments. It has been extensively rebranded as a healthcare product used as an additive and in cosmetics. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-26 16:44:33|Editor: pengying Video Player Close URUMQI, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Zainab's favorite toy is a 24-color set of drawing pens, which she uses to draw a picture of the nurse who took care of her. Zainab is a three-year-old girl from Afghanistan with severe heart disease. The pen set was given to her by the staff from the Chinese Red Cross Foundation (CRCF). Along with a further 24 Afghan children suffering from congenital heart disease, Zainab arrived in Urumqi, capital of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, to receive surgery under program of the Belt and Road Fraternity Fund (BRFF) called the "Angels Tour." Under the program launched last year, the Chinese Red Cross foreign aid medical team aims to take 100 Afghan children suffering from congenital heart disease to China for free surgery by 2018. Zainab and the other Afghan children with congenital heart disease all bravely received injections without crying, according to Zhang Huina, the nurse Zainab drew when she was at the Xinjiang Medical University hospital. Zhang is one of the most popular nurses among the children. "Since most of the children came to China with only their fathers, the nurses and doctors play a 'mother' role taking care of them as they missed their real ones," said Muyassar, another nurse. Established by the CRCF in 2017, the BRFF launched a series of projects including the Angels Tour which covered 16 countries along the Belt and Road countries and regions. Without the Angels Tour, the children would have only lived for another two or three years, according Xu Jing, an employee with CRCF. "Zainab is like my second life, and her health is the most important thing for me," said Rajab, Zainab's father. Among the 25 children, seven have received successful surgery and gone back to Afghanistan. The rest of children are healthy and stable. Zainab is delighted as her two wishes will both come true soon, to return to school and to play with friends. "I'll never have to worry about falling unconscious while playing with them," she said. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-26 16:59:36|Editor: Yamei Video Player Close TEHRAN, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Thursday called on the world Muslims to withstand what he called the "bullying" policies of the United States. "For about 40 years (since the establishment of the Islamic republic in 1979), the Iranian nation has resisted bullying attempts by arrogant powers thanks to the teachings of holy Qur'an," Khamenei's remarks were broadcast from Iranian state IRIB TV. by Yoo Seungki SEOUL, April 26 (Xinhua) -- China's initiatives of double suspension and dual-track approach are the best idea, until now, to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula and build peace, said an influential South Korean lawmaker who counsels President Moon Jae-in on the third summit with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) as a member of the presidential elder advisory group. "Double suspension and dual-track approach, proposed by China, are the best idea ... I actively support those ideas," Rep. Park Jie-won of the Party for Democracy and Peace said in a recent interview with Xinhua. Park is a former chief of staff for late President Kim Dae-jung who held the first-ever inter-Korean summit with then DPRK leader Kim Jong Il, father of current leader Kim Jong Un, in 2000 in Pyongyang. Park officially and unofficially contacted DPRK officials in early 2000 to arrange the first summit as a culture minister at the time. Moon is set to hold the third summit with Kim, the current DPRK leader, at the border village of Panmunjom on Friday. It is expected to be followed by a summit in May or early June between Kim and U.S. President Donald Trump. The double suspension, which requires the DPRK to halt nuclear and missile activities in exchange for the suspension of large-scale South Korea-U.S. military exercises, is being unfolded on the peninsula as Pyongyang paused such tests this year while the South Korea-U.S. springtime war games were reduced in scale and shortened in period. The dual-track approach, which pursues the peninsula's denuclearization and the establishment of peaceful mechanism on the Korean Peninsula, is being pushed for as Kim indicated the denuclearization up for negotiation during the inter-Korean and DPRK-U.S. summits while the Blue House of South Korea is reviewing ways to turn the armistice agreement into a peace regime. The double suspension was demanded by the DPRK in 2015 and 2016, while the dual-track approach was reflected in the Joint Statement, signed on Sept. 19, 2005 after the six-party talks in Beijing to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula, build a permanent peace, and normalize ties between the DPRK and the United States. "Regarding North Korea's nuclear issue, China is one of the biggest parties directly concerned. The denuclearization talks cannot succeed without China," said Park. The Korean Armistice Agreement, which paused the 1950-53 Korean War, was signed on July 27, 1953. The peninsula remains technically at war without any peace treaty inked. Seoul and Pyongyang already agreed to push the meeting among leaders of three or four parties directly concerned to declare a formal end to the war. It was written in the Oct. 4 Joint Declaration, which was signed in 2007 by then South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun and then DPRK leader Kim Jong Il after the second inter-Korean summit. Park, who accompanied then South Korean President Kim Dae-jung in 2000 to Pyongyang for the first inter-Korean summit and had unofficially visited Pyongyang several times, said the third summit would be successful as it serves as a stepping stone to the DPRK-U.S. summit in which denuclearization is to be a key agenda. Kim Jong Un, the top DPRK leader, said his country will commit to denuclearization talks. What should be cautious preparing for the summits, Park said, is the difference between Pyongyang and Washington in defining denuclearization. The DPRK wants the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, while the United States wants the denuclearization of the DPRK, he noted. What the lawmaker sees as the most important in the denuclearization process is building trust between the DPRK and the United States. For the DPRK-U.S. trust building, Park proposed a three-stage way of denuclearization. The first is to put a moratorium on the DPRK's nuclear and missile activities in exchange for the U.S. halt of sanctions. The second is to freeze the DPRK's nuclear program in return for its establishment of diplomatic ties with the United States and a peace treaty on the peninsula. During the freezing process in which the DPRK returns to the Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) and is inspected by the International Atomic Energy Agency while the U.S. side lifts sanctions, Pyongyang and Washington can build trust and eventually leads to a complete denuclearization, said Park. Washington, D.C., April 26, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA) is pleased to announce that it has retained Steve Fox and his firm VS Strategies to play an expanded role in the organizations federal lobbying efforts. Steve will be joining forces with NCIAs three-person, full-time government relations staff and the associations other retained lobbying firm, Federal Advocates. Over the past 16 years, Steve has played a prominent role in reforming marijuana laws across the country. In addition to co-founding NCIA in 2010, he launched the SAFER campaign in Colorado in 2005 which changed perceptions of cannabis in that state by educating voters about the relatively low health risks associated with cannabis in comparison to alcohol, setting the stage for the historic success of the 2012 Amendment 64 campaign, which he managed. This is a pivotal time for our movement and for the cannabis industry, said Aaron Smith, NCIAs executive director. NCIA has significantly added resources to our government affairs efforts year after year, and adding Steve to our team will be a tremendous asset as we continue that expansion. It is important that we replace the failed policies of marijuana prohibition with laws and regulations that set the foundation for a vibrant, equitable, and responsible cannabis industry with opportunities available to all American entrepreneurs. Steve has demonstrated a commitment to these kinds of policies at the state and federal level and we look forward to working with him to usher in comprehensive federal laws that facilitate these goals. Steve started his cannabis reform work in 2002 when he joined the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) as director of federal policies. In that role, while serving as the only full-time marijuana lobbyist on the Hill from 2002 through 2005, he successfully lobbied U.S. Reps. Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) and Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) to call for the first-ever pro-marijuana vote on the floor of the U.S. House on what is now known as the Rohrabacher Amendment. In late 2016, Fox helped NCIA launch its Policy Council and became director of the Council, which produces materials to educate policymakers about cannabis industry-related matters and proposes legislative and/or regulatory solutions. Members of the VS Strategies team will continue to advance the work of the Policy Council, while Steve spends more of his time on direct lobbying in Washington, D.C. When I started lobbying to reform marijuana laws in 2002, it was hard to imagine we would eventually be where we are today, said Steve Fox. We are at the cusp of finally bringing an end to marijuana prohibition at the federal level and I am excited to re-engage with my full energy. Over the course of 16 years of advocacy on behalf of cannabis patients, consumers, and entrepreneurs, I have developed many valuable relationships. Through this new role with NCIA, my hope is to tap into these relationships and work with a broad range of companies and organizations as we collectively help shape the future of cannabis. NCIA is also announcing today the addition of Morgan Fox (no relation to Steve) to its staff in Washington, D.C. Morgan has spent close to 10 years as a communications professional with the Marijuana Policy Project, rising to the position of communications director. Starting in mid-May and leading into the associations 8th Annual Cannabis Industry Lobby Days, Morgan will serve as NCIAs media relations director, ensuring that the issues facing the legal cannabis industry are discussed rationally in the press. ### The National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA) is the largest cannabis trade association in the U.S. and the only one representing cannabis businesses at the national level. NCIA promotes the growth of a responsible and legitimate cannabis industry and works toward a favorable social, economic, and legal environment for that industry in the United States. HARARE, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa has said the row between Zimbabwe and former colonizer Britain, which started at the advent of land reforms in 2000, is now over and that his administration seeks to build bridges with all nations. Addressing a gathering of church pilgrims in Madziwa, Mashonaland Central Province on Wednesday, Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe could not continue to be isolated from the global community and was currently engaged in efforts to mend relations with erstwhile enemies. "We have opened our doors to old and new friends. We cannot continue living in isolation. We need foreign investment, as well as those countries' technical expertise," The Herald quoted him as saying Thursday. Zimbabwe and Britain fell out after war veterans invaded land owned by white farmers and parcelled it out to themselves with government support. A number of white farmers died during the period, resulting in Britain and her allies in the European Union slapping sanctions on the country. The Commonwealth also suspended the country, leading then president Robert Mugabe to withdraw membership from the grouping. Since his inauguration as president last November, Mnangagwa has been calling for the mending of ties between Zimbabwe and countries in the West. JOHANNESBURG, April 26 (Xinhua) -- South Africa's Justice Crime Prevention and Security (JCPS) cluster on Thursday criticized the renewed violence in the country's North West province where people are destroying property and looting shops. This comes after the violent protests which started last week on Wednesday and temporarily stopped on Friday resume again. JCPS Cluster spokesperson Siphiwe Dlamini said law enforcement agents have been deployed to affected communities to ensure the violent protests come to an end. "The Justice Crime Prevention and Security (JCPS) Cluster is dismayed by the renewed violence and criminality accompanying public protests in different parts of the North West Province. It is incorrect and unacceptable that people should turn to violence, loot shops and destroy property in the name of their demands. "We condemn in the strongest possible terms the rise in looting and destruction of property as well as all forms of violence. Such lawlessness will not be allowed to continue anywhere in the country, " said Dlamini. The JCPS cluster comprises of various government departments, including Home Affairs, Police, State Security, Justice and Correctional Services, among others. The protests have spread to the neighboring areas where shops are being looted and infrastructure being damaged. Dlamini said they will continue to monitor and beef up the law enforcement agents in the affected areas. "The JCPS cluster urges all individuals involved in the violence to immediately to desist from the use of violence as an avenue for airing their grievances. We further call on communities to raise grievances within the bounds of the law. Those who decide to exercise their constitutional right to protest are advised to do so in a peaceful and orderly manner," he said. The police also revealed that they have arrested over 100 people between the ages of 18 and 60 for crimes related to violent protests. RIGA, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Latvia Thursday passed amendments to its anti-money laundering law, banning Latvian-registered banks from doing business with so-called shell companies. The amendments to the law on the prevention of money laundering and terrorism financing were passed in a fast-track procedure. Fifty-seven parliament members voted for the initiative, while 17 voted against it and four abstained. Voting against the new legislation were parliament members from the opposition left-wing Harmony party, warned that the ban would destroy nonresident banking business in Latvia. The amended law defined shell companies as firms that cannot prove their involvement in any real commercial activity, firms registered in countries where they are not required to file financial reports, and companies that have no place for doing their business. Latvian-registered banks have 14 days to notify their clients that meet the description that their contracts with banks are being terminated as well as their bank accounts have to be closed in 60 days. The shell company ban will also apply to payment institutions, electronic money institutions, investment brokerages, as well as asset management companies. The amendments to the anti-money laundering law were drawn up to prevent the Latvian financial system from being used for laundering illicit proceeds through the Baltic country's credit institutions. Latvian Prime Minister Maris Kucinskis said earlier this month that shell companies made up around 60 percent of the Latvian banks' clients only a few years ago. Since the government started considering a ban on shell companies earlier this year, the latest statistics showed that the figure has dropped below 30 percent. The prime minister also admitted that giving up the shell company business would affect the banks' performance results and the Latvian economy in general. The macroeconomic impact from the ban is projected at 0.5 percent of Latvia's gross domestic product. Meanwhile, entrepreneurs from various sectors of the Latvian economy have warned that the ban on shell companies might also hurt law-abiding business people. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-26 18:09:59|Editor: pengying Video Player Close TEHRAN, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Thursday called on the world Muslims to withstand what he called the "bullying" policies of the United States. "For about 40 years (since the establishment of the Islamic republic in 1979), the Iranian nation has resisted bullying attempts by arrogant powers thanks to the teachings of holy Qur'an," Khamenei's remarks were broadcast from Iranian state IRIB TV. He urged for "solidarity" and "connection" among the world Muslims and asked them to refrain from making friends with the "pagans" like Israel. Khamenei said that "today calamities in Yemen, Afghanistan and Syria are the outcome of Muslims' inaction vis-a-vis teachings of holy Qur'an." Khamenei made the remarks at a meeting with competitors of the 35th edition of International Holy Quran Contest in Tehran on Thursday. YEREVAN, April. 26 (Xinhua) -- The speaker of the Armenian parliament announced Thursday that the country's National Assembly will convene next week to elect a new prime minister. The Speaker of the Armenian National Assembly Ara Babloyan in a statement said the vote will be held on May 1. The country's ex-Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan resigned on Monday after nearly two weeks of protests against the ruling Republican Party. Sargsyan, who was Armenian president for a decade, was appointed as prime minister by the National Assembly on April 17. The demonstrations against his tenure was led by opposition MP Nikol Pashinyan, who demanded an immediate and peaceful handover of power by appointing him as the next interim prime minister. Sargsyan's post is temporarily occupied by his deputy Karen Karapetyan, former prime minister and former senior executive of Russian gas giant Gazprom. However, the Armenian opposition continued mass protests on the streets and on Wednesday canceled talks planned between Karapetyan and Pashinyan. The impasse in Armenia's political crisis remains with political parties holding meetings in search of a solution. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-26 18:25:02|Editor: pengying Video Player Close BEIJING, April 26 (Xinhua) -- China said Thursday it will work with other members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) to safeguard the multilateral trade system and protect their own rights and interests. U.S. Section 232 and Section 301 measures hurt the multilateral trade system, said Gao Feng, spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce, at a press conference. WTO members have jointly opposed the Section 232 measures, which imposes tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, Gao said. Members including the European Union, Russia and India will join China in consultations under the WTO dispute settlement framework with the United States regarding the measures, according to Gao. China has also filed a request for similar consultation over the U.S. tariff hike proposals based on the Section 301 investigation. "We hope the U.S. side takes concrete action to abandon unilateralism and protectionism, respect WTO rules, and resolve differences through equal dialogue and consultations based on mutual respect," Gao said. He also criticized "individual members" of the WTO for obstructing the appointment of new members to the WTO appellate body. If the problem remains unresolved, the normal operations of the appellate body and the dispute settlement mechanism will be affected, Gao told reporters. China calls on "individual members" to stop hindering the appointment, accept their international responsibility to the WTO, and protect the multilateral trade system, he said. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-26 18:35:06|Editor: ZX Video Player Close Photo taken on April 26, 2018 shows a giant poster about the inter-Korean summit in Seoul, South Korea. South Korean officials on Thursday had a final rehearsal for the upcoming summit with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to check all of preparations for the historic meeting, the Blue House of South Korea said. (Xinhua/Li Peng) GOYANG, South Korea, April 26 (Xinhua) -- South Korean officials on Thursday had a final rehearsal for the upcoming summit with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to check all of preparations for the historic meeting, the Blue House of South Korea said. Kim Eui-kyeom, spokesman for South Korean President Moon Jae-in, told a press briefing at the media press center in Goyang, outside of Seoul, that the final rehearsal was performed for about an hour from 2 p.m. local time (0500 GMT) in the border village. Moon and top DPRK leader Kim Jong Un are set to hold their first summit meeting in the South Korean side of the border village on Friday. Kim would become the first DPRK leader to cross the border onto the South Korean soil since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War. Kim will walk over the military demarcation line (MDL), marked only by a low cement slab in a narrow aisle between blue pavilions, called T2 and T3, sitting in the middle of Panmunjom and straddling the two Koreas. He will be greeted by Moon on the MDL beside the Military Armistice Commission meeting room. The two leaders will be escorted by a South Korean traditional honor guard to a Panmunjom square for a welcoming ceremony. The square is located between the Freedom House and the Peace House, a three-story building recently renovated for the Moon-Kim summit. After the welcoming ceremony, including the inspection of honor guard at the square, Moon and Kim will move on foot to the Peace House, where Kim will sign his name into the guestbook and take a commemorative photo with Moon on the first floor before starting the summit talks on the second floor. For the third-ever inter-Korean summit after the first and second ones in 2000 and 2007, respectively, six out of the seven members of Moon's major entourage participated in the final rehearsal. Moon's entourage included his chief of staff, national security advisor, chief of the intelligence agency and ministers of unification, defense and foreign affairs. The rehearsal was conducted in the same order of what will be unfolded in Panmunjom on Friday. The officials of South Korea checked in detail how the DPRK leader will cross the MDL on foot, how Moon and Kim will shake hands and how the commemorative photo will be taken. KABUL, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Taliban attack claimed the life of deputy governor for eastern Logar province on Thursday, local media reported. "Taliban militants ambushed the vehicle of Qamarudin Shafi the deputy governor of Logar province today afternoon, killing him on the spot and injuring four others," Tolo television channel reported as breaking news. Taliban militants who launched their so-called annual spring offensive on Wednesday are yet to make comment on the report. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-26 18:45:12|Editor: Liu Video Player Close Aerial photo taken on April 15, 2018 shows the ancient Great Wall in Suizhong County, Huludao, northeast China's Liaoning Province. (Xinhua/Yang Qing) BEIJING, April 26 (Xinhua) -- China plans to use artificial intelligence (AI) and unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones, to inspect, repair and preserve the Great Wall. The China Foundation For Cultural Heritage Conservation has signed an agreement with Intel Wednesday, to explore the use of AI and the company's drones in the protection of the Great Wall. The Great Wall, a symbol of China, is actually not just one wall, but many interconnected walls built between the third century B.C. and the Ming Dynasty (1384-1644). It faces threats from both nature and humans that make restoration difficult. Most sections of the Great Wall were built on steep hills, surrounded with grass and weeds, which makes access for restoration very difficult. Researchers can use drones to collect images of the walls, and use 3D modeling to find broken sections and missing bricks. "The use of the latest technologies, will provide a new perspective of the protection of the Great Wall, and show us the great potential of science and technology in cultural heritage protection," said Li Xiaojie, director of the China Foundation For Cultural Heritage Conservation. SUVA, April 26 (Xinhua) -- The Fiji Police Force aim to have 1,000 qualified motor bike riders by 2020 for safer roads and enhancing community service delivery to the people of the island nation after an increase in accidents recently. Fijian Police Commissioner Sitiveni Qiliho said on Thursday that they had set out a target of acquiring 130 motorbikes to meet the demands placed on their services, so they could monitor heavy traffic and improve their response time to accidents. With the purchase of the 130 motorbikes by the government, and the 200 qualified riders in the Fijian police force to date were a positive move, he said, adding that it was indeed a proud moment to witness police officers on their motorbikes and the show would definitely generate a few social media posts and start some interesting conversation both positive and negative. He thanked the government for meeting their mobility needs, as the police to public ratio meant the ability to attend to reports more efficiently. Qiliho said that over the past few weeks the Fijian Police Force had recorded a number of serious road accidents and the recent deaths of three people who were unfortunate victims of a motor vehicle accident allegedly at the hands of a driver who was heavily intoxicated with liquor warranted an urgent review of how they were deploying their motorcyclists on Fiji's roads. The police chief urged officers to get out there and send a strong message that they will come down hard on those breaking road rules in Fiji. FRANKLIN, Tenn. and SAN FRANCISCO, April 26, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Expanding its West Coast presence, legal technology firm Cicayda today announced that Bill Carlson joined as Vice President of Business Development, West Coast, and that it will have operations in the Pacific Northwest and Bay Area. Cicayda is a leading legal technology firm that combines powerful software and analytics with its legal expertise. As Vice President of Business Development for the West Coast, Carlson will be responsible for the development of Cicaydas Reprise eDiscovery and Fermata Legal Hold Cloud-based solutions, working with law firms and corporation legal departments in California, Oregon and Washington state. Carlson joins Cicayda with more than 18 years of experience in legal technology and eDiscovery. Prior to joining Cicayda, Carlson was an Advisor for ClearView Legal. Before that, he co-founded and ran eDiscovery Trainers and spent 11 years as founder and president of DSU Discovery, Inc. We are expanding our presence on the West Coast. We are excited to have a permanent presence in San Francisco Bay area, and to have Bill join us to head up our sales efforts there, said Cicayda CEO Billy Hyatt. Bill brings strong experience in business development and legal technology, with an expertise in eDiscovery. About Cicayda Cicayda, founded in 2012 in Nashville, Tenn. by a team of legal experts, provides leading-edge Cloud-based Analytics and eDiscovery (Reprise) and legal hold technology solutions (Fermata) to serve the global needs of law firms and corporations. Using a SaaS-based subscription model, the company couples its powerful legal software with legal experts to provide 24/7 service, strategy, analytics and support. It helps clients save time and money with fast, accurate and highly scalable solutions. For more media information, contact: Lisa Hendrickson, LCH Communications for Cicayda 516-767-8390 lisa@lchcommunications.com Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-26 18:50:14|Editor: ZX Video Player Close JERUSALEM, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman said on Thursday that his country will hit Iran in response to any attack from the Islamic state. Lieberman made the remark in an interview with the London-based Arabic news site Elaph, ahead of his meeting with U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis in Washington, where the two are expected to discuss regional issues including Iran's military expansion in Syria. If Iran attacks Tel Aviv, Israel "will strike Tehran and destroy every Iranian military site that threatens Israel in Syria, whatever the price," he said. Israel is not interested in a war with any country, but "will not allow Iranian bases in Syria at any price," the Israeli minister added. Commenting on Israel's ties with Arabs, Lieberman said Israel is holding talks with Arab countries. "Things are moving in the right direction. There is an understanding of 75 percent of things," he noted. Israel has so far established no diplomatic relations with Arab countries in the Middle East except Egypt and Jordan. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-26 18:50:14|Editor: pengying Video Player Close Huang Kunming (R), member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, meets with Nguyen Duc Loi, general director of Vietnam News Agency (VNA), in Beijing, capital of China, April 26, 2018. (Xinhua/Wang Ye) BEIJING, April 26 (Xinhua) -- A senior official of the Communist Party of China (CPC) on Thursday called for closer exchanges and cooperation between media in China and Vietnam. Huang Kunming, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, made the remarks during his meeting with Nguyen Duc Loi, general director of Vietnam News Agency (VNA). Calling the two countries friendly neighbors and important cooperative partners, Huang said top leaders of the two ruling parties and countries have met several times since last year, and pointed out the correct direction for development of bilateral relations. He called on media in the two countries to deepen exchanges and cooperation, and serve as a bridge to boost the China-Vietnam comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership. Loi said bilateral media exchanges and cooperation have played an irreplaceable role in carrying forward traditional friendship and cementing peoples' mutual understanding. The VNA hopes to enhance exchanges with Chinese media to contribute to stronger ties between the two parties and countries, he said. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-26 18:55:15|Editor: ZX Video Player Close Chinese ambassador to Nepal Yu Hong (2nd R, back) and former minister and political leader Pampha Bhusal (1st R, back) attend the distribution ceremony in Lalitpur, Nepal, on April 26, 2018. Marking the third anniversary of the devastating earthquake of 2015 in Nepal, a Chinese NGO, China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation (CFPA), donated educational materials to school students on Thursday. (Xinhua/Sunil Sharma) KATHMANDU, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Marking the third anniversary of the devastating earthquake of 2015 in Nepal, a Chinese NGO, China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation (CFPA), donated educational materials to school students on Thursday. The CFPA, which has been working in Nepal since right after the earthquake, distributed over 400 school bags along with stationery items to students of Phulchoki Secondary School located in the outskirts of Lalitpur district. With the support from Chinese Enterprises Association of Nepal (CEAN), it also handed over a computer lab to enable students to have more access to information and advanced education. The distribution ceremony was organized at the school premise amid the presence of Chinese ambassador to Nepal Yu Hong, former minister and political leader Pampha Bhusal, representatives from CEAN, students, their parents and community members. "Most of the students in our school are from poor family backgrounds and backward communities. Thus, the generous support from China and Chinese people will contribute in their quality education. I am thankful for this assistance," Damodar Silwal, Principal at Phulchoki Secondary School, told Xinhua. Founded in 1959, Phulchoki Secondary School is a well-known public secondary school in the area with over 1,000 students. The four-storey school building has been reconstructed recently after it witnessed severe damages in the disaster. Expressing appreciation towards China for helping the education sector of quake-hit Nepal, speakers said such assistance will strengthen the people-to-people ties. Pampha Bhusal, a former minister and a leader of CPN Maoist Center, said, "Education is a key to the future of children and we are glad to receive support in this sector from our neighboring country. It will definitely help us in achieving our dream of development and prosperity." Addressing the ceremony, the Chinese ambassador to Nepal Yu Hong said China will continue to support Nepal in its socio-economic development. Stating that 22 projects under post-quake reconstruction have already started, Yu said that the Belt and Road Initiative would open up new opportunities for Nepal and Nepali people. The CFPA has carried out over a dozen projects in the sectors like disaster relief, food, water and sanitation, disinfection treatment and health care among others in 14 districts of Nepal. It has invested about 12 million yuan (1.9 million U.S. dollars) to extend support to over 250,000 Nepali people in last three years. MANILA, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday signed a proclamation declaring a state of calamity in three villages in Boracay resort island in the central Philippines, paving the way for the clean up in the next six months. However, the proclamation did not mention the legal bases for shutting down the world-class island resort. The signing of a state of calamity will allow the release of funds to finance the environmental rehabilitation of the island. In the proclamation, Duterte cited "the high concentration of feral coliform" in the beaches due to "insufficient sewer lines and illegal discharge of untreated water into the beach." He also said many commercial establishments and residences on the island have no proper sewer system and violated environmental laws. Duterte said dirty water results in the degradation of the coral reefs and coral cover of Boracay island. "Only four out of nine wetlands in Boracay Island remain due to illegal encroachment of structures," the proclamation read. Philippine authorities temporarily closed the island starting Thursday as the island undergoes environmental rehabilitation for the next six months. During the clean up, the Department of Tourism (DOT) said no foreign or local tourists will be allowed to enter the island. The department said only residents, workers and resort owners with proper identification cards and terminal passes will be allowed access to the island. Duterte ordered on April 4 the temporary closure of the world-class resort island in central Philippines for six months to rehabilitate the island. The president has ordered a crackdown on erring establishments after learning that many of the establishments there have no proper sewerage system and emptying their waste directly into the sea. Since Duterte gave the order, the government started dismantling illegal structures erected in forest lands and on the beach. KATHMANDU, April 26 (Xinhua) -- The Nepali Army on Thursday vowed to take action against its soldiers for their alleged involvement in the incident of sexual abuse against teenagers in South Sudan recently. In a statement, the Nepali Army Headquarters said here that a board of inquiry has been launched in coordination with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan headquarters over the incident which happened in South Sudan. "If Nepali Army personnel are found guilty in the investigation, they will be taken action as per the existing Army Act," said the statement. As many as 1,747 Nepal Army personnel have been deployed in the South Sudan. Earlier this week, international media came up with reports that Nepali Army soldiers serving in the UN mission in South Sudan allegedly raped two teenage girls. A total of 14,800 troops and police have been deployed by the United Nations in South Sudan, with a mandate to protect civilians caught up in a war between President Salva Kiir's forces and rebels. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-26 19:10:20|Editor: ZX Video Player Close BAGHDAD, April 26 (Xinhua) -- An Iraqi court on Thursday sentenced five foreign women to death for joining the Islamic State (IS) terror group, a judicial spokesman said. "The Central Criminal Court sentenced to death by hanging three female Kyrgyz citizens and two female Azerbaijani citizens for joining the terrorist IS organization," Abdul Sattar al-Biraqdar, spokesman for Iraq's Supreme Judicial Council, said in a statement. He said that the court issued verdicts of life imprisonment for five more foreign females: two Russians, two Azerbaijani citizens and one French. "The female convicts joined the IS terrorist organization and were involved in criminal acts against Iraqi forces," Biraqdar noted. Despite defeat in Iraq in late 2017, many IS remnants remain at large in the hideouts of the Arab country. The increase in executions in Iraq has sparked calls for abolishing capital punishment from the UN, the European Union and some international human rights groups, citing the lack of transparency in Iraqi courts. Death penalty in Iraq was suspended on June 10, 2003, but was reinstated from August 8, 2004. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-26 19:40:29|Editor: pengying Video Player Close People attend the opening ceremony of the Pixar Toy Story Land of Shanghai Disneyland in Shanghai, east China, April 26, 2018. A Toy Story themed area opened Thursday in Shanghai Disney Resort, the first expansion of the resort since its opening in 2016. Toy Story Land, the seventh themed area of Shanghai Disneyland, is based on the popular Disney Pixar Toy Story franchise.(Xinhua/Ren Long) SHANGHAI, April 26 (Xinhua) -- A Toy Story themed area opened Thursday in Shanghai Disney Resort, the first expansion of the resort since its opening in 2016. Toy Story Land, the seventh themed area of Shanghai Disneyland, is based on the popular Disney Pixar Toy Story franchise. It is a replica of the backyard of Andy, the boy from the Toy Story movies. Visitors will feel like they have been shrunk to the size of Toy Story characters, such as Woody and Buzz. "We're incredibly proud of the success of this one-of-a-kind, world-class destination, and we are thrilled to give our Chinese guests even more to explore and enjoy at the resort," said Bob Iger, chairman and chief executive officer of the Walt Disney Company. Located in Pudong District, Shanghai Disney Resort is the largest Sino-U.S. cooperation project in the modern service industry. It received 11 million visits in its first year after opening in June 2016, which was a "tremendous success," according to Iger. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-26 19:40:30|Editor: Yamei Video Player Close BISHKEK, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Kyrgyzstan's new government, led by Prime Minister Mukhammedkaliy Abylgaziyev, took the oath of office on Wednesday. Kyrgyzstan's parliament named Abylgaziyev, 50, the country's 30th prime minister last Friday. Previously, he served as the chief of the president's office. The parliament also approved the composition and structure of the new government. Kyrgyz President Sooronbai Jeenbekov, who attended the oath ceremony held in the parliament, congratulated Abylgaziyev and the government's members and urged them never to violate their oath by stressing their great responsibility to the state and the people, the president's press service reported. The previous government, headed by 40-year-old Sapar Isakov, was dismissed last week after the parliament passed a no-confidence vote, the first in Kyrgyzstan's history. NAIROBI, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Visiting African Union Commission chairman Moussa Faki Mahamat on Thursday lauded President Uhuru Kenyatta's support for the continental body's agenda of integration, trade, peace, security and stability. Mahamat who held talks with Kenyatta in Nairobi also praised the Kenyan leader for showing commitment to the financial and institutional reforms of the African Union. "We appreciate your support for the Single African Air Transport Market and the African Continental Free Trade Area, among other AU initiatives," Mahamat said, according to a statement issued by Kenyatta's office after the meeting in Nairobi. The AUC chairman also commended Kenyatta for demonstrating great responsibility and leadership in last elections in Kenya that proved to the world that political competition need not be a source of disunity and instability. "We commend the sacrifice Kenya has continued to make in support of Somalia and South Sudan in terms of human and capital investment," Mahamat said. President Kenyatta affirmed his support for the continental integration agenda, saying Kenya is set to submit its papers for the ratification of the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AfCFTA) that he signed last month in Kigali, Rwanda, with other African leaders. Some 44 African countries signed the agreement to establish the pan-African trade bloc during the Tenth Extraordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union in Rwanda in March. According to the African Union, AfCFTA aims to establish a single liberalized market that will spur industrialization, infrastructural development, economic diversification and trade across the continent that is home to some 1.2 billion people. Kenyatta said even as the continent moves towards closer integration that will allow for free movement of people and goods, it should not shut out its traditional trade and development partners especially the Caribbean and Pacific regions. "Even as we move to strengthen intra-Africa trade, we should not do this at the expense of our African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) partnership," the Kenyan leader said. "There is a growing feeling that Africa is trying to pull out from the ACP partnership," the president added. NAIROBI, April 26 (Xinhua) -- The African Union is considering imposing sanctions on leaders who will appear to be frustrating the South Sudan peace process, a senior official at the pan African body disclosed on Thursday. Visiting African Union Commission (AUC) Chairman Moussa Faki Mahamat who held talks with Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta in Nairobi called on regional countries to help enforce peace in South Sudan and lauded Nairobi's unwavering support to regional peace and stability. Mahamat appealed to President Kenyatta and his colleagues in the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) to remain on course in pushing for peace and stability in South Sudan. "There is need to come up with more original proposals that will help resolve the problem in South Sudan. We are relying on you, Mr President, and your colleagues in IGAD to help," Mahamat said, according to a statement from Kenyatta's office issued after the meeting. The AUC chairman appreciated the role played by Kenya in promoting peace and stability in Somalia and South Sudan. During the meeting, the Kenyan leader voiced the growing concern and impatience on the slow pace of the peace process in Kenya's northern neighbor. "The situation in South Sudan is of great concern to us. After Naivasha (peace talks), we hoped we will have a stable and prosperous country. It is disappointing to see that the situation has deteriorated even further," Kenyatta said He called on the South Sudan leaders to embrace the IGAD and AU-led peace processes, saying it was sad that the leaders were derailing the peace initiatives. President Kenyatta assured that Kenya will remain steadfast on the revitalization of the South Sudan peace process. The remarks come as the next round of peace talks earlier scheduled for Thursday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia was postponed until further notice. South Sudan has been embroiled in civil war since December 2013 and the conflict now in its fifth year has taken a devastating toll on the people, creating one of the fastest growing refugee crises in the world. A peace deal signed in August 2015 between the rival leaders under UN pressure led to the establishment of a transitional unity government in April 2016, but was shattered by renewed fighting in July the same year. Fornebu, Norway - April 26, 2018: The Annual General Meeting of the shareholders of REC Silicon ASA (REC Silicon) was held on April 26, 2018 at 16:00 CET. The minutes from the Annual General Meeting recording the resolutions made are enclosed hereto and are also available on REC Silicon's website www.recsilicon.com. 1,067,736,509 shares were represented at the general meeting. This includes 336,919,630 shares represented by proxy. Thus, approximately 41.97% of the Company's total share were represented at the Annual General Meeting. Further to the Notice of the Annual General Meeting issued on March 16, 2018, the Annual General Meeting approved, as follows from the minutes, all resolutions as proposed by the Board. For further information, please contact: Christopher Bowes, Investor Relations REC Silicon ASA Phone: +1 509 793 8127 Email: chris.bowes@recsilicon.com Nils O. Kjerstad IR Contact Europe Phone: +47 9135 6659 Email: nils.kjerstad@crux.no About REC Silicon REC Silicon is a leading producer of advanced silicon materials, delivering high-purity polysilicon and silicon gas to the solar and electronics industries worldwide. We combine 30 years of experience and proprietary technology with the needs of our customers, with annual production capacity of more than 20,000 MT of polysilicon from our two US-based manufacturing plants. Listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange (ticker: REC), the company is headquartered in Fornebu, Norway. For more information, go to: www.recsilicon.com This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-26 20:00:39|Editor: pengying Video Player Close DHAKA, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Bangladesh's US-Bangla Airlines is all set to launch flight operations to Guangzhou from Thursday, making it the first Bangladeshi air service to have a route to China. Beginning on April 26, the flight will run thrice a week according to the spokesman Md. Kamrul Islam of the Dhaka-based leading private carrier. "We will start flight for Guangzhou from Dhaka from today," US-Bangla General Manager Islam told Xinhua. With Boeing 737-800 aircraft, he said initially three flights will be operated for Guangzhou from Dhaka on every Saturday, Tuesday and Thursday. "Hope Chinese nationals will also like the flight services and give importance." He said Bangladesh has a good relationship with China since the country's independence. Interactions between the business communities in Bangladesh and China have been very frequent and warm over the past years, he added. "So far there were only Chinese airlines for communications. We are happy that now a Bangladeshi airline is also going to operate flights to China." Initially three flights will return from Guangzhou to Dhaka on every Sunday, Wednesday and Friday. NAIROBI, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Somalia's electoral officials wrapped up their three-day training in Nairobi on Thursday vowing to embark on the electoral boundary delimitation exercise. Somalia's National Independent Electoral Commission (NIEC) chairperson, Halima Ismail Ibrahim, said the exercise will start in earnest in 2019 ahead of the one-person one-vote elections in 2020. "When I was coming from Mogadishu, I didn't have the knowledge that I have now. We thought that it was a simple thing, the delimitation of boundaries for elections," Ibrahim said in a statement released by the AU mission in Somalia (AMISOM). Ibrahim said while they had planned to start the process in 2020, they realized after their training that the exercise was urgent and required a lot of work hence their decision to immediately embark on the process. "We were planning to do it around 2019 but before we start we need to take (various) steps, you need a lot of principles to follow, you must have a legal framework whether it's from parliament or from the NIEC, we have found that we are in a real critical situation. We must start the process as soon as we go back," she added. The three-day training, facilitated by AMISOM and supported by the African Union Commission, brought together 24 participants drawn from NIEC, various ministries, Office of the President and Office of the Prime Minister. Participants deliberated on the legal and institutional framework for electoral boundary delimitation, impact of system of government and electoral systems on the delimitation, the use of technology in boundary delimitation, among others. Ali Mohamed Mohamud, a senior policy adviser for the Ministry of Interior, said the team had gained plenty of insights in the way democratic and independent elections are held in the normal and post-conflict countries in Africa. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-26 20:05:44|Editor: pengying Video Player Close DHAKA, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Closer cooperation between China and India will bring enormous importance for the Asia-Pacific region, a leading Bangladeshi think-tank chief said Thursday. Farooq Sobhan, president of Bangladesh Enterprise Institute, told Xinhua that "The talks between (Indian ) Prime Minister Modi and (Chinese) President Xi Jinping in Wuhan on 27-28 April will be of enormous importance for the Asia-Pacific region." He said Bangladesh, in particular, will undoubtedly follow the visit very closely. "Bangladesh enjoys a close relationship with both India and China and would welcome the strengthening of Sino-Indian relations," he added. On trade, Sobhan, who served in various capacities in the Bangladeshi government and foreign service, said Bangladesh would like to see its strong bilateral relations with China and India develop into trilateral project based on cooperation encompassing both China and India. "The bilateral summit meeting between these two world leaders could contribute significantly to promoting regional economic cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region," Sobhan said. "We hope that the talks will make a significant contribution to strengthening peace and stability in the region," he said. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-26 20:05:45|Editor: pengying Video Player Close Chinese ambassador to Afghanistan Liu Jinsong (Central R) poses for photos with Shams Orphanage's students and staff during donation ceremony in Kabul, Afghanistan, April 26, 2018. The Chinese Embassy to Afghanistan donated teaching and learning equipment to a local school - Shams Orphanage here in Kabul on Thursday. (Xinhua/Rahmat Alizadah) KABUL, April 26 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Embassy to Afghanistan donated teaching and learning equipment to a local school - Shams Orphanage here in Kabul on Thursday. The equipment including books, stationery, laptop computers and other items, was handed over to the school principal, Maryam Gailani, at a ceremony attended by a number of school officials and students. Chinese Ambassador to Afghanistan Liu Jingsong, during the handover ceremony, said that since his mission several months ago, he has provided various cooperation with the Afghan children. Nadra Kharoot, one of the in-charges of the orphanage thanked the Chinese government for the cooperation, saying that "China has always provided assistance with the Afghan people" in various fields. "This is a good gift to us from the people of China and we thank them for the cooperation. We hope, one time these Afghan orphans could serve their country like the Chinese youth did to their homeland," said Mrs. Kharoot. RABAT, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Libya's two legislative bodies achieved an initial agreements to break deadlock, a senior Libyan official said Thursday in Morocco. The head of Libya High Council of State Khalid Al-Mishri confirmed that he met the Speaker of Libya's House of Representatives Akila Saleh, during his visit to Morocco, revealing that initial agreements have been made to break the political impasse in Libya. During this unprecedented meeting, the two parties "agreed to end this period of division and start a period of stability and unification of Libya's institutions," Al-Mishri told the press prior to his departure from Morocco. This is the first meeting between the two Libyan officials since the appointment of Al-Mishri as head of Libya High Council of State in earlier April. "Our meeting have enabled us to reach initial agreements on certain issues and remarks regarding the Libyan Political Agreement signed in Skhirat," Al-Mishri said. The two officials will return to their respective legislative bodies to take final decisions on the various issues covered in the meeting and find settlement in the shortest terms. Al-Mishri and Saleh met with Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita and the speaker of Moroccan parliament. In 2015, Morocco hosts in the city of Skhirat the United Nations-brokered peace talks between Libya's conflicting parties, leading to the Libyan Political Agreement. Despite the signing of this agreement, the north African country has been remaining divided between authorities in the east and west. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-26 20:10:48|Editor: pengying Video Player Close A Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) air force formation conducts island patrols during training on April 26, 2018. The formation was made up of fighters, early warning and surveillance aircraft, and H-6K bombers, which took off from various military airfields. The formation flew over the Miyako Strait and Bashi Channel, completing an island patrol, the subject of the training. (Xinhua/Wu Yuepeng) FUZHOU, April 26 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA)air force formation conducted island patrols during training on Thursday morning. The formation was made up of fighters, early warning and surveillance aircraft, and H-6K bombers, which took off from various military airfields. The formation flew over the Miyako Strait and Bashi Channel, completing an island patrol, the subject of the training. The air force has conducted a number of island patrols since April 18, in order to exercise and enhance its capabilities to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity. Via real combat training at sea, the air force's combat preparedness has undergone historic changes, air force spokesperson Shen Jinke said at a military base in Fujian Province. "The PLA air force has the resolve, faith, and capability to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity," he said. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-26 20:30:54|Editor: pengying Video Player Close LONDON, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Chinese airline brand values are taking off as they spread their wings with greater growth beyond the domestic market, said a latest report by Brand Finance, the world's leading independent brand valuation and strategy consultancy. China Southern (up 10 percent to 4.1 billion U.S. dollars) remains the Chinese brand leader, ahead of China Eastern (up 21 percent to 3.8 billion dollars), and Air China (up 19 percent to 3.4 billion dollars). In a reflection of the eastward-movement of the global airline business, British Airways (down 6 percent to 3.5 billion dollars) fell down the ranking to 8th place, behind two of the Chinese brands and only narrowly ahead of Air China, said Brand Finance. Meanwhile, American Airlines remains the world's most valuable airline brand, despite its brand value falling by 7 percent to 9.1 billion dollars. The other big, full service, US airlines each endured bumpy skies, including second-ranked Delta (down 6 percent to 8.7 billion dollars) and third-ranked United Airlines (down 2 percent to 7 billion dollars). The trio of big American airlines have each failed to grow their brand values as they suffered from a series of larger macro-economic challenges in a post-consolidation phase. In addition, they have been beset by higher fuel costs and a number of flight cancellations caused by storms. Meanwhile, the rise of social media has allowed unhappy customers to share a number of stories that have spread virally, but this does not appear to be causing significant long-term damage to airline brands. David Haigh, CEO of Brand Finance, said in a press release that customers are making decisions about airline brands on a very narrow range of factors: price, routing, and schedules. "Despite big viral news stories which gained media attention globally affecting several brands, in the airline business, it is reliability on delivering core services that customers find key in taking purchasing decisions." "Consequently, the Chinese brands are the big winners in this area as they have been able to grow their brands by giving customers greater confidence in their dependability and safety as they grow alongside the Chinese economy." Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-26 20:35:56|Editor: pengying Video Player Close BEIJING, April 26 (Xinhua) -- The Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP) will launch a nationwide campaign to improve human rights protection of detainees, the SPP said in a statement Thursday. The campaign, which runs from April 2018 to December 2019, will focus on protecting detainees' rights to rewards and rest, and their rights to meet lawyers and obtain remuneration for labor, according to the statement. Prosecution organs at various levels should increase supervision and stop illegal practices such as bullying, physical punishment and abuse in prisons, it said. More efforts should be made to ensure safety of custody areas and improve procedures undertaken after the death of detainees, it said. Prosecution authorities at all levels should detect loopholes in protecting the rights and interests of detainees and report them to courts, public security agencies, judicial and administrative organs at the same level, it said. The SPP asked all prosecution organs to strengthen protection of human rights, prevent illegalities harming the rights and interests of detainees, and better safeguard social security. NAIROBI, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan politicians have kept their critics and admirers guessing as they engage in secret talks on 2022 succession battle. The politicians, both from the opposition and the ruling party Jubilee, have heightened the meetings as they seek to build new alliances. The talks culminate into photo opportunities and a handshake to signify unity. The past two weeks have witnessed a flurry of secret meetings that have kept the political scene alight. Once sworn enemies during last year's disputed elections have held meetings warming to new relations. Opposition leader Raila Odinga and Deputy President William Ruto top the list of leaders engaging in the secret talks. Odinga has met several leaders that include two former presidents namely Daniel Moi and Mwai Kibaki. He also made peace with President Uhuru Kenyatta after secret talks following divisive polls last year. Odinga has also met several ruling party politicians, some being his worst critics in last year's polls. "I called on Retired President Kibaki and discussed the current state of our nation and exchanged ideas on how best we can forge ahead in unity as a people," said Odinga after the meeting. Ruto, on the other hand, has met several opposition and ruling party Jubilee politicians as he seeks to widen his political base. "There is nothing wrong with leaders reconciling as long as it is for the benefit of the nation. We actually need more of the handshakes and we will shake more hands," said Senator Kipchumba Murkomen, Ruto's ally, recently. Opposition politician Kalonzo Musyoka, who also harbors presidential ambitions, has also held meetings with Jubilee politicians. Kenyans are watching keenly the developments in the political arena, with some of the meetings baffling many. The talks have dominated political chatter on the streets and social media. "If Odinga met Moi and Kibaki, two leaders who his supporters have blamed partly for his failure to win the presidency, then anything is possible in politics," Nahashon Njoroge, a newspaper vendor in Nairobi, said Thursday. The meetings, Njoroge noted, have left many guessing. "What this means is that we are going to witness new political alliances," he said. Sarah Musau, an insurance agent, is happy with the talks noting they are helping to show the electorate that they don't need to be enemies or fight over politicians. "During last year's elections, one would have thought Odinga and Kenyatta would never see eye to eye. Their supporters fought and even killed each other but the two are now best of friends after secret talks," she noted. On social media, discussions about the meetings and handshakes have been dominant in the last two weeks. "Following in the footsteps of Kalonzo, Moses Wetangula goes for the handshake at City Hall with Sonko," tweeted Jeff on Wednesday. Analysts noted that the current meetings are making the political scene slippery, thus unpredictable. "What these talks mean is that the politicians understand they cannot sit on their laurels hoping that their support would remain intact," said Henry Wandera, an economics lecturer and political analyst in Nairobi. He added the talks show the 2022 presidential race is wide open and everyone should fight for their survival. John Gitongo, a human rights crusader in Nairobi, noted that the handshakes are about scheming to win the 2022 polls at all costs, including by changing constitution. "Seems to me like handshakes mean parliamentary system, which means constitutional change, which means referendum. It would be shame to tinker with constitution to stop someone from becoming president though. We tried that in 1976. Let's see how it unfolds." Joseph ole Kiyiapi, a professor of environment and former presidential candidate, however, reckoned that handshakes are good for the country, but added that there should be no hidden agendas. JUBA, April 26 (Xinhua) -- The UN humanitarian agency confirmed on Thursday that 10 aid workers have gone missing outside South Sudan's Yei town in Central Equatoria region. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) said the team departed Yei on Wednesday for a humanitarian needs assessment in the town of Tore, but lost contact with their offices and they still remain unaccounted for. Alain Noudehou, UN Humanitarian Coordinator for South Sudan, said the whereabouts and well-being of the aid workers remain unknown and called for their immediate release. "We are deeply concerned about the whereabouts of these humanitarian workers and are urgently seeking information about their well-being," Noudehou said in a statement issued in Juba. "These individuals, UN and NGO staff, are here to help the people of South Sudan and should not be targeted. Our colleagues must be released without condition so that their work can continue," the relief chief added. The ten humanitarian staff, all South Sudanese, includes one from UNOCHA, two from UNICEF and one from the South Sudanese Development Organization (SSDO). Three were from aid organization Plan International, two from ACROSS and one from Action Africa Help (AAH). UNOCHA said this is the second incident involving aid workers being held by armed groups in April alone, and the third in six months. The UN has described South Sudan as one of the deadliest countries for the delivery of humanitarian aid. At least 90 aid workers have been killed and dozens captured by armed groups since the east African country slid into violence in December 2013. "I firmly condemn the latest attack against colleagues engaged in emergency humanitarian assistance in Central Equatoria and call on all parties to the conflict in South Sudan to ensure a safe and secure environment, conducive to the delivery of assistance," Noudehou said. IRVING, Texas, April 26, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- At a special meeting today, stockholders of La Quinta Holdings Inc. (La Quinta or the Company) (NYSE:LQ) approved the adoption of the Agreement and Plan of Merger (the Merger Agreement), dated as of January 17, 2018, as it may be amended from time to time, by and among Wyndham Worldwide Corporation (Wyndham), WHG BB Sub, Inc. (Merger Sub) and La Quinta. Subject to the terms and conditions of the Merger Agreement, Merger Sub, a direct wholly-owned subsidiary of Wyndham, will be merged with and into La Quinta with La Quinta surviving the merger as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Wyndham. At the special meeting today, stockholders of La Quinta also approved amendments to La Quintas amended and restated certificate of incorporation to effect a reverse stock split at a ratio of 1-for-2 and to change the par value of the La Quinta common stock in connection with the reverse stock split from $0.01 per share to $0.02 per share. The parties are actively working towards closing, and the transaction remains on track to close in the second quarter of 2018. In addition to La Quinta stockholder approval, the completion of the merger is subject to other customary closing conditions, including completion of the previously announced spin-off of CorePoint Lodging Inc. Upon the closing of the merger, the Companys stockholders will have the right to receive $8.40 in cash prior to giving effect to the reverse stock split (or $16.80 in cash per share after giving effect to the reverse stock split), without interest (the Merger Consideration), for each share of common stock of La Quinta that they own immediately prior to the effective time of the merger. The Merger Consideration is in addition to the shares of CorePoint Lodging Inc. that our stockholders will receive in the spin-off of CorePoint Lodging Inc. Forward-Looking Statements The foregoing contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We intend for these forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions of the federal securities laws relating to forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include statements relating to the expected timing, completion and effects of the proposed merger, separation and spin-off, as well as other statements representing managements beliefs about, future events, transactions, strategies, operations and financial results, including, without limitation, our expectations with respect to the costs and other anticipated financial impacts of the spin-off and merger; future financial and operating results of CorePoint Lodging Inc. (CorePoint) and La Quinta Holdings Inc. (La Quinta); the ability of La Quinta, CorePoint and Wyndham Worldwide Corporation (Wyndham) to complete the contemplated financing transactions and reorganizations in connection with the merger and the spin-off; La Quintas plans, objectives, expectations and intentions with respect to future operations and services; required approvals to complete the merger and the spin-off by our stockholders and by governmental regulatory authorities, and the timing and conditions for such approvals; the stock price of CorePoint following the consummation of the transactions; the stock price of La Quinta prior to the consummation of the transactions; and the satisfaction of the closing conditions to the proposed merger and the spin-off. Such forward-looking statements often contain words such as assume, will, anticipate, believe, predict, project, potential, contemplate, plan, forecast, estimate, expect, intend, is targeting, may, should, would, could, goal, seek, hope, aim, continue and other similar words or expressions or the negative thereof or other variations thereon. Forward-looking statements are made based upon managements current expectations and beliefs and are not guarantees of future performance. Such forward-looking statements involve numerous assumptions, risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any such statements. Our actual business, financial condition or results of operations may differ materially from those suggested by forward-looking statements as a result of risks and uncertainties which include, among others, those risks and uncertainties described in any of our filings with the SEC. You are urged to carefully consider all such factors. Although it is believed that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable and are expressed in good faith, such expectations may not prove to be correct and persons reading this communication are therefore cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements which speak only to expectations as of the date of this communication. We do not undertake or plan to update or revise forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, changes in plans, assumptions, estimates or projections, or other circumstances occurring after the date of this communication, even if such results, changes or circumstances make it clear that any forward-looking information will not be realized. If we make any future public statements or disclosures which modify or impact any of the forward-looking statements contained in or accompanying this communication, such statements or disclosures will be deemed to modify or supersede such statements in this communication. About La Quinta Holdings Inc. La Quinta Holdings Inc. (LQ) is a leading owner, operator and franchisor of select-service hotels primarily serving the upper-midscale and midscale segments. The Companys owned and franchised portfolio consists of approximately 900 properties representing over 87,500 rooms located in 48 states in the U.S., and in Canada, Mexico, Honduras and Colombia. These properties operate under the La Quinta Inn & Suites, La Quinta Inn and LQ Hotel brands. La Quintas team is committed to providing guests with a refreshing and engaging experience. For more information, please visit: www.LQ.com . From time to time, La Quinta may use its website as a distribution channel of material company information. Financial and other important information regarding the Company is routinely accessible through and posted on its website at www.lq.com/investorrelations. In addition, you may automatically receive email alerts and other information about La Quinta when you enroll your email address by visiting the Email Alerts section at www.lq.com/investorrelations. Contacts: Investor Relations Kristin Hays 214-492-6896 investor.relations@laquinta.com Media Teresa Ferguson 214-492-6937 Teresa.Ferguson@laquinta.com Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-26 20:51:02|Editor: ZX Video Player Close DUBAI, April 26 (Xinhua) -- U.S. hotel group Marriott International said Thursday that it signed a distribution cooperation agreement with a Saudi travel group to establish direct connectivity. This agreement, signed a day after the tourism fair Arabian Travel Market 2018 ended in Dubai, will allow Marriott International to have access to the "wide-reaching networks in Saudi Arabia" through the kingdom's Al Tayyar Travel Group. According to director of global sales at Marriott International Sohail Pedari, Marriott, which runs nine hotels in Saudi Arabia, is bullish about tourism in the kingdom. "We will add by 2025 another 25 resorts across the country," he told Xinhua. Earlier this month, the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage, headed by King Salman's oldest son Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdul Aziz, announced that the kingdom would issue individual tourism visas for the first time. JAKARTA, April 26 (Xinhua) -- The Indonesian government will keep export tax for crude palm oil at zero percent in May and will again impose 5 percent tariff for cocoa, the trade ministry said on Thursday. The reference price for the crude pal oil remains below threshold of 750 U.S. dollars per metric ton, said director general for foreign trade at the ministry Oke Nurwan. "At present the price weakens to below threshold, so that the government impose zero tariff for shipment in May," he said in a statement. The decision to keep the tax unchanged next month is the 19th as the crude palm oil reference price has been under the threshold. For cocoa, despite its reference price was up 8.14 percent to 2,561.09 per metric ton, the export tax remained unchanged for May, said Nurwan. Indonesia is the world's largest producer and exporter of crude palm oil, followed by Malaysia. The country is also among the world's top three cocoa producers along with the Cote d'Ivoire and Ghana. SEOUL, April 26 (Xinhua) -- The third inter-Korean summit is scheduled for Friday at the border village of Panmunjom, where South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Kim Jong Un, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), are to hold a historic meeting. It would mark the first time that leaders of the two Koreas meet at Panmunjom, a symbol of the Korean Peninsula's division as the Korean Armistice Agreement, which paused the 1950-53 Korean War, was signed in the truce village. The Peace House, a building in the South Korean side of Panmunjom, is a venue for the Moon-Kim summit. Kim would be the first DPRK leader to step onto the South Korean soil since the war ended in an armistice, not a peace treaty. The first and second inter-Korean summits were held in Pyongyang in 2000 and 2007, respectively, under then South Korean President Kim Dae-jung and his successor Roh Moo-hyun, for whom President Moon led preparations for the second summit in the capacity of Roh's chief of staff at the time. For the first summit, Kim flew to the Pyongyang airport, in which he was greeted by then DPRK leader Kim Jong Il, the father of the current leader. It was a historic moment when the leaders started a meeting by tightly grabbing hands and broadly smiling toward each other. The meeting itself had a historic meaning as it was the first-ever summit between the divided Koreas, which focused mainly on reunification, reunion of separated families and inter-Korean cooperation and exchanges. The agreement to the issues was written in the joint declaration, signed by the two leaders. Amid the ongoing detente period, Roh went by car to Pyongyang in October 2007 to meet Kim Jong Il for the second summit. Right before crossing the heavily guarded border, Roh got out of car and walked over the border to mark a symbolic moment between the two Koreas. After the three-day meeting, Roh and Kim inked the Oct. 4 joint declaration in which the two leaders agreed to an expanded economic cooperation and socio-cultural exchanges. In particular, Roh and Kim agreed for the first time to pursue a formal end to the Korean War through a summit of three or four parties directly concerned. The Blue House of South Korea said last week that it was reviewing ways to turn the armistice into a peace regime at the Moon-Kim summit. Denuclearization, which has never been discussed at the prior inter-Korean summits, is forecast to be on the main agenda at the third summit. The issue had been mainly negotiated for among six parties, not between the rival Koreas. President Moon said last week that it would not be much difficult to reach an agreement with Kim, in principle, on the denuclearization, the peace regime and the normalized relations between Pyongyang and Washington through the inter-Korean and DPRK-U.S. summits. Moon and Kim installed a hotline of direct dialogue between their offices in Seoul and Pyongyang last week. It was the first time that leaders of the two Koreas set up such a direct communications channel. Aside from summit meetings, South Korea and the DPRK have held some 660 talks in total since the division of the Korean Peninsula, according to the Blue House preparation committee for the third summit. The first-ever inter-Korean talks -- a preparatory contact between the Red Crosses -- were held at the border village of Panmunjom in August 1971. Panmunjom was the most-used venue in which more than half of the total dialogues between the two Koreas took place. During the rapprochement period between the first and second summits, a number of inter-Korean talks were held between prime ministers, defense ministers and high-level officials from the two sides. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-26 20:56:06|Editor: pengying Video Player Close BEIJING, April 26 (Xinhua) -- China has moved to support the issuance of rental properties-backed securities to help finance a burgeoning rental housing market, a crucial part of its planned policy package that aims to stabilize the real estate sector. The real estate investment trust (REIT), a means of property asset securitization, will be piloted for developers to raise funds, according to a document of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development and China Securities Regulatory Commission. The program will enable companies to reduce their leverage ratio and diversify investment options. Large and mid-tier cities, the Xiongan New Area and some other cities will be the first to get the green light under the pilot program. It is the latest move in a government-led campaign to foster the home rental market as part of a long-term solution to an overheated real estate market. Developers have been encouraged to launch rental-only projects but many have hesitated, afraid of an unaffordable impact on their capital chain. While monthly-paid rents are far from enough to replenish cash flows, one-off payment plans are unattractive to tenants. China Vanke, one of the country's top property developers, has drawn discontent as the minimum rent of its long-term leasing apartments still under construction in Beijing are reported to be triple the district average. The project is designed to offer over 1,000 rental housing units in 2020, with the rent for a three-room apartment of 90 square meters set at 15,000 yuan (around 2,370 U.S. dollars) to 18,000 yuan a month. Analysts believe government support of property asset securitization like the REIT will ease developer concerns over cash flow and significantly widen financing channels for the rental market. "More businesses will be motivated to build up presence in the home rental market," said Zhang Dawei, a Centaline Property analyst. Funds raised through rental properties-backed securities totaled more than 50 billion yuan by March, and will likely grow more rapidly with the new favorable policies. For a long time, soaring property prices have put urban residents under pressure, making housing affordability a growing problem for policy makers. Now the government wants to further tap the rental market to stabilize home prices and curb speculation, moving to provide tenants with the same public services that owners enjoy to encourage more people to rent rather than buy. Beijing municipal government has published a pro-rental policy that will guarantee the education rights of tenants' children. With more favorable polices in the pipeline, the home rental market boasts huge potential. The number of Chinese who rent will amount to nearly 300 million people in 2030, up from the 190 million at present, and total rents will more than quadruple to 4.6 trillion yuan, according to a report of Guanghua School of Management with Peking University. A robust rental market will "avert drastic ups and downs in the property market and reduce irrational demand," said Zhang, the analyst with Centaline Property. Partly by promoting home-leasing, the government is working on a long-term mechanism for property regulation that will ensure sustainable and steady development of the real estate market, which have stayed tame largely due to provisional purchase restrictions. Hainan in south China, the country's youngest province, on Sunday imposed tougher rules to frustrate speculation. New house prices in the first-tier cities declined 0.6 percent year on year last month, while prices of existing houses inched down 0.1 percent, data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed. The property market in the second-tier cities also saw slower price growth. "Housing prices were generally stable as market controls have continued to take effect," said NBS statistician Liu Jianwei. Apart from home-leasing, analysts expect government long-term regulations to include enough affordable housing for low and middle income residents, a reasonable land supply, a basket of land-related reforms, and a new tax on home ownership. "China will not waver in its efforts to implement property market regulation and will maintain continuity and stability of policies in 2018," said Wang Menghui, minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Development. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-26 20:56:07|Editor: pengying Video Player Close BEIJING, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Chinese lawmakers voiced their support for the second draft of the law on people's assessors during panel discussions at the ongoing bi-monthly session of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee. The draft law states that Chinese citizens aged 28 or older who have received a high school education or higher can be selected as assessors, who will "have equal rights" as judges in trials, unless the law specifically provides otherwise. "The people's assessors system demonstrates judicial democracy. These assessors promote justice with their extensive social experience and the law itself is like a collection and summary of social practice," legislator Wang Shengming said during the discussions. NPC member Li Bingji agreed and pointed out the life experience of the assessors, along with the professional knowledge of the judges, helps secure justice in court. Some lawmakers suggested an upper age limit and continuous training for assessors during the panel discussion. The draft was first submitted to NPC Standing Committee last December. The legislation was based on an NPC Standing Committee decision in 2004 to improve the use of people's assessors and a pilot program in 10 provincial-level regions starting in 2015. According to a report on the pilot program delivered by Zhou Qiang, president of the Supreme People's Court, to the NPC Standing Committee Wednesday, a total of 13,740 assessors had participated in the pilot program as of April. People's assessors have participated in hearings on 30,659 criminal cases, 178,749 civil cases, and 11,846 administrative cases in the regions since the pilot program started in 2015, said Zhou. The bimonthly session of the top legislature will run until Friday. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-26 21:01:11|Editor: ZX Video Player Close MANAMA, April 26 (Xinhua) -- The Bahraini king on Thursday ratified a ruling by the country's highest court to commute death penalty to life imprisonment for four convicts, Bahraini Military Judiciary chief said. Maj. Gen. Youssef Flaifel, the chief of Bahraini Military Judiciary, said that Bahraini King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa ratified the ruling by Court of Cassation of reducing the death penalty to a life in jail term for four convicts. "The relatives of the convicts expressed their appreciation and gratitude to the king for lessening the penalty," Flaifel said in a statement. The four are among a group of 13 men found guilty of terrorism charges, who also had their citizenship revoked. Six of them, however, were tried and sentenced in absentia. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-26 21:06:13|Editor: pengying Video Player Close GENEVA, April 26 (Xinhua) -- As China's economy is undergoing a fundamental transition towards a knowledge-based economy, its intellectual property (IP) system has seen tremendous development, and fares much better than the global average in terms of women's inventions, the chief of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) said in an interview with Xinhua on Thursday. On the occasion of the World Intellectual Property Day, WIPO released Thursday the latest figures that indicate the highest-ever rate of women inventors, especially in the fields of biotechnology, pharmaceuticals and chemistry. In total, women were listed in 31 percent of the some 224,000 international patent applications published by WIPO in 2017, up from 23 percent a decade earlier. It shows positive trends and underlines this year's World IP Day theme "Powering Change: Women in Innovation and Creativity," said WIPO Director-General Francis Gurry. Speaking of China in terms of women's inventions, Gurry said the country actually "fares much better than the global average" as around 48 percent of international patent filings from China list at least one woman inventor. "Frankly, we do not really know why China is showing a better gender balance, but there may well be something that other countries can learn from China." The WIPO chief said as China's economy is undergoing a fundamental transition towards a knowledge-based economy, the IP system there has seen tremendous development. That's reflected in the number of IP applications that WIPO statistics report every year. In 2011, for the first time, more patents were filed in China than anywhere else in the world, and since then, China's lead has widened. In WIPO's latest report released in March, China moved into the second position as a source of international patent applications filed via WIPO in 2017, closing in on long-time leader the United States. Two Chinese technology companies, Huawei and ZTE, ranked the top filers of international patent applications in 2017. "The rapid development of China's IP system has also manifested itself in other ways, notably increasingly sophisticated IP management capabilities in companies and universities, and a modern legal infrastructure that supports the use of IP," Gurry said. "Patents are the result of sustained investments in research and development (R&D), and Huawei and ZTE have developed large-scale R&D capacity, notably in the area of digital communication. They have long featured prominently among the top PCT (WIPO's Patent Cooperation Treaty) applicants," he added. In addition to those big Chinese brand names like BOE, Alibaba, Tencent and Xiaomi, Gurry mentioned that more new Chinese companies are moving into the top-50 PCT applicant list, "like LE, Shenzhen China Star Optoelectronics and Yulong Shenzhen that are not yet household names outside of China." "PCT applications of Chinese origin have grown rapidly over the past decade. Indeed, in 2017 China overtook Japan to become the second biggest filer of such applications. If current trends persist, it is only a matter of time before China overtakes the United States as the top origin of international patent applications," said the WIPO chief. Besides IP applications, Gurry also underlined that trademark applications from China have seen among the fastest growth under the so-called Madrid System, through which WIPO registers international trademark applications. "In 2017, China became its third largest user (of Madrid System). Building brand reputation is important to gain a foothold in international markets. Consumers value cutting-edge technology, but they also value quality, reliability and brand image. Trademarks support companies in their efforts to gain consumers' trust," he added. World Intellectual Property Day is observed annually on April 26. The event was established by WIPO in 2000 to "raise awareness of how patents, copyright, trademarks and designs impact on daily life" and "to celebrate creativity, and the contribution made by creators and innovators to the development of societies across the globe." Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-26 21:16:16|Editor: ZX Video Player Close DOHA, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Qatargas Operating Company Limited (Qatargas) said on Thursday that it delivered its first liquified natural gas (LNG) cargo to Bangladesh's utility, Petrobangla. The LNG shipment marked the start of supplies under a deal and long-term Sale and Purchase Agreement (SPA) Qatar gas signed with the government-owned national oil company of Bangladesh, Petrobangla last year. According to the statement, the 138,000 cubic meters commissioning cargo was loaded at Ras Laffan aboard the Excelerate Excellence before being delivered near Moheshkhali Island in Bangladesh. Following the delivery, Saad bin Sherida Al Kaabi, president and CEO of Qatar Petroleum, and chairman of Qatargas Board of Directors said that the delivery of the first cargo to Petrobangla highlighted Qatar's leadership in bringing clean LNG to new markets and new customers. The inaugural delivery of LNG to Petrobangla would mark the first long-term agreement to be delivered through ship-to-ship transfer in open water between the two countries. Last September, Qatargas signed a SPA with Petrobangla for the supply of up to 2.5 million tonnes of LNG per annum for a period of 15 years. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-26 21:16:16|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close Participants of the 16th ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Council Meeting pose for a group photo in Singapore, April 26, 2018. Singapore's Minister for Trade and Industry (Trade) Lim Hng Kiang said on Thursday that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) needs to stay attuned to the emerging global trends and sharpen the value proposition to become more future-proof and globally ready. (Xinhua/Then Chih Wey) SINGAPORE, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Singapore's Minister for Trade and Industry (Trade) Lim Hng Kiang said on Thursday that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) needs to stay attuned to the emerging global trends and sharpen the value proposition to become more future-proof and globally ready. The minister made the remarks in his opening speech at the 16th ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Council Meeting, which is one of the related meetings of the 32nd ASEAN summit. Lim said e-commerce is the new reality for businesses today, and is becoming an increasingly important tool for small and medium enterprises to plug into global supply chains. "Improving the operating environment for our businesses in the digital economy is therefore crucial," he said. Local media Business Times on Thursday quoted some estimates as saying that the ASEAN digital economy had the potential to grow to 200 billion U.S. dollars by 2025, with e-commerce accounting for 88 billion dollars. Koh Chin Yee, CEO for Longus Research Institute of Singapore, told Xinhua that e-commerce was the most possible area for ASEAN member states to get early achievements. He said that Southeast Asia experienced the fastest Internet user increase across the globe, and the netizen population in the region would reach 480 million by 2020. He believes the 200 billion dollars of ASEAN's digital economy in 2025 would be mainly contributed by the e-commerce business, online media business and online tourism. Koh added that China plays an exemplary role in stimulating the development of e-commerce in Southeast Asia. According to Lim Hng Kiang, as ASEAN member states help businesses tap on the digital economy to expand their reach to global markets, cross-border movement of goods needs to be facilitated simultaneously. He said that ASEAN needs to pay stronger attention to trade facilitation to ensure that businesses continue to benefit from improved market access. ASEAN's efforts in trade facilitation have borne fruits, one of which is the ASEAN Single Window, an online platform to expedite customs clearance via the electronic exchange of information across borders. Lim said the platform was operational among five ASEAN member states at present, and the others would join them soon. Once fully established, the ASEAN Single Window would reduce transaction costs for businesses and better facilitate the clearance of goods within ASEAN, he added. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-26 21:26:18|Editor: ZX Video Player Close by Jamal Hashim, Shaalan Ahmed BAGHDAD, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Iraq's recent spate of airstrikes targeting positions of Islamic State (IS) militants inside neighboring Syria has raised questions about Iraq's motives weeks ahead of its parliamentary elections. In the latest preemptive airstrikes on April 19, Iraqi F-16 fighter jets killed 36 IS militants, including five of the group's leaders. On Tuesday, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi pronounced in a statement his country's determination to "pursue Daesh (IS) militants anywhere," including its remnants in Syria. "We will continue airstrikes in Syria and we will do more to eliminate Daesh. We will not allow IS militants to come back, or establish a similar thing," Abadi said. The ongoing conflict in Syria has given a breathing chance for IS militants near the country's eastern border with Iraq, he noted. When asked about the real motives of Iraqi airstrikes inside Syria, Nadhim al-Jubouri, an Iraqi political analyst, told Xinhua that several reasons are believed to be behind these attacks. The first reason is that the Iraqi leaders have long worried about the spillover effects of the internal conflict in neighboring Syria. Despite a declaration of full liberation from the IS after three years of fierce battles with the extremist group, Iraq is still fighting sporadic clashes with its remnants in rugged areas, who have been carrying out attacks against security forces and civilians. Nearly seven years into the Syrian civil war, the Arab country has turned into a proxy battleground for regional and international powers. The presence of extremist militant groups, including the IS, in western Syria, prompted the Iraqi government to send security forces and paramilitary Hashd Shaabi brigades to protect its border areas from these groups. "Not only Daesh, there are also other groups that Iraq would not accept their presence near the borderline with Syria, such as the Kurdish People's Protection Units, the Sunni extremist al-Nusra Front and other militias out of the control of the Syrian government," Jubouri said. The borderline between Iraq and Syria, which extends some 600 km west of the provinces of Nineveh and Anbar, has long been used by insurgents and IS militants for logistic support and to carry out cross-border attacks in Iraq since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003. Another reason behind Iraq's airstrikes, observers believe, concerns Abadi's ambition for a second term as prime minister in the upcoming elections. Iraq will hold the parliamentary elections on May 12, the first of its kind since the defeat of the IS, where 6,986 candidates are expected to compete for 329 parliamentary seats to form a new government which will rule Iraq for the next four years. The airstrikes are seen as an attempt to regain Iraq's former role as a military power in the region, Sheikh noted. "Such influential regional role is an exciting idea to the people of Iraq that would certainly benefits Abadi, who wants to show himself as a powerful leader in his competition for another term in the upcoming elections," Sheikh said. With close relations with Iran and Russia, the main allies of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, as well as strong ties with the U.S., Iraq is obliged to coordinate with all concerned parties in the Syrian conflict, according to Sabah al-Sheikh, also a political analyst. "The airstrikes were planned and executed by the warplanes of the Iraqi Joint Operations Command (JOC) with intelligence support from the U.S.-led coalition," Sheikh said. Iraq also informed the Syrian side of the airstrikes, he added. Salih al-Faiyadh, Iraq's national security advisor, also confirmed that the airstrikes came after coordination with Syria. "We are keen to fight Daesh and we don't have an invisible agenda, as we had coordinated with the Syrian government before conducting the airstrikes," Faiyadh said. Moreover, Sheikh said the Iraqi airstrikes could be beginning of the new Middle East policy of U.S. President Donald Trump who wants the regional countries to fight more on their own. On Wednesday, Trump said at a joint news conference with French President Emmanuel Macron that some "immensely wealthy" countries in the Middle East have to pay for American protection and deploy their troops in Syria. GLENDALE, Ill., April 26, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The nations largest ethnic credit union, the Polish & Slavic Federal Credit Union, opened its fifth Chicago area branch this past week in Glendale Heights before a sizable crowd of local politicians, business leaders and representatives from various Polish-American organizations. The 2,500-square-foot branch is the Brooklyn, NY-based credit unions 18th total location, and its first new Chicagoland branch since opening a Schaumburg location in 2015. The 130,000-member credit union first entered Chicago eight years ago with the opening of its branches in Norridge and Mt. Prospect. Its fifth area branch is in located in Bridgeview. Presiding over the ribbon cutting was Glendale Heights Mayor Linda Jackson, who welcomed the addition of PSFCU to the community, and helped kick off the operation with a ceremonial deposit. On behalf of the city, we welcome you with this humble dollar, believing that the branch itself will earn real millions, said Mayor Jackson. The sleek, modern branch will produce at least six area jobs within the community. Located at 544 E. North Avenue in Glendale Heights, the latest PSFCU branch will provide a complete offering of banking products and services for members, including mortgages, checking and savings accounts, and business loans. In just eight years since entering the Chicago market, PSFCU has attracted more than 19.8 thousand members from the area. Our credit unions history is a success story: We started 42 years ago with one desk in a cafeteria in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, said PSFCU Chief Executive Officer Bogdan Chmielewski. Today we are opening our 18th branch to help us serve 130,000 members and their families, and we have nearly $2 billion in assets. This is our mutual success, and especially the success of the PSFCU members who support our credit union. Thanks to this, we are building a strong Polish community, Befitting an opening from a credit union with such deep roots in the ethnic community, the dedication of the new branch was performed by the parish priest from nearby Lombard, Illinois. The ceremony featured the singing of the Polish and American national anthems by two-thirds of the Szafranski Sisters trio. Other guests included representatives of Polish community organizations, nearby Polish Saturday schools and members from area Polish parishes. There was a drawing for 10 baskets of Polish sweets and $100 certificates. In a letter to PSFCU executives, Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner expressed confidence that the residents of Glendale Heights and environs will be very pleased with the operations of the newly opened branch. State Comptroller Susana Mendoza wrote to thank the credit union for its past commitment to Illinois, and expressing hope that more PSFCU locations will be established soon. The branch that we are launching meets the highest standards and has been designed in a modern style. I believe that its operations will be a success and will help strengthen the Polish community, said Malgorzata Czajkowska, Second Vice-President of the PSFCU Board of Directors. Michael Fryzel, former chairman of the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA), was on hand to help cut the grand opening ribbon, and was open in his praise: Mayor Jackson, your city will have one of the best financial institutions in all of America, he said. Fryzel pointed out that he has been a guest at the opening ceremonies of all five PSFCU branches in Illinois. The branch will be open Monday through Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., and Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. ABOUT PSFCU By far the largest Polish financial institution outside of Poland, PSFCU is the largest ethnic credit union in the U.S. with almost $2 billion in assets. It offers carefully tailored financial products and services to its 135,000+ members and their families throughout the country, mainly through its 18 branches in three states (New York, New Jersey and Illinois). Long known for its commitment to the communities it serves, the credit union proudly sponsors and supports countless Polish-American organizations, schools, churches and cultural events that all help make local neighborhoods succeed and thrive. CONTACT: Pawel Burdzy, PSFCU PR Manager 973-808-3240 ext.6134 pburdzy@psfcu.net A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://resource.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/e10c7904-0d50-4701-8069-0d705a8e8fb1 Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-26 21:26:19|Editor: pengying Video Player Close BERLIN, April 26 (Xinhua) -- German Economy Ministry has approved the takeover of German aerospace supplier Cotesa by Chinese company Advanced Technology and Materials(AT&M). Cotesa's chief executive officer Joerg Huesken confirmed to German newspaper of Frankfurter Allgemeinen Zeitung on Wednesday that the deal finally got approval from the German government after a months-long investigation. It was the first takeover conducted by Chinese investors that was approved by the German government since it reformed its rules on foreign acquisitions in July 2017. Cotesa, a middle-sized German enterprise that makes composite fibre components for aircraft producers such as Airbus and Boeing, signed a take-over contract last September with AT&M for a price at between 100 million to 200 million euros. But the German Economy Ministry intervened last December and investigated the takeover to "check whether it complies with Germany's law on foreign trade." According to Germany's reformed laws on foreign trade, the government can block a company from outside the European Union from acquiring more than 25 percent of a German entity that is in "critical infrastructure" such as electricity and water supply, hospitals and transport, as well as advanced defense technologies. The German Economy Ministry has also raised the investigation time from previous two months to up to four months. Cotesa has about 750 employees and an annual revenue of about 65 million euros. Huesken, the founder and CEO of Cotesa, commented on the takeover by AT&M that among all the investors he reached out to "the Chinese are the only ones who recognized our real potential." The German Economy Ministry refused to comment on the reported approval. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-26 21:31:21|Editor: pengying Video Player Close GENEVA, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Several members of the World Trade Organization (WTO), including China, Russia, and Saudi Arabia, on Thursday expressed their concerns about the revised anti-dumping legislation of the European Union, which entered into force in December, said a trade official in Geneva. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-26 21:36:23|Editor: pengying Video Player Close BEIJING, April 26 (Xinhua) -- People-to-people exchanges will promote friendship, mutual understanding and mutual trust between China and India, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Thursday. Hua Chunying made the remarks in response to a report that India is considering appointing Bollywood star Aamir Khan as its brand ambassador to showcase its services sectors in China due to his massive popularity. Hua said many Chinese people, including herself, had watched the Indian film "Dangal" starred by Aamir Khan, which she said was rather motivating. "Currently, under the guidance of both Chinese and Indian leaders, bilateral ties maintain sound momentum of development and people-to-people exchanges enjoy continuous progress," she said. "Doing yoga and watching Bollywood movies have become a new trend among young Chinese, and these exchanges will undoubtedly bring the two peoples closer, and promote their friendship, mutual understanding and mutual trust," Hua said. Chinese President Xi Jinping will hold an informal meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Friday to Saturday in Wuhan, exchanging in-depth views on the development of the China-India relations. Hua said China is ready to work with India to take this opportunity to promote better development of bilateral ties. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei gestures as he delivers a speech in Mashad, Iran, March 21, 2018. (Reuters Photo) TEHRAN, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Thursday called on the world Muslims to withstand what he called the "bullying" policies of the United States. "For about 40 years (since the establishment of the Islamic republic in 1979), the Iranian nation has resisted bullying attempts by arrogant powers thanks to the teachings of holy Qur'an," Khamenei's remarks were broadcast from Iranian state IRIB TV. He urged for "solidarity" and "connection" among the world Muslims and asked them to refrain from making friends with the "pagans" like Israel. Khamenei said that "calamities in Yemen, Afghanistan and Syria are the outcome of Muslims' inaction vis-a-vis teachings of holy Qur'an." Khamenei made the remarks at a meeting with competitors of the 35th edition of International Holy Quran Contest in Tehran on Thursday. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-26 21:41:27|Editor: ZX Video Player Close by Zhang Jiawei HANOVER, Germany, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer a vision for the future, as the technology has already been introduced to consumers in the form of virtual assistants in our smart phones, tablets, speakers and computers. But how does it fit into the Industry 4.0 concept? During the ongoing Hanover Fair 2018, information technology (IT) companies and robotic equipment producers are keen to paint a picture of future factories where AI plays a key role in it. Two branches of artificial intelligence -- machine learning and deep learning -- are seen as having the capability of building on the strength of big data to optimize processes, find new solutions, and gain new insights. Especially for machine learning, it enables predictions to be made based on large amounts of data. This branch of artificial intelligence is built upon pattern recognition and has the ability to independently draw knowledge from experience. For this reason, the technology has found its place in industrial processes. "Because AI enables to connect two machines. If I get the information from a machine then I am able to start to predict an outcome, I can start to predict maintenance, I can start to predict the quality of product, I can start even to predict logistics processes," Hans Thalbauer told Xinhua. Thalbauer is the senior vice president in charge of Internet of Things and Digital Supply Chain at SAP, a German-based multinational software corporation. "It is really going away from the reactive, alert-driven type of business," said Thalbauer. At SAP's booth, the company showcased a bottling machine that can fill different bottles with different colored liquid instead of just one, which SAP developed with other equipment producers. This is quite different from the conventional manufacturing process, which can only produce a certain type of product one at a time. The sensors on the machine collect and send the data to the computing platform, which can then analyze the process and tell the machines how to handle the individual bottles. Nowadays, every single product on the production line can be individualized, and the cost can be at a level similar to mass production, said Thalbauer. Another interesting approach from SAP is smart, automated assembly work stations. They understand which order has priority, if the required resources are available, how long the battery will last, and much more. Using this knowledge, they can independently decide whether it is more efficient to skip an assembly step first and then perform it later. This means assembly lines are no longer linear but flexible. This could mark the beginning of the end for the assembly line. From small and medium-sized companies to large international corporations, every organization can accumulate data that it can make use of. With software, this data is consolidated and evaluated to make predictions. Machine learning recognizes characteristics and relationships and uses algorithms to make generalizations from them. However, AI's benefit is yet to be fully recognized by companies in various sectors. Artificial intelligence is supposed to keep Europe's energy suppliers competitive, but only 23 percent have an AI implementation strategy, according to a study by Roland Berger, a consulting firm headquartered in Munich. Some 83 percent of the more than 50 interviewed companies in the sector realize that something has to change, and they assume that AI will play an important role in their future business. At the same time, 40 percent acknowledge that they have no use concept for the technology, the study shows. The consultants recommend a gradual introduction -- utility companies should first use prepared applications to optimize existing systems -- and the funds saved could then be used by companies to develop new AI business models. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi speaks during a conference on April 5, 2018. (Reuters Photo) BAGHDAD, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Iraq's recent spate of airstrikes targeting positions of Islamic State (IS) militants inside neighboring Syria has raised questions about Iraq's motives weeks ahead of its parliamentary elections. In the latest preemptive airstrikes on April 19, Iraqi F-16 fighter jets killed 36 IS militants, including five of the group's leaders. On Tuesday, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi pronounced in a statement his country's determination to "pursue Daesh (IS) militants anywhere," including its remnants in Syria. "We will continue airstrikes in Syria and we will do more to eliminate Daesh. We will not allow IS militants to come back, or establish a similar thing," Abadi said. The ongoing conflict in Syria has given a breathing chance for IS militants near the country's eastern border with Iraq, he noted. When asked about the real motives of Iraqi airstrikes inside Syria, Nadhim al-Jubouri, an Iraqi political analyst, told Xinhua that several reasons are believed to be behind these attacks. The first reason is that the Iraqi leaders have long worried about the spillover effects of the internal conflict in neighboring Syria. Despite a declaration of full liberation from the IS after three years of fierce battles with the extremist group, Iraq is still fighting sporadic clashes with its remnants in rugged areas, who have been carrying out attacks against security forces and civilians. Nearly seven years into the Syrian civil war, the Arab country has turned into a proxy battleground for regional and international powers. The presence of extremist militant groups, including the IS, in western Syria, prompted the Iraqi government to send security forces and paramilitary Hashd Shaabi brigades to protect its border areas from these groups. "Not only Daesh, there are also other groups that Iraq would not accept their presence near the borderline with Syria, such as the Kurdish People's Protection Units, the Sunni extremist al-Nusra Front and other militias out of the control of the Syrian government," Jubouri said. The borderline between Iraq and Syria, which extends some 600 km west of the provinces of Nineveh and Anbar, has long been used by insurgents and IS militants for logistic support and to carry out cross-border attacks in Iraq since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003. Another reason behind Iraq's airstrikes, observers believe, concerns Abadi's ambition for a second term as prime minister in the upcoming elections. Iraq will hold the parliamentary elections on May 12, the first of its kind since the defeat of the IS, where 6,986 candidates are expected to compete for 329 parliamentary seats to form a new government which will rule Iraq for the next four years. The airstrikes are seen as an attempt to regain Iraq's former role as a military power in the region, Sheikh noted. "Such influential regional role is an exciting idea to the people of Iraq that would certainly benefits Abadi, who wants to show himself as a powerful leader in his competition for another term in the upcoming elections," Sheikh said. With close relations with Iran and Russia, the main allies of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, as well as strong ties with the U.S., Iraq is obliged to coordinate with all concerned parties in the Syrian conflict, according to Sabah al-Sheikh, also a political analyst. "The airstrikes were planned and executed by the warplanes of the Iraqi Joint Operations Command (JOC) with intelligence support from the U.S.-led coalition," Sheikh said. Iraq also informed the Syrian side of the airstrikes, he added. Salih al-Faiyadh, Iraq's national security advisor, also confirmed that the airstrikes came after coordination with Syria. "We are keen to fight Daesh and we don't have an invisible agenda, as we had coordinated with the Syrian government before conducting the airstrikes," Faiyadh said. Moreover, Sheikh said the Iraqi airstrikes could be beginning of the new Middle East policy of U.S. President Donald Trump who wants the regional countries to fight more on their own. On Wednesday, Trump said at a joint news conference with French President Emmanuel Macron that some "immensely wealthy" countries in the Middle East have to pay for American protection and deploy their troops in Syria. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-26 21:51:34|Editor: pengying Video Player Close QINGDAO, April 26 (Xinhua) -- China's Liaoning aircraft carrier formation Thursday returned to a military port in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province, after more than 10 days of live-fire exercises. The formation took part in a navy review in the South China Sea on April 12. After that, the formation sailed through the Bashi Channel into the West Pacific, and then voyaged through the Miyako Strait to reach the East China Sea. It conducted high-sea training in these waters. The live combat drills included shipborne fighter planes taking off and landing in complex conditions, and confrontations in water and airspace, aiming to enhance the formation's combat capability. The drills concluded successfully, with the formation's combat capability tested and improved. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-26 21:51:35|Editor: pengying Video Player Close by Xinhua writer Shi Xiaomeng BEIJING, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping is going to sit down in an informal meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the central Chinese city of Wuhan over the next two days. The tete-a-tete between the two leaders is going to set a stage for Beijing and New Delhi to further exchange views over long-term and strategic issues and to initiate fresh momentum for future bilateral cooperation. China is the largest trading partner of India. Both are huge developing countries and the world's major emerging economies which offer huge opportunities for each other's trade market. In 2017, the bilateral trade volume between China and India rose by 20.3 percent and hit a record high of 84.44 billion U.S. dollars, according to statistics of China's Ministry of Commerce. This has demonstrated that the bilateral trade ties have huge potentials for further development. And it is necessary for China and India to build closer partnership based on the principles of peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation to create a better environment for trade and economic activities. In recent years, the cultural and people-to-people exchanges between China and India have been enhanced as well. The India-originated Yoga and Indian films have gained large popularity across China. Last year, visits that have been made between peoples of China and India surpassed 1 million, with 42 flights coming back and forth between the two countries every week. But still, for the two big countries with a total population of over 2.6 billion, there is huge potential to be tapped in this area. On the world stage, the two countries have more than enough reasons to work more closely. Across the globe, economic nationalism and trade protectionism is on the rise, while the combat against non-traditional security threats such as climate change, trans-national crimes and terrorism have become increasingly demanding. No nation can face these challenges alone. On global trade issues, both Xi and Modi have warned on different occasions of the dire threats of rising trade barriers to the world economy. China and India should firmly stick to the spirit of free trade so as to help maintain the current global free trading system with the World Trade Organization at the center. Such multilateral frameworks as BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization are also important platforms where the two countries can help improve the global governance system. India is welcomed to play a more constructive role in these two mechanisms, and together with other members of these groupings, China and India can help make more and better contributions to Asia and beyond. CAPE TOWN, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Sexual exploitation, abuse and serious misconduct cases against South African peacekeepers will not be tolerated, a cabinet minister said on Thursday. "South Africa will as usual continue to react swiftly when dealing with such incidences," Communications Minister Nomvula Mokonyane told reporters in Cape Town after a cabinet meeting. The cabinet was briefed on the report and interventions made on the status of sexual exploitation, abuse and serious misconduct cases against the deployed South African National Defence Force (SANDF) members that support the UN Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the minister said. While the cabinet was satisfied with interventions made in addressing these abuses, it condemns in the strongest possible terms any form of sexual abuse and acts of misconduct by SANDF members in the mission areas, Mokonyane said. Five peacekeepers from South Africa face allegations of sexually exploiting women in the DRC, where South Africa deploys around 1,300 soldiers as part of a UN intervention brigade deployed in the strife-torn eastern DRC region. "Ill-discipline and criminal behavior in the ranks of the SANDF is despised and will not be tolerated," Mokonyane emphasized. A team was deployed to investigate all the reported allegations, Mokonyane said. Although some of the cases have been finalized, others are already at the stage of military trials, according to the minister. All these investigations have been conducted through the military legal process in a transparent and accountable manner, she said. "Those found to have transgressed will be dealt with through the Code of Conduct and Military Disciplinary Code," Mokonyane said. The cabinet further supported the finalization of the Military Disciplinary Bill, which seeks to deal with overall discipline in the SANDF, including strengthening the definition of sexual exploitation and the minimum sanction increased to 10 years, said Mokonyane. ABUJA, April 26 (Xinhua) -- At least seven worshippers were killed early Thursday in a fresh attack on a church by unknown gunmen in Nigeria's central north state of Benue, according to local media. The armed men reportedly invaded a local church in Logo area of the troubled state, firing heavy shots. The figure of injured victims is uncertain. Local online newspaper TheCable reported that residents suspected herdsmen of carrying out the attack. To Better Finance Education and a Curriculum that Correlates with Financial Markets SAN FRANCISCO, CA. , April 26, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- APT SYSTEMS, INC., (PINK OTC: APTY) APT SYSTEMS, INC., a fully-reporting, publicly-traded, financial technology company, announced that is has gifted five million shares to benefit the student-run investment fund manager, TRITON FUNDS LLC; the donation supports the initiative founded by undergraduates from the University of California, San Diego (UC San Diego). We believe that student-led initiatives need our support because they are key drivers of positive change, both on and off campus, and an important part of the financial community. The hands-on experience provided to the students is invaluable in setting them up for success, said Glenda Dowie, founder and CEO of APT Systems. I really appreciate TRITON FUNDS thoughtful input and millennial touch at our weekly meetings." Our goal in starting TRITON FUNDS was to provide real-world experience to the students at the fund; however, the vision has evolved into so much more, said Yash Thukral, co-founder of TRITON FUNDS. Everyone on our team has the opportunity to receive academic credit for working at the fund in addition to the opportunity of building relationships with industry professionals. We have developed a strong curriculum that correlates with the nature of the financial markets, in order to construct well-rounded individuals, to make UC San Diego a target school for Fortune 500 companies to recruit from. Companies like APT Systems allow us to get our foot in the door and allow our operations to thrive. We give our most sincere gratitude to the support offered by APT Systems to our student initiative, said Sam Yaffa, co-founder of TRITON FUNDS. When we receive a donation, it feels like we have earned a scholarship, or reward, for our hard work because we know it will be used to benefit our students and the expansion of our program to other campuses. Nathan Yee, co-founder of TRITON FUNDS said, We created TRITON FUNDS to provide students with real-world experience; our goal is to expand to other universities and share the opportunity and our knowledge. The donations we receive make it all possible. APT Systems vision is simply making peoples lives better by managing trust through enhancing the way they trade, do business and make payments. Our Directors supported partnering with the TRITON FUNDS program as it meets this goal by helping students go further every day and reaching their goals. To support TRITON FUNDS initiatives, or to make a donation, please contact TRITON FUNDS at tritonfunds@tritonfunds.com. About APT Systems, Inc.: APT Systems, Inc. is a financial technology company that is developing platforms, including trader access to proprietary charting tools, via the KenCharts application, and plans to launch its innovative trading application, Intuitrader, later this year. In addition, the company strategically reviews compatible financial businesses which demonstrate strong growth potential. We are continuing our diligent search for software products that would enhance our operations. We are still watching dialogue on the proposed legislation for a Fintech National Banking Charter. Management recently launched its subsidiaries SNAPT Games, Inc. and RCPS Management, Inc. to further facilitate new products, acquisitions, and long-term goals. About TRITON FUNDS LLC: TRITON FUNDS LLC is a student-run private investment fund founded by undergraduates from the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). TRITON FUNDS provides students the invaluable opportunity to gain real-world experience investing alongside experienced financial professionals. We invest in high performing teams with revolutionary aspirations to grow their company into industry leaders. TRITON FUNDS creates an ecosystem that assists talented entrepreneurs in successfully growing their ideas and maintaining strong community ethical standards. We provide strategic capitalization, business development support, and engineered exits to organizations we believe have a viable future in the modern economy. For more information about TRITON FUNDS, please visit www.tritonfunds.com. TRITON FUNDS LLC is not a subsidiary of the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) administration or its student body. The fund is a separate entity from the school and should be treated as such. Disclaimer - Forward Looking Statements: This press 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, and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. "Forward-looking statements" describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as "may," "future," "plan" or "planned," "will" or "should," "expected," "anticipates," "draft," "eventually" or "projected." You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements; projected events in this press release may not occur due to unforeseen circumstances, various factors, and other risks identified in a company's annual report on Form 10-K and other filings made by such company. APT Systems, Inc. (APTY) may opt to disseminate information about itself, including the results of its operations and financial information, via social media platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Related Links http://www.tritonfunds.com http://www.aptsystemsinc.com http://www.aptsystemsinc.com/online-investor-kit-for-apt-systems-inc-apty/ Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-26 22:11:44|Editor: ZX Video Player Close DUBAI, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) on Thursday denied plans to develop the Hyperloop transport system for the emirate. "There is no specific route for operating the Hyperloop system in Dubai or between Dubai and other emirates," RTA said on the twitter account. The denial came in response to an earlier announcement of the California-based Hyperloop transport technology company Hyperloop TT that the first Hyperloop line will be built to connect Abu Dhabi Airport and Al Maktoum Airport in Dubai. "The system is still under the process of research and development, and RTA is closely following the developments in this technology, and will study several options for determining the route which will be announced in the future," the Dubai transport authorities noted. A Hyperloop is a proposed mode of passenger or freight transport using a sealed tube through which a pod can travel at free of air resistance of friction at high speed. On April 18, Hyperloop TT and Abu Dhabi's biggest property firm Aldar Properties signed an agreement to establish the world's first Hyperloop system to connect Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and the country's business metropolis Dubai as early as 2020. South Sudanese women carry water in a UN camp in Juba, capital of South Sudan, Dec. 22, 2013. (Xinhua/Lu Rui) JUBA, April 26 (Xinhua) -- The UN humanitarian agency confirmed on Thursday that 10 aid workers have gone missing outside South Sudan's Yei town in Central Equatoria region. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) said the team departed Yei on Wednesday for a humanitarian needs assessment in the town of Tore, but lost contact with their offices and they still remain unaccounted for. Alain Noudehou, UN Humanitarian Coordinator for South Sudan, said the whereabouts and well-being of the aid workers remain unknown and called for their immediate release. "We are deeply concerned about the whereabouts of these humanitarian workers and are urgently seeking information about their well-being," Noudehou said in a statement issued in Juba. "These individuals, UN and NGO staff, are here to help the people of South Sudan and should not be targeted. Our colleagues must be released without condition so that their work can continue," the relief chief added. The ten humanitarian staff, all South Sudanese, includes one from UNOCHA, two from UNICEF and one from the South Sudanese Development Organization (SSDO). Three were from aid organization Plan International, two from ACROSS and one from Action Africa Help (AAH). UNOCHA said this is the second incident involving aid workers being held by armed groups in April alone, and the third in six months. The UN has described South Sudan as one of the deadliest countries for the delivery of humanitarian aid. At least 90 aid workers have been killed and dozens captured by armed groups since the east African country slid into violence in December 2013. "I firmly condemn the latest attack against colleagues engaged in emergency humanitarian assistance in Central Equatoria and call on all parties to the conflict in South Sudan to ensure a safe and secure environment, conducive to the delivery of assistance," Noudehou said. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-26 22:16:47|Editor: pengying Video Player Close HONG KONG, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Hong Kong saw the value of total exports of goods in the first quarter up 9.7 percent from the same period last year, and the value of imports of goods up 10.6 percent, statistics showed on Thursday. A visible trade deficit of 130 billion HK dollars (16.56 billion U.S. dollars), equivalent to 12.1 percent of the value of imports of goods, was recorded in the first quarter, according to the Census and Statistics Departments of the government of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Comparing the first quarter of 2018 with the preceding quarter on a seasonally adjusted basis, the value of total exports of goods rose by 3 percent. Meanwhile, the value of imports of goods rose by 3.5 percent. In March, the value of total exports of goods gained by 8 percent over a year earlier to 347.7 billion HK dollars, after a year-on-year increase of 1.7 percent in February. The value of imports of goods went up by 10.7 percent over a year earlier to 403.2 billion HK dollars in March, after a year-on-year decrease of 3.2 percent in February. A visible trade deficit of 55.5 billion HK dollars, equivalent to 13.8 percent of the value of imports of goods, was recorded in March. A government spokesman said merchandise exports continued to grow notably in March over a year earlier, amid a stronger global economy that kept trading and production activities broadly buoyant in Asia. The spokesman said the prevailing broad-based momentum of the global economy should continue to provide a supportive trading environment for Hong Kong in the near term. NAIROBI, April 26 (Xinhua) -- African governments should explore innovative financing schemes to help expand access to learning facilities to under-privileged children and youth, campaigners said on Thursday during the Pan African Education Conference taking place in Nairobi. Makha Ndao, a senior policy expert with Association for Development of Education in Africa (ADEA), said the new funding options must be explored to support literacy and skills development programs in Africa. "Financing education sector in Africa should be a priority in the light of shrinking external support," Ndao said. "We must pay attention to domestic resources mobilization, improve governance and accountability to ensure funds earmarked for education are spent prudently," he added. Ndao revealed that a continental strategy to boost financing in the education sector has been endorsed by national governments, regional blocs and continental lending agencies. "We have discussed the possibility of setting up an African Education Fund (AED) whose contributions will come from governments, economic blocs and lending institutions," said Ndao. He added that a home-grown approach is required to bridge financing gaps in Africa's education sector that has undermined the quest to eliminate the continent's high levels of illiteracy. The UN contends that Africa requires an additional 40 billion U.S. dollars to achieve the fourth Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 4) on education by 2030. Campaigners urged African governments to address policy and regulatory bottlenecks that are to blame for under-financing in the education sector. "We need to reform outdated policies in order to facilitate market based investments in our education sectors," said Kisa Kumwenda, the coordinator of Malawi's civil society education coalition. He proposed the establishment of an education levy and harnessing of diasporas remittances to support modernization of learning facilities and training of tutors. The majority of African countries are yet to meet the global target of allocating 15 percent of their GDP to education sector thanks to competing demands and minimal private sector engagement. Amina Issa, a Mozambican gender and education campaigner, proposed tax incentives for investors coupled with robust pubic private partnerships to tackle under-financing in the education sector. "Besides encouraging private sector investments in education, we should also strengthen governance systems to curb pilferage of public coffers earmarked for development of new learning infrastructure," said Issa. She noted that adequate financing in the education sector will have spin-off effects that include economic growth, improved health indicators and social cohesion. Ventura District Attorney Gregory D. Totten talks about the arrest of a suspect in the East Area Rapist/Original Night Stalker/Golden State Killer case in Sacramento, California, U.S., April 25, 2018. (Xinhua/REUTERS) LOS ANGELES, April 25 (Xinhua) -- Joseph James DeAngelo, a 72-year-old ex-cop believed to be the so-called Golden State Killer, one of California's most prolific serial killers and rapists, has been arrested in Sacramento, officials announced Wednesday. Sacramento police arrested Joseph James DeAngelo in connection with the infamous cases, Sheriff Scott Jones announced at a news conference. Sacramento County jail records show Joseph James DeAngelo was arrested overnight on suspicion of two counts of murder cited in a Ventura County warrant. The FBI says it has a team gathering evidence at a Sacramento-area home linked to DeAngelo. "For over 40 years, countless victims have waited for justice," Sacramento County District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert said at the news conference. During the past days, DNA analysts at the crime lab offered up a break in the case, and a warrant was issued for two 1978 murders, Schubert said. Dubbed the "East Area Rapist" and "the Original Night Stalker", the man accused of 12 killings, 45 rapes and more than 120 residential burglaries between 1976 and 1986, Los Angeles Times reported. The first recorded rape was on June 18, 1976. The victim, Jane, was dozing in bed with her 3-year-old son after her husband left for work. Then, she was abruptly awoken. The case sparked the hunt for the man who authorities say went on to commit rapes and killings in California over the next decade. At the time of the crimes he was described as being about 5-foot-9 with blond or auburn hair. The FBI has created a website dedicated to the case where the public can view police sketches of the attacker and hear from witnesses and victims' families. The FBI and California officials last year renewed their search for a suspect in the cases, offering a reward of up to 50,000 U.S. dollars for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the individual known as Golden State Killer. In 2004, California voters passed an initiative, bankrolled by the brother of one of his victims, that mandates collection of DNA samples from people convicted, or even arrested, in felony cases. It's been more than 40 years since his first recorded attacks, which began in and around Sacramento in Northern California. ROME, April 26 (Xinhua) -- An asylum seeker has been arrested on suspicion of plotting a terrorist attack, Italian police announced Thursday. "A Gambian asylum seeker was arrested in Naples accused of Islamist terrorism. He was plotting an attack," state police tweeted. The suspect, A. Touray, 21, reached Sicily in March 2017 along with over 600 migrants who had departed from Libya, RAI public broadcaster reported. He had been staying in a migrant reception center while his asylum claim was being processed. He was arrested on his way out of a mosque after a tip-off from Spanish intelligence services who discovered a video posted on Telegram in which the suspect swore fealty to the so-called Islamic State (IS) terrorist group, according to RAI. The man told investigators he was asked to commit a terrorist attack by driving a vehicle into a crowd, ANSA news agency reported. Italy's anti-terrorism policy, which combines surveillance and deportation of suspects before they go into action, has been credited with preventing terrorist attacks. On April 23, a judge in the northern city of Venice sentenced four Kosovo nationals to prison followed by deportation for plotting to blow up the city's famous Rialto Bridge. On April 19, the Interior Ministry announced the deportation of a Moroccan national "for reasons of national security". A total of 271 religious extremists have been expelled from Italy since January 1, 2015, according to the ministry. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-26 22:31:57|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close Veterans Affairs Secretary nominee Ronny Jackson is seen on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C., the United States, on April 16, 2018. White House physician Ronny Jackson announced on April 26 that he had withdrawn from President Donald Trump's nomination to be the next Veterans Affairs Secretary, in the wake of a series of allegations that he had fostered a hostile work environment and behaved improperly while serving as the top doctor in the White House. (Xinhua/Ting Shen) WASHINGTON, April 26 (Xinhua) -- White House physician Ronny Jackson announced Thursday that he had withdrawn from President Donald Trump's nomination to be the next Veterans Affairs Secretary, in the wake of a series of allegations that he had fostered a hostile work environment and behaved improperly while serving as the top doctor in the White House. "Unfortunately, because of how Washington works, these false allegations have become a distraction for this President and the important issue we must be addressing ...," Jackson, a rear admiral, said in a statement released by the White House on Thursday morning. "While I will forever be grateful for the trust and confidence President Trump has placed in me by giving me this opportunity, I am regretfully withdrawing my nomination to be Secretary for the Department of Veterans Affairs," he said. Trump told Fox News on Thursday morning that "it's a disgrace" the way his nominees have been treated, including Jackson. On Tuesday, U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs said it has delayed indefinitely a confirmation hearing for Jackson's nomination since lawmakers need more time to vet the White House doctor's controversial record. Senator Jon Tester, a Democrat on the committee, then detailed the allegations including creating a hostile workplace, drinking while on duty and improperly prescribing the opiate painkiller Percocet to White House staff during overseas trips in an interview with the National Public Radio (NPR). The allegations came from more than 20 military employees who approached senators ahead of Jackson's confirmation hearing, according to NPR, the biggest radio network in the country. Trump announced Jackson's nomination last month after the departure of Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin, who had been confirmed with unanimous bipartisan support in the Senate. "Adm. Jackson is highly trained and qualified and as a service member himself, he has seen firsthand the tremendous sacrifice our veterans make and has a deep appreciation for the debt our great country owes them," Trump said when announcing his pick. Jackson has served as a White House physician since 2006 and was selected by then President Barack Obama to be the chief doctor in the White House medical unit in 2013. Trump kept him on the job since taking office in January 2017. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has more than 300,000 employees and 1,200 medical facilities across the country. WELLINGTON, April 26 (Xinhua) -- The World Intellectual Property (IP) Day was marked in New Zealand on Thursday with an event giving center stage to women known for their innovation and creativity. World IP day is a good time to highlight the importance of intellectual property and its role in New Zealand's economic development, Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Kris Faafoi said in a statement. "From re-using waste to create new products to building sensors to create healthier homes, these women will continue to create ground-breaking innovations in the coming years. They will inspire new innovation, and, I hope, lead more women into creative, rewarding new endeavors," Faafoi said. New Zealand has continued to take a prominent role in IP, with the Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand (IPONZ) recently ranked for the second year running as number one in the world for its online capabilities by well-known industry publication World Trademark Review. "This means that protecting ideas by registering patents, trademarks, industrial designs and plant variety rights with IPONZ is easier than ever, and businesses can turn their focus to realizing the potential of their innovations," he said. World IP Day is an international initiative by the World Intellectual Property Organization to celebrate the role of intellectual property, with this year's focus being women in innovation. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-26 22:42:01|Editor: yan Video Player Close GENEVA, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Several WTO members, including China, Russia, and Saudi Arabia, on Thursday expressed their concerns about the revised anti-dumping legislation of the European Union, which entered into force in December, said a trade official in Geneva. During an informal meeting of WTO's Committee on anti-dumping practices, the EU introduced and explained its revised legislation on protection against dumped and subsidized imports, which established a new methodology for dealing with dumping cases involving the so-called "significant distortions". In response, China said it had deep concerns about the EU's new regulation, saying the "significant distortion" methodology for calculating normal value would damage the WTO's anti-dumping legal system and increase uncertainty for exporters. China urged the EU to respect its WTO obligations and apply a non-discriminatory approach to all members. Saudi Arabia noted that the concept of "significant distortion" is a clear departure from the disciplines established under the WTO's Anti-Dumping Agreement. It asked the EU to explain how it would ensure a fair and objective assessment by its investigating authorities. For its part, Russia continued to believe the EU amendments were in violation of WTO rules. It said the EU could still stop short of breaching its WTO obligations by never applying the amended normal value methodology. On the same occasion, Bahrain, Argentina, Kazakhstan and Oman also expressed concerns on the EU's new anti-dumping regulation. ABUJA, April 26 (Xinhua) -- At least seven worshippers were killed early Thursday in a fresh attack on a church by unknown gunmen in Nigeria's central north state of Benue, a local official confirmed. Richard Nyajo, a local government chief, said the armed men invaded a local church and a primary school in Logo area of the troubled state, firing heavy shots. Most of the victims were taking refuge both in the church and the school in Mbamondo community in Benue because they were displaced from their homes due to earlier attacks, Nyajo said. "Many of them were still asleep when the gunmen struck," he told Xinhua. The figure of injured victims is uncertain. The official said local herdsmen were suspected to have carried out the attack. Benue is located in Nigeria's so-called Middle Belt which separates the predominantly Muslim north from the largely Christian south. Relations between local farmers and herdsmen in the state has remained tense for many years. On Tuesday, suspected herdsmen killed at least 16 people, including two priests, in a dawn attack on a Catholic church in Benue. The assailants, numbering 30, opened fire on worshippers at the St. Ignatius quasi-church during the morning mass on Tuesday, according to Benue police chief, Fatai Owoseni. The herdsmen suspected to be responsible for attacks in the state are mostly Muslims from the Fulani ethnic group while members of the settled farming communities are mainly Christians. Benue has long been a hotbed of ethnic, sectarian and religious conflicts, a lot of it over land. Alexandria, Va, April 26, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- More than 260 hospice and palliative care advocates representing the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) the oldest and largest nonprofit membership organization representing hospice and palliative care programs and professionals in the United States were on Capitol Hill yesterday as part of the Hospice Action Networks annual Advocacy Intensive to meet with lawmakers and staff to reinforce the value of the Medicare Hospice Benefit to the 1.43 million beneficiaries it serves annually and their families. Attendees from 44 states across the country spoke with 300 lawmaker offices about legislation supported by NHPCO to improve the delivery of hospice and palliative care. Legislation supported by NHPCO and advocated for during yesterdays Hill visits includes: NHPCO advocates were honored to hear from bipartisan, hospice champions while visiting Capitol Hill yesterday including Senator Debbie Stabenow (MI), Senator Shelly Moore Capito (WV), Representative Vern Buchanan (FL), Representative Earl Blumenauer (OR) and Representative Tom Reed (NY). NHPCO also launched a new advocacy campaign My Hospice to reinforce the value of the Medicare hospice benefit among policy and healthcare decision makers to foster a policy environment that will support patient access to high quality, comprehensive hospice and palliative care. As Medicares first coordinated care model, hospice is one of the few sectors that demonstrates how healthcare can and should work at its best for its patients, offering a successful model for expanding access to person-centered, integrated care to all patients with serious, advanced and life-limiting illness, and their caregivers. The campaign aims to demonstrate what hospice means to each unique individual and family it serves. Through the My Hospice campaign, NHPCO will highlight how critically important hospice and palliative care are to Americans across the country, while educating policymakers that hospice is an integrated care program that works and a high-quality benefit that matters. To learn more about the My Hospice campaign, please visit MyHospiceCampaign.org. To learn more about NHPCOs Hospice Action Network, please visit HospiceActionNetwork.org. ### Media Contact: Jon Radulovic Vice President, Communications Ph: 703-837-3139 jradulovic@nhpco.org BERLIN, April 26 (Xinhua) -- German car maker Volkswagen experienced a strong start to the year, despite the recent announcement of far-reaching corporate restructuring and the ongoing diesel emissions scandal, the Wolfsburg-based company told press on Thursday. Gross revenue during the first quarter (Q1) of 2018 rose by under four percent to 58.2 billion euros (70.8 billion U.S. dollars) thanks to record sales. Although operating profit fell by around four percent to 4.2 billion euros, this circumstance was mainly due to changes in accounting standards at Volkswagen. Under the company's previous methodology, operating profit in Q1 would have risen as well. Net profit was recorded at 3.3 billion euros, marking a slight decline compared to the same period last year (3.4 billion euros). Newly-appointed chief executive officer Herbert Diess emphasized, however, the outlook for Volkswagen's earnings remained stable. The automotive juggernaut has set itself a goal for revenue growth of up to five percent in the course of 2018 and also wants to increase its operative return between 6.5 and 7.5 percent during the current year. Volkswagen has recently announced the biggest structural reforms in its corporate history following a reshuffle of its executive management. Most significantly, Volkswagen's 12 brands will be combined into six core divisions in an effort to reduce inefficient parallel structures moving forward. Diess will hereby serve simultaneously as the director of the wider Volkswagen Group and the head of its Volkswagen flagship brand. Analysts have predicted that synergy effects produced by the new corporate structure could help the company increase annual operating profits to the level of 25 billion euros within four years. Volkswagen's strong quarterly earnings once again defied concerns that the car maker's involvement in the ongoing "dieselgate" scandal could weigh on its financial performance. Investors reacted positively to figures released by the company, and the share price of Volkswagen stocks rose by more than four percent in early Thursday trading. MANILA, April 26 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines said on Thursday that it finds "disturbing" the decision of Kuwaiti government to expel the Philippines' ambassador to Kuwait. Philippine Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano maintained that the Philippines did not violate any Kuwaiti laws. On Wednesday night, the Kuwaiti government said it declared Philippine Ambassador to Kuwait Renato Villa persona non grata and that the State of Kuwait finds him "unacceptable." Villa was given a week to leave the Gulf state. The Philippines on Thursday protested Villa's expulsion, the arrest warrants against its three diplomats and the detention of four other Filipinos as the diplomatic row heats up. "The Department served a diplomatic note to the Embassy of Kuwait conveying its strong surprise and great displeasure over the declaration of Ambassador Villa as persona non grata; the continued detention of four Filipinos hired by the Philippine Embassy; and the issuance of arrest warrants against three diplomatic personnel," the Department of Foreign Affairs said in a second statement issued on Thursday. The department said these acts are "inconsistent" with the assurances and representations made by the Kuwaiti envoy when he met with Cayetano in Manila on April 24. The Kuwaiti government was angered by the Philippine embassy's move last week to conduct rescue operation of mostly distraught Filipino maids who allegedly experienced cruelty in the hands of their Kuwaiti employers. Kuwait's decision to expel Villa came a day after Cayetano issued a public and formal apology to Kuwait "for certain incidents that the Kuwaiti view as violation of their sovereignty." The Department of Foreign Affairs distributed videos of the rescue mission that went viral online, further enraging Kuwait, which accused Manila of violating international laws and its sovereignty. The department sent a team of senior Philippine diplomats to Kuwait last week to execute the rescue operation, which Kuwait called "inappropriate behavior." Kuwait's state news also reported that the Kuwaiti government has downgraded its diplomatic representation in the Philippines by ordering the recall of its envoy in Manila. Kuwait is a major labor destination for Filipinos in the Middle East, with over 250,000 currently working there, mostly as domestic helpers. However, recent incidents of abuses against them, with some resulted in death, prompted the Philippine government to enforce a deployment ban for Filipino workers earlier this year. KAMPALA, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Ephraim Kamuntu, Ugandan Minister for Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, has warned that proceeds from wildlife trafficking could be used to sponsor other global crimes like terrorism. Kamuntu was speaking in Kampala, Uganda's capital on Thursday during a meeting on enhancing co-ordination among law enforcement agencies to combat wildlife crime. "Let's enhance our efforts in combating wildlife crime and not allow these criminals to use Uganda as a conduit," Kamuntu said. He reminded the law enforcers that the United Nations had classified illegal wildlife trade and trafficking alongside money laundering and terrorism. "We still have co-ordination gaps amongst law enforcers. This meeting will help us take stock of efforts in combating wildlife crime and agree on how to strengthen synergies that will make our response to wildlife crime robust," he added. Some of the parts trafficked from Uganda include ivory and skins of hippos, warthogs, monitor lizards, leopards and pythons among others. Bashir Hangi, Communication Manager at Uganda Wildlife Authority told Xinhua by telephone on Thursday that wildlife crime was "a serious issue globally so it is no wonder if UN comes in to classify it together with terrorism". "People will no longer take it lightly. It gives global solidarity against such crimes. We really need punitive measures to curtail such," he said. He added that wildlife trafficking was likely to cut down on government foreign earning. Tourism is Uganda's top foreign exchange earner, generating 1.35 billion U.S. dollars in 2016. NAIROBI, April 26 (Xinhua) -- The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) on Thursday launched a 1-million-U.S.-dollar project that is aimed at unveiling financial services to the youths involved in agriculture in East Africa. The three-year project known as scaling up rural youth access to inclusive financial services for entrepreneurship and employment is aims to end extreme poverty and hunger in Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda. "The potential of rural youth is capable of sustaining a dynamic economic growth only when they have access to financial services and land," Elizabeth Ssendiwala, IFAD Gender and Youth Coordinator for East and Southern Africa, said on Thursday in Nairobi. Ssendiwala noted that the project will help the youths take up agricultural from the aging population in the region given that 70 percent of young people live in rural parts of the countries. She said the youths in the region has are highly educated, innovative and are already adapting to the modern technology but unfortunately lack access to land and financial services to be fully engaged in agriculture. "The financial support will also benefit 50 percent of young women since it has been proven that women form large number of farmers in the region," she added. Elizabeth Nsimadala, President of the Eastern African Farmers Federation (EAFF), said the initiative is an opportunity for the youth to become the engine driving new agriculture and agribusiness agenda. "It will lead to economic rural transformation in the region as it will help avail affordable credits, improve technologies, provide practical skills and fair markets for agribusiness success in the region," Nsimadala noted. Nsimadala observed that previously, financial service providers ask for loans guarantees such as land title deeds, steadily paid employment and guarantors with good accounts that the youths are unable to avail. She noted that intervention towards building youth's capacity in developing business plans is fast changing with the entry of the initiative that looks at the business viability in terms of return on investment. "The project will help the youth figure out who they are and how best to professionalize their ideas in attracting funding," she added. Susan Koech, Principal Secretary for the East African Community (EAC), hailed the initiative for ushering transformation to the youths in the region. Koech noted that agriculture sector is capable of creating millions of jobs and help reduce migrations to foreign countries. "The population's involvement in agriculture is capable of turning the region from net importer of food to net exporter," she added. The project is intended to benefit at least 10,000 young farmers aged 18-35 and living in rural areas in the countries. The youths will have to belong to organized groupings. Pristina, April 26 (Xinhua) -- The President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, made it clear in Pristina on Thursday that there is no way ahead towards the European integration process for Kosovo without a normalisation of relations with Serbia. "Without a comprehensive normalisation of relations with Serbia and full implementation of the agreements I do not see how a breakthrough in the relations with the EU could be achieved," said Tusk during a press conference after meeting with the President of Kosovo, Hashim Thaci. Tusk paid a short visit to Kosovo on Thursday, as part of a tour to the region, as he said, to prepare for the EU and Western Balkans Summit that will take place in Sofia, on May 17. President Thaci said that Kosovo is committed to the dialogue for the normalisation of relations with Serbia, during the EU-facilitated dialogue. According to him it means the implementation of the agreements reached so far, and the progress towards an international legal binding agreement between Pristina and Belgrade. "Kosovo remains interested not only in continuing the dialogue with Serbia, but converting into a proper process of reconciliation and building a sustainable peace in the region," said Thaci. He announced a visit to Berlin in May, to discuss the dialogue process with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. The European Union has confirmed that President Thaci is invited at the upcoming EU-Western Balkans summit in Sofia next month. But, the presence of Kosovo has triggered reactions among some of the five EU member states that still don't recognise the independence of Kosovo. There were a number of reports that Spain is most vocal in objecting to the presence of Kosovo leaders at the summit. However, Tusk said that during this summit the EU should first and foremost reaffirm its unequivocal support for the European perspective of the region. "Just like I expect the EU will welcome the Western Balkan partners, strategic choice and shared commitment to the European principles, values and unity," said Tusk by claiming that the EU is and will continue to be the most reliable partner for the entire region. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-26 23:02:11|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close Chairman of Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) Bakir Izetbegovic (R) welcomes Slovenian President Borut Pahor in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, on April 26, 2018. Bosnia and Herzegovina's (BiH) integration to the European Union (EU) and bilateral ties between BiH and Slovenia were in the focus of meeting of leaders of the two countries here on Thursday. (Xinhua/Haris Memija) SARAJEVO, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Bosnia and Herzegovina's (BiH) integration to the European Union (EU) and bilateral ties between BiH and Slovenia were in the focus of meeting of leaders of the two countries here on Thursday. Visiting Slovenian President Borut Pahor and members of BiH tripartite presidency said bilateral relations between the two countries were good with increasing trade of late, a statement by the BiH presidency's office said. The two sides underlined the common commitments to promotion and enhancement of neighborhood and bilateral relations. In this respect, they emphasized the "need for further regional cooperation on the European perspective, security and migration in the framework of current initiatives." BiH presidency members were unified in saying that BiH is committed to obtaining EU candidate status and they expressed their gratitude to Slovenia for supporting their process of European integration. Addressing the 9th Sarajevo Business Forum on Wednesday, Pahor underlined good relations between the two countries, adding Slovenia fully supported BiH in its aspirations to join the EU and NATO. "We are ready to share with you all the experiences and to see you as soon as possible in the EU and NATO," Pahor said. PHNOM PENH, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia had exported 39,147 tons of dry rubber in the first quarter of 2018, up 21 percent over the same period last year, according to a General Directorate of Rubber report on Thursday. The Southeast Asian country earned the gross revenue of 57 million U.S. dollars from the export during the January-March period this year, down 11 percent over the same period last year, the report said. "A ton of dry rubber averagely cost 1,458 U.S. dollars in the first quarter of 2018, about 525 U.S. dollars lower than that of the first quarter of 2017," it said. Cambodian rubber has been sold to Malaysia, Vietnam, China, South Korea, and some European countries. According to the report, Cambodia has 436,812 hectares of rubber plantations in which 171,063 hectares are old enough to be harvested. BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Brunei's total trade balance amounted to 357.5 million Brunei dollars (269.3 million U.S. dollars), an impressive 51.3 percent year-on-year increase in December 2017, according to the latest statistics released by the Department of Economic Planning and Development (JPKE) at the Prime Minister's Office on Thursday. The exports amounted to 748.0 million Brunei dollars in December, a 37 percent year-on-year increase, while imports were valued at 390.5 million Brunei dollars, according to the statistics. Mineral Fuels recorded the highest contribution of 91.6 percent to total exports. The highest exports market was Japan with 35.7 percent of total exports, followed by Singapore (17.5 percent), Thailand (14.7 percent) and South Korea (13.9 percent). In December 2017, imports of goods increased by 26.1 percent year-on-year from 236.3 million Brunei dollars in December 2016 to 390.5 million Brunei dollars. The highest imports came from China with 37.4 percent of total imports, followed by Malaysia (15.7 percent), Singapore (11.4 percent), the United States (9.3 percent). PARIS, April 26 (Xinhua) -- During a pomp-filled tour to the United States, French President Emmanuel Macron underscored a strong relationship with his American counterpart at a time when European leaders have kept their distance. After a fierce handshake during their first meeting in May 2017, Macron, who is pro-business reform, and U.S. President Donald Trump, an advocate of nationalism, celebrated their friendship by grabbing hands or slapping each other's backs, a physical stance that seemed to help France's youngest head of state score a diplomatic coup. "It may happened that we have disagreement with the United States like in all families. I think it's a short term disagreement," Macron told the U.S. Congress during his three-day stay. In a speech widely seen as a honor given to a small number of visiting foreign leaders, Macron invited his American host "to work together in order to make (the) planet great again, create new jobs and new opportunities." However, he repeatedly criticized the U.S. president's protectionist principles, asking him to take more acts in the fight against climate change and stay in the Iran nuclear pact. "French President showed he is a friend of the United States while making the voice of France heard. The test is a success," said Olivier Mazerolle, a political analyst. During a congress dominated by the Republicans, Macron "was cheered 49 times and was given standing ovation while he refused isolationism, defended Paris accord and Iran nuclear deal, topics that Trump does not defend," he told RTL radio. On May 7 2017, Macron became the first French president who doesn't come from one of the country's two mainstream parties. Shaking the domestic political landscape, the former investment banker whose credentials were untested, had been under pressure to defend his ability to flex the country's diplomatic muscles and achieve foreign policy successes. A year on, the novice showed that France, a veto-wielding member of the U.N. Security Council, has a key role to play in various international conflicts and succeded in maintaining close ties with an unpredictable American top official, according to Hubert Vedrine, ex-foreign minister. "Since no politician gives the impression of having influence over Donald Trump, it is not at all absurd on the part of Emmanuel Macron to try using the friendship card. There is no need to criticize this approach as there is no immediate result," Vedrine told the local broadcaster Europe 1. The French diplomat added that under Macron's administration, "French foreign policy is again very realistic and ambitious." Macron, who has made clear his differences with Trump notably on climate change and Iran nuclear deal, had made a daring gamble by inviting Trump and his wife Melania to attend the July 14 parade in Paris, two months after he took office. At a time when the United States had increasingly been isolated on the global stage, he sought to position himself as Trump's principal interlocutor, a move which according to Francois Bayrou, a veteran centrist politician, had paid fruit. "France has a historical and political weight in the world, but it was not heard for years. Now, we hear a mediating voice," he tweeted. "Emmanuel Macron's visit has allowed Donald Trump's evolution on the Iranian nuclear deal. It reinforces the weight of France on the international scene," he added. MOGADISHU, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Somalia marked the International Girls in ICT Day on Thursday with the launch of an initiative to create gender parity in the country's ICT industry. The event which was organized by Fursad.so, a local organization working to promote education in Somalia, in partnership with Research and Education Network (SomaliREN) and Ministry of Post, Telecom and Technology, sought to highlight the challenges faced by girls in ICT. Abdulkadir Mohamed, Fursad.so manager, said in a statement released in Mogadishu that out of the 1,233 ICT graduates in 2017 from 23 universities across Puntland, GalMudug, SouthWest, Benadir, Jubbaland and HirShabelle, only 9 percent were female. Mohamed, who presented a survey conducted on the total number of women graduates in ICT, added that the few women who managed to graduate despite hardships face stereotypes and discrimination in accessing the scarce job opportunities. Speaking during the occasion, Abdi Ashur Hassan, the Minister of Post, Telecom and Technology, expressed concern about the figures of women graduates in ICT and the challenges they face in employment. Hassan said he could see these facts at the Ministry as women with ICT background form less than 1 percent of the total ministry staff and cannot help because of the freeze. "As charity begins at home, we will start from our ministry, but we will also partner with other institutions, such as the academia and the private sector, including telecoms, to address these challenges at a national level," said Hassan. The minister said he believes that young girls are incredible innovators who can come up with solutions to many of the problems we have if they are provided the right tools and environment. He acknowledged that with the successes made in the Communications Act and domain name, dotSO management and the increasing penetration of fiber internet in major cities, ICT will be one of the fastest growing fields in the years to come, offering some of the highest paid and most exciting careers. "We are working to open the door to a career in technology to as many young women as possible. We can teach girls and women to love technology and use it for their life, such as health, education, finance, etc. and encourage them to pursue ICT as a suitable career. Together we can empower the next generation of women to thrive in ICT," he noted. Safiya Abshir who completed her computer science degree three years ago said the challenges women graduates face in the ICT sector are more than other sectors in Somalia. She said lack of ICT labs and internships, as well as disconnection between the courses offered at universities and the skills needed in the local market, make their education irrelevant. WASHINGTON, D.C., April 26, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) today announced that its Papahanaumokuakea Research and Conservation Fund will award a $900,000 grant to a collaborative team of researchers from the Bishop Museum and the University of Hawaii to conduct a research expedition planned for the summer of 2018. The inaugural grant was made possible by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff and his wife Lynne, and with the strong support of U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii). The grant will support research and conservation of Hawaiis unique resources in Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument (PMNM). The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation targets outcome focused grant making to promote the conservation and sustainability of the Nations fish and wildlife, said Jeff Trandahl, executive director and CEO, NFWF. In the case of Papahanaumokuakea, these natural resources are so unique and remote that the first step to conservation and management is increasing our understanding of these systems and threats to their survival. Papahanaumokuakea is a remote archipelago of islands, reefs and atolls in the northwestern sector of the Hawaiian Island chain. Many of the thousands of species of fish and wildlife that inhabit this area are found nowhere else on Earth, including threatened and endangered species such as the Hawaiian monk seal, green sea turtle and Laysan albatross. "Papahanaumokuakea is one of the greatest natural laboratories on Earth," said Randy Kosaki, NOAA's Deputy Superintendent and Research Coordinator for Papahanaumokuakea. "The work funded by this grant represents a unique opportunity to study the structure and function of a pristine coral reef ecosystem." Much of the northwestern Hawaiian archipelago remains unexplored, particularly in depths of 100 feet or more. This collaborative research effort will focus on French Frigate Shoals (Kanemilohai), an ecologically important atoll where more than 90 percent of Hawaiian green sea turtles nest and a large portion of the northwest Hawaiian Island monk seal population reproduces. The grant was made possible in part by a private donation from Marc and Lynne Benioff, who in 2016 established the Benioff Ocean Initiative to study and solve ocean issues around the world. The Benioffs are also supporters of the World Economic Forum's Friends of Ocean Action, a global partnership to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources, and have contributed to The Ocean Cleanup, a nonprofit that aims to rid the world's oceans of plastic. The health of our oceans must be a global priority, said Marc Benioff. Lynne and I are honored to support some of the world's best ocean scientists in their study of Papahanaumokuakea. By furthering our understanding of the unique Hawaiian ecosystems in this special place, we'll be better equipped to protect our oceans for generations to come. Research activities will explore how changing environmental conditions will impact low-lying sand and coral reef habitats and associated species (turtles, seals, birds, fishes, coral, algae), explore and catalog the deeper mesophotic zone diversity, and understand trophic connections between shallow and mesophotic coral ecosystems at French Frigate Shoals (FFS). These research themes will help address management questions about the importance and interconnectivity of different habitats across the Hawaiian archipelago to help understand complex food webs, and allow for proactive management of environmental stressors like coral bleaching and sea level rise. It was important for us to secure funding for this research because of the potential it has for the monument, our ecosystem, and our planet, said Senator Schatz, a member of the Appropriations Committee. By leveraging funds from both the public and private sectors, we have the opportunity to better understand, manage, and conserve one of our most important natural resources. I look forward to seeing the results of this research cruise. In addition, several educational and awareness initiatives are being developed including interactive exhibits at Bishop Museum and NOAAs Mokupapapa Discovery Center. NOAAs Office of National Marine Sanctuaries welcomes the collaborative partnership between the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and our program, said Athline Clark, NOAA Superintendent for PMNM. We hope the joint funding provided by both organizations will enhance research opportunities and inform management results. The Papahanaumokuakea Research and Conservation Fund is part of NFWFs broader Hawaii Conservation Program. For more information on these initiatives, please visit www.nfwf.org/hawaiiconservation. About the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Chartered by Congress in 1984, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) protects and restores the nation's fish, wildlife, plants and habitats. Working with federal, corporate and individual partners, NFWF has funded more than 4,500 organizations and committed more than $4.8 billion to conservation projects. Learn more at www.nfwf.org. About the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOAAs mission is to understand and predict changes in the Earth's environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and to conserve and manage our coastal and marine resources. Join us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and our other social media channels. The Office of National Marine Sanctuaries serves as the trustee for a network of underwater parks encompassing more than 600,000 square miles of marine and Great Lakes waters from Washington state to the Florida Keys, and from Lake Huron to American Samoa. The network includes a system of 13 national marine sanctuaries and Papahanaumokuakea and Rose Atoll marine national monuments. Papahanaumokuakea is cooperatively managed to ensure ecological integrity and achieve strong, long-term protection and perpetuation of Northwestern Hawaiian Island ecosystems, Native Hawaiian culture, and heritage resources for current and future generations. Four co-trustees - the Department of Commerce, Department of the Interior, State of Hawaii and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs - protect this special place. Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument was inscribed as the first mixed (natural and cultural) UNESCO World Heritage Site in the United States in July 2010. For more information, please visit www.papahanaumokuakea.gov. ### Attachment Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-26 23:42:36|Editor: yan Video Player Close BEIJING, April 26 (Xinhua) -- China and Russia plan to hold a joint naval exercise in waters near the eastern Chinese city of Qingdao this year, Wu Qian, spokesperson for China's Defense Ministry, said Thursday. The exact time, location and participating forces of the joint exercise are being discussed by Chinese and Russian military experts in their second round of consultation in Russia, Wu told a press conference. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-26 23:52:40|Editor: yan Video Player Close WASHINGTON, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Chinese paleontologists reported a new lacewing species that can mimic liverworts, which is a rare camouflage in both modern and fossil ecosystems. In a study published on Thursday in the journal Current Biology, researchers from China Agricultural University, the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, found the larvae living 100 million year ago were anatomically modified to mimic coeval liverworts, the earliest terrestrial plants. This discovery represents the first record of liverwort mimicry by fossil insects and brings to light an evolutionary novelty, both in terms of morphological specialization as well as plant-insect interaction. Camouflage and mimicry are pervasive throughout the biological world as part of the usual interactions between predators and their prey, allowing both to avoid detection. Among insects, the icons of mimicry include familiar stick and leaf insects, leaf-like moths and katydids. These larvae have broadly foliate lateral plates on their thorax and abdomen. It is the only species known among lacewings with distinctive foliate lobes on the larval body, according to the researchers. Such morphological modifications grossly match some coeval liverworts. The new larvae are the first example of direct mimicry in lacewing larvae. The morphological specialization in the new chrysopoid larvae is unique and is unknown among any living or fossil lacewings. While the anatomy of these larvae allowed them to avoid detection, the lack of setae or other anatomical elements for entangling debris as camouflage means their sole defense was mimicry. Members of the species could have been stealthy hunters like living and other fossil Chrysopoidea or been ambush predators aided by their disguise. Liverworts are a diverse group distributed throughout the world today, including approximately 9,000 extant species. Liverworts have been diverse since the start of the Late Cretaceous, including in the Burmese amber forest, which was a typical wet, tropical rainforest. Like their extant counterparts, Cretaceous liverworts grew on the leaves and bark of trees as well as on other plant surfaces. The researchers suggested that the larvae probably lived on trees densely covered by liverworts, with their liverwort mimicry aiding their survival. United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director Mike Pompeo testifies before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for his nomination to become the secretary of state on the Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. April 12, 2018. (Xinhua/Ting Shen) WASHINGTON, April 26 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) chief Mike Pompeo had talked with Kim Jong Un, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), for more than an hour. Trump said in an interview with Fox & Friends that Pompeo and Kim "got along with each other" for more than an hour in their meeting. Pompeo is also Trump's pick for the position of U.S. secretary of state to replace Rex Tillerson. Trump added that Pompeo, in his secret trip to the northeast Asian country, also spoke with his counterpart in the DPRK. "They had a great meeting," said Trump. "We are doing very well with North Korea (the DPRK). We'll see what it all comes out." Still, he said that decision has not been made concerning the date and the location of his meeting with Kim. Trump confirmed last week that Pompeo met with Kim earlier this month via Twitter, tweeting that the "meeting went very smoothly and a good relationship was formed." Pompeo's trip was aimed at laying the groundwork for direct talks between the leaders of the two countries. The talks are expected to take place in May or early June. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-27 00:22:53|Editor: yan Video Player Close WASHINGTON, April 26 (Xinhua) -- American scientists revealed how bats managed to harbor and transmit deadly pathogens without getting sick themselves. A study published online Thursday in the journal Cell examined the genome of the Egyptian fruit bat and found larger-than-expected families of genes related to the mammalian immune system. Scientists from Boston University found large families of interferon and natural killer genes that differed dramatically from their counterparts in other mammals. The findings may eventually lead to a deeper understanding of virus transmission, and better treatments for humans who become infected. "What we learn from bats may help us in the development of pharmacological agents," said Thomas Kepler, a professor of microbiology at Boston University and the paper's author. Bats are known to carry several deadly pathogens, including Marburg and a SARS-like coronavirus, and transmit disease via bite or exposure to saliva, feces, or urine. The researchers compared the Egyptian fruit bat genome to the genomes of other mammals, including a handful of other bats, humans, and guinea pigs. "We were looking for gene families that had grown either much larger or much smaller than was expected, given the evolutionary history of this bat," said Stephanie Pavlovich in Kepler's lab at Boston University, the lead author of the paper. They also looked for genes with evidence of "positive selection," the evolutionary process that propels new, useful genetic variants throughout a population. "That allowed us to find a number of genes that were evolving at a faster rate in this bat, and then also a number of gene families that were much larger than we expected," said Pavlovich. They found two gene families near the top of the "larger than expected" list. The first is type 1 interferon genes, which are often called "the first line of defense" against viruses and have been implicated in the disease course of filoviruses like Marburg and Ebola. The second is natural killer or "NK" cell receptors. Natural killer cells are a critical part of the human immune system, able to quickly recognize and respond to virus-infected cells. Those findings point to the possibility of the so-called "soft protection" from the bat immune system. "Activation and inhibition are much more intermingled in the bat than they are in most other organisms," Kepler said, regarding the NK cell receptors. "The bat may be assuaging the virus for a short period of time, trying to prevent the virus' growth without making a full-on attack." ADDIS ABABA, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopia recorded 169.6 million U.S. dollars in revenue from 45,307 Chinese tourists that visited the country in 2017, an Ethiopian official said on Thursday. Chinese tourists are the largest group of tourists to Ethiopia. The 2017 Chinese tourists figures have shown a steady increase from 2016 numbers, which stood at 41,659. Speaking to Xinhua, Gezahegn Abate, Public and International Relations Director at Ethiopia Ministry of Culture and Tourism (MoCT), said despite a steady increase in Chinese tourist numbers over the last several years, insufficient food and accommodation facilities are hampering further growth. "MoCT is encouraging Chinese investment in Ethiopia's hospitality sector with a view to dramatically increasing the number of Chinese tourists," Abate said. With a view to making tourism a major hard currency earner, Ethiopia is implementing incentives for entrepreneurs involved in the tourism and hospitality industry, including duty free arrangements for construction materials. The national flag carrier Ethiopian airlines already flies to five destinations in China: Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Chengdu and Guangzhou and plans to start flights to Shenzhen in June. MoCT hopes the increasing flight connection between Ethiopia and Chinese destinations will help sustain the steady increase of Chinese tourists to Ethiopia. by Alessandra Cardone ROME, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Italy's outgoing government of Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni approved the country's economic blueprint on Thursday. The Economic and Financial Document (DEF) -- the country's multi-year plan for public finances and economic strategies -- confirmed forecasts made by the cabinet in September. Italy's gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to grow by 1.5 percent this year, the same as in 2017. "This figure reflects a prudent attitude towards what our economy is able to produce," Finance Minister Pier Carlo Padoan told a press conference after the cabinet meeting. "It is also in line with other estimates, and especially with the most recent projection of the International Monetary Fund, which forecast exactly a 1.5 percent growth," he added. According to the plan, the Italian economy was expected to expand by 1.4 percent in 2019, and by 1.3 percent in 2020, while the budget deficit would drop to 1.6 percent of GDP this year from 2.3 percent in 2017, and to 0.8 percent in 2019. As for the huge public debt -- the euro-zone's second largest after Greece, and a major weakness for Italy's public finances -- it would fall by 1 percentage point to 130.8 percent of GDP in 2018, and to 128.0 percent in 2019. Unemployment was expected to decrease from 11.2 percent in 2017 to 10.7 percent in 2018, and to 10.2 percent in 2019, according to the DEF. "This blueprint provides a picture of our economy as it is, not taking into account economic policies or reform plans, which are up to the next government," Gentiloni pointed out. Indeed, Gentiloni's center-left government has been providing for current affairs after inconclusive political elections took place on March 4. It would remain in charge until political parties in parliament agree on a new coalition government. The economic blueprint will have to be sent to the European Union (EU) Commission by the end of the month, in order for authorities in Brussels to review it. SRINAGAR, Indian-controlled Kashmir, April 26 (Xinhua) -- At least two policemen and a civilian were wounded Thursday after militants carried out a grenade attack in restive Indian-controlled Kashmir, police said. The grenade was hurled at police station in Kulgam district, about 71 km south of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir. "Militants this evening hurled a grenade towards police station Kulgam, which exploded with a bang resulting in wounding two policemen and a civilian," a police officer posted in the town told Xinhua. "The wounded personnel were immediately rushed to hospital for treatment." Soon after the attack, police and paramilitary forces rushed to the spot and launched a manhunt to nab the attackers. So far, no militant outfit has claimed responsibility of the attack. On Wednesday militants killed a political leader and wounded two policemen serving as his security guards in adjacent Pulwama district. A guerilla war is going on between militants and Indian troops stationed in Indian-controlled Kashmir since 1989. The gunfight between the two sides takes place intermittently across the region. Kashmir, the Himalayan region divided between India and Pakistan, is claimed by both in full. Since their independence from Britain, the two countries have fought three wars, two exclusively over Kashmir. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-27 00:33:02|Editor: yan Video Player Close Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (R) meets with Elaine Chao, the U.S. secretary for transport, who is in Beijing for the ninth annual meeting of the China-U.S. Transportation Forum, in Beijing, capital of China, April 26, 2018.(Xinhua/Rao Aimin) BEIJING, April 26 (Xinhua) -- China values the willingness the United States has shown to address the current trade friction through dialogue and communication, Premier Li Keqiang said Thursday, adding that China's door for negotiation was always open. Li made the remarks when he met with Elaine Chao, the U.S. secretary for transport, in Beijing. U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Robert Lighthizer would travel to China in a few days for trade talks. Li said the essence of China-U.S. economic and trade cooperation was mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation. "There is no winner in trade conflict, which will not only affect the recovery of the world economy but also the global industrial chain," he said, adding that solutions can only be found when both sides sit down for dialogue. Li said it serves the interests of both countries to maintain a steady and sound growth of bilateral relations. "It is also what the international community expects from our two countries," he said. Li said President Xi Jinping had met and held phone conversations with President Donald Trump for many times, and both countries should follow the important consensus reached by the two heads of state and view China-U.S. relations in a "correct way." "As the largest developing country and developed country in the world, China and the United States are highly complementary in the economy," Li said. He expressed the hope that the two countries could "work together in the spirit of mutual respect, and equal consultation to increase consensus and manage and control differences." "China will unswervingly open further to the outside world, which will unleash huge market potential," Li said, adding that he hoped countries including the United States would grasp the opportunities and benefit more from China's opening-up. "China also stands ready to promote cooperation with the United States in transportation, such as autonomous driving," he added. Chao, who was in Beijing this week for the ninth annual meeting of the China-U.S. Transportation Forum, congratulated China on maintaining an economic growth rate of 6.8 percent in the first quarter of this year. The United States and China had fruitful consultation during the forum, exchanging in-depth views on safety, infrastructure and new technologies like autonomous driving, Chao said, adding that the United States looks forward to enhancing cooperation with China in related areas. Noting that U.S-China relations were at a crucial stage, Chao said she hoped the consultation between two countries on economic and trade issues could yield positive results. MAPUTO, April 26 (Xinhua) -- The Attorney General of the Republic of Mozambique said on Thursday that 373 individuals had been arrested in connection with poaching from May 2017 until the first quarter of this year. Beatriz Buchili revealed the figure when speaking about the issue of biodiversity protection in parliament during the presentation of the annual report of justice in the country. According to Buchili, the number has dropped compared to previous years due to the efforts taken by the authorities. "In the fight against poaching, we have strengthened our coordination with the National Administration of Conservation Areas, for investigation, condemnation and dialogue with communities," she said, admitting that cases of prohibited hunting persist in Mozambique. The attorney general said authorities are implementing technological means for tracking and monitoring wildlife-related crimes. She also said that in 2017, 624 lawsuits were registered for crimes against the environment, an increase of 188 compared to 2016. "Despite the methods of prevention and combat implemented, there are still fragilities compared to the level of complexity of these crimes, which also include the unbridled felling of timber," she said. The crimes against biodiversity in Mozambique occur mainly in the provinces of Niassa, Cabo Delgado, Nampula, Tete and Sofala, central and northern of the country. KIGALI, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Lack of accountability and transparency among African governments could affect Africa's development, executive director of Mo Ibrahim Foundation Nathalie Delapalme said Thursday. "There is still lack of accountability and transparency among African governments. A lot needs to be done to ensure that African governments can be held accountable by their citizens for democratic governance," Delapalme told reporters in the Rwandan capital Kigali. If there is no accountability and transparency in governance, there is no development, she said ahead of Ibrahim Governance Weekend, the Mo Ibrahim Foundation annual flagship event slated from April 27 to 29 in Kigali. Key indicators of the 2017 Ibrahim Index of African Governance show that Africa's average governance improvement has slowed down, she said. Over the past decade, the African average for the accountability of public officials has deteriorated, with the pace of decline worsening over the last five years, according to a report of the foundation. The report indicates that 22 percent of Africa's population who had contact with a public service in 2015 said they paid a bribe, mostly to the police and the courts. The three-day event will convene prominent African political and business leaders, representatives from civil society, multilateral and regional institutions as well as Africa's major international partners to debate issues of critical importance to Africa, according to organizers. It will kick off with a leadership ceremony, followed by Ibrahim Forum, a high-level discussion forum. This year's forum will focus on public service in Africa. Established in 2006, the non-grant making organization focuses on defining, assessing and enhancing governance and leadership in Africa through its four main initiatives including Ibrahim Index of African Governance, Ibrahim Forum, Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership and Ibrahim Leadership Fellowships. VICTORIA, British Columbia, April 26, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, Seaspans Victoria Shipyards (VSL) celebrated the handover of Her Majestys New Zealand Ship (HMNZS) Te Kaha at a ceremony in Victoria, BC. The handover ceremony marks the transfer of care of HMNZS Te Kaha from the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) to Lockheed Martin Canada (NYSE:LMT) and VSL. Todays event follows last months formal announcement that VSL had been awarded work on the Frigate Systems Upgrade for the RNZNs ANZAC class frigates as a subcontractor for Lockheed Martin Canada. Being awarded this project demonstrates Seaspans Victoria Shipyards capabilities as a leader in ship repair in North America, said Brian Carter, President & CEO of Seaspan Shipyards. With this project, our company is building on its record as a trusted partner for both government and commercial clients in successfully managing complex projects. Seaspan representatives were pleased to join New Zealands representatives from the Ministry of Defence and the Royal New Zealand Navy, the Royal Canadian Navy, and Lockheed Martin Canada for the handover ceremony. With the handover complete, work will soon begin at Victoria Shipyards. In partnership with Lockheed Martin Canada, Victoria Shipyards is pleased to take care of HMNZS Te Kaha, said Joe ORourke, Vice President & General Manager for VSL. Winning this work speaks to the capabilities of the women and men of Seaspan and leaves us well-positioned for realizing similar opportunities in the future. HMNZS Te Kaha will undergo extensive upgrades to its surveillance, combat and self-defence capabilities. This will allow it to match current and future threats and address obsolescence of some of the frigates current systems. The project builds on VSLs highly successful subcontract work with Lockheed Martin Canada and the Halifax class modernization project which is nearing completion both on time and on budget. The opportunity to work on a foreign warship is rare in Canadas shipbuilding and ship repair industry. The project represents the first time that a foreign warship is to undergo a modernization in Canada since the Second World War. This contract is a significant achievement for B.C.s industrial marine sector and demonstrates the world-class capabilities of our marine companies and the men and women employed by them, said Bruce Ralston, Minister of Jobs, Trade and Technology. I would like to congratulate Lockheed Martin Canada and Seaspan Shipyards on this important milestone, which again proves that B.C. firms are among the best in the world. HMNZS Te Mana, the RNZNs second ANZAC class frigate, is scheduled to arrive in 2019. Seaspan Shipyards will refit and install the new systems with an expected completion date of 2020 for the entire contract. In addition to its work on the Halifax class modernization project, VSL provides in service support for Canadas fleet of submarines as a subcontractor to Babcock Canada. Beyond its work for government clients, VSL also manages a number of complex refit and repair projects, from cruise ships to specialized vessel conversions. ABOUT SEASPAN SHIPYARDS With strategic locations in the Pacific Northwest region, Seaspan Shipyards is Canadas West Coast centre of excellence for shipbuilding and ship repair. With modern facilities and a dedicated workforce, the company has proven itself to be a reliable partner on a range of complex projects for both government and the private sector. Seaspan Shipyards is proud to be Canadas chosen Non-Combat Shipbuilder under the National Shipbuilding Strategy. In this capacity, the company is building state-of-the-art ships in Canada for the Canadian Coast Guard and Royal Canadian Navy. Through its NSS-related work, Seaspan Shipyards is creating jobs, generating economic benefits and rebuilding Canadas shipbuilding and marine industries. Seaspans Victoria Shipyards is a world-class provider of repair, refit and maintenance services for the Government of Canada, an array of commercial customers and now, as a subcontractor to Lockheed Martin Canada for the Government of New Zealand. Seaspan Shipyards Nicholas Insley Manager, Public Affairs Office: 604-990-1824 Nicholas.Insley@Seaspan.com ADDIS ABABA, April 26 (Xinhua) -- The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein on Thursday, said he's encouraged by reforms he has seen in Ethiopia during his four-day visit. In a press statement at the end of his trip, Hussein said he welcomes the release of large number of people, including bloggers, political opponents and others who had been detained for their opposition to the Ethiopian government. "I am grateful to Ethiopian government for inviting me not once, but twice during my term as High Commissioner for Human rights. The invitation shows that the government's willingness and sincerity to openly discuss the human rights challenges in the country," said the statement. Hussein had previously visited Ethiopia in May 2017 where he discussed the human rights situation of Ethiopia with government officials and civil society members. He further said he's seen tremendous hope mixed with anxiety, after the swearing in of new Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on April 2 and hopes the momentum for reform is sustained. Hussein said his office is also ready to give its assistance to reform contentious legislations like Ethiopia's Anti-Terrorism legislation, Mass Media laws and the Charities and Societies Proclamation. Hussein also commended Ethiopian authorities for allowing him to visit parts of Oromiya regional state, a protest hotbed since 2016, and for being able to meet civil society representatives, traditional leaders, bloggers and political opponents. Persistent deadly protests over allegations of economic and political marginalization since 2016 in Amhara and Oromia regional states which together account for about 65 percent of Ethiopia's estimated population of 100 million had caused fears about the stability of one of Africa's star economies. Hussein's positive assessment was shared by Meles Alem, Spokesperson of Ethiopia Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who told journalists earlier on Thursday, that Ethiopian officials have reaffirmed to the UN rights chief their country's reform agenda. Alem said Ahmed had briefed Hussein on Ethiopia's efforts to strengthen its democratic and human rights space and activities being done to accelerate Ethiopia's economic development and good governance. Alem further said his government is fully committed to transparency and good governance and welcomes the UN rights office assistance in technical and human capacity building activities. WARSAW, April 26 (Xinhua) -- The "Charming Sichuan Education Expo" has opened in the Polish capital city of Warsaw to enhance higher education cooperation between Poland and southwest China's Sichuan Province. At the opening ceremony, Przemyslaw Skrodzki, chief expert from the Department of International Cooperation from the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education, said that it's the best time for exchanges and cooperation between Poland and China, citing that more than 2,000 Chinese students are studying in Poland. According to Skrodzki, this number is still growing at an average rate of 20 percent each year. "We hope to take this opportunity to help more universities and colleges from both countries find partner institutions and to promote pragmatic cooperation in the field of education," said Skrodzki. Chairman of the board of the Polish-Chinese Education Foundation Filip Czernicki told Xinhua that education fairs, such as this event, can put together and display many educational resources in one place, allowing Polish schools to better understand Sichuan, and its colleges and universities, and provide a good platform to enhance exchanges. Li Guanghua, Deputy Secretary of the work of the CPC Sichuan Provincial Education Committee, introduced the basic situation of Sichuan and local education during the opening ceremony and emphasized the fact that Sichuan Province attached great importance to the opening-up and internationalization of education. In an interview with to Xinhua, Li Guanghua said that the education resources in central Europe are abundant, but this truth was not widely known in China. Therefore, Li believes that there is still great potential and prospects for higher education cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European countries. The event was organized by the Sichuan Provincial Education Department and co-organized by the Polish-Chinese Education Foundation. Altogether 16 universities from Sichuan Province took part in the fair. To further strengthen cooperation, a cooperation agreement was signed at the opening ceremony between Sichuan Provincial Education Department and the Polish-Chinese Education Foundation. MADRID, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Spanish Civil Guards on Thursday arrested a man in the city of Las Palmas (Gran Canary Island) under suspicion of spreading extremist propaganda in favor of the Islamic State (IS) over the internet. The Interior Ministry confirmed that the detainee is a 31-year-old Spaniard, who was born in Jordan and resident in Germany. He carried out "intense activity" on social network sites to spread a "terrorist ideology" and had "incited other users to carry out jihadist violence," the Ministry commented, adding that his activity had first been detected in 2016 on his Facebook page. The suspect had abandoned Spain with his wife and children to live in Germany in 2017, but "thanks to international collaboration," his return to Spain was detected and led to his detention. Tuesday saw a 24-year-old Moroccan arrested in the Basque region of northern Spain for similar offences. Some 280 suspected extremists have been arrested in Spain since the start of 2015, partly due to the Interior Ministry focusing attention on the activity of terror sympathizers online. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-27 01:08:17|Editor: yan Video Player Close AMMAN, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Jordan on Thursday inaugurated a solar power plant with a total capacity of 103 megawatts at a total cost of 120 million U.S. dollars. The solar plant, which is located in Al Queira area, is financed by the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development. At the inauguration ceremony, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Saleh Kharabsheh stressed the importance of the power plant, which he said will reduce pressure on Jordan amidst rising demand on electricity. The plant falls in line with Jordan's strategy to increase renewable energy contribution to the overall energy mix to 20 per cent by 2020, he said. The minister added that there are solar and wind energy projects with total capacity of 700 megawatts that are already operational in Jordan. He said that by 2020 there will be renewable energy projects with total capacity of 2,000 megawatts operational. The minister voiced appreciation to the UAE for its support to Jordan, adding that the project is funded by a grant from the UAE. Nasser Shraideh, chief commissioner of the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority, stressed the importance of the sector in providing the area part of its energy needs. He added that there is increasing demand on electricity in Aqaba as three industrial zones are in the pipelines to be created in the city. The solar plant in Al Queira was built by a consortium of Spanish and UAE companies. Jordan, which imports 97 per cent of its energy needs, is working on several energy projects including oil shale, renewable and nuclear reactors to face rising need on energy. ARUSHA, Tanzania, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Tanzanian President John Magufuli on Thursday declared Dodoma as the sixth city in the east African nation pending other legal procedures. Addressing the nation in the event to mark the Union between Tanganyika and Zanzibar on Thursday, Magufuli said the capital-designate will cease to be a municipality with immediate effect. This brings the total number of cities in the United Republic of Tanzania to six. Other cities include Dar es Salaam, Mwanza, Tanga, Mbeya, and Arusha. In Tanzania, city and municipality differ in terms of size, population, infrastructures, transport, social services. A city must have a population of more than 1,000,000 people, with a size of more than 130sqkm, with improved road networks, and transport system as well as better social services. "With powers bestowed on me, I declare Dodoma a city and call on the relevant authorities to follow the due legal process to implement the decision," Magufuli told the gathering. He said that Dodoma will be a city of its own kind by the fact that it is at the centre of the country, calling on various stakeholders to help build it to that status. Magufuli also urged residents to accept the changes and help the government develop the town to city status. The president singled out the African Development Bank (AfDB), whose president Akinumwi Adesina also attended the celebrations to help build the youngest city in the country, especially on the construction of ring roads. He thanked Adesina for attending the celebrations, acknowledging that AfDB has contributed immensely in building the nation and the entire continent. "The bank is on the forefront in providing financial and technical support and Tanzania is one of the countries who have benefited a lot from the support,"said the president. The union between Tanganyika and Zanzibar, reached by founding leaders of Tanganyika's Julius Nyerere and Zanzibar's Abeid Karume 54 years ago, is what resulted into the creation of the United Republic of Tanzania. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-27 01:23:22|Editor: yan Video Player Close GENEVA, April 26 (Xinhua) -- The International Social Security Association (ISSA) on Thursday called for full support for the World Day for Safety and Health at Work on April 28 and its Vision Zero global campaign to promote health, safety and well-being in the workplace. The World Day for Safety and Health at Work, also called SafeDay, is organized by the the International Labour Organization (ILO). This year's theme -- Generation Safe and Healthy -- focuses on a transition from school to work and from youth to adulthood in a safe and healthy working environment. The latest ILO figure shows that young workers aged 15 to 24 suffer up to 40 percent higher rate of work injuries than adult workers over the age of 25. "We need to invest in a healthy and motivated workforce, and young workers are our future. We must give them extra support, training and attention," says Hans-Horst Konkolewsky, secretary general of ISSA. Vision Zero was launched at the World Congress on Safety and Health at Work in Singapore last September. According to ISSA, through regional launches for Asia, Europe, Eurasia, Africa and soon America, it has so far mobilized the support of more than 1,500 companies, organizations and trainers worldwide. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-27 01:33:24|Editor: pengying Video Player Close Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, speaks at a symposium on promoting the development of the Yangtze River economic belt in Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei Province, April 26, 2018. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi) WUHAN, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday called for achieving high-quality economic growth through developing the Yangtze River economic belt. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks at a symposium on promoting the development of the Yangtze River economic belt in Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei Province. He stressed the importance of enhancing reform and innovation, strategic coordination as well as planning and guiding in developing the economic belt. "It is a major decision made by the CPC Central Committee and a major strategy concerning overall national development to promote the development of the Yangtze River economic belt," Xi said. He called for all-out efforts to protect the Yangtze River, saying there should be no large-scale development of the river. "In developing the economic belt, the key lies in properly dealing with the relationship between pressing ahead on the whole and making breakthroughs in key areas, between ecological environment protection and economic development, between making an overall plan and making unremitting efforts, between getting rid of old growth engines and cultivating new engines, and between developing individually and developing in a coordinated way," he said. Before the symposium, Xi on Tuesday inspected Hubei Xingfa Chemicals Group, China's largest fine phosphoric chemicals maker and the largest relocated company in the Three Gorges Reservoir region. "The Yangtze River is China's mother river, and we must protect it, while enterprises are the major force in protecting and building the ecological environment of the river," he said. "We must move all polluting enterprises from along the Yangtze River with resolve... to root out hidden dangers of pollution," he stressed. Xi called for putting restoration of the river's ecological environment high on the agenda in developing the Yangtze River economic belt. "When we say there should be no large-scale development, it does not mean we cannot develop it at all, but we should stay away from destructive development of the river, and we should follow a green development path which puts ecology first," Xi said. Also on Tuesday, Xi inspected the Three Gorges Project and the dam area's neighboring ecological environment. Calling the Three Gorges Project a crucial piece of high-end equipment for the nation and a major symbol of China's development since the reform and opening-up, Xi stressed the importance of having the capability to make really important high-end equipment "using our own hands." "To get core and key technology, begging alms won't work," Xi said. "We must rely on our own hard work." On Wednesday morning, Xi inspected the ecological environment and development along the Yangtze River by ship. Describing restoration of the river's ecological environment "an arduous task that the new era has entrusted to us" and "the high expectations of the people," Xi called for top priority to be given to stopping unplanned development and capping the total pollution discharge. "We must not allow the ecological environment of the Yangtze River to continue deteriorating in the hands of our generation, and we must leave our descendants a clean and beautiful Yangtze River," he said. On Thursday afternoon, Xi chaired a symposium on promoting the development of the Yangtze River economic belt. "We must proceed from the long-term interests of the Chinese nation to put restoring the ecological environment of the Yangtze River at a dominant position, making all-out efforts to protect it, and forbidding large-scale development of the river," he said. The aim is to build the economic belt into a golden economic belt featuring more beautiful ecology, more smooth transport, more coordinated economy, more integrated market and more scientific mechanisms, he said. Saying that difficulties and challenges remain in developing the Yangtze River economic belt, Xi made five suggestions to promote the development of the Yangtze River economic belt. First, efforts should be made to properly deal with the relationship between pressing ahead on the whole and making breakthroughs in key areas, so as to protect and restore the ecological environment of the Yangtze River in all aspects. Second, efforts should be made to properly deal with the relationship between ecological environment protection and economic development, and explore a new path which puts ecology first while pursuing green development. Third, efforts should be made to properly deal with the relationship between making an overall plan and making unremitting efforts, and stick to a single blueprint until the end. Fourth, efforts should be made to properly deal with the relationship between getting rid of old growth engines and cultivating new engines, and facilitate the establishment of a modern economic system for the Yangtze River economic belt. Finally, efforts should be made to properly deal with the relationship between developing individually and developing in a coordinated way so as to make the economic belt an efficient economic entity. Vice Premier Han Zheng, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and also head of the leading group for promoting the development of the Yangtze River economic belt, addressed the symposium. VILNIUS, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Lithuania ratified the EU-Canadian free trade agreement CETA (the Comprehensive Economic and Trade agreement) with the country's president Dalia Grybauskaite putting the final signature on the legislation on Thursday. Lithuania has become the ninth EU country ratifying the treaty which, according to the president, is "one of the EU's largest free trade agreements". "This agreement will help Lithuanian exporters save more than 1 million euros of customs duty every year," said the President's Office in its announcement, noting that it would be particularly helpful to the country's small and medium enterprises (SME). Currently, around 150 Lithuanian companies sell goods to Canada, 80 percent of them are SMEs, according to the President's Office. The president approved the legislation ratifying CETA two days after Lithuanian parliament's decision to ratify the agreement, though the whole ratification process at the Lithuanian parliament took eight months. The Lithuanian parliament ratified CETA with separate statement on food and safety issues. Lithuanian lawmakers are concerned about regulation of GMO's and trade of meat produced using hormones. Similar precautionary statements were made by the European Commission and the European Union member states during the signing of CETA. The EU and Canada signed the free trade agreement in October 2016. According to CETA, both trading sides will fully eliminate tariffs on more than 99 percent of all tariff lines. (1 euro = 1.21 U.S. dollars) MOSCOW, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin had a phone conversation with Armenian Acting Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan on Thursday amid the political unrest in the Transcaucasia country. They stressed that the crisis in Armenia should be only settled legally "within the framework of the current Constitution and on the basis of the results of the legitimate parliamentary elections held in April 2017," the Kremlin said. In this context, both sides emphasized the importance of the election of the Armenian prime minister by the parliament scheduled for May 1, according to the Kremlin. Earlier in the day, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met his Armenian counterpart Edward Nalbandian in Moscow, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said. Former Armenian Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan, who was president for a decade, resigned on Monday just days after he was elected by the parliament amid street protests against his ruling Republican Party. Sargsyan's post is temporarily occupied by his deputy Karapetyan, former prime minister and former senior executive of Russian gas giant Gazprom. The Armenian parliament will convene on May 1 to elect a new prime minister. The demonstrations were led by opposition MP Nikol Pashinyan, who demands an immediate and peaceful handover of power by appointing him as the next prime minister. Armenia has been transitioning from a direct presidential system to a parliamentary one after constitutional reforms approved in a national referendum in December 2015. Under the amendments, although recognized as the head of state, the president will hold a largely ceremonial role with real executive power lying in the hands of the prime minister. The Armenian opposition continued mass protests on the streets and on Wednesday canceled talks planned between Karapetyan and Pashinyan. Armenia is a major ally of Moscow in Transcaucasia, with Russian troops stationed in a military base there. by Eric J. Lyman ROME, April 26 -- Italy's economy got some good news Thursday, after the government produced an ahead-of-schedule draft budget plan and upped economic growth estimates, mostly erasing concerns from a drop in business and consumer confidence released a few days earlier. For months, economists have been cautiously optimistic about the health of the third largest economy in the eurozone, which for years has lagged growth rates for the European Union (EU) as a whole. That optimism was tempered earlier this week, when the National Statistics Institute (ISTAT) showed that confidence among businesses, manufacturers, and consumers all dipped slightly in April compared to the previous month. Though the changes revealed Tuesday were relatively small, it was the first time all three indexes fell in unison in nearly two years. "By themselves, the changes were not that worrying, but it would start to be a problem if the downward trend continued, or if we started to see more dramatic drops in confidence," Giandomenico Piluso, a professor of political economy and statistics with the University of Siena, told Xinhua. But the concerns sparked by ISTAT's report were partially assuaged two days later, when Italian Minister of Finance Pier Carlo Padoan predicted the country's economy would grow 1.5 percent this year over 2017. That would match last year's growth level, up from prognostications of a 0.9-percent growth rate for 2018 the ministry released at the end of last year. Growth estimates for 2019 and 2020 remain unchanged, at 1.4 percent and 1.3 percent, respectively. Additionally, Padoan said Thursday that the country's banking sector, hurt by high rates of non-performing loans, was no longer considered to be at risk. Padoan said the country's public debt, the second highest in the EU only behind Greece in terms of a percentage of gross domestic product, would fall by a percentage point this year. "From one point of view, the most important indicator is the confidence of business and consumers," Ignazio Drudi, an economic statistics expert with the University of Bologna, said in an interview. "But confidence is a measure of the opinion of that business or consumer, and if growth and other indicators continue to improve it makes sense that confidence will start to improve as well." Padoan made his remarks in connection with the release of Italy's multi-year budget plan, ahead of a revised release schedule. The so-called Economic and Financial Document, or DEF, which must be approved by the European Central Bank, had originally been scheduled for release April 10. But after March 4 national elections failed to produce a new government the deadline was extended into May, meaning the DEF was finalized ahead of schedule. If stalemated political talks succeed in producing a ruling coalition in the coming weeks, caretaker Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni will step down along with other ministers including Padoan. When the new government releases its plan for the country's 2019 budget in September or October, it will be allowed to make adjustments to the DEF released this week. New Castle, DE, April 26, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- This specially engineered, covered baker from Emile Henry creates bakery-worthy, artisan loaves of bread with crisp, golden crusts and chewy, airy interiors. The magic offered by this new bread baking dish is in how it captures humidity. This pan creates the ideal environment for baking bread dough, transforming regular ovens into bread ovens. The new Long Covered Baker is all a home baker needs to make artisan bread at home. Cooks no longer need to add steam to a hot oven to get a good crust because the domed lid and ceramic walls trap the humidity released from the baking dough resulting in the crackling exterior on the bread. The baker makes the baking homemade bread much more successful and safer. This new baker retails for $130. The long ceramic baker, nearly 14-inches, is designed with handles to make it easy to remove the baker from the oven and to flip the baker over to release a loaf of bread. Ridges on the inside base or bottom of the baker help to prevent dough from sticking to the baker. An ample dusting of flour before adding the dough is all that is needed for easy release of the bread. Made from Burgundy clay, each baker provides even, gentle heating and features vent holes that allow excess moisture to escape. Produced one at a time, each piece of Emile Henry bakeware is formed and hand-finished by skilled artisans. On the bread baker, the base is designed so it fits neatly inside the lid for compact storage. The bread baker, like all Emile Henry products, is made from Burgundy clay. Burgundy clay provides gentle, even heat to coax out the natural flavors of food. With unmatched even heating capabilities, Burgundy clay is safe for broiler and microwave use and is oven safe to 500F. Emile Henry bakeware is also highly resistant to thermal shock and can be moved from the refrigerator or freezer and placed in a hot oven. Specialists in culinary ceramic for more than 168 years, Emile Henry creates accessories stamped by its unique savoir-faire. Inspired by its history and desires, the family-run company continues to use its passion for authentic, homemade cooking prepared with love and shared with pleasure. Like all Emile Henry products, the baker is made of all natural materials and is backed by a ten-year warranty, which is not offered by any other ceramic manufacturers. Carefully shaped, each piece is signed by the artisan who makes it. The bakeware is then meticulously checked by the person who packs it, adding a label with their name for traceability and as a guarantee of quality. Emile Henry is located in the Burgundy town of Marcigny, France. To find out more about Emile Henry, call 302-326-4800 or visit Emile Henry USA at www.emilehenryusa.com. Attachment ABUJA, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Nigeria's population has recorded an annual growth rate of 3.2 percent since the last national census in 2006, an official said on Thursday. Eze Duruiheoma, head of the National Population Commission, told reporters in Abuja that the country's estimated figure of 198 million population was based on this growth. "Irrespective of what anyone thinks about deaths, there is always more births than deaths and that is why the 3.2 annual growth rate is used in arriving at the current population figure," Duruiheoma explained, saying, therefore Nigeria's population of nearly 200 million "was not just concocted." Nigerian authorities announced on April 10 that its population had risen to over 198 million with an urban population growing at an average annual rate of about 6.5 percent. The category of the population mostly engaged in urbanization and migration were adolescents, women of childbearing age and the working age population, according to an official statement. Duruiheoma said the most important thing for the country now is to conduct another census to ascertain its actual population. According to him, the national census would help Nigeria to do away with the projected figure and enable the African most populous country in its national planning. "Having accurate data about a country's population is essential in planning, as it would be used for social, economic, political and other needs," he added. A recent World Population Prospects predicted that by 2050, Nigeria will become the third most populated country in the world. Nigeria is currently the seventh most populous country in the world. The west African country has scheduled a national population census this year to ascertain its population. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-27 02:23:47|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close BAGHDAD, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Iraq has issued six licenses to foreign firms to explore and drill for oil and gas, Iraqi Oil Ministry said Thursday. "Competition in bidding round has ended by awarding six licenses to foreign companies," the ministry said in a statement. United Arab Emirates' (UAE) Crescent Petroleum has been granted three licenses to develop the two blocks of Kilabat-Gumar and Khashim al-Hmer-Injana in Iraq's eastern province of Diyala, and Khudhr al-Maa' in the southern province of Basra, said the ministry. China's Geo-Jade company won the rights to explore the blocks of Naft Khana in Diyala province and Huwieza in Iraq's southeastern province of Maysan. United Energy Group (UEG), another Chinese company, won the license to develop the al-Sindibad block in Basra, the ministry said. Thursday's auction of 11 undeveloped blocks for exploration and development is the fifth for Iraq since the country opened its oil and gas sector for foreign investments in 2009. Also on Thursday, Iraq's state-owned Basra Oil Company signed two contracts with China's Anton and U.S. KBR energy companies which are worth 118 million U.S. dollars for oil production and maintenance operations in Majnoon oil field in Basra province in southern Iraq, said a separate statement by the Iraqi Oil Ministry. Last month, Iraq invited foreign energy companies to bid for the exploration and development of 11 oil and gas blocks near the borders with Iran and Kuwait. Iraq wants to increase its crude oil production to over 5 million barrels per day (bpd) from its current production of about 4.35 million bpd. Iraqi economy relies on oil for it accounts for over 90 percent of its revenues. Early in 2017, it was announced that Iraq's proven oil reserves had increased to 153 billion barrels from the previously estimated 143.1 billion barrels. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-27 02:28:52|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close Photo taken on April 26, 2018 shows a view of the United Nations Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East at the UN headquarters in New York. UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Nickolay Mladenov on Thursday warned of the danger of another war in the Gaza Strip after weeks of violence on the border with Israel. (Xinhua/Li Muzi) UNITED NATIONS, April 26 (Xinhua) -- UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Nickolay Mladenov on Thursday warned of the danger of another war in the Gaza Strip after weeks of violence on the border with Israel. "This combination of the security, development and humanitarian deterioration, coupled with the political impasse, makes Gaza a power keg. Notwithstanding the tragic developments in the rest of the region, we must do everything possible to prevent another war in Gaza," Mladenov told the Security Council. For the past four weeks, tens of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza have converged on the border with Israel in the context of the Great March of Return protests. Demonstrations are expected to continue and culminate around the Israeli independence day on May 14, and could spread to the West Bank and beyond, noted Mladenov. "If another conflict between Hamas and Israel were to erupt, this would have devastating consequences for Palestinians in Gaza. It could undermine the relative stability of the West Bank and have repercussions for Israel and the region," he warned. Since March 30, during those demonstrations, 35 Palestinians have been killed and large numbers have been injured by Israeli security forces. No Israeli casualties have been reported, said Mladenov. There has also been an increasing number of dangerous incidents at the border fence, including the planting of improvised explosive devices -- at least one of which detonated -- the throwing of Molotov cocktails and attempts to breach the fence, he said. Israel has accused Hamas, Islamic Jihad and other militants of using the protests, women, children and the elderly as a cover to infiltrate into Israel to commit terrorist attacks, he said. As those protests continue, tension and the potential for serious incidents and further casualties will increase, he warned. "Israel must calibrate its use of force and minimize the use of live fire. Lethal force should be used only as a last resort. Hamas and the leaders of the demonstrations must keep protestors away from the Gaza fence and to prevent all violent actions and provocations." Children, who should be particularly protected, are at grave risk, said Mladenov, noting that at least four children have been shot dead by Israeli live fire. "I take this opportunity to reiterate, in the strongest possible terms, that civilians, particularly children, must not be intentionally put in danger or targeted in any way." In other incidents, two Hamas militants were shot dead on March 30 in an exchange of fire near Gaza's fence and five rockets and mortars were fired toward Israel in the last month. On April 12, one person was killed by an Israeli airstrike after a group of Palestinian militants targeted an Israeli aircraft with machinegun fire. At least three additional militants were killed by Israeli security forces in separate incidents, said Mladenov. On April 15, the Israeli security forces announced it had sealed the fifth Hamas tunnel in the past six months leading from Gaza into Israel. The Israeli security forces also foiled an attempt in the West Bank to smuggle 10 pipe bombs that were reportedly intended for an attack on Israel's independence day, he said. All militant activity in Gaza, including the digging of tunnels and the firing of rockets, must cease, he said. "It threatens the lives of Israelis and Palestinians alike, increases the risk of a new escalation of hostilities, undermines calls for lifting the closures, and ultimately damages the prospects for peace." What is happening in Gaza is an injustice that no man, woman or child should have to endure: the deplorable living conditions; the consequences of the continued, suffocating closures and control by Hamas; and the mounting risk that Gaza could trigger a new conflict, he said. Palestine remains a central part of the regional quagmire. Until the occupation ends and a two-state solution is achieved through meaningful negotiations based on relevant UN resolutions, the conflict will remain one of the key drivers of extremism and a persistent threat to regional stability, he warned. ADDIS ABABA, April 26 (Xinhua) -- The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, on Thursday urged the Ethiopian government to translate recent promises into action towards protecting the rights of citizens. Hussein, who concluded his Ethiopia visit on Thursday, urged Ethiopia's new administration to keep the promises it has made towards ensuring freedom of its citizens, strengthening democratic institutions and address inequalities among Ethiopian societies. "I heard clear expressions of optimism and hope that the new government, led by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed would deliver on the heartening and inspiring speeches he has made during his first three weeks in office," Hussein said. "We will continue to encourage, advice, and sometimes lean on the authorities to keep the positive momentum going and to keep translating the inspiring words in the Prime Minister's inaugural address into action," he added. The newly elected prime minister, Abiy Ahmed, had previously said that there is a "need to address existing inequities that led to recent unrest..." "Right of people to express opinions, rights of people to organize themselves and engage in effective dialogue and participate in the governance system is inherent in our humanity, not for any government to bestow as it sees fit," Ahmed had said. Hussein, who met and discussed with some of the recently released Ethiopians, also welcomed the Ethiopian government's recent decision to release a large number of prisoners, including journalists, bloggers and opposition political figures. During his stay in Ethiopia's largest Oromia regional state that has been the centre of mass anti-government demonstrations since the second half of 2016, Hussein also met with the regional authorities and the traditional leaders, the Aba Gadas. According to Hussein, the traditional leaders "spoke of their hopes of working with the new government to resolve longstanding human rights issues in the region." Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-27 02:49:00|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close File photo taken on April 12, 2018 shows that Mike Pompeo testifies before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for his nomination to become the secretary of state on the Capitol Hill in Washington D.C., the United States. The U.S. Senate on April 26 narrowly confirmed Mike Pompeo as the new secretary of state to replace Rex Tillerson. (Xinhua/Ting Shen) WASHINGTON, April 26 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Senate on Thursday narrowly confirmed Mike Pompeo as the new secretary of state to replace Rex Tillerson. Pompeo, the outgoing chief of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), won 57 votes in support against 42 senators who opposed. Most Senate Democrats voted against him, for fear that his hawkish policy positions could dire U.S. interests. The confirmation enabled Pompeo to represent the United States to attend an upcoming NATO foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels, and would facilitate his communication with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to lay the groundwork for President Donald Trump's direct talks with top DPRK leader Kim Jong Un. Shortly after the confirmation, Trump said he was "pleased" with the Senate's confirmation of Pompeo to serve as the U.S. 70th secretary of state. In a statement issued by the White House, Trump noted Pompeo's "immense talent, energy, and intellect," saying these would be "an incredible asset for our country at this critical time in history." "He will always put the interests of America first. He has my trust. He has my support," Trump said. Trump confirmed on April 18 that Pompeo secretly met with Kim earlier this month, tweeting that the "meeting went very smoothly and a good relationship was formed." The Kim-Trump meeting was expected in May or early June. Trump on March 13 announced plans to replace Tillerson with Pompeo. Trump told media that Pompeo has "tremendous energy, tremendous intellect." "We're always on the same wavelength," he said. "The relationship has been very good and that's what I need as Secretary of State ... I think Mike Pompeo will be a truly great Secretary of State." He added that Gina Haspel, Pompeo's deputy, will become the new director of the CIA as "the first woman so chosen." MOSCOW, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will discuss Saturday with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif the situation around the Iran nuclear deal after the United States and France threatened to scrap it, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said Thursday. She said at a news briefing that the two top diplomats will meet on the sidelines of an extraordinary trilateral meeting of Russian, Iranian and Turkish foreign ministers on Syria scheduled for April 28 in Moscow. "There will be an exchange of views on current international and regional issues, including the aggravation of the situation around the implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on the Iranian nuclear program," Zakharova said. She said Russia is "seriously concerned" with the recent statements by U.S. President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron on the Iran nuclear deal, or the JCPOA. Zakharova said that the deal is a balanced mechanism that takes into account the interests of all its participants. "The destruction of this fragile balance of interests will lead to serious consequences for international security and the non-proliferation regime," she said. She said Russia will continue to fulfill its obligations under the JCPOA as long as other participants remain committed to it. On July 14, 2015, Iran and six international mediators (Russia, the United States, Britain, China, France, Germany) signed the JCPOA in Vienna to solve the long-standing problem of Iran's nuclear program. Speaking in a joint press conference with Trump on Tuesday in Washington, Macron said that the current Iran nuclear deal was not "sufficient" and a new pact should be worked out. Trump said Macron's suggestion was "a pretty good idea," yet remained unsure "whether or not it will be possible to do a new deal with solid foundations." "Because this (the current Iran nuclear deal) (is) a deal with decayed foundations. It's a bad deal. It's a bad structure. It's falling down. Should have never, ever been made," he said. Trump is expected to decide whether to leave the JCPOA on May 12. Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said on Tuesday that his country would consider withdrawing from the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty if Washington scraps the JCPOA. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-27 02:59:05|Editor: yan Video Player Close TEHRAN, April 26 (Xinhua) -- The number of Iranian banks shrank in the previous quarter ending on March 20, as mobile banking gained momentum, local media reported Thursday. The total number of bank branches in the Islamic republic reached 20,723 in the last quarter of the previous Iranian calender year ending on March 20, registering a 0.3 percent decrease, the Financial Tribune daily reported. Iran's Central Bank has ceased issuing permits for new private banks or commercial lenders. Iranian banks are looking for ways to cut costs, including encouraging customers to embrace mobile banking instead of conducting transactions at a physical branch, In January, President Hassan Rouhani said he had instructed the central bank not to issue permits to any new private banks. The International Monetary Fund said in a report last year that the credit institutions as well as Iranian banks, which had been weakened by years of sanctions and competition from unlicensed financial institutions, were in need of "urgent restructuring and recapitalization." BRATISLAVA, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Slovak President Andrej Kiska appointed Denisa Sakova as new interior minister on Thursday. Sakova said they will try to restore people's trust in the police. She confirmed that had several people in mind who would be able to temporarily head the police. "But I won't specify the names yet, I want to meet them in person, listen to their visions and strategies, and I will make a shortlist afterwards," said Sakova, adding that she will be advised by the prime minister in the selection process. The new minister was nominated for the post by governing Smer-SD party, which has the Interior Ministry based on the coalition agreement. Sakova's predecessor Tomas Drucker resigned as he decided not to oust Police Corps President Tibor Gaspar. Sakova served as Interior Ministry state secretary before taking over the ministerial post. "If I think that Tibor Gaspar's direct ousting is wrong, and so if I'm to create a certain polarisation instead of reducing it, I think that, given these circumstances, I have no right to remain in the post of interior minister," said Drucker earlier this month. MEKNES, Morocco, April 26 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese company is introducing the concept of "group-buying" to Moroccan farmers for buying fertilizers online, as it mulls exploring the African country's market. Hangzhou Alpha Technology (OKCHEM), an e-commerce platform specializing on chemical product trade, set up a booth at Morocco's annual International Agriculture Exhibition, held in the northern city of Meknes, to promote the "fertilizer group-buying" to local farmers. "Group-buying" offers a product at a considerably reduced price on the condition that a minimum number of customers buy the product. "For Moroccan market, we introduced the group-buying of quality fertilizers at low cost to local farmers, which we assume will be the best way to explain and promote our platform," Xu Wei, vice president of OKCHEM, told Xinhua at the exhibition. The advanced telecommunications infrastructure in Morocco and the widespread use of smart phones create a huge potential in the local e-commerce market, said Xu. At the agricultural fair, OKCHEM's booth attracted many local visitors, including Mustapha Chakir, a local farmer in his 40s. Chakir was very impressed by the OKCHEM booth. "That is really smart," he smiled, after being told how to group-buy fertilizers and pesticides online to save money. With the help of Chinese staff, Chakir logged onto the website of the platform on his phone and registered as a new client. More than 100 Moroccans have now registered as users of the Chinese platform. Xu believed that the number of new customers will further increase as the exhibition is still ongoing. Xu's company attaches great importance to exploring the African market where the demand for fertilizers is strong. After setting up its first African office in Egypt, OKCHEM is to open its second African office in South Africa this year. The company has also sent representatives to Algeria and Kenya to participate in related exhibitions to promote its services in Africa. "The e-economy is a global trend. My colleague told me that he had seen a 70-year-old woman shopping online on her mobile phone," Xu said. "We hope that Moroccan people can purchase high-quality chemical products with low prices through our e-commerce platform," he said. The 13th International Agriculture Fair in Morocco kicked off on Tuesday with the participation of nearly 70 countries. About 10 Chinese companies participated in the exhibition in order to promote their products or services including e-commerce platform, tractors, biological pesticides and irrigation systems. Workers are processing almonds at a processing plant of Travaille and Phippen, Inc., an almond growing and processing enterprise, in Modesto, the United States, on April 25, 2018. (Xinhua/Gao Shan) by Julia Pierrepont III, Gao Shan MODESTO, the United States, April 26 (Xinhua) -- It's verdant almond groves for as far as the eye can see. In California's beautiful San Joaqiun Valley, rank-upon-rank of hearty young nut trees, laden with ripening, green-hulled almonds, basking in the California sun, cover thousands of acres of fertile heartland. Weddings and picnics may take place beneath their tranquil, leafy canopies, but make no mistake, this is business - very big business. Photo taken on April 25, 2018 shows Californian almond grower Dave Phippen in Modesto, the United States. California's almond growers urge the United States and China to move forward to reach trade reconciliation. (Xinhua/Gao Shan) This delicious nutmeat, nurtured within a fuzzy outer shell, has spawned an industry with a value of 4.5 billion U.S. dollars in foreign sales and employs more than 100,000 people, accounted for nearly 25 percent of California farm exports in 2016. Travaille and Phippen, an almond growing and processing enterprise co-owned by "the five families," a collection of siblings and cousins, have 1,600 acres under cultivation and are still optimistic about the future of farming. They use specialized irrigation systems to reduce water usage, advanced soil testing techniques, and even high tech drones to aerially survey their acreage, all in efforts to optimize their harvest yields. Photo taken on April 25, 2018 shows Emily Fleischmann, Senior Director of Global Marketing for the California Almond Board, in Modesto, the United States. (Xinhua/Gao Shan) A 4th generation farming family, they're close to hitting the coveted 100-year recognition threshold given to the most-honored founding farm families in the region. The family enterprise was founded by their grandfather from the Netherlands who had the foresight to gift each of his 9 children with 40 acres each (minus the mule), which his descendants have, through hard work and dogged determination, managed to increase to 1,600 acres today. When asked about the crop of younger generations following in their footsteps, co-owner, Dave Phippen, quipped, "They're going to need more dirt." California's vast San Joaquin Valley, known as the breadbasket of America (and many points beyond) is one of the most productive agricultural regions in the world. Farming, though an ancient and noble profession that is literally responsible for the rise of civilization as we know it, is facing serious challenges in California. Photo taken on April 25, 2018 shows the processing plant of Travaille and Phippen, Inc., an almond growing and processing enterprise, in Modesto, the United States. (Xinhua/Gao Shan) Between regulatory quagmires and persistent 6-year drought that the journal of Geophysical Research Letters cited as the driest in over 1,000 years, California growers are now facing an other potentially debilitating challenge: The U.S.-China trade war. During an exclusive interview with Xinhua on Wednesday, when asked what impact the trade war might have on his family's firm, Phippen responded, "No shipments to China have been cancelled yet, but, the new crop will be coming in August and if this disagreement isn't settled by then, it will have more impact on the new crop." He added, "The 15 percent tariff the Chinese are talking about levying on top of the 10 percent tariff we already pay would have a significant impact on our business." As the scion of a well-respected farming family that relies on a global marketplace, Phippen takes trade seriously. "Any impediment to trade is a challenge for a Californian almond grower and something we're worried about. If a larger percentage of our product was consumed in North America, we'd probably be less concerned, but China is already our third biggest market." China buys roughly a third of their harvest each year. California almond growers are a feisty lot who aren't afraid to get down in the dirt and duke it out. They pull no punches where their economic interests are concerned, "Any impact on foreign trade with any country is a concern to us," Phippen made plain. "The people who represent us in Washington have heard from us," he grinned. "They are well aware of their California constituents, well aware California is an exporting state, well aware that almonds are NO. 1." California grows 80 percent of the almonds consumed by not just Californians, not just by Americans, but by the entire world. It's a mega industry. There is no doubt there's a lot at stake. Including direct, indirect, and induced economic output, the total economic impact of the almond industry on California output is about 21.5 billion dollars. Of that 21.5 billion, about 11 billion is value added to the California state economy. Of that 11 billion dollars, about 7.6 billion dollars comes directly from almond farming. The remaining 3.4 billion dollars is derived from the almond manufacturing and processing sectors. "We've been in China for nearly 20 years and we've spent almost 70 million dollars (in marketing). Not a small investment," explained Emily Fleischmann, Senior Director of Global Marketing for the powerful California Almond Board. "And we've seen years of steady growth." She discussed the Almond Board's mission to spread the news in China about their nuts versatility, as well as its nutritional and health benefits. "We market to Chinese consumers in the 1st and 2nd tier cities, especially during the Spring Festival, with promotions that say, "Go home. Feel good." We focus on professional young women, especially around beauty, with ads like "Bring inside beauty outside." After posting continuous year-over-year sales gains in China as their harvest yields continue to increase, Phippen told Xinhua, "We look at China as our big opportunity and it hasn't disappointed us so far." Like an elder statesman, he cautions a less heated, wait-and-see attitude, "We would all be remiss to think these tariffs are permanent. American and China are important trading partners, not just for almonds - for all of our industries. Look at where we were many years ago versus where we are today. I don't think anyone in business wants to go back to where we were." And he has high hopes everyone will see reason. In fact his best case scenario for the trade dispute resolution is, "A zero trade tariff. That should be the goal that both China and the U.S. - and CA in particular - are after." When asked if situation might get worse rather than better, he was quick to contradict the notion, "I don't expect that. This is just a 'dust up.' (The U.S. and China) recognize each other as important global traders and we are going to respect that." "In the end, it's important for both the American and the Chinese companies that we settle this dispute," he pointed out. Looking at it from the Chinese point of view, he added, "And I don't think we want the Chinese consumer to ever be denied this safe, tasty product - a nutrient-rich one for every person in China who wants to avail themselves of it. "How would countries serve their people well if they increased the tariffs to such high levels that it strangled trade?" he asked rhetorically. "I don't see it going there, because I think the people that lead us both here and in China, are smarter than that." "If you have a disagreement with someone you care about, you go there. You share your concerns and you listen to theirs," Phippen stressed. NEW YORK, April 26, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Colony NorthStar, Inc. (Colony NorthStar or the Company) (NYSE:CLNS) and certain of its officers. The class action, filed in United States District Court, Central District of California, and docketed under 18-cv-03520, is on behalf of a class consisting of investors who purchased or otherwise acquired Colony NorthStar securities between February 28, 2017 through March 1, 2018, both dates inclusive (the Class Period). Plaintiff seeks to recover compensable damages caused by Defendants violations of the federal securities laws and to pursue remedies under Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the Exchange Act) and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder. If you are a shareholder who purchased Colony NorthStar securities between February 28, 2017, and March 1, 2018, both dates inclusive, you have until June 5, 2018, to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com. To discuss this action, contact Robert S. Willoughby at rswilloughby@pomlaw.com or 888.476.6529 (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll-free, Ext. 9980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased. [Click here to join this class action] Colony NorthStar operates as a real estate investment trust. The Company invests in healthcare, industrial, and hospitality sectors, as well as offers equity and debt management services. Colony NorthStar serves customers globally. The Company resulted from the January 2017 merger between Colony Capital, Inc., NorthStar Asset Management Group Inc. and NorthStar Realty Finance Corp. The Complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and misleading statements regarding the Companys business, operational and compliance policies. Specifically, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) Colony NorthStars Healthcare and Investment Management segments were performing worse than reported; and (ii) as a result, Colony NorthStars public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times. On March 1, 2018, Colony NorthStar reported its financial and operating results for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2017, announcing a goodwill impairment of $375 million, attributable to the Companys Healthcare and Investment Management segments. On this news, Colony NorthStars share price fell $1.78, or 22.88%, to close at $6.00 on March 1, 2018. The Pomerantz Firm, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Paris, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, the Pomerantz Firm pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 80 years later, the Pomerantz Firm continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomerantzlaw.com CONTACT: Robert S. Willoughby Pomerantz LLP rswilloughby@pomlaw.com 888-476-6529 Ext. 9980 JOHANNESBURG, April 26 (Xinhua) -- The South African Police on Thursda said they have arrested more than 400 suspects in the past week related to protests and looting of shops and recovered property. The police recovered property looted by the suspects. The recovered property includes equipment which was robbed from South African Broadcasting (SABC) television crew valued at 25,000 U.S. dollars. They also recovered groceries, clothes, liquor, cash dispensing machine, casket and vehicles used in the transportation of stolen goods. "With these arrests, the police would like to send a clear message that criminals will have no safe refuge. They will be tracked down and brought to justice to face the full might of the law. Law abiding citizens are encouraged and requested to isolate criminals who want to perpetuate anarchy and vicious destruction of innocent people's properties," said North West Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Baile Motswenyane. The police said the arrested suspects will appear in courts in various parts of the province facing sedition, contravention of Criminal Matters Amendment Act and possession of suspected stolen goods. "The police in the North West will continue to execute its constitutional duties without fear or favour and anyone who incites others to break the law and thus subvert the authority of the state will be arrested," Motswenyane said. WASHINGTON, April 26 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will embark on a trip to Europe and Middle East soon, the State Department announced on Thursday In a statement, State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said Pompeo's maiden tour as the U.S. top diplomat will take him to Brussels, Riyadh, Jerusalem and Amman on April 26-30. Pompeo will travel to Brussels on April 26-27, when he will meet with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and participate in the NATO Foreign Ministerial, during which member states will discuss preparations for NATO Summit of Heads of State and Government meeting in July. He will then travel to the Middle East, where he will meet with the Saudi, Israeli, and Jordanian leaders to discuss critical regional and bilateral issues, said Nauert. "The Secretary looks forward to meeting key Allies and partners on his first official trip as Secretary of State," she said. Earlier on Thursday, the U.S. Senate confirmed Pompeo, director of the Central Intelligence Agency, to replace former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who was fired by President Donald Trump on March 13, with a 57:42 vote result on Thursday. The confirmation enabled Pompeo to represent the United States to attend an upcoming NATO meeting and would facilitate his communication with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to lay the groundwork for President Trump's direct talks with top DPRK leader Kim Jong Un. LILONGWE, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Malawi Police Service (MPS) have given the nod to national demonstrations organized by the civil society organizations in Malawi on Friday to protest against poor governance and other issues. The police have assured all Malawians intending to participate in the demos that there will be maximum security across the country. Some Civil Society Organization's in the country have organized the demos to present their petition to government in protest of various issues, including persistent power blackouts, dwindling of education standards, high level of corruption and high rate of unemployment. In a statement signed by MPS spokesperson James Kadadzera, the police acknowledge that the constitution of the Republic of Malawi accords every citizen the right to assemble and demonstrate with others peacefully and unarmed, hence Malawians are free to do that peacefully. "Every citizen participating in the demonstrations is required, by law, to desist from destruction of property, causing injury to people, unnecessary obstruction of traffic, acts of hooliganism and use of words that propagate hatred against a group of people," reads part of the statement. The police have also warned that it has information that some unpatriotic people are planning to "advance their selfish and criminal interests during the demos but police officers are ready to deal with any unlawful act during the demonstrations." TBILISI, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Former Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili will return as the leader of the ruling Georgian Dream party, Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili announced on Thursday. "Bidzina Ivanishvili founded the party in one of the hardest times for the country. The party has played a crucial role in the state's democratic development," said Giorgi Kvirikashvili at a news briefing in Tbilisi. The prime minister added that he had asked Ivanishvili to return and lead the party again and Ivanishvili accepted it. "I am sure that the party will unanimously elect Bidzina Ivanishvili as the new chairman of the party," Kvirikashvili said. According to him, the party's political council meeting is planned to be held in a few days which will be followed by a congress meeting where party members will vote for a new chairman. Incumbent Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili has been serving as the chairman of the ruling Georgian Dream-Democratic Georgia party since May 2016. Georgian tycoon Bidzina Ivanishvili founded the Georgian Dream party in 2012 to oppose Mikheil Saakashvili's United National Movement party in Georgia's parliamentary elections of 2012. The Georgian Dream coalition won with 54 percent of the votes in the parliamentary election that year. He then served as the prime minister of Georgia from October 2012 to November 2013 and resigned as he had promised during his election campaign. JUBA, April 26 (Xinhua) -- A former child refugee in South Sudan has taken the frontline to promote peace building in the strife-torn East African nation through education. Jok Abraham Thon, the ambitious youth is on a mission to give hope to his peers affected by conflict by ensuring they have access to formal education that could guarantee them an alternative livelihood. Thon, the founder and Director of Promised Land Secondary School and Youths for Peace through Education Initiative, candidly shared his vision to help the conflict-affected youths to shun guns and embrace books as part of transforming lives and restoring stability in their motherland. He left his home village in the wake of Sudanese civil war, escaped to western Uganda with his family as refugees where he finished primary and secondary school education. "I am changing the mindset of youth in this country to ensure they become champions of peace and harmonious co-existence instead of acting as hired warriors," Thon told Xinhua during an interview on Wednesday in Juba. He revealed that upon returning to South Sudan; he joined University of Juba and graduated with a major in economics and banking in 2017. The 28-year-old believed that his campaign aimed at transforming minds from "bullets to books" through providing youths with access to education will hasten reconstruction of his war-torn motherland. "If we educate all the youth in South Sudan, their behaviors will change and people will always think of what to do for themselves instead of supporting war mongering politicians," said Thon. He said the school accommodates 673 students who are part of the population of displaced persons (IDPs) living in the capital, Juba. Thon added that his initiative is also supporting 67 girls who were victims of early child marriage, including 83 orphans. The campaign has secured him a place among 700 outstanding African youth leaders selected for 2018 Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI), a U.S. based program that empowers young people through academic coursework, leadership training, and networking. "It is only education that can assist youths to prevent conflict and strengthen inter-ethnic relations," Thon told Xinhua. South Sudan has one of the highest illiteracy levels in the world despite the commitment by the government and international partners to expand access to education. The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) says that 70 percent of schools in the conflict-affected states of Jonglei, Unity and Upper Nile were not functioning and about 400,000 children who had been in school later dropped out, citing fear for their lives. South Sudan's conflict has now entered its fifth year. The conflict erupted in 2013 after forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and his former deputy Riek Machar engaged in combat. The 2015 peace agreement to end the violence was again violated in July 2016 when the rival factions resumed fighting in the capital, Juba, forcing Machar to flee into exile. Millions of South Sudanese civilians have sought refuge in neighboring countries as the conflict rages on despite attempts by international players to end it. TRIPOLI, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Libya's eastern-based army commander Khalifa Haftar on Thursday returned to the city of Benghazi after receiving medical treatment in France. Haftar arrived at Benghazi's Benina International Airport Thursday evening, where he was greeted with a large ceremony attended by Chief of Staff Abdarrazzag al-Nathuri and a number of senior army officials and tribal elders, an army official told Xinhua on condition of anonymity. "General Haftar concluded a successful two-week medical treatment trip to France," the official said, adding that Haftar made a short visit to Egypt's Cairo on Wednesday and returned along with a number of senior army officials. On April 11, local and international media said Haftar was sent to France's Paris for treatment after a sudden stroke. "In such circumstances it is not possible to disclose any information related to the health of the commander," the official said, when asked about the reasons for declining to announce the trip. He added that the commander now is "in good health and will soon address the Libyan people." HELSINKI, April 26 (Xinhua) -- EU's trade commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom on Thursday said the risk of a trade war still exists. "All sides would be losers in a trade war," she said, pledging to work "to the end" to avoid it. Malmstrom talked to the media after meetings with Finnish lawmakers and Anne-Mari Virolainen, the Finnish minister for foreign trade and development. Malmstrom said the EU has told the United States that the EU is willing to cooperate with the United States on issues only within the rules of the World Trade Organization (WTO). With only a few days to go before the end of the exemption the United States has given to the EU on the new steel and aluminum duties, Malmstrom said the EU expects a complete exemption, not another restricted period. Malmstrom admitted that a risk of a full scale trade war exists. "If the penalty customs between the U.S. and China take effect, with further escalation, the situation can be dangerous," she warned. Malmstrom said that countries that are deeply integrated in the global value chain, such as Finland, could be impacted. The EU trade commissioner saw the emergence of a kind of alliance of countries that believe trade can benefit all. She noted that other signatories of the TPP agreement decided to go ahead without the United States while a free trade agreement was signed between the EU and Japan. An employee of Hangzhou Alpha Technology (OKCHEM), an e-commerce platform specializing on chemical product trade, talks with a visitor on April 25, 2018 at its booth at Morocco's annual International Agriculture Exhibition, held in the northern city of Meknes. (Xinhua/Chen Binjie) MEKNES, Morocco, April 26 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese company is introducing the concept of "group-buying" to Moroccan farmers for buying fertilizers online, as it mulls exploring the African country's market. Hangzhou Alpha Technology (OKCHEM), an e-commerce platform specializing on chemical product trade, set up a booth at Morocco's annual International Agriculture Exhibition, held in the northern city of Meknes, to promote the "fertilizer group-buying" to local farmers. "Group-buying" offers a product at a considerably reduced price on the condition that a minimum number of customers buy the product. "For Moroccan market, we introduced the group-buying of quality fertilizers at low cost to local farmers, which we assume will be the best way to explain and promote our platform," Xu Wei, vice president of OKCHEM, told Xinhua at the exhibition. The advanced telecommunications infrastructure in Morocco and the widespread use of smart phones create a huge potential in the local e-commerce market, said Xu. At the agricultural fair, OKCHEM's booth attracted many local visitors, including Mustapha Chakir, a local farmer in his 40s. Chakir was very impressed by the OKCHEM booth. "That is really smart," he smiled, after being told how to group-buy fertilizers and pesticides online to save money. With the help of Chinese staff, Chakir logged onto the website of the platform on his phone and registered as a new client. More than 100 Moroccans have now registered as users of the Chinese platform. Xu believed that the number of new customers will further increase as the exhibition is still ongoing. Xu's company attaches great importance to exploring the African market where the demand for fertilizers is strong. After setting up its first African office in Egypt, OKCHEM is to open its second African office in South Africa this year. The company has also sent representatives to Algeria and Kenya to participate in related exhibitions to promote its services in Africa. "The e-economy is a global trend. My colleague told me that he had seen a 70-year-old woman shopping online on her mobile phone," Xu said. "We hope that Moroccan people can purchase high-quality chemical products with low prices through our e-commerce platform," he said. The 13th International Agriculture Fair in Morocco kicked off on Tuesday with the participation of nearly 70 countries. About 10 Chinese companies participated in the exhibition in order to promote their products or services including e-commerce platform, tractors, biological pesticides and irrigation systems. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-27 04:39:32|Editor: yan Video Player Close THE HAGUE, April 26 (Xinhua) -- A dozen of witnesses from the Hospital of Douma in Syria, including 11-year-old Hassan Diab, told reporters on Thursday that the video in which they are seen as victim of chemical weapons, rescuing personal or passer-by, was a fake one produced by the controversial "White Helmets", or the Syrian Civil Defense group. "We were at the basement. We heard people shout that we should go to a hospital. We went through a tunnel. At the hospital they started pouring cold water on me. I don't know why," little Hassan told a press conference called by the Russia delegation to the Hague-based global chemical arms watchdog, the Organization for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). Behind him on the big screen, Hassan was in the footage released by the White Helmets on April 7, all wet, shivering, frightened. His father Omar Diab told press that in the video nobody has been poisoned and everyone is healthy. "The children were taken without explanation. After that we learnt it was fake. We never saw any poison or chemical agents, neither I nor my family," he said. Doctors, nurses and workers from the hospital said people did suffer from respiratory problems, but the symptoms resulted from contacts with smoke and dust caused by the collapse of bombed buildings. "Some people shouted 'chemical weapons', 'chemical weapons'. That caused panic and chaos," said Muwaffak Nasrim, a worker of emergency care in the hospital. "But no one had any symptom of chemical weapons exposure. People are released after treatment. No one died in the hospital that day." Aleksandr Shulgin, Russia's permanent representative to the OPCW, called the "crude staged action in this fake video" a "prepared provocation". "Any reference to this video as evidence of use of chemical weapons in Douma is null and void," he said. He reiterated that the military attack jointly launched by the Untied States, the United Kingdom and France against Syria on April 14 was a violation against international law. "Russia and Syria urged the OPCW to dispatch a team to do the investigation. It is common sense that we should wait for the results of the investigation," said Shulgin. "But while OPCW experts were set to arrive in Syria, the American, the British and the French launched missiles. This is a clear disrespect of international law and of the OPCW." Before the press conference, Russia and Syria organized a briefing with the witnesses at the OPCW headquarters. "Unfortunately, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, the European Union, NATO members and Asian allies of the USA did not come. They are afraid to look at the truth in face," said Shulgin. Seventeen nations, opposed to the Russian-Syrian briefing, issued a joint statement saying Russia and Syria's briefing at OPCW "is nothing more than a crude propaganda exercise". The authenticity of the information gathered to date on the chemical attacks that occurred in Duma on April 7 is unassailable, said the U.S., Britain, France and their supporters in the joint statement. The signatories say they expect this information to be tested and verified by the Fact-Finding Mission through its independent examination. Russia and Syria also told press that they fully support the work of the OPCW. On Wednesday, the OPCW advised the Russian delegation that these witnesses should be first interviewed by the Fact-Finding Mission and recommended to let the FFM completes its work before organizing this briefing. The Russian delegation said its intention was not to interfere with the FFM's work. OPCW inspectors are currently conducting investigation in Syria into what happened in Douma on April 7. The White Helmets said dozens of people had died that day. The West alleged that Syrian forces had carried out an attack with chemical weapons and launched a retaliatory attack a week later. BERLIN, April 26 (Xinhua) -- The German journalist Mesale Tolue must continue to remain within Turkey following her release from custody, a court on Istanbul ruled on Thursday. According to the German Foreign Office, at least five German citizens remain imprisoned in Turkey on political grounds. As recently as last week, Adil Demirici, a social worker from Cologne, was taken into custody for allegedly spreading terrorist propaganda. The Left party (Linke) parliamentary delegate Heike Haensel who is monitoring the court case in Istanbul sharply criticized the decision of the court to prevent Tolu from leaving Turkey. Haensel spoke of a judicial "scandal", telling press that it was "not comprehensible" that the formerly-imprisoned German citizens Deniz Yuecel and Peter Steudtner had been allowed to leave while Tolu was refused the same right. The German Left party delegate described the charges against Tolu as "constructed" and lacking in concrete evidence. Haensel urged the German government to exert more pressure on Turkey to alleviate the situation. The Turkish judges rejected an appeal by Tolu to return to home to Germany with her husband and three-year-old son. Although the journalist was released from her duty to report regularly to Turkish authorities, she is now likely to be trapped in Turkey for at least several months as the next court session in her case is not scheduled until Oct. 16. Following the rejection of her plea, Tolu attacked the decision as a "political verdict" and "chicanery". The renewed ban on leaving the country meant that she "would continue to be prevented from having a normal routine" in her life. As one of several German citizens detained by Turkish authorities in the wake of failed military coup, Tolu was first arrested at her Istanbul flat in April 2017 on suspicion of belonging to the far-left MLKP group. MLKP is classified as a terrorist organization in Turkey. Earlier, Ankara had assured Berlin that it would prioritize the resolution of several legal cases involving German citizens. HALIFAX, Nova Scotia, April 26, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A Washington State family has turned their grief into advocating for change in the way students learn about mental health. In 2010, Deborah and Will Binion lost their teenage son to suicide. Grief stricken by a tragedy they feel could have been avoided had the right supports been in place, they have created the Jordan Binion Project (www.jordanbinionproject.org) in his memory. Its mission is to bring awareness to mental health through education. A key component of their work is having mental health literacy promoted and taught in all schools. Recognizing they could not take on a project this ambitious on their own, they went searching for resources and discovered TeenMentalHealth.Orgs Mental Health and High School Curriculum Guide, a Halifax, Nova Scotia created, best available evidence-based classroom resource aimed at improving mental health literacy across Canada and beyond. Led by Dr. Stan Kutcher, TeenMentalHealth.Org developed the mental health literacy curriculum to foster and enhance mental health literacy of grades 8, 9 and 10 students. When embedded into existing school curriculums, it enables better understanding of mental health problems and mental illnesses, helps decrease stigma surrounding mental illnesses, aids in the understanding of best practices for support and treatment, and encourages the development of positive mental health strategies. It also gives teachers the necessary literacy to foster positive mental health initiatives in schools, help create safe and supportive environments for their students, and aid in mental health promotion and prevention, ultimately transitioning the school setting to be part of a comprehensive pathway to mental health care access and support for youth. The Binions have spoken to over 75,000 students about mental health awareness. They have also taken TeenMentalHealth.Orgs Curriculum and have seen it successfully implemented in 99 school boards in Washington State and are motivated to have it taught in every school in the United States. Dr. Kutcher is pleased to see this program generating positive results in Washington State, with 84% of students who have taken the class showing improvements in mental health knowledge. These echo the same positive results from the research that went into creating the resource. Its a real privilege to be working with the Jordan Binion Foundation, they have shown courage and innovation to ensure that our Mental Health & High School Curriculum Guide is reaching those who need it most, says Dr. Kutcher. All kids deserve to have this best available evidence-based resource offered to them. There should be no barrier for schools to make this available in Canada, the US and beyond, its free and readily available online through our website. Earlier this week, NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt aired a special two-piece segment on The Jordan Binion Project that highlighted its use of TeenMentalHealth.Orgs Mental Health & High School Curriculum Guide. Within the first 12 hours the news segment had over 50,000 online views and The Foundation has been flooded with inquiries about how to have the Guide taught in Schools across the USA. Dr. Kutcher is ready to help, We know that the need is out there, we hear from educators all the time that more resources are needed. We are so happy to see our work being successfully implemented in Washington State and getting this type of coverage on NBC news is a huge awareness boost about this one-of- a- kind program. Were looking forward to growing our partnerships and supporting more schools in improving mental health outcomes for youth. For more information on the curriculum resource, visit www.teenmentalhealth.org. For more information on the Jordan Binion Project, www.jordanbinionproject.org. To View NBC Story visit: http://nbcnews.to/2JmPcXL ABOUT DR. KUTCHER Dr. Kutcher holds the position of the Sun Life Financial Chair in Adolescent Mental Health, a partnership between Sun Life Financial, Dalhousie University and the IWK Health Centre and is the former Director of the World Health Organization Collaborating Center at Dalhousie University. File Photo: CIA Director Mike Pompeo testifies before a Senate Foreign Relations Committee confirmation hearing on Pompeo's nomination to be secretary of state on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., April 12, 2018. (Xinhua/REUTERS) WASHINGTON, April 26 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will embark on a trip to Europe and Middle East soon, the State Department announced on Thursday. In a statement, State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said Pompeo's maiden tour as the U.S. top diplomat will take him to Brussels, Riyadh, Jerusalem and Amman on April 26-30. Pompeo will travel to Brussels on April 26-27, when he will meet with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and participate in the NATO Foreign Ministerial, during which member states will discuss preparations for NATO Summit of Heads of State and Government meeting in July. He will then travel to the Middle East, where he will meet with the Saudi, Israeli, and Jordanian leaders to discuss critical regional and bilateral issues, said Nauert. "The Secretary looks forward to meeting key Allies and partners on his first official trip as Secretary of State," she said. Earlier on Thursday, the U.S. Senate confirmed Pompeo, director of the Central Intelligence Agency, to replace former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who was fired by President Donald Trump on March 13, with a 57:42 vote result on Thursday. The confirmation enabled Pompeo to represent the United States to attend an upcoming NATO meeting and would facilitate his communication with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to lay the groundwork for President Trump's direct talks with top DPRK leader Kim Jong Un. LONDON, April 26 (Xinhua) -- British Prime Minister Theresa May suffered her biggest Brexit blow so far when MPs Thursday backed a call in the House of Commons for Britain to stay in a European customs union. A debate, promoted by the main opposition Labor Party, was agreed unanimously after a four hour debate in the House of Commons. Although the vote is not binding on the government, many politicians believe it will influence May's future thinking on a deal she wants with the European Union after Britain leaves the bloc. The vote means the House of Commons will formally ask the government to remain in a customs union with the EU. May has insisted that Britain will leave both the customs union and European single market when it parts company with the EU. Labor MP Yvette Cooper, who chairs the House of Commons home affairs committee, said she and other select committee chairs called for the debate because they think the customs union issue needs to be debated. Cooper urged the government to bring forward a "proper debate" for the Commons, saying: "It is time for the government to stop running away." The motion called on the government to include as an objective in negotiations on the future relationship between the UK and the EU the establishment of an effective customs union between the two territories. Supporters of Britain staying in a customs union with the EU fear it will have a dramatic impact on Britain's trading relationship with EU member states, and will pose a threat to the Northern Ireland peace treaty. But the government insists that leaving the customs union and single market will enable Britain to strike trade deals across the world. Conservative MP Marcus Fysh said staying in an EU customs union plan would entirely give up control to the EU and would weaken the UK's sovereignty. MPs were told the EU is the UK's largest export market for goods, accounting for a total of 202 billion U.S. dollars of exports and 336 billion U.S. dollars of imports in 2016, with a frictionless border. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-27 05:04:40|Editor: yan Video Player Close by William M. Reilly UNITED NATIONS, April 26 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has appointed the Swiss ambassador to Germany as his special envoy for Myanmar while the world organization voiced extreme concern about the humanitarian situation in the southeast Asian nation. Christine Schraner Burgener brings over 25 years of experience in diplomacy, having served in various high-level government positions in the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, said UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric on Thursday. She has served as Swiss ambassador to Germany since 2015 and from 2009 to 2015 as ambassador to Thailand. The announcement came as the 15-member Security Council departs UN Headquarters for a visit to Myanmar and, according to Western council diplomats, to look into the allegations of violence forcing the Rohingya to flee northern Rakhine State into Bangladesh. Myanmar is confounded by not only the Rohingya crisis in the country's west but also the simmering Kachin rebellion in the country's northeast. The UN Refugee Agency says more than 670,000 Rohingya people have fled violence into neighboring Bangladesh since August 2017 and there have been reports of civilian deaths in Kachin State. "The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says that the situation in Rakhine State remains extremely concerning," Dujarric said. "There are continued reports of departures from northern Rakhine and some reports of threats and extortion against Muslim communities." "Bulldozing of burned or abandoned villages remains evident, and the movement restrictions placed upon Rohingya communities remain in place, including for those trapped in camps (for internally displaced people) for the last six years in central Rakhine," he said. Most of the recent refugees, ethnic Muslims in an overwhelmingly Buddhist country, came from northern Rakhine State. "There is a population of around 500,000 Rohingya still living in Rakhine who face continued discrimination and marginalization," the spokesman said. "Severe restrictions on their freedom of movement persist, grossly restricting their access to healthcare, education and livelihoods." "Therefore, our humanitarian colleagues stress that refugees from Bangladesh cannot be expected to safely, voluntarily and sustainably return," Dujarric said. "The United Nations stands ready to work with the government of Myanmar in implementing the recommendations of the Rakhine Advisory Commission." A group of Rohingya and Myanmar activists called on members of the Security Council to define confidence-building measures that will create conditions for the safe, voluntary and dignified return of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh. "We continue to hear reports of violence by the security forces, systematic theft of property, sexual violence, and abductions (in Rakhine State)," said Tun Khin of the Britain-based Burmese Rohingya Organization in a statement released in New York. "The Security Council should insist that the Burmese authorities take concrete steps to reverse this situation, hold perpetrators accountable, and generate trust." Burma is the former name for Myanmar and Burmese for its people. The refugees in Bangladesh, mostly in the crowded Kutupalong camp in the Cox's Bazar area, are bracing for monsoon rains expected to flood their sites imminently. ZAGREB, April 26 (Xinhua) -- The Croatian government on Thursday adopted the National Reform Program for 2018 and a three-year convergence plan with three main goals. Outlining the document at his cabinet's meeting, Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said that now was the right time for implementing structural reforms, the prerequisites for Croatia's prospects of speeding up its economic growth. The three main goals include the easing of the tax burden, making the education system congruent with the needs of the labor market and making public finances sustainable. "These goals are part of the government's political platform and are in line with the recommendations made by the European Commission. We want this document to trigger many reforms in 2018 and in the first half of 2019," Plenkovic said. In its report earlier this year, the EU executive body found Croatia, Cyprus and Italy to be experiencing excessive economic imbalances. Among other things, the Commission warned Zagreb that competitiveness and investment are hindered by a restrictive business environment and that raising potential growth requires structural reforms that will allow for faster productivity growth, higher participation in the labor market, and a business environment that is more attractive for investment. By drawing up and adopting the document, Plenkovic's government has responded to the Commission's request that all member states should by mid-April address the identified challenges in their National Reform Program and their Stability Program (for euro area countries) or Convergence Program (for non-euro area countries) related to public finances. The convergence plan projects Croatia's growth in 2018 at 2.8 percent, and 2.7 percent in 2019. When it comes to the budget for this year, the government is sticking to its original plan that envisages a budget deficit-to-GDP ratio of 0.5 percent. This ratio is expected to drop to 0.4 percent and zero in 2019 and 2020 respectively. The government is set to cut the debt-to-GDP ratio to 66 percent by the end of its term, while the government's program initially put this ratio at 75 percent. The National Reform Program includes the restructuring of the transport sector -- roads and the state-owned railway operator HZ and the search for a strategic partner for Croatia Airlines. The National Reform Program also envisages a reform of the state administration. Plenkovic reiterated that the ministers were aware of strategic priorities and that economic growth and other macroeconomic indicators were favorable. He also voiced expectation for one more excellent tourist season that would give an additional impetus to the national economy. The document, designed to ensure growth, employment and better living standards includes 59 measures for 11 reform areas. SAN FRANCISCO, April 26 (Xinhua) -- U.S. aerospace giant Boeing on Thursday was awarded a five-year contract worth 427 million U.S. dollars for depot maintenance of the U.S. Navy's F/A-18 jets. Under the "sole-source" contract, Boeing said it will provide consumable materials used for structural repair and modification of legacy F/A-18 Hornets at five U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps depots. Boeing unveils two programs to repair the Navy's aging F/A-18 Hornets, including the extension of the Hornets' life from 6,000 hours to 10,000 hours. Rick Robinson, director of Boeing Global Supply Chain Services, said the contract will improve material availability and reduce cycle times on aircraft maintenance of the Navy's fighter jets. The U.S. Navy wants to refresh its fleet of more than 560 F/A-18 jets to keep them flying well into the next decades. Boeing grabbed its latest defense contract only one day after it announced on Wednesday strong 2018 first-quarter profits of 23.4 billion dollars that beat Wall Street expectations. Boeing delivered 184 commercial airplanes during the first quarter and earned 13.7 billion dollars. It sold a record 763 aircraft last year. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-27 05:34:50|Editor: yan Video Player Close HAVANA, April 26 (Xinhua) -- "Marxism has not been surpassed" by any other existing socioeconomic theory, according to renowned Cuban philosopher Isabel Monal. In the lead up to MARX 200, an international conference that will gather experts in London on May 5 to mark the 200th anniversary of German thinker Karl Marx, the Cuban intellectual spoke with Xinhua about the relevance of Marxism to today's world. She admits the fall of the eastern European communist bloc had "a terrible blow" to the theory and practice of Marxism. In the meantime, it showed that Marxism is not written in stone. Rather it is a work in progress, "in permanent evolution with rectifications, enrichment and the appropriation of new knowledge" gleaned from studies and recent historical experiences, she said. Cuba, for example, has contributed by creating "a new system, a new type of democracy, which is not perfect, but it is new and opens a path for development," said Monal, 83. Cuba's current reform program is evidence of Marxism's evolutionary process, "an evolution of the previous society -- not a denial of what we have done so far, but a development leap," said the scholar, who holds degrees from the University of Havana and Harvard, among others. What's more, the Caribbean island represents "the only case of change in Latin America where the popular masses took power," said Monal. Elsewhere in the region, such as Venezuela, the left reclaimed positions of leadership, "but never touched the economic power, which continued to function in the same way," she noted. Transforming the underlying neo-liberal system is a major challenge facing countries in the Americas, she said. "Today one of the problems in Latin America is the presence of imperialism in alliance with national oligarchic groups," said the scholar. In some regional countries, such as Brazil, Marxism has zero presence in political life, though an "enviably" strong presence in academic life, according to Monal, who served as a UNESCO official in Paris from 1980 to 1991, as a specialist in the Higher Education program. Monal, now the director of the magazine "Marx Now," a biannual publication put out by the Philosophy Institute of the University of Havana, describes Marx as "the greatest thinker, the man who has most influenced world history to date." At MARX 200, organized by the Marx Memorial Library, Monal will take part in at least two panel discussions, including Marx and human development, and Marx and the present. By Huang Heng LOS ANGELES, April 26 (Xinhua) -- The tariffs race between the United States and China after Washington March hiked steel and aluminum tariffs will "end up hurting the bottom lines of farmers in states across the country," the Farmers for Free Trade warned on Thursday. The Farmers for Free Trade is a bipartisan group co-chaired by former U.S. Senator Max Baucus and Richard Lugar and supported by National Association of Wheat Growers, National Corn Growers Association, National Pork Producers Council, American Farm Bureau Federation and other leading agriculture organizations. The Farmers for Free Trade issued a report "Farmers pay the price: steel & aluminum retaliation" Thursday near Sacramento, capital of California, which is a part of the ongoing effort by the group to illustrate the negative impacts tariffs on American agriculture and amplify the voices of the many farmers who will be hurt by them. Many states will be hard-hit by the roughly 500 million U.S. dollars in Chinese tariffs imposed on American agricultural goods including almonds, walnuts, pistachios, grapes, oranges, apples, cherries, wine, ginseng and pork, which was announced on April 2 in response to new U.S. duties on imported steel and aluminum, the report said. Some of the top states impacted by the retaliatory tariffs from the Section 232 trade action on steel and aluminum imposed by Trump administration showed in the report includes California, Iowa, Washington, Missouri, and North Carolina. In 2017, whole agriculture industry exports to China was 2.6 billion U.S. dollars. Pistachios could see 99 million U.S. dollars in potential additional duties, while almonds and wine could face up to 28 million U.S. dollars and 29 million U.S. dollars in additional Chinese duties, the report said, pistachio, almond and wine producers sent 660 million, 184 million and 196 million U.S. dollars respectively in exports to China last year. Other commodities cited in the report include cherries (28 million U.S. dollars in potential additional duties, oranges (15 million U.S. dollars), grapes (12 million U.S. dollars), apples (8 million U.S. dollars), ginseng (7 million U.S. dollars), and walnuts (4 million U.S. dollars). Moreover, the report said a big share of duties, about 270 million U.S. dollars, could be hoisted on the pork industry, concentrating in state of Iowa, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina and Minnesota, sent 1.1 billion U.S. dollars in exports to China in 2017. The report concluded that in a trade dispute " American farmers are the first casualty" and the tariffs described "are a tax on American farmers." The trade dispute "increase the cost of exporting, depress the prices of farm futures, and end up hurting the bottom lines of farmers in states across the country. They also incentivize trading partners like China to look to other markets for their imports that means that trading relationships that took decades to develop can evaporate overnight," the group said in a press release Thursday. "And as many farmers and trade experts know, once you lose an export market it doesn't come back immediately, in fact, it often takes many years for trading relationships to recover." "In addition to retaliatory tariffs, the steel and aluminum tariffs we are imposing on other countries will also hurt many in the food and agriculture sector who rely on aluminum (beer) and steel cans (fruits and vegetables)." the group said, adding "With farm incomes already declining for many of these producers, these new tariffs are a drag on many farmers' ability to make ends meet." The group also warned the possibility of more expansive tariffs in response to an estimated 50 billion U.S. dollars in tariffs the Trump administration plans to tack on to Chinese imports, saying "the retaliation from these two actions could be a one-two punch that substantially weakens the competitiveness of American agriculture." The group said that since there is still time for these tariffs to be rolled back and for additional tariffs on American agriculture exports to be avoided, it will work every day to reach these goals. California Secretary of Food and Agriculture Karen Ross and California Farm Bureau Federation President Jamie Johansson attended Thursday's media event. It is not the first time for American agriculture industry or farmers non-government organization cried out the trade disputes between the U.S. and China ignited by the Trump administration. Early this month, the Washington-based American Farm Bureau Federation, found in 1911 and describes itself as the largest general farm organization in the country, issued a statement, saying it is time to stop the tariff race. "Growing trade disputes have placed farmers and ranchers in a precarious position. We have bills to pay and debts we must settle, and cannot afford to lose any market, much less one as important as China's. We urge the United States and China to return to negotiations and produce an agreement that serves the interests of the world's two largest economies." Zippy Durall, president of the group said in the statement. WASHINGTON, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Most U.S. voters believed former FBI Director James Comey more than they believed President Donald Trump, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released on Thursday. Though Comey's overall approval rating was negative, 54 percent of the polled said they believed Comey over the president. Meanwhile, 35 percent said they believed Trump more than they believed Comey. The poll found 76 percent of Republican respondents backed Trump. Forty-seven percent of white men and white voters without college degrees also said they trusted Trump more than Comey. The poll surveyed 1,193 U.S. voters from April 20 to 24 with a margin of error of 3.4 percentage points. Comey has said that Trump's leadership style is "strikingly similar" to that of a mob boss in his new memoir. In his tell-all memoir, "A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies and Leadership" which hit the shelves earlier this month, Comey described people around Trump as having a mob or a "Cosa Nostra" quality. Comey was appointed as FBI director in 2013, and fired by Trump in May 2017. DUBLIN, April 26 (Xinhua) -- A total number of 1.92 million overseas trips were made to Ireland in the first quarter of this year, up 6.9 percent compared with the same period last year, according to the Irish national statistics bureau on Thursday. Britain ranked in the first place in terms of the number of trips to Ireland with the number standing at 798,300 in the first three months of this year, followed by other European countries (678,300), the United States and Canada (331,600), and the rest of the world (112,500), said Central Statistics Bureau (CSO) of Ireland. The number of the trips to Ireland from other European countries recorded the highest growth in the January-March period of this year with the year-on-year growth rate reaching 13.8 percent, it said. Meanwhile, the Irish people made a total of 1.59 million overseas trips during the first quarter of this year, up 1.93 percent while compared with the corresponding period of last year, said CSO. Tourism is a key sector of the Irish economy, which is responsible for over 4 percent of its GNP. Last year nearly ten million people visited Ireland, delivering billions of euros for the country. BERLIN, April 26 (Xinhua) -- The defense of Beate Zschaepe made a plea on Thursday to limit the suspected Nazi terrorist's jail sentence to a maximum of ten years in the ongoing "National Socialist Underground" (NSU) trial. Zschaepe's attorneys argued before the Munich Higher Regional Court that the 43-year-old suspect should only be convicted of arson and being an accessory to armed robbery, whilst denying her involvement in a series of bombings and murders attributed to the NSU terrorist group. Additionally, the defense saw no reason to rule out the possibility of a pre-mature release from jail because of an alleged security threat posed by their client to society. State prosecutors are demanding a non-negotiable life sentence for Zschaepe whom they accuse of being one of three equally-senior leaders of the NSU terror cell. As such, the prosecution wants to hold the defendant accountable for all crimes committed by the far-right group, including ten cases of murder. The widely-publicized so-called "Bosporus Serial Murders" witnessed the killing of one police officer and nine civilians with migratory backgrounds. Many attacks took place in broad daylight at food markets, street food stalls or kiosks where the victims were shot at point-blank range with a silenced firearm. The two other suspected NSU leaders Uwe Boehnardt and Uwe Mundlos both committed suicide in 2011 following the self-uncovering of their organization in a failed armed robbery attempt. While Zschaepe did not carry out the murders herself, she still carries full responsibility for them as the group's "co-founder, member and accomplice" according to prosecutors. The prominent court case, which formally begun in 2013, as well as the harrowing developments that led to it, had captured the attention of the German public for years. Revelations surrounding the failure of security forces to prevent the NSU's terrorist activities, despite prior knowledge of the organization's radical views, have prompted outrage and condemnation. Nikkei BP sends congratulatory message and looks forward to Merculet's success in both Japanese and global market LOS ANGELES, April 26, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In April of 2018, with the expansion of Merculet's international Blockchain business, Merculet Japan Co., Ltd. officially announced its establishment in Tokyo, Japan. Starting in May, Partner of Merculet and CEO of Merculet Japan Co., Ltd. Stanley Hu will be stationed in Japan, responsible for the development and cooperation of blockchain business in Japan. The decision of Japan as the first stop of Merculets global strategic layout is the fruit of careful deliberations and adequate preparation. Vested in Blockchain in early 2017, Ivan Jiang, the CEO of Merculet, sent Stanley whom he had cooperated for many years, to the Japanese market for research and strategic layout of Blockchain technology. Stanley Hu is one of the earliest founders of the social media index in China, serving hundreds of well-known companies such as P&G, Unilever, Coca-Cola, L'Oreal Group, General Motors, and Nike. Starting a business in Japan and quitting after winning merit in his early years, he has been exploring the Japanese market for years. He was formerly the head of Sizmek East China (formerly known as MediaMind, one of the world's largest third-party monitoring and data analysis companies) and familiar with Asia markets, especially luxury brands such as LVMH, Kering, and Richmond Group. Hes also the founder of Blossom Trading, one of the first cross-border e-commerce companies in China and the Japanese market advisor for well-known cross-border e-commerce companies of China. Having branches in Mainland China, Hong Kong, and Japan, he has achieved considerable success in business. In the past years, Stanley has helped Japans Nikkei Groups brand business and JTB Group, Japans largest travel agency, to expand into Chinese market. He has also assisted numerous Chinese companies in entering and understanding the Japanese market, including travel, e-commerce, and ACG, etc. Well connected, Stanley Hu and the Nikkei BP (founded in 1969 as part of the Japan Economic News Corporation and Japans largest commercial publishing group) reached in depth cooperation last year. Successfully introducing the exclusive agency business of Greater China of Tokyo Game Show, the worlds second-largest game show, for Ivan Jiang, paving the way for Merculet's entry into the Japanese market. The establishment of Merculet Japan Co., Ltd. is not just a spur of the moment. In the past year, Japans business cooperation demand has been strong, and Nikkei BP also expects more cooperation. It is not just the Tokyo Game Show cooperation project but including cooperation in other related businesses, such as the first Greater China cooperation in the true sense like Japan Women's Exhibition; and due to the cooperation foundation with the Tokyo Game Show, Tokaigi, an organization of the Japanese e-sports, hopes to learn more about Chinese market." Stanley Hu said, "We sincerely welcome people of insight in various fields to join us for Merculet Japan's Blockchain development. In addition to the related copyright cooperation in the Japanese market, in Tokyo, Merculet has already recruited a group of outstanding partners including elitists with rich experience in finance, content supervision and other industries. We will also update the progress of recruitment in the near future. I trust in the Japanese markets recognition for Merculet, and expect Merculet Japan can lay a solid foundation for the global layout of Merculet." For the arrival of Merculet Japan Co., Ltd., the senior leaders of Nikkei BP in the most in-depth cooperation with Merculet has sent their congratulatory messages. (Kenji Fujita, Senior Chief Director of Nikkei BP) I am very glad to learn that Merculet, Ivan Jiangs Blockchain project is about to enter the Japanese market. The Japanese Blockchain market is one of the most regulated markets in the world, and we are also looking forward to Merculet's success in both Japanese and global market." (Kazuyoshi Kodaira, Deputy Editor of Nikkei Business Weekly, Nikkei BP) Hello, everyone, Im Kazuyoshi Kodaira of Nikkei BP and Ive known Ivan Jiang through cooperation in Greater China of Tokyos Game Show. Ivan Jiang is an energetic and passionate entrepreneur. I am so glad to know that his team's blockchain project Merculet is entering Japan. We wish the project a great success, and we are also really looking forward to follow-up cooperation opportunities." (Takashi Hara, Chief Editor of Nikkei FinTech) Ivan Jiang believes that in the distributed commercial society of the future, large monopolistic companies will no longer exist, and more tribal businesses will flourish instead. Im very impressed with this statement. I have interviewed many Blockchain projects and Merculets prospects and its development in both Japanese and global market are expected. On the eve of the establishment of Merculet Japan Co., Ltd., the Nikkei BP Agency interviewed Merculet CEO Ivan Jiang. Merculet is the first Chinese Blockchain innovation enterprise interviewed by Nikkei and Ivan Jiang, the third Chinese entrepreneur, to be interviewed in Nikkei Chinese CEO series. The two CEOs previously reported by Nikkei were respectively Qiangdong Liu, the Chairman and Executive Director of JD.com Group and Jie Sun, CEO of Ctrip.com. The original report of Merculet by Nikkei BP: http://business.nikkeibp.co.jp/atcl/report/15/278549/041200017/?P=1 Merculet is accelerating the pace of internationalization. We are also steadily advancing our strategic layout in other countries. Local partners with ideas or resources are always welcomed. Contact us via email: Contact@Merculet.io Merculet Japan website is coming soon, so stay tuned: www.merculet.jp About Merculet Merculet is poised to be the Chief Growth Officer for global entrepreneurs. It provides a turn-key solution that allows clients to embrace token-based operation without knowing much details about blockchain technology. You dont need to learn any complicated blockchain programming, all you need is a few lines of configuration code, and you will instantly gain the ability to operate your business in a tokenized manner. It will also seamlessly integrate your business into the token-based ecosystem where the value can flow. Over the past three years, the Merculet team has created a number of products that are stable and have smooth operation models, serving more than 2,700 medium and large apps with more than 30 million daily active users and billions of pageviews per day. Official Website Telegram Medium Twitter Facebook Reddit LinkedIn Contact Merculet Jerry Gao contact@merculet.io Photos accompanying this announcement are available at http://resource.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/8c66dbe1-f9df-4f5a-b40f-bf3b2f8c09d2 http://resource.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/ca8b7cd9-cef7-498e-85f3-76a762d62dbb http://resource.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/b8d1320c-fd17-4f40-86f4-02e8e0aea1a6 http://resource.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/581025d6-5cd8-4693-99d7-b3c52ba65477 CHICAGO, April 26 (Xinhua) -- A tank containing crude oil or asphalt exploded at a refinery in the U.S. state of Wisconsin on Thursday, injuring at least 11 people and forcing an evacuation of the area, according to local media. Fire officials said the explosion broke out at 10:06 a.m. at the Husky Energy oil refinery in Superior, a city of about 27,000 that borders Minnesota to the north and the tip of Lake Superior. There were no fatalities reported, but at least 11 people were injured. They were being treated at hospitals in Superior and nearby Duluth, Minnesota. Five patients are being treated at St. Mary's Medical Center in Duluth, Minnesota, according to Essentia Health spokeswoman Maureen Talarico. Another five are being treated at St. Mary's Hospital in Superior. St. Luke's Hospital in Duluth is treating one person. People within a one-mile radius and anyone within 10 miles to the south were being told to evacuate. The evacuation zone was expanded later Thursday to a three-mile radius. The fire was initially out by 11:20 a.m., a little more than an hour after the blast. However, the fire later reignited and powerful winds pushed the flames south. Husky Energy said in a statement that emergency crews are on site and all workers "have been accounted for." According to local media, about 180 people work at the refinery, which dates back to the early 1950s. The refinery has a professing capacity of around 50,000 barrels per day and a storage capacity of 3.6 million barrels of crude and products. Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-27 06:35:05|Editor: yan Video Player Close DAMASCUS, April 26 (Xinhua) -- The thunder was roaring over Damascus on Thursday, with its powerful boom covering the familiar sound of shelling by Syrian government troops on the Islamic State (IS) positions south of the capital. The intermittent rainfall that started Wednesday later turned into a thunderstorm that brought about heavy rains, causing major flooding in several areas in Damascus on Thursday. The streams formed by floodwater looked as if new rivers were flowing through the city, as some narrow roads were completely flooded. Some cars were even swept away by the floodwater, creating a scene that Damascus had never seen before. The state news agency SANA reported that three people were wounded in Ruken Addien area north of Damascus by the flooding, while other pro-government media outlets said that a child was killed and damages were caused to several homes and cars in the same area. People have shared many video clips on Facebook, showing the heavy flooding sweeping through the capital's streets, mainly in Ruken Addien. One video showed a man was swept away in one of the narrow streets. In another video, people were seen crossing a street on rocks placed in the middle of the road to avoid stepping into the water, while a taxi driver was complaining about the blocked road. People's remarks on Facebook ranged from making jokes about the whethertructure that could not handle the heavy rainfall. Some jokes were themed as news reports and one joke read: "clashes between winter and summer erupt in Syria amid reports of a settlement to have the winter evacuate after the people got confused between the summer and winter clothes." Some people were more theatrical and wished if the "rainfall could wash the hearts of the people and make it pure again." The videos of flooding across the capital went viral online. The residents could hardly hear the familiar sound of the artillery shelling on the Hajar al-Aswad and Yarmouk Camp areas south of Damascus. SANA said the Syrian army has made new progress in the battles south of Damascus, adding that the military forces captured a network of tunnels and buildings in the Ma'amel area. Dozens of IS militants were killed in Syrian army's assault in Hajar al-Aswad, in a bid to sever the supply routes of the militants. A military source told Xinhua recently that the offensive on IS will continue until its fully eradication from southern Damascus. The Syrian army turned the focus on Hajar al-Aswad and the Yarmouk Camp, a large area where Syrians and Palestinian refugees live, after capturing the entire Eastern Ghouta countryside east of Damascus. Ahead of the beginning of the battle against IS, the terror group was offered a deal to evacuate to the remote part of the Syrian desert as the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front, which controls nearby areas such as Babila and Yalada, will evacuate to rebel-held areas in the northwestern province of Idlib. But the IS militants rejected the deal of evacuation, which sparked the war again. It is expected that after the defeat of IS, the al-Qaida-linked militants will be sent outside Babila and Yalda. Afterwards, the entire capital will be free of rebels and the military operation is expected to move toward the southern province of Daraa, around 100 km from Damascus. IS has lost its major stronghold late last year, with the Syrian army capturing the Deir al-Zour city in eastern Syria as well as large swaths of the Syrian desert near the Iraqi border. The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces also stripped IS of its de facto capital of Raqqa north of Syria. The European Commissions draft 2021-2027 EU budget, which will be released in May, plans to shift EU cohesion funding away from Central and Eastern Europe to countries hit harder by the financial crisis, the Financial Times reported Monday. The EC wants to shift the criteria away from GDP per capita towards core EU values. Based on a draft policy paper seen by the FT, diplomats and officials expect a redirection of funds from Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary and the Baltic states towards southern states such as Italy, Spain, Greece and even some regions of France, Hungarian news agency MTI reported based on the FT article. On top of revising the allocation of funds and introducing broader criteria, the EC is reinforcing conditions on eligibility, including rule of law compliance, and applying more restrictions on how the EU money can be used, the paper said. According to the FT, Brussels wants to end the practice of distributing cohesion money on the basis of GDP per capita, shifting toward much broader criteria including youth unemployment, education, the environment, migration and innovation. The draft policy paper seen by the FT reportedly puts the cohesion program under a new cohesion and values heading. The paper observed that the changes will be particularly worrying for Warsaw and Budapest, two big beneficiaries of cohesion funds who have clashed with Brussels over the rule of law and democratic standards. The report also noted that the battle over reforms will be made harder by planned cuts to overall cohesion spending, partly to help fill the Brexit-related funding gap. The FT reported that Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany and French President Emmanuel Macron back the idea of EU financial support to regions hosting large numbers of asylum seekers, such as Germany and Sweden. Hungary has steadfastly refused to accept its quota of refugees as part of the EU resettlement plan, placing its uncompromising opposition to immigration at the core of its recent election campaign and repeatedly linking the influx of refugees to the rise of terrorism in Europe. From a total of EUR 350 billion cohesion funding in the 2014-2020 budget period, Poland secured about EUR 77 bln, Hungary EUR 22 bln and Slovakia EUR 14 bln, the FT recalled. Hungary dropped two places from 71st to 73rd in the past year in the Press Freedom Index compiled by international journalists organisation Journalists Sans Frontieres (RSF). It said that businessmen close to Fidesz bought new media outlets and pushed out foreign investors from Hungary last year. Their biggest success in this regard was the acquisition of the last three regional daily newspapers not controlled by Fidesz-friendly owners. The newspapers in northern and eastern Hungary were sold by RussMedia to Austrian Henrich Pecina last summer. Nevertheless, there remain print and online publications that publish reports of corruption by Fidesz and government officials, the report notes. It adds, however, that two media bubbles co-exist in Hungary. One, created by pro-government and pro-Fidesz media outlets, is obsessed with migration, the defence of Hungary and its borders and its hate campaign against the Hungarian-American billionaire philanthropist George Soros. The other is focused on finding corruption scandals. RSF observes that the cabinet and the business sphere close to it have set their sights on two media outlets critical of it, RTL Klub TV channel and news website Index. Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto called the draft LIBE report the basic document of a show trial, adding that it contains lies and factual errors that undermine the whole documents credibility. The minister said he definitively rejected the allegations levelled at Hungary in the draft. Should corruption be as rampant in Hungary as the report suggests, Szijjarto said, the countrys economy would not have increased continuously since 2010. The committees decision to accept the draft by a large margin can only be interpreted as a new political attack on Hungary by some Brussels institutions. Fidesz MEP Tamas Deutsch said the document was a one-sided and biased political pamphlet that ignores the facts and contains a lot of slippery and erroneous data. The original submission is part and parcel of political charges and the documents statements fall into the category of political bluff and biased, false statements, Deutsch said, adding that the intent behind the Article 7 threat was to persuade the Hungarian government to change its position on migration. However, the government remains firmly in favour of the consistent representation of Hungarian interests ... and will protect the country against illegal migration. Democratic Coalition MEP Peter Niedermuller warned that the payment of EU funds may be suspended in the future for states that are unwilling to join the European prosecutors office, and this would have grave consequences for Hungary. He insisted that the government was pursuing a stupid and malicious policy which lacked the support of its own European political family, the EPP. Sadly, once again it is the country, the Hungarian people, that could lose out, he said. MTI Photo: Bruzak Noemi Recently the BBC commissioned a Ipsos MORI survey that showed that Hungarians are a pretty intolerant lot, among the citizens of 27 countries at least, writes Eva S. Balogh. Less than half of the adult population in Hungary believe that people across the world have more things in common than things that make them different, she reports. Only South Koreans and the Japanese scored lower on this metric. As for tolerance of people of different backgrounds, cultures, or points of view, the lowest levels were found in Hungary (16%) and South Korea (20%). Nick Thorpe, the Central Europe correspondent for BBC News and BBC World News, talked about the topic in an interview with Nepszava. The occasion for the interview was the publication of the Hungarian translation of his book about encounters with refugees along the Balkan route over the last three years. The book title, The road is crying in front of me, was borrowed from a Szekler folksong from Bukovina. In the book Thorpe insists that in Hungary today there is no refugee crisis. Anyone who claims that there is is only playing a political game. During the interview Thorpe, referencing the Ipsos MORI survey, observed the strong Hungarian tendency to consider outsiders as not only different but also inferior. Nonetheless, in his opinion, Hungarians attitude toward the refugees stems not so much from a hatred of foreigners as from a fear of the unknown. Given the Orban governments hate campaign of the last three years, I wouldnt be as confident as Thorpe about the motivation of those 75-80% of Hungarians who show little or no compassion for the refugees. In the interview Thorpe described his overwhelmingly positive encounters with the refugees. During his time with them he never felt threatened. He jokingly added that his most frightening encounter was when Maria Schmidt yelled at him for half an hour. Well, Maria Schmidt (pictured at top) is still doing battle with Nick Thorpe, as we found out from an article on her blog, Latoszog (Viewing Angle). Schmidt has serious reservations about him and his writings. For example, Thorpes long and boring article titled The man who thinks Europe has been invaded. The article is of course about Viktor Orban. And when Orban is criticized, Schmidt, the court historian, rallies to the cause as one of his greatest defenders. Whats wrong with Nick Thorpe? According to Schmidt, he is a man of the far left, a Green, and an unrelenting supporter of home birth. But thats nothing. What is truly unforgivable is that Thorpe, who speaks Hungarian and has some idea about Hungarian history, can say that Hungarians have long memories of foreign invasionof being overrun by the Turks, the Austrians and the Russians. In World War Two, most of her large Jewish population was murdered in death camps, and in the post-war deportations she lost many of the Germans who had settled in Hungary since the 18th century. Anyone whos familiar with Hungary history from the sixteenth century onward could legitimately ask whats wrong with this brief summary of some of the misfortunes that befell the country. Schmidt has the answer. Thorpe falsified history when he ignored the occupation of Hungary by Nazi Germany. The Germans were the ones who were responsible for the Hungarian Holocaust. Just as the Allies were the ones who ordered the expulsion of the ethnic German population of Hungary, according to Schmidt. Congratulations to the Germans, Schmidt notes sarcastically, who with the assistance of hackslike Thorpe, I guesswill soon achieve the transformation of the Holocaust into the work of Poles, Hungarians, Lithuanians, etc. Its no surprise that the Poles had to enact a law in order to stop the falsification of their history. Western media has deteriorated to such an extent that almost everything journalists publish is fake news. Gone are fact checkers; no more standards, only ignorance, ill-will, and scorn. The problem is that the person who falsifies history in this case is not Nick Thorpe but Maria Schmidt. Not only does she refuse to admit any responsibility on the part of the Hungarian authorities for the Holocaust, but she also denies the Hungarian governments role in the expulsion of Hungarys German minority. In fact, the Hungarian provisional government could hardly wait for the moment when the Allies at the Potsdam Conference granted permission to move against the Germans. Some members of the Hungarian provisional government, especially members of the Peasant Party, hoped that the expropriation of German real estate, especially land, would alleviate the poverty of the largely landless Hungarian peasantry. So much for quality, standards, and scholarship. Source: Hungarian Spectrum Click here to visit Hungarian Spectrum on Facebook This opinion does not necessarily represent the views of this portal, your opinion is welcome too via info@xpatloop.com English French Paris, April 26, 20182/2 Laurent Mignon succeeds Francois Perol as Chairman of Groupe BPCE's Management Board Groupe BPCE's Supervisory Board gathered on April 26, 2018 and took note of Francois Perol's decision to resign as Chairman of the Management Board, appointing Laurent Mignon, CEO of Natixis, to succeed him. Laurent Mignon's new role will become effective as of June 1st, 2018 when he steps down as CEO of Natixis. In a sense of continuity, this hand-over will strenghten existing close ties between BPCE and Natixis whose clear and shared strategic vision underlies the New Dimension plan unveiled on November 20, 2017. Natixis has already engaged in Laurent Mignon's succession plan which should succeed in the coming days, asserting Natixis' strategic and financial ambitions in both the short and the medium term. About Natixis Natixis is the international corporate and investment banking, asset management, insurance and financial services arm of Groupe BPCE, the 2nd-largest banking group in France with 31 million clients spread over two retail banking networks, Banque Populaire and Caisse d'Epargne. With more than 17,000 employees, Natixis has a number of areas of expertise that are organized into four main business lines: Asset & Wealth Management, Corporate & Investment Banking, Insurance and Specialized Financial Services. A global player, Natixis has its own client base of companies, financial institutions and institutional investors as well as the client base of individuals, professionals and small and medium-size businesses of Groupe BPCE's banking networks. Listed on the Paris stock exchange, it has a solid financial base with a CET1 capital under Basel 3(1) of 12 billion, a Basel 3 CET1 Ratio (1) of 10.65 % and quality long-term ratings (Standard & Poor's: A / Moody's: A2 / Fitch Ratings: A). (1)Based on CRR-CRD4 rules as reported on June 26, 2013, including the Danish compromise - without phase-in . Figures as at December 31, 2017 Contacts : Investor Relations : investorelations@natixis.com Press Relations : relationspresse@natixis.com Damien Souchet T + 33 1 58 55 41 10 Elisabeth de Gaulle T + 33 1 58 19 28 09 Souad Ed Diaz T + 33 1 58 32 68 11 Sonia Dilouya T + 33 1 58 32 01 03 www.natixis.com Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-25 04:31:04|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close Bulgarian Prime Minister Boiko Borisov, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, Romanian Prime Minister Viorica Dancila, and Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras (from L to R) pose for photos at a joint press conference at Victoria Palace in Bucharest, Romania, April 24, 2018. The leaders of Romania, Bulgaria, Greece and Serbia met here on Tuesday, discussing economic cooperation, concrete projects and the 16+1 cooperation format promoted by China. (Xinhua/Cristian Cristel) BUCHAREST, April 24 (Xinhua) -- The leaders of Romania, Bulgaria, Greece and Serbia met here on Tuesday, discussing economic cooperation, concrete projects and the 16+1 cooperation format promoted by China. "We discussed today about economic cooperation, about concrete projects that the four states can develop and about the 16+1 format," Romanian Prime Minister Viorica Dancila told a joint press conference with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, Greek and Bulgarian Prime Ministers Alexis Tsipras and Boiko Borisov. According to Dancila, the consultations provide a good opportunity to strengthen dialogue and identify ways of cooperation in the Southeast European region, especially in terms of economic development. The Romanian prime minister said that "it is a great pleasure" to host the third quadrilateral meeting, which has proved "its usefulness and added value" in promoting the common objectives in the region of the four countries. "I appreciate Serbia's role as a stability factor in the Western Balkans and a positive contribution to the process of cooperation and reconciliation, and we assure it of all our support in the negotiation process for EU membership," Dancila said. At the same time, the Romanian prime minister assured her Bulgarian counterpart of Bucharest's support in fulfilling the objectives of Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, where the Western Balkans play a key role. She also said that Greece is a key partner for Romania in the region and expressed her country's desire to boost bilateral relations, as well as their cooperation on a bilateral, regional and European level. The quadrilateral meeting is the third edition in this format, after those of October 2017 in Varna and December 2017 in Belgrade. A video has emerged showing 41-year-old Sebastian Woodroffe begging for his life before he was killed by a mob in Peru. The poster named Woodroffe and accused him of killing Arevalo. Arevalo, a respected community leader and rights activist who was 81, was shot dead near her home on Thursday in the Ucayali region of northeastern Peru. "It appears that he took part" in Arevalo's murder, Jimenez said. Grainy cellphone video showed a man - apparently Woodroffe - being dragged between thatch-roofed homes by a cord wrapped around his neck as he begged for mercy. Willard said Woodroffe was someone who liked to "poke" others and "test the boundaries of people's beliefs" but was a "gentle person underneath all that". Eighty-one-year-old Arevalo Lomas' death is said to have sparked unrest in the Ucayali region of the Peruvian Amazon rainforest. But investigators were also looking at the theory that another foreigner might have killed her over an unpaid debt. Arevalo's slaying prompted outrage because it adopted the unsolved killings of different indigenous individuals within the Amazon area who had confronted threats for attempting to guard their land. Chelsea prepare 65m bid for Napoli ace Kalidou Koulibaly Crotone are 17th with 31 points, one place outside the relegation zone, and are 14 ahead of Benevento who can not catch them. Elsewhere, Lazio and Inter kept their push for Champions League football alive on Sunday. Two of Woodroffe's friends told the Times Colonist that he's a peaceful person who they believe was wrongly accused. Forensic experts were working on Woodroffe's body to see if there is evidence to confirm the Canadian's involvement. Policing is scant over much of the Peruvian Andes and Amazon and villagers in far-flung provinces often punish suspected criminals according to local customs and without the involvement of state police and prosecutors. His stated intention, according to the Indiegogo.com crowdfunding website, was to learn more about traditional plant medicine and become an addiction counselor. Canada's worldwide affairs division mentioned it was in contact with Peruvian officers. "Due to the provisions of the Privacy Act, no further information can be disclosed", said Global Affairs Canada spokeswoman Brianne Maxwell. "We will not rest until both murders, of the indigenous woman as well as the Canadian man, are solved", said Jimenez in a phone interview. The hallucinogenic cocktail, also known as yage, has been venerated for centuries by indigenous tribes in Brazil, Peru, Ecuador and Colombia as a cure for all sorts of ailments. Nevertheless it's additionally more and more consumed by Western vacationers in search of mind-altering experiences, generally with lethal penalties. Arevalo was a staunch defender of indigenous people's rights in the region. The poster identified Woodroffe as a Canadian and accused him of killing Arevalo after demanding she perform an icaro, a form of singing medicine that is believed to remove negative energies. BHOPAL: Following the conviction of Asaram for raping a teenage girl at his ashram in 2013, the Bhopal Municipal Corporation on Wednesday evening took down and demolished signboards of a bus stop which was named after the self-styled godman. As per the local body, all signboards and crossings named after him would be taken down, and new names would be assigned to them. "Asaram Bapu has insulted the saint community and has caused shame to the society by doing wrong to a young girl. Therefore, it is our decision to eliminate all signboards and crossings bearing his name. We will decide upon a new name for them soon," Bhopal Deputy Mayor Alok Sharma told ANI. On Wednesday, the Jodhpur Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Court awarded life imprisonment to Asaram after he was found guilty of raping a minor girl in Manai village near Jodhpur on August 15, 2013. A teenage girl from Shahajahanpur in Uttar Pradesh, who was studying at the godman's ashram at Chhindwara in Madhya Pradesh, had levelled charges of rape against Asaram. The court also sentenced the two others accused, Shilpi and Sharad, to 20 years each in jail with respect to the same case. Asaram, along with his son, Narayan Sai, is also facing trial in Gujarat for raping two Surat-based sisters. One of the Surat-based girls filed a case against him, alleging sexual assaults between 1997 and 2006 when she was living in his ashram on the outskirts of Ahmedabad city. (With inputs from ANI) New Delhi: India added 472,075 employees to the state-run social security fund in February, after adding 604,557 in January, new data on payrolls released on Wednesday showed, giving a guide to how many new jobs are being created in the non-farm sector. The Employees Provident Fund released provisional figures for six months that showed that 3.11 million workers joined the fund during the September 2017 to February 2018 period, partly due to a pick up in the economy and federal support. "The data shows there was a good increase in jobs every month in the last six months which will now help fill the missing link for policy-making," said Soumya Kanti Ghosh, chief economist at the country largest lender, the State Bank of India. The new data could help Prime Minister Narendra Modi deflect criticism that promises made before the 2014 election for stronger jobs growth were not being kept despite the fastest economic growth of any major economy. To bring more of the vast workforce into the organised sector, Modi this year announced the state would partially cover employers` contributions to the EPF for three years. The government says it will cover an amount up to 12 percent of employees` salaries. Critics say the new data overestimates job creation in the organised sector as many workers, who were working on contract with same companies, were added to the fund due the state incentives. It is mandatory for employers and employees of companies with 20 or more workers to contribute to the EPF, though the government plans to amend the rules so that companies with 10 or more employees have to open an account with the fund for their workers. New Delhi: The Supreme Court raised questions over the government's decision ordering mandatory seeding of mobile numbers with Aadhaar and said its earlier order on mandatory authentication of the users was used as a "tool". A five-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra, hearing a clutch of petitions challenging Aadhaar and its enabling 2016 law, said its order on a PIL filed by 'Lokniti Foundation' had said that mobile users needed to be verified in the interest of national security. "In fact there was no such direction from the Supreme Court, but you took it and used it as a tool (rpt tool) to make Aadhaar mandatory for mobile users," the bench, also comprising Justices A K Sikri, A M Khanwilkar, D Y Chandrachud and Ashok Bhushan, said. Senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi, appearing for the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), said the Department of Telecommunication (DoT) notification talked about re-verification of mobile numbers by using e-KYC process and the Telegraph Act gave "exclusive power to central government to decide license conditions" of service providers. "How can you (DoT) impose condition on service recipients for seeding Aadhaar with mobile phones," the bench said, adding that license agreements were between the government and the service providers. Dwivedi said the direction to seed mobile with Aadhaar was taken in pursuance of TRAI's recommendation. Besides, the government was entitled and had legitimate state interest to ensure that a sim card is given to only those who applied, he said, seeking to allay apprehensions that the State would will surveil the people 24x7. "My submission is that the government had a legal basis to link Aadhaar with SIM by virtue of section 4 of the Telegraph Act and also, the measure is reasonable in the interest of national security," the lawyer stressed. Dwivedi, at the outset, alleged that the Aadhaar scheme was being unfairly targeted as nobody was questioning the banks and the telecom firms on collection of information. The banks and telecom companies have much "bigger data base" about the citizens, he said, adding, "For example, Vodafone has much bigger data base of information even without Aadhaar. The Aadhaar data is immaterial for them." "Appreciate the fact as to how much information a bank possesses about its customers. Every transaction as to what I purchase by using cards, where and when, all this information is with banks. Aadhaar does not tell all this. This information are already there and is being used for commercial purposes," he said, adding that a person starts getting numerous calls before their car insurance expire. He said people are being "scared" about Aadhaar but "nobody questions the telecom companies, banks.... Their single target is Aadhaar". Dwivedi informed the bench about an app, available on Google Playstore and said it has so many personal information about a person. He gave details, procured by using the app, about him, his family members to the bench. The bench was pleasantly surprised. Dwivedi said it has details regarding how much he charged from the Jammu and Kashmir government for appearing in a case. The lawyer referred to the control being enjoyed by the UIDAI over entities, private and government which seek Aadhaar authentication for providing services and benefits to citizens. These entities cannot track any individual by using these information and moreover, they themselves have enough information with them, he said, adding that Aadhaar cannot lead to surveillance as apprehended by the petitioners. "Vodafone can do targeted advertising using the data which is already happening without Aadhaar. Vodafone has far more demographic data about an individual than UIDAI has," Dwivedi said, adding that at the most, such details can lead to formation of a directory and targeted advertisements is happening already. "Google and Facebook process tremendous data on a daily basis. UIDAI does not have that kind of algorithm," he said and urged the court to save the Aadhaar law and suggest measures, if any, to make it work. He referred to a list of entities and said most of them required one-time authentication and hence there was no question that State will surveil the people 24x7. He also referred to inbuilt security features in the law and system of Aadhaar authentication. Dwivedi concluded his arguments on behalf of UIDAI saying that CIDR was safe, data was encrypted and was held offline and above all, the Aadhaar scheme was safer than smart cards as there was no chance of data breach. Lawyer Gopal Shankarnarayan, who started his submissions, said the right to identity was an "absolute fundamental right" and Aadhaar provided a kind of proof of identification to all Indians. CALGARY, Alberta, April 26, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Spartan Energy Corp. (Spartan or the Company) (TSX:SPE) is pleased to announce that it has obtained an interim order from the Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta (the "Interim Order") in connection with the proposed sale of the Company to Vermilion Energy Inc. (Vermilion) by way of plan of arrangement (the "Arrangement") announced on April 16, 2018. The Interim Order, among other things, authorizes Spartan to call and hold a special meeting (the "Special Meeting") of the holders of common shares of Spartan (collectively, the "Shareholders") to approve the previously announced Arrangement under the Business Corporations Act (Alberta). In accordance with the Interim Order, the Special Meeting will be held on May 25, 2018 at the offices of McCarthy Tetrault LLP, Suite 4000, 421 7th Avenue S.W., Calgary, Alberta, T2P 4K9, at 9:00 a.m. (Calgary time). The record date for determining the Shareholders entitled to receive notice and to vote at the Special Meeting has been fixed to be the close of business on April 25, 2018 as is more particularly described in the management information circular (the Circular). All Shareholders entitled to vote are encouraged to vote in person or by proxy at the Special Meeting. In connection with the Special Meeting, Spartan has mailed the Circular, together with the letter of transmittal and related proxy materials to Shareholders. The Circular, letter of transmittal and related proxy materials will also be available on SEDAR under Spartan's profile at www.sedar.com. ABOUT SPARTAN Spartan Energy Corp. is a company actively engaged in the business of oil and gas exploration, development, acquisition and production in Alberta and Saskatchewan. The common shares of Spartan are listed and posted for trading on the TSX under the symbol SPE. Spartan is headquartered in Calgary, Alberta. FURTHER INFORMATION Richard (Rick) McHardy President and Chief Executive Officer OR Tim Sweeney Manager, Business Development Spartan Energy Corp. 3200, 500 Centre Street SE Calgary, Alberta T2P 1A6 Fax: (403) 410-3378 Email: info@spartanenergy.ca Forward Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. More particularly and without limitation, this press release contains forward-looking statements regarding the proposed Arrangement and the timing of the Special Meeting. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, that address activities that Spartan assumes, anticipates, plans, expects, believes, projects, aims, estimates or anticipates (and other similar expressions) will, should or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. All of the forward-looking statements in this release are qualified by the assumptions that are stated or inherent in such forward-looking statements. Although Spartan believes these assumptions are reasonable, they are not exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of the forward-looking statements and the reader should not place undue reliance on these assumptions and such forward-looking statements. No assurance can be given that these factors, expectations and assumptions will prove to be correct. Completion of the Arrangement is subject to a number of conditions which are typical for transactions of this nature, including, without limitation, the failure to satisfy any of these conditions, the emergence of a superior proposal or the failure to obtain approval of Spartans Shareholders which may result in the termination of the arrangement agreement. The forward-looking statements provided in this press release are based on managements current belief, based on currently available information, as to the outcome and timing of future events. Spartan cautions that its intention to proceed with the Arrangement and other forward-looking statements relating to Spartan are subject to all of the risks and uncertainties normally incident to such endeavors. These risks relating to Spartan include, but are not limited to, that the Arrangement is not completed on the announced terms or at all. Furthermore, the forward-looking statements contained herein are made as at the date hereof and Spartan does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or to revise any of the included forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable securities laws. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. Additional information on these and other factors that could affect the completion of the Arrangement as well as Spartans operations and financial results are included in reports on file with Canadian securities regulatory authorities and may be accessed through the SEDAR website (www.sedar.com) or the Companys website (www.spartanenergy.ca). Lucknow: The Election Commission on Thursday announced dates for holding by-elections for the Lok Sabha parliamentary constituencies in Maharashtra, Nagaland, Utar Pradesh and the state legislative assemblies of Bihar, Jharkhand, Kerala, Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. According to the Election Commission, the polling for the by-elections will be held on May 28 and the results will be declared on May 31. In Maharashtra, the bypolls will be held for Bhandara-Godia and Palghar Lok Sabha constituencies on May 28. In view of Congress MLA Patangrao Kadam's demise, bypolls will also be held in Palus-Kadegaon assembly constituency in Maharashtra. Similarly, by-election for Ampati, the assembly constituency of former Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma, will be held on May 28. Sangma, now Leader of Opposition in the Meghalaya Assembly, had won from two seats - Ampati and Songsak - in the February 27 assembly election. The senior Congress leader retained the Songsak seat in East Garo Hills district and vacated Ampati, from where he had been elected for six consecutive times. In the BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh, the by-election to the Kairana Lok Sabha seat, which fell vacant after the death of party MP Hukum Singh last February, will be held on May 28 and the counting of votes will be done on May 31. The bypoll to the Noorpur Legislative Assembly seat will also be held on the same dates. It had fallen vacant in February when sitting BJP MLA Lokendra Singh died in a car accident. The poll panel announced the dates after Uttar Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer L Venkateshwar Lu visited Saharanpur and Shamli district to review the poll preparations. Kairana parliamentary constituency comprises five assembly segments - three in Shamli and two in Saharanpur district. Since the Jats and the Gujjars are the two most dominating community of voters in Kairana, te ruling BJP is confident that the voters from the two blocs will stick with the party out of sympathy for deceased MP Hukum Singh - a Gujjar. After suffering huge reverses in the Gorakhpur and Phulpur Lok Sabha bypolls, BJP leaders dont want to leave any stone unturned this time. Communal tensions in Kairana have been high ever since 2016 after Hukum Singh alleged that 250 Hindu families had fled Kairana in a mass exodus over the last few years due to pressure from another community. Singh even claimed that Kairana was fast becoming another Kashmir with Hindu families fleeing. While the BJP bigwigs endorsed his claims, the district administration and the ruling Samajwadi Party had vehemently denied them. According to the local administration, only three families had left Kairana due to worsening law and order. However, in a big boost to the BJP, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) vindicated his Hukum Singh's claims and held riot-refugees responsible for altering the demographics of the small town. This had led to a disagreement between the NHRC and the National Commission for Minorities (NCM), which held that the reports of an exodus were exaggerated. Singh was also accused of nepotism and lobbying for his daughter Mriganka Singh, who contested and lost the 2017 UP Assembly polls from the Kairana Assembly seat. According to Election Commission sources, at least 883 polling centres have been established in the five assembly constituencies of Shamli, Thanabhawan, Kairana (all in Shamli district) and Gangoh and Nukar in Saharanpur district. 16,095,80 voters including 7,36,420 women would exercise their franchise in the coming bypolls in Kairana. Political parties including BJP, SP, RLD and Congress have already started their poll preparations with several top leaders from the respective parties visiting the region seeking the support of the voters. New Delhi: The government on Thursday asked the Supreme Court collegium to reconsider its recommendation for elevating Justice KM Joseph to the apex court, sources said. This comes a day after the government cleared the appointment of senior advocate Indu Malhotra as a judge of the Supreme Court and kept in abeyance a decision on Joseph, who heads the Uttarakhand High Court. Both the names were recommended by the collegium earlier this year. The government's decision of not approving Joseph's name has evoked sharp reactions with the Supreme Court Bar Association President terming it as "disturbing". The Congress also on Thursday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of indulging in "revenge politics" by "refusing" to clear the elevation of the country's most senior chief justice, KM Joseph, to the Supreme Court. The judiciary is under the "most vicious attack ever" and totalitarianism will stump democracy if the nation does not rise now, Congress communications in-charge Randeep Surjewala alleged. "PM Modi's revenge politics qua judiciary and conspiratorial suffocation of Supreme Court exposed again," Surjewala said on Twitter, adding that Justice Joseph, who heads the Uttarakhand High Court, is India's most senior chief justice. "Yet Modi Government refuses to clear his elevation to SC as retribution for quashing presidential rule in Uttarakhand," he said. His remarks came amid reports that the government has cleared the name of Indu Malhotra as Supreme Court judge, while putting on hold the elevation of Justice Joseph. "Modiji shredded Parliamentary privileges and supremacy. He road-rolled independent media. Democracy's last refuge i.E Judiciary is now under most vicious attack ever. If the Nation doesn't rise in unison now, totalitarianism will stump democracy," Surjewala tweeted. He accused the Modi government of being a habitual offender of trashing "judicial integrity" and the "constitutional supremacy" of institutions. "In June 2014, it refused to clear noted jurist Gopal Subramaniam's name for elevation to the Supreme Court as he was a lawyer against Amit Shah and Co", the Congress leader said. NEW DELHI: The Central government on Wednesday cleared the appointment of senior advocate Indu Malhotra as a judge of the apex court, but it is yet to decide on elevating Uttarakhand High Court Chief Justice KM Joseph to the Supreme Court. As per reports, the apex court collegium's file recommending the elevation of Justice Joseph and Indu Malhotra reached the Law Ministry on January 22. After processing the file in the first week of February, the recommendations were kept in abeyance as the government wanted to elevate only Malhotra. While the government does not explicitly have a role in the appointment of judges to the Supreme Court, it holds a veto power by which a recommendation from the judiciary for the appointment of a judge can be stalled. As per the rules, the Chief justice of India in consultation with four top-most judges recommend the elevation of high court judges to the apex court. The CJI then needs to submit this recommendation to the Central government as part of the record. The final recommendations of the CJI, Union Minister of Law, Justice and Company Affairs are given to the Prime Minister who advises the President in the matter of appointment. Once signed by the President, the Secretary to the Government of India in the Department of Justice announces the appointment and the necessary notification in the Gazette of India is issued. Here are the procedure of appointment of judges of Supreme Court: - Whenever a vacancy is expected to arise in the office of a Judge of the Supreme Court, the Chief Justice of India will initiate proposal and forward his recommendation to the Union Minister of Law, Justice and Company Affairs to fill up the vacancy. - The opinion of the Chief Justice of India for appointment of a Judge of the Supreme Court should be formed in consultation with a collegium of the four seniormost puisne Judges of the Supreme Court. If the successor Chief Justice of India is not one of the four seniormost puisne Judges, he would be made part of the collegium as he should have a hand in selection of Judges who will function during his term as Chief Justice of India. - The Chief Justice of India would ascertain the views of the seniormost Judge in the Supreme Court, who hails from the High Court from where the person recommended comes, but if he does not have any knowledge of his merits and demerits, the next seniormost Judge in the Supreme Court from that High Court should be consulted. - The requirement of consultation with a Judge of the Supreme Court would not be confined to that Judge only who has that High Court as a parent High Court and, therefore, would not exclude Judges who have, on transfer, occupied the office of a Judge or Chief Justice of that High Court. - The opinion of members of the collegium in respect of each of the recommendations as well as the seniormost Judge in the Supreme Court from the High Court, from which a prospective candidate comes, would be made in writing and the Chief Justice of India, in all cases, must transmit his opinion as also the opinion of all concerned to the Government of India as part of record. If the Chief Justice of India or the other members of the Collegium elicit views, particularly those from the non-Judges, the consultation need not be in writing but he, who elicits the opinion, should make a memorandum thereof and its substance in general terms which should be conveyed to the Government of India. - After receipt of the final recommendation of the Chief Justice of India, the Union Minister of Law, Justice and Company Affairs will put up the recommendations to the Prime Minister who will advise the President in the matter of appointment. - As soon as the appointment is approved, the Secretary to the Government of India in the Department of Justice will inform the Chief Justice of India and obtain from the person selected a certificate of physical fitness signed by a Civil Surgeon or a District Medical Officer. The Medical Certificate is to be obtained from all persons selected for appointment whether they are at the time of appointment in the service of the State or not. The certificate should be in the form annexed. - As soon as the warrant of appointment is signed by the President, the Secretary to the Government of India in the Department of Justice will announce the appointment and issue the necessary notification in the Gazette of India. NEW DELHI: The recently concluded Gagan Shakti 2018 exercises of the Indian Air Force (IAF) were not war games against any country in particular, IAF chief Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa has said. "Gagan Shakti was to exercise our resources. It was not against any country. what we did in exercise Gagan Shakti is that we have walked the mile," Dhanoa said, reported news agency ANI. During the course of the exercises, the IAF had specifically mentioned that it had played out scenarios for a two-front war. The IAF conducted the 13-day drill to exercise every single one of its assets and to verify and validate its operating procedures for the whole range of roles and responsibilities in the security apparatus. "IAF exercised its entire war fighting machinery to validate its concept of operations and war waging capability. The focus of the exercise was to check the viability of our operational plans and learn meaningful lessons," a statement had read. The IAF had in earlier statements said it had also practiced its response to scenarios where nuclear or chemical attacks have been carried out and played out the measures it would take on the fighting, maintenance and humanitarian fronts. The exercises had seen the IAF move its assets rapidly between the eastern and western sectors. It had also practiced maritime operations in conjunction with the Indian Navy. It had even demonstrated its ability to use fighter aircraft stationed in the eastern part of the country for operations on the western seaboard, over the Arabian Sea. Another major aspect of Gagan Shakti 2018 had been the operational testing of the newly-inducted HAL Tejas supersonic nuclear-capable single-engine multirole fighter aircraft. The IAF also played out a number of scenarios where it would have to work with not just the Indian Army, but also with the Territorial Army, civil administration and the various defence PSUs, just as it would in the event of a real war. (With input from ANI) NEW DELHI: As part of ongoing Indo-Malaysian defence cooperation, a joint training exercise HARIMAU SHAKTI will be conducted in the dense forests of Sengai Perdik, Hulu Langat, Malaysia from April 30 to May 13, 2018. The exercise is aimed at bolstering cooperation and coordination between armed forces of both the nations and to share the expertise of both the contingents in conduct of counter insurgency operations in jungle terrain. Indian contingent is being represented by one of the oldest infantry battalions, 4 GRENADIERS having rich operational experience in conventional as well as counter insurgency warfare. The Malaysian contingent is being represented by soldiers from 1 Royal Ranjer Regiment and the Royal Malay Regiment, known for their experience in Jungle Warfare. This is the first instance wherein a joint training exercise of this magnitude involving Indian and Malaysian soldiers is being organized on Malaysian soil. The exercise will involve a cross-training phase followed by a field training phase of seven days in the jungles of Hulu Langat wherein both armies will jointly train, plan and execute a series of training activities. The focus will remain on tactical operations in jungle warfare. Overall, the exercise will not only provide an excellent opportunity to both the armies to hone their operational skills but will also contribute to enhance the strategic partnership between India and Malaysia. Recently, the Indian Air Force too conducted pan India Exercise Gagan Shakti-2018 from April 08 to April 22, 2018. The aim of the exercise was real-time coordination, deployment and employment of air power in a short and intense battle scenario. The focus of the exercise was also to check the viability of our operational plans and learn meaningful lessons. The exercise was conducted in two phases so that all Commands get adequate opportunity to test the efficacy of their preparedness. Phase-I of the exercise involved activation of Western, South Western and Southern Air Commands, with affiliated Army and Naval components. Phase-II of the exercise involved activation of Western, Central, Eastern and Southern Air Commands. New Delhi: In the wake of an accident at an unmanned level crossing in Uttar Pradesh's Kushinagar district in which 13 children died, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday said that all unmanned crossings will be eliminated by March 2020. Goyal made these remarks after holding a review meeting with top Railways officials this afternoon. Held a detailed review meeting to eliminate all Unmanned Level Crossings across Indian Railways. We are committed to ensure highest standards of safety for all. pic.twitter.com/AYW1XFLEJ7 Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) April 26, 2018 The Railways Minister also reiterated his Ministry's commitment to ensuring highest standards of safety for all. In the wake of the Kushinagar tragedy, the Railway Minister ordered an inquiry into the accident and announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh for the kin of the deceased. The Minister also said the railways will provide an ex gratia amount of Rs 1 lakh for those with serious injuries and Rs 50,000 for those with simple injuries. "My thoughts are with the families of the deceased and I pray for the early recovery of the injured. Ministry of Railways will provide an ex gratia amount of Rs 2 lakh for kin of the deceased, Rs 1 lakh for those with serious injuries and Rs 50,000 for those with simple injuries," Goyal said in a detailed statement. My statement on the unfortunate tragedy that happened this morning in Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh.https://t.co/LPDvhOUuUv pic.twitter.com/5hiksJdNVO Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) April 26, 2018 Meanwhile, Railway Board Chairman Ashwani Lohani too said that all such crossings will be eliminated by March 2020, but asserted that the primary responsibility lies with road users and not with the railways. Thirteen children on their way to school were killed when the van carrying them rammed into a train at an unmanned railway crossing in Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh. Five others were injured as the Thawe-Kapatanganj passenger train hit the van carrying 25 people, mostly children between the ages of 8-10 years from Divine Public School, at 7 am. "We will eliminate all UMLCs (unmanned level crossings) by March 31, 2020," he said adding that till then, people need to be careful while crossing tracks. "There was no substitute to that. Railways cannot take any step that is completely foolproof against negligence," he added. Section 131 of the Motor Vehicles Act as well as Section 161 of The Railways Act have provisions on crossing unmanned railway lines - both put the onus on the driver of the motor vehicle to ensure that there is no train approaching. "While crossing UMLCs, the primary responsibility lies with the road user, and not with the railways. The rule while crossing such railway lines is to look both ways, stop and then proceed. In this case, according to reports, the driver did not stop,'' Lohani said. "However, because the accidents happened in our territory, it remains our concern. That's why we are trying to eliminate all unmanned level crossings. In the meantime, I urge people to be careful. Also, please do not use earphones when walking near the railway tracks," Lohani cautioned. The officer also said the national transporter has been aggressively removing UMLCs - 1,565 of them were eliminated in 2017-18 and the target is to remove 1,600 in 2018-19. He said that the elimination has resulted in the decrease in the number of accidents at such crossings over the years - in 2014-2015, 50 such accidents took place at UMLCs, 29 in 2015-2016, 20 in 2016-2017, 10 in 2017-2018 and one this financial year. Accidents also took place at manned railway crossings - in 2014-15 and 2015-16, there were six accidents each, in 2016-17 there were no such accidents. In 2017-18, there were three accidents and only one reported this year, according to data provided by the railways. Presently, there are 5,792 such unmanned and 19,507 manned crossings across the railway network. Lohani also said that while till March 31 this year, the railways had completed the work of eliminating most of the unmanned level crossings at the busy stations, work on 44 such stations is going on and will be finished by June. The railways has also built over bridges and subways for people to cross the tracks -1,354 ROB/RUB were built in 2016-17 and the target is 1600 in 2018-19. The railways has also issued both print and television advertisements creating awareness against irresponsible crossing of tracks. The Kushinagar accident site is 90-100 km away from Gorakhpur and 30 km from Pandrauna. (With PTI inputs) For the first time since they emerged as different countries in 1947, India and Pakistan are set to take part in joint military drills. This will happen as part of the Peace Mission exercises to be held in Russia in September, along with a number of other partner countries under the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). India's participation in the Peace Mission 2018 exercises was announced by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman during her speech to the 15th SCO Defence Ministers Meeting in Beijing. She however made no direct reference to Pakistan in her speech, either in regard to the exercises or to the continued support for terrorists. This will be the first time that the nuclear-armed South Asian nations will take part in exercises together. Both countries had become full members of the SCO last year. The drill will feature all SCO member states, including Russia and China. However, it needs to be noted that this will not be the first time that Indian and Pakistani soldiers will be on the same field and not pointing their guns at each other. Contingents from both armies have served side by side in a number of UN peacekeeping mission, most notably in Africa. "India enjoys excellent bilateral defence cooperation with a large number of SCO countries especially with Russia as well as with all of India's Central Asian partners represented in the SCO cooperation in the SCO framework will help reinforce India's efforts to strengthen bilateral cooperation with the partners in the region in the field of defence," Nirmala said, according to a statement from the Ministry of Defence. Op Pakistani officials have also confirmed that Pakistan would participate in the exercises. Peace Mission 2018 could present an interesting turn of events between India and Pakistan considering its nature. The exercise is not just a wide-ranging war game, but specifically a counter-terrorism exercise involving every SCO member. It is aimed at improving the coordination and combat readiness of SCO members for joint counter-terrorism operations should such a need arise. India and Pakistan have repeatedly accused each other of terrorism. Peace Mission exercises are held once in two years. This year's exercises will be the 10th edition. The last time, it was held in 2016 in Kyrgyztan. JAMMU: Indian and Pakistani troops on Thursday traded heavy fire on the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district. Defence sources said the Pakistan Army resorted to unprovoked shelling and firing, using mortars, small arms and automatic weapons. Indian positions were targeted. "Pakistan shelling and firing started at 8.30 a.m. and continued till 11 a.m. "Our positions retaliated strongly and effectively. No casualty or damage has been reported from our side," the sources said. NEW DELHI: Two prime accused in the sensational Kathua gangrape and murder case of an eight-year-old girl on Wednesday moved the Supreme Court opposing the plea of the victim's father seeking transfer of trial outside the state, preferably to Chandigarh. Sanji Ram and Vishal Jangotra, who were chargesheeted by the crime branch of Jammu and Kashmir Police in the case, have also sought transfer of the probe to the Central Bureau of Investigation besides seeking to be impleaded as parties in the petition filed by the father of the victim. The two have claimed innocence in the apex court and said they were compelled to file the interlocutory application for impleadment because they were "falsely implicated and arrayed as accused persons in the case". "It is humbly stated that the applicants are necessary and proper parties as their rights and interest are bound to be affected by the outcome of the writ petition," they said. The accused said in their plea that Article 21 of the Constitution guarantees fair investigation as well as trial to the accused and it is absolutely necessary for preservation of fundamental right. "Therefore, investigation must be fair, transparent and judicious as it is the minimum requirement of rule of law. The investigating agency cannot be permitted to conduct an investigation in a tainted and biased manner," the plea said. With regard to the transfer of the case, it said the convenience of the complainant cannot be the sole consideration for transferring a criminal case out of state. "Courts have to consider the convenience of the accused, prosecution witness and larger interest of the society. That the trial in the charge sheet has commenced at Kathua and there is no apprehension on behalf of the complainant for any threat or coercion of prosecution witnesses," it said. The accused said their rights and interest are bound to be affected by the outcome of the writ petition filed by father of the victim and therefore they should be granted an opportunity to be heard in the matter. Recently, a bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra had ordered the state police to grant security to the family of the victim, their friend and their lawyer Deepika Singh Rajawat. The top court had also said it would later decide on the prayer for transfer of case out of Kathua in Jammu after the state government filed its reply. Meanwhile, the Jammu and Kashmir government told the apex court that protest and obstruction forced the police to file the chargesheet in Kathua gangrape and murder case at the residence of the magistrate, a charge denied by two lawyers' bodies which claimed that an administrative decision was taken by the crime branch. "The other officers accompanying the team were heckled and prevented from even reaching the court of the CJM," the state government said, adding that sloganeering even continued inside the chamber of the judge by the lawyers who had barged into the room. "Thereafter attempts were made to humiliate and threaten the officers to leave the court premises and prevent the filing of the charge sheet and its acceptance," it said. In their affidavit, the Jammu and Kashmir High Court Bar Association, Jammu, told the apex court that justice shall be done to the victim only after a fair and impartial probe by the CBI. It said a "motivated and malicious campaign" by some media channels had created an "erroneous impression" about the motives of the Bandh call in Jammu by projecting the legal fraternity, as also the people supporting the bandh, as pro-rapists which was "factually incorrect and misleading and denied." With regard to the allegation of obstruction or threatening lawyer Deepika Singh Rajawat, who represented the family of the victim, the association said "it is totally false and baseless and the same is vehemently/specifically denied". It also said that its members have resumed work. In its reply, Kathua Bar Association also denied allegations that its members had obstructed Rajawat from appearing in the case on behalf of the victim's family. It said that crime branch had taken an administrative decision in its own wisdom to produce the accused in the case at the residence of Chief Judicial Magistrate in the wake of "a volatile situation" prevailing at that time. On April 13, the apex court had taken a serious note of lawyers obstructing the judicial process in the case and had initiated a case on its own accord saying such impeding of the process of law "affects the delivery of justice". The minor girl had disappeared from near her home in the forests next to Rasana village in Kathua, on January 10. Her body was found in the same area a week later. NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday said its "real concern" was to see that a fair trial was conducted in the Kathua case after the Bar Council of India said the lawyers' body in the district had neither obstructed the Crime Branch from filing the charge sheet nor the advocate representing the victim's family. A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra said that if it finds the slightest possibility of lack of fair trial, it will transfer the case out of Kathua. The bench, also comprising Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud, said the trial should be fair not only for the accused but also for the victim's family and the protection to them and their lawyers should be ensured. The bench also considered the issue of alleged obstruction by lawyers in administration of justice in the case and said," if the lawyers are at fault, they would be dealt in accordance with law". During the hearing, the apex court said the real issue in the matter was to have a fair trial in the case. The matter will be next heard on July 30. At the outset, the Bar Council of India (BCI), filed in a sealed cover, its enquiry report related to the alleged obstruction by lawyers in the case at Kathua. The BCI report has said that lawyers' body had neither obstructed the Crime Branch of Jammu and Kashmir police from filing the charge sheet in the court concerned nor the lawyers had obstructed advocate Deepika Singh Rajawat, who is representing the victim's family, from appearing in the matter before the high court there. The report also said that the demand of J&K High Court Bar Association, Jammu and Kathua District Bar Association for a CBI probe in the matter appears to be justified. Meanwhile, Advocate Shoeb Alam, appearing for the state, opposed the BCI's report and maintained that the police team was heckled allegedly by lawyers due to which they could not file the charge sheet in the trial court. Alam told the bench that the report of BCI cannot be relied upon since no Crime branch officers, who were allegedly obstructed by agitating lawyers at Kathua, were heard. He pointed out to the report of the high court and drew the attention to a separate report of a District Judge at Kathua and claimed that the report gives scathing finding of the "obstruction" of officers and justice administration system. He pleaded the two petitions related to the alleged misconduct of lawyers and prayer of the father of victim seeking transfer of the case to Chandigarh be kept separate to ensure that the matter is not sensationalised. However, the bench observed,"let the main issue be not missed. Fair investigation, fair trial, appropriate legal guidance and representation of both the accused and the victim's family has to be there." "Instead of getting into what the BCI report says and the lawyers say, let us not digress from the real issue. The real issue is that how can we achieve justice," the bench said. Senior advocate Indira Jaising, appearing for the victim's father, told the bench that the case and its trial should be monitored by the apex court. The bench, however, said that fast tracking the trial doesn't mean that proper opportunity was not granted in accordance with the procedure to the accused as well as the victim's family. The child from a minority nomadic community had disappeared from near her home in a village near Kathua in Jammu region on January 10. Her body was found in the same area a week later. The state police's Crime Branch, 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 last week. The charge sheet revealed chilling details about how the girl was allegedly kidnapped, drugged and raped inside a place of worship before being killed. There are 800,000 New Yorkers living below the federal poverty level$29,420 a year for a family of fiveand the City Council wants to get those families half-priced MetroCards. With the backing of 68 activist and union groups, 44 city council members, and three district attorneys, the only pivotal person seemingly not on board is Mayor Bill de Blasio. "I understand the City Council wants to achieve something noble," de Blasio said Monday. "But it's going to be a straightforward conversation with them about the money we have available and how far it will reach." Recently installed City Council Speaker Corey Johnson is making the issue a "pillar" of the council's budget. But de Blasio is arguing that the city was just forced by the state to pay for half of the MTA's $836 million dollar Subway Action Plan and it can't afford to fit half-priced MetroCards into the city's $88 billion budget. The mayor added that perhaps a millionaire's tax, which he first proposed last summerand has received little if any support from state legislatorswould still be the best way to fund the program. A sign at the Fair Fare rally outside City Hall on April 11, 2018 (Stephen Nessen / WNYC) Cynthia Kozikowski is a single mom with four kids and lives in the Claremont section of the Bronx. She is currently unemployed due to a health issue, and often has to choose between paying for groceries, utility bills or a subway card. "I have to cancel appointments or wait until it's payday and it's difficult, sometimes you can't do that," she said at a rally for Fair Fares at City Hall Wednesday. "My children, if they have to go to the doctor for a physical and I don't have the fare, sometimes I have to put it off." Kozikowski said she doesn't ask for swipes because she has too much pride, but does sometimes let her children go under the turnstile to save money. "I'm not asking for a free ride," she said. "If Mayor de Blasio says he's all about bridging the gap between the rich and the poor then he should do what's in his power in the budget to fund Fair Fares." Cynthia Kozikowski (Stephen Nessen / WNYC) Speaker Johnson wants to include $212 million for half-priced MetroCards in the budget, which the Community Service Society estimates will save roughly 800,000 New Yorkers $700 a year. "You can't really lead a stable life if you can't afford subway fares," Johnson said Tuesday at City Hall. "We also believe this will help with fare evasion, that a lot of people who, not all, but a lot of people who end up jumping a turnstile are people who can't afford the subway fare." De Blasio has argued that turnstile jumping is "not an economic issue," and that "a lot of people who commit fare evasion...have a lot of money on them." The city already subsidizes ferry service, which is run by a private company, Hornblower and charges $2.75 for one-way rides. The ferry service, which has stops in the Rockaways, Bay Ridge, Sunset Park, Red Hook and Brooklyn Bridge Park, had 3 million riders in 2017. The city subsidizes about $6.60 per ride, and $180 million in operating costs. Joan Byron, who works for Neighborhoods First Fund, a philanthropic group that supports low income communities affected by the city's rezoning, notes that Seattle, San Francisco, Toronto, and London already offer half-priced transit fares for the poor. (Stephen Nessen / WNYC) "It's the gold standard of a progressive transportation policy: fair fares," Byron said. "It's admirable because it enables us to direct resources to the people that need them the most." "The Mayor proposed a plan for Fair Fares that would send the bill to the wealthiest New Yorkers, rather than forcing another state responsibility onto straphangers whose taxes pay for the city's general fund," de Blasio spokesperson Freddi Goldstein wrote in a statement. "Times are increasingly tight, and the $418 million dollars we just spent to fix the state-run subways, which the Council supported, will only make this year's budget process all the more lean." The next move is the mayor's. He will release his executive budget sometime this month, which will be followed by another round of City Council hearings. The council and the mayor's budget differences and the issue of Fair Fares will have to be resolved before the final budget is adopted. The deadline for that is June 30. This was previously published on the Gothamist newsletter on April 12, 2018. Don't miss storiessign up for our newsletter here. NEW DELHI: Senior Advocate Indu Malhotra was on Thursday officially appointed as the judge of the Supreme Court of India. Her appointment is historic as she is now the first woman lawyer to be directly elevated from the Bar. She is also the second woman judge to be in the Supreme Court currently, at present the apex court only has one woman judge Justice R.Banumathi. She will be sworn-in on Friday. The apex court collegium's file recommending the elevation of Indu Malhotra reached the Law Ministry on January 22. After processing the file in the first week of February, the recommendations were kept in abeyance. Along with Malhotra, the recommendation also included Uttarakhand High Court Chief Justice KM Joseph but the government has asked the collegium to reconsider its recommendation on Joseph. Indu Malhotra is a Senior Advocate of the Supreme Court. Here is what we know so far: 1. Indu Malhotra was the second lady ever to be designated 'Senior Advocate' by the Supreme Court. The first was Leila Seth, mother of author Vikram Seth, who got this honour in 1977. 2. She holds an MA in Political Science from Lady Shri Ram College in Delhi University and LLB from Faculty of Law, University of Delhi. 3. She will be the seventh woman judge of the Supreme Court since independence. Earlier, Justice M Fathima Beevi, Justice Sujata V Manohar, Justice Ruma Pal, Justice Gyan Sudha Misra, Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai and Justice R Banumati were woman SC judges. Currently, Justice R Banumathi is the only woman judge in the apex court. 3. She hails from a family of lawyers. Her father Om Prakash Malhotra was a Senior Advocate in the Supreme Court, and a distinguished author too. 4. She joined the profession in 1983 and was appointed as a Senior Advocate in 2007. 5. She qualified as an Advocate-on-Record in the Supreme Court in 1988, and got the first position in the examination. 6. Her expertise is in the areas of law of arbitration. She has also appeared in international commercial arbitrations. 7. She is also appearing for several public interest litigations like the protection of bystanders who provide assistance to road accident victims, and for framing guidelines for a Good Samaritan law in India. 8. She was the Standing Counsel for Haryana in the apex court from 1991 to 1996. 9. She has been an Arbitrator with several Institutional Arbitration bodies like Indian Council of Arbitration (ICA), Delhi International Arbitration Centre (DAC), ASSOCHAM etc. 10. She also taught at Miranda House College and Vivekananda College in Delhi before she entered the legal profession. LUCKNOW: Soon after the Kushinagar school bus accident which claimed lives of at least 13 children, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday condoled the death of the children and announced an ex-gratia of Rs two lakh each to the deceased's' family. He has also ordered an immediate inquiry into the matter by the Gorakhpur commissioner. He has directed the district administration to provide all possible help and medical aid to the victims. An accident relief medical train from Gorakhpur has been dispatched to the site. Earlier today, a school van rammed into a train killing 13 people and seriously injuring seven others in Uttar Pradesh's Kushinagar. The mishap took place at around 7 am when Thawe-Kapatanganj passenger train (55075) was passing the railway crossing. The van, belonging to Divine public school in Kushinagar, was carrying at least 25 people which included mostly children. "Total 18 school students were travelling in the vehicle out of which 11 have died. Many of the rest seven are critically injured. The death toll may go up," ADG (Law and Order) Anand Kumar said. All the kids who were killed aged under 10 years. Blaming the administration, eyewitnesses informed that the incident took place on an unmanned railway crossing. Giving details of the incident, police said that the injured have been taken to the hospital. "There were nearly 25 school kids in the van. The children were on their way to their school when the incident took place. The incident took place near a rail crossing. The injured have been taken to the hospital. Many residents of the area had gathered when the incident took place," Additional SP Hari Govind said. He also added that the railway crossing gates are not closed when the train passes. Some are saying that the railway official who used to give the green signal to the trains did not turn up for work on Thursday. The Railways is, however, maintaining that its employee tried to stop the train but the incident could not be averted. "It was unmanned level crossing gate at Behpurva, with Gate Mitra deployed there. He tried to stop but the unfortunate incident happened at unmanned gate 45 near Dudhi station in Banaras division," spokesperson for Railways Ved Prakash said. The Union Tourism Ministry has launched a 360 Virtual Reality (VR) experience video on Incredible India, in collaboration with Google. The service will allow you to visit some iconic Indian tourism hotspots using VR. However, the government expects that the VR visits will inspire more people to visit the real thing. The video that was released on Thursday seems to be a teaser of the sort of experience you could have when more and more locations are added to the VR portfolio. The video gives a glimpse of what is to come. You could just click-and-drag for a different view of the location. On your mobile, all you would need to do is move it around like you were playing Temple Run. You would just have to turn your neck if you were wearing a VR device. Try out the Google 360 Virtual Reality tour of some iconic places: "India is an iconic destination that offers unique experiences of climate, geography, culture, art, literature, and food," said Tourism Minister of State KJ Alphons at the launch of the video. He added that the idea behind the collaboration with Google was to give virtual visitors the opportunity to immerse in India's rich heritage by offering them immersive content in a never-before-seen manner. Alphons also said such virtual reality experiences, when made available either free or at a low cost, might enable an increase in the tourist footfall at India's many iconic monuments and tourist destinations. A special focus would be provided to museums, he said. The video released on Thursday takes the viewer through a virtual tour with glimpses of Hampi, Goa, Delhi and Amritsar. More videos would be made available at https://g.co/incredibleindia New Delhi: Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday made yet another attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for giving hugs to foreign leaders and dignitaries by saying that there were "some things a hug can buy", but for US visas "you're on your own". The Gandhi scion also described the proposed changes in US visa rules as a "huge setback" for India, which he felt would make it extremely difficult for Indians to obtain a US permit to visit or stay in the country. Rahul took to micro-blogging site Twitter and tweeted, ''New US Visa Rules, huge setback for India...." "There are some things a hug can buy. For visas, you're on your own," the Congress chief said in a wordplay on the MasterCard ad campaign which says, "There are some things money can't buy. For everything else, there's MasterCard". Rahul Gandhi made these observations in the backdrop of Donald Trump Administration's proposal to end work permits for the spouses of H1-B visa holders to work in the US - a move that could have a devastating impact on tens of thousands of Indians. "Foreign Policy by Narendra Modi, Foreword by Donald Trump," Rahul Gandhi said mocking the government's diplomacy. New US Visa Rules, huge setback for India... There are some things a hug can buy. For visas, youre on your own. Foreign Policy by Narendra Modi, Foreword by Donald Trump.https://t.co/K2Mchgqwpk Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) April 26, 2018 Gandhi has earlier attacked the Prime Minister over what he termed 'hugplomacy' after Pakistan released 2008 Mumbai attacks mastermind and Lashkar-e-Toiba chief Hafiz Saeed from house arrest. The Congress party had sometimes back posted Congress mocked PM Modi's `hugplomacy` in a meme video posted on Twitter, which evoked an equally sharp response from the ruling BJP. The video was posted shortly after PM Modi received his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu at an airport with a warm hug. In the video, the Congress apparently ridiculed Prime Minister Modi`s ways of hugging with several world leaders by describing them with comic tags along with gifs. Reacting to it, the BJP said sarcastically that the video showed the "new" thinking of the grand old party under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi. Days after he was ridiculed by the Congress over his habit of giving warm hugs to international leaders with whom he shares good relations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that he is a common man and not aware of laid protocols. PM Modi said that had he been "trained", he too would have followed the laid down protocols of shaking hands and "looking left and right" with world leaders. The Trump administration's move to end the Obama-era rule could have an impact on more than 70,000 H-4 visas holders, who have work permits. H-4 is issued to the spouse of H-1B visa holders, a significantly large number of whom are high-skilled professionals from India. They had obtained work permits under a special order issued by the previous Obama administration. (With PTI inputs) NEW DELHI: A day after the Central government cleared the appointment of senior advocate Indu Malhotra as a judge of the apex court, Supreme Court Bar Association while welcoming the decision called it an interference in the working of the judiciary as Uttarakhand High Court Chief Justice KM Joseph's elevation is yet to be finalised. "Indu Malhotra is a fine lawyer & she will prove to be a great judge. I have a huge reservation at the attitude of the government, there is no way by which they should not have cleared Justice KM Joseph's name. By making one appointment and not making another, the government has interfered in the functioning of the judiciary. This is a very serious matter and should be taken up with the government very strongly," Supreme Court Bar Association President Advocate Vikas Singh told ANI. While Indu Malhotra's appointment is historic as she will be the first woman judge to be appointed to the top post directly from the bar, the development indicates that the government has decided to put on hold the elevation of Justice KM Joseph. As per reports, the apex court collegium's file recommending the elevation of Justice Joseph and Indu Malhotra reached the Law Ministry on January 22. After processing the file in the first week of February, the recommendations were kept in abeyance as the government wanted to elevate only Malhotra. The government feels that while recommending the name of Justice Joseph, the collegium has disregarded seniority and regional representation. He is 42nd in the seniority list of 669 high court judges. Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad would reportedly write to Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra about its decision to appoint only Indu Malhotra. The Supreme Court collegium has Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra as its head and includes the four senior-most judges Justices J Chelameswar, Ranjan Gogoi, Madan B Lokur and Kurian Joseph. HYDERABAD: The Telangana Board of Secondary Education will declare the SSC Class 10 Annual Examination Results 2018 on April 27, 2018, Friday at 10 am. Once the results are out, students will be able to check their results on the official website of the board - bse.telangana.gov.in. The exam results will also be available on - results.cgg.gov.in, examresults.net or manabadi.com. The TS SSC Class 10 exams 2018 were held from March 15 to April 2, 2018. The duration of the exams were three hours - from 9:30 am to 12:45 pm. The students are advised to keep their hall tickets or admit cards handy in order to check their results. Steps to check TS SSC Class 10 Results 2018: 1. Go to the official website of Telangana board - bse.telangana.gov.in 2. Click on the relevant link 3. Enter required details 4. Click on submit After submission of relevant details, the results will be displayed on the screen. The students are suggested to download their results and take a printout of the same for further reference. About the board Directorate of Government Examinations is an independent department functioning under ministry of Secondary Education, Government of Telangana. The Department is responsible for conducting the SSC/OSSC Public Examinations and a number of minor examinations. New Delhi: Google's search result on typing "India first PM" has left several people shaking their heads in disbelief. Google, believed to throw up accurate results, was showing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's picture when the users typed "India first PM" in its search bar. Though Jawaharlal Nehru`s name appeared on the Wikipedia link, the photo was that of current Prime Minister Modi. Modi`s picture was somehow appearing alongside Nehru`s name on the Wikipedia link - "List of Prime Ministers of India". When the issue got highlighted, several Twitter users started posting their reactions along with the screenshots. Some of them were quick to blame Google for the "error", some took it with light humour. Here is how Twitter reacted: Obviously ! He is the PM who believes "INDIA FIRST" .. It's "INDIA FIRST" PM ..M No wonder, Google got confused between India's First PM and India's BEST PM .. pic.twitter.com/fHkzgeVilN Suresh (@sureshganapathi) April 26, 2018 Type 'India first pm' in google and result is Mr.Narendra Modi's photo instead of Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru. @Google Pls correct it.. How come you also fell in the trap of Mr.Modi? pic.twitter.com/H8zlP9zzW0 Ashok Tanwar (@AshokTanwar_INC) April 25, 2018 Mitron, who was India's first PM? pic.twitter.com/K8IQXgusx3 Salil Tripathi (@saliltripathi) April 25, 2018 I just googled Indias first pm after @anupamaskapoor asked me to and I got this. pic.twitter.com/rSMbk8psXC shunali khullar shroff (@shunalishroff) April 26, 2018 Here's a bit of a tech lesson. i have been seeing this screenshot go viral. When you google 'India's first PM' it gives an excerpt with a Narendra modi picture. Many are saying its because of Google's search algo. Not really pic.twitter.com/4YmUTtzcp7 Raghav Chopra (@AarSee) April 26, 2018 NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Thursday interact with the Karnataka faction of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) through the Namo app. The video interaction will take place at 9 am on Thursday between the Prime Minister and all candidates, office bearers, elected representatives and party workers in poll-bound Karnataka. The Prime Minister will encourage party workers engaged in the Assembly poll campaign in the state and also provide guidance to senior party leaders, MPs, and MLAs. Campaigning for elections in Karnataka is in full swing. State BJP had on Wednesday tweeted that the party is celebrating #NammaManeBJPMane campaign where lakhs of BJP karyakartas are hoisting the party flag atop their houses and are resolving to win their booths to win Karnataka on May 12. The video interaction comes days ahead of his visit to Karnataka's Udupi on May 1. During his visit to Udipi, he will be visiting Shri Krishna Mutt, and address a massive public rally. The BJP had earlier announced that PM Modi will be visiting Udupi in poll-bound Karnataka on May 1. However, the announcement made by the BJP on its Twitter handle did not go down well with social media. The twitter handle of Karnataka BJP, which has been extremely active in the run-up to the elections, posted a photo from the popular American fantasy drama television series Game of Thrones to announce Modi's schedule for Udipi. "PM Shri @narendramodi will be visiting Udupi on May 1st, 2018. He will be first visiting Udupi's Shri Krishna Mutt, and will later address a massive public rally in Udupi #ModiIsComing," BJP Karnataka tweeted. The photo posted along with the tweet has a message for Congress. It says, "Brace yourself Congress, Modi is coming." However, soon after the photo was tweeted, Twitter users started asking the logic behind why the photo of Ned Stark, a character why had been killed in the series, was used. The party is planning to organise over 12 public meetings by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to campaign for the party for the upcoming Assembly elections. The party is hoping that Modi's magic will work in favour of the party and will help them remove the Siddaramaih-led Congress government in the state. 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. BENGALURU: The Congress party on Thursday filed a police complaint and demanded a thorough probe after a plane carrying its president Rahul Gandhi developed a technical snag ahead of its landing at the Hubali airport in north Karnataka. The Congress party, after lodging a formal police complaint, also approached the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and sought a probe into what it termed the "suspicious and faulty performance" of the aircraft before its landing at the Hubali airport. Reacting to its complaint, the DGCA said that it would examine the issue. The reported technical snag in the plane carrying Rahul Gandhi was noticed when the aircraft suddenly tilted heavily on the left side and the altitude dipped steeply with violent shuddering of the plane's body around 10.45 am. Kaushal Vidyarthi, a close aide of Rahul Gandhi, alleged this in a letter addressed to state DGP Neelmani N Raju. Complaint to the DG&IG of Police, Karnataka, regarding the serious malfunction of the aircraft carrying Congress President @RahulGandhi pic.twitter.com/P3RJwkWOMR Congress (@INCIndia) April 26, 2018 In his letter, Vidyarthi further stated that the weather was normal and not 'windy' according to the passengers. "It was apparent from the suspicious and faulty performance of the aircraft that the incidents of shuddering and altitude dipping were not natural or weather-related, but were due to some technical snag...," the letter said. "Serious questions related to intentional tampering with the aircraft cannot also be brushed aside and are requested to be addressed and investigated," the letter read. "Yes, we have received a complaint about some unexplained turbulence of the aircraft," Renuka Sukumar, DCP (Law and Order), Hubbali-Dharwad Police was quoted as saying by PTI. ''A complaint under Section 287 (negligent conduct with respect to machinery) and 336 (act endangering life or personal safety of others) of the IPC has been registered,'' she said. In its complaint, the Karnataka unit of Congress party also named two pilots for the ''unexplained" technical snag. Multiple "unexplained" technical snags coupled with the failure of the auto-pilot system raised serious issues of aviation safety and possible and intentional tampering with aircraft which endangered the lives of its occupants, the letter said. "A thorough examination of the structural and mechanical elements of the aircraft, the surrounding circumstances of the flight and the persons attached with the maintenance of the aircraft is required in order to assess the incident," it said. The letter said a "clankish noise" was clearly audible from one side of the plane throughout the shuddering of the aircraft body. "It was learnt that the autopilot of the aircraft was not functioning," it said. The plane landed at the Hubali airport around 11.25 am in the third attempt, according to Vidyarthi's letter. "The crew was also apparently petrified and admitted that the flight was particularly frightening and uncommon," it said. A senior DGCA official said, "The operator has reported the incident to us.'' According to the operator's report, it was a snag of auto-pilot mode and the pilot shifted to the manual (mode) and landed (the aircraft) safely. "Shutdown of auto-pilot (mode) incidents are not uncommon. For any VIP flight, the DGCA examines it in detail. We shall do that here also," the official said. However, a senior official at the Hubali airport, later citing the report from the Air Traffic Controller, said that the plane had landed safely. The Congress president is on a two-day visit to poll-bound Karnataka from today to campaign for the party candidates in the districts of Uttara Kannada, Dahskina Kannada, Kodagu and Mysuru. (With PTI inputs) Los Angeles: Hollywood stars Meryl Streep and Jennifer Lawrence are both owed over $100,000 by the Weinstein Company, according to new court documents. Partners at disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein's former company are currently in the middle of a bankruptcy battle, and it has now come to light that the two Oscar winners are owed money, reports aceshowbiz.com. According to papers obtained by a portal The Blast, the Weinstein Company accountants have filed statements detailing the amounts of money various creditors are owed, and Streep is owed almost $143,000, while Lawrence is owed over $102,000. Last month, the company released a full list of creditors, which included names like John Legend, Jerry Seinfeld, Julianne Moore, Peter Jackson and Pierce Brosnan. Streep and Lawrence were both outspoken after Weinstein's lawyers mentioned them as part of his defence in a class action lawsuit, using positive remarks they had made about the producer. Lawrence said: "Harvey Weinstein and his company are continuing to do what they have always done which is to take things out of context and use them for their own benefit. This is what predators do, and it must stop." She added: "While I was not victimised personally by Harvey Weinstein, I stand behind the women who have survived his terrible abuse and I applaud them in using all means necessary to bring him to justice whether through criminal or civil actions." Weinstein has been accused of sexual misconduct, inappropriate behaviour and even rape by over 80 women, including many big name actresses. As if to clear up any doubt that the weekend is OVER, this morning's commute was a drenching, dreary ordeal for mass transit riders, due to heavy rain triggering flash flood warnings across the city. Are your socks still wet? Ours are, among other things. Monday seems to be getting stronger, but New Yorkers are still stronger than Monday, right? When the subway stairs turn into a gushing waterfall, New Yorkers climb that waterfall. When it rains inside the subway train, New Yorkers continue enjoying a breakfast sandwich. RAINS INSIDE OF SUBWAY CAR; UNFAZED NEW YORKER CONTINUES TO EAT BREAKFAST SANDWICH pic.twitter.com/CzmhYtmkY6 Ellie Sunakawa (@elliesunakawa) April 16, 2018 Ellie Sunakawa boarded the L train at Bedford Avenue around 10 a.m. when someone tapped her on the shoulder and told her to watch out for the rain inside the train. "The train jolted and it just started raining inside the carluckily I still had my hood on," she told us. She didn't even notice the breakfast sandwich guy until after she rewatched her video: "When I watched the video later I saw this totally unbothered guy with the sandwich and laughed because it was the most New Yorker thing Ive ever seen. Honestly Id do the same, what is he going to just let it get wet? I know the MTA cant control the weather but theres no way it shouldve been raining inside the train something really has to change." Bret Hyde captured the magical subway waterfall clip above just after 9 a.m. at the 42nd Street/Bryant Park station. "When the train stopped, the doors opened and I heard the cascade of water raining down from the next set of doors over from me," he said. "The people on the train and the platform didn't seem that put out by it (shoutout to the people in my mentions saying how strange it was there was that much room on the train itself), but at that point, it wasn't that surprising to see." Mike Murphy saw more flooding at the Court Square-23rd Street station in Queens around 10 a.m. "My commute usually takes like 35-40 mins, and today it took over an hour," he told us. "A whole bunch of people stood back from the flooding, not wanting to cross further down the platform, and the rest just ignored it, because I think sadly they're used to this sort of thing now." Hope you dont have to get off at Bryant Park pic.twitter.com/kuJYWHwnc3 a ship (@Dangbattleship) April 16, 2018 Another tipster, who also took video at the Bryant Park station around 9 a.m., echoed Murphy's weary sentiments: "People were just trying to get around the waterfall and the whole thing had the usual kind of 'gird yourselves for Monday' air about it, which probably says something about the state of the subway these days." According to the MTA, despite the wet conditions all over the system, only two stations (145th Street 1 train & 42nd Street F/M trains) were bypassed in one direction because of the water. Those stations were cleared in about two hours, while rain was still falling. "We immediately sent emergency maintenance and customer service personnel to help clear water and direct customers," said MTA spokesperson Shams Tarek, who added, "NYCT pumps 13 million gallons of water out of the system on a dry day." (For some context, a powerful rainstorm severely hobbled the entire system in 2007.) Street level at Bryant Park clearing residua debris out of drains following this morning s rain. pic.twitter.com/ZHhRS3G5W2 Jon Weinstein (@jonweinstein) April 16, 2018 MTA spokesman Jon Weinstein helped explain that 13 million gallon figure: "Thirteen million gallons is pumped out on a dry day because Manhattan used to be lakes and rivers and the subway is the lowest pointwater drains to the lowest point," he said. "The reason we use 'pumps' is because we have to get the water back into the sewer system. As for the 'holes,' like street vents and grates, we keep them there so we can ventilate the system. And the other 'holes' like staircases allow people to get into and out of the system so cant plug those." Good morning and welcome to hell pic.twitter.com/EJ39NBwr7R Jeremy Barr (@jeremymbarr) April 16, 2018 So while some may have been too quick to blame the MTA, that doesn't mean commuters don't see room for improvement. "The MTA appears to be entirely reactive, as opposed to proactive, in these kinds of situations," Hyde said. "It had been raining for awhile at that point, and not so much as a cone or a platform controller nearby?" "And for what it's worth, I'm voting for Cynthia Nixon in the primary for a number of reasons, not least of which is Cuomo's utter disregard for mass transit in the city." This was previously published on the Gothamist newsletter on April 16, 2018. Don't miss storiessign up for our newsletter here. AGARTALA: A day after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee discredited the victory of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Tripura Assembly elections, Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb launched a scathing attack on former saying that she 'should get her brain examined in a hospital'. The newly-inducted Chief Minister further suggested that the Trinamool Congress (TMC) Chief should visit temples for 'mental peace'. "Mamata didi should go to a temple and then get her brain examined at a hospital," Biplab told ANI. Mamata had earlier in an interview discredited the BJP for its win in Tripura, and compared the saffron party's feat to 'winning the municipal elections'. She also reportedly claimed that the BJP's victory in Tripura was no cause for concern for her. The BJP-Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT) coalition defeated the Communist Party of India (CPI) with a two-thirds majority in the Tripura legislative assembly elections that held in the months of February-March. The BJP decimated the CPM in Tripura - one of the last remaining Left bastions, ousting Manik Sarkar from power after 20 long years. The state's ruling party won 35 of the 59 seats that went to polls in the Left bastion over the CPI (M) which could bag only 17 assembly constituencies. The BJP, after its historic victory over the former chief minister Manik Sarkar-led Left Front in the assembly polls, has renewed attempts to wrest the state's two Lok Sabha seats from the CPI-M in the 2019 General Elections. Meanwhile, another BJP leader, Surendra Singh - an MLA from Uttar Pradesh - targeted West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee calling her 'Surpanakha' while comparing opposition Congress to 'Ravana'. Surpanakha is the sister of demon king Ravana in Hindu epic 'Ramayana'. The first-time MLA from Bairia, made the controversial remarks against Banerjee while raising questions over the law and order situation in West Bengal. (With inputs from agencies) NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday condoled the death of the thirteen children who were killed in Kushinagar in Uttar Pradesh after a school van rammed into a train. "I am extremely saddened on hearing about the death of school students in a collision between a school van and a train in Uttar Pradesh's Kushinagar. The UP government and the Railway Department will take appropriate action," he said. While thirteen people including children were killed in the accident, seven others were seriously injured. The mishap took place on Thursday morning at around 6:45-7 am when Thawe-Kapatanganj passenger train (55075) was passing the railway crossing. There were at least 25 people, mostly children in the van. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also expressed condolence and announced an ex-gratia of Rs two lakh each to the family of the deceased. He is heading to Kushinagar for on-the-spot assessment of accident site. The UP CM has ordered an immediate inquiry into the matter by the Gorakhpur commissioner and directed the district administration to provide all possible help and medical aid to the victims. Railway Minister Piyush Goyal also announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh each for the kin of the deceased. "I received the unfortunate news of the death of school children. I have asked senior officials to conduct a probe into the incident. Railways will give a compensation of Rs 2 lakh to the kin of the dead over and above the aid announced by the Uttar Pradesh government," he said in a tweet. An accident relief medical train from Gorakhpur has been dispatched to the site. The children, students of Divine Public School, were killed on the spot when the passenger train crashed into the van at the unmanned crossing gate at Behpurva. As per witnesses, all those killed in the crash are aged under 10. Many of those injured could not even be taken to the hospital and succumbed to their injuries on the spot. Eyewitnesses are blaming it on the administration as the incident took place on an unmanned railway crossing. The death toll is likely to rise. As per initial reports, the bus belonged to Divine public school in Kushinagar. KANPUR: A woman in Kanpur has alleged that she was raped by a police officer on the pretext of marriage. Seeking punishment for him, she said: "He should be behind bars and not in a uniform. I want to get him punished for this crime." The police have taken cognisance of the case and are probing the matter. "We have registered the case and will investigate the matter. The victim will be sent for medical tests," the SSP said. Earlier this week in Kanpur, a 15-year-old girl had filed a complaint, alleging that she was raped by her father and four other men. The girl in her complaint has alleged that she was raped in November last year. However, she has not been able to explain why she did not report about the incident for so long. She has alleged that she was confined to her neighbour's house and then gangraped. She said that she was taken to the house on the pretext of a job. She also complained that she was dumped at her father's house in Kanpur after the gangrape. She alleged that her father, who works as a security guard, allegedly raped her too. She added that she managed to run away from her fathers place in January and has been staying with her mother in Unnao since then. Police said that the girls mother was arrested in 2014 in the murder case of her sister and has recently been released on bail. New Zealand has opened its doors to immigrants who are sex workers, prostitutes, and escort service providers. According to Immigration NZ (INZ) website those desirous of migrating to New Zealand for a new life can now claim valuable points as skilled sex workers or escorts add it as a new skill to their visa applications. But according to a report on the New Zealand Herald website, these are not on the skill-shortage list. The New Zealand Herald website quoted an Immigration NZ officials as saying, "The list itself comes from the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) list and not INZ." Sex worker or escort is listed as an ANZSCO level 5 skilled employment, according to the INZ website. Any person willing to immigrate to New Zealand can claim points if they were paid at or above $36.44 per hour, which is $75,795 based on a 40-hour week. They also need to have a recognised qualification or at least three years of relevant work experience. But New Zealand Association of Migration and Investment (NZAMI) spokesperson Peter Moses said even though INZ has announced that immigrants can claim points for being a sex worker or escort, it would be extremely tough for anyone to do so. "Even though prostitution is a lawful occupation, it is not an occupation that an immigrant can undertake on a temporary visa, sex work is specifically excepted. An applicant would have to be onshore lawfully and not working, or off-shore while applying for residence. And they would need a formal offer of employment - also not the rule" said Moses. He clarified that sex worker or escort has been put on the list as it is on the ANZSCO list. But till now there is no record of anyone claiming points for being a skilled sex worker or escort. Kolkata: The State Election Commission (SEC) on Thursday announced the schedule for holding panchayat elections in West Bengal. According to the SEC, the single-phase panchayat polls will be held on May 14 in West Bengal. "The panchayat election will be held on May 14," a spokesman of the SEC told newsmen here. Repoll, if needed, will be held on May 16, the SEC said. The counting will take place on May 17, the SEC said in a notification. The decision came after a recommendation from the state government that the polls be held on May 14. The elections were earlier slated to be held in three phases on May 1, 3 and 5. But the schedule was pushed back after the Calcutta High Court stayed the polling process on petitions moved by the opposition parties which complained that they were not being allowed to file nominations allegedly by armed miscreants owing allegiance to the ruling Trinamool Congress. Justice Subrata Talukdar then asked the SEC to extend the deadline for submitting nomination by a day. In conformity with the order, the SEC declared April 23 as the extended date for filing of nominations. Angry over the SEC announcement, the opposition parties said the state lacked adequate number of police personnel to provide fool-proof security and alleged the poll panel never discussed the matter with them, despite a direction from the high court. "The court had directed the SEC to hold discussions with all political parties. So far we have not received invitation for any such deliberations," said BJP leader Pratap Banerjee. "Secondly, the SEC should ponder over what kind of security it is providing the voters. There are around 58,000 polling booths. The total umber of personnel with the state police is also 58,000. Does that mean all police stations will be under lock and key, and all personnel will guard the booths? "Or will there be a jungle raj with all miscreants backed by Trinamool flexing their muscles at the booths? The Trinamool wants to prevent genuine voters from exercising their franchise, so that anti-socials can indulge in false voting," said Banerjee. Left Front chairman and senior CPI-M leader Biman Bose also pulled up the SEC for not talking to representatives of political parties before announcing the polling date. "The state government asked the SEC unilaterally to hold polls on May 14, and it has obliged. "It seems they want a blood-splattered polling day. The state government is leading the SEC through a road which can only push the state to the graveyard of democracy," said Bose. Former state Congress chief Pradip Bhattacharya said the ruling Trinamool was going ahead in its mission to create an "opposition-free" state. "The state government knows a single-day polling will lead to mayhem. The Trinamool-backed goons will capture booths and vote. This will only result in there being not a single opposition party among the elected representatives in the state. "This is unprecedented in India," said Bhattacharya, currently a Rajya Sabha member. Meanwhile, a delegation of BJP leaders from West Bengal met Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday to apprise them of the ongoing violence in the state ahead of the upcoming panchayat polls. The BJP leaders including General Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya, secretary Rahul Sinha, Rajya Sabha member Rupa Ganguly and Mukul Roy submitted a memorandum to Naidu appealing him to take serious cognizance. "Democracy is being slaughtered in West Bengal and we appeal to your high office to take cognizance of this acute assault on democracy by the ruling TMC. Lives, democratic rights, democratic space, Constitutional machinery and freedom are not safe anymore in the state," the memorandum read. Later, addressing a press conference at party headquarters in presence of the victims of the pre-poll violence, former Railway Minister Mukul Roy said in West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is the killer of democracy. "Bengal is quite different from other states. In other states, nobody raises a finger on democracy either in civic body or in general elections. But in Bengal election, Mamata has made a mockery of democracy," he said. Attacking Banerjee, Roy said she has encouraged Trinamool Congress (TMC) workers to create law and order problem across the state and intimidate candidates from other parties to stop them from filing their nominations. "The BDO office and the SDO office was totally blocked by the Trinamool goons under the leadership of Mamata Banerjee. Mamata was the designated Home Minister. She instructed all the SPs, BDOs and DMs not to intervene, so the police kept mum," he said. (With Agency inputs) Open source The uncontrolled territories of Donbas are controlled by the Russian Federation, but at the same time, Ukraine must think about better ensuring human rights in these areas. The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe adopted such resolution (2209) on the second day of the spring session, on April 24. What recommendations were given to Ukraine and what is important for us in this document? What is this resolution? Its a resolution called "State of emergency: proportionality issues concerning derogations under Article 15 of the European Convention on Human Rights". This article allows the country during the war or other public danger that threatens the life of the nation to back away from its obligations under this Convention if such measures do not contradict its other obligations under international law. For now, three countries - Ukraine (after the Russian Federation's invasion in 2014), France (after the terrorist attacks in 2015), Turkey (after an attempted coup d'etat in 2016), have used this opportunity. At the same time, the PACE points out some problems that arose in these countries after a step away from the Convention. We will concentrate on Ukraine. PACEs concern regarding Ukraines step away from Convention on Human Rights The resolution states that Ukraine notified the Secretary General of its derogation on 9 June 2015. It stated that the public emergency threatening the life of the nation consisted of the ongoing armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, together with war crimes and crimes against humanity committed both by regular Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and by the illegal armed groups guided, controlled and financed by the Russian Federation. Ukraine's derogation concerns four specific laws adopted on 12 August 2014. It extends only to certainly specified localities in the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts. The notification specifies the Convention rights from which Ukraine derogates and indicates the nature of the circumstances in which the derogation may be withdrawn. In regard to this, the Assembly expresses concern: The Assembly is concerned about the provision in one of the Ukrainian laws permitting preventive detention for up to 30 days. Whilst this provision seems not to have been applied, its potential duration may be disproportionate, the document states. The Assembly is also concerned about the manner in which some of the other laws have been applied, in particular administration of and material conditions at the crossing points between government-controlled and non-government-controlled territory and the functioning of courts transferred from non-government-controlled territory to government-controlled territory. PACE recommends Ukraine: - reconsider the utility and hence the necessity of maintaining the provision on the 30-day preventive detention, which the Constitutional Court should be given the opportunity of examining; - make further efforts to enhance material conditions for people in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions using the crossing points between government-controlled territories and territories temporarily under the effective control of the Russian authorities; - make further efforts to ensure the proper functioning of and sufficiency of resources for courts transferred from territories in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions temporarily under the effective control of the Russian authorities; - ensure that parliamentary scrutiny of the emergency measures is sufficient and effective; Whats the importance of this resolution for Ukraine? On one hand, the PACE has scolded Ukraine for the disproportionate and unjustified nature of certain measures in the Donbas conflict zone, given the situation that has developed. On the other hand, it acknowledged that the Russian Federation controls the territories of Donbas that are not under control of the Ukrainian authorities. The wording was changed from "government-uncontrolled territory" to "regions that are under the actual control of Russian authorities" (territories in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions temporarily under the effective control of the Russian authorities). The PACE voted almost unanimously for this amendment, introduced by the Ukrainian delegation. In addition, the Assembly confirmed the condemnation of Russian aggression against Ukraine, its violation of international law and the principles of the Council of Europe. As the Poroshenko Bloc deputy and a member of the Ukrainian delegation in the PACE Oleksiy Honcharenko notes, the voted amendment will increase chances of Ukraine in the European Court of Human Rights regarding suits against Russian Federation. "The main result for us yesterday is that today there are grounds for the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) to make decisions against Russia based on the fact that Russia controls (and this is recognized by the PACE) the territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions," he believes. We will only add that the PACE decisions have a recommendatory character. Therefore, there are no guarantees that the Russian Federation (and even Ukraine) will react instantly to the resolution and begin to follow all the points on the points. During its plenary session, the Assembly looks at the state of emergency, hybrid war, corruption, editorial integrity Read the original text at 112.ua. April 23-27, Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe deals with the situation in Donbas, the presidential elections in occupied Crimea, global phenomenon of the hybrid war, and fake news. The PACE Vice President, Ukraines People's Deputy Volodymyr Aryev announces this session to be "very important". Let us try to figure out why. On the second day of the session, April 24, a report on the problems that have arisen in three countries (Ukraine, Turkey, and France) due to their derogation in the European Convention on Human Rights was presented. Art. 15 of this Convention allows the country to deviate from its obligations in terms of the war or other public danger that threatens the life of the nation. Ukraine did not declare a state of emergency because of Russia's aggression, however, on June 9, 2015, the PACE reported on the application of this article. The restrictions concerned the area of the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO). In particular, Ukraine reserved the right to detain suspected terrorists without a court decision (for a period that exceeds 72 hours but does not exceed 30 days); a special procedure for investigating cases of terrorism and crimes committed in the ATO zone; restriction of movement of people and search in certain areas. The latest PACE report once again condemns Russia's aggression against Ukraine and does not call into question the fact that the situation in Donbas is "threatening", while it points to violations of human rights by "all parties to the conflict". It is believed that some adopted (and unaccepted) measures do not correspond to the situation. Speakers believe that the issues of people living in the ATO area, as well as the functioning of organizations or enterprises there, could be resolved without derogation in the Convention. According to the report, people face "inadequate waiting conditions" at the checkpoints; tens of thousands of civilians are forced to wait in queues for up to 36 hours, while there are not enough WCs for them. It is also noted that not all courts have moved from the occupied territories. Some of those who moved have not received the relevant premises. Some of the archives remained in their original places and a significant number of judges resigned. The burden on the courts under the control of the government increased at times. Thus, Ukraine is recommended to reconsider the need to preserve the provision on detention for 30 days (this norm should be investigated by the Constitutional Court); improve material conditions at the checkpoints; contribute to the proper functioning and provision of resources to ships transferred from the occupied territories; ensure effective verification of emergency measures in the ATO zone. In Europe, 4 million internally displaced persons whose rights are regularly violated are recorded. The largest number is 1.7 million people account for Ukraine; because of the war in Donbas and the annexation of Crimea, people faced serious humanitarian challenges. According to the report, which is scheduled for April 25, many people in eastern Ukraine have limited access to medical care, many have been forced to leave their homes (some of them were destroyed by the hostilities) and their old parents. Despite the fact that the conflict is "relatively recent and ongoing," the humanitarian needs of internally displaced people include basic social assets - housing, health care, and childrens access to education. It is also noted that Crimean Tatars during the Russian annexation were deprived of their cultural rights, which contributed to a new displacement. In this regard, the member states of the Council of Europe plan to call for ensuring the humanitarian and social needs of IDPs. The new PACE resolution (to be considered on April 26) states that countries are increasingly confronted with the phenomenon of a "hybrid war", which creates a new type of threat through a combination of military and non-military means, including cyber attacks, mass misinformation campaigns, fake news, especially in social networks. Open source It is noted that in the last ten years Estonia, Georgia, Lithuania, Ukraine, Finland, Germany, the Netherlands, and the United States have spoken about the impact of Russian cyber attacks. The report says that 126 million US citizens were subjected to Russian disinformation during the last presidential election in 2016. In addition, interference in the electoral process probably occurred in Germany, France, and some countries of the Balkan region. Russia is accused of conducting a hybrid war in Georgia, Crimea, and Donbas. According to the text, in Ukraine, it has received very favorable soil (after all, in a region where the situation has already been shaken, it is much easier to conduct a disinformation campaign and impose its own vision of events). It is pointed out that the Russian "troll factory" works quite efficiently, "therefore it is very difficult to distinguish fake statements on the Internet from state interference. The report emphasizes that when fighting against the hybrid war, states are obliged to comply with human rights law. A concern is expressed that some member states of the Council of Europe have resorted to means of tracking, blocking websites, criminal prosecutions for statements on the Internet. In this context, Ukraine is mentioned together with France, Germany, and Latvia. In May 2017, Ukraine has blocked access to some Russian websites (in particular, to "Odnoklassniki" and "VKontakte" social media). PACE reporters see in such actions elements of restricting freedom of speech. The Assembly intends to urge the Member States to refrain from using a hybrid war in international relations, to intensify cooperation in order to identify such manifestations and establish an appropriate legislative framework, to raise public awareness of hybrid wars and the ability to respond quickly to such threats. The Committee of Ministers should investigate this problem in order to protect the impact of hybrid war on holding elections. According to the PACE, a petition was submitted for urgent debate: "Illegal election of the President of the Russian Federation in the temporarily occupied territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea: violation of human rights." According to the agenda, the discussion might be held on April 26. The election of the President of the Russian Federation was held on March 18. Voting was also held in occupied Crimea, despite Ukraine's objections and statements by international partners about non-recognition of results. The next day, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko called the elections in annexed Crimea "insignificant" and "deprived of legal consequences." On March 22, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted a resolution on non-recognition of the Russian presidential election in the territory of Crimea. And the Ukrainian delegation initiated a debate in the PACE. Climate change and the implementation of the Paris Agreement, the financing of ISIS terrorist group, protection of editorial independence and the status of journalists, the role of the Council of Europe in Libya, the fight against organized crime by confiscating illicit assets, tuberculosis in Europe, and access to education for migrant children would be also discussed. In addition, according to Aryev, there would be a roundtable on Nord Stream 2 with the participation of the Naftogaz CEO. In 2014, Russian delegation was deprived of the right to vote in the PACE for the annexation of Ukrainian Crimea. Since then, the sanctions have been extended several times, since the Russian Federation has not complied with any of the requirements of several resolutions on the Ukrainian question. The delegation of the State Duma, in protest, decided not to take part in the PACE sessions. However, the PACE is gradually gaining momentum for the return of Russians. January 22, 2018, Secretary General of the Council of Europe Thorbjrn Jagland said that Russia did not deserve an exception from the organization, despite the violation of some of its principles. January 23, the first ad hoc meeting of the PACE committee was held in Strasbourg, which was devoted to changing the rules and procedures of the assembly. The Russian delegation insisted that it would agree to return to the PACE only if a change in the rules of the assembly guarantees the non-introduction of sanctions against the Russian Federation in the future. After the meeting of the special committee, its participants announced that the draft decision on the modification of the rules and procedures of the PACE, which will enable the Russian Federation to return to the assembly of the delegation, could be presented at the session in June. On the day before the start of the spring session (April 22), an independent investigation team, which studied corruption allegations in the PACE, will present its report in private. Later this report might be published on the PACE website. In 2012 and 2016, non-profit organization European Stability Initiative (ESI) published two reports, which stated that European politicians received jewelry, carpets, and black caviar from representatives of the Azerbaijani authorities in exchange for approving reports on the state of democracy in this country. Italian PACE MP Luca Volonte was accused of receiving two million euros from a member of the Azerbaijani delegation. The Milan prosecutor's office opened a criminal case against Volonte. After that, a number of the PACE deputies demanded from then-President Pedro Agramunt (who visited Azerbaijan as an election observer and constantly "defended Baku") to begin an independent investigation in the assembly, but he delayed with this procedure. Open source Another scandal, in which Agramunt got involved, was connected with his trip to Syria in the company of Russian deputies. Eventually, a visit to a Russian plane to meet with Bashar Assad forced him to leave the PACE leadership in October 2017. By the way, he soon received an honorary title of doctor in Russia. The results of the investigation into corruption in the PACE will be especially interesting for Ukraine since it advocated the resignation of Agramunt because of his close ties with Russia more than anyone else did. Read the original text at 112.ua. Open source Ukraine has frozen in panic expectation of the militants flooding of the Yunkom mine, located in the occupied part of Donetsk region, where an underground nuclear explosion was conducted in Soviet times. The reason is quite simple: the separatists have no money to pump the water. With reference to "scientists" (including from the Russian Federation), DPR is assured that the mine flooding will not have a radiation impact on the environment and will not pollute the groundwater. However, scientists from Kyiv consider only "bad or very bad consequences", declaring the threat of the emergence of the "second Chernobyl" and ask international partners to prevent a serious environmental catastrophe. The Yunkom mine ("Young Communard"), located in the village of Bunhe (formerly Yunokomunarsk), 43 km to the north-east of Donetsk, was launched in 1912. It was very fecund. According to Deputy Minister for Occupied Territories Georgiy Tuka, only during the period from 1959 to 1979, it recorded 235 gas emissions, 28 of which resulted in the death of miners. September 16, 1979, an underground nuclear explosion (the "Cleavage" facility) at a depth of 903 meters and a capacity of 300 kilotons was conducted to reduce stresses in the mountain massifs (the official version). It is also rumored that, in fact, the USSR was conducting a military experiment under the guise of industrial necessity. As a result of the nuclear explosion, a cavity (capsule) with a radius of 5-6 meters was formed around, and a zone of crushing with a radius of 20-25 m was shaped around it. According to official data, in 1979-2000, the level of radioactivity in rocks and mine waters was at the background level. According to unofficial information, it exceeded the norm by half, but it was hushed up. The last time the mine was comprehensively surveyed in 1999. In 2002, it was decided to close it. Three options were considered: flooding, water disposal to the neighboring Komsomolska mine, direct drainage. In 2015, the government of Viktor Yanukovych chose the third option and since that time the pumping regime has been maintained. However, this method is not cheap, and the occupation authorities of the "DPR" found a "solution" from the situation. March 22, 2018, the so-called Minenergougol of the self-proclaimed "DPR" announced its decision to flood the Yunkom mine. "Pumping water will be completely suspended on April 14, 2018, now we are dismantling the equipment," as said in the press release. The decision on flooding was called "the most rational measure from the point of view of ecological safety", as the flooding of the capsule "will eliminate the negative destructive effect of infiltration water and lateral rocks on it." The militants' plans regarding mine flooding in their report of April 12 were confirmed by the OSCE CMM. The workers of the mine informed observers that, on April 14, several pumps of the mine will be shut off, after which it will be gradually flooded. A week later, the observers specified the mine workers' information on the planned flooding. The report of April 20 said that four pumps that regulated the water level in the mine were removed three weeks ago, and the pumps that remained were to be shut down by the end of the month. The OSCE noted that the observers could not confirm the data on the dismantled equipment in the mine since this requires "permission from armed formations." Open source It should be noted that as early as June 2017 (when DPR announced the flooding of the Poltava and Yenakievska mines, which would lead to the conservation and flooding of the neighboring Yunkom mine), Bunhe residents went to the rally due to fears of withdrawal on the radiation surface. Those pumps that pump water from the neighboring non-working mines, work poorly (they were broken or stopped). The rallies were suppressed; the self-proclaimed authorities promised that "scientists" would be engaged in the case. A few days later, with reference to the "special commission", the "DPR" media reported that the radioactivity was two to three times lower than the normative. The DPR convinces that the current situation at the mine corresponds to a natural radiation background and does not require special measures for radiation safety; that "wet conservation" and the subsequent flooding of the mine will not have a radiation impact on the population and the environment; the removal of radionuclides from the Cleavage facility is impossible in the same way as contamination of groundwater and surface water. Scientists from Kyiv have a radically different current of view. In particular, the Minister of Ecology Ostap Semerak notes that the consequences of the flooding of Yunkom might be "bad or very bad." According to him, this will negatively affect the environment not only in Ukraine but also in the neighboring countries. He noted that such plans of militants are nothing but terrorism and blackmail, which can lead to a radiation catastrophe - the "second Chornobyl." The head of the Department of Ecological Safety and Mine Action of Ukraine Maksym Komissarov confirms that possible flooding threatens with radioactive contamination of the region. Open source Ecologist, coordinator of the direction "Freshwater resources" WWF in Ukraine Olha Denyschyk also warns of the impending catastrophe. According to her, the mine waters saturated with radionuclides will rise, then they will fall into the nearest river (Siversky Donets), then will go to Don, and then all this will come to the Sea of Azov. "One kilogram of harmful substance is enough to pollute underground water for a small state for hundreds of years, unfortunately, there is no solution yet. The fact that the Sea of Azov will suffer and the people living there is unequivocal, "she said. In November 2017, the OSCE stated that because of Donbas hostilities, 36 mines that were flooded or completely flooded are not subject to further exploitation. Even then, a significant concentration of nitrogen and phosphorus was reported in the rivers Kalmius, Kalchyk, Siversky Donets, Kleban-Byk. In some cases, the excess of pollutants in the soil reached 17 times. Open source Immediately after receiving information on plans for flooding the mine, the US State Department called on the Russian Federation and the militants under its control to "act responsibly," since this could lead to the loss of drinking water to thousands of Ukrainians. Subsequently, on April 18, the Minister of Ecology of Ukraine Ostap Semerak, speaking in Strasbourg, called on the international community to intervene in the situation. Radio Liberty reports the OSCE Secretariat is ready to help Ukraine in assessing radiation threats. Nobody owns the real situation of radiation safety at the "Cleavage" facility today. Russian experts were involved in the explosion. Russia keeps archival documents, and Ukraine's requests to provide any information remain unanswered. Militants performed 33 attacks at the Armed Forces positions in Donbas conflict zone over the past 24 hours using Minsk-banned weapons. Four Ukrainian soldiers were wounded, one soldier got battle trauma, as Donbas conflict HQ press-office reported on Facebook. The aggressor attacked from multiple artillery rocket system, 152-mm artillery, 120-mm mortar launchers and tank armament our defense works near Novoluhanske. The occupants used 120- and 82-mm mortar launchers near Troitske, the message says. According to HQ information, the militants were firing from 120-mm mortar launchers, infantry fighting vehicles, grenade launchers and heavy machine guns at the defenders of Novozvanivka and from 120-mm mortar launchers near Luhanske. They used 82-mm mortar launchers, grenade launchers and infantry fighting vehicles near Novosylivka. The enemy was firing from banned 120-mm mortar and grenade launchers at our positions near Verkhnyotoretske, Butivka mine and Vodyane. The occupants opened fire from 82-mm mortar launchers, various grenade launchers and small arms at the defenders of Avdiivka and Butivka mine, from infantry fighting vehicles near Talakivka and Bohdanivka, from heavy machine guns near Pavlopil, Hnutove, Slavne and Krasnohorivka, from small arms at the defenders of Shyrokyne, the HQ reported. Besides, the illegally armed formations used antitank missile system near Talakivka and snipers fire near Hnutove. As a result of the attacks, four Ukrainian soldiers were injured. One Ukrainian defender got a battle trauma. The injured people were taken to the hospital where they have received medical assistance. According to the Defence Ministry, the militants have performed 64 attacks over the past 24 hours. Seven Ukrainian soldiers were wounded, two more got battle traumas. Two Ukrainian defenders were injured during the execution of engineering support works as a result of an explosion of unidentified explosive devices. All the injured were evacuated to the hospitals. Two of them are in a critical condition and two more are in an intermediate severity condition, other six are in a satisfactory condition. Since Thursday morning till 6 p.m., four Ukrainian servicemen sustained combat injuries in the combat area in eastern Ukraine. The Ukrainian military observed mortar strikes in the area of Novotroitske, Donetsk region; in this sector, the enemy also used IFVs, RPGs and small arms to open fire. 82 and 120 mm mines hit Lebedynske; RPG fire was reported near Avdiivka, Mariinka and Kamyanka. The enemy opened fire from large-caliber machineguns near Nevelske and Talakivka. Small arms fire was observed in the vicinities of Lomakyno and Opytne. Hostile snipers shot at Ukrainian positions not far from Novomykhailivka. Fighters of illegal armed units in Donetsk region shot at residential quarters in Zaitsevo. According to the local police department's press service, the militants damaged nine houses in this area. 'The attack began at 9 a.m. Currently, there are nine houses that sustained damage; two units of cattle are wounded. No injuries among civlians reported,' the message says. The police now decide whether to open the criminal case under the respective article of the Criminal Code of Ukraine ('terrorist act'). The day after Earth Day, Governor Andrew Cuomo proposed a bill to ban single-use plastic bags, declaring, "The blight of plastic bags takes a devastating toll on our streets, our water and our natural resources, and we need to take action to protect our environment." It's a sentiment with which many agree, but some advocates and legislators who have previously tried to outlaw plastic bags in New York remain deeply skeptical about whether the governor's plan will actually be effective. "It's a flawed solution," says Eric Goldstein, NYC Environment Director of the National Resources Defense Council, an influential environmental non-profit. "Experience elsewhere has shown that a simple ban on plastic bags leads to much greater use of paper bagsor thicker plastic bagsand doesnt accomplish the primary objective of triggering a shift to reusables." Goldstein is in favor of more "sophisticated" ways to discourage plastic bag use. California, for example, bans plastic bags and charges a fee for recycled paper bags. A year after that ban went into effect, an LA Times editorial crowed "the world didn't end." The other model is one that Chicago has adopted: Charging fees for using either plastic or paper bags, which one study said reduced usage by 42%. City Council Member Brad Lander, a Democrat whose district includes Park Slope, was more blunt in his assessment, issuing a lengthy statement yesterday declaring, "If Governor Cuomo has actually gotten serious about reducing the billions of plastic bags that New Yorkers send to landfills each month, it would be great news. But this looks like election-year Earth Day politics." Lander has slammed Cuomo over this issue before. In 2016, the New York City Council passed a plastic bag surcharge bill, which Lander championed, but Cuomo and the state legislature killed the legislation last year. The City Council's bill would have required a five cent fee per bag (applied to plastic or paper bags), which would have gone directly to store ownersit was explicitly not a tax, because the City Council lacks the authority to levy taxes without state approval. Cuomo maintained the fee would be an "unjustifiable and unnecessary" imposition on low income New Yorkers and a windfall for businesses owners, and launched his own "Plastic Bag Task Force" a month later. In response, Lander called Cuomo's justification for blocking the bill "the height of chutzpah." This year, the state task force's report (PDF) included findings from various municipalities who have enacted methods to reduce single bag usage. Lander cited the cons listed for a single-use bag ban, like "No reduction in waste generation of single-use paper bags, which have their own environmental impacts" and "Does not incentivize reducing single-use paper bag use." Goldstein sees another flaw in Cuomo's proposal: municipalities would no longer be able to pass their own more progressive bag laws. Long Beach and Suffolk County now both charge fees for carryout plastic or paper bag. "Those experiments ought to be given a chance to play out fully," Goldstein maintains. In February, Democratic State Senators Brad Hoylman and Liz Krueger introduced a bill proposing to ban plastic bans and charge a fee for other bags. Asked yesterday about Cuomo's bag plan, Hoylman hedged, saying, "It's a start, its better than nothing, and Im hopeful that we can improve on it." "Clearly we have to reduce plastic. I dont think this is the most effective way to reduce plastic bags, but as with a lot of things that happen on Albany, sometimes you take what you can get," he added. Cuomo's announcement came two days after his Democratic primary challenger, Cynthia Nixon, released her clean energy and "climate justice" platform, which calls on New York to move to 100% renewable energy by 2050, and hours after Nixon told an environmental rally that Cuomo's commitment to environmental issues was "lacking." A spokesman for Cuomo told the NY Times that the timing of the bill's announcement was "governed by the facts and the process." Cuomo's proposal is expected to meet resistance in the state Senate, which remains under Republican control. Brooklyn State Senator Simcha Felder, who was a fierce opponent of the City Council's five cent bag fee last year, has yet to comment on Cuomo's bag ban bill. Lander's statement noted that with Felder in "the catbird seat in the State Senate... theres no reason to believe it will go anywhere." Fighters of illegal armed units in Donetsk region shot at residential quarters in Zaitsevo. According to the local police department's press service, the militants damaged nine houses in this area. 'The attack began at 9 a.m. Currently, there are nine houses that sustained damage; two units of cattle are wounded. No injuries among civlians reported,' the message says. The police now decide whether to open the criminal case under the respective article of the Criminal Code of Ukraine ('terrorist act'). Under the third macrofinancial assistance program, Ukraine has received two tranches worth 1.2 billion out of the allocated 1.8 billion. The main conditions for Ukraines new, fourth macrofinancial assistance package from the European Union include the automatic verification of e-declarations, introduction of NBU credit registry and a verification system of ultimate beneficiary owners, as well as the abolition of the moratorium on exports of timber logs, the Finance Minister of Ukraine Oleksandr Danylyuk said as the result of negotiations in Brussels, Interfax-Ukraine reports. Verification of electronic declarations mechanically as it is happening now is nonsense, considering the technology available nowadays. I am sure that through joint efforts with the EU office in Ukraine and UN office in Ukraine we will solve this issue in the nearest future, - Danylyuk wrote on his Facebook page. What concerns the National Bank credit registry, the head of the finance ministry reminded that the law has been passed and its implementation has begun. In regards to the exports of timber logs, Danylyuk pointed out that, taking ito account the sensitivity of this issue, the government is looking for ways to depoliticize this situation and finding a common ground. When it comes to the verification system of beneficiaries, the minister stressed that no such system is in place in any of EU member states. Working together with international experts, we have already begun developing the mechanism. When the system begins working at full pace, it will become clear who owns businesses, what industries a person has influence on and where a conflict of interests may emerge, - he explained. Danylyuk reminded that some of these conditions are those that were not met by Kyiv under the third EU macrofinancial assistance, which led to the Brussels denied its third tranche. According to the minister, if these conditions are met under the new program is rather realistic, although it is necessary to overcome vested interests and show political will. The question is not just the continued cooperation with the European Union as a creditor and an important partner the issue of our countrys reputation of a reliable partner and our ability to maintain our obligations, - the head of the finance ministry said. He also added that among other important tasks that the EU is willing to assist us with are the establishment of the anti-corruption court, the continued banking sector reform, the implementation of the BEPS minimal standard. The minister pointed out that during the two-day visit he had meetings with the EU commissioner for economic and financial affairs, taxation and customs control Pierre Moscovici, the vice president of the European Parliament on international matters Zdzisaw Krasnodebski, the head of the Europarliament international affairs committee Elma Brok and leaders of the parliamentary factions that are going to make key decisions on the start of a new program of macrofinancial assistance from the European Union. According to the minister, representatives of the European Parliament and the European Commission note Ukraines progress, most importantly, on the reform of state finance, of the banking and energy sectors, as well as the results of anti-corruption measures, the creation of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau, the National Agency for Corruption Prevention, Prozorro and the automated registry of VAT reimbursement. As reported earlier, under the third macrofinancial assistance program, Ukraine has received two tranches worth 1.2 billion out of the allocated 1.8 billion. The European Commission denied Ukraine the third tranche, as the countrys government met just 17 out of 21 preliminary conditions. In March of this year, the European Commission endorsed the fourth macrofinancial package for Ukraine worth 1 billion, which needs to be approved by the European Parliament and the Council of Europe. The III International Conference "Problems of Decommissioning Nuclear Energy Facilities and Environmental Restoration" INUDECO 18 is held these days on the anniversary of the disaster at Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Slavutych. More than 200 participants from Ukraine, Belarus, the USA, Poland, Germany, Russia discuss problems and prospects of the exploitation of nuclear power facilities. One of the participants of the conference is the Japanese Iharu Toyochi, a direct witness of radiation exposure in the city of Nagasaki. In an interview with 112.ua, Mr. Toyochi described how he managed to survive the atomic hell and why humanity should completely abandon the use of atomic energy - Mr. Toyochi, you have felt the impact of atomic weapons on yourself. Tell us your story, what do you remember about that time? "As you know, the war started when I was still a little boy, I was 9 years old. My first years of school (grades 1-4) were during the war, it was a military education ... militaristic-totalitarian. And all this time Japan has pursued such a policy that here we are a "divine" country, and no one can defeat it. And no matter how bad it is now, you just have to wait for a little and we will win. All this time I lived with this thought. Propaganda was saying we were the strongest, but almost every day we had to flee to the bomb shelter to hide from American bombing. And even a 9-year-old child already had a thought that we are losing and, probably, soon everything will end. Naturally, at the age of 9, I did not understand what was happening, there was almost no information. We knew that an unusual bomb fell, but even adults did not particularly understand what was happening. It turned out that at first, it happened in Hiroshima, and then 3 days after Nagasaki suffered the same way. I was then far from the epicenter of the explosion, 6 kilometers away. There were forests and mountains there, which saved me in a way. But despite this, I saw many suns, a large-scale fire, heard the sounds of explosions ... and felt a hot wind. Trees started falling in the forest, and I was sitting on a 10m tree that had fallen down too. I passed out when I fell, but I did not get any major injuries. However, as the result of radiation, I got problems with my blood vessels and hematologic system. After the war, I was given a hibakusha document (hibakusha means a person exposed to the blast effects. This is the name used for the survivors of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings, - 112.ua), it has everything about my diseases. When discussing nuclear bombings, Hiroshima and Nagasaki are often named together, but different kinds of bombs were used in those cases. A uranium bomb was used on Hiroshima, while a plutonium one was dropped on Nagasaki. Despite the fact that only a part of the plutonium detonated (shows fist 112.ua), like a small ball, it caused almost 75,000 deaths. This is why we, Nagasaki residents, do not believe it to have been an act of revenge or a necessity from the U.S. side they were testing us, they examined how our bodies, lives, and our city would react to the bomb. Regardless of the fact that the United States still claim it was a necessary measure in order to end the war, Nagasaki and Japan as a whole do not share such opinion. Of course, we, the Japanese, do not deny the responsibility for what our country did in Asia, in China, in the 1930s. The Japanese do not forget the sense of guilt and responsibility. Nuclear weapons were used during the war, but we see that even atoms for peace bring a lot of trouble, for example, the Tree-Mile-Island disaster in America, your Chernobyl or Fukushima. As we can see, it is not remotely for peace. The difference between nuclear weapon use and atoms for peace is unclear, as the outcome is the same. It is impossible to achieve a situation, where nuclear weapons and humankind would co-exist. Not just humankind, but our nature as a whole animals, birds, plants. The atom needs to be completely excluded from our lives. The biggest problem is that people are suffering and dying. This causes a great harm, as it is impossible to reverse that. Humankind does not need the atom in any form. -To what extent can a nuclear disaster be unexpected, taking into account that we have not fully comprehended the atom? Was there a sense of a threat in Japan in 1945? Naturally, it was unexpected for the civilians. But now, having analyzed all those events, it becomes clear. Because Germany, Japan, the Soviet Union and the United States were developing nuclear weapons. If weapons are being developed, they are going to be used at some point. But I can say this now after all those years have passed. The same could be said about Chornobyl: for the people who were working there, living there, it was a total surprise, but those who built and developed it should have been aware that a fire or an explosion might happen. - Was there an understanding that this bombing could have a follow-up? How did people behave in this situation? Of course, at that moment, it seemed as though nothing else would happen, that the world has ended, that nothing worse could happen. People affected by the explosion died, and there was nobody to run somewhere and rescue the children. Then, it seemed like one bomb was enough to destroy everything Japan, and even the entire planet. As of today, there are more than 16 warheads across the world, while just one is sufficient to destroy everything. If we were to come back to the atoms for peace and power stations, those contain many times more nuclear fuel than there was in the bombs that were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This is why they pose an even greater threat to humanity than a bombing does. Even Chornobyl, after so many years, still remains a radioactive zone. Let us compare atoms for peace and a bombing: the Fukushima disaster happened 7 years ago, it happened once at both Hiroshima and Nagasaki more than 70 years ago. There is no radiation there now. But Chernobyl and Fukushima, these disasters at peaceful power stations, they still produce radiation, which is very dangerous for the people living there. If you visit Hiroshima or Nagasaki, you could visit the places where bombs exploded, but who can visit Chornobyl? It is a restricted zone. - Are you going to visit the Chornobyl nuclear power station? Not this time, we have too many plans. I am not really afraid of anything anymore at my age. You are still young, you probably should not go there. - Has your experience changed the way you feel about life and the world? Even though I survived, I lost my mother, brothers and sisters. They died after the bombing because of radiation disease. You can imagine how it feels to lose all your relatives when you are 9 years old. After that, war became especially unacceptable for me. I will keep criticizing it forever and do everything in my powers to prevent it. War and nuclear weapons are the things I despise. - Does the disaster ever appear in your dreams? Yes, of course. The dreams are just as horrible as everything that happened then. - How did you discover the ability to live through it without losing your faith in the future? I grew up during the war. I was 9 years old when this terrible tragedy happened. But then the war ended, and that had been my biggest hope and dream. Finally, there was peace. After the war, a law was passed declaring Japan would not get involved in any wars, would not have an army for self-preservation. This is written in the Constitution, and that was a great support throughout my life: being sure that Japan will remain peaceful. - What have you been doing all your life and how are you feeling now? Ironically, I worked my whole life for Kusu Denreku, and electrical energy company that serviced nuclear power stations. Having been against it throughout my life, I argued with my bosses and directors saying this is all wrong and the use of nuclear energy will not lead to anything good. Also, for 27 years I was a member of Nagasaki parliament, where I acted against the atom and nuclear weapons. I have high blood pressure, and that is not because of age, the problems began after the bombing. And as I mentioned earlier, I have problems with my blood flow. I am a very positive person. Sometimes I allow myself some sake, obviously, in small doses, and today at lunch I had a little beer. That keeps my pressure up. If I were to have an operation, my blood would not stop, so I try to avoid it by any means (smiles 112.ua). Of course, I look after my health, I do what I love and believe in. On a serious note though, twice a year I go for a free medical exam as a hibakusha. Therefore, compared to everyone else, I feel pretty well, as I have to take my health a lot more seriously and get examined more frequently. I dont know how well it works in Ukraine, but Japans system works great, it helps me take care of my health. And now, it seems like the people that survived the Fukisima disaster will get the same documents in order to monitor their health state. In case you wonder, I receive around $300 monthly as a survivor of the bombing, and I will keep receiving it for the rest of my life. It is based on the needs of a person with no severe health problems. Then, when I depart to a better world, the state will cover all of my funeral costs. A person with more serious health issues than me may get up to $1000 in monthly benefits. And surely, healthcare is free. - Is the memory of Hiroshima and Nagasaki still alive in Japan? 73 years have passed. Throughout this time, in other countries including Ukraine, wars continue. But Japan has not killed a single person either on its own soil or overseas. That is the benefit of that experience. But for me and others that still remember those events are mostly concerned about the Japanese governments attempts to amend our Constitution and turn us into a nation that could get involved in a war. It is unacceptable to me as a person that has lived his whole life with dreams of peace. And I worry a lot about it. Whatever governments do, I think common people, peaceful citizens of any country, especially Japan or Ukraine, should not forget those events and tell our younger generations about it.Weapons cannot be used to achieve peace, only people, our feelings and intentions. - Sasaki Sadako is a girl commonly known as a symbol of your tragedy. What is she for the Japanese? Did you know her? Surely, I know of her, I have never seen her though. She really became the symbol for the entire world and inside Japan. That is how the tradition to make paper cranes started. The tradition still remains today and is a symbol of peace, hope, belief and expectations. This time, I brought 5,000 cranes to give them to the Chornobyl Museum. - Were there any other stories, legends or traditions after the disaster? Nagasaki has a special tradition. High school students play a big part in preserving it. They collect signatures against nuclear weapons, organize different meetings. It is very flattering that young people, almost kids, are doing this. Also on 8 August (the day before the Nagasaki bombing) representatives of various religions and confessions, whoever, gather for a requiem. And everybody commemorates all those people who died during the bombing. This tradition is especially strong in Nagasaki. Let me switch to a slightly different topic. The Nagasaki university has a department that does nuclear tests with the atom. But it is a very special organization, a scientific center that never cooperates with the government, arguing that the latter may use the products of their work for military purposes. Also, there is an alliance of representatives of cities (for example, mayors) from all over the world, which is headed by the mayor of Hiroshima. At the same time, the mayor of Nagasaki is his deputy. Hibakusha is very active in voicing their opinion, and if they know that some country is conducting nuclear tests or a power station is being built they react with rallies and protests. There are various alliances of countries and cities that have been bombed. For example, the latest bombing in Akita, Japan, or the first bombing of Gernika, Spain. Those cities cooperate very closely. - How are these tragedies described in the Japanese culture? In film or art? I could talk about it for hours. But I would like to tell you about two things. I brought an animation film called Bell of Angels for the Chornobyl Museum. It is about Nagasaki. The title references the fact that a nuclear bomb fell on one of the bells. The movie is very interesting, I recommend you to see it. If we dig deeper in the history of Japan, may things are linked to Christianity. And the bell was inside Asias largest Christian church. There is a song that tells about the bell. A Kyiv children choir is going to sing that song at the Chornobyl victim commemoration event. The song was written by a Fukushima native. Another cultural aspect is the project of Okiagari Koboshi, which is the reason why I came here. These are the traditional dolls in Fukushima that people of all occupations paint in order to cheer up, to support. It started with the Fukushima disaster, and by now it has become a symbol of peace pretty much everywhere. Most of the exhibition is in Tokyo, but it has been around the world too. Now, a part of it is here, in the Chornobyl Museum. - Do you ever travel to the USA and has your experience changed your attitude towards Americans? Of course, whenever I have the opportunity, I go to the USA. Last year I spoke at a university. I do not have a reason to hate that country. I even mentioned it in my speech, I said that it could have all been a coincidence. The weapons could have been first used by the USSR, the US and Japan. The USA is not to blame, the weapons themselves are. The now former president of the United States Barack Obama visited Nagasaki and apologized for the tragedy in his speech. Also, that university has long-standing ties with the Nagasaki University and the scientific union. People do not have any reasons for hate. It might be the exact opposite of that we have a lot in common. - What should North Korea do about its nuclear tests? The US and Russia need to reduce their nuclear arsenals. They are not conducting tests, but they retain the weapon that threatens the whole world. When it comes to North Korea, I have been there a number of times. North and South Korea should be a single country. It is unfortunate, and even embarrassing that Russia and America are standing behind them and preventing their unification. I consider atom in any form to be evil. Even Japan that does not produce any weapons and does not conduct any nuclear tests, but maintains so much plutonium, should give it up. - How real, in your opinion, is the threat of a third world war with the use of nuclear weapons? Of course, it would lead to the destruction of our planet, as there are so many weapons that it is hard to imagine. It is enough to destroy not just one planet, but several. We must do everything in order to make sure this does not happen. - How can we, regular people, influence the situation? Does anything at all depend on our actions? Of course, it does depend on what we do, and we can have an impact. People start with a war, and those are not my words, they have been said by many, even the Pope of Rome. We can only hope and expect the world to remain at peace. And to defend peace at all costs. Do you know what Russian roulette means? We cannot afford to live in fear, this is why I fight for our right to live without any nuclear threat or nuclear weapons. At the common people level, we should not forget that we can all be friends and love each other. Today, I met so many beautiful couples, where the husband was Japanese and the wife was Ukrainian, and vice versa. That is truly wonderful. There is only one world, it is a little ball. There is no your country or my country/ This is all our planet. One of the latest clashes in the bilateral relationship with Hungary was sparked by Ukraines announcement that it was restoring an old military base in the town of Beregovo (in Hungarian, Beregszasz), just ten kilometers from the Hungarian-Ukrainian border In recent years, Ukraine has been fostering a national ideology that has significantly impacted the quality of relations with its western neighbors, notably Poland and Hungary. Ukrainian national ideology, on the one hand, helps it to effectively resist Russian aggression; but on the other hand, it has been raising tensions along the countrys western frontier. Relations with its bordering European partners reached a particular low point in fall 2017, when the Ukrainian government introduced a highly controversial new language law (Kormany.hu, September 7, 2017; Euromaidan Press, September 19, 2017). Budapest exhibited the toughest reaction and officially condemned the law, threatening that it was ready to block Ukraines perspectives of eventually joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the European Union. And indeed, in February, Hungary blocked further meetings of the Ukraine-NATO Commission (Pravda.com.ua, February 9, 2018). One of the latest clashes in the bilateral relationship with Hungary was sparked by Ukraines announcement that it was restoring an old military base in the town of Beregovo (in Hungarian, Beregszasz), just ten kilometers from the Hungarian-Ukrainian border, in Transcarpathia. On March 28, the Beregovo City Council voted for the restoration of the base (Goloskarpat.info, March 28). Just prior to that vote, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto expressed his concerns about the plans, which would introduce almost 800 Ukrainian soldiers to a region of Ukraine populated by the highest relative proportion of ethnic Hungarians (Hirado.hu, March 19). According to him, the Ukrainian explanation for why it needs to base Ukrainian soldiers therethat is, to protect the countrys security and defend its territorial integrityis particularly disturbing. As Minister Szijjarto declared, that official justification implies the Ukrainian government considers the [local] Hungarian community a threat to Kyiv, and that fact is disgusting. The response from the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), through its spokesperson, Marian Bets, was more matter-of-fact: the decision to reopen a military base on ones own territory is a personal issue of a sovereign state and its sovereign right (UNIAN, March 20). However, Bets pointedly added that the restoration of the base is directly linked to the local activity of the Hungarian national monitory: And of course, we are concerned about the provocations that are occurring today in Transcarpathia, and they have become more frequent almost every week, which was never the case almost 26 years ago; therefore, of course, there is anxiety. This is for reasons of security and we want to avoid any provocations. But such statements by the Hungarian side, they undoubtedly play into Russias narratives. Ukraine is preparing to deploy units of the 128th Mountain Brigade and the 10th Mountain Assault Brigade to Beregovo (Goloskarpat.info, March 21). However, there are still many legal questions surrounding the reopening of the base, which was closed in 2003. Moreover, since then, nearly all of the territory and facilities have fallen into disrepair, and it is unclear how the renovation will be financed or when it will be finished (Mukachevo.net, March 28). Last autumn, Hungarys Deputy Prime Minister Zsolt Semjen stated that the Hungarian expatriate minority has a right to autonomy wherever it resides. The Ukrainian response was acute and striking: As a large European country of 45 million, we will not allow anyone to blackmail us (Hvylya.net, November 17). As is clear from Kyivs rhetoric, Ukraine is palpably changing its attitude toward its neighbors. If during the start of the Crimean crisis Ukrainian political elites seemed cautious and desultory, following four years of war, Ukrainian society has clearly hardened. It is difficult to predict what geopolitical consequences this societal shift may augur. Nevertheless, for the time being, Hungary has been persistently trying to bring the situation in Ukraines Transcarpathian region to international attention. Budapests official representatives are raising their concerns in Brussels as well as at the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)notably in meetings with the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities (Kormany.hu, February 28). Moreover, the Hungarian MFA has called for OSCE observers to be sent to Transcarpathia (Kormany.hu, February 8). For Hungarians, the presence of an OSCE observer mission in this region is seen as a potential guarantor of stability and preservation of the Hungarian national minority; but for Ukraine, this would be perceived as quite a disturbing outcome. Ukraine has expended a great deal of blood and treasure to secure and stabilize its eastern frontier in Donbas and its de facto border with occupied Crimea. However, the opening of an OSCE mission in Transcarpathia could be detrimental to those efforts by raising the negative perception that Ukraines rear remains vulnerable and unsecured. Recently, Hungarys Foreign Minister Szijjarto claimed he received assurances that an OSCE office will be opened in the Transcarpathian region, with a staff of around 12 persons (Fidesz.hu, March 10), which the Ukrainian MFA dismissed as completely unnecessary (Eurointegration.com.ua, March 11). The ongoing bilateral confrontation has been encouraging Ukrainian nationalist groups to take more aggressive actions against local ethnic Hungarians. For instance, in September, members of Ukrainian nationalist groups Karpatska Sich and Svoboda organized an anti-Hungarian torchlight procession in Beregovo (Mukachevo.net, March 14). Amidst these tensions, several considerations are worth keeping in mind: First, the fact that Kyiv has announced it was reopening a military base ten kilometers from the Hungarian border means that Ukraine does not consider its western frontier truly secure. Second, although the Transcarpathian region shares certain similarities with Crimea, particularly in terms of minority issues, in the event of a comparable crisis occurring there, Ukraine will almost certainly not behave as passively as it did in early 2014. Third, the recent (April 8) massive electoral victory of Prime Minister Viktor Orbans right-wing populist Fidesz party in Hungary could be a key factor in the future deterioration of the bilateral relationship. Fourth, the activities of Ukrainian nationalistic groups could trigger inter-ethnic conflict in the region. Fifth, Russia has a particular interest in undermining peace and stability in Transcarpathia and beyond. For instance, Russia has recently been accused of organizing several arson attacks on a local office of the Party of Hungarians of Ukraine (Vsapravda.info, February 14). Sixth, if the Ukrainian governments decision to reopen the Beregovo military base is being driven purely by populist concerns, this may ultimately have harmful consequences for the countrys international reputation, especially in Europe. It is clear that Ukrainian diplomacy has much work to do to secure and pacify the countrys western flank so that the military can focus all of its energy on the east. Read the original text at The Jamestown Foundation. The court of Kyiv releases Ludek Vokal, the former prosecutor of Detection of Organized Crime Department of Czech Police who was detained in Ukraine yesterday as Radio Praha reported. The consul of the Czech Republic in Kyiv was present at the court session. It took place on April 25. The court made a decision to release the suspected on the bail in the sum of 4, 500 euro. A suspected citizen of the Czech Republic should not leave the territory of Ukraine in the next two months and should come for the holding of the investigative actions, Irena Valentova, the spokeswoman of the Foreign Ministry of the Czech Republic reported. The court session was opened and the translator was present. As we reported the Ukrainian special services detained former prosecutor of Detection of Organized Crime Department of Czech Police Lyudek Vokal as the Czech mass media reported on April 25. Vokal was detained in Ukraine due to the illegal use of the technical means. According to Info.cz, the Ukrainian special services also detained a Czech diplomat. However, he was released later, taking into account his diplomatic passport. The jury ruled that the organization and its activity are illegal The Supreme Court of the Czech city of Olomouc confirmed its decision to disband the self-styled 'honorary consulate of Donetsk People's Republic'. Ceske Noviny outlet reported this on Thursday. The jury declined the appeal filed by Neli Liskova, the official representative of the 'consulate' of the Russian militants in eastern Ukraine. According to the decision of the court, the organization and its activity are illegal. Liskova, in turn, said she would turn to the Supreme Court of the Czech Republic, adding that she would carry on with her activity - maybe even create another organization like this one. In September 2016, the so-called 'Foreign Ministry of Donetsk People's Republic' spread the information that the first representation office of the 'DPR' would appear in the Czech Republic. The Czech side rebuked that information, ruling out the mere opportunity of having such office opened in this country. Vokal was detained in Ukraine due to the illegal use of the technical means The Ukrainian special services detained former prosecutor of Detection of Organized Crime Department of Czech Police Lyudek Vokal as the Czech mass media reported on April 25. Ceskenoviny reported citing Irena Valentova, the spokeswoman of the Foreign Ministry of the Czech Republic that Ludek Vokal was detained in Ukraine due to the illegal use of the technical means. The Czech Embassy in Kyiv solves the consular case of one arrested citizen of the Czech Republic who was detained. We are in the contact with the interested people and his family, Valentova said. Vokal is suspected in the case of businessmen Albin Arifovich, whom the prosecutor supposedly parceling out information. Also, he is suspected in other disclosure of the information to the involved in the criminal cases. Vokal states that he is a victim of the conspiracy and law enforcement structures game. According to Info.cz, the Ukrainian special services also detained a Czech diplomat. However, he was released later, taking into account his diplomatic passport. The Ukrainian special services did not comment this information. at least in one case, the Russian spies tracked the member of the CIA program that provides new IDs to protect the Russians moved to the US There were the spies among the dozens of the Russian diplomats expelled from the US. They tracked the Russian defectors and their families moved to the US. CNN reported this citing the officials of the law enforcement and intelligence bodies. According to the sources, at least in one case, the Russian spies tracked the member of the CIA program that provides new IDs to protect the Russians moved to the US. This case and other American intelligence raise the concern that the Russians were preparing to attack the Russian immigrants to the US treated by Kremlin as the traitors or enemies, the officials said. The suspicion was confirmed after the poisoning of the ex-GRU officer Sergey Skripal and his daughter (the citizen of Russia) in Salisbury, the UK. The CIA and the White House refused to comment this. Also, Russias Embassy to the US did not answer to the request. The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons confirmed Britains conclusions that ex-GRU officer Sergei Skripal was poisoned with the nerve agent. Ex-colonel of Russias GRU, Chief Intelligence Department, Sergey Skripal and his daughter Yulia, poisoned in the center of Salisbury town in the evening of March 4, are still struggling for life in the intensive care unit of the local hospital. The British special services suppose that Skripals were poisoned by his ex-colleague Andrey Lugovoy, who acted on orders from Moscow. At the moment, the detention of Ali Bariev is reported Russias FSB holds another wave of the search of the Crimean Tatars in annexed Crimea. Refat Chubarov, the Head of Crimean Tatars Mejlis reported this on Facebook. According to Chubarov, the total searches are held in Karasuvbazar (now it is called Bilohorsk). The Russian occupants entered the houses of Crimean Tatars entrepreneurs, philanthropists, activists of the Crimean Tatars national movement Ali Bariev, Asan Bariev, Remzi Veliliaev, Resul Veliliaev, Ekrem Veliliaev, Zera Veliliaev and their adult children who live separately, he wrote. Chubarov said that the searches are also held in other regions of Crimea. The searches are held at the production bases and dozens of the company stores of the leading firm on the products distribution in Crimea KrymOpt owned by Veliliaev brothers, he reported. According to Chubarov, the numerous forces of the special departments equipped with the small arms are located at all places of the searches. Also, the positions around the perimeter of the places of the searches are established. The workers of Russias FSB manage the operation. Crimea reports that about 400 people gathered in Karasuvbazar near the office of KrymOpt. At the moment, the Crimean Tatars come to other places of the searches, he wrote. In its turn, Crimean Solidarity group reported that Ali Bariev was detained in the result of the searches. The Veliliaev family is famous Crimean Tatars businessmen and philanthropists. The cathedral mosque was built for their money. Resul Veliliaev is a founder of Bekir Choban-Zade fund and initiation, philanthropist of the Bekir Choban-Zade award. Previously, the local energy operator in Luhansk region cut nine water infrastructure objects off the grid for debts Open source Residents of Lysychansk (Luhansk region) have the water supply system back online - after it was shut down several days ago. The press service of Luhansk regional state administration reported this on Facebook. The regional committee for environmental safety recommended to launch the water supply system - three days after the 'Luhansk Energy Union' enterprise cut nine water infrastructure objects off the grid for debts. Previously, the local authorities reported that The water supply mechanism in Avdiivka, Donetsk region is fully restored. According to the State Emergency Service, the water reservoir is now being filled. The water supplies were resumed at 3 p.m. Sunday. On April 17, the convoy of cars of Donetsk filtering station workers took fire, with five workers sustaining combat wounds. The day after that, the station ceased to work, which resulted in the shutdown of the water supplies in the area. The Ukrainian side claimed the attack was launched by the Russian militants holding the area under control. Li Guoan was delivering food on his electric bicycle in Midtown Manhattan on a frigid January afternoon this year when an NYPD officer pulled him over. E-bikes are illegal to ride in New York City, and Li had been stopped by the police before. But this time the officer decided to seize his bike. Li was charged with misdemeanor reckless driving, no different than if he had been behind the wheel of a 4,000-pound SUV. Li had been unable to understand why the officer pulled him over because his English is poor. Walking out of the police precinct, his hands shook uncontrollably as he described his dilemma. "I have two children, I have a wife, I'm the only one working now," Li said in Mandarin. "What am I supposed to do now for work? How am I supposed to survive? How am I supposed to take care of my family?" Two hours later, Li was on a mountain bike given to him by a friend who worked at 55th and Lexington. Both brakes were shot. "I'm moving slowly," he assured us, as he carried the plastic bags of food through dense Midtown traffic. New York City law classifies e-bikesbicycles which let riders exceed 20 miles per hour through the use of a rechargeable electric batteryas "motorized scooters" that cannot be registered by the DMV as street-legal vehicles. In October, Mayor Bill de Blasio, citing "a huge growth of complaints from neighborhood residents," announced that his administration would begin severely cracking down on the people who use them. "I've seen these bikes going the wrong way. I've seen how fast they can go. I've seen how reckless they can be. I don't like it," de Blasio said. He noted that more than nine hundred of the bikes had been seized by the NYPD in 2017 alone, a surge of one hundred and seventy percent over the previous year. In dozens of interviews, delivery cyclists told Gothamist that e-bikes were essential to their jobsto deliver food quickly to avoid complaints from hungry customers and earn more tipsand three of them allowed us to track one of their typical shifts using a GPS watch. "I would never use a regular bike, there's no way to ride a regular bike," Zhu Xian, 31, said in Mandarin, adding that he does his best to obey traffic laws. Zhu is one of four delivery cyclists who ferry between 100 to 150 orders to customers every day out of a Chinese restaurant on 14th Street. Over roughly ten hours on a Saturday in January, Zhu biked nearly 60 miles to make 34 deliveries; he said he earned a little more than $80. "Being a delivery worker is the lowest rung of work in society," Zhu said. Zhu Xian rode nearly 60 miles during his ten hour shift. The increasing popularity of e-bikes has paralleled the rise of online takeout delivery services like Seamless, which merged with Grub Hub in 2013. The two companies control 85 percent of the food delivery market in New York City, and nationwide accounted for more than $1 billion in food sales during the last quarter of 2017300 orders every minute of every day. Seamless is how New York eats, according to their ads plastered throughout the subway. The companys TV commercial features a delivery cyclist who arrives on an e-bike and speaks in heavily accented English. (In an email, Brendan Lewis, the vice president for communications at Grubhub, said that he "wouldn't recommend reading too much into all the visuals included" in the ad.) Do Lee, a CUNY Graduate Center student who is writing his PhD dissertation in environmental psychology on delivery cyclists, said the controversy over e-bikes could be seen as the nexus of policing, class, and immigration. "It's almost like they're the canary in the mine for all these issues," Lee said. "They're not quite bike, they're not quite car, and the early adopters are immigrants. I think this is a lot of anxiety about who has the right to determine how the city is shaped going into the future." Zhu navigates traffic during a delivery. On this day, the roads are still covered with ice from a recent snowstorm. Its very easy to slip and fall. I slipped yesterday morning on a patch of black ice. Theres nothing you can do about it, Zhu says. If your soup doesnt spill you get up and keep on going. If your soup does spill you have to go back and get another one. (Scott Heins / Gothamist) While other states like California and Washington have embraced the use of e-bikes and have taken clear steps to regulate them, de Blasio has admitted that New York's e-bike prohibition was a "strange law." E-bikes that have throttles, the less expensive models favored by delivery cyclists, are illegal to ride or sell, but not possess. On the other hand, pedal-assist electric bikes, which tend to be more expensive and require the rider to pedal to some degree in order to accelerate, are technically legal because, per the text of the law, they are not "capable of propelling the device without human power." The mayor also insisted that businesses, not workers, would bear the brunt of the stepped-up enforcement. Restaurants that employ delivery cyclists who use e-bikes would begin to receive $100 fines. "We didn't want a situation where the business thought, 'The poor schmuck delivery guy will have to pay for it,'" de Blasio said in October. But according to Lee and the e-bike delivery cyclists interviewed for this story, they are all essentially independent contractors: they own their e-bikes and pay their own fines. "There's this weird plausible deniability," Lee says of the mayor's position. "'Oh, I'm this Sanctuary City mayor, I'm not going after immigrants.' But the actual implementation absolutely is." Yudi Burnama, a manager at the Japanese restaurant where Li Guoan worked, said he would accompany Li to the police precinct, but that the restaurant wouldn't help pay his fine. "They make money, then they pay for it," he said. "That's the rules from the beginning here." Burnama added that while his restaurant has not been fined for employing workers who use e-bikes, he has observed the police cracking down on delivery cyclists. "You know, they work hard, they make like, one hundred dollars a day, maybe less sometimes," he said. "And then you know, sometimes you get two tickets at the same time. Sometimes three tickets. That's like, two hundred fifty dollars, three hundred dollars. It's just crazy." Customers want to have their food on time," Zhu says in Mandarin. "Otherwise customers will call the store and complain and they could cancel their order and then we dont get a tip." (Scott Heins / Gothamist) Language barriers, immigration status, and the long hours his subjects work make Lee's research difficult, but he recently compiled the results of a survey of one hundred and forty delivery cyclists. The vast majority are immigrants who speak Chinese or Spanish. Most of the eighty Chinese-speaking cyclists said they depend on e-bikes, compared to less than half of the Spanish-speaking cyclists; only a handful of English-speaking riders used them. The average age for Chinese delivery cyclists is also much higher, 46 compared to 32 and 27, and they also earn less money than their English-speaking counterparts, an average of $10 an hour, compared to $15. The minimum wage for delivery cyclists in the city is $10, while the average hourly wage for Spanish speaking workers surveyed was $9.38. Lee said that labor laws tend to be "almost completely a fiction with immigrant workers." In 2016, Lee found that nearly all of the summonses given by police to commercial cyclists over the previous eight years were issued on the Upper East Side, Upper West Side, and Midtown, neighborhoods that are overwhelmingly white. "We're talking about mostly immigrant men of color, but mostly Asian and Latino men, who are riding electric bikes in very wealthy neighborhoods," Lee said. "And who order a lot of delivery too." Removing #EBikes on #UES is #VisionZero when operators disregard laws. Riding 20MPH on sidewalks & the wrong way on streets is dangerous! pic.twitter.com/WQJmJ1OeGp NYPD 19th Precinct (@NYPD19Pct) January 12, 2017 The civil fine for retrieving an e-bike confiscated by the NYPD is $500. "For us delivery guys, we don't make that much money," Chen Qixiong, a 56-year-old delivery worker who works in Midtown East, said in Mandarin. "To fine us $500, that's a whole week's worth of money gone." Zhang Yucai, another 50-year-old delivery cyclist who works in Midtown, estimated that he has paid $4,000 in various fines over the course of a year, without the help of his boss. "I pay by myself," he said in Mandarin. "Customers often complain if orders don't get to them in time," Zhang explained. "At least with e-bikes you can save a bit of energy. Saving energy is important because a day could go as long as eleven hours. If you use a regular bike there's just simply no way." To justify the increased enforcement, the mayor portrayed e-bike riders as a menace to public safety. "You shouldn't feel unsafe crossing streets in your own neighborhood," de Blasio said. "We have to go after anyone who creates a threat to neighborhood residents." Dong Shixiang rode just under 28 miles during his shift on Super Bowl Sunday, much of it in the pouring rain. Yet there is no hard evidence to suggest that e-bikes are more of a "threat" than traditional bicycles. The mayor has not cited any numbers to support his assertions. An NYPD spokesperson did not say whether the department keeps track of crashes that involve e-bikes. At a transportation committee meeting for Manhattan's Community Board 7 in January, NYPD Sergeant Felicia Montgomery said that last year, 86 pedestrians were hit by vehicles in the 20th Precinct, which stretches from West 59th Street up to West 86th. Just five of those crashes involved bikes. And of 58 crashes just involving bicycles, only one involved an e-bike. Captain Leedroige Manuel, of the neighboring 24th Precinct, added, "We're not seeing a lot of collisions with e-bikes." The officers' testimony, and their assurances that they would do their best to stop law-breaking cyclists, did not placate several members of the audience, who said they were fed up with delivery cyclists riding on sidewalks and speeding down bike lanes. "They're going really fast, much faster than a biker. They're silent so you can't hear them coming," Dawn Moore, an attorney who has lived on the Upper West Side for more than a decade, said of e-bike delivery cyclists. "Yeah, and plus they don't speak English," added Judy Goldberg, a longtime Upper West Side resident. Goldberg insisted she was a "pro-immigrant person" and an avid cyclist. "I have friends who wanna get e-bikes because they're getting old and they need e-bikes and I think that's great," she said. "However, delivery men don't pay any attention to rules anywhere." Workers use plastic bags to keep their hands warm. One evening, we noticed that a delivery cyclist was using bags from a nearby restaurant instead of those with his shop's logo. All the police go there, so if they see someone from [that restaurant] breaking the law, they won't stop them," the delivery cyclist said in Mandarin. An NYPD spokesperson responds: "A summons is given based on the observation of a traffic violation and in no way based on the race or status of an individual." (Scott Heins / Gothamist) Earlier this month, the de Blasio administration said they would begin "clarifying" the gray area that currently allows pedal-assisted e-bikes to be used on city streets, but did not change their position on the throttle-assisted models. As WNYC's Stephen Nessen reports this morning, as of April 1st, the NYPD has this year issued 459 moving violations to e-bike riders, and seized 320 of the bikes; only 48 restaurants have been cited for employing delivery cyclists with e-bikes. "The City is constantly trying to strike the right balance when it comes to enforcement on e-bikes," a spokesperson for the mayor told Nessen. Asked if Grubhub would seek a change in the e-bike law, Lewis, the Grubhub spokesperson, replied, "We're keeping a close eye on regulation changes in NYC." He added, "Every delivery partner contracted with Grubhub or Seamless signs a contract requiring they shall abide by all local laws and regulations. Additionally, our restaurant partnersmany of whom have their own delivery personnelare also contractually obligated to comply with all local laws and regulations." Yang Hai rode around 27 miles during his shift. Yang Hai is a 52-year-old delivery cyclist on the Upper East Side, and one of three workers who allowed us to shadow him during his shift. "The bikes are a tool for us to make our deliveries, to serve the people, to serve everyone in the community," he said in Mandarin. Yang has worked for two or three restaurants in Manhattan, and the police have confiscated his bike twice. "I didn't have a single day off for seven months," he said of one of his previous jobs. "Are e-bikes faster than cars? Isn't the threat of a car much more dangerous than that of a bicycle?" he wondered. "So why is there a difference in the law, between an e-bike and an automobile? Is this because the delivery workers at the lowest level can't express themselves with their own voices?" All photos by Scott Heins. Maps by Sanders DeNardi and Lylla Younes. This story and its photography were supported by the journalism non-profit, The Economic Hardship Reporting Project. It is reported that they demanded of Ukrainian to provide information about military installations in the border areas Open source Ukraines Security Service recorded an attempt to recruit a Ukrainian citizen by the Special Services of the Republic of Belarus. This was reported by the SBU press service. As it is reported, the target of recruiters was a Chernihiv region resident who was visiting his relatives in Belarus. During one of his trips, law enforcements detained him for allegedly violating the rules of trade, after which representatives of the KGB of Belarus met with him and threatened him with criminal prosecution, demanding from him to give information about military facilities located on the border territories. He was to pass all the data he had to Belarus special services during his regular visits to Belarus. Having returned to Ukraine, the man immediately appealed to Ukraines SBU and provided all the necessary evidence regarding the circumstances of the attempted recruitment and tasks. According to Art. 111 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, high treason is punished by the imprisonment for up to 15 years. But taking into account the fact that a Ukrainian citizen did not fulfil the task of foreign special services and voluntarily informed law enforcement officers about the attempted recruitment, the court released him. As it was reported earlier, Pavlo Sharoyko, a reporter for Ukrainian Radio, was detained in Belarus, as CEO of National Television Company of Ukraine Zurab Alasania wrote on Facebook. Moreover, Belarus announced the advisor of Ukrainian Embassy in Minsk Ihor Skvortsov persona non-grata due to the detention of the Ukrainian Radio's special correspondent Pavlo Sharoyko. Ukraines President, Prime Minister and National Defense Council Security honoured the memory of the liquidators of the accident at the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko, Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman and Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Oleksandr Turchynov paid tribute to the liquidators of the disaster at the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant. The leaders of the country wrote as address on their Facebook pages. "Ukraine and the whole world will never forget the terrible event of April 26, 1986. Chornobyl will forever remain an unhealed wound on the heart of the country, on the hearts of millions of people ... And today we must not only do everything so that this tragedy will never happen again. We must learn from those events. The modern Chornobyl zone should become a place for new progressive technologies, a territory for change, "Poroshenko wrote. In his turn, the head of Ukrainian government noted the scale of the disaster for the whole country. "The Chornobyl disaster, a terrible catastrophe, destroyed millions of lives. Its a tragedy for Ukraine and the world. We remember," Groysman wrote on his Facebook page. Today, April 26 is commemoration date of the disaster of Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine, - one of the most terrible technogenic catastrophes in the history of mankind. "Today is the commemoration date of the Chornobyl tragedy. More than thirty years have passed since the largest nuclear catastrophe of a planetary scale. One way or another, the Chornobyl disaster affected millions of our compatriots, led to severe environmental, social and economic, medical consequences, not only for Ukraine, but also for the whole Europe, and we feel its fatal echoes to this day. We must do everything to overcome this universal tragedy, " the message on the Defense Council website says. Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council stressed that over the past decades people have not forgotten the heroism of the liquidators of the accident. As it was reported earlier, the construction works began in Chornobyl exclusion zone in Nobvemner 2017; the nuclear waste repository will be built in the restricted area of Kyiv region. According to UNN news agency, the opening ceremony took place on November 9; Ukrainian company Energoatom will be the one supervising the construction process. According to the Minister of Energy and Coal Production Ihor Nasalyk, by building its own nuclear waste repository, Ukraine will be able to refuse the service offered by Russia, which costs Kyiv more than 7 million dollars annually. Related video: The phase of the debates is expected in the court The Obolon District Court of Kyiv calls ex-president of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych for the session on May 3-4 at 10:00 am on the state treason case. The proper claim was published at Uryadovy Kuryer on April 26. Additionally, the court offers to the defendant to choose other lawyers if the participation of Aver Lex advocate association is impossible in the future sessions, the document said. The press conference of Yanukovychs lawyers from Moscow is planned for today. They promise to comment the proceedings. As we reported on April 19, Vladyslav Deviatko, the presiding judge announced the switch to the phase of debating on the state treason case of Yanukovych. The defense refused to participate in the debates and left the court hall and the break until May 3 was announced. The former president found the switch illegal. According to his statement, the court attempts to speed up the consideration of the case as the witness statements can influence the results of the possible early election. Yanukovych is charged with state treason, assistance in deliberate actions against Ukraines state border, sovereignty and territorial integrity and assistance in leading the aggressive war against Ukraine. German ambassador expressed the confidence that the US will not impose the sanctions against the European companies participating in the Nord Stream 2. Open source Germany finds the provision of the guarantees by Russia on the keeping of the gas transit through Ukraine after the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline necessary. Ernst Reichel, the Ambassador of Germany to Ukraine claimed this as Interfax-Ukraine reported. As Chancellor Merkel said, we need clarity from Russia that they will continue to use Ukrainian gas transporting system. The discussion on this issue continues. We need the guarantees that we can rely on. We need to see in which form it will be done, he said. According to Reichel, Merkel discussed this issue with Russias President Vladimir Putin. We need to wait what could be of this, which response from Russia we will get, he added. Germans ambassador also noted that it is necessary to put efforts to minimize the risks for Ukraine connected to the construction of the Nord Stream 2. The objections, particularly of Ukraine, concern the fact that the gas pipeline can make unnecessary the transit through its territory. So, if we avoid these consequences, we will do the future of Ukraine better. It is what we aim to. The investments of the foreign companies into the Ukrainian gas transporting system is the part of this, Reichel emphasized. Also, he expressed the confidence that the US will not impose the sanctions against the European companies participating in the Nord Stream 2. It will be quite unusual for the friends and allies, if the US imposes sanctions against companies involved in the business beyond the US and based in the countries-allies, such as France and Germany. I am sure that it will not take place and we will com the decision that respects the legal interests of Ukraine on the transit through its territory and possibly will make the discussion more rational than it was. Earlier it was reported that all necessary permits needed for the project have also been received in Germany. The national permitting procedures in the other three countries along the route Russia, Sweden and Denmark are proceeding as planned. Russias leading energy enterprise Gazprom and its partners intend to start implementing the Nord Stream-2 project worth almost 10 billion euros in April 2018. The 1,200-kilometers-long pipeline is to be laid through the Baltic Sea, linking Russia and Germany bypassing Ukraine, Poland, and the Baltic States. The capacity will be twice larger than that of Nord Stream-1. The construction is to be complete by late 2019. Open source The Armed Forces of Ukraine took the eighth place out of 33 among Europes armies according to the Global Firepower ranking. Petro Poroshenko reported this on Facebook. According to the Global Firepower ranking, the Ukrainian army is the most powerful at the European continent among the armed countries that are not NATO-members. We are proud of our soldiers, Poroshenko wrote. Ukraine took the eighth place out of 33 among Europes armies. More than 50 factors were taken into account during the determining of the countrys place. As it was reported earlier, Ukraine took 138th place out of 156 possible in the World Happiness Report 2018. Earlier, Ukraine took the 130th place out of 180 in the Transparency International rating Corruption Perception Index 2017. The Armed Forces of Ukraine raised by 1 point in the Global Firepower 2018 Military Strength Ranking and took 29th place. There 136 states in the rating in total. Ukraine is placed between Greece (28th) and the Czech Republic (29th). American Congressmen Ro Khanna and David N. Cicilline insist on a diplomatic pressure on Ukraine and Poland for the incidents of Holocaust denial and anti-Semitism, as it is stated in their joint statement published on the official website of Congressmen Ro Khanna. We urge you to join us and human rights organizations in standing against anti-Semitism, xenophobia, and all forms of intolerance by calling for the Polish and Ukrainian governments to unequivocally reject Holocaust distortion and the honoring of Nazi collaborators and fully prosecute anti-Semitic crimes, the Members wrote in a letter to Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan. We also ask that you detail what steps are being taken by the United States (U.S.) government to monitor instances of Holocaust distortion and ensure that the U.S. is not supporting or funding groups and individuals that promote or justify anti-Semitism. We believe these steps must include a firm request that these offensive laws be repealed, reads the press release. Ro Khanna noted that the U.S. Government has to be concerned with the resurgence of anti-Semitism in Ukraine and Poland. The State Department must use all available diplomatic channels to work with the Ukrainian and Polish government to combat the rise of this hateful ideology which has historically threatened peace and security in the region, he stated. Russia will not fulfill the resolution of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) on Ukraine. Leonid Slutsky, the MP of Russias State Duma, chairman of Duma Committee on Foreign Affairs reported this to 112 Ukraine. On journalists question, when Russia will fulfill the PACE resolution, Slutsky answered Never. The Russian MP noted that he will stand for position of the constructive cooperation of Russia and the Council of Europe at the session of the PACE Committee. The Russian delegation is not represented in the PACE as it did not file its personal composition to Strasbourg in protest against the sanctions. At the same time, the Russian delegates are invited to the participation at the PACE Committee that considers the possibility to lift the sanctions from Russia and return it to the PACE. Earlier it was reported that EU imposed the sanctions against Leonid Slutsky and he is banned from the entry. However, if he participates in the international events, the ban will be stopped. As it was reported earlier, Ariev announced that the Bureau of the PACE refused will hold the urgent debates on the request of the UK, Ukraine and other countries on the poisoning of ex-GRU officer Sergey Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury and illegal election in annexed Crimea. The spring PACE session is taking place on April 23-27. it is expected that the Donbas Conflict, Russia's election in occupied Crimea, hybrid war and fake news will be discussed. The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has recognized the occupation of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine by Russia. In the adopted amendment, the formulation uncontrolled by government territories was replaced by the territories temporarily occupied by the Russian occupation administration as MP Oleksy Honcharenko reported to 112 Ukraine. Also, the PACE adopted a resolution on the support of the counterwork to Russian propaganda at the EU level. Open source Earlier this year, Ukraine became the largest exporter of eggs in the EU with a share of 38%, surpassing the US. This was reported by Polish Radio. "According to the European Commission, only in January of this year the EU countries purchased 874 tons of eggs and egg products in Ukraine and that is in several times more than in January 2010. Ukrainian supplies exceeded even imports from the United States. So Ukraine at the beginning of the year was the largest exporter of eggs to the EU (38%)," the message said. It is noted that the Ukrainian holding company for egg production plans to produce 2 billion eggs a year. As it was reported earlier, the import of goods to Ukraine exceeded export by $741,1 million over the first two months in 2018. According to the data of the Service, the trade shortfall decreased by $249,7 million over January and February in 2018 compared with the same period of time in 2017, when this index was $491,4 million. 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. Related video: Over 50 US Congressmen sent a letter to the State Department stating that Warsaw adopted a law criminalizing reference to Polands participation in Holocaust, and in Ukraine - a law that criminalizes denial of heroism of Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) Open source More than 50 US Congressmen appealed to the US State Department with a letter expressing concern over the growth of anti-Semitism - the distortion of the Holocaust in Europe, especially in Poland and Ukraine. The appeal was published on the website of the House of Representatives member Ro Khanna. We write to express our dismay about recent reports of state-sponsored Holocaust distortion and denial taking place in Europe, particularly in Poland and Ukraine. These developments are unacceptable, especially given todays global surge of anti-Semitism, the statement says. The Congressmen urged the State Department to join them and human rights organizations in standing against anti-Semitism, xenophobia, and all forms of intolerance by calling for the Polish and Ukrainian governments to unequivocally reject Holocaust distortion and the honoring of Nazi collaborators and fully prosecute anti-Semitic crimes. We also ask what steps are being taken by the United States (U.S.) government to monitor instances of Holocaust distortion and ensure that the U.S. is not supporting or funding groups and individuals that promote or justify anti-Semitism. We believe these steps must include a firm request that these offensive laws be repealed. While the legal questions and historical contexts of Ukraine and Poland differ, developments in both countries are cause for concern. Earlier this year, Warsaw passed a law making it a criminal offense to state that Poland participated in the Holocaust. The law, which was rightfully criticized by the U.S. State Department, the Israeli government, and others, was accompanied by a surge of anti-Semitic remarks. The Israeli Embassy in Warsaw reported being flooded by anti-Semitic vitriol, while members of the Polish Jewish community expressed concern at rising tensions in the wake of the law. Despite Polish President Andrzej Dudas assurances that the law would not be used to stifle free speech, a lawsuit has already been filed against an Argentinian newspaper using this law; Jan Dziedziczak, the Deputy Director of the Polish Foreign Ministry, has demanded that Israel change an exhibit in Yad Vashem in Jerusalem; and an Israeli mayor was forced to cancel a commemoration ceremony after he refused local authorities demands to remove references to Polish complicity in the Holocaust from his speech. Ukraines 2015 memory laws went even further by glorifying Nazi collaborators and making it a criminal offense to deny their heroism. However, unlike the Polish law, this move by the government in Kyiv has received little to no public response from the United States. The groups and individuals extolled by Ukraine include Nazi collaborators Stepan Bandera, Roman Shukhevych, and the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN), as well as the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA). These paramilitaries and individuals in some cases collaborated with the Nazis and bear responsibility for the murder of thousands of Jews, 70,000-100,000 Poles, and other ethnic minorities between 1941 and 1945. Its particularly troubling that much of the Nazi glorification in Ukraine is government-supported. Examples include the 2017 pro-UPA campaign conducted by the Ukrainian Institute of National Memory; the naming of streets after Bandera and Shukhevych by the Kyiv city council; and Lvivs 2017 ShukhevychFest which took place on the anniversary of the 1941 Lviv Pogroms in which 4000 Jews were killed. State-sponsored Holocaust revisionism in Ukraine is accompanied by other forms of anti-Semitism. As Israels Department of Diaspora Affairs pointed out in its annual report on anti-Semitism, the whitewashing of these Ukrainian heroes has coincided with the increasing incidence of anti-Semitism across Ukraine. This includes desecration of Holocaust memorials and Jewish places of worship, such as the desecration of a holy tomb in Uman with a swastika-carved pigs head; a January 2017 march in honor of Bandera, during which participants chanted Jews Out!; as well as last summers firebombing of a Lviv synagogue during ShukhevychFest. Last November, Radio Free Europe reported on the presence of torches and Nazi salutes at a 20,000-person march in honor of the 75th anniversary of the UPA. These torchlight marches are closely linked to organizations such as the neo-Nazi Azov Battalion, an armed group that was prohibited from receiving U.S. weapons and training by the recently signed Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018. Rather than disband Azov, the government incorporated it into the Ukrainian National Guard overseen by the Ministry of the Interior. The group is widely known to be closely connected to Interior Minister Arsen Avakov. The deeply troubling actions by Poland and Ukraine have been repeatedly condemned by the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, the Simon Wiesenthal Center, the National Coalition Supporting Eurasian Jewry, the World Jewish Congress, Yad Vashem, and the Israeli government. As members of the U.S. Congress, we have steadfastly supported Polands and Ukraines quest to build democratic nations. However, we are deeply concerned that the rise of anti-Semitism and denial of the past will stymie these countries democratic development and prevent Poland and Ukraine from becoming a free and open society for all their citizens, Jewish and non-Jewish alike. The developments in these two countries, while particularly egregious, must also be taken in the context of a rise in glorification of Holocaust-era officials throughout Europe, including Hungary, Slovakia, Romania and the Baltic States. This is a troubling trend that must elicit a strong response from our government. Therefore, we respectfully request that you respond to our serious concerns with a detailed description of what actions the State Department is taking to work with the Polish and Ukrainian governments, and other governments in the region, to combat the rise of anti-Semitism and Holocaust-denial and distortion. Additionally, at this moment that anti-Semitism and Holocaust denial is increasing around the world, we ask that you immediately appoint someone for the position of Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat anti-Semitism. The longer this position, which has worldwide reach, sits unfilled, the more it sends the message that the U.S. will tolerate anti-Semitism and Holocaust denial. Moreover, we recognize the important work that is carried out by the Special Envoy for Holocaust Issues and ask that you ensure that his office has the resources necessary to meet the growing challenges in this arena. The United States must assume a leadership position by firmly standing against anti-Semitism ensuring that our Eastern European allies continue to develop democracies that are fair and for everyone. The statement of the court that it wants to hear Yanukovych is false as the court denies the defense in the questioning of the former president at every court session due to the established procedure The attempts of the authority to replace inconvenient advocates in the court on the state treason case of a former president of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych make the trial illegal. Vitaly Serdyuk, the advocate of Yanukovych expressed his opinion as 112 Ukraine broadcasted. We knew about the preparations of the scenario on our removal from this process by the court and authority as we are inconvenient lawyers. This scenario was used for the first time in Pechersk court when we planned to submit the evidence on the shootings of our citizens in Maidan. Now, such announcement was made to create the preconditions to implement the scenario to replace us with a state suitable advocate, he said. The statement of the court that it wants to hear Yanukovych is false as the court denies the defense in the questioning of the former president at every court session due to the established procedure. Every session, Yanukovychs defense submits the demands on his behalf to hold the questioning due to the procedure provided by the legislation but the court desires to reverse the possible testimony of Yanukovych and witnesses of the defense, imposing made-up procedure of the witnesses questioning through Skype, Serdyuk added. As we reported the Obolon District Court of Kyiv calls ex-president of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych for the session on May 3-4 at 10:00 am on the state treason case. As we reported on April 19, Vladyslav Deviatko, the presiding judge announced the switch to the phase of debating on the state treason case of Yanukovych. The defense refused to participate in the debates and left the court hall and the break until May 3 was announced. The former president found the switch illegal. According to his statement, the court attempts to speed up the consideration of the case as the witness statements can influence the results of the possible early election. Yanukovych is charged with state treason, assistance in deliberate actions against Ukraines state border, sovereignty and territorial integrity and assistance in leading the aggressive war against Ukraine. [Update below] In a conference room above a Hindu temple in Woodside, Queens, past a statue of Shiva, a large group of Nepali immigrants gathered last night to seek solace and light candles. Earlier in the day, the Washington Post had reported that documents from the Department of Homeland Security indicate the Trump Administration is about to end Temporary Protected Status for immigrants from Nepal. That means the 9,000 Nepalis who are temporary residents would face deportation after June 24th, 2019. One of them is Rajesh Shrestha. He moved to the US in 2015, after an earthquake in Gorkha, Nepal, that killed 9,000 and injured 22,000. Of the Nepalis who have TPS, 85 percent of them live in New York City, many of them in Woodside and surrounding neighborhoods. Shrestha, 44, funds the education of two nieces and a nephew in Nepal by working as a barback in Manhattan. Hes been praying, he said. Hes in shock. He doesnt know how his family will function if hes forced to return home. Im thinking that, if I lose this job, and if I cant afford their schools, if I cannot help them, I cannot imagine what will be their futures. Maybe they cant reach their dreams, Shrestha said, adding that his nephew is autistic. Nepal is poor. One-quarter of its residents live below the poverty line; about 12 percent make less than $2 a day. The 7.8-magnitude earthquake, which hit the country hard, happened almost exactly three years ago, on April 25th, 2015. Namrata Pradhan, a nanny and volunteer for the Nepali-American nonprofit Adhikaar, which organized the TPS event, said shes trying to project optimism. Earlier in the morning I cried, [but] I never want to show my tears. Because I want to be strong. Mayor Bill de Blasio supports the extension of TPS; a representative of City Council member Daniel Dromm spoke to those gathered. Twenty-two Democratic members of Congress have also called for an extension, including New York senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand and New Jersey senators Cory Booker and Bob Menendez. The program was designed to offer those who find themselves in the midst of a disaster a temporary way out. In recent months, Homeland Security has canceled the TPS designations for Salvadorans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Sudanese, impacting over a quarter of a million immigrants. The department says that it makes its decisions based on a ground assessment of conditions, and whether it thinks countries have adequately recovered. Homeland Security has until May 6th to make a decision about whether to end protection for immigrants from Honduras whove been in the U.S. for about 20 years after fleeing Hurricane Mitch in 1998. Trump officials told the Post that TPS was never intended to allow immigrants to stay in the U.S. long term. The 75 or so Nepalis gathered in Woodside last night seemed shaken, but Adhikaars Executive Director Pabitra Benjamin told them to keep fighting for permanent residency. It may take time, it may not happen within the year, but we will get there. UPDATE 3:15 p.m.: The Department of Homeland Security has officially announced the end of TPS for Nepalis. The agency says conditions in Nepal have since improved. Amanda Baran, a consultant to the Immigrant Legal Resource Center who previously worked at the Department of Homeland Security, slammed the decision, saying, "To expect a country to recover in such a short amount of time for Nepal it was 3 years, after such a devastating earthquake, is unrealistic." PLEASE NOTE! Due to the March 23, 2020 NM DOH Public Health Order, These Event Listings Are Not Accurate! All non-essential businesses are closed, public gatherings are prohibited! (One day some of these events will be rescheduled or will resume, but they are not happening now!) The film portrays an artist deeply concerned with world events, who uses imagery and storytelling to raise awareness about modern anxieties, with an emphasis on the threat of nuclear weapons. Join us for the New Mexico debut of the film Living in the Story. The film documents thirty-five years of art-making by photographer Patrick Nagatani. The film portrays an artist deeply concerned with world events, who uses imagery and storytelling to raise awareness about modern anxieties, with an emphasis on the threat of nuclear weapons. Despite the serious content of his subject matter, his innovative images are compelling and entertaining. An engaging raconteur and teacher, Nagatani talks in the film about his projects, his unorthodox photographic techniques, and his subtle weaving together of fiction and fact. The film will be shown in Popejoy theater and will be followed with a Q & A with the filmmakers. FREE tickets to Living in the Story can be picked up in person at the UNM Art Museum or at the UNM Ticket Office (at the Pit or the Bookstore location). They can also be picked up right before the screening at the Popejoy Will Call window. Right before the film screening the UNM Art Museum invites you to celebrate the opening of the new exhibition: Patrick Nagatani: A Survey of Early Photographs. The reception will feature food by My Sweet Basil and a video remembrance booth for those that wish to share memories about Patrick. Come celebrate with us! 4:00 6:30 pm: Opening Reception 6:30 8:00 pm: Film Screening and Q & A (in Popejoy Hall) Scottish writer-director Lynne Ramsay has become an indie film darling, largely for being so damn stingy with her talent. With You Were Never Really Here, Ramsay offers up just her fourth feature in 20 years (following Ratcatcher, Morvern Callar and We Need to Talk About Kevin). Its a technique that worked gangbusters for Terrence Malik, who managed 4 films in 22 years, all of them legendary (1973s Badlands, 1978s Days of Heaven, 1998s The Thin Red Line and 2005s The New World). That rep came crashing down, however, when the reclusive Malik suddenly got a prolific urge and cranked out five films in rapid succession. Each one of those (starting with 2011s The Tree of Life and ending with 2017s Song to Song) was soundly dismissed as self-indulgent noodling. While you cant exactly say 2018s You Were Never Really Here comes hot on the heels of 2011s We Need To Talk About Kevin, its hard to escape the creeping feeling that Ramsays oeuvre isnt exactly benefitting from the added entries. We Need To Talk About Kevin found Ramsay dumping her bracing homegrown miserablism for a journey into Hollywood genre experimentalism. We Need to Talk About Kevin dabbled in the evil kid category populated by everything from 1956s The Bad Seed to 2009s Orphan. Ramsays intentional obfuscation and film-school assiduousness, however, turned a simple psychological shocker into an arty, esoteric head scratcher. Not that the film lacked defenders. (Star Tilda Swinton hauled in a lot of Best Actress nominations that year, and the Cannes Film Festival nominated the movie for its prestigious Palme dOr.) But when I find myself agreeing with Rex Reed (This is the most unwatchable horror movie masquerading as social comment I have seen this year), something is wrong with the universe. You Were Never Really Here finds Ramsay ditching the painful kitchen sink realism of her first couple outings for another trip to genre town. The film is based on the pulpy novella of the same name by snarky neurotic Jonathan Ames (Bored to Death). Instead of domestic horror films about paranoid mothers and malignant offspring, Ramsay now finds herself distracted by cathartically violent shoot-em-up stories of emotionally wounded assassins and their doomed betrayers/targets. (See for reference: Le Samourai, The Professional, The Killer, The Replacement Killers, Grosse Pointe Blank, Ninja Assassin, Hitman, Collateral, Proud Mary.) It must be stated that theres nothing wrong with trying to reinvent tired genres. (Check out, for example, the pitch-perfect, homage/spoof of this whole gun fu grouping in John Wick). Butas with We Need to Talk About Kevin before itRamsay evinces little history with, understanding of or interest in the very subgenre shes reconstructing. Joaquin Phoenix (more on him later) is front and center as Joe, a combat veteran and former FBI agent suffering from crippling PTSD. Unable to work in polite society, he hires himself out as a hitman-cum-fixer with a special emphasis on abducted women and sex trafficking. (He takes care of his elderly mother too, so you know hes really a good guy.) Joe is hired (through his handler) by a New York state senator to discreetly find and rescue the mans missing daughter, Nina. Senator Vitto (Alex Manette) drops some none-too-subtle hints that hes just fine with Joe getting violent on the men who took his little girl. Joe, no stranger to bloodshed, is more than happy to comply. (Cue the duct tape and ball-peen hammers.) Joe stakes out a high-class New York brothel for wealthy freaks and soon goes all Taxi Driver on the patrons and operators before pulling underaged Nina (Ekaterina Somsonov) out of there. As expected, everything goes horribly wrong after that, with Joe and Nina hunted down by corrupt cops, murderous federal agents and, of course, your standard-issue, string-pulling evil politician. Phoenix, in full method mode and homeless psycho beard, mumbles, rants and power-sulks his way though the role of Joe. At this point in his career, you know what youre getting into with Phoenix. He won best actor at last years Cannes Film Festival thanks to this performance. Your milage may vary, however. Ramsay chooses to weigh down the plot with a lot of flashbacks to Joes abusive childhoodwhich gives some small motivation for his need to help kids and his suicidal state of mind. Unfortunately, the spotty flashbacks are never explained or contextualized, contributing to an overall choppiness in the films narrative flow. Clearly, Ramsay wanted to prove she can make as nasty and violent a revenge drama as her male counterparts. What she fails to provide is an overall logic to the bloody proceedings. Chan-Wook Parks 2003 masterpiece Oldboy features just as much hammer-based violence and a lot more crazy plot twistsbut it holds together in its own loopy world. Ramsays mix of impressionistic images, wall-to-wall blood, loaded symbolism, tough-guy (non-)dialogue and feminist outrage dont exactly gel. There are occasional moments when Ramsays meticulous eye evokes the scuzz romance of Neil Jordans Mona Lisa. There are fewer still when the mordant writing of Mr. Ames pokes through (as when Joe and an assassin sent to do him in lie exhausted on a kitchen floor preposterously keening along to Charlenes Ive Never Been to Me). If youre in the mood for a blood-soaked action flick crossed with a feel-bad art house dramawell then, You Were Never Really Here is pretty much your only opportunity. Weekly Specials Big Bend Road Trip Best places to eat on the drive down south By the time you read this, Ill be heading down I-25 towards Big Bend National Park for a camping trip with an old friend. To say that Im excited about this one is an understatement; Ive been wanting to visit Big Bend since I left Texas eight years ago, but havent been able to make it happen for one reason or another until now. Im leaving you all for the week with a sort of food-centric itinerary of my trip, since its all I can think about right now. Since I grew up in Houston and have lived in California and New Mexico, Im pretty familiar with the easterly drive back to southern Texas. In case any of yall have similar road trips planned for the summer (although I really dont recommend visiting southern Texas in the summer for heat stroke reasons), I thought Id give you a few tips on where to stop for good eats on that long and lonesome drive. courtesy of cabq.gov Every two years, politicos across this great nation of ours wage a timeless battle in order to see who will best serve America and her interests in the US House of Representatives, the lower house of a bicameral Congress, in case you are interested in the details of governance, folks. In many ways, this year is no different than others, as folks from across the political spectrum gear up for primary races to be held in June and then a general election that happens the first Tuesday of November. But this year, there is one telling difference. The man behind the controls of the executive branch is a potential danger to democracy, to the Republic called the United States of America. During the tenure of Donald Trump, the political pendulum has swung far to the right, and citizens are rightly concerned. Trump has already taken back, though legislation and proclamation, many of the rights and much of the progress that progressive governanceand even not so progressive efforts made under the Bush administrationmade possible in the past 30 years. So, onto this not so even playing field come six contenders for the District 1 House of Representatives position currently available at said US Congress. Weekly Alibi held a forum last month to preview the race. It goes without saying that its a lofty, highly credentialed and progressive group heading into the June 5 primary. In fact, the group of six candidatesPatrick Davis, Debra Haaland, Damian Lara, Damon Martinez, Paul Moya and Antoinette Sedillo Lopezare a historical grouping that demonstrates our states excellent leadership potential. But the truth is, only one of these awesome potential citizen legislators will make the cut, ultimately facing Republican Janice Arnold-Joneswho happens to be running unopposed in the Republican primary, also Tuesday, June 5in the general election on Tuesday, November 6, 2018. With that in mindand consequently thinking about how a Dem win in this district is essential to moving forward from the clutches of the Big Orange OneWeekly Alibi endorses Patrick Davisa current City Councilor with the legislative and leadership skills and experienceas the one who will certainly, and most importantly, progressively make a difference when the votes are counted on Capitol Hill. Weekly Alibi met with Candidate Davis last week to discuss his run for office. This is what the man most likely to make a difference said as we sat at the Frontier Restaurant talking about New Mexicos future. Weekly Alibi: Whats important about Patrick Davis that would distinguish him among the other candidates for District 1? Patrick Davis: So, people are surprised to learn that the gay, former police officer who wrote the bill decriminalizing cannabis in Albuquerque started off as a Republican police officer down South, in Georgia. Where did you grow up? Outside of a little town in Georgia, Newnan. I grew up in the 80s and 90s in the South. It was very difficult to be gay there and then. So I moved to DC, thats where I was a cop. My journey toward progressive politics came through those experiences. How did that cultural enlightenment lead to you wanting to be in a position to serve citizens through government? I evolved. I like to say that the way Barack Obama evolved on gay marriage is similar to the way I evolved regarding progressive governance. I got involved in criminal justice work and my views changed because of that. What can citizens expect from you as a US Representative? What folks are going to see out of me in Congress will be similar to what theyve seen of me as an Albuquerque City Councilor. I will concentrate on things that matter. For instance? Well, its not just a matter of hiring new cops. I was part of that effort, but really, making sure that the cops we have reflect our community in a positive way. So passing police oversight legislation will remain of importance. Also the decriminalization of marijuana [at the national level] is becoming a priority. Here in Albuquerque, the new ordinance allows police officers work on fighting crime and promoting public safety. Public safety seems like a big issue in this election. As a Councilor, do you feel like youve made solid improvements in that area? People elected me to City Council to explicitly stand up to Richard Berry. They elected me because they were frustrated with City Hall, so I stood up to the mayor on everything from Bosque protection to getting rid of government waste. So in the past two or three years, I think weve set Albuquerque up to be successful. The issues I care about are in good hands with the new mayor, Tim Keller, thats why I worked so hard to put Tim there. Now our city has renewable energy goals for instance, a plan thats putting solar in Albuquerque [government] buildings, thats really coming. We also now have a police department that doesnt criminalize homelessness and addiction any longer. Albuquerque will succeed but I feel like citizens need someone in Washington to focus on those progressive issues at a national level. So your candidacy is a next level thing, for the city, for the state and for you, que no? If Tim Keller hadnt been elected, I wouldnt have run for Congress. Somebody has to stay here and look out for the things Ive just described. Now that Tims there, he needs a solid partner in DC (District 1 US House mostly comprises the city of Albuquerque) to stand up to Trump and Sessions. Thats something Ive been writing about, how substantive resistance means starting at the grassroots level, electing local and state officials with progressive agendas and then moving on to Washington with support from the lower levels. Do you think that strategy will work to bring an end to the Trump regime? Yes. People see how community governance works, how it preserves democracy. It also opens up opportunities for those whove worked as community organizers to step up to positions in city government. Theres a good tool there. Does New Mexico have intrinsically progressive values or will traditional conservative culture continue to flex its muscles in our state? Well, look what weve done in Albuquerque in the past few months. We moved an immigration-friendly resolution through [the City Council] and when it looked like it was going to pass, we had the Tea Party and [Republican House candidate] Janice Arnold-Jones protesting on Civic Plaza. KKOB [radio] did four hours of programming, call-in shows, to express their disgust. One caller said he was going to go to Tim Kellers office and take a dump on his desk to show who really is in charge. But hate doesnt work; the legislation passed, I stood up for the immigrant community. No craps were taken. But with all that extremist talk going, with all the hate talk, how is anything progressive going to work? Its only when we stand up to that extremism, and have the ability to move toward a perceived centerbecause of the decisions citizens made about who represents themthat we can move forward, towards progressivism and away from the right. Thats the same thing were seeing with regards to gun violence. There was a time when practically nobody was working the other side and consequently, the NRA dominated the conversation. People, young people, finally got fed up. There are more survivors, more mothers of survivors than NRA members speaking up now. So its a different conversation. With regards to your question about culture: Albuquerque is embracing progressivism, thats something the rest of the state can learn from. That doesnt happen if you dont register voters and elect people who truly represent the community. What key legislation do you want to work on if you get the green light from citizens? Theres a whole progressive platform of issues. And no one should be surprised if I join the progressive caucus in Congress. Things like the $15 minimum wage, universal healthcareIve already committed to that. Practical things that youd see from us first include working with existing science and tech enterprises to expand the states solar industry, incremental pieces that empower stake holders in the local economy, those would be priorities if Im elected. Here in the city, weve stopped working on projects like how to get Walmart out of Arkansas and here to New Mexico; instead we are looking forward to investing in already existing local business. Local mom and pop shops are key to growing the economy. Thats our future. And in that future, the one number Trump cant ignore is a Democratic majority in the house of representatives; he wont be able to get his budget through, he will have to sit down and talk to us. If theyre out there on the right, it will be our job on the left to bring them back to center. If theyre not willing to do that, were not going to allow their programs to manifest. When the Democrats take back the house, there will be major changes. I want to be part of that and Im asking the citizens of Albuquerque to send me on that mission. Dateline: England An unknown vandal has been spray painting images of penises over potholes in Harlow, Essex, in England, in what some believe is an attempt to force authorities to fix the roads. According to Metro, one stretch of roadway displayed several examples of the artist's work, each captioned with the words fix me. A spokesperson for the Essex county council responded publicly to the drawings, noting that while they welcomed residents bringing their attention to road hazards, reporting the problem on the county's website is a far more effective and much safer way of sorting out potholes than drawing a part of the male anatomy around them. It was reported that the amount of money spent by the county to repair individual potholes has dropped by nearly 15 million in 3 years. The practice of spray painting penises on roads to bring attention to potholes has gained popularity in the UK, where another vigilante, dubbed Wanksy by the local media, left numerous penises drawn on UK roadways with washable paint in 2016. The identity of the vandal behind the Essex drawings is still unknown. Dateline: China Officials at a hospital in Hong Kong publicly apologized for losing a human brain. South China Morning Post reports that a brain removed from a dead patient during an autopsy was reported missing by morgue officers earlier this month. Dr. Abdul Karim Bin Kitchell, deputising executive director of North District Hospital, said the Hospital Authority, coroner, police and family members of the patient were informed. The patient was reportedly admitted to the hospital for mental disorders on February 22 and died of unknown causes on February 25. To help determine the patient's cause of death, doctors reported the case to the coroner. The patient's brain was removed during the autopsy and immersed in formalin and then stored away. According to Dr. Wan Suk-king, chief of services (clinical pathology), the organ would need to soak in the solution for some time to allow the chemical to set. Authorities claim the sample room where the brain was stored does not employ video surveillance and was unlocked while it was inside. A spokesperson for advocacy group Hong Kong Patients Voices told reporters that this incident was only the latest in a string of very serious mistakes. Hospital officials said they would help police in any investigations and apologized to the patient's family. Dateline: Borneo Scientists have discovered a new species of exploding ant. Researchers exploring the jungles of Borneo found a tree-dwelling ant that will detonate itself, showering victims in a toxic yellow substance as a defense mechanism. The ant itself will die in the act, but the colony will hopefully be protected. The scientists named the small red insect Colobopsis explodens. According to The Guardian, team member and entomologist Alice Laciny, from the Natural History Museum in Vienna, described the bright yellow goo as having a distinct and not unpleasant smell thats strangely reminiscent of curry. Only some of the ants in the speciessterile female workersseem to have the ability to explode, according to the researchers. They are said to be prone to self-sacrifice. The mechanism of defensive suicide, autothysis, is common in superorganisms like ants and bees. Exploding ants are more rare, however, and Colobopsis explodens is the first new species discovered since 1935. The research team's findings were reported in the journal ZooKeys. Dateline: Florida A woman was ordered by a judge to share custody of her dog with a former neighbor. Fox 13 in Tampa Bay, Fla., reports that a 4-year-old black Labrador retriever mix named Elario became the center of a legal battle between Tina Walker and her neighbor David Somerville after he sued her for sole ownership of the dog. According to the suit, Somerville claimed he was the dog's main caretaker and accused Walker of keeping the animal away from him. Walker defended herself by saying that dogs are legally considered property, and she was the one who actually adopted Elario. The judge presiding over the case ruled that both parties would share custody and swap weekends. Dateline: California Scientists have successfully implanted mini human brains into mice. According to [Scientific American, scientists at the Salk Institute published a report last week detailing the first successful implant of human cerebral organoids into the brains of another species. The miniature cerebrumsgrown in a lab and reportedly the size of a lentilwere transplanted into the rodents, where the hosts' brains would supply the cerebrums with blood and nutrients, keeping them alive and developing for months. The new technique is expected to allow researchers to better understand human brain development and to see if it's possible to use the organoids to repair brains that have been damaged or failed to develop properly. According to the report, the mice who received the implants performed tasks in the same manner as those who did not. PRINT | EMAIL | PERMALINK Newscity Program to Improve High Schools Under Way The Public Education Department has invited 10 New Mexico high schools to participate in a new, federally-funded program aimed at increasing graduation rates and student performance. The newly developed New Mexico High School Redesign Network is offering 10 schools a chance to redesign their curricula, improve teacher development and gain assistance in restructuring efforts. The invitation was given to high schools with graduation rates below 67 percent. The three-year program will require participating schools to follow a set of principles and practices, according to a press release from PED. The 10 schools who were offered the opportunity are: West Mesa, Belen, Bernalillo, Cuba, Espanola Valley, Rocinante, Miyamura, Gilbert L Sena Charter, Health Leadership and Las Montanas Charter high schools. The state will be using $4 million in federal funds for the program over the next three years. The High School Redesign Network is the result of a partnership between several states and Johns Hopkins University. The program launches in May. N.M. Dems Elect Chairwoman The Democratic Party of New Mexico elected Marg Elliston of Corrales as chairwoman of the state party. According to the Los Alamos Daily Post, Elliston was elected by the party's State Central Committeea group of Democratic Party members from across the state who participate in party planninglast week at the Truth or Consequences Civic Center. Elliston served as chair of the Democratic Party of Sandoval County for five years. She will serve as state chair through the rest of the current term, which ends in 2019. Elliston will be replacing Richard Ellenberg, who resigned from the position last month amid controversy over his handling of sexual harassment allegations against a union leader. The Santa Fe New Mexican reported that Ellenberg questioned the legitimacy of sexual harassment claims leveled against union leader Jon Hendry, a move that was criticized by state Democrats. Ellenberg apologized for how he dealt with the complaints, saying in a letter to the NMDPs central committee that he wished to learn and grow and be an advocate and ally in the future. Earlier this year, Ellenberg publicly apologized for his reaction when former Dona Ana County Commissioner John Vasquez was accused of sexual harassment. There are only a few fundamental truths about living in New York City: You will develop a love/hate relationship with the subway. Every bar and restaurant you love will eventually turn into a bank, chain pharmacy or vacant greed hole. You will never learn to play guitar from Dan Smith. And most importantly, the many things that make this city so frustrating and difficult will be the things that most endear you to it. No matter your background, what part of the city you live in, or how long your commute is, the NYC experience is a perpetual Rube Goldberg machine filled with strange and unique situations that the English language struggles to fully describe. Thankfully, there is another language that IS very good at describing extremely specific things: German. From schadenfreude to kummerspeck, from doppelganger to zeitgeist, German compound words capture the essence of these difficult-to-describe emotions and scenarios with verbal efficiency (not to mention linguistic zest). Inspired by former LAist Editor-in-Chief Julia Wick, we've compiled our own list of NYC experiences that deserve their own German expressions. Verpassterzug: The Agonizing Feeling Of JUST Missing The Subway There is no quintessential NYC experience quite like this: running down a subway station platform with your arms flapping all about like a distressed penguin, making eye contact with the conductor, and then hesitantly stretching out your hand to try to slip between the doors before they close. For every time they re-open, they're just as likely to slam shut in your face, leaving you gazing at your own woebegone reflection in the greasy window as the train rolls away forever. Konversationkleinangst: The Fear Of Unexpectedly Running Into A Work Colleague Or College/High School Acquaintance On The Train And Having To Make Small Talk For An Indeterminate Amount Of Time While outlawing conversation altogether on the subway may seem a bit extra to some (if you vote for me for mayor, I will make this the cornerstone of my administration), few things fill us with dread quite like making accidental eye contact with someone on the train, quickly piecing together that you know this person from somewhere, and then watching helplessly as they approach. You have no place to run, so just curl up into an awkward shell of stilted updates on weddings, Kardashian babies and sportsball news. The faces of Vorfreudesatan! (Tod Seelie/Gothamist) Vorfreudesatan: The Horrible Anticipation Of Having To Go To Penn Station On The Eve Of Some National Holiday Penn Station has it all: massive delays. Heavy sighs. Strange smells. Lines. Drunken commuters. Heavily processed air. Bodies, sweaty and disconsolate, pressing up against each other. Mouth breathers breathing down your back. You may also get a whiff of this anticipatory anxiety when traveling to Penn Station on a Friday afternoon, or a Monday morning, or literally any day of the year. This is also applicable to gearing yourself up to go to JFK, LGA, Newark, any museum on a Saturday, Times Square, visiting relatives on the Upper East Side, and of course, taking a trip with your loved ones to the Swedish-founded, Dutch-based, Brooklyn-located IKEA. Not all mattress spell it out like this (thekateblack/flickr) Bettwanzengrusel: The Panic That Seizes Your Body When You See An Uncovered Mattress On The Sidewalk And All That It Implies I won't even let my dog sniff those things for fear of the bugs-who-lay-in-beds. Bedbugs can ruin your social life whether or not you're already prone to high levels of urban anxiety. So this also applies to learning your local movie theater, gym or favorite restaurant recently fumigated under shadowy circumstances. And when it comes to entire subway trains being put out of service because of bedbugs, please make it Uberbettwanzengrusel. Wohnungluck: The Sadness That Takes Root In Your Bones Upon Seeing Other People's Superior Apartments These apartments tend to be significantly nicer or better-placed than your own. Things like: more than one room, more than one window (a window that doesn't face a brick wall?!), doormen, elevators, and egads, multiple bathrooms. There is no monster quite like the friend who directs you to use the guest bathroom. Brunchangstungh: The Anxiety You Feel When You're Walking Up To A Popular Brunch Destination And Another Couple Is Approaching The Entrance At A Pace That Will Deliver Them There Slightly Ahead Of You, Snagging The Very Last Two-Top You will be left waiting at least half an hour (or more), which is at least an hour in hangover time. Related: Laneliniegrrrr, the feeling you get when you have a great night planned out and you arrive at a restaurant and there's a two hour wait, and you immediately leave because there is no point of ever waiting on a line in NYC. Oh sure, they look cute when they're just hanging out in the sidewalk... (Tipster Wayne took the original photo) Karosserierattenpanik: The Belief That The Rats Will Eventually Team-Up To Take You Out It's after midnight, and you're buzzed off surviving another day in the five boroughs in which you were not beaten down by your commute, your boss, your roommates, or that tiger-sized raccoon you read about. You turn a corner and find yourself walking along an unfamiliar empty street. The street lights are all out. You feel your shirt starting to stick to your back in the evening humidity. You hear the tell-tale sound of little nails scurrying around you. What was that blurry image in the corner of your eye? You start walking a little quicker. You can hear yourself breathing audibly now. More nail sounds, more blurs. But no one's around. You're about to turn another corner... and in front of you stands a collective of rats. They're united in purpose, their movements in sync. Their teeth chatter in unison as if they just emerged from the Polar Bear Plunge. It dawns on you... they want you alive. Slowly, then quickly, they come upon you, climbing your body, taking control of your movements like a marionette. This is a very rational fear. Befriedigendausfahrt: The Satisfaction Of Knowing The Exact Correct Train Car To Get Into In Order To Get Out At The Exact Correct Exit It takes some trial-and-error to make sure that your daily commute is as efficient as possible, but once you unlock the secrets of your train, chef's kiss. The other subway experience that comes close to matching this is when the express and local trains line up so you can waltz from one to the other with no problems. Geschlossenschuld: The Guilt That Washes Over You When An Out-Of-Towner Asks You About Cool NYC Cultural Institutions & Events And You Have No Idea What They're Talking About And then you realize you've just been sitting in your apartment ordering Seamless, bingewatching Law & Order reruns and avoiding social engagements for the last two years. And the sickest thing is... you prefer it this way. jake gyllenhaal using the subway is an entire cinematic universe by itself pic.twitter.com/xS2JOUCC6p kyra (@qrandbudapest) February 22, 2018 Beruhmtheit Gleichgultigkeit: When You Spot A Celebrity And Act Totally Indifferent (But Brag About It Later) Whether you spot Jake Gyllenhaal eating a bagel off the floor of the subway or Paul Giamatti practicing his faces, NYers tend to act completely indifferentalmost hostilein person toward celebrities. Our instinct is to chide Michael Cera for bad subway form, not to awkwardly ask him for a selfie. But then, of course, we will go and tell everyone we know about our run-in. It's the feeling of excitement over brushing shoulders with celebrities while also tempering that excitement in an attempt to not seem uncool, but then unleashing that excitement upon loved ones and friendsalmost like an excitement sandwich. Angst Vor Verminkolonien, Die Hinter Dem Ofen Leben: The Fear Of Vermin Living Behind The Stove I feel like this one is very self-explanatory, but just in case: it's the fear you experience when you decide to move a large piece of furniture or kitchen appliance (say, a fridge or couch or stove) in your apartment, one which has not been moved in years, and you're terrified of what you will find. The corollary to this is Freundbewegtangst: the paralyzing anxiety of knowing your friend/relative is moving and they could ask you for help doing so any minute now. YEREVAN, APRIL 26, ARMENPRESS. Members of the HHK (Republican Party) faction of the Armenian parliament had a meeting on April 25 with 3rd President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan, the President of HHK, and acting PM Karen Karapetyan, the HHK faction told ARMENPRESS. The first part of the meeting was attended by former President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan, who presented the reasons of his recent resignation in detail and spoke about different formats of working in the parliament urging to prioritize domestic stability and security of the country in everything, which in case of any decision can be implemented only through unity of Republicans. At the second part of the meeting, Republicans discussed the current political situation and possible developments with acting Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan. An agreement was reached to announce that the Republican faction is ready to discuss any issue with all sides without preconditions. An agreement was also reached to start discussing in the HHK executive bodies the issue of replacing the partys president. English translator/editor: Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, APRIL 26, ARMENPRESS. France plans to increase its support to the international coalition in Syria to complete the fight against the Islamic State terrorist group, President Emmanuel Macron said during a press conference in Washington D.C., TASS reports. We will increase our commitment within the frames of the international coalition, the French President said. We will work jointly to strengthen security in the region. He also highlighted the importance of talks with Russia on the Syrian conflict settlement, as well as creating a bridge between the Geneva and Astana processes. English translator/editor Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, APRIL 26, ARMENPRESS. The US Air Force has tested the Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile. According to the Air Forces press service, the launch was the first of 2018. The US military initially planned to test the missile in February but the date was postponed. The missile did not have a warhead and the test was said to be a success. The test launch was carried out from the Vandenberg military base in California. The LGM-30 Minuteman is a U.S. land-based intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), in service with the Air Force Global Strike Command. As of 2017, the LGM-30G Minuteman III version is the only land-based ICBM in service in the United States. English translator/editor: Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, APRIL 26, ARMENPRESS. A book signed by the late scientist Stephen Hawking, one of the world's most famous physicists, went up for auction with a bidding price of 28,000$, Fox News reported. The book, ''The Archaeology of the Industrial Revolution'," was signed by Hawking in 1973, shortly before he was physically unable to write his name due to ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig's Disease. Below Hawking's signature is the inscription: ''With gratitude and best wishes from the friends of the IOA computer staff.'' Stephen William Hawking was an English theoretical physicist, cosmologist, author, and director of research at the Centre for Theoretical Cosmology at the University of Cambridge. Hawking was the first to set out a theory of cosmology explained by a union of the general theory of relativity and quantum mechanics. He was a vigorous supporter of the many-worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics Hawking had a rare early-onset slow-progressing form of motor neurone disease (also known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis"ALS" or Lou Gehrig's disease) that gradually paralysed him over the decades. Even after the loss of his speech, he was still able to communicate through a speech-generating device, initially through use of a hand-held switch, and eventually by using a single cheek muscle. He died on 14 March 2018 at the age of 76 English translator/editor: Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, APRIL 26, ARMENPRESS. A meeting was held in the Russian Embassy in Armenia on April 25 with MPs Nikol Pashinyan and Ararat Mirzoyan, as well as spokesman of the Civil Contract party Tigran Avinyan, the Embassy told Armenpress. During the talk the meeting participants discussed the current situation in Armenia and the capital Yerevan. The Russian side called on the organizers of opposition rallies and marches to go to constructive dialogue with the leadership and other political forces. The Russian Embassy said that the current situation should be solved exclusively in the constitutional field and for the benefit of all citizens of Armenia. The Russian side expressed hope that the country will soon return to its normal course. English translator/editor Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, APRIL 26, ARMENPRESS. Opposition leader Nikol Pashinyan has called on his supporters to temporarily suspend the street-blocking tactics. 14:51 Opposition leader Nikol Pashinyan begins marching with crowd of supporters from Komitas Avenue and reaches Republic Square. 12:19 Pashinyan calls on supporters to temporarily cease street blocking tactics. The lawmaker addresses supporters to tackle the problem relating to reckless drivers who remove license plates and travel by violating traffic rules. The MP urged his followers to open all blocked streets in Yerevan and deal with the vehicles lacking license plates. I am calling on everyone to open all closed streets in Yerevan. I am asking all activists to find vehicles without license plates or with covered license plates. There shouldnt be any vehicle without license plates or with covered license plates today, Pashinyan said. The opposition lawmaker mentioned that he has received numerous letters saying that drivers are traveling in the city without license plates or by covering the license plates of their vehicles. We are asking to install the license plates, open and then only drive. Why should we cover our face? he said. On April 26, police said that only in one night (April 25-26) they pulled over 18 vehicles without license plates and the drivers have been fined accordingly. English translator/editor: Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, APRIL 26, ARMENPRESS. The investigative committee of Bashkortostan, Russia, launched criminal proceedings over the deaths of five people in a restaurant of Ufa. Moskovsky Komsomolets newspaper reported that earlier on April 13, one of the employees of the restaurant entered the utility hole without wearing a protective mask to close the water vault, but lost consciousness shortly afterwards. Five others entered the manhole to help their colleague, but they too lost consciousness. Four employees died instantly, while one died later in the hospital. Another employee is hospitalized. The likely cause of death is a methane leak an odorless and colorless gas which mainly accumulates in underground facilities near water. The restaurant is located near Belaya River, which explains the gas accumulation. Similar cases happen when businesses fail to maintain proper safety precautions and fail to train their staff accordingly. The restaurant is owned by the local Armenian community. All victims were ethnic Armenians. English translator/editor: Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, APRIL 26, ARMENPRESS. US hip hop artist Kanye West husband of reality TV star Kim Kardashian should use his relationship with President Donald Trump to contribute to the US recognition of the Armenian Genocide Markos Kounalakis writes in an article titled Kanye West can help Trump recognize the Armenian genocide in The Wichita Eagle. Armenia is not the first thing that comes to mind when you think about Kanye West and the Kardashians. Truth is, however, Kanye has always cared and sang about justice and his wife's Armenian-American family has always felt strongly about the need to recognize one of the world's greatest crimes and injustices the Armenian genocide. Kanye should leverage his newfound kinship with President Trump to prod him towards doing what no other sitting American president has done: Use an executive order to declare that the murderous events of 1915 were the worlds first modern genocide, Markos Kounalakis writes. The author reminds that Kim and Kanye traveled to Armenia in 2015 for the Armenian Genocide centennial commemoration events. Modern Turkey does not like to be reminded of this historic fact. It prefers to look at the Christian Armenian deaths as unfortunate collateral damage during a World War, not a group targeted by Turks for ethnic and religious cleansing. Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan threatens to exact punishment from countries recognizing that genocide. President Trump does not take kindly to threats. Trump is always inclined to do things differently and buck tradition, the article said. The author reminded that nearly 100 US lawmakers wrote Trump a letter recently urging to follow the lead of 29 countries and 48 US states in recognizing the Armenian Genocide. If lawmakers cant convince Trump to recognize the genocide and his good friend Rep. Devin Nunes, whose political future hangs on the love of his Fresno Armenian-American electorate cant do it, and if Kanye cant do it, then whos left? Maybe Hip Hop artists Kendrick Lamar or Nazo Bravo can find the right beat and lyrics to pull the presidents heartstrings. Its time. English translator/editor: Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, APRIL 26, ARMENPRESS. 4 factions of the Armenian Parliament continue discussions over the candidate for the Prime Minister ahead of the debate of the issue of election of the PM scheduled on May 1. The representatives of all parliamentary factions gave a comment to ARMENPRESS on this matter. Eduard Sharmazanov, spokesman of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA), Vice Speaker of the Parliament, said the Republican faction will discuss the issue of the Partys candidate for the PM within the timeframes provided by the Constitution, including April 30, and will make a joint decision. Whatever we decide, it will be conditioned exclusively by the state interest of the Republic of Armenia, serving the interests of the Armenian citizens taking into account the priority of national security and domestic stability. We are a pro-state political force where the interest of the state and the Fatherland is above everything and we will be guided by Nzhdehs principle: with my party, but for my people, Sharmazanov said. Asked whether it is possible that their candidate will not be an RPA member, and they will support another candidate, Sharmazanov said: I already said, we will discuss and will make a joint decision. Our decision will be based on serving the interest of national security and domestic stability. The Republican Party is a state force, and we will make a decision until April 30 and will present our clear decision on what we are going to do. Tsarukyan faction MP Naira Zohrabyan reminded that the meeting of Tsarukyan bloc leader Gagik Tsarukyan and Yelk faction head Nikol Pashinyan was held on April 25, stating that at the moment the sides are holding talks. As of this moment I cannot say anything on any concrete decision as long as quite intensive talks are underway. Be sure we will make our decision in coming 1-2 days and will release it until April 30, until the moment when the candidates for PM are nominated, Zohrabyan said. Yelk faction secretary Gevorg Gorgisyan said their bloc is ready to nominate Nikol Pashinyans candidacy for the PM, but they are not in a hurry yet. Yelk bloc is ready to nominate Nikol Pashinyans candidacy, but yesterday it was stated that Nikol Pashinyan must be the candidate of all 4 factions. Now, I think, Mr. Pashinyan is holding talks with the remaining three factions. I suppose we will be notified about the results, he said. ARF Supreme Council representative Arsen Hambardzumyan informed that the party doesnt yet have a concrete decision on the PMs candidate. You will be informed about our decision ahead of the Parliaments session. Asked whether its possible for the ARF to support Nikol Pashinyan, Hambardzumyan said at the moment there is no such agenda, but added that meetings and discussions with Nikol Pashinyan and his supporters are expected in coming days. We have a range of issues, and the approaches of Mr. Pashinyan and his supporters on them are interesting. Our position will depend on the results of these discussions and the nominated candidates, he said. Arsen Hambardzumyan also didnt rule out that the party will nominate its own candidate for the PM. Armenian Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan resigned on April 23. According to the Constitution, after the PMs resignation all parliamentary factions can nominate candidates for PM within 7 days after which the election of the PM will be held in the Parliament by an open voting. The Parliament will debate the issue of election of the PM at a special session on May 1. English translator/editor Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, APRIL 26, ARMENPRESS. None of Armenias partners has tried to interfere in the countrys internal affairs, deputy minister of foreign affairs Shavarsh Kocharyan told reporters April 26. It is important for the foreign [ministry] to work more attentive and with heightened mode these days. Now all state structures must work with the same rhythm, which is very important for the country, for security and international reputation, he said. Asked whether or not he will continue working in the event of a replacement of authorities, Kocharyan said he doesnt generally speak about his personal plans. The most important thing is that everything must get a peaceful settlement in the framework of lawfulness, the constitution and all symptoms of this already exist, he said. English translator/editor: Stepan Kocharyan Not all who wander are lost If youre a fan of the Lord of the Rings trilogy (like I am), then youre probably familiar with one... Remember When How America was settled is a passion of mine, since part of my family got here in the 1600s from... Implications of population decline The recent U.S. 2020 Census Count revealed that Flint and Genesee County experienced a decline in population over the past... Nation needs to return to being civil, like after 9/11 Another anniversary has come and gone. There have been 20 since that day, Sept. 11, 2001. I, like everyone else... YEREVAN, APRIL 26, ARMENPRESS. Acting finance minister of Armenia Vardan Aramyan says the best solution to the current inner-political situation is the constructive dialogue, reports Armenpress. My deepest respect to each member of our society, but the acting PM issued a statement informing that the agreements turned into ultimatums, therefore they were cancelled. I cannot make an additional statement, he told reporters after todays Cabinet meeting, commenting on the cancellation of talks between acting PM Karen Karapetyan and opposition MP Nikol Pashinyan. Commenting on reports of head of the Tashir group of companies Samvel Karapetyans involvement in the cancellation of talks, the acting minister said the global experience shows that in such cases different hypothesis are being born. We need to be very cautious on any information, they are very dangerous as they can cause confusion among the people which is very bad, it means that there is no disciplinary rating, he said, adding that the best solution is the constructive dialogue. English translator/editor Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, APRIL 26, ARMENPRESS. Serzh Sargsyans step to resign from the post of Prime Minister of Armenia was positively perceived by international investors and community, acting finance minister Vardan Aramyan told reporters after todays Cabinet meeting, Armenpress reports. This step gave a positive signal in a sense that Armenia has such situation that the mistakes made in Ukraine are not being repeated, in other words, it moves on a more constructive path, Vardan Aramyan said. On April 23, at 16:00, Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan resigned as widespread protests entered the 11th day. On the same day, as required by law, the government resigned. First Deputy PM Karen Karapetyan was named acting PM at an emergency Cabinet meeting. According to the Constitution, parliamentary factions are entitled to nominate candidates for PM within 7 days after the resignation of the PM, after which the election is held through an open voting in the parliament. English translator/editor Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, APRIL 26, ARMENPRESS. Tourists planning to visit Armenia these days are interested in the countrys situation, some of them even cancelled the already booked tour packages. Sputnik tour agency told Armenpress that the inner-political developments left their impact on their activity. During this period our partners call us, they are concerned and interested, even send us international media reports. There are tourists who cancelled the packages, and they are a lot, the agency representative said and informed that in any case tourists still arrive in Armenia, a group is expected to come on April 28. Director of Loca travel agency Ruzanna Melkonyan told Armenpress that they receive numerous calls from abroad during this period. We receive many calls, the foreigners are trying to know at what stage are the inner-political developments in Armenia, whether there are clashes, aggression or not. They are concerned, but have not yet cancelled the packages booked earlier, she said, and informed that they continue their work. Sunny Day Tour travel agency informed that they also have not received cancellations as of this moment. The agency works both at incoming and outgoing directions. We are mainly work towards the directions of Greece and Egypt. No issue emerged on this matter yet. As for the incoming visits, at the moment we have tourists from Beirut and continue working normally, the company representative said. Joy Tour agency, engaged mainly in outgoing direction, says the inner-political developments have certainly affected their activity. Usually in April our citizens are active, interested in tour packages to book for summer, but due to the recent developments I can state that the interest, applications have been declined by nearly 50%. Its clear, everyone is engaged in inner-political topics, the company director Lilit Alexanyan said, expressing hope that the situation will improve in May. English translator/editor Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, APRIL 26, ARMENPRESS. Head of Yelk bloc parliamentary faction Nikol Pashinyan again expresses readiness to negotiate with the authorities, but at the same time puts forward a condition that the meeting must be open for press. ARMENPRESS report during the April 26 rally at the Republican Square Nikol Pashinyan announced that he invites acting Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan to start the 2nd stage of negotiations at Armenia Marriott hotel at 12:00, April 27. But, as I have already said, we have one clear condition. Talks with Karen Karapetyan must take place in the presence of journalists from the beginning to the end. We will not negotiate with the RPA behind doors. We will negotiate in front of the people, because we announce that the people is the leadership and our chief and we must be accountable for each of our steps, Pashinyan said. Pashinyan informed that their rally on April 27 will take place in Gyumri at 16:00 and in Vanadzor on April 28 at 15:00, urging his supporters in Yerevan to rest for a while and stop all the actions. But if there are people in Yerevan who have no need for rest like me, they can join us with their cars tomorrow at 15:00, Pashinyan said, adding that the acts of civil disobedience will be restored on April 29, 30 and May 1 with an unprecedented scale. He announced that on April 25 he was nominated as the candidate of the people for Prime Minister and that they expect that the National Assembly faction will uphold that decision by consensus. Pashinyan underlined that no compromise or bargaining, or behind the scenes agreement can take place. No deal can be made behind the scenes. Either I will be elected the Prime Minister with the help of people, with the demand of people and the support of people, or there will be no Prime Minister in Armenia, Pashinyan said. A march in the city center followed the rally. English translator/editor Tigran Sirekanyan Two British lawyers, who are also 37-year-old twin sisters, face charges in the United Arab Emirates city of Dubai over an alleged drunken rampage last August that ended up with the women physically assaulting a female police officer and yelling ethnic slurs about Arab women, according to reports in the British media. But now, according to a report in Britains Daily Mail newspaper, it appears that porn fans may be familiar with Alena and Sasha Parker, who now work for the elite Dubai-based law firm Al Safar & Partners. According to the Mail report, the Anarchy Twins who went by the names Misha and Sasha in a series of videos under the title London Shaggers, are the same twins accused in the Dubai assault case. The Parker twins were born in 1981, in Belarus, a state that at the time was part of the Soviet Union, with the surname Velikanava, the Mail reported. They emigrated to London, England in 2001 and attended law school there. The London Shaggers videos were released in 2006, when the twins were still in law school and may have been intended to help pay for their legal education. Alena Velikanava married British TV director Miles Parker, taking his name. But the twins are so close that her sister legally changed her last name to Parker as well. They gained British citizenship in 2010. The pair appeared in court Monday in Dubai, and asserted that they are innocence of the assault charges. According to police there, the sistersknown for putting their lavish, party-loving lifestyle on display via social mediawere found drunk and behaving outrageously in Dubai on August 4 last year. Police say that the sisters began shouting at them as they attempted to treat Sasha, who was slightly injured, and then inexplicably attacked a police woman, tackling her to the ground. According to the Mail report, the twins claim that they were acting in self-defense after being taken to the desert in a van, threatened with guns and tortured by the cops. The twins lawyers said that they would produce security camera video recordings would prove that the Parker twins are innocent. The London Shaggers videos, in which Alena uses the pseudonym Misha, are advertised as featuring identical twin sisters, Sasha and Misha, fulfilling every mans fantasy by doing the same guy. Photo via Sasha Parker Instagram WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif.Flirt4Free has released the details of their anticipated Fiesta de Mayo Celebration. This year, models and customers will enjoy four full days of non-stop partying. The Fiesta runs from midnight to midnight EDT, Wednesday, May 2, through Saturday, May 5. Fiesta has to be one of our favorite annual events, said Jaime Rodriguez, Director of Product at Flirt4Free. Our models bring a ton of fun and creativity to their broadcasts. Between the amazing decorations and in-chat contests, its a non-stop party where everyone seems to come away smiling. In addition to a heavy dose of Cinco-themed shows and festive animations, users are sure to be thrilled with the return of the hallmark Fiesta Shots Contest. Performers will compete to collect the most virtual Shots from their viewers and fans. With a $1,000 first-place payoff, and the titles of Fiesta King and Queen on the line, visitors should expect an abundance of colorful costumes and all-out performances from the sites models. On May 2, models and customers can also jump on Twitter for the chance to win some sweet Flirt4Free swag during the Drinkos With Amigos giveaway. Keep an eye on @Flirt4Free for a special tweet and follow the instructions to enter the drawing. For more information on Flirt4Frees Fiesta de Mayo Celebration, or for complete Shots Contest rules, visit Flirt4Free.com. Affiliates interested in promoting the Flirt4Free network can apply here. Performers or studios interested in broadcasting on the Flirt4Free network can apply here. AMSTERDAMTomorrow is a big day in the Netherlands, when Dutch citizens across the country celebrate their monarch. Kings Day, celebrated on April 27, is marked with festive outdoor celebrations, with Amsterdam hosting the biggest and most elaborate. More than 1 million revelers will attend the celebrations, which celebrate the reigning royal, Crown-Price Willem-Alexander. The traditional Kings Day celebration includes a street carnival, dancing and singing, and an open-air market where citizens buy and sell trinkets. Portraits of the current monarch are on display, and streets are decorated with national Dutch flags and bright patches of orange, the traditional color of the monarchy. To celebrate Kings Day, the organizers of Webmaster Access Amsterdam are offering $100 off registration for the annual webmaster show, taking place September 7-10 in the Dutch cultural capital. To take advantage of the offer, register by May 1 and enter code Kings100 here. Affiliates, studios and talent always attend free. Registration is sponsored by PussyCash. Those who qualify can register for no charge here. One reason to act right now is to save $100 on the registration fee. But its just as important to also book a room nowbefore the host hotel fills up. To book a hotel suite, go here. MAMAIA, RomaniaAWSummit has announced that 7Veils Social Media has been brought aboard as the official social media provider for the Summit, which bills itself as the worlds premier cam show, and will run from June 5 to 7 in Mamaia, Romania this year. The show features a world class awards gala, many business opportunities for studios, cam networks and models, along with a high level of luxury throughout all aspects of the show. We are very pleased to be able to make this announcement after speaking with Lauren and her team, said Alexandru Gheorghe, Director of AWSummit. So much of the cam world is social media-driven, and having 7Veils managing all aspects of the social media experience at the show itself will provide attendees with a new level of connectivity. Its another way we are continuing to evolve AWSummit so that we can offer our guests, sponsors and spectators the best cam show possible. Registration is currently open on the AWSummit.com website and space is limited so anyone considering attending may wish to register for the show soon. Romania is a hotbed for cam companies and performers seeking to enter the business, and that makes Mamaia the perfect location for the next business event on the schedule. Its gratifying to know that AWSummit values our expertise and understands the importance of social media in the modern cam world, explained Lauren MacEwen, CEO of 7Veils.com. People physically present at the show will benefit from a lot of information we can broadcast directly from the show, and anyone who was unable to attend in person will also be able to access some of the shows valuable seminars via our social channels. To tune in to the social media presentation of AWSummit, follow it on Twitter and Facebook. 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Unlike most American girl/girlhigh-energy, much moaningthis is slow and steamy. Director (and former performer) Sandra Shine takes her time but builds the sexual tension well beyond the boiling point. The star is Dolly Diore, who calls herself Maitresse. She is very pretty but very firm, a power-dom with a babyface. Her first sub is Euro-porn superstar Misha Cross, at first unrecognizable as a platinum blonde, who serves her lunch. Dolly draws a riding crop between her cheeks, then gives her a hard finger-fuck and generally bosses her around. They get all lipstick lesbian sexy, two glowing sensuous bodies. Misha deep- tongues Dolly and then its back to lunch. Dolly disciplines Sasha Rose, who humbly presents her with a glass of water. Sasha plays with her pussy, a good hot masturbation, as Dolly feels her up. She makes Sasha lick her snatch, which she does with passion, then finger-fucks her. Sasha gets herself off with one hand while Dolly just watches, slyly, then walks off and leaves her alone. Dolly plays erotically with the very sexy Delia A., who is strung up and blindfolded. She rubs a bullet-sized vibe into her pussy, sticks her panties in her mouth, then dons a large black strap-on. Delia has one leg cuffed to her hand as Dolly fucks her hard, standing. Delia rewards Dolly by licking her pussy, with a smile on her face. Anina Silk wants Dolly to watch as she makes love to Jenny D. Dolly is all too happy do complybut she does more than just watch. She cant keep her tongue off Aninas butt and pussy. When Dolly wants her own pussy probed and Jenny complies, Dolly finger-fucks Anina hard for a closer with a good time had by all. 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. Subcommittee offers draft legislation as governor's working group has initial meeting Lawmakers approved six recommendations during the final meeting of the School Safety Subcommittee on Student Health. The subcommittee, which went another round hearing from mental health experts, also discussed draft legislation to address staffing shortages and the creation of a threat assessment team.The recommendations and draft legislation from the meeting Monday, April 23, will be sent to the House Select Committee on Safer Schools, which plans to meet again May 2.Recommendations one and two looked to address shortages of student support staff, such as nurses, social workers, and school psychologists. While the recommended ratio of school psychologists to students is 1:700, North Carolina public schools are at 1:1,857. The ratio for school nurses is 1:2,315, but the recommendation ratio is 1:750. For social workers, the ratio is 1:1,427, with a recommended ratio of 1:400.The first recommendation directs the State Board of Education to accept the nationally certified school psychologist credential for licensure in North Carolina. Draft legislation to enact state licensure reciprocity was included.The second recommendation encourages lawmakers to pursue the recommended ratio for all student support staff. Some lawmakers suggested increasing salaries would make North Carolina competitive with other states, making jobs here more enticing. Others proposed incentives to attract people to rural areas, where the ratios of students to staff are highest.Rep. Craig Horn, R-Union, said the General Assembly at least should meet the recommended ratio for school nurses.Horn said.Horn said it wouldn't cost much to do this and it could be done immediately. The estimated cost of meeting the recommended ratio for school nurses is $56.9 million annually. To reach the recommended ratio of social workers would require $210.9 million annually. Meeting the school psychologist recommended ratio would cost $110.4 million per year.The subcommittee recommended every school have a threat assessment team to prevent violence by identifying behavior that could turn violent. A school psychologist, school nurses, social workers, school resource officers, and other members of the school community would comprise a team. Draft legislation to establish threat assessment teams, as well as promote peer-to-peer support groups through grants, was included.Other recommendations included studying how to coordinate mental health services better to provide quality care, as well as train student mental health professionals on identifying potentially dangerous mental or behavioral health issues.The subcommittee recommended exploring the expansion of N.C. Speak UP, an anonymous tip line app in the pilot stage in five counties. The app allows students to anonymously report potential threats or concerns about their peers committing suicide.Lawmakers, including Reps. Charles Graham, D-Robeson, and Donna White, R-Johnston, said the app has a proven track record and doesn't need additional study. They suggested expanding use of the app to cover all N.C. school districts.While the House select committee is exploring ways to improve mental health services and physical security at schools, Gov. Roy Cooper has formed his own commission.The Governor's Crime Commission has formed a special committee on school shootings made up of representatives from law enforcement, the juvenile justice system, and other government agencies. The special committee will meet several times to explore how to prevent gun violence in schools. Its introductory meeting took place April 23.Cooper previewed part of his agenda at an April 19 event, including a request of $130 million in the upcoming legislative session to prevent school violence. The governor wants $65 million in public safety upgrades, $40 million to hire more student support staff, $10 million for school resource officers, $444,000 for school risk management system, and $15 million for mental health programs for students.Cooper said in a press release Zambia Immigrant Can Compete in Poetry Contest Call it poetic justice. Allan Monga, a Maine high school student, won the state's Poetry Outloud Competition. But the sponsoring organization said he could not compete at the national level because he was not a permanent resident. Monga complained in federal court that it wasn't fair, and the judge agreed in Monga v. National Endowment for the Arts. The student provided poetry; the judge added justice. Pending Asylum When Monga left Zambia in 2017, he came to America seeking asylum. He received a Social Security Number and an employment authorization to stay until 2020, but he cannot apply for permanent residency until his asylum application is approved. After the National Endowment for the Arts disqualified him from the national competition, Monga alleged the organization violated his equal protection rights. He asked the judge to allow him to participate, saying it was not fair to allow only specific types of legal residents to compete. Judge John Woodcock, Jr. ordered the NEA to let Monga in. He cited the organization's goal of promoting creative and cultural diversity. "It would seem that the participation of Mr. Monga, a talented young man raised in Zambia, in the national finals is an outcome that actually advances these priorities," he said. "In the Desert" Monga distinguished himself as "an extraordinary poet," the judge said. One of his readings was "In the Desert," by Stephen Crane. It is about a bestial creature eating his heart. "Is it good, friend?" "It is bitter -- bitter," he answered. "But I like it because it is bitter, and because it is my heart." As Monga goes on in the competition, residents in Zambia's capitol riot over government measures to stave off a cholera crisis. Related Resources: Yahoo! JAPAN Yahoo! JAPAN Illinois is one of 18 states where Right to Repair legislation has been introduced rules that would force manufacturers to end the practice of undermining the independent repair sector with hidden service documents, unavailable parts, and DRM. Manufacturers hate the idea of losing their monopolies over service and support; they've systematically targeted the state legislatures to kill this legislation. In the latest salvo, Dyson, LG, and Wahl sent nearly identical letters to the Illinois legislature making ridiculous, FUDdy claims about the reason it's better for their customers if no one except the original manufacturer is allowed to repair their products. I'm one of the many people cited in Jason Koebler's Motherboard story on the inanity of these letters. Serious security experts disagree with the notion that fair repair bills will somehow make us less secure, however. Digital rights group the Electronic Frontier Foundation, for example, supports right to repair legislation and also has a long history of vouching for default encryption and other cybersecurity protections. Cory Doctorow, a special advisor to the EFF, told me that companies are using right to repair as a scapegoat for generally bad security practices across the internet-connected appliances sector. "The theory that only original manufacturers are qualified to secure their products is wrong on its face. The past decade has seen a steadily mounting tempo of ever-more-ghastly defects in the software in devices by all kinds of manufacturersanonymous Chinese white-label firms, Fortune 100s, and everyone in betweenwith the firms flubbing their responses to greater or lesser extent," Doctorow said. "Third-party patches, repair, service, and upgrades are critical to the security processthey provide immediate relief for consumers who are at risk from security defects, and discipline firms so they provide timely, comprehensive security updates." Julian Sanchez, a senior fellow at the Cato Institute specializing in technology and security, told me "you don't need me to tell you security through obscurity is bad security." Appliance Companies Are Lobbying to Protect Their DRM-Fueled Repair Monopolies [Jason Koebler/Motherboard] Eric Lundgren is an environmental hero, whose California business diverts literal tons of e-waste from landfills, refurbishes it, and puts it in the hands of people who can make good use of it. Part of his business is downloading free restore disks from PC manufacturers' websites and bundling them with refurbed PCs, each of which has a valid license to install that version of Windows, along with a valid license key. When a shipment of Lundgren's restore disks was intercepted on its way into the USA from China, he was brought up on trial. Lundgren pleaded guilty, but argued that since the disks' contents could lawfully be downloaded for free, and since the disks wouldn't work without valid license keys, the disks themselves had a value of $0. That's where Microsoft comes in: they strenuously argued that each of these restore disks was worth $25 (down from the government's estimated value of $299 each!). In court, Microsoft lawyer Bonnie MacNaughton called these "counterfeit operating systems" that "displaced Microsoft's potential sales of genuine operating systems" even though Lundgren's PCs had valid Windows licenses and Microsoft made the disks' contents available for free. The judge, feeling he had no choice, found that the restore disks were worth $700K and sentenced Lundgren to 15 months in prison. The 11 Circuit appeals court upheld the sentence. After doing everything in its power to put this amazing, brilliant, principled man in jail, Microsoft issued a statement smearing him and calling him a "counterfeiter." As JWZ puts it: "In case you've forgotten: Microsoft is still a vile garbage fire of a company." But he said the court had set a precedent for Microsoft and other software-makers to pursue criminal cases against those seeking to extend the life span of computers. "I got in the way of their agenda," Lundgren said, "this profit model that's way more profitable than I could ever be." Microsoft issued a statement Wednesday explaining why they participated in the prosecution of Lundgren, which was to discourage both counterfeiting and the spread of malware within counterfeit software: "Microsoft actively supports efforts to address e-waste and has worked with responsible e-recyclers to recycle more than 11 million kilograms of e-waste since 2006," the statement said. "Unlike most e-recyclers, Mr. Lundgren sought out counterfeit software which he disguised as legitimate and sold to other refurbishers. This counterfeit software exposes people who purchase recycled PCs to malware and other forms of cybercrime, which puts their security at risk and ultimately hurts the market for recycled products." E-waste recycler Eric Lundgren loses appeal on computer restore disks, must serve 15-month prison term [Tom Jackman/Washington Post] Conan O'Brien and his show's associate producer Jordan Schlansky recently traveled to Italy together. According to Conan, Jordan is a "self-proclaimed expert of all things Italian," as he's traveled there before 30 different times. Their road trip in a tiny red vintage Fiat, no less began in Florence and ended in Naples, the same route Jordan has driven many times sans his boss. Now, in case you haven't seen their previous interactions, Jordan is the perfect "uptight straight man" to Conan's over-the-top "funny man" shenanigans. And there are definitely some over-the-top shenanigans on this road trip. For instance, while walking down a street, Conan starts yelling out pasta names as if they were legit greetings to random Italians, "Rigatoni!" In the next segment, Jordan, not once cracking a smile, strips naked to pose for Conan's drawing class. You get the picture. I've seen all of the Conan Without Borders (imo, it's the best work Team Coco creates), and I think this particular one is the funniest yet. The entire playlist for it is here and includes behind-the-scenes footage and a Q&A segment. While it should come as no surprise to anyone that follows the news or gets depressed by Twitter on a regular basis, freedom of the press an important check against corruption and the misuse of power in a democracy is on the decline. We've been seeing it daily of late: political leaders spewing targeted hate at particular journalists or the outlets they work for. Pundits calling the facts uncovered during deep-dive investigative reporting lies, or alternate versions of the truth, instead of trying to defend their viewpoints or confessing to their bullshit once they've been caught. Hell, Trump went so far as to call journalists "enemies of the people." That's a term that Stalin was fond of. The assault on the media doesn't stop there, either. With increasing frequency, journalists around the world are facing charges and incarceration for nothing more than doing their jobs. As insane as it is, those are the lucky ones. In some locales, being a journalist can get you killed. It's been common, in recent years, for reporters in Mexico to vanish or to wind up dead their work to bring the truth to light displeasing to drug cartels and corrupt local officials. And then there's this, from Reporters Without Borders: The line separating verbal violence from physical violence is dissolving. In the Philippines (down six at 133rd), President Rodrigo Duterte not only constantly insults reporters but has also warned them that they "are not exempted from assassination." In India (down two at 138th), hate speech targeting journalists is shared and amplified on social networks, often by troll armies in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's pay. In each of these countries, at least four journalists were gunned down in cold blood in the space of a year. If you're interested in taking a read of how your country rates on the RSF index of press freedoms, Reporters Without Borders has all the information you need. Head on over to their website, have a stiff drink and gain a better understanding of how, in many countries, the hard-won freedoms we cherish are being pulled out from under us. Image via Flickr, courtesy of Brent Payne China's Citizen Score system combines surveillance of your social media and social graph with your credit report, your purchase history and state spy agencies and police files on you to produce a "trustworthiness" score people who score low are denied access to high-speed travel, financial products, and other services like private school for their kids. Also: being friends with low-scoring people pulls your score down. Liu Hu is a Chinese journalist who is critical of the state he was recently ordered to apologize for critical social media posts and then sanctioned for being "insincere" and it has earned him a low Citizen Score. Now he can't buy airplane tickets or property, or send his kid to private school. When Liu Hu recently tried to book a flight, he was told he was banned from flying because he was on the list of untrustworthy people. Liu is a journalist who was ordered by a court to apologize for a series of tweets he wrote and was then told his apology was insincere. "I can't buy property. My child can't go to a private school," he said. "You feel you're being controlled by the list all the time." China Assigns Every Citizen A 'Social Credit Score' To Identify Who Is And Isn't Trustworthy [Ben Tracy/CBS] (via /.) The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is Elizabeth Warren's gift that keeps on giving one of the most effective US government agencies, handing out real punishment to banks that break the law, fighting loan-sharks that prey on poor people, and maintaining a database of vetted consumer complaints against banks that have ripped them off. But Trump hates the CFPB, so much that he put its direst enemy, Mick Mulvaney, in charge of it, and Mulvaney is making good on his promise to dismantle the agency he runs. His latest move is a threat to pull down the Consumer Complaint Database, a public record of verified bank customers who have been screwed over by their financial institutions, along with rebuttals by the banks that they're complaining about. The banks hate the CCB, and so does Mulvaney, calling it "a Yelp for financial services sponsored by the federal government," and arguing that people wronged by banks shouldn't be given a forum to warn other potential bank customers away from bad actors. The CCB holds a million public-facing complaints. "Daylight is a great disinfectant and the American people have a right to know when tens of thousands of their fellow citizens are complaining about a financial institution," says Karl Frisch, the executive director of the consumer advocacy group Allied Progress. "The CFPB received tens of thousands complaints about Wells Fargo and that issue is now being resolved." Frisch opposes closing the database to the public in part because he says academics, journalists, consumer groups like his should be able to have access to the information. The Consumer Complaints Database That Could Disappear From View [Chris Arnold/NPR] (via Naked Capitalism) News / National by Simbarashe Sithole Skeletons are falling out of the closet as a smear campaign hits ZANU PF Mazowe North constituency with some aspiring candidates plotting to sabotage the party if they lose the primaries ahead of the forth coming elections.Apparently, the sitting Member of Parliament advocate Martin Dinha, who doubles as Minister of State for Mashonaland Central, is in panic mode after realising he has lost support.Sources informed Bulawayo24.com that he approached state media provincial offices with a dossier of information to smear other aspiring candidates.Dinha is also accused of abusing his office and dating married women in party structures and giving fake promises in the name of ZANU PF.Another aspiring Member of Parliament, Cleopas Nyangoni, a former spook under Mugabe's Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO), is accused of embezzling funds from the organisation's finance department before going into hiding in neighbouring Botswana. He has apparently now resurfaced as an aspiring MP under the new dispensation.Bulawayo24.com has been made aware of the allegation that Campion Mugweni (34), Dinha's arch rival in the contest following a public altercation at their provincial offices during the submission of CV, was convicted for fraud during his stint in United States of America in 2007.Another candidate, a retired army officer named Cairo Mhandu, who represented the constituency from 2008 2013 is being criticised by his competitors for running for office while afflicted by a liver ailment.Mhandu is no stranger to controversy as he is alleged to have been the man behind the 2008 runoff electoral violence in his home area of Chiweshe where a number of people were killed.Another aspiring Simbarashe Nyamayaro has been labelled a womaniser who is incapable of holding public office.Nyamayaro, a government employee and current ZANU PF district chairman, is believed to have impregnated a Mvurwi woman from Rusunguko Township but has reportedly refused to take responsibility.However, it remains to be seen who will ride the storm and win the primaries slated for 5 May. News / National by Staff reporter Tuesday's ruling by the Bulawayo High Court left the MDC party crying foul as it played straight into Zanu-PF's hands, which analysts said was the biggest beneficiary of the confusion in the MDC party.University of Zimbabwe (UZ) political science lecturer Eldred Masunungure said Nelson Chamisa's MDC party had been dealt a body blow by the ruling adding that Zanu-PF would capitalize on the confusion in the country's largest opposition party.Masunungure said the squabbling between Chamisa and Thokozani Khupe over the party's symbols will confuse the electorate at the forthcoming polls, suggesting the only way for the barrister to end the charade would be to rebrand the MDC. News / National by Staff reporter Chimurenga music maestro Thomas Mapfumo on Tuesday took a dig at the change of guard at Munhumutapa Building saying the ouster of former president Robert Mugabe and his replacement with President Emmerson Mnangagwa only ushered in "cosmetic changes".In an interview on Tuesday, the musician was cautiously optimistic about the country's future, saying its prospects were doomed without the youths playing a leading role in its affairs.Mapfumo, 72, said this was time for the youths to rise. He said it was not possible for the current crop of politicians, who are in the twilight of their careers, to clean the mess they created in nearly four decades. News / National by Staff reporter Mutare City Council has resolved to rename a street in the city's central business district after the country's late former prime minister, Morgan Tsvangirai.Council made the resolution to rename Second Street after the former opposition MDC honcho, Tsvangirai, for his contribution to the country.It has since written to the ministry of Local Government for approval after a full council meeting adopted the motion for the name change, moved by councillor Simon Mapuvire.Mapuvire moved the written motion on April 9.According to town clerk Joshua Maligwa's report to a special council meeting on April 16, the councillor moved the motion to recognise Tsvangirai's "immense contribution towards development in the nation of Zimbabwe".The motion sailed through the MDC-dominated council without opposition from their rivals in Zanu-PF.Mapuvire argued that Tsvangirai was an "icon of Zimbabwe" who made immeasurable contributions to the country.He said the recognition was in line with how eminent personalities have been honoured by the border city.Mapuvire said this was "taking into account the fact that Main Street in Mutare was named after liberation war hero Herbert Wilshire Chitepo".In terms of the law, roads and locations can be named after the dead, fauna and flora, among other things.Tsvangirai died in South Africa in February at the age of 65 after a long battle with cancer of the colon.He was born on March 10, 1952 in Gutu, Masvingo province.Tsvangirai was married to Elizabeth Tsvangirai nee Macheka after his first wife Susan died in a car accident in 2009.The first of nine children, Tsvangirai made the most of his schooling and subsequent opportunities, which saw him start his working life as a sweeper in a textile factory and move on to the Trojan Nickel Mine as a plant operator.It was here that Tsvangirai's involvement with the trade union movement began, and in 1985 he took up the full-time position of vice president of Zimbabwe's Associated Mine Workers Union.Three years later he became secretary-general of the biggest labour union in the country, the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU).Over the next decade, Tsvangirai played a key role in organising and uniting Zimbabwe's trade unions and civil movements into an informal opposition to the ruling Zanu-PF government of former president Robert Mugabe which by then was a de facto one party state having united and formed a government of national unity with the main opposition party-PF Zapu in 1987.The labour movement in the late 1990s under Tsvangirai was to provide the wind to the sails for the formation of the opposition MDC as worker grievances then gave rise to a formidable challenge against the Mugabe's government.This culminated, in September 1999, in the launch of the MDC.Under Tsvangirai's leadership, the MDC contested the 2000 parliamentary election and the 2002 presidential election, both hampered by electoral irregularities and intimidation, including two sets of treason charges levelled at Tsvangirai.The opposition leader like many Zimbabweans after the liberation war was once an avid supporter of Mugabe's ruling Zanu-PF party.Tsvangirai, the only opposition leader who has ever won an election against Mugabe since 1980, was denied outright victory in 2008, after failing to get the 50 percent plus one vote. Tsvangirai won the presidential election by 47 percent of the votes, while Mugabe got 43 percent.But Tsvangirai the standard-bearer of the MDC withdrew after hundreds of his supporters were allegedly murdered by Mugabe's supporters.He alleged that his party was facing a war rather than an election, "and we will not be part of that war."The UN Security Council unanimously agreed to take its first formal action on Harare by ruling that a free and fair presidential election run-off was impossible because of violence.The council, including Zimbabwe's allies South Africa, China and Russia that had previously long opposed discussion on Zimbabwe, made the decision after the Netherlands said Tsvangirai had taken refuge in its Harare embassy fearing for his life.The protagonists parties in Zimbabwe, namely Zanu-PF and the two MDC factions agreed on September 15, 2008 to work together to halt political and economic impasse that had crippled the nation in the new millennium.This agreement (affectionately known as the Global Political Agreement (GPA)) ushered in an array of hope and paved way for the formation of the Government of National Unity (GNU), which ended on June 29, 2013.In his lifetime, Tsvangirai collected a number of accolades from organisations throughout the world recognising his fight for human rights in Zimbabwe. For two consecutive years Tsvangirai was seen as the favourite to win the much coveted Nobel Peace Prize. In 2010, he was listed among hopefuls to land the award having lost out to Obama in 2009.The National Democratic Institute, a US based pro-democracy group, gave one of its highest honours to Tsvangirai in 2010.The NDI's W. Averell Harriman Democracy Award which recognises individuals and groups who have demonstrated a commitment to democracy and human rights.In 2009, the International Bar Association gave Tsvangirai an award "in recognition of his inspiring leadership in the struggle to secure the rule of law in Zimbabwe''. Opinion / Columnist "The English writer George Orwell once famously wrote, "if liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear."," wrote Mike Harare in a well received and appropriately titled piece "The new-found freedom to speak our mind". See Bulawayo24."We Zimbabweans understand the truth of this statement all too well. For years, we have not had true liberty. Not only could we not have told our former president what he did not want to hear, but we couldn't even mention his name. We were scared to say the word Mugabe on the street, at work and even at home. To do so meant risking our lives."Today things are different. Whatever our views of ED and his 'new dispensation', we can all acknowledge that things have changed. All you need to do is open the newspaper, walk down the street, sit in the barber, travel in a kombi, or even look at ED's Facebook page. Wherever you look you hear and see freedom. People debating, questioning, arguing and criticising. If you don't believe me, scroll down the comments on ED's Facebook to see that people now feel free - could anyone imagine Robert Mugabe having a Facebook page, let alone openly writing what they thought of him on it?"My brother, you are like someone who has been cooked up in the dark for a long time (for black Zimbabweans it has been a lifetime since we had no freedom of speech before or after independence); they are so glad to be out in the light although they can see nothing! Calm down, close your eyes and take a more careful and considered look; you will see that things are NOT that different.When was the last time you opened The Herald, The Chronicle or any of all the other public media but Zanu PF controlled newspapers? You will not find many "people debating, questioning, arguing and criticising" ED and Zanu PF there. I do know what I am talking about because I have send my opinion pieces to Bulawayo24, Zimeye and few other independent publications plus "zimpaper". Not even one of my articles has ever seen the light of day, there are millions of others who have been similarly shut out. The situation is even worse on ZBC radio and tv! So much to your "new-found freedom to speak our mind"!The nation is holding elections in a few weeks' time and still we do not have freedom of expression and a free public media. How can the elections be judged free, fair and credible if the voters are allowed to know only the good about the Zanu PF candidates and the bad or nothing about the other candidates?The full extent of freedom and liberty is NOT just to speak one's mind, or as you say, "to openly write what one thinks of a leader on his/her Facebook page!" Being afforded the opportunity to speaking one's mind is an essential start but must never ever be an end in itself.The most important thing here is that all those aspiring or holding public office are duty bound, as contrast to doing the people a favour, to afford the people the opportunity to have meaningful say in the governance of the country the ultimate meaningful say if a free, fair and credible vote whose consequence is freely elect or reject the leader.Whilst no one would deny that people were scared of talking openly of Mugabe's reign of terror still the worst part was not that they could not talk about but that they were stuck with the regime. For nearly four decades the nation has failed to remove this incompetent, corrupt and murderous regime from office because it rigged elections. It should be noted that Mugabe's captain of the guard who carried out all the vote rigging, looting and political murders was none other than President Mnangagwa assisted by VP Chiwenga, Minister Shiri, Minister S B Moyo and many of those now in the "new dispensation"."Zanu PF ichatonga! Igotonga! Imi muchingo hukura! Nokuhukura!" (Zanu PF will rule! And rule! Whilst you (calling for reforms) bark! And bark!) said President Mnangagwa soon after the November coup.Millions of dollars in treasure were lost and tens of thousands lives lost in the fight for independence and even more in treasure and human lives were lost since then in the fight to end the Zanu PF dictatorship. If all the nation get out of all this sacrifice is the freedom to comment on ED's Facebook page then it was not worth the candle!No wonder the country is in a real mess, with such naive and myopic citizens like Mike, this country is ripe for dictators and tyrants to rule forever. And worse still, the nation will never ever get out of the mess with braindead citizens like Mike around. Never ever! By Hasmik Mkrtchyan and Margarita Antidze YEREVAN (Reuters) - Armenia will get a new prime minister next week after nearly two weeks of street protests, with opposition leader Nikol Pashinyan, who has led the demonstrations, emerging as the protesters' unequivocal favorite. Although the demonstrations have been peaceful, the upheaval has threatened to destabilize Armenia, an ally of Russia, in a volatile region riven by Armenia's decades-long, low-level conflict with neighboring Azerbaijan. Moscow has two military bases in the ex-Soviet republic, and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke to Karen Karapetyan, the acting prime minister, on Thursday and made it clear Moscow was watching and did not want mob rule. "It was emphasized that resolving the political crisis in Armenia must take place exclusively through legal means in the framework of the current constitution," the Kremlin said. Its statement also appeared to suggest that Putin wanted the next prime minister to come from the ruling party, which has been the focus of popular anger, saying he thought the crisis needed to be addressed on the basis of what he said were legitimate parliamentary elections in 2017. That appeared to conflict with the demands of protesters who have said they want Pashinyan to be the new interim prime minister and for him to organize fresh parliamentary elections. Protest leader Pashinyan said that results of 2017 election could not be regarded as legitimate. "It's a misunderstanding," Pashinyan told reporters commenting on Putin's statement. "I think it's a wrong interpretation as Russia as well as other countries does not intervene in Armenia's internal affairs." The situation in Armenia is awkward for the Russian leadership. It has kept a tight lid on protests in its own country, but is now watching as demonstrations in a close ally are forcing the ruling Armenian elite to make concessions, setting a regional precedent it is unlikely to welcome. The demonstrations, driven by public anger over perceived political cronyism and corruption, looked to have peaked on Monday when Serzh Sarksyan, a close Putin ally, quit as prime minister, a post he had held for just six days after serving for a decade as president. Demonstrators have made clear they view the whole system as tainted after Sarksyan's sought to shift power to the office of premier from that of president. They want a sweeping political reconfiguration before ending their protests, which continued on Thursday. In a further sign of growing Russian interest in the crisis, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov held talks in Moscow on Thursday with his Armenian counterpart Edward Nalbandian, while Armenia's acting vice premier, Armen Gevorkyan, met Russian presidential administration officials. Pashinyan said on Wednesday he had received assurances from Russian officials that Moscow would not intervene in the crisis. Earlier this week, Pashinyan ruled out challenging the presence of Russian military bases in Armenia or its membership in Russia-led military and economic alliances. 'A PEOPLE'S PRIME MINISTER' Armenia's ruling elite has been scrambling to try to appease the protesters for days. The parliamentary speaker said on Thursday parliament would elect a new interim prime minister on May 1. Pashinyan, a former journalist turned lawmaker who has been instrumental in organizing the protests, has demanded the job. "We expect that all forces in the parliament will recognize the people's victory .... Either I will be elected as prime minister or there will be no prime minister elected in Armenia," Pashinyan told protesters gathered in Republic square in central Yerevan. He offered to meet acting Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan on Friday. Pashinyan, if elected, wants to reform the electoral system to ensure it is fair before holding new parliamentary elections. "We will have a people's prime minister and after the election a people's government and parliament," said Anna Agababyan, a 38-year-old teacher who was protesting in Yerevan, the capital, on Thursday, holding a small national flag. Armen Sarkissian, the president, on Thursday hailed what he called "a new page" in Armenia's history and called on lawmakers to help forge a new country while respecting the constitution. Pashinyan and his allies have been busy trying to build support for him with the ruling Republican Party and other parties in parliament where Pashinyan, before the protests, was part of a small opposition bloc with no chance of power. (Writing by Andrew Osborn and Margarita Antidze,; Editing by Richard Balmforth and Peter Graff) The Canadian Press The COVID-19 patient's health was deteriorating quickly at a Michigan hospital, but he was having none of the doctor's diagnosis. Despite dangerously low oxygen levels, the unvaccinated man didn't think he was that sick and got so irate over a hospital policy forbidding his wife from being at his bedside that he threatened to walk out of the building. Dr. Matthew Trunsky didnt hold back in his response: You are welcome to leave, but you will be dead before you get to your car, he said. Such BEIRUT (Reuters) - A media unit run by the Syrian government's Lebanese ally Hezbollah said on Wednesday an opposition enclave northeast of Damascus was now free of rebels and under state control. Under a deal between the Syrian government and rebels reached on Friday, about 3,700 rebels and family members left the East Qalamoun enclave some 40 km (25 miles) northeast of Damascus in recent days. The final 38 buses left at dawn on Wednesday, the media unit said. Their destination was the rebel-held areas of Idlib and Jarablus in northern Syria, Syrian state television said. Only one pocket of rebel-held territory remains near the Syrian capital, an area south of the city where Islamic State holds a pocket next to one held by rebel factions. Pro-government forces are bombarding the enclave, which includes the Yarmouk Palestinian refugee camp, Hajar al-Aswad district and neighboring areas. In a sign of the state's control of the Qalamoun area, Syrian security forces began deploying in several villages there on Wednesday. State television showed footage of convoys of police cars and motorcycles entering the village of Ruhaiba, with dozens of civilians gathering and cheering in the streets. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, backed by Russia and Iran, has sought to wipe out the last few rebel enclaves near Damascus. In early April Assad took control of the largest rebel-held area near Damascus, eastern Ghouta. (Reporting by Dahlia Nehme; Editing by William Maclean) Photo credit: Getty Images From Esquire WASHINGTON A foggy dawn broke on Wednesday on an increasingly foggy place. There was too much going on-and thats not even counting that weird encounter between the president* and Emmanuel Macron, which probably is best left to Jane Goodall to explain. The French president must be wondering if all that money back in 1780 was worth it, and whether or not he could con Louisiana back from his host by promising to rename it the Mississippi Trump Aquatics. All day on Tuesday, people did not know what to make of the endlessly morphing charges concerning Ronny Jackson, the administrations choice to head the Veterans Administration. Anonymous sources were blooming like mushrooms all over the halls of Congress. By the end of the day, you could easily believe that travelling on official business with Jackson was like touring with Led Zeppelin, except for the whole mudshark business. Cornered next to a bust of Walter Mondale, Senator Jerry Moran, Republican of Kansas sounded completely perplexed. Photo credit: Getty Images I dont know, said Moran, whod spoken with Jackson earlier in the day. If there are going to be allegations, theyre going to have to be more than something somebody said they saw. Despite what he said were Jacksons assurances that the charges were baseless, Moran did not say this with, shall we say, total conviction. Typical of the whole business is this CNN account of Jacksons misbehavior on one road trip in which the Secret Service got concerned that Jackson was going to wake up President Obama. Two sources who previously worked in the White House Medical Unit described the same incident, with one former staffer telling CNN that it was "definitely inappropriate, in the middle of the night," and that it made the woman uncomfortable. At the time, the incident was reported up the chain of command, and it is one of multiple drunken episodes involving Jackson on overseas trips, according to a sourceMembers of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee have been working through all of the allegations, but have not substantiated the claims, with little documentation available to corroborate them. Story continues Senator Jon Tester, Democrat of Montana, was one of the few people so far to go on the record with charges that Jackson was frequently sockless while on duty. Tester told both NPR and CNN that some 20 members of the military who travelled with Jackson during his time as White House physician had told him similar stories. "If you are drunk and something happens with the president, it's very difficult to go in and treat the president," Tester told CNN's Anderson Cooper. "That's what multiple people told us this was the case on several different trips." Elsewhere, over at the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau, head vandal Mick Mulvaney apparently has been applying the principles of George Washington Plunkitt to his ongoing effort to turn the CFPB into a low-rent parody of itself. From The New York Times: We had a hierarchy in my office in Congress, Mr. Mulvaney, a former Republican lawmaker from South Carolina, told 1,300 bankers and lending industry officials at an American Bankers Association conference in Washington. If youre a lobbyist who never gave us money, I didnt talk to you. If youre a lobbyist who gave us money, I might talk to you. One has to wonder if Mulvaney has taken this same approach to his new position. Actually, one doesnt have to wonder because he said it out loud. But he wants Congress to go further and has urged it to wrest funding of the independent watchdog from the Federal Reserve, a move that would give lawmakers - and those with access to them - more influence on the bureaus actions. On Tuesday, he implored the financial services industry to help support the legislative changes he has requested. He concluded the speech, which included an appeal to diminish the bureaus power, by describing the two types of people he was most responsive to as a congressman - constituents and lobbyists who contributed to his campaign. So, if Im following Mulvaneys philosophy correctly, he will help you get your Social Security check, and then hell help some bankers and hedge-fund cowboys to privatize the system and youre eating cat food within a year. (American Banker presents us with another example of the mischief Mulvaney is playing with the operation of which hes been placed in charge. Mulvaney has been regularly critical of the CFPB in the area of cyber-security but, according to experts, hes done fck-all to improve the system. This has aroused suspicion: "Some observers have speculated that the CFPB's unique response to its data security issues could further indicate that Mulvaney attempted to draw attention to the agency's cyber-related problems simply to cast the bureau in a negative light," American Banker reported. Some Observers are very sharp.) Photo credit: Getty Images The ultimate punchline in this story is the fact that, thanks to the Supreme Court in Citizens United, Mulvaneys approach, at least during his days in Congress, was completely legal because, as Justice Anthony Kennedy reminded us, Independent expenditures, including those made by corporations, do not give rise to corruption or the appearance of corruption." Once youve essentially legalized influence peddling in campaigns, theres no reason to expect it will not spread to all parts of the government, especially when the country elects a president* who has depended on the peddlers of influence his entire adult life, if not always successfully. As the good Senator George Washington Plunkitt told us around the turn of the last century: THE civil service gang is always howlin' about candidates and officeholders puttin' up money for campaigns and about corporations chippin' in. They might as well howl about givin' contributions to churches. A political organization has to have money for its business as well as a church, and who has more right to put up than the men who get the good things that are goin'? Take, for instance, a great political concern like Tammany Hall It does missionary work like a church, it's got big expenses and it's got to be supported by the faithful. If a corporation sends in a check to help the good work of the Tammany Society, why shouldn't we take it like other missionary societies? Of course, the day may come when we'll reject the money of the rich as tainted, but it hadn't come when I left Tammany Hall at 11:25 A.M. today. Im telling you-the phrase all the best people is never not going to be hilarious. You Might Also Like By Anna Mehler Paperny TORONTO (Reuters) - The van that killed 10 in Toronto on Monday plowed through the heart of a vibrant Korean community in Canada's largest city, barreling past a cluster of Korean restaurants, a grocery store and a popular street vendor that sells red bean waffles shaped like fish and other Korean treats. The attack killed two South Korean citizens and one Canadian Korean, and injured at least one South Korean citizen, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. A fifth person, listed among the injured, appeared to have a Korean name. Among the dead was Chul-min "Eddie" Kang, 40, a chef with a local restaurant chain, local media reported. Toronto's Korea Times Daily reported that another victim was an international student. On Wednesday, authorities in Toronto worked to formally identify victims, a process they have said will take a number of days. Local news media reported that Renuka Amarasingha, an employee with a local school board and a single mother, grandmother Dorothy Sewell, and Anne Marie D'Amico, an employee of asset manager Invesco Canada, had died. June Hur, who works at a local library, said the area around Yonge Street and Finch Avenue is increasingly thought of as the city's new Koreatown. An older Korean neighborhood, which dates back to the 1970s, is located in the city's downtown. "To see such violence happen right in that area, it just feels like something was stolen from us," said Hur, after visiting the site on Tuesday. Standing on the street, she said, her knees felt weak. Oh Seong Kim was in his second-floor salon Monday afternoon when he heard loud thunks, ran to the window and saw six or seven bodies on the ground as the van hurtled down the sidewalk. He watched the van hit a young woman who worked at a Korean food cart, he said "a very good person," he said, someone he would see often when she came in to use the washroom but whose name he did not know. Reuters could not confirm her name or condition. Kim froze, he said. Hours later he lay awake in bed, and every time he closed his eyes, he returned to the scene. He has worked in the area for a quarter century. "It's a good community. Everybody gets together and helps," he said. In the wake of the attack, a tarp covered a body outside Ssam, a Korean barbecue restaurant just north of the food stall. None of the staff were hurt, but by coincidence manager Jay Kang shares a Korean given name with one of the victims. "I got a lot of phone calls that day," he said. "Everyone thought it was me, because I'm always in this area." Kang said the neighborhood was very quiet on Wednesday. He expects it to stay that way for several weeks, but "it's not the important thing right now." According to Canada's 2016 census, about two-thirds of the people in that Willowdale district where the attack took place have a first language other than English or French. More than 10,000 people out of close to 118,000 surveyed identified Korean as their first language. Along with a community of immigrants from North and South Korea, Canada hosts a significant number of international students. According to government data there were 27,816 Korean international students in Canada in 2015, the third-highest of any country, behind China and India. "I can't believe this horrible incident happened in our community," said Hanna Lim, a Korean-Canadian who used to live near Yonge and Finch and still has friends there. "This used to be a really nice area very cheerful, bright, full of Korean, Chinese people. Now look at this: It's empty." (Additional reporting by Hyungwon Kang in Toronto and Joori Roh in Seoul; writing by Allison Martell; editing by Jonathan Oatis) Pilot likely disoriented in crash that killed former Alberta premier, TSB says The lack of flight recorders prevented the TSB from definitively concluding what caused a plane crash that killed former Alberta premier Jim Prentice and three others, but the pilot was probably disoriented, investigators say. The Transportation Safety Board called on Transport Canada to make flight recording systems mandatory for all commercial and private business operators, as it released its report from an 18-month investigation into the crash. - Read the TSB report The Cessna Citation jet disappeared from radar shortly after takeoff from Kelowna, B.C., on its way to the Springbank airport west of Calgary on Oct. 13, 2016. Killed in the crash with Prentice were the pilot Jim Kruk, a retired RCMP officer; optometrist Ken Gellatly, the father-in-law of one of Prentice's three daughters; and Calgary businessman Sheldon Reid. Investigators couldn't pinpoint the exact cause of the crash because the plane, which was built in 1974, was not equipped with a cockpit voice recorder or a flight data recorder, the TSB said. Neither is a requirement for that type of aircraft. "All we have is a hypothesis," TSB chair Kathy Fox said as she released the report in Calgary. "And that simply isn't good enough." Pilot likely had 'spatial disorientation' The safety board says the "most plausible scenario" for the cause of the crash was that Kruk became disoriented due to a heavy workload at the controls. There were no emergency or distress calls made, according to the TSB. The investigation revealed that the plane's climb rate changed rapidly several times within 30 seconds just before it went down, lead investigator Beverley Harvey said. It also deviated to the right by 20 degrees, she said. "The most plausible scenario is that the pilot, who was likely dealing with a high workload associated with flying the aircraft alone, experienced spatial disorientation and departed from controlled flight shortly after takeoff," the TSB said in a release issued ahead of a news conference in Calgary. Story continues The investigation determined the pilot didn't have enough recent experience flying after dark. "The pilot, although experienced, had very little recent experience flying at night with just two night takeoffs in the past six months. This did not meet Transport Canada's requirements to carry passengers at night," said Harvey. "Pilots who do not have sufficient night proficiency are at a greater risk of experiencing what's known as spatial disorientation." Fox called on Transport Canada to make flight recording systems mandatory. The board also said it has concerns about the way Transport Canada conducts oversight of private business aviation in the country. "During the course of its investigation, the TSB found no record that the operator of this aircraft had ever been inspected by TC," the board said in a release. "As such, TC was unaware of safety deficiencies in its flight operations, such as the failure to obtain approval for single-pilot operation of the aircraft and the pilot's lack of recent night flying experience required to carry passengers at night." Prentice family thanks TSB Prentice, 60, was also a former federal cabinet minister. He became premier of Alberta in September 2014 after winning the leadership of the province's governing Progressive Conservative Party. He quit politics in May 2015 after the NDP swept the PCs from power. The Prentice family thanked the TSB for its work on the investigation. "While this report cannot restore what has been lost, it is our hope the learnings from this tragic event can be used to prevent similar accidents in the future," the family said in a written statement. "We are proud of Jim's contributions to Alberta, to Canada and to public service, but he was first and foremost a loving husband, father, grandfather and sibling; we will always miss him. Our thoughts and prayers are with the other families impacted by this tragedy." In anticipation of Wednesday's TSB report, Greg McConnell, national chairman of the Canadian Federal Pilots Association, said one change he would like to see is regular Transport Canada inspections for small aircraft such as the business jet Prentice died in. - MORE ALBERTA NEWS | Alberta alienation from rest of Canada surges once again, poll suggests - MORE ALBERTA NEWS | Plane suffered power loss from 'unknown causes' before landing on Calgary street Russia has pledged to send new air defense weapons to the Syrian military after the U.S. and its allies hit regime forces this month. Although Russia is a major provider of arms for the Syrian military, Moscow has stopped short of supplying Damascus with its most advanced weapons, including anti-aircraft arms. Speaking in a televised briefing on Wednesday, one of Moscows top military officials has suggested this could change. Russian specialists will continue educating Syrian military personnel and will also provide assistance in the mastery of new means of anti-aircraft defense, the deployment of which will be implemented in the near future, Sergei Rudskoy, head of the operations directorate at Russias General Staff said, according to state news agency RIA Novosti. Trending: What Happens Offred in 'The Handmaid's Tale' Season 2 Premiere? The military official said that Moscow was still analyzing the aftermath of the attack, in which the U.S., U.K. and France fired cruise missiles against Syrian facilities suspected of orchestrating an alleged chemical attack against civilians. As part of the briefing, Rudskoy showed what he claimed were parts of a downed American Tomahawk missile currently in Russias possession, state-run TV channel Zvezda reported. Related: Russia tells U.S. that risk of direct clash over Syria is real and cannot exclude war On its basis a range of changes to the countrys anti-aircraft defense system have been introduced, in order to increase its reliability, Rudskoy said, adding that Syrian forces shot down the missile with 40-year-old Soviet anti-aircraft systems. Don't miss: Fortnite Meteorite Theories Swirl As TV Alerts Begin in Tilted Towers Rudskoys remarks are the latest and most direct hint that Russia could supply the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad with newer and more advanced anti-air systems. Before and after the U.S.-led hit against Syrian facilities, Russian officials issued repeated but unclear warnings that Moscow will respond in support of Assads forces. The most significant upgrade that Russia could provide to enhance Syrias ability to shoot down jets and cruise missiles would be its S-300 and S-400 systems. Russias bases in the country have elements of each system, but so far Moscow has not attempted to stop U.S. airstrikes on its ally. Story continues 04_25_Russian_s400 RIA Novosti/Reuters Russias Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told RIA last week that his country opened the door to a deployment, saying Russia now felt no moral obligation to deny Syria the S-300 system. He then added earlier this week that Moscow had not actually taken a decision to supply the regime with the weapons after all. The S-300 and S-400 systems present a definite danger to hostile aircraft and are advertised as equally competent at taking out cruise missiles, but questions remain over whether they can stop airstrikes. Recent analysis by Londons Royal United Services Institute argued that if fired from different directions and in great volume, Western cruise missiles would be likely to overwhelm both systems. This article was first written by Newsweek More from Newsweek JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Russia's ambassador to Israel on Wednesday played down tensions between the countries over Israeli attacks in Syria, saying they were not the reason for Moscow's proposed supply of an advanced air defense system to Damascus. Since intervening in Syria's civil war on behalf of President Bashar al-Assad in 2015, Russia has generally turned a blind eye to Israeli air strikes there against suspected arms transfers and deployments by his Iranian and Hezbollah allies. But Russia was quick to blame Israel for an April 9 raid that killed seven Iranian military personnel, and which came as the United States, France and Britain faced off with Damascus and Moscow over an alleged gas attack on a Syrian rebel area. Asked whether Russia would now curtail Israel's freedom of action in Syria, Ambassador Alexander Shein sounded circumspect. "It is of course in our interest that these actions not take place, because they worsen the Syria situation," he told Israeli news site Ynet. But he added: "We of course understand the reasons for Israel deciding to carry out actions of this kind, and would of course also prefer that these reasons not exist." The Israelis say their strikes aim to prevent Irans pro-Assad garrison from entrenching in Syria and linking with Hezbollah in Lebanon to form a broad front against them. Russia has said it might provide Syria with the S-300 missile defense system, which could clip the wings of Israel's air force. Israel has warned against any such deal. "If anyone shoots at our planes, we will destroy them," Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman told Ynet on Tuesday. Shein said the idea of the S-300 delivery - on which Russia has yet to decide - was a result of the punitive April 14 missile strikes by U.S., British and French forces on Syria. "I emphasize that the question arose in the context of Western aggression against Syria, and has nothing to do with Israel," he said. The ambassador also played down the risk of a physical confrontation between Russia and Israel over Syria. "I can't imagine any such scenario," he said in response to Lieberman's threat. "We are mutually coordinating and updating about Syria ... So far, there have been no incidents between us, nor even hints at incidents, and I hope there will not be." (Writing by Dan Williams; Editing by Jeffrey Heller and Andrew Heavens) IT Trends Using Collaborative Crowdsourcing to Give Voice to Diverse Communities A crowdsourcing tool helped create a safe place for sensitive discussions on diversity and inclusion at NYU. Universities face many critical challenges student retention, campus safety, curriculum development priorities, alumni engagement and fundraising, and inclusion of diverse populations. In my role as dean of the New York University School of Professional Studies (NYUSPS) for the past four years, and in my prior 20 years of employment in senior-level positions within the school and at NYU, I have become intimately familiar with the complexities and the nuances of such multifaceted challenges. For the past two years, one of our top priorities at NYUSPS has been striving to address sensitive issues regarding diversity and inclusion. We saw a need and an opportunity to improve faculty and student perceptions and experiences regarding these critical areas. We are part of NYU, a global research university with campuses in Shanghai and Abu Dhabi and sites around the world. In addition to the diversity of these campuses, the student population of the NYU campus here in New York is incredibly international. And NYUSPS is one of the most diverse schools within the university. While the school's history dates back nearly 85 years, over the last 24 years, it has grown its graduate programs from 50 students in one masters degree program to more than 3,500 students in 15 applied professional masters degree programs. The NYUSPS student body is over 50 percent international, with students representing nearly 200 countries. As a result of our commitment to alternative pathways and providing access to affordable education, age, income levels and diversity all must be considered when pursuing a sense of inclusivity for all students. The future of NYUSPS and NYU lies in a global outlook one that ensures a diverse and inclusive educational experience in New York City and in locations around the world. The Challenge at Hand As part of the broader university effort to address issues of diversity and inclusion, the dean of each school was asked to reflect on, and to address, issues that were of particular concern to his/her community of students, faculty members and administrators. We faced a challenge of preparing our students for a new brand of education and an increasingly diverse learning environment. Our domestic students were beginning to find themselves in the minority in some of their classes, and it was our job to ready them to thrive in globally diverse classrooms and programs. Many of our international students also needed to adjust to a multicultural learning environment, where they would be engaging with other students from around the world. To identify and address the issues we saw arising from the shifting dynamics we were encountering in our classrooms, my team initially set about gathering feedback from NYUSPS faculty members and students through roundtable discussions. Though many individuals participated in these, we sensed that some were anxious and unwilling to fully share their experiences. We were able to initiate some productive conversations; however, we found they weren't getting to the heart of the matter. To provide a sense of anonymity that would allow members of the NYUSPS community to express their concerns more freely, we identified a collaboration tool called POPin and utilized it to conduct a series of crowdsourcing campaigns that commenced with faculty members and then proceeded on to students. Fostering Vital Conversations Using POPin's online discussion tool, we were able to scale an intimate and sensitive conversation up to include more than 4,500 students and 2,100 faculty members from a wide variety of countries, cultural and religious backgrounds, gender and sexual identities, economic classes and life stages. Because the tool's feedback mechanism is both anonymous and interactive, the scope and quality of the conversations increased dramatically. Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas. IN RE: DALLAS COUNTY PUBLIC DEFENDER, Relator NO. WR-88,055-01 Decided: April 25, 2018 I share Presiding Judge Keller's concern regarding the interplay between Article 26.04 and Article 26.052 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. These two statutes deal respectively with the appointment of counsel for indigent defendants generally and in capital murder cases. Article 26.04 gives public defenders priority in appointment generally, but it is unclear whether that priority extends to death penalty cases because Article 26.052 does not have similar priority language. So this gives rise to a legal question of statutory interpretation: Is a trial court required to give a public defender's office priority when appointing counsel to indigent defendants in death penalty cases? Presiding Judge Keller is correct, this is an important question of law. However, our mandamus standard of review limits our ability to answer that question if there is any doubt about the statutory terms at issue. A writ of mandamus or prohibition is not the proper vehicle to settle unsettled law. That is why I join the Court's decision to dismiss the motion to stay proceeding and to deny leave to file. In civil cases, when deciding whether a petition has shown a clear right to the relief sought, our sister court has noted that questions of statutory construction are reviewed de novo. With respect to resolution of factual issues or matters committed to the trial court's discretion, the reviewing court may not substitute its judgment for that of the trial court. However, a trial court has no discretion in determining what the law is or applying the law to the facts. It is only where there is a clear failure by the trial court to analyze or apply the law correctly that mandamus relief is appropriate. But in criminal cases, we are more deferential to trial courts than our sister court even when the issue is simply a matter of statutory construction. A clear right to relief is shown when the facts and circumstances dictate but one rational decision under unequivocal, well-settled (i.e. from extant statutory, constitutional, or case law sources), and clearly controlling legal principles. We have recognized that an issue of first impression can qualify for mandamus relief when the factual scenario has never been precisely addressed, but only if the principle of law has been clearly established. Relief is warranted if the principle of law relied upon is positively commanded and so plainly prescribed under the law as to be free from doubt. Indeed, we held there was no clear right of relief in In re Allen because, after considering many different statutory provisions in the Code of Criminal Procedure and related case law, there was at least some doubt that a defendant had no right to a pre-trial determination of intellectual disability in a death penalty case. Conversely, we granted mandamus relief based upon strict statutory interpretation where a District Clerk had issued a Bill of Costs for attorneys fees without an express order for such fees under Article 26.05(g). Ultimately, we take the statute as it is. Any ambiguity in a statute isn't resolved through a de novo statutory analysis, it results in a denial of relief. This is why I agree with the Court's denial of relief in this case. Looking at the applicable statutes in this case, there is at least some reason to doubt that our Legislature intended the statutory priority in Article 26.04(f) to apply in death penalty cases. Article 26.04(f) reads as follows: (f) In a county in which a public defender's office is created or designated under Article 26.044, the court or the courts' designee shall give priority in appointing that office to represent the defendant. However, the court is not required to appoint the public defender's office if: (1) the court has reason to appoint other counsel; or (2) a managed assigned counsel program also exists in the county and an attorney will be appointed under that program.13 Article 26.04(f) had previously stated that a trial court may appoint a county public defenders office, but our Legislature amended the statute in 2015 to give county public defenders offices a priority in appointment. Of course, the Legislature did not completely deprive trial courts of their discretion in appointing counsel in Article 26.04. It also amended Article 26.04(f) to allow trial courts to appoint other counsel if there is a managed assigned counsel program in the county or if the court has reason to appoint other counsel. Notably, when the Legislature amended Article 26.04 in 2015, it left intact Article 26.052, which governs the appointment of counsel in death penalty cases. Article 26.052(a) reads as follows: (a) Notwithstanding any other provision in this chapter, this article establishes procedures in death penalty cases for appointment and payment of counsel to represent indigent defendants at trial and on direct appeal and to apply for writ of certiorari in the United States Supreme Court.16 The court of appeals is correct that at least one interpretation of the phrase notwithstanding any other provision in this chapter leads to the conclusion that the Legislature intended Article 26.052 to control over Article 26.04. And while Article 26.052 allows for the appointment of a county's public defender's office, it still uses the may be appointed permissive language. Rather than indicating a priority for appointment, the statute is only limited by the phrase as provided by the guidelines established by the public defender's office. There is no indication from the statutory terms of Article 26.052 that public defenders should be given a priority of appointment in death penalty cases. This would seem to provide enough ambiguity by itself to justify the denial of relief, as there appear to be two competing interpretations of these statutes. But this is not a simple case of which statute controls. As mentioned above, even with the added priority language, Article 26.04 does not expressly deprive the trial court of discretion regarding the appointment of counsel. By its own terms, the trial court can still choose to appoint an attorney other than a member of a county public defenders office so long as the trial court has reason to appoint other counsel. The statute provides no guidance on what constitutes sufficient reason for appointing a different attorney. Neither does it provide any indication of how the failure to afford a county public defender the statutory preference in appointment should be remedied. And there is no statutory requirement for a hearing to determine whether there is a reason not to appoint the county public defender. Finally, as a matter of constitutional law, it is at least arguable that interfering with an existing attorney-client relationship by removing one attorney and appointing another, against the defendant's wishes, violates the Sixth Amendment. So, even if we assume that Article 26.04(f) establishes a priority of appointment in death penalty cases, Relator still cannot show a clear right to the relief she seeks. She cannot show that a violation of the claimed statutory preference clearly entitles her to have an existing attorney-client relationship terminated in favor of her subsequent appointment. While I agree that in some cases it is prudent to request responses from the trial court and the real party in interest, responses were already requested by the Fifth Court of Appeals, which initially considered this issue. Additional responses from the trial court and the real party in interest seem unlikely to provide us any new information or arguments beyond what the court of appeals already considered when it denied Relator relief. With these thoughts I join the Court's decision. FOOTNOTES . In re Allen, 462 S.W.3d 47, 53 (Tex. Crim. App. 2015) (Even if we were included to again act when the Legislature has not, a mandamus proceeding is not the appropriate place to interpret statutory language, clarify this Court's precedent, or create new law where there is none.). . See In re Medina, 475 S.W.3d 291, 305 (Tex. Crim. App. 2015); Allen, 462 S.W.3d at 53. . See, e.g., In re Office of the Attorney General of Texas, 456 S.W.3d 153, 155 (Tex. 2015); In re Lee, 411 S.W.3d 445, 450-51 (Tex. 2013). . Walker v. Packer, 827 S.W.2d 833, 839 (Tex. 1992). . Id. at 840. . Id. In broad terms, the standard appears to mirror the standard of review we set out in Guzman v. State for evaluating interlocutory appeals. 955 S.W.2d 85, 89 (Tex. Crim. App. 1997) (However, as a general rule, the appellate courts, including this Court, should afford almost total deference to a trial court's determination of the historical facts that the record supports especially when the trial court's fact findings are based on an evaluation of credibility and demeanor. The appellate courts, including this Court, should afford the same amount of deference to trial courts' rulings on application of law to fact questions, also known as mixed questions of law and fact, if the resolution of those ultimate questions turns on an evaluation of credibility and demeanor. The appellate courts may review de novo mixed questions of law and fact not falling within this category.) (citations omitted). . In re State ex. rel. Weeks, 391 S.W.3d 117, 122 (Tex. Crim. App. 2013). . Id. . Medina, 475 S.W.3d at 298 (citing Allen, 462 S.W.3d at 50). . 462 S.W.3d at 50-51. . In re Daniel, 396 S.W.3d 545, 549 n. 19 (Tex. Crim. App. 2013). . There are good policy reasons for treating civil mandamus differently than criminal mandamus. In criminal cases, the State has a statutorily limited right to appeal. See TEX. CODE CRIM. PROC. art. 44.01 (setting out circumstances in which State may appeal). If our mandamus jurisprudence allowed us to resolve purely legal questions de novo, it could undermine those statutory limitations. State ex rel. Healey v. McMeans, 884 S.W.2d 772, 774 (Tex. Crim. App. 1994) (mandamus may not be used to give the State a right to appeal that was not granted by the Legislature in Article 44.01 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure). It could also frustrate a criminal defendant's right to a speedy trial. U.S. CONST. AMEND. VI. Conversely, it could also undermine the limitation on consideration of interlocutory appeals in criminal cases. See, e.g., Ex parte Smith, 178 S.W.3d 797, 801 (Tex. Crim. App. 2005) (noting that interlocutory appeals are generally not permitted in Texas criminal proceedings). . TEX. CODE CRIM. PROC. art. 26.04(f). . Senate Bill 316, 84th Leg., R.S. (2015). In fact, facilitating the use of county public defenders was the express purpose of the bill. House Comm. on Criminal Juris., Bill Analysis, Tex. S.B. 316, 84th Leg., R.S. (2015). However, there is no need to resort to extra-textual sources for this proposition, as the statute is clear on this point. It is not as clear whether the statutory preference applies to all appointments or just to appointments in non-death-penalty cases. . Senate Bill 316, 84th Leg., R.S. (2015). . TEX. CODE CRIM. PROC. art. 26.052. . In re Dallas County Public Defender's Office, No. 05-1701151-CV, 2018 WL 446429, at *2 (Tex. App.Dallas Jan. 17, 2018) (not designated for publication); see also Lee, 411 S.W.3d at 454 (The use of the word notwithstanding indicates that the Legislature intended section 153.0071 to be controlling.); Molinet v. Kimbrell, 356 S.W.3d 407, 413-14 (Tex. 2011) (holding that a notwithstanding any other law provision evidenced clear legislative intent to resolve any interpretation conflicts in favor of the statute containing the provision). . TEX. CODE CRIM. PROC. art. 26.052(b). . Id. . Relator argues that, based upon the Bill Analysis behind Senate Bill 316, reason to appoint other counsel is equivalent to good cause. But we only consider extra-textual sources if the statutory terms are ambiguous. See Boykin v. State, 818 S.W.2d 782, 785-86 (Tex. Crim. App. 1991) (noting that reviewing courts consider extra-textual factors, including legislative history, when a statute is ambiguous or would lead to absurd results). If the phrase is ambiguous, then it is hard to see how the principle of law Relator relies upon is so clear as to be positively commanded. Allen, 462 S.W.3d at 50. . See, e.g., Stearnes v. Clinton, 780 S.W.2d 216, 225 (Tex. Crim. App. 1989) (Having appointed counsel, a criminal defendant should not be subjected to a trial and appeal process without the appointed counsel he had grown to accept and gain confidence in.). NEWELL, J., filed a concurring opinion. Gurkha has announced it has entered into an exclusive partnership with Kretek Canada to distribute its brands in Canada. Under the agreement, Gurkha will work closely with the Kretek Canada sales force to further grow the brands presence in Canada. These sales initiatives will also be supported through special events and promotions. Canadians represent the largest percentage of non-U.S. citizens vacationing in the United States. As a result of these travels Canadians are asking their local retailers to carry more Gurkha cigars, said Kaizad Hansotia, CEO of Gurkha Cigars in a press release. We decided that we needed to have a larger sales effort in Canada. Gurkha only partners with the best and Kretek is both highly respected and highly efficient, they will be key to the expansion of Gurkha nation. Kretek International Canada is the Canadian division of Kretek International. They are best known for owning the U.S. based distribution company Phillips & King and Kreteks premium cigar division, Ventura Cigar Company. Agile Cigar Reviews are cigar assessments where we use a lightweight, shorter format. These will never take the place of our comprehensive reviews. They are only used on blends we have previously assessed. This might be a blend we are re-scoring or giving a score for the first time. It might be a blend we are looking at in a different size. Today we look at the Flores y Rodriguez Connecticut Valley Reserve Figurado by PDR Cigars. We have assessed the La Aurora Preferidos Broadleaf (Diamond) Corona before back in December 2014 when it was known as the Corono Especiales size. Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf Binder: Dominican Filler: Dominican, Nicaraguan Country of Origin: Dominican Republic (La Aurora S.A.) Corona: 5 1/2 x 42 Back at the 2012 IPCPR Trade Show, La Aurora Cigars introduced a sixth blend into its popular perfecto-shaped Preferidos line known as the La Aurora Preferidos Diamond. This release was significant because it introduced a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper into the series. Fast forward four years to the 2016 IPCPR Trade Show and La Aurora Cigars decided to introduce a series of three parejo line extensions to the first six installments to the Preferidos series and one them would be a 5 1/2 x 42 Corona size. The Corona size is officially dubbed the La Aurora Preferidos Broadleaf Corona. Today, we explore the La Aurora Preferidos Broadleaf Corona. This is a cigar that has been aging in the Cigar Coop humidor for the past 20 months. The parejo line extensions added Robusto, Toro, and Corona sizes into the Preferidos line, but the Corona size wasnt completely new. Back in 2014, La Aurora had released a limited series known as the Corona Especiales which featured 5 1/2 x 42 parejo offerings for the six Preferidos blends. These cigars were offered on a limited basis mostly in the mid Atlantic market. Now they have returned to the market as a regular offering in the La Aurora portfolio and simply known as Corona. In addition to the Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, the La Aurora Preferidos Broadleaf features a Dominican binder and fillers from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. The cigar is made at the La Aurora factory in the Dominican Republic. The La Aurora Preferidos Broadleaf Corona started out with notes of mocha, black pepper, earth, and a slight maduro sweetness. The mocha was a fusion of chocolate and coffee notes while the maduro sweetness was a fusion of natural tobacco and dried fruit. The mocha and earth notes became primary early on with the pepper and maduro sweetness secondary. As the cigar experience progressed through the second third, the pepper notes slowly increased while the maduro sweetness diminished. By the last third the transitions stabilized. The mocha and earth notes remained primary, the pepper notes were a close secondary note while the maduro sweetness was more distant. The big difference I saw was the aging had an impact on both the strength and body. While my previous experience with this size delivered a full strength, full-bodied smoke, I found this 20-month-old aged sample to be on the upper end of medium strength and medium-bodied. There wasnt much variance in the intensity levels of these attributes during the smoking experience. I have always enjoyed the La Aurora Preferidos with the Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper. While I was happy that flavor-wise the Corona was similar to the Corona Especiales I smoked, I was hoping this cigar still had some of the more powerful characteristics I have known this blend to produce. Still, this was a very good cigar. Given aging mellowed this cigar a bit, Id recommend the aged one to any cigar enthusiast, but would also caution the novice this cigar is quite bold with less age. As for myself, its a cigar Id smoke again and buy multiples of but I would probably smoke through what I have quickly rather than letting my supply age. Summary Key Flavors: Mocha, Earth, Black Pepper, Maduro Sweetness Burn: Excellent Draw: Excellent Complexity: Low to Medium Strength: Medium Body: Medium Finish: Very Good Rating Value: Buy Multiples Score: 90 References Previous Assessment: La Aurora Preferidos Diamond Corona Especiales News: La Aurora Preferidos Parejo Line Extensions Showcased at IPCPR Trade Show Price: $8.39 Source: Miami Cigar and Company (Distributor) Brand Reference: La Aurora Photo Credit: Cigar Coop WEDNESDAY, April 25, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- If you need an emergency operation, you're in safer hands with an older surgeon, new research suggests. "These findings provide evidence of a learning curve in surgical practice that has a meaningful impact on patients' outcomes," said lead researcher Dr. Yusuke Tsugawa. He's with the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine's division of general internal medicine and health services research, in Los Angeles. But the nature of the study does not allow the researchers to say that a doctor's younger age causes more deaths, only that age and outcome seem to be connected. If, however, age is linked to outcome, then one less death would occur for every 333 patients when comparing surgeons 60 and older with surgeons under 40 -- if quality of care were equal between the two groups, the researchers said. "Our findings suggest that more oversight and supervision early in a surgeon's post-residency career may be useful to make sure that the quality of care is high, regardless of who performs surgeries," Tsugawa said. For the study, Tsugawa and his colleagues looked at death rates among more than 892,000 Medicare patients who had one of 20 major emergency surgical procedures at U.S. hospitals between 2011 and 2014. After taking into account a range of patient, surgeon and hospital characteristics that might have skewed the findings, the researchers compared deaths after surgery according to the surgeon's age and gender. In all, more than 45,800 surgeons were involved and the overall death rate was 6.4 percent (nearly 57,000 patients). Tsugawa's team found that patient deaths were slightly lower for older surgeons than for younger surgeons in the same hospital. The death rate was 6.6 percent for surgeons under 40; 6.5 percent for surgeons 40 to 49; 6.4 percent for surgeons 50 to 59; and 6.3 percent for surgeons 60 and older, the researchers found. Death rates did not differ between male and female surgeons, Tsugawa said. Also, death rates weren't affected by the patient's gender or severity of illness, the study found. For non-emergency elective surgery, no difference in death rates was seen, Tsugawa said. The report was published online April 25 in the journal BMJ. Dr. Natalie Coburn is an associate professor of surgery at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto. She said the factors that go into patient survival after surgery are more complex than the age of the doctor performing the operation. "A lot of what appears to be a better outcome may not be technical factors but just choosing who one takes to surgery," Coburn said. In addition, the number of specific operations a surgeon does and the number of those operations a hospital does are important factors that affect outcomes, said Coburn, who coauthored an editorial that accompanied the study. "There is a lot of complexity that goes into surgical decision-making that are difficult to measure," she said. "So, it's hard to draw conclusions about outcomes for any particular surgeon." Patients need to quiz their surgeon about how many of a particular procedure he or she does, and how many are done in that particular hospital, Coburn said. "Patients should know a lot about their surgery and have a list of questions to ask their doctor," she said. More information For more on surgery, visit the U.S. National Library of Medicine. THURSDAY, April 26, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Want to keep your unused medicines out of the hands of others? You can safely dispose of dangerous expired and unwanted prescription drugs on Take Back Day, this Saturday, April 28. Americans are in the midst of an epidemic of opioid drug abuse, and "medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse," the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) noted in a news release. That's why the DEA and local agencies are holding Take Back Day events across the country. Drop off your pills or patches between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. at a location near you (see link below). The service is free and anonymous, but take note: Needles, sharps and liquids will not be accepted. Government statistics show "year after year that the majority of misused and abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including someone else's medication being stolen from the home medicine cabinet," the DEA said. And there's a "green" reason to take advantage of Take Back Day. According to the DEA, the "usual methods for disposing of unused medicines -- flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash -- both pose potential safety and health hazards." Last fall, more than 912,000 pounds of prescription drugs were turned in at more than 5,300 Take Back Day sites operated by the DEA and nearly 4,300 state and local law enforcement partners. In the 14 previous Take Back events, more than 9 million pounds of pills have been turned in, according to the DEA. More information Search the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration database for a Take Back Day site near you. JavaScript is disabled on your browser. CORDIS website requires JavaScript enabled in order to work properly. Please enable JavaScript. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp LinkedIn Email Telegram New York, April 26, 2018The Committee to Protect Journalists today called on Afghan authorities to thoroughly investigate the killing of journalist Abdul Manan Arghand and to ensure that those responsible for his death are brought to justice. Two unknown gunmen on motorcycles shot dead Arghand, a reporter for the privately owned station Kabul News, as he was driving to work in Kandahar at about 9 a.m, yesterday, according to RFE/RL and TOLO News. Arghand had received threatening anonymous phone calls over his reporting for about a year, Abdul Mujeeb Khalvatgar, managing director of the independent group, Nai Supporting Open Media in Afghanistan, told CPJ. The journalist reported the threats to the local police and the National Directorate of Security, according to Khalvatgar, who has spoken with his colleagues in Kandahar about the case. The brazen killing of Kabul News TV journalist Abdul Manan Arghand underscores the dangerous landscape in which Afghan journalists work, CPJ Asia Program Coordinator Steven Butler said in Washington, D.C. Afghan authorities must thoroughly investigate the killing and take measures to ensure the safety of journalists who report being threatened for their work. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the shooting, according to TOLO News. CPJs telephone calls to Kandahar police for comment went unanswered. At least four journalists were killed in relation to their work in Afghanistan in 2017, according to CPJ research. CPJ also documented at least three deadly attacks on news outlets and areas where journalists work that killed several media workers. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp LinkedIn Email Telegram Mexico City, April 26, 2018Mexican authorities must conduct credible investigations into two recent burglaries, one at the Mexico City-based investigative magazine and website Proceso and another at the news website Quadratin in Guerrero state, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Unknown intruders on April 20 broke into the home of one of Procesos website editors in Mexico City and stole two hard drives along with several memory cards, scores of reporting notes, a desktop computer, and four suitcases with a camera, lenses, and two drones, according to the outlet. The editors name was withheld from the websites report for safety reasons. In a separate case, on the night of April 19 unidentified persons forced open the door into the Quadratins Acapulco office in Guerrero and stole documents, a DVD, and a hard drive with archives of the last several years, the publications editorial director Ricardo Castillo Diaz told CPJ on April 20. Burglaries into the offices of journalists and media and theft of information are common occurrences in Mexico and serve to intimidate reporters, said CPJs Mexico Representative Jan-Albert Hootsen. Mexican authorities must investigate the recent break-ins at Proceso and Quadratin and end this cycle of impunity. In Mexico City, Proceso reported on April 21 that members of the editorial staff reported the burglary to city authorities and did not offer more detail about the nature of the information that was taken. Ricardo Sanchez Perez del Pozo, the head of the office of the federal Special Prosecutor for Attention to Crimes Committed against Freedom of Expression (FEADLE) division of the federal attorney generals office, confirmed to CPJ on April 25 that his office opened an investigation into the burglary. Proceso frequently reports on politics, corruption, organized crime, and general news from across the country. Its reporters on numerous occasions have been the target of harassment, threats, and violence. Its Mexico City offices were broken into by unknown individuals on May 26, 2017, the website reported at the time. CPJ was unable to reach Proceso for comment. In Acapulco, Castillo told CPJ that he on April 20 reported the burglary to the Guerrero state attorney generals office. However, the local office of the federal attorney general refused to accept the crime report saying that it had already been reported on the state level. Perez from the FEADLE told CPJ that his office had not yet opened an investigation into the burglary and that it was waiting for the crime to be officially reported to them. An official of the Federal Mechanism for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders and Journalists who asked to remain anonymous because he was not authorized to speak on the record told CPJ on April 21 that his institution had reached out to Quadratin and is currently considering protective measures. Castillo told CPJ that the burglars did not take anything of monetary value from the office and left behind metal cutters and industrial clamps, which Castillo believes they used to open the office door. The editorial director said that, to his knowledge, none of the staff had received threats in recent months. He said that the website received messages telling it to stop it after reporting critically on Acapulco Mayor Evodio Velazquez. CPJs calls to Velazquezs office between April 20 and April 25 were unanswered. Mexico is one of the most dangerous countries in the Western Hemisphere for journalists, according to CPJ research. At least two journalists have been killed in 2018 in direct relation to their work. Bilateral joint training exercise HARIMAU SHAKTI 2018 between India and Malaysia will be conducted in the dense forests of Sengai Perdik, Hulu Langat, Malaysia from 30 April 18 to 13 May 2018 as part of ongoing defence cooperation between both countries. The exercise aims at bolstering cooperation and coordination between armed forces of both nations. It also seeks to share expertise of both contingents in conduct of counter insurgency operations in jungle terrain. Key Facts In this bilateral military exercise, Indian contingent is being represented by 4 GRENADIERS, one of the oldest infantry battalions having rich operational experience in conventional as well as counter insurgency warfare. Malaysian contingent is being represented by soldiers from 1 Royal Ranjer Regiment and Royal Malay Regiment, known for their experience in Jungle Warfare. This is the first instance wherein a joint training exercise of this magnitude involving Indian and Malaysian soldiers is being organized on Malaysian soil. It will involve cross training phase followed by field training phase of seven days in jungles of Hulu Langat wherein both armies will jointly train, plan and execute series of training activities. The focus of the exercise will be on tactical operations in jungle warfare. Overall, the exercise will provide excellent opportunity to armies of both countries to hone their operational skills and also contribute to enhance strategic partnership between India and Malaysia. West Bengal: Fisheries Development Corp to take up crab culture in cages to boost production by SOUMITRA NANDI April 26,2018 | Source: Millennium Post In a stride towards increasing the production of crabs, particularly of the export variety, the state Fisheries Development Corporation (SFDC) will soon take up crab culture in cages. A pilot project will begin in Henry's Island near Bakkhali in South 24-Parganas, following which the SFDC will replicate the same in Sunderbans, where catching crabs is one of the major livelihoods of the people. "People from countries like China, Malaysia and Singapore are simply crazy about crabs and a bulk of their demand is met by Indian states, including Bengal, which have coastlines. However, crab exports from most other coastline states are much higher in volume than Bengal. We are taking measures to increase the production of crabs and boost export, because of its high value," a senior official of SFDC said. SFDC is presently at an advanced stage of talks with the Central Institute of Brackish water Aquaculture (CIBA) in Tamil Nadu, from where it will procure seeds for crab culture. 200 cages- for both the large variety and small variety of crabs, are also being brought for the purpose of culture. "Crabs that are found in sweet water are not fit for consumption and the ones we eat are wild crabs that are available in Sunderbans and in bheris which are connected with rivers," said B K Mondal, general manager (technical), SFDC. It may be mentioned that a village in Gosaba in Sunderbans is popularly known as widow's village (Bidhaba Gram), as a large number of women at the place had lost their husbands to tiger attacks, when the latter had ventured into the deep forest for catching crabs, or for collecting honey. As per estimates of researchers, every year 50 fishermen or honey collectors are killed in tiger attacks. "If we can take up cage culture of crabs, it will not only enhance their livelihood, but will also stop people from venturing deep into the forests for catching crabs," a senior SFDC official said. It may be mentioned that the state Forest department is also taking up a project to encourage the villagers to take up apiculture in their native villages, to stop them from venturing into deep forest and thus preventing deaths by tiger attacks. Bangladesh: Allows nearly 200 polluting factories near Sundarbans April 26,2018 | Source: The Third Pole Tinkering with the law, the Department of Environment, Bangladesh, has permitted at least 190 industrial plants in the ecologically critical area (ECA) around the Sundarbans, claiming that those factories have taken enough precautions on pollution. Contesting this, environmental experts and activists suggest that the factories significantly increase the risk to the ecology of the Sundarbans and should be immediately relocated from the ECA. These factories include cement manufacturing plants, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) plants, gas cylinder manufacturers, oil refineries, betel nut processing plants, ship building factories, automatic rice husking mills, saw mills, brick kilns, cigarette manufacturing plants, ice factories, fish farms, hatcheries, crab farms, saline water refineries and an iron welding factory. We have only allowed those industries in the ecologically critical area that do not release any liquid waste. Before giving them permission, all those industries were measured properly whether they had taken all necessary precautionary measures, Sultan Ahmed, director general of Department of Environment, Bangladesh (DoE) told thethirdpole.net. Out of the 190 industrial plants set up in the ecologically critical areas, there are at least 24 red category industries, meaning that may cause great harm to the ecology, especially a fragile one like the Sundarbans. As per the Bangladesh Environment Conservation Act (amended in 2010) it is prohibited to set up any factories in the ECA without getting an environmental clearance. Certain activities such as the storage of hazardous waste, shipbreaking and clearing forests are expressly forbidden. The government announced a 10-kilometre periphery around the Sundarbans, the largest single patch mangrove forest in the World, as ECA in 1999 after UNESCO categorised it as a World Natural Heritage site in 1997. The issue came into focus again when the DoE submitted a list of 190 industrial units of which 181 had obtained environment clearing certificate (ECC) from the DoE, and the other nine had received site clearance. The DoE submitted the list following a High Court directive in response to a Public Interest Litigation seeking banning of these factories. According to the addresses listed, most of the heavy and potentially harmful industrial units are in the Mongla industrial and Mongla Port areas. The port is within 2-3 kilometres from the edge of the Sundarbans. According to the DoE report, 36 industrial units are now closed, while 154 are running their operations. The report suggests that these units would not pollute the environment. Only some red category industries would release industrial smog and pollute the air, it says. This ignores the threat to biodiversity. At a workshop organised by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, Bangladesh recently in Dhaka, Abdul Aziz, a professor at Jahangir Nagar University, pointed out that there are 22 kinds of threats to the tiger, the top predator of the Sundarbans. These include tiger poaching, prey poaching, salinity, sea level rise, harvesting aquatic resources, and industrialisation and commercial activities around the Sundarbans. Fate of the industrial units in one month After receiving the report, the High Court bench of Justice Moyeenul Islam Chowdhury and Justice Mohammed Ashraful Kamal fixed May 9, 2018 for passing further orders on this issue. Following a writ petition, the HC on August 24 last year had directed the government not to approve any industry within 10 kilometres of the Sundarbans and to submit a list of the establishments already built within 10 kilometres of the mangrove forest. The HC bench of Justice Moyeenul Islam Chowdhury and Justice JBM Hassan had passed the order following a writ petition filed by Sheikh Faridul Islam, president of Save the Sundarbans Foundation on August 22, 2017. Islam had submitted the petition seeking HC directives to the authorities concerned to relocate factories constructed within the 10 km of the worlds largest mangrove forest. In the petition, he said the environment and forest ministry issued a gazette notification on August 30, 1999, declaring the 10-kilometre zone an ecologically critical area (ECA). But in a meeting of the Bangladesh National Environment Committee, it was decided that the ministry would approve all the factories currently operating in the ECA. The national environment committee meeting also decided to relax and change some rules and policies to allow the factories that could be potentially risky to the environment, said the petition. Sultan Ahmed said that since the High Court had directed the government not to renew any Environment Clearance Certificates, the government had not renewed them. Now the DoE is waiting on the High Court for further direction. Licence to pollute in ECA Though many of the 190 industrial units are accident-prone, the DoE has changed how it deals with them, relaxing norms. For example, the LPG gas industry used to be treated as red category but the Department of Industries now treating it as a non-polluting industry as it does not release any toxic liquid. It has gone from a red category industry to a green industry. Following this, the DoE hurriedly gave environment clearance certificates to at least six LPG gas stations last year within the ECA zone. Earlier, it was essential to meet eight conditions, including an environmental impact assessment, in order to receive permission for such industries. In the last 50 years, at least 10 incidents of gas and chemical industry accidents occurred all over the world including in the US, UK, the Netherlands, Italy, Mexico, Romania and India, and twice in France. Given Bangladeshs lax regulating standards, witnessed in numerous accidents in shipping, including one just last fortnight, environmental activists are worried that LPG plants, dealing with flammable material, might be a big risk. Establishment of Rampal Power Plant encouraging other Industries in the area Since the government decided to set the Bangladesh India Maitree Super Thermal power plant at Rampal near the Sundarbans, industrialists rushed to the Mongla area to buy agricultural land and homesteads to make industrial plots. Industrialists purchased around 150 plots to set up different kind of industries on the bank of the Passur river in the Mongla area. UNESCO asked Bangladesh in last year to initiate a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) in the southwest region of the country including the Sundarbans. That suggestion is yet to carried out by the government, which is looking to coal plants to power its growth. Abdul Matin, member secretary of National Committee to Protect the Sundarbans, said, It is not only pollution from the red category industries, but transportation of raw materials through the Sundarbans will also destroy the forest as many commercial activities are going on in around the Sundarbans. So far, though, it is hard to understand if the government is listening. A new pin-prick test has created a lot of controversy as it can help determine the gender of the baby in just eight weeks, the Daily Mail reported. Scientists are concerned the test can give rise to sex-selective abortion, particularly in India and China where for cultural reasons boys are the more preferred sex. There are close to 63 million fewer women in India, according to a recent government report. This is because many families are choosing to abort girl babies. China also faces similar issues, where men outnumber women by almost 34 million. The one-child policy, experts believe contributed to the imbalance. Brazilian researchers initially created the pin-prick test to improve on the non-invasive prenatal test (NIPT). It is used to detect Down's syndrome and other genetic conditions. Experts fear pin-prick test "could fuel a 'genocide' of female babies", the Daily Mail reported. "Many pregnant women and couples find out the sex of their foetus simply so they can prepare for a baby of one sex or the other, or because they are curious, " Hugh Whittall, director of the Nuffield Council on Bioethics, told the Daily Mail. "However, revealing the sex of the foetus at such an early stage of pregnancy increases the risk of terminations on the basis of sex taking place. "Given that there are few benefits to most pregnant women of finding out the sex of the fetus in the first few weeks of pregnancy, we believe that test providers should not be allowed to give out this kind of information." MAE HONG SON, Thailand: Golden umbrellas draped in beads and flowers provide shade for boys as young as seven riding on their fathers shoulders in a procession through the mountain town of Mae Hong Son on Thailands northern border. Dressed in clothes dominated by neon pinks and greens with elaborate headgear, their lips and cheeks brightly rouged for the most important day of their short lives, about 50 boys advance to the lively beat of drums, cymbals and gongs. The event is a rite of passage to initiate the boys as Buddhist novices, the highlight of an annual celebration by the Shan ethnic group that lives mainly in neighbouring Myanmar, but is also spread through China, Laos and Thailand. I was overwhelmed with happiness and excited about the ceremony, said Kasen Kongtui, 58, a Thai trader who sponsored the participation of a 12-year-old family friend, Poo Sit, from Myanmar. He told me: Grandfather, I want to become a novice! So we helped him, Kasen told Reuters. I did it to make merit. To fulfil the dream of a sons participation in the prestigious event, parents willingly scrimp for a long time, others accept relatives donations to defray costs, and the poorest may even send offspring to live with wealthier families. The rite of Poy Sang Long, as the celebration is known, represents the early childhood of the founder of Buddhism, Siddharta Gautama, who was born a prince about 2,600 years ago. He is said to have given up a life of royal splendour to live as a holy man after witnessing sickness and death outside the palace. The boys ordination is thought to bring honour to their families, and the event runs for a week during the dry season before the traditional Thai New Year, when most villagers are home for the holiday and children are on a school break. For these beloved princes of the Shan families, the ceremony runs through several stages, from the shaving of their heads, with the shorn locks wrapped in lotus leaves by their mothers to be saved as a keepsake, to a bath in scented water. They dress in white and have dazzling patterns drawn on their faces and heads with a yellow cosmetic paste made from ground-up thanaka bark thought to have protective properties. From now until the end of the festival, the boys are believed to have acquired semi-divine status, and are not allowed to touch the ground or walk by themselves. The parade takes place the next day, preceding a more contemplative period on the third day, when the boys visit relatives homes to pray for their families. After the week is up, the boy novices live at a temple for one or two months during school holidays, studying Buddhist scripture. I like having my head shaved, said August, a smiling 8-year-old clad in red and gold, with an ornate hat that featured pink flowers and diamante trim, as he described his favourite part of the rite. When I saw my friends doing this, I decided to become a novice. I want to be the Buddhas representative. I want to be a good person. Singh went on to say that Hindus were unsafe in Bengal and if nothing was done to change the situation, it would soon become like Jammu and Kashmir. (Photo: ANI) Lucknow: Days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi cautioned the BJP motormouths to keep quiet and not get carried away while making statements on "relevant issues", Surendra Singh, a lawmaker from Uttar Pradesh's Ballia on Tuesday said that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was playing role of "Surpanakha". He said Mamata being the CM was not doing anything even when people were getting killed on streets. "Mamata Banerjee is playing role of Surpanakha. People are getting killed on streets and she being CM isn't doing anything about it, such leader isn't a good one," he said. Singh went on to say that Hindus were unsafe in Bengal and if nothing was done to change the situation, it would soon become like Jammu and Kashmir. "Hindus will be ousted from Bengal just like it happened in J&K. Terrorists from Bangladesh have entered West Bengal and are torturing Hindus," he added. Taking pride in Narendra Modi being the PM, he claimed that the BJP will oust all foreign elements from Bengal. Singh also accused the Congress of playing the role of "Raavan". Violence has been reported from various corners of the state ahead of the panchayat polls in the state. A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Sheikh Dildar Khan was shot dead at Suri in Birbhum district in a over the filing of nominations for the upcoming West Bengal panchayat elections on Monday. This is not the first time the MLA has made controversial remarks. Earlier, Singh had said that once India becomes a 'Hindu Rashtra', only those Muslims will stay in the country who assimilate into the Hindu culture. The BJP MLA also claimed that by 2024, India would become a Hindu nation. Recently, Singh had, while speaking in defence of the accused BJP MLA, Kuldeep Singh Sengar, said that the Unnao rape victim had filed a "false rape case" against a man in the past. He came out in support of Sengar, saying that no one could rape a mother of three children. Earlier on Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra had advised his partymen to keep quiet and not get carried away while making statements on relevant issues. "Sometimes our workers blame the media. But have we ever thought that we provide 'masala' to media through our own mistakes? Whatever be the issue, we start speaking, as soon as we spot a camera," Modi had said. Also Read: Don't give 'masala' to media: PM Modi asks BJP motormouths to keep quiet Modi's advice came in the wake of increased outrage over the infamous Kathua and Unnao rape cases which have taken the country by a storm. (With agency inputs) Peru's ministry for women described the incident as an 'attempted feminicide' and said it was providing assistance to the victim. (Representational image) Lima, Peru: Ten people were treated for burns after a man doused a woman with gasoline and set her alight inside a public bus in the Peruvian capital Lima, firefighters said. Witnesses to the incident late Tuesday said the man approached the woman aboard the bus, spoke to her briefly, doused her with fuel and set her on fire. The attack caused panic aboard the bus in the capital's Miraflores district, as passengers stumbled out the doors or threw themselves through the bus windows, witnesses told Peru21 newspaper. The driver used a fire extinguisher to save the victim. The attacker escaped in the confusion. Peru's ministry for women described the incident as an "attempted feminicide" and said it was providing assistance to the victim. "A team of specialists is in the hospital to provide care to the woman, a victim of attempted feminicide," the women's ministry said in a statement. According to the Organization of American States' Observatory on Citizen Security, Peru has Latin America's second-highest rate of violence against women after Bolivia. The 10 injured passengers were treated for burns in the city's Loayza hospital. Miraflores mayor Jorge Munoz said on Twitter he was "dismayed by the reprehensible act committed by a coward a few minutes ago against a woman, by setting her on fire when she was on a bus." He said local authorities were putting themselves at the disposal of the police so that the attacker is caught "and punished with the full weight of the law." Defense IT Army extends ADMC-2 contract into 2020 Court battle over ADMC-3 forces extension The Army has awarded an extension on its current contract for hardware, software and related services as the service branch awaits the outcome of a court ruling on the follow-on award. Companies on the Army Desktop and Mobile Compuing-2 contract will continue their work for up to two additional years through April 23, 2020 with the ADMC-3 contract tied up in U.S. Court of Federal Claims. The Army issued an $870 million modification to the ceiling for ADMC-2, the Defense Department said in its Friday contracts digest. ADMC-3 has been the subject of numerous protests since the Army first attempted awards in September 2016 and is currently with Court of Federal Claims for a second time after numerous protests. After the initial awards, the Army took a corrective action to re-evaluate bids and chose the same group of nine companies that won in the first evaluation. Mercom then filed a lawsuit over not being selected for ADMC 3 in Court of Federal Claims in September of last year after the company was not selected in either evaluation. The Government Accountability Office then dismissed 12 other protests as the courts jurisdiction outweighs that of GAO. ADMC-2 incumbent Telos joined Mercoms lawsuit as did J.C. Technology and CounterTradeProducts. Other incumbents in CDW Government and HPI Federal were among the 12 protests dismissed by GAO. Companies currently on ADMC-2 are: CDW-G Dell HPI Federal Integrated Technologies Group NCS Technologies Telos Transcource Services Group IAEA concludes long-term operational safety review at Ukraine's Yuzhnoukrainsk nuclear power plant The operator of the plant, which has three reactors, is preparing to extend the operating lifetime of Unit 3 to 40 years. If you see a spelling error on our site, select it and press Ctrl+Enter Ukraine's government may inject more funds into Oschadbank's capitalization Additional capitalization in development is required as investment. If you see a spelling error on our site, select it and press Ctrl+Enter Over US$76 mln "disappears" from Oleksandr Yanukovych's bank after accounts unfrozen media Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov announced the seizure of the said funds back in 2015. If you see a spelling error on our site, select it and press Ctrl+Enter Ukraine to achieve nuclear independence from Russia Poroshenko According to the president, Ukraine was the only country in the world with developed nuclear power industry, but without its own storage facility for the spent nuclear fuel. If you see a spelling error on our site, select it and press Ctrl+Enter What do you think about our new website? Share your opinion Intellectual property is a term that refers to unique creations of the human mind that are subsequently recognized and protected by law, such as inventions, literary and artistic works, as well as symbols, names, images and designs used in commerce. It includes musical performances, films, fashion, advances in technology or medicine, and innovations on existing design in every field and genre. Simply put, intellectual property represents our genius. Stealing intellectual property is no less of a crime than stealing someones wallet or damaging their sale goods. Some consequences of intellectual property theft are obvious. If a patient is treated with counterfeit medication, his or her health could suffer, or they could die. Intellectual property theft deprives artists, inventors and innovators of their just compensation, and cheats purchasers of pirated goods, because the value of the purchase is less than advertised. Some of the lesser known forms of intellectual property theft include appropriation of trade secrets and specialized know-how, usually through cyber theft; and compulsory transfer of technology from transnational companies to the government of a country on whose territory they wish to conduct business. Still, one of the most serious consequences of intellectual property theft is that it stifles creativity and innovation. Why dedicate effort and resources to creation or innovation if one is not likely to reap commensurate rewards? On April 26th, we observe World Intellectual Property Day to celebrate creativity, to acknowledge the contributions of creators, inventors and innovators to the development of societies across the globe, and to raise awareness of how patents, copyright and trademarks contribute to humanitys progress. This years theme, Women in Innovation and Creativity, is designed to celebrate womens contributions to intellectual property. The protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights helps ensure the world will continue to benefit from the time, resources, and brainpower invested in developing new technologies and improvement of existing ones; from the works of some or our most creative citizens, and from new brands and modes of production. On this day, as we celebrate the human capacity to create, innovate and invent, we call on all our friends and partners to stiffen intellectual property laws where needed, and enforce them strictly, for the sake of us all. Germany believes assurances from Russia that they to keep using Ukrainian GTS after launch of Nord Stream 2 needed Germany believes that assurances from Russia that they will keep using the Ukrainian gas transport system (GTS) after the completion of construction of Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline are needed, German Ambassador to Ukraine Ernst Reichel said in a joint interview with French Ambassador to Ukraine Isabelle Dumont with Interfax-Ukraine. "As Chancellor Merkel [German Chancellor Angela Merkel] has said, we also need clarity from Russia that they will keep using the Ukrainian gas transit system. The discussion about this is, as you can imagine, just going on There need to be assurances one can rely on. Which form this would take, we will have to see," he said. Reichel recalled that Merkel had talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin about this. "So, we will have to see what follows, what reaction we get from Russia," he said. The German ambassador said that efforts should be made to minimize risks for Ukraine linked to the construction of Nord Stream 2. "The objection in particular Ukraine has against Nord Stream 2 is the fear that it will make the transit through Ukraine superfluous. If we can avoid this consequence, it makes the future for Ukraine look much better. This is where we are trying to go. The investment of foreign firms into the Ukrainian gas transit system is part of this," he said. The diplomat also expressed confidence that the United States would not apply sanctions to European companies participating in Nord Stream 2. "It would, of course, be very unusual among friends and allies, if there were sanctions imposed by the United States against companies which do business outside the United States and which are seated in allied countries, like France or Germany Until proven otherwise, I would not assume that this opportunity that legislation in the United States offers will be taken by the U.S. administration. I remain confident that this will ultimately not happen and we will arrive at a solution that respects the legitimate interests of Ukraine in continued gas transit and therefore maybe also makes the discussion a bit more rational than it has been in the past," he said. Public joint-stock company Ukrtransgaz and Poland's Gaz-System S.A. have extended a non-binding market screening procedure for demand on the volume of natural gas that could be transported across Ukraine to Poland until June 8, 2018, the press service of the Ukrainian company has reported. "The new deadline for submission of application would give enough time for market players to assess their interest in the capacity at the Polish-Ukrainian border in both directions and send the applications to the operators," the company said. The applications will be assessed until July 13, 2018 and then the results of the procedure will be announced. As reported, the results of the market screening procedure shall constitute the basis for the TSOs decision on the future binding allocation procedure (Open season) for the firm capacities at the Poland-Ukraine border, in both directions of the flow. The demonstrated market interest will be the basis for the decision on building of the new interconnection. On December 17, 2014, Ukrtransgaz and the Polish Gaz-System signed the cooperation agreement on the preparation of a feasibility study of the project for the integration of the Polish and Ukrainian gas systems. The document envisages not only the integration of the gas transportation systems of both countries with the aim of increasing the volume of gas imports to Ukraine from Europe via Poland, but also ensuring the storage of European gas in the Ukrainian underground gas storage facilities, its subsequent delivery to consumers in the EU countries. Ukraine seeks to take part in several projects in Egypt, in particular projects on modernization of a steel works and reconstruction of a coke-oven battery for a company, Ukraine's First Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Economic Development and Trade Stepan Kubiv has said. "Ukraine is ready to undertake several projects in Egypt. The first one is modernization of Helwan steel works worth some $200 million and reconstruction of a coke-oven battery for El Nasr for Coke & Chemicals worth some $80 million," Kubiv wrote on his Facebook page after a meeting with the minster for state-owned companies of Egypt who visited Ukraine with the purpose of attracting Ukrainian specialists to construction and modernization of Egyptian state-owned enterprises. Kubiv also said that last year goods flow between Ukraine and Egypt reached almost $2 billion, and trade with services grew by 62% in 2017 compared with 2016. The largest Ukrainian company in express delivery Nova Poshta is passing procedures to become a member of the Ukrainian Network of Integrity and Compliance (UNIC), business ombudsman Algirdas Semeta has said. "Nova Poshta is only entering the UNIC network. It is passing the respective checks. They were the initiators of the project themselves, but later they did not complete all the procedures for membership in the network, like other companies. However, I am glad that the company has made this step," he said in an interview with Interfax-Ukraine. In general, the UNIC increased its membership from 42 in October 2017 to 55 in six months. "The network is developing, but the requirements for applicants are rather high, so this figure does not increase too rapidly," Semeta said. At the same time, he said that the Office of the Business Ombudsman received a complaint from Nova Poshta regarding the recent raids in the company. "I cannot comment on the details, as we are currently conducting an investigation. We received an official complaint from Nova Poshta, where they pointed out possible violations of both laws and bylaws related to the activities of law enforcement agencies. We are at the stage of checking these facts," Semeta said. The participation of international companies in the management of Ukraine's gas transportation system (GTS) can improve its competitiveness, German Ambassador to Ukraine Ernst Reichel has stated. "Specifically, on the gas transmission system, we do believe that the participation and investment of foreign companies could play a big, positive role in order to make the gas transmission system more competitive. We are entering a phase where it is likely that there will be more competition for the Ukrainian gas transmission system, and so it needs initiatives to make it more viable and cost effective. International investment and participation in the management can play a major role. Also the European Commission is making proposals in this direction," he said in a joint interview with French Ambassador Isabelle Dumont to Interfax-Ukraine. Dumont, in turn, noted that the compulsory conditions for significant investments on the part of European companies in Ukraine's GTS are clear and transparent working conditions and a favorable business climate. "In principle, everything is possible. What will make them go or not go will be confidence in Ukrainian institutions, confidence in the business climate, confidence in any privatization offered, transparency and the understanding of what is on the table," she said. The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) is preparing an action to return Odesa airport to municipal property, NABY Head Anton Sytnyk has said. "As for the airport, the situation is quite old ... A number of people are being checked for involvement in the illegal alienation of the airport from municipal ownership, not only Mr. Trukhanov [incumbent mayor of Odesa Hennadiy Trukhanov]," Sytnyk said at a briefing in Kyiv. According to him, the case is quite complicated, but the bureau investigators now "in fact see the possibility of preparing suspicions." "In this case, it is important not only to conduct an investigation, but also to raise the issue of the future fate of the airport as a whole. Because if you know, there was a lawsuit from the city council and there was the decision to return the airport back to municipal property. But for some reason an amicable agreement was signed later and the airport remained with those beneficiaries, whose interests were lobbied during the session when the decision was made to transfer the airport," he said. According to Sytnyk, within the framework of the investigation into the Odesa airport case, the criminal component and the possibility of returning the airport to municipal ownership are also being investigated. "In fact, we are now considering the possibility of filing a lawsuit, materials are being prepared for this suit to return the airport," the NABU director added. The shipment of Javelin anti-tank missile systems to Ukraine by the United States would be a symbolic gesture and a safety precaution in case of a massive attack by Russia, German Ambassador to Ukraine Ernst Reichel said. "Also, one also has to bear in mind that the weapons from the United States we are talking about now are weapons that have no direct relationship to the fighting which is ongoing in Donbas. The most quoted weaponry is the Javelin anti-tank missiles, but there is no tank battle in Donbas. So, you see, the provision of these weapons is symbolic and it is a precaution against an eventual, more massive attack. So, it is not a contribution to the direct solution of the conflict in Donbas," Reichel said in a joint interview he and French Ambassador to Ukraine Isabelle Dumont gave to Interfax-Ukraine. He said Germany has a policy of not providing weapons into areas of tensions. "We don't want our weapons to be used in areas of conflict where people are being killed," the ambassador explained. Dumont said she believes that the presence of a large amount of weapons in a conflict zone increases the risk of their use and insisted that the conflict in Donbas can only be settled politically. "The will of Ukrainian authorities to get weapons to defend themselves is perfectly understandable in a complex situation. On the other hand, in any conflict providing more weapons naturally doesn't help to solve the conflict. The more weapons you have the more risk there is for them to be used. This is why on our side we are not supplying weapons. Defensive weapons are one thing, and obviously Ukraine should be able to defend its sovereignty," she said. French Ambassador to Ukraine Isabelle Dumont believes that Ukraine has not yet reached the point of no return in the reforms, and reforms in the state should continue. "Basically, your question is about the point of no return, something we all have been asking ourselves for the past years. Have we reached the point of no return? Unfortunately, not yet," she said in a joint interview with German Ambassador to Ukraine Ernst Reichel with Interfax-Ukraine. The French ambassador said that there is always risk. "They [Ukrainians] see that Ukraine has not reached the point of no return yet. They are afraid. They don't see the results in their everyday lives, and they know the situation can become worse. This is why those last reforms to be made, especially the anti-corruption court, are so important to show that, yes, now we are really getting there," the diplomat said. Dumont said that reforms take time to become visible and tangible for the population. The German ambassador said that the financial losses every person here in Ukraine has made, except for a very few, are due, on the one hand, to the conflict with Russia, and secondly, they are due to earlier mistakes made by Ukrainian leaders. "Remember, about 10 years ago, when everyone had foreign currency loans and then lost a lot of money on that. Very basic mistakes were made by the political leadership of the country at the time, which are still having their effects today," Reichel said. German Ambassador to Ukraine Ernst Reichel believes that anti-corruption bodies in Ukraine have justified the trust of international partners, but they expect the creation of an Anti-Corruption Court. "Yes, I think basically yes. You have to consider they had to be established from scratch. And they have done important work," Reichel said in a joint interview with French Ambassador to Ukraine Isabelle Dumont with the Interfax-Ukraine news agency, when asked whether anti-corruption bodies in Ukraine lived up to the expectations of international partners. The German diplomat stressed that the international community insists that the Anti-Corruption Court should be voted into law in a form that is in accordance with the recommendations of the Venice Commission. Dumont, in turn, said that all efforts in the fight against corruption should get to courts. "One point that is true is that you can have all the agencies fighting against corruption, but if the justice system itself is not doing its job then it's all for nothing," she said. The diplomat added that it was important to see progress in the fight against corruption not only for Ukrainians, but for international donors supporting Ukraine along the way. When asked how the situation with Head of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) Nazar Kholodnytsky will influence the fight against corruption, Dumont noted that "it obviously is not helping the general fight against corruption." "It's obviously not good when they fight against each other. We look at that with concern," she said. Normandy format to settle Donbas conflict should be used more fully, not amended - French ambassador to Ukraine Using the existing Normandy format for negotiations on settling the Donbas conflict as much as possible is better than replacing it, French Ambassador to Ukraine Isabelle Dumont said. "In other words: the format is the tool, not the objective. We should not forget that. The objective is peace, so, as long as the objective is a problem, changing the tool will not help. On the contrary, now that the tool is working, that people know each other, that there are meetings, the best way is to use this format as much as we can," Dumont said in a joint interview she and German Ambassador to Ukraine Ernst Reichel gave to Interfax-Ukraine. Reichel said that the lack of progress in the talks on settling the conflict in Donbas has no connection to the negotiating format and is due to the fact that there are fundamental disagreements between Ukraine and Russia. There have been no proposals from other countries, including the United States, that they join this format, he said. Dumont also said that it is important to continue dialogue with Russia, especially to discuss the situation in Donbas. The foreign ministers of NATO member states are planning to discuss the Western Balkans countries, Georgia and Ukraine during an upcoming meeting on Friday, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has said. "We will close the ministerial with a meeting on the Western Balkans and NATO's Open Door policy. NATO remains committed to the vision of a Europe whole, free and at peace," Stoltenberg said at a press conference on Thursday. "We will discuss the progress made by Bosnia and Herzegovina, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and Georgia. Ukraine has also expressed its aspirations for membership. And I expect ministers will want to address that too," he added. NATO foreign ministers to discuss on Friday how to counter threats from Russia The foreign ministers of NATO member countries will discuss Russia at a meeting on Friday and consider what can be done to better confront hybrid threats, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has said. "We will begin with a meeting to discuss Russia. For several years, Moscow has shown a pattern of dangerous behavior," he said at a press conference in Brussels on Thursday. He said that this included the illegal and illegitimate annexation of Crimea, the destabilization of eastern Ukraine, meddling in democratic processes, cyber-attacks, and disinformation. Speaking about Russia, he added that "we continue to see attempts to intimidate and interfere in Allied countries." "So we must continue to adapt to hybrid challenges. And ministers will examine what more we can do," Stoltenberg said. Four Ukrainian soldiers have been wounded in 21 attacks on Ukrainian troops in Donbas, eastern Ukraine, as of 18:00 Kyiv time on Thursday, April 26, the press center for the headquarters (HQ) of Ukraine's military operations in Donbas has reported. "Four Ukrainian defenders were wounded in action. The wounded soldiers were hospitalized, they received the necessary treatment," the press center said in an update on Facebook as of 18:00 local time on Thursday, April 26. In the Donetsk sector, the occupation forces used proscribed weapons, namely 120mm mortars, as well as cannons of infantry fighting vehicles, grenade launchers, small arms to attack Ukrainian positions near the village of Novotroitske. What is more, the enemy used 120mm and 82mm mortars to shell Ukrainian troops near the village of Lebedynske, while grenade launchers of various systems and small arms were used to fire on areas near the towns of Avdiyivka and Maryinka, and the village of Kamianka. Also, enemy fighters resorted to large-caliber machine guns to mount attacks on the villages of Nevelske and Talakivka, while small arms were used near the villages of Lomakyne and Opytne. Positions near the village of Novomykhailivka were under sniper fire. "In the Luhansk sector, the occupation forces used banned 120mm mortars, large-caliber machine guns and an anti-tank rifle to shell our positions near the village of Zaitseve," the HQ said. KYIV. April 26 (Interfax-Ukraine) - Ukraine is not a safe country for refugees, as Ukrainian state bodies are increasingly refusing to provide protection for such citizens, human rights activists say. "In the spring of 2018, just like eight years ago, just like ten years ago Ukraine is not a safe country for asylum seekers. The Ukrainian authorities do not fulfill the obligations assumed by signing and ratifying the 1951 UN Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol. In Ukraine, refugees, especially from post-Soviet states, in particular from the Russian Federation, cannot feel safe," coordinator of the No Borders project Maksym Butkevych said at a press conference at Interfax-Ukraine on Wednesday, April 25. According to him, instead of protecting such people, "they are forcibly returned to the hands of those from whom they fled," often using Interpol for this. He explained that the issue concerned actions that are considered crimes in Russia and in Ukraine they are regarded as the realization of the right to freedom of opinion or belief. He said that the detention and deprivation of liberty by Ukraine's state bodies through the search in Interpol or the request of the Russian Federation, without proper verification, is absurd and scandalous. "How can you cooperate with the security forces of the aggressor state, even more so, allow leakage of information that should be strictly confidential?" Butkevych said. He noted that the reform of the system of providing protection to refugees had not been implemented in Ukraine after the Revolution of Dignity. "None of those who, for political reasons or instructions from above, refused to shelter people who deserved it, has not been brought to justice. None of the security forces who violated the rights of refugees over the past five to seven years, as far as we know, has not been held accountable," Butkevych said. According to co-founder of the "Muslim Refugees" NGO 'Azan' Anvar Derkach, refugees in Ukraine find themselves in the triangle "Border Guard Service - Migration Service - Security Service." He noted that the State Migration Service had recently begun began to refuse asylum seekers in Ukraine already at the stage of filing documents. "It is actually a matter of collusion between the law enforcement agencies of the state of Ukraine against the most unprotected category of people who seek asylum in our country. They are initially attracted with loud statements about European standards to which Ukraine aspires, including in migration policy, and then they are extradited to dictatorship regimes," Derkach said. A representative of NGO "Human Rights Movement of Crimea," Damir Minadirov, considers absurd the fact the State Migration Service, when refusing to grant protection, refers to Russian legislation and the list of organizations banned in Russia. "Instead of gaining security and calm after submitting documents to the State Migration Service of Ukraine, seekers of refugee status live in fear of being detained and extradited to Russia, where they are certainly expected to have their right to a fair trial violated and face long terms of imprisonment for trumped-up criminal cases, torture, and perhaps even death," Minadirov said. Lawyer Andriy Leschenko said that the State Migration Service, instead of being an instrument of protection against repressive regimes in Russia and Central Asia, has become an effective tool of intimidation in the hands of these regimes. On April 19, 2018, the III "Ukrainian Infrastructure Forum" was hold in Kyiv, the largest forum in Ukraine focusing on attracting investments into the infrastructure sector. Forum organizer - A7 CONFERENCES. Solar Energy Partner - RENTECHNO, Partner Lemtrans. Legal Airline Partner Ecovis, Official Carrier - Turkish Airlines, Business Travel Partner AirLife. Investment Partner - A7 CAPITAL. The main focus of the Ukrainian Infrastructure Forum is the investment opportunities of the local infrastructure market. This year was already the third forum, which became the largest event in Ukraine, bringing together more than 250 participants, 132 media representatives and 30 speakers. The urgent issues of Ukrainian infrastructure, issues and achievements were discussed at the Ukrainian Infrastructure Forum. The first and main session of the Forum is devoted to investments. The main purpose of the Forum is to attract international investors to Ukrainian infrastructure projects. Maria Barabash, President of A7 GROUP, Co-founder of the Union of Ukrainian Entrepreneurs, spoke about the priority of infrastructure for investors: "I believe that Ukraine is the right place, the right time and the right people to work with and invest in Ukraine, so the mission of A7 GROUP is to promote Ukraine's interests abroad. We have conceived this forum to attract foreign interest to Ukraine. investors and foreign partners. I am very grateful that we are getting together each year and we are getting bigger!" The Forum's emphasis was also on legislative readiness of the state to help Ukrainian infrastructure projects attract investment. Viktor Dovgan, Deputy Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine on European Integration, noted a few important steps to be taken: "It is important to reach the sustainable development of logistics; development of logistics potential; strengthening of multimodal interconnections between different types of transport; modernization of logistics and transport infrastructure; simplification of customs procedures; promoting energy efficient transport, etc". Also discussed were air transport, rail and suburban transport, as well as logistics in Ukraine. Yevgeny Kravtsov, Chairman of the Board, PJSC "Ukrzaliznytsya", spoke about several key initiatives and directions on which today the Ukrainian railway is operating: "Railway is the basis of our transport system. Station complexes, as one of the elements of passenger infrastructure in general, should be the first step in the search for mechanisms to increase profitability and attract private capital to passenger transportation." Volodymyr Mezentsev, General Director, Lemtrans, said: "If we follow the logic of the reform, we need to give a clear answer to the question of the liberalization of the traction market, "Ukrzaliznytsia" should open markets for private investors more quickly. It should be understood that the emergence of private traction today is not an end in itself but a means of improving the transportation process. ton of cargo - this is the loss of railways, shippers, operators and losses of the economy of Ukraine." Slavomir Novak, V.O. Chairman, State Agency of Motor Roads of Ukraine: "In a year and a half we have introduced a number of systemic changes that allow the industry to develop. We are implementing two fundamental reforms of the road industry. First, it is decentralization. From January 1, on the shoulders of the Regional Administration and governors, we transferred 120 thousand kilometers of roads. At the central level, there are 50 thousand kilometers. The reform must be continued. The second reform is the road fund. This is a European standard, which started work here on January 1, 2018. It allows you to plan transparently and intelligently when we will repair roads. Over the past year and a half, we can say that we have introduced a constitution for road transport. The medium-term Development Program has recently been approved by the Cabinet of Ministers. It became an executive act of this Constitution. The 2018-2022 program is the first large-scale five-year plan for developing the industry. As a result, over 5 years, we plan to connect high-quality roads to all regional centers of the country." Among the key speakers of the Forum: Yaroslav Dubnevych, Head of the Committee on Transport, Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Dincer Sayici, General Manager in Kyiv, Turkish Airlines, Viktor Dovgan, Deputy Minister for European Integration, Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine, Yevgen Kravtsov, Acting Chairman of the Management Board, JSC "Ukrzaliznytsia", Maria Barabash, President, A7 GROUP, Co-founder, Union of Ukrainian Entrepreneurs, Volodymyr Mezentsev, Chief Executive Officer, Lemtrans, Volodymyr Shulmeister, First Deputy Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine (2014-2016), Head of Infrastructure of the Future Program, Ukrainian Institute for the Future, Victor Chumak, Deputy Head of the Committee on the Prevention and Counteraction of Corruption, Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Sawomir Nowak, Acting Head, State Agency of Automobile Roads of Ukraine, Marina Petrov, Deputy Director in Ukraine, EBRD, Pavlo Ryabikin,Chief Executive Officer, Boryspil Airport, Olena Voloshina, Head of Representative Office in Ukraine, International Finance Corporation, Oksana Diagilieva, Director of department on studies and investigations in the non-production markets, Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine, Oleg Bondar, Managing Partner, ECOVIS Bondar & Bondar, Alex Onatskiy, Regional Manager for Ukraine, Georgia and Armenia, IATA, Yevgeniy Dykhne, Deputy CEO, Boryspil Airport, Dmytro Babeichuk, Director, UkSATSE, Olena Kashperska, CEO, Airlife, Sergiy Fomenko, Vice-President, Ukrainian International Airlines, Anton Sabaleuski, Director in Strategic Development and Investment Policy, JSC "Ukrzaliznytsia", Yuriy Tverdov, Deputy Director of the State Policy Department in the field of railway transport, Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine, Mark Magaletsky, Senior Banker, Head of Infrastructure in Ukraine, EBRD, Dmytro Bespalov, Chief Executive Officer, A+S Ukraine, Sinan Haseki, Commercial Leader, General Electric Transportation, Andrii Shkliar, Head of Advisory, Centre for Transport Strategies, Andrii Shkliar, Head of Advisory, Centre for Transport Strategies, Oleksandr Pertsovskyi, Chief Operating Officer, Ukrposhta, Viktor Zagreba, Reform Support Team, Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine, Andrii Ivasiv, Co-founder, Delivery Group and others. Forum organizer - A7 CONFERENCES. Solar Energy Partner - RENTECHNO, Partner Lemtrans. Legal Airline Partner Ecovis, Official Carrier - Turkish Airlines, Business Travel Partner AirLife. Investment Partner - A7 CAPITAL. General Informational TV Partner News One. Exclusive TV Partner The first business channel. General Informational Partner RBC Ukraine. General News Partner Interfax-Ukraine. General Radio Partner The voice of the capital. Exclusive Business Media Partner Business magazine. International Business Media Partner UBJ. General Business Media Partner Focus. Informational Analytic Partner - Liga.zakon. Media Partners: Novoje Vremia, Kapstroitelstvo, Ecology of entrepreneurship, Liga.net, International Journal "Shipping", BuildPortal, Delo.ua, magazine Pereviznyk, Center for Transport Strategies, Terminal magazine. Supported by: American Chamber of Commerce, Kyiv Post, Ukrainian Association of Investment Business, All-Ukrainian Center for Transport Infrastructure Reforms, Council of Entrepreneurs at the CMU, Equipment and Tools for Professionals, AMUE, Focus Industry, Union of Entrepreneurs of Ukraine, etc. Photo and video materials via the link: a7conf.com/infra More details by tel.: +38 044 227 27 77, +38 096 515 43 90, victoria@a7-group.com (contact person: Victoria Shcherbatyuk, Communications Manager). Interfax Ukraine Informational Partner of the Forum Approximately nine thousand child laborers in Iran, many of whom homeless and vulnerable to violence and sexual abuse, have been identified and given shelter, according to top officials in the Islamic Republic. Child workers are so numerous that no organization can single-handedly cope with the problem, said the director of the Iran Welfare Organizations Office of Social Harm Victims, Reza Jafari. Speaking to state-run Iran Labor News Agency (ILNA) April 25, Jafari said the child workers, who either labor in underground workshops or are sent out into the streets by their families to beg, are deprived of all human rights. Official Iranian estimates going back a decade put the number of homeless children at 60,000, though many childrens rights organizations believe the number is much higher, estimating up to 200,000 children or more sleep on the streets. In a shocking comment made last October in an interview with state-run Iran Students News Agency (ISNA), the managing director of the Tehran Social Services Organization, Reza Ghadimi, claimed that based on a survey of 400 child laborers, 90 percent of them are molested. After his statement caused uproar, Ghadimi later backtracked, saying he was not referring to sexual abuse. By molesting, I did not mean sexual abuse of the working children. I meant child workers are left in the cold, outside in the streets, they are not fed properly, and their faces are painted black to attract pity, Ghadimi said. However, the daily Shahrvand reported it has an audio recording of Ghadimis initial remarks, in which he clearly states that 90 percent of child laborers are sexually abused. Other government officials maintain Ghadimis 90 percent claim is unfounded. Jafari said the problem of homeless children and child labor is so massive, Irans Welfare Organization (IWO) cannot cope and needs assistance from other government institutions and NGOs. As the child workers are deprived of schooling, their future will be as dim as today said Jafari, insisting that education should be the top priority in any plan devised to save these children and adolescents from the deplorable condition they are living in. In November 2017, Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli also insisted on the necessity of educating child laborers. Announcing new guidelines for managing of the street children issue, Fazli promised to round-up the street children and send them to schools and other centers to be educated and trained. His plan triggered a barrage of criticism on social media, in parliament, and in Tehrans city council. The solution of rounding up street children has already been tried 30 times without any success, noted the chairman of the board of the Iranian Society for Protecting Childrens Rights, Motahareh Nazeri. The plans opponents argue getting children off the streets is impossible without systemic social and economic change. Another aspect of the plan that has been widely criticized by activists and lawyers is the rule that children found begging or unsupervised on the streets for the third time will be removed from their parents custody. According to United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), In Iran, children living on the streets can often be seen in urban centers such as Tehran, Isfahan, Mashhad, and Shiraz. Many of them are the offspring of Afghan refugees. Others come from Iranian families who have slipped, through unemployment, drug addiction, or illness, into the populous ranks of the urban poor. Iran is a signatory to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, but it has not ratified other international conventions defining the minimum age for child labor. Nonetheless, according to Iranian law, a child cannot legally work under the age of fifteen. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 26 By Leman Zeynalova - Trend: OPEC Secretary General Mohammad Sanusi Barkindo will visit Azerbaijan in late May. Barkindo will take part in the 25th Anniversary Caspian International Oil & Gas Conference in Baku, scheduled for May 30-31, reads a message posted on the website of Iteca, which organizes the annual Caspian Oil & Gas exhibition jointly with the ITE Group. In December 2016, at a meeting of oil producers in Vienna, 11 non-OPEC member countries, including Azerbaijan, agreed to cut oil production by a total of 558,000 barrels a day. The agreement was concluded for the first half of 2017 and was extended until the end of the first quarter of 2018 at a meeting on May 25, 2017. At the last OPEC meeting in Vienna, the agreement was again extended until the end of 2018. Azerbaijan supported the decision. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn In 2018, the international logistics operator targets having petrochemical product shipments account for 3% of the companys total turnover, up from 2.2% in 2017. Plans include increasing shipment volumes in Iraq. Among AsstrAs latest projects was the delivery of 40 tons of motor oils from Russia to Iraq for a Russian company. In 2017, AsstrA's revenue from petrochemical transportation projects was 2.5 million euros, up 45% from 2016. Revenues from transportation on routes including Russia amounted to 1.9 million euros, with 650 thousand euros from exports, 1.1 million from imports, and 176,000 euros from domestic shipments. The largest number of export shipments from Russia were delivered to Turkey (44), Latvia (10) and Ukraine (9). Top routes in terms of revenue were in Russia-Tajikistan (492,000 euros), Russia-Turkey (96,000 euros) and Russia-Azerbaijan (18,000 euros). Petrochemical products were imported mainly from Belgium (161 shipments), Finland (153 shipments), and Poland (43 shipments). These shipments correspondingly led revenue figures with 406, 279, and 153 thousand euros, respectively. In 2018, the international logistics operator targets having petrochemical product shipments account for 3% of the companys total turnover, up from 2.2% in 2017. Plans include increasing shipment volumes in Iraq. In particular, trial deliveries of motor oils to Iraq for a Russian oil company began in December 2017. In the project, AsstrA provided freight forwarding services. Over two weeks, 40 tons of motor oils were transported from Russia to Iraq. The transportation route went through Turkey and the cargo value was about 200 thousand US dollars. The difficulty was primarily in the route itself, since military operations are being conducted in Iraq. Our ability to overcome a shortage of suppliers can become our competitive advantage while increasing volumes in this country," said Evgenia Serikova, AsstrA Group Deputy Sales Director. AsstrA specialists developed and proposed three cargo delivery route options through Turkey, Georgia, and Azerbaijan. "We evaluated each options according to several criteria: cost, delivery time, and potential risks. In addition, the customers main requirement was to minimize transshipments lest the goods be damaged. Therefore, we also analyzed the number of transshipment points and any necessities to change vehicles, says Evgenia Serikova. The best alternative was direct transit through Turkey, as in this case there is only one control point a ferry in Novorossiysk causing a risk of delivery delays. AsstrA offered transportation by standard trucks. Thus, direct delivery was provided. Additionally, loaded trucks were conveyed by sea transport. The operational work was handled by our trusted Turkish partner along with AsstrAs representative office team in Istanbul, who supervised the project. We expand our geographic presence every year and attract top local talent where our offices are opened. This way, we stay as close as possible to any new market and effectively manage different languages, cultures, and perspectives. It also helps us to build meaningful relationships with both customers and suppliers," adds Yevgenia Serikova. About the company: AsstrA-Associated Traffic AG is an international transport and logistics holding company headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland. It has been operating in the sphere of logistics for more than 20 years. The company is represented in 16 countries of Europe, Asia and the CIS. It offers a whole entire range of services through a single logistics operator. In particular, the company ensures international transportation by various types of transport, import and export support of any type of cargo, as well as cargo insurance "against all risks" in the most reputable insurance companies in Germany and Switzerland. The package also includes project logistics, trading, warehousing and customs services. Thanks to the wide geographic range and cooperation with professionals, AsstrA offers advantageous logistics solutions at reasonable prices and takes into account the needs of each customer and partner. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 26 Trend: Over the past 24 hours, Armenias armed forces have 102 times violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said April 26. The Armenian armed forces were using heavy machine guns. 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 26 By Ali Mustafayev - Trend: Russia sincerely hopes that after stabilization of domestic situation in Armenia, negotiations between Azerbaijan and Armenia on resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict will resume, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a briefing on April 26. "We have repeatedly voiced our position on resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. This is a matter of peaceful political negotiations and agreements, and no complications should occur in this regard. The way out should be exclusively in a peaceful negotiating manner," Zakharova said. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. Follow the author on Twitter: @Ali_Mustafayev Baku, Azerbaijan, April 26 By Elchin Mehdiyev - Trend: Ilham Aliyevs visit to Turkey is his first foreign visit after the reelection as the Azerbaijani president, and this is an indicator of friendship and brotherhood between the two countries, Azerbaijani MP Tahir Suleymanov told Trend. He said that the recent visit of President Ilham Aliyev, as well as the 7th Session of the Azerbaijan-Turkey High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council, held in Ankara as part of the visit on April 25, will open a new page in the cooperation of the two countries. The MP stressed that this is the result of the successful policy implemented by President Ilham Aliyev. Suleymanov also noted that the documents signed as part of the session, which cover various spheres, will contribute to deepening cooperation between the two fraternal states, the development of both countries. The history of relations between the two fraternal countries has a great history, he said. As the great leader Heydar Aliyev noted, Turkey and Azerbaijan are one nation and two states. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also noted this in his speech at the session, once again stating that Turkey always supports Azerbaijan in the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict issue. There is no other country that would provide the same great support to Azerbaijan in the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, as Turkey. This makes us very happy, and the relations between the two countries will continue to strengthen. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 26 Trend: Germany's chancellor Angela Merkel has congratulated President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev in connection with his victory in the April 11 presidential election. "I heartily congratulate you on your re-election as the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan," reads the congratulatory message. Merkel further voiced support to the deepening of relations between the two states and societies. "Germany is ready to further support Azerbaijan as a partner on the way of political and economic modernization in the future. I wish you success in your supreme state duty," Merkel said. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 26 Trend: Azerbaijan has passed a grandiose path of development during 15 years of Ilham Aliyevs presidency, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, speaking at the 7th Session of the Azerbaijan-Turkey High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council in Ankara. Having greeted President Ilham Aliyev and members of the delegation, Erdogan noted that the Session of the Azerbaijan-Turkey High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council benefited the two countries and the region. I am happy to receive Ilham Aliyev as a guest in Ankara during his first official foreign visit after the presidential election, Erdogan said. I congratulate Ilham Aliyev on his reelection as Azerbaijani president. I will also make my first foreign visit to Azerbaijan after my reelection as the Turkish president. The fact that this has become a tradition, openly shows the exclusivity of our relations. Eighty-six percent of the votes received by your Excellency at the election demonstrated the confidence of the Azerbaijani people in you. This trust is undoubtedly justified. I am absolutely convinced that by your farsighted leadership in the coming years, you will multiply the path that Azerbaijan has passed after gaining its independence. Distinguished members of the delegation, at a one-on-one meeting with my brother President Ilham Aliyev, we noted the importance of bilateral relations and exchanged views on the upcoming steps. Our ministers, having met each other, discussed their plans in the same way. The Turkish president stressed that Turkey and Azerbaijan intend to further strengthen their fraternal ties by real projects. The Baku-Tbilisi-Kars (BTK) railway, which we commissioned last year, is very important in this respect, he said. The work carried out by us related to the functional and sustainable use of this railway line, continues. We must soon complete this work. We need to do everything possible for the even more productive operation of this railway line, which is one of the most important transport corridors in the world. The Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) is one of our priority projects. The commissioning of this pipeline, which is the peak of our cooperation in the energy sector, will take place in June this year. As you know, presidential election will take place in Turkey June 24, Erdogan said. Therefore, if we hold the TANAP opening ceremony in early June, this will become a big event in Turkey and the whole world. Another major project, the Southern Gas Corridor, will bring prosperity not only to our countries, but also to the region and Europe, will make huge contribution to energy security. On the other hand, construction of the Star oil refinery will be completed. Thus, Azerbaijan will become the biggest investor in Turkey. On my own behalf and on behalf of my people, I express my gratitude to you for this. It is no coincidence that Turkey, as is known, has been the biggest investor in Azerbaijan in the oil sector from the very beginning, Erdogan noted. But we dont consider this sufficient, we make every effort to further strengthen this cooperation. So far, we havent been able to achieve the desired trade levels set several years ago. Regardless of the relations, the global economic events taking place in the world also play their role here. The early signing of a preferential trade agreement is of great importance for the conduct of our trade in the conditions of equal competition. We are pleased to sign the Memorandum of Understanding related to the discussion of the preferential trade agreement. President Erdogan also noted that the friendly and fraternal ties between Turkey and Azerbaijan weren't formed in one day. We are two states with common history, roots and culture, he said. The Islamic Army of the Caucasus, heading 100 years ago to Azerbaijan to save the brothers from oppression, acted namely with such understanding. The struggle of the Islamic Army of the Caucasus in 1918, which played a role in the formation of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, also contributed to the foundation of todays independence of Azerbaijan. During this year, when we celebrate the centenary of Azerbaijans independence, we also plan to hold various events to honor the memory of the martyrs of the Islamic Army of the Caucasus. We always act in Turkey, remembering the saying Azerbaijans joy is our joy, its sorrow is our sorrow, Erdogan said. This is also the case in Azerbaijan. From this point of view, I express special gratitude to the Azerbaijani people, who always render support in our struggle against the FETO, PKK, PYD, YPG, ISIS terrorist groups. The government of Azerbaijan and the Azerbaijani people recognized the Operation Olive Branch held by the Turkish Armed Forces in Syrias Afrin as their own fight. We are also grateful to you for the sympathy regarding our martyrs who sacrificed their lives there, and also for your joy in connection with the success achieved. Erdogan stressed that Ankara also considers the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, a bleeding wound of Azerbaijan, as Turkeys own problem and the tragedies of the conflict as its own. Most of all, we want an immediate settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict within the territorial integrity and inviolability of the borders of Azerbaijan, he said. We support the process of negotiations conducted as part of the OSCE Minsk Group. However, the fact that for 25 years, this process hasnt yielded any results in the settlement of the conflict and the relevant resolutions of international organizations arent being implemented is unacceptable. The support provided to Azerbaijan in this issue will continue with the same determination. My dear brother, I would like to stress once again that I feel joy to accept you and your delegation during the first official foreign visit after your reelection as Azerbaijani president. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 26 Trend: Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev has arrived in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland upon invitation of the UK Prime Minister Theresa May. In London, President Ilham Aliyev met with BP Chief Executive Officer Robert Dudley. At the meeting, the sides exchanged views on the work carried out on the Shah Deniz project and launch of the Trans Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) project this June. Significance of intensifying the work on the basis of the Production Sharing Agreement on the Shafag-Asiman block of fields was also emphasized. The sides further expressed satisfaction with the current level of the long-term cooperation between Azerbaijan and BP. Details added (first version posted on 14:34) Baku, Azerbaijan, April 26 Trend: Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev has arrived in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland upon invitation of the UK Prime Minister Theresa May. In London, President Ilham Aliyev met with BP Chief Executive Officer Robert Dudley. At the meeting, the sides exchanged views on the work carried out on the Shah Deniz project and launch of the Trans Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) project this June. Significance of intensifying the work on the basis of the Production Sharing Agreement on the Shafag-Asiman block of fields was also emphasized. The sides further expressed satisfaction with the current level of the long-term cooperation between Azerbaijan and BP. Details added (first version posted on 13:41) Baku, Azerbaijan, April 26 By Leman Zeynalova - Trend: Any attempt to shame Azerbaijan is corruption, Chairman of the Azerbaijani Parliamentary Committee for International and Inter-Parliamentary Relations Samad Seyidov said at the spring session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) in Strasbourg on April 26. "I am proud to be from Azerbaijan. I think today it is very important to emphasize that any attempt to shame my country, point a finger at my country is the very corruption," he said. Because, Seyidov stressed, Azerbaijan joined this organization in the name of democratic values. "If you are looking for corruption, then you need to think about other states. Why only Azerbaijan? Only a month ago at this hall, you applauded Serzh Sargsyan, whom Armenian people ousted two days ago for corruption. I would like to ask those, who argued that Armenia is a very democratic state, that Sargsyan is welcomed by this organization as a democrat representing the Armenian people - where is this Mr. Sargsyan now? Why don't you want to ask these questions yourself? "he said. Seyidov further reminded that Azerbaijan is in a state of war. "We lost our territories. We have one million refugees. We joined this organization to find the rule of law here. However, instead of the rule of law we see new terminology. I'm also included in the list of those, who are presented here as corrupt Azerbaijanis. Even when the Investigating Body [ the Independent External Investigation Body (IBAC)] announced that Mr. Seyidov is not linked to corruption, this report mentions my name. It is very difficult to explain to the world why my name is mentioned in this document. This is very unfair," he said. The MP stressed that Azerbaijan will fight for its dignity, and will win. "Because we think about freedom, democracy, about those values that do not belong to the Council of Europe, which belong to the world. When I came to the Council of Europe 18 years ago, at the very beginning I said that this is my Council of Europe. Now, I think that it is not. It's your Council of Europe. I do not want to be in such a Council of Europe," he concluded. -- Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn Baku, Azerbaijan, April 26 Trend: Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev, who is on a visit to London, has met with British MP, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Azerbaijan Bob Blackman, member of the House of Lords of the United Kingdom, Lord David Evans, and member of the House of Commons, Deputy State Minister for Northern Ireland David Morris. At the meeting, the British parliamentarians congratulated the head of the Azerbaijani state on his victory in the presidential election. David Evans and David Morris reminded that they monitored the electoral process in Azerbaijan, and noted that the election was held at a high level. President Aliyev expressed his gratitude for the congratulations. The head of state said all conditions were created for a free, transparent and democratic presidential election. At the meeting, it was noted that sustainable development was ensured in Azerbaijan. The sides further discussed cooperation with groups of friendship with Azerbaijan, operating at both chambers of the British Parliament. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 26 Trend: Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev, who is on a visit to London, has met with Alan Duncan, the Minister of State for Europe and the Americas at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office of the United Kingdom. At the meeting, Duncan congratulated the head of the Azerbaijani state on his re-election as the President and wished him success in his work. He stressed that the re-election of President Ilham Aliyev would ensure the rapid development of Azerbaijan. During the meeting, bilateral and regional cooperation and other issues of mutual interest were discussed. The sides also exchanged views on the negotiation process for settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 26 Trend: Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev, who is on a visit to London, has met with Baroness Rona Fairhead, the UK Minister of State for Trade and Export Promotion. At the meeting, Baroness Fairhead congratulated the head of the Azerbaijani state on his victory in the presidential election. She recalled her visit to Baku with pleasure. The sides exchanged views on development of the bilateral relations, particularly issues of investment, business relations and cooperation in the field of agriculture. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 26 By Elchin Mehdiyev - Trend: President Ilham Aliyev's first official visit to fraternal Turkey after the election once again shows the importance of strategic partnership between the two countries, MP Hikmat Babaoglu told Trend on April 26. "Describing the Azerbaijan-Turkey relations, the president said these relations have an ancient history and a recent history," Babaoglu reminded. "One can for surely say that if our ancestors built the ancient period of this history, and in the first years of our independence, the relations between the two countries were built by outstanding political figure Heydar Aliyev, then the qualitatively new Turkish-Azerbaijani relations in the newest political history were built by Ilham Aliyev." According to Babaoglu, under the current complex system of international relations, the Turkish-Azerbaijani relations act as a balancing factor in the region and create an important platform for cooperation of all regional countries, excluding Armenia. "Therefore, the ties between the two countries should be considered not only as bilateral relations, but as the relations creating very useful prospects for the future of the entire region," Babaoglu said. He emphasized that strategically important projects, such as Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan, Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum, Baku-Tbilisi-Kars, realized upon Azerbaijan's initiative, has turned Turkey into an important infrastructure corridor. Babaoglu said that fraternal Turkey, using important energy and transport projects, has become a transit country, and also received revenues from these projects. "Azerbaijan invested $14 billion in Turkey's economy, while Turkey invested $12 billion in Azerbaijan's economy. Turkey is the second largest trade and economic partner after Russia for friendly and fraternal Azerbaijan," the MP reminded. He stressed that this important success creates new prospects. "All these issues stipulate closer cooperation and deeper integration. Therefore, all these issues were discussed in detail at the seventh meeting of the Azerbaijan-Turkey High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council. Several documents, which cover very broad areas from the socio-economic to the scientific, cultural and even military-strategic, were inked at the meeting," he said. "President Ilham Aliyev noted that today Turkey is a world power and has a developed defense industry," the MP reminded. "Therefore, agreements on military cooperation and production of defense products were signed between the two countries. All this is of great importance for Azerbaijan's military-strategic security," the MP said. Babaoglu went on to add that Azerbaijan and Turkey jointly fight against terrorism to ensure their security. "President Aliyev, touching upon this issue, said that anti-terrorist Operation Olive Branch, successfully carried out by Turkey, was a common issue. In fact, if numerous terrorists were not eliminated during this operation, one could not rule out that terrors would be committed in our country through terrorist Armenia. Furthermore, Turkey is the country that supports Azerbaijan most of all in settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, and has always sincerely stood by our country. All these and many other issues require jointly ensuring the security of the two countries," Babaoglu added. Details added (first version posted on 17:52) Baku, Azerbaijan, April 26 Trend: The main topic of discussions should be attempts by former military dictatorship of Sargsyan to create tensions and clashes on the contact line of the Azerbaijani and Armenian troops with a view to use the situation for political purposes within Armenia, Spokesman of Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry Hikmat Hajiyev told Trend April 26. Hajiyev was commenting on todays meeting between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian in Moscow. He said that Azerbaijan is ready to negotiate resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict with clear-headed political forces that will replace the military dictatorship regime of Serzh Sargsyan within the norms and principles of international law and relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council. 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 26 Trend: On April 17-18, EY Azerbaijan participated in the Digital Banking and Security Conference at the Fairmont Hotel. The event, organized by FA International Trade Events, brought together around 250 companies. The event was held in accordance with the Action Plan of the Strategic Road Map on the Development of Financial Services in Azerbaijan, which was endorsed by the President to accelerate digital transformation in the financial industry. The two-day conference featured experts who addressed key issues in banking transformation and innovation and their solutions. Vladimir Remyga, EY Kazakhstan ITRA Director, gave a presentation on cyber risks and ways to resist them. Moreover, he talked about the key findings of the EY Global Information Security Survey 2017-18, highlighting the surveys conclusion that enhancing cybersecurity has become the top priority for banks for the coming year. During the conference, both local and foreign experts delivered interesting presentations and expressed useful views. About EY EY is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services. The insights and quality services we deliver help build trust and confidence in the capital markets and economies around the world. We develop outstanding leaders who team to deliver on our promises to all of our stakeholders. In doing so, we play a critical role in building a better working world for our people, for our clients, and for our communities. EY works together with companies across the CIS and assists them in realizing their business goals. 4,500 professionals work at 20 CIS offices (in Baku, Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, Kazan, Krasnodar, Rostov-on-Don, Togliatti, Vladivostok, Almaty, Astana, Bishkek, Kyiv, Tashkent, Tbilisi, Minsk, and other locations). EY refers to the global organization, and may refer to one or more of the member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients. For more information about our organization, please visit ey.com. EY in Azerbaijan EY made a major commitment to the development of Azerbaijan and the region by opening the office in Baku 24 years ago. Today, in addition to being the leading audit and consulting firm in Azerbaijan, we are the leading professional services firm in the region. As a result of our experience and competence, we have been able to assist both domestic and international companies as well as state-owned entities to develop and manage the challenges of the international economy. There are currently more than 200 people working in our Baku office that serve our clients in Azerbaijan. EYs strength in the Caspian Region and the firms commitment of resources are important to the entities operating in the region. It means that as we grow, EY will continue to demonstrate a tradition of hiring and training local professionals to be leaders in our practice. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 26 Trend: A criminal case was initiated against Azerbaijan's Araz INC closed joint stock company under Article 213.2.2 (tax evasion) of the Criminal Code, according to a joint statement of the Ministry of Taxes, Interior Ministry and Prosecutor General's Office. According to the statement, Araz INC did not transfer funds to the state budget in the amount of 1.463 million manats. Tax evasion was revealed as a result of tax audit conducted by the Ministry of Taxes. During the investigation, head of the company, former MP Huseyn Abdullayev was brought to trial as an accused person under the abovementioned article of the Criminal Code. But Abdullayev left Azerbaijan. A preventive measure in the form of arrest was chosen against him upon the courts decision. Interpol has put Abdullayev on its list of internationally wanted people. A decision was made on Oct. 3, 2016 to bring charges against Abdullayev upon articles 192.2.2 (illegal business) and 213.2.2 of the Criminal Code based on reasonable suspicions of his evasion from payment of taxes to the state budget in the amount of 1.810 million manats and obtaining revenues in the amount of 996,000 manats by carrying out construction and installation work without obtaining a special permit (license). Abdullayev was detained in Turkey and was transferred to the Azerbaijani law enforcement bodies on April 22, 2018. Currently, an investigative and operational group created in the Interior Ministry's Main Department for Combating Organized Crime continues the necessary investigative and operational measures. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 26 By Azad Hasanli - Trend: Turkey is ready to consider creation of a free economic zone (FEZ) on the border with Azerbaijans Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, Turkish Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci said in an exclusive interview with Trend. "Such issues are in the competence of the Turkish Cabinet of Ministers and if the countrys entrepreneurs ask to create a FEZ on the border of Turkey and Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, we are ready to consider such an opportunity," the minister said. He noted that the Turkish government regularly informs entrepreneurs about the investment opportunities of Azerbaijan and tries to help them enter this market. The minister stressed that Turkish entrepreneurs always consider Azerbaijan an attractive country for investments. He expressed hope for expansion of investment ties between the two countries. Over the past year, economic relations between Azerbaijan and Turkey have reached a new level. Last year, Turkey exempted supplies of 42 products from the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic from customs duties, and also signed a memorandum on preferential trade with Azerbaijan, which provides for exemption of import-export operations from customs duties. Azerbaijans trade turnover with Turkey amounted to $2.64 billion in 2017, $1.37 billion of which accounted for exports to Turkey, according to Azerbaijans State Customs Committee. The trade turnover between the two countries grew 14.8 percent in 2017. In the first quarter of this year, the Azerbaijani-Turkish trade turnover amounted to $573.1 million (a 3.7 percent growth for the year). On April 27 and 28, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) will host a two day forum to introduce Kyrgyzstans tourism destinations and new tourism products to tour operators from Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, Kyrgyz media outlets reported. The forum Discover Kyrgyzstan: Trends, Opportunities, and Innovations will bring together over 200 representatives of tour operators and tourism organizations from across the country to help them connect with their counterparts in Central Asia. The forum will feature presentations and demonstrations of new tour products highlighting Kyrgyzstans nomadic culture Salbuurun, Kyrgyz cuisine and handicrafts as well as more than 50 new mountain trails for trekking, biking, and horseback riding covering over 2,000 kilometers developed with USAIDs support. Guests will have a chance to taste Kyrgyzstans culinary offerings including beshbarmak, plov, ashlan-fu, and boorsok to demonstrate the multi-cultural experience of travel in Kyrgyzstan. The event will also feature a yurt village where Kyrgyz destinations will demonstrate samples of their tourism offerings. The second day is devoted to master classes and networking sessions. International tourism experts will discuss social media marketing, customer service delivery, and promotion of Kyrgyzstans unique tourism offerings in international markets. During networking sessions, Central Asian guests will meet with local tourism businesses and organizations to form stronger business partnerships for development of joint tour packages covering multi-country Central Asian tours. The event will take place at the Hyatt Regency Bishkek, with registration beginning at 8:30 a.m. on April 27. The forum is organized as part of USAIDs Business Growth initiative, a $20 million project that builds and strengthens the competitiveness of Kyrgyz economic sectors including tourism, apparel manufacturing and construction materials. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 26 By Ali Mustafayev Trend: Kazakhstan plans to use additional 1.5 million hectares of land for irrigated agriculture, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture of Kazakhstan Umirzak Shukeyev said at the Economic Policy Forum of the American Chamber of Commerce, Kazakh media reported. "We work with international institutions, including the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, with the Asian Development Bank to equip our areas for irrigated agriculture," Umirzak Shukeyev said. He added that there are about 1.5 million hectares of irrigation areas in Kazakhstan and that the Ministry of Agriculture is engaged in the restoration of about 610,000 hectares of them. "We have the opportunity to additionally use 1.5 million hectares of irrigated areas. This is our major task, which can also be formed as a new branch program," the deputy prime minister said. He added the program may help in diversification of Kazakhstans agriculture, which presently concentrates, mainly, on the cultivation of wheat. "We also work on diversification of plant growing in favor of increasing oil seeds, vegetables, fruits and so on. In this context, we need interaction with our foreign partners, and I am very grateful that the American Chamber of Commerce organized this. I think that a very interesting and substantive discussion can be held here on attracting technologies, financial resources and investments to the sector of agriculture in Kazakhstan," Shukeyev said. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 26 By Anvar Mammadov - Trend: It is planned to create a registry of professional accountants in Azerbaijan, as stipulated by the amendments to the law "About accounting" recommended for discussion at the plenary session of the Milli Majlis (Parliament) of Azerbaijan. The amendment to the law provides for the mandatory presence of professional chief accountants in enterprises where the controlling stake belongs to the state, except for those enterprises whose securities are traded on the exchange, as well as in other socially significant structures, large business entities, budget organizations and public legal entities that publish annual financial or consolidated reports. Accountant, according to the bill, will have to pass the appropriate licensing. Maintenance of the state register of accountants who have received appropriate certificate and accreditation of a professional accounting organization will be provided by the relevant Executive authority. The bill also provides for the elimination of the rules of simplified accounting in small and medium-sized businesses, the elimination of articles on the establishment of the Advisory Board on accounting and regulation of its activities, in connection with the rejection of the provisions on the application of national accounting standards. The project also implies the transition of accounting entities operating in the country to international accounting standards. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 26 By Anvar Mammadov - Trend: The Creditors Committee of the Bank Standard has sent an appeal to Azerbaijan's Supreme Court to challenge the Baku Appeals Court's decision approving the liquidation plan of the bank, said the Committee's Chairman Akram Hasanov at a meeting April 26. "As you know, the Baku Court of Appeal approved the liquidation plan of Bank Standard for the second and third quarters of 2017. In this regard, we filed an appeal to the Supreme Court of Azerbaijan. We do not agree that the Azerbaijan Deposit Insurance Fund is the first in the queue of the bank's creditors. If the Supreme Court also rejects our appeal, we will appeal to the Constitutional Court," Hasanov said. License of Bank Standard was revoked on Oct. 1, 2016, and on Oct. 4, the bank was declared bankrupt. Bank Standard was founded in 1995. It was one of the largest private commercial banks in Azerbaijan and was among the market leaders in terms of deposits. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 26 By Anvar Mammadov - Trend: In the near future, another part of unsecured loans of Azerbaijans Bank Standard, which is under the process of liquidation, will be secured by collateral, said at a meeting of the Bank's Creditors Committee Chairman of the Committee Akram Hasanov. He said the amount of collateral will be about 55 million manats. "Thus, the total amount of collateral will be about 300 million manats," Hasanov said. The property of Bank Standard was initially estimated at 196 million manats. But the Main Anti-Corruption Department under the Prosecutor General of Azerbaijan and the Azerbaijani Deposit Insurance Fund (ADIF) provided collateral for 55 million manats on unsecured loans issued by Bank Standard. License of Bank Standard was revoked on October 1, 2016, and on October 4, the Bank was declared bankrupt. Bank Standard was founded in 1995. It was one of the largest private commercial banks in Azerbaijan and was among the market leaders in terms of deposits. Twitter: @Anvar_Mammadov Baku, Azerbaijan, April 26 Trend: Tajikistan has called on the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development Bank (EBRD) to participate in construction of the Rogun hydroelectric power plant (HPP), Tajik news agency Asia-Plus reported on April 26. The request has reportedly been made during a meeting of Jamoliddin Nouraliyev, First Deputy Head of the National Bank of Tajikistan (NBT), with Jurgen Rigterink, First Vice-President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. According to the information, the meeting took place in Washington on the sidelines of the Spring Meetings of the Boards of Governors of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group (WBG). Nouraliyev as well as Tajik Finance Minister Faiziddin Qahhorzoda and NBT head Jamshed Nurmahmadzoda participated in the meeting that took place on April 16-22. During a meeting with Rigterink, Nouraliyev noted that implementation of projects in the energy sector is one of priorities of Tajikistans economy and proposed to expand cooperation in that direction, calling on the EBRD to participate in construction of the Rogun HPP. Tajikistan stemmed the flow of the Vakhsh River for construction of the Rogun HPP in late October 2016. Explosions were used on Oct. 29, 2016 to block the main riverbed of the Vakhsh River, marking the first substantial step toward building the dam. The work on the Vakhsh River has not affected existing hydroelectric facilities downstream. Rogun HPP is an embankment dam in the preliminary stages of construction on the Vakhsh River in southern Tajikistan. It is one of the planned hydroelectric power plants of Vakhsh Cascade. The Rogun HPP was first proposed in 1959 and a technical scheme was developed by 1965. Construction began in 1976 but the project was frozen after the collapse of the Soviet Union. An agreement on finishing the construction was signed between Tajikistan and Russia in 1994; however, as the agreement was not implemented, it was denounced by Tajikistan parliament. In October 2004, Tajikistan signed an agreement with Russia's RusAl aluminum company, according to which RusAl agreed to complete the Rogun facility and rebuild the Tursunzoda aluminum smelter. In August 2007, Tajikistan formally revoked a contract with RusAl, accusing it of failing to fulfill the contract. In April 2008, Tajikistan founded OJSC NBO Rogun with an authorized capital of 116 million somoni for completing the construction of the Rogun HPP. Current authorized capital of OJSC NBO Roghun reportedly amounts to more than 12 billion somoni. To raise funds to complete construction of the Rogun HPP the government started to sell shares in Rogun to people on January 6, 2010. Tajikistan has reportedly issued 6 billion somoni worth of Rogun shares. The sale of Rogun shares has reportedly earned the government 980 million somoni. In 2016, construction duties on Rogun were assigned to Italian company Salini Impregilo. It is estimated that the project will cost $3.9 billion to complete. The project is broken down into four components, with the most expensive one involving the building of a 335-meter-high rockfill dam the tallest in the world which will entail costs of around $1.95 billion. If built as planned, the dam will be the tallest in the world at 335 meters and have a capacity of 3600 MW. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 26 By Maksim Tsurkov - Trend: This year Azerbaijan will put into operation a number of power facilities that will allow to increase generating capacity, Head of Azerenerji OJSC (energy operator of Azerbaijan) Etibar Pirverdiyev said in an interview to the website of the country's ruling party. Head of JSC said, the electric power system was strategic from the point of view of social and economic development of the country, and for this reason new goals connected with perspective development of this industry were regularly defined. "Our plans to expand production in the future and improve the quality are quite big. Already this year, some innovations will appear in the country's energy system," Pirverdiyev said. The head of the company noted that the reconstructed Mingachevir hydroelectric power station with a capacity of 424 megawatts, the reconstruction of which was carried out in 2010-2017, will be put into operation in 2018. "The final work on the construction of the second power plant with a capacity of 409 MW at Shimal-2 station in Baku is underway. It is expected that the plant will be put into operation this year. Also in 2018, a power plant with a capacity of 16.5 megawatts will be put into operation in Lerik," Pirverdiyev said. The head of the company reminded that in recent years Azerbaijan had also carried out large-scale construction of small hydropower plants. "Several new hydropower plants are already successfully operating. This year it is planned to put into operation small hydroelectric power stations such as "Astara-1", "Oguz-1, Oguz-2" and "Oguz-3"," Pirverdiyev said. Currently, the capacity of the electric power system of Azerbaijan is more than 6,000 megawatts. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 26 By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend: Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) project is an example of regional cooperation, Turkeys Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources told Trend April 26. Turkey paid special attention to the construction of the TANAP gas pipeline from the very beginning of the projects implementation, according to the ministry. TANAP will provide Turkey with natural gas, and this pipeline is very important for diversification of sources of raw materials and ensuring energy security of Europe, the ministry said. The ministry also noted that the role of Turkey and Azerbaijan in the global energy policy is increasing. TANAP will be commissioned in early June this year. TANAP project envisages transportation of gas from Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz field to the western borders of Turkey. The gas will be delivered to Turkey in 2018 and after completion of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline's construction the gas will be delivered to Europe in early 2020. The length of TANAP is 1,850 kilometers with an initial capacity of 16 billion cubic meters of gas. Around six billion cubic meters of this gas is meant to be delivered to Turkey, with the remaining volume to be supplied to Europe. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu Baku, Azerbaijan, April 26 By Huseyn Hasanov - Trend: Turkmenistan and Iran, in May will return to discussing their gas dispute, in order to reach an agreement and avoid litigation, Iranian media reported. IRNA quoted the Executive Director of the National Gas Company of Iran Hamid-Reza Araqi as saying that in May, Iranian and Turkmen experts will explore the differences between the positions of Iran and Turkmenistan in their gas dispute. Iran's representative expressed hope that this would eventually lead to an agreement without a trial. In December 2017, President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov instructed to prepare documents for appeal to the international arbitration court, within the framework of which it was necessary to discuss the issue of Iran's existing significant debt to pay for Turkmenistan's natural gas. As stated in the message of the state news service of Turkmenistan Dovlet Habarlary (TDH), in the course of meetings and negotiations with representatives of the Iranian side, consensus on the issue could not be reached. "In order to solve this problem in a mutually acceptable and objective manner, the Iranian partners proposed to apply to the international arbitration court," TDH noted at the time. After hearing the arguments of the senior officials of the state concern "Turkmengaz", the President of Turkmenistan instructed to support the proposal of the National Gas Company of Iran regarding appeal to the international court of arbitration and to prepare relevant documents for the upcoming procedure", TDH reported. Iran receives Turkmen gas through several pipe strings, and the main one is the Korpeje-Kurt-Kui gas pipeline, which was put into operation in December 1995. In 2010, an additional pipeline was launched along the route of Dovletabad-Sarahs-Hangeran. Turkmenistan, as reported earlier, was forced to restrict the supply of Turkmen natural gas to Iran from January 1, 2017 due to debts. In this regard, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan reported that the National Gas Company of Iran, since 2013, has not made the necessary efforts to repay its debt for previously supplied Turkmen natural gas. "As a result, a significant debt of the Iranian side has accrued, which creates financial difficulties for maintaining the work in the normal mode of the gas transportation infrastructure of Turkmenistan, focused on gas supplies to Iran under a long-term contract," the press release of Ministry of Foreign Affairs said at the time. During 2016, the Iranian side was officially informed about the unfavorable situation in the field of gas supplies and about the possible limitation of Turkmen natural gas supplies. Oil rose on Thursday, supported by expectations of renewed U.S. sanctions on Iran, declining output in Venezuela and continuing strong demand, Reuters reports. Brent crude oil futures LCOc1 were last up 90 cents at $74.90 a barrel at 1204 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures gained 66 cents to $68.71 per barrel. The oil price has risen by 15 percent in the last four weeks thanks to expectations that the United States will reimpose sanctions on Iran, a major oil producer and member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). French President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday he expected U.S. President Donald Trump to pull out of a deal with Iran reached in 2015 in which the Islamic Republic suspended its nuclear program in return for Western powers lifting crippling sanctions. Trump will decide by May 12 whether to restore U.S. sanctions on Tehran, which would probably result in a reduction of Iranian oil exports. Geopolitical concerns in the Middle East, together with Venezuelas deteriorating macroeconomic situation, are supporting oil prices. It is widely anticipated that President Trump will pull the U.S. out of the Iran nuclear deal, which is bullish for prices, said Abhishek Kumar, senior energy analyst at Interfax Energys Global Gas Analytics. However, (the) full impact of the move will not materialize unless it is supported by European allies of the U.S. Venezuelas crude production PRODN-VE has fallen from almost 2.5 million barrels per day (bpd) in early 2016 to around 1.5 million bpd due to a political and economic crisis. Plunging Venezuelan output and looming U.S. sanctions against Iran come against a backdrop of strong demand, above all in Asia, the worlds biggest oil-consuming region. However, not all market indicators point towards tighter supplies. U.S. crude oil inventories C-STK-T-EIA rose by 2.2 million barrels in the week to April 20 to 429.74 million barrels. U.S. crude production C-OUT-T-EIA rose by 46,000 bpd on the previous week, to 10.59 bpd. Soaring U.S. output has made WTI crude around $6 per barrel cheaper than Brent and drawn exports to record highs. Dutch bank ING said the wide discount for WTI to Brent saw exports rising 582,000 bpd week-on-week to a record high of 2.33 million bpd. With U.S. output and exports surging, some analysts warn that the 20 percent climb in Brent prices since February is starting to look overdone. The market does look a little toppish, said Greg McKenna, chief market strategist at futures brokerage AxiTrader. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 25 By Huseyn Valiyev Trend: Leading cryptocurrency and blockchain experts will gather in Baku to discuss the issues of legal regulation of the segment, head of the representative office of Buroka Technologies company in Azerbaijan Sabina Mammadli told Trend April 25. The event is being organized on the initiative of the Azerbaijan Banks Association and Buroka company acts as a partner of the conference, to be held May 17-18, she said. "The most important topics related to the regulation of the cryptocurrency market and blockchain technology will be touched upon at the conference, Mammadli said. The taxation issue is also on the agenda. We invited the leading international experts, including Bitcoin Embassy Georgia founder Alex Sudadze, representatives of Buroka Technologies Bucharest office and others." As for registration of Buroka Technologies company in Azerbaijan as a cryptobroker, Mammadli said that this issue still remains unresolved due to the lack of legal regulation. The documents for the company's registration in the country have already been submitted, Mammadli said earlier. Regulatory issues that will be required for the companys further activity in the country are being considered. Buroka Technologies will mainly trade five crypto-currencies in Azerbaijan - Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple, Dash and Litecoin. Buroka Technologies has contracts with Londons crypto-currency exchanges like Kraken and Bitstamp. The company's goal is to develop crypto-brokering in Azerbaijan so that it would be easier for people to buy crypto-currency in the country, rather than outside the country. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @h_veliyev Baku, Azerbaijan, April 26 By Huseyn Valiyev Trend: Azerbaijans Buroka Technologies company will join the members of the Center for Study and Development of the Market of Cryptocurrency and Blockchain Technology, Head of the company Sabina Mammadli told Trend. Mammadli said that the company will join this organization together with Crypto Academy, which is a partner of Buroka company in Azerbaijan. The Center was established in early April with the participation of interested parties. The founders of the organization are Chairman of the Azerbaijan Internet Forum Osman Gunduz, Head of the Portmanat company Telman Akhundov, Head of the Fund of Assistance to Development of Entrepreneurship and Market Economy Sabit Baghirov, Head of CryptoAZE company Orkhan Ahmadov and Founder of Crypto Consulting company Elnur Guliyev. The Center's activity will be aimed at enlightening, working out of proposals on the regulation of the market of cryptocurrency and blockchain technology, as well as rendering of consulting services in this sphere. The Center intends to organize free trainings on cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology for media representatives and a round table on Initial coin offering (ICO) in May, Gunduz told Trend April 26. In his turn, Founder of Crypto Consulting company Elnur Guliyev spoke about the Centers plans to organize the Bitcoin Pizza Day event in Baku on May 22, where participants will be able to communicate in an informal atmosphere. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 26 By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend: Istanbul City Hall has announced a tender to establish 10 call centers in Besiktas district. Local and foreign companies can participate in the tender. The tender procedure will be held at 10:30 (GMT + 4) on May 5, 2018. Applications and proposals from stakeholders are accepted at the following address: Nisbetiye Mahallesi Aytar Caddesi Baslk Sokak 34340 1 1. Levent Besiktas / Istanbul. For more information, the tender organizers can be contacted via the following e-mail: [email protected] Phone: (+90 212) 319 42 42, Fax: (+90 212) 319 42 79. The cost of participation in the tender is 600 Turkish liras. The official exchange rate as of April 26 is 4.0832 TL/USD. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 26 Trend: The Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) intends to hold an international tender for cyberspace technology center. Tender No.: 97-02/100 Subject: Supplying Imam Ali (AS) Active Data Center Equipment (cyberspace technology center) according to the tender documents. Place to obtain the documents: Secretariat of Tenders Commission, Technical Purchasing (KALA) Dept., Media Technology and Development Deputy Office, Bldg. No. 2, IRIB, Jam-e Jam St., Vali-e Asr Ave., Tehran, Iran. Deadline for receiving documents: April 30, 2018. The completed tender documents should be submitted to the aforementioned address no later than 15:00 on, May 30, 2018. The amount and type of tender participation guarantee: $314,703 in the form of extendable bank guarantee. For more information, please call: +98-21-22166313 Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, April 26 By Huseyn Hasanov Trend: The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) held a seminar in Ashgabat dedicated to indicators of money laundering, terrorism financing and corruption, the OSCE said in a press release. The event brought together employees of the State Service of Turkmenistan on Countering Economic Crimes, the Ministry of Finance and Economy, financial institutions, law enforcement bodies and real estate and audit companies. The OSCE experts presented international standards on compliance control in combating corruption, money laundering and terrorism financing. Their presentations focused on the development of internal documents in line with applicable legislation, risk management and the introduction of internal control methods through a double control system and specialized software. Combating corruption, money laundering and terrorism financing is a priority political objective, which should be underpinned by the relevant legislative framework, adequate financial, personnel and organizational resources and appropriate tools, Ambassador Natalya Drozd, head of the OSCE Center in Ashgabat, said. As part of the seminar, special emphasis was laid on modern indicators of suspicious transactions and deals related to money laundering and terrorism financing. As part of the practical exercises, the participants discussed cases related to the detection of suspicious transactions and deals. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 25 Trend: The managing directors of Aseman and Iran Air Tour Airlines on Wednesday signed a memorandum of understanding with the Russian company manufacturing super jets to buy 40 aircraft. The MoUs was signed in the presence of Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of Russia Oleg Bocharov on the sidelines of the 2018 Eurasia Airshow, IRNA news agency reported. Some 300 companies from 55 countries, including Iran, put their latest products and equipment related to aviation industry on display in the fair. Aseman Airliner signed a MoU for purchase of twenty ' R.R.J 95R', which is the latest model of Super Jet 100 series. Iran Air Tour Airliner also inked the MoU for purchase of 20 Sukhoi Super Jet 100 with capacity of 100 seats. Marziyeh Jafarzadeh, the director of the Iran Air Tours Public Relations Department, said the deliveries of the planes would start within a year, adding that each plane would add 100 seats to the companys passenger capacity. The 5-day Airshow was held at Antalya International Airport, one of Turkey's top three busiest airports. Antalya was selected as the venue of the airshow because it meets all the criteria for such an international aviation event including technical and operational infrastructures, ground handling services, accommodation capacity, accessibility, and favorable weather conditions. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 26 By Umid Niayesh Trend: The latest data released by the World Steel Association indicates that steel output in Iran witnessed a significant increase in the third month of 2018 and the Islamic Republic maintained its position as the world 10th largest steel manufacturer. Iranian crude steel production witnessed a rise by 43.7 percent in March 2018 and stood at 2.35 million tons, the association said in its latest monthly report. Irans crude steel output amounted to 6.81 million tons in January-March 2018, 47 percent more compared to the first quarter of 2017. The countrys total steel output reached 21.726 million tons in 2017, 21.4 percent more year-on-year. The Islamic Republics steel output throughout 2016 hit 17.895 million tons. The countrys steel output in 2015 stood at 16.11 million tons. Iran produced 16.331 million tons of crude steel in 2014. Iran was the worlds 10th biggest producer of steel in the January-March of 2018, meanwhile it ranked second in the region after Turkey with 9.54 million tons of output (7.9 percent more year-on-year). According to the World Steel Association, 426.55 million tons of steel was produced by 64 countries in 2018, 4.1 percent more-year-on-year. The 64 countries included in the report accounted for approximately 99 percent of total world crude steel production in 2017. China was the biggest crude steel producer in the world in January-March 2018 with about 212.152 million tons of production, followed by India (26.69 million tons), Japan (26.4 million tons), the US (20.74 million tons), South Korea (17.8 million tons), Russia (16.55 million tons), Germany (11.01 million tons), Turkey (9.54 million tons) and Brazil (8.64 million tons). Baku, Azerbaijan, April 26 By Umid Niayesh - Trend: Iran has cancelled a former permission for Telegram to use content delivery networks (CDNs) in the country. Telecommunication Infrastructure Company, the sole provider of telecommunication infrastructure to all private and public operators in the Islamic Republic, said in a statement on April 26 that has received a directive to shut down the servers of the messaging app in Iran. According to the decree issued by Iran's National Cyberspace Center, Telegrams legal license to establish CDNs in Iran is cancelled. The decision for banning Telegram from use of domestic CDNs will probably lower the quality of the service provided by the messaging app, the statement said. Iran has recently banned use of foreign massaging services including Telegram in all governmental organizations as well as public non-governmental institutions. In a decree issued by Iranian Presidencys Strategic Centre for Exchange of Information Security (AFTA) April 18 all executive agencies, state-run organizations as well as public non-governmental organizations have been banned from using foreign messaging software. In recent weeks several Iranian officials have suggested Telegram, the most popular social media app in Iran, could soon be blocked. In line with continuing attempts by the Iranian government to encourage citizens to use domestic messaging apps, the Ministry of Education also issued a directive on April 16 banning the use of foreign-made messaging apps at public schools throughout the country. The directive specifically named Instagram, Line, Tango, Telegram and WhatsApp, saying the use of foreign social media networks and messaging apps to share administrative information, conduct public relations, send news, advertise or give homework to students at state, private or non-profit schools is prohibited and violators will be prosecuted. Mohammad-Javad Azari Jahromi, the telecommunications minister, has said that the Telegram app is used by an estimated 40 million users in the country, almost the half the population. The Supreme Council of Cyberspace has earlier set five conditions for foreign messengers to operate in Iran. Storing and processing Iranian users data inside the country, complying with the rules and regulations related to the protection of users' privacy as well as responding to queries from judicial authorities are among the stated conditions. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 26 Trend: Irans Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif calls the establishment of a ceasefire in Syria a top priority in efforts to end the crisis there, saying Iran is ready for cooperation with other states to help reconstruct the violence-torn Arab country. Speaking at an international conference on Syria in Brussels on Wednesday, Zarif said Iran has already begun its cooperation with Syria in rebuilding the country and is ready to interact with other countries in this area, Press TV reported. Zarif further described aid delivery to Syrian civilians as a matter of great urgency, saying if relief operations take place without preconditions and political motives, not only will they improve the conditions of the displaced, but will also facilitate efforts to achieve peaceful solutions to the conflict. The Iranian foreign minister also pointed to the joint efforts by Iran, Russia and Turkey to broker dialog between Syrias conflicting sides, saying the three sides are working to further expand the four de-escalation zones created in Syria as part of the ongoing peace process in Astana, Kazakhstan. The talks in Astana have been going on in tandem with another series of talks held in Geneva and brokered by the UN. Previous rounds of negotiations under the auspices of the UN over the past five years have failed to achieve tangible results. Zarif further said the Astana process is based on the understanding that the Syria crisis can only be resolved within the framework of a comprehensive political process led by the Syrian people and with complete respect for the sovereignty, national integrity and independence of the Arab country. The Iranian foreign minister pointed to a recent chemical attack in the Syrian town of Douma, near Damascus, saying Iran, as a country extensively harmed by chemical attacks in 1980s, condemns such attacks by any party under any circumstances. Zarif underlined the need for an impartial investigation into the matter and condemned any unilateral and illegal military interventions in the Arab country, warning that such actions merely disrupt the peace process and exacerbate the situation. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 26 Trend: Tehran has called on China and Russia to adopt a common strategy against the US policies. Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Irans Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), raised the issue in a meeting with Chinese public security minister Guo Shengkun on April 26 on the sidelines of an international security conference in Russias Sochi. "The US has put Russia, China and Iran in the list of threats to its national security and implements sanctions against the three countries. So, adopting a joint strategy to counter Washingtons comprehensive attempts at harming these countries is necessary, Shamkhani said, Irans Tasnim news agency reported. Shamkhani further said the supporters of terrorists are attempting to move the remaining terrorists to Afghanistan. He added that deployment of terrorist groups in Afghanistan will impose serious threats to the borders of Iran, China and Russia. Shamkhani underlined the necessity of close cooperation between Iran, China, Russia, Pakistan and Afghanistan to prevent the spread of terrorism in the region. The Iranian official called for taking joint intelligence, security and operational measures to stop the process of moving and organizing the terrorist groups in Afghanistan. Shamkhani also referred to willingness of senior Chinese and Iranian officials to expand the mutual ties, adding that joint efforts to remove some obstacles ahead of mutual cooperation, including banking and financial issues, must be a priority. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 26 By Umid Niayesh Trend: Some Iranian media have confirmed arrest of Abbas Edalat, a British-Iranian academic, citing their sources. Irans semi-official Mehr news agency quoted an informed source as saying that Edalat was a member of a network affiliated with the anti-government wings. Recently, members of a British-backed infiltration network have been arrested, the source said, adding that the network was in contact with certain anti-government politicians. The source said Edalat is a member of a network that was in ties with main figures of sedition and deviation. The right-wing in Iran started the particular use of the word "sedition" to denote reformist moves in the aftermath of the 2009 presidential election, when public riots demanded a redoing of the election, claiming election rigging. Irans state-run media also refer to ex-president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's loyalists as a "deviation circle. According to a US-based watchdog, Abbas Edalat, a professor of computer science and mathematics at Imperial College London and a political activist, was arrested by Irans Revolutionary Guards on April 15. On April 25, UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office said it was urgently seeking information from the Iranian authorities about Edalats status, but could offer no further details. Edalat is the founder of the Campaign Against Sanctions and Military Intervention in Iran, which describes itself as an organization that opposes sanctions, foreign state interference and military intervention in Iran. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 26 Trend: Iran, Russia and Pakistan have agreed to hold a joint security conference with participation of other regional countries. The agreement was achieved during a meeting of Ali Shamkhani and Nikolai Patrushev secretaries of National Security Council of Iran and Russia and Nasser Khan Janjua, Pakistan's National Security Advisor in Russia, Sochi on April 26, the state-run IRINN TV reported. The sides also agreed to continue the joint negotiations and hold talks with other Asian countries to invite them to attend the security conference. The three top security officials agreed to continue their consultations and hold talks with other countries of the region and invite them to attend multilateral security meeting. The three security officials also expressed concern over the US destabilizing moves in the region. The sides further underlined necessity of all-out cooperation of Asias effective countries to counter the US measures. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 26 Trend: Acting Deputy Prime Minister of Armenia Armen Gevorgyan took off for Russia on Thursday for working consultations, the press service of the government announced, RIA Novosti reported. "Acting Deputy Prime Minister Armen Gevorgyan went to Moscow this morning, where he will hold working consultations. After completion of the discussions, he will return to Yerevan in the evening," a statement posted on the website of the Cabinet of Ministers reads. Protest actions have been going on in Armenia since April 13. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 26 Trend: Election of Armenias new prime minister will take place on May 1, said Ara Babloyan, chairman of the National Assembly (NA) of Armenia, TASS news agency reported. "On May 1, the countrys parliament will hold a special meeting to elect a new prime minister," Babloyan said, according to his press service. On Monday, Serzh Sargsyan, formerly the president who was elected as the prime minister by the parliament on April 17, resigned amid mass protests that broke out across the country on April 13. Under Armenias constitution, within seven days after the premiers resignation the parliamentary factions have the right to nominate candidates for the prime minister, and after that the elections of the head of cabinet are held by an open vote. The opposition demands that "peoples candidate" Nikol Pashinyan be elected as the head of government. The ruling Republican Party agreed to hold early parliamentary elections, but said the oppositions demand was unconstitutional. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 26 Trend: Acting Prime Minister of Armenia Karen Karapetyan will become the new Chairman of the ruling Republican Party (RPA), source in the parliamentary faction of the RPA told TASS April 26 "After resigning as Prime Minister, Serzh Sargsyan does not want to hold the post of Chairman of the party. Now these responsibilities are de facto performed by Karen Karapetyan. In our party there is a full consensus that the next leader will be Karapetyan, but it is necessary to convene the congress for this purpose. He will become chairman in the upcoming congress," said the source. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 26 Trend: Russian President Vladimir Putin and acting Armenian Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan discussed over phone the settlement of the crisis situation in Armenia, Russias RIA Novosti agency reported citing the Kremlin. During the conversation, it was stressed that the crisis situation in Armenia must be settled within the current constitution. Moreover, in this context Putin and Karapetyan emphasized the importance of the parliament's electing a prime minister on May 1. Georgian wine tasting sessions and master classes will be held in major cities of the UK, starting with the capital of London today, Agenda reports. The trade and press tasting of more than 100 Georgian wines was organised and hosted in London by well-known wine experts Sarah Abbott MW and Robert Joseph on April 24. The guests of the event were provided with an opportunity to taste qvevri (amber) Georgian wines as well as European wines produced by big and small Georgian enterprises. "One of the most remarkable participants of the wine tasting event was the UK-based company Artisan Cru Marani, which produces European wines in qvevri at Plumpton College, and it thus raised the profile of this Georgian wine-making technology in the UK, especially within the students, read the press-release by Georgian Embassy to the UK. Aside from the wine tasting, a master class by Sara Abbott MW was also held for trade and press representatives. After London, Georgian wine tasting sessions and master classes by Sarah Abbott MW will continue to be held in major UK cities, including Bristol, Glasgow, Manchester and Cardiff by Georgian Wine UK and with the active support of the Embassy of Georgia to the UK. Civilians can no longer flee fighting and bombing raids in Syria because borders are so tightly controlled and neighboring countries are overwhelmed by refugees, creating some of the worst suffering in modern times, a top U.N. agency chief said, Reuters reports. U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi was warning of a new disaster if the rebel-controlled Syrian city of Idlib was the next target of the Syrian military. The country is becoming a trap, in some places a death trap for civilians, Grandi told Reuters during a donor conference for Syria. There is an entire population out there that cannot bear its refugees anymore, that is suffering from one of the worse ordeals in modern history. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a British-based war monitor, said last month about 511,000 people had been killed in the war since it began in March 2011. Some 5.5 million Syrians are living as refugees in Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey, and now account for a quarter of Lebanons population. Another 6.1 million people are still in Syria but have been forced to flee their homes. Grandi is hoping to raise $5.6 billion from international donors for emergency humanitarian aid for Syrian refugees this year, but that money is not for Syria itself, instead going to help host countries such as Jordan, Iraq, Egypt and Lebanon. Meanwhile, the United Nations estimates that more than 400,000 civilians trapped in besieged areas throughout Syria. That the number could rise dramatically because 2 million people live in northwestern Idlib region, the largest populated area of Syria in the hands of insurgents fighting Syrian President Bashar al-Assads government in Damascus. Some aid agencies are predicting suffering on an even greater scale than during the siege of Aleppo last year and in eastern Ghouta and Raqqa this year if the Syrian army and its Russian and Iranian backers turn their full fire on Idlib. Tens of thousands of fighters and civilians have fled to the area from parts of the country which the army has recaptured with the help of Russia and Iran. Idlib is where an area where a lot of fighters have transferred, Grandi said. If fighting moves more decisively to that area, it could be very dangerous for civilians. However, Grandi and other aid agencies predict they will have nowhere to flee to because Turkeys southern border with Syria at Gaziantep is tightly controlled, mainly letting aid supplies through to Idlib, forcing refugees deeper into Syria. I think we are going to lose not only a generation but a population, Grandi said. Syrian army finds terrorist depots with chemicals produced in UK, Germany, Sputnik reported. "In the depot with chemical weapons left by terrorists in Douma, we have found chemicals from Germany, the United Kingdom, from the Porton-Down laboratory in Salisbury," Syria's deputy envoy to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) said after a briefing in The Hague on April 26. He called on OPCW experts to visit the site and expressed hope that it will finally dispel all allegations. On April 14, the United States, the United Kingdom and France launched a massive missile attack on Syria over alleged reports of a chemical attack in the city of Douma. China opposes the use of a countrys domestic laws to control others, a foreign ministry spokeswoman said on Thursday, when asked if Chinese tech company Huawei had violated U.S. sanctions related to Iran, Reuters reports. Hua Chunying made the comment at a daily briefing, while also urging the United States not to do anything else that harmed the openness of international trade. U.S. prosecutors in New York have been investigating whether Huawei violated U.S. sanctions in relation to Iran, according to sources familiar with the situation. Russia and China will hold joint naval exercises dubbed Joint Sea 2018 in the Yellow Sea off the port city of Qingdao in east Chinas Shandong Province, spokesman for the Chinese Defense Ministry Senior Colonel Wu Qiang said on Thursday, TASS reports. "Under the parties agreement, the armed forces of both countries plan to hold the Joint Sea 2018 drills in the coastal area of the city of Qingdao this year," the spokesman said. The parties are currently holding the second round of consultations to specify the timeframe of the drills, the areas of the maneuvers, and also the forces and resources that will take part in the naval exercises. "As for the plan of the drills, we will publish the corresponding information in due time," the Chinese Defense Ministrys spokesman said. French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed on Wednesday that he believes US President Donald Trump will rip up the 2015 joint comprehensive plan of action (JCPOA) limiting Tehran's potential to develop nuclear weapons, despite strong suggestions from world leaders to keep the deal and, if necessary, build on it, Sputnik News reports. "My view - I don't know what your president will decide - is that he will get rid of this deal on his own, for domestic reasons," the 40-year-old French leader said at a speaking engagement at George Washington University. "If you heard him in the Oval Office you will have come to the same conclusion," Macron said, noting that it was a "campaign promise." Macron clarified that Trump's pending move will form part of a "strategy of increasing tension" with Iran, whose influence has grown considerably across the Middle East over the past 20 years, despite the US military's presence in Qatar, Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria and Bahrain. "It can work in the short term but it's very insane in the medium to long term," Macron said of Washington's inability to maintain a consistent position about agreements it has already signed. The French leader said he plans to call Iranian President Hassan Rouhani to discuss potential diplomatic steps that can be taken should Trump leave the agreement as expected. French President Emmanuel Macron has stated the importance of negotiations with Russia on the settlement in Syria, as well as creating a bridge between the Geneva and Astana processes, he said in his speech at a news conference at George Washington University, TASS reports. He spoke about the so-called small initiative group that had been created in France earlier to settle the situation in Syria. "Our willingness with this new small group is to create a bridge between the Geneva process and the Astana process to have a discussion encompassing all the allies of the region and to open line with Russia and Turkey. Thats the unique way to fix on the long run the situation of Syria," he noted. The French president said that the specified group was established several weeks ago. It includes the US, France, Jordan and Saudi Arabia, which are working very closely. According to Macron, the group is coordinating with Turkey and Germany and intends to hold negotiations "with some permanent member of the Security Council of the United Nations and some of our allies in the region." "This new initiative is a very important complement to the two existing initiatives [the Astana and the Geneva process - TASS] we have to take into consideration," Macron explained. Tech giants including Google, Apple and Amazon will for the first time face rules governing their commercial relations with smaller businesses under a law proposed by the European Union on Thursday, Reuters reports. The new rules will specifically target app stores, search engines, e-commerce sites and hotel booking websites such as Expedia, requiring them to be more transparent about how they rank search results and why they delist some services. The proposal would also give companies the right to collectively sue online platforms if they do not respect the new rules on non-discrimination and transparency. Music streaming services such as Spotify have been pushing for Brussels to address relations between platforms and businesses, saying the former have an incentive to disadvantage competitors services. Apples entry into the music streaming field with Apple Music sparked concerns from other companies, such as Spotify, which have argued that the 30 percent cut Apple takes of subscriptions in its App Store gives its own service an unfair advantage. Under the EUs proposal, which will have to be approved by the European Parliament and member states before becoming law, online platforms will have to appoint mediators to deal with complaints and bear at least half the costs. Platforms will also have to describe in their terms and conditions any differentiated treatment they give to their own services versus those offered by other businesses. Platforms and search engines are important channels for European businesses to reach consumers but we must make sure they are not abusing their power, and thus bring harm their business users, said Mariya Gabriel, EU Commissioner for the Digital Economy. We are taking a very important step with clear rules on transparency, efficient dispute settlement and the launch of an observatory to analyze online platforms practices in greater detail. However, music streaming companies said such transparency requirements did not go far enough. In order to be effective, the regulation must also address the discriminatory practices that arise when a platform provider is also the direct competitor with those third parties, said Hans-Holger Albrecht, President of Digital Music Europe which includes Spotify, Deezer and Soundcloud. CCIA, which represents Google, Amazon and eBay, said online platforms go to great lengths to maintain good relations with their business users because it was in their own interest. There is no evidence of a systemic problem that would justify regulation through the strongest legislative instrument available to the EU. A more flexible approach, rather than an outsized, one-size-fits-all Regulation, would be more conducive to the growth of Europes digital economy, said Jakob Kucharczyk, Vice President, Competition & EU Regulatory Policy at CCIA. The Czech Republic is set to open a Czech Center and honorary consulate in Jerusalem next month, but has balked at relocating its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem at this time, The Jerusalem Post reports. Last year, the Czech Republic has already expressed its position on Jerusalem as capital of the State of Israel, in its 1967 borders, the Foreign Ministry in Prague said in a statement posted on its website. It thus only acknowledged what is standard practice by other states when making their official visits to Israel. According to usual diplomatic practice, states have their embassies in the capitals of the receiving states, the ministry said. This is why the Czech Republic has decided, as a first step, to open an honorary consulate (led by Honorary Consul Mr. Dan Propper) in May and a new Czech Center by the end of this year, both in west Jerusalem. Our presence in Jerusalem should enhance our mutual cooperation in many fields, the ministry said. The US is set to open its embassy in Jerusalem on May 14, as part of Israels 70th anniversary celebrations on the Gregorian calender. Guatemala is similarly set to open an embassy one day later. At a gala celebration at Prague Castle, the official office of the president of the Czech Republic, President Milos Zeman said the opening of an honorary consulate and the appointment of Israeli businessman Propper as honorary consul were the first two steps in a three-step process that would eventually lead to the relocation of the countrys embassy. There will be, I hope, three phrases of removal of the Czech Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, he said. Israel would retaliate against any Iranian attack on Tel Aviv by striking Tehran, Israels defense minister said in remarks published on Thursday, as the arch-foes faced off over Syria, Reuters reports. The comments by Avigdor Lieberman were an unusually explicit Israeli threat to take military action within Iranian territory, and followed a surge of unprecedented confrontations between the countries forces in civil war-torn Syria. Israel doesnt want war ... but if Iran attacks Tel Aviv, we will hit Tehran, Avigdor Lieberman told the Arabic-language, Saudi-owned news website Elaph, which is based in London. The leaders of South and North Koreas will meet at 9:30 a.m. Seoul time (00:30GMT) on Friday for a rare summit, the South Korean presidential secretary said, Sputnik News reports. The South Korean president, Moon Jae-in, and North's leader Kim Jong-un will met at the military demarcation line in Panmunjom, spokesman Im Jong-seok told reporters on Thursday. Official dialogue between Kim and Moon will begin at 10:30 AM at the Peace House in Panmunjom, an hour after Kim is scheduled the cross the border at 9:30 AM. He said Kim would be accompanied by his younger sister Kim Yo Jong, as well as several high-ranking officials, including the North's ceremonial president Kim Jong Nam, Chief of the General Staff Ri Myong Su and Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho. A ceremony of planting a tree that will symbolise "peace and prosperity" is scheduled for later that day, Im added. At the end of talks, Kim and Moon will sign a pact and make an announcement, Im said. Later, they will have dinner on the South's side and watch a video clip themed 'Spring of One' before wrapping up, he added. Russian and Syrian officials plan bringing 17 eyewitnesses of the April 7 incident in the Syrian city of Douma to The Hague, where the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons [OPCW] has its headquarters, in order to prove that the alleged poison gas attack was a setup, Russias permanent representative to the OPCW said in a press release, TASS reports. A spokesperson for the Russian mission said the Russian and Syrian representatives would hold a news briefing for members of the organization on April 26 where they would speak about the alleged Douma incident. "Taking part in the news briefing will be the eyewitnesses of shooting of the footage that featured the fake pseudo-humanitarian action staged by the White Helmets and that provided grounds for the US/UK/French missile strikes at Syria on April 14," the press release said. "In all, there will be seventeen people, including physicians who were right at the scene on that day. They will recount the true story of the incident." "The delegations [of the OPCW member-states] will get first-hand evidence on the forged footage that misled the world community," the Russian mission said. "The briefing is organized in support of the OPCW fact-finding mission currently deployed in Syria to investigate the incident," the press release said. The Russian envoy to the OPCW, Alexander Shulgin told a session of the OPCW Executive Committee on April 16 the Russian experts who had examined the site in Douma had not found a single trace of the attack. However, they managed to track down the people who had taken part in the shooting of the footage, which the White Helmets passed off later as confirmation of the alleged use of a chemical warfare agent. The OPCW circulated a press release on Tuesday where it said the organizations technical secretariat had advised the Russian delegation to let specialists of the fact-finding mission interview the eyewitnesses first and to put off the news briefing until the mission rounded up its work. Russian representatives said in response the briefing would be held as scheduled initially. The United States steps against Russias diplomatic property in Seattle on Wednesday are unfriendly, unconstructive and anti-Russian, Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov told reporters, TASS reports. "This fine day was darkened by US steps, very unconstructive ones and very unfriendly, and I would even say anti-Russian," Antonov said. "Today the US authorities took down the locks from the building where the Russian Consul General in Seattle lived. They violated all international conventions and all agreements. This gesture arouses nothing but grief and sorrow," the ambassador said. US officials broke into the residence of Russias consul in Seattle, Washington, on Wednesday taking down the entrance door lock, a source with Russias embassy to the United States told TASS. Nikolai Pukalov, the head of consular department of Russias embassy to the US, who is at the scene, told TASS that Russia views the US steps as violation of the international law. A similar situation occurred after the Russian consulate in San Francisco was closed on September 2, 2017 upon the US authorities demand, he recalled. On Tuesday afternoon, diplomats working at the Russian Consulate General in Seattle left the city. Senior Consul Khalit Aisin told TASS that 23 people, including diplomats and their families, departed in eleven cars. The convoy headed for Washington. The US ordered to seal off the building of the Russian Consulate General at midnight on April 1. The Russian Consulate General in Seattle offered consular services on the territories of Alaska, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, Oregon, North Dakota, South Dakota, Washington, Wyoming, Utah, and Guam Island, American Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands. Henceforth, Russian citizens will have to apply for consular assistance to the consular department of the Russian embassy in Washington, DC and to the consulates general in New York and Houston, Texas. Secretary General of Japans ruling Liberal Democratic Party Toshihiro Nikai on Thursday embarked on a visit to Russia where he is due to take part in a Russian-Japanese forum, TASS with reference to the the Kyodo news agency reported. "This is an important opportunity to bring Japanese-Russian relations to a new level and hold bilateral exchanges between the ruling parties and also in the economic field," Nikai told reporters ahead of his flight from Tokyos Narita International Airport. Together with Nikai, some 200 representatives from Japans business circles and the countrys regional administrations, which have ties with Russia, are travelling there to take part in the fourth Russian-Japanese forum, Points of Contact. During the visit, the Secretary-General of the Liberal Democratic Party will meet with the leadership of the United Russia party and Speaker of the Federation Council (Russias upper house of parliament), Valentina Matviyenko. Japan views Nikais trip as part of the groundwork for the upcoming visit by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to Russia in late May. Abe will take part in the opening of the Cross Year of Culture and the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. Nikai is the second most important person in the Liberal Democratic Party and is a very influential Japanese politician. One of the key trajectories of his diplomatic activity is China. Since his appointment to this post, Nikai has met twice with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The losses of German companies from the sanctions, the United States imposed on Russia, may amount to 1.5 bln euros, according to a press release of the Russian-German Foreign Trade Chamber, TASS reports. It conducted a survey of 154 companies, which are members of the organization. "Short-term losses are estimated by the survey participants in the current fiscal year in the hundreds of millions of euros, and may amount to 377 million euros." The medium-term losses will amount to at least 0.82 billion euros, according to conservative estimates. In the worst scenario, it may total almost 1.5 billion euros," the report said. On Thursday, a source with the German government told reporters in Berlin that the German authorities would welcome exceptions for national companies in the course of implementation of the US latest sanctions against Russia. "These sanctions can affect our companies, and in a very negative manner. If there is an opportunity to get exceptions for them, we would welcome it, "the source noted. It is expected that this topic will be discussed at the meeting of German Chancellor Angela Merkel and US President Donald Trump, which will be held on Friday in Washington. The Russian-German Foreign Trade Chamber expressed hope that the Chancellor will manage to get exceptions or relief for German firms that may be affected by the recent US sanctions against Russian enterprises and individuals." Russia expects inspectors from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to present an impartial report on the situation in the Syrian city of Douma, where chemical weapons were allegedly used on April 7, in the near future, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told reporters on Thursday, TASS reports. "A group of OPCW experts, which arrived in Douma on April 21, continues its work. They visited the site of the alleged chemical attack twice. For its part, Russia is providing maximum assistance, primarily, in ensuring security. Russia expects an impartial investigation into the circumstances of the incident and an early report from the OPCW inspectors," she said. A number of non-governmental organizations, including the White Helmets, earlier alleged chemical weapons had been used in Douma on April 7. The Russian Foreign Ministry dismissed these reports as fake news. Moreover, the Russian Defense Ministry pointed out that the White Helmets are notorious for spreading falsified information. On April 9, officers from the Russian Center for Reconciliation of the Opposing Parties in Syria visited Douma but found no trace of chemical weapons there. On April 10, it was decided to send OPCW experts to verify these reports. On April 14, the United States, Britain and France dealt a massive strike on Syria without approval from the UN Security Council. According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, among the targets were a research center in Damascus, the headquarters of the republican guard, an air defense base, several military airdromes and munitions warehouses. Washington, London and Paris said the strikes were in retaliation for an alleged use of chemical weapons in Douma. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 26 By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend: Eleven political parties will participate in the parliamentary and presidential elections to be held in Turkey on June 24, the Supreme Electoral Council (SEC) of Turkey said April 26. The Electoral Council of the country also approved participation in the election of the "HUDA PAR" party. To participate in the parliamentary and presidential election, Turkey's political parties must have headquarters in at least 41 provinces of Turkey. It should be noted that the leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Devlet Bahceli said he supported the candidacy of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for early presidential election. Earlier the President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated the necessity of holding early presidential and parliamentary election. "The government welcomed the proposal of [Leader of the Nationalist Movement Party Devlet Bahceli] to hold early election," the head of state said. Presidential, parliamentary and municipal election was to be held in Turkey in 2019. Parliamentary and presidential election was expected to be held on the same day. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 26 By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend: Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) aims to win in the first round of the parliamentary election, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said, Turkish media reported on April 26. Yildirim said holding early presidential and parliamentary elections in Turkey under conditions of the emergency state worries some circles. "However, there are no legal barriers for holding the elections under conditions of the emergency state," Yildirim said. Eleven political parties will participate in the parliamentary and presidential elections to be held in Turkey on June 24. In the parliamentary election held in Turkey on Nov. 1, 2015, the Justice and Development Party (AKP) garnered 49.41 percent of the votes, the People's Republican Party (CHP) - 25.38 percent, the National Movement Party (MHP) - 11.93 percent, and the Democratic People's Party (HDP) - 10.7 percent. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu Baku, Azerbaijan, April 26 By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend: Turkeys ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) will hold rallies in 58 provinces of the country in support of the parliamentary and presidential elections, Turkish media reported April 26. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will take part in almost all the election campaigns, according to the report. The first rally as part of the election campaign will be held in Turkeys Izmir province April 28. Eleven political parties will participate in the parliamentary and presidential elections to be held in Turkey on June 24. In the parliamentary election held in Turkey on Nov. 1, 2015, the Justice and Development Party (AKP) garnered 49.41 percent of the votes, the People's Republican Party (CHP) - 25.38 percent, the National Movement Party (MHP) - 11.93 percent, and the Democratic People's Party (HDP) - 10.7 percent. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu US officials broke into the residence of Russias consul in Seattle, Washington, on Wednesday by defeating the entrance door lock, a source with Russias embassy to the United States told TASS. According to the source, the US officials "broke the lock and entered" the residence. They turned on light in the residence, he said, adding the Americans "have begun tampering with the lock" to the extension to the consulate. Earlier, Nikolai Pukalov, the head of consular department of Russias embassy to the US, who is at the scene, told TASS that Russia views the US current steps as violation of both international law and US national legislation. A former police officer has been arrested in connection to a long-unsolved string of rapes and murders which are believed to have been carried out by the "Golden State Killer", The Independent reports. Joseph James DeAngelo was picked up by authorities in California, who allege he was behind 12 murders and at least 50 rapes in the 1970s and 1980s, along with a number of burglaries. He was also known as the "East Area Rapist". Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones said the 72-year-old was identified with a DNA test. For over 40 years, Sacramento County district attorney Anne Marie Schubert told a press conference, countless victims have waited for justice. Sheriff Jones added that an investigative team formed two years ago was given virtually unlimited resources and freedom to catch the killer. Mr DeAngelo now faces murder charges across multiple counties for decades-old killings. As the string of crimes were making headlines, Mr DeAngelo was working as a police officer. He worked for two different police departments from 1973 to 1979, Mr Jones said. Very possibly he was committing the crimes during the time he was employed as a police officer, Mr Jones said, and authorities were investigating whether Mr DeAngelo committed any crimes while on duty. With little prior notice from military officials, the U.S. launched a Minuteman III Ballistic Missile on April 25 morning at approximately 5:26 a.m. from Vandenberg Air Force Base. Civilians and residents living near the base, who regularly receive ample notice of missile tests, were left in the dark this time as the missile raced through the early morning sky, according to the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation. The U.S conducts three or four ICBM tests each year. These are the same class of missiles for which the U.S. has been highly critical of the North Koreans for developing and testing, the Santa Barbara based Foundation said. Its President David Krieger upon hearing of the launch stated: "When it comes to missile testing, the U.S. operates on a clear double standard. If the U.S. wants other countries to stop their missile tests, it should lead by example." This test is particularly disappointing because it was conducted just over a day in advance of the planned summit of the leaders of North and South Korea, noted Rick Wayman, Director of Programs and Operations at the Foundation. This summit will be the third inter-Korean summit and the first of its kind in eleven years. Its very disappointing that the United States chose to test an ICBM today (April 25), just days before the long-awaited summit between Kim Jong-un and Moon Jae-in," commented Wayman. "If we expect North Korea to cease developing and testing ICBMs, the least the U.S. could do is cease testing it's own ICBMs while these delicate negotiations proceed. This latest missile test demonstrated uncharacteristic secrecy by the U.S. Air Force in that it gave little advance notice of the test, the Foundation said in a press release. There are many good reasons to notify residents in the area of the launch and also to noti Armenian President Armen Sarkissian today published a statement calling recent developments in Armenia unprecedented and ushering in a new page in Armenian history. We are living in a new Armenia where each individual and the Armenian diaspora must invest their energy and passion for the development of the countryAn Armenia that will be the Armenia of my dreams and your dreams, Sarkissian writes. The president then calls on all political forces, especially those represented in the parliament, to pave the road opened to the new Armenia that Serzh Sargsyan opened, in harmony and according to the constitution. All of us are obliged to carry out this historic mission that has befallen us in an appropriate manner. Those political forces that enjoy the trust of the majority of the populace must steer the country along this path in unison, Sarkissian writes. I am proud to see the Armenia of today, and glad to live in the strong, united, just and prospering Armenia of tomorrow, the president statement concludes. Gina Haspel on Thursday assumed her role as acting director of the CIA after the agency's former director Mike Pompeo was confirmed as secretary of state by the Senate, The Hill reported. "I want to send my sincere congratulations to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and I look forward to working with him and the rest of President Trump's national security team," Haspel said in a statement. "It is an honor to lead the CIA at this critical time. While we go through this transition, I've asked the CIA workforce to remain focused on our vital mission and do everything in our power to deliver the intelligence our policymakers need to keep American safe and strong just as they always have done. The American people and our allies around the world can only rely on CIA's vigilance, excellence, and determination to proudly serve," she said. Haspel faces an uphill confirmation battle in the Senate. While she has 33 years of experience working in the intelligence community, her critics have cited her ties to the CIA's harsh interrogation techniques after the Sept. 11 attacks. Democratic Sens. Dianne Feinstein (California), Ron Wyden (Oregon), and Martin Heinrich have demanded that the agency declassify more information about Haspel to allow the public and lawmakers to consider her nomination. KYODO NEWS - Apr 26, 2018 - 21:40 | Urgent, All A volcano in southwestern Japan erupted Thursday following a six-day hiatus, the Japan Meteorological Agency said, but there were no immediate reports of damage or injury. The eruption at around 6:15 p.m. at Mt. Io, one of the Mt. Kirishima group of volcanoes straddling Miyazaki and Kagoshima prefectures, was small in scale, the agency said. A plume of ash spewed from the 1,317-meter volcano's crater reached over 200 meters into the sky. (Photo taken with the Japan Meteorological Agency's camera) The agency retained the alert level of 3 on a scale of 5, restricting access to the mountain. Mt. Io erupted on April 19 for the first time in 250 years, with ash spewing around 500 meters above it. The agency said the following day the eruptions stopped, but fumarolic activity continued and the city government of Ebino in Miyazaki restricted entry into areas within around 2 kilometers of the crater. The orange alert has been sounded in Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Palakkad and Malappuram districts. Kerala has been receiving heavy rains for the past few days. By Vahan Bournazian To build democracy for tomorrow, as well as for today, we need to build rule of law by practicing the rules. If we dont start this time, we may end up having to use demonstrations and private negotiations brokered by foreign powers each time the people want change. Real sovereignty comes by making decisions for ourselves, by ourselves, and in a way that is all-inclusive. Such frameworks, like elections, are developed when practiced, and we build rule of law in general by following the rules. The Armenian Constitution provides for extraordinary elections when the National Assembly cannot elect a Prime Minister (Const. Art. 92 & 149). Although the National Assembly might be able to elect a Prime Minister at this point, it would be better if they didnt and couldnt (hint). If the National Assembly does elect a Prime Minister, then Constitutionally there cannot be any extraordinary elections (unless later the Programme of the Government is not accepted by the National Assembly). The Constitution does not provide for any interim government. Why make up frameworks ad hoc which dont exist, and exactly for what purpose? The Constitution does not provide for extraordinary elections if there is a Prime Minister. Why delay a poll of the will of all the people? The Electoral Code, reviewed again and again by experts, is sufficient, and time is of the essence. The issue has never been the law but rather its lack of implementation. In todays environment it is less likely that a person will sell their vote than if we wait six months or a year. In todays environment it is more likely that a person will go to vote, and will stand up for their rights, by filing a complaint if someone else has signed the registry by their name, or by reporting abuses that they might witness. In todays environment there are more than enough enthusiastic observers, and political parties should have trained and motivated proxies. Call for and agree to a new composition of the Central Electoral Commission but know that just as fast as this wave of popularism has come, it could be subdued. Lastly, no political party is the state, and to speak and act as if one party is, is self-defeating. How we articulate our reality is what our reality becomes. Calling for a political party to give-up state power negates Article 2, which states that power resides with the people. Implying that all state officials and employees are no more than party agents negates the individualism that we have seen in the demonstrations where people of all segments of society joined together for a cause greater than themselves. The alternative is to make Article 2 real by speaking and acting in conformity with it. The alternative is to judge state officials as individuals based on their competence, and not to engage in stereotyping and guilt by association. The alternative is to hold elections instead of declaring that demonstrations reflective the peoples will, while at the same time excluding from the people the vast majority of people: while many have participated in the demonstrations, the majority have not, and we dont know their choice. What happened to no vendettas and starting society anew with a clean slate? To create an inclusive society, where individuals are free to express themselves, discuss and construct shared values, and act honorably in compliance with law, the clean slate must be now and for all. Demand a new Central Electoral Commission. Demand that the President call for extraordinary elections. Hold ourselves to our Constitution. Or in the future well end up with private power negotiations brokered by foreign interests again. (Born in California, Vahan Bournazian has lived in Yerevan since 2004. He teaches human rights and conducts research.) Approximately 80 percent of these great apes live outside protected areas, and gorillas are declining at an annual rate of 2.7 percent A massive decade-long study of Western Equatorial Africa's gorillas and chimpanzees has uncovered both good news and bad about our nearest relatives. The good news: there are one third more western lowland gorillas and one tenth more central chimpanzees than previously thought. The bad news: the vast majority of these great apes (80 percent) exist outside of protected areas, and gorilla populations are declining by 2.7 percent annually. The WCS-led study titled "Guns, germs and trees determine density and distribution of gorillas and chimpanzees in Western Equatorial Africa" appears in the latest edition of the journal Science Advances. The newly published paper was written by 54 co-authors from several organizations and government agencies, including WCS (Wildlife Conservation Society), WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature), Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Jane Goodall Institute, Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) - Monitoring the Illegal Killing of Elephants (MIKE), Lincoln Park Zoo, and the Universities of Stirling and Washington, and involved the protected area authorities of five countries. Researchers collected field data during foot surveys carried out over a 10-year period across the range of both western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) and central chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes troglodytes) - surveying an area of 192,000 square kilometers (72,000 square miles - equivalent to the size of the state of Washington) and including some of the most remote forests on the African continent. The authors of the study report an estimated abundance of over 360,000 gorillas and nearly 130,000 chimpanzees across the combined ranges of both subspecies, both of which were higher than previously believed. The gorilla estimate is approximately one-third higher and the chimpanzee estimate is about one-tenth higher. These revised numbers come largely from refinements to the survey methodology, new data from areas not previously included in range-wide estimates, as well as predictions of numbers in the areas between survey sites. "It's great news that the forests of Western Equatorial Africa still contain hundreds of thousands of gorillas and chimpanzees, but we're also concerned that so many of these primates are outside of protected areas and vulnerable to poachers, disease, and habitat degradation and loss," said lead author Samantha Strindberg of WCS. "These findings can help inform national and regional management strategies that safeguard the remaining habitat, increase anti-poaching efforts, and curtail the effects of development on great apes and other wildlife." Although the majority of great apes were found outside of protected areas, they were still in large forested landscapes close to or bordering existing national parks and reserves and away from centers of human activity. This suggests that protecting large and intact forested areas, with protected areas at their core, is critical to conserving gorillas and chimpanzees in this region. The data analysis also revealed a 2.7 percent annual decline in gorilla numbers, a finding that supports the continued status of the species as "Critically Endangered" on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Chimpanzees are listed as "Endangered." The combined field time spent by researchers collecting data for the study totaled approximately 61,000 days (or 167 person-years) of time. Researchers walked more than 8,700 kilometers (5,400 miles)--a distance longer than the north-south axis of the African continent, or from New York to London--while collecting data on great ape nests that was used to generate population estimates and trends. Said co-author Dave Morgan of the Lincoln Park Zoo and Goualougo Triangle Ape Project: "The boots on the ground research teams and partnerships are crucial to the success of these programs and the conservation of gorillas and chimpanzees. These long-term studies enable us to make informed recommendations regarding protected lands and management to help great apes." The main factors responsible for the decline of gorillas and chimpanzees are illegal hunting, habitat degradation, and disease. At the same time, it was clear that where wildlife guards were present, above all in protected areas with intact forests, both gorillas and chimpanzees can thrive. David Greer of WWF said: "All great apes, whether in Africa or Asia, are threatened by poaching, especially for the bushmeat trade. Our study found that apes could live in safety, and thus in higher numbers, at guarded sites than if there was no protection." Said Fiona Maisels of WCS: "Our study underscores the huge importance of intact forests to gorillas and chimpanzees, and of preventing illegal felling of good quality forests." Other conservation recommendations made by the authors include land-use planning at national scales to keep ecologically-harmful activities, such as agriculture and new road construction, away from intact forests and the protected areas that serve as important gorilla and chimpanzee refuges. Another priority is the implementation of careful logging practices in existing logging concessions that follow Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Standards for reducing impacts on wildlife and habitats. These standards require that access to forests is controlled, old logging roads are effectively decommissioned and effective patrol systems are put in place to prevent illegal hunting. Ensuring strong implementation is critical. An additional threat to great apes - as well as human health - is the Ebola virus disease. Continued research into developing a vaccine and the means to deliver it are priorities, as are educational efforts on how to avoid spreading the disease and transmission between humans and great apes. Of all the 14 living great ape taxa, western lowland gorillas and central chimpanzees have the largest remaining populations. This is certainly good news. However, their future preservation cannot be taken for granted, given the fact that their dependence on suitable habitat collides with local to global demand for natural resources from their habitat, particularly outside of protected areas, where most of them occur. Said Hjalmar Kuhl of the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology: "Protecting our gorillas and chimpanzees will therefore require a major increase in political will at all levels--national, regional, and global. Financial commitments from governments, international agencies for endangered species conservation and the private sector, are also critical for conserving our closest relatives and their habitats." Liz Williamson from the University of Stirling and the IUCN Red List Authority Coordinator for great apes said: "A combination of responsible industrial practices, conservation policies, and a network of well-managed parks and corridors would provide wildlife managers with a winning formula for conserving great apes in Central Africa. Our study has revealed that it is not too late to secure a future for gorillas and chimpanzees." ### The authors of the study are: S. Strindberg; F. Maisels; E.A. Williamson; S. Blake; E.J. Stokes; R. Aba'a; G. Abitsi; A, Agbor; R.D. Ambahe; P.C. Bakabana; M. Bechem; A. Berlemont; B. Bokoto de Semboli; P.R. Boundja; N. Bout; T. Breuer; G. Campbell; P. De Wachter; M. Ella Akou; F. Esono Mba; A.T.C. Feistner; B. Fosso; R. Fotso; D. Greer; C. Inkamba-Nkulu; C.F. Iyenguet; K.J. Jeffery; M. Kokangoye; H.S. Kuhl; S. Latour; B. Madzoke; C. Makoumbou; G.A.F. Malanda; R. Malonga; V. Mbolo; D.B. Morgan; P. Motsaba; G. Moukala; B.S. Mowawa; M. Murai; C. Ndzai; T. Nishihara; Z. Nzooh; L. Pintea; A. Pokempner; H.J. Rainey; T. Rayden; H. Ruffler; C.M. Sanz; A. Todd; H. Vanleeuwe; A. Vosper; Y. Warren; and D.S. Wilkie. This research was supported by the Agence Francaise de Developpement; Arcus Foundation; Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) - Monitoring of the Illegal Killing of Elephants (MIKE); Columbus Zoo and Aquarium; Conservation International and the Margot Marsh Biodiversity Foundation; the European Union's Ecosystemes Forestiers d'Afrique Centrale; the European Union's Especes Phares; Fondation Odzala-Kokoua; Foundation for Environment and Development in Cameroon; Global Environment Facility; Liz Claiborne and Art Ortenberg Foundation; Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology; Spain-United Nations Environment Programme Lifeweb; The Aspinall Foundation; Total (Gabon); United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation's Central Africa World Heritage Forest Initiative; United States Agency for International Development's Central Africa Regional Program for the Environment (CARPE); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Great Ape Conservation Fund, USFWS African Elephant Conservation Fund; Wildlife Conservation Society; the World Bank Group; and the World Wide Fund for Nature Germany, Netherlands, and USA. Cybersecurity House bill would create a 'naughty list' for nation-state hacking groups Last week, the Trump administration delivered a classified report to Congress outlining a new national cyber doctrine. Beyond naming the congressional committees that received the report, the White House has thus far publicly provided no additional details about the document or the strategy that it promotes. The Trump administration and its predecessor took heat from Congress for failing to articulate a comprehensive doctrine to guide U.S. cyber policy and steer the dispersed authorities over offensive and defensive cyber operations. John Bolton, who recently succeeded H.R. McMaster as national security advisor, has a history of favoring aggressive and confrontational tactics in cyberspace. But Bolton has been on the job for less than a month and it is unclear how much influence he had on the strategy delivered to Congress. While the details of the new cyber doctrine remain secret, the Trump administration has spent the past year publicly sketching the outlines of their national strategy for deterring nation-state hacking operations, marshalling the federal government's technical and intelligence resources on a number of occasions to trace and attribute major cyber attacks back to nation-state sponsors. Such "name and shame" tactics are often paired with additional independent attribution from allies like the United Kingdom and Australia that lay the groundwork for additional economic and diplomatic sanctions. Administration officials have argued this helps establish international norms around clandestine cyber activity and imposes a tangible cost on bad actor governments. Christopher Painter, who served for six years as the nation's top cyber diplomat at the State Department before stepping down last year, said the importance of cyber has been elevated in recent years to the point where the issue has bubbled up to senior policymakers, who now want to embed good cyber practices into larger economic and security policy debates on the international stage. "It still has some of these characteristics of being a niche policy issue, but increasingly governments are seeing it as a national security issue, a core issue of their national security, [and] a core issue of their economic security as well," Painter said at an April 25 Center for Strategic and International Studies. In an environment where governments have at times created uncertainty, private sector tech companies have attempted to draw public lines around their willingness to cooperate with nation-states on offensive cyber. On April 18, a collection of more than 30 companies signed a pledge not to assist any government launching cyberattacks "against innocent citizens and enterprises from anywhere." Some members of Congress have chosen not to wait for the administration, rolling out legislation to establish a formal process for responding to state-sponsored cyberattacks against the United States government and businesses. Last week Rep. Ted Yoho (R-Fl.) introduced the Cyber Deterrence and Response Act, which would require the president to designate as a "critical cyber threat" any foreign persons or entities determined to be responsible for such attacks as well as any person or organization that "knowingly materially assisted or attempted such activities." Foreigners or organizations on the list would be subject to both travel-related and non-travel-related U.S. sanctions, including limitations on doing business with U.S. companies and a prohibition on travel and immigration to the U.S.. The bill, which has 10 cosponsors including cybersecurity-focused lawmakers like Reps. Jim Langevin (D-R.I.) and and Ted Lieu (D-Calif.), also authorizes the president to impose those same sanctions on foreign governments found to have aided, abetted or directed such attacks. The White House and executive branch agencies already have authority to use all the sanctions and tools mentioned in the bill, but Yoho's office characterized the status quo as an ad hoc process that could benefit from a more formal structure. While Painter pointed to the attribution of attacks like WannaCry and NotPetya as encouraging signs of increased coordination, he told FCW that the U.S. government and its allies need to work together to deliver quicker and more substantive penalties for offending governments. "I think we still need to do a better job of actually imposing consequences on those countries that actually make a difference, and I think that requires a lot more strategic thought," said Painter. "I think we're creating a norm of inactivity, that these are acceptable [behaviors] because no one does anything about it." Workforce Feds face unexpected taxes on moving expenses For federal employees who move for work, the new tax law could leave them on the hook for taxes on their moving expenses. Employer-covered moving expenses were tax deductible under the former tax code, but the new law eliminated this deduction, opening feds up to paying income taxes on these reimbursements. Sens. Mark Warner (D-Va.) and Tim Kaine (D-Va.) want rules in place "immediately" to make sure feds aren't subject to new taxes. "This situation is causing a particular burden for federal employees who, after being assigned to a new duty station, have discovered that hundreds or even thousands of dollars have been withheld from their paychecks, often with little advance notice, in order to cover the cost of taxes associated with moving reimbursements from the federal government," they wrote to head of the General Services Administration Emily Murphy and to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. The government has policies in place to exempt federal employees from getting taxed on relocation expenses -- the relocation income tax allowance and the withholding tax allowance -- but these policies "have not yet been adjusted to take into account changes from the tax bill," the senators pointed out. "We urge you to move quickly and use the maximum discretion to avoid having more federal employees stuck with the bill for their moves," they wrote. The senators also asked GSA to provide their staffs with the number of employees affected by relocation expenses, broken out by agency and how they're affected. Over the summer and fall of 2017, a number of Department of Interior senior executives were reassigned across the country without much notice, leading many to question whether the moves were intended as punishments. Without rule changes, does the new tax law mean those employees could be stuck paying taxes on a move they never even wanted? "Under current law and regulations, apparently so," said Senior Executives Association President Bill Valdez, who applauded the senators for their letter. SEA's Legislative Director Jason Briefel added that without a rules change, there are tax implications for most federal employees, with exceptions for some foreign service and intelligence community positions. Earlier in April, SEA wrote GSA asking it to change the rules so the approximately 25,000 employees who move annually are not affected. The Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, the FAA Managers Association, Federal Managers Association, the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association, the National Association of Federal Veterinarians, the National Federation of Federal Employees, the National Council of Social Security Management Associations and the Professional Managers Association joined SEA as signatories on the letter. Last weekend, North Korea suspended its nuclear tests and shut down the site where the last six detonations took place: underneath Mount Mantap, in the countrys northeast. The reasons are ostensibly diplomatic, pointing to a thaw in relations between Kim Jong-uns regime and South Korea and the West, but some noted that Pyongyang might have also been worried that the mountain was at risk of collapsing, as it visibly shifted during the last nuclear test. However, two separate groups of Chinese scientists now say Mount Mantap did in fact collapse after that detonation. That means theres a risk of radioactive contamination spreading not only within North Korea, but to other countries in the region. The site is not far from North Koreas borders with China and Russia. According to geologists from the University of Science and Technology of China, the collapse took place minutes after Kim Jong-uns regime conducted its last nuclear test in September of last year. The test of the 100-kiloton bomb, which led Chinese seismologists to register a 6.3 magnitude earthquake, apparently opened up a hole of up to 656 feet in diameter. Part of the mountain then fell into the hole. The findings of the team, led by renowned seismologist Wen Lianxing, are set to be published next month in the journal Geophysical Research Letters. According to the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post, another team from the China Earthquake Administration reckons the collapse created a chimney that could allow the escape of fallout. The publication quoted researcher Zhao Lianfeng from the Chinese Academy of Sciences as saying the site was wrecked beyond repair. So Pyongyangs renouncement of land-based nuclear tests, for now, appears to be motivated by more than mere diplomatic concerns. An Arizona Senate bill that previously focused on state income tax is getting a makeover, the Senator who crafted the bill tells CCN. Senator Warren Petersen, a Republican, said the bill is being redesigned to instead focus on point-of-sale crypto tax payments known as the transaction privilege tax (TPT) in the state. Arizona residents could be the first in the United States to make a purchase at the point-of-sale in bitcoin or an altcoin with the taxes on the transaction sent directly to the state. The bill, which will continue to be called SB 1091, will be making its way through the State Legislature once again and is expected to make its way to the House floor within a couple of weeks, he said. If it passes, which Senator Petersen expects there will be enough votes to make it through, Arizona will be hailed as a leader and innovator for cryptocurrency payments. Senator Petersen agreed that adoption of blockchain technology has been sweeping the western United States, with his state and others taking the lead for innovation. Meanwhile, cumbersome regulation across the country in New York has stifled innovation, which is something he is trying to avoid. New York was booming and then all of a sudden they had massive, burdensome regulations. More than 10 companies fled the state or shut down altogether. Arizona is not going to do that. Were going to encourage innovation and new ideas and technology. So this is part and parcel to that, Senator Petersen told CCN. Mechanics of the Bill With the changes to SB 1091, the bill becomes more broadly focused on cryptocurrency payments, which the Senator said is positive progress for the industry that will encourage people to use cryptocurrencies anywhere. Were going to allow TPT payments at the point of sale using blockchain technology. That means you are going to use blockchain technology but youre also going to have the ability to use that point-of-sale to pay with cryptocurrencies, cash, credit card whatever you pay with. There will be an immediate sales tax payment made to the state of Arizona, whether its in cash, cryptocurrencies or credit card payment, Senator Petersen explained. Story continues Senator Petersens original idea for the bill applied to state income tax payments. Its clearly evolved and he says this is much more exciting. I think we will win the House and well have the votes to get to the finish line. It still has to come back to the Senate. It still has a ways to go. But I feel good about it. I feel more optimism about this getting signed than the income tax bill, he said. Arizona Capitol image from Shutterstock. The post Arizona Overhauls Blockchain Bill to Focus on Crypto Payments appeared first on CCN. Voya Financial Inc (NYSE: VOYA)s organic growth is driving return on equity improvements, while a capital-light business mix and reasonable valuation could make it a M&A target, according to Credit Suisse. The Analyst Andrew Kligerman of Credit Suisse initiated coverage on Voya Financial with an Outperform rating and $60 price target. The Thesis Voyas business mix includes retirement, investment management and group benefits. Organic growth in capital management, retirement and investment management along with divestiture from the annuities business have driven continued ROE improvement, Kligerman said in a Tuesday note. We project adjusted operating ROEs of 9.9 percent in 2018E and 12.3 percent in 2019E (vs. 3.9 percent in 2017), led by the annuities divestiture and organic growth in retirement and investment management, and capital management." Voya Financial could be an "attractive" takeover candidate, the analyst said. While reported negotiations with American International Group Inc (NYSE: AIG) ended in November, several other potential buyers could be eyeing the investment and insurance company, Kligerman said. Japanese life insurers in search of higher returns, such as Sumitomo Life, Meiji Yasuda Life, and Nippon Life, and companies with interest in defined contribution, such as Fidelity and TROW, could fit the profile of an acquirer." Price Action Voya Financial stock was up 0.076 percent at $52.75 at the close Wednesday. Related Links: UBS Gets Bullish On Insurance Stocks Benzinga's Top Upgrades, Downgrades For April 25, 2018 Photo by Matthew Deery/Wikimedia. Latest Ratings for VOYA Apr 2018 Credit Suisse Initiates Coverage On Outperform Apr 2018 Deutsche Bank Maintains Buy Buy Apr 2018 Morgan Stanley Maintains Overweight Overweight View More Analyst Ratings for VOYA View the Latest Analyst Ratings See more from Benzinga 2018 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. For the fourth day in a row, hundreds of people have gathered in the town of Berd, Tavush Province, to voice their disapproval of the current government. Tzovinar Safaryan, from the nearby village of Aygedzor, told Hetq that pupils in several Tavush schools have been on strike for several days now in solidarity with anti-government protests in Yerevan. She says the youth are the backbone of the protests. Safaryan says that representatives from some ten area villages are forming a joint council to keep protest momentum going. She said that the police had detained some people when the protests started but that police have now adopted a hands-off approach. Spanish banking giant BBVA is laying claim to be the first global bank to issue a loan using blockchain technology by completing a pilot of the entire issuance process on not one, but two blockchains. As Spains second-biggest lender, BBVA has been exploring and launching blockchain applications in core banking processes and has now successfully completed a pilot involving the entire process of issuing a 75m ($91 million) corporate loan on two differing blockchains, the Financial Times reported Thursday. The use of blockchain technology cut down loan negotiation time from days to hours, BBVA said. Notably, the bank revealed the use of a private blockchain for the negotiation and completion of the loan before registering it as a completed contract on the public Ethereum blockchain for immutability. BBVA underlined the successful pilot as a significant advance in the exploitation of [blockchain technology] in the way both private and public blockchains can interact within and beyond the banking space. While details are scarce on the private blockchain used, the report confirms that both parties the bank and the borrower negotiating terms were simultaneously recorded and updated on the mutual blockchain to keep each other abreast of the loans progress. As quoted by FT, BBVA chief executive Carlos Torres Vila stated: Blockchain can offer clear advantages for all sides in the corporate loan market in terms of efficiency, transparency, security. Its another example of how disruptive technology can be used to add value to financial services, something that is central to our strategy. BBVAs latest implementation of blockchain tech follows a previous trial wherein the bank used crypto startup Ripples blockchain in a successful real-world money remittance pilot between Spain and Mexico. The pilot saw 50-euro-denominated payments from Spain to Mexico in a matter of seconds, compared to traditional banking wires that take up to 4 days. Featured image from Shutterstock. The post BBVA Registers $91 Million Loan on Public Ethereum Blockchain appeared first on CCN. Binance Zhao Changpeng Sequoia Binance chief Zhao Changpeng, founder of the worlds largest cryptocurrency exchange, has formally denied allegations made by venture capital firm Sequoia Capital about a failed funding deal. As reported yesterday, a subsidiary of Sequoia Capital China sued Zhao in a Hong Kong lawsuit claiming the crypto exchange founder had violated terms of an exclusivity agreement by holding fundraising talks with other potential investors. It is believed that negotiations between the two parties broke down after Binance shareholders were left unimpressed by Sequoias valuation of Binance, at a proposed $80 million. The dispute became public after Sequoia obtained a temporary injunction, in late December, to keep Zhao from engaging in negotiations with other firms, namely IDG Capital which is reported to have offered two cash injections of $400 million and $1 billion in valuing Binance far higher than Sequoia. In a statement on Thursday, Binance confirmed that the ex parte conjunction was obtained without notice to Zhao. However, Zhao challenged the injunction this month and the Hong Kong High court has since dismissed the judicial order. Binance revealed: [T]he High Court of Hong Kong has now determined that this injunction should not have been granted, as it had been improperly obtained and constituted an abuse of process by SCC (Sequoia Capital China). Mr. Zhao denies all of SCCs allegations relating to the present dispute, the announcement added, further stating the SCC was ordered by the Hong Kong High Court to pay for Zhaos legal costs in relation to the injunction proceedings. The two parties will continue to work on settling the dispute in arbitration, the exchange said. Featured image from Youtube/Boxmining. The post Binance CEO Zhao Denies All Sequoia Allegations in Hong Kong Lawsuit appeared first on CCN. 3M Co (NYSE:MMM) investors certainly arent having fun, as shares fell 6.8% on Tuesday and sit just $9 above its 52-week low near $192. Ironically, 3M stock set that low on April 25, 2017. Only back then, shares of MMM stock werent in a total free-fall. Whats got 3M down, anyway? The company missed earnings per share estimates by a penny, but did beat on revenue expectations. Given that shares had fallen about 17% from the highs coming into the report, 3M probably could have gotten away with the penny-per-share miss. But, then management had to lower guidance. InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading Tips When the stock markets not in a good mood, missing earnings and coming up short on guidance no matter how much the stock has already suffered is a recipe for disaster. From the midpoint of managements outlook, 3M now expects earnings per share of $10.37 vs. $10.45 in the prior outlook and organic sales growth of 3.5% rather than 4%. Are they massive cutbacks? No. But, like I said, with todays current environment, its not good to come up short. Where to Now for 3M Stock? The question investors now have to ask themselves is simple: Buy, sell or hold? Its tough to hit the exits with shares down about 22% from the highs, as nobody wants to realize that kind of loss. Some may consider selling out of 3M and rolling into Honeywell International Inc. (NYSE:HON). They could log the loss for 3M and buy into HON without worrying about a wash sale and still stay long the industry assuming theyre still bullish. After all, Honeywell just beat on earnings per share and revenue results, while also boosting guidance, not cutting it like 3M. If thats not an option, the question becomes whether to buy or stay long 3M. Even the high end of managements guidance ($10.55) barely comes in ahead of consensus estimates of $10.53 per share. Basing it off managements outlook, 3M stock trades at more than 19 times this years earnings. Story continues For that valuation, we get 13% earnings growth this year and less than 10% next year (although this figure may not be that accurate, now). On the revenue front, analysts expect about 6.5% growth this year. Honeywell has about the same growth profile: 12.7% earnings growth this year and ~10% next year, along with revenue growth of 6% and 4% in 2018 and 2019, respectively. Shares trade at just over 18 times this years earnings. For a slightly lower valuation, were essentially getting the same growth. Although, HONs 2% dividend is lower than 3Ms 2.5% payout. Am I saying that 3M is a horrendous company? Absolutely not. Its a high quality company just like HON. But, one company has some mojo (albeit not a ton) and the other has none. Trading MMM Stock While its been an ugly slide for 3M stock, the bulls actually have one notable opportunity. Should You Buy 3M Co (MMM) Stock After Earnings Plunge? Click to Enlarge MMM stock is only slightly oversold at this point, with a relative strength index (RSI) of 27. Below 30 is technically an oversold position, but this reading can easily slip to the low-20s, if not even lower. That could time up with the hopefully strong layer of support sitting just below current levels. Highlighted by a blue rectangle, the $190-$195 area should act as support for MMM stock. If it doesnt hold as support, its honestly hard to say where 3M will end up. Its already below all three major moving averages and sitting on hefty losses. Daring bulls or those who love the fundamental story can take a stab near the traced out area above. For reference, heres an updated HON chart from a few weeks ago: trading HON stock Click to Enlarge Notably, JPMorgan analyst Stephen Tusa remains negative on MMM stock. For the record, this guy has absolutely nailed the decline in General Electric Company (NYSE:GE) and on January 18, downgraded 3M to a sell. Eight days later, MMM hit its 52-week high and hasnt looked back since. Tusa argues that the second half of 2018 wont get much better in terms of growth for 3M. Bret Kenwell is the manager and author of Future Blue Chips and is on Twitter @BretKenwell. As of this writing, Bret Kenwell did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities. More From InvestorPlace Compare Brokers The post Should You Buy 3M Co (MMM) Stock After Earnings Plunge? appeared first on InvestorPlace. Some companies take a Field of Dreams approach, hoping that if they build, customers will respond. That's not the case with most energy infrastructure companies. They refuse to put shovels into the ground unless they've already received significant customer support in the form of long-term, take-or-pay contracts that guarantee a steady stream of cash flow as soon as an asset enters service. While those customer commitments were hard to come by over the past few years due to the turbulence in the oil market, energy companies are beginning to grow more optimistic about the future. Because of that, Phillips 66 Partners (NYSE: PSXP) and several other partners were able to secure the necessary commitments to move forward with the Gray Oak Pipeline, which will transport oil out of the fast-growing Permian Basin. That project will enable these companies to generate more income, likely allowing them to boost their already above-average payouts. A person in a suit counting money while filling up a gas tank. Image source: Getty Images. Drilling down into Grey Oak Refining giant Phillips 66 (NYSE: PSX) and Canadian energy infrastructure behemoth Enbridge (NYSE: ENB) initially pitched Gray Oak to oil shippers in early December. At the time, they envisioned a 385,000 barrel-a-day pipeline that would move crude from several connection points in West Texas to refineries and export docks along the Texas coast starting in the second half of 2019. The project has evolved since then. Phillips 66 is no longer a direct investor in the pipeline, choosing instead to have its master limited partnership (MLP) Phillips 66 Partners take the lead. The MLP will hold a 75% interest in the joint venture (JV) building the project. Enbridge, likewise, won't initially invest in the project but instead is one of the third parties that has the option to acquire up to a 32.75% interest from Phillips 66 Partners. Joining Phillips 66 Partners will be refiner Andeavor (NYSE: ANDV), which will own a 25% interest in the JV. Story continues Not only has the ownership structure changed, but so has the scope of the project. Phillips 66 Partners now envisions a 700,000 barrel per day oil pipeline, which could ultimately move up to 1 million barrels per day if they secure additional contracts with shippers. Further, the pipeline will transport oil not just from producers in the Permian but also from the Eagle Ford Shale in South Texas. On top of building this pipeline, Phillips 66 Partners and Andeavor have teamed up with Buckeye Partners (NYSE: BPL) to construct a new marine terminal in Corpus Christi, Texas. Buckeye will operate the South Texas Gateway Terminal and own a 50% stake in the JV while Phillips 66 Partners and Andeavor will split the remaining 50% interest. Both projects should enter service by the end of 2019. A gas pipeline under construction with a cloudy sky above. Image source: Getty Images. What this project means to income investors In addition to providing greater market access to producers in Texas, these projects will deliver larger income streams to the companies developing them. Phillips 66 Partners will be one of the biggest beneficiaries given its large stake in Grey Oak and its interest in the new Buckeye terminal. The company is currently in the midst of a five-year strategy to increase its distribution to investors at a 30% compound annual growth rate. While that current plan ends this year, these new projects, plus a $200 million expansion it's undertaking at one of Phillips 66's refineries, should give it the fuel to continue increasing its 5.6%-yielding distribution at a healthy pace well past its current outlook. Andeavor's dividend will also likely benefit from these projects since they should give it the fuel to increase its 2%-yielding payout. Though, it wouldn't be a surprise to see the refiner eventually drop down its stakes in these assets to its MLP, Andeavor Logistics (NYSE: ANDX). That sale would help Andeavor Logistics keep up its incredible performance where it has increased its payout for 28 straight quarters and improve upon a distribution that already yields an attractive 8.5%. Buckeye Partners, meanwhile, has an even higher yield of 12.6%. While a payout in the double-digits is often a sign of trouble, Buckeye currently has no plans to reduce its distribution. Instead, the company expects to maintain the current rate and allow its increasing cash flow to improve its weaker financial metrics. As those numbers strengthen, and the new terminal comes online, Buckeye could resume distribution growth. Topping off the tank By securing contracts for these new expansion projects, Phillips 66 Partners, Andeavor, and Buckeye Partners should enjoy a nice increase in cash flow when they come online at the end of next year. That boost could allow all three companies to increase their already above average payouts, which is great news for income investors. More From The Motley Fool Matthew DiLallo owns shares of Enbridge and Phillips 66. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Enbridge. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Illinois Tool Works Inc. ITW is a worldwide manufacturer of highly engineered products and specialty systems. The companys diversified range of industrial products and equipment are sold in 56 countries. It currently has a $51.4 billion market capitalization. Despite a long-term growth potential, this industrial tool maker faces risks from global uncertainties, industry rivalry and adverse foreign currency movements. Investors are eagerly waiting for the companys latest earnings report. Illinois Tool Works delivered better-than-expected results in the last four quarters, pulling off an average positive earnings surprise of 4.16%. Illinois Tool Works Inc. Price and EPS Surprise Illinois Tool Works Inc. Price and EPS Surprise | Illinois Tool Works Inc. Quote Currently, Illinois Tool Works carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), but that could definitely change after the release of first-quarter 2018 earnings report. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. We have highlighted some of the key stats from this just-revealed announcement below: Earnings: Illinois Tool Works earnings came in at $1.90 per share in first-quarter of 2018. The bottom line result surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.85 per share. Revenue: Revenues surpassed. Illinois Tool Works generated revenues of $3,744 million, above the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.67 billion. Key Stats to Note: Illinois Tool Works operating margin in the first quarter grew 90 basis points (bps) year over year to 24.1%. Enterprise initiatives added 110 bps to operating margin growth, offsetting 50 bps of adverse impacts of price/costs. The company raised its 2018 GAAP earnings guidance from $7.45-$7.65 to $7.60-$7.80 per share. Stock Price: Illinois Tool Works shares were up roughly 1.3% ahead of the report. Check back our full write up on this ITW earnings report later! More Stock News: This Is Bigger than the iPhone! It could become the mother of all technological revolutions. Apple sold a mere 1 billion iPhones in 10 years but a new breakthrough is expected to generate more than 27 billion devices in just 3 years, creating a $1.7 trillion market. Zacks has just released a Special Report that spotlights this fast-emerging phenomenon and 6 tickers for taking advantage of it. If you don't buy now, you may kick yourself in 2020. Click here for the 6 trades >> 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 Illinois Tool Works Inc. (ITW) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Gary Hershorn/Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- New York City police arrested the owner of a pit bull that attacked a woman on the subway during an altercation. The man was taken into custody without incident at around noon Thursday. The incident, which reportedly occurred on Friday afternoon on the 4 train in Manhattan, was caught on video by a passenger riding the train. Onlookers to the incident say the owner sat down and placed the dog in the seat next to him when it bumped into the woman in the next seat over. The woman asked the man to remove his dog, which escalated into an altercation between the two passengers, and the dog responded by latching onto the womans shoe. The video, recorded by eyewitness TahSyi Kyng, shows the woman struggling to release her foot from the dogs bite, while chaos ensues in the train car. The owner was trying to pull the dog off the woman but he never told the dog to let go, Kyng told ABC News. The owner never announced that it was a service dog, and it did not appear to be one, though it was on a leash, Kyng added. The woman freed herself by taking her foot out of the shoe, which the owner threw at her before exiting the train, according to Kyng. A spokesperson for the New York City Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) said in a statement to ABC News that rules require non-service animals to be kept inside containers and not disturbing other passengers and also explained that what's shown in the video is disturbing and a clear violation of our rules. MTA officials notified the New York City Police Department (NYPD) of the video Tuesday and the police department has launched an investigation into the incident. Transit rules, as listed on the MTA website, state that no person may bring any animal on or into any conveyance or facility unless enclosed in a container and carried in a manner which would not annoy other passengers. These rules do not apply to working dogs for law enforcement agencies, to service animals, or to animals which are being trained as service animals. If NYPD officers come in contact with unauthorized dogs or other animals aboard the New York City Transit system, they are required to eject the passenger with the animal from the train. Officers are also required to issue a Transit Action Bureau (TAB) Notice of Violation, for which the fine is $25. In 2016, 119 unauthorized animal TAB summonses were issued by the NYPD. The number dropped to 85 in 2017 and thus far in 2018, 19 have been issued. The woman that was attacked was not seriously injured, but charges are pending in the case. It is unclear what the penalty will be if he is identified, but MTA Chairman Joe Lhota said in a press conference that bringing a pit bull on board any of our subway systems is a violation of the law and a person who does that should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Copyright 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Either Im elected with the support of the people, by their demand, or else no prime minister will be elected in Armenia. While Armenian government representatives were having phone conversations and meetings with their Russian counterparts, anti-government protests continued in Yerevan and throughout Armenia. At this evenings rally in Republic Square, leaders of Armenias Velvet Revolution reaffirmed their goal to hold parliamentary elections after Nikol Pashinyan is appointed prime minister. The parliament is slated to elect a new prime minister on May 1, but Pashinyan and his team say they will not accept the results given that the legislature is controlled by the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA). They accuse the party, which has ruled Armenia for the past twenty years, for intimidating and bribing voters, thus delegitimizing the entire electoral process. Yelk Alliance Faction MP Ararat Mirzoyan and member of the Civil Contract political party board called on RPA MPs to do the honorable thing and vote in favor of Pashinyan on May 1. Doing anything else would shame you and would not be legitimate because the people of Armenia will not accept it, Mirzoyan said. Mirzoyan said that Pashinyans government would be temporary, followed by free and fair parliamentary elections. Protest leader MP Nikol Pashinyan, who heads the Yelk Alliance Faction, claimed that the people at last nights rally nominated him as their candidate for prime minister and that he expected the other parliamentary factions to reaffirm this fact. But let me clearly stress that my becoming prime minister isnt the issue, but rather the removal of the corrupt and anti-people regime. There can be no compromise with the corrupt regime, Pashinyan said today, adding that there wouldnt be any back-door deals with anyone. Pashinyans message to parliament deputies was simple: Either Im elected with the support of the people, by their demand, or else no prime minister will be elected in Armenia. Pashinyan called on the people to focus all their energies on May 1, when, the people of Armenia must show its maximum strength. On April 25, RPA MPs met with Serzh Sargsyan, who resigned as prime minister on April 23, and Acting Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan. The MPs said they were willing to discuss any issue with any side in the impasse, authorizing Karapetyan to negotiate on their behalf. From the stage, Pashinyan publicly invited Karapetyan to Yerevans Marriott Hotel tomorrow at noon for another round of negotiations on condition that the members of the press are present. The protest leader told the crowd that the movement would be changing its tactics in the run-up to May 1. Rallies will be organized first in Gyumri and then Vanadzor, giving activists and movement leaders a two day break. * France proposes new U.S.-Europe deal on Iran nuclear issue * Deadline looms for Trump to decide on Iranian sanctions * Israel has called for 2015 deal to be "fixed or nixed" By Jeffrey Heller JERUSALEM, April 25 (Reuters) - Israel's intelligence minister said on Wednesday that a proposed new U.S.-European deal over Iran's nuclear programme might dissuade U.S. President Donald Trump from abandoning the current agreement between world powers and Tehran. The minister, Israel Katz, did not say, in a radio interview, whether Israel - which has called for the 2015 nuclear deal to be "fixed or nixed" - backed a separate arrangement put forward by French President Emmanuel Macron. "President Trump's inclination is not to extend the deal's term - in essence, to return to the sanctions track - unless a European-backed proposal is placed before him, for an alternative agreement between the United States and Europe," Katz said. "(It would contain) complementary steps which will remove the grave dangers in this (2015) nuclear agreement, which he defined as a bad deal." With a May 12 deadline looming for Trump to decide on restoring U.S. economic sanctions on Tehran, Macron, on a visit to the United States, said on Tuesday he spoke to the president about a "new deal" in which Washington and Europe would tackle the outstanding concerns about Iran beyond its nuclear programme. Macron is using the state visit as a high-stakes bid to salvage the Iran agreement, which many in the West see as the best hope of preventing Tehran from getting a nuclear bomb and heading off an atomic arms race in the Middle East. Under Macron's proposal, the United States and Europe would agree to block any Iranian nuclear activity until 2025 and beyond, address Iran's ballistic missile programme and generate conditions for a political solution to contain Iran in Yemen, Syria, Iraq and Lebanon. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called specifically for cancelling a core "sunset clause" that removes caps on Iran's nuclear projects after a number of years. Story continues Katz said the West had signed the 2015 agreement "too soon" and should have maintained tough economic sanctions that were suspended in return for Tehran agreeing to roll back technologies with bomb-making potential. "The president of France and his colleagues in Europe must understand that putting heavy pressure on Iran today can prevent violence and perhaps war tomorrow," the minister said. It was unclear whether Macron made substantial progress in his efforts to prevent Trump from pulling out of the deal, and Trump stressed there would be repercussions should Iran restart its nuclear programme. Iran has said it will ramp up that programme if the agreement collapses. (Editing by Richard Balmforth) Jeff Bezos Amazon Blue Origin HO/Mike Brown/Space Florida Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos uses $1 billion of his "Amazon winnings" to fund his space company Blue Origin, he recently said in an interview. The entrepreneur has a net worth of $127 billion and a number of personal projects to spend it on, but he says none are as important an investment as Blue Origin and the goal to put civilizations in space. Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos spends a tiny fraction of his net worth to fund Blue Origin, the space company he started back in 2000. For a man worth $127 billion dollars, that tiny fraction amounts to $1 billion a year, which he gets by liquidating Amazon stock, Bezos said at an Axel Springer awards event in Berlin, Germany, hosted by Business Insider US Editor in Chief Alyson Shontell. "The only way I can see to deploy this much financial resource is by converting my Amazon winnings into space travel. Blue Origin is expensive enough to be able to use that fortune," he joked in an interview with Axel Springer CEO Mattias Dopfner. Bezos said he plans to continue funding the company through that annual tradition long into the future. Bezos famously has a number of different projects. He's running the e-commerce giant, owns The Washington Post, and is working on turning a historical mansion in DC into a single-family home, to name a few. None of these, he said, are as relevant or as worthy of his personal money as the space company, which he called "the most important work I'm doing." His personal interest in space aside, Bezos says he pursues his goal of putting people on a rocket to outer space because of what he fears could happen if we don't explore the option of living on other planets. "I don't want my great-grandchildren's great-grandchildren to live in a civilization of stasis," he said in the interview. Humans take up a lot of energy, and that amount is growing something Bezos refers to as "the real energy crisis." He sees two options: living in a state of inactivity to use up minimal energy or expanding into space. Story continues "The solar system can easily support a trillion humans," he said. "And if we have a trillion humans we would have a thousand Einsteins, and a thousand Mozarts, and unlimited for all practical purposes resources from solar power and so on." In the short term, his billion dollars-a-year is going towards a tourism vehicle that will launch at the end of 2018 or beginning of 2019, and a large orbital vehicle that's scheduled to fly for the first time in 2020. "I'm very lucky because I feel like I have a mission-driven purpose with Blue Origin," he said. NOW WATCH: Google, Apple, and Amazon are in a war that no one will win See Also: By Stephanie Kelly and Erwin Seba NEW YORK/HOUSTON (Reuters) - An explosion at Husky Energy's refinery in Superior, Wisconsin, injured at least 10 people, sent smoke billowing into the sky and prompted an evacuation of tens of thousands of residents, local and medical officials said on Thursday. At least 10 people were taken to area hospitals, one of whom was seriously injured, said a spokeswoman for Essentia Health-St. Mary's Medical Center, which operates hospitals in Superior and nearby Duluth, Minnesota. What ignited the blast was not clear. After an initial blaze was extinguished, a storage tank was punctured, and a second fire erupted, Husky Energy spokesman Mel Duvall said. There were no reports of fatalities, and all of the refinery's workers have been accounted for, Duvall said. Specialists from Williams Fire & Hazard Control of Port Arthur, Texas were hired by Husky Energy and were flying to the scene on Thursday to direct efforts to battle the blaze. While awaiting their arrival, firefighters were trying to prevent flames from spreading by spraying water on nearby tanks, manager Kollin Schade said at a briefing. The refinery, which can process up to 38,000 barrels of oil a day, had additional workers on site preparing for a plant-wide overhaul, he said. The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board has sent a four-person team to investigate. The non-regulatory federal agency investigates serious chemical accidents such as refinery fires. As a precautionary measure, local officials ordered all residents within a three-mile radius around the refinery to evacuate, Superior Mayor Jim Paine said at a briefing. The city of 27,000 would be evacuated as needed, he said. Friday classes were canceled in Superior and nearby Maple school districts. "The lights flickered three times and the whole building shook," said Jim Ronning, owner of Hudy's Tavern in Superior, located about a mile (1.6 km) from the facility. "You can still smell a real caustic smell in the air," said Sara Haugen, owner of Pudge's bar in Superior, located about 135 miles from Minneapolis, Minnesota. "There's a big black plume of smoke coming out. Husky purchased the refinery from Calumet Specialty Products Partners LP last year, saying at the time that it intended to keep all of its workforce of 180. It produces asphalt, gasoline, diesel and heavy fuel oils, largely using heavy crude oil imported from Canada. Husky shares fell 8 percent to C$17.54 on the Toronto Stock Exchange, the same day it reported financial results. (Reporting by Vijaykumar Vedala and Arpan Varghese in Bengaluru, Stephanie Kelly in New York and Liz Hampton and Erwin Seba in Houston; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama, Scott Malone and Cynthia Osterman) MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexico's Senate on Tuesday voted to ratify a Asia-Pacific trade agreement, making it the first of 11 signatory countries to back the arduously negotiated framework that was rejected by the United States. Senators voted 73-24 to approve the pact, which was signed in March without the United States after U.S. President Donald Trump pulled out of talks within days of taking office last year. Mexico, which has been a leading proponent of free trade in Latin America, is currently in talks to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with Canada and the United States. Trump has repeatedly threatened to scrap NAFTA if it is not reworked to benefit U.S. workers. Despite striking a string of free-trade deals since the original NAFTA deal in 1993, Mexico still sends 80 percent of its exports to its northern neighbor. Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto said the new Asia-Pacific pact would open up more markets to Mexican goods. "With this new generation agreement, Mexico diversifies its economic relations with the world and demonstrates its commitment to openness and free trade," Pena Nieto said on his Twitter account. The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) will reduce tariffs in countries that together amount to more than 13 percent of the global economy - a total of $10 trillion in gross domestic product. The original 12-member agreement, known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), would have represented 40 percent of the world economy if the United States had not dropped out. The 11 remaining nations finalized a revised trade pact and stripped out some U.S. demands, including rules to ramp up intellectual property protection of pharmaceuticals. Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Malaysia, Mexico, Japan, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam signed the deal and a total of six counties will need to ratify the agreement for it to take effect. Japan and the United States are currently at loggerheads on how to frame new trade talks between the two longtime allies. Trump has rebuffed Tokyo's calls to rejoin the Trans-Pacific pact, instead preferring a two-way trade deal. Current discussions regarding NAFTA have taken a more positive tone this week. Trump said on Tuesday a new deal could be agreed on quickly. Ministers from the United States, Canada and Mexico are meeting in Washington to try to narrow differences on content rules for autos in the hope of making a deal in the coming days. (Reporting by Sharay Angulo and Diego Ore. Writing by Michael O'Boyle; Editing by Michael Perry) prince harry meghan markle Chris Jackson - WPA Pool/Getty Images After the royal wedding on May 19, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry will merge their finances and forego a prenuptial agreement. Prince Harry's net worth is at least $25 million, which is made up of inheritance from Princess Diana and an annual allowance from Prince Charles. Meghan Markle, a former TV actress, has a net worth around $5 million. Megan Markle will be marrying into class, status, and major wealth when she ties the royal knot with Prince Harry on May 19. Before she moved across the pond, Markle was earning close to half a million dollars a year starring in the USA Network drama "Suits," plus a five-figure income from endorsement deals and sponsorships. Her total net worth is estimated to be $5 million. That's a sizable contribution to bring into any marriage, but when she marries Prince Harry, their combined net worth will be more than five times that. Prince Harry's net worth is at least $25 million (18 million) and as much as $40 million (28.7 million), according to estimates from Wealth-X. Here's where all that money comes from. Along with Prince William and Kate Middleton, Harry receives an annual seven-figure allowance from his father and heir to the throne, Prince Charles, which is used to cover expenses like travel and wardrobe. Between April 2016 and March 2017, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Harry split nearly $5 million (3.5 million) in allowance from their father, according to an annual review released by Clarence House. Prince Charles derives that money, in part, from a private estate called the Duchy of Cornwall, which has funded the royal family's public and private lives for nearly 700 years. The estate provided a total of $28.8 million (20.7 million), including Harry and William's allowance, to Prince Charles and his wife Camilla between 2016 and 2017. royal family Chris Jackson/Getty Since age 21, Harry and William have also been receiving a $450,000 a year investment profit from Princess Diana's estate, which they pay taxes on to the UK government. They received a sizeable inheritance from their late mother estimated to be around $10 million each, which each prince gained access to on his 30th birthday. Plus, during his 10 years in the British Royal Air Force, Harry earned an annual income of $50,000. Story continues Despite a massive fortune, Markle and Harry reportedly will not sign a prenuptial agreement before their wedding, reported Business Insider's Shana Lebowtiz. A prenup is a smart choice for most couples who have sizable assets they want to protect in the event of a divorce, but for Harry and William, who chose to forgo a prenup with Middleton it doesn't make much sense. The princes likely don't have much property of their own, as the most valuable national treasures like the Crown Jewels or the Tower of London are part of the royal collection held by the Queen. Still, the merging of Harry and Markle's finances could "cause tax headaches" and create some "mundane hurdles" for the royal family, as The Washington Post first reported in November. Markle is a citizen of the US and is purportedly living in the UK on a family visa, according to the BBC. If she eventually becomes a dual US-UK citizen, Markle will have to continue filing her taxes each year with the IRS. If she has more than $300,000 in assets at any point during the year, she will have to file a specific form that details foreign assets, which could include foreign trusts, subjecting the royal family "to outside scrutiny," according to the Post. But ultimately there are a lot of factors that come into play. Meghan Markle Prince Harry Eddie Mulholland/AP "The key for Meghan and her advisors would be to figure out what type of income she will be getting," Avani Ramnani, director of financial planning and wealth management at Francis Financial, told Business Insider. "Will this income be from the investments of a trust, or 'wages' for any work that she does, or any other type of income? Sometimes, getting one form of income is more advantageous than another." Kensington Palace will cover the cost of the wedding aside from Markle's dress which is expected to cost the royal family upwards of $45 million (32 million), most of which is allotted for security. That won't be a huge cost burden for Queen Elizabeth, who is of course the wealthiest member of the royal family with an estimated net worth of $530 million as of 2016, according to Forbes. NOW WATCH: Prince Harry gave a brilliant response to a 9-year-old who asked him if he'll ever be king See Also: SEE ALSO: Queen Elizabeth has a fortune worth over $500 million here's how much the British royal family is worth DON'T MISS: The royal wedding is a month away here's how much Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are expected to spend on their big day There is a lot to be liked about California Water Service Group (NYSE:CWT) as an income stock, over the past 10 years it has returned an average of 3.00% per year. The company is currently worth US$1.92B, and now yields roughly 1.91%. Lets dig deeper into whether California Water Service Group should have a place in your portfolio. See our latest analysis for California Water Service Group 5 checks you should use to assess a dividend stock Whenever I am looking at a potential dividend stock investment, I always check these five metrics: Is its annual yield among the top 25% of dividend-paying companies? Has its dividend been stable over the past (i.e. no missed payments or significant payout cuts)? Has it increased its dividend per share amount over the past? Can it afford to pay the current rate of dividends from its earnings? Based on future earnings growth, will it be able to continue to payout dividend at the current rate? NYSE:CWT Historical Dividend Yield Apr 26th 18 Does California Water Service Group pass our checks? California Water Service Group has a trailing twelve-month payout ratio of 51.45%, meaning the dividend is sufficiently covered by earnings. In the near future, analysts are predicting a payout ratio of 50.99%, leading to a dividend yield of 2.06%. Moreover, EPS should increase to $1.42. 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. In the case of CWT it has increased its DPS from $0.59 to $0.75 in the past 10 years. During this period it has not missed a payment, as one would expect for a company increasing its dividend. This is an impressive feat, which makes CWT a true dividend rockstar. Compared to its peers, California Water Service Group generates a yield of 1.91%, which is on the low-side for Water Utilities stocks. Next Steps: Keeping in mind the dividend characteristics above, California Water Service Group is definitely worth considering for investors 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. Below, Ive compiled three important factors you should look at: Future Outlook: What are well-informed industry analysts predicting for CWTs future growth? Take a look at our free research report of analyst consensus for CWTs outlook. Historical Performance: What has CWTs returns been like over the past? Go into more detail in the past track record analysis and take a look at the free visual representations of our analysis for more clarity. 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. Muhammadrahim Shoev has finally gotten his wish -- the Tajik man has been reunited with his 10-year-old granddaughter, the only member of his son's family of six to have survived their move to Iraq. Maryam Shoeva was among four Tajik children who were returned home on April 25 following a months-long effort by authorities to repatriate Tajik children and women who had been stranded in Iraq and Syria. In most cases their families are suspected of having left Tajikistan to join the extremist Islamic State (IS) group. Maryam's parents and three younger siblings are believed to have died in air strikes targeting IS in Mosul, Iraq, last summer, and her grandfather had been seeking her return since discovering in February that she was still alive. "Maryam is back, finally, safe and sound," Shoev said after the girl was handed over to her grandparents in the village of Ghairatobod on the outskirts of the Tajik capital, Dushanbe. Appearing sleepy after her early hour flight from Moscow, Maryam clutched a small bag and a bunch of flowers as she rested her head on her grandfather's shoulder while media documented the reunion. Her father, 37-year-old Jamoliddin Shoev, left the village along with his wife and children in 2015, telling his parents that he was going to Egypt, where he had studied more than a decade ago. Tajik authorities say he wasn't on their list of suspected IS fighters from Tajikistan. He would make occasional phone calls to his parents -- the last came in August 2017, according to the elder Shoev -- who say they have no idea how he ended up in Mosul. Pleading For Home Just weeks later, Maryam appeared on a Russian TV program about Russian-speaking children who had been taken to a Baghdad shelter after Iraqi government forces recaptured Mosul from IS control. The footage showed Maryam saying her parents had been killed in an air strike. Later she appeared on a YouTube video, pleading with her relatives to bring her home. Shoev asked Tajik authorities to help, a task Tajikistan's Foreign Ministry said would take several months. In a statement on April 25, the ministry said that the repatriation of the four Tajik minors, including Maryam, was facilitated with assistance of authorities in Iraq, Kuwait, and Russia, several other countries, UNICEF, and the International Red Cross. The ministry will continue its campaign to repatriate other Tajik minors still remaining in the "war-torn Middle East regions," the statement said. The ministry didn't identify the four children by name; Maryam's grandparents, however, agreed to speak to RFE/RL upon her arrival. The three other children were identified by a Tajik diplomat as siblings a girl and two boys aged between 3 and 9.The diplomat requested anonymity as he wasn't authorized to speak to media. The diplomat said the siblings' eldest sister, who is 16 years old, remains in a Baghdad shelter. He wasn't able to provide information as to why the teenager was left behind. Tajik authorities say the return of unaccompanied and undocumented minors from the conflict zones is a complex procedure, which involves identifying the children and issuing provisional travel documents to submit to Iraqi authorities before arranging their flights from Baghdad. Next of kin like Shoev are required to provide photos and documents to prove the children's identities and family ties before custody can be granted. 'A Good Rest' Dushanbe estimates that there are some 200 children among more than 1,000 Tajik nationals who are believed to have left for Iraq and Syria to join IS since 2014. A Tajik official in Dushanbe told RFE/RL on April 25 that authorities have so far identified 13 unaccompanied Tajik minors who were rescued from former IS-held areas and taken to government shelters in Iraq and Syria. Their parents are thought to have been killed in military conflict. The official requested anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to media. The government has offered amnesty to all its citizens who were not involved in IS violence. Dozens have come back and reintegrated into normal life. Back home, doctors and psychologists are expected to work with the families to help with the rehabilitation of children who had experienced the trauma of war. "Maryam hasn't spoken much yet, because she is still very tired after a long flight," Shoev said. "We've a lot to tell to each other, but for the time being she needs a good rest." Written by Farangis Najibullah with reporting by RFE/RL Tajik Service correspondent Amriddin Olimov Turkey says nearly 30,000 Afghans have entered the country since the start of the year, in what Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu called "a new refugee wave." Soylu said on April 25 that 29,899 Afghans had crossed into Turkey since January compared to 45,259 people in the whole of 2017, state news agency Anadolu reported. "In recent months, we are facing a new refugee wave, especially from Afghanistan," Soylu said, adding that 1,328 people smugglers had been detained so far this year. Turkey is a key transit route for migrants from Afghanistan and other countries in Asia and the Middle East seeking to reach Europe in search of better lives and work. Rights groups have criticized Ankara for deporting migrants back to conflict-torn countries such as Afghanistan, saying it was putting their lives at risk. Turkish authorities have sent back 7,100 Afghan migrants since early April, Amnesty International said on April 24, as it denounced the "ruthless deportation drive." "Thousands more are in detention, being treated more like criminals than people fleeing conflict and persecution," the London-based rights group said in a statement. There are 145,000 Afghans in Turkey, according to Amnesty, The country is also home to more than 3 million Syrian refugees, as well as more than 300,000 Iraqis, who have fled conflicts in their respective countries. Turkey has started work on a border wall along its frontier with Iran, which is being crossed by migrants coming from the east. It also built a wall along much of the border with Syria. With reporting by AFP and dpa Connecticut's cyber strategy At the National Association of State CIOs Midyear conference in Baltimore, Connecticut CIO Mark Raymond spoke with GCN about a recent WannaCry attack on 160 government computers and how his state is implementing its Connecticut Cybersecurity Strategy. Raymonds answers have been edited for length and clarity. What happened in the February WannaCry attack? We had 160 machines that were affected by the attack. Nothing was encrypted and it was an old variant of the virus. We detected the movement of a worm-like virus through the network and contained it. The worm side of the virus spreads through unpatched machines. For the majority of the machines, we had 30,000 machines fully patched and ready to go, which is why the spread was smaller. Through the process, we found things that agencies thought that they were patching or third-party endpoint solutions that perhaps were not being updated. Those were the ones that created an anomaly. We had to take those offline and reimage them to make sure that no data was lost before patching them and getting them back in operation. How do you work with federal agencies on cybersecurity? We have the folks at the Department of Homeland Security who help to coordinate broader resources that are available to us like the Information Sharing and Analysis Centers. We share those insights with our private businesses and law enforcement. Most of our contacts are through the Multi-State ISAC, so we use them, the fusion center and InfraGard [a partnership between the FBI and the private sector for critical infrastructure protection]. to really get the right people at the table to understand our current status and what we need to do. What about at the municipal level? Municipalities would like us to do much more, but neither one of us have the funding to do it. We have a special section in our upcoming cybersecurity action plan about how to treat things at the municipal level. Connecticut doesnt have county governments, so we have regional councils that we work with to identify common needs and areas where we can help or they can begin to work together. We are seeing some of the municipalities work together to provide services to each other. We also have the Connecticut Education Network, which connects 106 of 169 towns through fiber optics. We are using that to provide some services like a managed firewall or distributed denial of service protection to municipalities that could not afford it on their own. We are leveraging our network to improve the security. How are agencies using multifactor authentication? We use MFA for all of our administrative users and state employees who are accessing our systems from the outside. It is mandatory for folks to be able to get in. We look at the user population based on the criticality of what they are looking at and then transition from single factor to multifactor. We are running a pilot for our pension population, which is folks who have retired. We put a new pension system online. We would like for them to do more self-service, but we need to have a higher degree of service for that. We are extending MFA to that pilot, which needs to work with a wide range of audiences and technologies. Retirees can pick up and move some place else, so doing things with paper forms isnt necessarily the best way to deal with that population. They are okay with engaging online, but we may need to support the desktop technology or they may only have a smartphone or flip phone. How is your IT operations structured? What applications have moved into the cloud? We are federated when it comes to IT, and some of the larger agencies have substantial IT staffs. Some of the smaller ones have none and rely entirely on us. We are the infrastructure provider for consolidated networks, data centers, email services and some security. The Department of Transportation or Labor have substantial technical staffs of their own, but some of the smaller agencies work more directly with us. We moved into a data center in 2015, and we partnered with the commonwealth of Massachusetts to share their disaster recovery data center. You could call it a private cloud, but we have real-time replication between the two sources and we dont own any of the physical buildings. We have moved some public data into the cloud services, and we are dabbling as certain applications come up for modernization. We can assess whether the economics make sense. Our website is hosted by a provider; our open data platform is an outside solution. Our sex offender registry is cloud based. We have a workforce management solution that we are putting in place this year that will be a cloud-based capability. We are not taking a lot of the underlying infrastructure and moving it to the cloud but we are utilizing platform as a service and software as a service. Because we are still in the figuring-it-out phase and we are doing lots of different variants, we are spending more time doing due diligence around solutions. Our current environments are known, and for some of us these new solutions are unknown. There is a learning curve that we are climbing up. We havent saved any money yet, but the promise is there. Danish English Press release Group Communications Holmens Kanal 2-12 DK-1092 Kbenhavn K Tel. +45 45 14 56 95 26 April 2018 Satisfactory start to the year despite uncertainty in the financial markets Net profit of DKK 4.9 billion and return on equity of 12.6% Danske Bank has announced its financial results for the first quarter of 2018. Thomas F. Borgen, Chief Executive Officer, comments on the financial results: We had a satisfactory start to the year despite financial market developments that caused lower activity compared with the same period last year. Across our business, the underlying trend was good, with customer demand for credit remaining positive, just as our partnership agreements in Norway, Sweden and Finland continued to attract new customers and create good activity. In Denmark, we also saw good activity partly as a result of continued interest in our new home financing solutions. At the same time, we maintained solid credit quality across our markets. We continued to make considerable investments in new innovative solutions, some in cooperation with external partners, which contributes to delivering enhanced customer experiences. The interim report is available at danskebank.com. Highlights are shown below: First quarter 2018 vs first quarter 2017 Danske Bank posted a net profit of DKK 4.9 billion in the first quarter, a decrease of 12% from the level in the first quarter of 2017. This is a satisfactory start to the year despite uncertainty in the financial markets, which led to lower activity compared with the year-earlier period, and reflects good developments in the Nordic economies. The return on shareholders equity after tax was 12.6%, against 14.4% in the first quarter of 2017. Total income amounted to DKK 11.5 billion, a decrease of 9% from the level in the first quarter of 2017, as continued growth in net interest income was more than offset by decreases in net fee income and net trading income. Net interest income increased 1% to DKK 5.9 billion due to lending growth. Especially our activities in Sweden contributed to lending growth. Net fee income amounted to DKK 3.8 billion, a decrease of 4% due to lower customer activity at Corporates & Institutions and Wealth Management, in particular. Net trading income totalled DKK 1.4 billion, a decrease of 43% from the level in the first quarter of 2017, when the level of trading activity was high. Moreover, the investment result from the health and accident business was lower in the first quarter of 2018. Operating expenses amounted to DKK 5.6 billion, a decrease of 2% from the level in the first quarter of 2017. The expense level was positively affected by lower activity and ongoing efficiency measures and negatively affected by costs related to compliance and continued digitalisation. The cost/income ratio rose to 49.0% from 45.3% in the first quarter of 2017. Credit quality was strong. Loan impairment charges remained low with a net reversal of DKK 330 million for the first quarter of 2018. At the end of March 2018, total lending was up 2% from the level at the end of March 2017, and total deposits were up 6%. Deposits and lending grew in almost all markets. Developments at business units Personal Banking posted a profit before tax of DKK 1.5 billion, an increase of 21% compared with the figure for the first quarter of 2017. The result was driven mainly by continuously increasing business volumes in Sweden and Norway, lower operating expenses and net impairment reversals. Business Banking posted a profit before tax of DKK 2.2 billion, an increase of 5% from the level in the first quarter of 2017. The level of activity remained good, and also the business momentum was good with increasing lending across the Nordics. Corporates & Institutions posted a profit before tax of DKK 1.4 billion, a decrease of 35% from the level in the first quarter of 2017. The decrease was due primarily to lower trading income in FICC and Capital Markets compared with the same period in 2017 when activity was high. Operating expenses decreased 3% due to lower activity and a continuous focus on cost efficiency gains. Wealth Management posted a profit before tax of DKK 0.9 billion, a decrease of 18% from the level in the first quarter of 2017. The financial performance was influenced by uncertainty in the financial markets, causing a lower investment result from the health and accident business and slightly lower assets under management. Danica Pension saw strong premium growth. Despite ongoing macroeconomic uncertainty, the underlying performance of Danske Bank in Northern Ireland was satisfactory with continued growth in lending and deposits. However, profit before tax declined 45% (in local currency) on the basis of higher loan impairment charges. Strong capital ratios Danske Banks capital position remained strong, with a total capital ratio of 21.4% and a CET1 capital ratio of 16.4%. Both ratios are above our targets. Outlook unchanged We expect net profit for 2018 to be in the range of DKK 18-20 billion. We maintain our ambition to rank in the top three among our Nordic peers in terms of return on shareholders equity. Other initiatives Changes to our Baltic business As part of our strategy to focus on the Nordic markets, we will in the Baltics serve only subsidiaries of our Nordic customers and global companies with business interests in the Nordics going forward. All other banking activities will be transferred to our Non-core unit. Changes to the financial reporting As described in Company Announcement No. 23 of 6 April 2018, the financial reporting will be aligned with our new organisational structure. The interim report for the first half of 2018 will show pro forma figures, whereas the interim report for the first nine months of 2018 will reflect the new structure. Yours faithfully Danske Bank Contact person: Kenni Leth, Group Press Officer, tel. +45 45 14 14 00 More information about Danske Banks financial results is available at danskebank.com/reports. Attachments VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 26, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Auryn Resources Inc. (TSX:AUG) (NYSE American:AUG) (Auryn or the Company) is pleased to announce that it has staked a substantial land position in the Andahuaylas-Yauri belt in southern Peru. This area hosts significant large-scale porphyry and skarn deposits such as the Las Bambas, Tintaya, Antapaccay, Cotabambas, Los Chancas, and Constancia deposits, as well as Auryns undrilled Sombrero project (Figure 1). Approximately 60,000 hectares has been applied for 75 kilometers to the southeast of Auryns Sombrero project, establishing the Company as a dominant player within the region. The areas staked represent both epithermal gold-silver and copper-gold skarn/porphyry targets (Figure 2 & 3). Those targets were staked in this highly under-explored region of Peru following a regional stream sediment program conducted by Auryn in 2017. The program screened 6,700 square kilometers using highly sensitive cyanide leach assay techniques and pointed to gold, copper, and silver anomalies that were typically five-times background level. This latest staking has more than doubled the Companys current land position to over 100,000 hectares in the region. The next stage of Auryns exploration process will be to conduct systematic follow-up work consisting of high-density stream sediment sampling, reconnaissance rock sampling, mapping, trenching and geophysical programs. Michael Henrichsen, Auryns COO and Chief Geologist, stated, This is a rare opportunity in the region as we dont believe there has been any systematic exploration in this area of Peru due to the perceived nature of an overlying post-mineralization volcanic cover. Our field observations resulted in the identification of several erosional windows through the volcanic cover that exhibit epithermal, porphyry and skarn styles of mineralization. More importantly, the overlying volcanic cover rock has been observed to host precious metal style epithermal mineralization. Michael Henrichsen, P.Geo, COO of Auryn, is the Qualified Person who assumes responsibility for the technical disclosures in this press release. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF AURYN RESOURCES INC. Ivan Bebek Executive Chairman For further information on Auryn Resources Inc., please contact Natasha Frakes, Manager of Corporate Communications at (778) 729-0600 or info@aurynresources.com. About Auryn Auryn Resources is a technically driven junior mining exploration company focused on delivering shareholder value through project acquisition and development. The Companys management team is highly experienced with an impressive track record of success and has assembled an extensive technical team as well as a premier gold exploration portfolio. Auryn is focused on scalable high-grade gold deposits in established mining jurisdictions, which include the Committee Bay and Gibson MacQuoid gold projects located in Nunavut, the Homestake Ridge gold project in British Columbia and a portfolio of gold projects in southern Peru, through Corisur Peru SAC. Forward Looking Information and additional cautionary language This release includes certain statements that may be deemed forward-looking statements. Forward-looking information is information that includes implied future performance and/or forecast information including information relating to, or associated with the acquisition and title to mineral concessions. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different (either positively or negatively) from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Readers should refer to the risks discussed in the Companys Annual Information Form and MD&A for the year ended December 31, 2016 and subsequent continuous disclosure filings with the Canadian Securities Administrators available at www.sedar.com and the Companys registration statement on Form 40-F filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and available at www.sec.gov. Peru Stream Sediment Samples, 2017: Samples between 0.5 to 3kg were collected from stream sediments. The samples were then sent to ALS Lab in Vancouver, BC for preparation and analysis. They are analyzed using Ultra-Trace Au by Cyanide Extraction and ICP-MS finish method (Au-CN44) and ultra-trace multi-element Aqua Regia digest ICP-AES/ICP-MS method (ME-MS41L). Samples from follow-up stream sediment survey are analyzed using Super-Trace Au and multi-element by Aqua Regia digest and ICP-MS finish method (AuME-ST44). QA/QC programs using internal standard samples, field and lab duplicates, re-assays, and blanks indicate acceptable accuracy and precision in a large majority of standards assayed. Disclaimer The Toronto Stock Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Photos accompanying this announcement are available at http://resource.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/57d119cc-77db-4570-ad23-9bffa7cf667a http://resource.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/5f7367f2-f646-4a7e-a1bd-2e8562d33a59 http://resource.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/13e4e467-ef7b-4141-bffc-a45d55596972 VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 26, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- GAR Limited. d/b/a/ Netcoins (NETC or the "Company") (CSE:NETC) is pleased to announce that it has signed a definitive agreement to launch in Australia via Flexepin. Netcoins already has distribution to 3,500 stores in Canada via Flexepin, and will be active in 7,500 more locations throughout the continent of Australia by early May. The Flexepin system allows a consumer or investor to buy a voucher at retail partner locations, such as convenience stores and gas stations, and redeem the voucher via Netcoins for Bitcoin. Netcoins tested the Australia market with Flexepin in 2016, and now following the success we are achieving in Canada with daily transactions, we are launching in Australia in local currency (AUD). To continue to maximize revenues, Netcoins must keep bringing purchase locations closer to consumers throughout the world. Flexepin has been a valuable revenue contributor and partner in Canada, and we are excited to enable Australians to purchase Bitcoin via Netcoins, said Netcoins CEO, Mark Binns. 24 million Australians will have easier access to crypto thanks to Netcoins, overcoming the numerous challenges of online exchanges and traditional (non-virtual) Bitcoin ATM machines. We look forward to accessing more international markets with Flexepin in the coming months as well. About the Company The Company is in the business of developing software to better facilitate the purchase and sale of bitcoin for end-users. Netcoins enables the sale of bitcoin through its software at retail outlets, through individual agents and directly to clients purchasing and selling in large quantities. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Mark Binns Mark Binns CEO and Director For Investor Relations Inquiries please contact Skanderbeg Capital Advisors at 604 687 7130 or email mario@skanderbegcapital.com The CSE does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information This information release contains certain forward-looking information. Such information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those implied by statements herein, and therefore these statements should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results. All forward-looking statements are based on the Company's current beliefs as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to it as well as other factors. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. Due to risks and uncertainties, including the risks and uncertainties identified by the Company in its public securities filings, actual events may differ materially from current expectations. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. REDWOOD CITY, Calif., April 26, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reputation.com, the first and only complete Online Reputation Management (ORM) platform for the enterprise, today announced it is further accelerating its growth in Europe with new regional offices in Spain and Portugal. Spain and Portugal are home to more than 12 million businesses, including world leaders in automotive, hospitality, retail and manufacturing. Spain has experienced 17 straight quarters of GDP growth, and Portugal's economy grew faster in 2017 than in any of the previous 17 years. With this business growth comes an increased need for online reputation management solutions, due to the expanded influence of sites like Google, Facebook, Trustpilot and others on consumer perception and buying decisions. By having a presence in-country, Reputation.com can now better serve businesses in these high-growth regions and help them reach their customer acquisition, growth and retention objectives with a comprehensive ORM platform, professional services, and regional expertise. With its software as a service (SaaS) platform, the company already manages tens of millions of consumer reviews and interactions -- across hundreds of thousands of online points of presence -- for multinationals including Fortune Global 500 companies. Reputation.com predicts the global online reputation market will triple in size by 2020, and is investing heavily in regional expansion to ensure customers have access to the best tools and service worldwide. Reputation.com itself is riding a wave of success in Europe, experiencing growth of over 175 percent in 2017 alone. In Spain and Portugal specifically, marketing and business operations are evolving rapidly, and consumers are engaging with brands and businesses in entirely new and transparent ways, thanks to digital technologies used in search, social media and reviews-focused websites, said Salvador Munoz, Reputation.com Sales Director, Iberia. Enterprises are no longer satisfied with one-off tools to monitor and manage online conversations in an isolated manner. They are now looking for partners and platforms to help them understand the customer experience from first online touch, through to sale and post-sale review." In addition to offices in Europe, Reputation.com also has offices across North America and in India. The company will continue to expand globally to meet the growing demand for online reputation management technology and services. For more information on open positions in Spain, Portugal and around the world, please visit www.reputation.com/careers. About Reputation.com Reputation.com, Inc., based in Silicon Valley, pioneered online reputation management (ORM) technology in 2006. With its SaaS platform, businesses across the Americas, Europe and Asia Pacific gain actionable insights that help them make operational improvements, improve online reputation and drive visits and revenue. Reputation.com technology has managed tens of millions of consumer reviews and interactions across hundreds of thousands of online points of presence for global companies spanning 77 industry verticals, including healthcare, retail, automotive, restaurants and others. Reputation.com is a World Economic Forum Global Growth Company and is funded by the same top-tier venture capital firms that backed Google, Facebook, Cisco and Microsoft. To learn more, visit www.reputation.com. Visit the Reputation.com blog: https://www.reputation.com/resources/blog/ Follow Reputation.com on Twitter: https://twitter.com/reputation_com Follow Reputation.com on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/reputation-com/ Follow Reputation.com on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/reputation.com Press Contact Katrina Cameron 10Fold for Reputation.com +1-619-808-7078 Reputation@10Fold.com - $125,000 Gross Yield Per Acre - $95,000 Net Per Acre for Cannabis and Its Partners - Total of 800 Acres Will Be Planted After Test COCONUT CREEK, Fla., April 26, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Via OTC PR Wire -- Bahamas Development Corporation (OTCPINK:BDCI) subsidiary company Cannabis Consortium, Inc. has secured a second Private Placement of $375,000 to plant 15 acres of hemp on a 1,400 acre farm to validate crop yields and document actual income streams accruing to the Company. Cannabis estimates the initial 15 acres will net $1,425,000 of which Cannabis will receive its initial investment of $375,000 back, plus an additional 15% of the net. A soil sample was taken prior to receiving the financial commitment from the investor, and the soil test was returned from the lab proving there are no toxins or pesticides present. The 15-acre hemp test plot is being prepared now, and planting is scheduled for May 2018. The farmer estimates two crop grows annually. If the initial test is proven, the next layer of the plan is to plant up to 800 acres of hemp. The estimated gross revenue expected to accrue annually from 800 acres is $160,000,000 minus $20,000,000 in operating expenses, resulting in a net of $140,000,000. After the first year of operation the farm may expand to 1,400 acres. The $375,000 investment is completely non-dilutive to BDCI. No shares, options, warrants or debt agreements were executed by BDCI in the acceptance of this money, and the investor will receive shares in Cannabis Consortium. Cannabis Consortium does not own or operate any licensed cannabis operation. Cannabis Consortium is entitled to receive 15% of the annual net revenue collected by its partners from every project it is involved with. The Company is also entitled to receive 15% of the proceeds its partners receive should any company be sold. Cannabis acts as a consultant in these transactions and is not involved in any day-to-day operations or decision making for any of the licensed cannabis operations. Cannabis may own assets in the future that are leased to various licensed entities operating in the cannabis sector. Cannabis will receive rent from any asset it leases to the cannabis sector. Bahamas Development Corporation, in compliance with SEC regulations, may in the future use social media outlets like Facebook or Twitter and its own website to announce key information in compliance with Reg FD. Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains "forward-looking statements" as that term is defined in Section 27(a) of the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Statements in this press release which are not purely historical are forward-looking statements and include any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such forward-looking statements include, among other things, estimates of services and equipment markets, release of corporate apps, growth of platform, target markets, product releases, product demand and, business strategy. Actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements due to numerous factors. Such factors include, among others, the inherent uncertainties associated with new projects and development stage companies. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and we assume no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Although we believe that any beliefs, plans, expectations and intentions contained in this press release are reasonable, there can be no assurance that any such beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions will prove to be accurate. Investors should consult all of the information set forth herein and should also consider that any investment in securities is at risk. Details of the Company's business, finances, appointments and agreements can be found as part of the Company's continuous public disclosure on otcmarkets.com. For additional information about this release please contact: Investor Relations: C-Bond will trade as WETM until name and symbol change are completed Company raises more than $1.2 million in equity capital at closing HOUSTON, April 26, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- C-Bond Systems, LLC (the Company or C-Bond), an advanced nanotechnology company that improves and strengthens brittle materials, announced today that it has completed a merger agreement and plan of reorganization by and among West Mountain Alternative Energy, Inc. (West Mountain) (OTC:WETM), and WETM Acquisition Corp. (the Merger). Pursuant to the Merger, all of the outstanding common units of C-Bond that were issued and outstanding immediately prior to the closing of the Merger were converted into an aggregate of 63,505,787 shares of West Mountains common stock. As a result, each common unit of C-Bond was converted into approximately 3.23 shares of West Mountains common stock. The Company plans to change the name and stock symbol of WETM in the near future, subject to shareholder approval, to something that more closely aligns with C-Bonds business. Contemporaneously with the closing of the Merger, the Company closed on the sale of 3,100,000 shares of West Mountain common stock pursuant to a private placement at a purchase price of $0.40 per share, for aggregate gross proceeds of $1.24 million. C-Bond is engaged in the implementation of proprietary nanotechnology applications and processes to enhance properties of strength, functionality and sustainability of brittle material systems with a strong focus in the glass industry. The C-Bond technology enables ordinary glass to dissipate energy by permeating the glass surface and detecting microscopic flaws and defects that are randomly distributed over the glass surface. C-Bonds unique qualities then work to locate and repair the identified surface imperfections that weaken the glass composite structure and ultimately act as failure initiators. To date, C-Bond has filed, licensed and/or acquired a total of 22 individual patents and patent applications spanning core and strategic nanotechnology applications and processes. C-Bonds advanced patent portfolio was developed in association with experts from Rice University, which is a C-Bond shareholder, and Swansea University based in the United Kingdom. C-Bonds newest product, C-Bond NanoShield, is a patented nanotechnology windshield glass strengthening and hydrophobic (water repellent) all-in-one performance system. It is designed to improve windshield safety and performance by increasing windshield chip and crack resistance and improving windshield visibility in wet weather conditions providing extended driver reaction time. C-Bonds Ballistic Resistant Film System, C-Bond II, is comprised of a proprietary security film and C-Bonds glass strengthening technology. C-Bond II increases the structural integrity of glass and has been validated by third party laboratories to provide National Institute of Justice (NIJ) Level I, Level IIA, Level II, and Underwriter Laboratories (UL) 752 ballistic-resistant protection. C-Bond I is a patented, non-toxic, water-based nanotechnology solution designed to increase the strength of glass and improve the performance properties of window film-to-glass products. C-Bond reduces glass breakage from impact and stress and fills the capillary voids on the glass surface, preventing the trapping of moisture and impurities that impede cure time and adhesion between the glass and any succeeding window film product. C-Bond provides advanced, yet easy to apply, cost-effective solutions that improve and strengthen the properties of brittle materials, stated C-Bond Chairman and CEO Scott R. Silverman. Whats even more exciting is that our products, which have NO direct competitors, not only help save money, but may also even save lives. Silverman continued, While our technology can be applied to a variety of industries and applications, we are currently focused on the flat glass market which is estimated to be a $200 billion global industry. The replacement of windshields alone represents a $4 billion market in the U.S., and our C-Bond II system is already in use in more than 70 schools. About C-Bond C-Bond Systems, LLC, headquartered in Houston, Texas, is an advanced nanotechnology company and sole owner, developer and manufacturer of the patented C-Bond technology. C-Bond is the ONLY patent-protected nanotechnology product that is scientifically tested and commercially proven to significantly increase the strength, safety and performance levels of glass and window film products. For more information visit us at www.cbondsystems.com, on Facebook, or Twitter. Statements in this press release about our future expectations, including without limitation, the likelihood that the Company will change the name and stock symbol of WETM in the near future, subject to shareholder approval, to something that more closely aligns with C-Bonds business; the likelihood that the Companys products may save lives; the likelihood that the global flat glass market is a $200 billion global business; the likelihood that the windshield replacement market represents a $4 billion market in the U.S.; constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and as that term is defined in the Private Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties and are subject to change at any time, and our actual results could differ materially from expected results. These risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, C-Bonds ability to raise capital; the Companys ability to target the flat glass market; the Companys ability to successfully commercialize its products; as well as other risks. Additional information about these and other factors may be described in future filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or release any revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this statement or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by law. TORONTO, April 26, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Changfeng Energy Inc. (TSXV:CFY) (Changfeng or the Company) updates that in April 2018 the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council jointly released the document that unveiled guidelines on supporting the southern island province of Hainan to deepen reform and opening up, with details on turning it into a pilot free trade zone and creating a "free trade port with Chinese characteristics." Below are articles from China Daily and South China Morning Post outlining the situation: China unveils guidelines for deepening Hainan reform, opening up - China Daily http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/201804/14/WS5ad1da44a3105cdcf65184b3.html Who will win if Hainan, Chinas Hawaii, follows Macau to become a gamblers paradise? http://www.scmp.com/news/china/economy/article/2132160/chinas-hawaii-has-gambling-plan-here-are-potential-winners The Company believes that this state policy will increase tourism and immigration for Sanya, Hainan, PRC in the future and accordingly the revenues from city gas sales operations in Sanya should continue to increase. Furthermore, given the outlined efforts to phase out the sale of traditional oil-fueled vehicles in Hainan, Changfengs CNG/LNG retail station gas sales is also expected to increase in the future. About Changfeng Energy Inc. Changfeng Energy Inc. is a Canadian public company currently traded on the Toronto Venture Exchange (TSX-V) under the stock symbol CFY. It is an integrated energy provider and natural gas distribution company (or natural gas utility) in the Peoples Republic of China. Changfeng strives to combine leading clean energy technology with natural gas usage to provide sustainable energy to its customer base in the PRC. In 2009, Changfeng was recognized as being one of Chinas the Top Ten Most Influential Brands in the Natural Gas Industry. CONTACT INFORMATION Corporate Investment Relations Investor.relations@changfengenergy.cn Ann Siyin Lin VP, Corporate Development ann.lin@changfengenergy.cn Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements contained in this news release constitute forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, Forward-Looking Statements). All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included or incorporated by reference in this document are Forward-Looking Statements, including statements regarding activities, events or developments that the Company expects or anticipates may occur in the future. These Forward-Looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as will, expect, intend, plan, estimate, anticipate, believe or continue or similar words or the negative thereof. No assurance can be given that the plans, intentions or expectations or assumptions upon which these Forward-Looking Statements are based will prove to be correct and such Forward-Looking Statements included in this news release should not be unduly relied upon. Although management believes that the expectations represented in such Forward-Looking Statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Such Forward-Looking Statements are not a guarantee of performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements or developments expressed or implied by such Forward-Looking Statements. These factors include, without limitation, no significant and continuing adverse changes in general economic conditions or conditions in the financial markets. Readers are cautioned that all Forward-Looking Statements involve risks and uncertainties, including those risks and uncertainties detailed in the Corporations filings with applicable Canadian securities regulatory authorities, copies of which are available at www.sedar.com. The Company urges readers to carefully consider those factors. The Forward-Looking Statements included in this news release are made as of the date of this document and the Company 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 expressly required by applicable securities legislation. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described herein and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such. Neither 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. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 26, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Atico Mining Corporation (the Company or Atico) (TSX.V:ATY) (OTC:ATCMF) reports that its Colombian subsidiary, Minera El Roble S.A. (the Subsidiary), has received a notice of claim (the Claim) from the Administrative Tribunal of Cundinamarca (the Tribunal) in Colombia related to payment of royalties on past copper production. On November 18, 2015, the Company announced that the Subsidiary had received notice of a claim from the mining authority in Colombia requesting payment of royalties related to past copper production in the amount of approximately US$2 million. The Claim that the Company has now received from the Tribunal is in the amount of approximately US$5 million plus interest and fees. After exhausting all options to find a resolution at the administrative level, the Company will vigorously defend itself against this action before the Tribunal. The Colombian mining authority is basing its claim on the current mining law, which is subsequent to the prevailing mining law under which the Subsidiary executed the contract regulating its royalty obligations. The current mining law in Colombia explicitly states that it does not affect contracts executed prior to the current mining law entering into force. Therefore, the Company and its Colombian legal counsels position is that the Claim is not legitimate and that the Company has complied with the royalty payments required under its contractual obligations. The Company has been advised by its Colombian legal counsel that the Claim lacks merit, is in violation of Colombian law, and that such claims may take up to 10 years to reach a resolution. About Atico Mining Corporation Atico is a growth-oriented company, focused on exploring, developing and mining copper and gold projects in Latin America. The Company operates the El Roble mine and is pursuing additional acquisition opportunities. For more information, please visit www.aticomining.com. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD Fernando E. Ganoza CEO Atico Mining Corporation Trading symbols: TSX.V: ATY | OTC: ATCMF Investor Relations Igor Dutina Tel: +1.604.633.9022 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. No securities regulatory authority has either approved or disapproved of the contents of this news release. The securities being offered 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 in the United States, or to, or for the account or benefit of, a "U.S. person" (as defined in Regulation S of the U.S. Securities Act) unless pursuant to an exemption therefrom. This press release is for information purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities of the Company in any jurisdiction. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements in attributing criminal or delinquent behavior to some food allergy Thank you Daagh for your time on GMAT Club and all your contributions! Thank you for everything you did! Your work will remain a great tribute to you here on GMAT Club ! -bb -bb Signature Read More This is a copycat version of the 's example given below.Defense attorneys have occasionally argued that their clients misconduct stemmed from a reaction to something ingested, but, the perpetrators are in effect told that they are not responsible for their actions.(A) in attributing criminal or delinquent behavior to some food allergy(B) if criminal or delinquent behavior is attributed to an allergy to some food(C) in attributing behavior that is criminal or delinquent to an allergy to some food(D) if some food allergy is attributed as the cause of criminal or delinquent behavior(E) in attributing a food allergy as the cause of criminal or delinquent behaviorAnswer BIn the given example of parents and children, if you say 'in attributing ', then the prepositional modifier should be immediately followed by the attributors namely 'the parents' and not 'the children' as the choice reveals. That is why B is faulty._________________ number number Quote: (A) equivalent to the enrollment of number Quote: (B) the equivalent of those enrolled in people people Quote: (C) equal to those who are enrolled in number Quote: (D) as many as the enrollment of (E) as many as are enrolled in collective enrollment are enrolled This one is a classic, and it might make the top-ten list of questions that cause the most frustration in GMAT-land. Its a comparison question, but with some ugly tweaks and if youre not really, really strict and literal with the meaning, youll get twisted up in this one. (And if you want more on comparisons, check out this YouTube video and this sequel .)Before we get rolling: the sentence is clearly trying to compare theof people who receive job training with theof people who are enrolled in four-year colleges and universities. And plenty of the answer choices sound decent, but only one really conveys that meaning with precision.So whats being compared when we look strictly and literally at (A)? Basically, the sentence is saying that eight million people who receive job training from companies are equivalent to the enrollment of the nations four-year colleges and universities.Hm. Thats not quite right. The word equivalent generally suggests that two things are similar in quality or function, and enrollment generally refers to an entire group of students as a collective. So (A) is literally saying that the eight million people in job training are similar in quality or function to the collective group of students in universities.And that doesnt make any sense. Were not saying that the groups of people are similar in quality; were trying to say that the groups have the sameof people.So (A) is out.The word those always catches my eye, especially on comparison questions. Those is a plural pronoun, and in this case, those presumably refers to people.So that gives us: eight million people (in job training), the equivalent of the people enrolled in the nations four-year colleges and universities. Superficially, its nice that this compares eight million in job training to theenrolled in colleges and universities, but were still saying that the two types of people are equivalent again, roughly similar in quality or function. And that doesnt make sense, for the same reasons as (A).So (B) can be eliminated, too.This one sounds better! Only trouble is, we dont care about sound on SC Since those once again refers to people, we now have eight million people (in job training), equal to the people who are enrolled in colleges and universities. This is really subtle, but this is telling us that the actual people in job training are equal to the actual people in colleges and universities.Literally, that seems to making a social statement about equality among people in different situations in life. Personally, I like that sentiment, but it really has nothing to do with what the sentence is trying to say. The point isnt that people in job training are equal to the people in universities; the sentence is trying to say that theof people in each group is the same.And since (C) doesnt actually say that, we can get rid of it.Since (D) and (E) are so similar, lets line those two up side-by-side:Meaning-wise, the phrase as many as is a huge improvement over our options in (A), (B), and (C). Its finally clear that were comparing the number of people in each group, so thats great.But (E) makes a little bit more sense than (D). Why? Well, the word enrollment generally refers to the collective group of students enrolled in colleges and universities, so (D) is saying that eight million people receiving training from companies are as many as theof colleges and universities. And thats not quite right: its clearer to say that the eight million people is the same number of people asin colleges and universities.So (E) conveys the correct meaning just a little bit more clearly, and it's the best answer._________________ carcass wrote: 1. The question asks us to identify the author's reason for believing that German reunification could succeed. According to the last sentence of the passage, "[reunification] would have been preposterous had not West Germany possessed the resources to accomplish the task." In other words, West Germany was prosperous enough to afford this major undertaking. (A) The correct principal reason for success does not include attributes of East Germany. (B) The correct principal reason for success does not include attributes of East Germany. (C) Although this point is made in the passage, it is not the reason given for reunification's success. (D) This is not the reason given in the last sentence for reunification's success. (E) CORRECT. This choice reflects the information we were looking for: the country was "materially stable," or prosperous enough, to succeed. 2. The question asks us to identify the reason that the author mentions the United States in the passage. In the third paragraph, the author asks whether West Germany was "up to the task" of re-unification. This is followed by the example of Italy as a government that does spend the necessary resources to help its underperforming regions. Then, the author mentions the United States as a counterexample with negative overtones: "In contrast, in the United States, the local population bears the burden of varying economic performance. For example, the American South is allowed to exist with much higher rates of poverty and lower education than the rest of the nation." [Emphasis added.] The use of the word "allowed" suggests that the author does not approve of the situation in the United States. Further, the very next paragraph begins . . ."Rather than allow East Germany to fall into total disrepair . . . " as if to further contrast the German government with that of the United States. (A) The passage in general does not argue against any commonly held beliefs, including the specific example about the United States. (B) CORRECT. This choice echoes our above analysis: the author views the situation cited as "undesirable." (C) The author disapproves of the cited example, so he would not offer it as a possible advantageous solution to Germany's reunification. (D) The passage does not call the principle into question; rather, the author indicates disapproval of this particular approach. (E) The author disapproves of the cited example; he would not offer it as a positive lesson. 3. The question asks us to identify the purpose of the first paragraph: what role does it play in the context of the passage as a whole? The first paragraph presents historical information about the relationship between East and West Germany. This information is given as background to the subsequent paragraphs. We need to find an answer choice that is consistent with this analysis. (A) The relationship between East and West Germany is not merely one example of a much larger general theory; the passage is about this specific circumstance. (B) The passage does not seek to alter or revise a commonly held view, either in the first paragraph or elsewhere. (C) CORRECT. The first paragraph presents the background information necessary to understand the claims made in the rest of the passage. (D) The first paragraph does not raise questions; it provides facts as to the relationship between East and West Germany at a specific point in time. (E) The first paragraph does not provide two opposing points of view. 4. The question asks us to infer something from the passage regarding the relationship between West Germany and France. The passage notes that countries were "wary of a united Germany" and next mentions that France, "a perpetual competitor, saw Germanys size advantage increase overnight." We need to find an answer choice that can be deduced from this information alone; we cannot conclude too much. If France is wary of Germany's impending larger size, then France must also be worried that it will be negatively impacted by the change. (A) The above information tells us nothing about the relative stabilities of the two economies. (B) The above information does not tell us the entire history of the relative GDPs of the two countries. "Always" is too extreme. (C) The above information does not mention either population or international trade with respect to the two countries' economies. (D) CORRECT. If France does not view its relative economic position as immutable, or unable to be changed, then it is sensible for the country to worry that it might be negatively impacted by the changes in Germany. that West Germany specifically planned to bolster its position over that of France. Couldn't understand the answer to Question 4. If France does not view its economic position as "unable to be changed", then that mean that France views its situation as one that can be changed and hence it does not need to worry about the same.Am I not understanding this properly? Re: The Mayor of Vargonia came under flak recently because he cancelled [ #permalink devikeerthansr wrote: The Mayor of Vargonia came under flak recently because he cancelled several pre-sanctioned infrastructure development projects. The opposition is claiming that this was a move to persecute them, as more than 90% of the cancelled projects were in constituencies ruled by opposition party members. The Mayor has responded that all the cancelled projects were evaluated and deemed unfeasible in a study conducted by an independent third party. Therefore, his supporters claim that his motivation has been purely non-partisan. Which of the following is an assumption that the Mayors supporters rely on? n ways other than by cancelling infrastructure projects. We don't know whether other ways are there or not. Very broad scope. B The infrastructure projects identified by the study as unfeasible were not mostly in constituencies controlled by the Mayors party. If the cancelled projects are not in Mayor's control, we can assume that Mayor has non-partisan motivation. Let's move on. If this is the case, then Mayor would not have cancelled the projects. We are only concerned about the projects which are cancelled. Irrelevant "Do not watch clock; Do what it does. KEEP GOING." Signature Read More A If he wanted to, the Mayor can persecute opposition party members iC The canceled projects formed a significant proportion of all the infrastructure projects that were to be undertaken by the government in the near future.D The infrastructure projects planned for constituencies controlled by the Mayors party were all deemed feasible in the independent study.E Opposition parties also use studies conducted by independent third parties to objectively assess government projects._________________ 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 He pointed out that New Year is supposed to be a time of happiness but for the people of Iran, this new year has been marked with impoverishment and brutality. Stevenson highlighted that a quarter of young people are unemployed. Stevenson also emphasised that Iran has a predominantly young population more than half of the 80 million citizens are under the age of thirty. The young people of Iran are forward-thinking and pro-Western, unlike the elderly, bearded, deeply corrupt mullahs that rule the country. Iran is an oil-rich country but the resources have been wasted on the export of terrorism and fundamentalism. The regime lavishes itself in riches and luxury and lets the people take the brunt of the economic troubles. Stevenson said: The middle-class has all but been extinguished, apart from a few affluent neighbourhoods that house the extremely wealthy and largely corrupt clerics, revolutionary guards and key supporters of the theocratic regime. Iran, he added, is the most repressive and corrupt in the Middle East and it has the highest execution rate per capita in the world. Ninety per cent of the executions that are carried out in the region are in Iran. The people are also subjected to the regimes misogynistic, homophobic and male-dominated ideals. At the end of last year, people the whole way across the country took to the streets to protest. They are fed up of seeing the regime officials swan around in luxury while the people become increasingly worse off. The Iranian regime knows that it is losing its grip on power and it is acting desperately. Unable to act any other way, the regime increased the number of arrests happening and continued to torture prisoners and ramp up its campaign of repression. Stevenson points out that what the regime fears most is the popular fury of the masses spilling over into a new revolution, sweeping their fascist regime from power. The regime had previously maintained that the democratic opposition, the Peoples Mojahedin of Iran (PMOI / MEK) is weak, insignificant and has no following in Iran. Yet, during the recent protests, officials in the regime admitted that the PMOI was behind the organisation of the uprising. This acknowledgment of the opposition was quite a surprise to some and President Hassan Rouhanis call to French President Emmanuel Macron to urge him to take action against the opposition was laughable. To ask the leader of a democratic and free country to take action against a peaceful opposition group says it all! Stevenson finally called for action and said that we owe it to our conscience and to the people of Iran to support the opposition so that they finally get freedom and democracy as soon as possible. He said: It is sad and disgraceful that here in the West we think that constructive dialogue with the mullahs is sufficient, while they export war and terror throughout the Middle East. We close our eyes to the daily abuse of human rights, because we dont want to derail the chance for rich, commercial contracts with this evil regime. We block our ears to the screams of the tortured and oppressed, because we believe that our policy of appeasement will suffice. Well it is time that we woke up. Official estimates going back a decade in Iran, put the number of homeless children at 60,000. However, many childrens rights organizations believe the number is much higher, perhaps up to 200,000 children or more. Last October in an interview with state-run Iran Students News Agency (ISNA), the managing director of the Tehran Social Services Organization, Reza Ghadimi, claimed that based on a survey of 400 child laborers, 90 percent of them are molested. His shocking comment raised a furor in the county, causing Ghadimi to say he was not referring to sexual abuse. By molesting, I did not mean sexual abuse of the working children. I meant child workers are left in the cold, outside in the streets, they are not fed properly, and their faces are painted black to attract pity, Ghadimi said. An audio recording of Ghadimis initial remark is said to have be obtained by the daily, Shahrvand, who reports that in it, he clearly states that 90 percent of child laborers are sexually abused. Ghadimis 90 percent claim is unfounded, say government officials. Still, Jafari said the problem of homeless children and child labor is so massive that Irans Welfare Organization (IWO) needs assistance from other government institutions and NGOs. Jafari insisted that education should be the top priority in any plan to save these children, As the child workers are deprived of schooling, their future will be as dim as today. Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli also emphasized the necessity of educating child laborers. When he announced new guidelines for managing of the street children issue, Fazli promised to round-up the street children and send them to schools and other centers to be educated and trained. Tehrans city council criticized his plan, as did the Irnian people on social media. The chairman of the board of the Iranian Society for Protecting Childrens Rights, Motahareh Nazeri, said the solution of rounding up street children has already been tried 30 times without any success. Other opponents say that getting children off the streets is impossible without systemic social and economic change. Activists and lawyers are also opposed to the rule that children found begging or unsupervised on the streets for the third time are removed from their parents custody. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) claims that, In Iran, children living on the streets can often be seen in urban centers such as Tehran, Isfahan, Mashhad, and Shiraz. Many of them are the offspring of Afghan refugees. Others come from Iranian families who have slipped, through unemployment, drug addiction, or illness, into the populous ranks of the urban poor. Although Iran is a signatory to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, it has not ratified other international conventions that define the minimum age for child labor. But, according to Iranian law, a child cannot legally work under the age of fifteen. The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Actions (JCPOA) has been criticized for its fundamental flaws. Some say that it hasnt the ability to prevent Iranian access to nuclear weapons. Scrapping the deal, however, would have important consequences for Irans domestic and regional policies. Shahram Ahmadi Nasab Emran, M.D., M.A., Ph.D., doctoral candidate at Albert Gnaegi Center for Health Care Ethics, and participant in international policy forums, including the Policy Studies Organizations annual Middle East Dialogue conferences, cites five ways, in his article for the Augusta Free Press: 1. As long as the nuclear deal with the P5+1 is in place, it is highly improbable that any party would act militarily to target Irans nuclear facilities. In fact, achieving that security assurance was the key motive for Irans change of gears on the nuclear issue, and return to the talks in 2011. But counterintuitive to Western optimism, these circumstances did not bolster regional peace or stability. Reassured of the improbability of any military option, Iran was emboldened and went on the offensive, stepping up its destabilizing regional interventions. Therefore, ending the nuclear deal would likely motivate Iran to give up its offensive mode in favor of a defensive posture. 2. Reimplementing sanctions would adversely affect the mullahs financial and economic resources. Iran gained a vast amount of money as a result of the nuclear deal. Contrary to the dealmakers assumption, those resources were not used to improve the economic or industrial infrastructure or quality of life for the people of Iran. Instead, the regime used essentially all the money for fueling the regional conflicts in Syria, Yemen, Afghanistan, and elsewhere. Which explains the slogan heard nationwide during recent protests in Iran, Let Syria alone, take care of the [Iranian] people! In other words, denying Iran financial and economic incentives and reimplementing the sanctions, especially in conjunction with the lack of security assurances, would dramatically affect the regimes capability to destabilize the region, without significantly impacting the Iranian people. 3. A defensive regional mode means, most importantly, a fundamentally changed risk/benefit balance of active Iranian involvement in regional conflicts. The Iranian regime will need to recalculate the benefits of fueling the conflicts in Syria and Yemen, for example, in light of the potential risk of inciting a military confrontation with regional powers. Iran, most probably, will surrender its policy of export of crises, while trying to rally its base in Tehran and avoid direct military confrontation. For a regime standing on very shaky ground at home, this represents an existential threat. 4. In a bid to offset the prospect of the US ending the nuclear deal, the mullahs have again trotted out the hardliner-moderate theatrics, whereby ending the nuclear deal, reimplementing sanctions, and increasing pressure on Iran helps the hardliners get the upper hand. Which is why the cast of characters again includes Ahmadinejad, notorious for his defiant and reckless nuclear policy. Ahmadinejads political resurrection is intended to signal a shift to the hardliner mode. Nevertheless, given the lack of financial and economic resources, the increasingly obvious popular unrest at home, and lack of security assurances, Iran will undoubtedly need to continue in the moderate mode, despite any pretensions to the contrary. 5. Ending the nuclear deal also deprives the regime of the unwarranted legitimacy and prestige offered by the P5+1 during the nuclear talks and afterwards. The international community under the leadership of the Obama administration treated the Iranian regime as a normal player with legitimate interests, who should be viewed as a partner in efforts to achieve regional peace and stability. That false picture abandoned dissidents in Iran, and facilitated the regimes repression of the people by removing concerns about any Western reaction. Denying Irans rulers any unwarranted legitimacy changes the regimes balance of power with the dissident majority and their organized resistance movement. The recent wave of nationwide protests removed all doubt that Iranians want nothing less than a regime change. The uprising also reaffirmed the pivotal role of the Mojahedin-e-Khalq (MEK) in transforming popular dissidence into an organized movement directed at the goals of freedom and democracy. While the regime in Tehran has done little to warrant international credibility, the Iranian people, and the popular resistance movement, have demonstrated their commitment to legitimate change that deserves recognition by the United States. Nepal not to seek Temporary Protected Status extension The government of Nepal has hinted that it would not seek a Temporary Protected Status (TPS) extension to 9,000 Nepali nationals living in the United States. Attorney: California police shot unarmed black man 10 times Lawyers for the family of an unarmed black man killed by police in a busy Southern California parking lot said Monday that an autopsy found he was shot 10 times and died from choking on his own blood as police delayed getting him medical help. The autopsy concluded that 26-year-old Diante Yarber died of asphyxiation and that had he been given medical treatment, he would have had a chance at surviving his wounds, attorney S. Lee Merritt said at a news conference. The autopsy was conducted by a private medical examiner at Merritts request. An autopsy by San Bernardino County authorities has not been released and its unclear whether its been finished. ADVERTISEMENT Merritt, who is planning on filing a civil rights lawsuit in the case this week, said the private autopsy found that Yarber had wounds to his chest, back and arms and that he wasnt given medical treatment for a great deal of time. The injuries are consistent with defensive wounds as he was shielding himself and trying to escape the onslaught of bullets, Merritt said. Merritt did not respond to a message seeking a copy of the autopsy report. Barstow police officers fatally shot Yarber on April 5 in a Walmart parking lot in the Mojave Desert city, about halfway between Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Police Chief Albert Ramirez Jr. released a statement Monday night that said Yarber was wanted for car theft after he jumped out of a stolen car last month and ran away. On April 5, officers answering a report of a suspicious vehicle in the Walmart parking lot learned that the car was registered to Yarber, Ramirez said. After an officer stopped the Mustang, the driver opened the door and the officer recognized Yarber, who then backed up the Mustang, hitting a patrol car, moved forward and backed again, almost hitting an officer and then striking an occupied police cruiser, Ramirez said. ADVERTISEMENT Four officers then opened fire because they feared for their safety and the safety of others, the chiefs statement said. All four had working body cameras and the footage was turned over to the San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department but wont be made public until that investigation is complete, Ramirez said. The officers names were not released. Merritt disputes the account of the shooting by police, saying Yarbers car was barely moving. Grainy cellphone footage of the shooting shows officers fired their weapons at least a couple dozen times but doesnt capture the full incident. There were three others in the car with Yarber, a father of three, when police tried to stop him. His girlfriend was shot in the leg and abdomen in the backseat, while Yarbers brother jumped out of the car and his cousin wasnt hit. These officers are opening fire into a car with other passengers and in a Walmart parking lot in broad daylight with people walking all over the place that could have also been struck, said Dale Galipo, an attorney representing Yarbers girlfriend and cousin. Its obviously a totally excessive shooting. Yarbers brother also told attorneys that he heard one officer shout a racial slur before the shooting. Sharon Brunner, who represents Yarbers girlfriend, said she and the other lawyers involved have been unable to find another witness to corroborate that claim. Author Jenkins Talks New Book, The Southern Phoenix Rosemary Jenkins began her writing career as a published author after the release of Leticia in Her Wedding Dress: and Other Poems and two non-fiction books, A Quick-and-Easy Reference to Correct Grammar and Composition, and Vignettes for Understanding Literature and Related Concepts. Now, the established writer is ready to discuss her new book, The Southern Phoenix. The 344 page-turner is a historical fiction novel with a compelling story reflecting on the lives of Jenkins relatives. The book, which takes readers on a journey through America during the mid-1900s, discusses sit-ins down South, the 1965 Watts Riots, fair housing issues, amongst many other topics. The intense read introduces readers to the main character and protagonist, John David Johnson, also known as Ba Bro. Throughout the novel readers learn of his wants, needs, and frustrations in life. They also witness Ba Bro becoming a man and as Jenkins likes to say, rise from the ashes and become a Phoenix in his own right. Aside from being an author, Jenkins has also devoted her life to teaching which she views as her profession and avocation. Jenkins says her inspiration for writing the book comes from working as a teacher. ADVERTISEMENT Once when I was teaching at Jefferson High School, I would assign research topics. I realized that the school library [at the time] had next to nothing on Black history and I was astounded to hear that [when] 99 percent of the students at Jefferson at the time were Black, said Jenkins. So, I would have to go to my local library, check books out, and bring them back to Jefferson. So, as I mentioned in 79. I went down South and picked up a lot of anecdotes from various people and visited various historical places and the following spring, I was just inspired to start writing the book. Jenkins goes on to say that she wanted her novel to reflect the journey of Black people in the last century. I know more recently, there have been movies and some books but I wanted something that really reflected the history without gratuitous sex and violence. That way kids from ages 12 and up, would be open to reading it, she said. For that reason, she envisions the book being used in schools, colleges and universities. Whats next for Jenkins? A YouTube Series for the novel. The series titled, Insights into The Southern Phoenixan historical fiction book by Rosemary Jenkins, is set to appear in May. Additionally, the author told the Los Angeles Sentinel that a new book is currently in the works. Jenkins new book titled Juvenile Offenders: from Big Wheels to the Big House, is a four part non-fiction book discussing various inmates and their journey from youth to prison and other justice issues. The Southern Phoenix is available for purchase in paperback, hardback and Kindle on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and directly through the publisher. To contact the author or for more information on the YouTube series call (818) 667-3280 or email [email protected] . Call 2 Worship April 26 Musicians in Action plans its MIA Annual Drum Clinic on April 27, at 7 p.m., at Renaissance Airport Hotel, 9620 Airport Blvd., in Los Angeles. On April 28, 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., the drum clinic continues at Faithful Central Bible Church, 400 W. Florence Ave. in Inglewood. Sheila E., Teddy Campbell and Trevor Lawrence are among the special guests. Registration is $15. Call (323) 777-3213 for details. ADVERTISEMENT Western State Baptist Convention Womens Auxiliary holds its banquet on April 27, at 6 p.m., and conference on April 28, at 9 a.m., at Calvary Baptist Church, 4911 W. 59th St., in Los Angeles, said Sis. Ernestine Carlyle, president. The theme is Ladies, This Is Our Season based on Jeremiah 29:11 and Ecclesiastes 3:1. First United Church of Compton celebrates its 150th anniversary on April 29, at 3 p.m., at 1025 S. Long Beach Blvd., in Compton, said the Rev. Dr. Arnetha Inge, pastor. The theme is 150 years of Praising God in Every Place, With Every Voice and in Every Way based on Psalm 150. The guest preacher will be Pastor Walter R. Tucker III of Truth and Love Christian Church, a former mayor of Compton and U.S. Congressman. Last year, he released his autobiography, From Compton to Congress His Grace for My Race. Refreshments will be served following the service. For details, call the church at (310) 639-0775. Gamechangers hosts the seminar, Elegant Sisters What Happened? on May 5, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Living Gospel Church, 6601 Compton Ave., in Los Angeles, said Evangelist Georgia Horton, CEO. Participants include Minister Patricia Owens, Pastor Valerie Frazier, Dr. Ann Hill, Dr. Holly Carter, Evangelist Carolyn Johnson, First Lady Bernadette Oliver and soloist Terah Lawyer. For information, call (323) 884-3799. Carson Community Deliverance Center Church holds a special Mothers Day Prayer Service on May 12, at 10 a.m., at 555 E. 220th St., in Carson. The public is invited to attend for worship and prayer. For information, call (310) 835-7905. Civil Rights Town Hall Focuses on Financial State of Black Angelenos The year 1968 was significant for many reasons, some historical, some tragic, some inspiring, all memorable. While our individual memories may differ, it was a significant year for all Americans. Now fifty years after the passing of Martin Luther King Jr., the signing of the Fair Housing Act of 1968, increased troops in Vietnam, and protests across major US cities AARP invites Angelenos to join a discussion of the past, present, and future of our shared history. On April 21, AARP the states leading advocate for the 50-plus population with more than 3.3 million members in California hosted the Remembering 1968: LA Town Hall. This intergenerational discussion focused on civil rights and financial security in recognition of the significance of the year 1968 as well as the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., whose call for economic justice was as unequivocal as it was prescient. AARP is proud to participate in activities nationwide that celebrate and remember the significance of 1968, said Rawle Andrews, AARP Regional Vice President. Weve come a long way in this country; but we still have a ways to go to ensure equal access to social and economic justice is a reality for all. It is only through education, participation and partnerships like the one we have with the Watts Labor Community Action Committee that working together we continue improving the quality of life for people who are 50+ and their families. ADVERTISEMENT The conversation was anchored by data from a recent AARP study, which put a particular spotlight on Black Angelenos. The survey, titled California Dreamingor Struggling: Gen X and Boomer Financial Security, reveals that for the most part Black Angelenos are not ready for retirement; and while they remain optimistic, many are struggling with issues of housing affordability and difficulty in saving for retirement. The study, conducted statewide, interviewed adults ages 36-70 in the workforce in Californias major metro areas. The results from across the state found that issues of affordable housing and retirement savings go hand-in-hand among Gen Xers and Boomers. This feeling of financial insecurity is particularly pronounced with Black Angelenos. Many rate their housing expenses as a major obstacle to saving for retirement, and half of those polled have considered leaving the state due to the high cost of living. AARP California State Director, Nancy McPherson, said the research reveals that housing affordability in Los Angeles has reached a crisis level. According to our research, she said, a broad base of support exists for legislation that addresses access to affordable housing and retirement savings. And approximately 78 percent of Black Angeleno survey respondents believe their elected officials should support legislation increasing access to affordable housing in California. Many Black Angelenos are unprepared for a major financial setback, said Jennifer Hopson, AARP California Associate State Director for multicultural outreach. This study tells us about three in ten (29%) could not withstand a financial expense of $1,000 or more, and 14% could not afford an emergency expense of $100 or more. It is essential for us to delve deeper into the conversation about economic equity and housing. The town hall provided an opportunity to discuss relevant issues with a variety of experts and leaders. The event featured keynote speaker Valeisha Butterfield Jones of Google, as well as a panel discussion with Lori R. Gay, brand strategist, Sheila Coates, financial psychologist, Anita R. Johnson, AARP Californias associate state director for multicultural outreach, Jennifer L. Hopson and urban planning scholar Andre Comandon. NABJ LA Vice President Jarrett Hill served as emcee and moderator. Event attendees had the opportunity to see a preview of Telling the Story of Civil Rights in Los Angeles, a short video series featuring conversations with prominent storytellers, artists leaders and activists from organizations like the Los Angeles Times, the Los Angeles Public Library, the Los Angeles Urban League, Inner City Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles, and the J.L. Edmonds Project. The video series will be released on social media in the coming months. The event will conclude with a historic Civil Rights tour at the Watts Community Action Center following the town hall. Dorsey HS Launches Local March For Our Lives Chapter Recently, Dorsey High Schools STEM and Law Academies launched the Student Leaders of South Los Angeles March Four Our Lives Chapter in hopes to build a strong coalition of student leaders to fight school violence across the nation. The group is sponsored by one of the schools teachers, White House Champion of Change Educator Daphne Bradford. This is their whats next step, said Dorsey Law and Public Service Magnet student, Jada Salazar. ADVERTISEMENT Just like the students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, our future leaders need support from parents, teachers, law enforcement agencies, Congressional representatives, Senators, local government officials, entertainers, athletes, churches and community members to help make our lives and safety at school a priority. As part of the groups mission and goal, a walk-in classroom town hall was held on Friday, April 20, to discuss the improvement of school safety in partnership with LAUSD school police. Additionally, the town hall focused on working with congress to end school violence, arming teachers with school supplies instead of guns. Congresswoman Karen Bass who is also a supporter of March for Our Lives, attended the event. Our congressional representative Bass listened to all of our ideas and everything we asked her help with she said yes to all of them, said student member of the Student Leaders of South Los Angeles March For Our Lives Chapter at Dorsey High School, Imani Davis. I wrote to the Secretary of Education, Betsy Devos, and tried to deliver it to her during our trip to Washington, DC for the March For Our Lives Rally. If she came to our school our group wouldnt protest because we need to be at the table with people making decisions about our education and safety at school. Both Bradford and Bass will continue working together to help the students at Dorsey High School connect with the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School students in Parkland, Fl. To continue their efforts, the group has plans to work with the Los Angeles School Police Association to organize a student exchange journey with the high school founders of the March For Our Lives and the #NeverAgain movements. EXCLUSIVE: NOIs Minister Tony Muhammad Speaks Minister Tony Muhammad, a leader for the Nation of Islam (NOI) and Western Region Representative for the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, sat down with the Sentinel for an exclusive interview to discuss the recent controversy surrounding Farrakhans annual Saviours Day keynote address given in late February. Some in the Jewish community in high places have falsely accused Minister Farrakhan of being anti-Semitic, said Min. Tony. He has let us know that he is still under constant attack by the JDL (Jewish Defense League), AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee) and now the Southern Poverty Law Center has put Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam on its hit list as a hate group. On March 13, 2018 Congressman Todd Rikita (Indiana) and Congressman Louie Gohmert (Texas), created and introduced a resolution titled H. RES. 772 which reads as, Condemning Louis Farrakhan for promoting ideas that create animosity and anger toward Jewish Americans and the Jewish religion. ADVERTISEMENT Min. Tony shared that attacks against Farrakhan are unfortunately routine but will never deter the leader from speaking his mind and sharing what he knows to be true with followers. But for Min. Tony, what is most upsetting about the recent allegations of hate speech and calling the NOI a hate group is many Black leaders have stayed silent. He feels Black leaders should stand up to support Farrakhan or at least reach out for clarity on the matter. Whats sad is that no Black leader has said anything, said Min. Tony. Nobody has even questioned it. Why would you put an organization like the Nation of Islam as a hate group? What have we done to promote hate or carry out acts of hate, to list us among the Skin Heads, the Nazis, the Russian Mafia? Its unjustifiable and you cant find anywhere in our history where we have attacked Caucasians, Jews or any other White organization and or people. What we do is criticize bad behavior. When we criticize Jews, we are criticizing your bad behavior. If their behavior is bad, the Honorable Louis Farrakhan has a habit of knowing how to admonish you and at the same time uplift you. Min. Tony spoke out against certain Black congressional representatives that have sided with the negative resolution condemning and denouncing Farrakhan. Congresswoman Barbara Lee (California), Congressman Danny K. Davis (Chicago), Congressman Andre Carson (Indiana), Congressman Keith Ellison (Minnesota) and Congressman Gregory Meeks (New York) have sided with the resolution. After hearing a snippet of Farrakhans speech in February, Min. Tony shared that many politicians are being pressured by these powerful groups to side against Farrakhan. Tony said the audio snippet is taken out of context and needs to be listened in its entirety in order to understand the message and hear the truth in the message. Min. Tony shared that the audio snippet being played of Farrakhan Saviours Day speech, you will hear Farrakhan explaining he has been asking for a meeting with the Jewish community because he is constantly called anti-Semitic and homophobic. Tony shared that Farrakhan recognizes there are good Jews but also there are Jews that are his enemy and said in the audio snippet the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) is his enemy and that if they continue to attack legitimate Black leaders, White folks you are going down. ADVERTISEMENT However, Min. Tony did speak highly of two Black congressional representatives, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (California) and Congresswoman Karen Bass (California). I have to say, I thank God for {Congresswoman} Maxine Waters and Congresswoman Karen Bass, said Tony. I think our Black politicians should stand down. Minister Farrakhan will take a call from a Maxine Waters or Karen Bass. He will stop what hes doing come and correct him, hes told them. But dont let anyone tell you Ive done something wrong without checking. Here is a man, the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, who when the NAACP was under attack he defended them, when Jesse Jackson was under attack he defended him, Marion Barry, he defended him. No matter what you thought of his sins, the Honorable Louis Farrakhan defended him. I know of many entertainers who when they get into trouble they come. Ive watched him give money to the SCLC (Southern Christian Leadership Conference) when they were about to close their doors. He supported the Urban League. Heres a man who put together a Million Man March and didnt just make it a Muslim march, but a peoples march. We have a reputation for standing up for our community. Just like the Jews someone has to stand up for us and say never again. Min. Tony feels that all of the negative publicity surrounding Minister Farrkhan and the NOI has come about because of three books that Farrakhan and the NOI put out titled, The Secret Relationship Between Blacks and Jews. Since the Jewish community is trying to prove that were anti-Semitic, were proving that theyre anti-Black, said Tony. We went into the Jewish libraries and found what their scholars have said about the role they played in our demise and continue to do so today. Minister Farrakhan took those books and sent them to every Congress person, every Senator, he sent them to every President, he sent it to every Jewish organization, over 100 rabbis showing them here is what your rabbinical scholars and here is what some of your Jewish scholars have said about the role you all have played in destroying our community. Its not what we think about the Jews, its what their scholars are saying about their role. Black people do not realize 40% of the plantations in the South were owned by Jews. They owned the cotton, they sold the chains, they owned the ships that brought us here according to their scholars. When asked if they ever received a response from the Jewish community, Min. Tony said nothing, but did acknowledge that the NOI has Jewish supporters and friends. Certain rabbis are and have been willing to talk but they are unable to rally enough support from their members for deeper dialogue and discussion. When asked about what can be done to eradicate the congressional resolution or clarify Minister Farrakhans words, Tony shared that they there should be a probe lead by the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) and listen to every one of Farrakhans speeches and prove that he has said or done anything anti-Semitic. He would like the CBC to call a meeting and have it open to the public and allow Jews to bring in their most powerful rabbis and say, Is Farrakhan anti-Semitic or is he just criticizing bad Jewish behavior? Minister Farrakhan is a threat because if he unites Black people from all levels, if we pull together somebody has to lose in that situation, said Tony. Are we the Black community going to let another Black leader be set up to be killed or arrested for nothing. Are we going to ten years from now wear a t-shirt like we were with him? Were 50 years from the King assassination and were still struggling. Heres a man, who speaks the truth regardless Heres a man who criticized the bad behavior of anyone, whatever ethnic group, whatever organization Min. Tony envisions a future where Black leaders and the Black community do not need to bow down to the pressures of outside groups. We have need to raise enough money so that our Black leaders dont need money from any other groups. Visit www.lasentinel.net to watch the full version of the Honorable Louis Farrakhans 2018 Saviours Day Address. Guillemet Climbs the Ladder of Success as Newly Appointed L.A. County Superior Court Judge From working as an attorney to serving as the director of the Los Angeles Mayors Office of Reentry, Kimberley Baker Guillemet has made a name for herself in the legal world. After being appointed to a judgeship in the Los Angeles County Superior Court by California Governor Jerry Brown, the View Park-Windsor Hills native has added to her extensive resume by continuing to climb the ladder of success and serve her community! Guillemet was sworn early March, filling the vacancy of retired Judge David L. Minning. Her preparation process for pursing the bench, involved time spent in self-reflection. Moreover, she had to think about her notions of right and wrong, and her beliefs about the legal system. Those things combined with her juris doctor degree from the University of Southern Californias Gould School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Stanford University, equipped her with everything she needed to fill the position. One thing about being on the bench is that it is one of the most comprehensive all-inclusive jobs that a person can be called to do. It forces you to really think about who you are and whether or not you are qualified to do this work, she said. ADVERTISEMENT I certainly thought a lot about my life and how I would be able to serve on the bench and I had to really understand and have clarity about what being a judge is and how I can serve the community in a way that is fair. This is really a position of service. [A judge] serves the community, serves everyone in the community in a way that is fair. Guillemets passion for justice and ensuring equality and equity for all people, developed at a very young after being bullied in school. She learned to be vocal and stand up for herself and others who were being mistreated because of the way they looked or the way others perceived them to be. I think this is something that stayed with me my entire life and I certainly felt strongly about it pertaining to other students when I saw other students being mistreated, she said. I think my life has always been very focused on ensuring people were treated fairly and that led to me wanting to be an advocate from a very young age and that continued as I grew up and throughout my pursuit. I definitely knew in high school that I wanted to be a lawyer and was very interested in the bench and certainly saw it as something that would be an aspiration for me at some point in my career. As an African American in the legal field, Guillemet understands the importance of planting seeds in other women of color and youth who are considering pursing the field. One thing that I think is important is awareness, being aware of the dynamics of our world but not allowing that awareness to negatively impact your progress, she said. By that I mean as women of color, we have to be aware that our world has certain biases and conditions that are not necessarily conducive to our achievements. So often when we do achieve its in spite of those conditions not because of those conditions. I think if you go into the world and whether thats your school, whether thats a professional setting, you have to be aware of it but not allow it to hinder you. When you do encounter situations where you do see bias or you do see unfair treatment, you have to choose when to raise it. You have to choose when you are going to do that because the best evidence against peoples preconceived notions of inferiority as it pertains to women and people of color, is success. When we are successful and we thrive in spite of not because of but despite of the circumstances that by itself is the strongest testimony to our strength and our ability. Largest Paid Summer Arts Internship Program Opens for LA County College Students Now in its 18th year, the LA County Arts Internship Program will provide 179 university and community college students with paid on-the-job experience at over 100 arts organizations across LA County this summer. Approved as one of the five initial recommendations from the Cultural Equity and Inclusion Initiative that were funded by the Board of Supervisors in 2017, the expansion both increases the total number of internships available through the program and for the first time in its history specifically reserves at least 28 positions for community college students with the goal of increasing access to opportunity in the arts. It is one in a series of steps that were put into motion by a Board resolution in November 2015 that stated, It is our responsibility [as a County] to ensure that all the benefits of, and opportunities provided by the arts are available and accessible to all residents, no matter who they are or where they live. Over the course of these 10-week paid internships beginning between June 4 June 18 students will be given the opportunity to build their professional skills and connections at nonprofit performing, presenting, literary and municipal arts organizations located throughout LA County. ADVERTISEMENT Work force development opportunities like the Arts Internship Program fill a unique role in expanding career pathways into the arts and creative sector, said LA County Arts Commission Executive Director Kristin Sakoda. They not only help students get a foot in the door with paid internships that level the playing field and make it more accessible for all, but they also allow us to assist cultural organizations in LA County develop future arts leaders. Past participants in the LA County Arts Internship program have explored the professional side of finance, programming, marketing, arts education, literary management and more at some of the largest and most influential arts organizations in the County. In addition to the on-the-job experience they acquire as Arts Interns, participants also take part in educational and arts networking activities generously funded by the Getty Foundation. The Getty Foundation also supports internships at the LA County museums and visual arts organizations through its Arts Commission Program, a companion program to the Arts Commission Program. Applications for the program are now open. Any current undergraduate students, as well as any students graduating between May 1 September 1 are eligible to apply. All applicants must have completed at least one semester of college by June 2018 and/or be currently enrolled in a community college or four-year university. Applicants must also be residents of or attending schools that are located in Los Angeles County, and they cannot be previous participants of the Program. Eligible students of diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply. Students who wish to apply may do so by identifying the opportunity they are interested in at lacountyarts.org/internships, and applying directly to the organization offering the internship. These positions are highly competitive and must be filled by May 18, 2018, so students are encouraged to apply early. The Los Angeles County Arts Commission fosters excellence, diversity, vitality, understanding and accessibility of the arts in Los Angeles County. The Commission provides leadership in cultural services for the County, encompassing 88 municipalities, including funding and job opportunities, professional development and general resources. For more information, visit lacountyarts.org New Book Highlights Multicultural History of Florence-Firestone Community The attractive Florence-Firestone community in unincorporated South Los Angeles has changed dramatically over the years, according to the new book, A Paseo Through Time in Florence-Firestone, which offers historical background tied to the areas progression. Author Jeannene Przyblyski uses colorful maps, captivating photos, and descriptive text to reveal the background and current status of Florence-Firestone. Looking as far back as the 1950s, the book written in English and Spanish covers the communitys evolution from gangs and drug dealings to its present residential and major commercial-enterprise area. ADVERTISEMENT The communitys demographics has changed from all White to all African Americans to mixed- race and Latino residents with each ethnicity contributing parts of their culture. At a recent book signing at the Florence Library, Przyblyski explained her reason for applying in-depth research to produce the various aspects of the community advancements. I wanted to show that Florence-Firestone has a deep and rich history, showcasing some residents and business-owners in depth, and also recopying some of the historical architectural features of the community. Community pride matters and Florence-Firestone has a lot to be proud of, she said. Attendees L.A. County Civic Arts Director Grace Ramirez-Gaston, Los Angeles City Planner Alejandra Bell and L.A. County Urban Planner Jonathan Pacheco Bell, who contributed to A Paseo Through Time in Florence-Firestone, shared similar comments about the Florence-Firestone community. The book emphasizes that Florence-Firestone has strong, active, and influential community organizations that fight to keep neighborhoods safe and attractive. The Antwerp Environmental Block Organization and the Florence-Firestone Community Leaders date back more than 40 years, and have strong governing influence. Florence-Firestones attributes include several homes with backyard swimming pools and fancy patios, law enforcement patrolling, weekly street sweeping and trash pickup services, popular fast food restaurants and close access to rail and freeway transportation and above all, peace and privacy. ADVERTISEMENT A Paseo Through Time in Florence-Firestone, is currently available online and at the Florence and Graham libraries. Jury Deliberations Begin in Cosby Trial Jurors in the criminal retrial of Bill Cosby have a lot to consider as they sift through evidence presented during the two-week case, including testimony from a Federal Aviation Administration expert, who verified records presented by the defense that showed the comedian could not have been in Pennsylvania when prosecutors said he assaulted former Temple University employee Andrea Constand. Flight records and Cosbys tour schedule revealed the comic to be in various places including Wyoming, Florida, Arizona and ironically, Constands hometown of Toronto, Canada, when she claimed he drugged and assaulted her at his Elkins Park, Pa., home in January 2004. The closest Cosby got to his Montgomery County home was 103 miles away at the Teterboro, N.J. airport where his private plane jetted him around the country during his tour. ADVERTISEMENT Prosecutors had no concrete rebuttal to the records only suggesting that Cosby, who has been legally blind since early 2003, could have driven himself or taking a train to Pennsylvania. We knew everything that he was doing, and we were aware of all of his movement, Kim Harjo, a former assistant to Cosbys agent David Brokaw, testified during the trial. A key element of the case has been whether Pennsylvanias 12-year statute of limitations had expired before prosecutors brought charges against Cosby on December 30, 2015. If the incident occurred prior to January 2004, jurors must find Cosby not guilty, based on the statute of limitations law. Unwittingly, prosecutors may have helped Cosbys cause. During the cross examination of defense witness Marguerite Jackson who said she shared a room with Constand on February 1, 2004, Assistant District Attorney Stuart Ryan introduced expense reports that indicated that the two must have shared a room one year earlier, on February 1, 2003. Jackson testified that Constand had told her she could make up claims that a high-profile person drugged and sexually assaulted her and, because of the allegation, Constand would be able to get money, move back to Canada, go to school and open a massage therapy business. Constand did settle a lawsuit with Cosby for more than $3 million and she did move back to Canada and opened a message therapy business. ADVERTISEMENT Cosby, 80, faces three counts of aggravated indecent assault. Each count carries a possible 10-year prison sentence. Hes maintained his innocence, even turning down a no-jail plea bargain offer prosecutors previously made. Pastor Tate and Fellowship Monrovia Spreads Gospel to All Cultures and Ages In 2012, God instructed the Rev. Albert Tate to plant a church in Monrovia. Although surprised by the command, he obediently followed and founded Fellowship Monrovia. Now six years later, Tate leads one of the largest congregations in San Gabriel Valley. However, size is not what makes Fellowship so distinctive, but rather its the composition of the membership and the breadth of the ministries. We are a Gospel-centered, multiethnic, intergenerational church. We exist to make disciples, said Tate, who is pastor to 3,000+ members who worship at the churchs two campuses located in Monrovia. ADVERTISEMENT As for Fellowships appeal to diverse cultures and ages, Tate credited the welcoming attitude of the parishioners. We want people to come as they are, we dont pass judgment. We want people to feel at home. We celebrate what makes us different, we celebrate diversity, and arent afraid to call that out. There are no elephants in our rooms! Equally important, said Tate, is the churchs focus on the Gospel. I believe the Gospel reconciles and unites us and it doesnt discriminate. It has something to say about everyone rich, poor, citizen, immigrant, and more. We recognize that Jesus and His church are the greatest hope for the world, he noted. It isnt the Democratic party, the Republican party, or even money. Our faith and hope is in Jesus and Him alone. So I think when you preach the Gospel, youre helping to tear down the walls that typically divide us (economics, politics, and more) and you realize at our core that we share more in common than what makes us different and separates us. That unifying principle extends to Fellowships ministries. Along with traditional church auxiliaries, the church offers expanded programming for young people such as a separate Sunday service for toddlers through 5th graders. In keeping with its intergenerational theme, Tate said middle and high school are encouraged to attend the big church on Sunday mornings and participate in Fellowships weekly activities for teens. Also, seven Fellowship Camps for ages 3 to 18 will begin in the summer. As a church family, we just raised over one hundred thousand dollars so we can send 1,600+ kids to camp. We believe camp equals impact. Camp can be an important stepping stone in any young persons faith journey and thus, we never want money to prohibit a family from sending their kid to camp, said Tate. ADVERTISEMENT Among churchs newer ministries is the Fellowship Center for Racial Reconciliation, which was established in 2016 in response to racial violence against African Americans, but has grown to address injustices experienced by other ethnicities of color. When we started having these tough conversations in our multiethnic community, we realized we were leaving a lot of people out and the things they have historically experienced and are experiencing now Asians, Hispanics, and more, recalled Tate. I think the lesson learned, as a follower of Christ, is we need eyes to see what Jesus sees and we need a heart that breaks for the things that break His and thats plainly injustice, regardless of skin color. As a Black man I need to care just as much about the struggle of immigration and paths to citizenship that our Hispanic brothers and sisters face just as much as I need them to care about the police brutality our Black brothers and sisters are facing as well, he said. Its our job to bring these hard conversations to the forefront so we can understand one another. When we do that, thats when we start to see things change. Making changes for the better has been Tates philosophy since accepting the call to preach in his native Mississippi in 1998. Serving as pastor of a small church in Tallahatchie County (I grew that congregation from 7 to 12 people. No joke.), Tate and his wife, LaRosa, moved to Pasadena where he attended Fuller Theological Seminary and worked at Lake Avenue Church. I was there for several years in a variety of roles. Everything from being a high school pastor to a teaching pastor, said Tate. It was at the tail end of my time at Lake Avenue when God gave me this vision for a Gospel-centered, multiethnic, intergenerational church and that was when Fellowship was formed. Thanks to the power of God, the success of Fellowship has exceeded expectations, said Tate, who admitted, I think I have grand visions and big dreams and God continues to go above and beyond what I could ever imagine. He continues to surprise me. And knowing the incomparable ability of God inspires Tate to keep pressing forward with his main mission to spread the Gospel and expand this vision of a Gospel-centered, multiethnic, intergenerational church, he said, because its something we desperately need more of in this country and world. To learn more about Fellowship Monrovia, call (626) 239-8109 or visit madeforfellowship.com. Stewarts to Host Trip to Israel and Egypt Bishop Frank and Lady Sandra Stewart of Zoe Christian Fellowship of Los Angeles will host a visit to the sacred sites located in Israel and Egypt. The 12-day tour takes place Nov. 5 through Nov. 17, 2018, and the public is welcome to participate. Israel is a place that every believer should go at least once in a lifetime. There are some scenes that add to the reality of Jesus life such as the walls of old Jerusalem, the street Jesus was taken to the cross, and the Jordan River, where I usually baptize believers, said Bishop Stewart, who will mark his eighth tour to Israel. ADVERTISEMENT In Egypt, we will visit the Nile River, the pyramids and the Cairo Museum. Also, we will go to south Egypt where the Nubians will wave and say, Welcome home, my Nubian cousin. This will be one trip that will stay in your mind forever, he insisted. A $400.00 deposit will reserve your spot, said the bishop, who added, I will be so glad to have you with me on this tour. Pray about it. I am believing I will see you there! For information, call 323-931-1477, ext. 103. Success On The Way Ask Dr. Jeanette Raise The Bar! Close The Achievement Gap!-Part 2 No More Crib to Prison!! Assemblymembers Autumn Burke, Shirley Weber and Mike Gipson authored AB2635. !!Yay!! Theyre greaat!! Every law contains the enacting clause: The people of the State of California do enact as follows. Drafted bill returns to the legislator for introduction. When the author/s wish to introduce the bill, author/s deliver it to the Chief Clerk or Secretary who gives the bill a number. There is a second reading, A bills first reading is when the clerk reads the bill number, the name of the author/s, with descriptive title of the bill. Despite what the term might indicate, the entire text of the bill is not read on the floor. The bills number, the date of its introduction and first reading, the committee to which it is referred, the dates it is sent to and received from the printer, as well as any other clerical notations made necessary by a deviation from the ordinary procedure, are shown on the bill cover. The bill then goes to the Senate or Assembly Rules Committeeassigned to the appropriate policy committee for first hearing. Bills are assigned according to subject area. During the hearing the author presents the bill, people testify in support or opposition of the bill, and the committee acts on the bill. The committee can pass the bill; pass as amended, or defeat the bill. Bills passed by committees are read a second time in the house of origin and then placed in the Daily File for a third reading. When a bill is read the third time, its explained by the author, discussed by the members, voted on by a rollcall vote. Bills requiring money take effect immediately and require 27 votes in the Senate and 54 votes in the Assembly. The bill goes to the Governor. The Governor has three choices: sign the bill into law; allow it to become law without signature, or veto it. Normally, the Governor has 12 days after receiving a bill to decide to sign or veto it, or a bill will become law automatically without his or her signature. When the Governor approves a bill, he or she signs it, dates it; deposits with Secretary of State. This is a sketch on the Life Cycle of A Bill; an overview. Heres another subject: The hope to move our children away from crib to prison; Education can bankrupt the prison system! We can do it! People of color: about 30 percent of US population; 60 percent imprisoned. Prison population grew by 700 percent from 1970 to 2005, outpacing crime and population rates. Center for American Progress. By Sophia Kerby, Special Assistant for Progress 2050 at American Progress. Posted on March 13, 2012, Next week: System of arrests and imprisonment. [Teach the Children. Jeanette Grattan Parker, Superintendent/Founder Todays Fresh Start Charter School www.todaysfreshstart.org Will You Marry Me? Inquiring Minds Want To Know Copyright. All rights reserved. [email protected] ADVERTISEMENT The Black Press Honors Giant in the Automotive Industry James Farmer As a young man growing up in the turbulent 1960s, James Farmer remembers selling EBONY and Jet magazines and Clevelands Call and Post newspaper on the streets of his hometown. Farmer said that he hawked the mainstream newspapers, too, but he formed a deeper connection with the stories and people featured in the Black magazines and newspapers that he sold. Everybody read the Black Press, Farmer said. We grew up with it. ADVERTISEMENT Fifty years later, following an award-winning career in the automotive industry that included leadership positions at General Motors (GM), an appointment to the Presidents Committee on the Arts and the Humanities (under President George W. Bush) and world travel as a cultural ambassador, Farmer remains one of the strongest advocates for the Black Press in corporate America today. The Black Press recently honored Farmer for his career-long commitment to diversity and inclusion in the automotive industry. The National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), a trade group that represents over 200 Black newspapers and Black-owned media companies in the United States, presented Farmer with the 2018 Torch Award for his dedicated service and long-standing support of the Black Press. Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr., the president and CEO of the NNPA called Farmer a giant in the automotive industry as the trade group honored him during Black Press Week in Washington, D.C. Over the last 30 years, the NNPA has had no greater friend than James Farmer, Dr. Chavis said. The name James Farmer will always live in the hearts, the minds and the spirits of every publisher of a Black-owned newspaper. During, the Torch Awards dinner, Farmer humbly thanked the group, which included some publishers that hed known for more than 30 years. ADVERTISEMENT Farmer said that when youre blessed, things are expected. It makes me feel good that, they appreciate what Ive done, while Im clothed and in my right mind, Farmer joked, later. Its quite an honor. The 2018 Torch Award was not the first honor that the NNPA bestowed upon the career auto executive. The NNPA awarded Farmer with the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2002 for his outstanding support of the Black Press. In 2014, the NNPA presented Farmer with the Legacy of Excellence Award, according to his biography. Farmer earned a bachelors of science degree in marketing from Central State University, Wilberforce, Ohio in 1967 and after nearly 10 years in advertising, sales and marketing at the Airtemp division at the Chrysler Corporation, he began his career with General Motors at the former Delco Products Division in Dayton, Ohio, in 1976, according to his biography. Farmers affinity for the Black Press grew stronger as his status at GM grew. Farmer held a number of key leadership positions at GM including: Group Director Communications for GMs Small Car Group in 1994; Group Director of Public Relations and Communications, GM North American Sales, Service and Marketing in 1998; General Director Marketing and Constituency Communications with GMs Worldwide Communications Group in 1999; and Vice President of Merchandising, Advertising and Communications at GMAC until his retirement in 2004. Even though, Farmer retired as a vice president of GMAC in 2004, he remained committed to fostering positive business relationships between the Black Press and the auto industry. Ive always been in a fortunate position to have the ear of leadership in the auto industry, Farmer said. Since, I can be a voice, Im here to share my connections, resources and wisdom after almost 51 years. Farmer continues to use that access to advocate for the Black Press. Farmer said that the Black Press has tremendous value, because of their reach in the Black community and their value as business owners with the potential to touch every industry. Farmer continued: The NNPA has 200 newspapers reaching [20 million] people every week. The only group that reaches more [people] than that is the Black church. Although he appreciates the accolades, Farmer said that the long-lasting friendships hes formed during his career and the business opportunities hes created within the auto industry for Black publishers, make his work behind the scenes worth it. I do what I do, because of my passion, when I see publishers get those media buysthats my reward, Farmer said. Farmer continued: Its not about the revenue, its not about the brand advertising. Its about my commitment to GMto be fair and technicaland my commitment to the NNPAto be strategic and to show that therell be a return on investment [for the company]. The NNPA Journalism Fellowship Open to all HBCUs The NNPAs 2018 Discover The Unexpected Journalism Fellowship Open to All HBCUs The National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), in partnership with Chevrolet, recently announced that the 2018 Discover The Unexpected (DTU) Journalism Fellowship will now accept applications from communications and journalism students attending any one of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) across the country. In 2016, the DTU Journalism Fellowship launched at Howard University. The following year, the program expanded to include Morehouse College, Spelman College and Clark Atlanta University. Now communications and journalism students at more than 100 HBCUs can apply. This years program also provides an opportunity for the aspiring, young journalists to look beyond the newsroom for story ideas, said Michelle Alexander, the diversity marketing manager for Chevrolet. They will have an opportunity to travel across several states in the all-new 2018 Chevrolet Equinox to discover inspiring stories along the way. ADVERTISEMENT Hip-hop legend MC Lyte will also return as the programs ambassador. For the third year in a row, The Washington Informer and The Atlanta Voice will participate in the program; the New York Amsterdam News in New York City and The New Journal & Guide in Norfolk, Va. will also host DTU journalism fellows. DTU fellows will be assigned to write stories that spotlight positive and powerful people and events, according to a media advisory about the program. The fellows will be responsible for all aspects of storytelling: writing, videography, photography, research, on-camera reporting and social media posting. This year, the fellows will be placed in two, three-person teams, the media advisory explained. Over the course of the internship, each teams road trip will take them to two different cities where they will spend four-week intervals working alongside experienced staffers at NNPA member newspapers. Alexa Imani Spencer, a journalism student at Howard University participated in the program last summer, working at The Washington Informer. Working for a historically Black publication helped me to understand the full worth of our institutions, as Black people, Spencer said. [The fellowship] helped me to understand that there has always been a voice throughout history that has advocated for us and there will always be somewhere, where we can advocate for ourselves, so long as we continue the legacies of these publications. ADVERTISEMENT Spencer continued: The Black Press is an institution that the next generation of young, Black journalists has to preserve. Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr. the president and CEO of the NNPA, said that the third year of the DTU Journalism Fellowship represents significant progress in the NNPAs ability to tap into the rising genius of African American millennials, exposing them to the power of the pen. Journalism has experienced renewed interest in the Black community, Dr. Chavis said. There has always been a need to not only report the news of Black America to the world at large, but also to be an advocate for the empowerment of African and African American communities across the United States and around the world. Dr. Chavis said that the partnership between the NNPA and Chevrolet is setting a standard for the rest of corporate America. This is not about philanthropy, this is more about engaging the African American community through the contributions of Chevrolet to the NNPA, Dr. Chavis said. It really strengthens one of the fundamental institutions in the Black community, which is the Black Press. Spencer said that the 2018 DTU fellows will not only experience personal growth, but that they will also gain a family by completing the program. Spencer also said that the Black Press represents another avenue, where HBCU students can help the Black community thrive. Dr. Chavis agreed. There are tremendous opportunities [in the Black Press] for HBCU journalism and communications students to not only to make their mark in the profession, but to also provide an invaluable service in the Black community, Dr. Chavis said. The deadline to submit applications is April 30. Learn more about the NNPAs Discover The Unexpected Journalism Fellowship at www.nnpa.org/dtu. Trump Gives Peace a Chance in Deciding to Meet with North Koreas Leader President Donald Trumps decision to meet with North Koreas leader Kim Jong-un opens new possibilities. Trumps critics suggest Trump has given Kim a major concession the recognition that would come from a first meeting with a U.S. president in exchange for nothing. But talking is far preferable to issuing threats and insults; exchanging proposals for peace far better than exchanging bombs in war. This diplomatic initiative began when South Korea invited the North to take part in the winter Olympics. This week, Kim and the South Korean president will meet in an inter-Korean summit. They already announced the installation of the first-ever hotline between the two leaders. There are even beginning discussions, pushed by South Korean President Moon Jae-in, toward a treaty to finally bring the Korean War (which ended in an armistice agreement in 1953) to a formal close. Kim has also made unilateral gestures what diplomats call trust-building measures toward the U.S. Hes announced that North Korea would no longer insist on the withdrawal of U.S. forces from the Korean Peninsula as part of any settlement. (The U.S. considers the troop presence not negotiable). Hes announced the end to all nuclear and missile testing, and pledged to close the countrys nuclear test site to guarantee transparency in suspending nuclear tests. He pledged that North Korea would never use nuclear weapons nor transfer nuclear weapons or nuclear technology under any circumstances unless there are nuclear threat and nuclear provocation against the DPRK. In a tweet, Trump hailed this as very good news for North Korea and the World big progress! Some suggest that this opening is simply a ruse. The harsh economic sanctions enforced on North Korea by the United Nations are starting to hurt. China has cooperated, reducing its trade with North Korea dramatically (about 90 percent of North Korean trade goes through China). Kim, they argue, is maneuvering in order to reduce the pressure, hoping to get food and other aid. Economic sanctions may be a factor pushing Kim to negotiate. But we should understand that harsh economic sanctions have limits. Neither China nor the international community will enforce starvation on the North Korean people simply because of the folly of their dictator. Trump is right to seize on the possibility of negotiation. If the Trump-Kim summit does take place, the discussions will be immensely difficult. Kim considers himself the head of a nuclear power, with a tested arsenal, sitting down to negotiate as a peer with the United States. North Korea could end testing because, he stated, they have successfully achieved their goals. Trump, on the other hand, acts as if Kim has already agreed to surrender and unilaterally give up his nuclear arsenal in exchange for lifting sanctions and better relations with the U.S. The problem here is trust. American hawks see the Korean nuclear arsenal as an existential threat that must be eliminated. Deterrence is not sufficient. Korean officials will have good reason to doubt U.S. promises. Iran has adhered to the nuclear weapons deal it made with the U.S. and its allies, but now Trump says he plans to tear it up. The danger of a failed summit is that Trumps war cabinet the hawks like national security adviser John Bolton would use a failure to goad Trump into confrontation, even war against North Korea. Lowering expectations publicly, while remaining open to new possibilities privately, is the best course, but one Trump seems simply unable to follow. Surely it is time to give peace a chance. The summit this week between Kim and South Korean President Moon will set the stage. A later meeting between Trump and Kim could help lower tensions, even if it doesnt produce a dramatic resolution. War on the Korean peninsula would be catastrophic. Finding a way out peacefully is surely worth both time and effort. ADVERTISEMENT Two African Americans appointed to the California Complete Count Committee for the 2020 Census Two African-Americans have been appointed to the California Complete Count Committee for the 2020 federal census. Governor Edmund Brown Jr. announced creation of the diverse 25-member committee on April 13. The panel of community members will guide outreach to help ensure every Californian is counted in the upcoming census. It is vitally important for California to do everything it can to ensure that every Californian is counted in the upcoming census, said Governor Brown. Regina Brown Wilson of Sacramento brings her skills as executive director and chair of California Black Media, and a former statewide education and faith-based outreach manager for Census 2010. Wilson is a graduate of Wilberforce University with a degree in communications. ADVERTISEMENT I thank the governor for getting a jump start on the census and understanding all that is at stake in the form or representation and resources. In particular, the African-American community has been a vulnerable population and its my desire to ensure this community and other hard to count communities are informed, organized and engaged for the 2020 Census, said Wilson. Alex Johnson of Los Angeles, managing director at Californians for Safety and Justice, has served as executive director at Childrens Defense Fund-California. He was assistant senior deputy for education and public safety in the office of Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, where he also served as deputy for education and public safety. Honored to be appointed by Governor Jerry Brown to serve as a member of the California Complete Count Committee. This body is tasked with devising an outreach strategy for the 2020 Census and ensuring that ALL Californians are counted by the federal government, said Jones on his Facebook page. Johnson was an attorney at the New York City Department of Education and an assistant district attorney in the Bronx District Attorneys Office. Johnson is president of the Los Angeles County Board of Education and a member of the Arts for Incarcerated Youth Network Board of Directors and the Wiley Center for Speech and Language Development Board. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from the American University College of Law. The California Complete Count Committee will be coming together to have its first public meeting in May. Watts Clean Air and Energy Committee Celebrates Earth Day Last Saturday, April 21, the Watts Clean Air and Energy Committee successfully hosted its inaugural Earth Day Celebration at St. Johns United Methodist Church. Community members of all ages turned out to visit the booths, eat delicious local healthy food, and hear from community leaders and elected representatives. The speaking ceremony, which began at noon, gave attendees an opportunity to hear from LADWP Commissioner Bill Funderburk, who spoke about Watts leadership in the fight for clean energy for all and how that has led to choosing Watts as the location for clean energy projects like Electric Vehicle charging stations. Other participants included GRID Alternatives Executive Director for Greater LA Area Michael Kadish, who delivered the solar panels for the 6kw MegaWatts installation at the Church, and messages from Sierra Club National Board Vice President Susana Reyes, Watts Clean Air and Energy Committee member Shirley Gamble, and Watts Neighborhood Council member Mac Shorty. ADVERTISEMENT This year, the community celebrated the contributions of the late Mike Chattom. Chattom, who was a founding member of the Watts Clean Air and Energy Committee, was honored not only by fellow council member Shirley Gamble in her speech but by everyone who gathered at the event. When the committee signed the solar panels, they dedicated them to Mike as he was a catalyst for the MegaWatts solar project. West Africa Mission to Support Sustainable Development Goals The president and CEO of the African Renaissance and Diaspora Network will lead a high-level delegation of political, business and media leaders on a study tour to Senegal and Gambia from April 22-28, the organization announced. The mission is part of ARDNs Pathway to Solutions initiative that seeks to popularize the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, said Djibril Diallo, who assumed leadership of the NGO on March 25 after more than three decades as an executive with the United Nations. ARDN is committed to working with various stakeholders to achieve the 17 development goals by 2030, Diallo said. The goals are critical to ending poverty, protecting the planet and ensuring that all people enjoy peace and prosperity. ADVERTISEMENT The ARDN initiative to promote the goals has partnered with the Office of the United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, the UN Senior Africans Group, the Sustainable Development Solutions Network at Columbia University that is led by economist Jeffrey Sachs, the National Newspaper Publishers Association and the National Association of Black Journalists. The mission will be named in honor of Les Payne, an NABJ founder and supporter of the organizations outreach to Africa. Payne died March 19. NABJ founder Joe Davidson, a columnist with The Washington Post, will be a member of the delegation to West Africa. Les Payne, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, was deeply committed to accurate and fair portrayals of Africa in the American media, said NABJ President Sarah Glover. Naming this mission in honor of Les is a fitting tribute to his memory. The mission is supported by the Ford Foundation, InterContinental Hotels Group and Michel Sidibe, executive director of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). In addition to Diallo and Davidson, the delegation will include Cloves Campbell, publisher of the Arizona Informant and former chairman of the National Newspaper Publishers Association; Mayor Eugene Grant of Seat Pleasant, Maryland; Dr. Gloria Herndon, CEO of GB Global Group; Floydetta McAfee, president of Summerland Studio, LLC; Frank Jackson, the assistant vice chancellor of Prairie View A&M University; James Gomez, the director of International Affairs, Rainbow/PUSH Coalition; Ghana Sen. Alfred Vanderpuije, the president of Global Alliance of Mayors and Leaders of African Descent; and John Yearwood, the president of Yearwood Media Group and the executive board chairman, International Press Institute. ADVERTISEMENT The delegation will meet with educators, journalists, civil society and senior government officials in Senegal and Gambia. Members will also participate in field visits to various projects, some supported by the United Nations and other agencies. The public can follow the delegations African mission through daily postings to ARDNs website at Ardn.ngo, its Facebook page and YouTube channel and on Twitter at ARDN_NGO. Some of the daily briefings will also appear on NABJ.org and through various NNPA channels. The missions hashtag is #ARDN2018. This is an important education campaign, Diallo said. Our goal is to use education as an entry point to achieving the other SDGs. White Privilege Aided By Minimizing Race The ongoing reality of white privilege cannot be overemphasized and should never be minimized. Why? As the face of racism, white privilege perpetuates Americas foundational tenet, i.e., to control and oppress people on the basis of race or ethnicity. One of racisms most insidious legacies is having conditioned Black people to internalize whites values even though such values are contrary to their (Blacks) own best interests. Therefore, African Americans must constantly struggle to reclaim self-affirming values and principles. The bogus claim that America is a post-racial society is fueled not only by conservatives but a mixed bag of others as well. (A post-racial America was one of Barack Obamas themes in his first campaign, remember?) The unholy alliance consists of ideological opponents-staunch right-wingers, ambivalent liberals and so-called progressives. Some Blacks also embrace the notion of racial neutrality, albeit for vastly different reasons. Whites downplay the primacy of race, but maintain race-based power under the mythical guise of America as a melting pot. And, for many Blacks, minimizing race remains a misguided attempt to assimilate. They neither understand, nor acknowledge, that on the color continuum, the closer to white, the better, thus rendering assimilation an exercise in futility. Race remains Americas top priority, post-racial rhetoric to the contrary, notwithstanding. ADVERTISEMENT The late law professor Derrick Bells penetrating analysis is a primer on the implications of the continued significance of race and white privilege. His observations still shed light on seldom discussed aspects of this complex issue. Bell argued that racism is so ingrained in American life that no matter what Blacks do to better their lives, they will not succeed as long as the majority of whites do not see their own well-being threatened by the status quo. And he reminded us that Blacks in bondage managed to retain their humanity and faith that pain and suffering were not the extent of their destiny. Bells writings stressed that Americas veiled dogma of race-based progress fails those who have been marginalized: Blacks, the poor and others whom the myth ignores who must call for national action that incorporates their experience. He intoned, They must find inspiration in the lives of oppressed people who defied death as slaves and freed men, insisting on their humanity despite societys consensus that they were an inferior people. He passionately argued Blacks can only de-legitimatize racism by accurately pinpointing it as the center, not the periphery, in not only their lives, but the lives of whites and all others. Bell firmly asserted Blacks must first recognize and acknowledge (at least to themselves) that their actions are not likely to lead to an immediate or transcendent change. He insisted that only then can that realization lead to public policy less likely to worsen their condition, and more likely to remind the nation that they are determined to constantly challenge its power. Professor Adolph Reed (University of Pennsylvania) also raises provocative questions about the need for greater unity in combating racist policies, especially because of the devolving state of the Black community. He argues that a cohesive collective is a myth, necessary after the Civil War to present a semblance of unity. The leadership class defined specific Black interests, named themselves leaders and was assumed to be so by whites, a phenomenon that still exists. According to Reed, egalitarianism appealed to both the civil rights movement and capitalists because it raised no hard questions about capitalism. Rather, it stressed the immorality of racism and segregation and how they were obstacles to economic progress. But Black opposition was integrated into the system in a way that strengthened, not challenged it. Reeds suggestions for remedying the situation include: Breaking Black elites control over the ideas in the Black community; critiquing so-called Black agendas in order to counter Black leaders serving their own interests exclusively; and encouraging the diverse interests within Black communities. Dr. Cornel Wests Nihilism in Black America is a corollary to his seminal essay, Race Matters. In it, he points out Blacks initially struggled against racism in the enslaved circumstances of a new world and argues that currently, the major enemy of Black survival in America is a loss of hope and absence of meaning in their lives. West maintains the genius of Blacks forbearers was to create powerful buffers to counter the demons of helplessness, meaninglessness and lovelessness. Black people have always been in Americas wilderness, in search of a promised landbut many Blacks now reside in a jungle with a cut-throat mentality devoid of any faith in deliverance or hope. ADVERTISEMENT These three scholars forcefully articulate the need for Blacks to debunk internalized, debilitating myths that race is no longer a significant factor in their lives. They are part of a dwindling vanguard of intellectuals who focus on substantive issues-and solutions for the Black community. Black unity is at the heart of all efforts to internalize the positive core values and strength of our forbearers. And despite societys denial, Blacks know that race matters. Sadly however, many Blacks are complicit in reinforcing racism and white privilege and must shed the twin burdens of victimization and futile dependence on others. This requires renewed commitment and courageprerequisites for the strength and determination needed to bring about sustainable change. If race really didnt matter, Blacks could join the Donald Trump crowd and ride smugly off into the proverbial sunset. Larry Aubry email: [email protected] Two new reports from international press freedom organizations say that attacks on media threaten major democracies. Reporters Without Borders, or RSF, and Freedom House released their yearly reports on press freedom this week. Both reports criticized Western populist leaders for discrediting the media, insulting journalists and threatening restrictions. The writers of the Freedom House report noted that the Wests decline in press freedom marks a change from recent years. Five years ago global pressure on the media did not appear to affect the United States or the established democracies of Europe in any significant way. Now, the report said, populist leaders present a major threat to free expression. Reporters Without Borders issued a similar warning. That report warned more and more democratically-elected leaders see the media as an enemy instead of a necessary part of a democracy. Leaders also express their dislike of the media more publicly, the report said. Both organizations strongly criticized American President Donald Trump. Reporters Without Borders called him a media bashing enthusiast. Freedom House noted that Trumps criticism of reporters and media organizations have damaged the publics trust in journalism. The White House could not be immediately reached to answer the criticism. Largest drops in Europe Reporters Without Borders annual Press Freedom Index ranks countries from 1 to 180. In this years index, Norway was ranked the highest. North Korea continued to stay at the bottom, at number 180. The U.S. ranked 45, down two places from last year. The countrys falling performance started with the administration of former President Barack Obama and has declined more quickly under Trump. Historically, Europe has had the freest press in the world. But this year, Europe was the area with the largest decrease in press freedom. In France last May, a journalist was forced out of a press conference when he asked a politician about involvement in a scandal. In Poland, officials fined a television station for supporting illegal activities by reporting on anti-government protests, Freedom House said. And in Hungary, the Freedom House report said, a free press has almost disappeared. The report identified one reason as businessmen linked to the ruling party purchasing most of the independent media. The Trump Effect in Asia Press freedom has also decreased across Asia. Turkey continues to have the highest rate of putting journalists in prison. In the Philippines, President Rodrigo Duterte has openly threatened journalists. And the Cambodian government has used Trumps criticism to defend officials increasing restrictions on independent media. However, Sarah Repucci of Freedom House said the comparison between the U.S. and Cambodia can be misleading. While the Cambodian press is highly restricted, she said, the U.S. media has strongly pushed back against Trumps attacks. Overall, every part of the world saw declines in press freedom. But the reports showed positive results in some countries where dictators have left office. For example, Gambia moved up 21 places, Reporters Without Borders said. The new Gambian president has promised less restrictive press laws and says he will include freedom of expression in the countrys constitution. Im Caty Weaver. This story was originally reported by Masood Farivar for VOAnews.com. Phil Dierking adapted this story for VOA Learning English. Kelly Jean Kelly was the editor. How do you feel your countrys press freedom compares to the rest of the world? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story journalist - n. the activity or job of collecting, writing, and editing news stories for newspapers, magazines, television, or radio bash - v. to cause or allow (something, such as part of your body) to hit something very hard or forcefully enthusiast - n. a person who enjoys something very much decline - v. to become lower in amount or less in number global - adj. involving the entire world significant - adj. large enough to be noticed or have an effect misleading - adj. something causes someone to believe something that is not true positive - adj. good or useful populist - n. of or relating to a political party that claims to represent ordinary people rank - v. to place (someone or something) in a particular position among a group of people or things that are being judged according to quality, ability, size, etc. scandal - n. an occurrence in which people are shocked and upset because of behavior that is morally or legally wrong 2 hours ago Biden tells GOP to 'get out of the way' on debt limit WASHINGTON (AP) President Joe Biden on Monday urged Republican senators to get out of the way and let Democrats suspend the nations debt limit, hoping to keep the U.S. government from bumping dangerously Read Article The memory of a beloved pet inspires one couple's fight against injustice. Update: It turns out this article was based on faulty evidence. Chrome Unboxed saw the Open with Windows Application option because they had Crossover installed on their Pixelbook. While its already possible to use Crossover or WINE to run Windows apps on some Chromebooks that support Android apps, theres currently no evidence that Google is planning to bring native support for the feature to Chrome OS. The original article continues below (with the text stricken out). I was going to delete it, but I didnt want to delete all of the associated comments. Huh. So you know how Google is developing a tool called Crostini that makes it possible to run desktop Linux applications on a Chromebook without leaving Chrome OS? It looks like one of those apps is going be WINE which is an open source compatibility layer that lets you run Windows apps on Linux. In other words, you could soon be able to run at least some Windows applications on a Chromebook. As pointed out by Chrome Unboxed, it looks like parts of the framework are already up and running on Googles Pixelbook. If you right-click on any DOC, PDF, or other document file and click open with, one of the options youll see is Windows Application. But how am I supposed to install a Windows application on a Chromebook? The icon next to the text provides a clue: its a wine glass. More specifically, its the logo for the WINE project. So far all youll see is the open with dialog box. You cant actually open documents with a Windows application. But it sure looks like Google is working on a way to let you do just that. Based on what we know about Crostini and WINE so far, heres how it would probably work: You can use Crostini to install Linux apps in a containerized environment. Once you launch a Linux app, it opens in a window just as if it were a native Chrome OS app. For now you cant actually move data in or out of the container, which means you cant do things like save a picture from Chrome and edit it in GIMP. But I suspect thats something Google is working on. WINE, which stands for WINE Is Not an EMULATOR, is a utility that makes it possible to install and run some Windows applications on a Linux device. Not all Windows applications work, but people have used WINE to install software such as Adobe Photoshop, iTunes, Microsoft Office, and plenty of games. Windows applications work, but people have used WINE to install software such as Adobe Photoshop, iTunes, Microsoft Office, and plenty of games. If WINE can run via Crostini, it should be possible to install any compatible Windows applications and run them on a Chromebook without exiting Chrome OS, enabling developer mode, or using a resource-intensive hardware emulation or virtualization tool. While its not surprising that WINE works in Crostini, I am a little surprised to see Google add Windows Applications to the open with context menu. It suggests this could be a feature thats built directly into future versions of Chrome OS, allowing users to run all sorts of apps on a Chromebook, including: Chrome apps Android apps Progressive Web Apps Linux apps Windows apps Pretty much the only thing missing are iOS and macOS apps. Oh, and storage space. There are probably a few reasons these features are showing up first on Googles Pixelbook. First, its a Google product, so of course its what the companys developers are testing new software on. But second, its one of the most powerful Chromebooks available, with 7th-gen Intel Core i5 or Core i7 processor options, 8GB to 16GB of RAM, and 128GB to 512GB of storage. In other words, it has plenty of space for a lot of documents, files, and programs. Up until recently, one of the key selling points of Chrome OS was that it was a lightweight, cloud-centric operating system that didnt require a lot of local storage. That allowed PC makers to sell dirt-cheap Chromebooks with as little as 16GB of built-in storage. Thats fine for a device thats mostly used for web browsing, but it doesnt seem like nearly enough space for a computer that can run Android, Linux, and Windows applications. I dont know if Google will only offer Crostini/Linux/Windows app support on high-end Chromebooks that meet minimum speed, RAM, and storage baselines. But I wouldnt be surprised if we start to see a lot more Chrome OS devices shipping with more than 16GB of storage. Googles annual developer conference begins May 8th. Theres a good chance Google will have something to say about Crostini and the future of Chrome OS during this years Google I/O. Share this article: Share this: Facebook Twitter Reddit Pocket Tumblr Pinterest LinkedIn Email Before Yue Xin became a central figure in Chinas burgeoning movement against sexual harassment, she recorded herself singing a revamped version of the 1960s pop classic Que Sera Sera. Will we be equal? Will we be free? sang the Peking University senior in a voice clip posted online, putting her own spin on Doris Days Will I be pretty? Will I be rich? Now these words and Yues writings on privilege and self- expression have become rallying cries for students expressing rare public outrage over the elite institutions efforts to quiet her exposure of a decades-old rape case. The vocal backlash, including an online petition launched, is being regarded as a pivotal moment in Chinas nascent #MeToo movement. Yue and seven other students at Peking University formally requested that Peking University disclose its actions in the investigation of sexual misconduct by Shen Yang, a former professor, against Gao Yan, a student who killed herself in 1998 after telling friends that Shen raped her. Shen no longer works at Peking University and was dismissed from posts at Nanjing University and Shanghai Normal University earlier this month. According to a letter from Yue that was widely circulated online, Peking University has threatened and intimidated her and her parents in an attempt to stifle discussion of the matter. Yue posted a plea on her WeChat messaging account this week saying that she had been taken away from her dormitory in the middle of the night by her distraught mother and a university instructor. Im confined to [my parents] house right now, Yue wrote. Ive lost my freedom. Yue did not respond to requests for comment, and friends said they have been unable to reach her. Peking Universitys Foreign Languages School, the department to which Yue belongs, said in a statement that they brought Yues mother to campus out of concern that the student had not responded to messages for hours. The university did not respond to further requests for comment. Underscoring the degree of attention attracted by Yues case, Peoples Daily, the official newspaper of the ruling Communist Party, took the rare step of issuing a call for reconciliation between students and the university and for young peoples voices to be understood. Students and faculty together comprise the universitys fate, the paper said in a commentary Tuesday. The school must accept constructive suggestions in a timely manner [] and not be evasive. Students have already developed an awareness of their rights that is impossible to crush, said Feng Yuan, a prominent womens rights advocate. The fight for womens rights will only become more defiant with every setback. While China is beginning to confront problems of sexual harassment and gender discrimination, any kind of campus activism is extremely sensitive for a ruling party with vivid memories of the 1989 student-led pro-democracy demonstrations centered on Beijings Tiananmen Square. The movement was crushed by the military and Chinese college campuses have since been among the most closely monitored venues for organization and discussion. Posts about Yue and Shens case have been heavily censored. The term Yue Xin was not searchable on the Twitter-like Weibo platform yesterday, and posts related to her situation have been scrubbed from WeChat prompting jokes that a 404 Error symbol should become Peking Universitys new logo. Despite such measures, students have been vocalizing their discontent. Big-character posters sheets featuring large, handwritten Chinese characters reminiscent of past protest movements appeared near the historic Democracy Wall triangle on campus, where students advocated political reform in the 1980s. We ask you gentlemen in charge of the school: What are you actually afraid of? the posters said, asserting that Yue was acting in the spirit of the May Fourth movement, when thousands of students from Peking University, also known as PKU, marched to Tiananmen Square in 1919 to protest the governments response to the Treaty of Versailles. A petition published online, said to be signed by students and alumni, condemned the schools unjust treatment of Yue and other students who raised Shens case, demanding that pressure on them be lifted. On social media, users expressed disappointment in what PKU has become and shared a school photo of Yue with the caption PKUs soul is not dead. Fang Kecheng, a journalist and Weibo commentator, described Yue in a blog post as someone who approaches everything with great attention to detail, carefully observing the world around her and meticulously analyzing problems. Yue is one of those rare PKU students, wrote Fang, an alumnus. She is among the students who offer a beacon in the dark night, encouraging generations to come. According to Fang, Yue gave sex education classes to children in poor areas and wanted to be a journalist. In an essay published on her public WeChat account, Yue ruminated on social inequality in China and her own privilege. What I bear is the original sin of the structural injustices of this whole society, Yue wrote. I truly have no reason to not move forward; I truly have no reason to move forward only for my sake. Yanan Wang, Beijing, AP Brazil has become the main supplier of pork to China, said Ricardo Santin, vice president of markets for the Brazilian Association of Animal Proteins (ABPA), adding that sales in March increased 178 percent year-on-year to 13,600 tons. This growth rate was also registered with Hong Kong, with a 58 percent increase, and given the trade disputes between China and the United States, numbers are expected to grow further, gradually regaining previously levels of shipments, reducing the losses caused by the suspension of sales to Russia, said Santin, quoted by the Brazilian press. Figures released by the Brazilian Ministry of Industry, Foreign Trade and Services showed that Brazilian exports of pork to China reached 39,200 tons in the first quarter of this year, an increase of 151.6 percent compared to the same period of the previous year. The rapid growth in the sale of pork to China has helped to offset the drop in exports to Russia, which banned imports of Brazilian pork products in December 2017, Chinese state newspaper Global Times reported. In the first quarter of 2018, Brazilian pork companies exported 129,300 tons, which was 11.9 percent below the tonnage recorded in 2017, with revenues falling 24.6 percent to $275.6 million, against $365.5 million a year earlier. MDT/Macauhub The European Commission of the European Union has adopted the latest annual report to the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers on political and economic developments in the Macau SAR, covering 2017. The report, which assesses the state of the politico-economic environment of Macau and details the nature of EU-Macau relations, found several areas of concern in Macau last year. Its findings led the political bloc to conclude that a greater commitment to democracy, rule of law and protection for fundamental freedoms and rights was required in the MSAR. In particular, the European Union lobbied for greater public involvement in the election of Macaus chief executive and the Legislative Assembly, which would enhance their legitimacy, increase public support and strengthen governance. The EU said that work is ongoing regarding the commitments taken by the Macau government to address the EUs concerns under its screening of third countries and jurisdictions taxation policies and practices. In December last year, Macau was temporarily blacklisted by the European political bloc, accused of being a tax haven. The report mentions several worrying developments, including the banning of activists, lawmakers and journalists from entering Macau last year and self-censorship of the media. There appears to be a degree of self-censorship [in the media], particularly in Chinese-language media and when reporting on Chinese affairs. NGOs and media activists continue to raise concerns over self-censorship, which is due to the medias reliance on government funding. It also mentioned allegations from pro-democracy activists that the Central Government unlawfully hacked their social media, email and instant messaging services in order to monitor election campaign activity. Meanwhile, the EU praised the local governments fight against human trafficking for example through training sessions, public awareness campaigns and increased cooperation with mainland Chinese and Hong Kong intelligence agencies. However, it added that trafficking in human beings remains an issue in Macau and that the number of prosecutions and convictions remains low despite a large number of complaints. In economic terms, the Macau economy appeared to be making strong gains in its recovery, the EU said. In particular, the diversification of the gambling sector gained some ground over the last year, even as it remains a long-term goal of the government. Govt: European Union making irresponsible comments The local government has reacted yesterday to the European Union annual report on Macau, expressing its strong opposition to claims made in the document. According to a statement issued by the Government Information Bureau, the report contains groundless and baseless claims, and made irresponsible comments about Macaus internal affairs. The statement continues by saying that Macaus internal affairs are a domestic matter for China: foreign countries have no right to interfere in Chinas domestic affairs. Claiming as undeniable facts that the MSAR has been strictly implementing the principle of One country, two systems, Macau people governing Macau and the exercise of a high degree of autonomy, the statement claims that the successful implementation of the above is effective in maintaining the political stability of Macao, in boosting economic development, and in strengthening social harmony. Wynn Resorts Ltd.s new chief executive officer said hes pulling back on some of the projects begun by founder and predecessor Steve Wynn, including a lake resort under development in Las Vegas. Speaking on his first earnings call since replacing Wynn in February, Matt Maddox said a new resort with a nightly, floating parade on a lake will be scaled back in favor of beaches and bars focused squarely on high-end customers. He called the proposed USD3 billion budget for Paradise Park not sustainable. Maddox is also reviewing plans for another project on recently purchased land across the street from the companys original Wynn Las Vegas. Maddox is taking steps to show the company is changing since Wynn left two months ago following allegations of sexual misconduct dating back decades. The new CEO said the company considered more than 50 candidates before selecting three women to join the board this month. He said the company also added paid parental leave benefits. Maddox said his goal is reducing the noise surrounding our business. Wynn Resorts is under investigation by casino regulators in Nevada, Macau and Massachusetts over the actions of former CEO Steven Wynn and the boards handling of the allegations against him. That hasnt hurt results at the company, which owns casinos in Las Vegas and Macau. Macau is rebounding from a multiyear slump. New resorts, including one that Wynn opened in August of 2016, have stimulated demand. Christopher Palmeri, MDT/Bloomberg Hydrogen gas could play a major role in the future as a fuel source heating the UK's homes and businesses. HVP's Joe Dart reports. Natural gas still plays an integral role in the heating industry it powers the boilers that heat the nations homes after all. Gas will likely continue to be an important energy source for the foreseeable future but, much like other fossil fuels such as oil and coal, supply is dwindling and could run out entirely in the not too distant future. On top of that, natural gas releases greenhouse gas emissions when burnt. According to the governments Clean Growth Strategy, heating in buildings and industry creates around 32% of the UKs total emissions, and nearly 70% of our heat is produced from natural gas. The government has signed up to the Paris Climate Agreement, which will require the country to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by at least 80% by 2050, when compared to 1990 levels. As a result, it is now exploring alternatives to burning natural gas when it comes to heating the UK. There are two main options that the government is considering for decarbonising heat. The first is electrification, with households moving away from gas or oil boilers to electric heat pumps. The second is to decarbonise the gas grid by substituting natural gas with low carbon gases, such as hydrogen. In recent years, much of the governments focus has been on electrification, but the idea of introducing hydrogen into the gas grid is now gaining serious traction. Showcasing hydrogen One major project which is showcasing the potential of hydrogen is the H21 Leeds City Gate feasibility study. H21 is a Northern Gas Networks (NGN) led project, in partnership with Wales & West Utilities, and part-funded by the Ofgem Network Innovation Allowance. The basis for the study is to determine whether it is possible to convert our current distribution system in a large city from natural gas to 100% hydrogen. We used Leeds as a blueprint for conversion due to its size, energy demand and geographic location, but this blueprint could be adapted for any large UK city, said Mark Horsley, Chief Executive at NGN. The advantage of hydrogen over natural gas is that, when it is burned, it produces no carbon dioxide. This means that fewer harmful emissions are released when it is used as a fuel. The final H21 study confirmed that the gas network in Leeds does in fact have the correct capacity for a full conversion to hydrogen, with minimal new energy infrastructure needed compared to alternatives, such as electrification. The report also provides assurances that the conversion can happen with minimal disruption to customers. However, it is worth noting that if a switchover from natural gas to 100% hydrogen does occur, many existing gas-burning appliances will no longer function. That includes gas boilers, cookers and fires. In Leeds alone, approximately 1 billion has been earmarked to cover the cost of these appliance upgrades should the hydrogen switchover get the green light. It sounds like a lot, but there are also serious costs attached to the electrification of heating. A 2016 KPMG report, 2050 Energy Scenarios, found that the cost of converting the UK to hydrogen gas could be at least 150 billion cheaper than electrification. Martyn Bridges, Director of Technical Communication and Product Management at Worcester Bosch, says a switch to electrification would also result in far more invasive works for homeowners as, to work most effectively, heat pumps require a well-insulated home. He said: We know that [a leaky old property and a heat pump] isnt a good combination, but a leaky old property and a high temperature heating by gas, oil, or hydrogen isnt as much of an issue for the homeowner. Potential uses Although the H21 strategy is proposing a straight swap from natural gas to hydrogen, there are other potential options involving hydrogen that could provide a solution. One such option would be to enrich the gas grid with hydrogen. Most conventional gas boilers can still perform with a hydrogen blend of up to 20% in the natural gas network. This sort of approach is already starting to be trialled in the UK. For example, the HyDeploy project will see the introduction of a 20% blend of hydrogen into Keele Universitys gas network. The project is still in its preparatory phases, but a live trial is planned from April 2019 to March 2020. Another option is to invest in fuel cell technology. This sort of technology is already commercially available within the heating sector. Viessmann manufactures the Vitovalor 300-P, which comprises two units, a fuel cell module and a peak load module, comprising an integral gas condensing boiler. The way that the system works is that a fuel cell extracts the hydrogen from the gas supply and combines it with oxygen to generate both heat and electricity. Christian Engelke, Technical Director at Viessmann, says that very little heat is lost or wasted in the process, and the product has a total efficiency of approximately 90%. An added benefit is that the Vitavalor can be installed in much the same way as a conventional boiler, requiring little additional training for the installer. Looking forward If the government takes the decision to back hydrogen as a solution for decarbonising heat, Christian is keen to stress that the Vitovalor could be a great way to immediately start reducing carbon emissions. In the short to medium term, get those machines out into the marketplace they provide the least amount of disruption for all parties involved, and we are also fulfilling a government obligation to provide a solution to individual properties in terms of decentralisation electricity generation, which helps to balance the grid, he said. The technology is commercially available, its reliable, [with] very little disruption to the homeowner. Yes, its a little more expensive, but its not much more expensive than a 4kw PV system. In addition, Christian says there are major questions over the sustainability of hydrogen that have yet to be answered. He explained: We have to look up the supply chain to ask where the hydrogen we make comes from. Hydrogen can be a renewable fuel if it is produced through sources such as wind and solar, but in the vast majority of cases it will made from fossil fuels such as natural gas. Mark from NGN expects that green hydrogen generated by renewable resources and electrolysis will increase over time as the hydrogen economy grows and renewables play a greater role in electricity generation. However, for the time being at least, the only way to produce hydrogen at the scale needed is through steam methane reforming or autothermal reforming: taking natural gas and separating the hydrogen and carbon. Looking forward, both Martyn of Worcester Bosch and Mark from NGN believe the next steps for hydrogen are reliant on whether the government is willing to take the plunge and starting investing heavily in the energy source. Mark said: The main challenge for a switchover is a government policy decision on hydrogen. For Martyn, he fully expects to see hydrogen contributing to the future of decarbonising heat, but argues that we wont see enough of a difference unless its blended into the gas network at high percentages, at least 40-50%. Once youre getting to that sort of level, you might as well go the whole hog [to 100%]. So its very likely well see a step change of more hydrogen, he said. However, Martyn suggests that enthusiasm needs to be tempered, at least in the short term, as a decision wont likely be made before the next general election. He concluded: I think there is sufficient evidence already on the table to set a timetable [for hydrogen] if they are really convinced that this is the answer. Chinese filmmaker Chen Kaige has agreed to serve as international jury president at the third edition of the International Film Festival & Awards Macao later this year, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Kaige, who is famously the only Chinese filmmaker to have won the Cannes Palme dOr, is a leading figure in what is sometimes termed the fifth generation of Chinese cinema. He will lead the judging panel for the festivals main competition segment, dedicated to first- and second-time filmmakers. IFFAM festival director Mike Goodridge told the film and television media outlet that it was a great honor to welcome Kaige as international jury president. That he has agreed to be our jury president this year is a great honor to our festival, he said. With a 35-year filmography spanning Yellow Earth (1984) to last years dizzyingly spectacular Legend of the Demon Cat, he pioneered a new era in Chinese cinema in the 1980s and 1990s, yet continues to challenge himself today with the same energy, ambition and command of the medium across many different genres. Citing further comments of Goodridge, the Hollywood Reporter noted that there will be several new additions to the festival this year, including a showcase called New Chinese Cinema that will feature selections of Chinese-language cinema from 2018. Another new element will be a For All the Family segment, screening family film favorites from around the world. Meanwhile, many of the popular segments from previous years are also set to return this year. Among them is Flying Daggers a selection of international genre films the Best of Fest Panorama, the Directors Choice Retrospective (in which international directors select some of their favorite classic genre films), and the usual array of special presentations and career achievement awards. The third edition of the film festival is due to be held in Macau between December 8 and 14. An Indian court found a high-profile spiritual guru guilty of raping a teenage female devotee in 2013 and sentenced him to life in prison. The verdict against 77-year-old Asaram Bapu was read out inside the prison where he is being held in Jodhpur in Rajasthan state because of fears that his followers might resort to violence. Security was tight around the prison complex and in states where the guru has a large following. The trial was the latest in a series of high-profile rape cases in India that have fueled public protests and raised questions about how police handle the attacks and treat the victims. Last August, another popular and flamboyant Indian spiritual guru, Dr. Saint Gurmeet Singh Ram Rahim Insan, was sentenced to 20 years in prison on charges of raping two female followers. Responding to widespread outrage over the recent rape and killings of young girls and other attacks on children, Indias government last week approved the death penalty for people convicted of raping children under age 12. Judge Madhusudhan Sharma announced yesterday the prison term for Bapu and sentenced two of his associates to 20 years in prison each for helping him in the crime. The judge convicted Bapu on charges of criminal conspiracy, wrongful confinement and rape. Bapu has denied the charges, and a spokeswoman, Neelam Dubey, said Bapu would appeal the verdict in a higher court. The girl in her complaint to police in 2013 accused Bapu of raping her when she visited his retreat in Jodhpur with her mother. She was 16 at the time. The girls family said they had been followers of Bapu for more than a decade. Bapu has been in prison since his arrest in 2013. He ran more than 230 ashrams with residential schools with millions of followers across India and abroad, including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Uganda and Kenya. Religious sects wield considerable political clout in India. Bapu is also on trial along with his son Narayan Sai in a separate case in which two sisters have accused the two men of sexual assault. AP Wynn Resorts Ltd. has released its financial results for the first quarter of 2018, which show that its operating revenue rose more than 20 percent over the same quarter in 2017 to USD1.72 billion (MOP13.87 billion). According to the company, the increase was led by an improvement in the revenue of Wynn Palace and Wynn Macau. The two resorts saw their revenue rise by $213.5 million and $65.5 million respectively, representing 95 percent of Wynns total growth in operating revenue. Meanwhile, Las Vegas operations saw its revenue increase by just USD12.8 million year-on-year. The companys new CEO, Matt Maddox, said he was as excited as ever about the future prospects of this company. He said the company had seen no degradation of business during a reporting period marked by scandal. In terms of casino revenue, Wynn Macau registered $539 million in the quarter, a 10.5 percent increase compared with the first quarter of 2017. Meanwhile, casino revenues from Wynn Palace amounted to $568.5 million, increasing more than 50 percent year-on-year. Non-casino revenues from Wynn Macau and Wynn Palace amounted to $79.2 million and $97.4 million respectively, an increase of 22.3 percent and 29.5 percent each, according to the company. Nevertheless, the company registered a net loss attributable to Wynn Resorts of $204.3 million or $1.99 per diluted share in the first quarter of 2018, down from a net income of $100.8 million in the first quarter of last year. In its financial statement, Wynn Resorts said that the loss was primarily due to a $463.6 million litigation settlement expense. For the first three months of 2018, adjusted property EBITDA rose 32 percent year-on- year to $564.3 million, as a result of increases of $100.1 million, $28.7 million and $8 million from Wynn Palace, Wynn Macau and Las Vegas operations respectively. Wynn Resorts also approved a cash dividend of $0.75 per share this week, payable as of May 29, 2018, to stockholders on record as of May 17, 2018. This marks a 50 percent increase in the quarterly cash dividend from the final quarter of 2017, the company said. The companys earnings report came a day after founder Steve Wynns ex-wife, Elaine Wynn who is also the biggest shareholder and co-founder of Wynn Resorts announced she was seeking to remove one of the companys directors overseeing an internal investigation into sexual misconduct allegations. Elaine Wynn said, in a filing with U.S. regulators on Monday, that John Hagenbuch is allied too closely with Steve Wynn, and asked shareholders to reject his re-election. In a statement responding to Elaine Wynns letter, the company noted its decision last week to add three women directors to its board but did not directly address Hagenbuchs status. The final chapter of the companys long- running legal battle also ended earlier this month, with Wynn agreeing to pay his ex- wife $25 million in a settlement. Elaine Wynn had joined the dispute alleging that she had been unfairly removed from the board by her ex-husband and others in 2015 because of her inquiries into company activities. Wynn Resorts said Elaine Wynn had dropped claims against it, and that the company made no payment under the agreement. A new art space in the city officially opened earlier this month, kicking off with a photo exhibition, Fukushima. Cora Si, former curator of the Ox Warehouse art association, said that a local design company, Chiii Design, has lent the space to the group and provided them with the facilities to hold art exhibitions. Speaking to the Times, Si explained that the space, At Light, is not restricted to exhibiting any form of artwork. Indeed, the next exposition will feature a private collection of oil paintings. Actually we dont [target] a specific kind of exhibition. Now its mainly contemporary art, said Si. Initially, the art space behind the government headquarters was formerly named Chii Gallery, but it was not fully utilized. The idea for this gallery was to use it as an exhibition space but the gallery did not think about what kind of [exhibitions] they want it to have, said Si. Later on, the gallery met with us and they thought that its okay to lend the place to us, so [thats] why were here now, the curator said. Currently, the art space is showcasing the works of photographer Kan Tai Wong, who documented the livelihood of cities and towns damaged by the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011. The following year, he entered the exclusion zone established after the Fukushima nuclear disaster and took photos with a Polaroid camera, believing that the particular medium would add an additional emotional layer of color. The photographs show the livelihood of residents in the aftermath of the earthquake, including farmers growing cops in their restored lands while villagers carry out rituals and festivals. Meanwhile, the curator believes that the art space serves as a platform for artists to freely showcase their works. This place is beautiful, and has an old style western architecture. I think this is really an ideal space. I even think its more beautiful than the exhibition spaces in Taipa Museum, she remarked. Comparing it to the previous art space for which she curated, Si noted that At Light gives a different vibe and receives much more freedom to showcase various artworks. The government lent the previous one [Ox Warehouse] and they gave us freedom [to showcase artworks], but the people Im working with are different now [] and theyre really easy to work with, said Si. We want to keep the flexibility of At Light when we are operating this space because many [art] spaces have restrictions regarding how you want to display artworks, which isnt so good, the curator added. Si revealed that At Light is planning to hold six exhibitions this year, along with a community event. China is prepared to take further steps to counter perceived moves by self-ruling Taiwan toward formal independence following recent war games aimed at intimidating the islands leaders, the government said yesterday. Signals sent by the military exercises are extremely distinct and clear, the spokesman for the Cabinets Taiwan Affairs Office, Ma Xiaoguang, told reporters at a bi-weekly news briefing. We have the firm will, complete confidence and sufficient capability to frustrate any types of Taiwan independence schemes or actions and protect national sovereignty and territorial integrity, Ma said. If the Taiwan independence forces continue to act however they wish, we will take further actions, he said. Responding to Mas comments, Taiwans equivalent Cabinet agency, the Mainland Affairs Council, said Chinese military pressure and threats are a provocation and sabotage of the status quo of peace in the Taiwan Strait and region. Only through abandoning military threats, facing up to the reality of political division between the sides and undertaking pragmatic communication and dialogue can we help heal the differences between the sides, it said in a statement. Taiwan denounced the exercises last week in the Taiwan Strait dividing the sides as a threat to regional peace and stability and said it would make no concessions. China claims Taiwan as its own territory and says the two sides, separated during a civil war in 1949, must eventually be united, by force if necessary. Any potential conflict could quickly draw in the United States, since Washington is legally bound to respond to threats to the islands security and is its chief supplier of foreign military hardware. Chinas authoritarian Communist government severed ties with Taipei almost two years ago after independence-leaning President Tsai Ing-wen refused its demand to recognize the democratic island as a part of Chinese territory. Long-simmering tensions between the sides have spiked again in recent weeks. Beijing was especially angered by comments by Taiwans premier, William Lai, in parliament that hes a Taiwanese independence worker. Chinese officials have also 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. Ties have also been roiled by U.S. plans to provide Taiwan with submarine manufacturing technology, a proposed arms sale and the appointment of hawkish U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton. Along with the recent war games involving aviation units of the Peoples Liberation Army ground force, China has stepped up air force training flights around Taiwan and increased naval activity in the South and East China seas. Diplomatically, it has blocked Taiwan from taking part in international forums it used to attend and has sought to squeeze the islands tourism industry by cutting back on the numbers of Chinese visitors traveling there. AP A top politician for Spains ruling party has resigned as the head of the Madrid region, opening a new crisis for the conservative government of Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy. Regional president Cristina Cifuentes announced her resignation hours after she was seen in a video allegedly shoplifting cosmetics in a supermarket seven years ago. It follows a monthlong controversy over a masters degree in regional law granted to Cifuentes by a public university, which faked signatures of professors and administrators after she apparently failed to attend most classes. Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng Tuesday met with senior officials and the prosecutor general of the MSAR to discuss matters including the comprehensive and accurate implementation of the one country, two systems policy and the Basic Law, according to several reports. Han, who is also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said the top Macau officials should safeguard national sovereignty, security, and development interests unwaveringly. He added that they should actively pursue development, advance harmony, and firmly maintain lasting prosperity and stability in Macau. The officials should work diligently to help integrate Macaus own development into the overall development of the country, and seek benefits for the people, Han said, according to a Xinhua report. At the meeting, Han praised the Macau government officials for their achievements in the development of Macau as well as for bringing together all sectors of society, consolidating and enhancing the prosperity and stability of the region. Representing the Macau delegation, the Secretary for Administration and Justice, Sonia Chan, spoke with the media, noting that this was the first time that Han had received representatives from Macau and Hong Kong since he took office, with the duties of being in charge of the two regions affairs. The secretary noted that, it becomes imperative to respect the socialist system implemented by national institutions, as well as respect for the Communist Party, according to the status of the ruling party in the country. [] It also becomes necessary to defend the powers of the Central Government, assimilating in an organic way the high level of autonomy enjoyed by the MSAR and to foster both the political awareness and the awareness of the countrys general interests. As a third point, Chan noted that is necessary to seize local development opportunities, benefit from Macaus special characteristics to diversify its economy and to plan a long-term development according to such characteristics and roles defined. As a final point, Chan remarked on the topic of caring [for] Macaus people, noting that Han said that the government should work for the wellbeing and satisfaction of Macau residents, listening to their voices and requests, in order to ensure not only that the defined direction is followed but to make it easy to spot possible shortcomings. According to Xinhua, the Macau officials and the prosecutor general were in Beijing for training. Sonia Chan revealed that the training session organized for the Macau main officials, which was concluded yesterday, served to inform them about the national situation and to prepare all government officials for the new era of communism with Chinese characteristics instituted by President Xi Jinping, as well as the new developments and intentions on the relationship of China with other countries and regions in the light of the new international situation. thyssenkrupp AG operates in the areas of automotive technology, industrial components, plant technology, marine systems, steel, and materials services in Germany, the United States, China, and internationally. The company's Automotive Technology segment develops and manufactures components and systems and automated production systems for the automotive industry. Its Industrial Components segment manufactures and sells forged components and system solutions for the resource, construction, and mobility sectors; and slewing rings, antifriction bearings, and seamless rolled rings for the wind energy and construction machinery sectors. The company's Plant Technology segment builds plants for the chemical, cement, and mining industries. Its Marine Systems segment provides systems in the submarine and surface ship building, as well as in the field of maritime electronics and security technology. The company's Materials Services segment distributes materials and offers technical services for the production and manufacturing sectors. Its Steel Europe segment provides flat carbon steel products, intelligent material solutions, and finished parts. thyssenkrupp AG was founded in 1811 and is headquartered in Essen, Germany. Read More 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 China Hydroelectric Corporation is a developer, owner and operator of small hydroelectric power projects in China. The projects are located in Zhejiang, Fujian, Yunnan and Sichuan. As of December 31, 2012, wholly owns 22 operating hydroelectric power projects and have controlling interests in three operating hydroelectric power projects. In March 2012, the Company sold 100% of the Yuanping hydroelectric power project. In April 2013, the Company sold the Yuheng hydroelectric power project, a 30 megawatt (MW) project located in Fujian province. In July 2014, the Company announced that it has completed the merger with CPT Wyndham Sub Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of CPT Wyndham Holdings Ltd. 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LLC, NRG Portable Power LLC, NRG Potrero Development LLC, NRG Power Marketing LLC, NRG Procurement Company LLC, NRG Project Company LLC, NRG Reliability Solutions LLC, NRG Renter's Protection LLC, NRG Repowering Holdings LLC, NRG Residential Solar Solutions LLC, NRG Residential Solar Solutions Leasing II LLC, NRG Retail LLC, NRG Retail Northeast LLC, NRG Rockford Acquisition LLC, NRG Rockford Equipment II LLC, NRG Rockford Equipment LLC, NRG Saguaro Operations Inc., NRG Security LLC, NRG Services Corporation, NRG Sherbino LLC, NRG SimplySmart Solutions LLC, NRG Solar Arrowhead LLC, NRG Solar CVSR Holdings 2 LLC, NRG Solar Dandan LLC, NRG Solar Guam LLC, NRG Solar Ivanpah LLC, NRG Solar Ring LLC, NRG Solar SC Stadium LLC, NRG Solar Sunrise LLC, NRG South Central Affiliate Services Inc., NRG South Central Generating LLC, NRG South Central Operations Inc., NRG South Texas LP, NRG Sterlington Power LLC, NRG Storage Fabrication & Delivery LLC, NRG Storage on Demand NY LLC, NRG SunCap Leasing I LLC, NRG Telogia Power LLC, NRG Texas C&I Supply LLC, NRG Texas Gregory LLC, NRG Texas Holding Inc., NRG Texas LLC, NRG Texas Power LLC, NRG Texas Retail LLC, NRG Trading Advisors LLC, NRG Transmission Holdings LLC, NRG ULC Parent Inc., NRG Victoria I Pty Ltd, NRG Warranty Services LLC, NRG West Coast LLC, NRG Western Affiliate Services Inc., NRG Wind Development Company LLC, NRG Wind Force LLC, NRG Wind LLC, NRG dGen Advisory Services LLC, NRGenerating German Holdings GmbH, NRGenerating International B.V., NRGenerating Luxembourg (No. 1) S.a.r.l., NRGenerating Luxembourg (No. 2) S.a.r.l., New Genco GP LLC, New Jersey Power Development LLC, Norwalk Power LLC, O'Brien Cogeneration Inc. II, ONSITE Energy Inc., One Block Off The Grid Inc., Oswego Harbor Power LLC, Pacific Generation Company, Petra Nova CCS I LLC, Petra Nova Holdings LLC, Petra Nova LLC, Petra Nova Parish Holdings LLC, Petra Nova Power I LLC, Pure Energies Group, Pure Energies Group ULC, Pure Energies Installation Inc., Pure Energies Solar Services Inc., Pure Group Inc., RDI Consulting LLC, RERH Holdings LLC, Reliant Charitable Foundation, Reliant Energy, Reliant Energy Northeast LLC, Reliant Energy Power Supply LLC, Reliant Energy Retail Holdings LLC, Reliant Energy Retail Services LLC, Restoration Design LLC, Roof Diagnostics Solar Holdings LLC, Roof Diagnostics Solar and Electric LLC, Roof Diagnostics Solar and Electric of NY LLC, Saguaro Power Company a Limited Partnership, Saguaro Power LLC, San Gabriel Energy LLC, San Joaquin Energy LLC, San Juan Energy LLC, San Pascual Cogeneration Company International B.V., Sherbino I Wind Farm LLC, Solar Partners I LLC, Solar Partners II LLC, Solar Partners VIII LLC, Solar Power Partners, Solar Pure Energies ULC, Somerset Operations Inc., Somerset Power LLC, South Texas Wind LLC, Station A LLC, Sunrise Power Company LLC, Sunshine State Power (No. 2) B.V., Sunshine State Power B.V., TCV Pipeline LLC, Tacoma Energy Recovery Company, Taloga Wind II LLC, Texas Coastal Ventures LLC, Texas Genco GP LLC, Texas Genco Holdings, Texas Genco Holdings Inc., Texas Genco LP LLC, Texas Genco Services LP, US Retailers LLC, Valle Del Sol Energy LLC, Vienna Operations Inc., Vienna Power LLC, WCP (Generation) Holdings LLC, Watson Cogeneration Company, West Coast Power LLC, XOOM Alberta Holdings LLC, XOOM British Columbia Holdings LLC, XOOM Energy BC ULC, XOOM Energy California LLC, XOOM Energy Canada ULC, XOOM Energy Connecticut LLC, XOOM Energy Delaware LLC, XOOM Energy Georgia LLC, XOOM Energy Global Holdings LLC, XOOM Energy Illinois LLC, XOOM Energy Indiana LLC, XOOM Energy Kentucky LLC, XOOM Energy LLC, XOOM Energy Maine LLC, XOOM Energy Maryland LLC, XOOM Energy Massachusetts LLC, XOOM Energy Michigan LLC, XOOM Energy New Hampshire LLC, XOOM Energy New Jersey LLC, XOOM Energy New York LLC, XOOM Energy ONT ULC, XOOM Energy Ohio LLC, XOOM Energy Pennsylvania LLC, XOOM Energy Rhode Island LLC, XOOM Energy Texas LLC, XOOM Energy Virginia LLC, XOOM Energy Washington D.C. LLC, XOOM Ontario Holdings LLC, XOOM Solar LLC, and eV2g LLC. 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 (HealthDay)For children with neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis type 2 (CLN2) disease, intraventricular infusion of cerliponase alfa is associated with reduced decline in motor and language function, according to a study published online April 24 in the New England Journal of Medicine. The research was published to coincide with the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology, held from April 21 to 27 in Los Angeles. Angela Schulz, M.D., from the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf in Germany, and colleagues conducted a multicenter study to examine the effect of intraventricular infusion of cerliponase alfa every two weeks in children with CLN2 disease aged 3 to 16 years. Treatment was initiated at a dose of 30, 100, or 300 mg; all patients received the 300-mg dose for 96 weeks or more. Twenty-four patients were enrolled in the study; the efficacy population consisted of 23 patients. The researchers found that the median time until a 2-point decline in the motor-language score was not reached for treated patients and was 345 days for 42 historical controls. The mean unadjusted rate of decline in the motor-language score per 48-week period was 0.27 0.35 and 2.12 0.98 points in treated patients and in the historical controls (mean difference, 1.85; P < 0.001). "Intraventricular infusion of cerliponase alfa in patients with CLN2 disease resulted in less decline in motor and language function than that in historical controls," the authors write. "Serious adverse events included failure of the intraventricular device and device-related infections." The study was funded by BioMarin Pharmaceutical. Explore further Brineura approved for rare genetic illness affecting kids Copyright 2018 HealthDay. All rights reserved. Credit: CC0 Public Domain They cost thousands of dollars, and insurance almost never covers them. But hearing aids may hold the potential to cut older adults' visits to the hospital or emergency room, according to a new study. That could mean lower costs in the long run, though more research is needed to see if this is true. The study arrives at a time when discussion about adding Medicare coverage for hearing aids is rising. In the new paper in JAMA Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery, a team from the University of Michigan reports what they found after examining data from 1,336 adults ages 65 to 85 who reported they had severe hearing loss. Strikingly, the researchers found that only 45 percent of those in the study actually use a hearing aid - despite having serious difficulty hearing. The rate is lower still among those with low incomes or less education, those who are African American or Hispanic, and those who live in Southern U.S. After the researchers factored out those differences, they found that older adults who had a hearing aid were less likely to have gone to the hospital or emergency room in the last year. The difference was about two percentage points - not a major difference but large enough to be significant. In addition, those who had been hospitalized and had a hearing aid had shorter stays than those who didn't have a hearing aid - averaging a half of a day less in the hospital. On the other hand, those with hearing aids had a higher probability (by four percentage points) of having an office-based visit to a physician in the past year. They also had more such visits than those without hearing aids. Office-based visits are much less costly than emergency visits and hospital stays. Impact despite lack of coverage The association of hearing aid use with lower use of costly types of care is especially striking given the lack of insurance coverage for the devices, the authors say. Hearing loss is one of the most common conditions among those over age 65. "Traditional Medicare doesn't cover hearing aids at all, Medicare Advantage plans may cover them but often ask members to share the cost at a high level, and only about half of states offer some Medicaid coverage for the lowest-income patients," says Elham Mahmoudi, Ph.D., M.B.A., lead author of the new study and a health economist in the Department of Family Medicine at the U-M Medical School. "As the debate over expanding coverage continues, we hope this research and our future work will help inform the discussion." The findings, based on self-reported accounts of a single year of health care use, don't show a cost savings overall for those who have invested in a hearing aid. That is unlikely to be visible in a cross-section of data such as this, Mahmoudi notes. In fact, those with hearing aids reported spending about $325 more out of their own pockets than those without, and said their health care costs were about $1,125 more overall, compared with those who had hearing loss but no hearing aids. The total Medicare spending reported by both groups was about the same. "Hearing aids cost an average of $2,000 to $7,000, so the fact that overall annual health care costs for those with hearing aids were not that much higher is an important point on its own," says Mahmoudi, who is a member of the U-M Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation. The new study is based on self-reported health care use and costs, gathered through the Medicare Expenditure Panel Survey conducted by the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The data also included self-reported health conditions. The fact that people who had hearing aids were also less likely to have chronic illnesses such as diabetes and high blood pressure may have had something to do with these chances of using costlier services, according to an editorial commenting on the new paper. Or, this difference may indicate that hearing aids are allowing individuals to lead more active and healthy lives. But the data used in the study don't allow the researchers to tell that for sure. Next steps To get a different and long-term look at the same issue, Mahmoudi and her colleagues are already studying five years' worth of private insurance data provided by IHPI, and anonymous data from patients treated at Michigan Medicine, U-M's academic medical center. By looking at documented costs and health care use over multiple years, they hope to look at whether hearing aids might be cost-effective - in other words, whether the initial spending on a device actually pays off in lower costs from other forms of health care for the same patient. Mahmoudi's own experience with her father's hearing loss, and the experience of two of her co-authors informed the study. Michael M. McKee, M.D., M.P.H. and Family Medicine chair Philip Zazove, M.D., also worked on the study; both have hearing loss and use cochlear implants. Mahmoudi's father, who is in his 80s, didn't use a hearing aid to offset his hearing loss until Mahmoudi helped him navigate the process of getting a hearing exam, and getting the hearing aid fitted and adjusted. The expense, and the need for several office visits to adjust the device's settings, make getting a hearing aid a complex undertaking. But, she notes, other studies have found hearing loss can cause adults to feel isolated, make them less likely to communicate effectively with family and health providers both in and out of the hospital, and is associated with worse overall health. A 2016 National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine report looked at hearing-related technologies for adults of all ages, and concluded that changes to the coverage and regulation of hearing aids should be made. The panel's recommendations helped lead to a 2017 law instructing the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to develop guidelines that will allow hearing aids to be sold over the counter. The FDA hearing aid website provides current information, but the agency now has less than three years to develop and launch guidelines. No matter what, over-the-counter hearing aids are likely to be best for those with mild to moderate hearing loss. In the meantime, the U-M team will continue to study the impact of hearing aids on patients' live and health. "This is the first study to show an association between hearing aid use and how older people use the health care system," says Mahmoudi. "If we look over a longer period, it may be that the cost of the hearing aid may be covered by the difference in use of health care. That remains to be seen. But hearing loss is something that a lot of people experience, and it can be overcome in most cases. So cost effectiveness may be only one way to measure whether insurance coverage for hearing aids is the right thing to do." Explore further Certain OTC, less expensive hearing aids provide benefit similar to conventional hearing aid More information: JAMA Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery, DOI: 10.1001/jamaoto.2018.0273 Quinn, an autistic boy, and the line of toys he made before falling asleep. Repeatedly stacking or lining up objects is a behavior commonly associated with autism. Credit: Wikipedia. Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health contributed to a new U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that finds the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) among 11 surveillance sites as one in 59 among children aged 8 years in 2014 (or 1.7 percent). This marks a 15 percent increase from the most recent report two years ago, and the highest prevalence since the CDC began tracking ASD in 2000. Consistent with previous reports, boys were four times more likely to be identified with ASD than girls. The rate is one in 38 among boys (or 2.7 percent) and one in 152 among girls (or 0.7 percent). ASD is a developmental disorder characterized by social and communication impairments, combined with limited interests and repetitive behaviors. Early diagnosis and intervention are key to improving learning and skills. Rates have been rising since the 1960s, but researchers do not know how much of this rise is due to an increase in actual cases. There are other factors that may be contributing, such as: increased awareness, screening, diagnostic services, treatment and intervention services, better documentation of ASD behaviors and changes in diagnostic criteria. For this new report, the CDC collected data at 11 regional monitoring sites that are part of the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network in the following states: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, Tennessee and Wisconsin. The Maryland monitoring site is based at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore. This is the sixth report by the ADDM Network, which has used the same surveillance methods for more than a decade. Estimated prevalence rates of ASD in the U.S. reported by previous data were: one in 68 children in the 2016 report that looked at 2012 data one in 68 children in the 2014 report that looked at 2010 data one in 88 children in the 2012 report that looked at 2008 data one in 110 children in the 2009 report that looked at 2006 data one in 150 children in the 2007 report that looked at 2000 and 2002 data "The estimated overall prevalence rates reported by ADDM at the monitoring sites have more than doubled since the report was first published in 2007," says Dr. Li-Ching Lee, PhD, ScM, a psychiatric epidemiologist with the Bloomberg School's departments of Epidemiology and Mental Health and the principal investigator for Maryland-ADDM. "Although we continue to see disparities among racial and ethnic groups, the gap is closing," Lee says. ASD prevalence was reported to be approximately 20 to 30 percent higher among white children as compared with black children in previous ADDM reports. In the current report, the difference has dropped to 7 percent. In addition, approximately 70 percent of children with ASD had borderline, average or above average intellectual ability, a proportion higher than that found in ADDM data prior to 2012. Some trends in the latest CDC report remain similar, such as the greater likelihood of boys being diagnosed with ASD, the age of earliest comprehensive evaluation and presence of a previous ASD diagnosis or classification. Specifically, non-white children with ASD are being identified and evaluated at a later age than white children. The majority of children identified with ASD by the ADDM Network (80 percent) had a previous ASD diagnosis or a special educational classification. In Maryland, the prevalence of ASD was higher than in the network as a whole. An estimated one in 50 children (2 percent) was identified as having ASDone in 31 among boys and one in 139 among girls. The data were derived from health and special education records of children who were eight years old and living in Baltimore County in 2014. Lee notes, similar to previous reports, the vast majority of children identified with ASD in Maryland had a developmental concern in their records by age three (92 percent), but only 56 percent of them received a comprehensive evaluation by that age. "This lag may delay the timing for children with ASD to get diagnosed and to start receiving needed services," says Lee, an associate director of the school's Wendy Klag Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities. The causes of autism are not completely understood; studies show that both environment and genetics may play a role. The CDC recommends that parents track their child's development and act quickly to get their child screened if they have a concern. Free checklists and information for parents, physicians and child care providers are available at http://www.cdc.gov/ActEarly. A full copy of the report, "Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder Among Children Aged 8 YearsAutism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, 11 Sites, United States, 2014" is available on the CDC website here. A copy of the Community Report with individual state statistics is available here. Explore further Autism might be better detected using new two-minute questionnaire Provided by Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health Credit: CC0 Public Domain It may not replace prescription glasses, but a few bites of dark chocolate might offer a slight and temporary bump up in vision quality, new research suggests. Heart-healthy compounds in chocolate called flavanols appeared to sharpen eyesight for a group of 30 healthy young adults in the new study. The observed change in vision was small, but significant. However, the study authors stressed that it's too early for ophthalmologists to recommend chocolate as medicine for the eyes. "The duration of these effects and their influence in real-world performance await further testing," said a team led by Dr. Jeff Rabin of the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio, Texas. His team published its results online April 26 in JAMA Ophthalmology. As Rabin's team explained, there's been evidence in prior studies that the antioxidant flavanols in dark chocolate might help boost blood flow to the nervous system, boost heart function and even help preserve the aging brain. So, the investigators wondered if the eyes might reap some sort of benefit from chocolate, too. To find out, the researchers had 30 healthy adults, averaging 26 years of age, eat either a 1.5-ounce Trader Joe's 72 percent Cacao Dark Chocolate bar or a similar-sized Trader Joe's Crispy Rice Milk Chocolate bar. Labels were removed from each bar so participants didn't know what type of chocolate they were eating. About two hours later, each participant underwent vision testing using standard letter-based eye charts. The result? Compared to people who'd eaten the milk chocolate bar, those who'd snacked on the dark chocolate showed "small enhancements in visual acuity and large-letter contrast" on the vision test, the researchers reported. Dr. Mark Fromer is an ophthalmologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. He explained that visual acuity is a key component in the standard eye-glasses prescription test, where patients "specifically identify the letters on the eye chart." And contrast sensitivity is "the ability to distinguish an object as the lighting is altered in intensity," said Fromer, who wasn't involved in the new study. The San Antonio researchers stressed that the vision improvements experienced by the dark chocolate eaters "were small, and the [real life] functional relevance is unclear." Just how might chocolate give eyesight a boost? According to Fromer, "The [study] authors suggest that this [improvement] may be a result of increased blood flow to the retina, visual pathways or [the brain's] cerebral cortex." But "there is currently no direct evidence to substantiate this claim," he said. So it's too early to prescribe a dose of chocolate to help preserve failing eyesight, Fromer explained. "Further investigation will be necessary," he added. Explore further Almonds and dark chocolate lower bad cholesterol More information: Jeff C. Rabin et al. Effects of Milk vs Dark Chocolate Consumption on Visual Acuity and Contrast Sensitivity Within 2 Hours, JAMA Ophthalmology (2018). Journal information: JAMA Ophthalmology Jeff C. Rabin et al. Effects of Milk vs Dark Chocolate Consumption on Visual Acuity and Contrast Sensitivity Within 2 Hours,(2018). DOI: 10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2018.0978 Copyright 2018 HealthDay. All rights reserved. click to enlarge PHOTO BY LARRY D. MOORE Jim Hightower Multibillionaires Charles and David Koch want nothing less than to supplant Americas core democratic principle of majority rule with their core plutocratic principle of inviolable property rights, also known as domination by the wealthy minority.From their early involvement in The John Birch Society, they continued their rightward march, and by the 1970s, both had plunged into the abyss of a laissez-fairyland plutocracy.For nearly 40 years, they and their uber-rich allies have been battering the legal structures and mechanisms that give ordinary people some chance to control their own destinies. Among the brothers goals are the following: Kill all restrictions on political spending by corporations and the rich. Suppress the voting rights of students, people of color, the elderly and others who tend to oppose Republican policies and candidates. Massacre labor unions. Eliminate the right of consumers, workers and others to sue corporations, forcing them instead into corporate-controlled arbitration. Rip to shreds the social safety net including food stamps, jobless benefits, Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. Ax regulations that protect people and our environment from corporate abuse. Preempt the right of local people to pass laws that corporations oppose. Subvert democracy through gerrymandering. Pack courts with pro-corporate judges.The Koch brothers understood early on that they would need to invest millions of dollars over many years to package, perfume and surreptitiously push their unpopular anti-majority ideas on the public. Transforming their inherited fossil fuel fortune into Koch Industries, they freely tap this revenue directly and massively to finance their political agenda. And because that money is privately held, much of that spending is not publicly revealed.And its not just the brothers themselves at play here. The Koch-affiliated web of gazillionaire allies, The Seminar Network, aims to unite the countrys top business and philanthropic leaders behind a shared commitment to a ... free and open society. When some 500 donors gathered at a posh resort in January, Charles Koch boasted: Weve made more progress in the last five years than I had in the previous 50. ... The capabilities we have now can take us to a whole new level. The network has pledged to spend an additional $400 million on the 2018 elections ... including elections at the local and state levels.And thats just for this years elections. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Koch money goes into all sorts of foundations, business lobbying groups, dark-money groups, higher-education and high school groups (to promote the Koch worldview), astroturf groups like Americans for Prosperity, legislative bill mills like American Legislative Exchange Council that write pro-corporate legislation for states, think tanks (American Enterprise Institute, Cato Institute, The Heritage Foundation, Manhattan Institute and State Policy Network) and much, much more.All is not lost, however. While our watchdog press seems committed to ignoring the anti-democracy impact of Koch money, there are independent reporters and researchers on that critical beat of the Koch-tentacled network. Check out Lisa Graves work on the Kochs on the Documented Investigations website and at the Center for Media and Democracy (http://exposedbycmd.org/koch/). The Center for Responsive Politics has more info on where the Koch money goes. To fight back against the Kochs and fight for the Common Good, check out Our Revolution and Working Families. Amit K. Verma, M.B.B.S. Credit: Albert Einstein College of Medicine A study in today's issue of JAMA Oncology reports that New York City firefighters exposed to the 9/11 World Trade Center disaster site face an increased risk for developing myeloma precursor disease (MGUS), which can lead to the blood cancer multiple myeloma. The study was conducted by researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Montefiore Health System, the Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY) and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. "With our 2011 study in The Lancet, we were the first to show that first responders were more likely to get many different types of cancer," said senior co-author David J. Prezant, M.D., a professor of medicine at Einstein, a pulmonary disease specialist at Montefiore and chief medical officer of the FDNY. "We carried out this new study to do more than just treat cancer. We wanted to find early, predictive signs of cancer that would allow us to screen people and monitor those found to be at risk. By detecting MGUS, which predicts the development of multiple myeloma, we are able to do that." In MGUS (monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance), the blood's plasma cells produce an abnormal protein called monoclonal (M) protein that can be detected with blood tests. MGUS generally causes no problems but can progress to multiple myeloma, a blood cancer diagnosed in about 30,000 Americans each year. In multiple myeloma, rapidly proliferating plasma cells can crowd out the bone marrow's normal blood-forming cells, leading to problems including anemia (shortage of red cells) and leukopenia (shortage of white cells). Most multiple myeloma cases are diagnosed in people older than 65, and only 5 percent of cases occur among people under 50. Half of those diagnosed with multiple myeloma are still alive five years later. Previous studies suggest that MGUS and multiple myeloma all tend to develop after exposure to toxic chemicals. The aerosolized dust from the collapsed towers exposed FDNY and other first responders to unprecedented levels of polychlorinated biphenyls, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, dioxins, asbestos and other potential carcinogens, as well as diesel smoke from heavy machinery used in the 10-month rescue and recovery effort. For statistical reasons, the study population was limited to 781 white, male WTC-exposed firefighters aged 50 to 79 whose blood samples were evaluated to assess the prevalence of MGUS in the group. When results were compared with MGUS prevalence in a non-exposed comparison group (men living in Olmsted County, MN), the prevalence of MGUS in the firefighters was nearly twice as high (7.63 cases of MGUS per 100 firefighters vs. 4.34 cases per 100 non-exposed persons). "We saw a significantly higher incidence of MGUS in these first responders, and they're developing it at a young age," said the study's senior co-author Amit Verma, M.B.B.S., a professor of medicine and of developmental & molecular biology at Einstein and director of hematologic malignancies at the Montefiore Einstein Center for Cancer Care. Their early development of MGUS, he says, suggests that these firefighters potentially face an increased risk for early-onset of multiple myeloma as well. Indeed, in a separate analysis, the researchers examined the 16 cases of multiple myeloma diagnosed between September 12, 2001 and July 1, 2017 among all white, male WTC-exposed FDNY firefighters. Their average age of diagnosis was 57, or 12 years younger than the average age for multiple myeloma diagnosis nationally. Although not everyone with MGUS will develop multiple myeloma, the researchers recommend that physicians screen first responders exposed to the WTC site for both conditions. "Screening for multiple myeloma risk by testing for MGUS is something we can offer these first responders, which is why this study is important," said Dr. Prezant. Another study in this edition of JAMA Oncology predicts how many WTC-related cancer cases will be diagnosed among FDNY WTC exposed rescue/recovery workers between January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2031.The study, by Einstein, Montefiore, and FDNY researchers, predicts that among a subset of white males 2,714 new cancer cases will be diagnosed over the 20-year period. Led by Rachel Zeig-Owens, Dr.P.H., a research assistant professor in epidemiology and population health at Einstein, these studies demonstrate that this is a significantly greater cancer burden than the 2,596 cancer cases that would be predicted in a demographically similar but non-exposed population. The study also calculated that the 20-year cost for the first year of cancer treatment for the FDNY WTC exposed rescue/recovery workers will total more than $235 million. The paper is titled "Estimation of Future Cancer Burden in World Trade Center-Exposed Fire Department of the City of New York Rescue/recovery Workers." The MGUS study is titled "Multiple myeloma and its precursor disease among firefighters exposed to the World Trade Center disaster." The blood samples for this study were collected and purified under the direction of Orsi Giricz, Ph.D., a co-first author of the study at Montefiore/Einstein, and then analyzed for MGUS by Ola Landgren, M.D., Ph.D., at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, the corresponding author for the study. Dr. Zeig-Owen was also a co-first author in this study. The other Einstein and Montefiore authors are David Goldfarb, M.P.H., George Nwankwo, B.S., Ulrich Steidl, M.D., Ph.D., Kith Pradhan, Ph.D., Charles B. Hall, Ph.D., Hillel W. Cohen, Dr.P.H., Theresa Schwartz, M.S. and Mayris P. Webber, Dr.P.H. Additional authors include Malin Hultcrantz, M.D., Ph.D., Kaznouri Murata, Ph.D., Katie Thoren, Ph.D., Lakshmi Ramanathan, Ph.D., Ahmet Dogan, M.D., Ph.D., and Shani Irby, N.P., all of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center; Nadie Jaber, PA-C, of the FDNY; and Laura Crowley, M.D. and Michael Crane, M.D., of Mount Sinai School of Medicine. This work was supported by grants from the V Foundation for Cancer Research, the Byrne Fund, the Memorial Sloan Kettering Core Grant, the Albert Einstein Cancer Center, and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. The authors declare no competing financial interests. Explore further Screening high-risk individuals can reduce multiple myeloma mortality Mobile pharmacology lab. Credit: University of Colorado at Boulder More than 87 percent of medical marijuana users report smoking or ingesting it for pain-related conditions. Yet for many, the cognitively impairing properties of its active ingredient, THC, make cannabis impractical as an everyday painkiller. A new, first-of-its kind study by CU Boulder researchers suggests that legal market cannabis strains containing a lesser-known compound called cannabidiol (CBD) in addition to THC (9-delta-tetrahydrocannabinol) may have a more powerful anti-inflammatory effect while intoxicating users less and having less potential for abuse. A larger $3 million, four-year chronic pain study kicks off next month. "Pain is the most common reason cited for medical cannabis use, with people out there using these products every day. But they have no data on whether there are any particular cannabinoids or doses that hit that magic balance, where their pain is mitigated, but they are not walking around feeling impaired," said corresponding author Cinnamon Bidwell, an assistant research professor at the Institute of Cognitive Science. "Our preliminary data suggest that when people use a CBD-containing strain they show less intoxication, less cognitive impairment and less craving." The small study, published in March in the journal Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research, is the first to use the lab's new observational method for assessing the acute physiological and cognitive impacts of legal market cannabis strains on real-world users. While 29 states have legalized medicinal use and eight states have legalized recreational use, marijuana remains illegal at the federal level, and researchers are prohibited from handling it, providing it to research subjects or being present while subjects use cannabis. Some scientists have conducted studies on government supplied strains, but CU Boulder research has shown those strains contain less THC and a less diverse array of cannabinoids than real-world strains. "There is currently limited or no data on how the varying strengths of cannabis products available across the United States affect use and intoxication levels," Bidwell said. "We want to address this gap." Bringing the lab to the people For the study, the team recruited 24 healthy male cannabis users age 21 to 34 who lived within a 15-minute drive of the laboratory. They were randomly assigned to use one of two strains, which they obtained themselves at a local dispensary, over three days. One strain contained 17 percent THC and no CBD, and the other contained 8 percent THC and 16 percent CBD. On the third day, immediately after using cannabis, participants were picked up by research staff and brought to the lab for testing of blood, mood, intoxication levels, craving, verbal recall and inflammatory markers. Those who used the THC+CBD strain reported feeling less physically and mentally stoned, had less desire to smoke more, and scored better on verbal recall memory tests. Meanwhile, they also had lower levels of circulating cytokinesa marker of inflammation often associated with painin their blood. Previous studies in animals suggest CBD and THC may work synergistically to fight inflammation and pain, while CBD may attenuate the cognitive impairment associated with THC. Bidwell stresses that because the study was small, no conclusions can be made yet. However, the study is "foundational" in that, in a challenging research environment, it validates their unique method and paves the way for larger studies. The research group has since gotten funding through a NIDA research grant for a van that serves as a mobile laboratory they can bring to subjects' homes to test them after use. "We cannot bring legal market cannabis into the lab for testing, but we can bring the lab to the people using it," she said. The team, which includes psychology and neuroscience professors Kent Hutchison and Angela Bryan, recently launched a crowdfunding campaign to expand their research. Four new studies are underway, including a state-funded study looking at use of high-potency products; a study looking at cannabis for anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder; and a larger chronic pain study. For that study, funded via a $3 million grant from the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), the researchers hope to recruit 300 subjects to use cannabis for low back pain and observe how different combinations of THC and CBD impact pain, inflammation, cognition, mood and other factors. "Is there a combination of cannabinoids that is helpful for symptom reduction for conditions like PTSD or pain relief but safe and with low abuse potential? Does cannabis work better for some kinds of pain or some conditions than others?" Bidwell asks. "We hope to bring science to the table to help answer some of these important questions. Explore further Scientific guidelines for using cannabis to treat stress, anxiety and depression Research led by LSU Health New Orleans faculty has found that obesity contributed to poorer outcomes in non-white patients who had hemorrhagic strokes. It is one of the few studies examining outcomes of patients with obesity following intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) and is the first such study conducted within the stroke belt of the US with a racially diverse population. The findings were published this month in Obesity Science & Practice Early View. "We reported on the racial differences in outcome of patients with obesity following hemorrhagic stroke (intracerebral hemorrhage)," says lead author Dr. Ifeanyi O. Iwuchukwu, LSU Health New Orleans Assistant Professor of Neuroscience. "We defined good outcome based on the likelihood of discharge home or a rehabilitation center." The retrospective study examined data on 428 patients from the Get with the Guideline-Stroke database. Data included demographics; medical history; clinical, laboratory, and imaging characteristics; BMI and obesity classification; as well as discharge disposition. Fifty percent of the patients were female, 49.1% were non-white (43.7% African-American, 0.9% Asian, 1.9% non-white Hispanic and 2.6% others), and the white population consisted of non-Hispanic whites. The initial results show that several of the variables were different between the BMI categories - gender, histories of congestive heart failure and diabetes, as well as blood pressure measurements and HbA1c. Good outcome discharge disposition differed significantly across BMI categories. Overall comparison of the white and non-white populations showed age, admission systolic blood pressure, anticoagulant use and ICH location were significantly different between the groups. The difference on outcomes where comparisons were performed within each race group was unexpected. "In the study group, non-white patients with obesity fared worse than non-white patients without obesity," notes Dr. Iwuchukwu. "A similar finding was not observed in white patients with obesity." Obesity is an established risk factor for cardiovascular disease including acute cerebrovascular disease - acute ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes. Conversely, several previous reports indicated obesity is associated with better outcomes following several acute conditions - heart failure, carotid endarterectomy, sepsis, bypass surgery and vascular surgery. This phenomenon is known as the "obesity paradox." "Our findings are important as a previous study on outcomes of 'patients with obesity' following hemorrhagic stroke (intracerebral hemorrhage) suggested that obesity was associated with improved outcomes," Iwuchukwu added. "Importantly, our study differs as our study population included a large African-American population compared to the prior study, which was primarily an Asian population in South Korea. Our study is significant because epidemiologically, ICH is a common type of stroke amongst 30-50 year old African-Americans, and obesity was an independent predictor of outcomes in our study cohort." Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in the United States and is a leading cause of chronic disability. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), African-Americans are at greater risk of having a stroke. Compared to whites, they are twice as likely to have a stroke, have strokes at younger ages, and are more likely to have more severe strokes or die from them. "This is the first study to report poor health outcomes following stroke in predominantly African-American versus Caucasian patients with obesity," concludes senior author Dr. Melinda Sothern, Professor and Jim Finks Endowed Chair in Health Promotion at LSU Health New Orleans School of Public Health. "Patients without obesity were less likely to need rehabilitation and more likely to return home following a stroke event. Findings highlight the need to address the nutritional needs of minority populations at high risk for cardiovascular disease in order to reduce the burden of obesity on recovery following stroke." More information: I. Iwuchukwu et al, Racial differences in intracerebral haemorrhage outcomes in patients with obesity, Obesity Science & Practice (2018). I. Iwuchukwu et al, Racial differences in intracerebral haemorrhage outcomes in patients with obesity,(2018). DOI: 10.1002/osp4.167 Some people are worried about the future consequences of climate change, while others consider them too remote to have an impact on their well-being. Researchers at the University of Geneva (UNIGE), Switzerland, examined how these differences are reflected in our brains. With the help of neuro-imaging, the scientists found that people deemed "egotistical" do not use the area of the brain that enables imagining a distant future. In "altruistic" individuals, on the other hand, the same area is alive with activity. The research results, published in the journal Cognitive, Affective & Behavioural Neuroscience, may help psychologists devise exercises that activate this specific area of the brain. These could be used to improve people's ability to project themselves into the future and raise their awareness of the effects of climate change, for example. The concerns of individuals are based on their values, which determine whether they prioritize their personal well-being or put themselves on an equal footing with their peers. In order to encourage as many people as possible to adopt sustainable behaviours, it is thus necessary that they feel the consequences of climate change are relevant to them. More self-centred individuals do not worry about consequences, believing that these potential disasters are too far in the future. "We wondered what magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) could teach us about how the brain processes information about the future impact of climate change, and how this mechanism differs depending on the self-centeredness of the individual," says Tobias Brosch, professor of psychology. Are egoists only afraid of what directly concerns them? The UNIGE psychologists turned to the report drawn up by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, where they identified predictions about the outcomes of climate change, such as a reduction in drinking water supplies, an increase in border conflicts and a spike in natural disasters. They then assigned a year in the future to each of these effects, stating when it would come to pass. Brosch's team invited a panel of participants to complete a standardized questionnaire to measure the value hierarchies, marking the selfish or altruistic tendencies of each individual. The participants underwent an MRI before being shown the dated consequences of the events; they then answered two questions with a rating on a scale of 1 to 8: "Is it serious?" And "Are you afraid?" "The first result we obtained was that for people with egotistical tendencies, the near future is much more worrying than the distant future, which will only come about after they are dead. In altruistic people, this difference disappears, since they see the seriousness as being the same," explains Brosch. Selfishness makes the brain lazy The psychologists then focused on the activity in the ventromedial pre-frontal cortex (vmPFC), an area of the brain above the eyes that is used when thinking about the future and trying to visualize it. "We found that with altruistic people, this cerebral zone is activated more forcefully when the subject is confronted with the consequences of a distant future as compared to the near future. By contrast, in an egotistical person, there is no increase in activity between a consequence in the near future and one in the distant future," says Brosch. This particular region of the brain is mainly used for projecting oneself into the distant future. The absence of heightened activity in a self-centred person indicates the absence of projection and the fact that the individual does not feel concerned by what will happen after his or her death. Why, then, should such people adopt sustainable forms of behaviour? These outcomes, which can be applied to areas other than climate change, demonstrate the importance of being able to think about the distant future in order to adapt individual behaviour to the future constraints of the world. "We could imagine a psychological training that would work on this brain area using projection exercises," suggests Brosch. "In particular, we could use virtual reality, which would make the tomorrow's world visible to everyone, bringing human beings closer to the consequences of their actions." Explore further Researchers explore psychological effects of climate change More information: Tobias Brosch et al, Not my future? Core values and the neural representation of future events, Cognitive, Affective, & Behavioral Neuroscience (2018). Journal information: Cognitive, Affective, & Behavioral Neuroscience Tobias Brosch et al, Not my future? Core values and the neural representation of future events,(2018). DOI: 10.3758/s13415-018-0581-9 Derek Chu, left, McMaster University clinical fellow, and Waleed Alhazzani, assistant professor of medicine at McMaster, led a study published in The Lancet on oxygen use in adult patients. Photo courtesy McMaster University. Credit: McMaster University McMaster University researchers have found there is such a thing as too much oxygen for acutely ill adults. Extensive data analyses in a study from the university show that supplemental oxygen, when given liberally to these patients, increases the risk of death without improving other health outcomes. The results were published today in The Lancet. "Supplemental oxygen is administered to millions of acutely unwell patients around the world every day," said Waleed Alhazzani, senior author of the paper, assistant professor of medicine at McMaster and an intensive care and general internal medicine staff member at St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton. "Despite this, there is a striking lack of definitive, high-quality evidence related to this common intervention." The McMaster-led team of researchers searched electronic academic databases from their inception through to October 2017 for randomized controlled trials done worldwide which compared liberal versus conservative oxygen therapy and death rates, as well as impacts on such aspects as disability, infections and hospital length of stay. The 25 randomized controlled trials encompassed more than 16,000 adult patients with sepsis, stoke, trauma, emergency surgery, heart attack or cardiac arrest. Data analysis demonstrated that, compared to the conservative strategy, liberal administration of oxygen resulted in increased in-hospital death by 21 per cent. Additional analyses suggested that the more supplemental oxygen patients were given, the higher their risk was for death. However, the incidence of other conditions, such as infections or length of hospital stay, were similar between the two groups. The researchers estimated one additional death for every 71 patients treated with a liberal oxygen strategy. "Our findings are distinct from the pervasive view that liberal oxygen therapy for acute illnesses is at worst, harmless," said Alhazzani. The results of the study, called Improving Oxygen Therapy in Acute-illness (IOTA), have immediate and important implications for health-care providers, policymakers and researchers, say the authors. "Prior practice guidelines and medical directives on oxygen therapy for acute illnesses have been inconsistent," said Derek Chu, first author of the paper and a McMaster clinical fellow. "Our results provide much-needed clarification by showing, with high-quality evidence, that administering too much supplemental oxygen increases mortality among a broad range of acute illnesses. "Currently, patients are frequently given supplemental oxygen and at excessive levels. A simple change to current practicebeing more moderate and cautious with how much oxygen is administered to acutely unwell patientscould save lives." Explore further Low-dose oxygen no benefit in adults with acute stroke Lead author Rodolfo Urbano, a postdoctoral fellow at Yale University, conducted the research as a doctoral student at the University of Washington School of Medicine. Credit: UW Medicine According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about one in three humans carries Staphylococcus aureus, or "staph," in our noses, and 2 percent of us carry the dreaded methicillin-resistant (MRSA) strain that thwarts common antibiotics. So how is it that most of us never get sick from staph infections? Researchers at the University of Washington School of Medicine have found a clue. In a study published April 26 in Cell Host & Microbe, the researchers show that an immune-system generated molecule called nitric oxide (NO) inhibits the ability of the S. aureus to transform from a relatively benign, quiescent colonizing state to its virulent form, producing toxins to invade and cause disease. This might explain why our nasal passages typically have very high concentrations of NO. The lead author of the paper is Rodolfo Urbano, a postdoctoral fellow at Yale University. He conducted the research as a doctoral student in the lab of Dr. Ferric Fang, UW professor of laboratory medicine, microbiology, medicine and pathobiology. He is the paper's senior author. "At a time when antibiotic resistance is on the rise, immune molecules that target virulence factors could be used to develop new therapeutics," Urbano said. The UW team collaborated with peers at the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Colorado. Urbano said our immune system uses NO as a weapon against many microbes including viruses, parasites, bacteria and fungi. As with most antibiotics, NO fights most bacteria by limiting their ability to grow. But S. aureus is able to grow despite the presence of NO. The molecule nitric oxide helps stop staph bacteria from transforming into invasive pathogens. Credit: Rodolfo Urbano To find out how NO might be keeping S. aureus in check, the researchers set out to identify all the proteins in S. aureus that were modified by NO. Many proteins were altered, they found, but one protein in particular caught researchers' interest. That protein, called AgrA, plays a key role in the process that switches quiescent S. aureus bacteria into virulent invaders. This process is called quorum sensing; it's triggered when bacteria reach a certain densitya "quorum" and initiates the process in which the bacteria begin to produce virulent factors such as toxins. By modifying AgrA, NO blocked this quorum-sensing system, Urbano and colleagues found. To confirm their hypothesis, the researchers showed that mice with staphylococcal pneumonia that lacked the gene needed to generate NO developed more severe disease. This demonstrted that NO can suppress the production of toxins during an infection, Urbano said. "The same effect may also apply when there is no ongoing infection," he said. Fang noted that bacteria often find a way to evolve so they can resist the effects of antibiotics, but curiously S aureus appears to have not evolved to resist the effect of NO. "One could speculate that the arrangement is actually advantageous to the bacterium," Fang said. "The bacterium doesn't want to make its host sick. It prefers to just colonize the host, grow, and spread to other people. If the staph colonizing me makes me sick and I die, that doesn't help the staph." Fang said his team hopes to better understand how NO protects the body, but also why it fails. "We know that one of the most dangerous things that can happen to you when you get the flu is that you can develop a staph infection. We would like to know whether the flu disrupts the normal balance between staph and the host and whether it has something to do with NO." Explore further Scientists uncover how superbug Staph aureus resists our natural defenses More information: Host Nitric Oxide Disrupts Microbial Cell-to-Cell Communication to Inhibit Staphylococcal Virulence, Journal information: Cell Host & Microbe Host Nitric Oxide Disrupts Microbial Cell-to-Cell Communication to Inhibit Staphylococcal Virulence, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chom.2018.04.001 (HealthDay)Patients with opioid use disorder (OUD) seem to have a high rate of suicide, according to a perspective piece published in the April 26 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. Maria A. Oquendo, M.D., Ph.D., from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, and Nora D. Volkow, M.D., from the National Institute on Drug Abuse in Bethesda, Md., discuss the role of suicide in opioid overdose deaths. The researchers note that patients with chronic pain and those with mood disorders are more likely to receive opioid prescriptions and are also at greater risk for suicide. Between 1999 and 2014, the proportion of suicides that were opioid overdoses increased from 2.2 to 4.3 percent, with the highest increase among those aged 45 to 64 years. Data from multiple sources strongly suggest that a considerable proportion of opioid-overdose deaths are suicides. Based on data from the National Death Index and electronic health records, suicide risk was 87 per 100,000 among persons with OUD, six times that of people in the general U.S. population. Efforts should be made to change opioid prescribing practices and to expand treatment for people with OUD. In addition, interventions could be tailored to reduce opioid-overdose deaths. Education campaigns to increase public awareness of suicide risks could engage family and friends in interventions to prevent suicidal overdoses by getting medical assistance. "These two epidemics are intermingled, and solutions to address the opioid crisis require that we tailor interventions to preventing opioid-overdose deaths due to suicidal intent," the authors write. Explore further Opioid use may lead to suicide in elderly Copyright 2018 HealthDay. All rights reserved. Small pilot study shows video app to be as effective as in-person observation of medication adherence for TB patients. Credit: iStock Johns Hopkins researchers report success with a smart phone video-based app that substitutes for a daily in-person visit by a health care worker required for tuberculosis treatment known as directly observed therapy, or DOT. The preliminary study showed that the app may be less costly and may improve privacy concerns raised by patients compared to in-person visits. A summary of the study that investigated the app, which provides video Directly Observed Therapy (video DOT), was published on April 26 in Open Forum Infectious Diseases. "We believe video DOT offers an alternative that appears to be as effective as an in-person daily visits by health care workers to assure compliance with drug treatment, but also empowers patients to manage their TB without added stress," says Samuel Holzman, M.D., a research fellow in the department of infectious diseases at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Tuberculosis is one of the few diseases in the U.S. with state and federal provisions outlining recommended and sometimes required measures to ensure that patients adhere to treatment. These recommendations include provisions for home or hospital based isolation or occasionally forced isolation for infectious individuals. Treatment for tuberculosis is effective and benefits not only the patient, but the public by reducing the chances of ongoing transmission. The reason for these mandates, says Holzman, is the disease's virulence. Unlike the flu or the common cold, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacteria that causes infectious tuberculosis, can hang in the air for extended periods when expelled by the coughs or saliva of patients, spreading to others across a room or through a building's ventilation. Many people with active TB also have relatively few symptoms, allowing the bacteria to spread before a diagnosis is made. Tuberculosis is typically treated for six months with a battery of daily antibiotics that include a multidrug combination that can be challenging patients to take. The number of side-effects related to the drugs and the motivation needed to continue the long treatment courses can cause patients to stop their treatment early without appropriate monitoring and strong support. Treatments become even more intensive when caring for multidrug or extensively drug-resistant TB, which require additional antibiotics and can take up to two years to bring under control. As such, most local health departments in the U.S. require that health care workers observe patients taking their medications to document that they were taken correctly and to monitor for side-effects. In most cases, in-person DOT is conducted five days a week on weekdays and is therefore costly and resource-intensive for local departments of health who absorb the costs associated with treatment. Nonetheless, this practice helps to support patients through the difficult regimen and provides clinicians a means of tracking a patient's progress and in-person DOT is the standard of care for TB treatment in the US and globally. However, DOT has the potential to be logistically challenging for patients and is viewed by some patients as stigmatizing or interfering with their autonomy and privacy. "In an era when we are focused on patient centered care, having to meet a health provider every single day is logistically challenging and can be personally invasive," says Maunank Shah, M.D., Associate Professor of Medicine in the Department of Infectious Diseases at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. To test the effectiveness of video DOT, the researchers conducted a pilot study utilizing the widely-available smartphone application developed by emocha Mobile Health in conjunction with Shah and other clinician-scientists at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. 28 adult TB patients being treated at three health departments in Maryland participated in the pilot study. These patients had their therapy monitored using the emocha video DOT application in lieu of in-person visits by a health care worker. The researchers found that patient adherence to treatment was approximately the same between the video DOT and in-person DOT, 94 percent and 98 percent respectively. As importantly, when including weekends and holidays in the assessment of adherence, the researchers found that the overall proportion of prescribed doses that were verified through observation was 6 percent higher with video DOT compared to in-person DOT. The researchers also sought to assess the app's acceptability to patients and clinicians by conducting qualitative interviews and surveys. Ten patients and sixteen staff were interviewed and/or completed surveys after the study. One hundred percent of the patients felt that the emocha platform was 'easy to use' and preferred it over in-person DOT. Staff were largely in agreement with these results and 94 percent reported they believed that video DOT was 'effective for monitoring patient adherence'. The researchers also reported several common themes during in depth interviews that focused on the added convenience and increased flexibility of using video DOT. Another prominent theme was the impression that in-person DOT could risk patient privacy. The researchers also found that when compared to 5-Day/week in-person visits, video DOT was estimated to cost an average of $674 per patient, compared with $2,065 for in-person DOT. Given potential variability in the costs of software, internet data usage, mobile phones, and other components of video DOT, the researchers estimated the range of costs to implement video DOT at health departments could range from $66 to $1,449 per patient for a standard six month treatment course. Overall, the investigators found that ninety percent of traditional in-person DOT costs are spent on health worker services. The video DOT costs were mostly in the software, phones and their data plans, with labor accounting for only 20 percent of the cost. In this study, 25 patients (89 percent) elected to use their own devices, leading to potential additional health department cost savings. Overall, the researchers found that video DOT provides a patient-centered approach to TB treatment monitoring that offers patients improved flexibility and privacy, while allowing health departments the ability to document and support treatment adherence. A limitation of the study is its small sample size and non-randomization. As such, the researchers say the results may not be applicable to all patients, but they see video DOT as a promising technology for helping TB programs around the world manage TB. Because the app allows patients to record their doses without a health worker present, the researchers are hopeful that the app may facilitate more medication observation, even on weekends. MiDOT is one of three video-based technologies that allows for asynchronous recording of patients taking prescribed antibiotic doses. Another is named Aricure that uses artificial intelligence to monitor patients, and another is SureAdhere. Other video DOT technologies listed by the CDC include Face Time, Fuze, HippaBridge, ooVoo, Skype, and Tango. Explore further Patients satisfied with telehealth primary care visits (HealthDay)Substance use disorders are associated with conversion from schizotypal disorder to schizophrenia, according to a study published online April 25 in JAMA Psychiatry. Carsten Hjorthj, Ph.D., from Copenhagen University Hospital in Denmark, and colleagues conducted a prospective cohort study which included a population-based sample of 2,539 individuals born in Denmark with an incident diagnosis of schizotypal disorder and without a previous diagnosis of schizophrenia. The researchers found that 16.3 percent of the study participants experienced conversion to schizophrenia after two years. After 20 years, the conversion rate was 33.1 and 58.2 percent overall and among those with cannabis use disorders, respectively. Any substance use disorder was correlated with conversion to schizophrenia in fully-adjusted models (hazard ratio, 1.34). On stratification by substance, there were correlations for conversion to schizophrenia for cannabis use disorders, amphetamine use disorders, and opioid use disorders (hazard ratios, 1.3, 1.9, and 2.74, respectively). Concurrent use of antipsychotics, functional level before incident schizotypal disorder, or parental history of mental disorders did not explain these correlations. "Conversion rates are high even in those without substance use disorders, indicating a need for universal and substance-targeted prevention in individuals with schizotypal disorder," the authors write. Explore further Obsessive compulsive disorder diagnosis linked to higher rates of schizophrenia Copyright 2018 HealthDay. All rights reserved. Diagram showing how TERRAs regulate the status of telomeric chromatin. After binding to the PRC2 complex TERRAs is able to bring the complex to the telomere. Upon that binding PRC2 make possible the deposition of different heterochromatin marks. In the absence of TERRAs that events cannot take place. Credit: Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO) In 2008, the Telomeres and Telomerase Group led by Maria A. Blasco at the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO) was one of the first to discover TERRAs, long non-coding telomeric RNAs that are transcribed from telomeres are are part of the telomeric chromatin. Since then, this group has set out to decipher the function of these novel and still mysterious telomeric components. In a paper published in Nature Communications, Maria A Blasco and her collaborators Juan Jose Montero and Isabel Lopez de Silanes report that TERRA play a decisive role in the assembly of telomeric heterochromatin. The authors discovered that TERRAs are able to interact with components of the polycomb complex (PRC), an important epigenetic regulator of gene expression, and in this manner, they facilitate the assembly of telomeric heterochromatin. In human cells, the majority of TERRAs are transcribed from the long arm of chromosome 20. "These are one of the newest telomere components, and at the moment, there is very little information about what they do in vivo," says Blasco, director of the research. The discovery in 2016 of the genomic origin of these RNAs in human cells allowed Blasco and her colleagues to generate TERRA knock-out cells and to demonstrate a role for TERRA in telomere protection and maintenance. But the research raised certain questions. "One of the questions we had was whether TERRAs deletion affected telomeric chromatin in any way, because we previously described that telomeric chromatin was enriched in heterochromatic marks that were important for telomere length regulation," explains Blasco. Epigenetic regulation of telomeric chromatin Telomeres are part of the heterochromatin, or silenced chromatin. In the past, the Blasco Group has demonstrated that telomeres are enriched in histone trimethylation marks, which are characteristic of heterochromatin. The Group also showed that these marks were important negative regulators of telomere length and telomere recombination. To ascertain the possible relationship between TERRAs and telomeric chromatin, the authors studied telomere heterochromatin marks in cells deficient for TERRA. They found that in the absence of TERRA, telomeres showed decreased heterochromatic marks, including loss of histone mark H3K27 trimethylation, which was not previously recognized at telomeres. H3K27 trimethylation is known to be catalysed by the Polycomb complex, a master regulator of gene silencing. They further demonstrated that TERRAs interact with components of the Polycomb complex, and that this interaction is important for establishment of telomeric heterochromatin. "Polycomb was known to be important for silencing certain genes and also for the correct compaction of large DNA structures, but so far, its function had not been associated with the epigenetic status of telomeres," explains Montero. "With this study, we show that Polycomb is important in the establishment of telomeric chromatin through interaction with TERRA," he adds. On the one hand, the relationship between TERRAs and Polycomb is interesting, since the Polycomb has been involved in many important physiological processes such as maintenance of stem cell identity and cell differentiation, as well as in cancer. On the other hand, telomeres are essential also for cancer and aging. "This finding is important to understand the biology of telomeres, but it is still too early to say whether TERRAs are related in some way with ageing and age-related diseases. We are generating mouse models without TERRAs in order to observe their function in normal development and in various pathologies," concludes Blasco. Explore further Scientists discover the genomic origin of telomere protectors More information: Juan J. Montero et al, TERRA recruitment of polycomb to telomeres is essential for histone trymethylation marks at telomeric heterochromatin, Nature Communications (2018). Journal information: Nature Communications Juan J. Montero et al, TERRA recruitment of polycomb to telomeres is essential for histone trymethylation marks at telomeric heterochromatin,(2018). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-03916-3 Consumers consider online reviews important for choosing physicians, but they should be wary of using those ratings to choose plastic surgeons. The reviews tend to be polarized, and some are written by people whom consulted with the doctor but never had surgery, reports a new Northwestern Medicine study. The study examined online ratings of doctors who performed cosmetic breast augmentation in six major U.S. cities. In reviews by patients who had cosmetic breast augmentation, patients' treatment by the surgeon's staff was nearly as important to them as the outcome of the surgery. The online platforms for patient reviews in the study analysis were RealSelf, Yelp and Google. The study assessed 1,077 reviews across the platforms, comprising 935 positive and 142 negative reviews. "We found the people who write these review are either very happy or unhappy, so it's difficult for the consumer to get balanced information," said senior study author Dr. John Kim, a professor of plastic surgery at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and a Northwestern Medicine plastic surgeon. The study will be published April 26 in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Journal. The finding most surprising to Kim is the importance of interactions with the doctor's support staff. "The important thing used to be how the surgery turned out," Kim said. "Our study shows what's almost equally important are things we wouldn't have thought of like how quickly we answer the phone, how nice the staff is in their interactions, the wait time and bedside manner. Service is becoming paramount and almost as important as tangible results and outcomes." The cost of the elective cosmetic surgery procedures, which are generally not covered by insurance, is at the bottom of patient concerns, Kim said. The data was obtained in December of 2016 and January of 2017 from New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Philadelphia and Miami. The first five of these cities were included because they represent the five most populous metropolitan areas in the U.S., based on 2015 U.S. Census data. Miami was included because it has the most plastic surgeons per capita of any metropolitan area in the U.S. Other study findings: There were significantly more 1 star and 5 star reviews than 2, 3 or 4 star reviews. Patients with more extreme views (1 star: worst surgeon ever, or 5 star: best surgeon ever) are more likely to write a review online than those with more moderate views. "Unhappy patients take up more screen 'real estate' than happy patients, posting longer reviews, which creates a bias of dissatisfaction in online ratings," said first study author Rob Dorfman, a fourth-year student at Feinberg. Doctors are not allowed to respond to negative reviews online due to HIPPA (the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act). "That is an important point for people to understand," Kim said. As a result of the findings, Kim has begun implementing changes, including office training for personnel to enhance the service aspect of patient care. Google reviews were more favorable than reviews on Yelp in each major city studied. The difference was most evident in Houston, where the average Google rating was 4.7 and the average Yelp rating was 3.8 despite 60 percent overlap in surgeons reviewed. There are many more reviews of plastic surgeons for consumers to evaluate. The number of online reviews on plastic surgeons on Yelp and Google have shot up at an average rate of 42.6 percent per year since 2011, driven predominantly by a 51.4 percent annual growth rate among Yelp reviews. Kim cautions that online exposure can become a surrogate for experience. "You could have been practicing quietly and humbly for 20 years, but patients think someone with 1,000 reviews, even though they have much less experience, must be better," Kim said. "So the ubiquity and quality of online reviews may increasingly substitute for experience and ability." Kim suggests consumers do the following when vetting a plastic surgeon: 1) determine if they are board certified, 2) ask your primary care doctor, trusted friends and family for a referral, 3) meet with the surgeon and determine your comfort and confidence in them. Explore further Proactive approach encouraged for online patient reviews Thank you so much for reporting this, said Pete Voss, a Facebook spokesman. He could not say why Facebook had not spotted the accounts posing as its top executives, including several that appeared to have existed for more than eight years. Its not easy, he said. We want to get better. Facebook requires people to use their authentic name and identity. Yet the company has estimated that perhaps 3 percent of its users as many as 60 million accounts are fake. Some of those accounts are disguised as ordinary people, some pretend to be celebrities such as Justin Bieber. In congressional testimony this month, Mr. Zuckerberg said Facebook was improving its software to automatically detect and remove such accounts. Facebook officials have said the company blocks millions of fake accounts trying to register each day and analysts said the social network has improved its efforts to remove the accounts. Fake accounts, over all, are a big issue, because thats how a lot of the other issues that we see around fake news and foreign election interference are happening as well, Mr. Zuckerberg told lawmakers, adding that Facebook is hiring more people to work on reviewing content. But major holes remain. Interviews with a half-dozen recent victims and online conversations with nine impostor accounts showed that the Facebook lottery deception is alive and well, preying particularly on older, less educated and low-income people. The Mark Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg impostor accounts typically use the executives pictures as profile photos and list their Facebook titles. Some post manipulated images of people holding oversize checks. The names of Mr. Zuckerberg and Ms. Sandberg are sometimes misspelled, or use parentheses and middle names (Elliot for Mr. Zuckerberg and Kara for Ms. Sandberg) to evade Facebooks software. Kathleen Pearl Ott 1929 - 2018 Kathleen Pearl Kathie (Lasell) Ott entered the presence of her Lord Jesus Christ on Sunday, April 22, 2018 at the age of 88. Kathie was born on July 4, 1929 to Albert K. and E. Marie (Jenkin) Lasell in Sacramento, California. She graduated from Sacramento Senior High School, Sacramento Junior College, and in 1952 from Sacramento State College receiving her Bachelor of Science degree in medical laboratory technology. Upon graduation, Kathie began a career that spanned over 35 years with Kaiser Permanente. Kathie worked at Kaiser Hospital in Vallejo, CA but most of her time with Kaiser was in Napa, CA. Kathie, who was quite at home with a microscope, was known for having a smooth needle when drawing blood from a patient. She jokingly referred to herself as a vampire. It was through a patient that Kathie met her future husband, Carl Ott. Kathie and Carl were married in May, 1958 and lived primarily in Napa for the next 40 plus years. From this union were born daughters Kathryn, Ruth, and Penny. A 44-year-old Angwin woman was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon after hitting a man with a piece of wood on Wednesday, according to the Napa County Sheriffs Office. The 60-year-old victim told deputies that the woman, who lives in a cottage he rents out on his property in Angwin, was upset when he asked her to move out. He said that the woman started hitting him and breaking things. Deputies said that the woman, identified as Elise Guillot, hit the man with a 4-foot piece of wood, threw a large rock towards him and beat the side of his vehicle. After the incident, Guillot agreed to meet deputies at the St. Helena Public Library where she was arrested. Guillot was booked at the Napa County jail on suspicion of vandalism, assault with a deadly weapon and domestic violence. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Now, her son attends Napa Valley College as a successful full-time student and has a job at Walmart. He no longer thinks theres nothing for him, she said. Hes been taught the skills to be successful in school and thats entirely due to McMaster and her staff. Similar sentiments were echoed by Justin Clemmons, who graduated last year from Legacy. I never liked school before Legacy, said Clemmons, who was diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder and ADHD. It was horrible for me. Legacy felt like a second home, he said, where McMaster helped him realize he has talent. Its not school, its a family, said Clemmons. I really dont think it [Legacy] should go anywhere because it brought out parts of me that nobody else had seen ever. These testimonials made an impression on trustees, who decided that Legacy students will not be bused to Napa. District staff had recommended that Legacy be closed after this school year because it is at risk of losing its accreditation from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). Roughly 22 million Americans turned on "60 Minutes" on Sunday night to hear adult-film star Stormy Daniels say that she once spanked President Donald Trump with a magazine that had his face on the cover and then had unprotected sex with him. For many, the interview was the latest in a series of uncomfortable moments brought to their living rooms by a nontraditional president who has long graced the pages of tabloids, much to his delight, and broken every rule of political etiquette. This is a man who has called one of his political opponents "a pussy" at a campaign rally - and has been heard saying in a 2005 recording that he likes to grab women by their genitalia, using the same vulgar word. He curses publicly, even when children are around, and has crudely bragged about the size of his hands. When more than a dozen women accused him of groping or kissing them without their permission, he called them all liars and critiqued one woman's appearance. He has imitated a journalist with a congenital condition, insisted that some "very fine people" were alongside the white supremacists who gathered in Virginia last summer and vilified Muslims, minorities and immigrants. And now Trump is accused of having extramarital affairs with Daniels and former Playboy playmate Karen McDougal that started nearly 12 years ago, soon after his wife gave birth to his youngest son. Both women say they were paid tens of thousands of dollars to keep quiet during the campaign. Yet, 61 percent of Republicans consider the president a good role model for children, according to a Quinnipiac poll released last week. Although Trump is disappointing most Democrats - only 2 percent of whom consider him a role model - he has retained the wide support of members of his party at rates that are much higher than Bill Clinton experienced in 1998 when his affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky became public. Some of the president's most dedicated supporters are deeply religious conservatives who would probably be shunned by their communities if they spoke or acted like Trump has. The Washington Post dispatched six reporters across the country to talk with conservatives about the disconnect between how they live their lives and how the president has lived his. Sarah Wiseman Elkhart, Ind. Sometimes when Sarah Wiseman is driving with her 15-year-old son, President Trump's voice will come on the radio, uttering words that they avoid in their home. "With the president, with any president, we would hope they would conduct themselves in a manner that we don't have to try and explain to our children why they're acting that way, and why certain things are happening, and explain the investigations and try and explain why they're calling people names or cursing or doing that type of stuff," said Wiseman, a 45-year-old Republican mother of two living in northern Indiana who works as a manufacturing systems engineer. "It's unfortunate to do that. I'd rather not." Wiseman originally supported Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and she reluctantly voted for Trump because she felt like she didn't have a better option. It's a choice that's difficult for her to explain. "We want to teach our children: Respect yourself, respect other people," said Wiseman, a local leader for the Boy Scouts of America. "But there comes a point where you kind of like have to, unfortunately, say, 'Well, he's the president. This is his job, this is his personal life.' Kinda got to separate the two." If the principal of her son's school or another leader in her community acted this way, she could take action. But the presidency is so far removed from her world that she doesn't believe there's anything she can do until the next election. "How much of it am I willing to put up with?" Wiseman said. "I think it's going to have a huge impact on his next election if he doesn't tone it down just a little bit." Beth Eads Spring Hill, Tenn. Beth Eads is heavily involved with the children at her large Christian church in the Nashville suburbs - and she never wants them to have any reason to question her integrity. Eads, a 49-year-old nurse and mother of two home-schooled daughters, follows the "Billy Graham rule" that's named for the influential evangelical pastor who avoided being alone with women other than his wife. Sometimes Eads will wait for the next elevator to avoid riding with a man. She wishes that President Trump - whom she voted for - would follow that rule as well. "I will not put myself in a situation where someone can question my integrity. Donald Trump has not done that," Eads said on Saturday morning, sitting in her kitchen as the dishwasher ran and her teenage daughters worked on homework. "He has never put boundaries around himself. He has been around women by himself, touched women - and so when things are being questioned, people can't say, 'No, he would never do that.' There is always a question." She doesn't know if she believes the various accusations against the president, especially those involving incidents that occurred more than a decade ago, and wishes he would provide a genuine explanation. She worries that scandals involving the president have diverted attention from much more important issues, especially lowering the cost of medical care and creating a legal pathway to citizenship for immigrants who are in the country illegally, ending the deportations that are ripping families apart. Eads teaches her daughters to pray for the president and respect him. In their home, he is addressed as "President Trump," "Mr. Trump" or "Donald Trump" - never just "Trump," which Eads considers disrespectful. "My daughters know that whether he is a good president or a bad president," she said, "God allowed him to be in this position." Patrick Keller Salt Lake City Patrick Keller's decision to vote for Democrat Hillary Clinton in 2016 surprised and concerned some of his fellow members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Keller strongly believes that marriage should be between only one man and one woman, and he opposes abortion - but he couldn't vote for the Republican nominee, someone who has been accused of mistreating women and having no respect for "the sanctity of marriage." "We're usually looking at candidates to find the one to support our issues the best," said Keller, 44, who lives in Salt Lake City and works in information technology. "Very seldom do we have to decide whether or not they were even a decent person. But that was the situation." When Trump won the election, Keller said that "it was a very solemn day" and one that was difficult for him and his wife to explain to their children. The couple has three children living at home who are ages 10, 12 and 13. "How do you tell your children that immorality and racism are okay?" he said. "It was rather traumatizing." Trump's first 14 months in office have confirmed Keller's view of Trump, making clear "how immoral he is as a person." Keller is frustrated that the women who came forward before the election to accuse Trump of kissing or groping them without permission were "blown off," and he's not at all surprised by the accusations from Daniels. "It's just more of the same to me," he said. "The new scandals seem consistent with what we know about how he lived his life. Anybody who is surprised by this wasn't paying attention when there was time to change it." Taylor Richards Athens, Ohio Taylor Richards doesn't know what to make of the accusations against Trump, especially the latest ones from Daniels. She knows that the president's personal attorney paid Daniels $130,000 days before the election and that the president has denied the accusations. She's waiting to see what happens next - while noting that Clinton was impeached for not being truthful about his affair. "Is he going to be honest about it? I don't know," said Richards, 20, a gun-owning, rugby-playing junior psychology major at Ohio University in Athens, where she is the secretary of the College Republicans and doesn't watch television news. "I don't follow it super closely. . . . People are just, I don't want to say ignoring it, but I think they're just so used to him running his mouth." She added that people have become accustomed to their presidents having shortcomings and that if former president Barack Obama faced similar accusations, it would not be a big deal. Richards said Daniels's accusations are yet one more reason for Democrats who already hate the president to hate him more. "It's not like I'm gung-ho about him - I just really hate Hillary Clinton. He was the lesser of two evils," said Richards, whose favorite candidates were Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida and former surgeon Ben Carson. Richards considers herself a "conservatarian" - a mix of conservative and Libertarian operating under the motto of "Leave me alone." On a campus filled with liberals, she said that many of her classmates cannot understand why a young woman would support Trump. She thinks that their concerns are often overblown and that many of her generation's feminists are "man-hating, victim-card people." "Can you please tell me how you have lost rights as a woman now?" she said. "Please. I haven't lost my rights. My life is still the same." Delores Chavez Harmes Valley Center, Calif. Dressed in a sparkling gown for the Republican Party of San Diego County's Lincoln Reagan Dinner in downtown San Diego on Saturday night, Delores Chavez Harmes sat down for an interview and turned on her own recorder. "So there was something that happened 12 years ago, and I don't understand why this is such an important issue, to tell you the truth," she said, referring to Daniels's allegations. "But it seems to be an important issue for The Washington Post." Chavez, who lives northeast of San Diego in Valley Center, has supported Trump since the campaign and was eager to defend and praise him. "I think he's doing a bang-up job," said Chavez, an accountant in her late 50s with two grown children and three granddaughters who describes herself as "very strongly" Catholic. "And I think that is shown by results. So it's not just a matter of opinion. It's a matter of numbers. It's a matter of seeing the results of things that he has implemented." She said that Trump has proved himself as "a great role model" on the world stage by being firm, articulate and strategic. But she would like to see him send fewer tweets and use more care in picking his words. "But I think the words and the language are far less important than some of the acts that other presidents have taken," Chavez said. "So when you look at this as a whole, I don't think he's worse than anyone else." Chavez argues that Bill Clinton's affair with Lewinsky was "a heinous crime" because it took place in the Oval Office. She doesn't care if Trump had affairs, as long as they occurred before he took office, and she's not bothered by the comments he made during an "Access Hollywood" interview in 2005 that were caught on a hot mic. "Was this proper for Trump to say? Absolutely not," she said. "Is it how respectful men talk? Yeah. My dad would talk that way, and he was very respectful to women. My husband might talk that way with his fraternity brothers. . . . I can't think of a more respectful man to women than my husband." Phillip Brown Jefferson County, Ala. As Trump racked up primary wins in March 2016, the Birmingham Times - which focuses on African American news - published a front-page article about Phillip Brown under the headline: "Alabama's top black Republican explains his support for Donald Trump." The article quickly circulated at Minor High School in Jefferson County, where Brown has taught auto mechanics for 16 years and where 86 percent of students are black. "I never knew my kids in school read so much," said Brown, 54, who is also an associate minister at Bessemer 24th Street Church of Christ. "All the next week, every time I walked into someone's classroom, it's 'Mr. Brown, I cannot believe you.' I'd talk to them about why." Brown has long told his students, relatives and others that he would never hire Trump to be a preacher at his church, given his penchant for profanity and multiple accusations of adultery. "But we're not voting for a preacher. We're voting for a president," Brown said. "There's people in other generations that weren't the nicest people but did a phenomenal job as far as being president." Brown considers Trump a role model because he has the courage to say what he means and the integrity to do what he says. He was thrilled to see Trump appoint a conservative to the Supreme Court, push for tax cuts and reduce the number of regulations on businesses. "Everything he can do by himself he's done, pretty much," Brown said. "And he's doing that with the full onslaught of one thing after another. I've never seen a president bombarded the way he's been bombarded." Brown said the accusations against Trump are similar to those faced by Republican Roy Moore, the former chief justice of the state Supreme Court who competed in a special election last year to fill Attorney General Jeff Sessions's Senate seat. Brown had been leaning toward voting for Moore's Democratic opponent, Doug Jones, because he disapproved of Moore placing a Ten Commandments monument on public grounds and defying a federal court order to remove it. Weeks before the election, Moore was accused of pursuing teenage girls when he was in his early 30s, roughly four decades ago. Brown considered these allegations a "distasteful and dishonest" political attack - and it persuaded him to vote for the embattled Republican, who went on to lose the election. "According to my understanding of the Scriptures, you don't give credibility to unsubstantiated allegations against a leader," Brown said. "Leadership automatically draws fire. If we just throw a person under a bus because they've been accused, how many leaders would be left?" The Washington Post's Victoria St. Martin reported from Indiana, Bob Smietana reported from Tennessee, Matthew LaPlante reported from Utah, Roxana Popescu reported from California and Eric Velasco reported from Alabama. Emily Guskin contributed to this report. Please log in to keep reading. Enjoy unlimited articles at one of our lowest prices ever. This month, the chamber published its latest list of 24 bills, including eight that had been blocked in 2017, the first year of the Legislatures biennial session, but automatically carried over to 2018. Most of those carryovers, including a highly controversial single-payer health care system for all Californians (Senate Bill 562) and two constitutional amendments to raise taxes, are, in effect, already dead. This years major focus, therefore, will be on the 16 newly introduced measures, most of them pushed by labor unions and lawyers. That said, the one with the most potential for long-term impact is Assembly Bill 1745 by Assemblyman Phil Ting, a San Francisco Democrat, which would require all new cars sold in the state after 2040 to have zero emissions of pollutants in effect, a ban on internal combustion engines. It has, to put it mildly, virtually no chance of being enacted this year and is more of a statement of ideological intent much like that single-payer health care bill than a serious legislative proposal. The more viable newbies deal with issues ranging from employer-employee relations to opening new opportunities for litigation. Ilham Aliyev personally insults Armenia 3rd President, is embarrassment of MGIMO University Armenia PM's official visit to Lithuania is over France and Spain call on Europe for a coordinated response to rising global energy prices Armenia FM: There was no word or agreement about so-called "Zangezur corridor" Armenia President congratulates 2021 Nobel Prize laureate Ardem Patapoutian Indonesia to partially reopen resort island of Bali to international travelers Armenian, Iranian FMs discuss a broad range of issues related to regional developments Armenia premier: We consider resumption of peace process within scope of OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs format necessary Garibashvili, Hasanov discuss 'strategic partnership' between Tbilisi and Baku Lithuania to share experience with Armenia in waste recycling sector Armenia Security Council Secretary, Iran Ambassador discuss regional security issues UAE tries to manage long-standing rivalry with Iran and Turkey through dialogue Azerbaijan President threatens to 'break the heads of Armenians and not care what others say' Armenia revenue committee chief meets with his counterpart in Karabakh 11 horses of resident of Armenia's Shurnukh cross over into territory under Azerbaijan's control Armenia MOD receives EU Ambassador, presents Azerbaijan's destabilizing actions Digest: Armenian PM visits Lithuania; David Julius, Ardem Patapoutian win 2021 Nobel Prize Armenia premier blames former government for fall of Shushi again Kremlin confirms news about preparation for Putin-Pashinyan meeting Armenia PM pays respects to those who fell for Lithuania's independence Vahidi: Enemies do not want good relations between Iran and its neighbors Amir-Abdollahian: Iran will not let foreigners interrupt ties with neighbors including Armenia Armenia Supreme Judicial Council terminates powers of judge due to entrepreneurial activities Russia, Iran FMs to discuss situations in Caspian Sea and Transcaucasia Armenian minister, Russia Ambassador discuss activities of Russian mining companies in Armenia Simonyan thanks Lavrov for his considerable contribution to development of Armenia-Russia collaboration Dollar somewhat steady in Armenia Some unresolved issues remain between Azerbaijan and Armenia, says US ambassador to Baku Ardem Patapoutian, David Julius win Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine Iran says has good ties with Azerbaijan, Armenia Armenia Territorial Administration and Infrastructure Ministry on Russia widening road near Lars checkpoint Armenia deputy minister on amendments to law on financial equalization and subsidies for communities Robert Kocharyan on Armenia being entangled in processes and Iran's perception of the country Armenia Parliament Speaker in Moscow pays tribute to those who fell in the Great Patriotic War Russian FM: Russia and Armenia will resume interparliamentary cooperation soon Cmilyte-Nielsen: Lithuania ready to support democratic reforms in Armenia Armenia premier, Lithuania President speak about processes in South Caucasus Ex-president: Armenian authorities are ready to cooperate even with Pakistan - if it helps to stay in power California oil spill kills animals Simonyte: I hope Karabakh conflict will be settled under OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs auspices Pashinyan to Lithuania PM: Armenia will continue taking decisive steps to strengthen democracy Kocharyan speaks on sale of arms to Azerbaijan by Russia: The question is more on a moral plane Armenia ex-Prosecutor General, Investigative Committee former chief to remain in custody Drills kick off in Tbilisi with participation of Azerbaijan, Turkey and Georgia Pashinyan: Lithuania can play important role in promoting Armenia-EU cooperation Armenia ex-president says he never 'disrespected' Azerbaijani ex-president Lithuania premier: Vilnius, Yerevan will soon be connected by direct flights Azerbaijan MFA announces 'positive signals' from Armenia regarding border delimitation Ex-president: I can't imagine the delimitation process in the interests of Armenia Pashinyan: Karabakh conflict settlement should be based on OSCE Minsk Group-supported principles Armenia premier announces condition for starting border delimitation, demarcation with Azerbaijan Armenia ex-president: OSCE MG never had a mandate to enforce peace Kabul: 95% of libraries, bookstores, and publishing houses closed in 2 months Paris mayor: France may recognize Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Kocharyan: Armenian authorities are not responsible for Aliyev, as there may be something unknown behind this Armenias Pashinyan: No time, place restrictions on meeting with Azerbaijans Aliyev Putin bestows order upon Russian Armenian historian Armenia PM: I hope we will make progress with Azerbaijan in opening of roads, railways 627 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Lithuania PM: European organizations play very important role in Armenia Armenia FM meeting with Iran counterpart World gold prices increase somewhat Prophet Muhammad sketchs creator dies in Sweden road accident Armenia parliament speaker travels to Russia on 3-day official visit Japan parliament elects new PM Armenia FM heading for Iran Monday on working visit Aging Japanese decide to pay for early retirement pension More than 10,000 children fallen victim to pedophile clergy in France since 1950 Drone video records storm from inside for first time Planet with 3 suns discovered Erdogan shares basketball video after rumors of serious illness Armenia will never be involved in a conspiracy against Iran, PM says Plane crashes on building in Italy Media: Kabul explosion leaves 12 people killed European companies file for bankruptcy over record gas prices Nikol Pashinyan arrives in Lithuania on official visit Azerbaijan and Turkey to hold exercises near Armenian border Ali Sayyid Khamenei: Events in Northwest Iran must be resolved without foreign interference Iranian Foreign Minister expresses concern over Israel's provocations near Iran-Azerbaijan border 19th century bridge partially collapsed due to fire in southern Rome China sends dozens of military aircraft to Taiwan's air defense identification zone Nikol Pashinyan sends congratulatory message to Angela Merkel Armenian President congratulates his German counterpart on the day of German unity Algeria recalls ambassador from France due to Macron's irresponsible statements Artsakh Defense Army blesses khachkar in memory of those killed in 44-day Karabakh war (PHOTOS) 907 COVID-19 new cases reported in Armenia per day Georgian CEC: Ruling party leads local elections with 48.56% of votes Armenia PM to pay official visit to Lithuania Armenia pavilion opens at Expo 2020 Dubai FM warns Azerbaijan ambassador: Iran does not tolerate Israel's presence near its borders Catholicos of All Armenians receives new Ambassador of Sweden 3 persons serving life sentence in Armenia on hunger strike Aliyev promises appropriate response if Armenia provides clear maps of minefields 168.am: Why Turkey private plane lands in Yerevan? Turkey, Russia play important role in stability and security in the region, says Azerbaijan president Azerbaijans Aliyev ready to meet with Armenias Pashinyan at any time when latter is ready Armenia deputy PM, Czech Rep. FM discuss regional developments Petition filed with court to arrest Armenia army general staff deputy chief Armenia ex-ruling party official: Inadmissible to start substantive talks with Turkey, Azerbaijan today Armenia official: Corridors or roads may be opened which Azerbaijanis or Turkey will be able to use Chairman of the Armenian National Assembly Ara Babloyan said NA will convene a special session on May 1 to elect a new Prime Minister. The deadline for nomination of PM candidates is April 30. On Wednesday Yelq faction nominated Nikol Pashinyan as their candidate for a Prime Minister. The participants in the march, led by opposition leader, MP Nikol Pashinyan continued the street protests on Thursday. Nikol Pashinyan announced that they are temporarily stopping the blockage of Yerevan streets because vehicles without license platesor with covered oneshad appeared in the city, and whose drivers were driving carelessly and putting peoples lives at risk. As of 4 pm all roads of the republic have to be unblocked, he added. Armenian officials left for Moscow to hold consultations with the Russian counterparts. Armenias Acting Deputy Prime Minister Armen Gevorgyan on Thursday met with the administration of the Russian presidential staff in Moscow. The current political situation in Armenia was discussed among other issues. Meanwhile, Acting Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to discuss situation on the line of contact between the Karabakh and Azerbaijani armed forces. On Wednesday evening ruling Republican Party of Armenias (RPA) parliamentary faction held a meeting chaired by Serzh Sargsyan. An arrangement was reached to declare that the Republican Faction stands ready to discuss any matter with all sides, and without preconditions. They also agreed to begin discussing, within the RPA governing bodies, the matter of a change of party leader. Three ministers and two provincial governors from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Dashnaktsutyun Party resigned. The move followed ARFs decision to leave ruling coalition. Acting Minister of Territorial Administration and Development Davit Lokyan, Acting Minister of Education and Science Levon Mkrtchyan, Acting Minister of Nature Protection Artsvik Minasyan, governors of Shirak and Aragatsotn provinces have submitted their resignations. A one-year-old boy, who was injured in a traffic accident in Armenias capital city of Yerevan, on Thursday died in hospital The driver, his two passengers, and their one-year-old son had suffered injuries and were rushed to hospital where the baby died on Thursday. It was found out that the Mercedes was hit from behind by an Opel, while the driver of the Opel had fled the scene. Several hours after the accident, however, this driver turned himself in to the police. Charles Aznavour was hospitalized Wednesday after he felt ill during the rehearsal before his concert in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Doctors are not concerned by the health condition of Aznavour, He had a back pain, and therefore they had to cancel the concert. The latest reports suggest that he has already returned to Paris. Shabaab Claims Repulsing Attack Involving U.S. Forces Near Kismayo, Executing Assassinations in Mogadishu Home | News | General | World Malaria Day: How midwives in Nigeria save women and infants from infection - Today, Wednesday, April 25 is World Malaria Day 2018 - Many organisations used the opportunity to highlight their activities in combating the infection - One of such organisations is the Wellbeing Foundation, an initiative of Mrs Toyin Saraki To mark World Malaria Day, at their antenatal and postnatal classes this week Wellbeing Foundation (WBFA) midwives have been highlighting the enhanced risk faced by pregnant women and children under five. Findings revealed that malaria still kills a child every two minutes, despite being easily treatable and preventable, with an estimated half of the worlds population being at risk. NAIJ.com gathered that throughout the year, WBFA midwives have been providing medical advice and referrals to ensure mothers and their children are protected, especially during pregnancy. Wellbeing Foundation midwives have been providing medical advice and referrals to ensure mothers and their children are protected from malaria. WBFA READ ALSO: Wellbeing Foundation Africa tackles cancer; releases rapid assessment report They also visit various local communities to teach residents the proper use of insecticide treated mosquito mets, and the importance of visiting healthcare centres when the symptoms of malaria are discovered. Mrs Saraki, WBFA Founder-President, commented: Our midwives make sure that no life is lost to malaria. They provide a safe space for mothers to acquire knowledge on life-saving skills that prevent, detect and also treat the disease. Malaria, despite being treatable and preventable, still kills nearly half a million people every year, with most deaths occurring in sub-Saharan Africa. On World Malaria Day, I call on all stakeholder holders - the global health community, governments, donors, pharmaceut*cal companies, academic institutions and other relevant organizations - to step up their efforts to combat malaria. The worlds first malaria vaccine will be launched this year. As the Vaccine Champion for Women Advocates for Vaccine Access (WAVA), I am calling for Nigeria to be at the front of the queue for its distribution and implementation by frontline health workers. According to reports from the World Health Organisation, 216 million people were infected with malaria globally in 2016, 5 million more than the previous year. PAY ATTENTION: Read the best news on Nigerias #1 news app Mrs Saraki is the special adviser to the Independent Advisory Group (IAG) of the World Health Organizations (WHO) Regional Office for Africa (AFRO) and Global Goodwill Ambassador for the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM). N1,500 for health of Nigerians on NAIJ.com TV [embedded content] Source: Naija.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | Obasanjo calls for support for Oonis pet project By Oghenefego Obaebor FORMER President Olusegun Obasanjo has called on corporate organisations and good spirited individuals to support the Ooni of Ife, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II in his commitment to the wellbeing of orphans and less privileged in Nigeria. The Give Back Concert which was recently endorsed by the former president is slated to hold on June 24, 2018 at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos. High profile Nigerians and corporate bodies are expected to be in attendance as all hands will be on deck to ensure the needs of orphans and the less privileged in society are met. Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo Chief Olusegun Obasanjo while speaking about the concert said it would be the first time Nigerians will come together to remember the orphans and less privileged in a positive way without government interference. Orphans and less privileged people He implored all well meaning Nigerians to support by donating generously to the less privileged ones. The GiveBack Concert is aimed at raising funds to cater for the needs of the orphans and less privileged people in society. The Ooni began this journey through Hopes Alive Initiative, HAI, saying theres the need for everyone to participate by sowing a seed into the lives of all underprivileged. According to him, many young and less privileged succumb to peer pressure and eventually choose criminalism as a way of life because they lack proper care required to positively shape their future. He said if Nigerians do this right, there will be less crime and violence in our nation and the peace we so much crave will be achieved. The deputy convener, Temitope Adesegun thanked everyone for their support and endorsement of the project. She reiterated that non-governmental organisations were the major backbones of the underprivileged in society, stressing that this was the reason Hopes Alive Initiative would be launching a television programme, HAI TV for all NGOs to embrace. The initiative also intends to identify, nurture and showcase talents of the underprivileged ones. It is with a view to making them live a fulfilled life without being held back by the social circumstances capable of denying them deserved respect and attention in the society, she said. Meanwhile, the Project director, Eluwole Elusiyan, has thanked the Ooni for his love and kindness towards the orphans and less privileged ones since he ascended the throne of his forefathers. He described him as a king, a father, and a god to the entire Yoruba race, pleading with him to continue his support for orphanage homes across the nation while praying to God to continue to bless him the more. He said this years event will have the kids showcase their talents to the world while artists like Tuface, Tiwa Savage, Flavour, Sir Shina Peters, Niniola, Kenny Blaq, Gbenga Adeyinka the 1st and others will be there as entertainers they can draw inspirations from. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | True picture of our public schools: Challenge for govt, foundations Teacher/student ratio is 1:80 Shortfall of 1,150,000 classrooms nationwide Pupil toilet ratio is 1:600 UNICEF DO you know that six million of the 36 million girls who are out of school globally are Nigerians? Statistics revealed that 40 per cent of primary school teachers in Nigeria are unqualified, just as we have 10.5 million Nigerian children, representing 14 per cent of the 70 million Nigerian children that are out of school globally. It is of great concern that children under age 15 make up 44 per cent of Nigerias rising population. While the recommended teacher-pupil ratio is 1:35, there is an average of 49 pupil per primary school teacher in Nigeria. In a public school in Lagos where this reporter visited, it is one teacher to 80 students in a class. Pupils of a primary school having their lunch, provided under the school feeding programme According to UNICEF, over 58.3 per cent of pupils in Nigerian schools are not learning effectively, while 50 per cent of grade six pupils cannot read at all. UNICEF notes tat the net enrolment rate at primary school level is 56 per cent for girls and 61 per cent for boys. Twenty million of 22 million Nigerian children aged 0-5 years do not have access to early childhood education. Apparently attracted by this downward trend, many private sector organizations and multi nationals have over the years, contributed their quota to the development of the Nigerian education sector. In their quest to see a positive change in the sector, many of them have established Foundations to cushion the effect of this downward trend. Also some non-governmental organisations and faith-based institutions had at one time or the other initiated some schemes to boost standard of education in Nigeria. Education standard While the MTN Foundation focuses on tertiary education by introducing Science and Technology Scholarship scheme, it seeks to attract high performing full-time second year students studying in public tertiary institutions. On its part, the UBA Foundation promotes essay competition among students in secondary schools and winners are rewarded with scholarships for tertiary education. For Oando Foundation, it focuses on adopting public primary schools in Nigeria and providing access to basic quality education. The Foundation, on its website pointed out some issues in public primary schools that needed urgent attention. It noted that dilapidated school infrastructure, inadequate and obsolete equipment in public primary schools and lack of library facilities are the causes of poor learning and enrolment. It lamented the present shortfall of 1,150,000 classrooms nationwide. It also identified inadequate water and lack of appropriate sanitation facilities as deterents to students enrolment in public primary schools. UNICEF had reported that in some primary schools, pupil to toilet ratio is 1:600. Closely related to that is overcrowded classrooms in public schools. There is severe shortage of classroom space resulting in class sizes that sometimes triple the prescribed teacher-pupil ratio for Nigeria which is 1:40. In what could be described as out-of-school children scourge, over 10.5 million Nigerian children are out-of-school. Only two million of 22 million children aged zero to five years in Nigeria have access to early childhood education. Bothered by the data and the effect on the children, Oando Foundation has adopted 88 schools across 23 states of Nigeria. For Oando, its target is to get 60,000 Out-of-School children enrolled and retain them in school. The Foundation has also vowed to renovate 46 schools in nine states, provide 100 schools with enhanced educational infrastructure and improved learning environments. According to the data on their website, it would establish 46 ICT centres, employ 1,600 teachers and train 100 head teachers. Apart from targeting 1,500 scholarships for students from its adopted schools, it would also strengthen the capacity of 1,500 members of the School-Based Management Committees, SBMC and local government education authority. Meanwhile, records have revealed that the Foundation has enrolled 33,639 Out-of- School children, renovated 40 schools, supplied teaching and learning materials to 74 schools with over 80,000 pupils. Besides, 33 ICT centres have been established, 2,169 teachers trained, 79 head teachers and 1,133 SBMC members have been trained just as a total of 1,123 pupils have been awarded scholarships across the 23 states. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | Melaye, Benue killings: Senators abort plenary, storm National Hospital, vent anger on Buhari Senate summons IGP to appear at plenary By Henry Umoru ABUJATHE Senate has summoned the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Ibrahim Idris, to appear before it at plenary and brief it on the ordeal of the Chairman, Committee on the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Senator Dino Melaye ( APC Kogi West ) in the hands of the Nigeria Police on alleged illegal possession of ammunition. Senate President Bukola Saraki and other Senator visit Dino The Inspector General of Police is also being summoned to brief the Senate on the recent killings that has become a recurring development in the country. Also yesterday, the Senate adjourned its sitting to enable it embark on a sympathy visit to Senator Melaye who is at the moment, receiving treatment at the National Hospital, Abuja. The upper chamber was yesterday overtaken by anger and outpouring of vituperation against the executive arm of government, particularly the mishandling of security matters in the country. The verbal attack arose out of what senators described as abuse and disregard for legislative institutions in the handling of the matter between Dino Melaye and the Police. To express their anger, the senators aborted all matters it had slated for consideration in yesterdays Order Paper, including 20 bills and a report on its investigation of all subsidy monies spent by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC. The resolution to summon the Inspector General of Police to appear before the Senate was sequel to a motion moved by Senator Sam Anyanwu ( PDP Imo East). Senator Anyanwu, who came under Orders 14 and 15 of the Senate standing rules, said the treatment being meted out on Senator Melaye by the Police on alleged illegal possession of ammunition, was an affront on democracy since the said matter was already in court. Anyanwu said: All of us as senators, are demeaned by the way Senator Melaye is being handled by the Police since Tuesday morning when he made himself available for arrest. It would be very wrong for us to allow things continue this way . The Inspector General of the Police must be summoned to explain why a serving senator is being treated like a common criminal. Appearance of IGP before the Senate at plenary today, is fixed for 11:00 am as directed by the Senate President, Bukola Saraki In his remarks, Saraki who disclosed that all efforts made by him to get across to the IG since Tuesday morning proved abortive, said: This action is a threat to democracy; this is not what we should be spending our energy on . I have not been able to reach the IGP since Tuesday morning as regards Senator Melayes arrest by the Police . To me, the IGPs action is an act of disrespect to this Institution . This kind of altitude must stop. The Senate delegation earlier sent to ascertain the state of health of Melaye informed the Senate that Melaye was in a very critical condition in the Emergency Unit of the Trauma Center of the hospital. Deputy Senate leader, Bala Ibn Naalla, who led the delegation, disclosed that the police had wanted to move Melaye out in his present condition but was told by the management of the National Hospital to sign an undertaking that it would be responsible for whatever happened to him jn the process This, according to the delegation, was what prevented the Police from moving the lawmaker out. Naalla also said that the delegation was informed that Melaye had asthma, a situation they believed had compounded Melayes conditions. We went to the National Hospital this morning (yesterday), we confirmed that he (Melaye) was brought in about 11pm. We spoke to the doctor who is the trauma surgeon in charge of the unit and the Chief Medical Director, (CMD) himself and the assurance we have is that they are doing whatever is humanly possible to stabilise him. We tried to see him but the police left instruction that only Senator Abu Ibrahim and Sen. Baba Kaka Garbai are allowed to see him. The level of tension increased in the chamber when Naalla disclosed that Melaye had feeding problems. He said: Something is, however, worrisome and it is his feeding. Police are afraid of feeding him and the hospital is having reservations. The CMD gave an instruction that two of Melayes cooks will prepare the food but that they must taste the food. Even that has not been successful. We also heard there was insistence to remove him from the National Hospital and I think the hospital insisted that there must be an undertaking and nobody is willing to sign. Earlier in their contributions, Senators Chukwuka Utazi ( PDP Enugu North), Isa Misau ( APC Bauchi Central) , Shehu Sani ( APC Kaduna Central), Ubali Shittu ( APC Jigawa North East), Ibrahim Gobir ( APC Sokoto East), Mao Ohuanbunwa ( PDP Abia North, among others, lampooned the executive for not following due process on the matter . Meanwhile, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, and eight other senators were allowed to see Senator Melaye on his sick bed yesterday at the Trauma Centre of the National Hospital. At exactly 1.37 pm, senators arrived at the National Hospital and headed straight to meet with the chairperson of the hospitals board of directors, who happened to be a former speaker of the House of Representatives, Patricia Etteh, as well as the Chief Medical Director. Numbering about 75, the lawmakers held brief meeting with Etteh and the management of the hospital in the conference hall of the hospital. Most of them remained there while Saraki and a few other senators went into the trauma centre where Melaye was being given medical attention to see him. Saraki who came out of the ward after spending about 20 minutes with Melaye, narrated his experience. He told journalists: After the sitting of the Senate today (yesterday), we decided to come here because for 24 hours, we have not heard or know the state of Senator Dino. We are happy that we have seen him. He is in intensive care. He is stable for now. He has not eating for the past 24 hours. We are trying to resolve that. He is on fluids and he has been seen by a cardiologist and all specialists. He also has a lot of underlying issues. He is asthmatic. So, we are a bit concerned. By now we thank God he is stable. He is been monitored and we continue to pray for him that he fully recovers from his predicament. On whether he is still on handcuffs, Saraki said: No, he is not on handcuffs. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | Shettimas phone conversation with Kunle By Ochereome Nnanna THE social media is full of all sorts of things the good, the bad and the ugly. It is an information minefield, and those who regularly tread it must do so with extreme caution and wisdom to avoid becoming a victim of the bad and ugly sides of it. Over the weekend someone sent a dangerous phone conversation to me through the Messenger app. It was supposed to be the excerpt of a phone conversation between Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State and Governor Kunle Amosun of Ogun State. Their photographs were displayed on the message to indicate that it was their voices that were contained in that horrible phone call. Gov Kashim Shettima of Borno State. The message was an out-of-control anti-Igbo diatribe obviously initiated and chiefly conducted by this Kashim Shettima, with Kunle sometimes agreeing with his submissions, at other times either seeming unsure and yet other times (rather weakly) calling for caution. Shettima kept cutting off Kunle when the latter tried to counter a spurious claim, and when he was done with his 20-minute verbal haemorrhage he simply ended the conversation with: Thank you, Kunle. This Shettima had a domineering and hectoring prevalence and called his supposed colleague Kunle in a manner that one usually addresses a subordinate. Kunle also carried on like a typical underdog. This is totally at variance with probability, if not reality. The real Kashim Shettima, Governor of Borno State and Kunle Amosun, Governor of Ogun State, were sworn-in on the same day on 29th May 2011 as their respective state Chief Executives. The issue of superiority complex cannot arise. I have not met Governor Kunle Amosun in person but I have heard him speak. Though he has the same baritone as the Kunle in the conversation Amosun is a very authoritative person. Besides, he is firmly rooted in the President Muhammadu regime, which is why his nominee, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, is the Minister of Finance. It is widely believed that if Buhari wins his re-election bid next year, Amosun could become a prominent minister, unless he chooses to go and cool off at the Senate. Kashim Shettima is someone I have known since he was a bank manager with Zenith Bank more than ten years ago. He is extremely courteous with people, including appointees in his government. He never rides rough-shod on anyone in the manner that the Kashim Shettima in this conversation did. In any case, the voices are not the same, neither are the manners of delivery. This point is very important for those who have seen this toxic message because of its seditious content. Apart from this, Governor Shettima recently lavishly praised an Igbo man from Mbaise (as he put it), Major General Rogers Nicholas, the Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole for his role in the defeat of Boko Haram. At a Townhall meeting in Maiduguri on 7th February 2018, Governor Shettima had observed: Some of our greatest recent feats in the conflict were done by non-northerners and non-Muslim officers in the military. Most of the soldiers that sacrificed their lives are not of the Kanuri ethnic group. This man cannot be the carrier of the toxic message reported below. Now, let me report the vitriol the fake Shettima spewed. This Shettima postured as one speaking for the North. He said he had learnt his lesson and will only support my brother (Northerners) because of what the Ibos did when Jonathan was president. He accused them of assembling people, calling them Boko Haram and refusing to protect the North from this group because they wished the Northerners to finish themselves to reduce the population of the region. He conveniently forgot that Northern leaders such as Buhari, Murtala Nyako and Northern Elder Forum, NEF, had complained that the war against Boko Haram was a war against the North. According to this Shettima, the Igbo pushed out the North and Yoruba from Jonathans government. Kunle in a weak tone pointed out: but the North benefited a lot from Jonathan. Shettima launched another missile about how the Igbo have been dominating the markets in the North and West, especially Lagos. He said this was why Oba Rilwan Akiolu threatened to push them into the ocean. According to him, the North did not really want Buhari in 2015. It was Rabiu Kwankwaso they wanted because they knew that Kwankwaso would end Igbo domination within six months through policies aimed at crippling their businesses. He boasted that Kwankwaso had done something similar when he was the Governor of Kano State. This fake Kashim told Kunle that the North does not trust Rochas Okorocha and Chibuike Amaechi, no matter how they pretend to be loyalists of their region. According to him, this same Rochas had plotted to force all Hausas in Imo State to obtain ID cards or leave the state. He accused the Igbos of refusing to sell land to non-Igbos in the South East because of instructions from ancestors and asked: dont we also have ancestors in the North? He alleged that Northerners were not allowed to vote in the South East in 2015. Interestingly, Kashim said the All Progressives Congress, APC, has perfected a plan to strengthen the North and South West alliance to create an economic union between the two sections. The agricultural, industrial and mineral resources of the North will be harnessed and primary industries established, while the West will be corridor through which they would be sold to the world. Let them (South East and South-South) drink their oil. After all, AA Rano brings his oil from Niger Republic. I had to highlight this issue because some Nigerians who are bent on destroying this country are pussyfooting around. But they are too cowardly to come out and let us see them for who and what they are. They are masquerading with innocent peoples identities hoping to deceive the ever gullible Nigerian people. Dont be deceived. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | Another day, Another scandal (2) By Josef Omorotionmwan IT might be difficult to convince people that God answers all prayers. He does so at His own time and in His own way. A man prays fervently and requests God to give him a car by Christmas. He does everything to fulfill his own side of the request. Christmas comes and goes but there is no car. The man is disappointed and he feels God has not answered his prayers. Not quite so. God sees the end from the beginning. If God sees that by giving this beloved son a car at Christmas, he would drive himself to death, He would withhold the car. This is prayer answered because the mans life is more precious than the gift of a car. The car may come 10 years later at Gods appointed time. Senate Chamber We are also told that God uses the most foolish things to confound the wise. As living mortals, our legislators constantly pray to work in a safe and secured environment. Having put their safety and security in the hands of the Most High, they go to sleep and do nothing in furtherance of their desire. Some of those ugly incidents that occur at the National Assembly, NASS, Chambers once in a blue moon serve as reminders that they must take a step of faith and not just forget themselves in the process of working for the people. In the Second Republic, there was unhindered access into, and free movement within, the premises of the Parliament Buildings at Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos until that fateful day in 1982, when Hon. Sidi H. Ali (PRP/Danbatta Federal Constituency, Kano State) came into the chambers of the House of Representatives. He requested to be allowed to speak on a matter of urgent national importance, which Speaker Edwin Ume-ezeoke graciously granted. At the middle of his presentation, he opened his leather bag and brought out a gun. He threw the gun on the table directly in front of this writer, Clerk-At-Table then, saying; Mr. Speaker, I have been complaining to you I am now prepared to defend myself. My heart sank into my boots. Gradually, I subconsciously began to sneak away from the position of the gun. I thought I was trying to hide under the Speakers table; but I later realised that I was even moving deeper into the danger-prone area. Normalcy was soon restored to the House and sitting was adjourned for an hour. At the end of the day, Sidi Ali had earned himself a six-month suspension. It took all this to remind the NASS of the need to protect itself. By the time they installed all the security gadgets and the metal detectors from across the world, entry into the NASS premises and chambers was simply reminiscent of the proverbial camels head passing through the eye of the needle. Over three decades down the line, NASS needed to be reminded again that it had relaxed on its security. It did not matter a flip that we had a whole battalion of the Nigerian Army; a full Division of the Nigeria Police; or perhaps, that the DSS had moved its headquarters to the place. The penultimate Wednesday, some eight bloody civilians who were perhaps unarmed, moved into the Senate Chambers while it was in session, snatched the mace, innocuously regarded as the symbol of the authority of the Senate and made away with it. How was this possible? What was the motive behind the bravado-style invasion? These and more are questions that must be left to the appropriate quarters. Our major stipulation here is that a Senate that cannot provide security for itself cannot also be expected to provide for the citizenry. Is there any doubt today that every Nigerian is an endangered species? Cast your mind back a little. If what we just saw was a Boko Haram invasion, they would have simply ground our Senators like a quid of tobacco. Tongue must wag. All fingers are pointing in the direction of Senator Ovie Omo-Agege (APC/Delta North). True, what happened in the Senate was a crime against the nation. It was treasonable. If the Senator is proven to be behind the show of shame, then, he deserves every punishment reserved for treasonable felons. He will now be eminently qualified for suspension from the Senate. But not before then! From our distance, we see a dangerous trend developing in the Senate. We see a Saraki-led Senate that is becoming draconian and totally authoritarian. It is a Senate in which the expression of an opinion different from that of the leadership earns one a suspension. In the particular case of Senator Omo-Agege, he saw in the proposed Senate amendment to the Electoral Law, some veiled anti-Buhari provisions, as many of us saw from the outside; and he spoke out. When the leadership of the Senate felt aggrieved by his action, he swallowed his pride and apologised. Yet, he must proceed on suspension. What an aberration! We abhor violence in settling issues. But there must be a way of checking the spate of illegal suspensions in the Senate. This Senate has lost the entire essence of representative democracy. Because of our burgeoning population, it is no longer possible for the entire one million people of Delta North to be in the Senate in Abuja, hence Omo-Agege was sent to represent them. When you suspended Omo-Agege, you suspended the one million citizens of Delta North and constructively shut them out of Project Nigeria. Add to this, no Senator was elected Senate President from home. The situation there is one of primus-inter-pares. The Senate has no right to veto the collective choice of the electorate, thus denying them their representation! In the circumstance, the resort to court, as Omo-Agega has done, remains the best option. Let no one listen to the twisted idea of leaving the legislatures problems in the legislature. Clearly, that is not what the doctrine of Separation of Powers is all about. After all, when did the legislature cease from being part of society? CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | When mystery soot threatens Rivers population By Egufe Yafugborhi Widespread panic over impending deaths Stakeholders bicker over source, cause NOT too long ago, frequent invasions of Rivers communities and mindless killings by cult terror groups and other criminal gangs evoked the common headline refrain of Rivers of Blood in many news reports. The state is currently in the news again, this time not for deaths related to violence but from exposure to emissions of a hazardous black amorphous carbon from unconfirmed industrial activities. With this, the protest refrain since the last two weeks has been: Save Rivers from this soot of death. #StopTheSoot Stakeholders are in agreement that the soot is a cancerinogenuos chemical which is gradually killing the populace and could assume a mass destruction scale if not checked. Painfully, as always with developments concerning Rivers in recent times, the politicisation of issues arising from the soot menace continues to overwhelm concerted efforts at checking it. Industry regulator, expert confirm growing fear: Before residents under various banners came up with the Stop the Soot rally in Port Harcourt last Thursday, industry regulator, National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency, NOSDRA, had three days earlier confirmed the growing fear about continued presence of the fast-spreading soot. NOSDRA Director General, Sir Peter Idabor, on a duty specific trip into Port Harcourt to Activate 2018 National Oil Spill Contingency Plan & Drills preempted thus: I knew I must be confronted with this issue as I was coming when Vanguard posed the question during his press briefing. The soot is an emergency. Our lives are really at risk, children are the most vulnerable as it sits in the lungs. Its so amorphous; experts have measured its particle size as 2.5 microns, seen only through high-powered microscopic lens. So it cant be prevented from entering homes and offices even with windows sealed. As people inhale it, after a time, it becomes an irritant. The individual starts coughing. After persistent cough, a wound is created inside the lungs. The wound becomes cancerous and spreads to the liver and other vital organs. Soot creates poisonous rain A medical expert, Dr. Ebitumi Kuruba, warned thus: The other danger is that this soot goes up in the air, mixes with the clouds and falls back as rain. So the rains coming down now is poison. This would go into the ground, affect the source of water we drink, the plants we grow and the food we eat. Hydrocarbon emissions from oil operations have always been environmental concerns since discovery of oil in the Niger Delta; but the discomforting soot presently being experienced, Idabor explained, is a product of fumes from activities of oil thieves and illegal oil refineries popularly dubbed Kpo Fire, indiscriminate burning of tyres and asphalt heating among other environmentally unhealthy businesses. In Port Harcourt, there are over 100 abattoirs and many of these use rubber tyres to roast meat. Yet others burn tyres to extract copper wires. The heating of asphalt (used for roads) and burning of stolen petroleum products by security agencies who set ablaze frightening volume of stolen oil or illegally cooked diesel in large boats or tankers as well the machinery of the Kpo Fires caught in the act all contribute to the problem. Citizens protest: Thursday, residents under the banners of Stop-the-Soot Campaign and Civil Liberty Organisations, CLO, marched the streets of Port Harcourt in a protest to the Rivers State House of Assembly and ended at the Government House. Tunde Bello, leading the campaign, said in a 12-point protest letter that: The concerned citizens want the state government to prioritise environment and do supplementary budget for the Ministry of Environment because of the ravaging soot. We want the state to conduct environmental audit of all those communities hosting oil operations. We want Rivers government to act and become reservoir of environmental data for the state. We want Wikes government to compel local governments to implement sanitation laws in their domains, make the local governments channel their security votes to monitor the environmental. We want street-by-street health campaigns and awareness on environmental health. We want Wikes government to lead a bi-partisan campaign on behalf of the state and its citizens, cause the state and national assemblies to retool rules governing the environment and instigate expedited action on aspects of the Petroleum Industry Bill bordering on environment. As a matter of urgency, we want the state government to provide daily air quality leanings to citizens as oil companies are doing for their staff. We want the state to collaborate with the Nigerian Medical Association to compile and make public the health status of the citizens and prevalent causes of deaths. Wike to sue FG, IOCs Governor Nyesom Wike who acknowledged citizens right to protest the soot menace, however maintains that venting their grievances on the state government was misplaced. He stressed that the real anger should be vented on the Federal Government which, he said, his administration is set to sue. I have directed Rivers Attorney General to brief an environmental lawyer to sue the FG and the IOCs over the issue of soot, he told a United Nations, UN, fact-finding team which visited him on account of the soot menace. He charged the protesters thus: Rivers State Government has done all it is supposed to do, including advocacy and enlightenment campaigns, with no action from the FG. Help us demonstrate against the FG and we will all be happy. We have no control over the sources of soot. Do I go to shutdown the refinery? Will they not say that it is economic sabotage? Do I even have the security? Do I control the Police or the Army to go and stop oil production at the refinery? We must situate cause of the soot and the fact that FG has decided to make sure that a greater percentage of the state dies. We have called on the security agencies to find more refined ways of destroying illegal refineries. We have informed the National Council of Environment, the military and all Federal Regulatory Agencies, but they are not interested in intervening. We want the international community to come to our aid and pressure the FG not to politicise environmental issues. All the FG is doing is to chase shadows, organising people to protest. Until they stop politicizing very serious issues and focus on governance, we will head nowhere. Osibanjo encourages synergy In the atmosphere of bickering, NOSDRA boss, Idabor has revealed that the Ministry of Environment, has scheduled a one-day retreat in Port Harcourt April 27 to address the associated challenges with the soot. Agencies under the ministry, Rivers Government, oil companies and members of the Armed Forces, special Taskforce and other stakeholders would attend the retreat. We have been having series of stakeholders meeting. We had a committee set up by the Vice President with the Chief of Naval Staff, the Joint Taskforce and others on Harmonised Standard Operating Procedures for dealing with recovered stolen crude or illegally refined products. We said rather destroy it and aggravate pollution of the environment, retire stolen crude back to the refineries or other appropriate authorities. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | Donald Duke hits back at Okonjo-Iweala over image-laundering book Former governor of Cross River State, Mr Donald Duke, has hit back at former Finance Minister, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, over issues she raised in her current book. Okonjo-Iweala had in the book, entitled Fighting Corruption is Dangerous: The Story Behind the Headlines, said the former governor asked her not to serve in President Goodluck Jonathans government in 2011. Mr Donald Duke, and former Finance Minister, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala According to her, the ploy was to deny Jonathans government credibility so that it would be weak and not succeed. Okonjo-Iweala, who also served as Minister of Finance under President Olusegun Obasanjo from 2003-2006, said she turned down the advice, which Duke allegedly claimed was coming from a group of concerned people. However, in his response on Twitter, Duke prefaced it with a message to the youths, confirmed meeting with Okonjo-Iweala but said it was in good faith and wondered why a private conversation between friends had now been made public. His message to the youths came against the backdrop of their concerns to allegations of the former minister against him. He said: It is true I met with Ngozi when the rumours were swirling about her being considered for appointment. As friends, she, having been literally dismissed from an earlier appointment as finance minister, I urged caution. I made no mention of adding or subtracting credibility to anyone or government. It was two friends discussing careers. It ended there and she subsequently, made her choice, which I respected. However, I think it is in poor taste and demeaning of her to report a private conversation in whatever self laundering attempt she may be up to. With hindsight, I was vindicated, Ngozi, as Minister of Finance and Economy, despite massive revenue receipts, left Nigeria poorer than she met it. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | Security challenges worry Shell over $15bn investment plan In spite of security concerns in the Niger Delta, Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, will later this year kick-start its expenditure plans on oil and gas projects worth $15 billion. On April 18, a delegation of Royal Dutch Shell, the parent company of SPDC, led by Ben van Beurden, Chief Executive Officer, CEO, met with President Muhammadu Buhari in London. The meeting, according to the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, was facilitated by Ibe Kachikwu, the Minister of State, where the oil giant unfolded its $15 billion investment plan for Nigeria. Shell It was learnt that part of the investment includes Shells counterpart funding for its 25.6 percent share in the construction of Trains 7 and 8 in the Nigeria LNG plant located in Bonny, Rivers State, as well as drilling and production in the Bonga Southwest deep offshore oil field, which could potentially increase Nigerias oil reserves by more than one billion barrels. We see good opportunities there for potential investment, including Bonga Southwest and the expansion of Nigeria LNG. Both projects are subject to future final investment decision and we continue to work with our partners and the government towards that in each case, an SPDC spokesman said. While Shell is currently producing around 200,000 barrels per day of oil from the main Bonga oil field, the NLNG Bonny plant is producing 22 million metric tonnes per annum of liquefied natural gas. When contacted, Bamidele Odugbesan, Media Relations Manager, Shell Nigeria, said the company was embarking on the ambitious investment programme even while the security situation remained volatile in the Niger Delta region. According to him: Security in parts of the Niger Delta remains a major concern with persisting incidents of criminality, kidnapping and vandalism as well as onshore and offshore piracy. Facilities operated by both indigenous and international oil and gas companies continue to be vandalised by attacks and other illegal activities such as crude oil theft. The safety of staff and contractors in Nigeria remains the top priority. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | Lacks of power to re-order election sequence: Well go on appeal, says NASS By Ikechukwu Nnochiri ABUJAAbuja Division of the Federal High Court, yesterday, held that the National Assembly lacked the power to re-order the proposed sequence for the 2019 general elections. Main opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate Mohammadu Buhari casts his ballot at a polling station in the Gidan Niyam Sakin Yara A ward at Daura in Katsina State on March 28, 2015. Voting began in Nigerias general election but delays were reported countrywide because of technical problems in accrediting electors. File Photo The court, in a judgment delivered by Justice Ahmed Mohammed, gave reasons the election timetable earlier released by Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, could not be altered by the legislature. It maintained that INEC was the only body constitutionally empowered to organise, undertake and supervise elections in the country, adding that such responsibility included fixing dates for polls. The judgement followed a suit lodged before the court by Accord Party. Justice Mohammed noted that NASS commenced moves to amend the Electoral Act after INEC had already released its timetable for the impending general elections. He said the action of the NASS was in clear breach of paragraph 15a of the 3rd Schedule to the 1999 constitution, as amended. Relying on Supreme Court decisions, Justice Mohammed held that the responsibility of organising elections in the country was constitutionally vested in INEC, stressing that such statutory right could not be removed by NASS through its belated process to amend the Electoral Act. He said: I am persuaded by argument of the plaintiff that it is the sole responsibility of the 3rd defendant (INEC) to conduct elections and further in doing so, the 3rd defendant has the power to fix dates for elections. If the 1st defendant wants this court to believe that the 3rd defendant was fixing the date in accordance with the bill that was yet to be passed, why then the discrepancy in the sequence of the election? I am left without doubt that in passing the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2018, the 3rd defendant was in clear breach of paragraph 15a to the 3rd Schedule to the 1999 Constitution, as amended. In this regard, I find merit in the plaintiffs application. INEC, the 3rd defendant in this case, has the constitutional responsibility of organising and conducting elections and to that effect to issue timetable, and it will also decide when elections will hold. He held that only INEC had the power to change date that had already been released. Consequently, the court granted all the reliefs sought by the plaintiff, even as it nullified section 25 of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, 2018, which sought to alter sequence for the forthcoming general elections. It, however, declined to compel President Muhammadu Buhari to reject the 2018 Amended Electoral Act on the basis that the President had already withheld his assent to it. The court held that contrary to contention by the NASS, there was no need for the plaintiff to join President Buhari as a party to the suit since the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN, was cited as a defendant in the matter. It, therefore, dismissed all objections the NASS raised against the suit for want of merit. Meanwhile, shortly after the judgment was delivered, NASS, through its lawyer, Mr. Sebastian Hon, SAN, vowed to take the case before the Court of Appeal. It will be recalled that Accord Party had in its suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/232/2018, posed nine questions for the court to determine, among which included whether, having regard to the combined provisions of section 79, 116, 118, 132, 153, 160(1) and 178 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended, read together with paragraph 15(a) of the Third Schedule to the same Constitution, whether the 3rd defendant is not only institution or body constitutionally vested with the powers and vires to organise, undertake and supervise elections to the offices of the President and Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Governor and Deputy Governor of a State, membership of the Senate, the House of Representatives and the House of Assembly of each State of the federation, including fixing the sequence and dates of the elections to the said offices? Cited as defendants in the suit were the NASS, the AGF and INEC. However, only the NASS filed preliminary objection to challenge the suit. It contended that the court had no jurisdiction to grant reliefs sought by the plaintiff it said lacked the locus standi to institute the action. NASS argued that the suit was premature and inchoate since it had yet to pass the Electoral Bill into law. Nevertheless, the AGF who argued in support of the suit, accused the NASS of attempting to usurp the powers of INEC. On its part, INEC, through its lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana, SAN, told the court that the plaintiff was duly registered as a political party. INEC said it was in support of all the reliefs being sought by the plaintiff. Earlier, counsel to the plaintiff, Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, told the court that former President Goodluck Jonathan had a few days before he vacated office, also refused to sign the Constitution Alteration Bill into law. Among reliefs the plaintiff sought before the court which were granted, include A declaration that the 3rd defendant is the only body and or institution constitutionally vested with the powers, vires and duties to organise, undertake and supervise elections to the offices of the President and Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Governor and Deputy Governor of a State, membership of the Senate, the House of Representatives and the House of Assembly of each State of the Federation, including fixing or assigning dates of the said elections and sequence of same. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | NULASS disassociates self from solidarity walk for Ambode By Elizabeth Uwandu THE National Union of Lagos State Students, NULASS, has debunked claim that it hosted a rally tagged: Solidarity walk for Akinwunmi Ambode, incumbent governor of Lagos State last Friday. This is as the body through its executive council alleged that an unrecognised faction of NULASS was being used by some politicians to perpetuate unconstitutional roles. Akinwunmi Ambode In a Press release obtained by Vanguard, Ottun Adewale Omolade, national president, NULASS, stated that students are important to the legitimacy of any political group. However, it has been the practice of some politicians and personalities to orchestrate, cajole and entice students leadership to work in their favour. Some politicians even go to the extent of bribing, gifting and all manner of shenanigans. It is evidently clear that a false body of executive members allegedly have been procured by some elements in Lagos State to host a movement and rally. This movement is not recognised by the union and those that constitute the said rally are mere thugs who are impersonating us, the union executive members. It is evident that these people parading as NULASS executes in recent time have proven the stuff they are made of since they have ready allies within the state to campaign for the 2019 elections. The said Solidarity walk for Ambode allegedly held last weekend was not organised by us. We believe we will draw enough sympathy so that we may be vindicated against the impostors who have ravaged our union for their own selfish purposes. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | Attack on Buhari govt: Constituents move to recall Sen Abaribe By Anayo Okoli UMUAHIAPERHAPS, due to his strong opposition to President Buhari administration, some members of his constituency under the aegis of Coalition of Abia South Senatorial Movement, CASSM, have vowed to recall their Senator, Chief Enyinnaya Abaribe, saying he has woefully failed them. To show their seriousness, the group on Tuesday, in Aba, commenced the distribution of recall forms to the six council areas that make up the zone for collection of signatures. Addressing journalists at the venue where recall forms were distributed, the leader of the group, Prince Paul Ikonne said that Senator Abaribe has woefully failed us. One of the Speakers, Mr. Daniel Nwaeze, a lawyer, specifically accused Abaribe of unleashing many attacks on President Muhammadu Buhari. Buhari We have gone far in his recall process. He is not performing. What he is doing at the National Assembly is not what we sent him to do. We never sent him there to go and insult the President even when he has not attracted any dividend of democracy to the constituency, Nwaeze said. According to Ikonne, we are here to commence the recall of Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe because he has failed woefully, enough is enough. We sent him to National Assembly to get projects and make good laws but the reverse is the case. He has failed woefully. Let him come home. We have our PVCs and with our PVCs we are going to recall him. The process starts now. It is not a political party affair. I am of APC. We have APGA, APDA, PDP and other parties. It is about Abia South Senatorial zone. We are distributing recall forms to the six Local Government Areas that make up the district. The six council areas are fully represented. We will gather again in the next 14 days to compile the result and take the forms to INEC, Ikonne said. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, at the plenary on Wednesday, read a letter from President Muhammadu Buhari seeking the approval of the legislature for the withdrawal of $496m from the Excess Crude Account for the purchase of military aircraft. Buhari, in the letter, however, disclosed that the money had been withdrawn and paid to the United States for the 12 Super Tucano aircraft, ahead of legislative approval. This, he said, was done to beat the deadline for the arms deal. The planes will be delivered in 2020. The President said, Recently, approval was granted by the United States of America Government but with a deadline, within which down payment must be made otherwise the contract relapses. In the expectation that the National Assembly will have no objection to the purchase of these highly specialised aircraft, which are critical to national security, I granted anticipatory approval for the release of $496,374,470. This was paid directly into the treasury of the United States Government. I am therefore writing seeking approval of the Senate for the sum of $496,374,470 (equivalent to N151,394, 421,035) to be included in the 2018 Appropriation Bill which the National Assembly is currently finalising. The balance for the requirement for critical operational equipment is still being collated from the different security services and will be presented in the form of a supplementary appropriation bill in due course. Buhari recalled that due to the security emergencies in the country, which was discussed with state governors, the National Economic Council on December 14, 2017, approved that up to $1bn be released and utilised from the Excess Crude Account to address the situation. Senator Mathew Uroghide (PDP, Edo-South), however, raised a point of order to declare Buharis action illegal. Uroghide said, I heard very clearly when you read the letter that came from Mr. President over the payment that was made for the Tucano aircraft. I was completely taken aback because I represent a people. This letter that you just read to us now, with due respect to the office and the status of Mr. President, I want to say that what he just said, which you just read to us, is a violation of some of the provisions of the constitution. I stand on it with every vehemence and I want to read Section 80 (1),(2),(3) and (4) of the 1999 Constitution. The lawmaker read the sections of the constitution he made reference to. He added, What you have just read to us violates these provisions. Mr. President couldnt have ever, and no Nigerian citizen that is up and active under the provisions of the constitution, is allowed to make any disbursement or any approval coming from any quarter, whether it is by the Council of State of the Federation or the committee of the governors or anybody in the Presidency, without approval or appropriation from this Assembly. I think it is important that we remind ourselves, because if we sit down here, posterity will judge us. Saraki interrupted Uroghide, noting that the matter would be taken at another time. He, however, admitted that the lawmaker had raised a valid point. The Senate President also hinted that the matter might be raised at the next legislative day (Thursday) based on its importance and urgency. He said, You raised a very valid point. You came under privileges and you are making a point on the subject matter. Fine, but the point is that this has come now as a communication. What we are going to do is that, you will have your day in being able to express your views. This has come as a communication now; we will have to deter it. Home | News | General | Buhari called Nigerian youths lazy because he doesnt run a business- Atiku - Atiku abubakar promised that he would restructure Nigeria in six months - The former vice president said the president was wrong in his statement about Nigerian youths - He said he was ready to attract foreign investments to Nigeria Former vice president Atiku Abubakar, has said that he would restructure the country in six months if voted as president in 2019. Atiku made this promise at Chatham House, UK, during a question and answer session on Wednesday, April 25. He said: It is doable. In fact, what Ive told many Nigerians at home is that if you give me six months, I know I will be able to achieve a fast level of restructuring, otherwise the concurrent list issue. READ ALSO: Dino Melaye has not eaten in 24 hours - Saraki speaks after visiting him in hospital Its very easy to deal with it because there is no state that you will call and say I want to give you this responsibility together with the resources, and will say no. I want the people of every state to be able to hold their leaders accountable because, at the moment, the federal government is being accused of everything, even when its not in its area of responsibility. I want to be able to resolve that so that citizens can hold their local leaders responsible for lapses and maladministration. Asked if he would run as an independent if he doesnt get the Peoples Democratic Party ticket, Atiku said: Well wait until that time. On President Muhammadu Buharis recent comment, Atiku said he was not surprised because he was not an employer of labour. He said: On the issue of youth, I am an employer of labour and most of that labour is youth-dominated and I make a lot of profits from my businesses. I dont agree with the assumption that the youths are lazy or they are indolent. Certainly, I dont. But Im not surprised with the fellow who made that remark because hes not an employer of labour, he has no business, he has no educational institution so he doesnt relate with youths in schools so I dont blame him. On the economy, Atiku said: If I have my way, the Federal Government will match states IGR up to $250 million per state. Even with this policy, the Federal Government will continue to offer support (in the form of intervention programmes) for states that rank below the average development index, until such a time as they are able to become self-sufficient and sustaining. Beyond institutional and administrative reforms to improve operational efficiency of the revenue agencies, the federating units will be challenged to double their efforts in rebuilding the fiscal-social contract, by enhancing service delivery in key areas such as health, education, water supply and infrastructural development. Only this would change the predominant perception that government revenues are diverted to the private bank accounts of politicians and their cronies. Meanwhile Atiku explained why he parted ways with President Muhammadu Buhari. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app Daily Trust reports that Atiku said this in an interview with the BBC Hausa Service in London. NAIJ.com gathered that Atiku, who resigned his membership of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), returned to his former party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), now the major opposition party in the country. The APC started on a wrong footing after President Buhari assumed office. Also, the way the government is being run; I made my suggestions but it seems they were deemed not important to them, Atiku said. 2019 Presidency: Nigerians reveal why they prefer Atiku to President Buhari - on NAIJ.com TV [embedded content] Source: Naija.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | Ongoing Direct Short Service commission recruitment on social media fake - Nigerian Army - The Nigerian Army has debunked insinuations that it is presently recruiting - The army says advertisements on social media asking members to apply for Direct Short Service commission into the Nigerian Army is fake - The army advised members of the general public to beware of the fraudsters trying to dupe unsuspecting applicants. The Nigerian Army has debunked insinuations that it is presently recruiting personnel into its rank and file. The army says advertisements on social media asking members to apply for Direct Short Service commission into the Nigerian Army is fake. According to a statement sent to NAIJ.com by the director army public relations, Brigadier-General Texas Chukwu, the said publication did not emanate from the Nigerian Army. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app Part of the statement read: The attention of the Nigerian Army has been drawn to a publication in some sections of the media particularly in the social media requesting members of the general public to apply for Direct Short Service commission into the Nigerian Army (NA). The Nigerian Army wishes to state that the said publication did not emanate from the Nigerian Army rather it is the handy work of fraudsters trying to obtain money from unsuspecting members of the public. The army also wishes to reiterate that the advertisement for commission into the NA could not be placed in any social media platforms nor given a time frame of only four days for interested candidates to apply. Once again, the army wishes to disassociate itself from the said advertisement and advise members of the general public to beware of the fraudsters trying to dupe unsuspecting applicants. Furthermore, the Nigerian Army will inform the general public through the appropriate quarters when the need arises. Those involved in such criminal acts are advised to desist from it in their own interest. READ ALSO: Troops arrest suspected kidnappers in Kaduna Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army has declared five suspects wanted in Taraba state in line with the on going military exercise Ayem Akpatuma. NAIJ.com gathered that the suspects were declared wanted for their alleged roles in the killings in Takum local government area in particular and Taraba state in general. TY Danjuma, Nigerian army and the herdsmen crisis | NAIJ.com TV [embedded content] Source: Naija.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | I have been denied access to food, family members for more than 24 hours - Dino Melaye cries Senator Dino Melaye has claimed that he has been denied access to food and family members for more than 24 hours. The Kogi state senator is receiving medical treatment at National Hospital in Abuja after he reportedly jumped out of a moving police van on Tuesday, April 24. In a tweet on Wednesday, April 24, Melaye claimed he has not been allowed access to his lawyers as well. In an earlier tweet, he claimed the police have arrested seven persons related to him and had not released them yet The Nigerian Senate on Wednesday, April 25, ended its plenary session early to enable lawmakers to visit their colleague, Senator Dino Melaye, Premium Times reports. NAIJ.com gathered that the lawmakers, took turns at the plenary to condemn the police for what they termed as inhuman treatment of Melaye by security operatives. Oluremi Tinubu while deliberating on the incident moved a motion that the Senate adjourn plenary to immediately go in search of the Kogi state senator. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app Tinubus suggestion follows several accounts of earlier speakers that they were turned back while attempting to visit Melaye at the hospital. Senate president, Bukola Saraki, said that Senator Melaye has been in intensive unit and has not eaten in 24 hours. Saraki said this shortly after vising the Kogi senator at the National Hospital on Wednesday, April 25, in Abuja. Kogi West senatorial district to recall senator Dino Melaye from the Nigerian Senate - on NAIJ.com TV [embedded content] Source: Naija.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | MONEY LAUNDERING: Court remands Senator Nwaoboshi in prison, to rule tomorrow By Onozure Dania LAGOS JUSTICE Mohammed Idris of a Federal High Court in Lagos, yesterday, remanded Senator Peter Nwaoboshi in Ikoyi prisons custody pending the hearing of his bail application. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, arraigned Senator Nwaoboshi, representing Delta-North Senatorial District on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, before the court over alleged fraud and money laundering. The lawmaker was arraigned alongside his two companies -Golden Touch Construction Projects Ltd, and Summing Electricals Ltd, on a two-count charge bordering on fraud and money laundering before Justice Mohammed Idris. The EFCC prosecutor, Mr. M. Salisu Abubakar, said that the senator purchased Guinea House, Marine Road, Apapa, at the sum of N805 million, knowing that the sum of N322 million out of the purchase price forms proceeds of fraud. The commission said that the defendant committed the alleged offenses between May 14 and June 2014, adding that the sum of N322million, out of the purchase price transferred to the vendors by order of Summing Electricals Ltd, formed part of an unlawful act. According to the EFCC, the offenses committed are contrary to Sections 15 (2) (d) and 18 (a), of the money laundering (prohibition) Act, 2011 (As amended) and punishable under sections 15 (3) of the same act. Nwaoboshi pleads not guilty However, the 60-year-old senator, who is also a lawyer, pleaded not guilty to the two-count charge preferred against him. The counsel to the senator and second defendant, Mrs Veleria Azinge, SAN, and O. K Nmakwe, urged the court to grant Nwaoboshi bail on self recognition or on the alternative on liberal terms, as he is a serving senator, who has to attend all the Senate proceedings, adding that if he fails to attend the proceedings, the Senate might declare his seat vacant. The prosecuting counsel for the EFCC, Abubakar Mohammed, told the court that the anti-graft agency filed a counter-affidavit in opposition to Nwaoboshis bail application. He, however, conceded that the decision to grant the bail was at the judges discretion. After hearing the applications, Mr. Idris adjourned till April 27 for ruling while he ordered that the senator is remanded in Ikoyi Prisons until then. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | WORLD MALARIA DAY: Nigeria loses N132bn to Malaria annually LAPO Ambodes wife distributes 3,000 mosquito treated nets As LCCI seeks FGs commitment to health financing By Olasunkanmi Akoni, Chioma Obinna & Naomi Uzor LAGOSTHE Lift Above Poverty Organisation, LAPO, yesterday, disclosed that Nigeria loses N132 billion annually to Malaria. This was as Wife of Lagos State Governor, Mr.s Bolanle Ambode has urged Lagosians to be more concerned with preventing rather than curing malaria infection even as she distributed 3, 000 mosquito treated nets. Also, the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, LCCI, yesterday urged the Federal Government to adopt and implement strategies toward creating a conducive investment climate for more private sector participation in health financing. The Executive Director of LAPO, Ms. Sabina Idowu-Osehobo, said this yesterday, at the 2018 World Malaria Day sensitization programme tagged: Ready to Beat Malaria, held in Meiran Community, Agbado Oke-Odo Local Council Development Area of Lagos State. Idowu-Osehobo, represented by the LAPO Lagos Regional Officer, Mrs. Sandra Asowata, noted that Malaria constitutes a huge epidemiologic burden in Africa and continues to cripple the economic development in the region. Idowu-Osehobo said: Malaria is responsible for 60 percent outpatient visits to health facilities, 30 percent childhood death, 25 percent of death in children under one year and 11 percent maternal death in Nigeria. Malaria is a major cause of increasing household poverty and slow phase of national development. The financial loss due to malaria annually is estimated to be about N132 billion in form of treatment costs, prevention and loss of man-hours, yet, the disease is a treatable and completely eradicable. We believe that with collective efforts of everyone- international partners, government at all levels, business sectors, NGOs, community stakeholders and direct beneficiaries, we are ready to beat Malaria. Mrs Ambode distributes 3,000 mosquito nets Meanwhile, Mrs. Ambode, who distributed over 3,000 insecticide-treated nets, at Makoko community, Yaba Local Council Development Authority, LCDA, said that efforts should be geared towards a robust prevention of the scourge, with the wide-spread use of nets, indoor spraying with insecticide and preventive treatment of expectant mothers. She said: We cannot fold our arms and allow malaria to continue to ravage our society. This epidemic has claimed too many lives, whether in our country, Africa or the world in general. Thank God it is not a disease without prevention or cure, and since it has both, the easier way out is to prevent it. LCCI seeks FGs commitment to health financing Similarly, the LCCI President, Mr. Babatunde Ruwase, in an appeal at a forum on the celebration of World Malaria Day in Lagos, said: We need innovative ways and means in enhancing our capabilities in beating malaria. Ruwase, who was represented by his deputy, Mrs. Toki Mabogunje, said: With $2.7 billion invested globally to fight malaria in 2016, this represents less than 41 percent of the estimated $6.5 billion needed annually till 2020in order to reach the 2030 global malaria targets. In 2016, there were 216 million cases of malaria in 91 countries, five million more than the 211 million cases reported in 2015. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | Abe declares guber ambition, unveils campaign office in P-Harcourt By Davies Iheamnachor PORT HARCOURT THE senator representing Rivers South-East at the National Assembly, Senator Magnus Abe, yesterday, declared his intention to contest the governorship seat of Rivers State in the 2019 general election on the platform of All Progressives Congress, APC. DECLARATION: Senator Magnus Abe flanked by supporters, when he declared his intention to contest the Rivers State governorship election, in Port Harcourt, yesterday. Abe also said he had uncovered plot by some leaders of APC in the state to manipulate the outcome of the forthcoming congress of the party, warning that any attempt to do so would be resisted. Abe made the declaration while unveiling his liaison office on Evo Road, Government Reserved Area, Port Harcourt. He said his intention to contest the seat on the platform of APC was to bring to the state, the needed change in governance which the APC stands for. He said: This office will be called Freedom House, a place where good things will happen, a place where ideas will be articulated and debated, a place where visions that will change Rivers State will be articulated. I, Magnus Ngei Abe, have decided in the interest of our state and future of our people, to seek the nomination of my party, the APC, Rivers State, for the office of the governor of the state in the 2019 elections. In doing so, I want to make it clear that there is no gun shot ambition. I want to assure the party and Rivers people that if there is a fair process, I will not only support the candidate but I will campaign for him. I will do so when members of the party are given opportunity to elect without intimidation and undue threats. He also called on Nigerians to support President Buhari to win the 2019 election, stating that the party has good agenda for the nation. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | Nigerian youths have proven theyre lazy Obaze By Vincent Ujumadu AWKAFORMER Secretary to the Anambra State Government, SSG, and the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in last years governorship election in Anambra State, Mr. Oseloka Obaze has said that Nigerian youths had proved that they are lazy as credited to President Muhammadu Buhari. Oseloka Obaze Speaking with reporters as part of preparations for the forthcoming presentation of his latest book titled Prime Witness: Change And Policy Challenges in Buharis Nigeria, Obaze said if the nations youths were not indeed lazy, they would have proved the President wrong by protesting and telling the whole world how serious they have been working to make ends meet under harsh government economic and social policies. He said: I agree with President Buhari. If the youths did not agree with him, they would have shut down the country immediately the presidents statement was made public. He said the statement was enough to cause disquiet in many markets, offices, and other places where youths hustle everyday to be able to eat and make ends meet. According to him, there exists an alarming weakness and gaping loopholes in the nations governance infrastructure as it pertains to public policy-making, implementation and policy validity, noting that Nigerias fifty-five year- old political landscape which Buhari inherited had some dubious characteristics. He added: As Nigerias nascent democracy evolves, it is evident that the nation has arrived at the critical juncture where identifiable governance pitfalls, challenges as institutional and infrastructural failings compel urgent directional change. Political promises and decisions tend to induce public trust. Yet, a promise undelivered is no promise at all, and good intentions espoused, but not concretized, remain a fluke with immense undermining capacity. As such, any unfocused leadership will falter, regardless of its abiding expression of good intentions. When that faltering happens, vexation, agitation and ennui are natural responses, as is now the case in Nigeria. He argued that President Buhari seemed fixated with retrospective politicking by making his predecessors failings and policies his governance plank, rather than governing, adding that it later became evident that the change mantra was all about words and exhortation, but hardly about concrete mobilization. Beyond debate, Nigerians understood fully that only good leaders could resolve its seemingly endemic problems such as greed, corruption, nepotism, absence of patriotism; disequilibria, social injustice, indiscipline and the ascendancy of mediocrity over meritocracy. The crux of the problem is that every ethnic jigsaw component of Nigeria feels sufficiently aggrieved marginalized and therefore, seeks equity via restructuring. Since the civil war, Nigeria has never been as polarized as it is now. Restructuring Nigeria is therefore, naturally compelling for reasons, which may include the desire to tweak management, ownership and operational or administrative modalities, with a view to achieving equity and efficiency. Nigeria in its present state is analogous to a dysfunctional computer. In both instances, there is evident systemic failure arising from non-responsive applications and institutions not operating as intended. Such instances require a reboot in order to overcome the redundancies. Nigeria is at risk unless it finds the courage to restructure. A nation in dire straits, Nigeria has a choice, to restructure by plan or by default. A default restructuring, will happen, certainly not by choice, but definitely like an uncontrolled experiment with attendant risks and indefinite outcome. Restructuring sometimes arises from crisis situations or the need to preempt political catastrophe. The latter is a core premise for Nigeria. Regardless of what opponents of restructuring think, Nigeria must restructure or risk self-destruction, Obaze further said. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | Melayes recall: Verificationll go on as scheduled on Saturday INEC By Boluwaji Obahopo LOKOJAIndependent National Electoral Commission, INEC, said, yesterday, that the proposed verification for recall of Senator Dino Melaye would go on as scheduled on Saturday. Sen. Dino Melaye Senator Melaye is currently on admission at National Hospital, Abuja, following injuries sustained as he allegedly attempted to avoid being taken to Kogi for trial by the police. But Kogi State State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof. James Apam, who stated this at a stakeholders meeting in Lokoja, said the commissioner would remain unbiased on the outcome of the exercise. He said: The verification exercise, which is the first in the line of activities to be carried out in a recall process, will be done on April 28, 2018, in 552 polling units in Kogi West Senatorial District out of 560 (since there were no petitions in eight polling units), while the declaration of the outcome of the exercise will be done at the lNEC local government area office in Lokoja on April 29, 2018. On the appointed day, the verification shall commence at 8 am and end at 2 pm in the polling units in the senatorial district, provided all petitioners are on the queue by 2 pm. Only those who signed the petition are expected to turn up at their polling units for verification. It is also important to state that according to the Constitution and Electoral Act, the petition would only be said to have been verified if at least 50 per cent plus one of the signatures or thumb prints of the registered voters in the constituency are verified. For this to be done, the petitioners must appear personally at their polling units for the exercise. We have concluded all arrangements in line with our schedule of activities and are set for the exercise. The ad-hoc staff have been trained at the state and local government levels and materials procured and sent to the Registration Area Centres ready for movement to the polling units on the day of verification. Apam said the card reader will be used to verify the authenticity of any petitioners who showed up for the exercise, adding that there will be no use for manual accreditation. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | TY Danjuma allegation: Buratai vows to make probe panels report public By Kingsley Omonobi & Joseph Erunke ABUJATHE panel set up by Chief of Army Staff, Lt.General Tukur Buratai, to investigate alleged military connivance with herdsmen in Taraba State crisis submitted its report yesterday. Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai Also, the panel set up by the army boss to carry out verification of authentic arms and ammunition in possession of army units and formations across the country turned in its report. Receiving the reports at Nigerian Army Headquarters, in Abuja, Buratai assured that the panels report into the Taraba crisis would be released in no time for the public to judge, insisting that nothing will be left unturned. Reiterating that the Nigerian Army, under his leadership, was highly worried at the allegations levelled against the service in its handling of the Taraba crisis, a development he said, informed the inauguration of the panel, Buratai said after releasing the report of the panel to superior authorities, he would do same to the public through the media. I want to say that the report will be thoroughly studied and findings released to the public and the media, he said while receiving the report from retired Major-General Joseph Nimmyel-led committee. While equally receiving the panel he set up to audit the number of arms and weapons in the possession of army units and formations, the army chief disclosed that his reason for setting up the panel was informed by his concern over proliferation of arms and light weapons not only in Nigeria but also across the countrys borders. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | Communal clash: Reps ask Buhari to deploy soldiers to Abia By Levinus Nwabughiogu ABUJATHE House of Representatives has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently deploy soldiers to Isu beachline boundary community in Arochukwu Local Government Area of Abia State to quell the incessant communal clashes between the community and another one in Cross River State. House of Representatives` The House also mandated the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, to immediately and without further delay deploy relief materials (including medical supplies) to the communities in addition to medical and health personnel to treat those who sustained various degrees of injuries during the fracas. The House further mandated the National Boundary Commission to immediately demarcate and define the boundaries of both communities to avoid further clashes. The resolution followed the consideration and adoption of a motion under Matters of Urgent National Importance raised by Hon. Uko Nkole Ndukwe (PDP-Abia). The lawmaker while moving the motion decried the death of several innocent citizens of the community in Abia. According to him, the dispute had led to the razing of three villages. Ndukwe said: Apart from the wanton loss of lives and property and massive displacement of persons, there is the resultant distrust among communities that is a grave threat to national unity and loss of confidence in social institutions. The House is saddened that between Thursday, April 19, 2018 and Saturday, April 21, 2018, communual clashes erupted in Isu beachline boundary community in Arochukwu Local Government Area of Abia State which shares its boundary with Utuma in Cross River State. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | Presidents condolence, ridicule to Christian faith MASSOB The Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, yesterday, condemned President Muhammadu Buharis condolence to the people of Benue State over the killing of 19 christians, including two Reverend Fathers, by herdsmen, saying the presidents action was hypocritical and taunting, which was aimed at ridiculing the Christian faith. President Muhammadu Buhari A statement by the MASSOB leader, Comrade Uchenna Madu described the herdsmen as a killer squad and wondered how its patron could send condolences to its victims, adding that such condolences were glaringly full of hypocrisy. The statement said: We know that Miyetti Allah, the real movement using herdsmen as a camouflage, is the fourth worst terrorist organization in the world ranking. Its members have openly vowed and threatened by their sponsors and patrons, which include Islamic religious, traditional and opinion leaders that they will continue to dominate and terrorize all perceived enemies and oppositions. They have also insisted that President Buhari must continue as president of Nigeria because he is their own, who is implementing the religious instruction of Othman Dan Fodio. MASSOB charged the Catholic Church and the people of Benue State not to accept President Buharis condolence message because, according to the organization, he hypocritically exempted his Islamic foot soldiers from the gruesome murders of followers of Jesus Christ. He said it was obvious that President Buhari would hand over power to a Muslim Yoruba man after his tenure, adding that those in authority were seriously working on this Islamic agenda which no APC bigwigs from old Eastern region could stop. He said further: Chibuike Amaechi, Rochas Okorocha, Ogbonnaya Onu, Chris Ngige and others from Igbo land that later joined APC are political errand boys and stooges of the real owners and controllers of APC. With President Buharis body language and Osibanjos consistent defense of his master, the appointments of all security service chiefs from Buharis Islamic kinsmen, his continuous defence and protection of his foot soldiers popularly known as herdsmen, his insensitivities against non Muslims and inabilities to protect the citizens, are all clear signs and evidences that Buhari is executing an arranged and planned agenda that is detrimental to non Muslims in Nigeria. The rot, imbalances and inequalities in education sector, where there are special and preferential laws for northern citizens against the southern citizens, the economic harsh policies against the people of Eastern region, the continuous tribalism and sentimental hatred exhibited against the people of Eastern region and Christians in Nigeria, are all manifestation of bad government . MASSOB still maintains and insists that President Buhari remains the last president of Nigeria. His secret pact with Bola Tinubu and other top selected Islamic leaders in Nigeria will never be achieved. Nigeria is already sitting on a time bomb which will likely explode soon. The consciousness of future survival of the people of Biafra, the Middle Belt and Oduduwa, have been reawakened for total defence of our lands and our people from Buhari and his kinsmen. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General By Simon Ebegbulem BENINTHE Edo State Coordinator of the National Committee for the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari, Chief Solomon Edebiri, has said the achievements of the President in the past three years will ensure his re-election irrespective of what he described as the Peoples Democratic Party, PDPs propaganda machine. Solomon Edebiri Chief Edebiri, who spoke after the inauguration of the Edo State chapter of the group, said: The group will align with all the principles and visions of Mr President to build a new Nigeria that will not be plagued by corruption but provide a platform of hope for all Nigerians. We fully align with the vision and mission of National Committee of Buharis Support Groups, NCBSG, to promote the vision of Mr President for a better, stable and prosperous Nigeria. We will work with all stakeholders in this state to ensure victory in the 2019 general election for APC and Mr. President. We are aware of the negative propaganda of the PDP but we are not surprised because corruption is fighting back. Those who have lost the opportunity of siphoning the treasury of the nation are the ones crying not the ordinary Nigerians who are now benefiting from their farm produce because the President has forced us to go into agriculture so we can stop importation of rice and other products which we can produce locally. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | Export through Kaduna ICD commences Shippers Council By Godfrey Bivbere Export of agricultural produce from the Inland Container Depot, ICD, in Kaduna has commenced, Nigerian Shippers Council, NSC, has said. The council explained that hibiscus (used in making local drink known as zobo); ginger and garlic are currently being exported through the facility to Egypt and some West African countries. Speaking with Vanguard on the issue, Kaduna Area Officer, Bala Adamu, said claims that port operations had not started at the facility was not correct as they received about 20 containers by rail from the port in Lagos recently. According to Adamu, it is even the export that we are actually now trying to concentrate on. We are educating people in Kaduna. We have received some consignments heading for Egypt. Some people exported hibiscus which is used for making zobo drink and others are sesame seeds and ginger. The task is enormous and you cannot get it right at once considering the fact that this is a new concept and, of course, people have not yet embraced it. In the last two years, we have been intensifying efforts on export. It has yielded positive results but there is more that needs to be done, especially people in the hinterland. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | Benue: Another 39 killed as Reps ask Buhari to declare all killer-herdsmen as terrorists Pass vote of no confidence on all service chiefs, security advisers 3 villages sacked, 160 houses razed; Benue killings callous, unfortunate ACF Army, PDP, WCC, others react By Sam Eyoboka, Kingsley Omonobi, Ben Agande, Levinus Nwabughiogu & Peter Duru ABUJALess than 24 hours after two Catholic priests and 17 worshippers were killed by suspected herdsmen at Mbalom in Gwer East Local Government Area of Benue State, the marauders late Tuesday night and early yesterday, launched fresh coordinated attacks on three communities in Guma Local Government Area of the state,,killing no fewer than 39 persons. Several persons also sustained injuries, with over 160 houses, huts and farmlands in the communities razed. Meanwhile, by a unanimous voice vote, the House of Representatives, yesterday, resolved to suspend plenary for three consecutive legislative days in protest against the cold-blood killing of Nigerians by herdsmen. The House also resolved to invite President Muhammadu Buhari to explain why the wave of insecurity in the country has persisted, despite huge funds being expended on security. The spate of killings in just 24 hours provoked the reaction of Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, which condemned not only Tuesdays killing of two Catholic priests and some worshippers in a church at Ayar-Mbalom community but also the latest slaughtering of 39 yesterday, saying it was callous and unfortunate. It also asked the Federal Government to set up a panel to investigate the incessant killings in the country by herdsmen, especially Benue State. Again, 39 killed in Benue Vanguard gathered from sources in the affected Benue communities that the death toll could be higher as more bodies were being recovered. Among the communities and villages affected in the attack were Tse-Umenge, Mbadwen council ward, Mbakpase, Saghev council ward and Tse-Ali, Mbawa council ward. Confirming the attack on his village of Tse-Umenge, a retired Permanent Secretary in Benue State public service, said close to 50 houses were burnt in his village by armed herdsmen. He said: In my village, Umenge, they did not kill anybody because the people had already fled but they razed over 50 houses. But in the council ward itself, over 15 persons were killed in the attack which commenced late Tuesday till early Wednesday, though the number might increase because the search for more bodies is still ongoing. Another source at Tomanyiin-Mbakpaase, Saghev Council ward who is also a journalist, said the invaders launched an attack on his community on Tuesday around 11pm. They came dressed in military fatigues, shooting sporadically. They also burnt down several houses and huts numbering over 62 and our food barns. So far, we have recovered three bodies in my village and everyone has fled the village because we dont have even a Police post in the village. At Tse-Ali in Mbawa council ward, indigenes of the area said the well-armed herdsmen besieged the community around 11pm and spent close to four hours ransacking the community and razing over 70 houses after they had killed over 21 persons whose bodies have been recovered from the bushes. It was like a war situation in Tse-Ali; the sound of gunshots was coming from every direction. People were running in all directions, they killed our people who were mostly women and children like animals. They burnt 49 houses in the village and carted away whatever food they could carry. As we speak, Tse-Ali has been deserted, our people do not know where to run to because every village and community is a potential target and nobody knows where will be the next target. We cannot tell why they are doing this to us. These people are killing our women and children and the Federal Government is watching as if we do not have a government in Nigeria. No details yet Police Contacted, Benue State Police Commissioner, Fatai Owoseni, said he was yet to get details of the attacks. All efforts to get the Chairman of Guma Local Government Area, Anthony Shawon, was fruitless, though one of his aides who craved anonymity said: Chairman cannot pick any calls now because he is moving to the affected communities with medical personnel to salvage any life they can. You know that several communities were affected in the attack and he is trying to get to the affected places which is obviously not easy. At press time yesterday, many recovered bodies and the injured were being moved to Benue State University Teaching Hospital, BSUTH, where appeals were being made for people to volunteer blood to save the lives of those in dire need of infusion. Reps on killings The House of Representatives equally passed a vote of no confidence in all the service chiefs and security advisers to the President and asked the President to declare all killer herdsmen in the country terrorists. The resolutions of the House followed a motion on the incessant killings in Benue State, especially last Tuesdays episode that claimed the lives of two Reverend Fathers and 17 worshippers in a Catholic church. The House resolved that in light of Section 14, subsection 2 (a) and (b) of the 1999 Constitution which places the security and lives of the people as priorities of government, the President has failed the nation. Moving the motion, titled Attack by alleged army personnel on innocent residents of Naka in Gwer-West LGA of Benue State and the inability of the army and other security agencies to quell the incessant murder of indigenes of Benue State by armed herdsmen, the sponsor, Mark Gbillah (APC, Benue State), recalled the gory incident in Naka, Gwer-west LGA of Benue State which claimed two lives, following the invasion of soldiers in a reprisal attack. He also stated that the attacks assumed a disturbing dimension when two Reverend fathers of the Catholic Mission, Fr. Joseph Gor and Fr. Felix Tyolaha, were murdered in cold blood on Tuesday. He said: The House is alarmed at numerous eye-witness accounts that rampaging Nigerian Army personnel on Thursday, April 19, 2018, attacked Naka, the headquarters of Gwer-west LGA of Benue State in several Hilux trucks with Nigerian Army colours and number plates, wearing military fatigues, with name tags and carrying weapons with Nigerian Army inscribed on them. They intentionally torched hundreds of houses in Naka, resulting in the confirmed loss of two lives, while hundreds of victims who survived the attacks lost all their life investments and documents and are now left to fend for themselves with nothing to their names but the clothes on their back. The House is very disturbed by allegations that Army personnel deployed from the 72 Army Battalion in Markudi, the Benue State capital to quell the incessant inhuman murder of indigenes of Ger-west, Gwer-west and several other LGAs in Benue State by unidentified armed herdsmen took the law into their hands in a blatant display of brigandage and criminality and attacked Naka town in retaliation for the alleged murder of one of their colleagues by unknown elements in the bush, 1.5km from Naka in the evening of Wednesday 18th of April 2018. It is disappointing that in a manner reminiscent of the Nigerian Armys confirmed massacre of innocent Nigerians in Odi, Bayelsa State, in 1999 and Zaki Biam, Benue State in 2001, the Nigerian Army has once again been accused of being the villain in extra-judicial actions against the citizens they are deployed to protect, even in the face of their inability to quell the siege Benue State is currently under from recurring attacks by unidentified armed herdsmen who daily unleash mayhem across several communities in Benue State with impunity. These attacks assumed a new dimension in Benue State yesterday (Tuesday) when two Catholic priests, Fr. Joseph Gor and Fr. Felix Tyolaha, the Church Catechist and 16 other worshippers were murdered in cold blood while attending early morning Mass at St. Ignatius Catholic Mission, Ukpo Ayar in Mbalom Gwer-West LGA and several others who attended an early morning funeral near the church by the retreating armed herdsmen. The House is aware that the Benue State government has raised alarm severally to the Army, the Police and other security and intelligence agencies about the alleged location of these bandits near Adaka in Markudi LGA and Gbaji in Gwer-west LGA from where recent attacks have been launched against neighboring communities. But it is very worrying that the Army and the Police curiously do not employ a proactive strategy to preemptively attack these locations and carry out continuous surveillance of identified flash points but usually only respond after the fact when scores of innocent citizens have lost their lives and property. Other Reps react Contributing to the debate, the members roundly condemned the killings while showing their resentment to how the government has handled the problem. In his contribution, Dickson Takhir (Benue) alleged that the killers connived with security agencies to perpetrate the acts. He said: Benue is under siege and if we dont take the necessary actions, it will amount to abdicating the responsibility of government to protect lives and property of its citizens. It appears there is no moral will to tackle the matter because continuous complaints about the killings seem to fall on deaf ears. Edward Pwajok (Plateau-APC), stated the need to invite the security chiefs to brief the House on their efforts to stop the killings. If Nigeria does not nip this in the bud, some people will be taken to the International Criminal Court, ICC. Something drastic has to be done, we dont only have to be talking always without commensurate results; there is need to invite the service chiefs to brief the House on efforts to stop the killing, he said. Mohammed Nur Sheriff (Borno) in his contribution, urged the House to stage a protest in solidarity with the people. He said: We need to protest as members of the House of Representatives to tell Mr. President that enough is enough. Magaji Aliyu (Jigawa), who stressed the need for the service chiefs to be sacked, said: After a lot of money had been spent, nothing is being done. Mr. Speaker, the service chiefs must go. The Inspector-General of Police must go. I am of APC and I respect President Muhammadu Buhari but the truth must be told. It has gone beyond sentiments. I believe this motion should be adopted. Musa Ada (Sokoto) asked the speaker to activate the laws to arrest the situation. Today we are sad, people outside laugh at us. Mr. Speaker, with all due respect, you must do something for yourself and for the members, he said. Nicholas Ossai Nicholas (Delta) urged the House to proscribe the killer herders, since the President has failed to live up to the yearnings of his office. If Mr. President has failed to proscribe the herdsmen, then it requires that we can do it legislatively. Then what are we waiting for? The killing started in Agatu and today Agatu is almost wiped out. And we are here passing resolutions. How many resolutions can we pass? Mr. Speaker, lead us to Benue State. Lets see things for ourselves. Mr. Speaker, Honourable colleagues, it is high time all security chiefs resigned, he said. Sunday Karimi (Kogi) who contended that the President has failed the people in terms of security, said: It is bloodshed today, bloodshed tomorrow and we are still coming here to raise motions. The President we have today is not the President of 1985, it is a different president entirely. On her part, Onyemachi Mrakpor (Delta) said the way things are going, are we going to have 2019 when our constituents are all gone? The House eventually directed all its committees investigating the killings either on Benue or other states to submit their reports immediately for consideration. Briefing correspondents after plenary, Chairman, House Committee on Media and Publicity, Abdulrazak Namdas, said the decision to invite the President was consequent upon the belief that the security agencies were shortchanging both the President and the country, stressing that it was pertinent to hear directly from the horses mouth. The resolution to invite the President was borne out of the belief that some security agencies were not carrying out the instructions of Mr. President appropriately, he said. Benue Women Forum Meanwhile, a former member of the House of Representatives and Chairperson of Benue Women Forum, Mrs. Rebecca Apedzan, has lamented that the sustained attacks and killings in Benue by herdsmen was an indication that the invaders were bent on taking over Benue State. She said: Benue had been surrounded and we are all at the middle. Our people are being killed everyday, even the Tivs in Nasarawa State are facing the same fate. They have all been chased away from Nasarawa. I have cousins who are indigenes of that State who have been chased away from the state to Benue. Our pain is that the federal government is simply not doing anything to stop these killings. ACF In a statement issued in Kaduna yesterday, spokesman of the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, Muhammad Ibrahim Biu, called on the Federal Government to set up a panel of inquiry into the incessant killings. According to the ACF, the Federal Government must ensure that perpetrators of the heinous crimes are fished out and brought to book to serve as deterrent to others. Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, learned with shock and grief, the killing of two Catholic priests and some worshippers in a church at Ayar-Mbalom, a community in Gwer East Local Government Area of Benue State by suspected herders on Tuesday. The spate of attacks on innocent people, including clergy men and worshippers in their places of worship, is most callous and unfortunate. ACF, therefore, calls on the security agencies to be more proactive and re-strategise their security operations in order to nip this avoidable blood letting in the bud. Furthermore, ACF urges the Federal Government to set up a panel of inquiry into these incessant killings that have continued to bedevil most of the Northern states, with the hope that amicable solution would be found for common good. PDP decries killings The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described as sacrilegious and callous, the gruesome murder of two Catholic priests and worshippers in Benue State. The party in a statement, yesterday, said the attack on innocent and defenseless Nigerians while they were worshipping was extremely wicked and cannot be justified under any guise whatsoever. The PDP is deeply worried over the unabated killings in Benue, Taraba, Nasarawa, Kogi, Zamfara, Plateau, Bornu, Adamawa and other parts of the country where bloodletting has become daily occurrence. We urge our security agencies to take immediate steps towards apprehending the perpetrators and masterminds of this dastardly act and to ensure the safety of Nigerians, particularly in the troubled states, the statement read in part. Buratai Orders GOC 82 Div to relocate to Benue Meanwhile, the General Officer Commanding 82 division Nigerian Army, Major-General Adamu Abubakar, yesterday, paid a visit to 77 Special Forces Battalion in Makurdi in connection with the latest security challenges in Benue state that saw the killing of two priests and several others by rampaging herdsmen. A statement last night by Colonel Sagir Musa, Deputy Director, Army Public Relations said: The GOC was briefed on the general security situation in the state by the Commanding officer of the battalion, Lt. Col. SS Mohammed. Thereafter, the GOC and his entourage visited the Commissioner of Police, Benue State, CP Fatai Owoseni, where he was further briefed on the security situation in the state. After the visits, the GOC used the occasion to visit and interact with the Deputy Governor of Benue state, Engr. Benson Abionu on the current security situation in the state. In his remarks during the visit, the Deputy Governor commended the Nigerian Army for the good work they are doing in different parts of the state. He informed the GOC that in his address to the people of the Naka community earlier in the day, he emphasized on the need for peaceful co-existence and the necessity for having Nigerian Army personnel in Benue communities. The Deputy Governor said: As a responsible government, we are investigating the Naka incident, attack on the Church and the latest deaths recorded in many areas of the state. If we find anybody incriminated, we will deal with such a person. Responding, the GOC said, I am in the state on the instruction of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. TY Buratai to interact with field Commanders and other heads of security agencies in Benue state with the aim of getting further credible situation report on the rising security challenges in the state with the view to checkmating the problems. WCC, ICC, others condemn attacks Meantime, the mindless killing of two Catholic priests and 17 worshippers at the St. Ignatius Quasi Catholic Parish, Ukpor, Mbalom, Gwer East local government area of Benue State has continued to generate reactions from across the globe as the World Council of Churches (WCC), the International Christian Concern, among others, have condemned attacks across the world that have occurred during a violent week in which many have lost their lives or lost their loved ones. According to the WCC General Secretary, Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit on April 22, in Kabul, Afghanistan, a suicide bomber killed at least 60 people and wounded more than 120, including children, as they stood in line outside a Kabul voter-registration office. The next day, an attack occurred in Toronto, Canada, when a man steered a van down a crowded street, killing 10 people and leaving 15 others injured. He allegedly drove for nearly a mile, sometimes veering onto the sidewalk as he plowed a path of destruction. On April 24, church and government officials in Nigeria confirmed two Catholic priests, Fathers Joseph Gor and Felix Tyolaha, were among at least 19 people killed when herdsmen attacked St. Ignatius Catholic Church in Ayar-Mbalom, a community in Benue State. The attack occurred as people gathered for an early morning mass. Across the world, people who were living their daily lives, standing in line to register to vote, innocently walking in places that should be safe, attending worship, have been lost to their families and their communities, said Tveit. Meanwhile, Director of Social Communications at the Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Rev. Monsignor Gabriel Osu in a reaction said: Why on earth would some people attack a group of worshipers in a Church, on an early morning, hacking them to death? What manner of insanity and sadism would make some people open fire on priests celebrating mass in the house of God? What is their offence? Of what use is their death to the perpetrators? This is the height of evil and human callousness that should be condemned in all its entirety. This is not, and can never be acceptable in any sane society. Unfortunately ours is a society that has since lost its sanity and every sense of humanity. We have become a society numbed by the shedding of too much blood on a daily basis. We have lost touch with all that we once considered sacred and divine. For many, their consciences are no more active. They have been polluted and disfigured. They now think upside down. Their senses of morality have been thrown to the dogs and anything, everything goes as long as they derive some momentarily gains. What a pity. The recent murder of Rev. Fathers Joseph Gor and Felix Tyolaha, a Catechist and several worshippers at a Catholic Church in Makurdi is not only abominable, but a slap on the entire Christendom. It is a calculated effort to instigate hatred and create fear in the hearts of Christians. It is daring the divine. Unfortunately, those sponsoring these atrocities are being emboldened daily by the inability of the government and the law enforcement agencies to do the needful. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | Policeman Arrested For Penetrating Woman With Fingers In Gbagada Lagos Remanded In Prison Policeman Arrested For Penetrating Woman With Fingers At Medina Estate Gbagada Lagos Remanded In Prison A court in Yaba Lagos on Wednesday Court in Lagos, yesterday remanded a policeman, Sylvester Shamaki, following his arraignment for sexual assault. 29-year-old Shamaki allegedly fingered a 22-year-old woman. He was arraigned on one-count charge of sexual assault before Mrs O.J. Oghere. Prosecuting Sergeant Modupe Olaluwoye told the court that Shamaki committed the offence at about 6:30pm on March 14, at 9, Adebisi Tolani Street, Medina Estate, Gbagada, Lagos. Olaluwoye said the defendant assaulted the complainant (name withheld) by forcing himself on her and penetrating her with his fingers. The offence contravened Section 261 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015. Shamaki pleaded not guilty. Magistrate Oghere remanded him in prison and ordered that the case file should be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for advice. She adjourned till May 26. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | 2019: Atiku reveals what hell do if voted in as Nigerias president Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President, on Wednesday, highlighted six things Nigerians should expect from him if voted in as Nigerias next President. Speaking at the Chatham House, London, the Waziri of Adamawa said if voted as President in 2019, his administration will ensure improvement in the countrys sovereign wealth funds, railways, other areas, as well as restructuring. The former Vice President, who had earlier warned Nigeria against over-reliance on oil , highlighted what to expect from him to include: 1.Streamline the operations of sovereign wealth funds We will streamline the operations of the Sovereign Wealth Fund, the Excess Crude Account and the Stabilization Account which is currently embedded in the Revenue Allocation Formula for more effective stabilization outcomes. 2.Extend railways I will extend railways to connect workers to jobs, suppliers to buyers, students to universities, and parents to their children in every major city in every state. 3.Restructuring These are some of the ways I believe Nigerias states can improve their capacity, increase their revenues and better manage their local economies which are critical to safety, prosperity and welfare of all Nigerians and will allow my homeland to realize its true potential. 4.Introduction of matching grants I will make sure certain rivers are dredged to open up the hinterlands of the North. Licenses would be given to state governments to begin immediate exploitation of resources in their jurisdictions. 5.Invest in Education We have to ensure the minimum amount of resources are allocated & invested in education & health, with penalties for states that dont comply. 1.6m Nigerians sit for university entrance exams with only 600,000 places. $1bn spent on paying fees in Ghana. 6.Create stable and predictable exchange rates Nigeria must have a stable and predictable exchange rate to allow investors to plan long-term. Im not a supporter of multiple exchange rates. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | Senators call for Buhari's impeachment over $496million unapproved spending - Senators are calling for the impeachment of President Buhari - The Senate accused the president of spending $496 million on acquiring aircraft without the National Assembly approval Some Nigerian senators have on Thursday, April 26, called for the impeachment of President Muhammadu Buharis for not seeking National Assembly approval before the withdrawal of the $496 million used for the purchase of aircraft from the United States. Premium Times reports that Senator Matthew Uroghide representing Edo state, moved the motion, claiming that President Buharis move was a violation of the constitution and thus, he should face the consequences. READ ALSO: Doyin Okupe says herdsmen not responsible for killings He urged the Senate to invoke Section 143 to start the impeachment process of the president. Seconding the motion, Chukwuka Utazi spoke in support of the move. This is an impeachable offence, an obviously angry Mr Utazi, said. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app The Senate, however, referred to its Judiciary committee for legal advise for the motion raised for the impeachment of the president. Meanwhile, NAIJ.com earlier reported that Kingsley Chinda, the Chairman House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts has said that President Muhammadu Buhari has committed an impeachable offense by approving the withdrawal of $462 million to pay for 12 Super Tucano jets. The president had approved the withdrawal of the fund from the Excess Crude Oil account to be paid to the United States government. He later sent a letter to the National Assembly that the decision was taken without their approval because the deadline given would have elapsed. Nigeria is practicing Oligarchy (Nigerian Street Interview) - on NAIJ.com TV: [embedded content] Source: Naija.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | Senate probes $496m expenditure, question defence minister - Some members of the senate have grilled defence minister, Mansur Dan-Ali over $496 million - The minister and other government officials were questioned for about an hour by members of the panel led by Senator Danjuma Goje (APC, Gombe) - The session which held behind closed doors started around 3.15 pm and lasted till 4.44pm Defence minister, Mansur Dan-Ali has been questioned over $496m spent on the purchase of Super Tucano aircraft from the United States without the approval of the National Assembly. Daily Trust reports that members of the senate committee on appropriation interrogated Dan-Ali after a letter by President Muhammadu Buhari on the expenditure was read by Senate President Bukola Saraki during plenary session. READ ALSO: Dino Melaye has not eaten in 24 hours - Saraki speaks after visiting him in hospital The minister and other government officials were grilled for about an hour by members of the panel led by Senator Danjuma Goje (APC, Gombe). The session which held behind closed doors started around 3.15pm and lasted till 4.44pm. At the plenary, Senator Mathew Uroghide (PDP, Edo) said the presidents action violated provisions of the 1999 Constitution. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app Saraki said: It is just a communication; we have to always be guided by the procedure. We would just have to ensure that we go strictly by the procedure. This institution that we have here, we would always stand for what is right and we would always do that. Meanwhile, NAIJ.com had reported that the Nigerian Senate summoned three key federal government officials to provide explanation on a critical issue. The officials summoned are the minister of defence, Brigadier-General Masur Dan Ali; the CBN governor, Godwin Emiefiele; and minister of fiance, Kemi Adeosun. The summon is due to the news that $16 million was withdrawn from the federation account to buy helicopters without the approval of the National Assembly. EXCLUSIVE: Be patient with President Buhari, Femi Adesina tells Nigerians on NAIJ.com TV: [embedded content] Source: Naija.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | ALERT: 1, 296 IDPs risk cholera outbreak in Yobe - About 1,300 IDPs in Yobe may face cholera outbreak and other water-borne diseases - This is due to the poor living condition of their camp - The camp, at present, reportedly lacks water and basic sanitation facilities There are indications that the 1, 296 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Pompomari camp, Damaturu, may face cholera outbreak and other water-borne diseases due to the absence of water and sanitation facilities. The inmates said they get water once a day, while their toilet facilities were not being maintained. The Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) in Emergency Working Group further reports that inmates of the camp said the coming rains would compound the problems as their makeshift homes are in tatters. READ ALSO: Herdsmen are innocent - Goodluck Jonathan's ex-aide declares, blames killings on ISIS One of the displaced persons, Adamu Rabiu, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) about the poor hygiene practices in the camp and said it was a huge problem to the inhabitants. He alleged that the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) had neglected provision of adequate water for them. He said that the single solar-powered borehole in the camp was grossly inadequate for their population of over 1,300. He expressed concerns over how sanitation officers in charge of maintaining hygiene in their toilets, had failed to apply disinfectants and air fresheners to reduce offensive smell polluting the premises. Rabiu said that the development could become harmful to the population of the IDPs and called for immediate deployment of more sanitation workers to help rescue the situation. As you can see for yourself, the environment is not conducive at all. We want the authorities in charge to help us maintain this camp by bringing in sanitation workers. We are aware that the Red Cross helped in cleaning the drains and culverts, but now, SEMA is in charge and they are not doing anything. We need help in areas of food and water. As you can see that the jerry cans and the people here are waiting for water to come, the solar-powered borehole is not adequate. The tanker brings water once a day; it is not enough for the population here. Our rooms are torn, the rains are coming soon, we want the government to come to our aid to help repair our makeshift houses. Another IDP, Mohammed Danladi, said that the clinic was lacking relevant drugs, and called for support to equip the clinics with essential drugs. When contacted, the director, Search and Rescue, Yobe SEMA, Alhaji Garba Bilal, explained that the camp initially had 4,011 IDPs. He said, but with the reduction of the insurgency, a large number of IDPs had returned, leaving 1,296 persons. Bilal said that the camp was fully funded by the state government in collaboration with donor agencies. He said that the collaborative efforts covered the provision of basic needs and psycho-social support towards the overall goal of reintegrating the IDPs into the society. According to him, there are other six IDP camps in Kukareta, Ngaburawa, Fuguri, Muhammad Gombes Farm, Albari YBC and Kasesa, which has the highest population. Baba Galadima, the team leader, WASH in Emergency Working Group, expressed joy that the camps had been decongested. He commended the state government for timely interventions towards providing livelihood support for the IDPs. He said that the federal government was intervening in providing the group with facilities in parts of the state to augment the already existing ones. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 new app The group is working to see that humanitarian responses especially in the northeast reach their target population. NAIJ.com previously reported that a cholera outbreak in Gashua, Yobe, claimed 13 lives out of 160 cases reported within six days. A source at the Gashua General Hospital told NAN that five deaths were first recorded while eight lives were later lost to the disease. The source said that the victims were brought in from Sabon Gari, Katuzu, Zango, Lawan Musa and Sarkin Hausawa, which were among the areas worst affected by the outbreak. The state government, however, dispatched a Rapid Response Team to contain the outbreak and spread of the disease. Alhaji Mohammed Bukar, the general manager, Yobe Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA), confirmed that the response team embarked on chlorinating water reservoirs and disinfecting toilet facilities in the area. Amazing health benefits of taking cucumber - on NAIJ.com TV [embedded content] Source: Naija.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General The Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, on Thursday, gave the Federal Government the nod to produce and display weapons that were allegedly recovered from the residence of the detained former National Security Adviser, NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki, retd. Justice Ahmed Mohammed fixed May 22 for FG to tender the weapons which are currently in the custody of the Department of State Services, DSS, as exhibits in the ongoing trial of the embattled ex-NSA. FG had in the charge before the court, alleged that Dasuki was on July 17, 2015, at his house situated at No. 13, John Khadiya Street, Asokoro, Abuja, found to be in possession of various range of firearms without requisite license, an offence punishable under section 27 (1)(a) of the Firearms Act Cap F28 LFN 2004. He was accused of retaining the sums of $40,000, N5millon and another $20,000 in the same house and same date, contrary to section 15 (2)(d) of Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011. FG further alleged that the ex-NSA had on July 16, 2015, at his residence at Sultan Abubakar Road and Sabon Birni Road, Sokoto State, retained another $150,000 and N37.6m being part of proceedings of unlawful act, contrary to Section 15 (3) of the Money Laundering Act 2011. It listed the alleged illegal arms it found at Dasukis residence in Abuja as five Tavor Assault Rifles, 1 Macro Uzi with serial No 60244(Rifle), 20 magazines (Ammunition), 1 packet of MOD (Ministry of Defence) APG calibre gun, Luger No 033375 ( gun), small magazine containing 16 rounds of ammunition, and bigger magazine containing live rounds of ammunition. At the resumed hearing on the matter, Dasuki, through his lawyer, Mr. Adeola Adedipe, opposed any public display of the said arms and ammunition that were recovered from his house. Dasuki said his stance was based on the fact that the court allowed his trial to be conducted in semi-secrecy, with all the witnesses testifying behind a screen. Relying on sections 190 of the Evidence Act, 232 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA, 2015, and section 36 of the 1999 constitution, as amended, Dasuki, contended that going by the nature of his trial, the weapons ought to be displayed inside the Judges chamber rather than in the open court. However, the prosecution counsel, Mr. Okpeseyi Oladipupo, SAN, urged the court to dismiss Dasukis objection, maintaining that the only thing not permitted to be displayed in the open court in such trial, are official records of the state and not items recovered in the house of a suspect during investigation. In his ruling, Justice Mohammed said it was in the interest of justice and fair play to both the prosecution and the defense that the alleged weapons be displayed before the court. He held that Dasuki, being the defendant in the case, would not suffer any prejudice if the alleged weapons are displayed and tendered as exhibit by those who investigated the allegations against him. Besides, Justice Mohammed said the weapons were listed in the proof of evidence already made available to the ex-NSA by the prosecution. Earlier, a prosecution witness, Mr Williams Obiara who is a DSS operative, told the court that he was a member of the team that was directed by the Director General of DSS in 2015 to carry out a search operation at Dasukis house. He said the search followed an intelligence report that weapons injurious to national security were kept in the former NSAs house. The witness who testified behind a veil, said his team, led by one Ali Burara, after they had secured a search warrant, stormed Dasukis residence at Asokoro in Abuja where he said they met a retinue of armed soldiers. He said the soldiers initially prevented then from conducting the search. The witness told the court that after about 3hours, a military truck arrived the house and moved the soldiers out of the house to pave way for the search operation. According to him, all the weapons that were recovered during the operation, were recorded on the search warrant. FG had shortly after Dasuki pleaded not guilty to the charge, applied through a motion dated June 3, 2016, for the witnesses to be allowed to testify behind a screen that will be provided by the court. It told the court that Dasuki is a crowned prince of the Sokoto caliphate who has large followers both within and outside the country that may be aggrieved. FG decried that most of the witnesses, being security operatives, were scared that they could be hunted by people that are sympathetic to the defendant. Besides, FG alleged that Dasuki imported sophisticated firearms while he held sway as the NSA, saying most of the firearms have not been accounted for and could be in th possession of those sympathetic to the defendant. Home | News | General | Why impeachment proceedings against President Buhari are unwarranted - APC presidential aspirant - Chief Charles Udo Udeogaranya says impeachment against Buhari is not the solution the country needs at this moment - He states that Nigeria deserves a president that must respect constitutionally assigned responsibility and uphold and respect the doctrine of separation of powers - President Buhari is saved from being served an impeachment notice by some senators A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, Chief Charles Udo Udeogaranya, has cautioned the National Assembly against commencing impeachment proceedings against President Muhammadu Buhari following the rift generated by the over $496 million unapproved spending on 12 Tucano aircraft. Vanguard reports that Udeogaranya, who is a presidential aspirant of the party said impeachment is unnecessary as it was not the solution the country needed at the moment. READ ALSO: FG bans movement of herdsmen in Benue, Taraba state He said: I do sympathize with members of the national assembly with all the trauma they have been treated with but impeachment is not the solution now. I would rather solicit the support of members of the national assembly to back me up and support me in defeating President Buhari during our 2019 presidential primaries. Nigeria truly deserves a president that must respect constitutionally assigned responsibility and uphold and respect the doctrine of separation of powers among the three arms of government as I was trained to do this right from the onset. Meanwhile, at the plenary on Thursday, April 26, members of the Senate called for the impeachment of President Muhammadu Buhari over $496 million unapproved spending on 12 Tucano aircraft. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app The call for the impeachment was cited in a motion raised by a Senator representing Delta south Mathew Uroghide and seconded by Senator Chukwuma Utazi. However, the call for the president's impeachment suffered a setback when the Senate president Bukola Saraki and the deputy Senate leader Ibn Bala Na'allah intervened. The Senate president while speaking on Uroghide's point of order referred the motion to Judiciary and Legal Committee for advice based on the submission of Senator Naallah. EXCLUSIVE: Be patient with President Buhari, Femi Adesina tells Nigerians on NAIJ.com TV [embedded content] Source: Naija.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | President Buhari sends message to Benue people amid mass killings and destruction of properties - President Muhammadu Buhari is not happy with the killings and reprisal attacks going on in Benue state - Buhari says those carrying out the killlings are being used by enemies of the country's progress - The president appeals to Benue people not to be used by those who are desperately looking for ways to bring the country to a sorry state President Muhammadu Buhari, though in Bauchi currently, has appealed to the people of Benue state not to cave in or allow themselves to be used by those he considered enemies of the country trying to bring it to a sorry point. Buhari made the appeal in a statement by one of his spokespersons, Garba Shehu, late Thursday, April 26. Repeated acts of mass killings and destruction in parts of the country and Benue state in particular, point to the evil design of enemies of peace and unity who have desperately been trying to bring the country to this sorry point: a brother killing brother, a neighbor killing a neighbor and a community attacking and killing members of another community. READ ALSO: Update: President Buhari arrives Bauchi on 2-day working visit The president strongly warns citizens against playing into the hands of the agents of disunity. President Buhari says those behind the church attack that left 18 people dead, including two priests, did not mean well for Nigeria and peaceful coexistence. The revenge attacks that followed in which 11 members of the Hausa communities were killed are part of the agenda of the bandits and their sponsors to turn Nigerians against one another. We must resist all temptation to fall into this laid out plan, the statement said. It added that the president is greatly pained by this persistent violence and the total disregard for the sanctity of life by those he called hideously evil people who have no iota of respect for humanity, decency and civilization. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app The president reiterates that the government will not rest on its oars in its determination to fish out these barbarous mass murderers and their clandestine sponsors. President Buhari equally assures Nigerians that measures being put in place by the government will, sooner than later, bring to an end, these extremely brutal and wanton killings, the statement added. NAIJ.com earlier reported that President Muhammadu Buhari called on youths of Fulani ethnic stock to copy his example and embrace education. The president who is currently on a 2-day working visit to the state says education is the cure for Nigeria's numerous challenges. Benue IDPs: Education amidst crisis | NAIJ.com TV [embedded content] Source: Naija.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | Old politicians have failed Nigeria, youths must wake up ahead of 2019 - Soyinka - Professor Wole Soyinka has declared that old politicians have failed Nigeria - The nobel laureate advised Nigerians to be wary of politicians entreaties ahead of 2019 elections - He urged the youths to be more dedicated and remain active in politics Scores of people including academics, religious leaders and traditional rulers and others on Thursday, April 26, converged at Ilara-Mokin, Ondo state where Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka delivered the 2nd Convocation lecture of Elizade University, Ilara-mokin entitled: Tending the tree of commencement. The Nation reports at that the crowded make-shift fully decorated hall, the literary icon urged the youths to be more dedicated and remain active in politics. READ ALSO: Buhari finally reveals how his government will spend recovered looted funds NAIJ.com gathered that Soyinka charged the youth to have representatives in power during the next political dispensation. This, according to him was by participating actively election process and to represent themselves in governance. The eminent scholar lamented that old politicians ruling the country presently have failed the country in all ramifications. He hailed Leah Shuiab, one of the female secondary school students kidnapped in Dapchi, Yobe state for her firmness like Nelson and Winnie Mandela who chose to remain in prison despite the offer by the government of South Africa. Soyinka said: All I can just tell you is this; dont make the mistake of following those who failed you before; those who are pretending that they have nothing to do with the disaster that has overtaken Nigeria. They are very quick to smell failure, they are very quick to shout it; but then, they exculpate themselves, whereas they are the founding malfeasance of the Nigerian condition: that is what I am warning youths against. Mobilize, get your representatives and stop bothering geriatrics like myself. He expressed displeasure on the scrapping of history in secondary schools in the country, stressing that the development aided many people to forget their historical backgrounds. Chairman of the occasion who is the former vice chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Prof. Ayo Banjo, said there was a need for the country to pay attention to the training of teachers. According to him, teachers should be well paid to encourage them for better service delivery. He said: "If you want education to be improved in Nigeria, there should be more funding, more money to provide conducive environment. More money for training of teachers. "For instance, you cannot be in the army without having frequent training. Army do not joke with training. Every three or four years, they go for update of their training. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app Prof Banjo urged Elizade University students to use Soyinkas lecture for intellectual development. Meanwhile, NAIJ.com had previously reported that nobel laureate Wole Soyinka and a Lagos-based activist-lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN) on Sunday, April 22, warned Nigerians to be wary of a coalition formed by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, purportedly to rescue Nigeria. Consider rest - Obasanjo to Buhari - on NAIJ.com TV [embedded content] Source: Naija.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | Update: See the massive crowd that welcomed President Buhari to Bauchi on 2-day working visit (photos) President Muhammadu Buhari has arrived Bauchi state for his scheduled two-day working visit. The president arrived the state on Thursday, April 26. The Punch reports that he was welcomed by the governors of Bauchi and Adamawa states, Muhammed Abubakar and Mohammed Jibrilla at Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa International Airport, Bauchi. Also present to receive him were some ministers. President Buhari and Bauchi governor acknowledging cheers from residents. Credit: Aso Rock READ ALSO: Dino Melaye has not eaten in 24 hours - Saraki speaks after visiting him in hospital NAIJ.com had reported that Governor Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar of Bauchi state declared Thursday April 26, as a public holiday ahead of President Muhammadu Buhari's two day visit to the state. The massive crowd that welcomed Buhari to Bauchi. Credit: Aso Rock According to a statement sent to NAIJ.com by the special adviser, media and strategy to the governor, Ali Ali, the holiday was declared to enable all and sundry give the president a rousing reception tomorrow. Buhari receives a rousing welcome in Bauchi. Credit: Aso Rock While in Bauchi, the president is expected to commission some projects especially roads and flag off the distribution of 500 tractors to farmers in the state. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app With flags and posters, they welcomed Buhari. Credit: Aso Rock Earlier in a broadcast to the state, the governor had enjoined the people of the state to come out enmasse to receive the president when he arrives the state. EXCLUSIVE: Be patient with President Buhari, Femi Adesina tells Nigerians on NAIJ.com TV [embedded content] Source: Naija.ng CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | Omokore paid me millions for cars, says EFCC witness One of the prosecution witnes of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Mr. Olutaye Ayeni, also that chief executive officer, Skymit Motors has said that he sold cars worth worth $8 million to Jide Omokore who bought them for friends and associates. Omokore Olutaye Ayeni, who is the seventh prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of $1.6 billion oil fraud case against Omokore, made this known at the Federal High court in Abuja saying We sold to the defendant Mercedes Benz S550 at the cost of N26million in the name of Mbanefo David/Chief Omokore and another Mercedes M350 at the cost of 23million in the name of Nneka Bricks. Ayeni speaking before Judge Nnamdi Dimgba on Thursday, according to a statement by Wilson Uwujaren, EFCCs Head of Media and Publicity, said his company received credit flow of over $8million between 2010 and 2015 also said I know Omokore for the past 32 years and we have been a business partner for over 24 years. The transaction between my company and the defendants company was the supply of vehicles to him, Before 2015, the defendant was one of our customers. He used to order cars and we supply to him. Sometimes he pays cash advance and sometimes in credit. After the defendant had placed his order the type, make of cars and possibly the colour; we make delivery directly to him (Omokore) and sometimes through his company staff. He said the company did not make third-party delivery unless instructed to do so and that the cars were supplied in batches of 25, 9, 22 and 20 pickups. We sold to the defendant Mercedes Benz S550 at the cost of N26million in the name of Mbanefo David/Chief Omokore and another Mercedes M350 at the cost of 23million in the name of Nneka Bricks. Rotimi, EFCC counsel, tried to tender the statement of account of the witness for July 2014, which contained names of individuals who were supplied with cars on the order of Omokore but was overruled following an objection by counsel to the third defendant. The names included Uche Secondus, chairman, Peoples Democratic Party. $1.26million was credited to Skymit. Other payments received from the defendants Skye Bank account include $1millon on November 6, 2013; two payments of $1million each on July 8, 2014; $1.5million on August 11, 2014, and $1million on September 17, 2014, a document already in evidence before court read. The case was adjourned until April 27, 2018. Omokore is facing a nine-count amended charge of criminal diversion of funds to the tune of $1.6billion alleged to be proceeds of petroleum products belonging to the federal government. He is being prosecuted alongside Victor Briggs, Abiye Membere, David Mbanefo, Atlantic Energy Brass Development Limited and Atlantic Energy Drilling Concepts by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | Illegal detention: Court orders EFCC to pay N5m to ex-FCT Minister, Bala Mohammed By Ikechukwu Nnochiri ABUJA An Abuja High Court sitting at Maitama, on Thursday, declared that the detention of a former Minister of the FCT, Mr. Bala Mohammed for a period of 49 days by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, was illegal and unconstitutional. Bala Mohammed The court, in a judgment delivered by Justice Hussein Baba-Yusuf, held that the detention of the ex-Minister after he was granted bail by a court of competent jurisdiction, amounted to a flagrant disobedience to the judicial process and a gross abuse of his fundamental human rights. Consequently, the court ordered EFCC to pay the sum of N5million to the applicant as compensation for his illegal detention. The court noted that though his arrest by the EFCC could not be faulted, it said his detention beyond the statutory period of time, amounted to a violation of his rights under section 46 (1) and (2) of the 1999 constitution. It dismissed EFCCs claim that the erstwhile Minister was kept in detention based on his alleged complicity in many fraudulent activities, including his alleged involvement in the award of fictitious contracts worth N1billion, as well as the allocation of plots of land to his family members. Justice Baba-Yusuf said the fact that the ex-Minister had fraud allegations against him was not sufficient reason for the anti-graft agency to perpetually retain him in its custody. More so, the Judge held that no evidence was placed before his court to support EFCCs claim that the detention was based on high-scale fraud involving the applicant. Where a party admits the detention of another, the onus to prove that such detention is legal lies on it. In the instant case, no material evidence of fraud, irregular allocation of plots of land among others is placed before this court. All other averments relating to fraudulent activities against the applicant remain largely in the realm of imagination of the respondent and unproved as there is no such document before the court. The result is that the respondent has not proven the allegation to warrant the court to decide otherwise. The detention of the applicant after the court ordered for his release on bail beyond 48 hours amounted to a constitutional infringement of his right to personal liberty and freedom of movement, as he was entitled to be released immediately. The altitude of the respondent to get a remand order against him was a deliberate attempt to disobey the order of this court, Justice Baba-Yusuf held. The former Minister had in a fundamental rights enforcement suit he filed through his lawyer, Chief Chris Uche, SAN, prayed the court to declare his prolonged detention as illegal, as well as to award N100million damages against EFCC. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | Workers demand N66,500 minimum wage ENUGUNIGERIAN workers and pensioners have urged both federal and state governments, as well as private employers to facilitate the payment of a new minimum wage of N66,500 to reduce the suffering of workers in the country. minimum wage The stakeholders made the demand during a public hearing organised by the Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage for the South-East held in Enugu on Thursday. Comrade Virginus Nwobodo, who spoke on behalf of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, South-East, said that the new minimum wage review and implementation had been overdue. Nwobodo, who is also the NLC chairman in Enugu, said that the NLC wanted a minimum wage not less than N66,500 noting that it is currently difficult for anybody to manage N18,000; whereas most workers at this level have families and dependents to take care of. It is long overdue and we are asking for nothing less than N66,500 to meet the current realities of socio-economic as well as cushion the present hardship in the land, he said. Comrade Chukwuma Igbokwe, who spoke on behalf of the Trade Union Congres, TUC, South-East, called on the Federal Government to do a public hearing on political office holders wages, so that it would be reviewed. In his presentation Anambra State Governor, Willie Obiano, said the state would remain labour friendly and implement any fair agreement reached and concluded by the tripartite committee. Obiano represented by his Senior Special Adviser on Labour Matters, Chief Godwin Igbokwe, noted that before now, the government had earlier assured the state workers of increment in their salaries. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | Breaking: Melayes brother, 3 others docked, remanded in prison for obstruction By Ikechukwu Nnochiri ABUJA An Abuja Chief Magistrate Court sitting at Mpape, has ordered that a brother to the embattled Senator representing Kogi West, Mr. Dino Melaye, Samuel, and three others, should be remanded in Kuje Prison. Senator Dino Melaye The court held that the quartet who were docked by the Nigerian Police Force for obstruction, should remain in prison custody till April 30 when the merit of their bail application will be considered. Those the court remanded alongside Samuel Melaye were Amaefula David, Pius Inyang and Mohammed Wazari. The defendants pleaded not guilty to the First Information Report, FIR, Police entered against them on Wednesday. The charge followed the incident at Area One, Roundabout in Abuja, which botched alleged moves to forcibly relocate Melaye to Lokoja in Kogi State to answer to pending criminal allegations against him. The embattled lawmaker was said to have jumped out of the Police van conveying him to Lokoja, and was allegedly whisked away by his supporters who were said to have blocked the road with their vehicle. Melaye was subsequently re-arrested at a private hospital where he was admitted for treatment, and later transferred to the National Hospital in Abuja by the Police. Meantime, in the FIR Police filed before the Magistrate Court, it slammed the four defendants with criminal conspiracy, obstruction of public servant from performing his lawful duties, as well as abatement and assault on police officers. Offences the defendants committed were said to be contrary to sections 97, 85, 267 and 173 of the Penal Code Law. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | APC convention: Diaspora chairmen commend party Port Harcourt The Forum of Chairmen of All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Diaspora has commended the party`s leadership for including its members in the planning committee for the forthcoming national convention. Lawal Ayoola Mr Lawal Ayoola, the spokesman of the Forum, gave the commendation in a telephone interview from Gothenburg, Sweden, on Thursday. The APC will hold its national convention on May 14, ahead of the 2019 general elections. Ayoola said that the forum was happy to be part of the 63-man planning committee for the convention. It is a welcome development and a great indication that the party`s leadership is ready to further strengthen its wide-spread base and tap into the wealth of experience of its members in the Diaspora. The party`s inclusion of two chapters to represent the 12 accredited Diaspora chapters in organising the forth coming national convention is a timely and appropriate decision. The Diaspora members of the party are eager to contribute to the success of the convention, he said. Ayoola said that Diaspora members would play an active role in reinforcing the party`s greatness, having been truly committed to its cause since inception. He said that such decision would inspire and encourage existing and potential members of the party across the globe as well as fortify the partys growth and development in and outside the country. This, we hope, will put to rest the illegal activities of imposters that are parading themselves as recognised chapters in different Diaspora countries. `We wish the leadership and entire organising committee a successful event, Ayoola said. (NAN) CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | APC Chair: Oshiomholes supporters celebrate as critics fault endorsement By Simon Ebegbulem & Gabriel Enogholase BENINThe reported endorsement of the immediate past governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, for the office of National Chairman of All Progressives Congress, APC, was yesterday received with mixed feelings in the state. Former Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole briefing journalists after a closed-door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House, Abuja. While a section of party faithful, led by the state chairman celebrated the endorsement at the state secretariat, outside, critics of the former governor bemoaned the endorsement as an unjust reward for him after reportedly diminishing President Muhammadu Buharis reputation through leading him to commission non-existent projects. Party leaders from different parts of the state led by the state chairman of the party, Mr Anslem Ojezua, were at the party secretariat to celebrate the endorsement yesterday. We are celebrating because we are happy our President has done the right thing. We are going to war next year and we need a warrior in the form of Oshiomhole to lead the war. Also, former House of Representatives member, Mr Patrick Obahiagbon, described Oshiomhole as the best man for this job because he has been tested and trusted in Edo state and as former President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC. Another chieftain of the party in Edo State, Dr David Imuse, said: APC is lucky to have a personality like Comrade Oshiomhole and I urge all well meaning APC leaders who love President Buhari to support him. Rebuffing the endorsement yesterday, Edo Unity League, EUL, following what it claimed as a demonstration round the city in a statement said the position of APC National Chairman should be sustained by Chief John Odigie-Oyegun upon his unique effort in leading the party to defeat an incumbent government. A statement in Benin yesterday by the groups Director, Action and Mobilization, Mallam Abdul Osaze Uhunasmure, said Odigie-Oyeguns enemies who had been working against him have murdered sleep and cannot sleep any more. He said, We reject the aspiration by former Governor Adams Oshiomhole because we believe that the position of National chairman of a party should not be an inadvertent reward to those who drained the reputation of President Muhammad Buhari by inviting him to commission a completely nonexistent hospital and other phantom projects. Similarly, we are backing Chief John Odigie Oyegun because his terrific leadership broke the jinx of hitherto impossibility of unseating an incumbent Federal government. Suffice it to say that it is not in our operational modus to stage possession for any single individual of Edo extraction no matter how highly placed. The need to drum a landmark warning to political opportunists who are fanning the ember eternal ethnic rivalry between the Benins and Afemai people provoked our unanimous resolve to set aside the restraining principle of this caveat and stage this grand possession. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | Phyno Opens Up On Singing Commercial Music, Why Rappers Cant Win Song Of The Year Nigerias successful Afropop artiste, Phyno, has spoken out on why it is extremely difficult for rappers in the country to win a song of the year award. While speaking in an exclusive interview with HipTV , multi award-winning Nigerian rapper, Chibuzor Nelson, popularly known as Phyno, who hit the limelight as an indigenous rapper, opened up on why no rapper has ever won in Headies Awards song of the year category. Phyno who was a successful producer in Enugu before he relocated to Lagos for greener pastures, said it is not possible for it to happen, explaining that it is one of the reasons why he leans towards commercial music. He; I cant keep throwing the same bars of someone who is coming up. In the history of Nigeria, has a rap artiste ever won Headies song of the year? Is it possible? Never. It has never happened. Thats where rap is. I did pop and Fada Fada won song of the year. Lets call facts facts. The 31-year-old explained that fans demand for commercial music makes pop artistes successful. The truth is to me, I think I grew from what I used to be. The fans are not wrong at all but the same fans changed as well. They go to the clubs where they dont play rap songs. They make the pop artiste the bigger artiste. You rap but you remain the smaller artiste. You need to be where the other artistes are so at the end of the day, if you think you have what it takes to actually do both then youre actually more versatile and thats what the industry is about. Drake raps, he sings. J. Cole raps he sings. Young Thug rap, sings. Phyno revealed that he is working on an album which includes both rap and commercial songs. Im making an album this year and I have a lot of rap songs in it and a lot of commercial songs in it. Its just for the vast market. Making commercial music made me gain like older fans for myself, he said. Im not betraying the art. I love rap and thats why I started rapping. But being in the business right now, you have to understand where you are, and where you want to be. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Home | News | General | Finally, Nigerian Government Compensates Families Of Apo 6 With N135m After many years following the murder of six traders in Abuja by policemen, the federal government has finally compensated the families of the victims. The Federal Government on Thursday in Abuja, presented a cheque of N135 million to victims and family members of the September 18, 2013 killings of some squatters in an uncompleted building in Apo, Abuja. It will be recalled that operatives of the State Security Services, SSS, allegedly acting on intelligence, raided the building resulting in the death of eight people while 11 others sustained injuries. The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, (SAN) who presented the cheque to the National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, for onward payment to beneficiaries said the money was approved by President Mohammadu Buhari. The minister noted that on account of the incident, two separate actions were commenced, one at the ECOWAS Court and the second at the NHRC and the plaintiffs opted for the judgment of the commission. I engaged the NHRC, the National Association of Commercial Tricycle and Motorcycle Owners and legal representative of the plaintiffs and also the Sarki of Apo and the NGOs involved. I also engaged and the victims and their immediate families in ensuring that upon payment, the victims will be accorded the fair and equitable awards to ensure that the money gets to the beneficiaries. I am glad to inform you that the NHRC has received the payment from the DSS and the process of payment of the monies to the beneficiaries starts today. Mr Malami commended the president for approving the payment, saying the gesture, which was first of its kind in Nigeria, confirmed the presidents commitment to the rule of law and respect of human rights. The incoming Executive Secretary of NHRC, Tony Ojukwu, said by receiving the cheque, the commission felt accomplished . He said this was because under the present government, it had been able to provide effective remedy to the violation of the rights of the victims of the Apo incident. In this regard, the commission wishes to commend the DSS for its obedience, in this case, to the lawful directives of the commission. Mr Ojukwu acknowledged that no amount of money could compensate the injuries and losses incurred but urged the victims and families members of the deceased to see the gesture as justice been done. Responding on behalf of the beneficiaries, Usman Gwoza, Chairman, FCT Chapter, National Tricycle and Motorcycle Owners and Riders Association expressed appreciation to the Federal Government. Today makes it four years, seven months and six days since the incident that took the lives of eight of our members and caused indescribable damage to others happened. This is how long we have been toiling not just to prove our innocence but to also get compensation for the victims families and the injured, he said. He thanked Nigerians for speaking up on their behalf when they presumed that grave injustice was meted out on them. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that families of each of the eight decreased will receive N10 million and each of the 11 that survived will receive five million Naira. -NAN CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM: General Thursday, April 26, 2018 Mayor Keller Director Says Crime Wave Over Emphasized By Media; Not "Good For Us", And: "Artificial Redhead Appears Headed To State House David Campbell It's a common lament that the media, meaning mostly the TV stations, are caught up in unceasing, sensational ABQ crime coverage. The old cliche "if it bleeds it leads" is almost as well known around here as the stations' call letters. The latest to decry the crime coverage is attorney David Campbell, the veteran city employee who has been around forever and a day and is now head of the ABQ Planning Department for Mayor Keller. In a speech before the Economic Forum, he opined Our self-talk about security is very devastating, Not that it doesnt exist. Not that you dont report on it, but it sure seems to me that we emphasize it in great measure perhaps more than what is good for us. Campbell may have a point but there are other points that outweigh his concern: --The city has never suffered a crime wave that lasted this long. --ABQ has been ranked first in the nation for auto theft, and among the national leaders in violent crime. --We had a record setting year for homicides last year and many have another this year. --Legions of city residents say they no longer feel safe and voice their concerns on the TV newscasts. That's news because that has really never been the case here. --City fathers have failed to provide for the safety and security of the citizenry. On that last one Campbell can give thanks that the media has been keen to give a pass to elected leaders, but that could be changing. P.S. We wonder if Mayor Keller feels the same as Campbell about there being too much emphasis on the city's crime wave? ARTIFICIAL REDHEAD Merritt Hamilton Allen By her own account the likely newest member of the NM House will be an "artificial redhead." Republican Merritt Hamilton Allen The Governor will have to approve the selection of Allen for the House seat but that should be a cinch considering she is the daughter of 84 year old former GOP Silver City State Rep. Dianne Hamilton. The news coverage can be dispiriting but in this case reflects reality, a reality that won't go away with less coverage, but only when our elected (and appointed) officials fully confront and resolve the crisis. Director Campbell can plan on that.P.S. We wonder if Mayor Keller feels the same as Campbell about there being too much emphasis on the city's crime wave?By her own account the likely newest member of the NM House will be an "artificial redhead." Republican Merritt Hamilton Allen was selected this week by the BernCo Commission to fill the East Mountain House seat left vacant by the resignation of Rep. James Smith who was appointed to the BernCo Commission by Gov. Martinez.The Governor will have to approve the selection of Allen for the House seat but that should be a cinch considering she is the daughter of 84 year old former GOP Silver City State Rep. Dianne Hamilton. Allen is an owner of a PR firm that does work here and around the nation, including for the US Navy. Here's Merritt entered the Navy as a (real) brunette via the NROTC program at the University of Notre Dame, worked overseas, in recruiting, and with military healthcare. In her last Navy assignment, she managed all environmental, medical, and personnel issues on the Navys National News Desk. She also ran the Department of the Navys media training program. Medically retired from the Navy after serving eight years as a public affairs officer, Merritt built several strategic communication teams as a contractor before forming Vox Optima in 2005. Allen, 47, is seeking the House seat in the June primary. She has a Republican foe but will be heavily favored if, as expected, the Governor appoints her. She would face a Dem foe in November but this seat is all red all the time. And that's not the artificial kind. GETTING PROGRESSIVE Roxanne Barber, vice-chair of the new Adelante Progressive Caucus in the NM Dem Party, writes: Joe, I see that you mentioned the election of Marg Elliston as the new Dem party chair at last weekend's State Central Committee meeting in T or C, but the bigger news is the approval of our state's first progressive caucus: Adelante Progressive Caucus. Forming the caucus and moving toward approval was a year-long effort by a relatively small group of progressive Dems from across the state. We now have close to 300 statewide members. A news release from the new caucus says: Adelante is a Spanish word that means move ahead or go forward. The new caucus will work to move the Democratic Party forward by attracting and recruiting people who have been historically under-represented in the democratic process, to implement a small-donor fundraising model in the state party, and to create more transparency and accountability in the state and national parties. FUNDING EARLY CHILDHOOD New Mexico continues to improve early childhood education but the improvements are baby steps for only a tiny fraction of our infants. Home visiting (HV) is the program that science and randomized studies say yields the biggest bang for the buck for both the children and the state. Last year only 4,500 infants received home visits. The 2018 Legislature expanded HV by $1.5M so that for FY 19 4,800 will get home visits. This is less than 5% of our infants, the overwhelming percentage of which are born into poverty and would benefit most from the program. Here are the stats: NM has 27,000 births per year, 82% of which are Medicaid qualified. HV is a prenatal to 3 program meaning that approximately100,000 babies (3 X 27,000 + 14,000 for prenatal) are eligible. So, yes, its good that 300 more infants will receive home visits in FY 19 but just under 80,000 will not and many will enter kindergarten more than a year behind their more advantaged peers. Most of these children then proceed to fall further behind, unable to read properly or perform 3rd grade math, and receive either an inadequate high school education or drop out. They then form families and the next cycle of poverty begins. This despite the existence of our $17.5 billion Land Grant Permanent Fund that is set aside for education. This makes no sense and is an obvious waste of much of the approximately $3 billion we are now spending annually on K-12 education. 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 It's a common lament that the media, meaning mostly the TV stations, are caught up in unceasing, sensational ABQ crime coverage. The old cliche "if it bleeds it leads" is almost as well known around here as the stations' call letters.Allen is an owner of a PR firm that does work here and around the nation, including for the US Navy. Here's some background from her company Vox Optima:Allen, 47, is seeking the House seat in the June primary. She has a Republican foe but will be heavily favored if, as expected, the Governor appoints her. She would face a Dem foe in November but this seat is all red all the time. And that's not the artificial kind.Roxanne Barber, vice-chair of the new Adelante Progressive Caucus in the NM Dem Party, writes:A news release from the new caucus says:State legislators are saying a doubling in early childhood education money in the past seven years--from $137 million to $269 million--demonstrates the state's commitment, but reader Stephen Spitz, who has special expertise in that area, says that's not the whole story:This is the home of New Mexico politics. E-mail your news and comments. (jmonahan@ix.netcom.com) The 32 Chinese and four North Korean officials who were killed in a bus crash in North Korea were part of a red tour commemorating the Chinese Communist Partys Korean war role while observing the 65th anniversary of the wars armistice. Two Chinese who were seriously injured in Sunday nights crash were sent back to China on Thursday, state broadcaster CCTV said. No other details related to the accidents cause or the identities of the dead were released. The tour was organised by Xinghuo, a Beijing-based tour operator, the company confirmed to the South China Morning Post. The government has already taken over the company I am just here to help handle the aftermath [of the accident], a man who identified himself only by the surname of Yang said when he answered the Posts call to the company on Wednesday. The tour company was formed by people sympathetic to the cause of the Maoist rebel group Utopia, known in Chinese as Wuyouzhixiang. 32 Chinese tourists dead in North Korea coach crash Chinas government shut down Utopias website in 2012. A relative of one of the tourists on the bus told the Post that Utopias editor-in-chief Diao Weiming had been the tour guide. The trips purpose was to commemorate the great achievements of the Chinese voluntary combatants [in the war], according to a March advert in March on Xinghuos official WeChat account. Due to last from April 18 to 24, the tour was designed to mark the anniversary of the signing of the armistice on July 27, 1953. The war began in June 1950 when North Korea, aided by the Soviet Union, invaded South Korea. China threw its support behind North Korea after the United Nations, with the United States as the main participant, came to South Koreas aid. The hostilities were known in China as The War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea. Passengers on the bus which Xinghuos website said was limited to 30 people had paid 5,990 yuan (US$947) each for the tour. The itinerary included visiting tombs of Chinese fighters who died fighting the Korean war, a trip to a North Korean war memorial museum, a visit to the site of the USS Pueblo, a spy ship that was seized off North Korea's east coast in the late 1960s, and a trip to the demilitarised zone that was established as a buffer zone between the two Koreas under the ceasefire pact. Story continues Sources have told the Post that the accident occurred on the Reunification Highway, the main motorway that connects North Koreas capital of Pyongyang with the southern city of Kaesong. Chinas foreign ministry has confirmed the crash took place in North Hwanghae, a province bordering the demilitarised zone, which will stage North Korean leader Kim Jong-uns historic talks with South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Friday. Two members of the accident victims families told the Post they were notified of the deaths only on Wednesday afternoon. A woman who identified herself only as Wang said a local neighbourhood authority officially informed one of her relatives in Shanghai of her mothers death on Wednesday afternoon. All information [about the accident] has been blocked ... I have been very worried, Wang had said on Tuesday afternoon after not hearing from her mother, who was supposed to be back in China by then. A man who agreed to be interviewed on condition of anonymity said three of his family members, all of whom were retirement age, had signed up for the tour online. He said he was unable to reach Xinghuo after making multiple phone calls as of Wednesday morning. He criticised the company, saying it had no quality. We asked our friend in Beijing to go to [Xinghuos] office for us, the man said on Tuesday night. A police [officer] was holding a list of names when the friend arrived. The officer said the list merely contained information about individual tourists and asked the friend not to blindly guess and not to worry about the missing relatives, the man said. China and North Koreas leaders had both made public statements or appearances in the wake of the accident. President Xi Jinping personally ordered Chinas North Korean embassy to do whatever was necessary to help the two injured Chinese tourists and the families of those killed, according to state media. North Koreas official news agency said leader Kim Jong-un had expressed his bitter sorrow over the mishap. It released photos showing Kim holding an injured womans hand as she lay in her hospital bed, and CCTV broadcast images of Kim looking on as bodies were loaded onto a train for the journey home. Xinghuo, which has said it was started by red culture enthusiasts, claims on its website to be the first website to organise and pay attention to red tourism. Utopia members want to use the red tours to promote their ideology and also to earn some money, as they have lost a lot of members in the past few years, said a man surnamed Yuan who is known to be a past member of the group. Bo Xilai trial exposes a tangled web of connections Utopias web forum was a well-known mainland resource for neo-Maoist and neo-Marxist thinking until it was shut down in the wake of the removal of high-ranking Communist Party official and Chongqing party boss Bo Xilai, who was jailed for life for corruption in 2013 after his wife Gu Kailais conviction for murdering a British businessman. Bos promotion of Mao-era culture, including a controversial red songs campaign, made him a darling of party hardliners, which some in Beijing feared he might attempt to harness. This article 32 Chinese tourists killed in North Korea bus crash were on red tour marking Communist Partys Korean war role first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2018. Hong Kongs trade minister has vowed that the city will continue to be a free and open place to do business, though he said this did not mean it would serve the interests of the US, which is inching closer to an all-out trade dispute with China. As an independent member of the World Trade Organisation, Hong Kong would speak up to defend its interests, Edward Yau Tang-wah warned on Wednesday. The commerce chief was responding to comments by the top US envoy to Hong Kong, who on Tuesday said he was seeking to ease worries that the city would be a voiceless victim of the escalating trade friction between China and the United States. Instead, Consul General Kurt Tong said during a lunch at the Foreign Correspondents Club, the current situation presents a real opportunity for Hong Kong to demonstrate its lasting value as a transformative portal linking China and the rest of the world economy. Tong blamed China for adopting market-distorting policies and practices and stressed that the US valued free, fair and open trade. Hong Kong has an opportunity to proactively use its autonomy to further strengthen its impressive economic competitiveness, as well as its inherent value proposition in the eyes of foreign partners, he said. Speaking on the sidelines of an official trip to Jakarta, Yau, the citys secretary for commerce and economic development, said: We will continue to be a voice of the multilateral rule-based free trade system and a valued partner of all participants in the system, including the US. This does not mean that we will be serving US interests but the interests of everyone who does business with Hong Kong, he continued. When we speak up we are also protecting Hong Kongs business partners. So whether Hong Kong will be a victim might be determined by its circumstances, but Hong Kong will not be voiceless. Yau and other officials had previously cautioned that collateral damage to the city was unavoidable, as China reciprocated the US announcement of tariffs on US$50 billion (HK$392.3 billion) in annual imports of goods from each side. Story continues US President Donald Trump launched this action to reduce the trade deficit between both countries and pressure China into investigating intellectual property violations, among other reasons. He has threatened to target an additional US$100 billion in Chinese imports. On Wednesday, Yau gave the assurance that the list of about 1,300 Chinese exports that could be subjected to a 25 per cent tariff was not targeted at the city. On April 19, he added, the government had made a formal request to join Chinas dispute settlement consultation session with the US on the 23.6 per cent tariff proposed for aluminium products imported from five markets, including Hong Kong. Yau was part of Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngors delegation for her first official visit to the Indonesian capital. The two-day trip was aimed at strengthening ties between both economies. Indonesia is the largest country in the 10-member Asean bloc, with more than 260 million people and economic growth of 5 per cent last year. Indonesia is an important country along the belt and road, Yau said, referring to Chinas grand strategy to revive trade with more than 60 countries along the ancient Silk Road. Lam met Indonesian President Joko Widodo for an hour on Wednesday. At a lunch with 300 businessmen and officials, she promised to help Indonesia, an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands, attract more tourists from the city. Hong Kong and Indonesia also signed an agreement to boost business ties. It was signed by Thomas Lembong, chairman of the countrys Investment Coordinating Board, and Vincent Lo Hong-sui, chairman of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. Lo was leading a six-day Hong Kong-Shanghai business mission to Jakarta and Manila in the Philippines to explore the infrastructure needs of the two Asean countries, which Hong Kong and mainland Chinese companies will be incentivised to fulfil under the belt and road scheme. Su Xinqi is reporting from Jakarta This article Hong Kong will defend its interests amid US-China trade war, minister vows first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2018. The last two of 10 North Koreans rescued from a tiny wooden boat drifting off northern Japan last year have been deported back to their country, a report said Thursday. The other eight members of the crew were deported in February, but the captain was in custody facing theft charges and the last member was being treated for tuberculosis. The captain was arrested and indicted last year for stealing a power generator from a local fishery cooperatives facility on the island, part of Hokkaido -- the northernmost of Japan's four main islands. In March, he received a suspended prison sentence of two years and six months. The ten men were first spotted late last year by coast guard as their dilapidated boat drifted into waters off the island of Hokkaido. On Thursday, private broadcaster TBS showed footage of what it said was a car carrying the skipper and the last crew member to a port in Hokkaido from the immigration facility where they had been detained. From there, they were sent to Tokyo's Haneda airport and deported to North Korea via Beijing in China, the report said. Earlier, Nippon TV also reported that the two men were to be deported via Beijing as soon as Thursday. Contacted by AFP, an immigration spokesman declined to comment on the reports citing "safety concerns". Dozens of North Korean fishing vessels wash up on Japan's coast every year. Experts say some North Korean fishermen are travelling far out to sea in order to satisfy government mandates for bigger catches. But their old and poorly equipped vessels are prone to mechanical and other problems, including running out of fuel, and there are few ways for them to call for rescue. Some of the boats wash up on Japanese shores with the crew on board dead, a phenomenon referred to by the local media as "ghost ships". Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque MANILA, Philippines Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque has admitted that Malacanang is perplexed over the recent decision of the government of Kuwait to expel Philippine envoy Ambassador Renato Pedro Villa and declared him persona non grata. The decision came after Philippine Embassy staff rescued some distressed Filipino workers in Kuwait which the latter claimed as undiplomatic. We would like to reiterate the statement of the secretary of foreign affairs that the palace is disturbed by the recent developments involving the recall of our ambassador to Kuwait Ambassador villa, the Secretary said. Roque said prior to the controversy, the administration was confident that everything was settled after President Rodrigo Dutertes meeting with Kuwaiti Ambassador to the Philippines Saleh Ahmad Althwaikh. Despite the tension, Malacanang still hopes that the agreement between the two countries will be signed to ensure the protection and welfare of Filipino workers in Kuwait. Also, Roque said the Palace remains positive that the relationship between the two countries will get back to normal in due time. We hope that this is Kuwaits way of expressing its anger for which SFA Allan Cayetano had already apologized. We believed and hope that the passage of time will heal all wounds and will lead to normalize ties, Roque said. While the Philippines top diplomat in Kuwait is directed to return to the country within the week, Roque hopes that the International Humanitarian Law will protect OFWs in Kuwait. Rosalie Coz | UNTV News & Rescue The post Malacanang disturbed by Kuwaits expulsion of PH Envoy appeared first on UNTV News. QUEZON CITY, Philippines Extreme political rivalry, high presence of private armed groups, rampant activities of criminal gangs and increased presence of terror groups such as the New Peoples Army. These are among the reasons why the Philippine National Police (PNP) has recommended the province of Masbate to be placed under the control of the Commission on Elections (Comelec). PNP Public Information Office Chief PCSupt. John Bulalacao said such recommendation will give the Comelec immediate and direct control and supervision over the province in accordance with Comelec Resolution No. 10199 wherein election bans and prohibitions are strictly enforced. Bulalacao said they have intensified their security operations in the province to ensure peace and order ahead of the May polls. We have already increased the number of personnel deployed for checkpoints, the official said. Since April 14, the PNP was able to arrest over 500 individuals for different violations; 403 for illegal possession of firearms; and 2,712 for possession of bladed weapon. Lea Ylagan | UNTV News & Rescue The post PNP recommends Masbate under Comelec control appeared first on UNTV News. Thousands of Romanian healthcare workers from across the country protested in the capital Bucharest Thursday against recent cuts to their income. The protesters included nurses, physiotherapists and biochemists who gathered in front of the government's headquarters in the central Victory Square. The protesters carried placards demanding "justice in health" and at one point symbolically turned their backs on the government. The cuts have come about because of changes in how bonuses are awarded in the healthcare sector as well as a controversial law passed last year which meant that social security contributions have to be covered entirely by employees, instead of being shared with employers as previously. "It's a miserable law, I'm not asking for a pay rise but I want them not to cut it at least," Sanda, 47, told AFP. She says the changes have deprived her of 250 lei (54 euros; $65) a month, money that she needs for her children to buy lunch at school. "A nursing assistant who works through weekends and public holidays earns around 2,000 lei now", union spokesman Aurel Cretu told AFP, adding that this represented a cut in income of around 15 percent. Unions say some staff have suffered cuts of up to 255 euros a month, although doctors and some nurses have seen pay rises. Thursday's demonstration follows smaller protests in recent weeks in front of hospitals, and unions say they are considering holding a general strike on 11 May. Romania's health system suffers from dilapidated facilities and a chronic lack of both investment and medical specialists, many of whom have left in search of higher wages in other countries since Romania joined the EU in 2007. Germany's former world number one Angelique Kerber had to quit with a right thigh injury on Thursday at the Stuttgart Grand Prix and was swiftly followed by second seeded Wimbledon champion Garbine Muguruza who called it quits with back pain. The limping Kerber handed over a 6-0, 2-0 second-round win to Anett Kontaveit of Estonia. Barely an hour later, Spain's Muguruza was unable to go on due to lower back pain after dropping the opening set of her first match of the week 7-5 to Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. In all, three of the day's seven matches ended in retirements -- earlier third seeded Elina Svitolina of Ukraine was 2-6, 6-1, 3-2 ahead of Marketa Vondrousova when the Czech qualifier quit with right thigh trouble. Muguruza came to Stuttgart on the back of a seven-match win streak through her Monterrey title and two Fed Cup wins. The pullouts leaves a path for top seed Simona Halep at the event which also lost three-time winner Maria Sharapova in the opening round on Tuesday. Kerber, a former two-time major winner now ranked 12th, said she had been feeling the problem for several days, even as she beat Petra Kvitova a day earlier. "I had a lot of pain, especially this morning. I tried to go out there and play for the home crowd, I thought I could," she said. "In the end it was too much, it was bad in the early games. I think I made a bad movement as well. "Now we have to see what's going on, I have to make a decision on Madrid (starting May 5)." Kerber, who was treated off-court after going down 0-5 in 17 minutes, was playing with her right thigh strapped. Kontaveit, the world number 31, swept the opening set and then broke to start the second before Kerber gave up a game later after 39 minutes on the clock. The former number one last retired in Madrid 2017 against Eugenie Bouchard in the third round. "It's hard on clay for me, it's not my natural movement," Kerber said. "Things were much worse for me today." Roland Garros champion Jelena Ostapenko continued to build for her Paris title defence with a 6-3, 6-0 win over Zarina Diyas. The Latvian was joined in the quarter-finals at the Porsche arena by fifth seed Karolina Pliskova as the Czech beat Russian qualifier Veronika Kudermetova 7-6 (7/4), 6-3. Ostapenko, ranked fifth on the WTA rankings, broke her 52nd Kazakh opponent five times as she won in just 63 minutes. "The early matches are tough but I think I played really well today and I'm just happy with the win," Ostapenko said. The 20-year-old added that said she is still adjusting to life as a Grand Slam champion. "I expected I could win a Grand Slam but not at this early age. I just understood a couple of months later." American CoCo Vandeweghe extended her unexpected run of clay form, beating defending champion Laura Siegemund of Germany 6-4, 4-6, 6-3. The Californian, ranked 16th after breaking into the top 10 last season, said her secret appears to be playing relaxed. "I probably have more fun on clay since I don't care too much about it," she said prior to only the second clay quarter-final of her career where she will face Halep. Carolina Garcia, a first-round winner over Sharapova, knocked out 15-year-old Ukrainian prodigy Marta Kostyuk 6-1, 3-6, 7-5 Cardiovascular disease treatment. Credit: Yubin Zhou, Texas A&M University Health Science Center You've heard of "nature versus nurture," and philosophers argue about which is more important. But how does this work on the cellular level? Although genes stay the same throughout the lifespan, genetic code isn't necessarily a person's destiny. In fact, genes can be switched on and off to regulate a number of activities within cells. The body does this naturally in response to internal needs or changes in the external environment, and now scientists are able to switch these processes on and off in the lab. In other words, researchers have created tools that would enable real-time activation of target genes in specific locations in the genome. This technology may help scientists to illuminate the gene function during different biological processes and hopefully be useful in regenerative medicine. Researchers at Texas A&M are creating a system to do this using two common elements: calcium and light. Calciumcapable of far more than building strong bonesplays an important role in this system, as its signals regulate a number of activities within the cell, from growth and metabolism to homeostasis. Turning on the flow of calcium ions Yubin Zhou, PhD, associate professor at the Texas A&M Institute of Biosciences and Technology, leads the study developing what he calls the CaRROT system (for calcium-responsive transcriptional reprogramming tool). This system can control the transcription of genes within the body with high precisionin other words, it can dictate how, when and where genes create proteins that perform various cellular functions. CaRROT uses a simple pulse of light or chemicals that can induce the flow of calcium ions into cells. The researchers described their technique in a recent article published in the journal ACS Synthetic Biology. "This technology should allow scientists to turn on or off a diverse array of genes at any location by simply switching the light or adding or withdrawing activating compounds," Zhou said. The researchers designed CaRROT to hijack the calcium signals generated by light (with Opto-CRAC, another technology Zhou and his team developed) to deliver the genome-engineering tool derived from the CRISPR/Cas9 system to turn on genes. "When the light is switched on, the gates controlling calcium ions open to allow the flow of calcium from the external space into the cytoplasm of the cell," said Nhung Nguyen, a graduate student in Zhou's lab who led this work. "This process ultimately turns on the expression of specific genes." The turning on of gene expression then leads to changes in the function of the cell. "We have screened dozens of engineered proteins and undergone numerous rounds of optimization to make the CaRROT system strictly responsive to light," added Lian He, PhD, a graduate student in Zhou's lab and a co-first author of the study. To evaluate how effective CaRROT really is in mammalian cells, the team will test it on genes that control the differentiation of neuron and skeletal muscle. They hope that they can use CaRROT in regenerative medicine to drive the precise differentiation of stem cells into whatever type of organ is required, just by illuminating the cells with light. "The improvement of light penetration in deep tissue gives us the optimism that we could use CaRROT to reprogram cells in damaged organs," said Yun Huang, PhD, a collaborative senior author of the study. "It is possible that one day, by just exposing the tissues to light, we can heal the wound or accelerate the regeneration of injured tissues by photo-tuning coordinated gene expression." Turning calcium influx off In a second study recently published in the journal Angewandte Chemie as a cover story, Zhou and his team invented a new optogenetic tool that can do the opposite trick. With light shining upon cells in the 'excitable' tissues such as the nervous and cardiovascular systems, calcium influx through gateways on the membrane of the cell, called voltage-gated calcium channels, can be turned off. These channels, which constitute the major route of calcium entry into the cell, regulate a series of physiological processes. Because their dysfunction is involved in many diseases, they are considered an important therapeutic target for cardiovascular and neuropsychiatric disorders. Traditional calcium-channel blockers approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration have been widely used to treat cardiovascular disorders including high blood pressure, arrhythmia and coronary artery disease. However, these drugs tend to cause side effectsincluding headache, edema, dangerously low blood pressure and palpitationsdue to their cytotoxicity and off-target effects. "Because of these side effects, generating new interventional approaches to complement the traditional calcium-channel blockers is much needed in the clinic," Zhou said. "Our new optogenetic tool provides a non-conventional method to interrogate physiological and pathophysiological processes medicated by these voltage-gated calcium channels." Zhou and his collaborators combined genetic strategies with optical techniques to engineer a novel class of genetically encoded inhibitors for these voltage-gated calcium channels. "After tremendous efforts of optimization, we developed an ideal photoswitchable inhibitor, which we're calling optoRGK. OptoRGK exhibited excellent light-inducible inhibition of calcium ion entry in excitable cells," said Guolin Ma, PhD, an assistant project scientist in Zhou's lab, who spearheaded the project. The team tested this tool in cardiac muscle cells, which showed rhythmic oscillations of calcium in the dark that matched the heart beating rhythm. "However, upon blue light illumination, the rhythmic oscillations can be substantially reduced or even terminated," Zhou said. "Notably, this process is totally reversible after removal of the light source." With this method, researchers can regulate the activity of excitable cells in the nervous and cardiovascular systems. "Complementary to the photoactivatable Opto-CRAC system, the optoRGK toolkit provides a unique opportunity to switch off calcium signals in excitable cells," said Youjun Wang, PhD, a collaborator of this study from Beijing Normal University. "Our novel optogenetic tools can be conveniently applied to control a wide range of physiological processes mediated by voltage-gated calcium channels in multiple biological systems," Zhou added. "While traditional voltage-gated calcium channel blockers lack reversibility, selectivity and tissue-specificity, optoRGK opens exciting opportunities to intervene in related physiological processes with unprecedented precision. We hope that these kinds of studies will eventually lead to new generation of optogenetic devices for curing cancer, cardiovascular and neurological diseases." Explore further Calcium channels team up to activate excitable cells An illustration of the degradation of the coral reefs of the Samoan Islands (right), with a comparison with the preserved reefs of the Cook Islands (left) visited as part of the Tara Pacific expedition. Credit: Gaelle Quere / Fondation Tara Expeditions Upolu, one of the nine islands of Samoa, in the Pacific Ocean. Well-known among fans of diving, this isolated coral reef promised to be a site of rich biodiversity for the scientists on the Tara Pacific expedition, principally from the CNRS, the CEA1 and the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia. Although some signs of bleaching had been observed on their route, the reefs of Upolu proved to be in a far more degraded state: coral cover is below 10% in over 80% of the 124 sites considered. According to the scientists, this situation can be explained by a combination of global and local factors. Their study is published in the journal Marine Pollution Bulletin. Organized over a period of almost three years, the Tara Pacific expedition has made it possible to study some of the most isolated coral reefs in the Pacific Ocean. Indeed, given their isolation, many of these reefs remain scantly documented. This is the case of the Samoan Islands in Polynesia. The scientists dropped anchor in November 2016 in Upolu, one of the islands of this independent state. Its geographic situation meant that there had initially been hopes of finding a well-preserved reef. The available data and satellite images also pointed to a rich diversity of coral ecosystems. A very badly damaged reef Yet, once there, the researchers found a coral reef in very poor health. That is why they decided to conduct a more extensive study of the reef than planned: instead of considering three sites2, they selected 124 around Upolucovering over 80 km of coastlinein order to inventorize their biodiversity. Each time, they noted their observations of the state of the corals and the behavior of fish. They also noticed that coral cover was below 1% in half of the sites they visited and below 10% in almost 80% of them. Another result, in most sites, was that the death of the corals was recent3. According to the scientists, the coral cover might have been between 60% and 80% at some sites even just two years ago. Stressed fish? Moreover, by studying two species of fish they had encountered in previous places the schooner had moored (Moorea, Aitutaki, and Niue), the scientists observed that the Upolu fish were smaller and that the number of individuals in a shoal was on average four to eight times lower than in shoals around the three other islands. In addition, they observed a tendency for fish to flee, which is thought to reflect intensive fishing pressure. The cause of this massive deterioration? On the one hand, global warming, which heightened a classic meteorological phenomenon (El Nino) in 20152016, entailing increased coral bleaching4. On the other hand, local human activities, which are thought to exacerbate the effects of climate change. Indeed, in those sites where there is significant anthropic pressure, 30% to 40% of the dead corals are already covered with macroalgae (this coverage ranges from between 0% to 3% in sites further away from any human presence). The release of chemical substances, sewage, and waste, as well as overfishing, could be having an impact on the capacity of already weakened or damaged corals to recuperate. In contrast, the scientists observed reefs in better health within marine protected areas, a sign of the effectiveness of certain forms of management. These initial analyses will be followed by more in-depth investigations of the samples taken from Upolu. These samples will be fed into a database that, in time, will make it possible to compare the reefs and to distinguish and understand their capacities to resist environmental upheavals. Explore further Cold water devastates coral reefs off Japan: survey More information: Maren Ziegler et al. Status of coral reefs of Upolu (Independent State of Samoa) in the South West Pacific and recommendations to promote resilience and recovery of coastal ecosystems, Marine Pollution Bulletin (2018). Journal information: Marine Pollution Bulletin Maren Ziegler et al. Status of coral reefs of Upolu (Independent State of Samoa) in the South West Pacific and recommendations to promote resilience and recovery of coastal ecosystems,(2018). DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.02.044 Egyptian fruit bats at Python Cave, Uganda. Bats from Python Cave caused two cases of Marburg virus disease in 2007 and 2008, one of which was fatal. Credit: Jonathan Towner Boston University researchers, Thomas Kepler, professor of microbiology; Stephanie Pavlovich, an MD/PhD student; and Elke Muhlberger, director, Biomolecule Production Core, National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories (NEIDL); in collaboration with the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Viral Special Pathogens Branch, today released new research about bats' ability to harbor and transmit deadly pathogens, like Marburg virus, without getting sick themselves. Funded by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, the study examined the genome of Rousettus aegyptiacus, the Egyptian fruit bat, and found larger-than-expected families of genes related to the mammalian immune system. Specifically, researchers found large families of interferon and natural killer genes that differed dramatically from their counterparts in other mammals. The finding, published online and featured in the May 2018 print edition of Cell, may eventually lead to a deeper understanding of virus transmission, and better treatments for humans who become infected. "What we learn from bats may help us in the development of pharmacological agents," says Thomas Kepler. "And more importantly, it may help us understand zoonotic transmissionhow animals host a virus without being symptomatic, and pass it to humans. Exactly what is going on in that transmission? What does an animal gain by hosting a virus for a very long time, for coevolving with the virus, so that when it's transferred, it's highly virulent in the spillover host?" Bats are now known to carry several deadly pathogens, including Marburg and a SARS-like coronavirus, and transmit disease via bite or exposure to saliva, feces, or urine. Jonathan Towner, a scientist with the CDC's Viral Special Pathogens Branch, decided to investigate a colony of Egyptian fruit bats implicated in a Marburg fatality in Uganda. Towner traveled to Uganda, captured uninfected bats and brought them back to the CDC. There, scientists extracted DNA from a single bat, and sent it to colleagues at USAMRIID for initial sequencing. The USAMRIID scientists sent their data to Stephanie Pavlovich, student in Thomas Kepler's lab at Boston University. It took two years for Pavlovich, working with her colleague Sean Lovett at USAMRIID, to assemble the genome. Then they compared their Egyptian fruit bat genome to the genomes of other mammals, including a handful of other bats, humans, and guinea pigs. They looked broadly at first, and then focused specifically on areas known to be associated with the mammalian immune system. "We were looking for gene families that had grown either much larger or much smaller than was expected, given the evolutionary history of this bat," says Pavlovich, who is lead author on the Cell paper. They also looked for genes with evidence of "positive selection," the evolutionary process that propels new, useful genetic variants throughout a population. "That allowed us to find a number of genes that were evolving at a faster rate in this bat, and then also a number of gene families that were much larger than we expected." The two gene families near the top of the "larger than expected" list were type 1 interferon genes, which are often called "the first line of defense" against viruses and have been implicated in the disease course of filoviruses like Marburg and Ebola, and natural killeror "NK"cell receptors. Natural killer cells are a critical part of the human immune system, able to quickly recognize and respond to virus-infected cells. Finding them in the Egyptian fruit bat was a surprise, says Pavlovich. "Folks had previously looked at a number of bat genomes and not been able to find any traditional NK cell receptors," she says. "And so, when we saw these genes, it turns out that actually, yes, bats do have NK cell receptors, and it's a specific unusual group." This prompted Pavlovich to take a second look at previously sequenced bat genomes, and, using different tools, she was able to find natural killer cell receptors there, too. Kepler notes that these initial results point to the possibility of what he calls "soft protection" from the bat immune system. "Activation and inhibition are much more intermingled in the bat than they are in most other organisms," he says, regarding the NK cell receptors. "The bat may be assuaging the virus for a short period of time, trying to prevent the virus' growth without making a full-on attack. There's something really interesting going on here." Pavlovich and Kepler note that the findings, while intriguing, are just a first step to better understanding bats' special immunity to deadly viruses. "The next step is figuring out: 'Do these extra genes actually do anything?'" asks Pavlovich, who is now doing follow-up work on cell lines in the lab of Elke Muhlberger. "I would like to know if there's an advantage to having so many, or if they just happen to be there." Explore further How bats carry viruses without getting sick More information: Stephanie S. Pavlovich et al, The Egyptian Rousette Genome Reveals Unexpected Features of Bat Antiviral Immunity, Cell (2018). DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2018.03.070 , Journal information: Cell Stephanie S. Pavlovich et al, The Egyptian Rousette Genome Reveals Unexpected Features of Bat Antiviral Immunity,(2018). DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2018.03.070 , dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2018.03.070 Protestors demonstrated outside Portcullis house in London where Facebook's Chief Technology Officer Mike Schroepfer was grilled by British lawmakers on Thursday The EU warned US tech giants Thursday to crack down on the spread of "fake news" by the end of the year or face regulation in the wake of a scandal involving the illegal harvesting of Facebook users' data. Brussels called for the creation of a network of "independent fact-checkers" and a code of conduct amid growing concerns over election meddling involving the use of the internet and personal data. "We are giving social networks and online platforms a chance to resolve the problem once and for all," EU digital commissioner Mariya Gabriel told a news conference. As a first step, the Bulgarian commissioner called on tech firms to draw up a code of conduct by July, and proposed the creation of a secure online platform to tackle "disinformation". "We will closely monitor the progress made and may propose further actions by December, including measures of regulatory nature, should the results prove unsatisfactory," she warned. A European Commission statement explicitly referenced the scandal over the massive leak of Facebook user data to British consultancy Cambridge Analytica for use in the election campaign of US President Donald Trump. "The recent Facebook/Cambridge Analytica revelations demonstrated exactly how personal data can be exploited in electoral contexts, and are a timely reminder that more is needed to secure resilient democratic processes," the statement said. Brussels has repeatedly raised concerns over meddling in elections including alleged Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential ballot and the Brexit vote in Britain the same year. French President Emmanuel Macron said in an address to the US Congress on Wednesday that "to protect our democracies, we have to fight against the ever-growing virus of fake news". The EU plans come after a group of 40 media experts including AFP produced a report on the issue earlier this year. Brussels meanwhile also pressed Silicon Valley firms like Google to be more transparent about how their search results work amid concerns that they are squeezing out small businesses. "We must make sure they are not abusing their power," Gabriel said. Google was hit last June with a 2.4-billion-euro (more than $2.7 billion) EU fine for illegally favouring its shopping service in search results, after which it proposed fixes including running the shopping arm as a standalone business. The EU has taken an increasingly tough stance on US tech firms, with plans announced in March for a digital tax on Silicon Valley giants riling Washington. 2018 AFP Fig. 1. Genetic loci with strong recent selection pressure in the Japanese population. Credit: Osaka University Evolution enables beneficial traits to dominate a population. Given enough time, groups exposed to different environments will eventually evolve unique adaptive traits. Knowing how environmental pressures shape human evolution can lead to a better understanding of why certain populations or ethnic groups today are predisposed to certain characteristics. In a new study published in Nature Communications, researchers centered at Osaka University conducted a large-scale genomic analysis to explore recent evolutionary events among individuals of Japanese descent. The team performed whole-genome sequencing using 2,234 Japanese participants. As its name suggest, the technique attempts to read the entirety of a genomeall three billion letters of it. Comparing the genomes of many individuals at once makes it possible to find regions that have changed more rapidly than othersin other words, places where evolution has caused a particular genetic trait to predominate. Not all genome sequencing studies are created equal; however, with some doing a better job of reading genomes than others. "Whole-genome sequencing is a common technique, but our analysis achieved exceptionally 'deep' sequencing," lead author Yukinori Okada explains. "This means that we collected significantly more information from each person's genome compared with similar studies. This allowed us to identify evolutionary changes that occurred over much more recent periods of time, on the scale of the last 2,000 to 3,000 years." Previous studies looking at similar time scales have focused exclusively on European ancestry. In those studies, it was found that Europeans mostly experienced adaptations related to height, obesity, and the immune system. The current study supplements these findings by focusing on Japanese individualsfrom an area where evolutionary pressures have had a distinct impact on adaptive traits. Fig. 2. Genetic variants with selection pressure showed regional heterogeneity in allele frequency spectra, especially at the Okinawa region. Credit: Osaka University "Our study is the largest high-depth sequencing study conducted to date on a non-European population," contributing author Saori Sakaue adds. "We found that very different evolutionary traits have evolved in Japanese populations over the last few thousand years, particularly traits involved in the metabolism of alcohol, glucose, and lipids. Given the clear evolutionary differences between European and Japanese populations, we expect our findings to shed light on how different ancestries can evolve divergent traits over very short periods of time." Fig. 3. Overlap of the human complex traits with selection pressure in the Japanese population. Credit: Osaka University Explore further Study reveals genetic basis of quantitative traits and diseases in Japanese population More information: Yukinori Okada et al. Deep whole-genome sequencing reveals recent selection signatures linked to evolution and disease risk of Japanese, Nature Communications (2018). Journal information: Nature Communications Yukinori Okada et al. Deep whole-genome sequencing reveals recent selection signatures linked to evolution and disease risk of Japanese,(2018). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-03274-0 Credit: European Space Agency The ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter has returned the first images of the Red Planet from its new orbit. The spacecraft arrived in a near-circular 400 km altitude orbit a few weeks ago ahead of its primary goal to seek out gases that may be linked to active geological or biological activity on Mars. The orbiter's Colour and Stereo Surface Imaging System, CaSSIS, took this stunning image, which features part of an impact crater, during the instrument's test period. The camera was activated on 20 March and was tested for the start of its main mission on 28 April. "We transmitted new software to the instrument at the start of the test phase and after a couple of minor issues, the instrument is in good health and ready to work," says the camera's principal investigator, Nicolas Thomas from the University of Bern in Switzerland. The image captures a 40 km-long segment of Korolev Crater located high in the northern hemisphere. The bright material on the rim of the crater is ice. "We were really pleased to see how good this picture was given the lighting conditions," says Antoine Pommerol, a member of the CaSSIS science team working on the calibration of the data. "It shows that CaSSIS can make a major contribution to studies of the carbon dioxide and water cycles on Mars." The image is assembled from three images in different colours that were taken almost simultaneously on 15 April. Trace Gas Orbiter at Mars. Credit: European Space Agency "We aim to fully automate the image production process," says Nick. "Once we achieve this, we can distribute the data quickly to the science community for analysis." The team also plans to make regular public releases. The orbiter's camera is one of four instruments on the Trace Gas Orbiter, or TGO, which also hosts two spectrometer suites and a neutron detector. The spectrometers began their science mission on 21 April with the spacecraft taking its first 'sniff' of the atmosphere. In reality, the sniffing is the spectrometers looking at how molecules in the atmosphere absorb sunlight: each has a unique fingerprint that reveals its chemical composition. A long period of data collection will be needed to bring out the details, especially for particularly rare or not even yet discovered ingredients in the atmosphere. Trace gases, as hinted at from their name, are only present in very small amounts: that is, less than one percent of the volume of the planet's atmosphere. In particular, the orbiter will seek evidence of methane and other gases that could be signatures of active biological or geological activity. The camera will eventually help characterise features on the surface that may be related to trace gas sources. "We are excited to finally be starting collecting data at Mars with this phenomenal spacecraft," says Hakan Svedhem, ESA's TGO project scientist. "The test images we have seen so far certainly set the bar high." The ExoMars programme is a joint endeavour between ESA and Roscosmos. The Trace Gas Orbiter is the first of two missions in the programme: the next is scheduled for launch in 2020 and will comprise a rover and a surface science platform. Explore further ExoMars poised to start science mission A protestor from the pressure group Avaaz carries a papier mache head of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg outside Britain's parliament Facebook on Thursday said that it would be extending a raft of measures to allow its users to identify the source of political adverts that appear in their feed to Britain next year. The US social media giant's Chief Technology Officer Mike Schroepfer appeared before a British parliamentary committee probing the role of fake news in recent votes, and how data gathered from the network was used to target potential voters. Schroepfer admitted that Facebook had been "slow" in realising how its data was being used following revelations that British communications firm Cambridge Analytica mined information on around 90 million users. "We didn't understand the threat," he said. "I can't fix that back then, but I can devote my time and energy to two things: one is, with the specific acts, we build every defence we can, and then two, we do a deeper more rigorous forward looking... proactive defence." Under new plans to be implemented in Britain next year, those seeking to run political adverts will need to be authorised and ads that are political will be required to be labelled as such, along with details of who funded them. Any ad labelled political will be available for seven years in Facebook's archive, which will allow users to search the amount spent on the ad and the number of views it received. A still image the UK's Parliamentary Recording Unit shows Facebook's chief technology officer Mike Schroepfer being grilled by MPs The changes were introduced in the US earlier this month. Schroepfer admitted that Facebook had not read the terms and conditions of the app, developed by academic Aleksandr Kogan's research firm Global Science Research (GSR), used to harvest its data. Conservative MP Julian Knight slammed the social media giant, accusing it of being "a morality-free zone." Schroepfer replied that he would "respectfully disagree with that assessment." Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg previously blamed Kogan for the data breach, telling US lawmakers that he had broken the rules by selling the data to CA. Kogan, who teaches at Cambridge University, told the committee on Tuesday that he did not sell data, and said the US social media giant was scapegoating him as it was in "PR crisis mode". Explore further Scientist in Facebook data scandal says being scapegoated 2018 AFP Mucor growing on the rinds of cave-ripened cheese in France. Credit: Benjamin Wolfe Bacteria traveling along "fungal highways" on cheese rinds can spread more quickly and ruin quality or cause foodborne illnesses, but cheesemakers could manipulate the same highways to help cheese mature faster and taste better, according to new research from Tufts University. The findings from Benjamin Wolfe's Lab at Tufts University, published in a recent edition of Nature Communications, have implications for food safety and cheese making. Highways and freeways are infrastructure systems designed to carry people and cargo long distances efficiently. Corporations harness logistics systems to streamline travels across motorways. Similarly, bacteria construct their own "highways" to carry themselves distances across some types of fermented foods, such as cave-ripened natural rind cheeses. Most often, this causes food to spoil. However, just as information systems harness data about traffic and routes, fungal highways can be manipulated to influence ripeness and flavor. Molds, or fungi, grow on the surfaces of cheese rinds during the cheese aging process. Wolfe first discovered fungal highways on cheese rinds while completing his post-doctoral work at Harvard University in Rachel Dutton's lab (Dutton is now at the University of California-San Diego). He noticed strange streams of bacteria emerging near fungal colonies on Saint-Nectaire cheese, a cave-ripened French cheese with a natural rind. When viewed under a microscope, the streams resemble highways. Bacterial pathway on Saint Nectaire cheese. Credit: Benjamin Wolfe Bacteria that can use these fungal highways to quickly drive across the cheeses can travel greater distances than bacteria that cannot use the highways. This creates a 'highway hierarchy,' allowing the fungi to control the bacterial community composition on cheese rinds. Led by Yuanchen Zhang, a Tufts biology undergraduate, the team made discoveries that have direct implications for cheese safety and quality. Some pathogenic bacteria such as Listeria could use fungal highways on cheese to quickly spread and ruin cheese quality or cause foodborne illnesses. However, the highways do have benefits. Just as the quickly-moving bacteria can cause cheese to over-ripen, they can help cheese mature faster. Cheesemakers could manipulate different types of fungal highways to alter the microbial ripening processes. "Most prior work on fungal highways combined strains of bacteria and fungi in the lab that may have never encountered each other in nature," said Wolfe, assistant professor in the Department of Biology at Tufts and the study's senior author. "How often fungal highways occurred in naturally forming microbiomes and their ecological significance was largely unknown. Our cheese rind system had the power to put these interactions in a broader ecological context." "We started with the observation of bacteria dispersing on fungi from a defined community, the Saint-Nectaire cheese," he added. "Because we can easily culture most bacteria and fungi from cheese rinds and could recreate cheese rind communities in the lab, we could test the significance of these pairwise interactions for the development of whole communities." The Wolfe Lab at Tufts uses fermented foods, such as yogurt, beer, coffee and chocolate, and other synthetic microbial communities to study the evolution and ecology of microbiomes. The lab is also committed to educational and outreach initiatives to improve microbial literacy. This work was supported by a Tufts Collaborates grant to the Wolfe Lab and the research program of Jeffrey Guasto, assistant professor of mechanical engineering at Tufts School of Engineering. Like Wolfe, Guasto's work is highly interdisciplinary. His research is motivated by problems in human health, the environment, and soft materials, and has diverse applications. Explore further Thousands of genes exchanged within microbial communities living on cheese More information: Yuanchen Zhang et al. Fungal networks shape dynamics of bacterial dispersal and community assembly in cheese rind microbiomes, Nature Communications (2018). Journal information: Nature Communications Yuanchen Zhang et al. Fungal networks shape dynamics of bacterial dispersal and community assembly in cheese rind microbiomes,(2018). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-02522-z Credit: Alex McClelland, Bournemouth University Rearing on its hind legs, the giant ground sloth would have been a formidable prey for anyone, let alone humans without modern weapons. Tightly muscled, angry and swinging its fore legs tipped with wolverine-like claws, it would have been able to defend itself effectively. Our ancestors used misdirection to gain the upper hand in close-quarter combat with this deadly creature. What is perhaps even more remarkable is that we can read this story from the 10,000-year-old footprints that these combatants left behind, as revealed by our new research published in Science Advances. Numerous large animals such as the giant ground sloth so-called megafauna became extinct at the end of the Ice Age. We don't know if hunting was the cause but the new footprint evidence tells us how human hunters tackled such fearsome animals and clearly shows that they did. These footprints were found at White Sands National Monument in New Mexico, US, on part of the monument that used by the military. The White Sands Missile Range, located close to the Trinity nuclear site, is famous as the birth place of the US space programme, of Ronald Reagan's Star Wars initiative and of countless missile tests. It is now a place where long-range rather than close-quarter combat is fine-tuned. It is a beautiful place, home to a huge salt playa (dry lake) known as Alkali Flat and the world's largest gypsum dune field, made famous by numerous films including Transformers and the Book of Eli. At the height of the Ice Age it was home to a large lake (palaeo Lake Otero). White Sands National Monument. Credit: Matthew Bennett, Bournemouth University, Author provided As the climate warmed, the lake shrank and its bed was eroded by the wind to create the dunes and leave salt flats that periodically pooled water. The Ice Age megafauna left tracks on these flats, as did the humans that hunted them. The tracks are remarkable in that they are only a few centimetres beneath the surface and yet have been preserved for over 10,000 years. Here there are tracks of extinct giant ground sloth, of mastodon, mammoth, camel and dire wolf. These tracks are colloquially known as "ghost tracks" as they are only visible at the surface during specific weather conditions, when the salt crusts are not too thick and the ground not too wet. Careful excavation is possible in the right conditions and reveals some amazing features. Perhaps the coolest of these is a series of human tracks that we found within the sloth prints. In our paper, produced with a large number of colleagues, we suggest that the humans stepped into the sloth prints as they stalked them for the kill. We have also identified large "flailing circles" that record the sloth rising up on its hind legs and swinging its fore legs, presumably in a defensive, sweeping motion to keep the hunters at bay. As it overbalanced, it put its knuckles and claws down to steady itself. Tracking the footprints. Credit: Matthew Bennett, Bournemouth University, Author provided These circles are always accompanied by human tracks. Over a wide area, we see that where there are no human tracks, the sloth walk in straight lines. Where human track are present, the sloth trackways show sudden changes in direction suggesting the sloth was trying to evade its hunters. Piecing together the puzzle, we can see how sloth were kept on the flat playa by a horde of people who left tracks along the its edge. The animals was then distracted by one stalking hunter, while another crept forward and tried to strike the killing blow. It is a story of life and death, written in mud. What would convince our ancestors to engage is such a deadly game? Surely the bigger the prey, the greater the risk? Maybe it was because a big kill could fill many stomachs without waste, or maybe it was pure human bravado. Footprint comparison. Credit: David Bustos, National Park Service At this time at the end of the last Ice Age, the Americas were being colonised by humans spreading out over the prairie plains. It was also a time of animal extinctions. Many palaeontologists favour the argument that human over-hunting drove this wave of extinction and for some it has become an emblem of early human impact on the environment. Others argue that climate change was the true cause and our species is innocent. It is a giant crime scene in which footprints now play a part. Our data confirms that human hunters were attacking megafauna and were practiced at it. Unfortunately, it doesn't cast light on the impact of that hunting. Whether humans were the ultimate or immediate cause of the extinction is still not clear. There are many variables including rapid environmental change to be considered. But what is clear from tracks at White Sands is that humans were then, as now, "apex predators" at the top of the food chain. Plaster cast footprints. Credit: David Bustos, National Park Service Explore further Researcher IDs Ice Age sloth bone in Colorado More information: David Bustos et al. Footprints preserve terminal Pleistocene hunt? Human-sloth interactions in North America, Science Advances (2018). Journal information: Science Advances David Bustos et al. Footprints preserve terminal Pleistocene hunt? Human-sloth interactions in North America,(2018). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aar7621 Natalia Shevchuk stands by a radioactive sign in the ghost town of Pripyat, as she revisits her abandoned childhood home Natalia Shevchuk gazes at the peeling walls inside her old flat and tears run down her cheeks: 32 years after the Chernobyl disaster she is finally revisiting her childhood home in the ghost town of Pripyat. "Come inside: this is Apartment No. 3, we lived here until 1986," she says, as memories stir up from when she was 18, the last time she was in the building. Now 50, Shevchuk's world was ripped apart on April 26, 1986, when a reactor at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant exploded in then-Soviet Ukraine, spewing a cloud of radioactive material across several European countries. All the inhabitants of Pripyat, a town of nearly 50,000 built just two kilometres from the plant to house its employees, were evacuated the day after the world's worst nuclear disaster. Shevchuk's parents and her sister were among those who fled, while she happened to be staying in Kiev at the time. On a tatty bookcase, some of the family's old books lie unread amongst the dirt, dusty relics of another century. "It was my mum who bought this one," Shevchuk says. She points to a yellow-coloured book called "Ulyanovs" about the family of Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov, the Russian revolutionary better known as Lenin, and starts to cry. The huge meltdown at Chernobyl poisoned the air with deadly radioactivity but the disaster was initially covered up by the Soviet authorities. Mikhail Gorbachev, the Soviet head of state, did not make a public statement about it until May 14, more than two weeks after the event. Eventually, nearly 350,000 people were evacuated from within a 30-kilometre radius around the plant, an exclusion zone that remains uninhabited, apart from some 150 elderly residents who returned despite an official ban. "It was a very hard blow for them," Shevchuk recalls. "My parents could not accept the fact that they would not return here again." Her father came back to help in the power plant clean-up operation in the years afterwards but like other former residents was barred from living in his old home. Worst nuclear disaster For a long time Shevchuk, who now lives in Kiev, did not feel mentally ready to return to Pripyat and see the town of her childhood. "I wondered what impact (the radiation) would have on my health because I had children to raise," she says. Abandoned kindergarten toys lay around in the ghost village of Kopachi near the Chernobyl nuclear power plant "But this year, I realised it was time to go, because the buildings are falling apart." The decaying remains of the town have come to symbolise the effects of a nuclear disaster. Blocks of flats stand with broken windows, roads are covered with moss, and dense vegetation has made the deserted neighbourhoods almost unrecognisable. As a Geiger counter beeps continuously, signalling high radiation levels, Shevchuk pushes through the undergrowth and uses a GPS navigator to find the address she is looking for: 30 Lesya Ukrainka Street. "It's here!" Shevchuk stops, gasping. She is with her husband on a day-long tour of the area. "Do you think I can go inside?" she asks. The authorities in charge of the exclusion zone forbid entering buildings because of the risk of collapsebut they walk into the dark entrance hall. "Here is the list of residents! Shevchuk, apartment number three! That's my surname!" she cries out. Hurriedly walking forwards, she arrives at the entrance of her old apartment on the ground floor. The front door stands open and she goes inside. "It's so small, it used to be so big," she says, commenting on the living room as she crosses the crumbling, mouldy floor. Her husband Volodymyr, a strongly built man with a buzz cut, films the moment so they can show their two sons back home. "She was dreaming about this for a long time and I said: 'Let's go,'" he says. Later, she regains her composure and almost looks serene. "I didn't expect ever to get here," she says. "I've found what I had lost, at least a small part of my memory," adding that she feels "guilt" that the disaster was allowed to happen. "It was a shock at first, but now I feel I have done my duty to my town and my apartment," she says. "I don't forget and I never will forget." Explore further Chernobyl disaster zone lures tourists as visitor numbers boom 2018 AFP Pollinators and other beneficial insects play an important role in the agricultural world, especially in terms of economic value for growers. A study conducted by Cornell University showed that crops pollinated by those beneficial insects contributed $29 billion to farm income in 2010. Unfortunately, several of those insects are facing population declines due to a variety of factors. A team of researchers from the University of Missouri College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources is looking at the role neonicotinoid insecticides play in arthropod performance, specifically non-target terrestrial arthropods. Arthropods are invertebrate animals and include insects, arachnids, myriapods and crustaceans. The team looked at five broad performance measures - abundance, behavior, condition, reproductive success and survival. They recently published a paper of their findings in the journal Ecological Applications. "This research is a quantitative analysis of existing literature," said Anson Main, a postdoctoral research associate in the School of Natural Resources. "There's all of this existing literature within the realm of pesticides, specifically neonicotinoids, and while there have been various syntheses done, they're more about restating what's been found in the literature." Main worked with Lisa Webb, cooperative associate professor in the School of Natural Resources, and Keith Goyne, professor of environmental soil chemistry and associate director, School of Natural Resources. Webb is also the assistant unit leader for the Missouri Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, a division of the U.S. Geological Survey. Doreen Mengel, Missouri Department of Conservation, helped with the research efforts, too. Main said the group began with nearly 2,000 papers relating to pesticides and arthropod response. They were able to condense those papers into 44 field and laboratory studies which dealt with neonicotinoid effects on arthropods. "We spent a lot of time determining whether each paper was a good fit or not," Main said. "We ended up with 89 studies that would have been candidate papers. We then narrowed the list down to 44 documents. Other papers were eliminated because of missing information or because we were unable to contact the author to obtain additional, but necessary, information." The studies come from across the globe. Work from North America, Europe and Asia was included. "We tried to have a global perspective instead of limiting ourselves to North America only," Main said. After combing through the available studies, the group put together a spreadsheet that tracked all of the relevant information. The performance measures were based on what the literature provided. "We had a lot of heterogeneous information, and our goal was to distill it down and find what everything actually represented," Main said. "Some studies recorded the number of species caught in a trap or the number of individuals observed on plant - that's a measure of abundance. If a study recorded the size of the insect or how much it weighed, that represents a measure of condition. "We basically made a broad, encompassing umbrella that had a lot of information underneath it. That's what I think is useful from a meta-analysis - you start to see the patterns that are showing up versus an apples-to-apples comparison." Main said neonicotinoid insecticides are the most widely used insecticide class worldwide. They are known for their versatility in application. "These insecticides were developed to replace some of the older compounds that were found to be a little more detrimental for humans," Main said. "Neonicotinoids are effective because they bind to the post-synaptic nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in insects. This can lead to overstimulation of the central nervous system, or even death. All invertebrates have that receptor, so you're not able to selectively say that the insecticide is only going to target one species. Depending on the sensitivity of some species, it could have a similar effect on many of them." Main said that in spite of some of the 44 papers having mixed conclusions, when taken across all studies, the analyses showed similar negative effects to the performance measures being evaluated. "We thought that there might be one or two measures that showed a stronger impact, but the broad consensus was that neonicotinoid insecticides were showing a pretty strong negative trend," Main said. "The insecticides didn't affect just one functional group, like pollinators, either. Detritivores and predator insects were also affected. "This is useful in the sense that with neonicotinoid insecticides, the majority of the debate has been focused on honey bees. This paper is trying to evaluate patterns of response to neonicotinoids across a range of taxa, not just bees. These insects are providing a lot of benefit to our everyday lives that we don't even realize. It's possible that we need to rethink how we do broad applications of these seed treatments - because we might not realize the effect it has on the beneficial insects." The research was funded through a cooperative agreement with the Missouri Department of Conservation. Support was also provided by USDA-NIFA through Hatch funding and the Missouri Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit. The researchers are also in the process of developing more studies related to neonicotinoid insecticides. "This is the beginning stage of a large-scale experimental project in the field that we're doing," Webb said. "The first step was to review the literature and look for broad trends. We're pairing that with a study, funded by the Missouri Department of Conservation, to evaluate the impact of using these insecticides on public lands. We're looking for neonicotinoid insecticide concentrations in both the field soils, but also see if it's leaching into field margins and what that might mean for pollinators." Goyne said they are going to dive deeper into how the insecticides work in various soils as well. "These insects are providing ecosystem services for free," he said. "We're trying to get a more holistic picture of how everything works together and interacts. It's really important for water quality, too. Understanding how the insecticides move out of the field to these marginal areas is key. There are a number of different aspects that this work is going to help us understand. "Our main goal is working to help producers and natural resource managers modify their management operations to minimize some of the challenges that beneficial insects face. This is a really strong start." Explore further Common insecticides are riskier than thought to predatory insects Scientists at Oxford University have developed a light-based measuring technique that could transform our ability to characterise biomolecules. Using a microscope that detects light scattering rather than fluorescence, the researchers have demonstrated that single molecules can be observed, and their mass measured, in solution. The research, carried out in collaboration with institutions in Germany, Sweden, Switzerland and the US, is reported in the journal Science. Senior author Professor Philipp Kukura, from Oxford's Department of Chemistry, said: 'This research has emerged from a decade of work which involved making an ever more sensitive light microscope. 'Single molecules have been observed in light microscopes since the late 1980s, but essentially all optical techniques rely on fluorescence, which is the emission of light by a material after being "excited" by the absorption of electromagnetic radiation. As immensely powerful as that is, it is not universal.' The researchers first demonstrated the use of light scattering to visualise individual proteinsbiomolecules only a few nanometres acrossin 2014. But it was not until last year that they were able to improve the image quality sufficiently to compete with fluorescence. Professor Kukura said: 'We then addressed the question of whether we could use our visualisation approach to quantify, rather than just detect, single molecules. We realised, given that the volume and optical properties of biomolecules scale directly with mass, that our microscope should be mass sensitive. This turned out indeed to be the case, not only for proteins but also for molecules containing lipids and carbohydrates.' It is this generality that excites the authors. Professor Justin Benesch of Oxford's Department of Chemistry, an expert in mass measurement and co-author of the work, said: 'The beauty of mass is that it is both a universal property of matter and extremely diagnostic of the molecule under investigation. Our approach is therefore broadly applicable and, unlike traditional single-molecule microscopy, does not rely on the addition of labels to make molecules visible.' The researchers say the techniquewhich they call interferometric scattering mass spectrometry (iSCAMS) - could have applications ranging from studies of protein-protein interactions to drug discovery and even point-of-care diagnostics. Professor Kukura said: 'iSCAMS has lots of advantages. It measures mass with an accuracy close to that of state-of-the-art mass spectrometry, which is expensive and operates in vacuumnot necessarily representative of biological systemswhereas iSCAMS does so with only a very small volume of sample and works in essentially any aqueous environment.' Professor Benesch added: 'This enables a lot of the things that researchers want to quantify: do certain molecules interact and, if yes, how tightly? What is the composition of the protein in terms of how many pieces it contains, and how does it grow or fall apart?' Because essentially every physiological and pathological process is controlled by biomolecular interactions in solution, the researchers say this technology has considerable potential impact. Professor Kukura said: 'The universal applicability, combined with the fact that the instruments are close to shoebox size, can be operated easily, and allow the user to see the molecules in real time, is tremendously exciting.' The team is in the process of commercialising the technology to provide access to other researchers who are not experts or may not even use optical microscopy. The researchers say: 'It has the potential, we think, to revolutionise how we study biomolecules and their interactions.' The paper 'Quantitative mass imaging of single biological macromolecules' will be published in the journal Science. Explore further Visualizing single molecules in whole cells with a new spin More information: "Quantitative mass imaging of single biological macromolecules" Science (2018). Journal information: Science "Quantitative mass imaging of single biological macromolecules"(2018). science.sciencemag.org/cgi/doi 1126/science.aar5839 Geobiologist Victoria Orphan stands at the stern of the research vessel Western Flyer, watching her colleagues put the last touches on an unusual spread. Among the offerings: a large turkey leg, an alligator head and bowls of gelatinous agar that resemble consomme. This meal isn't for the ship's crew, though. It's bait. The entrees are anchored to a plastic grid and pushed overboard so they will sink into the deepest underwater canyon along North America's west coast. The scientists check the attached camera, which will spy on the creatures that show up to feastfish, worms, crabs and microbes too. The microbial denizens of Monterey Canyon are far different from many of their surface-dwelling brethren. They make food out of rocks and dead debris and harvest energy from methane that seeps from the ocean floor. To survive in this dark, high-pressure, low-oxygen, low-nutrient environment, they form all kinds of cooperative relationships. Orphan adjusts an agar bowl's position and then heads back in to check on the tube-shaped samplers she'll use to collect microbe-filled sediment. "They're not quite as exciting as alligator heads," she says. Orphan is being modest. Her study of these "extremophiles" may offer insights about the evolution of life on Earthand guide the search for life on other planets. Her work earned her a MacArthur Fellowship, also known as a "genius" grant. Much of her research takes place at Caltech, where she runs a lab with dozens of graduate students and postdoctoral researchers. But expeditions like this, miles off the California coast in Monterey Bay, are a crucial part of her work. Orphan is co-leading this trip with Shana Goffredi, a biologist at Occidental College who is also her life partner. Where Orphan studies microbial alliances, Goffredi explores the relationships between microbes and larger animals such as clams or snails. Alligator heads and turkey legs are small fry for this crew. About a decade ago, Goffredi and other scientists at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute towed the carcasses of dead whales out to the canyon and released them at different depths. The result was an enormous experiment that shed light on the complex population dynamics of these deep-sea communities. Just as wildflowers blossom in the barren desert after a storm, long-dormant microbes bloom on a "whalefall" as they feast on the carcass alongside crabs, clams and fish. The microbes produce chemicals that other microbes can put to use. The result is a community whose demographics shift dramatically over time depending on the depth and pressure of the ocean. Orphan and Goffredi visit these whalefalls two or three times per year, sampling the water, wildlife and sediments to discover if something has changed. "Almost every time, we find a new species," Goffredi said. "And that's just the animals." The microbes, she added, are guaranteed to produce something that's never been seen before. - The primary purpose of this two-day expedition is to steer an underwater rover into Monterey Canyon, insert chemical-laced sediment samplers and retrieve specimens from the deep. The rover is a yellow box the size of a cargo van with robotic arms and an array of boxes and canisters to hold whatever it finds. Ever so slowly, it is lowered through the ship's heart into the roiling waters below. In a darkened room near the stern, the scientists fix their eyes on monitors fed by the rover's many cameras. For a long time, it looks like the opening credits of "Star Trek," with stars hurtling by in an inky blue-black void. "Marine snow," Orphan says, her face lighted only by the glow from the screens. "Some of it can be actual animals. There are fecal pellets, or mucus that's been sloughed off. You think about seawater as being this liquid matrix, but it's really this living, very dense gel." When the rover is more than half a mile beneath the surface, the sandy seafloor comes into view. The pilots and scientists lean forward, looking for any signs of Francisco, the whale they'd sunk around this particular spot. Suddenly, the silence is broken. "The rack of lamb!" Goffredi yells, pointing to the screen. One of the rover pilots uses a robotic arm to grab a cylindrical core sampler. He shoves it deep into a spot Orphan chooses, filling it with sediment. Then he uses a second robotic arm to inject fluid into the container. This fluid holds heavy water, whose hydrogen atoms have a neutron along with a proton, as well as two molecules that serve as building blocks for proteins and whose nitrogen atoms hold an extra neutron. The microbes will consume these extra-heavy stable isotopes and pass them through the food web from one species to the next. In a few months, the ship will return and pull the cylinders out of the ground. Then the scientists will analyze the sediment to track the isotopes' progress through the microbial system. The results will reveal how the microbes eat, grow and share resources with one another. After collecting cylinders they had planted on their last trip, the rover doubles back to a methane seep so the team can plant more samplers. The pilots set up quickly, knowing they don't have a lot of time. The robot is right in the middle of a squeeze when the word comes down: The ocean has grown too choppy, and they must pull out. Orphan sighs. "So close," she says. - The team starts the next day's dive early, hoping to make up for lost time. As soon as the sub is pulled out of the water, stuffed with specimens, the researchers rush the samples into the wet lab. Goffredi's team starts prying open clams, storing blood in small vials for analysis and preserving the tissue in ethanol. On the other side of the counter, Orphan and four of her researchers carefully cut the cylinders of sediment, placing each slice on a plate labeled according to depth: 0-1 centimeters, 1-2 cm, 2-3 cm, and so on. They plant their feet wide against the swaying of the ship. Orphan sniffs the open top before she slices, hunting for the rotten-egg scent of hydrogen sulfide. Some of those slices are loaded into small plastic bags and frozen; others are stuffed into a machine that uses argon to squeeze water out of the samples. A few milliliters go into tiny tubes for RNA or DNA analysis. The water is separated from the solidsdifferent microbes can live in the two different mediaand some of it is exposed to a chemical that turns purple and reveals how much iron it contains. Sujung Lim, one of Orphan's graduate students, fills small vials that she'll use to test whether any microbes eat chitin, the tough, abundant protein in the exoskeletons of crabs and many other sea creatures. When Orphan gets her microbes back to Caltech, she hopes to set up a tiny deep-sea ecosystem in her lab. Then she could see how they interact with one another in different situations. The geobiologist's enthusiasm for her marine microbes knows no limits. She's gathered a lot of samples this time, and her team rushes to process them. "My eyes are bigger than my minus-80 freezer," she says with a sigh. "We call it the Victoria 30 percent factor," Lim deadpans. The whale bones, however, won't find a permanent home at the lab. They belong in the ocean, the scientists sayand on a future trip to the canyon, they'll be returned to their final resting place. 2018 Los Angeles Times Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Anthropology professor Ripan Malhi works with Indigenous communities, scientists and scholars to analyze their DNA and that of their ancestors. Credit: L. Brian Stauffer A new article in the journal Science provides guidance for those intending to study ancient human remains in the Americas. The paper, written by Indigenous scholars and scientists and those who collaborate with Indigenous communities on studies of ancient DNA, offers a clear directive to others contemplating such research: First, do no harm. Scientists studying ancestral remains have similar obligations to those that bind researchers working with living human subjects, the authors wrote. The descendants or people affiliated with those who lived hundreds or thousands of years ago deserve to be consulted before their ancestors are disturbed. Even in cases where the remains were collected long ago and moved far from their original burial place, and even when the surviving lineages are in doubt, scientists ought to consult Indigenous groups living on the land or claiming ancestral ties to the region where the ancestors were found, the authors said. "Right now, there are inconsistent or no regulations for working with ancient ancestors," said University of Illinois anthropology professor Ripan Malhi, a co-author of the report. "And there are no requirements for working with descendant or affiliated communities, even though new scientific findings relating to their ancestors can have serious implications for them." Malhi partners with Indigenous communities to study ancient DNA from individuals found on lands their descendants still live on. Malhi, along with Indigenous scientists, scholars and other scientists who work with Native American and First Nations communities, worked to create the Summer internship for INdigenous Peoples in Genomics, which trains Indigenous scientists in genomics techniques and explores ethical concerns. Not consulting Indigenous communities before analyzing ancient DNA potentially harms those groups, said Alyssa Bader, a co-author and graduate student at the University of Illinois. "Genetic analyses can reveal information not just about the ancestors, but also their descendants. If genetic variants associated with specific diseases are identified in ancestors, for example, this can influence how we think about disease susceptibility in the descendant community - and that community could be stigmatized," she said. New findings also may interfere with ongoing treaty negotiations, she said. "For Indigenous communities involved in negotiating land claims or repatriation, new genetic findings could either bolster or complicate those claims," she said. Studying ancient DNA without consulting descendant communities is also a missed opportunity, said Concordia University professor Jessica Bardill, the lead author of the article. "The engagements we highlight show that collaboration with communities not only strengthens the analysis but also can allow for better questions to be asked in the research, informed by community narratives about the ancestors, their lands and their relationships," she said. For these and other ethical and practical reasons, Malhi said, it's in a scientist's interest to identify and locate potentially affected groups, consult with them about the research and invite them to join the effort, thereby improving the scientist's understanding of the context in which the ancient peoples lived. It also allows Indigenous communities to guide the science and ask research questions that are of interest to them. "Engaging communities at the outset is critical for understanding their concerns or questions about research involving ancient relatives. Without feedback from the community, scientific interpretations remain one-sided and inherently biased," said Nanibaa' Garrison, a bioethics professor at Seattle Children's Research Institute and the University of Washington School of Medicine, and a co-author of the article. More information: J. Bardill at Concordia University in Montreal, QC, Canada el al., "Advancing the ethics of paleogenomics," Science (2018). Journal information: Science J. Bardill at Concordia University in Montreal, QC, Canada el al., "Advancing the ethics of paleogenomics,"(2018). science.sciencemag.org/cgi/doi 1126/science.aaq1131 In this April 6, 2018 file photo, An employee walks past logos of the Samsung Electronics Co. at its office in Seoul, South Korea. Samsung Electronics said Thursday, April 26, 2018 its first-quarter earnings jumped 52 percent over a year earlier thanks to its mainstay memory chips that posted another record-high quarterly profit. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon, File) Samsung Electronics Co. reported better-than-expected financial results Thursday as robust demand from global data centers for its mainstay memory chips earned it another record-high quarterly profit. The company also forecast the brisk earnings streak from its chip sector will continue through the second quarter as expansion of global data centers in the U.S. and China will keep demand for chips strong. Despite being one of the most profitable tech companies in history, neither Samsung nor South Koreans are in a celebratory mood. Samsung's reputation is in tatters even after a Seoul high court released its leader Lee Jae-yong in February, suspending his sentence in a corruption scandal involving a former president. Samsung is facing another probe over a graft case involving former President Lee Myung-bak. Authorities also are investigating allegations that Samsung tried to break up a labor union at one of its affiliates. The company faces heightened pressure from the government to simplify a complicated ownership structure that has allowed its founding family, the Lees, to control the giant business while keeping only a minority stake. Meanwhile, an independent committee investigating Samsung's handling of workers health issues and chemicals at its chip plants is stepping up pressure on the company to be more transparent about the chemicals it uses in production, for the sake of public safety. In its latest earnings statement, the South Korean tech giant said it recorded 11.7 trillion won ($10.8 billion) in January-March net income, up 52 percent from 7.7 trillion won a year earlier. The result slightly exceeded expectations of a 11.3 trillion won net profit, according to financial data provider FactSet. Sales rose 20 percent to 60.6 trillion won ($56.1 billion) while operating income surged 58 percent to 15.6 trillion won ($14.5 billion) during the period. Demand for consumer electronics products usually is slack in the first quarter of the year. But Samsung has been immune to seasonally shifting demand in the consumer electronics market thanks to its perennially lucrative memory chips business. The lion's share, more than 70 percent or 11.55 trillion won ($10.7 billion), of its latest quarterly operating income was generated by the semiconductor division. Revenue was just 20.78 trillion won ($19.25 billion), a profit margin almost unheard of in the manufacturing industry. Samsung said its semiconductor division benefited from strong demand for server chips from global data center operators and chips that handle graphics and crypto-currency mining cards. Memory chips used to be a cutthroat market with multiple players with wide swings between gluts and shortages due to volatile demand. That changed with an industry restructuring that has left only a handful of global companies to meet tight supplies. Samsung and a few other memory chipmakers are benefiting from hefty investments by global internet companies to expand data centers and higher demand for chips that can handle more complex programs in mobile handsets. Samsung's mobile phone division also helped its profitability, posting 3.77 trillion won ($3.49 billion) in quarterly operating income. Strong sales of the Galaxy S8 smartphone from last year despite the early release of its flagship Galaxy S9 smartphone showed that consumers are not enthusiastic about upgrading their phones to the latest products. Those two divisions helped Samsung offset weak performance in the display business, which counts Apple Inc. among its clients, and its home appliance division, which saw seasonally low demand for television sets. The display division logged lower profits for advanced panels called OLED and for LCD products. Going forward, Samsung forecast that that the memory chip business will likely stay strong, but increasing overall earnings will be a challenge given the weakness in its display business and lower profits in the mobile business. Explore further Samsung Electronics flags record $14.7 bn Q1 operating profit 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. Jordan Hamilton. Credit: Canadian Light Source Testing soil samples at the Canadian Light Source has helped a University of Saskatchewan soil scientist understand how tripolyphosphate (TPP), a slow release form of phosphorus fertilizer, works in the soil as a plant nutrient for much longer periods than previously thought. Jordan Hamilton says the research also has implications for ongoing efforts by U of S soil scientists to use phosphorous-rich materials to clean up contaminated petroleum sites. Hamilton, now a post-doctoral fellow working within U of S professor Derek Peak's Environmental Soil Chemistry group, had a chapter of his Ph.D. thesis, "Chemical speciation and fate of tripolyphosphate after application to a calcareous soil," published earlier this year in the online journal Geochemical Transactions. TPP needs to break down into a simpler form of phosphate in order to be used as a nutrient by plants. In most types of soil, the belief was that TPP would break down right away, says Hamilton. "I would definitely say the biggest surprise is how quickly the TPP adsorbed (attached itself) to mineral sources, especially in these calcium-rich soils," he said. "For the longer term, it was surprising to see it persist." The study found that the adsorbed TPP species was present in the soil for up to a year. However, Hamilton's paper states that it's unclear how useful this fertilizer is over time, warranting further study to determine whether microbes in soil are capable of using this source of phosphorus from mineral surfaces. Credit: Canadian Light Source "The main findings are that TPP can be mobile, depending on water volume and concentrations and can adsorb to mineral surfaces in soil," Hamilton explained. "We hope that microbes can come along and hydrolyze it as it is needed." The practical implications for agriculture may come in finding ways to use these slow-release fertilizers within calcium-rich soils, such as those generally found in Saskatchewan, Hamilton says. In Hamilton's project, TPP was injected into a phosphate-deficient subsurface soil at a bulk fuel facility in Meadow Lake which is the subject of ongoing U of S research into bioremediation of hydrocarbons in soil. One of the conclusions in Hamilton's paper is that high concentrations of TPP in large volumes of water are required in order to make phosphorus available for bioremediation throughout a contaminated site such as the one at Meadow Lake. This is because the tendency of the TPP to be adsorbed by calcium-rich soil limits its mobility away from the injection site. Explore further Phosphate rock an effective fertilizer in Kenya More information: Jordan G. Hamilton et al. Chemical speciation and fate of tripolyphosphate after application to a calcareous soil, Geochemical Transactions (2018). Jordan G. Hamilton et al. Chemical speciation and fate of tripolyphosphate after application to a calcareous soil,(2018). DOI: 10.1186/s12932-017-0046-z Soldiers bearing flowers at the Chernobyl victims' memorial in Minsk Ukraine on Thursday marked 32 years since Chernobyl, the world's worst nuclear disaster, saying it would "remain an open wound in the hearts of millions." The accident spread radioactive fallout across Europe in 1986, particularly contaminating Ukraine, Russia and Belarus. "Chernobyl will always remain an open wound in the heart of our country, in the hearts of millions of people," President Petro Poroshenko wrote on Facebook. Several hundred people gathered overnight for a ceremony at a memorial to victims in Slavutych, a town 50 kilometres (30 miles) from the nuclear power plant. Mourners lit candles and put flowers in front of memorial plaques. Many of the power station's personnel moved to Slavutych after the accident. In Minsk, people also gathered at a memorial to victims and soldiers marched bearing baskets of flowers. On April 26, 1986, reactor number four at the Chernobyl plant, some 100 kilometres north of the capital Kiev, exploded during a botched safety test. The reactor burned for 10 days, sending radioactive elements into the atmosphere that contaminated three-quarters of Europe, according to some estimates. Soviet authorities tried to cover up the accident. Sweden was the first to raise the alarm after scientists detected a spike in radiation levels on April 28. Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev did not make a public statement until May 14. People light candles and place flowers at the monument for victims in Slavutich, some 50 kms from the accident site A total of nearly 350,000 people living within a radius of 30 kilometres of the plant were evacuated for many years. About 600,000 Soviet citizens who became known as "liquidators"mostly emergency workers and state employeeswere dispatched with little or no protective gear to help clean up and build a concrete sarcophagus over the damaged reactor. The number of deaths directly due to the accident is still a matter of debate, with estimates varying from around 30 to one hundred thousand. In November 2016, a massive metal dome was erected over the remains of the reactor paid for with 2.1 billion euros ($2.5 billion) in international funding to stop future leaks and ensure the safety of Europeans for generations. As a result, radiation levels close to the reactor fell by 90 percent over the course of a year, according to official estimates. Explore further Ukraine marks Chernobyl disaster amid efforts to secure reactor (Update) 2018 AFP People going about their daily lives during a summer heat wave in Northern China. Credit: Baidu encyclopedia entry: "heat wave" Beijing has undergone several important urbanization development stages since late 1978. Linked with urbanization, the so-called "urban heat island effect" is a key problem caused by urban land expansion. Such changes in air temperature in Beijing inevitably have an impact on the daily lives of its inhabitants, and is therefore of considerable interest to scientists and the wider public alike. Dr. Xiaojuan LIU and Associate Professor Guangjin TIAN from the School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, used the mesoscale Weather Research and Forecasting model coupled with a single urban canopy model and high-resolution land cover data to analyze the spatial and temporal patterns of summertime urban warming influenced by three stages of urban land expansion during 1990-2010 across Beijing. They found that urban-induced warming increased with urban land expansion, but the speed of warming declined slightly during 2000-2010. They further examined the impacts of heat waves and high-temperature weather on urban-induced warming and the mechanisms associated with the surface energy balance, and revealed an interrelationship between urban-induced warming and heat waves. Dr. Xiaojuan LIU explains the findings published in Advances in Atmospheric Sciences: "Heat waves can increase surface air temperatures over both urban and crop areas. Our results indicate that heat waves enhance nocturnal urban warming in summer in Beijing and further cause a change in daily mean warming to some extent. That is, heat waves induce a higher increment of air temperature in urban areas than in crop areas. This implies that urban land expansion may heighten heat waves in urban areas. Therefore, urban-induced warming should be considered as one possible source of heat waves in urban areas." Explore further Researchers develop new EcoCity model for mitigating urban heat islands More information: Xiaojuan Liu et al, Modeling the Warming Impact of Urban Land Expansion on Hot Weather Using the Weather Research and Forecasting Model: A Case Study of Beijing, China, Advances in Atmospheric Sciences (2018). Xiaojuan Liu et al, Modeling the Warming Impact of Urban Land Expansion on Hot Weather Using the Weather Research and Forecasting Model: A Case Study of Beijing, China,(2018). DOI: 10.1007/s00376-017-7137-8 MIT D-Lab research scientist and CITE research affiliate Eric Verploegen (right) installs sensors on an evaporative refrigerator with Ousmane Sanogo of the World Vegetable Center in Mali. Credit: Lauren McKown/MIT D-Lab According to the World Bank, over 1.1 billion people have lifted themselves from extreme poverty since 1990. But even as the global outlook on extreme poverty improves, billions of people continue to struggle to access basic human needs, like water, food, shelter, health care and energy. In response to these challenges, innovators around the world have developed a preponderance of cost-effective, locally implemented solutions, from solar lanterns and water filters to improved cookstoves and refugee shelters. With such a dizzying array of products on the market, development professionals often struggle to cut through the hype associated with novel technologies, and many are hesitant to pursue innovative approaches to stubborn development challenges, given the high stakes of working with economically vulnerable populations. MIT researchers are now seeking to help development professionals overcome these challenges by using design thinking, together with a methodology for comparative technology evaluation that is five years in the making. A Practitioner's Guide to Technology Evaluation in Global Development offers a user-friendly, step-by-step framework to help organizations identify development solutions that are most likely to succeed in a given context. Co-authored by the MIT Comprehensive Initiative on Technology Evaluation (CITE), a program supported by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and the Technology Exchange Lab, a Cambridge-based non-governmental organization, the Practitioner's Guide builds upon five years of research and over 12 comparative evaluations conducted by CITE across eight countries. A methodology for all CITE was founded in 2013 as a leading member of USAID's Higher Education Solutions Network, a coalition of seven universities seeking to leverage the talent of students, researchers, and faculty towards solving major global development challenges. Since then, CITE has evaluated "hardware solutions"like solar lanterns, solar-powered water pumps, and water test kitswhile also evaluating systems-level solutions, such as how distribution models affect the uptake of malaria-diagnostics, and how food-aid packaging impacts the quality and quantity of international food assistance through complex supply chains. Throughout this work, CITE researchers from across the Institutefrom MIT D-Lab, the Department of Urban Studies and Planning (DUSP), Center for Transporation and Logistics (CTL), and Sociotechnical Systems Research Center (SSRC) developed and iterated upon a multi-disciplinary evaluation methodology known as '3S' framework, which evaluates technologies from three vantages including: suitability (how well products perform technically), scalability (how effective products are at reaching consumers at scale), and sustainability (how products are adopted and used over time). While CITE effectively applied its methodology across multiple sectors, past evaluations included rigorous lab testing, and support from faculty, graduate students and additional partners. According to CITE Associate Director Joanne Mathias, "through the Practitioner's Guide we aim to empower practitioners and smaller-scale NGOs with the tools required to find solutions that work, regardless of the resources or facilities they have at their disposal." From lab to field Translating five years of academic research into a user-friendly toolkit is no small task. By teaming up with the Technology Exchange Lab (TEL) to co-author the guide, CITE sought out a partner capable of articulating their evaluation methodology to a non-academic audience, while also weaving concepts of human-centered design into the evaluation process. Founded by two MIT Sloan School of Management alumni, TEL works with community-based organizations around the world to implement innovative solutions to problems of poverty. "Partnering with CITE to develop the Practitioner's Guide was a natural fit," says TEL Programs Director Brennan Lake. "So much emphasis is made on driving innovation and research through universities, which is fantastic, but there is a bottleneck when it comes to putting research into practice, and making innovative approaches and development solutions as accessible as possible to communities on the ground." Indeed, the Practitioner's Guide includes real-world examples of everyday challenges faced by development practitionerssuch as how to make data-driven trade-offs between a product's quality, affordability, and time to implementas well as case studies based off of past CITE evaluations. The Practitioner's Guide was also designed to be modular, so that organizations at various stages of project development could make use of CITE's methodology. "Most aid agencies and international NGOs already have strict procurement protocols in place," Lake notes. "The Practitioner's Guide provides program officers with discrete tools for evidence-based decision making, while also offering a more comprehensive framework for NGOs and community-based organizations looking to build programs from the ground up." Explore further Researchers release evaluation of solar pumps for irrigation and salt mining in India This story is republished courtesy of MIT News (web.mit.edu/newsoffice/), a popular site that covers news about MIT research, innovation and teaching. The nutrient rich waters of the Eastern Tropical Pacific are ideal for these filter feeders. Credit: Kevan Mantell Little is known about the world's largest living fish, gentle giants reaching 12 meters (40 feet) in length. Researchers from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) and colleagues tracked a female whale shark from the eastern Pacific to the western Indo-Pacific for 20,142 kilometers (more than 12,000 miles), the longest whale shark migration route ever recorded. STRI marine biologist Hector M. Guzman tagged a female whale shark (Rhincodon typus) near Coiba Island in Panama, the largest island off of the coast of Central America, a National Park, World Heritage Site and marine protected area. His team named the shark Anne for conservationist Anne McEnany, president and CEO of the International Community Foundation (ICF). The multi-year project also tagged 45 additional sharks in Panama with sponsorship from Christy Walton's Candeo Fund at the ICF, along with STRI and Panama's science and technology bureau (SENACYT). Guzman estimated Anne's position based on signals from a Smart Position and Temperature (SPOT) tag tethered to the shark, received by the Advanced Research and Global Observation Satellite (ARGOS). The tag only communicates with the satellite when the shark swims near the surface. Anne remained in Panamanian waters for 116 days, then swam toward Clipperton Island (France), nearing Cocos Island (Costa Rica) en route to Darwin Island in the Galapagos (Ecuador), a site known to attract groups of sharks. 266 days after she was tagged, the signal disappeared, indicating that Anne was too deep to track. After 235 days of silence, transmissions began again, south of Hawaii. After a nine-day stay, she continued through the Marshall Islands until she arrived at the Marianas Trench, a canyon in the ocean floor near Guam in the Western Pacific where movie director James Cameron located the deepest point on the Earth's surface almost 11,000 meters (36,000 feet) below sea level. Whale sharks dive to more than 1900 meters (6000 feet). But it is unknown what the animal was doing in this area. Whale sharks are filter feeders, eating plankton, fish eggs, krill, crab larvae as well as small squid and fish that enter their large mouths. They cannot digest plastic garbage. Credit: Kevan Mantell "We have very little information about why whale sharks migrate," said Guzman. "Are they searching for food, seeking breeding opportunities or driven by some other impulse?" "Despite being the world's largest fish, it's amazing to me how little we know about this species," said Scott Eckert, co-author and biology professor at Principia College. "When I first began working on them, their taxonomy was debated, and it still wasn't clear how they reproduced." Found in warm, tropical and sub-tropical waters, it is thought that about a quarter of whale sharks live primarily in the Atlantic, whereas about three-fourths live in the Indo-Pacific. Tourists are drawn to sites where 500 or more whale sharks gather: in Oman, Australia, Galapagos, Mexico, Mozambique and the Seychelles. Large groups are also reported from Taiwan, Southern China and the Gujarat coast of India. Genetic studies show that whale sharks across the globe are closely related, indicating that they must travel long distances to mate. Whale sharks have been tracked for shorter distances along similar routes, but this report is the longest-recorded migration to date and the first evidence of a potential trans-Pacific route. Like Anne, other whale sharks appear to follow the North Equatorial Current for most of the distance. Large females can swim an average of 67 kilometers (about 40 miles) per day. Whale shark swimming through murky Pacific waters near Panama's Coiba Island. Credit: Matt Starr The whale shark is one of only three known filter-feeding sharks, feeding on plankton, fish eggs, krill, crab larvae as well as small squid and fish (and, accidentally, plastic, which they cannot digest). As such, they are not considered to be particularly dangerous, and tourism companies that offer the opportunity to swim very close to whale sharks are common near areas where they aggregate in large numbers. But their size also attracts fishing boats. They are sought after for their fins and meat, for their teeth (used for crafts and sold to tourists) and for cartilage and oil with purported medicinal value. Juvenile whale sharks often end up as bycatch in tuna and other fisheries. Whale sharks were classified as endangered in 2016. During the past 75 years, it is estimated that nearly half of the world's whale sharks have disappeared. In many parts of the world, whale sharks have legal protection, but regulations are often not enforced. Guzman's data were used to design and draft local and regional policies for the protection of the species. Fishing, capture and sale of whale sharks are prohibited in Panama by Executive Decree No. 9, signed in 2009. In 2014, Panama's environmental authority passed an additional resolution regulating whale shark watching in Coiba National Park and the Isla Canales de Afuera marine reserve. The resolution includes a Whale Shark Watching Manual but unfortunately, tourism activities are not well organized and the authorities are not present to enforce the regulations. "Whale sharks in Coiba have already changed their behavior to avoid the surface and tourists," Guzman said. "These studies are critical as we design international policy to protect transboundary species like the whale sharks and other highly migratory marine species." Explore further The secret life of whale sharks no longer a mystery More information: Hector M. Guzman et al, Longest recorded trans-Pacific migration of a whale shark (Rhincodon typus), Marine Biodiversity Records (2018). Hector M. Guzman et al, Longest recorded trans-Pacific migration of a whale shark (Rhincodon typus),(2018). DOI: 10.1186/s41200-018-0143-4 Education Reporter Mathew Burciaga is a Santa Maria Times reporter who covers education, agriculture and public safety. Prior to joining the Times, Mathew ran a 114-year-old community newspaper in Wyoming. He owns more than 40 pairs of crazy socks from across the globe. Dairy Farm Singapore has put up for sale its 7-Eleven Portfolio, which comprises 13 HDB shophouses and a 999-year leasehold retail shop at Peninsula Plaza. The asking price is a grand total of $48.79 million, for a total combined strata area of 21,289 sq ft. According to the marketing agent JLL, the assets can be sold either individually or collectively. The properties are located in prime areas such as City Hall (Peninsula Plaza) and in mature residential estates like Ang Mo Kio, Bedok and Clementi (see table). This 7-Eleven at Jurong West St 51 is under Cluster 1, and going at $4.40 mil (Credit: JLL) They come with prominent frontage, and most of them are in close proximity to road junctions, coffee shops, post offices and supermarkets. The 999-year leasehold strata retail unit at Peninsula Plaza occupies a prime ground floor location with a prominent main road frontage. The portfolio will be offered for sale under three separate clusters. Cluster 1 features assets that are offered for sale with a long-term sale and leaseback arrangement with 7-Eleven in place, providing investors with the opportunity to acquire high-yielding properties with a strong and established blue-chip tenant in place. The units will be leased to Cold Storage Singapore, a subsidiary of Dairy Farm International Holdings. Cluster 2 features assets that are offered for sale with vacant possession, providing units located in good locations for owner-occupiers. Investors can also have the flexibility of leasing the units to their own preferred tenants. Cluster 3 features an individual asset located at Bedok Reservoir Road. The unit is offered for sale with existing tenancy, providing the incoming investor with a stable income stream. Source: JLL The 7-Eleven portfolio will be offered for sale via an open tender process that will close on June 5 at 3pm. This is the first time that a series of prime 7-Eleven convenience stores situated in long-standing and proven mature residential hubs is being put onto the market for sale, says Clemence Lee, associate director of capital markets at JLL. Story continues Such properties are highly sought-after by investors due to their defensive and counter-cyclical nature, Lee adds. He expects strong interest from investors such as boutique real estate funds, local companies, family offices and high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) who are looking to own a turnkey property with strong tenant covenant and a long term tenancy in place. This 2,196 sf 7-Eleven at Clementi West St 2 under Cluster 2 is the second largest unit offered. (Credit: JLL) Dairy Farm Singapore derives its returns from retail and not property, says the company in a statement. As such, over 95% of its stores are leased. Dairy Farm Singapore owns about 400 7-Eleven stores in Singapore. The acquisition of the assets was due to legacy reasons and not a strategic one, according to the company. In order to improve its capita efficiency, Dairy Farm has decided to divest the portfolio. Furthermore, in light of their noncore strategic nature and lack of scalability for further development, it is considered more beneficial to unlock the value of these assets. The proceeds will be used to reinvest and grow the business, says Dairy Farm Singapore. This 1,335 sq ft 7-Eleven at Jurong East St 13 is going for $3.96 million, (Credit: JLL) Dairy Farm Singapore is a subsidiary of Dairy Farm International, a leading pan-Asian retailer. Besides 7-Eleven, the group also operates wellknown retail brands such as Cold Storage supermarket, IKEA furniture store, Giant hypermart and Guardian pharmacy. In 2017, the group and its associates and joint ventures operated more than 7,100 outlets, employed 200,000 people and had total annual sales exceeding US$21 billion ($27.9 billion). Incidentally, Dairy Farm International is incorporated in Bermuda and listed on the London Stock Exchange, with secondary listings in Bermuda and Singapore. The groups businesses are managed from Hong Kong by Dairy Farm Management Services through its regional offices. Dairy Farm is a member of the Jardine Matheson Group. This 2,207 sq ft 7-Eleven at Ang Mo Kio Ave 10 is the largest of the 14 units on sale. (Credit: JLL) Related Articles From EdgeProp.sg This week in property: Highlights from April 23 to April 27 HDB flat buyers would pay 3% more for a greener neighbourhood 10 Contemporary Hotel-Like HDB Bedrooms Freehold shophouses at 71 to 73B Jalan Besar going for $20 mil The Philippine government is welcoming nearly a dozen cryptocurrency companies to operate in a special tax-friendly economic zone situated in close proximity to a number of neighboring countries. According to a Reuters report, the Philippines will legalize the entry of 10 blockchain and cryptocurrency companies to operate in the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA), a government-controlled economic zone that is within an hours flight away from the likes of Hong Kong, China, and Taiwan. The government aims to woo cryptocurrency companies to operate out of the economic zone with tax benefits to help generate employment opportunities locally, Cagayan Economic Zone Authority chief Raul Lambino told Reuters. Notably, the official confirmed that the government will also license in effect legalize the cryptocurrency firms in the special zone. The companies will also be allowed to operate exchanges, offer initial coin offerings (ICOs) and engage in cryptocurrency mining within the zone, he added, stating: We are about to license 10 platforms for cryptocurrency exchange. They are Japanese, Hong Kong, Malaysians, KoreansThey can go into cryptocurrency mining, initial coin offerings, or they can go into exchange. There is a caveat, however. Any exchange of fiat money into cryptocurrencies or vice-versa should be conducted beyond Philippines borders to avoid infringing the countrys laws. To aid in bringing jobs to those companies, the economic zones regulator is also considering establishing a new financial technology university in the economic zone with a specific focus on blockchain technology, Lambino added. The embracive stance follows newly introduced rules by the CEZA in February which allowed cryptocurrency companies to legally establish offices and facilities in the special zone. To gain a license, companies must invest at least $ 1 million in the zone over two years and pay up to $100,000 in licensing fees. Meanwhile, in the mainland, the Philippines central bank was previously known to be reviewing the applications of a dozen operators vying to register and launch cryptocurrency exchanges in the country as recently as December. It remains to be seen if these operators have since switched tact to register in the economic zone instead. Story continues The Philippines became one of the earliest nations in the world to publish regulations for cryptocurrency exchanges in early 2017. The deputy director of the central bank, appearing in a televised interview in October 2017, lauded the pioneering regulation and said bitcoin, as a monetary instrument, is fast, near real-time and convenient. Featured image from Shutterstock. The post Philippines Legalizes Cryptocurrency Exchanges in Economic Zone appeared first on CCN. Armenia's protest leader Nikol Pashinyan on Thursday ruled out any possibility of compromise with authorities, saying he should be elected prime minister in a vote next week. Earlier in the day Armenia's parliament set May 1 as the date to elect a prime minister in a bid to defuse escalating tensions and Russian leader Vladimir Putin stressed the "importance" of the vote in phone talks with the acting head of government. Observers have warned the crisis could destabilise the Moscow-allied nation which has been involved in a decades-long territorial dispute with Azerbaijan. Addressing supporters at a rally in the capital Yerevan, Pashinyan said he was the only suitable candidate for prime minister and rejected the possibility of any backroom deals with the ruling Republican Party. "If I am not elected prime minister, then Armenia will not have a prime minister at all," said the 42-year-old former newspaper editor. "Get me right -- the issue is not about getting me elected prime minister, it's about getting rid of the corrupt system." After electing a prime minister Armenia is expected to hold new parliamentary elections. The opposition accuses the ruling party -- which controls a majority in parliament -- of being unwilling to cede power after the country's leader Serzh Sarkisian quit his new post of prime minister earlier this week after days of protests. The Yelk opposition bloc nominated Pashinyan for prime minister, but he was 13 votes short of a majority on Wednesday. A candidate would need 53 votes to get elected. Pashinyan called a temporary halt to protests across the country and said he was willing to hold talks with acting head of government Karen Karapetyan on Friday in front of journalists. An attempt to hold such negotiations earlier in the week collapsed. Russia - which has a military base in Armenia -- has pledged it would not intervene but its top officials welcomed counterparts from the South Caucasus nation for talks on Thursday and Putin discussed the crisis with Karapetyan. "It was stressed that the settlement of the crisis situation in Armenia should be conducted solely within the legal framework," the Kremlin said after the phone talks. Speaking earlier in the day, Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov urged the importance of "compromise." In Moscow, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met with his Armenian counterpart Eduard Nalbandyan while Kremlin officials also held talks with the country's acting Vice Premier Armen Gevorkyan. Foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the top diplomats from Russia and Armenia discussed the situation around Nagorny Karabakh, a breakaway statelet with an Armenian ethnic majority that is internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan. Officials from the Russian embassy in Yerevan have also met with Pashinyan. The country's leader Serzh Sarkisian stood down Monday from his new post of prime minister after days of largely peaceful protests in the impoverished country of 2.9 million people. The opposition had accused 63-year-old Sarkisian of wanting to extend his grip on power after serving a decade as president, saying he failed to tackle a litany of problems including poverty, corruption and the influence of tycoons close to power. Analysts said the situation in Armenia was hugely unpredictable. "It's impossible to tell if the country will come out of this chaos on May 1," analyst Ervand Bozoyan said, adding that frantic backdoor negotiations were under way among political parties. Analyst Stepan Safaryan said that, while the core of the Republican Party has no intention of backing down, he did not rule out that some of the party's lawmakers would vote for Pashinyan. Protesters said Thursday it was time for the Republican Party to give way to new political forces and warned of the risk of clashes. "Everything has been peaceful so far, but there still is a risk of turmoil, even violence," said Iren Vakhtangyan, a 28-year-old historian. Hayk Gevorkyan, a 58-year-old economist, said the old elites cannot stay in power any longer. "They must go! There is no time for political manipulations and power struggle," he told AFP. "We also fear that Pashinyan could make a deal with oligarchs. If he disappoints the people, we will get rid of him just as we got rid of Serzh." A Chinese woman is going on trial on drug trafficking charges that could carry the death penalty next month in Malaysia, according to a newspaper report. Zhao Han, 27, from Sichuan province, was arrested at Kuala Lumpur airport in August 2015 carrying a suitcase that was allegedly filled with 3.3 kilograms (7lb) of methamphetamine in a hidden layer of the suitcase, Beijing News reported. Zhao insists she is innocent and says she was duped into carrying what she thought was a suitcase full of clothes that she had collected in the southern province of Guangdong before catching a flight from Hong Kong. The latest disguise for drugs in China: animal crackers and coffee-mate She also took police to the place where the case was to be delivered, but the contact had apparently received a tip-off and had disappeared. Statistics quoted in the report from the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) said that more than 20 Chinese women have been arrested or convicted for bringing drugs into Malaysia between 2013 and 2015 all of whom claimed to have been duped by a smuggling ring operating in Guangdong. Several women all aged between 20 and 24 years old with limited education said they had been asked to deliver a suitcase of clothing samples that they collected in Guangzhou city by a man they met online. The man claimed to be from Nigeria and promised a romantic relationship with them. The man, who said he ran a clothing export business, provided air tickets and promised some financial reward, but cut off contact after their arrests, according to the report. None of the women met the man in person and had collected the case from a proxy. Three of the woman have been sentenced to death and are currently appealing. The report also cited the case of another woman who had pleaded guilty to avoid a death sentence and was jailed for 14 years. Those that plead not guilty can face a protracted six to 10-year legal process before the case is resolved. Story continues Ringleaders of billion-dollar transpacific cocaine gang held in mainland China There have been no reported arrests in connection with the drug ring since 2015. The families of several women said they had contacted Chinese police to try to prove their daughters innocence but they had no follow-up. The newspaper reported one family that said they had given the police photos and telephone numbers of their daughters contacts three years ago but had heard nothing since. However, lawyers involved in the cases said evidence collected in China was not necessarily admissible in Malaysian courts and warned that unless the women could prove they had been deceived it would not help their defences. Beijing News quoted Guangzhou customs as saying they wanted to strengthen international cooperation to eradicate the smuggling ring. Guangzhou police told the newspaper on Wednesday that the cases had been recorded and they would release relevant information when they had it. This article Chinese drug mule facing death penalty in Malaysia trial could be latest victim of trafficking ring first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2018. The Czech Republic announced on Wednesday the reopening of its honorary consulate in Jerusalem as President Milos Zeman reiterated his wish to move the Czech embassy to the city from Tel Aviv. "The Czech Republic has decided to open in May an honorary consulate in West Jerusalem, and before the end of the year a Czech centre, also in West Jerusalem," the ministry said in a statement. Opened in the early 1990s, the Czech honorary consulate in Jerusalem was closed in 2016 due to the death of the honorary consul, spokeswoman Michaela Lagronova told AFP. US President Donald Trump broke with decades of policy in December to announce US recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital and a pledge to move the embassy, drawing near global condemnation and enraging the Palestinians. It ruptured generations of international consensus that Jerusalem's status should be settled as part of a two-state peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians. President Zeman, known for his pro-Israel stance, repeated Wednesday evening his desire to see his country's embassy transferred to Jerusalem. Speaking at Prague Castle, he said he remembered discussing it with Benjamin Netanyahu, quoting the Israeli Prime Minister as saying: "If you do, I will give you my own house." Zeman added: "By the way, I strongly refuse the accusation that we copy the United States of America. Contrary to that, the United States of America copied my proposal." He also criticised objections to the idea from European nations, calling them "cowards". The Czech Embassy (of Czechoslovakia then Czech Republic) has been in Tel Aviv since 1949, except during the interruption of diplomatic relations under the former communist regime in Prague between 1967 and 1990. Netanyahu responded in a letter, in which he said: "I am delighted that I will be able to welcome you towards the end of this year to Israel, where, as I hope, we can open the Czech Embassy in Jerusalem, the eternal capital of the Jewish state." Any decision to move the embassy would first need to be approved by the Czech government. New Hong Kong-backed start-up Air Belgium abruptly cancels flights after failing to get permission to fly over Russia Thousands of passengers could be left scrambling to make alternative travel plans after a new start-up airline backed by Hong Kong investors announced on Wednesday it had cancelled flights until June 3. Low-cost long-haul carrier Air Belgium said its first flight would not take off on April 30 as expected as it had failed to secure permission to fly over Russia a standard requirement for airlines. The company had started selling tickets in April despite not having secured all relevant permits. In response to inquiries from the Post, however, Air Belgium dismissed the notion this was an oversight. A total of 38 flights set to run between Brussels and Hong Kong will be axed until June 3 at the earliest, when the airline hopes it will be granted access to Russian airspace. Hong Kong investor Peter Yip is part of a group of individuals who own a 49 per cent stake in the fledgling carrier. CEO Niky Terzakis said passengers who had booked Air Belgium tickets could still fly to Hong Kong on different airlines, receive a full refund or defer travel with financial compensation. This was a hard call to make considering the market expectations, but we take the protection of our travellers interests to heart. In the meantime, we are doing everything we can to obtain the overflight permit as fast as possible, Terzakis said. Everything will be done to find a solution for each passenger. Such measures are likely to be expensive, with the airline offering unspecified compensation while being at risk of having to pay face value for passengers to fly economy or business class on competitor airlines. Passengers who opt to delay their trip could receive extra holiday spending money as the cost of a new flight is typically lower than the potential compensation of 600 euros (HK$5,700) the maximum payout set by the European Union to protect consumer rights. Air Belgium did not respond to questions about how many passengers were affected. Assuming all seats were filled in each direction, the number of travellers involved would be just over 11,500 people. Story continues The company was also not connected to a global booking system, a platform nearly every airline and travel agent uses to sell plane tickets, making it more challenging to reach a wider customer base including individual travellers as well as Chinese tour groups heading to Europe. Its cheapest tickets, which do not include a baggage allowance, were in some instances more expensive than those of competitors. Cathay Pacific, a full-service airline, was offering promotional fares of HK$4,192 (US$534), compared with Air Belgiums basic fare of HK$4,498, a review of airfares showed last week. I cant wrap my head around these start-up airlines that are run by people with experience in the airline industry yet make such rookie mistakes Ben Schlappig, air travel expert Air Belgium will not fly from its countrys main international airport either, unlike Hong Kongs Cathay Pacific. To save money, it will use Brussels South Charleroi airport, located about 60km from the city centre and mostly home to budget carriers. Professional air travel expert Ben Schlappig, who had planned to fly to Hong Kong on Air Belgium, blasted the airline. I cant wrap my head around these start-up airlines that are run by people with experience in the airline industry yet make such rookie mistakes, said Schlappig, who runs the One Mile at a Time flight and hotel travel review website. Russian airspace permits can be time consuming and challenging to get, though youd think thats something they would have cleared up further in advance, given their entire business model relies on being able to use this airspace. This article New Hong Kong-backed start-up Air Belgium abruptly cancels flights after failing to get permission to fly over Russia first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2018. 25 Apr Following the backlash of last week's "Avengers" event, the Marvel China promotion team recently released a statement to fans of the franchise to apologise for their blunders. According to Mingpao, in an official statement released on its Weibo account, the organiser stated that the team only intended to try new ways of promoting a movie in China, especially since Marvel is one of the biggest cinematic franchises in the world. "However, this event has failed to exceed people's expectation. We are fully aware that this has disappointed our most cherished fans. We have heard you, and each and every one of our fans' opinions are very important to us." "We take full responsibility for this, and sincerely apologise to those who have always supported Marvel. Without you, there is no Marvel in China today." The apology came after fans expressed anger over the way the "Avengers: Infinity War" event in Shanghai Disney Resort was organised. Aside from the usual crowd control issues, fans also had to watch the performance from local artistes like Jane Zhang, Aaron Yan, and Eason Chan that had nothing to do with the movie. They were also angered by the fact that the stars of the movie, including Robert Downey Jr., Mark Ruffalo, and Tom Hiddleston had to give space for the Chinese stars and share the stage with them awkwardly. (Photo source: Mingpao) North Koreas mountain nuclear test site has collapsed, putting China and other nearby nations at unprecedented risk of radioactive exposure, two separate groups of Chinese scientists studying the issue have confirmed. The collapse after five nuclear blasts may be why North Korean leader Kim Jong-un declared on Friday that he would freeze the hermit states nuclear and missile tests and shut down the site, one researcher said. The last five of Pyongyangs six nuclear tests have all been carried out under Mount Mantap at the Punggye-ri nuclear test site in North Koreas northwest. One group of researchers found that the most recent blast tore open a hole in the mountain, which then collapsed upon itself. A second group concluded that the breakdown created a chimney that could allow radioactive fallout from the blast zone below to rise into the air. A research team led by Wen Lianxing, a geologist with the University of Science and Technology of China in Hefei, concluded that the collapse occurred following the detonation last autumn of North Koreas most powerful thermal nuclear warhead in a tunnel about 700 metres (2,296 feet) below the mountains peak. The test turned the mountain into fragile fragments, the researchers found. Time to educate Chinese about the nuclear threat next door The mountains collapse, and the prospect of radioactive exposure in the aftermath, confirms a series of exclusive reports by the South China Morning Post on Chinas fears that Pyongyangs latest nuclear test had caused a fallout leak. Radioactive dust could escape through holes or cracks in the damaged mountain, the scientists said. It is necessary to continue monitoring possible leaks of radioactive materials caused by the collapse incident, Wens team said in the statement. The findings will be published on the website of the peer-reviewed journal, Geophysical Research Letters, likely next month. Story continues North Korea saw the mountain as an ideal location for underground nuclear experiments because of its elevation it stood more than 2,100 metres (6,888 feet) above sea level and its terrain of thick, gentle slopes that seemed capable of resisting structural damage. The mountains surface had shown no visible damage after four underground nuclear tests before 2017. But the 100-kilotonne bomb that went off on September 3 vaporised surrounding rocks with unprecedented heat and opened a space that was up to 200 metres (656 feet) in diameter, according to a statement posted on the Wen teams website on Monday. As shock waves tore through and loosened more rocks, a large section of the mountains ridge, less than half a kilometre (0.3 mile) from the peak, slipped down into the empty pocket created by the blast, leaving a scar visible in satellite images. Wen concluded that the mountain had collapsed after analysing data collected from nearly 2,000 seismic stations. Three small earthquakes that hit nearby regions in the wake of the collapse added credence to his conclusion, suggesting the test site had lost its geological stability. Another research team led by Liu Junqing at the Jilin Earthquake Agency with the China Earthquake Administration in Changchun reached similar conclusions to the Wen team. The rock collapse was for the first time documented in North Koreas test site, Lius team wrote in a paper published last month in Geophysical Research Letters. The breakdown not only took off part of the mountains summit but also created a chimney that could allow fallout to rise from the blast centre into the air, they said. Zhao Lianfeng, a researcher with the Institute of Earth Science at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing, said the two studies supported a consensus among scientists that the site was wrecked beyond repair. Their findings are in agreement to our observations, he said. Different teams using different data have come up with similar conclusions, Zhao said. The only difference was in some technical details. This is the best guess that can be made by the world outside. Speculation grew that North Koreas site was in trouble when Lee Doh-sik, the top North Korean geologist, visited Zhaos institute about two weeks after the test and met privately with senior Chinese government geologists. US reveals how its forces would secure North Koreas nuclear sites Although the purpose of Lees visit was not disclosed, two days later Pyongyang announced it would no longer conduct land-based nuclear tests. Hu Xingdou, a Beijing-based scholar who follows North Koreas nuclear programme, said it was highly likely that Pyongyang had received a stark warning from Beijing. The test was not only destabilising the site but increasing the risk of eruption of the Changbai Mountain, a large, active volcano at China-Korean border, said Hu, who asked that his university affiliation not be disclosed for this article because of the topics sensitivity. The mountains collapse has likely dealt a huge blow to North Koreas nuclear programme, Hu said. Hit by crippling international economic sanctions over its nuclear ambitions, the country might lack sufficient resources to soon resume testing at a new site, he said. But there are other sites suitable for testing, Hu said. They must be closely monitored. Guo Qiuju, a Peking University professor who has belonged to a panel that has advised the Chinese government on emergency responses to radioactive hazards, said that if fallout escaped through cracks, it could be carried by wind over the Chinese border. So far we have not detected an abnormal increase of radioactivity levels, Guo said. But we will continue to monitor the surrounding region with a large [amount] of highly sensitive equipment and analyse the data in state-of-the-art laboratories. Zhao Guodong, a government nuclear waste confinement specialist at the University of South China, said that the North Korean government should allow scientists from China and other countries to enter the test site and evaluate the damage. We can put a thick layer of soil on top of the collapsed site, fill the cracks with special cement, or remove the pollutants with chemical solution, he said. There are many methods to deal with the problem. All they need [to do] is ask. This article North Koreas nuclear test site has collapsed ... and that may be why Kim Jong-un suspended tests first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2018. More from South China Morning Post: A Pakistan court on Thursday jailed a man for seven years in the country's first ever conviction for child pornography. Sadat Amin was found guilty by a Lahore court of being part of a global child pornography racket spread across Europe and the United States. Pakistan only criminalised child pornography, as well as sexual assault against minors, for the first time in March last year, following the passage of a bill in the Senate. According to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), Amin was arrested on the complaint of the Norwegian Embassy in April last year. Investigators recovered more than 650,000 photographs and videos of child pornography in his possession. Amin was also given a fine of 1.2 million rupees ($10,000) by the court in Pakistan's eastern city of Lahore. The amendment to the penal code last March also criminalised human trafficking within Pakistan, and raised the age of criminal responsibility from seven to 10. Under the revised legislation, sexual assaults against minors are now punishable by up to seven years in prison. Previously only rape was criminalised. Likewise, child pornography, which was previously not mentioned in the law, is now punishable by seven years in prison. Reporting and Photos by Fadza Ishak; Video by Nabil Danial You could say general elections are an enchanted time for any nation, when one gets to watch the magic of democracy in action. So is it any surprise that a self-styled shaman has decided to run for office in Malaysias upcoming national polls? Ibrahim Mat Zin, also known as Raja Bomoh (King of Shamans in Malay), announced on 17 April that he would be running for the Bagan Datuk parliamentary seat in the 9 May general election (GE14). His bid could potentially see him taking on Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. The 68-year-old silat teacher and real estate businessman, is no stranger to the limelight. In 2014, he made headlines for putting on two much-publicised rituals at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport involving coconuts and bamboo sticks with the intention of locating the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370. In March this year, Ibrahim performed another ritual outside the National Institute of Forensic Medicine at Hospital Kuala Lumpur following the assassination of Kim Jong Nam, the half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. This time, the performance was meant to protect Malaysia from outside threats, especially those coming from North Korea. Ibrahim was subsequently taken to task for his antics and publicly apologised the following month for creating a scene and mocking Islam. He also admitted that the rituals conducted were merely for the sake of causing drama. Born in Bagan Datuk but registered in Teluk Intan, Perak, the self-described shaman says he has four wives and 32 children. He also claims to be a descendant of Dato Maharaja Lela, the folk hero who resisted British colonialism. As president of the Silat Gayong Ghaib Malaysia association, which teaches a mystical form of the martial art, Ibrahim claims he has students across Malaysia and other parts of Asia. It is these students, along with his neighbours and friends who have been pushing him to step into the political arena, he adds. Story continues Yahoo News Singapore caught up with Ibrahim in Kuala Lumpur to find out more about his election plans. 1. Whats your interest in running in this election? Why now? I actually had no intention of running, but my students, neighbours and friends have been nudging me to do so for the past 10 years. Previously, I left it to other parties to take care of these people because it is the (ministers) job. But, the people have become frustrated. Back then you could get two full bags of groceries with RM50 ($17) when you went to the market. Nowadays you cannot get that any more (The people Im referring to) are kampung (village) people, and not city people. Like in Bagan Datuk, Hutan Melintang and Simpang Empat. They are all fisherman or work on cocoa farms and coconut plantations. So they came to me, asking me to run to defend and guide them. And the people, all five million of them, asked me to run for this election. The current illegal immigrant problem in Malaysia has made it difficult of locals to get jobs. And if we look at the standard of salaries between all these illegal immigrant and locals, their pay is the same. At times the (illegal immigrants) pay can even be higher than that of the locals. These illegal immigrants get their salary, they pay their rent and send the rest back to their countries, but our people they have to pay for their car, water, electricity and families. So it is sad to see how our government has been managing the economy Back when we were colonised by the British, our economy was good, prosperous and everyone lived lavishly. But now, when Malaysians themselves govern the country, our economy has become bad for everyone. Now the rich are getting richer while things are getting worse for the poor. I, as Dato Mahaguru Ibrahim Mat Zin, am running not because of the salary. I will give the five years of my pay to the less fortunate within the Malay community. Secondly, I will also help the Chinese, Indians, the Sikhs, Christians as well as the Murut and Bajau people in Sabah and Sarawak. Because I am not the peoples representative, but I am the peoples spirit. 2. Do you have any experience in politics? What will be the main focus of your campaign for GE14? I have mixed with people in politics for years. I have been involved in politics since the era of Tungku Abdul Rahman. Tun Razak, Tun Ismail and also Tun Hussain Onn, Abdullah Badawi, and also Tun Mahathir. I was not a politician but I mixed with politicians. I am used to officiating openings of schools and have done political campaigning under UMNO, during which thousands of people watched me talk. But I didnt get into politics. Because of the current economy, I myself sometimes feel sad. Its not that the party that governs the nation is not good, but the person who leads the party is not that good. If elected, Ibrahim seen here with his bodyguard has promised to give back all five years of his pay to less fortunate Malays and other communities. (PHOTO: Fadza Ishak for Yahoo News Singapore) 3. Who are your supporters and why do you think you appeal to them? See, now there are people from Barisan Nasional, Parti Keadilan Rakyat, PAS and also independent candidates. But the people feel none have tried to help them. Thats why I am an independent, so no one can be angry at me. So the president for this independent party is me, and I have 15 million followers. This is not including people from outside of Malaysia. I was the president of Teluk Intans Trishaw Society and I am also the president for Teluk Intans Malay youth society. I am also president of an association for traditional healers. So that is why I can speak in public like this. I am also the president of my silat society. 4. What will you do if you win? Will you continue to stand in elections if you lose? For me, I promise if I win a parliamentary seat in Bagan Datuk, I will build one big Islamic Tahfiz School or a big Chinese school or a big Tamil school. This is because the students from these schools mostly come from poor families. I will also give all the students RM120 per month to help them to go to school. There are a lot of single mothers in Bagan Datuk, and I will give them each RM800 per month. For the disabled, I will give them RM1,500 per month. So the total amount that I will give out is RM500 million within that five-year term. If I win, I will add another RM3 billion I will still run in the next election even if I dont win. Because I am new, so people dont know me yet. Just like if you open up a restaurant, people dont know what is good in your restaurant, but sooner or later (they will) and I will build on that support. 5. What is being bomoh about in the 21st century? (Being a) bomoh is a way of Islamic healing that is being inherited from the time of the Prophets, the kings. In 2018, it is like our left and right hand. Left is the traditional way and the right is the modern medical way. So in cases of mysterious illnesses, people will go to the traditional healer to ask for help. Like being haunted by a ghost, hysteria you wont go to see the doctor for help (in these matters). If you have gastric or liver problem, you should seek the help of modern medicine. We wont try to heal that. Ibrahim believes he is more well known than this possible election competitor, Malaysias Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. (PHOTO: Fadza Ishak for Yahoo News Singapore) 6. Will you be using your powers to help yourself win? Every politician use bomohs during election periods. Not only that, if you want to win a singing competition you will go look for ustadz (music teacher) and bomoh. So when you seek a bomoh, it is not like you place your faith with the bomoh, but with God. 7. What would you say to those who are sceptical of your past demonstrations of magic powers? There are four types for bomoh. First is Pawang, then Dukun, Kiyai and the traditional healer. We dont all use magic. Some will recite some gibberish, which is what you can call superstition. But if you recite from the Quran then that is different. So if that is considered wrong, then what else can you do beside that? 8. Among the major parties contesting the election, which one do you support (if any)? Nope (laughs). 9. Would you be intimidated going against big name such as DPM Zahid Hamidi? For me Zahid Hamidi is a nice and good man, and his name is well-known. I do support him actually, but when talking about the current situation my name is even bigger because the whole world knows me. I just hold the two coconuts, and I made the news in Korea and in the United States. Being a big name comes second. If we have a big name but we do little work, the public wont be happy. As an independent Im not running a business party. Even if I was being offered big project by the government, I would refuse it. I would open it to the people, to whoever want it. I have a lot already, so why should I take it? I should give it to the public. Prosecutors in Peru will indict former president Alberto Fujimori and three ex-ministers over the forced sterilization of five women while he was in office, a human rights group says. According to Milton Campos, who represents the Peruvian women's rights group DEMUS, at least 2,164 people have filed suit over enforced sterilizations during Fujimori's rule (1990-2000). "State prosecutor Luis Landa has ordered the start of proceedings against Fujimori and three former health ministers for their overall responsibility in the forced sterilization of Mamerita Mestanza, Celia Ramos and three other women, who suffered serious injuries and then died," Campos, a lawyer for the victims' families, told AFP late Wednesday. "The decision by prosecutor Landa shows that he is convinced there is enough evidence to prosecute former president Fujimori along with ex-ministers Marino Costa, Eduardo Yong and Alejandro Aguinaga, as well as other officials." In Peru, lawyers involved in such cases are notified ahead of time, before such decisions are made public. According to official data, some 300,000 women underwent surgery as part of the program, 18 of whom died during or after the procedures. In December 2016, the victims -- represented by DEMUS -- filed a motion against prosecutor Marcelia Gutierrez's decision to close several of the investigations. Most of those affected by the forced sterilizations were poor, indigenous Quechua-speaking woman from rural areas, DEMUS says. - 'Family planning program' - Victims first filed suit nearly two decades ago but it was only in 2015 that the Peruvian government opened a national register of victims. In 1996, at the start of Fujimori's second term in office, his government began a family planning and reproductive health program that included tubal ligation procedures that were supposed to be voluntary. Fujimori believed this would reduce the birth rate and help economic development. The issue hit the spotlight again ahead of the 2016 election campaign in which Fujimori's daughter, who was running for office, promised to compensate the victims without admitting the state was to blame. But she lost out to her rival, Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, who has described the sterilizations as "a crime against humanity." Although he promised the state would compensate the victims, that has yet to happen. Now 79, Alberto Fujimori is already behind bars, serving a 25-year sentence for massacres of alleged terrorists in the early 1990s and in February, a Peruvian court also ordered that he stand trial for the 1992 killings of six farmers. The Philippines shuttered its most famous holiday island Boracay to tourists on Thursday for a six-month clean-up, which the government has imposed with a muscular show of its security forces. Coast guard boats were on patrol and assault rifle-wielding police were posted at entry points to the once-pristine island that has become tainted by heavy commercialisation and overdevelopment. Regional police head Cesar Binag told AFP the shutdown began past midnight, with tourists barred from boarding the ferry that is the main way onto the island. "Boracay is officially closed to tourists. We are not closing establishments but tourists cannot enter. We are implementing the instruction of the president," Binag said. About 600 policemen were deployed, with some performing life-like drills including riot officers battling bottle-hurling protesters and mock hostage taking of sunbathers -- all before startled locals. "My nephews and nieces were afraid," Filipino tourist Tara Calcetas told AFP. "It was scary because there were people swimming yesterday (at the beach) and the police were firing guns as if there was a criminal here." The government conceded on Thursday there was no real threat, with interior ministry assistant secretary Epimaco Densing telling AFP the security presence was "just part of preparing for the worst". President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the shutdown this month after calling the resort a "cesspool", dirtied by tourism-related businesses flushing their raw sewage directly into the ocean. During the closure, only residents with ID cards are allowed to board ferries to Boracay, which is home to around 40,000 people. People on the so-called "party island" held a final bash on the beachfront on the eve of the closure, complete with a fireworks display and cheers of "Bye, Bye Boracay". But on Thursday, residents had the swaying palms, turquoise waters and usually mobbed white-sand beaches mostly to themselves. "This is what you call an island, a paradise. Boracay looks like its original beautiful self," said restaurant cook John Reymar. The Philippines has pledged to take advantage of the calm to spruce up the 1,000-hectare (2,470-acre) chunk of bruised paradise. There are plans to bulldoze illegal or dilapidated structures, to shore up the island's infrastructure and clean up the mess left by years of unchecked growth. However, plans to help the up to 30,000 people who had been employed by the island's bustling tourist trade were less clear. Though Duterte has promised some $38 million in funds to help workers, they say they haven't seen a cent yet. The workers were drawn by the relatively good wages on the island that has seen the number of visitors roughly quadruple to two million since 2006. Those tourists, a growing number of whom are Chinese and Korean, pumped roughly $1 billion in revenue into the Philippine economy last year. But its growth from a sleepy backpacker hideaway into a mass-tourism hub with fast food outlets on the beach has taken a toll. Unchecked construction has eaten away at the island's natural beauty, while slimy algae-filled waves in some areas and mountains of discarded drink bottles are problems acknowledged even by critics of the shutdown. "I'm all for rehabilitation and preserving it but clearly this is not the way to do it," Philippine politics expert Ashley Acedillo told AFP. He called the closure an "ill-thought through, unplanned and knee-jerk action" that did not take into account the economic impact on the island's workers and business community. Reymar, the restaurant cook, agreed: "But maybe without tourists, what is the use of having a beautiful island?" Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores stand at the shore of Orinoco river in Tucupita, Venezuela April 24, 2018. Miraflores Palace/Handout via REUTERS CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela and Panama will restore ambassadors and allow for the resumption of airline service, turning the page on a diplomatic dispute between the two countries, they said on Thursday. Venezuela this month cut commercial ties with a group of Panamanian officials and companies, including regional airline Copa , for alleged involvement in money laundering, prompting both countries to recall ambassadors. The two governments said in a joint statement that they would send back their respective ambassadors, "reestablish air connectivity" and "maintain an open and respectful diplomatic dialogue." Copa, which has become a crucial provider of international flights following a sharp reduction in airline services to crisis-stricken Venezuela, did not answer phone calls seeking comment. Venezuela had accused Panamanian President Juan Carlos Varela and nearly two dozen cabinet ministers and top-ranking officials of involvement in money laundering. That came a week after Panama declared Maduro and some 50 Venezuelan nationals "high risk" suspects for laundering money and financing terrorism. (Reporting by Brian Ellsworth and Vivian Sequera in Caracas and Eli Moreno in Panama City; editing by Grant McCool, Tom Brown and Cynthia Osterman) Youve no doubt heard rumours circulating regarding SLS Street League coming to London this year, so heres the official word from SLS themselves, along with dates, venue and ticketing information. Its been a long time since the capital saw a global skateboarding event (G-97 perhaps?) so its great to see The Mayor of London so onside with skateboarding again. See below for all the confirmed information as it stands. More to come very soon STREET LEAGUE SKATEBOARDING SET FOR SPECTACULAR 2018 LONDON DEBUT In the wake of its recent agreement regarding the Olympic qualification pathway with World Skate (the IOC-recognized international federation), the worlds most prestigious skateboarding competition will make its London debut next month at The Copper Box Arena, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park on 26-27 May. Hosting the opening event of this prestigious tour is a major coup for London, as SLS and World Skate prepare street skateboarding for its inaugural appearance in the Olympic Games at Tokyo 2020. Tickets for the SLS Pro Open London will go on sale today, generating excitement from the skate community, including British skateboarding legend Geoff Rowley. British skateboarding has held some incredible contests in the past that have gone on to grow and shape the skate scene in Europe and worldwide. Its great to see the city of London embracing that rich culture by bringing SLS to the city. Geoff Rowley As well as showcasing the worlds best street skaters, the SLS Pro Open London will shine the spotlight on the capitals rich street skating scene, challenging negative perceptions of the sport and celebrating the creativity, physicality, and sense of community at its core. 2017 SLS World Champion Nyjah Huston (USA) and top contender Shane ONeill (Australia) are among the big names set to intermix with an exciting group of up-and- coming athletes that will compete in London over the bank holiday weekend. The athletes will battle it out on a custom-built concrete skate plaza, designed to inspire innovative tricks and take skateboarding to new heights. The competition features an exciting easy-to-follow format, anchored by instant scoring, resulting in down to the last trick buzzer-beater moments that appeal to both die-hard fans and new spectators alike. This years World Tour will debut a long-awaited womens qualifier, featuring 2015 winner, Leticia Bufoni (Brazil) and reigning back-to- back champion Lacey Baker (USA). The Associated Press Texas, US.- Two Dallas police officers were critically wounded in a shooting that also injured a home improvement store employee, authorities said. The shooting occurred about 4:15 p.m. as officers were escorting a man from the Home Depot in northern Dallas. The two officers and the store loss-prevention officer underwent surgery for their injuries, Police Chief U. Renee Hall said late Tuesday night. She did not provide details of their conditions but asked for continued prayers for their recovery. Police arrested Armando Luis Juarez, 29, on charges of aggravated assault on a police officer and felony theft. He was taken into custody shortly before 10 p.m. after a lengthy car chase involving officers of various law enforcement agencies. We got our man, Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings said at the late-night news conference. The two police officers were called to the store to help an off-duty officer with removing the man from the store. The Dallas Police Department said the officers were critically wounded. In a tweet about the shooting Tuesday evening, the Dallas Police Department said the officers were critically wounded, but Hall declined to go into detail about their conditions during two news conferences at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas. She said surgery was completed on the police officers and store employee late Tuesday at the hospital. Rawlings said he continues to be upset at the lack of respect for our police in this city and in our country. In 2016, four Dallas police officers and a transit officer were shot dead by a sniper in an ambush that came toward the end of a peaceful protest over the police killings of black men that had occurred in other cities. NOVEDADES NEWS INTERNATIONAL.- The 12th edition of the Sacred Mayan Journey will take place on May 25th and 26th, with the participation of 377 canoers, the highest number of participants that the event has had since its first edition, informed Leticia Aguerrebere Salido, its General Manager, thus ensuring that this effort to recover this pre-Hispanic tradition that had stopped being practiced for more than five centuries has been very successful. Aguerrebere Salido assured that the Sacred Mayan Journey is not only an event that generates great expectations year after year, but also has been a cultural identification link for residents of the northern area of Quintana Roo and an incentive for local tourism, national and foreign. She recalled that all canoers who make the journey do so voluntarily, after an intense training over six months, in which they test their physical and mental abilities, as well as their spiritual values. Of the total canoers, trained in the schools of Cancun, Xcaret, Xel-Ha and Cozumel, 46% are women and 54% are men. Tambien te puede interesar: Republicans want answers from Pruitt; EPA ethics woes mount On this occasion, it has the participation of 35 foreign canoers, from Argentina, Canada, the United States, Colombia, Venezuela, the United Kingdom, France, Slovakia, Spain and Italy. In turn, 218 artists participate in ceremonies of music and dance, from the DIF and the House of Culture of Cozumel and Playa del Carmen, the Mayan zone of the south of Quintana Roo, and the Xipetotec cast of Xcaret. The Sacred Mayan Journey recreates the maritime processions carried out by the ancient Mayans, to worship the goddess Ixchel, starting from the port of Pole (today Xcaret) to arrive at Cuzamil (today Cozumel). The canoers will leave on Friday, May 25th, from Xcaret Park, with the first rays of the sun, to cross the Caribbean Sea over a period of six to eight hours, depending on weather conditions, and arrive at Chankanaab Park in Cozumel. In turn, the return will take place on Saturday May 26th in the morning, anticipating reaching Xcaret around 13:00 hours. With the Sacred Mayan Journey we strengthen the appreciation of the ancestral culture, we promote the learning of the past, we reinforce identity and we spread our heritage, said Aguerrebere Salido, at the time of thanking the authorities for their collaboration in the realization of this event, such as the Port Captain of Playa del Carmen Ports, the Naval Sector of Cozumel, the Cozumel Parks and Museums Foundation, as well as the municipalities of Cozumel and Solidaridad. The Associated Press UNITED STATES.- A senior European Union official on Wednesday urged Serbia, a candidate for EU membership that is also Russias key ally in Europe, to keep up its bid to join the bloc. I came here with a clear message, European Council President Donald Tusk said, speaking in Serbian during a joint press conference with Serbias President Aleksandar Vucic. wants to remain the most reliable partner of Serbia and the Western Balkans, Tusk added. Tusk visited Belgrade as part of his weeklong tour of Western Balkans to prepare for the May 17 summit in of EU and regional leaders. Countries in the region Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, as well as Serbia are aspiring to join the EU. Russia though is vying for influence, particularly in Serbia, a Slavic and Orthodox Christian nation with which it maintains strong historic links. The European Union is and wants to remain the most reliable partner of Serbia and the Western Balkans Tusk said the summit in Sofia, Bulgaria, will confirm our readiness to work on the European perspective of the region, including boosting economic ties. confirm our readiness to work on the European perspective of the region, The 28 EU member states must agree unanimously for any country to become a member. The process of joining the EU has been a powerful driver of political and democratic reform in post-communist countries. EU officials have told Serbia that in order to join it must resolve the dispute with Kosovo, a former Serbian province whose 2008 declaration of independence Belgrade does not accept. Kosovos statehood has been recognized by most EU members and the United States, but Serbia has relied on Moscow to back its claim on the territory. Tusk said Kosovo is a tough, emotionally charged issue for Serbia, but that resolving it will pay off in the end. The future of Serbia wont be decided in Moscow or Washington, Ankara or Brussels, said Tusk. It will be decided by Belgrade.He addedthe EU is a place where nothing is imposed on anyone, and should be viewed as a project with strategic dimension. Lisa Mascaro WASHINGTON.- French President Emmanuel Macron urged the United States to reject fear and isolationism Wednesday and instead embrace the historic bond between the two countries to launch a new era of 21st century leadership and security. Macron told a joint meeting of Congress, the American and French people have had a rendezvous with freedom. Speaking almost directly to President Donald Trump, Macron quickly turned to the top issues of Syria, the Iran nuclear deal, free trade and the Paris accord on climate change topics where he and Trump disagree as he urged the United States not to retreat from its historic and military role in world affairs. We are living in a time of anger and fear because of global threats, Macron told lawmakers. You can play with fears and angers for a time, but they do not construct anything. With a nod to great American leaders, including former President Franklin Roosevelt, he warned against withdrawing from the world in fear. We have two possible ways ahead. We can choose isolationism, withdrawal and nationalism. It can be tempting to us as a temporary remedy to our fears, he said. But closing the door to the world will not stop the evolution of the world. He proposed a new breed of militarism that was more effective, accountable and results-oriented. This requires more than ever the United States involvement, he said. At times during the nearly hour-long speech, delivered in English, he took turns playing into his friendly relationship with Trump, while nudging, forcefully at times, against their differences. He reiterated French support for U.S. sanctions on Pyongyang toward the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula, and said as for Iran, our objective is clear: Iran shall never possess any nuclear weapons. But he warned against simply abandoning the multi-nation Iran nuclear deal, as Trump has considered, promoting a more comprehensive deal he has been discussing with White House officials during his U.S. visit. This recipe originally appeared on Food52. I havent had the good fortune of traveling to Vietnam, but a person can dream. Imagining the joy of eating my way through the country is overwhelming. Endless bowls of fragrant pho, fresh summer rolls, and lemongrass-spiced everything sounds like bliss. In the meantime, Ive channeled my wanderlust towards Vietnamese food closer to home. Living in New York City makes it easy to find pretty solid Vietnamese food, so Ive sampled as much as I can. One particular favorite is Vietnamese iced coffee (strong coffee mixed with sweetened condensed milk), which is fantastic in the summer but I could happily drink it any time of the year. Advertisement The drink is traditionally made using coarsely ground, dark roast coffee beans and prepared in a drip filter, so its more concentrated than most brewed coffee. The hot version is equally popular and equally wonderful, but I love the taste of hefty pour of thick, sweetened condensed milk poured over coffee and ice. The image of the creamy milk swirled into dark coffee is one of the prettiest things a coffee-loving person can picture. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Being a baker at heart, I was thrilled to stumble upon a few recipes for cookies inspired by Vietnamese iced coffee, like this one by Thien-Kim Lam on the blog Im Not The Nanny. I made some tweaks to the ones I saw, adding extra coarse coffee grounds to my cookie dough to give both flavor and a nice gritty texture to the sandy, buttery, shortbread-like cookies. The icing is made with sweetened condensed milk, and I add some vanilla bean paste and espresso powder to heighten the flavor and cut the sweetness. If you dont have vanilla bean paste handy, you can just use vanilla extract. Advertisement The dough freezes wonderfully, so go ahead and double the batch and keep some on hand in the freezer. Anyone who likes coffee will love these cookies, and youll probably win over some non-coffee drinkers too. So until I find myself on a trip to Vietnam, you can find me making these weekly. Makes 1 batch 1 tablespoon very strong brewed coffee, with extra to use 1 cup (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature 1 cups (5 ounces) confectioners sugar, divided 1 teaspoon vanilla extract teaspoon salt 2 cups (8 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons coarsely ground coffee (I use a dark roast) 3 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk teaspoon vanilla bean paste 1 tablespoon whole milk Pinch of espresso powder See the full recipe on Food52. More from Food52 Cold Brew Versus Iced Coffee: Which Is Actually Better? Five Ways to Make Iced Coffee Better Why You Should Be Mixing Your Iced Coffee with Lemonade This Japanese Way of Making Iced Coffee Is a Game Changer Which Non-Dairy Milk Tastes Best in Iced Coffee? We Tested and Tasted How to Make Cold-Brewed Coffee Better Life Lab is a partnership of Slate and New America. From the time she was young, one Mississippi woman said that if she had kids, she would breastfeed them. A beloved aunt had instilled in her its merits. But when her twins were born, none of that happened. At the time, the woman, whom we refer to as Mattie (a pseudonym to conform with academic research standards for anonymity), was 19 years old and the pressure from her mother and the doctors at the hospital gave her little agency over her birth and feeding. Advertisement Mattie says that even though she told her providers she wanted to breastfeed, nobody gave her any informationfor example, about colostrum, the low-volume, high-nutrient trickle that comes in before a full supply of milk. She assumed her milk wasnt coming in and that she wasnt going to be able to keep up with breastfeeding twins, so she quit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With her third child, Mattie tried breastfeeding again and made it to two months before cluster feeding starteda fairly common occurrence in which some babies want to eat multiple times in a short period and then go long periods without eating. But to Mattie, it just seemed her daughter wanted to eat constantly. Her mom again told her, You need to feed her formula. Mattie told her mother that she wanted to breastfeed, but without knowledge to explain her daughters feeding pattern, she eventually got scared again. Mattie persisted with breast milk until her daughter was 6 months and then switched to formula at her mothers and partners urging. Advertisement Advertisement With her youngest child, she went in guns blazing, determined to breastfeed. She went into research mode, joining online groups and learning that she could get a hospital-grade pump, milk storage bags, and replacement parts through Medicaid. And it worked: When her son was born, he was immediately laid on her chest (a practice called skin-to-skin that promotes breastfeeding, among other health outcomes) and she requested the guidance of a lactation consultant in the hospital who helped fix the babys latch. Even though her mom was still making discouraging comments about breastfeeding, she listened to the counsel of a good friend: Dont freak out. Dont quit. Keep going. When I met her eight months later, she was still giving her son breast milk, in part because her employer, an elder health facility, has been very accommodating about her pumping needs. Advertisement Advertisement She has now become an advocate for breastfeeding. She uses her Facebook page as a place to share information about breastfeeding laws and tips for empowerment with other parents. She says that she has even managed to bring her mom around on the topic. In the U.S., many factors have rendered breastfeeding a luxury good: Babies from well-off families get it, and other babies do not. Her experience illustrates the stops and starts, dashed dreams, information gaps, and social barriers that women encounter in the face of one of the biggest public health failings in our country. The World Health Organization, UNICEF, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the surgeon general all agree that exclusive breastfeeding for six months and breastfeeding plus food for one year is the optimal way to nourish new babies. In spite of this, only 22 percent of babies in the United States are exclusively breastfed until 6 months. Many parents are getting the message Breast is best, but the postpartum world they must navigate burdens, degrades, and isolates nursing mothers. About 25 percent of mothers in the United States return to work 10 days after giving birthwhen those who delivered a child vaginally are often still bleeding. Advertisement Advertisement In the U.S., many factors have rendered breastfeeding a luxury good: Babies from well-off families get it, and other babies do not. The results are both tragic and preventable: Black and brown babies are four times more likely than white babies to die in their first year. And the rate is going up. Statistically, black and brown infants are disproportionately born premature and of low birthweight, making breastmilk a virtual life saver for their underdeveloped systems. This weekend at the MIT Media Lab, we are convening hundreds of engineers and designers, doulas and doctors, midwives and mamas to make the breast pump not suck as well as hack other barriers to breastfeeding. We did this once already. Back in 2014, the first hackathon resulted in smart pumps, discreet pumps, cuddly pumps, and pump cozies to dampen the infernal wheezing of the motor. We analyzed 1,200 mother-approved ideas for how to improve the breast pump and wrote a research paper about them. Many of these good ideas have now come to market. But they are coming in at a high price pointmoms like Mattie cant afford a $1,000 breast pump, and frankly, neither can we. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This time around, we want to challenge designers to consider inclusive innovationdiscreet pumps that work for moms in low-wage jobs, for example, where they dont have a private office or breaks. We put the call out to the community for their innovation and the responses ranged from an app that helps fight discrimination in maternity care and breastfeeding support to modifying Native American clothing to be more nursing-friendly. We are also hosting a summit on paid family leave, since that is acknowledged as the single-most important policy intervention we could implement to improve the postpartum experience. There will be a breastfeeding art exhibition and a Baby Village, where parents can get much-needed massages. We plan to hack it all at this breastfeeding festival. Advertisement But to do all of this, we knew we needed to understand how breastfeeding is made difficult for some mothers far beyond the technological failings of the pump itself. That meant gathering the gritty and raw details of how breastfeeding parents persist in a hostile society. Between December and February, we interviewed more than 50 parents and care providers living in New England, the Southwest, California, and Mississippi, piecing together how key systems structure individual peoples reproductive journeys. Out of this work, we have gathered their stories in Speaking Our Truths: 27 Stories of What Its Really Like to Breastfeed and Pump in the United States. The stories are centered on the triumphs and challenges of parents most harmed by societal disparities: parents of color, parents from low-income backgrounds, and parents who identify as LGBTQ. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Back in 2014, the first hackathon resulted in smart pumps, discreet pumps, cuddly pumps, and pump cozies to dampen the infernal wheezing of the motor. The main takeaway is clear: While breastfeeding is often framed as a personal choice, we find that parents individual agency is grossly limited by the infrastructures of support that should make that choice possible in the first place, but that they are, nonetheless, incredibly persistent. In the book, we tell the story of one woman who left work to pick up a breast pump part she forgot at home at the local medical supply store because the lactation team at the hospital where she works wouldnt let her borrow one. Another braved through otherwise debilitating depression, anxiety, and insomnia when her newborn arrived because her medications werent meant to be used by breastfeeding parents. A third successfully persisted for two months to get her baby to latch correctly, even when the management of the womens shelter where she was staying was pressuring her to stop her babys cries during the night. Advertisement Advertisement The parents facing the difficult decision to breastfeed arent the problem. Instead, we need to change the social structures, institutions, and cultural norms that shape our options, mindsets, and experiences. These include a lack of paid leave, workplace hostilities toward breastfeeding, biases in medical care, classist norms of breast is best, and the impacts of inadequate support for breastfeeding. The breastfeeding paradigm we are living under now has a hundred points of failure. That makes it a hard problem to solve, but it also gives us a hundred points of leverage for change. Right now, we are pushing all of that complexity onto parents. But we all have a role to play in catalyzing an inclusive and intersectional movement in breastfeeding innovation, both at this weekends hackathon and beyond. Alfie Evans is a 23-month-old boy in England who was admitted to the hospital in December 2016 with a chest infection and seizures. He has been on life support off and on since then, occasionally able to breathe on his own but existing in what doctors call a semi-vegetative state. Doctors have not made a definitive diagnosis, but some medical experts surmise that he has a degenerative neurological condition called Mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome. The rare condition is incurable, and respiratory failure is the most common cause of death. In December 2017, a year after he was first admitted to the hospital, his doctors decided he should be removed from life support. Advertisement Alfies parents, Tom Evans and Kate James, want to keep the boy on life support, and a Vatican-affiliated hospital in Italy is willing to transport the boy and treat him if the British hospital releases him. Pope Francis met with Tom Evans last week and later tweeted his hope that the suffering of his parents may be heard and that their desire to seek new forms of treatment may be granted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The case has accelerated this week. On Monday, doctors decided to remove Alfie from life support, against the parents wishes. On Tuesday, a judge ruled that the family may not take the boy to Italy for treatment; an appeals court confirmed the decision on Wednesday. The boy is breathing on his own and can drink water, according to his father. The pediatrics association representing the boys doctors released a statement saying its guidelines for withdrawing treatment include cases in which the child is unlikely to live much longer or when further treatment will cause unacceptable pain and suffering. The family is represented by the Christian Legal Centre, a British organization that has been involved in controversial cases covering a wide range of socially conservative causes. Advertisement Hundreds of protesters have gathered outside the hospital in Liverpool, at one point attempting to storm the front doors. Alfies case has also electrified the pro-life movement and other conservatives in both the U.K. and the United States. Supporters refer to themselves as Alfies Army, and they congregate on a Facebook page with more than 400,000 members. The Change.org petition for his release has earned more than 545,000 signatures and counting. The case has drawn attention from right-wing media figures including Alex Jones, Mike Huckabee, Matt Walsh, and Betsy McCaughey. Lila Rose, the founder of the activist group Live Action, is among those who have been frequently tweeting it. Shame on England, she wrote on Wednesday. The whole world is watching. Advertisement Advertisement Both the medical case and media circus are reminiscent of the story of 11-month-old Charlie Gard, whoif the informed speculation about Alfies condition is correcthad the same incurable degenerative illness. The British boy died last summer after his parents fight to keep him on a ventilator attracted worldwide attention and public support from Pope Francis and President Trump. The same Vatican hospital that volunteered its services for Alfie Evans offered to treat Charlie. And the same cadre of activists seized on the case to make arguments about the right to life, parental rights, government overreach, and the supposed horrors of socialized health care. Advertisement Its hard to squint past the bloviation that swirls around cases like this. As of this writing, the home page of Fox News features four separate pieces about Alfie and his family. The National Review is promoting at least five stories, a podcast, and an entire Alfie Evans section on its home page. Glenn Beck is calling it state-mandated murder. Some activists have compared Alfie to the new royal baby, questioning whether Alfie would be kept at the hospital against his parents wishes if his mother were a different British woman named Kate. But its possible to imagine making a different decision than the parents in this case and also to be unnerved by the specter of a family being unable to pursue their preferred course of treatment at a respected hospital. For now, the family seems to be starting to accept that they are running out of legal optionsand time with their son. In a statement to the press on Thursday morning, Tom Evans said their next move is to start asking to go home. On Thursday, the Intercept released audio of House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer urging former Energy Department official Levi Tillemann to drop out of the Democratic primary for a Colorado House seat, in order to help another candidate, Jason Crow. In the conversation, Hoyer tries to explain why party leaders have put their thumb on the scales for certain candidates in Democratic primaries this year. From the Intercept: Yeah, Im for Crow, Hoyer explained. I am for Crow because a judgment was made very early on. I didnt know Crow. I didnt participate in the decision. But a decision was made early on by the Colorado delegation, he said, referencing the three House Democrats elected from Colorado. Advertisement [] Staying out of primaries sounds small-D democratic, very intellectual, and very interesting, said Hoyer. But if you stay out of primaries, and somebody wins in the primary who cant possibly win in the general, the Maryland representative said, citing the surprise victory of Democrat Doug Jones over Republican Roy Moore in the Alabama Senate election, Im not saying youre that person. But staying out of primaries, he argued, is not very smart strategy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The DCCC has been criticized by progressive activists in recent months over its perceived preference for moderate candidates and interventions in primary races. In February, the group released opposition research on Laura Moser, a House candidate in Texas, who had been endorsed by Bernie Sanders group Our Revolution. The DCCCs move appeared to backfire, when Moser got a surge of fundraising after the committee posted its oppo, and it may have helped carry Moser into next months runoff. Advertisement Tilleman, a progressive running on Medicare for All among other proposals, may be hoping for a similar bump. After secretly taping the conversation with Hoyer and providing it to the Intercept, he has been promoting the story on his Twitter account. Tilleman has trailed Crow, a corporate lawyer, in fundraising for most of the race. Crow was placed on the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committees (DCCC) list of candidates in target Red to Blue districts in November. The winner will face Rep. Mike Coffman in what is considered a toss-up race this November. During her weekly news conference, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi criticized the recording of Hoyers comments. I dont know that a person can tape a person without the persons consent and then release it to the press, she said. In terms of candidates and campaigns I dont see anything inappropriate in what Mr. Hoyer was engaged in a conversation about the realities of life in the race as to who can make the general election. Floridas disenfranchised ex-felons have little hope of casting a ballot in the 2018 election thanks to a last-minute judicial intervention. On Wednesday night, a panel for the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals stayed a February ruling holding that Republican Gov. Rick Scotts process for restoring felons voting rights violated the First Amendment. The 11th Circuits 21 decision will allow Scott to continue favoring those would-be voters who support the GOP. Only three statesFlorida, Iowa, and Kentuckypermanently bar convicted felons from voting. Floridas disenfranchisement scheme is the nations most draconian. The law is a white supremacist relic designed to strip voting rights from blacks. It bars about 1.5 million people from voting, including 21 percent of all voting-age black residents. These individuals may only regain their right to vote by applying individually to the Office of Executive Clemency, which consists of the governor, the attorney general, the chief financial officer, and the commissioner of agriculture. To recover his voting rights, an ex-felon must convince at least three board members he deserves clemency. The governor has veto power over any application. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During Republican Gov. Jeb Bushs two terms, the board granted 73,508 clemency applications; during Gov. Charlie Crists one term, the board granted 155,315 applications. (Crist began his tenure as a Republican, then became an independent before leaving office; he later joined the Democratic Party.) Under Scott, by comparison, the board has restored the rights of just 3,005 voters out of more than 30,000 applicants. There is currently a backlog of 10,085 applications. Scott, who is now running for the Senate, has seized upon the fact that he has unfettered discretion to grant or deny applicants requests. There is no law were following, he declared at a hearing in March 2016. We get to make our decisions based on our own beliefs. Advertisement In February, U.S. District Judge Mark Walker ruled that this system violated applicants rights to free expression and association under the First Amendment. Voting is the citizens ultimate form of political expression, he wrote. By first seeking the vote and then choosing to cast a ballot, a citizen expresses support for the franchise as a legitimate institutionthe beating heart of our democratic government. Walker found that Scotts capricious manner of determining who can cast a ballot infringed on applicants rights to associate freely with a political party and express support for candidates. He also pointed to Scotts apparent desire to suppress Democratic votes and favor likely Republican voters. In 2013, an applicant who had been convicted of felony voter fraud told Scott, I voted for you. Scott restored his right to the franchise. The governor then denied dozens of applications from individuals, most of them minorities, who did not proclaim their political affiliations. Ex-felons who profess their conservative principles and GOP leanings have a shot at receiving clemency from Scott. Those who do not were rejected under the flimsiest of pretexts. Walker held that these shenanigans are constitutionally impermissible and ordered the clemency board to devise new, neutral, consistent rules to use in restoring felons voting rights. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shortly before the board was scheduled to meet on Wednesday night, however, the 11th Circuit stepped in to block Walkers order and relieve Florida from having to standardize the clemency process. Writing for the majority, Judge Stanley Marcus pointed out that the 14th Amendment allows states to abridge suffrage for criminals, and the general terms of the First Amendment cannot curtail this specific language. Thus, a state that disenfranchises felons in a way that violates free expression is constitutional, because the state is merely exercising its constitutional authority. That cannot be right. The Constitutions Elections Clause also authorizes state legislatures to draw congressional districts. But the Supreme Court has repeatedly held that states cannot draw district lines in a manner that discriminates on the basis of race under the Equal Protection Clause. That clause speaks in general terms, in Marcus words, while the Elections Clause contains specific language tasking legislatures with redistricting. Yet the Supreme Court has ruled that the general guarantee of constitutional equality overrides a states right to gerrymander. Advertisement The 11th Circuit shouldve recognized the limitations the First Amendment places on Floridas ability to disenfranchise felons. Instead, it abdicated its responsibility to protect free expression, leaving the individual right to vote less protected than a corporations right to electioneer. Florida residents will soon have an opportunity to right this wrong: In November, they will vote on a constitutional amendment to automatically restore the franchise to most felons. But disenfranchised Floridians ability to participate in the democratic process shouldnt hinge on the goodwill of others. It is a fundamental right that should be subject to the outcome of no election, and the 11th Circuit erred badly in concluding otherwise. The nomination of White House physician Ronny Jackson to head the Department of Veterans Affairs appears to be unraveling under the weight of allegations of serious professional misjudgment and misconduct, as well as personal shortcomings put forward in a memo by the Democrats on Senate Veterans Affairs Committee. Both Republicans and Democrats have expressed unease over the 50-year-old Navy rear admirals lack of clear qualifications to lead the VA, a massive bureaucracy that has proved to be a political and management quagmire for many who have come before. Advertisement The two-page memo released by the Democrats Wednesday gave form to rumblings over the weekend that skeletons clanging around in Jacksons past may be a deal breaker for his confirmation. The memo, surveying 23 colleagues and former colleagues, laid out accusations ranging from Jackson improperly prescribing medicines, including writing himself scripts, to drunkenness on duty and abusive behavior at the workplace. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During one incident, at a Secret Service going away party, Jackson got drunk and wrecked a government vehicle, the report said. While travelling abroad with the president, [o]n at least one occasion, Dr. Jackson could not be reached when needed because he was passed out drunk in his hotel room. Jacksons conduct at the workplace was similarly problematic. According to the report: Jackson was described as the most unethical person I have ever worked with, flat-out unethical, explosive, 100 percent bad temper, toxic, abusive, volatile, incapable of not losing his temper, the worst officer I have ever served with, despicable, dishonest, as having screaming tantrums and screaming fits, as someone who would lose his mind over small things, vindictive, belittling, the worse leader Ive ever worked for. The White House ratcheted up its support for Jackson in response to the criticism, despite conflicting messages from President Trump on Jacksons future. Dr. Jacksons record as a White House physician has been impeccable, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters Wednesday. In fact, because Dr. Jackson has worked within arms length of three presidents, he has received more vetting than most nominees. The Trump Make America Great Again Committee sent a text to its donor list on Thursday that attempts to fundraise for the presidents re-election campaign using Kanye Wests recent outspoken support of President Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement West ended his yearlong Twitter hiatus on April 13 and soon began posting tweets complimenting Trump for his dragon energy and showing off a Make America Great Again hat signed by the president. Trump has in turn thanked West on Twitter and praised him during a Fox & Friends interview for having good taste. You don't have to agree with trump but the mob can't make me not love him. We are both dragon energy. He is my brother. I love everyone. I don't agree with everything anyone does. That's what makes us individuals. And we have the right to independent thought. ye (@kanyewest) April 25, 2018 Advertisement my MAGA hat is signed pic.twitter.com/DrDHJybS8V KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) April 25, 2018 we got love pic.twitter.com/Edk0WGscp6 KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) April 25, 2018 The text to donors mimics Wests language in numerous tweets claiming that he is a free thinker for voicing his support for the president. The text also addresses the criticism that West has received in the press, on social media, and elsewhere, characterizing the blowback as an effort to silence Trump supporters. It then implies that they can resist this effort by clicking the link to buy a MAGA hat from the Trump Make America Great Again Committee, which is a joint fundraising organization of Donald J. Trump for President Inc. and the Republican National Committee. In his new book, God Save Texas: A Journey Into the Soul of the Lone Star State, Lawrence Wright examines his native state with a combination of disappointment, affection, and concern. Wright looks at how Texas has become increasingly diverse, with an economy that is more and more tech-driven, as its politics remain firmly right wing. Despite its large, multicultural cities, the state remains a low-tax haven, with safety-net benefits under assault, gun ownership sky-high, and a Republican Party increasingly unmoored from common sense. How this mix will play out over the next several decades as the state continues to rapidly grow is the narrative question underpinning the book. Advertisement I recently spoke by phone with Wright, who is also a staff writer at the New Yorker. During the course of our conversation, which has been edited and condensed for clarity, we discussed whether Texas is quintessentially American or unlike the rest of the country, why Ted Cruz has never really seemed like a Texan, and the ways in which the national GOP has followed in the Texas GOPs footprints. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Isaac Chotiner: Why title the book God Save Texas? Lawrence Wright: Its going to take a mighty force to make a correction. A correction to your book title or a correction in Texas? The direction that Texas is now taking politically. I love Texas. I love it enough to be critical of it when I feel that its taking a step in the wrong direction. Texas is forfeiting the future that it should have, and that has national repercussions because Texas is really the future of America. Advertisement Why do you think its the future of America? Well, right now its the second largest state. Its projected to double in size by 2050, at which time it will be about the size of New York and California combined. We have 39 electoral votes now in Texas. Well get four more in the next census. California has 55, but it hasnt had any more electoral votes since 2003 and wont in the next census. And New York, the third largest state, has been losing population and delegates and influence for decades. Its pretty clear that theres only one state thats going to become the main factor in the future of America, and thats Texas. Advertisement A lot of people, especially people abroad, see Texas as the embodiment of America, with cowboys and a go-it-alone attitude and guns and all the cliches, which have some truth to them. Is this correct, or do you see Texas as sui generis within America, to use a very un-Texas phrase? Its pretty clear that theres only one state thats going to become the main factor in the future of America and thats Texas. Lawrence Wright Theres two ways of looking at this, Isaac. One is that Texas is very much like the rest of the country. If you look at, for instance, where people voted for Trump, youll see splashes of blue along either coastline, and then you see a big red country with blue freckles on it. If youre looking at that map, you cant tell where Texas ends and where it begins. It looks just like the rest of the middle of the country. On the other hand, Texas has a very profound cultural imprint, and there are few places in the country where you have such a defined identity as you do in Texas. This cultural imprint is a gift, in a way. Its a powerful brand. All over the world people have images of Texas and what Texas is like. I wouldnt want to lose that. It certainly doesnt define what Texas is today and maybe it limits our imagination about what Texas really stands for. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So then how do you define what Texas is today? Lets start with the fact that Texas is far more progressive and diverse than people imagine. Take the city of Houston, for instance, which is considered the most ethnically diverse city in America. Twenty percent of the population was born in some other country. It had more political refugees than any other city in America. Its had two black mayors and Americas first lesbian mayor. Its considered by some metrics to have the highest standards of living in the whole country. These are not the images that people have of Houston or of Texas. But in terms of the flip-side of that: To what degree do you think whats happened with the Republican Party in Texas is, again, specific to Texas, and to what degree do you think its just a large Republican state and the Republican Party as a whole has gone in an unfortunate direction? Advertisement Much of the direction that the Republican Party has taken nationally has its roots in actions that were taken in Texas, such as redistricting. The pioneer of redistricting was Tom DeLay and the Texas Legislature, when it turned red and began to carve up districts like mine, where I live in Austin. Austin is probably the most liberal city in the entire southern tier of the United States, and now its been carved into six different congressional districts with five Republicans and one Democrat representing Austin. Representatives from other states actually came to Texas and talked to [former speaker of the Texas House] Tom Craddick and Tom DeLay about how theyd accomplish it. Texas became a model for that. Advertisement Advertisement There is a national Republican agenda for cutting back taxes. Naturally, that causes a failure to deliver the services. You can see that in education, all over, especially in the deep red states Kansas, Oklahoma, our neighbors, where teachers are seriously underpaid, and the education of our children is really suffering. Thats true in Texas. The nations report card, which came out a couple weeks ago, has Texas down in the bottom 10 or 15 percent of the nations students. Its at the bottom or right next to the bottom in terms of how much money it spends per student in the state, which is similar to whats happening in other states. A lot of it has its origins in Texas. Advertisement Advertisement What are your biggest fears about Texas, and are they distinct from your fears about the future of the country? They are very much tied up. Ten percent of all the schoolchildren in America right now are Texans. Were really failing in the education of our future workers in the state, and it has national repercussions. Texas is going to double in population by 2050, but the infrastructure of the state is already challenged. Theres been very little planning to accommodate that massive influx of population. Both Dallas and Houston are expected to have populations of 10 million people in just 12 years, and yet the cities are really, really struggling with the infrastructure. A lot of that has to do with the fact that the state has done so little to provide the kind of infrastructure that Texas really needs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Youve written a lot of books on a lot of different things, from the Middle East to Scientology. Was the experience of writing this book at all different just because of how much it means to you personally? Yeah, it really was. It was also a lot of fun. I know weve been talking about my dismal forecast for our politics. But I love Texas. I love a lot of things about Texas. Im in a band; we play a lot of Texas music. I love to drive around the state. I have a ton of friends in the state. I like the epic friendliness and openness that is so characteristic of Texas. Theres a great spirit of boldness and entrepreneurialism that I admire quite a lot. I enjoy living in Texas, but there are things that I feel should be addressed and corrected. I love Texas enough to want to add my voice of concern. Advertisement Advertisement What has it been like to be in Texas during this post-Parkland gun debate? The only politician that Im aware of with any real standing in the state to have addressed this is John Cornyn, who put forward a very modest gun proposal in the Congress. He took some hits for that, but I think he at least was one political figure in the state that felt that something had to be done rather than nothing. Our attorney general, his solution with the Sutherland Springs church shooting was to arm the parishioners. Thats a characteristic response of our current political leadership. Advertisement What do you make of Ted Cruz? At one level, I think people would say hes the stereotypical Texas senator, hes extremely conservative on every issue, etc. But in a way he seems like the least Texas person possible. Advertisement Well, I agree that he does not strike anyone in Texas as being a native Texan, and hes not. Hes a Cuban by way of Canada. Its not that there arent a lot of immigrants from other places in Texas. Hes one of them. When I think of Ted Cruz, he reminds me more of a British imperialist in the 19th century, maybe with a curly mustache and a monocle while he divides up the globe. I think hed be far more at home in that kind of ultra-elite circle than he is in the kind of rough-and-tumble of Texas. Its creepy to see him in his video about making machine gun bacon. Advertisement Excuse me? During his campaign, he issued a video called Making Machine Gun Bacon with Ted Cruz. Its not actually a machine gun; its an AR-15, this school shooter gun thats semi-automatic.* Hes at a gun range, and he wraps some bacon around the muzzle and encloses it in foil and then he starts firing away, and soon grease is flying and so on. He takes this fully cooked piece of bacon off the muzzle and goes, Nothing like machine gun bacon, and talks about how much he likes to make bacon for his family on the weekend. I suppose this was to show a jollier and more humane side of the candidate. It just comes off as being extremely creepy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its creepy to see Ted Cruz in his video about making machine gun bacon. Lawrence Wright Well, Trump did basically accuse his father of killing JFK, and JFK was killed in Texas. Its all coming together. It makes sense, doesnt it? I tell you, this senatorial race with Beto ORourke is going to be a really telling factor in the future of Texas. Ted Cruz is certainly not the most beloved political figure in the state. He was elected with what has been characteristic of Texas politics up until now: that the winner of the GOP primary is the de facto victor, and November is simply a ratification process. It was, comparatively speaking, a handful of Republicans who elected Ted Cruz. Hes a divisive figure even in the state, and his failure to endorse Trump at the Republican convention alienated a lot of Republicans. Hes an awkward figure, but many Texas Republicans stand by him because he represents the kind of extreme conservatism that they endorse. Hes been out-fundraised by a very progressive, attractive candidate who has, according to a recent poll, climbed within the margin of error in the election. It will be exciting to see how it might turn out. On Tuesday night, Paul Haynes joined Patton Oswalt and Billy Jenkins for an event in Naperville, Illinois, celebrating Ill Be Gone in the Dark, the best-selling book by Oswalts late wife, Michelle McNamara, that the three men had assembled from her unfinished manuscript after her death. The book, about McNamaras search for the Golden State Killer, a serial rapist and murderer who terrorized California in the late 1970s, has an indefinite ending. The perpetrator had not been caught, and McNamara could only imagine the day he might be, in a letter she wrote to the man whose name she would never learn. McNamara was born and raised in Chicagoland, lending the evening a bittersweet air; it would have been even more emotional if those gathered had known that mere hours later the Sacramento sheriffs department would arrest the man they believe is responsible for the crimes, Joseph James DeAngelo. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sacramento County District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert, joined by law enforcement officials and prosecutors from five California counties, led a press conference on the arrest Wednesday. Not much information was imparted. Schubert said that the investigation had come together over the past six days and that DeAngelo had been identified as the Golden State Killer (also known as the East Area Rapist/Original Night Stalker, or EAR/ONS) after investigators surveilling his home in the Citrus Heights district obtained discarded DNA evidence for analysis. DeAngelo has lived in the house, which neighbors told local news reporters he shared with a woman and two teenagers, for 30 years. (DeAngelo married Sharon M. Huddle, an attorney, in 1973.) Im exhilarated, Haynes said in a phone call Wednesday afternoon. He has made a study of the Golden State Killer case for the past seven years, four of them working with McNamara as her lead researcher. Hes not chagrined to learn that DeAngelo was not on any of the myriad lists of suspects compiled by both law enforcement and civilian sleuths. I knew that would be the case, he said, somebody on nobodys radar who I never would have found. Advertisement The arrest has produced some surprises nonetheless. DeAngelo, Haynes contacts have suggested, has admitted to being the Visalia Ransacker, an oddly behaved serial burglar and Peeping Tom who, in 1975, shot and killed journalism professor Claude Snelling when Snelling halted his attempt to abduct Snellings teenage daughter. I had reached the point where the two series didnt seem connected to me, Haynes said, and there was no DNA evidence left at the Visalia crimes to suggest otherwise. Advertisement The Golden State case has perplexed law enforcement for decades. Although the crimes were committed before forensic science employed DNA analysis, investigators in the 2000s used it to determine that the same man was responsible for both the East Area Rapist assaults and a series of home invasion rapes and murders in Southern California. But they could not find a match in any DNA database. Some hoped that the geographic distribution of the crimes could be used to unearth potential suspects. But, Haynes said, the geographic profiles done on this offender were completely wrong. Thats because, he speculates, DeAngelo had been a police officer for the Northern California cities of Exeter and Auburn from 1975, when his crime spree began, through 1979, when he was fired after being caught shoplifting a can of dog repellant and a hammer from a Sacramento drug store.* (How the Golden State Killer managed to fend off his victims pets has long been a subject of speculation.) The crimes were committed in other counties, unusually far away for this kind of criminal. The only circumstances where that would make sense in terms of geographic profiling, Haynes said, is if he were a cop and didnt want to offend in the jurisdiction where he worked. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some psychological profilers inferred that the Golden State Killers habit of stalking and gathering information on his targets meant that he lived alone, but Haynes points out, Who else but a cop could be out prowling every hour of the night, and not have that questioned by his wife? Other small details that have suddenly acquired new significance include the report of a neighbor who said that on the night of one attack, she heard the sound of a police radio from her window. Survivors of some of the rapes reported that their attacker became highly emotional, weeping and speaking to Mommy, but one witness insisted that the name he used was Bonnie. Amateur sleuths on Reddit quickly dug up a newspaper notice from 1970, announcing the engagement of DeAngelo to a woman named Bonnie Jean Colwell. There is no record of the two ever marrying. Advertisement Perhaps the biggest mystery now is just how law enforcement identified DeAngelo as a person of interest in the crimes 40 years after they began. So far, officials have declined to explain, but Haynes has his suspicions. During the press conference, Sheriff Scott Jones said, Although it was DNA ultimately that led us down the road, there was a lot of places that road could have led. Haynes thinks it likely that investigators used DNA markers posted on genealogy websites to identify a possible ancestor of the killer and then followed the ancestors family tree down to the present, looking for male descendants who fit the profile. But this, he cautions, is only an educated guess, and what evidence law enforcement used to pinpoint DeAngelo is the No. 1 thing I want to know. [Update, April 26, 10:45 p.m.: The Sacramento Bee reports that Haynes suspicion was correct, according to the Sacramento Country District Attorneys Office. DeAngelo was identified through genealogical websites.] Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are, of course, also 300 questions I want to ask this person, Haynes said of DeAngelo, who is reportedly cooperative but on suicide watch. Whether he will ever get to ask those questions no one can say. Im just so sad, he added, that Michelle wasnt here to see this. A wins a win, multiple Republican members of Congress reminded me on Wednesday afternoon, after the party won a frighteningly narrow victory in an Arizona special election on Tuesday night. Republican Debbie Lesko did indeed win her race against Democrat Hiral Tipirneni in Arizonas 8th Congressional District, a deep-red suburban/exurban district to the northwest of Phoenix. But it wasnt a rout. After substantial investment from national Republican groups, Lesko only won by about 5 percentage points. As the New York Times observes, thats a 31-point drop-off in the margin of victory for the Republican candidate in that district since the 2016 election. Thats not the best metric, since Democrats didnt even field a candidate against Rep. Trent Franks in 2016, when his main competitor was a member of the Green Party. (Franks, one of the most conservative members of the House, resigned late last year following reports that he approached staffers to serve as surrogates for his children.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Judged against Donald Trumps victory in the district in 2016, Leskos margin was still a 16-point drop. The numbers align with other special elections over the last few years, where 15- to 30-point decreases in margins, regardless of the type of district, have become the norm. The Arizona race added a few new troubling signs for Republicans to add to their list of concerns. Unlike Pennsylvanias 18th District, where Democrat Conor Lamb pulled off an upset last month, there is absolutely zero Democratic DNA in Arizonas 8th District. Lesko was a fine candidate with enough money. Much of Arizonas voting is done by mail, through its permanent absentee voter list, so turnout was solid: A few thousand more voters turned out in this 2018 special than did in the 2014 midterm election. Advertisement But worse yet, theres no sign that recent changes in political atmospherics mattered in the result. As Republicans and conservative media had been proudly touting over the last week, the generic congressional ballot is tighter. As Republicans were voting by mail in Arizona, Democrats lead in the RealClearPolitics generic ballot average had fallen to 5.5 percentage points, the narrowest it had been in a year. (Though its not an exact science, polling experts consider a 7- or 8-point gap to be the inversion point between Republican and Democratic control of the House.) The presidents job approval has followed a similar trajectory. After spending much of last fall and winter in the 30s, President Trumps approval has climbed into the low 40s this yearnot exactly blowing it out of the water, but decent enough to give Republicans a fighting chance at retaining power. Advertisement Advertisement Even with those improvements, Republicans only narrowly kept control of an R+13 seat designed to be in GOP hands forever, a month after losing an R+11 seat in another high-turnout special election. With the tax law settling into an unpopular equilibrium, after an initial boost in approval after its passage, and President Trumps approval rating not likely to find a much higher ceiling, is the electorate mostly baked in for November? Advertisement I would say the word baked in is probably a good term on both sides, New York Rep. Chris Collins told me. The hatred of Trump by a lot of Democrats is baked in. And call it fake news or overt negative coverage of Trump has baked in Trumps supporters, to where a lot of normal folks just arent paying attention anymore. Advertisement Oklahoma Rep. Tom Cole cautioned that elections for open seats are always narrower than those in which an incumbent is being challenged. My seat was carried by 20 points by George Bush in 2000, Cole, who was elected in 2002, said. J.C. Watts, who was a superb candidate, carried it that year by 30. Now, when I won it, I carried it by 6 points, very close to what Debbie did last night. And then I havent had a serious race since then. Advertisement Races involving incumbentsand then, remember, the great majority of these races will involve incumbentsare different than open-seat specials, he said. Indeed, the great majority of Republican seats arent in danger. Cole, for example, will comfortably win re-election. Lesko will be running as the incumbent and shouldnt have much trouble either. But Democrats only need 218 seats to take the majority, not 435. Thirty-seven Republican seats in November will be open, many of them with much narrower partisan divides than that of Arizonas 8th. That doesnt even count the scores of Republicans in tight districts that are running for re-election. There were more headlines Wednesday morning about how the race served as a wake-up call for Republicans, but, as Collins put it, GOP members were already wide awake before the Arizona results rolled in. They understand how dire the atmosphere is, and they know not to look at fluctuations in both Trumps approval rating or the generic battle. Its only April, but the problems are locked in. The Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday voted 147 to advance to the Senate floor legislation that would seek to protect special counsel Robert Mueller from an unjustified firing. Four RepublicansSen. Jeff Flake (Arizona), bill co-sponsors Sens. Thom Tillis (North Carolina) and Lindsey Graham (South Carolina), and committee chairman Sen. Chuck Grassley (Iowa)voted with every Democrat on the committee to move the bill forward. The bill would demand that the firing of a special counsel be accompanied by a written justification for that firing, and it would give a special counsel 10 days to contest that firing in the District Court for the District of Columbia. Advertisement Within 14 days, a court of three judges would be required to hear and determine whether or not the firing was justified. If the three-judge panel ruled that the firing was unjustified, it would not take effect. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill would also require that a special counsel provide the House and Senate Judiciary committees chairmen and ranking members respectively with a written report detailing the factual findings of the investigation and explaining the prosecution or declination decisions reached. While the legislation appears to be going no further than it did on Thursday, the vote and debate around it were the strongest signals yet from Senate Republicans to President Trump that he should not attempt to fire Mueller or impede his investigation. Advertisement The vote was accompanied by speeches from several Republican committee members affirming their belief that Mueller must be allowed to finish his job. Even some who voted against the proposal spoke in their strongest terms yet against such a potential move by the president, asserting that it would be a disaster for his presidency and the country. Sen. Graham said: [If] president Trump somehow tried to fire Mr. Rosenstein or get rid of Mueller, it would blow up in his face. It would be the worst decision of his presidency. It would create a crisis for this country. We dont need that. Sen. Orrin Hatch (Utah), who voted against the motion, citing the measures purported constitutional flaws, said: Advertisement Advertisement Firing Mueller would cause a firestorm and bring the administrations agenda to a halt. It could even result in impeachment. I think were right to convey a strong message to the president that he should not fire Robert Mueller. Sen. Ben Sasse (Nebraska), who voted against the motion on the same constitutional argument as Hatch, said: I think that it would be disastrous for the nation to fire Mueller and it would be politically suicidal for the president. Protecting Mueller is a great instinct and it would be politically disastrous for the president to act. Advertisement Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn (Texas), who voted against the motion and reiterated Majority Leader Mitch McConnells promise not to bring the bill to the floor for a vote, said: Advertisement I continue to believe its in the best interest of the country to let the special counsel be allowed to complete his investigation and do so in a timely fashion. I believe that we are all in agreement on that. The president is not going to fire Director Mueller, I believe, because the repercussions of doing so would be disastrous for his presidency and for the country. Sen. Mike Lee (Utah)who voted against the motion on the aforementioned constitutional argument, but introduced a failed amendment that would have substituted the core of the bill with text affirming the Senates belief that Mueller should not be firedsaid: Advertisement Robert Mueller should be able to finish his investigation in a timely manner. The amendment that Im introducing sends a clear signal that the president should not fire Mr. Mueller Again, McConnell has promised not to let the bill advance, and Cornyn seemed to affirm that promise on Thursday. But the vote in favor itselfwhich included four of the 11 Republican committee memberswas the strongest rebuke by GOP leadership of President Trumps various signals that he might seek to impede the investigation. That even many of the Republicans who voted against the measure sought to express their support for Muellers probeand belief that ending it would be a disaster for Trumps presidencywas a similarly strong message to the president. Trump lawyer Michael Cohen will assert his Fifth Amendment right in response to the lawsuit brought by former adult film star Stormy Daniels. Cohen made the declaration to protect against self-incrimination in a court filing Wednesday. The move comes as Cohen and his legal team are attempting to pause a civil suit brought by Daniels until any potential criminal case is resolved following an FBI raid of Cohen properties. Such legal maneuvering is not uncommon for defendants facing both criminal prosecution and civil liability, according to the Washington Post. Advertisement Based upon the advice of counsel, I will assert my Fifth Amendment rights in connection with all proceedings in this case due to the ongoing criminal investigation by the FBI and US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Cohen said. If a judge agrees with Cohen it could seriously dent the momentum of Stormy Daniels legaland public relationspush to get out of the non-disclosure agreement she signed and was paid $130,000 for in return for her silence on an alleged 2006 affair with Trump. This is a stunning development, Daniels lawyer Michael Avenatti said in a tweet. Never before in our nations history has the attorney for the sitting President invoked the 5th Amend in connection with issues surrounding the President. It is esp. stunning seeing as MC served as the fixer for Mr. Trump for over 10 yrs. The mob takes the Fifth, then-candidate Trump said on the campaign trail in 2016 about Hillary Clinton aides taking the Fifth during the investigation into her private email server. If youre innocent, why are you taking the Fifth Amendment? White House doctor and naval officer Ronny Johnson withdrew his nomination to be the next secretary of Veterans Affairs on Thursday, following bipartisan concern on Capitol Hill over accusations that he drank on the job, improperly dispensed medication, and verbally abused co-workers. Donald Trump wasted no time assigning blame for the fiasco to a Democratic senator. In a phone interview with Fox News shortly after Johnson formally withdrew, Trump took direct aim at Sen. Jon Tester, the top Democrat on the Veterans Affairs Committee, whose staff released an explosive two-page document fleshing out the accusations against Johnson on Wednesday, effectively dooming his nomination. The president accused Tester of using completely false and fabricated claims to smear the reputation of an incredible man and warned that he will have a big price to pay this November when hes up for re-election. I watch what Jon Tester, of Montanaa state that I won by, like, over 20 points, you know, really, they love me and I love them, Trump told Fox & Friends. And I want to tell you that Jon Tester, I think this is going to cause him a lot of problems in his state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Just how worried should Tester be? Trump won Montana by a hair more than 20 points over Hillary Clinton in 2016, 56.2 percent to 35.7, and he remains relatively popular there. According to Gallup, the presidents average approval rating in the state during his first year in office was 52 percentone of only nine states where it topped 50 percent. Republican Greg Gianforte won last years special election for the states at-large House seat after more or less pledging allegiance to Trump, who then sent his son Donald Jr. and Vice President Mike Pence to the state to push Gianforte across the finish line. The man Gianforte replaced in Congress, Ryan Zinke, is currently Trumps secretary of the interior, a position he has used to bestow preferential treatment on his home state. Advertisement Still, Montana isnt as dark red as its neighbors. The state has voted for the GOP nominee in every presidential nomination since 1992, but a Democrat has occupied the governors mansion in Helena since 2005, and its been more than a century since the state didnt have at least one Democratic senator. Tester, meanwhile, has already won statewide office twice, albeit narrowly. He claimed his first Senate term in 2006 by less than one point over GOP incumbent Conrad Burns and then won his second term six years later by four points over Denny Rehberg, then the states at-large representative in the U.S. House. This year, Tester will face whoever emerges from a crowded GOP primary, where the front-runner is doing his best to hide his Maryland accent and the rest of the challengers have their own flaws. As one of 10 Democratic senators up for re-election in a state Trump won, Tester is considered vulnerable in November, but nonpartisan handicappers dont believe he is as vulnerable as some of his colleagues, like Joe Manchin in West Virginia, Heidi Heitkamp in North Dakota, or Joe Donnelly in Indiana. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Before he went to battle over Jacksons nomination, Tester had tried to navigate a middle ground with regard to the president. His first re-election ad highlighted 13 bills he backed that Trump signed into lawas well as the three fingers Tester lost in a childhood accident with a meat saweven as Tester broke with the president on some high-profile priorities. He began the year by voting against the stopgap spending bill to end a three-day government shutdown, making him the only Democrat in a state Trump won to do so. And just this week, he announced hed vote against Mike Pompeo for secretary of state over concerns the CIA director will be too eager for war, a decision that put him at odds with Heitkamp, Manchin, and Donnelly, and one that is unlikely to stop Pompeo from being confirmed. Advertisement For his part, Tester did his best on Thursday to keep the focus on the veterans and off the president, a move that suggests hed rather avoid a prolonged fight with Trump in an election year. I want to thank the service members who bravely spoke out over the past week, he said in a statement following Johnsons withdrawal. It is my constitutional responsibility to make sure the veterans of this nation get a strong, thoroughly vetted leader who will fight for them. It seems unlikely the abandoned VA nomination will have much political staying power in itself, particularly in a state like Montana where nearly one in 10 residents is a military veteran, and with Tester framing the fight as protecting those vets against a clearly unqualified nominee. The bigger question is whether Trump will stay mad at Tester for the next six months. If the president goes on the warpath against him, steering the middle ground will get much more difficult. Women in IT should not be taboo Girls still have too few idols who have achieved success in the IT sector. A group of girls sit behind a computer watching flickering LED lights in a strip in front of them. After typing some orders on the computer, the lights start flickering in a different order. This is how one of the workshops, organised by the non-governmental organisation Aj Ty v IT (You in IT Too) to increase the interest of young girls in IT, looked. Its entertaining and nice, said Gloria Grofova (16). Her peer Jana Sinakova adds that it is not hard to learn, even if a person has never programmed anything before. At the beginning of the workshop, a lecturer clearly explains to them what they will be doing. Its more practical, we only have theory at school, Sinakova told The Slovak Spectator. 18-year-old Laura Zolinianska appreciates the fact that they can see the real result of their work. Even though she does not want to study IT, she enjoyed the workshop. Its a great experience for the future, Zolinianska said. The share of women working as ICT specialists in Slovakia is the lowest in the European Union, accounting for only 9.2 percent. Moreover, only 12 percent of girls study information and communications technology (ICT) specialisation at the Faculty of Informatics and Information Technologies of the Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava (FIIT STU) and the Faculty of Management and Informatics of Zilina University. This is why Aj Ty v IT focuses on girls in secondary schools to raise their interest in ICT by showing them how interesting it can be. It is not the only one making an effort, since there are other organisations, companies and universities trying to eliminate the prejudices that IT is more for men. The atmosphere is changing Dominika Dolha is currently in the third year of a bachelor degree at FIIT STU. She discovered her love for programming at secondary school during their informatics lectures. I was always happy to start my programme and see the result, Dolha told The Slovak Spectator. Thanks to this I realised that I would like to study this in university as well and when I found out how sought-after IT is, the decision was final. In her class, there are another 21 girls of about 180 students. When Zuzana Samaj (29) studied the Mathematical-Computer Simulation bachelor programme, there were five girls in her class. On an engineering degree, when she moved to FIIT STU to study Computer and Communication Systems and Networks, they were only two. She decided on IT specialisation when applying for the grammar school in Ziar nad Hronom. At the time, they were opening the informatics class and because she was good in math, she decided to try it. Since we had more informatics than other classrooms, I learned that it is easy to programme something and that I enjoy it, she told The Slovak Spectator. Dolha and Samaj agree that the situation in society and feelings about girls studying IT are gradually changing. Though it is not surprising to see a girl studying IT, there are still only a few of them, Samaj said, adding that there are various initiatives trying to change this situation. Universities also active This includes universities, which organise various events to attract girls. The schools addressed by The Slovak Spectator agree that the number of girls studying IT specialisations is increasing. 26. Apr 2018 at 7:00 | Radka Minarechova Acacia Mining plc, together with its subsidiaries, mines, processes, and sells gold in Africa. The company has three gold mines in north-west Tanzania, including Bulyanhulu, Buzwagi, and North Mara; and a portfolio of exploration projects at various stages of development in Tanzania, Kenya, Burkina Faso, and Mali. It also produces co-products, such as copper and silver. The company was formerly known as African Barrick Gold plc and changed its name to Acacia Mining plc in November 2014. The company was incorporated in 2010 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom. Acacia Mining plc is a subsidiary of Barrick Gold Corporation. Read More The forestry industry says a ruling against an Eastern Bay of Plenty forest owner and two harvesting contractors should come as a warning to any other rogue operators. The companies were taken to court for disturbing stream beds and discharging sediment, trees and forestry debris into streams on a 197-hectare block of pine trees in mountainous terrain south-east of Opotiki. A $57,000 fine was handed to the forest owner, Whitikau Holdings Limited while contractors, Paturakau Limited and Neville Walker were each fined $4300 respectively. In a joint statement with other industry groups, Forest Owners Association president Peter Weir said the behaviour was not accepted. "There have been a number of prosecutions by regional councils and were sending a signal [that] we absolutely support regional councils taking prosecutions for substandard practices. "Its not fair for the majority of contractors who are doing the right thing ... if a small number make a mess for everybody else." Peter says there are a number of good management practices for working around streams - but these had been flouted in this case. "You dont drive machinery through streams." He says new National Environmental Standards, 10 years in the making, would take effect next week and would raise the bar for all forest operations. Peter says the standards, which included there being a harvest plan for all work, would be enforced by regional councils and contractors needed to be aware of the changes. "The harvest plan will [need to] have erosion and sediment control methods in it." At the moment some regional councils had numerous rules and regulations for forestry while others had none and this would create a New Zealand wide suite of regulations, he says. -RNZ What's Hot 9 Major Trends That Will Dominate Ed Tech Delivering authentic experiences in the classroom and learning how to juggle district data are two wide themes that will monopolize education discussion in the next 12 months. On a recent day in late October the mayor of Johnsonville was setting up a 125-gallon aquarium, which would eventually host a pair of bala sharks, a catfish, three oscars and live coral for real-life science lessons on saltwater habitats. Anthony Johnson's fourth and fifth graders at Isenberg Elementary School in Salisbury, NC refer to the tank as "Lake Johnsonville." Bringing the real world into the classroom is something a lot of teachers are trying to do. It's something Johnson specializes in. His students are issued funds when they become residents, then they're expected to pay bills, find work and learn by doing projects. And the mayor is a stickler for keeping schedules, so his students learn how to work with Google calendars to maintain their obligations and appointments. Earlier in the day, a student was waiting at home with his district-issued iPad, ready to connect Johnson to his mom for an online parent-teacher conference. "That kid set a reminder. He knew at 11:10 we needed to be on that [video] call," said Johnson. "When I turned it on, he was there waiting for me." Project-, problem-, big-picture, or competency-based learning all describe movements afoot to immerse students in authentic experiences, which proponents of PBL have long heralded as the route to deeper learning. The challenge for teachers, of course, is coming up with those engaging lessons. At Isenberg, Johnson relies on a school subscription to DefinedSTEM, a repository of resources that lays out the basics through videos, then provides experiments and projects "performance tasks" in DefinedSTEM lingo for students to follow as they learn new concepts. "Everything is there for the kids," Johnson said. "It's great because I'm not the teacher doing that problem-based learning. I become the facilitator." Tapping into young people's interests in how the world works is just one ed tech practice we see on the rise. But it's not the only one. This article explores how a handful of trends adoption of virtual reality, growth of making, a bigger emphasis on computational thinking and continuing concerns about the protection of school data are evolving in new ways that we believe will dominate education conversations for the rest of the year. Virtual Reality Sure, there's plenty of talk in schools about how virtual reality (and its lesser-used partner, augmented reality) can deliver experiences to students that they might not otherwise have. What's beginning to bubble up more frequently, however, according to Chelsea Waite, program director for global learning at Digital Promise Global, isn't so much the consumption as how students are making use of new technologies "to be creators." Waite is one of the leads behind the 360 Filmmakers Challenge, a program that works with Oculus to outfit schools with VR technology, including headsets and cameras (as well as basic training), and then encourages students to make videos on topics that matter to them. As a result of the filmmaking projects, the organization explained in a report issued earlier this year based on surveys and interviews with teachers and students, participating teens gained technical and creative production skills, got exposure to new career possibilities, increased their abilities to take in the perspective of others and improved their abilities to communicate and work on teams. Just as important, the survey found, the projects had "personal importance' for the students; and those who made the videos found the projects "more interesting" than other school work. Luxembourg-based director Jeff Desom has created a nightmarish scenario for acclaimed musician Father John Misty's latest video, Mr. Tillman. There are many, many wannabe music video directors in Luxembourg. A slow trawl through some of the more popular city night spots will bring you in to shoulder rubbing distance of the creative herd. Few have managed to attain the range of styles or the heft with which Jeff Desom has stepped around the box labelled 'the norm', however. Now the Luxembourg director has shot and co-directed a music video for one of the indie scene's most precious darlings, Father John Misty. Taken from Misty's (real name J. Tillman) upcoming album God's Favourite Customer, itself subject to a leak before its release on June 1, the video is perhaps best described as The Truman Show gone bad. Co-directed with Carlos Lopez Estrada, the cut depicts Tillman, nee Misty, as he checks into the, not quite right, Mint Hotel. Tillman promptly discovers he's stuck in a loop and can't check out, without, you know, 'checking out'. It's a wonderfully surreal slice of macabre humour. Inspired, in parts, by The Shining and Groundhog Day - eagle eyed viewers can check the hotel's signing book for Desom's name also. Desom has cut his teeth on music promo before, having directed videos for Health and Hauschka but it was his time lapse piece, where he stitched together a composite view from the titular location of the classic Hitchcock thriller, Rear Window, where he really shot to fame. Jeff Desom is a writer, film director and visual effects artist. His signature, if you will, is combining live-action, found footage and digital effects. A selection of his work has been selected and awarded at a number of festivals around the world. He currently works between Luxembourg and Los Angeles. At the time of writing the video for Mr. Tillman had clocked up over 52,000 views in just under 24 hours. We have approached Jeff for an interview and are awaiting further reply. Vietnam posted impressive statistics, both in volume and value, regarding imports of completely built-up (CBU) cars over the last seven years, local customs reported. From 2011 to the end of the first quarter of this year, the Southeast Asian country spent more than US$11.6 billion importing 528,200 cars, according to the latest data from the General Department of Vietnam Customs. CBU is a term given to vehicles completely manufactured and assembled in their country of origin prior to their shipment to the country of import. Vietnams car imports reached a peak with 125,500 vehicles in 2015, before entering a downward trend in 2017, falling to just more than 97,000 units. In Q1/2018, only 4,200 units were imported, hitting a dramatic 85 percent decrease compared to the same period last year. A customer talks to his agent at a car dealership in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tuoi Tre The data is a contradiction to earlier market anticipation that in 2018 cars would be imported into Vietnam en masse when import duties on CBU vehicles shipped from ASEAN countries were eliminated. This sharp downtrend is due to the 2017 provisions of Government Decree 116 on the production, assembly and trading of cars, according to industry insiders. Few local businesses are able to meet the strict requirements set forth in the decree to bring more cars to the country. The decree stipulates that automobile importers must have warranty and maintenance facilities, and are registered as authorized dealers for foreign car manufacturers. They must also obtain multiple documents, including a quality certificate of the type of imported car issued by a competent agency or organization in the country of origin. This kind of document in fact does not exist in countries from which Vietnam mainly imports cars, such as South Korea, India, Thailand, and Japan. A Mercedes-Benz is seen at a showroom in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tuoi Tre What Vietnam imported Vehicles with less than nine seats and trucks collectively accounted for 86 percent of total imports in the seven-year period, according to customs data. However, the share of imported cars under nine seats has been falling over the last two years, against the rise of truck imports. While 51,400 cars with less than nine seats were shipped to Vietnam in 2015, the figure slightly dropped to 50,600 units in 2016 before falling sharply to 38,800 units the following year. From 2017 onward, the number of cars under nine seats imported from Thailand and Indonesia has risen sharply, accounting for the largest market share in Vietnam. Thailand is the biggest exporter of cars of this category to Vietnam, with 2,900 units shipped in the first quarter of this year, accounting for more than 95 percent of the total figure. BEIJING -- North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has offered his deep apologies to China after a bus crash in his country killed 32 Chinese tourists, state media said on Thursday. China is North Koreas most important economic and diplomatic backer, despite Beijings anger at Pyongyangs repeated nuclear and missile tests and support for strong United Nations sanctions against North Korea. The tourists and four North Koreans were killed when a bus crashed off a bridge in North Korea late on Sunday, leaving two Chinese nationals in critical condition. On Thursday, Chinese state television broadcast images of Kim seeing off the bodies as they were loaded onto a train for the journey home. The North Korean people were overcome with sorrow, Kim told President Xi Jinping and other Chinese leaders. It is, indeed, very sad that the close Chinese friends, who had come here with the feelings of friendship with our people, met with an unexpected accident on our land, read his message, carried by the official KCNA news agency. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visits the Chinese embassy in Pyongyang following a bus accident involving Chinese tourists in North Hwanghae province, in this undated photo released on April 24, 2018 by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). KCNA/via Reuters We make a deep apology to the Chinese comrades for the pain which cannot be alleviated with any word, consolation and compensation. North Korea would make every possible effort to assuage the grief, it added. North Korea is a popular, if offbeat, tourist destination for Chinese, especially those from the countrys northeast. Tourists from China are about four-fifths of all foreign visitors to North Korea, says South Korean think-tank the Korea Maritime Institute, which estimates tourism generates revenue of about $44 million each year for the country. China said more than 237,000 Chinese visited North Korea in 2012, but stopped publishing the figures in 2013. China has welcomed moves by Kim to ease tension over the Norths arms programs, including his summit this week with South Korean President Moon Jae-in. Singapore has vowed to boost its investment in multiple fields and the development of smart cities in Vietnam, as the two countries leaders met in the city-state on Wednesday. Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc joined talks with his Singaporean counterpart Lee Hsien Loong on Wednesday afternoon, as part of his official visit to Singapore from April 25 to 27. The trip is considered a milestone in the celebration of the 45th anniversary of the two countries diplomatic ties and five years of their strategic partnership. The two premiers noted that cooperation between both countries has developed stably in all aspects. Singapore is one of the top ten trade partners and the third-biggest investor of Vietnam with 2,000 projects that are worth US$43 billion. In order to enhance the existing ties, the leaders agreed to maintain political trust through all-level delegation exchanges, and step up affiliation in national defense and security, with attention paid to collaboration between naval forces, search and rescue units, and in defense technology. They also agreed to coordinate with each other in settling common security challenges such as piracy and terrorism, ensuring maritime security and safety, and cyber security. PM Lee pledged that Singapore will boost its investment in Vietnam in such areas as clean energy, waste treatment, water resource management, and the building of high-tech parks and smart cities. The country is also willing to support Vietnam in seaport construction, logistical services, and high-tech agriculture, and invest in Vietnamese technological start-ups, he said. Regarding regional and international issues, the leaders vowed to enhance bilateral ties at international forums, especially within the framework of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), and the United Nations. They affirmed the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the region along with freedom of navigation and aviation in the East Vietnam Sea, in accordance with international law including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The two prime ministers approved a joint statement on the visit and witnessed the signing of several cooperation deals following their talks. Within the framework of his trip, PM Phuc also met with Singaporean President Halimah Yacob. After the official visit, he is scheduled to attend the 32nd ASEAN Summit in Singapore on April 27 and 28. 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 26 Politics -- Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on Sunday paid a courtesy call to the Singaporean President Halimah Yacob and his counterpart Lee Hsien Loong, when all sides expressed their satisfaction with the vigorous growth in the two countries' relations in recent years. Society -- A mother and four-year-old daughter died, while their husband and father was hospitalized in a critical condition due to alleged suffocation and carbon monoxide poisoning, after they turned on a backup generator inside their house in the southern province of Binh Duong during an hours-long blackout on Sunday. -- A fake drug ring, producing medicines to treat nerve and blood diseases, had managed to distribute several thousand boxes of the products to the market before being busted by Ho Chi Minh City police in September 2017, officers said as they announced their investigation results on Sunday. -- The Vietnamese governments agency in charge of religion management has warned members of the public against the Christian new religious movement World Mission Society Church of God, which is seeking new followers in the country through what are believed to be improper activities. Business -- Vietnam has spent more than US$11.6 billion on importing 528,200 cars from 2011 to date, or a monthly average of 75,000 units, according to the General Statistics Office. -- The Saigon Railways will offer 27 additional services from Ho Chi Minh City to top tourism destinations in south-central Vietnam, including Phan Thiet, Nha Trang and Quy Nhon from April 26 to May 1, to meet rising demand during the four-day holiday when the country observes the Reunification Day and Labor Day. -- Vietnamese tour organizers are lamenting that they are reluctant to sign new contracts with visitors from Britain, France, Germany, Spain and Italy, as they have no idea whether the visa waiver for tourists from these countries will be renewed after its expiration by the end of next month. -- A proposal to develop a 43-kilometer expressway connecting Nong Cong and Tinh Gia Districts of the northern province of Thanh Hoa, at an estimated cost of VND7.3 trillion ($320.1 million) has been submitted to the Ministry of Transport for consideration. Lifestyle -- Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and other top officials took part in an incense offering ceremony at the Hung Kings Temple Relic Site in the northern midland province of Phu Tho on Sunday, commemorating the national founders, Hung Kings, believed to reign over ancient Vietnam. A varsity official also refuted the media reports that the students pelted the forces with stones Srinagar, April 26: IUST Awantipora students protest against forces high-handedness IUST Awantipora students protest against alleged forces high-handedness. The students of Islamic University of Sciences and Technology (IUST) Awantipora on Thursday staged a peaceful protest demonstration against the alleged high-handedness of the government forces. The protesting students who have assembled on the varsity campus said gunshots triggered panic and that they went out of their class rooms to see what was happening. They alleged that the forces fired several tear gas shells inside the campus, which caused suffocation. Demanding action against the forces, the students said tear gas was fired inside the campus without any provocation. A varsity official also refuted the media reports that the students pelted the forces with stones. Normal class work was going on, some gunshots were heard that led to panic and fear among the students and the staff. As students tried to learn what happened, the security forces resorted to teargas and PAVA shelling inside the campus, he said. In a statement, Vice Chancellor IUST, Prof Mushtaq Siddiqui said there was no provocation from the students as the normal classwork was on in the varsity and protests started only after firing incident led to tear gas shelling in the campus. However, the police said that the students hurled rocks at the army men fixing telephone lines outside the varsity. The army men, an official said, fired few rounds in the air to chase away the stone-throwing youth. A number of local officials have allowed businesses to build structures for tourism purposes on different islands off a northern Vietnamese national park for nearly a decade, with none of the constructions ever receiving approval from higher authorities. In the Lan Ha Bay off Cat Ba National Park, adjacent to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ha Long Bay, in the northern city of Hai Phong, docks, restaurants, resorts and karaoke bars lie along its beaches, nestled at foothills or perched on hillsides. They appear on multiple islands of the park, which is a designated biosphere reserve sitting on an archipelago. Power lines and water pipes are also connected to these places. Firms claim their own area, usually with one company reigning over a beachfront of an island. A dike with a concrete revetment was even built, impinging on the natural landscape. A concrete embankment is seen at Cat Ba National Park in Hai Phong City, Vietnam. Photo: Tuoi Tre Structures that support power lines connected to the unlicensed constructions at Cat Ba National Park in Hai Phong City, Vietnam. Photo: Tuoi Tre Electricity cables and plastic water pipes are seen at Cat Ba National Park in Hai Phong City, Vietnam. Photo: Tuoi Tre All the above structures and those underway are unlicensed and no evaluation on environmental impacts they may make has been performed, according to Hoang Van Thap, director of the Cat Ba National Park. Thap said that the park built several seaside resorts out of the main materials of bamboos and palms in 1999, and ten years later floated the proposals of leasing part of the biosphere reserves land out to businesses to boost local tourism. But the administration of Hai Phong, the parks manager, has yet to accept the suggestions, he said. The framing of tourism development projects has lasted lots of years while the demand from the tourism market is urgent, Thap said. This explains, he added, why the national parks management asked the higher-level authorities, the Hai Phong Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Peoples Committee in the citys Cat Hai District, to permit it to temporarily collaborate with businesses in upgrading the infrastructure in some areas of the park. Partnership with nine companies has been formed, with scores of bungalows and concrete guest houses coming into existence in areas that collectively span hundreds of hectares. Resort houses are seen at Cat Ba National Park in Hai Phong City, Vietnam. Photo: Tuoi Tre Unlicensed structures are on an island of Cat Ba National Park in Hai Phong City, Vietnam. Photo: Tuoi Tre Police are collecting relevant documents to clarify the roles of the department and national parks management, said Nguyen Tu Trong, the departments deputy director. A leader of Hai Phong told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that immediately after being tasked with handling the case in 2016, he officially required the park to terminate contracts with the companies. The municipal legal agencies said the case is complicated as it involves a number of officials and leaders who took office in the department and the parks management for a decade. Unlicensed constructions are seen at Cat Ba National Park in Hai Phong City, Vietnam. Video: Tuoi Tre A building is seen on an island of Cat Ba National Park in Hai Phong City, Vietnam. Photo: Tuoi Tre A karaoke bar sits on an island of Cat Ba National Park in Hai Phong City, Vietnam. Photo: Tuoi Tre A building is seen on an island of Cat Ba National Park in Hai Phong City, Vietnam. Photo: Tuoi Tre A karaoke bar sits on an island of Cat Ba National Park in Hai Phong City, Vietnam. Photo: Tuoi Tre Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc recently requested that Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City cease the development of high-rise buildings in downtown areas to aid their efforts of eliminating traffic congestion. The central government previously issued Resolution No.16 in July 31, 2008, which highlighted measures to deal with traffic jams in the two major cities. However, the traffic situation has since become more serious, prompting officials to seek out a more assertive approach. PM Phuc has tasked competent authorities with drafting a new resolution to replace Resolution No.16. The new document should include such measures as ceasing the construction of high-rise apartment complexes and buildings in downtown areas while simultaneously developing satellite urban areas, according to the head of government. The deadline for the draft resolution to be submitted to the central government has been set for prior to June 30. Apartment buildings along Ben Van Don Street in District 4, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tuoi Tre Saigon packed with apartment buildings Khanh Quynh, a resident in Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, said she believes it is necessary to stop the construction of new apartment complexes in downtown Ho Chi Minh City. I get caught in gridlock every morning. The numbers of cars and motorcycles keep increasing and placing enormous pressure on the traffic infrastructure of the neighborhood, Quynh said. The land bank in the city center should be reserved for public places such as parks, schools, and hospitals, she continued. Given the increasingly serious situation, the municipal Peoples Committee has ordered relevant agencies to cease issuing permits for the construction of apartment buildings within a 930-hectare area at the center of the metropolis. According to Nguyen Thanh Toan, deputy director of the citys Department of Planning and Architecture, investors are also encouraged to develop their projects outside of the center. Ring roads will be built to shorten the journey from downtown areas to satellite urban zones, Toan added. High-rise buildings in Hanoi. Photo: Tuoi Tre A series of favorable policies will be implemented for projects in suburban districts. Cost of housing in these neighborhoods will be cheaper and is expected to attract more residents, the official elaborated. At the same time, land use fees and taxes will be increased in the inner city, especially downtown areas, he added. Increasing population in Hanoi According to Resolution No.16, apartment complexes are only allowed to be built in the Vietnamese capital if they are designed with sufficient parking facilities. However, a quick survey by Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper showed that many apartment buildings in Trung Hoa - Nhan Chinh Urban Area, in Cau Giay and Thanh Xuan Districts, lack parking space for their residents. About 10 years ago, the urban zone consisted of only 2,400 apartments with over 10,000 people. The Trung Hoa - Nhan Chinh Urban Area in Cau Giay and Thanh Xuan Districts, Hanoi. Photo: Tuoi Tre The location is now home to more than 30 buildings, between 10 and 30 stories tall, along with a much larger population. Along Tran Duy Hung, Nguyen Chi Thanh, and Lieu Giai Streets, a series of skyscrapers are erected, namely the Grand Plaza, Eurowindow, Trung Yen Plaza, and Lotte Center. Cars have to park along the sidewalks and roadways due to the lack of parking lots. One of the most concerning projects at the moment is the Sun Grand City building at 69B Thuy Khue Street, designed with two luxury apartment buildings that are 21 and 23 stories high. Current residents in the area worry that serious congestion will occur on Thuy Khue and nearby Hoang Hoa Tham Street, both of which are quite narrow, once the project is completed. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! A man is in a deep coma while his wife and child are dead from exhaust released by an electric generator at their home in the southern Vietnamese province of Binh Duong. The incident happened at the familys residence, which doubles as a pawn shop, in the Tan Vinh Hiep neighborhood of Tan Uyen Town, the provincial Department of Police confirmed on Wednesday. Cao Huu Ha, 27, owner of the shop, remains in a coma while his wife, 27-year-old Trinh Thi Bac, and their four-year-old daughter have passed away. Neighbors discovered the situation on Tuesday evening and promptly reported it to competent authorities. The three victims were then rushed to a nearby hospital for emergency treatment but it was already too late for Bac and the little girl. Ha was in critical condition by the time he reached the hospital and was transferred to the Binh Duong Province General Hospital for further treatment. A police investigation showed that the victims suffocated from carbon monoxide (CO) released by an electric generator in their home. The generator had been turned on during a blackout on Monday night. According to officers, the married couple moved to Binh Duong from the north-central province of Thanh Hoa in 2005 and had been renting the house to live and run their business since 2005. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Vietnams Government Committee for Religious Affairs has warned the public of cult-like activities linked to a religious society known as the Church of God, which has raised concerns recently due to its peculiar teachings and methods of attracting followers. Members of the faith group, which is not officially recognized in Vietnam as a religion, have been approaching people in public areas and at university campuses to preach about their faith and convincing others to become believers if they want to be saved.' Followers are taught to destroy family altars, disregard their worldly life and donate money to the Church to be wholly devoted to God.' Stories of university students and married adults giving up their education, rejecting family members and working to become full-time devotees have been brought under Vietnamese media attention in recent days, raising concerns among the public. In a statement released on Wednesday, Vu Chien Thang, head of the Government Committee for Religious Affairs, called on members of the public to be wary of negative and morally devious activities concerned with the Church of God.' While stressing that the Vietnamese government upholds religious freedom, Thang said activities that infringe upon public order and safety and harm the well-being of others are strictly prohibited. The official reminded that the so-called Church of God must not be mistaken with other recognized Christian groups in Vietnam that are operating legally. A gathering of Church of God followers in Vietnam is seen in this photo provided by police. In Vietnam, religions and religious groups are required to register with the government to be recognized and legally operate. The Church of God, also known as the World Mission Society Church of God, is a Christian new religious movement that began in South Korea in 1964. Its founder, South Korean Ahn Sahng-hong, is believed to be the Second Coming of Jesus Christ by Church followers. His alleged wife, Jang Gil-ja, is said to be God the Mother. However, Thang said government officials were still working to verify whether recent activities of Church of God believers in Vietnam were linked to the religious societys headquarters in South Korea. It could be the case that some individuals in Vietnam who are not connected to the Church have been exploiting the faith for their own benefits, he explained. The Government Committee for Religious Affairs said it had worked with local governments to collect evidence of the groups activities in Vietnam while raising public awareness of the issue. Earlier, the Ministry of Education and Training had issued a letter to schools and universities in Vietnam warning students against becoming followers of the Church of God, following reported preaching activities at campuses. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Netflix has now confirmed a 10 part contemporary sequel to San Francisco melodrama Armistead Maupins Tales of the City. Laura Linney and Olympia Dukakis will reprise their roles as Mary Ann Singleton and Anna Madrigal, first seen in 1993 and later in 1998 & 2001. Barbara Garrick will also return as DeDe Halcyon Day while Ellen Page will join the cast as Mary Anns daughter, Shawna. Marcus DAmico, who played Mouse was recast in later seasons due to his typecasting concerns, but still perfors, most recently in The Alienist for TNT. Lauren Morelli (Orange is The New Black) serves as showrunner/executive producer and writer. Armistead Maupin will executive produce while Alan Poul returns to direct and executive produce. Laura Linney also executive produces. I couldnt be more excited about this new brand-new incarnation of Tales. Its set in present-day San Francisco with all the joys and complications that might suggest for the residents of 28 Barbary Lane, said Maupin. Mrs. Madrigals tenants, both old and new, will be entangled in delicious new adventures and ever-expanding possibilities for love. The magical, vivid world that Armistead Maupin built in Tales of the City is one that offered so many particularly the LGBTQ+ community a home for the first time. For many, Tales was the first time they saw themselves on screen, said writer and showrunner Lauren Morelli. I am humbled to now find my own home within Tales and to continue telling Armisteads stories. Additional cast will be announced with production expected to start later this year for a 2019 debut. A revival was previously tipped last June. Based on the books by Armistead Maupin, this next chapter Armistead Maupins Tales of the City follows Mary Ann (Laura Linney), who returns home to San Francisco and is reunited with her daughter (Ellen Page) and ex-husband Brian, twenty years after leaving them behind to pursue her career. Fleeing the midlife crisis that her picture perfect Connecticut life created, Mary Ann returns home to her chosen family and will quickly be drawn back into the orbit of Anna Madrigal (Olympia Dukakis) and the residents of 28 Barbary Lane. Leave your catfights and insults at the door please, MasterChef Australia returns to TEN on Monday May 7. It suggests TEN is confident that MKR will have a grand final on Sunday May 6 (thats unconfirmed but looks to be on the money). This would see it compete with House Rules expected return.and maybe even Olivia? After searching the far corners of the country for Australias best amateur cooks, the brave, confident and fearless will stand together, facing a massive judges audition process, which will leave only the very best 24 home cooks standing. MasterChef Australia judges Matt Preston, Gary Mehigan and George Calombaris are back in the kitchen, encouraging and challenging the contestants to cook smarter, extend their creativity and overcome obstacles in ways they never dreamt possible. Vue de Mondes Shannon Bennett reprises his role as mentor for the immunity challenges, confident he can give away more immunity pins than ever before. MasterChef Australia promises a season full of surprises and boasts some of Australias and the worlds best chefs including Maggie Beer, Curtis Stone, Adriano Zumbo and domestic goddess Nigella Lawson. And for the first time, internationally renowned Michelin-starred chef Gordon Ramsay will enter the kitchen, keen to keep the Top 24 contestants on their toes. Monday, 7 May at 7.30pm and continues Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. For the past six weeks Netflix and ABC have been filming scenes for Pine Gap in Adelaide. Based at the South Australian Film Corporation studios in Glenside, the Screentime production is a high-end 6 part political thriller to have its World Premiere on ABC. A Defence Facility that has been shrouded in secret for decades is about to be thrust into the spotlight in a fictional form by writers Greg Haddrick and Felicity Packard. Holdens former car plant at Elizabeth, built around the same era, has been transformed to represent Defence buildings, following an exterior shoot in Central Australia. For producer Lisa Scott the co-production deal with the ABC and the streaming giant represents a creative freedom not usually afforded for local projects. Its been a refreshing partnership, she tells TV Tonight. When you work with Americans its different from Australian networks where you are trying to funnel a story idea to a bottom line. In America you make a story and you make the budget fit to that. The Australian way is to say I could cut this, or lose this. But the Americans say What do you need to make this? But they have deeper pockets and a bigger reach. The project has been years in development, initially with ABC after the trio completed ANZAC Girls before then-Netflix Vice President of Content reached out to writer Greg Haddrick. They had actually watched everything we had done. ANZAC Girls, Janet King, Cloudstreet and Underbelly. It was nice that they were very familiar with our work and they understood us as a team. So Greg sent them Pine Gap. It didnt take them very long to decide and they jumped on board, Scott explains. They didnt even know where Pine Gap was. They didnt understand its significance to America and they didnt realise its a place with a true 50 / 50 relationship (between 2 countries). So rather than a forced US / Australian co-production, it was the most natural they could envisage. That led to a mix of international and Australian actors including Parker Sawyers, Tess Haubrich, Jacqueline McKenzie, Steve Toussaint, Kelton Pell, Lewis Fitz-Gerald & Madeleine Madden. The production includes Indigenous talent, both in front of and behind the camera, with a 3 week shoot in Alice Springs. Netflix allowed us to go to Alice Springs and make it very much a character in our story. One of the more interesting things to our international viewers is What is this place? and how Americans are chucked into the middle of the desert, she continues. We had a Welcome to Country on the first day of filming and had our offices based at CAAMA, the Central Australia Aboriginal Media Organisation. It was very important to have guides and consultants for the days we were on sensitive land. When you go out on the MacDonnell Ranges you understand the connection of Indigenous people to the land. You cannot help but feel inspired by that. It was very rewarding. Netflix came over for the read-through. For them its very much about the story. They are very much across the original concepts of the show, the design and colours. There were many script meetings and they asked many questions. And when they announced their participation they translated the press release into 25 different languages. Its really exciting to have that support. Shooting is nearing completion in Adelaide, a city which has provided not just the facilities but many heads of department and crew. Pine Gap follows from Screentimes ANZAC Girls and 2 Wolf Creek seasons in South Australia. There is a very strong, deep filming community here who are proud of what they have done, she continues. South Australia is the oldest state-based film corporation and now its trying to push television through. But while it has industry support the production has no backing or access from the Defence Department other than an understanding a work of fiction is underway. Author David Rosenberg (Inside Pine Gap) is a production consultant. They are aware of what we are doing, Scott acknowledges. We all recognise the importance of Pine Gap. For whatever your personal views are, it is an important facility in the 5 eyes network of America, UK, Canada, Australia & NZ. Were making a drama not a documentary. But Ill be curious to see what they think. I hear our Ops floor looks pretty spectacular compared to the real one. But its TV! Indeed the giant Operations Room set, a surveillance nerve centre with 168 screens, is where Scott cites money on the screen. Lewis Fitzgerald said to me In 40 years of television Ive never seen anything like that. Every cent we have managed to put on screen and as a producer, that is the most satisfying thing, she smiles. Im very creatively satisfied every time I look at the rushes. Pine Gap photo: Kristian Laemmle-Ruff (by Khalid Gul) Such is the political climate of Tral that if you die for a side that you see as the enemy then you even dont get a fitting goodbye. That was how the funeral of Lateef Ahmad Gojri went: quiet, unnoticed, and unsung. He was a policeman who died in a shootout with the four guerrilla fighters of Jaish-e-Muhammad in Tral on Tuesday. The policeman was given a quiet burial at his village of Kangdoora-Kahlil in the darkness of the night with just his relations and neighbours in attendance. Some three miles away the two villages of Handoora and Khangund, in contrast, wore the sacrifice of their two young guerrillas with pride. In fact, no one slept as songs of freedom and resistance on mosque loudspeakers kept the villages up all night. And as the first rays of the sun touched Tral, tens of thousands of mourners came into the two villages to give the two guerrillas an emotional send off. Ishfaq Ahmad Khan and Abid Maqbool Bhat died in the gun fight in the forests of Tral with two of their Pakistani compatriots also dying by their side. In both the villages, the bodies of the guerrillas couldnt be buried as mourners kept coming hour after hour and newer and newer rounds of funeral prayers were to be held to accommodate more mourners. Hundreds of women were also in attendance as they tossed candies on the remains of the guerrillas. To honour their sacrifice, a few of their colleagues turned up with guns firing a few shots in the air as pro-freedom, pro-Pakistan and pro-Islam slogans charged up the atmosphere. I dont know the boys personally but I left home early morning to participate in their funerals, said one Muhamad Zubair who had come all the way from Kulgam. There is certainly something which drives people from far off places to the funerals of these boys whom they have not even known , he said. Abid, one of the slain guerrillas, was the son of police officer. Abid had joined the guerrilla outfit only forty five days back. He was a student of a polytechnic college. His father Muhamad Maqbool Bhat is an Assistant sub Inspector with the Jammu and Kashmir police and one of his brothers, Shahbaz, is set to join the same force. In contrast, Ishfaq came from a humble background his father Ghulam Nabi Khan is a farmer and his brother and a sister- are students. He himself worked as painter to make a living before taking up arms. Ishfaq s first cousin, Abid Khana top Hizb commanderhad shot dead an army colonel MN Roy in an encounter in January 2015 before he too was gunned down. Lateef, the slain policeman, had joined the polices Special Operations Group in 2000 after his first cousin, Areeb Gojri working with the same counterinsurgent force was killed in a militant attack. He was stripped of his job in 2017 after his close friend Sheraz Ahmad ran away with his service rifle from his residential quarter housed in a SOG camp Tral to join Hizb ranks. But was reinstated later, a source said. courtesy:Greater Kashmir Donald Trump was an isolationist prior to his election as POTUS, he was critical of Barack Obamas intervention in Syria, but then decided to bomb them a few weeks ago. However, he has always been critical of the iran nuclear deal signed in 2015, stating that it wasnt harsh enough on Iran. After the French President Emmanuel Macrons state visit to the US, he has stated that he believes that Trump will pull out of the deal. The nuclear deal struck with Iran by the big six powers in 2015, means that Iran are obliged to limit their nuclear power in exchange for having the economic sanctions imposed on them since 1995 lifted. Whats the deal with Iran? As previously stated, Donald Trump has been long time critic of the Iran deal saying that it has been too soft on them but he has signed several waivers suspending the sanctions since he has taken office. More recently, he has threatened to refuse to sign the next set of waivers on 12th May if more harsher sanctions arent imposed on Iran. Macron stated that he is unsure whether Trump will decide but sated that in his view that he will get rid of this deal, for domestic reasons. Further evidence suggests that Trump is planning to scrap the deal after Congress passed four bills targeting sanctions on Irans ballistic missile network and Hezbollah practices. In 1995, the administration of Bill Clinton imposed some of the toughest sanctions on Iran during the presidency of Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani. This prohibited US trade in their oil industry, by the end of the year, the sanctions spread over economic, trade, scientific and military sectors of the Iranian economy. The 2015 deal to suspend the sanctions called the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT), allows you to use nuclear technology in exchange for renouncing the development of nuclear weapons. But further sanctions have been placed on them since after they were accused of developing nuclear weapons covertly. Iran-Israel relations prior the 90s Israel demanded five days ago that the US impose sanctions on Irans missile capabilities and congress duly passed those four bills. However, Israel and Iran have been at loggerheads for a while and of course the US and UK will support their allies within the region rather than try and temper relations. But current relations are a stark contrast to what they used to be prior the 1990s, it was a complex web of pragmatic cooperation and favourable geopolitical stances, with the US sanctions imposed in 1995 are certainly linked to the proxy war that has been ongoing underneath the surface of the other conflicts within the region between Israel and Iran, but what is the brief history of Iran-Israel relations? Prior Irans 1979 revolution, Israel and Iran were united through fears of Nasserite pan-Arabism and Soviet influence in the Middle East. Israel viewed Iran as an important part of its periphery doctrine, which was meant to offset Arab states through military, intelligence, and economic cooperation with such non-Arab states as Iran. But the then leader, the Shah, saw Israel as a pragmatic counterweight to the Arab world and he also believed the Israeli influence in Washington would benefit them as an aspiring great power. Nonetheless, the Shah was aware of the anti-Israel sentiment throughout the Middle East and kept Israel at arms length and not publicly embracing them. Beyond the overthrow of the Shah, the cooperation between the two nations did not end, during the war with Iraq, the Islamic Republic favoured limited cooperation with the Jewish state and with some of the Israeli leaders hoping post-revolutionary Iran would remain part of the periphery alliance. They believed that common geopolitical interests, though increasingly more limited than previous, would facilitate a tacit cooperation. But the revolutionary regime of Iran did not view Israel in just geopolitical terms and proxy wars through groups such as Hezbollah have been fought, but the pragmatic cooperation between them did help shape Iranian policy well into the 1990s. THE UK are complicit in the Israeli forces violent oppression and occupying of Palestinian Territory. The extent of which is largely unreported in the UK because it would certainly damage the government, but it is evident that the large swathes of the public disagree with the UK foreign policy within the region. Furthermore, after the US cut funding to Gaza, there is a real risk that the humanitarian crisis could become significantly worse. The value of sales of arms to Israel dramatically increased after the 2014 Gaza conflict and millions of Palestinians within the region could face starvation by June. Humanitarian crisis and arms sales Millions of Palestinians in Gaza could run out of food and face starvation by June because the UN agency for Palestinian refugees are struggling to raise an extra $200 million. This follows the cut of US funding from the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). Donald Trumps decision to withhold $305 million in funding is far greater than the reported $65 million in January and it is affecting UNRWAs ability to raise the needed funds for starving Palestinians. Since 2014, the selling of arms to Israel have increased dramatically and fresh government data raises concerns over the UKs role in the conflict in the region. Already a supporter of the Israeli government, the UK has a substantial impact and recent data has revealed that arms export licenses to Israel increased tenfold since the 2014 Gaza conflict to 216 million in 2017.This is an increase from 20 million in 2015 and 85 million in 2016. THE UK propaganda machine has been churning anti-Syria stories out for the last couple of weeks. This is to further propagate the idea that Bashar al-Assad is an evil dictator that needs to be overthrown. The latest was the claimed chemical attack in Douma, which subsequently saw a US/UK/French coalition jump the gun and bomb sites that they claimed to be Chemical Weapons facilities. However, it has been claimed that the OPCW, who went in the day after the bombing campaign, found no evidence of the use of chemical weapons within the region. So, why are the west adamant that Assad needs to be overthrown? UK covert operations in Syria There is a geopolitical battle at stage and Syria are in the centre of it and the UK have been actively trying to overthrow the Assad regime with the US since before the 2011 civil war outbreak. But focusing on the 2011 outbreak of war, it is well known that the UK and US helped fund and train the Free Syrian Army, but the US also approved the shipping of arms to various opposition groups in Syria in 2011, which included weapons and 600 fighters from Libya. After overthrowing Gaddafi in Libya, Britains MI6 and French Special forces were assisting Syrian fighters and assessing their training, weapons and communication needs. Whilst the CIA provided the equipment and intelligence. The covert operation by the UK began at this point but it had also been in planning since 2006 when Assad dropped the Petrodollar and later the trained insurgencies from Libya and the FSA would later join ISIL or the al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria, al-Nusra, who became the most powerful militant group. LUANDA (Reuters) - Russia's space agency said on Monday that Angola's first national telecoms satellite, AngoSat-1, was inoperative and Russia would build another one for launch in 2020. Launched in December from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the satellite has been plagued by problems including the loss of communications and is now regarded as a write-off, Russian and Angolan officials told a news conference on Monday. "We are going to start the AngoSat-2 construction," Igor Frolov, a representative for Energia, a unit of Russia's space agency, said. The written-off satellite was insured and Russia will pay the rest of the undisclosed costs for the second satellite. (Reporting by Herculano Coroado; Editing by Ed Stoddard and Richard Balmforth) See Also: FILE PHOTO: Helge Lund, President and Chief Executive Officer of Statoil ASA speaks during his luncheon keynote address. FILE PHOTO: Helge Lund, when President and Chief Executive Officer of Statoil ASA, speaks during his luncheon keynote address at the CERAWEEK 2010 energy conference in Houston March 10, 2010. REUTERS/Richard Carson/File Photo By Ron Bousso LONDON (Reuters) - BP named Helge Lund, a former head of Norway's Statoil, as its next chairman on Thursday, as the British oil major looks to extend a period of rapid growth after recovering from a deadly oil spill in 2010. Lund, who also led BG Group during its acquisition by rival Royal Dutch Shell, will replace Carl-Henric Svanberg, chairman of BP for almost nine years, at the beginning of next year. The 55-year-old Lund steered Statoil through its transformation from a state oil company into a leading global player, and is likely to have to navigate BP through the succession of its veteran CEO Bob Dudley later this decade. "It is a good appointment," said Rohan Murphy, analyst at asset manager Allianz Global Investors. "He has already had a great career and coming from Statoil and BG shows his upstream expertise which is still the main driver of earnings at BP so it is key to understand this well." Lund will join BP at a time when the British oil and gas company is growing quickly, having recovered from the deadly Deepwater Horizon spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010 that brought the company to the brink of collapse. The Norwegian earned his reputation as a leader when he oversaw Statoil's shift from a domestic-focused state oil firm into an international major over the 10 years to 2014. He was also CEO of BG Group from 2015 to 2016. Just two months into the job, he agreed to a takeover by Shell which corporate filings showed would trigger payouts that could net him more than 32 million pounds ($48 million). Lund will join BP's board as chairman designate and a non-executive director on Sept. 1 and will become chairman on Jan 1, the company said. It did not give salary details. "Our industry is changing faster than ever as the world focuses on meeting the dual challenge of more energy with fewer emissions ... Helge has a track record of leadership in addressing these issues," Svanberg said in a statement. Story continues Svanberg, from Sweden, became chairman on Jan. 1, 2010, four months before the worst offshore oil disaster in U.S. history that left 11 workers dead. He played a key role in the aftermath of the disaster that cost the company over $65 billion. Lund, who is also chairman of Denmark's Novo Nordisk AS , will stand down as a director at oilfield service company Schlumberger with immediate effect. He has been a Schlumberger director since June 2016. He started his career as a consultant with McKinsey & Company and a parliamentary adviser for Norway's Conservative party. Lund was also on the board of directors of Nokia from 2011 to 2014. (Reporting by Ron Bousso and Arathy S Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Jason Neely and Mark Potter) By Tsvetelia Tsolova SOFIA (Reuters) - Bulgaria said it could join ERM-2, the two-year "waiting room" for euro zone membership, within a year - a timeline that European Commission Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis said could be achieved. Bulgaria is pushing ahead with its bid to join the euro zone while it holds the EU presidency and enjoys the support of the current European Commission and political backing from countries such as France and Germany. As one of EU's poorest and most corrupt member states, Bulgaria is concerned that missing the momentum for deeper integration would leave it on the periphery as EU countries discuss a multi-speed Europe. The Balkan country has said it plans to apply for membership of the Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM-2) by the end of June, when its six-month term as EU president expires, although Prime Minister Boyko Borissov declined to confirm that timeline on Thursday. Borissov said Sofia wanted to join the EU's banking union "one day after" it joins the ERM-2, rather than joining the banking union first as the EU and ECB would prefer. "I am an optimist that within a year we can congratulate ourselves," Borissov told an economic forum. Dombrovkis, who is also in charge of financial services in the EU, said the timeline was "reasonable and certainly doable", reiterating support in Brussels for Bulgaria's joining ERM-2. "It is realistic to start this process during the Bulgarian presidency," Dombrovskis told a public debate on Bulgaria's euro zone accession in Sofia. He added that Bulgaria needs to work to convince all member states and the ECB of its plan. Bulgaria, which joined the EU in 2007, meets the formal criteria to adopt the single currency, before which it would need to spend at least two years in the ERM-2 "waiting room". Its lev currency has been pegged to the euro for two decades and Bulgaria produces fiscal surpluses, keeps inflation at bay and has one of the lowest public debt burden in the EU. Story continues But critics say the EU's poorest member state needs to better align its economy to richer Western peers and prove it can crack down on corruption before it can adopt the euro. Bulgaria could be the first country to join the ERM-2 since the EU's banking union was set up. Dombrovskis said it would be up to ECB to decide whether the country should join the union or the euro zone's precursor first. Following the biggest financial crisis in the country triggered by the collapse of its fourth largest lender in 2014, Bulgaria sought to join the banking union and put its banks under ECB scrutiny, but these plans have since stalled. Borissov said Brussels will hand Bulgaria a detailed road map for euro entry with clear criteria and timelines. "What we are working with the European Commission at the moment is to prepare the documents, to hand them in and to get a road map in a month," he said. Speaking at the same forum, Finance Minister Vladislav Goranov said he does not see a reason what would stop Bulgaria from entering the ERM-2, adding it would be "hypocritical" if Bulgaria was denied access. (Reporting by Tsvetelia Tsolova, editing by Larry King) FILE PHOTO: European Council President Donald Tusk attends a news conference at Euxinograd residence, near Varna, Bulgaria, March 26, 2018. REUTERS/Stoyan Nenov Thomson Reuters PRISTINA (Reuters) - Donald Tusk, president of the European Council, urged Kosovo on Thursday to improve relations with Serbia in order to progress towards its long-term goal of European Union membership. Kosovo and five other Western Balkan nations seeking EU membership must all tackle corruption and organized crime, improve human rights and media freedoms and resolve any disputes with their neighbors before they can join. Kosovo, a former Serbian province which is not recognized as an independent state by five current EU members or by Belgrade, is still far from membership talks. But it committed in 2013 along with Serbia to an EU-sponsored dialogue to improve ties. Little progress has been made since then. "Without a comprehensive normalization of relations with Serbia and full implementation of the agreements, I dont see how a breakthrough in relations with the EU could be achieved," Tusk told a joint news conference with Kosovo President Hashim Thaci. "I know it is going to be hard but I am still a cautious optimist and after yesterdays meeting with (Serbian President) Aleksandar Vucic and today's meeting with your president (Thaci) I am more optimistic and less cautious. Tusk, a former Polish prime minister, chairs summits of the 28-nation EU. Kosovo declared independence from Belgrade 10 years ago, almost a decade after NATO bombed Serb forces to halt the killing and expulsion of ethnic Albanians from the region during a 1998-99 counter-insurgency war. Kosovo has been recognized by 116 countries, including 23 of the 28 EU members. Its membership of the United Nations has been blocked by Serbia's allies Russia and China. Around 120,000 Serbs who live in Kosovo still consider Belgrade their capital, and they are financially supported by Serbia. (Reporting by Fatos Bytyci; Editing by Ivana Sekularac and Gareth Jones) See Also: (Corrects designation of office in first paragraph) By Prakash Chakravarti and Sharon Klyne HONG KONG/SYDNEY, April 26 (IFR) - British lender Barclays (Swiss: BARC.SW - news) has reopened an office in Sydney, slightly over two years after it shuttered operations in Australia. Paul Early and Richard Satchwell will jointly head the Australian office, which launched on Monday. Re-establishing our on-the-ground presence in Australia, the third largest financial market in Asia Pacific, is an important part of our strategy to grow our franchise, said Tim Throsby, president of Barclays International and CEO of the corporate and investment bank, in a statement. Early joined Barclays (LSE: BARC.L - news) in 2007 in Sydney and led the mining and metals sector coverage for Australia. Since 2012 he was based in Hong Kong, leading the Asia Pacific natural resources coverage team. Satchwell has been with Barclays since joining in London in 2005 and held leadership roles across the Australian financing and risk management businesses. He has also handled responsibility for the broader Asian acquisition and leverage finance teams and industry and advisory teams in Australia. He was most recently part of the Europe and Middle East leveraged finance team in London. Satchwell had helped wind down the Australian operations in 2016 as part of the British lender's retreat from investment banking in at least eight countries in Asia. Following the exit in 2016, Barclays had continued to do deals in Australia but covered the country from Singapore. It has been particularly active in acquisition-related and term loan B financings for the likes of Ventia, the infrastructure services spin-off from Leighton Holdings, and US data management firm Iron Mountain. (Reporting By Prakash Chakravarti and Sharon Klyne for Thomson Reuters LPC; Editing by Steve Garton and Vincent Baby) megyn kelly NBC Megyn Kelly has a three-year, $69 million contract with NBC, but her show's ratings are lagging. "Megyn Kelly Today" averages about 2.4 million viewers. "Live With Kelly and Ryan" reaches an audience of 3 million in the same time slot on ABC. Tamron Hall and Al Roker, the hosts who previously had her time slot, made less than half of Kelly's salary with higher ratings. NBC poached Megyn Kelly from Fox with a three-year contract for $69 million, but her ratings are not consistent with what is expected from that level of network investment. "Megyn Kelly Today" premiered in September 2017 but has yet to find its audience for its 9 a.m. weekday slot. The Wall Street Journal reported that Nielsen data shows Kelly averages 2.4 million viewers a day. Kelly's ratings are low in every regard: compared to her own viewership at Fox, compared to her competitors in the same time spot, and compared to her predecessors at NBC. During Kelly's last year at Fox News, "The Kelly File" averaged 2.7 million viewers despite being on a cable network. Kelly was in prime time and now airs in mornings, but her viewership dropped as she made the transfer from cable to network television. In the same time slot over at ABC, "Live With Kelly and Ryan" has seen a spike in ratings, partially attributed to Megyn Kelly's performance and partially attributed to Ryan Seacrest being named as Kelly Ripa's permanent co-host. Nielsen shows that "Live" has expanded its lead over "Today" since Megyn Kelly joined NBC. Ripa and Seacrest now average 747,000 more viewers than Kelly. Forbes reported that Ripa made about $18 million last year and will make approximately $20 million from her "Live" salary in 2018. The Wall Street Journal reported that the audience for "Megyn Kelly Today" is 18% smaller than the audience for NBC's previous hosts in her spot, Tamron Hall and Al Roker, and that Hall and Roker had a combined salary of less than half of what Kelly is now making when they had the 9 a.m. spot last year. Hall has since left NBC. Story continues Kelly made a major jump from cable to network news by leaving Fox for NBC. Stephen Colbert who is now making $15 million made a comparable cable-to-network move from Comedy Central to CBS for "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert." His ratings initially suffered, but the critical reception and viewership of Colbert's late-night talk show have improved. Kelly's ratings had a temporary improvement in February, which was attributed to NBC's coverage of the Winter Olympics. The former Fox star's other show with NBC, "Sunday Night With Megyn Kelly" finished its first season earlier than anticipated among low ratings. The first episode featured an interview with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and The Journal reported that NBC was surprised the premiere only took in 6 million viewers. NBC has said that the weekly news show that aired eight episodes last summer will now run "periodically." For her part, Kelly has said she is willing to give her program some time to find an audience. "Our show is a baby. We're six months old," Kelly said in a statement. "Morning TV is obviously new to me and I'm figuring it out as we go ... I think any show needs about a year to find its footing," she said. NOW WATCH: Megyn Kelly reveals why she left Fox News See Also: Pramod Mishra is a biweekly columnist for The Kathmandu Post. He is the department chair of English Studies at Lewis University in the United States. (Adds context, table of winners) By Maher Chmaytelli BAGHDAD, April 26 (Reuters) - Iraq failed to attract investment from the top global energy companies in its oil and gas exploration/development contract auction on Thursday, with no major firms winning any bids and only Italy's Eni (Euronext: ENI.NX - news) submitting an offer. The Oil Ministry held an auction to award contracts to international energy companies, with 11 blocks on offer near the borders with Iran and Kuwait and in offshore Gulf waters. "We have decided to speed up the development of border fields after five decades without investments ... leaving them without investments meant wasting the oil wealth of the country," Oil Minister Jabar al-Luaibi said ahead of bidding. "I say to the companies (that will bid), 'thank you' because this means trusting Iraq ... and it means services and education for the citizens who live in the regions where you are going to operate," he added. Five of the exploration blocks failed to attract any bids. Three went to Iraqi-owned, United Arab Emirates-based Crescent Petroleum, two to China's Geo-Jade, and one to United Energy (Other OTC: UNRG - news) Group, also based in China. Eni (LSE: 0N9S.L - news) made two unsuccessful bids, while no other majors bid. Fourteen companies had expressed interest and bought a package containing the bidding documents and terms for the 11 blocks, the ministry had said on April 14. "It is a very successful round. As an Iraqi company it's not a commercial matter, it's about investing and developing the production of Iraq," Crescent executive director Abdullah al-Qadi told Reuters. The blocks were initially to be auctioned in June. The date was brought forward to April 15, then postponed to April 25 to give bidders more time, the Oil Ministry had said. A combination of factors was behind the failure by five blocks to draw bids, said Abdul Mahdy al-Ameedi, director general of Iraq's Petroleum Contracts and Licensing Directorate. Story continues Some cover former battlefields, some are hard to access and the one offshore plot needs more data, he said. Ameedi said another round could be held for the five blocks but provided no further details. The contracts on offer excluded oil by-products from the companies' revenue, established a link between prevailing oil prices and their remuneration, and introduced a royalty element. Oil companies operating in Iraq currently receive a fee from the government linked to production increases, which include crude and oil by-products such as liquefied petroleum gas. OPEC's second-largest producer after Saudi Arabia, Iraq decided to change the contracts after a glut caused oil prices to crash in 2014, reducing Baghdads ability to pay such fees. Companies including BP, Exxon Mobil (Swiss: XOM-USD.SW - news) , Eni, Total (LSE: 524773.L - news) , Royal Dutch Shell (LSE: 0LN9.L - news) and Lukoil have helped Iraq expand production in the past decade by over 2.5 million barrels per day to about 4.7 million bpd. The semi-autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government produces oil and gas from fields it controls in northern Iraq under a production-sharing model that is more profitable to companies. The new contracts offered by Baghdad will also set a time limit for companies to end gas flaring from oilfields they develop. Iraq continues to flare some of the gas extracted alongside crude oil at its fields because it lacks the facilities to process it into fuel. Iraq hopes to end gas flaring by 2021. Flaring costs the government nearly $2.5 billion in lost revenue each year and could cover most of its unmet needs for gasfired power, according to the World Bank. ------------------------------ Below is a summary of Iraq's bidding round detailing the blocks on offer and the winning bids in terms of remuneration as percentage from oil revenue. The winners were companies offering to take the lowest percentage. Block Winner Bid 1- Gilabat-Qumar Crescent 9.21 percent 2- Khashim Ahmar-Injana Crescent 19.99 percent 3- Naft Khana Geo-Jade 14.67 percent 4- Zurbatiya no bid 5- Shihabi no bid 6- Huwaiza Geo-Jade 7.15 percent 7- Sindbad United Energy 4.55 percent 8- FAO no bid 9- Jabal Sanam no bid 10- Khider al-Mai Crescent 13.75 percent 11- ''Arabian Gulf'' (offshore) no bid The remuneration is before tax and after the payment of royalties and cost recovery. Royalties are set at 25 percent of total revenue of the field and tax at 35 percent of the company's income. For example: if the revenue from the field's production is $1,000, the operating company's costs $100 and its percentage remuneration 20 percent, it will first pay $225 to the government (a quarter of $900, which is the revenue minus cost) in royalties, and split the remaining $675 with the government along the percentage agreed, taking $135 and giving the government $540. The company then pays 35 percent in tax on its $135, or $47.25, and is left with $87.75 in net income. (Reporting by Maher Chmaytelli; Writing by Ahmed Aboulenein; Editing by Dale Hudson and Jason Neely) FILE PHOTO: Peru's former President Ollanta Humala and former first lady Nadine Heredia leave the Nationalist Party headquarters in Lima, Peru, July 13, 2017. REUTERS/Guadalupe Pardo Thomson Reuters LIMA (Reuters) - Peru's top court ruled that ex-President Ollanta Humala and his wife must be freed from jail, where they have been spent the past nine months awaiting trial over money laundering allegations that they deny, the president of the court said on Thursday. Ernesto Blume warned that the use of "preventive prison," or pre-trial detention, must not be overused as the country grapples with its biggest corruption scandal in nearly two decades. Humala and former first lady Nadine Heredia are two of several politicians, former government officials and business leaders who have been jailed pending trial in connection with Odebrecht, a Brazilian builder that has admitted to paying hundreds of millions of dollars in bribes across Latin America. "Preventive prison is not the general rule but an exception," Blume said as he announced the court's decision. The court "must guarantee the right to personal liberty as well as the presumption of innocence." The comments were a rare rebuke of the work of public prosecutors amid widespread outrage over Odebrecht's bribes, and the ruling could mark a precedent as criminal investigations continue against other former presidents and politicians. "We have to be very careful." Blume added. "Media justice is not justice. The only way to strengthen institutions and fight against corruption coherently is by acting constitutionally." Former President Alejandro Toledo has been fighting extradition from the United States to serve up to 18 months in preventive prison over allegations he took a $20 million bribe from Odebrecht. Former President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, who resigned amid mounting graft allegations last month, has been barred from leaving the country while his ties to the company are probed. Opposition leader Keiko Fujimori and her right-wing party are also under investigation. Humala, Heredia, Fujimori, Toledo and Kuczynski all deny wrongdoing. Story continues Prosecutors accused Humala and Heredia, who was the leader of Humala's nationalist party, of taking $3 million in illicit funds from Odebrecht to finance Humala's 2011 campaign. They argued the couple might flee or obstruct their work unless jailed. But as Humala and Heredia languished in prison without any formal charges against them, some in Peru argued their jailing was unfair, especially as other political leaders, such as Humala's former rival Fujimori, remained free. Blume stressed the court was not weighing in on the accusations against Humala and Heredia and that the couple will have to comply with court-mandated restrictions while investigations continue. Humala had been sharing a prison with Fujimori's father, former authoritarian leader Alberto Fujimori, until December, when Kuczynski pardoned Fujimori amid a political crisis. (Reporting By Mitra Taj and Ana Maria Cervantes; Editing by Dan Grebler) See Also: Might aliens be stuck on their home planets? (Picture NASA) Heres another possible reason for the fact weve never met any aliens here on Earth the extraterrestrials might be stuck on their planets by extreme gravity. It sounds surreal but it might be true. Super-Earth planets are like giant versions of our Earth, and some experts believe that alien life could evolve there. But getting off those planets would be unimaginably difficult due to the huge gravity: an Apollo-style mission would have to weigh 400,000 tons, the weight of the Great Pyramid of Giza, due to all the fuel required to escape the atmosphere. So civilisations on such planets would be far less likely to develop their own space programs, say the searchers from the Sonneberg Observatory in Germany. MOST POPULAR TODAY ON YAHOO Lead author Michael Hippke told Fox News, On more-massive planets, spaceflight would be exponentially more expensive. Such civilizations would not have satellite TV, a moon mission or a Hubble Space Telescope. Some previous research has suggested that life might actually be more likely to evolve on super-Earths as the gravity tends to hold a thicker atmosphere to shield the planets from cosmic rays. Opponents of an exhibition displaying human bodies claim that it could be using the corpses of executed Chinese prisoners. Questions have been raised about the source of the 200 specimens which are preserved through plastination on display in Sydney at Real Bodies: The Exhibition after it was revealed that they came from China. Susie Hughes, from the International Coalition to End Transplant Abuse in China (ETAC), questioned exhibition organizers claims the bodies were unclaimed corpses. Trending: Mountaineers Caught in Canadian Avalanche Saved After Calling Poland for Help GettyImages-80466779 Getty She says Chinese hospitals only deem a body unclaimed after 30 days, which is at odds with the requirement to start the plastination process within 48 hours after death. ETAC has written an open letter to Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and New South Wales Health Minister Brad Hazzard urging the the exhibition to be closed. Don't miss: YouTuber Count Dankula Who Taught Dog Nazi Salute Raises $100,000 to Pay Legal Fees Using human organs and tissues without consent for financial profit is the antithesis of ethical and legal practice, the letter said. Strong evidence supports the bodies and organs being exhibited having come from executed prisoners in China," Vaughan Macefield, a professor of physiology at the Western Sydney University, told The Guardian. These are mostly young males on display, quite different to the older donated bodies used to teach anatomy in Australian medical schools. Tom Zaller, hief executive of the display's organizer, Imagine Exhibitions insists there were no ethical concerns, which he dismissed as having no basis . Most popular: Top 50 Highest Grossing Movies Adjusted for Inflation Story continues "We have been down this road so many times. There's absolutely no truth in what's being said, he told News Corp. "The bottom line is all of the specimens used in our exhibition are legally sourced and they have all died from natural causes, which has been expressed since the beginning of these exhibitions touring, as well as forensic anthropologists. Exhibitions of plastinated bodies, pioneered by German anatomist Gunther von Hagens, have been viewed by more than 50 million people worldwide, but have seldom failed to spark controversy. They are banned in Israel and France. This article was first written by Newsweek More from Newsweek By Marine Pennetier and Robin Emmott WASHINGTON/BRUSSELS (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron called on the United States on Wednesday not to abandon the Iran nuclear deal as Western envoys said Britain, France and Germany were nearing a package that seeks to persuade U.S. President Donald Trump to save the pact. Trump has described the 2015 accord, under which Iran agreed to curb its nuclear activities in return for the lifting of economic sanctions, as the worst deal ever negotiated and has threatened to wreck it by re-imposing U.S. penalties next month unless the three European allies agree to fix its "flaws." Iranian President Hassan Rouhani accused the United States of seeking to unilaterally change the terms of the multilateral deal and derided Trump as a "tradesman" lacking the background to handle with international affairs. Brian Hook, the lead U.S. negotiator with the three European nations trying to keep Trump in the deal before his self-imposed May 12 deadline, told National Public Radio in Washington that "we're not there yet, but weve made some progress." Capping a three-day visit to the United States, France's Macron told a joint meeting of Congress the 2015 deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), was not perfect but must remain in place until a replacement was forged. "This agreement may not address all concerns," Macron said. "But we should not abandon it without having something substantial and more substantial instead. That's my position." In a Tweet, Macron added: "France will not leave the JCPOA, because we signed it. We decided with President @realDonaldTrump to work on a new comprehensive deal." It is not clear what Macron means by a new, comprehensive deal. One possibility is an idea, long under consideration, to seek to negotiate a successor to the JCPOA with Iran. Another might be for Washington and the three European powers to impose additional nuclear constraints on Iran and to threaten it with additional sanctions if it violates these. Story continues Russia, China, Germany, Britain and France, which all struck the accord with Iran and the United States, see the deal as the best way to stop Iran from developing a nuclear bomb. Western envoys told Reuters three months of meetings among Washington and the three European allies were culminating in a package of separate measures that could be taken against Tehran in the hope they would satisfy Trump and keep the deal intact. "This is about convincing President Trump, it's not a new deal with Iran," a senior European Union diplomat said. "TRADESMAN" Britain, France and Germany have proposed fresh EU sanctions on Iran over its ballistic missiles and its role in Syria's war. Trump sees three defects in the 2015 deal: a failure to address Iran's ballistic missile program; the terms under which international inspectors can visit suspect Iranian nuclear sites; and "sunset" clauses under which key limits on the Iranian nuclear program start to expire after 10 years. Diplomats have cited progress on ballistic missiles and on inspections but the "sunsets" issue remained unresolved. One way to address the sunsets, sources briefed on the talks say, would be for the United States and the three European nations to define what a purely civil nuclear program might look like and to threaten consequences if Iran exceeded these. That would technically leave the Iran nuclear deal intact but would, in effect, impose additional conditions on Tehran. In Geneva, a U.S. nonproliferation official, Christopher Ford, laid out such an approach without providing details. "We are not aiming to renegotiate the JCPOA or reopen it or change its terms," he told reporters. "We are seeking a supplemental agreement that would in some fashion layer upon it a series of additional rules." Richard Nephew, a former White House Iran sanctions expert, said there are disagreements among the Europeans on this. "What I have heard is that the French are less opposed to that way of thinking than the Germans. That doesnt mean that they are necessarily keen on it, but they can see the value of that where as the Germans cant." In Berlin, a German foreign ministry spokesman, Rainer Breul, said Germany would carefully examine the idea of a supplementary deal but rejected changing the JCPOA. "For us ... the highest priority is keeping the nuclear agreement and full implementation on all sides," he said. "The nuclear agreement was negotiated with seven countries and the EU and can't be renegotiated or replaced on a whim." German Chancellor Angela Merkel will hold talks with Trump in Washington on Friday. Iran's president earlier said foreign powers had no right to tinker with the deal, and questioned Trump's qualifications to grapple with a complex international agreement. "They say that with the certain leader of a European country we want to make a decision about a seven-sided agreement," Rouhani said in a speech broadcast live on state TV. "For what? With what right?" he added. He reserved particular scorn for Trump, who informed European powers on Jan. 12 they must agree to "fix the terrible flaws of the Iran nuclear deal" or he would refuse to extend U.S. sanctions relief on Iran. The U.S. sanctions will resume unless Trump issues fresh "waivers" to suspend them on May 12. "How can a tradesman, a merchant, a building constructor, a tower constructor make judgements about international affairs?" Rouhani said, referring to Trump's career as a property developer. (Additional reporting by Arshad Mohammed and Patricia Zengerle in Washington, Sabine Siebold in Brussels, Tom Miles in Geneva, Maria Tsvetkova and Polina Ivanova in Moscow and Markus Wacket and Thomas Escritt in Berlin; Writing by Arshad Mohammed; Editing by Paul Simao and James Dalgleish) The worlds first and only polar bear to be born in the tropics has died in Singapore, ending the long and controversial story of the beloved animal. Inuka, a male polar bear born in Singapore in 1990, succumbed to age-related ailments on Wednesday, Reuters reported. At 27, Inukameaning Silent Stalker in Inuithad been suffering from arthritis, dental issues and ear infections. The bears limbs were also badly weakened, meaning he struggled to walk. Having outlived the average wild polar bear lifespan by 10 years, it is little surprise that time finally caught up to one of Singapores most famous residents. Trending: PUBG Miramar Test Server Update Live on Xbox One - Patch Notes & Fixes Following a health examination, the zoo said, We have jointly made the difficult but necessary decision to not revive Inuka from anesthesia on humane grounds. Inuka polar bear MOHD FYROL/AFP/Getty Images As much as we would like to keep Inuka with us for as long as possible, our ultimate responsibility is his welfare, said Cheng Wen-haur, Wildlife Reserves Singapore's deputy chief executive officer and chief life sciences officer. He added that the team was aware that Inukas health issues had seriously affected his quality of life, and suggested the greater kindness would be to relieve him from prolonged suffering. Don't miss: Kate Middleton's Luxury Birth Was Cheaper Than the Average Delivery in the U.S. Inuka lived in a climate-controlled enclosure which attempted to mimic a frozen tundra environment to help him cope with Singapores tropical heat. Sat close to the equator, the island city-state is warm all year round, rarely posting temperatures lower than 77 degrees. Inuka was the fourth polar bear to be housed at Singapores zoo, the son of father Nanook and mother Sheba who were been brought to Singapore from Canada and Germany, respectively. Story continues Though a popular attraction, Inuka became a lightning rod for animal activist and conservationist criticism, who argued that keeping an arctic animal in a tropical zoo was cruel. Opposition was magnified when Inuka and his mother, then still alive, began turning green due to algae in their fur. Though the zoo argued it was harmless, for critics it illustrated how unsuitable Singapore was for Inuka. Writing for Newsweek in 2017, Ben Williamsonsenior international media director of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animalssaid captive polar bears are fast to develop abnormal and nuerotic behaviour in capvitity. Williamson wrote that some zoos have even resorted to giving bears anti-depressants to to curb their anxiety. Most popular: GOP Senate Candidate Calls Mitch McConnell's Father-in-Law 'Wealthy Chinaperson,' Refuses to File Financial Disclosures Inuka polar bear ROSLAN RAHMAN/AFP/Getty Images The species is built to survive extreme cold. In their natural Arctic habitat, polar bears must survive average winter temperatures as low as -29 degrees. Polar bears can walk up to 20 miles a day and are also strong swimmers. Animal rights groups believe that no artificial zoo habitat can account for such a lifestyle, and that to confine such nomadic animals to an enclosure is traumatic for them. After holding discussions on the welfare of its animals, the zoo announced in 2006 it would not bring in any new polar bears after Inuka. Inuka had a reputation as an intelligent and fun resident, and would often make up his own games according to his keeper. Such activities included stacking tires, arranging food in parallel line and hiding his toothbrush. According to The Straits Times, Inuka loved to laze in the sun, giving him a nickname of the sun bear. A message on the zoos website simply read, The polar bear exhibit is closed. Goodbye Inuka, youll always live in our hearts. This article was first written by Newsweek More from Newsweek Sky News The new James Bond film, No Time to Die, is set to break a pandemic box office record and gross an estimated $119.1m (87.9m) internationally. According to NBC Universal, No Time To Die - Daniel Craig's last outing as James Bond - is set to be the first title from a big studio to be released during the pandemic to gross over $100m without China. It's been a strong box office start for the latest 007 film, which hit cinemas last Thursday, giving a much-needed boost for an industry hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. In a bid to replace apps which operate outside of the governments control, Iran is promoting its own messaging service, which comes complete with a Death to America emoji. The new app, called Soroush, is a state-promoted program, aimed at competing with the popular Telegram messenger, whose strong security features have made it popular in countries where freedom of speech is restricted. As a result, the Iranian, Russian and other governments have argued Telegram is a security risk and try to induce the public to use other services. "The activities of the presidency's Telegram channel have stopped in support of domestic messaging apps," Irans official broadcaster announced last week as President Hassan Rouhani and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei quit the app. Khamenei made his announcement on Telegram, and cited national interests and removing the monopoly of the Telegram messaging app, as reasons for his switch, state broadcaster Press TV reported. Trending: Shrek for Mascot: University of Toledo Deletes Post Promising Change Khamenei and other officials are openly pushing for a move to Soroush, a domestic app that has automated tools, specifically designed to help users migrate data from Telegram. On the face of it, the Iranian app closely resembles Telegram, BBC reported. It allows users to chat, join channels to follow conversations they are interested in, subscribe to text news updates and conduct business. 04_25_Telegram Yuri Kadobnov/AFP/Getty Images Don't miss: Fresno Professor Won't be Disciplined for Calling Barbara Bush an 'Amazing Racist' Among the apps features are collections of stickers, like those offered by Telegram, which can be inserted into conversations. It includes a series of emojis of a frowning woman dressed in an Islamic chador and waving signs that wish Death to America, with a similar sentiment for Israel and the Freemasons. In other similar images, the woman is adoringly clutching a portrait of Khamenei or smiling beneath a caption that reads "Let's go pray." Story continues It is not immediately clear whether the stickers were produced by a third party or if the developer of the app was involved in their creation. The only contact address listed on the apps website did not respond to Newsweeks request for comment on the stickers origin or the apps relationship with the Iranian government. Read More: Edward Snowden jumps to Telegrams defense against totalitarian Kremlin ban Most popular: Neither Trump nor Europe Can Renegotiate the Iran Nuclear Deal, Russia Warns Besides Khamenei, other Iranian state bodies have promoted the use of Soroush, as the elite force of the countrys Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has announced it will enter new users that sign up for Soroush into a raffle in which five of them will win gold coins. So far, the state-backed service boasts of having five million users, compared with an estimated 50 million who use Telegram. Although Khamenei and other officials have insisted that Soroush protects user privacy, not everyone is convinced. A running joke among some social media users pokes fun at the Iranian apps decision to mimic Telegrams read receipt graphic, which lets a user know if a message has been sent by displaying one tick and then shows another tick once the message has been received. Soroush has added a third tick to the system, which some joke is appropriate, showing that a message has been successfully read by the sender, recipient and the intelligence agent monitoring the chat. Both Iran and Russia have demanded that apps such as Telegram must hand some user data to their governments as a safety measure. Telegrams founder, Pavel Durov, has so far refused to do so and argued that this renders moot the very point of having an encrypted and secure messenger app. Russia has officially banned the secure messaging service, while Iran has done so temporarily. Tehran restricted access to Telegram and Instagram earlier this year, at a time of large anti-government protests. This article was first written by Newsweek More from Newsweek Dispute delays Lower House draft rules The dispute between the ruling and opposition parties on the number of parliamentary committees, and, whether to suspend or not, a lawmaker in judicial custody continues to delay the drafting of rules for the Lower House. Travelers are told to call home more often when overseas, and this advice was taken by two climbers who got into trouble in Canada. The mountaineers, from Poland, were climbing Whitehorn Mountain in Mount Robson Provincial Park near Valemount, British Columbia, when they were caught in an avalanche. After tumbling down the mountain, they ended up on a pile of snow and had to think fast about what to do next. They were equipped with a satellite phone and could have called local emergency services. Instead, they dialed their native country for help. Trending: Gun Laws Fail to Stop Violent Men From Killing Their Partners, New Analysis of Murder-suicides Warns Screenshot (9) Google Maps The call was then routed through the Polish embassy in the Canadian capital Ottawa before being patched to local rescue workers. British Columbia Emergency Health Services (BCEHS) then sent an air ambulance, and the Robson Valley search-and-rescue team retrieved the pair while the Polish Embassy was kept informed throughout the rescue, CBC News reported. Don't miss: World's First Rhino CT Scan Performed at Zoo BCEHS spokesperson Shannon Miller said: "They were probably in shock and so they just hit the phone and dialed Poland. "That we have a provincial service was key to getting all the quick coordination of our dispatch," she added. The climbers, whose names have not been released, suffered serious injuries and were flown to Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops. Climbers and skiers in British Columbia receive constant avalanche warnings. Last month, a skier died after being caught in an avalanche in Pemberton, British Columbia. This article was first written by Newsweek More from Newsweek Chinese geologists say North Korea's main nuclear testing site has collapsed under the stress of five successive bomb tests. A mountain above the notorious facility has collapsed, a study found, rendering it unsafe for future testing and presenting a serious risk of radiation leaking. The paper's authors, Tian Dongdong, Yao Jiawen and Wen Lianxing, urged that authorities "continue to monitor any leakage of radioactive materials" in view of the "research finding that the North Korea nuclear test site at Mantapsan has collapsed". The findings follow an announcement by President Kim Jong Un that North Korea would cease activity on its weapons testing programme. The commitment to close the facility, made on Saturday, was welcomed by Donald Trump as "big progress", but Pyongyang has not suggested it will give up its nuclear ambitions entirely. It also comes days before a historic summit between North and South Korea, where they are set to discuss the nuclear ambitions of North Korea. The secretive state has taken what appear to be historic and unusual steps toward conciliation in recent weeks, telling the US directly that it is prepared to discuss denuclearisation. The peer-reviewed study carrying news of the collapse is by China's university of science and technology, and collected data after North Korea carried out its most powerful bomb test to date on 3 September. Such attempts have long been believed to have put the site at risk of collapse. Geologists believe the explosion, with a yield estimated at 100 kilotons of TNT, may have triggered an initial collapse toward the test centre followed by an "earthquake swarm" over several weeks. North Korean nuclear tests have been a cause for seismic concern in China before. The test site is less than 100km from the Chinese border and past radiation fears have prompted schools and offices to be evacuated. Kune Yull Suh, a nuclear engineering professor at Seoul National University, has warned further tests could threaten volcanic eruption at Mount Paektu, on the North Korea-China border. vladimir uglev BBC Vladimir Uglev has reportedly been hit by a car in Russia. He claimed to be one of the developers of the Novichok nerve agent, which was used to poison Sergei Skripal and his daughter. He told the BBC earlier this month that the Skripals were "not the first victims" of the Russian-created poison. A Russian scientist who developed the nerve agent used to poison ex-spy Sergei Skripal was hit by a car in Russia earlier this week, local media has reported. Vladimir Uglev, who claimed to be one of the developers of the military-grade Novichok poison, told Russian news site The Bell he was struck while crossing a street near his home in southern Russia on Tuesday. He was taken to hospital with injuries to his head, arm, and leg, and is recovering, The Moscow Times reported. Uglev has identified an unnamed 70-year-old resident of the village as the perpetrator, and said he believed it was an accident, according to The Bell. Earlier this month, Uglev told the BBC earlier this month that he was one of the developers that "helped create Novichok" for the Soviet Union during the Cold War, and that the Skripals were "not the first victims on my conscience." Britain has accused Russia of manufacturing the poison used in the Skripals' attack, and named a secretive military lab in southwestern Russia as the source. The Kremlin has continued to deny the existence of chemical weapons in its country, and repeatedly claimed their innocence in the Skripal attack. NOW WATCH: A Portuguese company has fixed the most annoying thing about flip-flops See Also: South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa speaks during the Commonwealth Business Forum Banquet at the Guildhall in London, Britain, April 17, 2018. REUTERS/Simon Dawson JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed an inter-ministerial team to advise on the governance of the North West province and the threats confronting the region, his office said on Thursday, a week after protests erupted in the region. Ramaphosa cut short a visit to a Commonwealth summit in Britain a day early last week to travel to North West, where crowds have been protesting against poor public services and demanding the resignation of the local government leader. "This development ... is a response to appeals by the people of the North West and a range of other concerned stakeholders that government should intervene," Ramaphosa's office said in a statement. Ramaphosa, who replaced Jacob Zuma as president in February, has staked his reputation on rooting out the corruption and mismanagement associated with Zuma's nine years in power. The team has been directed to assess the state of governance in North West Province and report to the cabinet on steps that could be taken. The team will also advise on potential threats facing the province. Crowds first took to the streets in and around the province's capital, Mahikeng, on April 18, calling for the resignation of the territory's premier, Supra Mahumapelo. As violence mounted, neighbouring Botswana shut some border crossings. Police fired tear gas at protesters who blocked roads, and South African media reported that cars were set alight and shops looted over two days of unrest. (Reporting by Nqobile Dludla; editing by Kevin Liffey, Larry King) By Margaryta Chornokondratenko KIEV (Reuters) - Ukrainian military pilot Mykola Volkozub could barely move under the weight of a lead vest meant to protect him from radiation as he prepared for his first flight over the Chernobyl reactor after the world's worst nuclear disaster in 1986. Remembering the incident still brings tears to the eyes of Volkozub, who survived the risk of radiation poisoning to live to a ripe age of 86 and still supervises test pilots for Antonov, a state-run aircraft manufacturer. Volkozub was deployed in a team of two pilots, an engineer and a scientist, to fly an MI-8 helicopter over the reactor to measure the temperature and composition of gases inside. Thursday marks the 32th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster in then-Soviet Ukraine, caused by a botched safety test in the fourth reactor of the atomic plant that sent clouds of nuclear material across much of Europe. The accident killed dozens right away and forced tens of thousands to flee. The final death toll of those killed by radiation-related illnesses such as cancer is subject to debate. Speaking ahead of the anniversary, Volkozub called it "a planet-sized tragedy" and recalls agreeing to fly the mission despite knowing his life would be at risk. "For some reason, I thought I would feel bad if something happened to someone else there and I am not there. That's why I took such a decision immediately," he told Reuters in the hangar at an Antonov factory, where he has worked for 23 years. Volkozub was awarded a 'Hero of Ukraine' medal for his efforts. After performing three flights which lasted for 19 minutes 40 seconds in total, Volkozub was exposed to such a high dose of radiation that some dosimeters went haywire when he tried to measure his exposure. The helicopter was also exposed to radiation and had to be buried at a so-called cemetery for decommissioned equipment, something he recalls with tears in his eyes. Story continues "I landed there, near (the site). And when I left the place, I felt very sorry for the helicopter. It seemed to me it had not failed me, but I had to throw it away," he said. Right after his third flight on May 10, 1986, Volkozub was sent to Moscow for medical tests. He remembered how nurses, afraid of contamination, pushed food towards him with the help of a long stick to avoid physical interaction with him. (Editing by Matthias Williams, Editing by William Maclean) Malaria is a preventable diseasebut millions of people around the world still contract it every year, with hundreds of thousands of those people dying as a result. Most of those deaths are of African children. Heres what you need to know about the illness on April 25, World Malaria Day. History of malaria The word malaria means bad air in Italian, and has been in use since the early 18th century. The disease itself, however, is believed to go back at least several thousand years. Ancient Chinese medical documents describe symptoms of malaria, including one dating to 2700 BCE, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In ancient Greece, in the 4th century BCE, malaria was responsible for affecting the populations of different city-states. The famous physician Hippocrates, one of the most notable figures in ancient medicine, was one of the people to record its symptoms. Trending: Migrant Caravan Defies Trump As Hundreds Arrive at Border City to Claim Asylum in U.S. According to the World Health Organization, there were about 216 million cases of malaria in 2016roughly 445,000 of which were fatal. Africa is hit the hardest: About 90 percent of the cases occurred in the African region of the WHOs coverage. A lot of those happened in sub-Saharan Africa specifically. Symptoms The signs of malaria include, most notably, chills and a fever. People who are infected may also experience sweating, diarrhea, vomiting, a headache and other body aches. Symptoms usually crop up in the first few weeks after a patient has been bitten by a carrier mosquito. In serious cases, malaria can cause complications like organ failure; hypoglycemia; anemia; brain swelling; and fluid build-up in the lungs. mosquito-gear Keystone Features/Getty Images Don't miss: Mick Mulvaney Warns Bankers: I Only Spoke To Lobbyists Who Paid Me Story continues In countries where cases of malaria are infrequent, these symptoms may be attributed to influenza, a cold, or other common infections, especially if malaria is not suspected, the CDC says. Ways malaria spreads A parasite transmitted to a human through a mosquito bite is what causes the infection in the majority of cases. But people can also acquire malaria through a blood transfusion. A pregnant mother can also pass on malaria to her baby, while drug users can spread the disease by sharing hypodermic needles. How to prevent it Although there is no approved vaccine for malaria, there are methods for preventing a bite from an infected mosquito. Those include sleeping under a mosquito net, spraying your home and clothes with insecticide or insect repellant and wearing long sleeves and pants between sunset and sunrise. Antimalarial drugs are also often used as a preventive measure when people travel to tropical areas, where there is an increased risk of infection. This article was first written by Newsweek More from Newsweek Amerisur Resources was making good progress on its Colombia-to-Ecuador oil pipeline system on Thursday, as it updated the market on the Oleoducto Binacional Amerisur (OBA). Its aim was to connect the Plantillo (Colombia) and Victor Hugo Ruales (VHR, Ecuador) oilfields. The AIM-traded oil and gas producer said all permissions relating to the pipeline were now granted, and the company had begun to drill and install the under-river pipe, which was expected to take 35 days. Amerisur and its contractors had also commenced the construction, corrosion-proofing, testing and burial of the outstanding 3.9km (2.42mi) of pipeline from the VHR-20 location to the point of landfall of the under-river crossing. Civil works at the OBA reception station, and the 5,000 barrel reception tank within the VHR facilities in Ecuador were completed, the company confirmed, with other piping and instrumentation now 72% complete. "The delivery of the OBA has been a key strategic priority for the company and I am delighted to announce that all of the approvals have now been granted to allow us to complete its construction, which is expected to take approximately 35 days," said Amerisur CEO John Wardle. "This is a transformational project for the Company and I look forward to updating shareholders following testing of the pipeline," he added. Operational testing and commissioning of the pipeline, measurement and export pumping systems were expected to be performed in late March, followed by first transport. Man held for raping 2 minor girls in Rautahat Police have arrested a man on charge of raping two minor girls in Rautahat district on Monday afternoon. Near-patient molecular diagnostics company Genedrive announced on Monday that it has signed a distribution agreement with Sysmex Europe , a subsidiary of Sysmex Corporation , for the Genedrive HCV ID Kit and Genedrive platform in the Europe-Middle East-Africa region, with an initial focus on Africa. The AIM-traded company said it and Sysmex Europe anticipated commercialisation beginning in the coming months, targeting end users in decentralised laboratories in multiple countries in Africa, with the rest of the EMEA region to follow. It said that, with the advent of new 'curative' direct acting antiviral treatments for Hepatitis C (HCV), the two companies believed that there was a major opportunity to support tackling the global burden of the disease if accurate, decentralised diagnostics could be used to identify those living with HCV and give them access to therapy. Genedrive said its HCV test was the first-to-market as a decentralised qualitative molecular HCV test for use at the point of need. The agreement followed the recent CE-IVD certification from the EU for Genedrive HCV ID Kit, a qualitative molecular assay for HCV. Genedrive said it would retain responsibility for product development, quality management, and manufacturing while Sysmex Europe will be responsible for sales, marketing, customer support and distribution activities across the EMEA region. Working together, the companies said they would now focus on securing the required regulatory approvals in individual territories of Africa, and Genedrive anticipated commercial traction during the 2017/2018 financial year. We are very pleased to have Sysmex as our first commercial partner for our HCV test, and our agreement represents an important step to provide access to Genedrive across target countries in the African regions," said David Budd, CEO of Genedrive. Sysmex is a highly respected global organisation with the experience and networks needed to market and commercialise our products. Matthias Voelkel, senior executive officer of Sysmex Europe, said that with the agreement, Sysmex was further expanding its portfolio of products to meet important diagnostic needs in Africa. In line with our company's mission of 'shaping the advancement of healthcare', we as a company are committed to address the specific challenges of this region. We expect that providing healthcare professionals with a quick diagnostic result in a decentralised setting will allow them to further improve the management of Hepatitis C infections. Physiomics has been awarded a contract worth 48,000 by a new UK-based biotech client. The project, which is due to complete in this calendar year, will focus on the translation of pre-clinical to clinical results in support of a first in man study of a novel cancer drug. Physiomics said this is an area of increasing focus and one where it believes its technology and experience can really add value whether working for small biotechnology or global pharmaceutical companies. Chief executive officer Jim Millen said: "We are pleased that we are keeping up the momentum of new business contracts following on from the previously announced signing of deals with three big pharmaceutical companies in the last six months." AIM-listed Phyisomics provides technology-based solutions to predict the effects of cancer treatment regimens for the biopharma industry. At 1250 BST, the shares were down 0.7% to 6.66p. Broadband provider Satellite Solutions on Thursday proposed the acquisition of Open Sky SRL and Sat Internet Services, to be funded through a 12m premium-priced placing of new shares. In preparation for a total consideration of 11m, made up of 9m in cash and 2m in ordinary shares, the company plans to raise 12m through a placing of ordinary shares at 8.5p per share, a premium of 4.3% to the closing mid-price on 25 April. Andrew Walwyn, chief executive of Satellite Solutions, said: Both Open Sky and Sat Internet are high quality businesses and we look forward to working with them as part of a significantly enlarged group. Both will form new hubs for the business with operations in Italy, Germany and Portugal, which we view as attractive growth markets. For Open Sky, an Italian broadband provider which caters to approximately 14,500 customers, a total consideration of 5m has been agreed, of which 4.0m is cash and 1.0m of new ordinary shares. Meanwhile, Sat Internet, a German broadband provider with approximately 6,000 customers in Germany and Austria and roughly 500 in Portugal, could be snapped up for 6.0m, comprising 5.0m of cash and 1.0m of new ordinary shares These two acquisitions complete our footprint expansion across Europe and we will now focus on integrating these acquisitions and driving organic growth across the enlarged business, said Walwyn. Shareholder approval for the move will be sought at the companys general meeting on 14 May. As of 0824 BST, Satellite Solutions shares were up 5.83% at 8.62p. IDC report shows Android still leads the way with 65% of tablet software market Worldwide tablet sales fell 12% in the second quarter, but Apple slightly increased its market share for its iPad products, according to the latest report from the International Data Corporation (IDC). The tech giant lifted its share of the market to 26% from 25% in the year previous. Shipments fell by 9% compared with the corresponding quarter last year, but with the release of the iPad Pro average selling prices increased. The decline in tablet sales was the seventh successive quarter without a sales rise with 38.7m units shipped worldwide compared to 44.1m units that shipped the same quarter last year. Google's Android software system dominated the market once again with 65%, followed by Apple's iOS with 26%, and Windows coming in at third place with 9%. Due to a larger drop in shipments for Samsung, the gap between the South Korean company and the US company increased. This is a new trend for 2016 as in the previous year the gap had been shrinking. The market has spoken as consumers and enterprises seek more productive form factors and operating systems its the reason were seeing continued growth in detachables, IDC senior research analyst Jitesh Ubrani said in a statement. Ubrani added that Google will look to focus more on detachable products in the near future. At present, its difficult for Android to compete with iOS or Windows detachable products. However, the next 12 to 18 months will be very interesting as Google launches the next version of Android with better multi-tasking support and as they begin to bring together their two operating systems. China is considering cutting import duties on passenger cars by approximately 50% according to a report on Thursday. The State Council, Chinas cabinet, are alleged to be considering slashing the current 25% tariff to between 10% and 15% according to sources cited by Bloomberg, and an announcement on the matter is could be made as soon as next month. However, China has also threatened to place an additional 25% import duty on American made automobiles as part of the back-and-forth with the USA, so the move is more likely to benefit European and Asian manufacturers. As such the move would provide a significant boost to the countrys top import brands BMW, Mercedes Benz and Lexus, which is owned by Toyota. Foreign car makers have long sought increased access to the Chinese car market which saw sales of 28.9m automobiles last year but imported just 1.2m, or 4.2%, of those. A senior Iranian official has warned that the country will not accept any changes to the current seven party nuclear deal which US President Donald Trump is considering binning. Ali Akbar Velayati, a senior advisor to Iran's highest authority Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said: "Any change or amendment to the current deal will not be accepted by Iran [...] If Trump exits the deal, Iran will surely pull out of it [...] Iran will not accept a nuclear deal with no benefits for us." The warning appears to scupper the attempts of Western signatories who have been desperately urging Trump to stick to the deal, which he has branded as "insane", which aims to prevent the Middle Eastern state from acquiring nuclear weapons. President Macron of France, the man at the forefront of these attempts courtesy of his three day visit to Washington this week, did not seem optimistic that Trump would back down. "My view is [...] that he will get rid of this deal on his own, for domestic reasons," said Macron. Macrons proposed amendments would have seen Europe and the US block Iranian nuclear activity to 2025 and beyond, address the Iranian missile programme and work to identify a political solution for Irans involvement in Syria, Yemen, Iraq and Lebanon. Velayati, however, dismissed the idea of submitting to western demands for Iran to curb its influence in the Middle East. "This is our region. We are in our own region and it is legitimate," said Velayati. Stocks are trading on a mixed note with traders still focused on any potential remarks which might be forthcoming from the central bank officials that are still due to make appearances later in the day. As of 1230 BST, the benchmark Stoxx 600 was down by 0.40% or 1.51 points to 380.13 points with the Dax and FTSE Mibtel both holding in positive territory. The benchmark German gauge was up by 0.11% or 13.52 points to 12,459.68, while its Italian peer was up by 0.05% to 21,200.90. Markets participants were looking for confirmation (or not) from policymakers that the pace of withdrawal of monetary policy around the world was about to accelerate, especially as regarded the euro area. Yet also in the US there were concerns in some corners of the market that the US central bank might be about to commit a so-called 'policy mistake'. The Bank of England was also facing its own tricky situation. Against that backdrop, European Central Bank governing council member Benoit Coeure was set to deliver a speech at 1400 BST at the FX Contract Group meeting in Frankfurt. Ahead of that, in a speech on Tuesday morning BoE chief economist Andy Haldane refrained from making any policy-sensitive remarks, while a speech from fellow Monetary Policy Committee member Ben Broadbent had been postponed until 1330 BST. Later, during the US session, Federal Reserve governor Lael Brainard was due to speak about monetary policy at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs. All of the above was to take place ahead of US central bank chair Janet Yellen's eagerly awaited testimony before a Congressional panel on Wednesday as part of her semi-annual monetary policy report to Congress. In terms of economic data, Italian industrial production expanded at a 0.7% month-on-month clip in May (consensus: 0.5%) after a downwardly revised fall of 0.5% for April. On the corporate front, stock in Thyssenkrupp stock was a top gainer amid reports the company was to shed as many as 2,500 administrative jobs. Shares in Lufthansa were also trading on the front foot after the carrier's reported a 17.2% increase in passenger traffic during the first six months of 2017 to 60m. France's Arkema voiced confidence in its ability to meet its 2017 EBITDA target while issuing new targets for 2023. London stocks were set for a positive open on Thursday following a late rally on Wall Street, as investors turn their attention to a slew of earnings from the likes of Barclays and Shell , ahead of the latest policy announcement from the European Central Bank. The FTSE 100 was called six points higher at 7,385. CMC Markets analyst Michael Hewson said: "US markets finally managed to find a bid after five days of losses, with the S&P500 finding support at its 200 day moving average to finish the day higher, which in turn should translate into a modestly positive open here in Europe this morning." On the data front, BBA mortgage approvals for March are at 0930 BST, while the CBI distributive trades survey for April is at 1100 BST. The ECB rate decision is at 1245 BST, while the press conference is at 1330 BST, with no change to policy expected. "Draghis job will be to keep the press conference low key, balance out the risks and focus on the June meeting, where we could get greater clarity on the timing of when the asset purchase program might finally end," said Hewson. In corporate news, Barclays said it intended to return more capital to shareholders after underlying profit crept up 1% in the first quarter. Pre-tax profit for the three months to the end of March, excluding litigation and conduct items, rose to 1.73bn from 1.71bn a year earlier. Revenue fell 8% to 5.36bn. Barclays swung to a reported pre-tax loss of 236m from a profit of 1.68bn as it paid out 1.96bn in litigation and conduct charges. Royal Dutch Shell reported a strong rise in first-quarter income thanks to higher oil and gas prices, and growth from its gas and upstream businesses. However, while it declared another interim cash dividend of $0.47, chief executive officer Ben van Beurden said less favourable refining market conditions and lower contributions from trading impacted the earnings of the downstream business. Taylor Wimpey said demand for new housing has continued to be good through early 2018 and that it remains on track to meet its expectations for the year, although it sales rate and order book declined. In a statement ahead of its annual general meeting in London later, the housebuilder said average private sales for the year to date were 0.85 per outlet per week, down from 0.93 the year before but in line with its expectations. Meanwhile, cancellation rates remained low at 13% versus 10%. As at 22 April, the total forward order book value was around 2.16bn compared with 2.2bn in 2017, representing 9.050 homes versus 9,219, excluding legal completions to date. UK car production continued to declined last month, with domestic and export demand seen to slow, according to a report released by the industry on Thursday. Almost 147,500 new cars were built in British factories in March, down 13.3% year-on-year, as the domestic market continued to slow, with demand falling 17.7%, while exports also declined 11.9% due to fluctuations in demand in several global markets. Some slowdown in operations was due to manufacturers being hit by adverse weather conditions as the end of the 'Beast from the East' lingered into the month. Mike Hawes, chief executive of SMMT, said, "A double-digit decline in car manufacturing for both home and overseas markets is of considerable concern." Overall, output in the first quarter of 2018 fell 6.3% year-on-year, with 440,426 cars leaving production lines in total, almost 80% of which were exported despite demand from overseas customers dropping 4.0% year-to-date, while UK demand dropped 14.1% so far this year. Following recent announcements on jobs cutbacks in the sector, Hawes lobbied the government to provide "greater certainty" to the industry and consumers about future policies towards diesel and other low emission technologies, and our post-Brexit trading relationships and customs arrangements. "Maintaining free and frictionless trade is an absolute priority it has been fundamental to our past success and is key to our future growth," he said. Britain's vehicle and component manufacturers are important contributors to the economy, responsible for 13.0% of all exports of goods. The SMMT calculates that for every pound generated by the industry, three pounds are delivered to the economy via adjacent sectors such as logistics, retail and finance, while also estimating that the total economic impact of the industry at 219bn, or 10% of the UK's GDP. Oil giant BP has appointed former BG Group and Statoil boss Helge Lund as its new chairman, succeeding Carl-Henric Svanberg, with effect from 1 January 2019. Lund was chief executive of BG from 2015 to 2016, when it merged with Shell. He jointed BG from Statoil, where he was president and CEO for 10 years from 2004. Prior to that, he was president and CEO of industrial conglomerate Aker Kvaerner and also held executive positions at Norwegian industrial holding company Aker RGI and Hafslund Nycomed, an industrial group with business activities in pharmaceuticals and energy. Lund, who is also chairman of Novo Nordisk in Denmark, will stand down with immediate effect from his directorship at oil service group Schlumberger. Chief executive Bob Dudley said: "Carl-Henric has steadily led our board through BP's darkest days and into this period of growth and modernisation. We owe him a debt of gratitude for his strong support and clear vision over the past nine years. "I have known Helge for more than a decade and I am very much looking forward to working with him. With strategic vision and a modern, global perspective, he has a clear understanding of the challenges and the opportunities facing our industry. "I am confident Helge, with the rest of the board, will provide the company with good governance and strategic guidance as we continue to grow and adapt through the energy transition." Meanwhile, Svanberg said: "Helge has a track record of leadership in addressing these issues, characterised by his open-minded and forward-looking approach. Together with his deep industry knowledge and global business experience, he has all the skills necessary to lead the board today and into the future." MCA Nepal established to direct US-funded projects The government has established the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) Nepal, an entity to oversee the implementation of US government-funded projects worth $630 million. The Cabinet decided to set up the MCA Nepal three weeks ago, and the decision became effective after publication in the Nepal Gazette last week. Kennedy Wilson Europe Real Estate saw its net operating income rise slightly in its first half, it reported on Friday, by 1.3% to 79.7m, although its net profit after tax fell 30.2% to 54.9m. The FTSE 250 firm said its adjusted earnings were ahead 7.5% at 38.9m in the six months to 30 June, with adjusted earnings per share improving 14.9% to 30.6p. Dividends per share paid were precisely in line with last year at 24p, and the board declared a quarterly dividend of 12p, also exactly the same as at the same time in 2016. Kennedy Wilsons adjusted net asset value and IFRS net asset value were both up 2.1% at 1.566bn and 1.568bn respectively. Its adjusted net asset value per share was 1,241.4p, while its IFRS net asset value per share was 1,243p - both up 2.1%. The companys valuation movement for the period was a 16.6m uplift, much improved on the 55.9m decrease in the first half of 2016, and it made a small reduction in its net debt to 1.234bn from 1.235bn. According to the board, Kennedy Wilsons loan-to-value ratio was 42.4%, down 0.4 percentage points on the same time 12 months ago. KWE has delivered another strong set of results over the past six months, having carefully navigated the market with solid leasing progress and capitalised on opportunistic disposals, said chairman Charlotte Valeur. The performance is once again underpinned by smart asset management to generate stable cash flows. As such, the board is pleased to announce a further quarterly interim dividend of 12.0 pence per share to be paid in the third quarter." On the operational front, the companys portfolio was valued at 2.91bn, generating an annualised topped-up net operating income of 160m across 207 properties. The board said the companys strong asset management momentum had continued, as it completed 76 commercial lease transactions across 1.1 million square feet, delivering an uplift of 13.1% over previous passing rent and reportedly outperforming the valuers ERVs by 5.2%. It said its secure income was underpinned by long weighted average unexpired lease terms of 7.4 years, or 9.3 years to expiry, with a solid portfolio occupancy of 93.6%. Kennedy Wilsons non-core disposal programme had gained further traction, the board added, delivering 57.6m of sales across 15 properties at a spread of 219 basis points over entry yield on cost. The company said it achieved a premium to book value of 6.1% and generated a return on cost of 29.5% there. During the period, the practical completion at Pioneer Point in Ilford saw the launch of the companys professionally-managed PRS operation in London, with 135 brand new units to let in the south tower. It also made a 73,000 square foot agreement for lease with online fashion retailer ASOS for a new 10-year lease, which was the largest letting of the year in the South East office market. The portfolio has benefitted from big leasing wins in the first half of the year, with the team delivering 4.1m of incremental annualised income, already beating all of 2016, said president and CEO Mary Ricks. We continue to deploy accretive capital expenditure through a combination of value-enhancing refurbishments and more material redevelopment opportunities to provide a pipeline of value-add initiatives to grow NOI. Ricks said liquidity levels remained high across the investment market for the right product, which had further enhanced Kennedy Wilsons non-core disposal programme. Including post period-end sales exchanged, we are firmly on track to meet our 150m disposal target announced in February. I am particularly pleased with the team's discipline in assessing disposal opportunities to ensure we meet our target returns - with a notable 636.7m of sales since 2015, generating an average premium to book value of 7.0% and a return on cost of 30%. The deal, which is expected to be completed in May, will allow Waterstones CEO James Daunt to remain as head of the company. Daunt said: This is a very happy outcome for Waterstones. Our booksellers can be immensely proud to have proved through good, old-fashioned bookselling, the enduring appeal and worth of real bookshops. I thank Lynwood Investments for their invaluable support through this turnaround, and we enter new ownership looking forward with great optimism to the next chapter in the development of Waterstones. Elliott's European chief Paul Best said: As the leading physical book retailer in the UK, Waterstones is a mainstay of UK high streets and has a huge and loyal customer base. We look forward to supporting James Daunt and his entire team over the long-term as they continue to build and grow the business. Over the last year, First Lady Melania Trump has spoken about tackling the issue of cyberbullying in the United States and around the world. After taking her first steps to do so earlier this month, Melania is now facing criticism after her latest social media post on the issue. Enjoyed meeting with leading social media and technology representatives last week. Together, I know we can make a difference for children! pic.twitter.com/RIkeqFLFuD Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) March 27, 2018 Melania on cyberbullying When Melania Trump announced that her top initiate as first lady would be to combat the rise of cyberbullying, critics of the administration quickly pushed back, mostly due to Donald Trump's behavior on social media. From the start of his campaign for president back in June 2015, Trump used social media to lash out at his critics, often using controversial language in the process. With the president being known for his reckless behavior on Twitter, Melania's anti-cyberbullying campaign has been labeled hypocritical by many in the Democratic Party. Earlier this month, Melania Trump met with top executives from various social media companies, including YouTube, Google, Amazon, and Twitter. In an attempt to continue her promotion of the cause, Melania sent out a tweet on March 27. "Enjoyed meeting with leading social media and technology representatives last week," Melania tweeted out. "Together, I know we can make a difference for children!" she concluded. As expected, those who oppose the current administration wasted no time responding to the first lady. Twitter backlash Following Melania Trump's tweet on cyberbullying, the negative reaction quickly came pouring in. "You should start with your husbands social media behavior!" Khary Penebaker tweeted out. Never have children had to hear pussy grabber, Porn star Stormy Daniels and Shithole said so often as under the reign of your cheating husband. Leave him. Kristina Wong (@mskristinawong) March 27, 2018 You should start with your husbands social media behavior! Khary Penebaker (@kharyp) March 27, 2018 Getting your husband off Twitter would be a great start. Tim Gyves (@PGHomes) March 27, 2018 "Divorce Cyber Bully in Chief and we might listen to you. Otherwise, just shut up please," a Twitter user wrote. "Never have children had to hear 'pu**y grabber,' 'P*rn star Stormy Daniels' and 'Sh*thole' said so often as under the reign of your cheating husband. Leave him," comedian Kristina Wong posted. "Getting your husband off Twitter would be a great start," yet another tweet added. Just so useless when youre own puerile husband is the most visible cyber bully in the world. Sets a fine example indeed and makes your efforts completely worthless. Geoffrey Bruce (@GeoffreyBruce9) March 27, 2018 Maybe you should try doing that with your bully of a husband first then maybe you'll be believable. Pattie C (@Cdragon71) March 27, 2018 This goal of yours; shouldnt yur husband lead by example? Or, is this really an SNL promo? Can u say, oxymoron? Of all areas to choose for u to make a difference. Omg. Cmon. vicki batkin (@vicki_batkin) March 27, 2018 "This goal of yours; shouldnt your husband lead by example? Or, is this really an SNL promo? Can u say, oxymoron? Of all areas to choose for u to make a difference. Omg. C'mon," a social media user wrote. "Maybe you should try doing that with your bully of a husband first then maybe you'll be believable," a follow-up tweet stated. "Just so useless when youre own puerile husband is the most visible cyber bully in the world. Sets a fine example indeed and makes your efforts completely worthless," a Twitter user wrote. It's been well-documented that Donald Trump and Melania trump have had martial issues over the last two years. In the latest example of video evidence, the first lady did her best to avoid holding hands with her husband as they welcomes the president of France to the White House. Melania and Donald When Donald Trump announced his plan to run for president back in the summer of 2015, the consensus was that he was only doing it to increase ratings on his reality show "The Apprentice." As time went on, Trump's popularity increased as he rode that momentum to an upset win over Hillary Clinton in November 2016. Multiple sources have since reported that Melania Trump was crying on election night because she was allegedly assured that Donald wouldn't win. Fast forward to present day and the first lady has been forced to deal with constant rumors and scandal about her husband's alleged infidelity and sexual misconduct, including the latest story involving his affair with adult film star Stormy Daniels. Donald Trump's Attempt to Hold Melania's Hand Is Sad https://t.co/8NhQQe7qth TMZ (@TMZ) April 24, 2018 In response, Melania Trump has attempted to keep her distance from Donald Trump at times, which was caught on video when the first couple were welcoming French President emmanuel macron to the White House on Tuesday. In a report by TMZ on April 24, video captures Donald attempting to hold hands with Melania, as the first lady continues to shift her body and hand away from the president. As Melania appeared to cringe, Donald touched her fingers and eventually grabbed her hand. Within minutes of the video being broadcasted, it didn't take long before critics of the commander in chief gave their thoughts. Twitter reacts After the video made the rounds of Melania Trump attempting to avoid holding hands with Donald Trump, social media quickly went viral with mockery. "We know who brings a smile to her face," one tweet read while posting an image of the first lady smiling with Barack Obama at Barbara Bush's funeral. She is only married to him for the money. Wake up people and Trump supporters. Its all a joke. dorothy wardlaw (@waverrun) April 24, 2018 She would gladly grab it if he were President Obama! Brian Wilson (@brianwilson27) April 24, 2018 We know who brings a smile to her face pic.twitter.com/LUec9czJ6c Cory Lind (@Calind8121) April 24, 2018 "The fact that he said thank you to Melania after she gave him her hand," a Twitter user wrote. "She would gladly grab it if he were President Obama!" another tweet added. "Who wants to hold the hand of Commander Pee-Pee Tape...?" an additional tweet stated. "She hates him, I want to read her tell all book," a post noted. She hates him, I want to read her tell all book toi (@toi356) April 24, 2018 She really didn't want him to touch her hand! B B (@Barbs_B1) April 24, 2018 Remember when PresidentObama made her laugh? That panty dropping laughter.... Idiot Savant (@overusedrighty) April 24, 2018 "She is only married to him for the money. Wake up people and Trump supporters. Its all a joke," a social media user claimed. "Remember when President Obama made her laugh? That p*nty dropping laughter," a follow-up tweet pointed out. This year marks NASAs 60th anniversary. Last year, President Trump relaunched the National Space Council and sent out a directive that American astronauts will return to the moon; as well as being the first to set foot on Mars. In order to meet these goals, last month's budget included the allocation of $19.9 billion to NASA. President Trump has opened the door to reform many of the outdated regulations and burdensome structures. He has laid a path for NASA to establish, with the help of international and commercial partners, more private and capital investments. To lead this mission President Trump nominated Oklahoma Congressman Jim Bridenstine in September 2017. Confirmed at last After a long seven-month confirmation battle in the U.S. Senate, Congressman Bridenstine was finally confirmed on April 19, with a vote of 50 49. All 50 Republicans voted yes, and 47 Democrats and two independents voted no. Yesterday, Vice President Mike Pence had the honor of swearing in Jim Bridenstine at NASA headquarters in Washington D.C., in front of the NASA team via NASA TV. Those present at the swearing-in included Bridenstine family, Senator Cruz, now ex-Acting Administrator Robert Lightfoot, Chief Financial Officer of NASA, Jeff DeWit and other guests. NASA twitter read, At 2:30 pm ET: Our new administrator Jim Bridenstine will be sworn in. He will oversee our ongoing mission of exploration and discovery as our 13th administrator. New man has history Representative Jim Bridenstine has held his seat in Congress since 2012, he sat on the Committee on Armed Services, in which he sat on the Subcommittees on Seapower and Projection Forces and Strategic Forces. He also sat on the Committee on Science, Space and Technology where he was on the Subcommittees on Space and Chairman on the Environment Subcommittee. He is a former Navy pilot, serving nine years on active duty where he did combat missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2012, he was promoted to Lieutenant Commander while flying missions to combat drug trafficking in Central and South America. The newly sworn in Bridenstine stated he was prepared to take on the task and meet the challenges to secure the United States leads in space, thanks to the wonderful people who supported him throughout the process. He would serve to the best of his abilities, as NASA continues to discover, pioneer and inspire. Bridenstine also noted that appropriations bill will help efforts of human spaceflight activities. He also wants to help in forwarding breakthroughs in advanced science and aeronautic pursuits. Donald Trump is again under tension because migrants have arrived at the border in Tijuana seeking asylum. They had left their homes in Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras nearly a month back and have traveled in groups through Mexico. They consist of men, women, and children who began their journey from Mexico's southern border with Guatemala and all they want is asylum in the United States. It appears to be a humanitarian need in view of the unrest in their countries coupled with threats to their wellbeing. Daily Mail UK reports that US President Donald Trump has his reservations about migrants in general and has ordered his officials to repel them. The migrant crisis According to a coordinator from one of the immigrant rights group that arranges transportation on a regular basis, some of the caravans have arrived while more are on their way. Once they regroup, the line of action will be decided and requests for asylum in the United States will be made for all the migrants. It seems others are waiting in Mexico as their year-long visas are being processed by immigration authorities. These people were traveling in groups for safety but their numbers have reduced. They began with nearly 1,500 people, but many have left because of delays in transportation coupled with comments of Trump via Twitter on the caravan brigades. That forced the Mexican authorities to start issuing temporary visas to provide them legal status for travel to the border. US takes a firm stand Donald Trump is firm on his stand that illegal migrants from Mexico are not welcome in the United States. He has instructed the Secretary of Homeland Security to ensure that they are denied entry into America. The majority of the migrants are trying to escape from instances of violence and extortion in Honduras and El Salvador and they include women and children who need protection. The US-Mexico border wall is meant to check entry of illegal migrants into the country. Trump, during his election campaign, had promised to get a new wall built which will act as a deterrent to unauthorized persons. He wanted to make America safe and his targets were drug smugglers and illegal migrants. The former were dangers to society and the latter could become security risks. CNN adds that President Trump had ordered National Guard troops to be deployed at the border to check entry of these people. However, they have finally arrived and they look at it as a humanitarian mission. In their opinion, they are unarmed and do not pose any threat. All they want is a safe refuge. Retired Rear Admiral and doctor, Ronny Jackson, who is the White House physician, was nominated by President Trump after David Shulkin was ousted from his cabinet position of Secretary of Veterans Affairs earlier this year. Since then, both Republicans and Democrats have had concerns with Trumps pick, largely due to Jacksons lack of experience. CNN reported that the challenges facing Dr. Ronny Jackson are serious enough to give pause to Jacksons confirmation hearing which was scheduled for Wednesday (April 25). However, recent information has surfaced about allegations of improper conduct during his career that has Congress saying, "not so fast". Lawmakers also expressed concerns about Jacksons supporting views of privatizing veterans medical carea proposal opposed by millions of vets and a red line for the Democratic Party. Airing dirty laundry At a joint news conference with French President Macron on Tuesday afternoon (April 24), Trump was asked about his pick for Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the recent allegations that surfaced. The POTUS said he was unaware of the specifics, even though sources familiar with the matter told CNN that Jackson alerted the White House about the allegations on Monday (April 22), saying they may pose a problem. Trump also told reporters that he knows there is an experience problem but Dr. Jackson was one of the finest people hed met. The President said he spoke with Admiral Jackson earlier and offered some advice saying he wouldn't go through with it and that Ronny didnt need the political headaches, but hed let it be his choice if he wanted to proceed with trying to get confirmed. Reporters caught up to Dr. Jackson on Capitol Hill, as he was headed out of the office, and asked about the allegations. Jackson gave a quick comment saying he looks forward to rescheduling the confirmation hearing. This is the same hearing that has been indefinitely delayed by the senators who have concerns, and more so now in light of the recent allegations. Pill pusher? In a cable news interview Senator Jon Tester (D) of Montana and Ranking Member of the Veterans Affairs Committee, said two whistleblowers, a current and a former associate of Dr. Jackson disclosed concerns to the committee, and then others began to surface and report their concerns about Dr. Jacksons behaviors. This drew more scrutiny and prompted Senator Isakson (R) of Georgia, Chairman of the Veteran Affairs Committee, and his Democratic counterpart to jointly send a letter to the White House asking for more information. Additional information would corroborate or dismiss the claims presented. Much of whats been learned thus far was provided to the committee from about twenty staffers and active and retired military personnel, who told of overseas trips in which the doctor would go down the aisle of the plane and ask who wanted to go to sleep and hand out Ambien, a prescription sleeping aid that is known to have adverse side effects. This is quite believable considering the January 16 press conference about the Presidents physical, in which Dr. Jackson said taking Ambien on flights is a common practice of many who fly long distances and something he recommends. Reports also alleged that the doctor would hand out pills like Provigil to wake them up, a prescriptive drug usually given to those with narcolepsy or sleep disorders. This drug can also have severe side effects. And no, none of the travelers had prescriptions for the meds allegedly dispensed by Dr. Jackson. It is for this reason of freely handing out narcotic drugs like candy that some White House employees nicknamed him the Candyman, according to Senator Tester. Drink much? Its not just the pills that are concerning, there have been other allegations of multiple occasions when Dr. Jackson was drunk on overseas trips, according to reports received by the committee. In one report, on an overseas trip, the doctor was allegedly so inebriated that he could not respond or function so someone else had to fill in for him. CNN reported that at the end of the evening on a particular overseas trip in 2015, the doctor, who should have been on call, was so drunk that he was found in the hotel hallway banging wildly on the door of a female employees hotel room. The situation was so disruptive that the Secret Service had to stop him because he wouldve woken President Obama. The White House and Secret Service were asked to comment on these reports but declined, according to CNN. Fight club Ok, so its not just the drinking and passing out narcotics, theres more. The Associated Press reported that a Watchdogs report said Jackson, a captain at the time, demonstrated unprofessional behavior when he was locked in a power struggle with a rival doctor, who was of the same rank. The two men clashed on a couple of fronts and when a command climate survey was done to assess the workplace, staffers said the two captains bickered like two parents going through a bitter divorce. CNN obtained the 2012 report that detailed the response of the Navy Medical Inspector General who suggested that one or both of the doctors be removed from their roles at the White House medical office. The end of that story is, to the dismay of his coworkers, Jackson stayed, and was later promoted to Admiral under the Obama Administration. The doctor cant see you now Many senators like Senator Tom Udall (D) of New Mexico, a member of the Foreign Relations Committee, says Jacksons nomination is doomed. In a CNN interview, Udall asserted that if the allegations are true, he doesnt have a chance and its the agency that is leaderless and hurting. He also sent the White House a message, do your vetting better to avoid embarrassing staffing situations like this one. Despite the rumors and allegations, Jackson isnt giving up. In his meeting with Senator Moran (R) of Kansas Tuesday afternoon he said was ready to move on with the hearing. Moran told reporters that Ronny also denies doing anything improper and said he looks forward to answering all questions because nothing he has done would disqualify him from this post. The next hearing date has not been scheduled and it will be up to the chairman to reschedule the hearing over the next week, or not. It is anticipated that there will be some bipartisan work to determine if and when they will move forward with the hearing. Meanwhile, people who still work in the medical unit fear for their jobs now that they have spoken out, and Jacksons confirmation hangs loosely by a congressional thread. fascists tend to come down on the wrong side of history. Several atrocities are rightfully blamed on fascist regimes, but it is nationalism, not racism that is the key principle of fascism. The original fascists were staunch anti-communist members of the Italian socialist movement who rejected the pacifist views of the socialist party. In 1914 Benito Mussolini was forced out of the Italian Socialist Party. Later, Mussolini founded the Fasci di Combattimento, the first fascist organization. A report by the blog Staugustine presented much of the information used in this post. In a 1925 speech, Mussolini defined the three principles of fascism, "Everything in the state - Nothing outside the state - Nothing against the state." Simply put, fascism is a form of socialist totalitarianism. Nowhere in these fascist principles is there a call for bigotry or racism. In theory, Mussolini was bringing together the ethnic diversity of varied Italian regions for the greater good of the Italian nation. Nationalism is paramount to fascism. Merriam-Webster defines nationalism as "loyalty and devotion to state." In its simplest form, nationalism is thought of as a virtue. When we agree with someones nationalistic views we may call them a patriot. So being a nationalist is not by itself discrediting, but at its worst nationalism can be perverted into xenophobia. Still, by itself, being a xenophobe or even a nationalist doesn't make you a fascist. Fascism vs socialism According to an article in the St. Augustine's Press, the main difference between socialism and fascism is that in fascism the means of production are privately owned, in socialism, they are held by the state. In either case, the government dictates what is to be produced and how much. In the US we have public utilities that run on the same principle. The government will mandate standards, regulate utility rates and select regions where private companies provide electrical power. Utilities may remain privately own but they are run under the direction of the state. At its best, fascism is a good intermediary step for emerging economies. Pure capitalism offers little to developing nations. Undeveloped economies tend to be exploited for their resources with little benefit to the society at whole. The People's Republic of China may be known as a communist power, but today they are more closely aligned to Mussolini's fascism than the teachings of Karl Marx. Today in China, the means of production are increasingly in private hands. Racist is not the same as fascist So where does that leave us? Is the Aryan Nation really a group of fascists? I would like to see hate groups called out for what the really are; they are racists. They are xenophobes. Being a white supremacists doesn't mean you're a fascist, it means you're a racist. Like all racists before them, racists are on the wrong side of history. Just as with the case of Charlie Gard last year, the saga of a nearly two-year-old boy named Alfie Evans has shocked the conscience of the world. Alfie is suffering from an unknown degenerative brain disease and has been judged by his doctors to be beyond saving. An Italian hospital has offered to admit the boy to continue his care, but this option has been blocked by the British court system. As of this writing, Alfie is being taken home to die, even though he has survived for several days off of life support, unexpectedly as it turns out. End of life decisions In the United States, end of life decisions are generally reserved for individuals or, in the case of minor children, their parents or guardians. In Great Britain, where health care for most is dispensed by the government-run National Health Service, such decisions are reserved for the state. If the doctors decide that you or your child is to die, no recourse is available. As in the case of Charlie Gard, Alfies parents are being refused permission to take the boy outside the country for further treatment. No such thing as a second opinion exists in the British universal health care system. Alfies situation has created quite a row on both sides of the Atlantic, with protests outside the hospital in Liverpool and angry editorials in the United States. The specter of an uncaring bureaucracy condemning a small child to die has created a lot of anger as well as observations that this is what one gets when health care decisions are reserved to the government. Push-back from the Independent Oddly, the plan to put Alfie to death (though with dignity) has its defenders, both in the UK Independent. Sean OGrady, an editor with the newspaper, claims that the outrage over what is being done to the little boy is a plot by American conservatives to undermine the National Health Service. OGrady claims, falsely, that Alfie would not receive the level of care in America that he is getting in Great Britain. To be sure, an American boy who suffered from the same condition would have more options than Alfie is being afforded. OGrady only refers to problems the NHS system is facing, But the government system that has governed British health care is on the verge of collapse according to the Wall Street Journal. Samantha Batt-Rawden, who describes herself as both a doctor and a mother, describes herself as angry, though not at what is being done to Alfie but at the protestors who are apparently playing on the fear of the boys parents. Presumably, if people would just shut up Alfies parents would be more accepting of their sons impending death at the hands of the NHS machinery. In short, the life and death or a little boy matter little next to the necessity of keeping the British National Health Service unmolested from criticism. Some of the staff of the hospital where Alfie is being held a prisoner are complaining of the abuse they are getting from people who are outraged at what is being done to the little boy. One tried to find some sympathy, though the doctors and nurses on the receiving end of the outrage are secure in the knowledge that they are going to live for the foreseeable future, a privilege not being afforded to Alfie Evans. Good news for "Alaskan Bush People" fans! The long-running reality documentary is set to premiere another season. According to Radar Online, a spokesperson for Discovery slammed rumors of the show being canceled. The Brown family, headed by Billy and Ami, are all returning to television this year and are currently filming new episodes. In January, the Brown family happily revealed that Ami has been miraculously declared cancer-free after rounds of chemotherapy for her stage 4 lung cancer. It has been reported that "Alaskan Bush People" will be airing a new season in May to show how the Browns pick up their lives and start fresh after reeling from Ami's cancer battle. Rumors of the show's cancellation surfaced since it has been four months since Ami's cancer miracle and there have been no updates from Discovery about the new season. Weather and health problems have brought the delay However, the network revealed that they are merely pushing back the May premiere due to extreme weather and health issues within the Brown family members. Despite the delay, Discovery promised "ABP" fans that their favorite reality-documentary stars are all returning for a brand-new season. NOT Cancelled! It's just been a very long winter.................. @radar_online https://t.co/xpfwpSVfEa Alaskan Bush People (@AlaskanBushPPL) April 24, 2018 'Worst winter' ever Laurie Goldberg, Executive Vice President of Public Relations for Discovery, revealed that it has been the 'worst winter' in the area where the Browns are currently staying. This has made filming unbearably difficult for the production. While Discovery has not disclosed where Billy has chosen to relocate his family after leaving the Alaskan wilderness, the rep revealed that the area is "incredibly remote" and is totally inaccessible during the winter. Billy Brown and his family are now in Washington. According to several reports, the 65-year-old patriarch splurged over $400 million on a 435-acre land in Okanogan County, Washington in February. Noah's emergency surgery Aside from the extreme weather conditions, some of the Brown family members also had to deal with certain health issues. Apparently, Noah, Billy and Ami's youngest son, had to undergo an emergency gallbladder surgery. Additionally, Gabe Brown has been nursing a "flu-like" illness for several weeks now, Discovery's representative revealed. Despite these setbacks, Billy and Ami are said to be "incredibly excited" to be filming again. All their seven children are also confirmed to be appearing in the upcoming season. Municipality account officer held for misappropriating Rs 30 million The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has arrested account officer of Katari Municipality on the charge of embezzling Rs 30 million. Rabi Chandra Dhakal was arrested for allegedly transferring the fund of municipality to his personal bank account. Outspoken rapper Kanye West made headlines this week when he decided to come out and appear to support and praise Donald Trump. After backlash, the president tweeted out in response. Thank you Kanye, very cool! https://t.co/vRIC87M21X Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 25, 2018 Trump on Kanye West It's no secret that Donald Trump is not on the best of terms with the majority of celebrities, with many out in Hollywood routinely using their popularity to rip into the former host of "The Apprentice." While that continues to be the case, rapper Kanye West found himself dealing with criticism after tweeting out words of support for Trump. "You don't have to agree with trump but the mob can't make me not love him. We are both dragon energy. He is my brother," West tweeted out. "For people In my life the idea of Trump is pretty much a 50 50 split but I don't tell a Hillary supporter not to support Hillary. I love Hillary too," he added in a follow-up tweet. In one of his most recent posts, West then posted a photo of his "Make America Great Again" hat that was personally signed by Trump. You don't have to agree with trump but the mob can't make me not love him. We are both dragon energy. He is my brother. I love everyone. I don't agree with everything anyone does. That's what makes us individuals. And we have the right to independent thought. KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) April 25, 2018 After Kanye West sent out a series of tweets on the issue, including a clarification on the order of his wife Kim Kardashian that he doesn't fully support the president, Donald Trump responded with thanks as Kanye West received a shout out from the president. "Thank you Kanye, very cool!" Trump tweeted. As expected, those who oppose the commander in chief took time to hit back at Trump and West on social media as the backlash increased. my wife just called me and she wanted me to make this clear to everyone. I don't agree with everything Trump does. I don't agree 100% with anyone but myself. KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) April 25, 2018 my MAGA hat is signed pic.twitter.com/DrDHJybS8V KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) April 25, 2018 Twitter push back Not long after Donald Trump responded to Kanye West, both men came under fire on social media. "Kanye West and Donald Trump both have the mind of a man child...It's just extremely disappointing how he misuses his platform, tarnishes his influence and manipulates his race," one tweet read. This is like the twilight zone. Its like he is incapable of focusing on something not about him! Ryan Hill (@RyanHillMI) April 25, 2018 History will tell you Kanye was never the smartest card in the pack and so is Trump. tantacherry (@ilovelife15224) April 25, 2018 Kanye West and Donald Trump both have the mind of a man child, so this picture doesn't surprise me. It's just extremely disappointing how he misuses his platform, tarnishes his influence and manipulates his race. Kanye West doesn't care about black people. #KanyeStillLost pic.twitter.com/sBTlX0uJhi Lance Cooper (@804StreetMedia) April 25, 2018 "Two deranged twits, right there. Perfect," a Twitter user wrote. "Just cause you thank Kanye for his crazy doesnt make you any less racist. Does he have a( C )for colored next to his name in your phone?" an additional tweet noted. "Isnt it republicans who always say celebrities should keep their mouths shut? Oh yeah thats only if they oppose them. Got it," another tweet stated. we are living in the twilight zone Philip Lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) April 25, 2018 from one effing MORON @realDonaldTrump to an effing JACKASS!! @kanyewest nuff said! AntievilDJT (@AntievilDJT45) April 25, 2018 He sounds as mentally unbalanced as you do. Perhaps make him VA secretary. #ImpeachTrumpPenceNow Barry Bulat (@BarryBulat) April 25, 2018 "from one effing MORON Donald Trump to an effing JACKASS!! Kanye West nuff said!" a social media user wrote. "We are living in the twilight zone," a follow-up tweet added. The negative reaction continued to pour in as many Americans expressed their disdain for both Donald Trump and Kanye West. Peggy Sulahian is milking the fame she gained from appearing on "The Real Housewives of Orange County" even though she quit after her first season. Champagne and Shade reveals that the former housewife attended a meet-and-greet in Newport Beach, California over the weekend where she talked about being on the show. Former housewife enjoying perks of stardom Sulahian left after Season 13 due to criticism from other "RHOC" cast members regarding her marriage. The 44-year-old was also tired of her health being scrutinized after she opened up about having a double mastectomy amid a cancer scare. A lot of skepticism ensued from fellow stars and fans, which made her unhappy to be on the show. According to the report and images posted to Peggy Sulahian's Instagram account, she thanked people for coming out to support her at the meet-and-greet. She inserted the hashtag #housewife100 in her post. The same hashtag is on a tall poster she's standing near in the image seen below. It seems that Peggy is relishing the fame that "The Real Housewives of Orange County" brought her. It goes without saying that the show did wonders promoting the business she and her husband, Diko Sulahian, have established. Three housewives total left after Season 12 Three housewives from Season 12 won't return in the upcoming season. In addition to Peggy, Meghan King Edmonds and Lydia McLaughlin won't be back. At this point, Vicki Gunvalson, Tamra Judge, Kelly Dodd, and Shannon Beador are expected to be on Season 13. Two more cast members will be added. Radar Online reported in March that attorney Emily Moore Simpson is rumored to join the show. No official confirmation has emerged on casting. Why is Peggy Sulahian playing up her role from "RHOC" when she couldn't wait to separate herself from the "Real Housewives" franchise? She may have very well figured out that the rewards aren't so bad. She's more recognizable as a TV personality, which instantly draws more people to any event. The power of television is enormous, even if it's on a lesser known show than what the major networks broadcast. Being a housewife typically amounts to endorsements and premium business exposure. If her fame dies down, Peggy may decide she wants to return to "RHOC." It's not uncommon for previous cast members to make a comeback after so many years. Lydia McLaughlin returned for one season after leaving for several years to raise her children. "The Real Housewives of Orange County" Season 13 will premiere later this summer on Bravo. Bob Dorough, the composer of many Schoolhouse Rock favorites that became a primer for countless children, passed away on Monday (April 23) at the age of 94. Every educator who has committed his or her life to ensuring that every child can learn will attest that being around children, however maddening at moments, certainly keeps mind and body in vigorous form by necessity. It is quite possible that Bob Dorough was blessed with so many full years of life because the musician kept his mind and spirit so entrenched into the minds, spirits, and the world of children. A Huffington Post report from April 24 was updated late yesterday, April 25, to include that Mr. Doroughs funeral service is tentatively scheduled for Monday, April 30. The jazz master would insist that any gathering associated with his name not be one of sorrow, but rather, celebration, hopefully, accompanied by a chorus of singing children. Bob Dorough was blessed by the kind of passing that any musician would dream of, death by natural causes and still being in high demand, with gigs in the books. Fans intending to fill venues for the familiar performer can perhaps join in the celebration of a life very well lived. One thing is surechildren and adults alike who never knew Bob Doroughs name likely know every word of his lessons set to rhyming verses. Before cyber learning Years before the myriad of tuition free online learning classes, ABC Mouse, or even widely available distance-learning in any form, Schoolhouse Rock came bounding into living rooms in 1971, under the guidance of then ABC executive, Michael Eisner. Bob Dorough was doing the kind of day job that most true musicians dread at an advertising agency when his boss tasked him to put multiplication tables to music. Far ahead of the high-participation techniques in Dangerous Minds, Bob Dorough delivered on his job, so much so that today, many senior citizens can still recite those same tables, in the perfect beat. Divine inspiration had to be over Dorough because his concept turned song in Three Is a Magic Number wasn't anything he knew for sure until he looked it up himself. The song was the first in a series, Multiplication Rock that was later expanded to become Schoolhouse Rock. Lessons in grammar, like the well-known Conjunction Junction followed, along with tunes for history and civics that more than one observer has suggested might be beneficial to the current sitting president, who has a penchant for TV anyway. Schoolhouse Rock segments ran for 12 years between Saturday morning cartoons on ABC and were revived again in the 90s for a five-year stint. Dorough didn't always sing his compositions, but consistently crafted clever tunes. True claim to fame Bob Dorough might have felt slightly dismissed by some fans through the 90s. The musician worthy of gracing the stage with Miles Davis started to have requests from the audience for Schoolhouse Rock favorites shouted to him onstage. The artist felt nothing but total gratitude in later years, connecting with school children and their parents when he performed at elementary schools. What he was amazed by was the impact of network television which literally brought learning to literally thousands across generations and ages, as Dorough related to WNEP-TV. A warm and familiar voice, coming from someone who cares enough to make learning fun, endures far longer and deeper than an SAT score. Perhaps a certain resident in Washington DC still might find time to brush up on I'm Just a Bill, and a few others. Bob Dorough died in his Mount Bethel, Pennsylvania home, and services will be held in the community on Monday. Among the dozens of environmental issues the world currently faces, Pollution is likely the worst of them all. According to the World Health Organization, a shocking 92 percent of The World's citizens live in areas that are deemed dangerously polluted by WHO guidelines. The result? Over three million deaths per year from air pollution alone. Pollution can result from a number of factors, the most common being the burning of coal and fossil fuels, deforestation, and waste produced by factories or power plants. In the following list, I ranked the top 10 most polluted cities in the world by their PM2.5 score, which is calculated by measuring particle matter equal to or under 10 micrometers. These particles are so microscopic that they are able to enter the lungs and inflict irreversible damage, such as asthma, respiratory issues, or even cancer. 1. Zabol, Iran Air conditions in Zabol, a south-eastern city in Iran which borders Afghanistan, are as alarming as they are devastating. With a PM2.5 score of 217, Zabol has officially become the world's most polluted city. It is estimated that prolonged exposure to the air in Zabol can cause irreversible damage to one's lungs within hours, which, in the past, has required the city to distribute free mouth masks to its residents and even close down schools and government offices. Some believe that the pollution has been caused by relentless dust storms coming in from western Iran. 2. Gwalior, India Surpassing Delhi in recent years as the most polluted city in India, Gwalior is the second most polluted our list with a PM2.5 score of 172. This historic city has a population of nearly two million people, many of whom drive cars which contribute to the poor air quality. Fossil fuels, the burning of garbage, the use of biomass for cooking and heating, plus a number of coal plantations in the area all contribute to the city's hazardous air pollution issue. 3. Allahabad, India Allahabad has a population of over 1.1 million and a PM2.5 score of 170. Engulfed in smog and dust, it is estimated that over 7,000 new Diesel vehicles join Allahabad's roads every month. Other factors that contribute to the city's poor air conditions are mass deforestation, waste from coal plants and unpredictable weather patterns. 4. Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Riyadh, Saudi Arabia's capital, frequently experiences sandstorms which contains sand that is dangerous to inhale. Additionally, vehicular emissions and waste from nearby factories contribute to the capital's troubling air pollution issue. Riyadh has a popular of over 6.5 million and has a PM2.5 score of 156, making it the worst polluted city in the Middle East. 5. Al Jubail, Saudi Arabia Known for being the third largest aluminum producer in the world, home to the fourth largest petrochemical company, and the largest industrial city in the Middle East, Al Jubail, located along the Persian Gulf in Saudi Arabia is the fifth most polluted city on my list. With just over 550,000 residents, this gulf city has a PM2.5 score of 152. Factors that contribute to Al Jubail's air pollution? You guessed it, mass industrial waste emitted from the various factories and power plants. 6. Patna, India Patna has a PM2.5 score of 149. Considered to be one of the world's oldest cities, Patna is home to over two million people who live surrounded by dust, resulting from numerous construction sites located throughout the city. 7. Raipur, India Raipur is home to over one million people. The city, known for its sponge iron factories, has a PM2.5 score of 144. Additional factors that contribute to Raipur's poor air quality include overpopulation, vehicular emission, trash and toxic waste from various industrial factories. 8. Bamenda, Cameroon Nestled in the northwestern region of Cameroon, Bamenda is home to half a million people and has a PM2.5 score of 132. Bamenda is the only country in Africa on this list and environmentalists believe that deforestation, climate change, dust, and excessive trash accumulated the city's slums are to blame for deteriorating air conditions. 9. Xingtai, China The most polluted city in China is home to nearly eight million residents, most of whom wear masks anytime they leave the house. Xingtai has a PM2.5 score of 128, mostly a result of its factories who refuse to abide by modern pollution controls. In recent years, there have been fewer than 40 days in the year that met a normal air quality standard. 10. Baoding, China The second most polluted city in China, Baoding, is just over two hours from the country's capital, Beijing. The bustling metropolitan's nearly 1.7 million residents are accustomed to wearing masks whenever they leave the house and tourists often mistake the smog for fog. With a PM2.5 score of 126, the thick smog is a result of the numerous coal plantations that provide energy to the city and surrounding towns or villages. In case you didn't know, April 22 was Earth Day so it's important to our future that we all, no matter where in the world we may be, come together and fight climate change, enforce air pollution policies, and protect our Earth from the damaging effects. Already, humanity possesses the technology and knowledge to properly combat air pollution, it's just a matter of winning the fight against it and all other types of pollution. When Kitty Smith, of Christiansburg, Virginia, learned her 9-year-old cocker spaniel, Maddi Lynn Grace, had been diagnosed with a soft tissue sarcoma on her left front leg earlier this year, she knew right away that she would take her beloved companion to the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine at Virginia Tech for treatment. Smith's swift decision was informed by prior experience with the high-quality specialty care at the colleges Veterinary Teaching Hospital. During her initial visit with a veterinary oncologist at the hospital, Smith learned of a new clinical research study investigating focused ultrasound therapy in the treatment of dogs diagnosed with solid tumors. She was offered the opportunity to enroll Maddi as the first patient in the study. After talking it over with her family, Smith decided to sign up and in late March, Maddi underwent treatment. I wanted whatever needed to happen to save her life at that point, said Smith, who first brought Maddi home at 6 weeks old. I felt so fortunate that my Maddi was chosen to be the first dog treated in the study. It made me so happy to know that she may be helping other dogs with this disease and also that the treatment may be used to help humans. Now, a few weeks after treatment, Maddis follow-up appointments have indicated that she is cancer-free. Through the one-year study, funded by the Focused Ultrasound Foundation, veterinary researchers hope to determine whether high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) a technology that uses ultrasonic energy guided by real-time imaging to treat tissue without incisions or radiation can effectively stimulate an anti-tumor immune response in dogs. The technology has been used successfully in humans, and now the college is one of the first two U.S. veterinary schools partnering with the foundation to test it in dogs. Because many types of tumors that affect people also occur naturally in dogs, focused ultrasound could not only augment the traditional approach to cancer in dogs but also advance our understanding of human cancer, said Jeffrey Ruth, clinical assistant professor of radiology, who is leading the study. Traditionally, animals have served as models in comparative studies before expanding innovative therapies to human trials, said Neal F. Kassell, a physician who is chairman of the Focused Ultrasound Foundation. With the foundations new veterinary program, we are starting a virtuous cycle where veterinarians will have new, innovative therapies to offer clients, and we can apply the experience obtained using focused ultrasound in pets to accelerate the adoption of the technology for human applications. Solid tumors, including soft tissue sarcomas, carcinomas, and mast cell tumors, are some of the most common tumors in dogs. While surgery is the standard and most effective therapy, complete tumor removal is not always possible and depends on tumor size and location. In this situation, other options include limb amputation, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. Because of the limitations and potential side effects of these treatments, immunotherapy treatment that stimulates a patient's own immune system to fight cancer is an active area of research. These canine tumors tend to occur on the limbs and may recur if they are not entirely removed. As a result, often amputation is required, said Ruth. It is our hope that focused ultrasound will add to current treatment options by providing a way to non-invasively destroy tumors and to disrupt tumor cell membranes and stimulate a dogs own immune system to fight the cancer. Standard treatment procedures for solid tumors include bloodwork, a CT scan, and surgery. For dogs enrolled in the study, in addition to receiving the standard treatment, they will also have the ultrasound treatment of the tumor a few days before surgery, said Ruth. When the tumor is removed, we examine it to see if there was an influx of white blood cells, which would indicate ultrasound was successful in stimulating the patients own immune response. Other comparative oncology studies those involving naturally occurring cancers in veterinary patients to advance the diagnosis and treatment of cancer in pets and people underway at the college are exploring immunotherapy in the treatment of spontaneous brain tumors (gliomas) and liver tumors in dogs. In addition to principal investigator Ruth, other veterinary college investigators on the HIFU study team include co-principal investigators Nick Dervisis, assistant professor of oncology; Irving Coy Allen, assistant professor of inflammatory disease; Gregory Daniel, interim dean of the college and professor of radiology; Otto Lanz, professor of small animal surgery; and Kevin Lahmers, associate professor of anatomic pathology. Dog owners and referring practitioners can learn more about the HIFU study on the colleges website or by contacting the Veterinary Clinical Research Office at 540-231-1363 or vettrials@vt.edu. Nepal army vows to book guilty after investigation The Nepal Army has said it has zero tolerance to sexual exploitations and abuse, reiterating that the investigation into the alleged sexual assault by its troopers in South Sudan is under way. M&A In SGT deal, KBR further transforms its government services business Amid a busy period of contractors both buying and selling, KBR has used consolidation as a tool to quickly scale up a government services business that is on pace to become the largest contributor to its overall sales mix versus the traditional oil and gas business. Houston-based KBR first started its construction of a different government services business two years ago with deals for Wyle and the former Honeywell Technology Solutions Inc. Those deals pivoted KBR to more technology and science areas versus the conflict-based services dependent on so-called overseas contingency operations funds. The $355 million acquisition of Greenbelt, Maryland-based Stinger Ghaffarian Technologies closed Wednesday and further transforms KBR into a government services player that is on par with several other publicly-held, pure-play peers. With SGT, KBR sees 60 percent of its sales coming from government services and reported $2.2 billion in public sector revenue last year. And through SGT, KBR further grows its already significant presence with NASA and makes support for space programs even more of a key platform for the company. A roughly $500 million-revenue company, SGT has in its portfolio a key NASA win and its largest-ever contract: the $1.2 billion Mission Systems Operations Contract that was finalized earlier this year. SGT gives KBRwyle a significant increase in depth and diversity of capability in the physical sciences, engineering, mission operations and mission focused information technology, KBRs government business president Byron Bright said. Bringing these SGT capabilities to current KBRwyle customers and new customers in adjacent markets will be a top priority for us as KBRwyle and SGT work together to grow our newly combined business, he said. KBR has obviously been far from the only active consolidator of government services business in recent times as players are looking to add scale and reach in technology markets they expect to see increased spending such as cybersecurity and IT modernization. I think its been a very natural consolidation as world events and budgets have changed, Bright said. We took our time in where we wanted to go and laid out a very clear strategy. We needed higher technology content and we needed specific geographic focus. We were very internationally-focused and we wanted more U.S. focus. Other consolidators such as General Dynamics in its deal for CSRA and ASGN in its addition of ECS Federal have pointed to an improving budget environment as among their rationales for the deals they made. Were confident in a healthy market, theres more predictability and its a pretty optimistic time in the market, Bright said. Fast forward to today and a look under the hood at KBRwyle -- the branding used for the government services business -- reveals a shop with a large focus on science-related opportunities, not only at NASA but in research-and-development work for military agencies and cybersecurity. There is also a significant mid-Atlantic regional footprint. Of KBRwyles now almost 12,500 employees including SGTs, at least 2,000 of them work in Virginia, Maryland and Washington D.C. Bright told me the employee base comprises scientists, engineers, program analysts and other professionals with security clearances to work on the high-end technology platforms KBRwyle supports. In a lot of the work we do, there are high barriers to entry because our customers want expertise, Bright said. Where KBRwyle sees its niche in a fragmented government technology services market is in what Bright termed as mission-focused domain-focused IT that is tied to specific programs. Much of its cybersecurity work is tied to threat and vulnerability assessments with federal customers such as the Defense Health Agency and Federal Aviation Administration. Bright said KBRwyle also focuses on the cyber aspects of physical hardware and industrial control systems to help agencies operate within risk management frameworks. The business does have one major item on its agenda this year when the Army awards the fifth iteration of its massive Logistics Civil Augmentation Program contract, which is the service branch's main overseas logistics support vehicle. Proposals for the potential 10-year, $82 billion LOGCAP V contract were due to the Army Feb. 26 and an award is anticipated for October. KBR, DynCorp International and Fluor are incuments on the current LOGCAP IV contract. KBRwyles presence extends beyond the U.S. government to include footprints with the militaries of U.K. and Australia, the latter of which was bolstered through the acquisition of Sigma Bravo in October of last year. Sigma Bravo added mission planning and software-related services, which Bright described as the exact same work for the U.S. military. The deal opens more doors to systems engineering and integration work for the Australian versions of some of the same U.S. platforms, Bright said. Earlier this month, KBR also took on full ownership of a joint venture in the U.K. that provides logistics services for British Army bases. The company also performs similar systems engineering work for the U.K. defense ministry. They are our allies and partners on a global scale, so many of the same needs, requirements and skillsets are very translatable internationally, Bright said. PEOPLE Siemens names federal lead Humpton as U.S. CEO Siemens Corp. said Thursday that Barbara Humpton, CEO for its federal subsidiary, has been appointed chief executive over all of the industrial conglomerates U.S. business in a move slated to take effect June 1. Humpton has led the Siemens Government Technology organization for nearly three years and first joined the Reston, Virginia-based business in 2011 after a long career at defense contractors such as Lockheed Martin and Booz Allen Hamilton. SGT uses the Siemens Corp. parent as preferred supplier for all federal contracts related to energy, health care, infrastructure and automation. The business operates as an independently-run subsidiary of Siemens Corp., which has 50,000 employees in the U.S. Avient Corp. engages in the business of thermoplastic compounds. It specializes in polymer materials, services, and solutions with operations in specialty polymer formulations, color and additive systems, plastic sheet and packaging solutions and polymer distribution. The firm is also involved in the development and manufacturing of performance enhancing additives, liquid colorants, fluoropolymers and silicone colorants. It operates through the following segments: Color, Additives and Inks; Specialty Engineered Materials; and Distribution. The Color, Additives and Inks segment provides custom color and additive concentrates in solid and liquid form for thermoplastics, dispersions for thermosets, speciality inks, plasticols, and vinyl slush molding solutions. The Specialty Engineered Materials segment makes polymer formulations, services, and solutions for designers, assemblers, and processors of thermoplastic materials. The Distribution segment distributes engineering and commodity grade resins, including PolyOne-produced solutions, principally to the North American, Central American, and Asian markets. The firm's products include polymer distribution, screen printing inks, and thermoplastic elastomers. Its services include IQ design and color services. The company was founded on August 31, 2000 and is headquartered in Avon Lake, OH. Read More CVR Refining, LP operates as an independent petroleum refiner and marketer of transportation fuels in the United States. The company owns and operates a complex full coking medium-sour crude oil refinery in Coffeyville, Kansas; and a complex crude oil refinery in Wynnewood, Oklahoma. It also controls and operates logistics assets, including approximately 570 miles of owned and leased pipelines; approximately 130 crude oil transports; a network of crude oil gathering tank farms; and approximately 6.4 million barrels of owned and leased crude oil storage capacity, as well as approximately 4.6 million barrels of combined refined products and feedstocks storage capacity. In addition, the company owns 170,000 barrels per day pipeline system that transports crude oil from Broome Station facility to Coffeyville refinery; approximately 1.5 million barrels of crude oil storage capacity, which supports the gathering system and Coffeyville refinery; approximately 0.9 million barrels of crude oil storage capacity at Wynnewood refinery; and approximately 1.5 million barrels of crude oil storage capacity in Cushing, Oklahoma, as well as leases crude oil storage capacity of approximately 2.3 million barrels in Cushing and approximately 0.2 million barrels in Duncan, Oklahoma. CVR Refining GP, LLC operates as the general partner of CVR Refining, LP. The company was founded in 2012 and is based in Sugar Land, Texas. CVR Refining, LP is a subsidiary of CVR Energy, Inc. Read More Greg Gibson From Hawaii to Maine, Alaska to the U.S. Virgin Islands and Texas to Oregon, leaders and volunteers from all 53 of AARPs state and territorial offices converged on Congress Wednesday, pressing lawmakers to protect policies and programs vital to the health and finances of Americans age 50 and older. More than 300 AARP advocates fanned out to 400 meetings with Republicans and Democrats in the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. They had three main messages for lawmakers and their staffs: Make the current 7.5 percent medical expense tax deduction threshold permanent; protect the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) that provides food to millions of older Americans, and show support for family caregivers by joining the caucus created to help Americas 40 million family caregivers. AARP advocates not only represented the organizations 38 million members, they spoke for citizens whose high voting turnout reflects the need for lawmakers to pay attention to them. In 2016, more than 90 percent of registered voters over 50 went to the polls and in 2014- the last midterm election, 75 percent of 50 plus registered voters cast ballots. Those turnout numbers dwarf all other age groups. One of the most urgent issues on the AARP advocates agenda was the tax deduction for medical expenses. Unless the law is changed, as of January 2019 the deduction will only be available to taxpayers whose health care expenses exceed 10 percent of their income, rather than 7.5 percent. Adults 50 and over make up nearly three-quarters of the nearly nine million Americans who use the medical expense deduction to offset high health care costs. Erin OQuinn, deputy chief of staff for Rep. Ami Bera, D-Calif., told AARP California State Director Mark Beach that the medical expense issue is incredibly important for people who are middle class and for those in longterm care. OQuinn, whose boss is a physician, assured the AARP visitors that Bera is steadfastly behind the 7.5 percent threshold. The AARP contingent also urged lawmakers to protect SNAP from changes that would make it harder for those in need to qualify for food aid. They said SNAP is a lifeline for the approximately 10 million Americans 50 and older who struggle with food insecurity. The farm bill sent to the House floor earlier this month by the Agriculture Committee imposes a stricter work requirement for SNAP on adults age 50 to 59. AARP advocates pressed members of the House and Senate to reject the expansion of work requirements for SNAP, noting the programs positive impact on the health care of its recipients and the fact that it takes longer for older workers to find permanent employment. In a meeting that AARPs Arkansas contingent and AARP National Volunteer President Eric Schneidewind held in Sen. John Boozmans office, the Arkansas Republicans staff pointed out that the senator is a co-chair of the Senate hunger caucus. Boozman is very committed to trying to alleviate hunger domestically and abroad, according to one of his legislative assistants. Boozmans staff also said he is working with his colleagues on the Agriculture Committee to develop a bipartisan farm bill. Throughout the day, AARP advocates encouraged members of Congress to join the Assisting Caregivers Today (ACT) Caucus, a bipartisan group that brings together members of the House and Senate looking for solutions to help Americas unpaid family caregivers. As they made the rounds on lawmakers offices, they also thanked those who are members of that caucus, including Boozman. AARP Arkansas Associate State Director for Advocacy, Vanessa Nehus, pointed out that Arkansas alone has over 450,000 family caregivers. David Certner, AARPs legislative counsel and legislative policy director, says Wednesdays visits provided an opportunity for the members of Congress to have a conversation on the key issues with their constituents rather than just with those based in Washington. The people from back home have much more of a sense of whats going on in their state and can bring those concerns in a more personal way, Certner says. Two AARP state directors echoed Certners views about the value of personal stories and of the state-specific data the AARP advocates presented to the lawmakers. Its a chance to talk to our Congressional delegation on how these bills will impact people in Hawaii directly, says Barbara Kim Stanton, AARPs Hawaii state director. Theyll hear not just the facts but stories that resonate. AARP Arkansas State Director, Herb Sanderson, says these visits armed lawmakers and their staffs with the data they need to make the case for AARPs priorities. Members of Congress have a lot of business before them and its hard for them to know the details, Sanderson says. We provide specific state data and build relationships. Getty Images En espanol | Determined to protect millions of Americans from being subjected to hidden fees and conflicts of interest when they get advice on retirement investments, AARP on Thursday asked a federal court to reconsider its decision to reject the Department of Labors fiduciary rule. The regulation would require financial advisors to put their clients interests first when offering guidance on retirement plans, including individual retirement accounts. AARP asked the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals for permission to join a lawsuit brought by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other groups that want to stop the fiduciary rule from being implemented. The Labor Department (DOL) issued the rule in 2016, began to implement it in June 2017 and the regulation was scheduled to be fully in effect by the summer of 2019. But in March, a panel of judges from the Fifth Circuit ruled 2-1 that DOL exceeded its authority when it issued the fiduciary regulation, effectively stopping the rule from taking effect. In a motion filed with the court Thursday, AARP has asked to intervene in the lawsuit, which would give the advocacy group for adults over the age of 50 the right to ask the full federal circuit court to rehear the case. AARP is not giving up on our fight to make sure that hard-earned retirement savings have strong protections from conflicts and hidden fees, says Nancy LeaMond, AARPs chief advocacy and engagement officer. Many financial advisors already give advice with the publics best interests in mind. But the recent court decision allows some financial advisors to provide guidance based on whats best for their pocketbooks, not the consumers. Consumer advocates and the Obama administration spent nearly six years crafting the fiduciary rule, which was created to address the changes over the past four decades in how people save for retirement. When the previous regulations were issued in 1974, IRAs, 401(k)s and other similar accounts were either brand new or did not exist. Since individual retirement plans are largely replacing traditional pension plans, more investment decisions are falling on workers, who need reliable advice. When seeking help with retirement planning, individual investors cant be sure their advisers dont have financial conflicts. Some advisors are professionally obligated to follow the fiduciary standard, which means they legally have to put the consumers financial goals first. Many other financial professionals, however, such as brokers, only have to meet a lower standard that makes it possible for them to collect additional fees and commissions at the expense of their clients. A 2015 report by the White House Council of Economic Advisors found that these hidden fees and conflicts of interest cost IRA investors alone about $17 billion dollars per year. Despite widespread concerns about such practices, the Fifth Circuit panel ruled that Congress, not a federal agency, needs to address these issues. But in its motion, AARP says that the court panels decision robs workers, retirees and their families of crucial protections for their retirement investments. The chief judge for the Fifth Circuit wrote the dissenting opinion in the March ruling against the fiduciary regulation, something that could bolster AARPs request for intervention and rehearing by the full court. The panels decision is also at odds with other recent federal court rulings upholding the fiduciary rule. Man working at Hazel elevator dies after 50-foot fall 50-year old man fell to his death while working on an elevator. Copyright 2018 Albuquerque Journal A new resource is available to help victims of sexual assault retain information regarding their sexual assault evidence kits, Albuquerque city officials and advocates announced during a news conference on Wednesday. Any survivor of a sexual assault in New Mexico who had a kit collected from a hospital or Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners clinic and made a report to their local law enforcement agency can contact the Sexual Assault Information Line at 1-866-613-SAIL (7245) to speak with victim-centered and professional staff about the status of their kit. Its celebratory in the sense that we know we have a way to honor victims and to continue to make Albuquerque a safer place to live, said Jennifer Brower, board president of the Albuquerque Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners. With the medical examinations and forensic examinations, we enable survivors to have an opportunity to confront their abusers, not only legally, but in all those other ways as well and that takes courage. Survivors can also contact SAIL by email at kitinfo@abqsane.org. Information is also available online at abqsane.org. The line is available from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. On evening and weekends, callers will be able to leave a message and the call will be returned. An email message will also be answered during the same hours. Teresa Garcia, a survivor of domestic abuse and assault, said survivors deserve a voice. They have felt unheard by law enforcement, the system itself and prosecutors, Garcia said. Use your voice, tell your story. Your story matters. Accountability will be upheld where finally you will not be ignored. We have been ignored for far too long. I think now with everybody using their voice and telling their story, we are being heard that this needs to be addressed. You are not alone. Mayor Tim Keller said authorities have sent 740 kits to laboratories for testing so far, with plans to send 200 more next week. He said he expects laboratories to complete testing of Albuquerques rape kit backlog by the end of 2020. Backlogs are a statewide problem and the Sexual Assault Information Line in Albuquerque will be available to survivors across the state to ensure they have a way to check on the status of their kit, whether its in Albuquerque or one of the other state laboratories, Keller said. Albuquerques kit backlog received national attention in February after NBCs Left Field released a short online segment on the issue. Keller signed an executive order in January that calls on Albuquerque Police Department and the Albuquerque Sexual Assault Evidence Response Team to create a plan for clearing the citys backlog. Keller said residents can inspect text of that plan on the citys website starting today. As state auditor, Keller released an audit in December 2016 that uncovered more than 5,400 untested kits around the state. Oppo F 7 to redefine selfie scene in Nepal Oppo has launched their latest selfie expert, the F7 with a 25 mega-pixel (MP) front camera in Nepal. The Oppo F7 aims to take smartphone technology to new heights. SANTA FE New Mexico should consider appointing a high-level executive perhaps a cabinet secretary to oversee and coordinate the states efforts to help prepare young children for kindergarten and keep them healthy. That was a recommendation Wednesday from a group of charitable foundations working to provide nonpartisan advice to the state Legislature on early childhood programs. An executive in the governors office or creation of a standalone state department, headed by a cabinet secretary could play a critical role in ensuring the state spends its growing investment in early childhood programs effectively, avoiding duplication and targeting the gaps in service. The New Mexico Early Childhood Funders Group also suggested taking a step-by-step approach to boosting the funding for pre-kindergarten and similar programs, with increases of about $16 million to $20 million a year over five years. The recommendations are part of a business plan the group plans to release a guide intended to help the state spend wisely. We need to ensure were investing in the highest quality programs we possibly can, said Katherine Freeman, president and CEO of the United Way of Santa Fe County. To that end, the plan suggests incremental increases in funding with some of the money dedicated to educating and training the workforce of employees who care for young children, a key to providing high-quality programs. Freeman was one of several community leaders who addressed the Legislative Finance Committee on Wednesday. The presentation comes as New Mexico ramps up spending on a variety of early childhood programs, including childcare for parents who work, pre-K, home visiting programs for parents with young children and similar services. Starting July 1, the state will have more than doubled its spending on early childhood programs over an eight-year period, to roughly $306 million a year. But theres still tremendous need for services in a state where 36 percent of young children live in poverty the highest rate in the country, according to the Early Childhood Funders Group. Some Democratic lawmakers have been pushing to tap into New Mexicos largest permanent fund to generate more money for early childhood programs, but those proposals have run aground in the Senate. Wednesdays presentation focused on how to make sure the states growing investment wherever the money comes from is spent effectively. Patrick Dee, managing director of U.S. Bank Wealth Management, told lawmakers that early childhood programs have been shown to result in higher rates of graduation, higher earnings, reduced cases of abuse and neglect, and less teen pregnancy, among other benefits. But the programs in place now reach just a fraction of the children that could benefit from this, Dee said. Copyright 2018 Albuquerque Journal The state Public Education Department is pushing to have more direct authority over teacher development programs, including taking on the oversight duties now provided by national accreditation groups. But some are questioning whether the proposal is within PEDs authority. By this time next month, PED wants a rule in place that allows it to rate educator preparation programs which ultimately license teachers through site visits and a scorecard system. PED Secretary-designate Christopher Ruszkowski said he thinks they would end up evaluating about 12 to 15 New Mexico institutions, such as the University of New Mexico, New Mexico Highlands University and New Mexico State University, if the rule goes through. The proposed evaluation system mirrors PEDs teacher evaluations and school grading efforts. Both systems have generated controversy in public school districts statewide. PEDs proposal would allow the agency to decide whether a teacher education program may remain in operation, regardless if the institution is private or public. An institution can appeal a revocation but ultimately PED has final decision-making power, according to the rule. Rule requirements PEDs proposed requirements include: The programs pedagogy, or instruction in teaching methods, has to align with PED standards; teachers in training would undergo observations by PED; the institution would be required to store documentation of the observations for at least five years; and teacher trainees would be evaluated using methodology of NMTEACH, which is the state teacher evaluation system. PED would annually score the programs, rating them on an A to F scale and evaluating their effectiveness through factors like acceptance rates of candidates into the program, how they do on performance and licensure tests and how those who complete the programs are rated in NMTEACH. Right now, teacher preparation programs are being reviewed by national accrediting bodies like the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education or the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation. But Ruszkowski said the measures those organizations provide arent rigorous enough and they dont review the programs frequently enough. The PED has the ultimate decision-making authority over teacher preparation programs that impact K-12 education directly, Ruszkowski said. And what states did historically is they took the NCATE or the CAEP and used it as a rubber stamp of approval. While UNM declined to comment, the university has previously called NCATE the gold standard for teacher preparation. If PEDs new rule goes into effect, institutions already offering teacher prep programs will have to reapply under the new standards. Senator response Sen. Mimi Stewart, D-Albuquerque, said PED rules are a way to bypass the Legislature. They continue to want to use what some see as a flawed assessment to grade higher ed, Stewart said. To which Ruszkowski asked why hasnt the Legislature taken action the last decade to improve teacher preparation? Stewart said PED does have minor statutory authority to approve teacher prep programs but felt this rule was beyond its jurisdiction. Stewart also said colleges of education and the Legislative Education Study Committee have questions over whether the rule is legal. But PED said teacher prep and licensure has always been under its purview and said all the work we do is about improving school performance. Ruszkowski also said the rule is a reflection of what the community has been asking for: more accountability in teacher prep programs. He noted the rule is in a public feedback period and it can be altered if needed. A public hearing is scheduled for Tuesday starting at 9 a.m. in the Jerry Apodaca Education Building in Santa Fe. The recent American strikes on Syrian chemical production facilities amounted to no more than a slap on Syrian leader Bashar Assads wrist and failed to change his behavior. The regime withstood the one-shot strike to punish it for its heinous act. Despite Trumps Mission Accomplished proclamation, Assad remains more defiant than ever. Deposing Assad for his brutal barbarism is the only logical course of action to end the horror in Syria. The key lesson the Assad regime took from the strikes is that although the United States and its Western allies do not tolerate the gassing of innocent people, they seem to tolerate the killing of thousands of Syrians by air strikes, barrel bombs and conventional weapons. The Russians and Iranians viewed the strikes as a symbolic gesture by Trump to show the American people he kept his word. Coalition strikes and sanctions in the past half-decade have failed to dislodge the regime or force it into meaningful negotiations with the opposition. Dealing with Assad is not rocket science: unless he is deposed, no meaningful negotiations about the future of Syria will ever take place. President Barack Obama should have acted in 2012 when he declared Assad should step aside. Unfortunately for the Syria people, he didnt and thats why we are where we are today. President Trump is pursuing a similar policy. If our presidents dont follow up on their threats, they should forget about military action. It is not fair to raise the expectations of the Syrian people in anticipation of a military retaliation and to have them dashed so cruelly. Regime change in Syria could be achieved peacefully if the major actors are seriously interested in charting a future course for Syria without Assad and ISIS. The United States could engage Moscow and Teheran in secret talks about the future of Syria. The Trump administration could force Russia and Iran to the negotiating table by using its considerable leverage, namely sanctions and the nuclear deal. Before embarking on such a delicate initiative, Trump must first sell the plan, also secretly, to the House and Senate leaders. Washingtons secret talks with North Korea could be a template for similar talks with Russia and Iran about Syria. Although the probability of such a plan succeeding appears low, it could be achievable if Washington, London, and Paris are serious about ending conflict in Syria. Much of the opposition to deposing Assad is perhaps colored by the negative experience with the concept of regime change, especially with Iraq and Afghanistan. I opposed regime change in Iraq on the eve of the Iraq war because Iraq was a functioning state, albeit under the thumb of a dictator. Nor did the Bush administration have a strategy for the future of Iraq beyond Saddam. In briefing senior policymakers at the White House at the time, I argued that a) Iraqis dislike for Saddam didnt mean they liked foreign occupation, and b) the liberation of Iraq would quickly morph into occupation. Syria today is in a totally different situation than Iraq in 2003. Chaos, instability and a lack of central authority pervade the country. Assad would have been defeated by his own people at least half a decade ago if it werent for Russian and Iranian massive support and the inaction on the part of the Obama administration. The Trump administration is maintaining the same flawed policy toward Syria and Assad. We should have learned the lesson from Charlie Wilsons Wars that defeating a nasty regime without a plan for the morning after will end up in utter failure. If Washington cant do that in Syria, it should not embark on any military action against the Assad regime. Nor should the American president establish so-called red lines if he is unable or unwilling to enforce them. Emile Nakhleh is a former senior U.S. intelligence officer. WASHINGTON When August 2016 began, Paul Manafort was about 11 weeks into his job as chairman of Donald Trumps campaign. But despite the political tumult, Manafort found time that month to meet at a swank Manhattan cigar bar with someone the FBI has suggested has ties to Russian intelligence. By the time August ended, Manafort was gone having resigned after allegations he had received millions of dollars off the books to support pro-Russia figures in Ukraine. On the very day he was forced out, the financially strapped Manafort created a shell company that received $13 million in loans over the next few months from people or financial institutions with links to Trump. The machinations of that August illustrate why Manafort is a central figure in special counsel Robert Muellers investigation. And they show why the probe has deep roots in evidence already made public, cases filed and plea deals won that will persist even if Trump moves to fire Mueller. Manafort has pleaded not guilty to tax and bank-fraud charges and making false statements, and his attorneys have argued that Muellers allegations are outside his jurisdiction in the Russian election-meddling probe. Muellers team fired back in a court hearing last Thursday. He (Manafort) had long-standing ties to Russia-backed politicians, said Justice Department attorney Michael Dreeben. Did they provide back channels to Russia? Investigators will naturally look at those things. The story begins with Thomas J. Barrack Jr., a billionaire real estate financier close to both Manafort and Trump. After hearing Manaforts ideas for boosting the campaign in February 2016, Barrack forwarded Manaforts suggestions to Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner. Whats astonishing, in hindsight, is that after Barracks initial introduction, nobody from the Trump campaign attempted any serious vetting of Manaforts background. This lack of review is surprising, given that the FBI had investigated Manaforts Ukraine activities back in 2014, according to a source familiar with the bureaus probe who wasnt authorized to discuss it publicly. For the Trump campaign, it was plug and play, one campaign insider recalled, with no process for background checks. Even as Manafort joined the campaign on March 29, he wanted some prominent Russians to know he was in the catbird seat. On April 11, he sent an email to his Ukrainian partner Konstantin Kilimnik to alert what Manafort called the OVD operation, according to emails reported first by The Washington Post and later The Atlantic. Muellers court filings help decode these references. Kilimnik matches the Person A described in a startling passage in a Mueller sentencing memo in a separate case: FBI agents assess that Person A has ties to a Russian intelligence service and had such ties in 2016. Kilimnik has denied any intelligence ties. And who was the OVD whom Manafort was so eager to impress? According to The Post and The Atlantic, which cited people familiar with the emails, it was Oleg V. Deripaska, a billionaire Russian oligarch Manafort had been courting for more than a decade. As Trump neared the nomination in July, Manafort emailed Kilimnik to propose private briefings for an unnamed person whom people familiar with the discussions told me was Deripaska. A Deripaska spokeswoman has denied that the Russian tycoon received any offer of a briefing from Manafort. Manafort continued his contacts on the eve of his political demise. On Aug. 2, he met with Kilimnik at Manhattans Grand Havana Room. Among the subjects they discussed were the perception of the U.S. presidential campaign in Ukraine, Kilimnik told The Post last June. Manafort had serious money problems, too, during his turbulent months running the campaign. They also came to a head in August, when a lender filed default notices on about $15 million in Manafort-family loans. Manafort created a shell company on Aug. 19 with the ironically sunny name, Summerbreeze LLC, which received loans that eased the crunch. The loans included $13 million from two financial institutions whose senior executives had ties to Trump. The final rupture came on Aug. 19, when Trump accepted Manaforts resignation as campaign chairman, five days after a New York Times story alleging he had received $12.7 million to help Ukraines pro-Russia president, Viktor Yanukovych. Manafort vanished after his firing. It turns out he went vacationing with his old friend Barrack, who was cruising off the Greek coast and invited a depressed Manafort to join him The Manafort case illustrates how hard it will be for Trump to dispel the allegations that swirl around the Mueller investigation. The president might want to rid himself of the special counsel, but he cant make the evidence disappear. David Ignatius can be reached via Twitter: @IgnatiusPost. Email: davidignatius@washpost.com. Copyright, Washington Post Writers Group. Copyright 2018 Albuquerque Journal The man who pleaded guilty last year to a string of arsons throughout Albuquerque will face somewhere between five and 20 years in prison when he stands before U.S. District Judge Judith Herrera this morning. David Hickman, who was born in 1988, pleaded guilty to five counts of arson but admitted in his plea agreement to setting nine blazes over the course of 10 nights in November 2016. Prosecutors are asking for a 20-year sentence, arguing that Hickmans actions were evil. Hickmans attorney, however, said that his client never intended to harm anyone and should get a five-year sentence. Defendant Hickmans actions were deliberate and premeditated, Assistant U.S. Attorney Fred Federici wrote in a sentencing memorandum. A serial arsonist, he appears to have acted out of sheer evil or malice, or from some twisted sense of excitement or thrill. Zachary Ives, Hickmans attorney, said his client still has numerous supporters and that a 20-year sentence is a sentence often handed down to killers. The governments sentencing memorandum is based on fear. The government uses hyperbolic rhetoric and imagines Mr. Hickman doing things he did not do and having intentions he does not have, Ives wrote in a response to the prosecutions sentencing memo. What Mr. Hickman actually did was set fire to structures that he believed were unoccupied and that were, in fact, unoccupied. Federici, in his court filing, said that Hickmans sentencing guideline called for him to receive between 63 months to 78 months in prison. However, such a sentence would obviously fall woefully short of capturing the full circumstances of the defendants offenses, the harms he inflicted, and the danger he would continue to pose to the community if he were released, he wrote. Hickman has been in custody since Albuquerque police arrested him on Nov. 26, 2016, after he had set fire to the Old Navy in the 4900 block of Cutler NE, near San Mateo. That was the last of nine fires he had set using homemade explosive devices throughout the city. Security footage from the Old Navy store shows Hickman, dressed head to toe in black and concealing much of his face, use a firearm to enter the retail store and then move about with homemade explosives, filled with an incendiary fluid. He spends minutes in the store and then leaves with it engulfed in flames. All told, Hickman caused more than $8 million in damage throughout Albuquerque, according to his plea agreement. Hickman so far during the proceedings hasnt spoken about why he targeted the businesses. Its not clear if hell speak during his sentencing. Ives didnt return a call for comment this week. The defendant has chosen to say nothing about the malicious agenda that drove him to prowl the streets of Albuquerque in the dark of the night, Federici wrote. Other properties he damaged included: Starbucks Coffee Shop, 800 Broadway NE Project Defending Life, 625 San Mateo NE Carlisle Condominiums, 3600 Central SE Starbucks Coffee Shop, 5301 Gibson SE Starbucks Coffee Shop, 4407 Lomas NE Starbucks Coffee Shop, 3400 Central SE Barnes & Noble Bookstore at Coronado Mall, 6600 Menaul NE; Shred It, 1415 Broadway NE. Santa Fe Public Schools is looking to ramp up school safety measures at its 28 school sites, but they do not include placing armed police officers on campus at least for now. Superintendent Veronica Garcia said this week that Mayor Alan Webber told her that the citys police force didnt have the manpower to assign three police officers at school campuses. The department, which employs about 160 police officers, is already spread thin, the mayor told her, and has about 24 vacancies. Its been very difficult for the police force to recruit new officers, she said. Even if there were enough officers, theres the matter of paying for them. The city and school district have talked about splitting the cost, estimated to be about $200,000. But during a study session on the school districts 2018-2019 budget on Tuesday, school board members supported adding $500,000 to the districts $102 million budget to be allocated to school safety and prevention, some of it to pay for three full-time social workers. Thats $300,000 more than the $200,000 increase for safety and prevention that was in the proposed budget being discussed. School board president Steven Carrillo suggested more than doubling that allocation. This is the piece thats going to provide the mental health stability and support that our kids and our teachers need in order to not have events that have happened in other places around the country, he said. The school board began considering placing three School Resource Officers at unspecified schools after the school shooting in Parkland, Fla., in February that left 14 students and three staff members dead. Shootings at schools have been on the increase in recent years. There have been at least 21 school shootings in the United States during the current school year, including one at New Mexicos Aztec High School last December during which two students were killed. There have also been three threats of violence at Santa Fe schools that have resulted in arrests. Garcia said SFPS was taking an multi-pronged approach to addressing security matters. The school district recently implemented a visitor check-in system that can scan a state-issued ID or drivers license and perform a quick background check and is putting $325,000 toward purchasing a door barricading system at its schools. School board members on Tuesday were also in support of using funding toward implementing Social Emotional Learning initiatives at schools. SACRAMENTO, Calif. More than three decades after his trail went cold, one of Californias most prolific and elusive serial killers was caught when investigators matched crime-scene DNA with genetic material stored by a relative on an online genealogical site, prosecutors said Thursday. Authorities have said the DNA tied former police officer Joseph James DeAngelo, 72, to most of the 12 killings he is accused of committing between 1976 and 1986 as part of the Golden State Killer case. Investigators also allege DeAngelo raped more than 50 women during that period. Authorities declined to name the DNA site used to track the DNA. Companies such as Ancestry.com and 23andMe charge customers to use their DNA to produce genetic profiles that determine ethnicity and can identify long-lost relatives, among other services. Both companies said Thursday they werent involved in the case against DeAngelo. Sacramento County District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert said investigators surreptitiously obtained his DNA last week from discarded material that ended up matching DNA at crime scenes. Police received thousands of tips over the years, but DeAngelos name had not been on the radar of law enforcement before last week, Schubert said. In other developments Thursday, police in Visalia said DeAngelo is a suspect in the 1975 killing of community college teacher Claude Snelling in the farming community about 40 miles (64 kilometers) south of Fresno. If the link is confirmed, it would boost the number of victims to 13 in the serial killing case. DeAngelo worked as a police officer in nearby Exeter from 1973 to 1976, and police in the region believe he also is the Visalia Ransacker, responsible for the death of Snelling, who was fatally shot while stopping someone from kidnapping his 16-year-old daughter, and about 100 burglaries. Visalia police Chief Jason Salazar said Snellings death and the regions burglaries werent part of the tally of crimes authorities released Wednesday in the serial killing case because investigators lacked DNA evidence on those crimes. Salazar said fingerprints and shoe tracks will be eyed for matches to DeAngelo. Detectives are also looking to see if any items taken during the Visalia burglaries are uncovered during the investigation. In addition, DeAngelo matches the description of Snellings killer, Salazar said, and the attacker used sophisticated pry tools to gain entrance to locked homes, just as authorities say DeAngelo did in other crimes. The culprit also wore a ski mask and eluded capture because of an apparent deep-knowledge of police work. He always had a good escape route, Salazar said. Farrel Ward, 75, served on the Exeter Police Department with DeAngelo. Ward called him a black sheep, saying he was quiet and didnt fit in with other officers. Ward said its possible that DeAngelo helped with a search in a killing hes now suspected of committing. Ward doesnt recall DeAngelo directly working on the case but said its possible he joined the hunt for the killer. Ward said he thought DeAngelo was overqualified for the small-town job because he graduated from Sacramento State with a degree in criminal justice. He knew everything about everything, but he didnt have common sense about him, Ward said Investigators searched DeAngelos home on Thursday, looking for class rings, earrings, dishes and other items that were taken from crime scenes. Authorities were also seeking weapons and other items that could link the suspect to the crimes, Sacramento County sheriffs Lt. Paul Belli said. He declined to say what, if anything, investigators had found. Retired FBI profiler Clint Van Zandt said he and others have speculated that the serial killer had police or military training because of the sophistication of the crimes and the suspects ability to elude capture. DeAngelo had both. He served six years as a police officer after serving for nearly two years in the Navy during the Vietnam War. After leaving the Exeter police department, he joined the Auburn Police Department outside Sacramento. Auburn fired him in 1979 after he was caught shoplifting a hammer and dog repellent. Investigators have linked DeAngelo to 11 killings that occurred after he was fired. There may have been a revenge aspect to it, Van Zandt said of the crimes. He was going to show police that he was smarter than any of them and that it was a mistake to fire him. Investigators said DeAngelo appeared to stop killing and raping after 1986 and settled down to steady employment and a middle-class life. Profilers have said most serial killers usually dont stop until they die or get arrested, but a few have voluntarily quit. Scientists developed a way to identify rapists and others through DNA fingerprinting in 1986, the same year as the last attack by the Golden State Killer. Experts noted that DeAngelo likely knew about the highly publicized DNA breakthrough. He knew police techniques, said John Jay College of Criminal Justice professor Louis Schlesinger. He was smart. James Huddle said he always hoped police would catch the killer whose attacks prompted him to buy a pistol. But he was stunned to find out the man arrested was DeAngelo, his former brother-in-law. Huddle said it was still just going crazy in my mind. __ Balsamo reported from Los Angeles. AP Writer Paul Elias contributed to this story from San Francisco. WASHINGTON Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt, yet another Trump administration official with his job on the line over ethical concerns, took heat from lawmakers Thursday over his profligate spending and lobbyist ties and tried to divert responsibility to underlings. The EPA administrator said twisted allegations against him were meant to undermine the administrations anti-regulatory agenda, and he denied knowing details of some of the extraordinary spending done on his behalf at the agency. The public grilling at back-to-back House hearings, called formally to consider EPAs budget, came as support has appeared to erode for Pruitt among fellow Republicans after revelations about unusual security spending, first-class flights, a sweetheart condo lease and more. Even Republicans who heartily support Pruitts policy agenda said his apparent lapses had to be scrutinized. Democrats excoriated him. You are unfit to hold public office, said Rep. Frank Pallone of New Jersey. Youve become the poster child for the abuse of public trust, said Rep. John Sarbanes of Maryland. Although most of the Republican lawmakers at the hearings rallied around Pruitt, reviews were mixed. Rep. John Shimkus of Illinois, chairman of the first panel that questioned Pruitt, said afterward the EPA chief was a little vague, adding, Its never a good idea to blame your staff in public. Asked whether Pruitt should resign, he said thats not his call and suggested thats up to President Donald Trump. Thursdays hearings were Pruitts first major appearance since a Fox News interview in early April that was widely considered to be disastrous within the West Wing. Before Congress, the administrator demonstrated his background as a lawyer, giving clipped answers and sticking to repeating rehearsed talking points. He visibly bristled on occasion as Democrats pressed about the many financial allegations against him, then relaxed when Republicans on the panel gave him openings to expand on his policy steps at EPA. Mocking Pruitts opponents, Republican Rep. Kevin Cramer of North Dakota said that as far as the EPA chiefs critics were concerned, I think the greatest sin youve done is youve actually done what President Trump ran on. Its shameful that this day has turned into a personal attack, said GOP Rep. Bill Johnson of Ohio. Trump has stood by his EPA chief, but behind closed doors, White House officials concede Pruitts job is in serious jeopardy. Pruitt has faced a steady trickle of revelations involving pricey trips in first-class seats and unusual security spending, including a $43,000 soundproof booth for making private phone calls. He also demanded 24-hour-a-day protection from armed officers, resulting in a 20-member security detail that blew through overtime budgets and racked up expenses approaching $3 million. The EPA chief acknowledged under sharp questioning that he, in fact, knew something about huge pay raises given to two women on his staff at least one of them a friend after insisting weeks ago that he didnt approve the raises and didnt know who did. After that initial denial, documents showed EPA chief of staff Ryan Jackson signed off on the raises and indicated he had Pruitts consent. Pruitt said Thursday he delegated authority to Jackson to give the raises but didnt know the exact amounts. Senior legal counsel Sarah Greenwalt received a raise of more than $66,000, bringing her salary to $164,200, and scheduling director Millian Hupp saw her salary jump from $48,000 to $114,590. Under questioning, Pruitt appeared to acknowledge that Hupp helped him find accommodations in the capital but said her search apparently did not cost taxpayers. Im not aware of any government time being used, he said. She is a friend. As he has previously, Pruitt sought to deflect questions about any missteps by blaming subordinates. On the communications booth: I was not involved in the approval of the $43,000, and if I had known about it, Congressman, I would not have approved it. On flying first class at taxpayer expense: Security decisions at the agency are made by law enforcement personnel, and I have heeded their counsel. On the pay raises to the two women: I was not aware of the amount provided or the process that was used in providing that. At several points, he spoke of decisions made by career individuals at the agency. Youre the guy in charge, Democratic Rep. Peter Welch of Vermont countered. It really seems like theres something on your desk with the motto: The buck stops nowhere.' Pruitt drew an unusual rebuke from EPAs inspector general, Arthur Elkins, while he was still testifying. In a statement, Elkins said he never signed off on an internal review of security threats that Pruitt cited at the hearing to explain why he needed unusual arrangements for his safety. Elkins said the summary was prepared by Patrick Sullivan, an assistant inspector general, and leaked without authorization. Pruitt read aloud from two security threats, one from a man, apparently in India, who tweeted that he planned to shoot Pruitt. Democratic Rep. Betty McCollum of Minnesota was unmoved, saying: We all receive threats on our Facebook page. The same document Pruitt cited also recounted similar threats against Obama EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy, who routinely flew in coach and didnt require full-time protection. Pruitts troubles began in earnest last month, when ABC News first reported he had leased a Capitol Hill condo last year for just $50 a night that was co-owned by the wife of a veteran fossil fuels lobbyist whose firm had sought regulatory rollbacks from EPA. Both Pruitt and the lobbyist, Steven Hart, denied he had conducted any recent business with EPA. But Hart was forced to admit last week he had met with Pruitt at EPA headquarters last summer after his firm, Williams & Jensen, revealed he had lobbied the agency on a required federal disclosure form. Asked Thursday whether he had received any other gifts from lobbyists seeking favors from EPA, Pruitt replied, Im not aware of any instances. ___ Follow Associated Press environmental reporter Michael Biesecker at http://twitter.com/mbieseck PHOENIX Teachers in Arizona and Colorado turned their state Capitols into a sea of red Thursday as they kicked off widespread walkouts that shut down public schools in a bid for better pay and education funding, building on educator revolt that emerged elsewhere in the U.S. but whose political prospects were not clear. Tens of thousands of teachers wearing red shirts and holding Money for Schools signs launched the first-ever statewide strike by marching 2 miles in 90-degree heat to a rally at the Arizona Capitol. They plan to walk out again Friday to press lawmakers for their demands as will Colorado educators. Educators in both states want more classroom resources and have received offers either for increased school funding or pay, but they say the money isnt guaranteed and the efforts dont go far enough. The walkouts are the climax of an uprising that spread from West Virginia, Oklahoma and Kentucky. Most of Arizonas public schools will be closed the rest of the week, and about half of all Colorado students will see their schools shuttered over the two days as teachers take up the Arizona movements #RedforEd mantle. I feel like funding for the schools should be at the top of the list, said Brandon Hartley, a charter school teacher from the Phoenix suburb of Peoria who brought his 7-year-old son to the Arizona rally. Other parents who brought their children to the protest in Phoenix expressed support despite school closures that led makeshift day care operations to open at schools and recreation centers to help working parents. Food banks and some schools also were providing free meals that many students rely on. Mariaelena Sandoval brought her 11-year-old daughter and held a sign that said, Im a Republican, Im voting and Im #RedforEd. She said she had a wake-up call when she learned a teacher paid out of pocket for a field trip. Im walking for her, Sandoval said of her daughter. The crowd, many of whom carried water jugs and umbrellas to combat the heat, streamed through the streets of downtown Phoenix as employees at courthouses and office buildings left work to watch. Phoenix Police Department estimated the crowd size at 50,000. In much cooler Colorado, several thousand educators rallied around the Capitol, with many using personal time to attend two days of protests expected to draw as many as 10,000 demonstrators. They chanted, Education is our right and Were not gonna take it anymore, getting honks from passing cars. Were not asking for a lot of money, said Danielle Rose, a first-grade teacher from Westminster, Colorado. Were just asking to be able to live in Colorado, where the cost of living is much higher. Lawmakers there have agreed to give schools their largest budget increase since the Great Recession. But teachers say Colorado has a long way to go to recover lost ground because of strict tax and spending limits. Because lawmakers cannot raise taxes without voter approval, theyre not expecting an immediate fix. The teachers union is backing a ballot initiative to raise taxes on corporations and those earning over $150,000 a year. Arizonas Republican governor, Doug Ducey, has proposed 20 percent raises by 2020 and said he has no plans to meet with striking teachers or address other demands, including about $1 billion to return school funding to pre-Great Recession levels and increased pay for support staff. Teachers and some lawmakers are concerned Duceys proposal relies on overly optimistic revenue projections. It also doesnt address educators other demands. A key legislative leader said Republican leaders in the House agreed Thursday to support Duceys proposal that doesnt address other teacher demands. Rep. David Livingston, head of the House Appropriations Committee, said the deal should result in a formal budget plan next week, but details must still be worked out. But its not clear how it will affect the walkout, which has no end date and began because teachers found the plan insufficient. Joe Thomas of the Arizona Education Association, the states largest teacher membership group, said educators may have to consider a ballot initiative seeking education funding if a plan by lawmakers isnt successful. School districts closed and teachers protested across Arizona. South in Tucson, educators waved signs on sidewalks, while up north, protesters marched to Flagstaff City Hall and others gathered on the Navajo reservation. But schools were open in Lake Havasu City, where Karen Flenniken has two grandchildren in grade school. The teachers signed a contract, and they need to honor the contract, said Flenniken, describing the walkout as blackmail. More than 840,000 Arizona students were expected to be out of school Thursday, according to an analysis from The Arizona Republic that tallied up at least 100 school districts and charter schools that were closing. Many school districts also planned to close Friday, possibly sending kids to another day of day camps or other care options at community organizations. Addie Martinez dropped off her 9-year-old son and 6-year-old daughter at a Phoenix Salvation Army that was offering child care before she rushed to her medical assistant job. The facility has room for up to 100 kids and provides breakfast, lunch and snacks for $25 per child. Martinez said she was prepared to take her children back Friday and next week to the center, which has activities such as arts and crafts and dodgeball. Despite the inconvenience, she said she supported the teachers because they are educating our future. ___ Associated Press writers Colleen Slevin in Denver, Felicia Fonseca in Flagstaff, Arizona, and Terry Tang, Bob Christie and Paul Davenport in Phoenix contributed to this report. ___ This story has been corrected to show that 10,000 Colorado demonstrators are expected over two days. WASHINGTON President Donald Trumps White House doctor reluctantly withdrew his nomination to be Veterans Affairs secretary Thursday in the face of accusations of misconduct, the latest embarrassing episode highlighting Trumps struggles to fill key jobs and the perils of his occasional spur-of-the-moment-decision-making. The weeks-long saga surrounding the nomination of Navy Dr. Ronny Jackson leaves the governments second-largest agency without a permanent leader while it faces an immediate crisis with its private health care program. And it abruptly tarnished the reputation of a doctor beloved by two presidents and their staffs. White House officials say they are taking a new look at the way nominees backgrounds are checked and they believe they will persuade Trump to take additional time to ensure that a replacement is sufficiently vetted. The leading person now under consideration for the VA post is former Rep. Jeff Miller, who chaired the House Veterans Affairs Committee before retiring last year, according to White House officials. Miller is a strong proponent of expanding private care for veterans, a Trump priority. Trump quickly selected Jackson, a rear admiral in the Navy, to head the VA last month after firing Obama appointee David Shulkin following accusations of ethical problems and a mounting rebellion within the agency. Jackson, a surprise choice who has worked as a White House physician since 2006, faced immediate questions from Republican and Democratic lawmakers as well as veterans groups about whether he had the experience to manage the massive department of 360,000 employees serving 9 million veterans. Then this weeks unconfirmed allegations by current and former colleagues about drunkenness and improper prescribing of controlled substances, compiled and released by Democrats, made the nomination all but unsalvageable. The allegations against me are completely false and fabricated, Jackson said in a statement announcing his withdrawal. Press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Jackson was back at work at the White House on Thursday. But his future there remains uncertain. He had stepped aside from directing Trumps medical care and leading the medical unit while his nomination was being considered. I would hope the White House would closely consider whether he is the best person to provide medical care for the president, said Democratic Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware. Trump himself praised Jackson, saying, Hes a great man, and he got treated very, very unfairly. Then the president went after Democratic Sen. Jon Tester of Montana, who released a list of allegations against Jackson that was compiled by the Democratic staff of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee. Trump aides said the president was furious with Tester, who faces a tough re-election fight this fall, and plans to aggressively campaign against him. I think Jon Tester has to have a big price to pay in Montana, Trump warned on Fox & Friends on TV. Tester, meanwhile, called on Congress to continue its investigation of Jackson. I want to thank the service members who bravely spoke out over the past week. It is my constitutional responsibility to make sure the veterans of this nation get a strong, thoroughly vetted leader who will fight for them, he said. Elsewhere in the capital, Congress was questioning another Trump official whose job appears in jeopardy. Scott Pruitt, head of the Environmental Protection Agency, was questioned closely by House Democrats about revelations of unusual security spending, first-class flights, an advantageous condo lease and more. Even Republicans who support Pruitts deregulation efforts, said his conduct needed scrutiny. Tom Price, Trumps first secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, resigned last year after criticism of his use of private charter flights and military jets. The turmoil at the VA comes as it faces a budget shortfall for its private-sector Veterans Choice program, a campaign priority of Trumps, with lawmakers deadlocked over a long-term fix due to disagreements over cost and how much access veterans should have to private doctors Veterans are exhausted by the unnecessary and seemingly never-ending drama, said Paul Rieckhoff, executive director of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. VAs reputation is damaged, staff is demoralized, momentum is stalled and the future is shockingly unclear. The VA issued a statement late Wednesday that it would push to have Congress move on an expansion of Choice next month. Sen. Johnny Isakson of Georgia, chairman of the Veterans Affairs Committee, said Thursday he would work with the administration to see to it we get a VA secretary for our veterans and their families. White House officials were visibly dismayed Wednesday and Thursday as they watched Jackson suffer the blows of the allegations. The doctor, who is well-liked by and has personal relationships with many White House staffers, cited the withering pressure for withdrawing from consideration for the post, but maintained he had done nothing wrong. Trump said on Fox that he has an idea for a replacement nominee, adding it will be someone with political capability. Miller, the former congressman who was described as the leading candidate, is a strong proponent of expanding private care for veterans, Miller led the push to create Choice in 2014. However, major veterans groups and Democrats stand opposed to an aggressive expansion of Choice, seeing the effort as a potential threat to VA medical centers. Dan Caldwell, executive director of the conservative Concerned Veterans for America, urged the White House to take more time to carefully select and vet a new nominee who could head VA. The VA currently has a competent Acting Secretary in Robert Wilkie who can manage the VA along with the rest of his leadership team, he said. Considering the tremendous challenges that the last three VA secretaries have faced, it is important that a capable individual with a high level of integrity is selected. During the presidential campaign, Trump repeatedly pledged to fix the VA by bringing accountability and expanding access to private doctors, criticizing the department as the most corrupt. At an Ohio event last July, Trump promised to triple the number of veterans seeing the doctor of their choice. Currently, more than 30 percent of VA appointments are made in the private sector. ___ Associated Press writers Ken Thomas, Lisa Mascaro, Catherine Lucey, Darlene Superville, Jill Colvin, Matthew Daly in Washington and AP Medical Writer Carla K. Johnson in Seattle contributed to this report. Over 5 million people without citizenship An estimated 5.4 million individuals (24 percent of the population age 16 and over) lack citizenship in Nepal compelling them to experience discrimination in employment, education property ownership and even in receiving disaster relief, says a human rights report. PARIS More than 70 countries committed Thursday to bolster efforts in the fight against terrorism financing associated with the Islamic State group and al-Qaida. Participants at an international conference in Paris vowed to improve international coordination and enhance transparency of financial flows. In a final declaration, they agreed to fully criminalize terror financing through effective and proportionate sanctions even in the absence of a link to a specific terrorist act. The two-day event was convened by French President Emmanuel Macron to coordinate efforts to reduce the terror threat in the long-term. U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde and the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia and Qatar were all present. Macron, who has returned to France from a state visit to the U.S., welcomed the decision of participants to form a coalition with the aim of choking off financing for IS and al-Qaida. Our enemies are mobile and innovative. They are all the time changing tactics they use all the modern technologies, he stressed in his closing speech. That is why we must combat (them) with total determination. Macron praised efforts of participants to cooperate despite their differences of approach and competing interests. Thursdays meeting included countries that have accused each other of funding terrorism, notably in the Persian Gulf. Macron said too many countries have nourished movements with direct or indirect links to terrorism. There will be no more ambiguity regarding IS and al-Qaida, he insisted. Experts and ministers attending the conference noted terror groups are using increasingly hard-to-track tools like prepaid cards, online wallets and crowdfunding operations. They called for better information-sharing between intelligence services, law enforcement, financial businesses and the technology industry. They also agreed to improve the traceability of funds going to non-governmental organizations and charity associations. Daniel Lewis, executive secretary of the intergovernmental Financial Action Task Force, said he is hoping that words would be put into action. When we have information for example the U.N. list of individuals and entities financing terrorism we need to make sure measures like asset freezing are implemented fully and quickly, Lewis told The Associated Press. The French organizers noted that IS military defeats on the ground have not prevented the group from pursuing its terrorist activities, along with al-Qaida especially in unstable regions of Afghanistan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Yemen, Egypt and sub-Saharan Africa. IS has also invested in businesses and real estate to ensure its financing. IS revenues alone were estimated at $2.5 billion between 2014 and 2016, according to the French presidents office. French counterterrorism prosecutor Francois Molins told FranceInfo radio that IS uses micro-financing techniques to collect a great number of small amounts of money. Work with the financial intelligence unit helped identify 416 people in France who have donated money to IS over the last two years, he said. Money, he said, went to 320 collectors mostly based in Turkey and Lebanon from whom jihadis in Iraq and Syria could receive funds. Funding to extremist groups in the Middle East once flowed freely across the regions informal money-transfer shops and in donations made in mosques when traveling clerics issued special appeals during sermons. In recent years, the U.S. and other Western nations have encouraged Middle Eastern nations to close off such sources. However, allegations over extremist funding in part sparked a near-yearlong boycott of Qatar by four Arab states. Qatar denies funding extremists, though it has faced Western criticism about being lax in enforcing rules, as has Saudi Arabia. Participants agreed to hold a similar conference next year in Australia. ___ Jon Gambrell in Dubai contributed to this report. Dona Ana County sheriff candidate helped link victims to Golden State Killer Carlos Andres Lopez Las Cruces Sun-News, N.M. LAS CRUCES A candidate running for Dona Ana County sheriff said she was part of a group of retired police officers and civilians whose sleuthing helped link four homicide victims in Santa Barbara County to eight other murders in California that were eventually tied to the Golden State Killer, who was identified Wednesday as 72-year-old Joseph James DeAngelo. The Golden State Killer, also known as the East Area Rapist and Original Night Stalker, was responsible for 45 rapes and 12 murders in California from the mid-1970s to 1986. Considered one of the most notorious unsolved crime sprees in U.S. history, the case marked a major development on Wednesday, when authorities arrested DeAngelo at a home in Citrus Heights, California, in connection to the crimes. About 1,200 miles away, Kim Stewart exulted at the news, calling a red-letter day. Stewart, a Democratic candidate for Dona Ana County sheriff, said she was part of a group of about 50 retired police officers and civilians whose interest in the case in the late 2000s help link four murder victims from Santa Barbara County to eight other murders in California, all of which were tied to the Golden State Killer, and now DeAngelo. This is true example of community policing, she said. When Stewart joined the Santa Barbara Sheriffs Office as a patrol officer in 1981, she learned of two unsolved double homicides and two unsolved attempted murders, she said. The homicides happened between 1979 and 1981 and the victims were identified as Dr. Robert Offerman, Debra Manning, Cheri Domingo and Greg Sanchez. By 1983, Stewart, then a burglary detective, learned the murders had been pinned on a low-level burglar who had been killed in Mexico, she said. Stewart, however, became skeptical and requested to review the case files but was denied access by the homicide detectives. They decided to close their cases on this dead guy, she said. I kept thinking I dont see that, let me review the murder books. But they never would. She added: At the time, I thought it was odd that they just wouldnt share anything with anybody. Stewart never saw the files and continued her career in law enforcement until she retired in 1999. But the murders remained in the back of her mind. Unable to sleep one night in 2009, she said she watched a crime show on TV featuring the two double homicides in Santa Barbara County. (They) were brought up as possibly linked to (murders) in other counties, she said. At that time, Stewart was living in Las Cruces. I was incensed. I was beside myself, she recalled. I remember it was very late at night and I thought how dare how dare they how dare they lie, how are they keeping secrets, how dare they pawn off these cases, to close them on a dead guy, she added, referring to the homicide detectives at the time. And so she said she began investigating the murders in her retirement, joining a group of about 50 retired police officers and lawyers, crime writers and social workers, mostly hailing from Northern California, she said. In 2010, the Santa Barbara Sheriffs Office reopened the murder cases, Stewart said, and within a year, DNA found on the four victims was linked to DNA found on eight other homicide victims. It had to do with degraded DNA that was a newer development then, she said, adding that the Department of Justice had prioritized the DNA samples and made the matches. That was huge, she added. The effort these people have made to push this case forward and to search and to data-mine shows you a commitment by many more than law enforcement, she said. Stewart said she stays connected to the group to this day and remains active in its investigation. She also had been interviewed by true-crime writer Michelle McNamara, who wrote extensively about the Golden State Killer and his crimes. McNamara died two years ago, but her 352-page book, Ill Be Gone in the Dark: One Womans Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer, was published in February. It has become a best-seller. Stewart described McNamara as a friend on Tuesday. They last spoke about six months before McNamaras death. We did a lot of comparing information, she said. Her efforts really reinvigorated the effort. Stewart said she learned about DeAngelos arrest early Wednesday. She said she wasnt surprised that he was a former police officer. DeAngelo was fired from the Auburn Police Department in California in 1979 after being charged with shoplifting, according to USA Today For one, the suspect had a very powerful flashlight, she said, and that had given me a clue early on that he had (police) access or knowledge. The suspect also carried out attacks in counties, not cities, which Stewart said she found suspicious. It is truly community policing at its finest, she said of the groups work. Had these people not persisted in trying to work with retired detectives in Northern California, the flood gates could never have opened. Stewart is a former internal investigator for the Dona Ana County Sheriffs Office, who in 2016 was awarded nearly $1.6 million after winning a whistle-blower lawsuit against the county. Shes one of four Democratic candidates challenging incumbent Enrique Kiki Vigil for sheriff. Larry Anthony Roybal, Eddie Lerma and Carlos H. Preciado are the other candidates. Former sheriff Todd Garrison is the only Republican candidate. Carlos Andres Lopez can be reached 575-541-5453, carlopez@lcsun-news.com or @carlopez_los on Twitter. 2018 Las Cruces Sun-News (Las Cruces, N.M.) Visit the Las Cruces Sun-News (Las Cruces, N.M.) at www.lcsun-news.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. _____ WASHINGTON President Donald Trump will visit the United Kingdom on July 13 for a working visit with Prime Minister Theresa May, the White House said. White House press secretary Sarah Sanders announced the visit Thursday. A Downing Street spokesperson confirmed the scheduled talks. Trumps visit has been anticipated for more than a year, after May was the first foreign leader to be hosted by the president at the White House after his inauguration. Last year, May proclaimed the strength of the most special relationship between the two countries, and the government extended an invitation for a state visit as a guest of Queen Elizabeth II. But a full-blown state visit replete with golden carriages and pomp has been deferred amid the threat of huge anti-Trump protests. Trump canceled a planned visit to open the new U.S. Embassy in London earlier this year. Trump is not expected to meet with Queen Elizabeth or other members of the royal family during the working visit. Sanders announced the news during a briefing for the children of White House staffers and reporters in the press briefing room. Authorities said Thursday that a fire at a northwestern Wisconsin refinery where an explosion injured at least 11 people was out, but that an evacuation order for residents of Superior would remain and be re-evaluated throughout the night. Douglas County officials said Thursday evening that the fire was extinguished and residents in the evacuation area were being asked to stay away from their homes for at least another two hours. But late Thursday night, Superior police gave another update, saying the evacuation order would stay in place. The fire had poured thick clouds of noxious black smoke into the air after the explosion rocked the refinery. Schools and a hospital also were evacuated. Authorities said a tank of crude oil or asphalt exploded about 10 a.m. at the Husky Energy oil refinery in Superior, a city of about 27,000 that shares a Lake Superior shipping port with nearby Duluth, Minnesota. That prompted them to order the evacuation of a 3-mile (5-kilometer) radius around the refinery, as well as a 10-mile (16 kilometer) corridor south of it where the smoke was heading. It was unclear how many people evacuated, but Mayor Jim Paine said most of the city was being evacuated. The refinery is in an industrial area, but theres a residential neighborhood within a mile to the northeast. The corridor downwind to the south of the refinery is sparsely populated. Schools in Superior and nearby Maple, Wisconsin, canceled classes Friday as a precaution. Hospital officials said only one of the injured was seriously hurt, with what was described as a blast injury. No deaths were reported, and officials said all workers had been accounted for. Thick, black smoke poured from the refinery hours after the explosion. Refinery manager Kollin Schade said the smoke was from burning asphalt that was so hot that firefighters were unable to attack the fire to try to put it out. Emergency officials later said another tank had caught fire, too, though they didnt specify what was in it. A four-person team from the U.S. Chemical Safety Board will investigate the blast. The board makes safety recommendations after serious chemical incidents. The fire was put out about 11:20 a.m. but reignited, prompting police to urge residents living within an evacuation area to leave. Police blocked roads into the area around the refinery. Three schools and St. Marys Hospital in Superior were evacuated as a precaution. A contractor who was inside the building told WDIO television that the explosion sounded like a sonic boom and that it happened when crews were working on shutting the plant down for repairs. Kara Tudor, 30, and Julia Johnson, 27, live about 2 miles from the refinery and were ordered to evacuate. They quickly scooped up their two dogs and three cats, grabbed their toothbrushes and drove to a friends house in Duluth, where they were watching the news for updates. Johnson, who was working from home at the time of the blast, said the windows shook. It felt like something had hit the house, like a vehicle or a branch from a tree. Our dogs started barking. It was a stressful moment, Johnson said. Johnson also wondered if a plane had crashed and feared the house might collapse. Johnson looked around but didnt see anything then a few moments later saw dense black smoke rising over the trees. By lunchtime, they had to go. Tudor went home as the clouds in the sky were masked by thick, black smoke and the air smelled like burning tires. It was scary, Tudor said. We threw our dogs in (Johnsons) car. I put the cats in my car we grabbed our toothbrushes and just left. We were mostly focused on the pets because it smelled like burning tires outside and we knew that wasnt a good smell. Tudor, a scientist at a research company, said residents were not told much about the potential danger, what was in the smoke or why it was so black. But she said it was clear people should not have been breathing it in and she wondered how it will affect the water and air quality. Oil smoke can contain a mix of noxious hydrocarbons and other chemicals with potential short- and long-term health effects. National Weather Service radar showed the smoke plume extending south-southeast, taking it into sparsely populated areas. The weather service said winds were expected to weaken Thursday evening and eventually shift toward Lake Superior. It said the smoke probably would not affect Duluth, a city of about 87,000. Calgary, Alberta-based Husky Energy bought the refinery from Indianapolis-based Calumet Specialty Products Partners last year for more than $490 million. Its Wisconsins only refinery, and it produces gasoline, asphalt and other products. The refinery had been fined by federal officials several years ago under its previous owners. U.S. Department of Labor spokesman Scott Allen said the Occupational Safety and Health Administration fined Calumet Superior LLC $21,000 over emergency response and flammable liquids violations in 2015. The violations were settled and the problems resolved by the end of that year. Allen said it was the only OSHA enforcement action taken against Calumet Superior LLC in the past 20 years. Calumet Superior operates as a subsidiary of Calumet Specialty Products Partners, which sold the plant to Husky Energy last year. The refinery, which dates back to the early 1950s, has a processing capacity of around 50,000 barrels per day and a storage capacity of 3.6 million barrels of crude and products. It processes both heavy crude from the Canadian tar sands in Alberta and lighter North Dakota Bakken crude. ___ Associated Press writers Steve Karnowski and Doug Glass in Minneapolis, and Gretchen Ehlke in Milwaukee contributed to this report. Bernalillo County Sheriffs deputies and Albuquerque Police Department officers spent the day Thursday tracking down people with open arrest warrants throughout the metropolitan area. BCSO Spokeswoman Felicia Maggard said the daylong operation, deemed a major warrant roundup, resulted in 34 felony warrant arrests and 8 misdemeanor arrests. In the process, she said 6 suspects were arrested on new charges and 4 stolen vehicles were recovered. Approximately half of the offenders arrested had multiple outstanding warrants, resulting in over 70 felony warrants cleared, Maggard said. Led by BCSO, the operation began around 10 a.m. at a parking lot on west Central near Atrisco with more than 100 law enforcement officials gathering for a briefing. Sheriff Manuel Gonzales said the agencies identified 100 suspects who are wanted for violent crimes and auto thefts but they are also on the look out for thousands of other people wanted on warrants throughout the county. There are 65,000 outstanding warrants in Bernalillo County, Gonzales said. Of those 65,000, 5,000 are violent felonies. Were here to help take a proactive measure in reducing that. He said 60,000 of the outstanding warrants are for misdemeanors. APD police chief Michael Geier said the 100 people they are focusing on have multiple warrants out for their arrests. Were targeting the worst of the worst, targeting hot spot areas, he said. Were using the intelligence-led policing driven by the data that we found. Gonzales said that, while BCSO does operations like this throughout the year, this is one of the biggest the agencies have done. Tips: Authorities ask anyone with tips about wanted people to contact Crime Stoppers at 843-STOP. But the fact that were joining up, and doing something to this magnitude, it looks that much bigger, he said. Its a force multiplier. The fact that were working together and will continue to work together, I believe thats part of the solution to the crime problem. The final count of arrests werent available Thursday evening. But throughout the day, APD posted about the roundup on its Twitter feed, listing more than a dozen names and charges by 7 p.m. Two more arrests from todays #WarrantRoundUp Doralynn Gutierrez for aggravated battery and Rebecca Gallegos for possession of a controlled substance, and #WarrantRoundUp Arrested 31-year-old Cory Taylor, who had a warrant for possession of a controlled substance, some of the posts read. And deputies were spotted around the city taking people into custody. Around 5 p.m. they arrested a suspect who drove onto a curb and into a fence near Chico and Virginia NE. SANTA FE, N.M. New Mexico regulators have given the operator of a coal-fired power plant nearly two weeks to explain the cause of the structural failure of a coal silo last month. The Santa Fe New Mexican reports the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission issued the order Wednesday to the Public Service Co. of New Mexico after the failure at its San Juan Generating Station resulted in a fire and some damage. The order requires the utility to explain what repairs it intends to make and to provide a timeline for them. Utility spokesman Dan Ware says the utility will comply with the order. He says the unit is expected to be operational by mid-June. The utility has plans to close the plant in northwest New Mexico within the next few years. ___ Information from: The Santa Fe New Mexican, http://www.santafenewmexican.com Daniels Family Funeral Services-Garcia Mortuary will mark its centennial from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday with an open house. The business, at 717 Stover SW, will host music, food and gift bags for the first 250 people. The mortuary was founded in 1918 by J.A. Garcia de Sanchez at the northern corner of Lead and Fourth. The founder was a two-term probate judge and a Bernalillo County commissioner who also ran a grocery store on Barelas Road, said Ray Baldonado, a Garcia Mortuary manager. The business has been at the corner of Eighth and Stover since the 1940s. Members of the Garcia/Estrada family ran the business until the mid-1990s, Baldonado said. Now its owned by the Signature Group, a consortium that operates nine cemeteries, 21 funeral homes and five crematoria in Texas, Kansas, Missouri, New Mexico and Mississippi. The current business operators said they have continued the tradition of serving several generations of the Barelas community and residents of the South Valley. Its that goodwill that provides the foundation for the success we have today, Baldonado said. While traditional burials still comprise 75 percent of the mortuarys business, some families are opting for cremation, he said. Hes also seeing more people taking a greater interest in pre-planning their funerals. More families are doing photo collages, providing music selections and making DVDs to honor their loved ones, Baldonado said. SANTA TERESA The New Mexico National Guard troops deployed to work with Border Patrol agents are all volunteers and none is a police officer. Those were among the details about the troops Gov. Susana Martinez released Thursday while visiting the border for a first-hand look at the New Mexico Guards members now posted in the southern part of the state. The protection of our border is everything to make sure Americans are safe, Martinez said at a news conference after touring the Santa Teresa Border Patrol Station. Sixty-one National Guard members are serving in a support role on the border, helping with maintenance for trucks and all-terrain vehicles and taking care of horses used by Border Patrol agents in mounted patrols in rugged desert terrain. Other soldiers will help with surveillance by monitoring cameras set up along the border. We do not want the illegal trafficking of drugs and sex trafficking that takes place and comes through the border and then impacts the cities in the northern part of New Mexico, Martinez said. The governor will deploy up to 150 troops down from the 250 members of New Mexicos National she originally announced she would send to the southwestern border at President Trumps request. Of course, its a fluid number. It depends how things go, the Republican governor said. Martinez said she is in constant communication with the White House to see if the number of National Guard troops is adequate or needs to be increased. President Trump wants as many as 4,000 members of the National Guard on the border until a wall is built. Congress has not approved funding for the wall, and many lawmakers balk at spending as much as $25 billion to build the barrier. Martinez said all of the troops deployed by New Mexicos governor volunteered for border duty. But she said she will not include any who are police officers. A decision was made the minute we accepted an agreement that we were not going to send national guard men and women down here, that we were not going to tap into any of the law enforcement officers, Martinez said. So far, 61 troops have gone through the required background checks and additional training and have begun to work with U.S. Border Patrol. Were here in a support role. Theyre the lead and thats how were going to approach it, said Brig. Gen. Tom Bump of the New Mexicos National Guard during the news conference. While on the border, soldiers will not detain or arrest people. That will remain the sole duty of the Border Patrol. But Gen. Bump said the additional support from New Mexico National Guard troops will help secure the border. I think anytime you can free up an agent to get him out on the line is probably beneficial to them accomplishing their mission, Gen. Bump said. Both Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush temporarily sent troops to the border. Gov. Martinez said there is no end date for the current deployment. Protection from theft Contextual intellectual property protection is needed to accelerate innovation and economic growth in Nepal The 17TH Asian Media Awards were announced and countrys largest read & circulated newspaper Dainik Jagran bagged the highest number of awards in the Marketing Category. Hundreds of newspapers and magazines in Asia Pacific, South Asia and Middle-East have taken part in the competition over the last sixteen years, establishing the Asian Media Awards as the most prestigious recognition of excellence for the news publishing industry in the region. Recently sweeping the Abbys at Goafest with 7 awards (highest for any print media) and emerging as the No.1 brand in India, WAN-IFRA 2018 followed adding more feathers in the crown by winning 2 awards in the Best in Newspaper Marketing Category and 1 in the Best in Community Service Category. Dainik Jagran, bagged a Gold and a silver in the Best in Marketing category for its Young Editor (Yuva Sampadak) and Campaign 957 Pages from a Daughters Diary respectively. Dainik Jagran bagged another gold Best in community service category for its campaign against Dowry (Dahej). On this occasion, Basant Rathore, Sr VP Strategy, Brand & Business Development, Jagran Prakashan said "Its encouraging to see our team creating such innovative ideas consistently. Each of these ideas comes from the core essence of our brand. These awards are an apt recognition for the hard work put in by our teams across all markets. I do hope these wins spur us on to further raise benchmarks of excellence. For more related stories visit here. To emphasize its pro-consumers health objective, Panasonic India, which marked its 60th anniversary of Air Conditioner category this year, recently launched its marketing campaign Quality Air for Life that focuses on the importance of maintaining the quality of air that people breathe indoors. The new television commercials promote the new range of inverter air conditioners AERO SERIES, inbuilt with the companys patented air purification system called Nanoe Technology that actively removes PM2.5 and airborne particles giving upto 99% clean air. The advertisements promote top of the line features of the new range like Shower Cooling effect, Power-saving aspect and determines Panasonics commitment of providing Comfort and Trust towards its customers from past 100 years. The 360 integrated campaign is conceptualized and conceived by Saints and Warriors and is supported through a media mix of Television, Digital, Airport outdoors, in store and print. The new TVCs are premiering across television and digital platforms of mix genre and majorly focusing on HD, English News & movies channels and Infotainment among others. The commercials currently on air showcases four main features of the new range Panasonic AERO series reduces energy wastage and saves 34% of the house electricity bill, inbuilt Aerowings that gives Shower Cooling effect i.e. airflow across a wider area, ensuring flow of cool and purified air evenly in every corner of the room, the Nano filter incorporated in the new range that removes dust and 99% of PM2.5 which purifies the air from pollution and is beneficial for expecting mothers and elderly in the house. Lastly the TVC series depicts Panasonics 100 years of commitment towards providing Trust, Comfort and Durability to its consumers through its products. With these stories and campaign theme Quality Air for Life makes an attempt to address the issue regarding pollution. Commenting on the campaign, Mr. Sarthak Seth, Chief Marketing Officer, Panasonic India, said, Everybody today is conscious or aware of healthwhat is good for the body, what goes in the body. We are inclined to provide health benefits to our consumers in India, which suffer the most of air pollution. Our new campaign is simple and very-well executed in order to drive the key brand promise across point of sale, digital and television mediums. It reassures our commitment towards improving the indoor air quality through our air conditioning products to our consumers. The TVCs have got an innovative touch to it and effectively communicates the essence of the product in a progressive, yet complacent way. He added, Air conditioners have dependably been our quality and one of the speedier offering brands under the Panasonic umbrella. The latest range of air purifying series holds a promising future for our customers in providing the best modern comfort. In this series the air purifier works even when the cooling function of the air conditioner is turned off. For More Related Stories Visit Here. Mr. Sartaj Jaffri, Senior Vice President, Saint and Warriors, said, The indoor air is far more polluted than outdoor air, therefore the importance of indoor air quality is being considered by the consumers. The characters in the stories are a reflection of the Indian consumers mind set when planning to buy an air conditioner. The stories depict key features of the new Twin Inverter AC range i.e. being energy efficient while staying comfortably cool and providing air flow across a wider area with the Shower Cooling effect. Its always a delight to work for a brand like Panasonic, a leader and most trusted brand in the home appliances segment. Embodying the elegance and pursuit of perfection inherent in Japanese design philosophy, the new Air Purifying Invertor Air conditioner Series has a sleek and striking design that makes it a luxurious complement to the interiors of homes. Providing the next generation of cooling experience, this series can operate with higher cooling power during the start to cool the room 1.5 times faster than any other model. The new Air-Purifying inverter air conditioners are available at all leading retail outlets across the country from a starting price of INR 39,000 to INR 72,000 and in 0.8T, 1.0T, 1.5T, 2.0T variants. For More Related Stories Visit Here. Campaign Summary 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. 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. Students protest against high fees at pvt schools Various students unions on Wednesday staged a sit-in outside the Department of Education to protest against high tuition fees being charged by private schools. Now that direct commercial flights have been restored between their capitals, Russia and Egypt are looking to expand their affiliations. President Abdel Fattah al-Sisis re-election enables Cairo to continue the same foreign policy toward Moscow. In a congratulatory cable to his Egyptian counterpart, Vladimir Putin expressed hopes for further cooperation, which is already rather comprehensive, between the two countries. Russia is seeing progress on its two mega projects in Egypt: the industrial zone underway east of Port Said, and a long-term collaboration on a nuclear power plant at El Dabaa. In addition, the two nations are due to resume direct flights to popular resort destinations after a 2-year suspension prompted by the bombing of a Russian charter plane over the Sinai Peninsula in October 2015. Wilayat Sinai, an Islamic State affiliate, claimed responsibility for the bombing. The countries are gradually restoring tourist flow despite the threat of terrorism. However, any surge in outbound Russian tourism may come at the expense of Russian resorts in Sochi and Crimea, so Moscow is likely to stick to a balanced policy on this matter. Military-technical and even military-political partnerships still top the priority list for Russia and Egypt. In November, Egypt consented to a five-year reciprocal arrangement to allow Russian military planes to use Egyptian facilities and airspace as long as either side provides a five-day notice. The deal raised much speculation. On one hand, many people believe the agreement will merely streamline regulations concerning regular joint military exercises of Russian airborne forces and Egyptian armed forces paratroopers. On the other hand, some Russian pundits believe the decision would not only enable Russian naval aviation to carry out surveillance in the Mediterranean region, but it would also strengthen Russias positions in Libya should an unfavorable scenario unfold there. For example, Egypt opened in July what it says is the largest military base in the Middle East to protect the countrys western border with Libya and oil fields. At the same time, facilities at Sidi Barrani near the Egypt-Libya border were being reconstructed to prevent extremists, illegal migrants and smugglers from infiltrating the country. In recent years, Russian media have occasionally mentioned Russia might be thinking of leasing the former Soviet air base at Sidi Barrani. Russia was even reported to have deployed special forces and drones there. Russia and Egypt have strongly denied such reports, with Sisi himself rejecting the idea that there is any foreign military presence in his land. Yet Algerian sources stated that Russia has provided intelligence support from Egyptian territory to Libyan Gen. Khalifa Hifter, whom it backs in that countrys civil war. Also, French sources say experts from Russias Main Intelligence Directorate have trained Egyptian special forces. In general, Russian-Egyptian military and technical cooperation, which is increasingly becoming strategic, looks promising for both parties. In the fall of 2015, Egypt signed a deal with Russia to purchase 46 Ka-52 Alligator attack helicopters. Cairo also reportedly placed an order for about 50 MiG-29M/MiG-29M2 fighter jets. Also, in early June 2017, pictures allegedly taken at the Port of Alexandria surfaced showing S-300VM Antey-2500 anti-aircraft systems being unloaded. There are other contracts that have been kept under wraps as well. For instance, photos of the multimode 3D-radar Protivnik-GE on social media were the only evidence that Russians had supplied the cutting-edge radar station to the Egyptian army. In the summer of 2017, Russias machine-building company UralVagonZavod appeared to have leaked its 2016 annual report, which was later removed from the website. The report highlighted plans to start licensed production of Russian T-90S/SK battle tanks in Egypt. At the moment, Russia and Egypt are apparently close to finalizing a contract for the licensed assembly of about 400 T-90S/SK tanks half in SKD format (simple installation), and half in CKD format (requiring installation and welding of hulls and towers). Although the M1A1 Abrams tank manufacturing facility located outside Cairo in Helwan assembles tanks from US-supplied kits, Egyptian land forces need more, as the kits are shipped in small batches and every now and then the delivery is suspended for political reasons, Andrey Frolov, editor-in-chief of Arms Export magazine, told Al-Monitor. He said similar issues have come up with US Boeing AH-64D Apache helicopters. Moscow has indeed secured some major contracts to supply weapons to Egypt against strong competition with the United States. However, the supplies of arms and equipment hardly improve Egypts security situation, especially in the Sinai Peninsula. Political factors and Egypts inadequate anti-terror strategy based on warfare principles are not particularly helpful in defeating radicals. Military operations carried out amid media blackouts can result in rumors of numerous civilian casualties, which Wilayat Sinai actively exploits to promote recruiting and intensify fear. A comprehensive approach to combating terrorism requires a flexible strategy and relevant political openness to prevent regime opponents and radicals from joining hands, rather than the current approach of cracking down on radicals, regime opponents and/or intellectuals. However, its questionable whether the Egyptian president a hard-liner and advocate of coercion who disqualified all other would-be presidential candidates would agree. Theoretically, its easier for Sisi to focus on foreign policy and diversifying ties to counterbalance Western reprisals for human rights violations. This state of affairs is playing into Russias hands. In turn, Egypt can play the Russia card against America. Hopes that Abdullah Gul, a former president and the sole political figure attributed a credible chance to defeat Turkish strongman Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the snap polls on June 24, will enter the elections have all but died as opposition groups scramble for alternatives. Gul, a reformist who appeals to conservatives, liberals and Kurds alike, was also expected to steal plenty of Erdogan voters disaffected with his iron grip, a weakening economy and growing reluctance to share the spoils of power. He was being touted as a joint candidate for the main opposition Republican Peoples Party (CHP), the newly formed right-wing nationalist Iyi or Good Party, and the small pro-Islamic Felicity Party. The largest pro-Kurdish bloc, the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), would run its own candidate (it announced yesterday that it would field its imprisoned former leader) so as to shield Gul from accusations that he is backed by terrorists. Erdogan continues to gratuitously slap the label on the HDP, which has seen thousands of its members jailed since the failed July 2016 coup. But in a second round of balloting, pro-HDP and conservative Kurds, who together account for roughly 18% of voters, would have backed Gul, propelling him to victory. This, anyway, was said to be CHP leader Kemal Kilicdaroglus strategy but as of yesterday it lay in tatters. Iyi Party leader Meral Aksener declared earlier this week that she would not pull out of the race to make room for Gul. And hard-core CHP secularists and left-wingers, probably egged on by other CHP hopefuls, reacted so viscerally to his candidacy because of his Islamic past that the risk-averse Gul reportedly slammed the door shut. Akseners ambitions, twinned with secularist delusions that a candidate who does not appeal to conservative pious voters and Kurds stands a chance of victory appear to have all but guaranteed a second term for Erdogan. The CHP will now have to come up with its own candidate by the May 9 official deadline. Asli Aydintasbas, a senior fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, laid out the landscape perfectly in her column for the pro-secular Cumhuriyet newspaper: There are 60% to 65% nationalist/conservative voters in Turkey. Most of them are biased against the CHP. That is why the CHP headquarters was seriously weighing Abdullah Gul [as a candidate]. In all the surveys and simulations Abdullah Gul emerges as the only figure by far who can defeat Tayyip Erdogan in a second round [of balloting]. As for Aksener, who is banking on a critical mass of tactical votes to keep Erdogan out, she is unlikely to succeed. Aydintasbas wrote that recent polls give her 7%-11% of the popular vote. Even if the CHP were to rally around Aksener, she would need to deliver some kind of pledges to draw Kurds in a second round. But given her record as an interior minister in the 1990s at the height of human rights abuses in the mainly Kurdish southeast and some of the extreme nationalists in her inner circle, would they believe her? And what if Erdogan, a master tactician pulls a last-minute Kurdish rabbit out of his hat? As of yesterday, concluded Aydintasbas, Tayyip Erdogan is a lot more relaxed. His job is a lot easier. The oppositions remaining hope is to snatch the majority away from Erdogans ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) in parliamentary elections that will be held at the same time as the presidential ones. Kilicdaroglu is seeking to get the opposition to agree to form an electoral alliance. But the Iyi Party believes that if it teams up solely with Felicity it can surpass the minimum 10% of the national votes needed to win seats in the chamber. Akseners apparent ebullience is fueled in part by lagging enthusiasm in the AKPs grassroots networks and the conviction that she can siphon off enough votes from Erdogan's electoral ally, the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), which she broke away from. Erdogan used to talk and listen to those people and keep his finger on the local pulse, said Sefik Cirkin, a former lawmaker and Iyi Party official from Hatay. He told Al-Monitor in a telephone interview, I speak to AKP colleagues all the time and they feel shut out since Erdogan moved to the palace [in 2014]. In what may be something of an overstatement, Cirkin said, The party worked only halfheartedly for him in the [2017] referendum" on switching from a parliamentary system to an executive presidency. "This time they will barely lift a finger, if at all. Aksener will also need to put enough Iyi Party operatives on winnable parliamentary slates to ensure that they don't defect to the MHP, and that would be harder to pull off in an alliance with the far bigger CHP. In any event, between continued emergency rule, Erdogans stranglehold over the media and new laws that would ease defenses against fraud such as the ballot-box stuffing reported by international election monitors, who may well not be on hand because of the short notice, an opposition victory always seemed something of a pipe dream. Howard Eissenstat, a Turkey researcher at St. Lawrence University and a senior nonresident fellow at the Project on Middle East Democracy, summed up his take in a tweet: The elections are already rigged. If that isnt enough, hell rig them some more. Now that the Syrian regime and its allies have won control of eastern Ghouta and much of Douma, it looks like Idlib is next in the line of fire. President Bashar al-Assad, with the support of the Russian air force and Iranian and Hezbollah military support on the ground, has made significant advances against the opposition. Observers believe those forces' intermittent bombardment of Idlib province, which has killed and wounded many, could warn of a pending all-out attack. Thousands of civilians and militants fleeing other areas have sought refuge in Idlib, and the United Nations has fears of a humanitarian disaster there on the scale of Aleppo. The UN estimates 2.5 million Syrians live in Idlib, and a March 23 UNICEF update estimates 1 million of them are children. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's statements in March show Ankara intends to extend to Idlib its Operation Olive Branch, an offensive that began in Afrin. Also, Ali Akbar Velayati, a top adviser to Iran Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, confirmed April 13 the Syrian regime intends to tackle Idlib next. Battles there are likely to spark heated political debate, especially among Turkey, Russia and Iran, as to the province's ultimate fate. Those countries previously agreed to declare Idlib a de-escalation zone between the regime and the opposition, as per the many 2017 peace talks in Astana, Kazakhstan. These three major stakeholders are considered the guarantors of the peace process. According to non-official statements on social media by the central channel of Russian-controlled Khmeimim air base, Idlib locals would be wise to expel Hayat Tahrir al-Sham elements or bear the consequences, which is likely to be a direct military attack. Since the de-escalation zone was announced for Idlib, Turkey has deployed eight monitoring posts along the province's administrative border and is now setting up other posts in the opposition-controlled Turkmen Mountain area in northern Latakia. The relationship between Turkey and Russia regarding Syria is based on ensuring the interests of both parties. Both have declared their willingness to preserve Syrias unity and territorial integrity. Basel al-Haj Jasem, a researcher on Russian-Turkish affairs, told Al-Monitor, Today, Russia needs Turkey more than ever to keep a lid on many Syrian areas to ward off the chaos of arms, in preparation for any future political settlement. This is especially true in light of the Western political and economic attack on Moscow. Additionally, Turkeys military presence in Syria is the only guarantee to balance out the Iranian presence." He added, So far, it is clear that Turkey has Russias support in setting up monitoring posts in Idlib. But as long as there is any faction [there] classified on international terrorism lists, the area will remain the target of more than one party whether the parties to the Astana talks; the United States, which has been supporting the YPG [the People's Protection Units] inside Syria; France, which wants to get involved; as well as the Arab forces [inside Syria]. Therefore, any military action on the part of any of the Astana-talks parties is likely to be carried out in coordination with the other parties." He noted that Russia and Turkey both need peace in the region. "This is a major common point between the two. Moscow is well aware that there are some regional and international parties that want to see the Russian military intervention in Syria turn incrementally into a quagmire and that the continuation of the war means more losses in the ranks of Russian soldiers, the spread of terrorism and separatism in the region. France has warned that any military venture in Idlib province could result in a catastrophe there. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian on April 15 proposed for Syria self-determination through a political process involving the disarmament of militias. If the tug of war and exchange of threats by top officials of the concerned countries continue, the Astana agreement might be in jeopardy. This forebodes some proxy confrontations, which could worsen the situation and cause the political process in Geneva to hang in the balance. Jasem, however, believes that any attack on Idlib wouldn't have much of an effect on the Geneva talks, which have been "at a standstill for a long time. The Syrian regime is threatening to launch new operations to extend control over all of Syria. Assad has mostly managed to push the opposition mainly toward Idlib and rural Aleppo, along the northern border with Turkey, and toward Jordan in the south, following the American, Russian and Jordanian truce. Assad is now seeking to take over the remaining swaths of the country that are not under regime control. Meanwhile, the area east of the Euphrates River remains under the absolute control of the United States and the international alliance fighting against the Islamic State. Idlib's biggest problem is that it's still under the control of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham which is internationally classified as a terrorist group while none of the stakeholders has a clear road map as to how to deal with the situation and secure Idlibs future. That's why there is talk of a military rather than a political solution. In light of the terrorist groups and separatist factions that are thriving in some opposition-controlled areas, the major stakeholders might take advantage of the chaotic situation and lack of a political solution. They no longer seem interested in the Syrian people's domestic issues, potential reforms or regime change; rather, they have become mainly focused on fighting terrorism and eliminating extremist groups in Syria. For instance, Turkey's national security would be threatened by a separatist effort to divide Syria and by the subsequent flow of millions of displaced Arabs. Today, any area that remains under the oppositions control and has any faction that is internationally designated as a terrorist group, regardless of its size, will be a target of the involved stakeholders and will face an unknown and grim fate, Jasem concluded. A former commander of Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said that if the United States walks away from the nuclear deal, Iran could respond by exiting the international treaty to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons. Talking to reporters on April 26, Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Irans Expediency Council, deemed as very serious the warnings issued by Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif about the United States exiting the nuclear deal with Iran. Zarif was the lead nuclear negotiator for the deal, formally the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. The agreement, between Iran and the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council plus Germany, was signed in July 2015, but President Donald Trump has stated his intention to walk away from what he calls a bad deal made by his predecessor, Barack Obama. In the case of the US exiting the nuclear deal, Rezaei said, we will exit the NPT, referring to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, the arms limitation and disarmament agreement signed by 191 countries. Only four United Nations member states have not signed the treaty. Three of them Israel, India and Pakistan are known to have nuclear weapons. North Korea, which has nuclear capabilities but lacks a delivery system, withdrew from the NPT in 2003. We incurred heavy costs in the nuclear deal, and we are not ready to have our costs remain pointless and incur new costs, Rezaei asserted. Our exit from the NPT, according to its provisions, would be legal. Whether Iran is ready to leave the NPT certainly a decision that would be made by the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has the final say on all foreign policy decisions, and the Supreme National Security Council it appears that Iran's intelligence agencies, particularly the Intelligence Organization of the IRGC, are preparing for the new reality of increased tensions between Iran and the United States. With regime change back on the table as US policy, the IRGC has stepped up pressure on the domestic front. The latest individual to be caught up in the recent crackdown on activists and dual nationals is British-Iranian academic Abbas Edalat, professor of computer science and mathematics at Imperial College London, who was reportedly arrested April 15. Edalat, also an activist, is the founder of the Campaign Against Sanctions and Military Intervention in Iran. A number of Iranian media outlets published articles based on anonymous sources linking Edalat to foreign organizations and headlined The arrest of a member of an infiltration network linked to the United Kingdom which has connections with the sedition and deviants. Given that various news agencies published articles, the information and content were likely supplied by an intelligence agency involved in the arrest. Use of the term infiltration imparts the idea that foreign governments are trying to influence domestic decision-making centers in the country. The word sedition points to the 2009 Green Movement protests, while deviants invokes the Cabinet of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in which certain members were accused of deviating onto an incorrect path, veering from conservatism. The article did not explain how one academic could be linked to totally disparate groups, given that sedition primarily implies Reformists, and the deviant current is associated with Ahmadinejad-era hard-liners. The two groups clashed in the 2009 elections. Given Ahmadinejads new role as an opposition figure, it appears that the intelligence agency behind the articles and confirmation of Edalats arrest is seeking a wider crackdown to stifle all dissenting voices. GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), the second-largest faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), has decided to boycott the upcoming meeting of the Palestinian National Council (PNC), scheduled to be held April 30 in Ramallah. Zulfiqar Sawirjo, a PFLP leader, told Al-Monitor, Our position is clear. The PNC should convene outside the country so that all factions can attend the meeting. Holding a PNC session in Ramallah under the Israeli occupation prevents many faction leaders from attending such a meeting. We will boycott the PNC but remain part of the PLO, which serves as a reference for the Palestinian people. Hamas and Islamic Jihad leaders in Gaza or outside Palestine cannot travel to Ramallah because Israel will not allow them to enter the West Bank. The PFLP's decision to boycott came after two days of talks, April 17-18, between representatives from that group and the Fatah movement in Cairo, during which the PFLP called for the postponement of the PNC meeting until a consensus formula could be reached that would allow members of Hamas to attend. The two parties failed to reach such a consensus, and Fatah refused to postpone the meeting. Sawirjo further remarked, Fatah did not abide by the outcome of the PNC Preparatory Committee meeting, which was held in Beirut on Jan. 10, 2017, between the PLO factions, Hamas and the Islamic Jihad movement. They agreed on the need for the PNC meetings to include all the Palestinian forces in a bid to restore the stature of the divided Palestinian political system. Fatah, however, insisted on holding the meeting in Ramallah. The PFLP said April 19 in a statement on its official website, As the two delegations failed to reach an agreement regarding the postponement of the PNC session, the PFLP decided not to take part in the session and confirmed its position on the PLO and highlighted the importance of its role, stature and representative character. [The PFLP] also stressed its ongoing sincere efforts to have a unifying PNC. The PNC, established in 1948, has met only 23 times, the last being in August 2009 in Ramallah. In accordance with Article 18 of the council's bylaws, the council is supposed to meet once a year, but the political situation has made it difficult to convene all its members, some of whom reside inside the Palestinian territories and others who live elsewhere. The PNC, the highest authority in the PLO, is in charge of policy and planning, and it also tracks the performance of the PLO Executive Committee. Azzam al-Ahmad, the Fatah Central Committee member responsible for the Palestinian reconciliation dossier, said April 19 on Al-Ghad TV that Fatah insists on convening the PNC in a timely manner despite the PFLPs decision to boycott. The PNC will convene at 6:30 p.m. April 30, regardless of who agrees or disagrees, Ahmad said. Fatah, led by Palestinian Authority President and PLO Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, dominates the PNC, so it ultimately has the final say in PLO decisions in general, including those related to convening the PNC. The PNC consists of representatives from 14 factions; Fatah is represented by 49 PNC members, while the PFLP has 21, out of 691 total. Despite its seemingly low membership total, Fatah nevertheless has overall control of the PNC and of the funds granted to the organization's factions. Reaching a quorum requires two-thirds of PNC members to be in attendance. Mohammed Ashtayeh, a member of Fatah's Central Committee, told the newspaper Donia al-Watan newspaper April 19, The PFLPs boycott will not affect the quorum, but it will certainly have political resonance. He also said, We deeply regret the PFLPs decision not to participate in the PNC session. In 1984, the PFLP decided not to take part in a PNC session, but it eventually backed down from its decision. Taking further issue with Fatah, the PFLP's Sawirjo complained that Fatah had appointed new PNC members in violation of council rules. Fatah had apparently taken the initiative to appoint new representatives to replace 82 deceased members without consulting the council and has called on them to attend the Ramallah meeting. Hassan Abu Shemalah, a legal expert at the Centre for Regional Studies Palestine, told Al-Monitor, It was difficult to get two-thirds of the PNC members to attend the meeting in Ramallah and obtain a quorum. This is why the PLO leadership sought to appoint new members in a way that was contrary to the mechanism of appointment of members stipulated in Article 32 of the PLOs bylaws. This article stipulates that appointments should be made for the purpose of deepening national unity and as required by the battle of liberation. According to the PFLP, Fatah's actions surrounding the PNC do not serve to deepen unity but to deepen the current Palestinian political division, represented by the estrangement between Hamas and Fatah. With the PFLP's stance on the PNC meeting, it will now likely suffer at the hands of Fatah, because of the latter's dominance of the PLO and the Palestinian Authority. Sawirjo said, In light of the decision to boycott the PNC, the Palestinian presidency will work on imposing political restrictions and maintaining the existing financial restrictions, and it is expected to prevent the movement of some of our members in several countries. But financial and political extortion will not lead us to back down from the unified national position that we took. Abbas withheld financial allocations for the PFLP in December 2010, April 2016, April 2017 and January 2018 as a result of the PFLP's adoption of positions contrary to those of Abbas. The PLO factions receive monthly installments from the Palestinian National Fund according to their size, based on the number of members. In a statement released April 19, Hamas voiced its support for the PFLPs refusal to attend the PNC session in the absence of a consensus. It opposed the hegemony of the Palestinian decision and called on the various factions as well as civil institutions to take a similar position and refuse to participate in the PNC session. Akram Atallah, a writer and political analyst with the newspaper Al-Ayyam, told Al-Monitor, The PLO was founded based on consensus between several factions. In other words, holding a session without the PFLP, which is the second-largest faction in the PLO, and failing to meet its conditions will affect the national character of the PLO and would not be reflective of the Palestinian will. Along with Hamas, the PFLP and Islamic Jihad, three independent PNC members have announced that they will not attend the Ramallah meeting because of the lack of consensus to bring all the factions together and because Israel's occupation prohibits it. At the meeting, Abbas is expected to put forward proposals allowing the PLO Central Council to take legislative and legal decisions in lieu of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), which has not met in full since the Fatah-Hamas split in 2007. In this regard, PLO Executive Committee member Hanna Omair told the official Voice of Palestine on April 17, The most prominent issue is how to strengthen the role of the PLO in the Palestinian political and legislative arena. When I think of Belize, I think of two things: islands and coral reefs. So many friends have returned from trips to Belize raving about the countrys beauty that its been on my list of places to travel for years. Now that Im in Central America, Im excited to discover it. If you feel the same way, today I bring you the best things to do in Caye Caulker, Belize. Things to Do in Caye Caulker, Belize After an active visit to Guatemalas Tikal, Im ready for some island relaxation. I hop on a ferry in Belize City and an hour later find myself on Caye Caulker, a popular island destination to the northeast. As soon as I arrive, I can feel my body adjusting to island time and my mind unwinding. Im staying at the Island Magic Beach Resort in Caye Caulker, and the name says it all. This place is pure magic. 1. Explore the Waterfront As such, the first thing I do is hit the waterfront. For me, its one of the most exciting things to do in Caye Caulker and there are plenty of spots along the coast to choose from. Most of the hotels and guesthouses have private piers, and I also take a liking to the stretches on the northeastern part of the island. 2. Snorkel or Dive in Caye Caulker But perhaps Caye Caulker is most famous for snorkeling and diving. This is Belize, after all, and its home to some of the most famous spots for both of these things in the world. Coral reefs, blue holes, and fish of all stripes abound here, and there are plenty of tour operators on the island offering opportunities for both. Given theyre some of the best things to do in Caye Caulker, theyre worth making time for. 3. Walk through the Mangroves Back on the island, I discover the mangroves in the south. I walk along a dusty path through the trees, spotting the occasional bungalow and sea view as I go. I have the whole area to myself, save for some mosquitoes (I regret not wearing bug spray), and its amazing to see such a contrast to the busy area to the north. 4. Ride a Bike around Caye Caulker But walking is only one way to see Caye Caulker. A lot of people choose to rent bikes and cycle around the island. Its a good way to cover more ground and see everything in a short period of time. Cycling is not only one of the most fun things to do in Caye Caulker, but also a good way to get some exercise. Given how much I eat and drink while Im in Belize, I could use a bit myself. 5. Eat on the Waterfront Speaking of food, another of my favorite things to do in Caye Caulker is eat. Theres no shortage of great restaurants and cafes in the main part of town, and many of them have local specials and good seafood. Theres no better way to get into the island culture than eating on the waterfront and soaking up the views. The beachfront restaurants are particularly appealing, and I try to eat at as many as I can while Im on the island. 6. Drink on the Waterfront Which is to say nothing of drinking on the waterfront and soaking up the views. Theres a good nightlife scene in Caye Caulker, and bars and other watering holes abound. Whether its sunset cocktails on the shore or swim-up drinks under a palapa, this island has it sorted. 7. Go to The Split in Caye Caulker And one of the best places for drinks and other fun on Caye Caulker is The Split. Situated just below the channel that separates the north and south parts of the island, this area is full of bars, restaurants, and colorful wooden beach chairs. Its the center of much of the islands social life, and a great place to spend an afternoon or evening. Doing so is one of the most popular things to do in Caye Caulker. 8. Explore the Streets Another great place is just south of The Split. The town is full of colorful houses, shops, and cafes, and theres something to catch the eye around every corner. Flowers and vines add splashes of color, and street vendors selling everything from conch shells to coconuts bring life to the area. Its fun to walk through the streets and take in the local atmosphere. 9. Go Kayaking in Caye Caulker But the island isnt just about the land. Getting out into the water is key, too. And kayaking is a good way to do it. There are plenty of places to rent one on Caye Caulker, and tours are also an option. Kayaking is a fun way to get active, see the mangroves, and experience the local wildlife up close. 10. Watch the Sunrise One of the best things to do in Caye Caulker is watch the sunrise. I wake up early to see it from the waterfront, enjoying the views and reveling in the peace of the early hours. Afterwards I walk along the shore and have breakfast with a view. Its one of the highlights of my time in Belize, and worth getting up for. If youre jet-lagged, it makes coping a lot prettier. 11. Soak up the Island Vibes While there are plenty of activities to do in Caye Caulker, the experience of absorbing the Caribbean atmosphere and getting into the island spirit is one of the best. Its what I come to love most about this place, and what I take away with me on the ferry back to Belize City. Things to Do in Caye Caulker Im off to Honduras next, where Ill experience a different kind of island life in Roatan. Im excited to see how it compares to all the great things to do in Caye Caulker. Stay tuned New here? Join thousands of others and subscribe to the A Lady in London blog via email or Bloglovin. One of the links in this blog post is an affiliate link. At no cost to you, I earn a small commission when you click on it and make a purchase. It doesnt affect the way you shop, and its a great way to support the A Lady in London blog. Pin it! When Emmanuel Macron announced his bid for the French presidency in November 2016 from Seine-Saint-Denis, the poorest suburb in France, the message was clear: improving the social situation in the French banlieues, or suburbs, was one of his priorities. Seine-Saint-Denis, located just northeast of Paris, had long been synonymous with the conditions that blight Frances banlieues about 10 percent of Frances population live in deprived areas with high unemployment and poverty rates, crime and substandard education. Recently, the Macron government announced plans to attempt what three of the preceding governments have tried to do since these banlieues came into existence: tackle what it calls the discrimination and deprivation faced by people living in poor suburban areas. One of the previous plans was introduced by the French politician Jean-Louis Borloo in 2004 under the presidency of Jacques Chirac. But Borloos social cohesion plan, which sought to improve employment and housing opportunities, did not go far. The French governments have never made the suburbs their priority, Alexis Poulin, a political analyst, told Al Jazeera. At most, it is a plan during the elections, based on promises without long term follow-up or an articulated plan. Macron poses as he meets residents of the Cite du Chene Pointu in Clichy-sous-Bois, northern Paris, France, as part of a visit focused on the theme of urban planning [File: Ludovic Marin/EPA] Borloo retired from politics exactly four years ago, but was recently asked by Macron to draft a proposal for the government concerning the French suburbs. On Thursday, he introduced a new action plan focused on the urban renewal of the suburban districts and the finalisation of renovation projects that started in the 1990s but were left half-complete. He also called for the further development of public transportation services and measures to combat illiteracy, introduce decent wages for social workers and restore security in the neighbourhoods. I think these proposed changes, the space arrangements and urban development, I dont understand what good it will do for us, Megane Audoire Mohammad, a Seine-Saint-Denis resident, told Al Jazeera. I dont see how it would improve the precariousness of our cities as well as the cultural and social distress of the residents living in poor housing conditions or unemployed people, she added. Admittedly, it could make the streets more pleasant to look at, but nothing more. I dont know if Borloo will be able to change something, it seems that his previous ideas did not really improve the current context. Poulin said its good that someone as knowledgeable on the subject as Borloo is on the job, but to change to current situation requires a lot of time. We are talking here about whole generations. Social and economic gap The word banlieue is widely regarded as a particularly French notion. It carries specific connotations in the French context and the banlieues remain literally and metaphorically the periphery of French society. When I first went to the university in Paris I was confronted with the cultural and social gap that differentiated me from my classmates. I realised I did not have the same social circles, the same socialisation habits Laila Soliman, who grew up in Seine-Saint-Denis, told Al Jazeera. It was difficult to make friends and get over the banlieusarde or the girl from the suburbs image that people use to put on me as soon as I would tell them where I was from or where I went to high school. In her opinion, the social and economic gap in French society is only growing wider. Communitarianism and identity seclusion are the pitfalls of the French social crisis, she added, referring to the tendency to put community above the individual. The situation has changed little since 2012, when Stephane Gatignon, the mayor of Pariss impoverished northeastern suburb of Sevran, went on a weeklong hunger strike. Mayor of Sevran Stephane Gatignon went on a weeklong hunger strike in 2012 to highlight the plight of Sevran and other impoverished French towns [File/Etienne Laurent/EPA] Gatignon was worried that an economic crisis was pushing Sevran and dozens of other poor towns to the brink of ruin. He believed that the only way he could ask for state help for places like Sevran was by resorting to extreme measures. So, he decided to camp out on the pavement outside Frances National Assembly and went on a hunger strike to demand for a 5m euro ($6.4m) assistance package. Our socio-economic system, in the course of structural reforms, evolves towards more and more inequalities, following a model a la Thatcher, Thomas Guenole, a French political scientist, told Al Jazeera. It is therefore logical that the poorest people bear the full brunt of this worsening inequality in our society. Cultural crisis Commenting on the latest action plan, Guenole, the political scientist, said Borloo has identified all the main priorities, except for one: eradicating mass unemployment. According to him, serious crime, over-delinquency, drug trafficking, desocialisation of individuals are all symptoms of mass unemployment and extreme inequality [that] will only get worse if mass unemployment remains unchecked. The youth unemployment rate across France currently stands at 20.7 percent, according to recent data from the French National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. Borloo said there are 1,500 priority neighbourhoods in France, which he described as closed archipelagos. His diagnosis is simple: 200 are on the edge of the abyss, 60 are fracturing and 15 have already tumbled into conflict. I believe that the crisis we are experiencing in Frances suburbs is more social and cultural, rather than economic, despite that being a significant issue as well, Soliman, the Seine-Saint-Denis resident, said. Analysts say ruling communist party and its junior ally, the Maoists, are in permanent chaos over governance. Kathmandu, Nepal On the afternoon of April 22, top members of Nepals two largest communist parties gathered at the dilapidated national assembly hall in Kathmandu. The day held special significance to them because it was the 148th birthday of Vladimir Lenin, the founder of the Russian Communist Party and a figure much loved by Nepals former revolutionary Maoists. The Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist), or CPN-UML, and the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) had originally planned to merge their parties on Lenins birthday. But conspicuously absent from the banner tucked on the wall at Rashtriya Sabha Griha were images of Lenin and fellow communist revolutionaries: Karl Marx and Chinas Mao Zedong. Instead the banner had portraits of three late Nepali communist pioneers and leaders. Thats because the CPN-UML had removed the images of Lenin, Marx and Mao from its flags and other official documents more than 15 years ago. In response, an angry group of Maoist members climbed up to the stage and removed the banner, which also bore images of other senior leaders including Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli, Nepals prime minister. After days of talks between the two leaders failed, Oli and Pushpa Kamal Dahal, the Maoist chairman, had decided to use Lenins birthday to calm their followers about the impending merger. Though the event resumed hours later under the two banners, the commotion highlighted the difficulties about the merger of Nepals communists, analysts said. In October, the CPN-UML and Maoists announced an electoral alliance and a merger in the future. They eventually won a landslide in the national and provincial assemblies in elections late last year under a new constitution. As the leader of the largest party in the parliament, CPN-UMLs Oli was elected prime minister, with the Maoists serving as a junior partner in the coalition. In the elections, the two parties struck a 60 to 40 seat-sharing deal, but the results showed that the CPN-UML won 70 percent of seats. Party differences The alliance had won the elections on the platform of political stability and economic prosperity. The had promised a stable government that could complete its full five-year term, a rarity in the last two decades of parliamentary democracy. People were also eager to reap the peace dividend after enduring a 10-year fighting, which ended in 2006. An estimated 16,000 people were killed in the fighting. Moreover, Nepalis wanted to see their country emerge from extreme poverty and chronic under-development. Mani Thapa, a Maoist leader, however, told Al Jazeera that the differences between the two parties could be hard to reconcile. The Maoists have always been rebels. They have been outside the political mainstream most of the time. They dont have much experience running a government; they dont adhere to diplomatic niceties, he said. On the other hand, the CPN-UML functions like an non-government organisation, and is adept at running a government, Thapa said. The base of the CPN-UML is middle class and lower middle class, whereas Maoists drew their support from working-class people, though some leaders have become rich over the years, Thapa added. While political commentator Bishnu Sapkota agreed that politics made strange bedfellows, recalling how Oli challenged the Maoists a few years ago. There are significant differences between the two leaders on their views on [Maoist] insurgency, Sapkota said. Mutual suspicion The landslide victory in the polls motivated the two to find a common ground, according to Sapkota. People endorsed the alliance by voting them with majority. They were thrust into a situation where they are bound to think singularly, he said. But he also cautioned that a majority of the two parties leaders were deeply suspicious of one another. Sapkota pointed out that a few Maoist leaders such as Gopal Kirati, who left an ethnicity-based group and joined Maoists, and Bishwa Bhakta Dulal, a prominent Dalit activist, have opposed the merger. Political observers have also noticed that Oli and Dahal are poles apart in their political dealings. Oli rarely listens to his advisers and is known to have a hardline attitude, said Mani Dahal, who covers politics for Nagarik, a Nepali language newspaper in Kathmandu. Though both leaders are willing to take political risks to further their career, Dahal, who often consults his party colleagues, is well-organised, according to sources. Thapa, the Maoist leader, echoed his party chairman Dahal, arguing that the merger must be on the basis of equality. Despite the hurdles, Thapa favoured continuing with talks. The merger may not happen soon, but we must engage in dialogues because we are working to realise our socialism-oriented goal enshrined in the constitution, he said. Residents from both sides of the border share thoughts on the first talks between leaders of both Koreas since 2007. Seoul, South Korea South Koreans, and the world, will be watching a historic handshake when leaders from both sides of the Korean border start off the first inter-Korean summit in more than a decade. President Moon Jae-in and Kim Jong-un will sit down for talks and a dinner at Fridays summit, parts of which will be broadcast live. The event, the first inter-Korean summit since 2007, takes place at the Peace House in the border village of Panmunjom. This summit will focus more on denuclearisation and securing of permanent peace than anything else, Souths presidential chief of staff, Im Jong-seok, told a media briefing. I feel North Korea is sending their key military officials to the summit as they too, believe denuclearisation and peace are important. The North Korean leader will be accompanied by nine officials, including his sister Kim Yo-jong, who led the Norths delegation to the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in South Korea in February. But on the eve of the talks, expectations have grown among North and South Koreans for an improvement in cross-border ties, including easing the military tension amid nuclear threats and the continuation of talks past the day-long summit. Scepticism among many is also brewing. Some critics are wary of North Koreas surprising move for disarmament and dialogue. They remain concerned about whether the summit would be fruitful or not. Al Jazeera speaks to people from both sides of the border to see what the general mood is and whether they think the talks will be fruitful or not. Kim Ju-hong, South Korean, barber Kim Ju-hong thinks there should be a two-country system for now [Wooyoung Lee/Al Jazeera] I welcome the talks and hope they work out well. South Koreans are concerned about both sides making the previous mistakes and thats why a lot of people dont trust the talks. But I do. I still have doubts about Kims promise of denuclearisation, but I hope he keeps his word. I think we need to leave unification out for now and go with a two-country system. Later we can unify when there is a shared feeling on this matter and when circumstances are right for it. Lee Min-bok, North Korean, activist I back the engagement but not the style. The South Korean administration has a submissive attitude. President Moon said he is treating the matter like a piece of glass. Is that necessary? North Korea has come out because it has no choice. Even Russia and China are pressuring North Korea. Kim needs to show us proof that he has halted the nuclear tests. Until then, the sanctions must continue. If the summit leads to ending sanctions, that would be a big mistake. Son Jeong-wook, South Korea, student Son Jeong-wook says the North should stop its provocations [Wooyoung Lee/Al Jazeera] We have been having more dialogues than before and thats why we can definitely develop our relations with the North. But I dont think North Korea would stick to its promise of denuclearisation because it will reduce its power and strength if it does. In the summit, the first thing they need to discuss is ensuring North Korea stops its violent provocations to the South. I think its important to get their promise not to attack us again. Choi Sung-guk, North Korean, webtoon artist Choi Sung-guk is glad the world can see how stubborn Kim is [Faras Ghani/Al Jazeera] Kim has been cornered so hes desperate and what he needs is time to wait for US President Donald Trump to step down. The upcoming summit is buying time for Kim. Even though he said he will stop nuclear tests, it doesnt change the fact that North Korea has nuclear weapons. Im glad the summit is happening because I hope it gives the world the chance to finally see how stubborn and uncooperative the Kim regime is. North Korea under Kim will never change. What North Korea needs to change is its leadership. For that, the North Korean people need to step up, see the light. Suh Hyung-lim, South Korean, consultant Suh Hyung-lim thinks Kim walking to Panmunjom shows attitude change [Wooyoung Lee/Al Jazeera] Success of this summit will depend on whether the two sides are able to focus on actual measures for denuclearisation. I had doubts about North Koreas pledges in the past because none of them were kept. But I expect it to be different this time. The fact that Kim Jong-un will be walking to Panmunjom for the talks shows a change in attitude. A lot of people talk about unification but I think they are looking too far ahead. Many steps are required before the two Koreas agree to unify. Kim Yong-hwa, North Korean, activist Kim Yong-hwa doubts humanitarian aid will reach the North Korean people [Faras Ghani/Al Jazeera] As an activist for North Korean human rights, Im critical of the summits and engagement in general. South Korea is not just sacrificing something small, its crushing the rights of the people. If the summit leads to humanitarian aid, thats good. But will that aid give hope to the people? Nothing concrete has come to fruition but South Korea is making leaps, swayed by superficial gestures. North Korea is a country that violates human rights and by the talks, President Moon is making the North look like a country that is advocating peace. Koh Sang-beom, South Korean, designer Koh Sang-beom thinks a peace agreement is meaningless if border guards are still needed [Wooyoung Lee/Al Jazeera] Im sceptical of whether North Korea would give up its nuclear arms. It said it would stop the test. But that also means it doesnt need any more tests. What use would the peace agreement have if North Korea still provokes and attacks like it did on Yeonpyeong island a few years ago? Signing on a piece of paper is just a formality. What matters most is the de-escalation of military tension. The peace agreement is meaningless if soldiers are still guarding the heavily armed border. Park Jung-oh, North Korean, educational activist Park Jung-oh says a weakened Kim is using the talks as a last resort [Wooyoung Lee/Al Jazeera] I dont think engagement is a good idea. Kim is weak now and is using South Koreas invitation for peace as a last resort. Kim wont give up nuclear weapons. We arent asking for a suspension on nuclear weapon production but for the nuclear weapons to be eliminated. Still, President Moon wants to sign a peace treaty so that South Korea can reduce its dependence on US military power. I expect the summit will end up being Moon just going along with Kims wishes. North Korea isnt really planning to change. Captain Yeon, North Korean, defector and former lieutenant Yeon believes no summit will change North Koreas political system [Faras Ghani/Al Jazeera] For North Korea, engagement is the only choice. North Korea has depended on China until now but thats not possible any more. The reason why North Korea volunteered to stop nuclear weapon production is probably because Kim cant gain legitimacy in the eyes of the people when theyve starved and suffered long enough to know the economy is dead. I think that possibly another reason is that Kim has reached the very best nuclear weapons he can produce. The summit is the best he can do right now. But not the summit nor any other engagement will change the political structure because if the socialist system ends, Kim Jong-un ends. Additional reporting by Hae Ju Kang and Faras Ghani. The World Press Photo Foundation recently announced the participants selected for the 2018 Joop Swart Masterclass. It is the foundations flagship education programme that rewards the most talented emerging visual journalists and is designed to support and enhance diversity in visual journalism and storytelling. This year, far more women were selected, and that alone must be commended in a field that routinely overlooks women. Although the immensely talented Leonard Pongo, who is Belgian, but of Congolese descent, was one of the selected photographers; African-born, Africa-based photographers male or female were notably absent. Why is this lack of representation from African countries so important? Gifted and experienced photographers from the continent continue to be marginalised. Lack of recognition by powerful organisations like World Press Photo (WPP) and Magnum means that photographers lose out on opportunities to enhance their technical ability and network with each other and commissioning editors. It is important to note that photographers from African countries often do not even make it to the list of nominees for competitions, because the nominators themselves are based in localities that do not give them knowledge of the existence of these photographers. By choosing who gets to be recognised, selected for training by respected photographers and photo editors, and networked into powerful media houses, such organisations have the power to direct who pictures and narrates our world. More importantly, they get to choose who photographs and narrates the experiences of those who the geopolitical west has seen as other. Inevitably, by leaving out photographers from African countries, and continuing to skew the selection process towards photographers who are from Europe and North America, the way the world pictures and imagines Africa and Africans will remain as they have historically been framed by the geopolitical west as location of a special brand of savagery and darkness to which those in the west have no parallel experiencesor equivalent. {articleGUID} Last year, in an article for Al Jazeera English, titled The problem of photojournalism in Africa, I wrote a response to the New York Times use of troubling photographs of African refugees and migrants, as well as the larger issues surrounding the way in which photojournalists pictured Africa and Africans in deeply problematic ways. In the article, I discussed how the main reason for photojournalists depictions of Africans in caricatured ways was the reluctance by powerful news organisations based in the geo-political west to employ African and locally-based photographers. In subsequent conversations, many photographers have said that African photographers, too, might feel pressured to produce certain stereotypical narratives; media houses expect and pay for caricatured, easy-to-read images. Despite the pressure to get photographs that reflect simplistic notions of tribal conflict, savagery, disease and general darkness that reflect the geopolitical wests expectations for Africa, a local photographer would almost certainly produce more nuanced narratives than a parachuted-in photographer who has little to no knowledge of a given situation. Corporate cover-up World Press Photo was founded in 1955 by a group of Dutch photographers, who organised an international contest as a way of creating global recognition for excellence. Its annual competition and prize is seen as the pinnacle of achievement in photojournalism, with a worldwide exhibition programmegiving the winner the opportunity to show their work in 45 countries to an audience of some 4 million people, according to WPP. Most of these locations happen to be in Europe, and none are in Africa. {articleGUID} Prince Constantijn of the Netherlands is the patron of the organisation which is financed through sponsorship from the Dutch Postcode Lottery and Canon, as well as partnerships with other supporters and contributors, including the Associated Press, ING Bank, and WeTransfer. The power of this patronage and income allows WPPs managing director Lars Boering and his 27 staff members to promote, according to its mission statement, high-quality visual stories, we create and support the conditions that make possible the stories that matter. But those powerful networks of patronage and income do not seem to have figured out a way of meeting their goals of transparency and diversity when it comes including photographers from Africa in its prestigious training programme. Although just over 20 photographers from Africa were nominated within the pool of 219 total nominees, eight photographers made the nominee list from Egypt, and two from Morocco areas of the continent that are networked with Arab geopolitics in far different ways from other parts of what is (problematically) called Sub-Saharan Africa. Three of the nominees are from South Africa, two from Nigeria, and one photographer each from a scattering of other African countries. Of the three South Africans, only Nocebo Bucibois a black photographer; the other two are white. {articleGUID} In a country with South Africas racial dynamics, which continues to offer far more opportunities to those who are white, it is (laughably) not uncommon to hear grumbling about black artists and photographers getting opportunities over those who are white in closed conversation circles. Yet of the large young, talented black photographers who are making their way, the South African nominators only found one black person to nominate. Perhaps not many black photographers applied. If that is the case, is it not part of the mandate of WPPs on-the-ground people and nominators to cultivate less-represented photographers portfolios for presentation? On Twitter and Facebook, photographers expressed their ire. It was obvious that despite good intentions, the cycle of exclusion continues, and the excuses continue. Andile Buka noted, wryly: https://twitter.com/Andile_Buka/status/985779834864488448?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw When Jack Yakubu Nkinzingabo a Rwandan photographer and founder of Kigali Center for Photography expressed his disappointment in a Facebook post, the responses from WPPs managing director Boering and education programme coordinator Juliette Garms were predictable: To be honest, I laughed when I saw these responses. Black and brown people (and women, and anyone from a group thats been systematically excluded) will only recognise all this rhetoric too well. What is there to discuss at this stage? No one who is conscious and addressing those problems would leave such glaring gaps in who exactly is chosen to nominate, where they are located, what their (national, racial and gender) positionalities are, and where the nominees come from. We are not a gender and colour-blind world. Those problems to which Garms so delicately alludes conveniently without naming them are built on structural racism and personal prejudices. WPPs selection process reflects exclusionary practices created by such tired, old, obvious ways of privileging certain groups and erasing the presence of a specific other thats historically been excluded for the same exact reasons. Discussion has been on-going, apparently without much result, for decades. If one has to still discuss the obvious, I can only laugh. Garms and Boerings rhetoric are almost stereotypical examples of corporate evasion and cover-up. Their practices leave those employed as tokens in a terrible position (case in point the anecdote Garms puts forward to prove WPP is making an effort). Those who are thus tokenised are aware of their predicament. They realise that refusing to partake robs them of an invaluable opportunity to make headway in an industry that rarely opens doors for black people from Africa, and for women. Photographers also know that if they directly confront a powerful organisation like WPP, they will be further marginalised, marked troublemaker, and not invited even as a token. African photographers speak up Of the many people who responded to my own criticism of the WPPs choices for the Joop Swart Masterclass, which I posted on Facebook, it was mostly African diasporic photographers who operate outside Africa who have more opportunities to network as well as those photographers who already have well-established careers, who felt comfortable enough to make public statements. Cedric Nunn, a South African photographer with a long and distinguished career, remembered that he attempted to address the issue of exclusion of African photographers by WPP about 20 years ago, as then director of Market Photo Workshop. I was not afforded the dignity of a response I think they just didnt give a damn what anyone said in the colonies, and now they have to make some polite mumbles. Like others with whom I discussed this latest instance of exclusion, Nunn, too, said, We came to the conclusion that we needed our own standards and institutions that would have a different set of values attached, and depart from the sensationalistic images that agencies based in the geopolitical west preferred, and sometimes demanded. French-Ivorian photo editor Anna-Alix Koffi, who served as a nominator for the Joop Swart Masterclass in previous years and as a judge this year, notes that the process is fraught to begin with. Though there were many Egyptian photographers nominated, few from other parts of Africa were nominated, she pointed out. And judges inevitably bring unconscious biases to the table, unless they have been immersed in processes of addressing and countering their existing prejudices. Last year, when Koffi was part of judging the Masterclass in West Africa, she pointed out that African photographers dealt with enormous obstacles, such as lack of finance and mobility. For many African passport-holders it is nearly impossible to obtain visas to travel within Africa and outside Africa. But her honest comment had been met with scepticism, and her statement was scrubbed and shaped into a neat, generic thank you WPP message. Koffi concluded: Its a very good thing that a major and prestigious organisation such as WPP are interested in creating opportunities for photographers from Africa. [] But its a long process that requires more involvement from more organisations. At the moment, however, Africa is like a piece of soap in western hands they dont really know how to handle it. Its too complex to do it from the outside. There are surely good intentions, but what they really need are people who are there, imbedded into photographers networks, who understand the local gender and class dynamics, and even racial or ethnic group dynamics of the locale. There are African specialists from the field that they can hire. In the case of WPP, they should have an office in Africa with locals to make sure its genuine and long-term success. A myriad of other structures including prizes maintain photographing Africa a game for white, European photographers, most of whom continue to re-imagine and re-present it exactly as their cultural history has trained them to do. Toronto-based Liz Ikiriko, an independent curator and photo editor concurred. WPP has learned the language of co-opting without creating any significant and long-lasting opportunities for African photographers. Those practices are also reflected in other, smaller competitions. As a member of the jury for the Contemporary African Photography prize (run by Ben Fuglister in Berlin), she also realised that problematic dynamics are inherent to the selection process, which resulted in very few African-born photographers being included. I was shocked to realise that there was no way of identifying African and/or Diasporic submissions. That was not a requirement and of course, because [Fugulisters] circles are mostly European, the submissions are 80% from white European photographers who shoot in Africa. I spent considerable time [trying to] identify African photographers and prioritising their contributions in my voting. Im happy to see that a few of them were shortlisted but of course there are many Europeans in the shortlist. Because this prize is framed as a photography prize not a photographer prize it means that well-meaning efforts to imagine the playing field as equal yields few photographers who are actually African. Instead, it is slated to reward, once again, Europeans who fly into Africa to photograph locations with which they are not familiar, often through the same, unquestioned and stereotypical lens. As one photographer who wished to remain anonymous said: There is a difference between good intentions and real actions that create space for those weve historically and actively marginalised. Weve seen plenty of well-intentioned initiatives, but if they are not making headway, WPP and others need to recognise that they may not actually be doing anything but making themselves feel better. It remains important to critique the prejudices and myopia of so-called international prizes (that really privilege Europeans and North Americans), training programmes, and photographers agencies. But it is also important, as Koffi and Nunn suggested, to have African-built spaces and organisations to promote local photographers and operate with a different set of values and outlook. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance. TIA 33-kg gold smuggling: Court extends remand of 3 cops including SP Khanal The District Court Morang on Thursday extended the judicial remand of SP Bikas Raj Khanal, DSP Sanjaya Bahadur Raut and sub Inspector Bal Krishna Sanjel, who were arrested for their alleged involvement in 33-kg gold smuggling through Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) in Kathmandu. The judicial remand of the police personnel has been extended by six days. A graphene composite developed by University of Manchester is being tested by an Israeli drone manufacturer. Activists have voiced anger after state-of-the-art graphene technology developed by a UK university was supplied to an Israeli arms manufacturer. In October last year, engineering firm Versarien announced a collaboration agreement with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) to test a graphene-based material called Nanene in its aerospace composite materials. Nanene was developed by researchers at the University of Manchester and its proprietary rights were obtained by Versarien in 2014 when it bought an 85 percent stake in 2-DTech Limited, a company spun out from the universitys graphene research. {articleGUID} IAI produces a number of military use technologies, such as missile systems, fighter planes, and drones, including the Harop suicide drone, which can stay in the air for hours before crashing its payload into a target. In an interview shortly after the agreement, Versarien CEO Neill Ricketts, said the cooperation with IAI would include military use of its technology. What we have here is an ability to take our materials and to work closely with the guys (IAI) in not only aircraft but defence projects and space projects, he said. Palestinian University of Manchester student Huda Ammori told Al Jazeera that students and academics were unaware that they werehelping to produce research that benefitted the arms trade. In all of the universities branding around graphene research they talk about the great benefits it can have in providing clean drinking water for millions of people, but the issue is theres clearly a massive focus on the arms trade, she said. As a Palestinian student, I feel embarrassed that my student fees are going towards components that end up in the hands of the Israeli military, which openly admits to testing their weapons on Palestinians, she went on to say. Israel Aerospace Industries produces the Harop suicide drone [Julian Herzog/WikiCommons] Graphene is a 2-D material composed of a single-layer of carbon atoms, which has been hailed for its strength, flexibility, and conductivity. With a strength of up to 200 times that of steel, graphene has potential application in batteries, composite materials, and water filtration. The material was first isolated by scientists Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov at the University of Manchester in 2004, a discovery that earned the pair the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2010. The university also houses the National Graphene Institute, one of the worlds leading centres for graphene research. Al Jazeera asked the university for comment on the concern that technology it developed and now obtained by IAI could be used to strengthen the occupation of Palestinian land and in the killing of Palestinian civilians. {articleGUID} It did not directly address that issue and instead issued a short statement. The University of Manchester partners with many different academic and industrial organisations, a university spokesperson said. We have a robust partnership process and all the Universitys research is tested against our nationally recognised ethical criteria. According to Andrew Feinstein, author of the book The Shadow World: Inside the Global Arms Trade, the universitys ethical responsibility for its research continues through to its commercial applications. To claim that it goes to a third party and what that third party does with it is not its responsibility, is both ethically corrupt and legally unsustainable, he said. We know that the products of University of Manchesters research is going in to weaponry that is being used by the Israeli military, and which among other things are being used in occupied Palestinian territory. People who are living under oppression and in completely intolerable circumstances are the victims of the research by Manchester university. Follow Shafik Mandhai on Twitter: @ShafikFM Asylum seekers living in limbo in Germany More than 166,000 have been denied asylum but are temporarily allowed to remain in the country. US lawyer to hold clinics to explain what the Central Americans can expect during their applications for asylum. About 130 immigrants from Central America have arrived in the US-Mexico border in a so-called caravan. They are expected to seek asylum in the United States. The immigrants, who arrived at Tijuana on Wednesday evening, are currently staying at two immigrant shelters, according to reports. They are expected to be joined in the Mexican border city Tijuana by another 200 Central Americans in the coming days. The caravan was organised by a group called Pueblos Sin Fronteras, Spanish for People Without Borders (PSF). PSF has organised caravans for several years but this is the first that has attracted mainstream media coverage in the US, according to reports. US lawyers are expected to hold clinics this week to explain what the immigrants should expect during their applications for asylum. US President Donald Trump has called the immigrant caravan a sign of weak US law on migration and said it should be stopped in Mexico. Kirstjen Nielsen, the secretary of homeland security, said in a statement on Wednesday regarding the immigrants that the US will enforce immigration law. If you enter our country illegally, you have broken the law and will be referred for prosecution. If you make a false immigration claim, you have broken the law and will be referred for prosecution, Nielsen said. In response, rights groups defended what they call a global right to apply for asylum. Erika Guevara Rosas, the Americas director at Amnesty International, said in a statement: Seeking asylum is not a crime in the USA or anywhere. The efforts of US officials to tarnish asylum seekers as criminals are cynical fabrications that ring hollow. Weak laws The immigrants arrival comes the day after a third federal judge dealt a blow to the Trump administrations efforts to end protections for undocumented immigrants brought to the US as children. A judge ruled that the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) programme, which paved the way for two-year renewable work permits for undocumented migrants brought to the US as children, must re-start after 90 days if the Trump administration cannot offer an explanation as to why it is illegal. Trump ended the programme, which was created by an executive order in 2012 by former President Barack Obama, in September 2017. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, White House press secretary, responded to the ruling on Wednesday, saying the DACA programme violates federal law and that the judges ruling is extraordinarily broad and wrong on the law. Sanders said the ruling would encourage immigrants to come to the US border. Thirty-two years after the explosions at the Ukrainian nuclear power plant, we revisit the disaster and its legacy. Exactly 32 years ago, explosions at the then-Soviet Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant set off what has been described as the worlds worst nuclear disaster. The blasts released large levels of radiation into the atmosphere, forcing thousands to flee their homes and sparking major fears over long-term health consequences and environmental destruction. In the decades that followed, wildlife has flourished in the area, which has become a popular tourist attraction. Here, we explain what happened, why and what Chernobyl is like today. Where is Chernobyl? The Chernobyl plant is located some 100km from Ukraines capital, Kiev, and about 20km from the border with Belarus. The nearest town is the now-abandoned Pripyat, which was purpose-built in 1970 to house workers from the plant and was home to between 40,000 and 50,000 people. At the time of the explosion, Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union. The Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant was the site of one of the worst nuclear disasters in history [Vladimir Repik/Reuters] What happened there? In the early hours of April 26, 1986, one of four nuclear reactors at the plant exploded. The explosions occurred during a test designed to check the Unit 4 reactors cooling functions on limited power. The power-regulating and safety systems were both shut off before the test to avoid interruptions. The reactor was to supposed to run at 25 percent capacity during the test but dipped to less than one percent, forcing workers to slowly increase the power levels. {articleGUID} An unexpected power surge caused fuel pellets in the reactor to explode, triggering a larger explosion that blew the 1,000-tonne roof off of the reactor. A cloud of radioactive material was released into the atmosphere, while air mixing with carbon monoxide gas in the reactor ignited, causing a fire that burned for nine days. Reaction Firefighters were initially deployed to pour water into the reactor, before being replaced by military helicopters that dropped more than 2,400 tonnes of lead and 1,800 tonnes of sand in an attempt to smother the fire and absorb the radiation. On April 27, a 30km circular area surrounding the plant was designated as The Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant Zone of Alienation, also known as the Exclusion Zone. The 116,000 people living in the Exclusion Zone were evacuated and the area was put under military control. The zone was later expanded to cover a wider area and a further 230,000 people were relocated. Thousands of people were involved in attempts to contain the disaster, risking their health as a result. These people have come to be known as liquidators. A hastily-constructed sarcophagus dome made of steel and concrete was built over the reactor to stop the release of radiation into the atmosphere. Completed in November 1986, the dome fell into disrepair, prompting safety concerns and was replaced with a moveable metal structure in 2016. The Soviet Union was slow to acknowledge the severity of the incident until pressed to explain the unusually high levels of wind-transported radioactivity detected by monitoring stations in Sweden following the explosion. On April 28, a 20-second television announcement was made acknowledging the incident. In 2000, the plant was officially decommissioned. A monument pays homage to the builders who constructed the first sarcophagus over the Unit 4 reactor, which was replaced in 2016 [Efrem Lukatsky/AP Photo] How many people died? At least two people were killed as a result of the initial explosions. {articleGUID} The extent of the health impact of the disaster remains highly controversial as, in some cases, it is difficult to isolate radiation as the singular cause of death or disease. According to the World Health Organization, around five million people are currently living in areas of Belarus, Russia and Ukraine with high levels of radiation. More than 130 people who were either on-site at the time of the explosion or involved in the initial clean-up operation were confirmed as suffering from Acute Radiation Syndrome (ARS). Of these 134 people, 28 died within a few weeks of the incident. There has been a large increase in thyroid cancer among people who were children living in the most contaminated areas at the time of the explosion, with some 5,000 cases detected across Russia, Ukraine and Belarus. This is due to consumption of milk from cows that grazed on pastures contaminated with radioactive iodine. What were the environmental effects? Elk, foxes, otters and even bears have been seen by visitors to the Exclusion Zone [Sean Gallup/Getty Images] The explosions released 400 times more radiation than the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima during the Second World War, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency. Fallout travelled across Europe, reaching as far as Scandinavia and the United Kingdom, where some farms faced post-Chernobyl restrictions until as recently as 2012. The Exclusion Zone remains one of the most radioactive places on Earth. In the absence of humans, dense woodland has sprung up, allowing wildlife to flourish.The Chernobyl International Radioecology Laboratory has recorded sightings of more than 400 animal species in the area, including 50 endangered species. Estimates of when Chernobyl might be habitable for humans vary wildly, from a few hundred to 20,000 years. Is it safe to go the Exclusion Zone? The ghost towns of the Exclusion Zone have proved popular with tourists, drawing thousands each year [Sean Gallup/Getty Images] The athlete would have been 100 years old on April 26. Described as the flying Housewife and hailed as one of the most successful athletes of her time, Fanny Blankers-Koen would have been 100 years old on April 26. In the Dutch track-and-field athletes honour, Google is changing its doodle in nine countries. This is her story: National record Francina Elsje Koen was born in Baarn, a small town in the Dutch province of Utrecht in 1918. She had four brothers and was the only daughter of a wealthy father who became government inspector. She showed an early inclination for sports such as tennis, swimming, fencing and running. Aged 15, she was asked by her trainer to choose a sport. She selected track-and-field, and by the age of 17, she had broken her first national record for the womens 800 metres. August 6, 1948: Fanny Blankers-Koen The Flying Housewife from the Netherlands is first women to win 4 golds at the Olympics. pic.twitter.com/fWohrSc1k6 (@HistoryTime_) August 6, 2017 World War II In 1936, at the age of 18, she competed in the Berlin Olympics. Despite her young age, she won sixth place in high jump and was a member of the 4100-metres team that came fifth. During World War II, the Netherlands was under Nazi occupation and there was a six-year cessation of international competition. The young athlete married her coach Jan Blankers. The couple had a son, Jantje, and a daughter, Fanneke. Blankers-Koen continued to build up her speed and by the end of 1943, she was a world-record holder at 80 metres hurdles. Flying housewife The first major international event for her after the war was the 1946 European Championships held in Oslo, Norway. As the leading athlete in the Netherlands, she held six world records: in the 100-metre dash, 80-metre hurdles, high jump, long jump, 4100 relay and 4400 relay. When she declared her intentions to compete in the 1948 London Games, she received letters from many criticising her for continuing to race despite being a mother and insisting she stay home. She was 30. I got very many bad letters, people writing that I must stay home with my children and that I should not be allowed to run on a track with how do you say it? short trousers, she told The New York Times in 1982. People wrote that I must stay home with my children. Fanny Blankers-Koen Gold opportunity Despite the constant criticism, she still participated in the London Games, where she won four golds: 100 metres, 80 metres hurdles, 200 metres, and 4100 metres, The feat made her the first woman to win four medals in a single Olympics. One newspaperman wrote that I was too old to run, that I should stay at home and take care of my children. When I got to London, I pointed my finger at him and I said: I show you,' she said. But during the competition, she was under extreme pressure, and before the semifinals, she told her husband she wanted to quit: Two Olympics medals is enough, she was quoted as saying. Years later, her husband told in an interview to The Times: I had to talk too much. There is only one chance in your life that you can perhaps win three gold medals, and that is the chance that you will take. In 1955, she retired from the track but kept in shape with running, swimming and tennis, and she continued serving the sport by managing the Netherlands athletics team at the Rome, Tokyo and Mexico City Olympics. She died in Amsterdam at the age of 85, on January 25, 2004. Two Olympics medals is enough. Fanny Blankers-Koen Recognition Iran being demonised for opposing Western powers and their allies attempting to dominate the Middle East, experts say. A sustained effort by the administration of US President Donald Trump and its allies at home and in the Middle East to cancel, or at least renegotiate, the Iran nuclear deal appears to have succeeded in bringing one major European country, France, to its side. Trump is a fierce critic of the landmark 2015 pact, signed between Tehran and the US, France, Russia, Germany, China, the UK and the European Union. French President Emmanuel Macron said during a visit to the US this week that he hoped to work on a new deal with Iran following frank discussions with Trump. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani swiftly countered, saying: You [Trump], along with the leader of some European country, are deciding for an agreement reached among seven parties. Who allowed you to do that? On May 12, Trump is set to decide to whether to keep the US commitment to the nuclear deal or withdraw from it. US media reports suggest he is likely to withdraw the US from the agreement. Netanyahus accusations On Monday Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, gave a special televised presentation in Tel Aviv in which claimed that Iran is pursuing a secret nuclear programme. Fatemeh Aman, an Iran analyst and an expert on its nuclear programme, said it was more of a political presentation and offered no new intelligence on Irans nuclear programme. Unlike North Korea, Irans compliance of its nuclear-deal commitments is verified based on facts since it has been under extensive monitoring system by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and scrutinised by the US and Western intelligence assessments, she told Al Jazeera by phone from Washington, DC. For their part, Iranian commentators say the real issue is not Tehrans nuclear programme, and that even if it were taken out of the picture, Iran would still be demonised and made evil by its regional adversaries similar to what has been happening, they argue, since the 1979 revolution. The root causes of Israeli and Western animosity towards Iran has to do with its opposition to Western hegemony in the region and its support and sympathy with the Palestinian people, said Mohammad Marandi, professor at the University of Tehran. Irans key foreign policy objectives since the 1979 revolution were its moral stance against the South African apartheid and its solidarity with the Palestinian people. The push against Iran in Washington acquired more ammunition when Trump recently appointed John Bolton as his national security adviser. Bolton, a former US ambassador to the UN during the presidency of George W Bush, has been a vocal opponent of the 2015 deal, which was signed by the administration of President Barack Obama. In a 2015 opinion piece at the New York Times, Bolton floated the idea of a US or Israeli bombing of Irans nuclear reactors. An attack [on Irans nuclear facilities] need not destroy Irans entire nuclear infrastructure, but by breaking key links in the nuclear-fuel cycle, it could set back its programme by three to five years, he said. The United States could do a thorough job of destruction, but Israel alone can do whats necessary, he said. Trumps threat During his election campaign, Trump made the nuclear agreement with Iran a central issue, promising to his supporters and allies to dismantle it. Similarly, speaker after speaker at the annual American Israeli Public Affairs conference, AIPAC, held last March in Washington, criticised the deal and urged the Trump administration to take a stronger approach to it or withdraw from it all together. The deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), eased sanctions on Iran in return for it agreeing that it would not develop nuclear weapons. Aman, the Iran analyst, said if Tehran decided to make between one to three nuclear bombs, it could have made them within two, three months based on the amount of highly enriched uranium they had before they signed the agreement with the US and its allies. But once they signed the agreement and shipped their highly enriched uranium to Russia, Iran is now much further away from producing a nuclear bomb, she added. This has put Iran nuclear programme back to 10-15 years. The IAEA has repeatedly certified Irans compliance with the 2015 agreement, while the country is also a member of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and a signatory of the Additional Protocols, which stipulate strict safeguard measures against nuclear proliferation, Aman noted. Meanwhile, nuclear powers such as Israel, India, Pakistan and North Korea have signed neither the NPT nor the Additional Protocols measures. Dire consequences Barbara Slavin, director of the Future of Iran Initiative at the Atlantic Council, warned that if the US walked away from the deal, there would be dire consequences for all parties. She said Iran might find itself at a crossroads of whether to stay in the deal along with the Europeans, the Russians and the Chinese assuming they resist pressure to follow the US lead or resume its enrichment programme. If the other parties encourage Iran to stay in the agreement, it may do so and not violate it. Iran would then use the whole experience to isolate the US and say its the US who fails to keep its commitments with the international community, said Slavin. This option would be smart, she added. The other option, Slavin said, would be that Iran could also walk away from the deal and revive elements of its nuclear programme but at a small level testing what the reaction would be. Iran would then say, then, that it was the US that violated the deal, not us. Regional analysts question why the US and its allies in the Middle East insist on curbing Irans nuclear ambitions, while at the same time neglect to say anything about Pakistan, which already has nuclear weapons. Slavin said that unlike Tehran, Islamabad does not have adversarial relations with the US, Israel or the Arab Gulf states. Iran plays a very controversial role in the Middle East. Its involved in conflicts in Syria, Iraq and Yemen; probably Afghanistan, argued Slavin. Its not a country that keeps to itself. Pakistan, however, did face long years of sanctions for its nuclear programme until the US needed its help after the September 11 attacks. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has been Irans most vocal regional adversary, lobbying the US government to impose stricter sanctions against Tehran to end its programme, often projecting a nuclear-ready Iran as an existential threat to Israel. Budding alliance Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, the two Arab countries allied with Israel in leading the charge against Iran, are also pushing the US for possible measures against Tehran if it did not end its nuclear programme. In recent years, Saudi Arabia has become an even more dangerous adversary of Iran [than Israel] and exerting a lot of influence over Donald Trump, said Slavin. Netanyahu, meanwhile, has alluded on more than one occasion to the budding alliance between Israel and its Gulf partners amid efforts to undermine Irans rising power in the region. When it comes to Israels apparent obsession with Iran and its nuclear programme, Alex Vatanka, senior analyst at the Middle East Institute, said the question ought to be why Iran is fixated with Israel. Vatanka dismissed the Iranian threat theory peddled by leaders like Netanyahu in Israel and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, comparing Iran to Nazi Germany and Iranian leaders to Adolf Hitler. This is inaccurate and an exaggeration, he said. But if you are a small country like Israel, it is not unreasonable to feel threatened by the Iranian leaders statements and rhetoric. Pretext for Israel Vatanka also blamed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei for giving Israel the pretext to call Iran out. He pointed out that Irans animosity with Israel is unnecessary in order to be a successful and powerful country in the region, and argued that Tehran must first strengthen its legitimacy at home with the Iranian people instead of financially supporting its regional proxies. Experts in Iran, however, argue, that Irans support for its regional proxies is aimed at combining soft and smart power in order to deter any attack on the Iranian homeland by keeping the future battle lines away from the Iranian borders. Marandi, the University of Tehran professor, pointed out that American policy towards Iran even under extremists like Bolton and the Trump administration is no different from what it was under the Obama administration. They only differ in tactics, but the fact remains that they portray Iran as evil because it is no longer in the American sphere of influence, he said. Follow Ali Younes on Twitter: @Ali_reports French president uses speech to joint session of Congress to defend 2015 deal and push back on America First agenda. Emmanuel Macron has used his speech to a joint session of Congress to urge the United States to reject nationalism and preserve the Iran nuclear deal. The French president received a three-minute standing ovation as he arrived in the chamber in Washington, DC on Wednesday, yet his speech was critical of President Donald Trumps America First agenda. He expressed doubt that Trump would stay in the nuclear deal and warned the West not to repeat past mistakes in the Middle East. Saving the Iran deal has been high on the agenda of Macrons visit, and he has presented Trump with a supplementary pact that would further limit Irans development of ballistic missiles and curb its military role in the region. France, the US as well as Russia, Germany, China, the UK and the European Union are signatories to the agreement with Iran. My view I dont know what your president will decide is that he will get rid of this deal on his own, for domestic reasons, Macron said. In an address to the US Congress earlier in the day, Macron said while the 2015 nuclear agreement may not address all concerns, the parties to the deal should not abandon it without having something more substantial instead. We signed it at the initiative of the United States. We signed it both the United States and France. That is why we cannot say we should get rid of it like that. Macron added: What we decided, together with your president, is that we can work on a more comprehensive deal addressing all these concerns. While declaring Frances position to stay with the Iran deal, Macron sought to allay the concerns of Trump and his conservative allies, declaring: Iran shall never possess any nuclear weapon. Not now, not in five years, not in 10 years, never. Isolationism criticised In his speech, Macron also made a pointed criticism of isolationism, withdrawal and isolationism, adding that the US invented multilateralism. It can be tempting to us as a temporary to remedy to our fears, he said. But closing the door to the world will not stop the evolution of the world. It will only inflame the fears of our citizens. We have to keep our eyes wide open to the new risks right in front of us. Since Trump came to office in January 2017, he has taken several steps to block the nuclear deal. In October, he refused to certify that Iran is living up to the accord. He also targeted several Iranian businesses and individuals with new sanctions. On January 12, Trump announced he was waiving the US sanctions for the last time. He said if his demands are not met within 120 days, the US would withdraw from the deal. The deadline is on May 12, although he has hinted that the US could cut loose before that date. Trump also appointed several members of his cabinet who oppose the nuclear deal, including Mike Pompeo, the incoming secretary of state, and John Bolton, the national security adviser. Under the deal signed in Vienna in 2015, Iran scaled back its uranium enrichment programme and promised not to pursue nuclear weapons. Secondary sanctions In exchange, international sanctions were lifted, allowing it to sell its oil and gas worldwide. However, secondary US sanctions remain. The sanctions waiver and certification on Irans compliance, issued by the US every few months, were meant to allay American apprehension over the deal, while easing concerns among foreign businesses who want to invest in Iran. In Iran on Wednesday, President Hassan Rouhani rejected proposals to change the deal, saying his country will not add anything to the deal or remove anything from it, even once sentence. The nuclear deal is the nuclear deal. US: Golden State Killer suspect arrested after DNA match Over the years, detectives collected copious amounts of physical evidence and tips, but were unable to crack the decades-old serial murder case until recent advances in DNA technology. Denuclearisation of peninsula to top agenda as Kim Jong-un of North Korea and Moon Jae-in of South Korea hold talks. North Koreas Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in have met for talks that will centre on denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula. In the first summit between the two countries since 2007, Kim crossed the military demarcation line at 9:30am (0:30 GMT) on Friday for a meeting in Panmunjoms Peace House. It is only the third time leaders of the two Koreas have met since an armistice agreement ended the Korean War in 1953, and the first time a summit has taken place in the South. The truce is still in force and Kim and Moon were expected to discuss a more permanent solution on Friday. North Korea halted its nuclear and missile test programme last Saturday, raising hopes that the country was serious about negotiating full denuclearisation. But on Wednesday, questions were raised about the motives behind the pause, when it was reported that North Koreas test site had allegedly collapsed and was wrecked beyond repair. Reporting from Paju, South Korea, Al Jazeeras Diplomatic Editor James Bays said the US would monitor the inter-Korean meeting closely, with a later meeting planned between President Donald Trump and Kim still hanging in the balance. The Trump administration in Washington will be looking that theres no hiccups in this, that it runs extremely smoothly and that I think will then give them the confidence to go ahead with this other even more important summit, he said. Trump has said he plans to meet Kim by early June. Kims sister, Kim Yo-Jong, who visited South Korea during the Pyeonchang Winter Olympics in February, was expected to be part of the Norths delegation of nine, excluding Kim himself. He was also to be joined by Kim Yong-chol, a former spymaster, and Kim Yong-nam, the president of the countrys legislative body and ceremonial head of state. Among South Koreas delegation of seven are the countrys minsters for defence, foreign affairs and unification. Kim and Moon are expected to sign a pact and make a joint statement at the end of the talks. The days events will be full of symbolism. In the afternoon, Kim and Moon will plant a tree on the demarcation line using soil from both the north and the south, which they will water with water from the Norths Taedong River and the Souths Han River. For dinner, the leaders will be served plates with the Swiss potato dish rosti, a nod to Kims childhood allegedly spent at a boarding school in the Alpine country, and baked John Dory a fish which is popular in Moons hometown of Busan. Could the Korean talks help resolve decades of conflict? This meeting is a landmark one that could bring peace between two nations, divided by decades of war and hostility. Tilathi locals say India reluctant to control Khado stream flood The residents of Tilathi village, a village bordering India in Saptari district, have accused the Indian authorities of not being serious enough to resolve the problem of inundation caused by a makeshift embankment built in the Khado stream at the no-mans-land. Parliament expected to hold a special session on May 1 to debate and possibly elect Serzh Sargsyans replacement. Armenia could have a new prime minister by next week, after nearly two weeks of street protests forced Serzh Sargsyan to quit. The countrys parliament is expected to hold a special session on May 1 to debate and possibly elect a new leader, a statement published on the parliaments website on Thursday said. Sargsyan resigned on Monday, following days of protests in Yerevan against his government, which critics accuse of corruption and authoritarian rule. Opposition leader Nikol Pashinyan, who led the demonstrations, is shaping up as the favourite to replace him. The Republican Party has lost its power, and should recognise the victory of the people without any conditions, he told Al Jazeera. On Tuesday, he called on supporters to stage a rally after talks with the ruling Republican Party were cancelled, prompting thousands of protesters to return to the streets on Wednesday. We want justice, and we want Nikol Pashinyan to be the prime minister, Lili Arakilyan, a young protester, told Al Jazeera. Reporting from Yerevan, Al Jazeeras Robin Forestier-Walker said police have ceased to intervene. Instead, they have retreated to protect government buildings. Keran Karapetyan, the acting prime minister, has said he was ready for elections, but not on the street. I dont know of any country where the peoples candidate is elected [through protests]. Thats why we have elections. There are some in the citizenry who are disappointed, he said. How are we to measure their desire to have Nikol Pashinyan against the desires of others in the citizenry who want a different candidate? Although the demonstrations have been peaceful, the upheaval has threatened to destabilise Armenia, an ally of Russia, in a volatile region riven by a decades-long, low-level conflict with neighbouring Azerbaijan. Russia has two military bases in the ex-Soviet republic, and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke to Armenian President Armen Sarkissian by phone on Wednesday. Pashinyan said on Wednesday that he had received assurances from Russian officials that Moscow would not intervene in the crisis, and Edward Nalbandian, Armenias foreign minister, was in Moscow on Thursday for talks. Family fears Ahmad al-Awartani may face torture following his arrest for his criticism of the Palestinian government. Anabta, West Bank A Palestinian Authority (PA) court in the West Bank city of Jericho has extended the detention of 25-year-old Ahmad al-Awartani, who was arrested over the weekend for a Facebook post criticising a government campaign. During the court hearing on Tuesday, al-Awartani refused to answer the judges questions. He declared that he had launched a hunger strike two days prior, and would continue protesting against his detention by refusing all food and drink. Al-Awartani has been detained under the governments controversial Cyber Crimes Law. With his detention extended for 15 more days, and faced with the possibility of indefinite renewal, al-Awartanis parents said they were worried that their sons health would deteriorate in the Jericho prison, which rights groups say is notorious for torture and abuse. I do not pledge allegiance In recent weeks, posters and banners pledging trust and allegiance to President Mahmoud Abbas have appeared across the occupied territory. Upon seeing a banner in his hometown of Anabta, in the northern West Bank district of Tulkarem, al-Awartani, who is one of the youth council leaders in the town, took to Facebook to express his disapproval. In the post, al-Awartani wrote, I do not support or pledge allegiance, and criticised the Anabta municipality for hanging a banner that read the residents of Anabta renew their allegiance, the pledge and the loyalty to His Excellency the President of Palestine Mahmoud Abbas. This work only represents the municipality council members of Anabta, no one else, not the public, he wrote. Two weeks after his post, a member of the PAs preventive security forces arrived at the shop of al-Awartanis father shop and summoned him for interrogation. In recent weeks, banners pledging allegiance to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas have popped up across the West Bank [Yumna Patel/Al Jazeera] I asked where they wanted to take him, Ahmads father, Majed, told Al Jazeera. And they said they were just going to ask him some questions about a Facebook post, and in a few hours, he would be home. But, upon hearing that Ahmad had been transferred to the prison in Jericho, Majed and his wife, Riman, immediately feared the worst. My older son Rami was wrongfully arrested once by the PA, and they beat him so hard he went into a coma, Majed said. Despite Ahmads reassurance that he had not been tortured, the family worries that as long as he is in Jericho, he is at risk of abuse and mistreatment. Who did he harm, or affect, with this Facebook post? Riman asked. As Palestinians, we have been fighting for our freedom from the Israeli occupation for decades, she said. But what is the point if our own government does not even give young people freedom of opinion? Mohammed Mansour, the PAs deputy interior minister, told Al Jazeera he was unaware of al-Awartanis case. When asked about the 25-year-old being arrested over a Facebook post critical of the PA, he said he was not authorised to speak on the subject. Addameer, a Ramallah-based prisoner rights group, described al-Awartanis arrest as outrageous. There is reason to be concerned about Ahmad being held in the Jericho prison, Dawoud Yusef, Addameers advocacy coordinator, said in a statement. For the most part, we see political related arrests being held in this facility, meaning that it is frequently used for political related interrogations. There are frequent accounts of torture taking place under these types of interrogations, with beatings, stress positions, and being strung up having been reported. There is a fear associated with reporting on these interrogations and methods due to the fact that the PA is so ubiquitous. The [Israeli] occupation may be the ever present force, but the PA is the one that lives next door. Protesters return to Armenias streets after talks cancelled Thousands of protesters again converged in the capital Yerevan, after acting prime minister called off crisis talks with opposition leader Nikol Pashinyan aimed at defusing a two-week standoff. A convoy of 10 aid workers has gone missing in South Sudan, prompting concerns over the groups wellbeing. A convoy of 10 South Sudanese aid workers has disappeared in the south of the country, the United Nations has announced. The aid workers went missing on Wednesday morning shortly after departing from the southern city of Yei for Tore, some 80km away, the UNs Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) said in a statement on Thursday. The workers wellbeing remains unknown, the statement added. Among those missing are a UNOCHA member of staff and two from the UN childrens agency, UNICEF. Other members of the convoy included aid staff from Plan International, Action Africa Help, the South Sudanese Development Organisation and ACROSS. Deeply concerning Aid workers have frequently been targeted by armed forces operating in South Sudan since an ethnically-charged civil war erupted in December 2013 when troops loyal to President Salva Kiir and then-Vice President Riek Machar clashed. A peace deal brokered between Machar and Kiir in August 2015 led to the creation of a unity government the following April. The administration, however, broke down after only three months when violence erupted again between government forces and Machars Sudan Peoples Liberation Movement-in-Opposition (SPLM-IO) fighters. Alain Noudehou, the UNs humanitarian coordinator for South Sudan, said on Thursday he was urgently seeking information on the case. We are deeply concerned about the whereabouts of these humanitarian workers and are urgently seeking information about their well-being, Noudehou said. These individuals, UN and NGO staff, are here to help the people of South Sudan and should not be targeted. Our colleagues must be released without condition so that their work can continue. Noudehou also called on all parties to the conflict in South Sudan to provide a safe environment within which aid can be delivered. Aid workers at risk Lem Paul Gabriel, a deputy spokesman for the SPLM-IO, said on Thursday the groups forces were investigating the incident, Reuters news agency reported. I am not denying or accepting that we are the ones responsible for this but we are investigating because that is our territory, but we should not rule out the presence of other armed forces, Gabriel said. So until we get that report from the ground commander, we will not be able to confirm. Wednesdays incident marks the second occasion on which aid workers have been held by armed groups in April, and the third in six months, according to the UNOCHA. Since its outset, the conflict has resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of people including at least 98 aid workers and led to more than four million people being displaced from their homes, according to the UN. The war described by Filippo Grandi, the UN high commissioner for refugees, as having a human cost of epic proportions has created Africas biggest refugee crisis since the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Russian officials have brought more than a dozen Syrians, including children, to the headquarters of the global chemical weapons watchdog to support their claim that a reported gas attack in Douma earlier this month was orchestrated. The United States, Britain, France and their allies boycotted the event on Thursday at the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons in The Hague, Netherlands, branding it as nothing more than a crude propaganda exercise and an obscene masquerade. The Syrians were flown to Europe to tell their stories at the OPCW, and then ushered into a room full of reporters at a nearby hotel where they all repeated nearly identical accounts. Russia said the statements prove that the alleged chemical attack on April 7 was staged. Experts from OPCW are currently in Syria to investigate the alleged chlorine or sarin gas attack on Douma which, rescue workers and medics, said killed dozens of people. The investigation was launched after videos of the apparent attack surfaced and prompted unprecedented Western attacks on Syrian military installations. But Syria and Russia have accused volunteer rescue workers operating in Syrias rebel-held territories, known as the White Helmets, of staging the footage. In one of the videos, a young boy identified as Hassan Diab is seen being hosed down and shivering. At the press conference in The Hague, Diab said that he did not know why people began pouring water on him in the hospital. We were in the basement. We heard cries on the street that we should go to the hospital. We got scared, Diab said. He was among a dozen people presented as victims or doctors or hospital workers, who all told similar stories that someone had shouted out chemical weapons as hospital staff were treating injured people from a missile bombardment and panic spread. Unknown people started creating chaos, and pouring water on people. We were specialists and we could see there were no symptoms of the use of chemical weapons, said physician Khalil, who said he was on duty in the emergency care unit. He said patients with choking symptoms had begun coming to the hospital about 7:00pm, but it was the result of people breathing in dust and smoke from the bombardment. Everyone was treated and sent home, Khalil added, denying reports from the Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS) and the White Helmets who jointly said dozens of people had died. After this briefing, no one would have a shadow of a doubt who distributes fake news and who is waging an information war, said Russian Ambassador Alexander Shulgin. An obscene masquerade Britain boycotted the groups earlier briefing at the OPCW, saying it was a stunt, in a move followed by France, the United States and EU countries. The OPCW is not a theatre. Russias decision to misuse it is yet another Russian attempt to undermine the OPCWs work, Peter Wilson, Britains ambassador to the OPCW, said in a statement. French ambassador Philippe Lalliot also denounced the briefing as an obscene masquerade. This masquerade only betrays the huge nervousness of those who organised it and who have the most to fear from the OPCW investigation, Lalliot said. Al Jazeeras Sonia Gallego, reporting from The Hague, said that there was no scientific evidence to support the eye witness reports and videos presented. We have absolutely no concrete evidence that these indeed are the people that were at the site and that there is truth to this, Gallego said. The witnesses had very similar statements in how they described things, but no documentation was provided with reference to their identification at all. Its quite difficult to see how this would have been intended to make anything clear because were really left with more questions than answers to this whole situation and thats only something the OPCW can resolve with evidence from the ground. The OPCW also criticised the meeting in its headquarters, saying it had recommended to Russia that it should wait until its inspectors had completed their work. Scotlands fishing industry worried about future post-Brexit Many fishermen support Brexit in the interests of protecting their waters and stocks, but many in the fishing industry also want open borders to Europe. Tanzanian protest fails amid heavy police presence Anti-government protests organised through social media against new cyber laws have been prevented in Tanzania. After a difficult confirmation process, senators vote 57-42 in favour of US President Donald Trumps nominee. The United States Senate has confirmed CIA Director Mike Pompeo as the new secretary of state. Senators on Thursday voted 57 to 42 in favour of US President Donald Trumps nominee, ending a difficult confirmation process dogged by stiff resistance from the Democrats. Pompeo, a former army officer who served as a Republican congressman, is seen as a Trump loyalist with hawkish world views. He is regarded by many as a controversial figure who has voiced support for torture, wants to keep the prison at Guantanamo Bay open and has a history of xenophobic remarks. The result of the vote at the Senate marked one of the slimmest margins for the job in recent history. Every past nominee since at least the Jimmy Carter administration (1977-81) had received 85 or more Yes votes, with the exception of Trumps first secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, who got 56. Presidents support The approval came in time for newly sworn Pompeo to lead the US delegation to NATO foreign minister talks in Brussels this Friday. He is then scheduled to visit Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Israel this weekend. Pompeos spokesperson said the stops were chosen to reflect their importance as key allies and partners in the region. {articleGUID} Pompeo faced criticism from Democrats, who view him as being too bellicose and have criticised his past harsh statements about homosexuality and Islam, arguing they made him unsuitable to represent the US on the world stage. Pompeo narrowly avoided being the first nominee for secretary of state ever rejected by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee only when Republican Senator Rand Paul, who had vowed to oppose him, announced his support minutes before the committee voted on Monday after pressure from his party. None of the 10 Democrats on the 21-member committee backed Pompeos nomination. Senator Robert Menendez, the top Democrat on the foreign relations panel, said he did not think the bruising confirmation fight would leave Pompeo wounded. He obviously has the presidents support. That will be meaningful to people in the world, said Menendez, drawing a contrast with Tillerson, who often seemed to differ from the president. Pompeo met with Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang, North Korea, earlier this month [White House/AP] Trump abruptly fired Tillerson, a former oil executive, last month. Supporters said Pompeo did well during 15 months leading the CIA, and that the country badly needed a leader at the State Department, where staffing had been slashed, and many positions left unfilled since Trump became president in January 2017. Al Jazeeras Rosiland Jordan, reporting from Washington, DC, said Pompeos hawkish stance would in fact help unite the White House and the State Department. One of the problems that Tillerson had was that in some ways he tried to be more like a traditional Republican on foreign policy issues and not take the extremely conservative hardline position that Trump wanted to take particularly when it comes to Iran and North Korea, Jordan said. You can also expect [from Pompeo] perhaps a more hostile tone as it were against Russia, even though the president himself has not wanted to be as tough on Moscow as other conservatives here in Washington would like the US to be. Pompeo will be forced quickly to address a wide array of other international challenges, including in countries such as Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as relations with China and Russia. Washington is also working with European allies such as French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel to decide whether to toughen an international nuclear agreement with Iran. In Congress, Pompeo was an outspoken opponent of the Iran nuclear accord. But during his confirmation hearing, he said he was open to fixing, rather than blowing apart, the pact. Pompeo has already been deeply engaged in the administrations efforts on North Korea and recently travelled to Pyongyang, where he met with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. On Thursday, the White House released photos of the meeting, which it said took place over Easter weekend. Pompeo is expected to arrange a summit between Trump and Kim in the coming months. A Pakistani court has disqualified Foreign Minister Khwaja Muhammad Asif from holding public office on charges that he made omissions on a parliamentary wealth declaration, the latest blow to the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party. A three-member bench of the Islamabad High Court issued the verdict in the Pakistani capital on Thursday. Asif later told local media that he would appeal the decision in the Supreme Court. The ruling marked the latest dismissal of a member of parliament for not being honest and trustworthy, based on an article of the Pakistani constitution that sets out criteria of eligibility to be elected to the National Assembly. In July last year, the countrys Supreme Court dismissed then-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the chief of the ruling PML-N party to which Asif also belongs, for omissions on his parliamentary wealth declaration. Asifs case was similar to that of Sharif, in that it pertains to a salary linked to a United Arab Emirates (UAE) work permit. It is obvious from the facts and circumstances in the instant case that the Respondent had deliberately and willfully not disclosed his status as an employee of the Company, nor receiving of the salary per month pursuant thereto, despite having been expressly put to challenge by the other contesting candidates, reads the verdict. Asif had an employment contract as a legal adviser with a UAE-based firm called International Mechanical and Electrical Company. Banned for life Earlier this month, the Supreme Court ruled that Sharif and other legislators had violated the honest and trustworthy criteria for membership of parliament, and were banned from public office for life. Jahangir Tareen, a senior leader of the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), was also disqualified for incomplete income disclosures in December. In Thursdays judgment, the judges warned against the conduct of politics through the courts, as it lowers public confidence in the Legislature on the one hand and on the other hand exposes the institution of the judiciary to the controversies of adversarial politics. We have handed down this judgment with a heavy heart not only because a seasoned and accomplished political figure stands disqualified but more so because the dreams and aspirations of 342,125 registered voters have suffered a setback, the verdict said. Pakistan is due to hold a general election in July 2018. Sharifs PML-N has been campaigning on a platform of being unfairly victimised by the courts. The PTI, which had filed the complaints against both Sharif and Asif, lauded the verdict as a victory for democracy. Asif, a seasoned political leader, had previously won three elections from his constituency in the central city of Sialkot, and served as minister of defence, as well as heading the water and power ministry, prior to being appointed as foreign minister in August. Additional reporting by Asad Hashim, Al Jazeeras Web Correspondent in Pakistan. He tweets @AsadHashim Watching the watchmen Nepal Army must come clean on allegations concerning the peacekeeping mission in South Sudan The increase of more than 7 cents is the highest jump since March, while the outright price is the highest A confession: I'm an American millennial. Popular lore holds that I enjoy lazy, booze-filled brunches; binge-watching Netflix with my significant other; the faux healthful benefits of working at a standing desk; and taking long sits on the couch staring at a glowing rectangle in my palm. And if you believe the latest headlines, I'm also part of the biggest generation of marks since the 17th-century Dutch bought up tulips like gold-flecked holy water. "Millennials lost money to scams more often than their grandparents," USA Today reported. "Millennials more likely than seniors to fall for online scams" says CBS. "Forget the cliche of the vulnerable senior citizen falling victim to scammers," admonishes Market Watch; "a larger share of young people reported that they lost money to fraud than older individuals did in 2017." Each cites the same Federal Trade Commission report that shows that Millennials are as susceptible to online scams as they are to avocado toast. According to the data, 40% of Americans between the ages of 20 and 29 who reported fraud last year were the victims of a con. This compares to just 18% of seniors, age 70 or above, who reported being swindled. Now, because static data can be so easily misinterpreted, there are a few factors impacting the vast age-response discrepancy. Seniors, being more stoic and prideful than the young, are less likely to report being duped. Likewise, as retirees with large financial cushions, they have much less to gain by taking a chance on a get-rich-quick scheme. Then there's the reticence of the aged to open themselves up to new technology, closing off potential avenues for an advanced form of three-card Monte. The cautious reputation Millennials have may also raise doubts as to the degree to which they're fooled. Since the Great Recession, and the uncertainty it threw into the economy just as Millennials were coming out of college, many young men and women have been hesitant to settle down. This aversion to establishing roots isn't limited to signing a mortgage; it shows itself in delayed marriage; fewer children; lower church attendance; and a premium put on purchasing experiences over large, tangible items. David Brooks describes Millennials as a generation "with diminished expectations." The average Millennial, he writes, has lived through confidence-shattering events like "the Iraq war, the financial crisis, police brutality and Donald Trump a series of moments when the big institutions failed to provide basic security, competence and accountability." A generation raised in the shadow of economically and politically uncertain times is bound to put off major life decisions. But it should also create a kind of weariness of the world a jaundiced eye aimed at the core American promise: work hard, and things will turn out OK. So what explains the penchant for gullibility? Why is the most educated age sect also the dimmest? If you're incredulous as to how the careful generation can be so naive, the first question that needs asking is, have you ever spoken to a Millennial? If you can get past the robotic repetition of "like" and "you know," you'll discover a not so subtle mind filled with banal platitudes about equality and diversity. Millennials are by and large liberal with socialist tendencies. They can quote Harry Potter more than Scripture. The education they've received was not so much an education, but rather a sterile, rubberized version of pedagogy. Instead of learning from our cultural patrimony, many my age have been taught a contradictory mix of relativism with an absolute belief in moral fluidity. We believe in the truth of untruth. We live by the nihilistic Heraclitean dictum that "all is flux." And, as the proverb goes, we stand for nothing and fall for anything. The Great Recession, contrary to popular opinion, didn't callus our consciences. It made us less trusting of the system, but not of each other. We're optimistic about the future despite our diminished earning potential. We're more open to unorthodox trends, such as the notion that biology has no bearing on sex. We'd rather risk it all at a startup than put in the work at an established company. Our forbears did it the opposite way. Raised in the Great Depression and in world war, they experienced hardship, famine, poverty, and death. Few modern Millennials have experienced real deprivation. An entire generation toiled through the Dust Bowl, Pearl Harbor, Normandy, and the Cuban Missile Crisis. Lehman Brothers' collapse, by comparison, doesn't register. What Millennials really lack is an abiding sense of evil within the world. In a wide-ranging 2008 study, Notre Dame sociologist Christian Smith interviewed hundreds of young adults about their beliefs. What he found was a lack of affirmation of what's right and wrong. The respondents who were college-aged then and are entering their 30s now had no way of articulating if something was inherently good or bad. Worse, they were never given the intellectual tools for discerning moral character. "I don't really deal with right and wrong that often," one interviewee said. Someone who can't tell the difference between virtue and vice isn't going to make the distinction when presented with an illicit offer. Millennials too often mistake their intelligence for wisdom. The former is learning in books, or, as is the more the trend today, on Wikipedia. The latter can be earned only through experience, "that most brutal of teachers," C.S. Lewis supposedly said. Without the wisdom forged through adversity, Millennials are stuck stumbling through a life they've been told is flexible and subject to positive change. When a chisler comes along promising easy money, the overconfident Millennial, puffed up with intellectual pride, is obliged to hear him out, if only not to offend his own tolerant sensibility. The trap is laid, and the money is made, all in short order. Millennials are left with nothing but an empty hand and a sense of betrayal. But there's always an upside to getting scammed: you'll know better the next time around. A sucker rarely stays a sucker for long if he can help it. Every Millennial, if he hasn't already learned that hard lesson, will learn it soon enough. Image: Maelick via Wikimedia Commons. The United Kingdom, a nation once revered for its promotion of individual freedom and the promulgation of limited government throughout the world, has accepted, as a governing principle, the foundation of Marxist philosophy: the individual human being is the property of the state. Per Daren Jonescu: The British government, eager to prove its merit as a proper socialist state, has made a cottage industry of delineating the conditions of collective ownership of the individual in the starkest terms. Last year, their poster child for the principle of the individual as dispensable cell of the socialist collective was named Charlie Gard. This year, he is known as Baby Alfie. In both cases, the parents are outright denied the freedom to seek further treatment for a child the State has decided is not worth trying to save. In both cases, the further treatment in question would not cost the British government, in the form of the National Health Service, a penny. In both cases, the Catholic Church has offered to treat the baby in Rome for free. In both cases, the child's parents in Alfie's case, Tom Evans and Kate James have fought long sickening court battles against their owners, the British Government, only to be denied every time in favor of "the best interests of the child," i.e. premature death by starvation. The evolutionary genesis of this mindset over the past 150 years is the gradual and inexorable erosion in respect for the uniqueness of each human life, a basic tenet of Judeo-Christian teachings. Thus, Marxist-socialist theory is unbending in its rejection and suppression of organized religion and belief in a supreme being. The increasingly agnostic and secular societies of Europe are not only willfully choosing to ignore the existence of God, but rejecting the moral and behavioral guidelines established by Judeo-Christian teachings. National moral fiber, along with the religious basis upon which the United States and European nations developed, is being replaced by a misguided faith in man and his institutions. Although mankind has accomplished great things, the human race has always been overwhelmingly susceptible to its base nature. It is the succumbing to this base nature that has been the downfall of civilizations since the dawn of man. The modern historic consequence of repudiating established moral and ethical guidelines is a society or culture devoid of humility, honor, decency, and respect for the dignity of human life. In Europe today, less than 45% of the populace believes in God's existence, and fewer than 22% attend at least one religious service over the course of a year. Meanwhile, an astonishing 40% believe that there are no moral absolutes. One of the visible manifestations of this self-absorption is a catastrophically negative birth rate the end product of over one hundred and twenty million abortions since 1970. By tolerating the ascendancy of man's ignoble nature and abandoning long established moral principles, the nations of Europe have suffered, over the past century, the near total destruction of a continent and the loss of nearly one hundred million lives in two wars and the emergence of communism. Nonetheless, many of these same nations have chosen, yet again, to go down this same path and are now beginning to reap the whirlwind of societal turmoil, thus becoming susceptible to violent overthrow by internal or external forces seeking supremacy and subjugation. Over the past fifty years, the citizenry of the United States has been increasingly emulating its European counterparts, thus American society has begun the slow and inexorable descent into chaos and uncertainty. The American left, now in control of the Democratic Party, is determined to transform this nation into a Euro-socialist "paradise" and is following the same playbook that has brought nations such as the United Kingdom to its present state of agnosticism and tumult. This explains the left's dogged determination to erode and make meaningless religious liberty and control speech through intimidation and ridicule, all the while convincing a majority of the populace that the state, controlled by the enlightened, is the savior and provider. The sad sagas of Charlie Gard and Baby Alfie, as well as untold thousands whose similar stories do not achieve international recognition, are just the latest, but not the last, manifestation of the state as the savior and provider. In order to avoid these same outcomes looming over the horizon, the American people must acknowledge that throughout modern history, the key to peace and prosperity lies in rejecting the siren song of the left and establishing a relationship with God. Striving to live by established moral and ethical guidelines and not in total dependence and reliance upon the institutions of man will save this nation from the same fate befalling the nations of Europe. The ongoing Mueller "investigation" is not a legal matter. It's a continuation of abuse of power by the Obama administration, which behaved as if Democrats were going to reign forever. The extent of their abuse started to come to light only after the elections. After the 2016 elections, the culprits should have relied on traditional American forgiveness. President-Elect Trump fully demonstrated it when he graciously offered Hillary Clinton an opportunity to heal instead of being prosecuted. Unfortunately, the mainstream Democratic Party and its allies allowed the far-left elements to drag them into the "resistance" and escalation. Instead of a smooth transition of power, which has been an unbroken tradition since the founding of this country, they grabbed as much power as they could and directed it against Trump and his supporters. Thus, they have burnt their bridges. The president and his trusted advisers are either being investigated or threatened with investigation. The best public servants appointed are flooded with death threats, and neither the FBI nor the DOJ does anything about that. Scott Pruitt and Ajit Pai are the first names that come to mind. These threats are backed by actions, such as the mass murder attempt in which Representative Scalise was injured. Violence against lesser known persons standing in the way of the Democratic Party agenda is not reported by the mainstream media. In a few days, it will be the anniversary of the shooting of the offices of Dr. John Christy and Dr. Roy Spencer, two outstanding climatologists whose research debunks climate alarmist claims. We know who incited these crimes. We know who covered these crimes. We don't know all connections between the instigators and the triggermen. And we will never know if the FBI and DOJ will continue investigating and prosecuting people for being Trump-supporters while turning a blind eye to the Democratic seditionists, oath-breakers, and other miscreants emboldened under Obama's administration. Not to mention blackmail a federal crime that is routinely ignored in the current political atmosphere and has been perfected by groups linked to the Democratic Party and used against businessmen, judges, and other men deemed Trump-supporters or potential supporters in their war against the elected government. The new Democratic Party and its allies openly collude with foreign governments and political parties against the U.S., as clearly shown by their behavior related to the Paris climate "accord." "Resistance" in and out of the government goes hard after the president, his supporters, and the loyal public servants. It has abandoned even the pretense of legitimacy. Unfortunately, the president allows it to go on. This leads to a death spiral. When everybody close to Trump comes under fire, people fear to get close to him and even to show support. Trump appointees recuse themselves from handling matters related to him, and Obama holdovers gladly take these matters in their dirty hands. Proven and respected leaders are afraid to serve in the new administration and turn down offers, even resigning from already accepted positions. The media wage psychological warfare and call Trump's presidency a train wreck. This weakens our president and emboldens and empowers our enemies. With more power and less regard for the appearance of legality, they attack Trump's allies harder, and so on. Many in the "resistance" openly call their activities a war. In a war, most people want to be on the side of the winner. Unfortunately, it doesn't look as though we are winning now, and no economic or foreign policy achievement can change that. The other way around, the "resistance" can destroy any achievement of Trump's policies. We expect Trump to fight back, to demonstrate that we are winning, and to win. They don't need to destroy Trump to defeat us. Maintaining the status quo for the two and a half years until the next election campaign is enough for them. After fifteen months since Trump's inauguration, the nearly totalitarian regime created by the Obama administration has only gotten more aggressive. Being a vocal patriot or a conservative is now more dangerous than it used to be under Obama. The "resistance" openly colludes with foreign powers, from the mainstream media receiving funding from the government of China (sometimes under the guise of adverting revenues) to the tech giants silencing Trump's supporters and promoting anti-American agendas of the E.U. leftists and Islamists. The president of the United States deserves the loyalty of all employees of the executive branch of the government, not only his political appointees. Legitimacy of any action (including receiving a salary) of each of the government employees is entirely derived from president's authority. Those whose loyalty remains attached to the past administration had to resign more than a year ago. Those who chose to stay and to resist Trump's policies or to disobey him are indictable. The president has constitutional power and the duty to put an end to their abuses and seditious attempts. When Mueller and his accomplices have to answer charges instead of hounding honest citizens as criminals, and the FBI gets back to investigating federal crimes instead of criminalizing the speech of the opponents of the past administration, the attacks on the new one will subside. Trump's supporters in the business community, federal administration, and even the media will come out of the closet. Victims and witnesses of persecution under the Obama regime will step forward and speak. Their testimonies and other evidence will convince many of the honest opponents that the Obama regime and the werewolf-resistance it left behind are the real bad guys. Many old liberals will recognize that they have been lied to and manipulated by forces that are anything but liberal. The puppeteers of the "resistance" will switch from attacking to being on the defense. The FBI is a part of the Executive Branch and reports to the president, not Robert Mueller. Mueller committed a separate crime by using the FBI to break into places that store the president's personal documents. Mueller's investigation has been a fraud from the moment the team was selected, it became a racketeering enterprise halfway through, and it looks like a mutiny now. Until it's put down, the current administration will appear weak at home and abroad. This perception already hinders it. Foreign countries, friend and foe alike, think the U.S. is weak. Until Trump gets Mueller off his back and under arrest, neither Assad nor Kim will take the U.S. seriously. And the foreign adversaries are more likely to escalate any conflict, knowing that the enemies at home would support them. It's clear now that the Obama administration used the FBI to persecute its political enemies. The FBI needs to be investigated thoroughly and be purged of the Obama-Hillary loyalists who conducted these crimes. The first step in such investigation might be to offer FBI agents and officers who observed or participated in such activities to step forward and to tell what they saw or did. But it is also clear that Mueller does everything in his power to prevent such investigation. This alone justifies arresting him and charging with obstruction of justice. Donald Trump has promised us to drain the swamp not to drown in it! References and remarks here. Veselnitskaya was, and still is, after all, the poster child for Russian collusion, whose 20-minute meeting with Donald Trump, Jr. was to be the deathblow to the Trump administration. Yet, by her account, she has yet to be interviewed by Special Counsel Robert Mueller: A Russian lawyer who discussed sanctions with Donald Trump Jr. in New York during his father's 2016 campaign for the US presidency said Sunday that special counsel Robert Mueller has not contacted her and she thinks he isn't interested in finding the truth. In an interview with The Associated Press, Natalia Veselnitskaya also detailed her recent meeting in Berlin with the US Senate Intelligence Committee, which is investigating allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 US election as well. Veselnitskaya met with Donald Trump Jr., the president's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and then-campaign chairman Paul Manafort in June 2016 after Trump Jr. was told she could provide potentially incriminating information about Hillary Clinton. Interestingly, it was Manafort's home, hotel, and office that were raided at the behest of Mueller, whose team admitted in a court filing that the Veselnitskaya meeting was a motive for the Manafort raid: A new court filing by Robert Mueller's Special Counsel confirms that Paul Manafort was raided by the FBI to look for documents relating to the Trump Tower meeting in June 2016 with Russian lobbyists, which was brokered by Donald Trump Jr. ... According to the latest court filing by the Mueller inquiry, which is defending a warrant attached to a raid on Manafort's home in July 2017, part of what the FBI were hunting for were "communications, records, documents, and other files involving any of the attendees of the June 9, 2016 meeting at Trump Tower[.] If Mueller was looking for dirt on that meeting, why hasn't he interviewed the reason for the meeting? Veselnitskaya has the idea that Mueller is not really working to get the truth about Russian collusion: The apparent lack of interest shown by Mueller's team in her testimony could be a sign the special counsel is not eager to find out what happened, Veselnitskaya told the AP in the interview in downtown Moscow. "If Mueller's team is not working to discover the truth, they will never question me," she said. Indeed, Mueller's indictments so far have had nothing to with Russian collusion, but seem more in line with his witch hunt against President Trump himself, hoping to squeeze lower-echelon Trumpers to flip on his main target. That, of course, assumes there's a there there. Perhaps Mueller knows there's no there there, particularly regarding the Steele dossier used to fraudulently obtain FISA warrants to spy on Team Trump. It is a view shared by Veselnitskaya: Veselnitskaya's said the Berlin interview also focused on information in memos compiled by a former British spy whose work was funded by the Democratic National Committee and Clinton's campaign. The dossier contains numerous allegations of Russian ties to Trump, his associates and the Trump campaign. Veselnitskaya dismissed the dossier as "absolute nonsense." In a bit of irony, the lawyer with whom Donald Trump, Jr. was allegedly colluding, Natalia Veselnitskaya, was allowed to be in this country by the Obama administration and its attorney general, Loretta Lynch. Natalia may have overstayed her visa and at the time of the meeting may have been, dare we say it, an illegal alien. Extreme vetting, anyone? As reported by Fox News Politics: The Obama administration granted the Russian attorney who met with Donald Trump Jr. last June a special type of "parole" to be in the United States after she initially was denied a visa, Fox News has confirmed though it remains unclear whether she had permission to be in the country when she attended the Trump Tower session[.] ... Well before the June 9, 2016, meeting, she was denied a visa to enter the U.S. in 2015, according to court filings first reported by the Daily Beast. She was granted a "parole" to be in the country from October 2015 through early January 2016. However, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York told Fox News on Thursday that their office did not extend that status. "She was not granted a second parole by our office," office spokesman James Margolin told Fox News in an email. "Her case-related immigration parole ended early in 2016, and it was not renewed by us." ... "She shouldn't have been in the country," Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, told "Fox & Friends" on Wednesday. "I think the lady Russian lawyer that was there in that meeting, I've written to [the State Department and Department of Homeland Security] to find out what she was doing in the country when presumably either her visa or parole expired." Maybe the Obama administration and the Hillary Clinton campaign were colluding with the Russians to let her in and let her stay to set up Team Trump? Why was she allowed in the country? Why was she allowed to overstay her welcome or "parole"? Media curiosity about the meeting apparently has its limits. Some, such as Mark Steyn, have approached the meeting with the trivial pursuit it deserves: Author and commentator Mark Steyn dismissed the notion that Russian President Vladimir Putin was pulling the strings behind the meeting of Donald Trump Jr. and a Russian lawyer. "The guy [whom Trump Jr.] is colluding with is a washed-up pop music publicist for John Denver in the 1980s," Steyn, a "Rush Limbaugh Show" guest host, said. Steyn said Robert Goldstone, who he said is now a publicist for a pop star in Azerbaijan, would never be someone Putin would confide in to collude with the Trumps. The fact that Veselnitskaya has not been interviewed seems to confirm that the meeting was a nothingburger, a failed attempt to set up Team Trump by the same Obama acolytes who arranged for the Steele dossier to be compiled and used by one political party, in collusion with Obama's FBI and DoJ, against another. Then again, the entire Mueller investigation has proven to be a nothingburger, proving that there was no Trump-Russia collusion, but plenty between Trump's opponents and Russia. As Veselnitskaya notes, Mueller is not interested in the truth. Perhaps Mueller knows the truth, but admitting it would force him to shut down his witch hunt. Daniel John Sobieski is a freelance writer whose pieces have appeared in Investor's Business Daily, Human Events, Reason Magazine, and the Chicago Sun-Times among other publications. For a year and a half, since the moment Trump won the election, the American left has been in a constant state of hysteria. For the preceding year, the leftists had viciously mocked the man 24-7 in the media and on late-night TV. They were certain, as were their pollsters, that Trump could not win. So when he did, they went into shock. The left does not handle shock well. Since that night, they have vowed their "resistance." They have marched with silly hats, have protested every move he makes, and remain determined to see him impeached. The vast financial resources of George Soros, the SPLC, and an array of other far left groups can summon a mob on a moment's notice. Those who show up and are paid to be part of the mob do not need to know why they are there holding the signs someone puts in their hands. They do this to convince the American people that Trump is an illegitimate president. But the American people see and know otherwise. These leftist antics have not hurt Trump at all. His approval numbers continue to rise. The Russia collusion hoax and the Mueller investigation have been exposed for what they are: a criminal attempt to prevent the inauguration of a duly elected president, then to see him driven from office by any means necessary. For the left, the ends always justify the means, no matter how nefarious. This plot to undo the results of an election is the most serious, most villainous political scandal in American history, but masses of Americans know little or nothing of it thanks to our equally criminal mainstream media. So arrogant are the Jim Acostas of the MSM that they actually believe that if they do not report it, no one will know it. The truth about the shameful left has been obvious for years and years. Harry Reid regularly lied to defeat opponents and was openly proud of himself when his lies worked. Obama lied over and over again about what Obamacare would do. The list of devious, deceptive persons in Congress is long. There are far too many crooks among them spending our money and seeking ever more control over our lives. Leftists are masters of projection, always accusing those with whom they disagree of what they are actually doing. James Comey calls Trump "morally unfit" when it is obvious now that it was he who participated in the plot to unseat the president. Reid mysteriously got rich while in the House, almost certainly by bending and breaking numerous laws. Many of those in Congress, mostly but not all Democrats, have had to settle lawsuits, with taxpayer money, for sexual abuse or harassment. Many have gone to prison for financial crimes. For leftists, rules don't apply. They consider themselves to be above the law. This is why Hillary had no doubt that her plan to destroy Trump would succeed. Who would stop her? She had the higher-ups at the DOJ, the FBI, the DNI, the CIA, and the DNC in her corner. Their stated goal, destroying Trump, justified any means necessary. They have no shame. They will break any law, shred the Constitution, and destroy any person to gain and hang on to power. (Think Scooter Libby.) It is something of a miracle that enough voters ignored their self-appointed betters of the MSM and elected Trump to rein in the corrupt bureaucracy that is the D.C. establishment. Perhaps the most notable example of Democrat shame this past week is their refusal to vote to confirm Mike Pompeo for secretary of state. (These are the folks who confirmed Ted Kennedy after he killed a girl.) Pompeo has a resume that makes him the most qualified person for the job in decades, and every Democrat knows it. That he traveled to North Korea and may actually bring about the de-nuclearization of N.K. fills them with dread. How can it be possible that Trump may be the president to bring about an end to the Korean War? They are desperate to sabotage this eventuality. But Pompeo will be secretary of state, despite the fear and loathing of the Democrats. Liberals' aversion to this fine man proves, once and for all, that the left cares not at all about the country and only about its own power and its members' place within it. They have no shame none at all. There is no sugarcoating Fox News contributor Cathy Areus disgusting and ruthless attack against first lady Melania Trump on Tuesday nights The Ingraham Angle. Before her gig on the Angle, Aeru tweeted out her excitement at getting the chance to say what she was going to say about the first lady. About to join @RCamposDuffy on@foxnews on @IngrahamAngle!!!Topic: Melania Trumps Triumphs? Laura Ingraham began the debate with conservative Rachel Campos-Duffy and Areu, pointing out how the fashion industry featured Michelle Obama on numerous magazine covers from 2008 to 2016 but has shunned the former and very successful fashion model, Melania Trump. The present first lady has not been featured on one American fashion magazine. Campos-Duffy acknowledged the mean treatment of Mrs. Trump and praised the first lady for her quiet dignity and flawless fashion sense. In response, Areu argued Melania had graced enough magazines in the past. We dont want to see her on another cover. Then she really opened fire on Melania, depicting her as a long-suffering wife, unable to escape the Donald Trump because she is a sort of hostage. That is the mainstream medias longstanding talking point and Areu was happy to do her part. Many people actually feel sorry for hershes married to one of the biggest bullies in the country, we feel sorry for herwe all feel horrible to be married to a man like this, we feel sorry for her. I get it. Fox News aspires to be fair and balanced when they invite a female from the left to debate a conservative about a Republican first lady. But its outrageous when Fox allows a representative of a group that espouses tolerance and civility, to cattily demean and belittle a first lady of the United States with no consequences. The smug Areu, now a regular on Foxs top shows, is another liberal mean girl, vacillating between the ages of five and thirteen. As ATs Paul Vincent Zecchino observed about such toxic ideologues: Arrested development is what makes them dangerous, addressing adult situations and crises in manner of children. If Areus comments do not cross the line and Fox does not give her the boot, then the executives at the cable giant need to search their archives for the same kind of reprehensible, verbal assault by a conservative commentator on the former First Lady Michelle Obama. I think its a safe bet they will not find anything remotely comparable to the kind of puke spewed by Areu on Ingrahams show. Image credit: Marc Nozell, via Flickr / Creative Commons SA 2.0 Give Pres. Macron credit. In his speech, he praised America, covered our shared history, mentioned George Washington and Lafayette working together, said Voltaire and Benjamin Franklin hugged and shook hands, and reminded us that Alexis de Tocqueville inspired the French to want democracy while their nation was still embroiled in a struggle between monarchists and the bourgeois. He even quoted Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, and Franklin Roosevelt. Especially poignant in the section of his speech about worldwide fear and anger was his quotation of F. Roosevelt: "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." But a few themes made the news media to go all aflutter with how he apparently rebuked Trump's policies ("a rousing rebuke"), took "subtle swipes" at Trump, "resisted" Trump's America first that is, nationalism and "critiqued" Trump's policies. Those brief sections of his speech may have registered disagreements, but at least Trump, knowing their differences, invited Macron to the White House anyway. And give Paul Ryan credit to invite him into the hallowed chamber. However, here is where Macron was misguided: reducing carbon emissions, as if slowing down industrial economies will make a huge impact. Clever: "There is no planet B." Next, he seems to believe that enlarging the Iran nuclear deal to include kicking Iran out of Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon can really be done. What are the incentives for Iran to give back the $150 billion? Why give up its influence? Meanwhile, French businesses and finances were knee-deep in Iran's economy soon after the deal was signed. So says the Financial Tribune, the first Iranian-English-language economic daily. Following the conclusion of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action the formal name of the nuclear deal Iran signed with world powers in July 2015 and implemented in January 2016, France has arguably been the most proactive countries in the European Union to resume business ties with Iran. Soon after the nuclear deal, Iran's President Hassan Rouhani went to Paris. Afterwards, two foreign ministers, Laurent Fabius and Jean-Marc Ayrault, as well as ministers of economy, transport, foreign trade, agriculture and higher education, traveled to Tehran. The biggest contract was signed by the oil giant Total: a more than 50% stake in an investment of about $4.8 billion for the development of an offshore gas field in the Persian Gulf. The French company has agreed to collaborate with China National Petroleum Corp and Iran's state-owned firm Petropars to produce 2 billion cubic feet, or 56 million cubic meters per day of natural gas from Phase 11 of the gas field, which is shared by Iran and Qatar. If Macron can really re-negotiate with Iran and his words are not mere rhetoric to placate the American administration, then he will be a magician. I like Macron, and his call to multilateralism in the region was right on. His praise of French and American soldiers was perfectly appropriate. But when the honeymoon trip ends, expect no substantive change. James Arlandson's website is Live as Free People, where he has posted Evolution = Intelligent Design = God's Design and Adam and Eve-olution: Five Options. Image: Kremlin.ru via Wikimedia Commons. Samsung has introduced an entry-level device to the Indian market under its J line of smartphones. Called the Galaxy J2 (2018), the handset is a budget offering positioned at the lower end of the spectrum and is priced at Rs. 8,190 ($123). The company will make it available for purchase starting tomorrow, April 27, along with a couple of launch offers from local carrier Reliance Jio. Any Jio customer purchasing this Samsung handset will get vouchers worth Rs. 2,750 ($41) credited to their MyJio account on fulfilling the condition of enabling either Rs. 198 or Rs. 299 plan for their connection. An extra 100GB of 4G data spread across ten consecutive recharges will also be offered by the carrier. On the design front, the Galaxy J2 (2018) features a form factor that is reminiscent of most of the Samsung-branded phones, especially in the low-end segment. The smartphone comes with a 5-inch Super AMOLED display using a conventional 16:9 aspect ratio that offers a resolution of 960 x 540 pixels. A quad-core Snapdragon 425 SoC clocked at 1.4GHz powers the device while being paired with the Adreno 308 GPU. It includes 2GB of RAM, along with 16GB of internal memory that can be further expanded by up to 256GB via a microSD card tray. Besides support for two SIM cards, the phone will ship with Android 7.1 Nougat and a 2,600mAh battery. In terms of connectivity, the J2 (2018) supports Wi-Fi 802.11n standard, 4G VoLTE, Bluetooth 4.1, and GPS. An 8-megapixel camera can be found on the phones back and a 5-megapixel unit resides on the front, both of which are paired with an LED flash of their own. Samsung Mall, a feature introduced with the Galaxy On7 Prime, comes pre-loaded on the device, which helps users find and shop for products from popular Indian online stores by tapping their photos. A headphone jack and a micro-USB port are present on the devices top and bottom side, respectively. Back in January, the South Korean company introduced the same device with slightly different internals in Vietnam as the Galaxy J2 Pro (2018). The Pro variant came running Android 7.0 Nougat and had 1.5GB of RAM while being priced at $145. The phone had leaked quite a few times before getting an official launch and will possibly make its way to even more markets in the coming weeks. Sinovation Ventures, a venture capital firm headed by former Google China chief Kai-Fu Lee, has now kicked off the second part of a new $900 million fund for A.I. investment. The specifics of this funds use arent well-known as of this writing, but Lee has said that it might be invested in pursuit of blending A.I. with retail locations and education centers. The goal would be to place A.I. more directly into businesses and capital to scale up their reach. However, while Sinovation is based in the U.S., most of that funding likely wont be invested stateside. Thats possibly in part because of how unreceptive some Americans have been to A.I. and robotics for which the fund is intended. About 90-percent of investments fueled by Sinovation Ventures go to China. According to Lee, a large part of that comes back to the fact that the company is not considered a tier-one investor in the U.S. With that said, as mentioned above and as with other Sinovation Ventures funds, this is being raised in two parts. The first of those was raised in U.S. dollars and has been closed at $500 million, whereas the second will be in Chinese yuan. The goal is to reach a total of around $900 million, leaving approximately 2.5 billion yuan or $400 million left to be raised. Once thats been closed, the company will have a total of some $1.7 billion spread across four U.S. dollar and three Chinese RMB funding vehicles. It bears repeating that there hasnt been any specifics revealed about where the funding will go but Lee has provided insight into what Sinovation is looking for. Since its not really possible to predict what the A.I. product of the future will be, the firm is focused on learning about the needs that can be fulfilled with the technology. Beyond that, it is working to build domain expertise and develop solutions that can eventually become products. In the meantime, Sinovation Ventures also has its own spin-off companies underway, with an official announcement planned for May. Although no details were made available by the executive, that would be the second subsidiary of Sinovation. The first was an A.I. research institute introduced in 2017. Whether that spin-off has anything to do with the current funding efforts remains to be seen. However, that should be interesting nonetheless when it is revealed and may serve as a good distraction until the investments to be made with the new fundraising are revealed. Google has now joined forces with Walmart to provide a total of $5 million in funding to three organizations that are working on solutions to retool the American workforce to keep up with changing workplace conditions. Thats according to an announcement made via Googles official Keyword blog. The funds will go toward research into ways that the workforce can retain its vitality in the face of accelerated advancements rendering some jobs obsolete. Specifically, Google points to research suggesting that as many as one-third of Americans will need to switch to different occupations or learn new skills in their occupation by 2030. Thats a massive undertaking which the search giant says Walmart has already been working to solve through investments in its own associates and programs centered around learning and advancement in the retail sector. So, the choice to team with Walmart on this new investment venture makes sense. Moreover, the focus will not solely be on the employees. Instead, the primary goal is to balance the rapidly changing economy and workplace and the advantages that can bring to various employers with the need to create employment. To that end, these funds will be supplied to the Drucker Institute, Opportunity @ Work, and the MIT Initiative on the Digital Economy. Each organization has its own projects vying to find new ways to move economic progress forward. The first of those organizations will be partnering with South Bend, Indiana with hopes to create a national model for residential skill-building programs through an initiative called City of Lifelong Learning. That will see integration between educational and workforce resources in an effort to ensure access to the career-saving programs. On the other hand, Opportunity @ Work will work to assist underserved groups through a new hiring channel purpose-built to focus on skills and competency. Finally, MITs initiative will be able to expand on its Inclusive Innovation Challenge. Thats a program which uses prizes to promote the use of technology by entrepreneurs in generating more broad impacts on economic opportunity and prosperity. However, the company does warn that this investment, and singular efforts from organizations around the world, likely wont be enough to solve the problem. So the company seems to imply that further similar initiatives are on the way in its pursuit of a more equitable and efficient labor market. This is also not the first initiative of its kind to be proposed or launched by the search giant. In fact, Google has already been actively funding and setting up work education programs around the globe in fields of science and technology. One such example comes in the form of a program called Google for Nigeria, which was launched midway through last year. That particular initiative sought to train 10 million Africans in Kenya, South Africa, and Nigeria computing skills needed to pursue work in those fields. It went further to fund mentorships and workspaces for more than 60 startups on the continent. So this latest effort seems to be just the latest in an ongoing stream of attempts by Google to move industry and workforce forward. Motorola is seeking to replicate its success in Latin America in both the United States and Canada, the companys President Sergio Buniac said in a recent interview with Android Central. That task is primarily placed on the firms North America VP Rudi Kalil who says Motorola is getting there and is already the top-selling unlocked smartphone brand in the U.S. Motorola sold over 70 million Moto G-series phones in less than five years, Mr. Buniac revealed, with his colleague pointing to that segment as the manufacturers main mobile growth engine in North America. Solely relying on its aggressively priced, value-oriented mid-rangers from the Moto G lineup likely wont be enough to see the phone maker become the third largest handset vendor in the U.S., a goal that its management is now citing. Instead, Motorola has recently been targeting a diversified product strategy, with the original equipment manufacturer seeking to cater to a wide variety of consumers by delivering devices spanning all price brackets. That approach appears to have worked to a degree so far, with Motorolas growth accelerating by 50-percent in 2017, the executives revealed. Motorolas U.S. smartphone market share is nonetheless still sitting at four-percent and a product streamlining is in order, Mr. Buniac said, adding that the companys annual releases will be encompassing a smaller number of new models moving forward. Motorola was relatively late to announce its first yearly offerings in 2018, having only done so last week after unexpectedly skipping major product launches at Mobile World Congress in late February. While it was still present at the Barcelona, Spain-based trade show, it historically relied on the mobile industrys largest annual happening in a much more significant manner. Mr. Buniac himself was only recently promoted to lead the Lenovo-owned OEM after his predecessor Aymar de Lencquesaing stepped down last month, citing personal reasons. The major management change is possibly what prompted the delay of Motorolas 2018 announcements, though the company is now understood to be ramping up its efforts in that regard, with its next major product being expected to soon launch in the form of the Moto Z3 Play, an Android mid-ranger intended to succeed last years Z-branded addition to the worlds most commercially successful line of modular smartphones. OtterBox has partnered with Disneys Marvel to release a series of Avengers-inspired cases just in time for the launch of the associated upcoming film, Avengers: Infinity War set to open on April 27. Although the cases appear to be primarily for Apple devices, that does include two new case designs for Samsungs Galaxy S9 and one for the Galaxy S9 Plus. The team-up probably isnt too surprising since the rugged protective cases tie in well with the strengths of the superheroes found in Marvels cinematic universe. Of those cases, the design meant for either the Galaxy S9 or Galaxy S9 Plus namely, the Assemble! design is built around the OtterBox Symmetry Series and costs $44.95 or $54.95, respectively. Meanwhile, the S9-specific Vibranium design is built on the even more durable Defender Series platform and costs $59.95. As fans of the series may have guessed, Assemble! centers around gathering the main heroes from the Marvel Universe onto a single smartphone case. Iron Man and Thanos are front and center but fan-favorites such as members of the Guardians of the Galaxy, Spider-Man, Captain America, and Dr. Strange are featured prominently as well. The case itself, as mentioned above, is a Symmetry Series. That means its much slimmer and form-fitting than other OtterBox offerings while still providing an above-average level of device protection. On the other hand, the much more rugged-looking Defender Series case for the Samsung Galaxy S9 is based on Captain America. Vibranium is the material used to craft the Captains trademark shield, so the name makes sense since the case itself bears the same design as that heroic item. Moreover, it makes sense on one of OtterBoxs most sturdy cases since that shield is all but indestructible, under most circumstances, in comic book lore Theres no mention of how long these cases will be available for but, as of this writing, the Vibranium Defender case is the only one thats technically available. The other designs will currently only allow visitors to the site to sign up for notifications when they become available. Having said that, theres a chance these cases are going to sell like crazy and may even run short on supply. So anybody interested in picking one up will probably want to head over to the site via the button below A number of small private equity funds are presently targeting a major consolidation of some Amazon sellers, The Information reports, citing several brokers pursuing such ambitions. Companies with an established retail presence on Amazons e-commerce platform are now widely seen as relatively safe investments in the United States, with the Seattle, Washington-based tech giant operating a service that already disrupted the stateside retail industry, having managed to become a major part of everyday lives of many Americans in recent times. The incoming consolidation wave is said to be targeting online merchants whose annual sales on Amazon amount to at least $500,000, i.e. who are considered as some of the top sellers on the platform. Third-party merchants with a presence in Amazons ecosystem have been becoming more important for the service in recent years, having accounted for more than half of all sales on Amazon.com in 2017, the company said last week. Businesses who are presently paying Amazon for logistics services, i.e. are having their goods stored in the firms warehouses and shipped via its massive distribution network are said to be prime targets of the new interest from the private equity sector; consolidating such units would possibly give a combined entity more leverage when it comes to negotiating logistics deals with Amazon while simultaneously streamlining their operations, improving their efficiency, and consequently bettering their total bottom lines. Effective growth investments would also be easier to make on a larger scale, some private equity firms believe. The strategy still has a number of potential shortcomings, with a portion of investors being worried about the sheer size of Amazon and the ultra-competitive state of the e-commerce segment in the U.S. Medium-scale consolidation may hence not be enough for obtaining better logistics and retail terms from Amazon if the company is simply able to strike a deal it wants with a rival or even manufacture and sell phantom brands also known as private-label products itself. Amazon has been pushing into consumer electronics and other goods for a while now, with the company now diversifying to such a degree that its even said to be eyeing robotics and Alexa speakers for cars. Samsung has just released its Q1 2018 financial report, and according to the date provided in it, the company managed to hit records profits, as it made an operating profit of 15,64 trillion won, which translates to $14.4 billion. If we compared that to the same period last year, were looking at a 58-percent increase, which is a considerable boost for the company. No doubt that the Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus played a huge role in all this, not to mention that the companys memory business has been booming as well. This South Korea-based tech giant has also reported revenue of 60.56 trillion won ($56.08 billion), which is an increase of 19.8-percent compared to Q1 2017, as the companys revenue for the same period last year was 50.55 trillion won ($46.81 billion). Samsung also announced that its net profit was 11.69 trillion won ($10.82 billion) for Q1 2018, which is a 52.2-percent increase compared to the same period last year. The companys IT & Mobile Communications Division posted revenue of 28.45 trillion won ($26.34 billion), and operating profit of 3.77 trillion won ($3.49 billion) for the first quarter of the year. That being said, Samsung noted that the Semiconductor Business played a huge role in its earnings, as memory chipsets for high value-added servers and graphics products were in high-demand, while the System LSI and Foundry businesses also contributed to such high first quarter earnings. Chipsets for smartphones and crypto-currency mining also didnt do too bad, quite on the contrary. Samsung did not that its Display business, which manufactures both OLED and LCD panels, didnt do as well as the company had hoped, as it was affected by slow demand for flexible OLED panels, and increased competition between rigid OLED and LTPS LCD panels, thats not to say it did bad, though, by any means. The company said that its expected its Memory Business to maintain strong performance in the second quarter of the year, but expects a decline in profitability in the Mobile Business, mainly due to increased competition in the high-end segment. Samsung is also expecting high demand for server and mobile DRAM moving forward, and also increased orders for high-density storage chips. The companys Display Panel segment will look for profitability in OLED by cutting costs and improving yield, says Samsung. Profit from the Mobile Business is expected to decline in the second quarter of 2018, says Samsung, mainly due to stagnant sales of flagship models. Samsung is also looking to focus more on AI and 5G, as opportunities will widen moving forward. For the companys full report, visit the source link down below. According to an announcement from Instagram, its application has now been updated to allow multiple photos and videos to Stories simultaneously. That will make it possible to preview an entire story all at once or to take advantage of a momentarily strengthened connection to get through the days uploads. More importantly, it will accelerate the process of sharing one of lifes moments by removing additional taps and the wait for files to upload one at a time. Beyond that, the company has used the opportunity presented by the update to include a new way to add location stickers to photos and videos being uploaded to a story. Using the new tool is relatively easy once the app has been updated. Users simply need to tap the new icon at the top-right corner of the screen in the application while in the upload section of the app. Up to ten photos or videos can be selected at a time on the proceeding screen. Once in the edit mode, there will be a preview of all selected media lined up in a carousel along the bottom and each can be edited individually to add stickers, text, or other creative enhancements. The same creative tools available to the prior, single-upload method will still be available. At the same time, for location stickers, the app will now automatically suggest locales from near where the media was captured in order to speed things along further and assist users who may not remember exactly where the story took place. Its worth pointing out though, that once the new Stories post is finalized, it will appear in the stream in the same order in which the media was selected. Its important to remember that, as with all app updates, that could take some time. Rollouts can be as quick as a day or two but can also take weeks to hit every device with a given app installed, so nobody should be too concerned if it hasnt hit them just yet. In the meantime, the new feature should be helpful in saving users of the platform quite a bit of time with uploads. So anybody who wants to check for the update manually will want to head over to the Google Play Store button below. In an interview with Kansas City Business Journal, Sprint Chief Strategy Officer Kevin Crull announced that the carrier will start deploying its 5G network in Kansas City next year. The network operator has previously announced that it plans to begin the rollout of its 5G network to nine markets across the country by 2019. Seven of the nine markets have already been named by the company; besides Kansas City, these include Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, and Washington D.C. Among the innovative use cases that could be powered by the new cellular technology are remote surgery and connected virtual reality headsets, both of which rely on reduced network latency offered by 5G, the executive said. In addition, 5G could play an important role in the development of smart cities. According to Bob Bennett, chief innovation officer of Kansas City, residents may benefit from the deployment of 5G in the city through improved traffic management and more precise utility billing procedures. More use cases and applications that take advantage of increased data speeds offered by the 5G standard are expected to appear in the future, Sprints official said. Even though the carrier will only begin rolling out wireless 5G next year, it is currently upgrading its infrastructure in order to prepare the network for the deployment of the new cellular standard. The network operator will begin deploying Massive Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) antennas in base stations across the country this year. Such solutions increase the capacity of a cellular network by allowing base stations to send and receive multiple data streams at the same time. Since Massive MIMO antennas also support 4G LTE, the deployment of these antennas will also result in an improvement in the data speeds offered by the carriers LTE network. Crull also highlighted the importance of the carriers 2.5GHz spectrum in its future 5G deployment. This frequency enables Sprint to offer increased speeds while covering a larger area compared to mmWave solutions. A proposed acquisition of Shazam by Apple is thrusting the company behind the music recognition and discovery app of the same name back into the news thanks to a new investigation by the E.U. Thats according to a new press release from the European Commission, which says that the investigation will center around whether or not the acquisition would be anti-competitive. Specifically, the commission cites concerns that the merger of the two entities would reduce choice for users of music streaming services. Moreover, there is a worry that Apple would be able to use the data obtained by Shazam about competing services to target those customers more directly and aggressively. That would arguably be a massive advantage over the competition since it would effectively be identifying information about competitors user bases that those other companies dont have access to. In addition to those concerns, Shazam will currently send its users to services that compete with Apples after discovering a songs title and artist via the app. That might come to an end, following the acquisition, removing a substantial referral network for the competition such as Google Play Music. Instead, it might begin redirecting those users to Apples own services, such as iTunes or Apple Music. Tying into that, and into other concerns, Shazam is the number one music recognition service. Apples music services are the second most popular in Europe, so the implications of any of those scenarios could be bad enough for competition to halt the merger under European law. Having said that, theres really no way to know which way the European Commission will rule on this merger. As is always the case, the outcome will almost certainly come down to other key aspects of the merger discovered through the investigation. The success of the merger could also hinge on promissory statements or agreements if Apple is willing to go that route. Whatever happens, Google, for one, is not sitting idly back waiting for the level of competition to get out of hand. Instead, its reportedly working on rolling its own music service into a new offering under the already hugely popular YouTube branding. Those efforts arent guaranteed to succeed, either, but it may be helpful if the Apple merger moves forward. As of this writing, the European Commission has until September 4 to reach a decision. Alongside a couple of other big changes, WhatsApp reportedly has plans to raise the age limitations for its services in at least one region at some point over the next few weeks. Specifically, anybody over the age of 13 can currently use the app and associated networking tools, that will be shifted to 16-years or older across Europe. The minimum age will not be changing elsewhere but this change should come as no surprise. Thats particularly true, given recently reported instances of data collection problems associated with underage users. That is, in fact, the root of these changes, with WhatsApp implementing new rules to comply with the subsequent introduction of new government-based privacy rules. However, while the companys parent Facebook has been more actively cracking down on accounts held by children without an adults permission, WhatsApp will be taking a decidedly different approach. At this juncture, it appears as though the company will essentially just be asking users to verify that theyre old enough, following the changes. There hasnt been any discussion regarding how the responses will be verified or if they will at all. Since there wont be any changes to the companys already minimal data collection policies, it is arguably unclear whether the new policy will even be enforceable. In the meantime, there is at least one change set to be included with the updated app and policies when those arrive. After the policy change and the associated app update which will probably follow, users will be able to access and download a full report containing all of the information and data held by WhatsApp about themselves. That will include their contacts, blocked numbers, the known make and model of their smartphone, and possibly quite a bit more. With that said, the company has prided itself on the use of end-to-end encryption and collecting a minimal amount of user data. So theres no way of knowing at this point how much more might be in those reports. In any case, this is actually very unlikely to be the only policy change among the many Android applications commonly used by minors in Europe. It should be expected that others will follow suit in order to maintain accordance with European law. Amsterdam & Netherlands Score High On Global Business & Happiness Indexes Website Ignant takes us on a stroll through Amsterdam on a rainy day. With a strong warning to first-time visitors to Amsterdam not to become enchanted with the hoards of bikes parked in lots, instructions are to check both directions before crossing the street. Many cyclists in Amsterdam ride their two-wheelers like rockets. The reasons to love Amsterdam and The Netherlands are countless. Here are a few recent ones: Amsterdam awarded prize for sustainability fund Dutch Daily News Sept 2014 At a ceremony in New York during Septembers UN returns week, the City of Amsterdam was awarded a prize for its sustainability fund (the Amsterdam Investment Fund). The jury recognised the fund as an excellent example of innovation which will significantly improve the citys sustainability efforts. LifeTracker Self-Education By Traveling Traveling Teaches Students in a Way Schools Cant The Atlantic Traveling and studying abroad can often educate young Americans in ways that the classroom cannot. To achieve lifelong lessons, its best to stay close to the people and not in the lap of luxury when setting out to understand how others live around the world. Traveling to these places made me realize that the advantages I initially thought I had over others were not necessarily advantages to everyone. Many actually preferred living with the challenges they faced over living in a country like mine, where other things are missing. A professional I met in South America who had turned down a job offer in the United States told me, Id never want to move there, even though Id make more money. The social part of life is better here, I find people happier here, and my quality of life is what matters most. Rick Steves, the popular travel guidebook writer and television host, expressed similar thoughts in an interview with Salon when he said, Its a very powerful Eureka! moment when youre traveling: to realize that people dont have the American dream. Theyve got their own dream. And thats not a bad thing. Thats a good thing. Married Once Do It Again Marriage is in decline in America, as it is in much of the developed world. Pew Research reports that the share of all adults who have married once has fallen from 85% in 1960 to 70% in 2013. One interesting factoid in this trend is the willingness of divorced or widowed adults to remarry. About 57% of this population does remarry, a similar number to 50 years ago. There is a gender gap in attitudes about remarriage, and its not what you might expect. There are definite gender differences on this question: Most currently divorced or widowed men are open to the idea of remarriage, but women in the same circumstances are less likely to be open to the idea. Among previously married men, 65% either want to remarry or are not sure; 30% say that they dont want to remarry. Among women who are currently divorced or widowed, only 43% say they may want to remarry, while 54% say they are not interested. Its older people who are remarrying. Among those ages 25 to 34, 43% had remarried in 2013, compared with 75% in 1960. 8% of newly married adults have at least one partner marrying for the third time. And men do remarry younger women. Fully 39% of first-time newlywed couples are within a year of each others ages. Among first-time newlywed couples, only 4% of men are 10 years or more older than their wives. This number jumps to 16% among the remarried. Read on at PEW Research. ArtTracker Mikhail Baryshnikov Photographs in London Mikhail Baryshnikov Doesnt Care That More People Know Him From Sex and the City than from Dancing Vanity Fair Daily Mikhail Baryshnikov floated across the stage of the New York City Ballet under the direction of George Balanchine and soon became one of the most famous dancers in modern history. He even earned an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of Yuri Kopeikine in the film The Turning Point. Now an exhibition of his photographs will be on display in Londons Mayfair. Seeking to capture the movement of dance and not the stasis in between, his photographs are streaks of color and blurry bodies, more like a painting than a digital still life. Dancing Away by Mikhail Baryshnikov is open at ContiniArtUK Modern and Contemporary Art Gallery, in partnership with Damiani, through January 31, 2015. See more images. HealthTracker Rebuilding the Brains Grey Matter Eight weeks to a better brain Harvard Gazette Harvard-affiliated researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), led by study senior author Sara Lazar of the MGH Psychiatric Neuroimaging Research Program and a Harvard Medical School instructor in psychology, are gaining significant new learnings about the impact of meditation on brain structure. Previously, Lazars group observed thickening of the cerebral cortex in areas associated with attention and emotional integration in the brains of study participants not engaged in meditation. In the current study, MRIs were taken on the brains of study participants two weeks before and then after participation in the eight-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Program at the University of Massachusetts Center for Mindfulness. A similar set of scans was taken of brains in the control group. Meditation group participants reported spending an average of 27 minutes each day practicing mindfulness exercises, and their responses to a mindfulness questionnaire indicated significant improvements compared with pre-participation responses. The analysis of MR images, which focused on areas where meditation-associated differences were seen in earlier studies, found increased gray-matter density in the hippocampus, known to be important for learning and memory, and in structures associated with self-awareness, compassion, and introspection. Participant-reported reductions in stress also were correlated with decreased gray-matter density in the amygdala, which is known to play an important role in anxiety and stress. GreenTracker The Sound of Nature Dying You can hear the coral reefs dying, experts say Science Daily Death comes quietly to the worlds coral reefs, scientists have confirmed. Healthy coral reefs are among the noisiest environments on Planet Earth. A healthy reef can be heard from kilometres away, using underwater microphones. New research from the Universities of Essex and Exeter confirms that the noise produced by a dying reef is only one-third that of a healthy one. Its believed that larvae are sensitive to sounds being emitted from reefs and will regard a quiet reef as unsuitable for occupation. More AOC Coral Reef Articles Blake Littles Super Sweet Art Photos Blake Littles Honey-Covered Preservation People AOC Body Beat American artist Blake Littles show Preservation is at LAs Kopeikin Gallery until April 18, 2015. Moving away from photographing the beautiful people, Little is focused on skin and the human body in a vast array of subjects covered with buckets of honey. This diverse crowd of human shapes and skin colors evokes both sensuality and drama, as if frozen in time by the sweet goo. IndieGoGo: Flow Hive Honey On Tap Directly From Your Beehive Aussie father and son team Stuart and Cedar Anderson are revolutionizing honey harvesting with their new invention described as a beekeepers dream. The revolutionary new hive allows beekeepers to harvest honey without opening the hive, making it much easier for people and very much better for the bees, who are no longer disturbed during the harvest. The IndieGoGo film is very educational. Although the campaign wont close until April 5, it is already the most successful crowdfunding campaign launched outside the US on any platform. Today the campaign has raised $6,135,833 against a goal of $70,000. Note that not everyone thinks the new invention in a good idea for bees. For an alternative point of view, read Going Against The Flow: Is The Flow Hive a Good Idea? at Milkwood. Beeutiful Airport Eco News Beekeepers Bob Redmond, John Woodworth and David Feinberg examine a hive at the Sea-Tac Airport in Washington state. Bob Redmond, a beekeeper and executive director of the nonprofit The Common Acre, helped bring the idea to Seattles Sea-Tac airport after reading about a similar project at Chicagos OHare. Sea-Tac helped get things going with a small grant and a 50-acre space. Redmond and his team now oversee 25 hives. Redmond explains that the airport honey tastes wild and kind of woody and grassy compared to backyard honey that is typically sweeter and more fruity. The Common Acre beekeepers run an art exhibit in the airport terminal and sell honey in a shop. With all the focus on honeybees, Redmond reminds us that there are 4000 different species of bees. For Redmond, the project isnt just about bees, but is representative of how cities can best use their empty spaces to support urban agriculture as a whole. Were looking at increasing urban development and decreasing land availability, so we have to say, what is available? And are we really going to plant it all with grass? he said. Or are we going to plant something that can make a difference? via Aerofarms Vertical Farm Comes To Newark, NJ A superb new business is coming to Newark, NJs Makers Village redevelopment project. Located in Newarks Ironbound neighborhood in a converted steel factory, AeroFarms will open the worlds largest vertical farm with plans to produce two million pounds of pesticide-free baby leafy greens and herbs each year. The project will also create 78 jobs. Inhabitat explains: AeroFarms innovative aeroponics technology that grows soil-free plants by spraying a mist of high-nutrient solution onto the crops. Instead of soil, the plants take root in a permeable micro fleece cloth stretched across modular and stackable planters. The sustainable process uses recycled water, zero pesticides and fertilizers, and takes up less space and resources than traditional farming. Monitoring equipment will regulate the amount of carbon dioxide the plants receive, as well as the color wavelength and intensity of the overhead LEDs. Young Studmuffin Orchid Bees Not Good At Mating A male orchid bees perfume is comprised of 20 to 40 characteristic components on average, and they are acquired over a lifetime. This fact makes older male bees better competitors in the mating game. Even if the attractive scent is available in abundance, explains researcher Tamara Pokomy who studies orchid bees in Costa Rica, the bees stop picking it up with the knowledge that they dont need it. via Science Daily Honeybees: Keep on Survivin Modern Farmer Honeybees have an unusual breeding strategy that makes breeding on most farms an inexact science: A virgin queen may fly several miles in search of drones, which congregate in groups of up to 2,500. She mates only once, storing the sperm of 10-20 males to build her colony throughout her lifetime. Breeders like Kirby and Spitzig, as well as bee clubs from California to Colorado to northern Michigan, Virginia and Pennsylvania, reduce the element of genetic surprise by saturating a region with healthy survivor hives. However, this approach is not without its own issues. Just as diversity is important to a healthy ecosystem, it is necessary for a strong, fit hive. Thats why Susan Cobey, a bee geneticist at Washington State University, worries that restricting bee breeding regionally in this way limits genetic variation. Bees are incredibly susceptible to inbreeding, she says. If your population gets too small, which is really what selection does youre thinning out for what you want then you get in big trouble. AOC has long covered the plight of our bees. Read on: Livia Firth Documentary True Cost Colin Firth is in Cannes with his film Genius. Variety reports that Lionsgate has acquired US rights to the literary drama for under $4 million. Genius explores the relationship between Scribner book editor Max Perkins played by Forth and US novelist Thomas Wolfe with Jude Law in the role. Perkins was the editor of F Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway, along with Wolfe. Its Firths wife Livia Firth who has captured AOCs attention, as the executive producer of a documentary The True Cost, a film that explores the dramatic impact of the fashion industrys impact on the environment. This movies going to shock the fashion world, Harvey Weinstein, married to designer Georgina Chapman, told Page Six at a Cannes reception. Netflix will feature the film directed by Andrew Morgan, who reached out to Livia Firth, sometimes called the Queen of the Green Carpet. Firth introduced him to Stella McCartney, whose brand is backed by the luxury conglomerate Kering, led by CEO Francois-Henri Pinault, a lead investor in eco-friendly luxury brands. Pinault is in Cannes celebrating Firths documentary. The True Cost Official Trailer Timed perhaps with the Cannes release of Livia Firths The True Cost Fashion Industry documentary, the Brazilian affiliate of the childrens rights group Save the Children known as Abrinq Foundation, has released a series of public-service announcements about the realities of under-aged labor in the fashion industry. Created by LewLara\TBWA the fashionable images show a child peering through the stylish stripes that serve to enslave worldwide in the global pursuit of fashion fashion. The Sao Paulo agency says the projects intent isnt to criticize the fashion industry, but to draw the attention of the people for a cause so serious as child labor. Coupled with the hashtag #Dress4Good, the campaign encourages members of the public to post positive fashion-forward images on their social media. PhilosopherIt is July of 1938 and we are in Lisbon. An apathetic man, peaceful by nature, lives a life of routine. His name is Pereira. He spends his days going back and forth between his home and the newspaper where he works; nothing changes, day in and day out. He is unconcerned about the political situation in neighboring Spain, which finds itself at a critical moment of the Civil War, nor by that of Portugal, where Salazar has been ruling since 1932. Pereira just goes on with his life. He drinks lemonade, eats omelettes with fine herbs, reads the French writers of the 19th century, writes his reviews for the newspaper, and recites monologues in front of the portrait of his deceased wife. This is enough for him. In any case, he's no idiot: as much as he would like to avoid it, reality is getting in his way. One fine day, unexpectedly, he realizes that he is living under a dictatorship. It's an unobtrusive, discreet, authoritarian regime, like many other things that the Portuguese have accomplished, including a great empire. This realization, of course, changes his life. This is a short summary of Pereira Maintains, a novel by the Italian author Antonio Tabucchi, which was an enormous literary success in the mid-1990s. I am convinced that a good number of Catalans -and also many Spaniards- are "pereirizing", if you will allow me the neologism. Right now, the three powers of the State -the executive, legislative and, in particular, the judicial- are entering into an inertia that is inevitably giving way to a denaturalization of our democracy. It should be emphasized that there are abundant examples of authoritarian democracies. France under De Gaulle was, at certain times, an inarguably authoritarian democracy. Today, Turkey and the Russian Federation are fully within this category. There are political parties, there are periodic elections, etc., but within a tense and always insecure situation, in which aspects such as freedom of speech and peaceful political disagreement are under threat. If it helps to wilfully neglect one's public duty, then one does so. It is especially interesting, though, when the violation of certain constitutional precepts is committed... in the name of the Constitution I am not pointing out anything new -many people have said as much before me- when I say that basic rights in Spain are not fully guaranteed at the moment. The tacit -or sometimes, blatantly explicit- argument is the situation in Catalonia. Anything goes if it serves to neutralize the peaceful desire, democratically expressed, of treacherous Catalan separatism. If forging a document is needed, then it is forged without any qualms. If it helps to wilfully neglect one's public duty, then one does so. It is especially interesting, though, when the violation of certain constitutional precepts is committed... in the name of the Constitution. Under so-called "normal" circumstances, a liberal democracy has resources to correct this inertia. On a parliamentary level, there is a figure legally typified as the opposition, which checks and balances governmental decision. But there is no opposition in Spain, only three parties -the PP, PSOE, and C's- who, barely holding back their laughter, feign imaginary disagreements only to keep on the good side of their respective voters. Effectively, there is no opposition. Neither is there any substantial difference between the policies espoused by Minister Catala and the judicial decisions that match them in a suspiciously perfect manner. With some extremely honorable exceptions -in general, from digital media- the Spanish press doesn't seem at all interested in the constitutional rights spelled out clearly in Article 20. Rather, they content themselves with getting out of the way of deputy PM Soraya Saenz de Santamaria. Within Spanish society, and especially among certain intellectuals and artists who call themselves progressives, a significant misunderstanding has taken root. They believe that what the Article 155 bloc -PP, PSOE, and C's- is doing with regards to Catalonia will not affect them at all. They are convinced, even, that the obvious disproportionality of the provisional measures, or the openly vindictive attitude towards everything represented today by Catalonias Parliamentary majority, will strengthen Spain. The most lucid among them, however, are already getting suspicious: "And what if this climate of exceptionality turns against us?" "The screwed-up thing about the Catalan conflict, the downside, is three cabinet ministers singing The Bridegroom of Death", said Madrid-based actor Jose Sacristan in a recent interview with Publico, a Madrid newspaper. Jackpot! You've seen them coming, friend, but this is only the beginning. Here is a textbook case of "pereirization". But make no mistake: singing "The Bridegroom of Death" [the Spanish foreign legions unofficial anthem] is an anecdote compared to actions that actually jeopardize fundamental rights, including free speech. They will realize, yes, but by then it will be too late. The U.S. State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Netherlands of 3,500 M1156 Precision Guided Kits for an estimated cost of $70 million. The M1156 PGK is a US-Army designed precision guidance system to turn existing 155 mm artillery shells into smart weapons (Picture source: Army Recognition) The Netherlands has requested to buy 3,500 units of the M1156 Precision Guided Kit. Also included are 6 PGK settable trainers; 2 PGK cut away models; 100 M76 PGK fuze wrenches; 10 Extended Length Artillery Projectile Extractors (ELAPEs); PGK technical data and publications; U.S. Government engineering and technical support services; and other related elements of logistics and program support. The estimated total cost is $70 million. The M1156 PGK, formerly designated XM1156, is a US-Army designed precision guidance system to turn existing 155 mm artillery shells into smart weapons. The prime contractor is Alliant Techsystems and the industry team includes Interstate Electronics Corporation. By April 2018, more than 25,000 PGKs had been produced. In operation, the PGK screws into the nose of the shell much like conventional fuzes. In addition to the fuzing function it provides a GPS guidance package and control surfaces to correct the flight of the shell. This is analogous to the addition of a Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) tail-kit to a dumb iron bomb, creating a precision guided munition. The system began production in 2009, was first expected to be in service by 2010, but later was fielded in spring 2013. The sale doesnt cause any difficulty, as The Netherlands has been a consistent coalition partner supporting the United States in various coalition combat operations to include counter-ISIS, Stabilization Force in Iraq, and Afghanistan. Howard Mandel, president of the Jazz Journalists Association, just sent this welcome news: Rifftides has been nominated for Blog of the Year in the 2018 (23rd annual) JJA Jazz Awards. Congratulations! People are reading! Other nominees in that category are Jazz Wax by Marc Myers, Do the Math by Ethan Iverson, and Jazz Lives by Michael Steinman. Voting for the one winner (yes, a convention) is going on now the winner will be announced May 7. You can see all nominees in 39 categories at JJA Jazz Awards. A Jazz Awards party is being planned for June 12 at New School Jazz premises in New York City, 4 to 7 pm. COP26 may be a cop-out in the making COP26 is just about a month away. Delayed for a year by the Covid-19 pandemic, the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference has built up even more expectations and momentum during the intervening months AMG Were probably still decades away from the time we will be able to fully scrutinize a car in the comfort of our own homes. But the first steps toward that future are already being made by carmakers across the globe.To support the market launch of the new A-Class , Mercedes-Benz announced on Thursday the launch of a new augmented reality app. It will give customers the chance of getting to know the car and configure it before they go down to the nearest dealer.Called Mercedes cAR, the app comes complete with data goggles and will allow customers to configure the vehicle on handheld devices, view and review its details and even place the car in various surroundings.For the A-Class, prospective buyers can customize the vehicles in Style, Progressive andLine trims, with further configuration options to be added along the way.The app also takes the customer directly to the dealer search where a test drive can be booked.At first, Mercedes-Benz will make the app available only for the A-Class and only in seven German regions. If the test is successful, it's likely well see a more global reach, encompassing more models."The virtual and the real world are not only blending together more and more with respect to vehicles and services, but also in marketing and sales, said Britta Seeger, head of Mercedes-Benz marketing and sales."Thanks to digital technologies such as augmented and virtual reality, our customers can quickly and easily explore the variety of our vehicles.Production for the new A-Class started last week in Rastatt, Germany. The model will sell in Europe for prices starting at 30,231 Euro ($37,400) for the entry-level A 200 with a 6-speed manual transmission. The tight streets of the city were packed with all sorts of machines, from the Apollo IE to plenty of retro beauties - the latter beasts bring us to the stunt we mentioned in the title.To be more precise, a Monaco-famous Ferrari F40 showed up at a certain point, with this being followed bu a Bugatti EB110 GT, a Lamborghini Countach and a Lamborghini Diablo SV And we're not sure whether the pixel craze that has taken over the Internet these days or the sheer beauty of these senior machines pumped things up, but the atmosphere was uber-special.One thing led to another and the driver of the F40 devided to leave the cabin of his Maranello machine for a moment, only to climb onto the thing. The man pulled out his smartphone to take a photo of the said machines, which were lined up behind his F40. So yes, this is where spotting takes one in 2018.Now, before anybody panics, we need to consider the fact that this Prancing Horse could be gifted with PPF (Paint Protection Film), which would explain why its owner had no issue turning into into a temporary shoe mat.Alas, the 2018 edition of Top Marques Monaco wasn't without its issues. For instance, multiple drivers stepped over the line, pulling burnouts and generating mayhem in the city. The police was forced to step in, which temporarily ruined the fun for everybody and led to multiple machines getting impounded.Then there were certain spotters who stepped into the middle of the road, risking everything, including their lives, for that perfect shot.P.S.: While the whole clip is nothing short of a go-fast delight, those of you who are in a hurry can head over to the 8:49 point of the video for the said F40 moment. SUV Heres another line from the Ford Motor Company: the car portfolio in North America will transition to two vehicles the best-selling Mustang and the all-new Focus Active crossover coming out next year. In other words, prepare to bid farewell to just about everything from the Fiesta to the Taurus . Models that find themselves on the chopping block further include the Focus sedan and hatchback, C-Max, and Fusion. An aggressive strategy, but will it work out in the long run?Based on how the market is going, it is the right decision for the Ford Motor Company. The Dearborn-based automaker will focus on electrification and utility vehicles, with hybridization confirmed for the F-150 pickup truck, Mustang pony car, Escape, Explorer, and the Bronco body-on-frame. By 2022, the target is to bring 16 battery-electric vehicles to market, including the oft-mentioned Mach 1 The 2020 targets of the Ford Motor Company are enabled by cost and efficiency opportunities estimated at $11.5 billion. It should be mentioned that the billions span the entire company, and include areas ranging from engineering to material cost. Capital efficiency, meanwhile, is anticipated to improve to $29 billion in the period from 2019 to 2022, a $5 billion improvement compared to the original sum.We are committed to taking the appropriate actions to drive profitable growth and maximize the returns of our business over the long term, commented Jim Hackett , president and CEO of FoMoCo. Where we can raise the returns of underperforming parts of our business by making them more fit, we will. If appropriate returns are not on the horizon, we will shift that capital to where we can play and win. The test car seems to packs the body of a GT2 RS (it's hard to mistake those front air intakes, among others), but also comes with more aggressive aero elements. The list is, of course, dominated by the massive rear wing, which might have been lifted straight off a 911 racecar, but there are also other bits. We're referring to goodies like the dive-planes up front or the hood vents, which make the NACA ducts on the production GT2 RS seem tame.As for the soundtrack of the thing, this seems to be pretty close to the voice of the Rennsport Neunelfer's 700 hp twin-turbo flat-six.Those of you who are tuned into our Neunelfer stories might remember this car from its November 2017 appearance , when the racer also hit Monza during a Porsche-only testing session. Nevertheless, a few aspects of the car have changes, such as the said hood air intake layout.The beast also delivers contradicting clues towards its destination. On one hand, the (apparently) stripped-out interior would indicate that we're dealing with a racecar. On the other hand, the cooperative nature of the suspension (the driver hits many rumble-strips) seems like the kind of setup used on street vehicles.And while last time we spied the prototype it seemed like this came with the kind of deceleration soundtrack that would indicate the presence of a KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System) feature, we're not sure about the decibel side of this new experience.Of course, there are multiple possibilities for the expected result of these testing efforts. For one thing, we could be looking at a test bed for a next-generation Porsche racecar, one that would use a twin-turbocharged rather than a naturally aspirated motor.Then again, the Germans could be testing the hybrid powertrain for the rumored Turbo S E-Hybrid version of the upcoming 992-generation 911 There's also the idea of Porshe building a GT2 RS-based customer racecar that would rival the McLaren Senna GTR and the Ferrari FXX K, but such rumors need to be taken with a grain of salt.Until we get our hands on more details, you can check out the tester flying over the Monza vibrators in the video below. 6x6 If completed, the vehicle would be comparable to the Defender from Kahn, the Hennessey Ford Velociraptor or the Brabus-tuned B63S 700. However, we think the SLT is in a category all of its own.From some angles, it reminds us of the Captain Nemo's fancy car from 2003's The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. It's got the same focus on the dish as the Maybach S650 Cabriolet , which was also yacht-inspired. Another Range Rover this reminds us of is the pickup which Startech made about three years ago.As far as we know, T.Fotiadis Design is not a tuner. The SLT, which is short for Superyacht Land Tender, is going to be their company car, chauffeuring clients with deep pockets to super-yachts.The vehicle is derived from the RR Long-Wheelbase and now measures a whopping 6.2 meters long, 2.13m wide with a height of 1.85m (244 inches long, 84 inches wide, and sits 73 inches tall). So that's how you make six 20-inch wheels looks small!We're not even sure that it's legal to drive this monster on a regular license. But we can tell you the interior should be as breathtaking as the 6-wheel chassis conversion. The seats will come from Foglizzo, with amenities such as a wine cooler and tablet screens pretty much guaranteed.Several powertrain options are planned, including a 4.4-liter diesel, a 5-liter supercharged V8 or even a 2-liter plug-in hybrid. Sadly, there's no marine V12.The launch is planned for this September's 2018 Monaco Yacht Show. But orders will be taken even before that. Usually, they stay away from cheaper, less exciting family vehicles. But the Discovery is such an icon in the business that they just had to get their hands dirty.I don't know if you've heard about this, but there was a massive scandal surrounding the tailgate of the all-new model last year. Land Rover designers were inspired by the asymmetric design of the previous generation. However, it ended up looking all weird.If you think that's rude, check out what Mr. McGovern said in a 2017 interview: "Im a professional designer, and theyre not. I think it hangs together really well.The British automaker blamed customers, saying that they had bought the wrong type of UK plates. Of course, that's downright stupid, since not everybody lives in Britain and has access to those super-clean yellow plates.So Startech came up with a fix. It's an insert that puts the number plate back in the middle of the car. I think sheet metal cutting is needed for its installation, but that's a small price for people with number plate OCD.We saw pictures on the net, but this comes from a customer in Iceland and gives us a real-world impression. We think the original version worked better with the car. What's wrong with having the number to the side? Alfas are like that, and they are among the most beautiful cars in the world.Of course, we wouldn't buy this thing. It's a little dull, but a Startech body kit and engine mods can fix all that. Check out the massive exhaust and deep chin spoiler in the photo gallery below. Still, it's no SVR! The trainers for Greyhounds with 24 positive test results for cocaine metabolites won two court victories that could overturn Florida's drug testing rules. Racing dogs under the care of Charles McClellan and Natasha Nemeth tested positive for cocaine metabolites in race-day urine tests from October 2016 through July 2017, with 18 positive test results occurring under McClellan's care and six under Nemeth's care, according to complaints filed against the trainers. One dog had seven of those positive tests, six of them under McClellan. The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering suspended the trainers' licenses pending further administrative action. In December 2017 and March 2018, administrative law Judge Lawrence P. Stevenson delivered rulings on separate arguments that state drug testing rules for racing animals were invalid. The wagering division is appealing the decisions, and urine testing continues in Greyhound racing. Jennifer Y. Rosenblum, one of the attorneys representing the trainers, said her clients' licenses remained suspended during the appeal, although she is pushing to have those suspensions removed. The trainers' attorneys argued in administrative court that Florida officials had failed to adopt drug-testing rules through the required process, and the state had failed to set minimum concentrations for enforcement. The judge agreed in separate rulings. Greyhounds in Florida have tested positive for cocaine or cocaine metabolites at least 230 times in the past 20 years. Dogs under three trainers had 30 of those positive test results within a nine-month span of 2016 and 2017 (see JAVMA, April 1, 2018), although only McClellan and Nemeth are contesting the validity of the state's drug testing rules. The 230 positive test results are out of more than 700,000 race-day urine samples tested. Court documents and people connected with racing have offered competing explanations of exposures through doping, environmental contamination, and human drug use in kennels, but the exposures have no established cause. Absolute insurer In Florida, a racing-animal trainer is the "absolute insurer" of an animal's condition, which includes results of tests for prohibited substances. The ruling issued in March indicates that, unlike in horse racing, trainers and owners in Greyhound racing can be kept out of contact with their animals hours before race starts. Rosenblum said her clients, other trainers, and kennel operators have told her they want to see rule and procedure changes that would, for example, have the state collect urine samples while Greyhounds remain under trainers' care. Rosenblum said cocaine is a common environmental contaminant and potential contaminant on people handling dogs at tracks. She characterized the concentrations of the cocaine metabolite benzoylecgonine detected in dogs under her clients' care as trace amounts too small to reflect contact with harmful amounts of cocaine and below a reasonable threshold for enforcement. In court documents, attorneys for the wagering division have said drug testing data show no indication of widespread environmental contamination, and dogs are more likely to receive cocaine from a trainer. State employees collect urine samples before or after Greyhound races, averaging 3,500 a month in the most recent five years for which data are available, July 2011 to June 2016, according to annual reports from the state. In those yearswhich predate the positive test results under McClellan and Nemeththe state found a mean of three positive test results for cocaine or cocaine metabolites in samples from Greyhounds each year. Asked why positive test results would be clustered by time and trainer, Rosenblum said, "It is evident that the state wanted, for whatever reason, to go after the kennel in question." McClellan was the trainer of record at the Steve M. Sarras Kennels until Nemeth took over in spring 2017, and the dogs with positive test results were racing for that kennel, she said. "You will absolutely see clusters' with environmental contaminants," she said. A spokeswoman for the wagering division said in two messages her department was working on a response to questions about race-day substance testing and environmental contamination but had not provided those answers by press time. Complaint timing Rosenblum also said that, after the first positive test results, the state tested dogs from the same kennel before notifying the kennel owner or track. If animal welfare were the top concern, the state would have given the owners, trainers, and track officials opportunities to remedy the problem, she said. The division filed five complaints against McClellan. The first, filed Feb. 3, 2017, alleges one dog, WW's Flicka, tested positive for a cocaine metabolite Jan. 7. The second, filed April 6, 2017, alleges WW's Flicka and two others tested positive for metabolites between March 1 and March 5, 2017. By the time the state had filed that second complaint, samples already taken from dogs under McClellan's care would result in eight more positive test results for cocaine metabolites, including two more involving WW's Flicka, according to the third and fourth complaints. The overlap continued through the fourth and fifth complaints. According to the complaints against Nemeth, five of the six positive test results from dogs under her care came from samples collected before the state filed its first complaint on June 5, 2017. The sixth involved a sample collected July 3, 2017. Rosenblum also said cocaine is a short-acting stimulant, and trainers lose access to their dogs up to hours before a race. "If there were a bad actor out there, they wouldn't choose to give a dog cocaine hours before racing," she said. "Ridiculous." Related JAVMA Content Cocaine gives Greyhound racing a black eye (April 1, 2018) Former Epic Air CEO Fred Rick Schrameck has pleaded guilty to a single count of wire fraud, according a statement released by the United States Attorneys Office for the District of Oregon. Schrameck was charged with soliciting customers to purchase and help build experimental aircraftto the tune of more than $1.4 million eachthen misrepresenting how the customers funds were being used. The statement says the funds went to complete existing EPIC LT aircraft, and to support [Schramecks] own lavish lifestyle without customer knowledge or agreement. The maximum sentence Schrameck could receive is 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years supervised release. Sentencing is scheduled for August 14. Schrameck was originally charged in 2015 with eight counts of wire fraud, four counts of mail fraud and six counts of money laundering in federal court. He was arrested in March of that year and pleaded not guilty to the charges. Epic Air went bankrupt in 2009. In 2010, it was purchased by a group of former customers in partnership with China Aviation Industry General Aircraft Company and renamed Epic Aircraft. Epic was sold again, this time to Russian company Engineering LLC, in 2012. Change and I have an uneasy relationship, the former claiming Im slow to embrace technology, unwilling to try something new. Sheesh ... Change can be so you know and so in your face, too. I submit that ADFs and VORs were working just finewhen you could receive themand I saw no value to GPS replacing the Narco Omnigator in my 1951 Bonanzas instrument panel. That is, until I actually used a GPS and allowed that the future might include some limited use of SATNAV as a backup. By then, the future had zipped past me before I realized that my Garmin 196 had functions other than Direct-To. Other losses Ive yet to embrace are the deconstruction of Flight Service Stations (FSS) the Jerry Van Dyke (JVD) of the National Airspace System (NAS) and the end of online briefing service, DUATS (Direct User Access System). FSS has always been conflicted. Its not quite NWS and not really ATC but is a fetching acronym in its own right, constructed of stalwart angles softened by elegant swirls that are far more welcoming than its parent acronym, FAA, all sharp elbows and pointed attitude. Full disclosure: I spent 17 years in the frustratingly angled agency, and even though I was in the Federal Aviation Administration, many still referred to it as an agency, a holdover from the Federal Aviation Agency days. Administration doesnt project the ultimate authority the FAA badge should convey. Actually, there was no FAA badge that we could flash like Zimbalistian FBI agents kicking in hangar doors, snub-nose .38s at hip level while hauling TFR perps to Leavenworth in unmarked Ford sedans. Instead, we carried the standard federal employee ID card, often confused with a Costco membership card. Announcing your FAAness away from the aviation world usually elicited a vague, Oh, yes, my niece is in FFA (Future Farmers of America) something with sheep, I think. Explaining the difference between FFA and FAA to outsiders is nearly as pointless as telling pilots the difference between a hanger and a hangar. Still, good fights are fought despite inevitable failure, or what good is irony? The demise of FSS has never set well with me. Learning to fly in a military flying club in Hawaii meant learning the military way, which meant making a simple trip around the pattern as administratively complicated as possible. Any flight began at the dispatchers counter to be assigned a Cessna 150. I was 20, an Army Spec 5, and understood that everything began and ended with paperwork. The clubs HQ was in a long wooden building that had survived the 1941 Japanese visit. Had the Imperial Navy notified the U.S. military that attack was imminent, filed the proper paperwork and been assigned an attack area, chances are war wouldve been averted. But sneaking inon a Sunday, yetwithout proper clearance, unleashed unforeseen consequences. You know the story. Back to the 1974 flying club. Once the clubs dispatcher assigned an airplane, the student would visit the Air Force briefer inside a separate wooden shack, lending the experience that Junior G-Men Of The Air feeling Id envisioned flying should be, because my view of flight was based entirely on old Grade-B films. I was mildly disappointed flying Cessnas instead of Stearmans or Wacos but submitted to Change. The Air Force briefer looked as though he was only exposed to tropical sunlight when stepping outside to estimate the cloud bases, which in Hawaii, were usually in the same place, except during rainy season, when they were a bit lower and wetter. Still, we danced the mandatory briefing gavotte and always filed a flight plan, even when staying in the pattern. If venturing away, youd specify exactly which practice area over Oahu you would utilize. No cheating. Cant say youll fly in Area 1 and, later, slip into Areas 2 or 3. Should you file for the traffic pattern and, then, get a wild hair to head to North Shore Dillingham Airfield, youd contact the briefer to amend your flight plan. Oddly, I didnt mind the hassles and thought that was just how flight was. Paperwork and reward. Civilian flight was emancipating. The first time I rented a civilian airplane the FBO said, The keys under the floormat, write the Hobbs time in the notebook when youre done. Have fun. Fun. The military hadnt emphasized that. Mind you, I had lots of fun learning to fly, but, as with Catholic school, fun invited guilt. Bless me, Air Force Father, for I had fun Of what nature? Um, I, um had unauthorized aerial enjoyment. Solo? Yes, father The FAA anticipates our weaknesses and assigns preemptive penance for even thinking about guilt-ridden fantasies. Before beginning a flight, (the PIC shall) become familiar with all available information concerning that flight FAR 91.103s all available information is daunting but, time was, consulting a FSS briefer in the privacy of an on-airport FSS mitigated most venial intentions. A phone call did much the same thing. Providedin the days before cellphone ubiquitythere was a phone available. Skip a briefing and subsequently die in a crash? Straight to FAA administrative hell. Flight Service Stations werent found at every airport but enough to allow slow-movers like me to plan fuel stops where youd meet some of the loneliest FAA employees in the system. Most were super eager to brief, input a flight plan, show off their DF Net (Direction Finding) or just offer free coffee and out-of-date sectional charts. There was the briefer in Morgantown, West Virginia, who, when I asked how quickly he could enter my IFR flight plan into the teletype, glanced at me with the confidence of a riverboat gambler and replied in a Clint Eastwood hiss, How fast can you make it to your airplane, punk? He beat me and didnt call me a punk. And there was the FSS specialist in Paso Robles, California, alone on one of the most beautiful airports in the world, who kept a fishing pole leaning against the wall beneath the prog charts. Or the briefer in the Western Mojave Desert airport at Lancaster, California, who, when I arrived from the Monterey Bay area in my Stitts Skycoupe and said I was heading to Phoenix one clear but windy day, didnt stay behind the counter. Instead, he took me outside, pointed to a distant peak and said, See that mountain? I nodded. It was hard not to see with 50 miles visibility. You fly on the upwind side, he pointed, and youll get a rough ride. Then swiveled his arm like a gun barrel and said, Fly on that downwind side, pausing for effect, and you die. Man, thats a briefing. He was right. It was rough on the upwindscary rough for a flat-lander, but we didnt die. Those stations were long-ago replaced by AFSS with long-distance automated briefers, who mean well, but well, cant see the mountains for the computer screens. And they, too, have succumbed to soulless automation, that may be more efficient but cant forefend doom with quite the same immediacy, as a briefer on the phone in Topeka, Kansas, did when I said I planned to launch ahead of a line of thunderstorms in my Marquart biplane. Honey, she said, you hang up, go find a weather radar picture, and then call me back and tell me what your Plan B is! I did, saw the purple threat of a Dorothy-Going-To-Oz squall line and called FSS back to ask for a motel recommendation. She suggested one with a good storm shelter. As much as Ive accepted DUATS into my daily flight life, and will miss the familiar service, its never called me Honey. I dont think the online briefing site, www.1800wxbrief.com, will either. But, then, again, I dont expect avgas to drop to sixty cents per gallon or the FAA to admit that ADS-B was really a cruel April Fools hoax. Like the bumper sticker says, Change Happens, and you either embrace it or whine about how much you hate it. Your choice; Ive already made mine. Democrats have a real shot at winning two of the three Senate seats where Republicans are most vulnerable in the midterm elections, according to a new Axios/SurveyMonkey poll. The bottom line: The poll provides new evidence that Republicans' hold on the Senate may not be as solid as it once looked. Democrats could win the open Arizona seat and possibly defeat Republican incumbent Dean Heller in Nevada. The third race, in Tennessee, is a statistical tie. Why it matters: Losing both the House and the Senate to Democrats would be a clear repudiation of President Trump and his brand of Republicanism, as Axios' Mike Allen writes. And Democrats have been clearly outperforming in the special elections since Trump became president. Yes, but: The overall Senate map in this election still favors the GOP, and an earlier Axios/SurveyMonkey poll showed five Senate Democrats could lose their seats to Republicans. Democrats need to keep the Senate seats they have and gain two more to take control of the Senate. DACA is the biggest warning sign for Republicans: 64% of voters across all three states support protections for immigrants brought illegally to the U.S. as children, and 71% support offering immigrants a chance to apply for citizenship rather than deporting them. They won't get traction on health care, either: Roughly half of voters in all three states want to fix the Affordable Care Act "so it works better." Only about three in 10 want to repeal it. Roughly half of voters in all three states want to fix the Affordable Care Act "so it works better." Only about three in 10 want to repeal it. One sign of hope for Republicans: Despite their vulnerability in these states, nearly half of all voters in the three states think the economy is better off today than it was a year ago. Methodology: These SurveyMonkey/Axios online polls were conducted April 2- April 23, 2018 among a total sample of 1,667 registered voters living in Arizona, 1,332 registered voters living in Nevada, and 1,639 registered voters living in Tennessee. Respondents were selected from the nearly 3 million people who take surveys on the SurveyMonkey platform each day. The modeled error estimate is 4 percentage points for Arizona, 5 percentage points for Nevada, and 4 percentage points for Tennessee. Crosstabs available here. Eritrea is in dire need of economic development, but it has isolated itself from regional neighbors and the international community and doesn't trust or accept any foreign aid. The bottom line: Without aid, Eritrea has to find other ways to make money, and one big asset is its coastline. The strip of land just 200 miles from the Arabian peninsula where deadly conflicts between Gulf nations are playing out is available to the highest Arab bidder. Decades of mistrust The backdrop: Eritrea's fight for independence, in which the small nation overcame Ethiopian forces backed by the West, shaped the worldview of Isaias Afwerki, the country's dictator since its founding in 1991. "This perception that Eritrea must go at it alone in confronting a fickle, and often hostile, international community, continues to define Afwerkis mindset," a senior Western diplomat, who served as ambassador in Eritrea in the early 2000s, tells Axios. Afwerki is deeply suspicious of Western intentions and aid and cuts his country off from the globe, the ambassador says. of Western intentions and aid and cuts his country off from the globe, the ambassador says. The repressive government has blocked development and pushed scores of its citizens to flee to other African nations, Europe and the U.S., says Meressa Kahsu Dessu, a regional expert at the Institute for Security Studies in Addis Ababa. The bidders The Saudi-led coalition waging war in Yemen "now uses a base in the Eritrean port of Assab, close to Djibouti, as a key spot from which to attack Houthi positions in Yemen," reports the Economist. waging war in Yemen "now uses a base in the Eritrean port of Assab, close to Djibouti, as a key spot from which to attack Houthi positions in Yemen," reports the Economist. The league of Arab allies including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain sanctioning Qatar for alleged funding of regional terrorists have also won Eritrea's support. including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain sanctioning Qatar for alleged funding of regional terrorists have also won Eritrea's support. That support has had its consequences. Eritrea is engaged in a territorial dispute along its border with Djibouti, but things quieted down when both parties agreed to let Qatar send troops to the region and serve as a peacekeeper and mediator. After Eritrea pledged support to the allies against Qatar, the Arab nation pulled its troops, sending the region into chaos once again, Dessu says. Where things stand Eritrea's neighbors have tried to get along. One semi-successful effort was the creation of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), a trade organization which includes Eritrea, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Uganda, Kenya, Somalia and Sudan. The National Memorial for Peace and Justice opens this week in Montgomery, Alabama, creating the United States' first memorial to recognize and honor the thousands of black people murdered through the nation's history in racially motivated lynchings, reports the New York Times. The big picture: The museum makes up for a lack of traditional artifacts with firsthand accounts, stories and documentation of lynchings and how families were affected by racial terror and the domestic slave trade. It also documents how the country's system of racial inequality evolved from slavery into Jim Crow segregation to become today's issue of mass incarceration. The Senate confirmed Mike Pompeo as the 70th secretary of state with a 57-42 vote on Thursday. He needed help from some moderate Democratic senators (and one Independent) to get over the top after a relatively contentious confirmation process: Joe Donnelly (IN), Heidi Heitkamp (ND), Doug Jones (AL), Angus King (ME), Joe Manchin (WV), Claire McCaskill (MO), and Bill Nelson (FL). Whats next: Pompeo is jetting off today on his first foreign trip as secretary of state to Brussels for a meeting with NATO allies. After that, he'll head to Jerusalem to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu next week. Mike Pompeo, who was confirmed as Secretary of State today, will visit Israel on Sunday as part of his first trip in this new role, Israeli officials told me and a senior State Department official has confirmed. Why it matters: Pompeo's decision to include Israel in his first trip abroad as Secretary of State is important because his predecessor Rex Tillerson visited Israel only once when he accompanied President Trump in his May 2017 visit. Tillerson never came to Israel on his own and had a very minor role in the U.S.-Israel relations during his year in office. The state of play: Axios' Jonathan Swan reported yesterday that Pompeo will fly to Brussels to participate in a NATO meeting. Israeli officials say that one of his next stops after Brussels will be Jerusalem, adding that Pompeo is expected to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other senior Israeli official to discuss regional issues. Pompeo has been heavily involved with Israel during his tenure as CIA director. Israeli officials say he visited Israel three times during the first year of the Trump administration to meet with both Israeli and Palestinian intelligence chiefs. Pompeo had a very close relationship with Director of Mossad Yossi Cohen. Pompeo also had a close relationship with the director of the Palestinian intelligence service, General Majed Faraj. During the early days of the Trump administration, Pompeo was sent by President Trump to establish dialogue with Palestinian leadership. Palestinian leadership has suspended all contacts with the White House since President Trump's December decision to move the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. Pompeo's relationship with the Palestinian intelligence chief might provide an opening and an opportunity to renew U.S.-Palestinian dialogue, though the State Department official said Pompeo's schedule does not include meetings with Palestinian officials at the moment. Facebook, Google and Twitter hit record first quarter earnings this week, despite pressure from Washington and Brussels to rein in their power. Why it matters: Advertisers and users have largely shrugged off the scandals surrounding user privacy, consumer safety and election meddling. Meanwhile, the companies still face hearings and investigations, but it's unclear if significant regulation will follow. Facebook and Twitter both saw significant jumps in their user bases, despite social media campaigns to abandon the services, include the viral #deletefacebook movement. Facebook added 50 million daily active users this quarter, and 67 million monthly active users. Twitter added 6 million monthly active users. YouTube continued to post strong growth for the quarter, despite dealing with controversies around terrorism videos, child pornography and other inappropriate content. Individual content creators continued to do well, too. "Over the last year, (YouTube) channels earning six figures annually grew more than 40%," said CEO Sundar Pichai. Privacy concerns have not appeared to put a dent in these companies' profits. Most analysts predicted that these companies would meet revenue and growth expectations, and only a few advertisers publicly acknowledged that they were dropping these companies from their marketing plans. Similarly, Mark Zuckerberg said in an interview before his congressional hearings that the Cambridge Analytica scandal had not had any meaningful effect on the company's business or user behavior. Yes, but: Despite meeting investor expectations on growth, all three companies have seen volatility in the stock market. In fact, Facebook and Alphabet's stock both are down significantly from the beginning of Q1. (Facebook's stock is down 10%, while Alphabet's stock is down 4.71%. Twitter's stock is up 24.31%.) Brian Wieser, senior research analyst at Pivotal Research Group, has rated both Facebook and Twitter as sell stocks. "Techlash" headlines have mostly taken hold in response to chatter about curbing the anti-competitive power of these companies. But Congress is unlikely to pass meaningful legislation and the Federal Trade Commission, which has opened up an investigation into Facebook, won't fine the company out of business. The primary threat to big tech's bottom line comes from Brussels, which has imposed aggressive antitrust fines and data privacy regulations. What's next? Tech companies will face the consequences of Europe's sweeping data privacy law, GDPR, which goes into effect in late May. But many analysts suggest that GDPR may actually favor the bigger tech companies because they are better positioned than smaller rivals to afford compliance measures. Texas Governor Greg Abbott is demanding former Congressman Blake Farenthold to "cover all costs" of the June 30 special election to fill the seat he left vacant upon his resignation earlier this month amid scrutiny over a 2015 settlement he made with his former communications director who claimed he sexually harassed her the year prior. The details: In a letter sent Wednesday, the Republican governor urged Farenthold to pay back the $84,000 in taxpayer funds used to settle the claim "to the counties in [his] district to cover the costs of the ... special election," adding that "the counties and taxpayers ... should not again pay the price for your actions. Most accepting: Iceland, New Zealand, Rwanda, Canada, Sierra Leone, Mali, Australia, Sweden, United States, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Ireland. Iceland, New Zealand, Rwanda, Canada, Sierra Leone, Mali, Australia, Sweden, United States, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Ireland. Least accepting: Macedonia, Montenegro, Hungary, Serbia, Slovakia, Israel, Latvia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Croatia. Background: Gallup's World Poll asked people around the world whether they "think migrants living in their country, becoming their neighbors and marrying into their families are good things or bad things." Trends: In the U.S., religious people and Trump supporters tend to be less accepting, and younger, and more educated people more accepting. Meanwhile, Eastern Europe tends to be the least accepting country for migrants. President Trump will make his first visit to the United Kingdom on July 13, Press Secretary Sarah Sanders announced while speaking to children visiting the White House for Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day. Why it matters: More than a year into his presidency, Trump still hasn't visited the U.K. arguably the United States' closest ally. Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Theresa May was the first foreign leader to visit Trump at the White House last January. Trump was initially scheduled to travel to London in February to open the newly-built U.S. embassy, but cancelled the trip in protest of the embassy's cost and location. Trend: Turkey is ready to consider creation of a free economic zone (FEZ) on the border with Azerbaijans Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, Turkish Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci said in an exclusive interview with Trend. "Such issues are in the competence of the Turkish Cabinet of Ministers and if the countrys entrepreneurs ask to create a FEZ on the border of Turkey and Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, we are ready to consider such an opportunity," the minister said. He noted that the Turkish government regularly informs entrepreneurs about the investment opportunities of Azerbaijan and tries to help them enter this market. The minister stressed that Turkish entrepreneurs always consider Azerbaijan an attractive country for investments. He expressed hope for expansion of investment ties between the two countries. Over the past year, economic relations between Azerbaijan and Turkey have reached a new level. Last year, Turkey exempted supplies of 42 products from the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic from customs duties, and also signed a memorandum on preferential trade with Azerbaijan, which provides for exemption of import-export operations from customs duties. Azerbaijans trade turnover with Turkey amounted to $2.64 billion in 2017, $1.37 billion of which accounted for exports to Turkey, according to Azerbaijans State Customs Committee. The trade turnover between the two countries grew 14.8 percent in 2017. In the first quarter of this year, the Azerbaijani-Turkish trade turnover amounted to $573.1 million (a 3.7 percent growth for the year). - Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Rashid Shirinov The Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict poses a clear threat to regional security, Azerbaijani MP Elshad Hasanov said during the spring session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) in Strasbourg on April 25. I think that protracted conflicts are a serious challenge for the European continent. Armenia continues to occupy Azerbaijans Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven adjacent regions, he said, stressing that the international community recognizes that these lands are an integral part of Azerbaijan. Hasanov added that almost one million Azerbaijanis were forced to leave their native lands as a result of this conflict and they turned into internally displaced persons (IDPs) on their territory. Speaking about the work being carried out by the Azerbaijani government to improve the living conditions of refugees, the MP noted that the country is ready to share experience in solving the humanitarian crises. Another Azerbaijani MP, Sahiba Gafarova, also addressed the PACE spring session. She stressed that the Armenian aggression against Azerbaijan led to the occupation of 20 percent of the countrys territory, a full-scale war and the mass displacement of thousands of people, including women and children. Azerbaijan is solving the problem of its refugees and IDPs, whose number has grown to 1.2 million. Appropriate measures are taken to improve the living conditions of these people, Gafarova noted. She added that 95 residential complexes were built to modern standards, and more than 25,000 refugees and IDPs received new apartments. With a population of almost 10 million, Azerbaijan is among the countries carrying the highest IDP caseload in the world in per capita terms. However, enjoying the growing economic and political situation in the country, the Azerbaijani government pays much attention to the most difficult problems concerning the refugees and IDPs. The country adopted relevant programs and legislative acts, and it continues to improve the living conditions of refugees and IDPs. In her speech, Gafarova also stressed that after the occupation of Azerbaijani territories, all the occupied regions were renamed. The Azerbaijani city of Khojaly is now called Ivanyan. Khristofor Ivanyan was a general of the Armenian army who actively participated in the occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh, Gafarova said, stressing the need to use the original Azerbaijani names. Armenia broke out a lengthy war against Azerbaijan by laying territorial claims on the country. Since a war in the early 1990s, Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and over 1 million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities. To this day, Armenia has not implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding regions. --- Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Rashid Shirinov Once again Azerbaijan witnessed the double standards prevailing in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), member of the Azerbaijani delegation to the organization Sevinj Fataliyeva said on April 25. When any insignificant event happens in Azerbaijan, PACE discusses it for many days. But PACE does not touch upon and does not discuss the serious processes taking place in Armenia today, she noted. The Azerbaijani MP mentioned that today Armenia is on the brink of a precipice. The people's position is a priority in the struggle between people and government. The processes taking place in that country are also important for us. These processes affect the region, the agenda of PACE," Fataliyeva said. She noted that PACE immediately expresses its position on the current events in the world. When demonstrations and actions are held in the Middle East and other countries and the people's position and will are not taken into account, PACE and other international structures immediately react and demand to establish democracy in those countries and ensure freedoms, the MP said. However, no statement is made regarding Armenia, the situation in that country is not analyzed. Fataliyeva stressed that this shows the weakness of PACE and demonstrates how far it is from the position of freedom. Protests against Sargsyan's election as Prime Minister began in Armenia on April 13 and they are still ongoing. He was twice elected to the presidency in 2008 and 2013. The opposition accuses Sargsyan of poor governance and deterioration of the economic situation in Armenia. On April 17, the opposition announced the beginning of a "velvet revolution". Sargsyan resigned on April 23 amid protests. --- Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Rashid Shirinov The resignation of the Armenian Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan was an unexpected decision, but thought-out and right at that time, Russian political expert Ilya Tropinin told Day.Az on April 24. He noted that the resignation actually prevented a possible bloodshed, in fact, a civil war in the country. This decision of Sargsyan was the only logical step that he made during the entire period of his leadership in Armenia. The events of the last few days showed that the peoples patience has really run out and Sargsyan had to leave, the expert said. He added that Sargsyans resignation may positively affect the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, since Armenias former ruling clan was trying to delay the resolving of the conflict by refusing substantive negotiations with Azerbaijan. The demands of the Armenian population for the resignation of Sargsyan show that the citizens of the country no longer wish to live in the economic and political blockade, into which the country was plunged during the last 10-odd years as a result of the policy pursued by Sargsyans clan, Tropinin mentioned. Therefore, it makes sense to believe that Sargsyans resignation gives a real chance to solve this long-standing problem. The political expert added that the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs should use this opportunity in order to bring Armenia to a peaceful solution of the conflict. It will be necessary to carry out colossal work at the diplomatic level, make important statements and appeals to the citizens of this country, which would note that Armenia will not achieve economic and political freedom without the settlement of the Karabakh problem, Tropinin said. He added that these statements can have logical consequences only if the key positions in the new government of Armenia are taken by adequate politicians who are ready for a constructive approach and a substantive dialogue with the Azerbaijani side. The expert also noted that Azerbaijan, basing on the available facts and documents, has the right to use international institutions to initiate criminal proceedings against Armenian terrorists and their accomplices who are responsible for the genocide in Khojaly. The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict 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 regions. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and over 1 million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Until now, Armenia controls fifth part of Azerbaijans territory and rejects implementing four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding regions. --- Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Rashid Shirinov The recent statement by the French leader Emmanuel Macron shows that the country, as an international mediator in the OSCE Minsk Group, is interested in an early resolution of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict through negotiations, French political expert Vienne Nasiri told Day.az on April 25. He was commenting on the statement Macron made in his congratulatory letter to President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev on the occasion of his victory in the presidential election. In the letter, the French leader once again noted that his country will do its utmost for settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict through peaceful negotiations. Nasiri noted that the unresolved conflict poses risks and threats not only to the conflicting parties, but also to the whole region. Like many European countries cooperating with Azerbaijan, France considers it necessary to resolve this problem peacefully. To do this, both sides should be prepared for substantive negotiations and find a certain compromise, the expert noted. He mentioned that the three OSCE Minsk Group co-chairing countries the United States, Russia and France will make efforts in this direction, but the positions of the parties to the conflict are primarily important for achieving progress on this complex issue. Negotiations should be based on the principles of international law, and the parties, first of all Armenia, must reckon with this important fact. Armenia has already violated the principles of international law by occupying foreign territories, which was not permissible, Nasiri said, stressing that Armenia should comply with the basic requirements specified in the UN Security Council resolutions and start de-occupation of the seized territories. Azerbaijan and Armenia fought a lengthy war that ended with signing of a fragile ceasefire in 1994. Since the war, Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and over 1 million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities. While the OSCE Minsk Group acted as the only mediator in resolution of the conflict, the occupation of the territory of the sovereign state with its internationally recognized boundaries has been left out of due attention of the international community for years. Until now, Armenia ignores four UN Security Council resolutions on immediate withdrawal from the occupied territory of Azerbaijan, thus keeping tension high in the region. In the interview, Nasiri also attached great importance to the existing relations between France and Azerbaijan, assessing them as friendly and promising. Azerbaijan is attractive to France as a developed and civilized country that has proven itself to Europe as a guarantor of energy security and a reliable partner, Nasiri mentioned. These two facts are very important in order to continue mutually beneficial bilateral cooperation, which is in the interests of both France and Azerbaijan. --- Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Trend: Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev's visit to Turkey opened a new page in relations between the two countries, Azerbaijani MP Eldaniz Salimov told Trend on April 25. Salimov said the 7th Session of the Azerbaijan-Turkey High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council, held in Ankara, will further deepen cooperation between the two brotherly countries. "The documents signed between Turkey and Azerbaijan in the field of trade, culture, environmental protection and personnel exchange mean a new stage in cooperation," Salimov said. He stressed that the relations between Turkey and Azerbaijan are an example for the whole world. "The relations between the two countries have deep historical roots. Azerbaijan and Turkey have always been close to each other. As President Ilham Aliyev said, Turkey and Azerbaijan are the closest countries in the world, the closest allies," according to the MP. Salimov further emphasized that there is no other country like Turkey that would provide such a great support to Azerbaijan in resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan once again stated that he stands by Azerbaijan in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict issue. "Surely, this statement shows the high level of relations between the two fraternal peoples. I can confidently say that this meeting has raised the Azerbaijani-Turkish strategic cooperation to a higher level. Azerbaijan and Turkey have always been close to each other both at difficult and happy times. And it will be the same in the future," he said. - Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Trend: Prime Minister of the State Council of the People's Republic of China Li Keqiang has congratulated Novruz Mammadov on his appointment as Prime Minister of Azerbaijan, Xinhua reported. Keqiang positively assessed the progress achieved in development of the bilateral ties after the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Azerbaijan. He further stressed that China is ready to promote together with the Azerbaijani side continuous progress in bilateral cooperation in all areas. The two countries should also work together on the Belt and Road Initiative to bring more benefits to peoples of Azerbaijan and China, Li said. - Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Kamila Aliyeva Naturally formed gold, silver, iron, copper, titanium and new minerals have been discovered in Azerbaijans mud volcanoes for the first time. The work on studying the mud volcanoes of Azerbaijan jointly with Ukrainian specialists is underway for the last two years, Head of Mud Volcanism Department at the Institute of Geology and Geophysics of the Azerbaijani National Academy of Sciences (ANAS) Adil Aliyev told Trend. He noted that as a result of the research carried out very successful results were achieved. Aliyev added that 20 volcanoes in various tectonic zones of the country - Absheron peninsula, Shamakhi-Gobustan region on the Caspian coast, southwestern Shirvan - were selected for research. In each of the volcanoes, naturally-formed components containing various amounts of gold, silver, etc. were found, he said. The content of precious metals in mud volcanoes varies between 20-60 microns, according to Aliyev. The research is of interest only from the scientific point of view. To this day, such studies have not been conducted not only in Azerbaijan, but throughout the world, he added. Over a thousand mud volcanoes are known to exist in the world, and some 400 are located in the coastal area of Azerbaijan and the Caspian Sea. The worlds largest mud volcanoes - Boyuk Khanizadagh and Turaghai - are both in Azerbaijan. Boyuk Khanizadagh, the diameter and height of which are 10 kilometers and 700 meters respectively, erupted on October 10, 2001, shooting out flames 300 meters in the air. It was the highest record for flames shot from a mud volcano. Mud volcanoes are a fairly widespread geological phenomenon. The dissemination of mud volcanoes usually indicates the existence of large oil and gas basins, so the large number of mud volcanoes in Azerbaijan reaffirms its richness and attracts the attention of scientists from all over the world. Azerbaijans rich fields of oil and gas condensate such as Lokbatan, Garadagh, Oil Rocks, and Mishovdag were discovered near mud volcanoes. The lava, mud, and liquid spewed by mud volcanoes are used as raw materials for chemical and construction industries, as well as pharmacology. --- Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Rashid Shirinov Next year another metro station will be put into operation in Baku, Spokesman for Baku Metro Nasimi Pashayev told Trend on April 26. He reminded that President Ilham Aliyev has recently noted that the number of metro stations will be increased in Baku and the construction of the new ones will be accelerated. Pashayev said that several stations are currently being built in the capital city. Presently, work continues on the construction of a metro station on Jeyhun Salimov street with the code name B3, Khojasan electric depot, a tunnel linking Avtovokzal metro station and the Khojasan depot, and Hazi Aslanov-2 metro station, the spokesman noted. He added that B3 station will be put into operation first, and there will be three elevators and 17 modern escalators in the metro station. If the work continues at the current pace within the schedule, the station may be put into operation next year, Pashayev said. Baku Metro, opened in 1967, was the first subway system to be launched in the East. Serving the residents and guests of the capital for more than 50 years, Baku Metro is the most affordable and safest way to get around the city. Having 25 stations on 3 lines Green, Red and Purple the Baku Metro is 36.63 km in length. By 2030, it is planned to expand the infrastructure of Baku Metro and create a giant underground transport network consisting of 76 stations, 6 electric depots, and 5 lines with a total length of 119.1 kilometers. --- Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Kamila Aliyeva The Association of Beekeepers of Azerbaijan will send an appeal to the Agriculture Ministry, according to the president of the association Badraddin Khasratov, Report reported. The goal is to obtain organic certification for Azerbaijani honey. The ministry should apply to the Cabinet of Ministers for this. After the receipt of the certificate of organic product, the entry of Azerbaijani honey to the world market will be simplified. However, this is a very complicated process. It is issued abroad. And the invitation of a specialist to Baku requires a lot of financial resources. If the state or the donor organization incurs a part of the costs, the process can be simplified, he said. In addition, according to Khasratov, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has prepared a package of proposals in connection with the amendment of the law On Beekeeping. One of them is to replace the wording environmentally friendly product with organic in accordance with the world practice, he noted. Honey, a healthy foodstuff which improves human nutrition and boosts immunity, has long tradition as a food source in Azerbaijan Beekeeping is developing in Azerbaijan and the industry almost doubled over the last eight years. The products of the beekeeping industry have a significant demand both inside of the country and abroad. The demand for honey in Azerbaijan is 4,500-5,000 tons, and about 3,000 tons is produced. The Association of Beekeepers of Azerbaijan under Azerbaijan Export and Investment Promotion Foundation (AZPROMO) was created with an aim to assist beekeepers in the production process, coordinate the activities of entrepreneurs and ensure operational interaction with government agencies. Earlier, Economy Ministry said that the development strategy of the industry is aimed primarily at a complete substitution of imports by domestic production, as well as a number of measures to increase the export of Azerbaijani honey. There are more than 6,000 beekeepers in the country, which produced 3,000 tons of honey last year, while 2016 indicator equaled to 2,700 tons. Azerbaijan exported 6 tons of honey worth $48,000 to Japan in 2017, thus initiating the realization of this famous agricultural product abroad. --- Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Trend: The price of OPEC basket of fourteen crudes stood at $70.5 a barrel on April 25, which is $0.84 less than on April 24, the cartel told Trend. The OPEC Reference Basket of Crudes (ORB) is made up of the following: Saharan Blend (Algeria), Girassol (Angola), Oriente (Ecuador), Zafiro (Equatorial Guinea), Rabi Light (Gabon), Iran Heavy (Islamic Republic of Iran), Basra Light (Iraq), Kuwait Export (Kuwait), Es Sider (Libya), Bonny Light (Nigeria), Qatar Marine (Qatar), Arab Light (Saudi Arabia), Murban (UAE) and Merey (Venezuela). The price for June futures of the North Sea Brent oil mix has increased by 0.47 percent to $74.35 per barrel, while the price for June futures of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) oil rose by 0.29 percent and stood at $68.25 per barrel as of 12:17 (GMT +4), April 26. -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Trend: OPEC Secretary General Mohammad Sanusi Barkindo will visit Azerbaijan in late May. Barkindo will take part in the 25th Anniversary Caspian International Oil & Gas Conference in Baku, scheduled for May 30-31, reads a message posted on the website of Iteca, which organizes the annual Caspian Oil & Gas exhibition jointly with the ITE Group. In December 2016, at a meeting of oil producers in Vienna, 11 non-OPEC member countries, including Azerbaijan, agreed to cut oil production by a total of 558,000 barrels a day. The agreement was concluded for the first half of 2017 and was extended until the end of the first quarter of 2018 at a meeting on May 25, 2017. At the last OPEC meeting in Vienna, the agreement was again extended until the end of 2018. Azerbaijan supported the decision. -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Kamila Aliyeva Oil prices on Thursday morning, April 26, rose amid expectations of the resumption of U.S. sanctions against Iran, declining output in Venezuela and ongoing strong demand. On London ICE (InterContinental Exchange Futures) cost of the Brent crude oil increased $0.43 to trade at $74.43, while the price of Light crude at the NYMEX (New York Mercantile Exchange) rose $0.29 to stand at $68.34 on world markets. At the same time, the price of a barrel of Azeri Light crude oil decreased $1.25 to stand at $75 in the world markets. Venezuelas plunging output and looming U.S. sanctions against Iran come against a backdrop of strong demand, especially in Asia, the worlds biggest oil consuming region, Reuters reported. The U.S. must decide whether to maintain a nuclear deal and renew sanctions against Tehran before May 12, which is likely to lead to a reduction in the country's oil exports. On April 25, French President Emmanuel Macron, during an official visit to the U.S., said that he sees signs that U.S. President Donald Trump will pull out of the nuclear deal with Iran reached in 2015. Under the agreement, Iran suspended its nuclear program in return for the lifting of sanctions. As Iran is the third largest producer in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), sanctions against the country can reduce the global supply of oil. 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. --- Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz It is crucial for all political forces in Armenia to show restraint and responsibility so as to overcome the domestic crisis, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Armenian counterpart Armen Sargsyan agreed in their phone conversation on Wednesday, TASS reports. Putin and Sargsyan "discussed the current situation in Armenia," the Kremlin said. "Vladimir Putin and Armen Sargsyan emphasized that to overcome the internal crisis as soon as possible, it is of importance to show restraint and responsibility, readiness to solve the existing problems through constructive dialogue in strict compliance with the Constitution." Armenias opposition launched mass protests against the candidacy of Serzh Sargsyan for prime minister of the country. Rallies have been held in Yerevan since April 13. Sargsyan resigned on April 23 amid protests. The opposition accuses Sargsyan of poor governance and deteriorating economic situation in the country. On April 17, the opposition announced the beginning of a "velvet revolution". A suspicious package containing an explosive device was discovered atop a trash can outside the Dowlen Road Starbucks just before sunup Thursday, according to the Beaumont Police Department. An employee brought the package inside and attempted to open it, but stopped after discovering a note, police said. At that point, the worker took the box back outside and called police. BPD declined to say what was written in the note. Officers and members of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (AFT) closed streets and parking lots around the Starbucks for several hours. The "legitimate explosive device" was "rendered safe" by federal bomb technicians mid-morning, according to BPD. Authorities are asking anyone who saw the package on the garbage can or who might have information about the incident to call the FBI Houston Field Office at 713-693-5000. BPD also asked that any photos or videos taken in the area dating as far back as Monday be reviewed and shared with authorities if they show anything suspicious. "We ask that you stay vigilant," BPD wrote in a Facebook post after the incident was resolved. "Pay attention to suspicious activity and report it immediately. Do not open or touch suspicious packages." In a separate incident in February, a 27-year-old Beaumont man was charged with possession of an unregistered device after the FBI detonated suspected explosives grabbed in a raid at the man's home in the 4800 block of Belmont St. Mark Avrey Rudd faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted of the criminal charge. Investigators executing a search warrant at Rudd's home on Feb. 8 found a cooler containing two suspected destructive devices, Alan R. Jackson, interim U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas, said in a statement announcing Rudd's arrest. One of the items was a two-liter bottle of liquid with wires extending from the top. The second bottle contained match heads, a strike plate and a "pyrotechnic device" with a fuse secured to a bottle of butane by duct tape. A search of the suspect's room discovered matches, pyrotechnic devices, an electronic timer wired to a sensor and an assortment of other suspicious items, according to the statement. Also found was a 21-page notebook with details about the construction of explosives. At the top of the first page was a handwritten note that said, "This is why you should not piss me off kabluey Chaos." The FBI, assisted by the Beaumont Police Department and Beaumont Fire and Rescue, blew up the items by digging a hole and detonating the materials underground. PSuy@BeaumontEnterprise.com Rockville-based Minimally Invasive Vascular Centers of Maryland will open a surgery center in Laurel, Md., May 3. Here's what you should know. 1. The center will provide vascular surgery options. Physicians will perform various procedures, including those to address limb loss, stroke, varicose veins, female pelvic pain and uterine fibroids, among many others. 2. Six surgeons will practice out of the center. 3. Center administrators expect the building will earn LEED Silver Certification. 4. The center will also employ 100-plus area residents. 5. Group physician Jeffery Dormu, MD, said, "This center is much needed and will hopefully save many lives. There are far too many people in this community who are suffering from complications related to uncontrolled high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol and excessive weight gain, which all lead to the vascular devastation that is rampant in our community." The following hospitals announced or completed plans in the last week to expand, upgrade or renovate their facilities. 1. NewYork-Presbyterian unveils $1.1B ambulatory care center New York City-based NewYork-Presbyterian completed construction on its David H. Koch Center, a $1.1 billion ambulatory care facility in Manhattan that will soon become home to a women and children's hospital. 2. Ochsner Health System, Acadia Healthcare open 82-bed psychiatric hospital New Orleans-based Ochsner Health System, in partnership with Franklin, Tenn.-based Acadia Healthcare, opened its 82-bed inpatient behavioral health facility in La Place, La., April 24. 3. Medical City Plano breaks ground on 90-bed patient tower Medical City Plano (Texas), a full service 513-bed facility, broke ground on its new 90-bed patient tower April 25. 4. MultiCare opens 58-bed patient tower in Washington MultiCare Covington (Wash.) Medical Center opened a 58-bed inpatient tower on its campus April 24. 5. Adventist's Florida Hospital releases details of $600M network revamp: 8 notes Orlando-based Florida Hospital, part of Altamonte Springs, Fla.-based Adventist Health System, plans to invest $600 million in acquisitions and renovations over the next three years. 6. Texas Medical Center unveils plan for 30-acre medical research campus: 8 things to know Houston-based Texas Medical Center unveiled plans April 23 for a sweeping medical research campus that brings together five of the state's powerhouse research institutions. U.S. Rep. Earl "Buddy" Carter, R-Ga., introduced legislation April 24 that would require hospitals participating in the 340B Drug Pricing Program to report their low-income utilization rates for outpatient and inpatient services. Here are five things to know. 1. Mr. Carter said the proposed legislation aims to increase transparency in the program, which provides front-end discounts on outpatient drugs to healthcare organizations covered under the pricing program. Entities eligible for 340B coverage include pediatric hospitals and hospitals treating a large proportion of low-income patients. 2. Certain hospitals' 340B eligibility is partially determined by their Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital status, which is based on the organization's low-income and uninsured patient population. 3. DSH hospitals are currently required to report their inpatient low-income utilization rate to receive DSH and 340B payments, but this formula "bases eligibility on inpatient care that is provided to individuals with some form of insurance and does not capture all uncompensated care, especially those furnished in an outpatient setting," according to a news release from Mr. Carter's office. 4. Mr. Carter's newly proposed legislation would require 340B hospitals to report their low-income utilization rates for outpatient services and inpatient services, in the main hospital and at pediatric sites. "I believe the 340B program is very important, but it needs to be improved," Mr. Carter said. "This legislation adds an additional layer of transparency to allow us to better understand the patient makeup of DSH hospitals to improve the program and ensure it is truly being used in the most effective way for our nation's most vulnerable patients." 5. The proposed legislation has drawn some criticism. Beth Feldpush, senior vice president of policy and advocacy, America's Essential Hospitals, expressed concerns in a statement to Becker's Hospital Review. "We support transparency, but it must be meaningful and contribute to program improvement. It's not clear to us that this bill would accomplish that," Ms. Feldpush said. "More likely, it would create administrative burdens that strain hospitals already operating with little or no margin and provide nothing relevant to HRSA [Health Resources and Services Administration] oversight. It also would widen the disparity in audits and other accountability measures for hospitals compared with those for drugmakers, which puts hospitals and their vulnerable patients at a disadvantage and weakens the program's ability to counter soaring drug prices." More articles on healthcare finance: Louisiana House passes budget with deep cuts to healthcare that could shutter hospitals: 6 things to know Consumerism and the patient payment transition: 2 experts discuss Memorial Hermann exec: Consumers expect convenient bill pay It's time for healthcare to catch up Republican New Hampshire Senate President Chuck Morse unveiled a proposal that would take $38 million from the state's general fund and put it in escrow for hospitals, according to a Concord Monitor report. Here are five things to know about the proposal and the reaction to it. 1. The proposal, which would be an amendment to House Bill 1102, is designed to help the state's budget shortfall. 2. The shortfall is a result of a federal district court ruling issued in March that voided a 2017 federal rule. The ruling essentially determined hospitals serving a large number of Medicaid and uninsured patients were owed more uncompensated care funding from the state, Concord Monitor reports. Due to the ruling, the state must set aside $38 million that was not previously anticipated in the budget process. 3. New Hampshire hospitals paid $243 million in Medicaid enhancement taxes in April, according to a tweet from the New Hampshire Hospital Association. According to the Concord Monitor, state representatives said hospitals paid the money with the expectation they would receive more money back from the state. 4. According to the report, Mr. Morse anticipates the March ruling will ultimately be overturned and believes his proposal will provide more time for the litigation to be settled. "I believe the hospitals are wrong in their position," he said, according to the Concord Monitor. "Be that as it may, the legal answer to that will play itself out. However, as the state, I believe we must protect ourselves, and the hospitals quite honestly, when it comes to healthcare." 5. New Hampshire hospitals oppose Mr. Morse's proposal. The tweet from the NHA stated: "After paying $243 million in #Medicaid enhancement taxes, #NHHospitals shouldn't be expected to solve the state's budget problem on the backs of their patients." Read the full report here. More articles on healthcare finance: Louisiana House passes budget with deep cuts to healthcare that could shutter hospitals: 6 things to know Consumerism and the patient payment transition: 2 experts discuss Memorial Hermann exec: Consumers expect convenient bill pay It's time for healthcare to catch up High Point (N.C.) Regional Health selected James Hoekstra, MD, to serve as president, effective in September. Dr. Hoekstra currently serves as senior vice president and associate dean of clinical and academic network development at Winston-Salem, N.C.-based Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center. He will continue to serve in the associate dean role post-September. Dr. Hoekstra came to Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in 2003 as a professor and chair of emergency medicine. In March, Wake Forest Baptist signed a definitive agreement with Chapel Hill-based University of North Carolina Health Care, High Point Regional's parent, to transition ownership of the health system. Dr. Hoekstra will replace High Point Regional President and CEO Ernie Bovio, who will assume a leadership role at UNC Health Care in September. Mr. Bovio served at the helm of the health system for the last four years. Charlotte, N.C.-based Atrium Health said April 25 it will grant the request of a group of physicians looking to separate and end their employment agreements with the health system Sept. 1, according to The Charlotte Observer. In an emailed statement to Becker's Hospital Review April 25, Atrium confirmed it will release a group of roughly 90 Mecklenburg Medical Group physicians from their noncompete agreements, effective Sept. 1. The physicians will continue practicing as part of the health system until Aug. 31. "While we were hopeful that our many months of discussions would lead to an acceptable solution for everyone involved, we will not seek to prevent these physicians from forming a standalone practice," the health system told Becker's. Atrium said it will also offer the physicians new employment agreements "in the hopes they remain at Atrium Health and their MMG practice and join the other 1,900 physicians who provide care for our patients," the health system told Becker's. The group of roughly 90 Mecklenburg Medical Group physicians filed a lawsuit against Atrium April 2, arguing the health system engaged in monopolistic and anticompetitive behavior. Atrium said the same day it would allow the physicians to leave the organization. On April 16, the physicians filed a complaint against the health system with the North Carolina Medical Board, alleging the health system violated board regulations by intentionally misleading patients. "We are pleased that today Atrium Health appears to have granted the request by Mecklenburg Multispecialty Group's 90 doctors to operate independently of Atrium Health and release the doctors from the non-compete provisions of their contracts," Mecklenburg Medical Group said in a statement, obtained by Becker's. "We hope to work together with Atrium Health to make this transition as smooth as possible and avoid any inconvenience to patients and staff." Atrium acquired Mecklenburg Medical Group in 1993, according to The Charlotte Observer. In a statement to the publication, the physicians said their attorneys will meet with Atrium's lawyers to further assess the situation. Atrium Health CEO Eugene Woods told The Charlotte Observer the health system is in the process of hiring roughly 20 physicians to help fill the vacant positions left by physicians planning to leave Mecklenburg Medical Group. The health system also previously offered to give employees who choose to say a bonus of up to 10 percent of their salary if they remain through the end of the year. "We feel for our staff, and our first concern was making sure that they feel that we're with them," Mr. Woods told the publication. "We offered them retention bonuses because some of them were scared about what the future is going to be." To access The Charlotte Observer report, click here. Kansas City-based The University of Kansas Health System revealed April 25 the institution signed a letter of intent to purchase Great Bend (Kan.) Regional Hospital and its affiliated clinics, according to The Kansas City Star. Officials reportedly plan to finalize the acquisition this summer, but declined to provide additional details about the deal to the publication. The deal represents the latest in a series of acquisitions The University of Kansas Health System has made during the last few years, the report states. The health system also recently acquired or partnered with HaysMed in Hays, Kan., and Topeka-based The University of Kansas Health System St. Francis Campus, formerly St. Francis Hospital, among other hospitals. Three former nurses at Broome County jail in New York filed a lawsuit against Correctional Medical Care, the company hired by the county to care for inmates, claiming it forced them to falsify medical records to pass accreditation, according to Spectrum News. The nurses, Maggie McDonnell, Jennifer Rivers and Nicole Dzeidzec, allege CMC told nurses backdate sick call sheets, which ultimately denied some inmates certain medication. In one instance, an inmate was suffering from severe abdominal pain. When he was brought to the hospital, he was ordered to return back to the jail. Their attorney, Ron Benjamin, told Spectrum News the company could be trying to cut back on care because these medical issues could be driving up costs. "Inmates are not being given services, simply because the organization is trying to cut its own cost to make the contract profitable," Mr. Benjamin said. CMC called the nurses' claims "baseless" and "built upon a number of lies and exaggerations," and that the lawsuit is merely a "craft[ed] (sic) story that plays in the press and furthers efforts to disparage CMC," reads a CMC statement posted on its website. The company noted one of the nurses was terminated for inappropriate conduct, while another was terminated after admitting to falsifying records. The third reportedly resigned after her job performance was assessed. "Allegations that CMC was engaging in practices aimed at keeping its costs as low as possible are patently false. CMC and CBH Medical have donated in excess of $2,105,599 in staffing since their inception to address the rising acuity and severe health concerns in jails," the statement reads. "No employee of CBH Medical or CMC has ever been instructed to falsify a medical record." The nurses are suing for lost wages. Tech giant Microsoft filed a lawsuit against Franklin, Tenn.-based Community Health Systems March 15, alleging CHS engaged in "willful copyright infringement and willful breach of [the health system's] contractual obligations and implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing," according to a copy of the complaint, obtained by Becker's Hospital Review. Here are eight things to know about the lawsuit. 1. Companies such as Microsoft rely on licensing agreements, which legally bar clients from unlawfully using or distributing software. Once such agreement Microsoft offers is a Volume Licensing agreement, meant for organizations with 500 or more users or devices that want to buy various Microsoft services and software licenses under one agreement. 2. According to the lawsuit, filed in the U.S District Court for the Middle Tennessee District, Microsoft and CHS have entered into a number of licensing agreements for various software products through the company's volume licensing program during the past 17 years. Under those agreements, the 126-hospital system cannot "distribute, sublicense, rent, lease, lend, or host any Microsoft software." 3. Under a specific section of the agreement, Microsoft maintains the contractual right to have an independent auditor verify CHS is complying with the licensing agreements. The independent verification process helps IT managers understand their software inventory and streamline operations, the lawsuit states. The process is also meant to protect Microsoft's intellectual property and ensure CHS is complying fully with the agreement. 4. The lawsuit states CHS has divested several entities during the past three years and "intentionally facilitated the continued use of Microsoft software by these divested entities" despite "having no right to do so," thereby "willfully infringing Microsoft's copyrights through direct or indirect extensive, unlicensed use of Microsoft's software." 5. In October 2016, Microsoft notified CHS it planned to exercise its contractual rights to verify CHS' compliance with the agreements through the use of an independent auditor. 6. According to the lawsuit, the independent auditor and Microsoft repeatedly asked CHS, which had "produced only a small fraction of the data required for the independent verification process," to comply with the verification terms of the agreement for 16 months after the initial notification. "CHS has been largely not responsive to, if not obstructionist of, Microsoft's contractual right to an independent verification. CHS has been given every opportunity to comply with the independent verification process, and Microsoft has exhausted its best efforts to resolve this matter without judicial intervention. CHS's pattern of conduct, including missing numerous mutually agreed upon deadlines and providing incomplete data, demonstrates its unwillingness to comply with its contractual obligation and/or with the independent verification process," the lawsuit reads. 7. The lawsuit requests the judge issue an order permanently enjoining CHS, "and those in active concert or participation with CHS," from continuing to use and host Microsoft's copyrighted software; an order requiring CHS to comply with the independent auditor and provide the necessary data; and an order to pay damages "in the amount to be proven at trial," among other orders. 8. CHS declined to comment to Becker's Hospital Review regarding the pending litigation. Editor's note: Becker's Hospital Review reached out to Microsoft for comment and will update the article as more information becomes available. To access the lawsuit, click here. Seton Medical Center Austin (Texas), the city's largest medical and surgical acute care center and part of Catholic health system giant Seton Healthcare, requires patients who miscarry to consent to holding fetal burials, The Texas Observer reports. One patient who had a miscarriage in June 2015 scheduled a procedure at her physician's suggestion at Seton Medical Center to remove the tissue from inside her uterus. Before heading into surgery, a nurse handed the patient a document asking her to consent to the burial of the fetal remains. The patient could either let Seton bury the remains in a shared grave, or she could schedule a private burial at her own expense. When the patient asked if she could opt out of the burial, the nurse shook her head, and sent a social worker to speak with her, who told the patient again that she could choose between the two burial options, according to the report. The patient chose to leave the burial up to the hospital and opted not to be notified when the burial occurred. "At that point, my only alternative would have been to disconnect the IVs and walk out and have to figure out how to deal with the missed miscarriage some other way," she told The Texas Observer. Seton, which follows the religious directives of the Catholic Church, has required the burial of all fetal remains after miscarriages for over a decade and does not perform abortions or offer contraceptives. One of the hospital's physicians provided a copy of the policy to The Texas Observer. "As a catholic institution, the Seton Healthcare Family policy is for all loss of life to be given a proper burial," the policy reads. Seton spokesperson Adrienne Lallo defended this policy to The Texas Observer, questioning whether there was any alternative to burial. "What would happen normally?" Ms. Lallo asked. "What would people like us to do, other than offer free burial?" However, the hospital's policy is not common. In miscarriage cases, medical facilities usually incinerate remains and send them to a sanitary landfill, as they would with any other medical waste. Families may take the fetal remains and arrange a burial if they choose, according to Texas law. "If people don't want the remains buried in a Catholic cemetery, they can take responsibility for handling the remains. If they don't take responsibility for that, it's taken care of by the healthcare system," Ms. Lallo said. "It's important to emphasize that we're trying to do the right thing, by taking care of folks mainly who are disconsolate, and already dealing with a lot." Seton confirmed to The Texas Observer that if a woman will not sign the waiver, the hospital will still eventually bury the remains. "If they don't make a decision even after we follow up, we'll proceed with a respectful burial," according to Ms. Lallo. "Because that's the way we are comfortable caring for the remains." Hospital physicians who disagree with Seton's policy said they warn patients before for they pursue surgery following miscarriages. "I don't think most patients consider this. In general it's very upsetting," said Diana Weihs, MD, an Austin OB-GYN and former chief of the obstetrics and gynecology section of Seton Medical Center. Karen Swenson, MD, who formerly served as chief of staff at Seton Medical Center Austin and president of the medical staff at Seton Family of Hospitals, also refers patients elsewhere for surgery following miscarriages due to the distress they see the burial policy causes patients. "[Most patients] think they're in a healthcare facility, and that the religious part is the practice of medicine in a compassionate and caring way, not the following of religious and ethical directives of the Catholic Church," Dr. Swenson said. More articles on clinical leadership and infection control: Mayo Clinic infectious diseases physician aids fellow passenger during in-flight medical emergency Report: Low surgery volumes at military hospitals may harm patients The risk physicians face for reporting patient harm: 7 insights With the help of a nurse and EMT on board, Aditya Shah, MD, a fellow in infectious diseases at Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic, was flying to Minneapolis when he aided a fellow passenger who started feeling intense pain in his eye during the flight. Margaret Shields and her husband, Jim Rogers, were returning home from London, when Mr. Rogers complained of the severe pain in his right eye. The pain quickly intensified, and Mr. Rogers doubted whether he could survive the six-hour flight to Minneapolis. "I went up to the nearest flight attendant and said we needed immediate medical attention," Ms. Shields said. "When I heard the [overhead] announcement, I immediately went up to the front of the plane to see what was going on," said Dr. Shah. "[Mr. Rogers] was wearing an eyepatch over the eye, and as soon as I took that off to see what was going on, blood started spurting out." Two other passengers also came to his aid, including a retired nurse and an EMT. "They helped me check [Mr. Rogers'] blood pressure, which was extremely high," Dr. Shah said. After examining him more closely, Dr. Shah said Mr. Rogers appeared to have a tear in his right cornea, causing him to bleed profusely. The in-flight medical trio lowered Mr. Rogers' blood pressure using blood pressure medication from another passenger and worked with on-ground medical support staff to come up with an emergency treatment plan before making an emergency landing in Shannon, Ireland. Dr. Shah made a new eyepatch and icepack for Mr. Rogers using gauze and a Ziploc bag. When the plane landed in Ireland, an ambulance transported Mr. Rogers and his wife to the closest hospital, where he received a temporary surgical repair to his eye. "Words cannot express our gratitude," Ms. Shields said. "Without [the medical team on the plane], I'm not sure if my husband, or his eye, would have survived." Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic Health System seeks to fill more than 100 nursing positions as part of its plans to move certain services at its campus in Albert Lea, Minn., to its campus in Austin, Minn. In the next couple years, Mayo will consolidate Albert Lea's inpatient surgeries, overnight hospitalization, maternity and intensive care at the Austin campus. The health system's plans also include moving Austin's inpatient Psychiatric Services Unit to Albert Lea, as well as adding observation beds to the Albert Lea emergency department. In preparation for this transition, Mayo has posted job opportunities for nurses, nursing assistants and health unit coordinators at both locations, according to hospital officials. "As we continue our work of transitioning certain hospital services between our Albert Lea and Austin campuses, our staff is experiencing the uncertainty that can come with change," said Diane Twedell, DNP, MSN, RN, CNO of Mayo Clinic Health System Southeast Minnesota region. "They have asked us and our communities have asked us to provide as much clarity as we can about what the future looks like." According to Dr. Twedell, Mayo is encouraging current staff members to apply for positions that will be available in the future. The system will hold the positions for those who are hired. The Service Employees International Union Healthcare Minnesota and the Minnesota Nurses Association, which have been vocal opponents of Mayo's plans in Albert Lea and Austin, took issue with the most recent jobs announcement. "Mayo is asking nurses to commit now to take jobs that won't exist for up to a year and a half exponentially increases the uncertainty that employees already have about their futures," said MNA President Mary Turner. "Mayo is once again causing more anxiety among employees and going against what they said they were going to do. This raises the question of Mayo's true motivation about the actual timeline for closing the Albert Lea units." SEIU Healthcare Minnesota President Jamie Gulley expressed similar sentiments. "As has been the case with this whole process, the details are murky for community members, but the track record indicates this will almost certainly mean more profits for Mayo executives at the expense of the jobs and healthcare of Albert Lea families," Mr. Gulley said. "If this were being done in good faith, it wouldn't be a surprise to employees." More articles on workforce: 4 stories on healthcare organizations adding jobs Survey: More than 80% of CNOs report difficulty in nurse recruitment Tenet hospitals in California to host nurse hiring events Six spine surgeons discuss key trends in spine pain management. Ask Spine Surgeons is a weekly series of questions posed to spine surgeons around the country about clinical, business and policy issues affecting spine care. We invite all spine surgeon and specialist responses. Next week's question: What is the most important aspect of mentoring young spine surgeons? Please send responses to Anuja Vaidya at avaidya@beckershealthcare.com by Wednesday, May 2, at 5 p.m. CST. Question: What are some key trends in pain management for spine surgeons to notes? Mark M. Mikhael, MD. Spine Surgeon at NorthShore University HealthSystem's Orthopaedic Institute and Illinois Bone & Joint Institute (Chicago & Glenview, Ill.): There is a nationwide push in orthopedics and pain management toward non-opioid medication pain management. Uniform education and practices are needed to minimize risks associated with opioids. One way is through an enhanced recovery after surgery program, which NorthShore is implementing. It was designed to optimize preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative patient care. Key interventions include setting expectations by providing extensive preoperative patient education; encouraging maintenance of nutrition and hydration preoperatively; standardized non-opiate analgesic and anesthetic regimens; and early reintroduction of both nutrition and mobilization for the patients postoperatively. Patient "treatment agreements" are being used by pain management physicians, facilitating patients to enter into a mutual understanding that their treatment program will be under the direction of a particular pain management physician. This physician will control the prescribing of all types of medications related to pain management in the preop, periop and postop setting. These agreements help patients understand who to turn to for all pain-related needs while trying to minimize drug-seeking behaviors and overprescribing. In the event of tolerance or addiction, a detoxification and weaning program also can be initiated by the same pain management specialists. Additionally, nonsurgical pain management specialists continue to utilize non-opioid treatments such as injections, ablations, nerve-modulation medications and holistic types of treatments. Many spine centers are collaborating and integrating these pain management practices to facilitate better safety and patient-centered care. Scott Kutz, MD. Neurosurgeon at Texas Back Institute (Plano): Spinal cord stimulation employing newer stimulation parameters such as high frequency and burst is a current trend in pain management. Treatment of neck and low back pain with stimulation is more effective than ever before with these newer techniques. Payam Farjoodi, MD. Orthopedic Spine Surgeon at Spine Health Center at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center (Fountain Valley, Calif.): The main trend I see in my practice is a reduction by pain management physicians in prescribing opioids for chronic pain patients. Long term, I think this will be a huge benefit to this patient population and to society in general. Medhat Mikhael, MD. Pain Management Specialist and Medical Director of the Non-operative Program at the Spine Health Center at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center (Fountain Valley, Calif.): Pain management specialists have a tremendous amount of respect and appreciation for spine surgeons, and [I] feel that together we can benefit our patients and achieve high patient satisfaction and outstanding clinical outcomes. However, pain specialists believe that spine surgeries should only be performed when there is a clear clinical indication with the full acceptance and understanding that not every [instance of] back pain can be fixed by spine surgery. Alden Milam, MD. Spine Surgeon at OrthoCarolina (Charlotte, N.C.): Multimodal analgesic techniques similar to joint replacement [are popular for pain management]. Brian R. Gantwerker, MD. Founder of the Craniospinal Center of Los Angeles: I think, as a neurosurgeon, functional systems such as dorsal column stimulation will be key. Keep an eye on the pacemaker industry as they are leading the charge with leadless technology. I am aware of at least one system in functional pain that exists. Look for larger players such as Nevro and Medtronic enter that space. Another trend you will see is big-box spine companies, like NuVasive and DePuy Synthes, will be jumping into that space as well. Don't be surprised to see either Nevro or another company be acquired by one of those two in the near future. The UK's most senior business boss will urge politicians "not to throw away a generation of progress" at a high-profile event tonight. Carolyn Fairbairn, director general of the CBI, will also call for a new customs union with the EU as she addresses the organisation's annual Northern Ireland dinner tonight. At Belfast's Waterfront Hall, she will call on politicians in Northern Ireland, Westminster and in the EU to ensure a hard border is avoided, and that the powersharing Executive is restored. Without an Executive, she believes, Northern Ireland has "no voice" in Brexit negotiations. Ms Fairbairn will say that, 20 years on from the Good Friday Agreement, "politicians must make sure they do not turn the clock back on peace and prosperity". The CBI said the Agreement of 1998 had been a catalyst for economic growth. "In the 20 years since the Good Friday Agreement and the border barriers were taken down, Northern Irish businesses have helped create over 160,000 extra jobs, unemployment is close to its lowest ever, Irish product exports have risen at an average of 6% a year, year on year, for 20 years. "And companies in Northern Ireland generate 70bn a year in sales." Ms Fairbairn will say that "debate" is no longer enough and that solutions were needed. "A hard border must be avoided - if there are alternatives to a customs union that deliver this, they must be explained in detail, now. A functioning Executive is urgently needed - to drive the development of a new economic plan and give Northern Ireland back its powerful voice on the international stage. "And an immigration system must be laid out that enables businesses to attract the people that will power long-term prosperity." Ms Fairbairn will add the UK Government need to explain "precisely" how a soft border will be achieved after Brexit. "Now is the time to replace warm words with wise decisions." The audience will be told Northern Ireland is at a crossroads. "To reaffirm the principle of consent that underpins that agreement and its legacy of civil rights, prosperity and peace or to see a new division across the island of Ireland, with all that that entails for people's jobs, rights and livelihoods. Don't throw away a generation of progress in Northern Ireland on the back of Brexit." The CBI chief will also call for an end to "prevarication" over the border on the island of Ireland. "We at the CBI have said that a new customs union with the EU will help keep the border open and allow Northern Ireland to continue to prosper. "Based on current evidence it is the only way to keep the border fully open. "This is not a dogmatic view but a pragmatic one. "Technology solutions may be ready one day but they are not yet. And trade deals around the world may one day compensate for lost EU trade. But that day is not yet here. "So both sides should explore new customs union options, alongside ways to keep goods regulation closely aligned - the other essential ingredient of a wholly frictionless border. "And while we are making this argument in Westminster we are also making it in the EU27. "Because they too have much to lose from a hard border in Ireland. And much to gain if we get it right. Ms Fairbairn will add business in Northern Ireland is now providing a voice which is lacking from politicians. "Northern Ireland has now been without an executive for 16 months. "There's no Programme for Government, no industrial or economic strategy and no corporation tax cut that would have brought NI in line with the Republic of Ireland. "Crucially, there is no directly elected voice of devolved government in the Brexit negotiations. "This is not how it should be." "What is so remarkable is that Northern Irish business has not thrown its hands up in despair. "Where leadership is lacking, business has taken the lead." Demand has fallen for retail property in Northern Ireland as pressures on the sector grow, according to a survey today. The findings of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and Ulster Bank Commercial Market Survey come as the number of store closures grow around the province. But there are some positives reported in the survey, including the first growth in interest from foreign investors for two years. However, retail was a poor performer with demand for premises down. A large number of UK retailers have closed stores in recent months. In Ballymena, three high street clothing chains - Evans, Monsoon and Miss Selfridge - have pulled down the shutters in Fairhill shopping centre, while furniture store Uno on Belfast's Boucher Road is closing. The administrators of electrical chain Maplin have said they will start closing its stores - there are four in Northern Ireland - while four Toys R Us shops in the province have also shut after its collapse. And low-cost fashion chain New Look has entered a Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA) - resulting in the company negotiating rent reductions in some of its stores in Northern Ireland. But today's survey said overall demand for commercial premises was still strong, with industrial and office space still sought after. Tracy Flannigan, a director at commercial property agency CBRE, said: "Overall the commercial market is presenting a positive picture but, despite encouraging figures in the last quarter of 2017, the market for retail property is experiencing difficulties with demand for lettable space at its lowest since 2009. "This is exacerbated by the demise of Toys R Us and New Look's company voluntary arrangement. "Although short term expectations for capital values in the retail sector have fallen, respondents hope to see these pick up later in the next year." But the outlook was brighter for the office market, she added. "The market remains robust with Grade A office rents maintained at 2017 levels and expectations are for rents to show growth as the supply of Grade A accommodation is taken up," Ms Flannigan added. The survey also found growing hopes for rent rises in the industrial and office sectors. Interest from investors in office and industrial premises was also up, although inquiries about retail opportunities were down. Respondents reported the first rise in overall foreign investment interest in two years, but the survey added the increase was coming from a low base. The office and retail sectors saw increased interest from foreign investors, but industrial premises saw a fall. Gary Barr, relationship director for commercial real estate at Ulster Bank, said: "It is encouraging that surveyors are reporting rising demand overall from both occupiers and investors. "There are no doubt challenges ahead for retail, but at Ulster Bank we continue to support a wide range of property deals and see firm demand for investors in quality assets." Meanwhile, administrators have said they are likely to start closing Maplin stores due to lack of viable interest in the business. It fell into administration in March, putting around 2,500 jobs at risk, with the business falling into the care of PwC. It's understood one secured creditor is owed just over 100m. Slow growth and heightened frustration over the lack of an Executive is holding back businesses in Northern Ireland, according to a major survey. And the region's economic performance is lagging behind the rest of the UK, the research by the NI Chamber of Commerce and Industry and business advisory firm BDO revealed. The Quarterly Economic Survey (QES) for quarter one showed the year got off to a poor start, with domestic sales balances at their lowest since 2013. It also stated that 76% of firms were experiencing pressures to increase wages and that for most key balances, Northern Ireland ranked last out of the 12 UK regions. Manufacturing was the hardest-hit sector with signs of a slowdown and more companies expecting UK sales to fall rather than rise in the next quarter. Export balances also weakened from a strong regional position in the last quarter of 2017. Meanwhile, the sector's cashflow position was deemed "extremely weak" in quarter one, with the lowest balance on record. The service sector showed signs of sluggish growth. Domestic sales and orders balances continued an 18-month downward trend while export sales were at -2% compared to a UK average of +20%. Unsurprisingly, business confidence around turnover and profitability growth over the next year was low. +8% expect turnover growth during 2018 compared to +46% over the same period last year. Brian Murphy, managing partner at BDO Northern Ireland, said there was "no getting away from the fact that we're the weakest performing region". However, he said there were still some positives including low unemployment rates, recruitment activity and Brexit-induced investment. One in four businesses here have made changes due to Brexit, with almost one in 10 establishing a presence outside Northern Ireland. Mr Murphy added: "The absence of the NI Executive and the lack of clarity regarding the arrangements for Brexit is clearly a matter of concern for many. "However, this report shows there is also an increase in investment intentions by local businesses. "This is a welcome sign that despite the current uncertainty at a government level, businesses in Northern Ireland will persevere and plan for future success," he added. Christopher Morrow, head of policy at Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry, made a plea to the Executive. "We must see the Executive back up and running in order to safeguard the future of the economy amid a troubling domestic economic backdrop," he said. Whitbread has bowed to pressure from an activist investor and announced it will spin off Costa Coffee into a separately-listed business. The group, which also owns Premier Inn, said it will pursue a "demerger of Costa", which will be completed within two years. There are around 20 Costa coffee outlets in Northern Ireland. It comes after activist investor Elliott revealed it had become the firm's largest shareholder last week with a stake of over 6%. Whitbread chief executive Alison Brittain said: "Given the progress Whitbread is making, we are confident that both Premier Inn and Costa will soon be businesses of sufficient strength, scale and capability to enable them to thrive as independent companies. "The board, therefore, believes that it is in the best long-term interests of Whitbread's many stakeholders to separate Premier Inn and Costa, via a demerger of Costa." Ms Brittain said the separation, which will see Costa have its own listing, will create "long-term value" for stakeholders and will allow both firms to focus on growth in the UK and internationally. Whitbread will remain the owner and operator of Premier Inn. Costa is thought to be worth between 2bn and 3bn on a standalone basis while Premier Inn is valued at up to 8bn. Shareholder Elliott, along with Sachem Head, had been pushing for a break-up of the group. It said: "Elliott is pleased that Whitbread has announced a demerger and has committed to doing so 'as fast as practical'." As she runs after her boisterous four-year-old twins, devoted mum Shelley Sloan shows no hint of the horrific journey she came through to bring her son and daughter into the world. At her first scan, Shelley (37) and husband Neil (39) were over the moon to be told that they were expecting not one but two babies. But less than 24 hours later the young couple's world was rocked when Shelley was given an out of the blue blood cancer diagnosis. Alarming still was the fact that no doctor in Belfast had ever treated a pregnant leukaemia patient with Shelley's diagnosis before, and there was uncertainty over whether she, or her babies, would survive. Determined that she was going to give her children every chance even though it meant possibly putting her own life on the line, Shelley refused treatment. She told no one apart from close friends and family about her diagnosis and took her chances to ensure her babies came into the world. Shelley and Neil were overjoyed when on July 21, 2013 she naturally delivered Saul, who was born first weighing 4lb 14oz, and 40 minutes later his sister Sadie, who was 4lb 4oz. The seriously ill mum was able to take her babies home just five days later. Two weeks after Saul and Sadie were born, Shelley began treatment for chronic myeloid leukaemia. She was able to take her medication at home and still care for her newborns. It is medication which she will be on for life but research has changed this once potentially fatal cancer into a manageable illness. Today she is the proud mum of two energetic, adorable, feisty four-year-olds. She is lucky enough to work in the nursery school that Saul and Sadie attend and she gets to spend most days with them. And while Shelley selflessly put her own life on the line to have her babies, she credits them with saving her life. She shares her inspirational story today to lend her support to Leukaemia & Lymphoma NI's 2018 awareness campaign, My Lasting Impression. As part of the year-long campaign, the charity is telling the stories of six blood cancer survivors using painted portraits, each done by a different Ulster University art graduate. Shelley's portrait was captured by Aisling Wilson, a young local artist. Shelley met her husband Neil when they were teenagers growing up in east Belfast and she was 17 when they started dating. They married six years ago and soon after Shelley discovered she was pregnant, but sadly she had a miscarriage. It made the couple realise they really did want to be parents and they tried again. They were both thrilled when Shelley fell pregnant very quickly. She recalls: "The first shock was that I got pregnant so quickly. We found out in December 21, 2012 and had our first scan on January 20, 2013. "I had a miscarriage a few weeks earlier and so during the scan I wouldn't look at the screen because I was terrified it wasn't real and there would be nothing there. "Then the midwife said to Neil, 'what do you see', and he said 'two babies' and I was so relieved and delighted that I couldn't stop laughing. I laughed so much the midwife couldn't do the scan and told me to stop. "It was just so lovely. We were so excited and couldn't wait to get home to tell all our family and friends." But the next morning while still very much on a high from her good news, Shelley got an unexpected phone call from the Ulster Hospital asking her to return immediately for further blood tests. During routine tests the midwife had struggled to fill a vial with Shelley's blood so she assumed that she needed another test because they hadn't got enough. She went alone as her husband was at work. Once at the hospital, Shelley began a series of tests. Medical staff asked her several times if she wanted to call her husband but she didn't see the need. As time passed, she became increasingly worried that something was wrong with her babies and asked the doctors what was going on. She says: "I could see the medical staff looking at me very seriously and they kept asking me to ring Neil. "He was in Portadown that day and I didn't see the point of bringing him all that way. I started to think something must be wrong with the babies. The last thing on my mind was that I had cancer. When they told me it didn't feel real. "I just went into some kind of unreal world. I have never been in shock before but I think that was the first time. I must have looked like a ghost walking out of the hospital. I didn't cry because I wouldn't cry in front of people." But the tears came once she was in the privacy of her car. Shelley was in such a state of shock that she recalls driving herself from the hospital to her sister's house in the rain - but looking back, it wasn't raining at all, it was her tears. Her diagnosis was on a Friday and she was booked to attend the City Hospital on the Monday. Her husband was so stunned he refused to believe it and it wasn't until specialists confirmed her diagnosis on Monday that Neil's world also imploded. Doctors wanted to start Shelley on treatment immediately but explained that they had no idea what the impact would be on her unborn babies. For Shelley it was never going to be an option if it meant putting her babies at risk. Doctors also explained that her life could be on the line and advised her to consider an abortion. "They asked me to have an abortion and try again later. That was never going to be an option for me and they then weren't quite sure what to do with me," she says. "They said that they didn't know if the treatment would affect the babies so I said no, I wouldn't take the risk. "I was delaying the treatment for six months and they said they didn't know what would happen in those six months. The consultant told me afterwards that she was absolutely panicking about me the whole time. "It was very scary for my family but they understood. "Poor Neil was worried that he was going to be left with no wife and two babies. "My attitude was that I am their mum and it is my job to protect them and they deserved a chance. There were times when I was scared and I was scared for my babies too. There was an option to have a treatment where they would clean my blood cells, which didn't involve having any medication, and I agreed to that. "I went into hospital once a month for four hours to have my blood cleaned out and that really kept my white blood cell count down." Against the odds Saul and Sadie were born and two weeks later Shelley began treatment for chronic myeloid leukaemia. It was another low point for her. She explains: "It was almost like a realisation that I did have cancer because I had to start treatment. They give you 12 weeks worth of tablets at a time and when I saw the first batch I cried for two hours. It was as if suddenly I realised this is actually happening." And while Shelley put her life on the line to save her twins, she credits her children with saving her life. "I had no symptoms and if I hadn't been expecting the twins I would not have had the blood tests taken and goodness knows when I would have found out and at what stage it would have been at, so Saul and Sadie saved me," she says. Shelley could be on medication for the rest of her life but has been told that there are studies ongoing in other countries proving that many patients can stop the treatment after five years. It would mean having monthly blood tests to closely monitor her white cell count but because of a lack of funding the medical team here are unable to take her off the medication. She says: "The doctors would love to take me off it and I am coming close to five years. I have to fast every day - two hours before I take the tablet and for an hour afterwards and then do that again 12 hours later. "I also have terrible fatigue because of it and to come off it would greatly increase the quality of my life but the money for the blood tests isn't there." After everything she has been through she says life is sweeter than ever: "I just feel so lucky to be here and I really do try to make the most of ever day. Yes I am tired but I am grateful for every day with my children and try to have fun with them every day. Many people are not so lucky which is why I am happy for this chance to support the campaign." Every month in Northern Ireland, 99 people are diagnosed with blood cancer. Thanks to scientists based in Belfast, funded by Leukaemia & Lymphoma NI, three out of four people in Northern Ireland diagnosed with blood cancer survive. But for that one in four, there is still work to be done. You can read more inspirational stories like Shelley's on the charity's Facebook page or their website www.leukaemiaandlymphomani.org and follow the campaign on Twitter at #MyLastingImpression #HiddenCancer An Alliance councillor convicted of drink-driving has joined forces with a charity which supports road crash victims. Patrick Brown, a member of Newry, Mourne and Down Council, was caught riding his motorbike last year while under the influence of alcohol. He took part in an abseil down Belfast's Europa Hotel last weekend to raise money for the charity Brake which campaigns for road safety awareness. Mr Brown said his "incredibly stupid decision" had a huge impact on his life, career and standing within the community. "But more importantly, any instance of drink-driving has a negative impact on society as a whole as it puts others at risk," he said. "By raising money for Brake, I want to give back for my mistake and hopefully use my story to raise awareness and warn young people in particular who may underestimate the dangers and harm caused by drink-driving." Lisa Kendall of Brake said: "We greatly appreciate the support from Patrick and are grateful for him for so publicly telling his story to help raise vital road safety awareness." Police have reopened North Queen Street in Belfast after an earlier security alert was cleared. Police had warned residents of suspicious objects left in the area on Wednesday night. The road was closed on Thursday morning, between the Limestone Road and Mervue Street, but police advised at 1.30pm that the alert was over. Meanwhile, an incident in the Teiges Hill Road area of Brookeborough in Co Fermanagh has been declared an elaborate hoax after a suspicious object was examined by the Army bomb squad. The road was closed and diversions put in place on Wednesday evening. It has now been reopened. The family of west Belfast woman Joleen Corr say that she has died after treatment was withdrawn due to the pain of her injuries. Ms Corr (27), a beautician, sustained horrific brain injuries and was left in a coma after being savagely attacked in Downpatrick. Her family say that she passed away in the early hours of Thursday morning surrounded by loved ones "in the arms of her mother." 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. A court ruling in March resulted in medical staff withdrawing all food and fluids from the woman, who has been in a vegetative state since the brutal attack. 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 earlier this month 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. "It's not fair on her to make her have to cope with this pain any longer. Expand Close Joleen Corr with mum Carol / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Joleen Corr with mum Carol "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." 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. David Sterling flagged up concerns over Brexit and the border to May The head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service has privately warned Downing Street that the UK's plan for the border fails to solve the major problems caused by Brexit. In a leaked private letter to Theresa May's Brexit chief, David Sterling said the plans in the UK's position paper on the border suffered from a number of practical problems and did not address certain "issues". He also raised concerns that Whitehall was not engaging closely enough with officials in Northern Ireland with a good understanding of issues like the Good Friday Agreement and North-South cooperation. The customs proposals, which the UK Government has still been trying to sell to EU negotiators in Brussels as recently as last week, were first laid out in an official position paper on Northern Ireland and customs published last August. Days after the paper was released Mr Sterling wrote to Olly Robbins, at the time permanent secretary of the Brexit department, to voice his concerns about its content. Downing Street, where Mr Robbins now heads up the Brexit unit, however confirmed last week that UK negotiators are still arguing for the solutions proposed in the position papers in talks, stating that "the two proposals we have put forward remain the basis for our negotiation position". The same proposals interrogated by Mr Sterling in the letter were reportedly rubbished by EU officials during the talks and subjected to a "systematic and forensic annihilation" during meetings with the European Commission in Brussels. The letter to Mr Robbins, dated August 23, 2017, says: "While the position papers have helpfully started a dialogue on movement of goods, many of the issues raised in June still require exploration." In the letter the top official also appears to be frustrated by a lack of involvement of local officials in drawing up the policy, stating that "we would like to see a more intensive and open engagement between Whitehall and NICS (Northern Ireland Civil Service) officials". He goes on to list seven areas in which Whitehall had not been taking full advantage of local knowledge, including on the Good Friday Agreement, North-South cooperation, and trade. Going into detail about the issues with the UK customs proposals, Mr Sterling said plans to exempt small businesses from customs suffered from issues of practicality. "The dividing line between businesses of different sizes in Northern Ireland supply chains will undoubtedly be blurred. This could make it difficult to accurately define which businesses are exempt from customs processes," he said. "For example, bulk tankers owned or contracted by Irish milk processing firms collect raw milk from multiple farms in Northern Ireland before returning to Irish processing facilities." He adds: "Small businesses trading on the island of Ireland may also be using inputs from outside these islands, or be part of an island of Ireland supply chain that ultimately sells into world markets." The Civil Service chief also highlighted concerns with plans for a "robust enforcement mechanism" to keep goods from crossing the border. "The visibility and impact of a 'robust enforcement mechanism' to ensure goods not complying with the EU's trade policy (whether through a lower tariff or diverging standard) stay in the UK is a significant challenge," he said. "The example of Turkey illustrates that customs duties are only one part of the picture and technical barriers can be equally disruptive to trade. "Potential trade barriers created by diverging tariffs or regulatory standards are therefore a key area for ongoing discussion." In a separate leaked document also, an internal economic analysis drawn up by the Northern Ireland Executive's Department for the Economy warns that the province's economy will suffer because of Brexit, whatever solution is applied. "There is no quick or simple solution to the land border," the assessment, dated May 2017 says. "There is likely to be some negative impact on the economy whether border controls are sited at the land or sea border, at least in the short-to-medium term. "The policy question is therefore how these impacts can be minimised and what transitional support is required." The Government has declined to comment on the leaks. There has still been little progress on the border question in talks this year, despite the opening of talks about the future relationship last week. Under the Good Friday Agreement there can be no hard border between the Republic and Northern Ireland, and both sides agree that none should return. The EU, however, says the customs union and single market must have external border checks to maintain their integrity. Commission negotiators effectively proposed moving the customs checks to the Irish Sea between Britain and Northern Ireland, but Mrs May refused the approach after pressure from her allies in the DUP. The draft withdrawal agreement as envisaged by the EU says Britain can either come up with a specific solution to the border problem, remove the need for a hard border by negotiating a close trade relationship with the EU, or revert to a "backstop" option that would keep Britain in full alignment with relevant EU regulations. But with Mrs May having ruled out membership of the customs union and single market the chance of solving the issue using the future relationship looks slim, barring a U-turn. Speaking in the European Parliament in Brussels on Wednesday Guy Verhofstadt, the body's Brexit coordinator, said he believed a solution the border problem was needed by the end of June. UK Brexit Secretary David Davis said earlier this week that he was aiming for October. Mr Verhofstadt said negotiators "still have no proposal made by the UK side that could be a satisfactory solution for the problem". An Ulster Unionist councillor, inspired by the story of a female Army medic from her home town, is campaigning to see her name and the names of almost 50 others added to the war memorial in Portadown. Julie Flaherty said one of her motivations was Dr Isabel Addy Tate, a member of the Royal Army Medical Corps stationed in Malta during the First World War, and died there in 1917. Ms Flaherty brought a proposal to Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council, seconded by a party colleague Glenn Barr, for Dr Tate's name and nearly 50 others be added to the town's war memorial. "Given that we are fast approaching the centenary of the end of the Great War, I felt it was both necessary and fitting to take steps to ensure that the nearly 50 local Portadown people who lost their lives in that war, but who are absent from the town's war memorial, are finally recognised," she said. "One story in particular struck a chord with me, that of Dr Isabel Addy Tate. "She was an extraordinary woman, born in the same town as myself, a Methodist like myself, a graduate of Queens University like myself but who served her whole career as a medic only to die at the same age as myself." Ms Flaherty went on: "She was born on May 1, 1875 into a large family living in 19 High Street Portadown. "Isabel worked hard, and excelled herself at Alexandra School in Portadown and entered Queens University Belfast in 1893." Having graduated with a degree in medicine, she worked in England and at the beginning of the war volunteered for service in the Military Hospital in Valletta and in Serbia as a member of the Royal Army Medical Corps. She died during service in Malta in January 1917. The councillor added: "Dr Isabel Tate was an extraordinary lady. Her grave can be found in Malta, she is remembered with honour at Pieta Military Cemetery and even more significantly, she is the only woman included on the Queen's University Belfast Roll of Honour and on their war memorial. "Yet, in spite of her inspiring story, Dr Isabel Addy Tate is not included on the war memorial in her home town." Ms Flaherty said her motion will ensure that a century after the end of the First World War, the names of all those forgotten people will finally be recognised with respect and dignity in their home town. The motion has been passed by the council and Ms Flaherty hopes to see the names added by Armistice Day in November. Prime Minister Theresa May speaks during Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons. Pic PA wire The six Belfast City region partner councils have welcomed Prime Minister Theresa Mays commitment to progressing City Deals in Northern Ireland. Speaking yesterday in the House of Commons, the PM said the Northern Ireland Secretary is committed to working positively with partners in the UK government, the Belfast city region and the Northern Ireland civil service to progress City Deals here. She conceded, however, that the lack of an Executive at Stormont is creating issues that need to be worked through. As part of the confidence and supply deal struck between the Conservatives and the DUP, which effectively means the Democratic Unionists are keeping the Tories in power, Theresa May pledged to support a city deal for Belfast. A city deal would see special powers devolved to councils and exemptions made to allow for the promotion of business, providing a welcome boost for the local economy. In a statement, the six Belfast City region partner councils - Antrim and Newtownabbey, Ards and North Down, Belfast City, Lisburn and Castlereagh, Mid and East Antrim, and Newry, Mourne and Down - welcomed Mrs Mays assurances. A City Deal for the Belfast region would result in a 10 year investment plan to improve infrastructure, digital connectivity, tourism assets and innovation hubs as well as delivering a major skills programme, they said. The aim of the deal is ultimately to create more and better jobs across all of our growth sectors, pushing the fast-forward button on economic growth here and ensuring that those opportunities are accessible across all of our communities. The partner councils are working closely with businesses, universities, the civil service departments and further education sectors and locally elected representatives across all parties with a commitment to securing the best deal possible which will deliver significant benefits not only for the region, but for the whole economy of Northern Ireland. The partner councils said they are working on projects to present to Westminster in the autumn and they are aware that Derry City and Strabane is also working on a similar deal, which they are very supportive of. Belfast councillors will tomorrow decide whether or not to recommend extending Sunday trading hours in the city Belfast City Councillors will tomorrow morning decide on whether or not to extend Sunday trading hours in the city. Representatives were due to vote on the motion last week, however several parties asked for more time to gather information. Tomorrows vote on designating Belfast a holiday resort, which will allow allow large shops to extend their trading hours on 18 Sundays each year, follows one committee vote and two public consultations on the issue in the last 12 months. Combining the two consultations there is a slight majority (52.8%) in favour of extending Sunday trading hours for large shops in the Belfast district. First time round, the proposals were rejected by the SDLP , Sinn Fein and the DUP. On Thursday, a Ulster Unionist Party spokesperson said the party was still considering various options. Both the Alliance Party and the Progressive Unionist Party support the proposals. Sinn Fein did not respond to a request for comment, however sources say the party was still considering its options on Thursday night. Tim Attwood, SDLP party leader at BCC, said they have given careful consideration to the debate around the issue. There is a need to balance economic issues verses workers rights. At the minute, there is no detailed research to show the exact benefits in Belfast of earlier opening on Sundays, he said. We believe what is required in the city centre is to animate the city and provide more cultural activities that will increase opportunities for citizens and tourists. Trade unions representing both retail workers and shopworkers are against the proposals. USDAW, the union for shopworkers, several of whom protested against the proposals outside City Hall last week, urged its members to make one last push and persuade councillors to vote against the motion. Our members remain absolutely opposed to extended Sunday trading, added general secretary-elect Paddy Lillis. "The current Sunday trading arrangements are a fair compromise, which has worked well for over 20 years, and gives everyone a little bit of what they want. "Retailers can trade, customers can shop, staff can work; whilst Sunday remains a special day, different to other days, and shopworkers can spend some time with their family." Retail NI boss Glyn Roberts warned councillors that a vote in favour of extending the trading hours would be a major mistake that would set a dangerous precedent for other councils. The current arrangements are already a hard fought compromise and I would urge councillors to support independent retailers and vote against the proposals, he said. Other councils are looking to Belfast on this issue, voting in favour would be a major mistake. DUP MEP Diane Dodds and Ulster Unionist MEP Jim Nicholson have said they are "disappointed" that a visit by the EU's Chief Brexit Negotiator Michel Barnier to Northern Ireland was announced by Sinn Fein MP Elisha McCallion. In a joint statement the pair said that Mr Barnier must hear views from across Northern Ireland when he visits next week. Read More Foyle MP Elisha McCallion announced on Wednesday that Mr Barnier would be visiting Londonderry as part of his trip. He will also visit Newry and Dungannon. Expand Close DUP MEP Diane Dodds / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp DUP MEP Diane Dodds Michel Barnier is a former French Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs. In July 2016 he was announced as the European Commission's chief negotiator with the United Kingdom over leaving the European Union. It is a welcome development to hear that Michel Barnier will visit Northern Ireland next week. As MEPs we have always been gladdened by the support for Northern Ireland within the EU institutions," the MEP's joint statement said. "However we are disappointed that, whether by accident or design, the European Commission has allowed the visit of Michel Barnier to be announced to the public by a Sinn Fein MP. "The challenge for Mr Barnier now will be to demonstrate that he will hear views from right across Northern Ireland. Whilst visits to Londonderry, Newry and Dungannon will be useful, there are companies and representatives from right across Northern Ireland with views that should be heard in this process. Mrs Dodds and Mr Nicholson called for people across Northern Ireland to have their say on Brexit. Northern Ireland has unique challenges and opportunities arising from Brexit. We have consistently said that the voices of all communities should be heard. Only then will this be a worthwhile and productive visit by the EUs chief negotiator and not a political stunt, the statement ended. Sinn Fein vice-president Michelle O'Neill has said the political process should not be "held to ransom by the DUP's anti-rights agenda". Speaking ahead of a meeting with Secretary of State Karen Bradley today, Mrs O'Neill said the UK government had to live up to its obligations. "I will be telling the British Secretary of State that we need the power-sharing institutions back up and running and there is a huge deal of frustration within the wider community at the unacceptable delay in restoring the Executive due to the British Government's pact with the DUP," she said. "The British Government have obligations under the Good Friday Agreement and if they are not prepared to confront the DUP, then they need to deal with the issues directly and in partnership with the Dublin government." Mrs O'Neill added: "The people of the north, our public services and our peace agreements should not be held to ransom by the DUP's anti-rights agenda." Mrs Bradley is scheduled to meet the leaders of the five main parties this afternoon. There have been calls for her to begin a fresh round of negotiations to restore power-sharing. DUP leader Arlene Foster last night said: "This is a routine meeting with the Secretary of State. I am glad she is meeting all the parties and I hope she will recognise that four of the five main parties would restore devolution immediately. "There is only one party which has placed barriers and preconditions in the path of returning local decision-making to Northern Ireland." Mrs Foster said that in the absence of devolution, there was still a need for decisions to be taken in Northern Ireland. "Over the last few days issues such as the 150m delivered for broadband by the DUP through the 'confidence and supply' agreement have been in the news," she said. "I will be urging the Secretary of State to ensure that necessary decisions are taken and the people of Northern Ireland do not suffer because of Sinn Fein's narrow agenda." Power-sharing has been suspended for over a year following Sinn Fein's withdrawal from the Executive over the RHI scandal. Talks to restore devolution collapsed in acrimony in February after the DUP and Sinn Fein failed to agree on Irish language proposals. Despite Mrs Bradley's meeting with the politicians, Stormont sources have said there is "zero chance" of talks progressing seriously before the autumn. Meanwhile, SDLP leader Colum Eastwood yesterday met Tanaiste Simon Coveney. Mr Eastwood called for a meeting of the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference to "clear the decks" and challenge all parties back to a functioning government. "We had a productive, honest and positive meeting with An Tanaiste," he said. "I was very reassured by An Tanaiste's commitment to protecting citizens here from a hard Brexit and a hard border. "It is absolutely critical that we get to that place so that politicians here can work to protect citizens across this island from Brexit. Unless both governments step in and step up, another round of secret talks between the DUP and Sinn Fein won't work." A DUP MLA has said Green Party allegations of a possible conflict of interest between him and his son on planning matters are "a smear". The Northern Ireland Ombudsman is investigating to determine if there has been a conflict of interest concerning Luke Poots, son of the former Health Minister Edwin over planning matters, the BBC has reported. Luke Poots is a councillor on Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council and is chair of its planning committee. The Green Party lodged the complaint claiming there has been a conflict of interest in planning decisions made on which Edwin Poots lobbied the council while Luke sat as chair on its committee. The Northern Ireland Audit Office advises that a perception of a conflict of interest "can be just as significant as an actual conflict of interest". Both men deny any wrong doing stating independent legal advice was taken on the matter which has at all times been followed. Luke said every time his father lobbied on a matter he declared an interest. "I have done everything by the book. I am 100% in the clear. Every time I have been in the chair when my dad speaks I have declared an interest," said Luke. Edwin Poots said the allegations were "political mischief" and there was no substance to them. He said: "The Green Party - another political party - lodged a complaint with the ombudsman. "Rather than allowing the ombudsman to do the work they have then gone to the media. There is not an allegation of substance that has been made. Expand Expand Previous Next Close Edwin Poots raises his son Luke aloft at his election to the new Lisburn and Castlereagh Council Presseye.com Luke Poots, son of Edwin Poots (left), celebrates his election to the new Lisburn-Castlereagh Council for the DUP with his grandfather Charles Boucher and his mother Glynis / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Edwin Poots raises his son Luke aloft at his election to the new Lisburn and Castlereagh Council "This is purely an attempt to do politics by smear and innuendo with no evidence base for any wrong doing whatsoever. "This is not the first time, the Greens have done this and last year they reported me to the Assembly Ombudsman on a separate issue which was immediately thrown out. "Indeed the Green Party was rebuked by the Ombudsman for how they conducted themselves." Edwin Poots rejected any possible perception of a conflict of interest, he added: "From the first meeting Luke sat on he sought the direction of the council. It took independent legal advice and he has followed the protocol from the outset. "There has not been a perception, there has been dozens of meetings subsequently and this is a creation of the Green Party and some of their supporters. "It is pernicious and it is nasty. "Where people are representing constituents and doing their job you have a party that can't get anybody elected seeks to undermine you in doing the job." Luke Poots has been contacted for a comment. His father said Luke would not be commenting because of the ongoing investigation. Luke said he would no longer take part in planning committee matters where his father makes representations. In a statement, he said: "On being appointed to the Planning Committee of Lisburn Castlereagh City Council I asked for advice on my role if my father made representations to the Committee. The Council received legal advice from their independent legal advisors which I have always followed. "Until the Ombudsman completes this investigation into the Green Partys pernicious complaint, to further reinforce public confidence, I will not participate in the Committee when my father makes a representation." Green Party leader Steven Agnew said they received a complaint which was referred to the ombudsman. "It is important that our planning system is above board and is seen to be above board," he said. In a statement to the Belfast Telegraph, the party said: "The Green Party cannot comment any further on this case because it is a live investigation, but can confirm that the complaint was made after the issue was raised with Steven Agnew by a Green Party member." Lisburn and Castlereagh Council said it would be making no comment on the matter. Evidence of exam "malpractice" has been found at a Northern Ireland school. The managing authority for St Patrick's High School in Keady, the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools (CCMS) said an investigation was started after whistleblowing concerns were raised. "It has now been established that there is evidence of malpractice in the conduct of public examinations in some subject areas at St Patricks High School, Keady," a spokesman said. The CCMS has appointed two independent principals to oversee exams at the school. "CCMS is working with the schools Board of Governors, staff and other education partners, to address all identified issues," the spokesman continued. "Two serving Principals, Jonathan Brady and Liam Perry, have been commissioned to work with the Board of Governors on a review of existing practice and with the development of a focused action plan and any arrangements necessary to ensure complete confidence in the upcoming round of examinations. It comes after the school's board of governors wrote to parents about the matter, the BBC reported. The Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) carried out an investigation of claims made in 2017 about possible irregularities. The board of governors in their letter did not name staff or say what areas were affected. However, it is thought pupils' results are unaffected. The governors said action was being taken to address the matter to assure parents they are dealing with the issue. The CCEA has been asked for a comment. A trade union has claimed that water in a jacuzzi in a Belfast leisure centre turned green because of cost-cutting measures introduced after management was outsourced by the City Council. Unite also says changes to staff training practices has resulted in thousands of pounds worth of damage at other leisure facilities. The day to day running of Belfast's leisure centres was outsourced by Belfast City Council to social enterprise Greenwich Leisure Ltd (GLL) in 2015. Unite spokesman Michael Keenan said: "In the case of swimming pool maintenance, GLL has already cut the eight full-time pool plant fitters formerly employed by the council to four. "Now they want to get rid of these positions and pass on the responsibilities to lower-paid supervisors who will have to perform these functions alongside a range of others." Mr Keenan said that training standards for leisure centre staff were being eroded. "Instead of having fitters with more than 20 years of experience in the safe maintenance of pools, they expect supervisors with only three days' training to take on this vital role. "Overworked supervisors have failed to maintain chlorination machines or conduct two-hourly 'code of practice' chlorine level checks on pools; in other cases jacuzzis have been left to go 'green' as they have not been subjected to the daily regime of emptying and backwashing," the union claimed. "At the Shankill Leisure Centre, an undertrained supervisor made mistakes costing thousands of pounds of damage to equipment, and at Olympia, the errors of an inexperienced supervisor left a plant room and lift shaft flooded - thankfully, without catastrophic damage." But Greenwich Leisure Ltd last night flatly rejected the union's claims. A spokeswoman said: "GLL refutes Unite's claims as completely false and misleading. "At no stage were any of its centres operating 'green' jacuzzis. "Nor were any pools left without chlorine. "We are a highly experienced UK-wide operator. "Staff and customer health and safety is our top priority. "There are over 170 qualified lifeguard staff and 55 qualified plant operators across the city, ensuring the safety of all our users, at all times. "An independent leisure review was completed in 2017 covering health and safety and leisure operations, and resulted in a positive review of our operating procedures. "We have carried out a number of programmes to train all staff in industry standard core leisure qualifications, and continue to do so. "This ensures the safe operation of all leisure facilities at all times, unlike the previous model where trained staff were only available for part of the day. "We are very proud of our management and staff teams that have many years of experience and we ensure they are well trained to serve the people of Belfast." Unite is now planning a May Day march in support of its call for the leisure centres to be brought back under council management. It will proceed from the union's offices on the Antrim Road to Belfast City Hall. An independent unionist MP has said that a hard border will lead to a return of violence in Northern Ireland. North Down MP Lady Sylvia Hermon made the comments during a House of Commons debate urging the government to stay in the Single Customs Union after Brexit. Read More None of the DUP's 10 MP's attended the debate with deputy leader Nigel Dodds saying that the debate was of "no significance whatsoever". Speaking in the Commons, Lady Hermon said that no Brexit deal would result in a hard border in Ireland this could see the return of violence. "If we have no deal, we will inevitably have a hard border in Northern Ireland and we will see the return of violence in Northern Ireland," she said. Nicky Morgan and Ken Clarke were among the senior pro-EU Tories who urged the Prime Minister to retain the option of a customs union between the UK and EU, amid concerns over the impact of major changes to peace in Northern Ireland. Former education secretary Mrs Morgan advised her party that they will not be forgiven for a generation if they ignore the evidence for peace in Northern Ireland and undermine business and financial security. MPs approved a non-binding motion, which called on the Government to include as an objective in Brexit negotiations the option of establishing an effective customs union between the UK and EU, without a formal vote. But very few Brexit-backing MPs attended the debate, which emerged after 10 select committee chairs moved a motion on the issue. A celebration of life will take place on Monday for a pilot who died in a light aircraft crash in Co Antrim. Experienced pilot Bob Farmbrough (77) was at the controls of the small plane which came down last Thursday near rural Ballyhill Lane outside Crumlin. The Cessna 152, which is understood to have been rented from the Ulster Flying Club in Newtownards, crashed between Nutts Corner and Loanends. Mr Farmbrough was described as "the best friend and colleague anyone could wish for". Bryan Greenwood from Larne, who ran his own aerial photography business, was also killed in the crash on April 19. The celebration for Mr Farmbrough's life will take place on Monday, April 30, at 2pm in Mulholland's Funeral Home Carrickfergus, followed by private cremation. His death notice said he was the much-loved husband of Pam and father of Stephanie, Anya, Peter and Andrew. Mr Farmbrough was originally from England and the retired commercial pilot had more than 40 years' experience. He moved to Northern Ireland to begin working for Inter European Airways in 1988. He stayed with the company when it was taken over by Airtours International Airways, and left in 2000 to join British Regional Airlines. He retired in 2002. John Ward, a retired pilot and friend, who had worked with Mr Farmbrough said that "from an ability point of view, he was the very last person you would have thought this would happen to". Expand Expand Previous Next Close Emergency services at the scene after light aircraft crash. Pic Pacemaker Plane crash scene / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Emergency services at the scene after light aircraft crash. Pic Pacemaker Meanwhile the funeral of Mr Greenwood will take place on Saturday at 11am in Craigyhill Presbyterian Church before he is laid to rest in Larne Cemetery. The father-of-two is survived by his mother Iris and three siblings. An investigation into the crash is continuing. The Public Prosecution Service have said they received a higher number of rape complaints in 2016/17. The Public Prosecution Service (PPS) for Northern Ireland has reported an increase in rape complaints. Files involving a sexual offence rose by 5% in 2016/17, with a notable 18% rise in rape complaints, 395 up from 335. The PPS made 1,087 decisions for sexual offence cases, with over a third (36%) meeting the test for prosecution. This meant 363 decisions for prosecution were taken with 36 cases diverted from the courts. A total of 267 defendants were dealt with in the Crown Court, with three quarters (74%) convicted for sexual offences. 64 were dealt with for an offence of rape, with just under a quarter convicted and over half (57%) convicted of at least one offence. In the Magistrates' and Youth Courts, 148 defendants were dealt with, up from 133 the previous year. Dr Richard Scullion is the PPS' Head of Policy and Information. Sexual offences are among the most serious criminal acts that can be perpetrated and the PPS is fully committed to robustly prosecuting these types of cases where the Test for Prosecution is met," he said. In developing this Statistical Bulletin, we want to contribute to a greater understanding of the prosecution of such cases and of the end-to-end criminal justice processes." The PPS also took 688 decisions not to prosecute, with the vast majority (96.5%) not passing the evidential test, while the remaining 3.5% did not pass the public interest test. The figures were verified by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency, with the PPS aiming to publish a further bulletin for 2017/18 in the Autumn. Gabriel Palko (22) of Ridgeway Manor, Moy was arrested following a police raid at his home on January 18, during which a package was recovered containing a combination of pure and mixed cocaine worth a street value of 100,000 A judge has asked for written assurances from a priest who is willing to accompany a man on cocaine charges if he is released to attend his daughter's christening. Gabriel Palko (22) of Ridgeway Manor, Moy was arrested following a police raid at his home on January 18, during which a package was recovered containing a combination of pure and mixed cocaine worth a street value of 100,000. During interview Palko, who is originally from Romania, claimed he was in debt to drug lords who trafficked him to Northern Ireland six years ago, and of whom he remains in fear, following alleged threats. He contended as part of the outstanding debt, he was asked to hold a package for a time and agreed, but claimed he never looked in the bag, although he knew it contained drugs. He was charged with possession and intending to supply cocaine, and efforts to obtain bail were unsuccessful, after strenuous objections from police. At the most recent sitting of Dungannon Magistrates Court, an application was made for compassionate bail, to attend the baby's christening next month, which a defence solicitor described as "a one-off, seminal event for all concerned". He stated a priest was prepared to act as "chaperone" throughout any release and had advised police of this earlier this month. However, an officer involved in the investigation remained opposed to bail, even for a short time, due to concerns of absconding and witness interference. The officer said: "We believe the defendant has involved himself in criminality and that he is linked to the supply of drugs in the Mid Ulster area. "In addition he seeks to be permitted to attend the christening in an area from where alleged threats against him are emanating. "We would therefore be unable to protect him." Under cross-examination, the officer said that he was unable to clarify if Palko actually holds a passport, and on being further pressed on the suitability of the priest acting as chaperone, replied: "He cannot offer reassurance." The officer told the court that the safety of the defendant would not be the priest's responsibility and that the reported threats were coming from Portadown, while the accused wanted to visit Moyraverty. He added: "This is problematic for police to ensure the safety of all concerned." District Judge John Meehan said that he could be persuaded to allow a short release to attend the christening, if the priest is willing to accompany him at all times whilst he is out of custody. He requested the priest to provide assurances in writing to the court and the application for bail is to be considered again next week. Cora Campbell (18) is one of the three teenagers charged with a range of offences following an attack on a young girl in Co Down. Credit - Picture by Justin Kernoghan Three teenagers accused of a prolonged attack on a girl which was filmed and then posted online are under potential paramilitary threat, the High Court heard today. Prosecutors revealed the warning about possible consequences of any return to Bangor, Co Down where the 16-year-old alleged victim was repeatedly punched, kicked and had her head banged off the ground. New details emerged as bail was granted to one of those charged with causing grievous bodily harm with intent at the seaside town's marina last Friday. Counsel for 18-year-old Cora Campbell, of English Street in Downpatrick, claimed she became involved in a fight with the injured party after being subjected to derogatory comments on Facebook. "Both were giving as good as they got, and then it became more one-sided," Conor O'Kane argued. "She (Campbell) bitterly regrets what she did, and she's ashamed of what she did." A 17-year-old boy and another girl aged 16 facing the same charge cannot be identified because of their age. The victim was subjected to a sustained and vicious assault after being deliberately lured to the scene, according to the prosecution. It was claimed that Campbell grabbed her by the hair and started punching her after asking: "Do you want to go now, big girl?" She was also allegedly held down while the male accused poured alcohol over her face, leaving her fearing she was choking. A Crown lawyer said she got to her feet, was dragged back down and then assaulted again by having her head dunked in a fountain as she struggled to breath. Footage of the incident was later shared on Facebook. Police claim the 16-year-old accused had arranged for the girl to come to Bangor pier, and that Campbell was the lead assailant. During interviews the pair made admissions about their involvement but denied the gravity or intent to injure, a judge was told. Opposing bail applications mounted by the two females, prosecution counsel contented both are subject to a threat from an unspecified paramilitary organisation. She said: "Individuals have indicated that should any of the defendants in this case be released from custody and return to the Bangor area some action (will be taken)." The 16-year-old girl's bid to be released from custody was adjourned to next week. But Campbell's barrister argued that the public mood and any threats were being directed against her without having heard the full story. Describing his client as an "intelligent, articulate woman", Mr O'Kane said she had turned her life around in the past year. Counsel also stressed she has not admitted banging the alleged victim's head off the ground. Campbell was said to have acted after "a red mist descended", the court heard. Mr O'Kane claimed if anyone was lured to the scene it had been Campbell by a group from the Bangor area. Referring to alleged Facebook postings by the injured party, he submitted that they formed part of the background to events at the marina. "This was a fight between two equals, and then my client got the better of it," he said. "She didn't start the fight, she ended it." Granting bail for Campbell to live at an address in Belfast, Mr Justice McCloskey banned her from entering Bangor and any other areas covered by the potential threat. He also ordered her to have no contact with the alleged victim or any co-accused, abide by a curfew and report to police three times a week. Imposing a prohibition on accessing social media or using mobile phones, the judge added: "She needs a sterile zone for a period at least." Northern Irelands devolved institutions could stay stalled for as long as five years, an MLA has warned. Alliance Party leader Naomi Long expressed frustration at the ongoing political stalemate which has seen the region without a functioning government for almost 16 months. She called for the British and Irish governments to bang heads together and resolve the potentially disastrous situation. Ms Long said: To me that is just unconscionable at this point. We cant allow it to extend that long into the future. We cant genuinely expect people to tolerate five years of nothing. She was speaking at Stormont where the leaders of Northern Irelands five main parties met the Secretary of State Karen Bradley. That is not sustainable because every day the to-do list of things grows longerAlliance Party leader Naomi Long Ms Long was also critical of the governments apparent hands-off approach. She added: At the end of the day someone has to take a decision at some point to start to bang heads together and apply pressure. From the publics point of view that point in the process has long since past; from lots of the rest of us who are involved in politics that point in the process has long since past but it seems that governments still believe in a hands-off approach and allowing people to take their time and come to agreement is the best way forward. That is not sustainable because every day the to-do list of things grows longer. SDLP leader Colum Eastwood also urged the two governments to clear the decks of disagreement to give Northern Ireland a voice during Brexit negotiations. SDLP Leader @columeastwood calls again for the British Irish Intergovernmental Conference to be convened. He says it is the solution and challenges the British and Irish Government - what are they waiting for ? Tells them get us back to work pic.twitter.com/Efaat6gkcC Social Democratic and Labour Party (@SDLPlive) April 26, 2018 He said: We need now a commitment to bring together the intergovernmental conference, clearing the decks of disagreement and getting on with forming a government. However he objected to the establishment of a so-called shadow Assembly. A shadow Assembly is just another way of people justifying their wages. What we need is a real Assembly, Mr Eastwood said. Although Ulster Unionist Party leader Robin Swan is optimistic about the restoration of the political institutions, he cautioned that the clock is ticking. He said: I think time is running out for devolution in Northern Ireland and I think there have to be some credible steps taken soon. Arlene Foster said Sinn Fein negotiators now needed to prove they could be trusted again (Dominic Lipinski/PA) DUP leader Arlene Foster has accused Sinn Fein of shattering trust in efforts to restore powersharing. Accusing the republican party of leaking confidential papers in the aftermath of a Valentines Day talks bust-up, Mrs Foster claimed Sinn Feins behaviour was unlike anything she had ever witnessed in her political career. In a stinging attack against her erstwhile partners-in-government, the former Stormont first minister said Sinn Fein negotiators now needed to prove they could be trusted again. They have behaved in an incredibly bad way, therefore the building up of trust is going to take a long time and it is going to take actions, she said. We have heard a lot from Sinn Fein in relation to reaching out, its about time that they recognised the role they had in relation to the breakdown and in relation to the shattering of trust within the unionist community. I think Sinn Fein has to look at themselves and did they make the right decisions to act in the way that they did in February past, because that has caused a great schism in relation to the politics here in Northern Ireland. Their behaviour after the breakdown of talks in February was quite disgraceful, quite disgracefulArlene Foster Mrs Foster launched the broadside against Sinn Fein after meeting with Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley at Stormont. Mrs Bradley met all the regions main parties on Thursday as she continues to consider ways to revive devolution. Northern Ireland has been without a properly functioning powersharing government for almost 16 months, due to the bitter standoff between the two largest parties, the DUP and Sinn Fein. A row that broke out over a botched green energy scheme, and widened to encompass long-standing disputes such as the Irish language and gay marriage, shows no sign of resolution. After negotiations collapsed in acrimonious circumstances in February, the parties traded claim and counter-claim about whether a proposed deal had been in the offing. Sinn Fein claimed Mrs Foster had signed off on a deal before backing out in the face of an internal party revolt claims the DUP leader vehemently denied. Amid the fallout, documents exchanged by the parties during negotiations were leaked to sections of the media incidents the DUP has firmly blamed on Sinn Fein. Their behaviour after the breakdown of talks in February was quite disgraceful, quite disgraceful, Mrs Foster said on Thursday. It has never happened before in any talks process I had been involved in and I have been around in a lot of talks processes. They gave out position papers, tried to sell them as the agreement and frankly the fact there was no agreement was the reason the talks broke down. Earlier, Sinn Fein accused the DUP of checking out of powersharing and making no effort to find a way to restore devolution. The partys vice-president, Michelle ONeill, also claimed the UK Governments confidence and supply deal with the DUP at Westminster was now the greatest obstacle preventing the resurrection of coalition government in Belfast. She heavily criticised the DUP and Conservatives after holding what she described as a frank meeting with Mrs Bradley. Mrs ONeill said that while she had met Mrs Foster since February, at events to which they had both been invited, she insisted there had been no meaningful engagement in the last two-and-a-half months. We havent had a real or meaningful engagement with the DUP because they have checked outMichelle O'Neill We havent had a real or meaningful engagement with the DUP because they have checked out, she said. Since the talks collapsed the DUP have been preoccupied by Brexit, they have been preoccupied with their relationship with the Tories at Westminster and they are not engaged in terms of trying to get these institutions up and running again. I dont think they should get carried away with their supply and confidence deal, which we all know will be shortlived. The effort should be here, it should be on negotiations, it should be on getting these institutions up and running and functioning for all people. Mrs ONeill said Thursdays meeting represented the first real attempt by Mrs Bradley to engage with the parties in two-and-a-half months. I put this directly to her I believe the British Government are prioritising their supply and confidence deal over getting the institutions up and running here in the north, said Mrs ONeill. And therein lies the greatest obstacle to getting the institutions up and running and an executive thats functioning for all of our citizens. The DUP have checked out of powersharing. She added: That is the wrong approach and that is an approach that is being pandered to by the British Government because of their supply and confidence deal. Six weeks ago, Mrs Bradley signalled an intent to cut the salary of members of the crisis-hit Stormont Assembly. She said she was minded to slash MLA pay by 27.5%, but would seek the views of the local parties before making a final decision. The Conservative MP has still not indicated what her final decision will be. Mrs ONeill said she told the Northern Ireland Secretary to get on and implement the cut. After the meetings with the five parties, Mrs Bradley said: We reviewed the current position and explored how we might achieve the restoration of devolution while ensuring the good governance of Northern Ireland in the interim. Nicola Sturgeon insists changes still need to be made to the EU Withdrawal Bill before the Scottish Government can back it (Andrew Milligan/PA) Nicola Sturgeon has made clear she will not do a deal to support key Brexit legislation unless further changes are made by the UK Government. Scotlands First Minister insisted that, as it stands, it would not be in Scotlands national interest for Holyrood to give its consent to the EU Withdrawal Bill. Changes made by Westminster, including the introduction of a sunset clause limiting how long Westminster could hold on to powers returning from Brussels, have secured the agreement of the Welsh to the Bill. Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson called on the SNP leader to follow suit, saying while all parties at Holyrood had originally expressed concerns about the impact the legislation would have on devolution, changes were being made. .@RuthDavidsonMSP "So I say to her - for once will you do a deal in the national interest, and not your nationalist interest."#FMQ pic.twitter.com/G08XhhqgrB Scottish Conservatives (@ScotTories) April 26, 2018 There is a deal to be done here, the Welsh back it, other parties in this chamber back it, Ms Davidson said. I say to her, for once will you do a deal in the national interest and not your nationalist interest. Prime Minister Theresa May has said it is disappointing the Scottish Government still cannot agree the Bill, claiming considerable changes have been made to the legislation. Ms Sturgeon insisted: This deal is not in the national interest, that is why I wont sign up to it. She added: I dont agree with the decision Wales has arrived at but I respect their right to take it, that is the nature of devolution. The sunset clause now included in the Bill would still allow the UK Government to restrict Holyroods powers for up to seven years, the SNP leader told MSPs. Speaking at First Ministers Questions, she said if the Scottish Government were to give it the go-ahead this could potentially allow the UK Government to force us, perhaps, to lift our ban on GM crops and could also force us to relax food standards regulations and perhaps open the door to US chlorinated chicken. The SNP leader claimed it could even restrict the Scottish Governments ability to tackle health problems such as obesity and alcohol abuse. Ms Davidson said: Isnt it the case that it doesnt suit the First Ministers political purposes to make a deal, so she is dancing on the head of a pin in order to find reasons not to. Westminster does not need the consent of the Scottish Parliament to introduce the Withdrawal Bill but it could mark the first time the UK has pushed through legislation without the express consent of Holyrood. As it stands Ms Sturgeon claimed the Bill resulted in a heads they win, tails we lose situation with the UK Government. I dont think any self-respecting member of this Parliament should give those proposals the time of day and this Government will not do that, she added. If that means we are the only party prepared to stand up for the rights and powers of this Scottish Parliament then so be it. Will Ruth Davidson stand up for Scotlands parliament or, again, stand with the Tory Westminster government? #FMQs pic.twitter.com/O5zBsSoY7A The SNP (@theSNP) April 26, 2018 The dispute centres over whether powers returning from Brussels after Brexit should first go to London, to allow UK-wide frameworks to be established in areas such as farming and environmental regulations. The First Minister said: We are being asked to sign up to an agreement that would allow the powers of this Parliament in areas that really matter, like agriculture, fishing, the environment, state aid, public procurement we are being asked to allow these powers to be removed for a period of up to seven years without the consent of this Parliament. She suggested two solutions to resolve the long-running dispute, saying Westminster must either drop clause 11 from the Bill or amend it to give Holyrood the proper right to consent. Ms Sturgeon said: If the UK Government does either of these things then we have a deal. The Duke of Cambridge has said he is honoured to be chosen by brother Prince Harry as his best man. (Arthur Edwards/The Sun) Prince Harry has asked the Duke of Cambridge to be his best man and now his brother has the job of organising a stag party to remember. William, 35, is honoured to have been chosen by his younger brother to perform the special role, and is looking forward to the task. Harrys decision was widely expected as the royal siblings are very close and he served as Williams best man during his 2011 wedding to the Duchess of Cambridge. Underneath the public banter, where they regularly poke fun at each other, the pair share a special bond which was strengthened following the death of their mother Diana, Princess of Wales, in a Paris car crash. Expand Close Harry and William, pictured during an encounter with a snake during a 2010 Botswana visit, are very close but love to publicly poke fun at each other.(Anthony Devlin/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Harry and William, pictured during an encounter with a snake during a 2010 Botswana visit, are very close but love to publicly poke fun at each other.(Anthony Devlin/PA) William spoke about their connection during 2017 the 20th anniversary year of Dianas death telling Kate during an interview, as Harry, 33, sat with them: We have been brought closer because of the circumstances as well thats the thing. You know, we are uniquely bonded because of what weve been through. The Prince of Wales also chose his brother the Duke of York to be his main supporter a royal alternative to best man when he married Lady Diana Spencer at St Pauls Cathedral in 1981. The Duke of Cambridge is honoured to have been asked, and is very much looking forward to supporting his brother at St George's Chapel, Windsor on May 19th. pic.twitter.com/mQ0eh7Q0pR The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) April 26, 2018 Kensington Palace said in a short statement: The Duke of Cambridge is honoured to have been asked, and is very much looking forward to supporting his brother at St Georges Chapel, Windsor on May 19. The palace has issued a series of tweets with pictures to mark the announcement including an image of the royal brothers as young boys dressed up as mock policeman. On the wedding day the duke is likely to be tasked with looking after Meghans wedding ring and is expected to give the traditional best mans speech at the private evening event being staged by Charles at Frogmore House. Expand Close Harry and fiancee Meghan Markle will marry at St Georges Chapel at Windsor Castle (Chris Jackson/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Harry and fiancee Meghan Markle will marry at St Georges Chapel at Windsor Castle (Chris Jackson/PA) The Scottish highlands is one of the top choices with bookies as a stag-do destination. The royals know it well and it will give them the privacy to indulge in outdoor pursuits and keep their antics under wraps. Rupert Adams from William Hill said: Prince William has been confirmed as the best man, and we think that has increased the chances of a trip to Scotland, which is now 5-2 from 8-1, although Switzerland is the favourite at 6-4. Prince Harry served as best man to The Duke of Cambridge at his wedding to Miss Catherine Middleton in 2011. pic.twitter.com/klHGqeAyeb The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) April 26, 2018 Las Vegas where Harry was photographed partying naked in 2012 is a 100-1 shot with Ladbrokes as a stag-do destination, but a more realistic choice for William is their 5-1 favourite, the Scottish highlands, or a private hideaway in Wales fancied at 8-1. London has odds of 20-1 with the royals, and their pals, possibly partying away at one of the haunts of good friend Guy Pelly. Jessica Bridge of Ladbrokes said: Prince Harrys days in Las Vegas are over, and despite it being his last night of freedom, it looks safe to say hell be keeping the bash low key in the UK. Amber Rudd said the Government was still working on its position (Victoria Jones/PA) A senior Cabinet minister has risked fuelling controversy over Britains Brexit deal by suggesting that the question of UK membership of the Customs Union remained open. Home Secretary Amber Rudd, who was a prominent supporter of Remain in the 2016 referendum, declined to say that the UK was certain to leave the Customs Union when pressed on the issue at a Westminster lunch. Saying she was not going to be drawn on the issue, Ms Rudd said the Government was still working on its position, which would require further discussions with Cabinet colleagues. Her comments came as MPs debated a backbench motion calling on the Government to establish a customs union with the EU after Brexit. Speculation that Theresa May could be forced into accepting a customs union arrangement has mounted since her defeat in the House of Lords last week, prompting reports that senior Brexiteers including Boris Johnson would not accept any dilution of her red line on withdrawal. Thursdays Commons debate is not binding on the Government and was not attended by many pro-Brexit MPs, with Tories not whipped to take part in the vote. But the Prime Minister faces a much more serious challenge next month when the much-delayed Trade Bill returns to the Commons. It is understood that Chief Whip Julian Smith has told Number 10 the Government cannot win an amendment to the bill calling for the implementation of a customs union with the EU. Asked whether it was more or less likely, in the current climate, that Britain would stay in the customs union, Ms Rudd said: Im not going to be drawn on that. We still have a few discussions to be had in a really positive, consensual and easy way among some of my Cabinet colleagues in order to arrive at a final position. And challenged over which side she would back in Wednesdays Commons vote if she were a backbencher, she said: Im committed to the Governments position, which to some extent we are still working on. Ms Rudd later sought to play down the significance of her remarks, tweeting: Of course when we leave the EU we will be leaving the customs union. I wasnt going to get into ongoing Cabinet discussions about our future trading relationship. But Labours shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer responded: Amber Rudd appears to have let slip that discussions around the Cabinet table about negotiating a customs union with the EU have not in fact concluded. If that is so, then the Prime Minister should rethink her approach and listen to the growing chorus of voices in Parliament and in business that believe she has got it wrong on a customs union. Liberal Democrat MP Layla Moran, a supporter of the Best for Britain campaign against a hard Brexit, said: Amber Rudd has let the cat out of the bag. The Government at the highest level has no idea what their plan for the Customs Union really is. They are utterly and completely shambolic. After the week the Home Secretary has had, being the Prime Ministers human shield, this feels and looks like revenge. This comment will take the Windrush heat off her now for a couple of hours. The Government is an utter car crash. Arch-Eurosceptic Conservative MP Peter Bone, who was also at the Westminster lunch, said he could not understand why Amber Rudd did not support Government policy to leave the Customs Union. The Wellingborough MP added: We cannot have the Home Secretary not supporting this key plank of Brexit. The Government will decide on one of two options for customs arrangements after Brexit that are currently on the table, Downing Street said. A customs partnership that would involve the UK collecting the EUs tariffs on goods coming from other countries on the EUs behalf is under consideration, along with proposals for minimised checks using technology and a trusted trader scheme. The Prime Ministers official spokesman said the Government would move forward with a single option. A Northern Ireland man who battered a pensioner to death with a hammer before going on to kill again has been told he will never be freed. William McFall is one of two convicted killers who tortured and murdered a Vietnamese mother-of-two while out on licence. McFall (51), originally from Graymount Parade in Greencastle, Co Antrim, and 40-year-old Stephen Unwin murdered nail technician Quyen Ngoc Nguyen last August after a four-hour ordeal and dumped her body in her car before torching it. Newcastle Crown Court heard she had been lured to Unwin's home in Shiney Row near Sunderland, where McFall lay in wait. Unwin raped the 28-year-old, who was just 5ft and weighed seven stone. Mr Justice Morris ruled the pair should never be released, sentencing both to whole-life jail terms. They join a group of notorious killers, including Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe and serial killers Rose West and Dennis Nilsen, who will die behind bars. The judge said: "William John McFall, you are an extremely violent man capable of monstrous behaviour." McFall shouted angrily from the dock: "That's your personal opinion." In May 1996, McFall murdered Greenisland pensioner Martha Gilmore by beating her to death with a hammer. He brutally attacked his victim after she disturbed him breaking into her home. He was jailed for life and released on licence in October 2010. Unwin had a history of setting fires to destroy evidence at the scenes of his crimes. He too beat a pensioner to death during a break-in at his home on Christmas Day 1998 and the fire he started to cover his tracks meant the victim could only be identified by his medical records. Unwin admitted murder, was sentenced to life and was released on licence in December 2012. He had met McFall in prison. Jamie Hill QC told the court: "In cases where a defendant has been convicted of murder for a second time, normally the starting point for sentence would be a whole life order. "In the common parlance, life without parole." The court heard how the pair ate curry as their victim lay lifeless on the floor before they dumped her in the burning car by allotments. The killers took 1,000 from her bank accounts, having tortured her for the PINs. Dapinder Singh QC, for Unwin, urged the judge not to impose a whole life tariff. Nicholas Lumley QC, for McFall, said his client continued to deny the murder and regretted coming into contact with Unwin after his release as his life was "on track" in Blackpool. The pair worked together in the north-east of England maintaining properties for landlords - and also stealing cannabis from drugs farms. Mr Lumley said: "He (McFall) attributes his involvement in this terrible incident to his weakening to Mr Unwin's charms." The victim's sister, 35-year-old Quynh Ngoc Nguyen read an impact statement in court, saying: "We cannot comprehend how men like this can live freely in this country. "My sister believed, as I did, that you came to this country for a safer life, with better opportunities for herself and her children." Under-pressure NHS hospitals are awaiting a crucial MP vote on Friday on a Bill that could free them from nearly 400 million a year in business rates. Under-pressure NHS hospitals are waiting on a crucial MP vote on Friday on a Bill that could free them entirely from business rates saving them nearly 400 million a year. Tory MP Peter Bone, who has proposed the Bill, wants to make all NHS hospitals across England and Wales exempt from crippling business rates, it has emerged. In details of the Bill only published for the first time last Friday, it confirms that MPs will be voting not only to abolish controversial car parking charges for patients and visitors at NHS Hospitals, but also on the complete rates exemption. It has already had its first reading last September, and if passed in the MP vote on Friday, the Bill moves a step closer towards becoming law in what will have mammoth implications for hospital and council funding. It marks the latest twist in an ongoing dispute over hospitals and business rates, with a group of 20 NHS hospital trusts having separately launched a legal bid for charitable status relief. The trusts began High Court proceedings against 49 local authorities earlier this month seeking to be treated the same as private hospitals for tax relief, which would allow them to save 80% off their rates bills. If the parking and rates Bill is passed into law, it will free them entirely of the tax burden, saving NHS hospitals in England and Wales more than 399 million a year or 1.6 billion over the next four years, according to real estate adviser Altus Group. The Royal London Hospital, which has the highest rates bill among NHS hospitals in England and Wales, would save 9 million a year, while the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Trust would save 7 million. Exempt large land-hungry parts of the public sector and the burden of funding local services simply has to shift to businesses under the next revenue neutral revaluationAlex Probyn, Altus Group There has already been outcry over the inequality of tax treatment for NHS hospitals, with more than one in four of all private hospitals in England and Wales enjoying hefty tax breaks through their charitable status. But the Bill is set to stoke fears over council funding, with the Local Government Association (LGA) already warning over the threat to the financial viability of some local authorities if hospital rates are slashed. Alex Probyn, president of Altus, said a total exemption could see businesses shoulder the extra tax burden in the years ahead. He said: For many people, it is iniquitous to treat NHS hospitals like businesses and expect them to pay normal business rates, but exempt hospitals and you simply rob Peter to pay Paul. Exempt large land-hungry parts of the public sector and the burden of funding local services simply has to shift to businesses under the next revenue neutral revaluation, he added. Figures from Altus show there are 1,544 NHS hospitals in England and Wales, which collectively will pay 399.2 million in business rates for 2018-19, up 81.2 million since the property revaluation came into effect last year. Over the current four-year tax regime, this will see them pay 1.62 billion in business rates a four-year tax increase of 344.4 million. Ruth Davidson said she cannot keep the smile off her face as she announced she is pregnant with her first child (Jane Barlow/PA) Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson admits she cannot stop smiling as she revealed she is pregnant with her first child. She spoke of her delight after announcing that she and partner Jen Wilson will welcome their new arrival in late Autumn. Ms Davidson says she and her partner since 2014 are excited and daunted about the months to come and are over-joyed at the prospect of starting a family together. Our little family of three is becoming four.... pic.twitter.com/Wpfk5eOaky Ruth Davidson (@RuthDavidsonPC) April 26, 2018 The 39-year-old politician said the news does not change her political commitment or her plans to lead the Scottish Conservatives into the 2021 Holyrood elections, stating that she is simply doing what thousands of working women do every year. Ms Davidson, who has made no secret of her desire to be a mother, found out in March that an IVF procedure had worked. She said there had been ups and downs along the way, but added: Were just delighted that its been successful. Were really looking forward to starting our family. We werent sure that it was going to happen for us, but were really, really happy that it has. Asked how she felt when she was told the good news, she said: Just really relieved, actually, because its quite a lot of stress and pressure. Youre just hoping so hard and youre trying to not allow yourself to hope in case its bad news. I actually cant keep the smile off my face. Wonderful news! I'm very happy for you and Jen. https://t.co/SIyyEw66X7 Theresa May (@theresa_may) April 26, 2018 She told how, as someone who wears my heart on my sleeve, she has struggled to keep the news quiet until now. Ms Davidson revealed that she has been affected a little by morning sickness, fatigue and dizzy spells, but says it will be business as usual until she goes on maternity leave, hitting her work commitments with customary gusto. She revealed she had one such spell shortly before a weekly head-to-head with Nicola Sturgeon at the Scottish Parliament. I was on my way up to First Ministers Questions. I go in, I sit down, Im there for a good 30 seconds before I get up and walk right back out again just in case. But I was OK, it was fine and I dont think anyone noticed. Its all very natural and I think from now on its supposed to get a little bit better. Ms Davidsons deputy within the party, Jackson Carlaw, will hold the fort for a few months while she is on maternity leave although she admits she is unlikely to able to stay off the phone, demanding regular updates during this time. The couple plan to be working parents, who will share parental leave, and Ms Davidson expects to be able to return to work fully in the Spring as she combines her public role with a family life. I think it will change the way in which I do my job. But I dont think it should look as if Ive changed the way I do my job, she said. Time management is going to have to be a little bit different. She added: Let me reassure my constituents and voters across Scotland that there is no change to my political commitment or plans to lead the Scottish Conservatives into the 2021 Holyrood elections. Im simply doing what thousands of working women do every year having a child, taking some time off, and then returning to work soon after. Many congratulations to @RuthDavidsonMSP and her partner Jen on their lovely news. The baby box is on its way! Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) April 26, 2018 Both Ms Davidson and her partner are already aunties many times over and say the youngsters in the family are all excited that they will have a new cousin to join the clan. The couple, who say they are incredibly lucky in the support they have received from their family and friends, have no plans to release the first scan of the baby. Were going to keep babys first picture just for us, she said. But everything is great little snub nose, its nice. She said that with the due date only a few weeks away from the UK party conference in October, she may have to pack an emergency hospital overnight bag for the event just in case. The couples wedding was previously delayed after vet bills for their beloved dog wiped out our wedding fund, but they are still planning to tie the knot in the future. I think I might like to try and lose some baby weight first if thats all right, she quipped. I think it might be after (the birth) rather than trying to crowbar it in before. Asked whether she sees herself as a role model for other same sex couples, she said: I think its important that people realise that this happens and that its normal. Hopefully this takes some of the taboo or mystery away from it. But I have to say when we were thinking about this, Jen and I were very much focused on our own family. We werent necessarily focused on making a political statement. This was the fact that we always, both of us, wanted to have children and were just delighted that we are able to do so. Prime Minister Theresa May tweeted her congratulations following the announcement, saying: Wonderful news! Im very happy for you and Jen. Nicola Sturgeon said: Many congratulations to Ruth Davidson and her partner Jen on their lovely news. The baby box is on the way! Scottish Secretary David Mundell said: This is wonderful news and I know everyone across Scotland will want to congratulate Ruth and Jen on this news. They are a great couple and I know they are going to make terrific parents. A theatre company is hoping to break down the complexities of Brexit for a younger audience by describing all that has happened in the run-up to and since the referendum by using dogs. A Dogs Brexit explores what happens in Bowwow Town. Its initially part of the Bowwow Union but theres a split on the cards. At the heart of the play, from newly-established The Little Things Theatre, is a message that even though people voted differently in the referendum, all opinions are valid. Expand Close Actors dressed as dogs for The Little Things Theatre Company's A Dog's Brexit ((The Little Things Theatre Company) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Actors dressed as dogs for The Little Things Theatre Company's A Dog's Brexit ((The Little Things Theatre Company) Its been created by Josie Hunt, 22, and Imogen Senter, 26, University of Bristol theatre graduates who are co-directors of the new theatre company which specialises in big topics for little ones. In their day jobs, they have seen how interested younger people are in Brexit, the Trump presidency and other parts of politics, and wanted to help address the issues in a fun way. In the 45-minute play the six actors complete with doggie ears and noses bound around the stage as 34 different dogs. And revealing our lovely cast... left to right: Joe, Hannah, Anna, Lydia and Sam - just missing Tom! More on each of them coming soon pic.twitter.com/ns6fHbfkWM The Little Things (@uklittlethings) April 10, 2018 The dogs of Bowwow Town are all part of the BU, aka the Bowwow Union. The kennels trade and dogs move from kennel to kennel, but this luxury comes at a price, said Josie as she explained the story. (Theres) a lot of doggie-dollar and BU rules to deal with. And so the day comes when some British Bulldogs decide they want to leave the BU. In an attempt to be re-elected, the Top Dog announces a BU ruf-erendum, where the British Bulldogs must vote in or out. The enterprising duo behind the show turned to Kickstarter to fund the production, and raised 2,114 against a target of 2,000. Among their inspirations is Grayson Perrys documentary Divided Britain and a cartoon showing a German shepherd, French poodle and British bulldog around an EU kennel. But mostly they want to help younger people the play is suitable for children aged seven and up get a handle on what is going on. I hate the animosity the referendum caused between people and how some people assumed others opinions because of the way they voted, Josie, who voted remain in June 2016, told Press Association. A Dogs Brexit attempts to give a completely non-biased, balanced view of Brexit weighing up both sides of the argument equally. The final message of the play isnt about choosing sides, but accepting that people voted differently. Expand Close Poster for the upcoming A Dog's Brexit / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Poster for the upcoming A Dog's Brexit Neither of us proclaim to be political experts, and actually thats fed into why were putting on the play. Quite often I think politics can be marked as an elite topic that requires knowledge in order to get involved in conversations, which can leave people feeling ignorant or inadequate, isolating them further from political engagement. This seems counter-intuitive, as these big political decisions affect everybody. I hope that with this play we can encourage a younger audience to understand, be interested and feel motivated to discuss and come up with their own political ideas. To date, the company has eight performances booked across three venues in Bath and Bristol. To book tickets and find out more keep up-to-date with the group on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter or visit their website. The former head of HSBC Banks foreign exchange cash trading has been sentenced in New York to two years in prison for a scheme that defrauded a client out of millions of dollars. Mark Johnson was sentenced in Brooklyn federal court on Thursday after being convicted in October 2017 of wire fraud conspiracy and wire fraud. The 51-year-old UK citizen must also pay a $300,000 (215,000) fine. Prosecutors say Johnson and a co-defendant from the UK corruptly manipulated the foreign exchange market. The co-defendant is in the UK fighting extradition. Authorities say the men generated over $7 million (5m) from a single 2011 transaction, some of it illegally. During his trial, Johnson insisted the client got a fair price. The bank was not accused of any wrongdoing. A car drives past flowers and other tributes for Alfie Evans outside Warsaw's UK embassy (Alik Keplicz/AP) Growing support for stricken Alfie Evans is also evident in Poland, following early interventions from the Vatican and Italy. Alfies parents have been embroiled in a legal battle to get treatment for their son who has been cared for in Liverpools Alder Hey Hospital. Alfie Evans must be saved! His brave little body has proved again that the miracle of life can be stronger than death. Perhaps all that's needed is some good will on the part of decision makers. Alfie, we pray for you and your recovery! Andrzej Duda (@AndrzejDuda) April 25, 2018 Polands President Andrzej Duda tweeted on Wednesday that Alfie Evans must be saved. A pile of flowers, toys and candles has grown in front of the UK embassy in Warsaw amid sympathy for the sick childs plight in the Catholic nation. Expand Close A woman lays flowers for Alfie Evans (Alik Keplicz/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A woman lays flowers for Alfie Evans (Alik Keplicz/AP) Pope Francis has appealed for the boys parents wishes to be heeded, saying only God can decide who dies. Expand Close Alfie's father Tom Evans on a recent visit to the Vatican (Gregorio Borgia/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Alfie's father Tom Evans on a recent visit to the Vatican (Gregorio Borgia/AP) Italy has offered citizenship to Alfie in an attempt to smooth his path to treatment in the country. His parents wanted to take him to Rome for treatment with the Bambino Gesu Hospital said to be a possible destination. The jet ski gang operated in the Straits of Gibraltar (PA) Spanish authorities have broken up a Moroccan gang that used powerful jet skis to smuggle migrants across the Strait of Gibraltar. The trips took half an hour and cost 4,000 euros (3,494). Police say each jet ski carried between one and three migrants and a skipper over the less than 10 miles from Morocco to Spain. From Morocco to Spain on jet skis : 4000 to cross the 14 km between Europe and Africa on a jet ski. Europol supports @policia and @guardiacivil in a successful operation against #MigrantSmuggling https://t.co/lt4yHvnSgl #migrationEU pic.twitter.com/Ay2NZIg9PT Europol (@Europol) April 26, 2018 The overall total of migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea from Africa, the number arriving on jet skis is relatively small, but their use has increased sharply. Spains Guardia Civil and National Police, along with Europol, said the gang also used jet skis to smuggle cannabis. Officials said the trafficked migrants either stayed in Spain or moved on to France or Italy. Five of eight Taiwanese drug suspects Juang Jin Sheng, Sun Kuo Tai, Sun Chih Feng, Kuo Chun Yuan and Tsai Chih Hung (left to right, in red tops) listen to the verdict in their trial at the South Jakarta Court, April 26, 2018. A Jakarta court sentenced eight Taiwanese to death Thursday on charges of trying to smuggle in about 1,000 kilograms (2,200 pounds) of crystal methamphetamine last year, the latest foreigners to face a prospective firing squad over Indonesias strict anti-narcotics laws. The eight defendants, all men, were considering whether to appeal the verdict handed down at the South Jakarta Court, their lawyer said. They were found guilty of conspiring to bring in a shipment valued at U.S. $144 million (2 trillion rupiah), officials said. The defendants knew what they brought was shabu [methamphetamine] and were aware that they could face severe punishment, but were still doing it, Chief Judge Effendi Mukhtar said in reading the verdict. So the element of evil conspiracy against the law in the form of facilitating the distribution of drugs is fulfilled validly, he added. The stash was brought in aboard a Sierra Leone-flagged ship, the Wanderlust, when it docked at the port of Anyer, near Jakarta, in July 2017, authorities said. Three of the defendants Liao Guan Yu (22), Chen Wei Cyuan (22), and Hsu Yung Li (37) were arrested during a raid by police at a hotel in Anyer on July 13, 2017. The three men and another Taiwanese national, Lin Ming Hui, were allegedly picking up the meth, packed in 51 sacks, when the raid occurred. Police shot and killed Lin Ming Hui. The five other defendants Juang Jin Sheng (42), Sun Kuo Tai (37), Sun Chih Feng (40), Kuo Chun Yuan (44), and Tsai Chih Hung (56) were arrested aboard the Wanderlust three days later in Batam, Sumatra province as it was sailing to Taiwan, police said. The decision to send the eight men to death row was weighted on consideration that the defendants were involved in an international crime syndicate whose drug trafficking could damage the young generation of Indonesia, Judge Effendi said. After the verdict, their lawyer, Juan Hutabarat, said his clients would take some time to ponder whether to appeal it. What is certain is that we will include what have been put in the memorandum of defense. Later, we will re-enter [this] together with other considerations that we get from the judges decision, Juan said. Indonesian law stipulates that inmates on death row must exhaust all legal avenues, such as appeals and judicial reviews, before they can be executed. Three of the Taiwanese defendants Liao Guan Yu, Chen Wei Cyuan, and Hsu Yung Li (left to right), are pictured at the South Jakarta Court, April 26, 2018. [Arie Firdaus/BenarNews] Be merciless: Jokowi Thursdays death sentences were the first in Indonesia since a court in Sumatra province handed capital sentences to four Indonesians who were convicted of possessing 134 kg (295 pounds) of marijuana. Three months earlier, a Pekanbaru District Court in Sumatra handed down the same verdict to three Indonesians who have been involved in drug trafficking, for the possession of five kg (11 pounds) of shabu and 1,599 ecstasy pills. Global rights watchdog Amnesty International said at least 262 people were on death row in Indonesia last year for drug and other offenses, but the country did not carry out any executions in 2017. Still, 33 people were sentenced to death over drug charges that year. Since President Joko Jokowi Widodo took office nearly four years ago, 18 drug convicts have been executed by Indonesia, including foreigners. In April 2015, Jokowis government caused an international furor when it put to death eight drug convicts, including seven foreigners. Two of them were Australian citizens Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan, whose executions strained bilateral relations. Canberra condemned Jakartas decision to go through with the deaths by firing squad and, at the time, recalled its ambassador to Indonesia in protest. Jokowi has since hardened his stance on being tough on drug dealers as a way to combat his countrys crisis with drug addiction. Last year, echoing a hardline anti-drug policy taken by his Philippine counterpart, Rodrigo Duterte, the Indonesian president said publically it was OK for police to shoot at drug suspects. Be firm, especially to foreign drug dealers who enter the country and resist arrest. Enough, just shoot them. Be merciless, Jokowi said in a speech in Jakarta in July 2017. Data released in October 2017 by the National Narcotics Agency (BNN), showed about 6 million Indonesians were drug users. Up to that point in 2017, Indonesian authorities had shot and killed 79 alleged drug dealers and arrested 58,365 suspects linked to drug abuse, the agency reported. The body of a Palestinian engineer gunned down in Kuala Lumpur was flown to Egypt late Wednesday for burial in Gaza, after a funeral procession in the Malaysian capital and Malaysias police chief released a photograph of one of the two alleged killers. The family of Fadi Mohamad Al Batsh, 35, who was killed over the weekend, claimed his body from Selayang Hospital on Wednesday afternoon and took it to a mosque near his home. Hundreds of people marched through Kuala Lumpur as they trailed a van carrying Al Batshs coffin from the funeral home to a mosque, where about 500 mourners gathered for prayers. Dr. Fadi is a very kind person. He has been a teacher to everyone around him. He is a very optimistic person, his widow, Enas, told BenarNews. Even when I saw him at the morgue, he still has that optimistic look in his face. He has that positivity that spreads to everyone around him. After prayers, the family traveled with the coffin to Kuala Lumpur International Airport, where members boarded a flight to Egypt before heading to Gaza to bury Fadi. Enas said she planned to remain there after burying her husband. Earlier on Wednesday, Malaysias police chief showed reporters a picture of one of the suspects that bore a striking resemblance to a computer-generated sketch released Monday. Investigators believed that the two suspects, who were on a motorbike when they allegedly shot and killed Fadi, were still in Malaysia, Police Inspector-General Mohamad Fuzi Harun told a news conference in Kuala Lumpur. He may change his look, shave his head or facial hair or wear a hat to cover his hair, Mohamad Fuzi Harun said of the one suspect identified in a photograph. Police also revealed that the suspects Kawasaki motorcycle was discovered in the neighborhood of Danau Kota, about nine minutes from the crime scene. Fuzi said investigators believed the suspects had entered in Malaysia at the end of January. We suspect they used fake IDs to enter the country or while in the country, he said. Malaysian Police Inspector-General Mohamad Fuzi Harun shows the photograph of one of two suspects next to a computer-generated sketch released days earlier, during a news conference at police headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, April 25, 2018. [S. Mahfuz/BenarNews] Widow speaks Al Batsh, a father of three, had been in Malaysia for more than seven years and held Malaysian permanent resident status, officials said. The University of Kuala Lumpur said Al Batsh was a senior lecturer and had joined its staff in 2016. He had a doctorate in electrical engineering and power electronics from the University of Malaya and received his masters and bachelors degrees in electrical engineering from the Islamic University of Gaza, an independent school in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip. Enas, 31, described Al Batsh as a loving husband and father to their children aged 1, 4 and 6 during an interview late Tuesday with BenarNews. She declined to answer questions about her husbands alleged link with the Palestinian militant group Hamas, stressing instead the good things he did while living in Malaysia. When we opened the house for people to come and give their condolences, I noticed everyone has been coming Muslims, non-Muslims of every nationality, they came here to pay tribute for Dr. Fadi, she said. One neighbor, a Malaysian Chinese, told me that he treated her with respect, always asking her how she was doing, asking about her life. She said he had goodness and depth in his heart. Enas also said she would finish work on her doctorate in Islamic studies. It has been the wish of my husband for me to pursue my education because I waited for him to finish his studies, and he said its only fair that I get to pursue my own education, Enas said, adding she decided to stay in Gaza after the funeral and was seeking options with the university to continue her studies online. Hamas and Al Batshs relatives had accused Mossad, the Israeli intelligence agency, of having a hand in the killing, according to reports. On Saturday, the day Al Batsh was slain, Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi told state news agency Bernama he suspected that a foreign intelligence agency was involved. On Sunday, Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman said his country had no reason to shed a tear over Al Batshs killing, according to the Israeli daily newspaper Haaretz. He said the killing may have been the result of militant organizations settling scores. Following the slaying, Hamas did not disclose Al Batshs role in the militant group, but described him as a member. Palestinians in Malaysia MyCare, a non-governmental organization working with the Palestinian expatriate community, said more than 5,000 Palestinians are living in Malaysia. They are there to seek a safe place to live and to help their families back home, Mohamad Abu Bakar, a lecturer in international and strategic studies at the University of Malaya, told BenarNews. He said the global community was aware of Malaysias stand in providing aid in its humanitarian outreach to the Palestinian people. Palestinians linked to Hamas have been in Malaysia, geopolitical analyst Azmi Hassan said. The Malaysian government has declared Hamas as a legit political party and, at the moment, it is Hamas that is governing Gaza. Because of that, the presence of Palestinians linked to Hamas whether for businesses, work or to further study are legal, Azmi told BenarNews. Malaysia, a Muslim-majority nation of 32 million people, has no formal diplomatic relations with Israel. In recent years, Malaysian officials have denied allegations by Israeli security services that Hamas operatives were training on Malaysian soil to carry out military operations against Israel. Hareez Lee in Kuala Lumpur contributed to this report. How Academic-Industry Synergy Assuages Rising Brain Disorders With an ageing population globally, the burden of neurological disorders is rapidly increasing, posing a challenge to the sustainability of health systems. The burden of neurological disorders such as stroke, headache disorders, epilepsy, Alzheimers disease, Parkinsons disease, multiple sclerosis, encephalitis, meningitis, traumatic brain injuries, among others, is also expected to increase in India due to the rapid demographic and epidemiological transition occurring in the country. To add to it, factors such as shortages in the neurology workforce, inadequate research funding, limited supply of drugs, and scarcity of basic healthcare amenities, are making the situation worse. Lets try to unearth the practicable solutions and innovations stemming from the industry and academia. analytica Anacon India and India Lab Expo debuts in Mumbai Messe Muenchen India organized a regional edition of analytica Anacon India and India Lab Expo, the market leading trade fairs for laboratory technology, analysis, biotechnology and diagnostics. This is the maiden edition which is currently being held in Mumbai from April 25-26, 2018 at the Bombay Exhibition Centre, Goregaon. The expo attracted over 4000 visitors and showcased over 100 national and international exhibitors from Germany, USA, China, Japan and Korea. The exhibition had a grandeur opening with the presence of eminent industry players like Mr. Satya Chandra Sekhar, Vice President and Head, Reliance Life Sciences, Dr. Reba Chhabra, Deputy Director Quality Control and Head, National Institute of Biologicals, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, Mr. Sampath Srisailam, Senior Group Leader, Syngene International Limited, Dr. Dibyendu Saha, Senior Science, Standards Liaison - Global Biologics, United States Pharmacopeia and Mr. Vijay Nag Thota, Deputy General Manager Biologics Regulatory & Product Strategies, Hetero Drugs and Mr. Bhupinder Singh, CEO, Messe Muenchen India. The Analytical instrument industry is majorly import driven with 83% share in 2016, expected to come down to 74% by 2020 having CAGR 22% between 2012-2020 with major importing nations like China, USA and Europe, as per a recent report by Euro Asia Consulting. Indian Analytical instrument consumption is seen in key application sectors such as Pharmaceutical, Biotechnology, Testing, Inspection & Certification industry and Government & Academia. Growth of analytical instruments market largely depends on the performance and R & D spending of industries such as Pharmaceutical, Biotechnology, Chemical and Oil & Gas etc. Life sciences, Food & Beverage are also emerging as prominent sectors which are expected to fuel the market for analytical instruments in the coming years. Mr. Bhupinder Singh, CEO of Messe Muenchen India said, Analytical Instruments industry can be made into a robust eco-system by creating competitive positioning through driving sectors growth, R & D, local manufacturing focus and government policies. Demand for customized instrumentation from end-user segments such as the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors is primarily driving the analytical instruments market in India. India remains heavily import dependent (70-80%) to meet Analytical instruments demand, wherein high end equipment are imported, while local manufacturing is limited to basic to medium technology equipment. Analytical instrument industry is evolving with trends such as smart technology adoption, miniaturization, portable instruments and customization; customization being highly demanding by end users. Indian analytical instruments industry is emerging (2 Billion EUR) and has potential opportunities mainly driven by shifting customer focus, foreign players footprint and emerging application sectors. Indias pharmaceutical sector has reformed into a global R&D hub. Indias pharma industry exhibits strong manufacturing and export competencies allowing it to be one of the most competitive regions globally. The growth in Life Sciences, Pharmaceutical Research, Biotechnology, Chemical, Oil & Gas, Food & Beverage industry is fueling the consumption of analytical instrument in India. Indian analytical instrument industry is expected to reach 2.4 billion EUR by 2020 having CAGR of 17% which currently stands at 4% of global market. The Mumbai Edition of analytica Anacon India and India Lab Expo saw participation from leading companies such as Airtech Corporation, Anatek Services, Chromline Equipment, Genet Bio Co., Hally Instruments, Jiangsu Skyray Solutions Co., Ltd., Japan Analytical Instruments Manufacturers' Association, S. V. Scientific, United States Pharmacopeia, Art Lab Equipments, Simson Pharma, Waters India Pvt. Ltd. TA, Instruments Division and Sarstedt AG & Co. KG., Agilent Technologies India Pvt. Ltd., Biolinx Lab Systems Pvt. Ltd., Glassco Laboratories Equipments Pvt. Ltd., Kevi Labtrech, India., Shimadzu Analytical (India) Pvt. Ltd., Simson Pharma, India., Toshvin Analytical Pvt. Ltd., Unichrome Associates, India. The analytical industry is one of the smallest segments in India but is one of the most crucial industries. There is a huge opportunity for entrepreneurs to Make in India. Focus of Food & Drug Administration and Medicine & Healthcare Products Regulatory to improve safety standards. There is a necessity for entrepreneurs, government and organizations to brainstorm and invest in creating the appropriate environment. further added by Mr. Bhupinder Singh. Analytical instruments demand to be majorly driven by technological advancement of machines, government funding, FDI in pharma along with stringent regulations resulting in steady growth. 100% FDI under the automatic route in Greenfield pharma and Pharma 2020 vision aims to make India as a global hub for end to end drug discovery. The event also had a series of conference programs focusing on in-depth discussions on the development, challenges and implementation of quality standards pertaining to bio-pharma process. Renowned speakers from Reliance Life Sciences; National Institute of Biologicals, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India; Syngene International Limited; Global Biologics, United States Pharmacopeia; Hetero Drugs delivered key insights. The flagship edition of the trade fair will continue to take place in Hyderabad and is scheduled for September 6-8, 2018 at HITEX, Hyderabad. Chinnamasta: The Goddess Without A Head Faith Mysticism oi-Renu Chinnamasta, also known as Chhinnamastika and Prachanda Chandika is one of the Tantric Goddesses in Hinduism. In Tantric Buddhism she is known as Chinnamunda. Chinnamasta Devi is a form of Shakti who is depicted as ferocious wrathful. Chinnamasta means, 'severed head'. The Hindu Divine Mother is commonly identified with her fearsome iconography.Her birth anniversary is celebrated as Chhinamastika Jayanti. This falls on the Chaturdashi during the Shukla Paksh in the month of Viashkha. This year it will be celebrated on 28th April, 2018. Chinnamasta is one of the most outrageous forms of divinity in Hinduism. The self-decapitating Goddess is one of the important and worshipped Shaktipat Goddesses. Chinnamasta symbolises both life-giver and life-taker. One of the goddesses of Mahavidyas, Chinnamasta is considered both as a symbol of self-control on sexual desire as well as an embodiment of sexual energy, depending upon interpretation. The mythology emphasizes her sacrifice with maternal element, her sexual dominance and her self-destructive fury. As her approach is dangerous and ferocious, she is not worshipped everywhere. Her temples are mostly found in Northern India and Nepal. So She is recognised by both Hindus and Buddhists. Chinnamasta is closely related to Chinnamunda - the severed-headed form of the Tibetan Buddhist goddess, Vajrayogini. Chinnamasta is mostly depicted nude and with dishevelled hair in blood red or black coloured body. In the texts, She is described to be a sixteen-year-old girl with full breasts and has a blue lotus near her heart. She is standing over a naked couple. The couple is said to be Rati, Goddess of sexual desire, and her husband Kama, God of love. Chhinnamasta is depicted wearing a serpent as a sacred thread and a garland of skulls or severed heads and bones like Maa Kali. Blood streams out of her neck and Her two female attendants Dakini and Varnini (also called Jaya and Vijaya) are drinking the blood. In the left hand, She carries her own severed head (in a platter or a skull-bowl). In the right hand, She holds a khatri (a scimitar or knife) by which she decapitated herself. Story: There are many stories about the birth of Chinnamasta Devi. One legends of Narada-pancharatra narrates this story- Once while having bath in Mandakini river, Goddess Parvati got sexually excited and turned black. Meanwhile Her two attendants named Dakini and Varnini (also called Jaya and Vijaya) get hungry and ask the goddess to satisfy their hunger. Goddess Parvati looks around but couldn't find anything to eat. So She severes her head and the blood flows in 3 directions; one in Jaya's mouth, other in Vijaya's mouth and the third in Parvati's mouth. Another story shows Chinnamasta who is standing over a naked couple which is said to be Rati and Kama. Standing on the body, the goddess masters the physical body, and to free her mind from this, Chinnamasta cuts her head. Chinnamasta signifies that life, death and sex- three forms of transformation, are three parts of the cycle . Chinnamasta is not that popular as an individual goddess. Tantric practitioners worship Chhinnamasta for acquiring siddhis or supernatural powers. Her mantra is, Srim hrim klim aim Vajravairocaniye hum hum phat svaha. Narad Jayanti- Facts About Devarishi Narad. Faith Mysticism oi-Renu Narad Muni was a learned sage and a messenger of Gods. Narad Jayanti is the birth anniversary of this sage. As per Hinduism and mythology, it is believed that he used to travel from one Loka to the other, carrying messages and information. This is why he is also known as the first journalist of the universe. Narad Muni was the son of Rishi Kashyap. Rig Veda mentions hymns dedicated to Devrishi Narad. He was a musician too, besides being a messenger. He used to collect the information from all the lokas, namely, the Aakash, Patal and the Prithvi Loka. His description can be found in the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and he is often discussed in the Puranas as well. He used to meet Gods in heaven and their incarnations on the Earth. Considered very intelligent and mischievous, Narad Muni was highly intellectual. Many stories tell about his small mischiefs, some of which even turned into big issues in the abode of Gods. He was a true devotee of Lord Krishna, and would always be seen singing religious songs while playing his Veena on the way. He kept chanting 'Narayan, Narayan', which refers to Lord Vishnu. Visiting Kashi Vishwanath and feeding the Brahmans is also considered to be very auspicious for the day of Narad Jayanti. Narad Jayanti falls on the Pratipada tithi during the Krishna Paksh, in the month of Jyeshtha. According to the South Indian Amavasyant calender, the month is that of Vaishakh. This year, the day falls on 1st May, 2018. The Pratipada tithi will begin at 6:28 AM on 30th April, 2018, and end at 6:47 AM on 1st May, 2018. A Vedic sage, travelling musician and storyteller, Narad Muni carried a Khartal and a Tambura in his hands and is a master of these musical instruments. Narad Muni was the primary source of information among the Gods. While we have read about many sages, all of them belonged to the Earth. But this sage did not belong to the earth, but to the abode of Gods. Narad Jayanti is the birth anniversary of Narad Muni. Let us know who he really was. According to the Puranas, Narad was a Gandharva in his previous birth. As a Gandharva, he was cursed to be born as a Shudra and sing songs to the demi Gods. As a result, in his next birth, he was born as the son of a maid servant. The servant used to work in the house of a priest of the Brahman Caste. Narad used to listen to the religious discussions that took place in the priest's house and was motivated by these stories. His mother too worked very sincerely and won the appreciation of the family members. The Brahmin priest, appeased by the maid and her son's dedication, offered him the prasad from the temple of Lord Vishnu. However, when the maid died, Narad had to leave the priest's house. He went to a forest to discover the truth of life. He introspected, meditated and as a result of his hard penance, Lord Vishnu appeared before him in his divine form. As he awoke from the meditation, he was frightened as well as surprised. The boy knew that he had achieved enlightenment. From then onwards, he dedicated his remaining life to the worship of Narayan, Lord Vishnu. He started being known as a sage in the due course of time. Even after his death, he was given a spiritual form by Lord Vishnu. This is how today we know him as the divine sage Narad Muni. 1. Yes. There should be absolute certainty that the election was free and fair. 2. Yes. The audit could and should lead to stronger laws governing elections in the state. 3. No. Former President Trump wants the audit to further cast doubt on the 2020 vote. 4. No. Its a waste of money, an attempt by Abbott to gain favor among Trump backers. 5. Unsure. It seems unnecessary but it may provide some worthwhile findings. Vote View Results By Eamon Quinn AIB does not plan to alter its controversial proposal to restore an executive shares incentive for the first time since the banking collapse and bailouts, according to AIB chief executive Bernard Byrne. Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe, who announced last week the Government would vote against the proposal, yesterday wielded its 71% voting block at the lenders shareholders meeting to oppose the pay resolution until a consultant completes a review of pay caps at the bailed-out banks, which he indicated would be completed at the end of the year. However, speaking to reporters at the banks AGM, Mr Byrne defended the re-introduction of the top executive shares incentives plan and, in welcoming the Department of Finances review, he echoed Mr Donohoes comments that the changing landscape caused by Brexit will lead to more banks relocating from Britain to Ireland, heightening competition for bankers. Mr Byrne said AIB was seeking to compete on the same level-playing field to retain and recruit executives. He also queried whether the scheme could be characterised as a generous plan, as it was put together after consulting all major shareholders and after studying what the market was offering banking staff. He said it had no intention of doing anything different with the scheme. The minister has made the position clear. It is time to wait for the review, which he again welcomed. Under the scheme, AIB top executives, from 2019, could benefit from a performance assessment up to a maximum of 100% of their pay. In relation to the deferred annual share plan, it said the achievement of challenging and appropriately stretching performance targets will result in an annual award of up to 100% of fixed pay. Performance measures would include meeting financial targets with a particular focus on reducing non-performing loan exposures, increasing cost efficiencies, and maximising shareholder return, according to the proposal. The AGM also heard an apology read out by AIB chairman Richard Pym to Wexford farmer Paddy Kehoe, who had raised questions at a number of AGMs about his banking matters. He was famously ejected by security in 2005 from an AIB AGM on the instructions of then chairman Dermot Gleeson when he tried to raise questions about his personal accounts. We have finally resolved these issues, and I would like to reiterate my apologies to Mr Kehoe and his family, said Mr Pym, in reference to the banks handling of his accounts. The size of the settlement has been kept under wraps. By Elisabeth Behrmann BMW, the car maker struggling to propel sales that are rising at less than half the rate posted by rival Mercedes-Benz, is counting on a delivery boost later this year from high-volume models like the revamped X3 and all-new X2 sport utility vehicles. In 2018, sales growth will come in the second half, and the SUV line-up will put us on track to regain the worldwide luxury-car delivery lead by 2020, Pieter Nota, the German companys new head of sales and marketing, said on Wednesday in an interview at the Beijing auto show. BMW chief executive Harald Krueger pledged almost a year ago to redouble efforts for the companys namesake brand to retake top spot in premium-auto sales that it lost to Mercedes in 2016, and he laid out the 2020 deadline in January. The Munich-based carmaker is in the middle of a record rollout of new models and derivatives to help meet its goal. BMWs deliveries this year have gained 2.8%, compared with a 6% jump at Mercedes. While expecting a slight increase in global sales for the course of the year, meaning a range of zero to 5%, BMW sees demand growing solidly in China, its biggest market. The carmaker will start producing the X3 locally at its Shenyang plant this year, its sixth model to be made in the country. Mr Nota, 53, will be pivotal to orchestrating BMWs return to the No 1 luxury-vehicle sales rank as the manufacturer also deals with an epic industry shift to electric powering systems and driverless technology. Hell be tasked with bringing in fresh ideas to a company that led manufacturers development of SUVs starting in 1999 with the X5 and that made an early move into electric cars. An outsider to the industry, the former marketing executive at Nivea face-cream maker Beiersdorf and electronics producer Philips joined BMW in January, succeeding long-time sales chief Ian Robertson. Aside from pushing deliveries, Mr Notas tasks span getting more people to use BMWs services like car sharing and intelligent parking, as new players like Uber Technologies encroach on its turf. - Bloomberg Software engineering solutions and services company Comtrade Digital Services has announced that they have opened their new global HQ in Dublin. The company which has had a presence in Ireland since 2001 plans to grow its Irish team and achieve double-digit growth. Comtrade made the decision to move the global headquarters to Sandyford, Dublin because Ireland has a reputation as a digital and technological hub. It plans to grow its Irish and international operations and avail of better access to target markets in the Ireland, UK and US, along with existing clients. The business is also committed to continuing its influence as a thought leader, with upcoming events including its annual Quest for Quality conference in Dublin which brings together experts from across Europe to discuss quality assurance. Speaking about the opening of the new global headquarters, Dejan Cusic, Business Director of Comtrade Digital Services, said: "It is an important milestone for the company and an indication of the success we have enjoyed here in Ireland over the last 15 years. Dublin is a city with unrivalled digital prowess and has become a technology hub for leaders in the field, as well as a location of great opportunity. We intend to continue our growth in Ireland, whilst innovating and collaborating with both existing and new customers. Viktor Kovacevic, Vice President and General Manager at Comtrade Digital Services, added: "Our vision at Comtrade Digital Services is to deliver true innovation and leverage emerging technologies to enable businesses to evolve and grow globally. "We are also committed to sharing our insights through different initiatives and events. Having our global headquarters in Ireland allows us to combine knowledge and experience gained from working across Europe, and utilise this to help clients thrive on a global level." Martin Shanahan, CEO, IDA Ireland said: "Comtrade's decision to establish its new global headquarters here in Ireland is another welcome investment to our thriving ecosystem of software engineering companies. "Ireland is now home to 16 of the top 20 global software engineering companies, demonstrating our proven track record in this area." Digital Desk By Sam Chambers and Scott Deveau Whitbread is betting that its Costa Coffee chain will compete more effectively against the likes of Starbucks once it is separated from the companys hotel business. The faster-growing Costa will be spun off from Premier Inn within 24 months, Whitbread said. The planned split follows mounting pressure from activist investors, who said the two businesses sit uneasily together under one corporate roof. Coffee shops and hotel rooms dont make natural bedfellows, said Hargreaves Lansdown analyst Laith Khalaf. The breakup will provide each of the two emerging companies with greater strategic focus on their own goals, he said. Costa is the UKs largest coffee chain, with a market share of 39%, according to researcher Allegra. It leads Starbucks, with a 25% share, and Caffe Nero, with 11%. Outside of the UK, it has 600 stores, including 400 in China and 107 in the Republic of Ireland. It has signalled its intention to grow in China. Costa has spread across the UK, where its a fixture of downtown shopping districts and train stations. However, its shops face growing competition from Starbucks and sandwich-focused Pret A Manger and Greggs, and growth has been slowing. Investors believed Whitbreads attachment to Premier Inn was restricting further expansion, domestically and in China. Activist investors Elliott Management and Sachem Head Capital Management have been pushing the company for a breakup. Whitbreads Costa business could be valued at 2.39bn (2.73bn), according to analyst estimates. Activist fund Elliott said it was pleased Whitbread planned a split and urged the company to move quickly. In Elliotts view, this should be achieved within six months, it said. The two-year timeline appears lengthy compared with other UK breakups in recent years. When Cookson spun off Alent in 2012, for example, it took just seven weeks from the time the plan was announced to completion. One of the longest recent demergers in the country involved Carphone Warehouse, which broke out TalkTalk as a separate business in 2009 in just over 11 months. Costa said in a statement that its board has for some time been of the view that separating Premier Inn and Costa at the right time would enhance focus and enable value to be optimised for shareholders over the longer term. The interventions by the activist investors expedited the companys announcement, chief executive Alison Brittain said. The activists strategy has been remarkably successful, said Bernstein analyst Richard Clarke. The plan is not out of kilter with what management has been saying, but this does feel like a bit of a capitulation, he said. As coffee shops proliferate across the UK, Costa has found growth harder to come by in a maturing market. Greggs and pub operator JD Wetherspoon have both started selling flat whites and cappuccinos for less than Costa. Under Ms Brittain, Costa has also focused on China, where Whitbread plans to more than double its stores to 1,200 by 2022. Premier Inn has expanded into Germany and the separation of the arms will boost their international prospects, said the CEO. The planned spinoff comes as competition among the worlds biggest coffee companies heats up, with Nestle acquiring Blue Bottle Coffee and JAB Holding snapping up companies like Keurig Green Mountain and Peets Coffee. Costa takeover speculation will likely only grow from here, said Morgan Stanley analyst Jamie Rollo. Any suitors for Costa may be disappointed by the chains current performance. Amid dwindling foot traffic on the UKs shopping streets, Costa reported its domestic like-for-like sales fell by 0.4% last year, after growth of 2% a year earlier. - Bloomberg. Additional reporting by Irish Examiner Joe Dermody reports on the bright future awaiting the graduates of the New Frontiers programme for business startups. Remote Signals is a startup destined for big things in the past week alone, the company has won CIT/Rubicons prestigious New Frontiers 2018 top Best Business Opportunity prize while it was also a category runner-up in Irelands Best Young Entrepreneurs. It has also been selected by the Local Enterprise Office (LEO) Cork City to represent it at the 2018 National Enterprise Awards in May. The company connects business assets such as fridges, motors and pumps to the internet. The data that Remote Signals collects is already helping retailers, fridge maintenance companies, pharmacies and others to make choices that are saving costs and informed decisions about new potential revenue models. It is also working with Teagasc on a project that will see its low cost, robust monitors used to remotely gather data from farming land. Farmers get messages about their fields and they can use this data to know when best to spread fertiliser etc. Teagasc will use this data to inform their decisions about grass management, said Joe Perrott, one of the three founders of Remote Signals, along with Dan Stapleton and Tony Garvey. All three were previously with PCH International, so they bring years of overseas experience, notably in China and Europe. They initially focusing on cold chain monitoring of retail fridges. Pharmacies have also taken off for them, likewise their agri-tech monitoring. Joe Perrott is the one who attended the Enterprise Ireland-funded New Frontiers programme in the Rubicon, CITs incubator centre for startups. New Frontiers has been great for us, Joe Perrott said. We had a business plan, but the programme taught us to sit down and think about our business, how to do market research, how to charge. You have to know your market. Without that knowledge, you wont sell, no matter how good your product is. The level of prior industry experience among this years 13 New Frontiers graduates is as varied as their businesses, which range from freight and oncology solutions to online services for childminders, wedding photography and postcards. Monika Szynkiewicz and Dr Marie Therese Shortt, Culture Pro Kieran Gleeson of Freight Station won the New Frontiers award for Best Business Plan. He previously worked in logistics with Kuehne Nagel in Cork. Freight Station is a software as a service (SaaS) platform for the road freight industry. Its cloud-based platform gives clients digitalised information on the tracking and delivery of shipments. Like Remote Signals, it has also quickly hit the ground running. We arrived at New Frontiers with just the concept and we developed a prototype and tested it for our industry, said Kieran Gleeson. For three or four weeks, we worked on a pilot project with companies to find out exactly what they wanted, adding things like digital signatures. Weve decided to go with recording milestones rather than using GPS. The driver will have different options en route. "The real benefit of what were doing is that theres proof of delivery. Plus, its digital rather than paper-based. Freight Station anticipates seeing potential growth from Brexit, when customs clearance will add new layers and challenges for drivers across Ireland, the UK and the EU. Assisted by New Frontiers, the company is currently talking to investors. Representatives of banks and investment funds were in Cork City Hall earlier this week for the New Frontiers awards ceremony. The events panel discussion featured pharma entrepreneurs Pat OConnor of Orthoxel and Pat OFlynn of Solvotrin, along with Orla Rimmington, a partner with Kernel Capital, the Bank of Ireland venture capital fund. We have over 300 investments in the past 15 years, said Orla Rimmington. There is no such thing as a perfect company. Its always a good idea to talk about your weaknesses as well as your strengths. Well find out everything in any case when we do our due diligence. Id also advise startups to talk to investors as early as possible. You can discuss your goals, then later on well be able to talk about the markers youve reached and your plans to reach the others. Its also a good idea to look to raise money long before you need it. Sean O'Sullivan, Head of Enterprise Local Enterprise and Paul Healy, Centre Manager Rubicon Both Pat OConnor and Pat OFlynn echoed that sentiment, highlighting the importance of coming across as attractive rather than desperate. The two entrepreneurs also recounted their lean early years in business, particularly the pre-revenue years that are part and parcel of the healthcare and pharma sectors, with years of clinical trials etc. Invaluable advice for the New Frontiers graduates. Previous participants in New Frontiers have a great track record. Last years winner, Paul Glavin of Glavloc Build Systems (GBS) has since expanded and moved into larger premises. Construction companies in Ireland and UK are using GBSs rapid build systems to deliver complete buildings within six weeks. Other successful previous NF programme participants have included businesses such as Abtran, Aspira, Cully and Sully, Crest Solutions, Treemetrics and Radisens Diagnostics. New Frontiers is the best programme of its kind in Ireland, with no equity taken in participant businesses, says Liam Fitzgerald, the New Frontiers programme manager. It gives these businesses exposure to the full suite of supports available with Enterprise Ireland, including industry specialist mentors, market research resources, and international offices. "It also acts as the most effective introduction into funding opportunities like the Competitive Start Fund and High Potential Start-up Funding. Participating on New Frontiers is likely to be the best strategic decision a business makes. Maria Gavin, Enterprise Irelands programme manager for New Frontiers, said the success of the programme is evidenced by the huge interest it has attracted since being rolled out nationwide. She congratulated this years graduates on their bravery in launching a business. She also offered her best wishes to all those considering applying for next years programme. One potential participant will be recently retired Munster and Ireland rugby star Tomas OLeary, who is at the outset of launching a new designer watch brand, TOLD & Co. Feliks Szczcblewski, CIT and Jospeh Freyne, Swyft Energy He was the guest speaker at this years awards, where he spoke about how the professionalism of Munster rugby in particular has informed his determination to succeed in business. His modesty also won over a few new fans. Im hoping to join New Frontiers this year, he said. It would be great to get an outsider to bring a new set of eyes and experience to help develop the business. My wife, Julie, is the brains behind the business. And to be honest, shes also the beauty behind it. "I suggested that we get a male model to be photographed wearing the watches, but she insisted on putting my ugly mug out there as part of the brand. The Rubicon is welcoming expressions of interest in its next programme. New Frontiers is offered in three distinct phases to suit businesses at different stages of development. For more information about the programmes and how to submit an expression of interest, visit the Rubicons website. Participants in the New Frontiers incubation programme for startups, funded by Enterprise Ireland and hosted by the Rubicon Centre, Cork Instute of Technology's incubation hub Swyft Energy, Joseph Freyne Winner of the New Frontiers Best Display award in its City Hall showcase, Swyft Energy is an online platform that streamlines boiler replacments for homeowners by connecting them with reputable boiler installers. Weve had 30% growth month on month on average since our launch, said Joseph Freyne. The big thing we learned with New Frontiers was our decision to pivot the business we were going to be an online platform driving good value to the customer, but we werent really offering anything to the tradespeople. When we went and met them, we learned that there was a value in taking the hassle out of applying for sustainability grants. "The other big thing New Frontiers brought us was to get out there with the product. We could have just kept on researching. Instead, the product is something weve been constantly refining as the business keeps growing. Gasgon Medical, Vincent Forde Focused on protecting patients from unwanted dangerous air bubbles in IV tubes, Gasgon is the producer of a device that will reduce the exposure of hospitals, nurses and their patients to risks associated with IV infusions. The company is developing a technology to support clinical staff in hospitals and home care environments globally through effective management of gas in fluids can result in harm to patients. iLine Software Solutions, Kevin Corr iLine is a performance management software solution for production lines. It helps companies to save money by minimising downtime losses and inefficiencies. New Frontiers has made me more aware across all aspects of the business, said Kevin Corr. It also really helps to be in an environment where people are doing something similar to you. The contacts have been great from mentors, peers through to potential new customers. Culture Pro, Marie Therese Shortt: Culture Pro is an interactive online B2B cross-cultural training platform. It helps improve communications across a culturally diverse workplace. ARQ Asset Solutions, Conor OSullivan ARQ gives owners of valuable assets like power generators, manufacturing and transport machinery to monitor the condition of elements such as the oil that keeps assets running. MySitter, Aaron Collins MySitter finds professional childminders for your home. It employs childcare professionals, conducts Garda vetting etc, and offers 22% higher rates than preschool roles. Freight Station, Kieran Gleeson Freight Station is a software as a service (SaaS) platform for the road freight industry. Its aim is to connect freight forwarders, hauliers and their drivers on a single cloud-based platform. This will digitalise all business processes between these stakeholders. PeakSoft, Martin OFlynn PeakSoft is a mobile software package that helps people systematise their goal attainment. PeakSoft helps individuals to figure out what they want, why they want it, how to get it, with a personal planning platform to ensure they do what is necessary to achieve it. CyCa OncoSolutions, Nusrat JM Sanghamitra Winner of Best Innovative Product, CyCa is developing biomolecular nanomachines to deliver drugs; like a tiny molecular drilling machine. It has attracted significant capital investment. Remote Signals, Joe Perrott Overall winner of New Frontiers 2018, Remote Signals enables businesses to easily obtain operating data from remote assets using their Internet of Things (IoT) hardware and software platform. These assets vary, with current customers including retail, refrigeration stores and pharmacy clients who are using this platform to remotely monitor temperatures in fridges and other vital assets. The platform also has agri-tech applications, and Remote Signals is working on a project with Teagasc to remotely monitor farming land. Lumin House, David Casey This online photo storage system is a lifetime gallery for a photographers clientele. Many wedding photographers have shown keen interest. Stamp Owl, James Gayle StampOwl is an app that allows you to send physical postcards from your smartphone. It is available on Google Play Store and Apples App Store. Functioning since June 2017, it has 350 active users and has sent 1,500 postcards to date. MerchKitty, Darragh Enright Merch Kitty is a smartphone-friendly SaaS platform to empower musicians to boost sales of their merchandise. It allows musicians to simple and secure payments for sales and to build relationships with their fans. The 800-year-old heart of Dublin's patron saint has been recovered by police, six years after it was stolen from a cathedral in the city. The relic - the heart of St Laurence O'Toole - was taken from Christ Church Cathedral in 2012. It has no monetary value but is "a priceless treasure" for the church, the cathedral's Dean, the Very Reverend Dermot Dunne, said. The theft of the relic, which had been kept in a wooden heart-shaped box and placed within a small iron-barred cage, sparked a six-year investigation by Gardai. It will be presented to the Archbishop of Dublin, the Most Reverend Dr Michael Jackson on Thursday evening by Garda Assistant Commissioner Pat Leahy. The heart of St Laurence O'Toole Archbishop Jackson thanked those who had helped recover the relic, and described the return of the heart as a joyful moment for the people of the city. He said: "The return of the heart of Laurence O'Toole to Christ Church Cathedral brings great joy to the people of Dublin as Dubliners. "For those of us associated with the life of the dioceses, it brings again to the fore the close relationship between Glendalough and Dublin, a relationship of more than 800 years. "Laurence left the monastic city of Glendalough of which he was Abbot to become Archbishop of Dublin, hence cementing a vibrant relationship that continues unabated to this day." Rev Dunne said he was "delighted" at the relic's return. He said: "I said at the time it was stolen that the relic has no economic value but it is a priceless treasure that links the cathedral's present foundation with its founding father, St Laurence O'Toole." Assistant Commissioner Leahy commended officers who he said had "kept their radars on and their minds open in this ongoing investigation". Gardai said no arrests have been made. There will now be a shrine to St Laurence, who died in 1180, in the cathedral, the church said, noting that they had looked at their security since the theft and continue to have regular reviews. - PA by Gordon Deegan A female accounts clerk has been awarded 10,000 after being victim to prolonged sexual harassment from her boss. In a case taken at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC), the woman said that from late January 2017 until she resigned on March 28, 2017 she suffered continuous sexual harassment. Documenting the sexual harassment, the woman said that on the week starting March 13, 2017, her boss insisted on kissing her when he was leaving the office. She objected to this but he persisted and caught her head and pulled her toward him and tried to kiss her in the lips. The woman lowered her head to prevent this but her boss kissed her on the forehead. The accounts clerk is a non-EU national and was here on a student visa that allowed her to work. The womans duties included work on the design of the firm's promotional brochures, marketing, sales, accounts, tour guide duties, and work in an associated shop on the premises. The woman also created social media posts promoting the companys work. Earlier in the womans employment at the firm, she stated that her boss would hug her and these hugs became more prolonged and she was continually asked for a hug every time he left the office. The Complainant maintained that she objected to these by saying, dont touch me and putting up her hands to stop him but in many instances he overpowered her. The boss continued to hug her without her consent on March 25 and March 26 and on March 28, the woman resigned from her post. The WRC report - where none of the parties are identified - records that the effects on the woman of the sexual harassment "were feelings of disgust and she still feels that way. Her self-confidence was very low during the abuse and deteriorated as time passed". The woman said that her trust in people in Ireland was very poor as she always thought that everyone wanted to take advantage of her. She said that she is now leaving Ireland and intends to seek professional help on her return to her home country. The woman claimed that she was intimidated by her boss and felt that there was no one she could approach for help and she was fearful about losing her job. She stated that she spoke with the marketing manager about the matter but he told her that it was only a joke. The woman maintained that there was no bullying and harassment or dignity at work procedures in the company. There was a no-show from the company at the hearing and the womans evidence was uncontested. In her findings, Adjudication Officer, Ewa Sobanska found that that the woman was sexually harassed and ordered the firm to pay her 10,000. Ms Sobanska recorded that after the marketing manager treated the womans complaint as a joke, the woman did not know what to do or who to go to. Ms Sobanska said: This is entirely understandable in the circumstances. It is therefore unsurprising that the Complainant believed that there was no other alternative but to resign. Ms Sobanska also ordered that the company pay the woman 1,624 in respect of other breaches of workplace legislation. In her recommendation, Ms Sobanska also recommended that the company immediately adopt, implement and monitor a comprehensive, effective and accessible policy on sexual harassment, harassment and dignity at work. Ms Sobanska also recommended that a copy of the policy is given to all existing and new staff on arrival and that staff are fully acquainted with its contents. In addition, copies of the policy, or a brief synopsis should be displayed in prominent positions in the workplace. She also recommended that all staff who have staff management functions receive appropriate training in the policy and that this training is kept under review in light of development / best practice in the area. By Olivia Kelleher The CEO of Chernobyl Children International (CCI) Adi Roche has warned that we cannot use the 32nd anniversary of the nuclear accident today to confine an ongoing and serious issue to the history books. The newly launched "I will not Forget You" campaign by CCI is raising awareness for the generations of victims who have been affected by and will continue to be impacted by the power plant disaster of 1986. *** RELATED VIDEO: Mr. Yury Filatov, the Russian ambassador to Ireland, speaking at the Greater Chernobyl Cause commemoration at Bishop Lucey Park, Cork, to mark the 32nd anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster. Video by Dan Linehan *** Ms Roche said there is a feeling in some quarters that Chernobyl is now a historical event. There is an impression that Chernobyl is something that happened a very long time ago and no longer poses a threat to the world but the reality is very different. We are harnessing the power of social media to spread a message of hope because Chernobyl was forever, Chernobyl is forever and the impact of that single shocking nuclear accident can never be undone. CCI provides sustainable medical and humanitarian aid to the Chernobyl affected regions of Belarus and Ukraine, equating to over 105 million since 1986. Though the accident at the nuclear power plant took place over three decades ago, the charity continues to witness and experience a great need for assistance from second and third generations of victims, who have inherited a deadly legacy known as Chernobyl Lineage. Adi Roche and CCI are calling on people all over the world to join them in sharing this message of hope and remembrance today. An interactive graphic produced on the 30th anniversary of Chernobyl in 2006 - Additional reporting by Digital Desk EU Commissioner Phil Hogan has told senators that the deadline for Britain over Brexit was looming. He said if there is no decision by the June deadline there will be no withdrawal treaty and therefor no final treaty and called on Britain to face to "face up to the fact that decision time is here" on Brexit. Speaking in the Seanad Mr Hogan also told senators the EU was not convinced by UK's plans for a "cyber border" and had sent London "back to the drawing board" . 'UK has to face up to the fact that decision time is here' - Phil Hogan addresses the Seanad on Brexit pic.twitter.com/eHRF0QxVDF RTE News (@rtenews) April 26, 2018 The EU Commissioner also warned of the spread of fake news, including over immigration concerns, ahead of next year's European Parliament elections. In his special address to the Upper House, the former Fine Gael minister spoke about farming, CAP payments as well as EU trade. But he had a special warning about the spread of inaccurate stories and fake news, which he warned would become an issue in the lead up to EU elections next May. In short, we now have a brand of politics and commentary that, all too frequently, misleads rather than leads. If we look a little more widely, we see it is not only Brexit. Our political arguments are becoming coarsened and are having knock-on effects on our behaviour. One sign is the trigger-finger readiness of so many people to play the immigration card, even the race card. Much of this is the result of fake news the way in which what we used to call tall stories and gossip no longer goes from mouth to mouth but from one set of fingers to a million sets of eyes. With a tap on the keyboard. Brexit shows us how vulnerable we are. Mr Hogan said that next years election to the European Parliament gives this added significance and urgency. We must be on our guard. Mr Hogan later today will also attend an Oireachtas Committee to speak about agriculture. Meanwhile, the British Government has been accused of being in thrall to "Brexit nutters" on its backbenches. The comments were made by a SNP MP in the British parliamentahead of a debate on a non-binding backbench motion supported by a number of select committee chairs which calls on ministers to secure an "effective customs union" between the UK and the EU after Brexit. Speaking at Business questions before the debate, SNP Commons leader Pete Wishart said: "Is the Government going to come out and play today in today's customs union debate, or is it going to continue to contemptuously refuse to vote in non-Government business? "Because can I say to the Leader of the House, there is no running away from this and this will have to be confronted by this Government, and it looks like they haven't got a majority. "All of the business community are saying they want 'a' or 'the' customs union, but yet they're in thrall to Brexit nutters in the backbench here, who still hold some sort of sway over this Government. "So can the Leader of the House confirm that if the Government is defeated, the will of the House will be respected?" Also speaking at the debate Labour's Yvette Cooper said time was running out for Britain's Parliament to "help shape the negotiations" and to hear from the Government about what it is going to do. "The Government rightly says it wants frictionless borders, no extra burdens on business to improve trade, no hard border in Northern Ireland and including no infrastructure at the Northern Ireland border but there is still no clarity about what that actually means at our borders." She said Britain does more than 230 billion of export trade with European countries every year, as she warned that many manufacturing jobs depend on frictionless trade. Ms Cooper added: "At a time when it could take very many years to negotiate new trade arrangements, the idea that we would rip up our existing ones in the meantime would be deeply damaging to many of our jobs and communities." - Additional reporting by PA & Digital Desk By Ann O'Loughlin A High Court judge has urged a couple to get legal advice or face the prospect of being jailed for contempt over their alleged failure to obey an order to vacate their home. Mr Justice Tony O'Connor today adjourned proceedings brought by KBC Bank against Ms Linda Hussey Smith and her husband Gordon Smith. Last month KBC Bank Ireland Plc obtained an injunction against the couple and anti-eviction campaigner Ben Gilroy, requiring them and any other persons to vacate the couple's home at Hamlet Avenue, Chieftain's Way, Balbriggan, Co Dublin. KBC said it obtained a Circuit Court order for possession of the property in 2016, arising out a failure to make repayments on the mortgage. KBC obtained possession in February but claims its security staff were forced to leave after persons had kicked, punched and spat at them. It then obtained a High Court injunction against the couple and Mr Gilroy, requiring them to vacate the premises by late March. The bank claims the couple have failed to comply with the order resulting in motions for alleged contempt being brought against Mr and Mrs Smith. The couple, representing themselves, oppose the application and want the injunction set aside. Mrs Smith told Mr Justice Tony O'Connor information relevant to the injunction was allegedly withheld from the court during the injunction proceedings. Mrs Smith claimed she was assaulted when attempts were made to take possession of the property on behalf of the bank. Earlier her husband was removed from the court by gardai after he refused on several occasions to answer questions from the judge as to whether he would abide by the court order. During the garda intervention, several supporters of the Smiths shouted and roared at the court. KBC said it does not want to see the couple jailed but that it has no choice other than taking the proceedings. It denies all of the claims made by the couple. Mr Justice O'Connor, seeking to restore calm, adjourned the matter to next week to allow Mrs Smith obtain legal advice on what he said was a most serious matter. Campaigner Adi Roche has broken her silence on her bid to become President of Ireland in 1997 and described it as her 'Waterlooo'. Speaking to Ryan Tubridy this morning to mark the 32nd anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster, Ms Roche recounted her own persoanl experience of running for President in 1997. "I met my Waterloo as they say in 1997... it was going to be the Presidency of Children, nationally and internationally and building on the wonderful presidency of Mary Robinson". Ms Roche revealed how those aspirations quickly turned to deep despair as a result of a smear campaign. "I just wasn't able for the mental torture of it, wasn't able for that rough ride of it. I went under... I just couldn't fight back". Ms Roche went on to say she couldn't survive the nature of the viciousness of politics and that she learnt that while she could fight for the causes, she couldn't fight for herself. "It was incredibly cruel, the impact on my family was awful." The campaigner revealed how she lived with Ali Hewson and Bono for two months and said their home was her refuge. "I would just disintegrate... I disintegrated in front of my own eyes". She went on to tell Mr Tubridy that it took her five years to get over it, saying that she felt people hated her. Ms Roche also spoke of her friend the late Dolores O'Riordan. Listen to the full interview below: -Digital Desk By Jessica Magee A man who ransacked offices at the Law Society of Ireland last year, stealing iPads and a laptop which he then sold to a Chinese shop, has been jailed for 18 months. Derek Hickey (30), of Sean McDermott Street, Dublin , pleaded guilty to theft at the Law Society on Blackhall Place in Dublin on July 17, 2017. Passing sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court today/yesterday (THURS), Judge Martin Nolan said Hickey had spotted an opportunity when he noticed that a side door at the Law Society was ajar. He stole certain items, did a deal of damage, and then did the proper thing for a burglar when confronted - he retreated and got out, said the judge. Judge Nolan noted that Hickey had a long history of offending but also that he had pleaded guilty, expressed his remorse and cooperated fully. Hickey was sentenced to 18 months in prison, taking into account the four months he has already spent in custody on this matter. Garda Niall Cadden told Grainne O'Neill BL, prosecuting, that the theft took place shortly after 6pm when most of the staff had gone home. The court heard that Maura Butler had been working in her office when the door opened and a man came in who then backed out the door again on seeing her. Ms Butler told gardai that she asked the man what he was doing, to which he replied something about a toilet. Ms Butler had heard noises coming from nearby offices and followed the man, to find that two offices had been trashed. Hickey ran off, but was identified on CCTV and on arrest the following day he made full admissions, telling gardai he'd stolen a number of items and sold them straight away to a Chinese shop. Hickey directed gardai to the shop in question where the owner returned the two stolen iPads and a MacBook Air. Ms Butler gave a Victim Impact Statement which was not read out in court. Joe Mulrean BL, defending, said his client had been out begging and was walking by the Law Society when he noticed the open side door. Mr Mulrean said it was an opportunistic crime which showed a lack of foresight and planning, as Hickey had been wearing a large fluorescent covering on his backpack which made him very conspicuous. He noted that Ms Butler told gardai that Hickey got a fright when he saw her and immediately backed out of her office and ran away. Hickey told gardai he was addicted to heroin. Mr Mulrean said Hickey had made serious efforts at rehabilitation and had attended a treatment programme. The court heard that Hickey has also been offered a 20-week residential rehabilitation programme by Fr Peter McVerry. Hickey has also worked with the Youth Action Project in Ballymun and had completed courses in outdoor pursuits. Hickey apologised to the court, the gardai and to Ms Butler via his counsel. By Ruaidhri Giblin The Court of Appeal has increased prison sentences handed down to two men jailed for a fatal burglary at the home of a 62-year-old after finding that their original three-and-a-half year jail terms were too lenient. Cousins Michael Casey (34), with an address at Clonlong Halting Site, Southill, in Limerick and David Casey (23), with an address at Carragh Park, Belcamp, Dublin 17, had pleaded guilty to a series of burglaries, including one at the home of John O'Donoghue at Toomaline, Doon, on August 27, 2015. Mr O'Donoghue collapsed and died as he was about to confront the two intruders, who ran away without offering assistance. Judge Tom O'Donnell sentenced both men at Limerick Circuit Criminal Court to four-and-a-half years imprisonment with the final year suspended on December 15, 2016. In what is being seen as a landmark ruling The Court of Appeal found the men's sentences to be unduly lenient following a review of sentence brought by the Director of Public Prosecutions and they were both resentenced today to seven years imprisonment with the final eight months suspended. In seeking a review of the Caseys' sentences last December, counsel for the DPP, Thomas O'Malley BL, submitted that the Caseys had targeted four residential properties and entered three. He said the Caseys had embarked on a burglary spree which was pre-planned and premeditated. Mr OMalley said residential burglary, when carried out in isolated rural areas, as these ones were, were a matter of intense social concern. Sentences for such offences, Mr OMalley submitted, must include an element of general deterrence to send the message out to the general public that such a course of offending will not be tolerated. There was no suggestion the Caseys intended to kill or cause serious injury to Mr ODonoghue and it was accepted that they were genuinely remorseful for what happened. However, Mr OMalley submitted, an accused must take his victim as he finds him and he referred to the serious harm caused in the case of the O'Donoghue burglary. He said crimes such as these had many victims, not only the individual whose property was taken but others living in the area may be frightened and may have their quality of life reduced by being compelled to move out of their homes and into sheltered accommodation. Giving judgment, Mr Justice George Birmingham said the late Mr ODonoghue had lived with his sister and, on the day in question, they had both gone to Tipperary town to do some shopping. When they returned home that afternoon, Ms ODonoghue noticed a black car across the road and that the gate to their property was ajar. They became suspicious that somebody was inside the house and it became evident the front door had been broken. The driver of the car across the road began beeping his horn. The late Mr ODonoghue got a shovel from a shed and took up a position near the door of the house. His sister noticed he didnt appear to be looking well. At that stage, Mr ODonoghue collapsed and died. Ms ODonogue actually called on the intruders for assistance but none was forthcoming, the judge said. Gardai and an ambulance were called. Despite efforts to revive Mr ODonoghue he was pronounced dead at the scene. A post-mortem examination indicated that the late Mr ODonoghue had an enlarged heart and there was significant coronary artery disease and scarring of the heart muscle which meant he was at an increased risk of sudden collapse and death. The funeral of John O'Donoghue The State Pathologist, Dr Marie Cassidy commented that while Mr ODonoghue did not have direct contact with the intruders, the stress of the situation would have caused an increase in his heart rate and his blood pressure and the psysiological effects of the situation would have precipitated his death as he was at risk of developing a fatal cardiac arrhythmia in those circumstances. While of less significance in the context of what occurred, Mr Justice Birmingham said a number of items of property were stolen from Mr ODonoghues home as well as a small amount of cash. Michael Casey, a married father-of-two, was 33 at the time of sentencing and had 44 previous convictions including one for robbery. Mr Justice Birmingham said the significance and relevance of Michael Caseys previous conviction was illustrated by his actions at the initial sentence hearing when it was disputed that it related to him. It was claimed it related to a different Mr Michael Casey in Limerick before it was eventually accepted that it related to him. David Casey lived with his mother in Coolock and had 14 previous convictions. He was on bail at the time of the spree in respect of a burglary he had committed in Galway for which he subsequently received a six month sentence. He was additionally on station bail in respect of another burglary for which he subsequently received a two month suspended sentence. Neither Casey had any history of being in gainful employment. Probation reports described both men as being at high risk of reoffending. Mr Justice Birmingham said the Court of Appeal had no hesitation in concluding that the Caseys sentences were unduly lenient to an appreciable degree. He said the offending involved in the Caseys conduct was in the high range. The principle reason being that it was a burglary spree, a planned and premeditated one. It was carried out by a group and that aggravating factors were present, particularly in respect of the ODonoghues home but also in the home that was ransacked - ransacking specifically being identified by the court as an aggravating factor to add to the list of possible aggravating factors in burglary. Also, the court considered the Caseys relevant previous convictions. Mr Justice Birmingham said the events of the day in question required an aggregate pre-mitigation sentence of not less than ten years. This was reduced to seven on account of the Caseys guilty pleas, their admissions and remorse which appeared genuine. The court further suspended the final eight months of the sentence because the Caseys were being resentenced, rather than being sentenced at first instance, and that carried an additional hardship. Mr Justice Birmingham, who sat with Mr Justice Alan Mahon and Mr Justice John Edwards, resentenced the cousins to seven years imprisonment with the final eight months suspended for the burglary of the ODonoghue home. They were given concurrent terms of three years for the ransacked home, two years for the other burglary and 12 months on the criminal damage matter. All sentence were to run concurrently. The Caseys made no reaction when the judgment was delivered. Burglary Spree The Caseys spree that day first involved a burglary at Dromsallagh, Cappamore where the homeowner returned from his morning chores at 2pm and noticed there was damage to the front and rear doors of his home but entry had been unsuccessful. This gave rise to criminal damage. The second incident occurred at Kyle, Cappamore, Co Limerick, where the home of a woman was ransacked. Approximately 500 cash and jewellery worth 1,000 was taken some of which was also of sentimental value. The next incident occurred at Portnard, Cappamore, Co Limerick where a neighbour had heard noise or voices nearby and then saw a male coming out the front window of the house. Finally, the ODonoghues home was targetted. Sentencing guidelines In a rare more earlier this year, the Director of Public Prosecutions asked the Court of Appeal to set guidelines or sentencing parameters for the offence of burglary in Ireland. Counsel for the DPP, Thomas OMalley BL, submitted a number of factors that would put a burglary into the mid-range and upper end of the mid-range category. These were: Planning and pre-meditation; Two or more participants acting together; The targeting of residential properties, especially in rural areas; The targeting of residential property because the occupant was known to be vulnerable on account of age, disability or some other factor; The taking of poerperty which had a high monetary value or high sentimental value. The DPP also identified factors that would tend to place a burglary in the most serious category. These were: Ransacking of a dwelling; Entering during the night a dwelling known to be occupied especially of the occupant is alone; The use or threat of violence; The cause of significant injury, whether physical or pshycological, or serious trauma. To that list, Mr Justice George Birmingham said the Court of Appeal would add the presence of relevant previous convictions as an aggravating factor. Furthermore, a confrontation with an occupant of the dwelling would be also an aggravating factor. The more aggressive the confrontation the greater the aggravation. Evidence that an intruder equipped himself with a weapon while in the dwelling, rather than bringing one in, would also be a serious aggravating factor, the judge said. In considering the significance of a particular aggravating factor, Mr Justice Birmingham said it would be necessary to view the significance of each aggravating factor in the context of the case. He said the presence of a number of these factors would place the offence in the middle range at least and usually above the mid-point in that range. The presence of a considerable number of these factors or, if individual factors were present in a particularly grave form, will raise the offence to the highest category. Mr Justice Birmingham, in a judgment with Mr Justice Alan Mahon and Mr Justice John Edwards, said the Court of Appeal would suggest mid-range offences to merit sentences (pre-mitigation) in the range of four to nine years and at the highest end, sentences (pre-mitigation) of nine to 14 years. He said the Court of Appeal recognised that the circumstances surrounding individual offences can vary greatly, even before one comes to consider the circumstances of an individual offender. While a consistency of approach to sentencing is highly desirable, it is not to be expected that there will be a uniformity in terms of the actual sentences that are imposed. There are just too many variables in terms of the circumstances of individual offences, but even more so in terms of the circumstances of individual offenders, for that to happen. Again, the court recognises that there is no clear blue water between the ranges. He said the difference between labelling an offence high-end or mid-range was often a fine call and the judges legitimate margin of appreciation may well straddle both. In that event, how it was labelled may in fact not impact greatly on ultimate sentence, Mr Justice Birmingham said. By David Raleigh The case of a Limerick couple who are begging for financial assistance to adapt their home to suit the needs of their seriously disabled son, is expected to be raised in the Dail next week. Shane Enright, aged four and a half, who has a severe form of cerebral palsy, and was born with a hole in his heart and multiple cysts on his brain, uses a wheelchair, a walking aid, and a standing aid. His desperate parents, Richard and Caroline Enright, said they cannot afford to make their 20-year old three bedroom bungalow family home more accessible for Shane, who was born fifteen weeks early and weighing a mere 835 g. The couple, from Templeathea, Athea, Co Limerick, have two other children Aaron (14), and Kaliyah (11). Mr Enright said, an occupational therapy assessment of their sons needs has stated that Shane requires a disabled bathroom with a hoist to lift him into a bath; a wet room; and a room to store his medical equipment. Shane needs constant monitoring and his mother sleeps with him in a cramped box room which also contains his medical equipment. Mr Enright, who has chronic arthritis, is independent on crutches and his wife has kidney disease and back problems. Mr Enright said, they are not suitable for a bank loan because of their health and financial situation, and that their bank has turned down a request by the couple to vary the terms of their mortgage. Mr Enright earns around 35,000 per annum, while his wife earns 117 per week as a full-time carer for their son. We can't get a loan from the bank, and we can't go to the credit union because we already have loans there, and we don't have savings , Mr Enright added. Mr Enright applied to Limerick City and County Council for a 30,000 Housing Adaptation Grant for disabled persons, however after the Council applied a statutory means test, they advised Mr Enright he would be entitled to only 15,500. Richard and Caroline Enright with their three children. Pics: provided by Richard Enright A Council spokesman said: We do not comment on individual cases but we are bound by a means test scale set by the Department of the Environment, Housing and Local Government and apply maximum grant aid when allowed." We are literally begging for help. We are not looking for handouts either; if someone gave us a loan, we'd pay it back, Mr Enright said. The couple said they are currently only capable of washing their son once a week because they have to "arrange for a third party to help" them bath Shane, who weighs 25kg. We go to bed crying. It's horrific. It's a scandal , Mr Enright added. The family's earnings go towards covering the cost of their mortgage (800 p/m) as well as a family health insurance policy costing 5,000. We had to buy a special needs car too. We did get a break on the VAT and VRT, but what I can't understand is why we can't get the same for our house, Mr Enright said. The cost of making their home more disabled friendly has been estimated at between 80,000-100,000. Minister of State for Disability, Finian McGrath has written a letter to the family stating he has no responsibility for the allocation of housing grants for disabled persons. Finian McGrath The minister also apologised after a six month delay in responding to Mr Enright who had written to the minister in October 2017 outlining their situation. "The minister is completely out of touch. So is the minister for housing. They are all out of touch," Mr Enright claimed. Fianna Fail TD, Niall Collins, said the Enright family had been left down by the system. "I hope to raise it in the Dail next week. The system effectively means there is nowhere where they can get the help they need." "They are a family with multiple health problems who are paying their mortgage, and because Richard is on an income, they doesn't qualify for help or supports. They are falling between the cracks. They have no certainty, and they can't borrow money to build the accommodation for their son. The LoveBoth campaign have called on the Minister for Health, Simon Harris, to set a date for a debate on the 8th Amendment. Reacting to what LoveBoth described as "a number of challenges by the Minister to the No side on their stance", Cora Sherlock of the LoveBoth Campaign said "its up to him to name the time, date and the place and we will see him there. By Sonya McLean A Dublin father who had sex three times with a 14-year-old girl after meeting her on a social media site has been sentenced to three years in prison. David Hoban (28) was arrested after the girl was found in a Dublin suburb and complained that she had been raped by him. The girl's mother had reported her missing after she had not returned home from school. Detective Garda Paul O'Hara told Garrett McCormack BL, prosecuting, that the teenager said that she had both sex and oral sex with Hoban three times after having three meetings with him. Hoban was 26 years old at the time. The court heard they had met through a social media website and the victim's profile indicated that she was 20 years old, but Det Gda O'Hara confirmed that it would have been obvious to Hoban that the girl was underage when he met her in person. Hoban, of Leinster Road, Rathmines, Dublin pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two sample charges of defilement of a child by having intercourse and oral sex with the teenager on dates in June 2015 . He has 10 previous convictions, all of which had been dealt with in the District Court. Sentencing him to three years in prison Judge Martin Nolan said Hoban should have stopped contact with the teenager when he became aware of her youth at their first meeting. He should have known what he was doing was morally reprehensible and against the law, Judge Nolan said. He accepted his plea of guilty and true remorse and said that his young life was troubled by great tragedy. But everyone is master of their own ship and this man didn't make the right decision, Judge Nolan said He said the age difference was substantial. We are talking about a grown man who should have been mature enough to stop himself and he didn't, Judge Nolan said. A series of WhatsApp messages sent between Hoban and the girl, read out in court, showed that he was aware that she was underage but Det Gda O'Hara said Hoban didn't become aware of her actual age until the day of his arrest. The garda agreed with Mr McCormack that the majority of the messages were instigated by the victim. One message from Hoban read: I'm sorry, you're a lovely girl. I wish you were older and you could do what you want. Another said I like you a lot but things will never work out, to which the complainant replied Why because I am too young? to which Hoban answered Yup. There were conversations surrounding sexual acts and in one message the teenager said to Hoban, I wish you were my age, before she told him she loved him. Mary Rose Geary SC, defending, said her client's sister died in a road accident when she was a young child and a friend died when the friend was about 12 years old. She said Hoban suffered other similar tragedies over the years which led to him drinking heavily and living a chaotic lifestyle. Ms Gearty said Hoban took full responsibility for the offences and had started attending a forensic psychologist for treatment. The Health Minister Simon Harris has announced a review of the Cervical Check programme following the results of a court case. Terminally ill Vicky Phelan settled a case yesterday after being wrongly informed she had the all-clear in 2011. It also took three years for an audit of her test to be passed on to her. The Irish Cancer Society says it believes at least 14 other woman were affected by the review. Cervical Check is writing to doctors today to make sure they have told patients the results of the audits of their smear tests. The Minister says in future women should be automatically told of any review of their checks. Mr Harris also says the scheme needs to be reviewed, saying: "We need people to have absolute confidence in our screening programmes and I have confidence in it, it is a programme that saves lives. "But it is a programme that is 10 years old this year and I think, therefore, that it is appropriate that we review it and I have asked the Director General of the HSE to review the operation of CervicalCheck against best international practice." The Irish Cancer Society welcomed the move by the Minister saying the review "must happen as soon as possible". The charity released a statement saying: "The Irish Cancer Society is fully supportive of the CervicalCheck programme, which is truly-life saving. This is the best available measure we have at our disposal to detecting cervical cancer early and has helped reduce the cervical cancer rate nationally at a rate of 7% per year. Combined with the HPV vaccine, there is an opportunity to all but eradicate cervical cancer in the decades ahead. "The Society has full confidence in the service, which we expect will progress from smear to HPV testing as a first-line test in the near future. This will further reduce the risk of cervical cancer and improve identification of the risk of cervical cell abnormalities. We must acknowledge that there will never be a health service without some degree of human error and that no diagnostic test or screening service is 100% reliable, but what should be the number one priority for all aspects of the health service is the patient and their care. In the case of Vicky Phelan, the Irish Cancer Society is deeply concerned that it took three years to notify her of missed abnormalities in her initial screen. "This represents a breakdown in communication. No woman should have to wait this long for information relevant to their care. "The health service needs to display candour in situations such as these. Recent months have seen a number of examples of poor communication around cancer misdiagnoses or missed abnormalities. This suggests that unless further change is forthcoming, a duty of candour for state bodies needs to be put on a statutory footing, so that patients get the information relevant to them and to stop the same problems happening again and again." They said that the HSE and the National Screening Service must learn from the case and carry out a review of the service. They said: "An external review needs to take place to make sure that processes for communicating information about missed abnormalities or missed diagnoses are put in place, and that the responsibility for who must do that is made absolutely clear. "This must be a prompt, responsive and unambiguous system, whereby all women are who find themselves in such a situation are communicated with, in line with their expressed wishes. "We welcome comments from Dr. Grainne Flannelly, Clinical Director of CervicalCheck, that the service accepts the need for such an external review, and this must happen as soon as possible. "The Irish Cancer Society accepts mistakes happen in a service that cannot provide 100% protection, but further, potentially devastating harm can be caused when information that is clearly pertinent to the patient is not communicated." - Digital Desk A leaked letter from the North's top official shows Theresa May's Government was warned about significant problems with its Brexit plans last August. David Sterling, the head of the civil service in the North, told senior UK Brexit official Olly Robbins the plans for a customs partnership with the EU - seen as a way of avoiding a hard border with the Republic of Ireland - presented a "significant challenge". In a letter written in August 2017, just days after the Brexit department published position papers on the future customs arrangements and the North and Ireland, Mr Sterling highlighted a series of issues which needed further work. The "customs partnership" set out as one of the options by the Government would involve the UK effectively applying Brussels' rules and tariffs after Brexit on goods arriving in the country but destined for the EU market. Under the heading "back door risk", Mr Sterling said the "visibility and impact" of the "robust enforcement mechanism" necessary to enforce the plan presented a "significant challenge". Even if the customs plan worked, other difficulties remained in maintaining cross-border trade, he added. "The example of Turkey illustrates that customs duties are only one part of the picture and technical barriers can be equally disruptive to trade. "Potential trade barriers created by diverging tariffs or regulatory standards are therefore a key area for ongoing discussion." He also cast doubt on the proposal for an exemption for small traders crossing the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic. "The dividing line between businesses of different sizes in Northern Ireland supply chains will undoubtedly be blurred," he said. That could make it "difficult" to define which firms were exempt. The document was one of a series of leaked papers disclosed by the GUE/NGL group in the European Parliament, which includes Sinn Fein. At the time the letter was sent, Mr Robbins was the senior civil servant at the Department for Exiting the European Union and he now serves as the Prime Minister's Europe adviser and co-ordinator of the Brexit negotiations with Brussels. The Department for Exiting the European Union said it would not comment on leaked documents. Green co-leader Caroline Lucas, a supporter of the Best for Britain campaign, said: "It's shocking that just months away from a potential leave date we're seeing top officials liken the potential situation in Northern Ireland to that of Turkey. "There is a hard border between Turkey and the EU, and the implementation of such a border between Northern Ireland and Ireland would be a huge blow to the hard won peace in the region." - PA By Ann O'Loughlin Two siblings committed a civil fraud in selling their late fathers Dublin home on foot of a death certificate for a woman with the same name as their stepmother, who was alive at the time of the sale, a majority Court of Appeal has ruled. The stepmother, Maureen Moore, had married John G. Moore, a widower, in 1971 and they bought a house at Mount Tallant Avenue, Dublin, in their joint names in 1975. Ms Moore claimed she had to leave there in 1983 due to her husbands allegedly violent behaviour. Her solicitor wrote to her husband four months later in connection with her interest in the property but got no reply. Ms Moore moved to Belgium for many years, suffered two severe illnesses from cancer and returned in 2002 to live with her mother at Laburnum Square, North Road, Drogheda. When she later discovered her husband had died intestate in 1996 and the house at Mount Tallant Avenue had been sold in 2002 by his children John and Maria, she took proceedings. Ms Moore, then aged 71, was still alive when her case opened at the High Court in 2010 but died after evidence in the case concluded. A personal representative of her estate continued the case. In late 2010, the High Court rejected the claims the stepchildren acted fraudulently by getting a death certificate in Maureen Moores name and found that arose due to mistake. The certificate related to a different woman of the same name, Maureen Moore, of Kilamcud, Dublin, who died in 1995. John Moore (43) Woodstock Park, Knocklyon, Dublin 16, and his sister Maria Byrne (41) Oakdale Crescent, Ballycullen, Co Dublin both denied fraud or that they knew or ought to have known the death certificate was not that of Ms Moore. They said they searched for, but were unable to locate her, and genuinely believed she was dead. They also denied she was forced out of the property years earlier. The High Court held there was no evidence of fraud by the siblings. It held because their mistake had resulted in Ms Moore being unable to take out her legal share of her late husbands estate, she was entitled to damages. It dismissed an application requiring Nadine Chetty, who bought the Mount Tallant property in October 2002 but lives in the Middle East, to deliver up the property to Ms Moore. An appeal was brought by Ms Moores estate and, by a two to one majority on Thursday, the appeal court allowed the appeal concerning the siblings but dismissed the estates appeal against the High Court finding in favour of Ms Chetty. Mr Justice Paul Gilligan, with whom Mr Justice Gerard Hogan agreed, said the accepted evidence was, when the siblings got the death certificate in 2000, they made no effort whatsoever to try and ascertain whether it related to their stepmother when any number of avenues open to them would have revealed it did not. While they said they genuinely believed it did relate to their stepmother, the reality was, in the civil sense of fraud and the particular circumstances, they behaved recklessly and carelessly as to whether the death certificate was truly their stepmothers when they proposed to rely on it to regularise title of the property which they went on to sell for some 254,000. The High Court erred in not considering the consequences of their decision the death certificate was that of their stepmother when it was not, having regard to the significant benefit to them from such a mistake. Because Ms Chetty was not on notice of this and bought the property on the open market for full value, the court dismissed the estates appeal concerning the purchaser. The estate must pay the purchasers legal costs but is entitled to be indemnified by the siblings in that regard, he held. Ms Justice Maire Whelan dissented, saying she did not consider Ms Moore had met the threshold required for an appellate court to set aside the High Court findings. Britain and France have angrily accused Russia of a "despicable" stunt after Moscow brought a series of alleged witnesses to what it claims was a "staged" Syrian gas attack before the international chemical weapons watchdog. Russian and Syrian officials held a briefing at The Hague headquarters of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) where they produced a number of Syrians who, they said, appeared in a video of the suspected attack on the rebel-held town of Douma on April 7. The joint briefing of the Russian Federation and the Syrian Arab Republic has started at the #OPCW. All national delegations were invited to this unique event with the participation of real witnesses of staged chemical attack in Douma. pic.twitter.com/u3Ata9ik0a Russian Embassy in NL (@rusembassynl) April 26, 2018 The Kremlin claims the incident - which led the US, Britain and France to launch punitive missile strikes against a series of Syria regime targets - was faked by the White Helmets search and rescue group. Britain's ambassador to the OPCW, Peter Wilson, who boycotted the briefing along with other Western allies, said it was a deliberate attempt by the Russians undermine the work of OPCW inspectors who are trying to establish what happened in Douma. He strongly condemned the Russian description of Syrians who appeared in the video footage as "unwitting comedians" and said reports of widespread intimidation of witnesses to the incident were a matter of "real concern". Why were not going to Russia and Syrias briefing at the #OPCW today: Its a stunt. The Director General has opposed Russias decision to host this briefing. Read @PeterWilsons full statement here: https://t.co/SvIUCoJBNS UK Delegation OPCW (@UK_OPCW) April 26, 2018 Britain has said up to 75 people died in the incident which it and other Western powers blame on the regime of President Bashar Assad. "The OPCW is not a theatre," Mr Wilson said. "Russia's decision to misuse it is yet another Russian attempt to undermine the OPCW's work, and in particular the work of its fact finding mission investigating chemical weapons use in Syria. "Describing chemical weapons victims as 'comedians' is despicable. It shows the utter disregard Russia and Syria have for the suffering of the Syrian people, and indeed the global norm against chemical weapons use. "The director general (of the OPCW) has asked states to supply information about the Douma attack to his fact finding mission. Russia and Syria should do so, instead of waging a propaganda campaign of misinformation." His comments were echoed by the French ambassador to the Netherlands, Philippe Lalliot, who said: "This obscene masquerade does not come as a surprise from the Syrian government, which has massacred and gassed its own people for the last seven years." The row blew up after OPCW inspectors made a second visit to Douma on Wednesday, where they collected samples from a new location which will now be sent to designated laboratories for analysis. PA Update 5.47pm: The chairman of the British parliamentary inquiry into fake news has threatened Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg with a formal summons to give evidence before the inquiry in person. The move came after an "unsatisfactory" hearing with another Facebook executive on Thursday. In a statement following nearly five hours of testimony from Facebook's chief technical officer Mike Schroepfer, chairman Damian Collins said Mr Schroepfer "failed to answer many specific and detailed questions" about the company's role in a number of ongoing scandals about how political campaigns use the platform to influence voters. "As an American citizen living in California, Mr Zuckerberg does not normally come under the jurisdiction of the UK Parliament, but he will the next time he enters the country. "We hope that he will respond positively to our request, but if not the committee will resolve to issue a formal summons for him to appear when he is next in the UK," Mr Collins said. The statement issued by the UK's select committee for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport accused Mr Schroepfer of failing to answer "nearly 40 separate points", about how Facebook handles users' data and interacts with political campaign groups. Update 5pm: The DCMS select committee has released a statement calling Mike Schroepfer, Facebook's chief technical officer's testimony "unsatisfactory", citing nearly 40 occasions it says the Facebook executive failed to answer questions sufficiently. Committee chairman Damian Collins reiterated his request for Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg to give evidence to the committee in person, threatening to issue a formal summons for him to appear before MPs the next time he visits the UK. Chair @DamianCollins tells @facebook's Chief Technical Officer, Mike Schroepfer, about our concerns around the use of microtargeting for political elections and campaigns as part of our broader inquiry into #FakeNews. Watch the session in full: https://t.co/jnoXo0N9mv pic.twitter.com/3nrqggozsm Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee (@CommonsDCMS) April 26, 2018 He said in a statement: "Mr Schroepfer, Mark Zuckerberg's right-hand man whom we were assured could represent his views, today failed to answer many specific and detailed questions about Facebook's business practices. "We will be asking him to respond in writing to the committee on these points; however, we are mindful that it took a global reputational crisis and three months for the company to follow up on questions we put to them in Washington DC on February 8. "We believe that, given the large number of outstanding questions for Facebook to answer, Mark Zuckerberg should still appear in front of the committee. We note, in particular, reports that he intends to travel to Europe in May to give evidence to the European Parliament and will request that he appears in front of the DCMS committee before the 24th May. "There are over 40 million Facebook users in the UK and they deserve to hear answers from Mark Zuckerberg about the company he created and whether it is able to keep their users' data safe. "As an American citizen living in California, Mr Zuckerberg does not normally come under the jurisdiction of the UK Parliament, but he will the next time he enters the country. We hope that he will respond positively to our request, but if not the committee will resolve to issue a formal summons for him to appear when he is next in the UK." After Mike Schroepfer from @facebook's evidence today, the @CommonsCMS and @DamianCollins believes that the number of outstanding questions that remain warrants an appearance by their CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Read our full statement here >> https://t.co/0qvJ1IpoWl pic.twitter.com/r0iclzEkbm Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee (@CommonsDCMS) April 26, 2018 Dominic Cummings, former campaign director for Vote Leave, said Mr Schroepfer's evidence "proves exactly" that the "conspiracy theory" of co-ordination between Vote Leave and Leave.Eu via Cambridge Analytica and Aggregate IQ is "factually wrong". Writing on his personal blog, Mr Cummings said: "No reasonable person could think that the battle between Vote Leave/me and Leave.EU/Banks to control the official campaign really was a deep cover operation to hide our secret co-ordination over data. "There are serious issues concerning data, marketing and elections as I said before this conspiracy theory got going. It would be much better for the media to focus on these issues than persist Trump-like with claims that black = white." Mike Schroepfer, Chief Technical Officer, Facebook, answers questions in the UK House of Commons in London. Pic: PA Wire Earlier: Facebook chief technical officer says he is 'disappointed' with handling of political advertising Mike Schroepfer, Facebook's chief technical officer, has told the UK Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) select committee that he is "disappointed" by the social media giant's handling of Russian disinformation campaigns on the platform. Facing a grilling about political advertising by committee chair Damian Collins, Mr Schroepfer said: "We were slow to understand the impact at the time and I am way more disappointed in this than you are." Amid laughter, Mr Collins told Mr Schroepfer "It's a high bar". Facebook CTO Mike Schroepfer appears before the House of Commons committee https://t.co/wiZkVhQ793 Reuters UK (@ReutersUK) April 26, 2018 "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that," the Facebook executive replied. "It's something we're working very hard on." Mr Schroepfer is answering questions about how malicious actors used Facebook to impersonate people and attempt to influence elections with political advertising. Mr Schroepfer stressed that political advertising on Facebook is "a very small, low, single-digit percentage of our advertising revenue" and the company believes transparency is the best way to protect voters from malicious political ads. "There are a number of challenges you've raised and we need to do better," he said, but added that, for people outside the political mainstream, the combination of Facebook pages and advertising on the platform is "a powerful tool of free speech". The solution, he claimed, is greater transparency around who is paying for political adverts on Facebook and making the content of those adverts visible to everyone. In written evidence provided before the hearing, Mr Schroepfer detailed plans to create a "searchable archive" of political adverts in time for the UK local elections in May 2019. Facebook CTO Mike Schroepfer says political ads on its platform will be transparent in time for the England and Northern Ireland's 2019 local elections pic.twitter.com/dStp4LxOFG Bloomberg Quicktake (@Quicktake) April 26, 2018 Mr Schroepfer stressed how Facebook is pursuing technological solutions to malicious behaviour on its platform, where the company is "trying to catch these things proactively". He said: "We want to get to a mode where people reporting bad content of any kind is the defence of last resort and the vast majority of stuff is caught up front by automated systems." For much of its history, Facebook representatives had stressed a programme of users reporting misbehaviour on the platform - such as illegal activity, hate speech, abuse, nudity and disinformation - rather than actively policing the network themselves. Turning to the subject of data collected by Cambridge University academic Aleksandr Kogan and given to election consultants Cambridge Analytica, Mr Schroepfer said Facebook received "legal certification" that the data had been deleted in 2015. Asked by MP Jo Stevens why Facebook did not inform the Information Commissioner of the breach, Mr Schroepfer said the company believed the matter had been resolved. "A developer had used our platform, collected some data and then resold that data to a third party and that reselling of the data was the issue," he said. "Our priority right now is to understand what happened and to co-operate fully with the Information Commissioner and others," he added. Mr Schoepfer disagreed with the assessment of Dr Kogan, who gave evidence to the committee on Tuesday, that Facebook did not have a policy around the collection of users' personal data. "Our primary product is to help people share with a limited audience... If you want to share with your friends only, that's the primary thing Facebook does. "If we violate that trust and the data goes somewhere else then that's violating the core principles of our product," he said. Pressured to apologise for legal letters sent to the Guardian in March threatening to sue the publication if it published a story about the misuse of Facebook data by Dr Kogan, Mr Schroepfer said he believed it was "standard practice" in the UK and the aim was to "correct some facts". Asked again to apologise, he said: "I am sorry that journalists feel we are trying prevent them getting the truth out. That was not the intention." "I am sorry that journalists feel that we're trying to prevent them from getting the truth out," Facebook CTO Mike Schroepfer says when asked if Facebook will apologize for sending legal letters to the Guardian for reporting the data breach scandal pic.twitter.com/pJckHWcJpn Bloomberg Quicktake (@Quicktake) April 26, 2018 Julian Knight MP, accused Facebook of "bullying journalists, threatening academic institutions and impeding investigations by legal authorities", insisting that "Facebook is a morality-free zone" and the company is "the problem" at the centre of the myriad scandals involving data and advertising on the platform. Going further, he asked: "Do you think the time has come for robust regulation?" "I agree with you on a few key things," Mr Schroepfer replied, explaining that Facebook believes giving users "safety, transparency and control" was central to solving the problems. "The details of implementing that is where the real work lies," he said. Turning to the 2016 EU Referendum, Mr Schroepfer said Facebook had found no evidence Cambridge Analytica had spent money on advertising during the referendum. But Aggregate IQ, a linked company which multiple Brexit campaign groups spent large portions of their campaign budget with, "spent two million dollars on the Brexit referendum in the UK in 2016," he said. Mr Schroepfer says that data collected by Dr Kogan and passed to Cambridge Analytica was not used by Aggregate IQ to target voters during the EU referendum campaign. "The campaigns they [AIQ] run are based on email lists... Dr Kogan did not get email lists," he said. Instead, the company "must have acquired that data from another source", he added. PA North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean president Moon-Jae-in will plant a commemorative tree and inspect an honour guard together after Mr Kim walks across the border for their historic summit, Seoul officials said. The talks on the southern side of the border village of Panmunjom are expected to focus on North Korea's nuclear programme, but there will be plenty of symbolism when Mr Kim becomes the first North Korean leader to be in the southern section of the border since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War. Mr Moon will receive Mr Kim after he crosses the concrete slabs that form the rivals' military demarcation line on Friday morning. They will then walk together for about 10 minutes to a plaza where they will inspect a South Korean honour guard, Mr Moon's chief of staff Im Jong-seok told reporters. After signing the guestbook and taking a photo together at Peace House, the venue for Friday's summit, the two leaders will start formal talks. They will later plant a pine tree on the border using a mixture of soil from both counties' mountains and water from their respective rivers. The tree, which is beloved by both Koreas, dates to 1953, the year the war ended, Mr Im said. Engraved on the stone plaque for the tree will be the phrase, "Peace and Prosperity Are Planted," as well as the signatures of the leaders. After the tree-planting, the two plan to stroll together to a footbridge where a signpost for the military demarcation line stands, Mr Im said. The leaders will meet again in the afternoon and later attend a banquet, he added. Mr Im said Mr Kim is to be accompanied by nine top North Korean officials, including his influential sister, Kim Yo Jong. He said South Korea hopes Mr Kim's wife, Ri Sol Ju, will attend parts of Friday's summit, but Ms Ri's attendance has not been agreed to yet. It is also not clear how the leaders will announce the results of the summit. The most difficult part, Mr Im said, centres on North Korea's level of denuclearisation commitment. Friday's summit and Mr Kim's planned meeting with President Donald Trump in May or early June were arranged after Mr Kim recently expressed a wiliness to put his nuclear programme up for negotiation after a year of nuclear and missile tests. - PA Five Spanish men have been sentenced to nine years each in prison for sexual abuse. The men were cleared of the charge of gang raping an 18-year-old girl during the 2016 running of the bulls festival in Pamplona. Protests are being organised across Spain this evening after the news broke of the sentencing including a demonstration outside the justice ministry in Madrid at 8pm. Jose Angel Prenda, Alfonso Cabezuelo, Antonio Manuel Guerrero, Jesus Escudero and Angel Boza were sentenced to nine years imprisonment, five years probation and ordered to pay 10,000 each to the woman. The men must refrain from contacting her for 15 years. Guerrero, a Guardia Civil police officer, was also fined 900 for stealing her phone after the attack. The court today found that the men were guilty of "continuous sexual abuse" of the woman in the lobby of a building in the early hours of July 7, 2016. They were not found to be guilty of rape as under Spanish law rape must involve violence or intimidation. The case drew controversy for the way the victim was treated during the trial. It was criticised as putting the victim on trial rather than the accused. The five members of La Manada (the wolfpack), the nickname they gave themselves, had offered to walk the woman to her car but instead took her into the lobby of a building and attacked her, filming the assault on their phones. The men also took the woman's phone. The defence lawyers argued during last year's proceedings that the young woman consented. Outraged demonstrators gather outside the Palace of Justice in Pamplona following verdict on 'wolf pack' gang-rape case pic.twitter.com/NMJHTZUsxw Ruptly (@Ruptly) April 26, 2018 They argued that 96 seconds of the footage filmed from the men's phones, showing the woman immobile with her eyes shut during the attack, was proof of consent. To support their argument, the defence produced a detective's report on her behaviour after the July 2016 rape. Producing photographs of the woman smiling while with friends was presented as evidence that she had not suffered any lasting trauma. This prompted hundreds of women to hold a demonstration outside the court. Today's verdict came after five months of deliberation by the judges. The woman's lawyer has said that she was disappointed and would be appealing the verdict. A spokeswoman for the Navarre regional government stated that it did not agree with the verdict that was handed down and would also appeal. A lawyer representing four of the men said they planned to appeal against their sentences saying that the court "cant just come up with the offence of sexual abuse when it never formed the basis of the accusation and wasnt something the defence could prepare for". Members of the public, human rights groups and senior politicians have all spoken out to criticise the verdict with many taking to social media to voice their anger. Shortly after the verdicts were handed down, Spain's national police force tweeted "No means no" 12 times, including their emergency phone number and the words "We're with you." PA & Digital Desk US President Donald Trump will visit the UK in July - on Friday the 13th. The long-awaited and controversial trip is expected to be a "working visit" rather than a full-blown state occasion. The UK's ambassador to the United States confirmed the visit, which will include face-to-face talks with Theresa May. Downing Street and the White House had hoped to co-ordinate releasing details of the trip, but Mr Trump's spokeswoman Sarah Sanders apparently let slip the information first. UK ambassador Kim Darroch confirmed the date on Twitter, saying he was "delighted" that Mr Trump would visit the UK. Delighted that President @realDonaldTrump will visit the UK on 13 July and hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister May. Kim Darroch (@KimDarroch) April 26, 2018 The British Prime Minister's spokesman said: "The President of the United States will visit the UK on 13 July. "He will hold bilateral talks with the Prime Minister during his visit. Further details will be set out in due course." Mr Trump's visit is likely to attract major protests, and even his supporters have urged him to stay away from London in an effort to avoid mass demonstrations. In a letter to the US President, six UK conservative groups recommend he should instead focus his visit on his "ancestral home" of Scotland, including a meeting with the British Queen at Balmoral. The Bow Group in partnership with @UKGOP @tfa4freedom@BrugesGroup@ParlStreet @Think_Scotland have written to @realDonaldTrump advising that he has many supporters in the UK, but London is not the best city in Britain for his visit Don't give the left the chance to embarrass us pic.twitter.com/LGDP8f9R1Q Bow Group (@bowgroup) April 26, 2018 Plans for a working visit to the UK in 2018 were announced when Mr Trump met Mrs May at Davos in January. The July 13 date follows the Nato summit which the president is due to attend in Brussels on the previous days. Interest in Mr Trump's plans has been fuelled by this week's high-profile state visit to the US of Emmanuel Macron, which some commentators have framed as a bid by the French president to make Paris Washington's first port of call in Europe following Brexit. Mr Trump cancelled a planned trip to London to open the new US embassy in Vauxhall earlier this year, complaining the move to an "off location" south of the Thames had been a "bad deal". But it is thought his decision may have been driven by a fear of protests in the capital, with whose mayor Sadiq Khan he has clashed over his response to terrorism. The expectation of demonstrations is also believed to have played a part in the postponement of a state visit mooted for 2017. That trip - which would involve lavish ceremonies and a stay with the Queen at Buckingham Palace - has been put off indefinitely, though Number 10 insists the invitation stands. PA There are four women now, including Brenner, and two of those, Vanessa Wallace and Holly Kramer are up for re-election at AMP's annual general meeting on May 10. There is also one man up for re-election. So your automatic response would be to say, let's get rid of all of them, right? In fact, sack them all. That is, strangely, not the response of the Australian Shareholders' Association, which has decided to vote for the removal of Wallace and Kramer but has an "undecided" against Andrew Harmos. The ASA's Allan Goldin tells me the logic is Harmos has only been there five minutes, in comparison to the two women who have each been on the board for two years. Harmos's five minutes (or nearly a year) on the main AMP board is accompanied by his directorship of AMP Life for five years. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Voting against those two women and not against Harmos succumbs to the kind of thinking that there are bad apples, that small amounts of surgery will fix the problem, when the only cure is the death of capitalism. And since that's unlikely to happen very soon, let's go for a deep cleanse of toxic capitalism as it is enacted by our major banks and insurance companies. The Australian reported early this week that the Business Council of Australia's Jennifer Westacott told the Senate's economics references committee "disclosures aired in the royal commission were 'deeply disappointing', and called for swift and decisive action against banking figures who were responsible". I reckon that's a pretty good idea really. And when Westacott says banking figures, I'm sure she understands it's more than bad apples, it's the system. And the system is continuing to rip off customers. It's the system and all who sail in it which continues to drip feed remediation to customers or don't even bother to tell customers when they have been defrauded. Instead, we see an extraordinary battle for control between the executives with their insane salaries and bonuses and those who need funding to cure the problem, between the rich guys and the good guys (or those who at least understand that customers who've been cheated and lied to and defrauded need to be compensated). The banks can't keep paying bonuses to the head honchos yet deny those at the coalface the funding required to assist victims. The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has already revealed that once banks had decided to pay compensation, on average it took another 217 days before the first such payment to a customer was made. 217 days. And that's after the banks have acknowledged there's a problem. What do you think would happen to you if you were 217 days late with a credit card payment? Or if you failed to pay your insurance premiums on time? AGL will build a $400 million gas-fired power plant near Newcastle, NSW as part of the first stage of its planned shutdown and replacement of the Liddell coal-fired power station. The energy company has announced it will build the 252-megawatt gas-fired plant near its Newcastle Gas Storage Facility, completing construction at the end of 2022. The new plant will consist of fourteen 18-megawatt gas engines. An artist's impression of a similar station in South Australia AGL is committed to supporting the orderly transition of Australias electricity generation capability to a modern, clean and reliable energy supply, AGL chief executive Andy Vesey said. Thats why we gave seven years notice of when we intended to close the Liddell Power Station at the end of 2022 and we are pleased to commit today to build the power station near Newcastle. Farmers Julie and Sandy Cameron established their now well-known Meredith Dairy business back in 1991, and for a few years they made different cheeses with the milk from the sheep and goats that roamed their paddocks. At first they called it feta. But a decade or so after the Victorian business was established, and as the European Union introduced strict limitations on the use of the word feta in the EU, the Camerons made a pre-emptive call that looks increasingly wise. "Were not going to call it feta because its not feta," says Julie Cameron from Meredith Dairy. Credit:Jason South They decided to ditch the word feta from their cheese labels, despite its level of awareness and popularity among Australian cheese lovers. But the change to the labels on their cheese packaging at first they made three cheeses they labelled feta was a measured transition that occurred step-by-step, not overnight, so that consumers could still recognise the Meredith Dairy cheese they had been buying. For a while, Meredith Dairy ran dual names on their labels. Mum and I numbered our letters so we'd know if one went missing. Friends and family would send letters to post offices in the cities we were travelling to, including Madrid, Rome, Salzburg and Munich. Susie and I drove around Europe and Scandinavia. There were no crashes but several parking tickets, which remain unpaid. We had maps and a tent and the Europe on 5 Dollars a Day guidebook. Somewhere in Italy we got told to move on because we'd stopped in an area for sex workers. We hit the accelerator very fast! I was never extra conscious about safety. We didn't carry expensive things and I felt safe at night coming home from parties. Perhaps it was that youthful attitude of "she'll be right!" But it was a growing experience having to confidently make decisions without my parents. Five of us shared a London flat. The boys would joke about taking a bath and getting knocked out by varioussized bras drying over it. We drank beer with lime and I had a forgettable experience once with duty-free whisky. I worked as a secretary and then as a "Golden Girl" for the Australian Trade Commission, promoting Australian foods, including kangaroo tail soup, around the UK. I'd work for a few weeks, then blow my wages on travel. Being the swinging '60s we loved wearing outlandish gear flares, long boots and miniskirts. The pill was giving women control over their fertility for the first time. I had quite a few romances. Different accents and cultures added to the mystery and excitement. I followed a love to Kenya, but the magic had gone, so I took a tour in Mombasa. The travel agency asked me to be a guide, so I showed tourists around for a few months before heading home via Bombay. There's nothing I would change, although today's technology would make keeping in touch and photos much easier. Our cameras took slides! Travel helped cap off my single years. I was ready to commit to my next journey of married life. GENERATION X Kylie McAughtrie, 44 Travelled from 1996-2001 in Europe and south-east Asia Kylie McAughtrie, 44. I first went overseas when I was 18 to see my sister in London and came home after a year. But a few years passed by and I felt stuck. I just knew there was more out there. So I bought a one-way ticket back. We all carried the London A-Z street directory. It was how you got around! Us backpackers loved the free weekly TNT magazine for news from home, jobs and house shares. Living in a new city made me independent I had to find a job and a place to live. I mostly worked in pubs, including the Blue Anchor from Sliding Doors. The London party scene was heaving. There was a lot more alcohol and drugs, especially at the big music festivals. I'd push the bar but never went over it. Travellers had a relaxed attitude to partying and also to sex. You could meet a guy without thinking about a relationship. Just have fun, be safe, no judgment. I'd use a phone card to call Mum every couple of months, or sent postcards to let her know I was alive. I tried emailing at an internet cafe, but it was like another world! I just needed an address and stamp. When I lived in London, the IRA bombings were often in the news. Mostly I felt safe, but you needed common sense. The only time I ever felt scared was when I got lost in a really rough area of Dublin. It was dark and I had all my rent money on me. It wasn't the time to get out a map or let someone hear my accent. In hostels you have to put yourself out there and meet other travellers who are all just trying to find their way. Some were trouble, though, like the Irish girl who came to London with me. We got on the Tube and she lit up a cigarette and glared at the other passengers trying to pick a fight. I left our hostel early the next day without saying goodbye. But you make some amazing connections. I met a South African girl in a bar in Thailand. I told her I was travelling south for a month in the morning and invited her along. I had no idea if she'd turn up to the train station, but she did. We had a ball! She wrote her address in my Lonely Planet guidebook, but I took too long to get in touch and we lost contact. A smartphone would have been great for keeping in touch with travellers, and for photos. Film was so expensive! Travelling made me grow up and see there were other ways of life. I tell my kids they have to travel. Everyone should. MILLENNIAL Rebecca Dipple, 24 Travelled from 2013-17 in Europe, the Americas and south-east Asia Rebecca Dipple, 24. I'm half-Swedish and visited Sweden growing up, but I was desperate to see more. I wasn't set on any career after high school and started planning my first trip. I was so ready, but also terrified. The fear disappeared when the plane took off. You take more risks travelling because you're young, free and hungry to try everything. I hitchhiked alone in Norway's Lofoten Islands because public transport didn't reach the hike points. You have to use your instincts and weigh up each situation. Technology takes the worry off my parents, although I had a smartphone stolen at a full moon party in Phuket. I message Mum most days when I'm travelling and we talk every couple of weeks. Instagram is great for getting inspiration for amazing hikes. Travel agent? Never used one! Social media keeps me in contact with other travellers, too. I don't use dating apps but know travellers who use them to meet locals in different cities. But when I meet someone, I definitely give them a "quick stalk" on social media. Everyone does. Travel relationships are often short-term because you're on different paths. And sometimes travellers are different people to who they are at home. But travel romances have some fun, spontaneous moments, like sneaking onto a rooftop with a guy to see the lights of Las Vegas. I worked at a hostel in Lisbon, Portugal. It was madness! And my 21-year-old self was all for it. We got paid in food, accommodation and alcohol. Those of us working there, all in our 20s, were responsible for 60 partying travellers. One night, two girls fell through the skylight from the second floor. It was a learning curve. Travelling challenges me. If something bad happens, I've got to push myself and figure out how to get over it. I was in Paris the week before the 2015 terrorist attacks. Soon after, I was in Dam Square, in central Amsterdam, and it was packed. I was suddenly scared that something might happen. The difference, of course, is that, unlike incels, I dont feel entitled to have sex. I know that men do not owe me their sexual favours, no matter how much I feel I would enjoy them. I may feel hurt, I may feel disappointed, I may even feel diminished, but I do not feel entitled. I do, however, feel frustrated, which may come as a surprise to the incels. Because their third prevailing myth is that sexual frustration is solely the providence of men, given we women can get sex (unsatisfying, impersonal, unsafe sex) whenever we want. They are wrong. This is nonsense. Women get sexually frustrated too. My own libido has a party for a few days a month, and when there are no invited guests, it can get pretty maddening. But its my party, and my desire, and I do not have a god given right to share the celebrations. And so, on those months when Ive been forced to party alone, I deal. I throw myself into the rest of my life, which is full and rich because I dont define myself solely by how much sex Im having. Caitlin Moran yesterday posed the question: Could women tell me what they do when they are involuntarily celibate? Its a fascinating and uplifting thread, and the answers include everything from masturbation to eating chocolate, from growing leg hair to seeing friends, from travelling to completing PhDs. What they dont include is killing people, or a sense that the males of our species are somehow to blame. The incels are a pathetic group of misogynists who will never get sex until they change their attitude. Sex is about connection and desire, and its hard to feel it for a ranty little man who feels the world owes him a shag. If Id been celibate for a decade, and an incel hit me up, what do you think Id do? Bees are worth about $90 million a year to Australia, and their value is set to continue increasing as long as the country stays free of deadly pests and diseases. To ensure that happens, 27 ACT biosecurity staff took part in the Exercise Bee Prepared training program in Canberra on Thursday. Alongside local beekeepers and representatives from various government agencies, they acted out scenarios in which a potential Varroa mite outbreak had been detected. ACT Beekeepers Association president Cormac Farrell, who advised the territory government during a biosecurity exercise on Thursday. Credit:Dion Georgopoulos Bee populations around the world are in decline, with the Varroa mite chiefly to blame. Australia is the only place in which the deadly pest has never been found, and as one of the world's top 10 producers of honey, the country's access to many overseas markets is driven by its freedom from the deadly pest. New classrooms and teachers will roll into the Franklin Early Childhood School next year as it expands its intake beyond year 2 to become a standard P-6 primary school by 2021. The $2.45 million expansion comes after a long-running push from parents in Canberra's fastest-growing region, where schools have begun to struggle with capacity. ACT ministers Meegan Fitzharris and Yvette Berry joined Franklin Early Childhood School principal Julie Cooper on Thursday to announce the school's expansion beyond Year 2. On Thursday, ACT Education Minister Yvette Berry announced Year 3 classes will begin from next year at the Franklin school. That means means students in Year 2 will be assured a place next year, becoming the first class to continue through to Year Six as part of the staged expansion. The development was a 2016 election promise but parents groups had previously criticised the delay in getting money set aside in the ACT budget. When one has regard to almost any indicator of the life circumstances of Indigenous people in Canberra: the second highest incarceration rate; the second highest rate of child removal in Australia; that an Aboriginal child in Canberra is on average two years behind a non-Aboriginal child at school; that 46 per cent of Aboriginal males over the age of 15 living in Canberra have used an illicit drug in the last twelve months; and that 35 per cent or about 700 of the 2000 Aboriginal children living in Canberra live in poverty, it reflects, in a broader sense, a lack of commitment by the Government and indeed the non-Aboriginal community of Canberra to reconciliation. The over-arching theme of the report of the Royal Commission is that the end of the situation where so many Aboriginal people live and die in custody will only be achieved if other Australians can, in a spirit of justice and humanity, accord Aboriginal people control over their lives and futures, give them freedom to determine their own future and find their own place as a distinct culture within Australian society, and provide them with the resources that are necessary to overcome the handicaps they suffer as a result of what has happened in the past so there can be hope of a freely negotiated reconciliation between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians. Loading The families of Steven Freeman and Jonathon Hogan have no reason to believe that the spirit of justice and humanity which the Royal Commission speaks of is present in the Canberra that their dead sons grew up in and experienced. Steven and Jonathon spent their entire lives as a part of our community. Their short lives and their premature and preventable deaths provide a window into Canberra society. It is a window that far too few of us, including within the ACT government, have the courage or the concern to approach let alone look through. Narelle King, speaking after the release of the Coroners report into the death of her son Steven, talked about her sadness and the devastation which his death had caused her and her family. The coroners report, when considered together with the blistering report delivered by Phillip Moss into the care of Steven Freeman in the AMC in the year before he died, reveal just how broken are the systems in place for addressing Aboriginal disadvantage and achieving justice and reconciliation for Aboriginal people. Hamish Henderson and his wife had just moved into an apartment on Sydney's north shore in January 2015, when they were notified that Roads and Maritime Services would be starting night construction on the "Boundary Street, Roseville upgrade". We were treated to jackhammering, concrete cutting, dump trucks, excavation around six nights every week. Work would start in the evening and go through to 7am the following morning. He hoped work would be complete in six months, but the reality is that night roadworks are still continuing, more than three years later. Its taken not one or two nights of disruptive work, this is three years' worth of work and it's caused people to leave the block, it's caused people who currently live there a really crap standard of living, he said. Two pedestrians have been injured after a car mounted the footpath near Redfern station on Thursday. A Toyota and Holden crashed on Lawson Street in Darlington about 12.20pm. As a result of the crash, the Toyota mounted the footpath and struck two pedestrians. NSW Ambulance crews arrived within three minutes, and treated the pedestrians and the drivers at the scene, an ambulance spokesman said. Brisbane City Council will not apologise for slapping residents attending Anzac Day dawn services with parking fines of more than $120. Morningside resident Alicia Watson parked on Charlotte Street in Brisbane CBD about 4am on Anzac Day, which she has done for the past eight years, before attending the dawn service in Anzac Square. Brisbane City Council fined motorists attending the dawn Anzac Day service We parked up the end near Eagle Street Pier and we didnt park in a loading zone or a no standing zone, we parked in one of the parks on the side of the road, she said. There was no visible signage saying do not park here, this road is closed or no parking allowed. A man accused of forcing his way into a Brisbane home and stealing a car at gunpoint will remain behind bars. David Darijono allegedly threatened a woman at her Sunnybank Hills home and demanded car keys on Wednesday evening. The 29-year-old then fled in the stolen vehicle but was caught 20 minutes later after being spotted by an off-duty police officer. During a search of the car a loaded sawn-off shotgun and an axe were found, police allege. Darijono was charged with six offences, including armed robbery, and was remanded in custody after appearing at Richlands Magistrates Court on Thursday. Police have charged a man and a woman after a car smashed into a concrete barrier in the Airport Link Tunnel on Tuesday. Police allege a grey Ford Mondeo that had crashed into a concrete barrier in the northbound lane of the tunnel about 12.05pm on Tuesday had been stolen. Inside the Airport link tunnel in Brisbane. Credit:Harrison Saragossi It was further alleged the male driver ran from the tunnel and stole a blue Toyota Hilux near Cowie Street in Clayfield. About 4.30pm on Thursday police spotted the Toyota in Warner but allege it had been painted black and the business signs removed from the ute. The Story Bridge will close on Friday night and remain off-limits to all road traffic until Monday morning as council carries out "essential waterproofing works". To help ease the burden on inner-city drivers, the Clem7 tunnel tolls will be waived during the closure and traffic will also be rerouted along the Captain Cook Bridge. The Story Bridge carries about 100,000 vehicles across the Brisbane River daily, according to Brisbane City Council. Credit:Fairfax Media - Glenn Hunt Lord mayor Graham Quirk said a partial closure was not possible due to the scale of work being undertaken and hoped the repairs would be completed in a single weekend, weather permitting. This (closure) is for very important works on the bridge, waterproofing components," he said. They quite literally hold the lives of thousands of Queenslanders in their hands, so it is perhaps no surprise to see surgeons top the list of the most paid professions in the state. And it would be fair to say more than a few of them live in Brisbane's eastern riverside suburbs, which boast the state's highest mean incomes. Surgeons are the highest-paid professionals in Queensland. Credit:Gabriele Charotte The Australian Taxation Office has released a report analysing 16 million income tax returns for 13.5 million people, almost a million companies, superannuation funds, partnerships and trusts for the 2015-16 financial year. In Queensland, the profession with the highest income was surgeon, with an average taxable income of $439,039. ACT Labor politician Tara Cheyne has moved to distance herself from a Canberra cafe owner charged in connection with a drug trafficking ring, saying she was "shocked and disappointed" to learn of the allegations. O'Connor man Brendan Leigh Baker, 26, was one of five men arrested in police raids across Canberra last weekend. Brendan Baker was one of five arrested over alleged drug trafficking at the weekend. Credit:Facebook/Brendan Baker Mr Baker had claimed on social media ACT Labor politician Tara Cheyne was a good friend and mentor. "My dearest friends and family! As majority of you know I grew up in the district of Belconnen and hold it close to my heart!" Mr Baker wrote when he shared Ms Cheyne's campaign Facebook page on December 3, 2015. Mothers have spoken about their experiences at Centenary Hospital for Women and Children after The Canberra Times detailed allegations made by clinical staff of overcrowding, under-staffing, and misleading inspectors. One mum told Daniella White she had her baby in the car on the way to the hospital after being advised to wait until she was in "proper labour" because the ward was full. Another mother, Camille Aniversario, has made formal complaints and sought legal representation about her birth and care at the hospital. Read more here. Australia's 'safe and sunny' reputation questioned Education 250806 AFR photo Tamara Voninski University of New South Wales campus generic education UNSW student student international HECS study university graduation diploma graduation SPECIALX 54576 Credit:Tamara Voninski International students are a multi-billion dollar market in Australia with almost 500,000 calling our nation home. But a new documentary has questioned whether Australia's universities are doing enough to keep international students safe. Al Jazeera has travelled the country chatting with international students, health experts and university heads. One Chinese student studying in Canberra has bravely shared her story of being sexually assaulted while at the Australian National University. I've covered the documentary's release here. On bee-ing safe ACT Beekeepers Association president Cormac Farrell. Credit:Dion Georgopoulos On a completely different note, almost 30 ACT biosecurity staff participated in a bee safety exercise yesterday. Nope, they weren't worried about being stung, but protecting a $90 million a year industry from the dreaded Varroa mite. Australia is the only place in which the mite has never been found, and as one of the world's top 10 producers of honey, the country's access to many overseas markets is driven by its freedom from the deadly pest. Read Blake Foden's story here. The Spiegeltent returns Blanc de Blanc show opens this Friday night. Credit:Dion Georgopoulos Poor Alistair Coe. The opposition leader fell victim to The Spiegeltent's promise of lightening up the everyday yesterday, when his planned media conference was repeatedly interrupted by a rendition of Mr Sandman. Bree Winchester reports The Spiegeltent is back in town, and with it all the glitter, fake lashes and fun. First up is Blanc de Blanc, an all-singing, all-dancing cabaret show to be staged under the big top at 8pm each night for the next three weeks and featuring some of the best circus and dance talent in the world. Read more here. The governments real weakness on bank policy is not the timing of the royal commission but the reason it exists in the first place. The Coalition opposed and tried to water down Labors stronger laws to protect consumers, legislated in 2012 as the Future of Financial Advice regime. With so much heat in the banking debate, Turnbull ended up spending a week in a series of European capitals talking about trade and security when nobody at home wanted to listen. Malcolm and Lucy Turnbull in France for Anzac Day. Credit:AAP The overseas agenda struggled to gain momentum from the start because the key events in London were all about Commonwealth ceremonies at Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle. The fact that the biggest outcome was that Prince Charles will replace Queen Elizabeth as head of the Commonwealth when she dies told everyone the group was struggling to find a bigger purpose. Turnbulls discussions with British Prime Minister Theresa May on Russian cyber attacks and Syrian chemical weapons were important. Concerns about attacks on essential infrastructure are growing but Turnbull and other leaders are constrained in what they can say about the scale and frequency of attacks. Voters need more hard information to be sure of the risk to business and home networks. Ominous warnings are not enough to force a change in behaviour such as higher security if the detail is not there. Loading There was significant progress on the Australian trade agenda in three locations: London, Berlin and Brussels. Turnbull and May are equally committed to a free trade agreement, although this must wait on the terms of the final separation of Britain and the European Union. Angela Merkel was the key figure in the overseas meetings because of her stature in the European Union and her ability to influence some of the other member nations to back a free trade agreement with Australia. Merkels support for the agreement, in a public statement alongside Turnbull, was a positive sign for a consensus at a council meeting on May 20 that appears likely to authorise the European Commission to launch negotiations. The European Unions trade commissioner, Cecilia Malmstrom, is hoping for the agreement to start formal negotiations as soon as possible. The mere fact the two sides are attempting to liberalise trade is a rebuff to the protectionism that drives Donald Trumps administration. Tony Abbott: waiting in the wings for the government to miss its jobs target. Credit:AAP One of Turnbulls most common themes during his overseas visit was that might is not right and that international rules matter. It usually sounds like a criticism of Russia on cyber attacks but can equally apply to the Trump administration on trade. Turnbull now relies heavily on his trade agenda to promise stronger economic growth and deliver on that jobs pledge from 2013. Do Australians really care about the Trans-Pacific Partnership? It is by no means clear, yet the Prime Minister points to the trade deal time and again to prove he is creating jobs. Turnbull gets more credit overseas than in Australia for keeping the TPP alive after Trump abandoned the agreement. US governors praised Turnbull earlier this year for his part in saving the negotiations. Some European trade experts also consider the TPP-11, the new group without the US, to be a major achievement. They see it as a show of independence from Trump when the Australian critics only see those moments when Turnbull and Trump are on song. The progress on trade may not be enough to convince Australian voters the government is doing all it should on growth. Another key pillar of the governments message, the need to pass the second phase of the company tax cuts, may not be enough either. Finance Minister Mathias Cormann is sounding confident on the company tax cuts despite the decision by independent South Australian senator Tim Storer to reject them. The path ahead takes Cormann to the Nick Xenophon team members, who have rejected the bill before but may be talked around. That is why personal income tax cuts are more important than ever. They promise a direct benefit to households while at the same time offering a boost to the economy from greater consumption. The decision to abandon the increase in the Medicare levy is just the start of a greater focus on keeping the tax burden low on families. It remains the area of greatest contrast between the Coalition and Labor, given the steady increase in the total dollar value of Labor tax measures over the coming 10 years. Finance Minister Mathias Cormann. Credit:AAP It is too early to be sure the May budget will bring these messages together. The government has tried to offer a compelling narrative in previous budgets but still found Labor gained the edge in daily political combat. There is no reason yet to believe this dynamic will change in early May. The reversal of a Medicare decision from a previous budget is really only a way to clear the ground for a wider tax package. Everything turns on how compelling that tax package is. Oil and gas giants will be forced to pay billions more in tax under changes to the Petroleum Resources Rent Tax that could also deliver the Turnbull government a shock victory on its stalled company tax cuts. It is understood next month's budget will tackle longstanding concerns about the way energy companies are taxed by curbing "uplift concessions", which determine tax deductions associated with exploration and construction. But in a concession expected to win industry support, the changes will exempt existing projects. Treasurer Scott Morrison ordered a review into the system in 2016. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Former Treasury official Michael Callaghan recommended changing the uplift concessions last year in a review of the PRRT aimed at ensuring big Australian and multi-national energy companies were paying an appropriate amount of tax in Australia. With Australia poised to overtake Qatar as the largest exporter of liquified natural gas in the world by 2020, critics of the PRRT note Canberra is forecast to receive a much smaller tax take than the Middle Eastern country. State Development Minister Cameron Dick has defended the secrecy around confidential incentives to attact businesses to the state in order for Queensland to remain nationally competitive. In July last year, the Queensland Productivity Commission said the government could create a more competitive business environment by removing or reducing taxes, such as stamp duties and insurance levies. State Development and Manufacturing Minister Cameron Dick has defended the state's incentives programs. Credit:Chris Hyde A draft report into the manufacturing industry, revealed by Fairfax Media, said "picking winners" generally came at a cost to the community and history did not suggest any convincing link between government targeting an industry and performance of that industry. "Government measures to facilitate a competitive industry are best directed at providing a favourable business environment," the report read. More peak-hour and nighttime trains will run on some of Melbournes most overcrowded railway lines from June and August, as the Andrews government races to ease the strain on frustrated commuters by completing three major rail projects before Novembers state election. The final unfinished section of the skyrail through Melbournes south-east is due to open on June 18, The Age can reveal, ushering in a major boost to services on the choked Pakenham and Cranbourne lines. Once the $1.6 billion skyrail opens, trains will run every 10 minutes between Dandenong and the city from 7pm to 10pm on weekdays. Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size What were you doing in the year 2000? The graduating students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida were not watching Ian Thorpe and Cathy Freeman at the Sydney Olympics. They were busy being born. In February this year, they saw 17 of their peers and teachers shot and killed on school grounds with a legally acquired semi-automatic rifle. In March, they organised an international protest, March for Our Lives, in which more than 1.2 million people took to the streets advocating for sensible gun laws; lately, they've been receiving admissions information from universities about where they're going next, and, hopefully, passing their driving tests. High school massacre survivor Emma Gonzalezs impassioned speeches have helped drive a mood for gun reform in the US. Credit:Getty Images You've probably seen some of the students speak, and been amazed along with the rest of the world by their eloquence in grief. At the Washington DC march, framed by the outline of the Capitol building, year 12 student David Hogg called on fellow first-time voters to turn out for the mid-term elections this November, and warned politicians funded by the National Rifle Association to "get your resumes ready". Three weeks later, Hogg turned 18. On Twitter that day, sandwiched between messages urging Congress to vote on universal background checks, he posted a photo with the caption, "First look of me as an adult." Hogg is wearing a pair of sunglasses upside down; a friend holds up two balloons. Hogg has already done what former US presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and millions of dollars could not. He has found a way to effectively combat the vitriol of an increasingly extremist American right wing. When Fox News host Laura Ingraham jeered at Hogg on Twitter for not getting into his first choice of university courses, he replied with a list of Ingraham's top advertisers, calling on his followers to contact them. Johnson & Johnson, Expedia, Nestle and at least 21 other advertisers have since pulled commercials. Advertisement Ingraham then took a week off, which Fox said was pre-planned. Perhaps most extraordinarily of all, she apologised for "any upset or hurt my tweet caused [Hogg] or any of the brave victims of Parkland". Political discourse in the US has reached lows not seen since, well, the country went to war with itself, so a Fox News host held accountable for basic levels of civility is a very big deal. Yet it's selling the Parkland students short to suggest that their success is merely rhetorical. Their real-life achievements are already massive, beginning with a discernable shift in public opinion. Support for the NRA is down to 37 per cent, according to a recent Wall Street Journal/NBC poll. Incredibly, this is the first time since 2000 that the organisation has been viewed more negatively than positively. Support for gun regulations 68 per cent in a Politico survey is also at an all-time high. There are even signs of progress politically. Florida, a bastion of soft gun policies, has passed a bill that bans bump stocks (attachments that enable semi-automatic rifles to fire faster), imposes a waiting period before purchase, raises the minimum age to buy a weapon from 18 to 21 and allows the police to take guns from the mentally disturbed. What's more, the state's Republican governor Rick Scott signed it. In addition to calling for specific changes, the Parkland students have reframed a debate which many believed was irrevocably stymied after the Newtown massacre in 2012, when 20 six- and seven-year-olds were killed in their Connecticut classroom with a semi-automatic rifle. "They took the mantle of 'personal protection' from the gun lobby, while reframing the larger gun debate along generational lines," wrote Charlotte Alter in a March Time cover story titled, "The School Shooting Generation Has Had Enough." Kris Brown, co-president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, said in the same story, "What's different here is that the children who are impacted are older. They are able to give voice in a way that could not happen before." It was Emma Gonzalez, at her speech in Fort Lauderdale in February, who articulated the indisputable sense that a great generation is rising. "Maybe the adults have gotten used to saying, 'It is what it is,' " she said. "It's time to start doing something. We're going to be the kids you read about in the textbooks." Emma Gonzalez, in yellow, with fellow Parkland student activists, from left: Alex Wind, Cameron Kasky, Jaclyn Corin and David Hogg, at a New York gala celebrating Time magazine's 100 most influential people in the world last Tuesday. Advertisement The Parkland kids are among the first leaders of Generation Z. Its members are born from 1997 on, according to the Pew Research Centre, the pre-eminent American think tank on social demographics, which recently released a report on the group it prefers to call "post-Millennials". There are 60 million of them in the US. They outnumber Gen Y, or Millennials (1981-96), by nearly one million, and were raised by Generation X (1965-80), rather than Baby Boomers (1946-64). Why think in terms of generations at all? Because some of these young people are already succeeding at bringing about change where Millennials did not. "Generations are a lens through which to understand societal change" is how the Pew Report puts it. Is it possible that the particular social, political, economic and technological context in which the Parkland students and others grew up helped create a particularly fertile environment for political action? Morley Winograd, a researcher at the University of Southern California, thinks so. In The Washington Post recently, Winograd contrasted the response at Parkland with what is regarded as the original school shooting, at Colorado's Columbine High in 1999. "[Millennials] endured backpack examinations and metal detectors as they entered school. Here comes the generation that says, 'Okay, we got all that, we're used to living in the same world as you are, but we're not satisfied with that.'" Winograd argues that post-Millennials already show signs they are an adaptive generation. "When adaptive groups come of age, they take the problems that were brought to light by their predecessors and try to work them out." Millennials were a disruptive generation: think of Facebook, Snapchat, and all the other startups which have, in the course of ostensibly improving our daily lives, caused upheaval and havoc. Gen Z, Winograd writes, is here to fix things. Another difference between the two adjacent generations could be their level of engagement with traditional politics. Although Millennials in the US are now as large a political force as Baby Boomers, with both making up roughly 31 per cent of the electorate, in the 2012 and 2016 elections 18- to 29-year-olds made up just 20 per cent of voters. That's half the share of the Baby Boomer bloc, and the lowest voter turnout of any age group. The Parkland student leaders, meanwhile, have stated their main goal is to register as many teenagers as they can before November's mid-term elections. My generation was shaped by change and uncertainty. I do not have much memory of a sustained time of stabilityWe take nothing for granted. Kelsy Hillesheim, 22 Yet it's early days; even a definitive name for this generation is elusive. A recent New York Times article solicited suggestions from the public, with many revolving around this group's connectivity. Social psychologist Jean Twenge, for instance, coined iGen. Nods to Gen Zers' nascent political activism included Generation Fix-It and The Cleaner-Uppers. The Times's favourite was the Delta Generation. Kelsy Hillesheim, a 22-year-old from New York, wrote: "Delta is used to denote change and uncertainty in mathematics and the sciences, and my generation was shaped by change and uncertainty. I do not have much memory of a sustained time of stability We take nothing for granted." Advertisement This is one thing we can say with confidence about American Gen Zers: they have had their eyes open from the beginning. Consider that while Millennials grew up in the booming 1990s, they came of age around 2001, coinciding with the most devastating attack on the US since Pearl Harbor. Theirs is a story of innocence lost. Post-Millennials, meanwhile, never knew anything different than their country at war in Iraq and Afghanistan, which in turn sharpened the broader views of political parties and contributed to the polarisation which led to the election of Donald Trump, the first American president most will encounter when they turn 18. In Australia, the situation is a little more complicated, and the data sets fewer. Here is what we know: there are 4.6 million post-Millennials. They are one in 20 Australian workers. (That figure will rise to 32 per cent by 2027.) They are the most formally educated generation ever, with one in two attaining a university degree compared with one in three Millennials, which was the previous record. They are also the most technologically savvy, and the most globally mobile. To 17-year-old Macinley Butson, the first Australian to win the INTEL International Science and Engineering Fair, social media is a force for progress. Credit:Wolter Peeters Those are their strengths. What have been the structural challenges faced by post-Millennials? Although the 2007-09 Global Financial Crisis didn't hit Australia as hard as the US, our recovery has been slow. Average household incomes have stopped growing; unemployment is still relatively high. "There's just generally a climate of less economic optimism," says Roger Wilkins, a research fellow at the Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research. "That's going to impact young people who were roughly two to 12 when the financial crisis hit." Then there's the influence of their parents Gen Xers who have done their job quite differently to Baby Boomers. "There's a return to more structured parenting, rather than the free-range parenting approach popularised by the Boomers," says Mark McCrindle, a Sydney-based futurist. Strongly shaped by their individualistic, self-reliant parents, McCrindle says post-Millennials display risk-averse tendencies. "They play by the rules." In Australia, the proportion of teenagers trying alcohol plummeted to just 18 per cent in 2016, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. US studies show they are less likely to go out, to date, to engage in sexual activity, and to get their driver's licence. That conservatism extends to how Gen Zers are planning their futures. "We're talking about an order of magnitude worse situation, but there could be an analogy drawn with Depression-era children who were known as being quite frugal," says Wilkins. He points to the political instability seen in Australia since the GFC a phenomenon he sees as causally connected. "There may be a sense that the world is not an entirely safe and predictable place." Perhaps that's why this generation is already showing signs of rejecting traditional notions of success. ("Bugger prestige," is how a 22-year-old colleague put it to me.) This is a generation that can expect to have 17 jobs, five careers and 15 homes over a lifetime. Born with little to no safety net and deprived of the old-fashioned upward ladder of adulthood, it's little wonder that, according to Millennial Branding, a demographics research firm, 72 per cent of high school Gen Zers want to strike out on their own as entrepreneurs. Advertisement Morgan Hipworth, a 17-year-old in Melbourne, has done exactly that. In addition to taking his final year of high school, Hipworth runs his own doughnut shop, Bistro Morgan, open since December 2016. He started at age eight in his family's garage, baking banana bread during his school holidays. "Next thing I know I am supplying all the brownies, cookies and tarts for a local cafe," Hipworth says. "My thinking was, 'How good would it be to turn something I love into a business?' When we talk, I'm struck by Hipworth's seriousness. The usual adolescent rites of passage are seen as obstructions. "I've had school hanging over my head for five or six years now," he tells me. "It's been a hard slog, like having a job you hate and counting down the days until you get to leave it. I can't wait to get full time into the business." He has no immediate plans for university. "I'm a real believer that you don't need a piece of paper to do something. If you have the confidence and belief, you can really go to the next level." Morgan Hipworth, 17, runs his own doughnut shop. Credit:Joe Armao Perphaps I shouldn't be so surprised. "Older people underestimate young people and that's been true forever," says Justin Wolfers, an Australian-American economics professor at the University of Michigan. (He's also a Gen X parent of two.) "We've extended our notion of childhood so much. An earlier generation of 18-year-olds were being sent to Vietnam to fight and now we see the 17-year-old Parkland students holding a press conference and we marvel at their courage." Just as older generations tend to sell younger ones short, they are also prone to alarmism. One facet of Gen Z life that has provoked much hand-wringing is its constant connectedness. The iPhone launched in 2007, when the oldest post-Millennials were 10. As a consequence, internet access at all times is assumed. Pew estimates that a quarter of 13- to 19-year-olds are online "almost constantly". Jean Twenge, the inventor of the iGeneration label, points out that two out of three US teenagers has an iPhone. From this, she postulates that "iGen is a less confident, more uncertain, more anxious generation than Millennials were at the same age. That may be at least partially due to their adolescence spent on smartphones." In a widely circulated Atlantic magazine article from last year, Twenge asked, "Have smartphones destroyed a generation?" She cited data showing that rates of depression increased suddenly after 2012, when smartphone usage surpassed 50 per cent of Americans. "Rates of teen depression and suicide have skyrocketed," she wrote. "Much of this deterioration can be traced to their phones." As with all generational generalising, this is worth brining with a healthy amount of salt, not least because Gen Z is an unusually difficult group of people about which to make sweeping statements. In the US, post-Millennials will be the country's most diverse generation ever, with Hispanic, African-American, Asian and multiracial individuals making up 47 per cent of teenagers. Advertisement Sign up for our PoliticsNY newsletter for the latest coverage and to stay informed about the 2021 elections in your district and across NYC A Fort Greene activist rallying against a controversial megadevelopment in his neighborhood says a survey on his website seeking residents opinions on the plan suddenly received international attention and lots of Yes votes from people who shouldnt care at all about it. Ben Richardson, who thinks the proposal to construct a skyscraper the size of the Chrylser building on the border of Downtown, Fort Greene, and Boerum Hill is ridiculous, says most voters in the neighborhood seemed to agree with him until nefarious forces from outside the country pushed the votes in a different direction. It is possible, Richardson said when asked if he was, in fact, hacked by the Russians. We only got 44 votes for a four- or five-month period. But at 4:50 am last Wednesday, votes start happening at the pace of about two per minute. That pace continued for about 24 hours, with votes pouring in from the Netherlands, South Africa, and, of course, Romania. Believing he had been hacked, Richardson took down the poll not because it wasnt going his way, he said, but out of fear that an international incident had taken place. The plot thickened days later when a pro-development website called him out online for taking the poll down, leading him to surmise that maybe, just maybe, that website had something to do with the hack. Did it? Well, we cant tell you the answer right now, but you can hear his side of the story by listening to Brooklyn Paper Radio. We assure you your time will not be wasted. If you think the rising trend in oil prices is going to stop anytime soon, think otherwise. A recently released World Bank report, the April Commodity Markets Outlook, says the year 2018 will see 20 per cent jump in oil price, natural gas and coal prices. Oil prices alone are forecast to average $65 a barrel, registering $12 a barrel rise from the average price of $53 a barrel in 2017. The crude oil prices have recently touched whole new high of over $75 a barrel, leaving a dent on India's current account deficit. On Thursday itself, Brent crude oil was at $73 a barrel mark. A major rise in the oil price is expected due to a strong demand from consumers and restraint by oil producers. Not only oil and gas but metal prices will also see a sharp uptick, says the report. The World Bank forecast that metals prices are expected to rise 9 per cent in 2018 on the back of a pickup in demand and supply constraints. With not much weather disruption expected this year, agricultural prices will not see sharp rise. Agricultural commodities, including food commodities and raw materials, are anticipated to see a price rise of over 2 per cent in 2018 on diminished planting prospects. "Accelerating global growth and rising demand are important factors behind broad-based price increases for most commodities and the forecast of higher commodities prices ahead," said Shantayanan Devarajan, World Bank Senior Director for Development Economics and acting Chief Economist. "At the same time, policy actions currently under discussion add uncertainty to the outlook," added Devarajan. In its outlook, the report adds the average oil prices would remain $65/bbl over 2019 as well. Although prices are projected to decline from April 2018 levels, they should be supported by continued production restraint by OPEC and non-OPEC producers and strong demand, said the report. Upside risks to the forecast include constraints to the US shale oil output, geopolitical risks in several producing countries, and concerns that the United States may not waive sanctions against Iran. "Oil prices have more than doubled since bottoming in early 2016, as the large overhang of inventories has been reduced significantly." said John Baffes, Senior Economist and lead author of the Commodity Markets Outlook. He added: "Strong oil demand and greater compliance by the OPEC and non-OPEC producers with their agreed output pledges helped tip the market into deficit." The seven countries that are part of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) should speed up negotiations on a free trade agreement, Shahidul Islam, its secretary general says. The members of 20 year old BIMSTEC are India, Bangladesh, Bhutan Nepal, Sri Lanka Myanmar and Thailand. In a special address, after releasing a report by industry chamber FICCI on 'Reinvigorating BIMSTEC: An Industry Vision for the Next Decade', Islam said that concerted efforts for greater political commitment, expeditious negotiations on BIMSTEC Free Trade Agreement, adequate funding, BIMSTEC special visas and closer people-to-people contacts can only rejuvenate the regional group. FTAs are no panacea for development, but they represent a crucial first step towards spurring growth and development in the region, he said. Islam informed that Bangladesh, which hosts BIMSTEC secretariat, has agreed to hold the next round of trade negotiations for concluding the BIMSTEC FTA. The BIMSTEC Secretariat, he said, needed to be adequately financed as its present budget is a mere $1 million. The FICCI Knowledge report on reinvigorating BIMSTEC suggests funding of $2 billion from India and $1 billion from other member states. "This is the kind of commitment is required" to give a fillip to generating meaningful activities in the region, Islam said. The FICCI report calls for the creation of a new 'BIMSTEC' by strengthening infrastructure linkages, deepening regional transport connectivity, facilitating cross-border trade, investment and tourism, protecting the environment and promoting sustainable use of shared natural resources in the BIMSTEC economies. "Government-business interface in the functioning of BIMSTEC has remained weak and ineffective. It needs to be strengthened and institutionalised to enable it to produce better results," the report said. It wanted BIMSTEC members to set up a BIMSTEC Business Council on the lines of a similar mechanism that exists in BRICS to facilitate better economic activities within the region. "The BIMSTEC grouping is home to 1.5 billion people, approximately 22 per cent of the world population and with a combined GDP of close to $2.7 trillion. Together, the member nations have untapped economic potential to catapult regional trade and investment to the next level and provide a framework to achieve sustainable development. The FICCI Core Group report strives to understand the key drivers of the development paradigm for the region and identify the contours of an economically feasible and result driven approach for BIMSTEC to achieve sustained progress. To fulfil this vision, all stakeholders concerned have to work together for a stable, prosperous and integrated neighbourhood," Rashesh Shah, FICCI president, said. The FICCI Core Group has recommended strategic thrusts in select priority sectors to make BIMSTEC a result-oriented, effective and influential institution. This could be achieved by concluding negotiations for free trade agreements and trade facilitation, strengthening infrastructure linkages, deepening regional transport connectivity, facilitating cross-border trade and investment, and tourism, enhancing private sector participation and competitiveness, supporting regional power trading, developing human resources through mutual cooperation, protecting the environment and promoting sustainable use of shared natural resources, creating the Bay of Bengal Community (BoBC) and, promoting all-round cooperation in 'soft power' areas. The Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC), under the Government of India's Ministry of Commerce, is planning to set up India's largest jewellery park in Mumbai, besides another jewellery park in Delhi and a gems bourse centre at Jaipur. "The Mumbai jewellery park project will come up soon and is estimated to generate direct employment to around 1,00,000 workers for the State of Maharashtra," said Pramod Agrawal, Chairman, GJEPC. In the recently concluded 'Magnetic Maharashtra' investment summit in Mumbai, the state government and GJEPC had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to set up the park in Maharashtra. According to the sources, the proposed park will come up on a 25-acre area housing nearly 4500 units at Ghansoli in Navi Mumbai. The overall investment at the park will be to the tune of Rs 13,500 crore. The Jewellery Park at Mumbai with all modern facilities would help the local handmade jewellery workers and factories in local Zaveri Bazaars and other clusters in the state to relocate to such modern parks. It will help in improving the living standards of not only the existing Karigars but also develop interest among the next generation of such workers who are currently reluctant to join the industry due to pitiful working condition and the atmosphere in which the workers currently operate. The Indian industry today stands at over $41 billion in revenues and employs over five million workforce. With changing lifestyles and improvement in living standards, the gems and jewellery sector is likely to grow at a rapid pace and hence GJEPC intends to add three million more workforce by the year 2022, said Pramod Agarwal. GJEPC also has plans to set up Common Facility Centers (CFCs) in 13 identified clusters of the gem and jewellery in India with the support of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. The CFCs will increase productivity and quality of small and medium players and Karigars who are the backbone of the industry, but could not afford to buy high tech machines for manufacturing of jewellery, said Colin Shah, Vice Chairman, GJEPC. Announcing the trade data for FY 20017-18, the officials said the Indian Gem and Jewellery industry has witnessed a decline of 5.06 per cent as total gem & jewellery exports were worth Rs. 264130.64 crores as compared to Rs. 289207.47 crore in the same period last year. Major export destinations were Hong Kong with 33 per cent, followed by UAE with 25 per cent and the USA with 23 per cent. The imports of rough diamonds grew by 10.59 in FY18 worth $18889.01 million as compared to $17080.23 million in FY17. Import of cut and polished diamonds decreased by 15.08 per cent to $2236.46 million in FY18. Net imports of Gems & Jewellery were up by 9.69 per cent at $31516.7 million in FY18. However, India's gold jewellery exports registered a growth of nearly 11 per cent at $9673.23 million in FY18 as against $8,721.88 million in FY17. Cut and Polished Diamonds (CPD) segment witnessed an increase of 4.17 per cent growth as export sales of CPD grew to $23732.96 million during FY 2017-18 from $22,783.85 million in the corresponding previous year period. Coloured Gemstones grew by 3.14 per cent to $433.31 million as compared to $420.11 million in FY 2016-17. Exports of silver jewellery decreased to $3385.65 million (down 15.80 per cent) in FY18. Over the last ten years, the gems and jewellery exports from India have doubled to $41 billion in FY18 as against $21 billion in FY08 Dhirendra Singh, Chairman of the Rs 750-crore Vadodara-based Manpasad Beverages, takes pride in calling his flagship brand, Mango Sip, a beverage of the masses. Singh spends a large chunk of his time travelling to the heartlands of India just to understand consumption patterns. In a conversation with Business Today's Ajita Shashidhar, Singh talks about how policies such as demonetisation and GST have impacted the regional economy. There is an imminent cash crunch in the economy now, but Singh believes that small town India never really recovered from demonetisation and it had to deal with GST. Excerpts: The results of most listed consumer products companies shows robust growth in the GST era. Has this growth come at the expense of the regional economy? You only see the positive side of things. In India 70-80 per cent happens through wholesale. As you go to tier 2-3 towns, you will see that every small town or village has a wealthy businessman who manages the money of the other wealthy people living in that community. It could be the money of the local tehsildar or police inspector, who would have earned under the table. This businessman (usually a wholesaler), being cash rich, gets the advantage of bulk buying at a competitive price. So, he may buy sugar, edible oil etc, and then gives the local retailers extended credit. He also funds other small businesses. Almost 65-70 per cent of business happens this way and the total dealing happens in cash. The inspector and tehsildar obviously don't do cheque transactions. When GST happened, on one hand, there were wholesalers and retailers and then there were small manufacturers, who used to buy inputs from the market by paying cash, they never paid any kind of taxes. With GST, the entire value chain needed to have a GST number. They pressurised each other to have GST number as none of them would be able to take benefit of input credit. This led to closure of smaller factories and wholesale businesses also shut down. This entire unorganised chain which never resorted to any kind of billing and only did under the table cash dealings has completely crumbled. I met a person in UP, who was a wholesale dealer of fabrics, he had Rs 30-40 lakh worth of goods in the market when GST was announced. He used to source his fabrics from Surat without any billing, but the manufacturer at Surat refused to sell to him unless he had a GST number. He didn't get his supply of fabrics for over two months, and the retailers who he had given his fabrics on credit refused to pay him unless he gave them fresh stock. That person went bankrupt. He then tried to get a GST number and went to a sales tax consultant. This town had only one sales tax consultant who had increased his fee from Rs 200 to Rs 2,000. That's because no one understood what GST is, what are the advantage of set-offs. The small traders have got badly impacted because of GST. Small, regional brands have got completely wiped out. Bigger, organised companies such as ours have benefitted a lot, but GST has been death-knell for local businesses. To get a GST number one needs to submit one's PAN card, Aadhaar card and people are scared to submit these documents because they will come under the tax bracket, which they never paid. Demonetisation preceded GST, what kind of impact did that create in the smaller markets? Due to demonetisation all the money that was there in the market came back to the banks. Hence, the wholesale market has no money at all. A small trader, who had Rs 15 lakh cash with him, went and deposited his money in the accounts of his family and friends so that the money doesn't lose its value. After depositing, he was scared to withdraw the money and this resulted in excess cash with banks. Money got blocked, and there was no money in the market. While you may think life is normal now, but there is still no money in tier 2-3 markets. Anand (in Gujarat) for instance, is a small town, but there is no money there. People usually bought gold in order to convert their black money to white, or buy land, all that has stopped too. Government's tax collection will surely go up, but the Indian model of doing business has got fractured. The village economy totally operates on cash, not on credit card. If a farmer gives Rs 10 to a shopkeeper in a village, that shopkeeper gives it to the distributor, the distributor by evening will have bulk cash which he would have collected from other shopkeepers and he would give that money to the stockist. Now there is a brake on such transactions. Most people in villages do small cash dealings, and they obviously can't pay by cheque. So, GST on the face of it may sound like a great move, but there is an entire economy which lives in villages that is badly impacted. You like to call yourself a brand of the masses and I am sure you deal with the wholesale community. Hasn't your business got impacted too? Even we go to them as they are our buyers, so we are also impacted. In the month of December we have a booking scheme, when we give 10 per cent discount to all those (wholesalers) who book our products in advance. Earlier, there used to be an overflow of bookings, this time we got only 28 bookings, as there was no cash to pay. We used to get booking worth Rs 100 crore, but this time we struggled to touch Rs 50 crore. That is because the market doesn't have surplus money. You have given us lot of insights on how the small town economy has got impacted. Can you tell us how small local brands have got impacted? Let me give you an example of packaged water. There are thousands of local bottled water brands who never pay taxes. Earlier there was 26 per cent excise and VAT on bottled water, which these brands used to save. They used to sell at least 30 per cent lower than the big brands. Now it's the reverse, the bigger brands are more reasonably priced. Now there is 12 per cent GST on bottled water, but it has become expensive for the local brands because they have never paid taxes. They are out of business. 29 Aug 2018, 1:01 PM 3.46 mn people joined formal workforce in 6 months India has added more than 3 million people to the formal workforce between September 2017 and February 2018 according to the government. The numbers were released by extrapolating data from the EPFO and National Pension Scheme.However, it remains unclear whether these are new jobs or a result of formalisation of existing employment. Experts are also pointing at the possibility of duplication of data. Google ramps up Gmail privacy controls in major update Google today ramped up privacy controls in a Gmail overhaul, aiming first at businesses that use its suite of workplace tools hosted in the internet cloud. The "all new" Gmail is available to the more than four million businesses that pay for G Suite services. People who use the email service personally for free can opt in by making the choice in settings, vice president of product management David Thacker said in a blog post. Revamped Gmail has "a brand new look on the web, advanced security features, new applications of Google's artificial intelligence and even more integrations with other G Suite apps," according to Thacker. A confidential mode added to Gmail promises to let people sending messages set expiration dates and block them from being forwarded, copied, downloaded or printed. Messages can be revoked after being sent, Thacker said. Study reveals internet shutdown cost Indian economy $3 bn from 2012-17 The Indian economy is estimated to have suffered a loss of USD 3 billion due to Internet shutdown in the country from 2012-17, according to a study by ICRIER. The study observed impact of Internet shutdown across various devices and ecosystem linked to them. E-Commerce businesses and online freelancers who operate out of small towns and are completely dependent on a functioning Internet are the most affected by Internet shutdowns, the report said adding that tourism has also become increasingly dependent on the Internet and has been significantly affected. GST Council meet on May 4, simplifying returns on agenda Finance Minister Arun Jaitley-chaired GST Council will meet on May 4 to discuss a simpler return form and the amendments required in the indirect tax regime rules. The 27th meeting of the Council, comprising state finance ministers, will meet through video conferencing and will also mull over the proposal of converting GSTN into a government company. A decision on return simplification could be on the cards with the Sushil Modi-led Group of Ministers putting before the Council the three models of new return form for discussion, an official said. Microsoft is India's most attractive employer, followed by Amazon: survey Technology giant Microsoft India has been declared the most attractive employer brand, followed by e-commerce giant Amazon India. The winners were named by HR service provider Randstad's Employer Brand Research (REBR) 2018. Other names in the list include Hindustan Unilever, IBM India, ITC Group, Larsen & Toubro, Mercedes-Benz India, Samsung India, Sony India and Tata Consultancy Services. The REBR covered 75% of the global economy with 30 participating countries and more than 1,75,000 respondents worldwide. Forty-nine per cent of the respondents mentioned that work places need to be open, flexible and should demonstrate a willingness to change in order to retain their employees as well as keep them engaged. Toyota India has revealed the prices of the Yaris in India. Interested buyers can book the car by submitting an amount of Rs 50,000. The price of the car, unsurprisingly, puts it in direct competition with the Maruti Suzuki Ciaz, Skoda Rapid, Hyundai Verna, Honda City and Volkswagen Vento. Here's a look at the dimensions and raw stats of the new Toyota Yaris when compared to its toughest competition in the segment. Maruti Suzuki Ciaz is expected to receive a facelift soon. The car's prices start at Rs 8.75 lakh (all prices ex-showroom, Delhi) for the base variant and goes all the way to Rs14.07 lakh for the highest variant. The prices are slightly higher than the competition. The company is offering the car with a single 1.5-litre petrol engine which churns out 107ps of power and 140nm of torque. The company provides a 7-step CVT automatic gearbox with each variant. The CVT variants are priced at a premium of around Rs 1.2 lakh when compared to their manual version. The car is offered in four variants. Starting with the base Yaris J variant, it is priced at Rs 8.75 lakh for the manual and Rs 9.95 lakh for the CVT variant. This variant gets seven airbags (including driver knee airbag) with ABS, EBD, and brake assist as standard across all variants. Apart from that, the variant also gets halogen headlamps with projectors, power adjustable mirrors, AC with manual controls, driver seat height adjustment, all four power windows, 4-speaker audio system, tilt steering, keyless entry, instrument cluster with LCD multi-info display and a cooled gloved box. The next variant is the Yaris G variant which comes with a price tag of Rs 10.56lakh and Rs 11.76 lakh for the CVT variant. This variant includes features like power folding mirrors with turn indicators, a chrome trim on the front grille, an instrument cluster with TFT multi-info display, engine start-stop button, 7.0-inch infotainment system with four speakers, steering-mounted audio controls, fog lamps, dual rear parking sensors and rear defogger. Next up is the Toyota Yaris V variant which is priced at Rs 11.70 lakh for the manual variant and Rs 12.90 lakh for the automatic. This variant will get disc breaks in all four wheels along with other feature upgrades like automatic headlamps, rain sensing wipers, 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with six speakers, dual front parking sensors, quad rear parking sensors and cruise control. This variant will also get 15-inch alloy wheels. The top Yaris VX variant is priced at Rs 12.85 lakh for the manual transmission and Rs 14.07 lakh for the automatic CVT variant. This top specked variant gets luxury additions like leather seats, eight-way adjustable powered driver seat, paddle shifters (for CVT variant) and daytime running lamps. Other than that, this variant gets nifty features like hill-start assist, tyre pressure monitoring system and even a rear sunshade. Italian luxury brand Versace and realty firm Unity Group on Thursday announced tie-up for developing the Delhi's tallest building, comprising 160 branded luxury apartments, with an investment of about Rs 500 crore. The 46-storey twin towers, with interior design by Versace Homes, will be the tallest approved building in the national capital with 182 metres in height, Unity group Director Harsh Vardhan Bansal told reporters here. These branded homes will be sold on invitation and price is likely to be about Rs 15 crore for a 5,800 sq ft apartment. Unity Group, which has built over 100 commercial buildings here, has forayed into housing segment to develop this 40 acre complex at Karol Bagh, comprising a total of nearly 2,700 units in 22 towers. The twin towers will be part of this project. The twin towers were launched in presence of Italian Ambassador to India Lorenzo Angeloni. "The branded luxury apartments will offer a range of unique amenities that embrace everything Versace stands for - superior quality, contemporary design and innovation through a combination of ultra-modern facilities with unmatched style," said Gabriella Saracino, Worldwide Licensing and Home Division Director, Gianni Versace. She said this will be the second housing project for Versace brand in India, which is an important market for the Italian fashion house. It is doing a project ABIL Mansion in South Mumbai. In recent years, Saracino said the company has started to focus on luxury residential projects around the world, such as the Aykon Lonon One in London, the DAMAC Residences in Jeddah and Milano Residences in Manila. Asked about the investment, Bansal said the total project cost is Rs 3,000 crore and out of that Rs 500 crore would be for Versace twin towers. The construction work has started and the project will be completed in next 4-5 years. At present, the Civic Centre building in the central Delhi is tallest with a height of around 110 metre. Unity Group is currently selling homes in this project in a price range of Rs 1.5-5.5 crore at a rate of Rs 14,000-15,000 per sq ft. The price of Versace branded flats has not been decided but it is expected around Rs 25,000 per sq ft. Unity is developing this project in joint venture with DCM group. This land parcel was earlier used by the DCM group for housing accommodation of Delhi Cloth Mills workers. In Delhi, there are very few housing projects being developed by private real estate players. Indias largest realty firm DLF is developing a housing project at Moti Nagar in central Delhi. Parsvnath has housing projects at Civil Lines in north Delhi and Subhash Nagar in west Delhi. Founded in 1978 in Milan, Gianni Versace SpA is one of the leading international fashion design houses. It designs, manufactures, distributes and retails fashion and lifestyle products, including haute couture, accessories, jewellery, watches, eyewear, fragrances and home furnishings. Unity Group is a diversified group with interests in real estate, hotels, educational institutions, automobile dealerships, marble and healthcare. It has recently delivered two multi-level car parking with retail projects in collaboration with DMRC (Delhi Metro Rail Corporation) namely Unity One, Janakpuri and Unity One, Rohini. With PTI inputs Biocon's financial results for the March quarter and the recently-concluded financial year are largely in line with the analyst and market expectations, though margins were found to be below expectations. But then, from the market's perspective, it does not seem as if the numbers are really into focus. What the market seems to be keen on is the progress card of the company on the biosimilars front. Or shall we say, its emerging biosimilars story, and there, the company seems to be making good progress. It has already got approvals from US regulators and expecting more approvals from US and European regulators in the next couple of quarters. In fact, the spokesperson for the company says "with all the positive regulatory developments in our biosimilars business we look forward to a positive overall performance in FY19." In the media release put out by the company, its Chairperson & Managing Director, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw commented on the progress made on the biosimilar front. "We concluded the year with a strong revenue growth of 27 per cent in Q4FY18, led by biologics and research services businesses, which grew 47 per cent and 45 per cent respectively. Our traditional small molecules and branded formulations businesses also turned in a positive performance this quarter. We crossed a key milestone in Q4 when our Insulin Glargine, received regulatory approvals in the developed markets of Europe and Australia. Our biosimilar Trastuzumab also got approval in Turkey," she said. On the financials, she said, "The muted FY18 performance was on account of continued pricing challenges in the generics business coupled with a planned plant shut down for requalification and lower licensing income in the biologics business. In addition, operational expenses related to our Malaysia facility impacted the bottom line. However, a positive Q4 is indicative of a normalized business trend. Recent approvals of our biosimilars along with the strong performance of Syngene are expected to positively impact overall performance in FY19." In terms of the financial performance for the year, Biocon's total revenue for FY18 stood at Rs 4,336 crore with revenue from operations at Rs 4,130 Crore. The EBITDA stood at Rs 1,035 crore, with an EBITDA margin of 24 per cent for FY18. Core EBITDA margin for FY18 (net sum of licensing, impact of forex and R&D) stood at 27 per cent. Reported net profit for the year was Rs 372 crore, which represents a net profit margin of 9 per cent. Here were some of the key pointers shared by the company on the biosimilars : 1. Semglee, Insulin Glargine co-developed by Biocon and Mylan, is the first biosimilar from the partnered portfolio to be approved in the developed markets of EU and Australia. 2. Biocon also received Insulin Glargine approval in South Korea and biosimilar Trastuzumab approval in Turkey. 3. Biocon and Mylan agreed to accelerate the introduction of biosimilar Adalimumab in Europe through Mylan's in-licensing arrangement with Fujifilm Kyowa Kirin Biologics, to enable launch in EU, around market formation. 4. Biocon and Mylan have agreed to expand their long-standing collaboration to add two new next-generation biosimilar programs with Insulin Glargine 300 units/mL and Pertuzumab. The Chinese smartphone manufacturer and Internet company, Xiaomi will forever limit its net profit margin after tax for the entire hardware business, which includes smartphones, IoT and lifestyle products, to a maximum of 5 per cent. Xiaomi's Chairman and CEO, Lei Jun, announced this during the Mi 6X launch event and also through a letter to all Xiaomi employees. The letter stated that if the margin crosses 5 per cent, then the company will find a way to return the excess above 5 per cent to our users. Xiaomi claims to have an honest pricing for all its products and this new move might help in further building the consumer confidence. "If we sell our products at close to cost and return value to our users, then we can earn the long-term support of our users. Aiming for large volumes with small profit margins will still result in suitable hardware profits for us in the long term," says Jun in the email. Jun's decision to cap the margin has already been approved by Xiaomi's Board of Directors. Jun further emphasis that Xiaomi is different from traditional hardware companies as it is an internet company with smartphones and smart hardware connected by an IoT platform at its core. The email further highlights the company's "triathlon" business model - encompassing hardware, internet service and new retail, while keeping the products as close as possible to their cost price. Xiaomi has also been delivering products directly to the user. "It has always been difficult for me to understand why consumers have to bear the costs of this inefficiency. This is why Xiaomi has the will and determination to revolutionize the industry's cost-efficiency. We do this by putting in every bit of effort to create quality products and maximize value to users," the email says. Xiaomi has been really aggressive in India with its product offerings. After announcing the global launch of the Redmi Note 5 Pro from India, the company is expanding its product portfolio beyond smartphones and has introduced Mi Smart TVs in the county. Xiaomi recently launched the Mi Crowdfunding platform, using which; the company will be able to gauge consumer interest in the Xiaomi products they wish to bring into the country. Jun further adds, "Going forward, maintaining reasonable profits is an inevitable industrial trend. Any move pushing for high gross margins will eventually reap no rewards. At present, the company has exceeded 100 billion renminbi in annual revenue and has nearly 20,000 employees. In the future, Xiaomi may have higher revenue and become a larger organization." According to the recent report released by Canalys focusing on the India smartphone shipment for Q1 2018, the report explains that Xiaomi has shown no signs of slowing down in India. The Chinese smartphone vendor registered an 155 per cent annual shipment growth, shipped over 9 million units, giving it a market share of just over 31 per cent, the highest ever for a vendor since Q1 2014, when Samsung had a share of 33 per cent. Over 100 business leaders and buyers from the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region are coming together today with over 200 Irish companies at the Routes to Growth Asia Pacific Conference in the Aviva Stadium. The first-of-its-kind event is jointly hosted by Enterprise Ireland and Cathay Pacific, and was opened by Minister of State for Trade, Employment and Business, Pat Breen, T.D. It represents a significant marker of the increasing focus in Ireland on exporting to the APAC region, as a key element of Enterprise Irelands market diversification strategy in response to Brexit. The Routes to Growth conference offers key insights and perspectives from existing Irish exporters, and leading experts and senior decision makers from Asia Pacific on doing business in the region. There will also be targeted sessions on Aviation, Financial Services, Digital Technology, Healthcare, Construction and Agri-tech. The event will be jointly hosted by the CEO of Enterprise Ireland, Julie Sinnamon and General Manager Europe of Cathay Pacific, James Ginns, and will be moderated by Former CNN Correspondent, Gina London. Speakers will include Dicky Yip, Non-Exec Director PingAn Insurance and ex-CEO HSBC China, Jim Thompson, Chairman & CEO of Crown Worldwide Group Hong Kong. Among the Enterprise Ireland client companies exporting to the region who will be in attendance are Fenergo, Decawave and Cubic Telecom. According to research, exports to the Asia-Pacific region from Ireland more than doubled in the last five years since breaking the 1bn mark in 2012, delivering double-digit growth for Enterprise Ireland clients in 2016 with an impressive 16% year on year gain. As the second fastest growing region for Enterprise Ireland backed companies, Enterprise Ireland is targeting to increase exports to the region by 50% by 2020. The APAC region is home to half the worlds population and is forecast to host 64% of the global middle class by 2030. In addition, Irelands connectivity to the APAC region will see a significant boost in June 2018 with the commencement of the first direct flight between Dublin and Hong Kong launching on June 2nd by Cathay Pacific, the first ever direct flight from Ireland to the Asian mainland. In tandem with the conference, Enterprise Ireland is also today launching a new series of Going Global guides for Irish companies doing business in nine APAC countries including China, Singapore, Vietnam and India. Speaking ahead of the event, Minister of State for Trade, Employment and Business, Pat Breen said, "Irelands reach into new markets in the AsiaPAC region has grown substantially in recent years. We are strongly represented across the region, with state agencies, embassies and consulates now present in sixteen cities. Todays Routes to Growth Conference could not be timelier, given the imperative, as a result of Brexit and other global developments, to expand our trading footprint and explore new international markets. The Irish Government and Enterprise Ireland offer a range of supports for companies looking to break into the AsiaPAC region. Todays conference is an excellent opportunity to hear great Irish business success stories in the region and the learnings they can offer prospective exporters." CEO of Enterprise Ireland, Julie Sinnamon added, "With Irish exports to the Asia-Pacific region more than doubling in recent years, and 600 Enterprise Ireland clients exporting to the region, Enterprise Irelands ambition is to increase exports by further 50% by 2020. Last year alone we had 70 new first-time exporters to the region. Expanding the reach of Irish exports in new and emerging markets is a key priority for Enterprise Ireland and is a central element of our market diversification strategy in response to Brexit." Source: www.businessworld.ie The number of UK workers planning a move to the EU has returned to its post-referendum high, according to new data from Indeed, the worlds largest job site. Ireland is the largest beneficiary of this trend, attracting 21.4% of searches, followed by France with 17.5%, Spain with 12.8% of searches, Germany with 11.7% and Italy 8.2%. In the immediate aftermath of the referendum result on June 24, 2016, the number of UK jobseekers looking for roles in other EU countries soared, as thousands of Britons explored their options following the Leave campaigns surprise victory. Indeed say that while the spike seen in the days following the 2016 referendum quickly subsided, the steady increases seen in 2017 and 2018 hint at a more significant, sustained trend. With the UK due to leave the EU in March 2019, the first quarter of 2018 saw British searches for jobs in the EU climb again, rekindling fears of a Brexodus of talented workers to other EU member states. Searches for jobs outside the UK have reached a level 15.2% higher than that recorded in the pre-referendum first quarter of 2016. Commenting on the research, Economist and Senior Fellow at Indeed, Tara Sinclair said, "Brexit has dominated the EU landscape and also the relationship between the UK and Ireland for two years and this is also reflected in the labour market. Proximity plays a role, and it makes sense that we are seeing the UKs nearest neighbour and fellow English language-speaking member state attract the largest share of jobseekers." She added, "A Brexodus is once again a very real possibility. While the initial spike in Britons searches for EU jobs might be dismissed as a knee-jerk reaction - inspired by either curiosity or panic - 2018s steady and sustained return to those levels suggests more Britons are thinking more seriously about a move to elsewhere in the EU." Source: www.businessworld.ie Above all professionals, a teacher enjoys the highest degree of respect in our society because they have the power to shape the future generations. For this reason, the second president of India and recipient of Bharat Ratna, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan feels that teachers should be the best minds in the country. So we started celebrating his birthday, Sep 5, as Teacher's Day. It is quite easy for us to write about the careers in teaching; however, this profession requires passion because they deal with delicate minds besides handling a group of individuals at a time. The opportunities for teachers are always high across the world and there is no exception in India. An individual can take up this profession by choosing a subject of their choice such as mathematics, physics and chemistry. The jobs for the teachers are available in government and private schools. However, the government-school teachers enjoy more benefits. One can also look for jobs as lecturers in colleges, which require a special entrance examination and master's degree. Let's tour all about this profession in detail. How To Become A Teacher If you are passionate to become a teacher, there are several options such as Diploma in Teachers Education (DTed), a Bachelor in Education (BEd) and a Master in Education (MEd). Two years are required for the diploma/bachelor's course and one year for pursuing master's, which allows you to teach at any educational institution in the country. Apart from the above courses, one can also choose various programmes in private institutions in order to nourish their teaching experience. Educational Qualifications 10+2 is required to pursue DTed. A three-year graduation such as BA, BSc and BCom is required for pursuing the BEd course. BEd is required in order to take up master's in a specific subject. DTed, BEd & MEd: Know The Basic Differences DTed is required to teach from nursery to class 7. Starting from maths to arts, DTed trains candidates in every subject. If you want to teach above classes, you should have a BEd, which will let you to teach up to class 12. The BEd focuses more on the learning part which can be pursued only after a three-year graduate degree. The MEd focuses on the specific subject or branch. Entrance Exams For A Teacher One can also look for Teacher Eligibility Test (TET), which is a state-level entrance test conducted by the respective state. If you deserve to teach in the schools of the central government, such as Kendriya Vidyalaya, one can prefer Central Teacher Eligibility Test (CTET) conducted by Central Board Of Secondary Education (CBSE). After completing BEd, one can take the national-level entrance exam, National Eligibility Test (NET). This is conducted by the University Grants Commission (UGC) that makes you eligible for the post of Assistant Professor all over the country. Career Opportunities For Teachers To be honest, the job prospects for a teacher is with zero tension but full of responsibilities. Most of them will enjoy a regular job timing, i.e., 9-5. The opportunities are plenty for teachers who have met all the prerequisites. Thousands of vacancies were issued every year for teachers in government schools such as Kendriya Vidyalaya. Apart from schools, one can also find opportunities in private schools. The career will be lucrative for candidates who have a certificate in MEd. Teacher Pay Scales Undeniably, one who serves at government schools gets a respectable pay besides other benefits. Due to the pay commission, teachers at government schools need not worry about the pay revisions. As for now, the grade pay for a teacher at government schools is around thirty thousand. Some private schools offer lower salaries. However, teachers at international schools will get impressive packages. Career In Social Media: What Are The Career Opportunities And Skills Required Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Limited has released an employment notification calling out for aspirants to apply for the posts of Additional Chief Project Manager, Senior Deputy Chief Project Manager and Deputy Chief Project Manager. Those interested can check out the eligibility, salary scale, how to apply and the complete details of the government job here. Selected candidates can earn up to INR 66000. The last date to apply for the government job is May 15, 2018. Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited Recruitment 2018 For General Manager Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Limited Recruitment 2018 Vacancy Details CRITERIA DETAILS Name Of The Posts Additional Chief Project Manager, Senior Deputy Chief Project Manager and Deputy Chief Project Manager Organisation Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Limited Educational Qualification BE/BTech in civil engineering Maximum Age Limit 45 to 53 years Skills Required Management and technical skills Salary Scale Varies according to the posts Job Responsibilities Manage and guide the MMRCL project Job Location Nagpur Industry Railways Experience 8 to 17 years Application Start Date Apr 25, 2018 Application End Date May 15, 2018 Also Read: Maharashtra Public Service Commission Recruitment 2018 For Biochemists MMRCL Project Manager Salary Scale Name Of The Post Salary Scale Additional Chief Project Manager INR 43200 to INR 66000 Senior Deputy Chief Project Manager INR 32900 to INR 58000 Deputy Chief Project Manager INR 29100 to INR 54500 How To Apply For Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Limited Recruitment 2018 In order to apply for Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Limited Recruitment 2018, follow these steps: Step 1: Log on to the Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Limited official website. (http://www.metrorailnagpur.com/) Step 2: Click on the Careers tab. Step 3: The list of recruitment notifications will be displayed on the screen. Step 4: Click on the relevant advertisement link. Step 5: The detailed advertisement will be displayed on the screen. Read the details carefully. Step 6: Scroll down to the bottom of the page to find the application form. Step 7: Take a printout of the application form and fill your particulars in the fields provided. Step 8: Enclose the application form in an envelope and send it to MMRCL. Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Limited Recruitment 2018 Application Format And Mailing Address Superscribe on the envelope the following details: Name of the post Post code Category Send it to: Addl General Manager (HR) Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Limited Metro House, 28/2, CK Naidu Marg Anand Nagar, Civil Lines Nagpur - 440001 Maharashtra Public Service Commission has released an employment notification calling out for aspirants to apply for the post of Biochemist. Those interested can check out the eligibility, salary scale, how to apply and the complete details of the government job here. Selected candidates can earn up to INR 40000. The last date to apply for the government job is May 15, 2018. Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd Recruitment 2018 For Engineers Maharashtra Public Service Commission Recruitment 2018 Vacancy Details CRITERIA DETAILS Name Of The Post Biochemist Organisation Maharashtra Public Service Commission Number Of Vacancies 19 Educational Qualification Master's degree in biochemistry Maximum Age Limit 38 years Skills Required Analytical and research skills Salary Scale INR 9,300 to INR 40000 Job Location Maharashtra Industry Civil Services Experience 2 years Application Fee INR 524 Application Start Date Apr 25, 2018 Application End Date May 15, 2018 Also Read: Geologist Recruitment 2018 At Gujarat Mineral Research and Development Society How To Apply For Maharashtra Public Service Commission Recruitment 2018 In order to apply for Maharashtra Public Service Commission Recruitment 2018, follow these steps: Step 1: Log on to the Maharashtra Public Service Commission official website. Step 2: Click the Online Application button on the top-right corner of the home page. Step 3: The list of advertisement links along with the link for registration would be displayed on the screen. Step 4: Click on New User Registration button on the top-left corner of the page. Step 5: The registration form will be displayed on the screen. Enter your details in the fields provided. Step 6: Enter the captcha code. Step 7: Click Submit and follow the subsequent pages to complete the registration. Step 8: Go back to the application page and enter your credentials on the login form. Step 9: Click Login and complete the application process. Click here to read the official advertisement. India Post for Andhra Pradesh Postal Circle has released an employment notification calling out for aspirants to apply for the post of Gramin Dak Sevak. 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 May 24, 2018. Andhra Pragathi Grameena Bank Recruitment 2018 For 75 Office Attendants Gramin Dak Sevak Recruitment 2018 Vacancy Details CRITERIA DETAILS Name Of The Post Gramin Dak Sevak Organisation India Post Educational Qualification Class 10 graduate Age Limit 18 to 40 years Skills Required Knowledge of computers Salary Scale Industry standards Job Responsibilities Monitor mails and persuade customers to invest Job Location Andhra Pradesh Industry Postal Experience Freshers can apply Application Start Date Apr 25, 2018 Application End Date May 24, 2018 Also Read: Andhra Pradesh Postal Circle Recruitment 2018 For 94 Multi Tasking Staff How To Apply For Gramin Dak Sevak Recruitment 2018 In order to apply for Gramin Dak Sevak Recruitment 2018, follow these steps: Step 1: Log on to the AP Postal circle official website. Step 2: On the left-hand side of the home page, click on the Registration link. Step 3: The registration form will be displayed on the screen. Enter your details in the fields provided. Step 4: Enter the captcha code. Step 5: Click on the button that reads, Submit Details and complete the registration process. Step 6: Go back to the home page and click the link to apply online using your credentials. Step 7: Enter your registration number. Step 8: Click Submit. Step 9: The application form will be displayed on the screen. Enter your details in the fields provided. Step 10: Upload the relevant documents and print the application. Photo: The Canadian Press The man accused in a van attack that left 10 people dead in Toronto had spent two months with the Canadian Armed Forces last year, and was considered a below-average recruit who wasn't adjusting well to military life, a defence source said Tuesday. Alek Minassian was a member of the forces from Aug. 23, 2017, until Oct. 25, 2017, a spokeswoman with the Department of National Defence said. "He did not complete his recruit training and requested to be voluntarily released from the CAF after 16 days of recruit training," said Jessica Lamirande. Minassian, a 25-year-old from Richmond Hill, Ont., was charged on Tuesday with 10 counts of first-degree murder and 13 counts of attempted murder in Monday's alleged van attack. Police said he will soon face an additional count of attempted murder. A source with the military told The Canadian Press that Minassian attended the leadership and recruit school at St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que., and noted that he did not receive any weapons training while there. The source said Minassian was assessed as a below-average recruit but noted that there were no red flags to suggest something like the van incident he's alleged to have been involved in was coming. Ten people were killed and 14 people injured after a van mounted a sidewalk and drove into pedestrians along a busy stretch of a north Toronto street Monday afternoon. Minassian was arrested a short time later. Some first ladies are more memorable than others. Some even appeared in the spotlight so often they rivaled their former presidential husbands media coverage. And some have been so involved in White House goings-on that theyve held public offices. Click through to find which amazing first ladies have delved into public service and, on page 5, why Melania Trump likely wont be one of them. 1. Hillary Clinton Hillary Clinton is perhaps the most famous first lady for holding public office. In 2000, according to the National First Ladies Library, she won the office of United States Senator from the state of New York. And in 2006, Clinton was re-elected. She served in that position until 2009, when she was appointed Secretary of State. Next: One fierce first lady 2. Eleanor Roosevelt Eleanor Roosevelt, according to the National First Ladies Library, served in three consecutive appointed positions. During World War II, Roosevelt asked the government to support the idea of a United Nations. In 1946, after Harry Truman assumed office when Roosevelt died during his fourth term as president, Eleanor Roosevelt became a U.S. delegate to the newly formed United Nations General Assembly. Roosevelts term ended in 1952. When her term as U.S. delegate was over, she was appointed Chairman of the United Nations Committee on Human Rights, a position in which she wrote the well-known Declaration of Human Rights. When John F. Kennedy was elected in 1960, he appointed Roosevelt chairwoman of the Presidential Commission on the Status of Human Rights, a position she kept until her death in November of 1962 Next: A hat trick of positions 3. Claudia Lady Bird Johnson Claudia Lady Bird Johnson, Lyndon B. Johnsons widow, served on three federal commissions. In 1975, according to the National First Ladies Library, Gerald R. Ford named her co-chair of the American Revolution Bicentennial Administrations Advisory Council. In 1977, Jimmy Carter appointed her co-chair of the Commission on White House Fellowships. In 1969 she accepted membership on the National Park Services Advisory Board on National Parks, Historic Sites, Buildings, and Monuments. Next: This first lady came close. 4. Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis In 1976, newspaper publisher Dorothy Schiff wrote that Jacqueline Onassis would serve the state well by seeking the Democratic nomination for the United States Senate seat from the state of New York, according to the National First Ladies Library. Onassis was flattered and even showed interest in assuming the post once held by her late brother-in-law Robert F. Kennedy. Id win of course! said Onassis. In the end, Onassis decided to continue her budding career as a book publishing editor. Next: Scratching our heads on this one 5. Melania Trump It is doubtful that Melania Trump will end up holding a public office. Trump isnt known for loving the White House life, and according to Michael Wolffs book, Fire and Fury Inside the Trump White House, she didnt even want Donald Trump to win the election because she wasnt interested in having a highly public, political life. In addition, Wolff asserted in his book that Melania Trump is a non-presence in the White House. According to The Mercury News, Trump is the only first lady to not move with her husband to the White House. The Mercury News also wrote There may never have been a first lady less prepared for or suited to the role. Because Trump doesnt seem to be adjusting to her role as first lady as quickly as everyone might like, it seems highly unlikely that shes be able to handle any kind of public office. Next: The perfect politicians wife 6. Florence Harding Florence Harding, Warren Hardings wife, was a perfect politicians wife, according to the National First Ladies Library. She managed her husbands political and social contacts, his public remarks, and their finances. In 1905, she was diagnosed with a kidney ailment that afflicted her for the rest of her life. Harding almost ran for the office of governor of Ohio in 1924, but her health prevented her. She did, however, remain politically active. Next: A colonial appointment 7. Abigail Adams Its rather astonishing that a woman in 1775 was appointed to, well, anything. But Abigail Adams, wife of president John Adams, was appointed by the colonys General Court to question a group of Tory women loyal to the British crown and decide if their activities were undermining the fight for independence. When she received her appointment, her husband was in Philadelphia, serving on the Second Continental Congress Committee which wrote the Declaration of Independence one year later but he quickly drafted a letter for her. John Adams wrote, you are now a politician and now elected to any important office, that of judgess of the Tory ladies, which will give you, naturally, an influence with your sex Read more: The Most Shocking Scandals About Melania Trump Check out The Cheat Sheet on Facebook! Cities around the country hold their own parades to celebrate holidays like Independence Day and Memorial Day. But the president wants a national, military-focused one. Donald Trump requested a US military parade after attending one of many similar processions around the world. This is what other countries military parades look like, and how they might inspire the celebration the president has called for. 1. Iran An annual parade commemorates the Iran-Iraq war as Irans military floods the streets. The countrys National Army Day parade doesnt shy away from proudly displaying the countrys defenses. Even air-launching missiles make an appearance. Next: This parade includes cool stunts along with displays of heavy artillery. 2. India India holds a military parade every year to celebrate the adoption of their constitution. The Republic Day parade usually features tanks, missiles, soldiers on foot, and even some troops mounted on camels. Following military personnel are a variety of dancers and stunt performers. Next: This parade inspired an American president to hold one in his own country. 3. France Frances annual Bastille Day parade, which features a small number of members of the American military, inspired President Donald Trump to request a similar U.S. parade, which could cost the country as much as $30 million. Next: Youll also find missiles during this large parade. 4. North Korea Many of the weapons displayed during North Koreas military parades date back decades, to the Cold War era. And even though they arent the only nation to do so, North Korea openly parades its missiles through the streets during the procession. Next: Sometimes, a royal birthday calls for a very specific type of celebration. 5. The United Kingdom The UK holds military parades for a few reasons, including Queen Elizabeth IIs birthday. But their Armed Forces Day parade takes place during Military Appreciation Month, and features troops in traditional British Armed Forces uniforms. Next: This country uses their parade to show off their new defense tech. 6. Russia Russias Victory Day parade takes place in Moscow every year to celebrate the conclusion of World War II. It often features the countrys latest military equipment, and isnt complete without a flyover of Russian fighter jets. Next: The timing of this parade sends a very specific message. 7. Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabias 2017 Mecca Parade featured marching troops, rolling tanks, and multiple hovering helicopters. The procession took place to show off the elite forces right before Hajj, the annual Muslim pilgrimage to the city. Next: This is the biggest and most expensive parade held globally. 8. China Chinas military parade is the most expensive and probably one of the largest in the world. A procession of 12,000 soldiers, over 120 aircraft, and 500 tanks and missile launchers fills the streets in front of the Tiananmen Gate each year. Check out The Cheat Sheet on Facebook! Trying to buy a home in Pueblo? Read these stories first. Wondering about a return trip to China and where to start a new and adventurous tour in 2018? We have the answers here. Every destination offers incredible landscapes, indigenous cultures, and varied adventures. You don't need an alarm clock when you stay in these extraordinary places, because the unknown adventures and beautiful scenery will make you keen to get up early. 1. Yunnan As the most wonderfully complex of all China's provinces, Yunnan boasts a rich diversity of people and a variety of natural wonders: deep gorges, towering karst formations, splendid snowcapped mountains, and the foothills of the Himalayas. Yunnan enjoys a pleasant climate that is mild in winter and cool in summer. It is a good year-round vacation destination. It is also home to more than half of the 55 ethnic minorities that are recognized in China. In many remote places, you can still find minority people who dress daily in their local costumes. Many still speak their minority languages and you'll come across different religious practices, customs, and beliefs. It is a great place to escape the typical tourist crowds found in metropolises and find a more off-the-beaten-path side of China. Most recommended attractions: Tiger Leaping Gorge, the Stone Forest, Shaxi Ancient Town, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain Recommended duration: 68 days Unique Experiences Discover one of the deepest river canyons in the world hike through Tiger Leaping Gorge Get close to the Dongba culture learn the Naxi Dongba script and embroidery Explore the Mirrors of the Gods' enjoy the sunset and sunrise at Yuanyang Hani Terraced Rice Fields Seek out the "Last Country of the Daughters" (the last matrilineal society) pay a home visit to a Mosuo family at Lugu Lake Transportation Convenience: Kunming is the gateway to Yunnan Province, providing international flights and bullet trains to many cities in China. Singapore and Malaysia both have direct flights to Kunming. Kunming also offers a 72-hour visa-free transit policy for travelers from 51 countries. You can take a 3-day trip in Kunming if you have an onward flight ticket to a third country or area. Tour Inspiration 2. Tibet Tibet is, without a doubt, one of the most remarkable places to visit in the world. For centuries, it has captured the imagination of Westerners as being the inspiration for Shangri-La. It offers fabulous monasteries, breathtaking high-altitude treks, stunning scenery of the world's highest mountains, and one of the most likeable peoples. You will see many sights and experience customs and culture, which you will not encounter in any other part of the world. Because Tibetan people are so religious and the environment is so pure, Tibet can be a place to escape modern life and contemplate spiritual life. Perhaps you will be moved when witnessing the religious devotion of the local people. It is no wonder that many people go to Tibet to cleanse their souls. Most recommended attractions: Potala Palace, Sera Monastery, Jokhang Temple, Yamdrok Lake, Everest Base Camp Recommended duration: 58 days Unique Experiences See the pilgrims in the spiritual center of Tibet Jokhang Temple Discover an offbeat learning method watch the monks debate with each other at Sera Monastery Set foot on top of the world's tallest mountain Everest Have an awesome picnic at a holy lakeside Yamdrok Lake Transportation Convenience: Due to the increase of transportation networks, it is easier to get to Tibet by rail and air. Beijing, Xi'an, Chongqing, Chengdu, Kunming, Lijiang, and Shangri-La all have direct flights to/from Tibet. Many tourists also combine their Tibet tour with a Nepal tour since there are direct flights to Kathmandu from Lhasa. Tour Inspiration 8-Day Lhasa to Everest Base Camp Tour: Your once-in-a-lifetime trip to see Mt. Everest. Challenge your breathing limitation to the base camp to enjoy mountain view and camp at night. 3. The Silk Road The Silk Road was a famous trading route with a history of over 2,000 years in China. It has everything you need for a rich cultural journey into the heart of China's past. It starts from the ancient capital of Xi'an, crosses the Yellow River in Lanzhou, and continues to the extreme western end of the Great Wall and its desert forts at Jiayuguan. It then carries on to the best-preserved example of Chinese Buddhism at the Mogao Caves of Dunhuang. Further west, you experience the ancient ruins of Jiaohe in Turpan and Heavenly Lake nestled in the snowcapped Heavenly Mountains near Urumqi. The whole journey encompasses extremes from scorching desert austerity to cool, watery mountain beauty and lush green upland pasture. If you have time, cross the Taklamakan Desert to the frontier outpost of Kashgar, which has a market that is as fragrant and bustling as it was in ancient days. Most recommended attractions: Jiayu Pass, the Mogao Caves, Zhangye Danxia National Geological Park, the Heavenly Mountains Recommended duration: 712 days Unique Experiences Echoing Sand Mountain you'll see the desert meet the oasis in a most spectacular way, along with fun adventures like camel riding. you'll see the desert meet the oasis in a most spectacular way, along with fun adventures like camel riding. The Overhanging Great Wall a striking section of the wall, which looks like a magnificent painting hanging over the cliff. a striking section of the wall, which looks like a magnificent painting hanging over the cliff. The Karez Wells an ancient irrigation system, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site; you will be impressed with the Xinjiang people's wisdom Transportation Convenience: The main sites of the Silk Road span across three provinces (Shaanxi, Gansu, and Xinjiang). Xi'an, Lanzhou, and Urumqi are considered to be the best gateway cities of each province. All of the above cities have extensive transportation networks that make it possible for tourists to access almost all major attractions by high-speed train, airplane, or car. Tour Inspiration 4. Sichuan Sichuan is known as the home of the giant panda, but there is definitely more there than just pandas. The capital of Sichuan is Chengdu. It is China's most laidback city and was designated a UNESCO City of Gastronomy in 2010. Surrounding Chengdu is an area full of surprises with sacred mountains, ancient villages, and cliffs displaying carved giant Buddhas. To the north, the scenery changes into a picturesque fairyland of alpine valleys with colorful lakes, spectacular waterfalls, and snowcapped mountains. Western Sichuan offers you another view from the roof of the world. It has epic mountain vistas, lively Buddhist monasteries, and grasslands peppered with yaks and alpine lakes as far as the eye can see. The area remains largely untouched so get there before the rest of the world finds out about it. Most recommended attractions: Chengdu Panda Breeding and Research Center, the Leshan Giant Buddha, Dujiangyan Irrigation System, Mountain Qingcheng, Four Girls Mountain Recommended duration: 47 days Unique Experiences A close encounter with pandas be a panda keeper at Dujiangyan Panda Base Be a rookie chef with Sichuan cuisine join a professional cooking class at Sichuan Cuisine Museum Touch the last piece of pure land on the blue planet visit Daocheng Yading Travel along the most beautiful scenic road in China G318 SichuanTibet Highway Transportation Convenience: As the capital of Sichuan Province, Chengdu has the most convenient transportation west of China's coastal cities, with direct flights to some foreign cities, direct flights/trains/buses to large domestic cities, and high-speed trains to several popular tourist cities. It also has a 72-hour (3-day) visa-free transit policy like Kunming. Read more information about it. Tour Inspiration 5. Huangshan (the Yellow Mountains) Huangshan is the perfect place to explore spectacular mountains, remote villages, and hike along ancient routes through terraced fields of rapeseed and tea. The main attraction is unquestionably the Yellow Mountains with their rushing mountain streams, towering peaks wreathed in mist, and twisted pines clinging to the sides of cliffs. Both the Yellow Mountains and the surrounding villages are some of the most popular topics for Chinese ink paintings. The most famous villages in the region are the UNESCO-listed Xidi and Hongcun. They are both built in the styles of the Ming and Qing dynasties and highlight the unique lifestyle of the province. For a more rural getaway, where water buffalo rest in the rice fields and paths are bordered with wildflowers, head 35 kilometers south to the town of Wuyuan. Fantastic mountain scenery and well-preserved villages make Huangshan the perfect antidote to the brashness of China's larger cities. Huangshan is easy to navigate and is within striking distance of Shanghai this is rural China at its accessible best. Most recommended attractions: the Yellow Mountains, Hongcun Village, Xidi Village Recommended duration: 35 days Unique Experiences Get closer to nature hiking along the Xin'an River Capture picture-postcard photos appreciate the Yellow Mountain sunrise and the sea of clouds Enjoy the tranquility of village life an in-depth Hongcun exploration Grab the autumn foliage in a photographer's paradise Tachuan Village Transportation Convenience: As it is one of the most popular tourist destinations in China, Huangshan has relatively convenient transportation for a provincial and mountainous area. There are many direct flights to/from many popular tourist cities: Beijing, Shanghai, Xi'an, Chengdu, Guilin, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chongqing, Wuhan, Zhengzhou, and Xiamen. There are also regional and international flights from Taipei and Seoul. Tour Inspiration You Might Like to Read It wasnt that Memorial Christian Hospital in southeastern Bangladesh had no warning. Steve Kelley, a surgeon at the Baptist facility, got a call from Doctors Without Borders on a Friday afternoon last August. He was stammering, Kelley said of the German physician on the line. The facility for the medical aid group also known as Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) was about 30 miles south of Memorial Christian, in a Rohingya refugee camp near the border of Myanmar. He described hundreds of dead and dying pouring across the border, Kelley said. It was a humanitarian nightmare. MSF was up to their eyeballs very quickly. The situationwhich United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Raad al-Hussein called a textbook example of ethnic cleansingbegan the day Kelly got the phone call. On Friday, August 25, 2017, Rohingya militants allegedly attacked 30 police stations in western Myanmar and killed ... 1 Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment When Mary LeQuieu was born in the spring of 1952, her father, George, looked her over thoroughly, counting to make sure she had all ten fingers and toes. He noted her good, strong lungs as she let out a loud cry. She was a healthy baby girl, his and his wife's second child, and the answer to seven months of fervent prayer and anxious waiting. Many months before, in August 1951 in Salem, Oregon his pregnant wife, Liz, had begun hemorrhaging. She was about 6-8 weeks pregnant with Mary, and her physician, Dr. Brown, was out of town. Instead, his partner, Dr. Greenwood, made a house call. Upon examining Liz, he delivered crushing news: She was losing the baby. If the baby did survive, he warned, the child would be physically and mentally handicapped. His solution was to terminate the pregnancy. Devastated, Liz took the pill the doctor had given her, and together she and George sat down and cried. The next day, the couple got a call from Liz's regular physician, Dr. Brown. He had read his colleague's report and completely disagreed with his diagnosis; he believed he could save the baby. Now Dr. Brown made a house call. According to one of Liz's diary entries from the time, he gave Liz a shot and some medication and put her on bedrest. The following seven months would be wrought with anxiety and intense prayer, particularly for George. "I know that my Dad really spent a lot of time praying," says LeQuieu. "It was kind of a significant step in his spiritual journey. He was a believer. He'd accepted Christ when he was 18 years old, but he really had to trust God for the outcome because when you think about it, there are two doctors telling them two different things. "One doctor is saying the baby's no good, not viable, get rid of it. And then the other is saying, 'No, no, no, we can preserve this life.' So when they made the choice to follow the life-affirming doctor's advice, that was really a leap of faith for them." That leap of faith ended up saving Mary's life. "My parents and I, we are absolutely grateful for that doctor's intervention because without it I wouldn't be here," said LeQuieu. Decades Later, Reversal Efforts Continue to Save Lives In recent years, hundreds of women have benefitted from an intervention similar to the one that saved Mary LeQuieu's life. Today, Abortion Pill Reversal, pioneered by Dr. George Delgado and Dr. Matthew Harrison, aims to save babies by turning back the effects of the abortion pill. Otherwise known as a chemical abortion or RU-486, the "abortion pill" is actually a two-pill regimen. The first pill, mifepristone, works by telling a woman's body to stop producing progesteronea necessary hormone to sustain a healthy pregnancy. The second pill, typically misoprostol, forces her body to expel the baby. Abortion Pill Reversal can be used up 72 hours after taking the first pill and before taking the second. It works by reintroducing progesterone to the woman's body, either by pill or injection. Physicians have been using progesterone to prevent miscarriages since the 1950saround the time LeQuieu was born. Though the details are now foggy to LeQuieu's 92-year-old mother, she refers to the intervention that saved her daughter's life as a "reversal." LeQuieu may just have been among the first of many to be saved thanks to reversal efforts using progesterone. Since Abortion Pill Reversal debuted in 2007, nearly 500 lives have been saved by the protocol. Recently, Delgado had a study published in the medical journal, Issues in Law and Medicine, revealing its success rate. Up to 68 percent of women who changed their mind about an abortion and started the Abortion Pill Reversal treatment were able to give birth to a perfectly healthy baby. Another Pregnancy, Another Doctor, a Different Ending Today, LeQuieu is the executive director of Care Net Pregnancy Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It wasn't until she began working at Care Net in 2000 that her mother decided to share the story of her incomplete abortion with LeQuieu. "My mom said to me, 'Well, you know, based on what you do, you probably need to know this,'" LeQuieu said. By that time, LeQuieu herself had already gone through the trials of having her own abortion many years beforein 1973, the year Roe v. Wade was decided, repealing abortion restrictions in all 50 states. "It was probably the roughest period of my life because I didn't want to do it and yet I was coerced into it," she said. "You know, I hated doctors for years because the doctor who performed the abortion was such a bully. I mean, he literally yelled in my face to sign the paperwork and stop wasting his time. And refused to answer my questions, by the way. Because I asked out right for a referral to a maternity home and he wouldn't give it to me." She also asked about her baby's development. "When I finally pressed him on that he told me, 'It looks like a pre-evolutionary fish,'" she said. "I don't know what the heck a pre-evolutionary fish is." LeQuieu was 12 weeks along, almost out of the first trimester. By this time, a baby has a beating heart, brain waves, arms, legs, eyelids, toes, and fingerprints. Every organ is in place. Feeling the intense pressure to abort from both the doctor and her baby's father, LeQuieu went through with the procedure. The abortionist inserted laminaria in her to begin the dilation process and had her come to the hospital the next day to remove the baby. But as he started the abortion, a complication struck: LeQuieu began having an allergic reaction to the pain medication. "The doctor looks up at me and, of course, he's got a mask on so all I can see is his eyes," said LeQuieu. "He looks up at me and says, 'Oh my God. What's happening to her?!' Well, that's not a very comforting thing to hear." All LeQuieu could see was her right arm. "I remember turning my head and looking at my arm and I had massive red welts going all the way up my arm," she said. Eventually, after much commotion, an anesthesiologist arrived and put her under. That is all she remembers of her abortion. After her traumatic experience, LeQuieu says she was changed. "The thing that most describes the result of that is that I had an instantaneous personality change," she said. "I went from being a very happy-go-lucky person, just very much of an optimist, very outgoing to being fearful, introverted, distrustful, angry, and just crying. I would cry myself to sleep every night. And that was such a radical change." Recovery and Gratitude LeQuieu would spend the next few decades looking for forgiveness. Fortunately, she had loving parents who stood by her during that trying time. "Here's the good thing: My parents were so forgiving and so...they just loved on me through that period of time," she said. "It was the one spark of hope that showed me that God could forgive me, but it was a very long process." Years later, that process would lead her to Care Net. Unfulfilled by her work selling furniture, she began praying with her husband for a way she could get into women's ministry, particularly for women facing unplanned pregnancies. Her opportunity came in 2000 when she was hired as Director of Client Services at Care Net. After beginning her work at Care Net, LeQuieu took the center's Forgiven and Set Free class, an extensive Bible study that addresses post-abortion recovery. For LeQuieu, the recovery process was liberating. "I was telling somebody the other day that women who walk away from post-abortion healing ministries...it feels like they have been carrying a burden of heavy weight and when they walk away from those, the weight is gone," she said. "Freedom is a good word for it." Today, LeQuieu sees divine purpose in her story. From surviving an abortion to being coerced into one as a young woman, she has been deeply impacted by the practice. But she is hopeful that her story has made a difference in the lives of others. "My story is kind of complex, but it is what God has used to intervene in other people's lives and for that I'm very thankful," she said. "I mean, you know, I'm thankful that a doctor was willing to step out of the comfort zone and intervene to save my life." In 2018, doctors like Delgado, Harrison and the Abortion Pill Reversal network of medical providers continue this work, intervening to save lives like Mary's from the pain of abortion, as well as women like Mary from the regret of abortion. Abortion Pill Reversal Hotline: 877-558-0333 More information: AbortionPillReversal.com Katie Franklin is managing editor for Pregnancy Help News and content writer at Heartbeat International. She previously served as director of communications for Ohio Right to Life and is a graduate of Denison University where she earned a B.A. in history in 2013. Katie lives in Columbus, Ohio with her husband Miles and daughter Elizabeth. Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The movement that became known as the New Atheism was born in the smoldering ruins of 9/11. It was the horror of that scene, perpetuated by terrorists driven by a radical Muslim ideology, that convinced several atheists that the root problem was religion. Like secular versions of the biblical prophets of old, they concluded that they needed to speak out and denounce the dangers of religion with a new boldness and ferocity. Sam Harris led the way in 2004 by when he published The End of Faith. That book exhibited a strident, anti-religious message which helped it become a bestseller. It also provided a template for the New Atheist's uniquely combative "scorched earth" attack on religion. The bestsellers kept coming. In 2006 Richard Dawkins published The God Delusion, an anti-religious screed that went on to sell more than two million copies. Personally, I've heard countless atheists describe this book as instrumental in their deconversion: think of it as the atheist's version of Mere Christianity. In that same year, Bobby Henderson published his own bestseller: The Gospel of the Flying Spaghetti Monster was an extended satire of religious belief and practice which described a new "religion" focused on worshipping a pile of spaghetti. Henderson's point was that Christianity (and all religion) is every bit as absurd as praying to a plate of pasta. Even todaymany atheists will jokingly describe themselves as "Pastafarians" who worship spaghetti much as Christians worship God. The assault continued for a few more years with additional leaders like Christopher Hitchens and Victor Stenger vying for social notoriety. But eventually as the novelty of atheists insulting religion wore off, the bestsellers stopped coming and the conversation moved on. Today many people believe New Atheism as a movement is passe. Incivility But even if New Atheism no longer grabs the headlines, it has left behind a significant and very unfortunate legacy of incivility and anti-intellectualism. Incivility was always a New Atheist hallmark. New Atheists assumed that religion is irrational and dangerous. And when something is irrational and dangerous, you aren't polite or respectful. Instead, you seek to discredit the danger in any way possible. If religion is the problem then you mock their religious leaders, lampoon their religious institutions, and berate their holy texts. Examples are not hard to find. Richard Dawkins was a master of name-calling as he regularly dismissed religious people as "faith-heads". Comedian Bill Maher joined in with his documentary Religulous: as you can probably guess, the title was a portmanteau of the wordsreligion and ridiculous. While many atheists no longer identify with the New Atheism, this disparaging attitude is still widespread. As a result, serious conversations with skeptics are often next-to-impossible because the atheist assumes the Christian is irrational, intellectually arrested, and perhaps morally suspect. The Christian is in effect dismissed as a grown-up Linus clinging to his religion blanket. Anti-Intellectualism New Atheism has also left behind a deep and troubling legacy of anti-intellectualism. This may seem surprising: after all, New Atheists prided themselves on their commitment to reason and evidence. For a while, some of them even suggested calling atheists "brights" for their alleged love of the light of reason. Despite that branding, the truth is that New Atheism has a deep and dark anti-intellectual impulse. The basic problem is that when atheists begin with the assumption that Christians and other religious people are all irrational, delusional, and intellectually arrested, they lose any interest in understanding Christian beliefs with charity or nuance. Probably the clearest example of this comes from Dawkins. After his bestseller The God Delusion was published, Dawkins was harshly criticized by Christian and atheist academics alike for his naive and ignorant perspectives on theology and philosophy. (Dawkins is a biologist with no formal training in theology or philosophy.) Dawkins defended himself against these charges in the second edition of The God Delusion. But it is the way that he defended himself which is so striking. Rather than resolve to invest time studying in the relevant fields in which he was clearly ignorant (e.g. hermeneutics, biblical studies; philosophy of religion; systematic theology), he instead dismissed the entire field of theology and related disciplines as equivalent to "fairyology": in other words, the study of mythical fairies. Dawkins' point was that we don't need to study fairyology to know that fairies are ridiculous imaginary characters of childhood. By the same token, the atheist doesn't need to study theology to know that God is ridiculous and imaginary. That response may have satisfied Dawkins and his New Atheist followers. But in fact, it amounted to nothing more than a smarmy defense of ignorance and anti-intellectualism. The legacy of this attitude has been especially corrosive of Christian-atheist exchanges. Today I regularly meet atheists and other skeptics who have no background in the formal study of theology, church history, or the Bible, and yet they believe themselves adequately informed to opine on each of these topics. And why not if theology is just "fairyology"?! Moreover, when I, as a theology professor, point out how flawed and ill-informed some of their analysis is, I am dismissed as an intellectual snob. So the New Atheist assumes that you must study science to have an informed opinion on science. But apparently, you don't need to study theology or philosophy or the Bible to have an informed opinion on those topics. Needless to say, there is a serious double-standard here. With this kind of anti-intellectual attitude, the atheist is often inoculated against considering arguments for Christianity. As a case in point, last year I spoke to an atheist group in Tucson. After giving an introduction to my Christian beliefs and why I hold them, I invited questions from the audience. The first questioner asked simply, "How old were you when you were indoctrinated?" The man had completely ignored my entire argument and he wanted to know when I was "indoctrinated"? How ironic! Yet, that's the legacy of New Atheist anti-intellectualism. So what now? New Atheism may no longer be the movement it once was, but it has left in its wake a troubling legacy of incivility and anti-intellectualism. So how should Christians respond? For starters, it needs to be emphasized that not all atheists have been influenced by the sad legacy of New Atheism. There are many atheists who are thoughtful, charitable, and respectful of religion and Christianity. But what about those atheists who exhibit the characteristic New Atheist hallmarks of incivility and anti-intellectualism? How should we interact with them? The first point is to choose your battles. If a person begins by mocking Christianity as irrational or absurd, it may not be worth it to get into a debate. To be sure, you can still have a conversation but it is usually best to avoid contentious topics when people are ready to dismiss you as a "religulous faith-head". Second, if we conclude that such exchanges are worthwhile, we should follow the wisdom of 1 Peter 3:15: "Always be prepared to give a reason for the hope within but do so with gentleness and with respect." Peter gives us two points here and they are equally important. The first is that we should always be prepared to give a reason for our Christian convictions. Given the intellectual obstacles that many atheists have against considering Christianity as a serious option, we should keep modest expectations and a measured approach. For example, rather than defend the full authority and reliability of the Bible, you might simply provide historical grounds for the claim that Jesus was seen alive after the crucifixion. This may not say all you want to say, but it provides a foundation on which to build. In short, be prepared to focus on small gains as you gradually erode harmful New Atheist assumptions. This brings me to the second bit of Peter's advice, that which concerns gentleness and respect. I love the way Dale Carnegie put it: to attract bees you need honey. When people are insulting and demeaning, don't respond in kind. Instead, reply with kindness and good humor, if at all possible. (And if not possible, just walk away!) To sum up, be the kind of person that other people want to agree with. Finally, be patient. You are not likely to undo the damage of New Atheism overnight, but step by step we can all begin to make a difference. Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Recently some critics of prominent Trump-supporting Dallas Baptist pastor Robert Jeffress have disapprovingly identified him as a supporter of "Two Kingdoms" theology, an historic Protestant belief about the division of duties between spiritual & earthly rule. Jeffress in public pronouncements has stressed that civil government is called to provide public order, not embody the Sermon on the Mount, on issues like immigration. The critique of Jeffress is complaining that his stance precludes moral expectations of government. Jeffress seems not to have specifically cited Two Kingdoms theology, and the critics associating him with it typically are presenting only a caricature that suits their narrative. One example is from United Methodist theologian Steve Harper, who came from that denomination's evangelical quarter but in recent years has departed evangelicalism on Christian teaching about marriage. He penned a column for a liberal Methodist website that conflated Jeffress with an "extreme" form of Two Kingdoms theology: I had to do some research even to remember what two-kingdom theology is. In a milder form, it is the recognition that there are two kingdoms the Kingdom of God and "the kingdoms of this world." We have no problem affirming that. But the problem is, a handful of advocates have gone on to claim that the two kingdoms are radically separate, and that the values of the Kingdom of God are only operative for believers and for the Churchnot the state or the government. This more extreme interpretation is the one being used by a small, but aggressive group of (mostly) white-male Christian fundamentalists. Harper accuses Jeffress of "theological hogwash" for asserting, "While Scripture commands individual Christians and churches to show mercy to those in need, the Bible never calls on government to act as a Good Samaritan." So Harper cites the Old Testament prophetic tradition of calling Israel's kings to account, and of Jesus lamenting unrighteousness in King Herod's time. Harper complains: To hold the extremist two-kingdom theology, one must overlook the social holiness tradition that runs from Genesis to Revelation, and which has continued to define the Christian tradition ever since. The extremist version of two-kingdom theology is a false interpretation of the Gospel that has been relegated to the theological junk yardwhich makes its use by a few fundamentalists all the more curious and troubling. And Harper concludes: By pulling out an obscure and already-debunked theological view, the fundamentalists are exposing their lack of biblical savvy, despite their claims to be the ones who know how to interpret the Bible correctly. And even more, their use of the counterfeit two-kingdom theology is a sign of their desperation to "clothe" the emperor, who actually has no clothes on. At most, it is a bogus "covering" made of theological Saran Wrap. Here it's unclear whether Harper is condemning just "extremist" versions of Two Kingdoms theology or the whole tradition. If he dismisses the whole tradition, it's unclear what he proposes instead. The divine standards applied to ancient Israel as a Hebrew theocracy under special covenant with God do not fully apply to any nation today, Harper would surely agree. And presumably he would further agree that if he were to phone 911 when a family member was being assaulted, he would expect violent intervention by law enforcement, not counsel to turn the other cheek. Two Kingdoms theology is an attempt to understand how God's sovereignty works through both His spiritual rule over the church and His appointment of flawed earthly rulers to seek a proximate justice for all. Harper's theory that Jeffress relies on Two Kingdoms comes apparently from this Texas Observer article by Robert Brockman, who offers a parody of the tradition, claiming it justifies a cold form of governance indifferent to human compassion. The tradition of Two Kingdoms is of course much richer and more appealing. Brad Littlejohn offers a nice summary here, explaining the doctrine guards against theocracy, by denying civil rulers speak directly for God, and rejects Utopianism, by denying civil government can achieve social perfection. He notes that under Two Kingdoms: Political rule is not amoral or free-floating, making things up according to the demands of realpolitik. No, it is bound to the moral order of the world as God created it, albeit that order has been distorted by sin, thus requiring political rule to take a distinctively coercive shape. Because the fundamental task of political rule is the maintenance and flourishing of created goods, rather than the distinctive tasks of redemption, which are the chief focus of Scripture, the general norm of political rule is natural revelation and natural law, not Scripture, and hence Christians do not have anything like a monopoly on good government. Perhaps neither Jeffress nor his critics fully appreciate what is meant by Two Kingdom theology. But Evangelicals, who often are disconnected from church tradition, would do well to reconnect with this historic Protestant teaching if they are to address political principles effectively and thoughtfully. Originally posted at IRD's blog. Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The new "connectedness" that is being sold to us from Silicon Valley is a half-truth, which is just another way of saying it's also a half-lie. It's a little like taking Disney's Small World ride past those cute ethically dressed, kid-sized dolls where you are exposed to the familiar song that tells how humanly connected we are despite cultural differences and geographical distances. In the end though, it's a ride that just travels in a circle and ends exactly where it began. In the same way, this new digital "connectedness" ultimately begins and ends with us, which suggests both the problem with social media and a solution. The first thing to notice about the siren call of technologists who claim they are bringing us closer together is the logical contradictions in their claims. I spoke on this in Washington last Tuesday at a Family Research Council (FRC) webcast symposium on Internet freedom issues. Social media sites are simultaneously both over-connecting and under-connecting us. Recent revelations show that third party apps have been harvesting our highly personal data for global destinations unknown, possibly with Facebook's tacit if not overt permission, and all without our fully informed consent. Ironically, while the mission statement of Facebook once declared that the social media site was "making the world more open and connected," this privacy problem means too much of our personal data is being connected to the rest of the world. On the other end of the spectrum, Facebook and other social media sites are under-connecting some of us to the point of our being kicked outside the city gates. Conservatives and Christians in particular are being deliberately blocked because of their viewpoints. Facebook took down Gov. Mike Huckabee's page for his pro-traditional marriage posts, it recently "throttled" the page of Diamond and Silk who are well-known African-American conservative supporters of President Trump, and it blocked an ad from the Franciscan University of Steubenville in Ohio because its Easter message contained an iconic rendering of the crucifixion, something that Facebook deemed "shocking" and "excessively violent." YouTube blocked the educational videos of conservative radio talk show host Dennis Prager and Twitter has rejected an election ad from Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) that declared her pro-life position and her criticism of Planned Parenthood. Yet, there is an even bigger issue, and it has to do with the metrics that Silicon Valley uses to measure connectedness, falsely equating digital proximity with meaningful human interaction. Recall, for a moment, that catchphrase that told us we are all related by six degrees of separation. There was a 1990's hit Broadway play by the same name that derived its title from a social science theory about the shrinking distance between people. Facebook has now downsized that. If you use that social media site, researchers at Facebook have concluded that you have an even closer degree of separation from other users. The result comes in the title of their February 4, 2016 research paper: Three and a half degrees of separation. The human distance, they argue, has been cut in half. Is the social media world shrinking? Undoubtedly. But the decreasing social media distance between us is very different from true, meaningful "connectedness." High tech's version is a utilitarian yet illusory kind of connection. It may be a functional, convenient, and (supposedly) friendly way to touch base with people, events, issues or information. In the end though it's no substitute for the non-digital human touch. In it's March 27th report, Pew Research admitted that it still has no evidence that social media has actually increased user "well being." The reason seems obvious. Social media's main utility is, by design, not really social-centric but self-centric, giving us control over the content and reach-outs that we wish, when we wish it, and why we wish it. Some have called for us to abandon web platforms like Facebook. I have no interest in doing that (yet), although I am convinced that social media sites need to make some substantive reforms. On the other hand, an equally important reform lies in downsizing our web expectations. If we are lulled into believing the modern folk tale about an Internet that truly brings humans together in an essential kind of way, we will paradoxically drift apart even as the digital distance between us is diminishing. The New Testament writers give a helpful explanation for that paradox. True human connectedness, they note, must also be authentically other-centric. The Apostle Paul put it this way: "Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others." (Philippians. 2:3,4). Real personal interaction necessitates a measure of personal inconvenience and humility, two virtues missing from the whiteboards and computer designs of Silicon Valley. It also requires that we value others as equal bearers of the image of God. Which means we may have to use our handheld devices to actually talk to each other, or better yet to turn them off and actually meet face-to-face. But no digital avatars, please. Craig Parshall is Special Counsel to the American Center for Law and Justice and a best-selling fiction author who often writes and speaks on technology issues. His most recent novel, The Empowered, deals with the dangers of the "dark web." The first of a two-part series of the founding history of Mission Aviation Fellowshipthe largest mission aviation organization in the world. The story of Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) is fairly well known in mission circles. Birthed in the final throes of WWII, what started out with a few young Christian pilots has now become an international organisation of nearly 1,500 staff. What's less well-known is the story of the pilot whose God-given insight and faithful tenacity turned a fledgling dream into a flying reality... Flying across the Bay of Biscay one night, watching the flak from France, I thought, How come thousands of planes can be found to kill and destroy, and only a handful to spread Gods amazing offer of free forgiveness and eternal life in glory? Flight Lieutenant Murray Kendon, 1944 The dreamer Born in Auckland, New Zealand, in 1917, Murray Kendon became a Christian when he was 16 years old. An engaging personality combined with a burning desire to share his newfound joy, he soon became a passionate and dedicated speaker, eager for any opportunity to preach the Good News. When war loomed heavy on the horizon a few years later, Murray was called up to train as a pilot. He learned to fly in New Zealand, moving to Canada and then Britain to finish his qualifications. Murray's active service was with the RAF 179 Squadron Coastal Command, flying as a Wellington co-pilot. These aircraft were loaded with depth charges and armed with machine guns, 22 million-candle-power searchlights and powerful radar. Their brief was to find and destroy enemy submarines and to comb the Atlantic for U-Boats which were sinking Allied ships. Murrays heart was saddened by the brutality of war, but he threw himself into protecting and aiding the men who were desperately fighting for freedom on the sea. A dream begins One night, Murray flew alone across the Bay of Biscay. He watched the flak from France over which a British thousand bomber raid thundered. Something stirred in his heart, and he later wrote down his thoughts: How come thousands of planes can be found to kill and destroy, and only a handful to spread God's amazing offer of free forgiveness and eternal life in glory? Years before, Murray had heard the story of a missionary team who set out to find an unreached tribe deep in the jungle, returning weeks later starving and worn out by incredible hardship. At the time, Murray had felt sure a small aircraft would have been invaluable for transport and supplies. Now, as he watched the planes roaring to their deadly task, that story came back to haunt him. Again, Murrays heart tugged strongly towards the unique impact that an aircraft could have as a mission tool. Murray couldnt shake this thought, and in 1944, not long before WWII would end, he shared his vision with Trevor Strong, a fellow Kiwi pilot who had recently survived nine months as a POW. During his captivity, Trevor too had felt a powerful call to missions. Now the friends decided to work together on Murrays dream. The dream takes shape Their ideas were still in embryonic stage when Murray travelled to London to visit Dr. Thomas Cochrane, president of the Movement for World Evangelism. Murray passionately poured out his unshakeable dream and his crazy imaginings of aircraft enabling missionary work. Dr. Cochrane's answer was direct: God has laid this on your heart, Murray. Perhaps He wants you to do something about it yourself. You pray about it, write an article and I will publish it. Thus, on July 5, 1945, the first recorded thoughts about a mission aviation type operation were published in the English newspaper A Christian Weekly. Murrays printed plea was simple yet profound, and the ripples were unstoppable. Murray, his new wife Minnie, and Trevor, operating out of a tiny one-room office which they had hurriedly set up, found themselves approached by pilots, aircraft engineers, and even sponsors who had caught the fire of this crazy, wonderful dream. Fellow idealists in the UK, US and Australia were quickly linked in by Murray, and soon the expanding operation saw several countries unite under the common name of Missionary Aviation Fellowship, later changed to Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF). Things were just gaining momentum, and Murray had no idea that the lone Miles Gemini aircraft he initially obtained for MAF would become part of a global mission fleet. Today, MAF operates 140 aircraft in 32 countries, with an overall reach of 3,000 airstripsmore than any other airline in the world. The dream that became reality Murray Kendon served as a WWII Pilot, and lived to tell the tale. But his service did not stop there, and today countless people around the world have life and hopethe result of Murrays determination to combine aviation with mission for the sake of the Kingdom. On May 27, 2014, aged 97, almost 70 years after he fanned the dream of MAF into a flame of reality, the founder of Mission Aviation Fellowship was quietly promoted to glory. But the beautiful thing about Murrays story is this: it didnt end there. Not only did Murray ignite a movement of aircraft speeding hope and help to some of the most remote places in the world, but he set up a foundation that would continue to fly and serve, long after he himself passed on. The vision of Murray Kendon and the purpose of MAF is lived afresh every day in the aircraft that fly for life. Every four minutes, MAF is taking off or landing somewhere in the world. For the countless people groups, aid organizations and missions who rely on the planes of MAF, a war pilot's dream of peace has become their reality of hope. Authors Note: I would like to thank Murray and Minnie Kendon, who graciously allowed me to interview them in their home in 2012. My thanks also to Ted Crawford (ex-MAF PNG pilot and ex-MAF NZ CEO) for providing extra details and clarification around Murrays story. I would also like to acknowledge some of the key pioneers who carried MAF through its early beginnings: Trevor Strong (NZ), Stuart King (UK), Jack Hemmings (UK), Betty Greene (USA), Harry Hartwig (AUS). Find out more about MAFs fascinating and unique work here: maf.org.nz Emma is an Italian-South African with a New Zealand passport, living in Papua New Guinea. As well as years of running a puppet ministry and directing student choirs, she has served with Mission Aviation Fellowship since 2007, currently based in PNG. Emma's deep joy is in writing, music, playing with her ginger cats and finding God in unexpected places. Read Emma's creative expressions at girlkaleidoscope.wordpress.com or follow her PNG adventures at pngponderings.wordpress.com Emma McGeorges previous articles may be viewed at http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/emma-mcgeorge.html Something that has always stood out to me in the Bible of high importance for consideration is the mark of the beast. We are warned that in the last days before the return of Jesus Christ there will arise the antichrist called the beast who the whole world will worship (Revelation chapter 13 verse 8). He will be attested to by a second beast who performs signs and wonders when in the presence of the first beast, including bringing fire down from the sky. He will cause the world to worship after the beast and will give life to an image of the beast that whoever would not worship the image would be killed (Revelation chapter 13 verse 15). In accordance with the rise of this demonic world ruler, a human brand or mark will be imposed upon all of mankind, to small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and without the mark of the beast or his number which is 666 no one may buy or sell anything (Revelation chapter 13 verse 16). The consequences of receiving the mark of the beast and worshipping the beast are severe. A dire warning The Word warns us clearly that any who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name (Christians included) will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, poured out full strength and be tormented with fire and brimstone with no rest day or night forever and ever (Revelation chapter 14 verses 9 to 11). Sadly we are told in the Word that all who dwell on the earth whose names are not written in the Book of Life of the Lamb will worship the beast and receive the mark of the beast, thus receiving this judgment (Revelation chapter 13 verse 8). Holding fast in the Lord no matter what We are told of Christians who will refuse to worship the beast and receive his mark and are beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God and live and reign with Christ for a thousand years in the first resurrection and are called blessed and holy (Revelation chapter 20 verses 4 to 5). We are given the example of those who will refuse the mark of the beast to the point of death by beheading, but while they die in this world they do not deny their faith in Jesus Christ and receive eternal life. The Lord tells us a time is coming when Christians will be hated by all nations for His namesake and be delivered up to death (Matthew chapter 24 verse 9). The Lord tells us to not fear if we are to suffer but to be faithful until death and we will receive the crown of life (Revelation chapter 2 verse 10). The Lord tells us in John chapter 12 verse 25 he who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. This verse is highly applicable to the mark of the beast. By only focusing on physical needs (food and water, buying and selling) and the fear of death, one may gain their life for a time in the physical by accepting the mark of the beast, but will certainly lose their life for eternity in the lake of fire. What is the mark of the beast? The mark of the beast is a physical mark on the right hand or forehead which is required to buy and sell and will be imposed worldwide upon all at the reign of the antichrist. There are differing views on what the mark could be but I have felt we should take seriously the advertised and promoted RFID (radio frequency identification) microchip, which is a syringe injectable rice grain sized computer chip shown as injectable in the hand. This chip is advanced technology able to keep all manner of personal and medical information on the person including bank numbers, passwords and other digital information that can be scanned and read instantly and held in a database. Promoted for convenience of use on popular television such as Dr. Oz, it has been demonstrated to be able to buy goods and enter buildings with a swipe of the hand over a sensor, showing its compatibility to make and receive payments in a digital economic system. The RFID is claimed to not be GPS traceable but alarmingly it was reported that in 2009 a Saudi inventor applied for a patent over a GPS traceable RFID chip that had imbedded a small dose of cyanide that could remotely kill the user. In all but one State in Australia the microchipping of pets has become mandatory at law. What if the same occurred for people including children during the reign of the antichrist, to be microchipped as animals (beasts) justified by convenience or safety? In Nazi Germany Jewish prisoners were stamped with codes on their wrists for identification. The RFID will bring up all personal information when scanned and is superior in this way for identification and tracking purposes, especially for prisoners. Many Christians including myself have dreamed that the RFID microchip is the mark of the beast and I have personally seen enough to be concerned. We live in a world of dramatic technological growth with a push towards artificial intelligence, transhumanism and merging our bodies with machines. We need to keep sight of how God made us to be. We are made in His image and not part man part computer. Let us not lose sight of the warnings we are given in Scripture of the mark of the beast. Christopher Harris is a 27 year old from Victoria. He confessed his faith in Jesus Christ in 2016 and has sought to set his focus on the Lord. He makes videos on his youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/JESUSisLORD and believes the world is living in those times prophesied by the Holy Bible as the last days. A link to Christophers other articles: https://www.pressserviceinternational.org/christopher-harris.html Do we need to fear hell before we can love God? 'Unless you believe in Hell, you will never know how much Jesus loves you.' That's according to a tweet by Tim Keller that was perhaps intended to be innocuous, but sparked a Twitter firestorm yesterday. The progressive author Rachel Held Evans quoted Keller's tweet, saying: 'I will never understand a worldview in which one's security in Christ is dependent upon the eternal torture of millions of men, women, & children in hell. "Well at least it's not me" is not a faith rooted in love, but a faith rooted in selfishness and fear.' It was a popular take, apparently, garnering more than 2,000 likes, as did Keller's original tweet. Some users clearly appreciated Evans' sentiment, others contested her theology. Keller later shared an article more clearly explaining his views on hell, emphasising that 'hell is not about fear, it is about love'. But for Keller, Jesus speaks about hell far too frequently for him to ignore it. What to make of this latest Twitter clash? Hell seems to be a favourite topic on the social media platform: it was there that John Piper famously 'farewelled' Rob Bell for his questioning of the conservative doctrine of Eternal Conscious Torment (ECT). Meanwhile, with help from obscure trolls, culture warriors and the president of the United States, Twitter continues to resemble a very special kind of hell on earth. Tweets don't often lend themselves to thoughtful debate, though in this case both Evans and Keller seem to have spoken in calm and considerate terms, and there's no need for a further polarising hot-take on 'why X is dead wrong on Y'. Keller is not some uncompromising fundamentalist delighted by fiery judgment and his various writings, from which I've frequently benefitted, show nuance and wisdom on the issue. Both he and Evans don't want to deny that hell exists in some way, and this isn't the place to take on that debate. But there's a popular and influential idea implied by Keller's tweet that I think can be unhelpful: that you can't really know the love of God until you've heard about his judgment. Particularly: eternal judgment after death. It's popular in much evangelical preaching. Simply put: you're a sinner, you're destined for an eternal hell, but Jesus died to save you from that, now just believe in his salvation to receive eternal bliss. Again, it would be absurd to pretend that not just hell but the notion of divine judgment is somehow absent from Scripture, only invented by mean old conservatives who have a thing for punishment. But is judgment the only context in which the gospel can be heard? Is the threat of eternal torment what most truly shows us divine love in action? I think there might at least be other ways of thinking about it. Firstly, to say that human beings always need some bad news thrown at them before the blessing of good news assumes that they're otherwise comfortable and content, and that the only way God could be relevant to them is if you convince them of impending judgment after death. To that we should say two things: human beings know many deep, pervasive kinds of pain before they hear of hell, and the gospel offers hope not just to eternal horizons, but the here and now. I will never understand a worldview in which ones security in Christ is dependent upon the eternal torture of millions of men, women, & children in hell. Well at least its not me is not a faith rooted in love, but a faith rooted in selfishness and fear. https://t.co/JDdQJwtqfB Rachel Held Evans (@rachelheldevans) April 25, 2018 The evangelical rhetoric is often to show listeners their 'need' for a saviour. But I think many people know their needs already. Loneliness and insecurity plagues many in a culture of comparison. A sense of guilt, failure and never being 'enough' may weigh heavy too. Even if belief in God, particularly the Christian one, is not pervasive, many non-believers agree that a life without that 'big picture' is mostly meaningless. That's emotional and existential poverty, to say nothing of profound material poverty and global inequality, that can exist even in the wealthiest nations of the west. Then there's toxic relationships and the 'torture' wrought by oppression, violence and terror. As Sartre famously put it, 'hell is other people'. And Christians have always believed, even if they haven't always prioritised it, that Christ meets those needs. He meets despair and struggle, and offered comfort to the afflicted and vulnerable. When he begins his ministry in Luke's gospel, he preaches 'good news to the poor' he doesn't preface it with a stern warning about judgment after death. Yes, it's true Christ spoke about hell more than anyone else in Scripture, though there remains debate on what he meant (there's a growing wing of evangelicals who, citing Scripture, now back 'annihilationism' the idea that the unrepentant don't suffer for eternity, but rather cease to exist). But he often spoke of judgment in relation to complacent, hypocritical religious leaders, and many of his professions of gospel truth don't centre on staving off judgment but rather receiving a radical gift of life. John 3:17 emphasises: 'For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.' All that's to say, whatever our perspectives on eternal judgment, it seems excessive to say that the knowledge of God's love rests on it. Expectant 1st-century Jews weren't imagining an eternal fiery judgment, yet many still rejoiced at the good news of the Messiah and his promise of divine redemption. Paul's preaching centred on resurrection and new creation, not hell. Since God at the very least allows hell to exist, making it central runs the risk of an absurd contradiction: 'God loves you so much, and you can see that because of all the millions who will be tortured for not believing in him'. That's a caricature, but it might be one that many hear: a fiery message but not a heart-warming one. Hell's a tricky doctrine, not to be dismissed lightly. But if we need eternal 'bad news' to preface God's glorious rescue, we might be doing him a disservice. Isn't he bigger than that? You can follow @JosephHartropp on Twitter Giant Jesus statue found to have secret antennas, internet transmitters hidden in its head; Local residents furious Residents in a small village in Poland recently learned that its giant statue of Jesus Christ has been used to broadcast Internet signals. The news has upset some though, who believe the statue should be considered sacred and not used for technology infrastructure. Swiebodzin's 108 feet tall structure of "Christ the King" has been standing and overlooking the village since 2010. Controversy marred the construction and erection of the statue from the beginning, and the latest news has done little to help. Video footage that Polish publication Fakt 24 obtained shows that the giant statue's head has broadcast equipment such as antennas and transmitters camouflaged behind Jesus' golden crown. Fakt 24 reached out to the Divine Mercy Parish, which oversees the statue's maintenance, to shed light on the installation but a spokesperson denied that the site was rented out to service providers. An unnamed Internet service provider, however, confirmed that the equipment on the Jesus statue provided Internet to the village and its nearby locations, as per a translated report from Sputnik. The source did not want to disclose particular details but cited that the parish originally requested the service for its video surveillance system. The source also said that the installation and arrangement with the church is completely legal. Some residents, however, told Fakt 24 that it's a shame to find the transmitters on Jesus' head. Others said they did not notice the equipment until it made the news, while some locals suggested that the parish priest could be making money off the installation. The Christ the King statue was a project of local retired priest Sylwester Zawadzki before his death. He crowd-sourced the funds to build it and received over $1.45 million in donations from residents and businessmen. The structure, which has attracted tourists and brought businesses in Swiebodzin, has sparked comparisons and rivalry with Rio de Janiero's Christ the Redeemer statue. Building experts have stoked controversy surrounding the statue after expressing concern that the structure wasn't properly built and could collapse within 20 years. Critics also accused Zawadzki of misusing the funds for the construction. "It's a monster of a statue which has nothing to do with Christian teaching," local editor Waldemar Roszczuk told The Guardian. "It's making us a laughing stock in the whole country." Kendrick Lamar celebrates Pulitzer Prize win with a visit to the Vatican After receiving the most prestigious honor as the first-ever rap artist to win a Pulitzer Prize, Kendrick Lamar made a celebratory trip to the Vatican with his long-time fiancee Whitney Alford. TMZ reported that Lamar and his future wife, as well as their entire entourage, went to various museums and notable sites in Rome and blended in happily with the rest of the tourists without being mobbed. The music legend, after all, rarely hits the papers or isn't often seen in public aside from his performances and shows. Lamar won the Pulitzer Prize for excellence in music composition for his album "Damn," which was released in April 2017. Its theme is centered on God, religion, spirituality, politics, and the existential crisis. NPR noted that "Damn" is a sort of lamentation for Lamar who conveys, through his raps, the sentiment that America has lost its moral compass and become a turbulent society. Fans also hailed the entire album's narrative with its parables and religious undertones. Lamar revealed that the album spoke about his fear of God. "Our God is a loving God," Lamar told DJ Booth in a letter. "But he's even more so a God of DISCIPLE. OBEDIENCE. A JEALOUS God," he wrote. "And for every conscious choice of sin, will be corrected through His discipline." "Damn" is filled with music that praises God for both His power to both create and destroy. Lamar said that he felt the need to share the joy and fear in God so his fans could understand that balance exists and it's up to man to "try harder at choosing my battles wisely." The award-winning Christian artist also shared that God is using him and his musical talents to get His message across, and that he believes this to be his purpose in life. Nigerian bishop weeps over deadly church attack: 'Why won't the government stop them?' A Nigerian Catholic bishop has wept over the deaths of 19 people after gunmen opened fire on a Catholic church in Nigeria's middle belt on Tuesday, and demanded to know why the government is not putting an end to the attacks. Armed men stormed the building during early morning mass in a remote village in Benue state in what appears to be the latest in an ongoing conflict between Fulani cattle herders and farmers. Some 50 houses were reportedly burned during the attack. Two priests, Fr Joseph Gor and Felix Tyolaha, were among the dead, the local Catholic diocese of Makurdi said. The Catholic bishop of Awka diocese, Paulinus Ezeokafor, 'wept visibly' over the killings, according to the Daily Post. 'I am seriously pained,' the bishop said. 'What manner of country is this? A country where some people are untouchables. A country where some people will be killing innocent citizens. Let me tell you, what we are witnessing today in this country is simply coordinated attacks against certain individuals and groups. 'This senseless killing of the innocent Nigerians is becoming a daily occurrence. Why can't our government put a stop to these killings here and there? Is it not obvious that some people, somewhere are carrying a particular agenda? There is more to this than meets the eyes.' The conflict between nomadic Fulani herders, who are mainly Muslim, and resident farmers, who are mainly Christian, has spiked in recent weeks. Fulani herders are now more dangerous that Boko Haram for Nigeria's middle belt region, a report published earlier this month by the persecution charity International Christian Concern said. In March there were 27 attacks by Fulani herdsmen, which led to the deaths of 225 Christians, thousands of families displaced from their homes and the prolific destruction of property. In contrast, Boko Haram killed 37 people in the same period, ICC said. The group criticised the Nigerian government for a failure to keep the Fulani accountable. In a statement it said: 'This serious situation requires a serious response. Thus far in 2018, Fulani militants have killed more people than Boko Haram and affected a much larger area. Despite this, the federal government in Nigeria has paid little attention and allowed these militants to get away with mass murder. 'Even in areas where they have provided small amounts of security personnel, it has proven to be completely ineffective. We continue to call on the Nigerian government to reclaim the land that has been stolen by Fulani militants, rebuild the communities that have been destroyed, and protect Nigerian citizens from future attack.' North Korea and the Christian case for nuclear disarmament Less than six months ago it seemed almost inevitable there would be a military conflict on the Korean Peninsula. Kim Jong Un was testing missiles and trading increasingly hyperbolic statements with Donald Trump, who in turn spoke of reacting with 'fire and fury'. The world was the closer to nuclear weapons being used than it had been for perhaps 50 years. The situation today is quite different. South Korea has been engaging with Pyongyang. Following a drastic thaw in relations since the Winter Olympics North Korea has said it will stop missile tests and even close one of its nuclear facilities as Kim and Trump prepare for face-to-face talks. It represents one of the fastest and most incredible about-turns in international relations and might just bring us closer to a world free of nuclear weapons. The North Korean regime has undoubtedly been affected by the sanctions imposed by the international community and its increasing isolation, including from close ally China. The regime has craved international legitimacy for some time. With improving relations with Seoul and the planned summit with Donald Trump that seems to have arrived. It's disappointing that it felt the need to threaten to launch nuclear weapons to gain this legitimacy. There may be questions over the motives of the regime in seeking talks now. Perhaps they have already developed nuclear weapons and now feel they have a big bargaining chip. As Christians we are called to see the good in people, to trust and take people at their word. That should be our approach in this case too. We owe it to the millions of people in North Korean who have suffered under the regime to pursue every avenue of peace. After all Jesus calls peacemakers 'blessed' during the Sermon on the Mount and Paul tells us to 'outdo one another in showing honour'. Sometimes this means we have to engage with people we profoundly disagree with, we have to love them and we have to trust them. The response of those states that already have nuclear weapons to the situation in North Korea has been fascinating. There is an inherent hypocrisy in opposing one state having something when others already have it. The energy of the nuclear-armed states and those in nuclear alliances would be better served seeking to end the scourge of nuclear weapons once and for all. There are currently nine states in possession of the roughly 15,000 nuclear weapons in the world. Most of them are in the hands of the Russians and Americans. Efforts to reduce the number have been stifled in recent years, including this week as countries have been unable to agree action at the latest meeting of the Non-Proliferation Treaty in Geneva. There are many good reasons to oppose nuclear weapons. From a Christian perspective they are perhaps the ultimate threat to God's creation. Their destructive power and ability to destroy life was witnessed in Hiroshima and Nagasaki and must never be forgotten. God has given us the wonderful gift of creation to enjoy and cherish, but also to steward. The Bible has much to say about our calling to seek peace. From the words in Isaiah 2 about 'beating swords into ploughshares' from the words of Jesus during the Sermon on the Mount to the words of Paul in Romans 12:18 that we are 'if possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all'. The old saying goes that if you want peace you have to prepare for war. That has long been the approach of our culture, but Christians are called to do things differently. If we want peace, we must prepare for peace, work for peace and pray for peace. We are not preparing for peace by maintaining and upgrading our weapons of war. It's often said that nuclear weapons are a 'deterrent'. Well they aren't doing anything to deter the threats the government has identified as facing us, namely climate change, terrorism and cyber attacks. Our possession of nuclear weapons didn't deter Vladimir Putin from annexing Crimea and may have actually been a motivating factor behind Pyongyang developing its own system. Another argument in favour of nuclear weapons is that they are a 'necessary evil' needed to 'keep the peace'. Well 1 Thessalonians 5:22 tells us to 'reject every kind of evil', and as Christians we can be a light in this world which is so often so dark. We must point to Jesus at every opportunity, both in the way we engage with each other but also in the way we engage internationally. There is a better way of doing international politics than preserving the threat of destroying those we have assigned to be 'enemies'. At the United Nations last year a new treaty was agreed which will ban nuclear weapons, in the same way as chemical, biological and cluster weapons have already been banned. The treaty is supported by 122 states, the majority of the international community. These states, and more, have lived peaceably without nuclear weapons. The United Kingdom faces a choice. We can engage with the international community, sign up to the treaty and encourage others to do the same. That doesn't mean we have to disarm immediately. We should simply enter a step-by-step arrangement, overseen by the United Nations. It will need trust, it will need patience and it will need vision. We should be praying constantly that our leaders have all three in abundance. When Donald Trump sits down with Kim Jong Un in a few weeks, once the cameras have gone and the talks begin, there will be a chance to reduce the number of countries in the world with nuclear weapons to eight. That's a good start. Christian CND is working and praying to play our part in making that number zero, so that we may have a bit more of a glimpse of heaven while living on the earth. Russell Whiting is development manager for the Christian Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament. Follow him on Twitter @Russell_Whiting PlayStation 5 release date, specs rumors: Sony aiming for 2020 launch for new console The rumors are rife that Sony is already working on the PlayStation 4 successor, although it is still uncertain if the next-generation console will launch anytime soon. It is speculated that the PlayStation 5 will take some time to be developed, with the most possible release date in 2020. As reported by Game Rant, many sources claim that Sony will be ready to present the PlayStation 5 sometime this year. However, the rumored arrival of the PS5 in 2018 might be too early, considering that the updated PlayStation 4 Pro console was just released a year ago. While others think that Sony could find the time to unveil the PlayStation 5 in 2019, it is more likely that the console will be out in 2020, just like what the industry analysts are expecting. Some people might think that the PlayStation 5 is long overdue, given that Sony released the current PlayStation 4 console in 2013. Although, it should be kept in mind that console developers like Sony and Microsoft Xbox take several years to prepare their next-gen hardware. Take the Xbox 360 as an example, the console had been around for almost eight years before the Xbox One arrived. As for the PlayStation 5, it is believed that Sony would take at least seven years to develop the PS4 successor, given that it also took the same number of years for the PS4 to be released after the PS3. Contrary to the 2020 release date report for the PlayStation 5, an earlier scoop suggests that the console will be unveiled as early as this year. It was reported that the dev kits for the PS5 are already in the possession of software developers, who will test the early build of the console. Of course, this is not a guarantee that the PlayStation 5 will be released anytime soon. If anything, the action of Sony's competitors might be the driving force to have an earlier launch date for the PS5. The PlayStation 5 was tipped to have AMD's custom Zen processor with a next-generation Navi graphics card. Also, the console is expected to have its built-in virtual reality component that would no longer require the use of an accessory or headgear such as the PlayStation VR. Trump's travel ban at the Supreme Court: Opponents argue it's motivated by religious discrimination With opponents of Donald Trump's travel ban arguing that it is motivated by religious discrimination, two key judges on the US Supreme Court indicated their support for the controversial ban on several Muslim-majority countries yesterday. Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Anthony Kennedy, the two most likely swing votes on the nine-judge court, both expressed disapproval over attempts to undermine Trump's authority on the issue. Opponents want the Supreme Court to uphold lower court rulings striking down the ban, and as the justices began their first full consideration of the ban on Wednesday, Justice Elena Kagan a Barack Obama appointee posed an intriguing hypothetical for the court. She asked what would happen if a presidential candidate was a 'vehement antisemite', elected after regularly making anti-Jewish statements, and upon taking office issued a proclamation barring immigrants from Israel. Arguing on behalf of the Trump administration, Solicitor general Noel Francisco said this was a 'very tough hypothetical'. Kagan replied: 'This is an out-of-the-box kind of president in my hypothetical.' The Guardian pointed out that the exchange was emblematic of both the unprecedented nature of Trump's travel ban, which indefinitely bars more than 150 million people from gaining entry to the US, and the key issue before the court: was the president's action motivated by a genuine national security threat or by animus toward a particular religion? The court is currently considering the third version of the travel ban, which bars or limits entry to citizens of five Muslim-majority countries Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria and Yemen as well as North Korea. The move also imposed travel restrictions on certain government officials from Venezuela and their families, but the restrictions against North Korea and Venezuela are not being challenged in court. Human rights groups have warned that the travel ban is an attempt by Trump to deliver his campaign pledge to ban all Muslims from entering the US. Lower courts have struck down three version of the travel ban, declaring it discriminatory on the basis of nationality and religion. In December, the supreme court indicated that it may uphold Trump's policy by allowing it to go into effect while various legal challenges unfolded. Among the challengers to the ban were Neal Katyal, the former acting solicitor general under Barack Obama, along with the state of Hawaii and other individuals who said they were directly affected by the ban. But yesterday, indicating support for Trump, Kennedy suggested that the travel ban was not as indefinite as its opponents claimed and pointed out that its language included a review after 180 days. 'That indicates there will be a reassessment and the president has continuing discretion,' Kennedy said. Roberts asked if the notion that Trump's actions were the result of bias meant that, for example, he could not carry out US air-strikes on Syria. 'Does that mean he can't because you would regard that as discriminating against a majority-Muslim country?' Roberts asked. The conservative Justice Samuel Alito observed that the majority of the word's Muslims still had theoretical access to the US and said that the policy 'doesn't at all look like a Muslim ban'. A ruling is not expected until June. Who is 'the fool' in Proverbs? 7 types of modern day folly There's no character trait the Bible condemns more than folly. The fool particularly a target in the book of Proverbs is a pitiful creature, who deserves no respect and should be shunned for the harm he does. But 'fool' is never defined, except in terms of what they do. To understand what a fool is and so to avoid being one we need to pay attention to how Proverbs describes them. Here are seven types of fool. 1. How long will you who are simple love your simple ways? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge? (Proverbs 1:22). Fools don't learn. They can't be bothered to read, to study or to listen to those who know more than they do. They think they know everything already. Knowledge confuses them, because there's so much they don't know. Rather than take the time and trouble to learn, they dismiss it all and go by what they would say is their 'gut instinct' uninformed prejudice, in other words. In the world of the social media echo chamber, this is particularly relevant. 2. For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them (Proverbs 1:32). Fools think everything will be alright. Complacency is assuming tomorrow will be like today and there's no need to prepare for trouble or hard times. Sometimes fools assume God will not let anything bad happens (Christians who assume climate change doesn't matter and that we can't really harm the world because God won't let it happen are like this). But we should prepare for what lies ahead, before it's too late. 3. Whoever conceals hatred with lying lips and spreads slander is a fool (Proverbs 10:18). Fools are devious. Christians ought to be straightforward and truthful, but fools resent people who are wiser or more gifted than they are and work to undermine them. This can happen in churches, where foolish people frustrate the work of the gospel because they're jealous of those called to preach and teach it. 4. The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice (Proverbs 12:15). Fools don't listen. We all know people like this: they're fond of the sound of their own voices and can't really believe anyone else has anything half as interesting to say. But as an English proverb says, we have two ears and one mouth listening is far more important than talking. 5. Fools mock at making amends for sin, but goodwill is found among the upright (Proverbs 14:9). Fools don't repent. One of the marks of a wise and godly person is that they're willing to admit when they're wrong. The fool will do anything rather than confess they have sinned or made a mistake. Humbly admitting our faults part of being a disciple of Christ. 6. Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool bent on folly (Proverbs 17:12). Fools are dangerous. A bear robbed of her cubs is a terrible sight; the wisest thing to do is run away, as far and as fast as possible. This proverb points out one of the consequences of folly people get hurt because of self-centred, malicious, uninformed judgments. 7. The wise store up choice food and olive oil, but fools gulp theirs down (Proverbs 21:20). Fools don't do deferred gratification. A famous test in the 1960s and '70s, the Stanford Marshmallow Experiment, offered children a small reward immediately or a larger one if they were prepared to wait. Those who couldn't hold out for the larger reward were found to have worse life outcomes than the others. To lack self-restraint and foresight is foolish, says Proverbs. Advice about fools in the Bible isn't meant to be judgmental or mocking. It's meant to show us how to avoid folly in our own lives. Knowing how not to be a fool is the first step towards knowing how to be wise. Texas man gets jail time for participating in January 6 A Texas man was sentenced Monday for involvement in the Jan. 6 riot. Questions the Astros must answer before setting playoff rotation Should the Astros go with a three-man or a four-man rotation? What about Luis Garcia's concerning... The 13th edition of the Latin Wave Film Festival at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston may not be as sprawling as some of its counterparts in other cities the Chicago Latino Film Festival runs two weeks, for instance but the four-day, eight-film event, beginning Thursday, provides a bite-size taste of the world of Latino film. Coming on the heels of last months four-day Houston Latino Film Festival, it offers another chance to get a glimpse into worlds often far from the Hollywood mainstream. Here are four films at Latin Wave that are worth checking out. Killing Jesus Laura Mora Ortegas Killing Jesus has a remarkable back story. The Colombian directors father was murdered by a hit man and a similar killing kick starts the plot of Ortegas naturalistic drama about a daughter who sets out to avenge her dads murder, but finds things turn out to be more complicated than planned. Fortunately, the film, despite some shakiness as all the actors are nonprofessionals, is rather remarkable as well. Natasha Jaramillo, whos on screen the entire time, delivers a powerful performance while acting as the viewers guide through Ortegas almost cinema verite trip through Medellins gritty streets. Similarly, Giovanny Rodriguez strikes the right balance between youthful bravado and true menace as Jesus. While perhaps predictable, Killing Jesus is still effective. Ortega has been invited to attend. In Spanish with English subtitles. 7 p.m. Thursday and 3 p.m. Sunday. More Information Latin Wave Film Festival When: Thursday-Sunday Where: Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, 1001 Bissonnet Information: $10; www.mfah.org See More Collapse Sergio & Sergei One of the little-known stories to come out of humanitys attempt to reach the stars is something that happened in 1991 involving Russias Mir space station. As the Soviet Union collapsed, cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev kept up to date on the news thanks to ham-radio enthusiasts who communicated with him. In the highly entertaining and absorbing Sergio & Sergei, he strikes up a radio relationship with a Cuban professor of Marxist philosophy named Sergio, forming a friendship that transcends languages, cultures and the distance of space. That Krikalev didnt know if he would be abandoned in orbit because his government was collapsing while Sergios lean life became even more threadbare as Cuba was no longer receiving Soviet aid lends the situation a sense of urgency. Ron Perlman co-stars as an anti-communist American that Sergio also has befriended via radio while the Cuban government veers from trying to shut Sergio down to attempting to lure him to work for them. Cuban filmmaker Ernesto Daranas captures the absurdism of the situation in this beautifully shot comedic drama featuring strong performances from Tomas Cao as Sergio and Hector Noas as Sergei. In Spanish and English with English subtitles. 9 p.m. Saturday Bad Lucky Goat The Afro-Colombian communities along Colombias Caribbean coast arent often in the spotlight. Like many of Latin Americas black populations, theyre generally invisible, especially to residents of the U.S. But they take center stage in the low-budget and exceedingly likable, Creole-language Bad Lucky Goat, the first film from Colombian director Samir Oliveros. It focuses on warring young siblings who, after accidentally running over an errant goat and incurring what they think is bad karma, they must bond and hatch a plan to get back in the universes good graces and scrape together enough cash to get the truck fixed before their parents find out. Starring a young cast of performers whove not acted before, BLG sometimes feels amateurish, but that adds to its lo-fi appeal. There are moments of lush tropical beauty and percussive musical interludes that perhaps go on too long but, even if they dont push the narrative forward, theyre so pleasant, you dont really care. Oliveros will be in attendance. In Creole with English subtitles. 7 p.m. Friday and 5 p.m. Saturday The Night Guard (El Vigilante) Mexico City security guard Salvador just wants to work a few hours on his night shift keeping watch at a construction site and then leave to be with his wife. On most nights, when nothing of note happens, that wouldnt be a problem. But not on a night when something unusual has been found in a van mysteriously parked outside of the gates, his fellow guard seems to be lying about what happened and the police know theres something fishy going on. Set mostly in the dark of night, The Night Guard isnt the colorful Mexico City of The Zocalo and Frida Kahlo but the noir-ish Mexico City of dimly lit streets and shadowy corners. While not a major work, this debut from director Diego Ros shows off a filmmaker worth watching. In Spanish with English subtitles. 9 p.m. Friday and 1 p.m. Sunday For the entire schedule and more information, go to mfah.org. cary.darling@chron.com When Gini Rothenberger of Hallsville, Texas gave birth to her second child in 2015, she never imaged it would lead to viral status, but after her photographer started promoting old images in 2018, she found herself on the receiving end of sudden internet fame. After a traumatic hospital experience with the birth of her first child, Rothenberger and her husband were apprehensive to have any more children. However, after watching a documentary called "The Business of Being Born" the couple decided that if they had any more kids, they would have a home birth. About a year later they were expecting again. TOO CUTE: Texas parents throw their son the most gangster 'YOLO' first birthday party "I went on a hunt for a midwife, " Rothenberger told Chron.com. "We thoroughly enjoyed every meeting we had. It was so relieving... to decide what was best alongside our midwife, instead of just being told what to do with no rhyme or reason." With her September 2015 due date quickly approaching, Rothenberger asked her midwife if she could put the birth pool outside expecting a firm no, but was pleasantly surprised when the midwife agreed. She was even a little shocked when the midwife suggested hiring a photographer. "All I could think was 'Why in the world would anyone want pictures of that,'" said Rothenberger. "My only visions of birth were what I had experienced with my first and didn't know how peaceful and beautiful birth was really intended to be. " However, she agreed to hire Callynth Photography per the midwife's suggestion, and when it came time for the baby to be born, everything was in place and Rothenberger could not have been more at peace. "I watched the sunset and the deer graze in the field...and I had a conversation with our Heavenly Father," Rothenberger said. "It was the most intimate, peaceful moment when I realized this birth was going to be different. Things got intense, but my birth team was right there and did exactly what I needed them to do." The process, though "intense" was so peaceful that Rothenberger's midwife was concerned the baby wasn't breathing at first but after gentle stimulation, everyone was able to fully relax. "[Our daughter] not only picked her head up but pushed herself up on her elbows to take a good look at me and her daddy," said Rothenberger. "It was love at first sight and the bonding was so emotional!" The moment resulted in photos that, according to Rothenberger, show what birth is supposed to be like. "The photos we have of these moments are priceless," Rothenberger said, "Since then we had another baby at home with some of the same birth team and close friends who helped with the older two. Birth is a normal and natural process, not a medical emergency that needs to be coerced into a downward spiral of fear-based interventions. Evidence-based care along with an understanding of the natural birth process can make a world of difference in the birth experience. A little outdoor exposure is a bonus." Despite how smoothly Rothenberger's birth went, home birth can be dangerous. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), home/water birth is a viable option for the first stages of labor for women with normal, uncomplicated pregnancies of 37 to 45 weeks, but there is insufficient data on both the risks and benefits going through the second stages of labor in water so women should give birth out of the water. "Concerns have been expressed that immersion in water during delivery may predispose the infant to potentially serious neonatal complications, such as infection, water aspiration (fresh-water drowning), and umbilical cord avulsion (or 'cord snapping')," the study read. "[However, ACOG] recognizes that despite the opinions expressed in this document, a woman may request immersion during the second stage of labor, including giving birth while submerged. This decision should represent an informed choice; a woman who requests to give birth while submerged in water should be informed that the maternal and perinatal benefits and risks of this choice have not been studied sufficiently to either support or discourage her request. She also should be informed of the rare but serious neonatal complications associated with this choice." Rothenberger's new-found viral status has helped her have a platform to advocate for home births. "Homebirth is controversial because people don't understand it," Rothenberger said. "I'm excited that my story is reaching women who may not know that they have choices in their prenatal, birth, and postnatal care! I hope my story helps encourage those who want more for themselves and their precious babies to seek out evidence-based care, whether in a hospital or at home." Take a look through the gallery above to see photos from Rothenberger's home birth. Daniela Sternitzky-Di Napoli is a digital producer at Chron.com. You can read more of her stories here and follow her on twitter at @Dani_DiNapoli. Denver-based Black Creek Group has acquired the recently completed Stafford Grove Industrial Park in Stafford, HFF announced. Dallas-based Crow Holdings Industrial, which developed the project with its investment partner before securing tenants, sold the property. HFF's Trent Agnew, Rusty Tamlyn and Dane Petersen represented the Crow Holdings in the sale. The project, totaling 351,960 square feet in three warehouses at West Airport Boulevard and Murphy Road, is 84.5 percent leased to seven tenants. Stream Realty handled leasing and management for the developer. The buildings, at 10633, 10643 and 10653 W. Airport Boulevard, have 54,550 square feet of vacancy in two spaces. RELATED: Spec industrial park in southwest Houston nears lease up "Stafford Grove is one of the premier developments to deliver this cycle in Houston due to its infill location, beneficial tax savings for users and overall site flexibility," Agnew said in an announcement. "As a result, the buyer pool consisted of a large mix of core funds, institutional advisers and private capital consistent with what we are seeing across the country on similar offerings." RELATED: Matrix Metals relocates to Stafford Black Creek Group senior vice president Mace McClatchy said the park southwest of Houston fits in with the high-quality projects the company has built its industrial portfolios around. "Quality construction, modern design characteristics and a business-friendly location help elevate Stafford Grove Industrial Park to one of the best locations for tenants in the Southwest submarket," he said. The tenants at Stafford Grove Industrial Park are Jackson Supply, Tire Centers, Mester Lighting Corp., Matrix Metals, QRC Valve Distributors, Chaoda Supply and 700 Valve Supply. Authorities say a horse owner in Cleveland voluntarily surrendered three horses to authorities Wednesday after reportedly being challenged with legal action due to the condition of the horses. According to San Jacinto County Pct. 3 Deputy Constable Pete Sparta, an anonymous tip more than a week ago pointed authorities to a property on Hicks Loops. The tipster said that four horses were emaciated and in need of veterinary care. When Sparta arrived at the property, three of the horses were tied up in the woods behind the residence. The fourth horse had already been sold to a third party who was trying to save it, Sparta said. MORE FROM CLEVELAND: Puppy rescued from cardboard box filled with garbage After finally seeing the condition of the three horses, I told the owner to get them to a vet and gave her five days to have them seen, Sparta said. On Wednesday, after the terms of the agreement reportedly were not met, Sparta returned to the property and informed the owner that she could voluntarily surrender them or face a legal seizure. Either way, I was not leaving the property without the horses, said Sparta, who was concerned the horses might not survive any delays in their rescue. The animals, including the fourth horse that was sold, are now in the care of horse rehabilitator Stacy Pipkin, founder of S & S Ranch Rescue, a self-funded rescue near Cleveland. Pipkin, who has seen a lot of abused animals over the years, said the condition of the horses is unconscionable but believes there is hope for them. They will eventually be up for adoption. The stallion will be gelded as soon as approved by our veterinarian, which is crucial in finding a loving home. Both the mare and the big gelding seem sweet and calm; once back to health, they will all be placed with stringently-screened homes and will have contracts that protect them for life, Pipkin said. Sparta said it was not the first time that authorities have dealt with this particular horse owner but they are hoping it was the last time. Thankfully we didnt have to seize the horses or go through criminal charges. Shes been advised if she takes on more horses, we are going to keep a close watch on them, he said. Combine a clandestine affair, a passionate love triangle, a strong female leader, tension between church and state, and division within a community, and youve got a story that feels all too familiar in todays conflicted society. Add in the ancient ritual of human sacrifice, and youve got the dramatic plot points of Bellinis famous two-act opera Norma, set in Gaul around 50 BC. Its a tour de force, said New York-based director Kevin Newbury, whose revisionist take on the 1831 production first premiered at San Francisco Opera in 2014 before touring to Barcelona, Toronto and Chicago. There are very few people that can sing it maybe a dozen people in the world, and thats generous. One such powerhouse woman is Ukrainian soprano Liudmyla Monastyrska, who will tackle her second climb up this operatic Everest in its debut at Houston Grand Opera on Friday. The title role in this bel canto masterpiece is not only considered the most vocally demanding in the repertoire, its also perhaps the most complex. As a Druid high priestess, Norma is enamored with the enemy, the Roman proconsul Pollione to whom she has borne two children, but she also has a duty to her civilization, which would require rebelling against her lovers forces. When Pollione falls in love with the novice priestess Adalgisa, however, Norma is distraught, tempted to sacrifice her own children in an act of revenge. She ultimately sacrifices herself, ascending the flaming wooden bull, a giant war machine built by the Druid warriors throughout the opera. Her motive, however, is left uncertain. Her demise might be read as an act of surrender, but it might also be seen as an altruistic gesture intended to keep others from the same fate or as penance for breaking her vow of celibacy. Newbury prefers to emphasize the latter two options, qualifying her action as one of a noble heroine. More Information "Norma" When: 7:30 p.m. on April 27 and May 5, 8, 11; and 2 p.m. on April 29 Where: George R. Brown Convention Center Resilience Theater, 1001 Avenidas de las Americas Tickets: $25-$325; 713-228-6737 or houstongrandopera.org See More Collapse We are sort of creating a universe to support a story that is like a myth or a fantasy, says costume designer Jessica Jahn, describing the historical research on the Celtic culture and religion she performed in order to bring this gritty, otherworldly, cultlike populace to life. Although not the intent, her work has often been compared to the hit HBO series Game of Thrones. Tribal tattooing was a traditional part of the heritage, and using the indigenous Celtic, Inuit and Maori cultures as inspiration, Jahn had tattoo designs printed on mesh sleeves that nearly disappear from stage. Tattoo art is also incorporated into the men and womens makeup, a look that is completed with wigs specifically made for the show. There is a medieval flair throughout the details, and while Normas gowns take the same shape as that of the ensemble women, hers are more intricately decorated with lace appliques, a sparkly organza and delicate tulle. She even has a cloak to wear inside, Jahn said, laughing. What would a 19th-century diva be without a fancy lounging robe? Having a female in power will resonate with modern audiences regardless of ones political affiliation, Newbury said, but for him, the opera is primarily about sacrifice. What are you willing to sacrifice for your culture, for your faith, for your broken heart? he said. What does it mean to sacrifice yourself, to sacrifice your own children and ultimately to sacrifice your own community for love or for religion? Lawrence Elizabeth Knox is a writer in Houston. Closed for renovations after a fire in September 2016, Voodoo Queen Daiquiri Dive made its return to the Houston bar world in mid-March, coming back double in size with even stronger drinks to boot. Previously known simply as Voodoo Queen, owner Brandon Youngs tiki-themed New Orleans-centric bar became a neighborhood hit for its strong boat drinks and a dark and dive-y attitude when it opened in 2013. For the first three years of its life, the spot was a destination for Uber-ing Montrosians and a much needed shot in the arm for its surrounding East End hood. Then the fire forced it to close and provided an opening for change. Young and company purchased the laundromat space just behind the original bar and set about to expand operations after the fire. Locals had waited a long time for it to return to scramble their brains all over again. Social-media chatter came and went, until one day in early March, the Voodoo Queens Instagram account began hinting at the coming revival. The reopened Voodoo Queen has an expanded drink and food menu, extra seating inside and out, and bright paint courtesy of Houston street artist Dual. Its now also a sight brighter than it ever was, and the jukebox, heavy on classic alt-rock and rap staples, has been expanded think Porno for Pyros and Geto Boys. One friend, on her first visit, described it is a seedy mid-90s skating rink sans skating rink. The bright colors and a Clinton-era beach vibe with a sinister accent are trademarks of most anything Young has had a hand in opening. He and business partner Evan Shannons Moon Tower Inn, just blocks away off Canal, brought craft beer and exotic-meat hot dogs to an area starved for cool in 2010. Since then, things have changed for the East End. More people are still moving east because they cant afford Montrose any more with the townhouses popping up everywhere, Young says. To be fair, the East End is also seeing its fair share of townhouse construction. And the area surrounding VQ has changed, with extra development nearby and a few more mothers in yoga pants pushing strollers along the sidewalks. Out on the front patio, the earthy smell from the former Maxwell House coffee plant mixes with vape pen and cigarette smoke. The crowd is a mix of well-scrubbed newcomers to the neighborhood and the same tattooed boys and girls that haunted it every night during its last incarnation. It might have been the kind of place that Keanu Reeves would go undercover at in the original Point Break. Frozen daiquiri machines dot the back wall serving frozen drinks like The Bends, Blue Dreamz and the Volcano Joe for $8 a pop. You can keep the purple cup as a souvenir. The Bends is the strongest frozen drink on the menu. It runs $10 and customers are limited to three per visit, per customer. One will make you smile too hard. Two will make it easier to text your ex. Three could make you the best pool shark there ever was. Daiquiris can be blended with extra shots of rum and liqueur served inside special vials for adventurous drinkers. Traditional drinks like the Mai Tai, the Pain Killa and the Skeleton Crew also are on the menu, along with craft beers and straight-forward cocktails. A shot menu, with concoctions like the Surfer on Acid and the Pink Snapper, is available if the daiquiris and beers dont do the trick. The Texicans go-to, the Penus-Coladus, has been remastered and brought back to the menu, still packing a shot of Fireball to haunt us the morning after. For food, Big Easy-style offerings like six varieties of po boys and fried shrimp baskets are all the rage. Of particular note was the unholy trinity of tater tots, hush puppies and crinkle-cut fries in the same basket, a stoners paradise. World traveler Young does his homework, visiting bars everywhere he goes and taking notes, but this place is purely Houston. Theres some influence from various beach bars I visited while traveling out of the country and some influence from south Louisiana daiquiri shacks, for sure, but I feel like its pretty unique, and youd be hard pressed to find anything like it anywhere, he says. Soon, if all goes to plan, Galveston will have a Voodoo Queen to call its own. Young says hes scouting locations down south. Anyone who meets Young knows that he will be happy to be closer to the ocean. But bove all, Young has always wanted to create a place where everyone felt at home, no matter the zip code or what shoes they were wearing. The neighborhood has definitely grown a lot so its nice to have a proper, disused bar that everyone can fit in comfortably. craig.hlavaty@chron.com Parents hoping to introduce their children to science and math will have an opportunity this weekend for them to participate in a "STEM Adventures Event" in Katy. On Saturday, April 28, Kiddie Academy of Katy-West is inviting local families to take part in activities involving science, technology, engineering and math that foster learning through play. Employees at a Kingwood T-Mobile store reported that a suspect bound them with zip ties while he robbed the store at gunpoint on March 3. The suspect also threatened to kill the three employees several times during the alleged robbery at 2500 Green Oak Drive, the Houston Police Department said in a news release. Online applications closed on April 24 in the search for the next Crosby ISD Superintendent. The district has received 74 applications from individuals who will be considered for the position, said James Guerra, president and CEO of JG Consulting. The pool includes candidates from the Greater Houston area and others from across the country, Guerra said. Crosby ISD voted to authorize JG Consulting to help the district with the search back in May. The district is paying the San Antonio-based search firm $7,000. Theyre looking for someone who understands the fast growth nature of a community such as Crosby. (They want someone who has) the experience of working in a complex school system such a Crosby that serves a diverse subpopulation of students but with the fast growth of forecasting of a district like Crosby, Guerra said. Before the board selected a search firm, they held a community forum to get input on what characteristics the residents would like to see in their new superintendent. Results from the forum were submitted to JG Consulting. Crosby ISD Board President Carla Windfont said the board wants to narrow down the search to 10 to 15 candidates. When were first hired by a school board, well ask them who in the community should we visit with to get some candidate input and that also includes (district) staff, Guerra said. The school board will have a special meeting on May 1 to review applications. According to the search firms proposal they expect to hire a candidate by mid-June. kaila.contreras@chron.com The Great Onesie Bar Crawl / The Great Onesie Bar Crawl Courtesy of Downtown District / Courtesy of Downtown District Taste of Science Houston Researchers present their work and knowledge on diverse topics to a nonspecialist audience. When: 7 p.m. Friday and 1 p.m. Saturday Where: Under the Radar Brewery, 1506 Truxillo Details: tasteofscience.org/houston Family Jewels The Gay Mens Chorus of Houston celebrates nearly 40 years as a musical family as it it popular guilty treasures at MATCH. When: 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday Where: 3400 Main Details: $15-$25; matchouston.org Josh Blue Comedian is best known for his appearances on Comedy Centrals Mind of Mencia and NBCs Last Comic Standing. When: 8 and 10:30 p.m. Friday, 7 and 10 p.m. Saturday Where: Joke Joint Comedy Showcase, 11460 Fuqua Details: $20-$25; jokejointcomedyshowcase.com Crawfish Fest Festival features crawfish vendors with different styles and recipes, local beer, live music, arts and crafts. When: noon-8 p.m. Saturday Where: The Esplanade on Navigation, 2600 Navigation Details: facebook.com/events/190257854890700 The Great Onesie Bar Crawl: Houston Throw on your favorite onesie and mingle at multiple bars with exclusive drink specials. When: 3-9 p.m. Saturday Where: Clutch Bar Houston, 5334 Washington Details: $30; greatonesie.com Sawyer Yards Spring Biannual Art Stroll View and shop for local art including paintings, sculptures, ceramics, mosaic, photography, mixed media and jewelry. When: 4-9 p.m. Saturday Where: Sawyer Yards, 2101 Winter Details: facebook.com/events/566372453708193 Rodrigo Fresan Author will discuss and sign Bottom of the Sky. When: 7 p.m. Saturday Where: Brazos Bookstore, 2421 Bissonnet Details: brazosbookstore.com The Glass Cerati and Soda Stereos tribute concert. When: 9 p.m. Saturday Where: Warehouse Live, 813 Saint Emanuel Details: $15; facebook.com/events/358335621311523 Poetry and Music: Exile and Return Da Cameras chamber music series featuring pianist Sarah Rothenberg and poet Adam Zagajewski. When: 7:30 p.m. Monday and Tuesday Where: MATCH, 3400 Main Details: $60; dacamera.com Riyaaz Qawwali Concert Experience the rich poetic and musical traditions of South Asian Qawwali. Based in the U.S., Riyaaz features musicians from India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. When: 7-8 p.m. Thursday Where: The Menil Collection, 1533 Sul Ross Details: menil.org The American Civil Liberties Union launched a six-figure, celebrity-studded campaign Thursday to ensure immigrants know their rights in interactions with federal agents, including spots on Spanish radio and targeted, multilingual ads on Facebook and YouTube. It includes videos voiced by Diane Guerrero from the Netflix series Orange Is the New Black and Kumail Nanjiani from HBO's Emmy Award-nominated series Silicon Valley. The ads feature the phone number to volunteer-led rapid response networks to flag immigration raids and help immigrants get legal representation. Under President Donald Trump's administration, immigration agents have doubled down on arrests, often targeting immigrants who previously were not priorities for deportation, such as those married to American citizens and people who have been here illegally for decades without committing other crimes. "We want to be a click or listen away for someone to know their rights and be empowered against Trump's deportation force," said Natalie Montelongo, ACLU campaign strategist, in a statement. Between January 2017 and the end of the fiscal year in September, immigration agents made 110,568 arrests, 42 percent more than in the same time period in 2016, according to federal data analyzed by the Pew Research Center, a Washington D.C. think tank. But the number of immigrants who were deported dropped to a 10-year-low, about 211,000, reflecting the challenges the administration faces in removing large amounts of migrants from the interior of the country. Though immigrants at the border can usually be quickly deported, those apprehended elsewhere have the right to pursue their cases before an immigration judge. Read more: Immigrant arrests up sharply, but deportations drop to 10-year low Immigration courts are struggling with a record backlog, about 657, 400 cases, and it can take several years for a case to wind its way through the system. Congress has authorized funding for 384 judges, which would double the number on the bench. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has announced he would impose controversial quotas on how many cases judges complete a year. He is reviewing when judges should be able to postpone and close cases, and is reconsidering several precedent-setting court decisions that could dramatically curb who can seek asylum. Read more: Trump administration tries to curb asylum Sessions has broadly criticized "case law that has expanded the concept of asylum well beyond Congressional intent created even more incentives for illegal aliens to come here and claim a fear of return." On Wednesday, under pressure from Congress and immigrant advocates, Sessions backed off on a decision to cut funding for a know-your-rights program in immigrant detention. The Legal Orientation Program provides basic, legal information to about 53,000 immigrants in federal detention, including more than 6,000 in Houston. Unlike in the criminal justice system, immigrants are allowed to have legal counsel but the government is not obligated to provide it, so many have no legal help as they argue their case to stay here. Those who are detained while they fight deportation often simply cannot find lawyers as many are held in remote facilities hours from big cities. Only 14 percent of detained immigrants are able to obtain counsel, compared to two-thirds of non-detained immigrants, and those with representation are about three times more likely to win their asylum cases, according to a 2014 Stanford University study. The Justice Department earlier this month decided to suspend funding for the legal program while reviewing whether it was efficient. A 2012 audit by the department itself found that the program reduced the length of immigration court cases and detention, saving the government nearly $18 million. Read more: Family of deported immigrant struggles to adjust to new normal Sessions testified Wednesday that while he has "previously expressed some concerns about the program," concerns from bipartisan members of the committee led him to reverse course. Immigrant advocates lauded the decision. "As a community, we need to recognize the importance of supporting programs that provide due process and information for immigrants facing deportation," said Kate Vickery, executive director of the Houston Immigration Legal Services Collaborative. The Collaborative's Deportation Defense Houston program also provides representation to immigrants detained in the Houston region. It staffs an immigrant rights hotline at 1-833-HOU-IMMI. An Arlington man was sentenced to life in prison after stomping his then girlfriend's 18-month-old daughter to death in 2014. According to his police record, Joshua Beard, 24, was arrested in July 2014 and charged with capital murder of a person under 10 years of age. CAUGHT IN THE ACT: Texas couple facing human trafficking charges after teen escapes The Star-Telegram reported that Beard and his girlfriend, Alexis Botello, were home with the child, Tylea Moore, when Beard became angry with the toddler and began beating her while Botello yelled at him to stop. At one point Beard threw the child on the bed so hard that she bounced off onto the floor where Beard kept stomping on the child's stomach until she eventually stopped breathing. He and Botello who was also arrested and faces charges of capital murder and tampering with evidence put the child in their car, drove to Wal-Mart to buy shovels and gloves, and drove to a remote location where they buried the child in a small grave under a bridge. According to Dallas Morning News, two days later when police spoke to Botello after getting a report of a missing child, she eventually told police what happened but said that Beard didn't mean to kill Tylea. Botello is still in custody at the Tarrant County Corrections Facility. Her bond was set at $575,000, $75,000 for tampering with evidence and $500,000 for injury to a child. Take a look through the gallery above to see the Texas counties with the highest rate of child abuse. Daniela Sternitzky-Di Napoli is a digital producer at Chron.com. You can read more of her stories here and follow her on twitter at @Dani_DiNapoli. A man with multiple convictions for driving while intoxicated has been charged again with the same crime after a resident called 911 after witnessing reckless driving from the suspect, La Porte police reported. Since a conviction would be Antonio Santanas fourth for the crime, it could be considered a felony because of his previous offenses, La Porte Police officer Bennie Boles said in a written statement. Santana already has a felony conviction for his third DWI conviction, which occurred in another area. A second felony conviction for DWI could qualify the suspect for jail time at the state level, he said. He could be looking at significant time in jail, Boles said. Harris County Sheriffs Office also charged Santana with assault on a household or family member after he was transferred there from La Porte. Boles said the charge could be a result of an outstanding warrant. Santana is scheduled to appear in court on June 25. A resident told police that Santana was seen driving recklessly while headed south along Texas 146 at 10 p.m. on April 22, Boles said. Santana, 42, of Diboll was stopped by police in the 100 block of West Fairmont Parkway. Police say he displayed signs of intoxication that an odor of alcohol was in the vehicle and was arrested. Once booked at the La Porte Police station, Boles said, Santana refused to submit to a breath test or provide a blood sample. A search warrant was obtained for a blood draw. Results of that test were unavailable at presstime. Harris County District Attorneys Office accepted felony DWI charges against Santana, according to the statement. Santana is being held in a Harris County Sheriffs jail, according to Harris County Sheriffs Office website, and bond has not been set. jaimy.jones@chron.com The Houston bar scene is full of personalities bar stars, if you will. Each week in Preview, well feature one of these mixologists to let you know more about them, aside from how good they are at making you feel good. This week were talking to Lisa Alexander at Dantons Gulf Coast Seafood and Steaks. Know someone who deserves the spotlight? Email joey.guerra@chron.com Length of time working at current place? Three years Nickname? Lola Lamest pickup line youve heard at the bar? I once heard a guy tell a chick, Hey, you look just like Celine Dion, and that really turns me on. The look she gave him was priceless as she replied, Celine Dion? Really? Most famous person youve ever served a drink to? Douglas Brinkley, CNNs presidential historian. Super nice guy. Becoming friends with customers: yes or no? Lisa Alexander Find her behind the bar at: Danton's Gulf Coast Seafood and Steaks, 4611 Montrose Hours: 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. and 4-10 p.m. Monday-Friday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday See More Collapse A definite yes. I work in a neighborhood restaurant, so 95 percent of my customers are regulars. Being able to know them on a personal level is an honor, and it is one of my favorite things about my job. Most common customer complaint? Its too cold or too hot. Whats the sloppiest drunkest thing youve seen on the job? One night when the bar was full, a lady was saying rude things to a guy she didnt even know, her friend was bawling over a boyfriend and the guy on the end of the bar slipped off his chair onto the floor. The whole show was like a bad movie. Whats the most outrageous request youve ever gotten? Maybe not too outrageous, but when someone asks me to make something they had somewhere else and they clearly dont have a clue what was in it. But they assume because Im a bartender I should absolutely know what is in every drink. Where do you like to go have a drink when youre not at work? Komodo Pub in Midtown. Its a laid-back, industry hangout, and I like knowing all the people that hang out there. Whats your specialty drink, and how do you make it? Im a sucker for martinis. A popular one on our menu is the Elderflower Martini: Reyka Vodka, St. Germaine, a splash of sweet and sour, muddled mint and cucumber strained in a martini glass. Whats something your customers might not know about you? How extremely passionate I am about my job, how much time I spend creating new drink ideas and perfecting the classic drinks by honoring how they were traditionally made. WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump will huddle Wednesday with Apple CEO Tim Cook as the White House forges ahead with tariffs on China and other trade policies that have provoked sharp rebukes from the iPhone giant and its tech industry peers. Ahead of the meeting, Trump tweeted that he and Cook would discuss "many things, including how the U.S. has been treated unfairly for many years, by many countries, on trade." The private discussion at the White House comes a day after Cook joined Trump for the president's first state dinner, honoring French President Emmanuel Macron. A spokesman for Apple declined to comment on the upcoming meeting. The company spent roughly $2.1 million to lobby the U.S. government between Jan. 1 and March 31, 2018, including on issues like trade and tariffs, according to an ethics report filed last week. Earlier in April, Trump imposed tariffs on more than 1,300 categories of products from China - including some televisions and batteries, but not smartphones - as part of his effort to crack down on Beijing firms believed to be stealing intellectual property from U.S. companies. As Trump explores a second round of tariffs, China has fired back, targeting U.S. planes and cars. The escalation has prompted fears of an international trade war, particularly in Silicon Valley, which sources and sells its products around the world. Greater China, which includes Taiwan and Hong Kong, is one of Apple's largest markets. The Information Technology Industry Council, a lobbying group for companies like Apple, Google and Microsoft, previously has rebuffed Trump's tariffs as "entirely counterproductive" - and stressed the result would be higher prices on tech products that "penalize U.S. consumers." This week isn't Cook's first encounter with Trump. The Apple executive joined fellow tech executives in December 2016, before Trump officially entered the White House, at a session designed to foster a peace between the new president-elect and some of his most outspoken critics. Cook had previously withdrawn Apple's participation in the 2016 Republican convention that nominated Trump as a candidate because of his comments about race, immigrants and other minorities. Since then, Cook has served in dual roles - as an advocate for Apple and the rest of the industry on issues like tax and education reforms and as a critic on some of Trump's more controversial policies, like his decision to end a program that protects youngsters brought to the United States illegally from being deported. Cook personally urged Trump to preserve those legal protections, known as DACA, on the sidelines of the president's so-called "tech week" summit at the White House last summer. Trump ultimately terminated the program anyway. Along with trade, Apple long has engaged its Washington regulators on issues like encryption. The issue has returned to the political fore following comments by key Trump administration officials who say the government needs a way to penetrate secure devices and communications in order to thwart terrorism. Yana Paskova/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) -- While speculation swirls over whether President Donald Trump might pardon longtime personal attorney Michael Cohen, whos in the midst of a federal criminal probe into his handling of an array of matters, Attorney General Jeff Sessions refused Wednesday to say whether he has spoken with Trump or other administration officials about the possibility of a pardon for Cohen. Im not able to reveal the contents of any communications I might have with the president of the United States or his top staff, Sessions told a Senate Appropriations subcommittee. A day earlier, when ABC News chief White House correspondent Jon Karl asked Trump whether a pardon for Cohen was being contemplated, Trump dismissed it as a stupid question. Cohen has been under federal criminal investigation for several months, with federal agents secretly reviewing his emails and then -- in dramatic fashion -- executing search warrants at his home, hotel room and office three weeks ago. According to court documents, Cohen is being investigated for criminal conduct that largely centers on his personal business dealings. Cohens attorney said the investigation started after special counsel Robert Mueller, investigating Russias meddling in the 2016 presidential election, referred the matter to the Justice Department, which then passed it to the U.S. attorneys office in Manhattan for investigation. At the hearing on Wednesday, Sessions made clear that he believes Trump has the authority to unilaterally pardon Cohen and anyone else. But when Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., noted that nearly two decades ago after President Bill Clinton pardoned controversial figure Marc Rich before leaving office, Sessions insisted that such presidential pardons should be made only after consulting with the Justice Department. Trump has already used his power to issue two highest-profile pardons -- of former Sheriff Joe Arpaio, convicted of criminal contempt by a federal judge in Arizona, and then of Scooter Libby, former Vice President Dick Cheney's ex-chief of staff convicted of perjury during the Bush administration. Asked whether he has recused himself from oversight of the Cohen matter -- like he did for the Russia-related investigation -- Sessions wouldnt offer an answer. He said he is required to be recused from any matter tied to the 2016 presidential campaigns, and I will comply with that. But it is a policy of the department that if you get into discussing the details of those matters, you can reveal the existence, scope or breadth or nature if a matter. That would be inappropriate, he continued. Sessions said he did seek advice from career ethics officials within the Justice Department over whether he should have recused himself. Meanwhile, Sessions offered support for his deputy, Rod Rosenstein, who has recently been ridiculed by Trump and others as he oversees Muellers probe since Sessions is recused. Rosenstein works every day to do the job that he is called upon to do, that got dropped in his lap, Sessions said. I do have confidence in him. Sessions, however, would not say if he would resign if Rosenstein or Mueller were fired. Sessions himself received words of support and encouragement from Senators on the panel. The attorney general has also recently found himself in the crosshairs of Trumps ire. While walking out of Wednesday's hearing, ABC News' Pierre Thomas asked Sessions to describe his current relationship with the president. "Were getting along," Sessions said. Copyright 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. At least one person was shot at the apartment complex Wednesday evening in west Houston, police said. Houston police were called to an apartment complex in the 2400 block of Gray Falls Drive, near the intersection of Westheimer Road and Kirkwood Road, around 8:45 p.m. Officials say two groups of men were shooting at each other, and one man was struck by a bullet. A man shot and killed his girlfriend before turning the gun on himself Thursday, just hours after the woman changed her locks in response to a domestic assault at her southwest Houston apartment complex earlier that morning, Houston police said. The woman died on the scene. The man is at Southwest Memorial Hermann Hospital in critical condition, Sgt. Wendy Baimbridge said. A bailiff who has been employed with the Bexar County Sheriff's Office for 34 years was arrested early Wednesday morning by San Antonio police on suspicion of driving while intoxicated after she left NIOSA, officials said. Margie Hernandez Miranda, 61, was pulled over in the 8600 block of State Highway 151 after an officer saw her swerving across several lanes while driving 11 mph under the speed limit, according to a search warrant. Chasing Orion: this is the first in a series of stories leading up to the April 2019 launch of Orion's launch abort system, which is managed by Houston's Johnson Space Center. The conical, 11-foot-tall space capsule housed in a vast warehouse at NASA's Johnson Space Center lacks seats, oxygen systems and parachutes. It can't support human life while shooting through the atmosphere at thousands of miles per hour. But it doesn't need to. A year from now, NASA officials based here will see whether this simplified version of the Orion, the spacecraft meant to take humans to Mars, will separate from a booster rocket in half a second at 31,000 feet. If it can, Orion's eventual crew of four astronauts could escape if the rocket explodes. "This is a really exciting time to be on the NASA team," astronaut Nicole Mann said at a Thursday news conference at JSC. "I'm sure you can sense the excitement; we are sending humans further into deep space than we have ever done before ... this is a really exciting idea for America and all of the world." Work on Orion's launch abort system is just one of numerous ways the Houston center is helping America in its quest for deep space exploration. And that work is ramping up as NASA, with the support of President Donald Trump, pushes toward its goal of sending astronauts around the moon by 2023 and in the vicinity of Mars by the 2030s. "Space travel is risky, but we want to make it as safe as we can," Jon Olansen, ascent abort-2 crew module project manager, said in an interview. "We're doing the best we can to demonstrate that we have a system that will protect the crew in case of emergency." What is Orion? The Orion capsule was part of NASA's Constellation Program, a brainchild of the George W. Bush administration that aimed to send astronauts back to the moon as a stepping stone for Mars. MORE: Oklahoma congressman sworn in as new NASA leader But in 2010, President Barack Obama ended the program astoo costly and inefficient but ultimately spared Orion as a next generation capsule for Mars missions. The Obama administration then added the Space Launch System, the most powerful rocket NASA has ever built, to send Orion to space. Obama aimed to get astronauts to an asteroid by 2025, and then near Mars by the 2030s. But since Trump took office, there's been a shift back toward Bush's initial vision. His $19.9 billion proposed budget for the next fiscal year tasks NASA with launching an uncrewed Orion flight by 2021, following by a launch of Americans around the moon in 2023. "We believe there's a lot we need to test and learn from the moon before we move onto Mars," said Ellen Ochoa, the Johnson Space Center's director. NASA officials hope to launch the uncrewed flight in December 2019, but that will likely slip to June 2020 in part because of construction delays with the SLS rocket. There also are issues with the platform that will launch the SLS into orbit. The tower, called the Mobile Launcher, is now actually leaning to one side, although NASA has said it is structurally sound and does not need emergency corrective action. But first, the emergency systems will be tested. And that's where Johnson comes in. Three minutes The April 2019 test of Orion's launch abort system will last just three minutes, but officials say it will be among the most important three minutes in the build-up to human launch in the 2020s. The half-second separation of capsule from rocket at 31,000 feet is important in case the rocket explodes and the crews needs to escape to safety, Olansen added. This test "is one of Orion's prime safety features," said Annette Hasbrook, assistant manager for the Orion spacecraft, at the Thursday event. The test will take place after launch in Cape Canaveral, Fla. Johnson personnel will spend the next year outfitting the capsule with the minimum systems needed for a successful test, such as flight computers and communication systems. It also will include about 800 data sensors. Because the capsule will lack many systems and objects the real Orion will have when it launches humans, Johnson personnel must make sure the capsule has the same mass distribution as the real Orion. When completed, Orion will weigh about 22,000 pounds. About 220 personnel work on this simplified capsule. Additional capsules for the unmanned and crewed missions are under construction. The SLS rocket, as well as the ground systems for launch, are being developed simultaneously. The U.S. Government Accountability Office in October raised concerns over this simultaneous approach because it means that the people responsible for monitoring safety concerns also are responsible for keeping the projects on schedule and budget. They could be less likely to flag risks that cost time and/or money because they're "grading their own homework" an approach that was part of the "broken safety culture" that investigators found contributed to the 2003 Space Shuttle Columbia disaster that killed all seven crew members, the report continued. The GAO report quotes NASA officials as saying their work keeping Orion on budget while developing its safety systems was working well because they had the right people capable of considering different safety options. Plenty of design work Meanwhile, Johnson personnel also are designing Orion's cockpit and flight software, spacesuits and parachutes. Johnson is home to the nation's astronaut corps, where human space flight research and training take place. It is also home to the international space station mission operations and the Orion program. "Here at JSC, we're really in the thick of things," Ochoa said. Johnson received the simplified capsule last month from NASA's Langley Research Center in Hampton, Va., where personnel built, weighed and balanced it. NASA will not reuse this crew module once the test is complete, letting it fall back to Earth and sink to the bottom of the ocean where it will likely become a reef, Olansen said. That, or Jeff Bezos or someone like him will pull it out of the ocean. Bezos, Amazon's chief executive, mounted an expedition in 2013 in which he fished major components of Apollo 11's F-1 rocket engine off the floor of the Atlantic Ocean, according to a new book by Christian Davenport, "The Space Barons: Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk and the Quest to Colonize the Cosmos." Alex Stuckey covers NASA and the environment for the Houston Chronicle. You can reach her at alex.stuckey@chron.com or Twitter.com/alexdstuckey. With just four weeks to go before the crucial runoff election, the two Democrats vying for the chance to replace Republican incumbent Gov. Greg Abbott on Wednesday night gave a hint of how the final days of their faceoff will play out. Lupe Valdez, 70, the former Dallas County sheriff, repeatedly stressed improving public education, health care and economic opportunity for all Texans, but gave only sparse details of how she would accomplish those goals. in comments to a gathering of about 200 Democrats from Harris, Fort Band and Brazoria counties. "I want to be the voice of the common folks," said Valdez, a San Antonio native and daughter of migrant farm workers. "I want to be the champion for average, everyday Texans." In contrast, Andrew White, 45, a Houston entrepreneur, highlighted many of those same issues, but offered specifics on how he plans to change Texas, while pitching himself as the one who can win against Abbott in November. "We need a candidate who can support the ticket . . . a candidate who can win on their own," he said, citing how he has out raised Valdez by 10 times and has been endorsed by the state's largest newspapers. Noting Abbott's $40-plus million campaign war chest, White told the crowd: "This is a classic David and Goliath race. And remember that David won." The forum drew 200 Democrats from Harris, Fort Band and Brazoria counties to the El Franco Lee Community Center in South Houston. In the final days of the runoff campaign, both candidates are focusing on Texas' major cities Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth, Austin and San Antonio to propel them to a victory in the May 22 runoff. White has pushed for a debate with Valdez, who said she is considering it, but is not expected to do so, thanks to backing from much of the state party's establishment that they expect will push her to victory over White. Wednesday's forum is the latest time the two have appeared together at an event, but not debated. A recent poll showed Valdez and White were within single-digits of Abbott, a statistic they have both heralded in separate appearances since -- and underscored in their joint appearance Wednesday night. While Valdez has been busy courting votes and support in Houston, White has been fundraising and contacting voters in Dallas, her hometown, and in San Antonio and Austin, where she did well in the March primary. On several issues, the two candidates seem to agree: Diverting $800 million for border security to pay for improved education programs, raising the minimum wage, opposing a state ban on sanctuary cities and the controversial bathroom bill, ending the controversial "Robin Hood" system of financing public education, and reforming Texas' skyrocketing property taxes. In their remarks Wednesday night, White discussed details of his plans to improve public-school spending, improve health care, reform the criminal justice system and "restore sanity to state government" while Valdez pledged again and again to fight for everyday Texans to ensure state policies are fair to everyone. Both agreed on this: Turnout will be a key to which one of them survives the May 22 runoff, and will determine whether a Democrat defeats Abbott in the November general election and become the first member of their party in 24 years to win statewide office. Texas last had a Democratic governor in the early 1990s, when Ann Richards held the Governor's Mansion. Both hopefuls noted that Democrats are motivated this election year by events in Washington and by state politics. ""This is our chance," said White, whose father, Mark White, served as Texas governor in the early 1980s. mike.ward@chron.com twitter.com/@ChronicleMike Wal-Mart began using blockchain to track pork production from China to dinner tables in America. Today, midmarket grocers in the U.S. are, at the urging of the National Pork Board, looking to understand the retail giants model for food supply chain management. James Alexander, senior vice president at Info-Tech Research Group, helped succinctly separated the noise from the reality of Bitcoin as the cryptocurrencies news coverage exploded late last year amid record investment return rates. Blockchain is not a speculative currency or killer application, but rather, its an efficient way to process transactions securely, Alexander explained to executives attending the Midmarket CIO Forum in Savannah, Georgia, earlier this month. Should you use blockchain? While blockchain is also now a foundational technology for everything from food safety and supply chain management to universal electronic medical records (EMR), many midmarket companies are still in the early stages of identifying appropriate use cases. According to Deloittes U.S. Blockchain Survey, 46 percent of U.S. companies have initiated blockchain projects, but 39 percent of executives surveyed admit to knowing little to nothing about the technology. In their guide to understanding distributed ledger technology Demystifying Blockchain: How Can It Bring Value to Your Organization? Info-Tech analysts offer a checklist of six key questions for IT executives to open the conversation where their companies can employ blockchain technology that may not necessarily involve direct exchange of currency. (Note: Registration required to read the guide.) The analysts also included the questions in their presentation at the forum: Finding a Blockchain Need: 6 Questions to Ask Compelling reasons for blockchain In the era of fake news and company-crushing data breaches, transparency is one of the most compelling arguments for blockchains transformative capabilities. Commonly associated with the Bitcoin only one of a plethora of cryptocurrencies currently in use blockchain is a distributed digital ledger that both guarantees data quality and is highly transparent, which are two common challenges for technologists tasked with securing company and customer information while simultaneously ensuring its appropriate accessibility. Before I ever sign any contract, we always ask, How I can get our companys data back out if I unplug, noted RC Woodson, vice president of IT at Doyon, Limited. Contract stipulations always include that his team can review the data anytime over the course of the engagement. With blockchain technology, every transaction is recorded on a block and across multiple copies of a ledger that are distributed over many nodes (computers), so it is highly transparent. Each blockchain participant has access to the entire database and its complete history, which according to Info-Tech, prevents vesting control of the data in a single party. Currently, blockchain stands to increase efficiency and transparency of supply chains, especially in the food industry, and improve everything from warehousing to delivery. Former legal CIO Chris Romano advocates for a divorce from cryptocurrency as IT leaders open the conversation about blockchains practical applications with their C-suite. Continue to leverage the transactional strength of blockchain, but leave the cryptocurrency piece out of it, Romano suggested. In California, where Governor Jerry Brown celebrates the coercive power of the state and advocates brainwashing for the unanointed, victories against Leviathan are rare. Yet last week brought just such a triumph, as a legislative committee rejected an attempt by San Francisco state senator Scott Wiener to take zoning power away from localities in areas within a half-mile of a bus or train stop. Wiener had sold his measure as a solution to Californias housing crisis and a means of bringing about the dense, green, transit-oriented development that the governor and his supporters prefer. Yet it failed, in large part because few cities wish to give up their zoning power and because even affordable-housing advocates dont believe that handing blank checks to developers will do much to lower rents or housing prices. But it would be a mistake to see Wieners defeat as a triumph of conservative principles of limited government and local control. In fact, two of the senators who voted for the bill in committee were Republicans, both from suburban districts whose constituents would not have been much affected by the bills passage. Meantime, some libertarian conservatives, champions of small government, supported Wieners efforts to expand state power because the proposal would remove regulatory restraintsalbeit only in dense cities, not on the periphery. Some principled moderates and conservativeslike Beverly Hills vice mayor John Mirisch and Anaheims Tom Taitwere vocal opponents, as were Republicans from places like Yorba Linda. But to a large extent, Wiener was derailed by his own party: much of the opposition came from solidly Democratic cities, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, and even Berkeley, which might have seemed like natural supporters of his planning notions. But as legislators examined the probable impact of the legislation, it became clear that many neighborhoodsparticularly in urban areas like San Franciscowould be stripped of any leverage against developers. Environmentalists, including the Sierra Club, feared that the bill would allow developers to skirt the states often-onerous green legislation. Former LA Weekly editor Jill Stewart, a leader of the anti-Wiener drive, suggests that Wiener took the states decades-long densification drive off the deep end. Wieners initiative managed to provoke opposition from 37 local progressive groups, and all 13 city council members in Los Angeles wound up opposing it. The killing shot came from the old Left, many of whom live in neighborhoods where the legislation might have had a dramatic effect. Leaders of San Francisco community organizations from the Mission, Chinatown, Cow Hollow, and Excelsior, along with tenants rights groups and the local chapter of Democratic Socialists of America, announced their opposition as well. Residents of Los Angeless predominately African-American Crenshaw district saw Wieners bill as a declaration of war on south L.A. Many feared that the legislation would accelerate gentrification by replacing older, affordable structures with new, more expensive ones. Seventy percent of poor Californians already pay the majority of their paychecks for rent costs, which continue to escalate. These forces formed an unlikely alliance with anti-density middle-class residents often denounced as NIMBYs (not in my backyard). Many lived in deep-blue but largely suburban areassome reliably indigo-blue, like Marinand cities on the San Francisco Peninsula, or less reliably liberal, affluent parts of Southern California, like Newport Beach, Manhattan Beach, and La Canada. Progressive backers of Wieners top-down legislation bemoaned its defeat and are determined to bring it back. The states tech oligarchs and real estate Democrats, as progressive author Zelda Bronstein calls them, are too powerful to be easily dissuaded. CEOs of Lyft, Salesforce.com, Square, Twitter, and Yelp, as well as senior executives at Google, were among the first to rally behind the bill, and they will likely back similar legislation again. They want dense, expensive housing for their primarily young, childless employees; some would live, as some already do in San Francisco, in glorified boarding houses. To push this agenda, the new elite helped finance the so-called YIMBYs (yes in my backyard) as astro-turfed shock troops. In promoting the Wiener bill, the YIMBY contingent sometimes used left-wing rhetoric against rich cities and landlords, though they allied themselves with arguably the most voracious capitalists of all. The oligarchs, notes author Greg Ferenstein, believe that urbanization is a moral imperative, as cities are supposedly home to more innovation and income equality. But the Brookings Institution recently ranked San Francisco, already dense, as the second-most unequal city in the nation, while Silicon Valley, like most high-tech areas, is fundamentally suburban. The oligarchs view of Californias futurea twenty-first-century version of a medieval gated city, where only a few residents, mostly older whites and wealthy Asians, own propertyhas limited appeal. Few people in their thirties want to live in crowded housing or be renters for life. Wiener and other forced densifiers cast his bill as a step to creating a greener California, in which expanded public transit would reduce carbon emissions. Yet, as Los Angeles has densified under its last two mayors, transit ridership continues to dropin part, notes a recent UC Berkeley report, because incentives for real estate speculation have driven the areas predominantly poor transit riders further from trains and buses, forcing many to purchase cars. Except for San Francisco, most of California is not fertile ground for traditional transit. Ridership is declining in dispersed workplaces like Silicon Valley, despite the presence of light rail. Los Angeles has invested $15 billion in light railand has lost 16 percent of its riders since 2014. In Orange County, ridership has fallen 30 percent since 2008. The real path to a greener future lies in the innovation that once characterized California. Along with ridesharing, electric and autonomous vehicles could play a big role in reducing emissions, and the state is a leader in its percentage of residents working from home. Claims that packing people together will do much to improve the environment lack evidence. Even the pro-density UC Berkeley Termer Center acknowledges that banning urban-fringe development will account for barely 1 percent of the proposed state greenhouse-gas (GHG) reduction by 2030not much to show for polices that could drive house prices and rents even higher. Globally, this GHG reduction would represent a statistical rounding error, amounting to .003 percent of annual worldwide emissions. A frequent rationale for densification assumes that building more units on transit-rich land will help solve Californias housing-affordability crisis. In reality, higher-density housing is costlier to build, running up to 7.5 times more per square foot the cost of building detached housing. Combined with the prohibitive cost of land zoned for these purposes, high-density development is an expensive proposition. Newly publicly subsidized affordable apartments in one dense Bay Area development could cost upward of $700,000 to build. California could address its housing crisis without destroying existing neighborhoods, and in ways that both lower the cost of rental housing and expand the opportunities for homeownership. As many as 275 malls, according to Credit Suisse, will close in the next five years, roughly a quarter of the national total; America already has four to five times as much retail space per capita as the United Kingdom or Japan. A report from the real-estate services firm Cushman and Wakefield predicts that 15 percent of all mall space will need new uses over the next decade. Disused suburban shopping malls are already being redeveloped into housing across Southern California, an effort that could be greatly expanded across the state. Building in outdated retail, office, warehouse, and industrial spots has the virtue of not affecting flourishing neighborhoods and can take advantage of already-existing water, electrical, and road infrastructure. Perhaps the biggest boost would come from nurturing, as opposed to demonizing, suburban development. Hostility toward the suburbs eliminates the free market for land, driving up prices, while ignoring the preferences and aspirations of Californians. The most recent census data show that, as in the rest of the country, people, notably millennials, are headed to the periphery. Population growth rates in denser places, like San Francisco and Los Angeles, are dropping precipitously, while regions like the San Bernardino-Riverside area are seeing growth. Density proponents will wave the bloody shirt of sprawl to oppose this cultural shift, but California already has the highest urban-population densities of any state. Los Angeless suburban densities are four times those of metropolitan Boston or Atlanta and double those of New York. Further, population growth has fallen to less than a quarter of the rate in the two decades following World War II. Any suburban housing boom would be, in historic terms, modest. And as MITs Alan Berger notes, modern suburban development can be as environmentally positive as big-city densification. Suburban performance can only improve with the shift to electric cars, the increase in telecommuting, and, eventually, autonomous vehicles. In the long term, Jill Stewart suggests, the defeat of the Wiener bill shows that the public can indeed challenge Californias autocratic planning regime. The measure brought together opposition groups from the Bay Area, Southern California, and the interior. Beverly Hillss John Mirisch is pushing for a state-wide initiative to ban co-optation of local control. Unless this alliance formulates a long-term pro-housing agenda, though, the state political establishment will find ways to force the density issue. A new strategy, one that attracts jobs to the places where people are moving and recycles redundant retail and other urban space into new housing, would relieve the pressure of over-inflated urban markets. Such a commonsense approach, of course, would violate the city-planning dogma favored by most academics and the media. Yet, given the clear preferences of Californians, perhaps its time to give common sense a chance. Photo: Market Street, San Francisco, from Twin Peaks (Vincent Bloch) Attention across New York was riveted on the outcome of a special election in Westchester County yesterday, where Democrats held onto a state senate seat, edging them closer to assuming control of state government. The 63-seat senate is now divided 31-31, with Simcha Felder, who represents the primarily Orthodox Jewish district of central Brooklyn and runs unopposed on both party lines, caucusing with the Republicans. State Democrats, like the party nationally, are hopeful that a November blue wave will give them total control in Albany and open the road to a progressive transformation of New York. The major drama in the senate, however, was resolved earlier this month, when the Independent Democratic Conference dissolved itself and rejoined the mainline Democrats. The IDC, originally composed of four moderate Democrats, all white, had caucused with the Republicans since 2011, solidifying GOP control of the chamber, while providing Governor Andrew Cuomo political leverage and cover as the dealmaker in the state capital. Progressive suspicions that Cuomo was in fact the engineer, or at least enabler, of the IDC were confirmed when, shortly after Cynthia Nixon gained traction on the governors left flank, the renegade Democrats rejoined the general party conference. Democrats dominate the state assembly, but Republicans have held the senatewith two brief interruptionssince 1939. In 2008, the last time the Democrats took control, the chamber dissolved into got-mine factionalism, lockouts, and fights over parking spaces and light switches. Downstate Democrats, mostly black and Latino, demanded minority leadership, leading to the formation of the IDC; Jeff Klein, a senate Democrat representing well-heeled donors in the Bronx and Westchester, decided to make his own deal with the GOP. At its peak, prior to the recent reunification of the Democrats, the IDC had all of eight members, including three black or Latino senators; these minority members took furious criticism from left progressives, who vowed to primary the entire faction. One can make a strong case that Nixons gubernatorial candidacy is intended to drive turnout in the Democratic primary in order to defeat the renegade IDC senators. From this perspective, by pushing Cuomo to reunite the Democrats and move to the left on other issues, she has already won. Nixon, with strong ties to Mayor Bill de Blasio and the teachers unions, continues to stake out far-left positions, essentially taunting Cuomo to join her in a game of ideological leapfrog. Regardless of whether Nixon beats Cuomo, Democratic control of the state legislature, with a politically wounded Cuomo reluctant to play moderate spoiler and put his national ambitions at risk, will mean a hard-left course for New York State. To downstate progressives, the state senate has been a stumbling block up to now. A Democratic legislature, with a compliant governor, will move toward fully funding traditional public schools by raising taxes and ending support for charter schools. Repeal of the Urstadt Law will give New York City freedom to reverse vacancy-decontrol rules on rent-stabilized units, ensuring that the citys sclerotic rental market remains rigid and expensive. Its likely that a Democrat-controlled state government would try to implement a form of single-payer health care that would, given New Yorks already- runaway spending on health care, be both ineffective and expensive. Driven by public-sector union money and a motivated progressive base, New York State is moving left. Assuming that the unified senate Democratic conference holds together after November, there will be little to stop the Nixon agendaeven if its implementers are disguised as a third Cuomo administration. Photo: Cindy Ord/GettyImages Leesa Harwood has announced that she is set to step down from her role as director of community lifesaving and fundraising at the RNLI, after nine years with the organisation. Paul Boissier, chief executive of the organisation, announced Harwoods resignation in a statement published on the RNLIs website yesterday. He said that Harwood would be working her full notice period of six months and will continue to fulfil her role until 26 October 2018. Harwood joined the RNLI in April 2009 as its head of engagement. She was later made deputy director of fundraising communications until she was made director of community lifesaving and fundraising on a permanent basis in October 2014. According to the statement, Harwood will be leaving the organisation to take time to focus more on non-work commitments. Prior to joining RNLI, she was the head of fundraising for the Dartington Hall Trust; head of community fundraising for Save the Children and a community involvement manager for Business in the Community. She began her career in the voluntary sector in 1991 with March of Dimes, an American non-profit, where she was based in Florida. Boissier said: I would like to thank Leesa for her dedication and the leadership he has shown over the last nine years. She has been instrumental in driving some brave decisions, such as pushing us to be the first charity to move to opt in and the merger of fundraising and operations into what we now know as community lifesaving. He also said that: these decisions have set us up for success in the 21st century. Boissier said his focus will be to bring in a new director who can build on the work that Leesa has started, and who has the expertise, experience and leadership capability to lead this absolutely critical part of the RNLI strongly into the future. Boissier said the process for finding Harwoods replacement will begin shortly and will be a robust and transparent process. Harwood said; My time here has been rewarding, humbling and fulfilling. It has been an absolute privilege to work with such an incredible team of staff and volunteers here at the RNLI and to have been able to add value to this very special charity. Now though, commitments outside work mean that I can no longer give the time and energy that this role demands and after nine years at the RNLI, it is time to move on. A growing climate of hatred permeates the 2018 World Press Freedom Index, in which the United States dropped two places. Compiled by Reporters Without Borders, the annual report measures the level of media freedom based on a host of factors, and ranked America 45th out of 180 countries analyzed. In the report, there is very little to celebrate, writes The Washington Posts Jason Rezaian. The survey paints yet another depressing portrait of the gradual erosion of one of free societies most treasured principle. The most troubling conclusion may be that hostility towards the media from political leaders is no longer limited to authoritarian countries such as Turkey and Egypt. The report finds that more and more democratically-elected leaders no longer see the media as part of democracys essential underpinning, but as an adversary to which they openly display their aversion. Criticizing President Trump as a media-bashing enthusiast, the survey directly links the administrations abdication of its press-championing role to the worsening climate around the world. RWBs report builds on a trend that the organization identified in last years rankings. In 2017, the organization described a world in which attacks on the media have become commonplace and strongmen are on the rise. This years biggest drop in the rankings came from Malta, which fell 18 spots to 65th. Last fall, journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia was killed by a targeted car-bombing in the Mediterranean island nation. RELATED: When it comes to press freedom, America is no longer a beacon for the world Asked about the reports linkage of President Trumps media bashing to a deteriorating climate around the globe, Press Secretary Sarah Sanders rejected the idea that Trump or his administration had contributed to the negative environment. I think were one of the most accessible administrations that weve seen in decades, she said at Wednesdays press briefing. CNNs Jim Acosta followed up, asking with some degree of incredulity, Are you trying to say that this administration is a champion of a free press? Sanders complained about the tone of some questions and stated, We support a free press but we also support a fair press. And I think that those things should go hand in hand, and theres a certain responsibility by the press to report accurate information. The Trump administration can hardly be held responsible for every crackdown against the press or incident of intimidation or violence; there are numerous factors at play, and plenty of countries have had issues that long predate Trumps arrival on the world stage. At the same time, America has long been a vocal advocate for press freedom, even when it wasnt living up to its ideals at home. The constant attacks from the White Houseon outlets, individual journalists, and the institution of the free press as a wholedo have an impact. When the US shirks its role as a defender of journalism, it provides leeway for leaders in other countries, authoritarian and democratic, to crack down. The result is a darkening picture around the globe. Sign up for CJR 's daily email Below, more on the state of press freedom in America and abroad. Other notable stories ICYMI: As election looms, Brazil braces for fake news Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Pete Vernon is a former CJR staff writer. Follow him on Twitter @ByPeteVernon. Last week, in Bur. of Workers Comp. v. Verlinger, the Ohio Supreme Court held two insurers jointly and severally liable to the Ohio BWC for all past, present and estimated future payments the BWC made under a workers compensation claim. The Court held that the subrogation interest arose because the insurers failed to notify the BWC of its subrogation interest in settlement payments made for damages arising out of a work-related motor vehicle accident. Ohio Revised Code 4123.931 gives the Ohio BWC (or an employer that is self-insured for workers compensation purposes) a subrogation interest in any payments made by a third-party to an injured worker for damages arising out of a work-related injury. Revised Code 4123.931 also requires that the BWC/self-insured employer be given notice of the third-party payment and a right to assert its subrogation interest. In Verlinger, the insurers for the injured worker and the driver who caused the accident entered into settlements with the injured worker before she filed her workers compensation claim. Neither the insured nor the insurance companies put the BWC on notice of its subrogation interest in the insurance payments. The Ohio Supreme Court held that the BWCs right of subrogation vests at the time of the injury. Prior to this case, it was common practice for injured workers to assert that the subrogation interest did not arise until after the workers compensation claim was allowed and payments were made. Both the Ohio BWC and, more importantly, the Ohio Supreme Court disagreed. The Verlinger case makes it essential that third parties making payments for damages arising out of an Ohio work-related injury ensure that proper subrogation notice is made. Failure to do so makes the third party jointly and severally liable with the injured worker for all payments made under the workers compensation claim. Faulty classroom design and failures in the police radio and 911 systems contributed to the chaos and deaths during the recent Florida high school massacre, a commission investigating the shooting was told at its first meeting Tuesday. Broward Sheriffs Office Detective Zachary Scott told the Marjory Stoneman High School Public Safety Commission that teachers trying to lock down their students as the gunman began his attack couldnt lock classroom doors from the inside, but had to grab a key, open the door and turn the lock from the outside. Fourteen students and three staff members died in the Feb. 14 shooting and 17 others were wounded. Thats messed up, no matter how you slice it, said Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri, chairman of the 16-member commission that will prepare a report looking at the actions of state officials before and after the shooting and make recommendations. The doors also had small windows that allowed the suspect, whom police have identified as former student Nikolas Cruz, to fire into classrooms that had been locked, leading to several deaths, Scott told the commission. Members include law enforcement administrators from throughout Florida, education officials, a state senator, a mental health counselor and the fathers of victims Alex Schachter, Meadow Pollack and Aliana Petty. The members were appointed by Gov. Rick Scott, state House Speaker Richard Corcoran and Senate President Joe Negron. The commission also learned the Broward sheriffs office and Coral Springs police department, the two primary agencies responding to the shooting, had different radio systems that prevented authorities from exchanging information and that attempts to merge the channels failed. Also, the city of Parkland, where the school is located, has a bifurcated 911 system. Calls from cellular phones go to the Coral Springs 911 center, while calls from landlines go to the Broward sheriff. As most calls from campus were from cellphones, Broward dispatchers were getting second-hand information from Coral Springs. Scott played a rudimentary computer animation showing the gunmans actions as he moved through the three-story freshman building during his six-minute attack. The suspect and the victims were represented by dots, with the victims dots changing colors when they were fatally wounded. The specific victims were not identified. The audience that filled the auditorium at Broward Colleges north campus remained silent as Scott talked through the animation. Gualtieri told the members their goal should be to prevent any more mass shootings. Nobody else should have to endure what those children had to endure that day, he said. The commission will also examine the Broward Sheriffs Offices conduct before, during and after the shooting. Deputy Scot Peterson, the schools security officer, retired after Sheriff Scott Israel criticized him and planned to suspend him for not rushing into the building to confront and kill Cruz. The commission also will consider the conduct of other deputies who arrived at the school but remained outside. School counselors and mental health officials will appear before the commission to talk about their contact with Cruz. He spent time at a school for emotionally and mentally disturbed students before being allowed to transfer briefly to Stoneman Douglas. He was kicked out later. Cruzs attorneys have said he would plead guilty in exchange for a life sentence. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty. The commission could also examine other Florida mass shootings, including a 2016 massacre at Orlandos Pulse nightclub that killed 49, and a 2017 shooting at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport that left six dead. Gualtieri suggested that it focus solely on school shootings, however. The commissions final report is due Jan. 1. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. If diplomatic talks between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un don't produce any kind of agreement on the rogue state's nuclear weapons program, that could bolster Washington's appetite for military action, strategists warned. The leaders are expected to hold a summit in late May or June following a tumultuous 2017 that saw both exchange heated insults against the backdrop of Pyongyang's frequent missile launches. While the anticipated meeting is considered a welcome respite from those escalating tensions, the stakes are high if it doesn't result in any progress on limiting the North's nuclear capabilities. "If the North Korea-U.S. summit fails to conclude in an agreement, war risks will increase, exceeding previous levels, because of another failure of diplomacy," Alison Evans, deputy head of Asia Pacific country risk at IHS Markit, said in a Wednesday note. Bilateral talks are expected to be complicated by the fact that the White House and Pyongyang hold different understandings of what it means to denuclearize. Peace processes are generally seen as a test for diplomacy, so "when they fail, it is not just the specific peace process that has failed, it is diplomacy as a strategy that has failed," Bruce Jones, vice president and director of the foreign policy program at think tank the Brookings Institution, wrote in an April op-ed published on the Nikkei Asian Review. Once decision-makers believe political settlements are unattainable, "then the logic of military solutions rises in salience," he continued. South Korean President Moon Jae-in will meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Friday as the latter crosses a military demarcation line to the South for the first summit between the two sides in more than a decade, South Korea said. South Korean honour guards will then escort the leaders to a welcome ceremony at a plaza in Panmunjom, the border village where the summit is to be held, the South's presidential chief of staff, Im Jong-seok, told a media briefing. Official dialogue between Kim and Moon will begin at 10:30 a.m. (0130 GMT) at the Peace House in Panmunjom, an hour after Kim is scheduled the cross the border at 9:30 a.m. (0030 GMT). After the end of the first session of talks, Kim and Moon will have lunch separately before holding a tree-planting ceremony in the afternoon, Im said. A pine tree will be planted on the demarcation line to symbolise "peace and prosperity", Im said, using soil from Mount Paektu in North Korea and Mount Halla in South Korea. Kim and Moon will water the tree with water brought from the Taedong River in the North and the Han River in the South, Im said. Afterwards, Moon and Kim will take a walk together in Panmunjom before beginning the next round of talks. At the end of talks, Kim and Moon will sign a pact and make an announcement, Im said. Later, they will have dinner on the South's side and watch a video clip themed 'Spring of One' before wrapping up, he added. An American Airlines jetliner flies past the moon in an image taken in Arlington, Texas. American Airlines posted first-quarter earnings above Wall Street estimates, but shares fell after the airline warned higher fuel prices would weigh on its bottom line this year. American's shares were off 5.7 percent Thursday afternoon. The airline, the world's largest, said it expected to earn $5 to $6 per share this year, down from its estimate in January of $5.50 to $6.50. The airline said this was due to higher fuel costs. Those costs rose nearly 24 percent in the first quarter from the first three months of 2017. CEO Doug Parker told analysts on a call following the earnings release that "one good thing" about the higher fuel prices "is it affects everybody," not just a single airline. In the first quarter ended March 31, its net income fell 45 percent to $186 million, or 39 cents per share, from $340 million, or 67 cents a share, a year ago. On an adjusted basis, American earned 75 cents per share, outpacing analyst estimates by 3 cents. American brought in revenue of $10.40 billion, slightly below forecasts of $10.41 billion, but 5.9 percent higher than a year ago. A combination of file photos show U.S. President Donald Trump in the White House in Washington, DC, U.S. April 9, 2018 and former FBI Director James Comey on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., June 8, 2017. The poll found that while 41 percent of respondents had an unfavorable opinion of the ousted official, 54 percent said they trust Comey more to tell the truth than the president. (Thirty percent said they had a favorable view of Comey, while 25 percent said they have not heard enough about him.) Americans may not like former FBI Director James Comey , but they believe his account of events more than President Donald Trump 's, according to a poll conducted by Quinnipiac University. Responses fell mostly along party lines. Seventy-six percent of Republicans said they trusted Trump more versus the 90 percent of Democrats who said they trusted Comey more. But independents sided with Comey. Fifty-nine percent of those respondents said they trusted him more than Trump. The poll said white men and white voters without a college degree also believed the president more, although by a slimmer margin than compared with Republicans. About 47 percent of both groups said they trusted Trump more. The vast majority of respondents 74 percent said that Trump should not fire special counsel Robert Mueller. The poll also found that 53 percent of respondents believe the Russian government has compromising information on the president. The poll was conducted between April 20 and 24 and surveyed 1,193 voters nationwide over the phone. It carries a margin of error of 3.4 percentage points. During United States President Donald Trump's five-nation trip to Asia in 2017, he stopped by the Philippines. He wasn't there just to meet outspoken Filipino president Rodrigo Duterte he was there for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit. Trump was joined by some of the world's most powerful leaders at the event, including Chinese premier Li Keqiang, Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and even United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Leaders pose for a group photo ahead of the 2017 Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit. Dmitry Astakhov | TASS | Getty Images Their presence underscored the growing economic and geopolitical importance of the 10-member Southeast Asian organisation, even as it struggles to deal with pressing issues such as the Rohingya crisis and the ongoing dispute about territory in the South China Sea. CNBC explores the significance of the 51-year-old regional alliance. The ASEAN economies ASEAN is a regional grouping of 10 countries: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. At first glance, it might seem like a group of still-developing countries, but, as a whole, ASEAN is a powerhouse. If it were a country, ASEAN would be the world's fifth-largest economy. According to the latest International Monetary Fund World Economic Outlook figures, ASEAN countries' gross domestic products combined to $2.73 trillion in 2017, putting the group ahead of the United Kingdom's 2.63 trillion and India's $2.61 trillion. ASEAN is set to grow even more quickly, as some countries like Vietnam and the Philippines boast huge growth rates. Last year, Focus Economics estimated that ASEAN's growth had reached a five-year high of 5.2 percent. Part of that fast growth is because of ASEAN's demographics: It has the world's third-largest labor force of more than 600 million people. That's behind China and India, but ahead of the European Union and the United States. The regional group is also set to reap a demographic dividend because more than half of that population is below 30 years old. Geopolitical significance ASEAN was founded at the height of the Cold War to contain communism, but it now counts communist countries among its members. From the 2000s, China began to court the group more actively through trade and investment, and Asia's largest economy is currently ASEAN's biggest trading partner. The South China Sea issue has emerged as a flash point of conflict between ASEAN and China and within the group. Four ASEAN countries are claimants to parts of the waterway, while China claims sovereignty over the entire area. In 2012, the 10 states failed to issue a joint statement for the first time in the group's history because the nations couldn't agree on how to deal with China's claims. The South China Sea is also the site of tension between the two largest economies in the world. While the United States says it does not take sides in territorial disputes, it has sent ships and planes near contested islands, calling them "freedom of navigation" operations. This year, it sent one of its nuclear-powered aircraft carriers into Vietnamese waters for the first time since the end of the Vietnam war. China followed with what it called the largest naval display of its kind. China's growing clout is unnerving some Southeast Asian countries. For one, Indonesia, the group's largest economy, is now lobbying ASEAN to patrol its waters. Still, the dynamics of ASEAN's internal and external relationships with countries are continually evolving. Although the Philippines had fought China in an international legal case about the South China Sea, Duterte has pursued stronger ties with Beijing. Some ASEAN countries like Vietnam are also reaching out to new allies. Additionally, Australia held its first special summit with the group in March, during which Indonesian President Joko Widodo openly endorsed Australia possibly joining the ASEAN. Criticism David Davis, U.K. exiting the European Union (EU) secretary, left, and Michel Barnier, chief negotiator for the European Union (EU). Dario Pignatelli | Bloomberg | Getty Images The latest Brexit battleground is over whether the U.K. should stay as a member of the European Union (EU) customs union. A vote in parliament over the arrangement's future takes place Thursday and, should it go against the U.K. government, the pressure will rise on the performance of Prime Minister Theresa May. CNBC takes a look at what the customs union is and what could happen next. What is the customs union? A customs union is an agreement that allows partaking countries to set common external tariffs, allowing goods to travel freely between those countries. The customs union which covers Europe was created in 1958 as part of the European Economic Community (EEC), which then evolved into the EU. All members of the EU are also members of the customs union. The arrangement allows manufacturers to move goods and parts around the continent which currently includes Britain and Northern Ireland without cost or delay. Conversely, goods that travel from outside such an agreement are generally subject to additional levies and checks that cost both time and money. The customs union sets what is known as a common external tariff, so that any goods coming into the EU are charged the same amount, no matter which country they arrive in. This means that once that tariff is paid, no further proof on where in the world the goods came from is necessary. So it is different from the single market? Yes. The single market is a deeper form of co-operation between member states that allows the free movement of goods, services, money and people in the bloc. There is an understanding that exiting the single market will happen when the U.K. leaves the EU in March 2019. This is because to remain would mean that the U.K. would not be able to restrict the movement of people at its border. This is seen as a major reason why people voted for Brexit. Why is it suddenly an important issue? The customs union has become the latest battleground between those that want to leave Europe decisively and those who would prefer a "soft Brexit," where many of the current arrangements are retained. "Hard Brexit" supporters, such as Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and International Trade Secretary Dr. Liam Fox, make the argument that if the U.K. were to remain in the customs union, it would stop Britain from arranging its own trade deals. Those that want it kept it in place argue that it offers the best possible deal for Britain and no amount of future deals with other countries could make up for its absence. Traffic passes a Brexit Border poster on the Dublin road Co Armagh border, between Newry in Northern Ireland and Dundalk in the Irish Republic, on December 1, 2017. Paul Faith | AFP | Getty Images A major sticking point is that Brussels has insisted that there is no return to a hard physical border between the Republic of Ireland, as a remaining EU member, and Northern Ireland, which would exit the EU as part of the United Kingdom. That is hugely emotive for the people of Ireland who endured a civil war and heavy U.K. military presence for decades until a breakthrough peace agreement in 1998. The issue will come to a head Thursday as a cross-party group of U.K. lawmakers has successfully scheduled a debate and vote in the House of Commons. Is there a solution? The person who is expected to solve this conundrum is Theresa May. So far, the prime minister has put forward two options. One would involve staying in the customs union until technology can better track the origin of goods, allowing Britain to evaluate and pass on tariffs that were ultimately destined for the EU. Where the goods were found to be staying in Britain, a lower tariff could be set. Critics have derided that scheme as unwieldy and unlikely to work, no matter what tracking technology comes to market. The second scheme is called "maximum facilitation" and accepts the need for borders, even in Northern Ireland. This would involve "trusted trader" schemes, fewer border checks and would also be reliant on improved technology. Negotiators in Brussels have rejected both possibilities as unworkable and neither option has strong domestic support. Could May lose her job? Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May arrives at a European Union leaders summit in Brussels, Belgium, March 22, 2018. Francois Lenoir | Reuters After a three-year sales slump, investors are betting that Chipotle Mexican Grill could finally be headed for a turnaround as a new CEO takes the helm. On the back of menu price hikes, Chipotle posted better-than-expected earnings, sending shares soaring. In trading Thursday, shares jumped more than 23 percent, its second-best day ever, behind its IPO debut in 2006, when its share price doubled. "Job number one is to remind people why they love Chipotle," CEO Brian Niccol told CNBC's Kate Rogers in his first television interview since joining the burrito chain in March. "I think there [are] opportunities to use what we have and present it in new forms, new varieties, to get people re-engaged with what they love about Chipotle." Niccol established a reputation for the whimsical in menu innovation when he was CEO of Taco Bell. However, investors shouldn't expect any major changes to Chipotle's food in the near term. But he said items like breakfast burritos are not out of the question. "There is opportunity to bring in new flavors as well," he said on "Squawk on the Street." "One thing that's great is we got carnitas and chicken that people absolutely crave." He said the restaurant chain could present these items in ways that Chipotle currently doesn't offer. Chipotle has tested a number of menu items in its test kitchen in New York, including nachos, which could see a national rollout. In addition to ingenuity in the kitchen, Niccol has been a big proponent of adopting technology. At Taco Bell, he introduced mobile order and pay as well as in-store kiosks. On the conference call Wednesday, Niccol said Chipotle will be focusing heavily in these areas, but he declined to comment further. He told investors he would share more detail about Chipotle's plan during a call ahead of the second-quarter earnings report. The following is a transcript of a CNBC interview with Barney Harford, Uber's Chief Operating Officer, and CNBC's Hadley Gamble. H: Barney thank you so much for joining CNBC. I want to kick off by asking you the question that everybody really wants to know and that is of course is Uber on track for an IPO in 2019? B: Yeah we've announced that our plans are to IPO the company towards the end of 2019. And that's, that's the most recent that we've communicated but we're very excited about the position that the company is currently in. H: Now when we talk about what happens next with regards to Uber, of course from major investor Softbank has made it pretty clear that they want you to focus on core markets. Why then are you looking to grow further here in the Middle East? B: Well we see the core markets that we're in today as being all the markets that we currently operate in so we operate in North America, Latin America. We operate in Western Europe, Eastern Europe, the Middle East North Africa Pakistan India North Asia Australia and New Zealand and these are all critical markets. After the Grab transaction that we announced recently in which we sold our South-East Asia business to Grab, we now have resources available that are allowing us to double down in critical competitive markets in particular India and the Middle East North Africa H: That Grab transaction hasn't gone as smoothly as I'm sure you had hoped. Where are you with that today? B: So we announced the transaction a couple of weeks ago which you announced at the same time we closed the transaction. So we are working with Grab to make sure that the integration goes as smoothly as possible. H: What's the government's role there? B: Well obviously the business is across a number of different markets. And so as part of that Grab is working and engaging with different governments across the region. H: There are still questions from the regulators in Singapore itself. B: You know I'm actually not that close to those specifics. We've closed the transaction. We're now working with Grab but Grab is taking the lead on those conversations. H: When we look back at the Middle East your main competitor here in the region is of course Careem. Are there any plans to potentially buy out Careem in the future? B: Well, you know what we've been very clear about is that going forward we have no interest in doing transactions for minority stakes. It would be crazy for us as a hypergrowth company to not engage in conversations about potential partnerships. But we've been very clear, the markets that we remain in today are core markets for us. We're doubling down on our investment and we're very committed to these markets. H: In terms of the Grab scenario can we see that applied to Careem? B: I think the Southeast Asia situation is very different. There were three players in that market. We had a smaller position. We have a very, we operate in a position of very clear strength here in the Middle East and North Africa market. As I said we've been very clear that we have no interest in doing minority deals going forward. H: And when you look at the UAE in particular you're still not operating out of Abu Dhabi and that's of course the space where you'd like to be. What's happening there? B: You know we continue to have conversations with different cities, with different states about opportunities to enter. There are certain criteria that are important for us from a regulatory perspective. And so you know, stay tuned H: When you look at what's happening in the financial space you said that you wanted to bring and I quote "financial discipline to Uber". Are you there yet? B: Well I think there's a lot of work underway. In my role as chief operating officer one of the key things is to make sure that as we operate around the world we are doing so as consistently as possible and as efficiently as possible. We also want to maintain the ability to be locally relevant and to be leaning in on growth opportunities. Making those two things happen at the same time is where the magic comes in. But it's, it's there's so much growth opportunity in these emerging markets that we're very focused on investing to achieve it. H: The company lost four and a half a billion dollars last year. What do you see as the path to profitability? B: Well I think there's a number of kind of components to the business results. We actually are in a fortunate position that a good number of the markets that we operate the ride sharing business today are already profitable. We are able to use the profits from those markets to allow us to invest on an indefinite basis in key growth markets such as the Middle East and North Africa where we've announced plans to double down investments. H: But do you think your investors are happy to wait? B: We believe that our investors are very comfortable. We are very comfortable as a company with the current investment trajectory because the opportunity that we're going after is so significant. In addition to the ride sharing business where we're expanding beyond Uber X and Uber Black, both full modalities introducing moto,scooter, pooled, shared ride functionalities. We believe that that breadth of opportunity. We recently announced the acquisition of Jump and ebike manufacturer and player. As we expand these opportunities, immense growth opportunity. We're also investing in the UberEats business. In just two and a half years we have managed to grow UberEats to be the largest food delivery platform outside of China in the world. H: That's a pretty saturated business isn't it? B: It's a business that in 2 1/2 years we've been able to build from zero to the largest player in the world and we're growing very fast. H: How quickly is that profitable? B: Excuse me. H: How quickly will that be profitable? B: We haven't announced specific profitability timing or targets. For now, we're very comfortable investing in that market. Again, there are markets that are already profitable for UberEats but we are doubling down, we're investing profits in new market expansion and in growth in these new markets. H: Talk to me a little bit about that expansion because you're moving into Egypt as well. How difficult have you found it so far to work between these different countries here in the Middle East because really working in each country is different isn't it? B: You know that that's part of the secret sauce at Uber but I think it's the, and I've been here six months so I'm still kind of learning but I think the team's done a phenomenal job of being able to balance local relevance with the benefits that come from being a global, a global player. So we were able to build technology, technology to go after really challenging problems on a global basis. But we're at the same time able to make sure that we have locally relevant solutions when it comes. When it comes to UberEats, I've been really pleased with the expansion that the team has been able to achieve across the region and we still have a lot of markets to go after going forward. H: Walk me through what you're doing in Saudi Arabia because so many changes to the Saudi market coming off the back of these reforms from the crown prince certainly with women expected to be driving by June of this year. What's Uber's role in making that happen? B: So we're very committed to the Saudi market. We're doing a number of things. We currently have 200,000 Saudi drivers who are active on the platform. We have over 1 million riders active on the platform. We also play an important role for international tourism. Over the course of last three months we had visitors from 77 different countries who are active on Uber. In terms of women's empowerment, it is a really important issue for us at Uber in general and we see ourselves as having the opportunity to play an important role in what the kingdom is doing to move forward economic women's economic empowerment. We've in fact launched a program, Masaruky, which has got two important strands. On the one hand we've announced an investment of a million Saudi riyal in a program to give driving instruction to economically underprivileged Saudi women who would like to learn to drive. We hope that some of those women drivers will ultimately become drivers on our platform. We're also working, have been working to bring the benefits of the Uber platform to women in Saudi Arabia who need access to a transportation solution that can allow them to get from home to the workplace. This is a critical part of helping women play a more active role in economic activity in Saudi Arabia and to bring more women into the workplace. And this is something we're extremely committed to. H: You mentioned company culture there as well as culture of course in Saudi Arabia. Walk me through the changes that you've seen at Uber since the last six months. B: Yes. So in September of last year Dara Khosrowshahi came on board as the company's new CEO and I became involved as an adviser to Dara very soon thereafter. And I think as Daara has reinvented Uber 2.0 it really is a new direction for the company. We, Dara has made it very clear the number one priority of the company is safety. And so we've got a lot of initiatives around the company in terms of enhancing safety on the platform and focusing on safety broadly across the industry. We're also very focused on being great partners for the cities who host us and in which we live and operate, so substantial changes across the company, a real new direction for the company that Dara has been introducing. H: Do you feel that this company still has a ways to go in getting where it wants to be? B: Well look I think there's a lot of growth opportunity ahead of us but I'm very comfortable with, with the new direction. I think there's a lot of excitement amongst the team for the new direction that Dara's has been bringing. H: Talk to me about what happens in London next week you're going to be appealing for your right to continue operating in London. What's your expectation there? B: You know we've been very thoughtful in engaging with TFL in London and working to address their concerns. So we're very hopeful that next week will have a good outcome. H: Do you think in retrospect that the company made some mistakes or didn't really think it through when it came to government relations more broadly, getting into these new markets? B: Yeah I think that's the case. I think that as Dara and I look back at Uber 1.0, yeah I think it is the case that we could have approached some of these new markets differently. We're committed on a go forward basis to building strong and deep partnerships with the cities that host us. H: When you look at what's happening more broadly in the Silicon Valley space. You had Mark Zuckerberg essentially saying that there was an open door for governments to have a role to play going forward. Are you worried at all as a company about regulations increasing in the United States? B: Look, I think user data and the privacy of that data is a very high priority for us. And so that's something that we take very seriously and we're investing significantly in security measures to make sure that we keep users data private. More broadly in terms of regulations you know I think that our business as a ride sharing business, as a mobility platform, as a food delivery business, I think we, we are comfortable with the direction in which regulations are go, we're comfortable with our ability to engage with regulators and the city ,state and government level to make sure that we're able to plot a path that will address the needs and the opportunities that we can create by providing reliable affordable access to transportation and the economic opportunities that ensue while at the same time meeting the concerns the safety needs and law enforcement needs that governments have. H: You mentioned many times there safety and how important that is to the company and the company culture at Uber today. You had an accident back a couple months ago in Arizona. Driverless car struck a woman. When you look at that today, were there mistakes made when it came to forward planning for driverless? B: No that was a tragic situation in Tempe and we are very focused right now on the investigation that's underway. Given that NTSB investigation I can't comment about the specifics but it's very much something that we're very focused on because clearly it was a tragic incident. H: When you look at how Europeans have moved forward in that space there's been a different mentality really to their American counterparts in terms of what happens next with driverless. They've really done it in a much more contained way. How do you see you Uber testing these driverless cars going forward? B: You know we're still after the, after the accident, we're still re-evaluating what the right process is going forward with regard to autonomous. H: And when you look at what happens next, where you're going to find that kind of profitability, are you looking to expand into new markets. What's the strategy there? B: We're very focused on pursuing growth. We still see the mobility and the food delivery businesses as very immature. We see huge growth opportunity out there. We benefit from the fact that around the world we have a good number of markets that are already profitable which will allow us to double down on investments in key growth markets. H: What about the bike sharing? B: Bike sharing. So just a few weeks ago we announced our intention to acquire Jump Bike which is a company that has developed electric powered, electric assist bikes and they're already operational in San Francisco and Washington DC. What we've seen is the electric assist nature of these bikes is increasing the average stage length. Traditional bikes, people might use them for zero to two miles. But with the electric assist people are extending that stage length two to five miles. We believe that the very compelling price point behind these bikes combined with the accessibility can really come from the ride share business we have today. H: And finally when you look at the business more broadly, when you look at companies that use data like Facebook like Uber we've seen elections that have been tampered with potentially. We've also seen that people have paid the ultimate price in testing for new products. What is the responsibility there of companies like Uber when it comes to the public. Are you worried that you've lost trust as a result of these things? B: We take the privacy of our customers data incredibly seriously. We do not sell access to our customers data. We are completely focused on using our customers data to enhance the reliability and the affordability of the service that we're able to offer both to our writers and to our driver partners around the world. H: Do you think that there is a further role for ever to play in terms of convincing the public going forward that the company is safe for the consumer? B: I think we continue to have work to do from a branding perspective to build the global brand that is Uber and to be able to talk about the opportunity that we provide to riders and to driver partners around the world, the economic opportunities, the transportation opportunities so as I come in as COO and have responsibility amongst other things for our global marketing, I think it's very much of a of a of a clean slate in terms of the opportunity for us to build a very, very meaningful global brand. H: So you are a global brand and you're looking to list in 2019. Could we potentially see a dual listing New York and London. Hong Kong? B: We haven't announced any specifics around our IPO. H: Well thank you so much Barney for joining CNBC. B: Thank you. ENDS For more information contact Jonathan Millman, EMEA Communications Executive: Jonathan.Millman@cnbc.com / 07788 307 996 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. Facebook misled British lawmakers about what it knew about the data shared with Cambridge Analytica, a British lawmaker said Thursday. In February, Simon Milner, who was Facebook's U.K. head of policy at the time, told officials that Cambridge Analytica did not have any Facebook data. "I think Facebook concealed the truth from us in February," Ian Lucas, member of parliament (MP) representing the opposition Labour Party, told Mike Schroepfer, the social network's CTO, at a parliamentary hearing on fake news. Schroepfer said that he could not vouch for Milner, but that what was said at the time was accurate. "It was accurate because we didn't think Cambridge Analytica had data and we had not given them data," Schroepfer said. "So the problem that has come up since then is the idea that they still retain data which, to this day, I still have not had eyes on a single piece of data there so I don't know for sure. But if this is true and they do have the data, this is the problem we have today." Facebook has said it was aware of the sharing of user data with Cambridge Analytica in 2015 and that 87 million people may have been affected by the leak. It has been notifying users of whether their data was shared. The allegations against Cambridge Analytica have heightened concerns over whether the data of Facebook users was then used to try and influence the outcome of the 2016 U.S. presidential election and the U.K.'s referendum to leave the European Union, which it denies. The company worked for the Donald Trump campaign briefly after switching from Ted Cruz when the latter pulled out of the race. Cambridge Analytica's former CEO, Alexander Nix, was caught on camera boasting that the firm ran Trump's digital campaign the company holds that Nix's comments were taken out of context. Mark Zuckerberg testifies before the House Energy and Commerce Committee in the Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill April 11, 2018. Facebook is looking into whether secretive firm Palantir had improper access to user data, following the Cambridge Analytica scandal, a top executive said Thursday. Mike Schroepfer, chief technology officer at the social network, appeared in front of U.K. lawmakers to answer questions about the company's role in the fiasco that saw 87 million Facebook profiles harvested for data before being sent over to British political consultancy Cambridge Analytica. He was asked whether concerns have been raised about "improper access" by Palantir to Facebook user data. The CTO confirmed that they had. "I think we are looking at lots of different things now. Many people have raised that concern. ... It's something else we are looking into," Schroepfer said. He was then asked by Damian Collins, chairman of the U.K. parliament's Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, whether Palantir was part of its "review work." "Correct," Schroepfer answered. Palantir has previously done work for the U.S. National Security Agency and is backed by the CIA's not-for-profit venture capital firm. It is known for being highly secretive and using data to power much of its work. The company, which was co-founded by billionaire Peter Thiel and is run by CEO Alex Karp, was dragged into the Facebook data scandal in March. Neither has been accused of wrongdoing. Christopher Wylie, the whistleblower who provided information to the explosive reports in The New York Times and The Guardian newspapers in March, recently claimed that Palantir worked with Cambridge Analytica. Wylie claimed that Cambridge Analytica CEO Alexander Nix was introduced to Palantir by Sophie Schmidt, the daughter of former Google CEO Eric Schmidt. Wylie, a former employee of Cambridge Analytica, said Nix had "several meetings" with Palantir. "Senior Palantir employees" then worked on the Facebook profile data that was acquired by Cambridge Analytica, Wylie claimed. "That was not an official contract between Palantir and Cambridge Analytica, but there were Palantir staff that would come into the office and work on that data," Wylie told lawmakers. He added that Palantir staff "helped build the models we were working on." At the time, Palantir said it had never had a relationship with Cambridge Analytica. But the next day, the firm released another statement saying that it had found evidence of an employee with links to Cambridge Analytica. "We learned today that an employee, in 2013-2014, engaged in an entirely personal capacity with people associated with Cambridge Analytica. We are looking into this and will take the appropriate action." The allegations against Cambridge Analytica have heightened concerns over whether the data of Facebook users was then used to try and influence the outcome of the 2016 U.S. presidential election and the Brexit vote. Palantir did not immediately reply to CNBC's request for comment. Facebook for weeks has had to defend its business model to lawmakers, investors and users insisting that selling targeted ads based on sometimes sensitive user information is the only way to keep the site free and globally accessible. That defense hasn't always sounded convincing to its critics. But COO Sheryl Sandberg on Wednesday elevated the argument saying Facebook's small business clients have benefited enormously. Here's what she said on the company's first-quarter earnings call: Advertising and protecting people's information are not at odds. We do both. Targeted ads that respect people's privacy are better ads. They show people things that they're more likely to be interested in. We regularly hear from people who use Facebook that they prefer to see ads that are relevant to them and their lives. Effective advertising is also critical to helping businesses grow. This is especially important for small businesses who wouldn't otherwise be able to afford to buy broad reach media. As Mark shared, we now have more than 80 million small businesses around the world using Facebook pages and many of them are building their businesses on Facebook. ... We're proud of the ad model we've built. It ensures that people see more useful ads, allows millions of businesses to grow and enables us to provide a global service that's free for all to use. The fastest way to bridge the digital divide in the United States or around the world is by offering services free to any consumer regardless of their circumstance. Advertising supported businesses like Facebook equalize access and improve opportunity. The foundation of Sandberg's defense isn't new: People want to see ads that are relevant to them. CEO Mark Zuckerberg touted the premise in a series of media interviews and during two days of hearings before Congress. Sandberg, though, notes that delivering relevant ads supports the small businesses who advertise and connect with customers through Facebook. If Facebook's primary mission is to connect friends and relatives in meaningful ways, empowering small businesses has historically also been a close second. French President Emmanuel Macron answers a question from student in the audience during a town hall meeting at George Washington University in Washington, April 25, 2018. Brian Snyder | Reuters French President Emmanuel Macron expects the the United States to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal in the coming weeks, the European leader told reporters one day after meeting U.S. President Donald Trump. He also described the reversal of U.S. policy on international agreements, including Trump's decision to pull the United States out of the Paris climate agreement, as "insane." Macron stressed that he does not have inside information on Trump's decision about the nuclear agreement. However, he said his view is that Trump "will get rid of this deal on his own, for domestic reasons," multiple news outlets reported after Macron addressed the press at an event at George Washington University in Washington on Wednesday. Macron made his view known following a news conference on Tuesday, during which Trump said the United States and France could reach an agreement "fairly quickly" to address their differences over the 2015 accord. Trump has long threatened to scrap the deal, while France, Germany and the U.K. which also negotiated the accord have sought to preserve it. Trump must decide by May 12 whether to continue suspending sanctions against Iran under the terms of the nuclear deal. Negotiated by the Obama administration, the agreement lifts sanctions against Iran in exchange for Tehran accepting limits on its nuclear program. Concerns about renewed sanctions have roiled the oil market because Iran is one of the world's biggest producers. Crude prices backed down after Trump's remarks Tuesday about a potential path forward with France, but rose toward three-year highs on Thursday after Macron's comments to reporters renewed fears of supply disruptions from Iran. General Motors' efforts to retool its factories for hot-selling trucks caused first-quarter earnings and revenue to drop from last year, but strong crossover sales helped the company beat analysts' expectations. In the U.S. and China, sales of new crossovers doubled over the same quarter in 2017, the company said Thursday. Here's how the company did compared with what Wall Street expected: Earnings: $1.43 per share, adjusted vs. $1.24 per share forecast by Thomson Reuters Revenue: $36.1 billion vs. $34.66 billion forecast by Thomson Reuters However, net income tumbled to $1.05 billion, or 77 cents per share, from $2.61 billion, or $1.75 per share, a year ago, hurt by a $900 million charge to restructure its business in South Korea. On an adjusted basis, the company earned $1.43 a share, which was better than $1.24 per share analysts were expecting. GM's stock was down less than 1 percent in Thursday's premarket. GM reached a deal with a Korean labor union on Thursday that will allow the automaker to remain in the country and save the company $400 million to $500 million per year, CFO Chuck Stevens said on a call with reporters. The automaker also reached a preliminary deal with a state-owned Korean bank to secure $750 million in funding. GM said first-quarter revenue fell 3.1 percent to $36.1 billion. GM delivered 715,794 vehicles in the U.S. during the first quarter, up 4 percent and ahead of an estimated industry increase of about 2 percent. "Results this quarter were in line with our expectations with planned, lower production in North America related to the transition to our all-new Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra," Chairman and CEO Mary Barra said in a statement. "We are on plan to deliver another strong year in 2018." GM's pretax profits in North America were $2.2 billion, down from $3.5 billion last year. Stevens said the major driver was the amount of factory downtime the automaker needed to retool factories for truck manufacturing. Stevens said he expects strong performance in the second quarter, but the continued switch to trucks will likely hurt second half results. Like its rival Ford, GM has been shifting its portfolio away from passenger cars and toward trucks, SUVs and crossovers, which combine elements of cars and SUVs. The largest U.S. automaker has been cutting shifts at some factories that make passenger cars, such as its plant in Lordstown, Ohio, which makes the compact Chevrolet Cruze sedan. At the same time, it has added a shift at its Spring Hill assembly plant in Tennessee to meet demand for the GMC Acadia and Cadillac XT5 crossovers. SUVs and trucks went from less than 50 percent of the U.S. market in 2008 to 65 percent e at the end of 2017 and are expected to further grow in popularity, according to LMC Automotive. Some changes among executive ranks are happening as well. The president of GM's luxury brand Cadillac Johan de Nysschen was abruptly replaced in mid-April by GM Canada executive Steve Carlisle. Cadillac has lagged other brands in the SUV and crossover segments, which has been a source of frustration for some dealers. Cadillac plans to release its third SUV, the XT4, in late 2018. "Across-the-board tariffs will do little to address overcapacity and could even undermine efforts to work with trading partners that share our concerns about China." Chinese aluminum overcapacity is very real and must be addressed to ensure a sustainable U.S. industry. At the same time, we must recognize current market realities. Limiting trade with countries that, unlike China, operate as market economies will disrupt U.S. supply chains and ultimately hurt American workers. Unfortunately, across-the-board tariffs will do little to address overcapacity and could even undermine efforts to work with trading partners that share our concerns about China. We fully support the administration's goal of growing the U.S. aluminum smelter base to shore up domestic supply. But that will not happen overnight. In the meantime, we must avoid unintended consequences for the 97 percent of U.S. aluminum workers engaged in value-added manufacturing rather than primary smelting. The facts are straightforward: we need reliable imports from good trading partners. Even if we brought every U.S. aluminum smelter back online tomorrow, we could not produce nearly enough primary aluminum here in the United States to satisfy growing demand. The U.S. consumed more than twice the amount of primary aluminum last year than it has capacity to produce. And restarting smelters to say nothing of building new ones is a long-term, capital intensive process. Our end goal is an industry where market forces not government interventions drive decision-making. Here are a few modest proposals to get us there. First, exempt all countries that operate as market economies from Section 232 tariffs. The administration has taken promising first steps by temporarily exempting certain vital trading partners until April 30. However, these exemptions must be made permanent for added market certainty. Second, refrain from quotas in any form for exempted countries. Supply quotas will only further distort the market, raise consumer costs and harm U.S. aluminum jobs that often rely on imported metal. Third, establish an aluminum import monitoring system to ensure that no unfairly traded metal is entering the United States. This will provide greater transparency in the market and better protect the U.S. from unscrupulous entities that move metal through third countries to avoid duties. Fourth, continue to maintain a tough stance on trade enforcement. Enforce global trade rules through targeted actions on products benefiting from illegal government subsidies. Aluminum Association members were successful in their first ever action against illegally dumped aluminum foil from China and other investigations are underway. The U.S. can't have free trade without rules and we can't have meaningful rules if they are not enforced. And finally, initiate immediate government-to-government negotiations with China to address the trade distorting practices that drive structural aluminum overcapacity. We recently joined our association colleagues in Brazil, Canada, Europe, Japan and Mexico in calling for the G20 to establish a global forum on this issue. With the right parameters, timetables and enforcement mechanisms, we can tackle this challenge and make the global market both free and fair. In the words of the president's new National Economic Council director Larry Kudlow: It's time for the U.S. to "lead a coalition of large trading partners to let China know they are breaking the rules." The people elected President Trump as a deal maker. Now is the time to strike a great deal. Commentary by Heidi Brock, president and CEO of the Aluminum Association. Follow her on Twitter @HeidiBiggsBrock. For more insight from CNBC contributors, follow @CNBCopinion on Twitter. If you're looking for a unique hotel experience, capsule and pod hotels may be the way to go. A growing number of pod hotels, in which guests sleep in a small area, often encapsulated, are popular in Japan. They're even gaining some ground globally in places like Beijing and London. CNBC recently experienced a premium pod hotel in the neighborhood of Ginza in Tokyo, Japan. The Prime Pod usually can run between $40 to $70 per night, and pods there come fully equipped with a television, radio, outlets and a small storage space. As could be expected, the visit was filled with advanced technology throughout, including toilets which had more than a dozen buttons and features to a cordless iron. While the trend is becoming popular among backpackers, the concept dates back to when Japanese workers, particularly men, stayed in their offices or went out for dinner and drinking until late at night. With public transit options limited and taxi costs adding up quickly, sleeping in a pod became a viable option. Oil markets are underestimating the impact that a collapse of the Iran nuclear deal and the re-imposition of U.S. sanctions on Iran could have on prices, a Middle East strategist told CNBC. "We think at least 250,000 to 350,000 barrels of Iranian crude (a day) could be at risk of disruption if sanctions are brought back into place," Ehsan Khoman, head of research and a strategist at financial group MUFG, told CNBC's Capital Connection on Thursday. "In terms of the upside risk to oil prices, we think that anything north of $80 for Brent crude and WTI above $75 could firmly take place. We think markets have not fully priced-in the size and magnitude of Iranian sanctions," he said. Brent futures are currently trading around $74, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) is fetching $68 a barrel. Oil prices have risen in recent months following a prolonged period of low prices caused by a global glut in supply. While the major group of oil producing countries including OPEC and other non-OPEC producers such as Russia have held back supply in order to reign in supply, geopolitical events could unsettle that fine balance. The latest figures from OPEC, for March, indicated that Iran produced around 3.8 million barrels of oil per day, making it the third largest oil producer in the 14-member group, after Saudi Arabia and Iraq. Burkle, co-founder of investment firm Yucaipa Cos. and a part owner of the Pittsburgh Penguins, donated to a pro-Kasich super PAC in 2016. It was not clear whether they discussed the possibility of Kasich making another run for the Oval Office. Republican Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who is contemplating another run for president, met with billionaire Ron Burkle in March in Los Angeles, sources told CNBC. Republican presidential candidate Ohio Gov. John Kasich speaks at a campaign rally at the Crowne Plaza Milwaukee West hotel on March 23, 2016 in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. Getty Images Republican Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who is considering another run for president in 2020, recently met privately with billionaire investor and philanthropist Ron Burkle, who has a reputation for donating to candidates and causes across the political spectrum, CNBC has learned. Kasich met with Burkle in March in Los Angeles, sources with direct knowledge of the matter said. Kasich, who has been crisscrossing the country, was asked to host a speaking event at Burkle's home. The billionaire co-founder of investment firm Yucaipa Companies did not attend the event, the sources said. The event at Burkle's mansion was not a fundraiser, and Kasich focused his speech, as well as a question-and-answer session, on leadership values and police reforms, according to people who attended the talk. It is unclear whether Kasich, who is in his second term as Ohio's governor, discussed a potential 2020 run with Burkle during their meeting on the sidelines. Term limits prevent Kasich from running for a third term. The meeting took place at a time when Kasich deliberates whether he should run for president in two years. His friends and associates have been meeting with megadonors to gauge their interest in backing him for another go at the White House, sources previously told CNBC. According to the sources, donors have told Kasich's top political lieutenants that they would support a Kasich presidential campaign against President Donald Trump depending on whether Republicans can hold congressional majorities this fall and how close federal investigations get to Trump. It was not clear which donors Kasich's allies talked to. During his March stop in Los Angeles, Kasich declined to rule out a run in 2020. "All of my options are on the table," he said, according to Politico. Kasich ran for president in 2016. He won only his home state of Ohio, while Trump systematically stacked up wins and delegates on his way to the nomination. A spokesman for Kasich did not return requests for comment. A spokesman for Burkle declined to comment. Burkle's political history Burkle, who also owns a part of the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins franchise, has a history of contributing to candidates on both sides of the political divide including a hefty donation to a pro-Kasich super PAC. In the 2008 election cycle, he gave thousands of dollars to the campaigns of Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama during their battle for president, according to Federal Election Commission filings. Burkle was also a longtime supporter of President Bill Clinton. In 2016, he gave $15,400 to California Democrat Kamala Harris' joint fundraising committee, the Kamala Harris Victory Fund, during her first run for Senate and $5,400 directly to her campaign committee. During that same cycle, he gave $100,000 to New Day for America, a pro-Kasich super PAC, and hosted a fundraiser for the Republican. Throughout 2017, Burkle directed most of his political contributions toward the cause of House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. The billionaire gave $100,000 to the McCarthy Victory Fund and $89,600 to the National Republican Congressional Committee, the fundraising arm for House Republicans seeking re-election. Burkle did not make any contributions during the first quarter this year, according to federal filings. Weighing Trump's vulnerability Comedian Bill Cosby was found guilty of three counts of aggravated indecent assault on Thursday after two days of jury deliberation. The sexual assault charges included penetration without consent, penetration while unconscious and penetration after administrating an intoxicant. Each count is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. The comedian has been accused by about 60 women of molestation over the course of several decades. Cosby's first trial ended in a mistrial in June 2017 after a jury deliberated for six days. Judge Steven O'Neill presided over the retrial, which began on April 9 in Norristown, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia. Jurors in Montgomery County affirmed the account of Andrea Constand, who alleged that the comedian had assaulted her in his Elkins Park, Pennsylvania, home in 2004. Cosby reportedly lashed out in the courtroom after the prosecution argued to revoke the 80-year-old entertainer's bail. Cosby called prosecutor Kevin Steele an "a--hole," according to a report by NBC News. O'Neill refused Steele's request, citing Cosby's age and medical condition. South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un walk together at the truce village of Panmunjom inside the demilitarized zone separating the two Koreas, South Korea, April 27, 2018. Korea Summit Press Pool | Pool | Reuters When North Korean Premier Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in sit across from each other on April 27 to discuss peace, they will share a common language and a 2,000-year history. Leaders of the two nations which are technically at war have only met twice since the peninsula was divided in 1948. But the greatest contrast will be their economies. Some market watchers believe Kim Jong Un's suspension of North Korean nuclear tests has strings attached. The leader's statement at a ruling party meeting last Friday included a pledge to seek a favorable international environment for economic development so he can boost his nation's economy. Translated that means seeking the lifting of trade, financial and energy sanctions that hardened every time North Korea detonated a nuclear bomb. His potential pitch: North Korea as a frontier market offers a central location in a booming region encompassing China, Japan and South Korea. It also has rare earth and other minerals estimated to be worth $6 trillion. North Korea's reserves of gold, copper, zinc and magnesite could attract foreign buyers beyond China. A tale of two economies South Koreans have learned to live with threats from the North. "The difference in perception inside and outside of Korea could not be more different," said Bom Kim, founder and CEO of Coupang, Korea's largest online retailer, which received a $1.4 billion investment from Softbank in 2015. "If you surveyed a hundred people in the country, there's no panic. A lot of this is theater, but if you watched the news on TV you would think something was about to break out." Thorny challenges The investigation also explores whether the bank's retirement unit pushed customers to opt into funds managed by Wells Fargo, which would mean more revenue for the bank, according to the report. The department reportedly launched a probe into whether the bank is encouraging people to change from lower-cost 401(k) plans to more costly individual retirement accounts, the Journal said, citing a person familiar with the inquiry. The U.S. Labor Department is reportedly looking into Wells Fargo's 401(k) practices, and whether the bank is pushing its customers into more expensive plans, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday. Wells Fargo, in response to CNBC's request for comment, pointed to its latest quarterly regulatory filing. "We are committed to thorough reviews of Wealth and Investment Management, per our 10-K disclosures, to their full conclusion," a Wells Fargo spokesperson said. "Our top priority is to rebuild trust with all of our stakeholders. The disclosures in the 10-K filing reflect our continued commitment to transparency, even when all of the information or the final outcome of a matter may not be known just yet. We are making significant progress in our work to identify and fix any issues, make things right, and build a better, stronger company." The filing, which came out in March, disclosed a review of certain activities in the wealth and investment management business in response to inquiries from federal government agencies. The review included whether the division had made inappropriate referrals and recommendations for 401(k) participants. This would mark the latest regulatory headache for the San Francisco-based bank. Last week, Wells Fargo agreed to pay a $1 billion fine over misconduct in its mortgage lending and auto businesses. Shares of the bank fell more than 1.1 percent Thursday, and are down more than 13 percent this year. The nation's third-largest bank has struggled to recover from a 2016 fake accounts scandal. Branch employees had opened millions of fake accounts in customers' names without their knowledge to meet sales targets. Wells Fargo switched up its executive ranks following the scandal but other investigations into its own sales practices unearthed issues in its auto lending, mortgage and wealth management divisions. This week, shareholders and protesters rallied outside of the company's annual meeting in Des Moines, Iowa. Last year's three-hour meeting in Florida was interrupted by protesters more than once. In February, the Federal Reserve restricted Wells Fargo's loan growth until it makes several internal changes to its risk management. Mattel reported a mixed quarterly results on Thursday, posting a larger-than-expected quarterly loss and revenue that topped estimates. The stock initially gained as much as 4 percent in extended trading. In the quarter ended March 31, the toy maker said it posted a net loss of $311.3 million, or 90 cents per share. Those figures are larger than the net loss of of $113.2 million, or 33 cents per share, a year ago. Excluding items, Mattel's loss was 60 cents per share, which was larger than the loss of 39 cents a share analysts were expecting, according to a consensus estimate from Thomson Reuters. Revenue fell to $708.4 million from $735.6 million a year ago. Analysts were expecting Mattel to have $694.4 million in revenue. The maker of Barbie dolls and Fisher-Price toys has had a rough year, hurt by the bankruptcy and now liquidation of retailer Toys R Us. Toys R Us was Mattel's second-largest customer and handled many of its exclusive products. The company said its gross sales in North America fell by 4 percent as the toy retailer liquidated. But Mattel said that decline was partially offset by strong sales of Barbie and Hot Wheels. Mattel said strength in those brands also contributed to a 5 percent gross sales increase overseas. Sales for the Barbie brand surged 24 percent year over year worldwide. Hot Wheels saw its sales soar 15 percent year over year. In a Thursday earnings call, the company said that this quarter's results are what it sees as the beginning of "great momentum." Last week, the company said CEO Margaret Georgiadis would step down to take the top job at genomics company Ancestry. Georgiadis will be replaced by Ynon Kreiz, who has been a director on Mattel's board since June 2017. Intercontinental ballistic missiles are seen at a grand military parade celebrating the 70th founding anniversary of the Korean People's Army at the Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang. Damage to North Korea's nuclear testing facility has caused it to collapse, according to Chinese scientists, casting new light on Pyongyang's offer to halt its nuclear testing programme and close the site. However, the conclusions of the Chinese have been disputed by US experts who point to evidence that the Punggye-ri site in the north-west of North Korea is still operational. The paring back of Pyongyang's nuclear programme is a key bargaining chip for North Korean supreme leader Kim Jong Un when he meets South Korean president Moon Jae-in at a historic summit on Friday. The topic will also be the focus of talks between Mr Kim and US president Donald Trump at a summit in May or June. Two groups of Chinese experts said the testing site at Punggye-ri, under a mountain near China's border, caved in after a test on September 3 and was leaking radiation. The test detonated a 100-kilotonne bomb that excavated a cavern 200 metres in diameter and opened a hole in the surface of Mount Mantap, the peak under which the facility is located, they said. "In view of the collapse of the North Korea nuclear test site . . . it was necessary to continue to monitor the leakage of radioactive materials that may have been caused by the collapse event," said a statement by geophysicists led by Wen Lianxing at the University of Science and Technology of China in Hefei. Mr Wen's team findings are expected to be published next month in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, Hong Kong's South China Morning Post reported. Another Chinese study, published last month in Geophysical Research Letters by a team led by Liu Junqing of the Jilin Earthquake Agency said: "The explosion created a cavity and a damaged 'chimney' of rocks above it." However, the US-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies said on Monday that it was wrong to conclude the test site had been destroyed and was inoperative. "There remain two portal areas located in more pristine competent rock that can be used for future tests if Pyongyang were to give the order," it said. Mr Kim said last Saturday that North Korea's nuclear testing programme was "complete" and the facility would be closed. "Under the proven condition of complete nuclear weapons, we no longer need any nuclear tests, mid-range and intercontinental ballistic rocket tests, and that the nuclear test site in northern area has also completed its mission," Mr Kim was quoted as saying by the state-run Korean Central News Agency. The US and South Korea welcomed Mr Kim's offer of halting nuclear testing, which they said was a sign of progress and a promising start to upcoming talks. Damage to Punggye-ri is likely to have dealt a huge blow to the country's nuclear weapons programme, experts said. However, they also pointed out instances when North Korea had faked damage to its nuclear weapons infrastructure in an effort to win wriggle room from the international community on sanctions. In 2008, North Korea blew up a cooling tower in its Yongbyon reactor complex and invited international media to view the event. "It was a largely symbolical gesture: a cooling tower is neither expensive nor technologically difficult to build," said Andrei Lankov, a specialist on North Korea at Seoul's Kookmin University. However, he added that he could not say with any certainty what had happened at Punggye-ri. More from the Financial Times: Koreas channel Swiss food diplomacy for summit Kim Jong Un looks to secure North Korea regime and US talks North Korea summits fuel China fears over its Pyongyang influence A U.S. government handout photo released by White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders shows U.S. Central Intelligence (CIA) Director Mike Pompeo meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Pyongyang, North Korea in a photo that Sanders said was taken over Easter weekend 2018. President Donald Trump said Thursday that it would be a good idea to release the photographs of the meeting between then-CIA Director Mike Pompeo and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. White House press secretary Sarah Sanders did just that on Thursday afternoon. She released the photos over Twitter, saying that Pompeo "will do an excellent job helping @POTUS lead our efforts to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula." TWEET The photo release came hours after the Senate confirmed Pompeo as the next secretary of State. Over Easter weekend, Pompeo carried out a secret diplomatic meeting in North Korea to help prepare for Trump's summit with Kim. Trump said that Pompeo was not slated to meet with the leader of North but an opportunity was later arranged during the trip. "Mike Pompeo did go there, he wasn't supposed to meet with Kim Jong Un, but he did," Trump told "Fox and Friends." "You know they arranged actually while he was there to say hello." Trump added that the two spoke for more than an hour and that there were "incredible pictures of the two talking and meeting." Trump's comments came just hours before Kim was to cross the 38th parallel to meet South Korean President Moon Jae-in for the first time since 2007. Meanwhile, the logistics for the unprecedented summit between Trump and Kim are still in the works. Trump said he is considering four dates and five potential locations for the meeting. President Donald Trump said Thursday that CIA Director Mike Pompeo was not supposed to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Over Easter weekend, Pompeo, Trump's nominee for secretary of State, carried out a secret diplomatic meeting in North Korea to help prepare for Trump's summit with Kim. "Mike Pompeo did go there, he wasn't supposed to meet with Kim Jong Un, but he did," Trump told "Fox and Friends." "You know they arranged actually while he was there to say hello." Trump then added that the two spoke for more than an hour and that they have "incredible pictures of the two talking and meeting." Trump's comments came just hours before Kim was to cross the 38th parallel to meet South Korean President Moon Jae-in in the border village of Panmunjom. The meeting between the Korean leaders, set for Friday local time, signals a reduction in tensions on the Korean peninsula. It will be the first face-to-face summit since 2007. While the details of Trump's unprecedented meeting with Kim remain to be seen, the president said he is considering four dates and five locations. "I can only say this, when I came into office people thought we were going into nuclear war and now they're saying wow this is going to be taken care of," Trump said. Trump added that tensions on the Korean peninsula were getting "very, very nasty" and that discussions with the communist North should have happened before his presidency. Four months ago, Kim and Trump traded bellicose rhetoric about the relative size of their nuclear buttons. "This is a much different ballgame than if they did it five or 10 or 20 years ago. This is a much more dangerous ballgame now but I will tell you that it is going very well," Trump said. Qualcomm CEO Steve Mollenkopf said China-U.S. tensions are stalling big deals, but that could change in time to finalize an NXP tie-up. "This is not a great environment for big deals to get done at this time," Mollenkopf told CNBC's "Squawk on the Street" Thursday. "But in 90 days, it can be very, very different." The leading U.S. semiconductor company is waiting on approval from Chinese regulators to merge with Dutch rival NXP Semiconductors. China's is the last of nine approvals needed and has already caused the companies to withdraw and refile their application to buy more time. "I think it'd be a very unusual situation for the rest of the world to approve something and then China not do it," Mollenkopf said. "It's a good situation for China to get this deal done, and you know I have confidence that that'll happen." Qualcomm has been caught in the crossfires of growing trade tensions between the China and U.S. The semiconductor industry is considered the tech sector most exposed to potential regulatory action. Mollenkopf was optimistic that "real talks going on between Washington and Beijing" would work to Qualcomm's benefit. "Real discussions oftentimes lead to settlements and lead to a conclusion of hostilities, and I think that's likely to be the case here. We don't know when, but we're prepared either way." Samsung Electronics posted record first-quarter profits on Thursday, but warned about a slowdown in its display panel segment. That could be bad news for Apple's iPhone X. "Generating overall earnings growth across the company will be a challenge due to weakness in the display panel segment and a decline in profitability in the mobile business amid rising competition in the high-end segment," Samsung said in a statement. The display panel business makes organic light-emitting diode, or OLED, screens for both its own smartphones but also for the iPhone X. Samsung said in its first-quarter earnings announcement that the display panel segment profits were "affected by the slow demand for flexible OLED panels." For the second-quarter, the company predicted the same weakness to persist and said it would do cost-cutting and improve efficiency. The company's predictions came after key iPhone supplier Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSMC) warned about slower growth in smartphone chip sales. TSMC said its revenue forecast range for the second quarter is $7.8 billion to $7.9 billion, lower than Wall Street estimate of $8.8 billion. The company blamed "weak demand" in the mobile sector for the forecast. Another key Apple supplier gave dramatically lower June quarter guidance. Austria-based AMS, which provides optical sensors used in the iPhone X, said it expects sales for its second quarter to be in the range of $220 million to $250 million, down nearly 50 percent from its first quarter. Wall Street blamed poor iPhone X demand for both TSMC and AMS' weak guidance. One analyst predicted that Apple could be poised to kill off its iPhone X line this year. In a bipartisan vote, the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday advanced a bill making it more difficult for President Donald Trump to fire special counsel Robert Mueller. Four Republicans joined 10 Democrats on the committee in voting to advance the bill. It is unlikely, however, that the bill will get a vote on the floor of the full Senate. Majority leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has said the bill is "not necessary" and that he would not bring it up for a vote. "I'm the one who decides what we take to the floor," McConnell told Fox News last week. "That's my responsibility as the majority leader, and we will not be having this on the floor of the Senate." Mueller is investigating allegations that the Trump campaign colluded with Russian efforts to interfere in the 2016 presidential election and damage his Democrat opponent, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Trump reportedly considered firing Mueller at least twice last year. The president has repeatedly called the special counsel's probe a "witch hunt." The Senate confirmed CIA Director Mike Pompeo on Thursday as the next secretary of State in a 57-42 vote. Though many Democrats opposed his nomination due to his hawkish foreign policy views, Pompeo ultimately received the support of six Democrats and one independent During his tenure as CIA director, Pompeo became a trusted advisor of President Donald Trump and has played a key role in preparations for Trump's planned summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Pompeo met secretly with Kim over Easter weekend to lay the groundwork for direct talks between Trump and the North Korean dictator. It was the highest level meeting between officials from the U.S. and North Korea since 2000, according to The Washington Post. Tweet In his first act as secretary of State, Pompeo will leave for Brussels to attend a meeting of NATO foreign ministers this week. Pompeo replaces Rex Tillerson, who was fired by the president in March. John Sullivan has filled in as acting secretary of State since Tillerson's dismissal. Tillerson was viewed as a moderate within the administration, frequently disagreeing with Trump over key foreign policy issues such as the president's decision to withdraw from the Paris climate agreement and his threats to pull out of the Iran nuclear deal. Pompeo, on the other hand, is a foreign policy hawk who sees eye to eye with the president on Iran in particular. After Trump was elected president, Pompeo wrote on Twitter that he looks "forward to rolling back this disastrous deal with the world's largest state sponsor of terrorism." Trump has nominated CIA Deputy Director Gina Haspel to succeed Pompeo at the helm of the intelligence agency. Haspel's nomination has faced controversy due to her role in a CIA "black site" in Thailand that held al-Qaeda suspects after the Sept.11, 2001, terrorist attacks. "If Oklahoma wishes to maintain a prohibition on marijuana, then it would be illegal under state and local law in Oklahoma. But as far as Colorado goes, there would no longer be an illegal activity," Gardner added. "Basically, this is a states' rights bill. This is a federalism bill that says if a state like Colorado decides to move forward on medical marijuana, recreational marijuana, CBDs ..., hemp, that that activity is going to be lawfully, legally carried out," Gardner told Yahoo News. CBDs are products derived from a non-psychoactive cannabinoid widely thought to have therapeutic potential. In an interview with Yahoo News , Gardner said he met with Warren and "a number of senators on both sides of the aisle" on Wednesday to discuss a bill that will prevent the federal government from meddling in state-controlled marijuana industries. He said a draft of the bill could appear as early as later this week. Sen. Cory Gardner , R-Colo., is teaming up with Sen. Elizabeth Warren , D-Mass., to take President Donald Trump up on his word to leave state marijuana industries alone. Senator Gardner's office declined to comment, except to confirm what was reported in the Yahoo article. Senator Warren's office also later confirmed the two would be collaborating on the bill. The proposed bill would not alter the scheduling of the drug. Cannabis is currently schedule 1, or the most tightly regulated, making it as illegal and difficult to study as heroin. Instead the bill "opts the state out of the marijuana provisions" in schedule 1. In other words, a state ignoring marijuana's federal regulation won't be breaking the law. According to Gardner, Warren got involved in January, when Attorney General Jeff Sessions rescinded the Obama-era Cole Memo, which provided some protections to state marijuana industries. The two had "a number of conversations." "It was clear that Elizabeth Warren and I were thinking about the same kind of approach on a federalism level," Gardner told Yahoo News. Gardner said he has no illusions that the bill will pass easily and he anticipates both Democratic and Republican senators may want "tweaks," but he does believe Trump will "hold to his end of the bargain." Gardner has made headlines in the past year for his obstinate support of Colorado's marijuana industry. After Sessions' move to revoke the Cole Memo, which angered many prominent politicians from marijuana-friendly states, Gardner promised to block all Department of Justice nominations, pending a resolution. His move prompted Trump to agree earlier this month to support efforts to protect states that have legalized marijuana, ending Gardner's standoff on DOJ nominations. For her part, Warren has been at the forefront of marijuana politics in her home state of Massachusetts. She has expressed a desire to implement regulation and improve marijuana businesses' access to banking. Check out the companies making headlines before the bell: General Motors GM earned $1.43 per share during the second quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.24 a share. Revenue also topped forecasts, amid record revenue in China and for GM's finance unit. United Parcel Service UPS beat estimates by a penny a share, with quarterly earnings of $1.55 per share. Revenue also exceeded estimates. Separately, UPS is offering management buyouts in an effort to cut payroll costs. The offers are voluntary, and the delivery company did not say how many jobs it hopes to eliminate. Southwest Airlines Southwest beat estimates by a penny a share, with adjusted quarterly profit of 75 cents per share. The airline's revenue was short of forecasts. Southwest said it was benefiting from a lower tax rate, however the airline warned that reservations have declined in the wake of a deadly mid-air engine failure aboard one of its flights. Dunkin' Brands The restaurant operator beat estimates by 11 cents a share, with adjusted quarterly profit of 62 cents per share. Revenue fell short of estimates, however, and the shares are being pressured after Jim Chanos of Kynikos Associates told CNBC he was short the stock due to flat to declining comparable sales. Chanos also said he was short shares of Restaurant Brands International, the parent of Tim Hortons, Burger King, and Popeyes. PepsiCo The beverage and snack giant beat estimates by 3 cents a share, with adjusted quarterly profit of 96 cents per share. Revenue topped estimates, as well. Organic growth was up 2.3 percent during the quarter, and the company reaffirmed its full-year guidance. DR Horton The home builder came in 6 cents a share above estimates, with quarterly profit of 91 cents per share. Revenue beat forecasts as new orders rose 13 percent in both dollar volume and for units sold. Hershey The chocolate maker came in a penny ahead of estimates with adjusted quarterly profit of $1.41 per share, while revenue also beat forecasts. Hershey also said it sees 2018 sales at the lower end of its prior forecast. Hilton Worldwide Hilton beat estimates by 4 cents a share, with adjusted quarterly profit of 55 cents per share. It also raised its full-year forecast amid strong demand in the European and Asia Pacific markets. American Airlines Group The airline reported adjusted quarterly profit of 75 cents per share, 3 cents a share above estimates. Revenue came in below forecasts. Abercrombie & Fitch Evercore initiated a 10 percent long position in the apparel retailer following a management meeting. The firm said it came away impressed with a positive shift in corporate culture and a shift from a brand-centric to a customer-centric company. Facebook Facebook earned $1.69 per share for the first quarter, compared to the consensus $1.35 estimate. The social network operator's revenue also came in above Street forecasts. Facebook also announced an additional $9 billion in stock buybacks. Qualcomm Qualcomm reported adjusted quarterly profit of 80 cents per share, 10 cents a share above estimates. The chipmaker's revenue slightly above forecasts. Qualcomm's results suggest less of a slowdown in the global smartphone market than recent forecasts from suppliers may have suggested. AT&T AT&T came in 2 cents a share shy of estimates, with adjusted earnings of 85 cents per share. Revenue also fell short of expectations. Among other factors, AT&T said its results were hurt by higher wireless equipment costs and a loss in traditional video subscribers. Visa Visa beat consensus forecasts by 9 cents a share, with adjusted quarterly profit of $1.11 per share. Revenue topped forecasts, as well. The payment network operator also raised its full-year outlook as global credit card use increases. Chipotle Mexican Grill The restaurant chain reported quarterly profit of $2.13 per share, compared to the consensus $1.57 a share estimate. The restaurant chain's revenue was in line with forecasts, amid a 2.2 percent increase in comparable-store sales. Chipotle also announced an additional $100 million stock buyback program. PayPal PayPal reported adjusted quarterly profit of 57 cents per share, 3 cents a share above estimates. Revenue also came in above forecasts on increasing mobile payment volume. Ford Motor Ford came in 2 cents a share above estimates, with adjusted quarterly profit of 43 cents per share. Revenue also beat forecasts. The automaker announced it was accelerating plans to boost profit margins by cutting capital spending and discontinuing some vehicle lines. Advanced Micro Devices AMD earned an adjusted 11 cents per share for its latest quarter, 2 cents a share above forecasts. The chipmaker's revenue beat estimates, as well. AMD is also predicting current-quarter revenue well above Street projections as semiconductor prices rise amid strong demand. Cheesecake Factory Cheesecake Factory posted a mixed quarter, with its 56 cents per share profit falling 12 cents a share short of estimates. Revenue exceeded estimates, as well. The restaurant chain's comparable sales were up 2.1 percent. Tesla Autopilot unit executive Jim Keller is leaving the automaker. Former Apple chip developer Pete Bannon, who has been with Tesla for two years, will succeed Keller. Johnson & Johnson The company won an appellate court ruling overturning a $151 million verdict against the medical device maker. The plaintiffs had sued J&J over injuries allegedly related to the company's Pinnacle hip implant devices. General Electric GE spurned an approach from Danaher for its life sciences business, according to The Wall Street Journal. People familiar with the matter told the Journal that Danaher expressed interest, but GE did not engage in talks and is not pursuing a deal. Airlines are paying more for fuel, and passengers may soon pay more to fly. A spike in fuel prices, generally airlines' biggest cost after employee pay, is eating away at carriers' profits. "When (the fuel price) increases, the cost of air travel increases," American Airlines' CEO Doug Parker said on a call with analysts Thursday. "So I do believe that consumers will pay more." Parker said he does not expect those higher fares to hurt demand significantly, however. Low-cost Spirit Airlines said it raised fares last week by $3. American Airlines on Thursday trimmed its forecast for full-year earnings due to costlier fuel. The world's largest airline now expects to earn $5 to $6 per share this year, down from the $5.50 to $6.50 it said it expected in January. The airline said its fuel was about 25 percent more expensive compared with last year, an increase that it said added $412 million to its costs. Competitors Delta Air Lines and United Airlines have also said that they are paying significantly more for fuel this year than last. American's shares were down more than 6 percent in midday trade. Other airline stocks were also lower, with Spirit down 5 percent, Delta shedding 2 percent and United falling 3 percent. Airlines have struggled to ramp up airfares in recent years, amid growing competition and rock bottom fares on some routes. Still, American expects revenue per available seat mile the amount the airline generates for each seat it flies a mile to rise 1.5 to 3.5 percent in the second quarter from a year earlier. Fuel surcharges, which can be applied to some international tickets, could drive up the cost of a ticket, too. American declined to comment on whether it would add such fees. These are usually in a category known as "carrier imposed fees" that are sometimes added to fares, airline analysts said. "These have typically been imposed on a rapid run-up in fuel prices, like fuel shortage situations," said Robert Mann, an aviation consultant and former airline executive. They are applied generally to long-haul international flights and are not subject to the same tax levels as general base fares, he said. In January Delta's president, Glen Hauenstein said: "Clearly, internationally, we've seen fuel surcharge increases due to the higher level of fuel, and we expect that to continue if fuel stabilizes at sort of higher level." Henry Harteveldt, founder of travel consulting firm Atmosphere Research Group, called such fees "the little black dress" of the airline industry. Major airlines have recently introduced basic economy airfares, which in exchange for what are generally the lowest airfares, passengers eschew advance seat selection, the possibility of an upgrade and in some cases use of overhead bins or free checked bags. American and Delta are in the process of rolling out these fares on flights to Europe, and executives have said they measure its success by the rate of passengers who pay higher fares to avoid it. American's president, Robert Isom, told investors Thursday that now 60 percent of passengers opt for the higher fares. The airline has not ruled out expanding basic economy to other markets. U.S. wireless carriers T-Mobile and Sprint have made progress in negotiating merger terms and are aiming to successfully complete deal talks as early as next week, people familiar with the matter said on Thursday. T-Mobile majority-owner Deutsche Telekom and Japan's SoftBank, which controls Sprint, are considering an agreement that would dictate how they exercise voting control over the combined company, one of the sources said. This could allow Deutsche Telekom to consolidate the combined company on its books, even if it does not have a majority stake in the combined company, one of the sources added. Deutsche Telekom owns more than 63 percent of T-mobile, while SoftBank owns 84.7 percent of Sprint. Deutsche Telekom and T-Mobile are also in the process of finalizing the debt financing package they will use to fund the deal, the sources said. There is no certainty that a deal will be reached, the sources cautioned. The companies came close to a merger agreement in November before SoftBank's chief executive officer, Masayoshi Son, pulled out of the talks at the last minute. The sources asked not to be identified because the negotiations are confidential. Sprint, T-Mobile, Deutsche Telekom and SoftBank did not immediately respond to requests for comment. For many people, a vacation offers the opportunity to try out new food and flavors. But for foodies, the meal can be the main attraction. As foodie culture continues to infiltrate everything from Netflix shows to social media, experiences surrounding food are also spiking in popularity in the travel and tourism sector. TripAdvisor found that, globally, food tour bookings have increased 57 percent since last year, and in the U.S., food tour bookings grew 59 percent in 2017. Whether you're craving a slice of pizza from Rome or beignets in New Orleans, TripAdvisor's "Traveler Favorites: Top Individual Food Experiences" ranking can help you figure out where to enjoy your next culinary adventure. To put together its ranking, TripAdvisor used an algorithm which considers bookings, traveler reviews and traveler ratings on its site. Rome, Italy Another historic Italian city also tops TripAdvisor's ranking for the top culinary experiences. Florence is a city not only rich in culture and history but food as well, and the "Pizza and Gelato Cooking Class in Tuscan Farmhouse from Florence," operated by Walkabout Florence Tours, places second on TripAdvisor's list. This cooking class transports tourists to the Tuscan countryside for a lesson on how to make authentic pizza and gelato and serves up a three-course meal. Rates for this foodie experience currently start at $78.30. Travel + Leisure calls Florence, the regional capital of Tuscany, "one of Italy's most celebrated culinary destinations." Tourists can expect to find grilled meats and poultry, fresh and seasonal produce and bean-based soups. Paris, France With the smell of fresh baguettes and croissants wafting through the air, Paris attracts foodies worldwide. "Paris Food Tour: Taste of Montmartre" snags the third spot on TripAdvisor's ranking and includes a three-hour, small-group guided tour with six stops. Tour stops in the Montmartre neighborhood of Paris include decadent food shops like a chocolaterie (for chocolates), a boulangerie (for French breads), a creperie (for crepes) a butcher shop (for French hams and cured sausages) and a fromage shop (for cheeses). Tour rates currently start at $106.50. In Paris, visitors can expect lots of bread, sweet pastries and cheeses, as well as popular French dishes like duck confit, couscous, and steak-frites. Venice, Italy Yet another Italian city also ranks high on TripAdvisor's list, with "Venice Food Tour: Cicchetti and Wine" operated by Venice Urban Adventures snagging the fourth spot. The tour includes four glasses of wine, food tasting and a ride across the canal, as well as stops at five of Venice's most popular cichetti bars, hole-in the-wall pubs that offer up local appetizers. The tour boasts 677 reviews on TripAdvisor and excellent ratings. Right now, rates for this tour are discounted and start at $64.70. In Venice, locals prefer foods like polenta and fresh fish, according to Travel and Leisure, and "iconic" dishes include fegato alla veneziana (liver and onions) sarde in saor (sardines with raisins, onions and pine nuts) and flash-fried moeche (soft-shell crabs). Madrid, Spain This Spanish city scores the sixth spot on TripAdvisor's ranking with the "Madrid Tapas and Wine Tasting Tour" operated by Gourmet Madrid Tours. This tour includes up to 10 samples of Spanish specialities, like roasted eggplant with honey or salted cod, paired with wine. A tour guide gives the scoop on wine history and production in Spain, as well as Spain's culinary history and culture. This tour currently has rates starting at $93.20. Madrid's food scene is characterized by shareable Spanish tapas like patatas bravas (potatoes with aioli) and gambas al ajillo (shrimp in garlic) as well as traditional dishes including roast suckling pig, tripe and cocido madrileno (a stew of chickpeas, vegetables and pork). New Orleans, Louisiana The first (and only) U.S. city to snag a spot on TripAdvisor's ranking is New Orleans, Louisiana, with the "New Orleans Food Walking Tour of the French Quarter," operated by Destination Kitchen, coming in eighth. On this tour, a guide will show you around the Big Easy's historic French Quarter and you'll get to sample tasty New Orleans dishes like seafood gumbo, muffuletta, jambalaya and Creole-style brisket. Rates for this tour currently start at $54.99. For foodies, New Orleans is a must. The Southern city has long been known for its delicious Cajun and Creole cuisine that's rich in flavor. Classic dishes include po boys, beignets, red beans and rice and pralines. Barcelona, Spain Apple CEO Tim Cook was in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, in a meeting the president said would cover trade, presumably including dealings with China. But the first topic on the agenda was tax cuts, according to Larry Kudlow, director of the National Economic Council. "He loves the tax cut and tax reform," Kudlow said Thursday. "He said it's great for business. And Apple is going to be building plants, campuses, adding jobs, lots of business investment. That was the first point he made to President Trump." Apple, the largest U.S. taxpayer, announced in January it would pay the taxes needed to repatriate billions in overseas cash, and would "contribute" $350 billion to the U.S. economy over the next five years, including $30 billion in capital expenditures, $5 billion as part of an innovation fund and a continuation of existing job support of app developers. While the tech giant has committed to new data center spending, an additional campus and advanced manufacturing, it's not clear if that involves a "plant." The company didn't immediately respond to a request to comment on Kudlow's remarks. While Cook has long advocated for tax reform, particularly around repatriation, he and the president have not always seen eye to eye on other issues, like immigration, the environment and trade. Cook brought Apple's vice president of environment and government affairs, Lisa Jackson, to a state dinner earlier this week. China is a vital market both for sales of Apple products and for Apple's supply chain, although early signs of tariffs haven't indicated any direct impacts on Apple products. Kudlow said that he took Cook's suggestions about an upcoming meeting with Chinese officials. "Tim Cook was most helpful, I really enjoyed the meeting," Kudlow told CNBC's "Squawk on the Street." "I spent a good amount of time with him, and then we came back and we visited the POTUS. He has a lot of experience in China, obviously. He was very helpful in making some suggestions." Michael Cohen, U.S. President Donald Trump's personal attorney, walks to the Loews Regency hotel on Park Ave on April 13, 2018 in New York City. Federal prosecutors in a court filing Thursday morning used comments from a new interview by President Donald Trump against his lawyer Michael Cohen to undercut a key claim by Cohen. Prosecutors also used public statements from Fox News host Sean Hannity to similarly undercut an argument by Cohen that much of the evidence recently seized from Cohen in an FBI raid could be subject to attorney-client privilege. The shots at Cohen and the president came in a footnote to a filing in Manhattan federal court, where prosecutors announced they were dropping their objection to a special independent watchdog reviewing Cohen's files for such privileged documents. Prosecutors have previously said they feared Cohen would use claims of privilege to slow down by months, or even years, a review of those documents before they could be used against him in a potential criminal case. A hearing about the documents is set for Thursday. Cohen had originally claimed that "thousands if not millions" of pages of documents seized by the FBI on April 9 as part of an ongoing criminal investigation of the lawyer were privileged, and thus barred from being shown to prosecutors probing him. But in a hearing last week, Cohen's attorneys said he had just three current legal clients, Trump, Hannity and Elliott Broidy, a venture capitalist. Prosecutors noted on Thursday, that after exposure of his name last week, Hannity claimed, "Michael Cohen has never represented me in any matter." "I never retained him, received an invoice, or paid legal fees," Hannity said, according to the footnote in Thursday's filing by prosecutors in the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York. The prosecutors also pointed out that during an interview with "Fox and Friends" on Thursday, shortly before their filing, Trump had said that "Cohen performs 'a tiny, tiny little fraction' of his overall legal work." "These two statements by two of Cohen's identified clients suggest that the seized materials are unlikely to contain voluminous privileged documents, further supporting the importance of efficiency here," prosecutors wrote. That reference to "efficiency" reflects the desire by prosecutors to soon be allowed to sift through Cohen's files for possible evidence of criminal activity. Cohen's lawyers and lawyers for Trump originally wanted to be the ones who decided initially which documents were privileged and which were not. The prosecution's decision to endorse the appointment of a "special master" to review those documents for sections subject to attorney-client privilege protection is likely to lead Judge Kimba Wood to name one soon. Prosecutors had originally asked that a so-called taint team of prosecutors not involved in the investigation of Cohen be the ones to review the documents for privileged files. On Thursday, CNBC called Cohen for comment on Trump's remarks about him. In addition to saying that Cohen had done just a small fraction of his legal work, Trump had also said that the lawyer had handled "this crazy Stormy Daniels deal." Daniels is a porn star who has said Cohen paid her $130,000 right before the 2016 presidential election in exchange for her silence about an alleged affair with Trump. The White House has denied such an affair. Cohen, when asked what he thought about Trump's statements on "Fox and Friends," told CNBC, "I'm on the other line with my lawyers." He then hung up the phone. There has been widespread speculation that Cohen, who is married and has several children, will agree to cooperate with prosecutors as a part of a deal to receive leniency. Such a deal could include giving prosecutors information about Trump. 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. The "crazy Stormy Daniels deal" got even crazier Thursday as President Donald Trump made bombshell statements about that porn star's legal claim against him and his lawyer Michael Cohen prepared to deal with the fallout from pleading the Fifth Amendment in the Daniels suit. Daniels' lawyer, Michael Avenatti, immediately crowed that Trump's comments were "hugely damaging" to the president's legal defense against a lawsuit by the actress. All of this occurred shortly before a key hearing in Manhattan federal court, where prosecutors and lawyers for Cohen and Trump were set to discuss details of how to handle evidence recently seized from Cohen as part of a criminal probe of him. Trump, during an interview on "Fox and Friends," said Cohen "represents me with this crazy Stormy Daniels deal." "From what I see, he did absolutely nothing wrong," Trump added. The president also said Cohen has handled just a "tiny, tiny fraction of his "overall legal work." Cohen has admitted paying Daniels $130,000 on the eve of the 2016 presidential election. Daniels says the money was for her signed agreement to keep publicly silent about an affair she claims to have had with Trump a decade earlier. The White House has denied any such affair. Daniels earlier this year sued Cohen and Trump seeking to be released from the nondisclosure agreement based on the argument that the president never signed the deal. Trump has publicly claimed recently that he was unaware of the payment from Cohen or the deal the lawyer cut with Daniels at the time it happened. Uber wants people to know that the company is changing, but there's one area where progress remains slow: equality for women. "Frankly, I don't think we know what 'good' is yet. We know what 'better' is and we want to get better," Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi told CNN about the report, which was released Tuesday, adding that in terms of diversity the company "needs to improve across the board." Less than a year after former CEO Travis Kalanick's departure following allegations that included gender discrimination, the 2018 report found that racial and gender diversity has not significantly changed. Still, the overall representation of women at Uber showed slight growth. The number of women at the company went up 1.9 percent, bringing the total percentage of women in Uber's global workforce to 38 percent. "While we've made some good steps as it relates to diversity at the company," Khosrowshahi told CNN, "we want that to be reflected in the senior leadership as well." Women in leadership roles those at the director level and above in areas like marketing, operations, finance and legal made up about 21 percent of Uber's workforce, down 1.1 percent from last year. Meanwhile, women in technical leadership roles those at director level and above in areas including tech, engineering and product actually grew 4.3 percent, up to 15.6 percent. The percentage of female tech workers, such as engineers and IT specialists, also grew from 15.4 percent to about 18 percent this year. Frans Johansson, CEO of diversity-focused consulting firm The Medici Group, tells CNBC Make It that although Uber hasn't made significant progress, it's still progress nonetheless. "While a loss in general female representation in leadership is non-ideal, the gains made by Uber's female tech leadership is very encouraging," says Johansson. "The case can be made that this metric is far more interesting and valuable, especially as it pertains to innovation and business performance, for Uber and tech companies in general." Last year, Uber brought several prominent women onto its leadership team. One big hire was former Apple marketing executive Bozoma Saint John, now Uber's new chief brand officer and one of the few black female C-suite executives in tech. Newly-appointed general managers Susan Anderson and Jodie Auster joined three other women on Uber's eight-person executive team in Australia. Johansson recommended taking a look at other tech giants who have released diversity reports in recent years, such as Facebook, Apple and Google. As of their 2017 reports, Facebook's global senior leadership is 28 percent female, Google's leadership is 25 percent female and Apple's is 29 percent female. Although these three companies break down the gender balance of men and women in their workforce and general leadership roles, none of them detail the metrics for gender balance in tech and non-tech leadership roles as Uber does. "Uber's nuance in tracing their female leadership in tech gives more insight to how they are bringing diversity closer to their business and innovation," Johansson says. "And in our experience, that is the best way to sustain a culture of inclusion and innovation." Although Khosrowshahi told CNN it's "too soon" to set specific goals for the future of diversity and gender equality at the company, Johansson noted the Uber CEO's discourse around the topic is a huge step in the right direction. "The fact [Khosrowshahi] is focusing on changing the language and pushing for change at the company shows they have all the necessary pieces, but the challenge is to take the necessary steps to get more diversity in senior leadership roles," Johansson says. As CEO of Expedia, Khosrowshahi helped the company achieve full gender parity, bringing its U.S. workforce to 51 percent women and 49 percent men, according to company data from June 2016. At the Women in the World 2018 Summit earlier this month, Khosrowshahi reiterated his desire to internally promote more women into leadership roles at Uber. An Uber spokesperson tells CNBC Make It that the company has implemented equitable recruiting and hiring practices over the past year to help eliminate bias throughout the interview process, including taking steps like reworking over 1,000 job descriptions to make them more inclusive. The company also points to its new chief diversity and inclusion officer Bo Young Lee, appointed two weeks ago. She will focus on Uber's problem areas when it comes to hiring and promoting women and recognize managers who promote equality within the company. "Uber is sending signals of its commitment," Johansson says. "I think there is an intention to bring change. That is exciting." Like this story? Like CNBC Make It on Facebook. Don't miss: Why 32-year-old Oprah Winfrey threatened to stop working to prove a point to her boss A group of international tech firms and venture capitalists injected almost 1 billion ($1.4 billion) into the U.K.'s artificial intelligence (AI) industry on Thursday. The deal was backed by Japanese venture capital firm Global Brain, Canadian venture capital firm Chrysalix, U.K. automaker Rolls-Royce, the British government and other investors. The investment will be used to fund new specialist AI qualifications and computer science teachers, to tackle a skills shortage in the sector. Theresa May's government has been driving an industrial strategy to tap into the growing industry, which Gartner estimates will be worth more than $3.9 trillion in business value by 2022. "Artificial intelligence provides limitless opportunities to develop new, efficient and accessible products and services which transform the way we live and work," Greg Clark, U.K. business and energy secretary, said in a statement. "Today's new deal with industry will ensure we have the right investment, infrastructure and highly-skilled workforce to establish the U.K. as a driving force in the development and commercial use of artificial intelligence technologies." Britain's nascent AI sector has seen increasing interest from overseas investors. Last week, London-based BenevolentAI raised $115 million from new investors in the U.S. and existing investors, including the U.K.'s Woodford Investment Management. But critics have warned that the rapid development of AI could come with consequences. On Wednesday, U.S. policy think tank the Rand Corporation warned that the use of AI in a military scenario could potentially lead to a nuclear war by 2040. But the organization also said that AI could have a positive impact and improve decision-making to avert potential disasters. Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has been a notable opponent of the potential misuse of AI, and has said it could be the cause of a third world war and create an "immortal dictator." The British government said that the money raised also would be used to create a data ethics center to ensure the ethical development of AI. "As with all innovation, there is also the potential for misuse which puts the whole sector under scrutiny and undermines public confidence," Clark said. The U.K. is not the only country to have noticed the importance of the sector. China is ploughing billions into its own AI industry and wants it to be worth 1 trillion yuan ($158 billion) by 2030, while Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that whichever nation leads the technology "will become the ruler of the world." Meanwhile, the European Commission, the executive arm of the European Union, said Wednesday that it will need to invest 20 billion euros ($24 billion) in AI research by 2020. Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak is a Silicon Valley legend. He's no longer involved with the company he helped build, although he is still on the Apple payroll, yet he remains a figure of prominence in the tech world, speaking at conferences and offering insights on the state of the industry. He even did a stint on ABC's "Dancing With the Stars" back in 2009. But his attitude toward money is surprisingly different from that of most of his peers. In an interview with Fortune, the tech icon shares his straightforward investing strategy, which is to avoid it and to keep his distance from finance altogether. "I do not invest. I don't do that stuff," Wozniak tells Fortune. "I didn't want to be near money, because it could corrupt your values." Steve Jobs on stage in front of an old photo of Jobs and Steve Wozniak Tony Avelar | Bloomberg | Getty Images Ben Fritz covers Hollywood and recently wrote "The Big Picture: The Fight for the Future of Movies." In it, he questions what the future of Hollywood will look like facing the pressures from Amazon, Netflix and Apple. I spoke to him recently about how Hollywood is reshaping itself to compete against Netflix, which studios are best positioned to compete, how the Fox/Disney merger will play out, and the importance of brands and intellectual property going forward to stand out in an increasingly saturated marketplace of attention. Our original interview (here in podcast form) has been edited down for clarity. Eric: Boil down the key takeaways from The Big Picture. Ben: It's really about the transformation of Hollywood and the movie business over the last decade and how did we go from one where movies were being made for all types of people to almost exclusively franchises, superhero movies, sequels, reboots, branded films. Other types of films, especially original dramas for adults, have become an endangered species. And I talk about the economic forces behind it, and I try to give the story behind it. And the way I do that is in large part by using the hack of Sony Pictures, and I read all of those tens of thousands of documents and supplement that with a few dozen interviews that I did. Eric: How well do the American and Japanese cultures at Sony Pictures get along? Ben: I think they get along reasonably well, but I think they had to admit after twenty five plus years of trying that the presumed synergies behind Sony's acquisition of [Columbia] Pictures failed. The synergies of hardware and software and content never materialized. There's very little relevance in the movies and television shows that Sony produces and iPhone chips and video games that Sony makes, as much as they tried to connect those businesses. Eric: One of the most interesting stories in the book is the opportunity, when Marvel was coming out of bankruptcy. Sony could have bought the entire IP catalog from Marvel for $25 million. Sony management wasn't interested. [Marvel now owned by Disney owns the rights to "Spiderman", as well as "Iron Man", "Black Panther", "Guardians of the Galaxy", "X Men", and others. However, Sony only struck a deal to license the rights to make "Spiderman" movies, instead of renting or buying the rights to the rest of the Marvel catalog.] Was that a Japanese or US decision? Ben: That was a US decision. The Sony Pictures' execs couldn't see any value in any characters other than Spiderman, which was the only character with awareness beyond the comic book crowd. Who would ever want to see a movie with Captain America, or the Black Panther, or Guardians of the Galaxy? Those seemed like worthless characters, so they said no way. They told their lawyer to go back and get Spiderman rights only, because all anyone cared about was Spiderman. Eric: With Spiderman, they now have those rights to produce these movies in perpetuity? Ben: They essentially do. They have to make a new movie I believe every 5 years and 9 months, which is a very easy schedule and they've never had a problem meeting that. Eric: Do you think Sony is going to be an acquirer over the next several years, or are they more likely to be consolidated? Ben: I think there's no question that they would probably love it if someone came to them and offered a premium price for Sony Pictures. It's hard to imagine another end game that lets them really compete with Netflix or Apple or Comcast/NBC Universal. Eric: And so, "Jumanji" is probably one of the best things that could have happened to Sony, in the sense that it sort of is re-launching a new franchise based on Sony intellectual property. Ben: That is a huge success for them. Just financially, this is a movie that cost about $100 million and grossed close to $1 billion. And, unlike "Spiderman", Sony 100% owns the rights to "Jumanji". They're not renting them from someone else. It was based on a book, but they own those movie rights. It's not a new franchise, it's a 20-year old movie, but it's been revitalized for the 21st century. It's booked a lot of profits in the short term and is a good sign that there's more to come. Any acquirer would now get that IP. Eric: When you look at the other big studios, who are the strongest? Ben: There's no question that Disney is not just the strongest but in a whole other stratosphere. Their profits are consistently and significantly higher than those of the other studios in Hollywood. They own more franchises than anyone else, and the strategy they pursued is the one everyone else is trying to emulate. Now they're in the forefront of studios launching a service to compete with Netflix. The next strongest one without a doubt is Universal since Comcast bought them and really invested in some very strong franchises like "Fast and Furious" and "Jurassic World", as well as animation like "Despicable Me". They've been very smart about exploiting a lot of synergies with Comcast's theme parks, which puts them not quite at the same level as Netflix but close. You can see them being well-positioned in the future to compete against the digital players. And a strength they have that Disney doesn't have is they've built a very strong low-budget horror business. Those movies are very profitable for them, and the Blumhouse brand is core to them now. You have Warner Brothers, which I'd put in the middle there. They've traditionally been the biggest studio and made the most number of movies. They have a strong set of franchises like "Harry Potter", "Fantastic Beasts", "DC", and "Lego". But they haven't executed as well as they should. There's a lot of questions about Fox, but they're probably not going to be an independent studio much longer. The few big franchises that Fox has "Avatar" and "X Men" are getting rolled into Disney. Maybe they'll still make Fox Searchlight films, but those are primarily going to be for Disney's streaming platforms like Hulu. Eric: Do you like the Disney/Fox merger? Ben: Fundamentally, it gets them two things: (1) After years of cutting back on the content it produces, Disney's realizing that to get into streaming they need more content. And they want to actually expand their brand a little bit beyond just the family stuff they've been so successful with. The Fox brands like Searchlight and FX might let them do that. (2) Hulu, which they'll take control of, will give them a streaming platform that they intend to target more at adults. The Disney brand is really valuable. But it doesn't mean mature content. Hulu can do that. Eric: Bob Iger acquired Pixar, Marvel, and Lucasfilm. Are there any other deals left to do? Ben: It sure doesn't seem like there's anything obvious. The notable exception is the somewhat complicated rights to James Bond, which are not owned by any major studio. Many would like to get their hands on those, of course. Eric: One of the interesting stories over the last month has been the big Roseanne ratings on television. The revival of franchises applies to television as well as to film. Ben: Absolutely. Familiar brands break through in a very crowded media environment. People can say they want originality, but, when you have new things coming at you all the time, the familiar appeals to people. Roseanne is the perfect example of a brand you know, but you don't want the exact same thing. You want to mix nostalgia with some smart updates for the 21st century. It's been a formula for success in movie theaters and increasingly in television. We saw Will and Grace earlier this year, which has been very successful. The traditional broadcast networks are desperate for any advantage they can find over HBO and Netflix these days, and one thing they have is classic shows as those other platforms weren't around 25 years ago. There's a new Murphy Brown for example. Star Trek is back on CBS's streaming service. They're going to mine their IP for all they're worth because they have not been very successful at producing new hit shows that have been produced by broadcast networks in the last few years. Maybe one or two every year instead of ten or twenty. [Disclosure: Affiliates controlled by Eric Jackson hold long positions in Disney, Apple, Netflix and Sony] Commentary by Eric Jackson, sign up for Eric's monthly Tech & Media Email and his Podcast. You can follow Eric on Twitter @ericjackson . Disclosure: Comcast is the owner of NBCUniversal, parent company of CNBC and CNBC.com. Rapid developments in streaming services have led to fierce competition in recent years. Many companies, including Netflix, have looked to content production to differentiate themselves, but simply putting out well-received movies and shows is not enough. That is, companies have to actively work to maintain their position in the industry given the low barriers of entry into the market. Speaking to CNBC's Oriel Morrison at the APOS convention in Bali on Wednesday, Janice Lee, the managing director at Hong Kong's PCCW Media, discussed how her company plans to not only retain, but also appeal to other audiences within the Asian Pacific region. PCCW is a conglomerate with interests spanning the telecommunications industry, and its media group says it operates the top pay-TV service in Hong Kong with both originally produced and licensed content. PCCW Media also runs Viu, which is an over-the-top streaming service. The company had previously emphasized Korean content due to its high popularity, but it's now intending to focus on local content within the region, Lee said. "We're producing in Indian languages, in Indonesian Bahasa. This year, we're starting a Malaysian production of 'The Bridge,' trying to go deeper in each of the markets we operate in, as we believe we should be locally and market relevant," she said. Lee added that companies could create an edge by looking into expanding their revenue stream through advertising. The company's Viu service allows for free streaming with built-in advertisements. The company operates on a "freemium" model, and uses a dual revenue stream of advertising-supported and premium subscription services. Over-the-top streaming services in Asia Pacific has been successful so far with the industry expected to reach $10 billion and gain about 200 million subscribers by 2021. Germany's fiber optic network is one of the least developed in Europe. Experts from Societe Generale explain why and give an outlook on how smart financing options can help the country change course. In the coming years, DeutscheGlasfaser GmbH will equip an additional 300,000 homes in Germany with optic fiber. That's quite a number considering that last year only 880,000 households were connected to ultra-fast internet. Nine banks with Societe Generale as mandated lead arranger are making it possible thanks to a 650 million euro in financing granted in January to Deutsche Glasfaser GmbH investor KKR. A fiber optic project of this magnitude is unusual for Germany. Especially in rural areas, federalist structures act as an impediment to the rollout of a modern fiber optic network. Communities typically try to expand the network on their own but thereby never reach a critical mass. "Every municipality has to develop its own strategy and find the right partners for it," says Arnd Baumgard, head of infrastructure finance for Germany, Austria and Switzerland. "Every municipality starts at the bottom of the learning curve, which is why the fiber optic rollout is much slower in Germany than in other countries." By the middle of 2017, fiber to the home (FTTH) and fiber to the building (FTTB) connections made up only 2.1 percent of Germany's overall broadband connections. In Latvia, fiber makes up 62.3 percent of broadband connections, and 40 percent in Spain. OECD countries average over 22 percent. A study conducted by the Bertelsmann Stiftung and the Fraunhofer Institut fur System- und Innovationsforschung (ISI) sums up the situation thus: Germany is playing catch-up in the rollout of high-capacity broadband networks. Especially with regard to fiber optic infrastructure, which offers the greatest potential for future applications, Germany is one of the least well-equipped countries in Europe especially in rural areas." The fiber optic network is important for Germany from a social as well as from an economic standpoint. "The fiber optic network can improve the quality of life and work in rural areas," says Baumgard. "People who work from home are dependent on a fast internet connection." Brexit: Papers pick up DUP threat to bring down the Government from our interview T Davis calls Brussels tough line on the Border a negotiating tactic Daily Mail Top civil servant warned May of flaws in Irish plan months ago Daily Telegraph he DUP has warned it will bring down Theresa Mays Government if Northern Ireland is forced to stay in the Single Market or Customs Union after Brexit. Nigel Dodds, the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party at Westminster, said his party would vote against the Government if any of its red lines on Brexit were crossed. It comes as Britain and the EU are deadlocked over how to ensure that there is no hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland after Brexit. Mr Dodds told the Conservativehome website:.. You might as well have a Corbyn government pursuing openly its anti-Unionist policies as have a Conservative Government doing it by a different means. Daily Telegraph Editorial: EU should not treat joint space and military projects as ploys The Times >Yesterday: Interviews: The Brexit negotiation Dodds warns against the annexation of Northern Ireland as Davis says MPs could force May back to Brussels David Davis, the Brexit secretary, has left open the possibility that Theresa May could be forced to return to Brussels to seek a better EU exit deal, if MPs reject the original offer she puts on the table this autumn. Mr Davis admitted that a Commons resolution to approve the Brexit deal could be amended by MPs, and refused to rule out the possibility that the prime minister could be instructed by parliament to seek changes. The question could prove decisive in shaping the final Brexit deal, especially if pro-European Tories and Labour join forces to insist that Mrs May keeps Britain in a customs union with the EU. Speaking at the Commons Brexit committee, Mr Davis confirmed that the meaningful vote on a resolution to approve the Brexit deal could be amended. If you can tell me how to write an unamendable motion, I will take a tutorial, he said. FT Eurocrats ridicule Brexit Secretarys trade hopes The Times Davis expects MPs to support leaving customs union FT Lords votes to limit ministers post-Brexit powers Daily Express SNP accused of dogma in Brexit row The Scotsman Comment: Lets have a snap election on the poisonous customs union Ambrose Evans-Pritchard, Daily Telegraph Sturgeon left in splendid isolation over power grab Tom Peterkin, The Scotsman >Today: ToryDiary: Customs partnership tick tock tick tock tick tock >Yesterday: and Downing Street rebukes Leadsom over post-Brexit immigration claims Brussels wants 6 visa fee from all British holidaymakers Daily Mail Rudd accused of sanctioning regional targets for migrant deportations Downing Street brutally slapped down Andrea Leadsom today after she claimed post-Brexit immigration rules were subject to negotiations with the EU. The Commons leader made the suggestion as she was grilled on whether the government had clear proposals for the UKs border policies after leaving the bloc. Asked if this was the Governments position, Mrs Mays spokesman this afternoon replied bluntly: No. In other developments on post-Brexit movement of people, the EU commission has released details of a new scheme that could apply to UK travellers once the country is outside the single market. Ms Leadsom insisted the plans could only be crystalised once the talks with Brussels were more advanced. Daily Mail Amber Rudd has been accused of protecting the prime minister over the Home Offices failure to get to grips with the Windrush scandal, after she refused to identify the hostile environment strategy as a major factor. The home secretary said she deeply regretted not spotting the problem of a generation of Britons being wrongly targeted by immigration authorities, vowing there would be a culture change in her department. However, there was immediate confusion over whether she had sanctioned regional targets for deporting migrants, with Rudd at odds with the head of immigration service union who claimed they appeared on posters across the Home Office estate. The Guardian Home Secretary denies union claim on deportation targets FT Comment: Amnesty would be an insult to legal immigrants and a win for traffickers Tom Harris, Daily Telegraph ID cards are the best way to tackle immigration David Aaronovitch, The Times Editorial: Restoring public trust in Britains border policy FT >Today: Daniel Hannan MEPs column: Like the Windrush children, EU nationals raised here have a moral right to UK citizenship >Yesterday: Ministers 1) Truss says Tories must defend the gig economy from Labour L What some call flexibility, I call exploitation Larry Elliott, The Guardian abour will ban Uber and AirBnB if they gain control of councils, a minister has warned as she brands the Conservatives the party of the gig economy. Liz Truss, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, writes in the Telegraph about how the Tory party is the true party of young people, as it allows them to innovate in the new economy. She warns that the Labour Party will ban start-ups such as Uber, Deliveroo and AirBnB, or stifle them with regulation so they fail, pointing to Labour Mayor Sadiq Khans battle with Uber in London. This caused the ride-hailing app to lose its license, a decision the company is now appealing. Transport for London (TfL) criticised the firms record on reporting criminal offences and carrying out driver background checks. Daily Telegraph Ministers 2) Government announces 500 million AI sector deal The UK government will invest 300m in artificial intelligence research as it seeks to fend off competition from France and Germany and secure its status as Europes leading centre for deep tech. The new AI sector deal, announced on Thursday, follows last years publication of a government review of the UKs artificial intelligence industry. The review found that only 5 per cent of international venture capital funding in the sector went to British companies in the five years to 2016. The government will hope to stimulate private companies with the new investment programme, which will be directed through its publicly-funded Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council. The investments will be overseen by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, which declined to specify a timeline for when the funding would be released. FT Our ambitions for AI must match the Apollo programme Matt Hancock and Greg Clark, Times Red Box Ministers 3) Cabinet ministers accused of amassing war chests for leadership bids MPs 1) Mitchell leads Tory revolt to crack down on tax havens Three Cabinet big beasts were last night accused of plotting secret Tory leadership bids after The Sun revealed they have raised huge war chests from donors. Michael Gove leads the pack, having stacked up 31,000 in nine months 22 times more cash than the average Tory MP. Home Secretary Amber Rudd was close behind on 23,500 and Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson on 10,000. On average Conservative MPs have only raised 1,380 each in the months since last years disastrous election. Just over one in ten Conservative MPs have declared new donations after last Junes poll, with Mr Goves haul the third largest of any Tory MP despite having a very safe Commons seat. The Sun Corrupt Russian oligarchs sheltering dirty money in Britains overseas territories will be exposed under laws set to be forced on Theresa May next week. Tax havens such as the British Virgin Islands and Cayman Islands have so far resisted moves to follow the UKs lead and reveal to public view the identities of those benefiting from assets held under their jurisdictions. Next week a coalition of Tory rebels, Labour, the SNP and other opposition parties will challenge Mrs May to match her rhetoric with action when new sanctions legislation is debated in the Commons. Andrew Mitchell, the former international development secretary who is leading the Tory rebellion, said last night that he had the certain backing of 19 Conservative backbenchers, more than enough to defeat the government. The Times Latham demands ministers get a grip on Chinese aid Daily Mail >Yesterday: John Glen MP in Comment: How the Government is cracking down on loan sharks MPs 2) Swayne turns air blue on school visit Trump to visit the UK in the summer Tory grandee Sir Desmond Swayne turned the air blue on a visit with 10-year-old school children as he raged against litter louts. On a school visit in his New Forest West, the former minister branded people who dump rubbish or animal waste b*******. He insisted after the event it was an off the cuff remark and the children at the Walhampton School were robust enough to handle it Defending the language used in front of the kids, he said: I think they were OK, I think they are strong enough to handle it. Put it this way, there appeared to be no sense of shock either amongst their teacher or the students themselves.' Daily Mail Donald Trump will make his first official visit to Britain as president this summer, it emerged last night. The US president is thought to be planning meetings with Theresa May in July after previous plans to come to the UK were put on hold amid fears of mass public protests. Theresa May was the first foreign leader to visit the president in the White House in January last year, and invited him to make a formal state visit to Britain. However, this summers trip will be a working visit, stopping short of the ceremony of a state visit After the planned state visit was announced in 2017, nearly two million Britons signed a petition in protest, while John Bercow, Speaker of the House of Commons, said he would not allow the US president to address parliament. The Times Dont get angry when the Presidents here, get even Stella Creasy MP, The Guardian >Yesterday: Ben Robacks column: The arms race taking place to establish a new Special Relationship Dozens of Labour MPs escort Jewish colleague to antisemitism hearing Antisemitism is a distraction, say Momentum activists The Times Opposition vows to settle most claims by July Daily Express Row looms over Labours poll hopes FT as McCluskey warns Corbyns critics they will face consequences Dozens of Labour politicians escorted their Jewish colleague Ruth Smeeth across Westminster as she ran the gauntlet of heckling Corbynistas to give evidence at an anti-Semitism hearing today. In extraordinary scenes, around 50 Labour MPs and peers joined the march in solidarity with Ms Smeeth. She was making her way to give evidence to a disciplinary hearing where Labour chiefs will decide whether or not to expel an activist she accuses of anti-Semitism. Marc Wadsworth reduced Ms Smeeth to tears at the launch of Labours anti-Semitism report in July 2016 by accusing her of colluding with the press. Corbynista activists had gathered outside for a protest in support of him, chanting and heckling Ms Smeeth as she made her way into the hearing. Daily Mail Jeremy Corbyns closest union ally has warned five Corbyn hater Labour MPs that they will be held to account after he accused them of whipping up a row over anti-Semitism just to smear the party leader. The intervention from Len McCluskey, the Unite general secretary, threatens to turn the growing anti-Semitism row within Labour into a civil war just a week before the local elections. Mr McCluskey said Wes Streeting, John Woodcock, Neil Coyle, Chris Leslie and Ian Austin had used anti-Semitism to toxify the party. He was accused of deliberately making them targets for abuse at a time when their colleagues have been subjected to death and rape threats for speaking out on the issue. Daily Telegraph Union boss defies Corbyn to brand antisemitism claims as smears The Times More: BNPs last councillor says he will now vote Labour Daily Mail Labour drop controversial candidate Daily Telegraph Stephen Pollard: Corbyn has shown that he isnt taking antisemitism seriously Both parties have a racism problem, but only the Tories are trying to solve theirs James Kirkup, Daily Telegraph Mr Corbyns action or, more accurately, inaction shows he neither takes anti-Semitism seriously nor wants to do anything worthwhile to deal with it. Of course, he doesnt. Anti-Semitism is in the DNA of the hard Left, in which he has spent his entire political career. Some people are surprised when they hear about left-wing anti-Semitism, as if it is solely the preserve of Nazi types and Islamists. But there is a long and foul history of hard-Left anti-Semitism. Stalin in Russia, for example. Mr Corbyn and those around him define themselves by their supposed anti-racism But in the mindset of the extreme Left, anti-Semitism or, to be blunt, hatred of Jews is not real racism. Real racism is discrimination against black people and oppressed minorities, such as gypsies. Jews are regarded as something very different. Far from being oppressed, Jews are seen as part of the powerful elite. The Sun >Yesterday: ToryDiary: Why the Jewish people became a class enemy Labour expect big gains in London at the local elections London, where all 32 boroughs are up for election, is likely to dominate the headlines and accounts for 40 per cent of all seats being contested, of which Labour, on a very good night, hope to win more than half. The Conservatives currently control nine councils, but that figure could be reduced to as few as three on a particularly good night for Labour and the Liberal Democrats. Barnet, North London, has been Tory since its creation in 1964. With a Conservative majority of just two, and a historically strong Labour showing across its parliamentary constituencies last June, Jeremy Corbyn appears on course for a famous victory in the home of Margaret Thatchers old Finchley seat next month. Most pollsters predict an almost certain Labour gain. The Times Labour MP thought to be considering move to City Hall The Guardian Comment: Tories could do with an election drubbing Iain Martin, Reaction >Today: >Yesterday: Sam Thurgood in Local Government: Housing is the priority for Conservatives in Lewisham News in Brief: Daniel Hannan is an MEP for South-East England, and a journalist, author and broadcaster. His most recent book is What Next: How to Get the Best from Brexit. Although the Windrush scandal has sparked a debate about immigration, the people involved are not, in the main, immigrants. Most of the those who set sail from the West Indies in the 1950s were British subjects. They were relocating within British territory, bringing with them their status as Citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies. Its easily done, this backdating of current concepts. In the musical Hamilton, for example, the eponymous hero is referred to throughout as an immigrant. In fact, when he left the the Caribbean island of Nevis for New York in 1772, he was moving from one British colony to another. The author of that brilliant show, Lin-Manuel Miranda, is making deft use of dramatic licence, using the word immigrant to elicit audience sympathy. Some commentators are trying to do the same thing over the Windrush affair, using the injustice suffered by long-standing and legally settled citizens to make a wider point about sans-papiers in Britain. But the Windrush children were never in the same category as the several hundred thousand people who are in Britain illegally. They did not enter clandestinely via Calais. They did not overstay tourist or student visas. They did not seek to hide their status from the authorities. It was always an anomaly that those who came legally from Commonwealth territories did not have full citizenship, and it is a matter of national shame that it should have taken such a debacle to close that loophole. I wonder whether our understanding is distorted by the prejudices of our age. If you believe that the British Empire was the source of all evil, but that a multi-ethnic society is the supreme good, you dont want to dwell on the fact that the first engendered the second. It becomes easier, perhaps, to forget that the Windrush generation came to Britain, not as immigrants, but as imperial subjects. Many of them indeed, a majority on the Windrush herself had defended the British Empire in uniform in the recent war. So shrill and narrow are the sensibilities of the Rhodes-Must-Fall generation that we can too easily gloss over the British patriotism of those West Indian pioneers. We have excised from our collective memory half of the Windrushs name: she was, as the photographs show, the Empire Windrush. The people at the time who bridled at the concept of a common imperial citizenship were not Labour ministers, but the Little Englanders who eventually found their champion in Enoch Powell. Anti-imperialism or, rather, a rejection of the notion that the Empire had created mutual bonds of affection and obligation was in those days the position of the fringe Right. Ministers have responded correctly to the Windrush fiasco, offering British nationality to the people affected and compensation to those who suffered. The Home Office should now take steps to anticipate further breakdowns. There will surely be other Commonwealth citizens who came legally in the 1950s and 1960s, and who should be offered the same opportunity to adopt, in law, the nationality that they hold in practice. The same is likely to be true of young EU nationals, who are growing up here today. Imagine, say, an Italian who came as a child in the 1990s, attended school in Britain and has English as a first language. It would be bizarre and immoral to put legal hurdles in the way of people in that situation who want UK citizenship. During the referendum campaign, every Leave spokesman promised to protect their status. That process should never have been dragged out as it has. To repeat, people who came to Britain legally are not in the same position as those who arrived as stowaways or who disappeared on the expiry of their visas. The Home Office is right to try to prevent illegal immigrants from accessing housing, healthcare and benefits. Its extraordinary that this should need saying but, in the current climate, it probably does. We seem to have forgotten that the rules were tightened in response to identified abuses. For example, there were cases of NHS hospitals forbidding their staff to check whether people were entitled to treatment. We dont have closed borders. We dont use ID cards. We know that the state lacks the institutional capacity to find and deport hundreds of thousands of people. In the circumstances, making it as hard as possible for illegal immigrants to access state services should be uncontroversial. The problem is not with that policy, but with its application to people who are here legally. Every MP reading this column will have come across constituency cases where people trying to do the right thing have been caught up in aggressive and sometimes mulish Home Office bureaucracy. I certainly have. People wanting to study at British universities, for example, often run into what looks like deliberate obstruction. I have had difficulties organising conferences for MPs from overseas. Making life harder for people who have applied properly is not tackling the problem of illegal immigration. It is using a sledgehammer to miss a nut. What we are dealing with here is an oversight: a tragic and unintended outcome that was, to her great credit, exposed by the Guardians Amelia Gentleman. Again, that should be an uncontroversial statement: even if you assume that all politicians are unprincipled, its hard to see how ministers could have wanted an outrage like this to blow up on their watch. And yet a lot of commentators are assuming or at least affecting to assume that there was a deliberate Conservative policy of selective deportation, a product of what Dawn Butler, the shadow minister for women and equalities, called institutional racism. Does she really believe that? Very possibly, in the same way that a surprising number of people believe that the Grenfell tragedy was an act of premeditated Tory murder. Behavioural psychologists teach that we tend to infer malignity whenever we come across a problem. I wrote on this site a few years ago about why that fallacy tends to be stronger on the Left. In this case, though, resignation demands and displays of outrage detract from what ought to be a straightforward policy solution. It should be possible to regularise the status of people who arrived legally in the UK while making it as hard as possible for illicit entrants to claim benefits. Which is precisely what the Government says it will do. Welsh Labour prepare for leadership contest as Jones announces departure Carwyn Jones, the First Minister of Wales, has announced that he intends to stand down in the autumn, setting the stage for a contest to decide the future course of the Assemblys only party of government. It looks as if last weeks successful effort to block an effort by the Assembly to force the publication of an inquiry into his administration has offered him the opportunity to leave on as close to a high note as he could hope for after months of being dogged by the Carl Sargeant scandal. Speaking at Welsh Labour conference, Jones also announced the winner of the contest to be the partys first-ever Welsh deputy leader. However that has stirred up fresh controversy has the winner, Carolyn Harris, won via the electoral college despite having just short of 1,500 fewer votes than Julie Morgan, her Momentum-backed opponent. As a result, it looks as if the system will be reviewed and likely abandoned before the election of Jones successor although Roger Scully suggests otherwise. A shift to One Member One Vote (OMOV) is believed to favour a more left-wing candidate, as it did when the UK party changed its rules in 2015. This would further cement the momentum behind Mark Drakeford, the Finance Secretary, who is the candidate most favoured by the left and also has the best-organised campaign. The fact that Welsh Labour will spend the next few months consumed by internal debate may help to explain why the Welsh Government finally struck a deal with the Government over the future of post-Brexit devolved powers. Whilst London has certainly made too many concessions, this decision isolates Nicola Sturgeon and undermines the SNPs attempts to spin the Withdrawal Bill as an assault on devolution. The First Minister has been a leading figure in the more powers!/fragile Union political tradition. As I wrote at the end of last year, by pressing Jones on the Sargeant affair the Welsh Conservatives have helped to protect the Governments western flank during the devolution row. Theres little hope that his successor will learn the lesson about over-indulging Welsh nationalism, however, so their work must continue. DUP maintain tough line on Brexit as Sinn Fein woos pro-Remain unionists In his interview with this website yesterday Nigel Dodds, the Westminster leader of the Democratic Unionists, reiterated that his party would withdraw its support from the Government if Theresa May conceded so-called special status for Northern Ireland. This is the demand that the Province should remain inside the Single Market and Customs Union, erecting trade and regulatory barriers with the mainland in order to maintain an invisible border with the Republic. He points out a basic truth which is too often ignored by commentators: that Ulsters economic interests overwhelmingly align with the United Kingdom. The mainland and global markets account for vastly more of Northern Irish exports (or external sales, in Great Britains case) than the rest of Ireland and the EU. Nor is a completely invisible border a provision of the Belfast Agreement, no matter what Keir Starmer might tell you. Whilst the DUP have been toughening their stance, Sinn Fein have made a new effort to try and win over pro-Remain unionists. Not only has Mary Lou McDonald, used the name Londonderry, but the party is actually supporting the nomination of a unionist to the Irish senate. Ian Marshall, the former president of the Ulster Farmers Union, has been nominated by Leo Varadkar for a vacant seat in the Irish upper house against rival candidates from his own Fine Gael party. McDonald describes him as a strong, anti-Brexit unionist voice. SNP infuriated by Westminsters offer of help on social security One of the more absurd dimensions of the current row over devolved powers is that the Scottish Government is having to desperately backpedal on taking over new responsibilities because its not ready for them. Just this week, Sturgeons administration has had to ask for a further delay on the transfer of control over welfare benefits, meaning that Westminster will continue to administer the system until 2021 despite ferocious Nationalist criticism of the way the Conservatives are running things. This is obviously a touchy subject for the SNP. When the Government offered to be ready to continue running things even longer if the new Scottish agencies werent ready to take over an eventuality you wouldnt rule out, based on the above Nationalist politicians were reportedly infuriated and branded the idea ridiculous, according to the Scotsman. But Caroline Gardner, Scotlands auditor-general, has warned that meeting staffing levels by next summers deadline may be difficult, so it is clearly a live possibility even if the Scottish Governments pride wont let them prepare for it. Elsewhere, the SNP were further embarrassed as fresh details emerged of their contact with Cambridge Analytica, the firm at the centre of the scandal over the misuse of Facebook data. The customs partnership option was formally floated by the Government as long ago as last August. Why is it only now meeting such opposition among Brexiteer MPs not only overt criticism from backbenchers, such as Jacob-Rees Mogg, but semi-covert slatings from friends of such Cabinet ministers as David Davis, Liam Fox, Michael Gove and Boris Johnson? After all, each one of these is a member of the Government and, therefore, a critic of a policy that they themselves are signed up to, at least in outline. The answer is that all concerned believed the idea would be dead in the water by now. Our columnist Henry Newman, the director of Open Europe, gave it a kicking immediately after it was introduced. It is a brilliant instance of a policy compatible with an objective in principle but not in practice the aim in this case being for Britain to be able to negotiate and sign its own trade deals. But why would a non-EU country have confidence in a prospective trade arrangement with another that would charge EU tariffs on its goods and then repay them later, if they were for domestic consumption? Even more to the point, what about the non-tariff barriers? Could prospective partners be sure that such a scheme, which hasnt been tried anywhere else in the world, would be administered by a workable bureaucracy? (The Windrush affair isnt exactly boosting the reputation of UK government administration abroad.) Newman said it might be legally challengeable. The EU claims that the scheme is unworkable. As we have seen during the last week, Leaver MPs are nervous about whether Theresa May will stick to her commitment to leave the Customs Union (in effect). Their skittishness gathered pace at the end of last week, and it wasnt until the start of this one that Downing Street offered vocal reassurance or tried to, anyway. In between, it was reported that someone from the political unit at Number Ten said: We wouldnt cry into our beer if we were forced to do this. (In other words, join a customs union like the present one.) The Commons debates the Customs Union today. However, a vote on a motion isnt the same thing as an amendment to a Bill: the latter might bind a Goverments hands; the latter does not, though it can restrict its room for manoeuvre. This is why Ministers arent rushing to get the Customs Bill and the Trade Bill to the Commons soon: they know that both will provide opportunities for an amendment that would seek to commit Ministers to membership of a customs union as a negotiating objective. But the shorter-term challenge to the Governments unity and coherence is not a customs union but that customs partnership. Discussion of it in Theresa Mays war cabinet has been postponed to next week. The nub of the politics of the matter is whether Ministers would resign over it. Johnson, Fox and Davis are all more likely than not to quit if the Prime Minister turns turtle on the Customs Union itself. It is hard to see how the Government and May herself could survive such a development. What will happen if Cabinet backs the customs partership model is more questionable. In crude terms, the Prime Minister seems to have the backing to get it through the crucial Brexit Cabinet sub-committee on strategy and negotiations the so-called War Cabinet. And what the committee approves the Cabinet wont block. But rejecting the other customs option, the so-called highly-streamed customs arrangement, would destabilise the Cabinet further and make waves on the Conservative backbenches. When May began to formulate her negotiation strategy before the last election, the key figure helping her to shape it was Nick Timothy. Whatever ones view of her former co-Chief of Staff, there is no disputing that he is a committed Brexiteer. Since he left Number Ten after the general election debacle, there has been no Leaver of similar prominence or power within the Downing Street machine. While the big picture framework that Timothy helped to draw up has stayed intact (the Government remains committed to leaving the EU entire, including the Single Market, Customs Union and ECJ jurisdiction) the granular detail will leave Britain, if the Prime Minister achieves her negotiating objectives, closer to the EU than might otherwise have been the case for example over alingment and divergence. The customs partnership model is an illustration of the shift. The still point in this turning world is that May will be fixated on her own survival. Over the next week, she is likely to search for a compromise that will keep the customs partnership model, or at least elements of it, in play, on the one hand, while not alienating Brexiteer Ministers, on the other. We cheerfully admit having no idea whatsoever what this might be. Nor, perhaps, does she. And finally. Following the ins and outs of policy shifts and Cabinet manouevres is political journalists bread and butter. But none of these developments are taking place in a vacuum. The formal date of Brexit is less than a year away. And until or unless the Government resolves its position on the Customs Union, it cannot hope to make progress on key issues in the talks. The most vivid example is the UK/Ireland border. That makes the backstop position, to which Nigel Dodds took reasonable exception on this site yesterday, loom larger. As Michel Barnier puts it, the clock is ticking. Or, as a Minister puts it in a variation on the theme, it has already passed midnight twice. Tick tock tick tock tick tock This mornings Daily Telegraph reports that Liz Truss, the Treasury minister, has warned that the Conservatives need to protect companies such as Uber and AirBnB from Labours assault on the so-called gig economy. Accompanying this was an op-ed mysteriously absent from their site, but heres a picture setting out the case for free markets as the best way of not only tackling major challenges such as housing but protecting individual liberty too. Its a good line, especially on housing, and just the sort of thing we might expect from the MP who headlined the launch of Freer. Several other Tory MPs, of the newer intakes, seem to be thinking along similar lines. But aiming this fire at Labour feels a little premature when the liberals have so much work to do to get the Tory house in order. Remember that during the last leadership contest, Boris Johnson was supposed to be the candidate flying the liberal flag. Yet the assault on Uber in London began whilst he was Mayor, with an absurdly lop-sided public consultation that allowed the ride-sharing apps critics to breeze through, clicking Yes to leading questions, whilst dissenters had to spell out their objections on every point. It was also this Government which had to beat an embarrassing retreat from a bid by Philip Hammond to put the National Insurance squeeze on self-employed workers, and ministers continue to send out worrying signals about flattening the so-called employment wedge between employees and freelancers by giving the latter extra rights in exchange for higher taxes. As Ive explained before, for people trying to out-compete traditional employees extra entitlements do not compensate for higher taxes, theyre just another burden to bear. And all this is before we even turn to other parts of the Governments agenda, such as its retreat into the lifestyle authoritarianism of David Camerons administration, let alone the Windrush fiasco. Its good to see somebody in the Party writing and speaking as if theyre excited about the future, and Truss deserves credit for that. But the defence of freedom is more than anything about the fighting of unpopular battles and powerful interest groups. If she and her allies want to turn Freers libertarianism into the basis of a new Tory programme, let alone sell it to the country, they have a lot of persuading to do. Tens of thousands of dollars worth of cryptocurrency have been stolen by hackers, once again raising concerns about the security of blockchain technology. MyEtherWallet.com is a free site that allows consumers to trade Ethereum, or Ether, a cryptocurrency currently valued in the ballpark of $650. The site warns all visitors that it doesn't consider itself responsible should hackers access users Ether accounts. We cannot recover your funds or freeze your account if you visit a phishing site or lose your private key, a notice on the site says. You and only you are responsible for your security. Thats bad news for MyEtherWallet users who recently fell victim to a DNS hijacking scam. Hackers apparently redirected people who visited MyEtherWallet.com to a fake look-alike site. When users logged into the spoof site, the hackers were able to access their passwords and subsequently empty their accounts. In all, the hackers reportedly made off with 215 Ether -- or the equivalent of $160,000. According to a statement that MyEtherWallet published on Reddit, the hack was no fault of their own. Instead, the site blames vulnerabilities in Googles DNS servers for the theft. This redirecting of DNS servers is a decade-old hacking technique that aims to undermine the Internets routing system, MyEtherWallet said. It can happen to any organization, including large banks. This is not due to a lack of security on the @myetherwallet platform. It is due to hackers finding vulnerabilities in public facing DNS servers. Its unclear if affected traders will get their funds back. MyEtherWallet adds in its statement that we are currently in the process of verifying which servers were targeted to help resolve this issue as soon possible. Ubers Dubai competitor Careem, a Dubai-based ride-hailing app that is Ubers largest competitor in the Middle East, admitted that it discovered a security breach that exposed consumer data back in January. The company did not disclose the breach until Monday because Cybercrime investigations are immensely complicated and take time. We wanted to make sure we had the most accurate information before notifying people, a statement published by Careem added. Now that the breach has been disclosed, Careem is advising users to change their passwords and to monitor their bank accounts for any suspicious activity. Phone numbers Law enforcement in Colorado are asking for the public's help in finding suspects accused of taking part in a popular and relatively easy phone hijacking scam. Using online services that identify the carriers of any phone number, identify thieves took information to a mobile phone store, where they impersonated the carrier to get a new phone without paying for it. Instead the cost of the phone showed up as an unpleasant surprise on consumers monthly bill. According to the Federal Trade Commission, reports of this crime doubled since 2013, with 2,658 complaints submitted in 2016. Yahoo rises from the grave The company Yahoo may be no more after getting sold to Verizon in 2016, but it still owes the government some money -- $35 million to be exact. The SEC is fining Yahoo for failing to alert investors and consumers about a massive security breach that happened back in 2014. The SEC alleges that Yahoos information security team learned that Rusian hackers had stolen what the security team referred to internally as the companys crown jewels several days after the attack took place in 2014. To be more specific, the security team that stolen information included usernames, email addresses, phone numbers, birthdates, encrypted passwords, and security questions and answers for hundreds of millions of user accounts. Yahoo eventually did disclose the breach two years later, shortly before it closed the deal with Verizon. Altaba, the company behind the Yahoo brand, has now agreed to pay a $35 million penalty for the cover-up. Shipping companies Forget pirates. A group of hackers based in Nigeria have figured out how to steal money from shipping companies via the internet, according to a report by a cybersecurity firm. The hacking group, which goes by the name Gold Galleon, attempted to steal at least $3.9 million from maritime shipping businesses and their customers, the researchers said. The partnership between Hannover Fairs USA and the Association for Manufacturing Technology around the biannual International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) in Chicago has produced continued growth in both the show as a whole and the industrial automation, motors and drives component that long has been the strength of the annual Hannover Messe show in Germany. That partnership will reach a new level in the 2018. For the first time, Deutsche Messe will market a show under the Hannover Messe brand. Hannover Messe USA was presented at a press conference in Hannover April 24 during this years Hannover Messe in Germany, and among the dignitaries on hand for the announcement was Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner, who touted his states role in manufacturing and transportation as key drivers to attract the event. Illinois is at the heart of manufacturing in the United States, Rauner said. IMTS is one of great trade shows in the world, and we believe it will transform the networking between companies around the world. The 2018 IMTS Show, which will be Sept. 10-15 at McCormick Place in Chicago, is on track to be among the most successful ever. The 2016 show drew more than 115,000 attendees and generated an estimated $1.78 billion in future sales. The 2018 show will have more exhibitors in both the IMTS and Hannover Messe USA pavilions, and that could drives even greater attendance Marc Siemering, senior vice president of industry, energy and logistics for Deutsche Messe AG, said the extension of the Hannover Messe name followed the successful Partner Country effort from the United States in 2016. That created tremendous awareness for the brand, and we want to extend that brand to North America in 2018, Siemering said. It makes all the sense in the world for us to be at IMTS in Chicago, said Larry Turner, president and CEO of Hannover Fairs USA. Its been a great partnership for us. Among the partnerships is one between Hannover Fairs USA and CFE Media, which will co-organize the 2018 Global Automation and Manufacturing Summit (GAMS) on Wednesday, Sept. 12 starting with registration at 11:30 a.m. The half-day seminar will bring in experts from around the world to discuss the industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and its impact on robotics, cybersecurity, maintenance and production. Siemens is the GAMS Platinum Sponsor, and Beckhoff, Infor, Stratus and UL are Gold Sponsors. IMTS 2018 comes at a time of great growth not just for the show, but for manufacturing as a whole, said Peter Eelman, vice president of exhibitions and business development for AMT. The U.S. economy and the manufacturing market as a whole remains in a strong position, Eelman said. The baseline is consumer sentiment, and that remains strong, with steady GDP growth and the passing of several tax reforms that has put money into the economy. Those federal tax cuts, Rauner said, have been the main talking points on his two-week trade mission in central Europe designed to help recruit additional manufacturing and business to Illinois. The tax regulation changes have been a massive step forward, Rauner said. Were now much more competitive with our tax rates and the tax benefits we can offer. It will enhance investment in America and enhance U.S. investment around the world. The issue of global trade was mentioned by both German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Mexican president Enrique Pena Nieto at the Sunday opening ceremony for Hannover Messe that Rauner attended. Rauner dismissed much of the talk on both sides of the Atlantic as more gamesmanship than policy. Global trade drives economic prosperity. We should be knocking down barriers to trade, Rauner said. It is important to note that there is no such thing as free trade. There should be fair trade, and there should ad adjustments in our trading policy especially with countries such as China over intellectual property. Its also important to see the difference between posturing and rhetoric, Rauner added. I dont think it benefits anyone to get caught up in the rhetoric. There are different ways of negotiating, with different styles. Bob Vavra, content manager, CFE Media, bvavra@cfemedia.com. WALDEN, Ontario The Sudbury Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) is continuing its investigation into a fatal, single motor vehicle collision that occurred at approximately 6:19 a.m. on April 17, 2018 on Highway 17, east of Regional Road 55. The passenger of the transport truck was pronounced deceased at the scene. She has been identified as 33 year old Jennifer BASTASICH from Cornwall, Ontario. As a result of the investigation, the driver of the transport truck, Kimberly-Ann WARDEN, also from Cornwall, Ontario, was charged with careless driving contrary to section 130 of the Highway Traffic Act (HTA). Highway 17 westbound lanes, in that area, were closed for approximately 12 hours while emergency services personnel conducted their investigation and cleared the scene. The investigation is continuing. It has been determined that road and weather conditions were not a factor. CORNWALL, Ontario The City of Cornwall has announced that it will be submitting an idea for the Smart Cities Challenge. The challenge gives cities the opportunity to submit ideas to improve their community with the potential of gaining funding to develop those ideas into reality. The City of Cornwall is proposing installing monitoring hubs in the homes of residents of Cornwall that would offer two-way communication between residents and emergency services. In addition to communicating with residents in the event of an emergency, the system would also send residents other kind of messages, such as reminders to check smoke detectors. The system would connect at home emergency features like smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to a residents cellphone as well as Cornwall Fire Services. The system would also collect data about the home and its occupants. City of Cornwall Economic Development Officer Bob Peters envisions the system having knowledge about the number of occupants in a home, if they have any pets and even medical conditions. When questioned about concerns about data security and privacy, Peters acknowledged that there were concerns. Peters said that concerns about privacy would be addressed in a future phase of the project if it is selected by the Smart Cities committee to move forward. It is a part of the proposal to address some of these questions, he said. Not all of these answers are in place. Peters said that he envisioned the possibility of residents choosing not to share all of their data, or to opt out of certain features of the system. He also pointed out that the City already has experience in dealing with sensitive data like tax information. The project has yet to be costed, but Peters said that aspect of the proposal would be developed if Cornwalls idea made it to the next phase of the Smart Cities Challenge. If the idea goes ahead, then the City would engage in thorough public consultations. Itll be really neat because we will be developing this idea together as a community, said Cornwall Fire Chief Pierre Voisine. Voisine said that for him, the big advantage is the connectivity between emergency services and monitoring systems like smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Even if that is the feature that is on in everyones home and they turn everything else off, it is still a big win for us, said Voisine. Cornwall will find out this summer if its Smart Cities application was successful. Cornwall will then receive funding to develop the idea further. Residents are encouraged to send their feedback on the idea to the City of Cornwall either through email or their Facebook page. Find the citys proposal on their website here. Smart Cities is a contest being run by Infrastructure Canada with a top prize of $50 million. Learn more about Smart Cities by following this link. Cornwall City Council issued a directive at a Council Meeting on Feb. 26 that a committee be created to build a short list of ideas for the Smart Cities challenge. The committee was supposed to work 40-50 hours on this proposal with the possibility of creating online surveys and social media consultations prior to submitting an idea. The committee was then expected to consult with the community on the best idea to submit. Cornwall has until April 24 to submit its final Smart Cities proposal. CORNWALL, Ontario Most of the remnants of the Seaway International Bridge will be torn down by 2020. There are currently three piers in the water that once supported the bridge and on Wednesday, April 18 the Federal International Bridge Corporation (FIBC) announced that plans were in place to take them down. The demolition of the three remaining in-water piers will be tendered later this year for an anticipated completion in 2020, reads a statement from the FIBC. This work was planned as part of the original bridge replacement project and the commitment reaffirmed in 2015 by FBCLs president and Chief Executive Officer, Micheline Dube. For environmental reasons (such as fish spawning, river habitat and pollution control), the in-water piers cannot be completely removed, but will be reduced to a height of approximately 2 metres above water level. The project also includes roadwork and the installation of a traffic light at the main intersection of Cornwall Island. Work on that part of the project is expected to begin in mid-May. Once finished, this project will complete an $85 million investment by FBCL and the Government of Canada on the North Channel Bridge Replacement project, the statement from the FIBC reads. The project included the construction of the Canal Bridge and new low-level North Channel Bridge, the demolition of the original high-level North Channel Bridge structure and piers, the Brookdale Avenue roadway reconstruction, Cornwall Island roadway reconstruction and demolition of the original high-level North Channel Bridge in-water piers. Pier 3s on Cornwalls waterfront will not be torn down and it has already been connected to the recreational path and a lookout has been added to the pier itself. PRESCOTT, Ontario Frank Dwyer is the Officer in Charge for the Marine Communications and Traffic Services with the Coast Guard and he hopes that more people from Cornwall would be interested in a rewarding career with his service. Marine Communications and Traffic Service (MCTS) officers are the ones who respond to the mayday calls that get sent out by ships in distress on the St. Lawrence River, and they also direct and regulate vessel traffic along the waterway. It is the most satisfying work you can do, said Dwyer. Every once in a while, you get to make sure a husband or a wife gets back to their family. Dwyer said that the Coast Guard was looking for more MCTS officers for their office in Prescott, ON, and said that he was surprised that there are not more recruits from Cornwall, given the citys proximity and the number of bilingual people living in Cornwall. Dwyer said that the Coast Guard is recruiting for all of their stations, and that the Coast Guard pays for a recruits training which takes place on the east coast. To inquire about a career as an MCTS Officer with the Coast Guard, email go-mcts-go-sctm@dfo-mpo.gc.ca or call 1-833-562-4224. Pakistans chief justice says he will decide, soon, the fate of Aasiya Noreen, a Christian woman whose 2009 conviction on blasphemy charges has fixated world attention on the countrys treatment of religious minorities. Chief Justice Saqib Nisar told Noreens lawyer, Saif ul Malook, on 21 April that he would hear the womans appeal. Noreen, popularly known as Asia Bibi, has been imprisoned since 2009. Be ready, Saif ul Malook. I am going to fix your case soon and I myself will preside over the bench, the Catholic news service UCAN reported Nisar as saying. Bibis family and everyone else who understands her ordeal, are ecstatic at the news that her appeal will be heard soon, Malook told UCAN. According to Pakistan Today, the Chief Justice also said that all criminal appeals before the Supreme Court will be decided by July. The report did not explicitly mention Noreens case, but it is a criminal matter. Noreen, a Catholic mother of five children, was arrested for allegedly making derogatory comments about Islams prophet, Muhammad, during an argument with a Muslim woman. She has been in prison ever since and was sentenced to death for blasphemy a year later. During an appeal the Lahore High Court upheld her death sentence. She filed an appeal with Pakistans Supreme Court but her last appearance, 20 months ago, was adjourned amid protests. An appeals court in 2014 used Noreens case as justification to ask Pakistans government to change court rules in such a way as to make future blasphemy convictions more difficult to obtain. Only Pakistans Supreme Court can change Noreens death sentence. The Italian news organisation La Stampa reported that Noreen herself has learned of the chief justices intentions. She was thrilled and full of hope; she reacted with great faith, giving praise to God, La Stampa quoted Joseph Nadeem, a family associate and head of an educational foundation in Lahore, as saying after a visit to Noreen in the Multan womens prison. It said Nadeem reported Noreen to be in good health. La Stampa also reported that the Council of Bishops of Pakistan, which comprises pastors from a variety of Christian denominations, expressed appreciation for the chief justices decision. Blasphemy against Islam is an extremely sensitive issue in Pakistan. In November, protests against potential reform of the current laws brought life to a halt in the capital, Islamabad, and though international pressure increases for the government to change its legislation, conservative Muslim groups continue to vehemently refuse. As part of his decision to hear Noreens appeal, Justice Nisar ordered police protection for Malook restored. Two prominent Pakistani politicians were assassinated in 2010 after they spoke publicly in Noreens defence. During a visit in December the EUs Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief, Jan Figel, told Pakistani officials that the renewal of their export privileges to Europe depends on the release of Noreen. The British Pakistani Christian Association said earlier this week that it was disappointed with the news that the EU had decided to renew the trading agreement with Pakistan. The post Pakistans top judge says he will hear Asia Bibis appeal personally appeared first on World Watch Monitor. Publication date: April 26, 2018 Pullmantur Cruises brought its Captain for a Day program to Colon and Cartagena recently aboard the Monarch, hosting school children between the ages from five to 10. More tan 100 children, who attend the Colegio Republica de Bolivia (Colon) and the Institucion Educativa Pedro de Heredia (Cartagena), participated while the ship was in port . The President and CEO of Pullmantur, Richard J. Vogel, and the Captain of the Monarch, Alex Norenko, also joined and welcomed the children aboard. The children and their teachers toured the ship together with the cruise staff, who accompanied the participants throughout their stay. In addition, they were served a snack and viewed a show involving storytelling, which was created exclusively for them. Vogel stated that it is very satisfying to see the children's excitement and joy. It's an incentive thatwithout a doubtmotivates us to continue this program, the aim of which is to offer a glimpse of what we do to the students who attend schools near the ports where we operate." Vogel also expresseed his thanks to Captain Norenko and all the officers and crew for their commitment and involvement in this initiative, which has made it possible for the children to have an unforgettable day with us." Captain for a Day was launched by Pullmantur in May 2015 and has to date been offered in Colombia (Cartagena), Spain (Barcelona, La Coruna, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Vigo) and Portugal (Lisbon). When homeless people show up in hospital emergency rooms, clinicians provide them the best care they can, knowing full well that theyll be back again soon. One homeless man visited the ER at Norwalk Hospital 110 times in a single year. Its difficult to provide homeless people with consistent health care, but we cant give up on them, said Lisa Bahadosingh, director of special projects for Supportive Housing Works, which coordinates services for the homeless in Fairfield County. Thats why hospitals, community clinics and homeless service organizations in Norwalk, Bridgeport, Stamford, Hartford, New Haven and other cities are collaborating to offer better care for homeless people. Theyre reaching out to provide people the shelter, food and medical care that can improve the quality of their lives, and, potentially, bring them back into the mainstream. At the same time, these organizations hope to reduce the high cost of providing health care for the homeless in hospital emergency departments. Roughly 40 to 45 percent of the most frequent visitors to the states hospital emergency rooms are homeless, according to a 2017 study by the Partnership for Strong Communities. At more than $1,000 per visit, the cost quickly adds up. Experts say the state could save tens of millions of dollars per year by treating people on the street or in clinics instead. Homeless patients come to emergency departments in high numbers, costing systems millions of dollars and leading to poorer health outcomes, said Dr. Karen Jubanyik, an associate professor of emergency medicine at Yale School of Medicine. Community Care Teams The model for providing integrated services for the homeless got its start at Middlesex Hospital. Several years ago, hospital officials realized they had to respond to overuse of the ER by homeless people. It was expensive and disruptive. They created the Middlesex County Community Care Team to coordinate services for the most frequent users of the hospital. Today, that team includes representatives from 14 community organizations, including health care providers, soup kitchens and shelters, housing placement agencies, and the state Medicaid system, which funds health care for poor people. The Middlesex program has delivered impressive results. In the first year, 2013, ER visits by high-frequency users were reduced by 63 percent. In 2016, approximately $1.7 million in ER visit costs were avoided. Not surprisingly, this approach to homeless health care is spreading across the state, with teams now operating in 15 communities. The integrated care teams have produced many success stories. In Danbury, a man who had been living in a van and was poisoned by using a camp stove for warmth, is now housed, on medication for hypertension and looking for a job. Were not done with him, either, says Kevin McVeigh, a social worker with the community care team who helps homeless people navigate community services. Well continue to monitor him and help him when he needs it. In New Haven, Cornell Scott-Hill Health Centers homeless outreach team provides on-the-spot medical care for homeless people where they are in soup kitchens and shelters, in parks and under bridges, and on some of New Havens meaner streets. They send people to the clinic for more serious issues, including mental illness and drug addiction. Quentin Staggers, homeless for nearly a decade, credits Phil Costello, the clinical director of Cornell Scotts team, with saving his life. He awoke one day on a bench on the New Haven Green with a blinding headache. He saw Costello and asked for help. Costello took Staggers blood pressure a frightening 200 over 167 and sent him to a clinic, where he got medications to stabilize his condition. If it wasnt for him taking my blood pressure right then and there, I probably would have had a heart attack, Staggers said. Paying for care Over the past few years, the state has made substantial progress in finding long-term housing for homeless people. The population dropped from 4,450 in 2014 to 3,387 last year, down 24 percent, according to the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness. Still, major problems continue in the homeless population, and health care leaders say theyre hampered by rules for providing and paying for services. Medicaid, for instance, reimburses for those expensive ER visits, but money is tight when it comes to paying for preventive care. Its penny wise and pound foolish if you dont provide preventative and routine care, and people end up in the ER, said Dr. Charles Herrick, chair of psychiatry at Danbury and New Milford hospitals. This is where our country is struggling. The Connecticut Hospital Association estimates that the state could save up to $28 million in Medicaid-reimbursed ER costs per year if all of 23 regions adopted the community care team program. While the general assembly approved $4.5 million to support CCTs in 2015, the money was never spent due to budgetary shortfalls. Because of looming budget cuts at the state and federal levels, money is going to get even tighter, so health care leaders said theyre relying on ingenuity to get things done. To stretch dollars, the Cornell Scott team is recruiting volunteer medical students and retired clinicians to bolster their street medicine program. For Cornell Scotts Costello, the medical care his team provides is part of an even higher calling. Whether you can make them better or not, the important thing is to treat them with respect, to provide an open ear, and to be there in their moment of need so you can provide some comfort, he said. This story was reported under a partnership with the Connecticut Health I-Team (c-hit.org). SOUTHBURY Andrew James Bleidner was a student at Norwich University, a military college in Vermont, when his grandfather passed away four years ago. Bleidner, 24, had long planned to enter the military, but he began to think more and more about the career path his grandfather had always wanted him to pursue as an actor. He always used to tell me, Andrew, dont be a soldier in the real world; be one on the big screen, Bleidner said. Bleidners grandfather, a veteran of the Army Air Corps, had lived through total war and worried whether a life in the service was the right choice for Andrew. I think he always knew I was charismatic, and he wanted me to play off of that, Bleidner said. I decided to try to honor him and go for it. Bleidner took time off from school after his junior year to pursue acting roles, many of which involved playing military personnel. His latest role is his biggest yet: Civil War Col. Robert Gould Shaw in the Fox News docu-series Legends & Lies, which airs at 8 p.m. on Sundays. Bleidners character first appeared Sunday, in the fourth episode in the series, and will return again in episodes seven and eight. Bleidner said the role has been particularly interesting given its historical significance; Shaw commanded the 54th Massachusetts regiment, the first African-American unit formed during the Civil War. His story was previously featured in the 1989 film Glory," starring Morgan Freeman and Denzel Washington, with Matthew Broderick as Shaw. Coincidentally, the casting director who got Bleidner his first role as President Lyndon B. Johnsons Marine guard in the movie Selma had also cast Glory. "I hope Matthew Broderick sees (the show), Bleidner said. Hes going to be given a run for his money. He said he had been interested in the era since his mother gave him her collection of Civil War memorabilia when he was young. To prepare for the role, Bleidner said he tried to fully immerse himself in the history. He visited battle sites, reached out to historical societies and read everything he could to learn about Shaws life. I had to jump into it as much as I could," Bleidner said. It seemed like everyone had another piece of this puzzle to put together. Finding out more and being able to step on the soil I knew he was on, it helped me better become the character. Last year, the sword Shaw carried during the 1865 assault on South Carolinas Fort Wagner, in which he was killed, made headlines when it was donated to the Massachusetts Historical Society. The sword had been missing since his death. Bleidner said he is setting up a private viewing with the historical society to see the sword in person. He added that hes not sure what his next role will be, but that friends, family and those with potential job offers have been reaching out since the show aired. Its fun but I know that I got a lot more left in the tank, he said. Im at the beginning of my career its not going to stop here, its going to keep going." aquinn@newstimes.com BRIDGEPORT Threats made about Harding High School in a suspicious social media post were unfounded, officials said Wednesday. Word of the Facebook post started to circulate Wednesday afternoon. Student resource officers were investigating the situation in conjunction with city patrol officers, dispatch reports indicated. Two students were named in what the schools assistant superintendent, John Lischner, said was a phony Facebook post. Throughout the afternoon, police went to various residents in the city related to this incident, dispatch reports indicated. One officer said several calls had be received about the social media post. After the investigation, police discovered there was no real threat, Lischner said. He said the students named in the fake post were not involved in any way. There was no official word on what was written in the post, but the dispatch reports indicated the post referenced a school shooting. Officials for the police department did not immediately respond for comment. Bridgeport isn't often thought of as the safest place in Connecticut, but according to ADT, University of Bridgeport is the safest college campus in the state. The home security company conducted a study of campuses across the country with at least 1,000 enrolled students and compared their Campus Safety data from the U.S. Department of Education and FBI crime data. WASHINGTON Nestled on a wooded mountaintop along the shores of Lake Waramaug, the home at 46 June Road was built to both blend with its environment and protect it. The exterior is made of Canadian sandstone, meant to complement the stones on the hillside. Inside, geothermal heating and cooling, energy-efficient windows imported from Germany and thousands of feet of mahogany from trees that fell in a hurricane in Nicaragua create an emphasis on sustainability. This environmentally friendly focus was one of the homeowners main goals when he commissioned Tea2 Architects, a Minnesota firm, to build the six-bedroom estate in 2010, project manager Eric Johnson said. Before they built the house, they spent a lot of time on the property, Johnson said. Thats what drew them to the area everything around it so they wanted to be good neighbors and add to that environment. The 31-acre property includes a private dock and picnic area on Lake Waramaug and borders one of Steep Rock Land Trusts open space preserves. So when building the house, the homeowners wanted to ensure it grew out of the site, and would last for generations to come. Johnson and his team began wondering how to take full advantage of the lake views to the north and the sunlight from the south while still creating a durable structure. The narrative started coming out, what if there was a stone ruin on this property already, and we started inserting modern, open inserts into this stone ruin? Johnson said. Johnson said they started with a design using heavy masonry similar to 15th-century English architecture, contrasting it with glassy details such as a living room with walls of windows on three sides. The kitchen and family room which the owner calls the treehouse for the way it appears to jut out over the trees also have windows on both sides, Johnson said. Grace Franjola, the listing agent for the property, said the new home brings her thoughts about the June Road lot full circle from when she first encountered it 15 years ago. She was the listing agent for the lot when it was on the market back in 2003. Back then, the lot was 24 acres and home to a small 1937 cottage largely surrounded by woods that blocked the house from its view of the lake. I thought to myself, Boy, you have frontage on this beautiful lake, you have a potential view here, Franjola said. But it was all wooded; you couldnt really see there was this magnificent view. The small cottage still stands on the property, Franjola said. But the new homeowners had a vision of how to build a house on the top of the hillside and remove selected trees to fully reveal the views, she said. They also added about seven acres to the property. The home is on the market for $9.95 million. Its quite breathtaking," Franjola said. He saw (the property) and said, I get it and boy, did he get it. aquinn@newstimes.com For the second consecutive day, NAFCU lobbyists met with key offices to help set the record straight on issues related to the credit union tax exemption. As part of this effort, NAFCU Executive Vice President of Government Affairs and General Counsel Carrie Hunt and other senior staff have met with both Senate Finance Committee staff and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatchs personal staff on tax issues. Yesterdays meetings came after an attack on the credit union tax exemption from the National Taxpayers Union and other tax associations. As part of that response, NAFCU Vice President of Legislative Affairs Brad Thaler also sent a letter to Hatch and members of the Senate Finance Committee to debunk the attack and further detail the economic benefits of the credit union tax exemption. NAFCU has aggressively defended credit unions against such attacks, highlighting the structural differences between credit unions and banks and the billions of dollars in economic benefits credit unions tax status provides the U.S. economy. On April 8, I was one of several who represented CUNA Mutual Group at the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Run. We joined thousands of runners from coast-to-coast participating in credit union road races to benefit the Childrens Miracle Network Hospitals. Since 2009, CUNA Mutual Group has supported the Childrens Miracle Network Hospitals by participating in the Credit Union SACTOWN Run in Sacramento, California and the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Run in Washington, D.C. We send teams of employees to join the army of credit union movement road warriors to show our spirit in solidarity. It was a rewarding time in Washington D.C. I had the opportunity to spend three days with the organizing committee, credit union leaders and volunteers. Holding an event of this magnitude isnt easy, and I was inspired by the passion and energy that goes into the preparation. The opportunity to visit the Childrens Miracle Network Hospital in Washington D.C. was a remarkable experience a chance to see the reality that many families face and the difference we can make with our financial support. Ive had friends and family directly benefit from the research and special work that goes on in Childrens Miracle Network Hospitals, so this event held a special place in my heart. The weekend began with the childrens race on Saturday. The threat of a snowstorm didnt deter kids of all ages from getting out and running to support Childrens Miracle Network Hospitals. Many of the kids were from families that have benefited from the hospitals and the financial support provided by credit unions and their members. I met one family where both parents had been running the 10 mile race for years, and now their children were participating in the kids race. With credit union support, those kids may someday run the 10 miler themselves! On Sunday, I joined almost 20,000 runners that tackled a clear but cold start and finished either a 10 mile or 5K course. This race lived up to its name with the cherry blossoms in full bloom on race day. It was one of the quickest races Ive ever completed. Not because of a lightning fast pace but rather the perspective that it provided. My mind raced as I ran through the blossoms, around monuments and reflected on the collective impact this group has in communities across the country. People Helping People Participating in this race was just another day in the life of hundreds of credit union advocates. It was a chance to pull together with like-minded folks, helping provide hope to families when they need it most. At the center of CUNA Mutual Groups cooperative purpose is helping people. I cant think of a better way to live our purpose than by supporting the Childrens Miracle Network and the families they serve. Together, thanks to 70 credit unions and other key sponsors, we enabled a $380,000 donation! Want to get involved? Its not too late. Your support helps provide 32 million patient visits for the 10 million kids served by Childrens Miracle Network Hospitals every year. Learn more and donate today. Your support is greatly appreciated, and 100 percent of the funds donated will go to local Childrens Miracle Network Hospitals to save and improve the lives of as many children as possible. Together we can make a difference. Dont try to sleep it off get up! Klondex Mines Ltd., together with its subsidiaries, acquires, explores, develops, and produces mineral properties in the United States and Canada. It primarily explores for gold and silver deposits. The company holds 100% interests in the Fire Creek mine covering approximately 19,000 acres located in Lander County; the Midas mine and ore milling facility covering approximately 30,000 acres situated in Elko County; and the Hollister mine approximately 18,000 acres located in Elko County. It also has 100% interests in the True North gold mine and mill covering approximately 39,868 hectares situated in Manitoba, Canada; and the Aurora mine and ore milling facility covering approximately 5,004 contiguous acres located in Nevada, as well as in the Ogama-Rockland property in Manitoba, Canada. The company was formerly known as Attila Resources Limited and changed its name to Klondex Mines Ltd. in October 1974. Klondex Mines Ltd. was founded in 1971 and is headquartered in Reno, Nevada. Read More Rogers Communications Inc. operates as a communications and media company in Canada. It operates through three segments: Wireless, Cable, and Media. The Wireless segment offers wireless voice and data communication services to individual consumers, businesses, governments, and other telecommunications service providers; postpaid and prepaid wireless services under the Rogers, Fido, and chatr brands; and wireless devices, services, and applications to consumers and businesses. It provides its services to approximately 10.8 million subscribers. The Cable segment provides high-speed Internet, television, voice communication, and smart home monitoring services to consumers, businesses, governments, and wholesale resellers; and operates a transcontinental fiber-optic network that extends approximately 70,000 route kilometers, which provides voice and data communications and advanced services, including data centers and cloud computing to the enterprise, public sector, and carrier wholesale markets. Its service territory covers approximately 4.4 million homes. The Media segment owns the Toronto Blue Jays league baseball team and the Rogers Centre event venue; and offers television and radio broadcasting, multi-platform shopping experience, digital media, and publishing services. Rogers Communications Inc. was founded in 1920 and is based in Toronto, Canada. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Sysco: 2234829 Alberta ULC, 2234842 Alberta ULC, A. M. Briggs Inc., A.M. Briggs, Almacen Fiscal Frionet Caldera S.A., Almacen Fiscal Frionet Limon S.A., Appert's Foodservice, Arnotts (Fruit) Limited, Asian Foods, Bahamas Food Holdings Limited, Bahamas Food Services Limited, Brake Bros, Brake Bros Foodservice Ireland Limited, Brake Bros. Foodservice Limited, Brake Bros. Holding I Limited, Brake Bros. Ltd., Brakes Foodservice NI Limited, Buchy Food Service, Buckhead Beef Co., Buckhead Meat & Seafood of Houston Inc., Buckhead Meat Company, Buckhead Meat Midwest Inc., Buckhead Meat of Dallas Inc., Buckhead Meat of Denver Inc., Buckhead Meat of San Antonio LP, Buzztable Inc., CAKE Corporation, Central Seafood Co., Christys Wine & Spirits Limited, Clafra Aktiebolag, Colorado Boxed Beef Co - Specialty meat-cutting division, Corporacion Frionet Sociedad Anonima, Crossgar Foodservice, Crossgar Foodservice Limited, Crown I Enterprises Inc., Cucina Acquisitions (UK) Limited, Cucina Finance (UK) Limited, Cucina French Holdings Limited, Cucina Fresh Finance Limited, Cucina Fresh Investments Limited, Cucina Lux Investments Limited, Curleys Quality Foods Limited (Third Party), Davigel Belgilux S.A., Davigel Espana S.A., Desert Meats & Provisions, Distagro, Doerle Food Service, Doughtie's Foods Inc., Dust Bowl City LLC, Eko Fagel Fisk o mittemellan AB, Enclave Insurance Company, Enclave Parkway Association Inc., Enclave Properties LLC, European Imports, European Imports Inc., Figg Inc., Freedman Meats, Freedman Meats Inc., Freedman-KB Inc., Fresh Direct (UK) Limited, Fresh Direct Group Limited, Fresh Direct Limited, Fresh Holdings Limited, FreshPoint, FreshPoint Arizona Inc., FreshPoint Atlanta Inc., FreshPoint California Inc., FreshPoint Central California Inc., FreshPoint Central Florida Inc., FreshPoint Connecticut LLC, FreshPoint Dallas Inc., FreshPoint Denver Inc., FreshPoint Hawaii LLC, FreshPoint Inc., FreshPoint Las Vegas Inc., FreshPoint North Carolina Inc., FreshPoint North Florida Inc., FreshPoint Oklahoma City LLC, FreshPoint Pompano Real Estate LLC, FreshPoint Puerto Rico LLC, FreshPoint San Francisco Inc., FreshPoint South Florida Inc., FreshPoint South Texas Inc., FreshPoint Southern California Inc., FreshPoint Tomato LLC, FreshPoint Vancouver Ltd., Freshfayre Limited, Fruktservice i Helsingborg AB, GHS Classic Drinks Limited, Gilchrist & Soames Inc., Gilchrist & Soames UK Limited, Guest Packaging LLC, Guest Supply, Guest Supply Asia Limited, Guest Supply Singapore Pte. Ltd., International Food Group, Isakssons Frukt & Gront AB, J & M Wholesale Meats, J. Kings Food Service Professionals, J. Kings Food Service Professionals Inc., Kent Frozen Foods, Les Ateliers Du Gout, Liquid Assets Limited, M&J Seafood Holdings Limited, M&J Seafood Limited, Manchester Mills LLC, Mayca Autoservicio S.A., Mayca Distribuidores S.A., Menigo Foodservice AB, Mitshim Etatu Supply LP, Newport Meat Company, Newport Meat Northern California Inc., Newport Meat Pacific Northwest Inc., Newport Meat Southern California Inc., Newport Meat of Nevada Inc., North Star Holding Corporation, North Star Seafood, North Star Seafood Acquisition Corporation, North Star Seafood LLC, PFS de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Palisades Ranch Inc., Pallas Foods, Pallas Foods Farm Fresh Unlimited Company, Pallas Foods Unlimited Company, Pauleys Produce Limited, Promotora del Servicios S.A. de C.V., Restaurangakdemien AB, Restaurant of Tomorrow Inc., Rohan Viandes Elaboration SAS, SMS Bermuda Holdings, SMS GPC International Limited, SMS GPC International Resources Limited, SMS Global Holdings S.a.r.l., SMS International Resources Ireland Unlimited Company, SMS Lux Holdings LLC, SOTF LLC, SYY Netherlands C.V., SYY Panama S. de R.L., Serca Foodservice, Servicestyckarna I Johannes AB, Servicios Ameriserve S.A. de C.V., Shenzhen Guest Supply Trading Co. Limited, Societe Civile Immobiliere (SCI) Bianchi Montegut, Societe Civile Immobiliere (SCI) De Boiseau, Societe Civile Immobiliere (SCI) De Garcelles, Societe Civile Immobiliere (SCI) J.D. Lanjouan, Societe Civile Immobiliere (SCI) Le Dauphin, Specialty Meat Holdings LLC, Stockflag Limited, Stockholms Fiskauktion AB, Supplies on the Fly, Sysco Albany LLC, Sysco Asian Foods Inc., Sysco Atlanta LLC, Sysco Autoservicio S.A., Sysco Baltimore LLC, Sysco Baraboo LLC, Sysco Bermuda Partners L.P., Sysco Boston LLC, Sysco Canada Holdings S.a.r.l., Sysco Canada Inc., Sysco Central Alabama LLC, Sysco Central California Inc., Sysco Central Florida Inc., Sysco Central Illinois Inc., Sysco Central Pennsylvania LLC, Sysco Charlotte LLC, Sysco Chicago Inc., Sysco Cincinnati LLC, Sysco Cleveland Inc., Sysco Columbia LLC, Sysco Connecticut LLC, Sysco Corporation, Sysco Corporation Director's Deferred Compensation Plan Trust, Sysco Corporation Employee's 401(k) Plan Trust, Sysco Corporation Executive Deferred Compensation Plan Trust, Sysco Corporation Good Government Committee Inc., Sysco Corporation Retirement Trust, Sysco Corporation Supplemental Executive Retirement Trust, Sysco Corporation Supplemental Unemployment Benefits Plan Trust, Sysco Detroit LLC, Sysco Disaster Relief Foundation Inc., Sysco EI VI S. s.r.l., Sysco EU II S.a.r.l., Sysco EU III S.a.r.l., Sysco EU IV Capital Unlimited Company, Sysco EU IV S. s.r.l.., Sysco EU V S. s.r.l., Sysco Eastern Maryland LLC, Sysco Eastern Wisconsin LLC, Sysco Foundation Inc., Sysco France Holding SAS, Sysco France SAS, Sysco George Town II LLC, Sysco George Town Limited S. s.r.l.., Sysco Global Finance LLC, Sysco Global Finance LLP, Sysco Global Holdings B.V., Sysco Global Resources LLC, Sysco Global Services LLC, Sysco Grand Cayman Company, Sysco Grand Cayman II Company, Sysco Grand Cayman III Company, Sysco Grand Rapids LLC, Sysco Guernsey Limited, Sysco Guest Supply Canada Inc., Sysco Guest Supply Europe Goods Wholesalers LLC, Sysco Guest Supply Europe Limited, Sysco Guest Supply LLC, Sysco Gulf Coast LLC, Sysco Hampton Roads Inc., Sysco Hawaii Inc., Sysco Holdings II LLC, Sysco Holdings LLC, Sysco Indianapolis LLC, Sysco International Food Group Inc., Sysco International Inc., Sysco Iowa Inc., Sysco Jackson LLC, Sysco Jacksonville Inc., Sysco Kansas City Inc., Sysco Knoxville LLC, Sysco Labs Europe Limited, Sysco Labs Pvt. Ltd., Sysco Leasing LLC, Sysco Lincoln Inc., Sysco Lincoln Transportation Company Inc., Sysco Long Island LLC, Sysco Los Angeles Inc., Sysco Louisville Inc., Sysco Memphis LLC, Sysco Merchandising and Supply Chain Services Canada Inc., Sysco Merchandising and Supply Chain Services Inc., Sysco Metro New York LLC, Sysco Minnesota Inc., Sysco Montana Inc., Sysco Nashville LLC, Sysco Netherlands Partners LLC, Sysco North Central Florida Inc., Sysco North Dakota Inc., Sysco Northern New England Inc., Sysco Philadelphia LLC, Sysco Pittsburgh LLC, Sysco Portland Inc., Sysco Raleigh LLC, Sysco Resources Services LLC, Sysco Riverside Inc., Sysco Sacramento Inc., Sysco San Diego Inc., Sysco San Francisco Inc., Sysco Seattle Inc., Sysco South Florida Inc., Sysco Southeast Florida LLC, Sysco Spain Holdings SLU, Sysco Spokane Inc., Sysco St. Louis LLC, Sysco Syracuse LLC, Sysco Technologies Cayman Ltd., Sysco Technologies LLC, Sysco UK Holdings Limited, Sysco UK Limited, Sysco UK Partners LLP, Sysco USA I Inc., Sysco USA II LLC, Sysco USA III LLC, Sysco Ventura Inc., Sysco Ventures Inc., Sysco Virginia LLC, Sysco West Coast Florida Inc., Sysco Western Minnesota Inc., The SYGMA Network Inc., Upsys, Victua SAS, Walker Foods Inc., Waugh Foods, and Wild Harvest Limited. 13 Wall Street research analysts have issued "buy," "hold," and "sell" ratings for Munchener Ruckvers in the last year. There are currently 1 sell rating, 5 hold ratings and 7 buy ratings for the stock. The consensus among Wall Street research analysts is that investors should "hold" Munchener Ruckvers stock. A hold rating indicates that analysts believe investors should maintain any existing positions they have in MEURV, but not buy additional shares or sell existing shares. View analyst ratings for Munchener Ruckvers or view top-rated stocks. Imperial Oil Limited explores for, produces, and sells crude oil and natural gas in Canada. It operates through three segments: Upstream, Downstream, and Chemical. The Upstream segment explores for and produces crude oil, natural gas, synthetic oil, and bitumen. As of December 31, 2020, this segment had 138 million oil-equivalent barrels of proved undeveloped reserves. The Downstream segment is involved in the transportation and refining of crude oil, as well as blending, distribution, and marketing of refined products. It also transports crude oil to refineries by contracted pipelines, common carrier pipelines, and rail; maintains a distribution system to move petroleum products to market by pipeline, tanker, rail, and road transport; and owns and operates fuel terminals, natural gas liquids, and products pipelines in Alberta, Manitoba, and Ontario. In addition, this segment markets and supplies petroleum products to motoring public through approximately 2,400 Esso and Mobil-branded sites. Further, it sells petroleum products, including fuel, asphalt, and lubricants for industrial and transportation customers, independent marketers, and resellers, as well as other refiners serving the agriculture, residential heating, and commercial markets through branded fuel and lubricant resellers. The Chemical segment manufactures and markets various petrochemicals and polyethylene, such as benzene, aromatic, and aliphatic solvents; plasticizer intermediates; and polyethylene resins. The company was incorporation in 1880 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada. Imperial Oil Limited is a subsidiary of Exxon Mobil Corporation. Read More Magna International Inc. designs, engineers, and manufactures components, assemblies, systems, subsystems, and modules for original equipment manufacturers of vehicles and light trucks worldwide. The company operates through four segments: Body Exteriors & Structures, Power & Vision, Seating Systems, and Complete Vehicles. Its Body Exteriors & Structures segment provides body and chassis systems, as well as engineering and testing services; exterior systems, including fascia and trims, front end modules, front integration panels, liftgate modules, active aerodynamics, engineered glass, running boards, truck bed access products, and side doors; and roof systems, such as modular and textile folding roofs, and hard and soft tops. The company's Power & Vision segment offers dedicated hybrid, dual and e-clutch, and manual transmissions; engine drive plates and accessories; AWD/4WD products, rear drive modules, and hybrid and battery electric drive systems; transmission, engine, and driveline components; advanced driver assistance systems, camera systems, ultrasonic sensors, and electronic controllers; interior and exterior mirrors, actuators, door handles, overhead consoles, and camera monitoring systems; head, tail, and fog lamps; signal and other lighting products; and latching systems, door modules, window systems, power closure systems, hinges and wire forming, and handle assemblies. Its Seating Systems segment provides seat structures, mechanism and hardware solutions, and foam and trim products. The company's Complete Vehicles segment offers vehicle manufacturing and engineering services. It also designs, engineers, and manufactures tooling products. Magna International Inc. was founded in 1957 and is headquartered in Aurora, Canada. Read More Weatherford International plc, an oilfield service company, provides equipment and services for the drilling, evaluation, completion, production, and intervention of oil and natural gas wells worldwide. The company operates in two segments, Western Hemisphere and Eastern Hemisphere. It offers artificial lift systems, including reciprocating rod, progressing cavity pumping, gas, hydraulic, plunger, and hybrid lift systems, as well as related automation and control systems; pressure pumping and reservoir stimulation services, such as acidizing, fracturing and fluid systems, cementing, and coiled-tubing intervention; and drill stem test tools, and surface well testing and multiphase flow measurement services. The company also provides safety, downhole reservoir monitoring, flow control, and multistage fracturing systems, as well as sand-control technologies, and production and isolation packers; liner hangers to suspend a casing string in high-temperature and high-pressure wells; cementing products, including plugs, float and stage equipment, and torque-and-drag reduction technology for zonal isolation; and pre-job planning and installation services. In addition, it offers directional drilling services, and logging and measurement services while drilling; services related to rotary-steerable systems, high-temperature and high-pressure sensors, drilling reamers, and circulation subs; managed pressure drilling, conventional mud-logging, drilling instrumentation, gas analysis, wellsite consultancy, and open hole and cased-hole logging services; reservoir solutions and software products; and intervention and remediation services. Further, the company provides equipment and drilling tools; tubular handling, management, and connection services; equipment rental services; and onshore contract drilling and related services through a fleet of land drilling and workover rigs. Weatherford International plc was incorporated in 1972 and is headquartered in Baar, Switzerland. Read More American Electric Power Co., Inc. engages in the business of generation, transmission and distribution of electricity. It operates through the following segments: Vertically Integrated Utilities, Transmission & Distribution Utilities, AEP Transmission Holdco and Generation & Marketing. The Vertically Integrated Utilities segment engages in the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity for sale to retail and wholesale customers through assets owned and operated by its subsidiaries. The Transmission & Distribution Utilities segment engages in the business of transmission and distribution of electricity for sale to retail and wholesale customers through assets owned and operated by its subsidiaries. The AEP Transmission Holdco segment engages in the development, construction and operation of transmission facilities through investments in its wholly-owned transmission subsidiaries and joint ventures. The Generation & Marketing segment engages in non-regulated generation and marketing, risk management and retail activities. The company was founded on December 20, 1906 and is headquartered in Columbus, OH. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Quest Diagnostics: AmeriPath, AmeriPath Cincinnati Inc. (OH), AmeriPath Cleveland Inc. (OH), AmeriPath Consolidated Labs Inc. (FL), AmeriPath Florida LLC (DE), AmeriPath Hospital Services Florida LLC (DE), AmeriPath Inc. (DE), AmeriPath Indianapolis PC (IN), AmeriPath Kentucky Inc. (KY), AmeriPath Lubbock 5.01(A) Corporation (TX), AmeriPath New York LLC (DE), AmeriPath Texas Inc. (DE), AmeriPath Tucson Inc. (AZ), American Medical Laboratories, American Medical Laboratories Incorporated (DE), Associated Clinical Laboratories L.P. (PA), Associated Clinical Laboratories of Pennsylvania L.L.C. (PA), Athena Diagnostics, Athena Diagnostics Inc. (DE), Blueprint Genetics, Blueprint Genetics FZ-LLC (UAE), Blueprint Genetics Inc. (DE), Blueprint Genetics Oy (Finland), California Laboratory Associates, Cape Cod Healthcare - Business, Celera, ClearPoint Diagnostic, Clearpoint Diagnostic Laboratories LLC (TX), Cleveland HeartLab, Cleveland HeartLab Inc. (DE), Clinical Laboratory Partners, Colorado Pathology Consultants P.C. (CO), ConVerge Diagnostic Services, Consolidated DermPath Inc. (DE), DFW 5.01(a) Corporation (TX), DGXWMT JV LLC (DE), Dermatopathology of Wisconsin S.C. (WI), Diagnostic Laboratory of Oklahoma LLC (OK), Diagnostic Pathology Services Inc. (OK), Diagnostic Reference Services Inc. (MD), ExamOne Canada Inc. (New Brunswick), ExamOne LLC (DE), ExamOne World Wide Inc. (PA), ExamOne World Wide of NJ Inc. (NJ), Focus Diagnostics, HemoCue, Hoffman M.D. Associated Pathologists Chartered (NV), Institute for Dermatopathology Inc. (PA), Isabella Street Urban Renewal LLC (NJ), Kailash B. Sharma M.D. Inc. (GA), Kilpatrick Pathology P.A. (NC), LabOne, LabOne LLC (MO), LabOne of Ohio Inc. (DE), Laboratorio de Analisis Biomedicos S.A. (Mexico), Lancet Labs, MACL, Med Fusion LLC (TX), Med fusion, MedPlus, Mid America Clinical Laboratories LLC (IN), Nomad Massachusetts Inc. (MA), Nuclear Medicine and Pathology Associates (GA), Ocmulgee Medical Pathology Association Inc. (GA), Pathology Building Partnership (MD) (gen. ptnrshp.), PeaceHealth Laboratories, PhenoPath Laboratories, PhenoPath Laboratories PLLC (WA), Q Squared Solutions Holdings LLC (DE), Q Squared Solutions Holdings Limited (UK), Quest Diagnostics (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. (China), Quest Diagnostics Brasil Holdings Ltd. (UK), Quest Diagnostics Clinical Laboratories, Quest Diagnostics Clinical Laboratories Inc. (DE), Quest Diagnostics Domestic Holder LLC (DE), Quest Diagnostics HTAS India Private Limited (India), Quest Diagnostics Health & Wellness LLC (DE), Quest Diagnostics Holdings Incorporated (DE), Quest Diagnostics Holdings Ltd. (UK), Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (MD), Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (NV), Quest Diagnostics India Private Limited (India), Quest Diagnostics Infectious Disease Inc. (DE), Quest Diagnostics International Holdings Limited (UK), Quest Diagnostics International LLC (DE), Quest Diagnostics Investments LLC (DE), Quest Diagnostics Ireland Limited (Ireland), Quest Diagnostics LLC (CT), Quest Diagnostics LLC (IL), Quest Diagnostics LLC (MA), Quest Diagnostics Massachusetts LLC (MA), Quest Diagnostics Mexico Holding Company Trust (Mexico), Quest Diagnostics Mexico S de RL de CV (Mexico), Quest Diagnostics Nichols Institute (CA), Quest Diagnostics Nichols Institute Inc. (VA), Quest Diagnostics Receivables Inc. (DE), Quest Diagnostics Subsidiary Holdings Ltd. (UK), Quest Diagnostics TB LLC (DE), Quest Diagnostics Terracotta LLC (DE), Quest Diagnostics Venture LLC (PA), Quest Diagnostics Ventures LLC (DE), Quest Diagnostics do Brasil Ltda. (Brazil), Quest Diagnostics of Pennsylvania Inc. (DE), Quest Diagnostics of Puerto Rico Inc. (PR), Quest HealthConnect LLC (CA), ReproSource, Reprosource Fertility Diagnostics Inc. (MA), Solstas Lab Partners, Sonora Quest Laboratories LLC (AZ), Specialty Laboratories Inc. (CA), Summit Health, UMass Memorial Medical Center - Anatomic Pathology Outreach Laboratory Business, Unilab Corporation, and Unilab Corporation (DE). The following companies are subsidiares of Avery Dennison: ADC PHILIPPINES INC., ADESPAN S.R.L., ADHIPRESS BANGLADESH LTD., AVERY CORP., AVERY DE MEXICO SRL DE CV, AVERY DENNISON (ASIA) HOLDINGS LIMITED, AVERY DENNISON (CHANGZHOU) FILMS TECHNOLOGY CO. LTD, AVERY DENNISON (CHINA) COMPANY LIMITED, AVERY DENNISON (FUZHOU) CONVERTED PRODUCTS LIMITED, AVERY DENNISON (GUANGZHOU) CO. LTD., AVERY DENNISON (GUANGZHOU) CONVERTED PRODUCTS LIMITED, AVERY DENNISON (GUANGZHOU) INTELLIGENT LABELS CO. LTD., AVERY DENNISON (HONG KONG) LIMITED, AVERY DENNISON (INDIA) PRIVATE LIMITED, AVERY DENNISON (IRELAND) LIMITED, AVERY DENNISON (KENYA) PRIVATE LIMITED, AVERY DENNISON (KUNSHAN) COMPANY LIMITED, AVERY DENNISON (MALAYSIA) SDN. BHD., AVERY DENNISON (QINGDAO) CONVERTED PRODUCTS LIMITED, AVERY DENNISON (SUZHOU) CO. LIMITED, AVERY DENNISON (THAILAND) LTD., AVERY DENNISON (VIETNAM) LIMITED, AVERY DENNISON AUSTRALIA GROUP HOLDINGS PTY LIMITED, AVERY DENNISON AUSTRALIA INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS PTY LTD., AVERY DENNISON AUSTRALIA PTY LTD., AVERY DENNISON BELGIE BVBA, AVERY DENNISON BELGIUM MANAGEMENT SERVICES SPRL, AVERY DENNISON BENELUX BVBA, AVERY DENNISON BV, AVERY DENNISON C.A., AVERY DENNISON CANADA CORPORATION, AVERY DENNISON CENTRAL EUROPE GMBH, AVERY DENNISON CHILE S.A., AVERY DENNISON COLOMBIA S. A. S., AVERY DENNISON COMMERCIAL EL SALVADOR S.A. DE C.V., AVERY DENNISON CONVERTED PRODUCTS DE MEXICO S.A. DE C.V., AVERY DENNISON CONVERTED PRODUCTS EL SALVADOR S. A. DE C. V., AVERY DENNISON DE ARGENTINA S.R.L., AVERY DENNISON DO BRASIL LTDA., AVERY DENNISON DOMINICAN REPUBLIC S.R.L., AVERY DENNISON EGYPT LLC, AVERY DENNISON ETIKET TICARET LIMITED SIRKETI, AVERY DENNISON EUROPE HOLDING (DEUTSCHLAND) GMBH & CO KG, AVERY DENNISON FINANCE GERMANY GMBH, AVERY DENNISON G HOLDINGS I LLC, AVERY DENNISON G HOLDINGS III LLC, AVERY DENNISON G INVESTMENTS III LIMITED, AVERY DENNISON G INVESTMENTS V LIMITED, AVERY DENNISON GROUP DANMARK APS, AVERY DENNISON GROUP SINGAPORE PTE LTD, AVERY DENNISON GULF FZCO, AVERY DENNISON HOLDING & FINANCE THE NETHERLANDS BV, AVERY DENNISON HOLDING FRANCE, AVERY DENNISON HOLDING GMBH, AVERY DENNISON HOLDING LIMITED, AVERY DENNISON HOLDING LUXEMBOURG S. A. R. L., AVERY DENNISON HOLDINGS LLC, AVERY DENNISON HONG KONG B.V., AVERY DENNISON HONG KONG HOLDING I B.V., AVERY DENNISON IBERICA S.A., AVERY DENNISON INNOVATIONS LLC, AVERY DENNISON INTELLIGENT HEALTHCARE SOLUTIONS LLC, AVERY DENNISON INTELLIGENT LABELS EUROPE S.R.L., AVERY DENNISON INTELLIGENT LABELS HK LIMITED, AVERY DENNISON INVESTMENT LUXEMBOURG II SARL, AVERY DENNISON INVESTMENTS LUXEMBOURG III SARL, AVERY DENNISON INVESTMENTS LUXEMBOURG IV SARL, AVERY DENNISON ISRAEL LTD., AVERY DENNISON ITALIA S.R.L., AVERY DENNISON JAPAN KK, AVERY DENNISON JAPAN MATERIALS COMPANY LTD., AVERY DENNISON KOREA LIMITED, AVERY DENNISON LABEL LIMITED, AVERY DENNISON LANKA (PRIVATE) LIMITED, AVERY DENNISON LUXEMBOURG S.A.R.L., AVERY DENNISON LUXEMBOURG SALES SARL, AVERY DENNISON MANAGEMENT GMBH, AVERY DENNISON MATERIALS BELGIUM SPRL, AVERY DENNISON MATERIALS EUROPE B.V., AVERY DENNISON MATERIALS EUROPE GMBH, AVERY DENNISON MATERIALS FRANCE S.A.R.L., AVERY DENNISON MATERIALS GMBH, AVERY DENNISON MATERIALS IRELAND LIMITED, AVERY DENNISON MATERIALS NEDERLAND BV, AVERY DENNISON MATERIALS NEW ZEALAND LIMITED, AVERY DENNISON MATERIALS PTY LIMITED, AVERY DENNISON MATERIALS ROM SRL, AVERY DENNISON MATERIALS RUSSIA LLC, AVERY DENNISON MATERIALS SALES BELGIUM SPRL, AVERY DENNISON MATERIALS SALES FRANCE S. A. S., AVERY DENNISON MATERIALS SALES GERMANY GMBH, AVERY DENNISON MATERIALS SDN BHD, AVERY DENNISON MATERIALS U.K. LIMITED, AVERY DENNISON MATERIALS UKRAINE LLC, AVERY DENNISON MAURITIUS LTD., AVERY DENNISON MEDICAL LIMITED, AVERY DENNISON MOROCCO SARL, AVERY DENNISON NETHERLANDS INVESTMENT I BV, AVERY DENNISON NETHERLANDS INVESTMENT II B. V., AVERY DENNISON NETHERLANDS INVESTMENT III BV, AVERY DENNISON NETHERLANDS INVESTMENT VII B.V., AVERY DENNISON NETHERLANDS INVESTMENT VIII BV, AVERY DENNISON NETHERLANDS INVESTMENT X BV, AVERY DENNISON NETHERLANDS INVESTMENT XI COOPERATIEF U.A., AVERY DENNISON NETHERLANDS INVESTMENT XII BV, AVERY DENNISON NORDIC APS, AVERY DENNISON NTP A. S., AVERY DENNISON OFFICE PRODUCTS COMPANY, AVERY DENNISON OFFICE PRODUCTS HOLDINGS COMPANY, AVERY DENNISON OFFICE PRODUCTS MANUFACTURING U.K. LTD., AVERY DENNISON OVERSEAS CORPORATION, AVERY DENNISON PENSION TRUSTEE LIMITED, AVERY DENNISON PERU S. R. L., AVERY DENNISON POLSKA SP. Z O.O., AVERY DENNISON PRAHA SPOL. S R. O., AVERY DENNISON R.I.S. FRANCE S. A. S., AVERY DENNISON R.I.S. IBERIA S.L., AVERY DENNISON R.I.S. ITALIA S.R.L., AVERY DENNISON RBIS (CAMBODIA) CO. LTD, AVERY DENNISON RBIS (CAMBODIA) TRADING CO. LTD, AVERY DENNISON RBIS PTY LTD, AVERY DENNISON RETAIL INFORMATION SERVICES (PTY) LTD, AVERY DENNISON RETAIL INFORMATION SERVICES COLOMBIA S. A. S., AVERY DENNISON RETAIL INFORMATION SERVICES DE MEXICO S. A. DE C.V., AVERY DENNISON RETAIL INFORMATION SERVICES EL SALVADOR LTDA. DE C. V., AVERY DENNISON RETAIL INFORMATION SERVICES GUATEMALA S. A., AVERY DENNISON RETAIL INFORMATION SERVICES HONDURAS S. DE R.L., AVERY DENNISON RETAIL INFORMATION SERVICES LLC, AVERY DENNISON RETAIL INFORMATION SERVICES PERU SAC, AVERY DENNISON RETAIL INFORMATION SERVICES UK LTD., AVERY DENNISON RFID COMPANY, AVERY DENNISON RIS KOREA LTD., AVERY DENNISON RIS TAIWAN LTD., AVERY DENNISON RIS VIETNAM CO. LIMITED, AVERY DENNISON S.A. DE C.V., AVERY DENNISON S.R.L., AVERY DENNISON SCANDINAVIA AB, AVERY DENNISON SCANDINAVIA APS, AVERY DENNISON SECURITY PRINTING EUROPE APS, AVERY DENNISON SHARED SERVICES INC., AVERY DENNISON SINGAPORE (PTE) LTD., AVERY DENNISON SOUTH AFRICA (PROPRIETARY) LIMITED, AVERY DENNISON SUPPORT SERVICES, AVERY DENNISON SYSTEMES D'ETIQUETAGE FRANCE S.A.S., AVERY DENNISON TEKSTIL URUNLERI SANAYI VE TICARET LIMITED SIRKETI, AVERY DENNISON TRADING COMPANY LTD, AVERY DENNISON TREASURY MANAGEMENT BV, AVERY DENNISON U.K. II LIMITED, AVERY DENNISON U.K. LIMITED, AVERY GRAPHIC SYSTEMS INC., AVERY LLC, AVERY OFFICE PRODUCTS PUERTO RICO L.L.C., AVERY PACIFIC LLC, AVERY PROPERTIES PTY. LIMITED, AWESOME PROFITS LTD, BEST COURAGE INTERNATIONAL LIMITED, CHOICE CLEVER PROFITS LTD, CREATERO GMBH, DENNISON INTERNATIONAL COMPANY, DENNISON MANUFACTURING COMPANY, DM Label Group, Dunsirn Industries, EUSTON FINANCIAL LIMITED, EVERGREEN HOLDING SARL, EVERGREEN HOLDINGS V LLC, Finesse Medical, HANITA COATINGS (KUNSHAN) CO. LTD, HANITA COATINGS EUROPE B.V., HANITA COATINGS USA LLC, HANITA EUROPA GMBH, HEBEI YONGLE TAPE CO. LTD., Hanita Coatings, INK MILL LLC, JAC ASIA PACIFIC SDN BHD, JAC CARIBE C.S.Z., JAC DO BRASIL - LOCACAO DE EQUIPAMENTOS INDUSTRIAIS LTDA, JACKSTADT FRANCE S.N.C., JDC Solutions, JINTEX LIMITED, Jackstadt GmbH, L&E AMERICAS SERVICIOS S. A. DE C.V., L&E Packaging, MACTAC ASIA-PACIFIC SELF-ADHESIVE PRODUCTS PTE LTD, MACtac Europe S.A., MARKSTAR INTERNATIONAL LIMITED, MODERN MARK INTERNATIONAL LIMITED, NINGBO AVERY DENNISON SHENZHOU EMBELLISHMENT CO. LTD., P. T. PACIFIC LABEL INDONESIA, P. T. PAXAR INDONESIA, PAXAR (CHINA) LTD., PAXAR B.V., PAXAR BANGLADESH LIMITED, PAXAR CANADA CORPORATION, PAXAR CORPORATION, PAXAR DE EL SALVADOR S. A. DE C. V., PAXAR DE GUATEMALA S. A., PAXAR DE MEXICO S. A. DE C. V., PAXAR DO BRASIL LTDA, PAXAR FAR EAST LIMITED, PAXAR PACKAGING (GUANGZHOU) LTD., PAXAR PAKISTAN (PRIVATE) LIMITED, PLYMOUTH YONGLE TAPE (SHANGHAI) CO. LTD, PT AVERY DENNISON INDONESIA, PT AVERY DENNISON PACKAGING INDONESIA, RVL AMERICAS S DE R.L. DE C.V., RVL CENTRAL AMERICA S. A., RVL PACKAGING FAR EAST LIMITED, RVL Packaging Inc., RVL SERVICE S. DE R. L. DE C. V., Rinke Etiketten GmbH, SECURITY PRINTING DIVISION INC., SKILLFIELD INVESTMENTS LIMITED, Stimsonite Corp, TIGER EIGHT GROUP LIMITED, WORLDWIDE RISK INSURANCE INC., YONGLE TAPE LTD, and Yongle Tape Co. The following companies are subsidiares of Barclays: Adler Toy Holding Sarl, Aequor Investments Limited, Alymere Investments Limited, Alynore Investments Limited Partnership, Analog Analytics, Analog Analytics Inc, Analytical Trade Holdings LLC, Analytical Trade Investments LLC, Analytical Trade UK Limited, Archstone Equity Holdings Inc, Ardencroft Investments Limited, B D & B Investments Limited, B.P.B. (Holdings) Limited, BB Client Nominees Limited, BBAIL SAS, BCAP LLC, BIFML PTC Limited, BMBF (No.24) Limited, BMI (No.9) Limited, BNC Brazil Consultoria Empresarial Ltda, BNRI ENG 2013 Limited Partnership, BNRI ENG 2014 Limited Partnership, BNRI ENG GP LLP, BNRI England 2010 Limited Partnership, BNRI England 2011 Limited Partnership, BNRI England 2012 Limited Partnership, BNRI Limehouse No.1 Sarl, BNRI PIA Scot GP Limited, BNRI Scots GP LLP, BPB Holdings SA, BVP Galvani Global S.A.U., Barafor Limited, Barclay Leasing Limited, Barclaycard Funding PLC, Barclaycard International Payments Limited, Barclays (Barley) Limited, Barclays Aldersgate Investments Limited, Barclays Alzin Investments S.a r.l., Barclays Asia Limited, Barclays Asset Management Limited, Barclays BR Investments S.a r.l., Barclays BWA Inc., Barclays Bank (Suisse) S.A., Barclays Bank Delaware, Barclays Bank Ireland PLC, Barclays Bank Ireland Public Limited Company, Barclays Bank Mexico S.A., Barclays Bank PLC, Barclays Bank UK PLC, Barclays Bayard Investments S.a r.l., Barclays Bedivere Investments S.a r.l., Barclays Bordang Investments S.a r.l., Barclays Brasil Assessoria Financeira Ltda., Barclays CCP Funding LLC, Barclays Cantal Investments S.a r.l., Barclays Capital (Cayman) Limited, Barclays Capital Asia Holdings Limited, Barclays Capital Asia Limited, Barclays Capital Canada Inc., Barclays Capital Casa de Bolsa S.A. de C.V., Barclays Capital Derivatives Funding LLC, Barclays Capital Effekten GmbH, Barclays Capital Energy Inc., Barclays Capital Equities Trading GP, Barclays Capital Finance Limited, Barclays Capital Futures (Singapore) Private Limited, Barclays Capital Holdings (Singapore) Private Limited, Barclays Capital Holdings Inc., Barclays Capital Inc., Barclays Capital Japan Securities Holdings Limited, Barclays Capital Luxembourg S.a r.l., Barclays Capital Mauritius Limited, Barclays Capital Nominees (No.2) Limited, Barclays Capital Nominees (No.3) Limited, Barclays Capital Nominees Limited, Barclays Capital Principal Investments Limited, Barclays Capital Real Estate Finance Inc., Barclays Capital Real Estate Holdings Inc., Barclays Capital Real Estate Inc., Barclays Capital Securities Client Nominee Limited, Barclays Capital Securities Limited, Barclays Capital Securities Mauritius Limited, Barclays Capital Trading Luxembourg S.a r.l., Barclays Claudas Investments Partnership, Barclays Claudas Investments S.a r.l., Barclays Commercial Mortgage Securities LLC, Barclays Converted Investments (No.2) Limited, Barclays Corporation Limited, Barclays Direct Investing Nominees Limited, Barclays Directors Limited, Barclays Dryrock Funding LLC, Barclays Electronic Commerce Holdings Inc., Barclays Equity Holdings Limited, Barclays Equity Index Investments S.a r.l., Barclays Europe Client Nominees Designated Activity Company, Barclays Europe Firm Nominees Designated Activity Company, Barclays Europe Nominees Designated Activity Company, Barclays Executive Schemes Trustees Limited, Barclays Financial LLC, Barclays Financial Planning Nominee Company Limited, Barclays Funds Investments Limited, Barclays Funds and Advisory Japan Limited, Barclays Global Service Centre Private Limited, Barclays Global Shareplans Nominee Limited, Barclays Group Holdings Limited, Barclays Group Operations Limited, Barclays Group US Inc., Barclays Index Finance Trust, Barclays Industrial Development Limited, Barclays Industrial Investments Limited, Barclays Insurance Guernsey PCC Limited, Barclays Insurance Services Company Limited, Barclays Insurance U.S. Inc., Barclays International Luxembourg Dollar Holdings S.a r.l., Barclays Investment Management Limited, Barclays Investment Solutions Limited, Barclays Investments & Loans (India) Limited, Barclays Korea GP Limited, Barclays Lamorak Investments S.a r.l., Barclays Leasing (No.9) Limited, Barclays Leto Investments S.a r.l., Barclays Long Island Limited, Barclays Luxembourg EUR Holdings S.a r.l, Barclays Luxembourg Finance S.a r.l., Barclays Luxembourg GBP Holdings S.a r.l., Barclays Luxembourg Global Funding S.a r.l., Barclays Luxembourg Holdings S.a r.l., Barclays Luxembourg Holdings SSC B, Barclays Marlist Limited, Barclays Mauritius Overseas Holdings Limited, Barclays Mercantile Business Finance Limited, Barclays Merchant Bank (Singapore) Ltd., Barclays Nominees (George Yard) Limited, Barclays Nominees (Guernsey) Limited, Barclays Nominees (Jersey) Limited, Barclays Nominees (Manx) Limited, Barclays Oversight Management Inc., Barclays Payment Solutions Inc., Barclays Pelleas Investments Limited Partnership, Barclays Pelleas Investments S.a r.l., Barclays Pension Funds Trustees Limited, Barclays Principal Investments Limited, Barclays Private Asset Management (Monaco) S.A.M, Barclays Private Bank, Barclays Private Clients International Limited, Barclays Receivables LLC, Barclays SAMS Limited, Barclays Securities (India) Private Limited, Barclays Securities Japan Limited, Barclays Security Trustee Limited, Barclays Services (Japan) Limited, Barclays Services Corporation, Barclays Services Jersey Limited, Barclays Services LLC, Barclays Services Limited, Barclays Shea Limited, Barclays Singapore Global Shareplans Nominee Limited, Barclays Switzerland Services SA, Barclays Tenedora De Immuebles SL., Barclays Term Funding Limited Liability Partnership, Barclays UK Investments Limited, Barclays US CCP Funding LLC, Barclays US Funding LLC, Barclays US GPF Inc., Barclays US Investments Inc., Barclays US LLC, Barclays Unquoted Investments Limited, Barclays Unquoted Property Investments Limited, Barclays Wealth Management Jersey Limited, Barclays Wealth Nominees Limited, Barclays Wealth Services Limited, Barclays Wealth Trustees (India) Private Limited, Barclayshare Nominees Limited, Barclaytrust Channel Islands Limited, Barcosec Limited, Barsec Nominees Limited, Blossom Finance General Partnership, Branchcall Computers (Pvt) Limited, Braven Investments No.1 Limited, CP Flower Guaranteeco (UK) Limited, CP Newco 1 Limited, CP Newco2 Limited, CP Newco3 Limited, CP Propco 1 Limited, CP Propco 2 Limited, CP Topco Limited, CPIA Canada Holdings, CPIA England 2008 Limited Partnership, CPIA England 2009 Limited Partnership, CPIA England No.2 Limited Partnership, CPIA Investments No.1 Limited, CPIA Investments No.2 Limited, CRE Diversified Holdings LLC, CREW Tahoe Holdings LLC, CREW Tahoe LLC, Calthorpe Investments Limited, Capton Investments Limited, Carnegie Holdings Limited, Central Platte Valley Management LLC, Chapelcrest Investments Limited, Charles Schwab Europe, Claudas Investments Limited, Claudas Investments Two Limited, Clydesdale Financial Services Limited, Cobalt Investments Limited, Compania Regional del Sur S.A., Compania Sudamerica S.A., Condor No.1 Limited Partnership, Cornwall Homes Loans Limited, Crescent Crown Land Holding SPV LLC, Crescent Legacy LLC, Crescent Plaza Residential L.P., Crescent Plaza Residential LLC, Crescent Plaza Residential LP LLC, Crescent Real Estate Member LLC, Crescent Resort Development LLC, Crescent TRS Holdings LLC, Crescent Tower Residences GP LLC, Crescent Tower Residences L.P., Curve Investments GP, DBL Texas Holdings LLC, DMW Realty Limited, Desert Mountain Development LLC, Desert Mountain Properties Limited Partnership, Develop Training Group Limited, Dorset Home Loans Limited, Durlacher Nominees Limited, EWRD Summit LLC, Eagle Financial and Leasing Services (UK) Limited, East West Resort Development V L.P. L.L.L.P., East West Resort Development VII LLC, Equity Limited Partnership, Equity Value Investments No.1 Limited, Equity Value Investments No.2 Limited, Erimon Home Loans Ireland Limited, Expobank, FIRSTPLUS Financial Group Limited, Finpart Nominees Limited, First Assurance, Foltus Investments Limited, Full House Holdings Limited, Gallen Investments Limited, Global Dynasty Natural Resource Private, Globe Nominees Limited, Gracechurch Services Corporation, Grays Station LLC, Grupo Financiero Barclays Mexico S.A. de C.V., Hawkins Funding Limited, Heraldglen Limited, Holding Stuttgarter Strae GmbH, Hurley Investments No.1 Limited, Imalivest Mineral Resources LP, Investors In Infrastructure Limited, J.V. Estates Limited, JV Assets Limited, Kirsche Investments Limited, LTDL Holdings LLC, La Torretta Beverages LLC, La Torretta Hospitality LLC, La Torretta Operations LLC, Lagalla Investments LLC, Leonis Investments LLP, Liability Partnership, Long Island Assets Limited, Long Island Holding A LLC, Long Island Holding B Limited, MK Opportunities GP Ltd, MK Opportunities LP, MVWP Investors LLC, Maloney Investments Limited, Marbury Holdings LLC, Menlo Investments Limited, Mercantile Credit Company Limited, Mercantile Leasing Company (No.132) Limited, Meridian (SPV-AMC) Corporation, Mintaka Investments No. 4 Limited, Mira Vista Development LLC, Mira Vista Golf Club L.C., Mountainside Partners LLC, Murray House Investment Management Limited, Naxos Investments Limited, Nile Bank, North Colonnade Investments Limited, Northstar Mountain Properties LLC, Northstar Trailside Townhomes LLC, Northstar Village Townhomes LLC, Northwharf Investments Limited, Northwharf Nominees Limited, OGP Leasing Limited, Oakes Millers Ltd, Ownership Trustee Limited, PIA England No.2 Limited Partnership, Palomino Limited, Pecan Aggregator LP, Pelleas Investments Limited, Pelleas Investments Two Limited, Pippin Island Investments Limited, Preferred Liquidity LLC, Preferred Liquidity Limited Partnership, Procella Investments LLC, Procella Investments No.1 LLC, Procella Investments No.2 LLC, Procella Investments No.3 LLC, Protium Finance I LLC, Protium Master Grantor Trust, Protium Master Mortgage LP, Protium REO I LP, R.C. Grieg Nominees Limited, RVH Limited, RVT CLO Investments LLP, Razzoli Investments Limited, Real Estate Participation Management Limited, Real Estate Participation Services Limited, Relative Value Holdings LLC, Relative Value Investments UK Limited, Relative Value Trading Limited, Roder Investments No. 1 Limited, Roder Investments No. 2 Limited, Ruthenium Investments Limited, SPM GP Limited, Securitized Asset Backed Receivables LLC, Servicios Barclays S.A. de C.V., Societe Civile Immobiliere 31 Avenue de la Costa, Solution Personal Finance Limited, Southern Peaks Mining LP, Standard Life Aberdeen, Surety Trust Limited, Surrey Funding Corporation, Sussex Purchasing Corporation, Sutton Funding LLC, Swan Lane Investments Limited, TPLL LLC, TPProperty LLC, Tahoe Club Company LLC, Tahoe Club Employee Company, The Logic Group Enterprises Limited, The Logic Group Holdings Limited, Third Energy Holdings Limited, US Real Estate Holdings No. 2 Limited, US Real Estate Holdings No.1 Limited, US Real Estate Holdings No.3 Limited, US Secured Investments LLC, Union Center LLC, United Counties Bank, Verain Investments LLC, Walbrook Group Ltd, Wedd Jefferson (Nominees) Limited, Wessex Investments Limited, Westferry Investments Limited, Wilmington Riverfront Receivables LLC, Woolwich Homes Limited, Woolwich Plan Managers Limited, Woolwich Qualifying Employee Share, Woolwich Surveying Services Limited, Woori BC Pegasus Securitization Specialty Co. Limited, and Zeban Nominees Limited. BlackPearl Resources Inc. engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, and production of heavy crude oil, bitumen, and natural gas in Canada. Its principal properties include the Blackrod oil sands project with oil sand leases and permits covering an area of approximately 44,581 net acres situated in the Blackrod area of northern Alberta; the Onion Lake oil property with an area of approximately 10,856 net acres located in Saskatchewan; and Mooney crude oil property with an area of approximately 20,160 net acres located in north-central Alberta. It also holds interests in other properties, including Reita Lake, Graindale, Portage, Fishing Lake, Salt Lake, and Unity projects located in Alberta and Saskatchewan. The company was formerly known as Pearl Exploration and Production Ltd. and changed its name to BlackPearl Resources Inc. in May 2009. BlackPearl Resources Inc. was incorporated in 1984 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada. 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 34 minutes ago Biden tells GOP to 'get out of the way' on debt limit WASHINGTON (AP) President Joe Biden on Monday urged Republican senators to get out of the way and let Democrats suspend the nations debt limit, hoping to keep the U.S. government from bumping dangerously Read Article ConocoPhillips engages in the exploration, production, transportation and marketing of crude oil, bitumen, natural gas, natural gas liquids, and liquefied natural gas on a worldwide basis. It operates through the following geographical segments: Alaska; Lower 48; Canada; Europe, Middle East and North Africa; Asia Pacific; and Other International. The Alaska segment primarily explores for produces, transports and markets crude oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids. The Lower 48 segment consists of operations in the U.S. and the Gulf of Mexico. The Canada segment is comprised of oil sands development in the Athabasca Region of northeastern Alberta and a liquids-rich unconventional play in western Canada. The Europe, Middle East and North Africa segment consists of operations and exploration activities in Norway, the United Kingdom and Libya. The Asia Pacific segment has explorations and product operations in China, Indonesia, Malaysia and Australia. The Other International segment handles exploration activities in Columbia and Argentina. The company was founded in 1875 and is headquartered in Houston, TX. Read More Wall Street analysts have given Delphi Energy Corp. (DEE.TO) 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 Delphi Energy Corp. (DEE.TO) wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys. View MarketBeat's top stock picks here. GlaxoSmithKline Plc is a healthcare company, which engages in the research, development, and manufacture of pharmaceutical medicines, vaccines, and consumer healthcare products. It operates through the following segments: Pharmaceuticals; Pharmaceuticals R&D; Vaccines and Consumer Healthcare. The Pharmaceuticals segment focuses on developing medicines in respiratory and infectious diseases, oncology, and immuno-inflammation. The Pharmaceuticals R&D segment focuses on science related to the immune system, the use of human genetics and advanced technologies, and is driven by the multiplier effect of Science x Technology x Culture. The Vaccines segment produces pediatric and adult vaccines to prevent a range of infectious diseases including, hepatitis A and B, diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough, measles, mumps and rubella, polio, typhoid, influenza, and bacterial meningitis. The Consumer Healthcare segment develops and markets brands in the oral health, pain relief, respiratory, nutrition and gastro intestinal, and skin health categories. The company was founded in 1715 and is headquartered in Middlesex, the United Kingdom. Read More Orange S.A. provides a range of fixed telephony and mobile telecommunications, data transmission, and other value-added services to customers, businesses, and other telecommunications operators in France and internationally. It operates through France; Spain and Other European Countries; The Africa and Middle East; Enterprise; International Carriers & Shared Services; and Mobile Financial Services segments. The company offers mobile services, such as voice, SMS, and data; fixed broadband and narrowband services, as well as fixed network business solutions, including voice and data; and convergence packages. It also sells mobile handsets, broadband equipment, and connected devices and accessories. In addition, the company provides IT and integration services comprising unified communication and collaboration services, such as LAN and telephony, consultancy, integration, and project management; hosting and infrastructure services, including cloud computing; customer relations management and other applications services; security services; and video conferencing, as well as sells related equipment. Further, it offers national and international roaming services; and mobile virtual network operators, network sharing, and mobile financial services, as well as sells equipment to external distributors and brokers. Orange S.A. markets its products and services under the Orange brand. The company was formerly known as France Telecom and changed its name to Orange S.A. in July 2013. Orange S.A. was founded in 1990 and is headquartered in Paris, France. Read More Hannover RAck SE, together with its subsidiaries, provides reinsurance products and services worldwide. It operates through Property & Casualty Reinsurance, and Life & Health Reinsurance segments. The Property & Casualty Reinsurance segment offers specialty lines comprising marine, aviation, facultative and direct business, credit, surety, and political risks reinsurance products; and treaty, catastrophe XL, and structured reinsurance, as well as insurance-linked securities. This segment also provides risk solutions for agricultural, livestock, and bloodstock businesses; aviation and space business; and marine and offshore energy business. The Life & Health Reinsurance segment offers group and individual credit life, enhanced annuities, group life and health, and Sharia-compliant Takaful reinsurance products. This segment also provides risk solutions in the areas of critical illness, disability, health, longevity, long term care, and mortality and morbidity, as well as underwriting services. In addition, it offers various financial solutions, including new-business financing; monetization of embedded value; reserve and solvency relief; and divestiture of non-core businesses. The company was formerly known as Hannover RAckversicherung AG and changed its name to Hannover RAck SE in March 2013. The company was founded in 1966 and is headquartered in Hanover, Germany. Hannover RAck SE is a subsidiary of Talanx AG. Read More USG Corporation, through its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells building materials worldwide. The company's Gypsum division manufactures and markets gypsum and related products to construct walls and ceilings of residential, nonresidential, and institutional buildings; and agricultural and industrial customers. This segment offers gypsum wallboards and compound portfolios, as well as corner beads, joint tapes, and plasters under the USG Sheetrock brand; glass mat sheathing portfolios under the Securock brand; construction plaster products under the Red Top, Imperial, Diamond, and Supremo brands; and lightweight gypsum panels under the USG Sheetrock brand, as well as ultralight panels, USG Sheetrock brand ecosmart panels, and industrial gypsum. Its Performance Materials division manufactures and markets products for interior and exterior building applications of residential and nonresidential buildings, as well as industrial applications. This segment provides cement boards, backer boards, shower systems, performance floorings, air barrier systems, roof board portfolios, and structural panels under the USG Durock, Fiberock, Levelrock, Securock, ExoAir, Securock, and USG brands. The company's Ceilings division manufactures and markets ceiling tiles under the Radar, Eclipse, Mars, and Halcyon brands; ceiling grids under the Donn, DX, Fineline, Centricitee, and Identitee DXI brands; specialty ceilings under the Curvatura, Compasso, Radians, Illusions, Multiples, Runways, Barz, Planx, Mirra, Corniche, Wallforms, and Parti brands; and acoustical drywall ceilings under the Ensemble brand. Its USG Boral Building Products division manufactures, distributes, and sells building products, mines raw gypsum, and sells natural and synthetic gypsum under the USG Boral Sheetrock, USG Boral NextGen, Elephant, Jayaboard, Durock, and Donn DX brands. The company was founded in 1902 and is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. Read More MidSouth Bancorp, Inc., a bank holding company, through its subsidiary MidSouth Bank, N.A., provides various community banking products and services to commercial and retail customers in the United States. The company offers various deposit products, including interest-bearing and noninterest-bearing checking accounts, money market, savings accounts, investment accounts, and NOW account deposits, as well as time deposits, such as certificates of deposit; and commercial and industrial, commercial real estate, and consumer loans, as well as other loans secured by real estate. It also provides cash management services; and electronic banking services comprising remote deposit capturing services, Internet banking, and debit and credit cards. As of March 1, 2019, the company had 42 offices located in Louisiana and Texas, as well as a network of approximately 55,000 surcharge-free ATMs. MidSouth Bancorp, Inc. was incorporated in 1984 and is headquartered in Lafayette, Louisiana. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Owens Corning: 0979301 B.C. ULC, AS Paroc, Asahi Glass - Composites Business, Crown Mfg. Inc., Deutsche Foamglas GmbH, Dutch OC Cooperatief Invest U.A., European Owens Corning Fiberglas SPRL, FOAMGLAS (Italia) SRL, FOAMGLAS (Nordic) AB, FiberTEK Insulation, Fibreboard Corp., Finefiber (Shanghai) Building Material Co. Ltd., Finefiber Insulation Co. Pte. Ltd., IBCO SRL, IPM Inc., InterWrap, InterWrap (Hong Kong) Ltd., InterWrap (Qingdao) Trading Co. Ltd., InterWrap Corp., InterWrap Corp. Private Ltd., International Packaging Products Pvt. Ltd., Inversiones Owens Corning Chile Holdings Limitada, Northern Elastomeric, OC Canada Finance Inc., OC Canada Holdings General Partnership, OC Celfortec Company, OC Latin American Holdings GmbH, OC NL Invest Cooperatief U.A., OC PRO CV, OC Steklovolokno AO, OCCV1 Inc., OCCV2 LLC, OCV (Thailand) Co. Limited, OCV Chambery France, OCV Chambery International, OCV Finance LLC, OCV Intellectual Capital LLC, OCV Italia Srl, OCV Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., OCV Servicios Mexico S.A. de C.V., OOO Paroc, Owens Corning (Australia) Pty Limited, Owens Corning (China) Investment Company Limited, Owens Corning (Guangde) Rock Wood Manufacturing Co. Ltd, Owens Corning (Guangzhou) Fiberglas Co. Ltd., Owens Corning (India) Private Limited, Owens Corning (Nanjing) Building Materials Co. Ltd., Owens Corning (Shanghai) Fiberglas Co. Ltd., Owens Corning (Singapore) Pte Ltd, Owens Corning (Tianjin) Building Materials Co. Ltd., Owens Corning (Xian) Building Materials Co. Ltd., Owens Corning Alloy Canada GP Inc., Owens Corning Alloy Canada LP, Owens Corning Argentina Sociedad de Responsabilidad Limitada, Owens Corning Automotive LLC, Owens Corning BM (Korea) Ltd, Owens Corning CV GP LLC, Owens Corning Canada GP Inc., Owens Corning Canada Holdings B.V., Owens Corning Canada Holdings ULC, Owens Corning Canada LP, Owens Corning Cayman (China) Holdings, Owens Corning Celfortec Canada GP Inc., Owens Corning Celfortec LP, Owens Corning Composite Materials Canada GP Inc., Owens Corning Composite Materials Canada LP, Owens Corning Composite Materials LLC, Owens Corning Composites (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Owens Corning Composites (China) Co. Ltd., Owens Corning Construction Services LLC, Owens Corning Corporate Services LLC, Owens Corning Elaminator Insulation Systems LLC, Owens Corning Enterprise (India) Pvt. Ltd., Owens Corning Fabrics (Changzhou) Co. Ltd., Owens Corning Fiberglas (U.K.) Pension Plan Ltd., Owens Corning Fiberglas A.S. Limitada, Owens Corning Fiberglas Espana SL, Owens Corning Fiberglas France, Owens Corning Financial Services ULC, Owens Corning Finland Oy, Owens Corning Foam Insulation LLC, Owens Corning GlassMetal Services (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Owens Corning Global Holdings II Limited Partnership, Owens Corning Global Holdings Limited Partnership, Owens Corning HOMExperts Inc., Owens Corning HT Inc., Owens Corning Holdings 1 CV, Owens Corning Holdings 3 CV, Owens Corning Holdings 4 CV, Owens Corning Holdings 5 CV, Owens Corning Holdings Holland B.V., Owens Corning Hong Kong Limited, Owens Corning Industries (India) Private Limited, Owens Corning Infrastructure Solutions LLC, Owens Corning Insulating Systems Canada GP Inc., Owens Corning Insulating Systems Canada LP, Owens Corning Insulating Systems LLC, Owens Corning Intellectual Capital LLC, Owens Corning InterWrap Canada GP Inc., Owens Corning InterWrap Canada LP, Owens Corning International Holdings C.V., Owens Corning Japan LLC, Owens Corning Kohold B.V., Owens Corning Korea, Owens Corning Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Owens Corning Mineral Wool LLC, Owens Corning Non-Woven - Blythewood LLC, Owens Corning Non-Woven Technology LLC, Owens Corning Receivables LLC, Owens Corning Reinforcements (Hangzhou) Co. Ltd., Owens Corning Remodeling Systems LLC, Owens Corning Roofing S. de R.L. de C.V., Owens Corning Roofing and Asphalt LLC, Owens Corning Sales LLC, Owens Corning Science and Technology LLC, Owens Corning Supplementary Pension Plan Limited, Owens Corning Technical Fabrics LLC, Owens Corning Treasury Services LLC, Owens Corning U.S. Holdings LLC, Owens Cornings (Hangzhou) Fiberglass Co. Ltd., Owens-Corning Britinvest Limited, Owens-Corning Cayman Limited, Owens-Corning Fiberglas Deutschland GmbH, Owens-Corning Funding Corporation, Owens-Corning Veil Netherlands B.V., Owens-Corning Veil U.K. Ltd., Paroc AB, Paroc GmbH, Paroc Group, Paroc Group Oy, Paroc Limited, Paroc Oy Ab, Paroc Polska Sp. z o.o., Pittsburgh Corning, Pittsburgh Corning (United Kingdom) Limited, Pittsburgh Corning (Yantai) Insulation Materials Co. Ltd, Pittsburgh Corning Asia Limited, Pittsburgh Corning CR S.R.O., Pittsburgh Corning Europe N.V., Pittsburgh Corning France, Pittsburgh Corning Gesellschaft m.b.h., Pittsburgh Corning LLC, Pittsburgh Corning Nederland B.V., Pittsburgh Corning Singapore Pte. Ltd, Pittsburgh Corning Suisse SA, Qingdao Novia Polymer Co. Ltd., SIA Paroc, Soltech Inc., The Modulo /ParMur Group, Thermafiber, Thermafiber Inc., Transandina de Comercio S.A., UAB Paroc, UC Industries, and Vitro Fibras. Parkland Corporation operates as a marketer, distributor, and refiner of fuel and petroleum products in Canada, the United States, and internationally. The company operates through Canada, International, USA, Supply, and Corporate segments. The Canada segment supplies and supports a coast-to-coast network of 1,860 retail gas stations under the Ultramar, Esso, Fas Gas Plus, Chevron, Pioneer, and Race Trac as well as operates convenience stores under the On the Run/MarchA Express brand. Additionally it offers bulk fuel, bulk and cylinder exchange propane, heating oil, lubricants, and other related products and services to commercial, industrial, and residential customers in various industries, such as oil and gas, construction, mining, forestry, fishing, and transportation under the Ultramar, Bluewave Energy, Pipeline Commercial, Chevron, Columbia Fuels, and Sparlings Propane brands. The International segment operates retail service stations under the Esso, Shell, and Sol brands; and delivers and supplies gasoline, diesel, fuel oil, propane, and lubricants to customers in various sectors, including power, oil and gas, and mining. The USA segment operates a network of gas stations; and delivers bulk fuel, lubricants, and other related products and services under the Farstad Oil, Rhinehart Oil, Tropic Oil, Superpumper, Harts, and On the Run brands. The Supply segment manufactures transportation fuels; transports, stores, and markets fuels, crude oil, and liquid petroleum gases; and manufactures and sells aviation fuel to airlines. This segment also engages in the wholesale, supply, and distribution business. The company was formerly known as Parkland Fuel Corporation and changed its name to Parkland Corporation in May 2020. The company was founded in 1977 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada. Read More Flotek Industries, Inc. is a technology-driven, specialty chemistry and data company that serves customers across industrial, commercial and consumer markets. It operates through the following segments: Chemistry Technologies and Data Analytics. The Chemistry Technologies segment develops, manufactures, packages, distributes delivers, and markets sanitizers and disinfectants for commercial, governmental and personal consumer use and also includes specialty chemistries and logistics which enable customers to improve efficiencies in the drilling and completion of well. The Data Analytics segment includes the design, development, production, sale and support of equipment and services that create and provide valuable information about the composition of energy customer's hydrocarbon fluids. The firm also empowers the energy industry to maximize the value of hydrocarbon streams and improve return on invested capital through real-time data platforms and chemistry technologies. It serves downstream, midstream and upstream customers, both domestic and international. The company was founded on May 17, 1985 and is headquartered in Houston, TX. Read More SunTrust Banks, Inc. operates as the holding company for SunTrust Bank that provides various financial services for consumers, businesses, corporations, institutions, and not-for-profit entities in the United States. It operates in two segments, Consumer and Wholesale. The Consumer segment provides deposits and payments; home equity and personal credit lines; auto, student, and other lending products; credit cards; discount/online and full-service brokerage products; professional investment advisory products and services; and trust services, as well as family office solutions. This segment also offers residential mortgage products in the secondary market. The Wholesale segment provides capital markets solutions, including advisory, capital raising, and financial risk management; asset-based financing solutions, such as securitizations, asset-based lending, equipment financing, and structured real estate arrangements; cash management services and auto dealer financing solutions; investment banking solutions; and credit and deposit, fee-based product offering, multi-family agency lending, advisory, commercial mortgage brokerage, and tailored financing and equity investment solutions. This segment also offers treasury and payment solutions, such as operating various electronic and paper payment types, which comprise card, wire transfer, automated clearing house, check, and cash; and provides services clients to manage their accounts online. The company offers its products and services through a network of traditional and in-store branches, automated teller machines, Internet, mobile, and telephone banking channels. As of December 31, 2018, it operated 1,218 full-service banking offices located in Florida, Georgia, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Maryland, South Carolina, and the District of Columbia. SunTrust Banks, Inc. was founded in 1891 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. Read More Travel + Leisure Co. is a membership and leisure travel company, with a portfolio of nearly 20 resort, travel club, and lifestyle travel brands. The company provides outstanding vacation experiences and travel inspiration to millions of owners, members, and subscribers every year through its products and services: Wyndham Destinations, the vacation ownership company with 230 vacation club resort locations across the globe; Panorama, the membership travel business that includes the vacation exchange company, industry travel technology, and subscription travel brands; and Travel + Leisure Group, featuring online and print travel content, online booking platforms and travel clubs, and branded consumer products. Travel + Leisure Co. is a membership and leisure travel company, with a portfolio of nearly 20 resort, travel club, and lifestyle travel brands. Travel + Leisure was founded on July 31, 2006 and is headquartered in Orlando, FL. Read More 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 co[email protected] | (844) 978-6257 MarketBeat does not provide personalized financial advice and does not issue recommendations or offers to buy stock or sell any security. Our Accessibility Statement | Terms of Service | Do Not Sell My Information 2021 Market data provided is at least 10-minutes delayed and hosted by Barchart Solutions. Information is provided 'as-is' and solely for informational purposes, not for trading purposes or advice, and is delayed. To see all exchange delays and terms of use please see disclaimer. Fundamental company data provided by Zacks Investment Research. Nokia on Thursday posted weaker-than-expected quarterly profits as telecom operators, particularly in North America, held off spending. Helsinki: Network equipment maker Nokia on Thursday posted weaker-than-expected quarterly profits as telecom operators, particularly in North America, held off spending, but it expressed confidence that momentum was building later in 2018. The Finnish company, which competes with Swedens Ericsson, Huawei [HWT.UL] and ZTE, both of China, said the battered network industry was poised to bounce back as commercial deployments for next-generation 5G networks would start to take off later this year. We see strong momentum building for the full year despite a slow start in networks... We have clear visibility to 5G deals for large-scale commercial rollouts in United States in the second half of the year, CEO Rajeev Suri said in a statement. First-quarter group earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) fell 30 per cent from a year ago to 239 million euros (USD 291 million), clearly below analysts average forecast of 369 million euros in a Reuters poll. Most of the profit was generated by the companys profitable patent licensing business, which grew 136 per cent. Nokia said it expected the global networks industry to fall 1-3 per cent this year, a slight improvement from its previous forecast of a fall of 2-4 per cent, and added its own sales would outperform the wider telecom equipment market. Reliance Jio was planning to recruit about 75,000 to 80,000 people during this financial year, a senior company official said on Thursday. Hyderabad: Reliance Jio was planning to recruit about 75,000 to 80,000 people during this financial year, a senior company official said on Thursday. "About 1,57,000 people are on the rolls today....I will say another 75,000 to 80,000 people," company's Chief Human Resources Officer Sanjay Jog told reporters on sidelines of an event organised by the Society of Human Resources Management. He was replying to question on how many new recruitments would be made by the company during this financial year. On attrition rate in the company, he said it was about 32 per cent in the sales and technical areas related to constructions sites. "If it is taken at the headquarter level, it is just 2 per cent. Average if you go it will come down to 18 per cent," he explained. Jog said the company was having partnership with about 6,000 colleges, including technical institutions, across the country. According to him, there are some embedded courses offered in these institutions and students who clear these are "Reliance ready". He said hiring would also be done through referrals and now with the help of social media platforms. Recruitments through referrals now accounted for about 60 per cent to 70 per cent of the hirings, he said adding college and employees" referrals "are the two major contributors for our hiring plans." New Delhi: Expressing disappointment over the US plans to prohibit spouses of H1-B visa holders to work in America, India today hoped that the Trump administration would take "corrective actions" on the issue. The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations which require theoretical or technical expertise. The technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year from countries like India and China. "The US decision to put certain restrictions on visas is quite disappointing and we hope that the US will take corrective actions," Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu said here at an event organised by American Chamber of Commerce in India. The Trump administration is planning to end allowing spouses of H1-B visa holders to work legally in the US, a top federal agency official has told lawmakers. The move could severely impact thousands of Indians professionals working in America. Prabhu said India has already communicated its concerns to the US and "we would like to have the reality put into perspective that Indian companies in the US are contributing significantly in the growth of the US economy". IT professionals in the US increase productivity in the economy and improve services. "We feel that the US must understand the concern of India." He said that on trade matters too, India has flagged its concerns. "On trade matters, we have communicated to the US that India is a fast growing economy with FDI (foreign direct investment) regime more and more participatory," he added. Prabhu, who also hold aviation portfolio, said that India would be buying cargo as well as passenger aeroplane and the US could tap this opportunity. The US has imposed customs duties on certain steel and aluminium products. India has sought exemption from this as it exports these goods worth about USD 1.5 billion per year. The US is putting certain conditions on trade front which has created issues at both bilateral and multi-lateral levels. "I think we need to put this behind as growth in global trade would benefit all," the minister said. The bilateral trade between the countries has increased to USD 64.52 billion in 2016-17 from USD 62.11 billion in the previous fiscal. The government is considering a national policy on retail trade with a view to ensuring orderly growth of the fast growing sector. New Delhi: The government is considering a national policy on retail trade with a view to ensuring orderly growth of the fast growing sector. The commerce and industry ministry, a government official said, has written to the department of consumer affairs to set up a task force for framing the policy. In a letter to Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Minister Ram Vilas Paswan, Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu said the task force should have representations from different stakeholders. Retail trade is crucial for growth of Indian economy and the policy should be formulated to promote trade without sacrificing the interest of consumers. The Consumer Affairs Ministry is the nodal agency for regulating internal trade. The ministry is already in the process of formulating guidelines on e-commerce and hence it would be appropriate for the ministry to come out with a norms for retail trade, the official said. The commerce ministry should also take on board state governments while framing the policy norms as retail trade is also governed by the Shops and Establishment Act. The matter assumes significance as Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) have requested the government for the policy and formation of a separate ministry of internal trade. It has said that these steps will not only strengthen the domestic trade but also improve export performance of the country. According to them, over 6.5 crore small businesses are engaged in the sector across the country. India will work to create a network with other major oil buyers in Asia, such as China, South Korea and Japan, to negotiate better terms with sellers, the countrys Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said in New Delhi on Thursday. New Delhi: India will work to create a network with other major oil buyers in Asia, such as China, South Korea and Japan, to negotiate better terms with sellers, the countrys Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said in New Delhi on Thursday. I see bigger co-operation between four bigger economies of Asia... India will try to create a network between these four economies, he said. All the four major Asian economies should come together. And India will try to create a network for that within the four countries, he said, referring to a need to have a greater say in importing crude oil from OPEC nations. New Delhi: IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Thursday asked Indian start-ups to leverage new-age technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and Machine-to-Machine communication to create innovative solutions in healthcare and education, particularly for rural areas. Terming India as being "innovative by temperament", the minister said start ups should look at new "out-of-the-box" solutions in demand-driven areas like cyber security and data analytics, that are increasingly relevant in the digital economy. "How can you leverage Artificial Intelligence, Machine to Machine communication and Internet of Things for healthcare, agriculture and education in rural areas...that is the challenge for you," he said after presenting the 'ICT start-ups awards by Meity ASSOCHAM Ericsson'. The minister said that start-up companies should utilise the existing network of Common Services Centres (digital kiosks that deliver digital services) as also BPOs that are coming up in smaller towns. "The digital aspiration of India is waiting to be explored," he said adding that India is well on its way to become USD 1 trillion digital economy over the coming years, generating 50 lakh to 75 lakh jobs. On the issue of data privacy, Prasad reiterated that while data is important for analysis and policy making, there has to be balance between data availability, its utility, innovation, anonymity and privacy aspects. "Data most be anonymous...It means data availability minus income details, medical profile and other such information," he said citing an example. The Minister outlined increasing adoption of the Umang (Unified Mobile Application for New-age Governance) app, Bharat Interface for Money (BHIM) app that enables secure cashless payments through mobile phones, and said India's digital clout is on the rise globally too given the large market it offers to businesses. The second leg of Dileep starrer Professor Dinkan got over in Kochi. The film was delayed for long following the arrest of the lead actor. Directed by ace cinematographer Ramachandra Babu, Namitha Pramod plays the female lead in the film. This is the maiden directorial venture of Babu. Dileep plays a magician in the comedy entertainer that caters to the family audience. This would be the next project of the actor after Kammara Sambhavam to hit the screens. Also there were reports that the team reworked on the entire script to make it appealing for the target audience. Rafi handles the screenplay. Professor Dinkan, shot in India and abroad, would come out as a 3D movie. The cast also includes Rafi, Srinda Arhaan, Aju Varghese and Suraj Venjaramoodu. Produced by Sanal Thottam, the department of music is handled by Gopi Sunder. Young actor Naga Shaurya has completely distanced himself from the promotions of his film Kanam, even though the film marks his Tamil debut. Meanwhile, director A.L. Vijay and lead actress Sai Pallavi visited Hyderabad and promoted the film extensively. Though the team praised the actor highly and Sai Pallavi admitted that she didnt mean to hurt him intentionally even if she had, the actor has made himself completely unavailable. With Naga Shaurya distancing himself from the film, Sai Pallavi has taken charge of the films publicity. She became an overnight star with Fidaa and will probably become one with Kanam too, says a source. Meanwhile, producer N.V. Prasad has taken the Telugu distribution rights for this film. Washington: Regular mid-day naps can help tired adolescents' performance in school, suggested a study. Researchers have taken a friend or foe mentality towards napping. Many consider a mid-day snooze as needed compensation for nighttime sleep deprivation; another faction believed daytime napping continually interfered with nighttime sleep. A University of Delaware researcher, Xiaopeng Ji, investigated the relationship between mid-day napping behaviors and neurocognitive function in early adolescents and found some key to helping the teens battle fatigue. With participants from schools in Jintan, China, she measured midday napping, nighttime sleep duration and sleep quality, and performance on multiple neurocognitive tasks. Her findings suggest that there exists an association between habitual mid-day napping and neurocognitive function, especially in China, where mid-day napping is a cultural practice. "In Western culture, the monophasic sleep pattern is considered a marker of brain maturation," Ji said. "In China, time for napping is built into the post-lunch schedule for many adults in work settings and students at schools." Ji has studied the circadian rhythm of sleep (a person's 24-hour cycle). A developmental change takes place in circadian rhythm during adolescence; teenagers' rhythm shifts one to two hours later than the preadolescent period. "This phase delay is biologically driven in adolescents," Ji said. "Think about that in a school schedule. Teenagers have to get up early for school. And, with this phase delay of going to bed later, they are at-risk for chronic sleep deprivation." Ji explained that these adolescents may experience impaired neurocognitive function, which makes paying attention in school even more difficult. Memory and reasoning ability also suffer. A circadian dip occurs daily from 12 to 2 p.m. During that period, adolescents are more likely to fall asleep. Many studies invite people to a lab setting -- experimentally imposing the nap -- and find the aforementioned cognitive benefits. But Ji said that's difficult to correlate with habitual sleep at home. "The results from lab studies may be different from what the population is habitually doing at home -- sleeping in their own bed," Ji said. The study appears in the journal Behavioral Sleep Medicine. Fragments of 8th century Quran containing hidden passages from Bible up for auction. (Photo: Pixabay) Fragments from an eighth century Qur'an that contains hidden passages from the Bible is up for auction, the Daily Mail reported. The 1,200-year-old manuscript is the only palimpsest "in which the Qur'an has been written over a Christian text", the report revealed. #WordOfTheDay Palimpsest! A manuscript from which the 1st writing has been effaced so that the paper vellum could be reused. The unrecorded palimpsest of a Quran copied onto a Christian text will be offered in our Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds Auction tomorrow in #London. pic.twitter.com/DJSUSdmSqq Christie's (@ChristiesInc) April 25, 2018 The original Bible, is believed to have been inscribed by the Coptic community in Egypt. This was before the Islamic holy text was written over it in the eighth century AD during the time of the Arab conquest. French scholar Dr Eleonore Cellard from the College de France in Paris made the discovery. "This is a very important discovery for the history of the Qur'an and early Islam," she is quoted as saying by the Daily Mail. Adding, "We have here a witness of cultural interactions between different religious communities." The auction, held in London, is expected to fetch $110,000-$170,000. The management then decided to file a complaint based on which the accused was arrested. (Representational Image) Bengaluru: A 32-year-old man who worked with an NGO in JP Nagar was arrested for sexually assaulting a 20-year-old mentally challenged student. The accused, Vadivelu, an attender at the NGO, was arrested by the JP Nagar police based on the complaint filed by its Director. He was later released on bail by the court as the victims parents refused to give a statement against the accused. According to the complaint, on April 11, the NGO which looks after specially-abled people and destitute children, sent its Vadivelu along with two others to an office nearby to carry out painting work. After finishing the work, the trio returned at around 12.30 noon. As the final touch up work was pending, the NGO management assigned Vadivelu for the task. As Vadivelu was painting at the office, the victim along with her friend went to him and offered buttermilk. Vadivelu asked the victim to stay back and sent her friend away. Vadivelu took her to the kitchen and made her sit on a chair and switched off the lights. After a few minutes, Gayathri, who works as a cleaning staff in the NGO, went to the office where Vadivelu was working and told him that she has been sent to carry out cleaning work. Instead of allowing her to clean the kitchen, he told her to clean the first floor, the complainant stated. When Gayathri returned to kitchen after 15 minutes the lights were on and the victim was adjusting her clothes. Sensing something fishy, Gayathri informed the NGO management about the incident, the complaint added. The next day, the NGO management summoned Vadivelu and questioned him about the incident and later suspended him. The management then informed the victims parents about the incident and urged her mother to lodge a police complaint, but she refused to do so. On April 16, the management convened a meeting in which the victim told the management that she was suffering from abdominal pain ever since she met Vadivelu. The management then decided to file a complaint based on which the accused was arrested. We tried to convince the victims mother to record her statement. But she doesn't want any case. She even fought with the NGOs director for filing one. However, we are trying to persuade her to file a complaint and allow her daughter to undergo the test. It could help us in the filing of the chargesheet, the police said. She was rushed to the Egmore Maternity Hospital but was declared brought dead. Her body was sent to Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital for post-mortem and handed over to the parents on Tuesday. Chennai: In a shocking incident in Chennai, an eight-year-old Nepali girl died after her head was smashed in the sunshade while she was playing with an open lift, near Chintadripet. The incident took place on the morning of April 23 at the Lakshmi Cottage Industry office that makes wedding cards at Swamy Naicken street. The victim Pooja Devi had come with her parents Ram Singh and Kalavathi to meet Ram Singh's elder brother Bhagat Singh, who is working in the firm. While Ram Singh and Kalavathi were inside the office with Bhagat Singh, Pooja Devi was playing with the open lift meant for carrying raw materials to the godown on the second floor of the building. "After going up and down a couple of times in the lift, Pooja Devi sat on one side of the lift and left her legs hanging out. When she operated the lift from the second floor, she slipped and hit the sunshade" the police said. She was rushed to the Egmore Maternity Hospital but was declared brought dead. Her body was sent to Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital for post-mortem and handed over to the parents on Tuesday. Police have arrested the firm's owner Sudarshan on negligence charges for operating a lift without any safety precautions and released him on self-bail. Chennai: In a shocking incident near Chennai, a private company employee died after being attacked for trying to intervene in a brawl on Wednesday. According to the police, the victim, Hariram (26) of Thenkasi was staying with his friends in Nambi Nagar in Poonamalle and was working in a private firm. On April 18, Hariram was sipping a cold drink in a shop on Trunk Road when V. Perumal (43) of Thirumal Nagar crashed his two-wheeler into another two-wheeler. Perumal and another biker had reportedly started blaming each other and the scene had become nasty. Hariram tried to pacify the bikers. But Perumal had allegedly pulled up Hariram and they uttered words at each other, the police said. Soon, the wordy duel turned into fisticuffs. Perumal called his son Vinoth on his mobile phone and Vinoth arrived with three friends. They had allegedly shoved Hariram and he fell, the police said. Hariram sustained injuries and was admitted to Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, where he succumbed on Wednesday. The Poonamalle police have arrested Perumal and a search is on to nab Vinoth and his friends. Attackers fired at the cashier and the security guard about 18 to 20 times, police said. (Representational Image) New Delhi: Two bike-borne assailants shot dead a cashier of an ATM cash van and the security guard who was travelling with him on Thursday afternoon in Narela area of Delhi. The attackers, who came on a black motorcycle, decamped with the cash box from the van which reportedly had Rs 11 lakh. According to a report in NDTV, the attackers fired at the cashier and the security guard about 18 to 20 times, police said. The two attackers were wearing helmets to hide their faces, the report added. Ranchi : An infant in Jharkhands Chatra district died after a local quack allegedly severed the babys genitals to prove his sex determination test right. The newborns mother, Gudia Debi, was admitted to Om Nursing Home in Jayprakash Nagar late on Tuesday night. According to a report in The Indian Express, quack Anuj Kumar, performed an ultrasound to inform her husband that they will have a girl child. The woman, however, delivered a boy. Later, Kumar cut off the newborns genitals to prove himself right. The quack also claimed that the woman had given birth to a girl with deformities. The doctor accused in the case did not have any registration or licence under the PNDT (Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques) Act. He would scout for couples looking to know the gender of the foetus and get ultrasound done at the clinic of some of his associates. We have got the postmortem done. The allegations against the doctor that he got the genitals severed are true, Chatra Civil Surgeon Dr S P Singh was reported as saying. The quack is currently absconding. Police, on receiving a complaint from the couple, sealed the nursing home on Wednesday morning. The police have also arrested of 95 drug peddlers, including 11 foreigners, and seized 285 kg of narcotic drugs in the first three months. Bengaluru: Drug peddling seems to be on the rise in the city, with 59 cases detected between January and March this year. The police have also arrested of 95 drug peddlers, including 11 foreigners, and seized 285 kg of narcotic drugs in the first three months. South-eastern parts of the city top the list with 18 cases booked. As compared to 2016, the number of drug peddling cases almost trebled in 2017. In 2016, 127 cases were detected, 276 kg of drugs were seized and 305 drug peddlers, including 20 foreigners, were arrested. In 2017, 354 cases were detected, 567 kg of drugs were seized and 634 drug peddlers, including 103 foreigners, were arrested. A senior official said, The city always had drug peddling, but now, the detection has increased because of the extra effort put in by our team. In 2017 too, the south-eastern parts topped the list with 103 cases, followed by East and Whitefield division with 53 cases. DCP (Crime) Ram Niwas Sepat said, We are focusing more on drug problems in the city and we have been conducting specials drives across the city. People gather around the mangled school van after it collided with a moving train in Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh, on Thursday morning. (Photo:PTI) Lucknow: In a tragic incident, 13 school children were killed and eight others, including the van driver, were critically injured when a school van was hit by a train at an unmanned railway crossing in Kushinagar district on Thursday morning. The injured students have been admitted to the district hospital. The van drivers condition is also said to be critical. The children, all students of Divine Public School, were killed on the spot when the Thawe-Kapatanganj passenger train (55075) crashed into the van at the unmanned crossing gate at Behpurva at 6.50 am. The train was on its way to Gorakhpur from Siwan. The deceased children were identified as Hariom, Santosh, Ravi, Ragini, Ataullah, Arshad, Anras, Golu, Kamrul, Sajida, Tamanna, Miraj and Muskan. All of them are less than 10 years old. An eyewitness said the trains horn was audible as it was approaching the unmanned crossing but the van driver, apparently getting late for school, took a chance which led to the accident. The police has booked the principal and manager of Divine Public School for running the school without proper registration and recognition. Also, the basic education officer of Kushinagar and block education officer have been suspended along with the area regional transport officer. Chief minister Yogi Adityanath rushed to Kushinagar and visited the site. He met the injured children and ordered the best possible treatment for the injured. Stop this drama: Yogi to victims kin Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday faced angry protests during his visit here to get a first hand account of the train-school van collision that left 13 children dead. As Adityanath reached the accident spot after visiting the district hospital, an angry crowd raised slogans against railway and local authorities. The Chief Minister tried to pacify them using a megaphone. Narebazi band karo, nautanki band karo (stop raising slogans, stop this drama). I have come here to express my sympathies, he said. However, the protesters were not satisfied and some of them squatted on the railway track. They demanded that railway personnel be posted at the unmanned crossing to avoid such accidents. Members of the Bar Council complained about the irresponsible attitude of the district hospital staff for refering injured children to another hopsital without first aid. Hyderabad: In a shocking incident, an 11-year-old girl was raped by a 45-year-old pastor at Vallampadu village under Revanur police station limits in Koilakuntla talu. According to police, the incident occurred on April 23. A case was registered under Section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 (POCSO ACT) along with Section 376 of IPC. The accused was remanded to custody, the police said. The police said that Subbaiah, 45, was working as a pastor in Vallampadu village. He also ran a kirana shop in his house. When the girl went to the shop to purchase groceries, the pastor was alleged to have raped the minor girl. The girl was bleeding for the past two days, said police. It is learnt that the girl was withdrawing from the family members since the incident. When her parents insisted, the victim said that she was raped by the pastor. Though the incident happened on April 23, they could not muster courage to report against the pastor, it is learnt. Bajarang Dal State Co-ordinator P Prathap Reddy demanded stringent punishment against the pastor for brutally raping a minor girl. Representatives of civil society also held agitations over the chilling rape of a minor girl. An advocate said that Section 376 of Indian Penal Code provides for stringent punishment, as whoever commits rape shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which shall not be less than seven years but which may be for life or for a term which may extend to ten years and shall also be liable to fine unless the women raped is his own wife and is not under twelve years of age, in which cases, he shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years or with fine or with both. A Crime Branch team on Wednesday visited the Madrasa and questioned the residents and visitors in connection with the case. (Photo: Representational) New Delhi: A 10-year-old girl was taken from her home in east Delhis Ghazipur to a madrasa in Ghaziabad and raped there by a juvenile. The incident triggered protests in the area with locals demanding that the madrasa cleric be arrested for his alleged involvement in the matter. The police said that he was being questioned. A Crime Branch team on Wednesday visited the Madrasa and questioned the residents and visitors in connection with the case. The police was informed on April 21 by the girls father that his daughter had gone missing after she went to the market. The police registered a case and during investigation, found a CCTV footage in which the accused was seen taking the girl along with him, they added. The police traced the juvenile to a madrasa where he studied and apprehended him. The girl was recovered from there, the police said. The girls statement was recorded in front of a magistrate on Monday. The accused was sent to a juvenile justice home. The girls family was earlier staying in Ghaziabad before moving to Ghazipur and was known to the family of the accused juvenile. The police are questioning the cleric if he was aware that the girl had been kept there and about his involvement in the matter. The girl's parents are alleging that the madrassa's cleric also knew about the girl being kept captive there and are demanding his arrest. Residents protested in Ghazipur on Tuesday demanding action against the cleric. We have assured them that fair investigation is being conducted on merits and no one will be spared if he is involved in the crime. Owing to inter-state ramifications of the case and for thorough in-depth investigation, the case is being transferred to the crime branch, said Ravindra Yadav, joint commissioner of police (eastern range). Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari, along with East Delhi MP Maheish Girri, on Wednesday met the girl's family and assured them of all the support. Tiwari assured the family that even though the Delhi Police has handed over the case to the Crime Branch, he will talk to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for proper help in investigation of the matter as the madrasa is located there. In a letter to Union Home minister Rajnath Singh, Girri demanded a CBI inquiry into the case. (With PTI inputs) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed his deepest condolences on the unfortunate incident and directed District Administration to provide all help and medical aid to the victims. (Photo: ANI/Twitter) Kushinagar: At least thirteen school children were killed and eight others injured after a train hits a school bus in Uttar Pradesh's Kushinagar district, news agency PTI reported. The children, students of Divine Public School, were killed on the spot when Thawe-Kapatanganj passenger train (55075) crashed into the van at an unmanned crossing gate at Behpurva, said Ved Prakash, spokesperson for Railways. There were at least 25 people, including children in the van, most of whom were children below the age of 10 years, the official said. The train was on way to Gorakhpur from Siwan in Uttar Pradesh. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed his deepest condolences on the unfortunate incident and directed District Administration to provide all help and medical aid to the victims. He also declared an ex-gratia of Rs 2 Lakh to the kin of the deceased and directed an inquiry into the cause of the accident. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed grief over the death of 13 school children, adding that the UP government and the railway dept will take appropriate action in the matter. Railway Minister Piyush Goyal announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh each for the kin of the deceased. "I received the unfortunate news of the death of school children. I have asked senior officials to conduct a probe into the incident. Railways will give a compensation of Rs 2 lakh to the kin of the dead over and above the aid announced by the Uttar Pradesh government," he said in a tweet. (With PTI inputs) A total of 32 suspected Maoists were gunned down in an exchange of fire with the security forces in the Gadchiroli district of neighbouring Maharashtra on Sunday. (Representational Image) Hyderabad: Two more bodies of suspected Maoists including one of a woman was found on the banks of the Indravani River by the security forces on Wednesday morning. Another body suspected to be of a woman Maoist was found in the forest of Kaswarpur in Gadchiroli on Wednesday taking the casualties to 41. A total of 32 suspected Maoists were gunned down in an exchange of fire with the security forces in the Gadchiroli district of neighbouring Maharashtra on Sunday. As the search operations are going on, the police are recovering bodies of the rebels who had reportedly fled after getting injured in the gun battle. Another six rebels were killed in another gun battle in the district on Tuesday. Senior police officials of the Maharashtra police said that two groups of Maoists about 40 had gathered in the forest area to discuss their plan of action and increase the revenue. The Maoists, according to the police, target the Tendu leave contractor in the tribal-dominated district and collect money from them to finance and support their activities. According to the details in the card, the deceased might be Arun Kumar, who went missing during the December floods. (Representational Image) Chennai: Nearly two-and-half years after historic floods lashed Chennai on December 1, 2015 police found a victim's skeleton near the Adyar Canal on Tuesday night. According to the police, residents of Adyar Canal area informed Peerkankaranai police about a skull and skeleton amidst the bushes in the area on Tuesday. The residents had been cleaning the bushes as the area had turned home for reptiles. The police, upon reaching the spot, also found an identity card nearby and the card had name and details of the deceased person. According to the details in the card, the deceased might be Arun Kumar, who went missing during the December floods. Police said that Arun Kumar, who was 24 years old then and his friend Azaruddin, both from Pudhukottai were AC mechanics in a private company in Thirumuduvakkam. They were living in an apartment at Anjugam Nagar near Old Perungalathur. After waiting for nearly a day, Arun and Azar had left the terrace of their building and started wading through in the neck-deep flood waters, against the warning issued by other stranded residents. But they drowned and went missing, the police said. Azar's body was found near Adyar Canal after 40 days in a decomposed state, while Arun remained on missing list. Although the police have been suspecting the skeletons must be Arun's, they are yet to determine the identity beyond doubt. We have informed Pudhukottai police to find Arun's family so that we could conduct DNA testing to identify the skeleton. As of now, the skeletons are being kept at Chromepet GH, the police said. The remains would be handed over to the family only after the DNA test. The victim's family is entitled to receive government relief, police added. Asaram used to take medicines to increase sexual prowess, said prosecution witness Rahul K Sachar, (Photo: File/PTI) Jodhpur: Asaram believed that sexual exploitation of girls is not a sin for 'Brahmgyani' or a highly enlightened person, a prosecution witness had deposed to the court during the trial that ended on Wednesday in a life-long jail term to the self-styled godman. Asaram also used to take medicines to increase sexual prowess, said prosecution witness Rahul K Sachar, an Asaram's follower, in his deposition forming part of the 453-page judgement convicting the godman and his two accomplices for raping a minor nearly five years ago. Sachar, who was close to Asaram and had access to his 'kutia' or abode, deposed that he had seen Asaram molesting girls in his ashrams in 2003 in Pushkar (Rajasthan), Bhiwani (Haryana) and Ahmedabad (Gujarat). For this purpose, he used to give signals to three girls, who used to stay with him, by throwing torch light. On getting the 'signal', the girls used to take the targeted girls to his room in Kutia. He used to roam around the ashram with the three girls for selecting the targeted girls, said Sachar. Also Read: Asaram Bapu gets life in jail for rape of minor schoolgirl One evening in Ahmedabad, Sachar deposed, he climbed the wall of the 'kutia' and saw the godman molesting the girl. He then wrote a letter questioning why he was doing this to girls and handed over the letter to the cook. Asaram read the letter but ignored it. The follower sent a second letter to Asaram, but he chose not to respond to it, following which he forcefully entered the 'kutia' and asked why Bapu was quiet on his questions. The response of Asaram was, 'Brahmgiani ko ye sab karne se paap nahi lagta.' (It's not a sin for a 'Brahmgyani' or a highly enlightened person to do so). When he posed second question how a 'Bhramgyani' can have such desires, Asaram quietly went inside and asked his men and guards to throw the follower out of the 'kutia.' Sachar had further told the court that Asaram also used to take medicines for increasing his sexual power and used to consume opium. Codeword for opium was 'Panched Buti'. The prosecution witness had also disclosed to the court that the three girls staying with Asaram were also involved in abortion of the godman's victims. After leaving Asaram's company and his ashram, Sachar was also attacked in 2004, for which he had lodged a complaint with police but no progress ever took place. He was again attacked after giving statement in the Asaram sexual assault case. Asaram was arrested and was lodged in judicial custody since September 2013 in the case, in which he was awarded life-long jail term yesterday by the Jodhpur Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes court. New Delhi: The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), the body that governs Aadhaar, has been claiming that Aadhaar data cannot be breached or misused. However, contrary to the UIDAI's claims, sensitive data containing details such as religion and caste of 1.34 lakh Aadhaar card holders was reportedly leaked from the Andhra Pradesh State Housing Corporation website. The leaked data was part of a list titled Beneficiary Details belonging to Entry Report for Scheme Hudhud on the website. The data leak clearly revealed details such as a person's Aadhaar number, bank branch, IFSC code, account number, fathers name, address, Panchayat, mobile number, ration card number, occupation, religion and caste, on a live website. The leak was reported by a cybersecurity researcher Srinivas Kodali. The UIDAI may not be doing it, but other government departments are. And the AP housing corporation website is proof. The UIDAI has no idea what information is being linked to the unique ID, Kodali said. "It is not illegal to collect data under the act but making it public is prohibited. Also, at the bottom of the website, the AP government has put in a disclaimer, which says, nobody is responsible if data is leaked, and no official can be penalised, Kodali added. According to an NDTV report, the Andhra Pradesh government said that it adheres to the rules and regulations of the Aadhaar Act 2016 and the orders from the Hon'ble Courts in the context of data privacy. "We are investigating into this report and once we understand the full situation we will update you," the government said. On Wednesday, a five-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra, was hearing a clutch of petitions challenging Aadhaar and its enabling 2016 law. The top court raised questions over the government's decision ordering mandatory seeding of mobile numbers with Aadhaar and said its earlier order on mandatory authentication of the users was used as a "tool". Around 11.30 am, Gowtham fell into the sump and drowned. As he was alone at the time of the incident, no one spotted him falling into the sump, the police said. (Representational Image) Bengaluru: In an unfortunate incident, a six-year-old boy drowned in a sump while playing outside his house in Harokyathanahalli on the city outskirts on Wednesday. The deceased has been identified as Gowtham, the younger son of Kumar Naik and Varadhamma. The incident happened when the boys parents had gone to work and Gowtham was playing alone. The child used to stay at their neighbours house until his parents returned in the evening. According to police, the couple worked at a garment factory and left for the work at around 8.30 am. Around 11.30 am, Gowtham fell into the sump and drowned. As he was alone at the time of the incident, no one spotted him falling into the sump, the police said. The police further said the locality has six houses and the residents used to draw water from a common sump. On Wednesday, someone by mistake kept the lid of the sump open after drawing water. Gowtham while playing slipped and died. The incident came to light when another neighbour went to draw water and saw Gowtham inside. They info rmed Kumar who rushed home from his work before shifting Goutham to a hospital, where he was declared brought dead. Madanayakanahalli police have registered a case of death under suspicious circumstances and are investigating. Justice KM Joseph is 42nd in the seniority list of 669 high court judges. (Photo: PTI/File) New Delhi: After its decision to put on hold the elevation of Justice KM Joseph as a Supreme Court judge, the Centre on Thursday asked the apex court's collegium to reconsider its recommendation to elevate Justice Joseph, sources said. The Centre's move to hold the elevation of Justice KM Joseph and clear the appointment of senior advocate Indu Malhotra as a judge of the Supreme Court has invited resentment from the Oppositon Congress and the legal fraternity. They believe the government is interfering in judicial appointments. Also Read: Indu Malhotra becomes first woman lawyer to be directly promoted as SC judge The Centre has put on hold the elevation of Justice KM Joseph, who heads the Uttarakhand High Court. The government feels that while recommending the name of Justice Joseph, the collegium has disregarded seniority and regional representation. Joseph is 42nd in the seniority list of 669 high court judges. On January 22, the apex court collegium's file recommending the elevation of Justice Joseph and Indu Malhotra was sent to the Law Ministry. Sources said Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad will now write to Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra explaining why it decided to appoint only Indu Malhotra. Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram demanded to know why the government was holding up KM Joseph's appointment. He asked if the reason was his state, his religion or his judgement in the Uttarakhand case. In a landmark judgement in 2016, Joseph had quashed President rule and revived the Harish Rawat-led Congress government in Uttarakhand. "As the law stands now, the recommendation of the SC collegium is final and binding in the appointment of judges. Is the Modi government above the law?" Chidambaram tweeted. Supreme Court Bar Association President Advocate Vikas Singh also questioned the Centre's decision stating he had reservations about the attitude of the government. "There is no way by which they should not have cleared Justice KM Joseph's name," he said. By making one appointment and not making another, the government has interfered in functioning of the judiciary, he said. "This is a very serious matter and should be taken up with the government very strongly," Singh added. CJI Misra also said that Justice Joseph's name might be referred back to the collegium to reconsider its decision. (Photo: PTI/File) New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to stay warrant on appointment of senior advocate Indu Malhotra as an apex court judge. Constitutional propriety demands that warrant of appointment of Indu Malhotra be implemented, the Supreme Court stated. Lawyer Indira Jaising's petition had sought to stay Malhotra's appointment as a Supreme Court judge on the ground that the Centre had stalled the appointment of Uttarakhand Chief Justice KM Joseph. The top court termed Jaising's plea as "unimaginable", "unconscionable" and "never heard of". The CJI also stated that it was not wrong on part of the Centre to have asked the apex court's collegium to reconsider its recommendation to elevate Justice Joseph. "If Centre has segregated the recommendation and sent one of the names for reconsideration then they are within their right," the CJI said. CJI Misra also said that Justice Joseph's name might be referred back to the collegium to reconsider its decision. Meanwhile, over 100 SC lawyers moved plea seeking that Uttarakhand HC Chief Justice KM Joseph and Malhotra be simultaneously made apex court judges. After its decision to put on hold the elevation of Justice KM Joseph as a Supreme Court judge, the Centre on Thursday asked the apex court's collegium to reconsider its recommendation to elevate Justice Joseph. The Centre earlier on Wednesday put on hold the elevation of Justice KM Joseph and cleared the appointment of senior advocate Indu Malhotra as a judge of the Supreme Court. The government felt that while recommending the name of Justice Joseph, the collegium has disregarded seniority and regional representation. On January 22, the apex court collegium's file recommending the elevation of Justice Joseph and Indu Malhotra was sent to the Law Ministry. Plaster from walls of the historic Darulshifa hospital peeled off while some portions collapsed. (Image: DC) Hyderabad: The Darulshifa hospital, dating back to the Qutb Shahi era, is craving for the attention of the authorities. The building is in a dilapidated condition. It also houses the famous Alawa-E-Sartooq (ashoorkhana). The Shia community leaders have demanded that it be repaired immediately. The Darulshifa hospital has the facility for inpatients and outpatients. The hospital, according to historians had a bed strength of 300. The massive two-storeyed structure is spread over a vast area but unfortunately is ill-maintained. I had brought the condition of the building to the notice of the GHMC and the Archeology Department. Not much is being done to preserve it as wild vegetation is constantly growing from the walls and roof, complained Mr Mir Diyanath Ali Khan, a local resident and regular visitor to the place. Wild vegetation growing from the walls and roof. Damage is also visible on both the interior and exterior walls of the building apparently due to wear and tear. Hamed Hussain Jaffery, a Shia community leader said that apart from the building, one important Alam (standard) is installed in a portion of the hospital. The standard contains the Tauq (shackle) that was placed around the neck of Imam Zain al Abideen when he was taken into prison by the army of Yazeed after the battle of Karbala. Haji Aga Mohsin Khorasani, advisor to Abdullah Qutub Shah, the Qutb Shahi ruler, brought the relic to the city. The relic was later installed in the Darulshifa with the belief that the patients would recover due its presence, he explained. Former MLC Altaf Hyder Razvi said that actually, the building was delisted from the protected monuments list recently. I had brought senior officials of various government departments to visit it. Even Deputy Chief Minister Mohammed Mahmood Ali visited the premises, he said. It is learnt, that there is a court case regarding the property and hence it is reportedly delaying the renovations. On January 22, the apex court Collegium's file recommending the elevation of Justice Joseph and Malhotra reached the Law Ministry. (Photo: ANI) New Delhi: The government is learnt to have cleared the appointment of senior advocate Indu Malhotra as a judge of the Supreme Court, sources in the Law Ministry said on Wednesday. She will be the first woman judge to be appointed to the top post directly from the bar. With this development, the government has decided to put on hold the elevation of Justice KM Joseph, who heads the Uttarakhand High Court. On January 22, the apex court Collegium's file recommending the elevation of Justice Joseph and Malhotra reached the Law Ministry. After processing the file in the first week of February, the recommendations were kept in abeyance as the government wanted to elevate only Malhotra. But now, the government has went ahead with the appointment of Malhotra and kept on hold the elevation of Justice Joseph. The government feels that while recommending the name of Justice Joseph, the Collegium has disregarded seniority and regional representation. He is 42nd in the seniority list of 669 high court judges. Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad would now write to Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra about its decision to appoint only Malhotra, the sources added. The Village Temple Renovation Fund was created for providing financial assistance to small village temples under the control of the department for renovation. Chennai: It appears that GST has not spared even the village temples in Tamil Nadu, especially when it comes to utilising funds for renovation. Many village temples saw bright prospects in taking up renovation work when the fund was doubled from the earlier sum of Rs 50,000. But they are in a quandary now as they have to pay State GST of 6 per cent and a CGST of 6 per cent from out of Rs 1 lakh renovation fund they receive from the government. The village temple pays about Rs 12,000 as total GST, and in addition pay one percent i.e. Rs 1,000 for Construction Workers Welfare Fund. For instance, a temple which receives Rs 1 lakh as funds for renovation ends up paying Rs 20,000 by way of taxes and will be constrained to take up work only with the remaining funds, claims P. Vasu, state president of Kovil Poosarikal Nala Sangam (Temple Priests Welfare Association). In the past, when a temple obtained Rs 50,000, the temple authorities utilised the entire sum for renovation, but with the change in situation post-GST, the temples are dismayed at losing a chunk of the funds by way of GST and other taxes. This peculiar situation, however, does not persist for big temples, which receive donations from philanthropists. Hence, we request the State government to either bear the taxes and ensure the temples receive the Rs 1 lakh in full or waive off the GST and other cess, Mr Vasu said. The Village Temple Renovation Fund was created for providing financial assistance to small village temples under the control of the department for renovation. A corpus of Rs 2 crore was created by diversion from the surplus fund of Arulmigu Dandayuthapaniswamy Temple, Palani. From the interest obtained from the corpus, Rs 25,000 was disbursed to each village temple. During 2012-2013, former Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa ordered its enhancement to Rs 50,000 and again doubled it (to Rs 1,00,000 for each temple). For 2016-2017 fiscal, Rs 5 crore was disbursed to renovate 500 village temples under this scheme. The need to build a sky-walk arose due to extreme difficulty being experienced by the public to navigate through the ever-busy Ranganathan street on the one side and, the Railway Border road-Natesan street on the other to reach the bus stand and vice versa. Chennai: The Greater Chennai Corporation recently stated it was ready with the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the construction of the Skywalk to connect Mambalam railway station and T Nagar bus stand at an estimated cost of Rs 20 crore. However, activists and residents of the area rue that the government is supposed to look into various other alternatives and only when all avenues get exhausted should the agency think of new proposals. They allege the sywalk is an avoidable expenditure and the funds could be diverted to other pressing issues in the area instead. The need to build a sky-walk arose due to extreme difficulty being experienced by the public to navigate through the ever-busy Ranganathan street on the one side and, the Railway Border road-Natesan street on the other to reach the bus stand and vice versa. People are jostling for space because of the widespread encroachment on Ranganathan street, Natesan street, Railway Border road by the commercial complexes and other hawkers. It must be stated that the mess is due to the inefficiency, callousness and the failure of the statutory functionaries to perform their duties and responsibilities, said Jayaram Sivaram from the T Nagar Resident Welfare Association. He added that instead of putting up a sky-walk which over a period of time would become infested with encroachments the corporation must work hard to retrieve public space on Ranganathan street, Natesan street and Railway Border road from encroachments. Residents say that the by-lane between Ranganathan and Natesan streets can be cleared of all impediments so that it can be made use of by the public. While a small portion on the eastern side of the bylane is being used by the nearby shops to dump their wares, the other half is in an utter state of neglect. They suggest the Corporation must rescind the sky-walk proposal and pursue its efforts to rid the streets of all encroachments, which would ensure hassle-free movement. Conceived in 2015, the Skywalk project had been in limbo due to technical problems involving alignment, construction of pillars and establishing land ownership. Madhya Pradesh Congress leaders believe Kamal Nath has the capacity to take along all senior leaders, including Digvijay Singh, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Leader of Opposition Ajay Singh, Suresh Pachouri, Kantilal Bhuria and Arun Yadav, among others. (Photo: File/PTI) Bhopal: The decision to appoint Kamal Nath as the Madhya Pradesh Congress unit president and Jyotiraditya Scindia as the campaign committee chief is being seen as a balancing act in the faction-ridden party in the poll-bound state. The appointment of Jyotiraditya Scindia, the Member of Parliament from Guna, as the campaign committee chairman will give the party a strong face against three-term BJP Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, state Congress leaders feel. "The move will balance the faction-ridden party in a major way as among all the top Congress leaders of the state, Nath's stature is very high and he has the capacity to take along all of them," a senior Congress leader told news agency PTI requesting anonymity. "Both Nath and Scindia gel well. Nath had also openly supported Scindia's candidature for the chief ministerial post on various occasions," the senior leader said. Also Read: Kamal Nath made MP Cong unit chief, Jyotiraditya Scindia to lead poll campaign There have been talks of internal factionalism in the party and its workers are said to be divided among four factions -- headed by general secretary Digvijay Singh, Nath, Scindia and Suresh Pachori. Analysts feel the internal division could hurt the party's prospects in the assembly polls due later this year. Madhya Pradesh Congress' chief spokesman KK Mishra exuded confidence that under the leadership of Kamal Nath, the party will work "unitedly" to form a government in the state. Former Union minister Aslam Sher Khan said it was a welcome decision to appoint the nine-time Congress MP from Chhindwara Lok Sabha seat as the state unit president, though late. "This will give necessary vigour to the Congress to take on the BJP, whose graph, and especially that of Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, is falling at a fast pace in the state," Khan claimed. Farmers are very annoyed with the BJP government as they are not getting due for their produce, said the ex-Olympian, who had been demanding Nath's appointment as the state party president for long. "The schemes like 'Bhawantar' and the Minimum Support Price (MSP) have failed miserably. Besides, a strong anti- incumbency is prevailing in the state and this is the right decision taken by the party," the Congress leader said. Khan also said Nath has the capacity to take along all senior leaders, including Digvijay Singh, Scindia, Leader of Opposition Ajay Singh, Suresh Pachouri, Kantilal Bhuria and Arun Yadav, among others. The Congress has also appointed four working presidents " Bala Bachhan, Ramnivas Rawat, Jitu Patwari and Surender Chaudhary -- in the Madhya Pradesh state unit. Patwari said Nath's experience will play a major role in ending the "BJP's misrule" in the state. Bala Bachchan said the Congress' decision will bring the desired results for the party in Madhya Pradesh. "Under Nath's leadership, the people, who are fed up with the BJP, will get the much needed relief," he said. Another party leader claimed that the Congress general secretary and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister, Digvijay Singh, played a major role in paving way for the appointment of Nath as the state party president. "Singh had vocally supported Nath's candidature during his 'Narmada Parikrama Yatra' which concluded recently," he said. Soon after his appointment, Nath assured to work with full dedication to defeat the "non-secular parties". "I am committed to give my best to ensure the defeat of non-secular parties. As president, I will work dedicatedly and with full coordination to defeat the BJP and I thank Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi for reposing faith in me," Nath said in a tweet. Bengaluru: The Assembly election in Karnataka is a contest between the current Siddaramaiah government and the previous B S Yeddyurappa dispensation, and there is hardly any "Modi effect", senior Congress leader K C Venugopal said Wednesday. Claiming there was a "match fixing" between the BJP, which is aspiring to form its government in the state for a second time, and the JD(S) of former prime minister H D Deve Gowda, Venugopal, Congress general secretary in-charge for Karnataka, said: "There is not much Modi effect in Karnataka election. This is an election between Siddaramaiah government and former Yeddyurappa government." In Karnataka, he said Modi was viewed as leader of just another political party. "I don"t see any Modi wave here in Karnataka. I"m not minimizing the personality of the prime minister. Here people take him as a leader of a political party, a BJP leader," he said. Dubbing the Karnataka polls as the "semi-final" before the 2019 Lok Sabha election, the vocal Congress MP said the party was confident of breaking the jinx and retaining power in the state, something no party has been able to do since 1985. "We will get 130 plus seats. I"m damn sure...we are working for the last one year here (for achieving the goal)," Venugopal said. When pointed out that no party has been able to achieve the feat of retaining power in the state since 1985, he said the Congress will be able to form its government despite the "match fixing" between the BJP and JD(S). Venugopal backed party president Rahul Gandhi's charge that Deve Gowda's party was a 'B team' of the BJP. He said Deve Gowda's son and former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy repeatedly visited Chamundeshwari, from were Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was in the fray, only with the intention of having him defeated. "There (Chamundeshwari) BJP has not put up a strong candidate (to help the JD(S) nominee). In Varuna (from where Siddaramaiah's son Yatindra is contesting) JD(S) has not fielded a strong candidate (to aid the BJP candidate)". "There is clear match fixing between BJP and the JD(S)," he claimed. When asked if the Congress will join hands with the JD(S) in the event of a fractured mandate, as being projected by various surveys, Venugopal said there was "no question" of a hung Assembly. About protests by Congress ticket aspirants and their supporters after candidates were announced, Venugopal said the turn of events were "most peaceful" this time as compared to 2008 and 2013. He rejected suggestions that Siddaramaiah had his way deciding the nominees, something that did not go down well with senior leaders like Mallikarjun Kharge and Veerappa Moily. "Some people are saying the chief minister got maximum number of seats, he got maximum advantage. That"s baseless. I can say that the chief minister was most accommodative in the selection of candidates," he said, adding 200 candidates were finalised by the screening committee unanimously. The senior Congress leader said Siddaramaiah was contesting from two constituencies-- Chamundeshwari and Badami-- as part of a "strategic" decision by the party high command, not because the chief minister wanted it. Responding to allegations that the Siddaramaiah government had tried to split Hindus by recommending religious minority status for the numerically strong and influential Lingayats, he said the representation from leaders of the community was forwarded to the Centre, which will now take a decision. When asked whether the move will help the Congress reap a rich electoral harvest, he said, the party will be backed by all sections as they "feel justice is being done to them and their demands are being looked at." The Prime Minister made it very clear during his address that there is no policy paralysis with the BJP government. (Photo: File) New Delhi: Ahead of the upcoming Karnataka assembly polls on May 12, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday motivated the morale of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers in the state. The Prime Minister while interacting with the Karnataka faction through NaMo App said that the BJP has always given precedence to development over politics and with this focus, the party fights elections and runs the government. "BJP has given precedence to development over politics. With this in focus, we fight elections, run the government. I know earlier government used to avoid talking about development because it is measurable. You have to fight lies, manipulation. In such times, workers must not get frazzled. We have to move forward on the issues important to us," the Prime Minister said. He said that the BJP has three pronged agenda for Karnataka - development, the fast paced development and the all round Development as the party as given primary importance for politics of development. Continuing his tirade against the Congress, the Prime Minister alleged the party was responsible for tardy progress of state. He was accused the Congress of not focusing on development during their ongoing tenure in the Karnataka. "We know other political parties hesitate to talk on development because development can be quantified. This was unacceptable to those parties which only concentrated on division. We govern and also fight elections based only on development model," he said. "In Karnataka, after we came to power, Rs 17,000 crore was given to the state to construct national highways. During UPA rule, they did not construct even 1,000 kilometers of road. But we did more than 1,500 kilometers of road. People talk about climate change and global warming. During Congress rule, in four years, 2,000 MW of renewable energy was generated. In four years, we have doubled the work to 7,800 MW. Even solar energy, it'll help the poorest of the poor. In Karnataka, the government did not tap solar energy," he continued. The Prime Minister also made it very clear during his address that there is no policy paralysis with the BJP government. "Development is not an issue for ones who do in caste-based politics; they give a lollipop of fake promises to particular community and then do same with another community in next elections. If you analyse last few elections, you will realise how few political parties have indulged only in dividing societies on religious lines. They exploit emotions of some community before elections and forget them after the elections," he said. "We walk ahead keeping unity in mind. Sabka saath, sabka vikas, is the mantra we follow. I have seen Karnataka has made up its mind on development. Now, that people have seen that the Congress is going to lose; people have started talking about a "hung" Assembly. They are spreading lies there will be no clear majority. It is their conspiracy to dissuade voters from casting their vote," Prime Minister Modi added. Earlier on Wednesday, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had dismissed a question on hung assembly saying that he will win in both Badami and Chamundeshwari constituencies. The Prime Minister urged every BJP workers to reach each and every voter. "I'm also a Kannadiga, consider that and move forward. I will also work in the same spirit. Now our job is to reach each and every voter. This is my request," Prime Minister Modi said. The Prime Minister interacted with all the candidates, office bearers, elected representatives and party workers in poll-bound Karnataka via the Namo app. Prime Minister Modi, during his interaction, encouraged the party workers engaged in the Assembly poll campaign in the state, and also provide guidance to senior party leaders, MPs, and MLAs. He also urged the voters to elect a government with complete majority in Karnataka. With Karnataka set to go to polls, Prime Minister Modi will be travelling to Udupi on May 1, where he will be visiting Shri Krishna Mutt, and will later address a massive public rally. PM Modi is expected to address anywhere between 15-20 rallies, party sources said. The saffron party is making all-out efforts to oust the Siddaramaiah dispensation from power in the only big state where the Congress governs. Opinion polls have so far forecast a close fight between the two parties and the BJP believes that Modi's whirlwind campaign in the final days before the polls can tilt the scale in its favour. A win in Karnataka, the first of three key states to vote this year ahead of a 2019 general election, would give Prime Minister Narendra Modi's party a huge foothold in the south and bolster his chances of a second term. Amid conflicting reports about his victory prospects, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had earlier on Wednesday exuded confidence in his party ahead of the elections, stating that the Congress party is a "game-changer". Victory in Karnataka will be a stepping stone for Congress for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, he had said. 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. Nellore: Former Nellore legislator and Telugu Desam party leader Anam Vivekananda Reddy passed away during treatment for Prostate Cancer at Kims Hospital in Hyderabad on Wednesday morning. The 67-year-old is survived by two sons apart from his wife. He has been living in Hyderabad for more than a year for treatment and he was admitted in KIMS on April 13. All his family members were present at the hospital when he breathed his last. Vivekananda Reddy became a legislator of Nellore city when he contested with a Congress ticket in 1999 and also won the seat in 2004. He shifted to Nellore rural constituency in 2009 and won the seat again. Till his migration to Telugu Desam after 2014 general elections, entire politics of Nellore City rallied behind Vivekananda between 1995 and 2014 and his rivals had a tough time to survive during the period. 'Nobody or no lawyer has threatened the victim's lawyer, Deepika Singh Rajawat, and or stopped the police from filing the chargesheet against the accused persons in the alleged Kathua rape and murder case,' Senior Supreme Court lawyer Vikas Singh told the court. (Photo: ANI) New Delhi: The inquiry panel of the Bar Council of India (BCI) that is investigating the alleged rape and murder case in Kathua, on Thursday rejected claims that lawyers of the Jammu Bar had threatened the raped victim's lawyer Deepika Singh Rajawat. The inquiry panel also rejected allegations that the police had been stopped from filing a chargesheet in court. Senior Supreme Court lawyer Vikas Singh, appearing on behalf of the Jammu and Kashmir Bar Association, told a three-judge Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra that no lawyer had threatened Rajawat or had stopped the police from filing a chargesheet against the accused. "Nobody or no lawyer has threatened the victim's lawyer, Deepika Singh Rajawat, and or stopped the police from filing the chargesheet against the accused persons in the alleged Kathua rape and murder case," Singh told the court. The apex court observed, "We are only concerned with the victim's families getting justice expeditiously, or, about how the investigation and trial would go on." "Let us be clear and focus on investigation and about the trial of the case," it added. Meanwhile, Chandan Sharma, the lawyer of two of the accused-Sanji Ram and Vishal Jangotra - told the court that the investigation must be fair, transparent and judicious as it is the minimum requirement of the rule of law. The investigating agency could not be permitted to conduct an investigation in a tainted and biased manner. The apex court said that it would resume hearing the main matter on Friday. The Jammu and Kashmir High Court Bar Association on Wednesday told the Supreme Court that it had not obstructed the police from filing a chargesheet in the connecting case. It said there was a need for a fair and impartial Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the rape case. On filing an affidavit before the top court, the association denied that its president, and senior advocate BS Salathia, and other office bearers had threatened a woman lawyer from appearing for the family of a rape victim, terming the allegation as false and baseless. On April 19, the apex court asked the High Court Bar Association at Jammu and the Kathua District Court Bar Association to file a response about the incident. On April 13, the apex court had taken suo motu notice of lawyers preventing the victim's lawyer from appearing in the case. In Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district, a minor girl belonging to the Sunni-Muslim nomadic Bakerwal Tribe was allegedly abducted, drugged, gangraped, tortured and killed in January. Cuttack/Bolangir: The police on Wednesday claimed to have cracked the wedding gift parcel bomb case of Bolangir alleging that a college lecturer masterminded it for being replaced by the mother of one of the two persons killed in the blast in February. Punjilal Meher, the accused and a colleague of the deceased groom's mother, was arrested by the Crime Branch on Tuesday night, Director General of Police RP Sharma told reporters at Cuttack. "The Crime Branch sleuths, in course of their investigation, zeroed in on Punjilal Meher as the mastermind in the parcel gift blast case. They confirmed his complicity during its investigation in Raipur," he said. Soumya and Reema Sahu had married on February 18. Five days later, they received a parcel as a wedding gift. The parcel exploded when it was opened on February 23. Soumya and his grandmother Jemamani were killed in the blast while Reema suffered grievous burn injuries. "The motive of the crime was jealousy. Soumya's mother Sanjukta was made principal of the Jyoti Bikash College at Bhainsa replacing Meher," IGP Crime Branch Arun Bothra said. In a bid to take revenge, Meher planned and executed the blast with an aim to eliminate the entire family, Bothra told reporters at Bolangir. "Meher himself prepared the parcel bomb and sent it through a courier to Sahu's family from Raipur," he said. The IGP said the police seized crackers, gun powder, a laptop and a pen drive from the possession of Meher, he said. Meher studied for seven months and took the help of the Internet to prepare the bomb, Bothra said, adding that he had tested small bombs manufactured by him before sending the gift parcel. Meanwhile, six other suspects detained for interrogation in this case were released on Wednesday. Chennai: A plea has been made in Madras High Court challenging the move of CBSE to allot examination centres located in neighbouring Kerala to candidates hailing from Tamil Nadu in the forthcoming National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Neet). After a mention was made before the First Bench comprising Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice Abdul Quddhose on Wednesday to take up the matter due to urgency, the bench has posted it for hearing before the Division Bench headed by Justice Huluvadi G. Ramesh on Thursday. According to petitioner-advocate S. Kalimuthu Mylavan, CBSE had issued an information bulletin to the candidates appearing for Neet examination for the academic year 2018-19 for undergraduate medical courses. The examination is scheduled to be held on May 6, 2018 across the country.CBSE has issued provisional admit card - Neet (UG) through its website to those who applied for the test. Soon after downloading the admit card, they were shocked to note that they were directed to appear for the test in various examination centres in Kerala. The candidates residing in Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Nagercoil and Tiruchy districts were allotted centres such as Ernakulam in Kerala. These centres were allotted even as a number of examination centres such as Chennai, Coimbatore, Salem, Namakkal, Madurai and Tirunelveli are situated close to where they live. Most of the candidates hail from rural areas in the state and many candidates are poor and their families may not be able to afford to spend money for travel and stay in Kerala. The petitioner has prayed to the court to quash the notice issued by CBSE dated April 18, 2018. He also sought for a direction to re-allot the examination centres, which are located near their place of residence, to the candidates hailing from Tamil Nadu. As per Madhya Pradesh government's order, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's photo will be on the left side while state Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's will be on the right.(Photo: File/PTI) Bhopal: Images of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan will be displayed on two tiles in houses to be built in Madhya Pradesh under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), according to a state government order that has sparked criticism from the opposition which alleged that a wrong precedent was being set by "politicising" a scheme meant for the poor. Each unit will have two such tiles- one on the kitchen wall and the other at the entrance of the house, the order issued by Urban Administration and Development Department of the state government on April 4 said. It directed the commissioners of municipal corporations and chief municipal officers of municipalities in the state to ensure that the two ceramic tiles of 450X600 mm size each are installed in each PMAY house. As per the specifications mentioned in the order, each of the two ceramic tiles will carry the slogan 'Sabka Sapna, Ghar Ho Apana' in Hindi at the top. The middle portion of each tile will have 'Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana- Urban' written in English as well as Hindi along with the scheme's logo. While Modi's photo will be on the left side of this logo, Chouhan's will be on the right. Next to the slogan on the top, the logo of the state government and a small-size picture of BJP ideologue Deendayal Upadhyay will be printed. The order was issued following the directives given by the chief minister on January 2, during a meeting on the PMAY scheme. However, the opposition Congress termed the move as "completely wrong". "This is a government-run scheme meant for the poor and it should not be politicised. The ruling party is setting a wrong precedent by putting up the ceramic tiles with the pictures of Modi ji and Shivraj ji," Leader of Opposition in Assembly, Ajay Singh, told news agency PTI. The ruling saffron party, however, maintained that there was nothing wrong in it. State BJP spokesperson Rajnish Agrawal said, "There was no intention of politicising any issue. This is for the first time in the country's history that a target has been set to provide a house to every poor. There is nothing wrong if the pictures of the PM and the CM are being put up at the entrance and inside the kitchen." Speaking over the move, Additional Commissioner of Urban Administration Department, Manju Sharma, said, "The order was issued in the first week of this month. Through these tiles, the beneficiaries and other people will be able to know under which scheme the houses have been built. Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Thursday described the proposed US visa rules as a 'huge setback' for India. (Photo: File) New Delhi: Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Thursday described the proposed US visa rules as a "huge setback" for India, and in a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi said there were "some things a hug can buy", but for visas "you're on your own". Gandhi's remarks come amid Trump administration's plan to propose to end giving work permits to the spouses of H-1B visa holders to work in the US, a move that could have a devastating impact on tens of thousands of Indians. "New US Visa Rules, huge setback for India...," the Congress president said on Twitter. "There are some things a hug can buy. For visas, you're on your own," he said in a word play on the MasterCard ad campaign which says, "There are some things money can't buy. For everything else, there's MasterCard". "Foreign Policy by Narendra Modi, Foreword by Donald Trump," Congress president said mocking the government's diplomacy. Also Read: In setback for Indians, US mulls ending work permits for H-1B holders spouses Gandhi has earlier also attacked the Prime Minister over what he termed 'hugplomacy' after Pakistan released 2008 Mumbai attacks mastermind and Lashkar-e-Taiba chief Hafiz Saeed from house arrest. The Trump administration's move to end the Obama-era rule could have an impact on more than 70,000 H-4 visas holders, who have work permits. H-4 is issued to the spouse of H-1B visa holders, a significantly large number of whom are high-skilled professionals from India. They had obtained work permits under a special order issued by the previous Obama administration. The case, initially registered by the local police, was transferred to the CB-CID on April 17 and created a political uproar as the arrested Nirmala Devi, in an audio, allegedly dragged the name of governor into the sex for marks and money scandal. Chennai: Madurai Kamaraj University (MKU) research scholar Karuppusamy, wanted by the CB-CID in connection with the Nirmala Devi sex scam, surrendered before the Madurai High Court Wednesday. The police have been searching for him for the last four days to probe allegations that the university and Devanga Arts College in Aruppukottai where Devi worked did nothing on complaints given by two other girls of harassment from Devi and other friends, including Karuppusamy. The sex-for-grades and money scam is assuming huge proportions and seems to involve several teachers and officials in the university, CBCID sources said, emphasising that a few other faculty members of the university are also under the scanner. V Murugan, an assistant professor of the university who was arrested on Tuesday, was produced before a magistrate in Sattur on Wednesday. The court remanded him to five-day police custody for further investigation. Both V. Murugan and Karrupasamy arrested had applied for bail through their lawyers and the CBCID has plans to extend the police custody of Nirmala through the court. Another woman lecturer in a private autonomous college was also interrogated on Wednesday and she had promised to extend full cooperation to the investigation, sources said. We are looking for more complaints from the students and those associated with all the three persons are under the scanner, the police said. Meanwhile, the inquiry commission ordered by the TN Governor will begin its second phase of investigation at Aruppukotttai and is to extend the inquiry to the lecturers and students who were in touch with Nirmala Devi. Governor Banwarilal Purohit, who is the chancellor of the university, had ordered a probe by retired IAS officer R. Santhanam. The case, initially registered by the local police, was transferred to the CB-CID on April 17 and created a political uproar as the arrested Nirmala Devi, in an audio, allegedly dragged the name of governor into the sex for marks and money scandal. Jodhpur: Self-styled godman Asaram who was convicted of rape on Wednesday had asked the rape survivor in the case, to "surrender" to him, boasting that senior officials bowed their heads at him. According to her statement, which figures in the verdict of the special court which sentenced Asaram to a life imprisonment, the godman said she should give up her plans to become a chartered accountant and instead study for a B.Ed. He would then make her a teacher and later principal of his 'gurukul' (school), he told her. What will you do by becoming a CA? Big officers bow their head at my feet, he said, according the minor's statement. The rape survivor, a resident of Shahjahanpur in Uttar Pradesh, had gone to Asaram's ashram in Jodhpur with her parents for getting cured of an 'evil spirit'. She was a student, staying at a hostel run by Asaram in Chhindwara in Madhya Pradesh. Shilpi, a warden there, had suggested that she meet the godman in Jodhpur. Asaram met the family on August 14, 2013. He showed them his 'kutiya', the place where he stayed in the ashram, and talked to the girl about what she wanted to do in life. The next evening, he called the family and asked the parents to leave after making them recite some mantras. He then told the 16-year-old girl to come to his room and asked her about her studies, according to the rape survivor's statement. He assaulted her, keeping her confined in the room for near an hour and a half. He told the rape survivor to remain quiet about the assault but the girl informed her mother. The parents lodged a complaint against Asaram at Kamla Market police station in Delhi. This was later transferred to Jodhpur. While delivering the judgment, magistrate Madhusudan Sharma observed that the accused not only broke the trust of the rape survivor but also tarnished the image of saints. The defence counsel urged the court to consider Asaram's old age as well as the citations he had received from former presidents KR Narayanan and APJ Abdul Kalam, former vice president Bhairon Singh Shekhawat and other leaders. All services apart from emergency services have been hit due to the doctors strike. All routine surgeries have been cancelled. New Delhi: About 1,700 resident doctors of All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) decided to go on indefinite strike on Thursday evening after, they said, their complaint against a high-profile eye doctor at the premier hospital for physically assaulting a junior doctor was not being taken seriously. All services apart from emergency services have been hit due to the doctors strike. All routine surgeries have been cancelled. The doctors on strike are demanding that Dr Atul Kumar, chief of Rajendra Prasad Centre (RPC) for Ophthalmic Sciences, be suspended pending an inquiry. Dr Kumar allegedly slapped a senior resident doctor (name withheld on request) on Wednesday morning in front of patients and staff. The resident doctor has, in his written complaint to the AIIMS director, said that Dr Kumar arrived early for rounds and got upset with the junior doctors for not being ready with patients documents. He got very angry and started shouting My phone started ringing while he was scolding me so he tried to snatch my phone but I resisted. Then he slapped me, my spectacles fell off and I got blank for a minute (sic), he has written. The resident doctor left the centre and proceeded on previously sanctioned leave to his home in Nagpur. Dr Kumar, the resident doctor has written to the AIIMS director, apologised to him at least thrice saying he was like my father. Though the resident doctor has accepted the apology, he has requested that he not be made to work with Dr Kumar. AIIMS has instituted a committee to inquire into the incident, but the resident doctors are refusing to call off their strike. The blood sample is analysed for foetal DNA found in the mothers blood through which genetic disorders along with sex of the baby can be determined. Hyderabad: A new blood test, where a pinprick sample of the mothers blood can be analysed to determine the sex of the unborn child, has created a lot of controversy in the scientific circles. The blood sample is analysed for foetal DNA found in the mothers blood through which genetic disorders along with sex of the baby can be determined. This can be done in eight weeks of the babys growth. Indian doctors and scientists are concerned that the test can give rise to sex-selective abortion particularly in India and China. Dr Laxmi Kiran, senior gynaecologist explained, There are patients who opt for these kinds of tests in special cases when there is a history of Downs syndrome or any other hereditary problems. But they go abroad and do the testing. The blood samples are sent from India to laboratories in the world for chromosomal testing, but the reports do not reveal the sex of the child as it is not allowed. Experts state that eight weeks is too early to determine the sex of the child. The child is fully-developed only at 12 weeks. Radiologist Dr Shaikh Mohammed Sikandar of department of PET-CT and Nuclear Medicine at Yashoda Hospitals explained, The Indian government is very strict about gender testing of the baby. Those who are indulging in these activities are being punished. Also, tissue transmission is not possible at eight weeks of pregnancy. In the population Census of 2011 it was revealed that the man-woman ratio in India is 940 females to a 1,000 men. As such it is important that the girl child is allowed to be born and not aborted just because her gender upsets her patriarchal family. The pinprick test has been created by Brazilian researchers to detect Down's syndrome and other genetic conditions. But the scientists are divided over the availability of this test in India as they fear that pinprick test can fuel genocide for female babies. In India, gender determination is a crime and any doctor who indulges in revealing the sex of the child, can be tried under criminal law. But with the recent arrests of quacks and also doctors in the city, radiologists and imaging doctors state that there is no need to fear as such tests will never make it to India. The mangle remains of the car that was found in Palar River bed near Mamandur. (Photo: DC) Chennai: In a gory incident, a couple was found charred to death near Chengalpattu, on Wednesday midnight. The deceased couple have been identified as Kannan (42) and Usha (39) of Karpaga Vinayagar Koil street in Hanuman Putheri near Chengalpattu. Kannan was running a travel agency with a car, which he drove. The couple had left the house in the car on Wednesday night at around 8.45 pm after reportedly informing neighbours that they were going out for dinner. Motorists on GST Road saw a car burning off the road in the Palar River bed near Mamandur. They informed Padalam police and Chengalpattu fire station. However, by the time the fire service arrived, the car was gutted completely. According to the police, they searched the car after the fire was doused only to find bodies of a male and a female, who were charred to death in the car. "The identity of the deceased could not be ascertained initially as the car was fully damaged. The engine chassis number suggested the car belongs to Kannan," the police said. The police said they had ascertained that the deceased persons were Kannan and Usha. "The couple had sent their two sons to a relative's house four days ago," the police said. During the investigation, they found Kannan owed money to many persons and that debt had overtaken his income. "As the bodies were found tied together with a string, it is possible they would have li ghted themselves because of the debt problem," the police said.They are not ruling out homicide as somebody may have tied them up and set them on fire. Forensic personnel had determined that the fire had spread from inside the car. Padalam police have registered a case and are investigating. New Delhi: The government on Thursday turned down a Supreme Court collegium proposal to elevate Justice K.M. Joseph to the top court, saying his promotion may not be appropriate and needs to be reconsidered, a decision that evoked sharp reactions from legal fraternity and opposition parties. The governments stand on 59-year-old Joseph, Uttrakhand High Court Chief Justice who has over two years of service left, is being seen as widening of the rift between the executive and the judiciary, which have been at loggerheads over issues like appointment and transfer of judges. However, the government received immediate support from the collegium head, Chief Justice Dipak Misra, who said the executive was well within its rights to reject Justice Josephs name while accepting the second name even though both were recommended for elevation together by the collegium. Wont be fair to more deserving CJS: Centre The government on Thursday turned down a Supreme Court collegium proposal to elevate Justice K.M. Joseph to the top court, saying his promotion may not be appropriate and needs to be reconsidered, a decision that evoked sharp reactions from legal fraternity and opposition parties. The names of Malhotra and Justice Joseph were recommended by the collegium in January. In a letter to Justice Misra, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said the government's decision that the collegium should reconsider its proposal for Justice Joseph's elevation has approval of the President and the Prime Minister. Making its case, Prasad also flagged that the SCs/STs have no representation in the apex court since long while Kerala High Court, Joseph's parent court, is sufficiently represented in the top judiciary. Prasad said the proposed appointment of Joseph at this stage does not appear to be appropriate and it would also not be fair and justified to other more senior, suitable and deserving Chief Justices and senior judges of various High Courts. The government's decision evoked reactions. Hyderabad: Hyderabad Metro Rail Ltd (HMRL) has modified the alignment of the 5.5-km corridor II of the Metro rail in order to minimise the number of religious and heritage structures in Old City that will be affected by its construction. As per the originally-proposed route for the Metro rail from Mahatma Gandhi Bus Station to Falaknuma, 103 heritage and religious structures, including 12 temples, 21 masjids, 12 ashoorkhanas, 33 dargas, seven graveyards, and six chillas, would have been affected. Leaders of the (All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen) had objected to the proposal and had demanded an alternative route that would affect fewer structures. To get the Metro rail project approved in the Old City there were hectic back-end consultations, meetings with MIM legislators and visits to the field to measure the land and to work out modifications with the engineering. It took a full four years for the Hyderabad Metro Rail to come out with a clear picture of the land area, design and properties that they would have to acquire in the Old City. The new route proposed by HMRL will pass through Darulshifa, Alija Kotla, Mir Momin Daira, Akkanna Madanna Temple, Shalibanda, Aliabad, and Shamshergunj; and only four structures will be affected by it. None of the other structures will now have to be demolished. HMRL said that if the road along the Metro rail route was widened to 100 feet, nearly 1,100 properties would be affected, and if it was widened to 80 feet, 700 properties would be affected. However, the petition also raised the need to address the problem of professors who are also involved in sexual harassment cases. Hyderabad: Gender sensitisation committee members have come in support of an online petition stating that if a student gets involved in a sexual assault case and is asked to leave a University, the transfer certificate should clearly mention that he/she was ousted for his/her involvement in the assault. The petition has raised the demand that such people should no longer get an opportunity to continue in Universities. Currently, while a student is found guilty of sexual assault, he/she is given a transfer certificate without mentioning any reason, giving him an opportunity to join another University. This will lead other Universities to think that the student was ousted for low marks, other reasons etc. The petition states that it should be explicitly marked on the transfer certificate if he/she is expelled on the grounds of sexual assault. It is painful when university authorities try to cover up the matter in case of a sexual assault and ask the student to leave, giving him a dignity to do so. He can walk out with a TC during the middle of the year. It doesnt make a difference because the same student can claim that he had personal reasons to leave the course midway and join elsewhere during the next academic year. Even the code of conduct certificate will read fair, says a gender sensitisation committee member. However, the petition also raised the need to address the problem of professors who are also involved in sexual harassment cases. In light of the Me Too Campaign in 2017, a campaign naming academicians who were involved in sexual harassment cases also began. The campaign surprised many as a few, well known academicians with years of experience were named and there were multiple complaints against them. However, they still continued teaching in the same university. Arpita Sen, a women activist, said, Many students do not raise their voices against faculty members and even if they do, there is a compromise done at the heads office to ensure that the institution's reputation is not tarnished. Even if an institution sacks a professor, they do not dare to write that he is a sexual offender and the same professor joins another teaching position in another state which he can get easily because of his experience in the field. Public naming and shaming is needed and a sexual offence should not be taken lightly. It should remain as a black mark on the certificate of the person concerned. Although the recently released NCRB data does not categorise repeat offenders, on the basis of sexual offence, the number of offenders who repeat the crime, is on the rise. In Telangana, the number of repeat offenders is 13,605 which is one of the highest in the country. Priya Reddy, a psychologist, said: In sexual cases such as these, we should ensure that the student gets the right counselling. Letting him get away with his act and giving him admission in another institution is a grave error because he will feel a sense of power and since he escapes punishment for the first time, he will continue to behave in the same way. Moreover, the confidence will also cause the student to behave worsely. The issue should be addressed with right punishment, counselling and the new institution should check the mental health of the student before letting him join. Belagavi: Senior IPS officer Alok Kumar, who is serving as Inspector General of Police (Northern Range) in Belagavi, received a threatening phone call. Shockingly, the call was made by an inmate of Hindalga central prison. He threatened the IGP of dire consequences and also warned that he would soon teach him a fitting lesson. According to the police, the IGP received threatening phone call on his mobile phone on April 21. The caller warned IGP that he was an expert in using AK-56 rifle. Although the IGP lodged a complaint with APMC police station, Belagavi against the unidentified caller on April 21, the incident came to light on Thursday. During their investigation, the officers were able to find that the caller hailed from Mangaluru, as the SIM card was sold to him from a shop there. However, only on Thursday the police got to know that the caller was actually an inmate from Hindalga prison, identified as Shehjahan. He is facing a life sentence for murder. He is a resident of Mangaluru and has been lodged in Hindalga after being convicted by a local court in Mangaluru. A team of top police officials visited Hindalga prison to take Shehjajhan into custody. Accordiing to Ramesh Hanapur, CPI, APMC police station, the inmate also sent a threatening text message to IGP soon after disconnecting the call. The incident has exposed the irregularities taking place in Hindalga prison, which houses a large number of notorious criminals. Mobile phones, SIM cards, liquor bottles and other objects have been seized from inmates at Hindalga during the raids conducted by the police in the recent years. With the connivance of jail staff, many inmates are able to buy and use mobile phones inside the prison. Many of inmates are in touch with their relatives and gang members from inside the prison through mobile phones. A few years ago Yusuf Bachkana, a sharpshooter of underworld don Chota Rajan, had made a ransom call from inside Hindalga jail to a builder in Mumbai. Bachkana, according to sources, had kept several SIM cards and phones with him with the help of jail staff during his stay inside. The builder was attacked by Bachkana's gang in Mumbai when he failed to pay up, following which the Mumbai police traced the phone call to Hindalga prison. Bachkana was then picked up by Mumbai police from Hindalga. New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday indicated that Kathua rape and murder case trial will be shifted out of Jammu and Kashmir at the slightest possibility of lack of a fair trial as the primary concern to ensure a fair trial. Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra, sitting with Justices A.M. Kanwilkar and D.Y. Chandrachud, made it clear to senior counsel Indira Jaising appearing for the father of eight-year old victim girl that the court did not want to divert its attention from the aspect of fair trial. An inquiry into the conduct of lawyers of Kathua and Jammu may take the limelight away from the quest for justice for the victim. Let us not get into what the Bar Council says, The CJI observed. If we do, the victim goes away from our attention. Our first concern and our constitutional concern is to ensure fair trial and procedure to provide protection to the victims lawyer so there is no obstruction to justice and finally to transfer the case, if found necessary. Ms. Jaising urged the court to fast track the trial which should be monitored by this court. Earlier, counsel for Bar Council of India which sent a fact-finding team to Kathua in its confidential report submitted that lawyers protests demanding a CBI probe into the rape and murder incident is justified. Advocate P.V. Dinesh on whose instance the court took suo motu cognisance of incident took objection to the report, which has missed a crucial issue whether a section of lawyers had obstructed filing of charge sheet. Two of the accused in case have opposed in the Supreme Court the plea for transfer of the trial from Kathua court to a court in Chandigarh. The father of the eight-year victim girl had sought shifting of the case to ensure free and free trial. Chennai: The Madras high court on Thursday ordered the CBI to probe the multi-crore gutka scam, allegedly involving a Tamil Nadu minister besides a former and a serving top police official. The case is now being investigated by the vigilance and anti-corruption wing (DVAC) of the state police. The clandestine gutka business is a crime against society, which needed to be curbed, the bench, comprising Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice Abdul Quddhose said, while issuing directions on a plea by DMK MLA J Anbazhagan. We, therefore, deem it appropriate to direct the CBI to investigate the illegal manufacture, import, supply, distribution and sale of gutka and other forms of chewable tobacco... detect and take action against those involved in the offence... in connivance with public/government servants, the bench said. The court, however, said this did not cast any aspersion on the probe by the state police or the state vigilance authorities. The scam came to light on July 8, 2017, when Income-Tax sleuths raided the godown, offices and residences of a pan masala and gutka manufacturer in Tamil Nadu, who had been facing charges of tax evasion to the tune of `250 crore. The manufacture, storage and sale of the chewable forms of tobacco, including gutka and pan masala were banned by the Tamil Nadu government in 2013. During the raids, the department had seized a diary containing names of those, who had been allegedly paid by the gutka manufacturers. When the scam hit media headlines, the opposition parties led by the DMK demanded in the Assembly that a special investigation team (SIT) headed by a retired judge of the high court and comprising CBI officials should probe the matter. The counter-affidavits of the chairman, Board of Central Excise and Customs and the director general of Vigilance, Customs and Central Excise Intelligence and the additional director general of Central Excise intelligence have also been sought in the matter. This is to exercise the case of any complicity of Central Excise officers in the illegal manufacturing, distribution and sale of gutka and other forms of chewable tobacco from the vigilance angle. The HC bench in its Thursday order said, In our considered view the handing over of investigation to CBI only ensures coordinating investigation publicly in specified categories of serious offences having ramification in more than one state. The court said it neither casts aspersion on the mode and manner of investigation conducted by the state police or the state Vigilance authorities. It also does not necessarily reflect any finding, even prima facie, of interference of any Constitutional authority or any high official of the state government in such investigation, the court observed. The bench said, "Serious allegations inter alia against a high police officer with regard to the complicity and connivance in the illegal business are likely to give rise to doubts in the minds of general public with regard to the fairness, impartiality and the efficacy of the investigation. "It is therefore desirable that the investigation be handed over to an independent agency like the CBI," it said. Reacting to the court order, DMK called for 'removal' of those accused in the scam. Meanwhile, Health Minister C Vijayabaskar, who was reportedly under the scanner in the case, said it is common for those in public life to face accusations from the opposition and such charges only got shriller when the person concerned performed well in his work. "Madiyil ganamillai, vazhiyil bayamaillai," (Nothing to hide, nothing to fear), he said quoting a Tamil adage, while speaking to reporters. Hyderabad: Kidney dysfunction is a contributing factor in severe malaria cases according to research carried out by PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases. Understanding the manner in which malaria affects the kidney will help in improved treatment regimes of the disease. Malaria kills 5,00,000 people worldwide every year and affects more than 200 million people. Severe cases are frequently reported of impaired immune response, inflammation and kidney failure. The study has found that severe disease from P.vivax is associated with creatinine elevation and extreme inflammation. Dr Narsimulu K., professor of general medicine explains that in severe cases of malaria abnormal creatinine levels are seen. There are patients who are put on dialysis and then treated with medication for malaria. But it is important to diagnose the damage to the kidney. Earlier the diagnosis better it is. Clinical evaluation has shown that renal failure can be delayed by four to seven days in relation to the beginning of the malaria attack. Experts state that attack of the pathogens on the kidney is identified hence in the treatment protocols the first aspect is to check kidney functioning and diagnose the damage early. Nephrologist Dr P. Nayak explained, Once the severity in malaria cases develops complications increase. Hence there are a team of doctors who have to attend to the patient. The most important aspect is to monitor organ functioning so that the diagnosis is early. Chennai: The intra-family conflict continues to escalate in jailed V. K. Sasikala's family with her brother Dhivakaran telling the media that TTV Dinakaran was functioning in an undemocratic manner for personal gains and his decision to launch the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) did not have the approval of Chinnamma (Sasikala). Addressing a farmers' rally (for Cauvery Management Board) at Thanjavur, TTV hit back at uncle Dhivakaran warning him of severe action. I make a clear distinction between family and party; will take stern action against anyone hurting party interests, he warned. TTV's loyalist Vetrivel has accused Dhivakaran of joining hands with Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami to support the BJP regime, whereas Chinnamma had gone to jail with her chest up in pride in opposing communal politics, said Vetrivel. The drama makes interesting viewing and it remains to be seen who will emerge the winner. Many believe that the war is not for political prominence but for sharing of wealth post-Jayalalithaa demise. Speaking to media persons in Mannargudi, Dhivakaran made it clear he was not in favour of Dhinakaran's party. When asked about his relationship with TTV Dhinakaran, Dhivakaran replied, TTV Dhinakaran has not spoken anything. He's making others talk for him. Let him open his mouth and talk first. Mysuru: This is one embarrassing episode Chief Minister Siddaramaiah could have steered cleared of on his home turf: A seemingly friendly conversation with gram panchayat member and local JD (S) leader Mariswamy turned into an argument during the Kuruba strongmans campaign in Chamundeshwari Assembly constituency on Wednesday. While campaigning at Hale Kesare, Mr Siddaramaiah called out to his friend in Kannada, Hey Mariswamy you were with me right, come here." Mr Mariswamy however retorted I am with JD (S) now. I won't come. In lighter vein, the Chief Minister remarked Ok don't come, but vote for me", but Mr Mariswamy replied "I will neither come nor vote for you". And when Mr Siddaramaiah tried to end the conversation saying Ok. Dont come, go the gram panchayat member stunned the leader and his supporters saying you are in our village. You go. The CM continued his electioneering with a plea to other villagers: Let him vote for whomever he wants. You vote for me." Later JD (S) workers hailed G T Deve Gowda as he crossed path with the Chief Minister in the constituency. Hyderabad: Noted balladeer Gaddars son G. Surya Kiran, popularly known as Suryam, has joined the Congress party and is likely to be the Congress candidate from Secunderabad Cantonment Assembly for the ensuing Legislature elections in 2019, according to sources. The constituency is reserved for a Scheduled Caste (SC) candidate and Suryam belongs to SC Mala community. The 42-year-old leader had earlier worked for TRS in Malkajgiri Parliamentary constituency and also worked for the BJP in the elections to MLC posts. When Deccan Chronicle contacted the Congress man, he said: There is no clarity on the ticket assurance as of now. It is my first day with the Congress. I am yet to think over fighting elections. Along with Surya Kiran, BJP senior leader and former Minister Nagam Janardhan Reddy on Wednesday joined the Congress party in the presence of senior leaders. Also, BJP leader Adi Srinivas shifted his party loyalty. The summit comes ahead of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Qingdao city in June. (Photo: PTI/File) New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will leave for China on Thursday evening to attend an informal summit, to be hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping in Wuhan city on April 27 and 28. This informal discussion will be taking place for the first time after 1954. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Sunday at the joint press conference with his Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj in Beijing, "We will make sure that the informal summit (between PM Modi and Chinese President Jinping on April 27-28) will be a complete success and a milestone in China-India relations." The informal summit is being seen as a move by the two countries to get their ties back on track following the Doklam stand-off in 2017, wherein troops from the two nations were engaged in an eyeball-to-eyeball standoff near Sikkim border between June to August. The summit comes ahead of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Qingdao city in June. No agreements will be signed between India and China and no customary joint press conference will be held during Prime Minister Modi's two-day visit. Vijayawada: Despite attempts to strengthen its base in southern India, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is facing a tough time in both the Telugu-speaking states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Several BJP leaders, particularly in AP, have been resigning from the party, particularly since the BJP's stand on Special Category Status (SCS) for the state resulted in its losing the support of the ruling Telugu Desam (TD). During and after the 2014 general elections, several Congress leaders had joined the BJP in the face of public anger, since the popular perception was that the Congress was responsible for the bifurcation of the state. Understandably, the Congress was wiped out in AP, not winning a single Assembly or Lok Sabha seat. Before the elections, the BJP had promised to grant SCS to AP, but the party's subsequent U-turn on the issue has resulted in an erosion of popular support, and it now finds itself in a similar to that of the Congress party during the 2014 elections, causing the current wave of resignations. Interestingly, all those who wish to resign, or have already resigned, originally belonged to parties other than the BJP. Vijayawada West MLA Vellampalli Srinivas was elected in 2009 from Praja Rajyam party, which later merged with Congress. After the bifurcation, he joined the BJP, from which he recently resigned to join YSR Congress. In Kurnool, former Congress MLA Katasani Rambhoopal Reddy joined the BJP, and he, too, has resigned in order to join YSRC on April 29. Former Congress minister Kanna Laxminarayana joined the BJP after 2014. Three days ago, he decided to resign from the BJP and now wants to join YSRC, though the BJP national leadership has been exerting pressure on him to stay with the party. Currently in hospital owing to ill health, Kanna has not made clear his future course of action. New Delhi: Striking a balancing act and in a bid to contain factionalism, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday appointed senior party leader Kamal Nath as president of its Madhya Pradesh unit and Jyotiraditya Scindia as campaign committee chief ahead of the state Assembly elections expected later this year. The party has decided to go into the polls without a CM face. Another potential aspirant for the top post and former chief minister Digvijaya Singh told a television channel that he had opted out of the race. In a please all arrangement, both Mr Nath and Mr Scindia were given positions in the state unit while Mr Digvijaya Singh remains a general secretary of the party. Interestingly, Mr Scindia had been named campaign committee chief ahead of the 2013 Assembly polls as well. Insiders claim Mr Scindia was being considered as state unit chief for a long time but in the end it was nine-term Lok Sabha MP Kamal Nath who made the cut. Hyderabad: Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) chief and Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao is all set to sound poll bugle for the 2019 general elections at the partys 17th plenary to be held at Kompally on the city outskirts on Friday. Mr Rao most likely would utilise the opportunity to convey that a population of over 1.50 crore people in Telangana is already being benefitted by various welfare schemes of his government and will cross the two crore mark with the launching of Rythu Bandhu scheme on May 10. The scheme, the first-of-its-kind initiative in the country, launched by TRS government to give Rs 8,000 per acre financial assistance to over 70 lakh farmers in the State from May 10 to 17, irrespective of caste, creed, religion, economic status, extend of land owned, will hog the limelight in the plenary. TRS believes the scheme would be enough to enable it to sweep the 2019 polls hands down, with sweeping agrarian support. Nearly 15,000 party leaders from each of the total 119 Assembly constituencies have been invited for the meeting. Mr Rao also wants to send a clear signal that the TRS would fight the elections in 2019 alone without entering into any pre-poll alliance with any party except having friendly contests with the MIM in the city to dispel recent speculations that the ruling party may have tactical understanding with BJP to defeat Congress. The party plenary assumes greater significance this year with Mr Rao announcing his plans to focus on national politics and float a Federal Front before the 2019 polls. IT minister and son of Chief Minister, K T Rama Rao said, This plenary holds greater importance for us as we would be discussing on national politics for the first time. The plenary will debate on our party chiefs plans to float an alternative front at the national level against both national parties, the BJP and Congress, which have failed miserably in the past 70 years. We expect the plenary to decide the future course of politics at the national level. The TRS high command and party cadre strongly believe that Rythu Bandhu scheme distributing Rs 12,000 crore to 70 lakh farmers would be a game changer before the 2019 elections and help TRS retain power. Next in the priority list is the posse of irrigation projects on which the TRS government is spending over Rs 1.50 lakh crore. Irrigation Minister T Harish Rao said, The Plenary will discuss the Kaleshwaram project, which will be completed this year. BJP MP and tainted mining czar of Ballari Gali Janardhan Reddy reclaimed his foothold in the saffron party with seven of his clan members being fielded in the forthcoming Assembly elections. Bengaluru: Former BJP MP and tainted mining czar of Ballari Gali Janardhan Reddy reclaimed his foothold in the saffron party with seven of his clan members being fielded in the forthcoming Assembly elections with the blessings of the top echelons of the BJP including party president Amit Shah, who very recently had publicly disowned him, high level sources said. Janardhan Reddy was incarcerated for over 40 months before being enlarged on bail for his involvedment in several illegal mining cases in Karnataka. Informed sources said it was Shah, who had to take a last minute decision to get the Reddys back on the BJP centre-stage after an internal survey showed that the party would draw a near blank in the critical Hyderabad-Karnataka region, where the Reddys had considerable political, monetary and muscle clout. Shah, who is overseeing Karnataka elections was told that the partys chief ministerial candidate B.S. Yeddyurappas magic was not working in the rest of the state, and may not get the party enough number of votes to get to the winning mark," the source said. "Added to that was the threat by the Reddysto join the Congress if they were not entertained by the BJP. If they had joined the Congress, the BJP would have lost 10 to 12 seats in a closely contested election," the source said. "There was no option but to welcome the Reddys back in the fold. Shah took a calculated risk. The decision has shocked many party leaders and may adversely impact the partys chances of making a comeback in the State on an anti-corruption platform, said the sources. Janardhana Reddys younger brother G. Somashekhara Reddy is being fielded from Ballari city. His right hand man and popular leader among the Scheduled Tribe - Boya Sriramulu is contesting from Molakalmuru and in Badami against incumbent CM Siddaramaiah, his elder brother Karunakar Reddy is contesting the Assembly election from Harapanahalli, his relative - Lallesh Reddy will face Home Minister R. Ramalinga Reddy from BTM Layout in Bengaluru city, Sanna Fakeerappa from Raichur and Suresh Babu from a constituency in Ballari. Janardhan Reddy had reportedly spent over Rs 500 crore for his daughter, Brahmanis wedding in Bengaluru in November 2016, which had drawn the attention of the Income Tax Department, who had served him notice to explain the source of money. Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared with the Indian audience at Londons historic Westminster Hall last week how Prince Charles had travelled to New Delhi to invite him to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting and how Queen Elizabeth II had written to him extending a personal invitation. He went on to say this was because India was a respected country, and he implied this enhanced respect had been the outcome of the four years he has been in office as Prime Minister. It was clear Mr Modi was flattered by the gestures of Prince Charles and the Queen, but he was quick to impute it to the country and not himself, though he would have loved to say it was due to him and he half-believes that its he who has changed Indias status for the better. The reasons for Britain wooing India in the post-Brexit scenario have been well articulated. Britain is looking for a big market in place of the European Union. Britain wants places where it can invest. The terms of engagement between Britain and India have changed radically as India is poised to go past Britain as the fifth largest economy after the United States, China, Japan and Germany. It is interesting to note that Britain looked to 17th century Mughal India for trade opportunities with an opulent country, and 400 years later Britain is still eyeing the economic advantages of connecting with India. But it is important to understand the reasons why India is becoming important in the world. India, along with China, is moving back to its dominant position in the global economy that it held in the beginning of the 18th century, as indicated by Angus Maddison. It was nearly a quarter of the worlds GDP in 1700 Common Era (CE). By the middle of the 21st century, India could move back to the position it had held in 1700. In 2017, Indias share of world GDP stood at 7.46 per cent. It will be useful to remember that Indias share of world GDP stood at 6.23 per cent in 2013, 6.41 per cent (2013), 6.66 per cent (2014), 6.97 per cent (2015), 7.24 per cent (2016) and 7.46 per cent (2017). It would be futile to argue that India has made impressive gains from 1991 onwards when economic reforms were ushered in by the Prime Minister P.V.Narasimha Rao-finance minister Manmohan Singh duo. In case of China it will be argued that growth began only in 1979 under Deng Xiaoping, who had introduced economic reforms. It is now recognised that Chinas Maoist period from 1949 to 1976, with all its disastrous turns, served as a building block because of the achievements in basic education and healthcare sectors, and the industrialisation that had occurred in those years. India-watchers will have to reckon with the fact that Indias socialist period from 1951 to 1991 had helped in preparing the base for the post-1991 growth. The other major reason for Indias growing importance in the present global context is that India is a democracy. It will be argued that what matters in the world is not whether India is a democracy but whether it is an economic power, and that China commands respect in the world despite it not being a democracy. As a matter of fact, Indias hard-nosed realists are likely to argue that India would have done better on the economic growth front if it had not been a democracy. But this anti-democratic assumption is not even counter-intuitive. Indias brainpower bloomed and flourished in a democratic setup, and it had expanded the socio-economic base through affirmative action. The reservations policy is usually blamed for Indias supposedly retarded growth rate, but the reverse is actually true. India has got a larger science and technology workforce base because of reservations over the decades. What makes a national economy vibrant and powerful is its large base. India is a rising economic power because Indias potential producers and consumers run into hundreds of millions of people. Reservations had facilitated economic inclusion. This was achieved through democratic means. Political egalitarianism has tremendous economic advantages. If India were to weaken its democracy, it would not be an economy to reckon with because the market base of consumers would be much too small. One of the problems that China faces is that its domestic market of consumers is not large enough. Chinas growth rate might be better, but India is the larger market in terms of consumers. On a smaller scale, the Asean (Asso-ciation of Southeast Asian Nations) lose the economic growth race because their domestic consumer base is small because of a smaller population and limited consumer base. Democracy means rule of law, and it is important for global investors as well as those who want to sell goods in India. Ease of doing business is linked to the rule of law, which in turn is an offshoot of democratic governance. It would be a folly to believe that the speed of clearance of business projects is what the ease of doing business is all about. If this were the only criterion, then undemocratic countries are the best places to do business. In undemocratic countries, political power and economic wealth is not diffused, and they turn out to be a major bottleneck for growth. Freedom political, economic and social is the engine of economic innovation and growth, and freedom is guaranteed only in a democracy. It would be salutary if a section of Indias intelligentsia stops bemoaning the fact that India is a democracy and therefore it is not able to achieve economic growth rates comparable to China. Market economies flourish only in a free society. Free market economies need new ideas and they in turn presuppose the freedom to think of new ideas and options. Indias destiny is intertwined with that of democracy. In ancient Greece and Rome, democracies degenerated into political anarchy and necessitated the rise of militarised states. In the modern world, states are prosperous and they succeed because they are democratic and they are free. The remark by Salman Khurshid, a former Union Cabinet minister whose family has been associated with the Congress for three generations, at an Aligarh meeting on Tuesday that the Congress too has the blood of Muslims on our hands is likely to deeply embarrass his party just before the crucial Karnataka Assembly elections. Its certainly beyond dispute that Congress governments too have failed to stop or adequately deal with a large number of wounding communal episodes since Independence, among them Hindu-Muslim riots and the destruction of the Babri Masjid which were cited by the questioner who quizzed Mr Khurshid at a public forum. Analytically, is this the same as the Congress having the blood of Muslims on its hands? That's a question which is best answered by the Muslim community itself, specially when compared to serious communal episodes when the BJP or other non-Congress parties have been at the Centre. If there's a difference, then what is it? To take a parallel, blacks were killed in America when Barack Obama, a black man, was President. The movement Black Lives Matter sprang up. Does Mr Obama have the blood of blacks on his hands? Many Muslims, traditional Congress voters, split away from the Congress after the Babri demolition. Some even backed the BJP, seen as an anti-Muslim Hindutva party, for a while, and some chose regional secular parties. That was emotional anger. But by and large Muslims - and indeed the BJP-RSS see the Congress credo as secular, meaning suppressing the minorities is not part of its vision. In fact, that's why the BJP opposes the Congress. The informal summit that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will have with Chinas President Xi Jinping in Wuhan away from the formal protocols and structured diplomacy that one may expect in Beijing later this week (April 27-28) is a positive development. Regardless of the outcome, it is a case of planned innovation for which the two countries have reportedly worked since September last year. Pakistani leaders like Gen. Zia-ul Haq and Asif Zardari have arrived in this country with suddenness. Prime Minister Narendra Modis trip to the home of Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif in Lahore in December 2015 was also of a similar type. These informal India-Pakistan interactions were not the result of months of planning and crafting that both sides worked for in order to have an opportunity for a series of discussions between the principals aimed at avoiding trigger-like situations (like the 73-day Doklam standoff) and also having the chance to gain a better understanding of each others concerns and place in the world and the region. Western countries have informal meetings all the time among themselves as well as with close allies such as Japan, South Korea and Israel. In such consultations, there is no pressure or expectation to reach any immediate results, and agreements are not placed on the anvil. The unique aspect of the coming Wuhan contact is that it is taking place between two important neighbouring nations that have a lot of baggage between them, not much shared political understanding, but scope for extraordinary mutual benefit if they can optimise their economic, trade and investment potential and crack the boundary conundrum. If success is registered in any measure or form, India may well find it worthwhile to engage with its other neighbours in a similar manner outside formal summitry protocols so that leaders may bring up all issues in a relaxed, informal setting without any fear of losing face. Wuhan certainly appears to mark a much-needed innovation. Chinas foreign minister Wang Yi has gone on record saying the informal summit between Mr Modi and Mr Xi marks a new beginning. It is literally going to be that, if viewed as an innovation. Chinese vice-foreign minister King Xuanyou reportedly said on Tuesday that the Doklam standoff was caused by a lack of trust between the two countries, and that the informal summit in picturesque Wuhan will provide the top leaders of India and China an opportunity for heart-to-heart discussions. We should hope for that and also hope that the discussions at Wuhan will be followed by similar meetings between the leaders of India and China periodically, specially when a political push is required to cut through the bureaucratic tangles. Mr Xi is now President for life and he may be called upon to engage with several Indian Prime Ministers in the foreseeable future. The new wave of militancy has risen mostly due to the extreme harassment carried out by different security agencies, including the armed forces. (Representational image) Continuing with AFSPA isnt justified: M. Ashraf The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) was imposed on J&K in the 1990s to help the security forces in combating militancy in a more effective and unhindered way. At that time there were thousands of militants, most of them trained and fully armed from across the border. It was truly a situation of proxy war. The armed forces did need extraordinary powers, including blanket legal protection for unhindered operations. Soon militancy was successfully contained even though there were gross violations of human rights, including extra-judicial killings, mass rapes and massive destruction of property. All such actions were justified on the plea there was no other way to control the situation. The situation was, to a great extent, brought under control by the mid-1990s, when elections were held and Dr Farooq Abdullah returned as chief minister. The coming years saw more improvement in the situation, with only isolated cases of violence reported from different parts of the state. Most of these could be dealt with even under normal laws and there was no necessity for the extraordinary powers continuing to vest with the security forces. However, in spite of repeated requests by successive state governments and almost all prominent political leaders, the extra-judicial power to the security forces was not withdrawn. A number of cases wherein Army personnel were charged with gross violations of human rights could not be prosecuted as the Central government refused to give permission for prosecution. All these cases were then transferred to Army courts for court-martial, but the accused were let off. The most glaring case was the Pathribal incident, in which five villagers, allegedly involved in the murders of the Sikhs of Chattisinghpora during the visit of US President Bill Clinton to India, were killed. This case too was transferred to the Army for court-martial and the accused were allowed to go scot-free. The new wave of militancy has risen mostly due to the extreme harassment carried out by different security agencies, including the armed forces. The Burhan Wani phenomenon was a result of this harassment. In fact, most of the new militants who have risen in different parts of the Valley have claimed that they were forced to join militancy due to the continuous harassment from the security agencies, including the Army. It is a well-established fact that the militancy now consists of isolated instances, mostly by local boys. Both the J&K police and the Army have admitted that there exist hardly 200 militants in the state. In such circumstances there is no justification for continuing this draconian provision. The sooner it is removed, the better it would be for an overall improvement in the situation. The writer is a former director-general of tourism in J&K Peace, safety & security of people vital: Shivam Chhabra The Bharatiya Janata Party welcomes the Central governments decision to withdraw the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act totally from Meghalaya and from eight out of 16 police stations in Arunachal Pradesh, almost 25 years, after it was first imposed in these states. This indicates that violence and insurgency in these two states has reduced. However, it still remains in force in a few Northeastern states as well as in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. We really hope that peace prevails soon in Jammu and Kashmir so that AFSPA is lifted from there too. AFSPA gives special powers and immunity to the armed forces in areas declared as disturbed by the government. In 2017, the Northeast region reported just 308 incidents related to insurgency; this is the lowest since 1997. Since there was 85 per cent reduction in cases of insurgency, it was time to withdraw Central forces from the state and leave the responsibility of maintaining safety and security of citizens to the state administration. But the situation in Jammu and Kashmir is still a matter of concern. Separatists, with the support of political parties and leaders of the state, are continuously trying to hamper peace in the Valley. The Narendra Modi-led Central government wants a peaceful and prosperous Jammu and Kashmir and this is the reason the BJP joined hands with the PDP to form the government in the state the state was heading towards a hung Assembly as no single political party had gained a clear majority in the elections back then. It was the BJP that sacrificed its own basic political stand for the peace and development of the region and agreed to align with the PDP to form a government under the leadership of Ms Mehbooba Mufti and Dr Nirmal Singh. The PDP has never been ideologically very close to the BJP, but looking at larger interest of the state such a step was taken. The state of Jammu Kashmir has always had a major impact across India. Hundreds of Army and security personnel have laid down their lives to maintain peace in Jammu & Kashmir. The BJP is in favour of revoking AFSPA but it is a strategic decision, to be taken after the home ministry conducts a security audit. Considering the intentions of the notorious neighbour Pakistan, the government cannot risk the safety and security of the people of the state. The government is responsible for the safety and security of people and it remains our top priority. Though we hope that AFSPA is revoked from the state of Jammu and Kashmir very soon, the present conditions demand that it remains in force till situation is normalised. The writer is national media in-charge and spokesperson of the BJP youth wing Alphabet and Twitter have also been invited to testify at the House Judiciary Committee hearing. Facebook said that it has declined an invitation to testify at a US House of Representatives hearing on filtering practices by social media companies, a company spokesman said. The company said that even though it will not appear, it looks forward to a continuing dialogue with members of the committee about Facebooks strong commitment to being a platform for all voices and ideas. Alphabet and Twitter have also been invited to testify at the House Judiciary Committee hearing, but have not said whether they will appear and did not respond to repeated inquiries. Some Republicans have criticised social media companies for censoring some conservative viewpoints, a charge the firms have denied. A spokesman for Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee said Twitter and Alphabet were not expected to testify. A spokeswoman for the committees Republican majority did not immediately comment. Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg testified for more than 10 hours earlier this month before Congress and faced numerous questions about whether the company was biased against some political points of view. Thursdays hearing will also include testimony from Representative Marsha Blackburn, a Tennessee Republican, who in October was initially barred by Twitter from paying to promote a video of her campaign announcement for Senate that included a line that said she had worked to stop the sale of baby body parts. Twitter said in October it had blocked promoting the video because of potentially inflammatory language but reversed itself. The company said it works to balance protecting our users from potentially distressing content while allowing our advertisers to communicate their messages. The hearing is also set to include two African-American sisters, Lynnette Hardaway and Rochelle Richardson, popularly known as Diamond and Silk, who are strong supporters of President Donald Trump and his presidential campaign. The sisters said in a statement earlier this month that Facebook had sent them an email saying that, after a review, their content had been determined unsafe to the community. Zuckerberg was asked by Republican Representative Joe Barton at a hearing earlier this month about why Facebook was censoring conservative bloggers such as Diamond and Silk? Zuckerberg responded that in that specific case, our team made an enforcement error and we have already gotten in touch with them to reverse it. 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. 'In 2016, even with no direct connectivity, approximately 1.89 lakh passengers (517 per day) travelled between Amritsar and the UK as transit passengers, via other Indian and foreign airports. The demand is there and we hope the supply will come soon,' Dhesi said. (Photo: PTI) London: Britains first turbaned Sikh MP Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi, along with two NGOs, has started a campaign for the launch of a direct flight between London and Amritsar, a long-pending demand of the British-Punjabi diaspora. The Labour party MP for Slough joined hands with the UK-based NGO, Social Education Volunteer Association (SEVA) Trust and the UK chapter of the Amritsar Vikas Manch (AVM), at an event within the House of Commons complex recently to initiate efforts to push for starting of the non-stop flight services with the Indian and Punjab governments. In 2016, even with no direct connectivity, approximately 1.89 lakh passengers (517 per day) travelled between Amritsar and the UK as transit passengers, via other Indian and foreign airports. The demand is there and we hope the supply will come soon, Dhesi said. His campaign has found the backing of other British and Indian MPs, including fellow Labour Party MP Seema Malhotra and Congress MP for Amritsar, Gurjeet Singh Aujla. They believe that in addition to better connectivity for millions of passengers, a direct air link between Punjab and Britain holds immense potential to boost trade and tourism and to strengthen India-UK relationship. The MPs believe that London Heathrow, one of the worlds biggest aviation transit hubs, will open up new onward connections to Europe, Canada and the US. It will also enable farmers and businessmen from Amritsar and adjoining regions to resume export of dry and perishable goods to the UK, said Sameep Singh Gumtala, overseas secretary of the Amritsar Vikas Manch. An Air India official, Deepak Chudasama, acknowledged growing demand of the Punjabi community for the direct flights and assured MPs in Britain that their proposal would be raised with the airlines senior management. Dhesis team has also submitted a memorandum, addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to the Indian high commission here and the second one, addressed to Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh, has been handed over to Aujla. 'We are living through an all-out war on truth, facts and reason,' Clinton said at the PEN America World Voices Festival, in Manhattan. (Photo: File) New York: Hillary Clinton excoriated US President Donald Trump for his treatment of the media, saying in remarks on Sunday that press rights and free speech are under open assault in the current administration, which she compared to an authoritarian regime. We are living through an all-out war on truth, facts and reason, Clinton said at the PEN America World Voices Festival, in Manhattan. When leaders deny things we can see with our own eyes, like the size of a crowd at the inauguration, when they refuse to accept settled science when it comes to urgent challenges like climate change it is the beginning of the end of freedom, and that is not hyperbole. Its what authoritarian regimes through history have done. Clinton, who was delivering the festivals Arthur Miller Freedom to Write Lecture, began by discussing threats to press freedom and free speech around the globe, including in Vladimir Putins Russia. But she soon turned her remarks to the United States under Trump, saying that such freedoms are in the most perilous position Ive seen in my lifetime. Today we have a president who seems to reject the role of a free press in our democracy, she said of her 2016 opponent. Although obsessed with his own press coverage, he evaluates it based not on whether it provides knowledge or understanding, but solely on whether the daily coverage helps him and hurts his opponents. And she added: Now, given his track record, is it any surprise that according to the latest round of revelations, he joked about throwing reporters in jail to make them talk? The reference to revelations from memos by former FBI director James Comey was Clintons only reference to Comey, who was fired by Trump. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Clintons remarks. Clintons remarks were followed by an onstage conversation with Nigerian-born novelist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, largely about the 2016 election. Under friendly questioning, the former secretary of state was asked if she had hit back enough during the campaign _ a reference to a childhood episode in which, Clinton has written, her mother gave her permission to hit back at a bully. I now think that I didnt, Clinton said. She described the much-discussed moment when Trump was stalking me on that debate stage. She recalled thinking, What do I do? Do I turn around and say, Back up, you creep? But then, she said, the coverage would have been, She cant take the pressure, she got angry. And so, she said she told herself, You just have to be calm and in control. Because ultimately what the country wants is someone who is not blowing up in the Oval Office. Well, you know that did not work out so well, she said, to laughter in the audience. Adichie expressed admiration for Clinton but confessed to some disappointment that in her Twitter profile, she describes herself first as a wife followed by mom, grandma and then her professional titles, ending with 2016 presidential candidate. The author said she would have preferred Clinton begin with should have been a damned good president. Clinton spoke of the difficulty she had in finding a balance between ones personal roles and relationships and ones professional roles. It shouldnt be either-or, she said, noting that she had long strived for the right mix. But when you put it that way, I am going to change it, she said of her Twitter profile, to laughter and applause. As of Monday morning, she had not yet done so. Sacramento: A man once sworn to protect the public from crime was accused on Wednesday of living a double life terrorising suburban neighbourhoods at night, becoming one of California's most feared serial killers and rapists in the 1970s and 1980s before leaving a cold trail that baffled investigators. Former police officer Joseph James DeAngelo, 72, was arrested at his home on Tuesday after DNA linked him to crimes attributed to the so-called Golden State Killer and he initially was charged with eight counts of murder and could face dozens more charges, authorities said. The culprit also known as the East Area Rapist, among other names, is suspected of at least 12 slayings and 50 rapes in 10 counties from Northern to Southern California. The armed and masked prowler sneaked in through windows at night and surprised sleeping victims who ranged in age from 13 to 41. When encountering a couple, he was known to tie up the man and pile dishes on his back. He threatened to kill both victims if he heard plates crash to the floor while he raped the woman. He then ransacked the house, taking souvenirs, notably coins and jewellery before fleeing on foot or bicycle. Despite an outpouring of thousands of tips over the years, DeAngelo's name had not been on the radar of law enforcement before last week, Sacramento County District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert said. "We knew we were looking for a needle in a haystack, but we also knew that needle was there," she said. "It was right here in Sacramento." A break in the case and the arrest came together in "light speed" during the past six days, Schubert said, though authorities refused to reveal what led to DeAngelo. Sacramento Sheriff Scott Jones said detectives with "dogged determination" were able to get a sample of DNA from something DeAngelo discarded, though he wouldn't say what the item was. The genetic material was not a match, but there were enough similarities for investigators to return for more and they said they were able to get a conclusive match. After watching DeAngelo for several days, deputies took him by surprise on Tuesday. "It looked as though he might have been searching his mind to execute a particular plan he may have had," but never had time to act, Jones said. DeAngelo was arrested on suspicion of committing double-killings in Sacramento and Ventura counties and later charged with four counts of murder in Orange County, officials said. Ventura County District Attorney Gregory Totten said that before prosecutors decide whether to seek the death penalty, there will be a "solemn and formal death review process that typically takes many months before a decision is made." DeAngelo, who served in the Navy, was a police officer in Exeter, in the San Joaquin Valley, from 1973 to 1976, at a time a burglar known as the Visalia Ransacker was active, Jones said. He transferred to the force in Auburn in the Sierra foothills near where he grew up outside Sacramento. About 50 crimes, including two killings, were attributed to the East Area Rapist during the three years DeAngelo worked in Auburn, but Jones said it wasn't clear if any were committed while on duty. DeAngelo was fired from the Auburn department in 1979 after being arrested for stealing a can of dog repellant and a hammer from a drug store, according to Auburn Journal articles from the time. He was convicted of the theft and fined USD 100. Ten slayings occurred after he was fired and all took place in Southern California. DeAngelo worked for 27 years in a distribution centre for Save Mart Supermarkets in Roseville, a Sacramento-area suburb. He retired last year, said Victoria Castro, spokeswoman for The Save Mart Companies. "None of his actions in the workplace would have led us to suspect any connection to crimes being attributed to him," Castro said in a statement, adding that the company was working with investigators. Although it's unusual for serial killers to stop, Jones said they have no reason to think DeAngelo continued to commit crimes after 1986, when the last rape and killing occurred in Orange County. "We have no indication of any crimes with a similar or at least a close enough link to his MO and other things that he's done in the past to link him to anything from '86 on," Jones said. "We just have nothing at this point." Jones said he always thought the rapist was alive, but might be in prison. For the prosecutors and investigators, the arrest not only marked a significant professional achievement but also a personal one that had touched their formative years and early careers. Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O'Malley was a college student volunteering at a rape crisis centre and "sat with survivors who had been assaulted by this guy." The wave of horrifying crimes had brought an end to a more innocent era in the Sacramento suburbs when children rode bicycles to school, played outside until dark and people didn't lock their doors, Schubert said. "It all changed," said Schubert, who was 12 at the time. "For anyone that lived here in this community, in Sacramento, the memories are very vivid. You can ask anyone who grew up here. Everyone has a story." Totten said he was a young law clerk in the office during the investigation into the 1980 slayings of Lyman and Charlene Smith that "struck terror in the hearts of Ventura residents." "We had no idea this killer was connected to so many other crimes," Totten said. In 1999, Orange County sheriff's homicide detectives were able to use DNA to link the Irvine slaying of Keith and Patrice Harrington to nine other slayings in in Orange, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. The genetic evidence was later used to connect the same suspect to dozens of rapes in Northern California. Harrington's brother, Bruce, helped bankroll a successful 2004 ballot initiative campaign to take DNA from all convicted felons and some arrestees. "To the victims, sleep better tonight, he isn't coming through the window," Bruce Harrington said at the news conference announcing the arrest. Jane Carson-Sandler was one of the first victims when she was sexually assaulted in 1976 in her home in Citrus Heights, the same community where DeAngelo was arrested at home. She said she received an email on Wednesday from a retired detective who worked on the case telling her they identified the rapist and he's in custody. "I have just been overjoyed, ecstatic. It's an emotional roller-coaster right now," Carson-Sandler, who now lives near Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. "I feel like I'm in the middle of a dream and I'm going to wake up and it's not going to be true. It's just so nice to have closure and to know he's in jail." FBI agents and other investigators were gathering evidence at DeAngelo's neatly kept home on Wednesday. Jones said they were looking for mementos that may have been stolen from victims. Neighbours said DeAngelo took meticulous care of his house, which was always perfectly painted and his lawn manicured. But, he was known for an explosive temper and loud cursing. Kevin Tapia said when he was a teenager, DeAngelo falsely accused him of throwing things over their shared fence, prompting a heated exchange between DeAngelo and his father. "No one thinks they live next door to a serial killer," Tapia said. "But, at the same time I'm just like, he was a weird guy. He kept to himself. When you start to think about it you're like, I could see him doing something like that, but I would never suspect it." According to initial investigations, police suspect that the accused husband has two wives and before committing the crime, he sent one of them and his children with her to India. (Representational Image) Dubai: A decomposed body of a 36-year-old Indian woman was found buried in a room of her house in Maysaloon area of Sharjah, a media report said on Thursday, and police is suspecting that her husband may have killed her and escaped to India. According to police, her husband, a resident of Kerala, along with their two children, has managed to escape to India after allegedly killing and burying her in the house. He had also put up a 'For rent' sign on the door. The incident came to light on Wednesday after the woman's brother, who came from India searching for his sister, lodged a complaint with the police on April 9, after he could not find anyone at her house, a senior police official said. He came to Sharjah in search of his sister, with whom he used to talk everyday, after she did not respond to his several calls. "A missing person report was received from the woman's brother, who told police that he used to speak to his sister daily but one day, she stopped answering her phone," Commander-in-Chief of Sharjah Police, Major-General Saif Al Ziri Al Shamsi was quoted as saying by the Gulf News. Following the complaint, a police team went to the house after getting permission from the public prosecution. During a search, some ceramic tiles of the floor were found missing by the police, which suspecting some foul play, brought the sniffer dogs, which led them to the grave inside the house, the report said. When the team dug the area, the woman's decomposed body was recovered, which was identified by the woman's brother, and shifted to the forensic laboratory for an autopsy, police said. According to initial investigations, police suspect that the accused husband has two wives and before committing the crime, he sent one of them and his children with her to India. The suspect was identified through his fingerprints and iris scan and a warrant of arrest has been issued by the Interpol, the police said. Members of the South Korean womens peace group participate in a rally to support the upcoming inter-Korea summit, at Imjingak peace park in Paju near the demilitarised zone dividing the two Koreas on Thursday. (Photo: AFP) Seoul: North Koreas leader Kim Jong Un and the Souths president Moon Jae-in will meet at the Military Demarcation Line that divides the peninsula before their summit on Friday, Seoul said, in an occasion laden with symbolism. Moon will greet his visitor at the concrete blocks that mark the border bet-ween the two Koreas in the Demilitarised Zone, the chief of the Souths presidential secretariat Im Jong-seok said. When Kim steps over the line he will become the first North Korean leader to set foot in the South since the Korean War ended 65 years ago. The meeting will be only the third of its kind, following summits in Pyongyang in 2000 and 2007, and the high point so far of a rapid diplomatic rapprochement on the tension-wracked pen-insula, ahead of a much-anticipated meeting bet-ween Kim and US President Donald Trump. The Norths nuclear arsenal will be high on the agenda. Pyongyang has made rapid progress in its weapons development under Kim, who inherited power from his father in 2011. Last year it carried out its sixth nuclear blast, by far its most powerful to date, and launched missiles capable of reaching the US mainland, sending tensions soaring as Kim and Trump traded personal insults and threats of war. Im played down expectations, saying that the Norths technological advances meant a deal would need to be fundamentally different from denuclearisation agreements reached in 1990s and early 2000s. Thats what makes this summit all the more tough, he added. According to human rights organisation, Amnesty International, one-third of journalists, media workers and executives were jailed in Turkish prisons in 2016. (Representational Image) Istanbul: An Istanbul court sentenced at least 14 journalists from Cumhuriyet (Republic) daily, Turkey's oldest national newspaper to different prison terms over charges of terrorism on Wednesday. According to Anadolu news agency, Cumhuriyet Editor-in-Chief Murat Sabuncu, Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) Akin Atalay and Orhan Erinc, and three journalists - Ahmet Sik, Aydin Engin, and Hikmet Cetinkaya were sentenced to six to eight years of imprisonment on charges of "acting on behalf of a terrorist group without being members." However, the court granted bail to Atalay, who earlier spent 1.5 years in jail for the same. Another eight journalists from the Turkish daily - Bulent Utku, Kadri Gursel, Guray Tekin Oz, Haci Musa Kart, Hakan Karasinir, Mustafa Kemal Gungor, Onder Celik, and Yusuf Emre Iper were sentenced to four years in prison, as per the report. The Cumhuriyet daily was one of the few newspapers in Turkey which was critical of the views of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The convicted journalists were earlier indicted in July 2016 for sponsoring the PKK (Kurdistan Workers' Party), Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) and other terrorist groups through media coverage. The FETO and Gulen movement is responsible for a failed coup attempt to overthrow Erdogan, which claimed 250 lives and injuring over 2,000 others. The PKK, which is based in Turkey, Iraq and parts of Syria, has been involved in an armed conflict with Turkey for the past few years. It has been listed as a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the United States and the European Union. It is responsible for the deaths of more than 1,200 Turkish security personnel and civilians in the last few years. The Istanbul court also sentenced a Twitter user named Ahmet Kemal Aydogdu to 10 years to imprisonment, who was accused of having maintained a popular Twitter account @Jeansbiri, which was allegedly affiliated with the Gulen movement, the report said. In October 2016, Ahmet was detained on charges of spreading disinformation through the internet. He was also charged for possessing a membership from an armed terrorist organisation. According to human rights organisation, Amnesty International, one-third of journalists, media workers and executives were jailed in Turkish prisons in 2016. Many international media experts and prominent journalists have criticised Ankara's media freedom law, adding that freedom of expression is under "sustained and increasing attack. Dar had sought disqualification of Asif alleging that the foreign minister did not declare details of his employment contract with a UAE-based company and also concealed the salary details. (Photo: AFP/File) Islamabad: The Islamabad High Court on Thursday disqualified Pakistan's Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif as member of parliament for concealing work permit of United Arab Emirates (UAE). This has dealt a blow to the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz party ahead of a general election due in a few months. Mohammad Usman Dar, an activist of Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf had last year, filed a petition seeking disqualification of Pakistan Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif for allegedly hiding his employment with a company in the UAE. Earlier in April, the court had reserved judgment on Dar's petition. Dar had sought disqualification of Asif alleging that the foreign minister did not declare details of his employment contract with a UAE-based company and also concealed the salary details. The petition claimed that Asif had been an employee of Mech and Elec Co LLC (IMECL) since 2011 where he was working as a special adviser. It claimed that Asif was entitled to draw salary which was his receivable asset; however, since he did not declare it in the nomination form while contesting the 2013 general elections from NA-110, he was not qualified to remain a member of the National Assembly. The petition relied upon the recent definition of the Supreme Court regarding receivable salary, on the basis of which it disqualified former prime minister Nawaz Sharif. Asif of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz had defeated Dar in the 2013 general elections with a margin of over 21,000 votes. Indian passport holders travelling to the United States will have a hassle-free immigration procedure in the coming days, according to Regional Passport Officer (RPO) Bengaluru, Bharath Kumar Kuthati. This follows a memorandum of understanding between India and the US, which allows hassle-free entry to citizens of only select countries, of which India has recently been included, Kuthati said. The decision was made during Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to the US recently, he said. Though this scheme, termed as Global Entry Programme (GEP), started last July, it is progressing at a slow pace since it requires clearance from multiple agencies, he added. Immigration procedure for Indians travelling to the US used to be cumbersome and GEP will ensure a hassle-free entry to the US for Indian passport holders, Kuthati said. Who can enrol? An existing passport holder can enrol with GEP by submitting an application which in turn is scrutinised and processed by various agencies after which clearance is obtained from each of them. Once the process is successfully completed, it would be a hassle-free entry to the US, Kuthati said. Besides GEP, RPO Bengaluru is also working on increasing passport issuance rate by opening more Post Office Passport Seva Kendras (POPSKs). Twelve POPSKs have become functional since the first such centre opened in January 2017. At all these PSKs, SMS-based appointment facility is available and there is no need to carry a hard copy of the appointment receipt. With a giant TV screen in its capital and a break from classes for students to watch live coverage, much of South Korea will hit the pause button on Friday to watch history unfold - the first time a North Korean leader crosses the border to visit. South Korean President Moon Jae-in will welcome Kim Jong Un as he walks across the military demarcation line between the neighbours, still technically at war because the 1950-53 Korean War ended in a truce, not a peace treaty. "It is an important moment of our history and a very good chance to feel the history," said Park Sung-il, vice principal at Baekun Elementary School in the southern city of Gwangju, which is letting students watch events unfold on television. "Our kids can get live education about unification by watching South and North Korean leaders shake hands in real time." It is only the third time the leaders of the countries have met, and previous summits in Pyongyang, the North's capital, were not broadcast live. "There is a sense of excitement in Seoul that almost everybody is preparing for celebration on Friday," said Victor Cha, a US expert on Korea who was visiting Seoul this week. If the summit goes well, "perhaps people in Washington may be more optimistic" that Kim's meeting with US President Donald Trump, expected in May or June, will go well, he added. The leaders of the two sides will meet at the South Korean border village of Panmunjom, the only place along the heavily fortified border where soldiers face off directly against each other. In Seoul, a gigantic TV screen will broadcast footage outside city hall. The plaza has been festooned with flowers arranged in the shape of the Korean peninsula to "create a conducive environment," a city official said. In Gwangju, a theatre is offering free admission for people to watch the broadcast on its movie screen. "Think about South Korean honour guards escorting the leader of our enemy state," said Lee Shin, the head of a reunification research group in the city. "This is a very significant moment in our history." Last week, Resmi R Nair, an activist and model who lives in Bengaluru, posted on Facebook against cabs with the Hanuman sticker, describing it as a symbol of aggressive Hindutva. She said she wouldnt board such cabs or pay cancellation charges. Soon, a VHP activist responded by cancelling a cab driven by a Muslim, saying he didnt want to support jihadis. The tussle set off arguments and taunts on social media and elsewhere. Resmi was in for brickbats, with many accusing her of being a Hindu hater, and digging out articles saying she had been arrested for running an online sex racket. She and her husband had earlier taken part in a Kiss of Love demonstration by kissing in public. Moderate voices were critical of her, too. Abhishek Misra, the VHP activist whose Twitter handle says Ideology first, wrote: Cancelled @Olacabs Booking because Driver was Muslim. I dont want to give my money to Jihadi People. His tweet was retweeted and liked by thousands. An Ola spokesperson provided some balance: Ola, like our country, is a secular platform, and we dont discriminate (against) our driver partners or customers on the basis of their caste, religion, gender or creed. We urge all our customers and driver partners to treat each other with respect at all times. Many Bengalureans Metrolife spoke to were surprised at the tirade against the Hanuman sticker, and the response. They said they had never paid any heed to the religion of a driver while hailing a cab. Their worries, on the other hand, were related to matters professional: Was the driver dressed shabbily? Was he driving rashly? Does he use foul language? M K Raghavendra, writer and film critic, is furious with Mishra. Just because cab drivers dont have the resources to act against people in power, they cant be spoken against in this manner. People like this dont represent the majority in the religion. There should be some action taken against him for speaking in such a manner, he says. Sachin Tiwari, sociologist, says, If a person structurally and sensibly approached his immediate surroundings, there would definitely be a higher level of tolerance in our country. Sophia Sharon, who teaches sociology in Mount Carmel College, says, People know how to take advantage of the current situation in India and misuse it for their own benefit. She believes social media hypes things and helps people gain popularity easily. Individuals grab any chance that comes their way to get into the limelight and stir up controversies, she told Metrolife. She is critical of Resmis tirade against the Hanuman stickers. She is trying to create an issue out of something that is not an issue. Ultimately, we live in a society among human beings. We need mutual adjustment and cooperation, she observes. Shikha Chandrashekar, student at Christ University, sees extreme intolerance in the debate. At this rate, it will lead to more complications in our country, she says. Anushka Phadnis, another student, adds, The sad part is that educated people who hold influential positions take to social media to spread and reinforce hatred. Ian Faria, motivational speaker, says, We are one nation and this incident is the height of intolerance. What model Resmi R Nair said on Facebook Dear UBER (Uber) India/OLA I am one of your regular customers living in Bangalore.I travel by uber/OLA even in wee hours most of the time accompanied by nobody. Many of my female colleagues and friends also travel in the same manner.We all have a very serious concern regarding the security of uber cabs with belligerent Hindutwa symbols .As you may be aware,the Hindutwa groups and their leaders have openly supported the gruesome rape and murder of an eight year old girl in Kathua village in Jammu and Kashmir. Me and my friends are scared to travel in uber cabs carrying outrightly violent symbols commonly used by these Hintuwa groups.Hence I inform you that I would not travel in a uber/OLA cab if it carries such symbols of violence. I will not pay pay the cancellation charges either, because I am not willing to provide my money to feed rapists or to promote rape terrorism. (Unedited) Driven by agenda Reacting to Resmis post, Charmine Zu, social activist, questions, Some people are trying to take forward their own agenda. How can one stop me from showcasing my religion, considering that were living in a secular country? If I have a car of my own and I want to display objects related to my religion, why shouldnt I? Two days after the decomposed, headless body of a woman suspected to be of Liga Skromane, a missing Latvia national diagnosed with post-traumatic depression was recovered near Kovalam here, her family has alleged police inaction on the complaint regarding her disappearance. Ligas younger sister Ilze Skromane told reporters at the Press Club here on Monday that she would wait for results of the autopsy and DNA test before confirming the identity of the deceased but dismissed reports that the woman could have committed suicide by consuming poison. Liga, a 33-year-old Latvia national residing in Ireland, had checked into an Ayurvedic healing centre in Pothencode here, with Ilze, in February. On the morning of March 14, she hired an auto-rickshaw to the beach town of Kovalam, about 30 km away. Ilze said her pleas for a concerted search operation were not taken seriously and a smiling police official told her that her sister would return in 24 hours. I was trying to tell them that Liga had severe depression and was vulnerable and somebody could have taken advantage of her, Ilze said. Reports quoted police sources as suspecting a suicide. Ilze and Ligas husband Andrew Jordan, who joined Ilze in a search in different parts of the state, maintained that they were not engaging in a blame-game but it was important to learn lessons from the experience. It is reported that the body, found in Vazhamuttom near Kovalam on Friday, is more than a month old. The Special Investigation Team was formed on the 10th day since my sister went missing; which means by then, she was already not with us, Ilze said. Aswathy Jwala, a social activist who helped Ilze and Andrew in their search, was more critical about how the case was handled. She said no government representative came forward to offer help and police responded aggressively when failures in the probe were pointed out. Attempts to meet Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan did not succeed either. 'SHE WAS NOT ALONE': Ilze identified the clothes worn by the deceased woman as Ligas but said a jumper found on the body was not her sisters. Ilze and Andrew contended that Liga couldnt have gone alone to the location where the body was found and said the position in which it was found hung over a tree did not suggest poisoning. Andrew said the local police initially discounted all possibilities of anyone harming a European. The first 24 hours were crucial. We need not point fingers but have to look at the system and ask if we are doing the right thing, Ilze said. Ilze said Liga had earlier attempted suicide twice when suffering from extreme insomnia but she was on a path to recovery in India. She was sleeping better, praying and was taking walks. She came here to get better, Ilze said. In a major embarrassment to the Tamil Nadu Government, the Madras High Court on Thursday ordered a CBI probe into the multi-crore gutkha scam allegedly involving Health Minister C Vijayabhaskar, Director General of Police T K Rajendran and a retired top police official. The first bench of Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice Abdul Quddhose passed the order on two Public Interest Litigation (PIL) petitions filed by DMK MLA J Anbalagan and activist Ramasamy seeking an impartial CBI inquiry into the scam. "The clandestine gutkha business is a crime against society, which needed to be curbed. We, therefore, deem it appropriate to direct the CBI to investigate the illegal manufacture, import, supply, distribution and sale of gutkha and other forms of chewable tobacco... detect and take action against those involved in the offence... in connivance with public/government servants," the bench said in its detailed order. The judges also made it clear they are ordering a CBI probe only to instil faith of the people in the fairness and impartiality of the investigation. we make it absolutely clear that this direction is not to be construed as any definitive findings of this court of the complicity of any constitutional functionary or of any of the specific office of the state government, the order said. S George, who retired as Chennai Police Commissioner last year, is also alleged to have been involved in the scam. It all started in July 2016 when Income Tax sleuths raided the premises of Madhava Rao, who is into manufacturing of gutkha, and recovered a diary with details of bribes amounting to nearly Rs 40 crore being given to a minister and top police officials for allowing the sale of banned substance like gutkha in the market. The I-T department admitted before the court about the existence of the diary. Immediately after the verdict, Opposition Leader M K Stalin demanded the resignation of Vijayabhaskar and Rajendran, but it was rejected by the AIADMK government and the minister himself. It is normal for performing ministers to be dragged into cases. I have nothing to hide, so I have nothing to fear, Vijayabhaskar said and ruled out his resignation. The order is not just a political setback for the beleaguered AIADMK government that has been facing crisis following the death of its charismatic leader J Jayalalithaa in December 2016, but also a legal one. During the hearing, the counsels representing the Tamil Nadu government opposed the idea of CBI probe, contending that there is an ongoing investigation by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC). The DVAC probe was also in the news when an officer-in-charge to the investigation was transferred. Gwadar port, on the Makran coast of Pakistan, is only 172 km from Chabahar port that is across the border in Iran. The two ports are being developed into maritime hubs by China and India, respectively, triggering what is being called the New Great Game in South Asia. Gwadar is also the southern gateway to the $62 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The CPEC and Gwadar port are being financed and built by China to link Kashgar in Xinjiang with Gwadar in Balochistan, the largest province of Pakistan. The economic corridor is being projected to bring all-round prosperity to the region and is part of Chinese President Xi Jinpings dream of national rejuvenation. In Chinas quest to dominate Asia and rival the United States as a co-equal power, Gwadar is an important foothold that is part of its String of Pearls strategy for the Indo-Pacific. Other pearls in South Asia include Myanmars Kyaukpyu port and Hambantota in Sri Lanka. Maldives has also negotiated an agreement with China for the long-term lease of a port. Further afield, China is engaged in signing agreements with countries on the east coast of Africa to develop naval bases. China and Pakistan view the development of Gwadar port as a win-win situation. The CPEC is part of Chinas Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) that seeks to extend Chinas strategic outreach deep into the Indo-Pacific region to counter US influence. It is also designed to give a fillip to Chinas slowing economy by generating large-scale construction activity, building an alternative route for oil and gas supplies and creating new markets for Chinas products. Notably, China is simultaneously engaged in building its first overseas military base in Djibouti. Chinas military assertiveness in reclaiming land and building air strips and ancillary support facilities on some of the disputed Spratly and Paracel islands in the South China Sea, in blatant violation of the Law of the Sea Treaty and other international norms, has led to instability and fuelled the possibility of future conflict in Southeast Asia. Chinese maritime strategy draws heavily from the American naval strategist Alfred Mahans theory of sea dominance. The PLA Navy is expanding rapidly and clearly aims to dominate the Indo-Pacific. If Gwadar port is converted into a naval base sometime in the future, it will enable the PLA Navy to maintain a permanent presence in the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman. In the eventuality of India having to fight a two-front war undoubtedly a low-probability scenario the Indian Navy would have to contend with a formidable maritime force. Indias energy supplies from the Gulf and maritime trade will become highly vulnerable to interception. However, the challenge posed by China is unlikely to go uncontested. In November 2017, senior officials of Australia, India, Japan and the United States, meeting on the side-lines of the East Asia Summit in the Philippines, agreed that a free, open, prosperous and inclusive Indo-Pacific region serves the long-term interests of all countries in the region and of the world at large. This development led to speculation that the idea of a Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (also called the Quad) is being revived after a hiatus of 10 years. The Quads discussions for cooperative security are likely to be undertaken in concert with other strategic partners in the Indo-Pacific, such as Singapore and South Korea. It is expected that this will eventually lead to strategic realignment for peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific. Admiral Arun Prakash, former Indian naval chief, wrote recently, Indias recent agreement with Oman providing access for military use and logistical support in the new Port of Duqm, has raised hopes that India is, belatedly, strengthening its maritime posture in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). There have been other significant developments, too; like President Ram Nath Kovinds visit to Djibouti and its impending recognition by India; the conclusion of an Indo-Seychelles agreement for creation of air and naval facilities on Assumption Island; and the agreement with the UAE for joint naval exercises. India is negotiating with Djibouti for port facilities, including logistics replenishment, and for the Agalega Islands with Mauritius for use by the Indian Navy. The Joint Strategic Vision of India-France Cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region, endorsed by India and France in March 2018, along with a reciprocal logistics support agreement, will enable the two countries to cooperate for peace and stability in the region. In fact, the India-France strategic partnership has been described in an editorial as transcending the traditional alliance frameworks and new geopolitical fault-lines. All of these initiatives will empower India to shoulder greater responsibility as a contributor to security in the western Indo-Pacific. The PLA Navy will pose a formidable challenge in the years ahead as it acquires blue-water capability and has naval bases and port facilities to fall back on. A concerted effort needs to be made to meet the emerging challenge. Though it will be a gradual and long-drawn process, a cooperative security framework will eventually emerge as a result of the discussions now being initiated by the leaders of the Quad for peace and stability and the security of the global commons. Cooperative security does not necessarily require a formal military alliance. Cooperative security in the maritime sphere entails the sharing of intelligence; joint counter-terrorism and counter-proliferation efforts; upholding the rules and norms governing maritime transit and overflights; providing help to the littoral states to meet their security needs; helping to counter piracy, arms smuggling and narcotics trafficking; and, undertaking joint humanitarian and disaster relief operations in the region. Strategic partners across the Indo-Pacific must act in concert to draw up a framework for cooperative security, including joint intelligence sharing, threat assessment and contingency planning. If the Chinese are willing to reduce their present bellicosity and join such an effort in a meaningful manner, they should be welcomed. (The writer is Distinguished Fellow, Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, New Delhi) The LDS Church's Washington D.C. Temple is currently undergoing an extensive renovation. Recent media coverage demonstrates interest in an open house with public tours that is still roughly two years away. Residents and media anticipate a sneak peek inside the temple they have often seen towering above the trees along the Capital Beltway, Interstate 495. Several news organizations in the Washington, D.C., area recently provided updates on the temple's progress, including comments from an architect and an Area Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Roger Hansen, a project architect from CRSA Architecture in Utah, described some of the renovations to mymcmedia.org. What were doing is were coming in to the building and were upgrading in significant ways, Hansen said. Many of the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems, and many of the finishes throughout the building have reached their end of life. Hansen also spoke with Wtop.com, another news outlet, about the need to preserve the best parts of the original design. Our task is to embrace the great things that they did [when the building was built], Hansen said. But with a 40-year-old building that hasnt ever had a major renovation, now is the time, and an opportunity for us. In the same article, Elder Kevin Calderwood, an Area Seventy for the LDS Church, said the Washington D.C. Temple has been a landmark in Montgomery County for drivers along Interstate 495 since it opened in 1974. You see it almost floating above the trees, and so certainly we see it as iconic from that standpoint, said Elder Kevin Calderwood, one of the leaders of the church. But for us its more sacred; its a sacred place where we can participate in ordinances that bind our family together. A video produced by WUSA9.com shows footage of the grounds and Washington D.C. Visitors Center. The LDS Church announced the Washington D.C. and Oakland temples would be closed for renovations in March. The Washington D.C. Temple will likely be completed in 2020, followed by an open house and rededication, according to the LDS Church News. President John D. Jackson, president of the Annapolis Maryland Stake, told the LDS Church News that members would miss the opportunity to attend the Washington D.C. Temple during the renovation. The Washington D.C. Temple has become such an important landmark in the D.C. area we [are going to] miss it, he said. The Washington D.C. Temple is one of several older LDS temples undergoing renovations, the Deseret News reported. For the past 40 years, hundreds have gathered at the temple grounds after each Thanksgiving holiday to participate in the annual Festival of Lights ceremony. Last year Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles was present to turn on the Christmas lights, the LDS Church News reported. In 2015, a small-scale model showing the interior the Washington D.C. Temple was unveiled in the Visitors Center, the LDS Church News reported. In 2014, Tony Collins posted a YouTube video with drone flight footage showing stunning aerial views of the Washington D.C. Temple grounds. SALT LAKE CITY The first U.S. Supreme Court debate over President Donald Trumps so-called travel ban took place this week, and while justices won't make a ruling until June, the decision is playing out at a time in which the refugee crisis in one of the impacted countries, Syria, may be getting worse. The justices heard arguments Wednesday over the the administrations ban on travel from five countries with majority Muslim populations Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria and Yemen. This follows U.S. missile strikes this month in Syria in retaliation for a reported chemical weapons attack near Damascus. While missile strikes may be exacerbating the refugee crisis in Syria, the United States has accepted just 11 Syrian refugees this year, compared to over 15,000 in 2016 and over 3,000 in 2017, according to State Department figures. All of which leads to a pressing question: what obligation, if any, does America have to refugees fleeing countries where the United States is engaged militarily? The Pottery Barn rule There is no legal obligation or provision in international law that requires a country to take in refugees, even in a case of war, says Ryan Crocker, who has served as a U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Syria and Lebanon. But despite the lack of legal obligation, Crocker says that from 1945 onward, America has played a role of international leadership" in refugee resettlement from countries where U.S. military forces were directly involved. As the Second World War in Europe drew to a close, for example, American ground troops were given orders to be on the lookout for refugees, to bring them in, feed them, bathe them, and keep them safe," Crocker says. Between 1945 and 1950, the U.S. admitted roughly 350,000 Europeans. In the aftermath of the Vietnam War, the U.S. resettled refugees from South Vietnam who feared for their lives after the capture of Saigon by the Viet Cong ended the war in April 1975. In anticipation of a catastrophic refugee crisis, the Indochina Migration and Refugee Act was signed into law in May 1975. The act provided over $400 million for the evacuation of 130,000 South Vietnamese from their home country, and their resettlement in the United States. "It was a watershed moment for the United States in dealing with refugees displaced as a consequence of U.S. military efforts," says Jessica Darrow, a refugee studies lecturer at the University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration. The Refugee Act of 1980 enlarged upon the 1975 legislation by standardizing resettlement services for all refugees admitted to the United States. This act became the legal basis for todays U.S. Refugee Admissions Program. The policy remained consistent in its approach until the 9/11 terror attacks, when the refugee program was temporarily suspended, and then reinstated with new security protocols and lower admission rates. Serena Parekh, associate professor of philosophy at Northeastern University and author of "Refugees and the Ethics of Forced Displacement," says 9/11 had a profound impact on U.S. attitudes toward refugee resettlement. Parekh says that pre-9/11, one of the central tenets of Americas approach to refugee resettlement had been the Pottery Barn rule, referencing a well-known incident in which Colin Powell warned President George W. Bush of the Pottery Barn rule before the invasion of Iraq. You break it, you bought it, Parekh explains. If youre invading a region and you do something militarily that has a negative consequence no matter how good your intentions are you have to fix it. You are responsible for remedying the harm if there were predictable, foreseeable consequences to your actions. But Parekh says that 9/11 was such a "collective trauma" that the Pottery Barn rule was disregarded in the effort to fight terrorism and do "whatever it took to prevent [9/11] from happening again." The 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq displaced approximately 1 in 25 Iraqis from their homes, according to a study by the Brown University Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs titled "Costs of War." The U.N. Refugee Agency reported in 2015 that over 4.4 million Iraqis were internally displaced, and an additional 264,100 were refugees abroad. Between 2007 and 2013, just 84,902 Iraqis were admitted to the U.S. as refugees, according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. She says the lack of consideration for the Pottery Barn rule could be clearly seen in the United States' treatment of refugees during the Iraq War, particularly those who had helped the United States military as translators. In 2008, Congress created the Special Immigration Visa program to bring Afghan and Iraqi translators to the United States. But it was widely reported that bureaucratic delays kept some translators trapped in dangerous circumstances for years while waiting for their visa to be processed. In 2015, nine Iraqi interperters who had been promised U.S. visas sued the American government to get their visa status resolved. Parekh said that the invasion of Iraq as a response to the 9/11 attacks was seen as such a good, that the unintended, but foreseeable consequences of the war refugees seemed like a small price to pay, says Parekh. Caring for the refugees who were created as a result of the invasion took a back seat, she said. A moral obligation? In Syria, Americas moral obligation is less clear cut than other historical examples, such as the U.S. invasion of Vietnam or Iraq, Parekh says, because its not as clear that our policy or action or lack of action directly caused the refugee crisis. But Darrow argues that we have a moral obligation that extends far beyond just where we have intervened militarily, to all refugees worldwide seeking a safe and permanent home. Yes, we have a moral obligation when we have been part of the destabilization, that people have fled because of us, directly or indirectly. But we have a larger moral obligation to all of the worlds refugees that we are not meeting, says Darrow. Darrow says the decision-making of the United States should be guided by an instistence on human rights and a commitment to stopping the human rights violations that are occurring on a massive scale in places like Syria. She says that it is "not sufficient" for America to limit refugee resettlement efforts to those impacted by U.S. military intervention. "We have a moral duty that extends to the worldwide flow of forced migration," she says. "Regardless of whether we're waging war on a country, we still have an obligation to be involved in refugee resettlement." Looking forward Though the Supreme Court's decision is not expected until later this summer, early analysis of Wednesday's hearing suggests that the court's five-member conservative majority seemed prepared to sustain President Trump's authority to impose the travel ban. The decision is likely to have a profound impact on the nearly 13 million Syrians that are now on the run including 5.3 million who have been forced to seek refuge in neighboring countries, and 6.1 million displaced inside Syria, according to the Pew Research Center. Crocker says that in recent years, the United States has sadly disengaged from a leadership role in refugee resettlement. In 2017, we had 3,100 migrants drown in the Mediterranean [Sea], he says. How many times can you recall a U.S. Navy vessel sailing to the rescue of a floundering refugee boat? Its a nice round number. Zero. Crocker says he was one of 50 senior former national security officials to file an amicus brief in support of the state of Hawaii and the Iraqi Refugee Assistance Projects lawsuit against the Trump administration in the travel ban case. I firmly believe that we are a nation of immigrants, thats who we are, and its an obligation for those of us who feel that way to push back against those who try to change who we are as a nation, says Crocker. No matter how much lipstick you put on it, it is still a highly discriminatory measure based on national origin and religion. And thats why its in front of the Supreme Court. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom cited more than two dozen countries as main contributors to an ongoing downward trend in religious liberty worldwide and called on the Trump administration to prioritize the release of religious prisoners and assist in resettling refugees fleeing persecution. Sadly, religious freedom conditions deteriorated in many countries in 2017, often due to increasing authoritarianism or under the guise of countering terrorism, said USCIRF Chairman Daniel Mark as the independent watchdog issued its 2018 report on Wednesday (April 25). Yet there is also reason for optimism 20 years after the passage of the International Religious Freedom Act. The importance of this foundational right is appreciated more now than ever, and egregious violations are less likely to go unnoticed. The report noted the range of severe abuses in 28 countries, from what the U.S. and U.N. have labeled ethnic cleansing of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar (also known as Burma) to persecution of Tibetan Buddhists, Uighur Muslims and Falun Gong practitioners in China. It cited the so-called Islamic States continuing genocidal campaign against Christians, Yazidis and Shiite Muslims; Russias harsh treatment of Jehovahs Witnesses, Muslims and Scientologists; and the continued unjust detention of U.S. pastor Andrew Brunson in Turkey. As it did in 2017, the commission asks the State Department to redesignate 10 nations as countries of particular concern, or CPCs, for egregious religious freedom violations: Burma, China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. It also reiterated its request that the department add six countries to that list: Central African Republic, Nigeria, Pakistan, Russia, Syria and Vietnam. Mark told reporters in a conference call that the repeated requests should not be viewed as a status quo move but rather the result of continuing monitoring of each country. He pointed to the example of Russia, which was added to the list of suggested CPCs last year. All the news has only confirmed that move and suggested that the State Department should take a very serious look, for example, at Russia and the others as well, said Mark, an assistant professor of political science at Villanova University. The commission also recommended the State Department designate as entities of particular concern organizations its members consider severe religious freedom violators: the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, or ISIS; the Taliban in Afghanistan; and al-Shabab in Somalia. Commissioners traveled to a dozen countries in 2017 and early 2018 to assess religious freedom conditions, prioritizing religious prisoners of conscience, blasphemy laws and the connections between womens equality and freedom of belief. Two commission members visited Brunson in late 2017, becoming the first Americans to visit him outside family and consular staff, Mark said. This is a man who had just gone about his business peacefully for more two decades and with no warning whatsoever was swept up in this horrible thing, accused of aiding terrorists and extremism and so on and facing a life sentence, he said. So the chilling effect is incalculable. In their report, commissioners requested that the Trump administration provide sufficient funding for the office of the international religious freedom ambassador, a post recently filled by former Sen. Sam Brownback. They also called for prioritizing the release of people imprisoned for their religious beliefs, activity, identity, or religious freedom advocacy and the resettlement of refugees fleeing religious persecution. The report noted the commissions ongoing concerns about the administrations expansion of expedited removal procedures in which Department of Homeland Security officials deport some noncitizens. We find that those in charge are not sufficiently sensitive to concerns of religious persecution at home, Mark told reporters. Its important that when people come with credible fear of persecution if they return home, that that be acknowledged and treated appropriately under the law. In addition to the CPCs, the report also cited 12 Tier 2 countries that are considered to be less problematic but still violators of religious freedom: Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Cuba, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Laos, Malaysia and Turkey. OGDEN Ten-year-old Kiyoshi Ota wants to be an electrical engineer when he grows up. Along with his fifth-grade class at the New Bridge School, he has prepared for an imaginary mission to Mars since before winter break, according to Noemi Ota, his mother. As he and his classmates gathered Wednesday in the Weber State University gym to create inflatable plastic habitats they designed to sustain life on Mars, Kiyoshi showed off his contribution to the project a model of a life-support system. It includes a "Lego person, chicken and rocks," Kiyoshi said. "Apple trees produce air, seeds feed chickens," he explained, motioning at miniature pieces that his dad bought from a dollar store to use on the model. His mom said when he presented the life-support system to his class, Kiyoshi was "so nervous but he explained what the purpose was for each part. Things that, my goodness, I didn't think that he was capable of knowing. But they did their research." Mission to Mars Link-Up Day sponsored by the Hill Air Force Base STEM Outreach Program and Weber's College of Engineering, Applied Science and Technology involved about 500 10- and 11-year-olds who employed skills they've been practicing in class for a pretend journey to the distant planet. "Our hope is that they get really interested in the STEM subjects. We need more STEM people to go to college and get STEM degrees," said Lance Butler, STEM outreach coordinator for Hill Air Force Base, adding that there is a shortage of workers in science, technology, engineering and math fields in Utah a shortage that encompasses about 4,600 jobs. To prepare for their imaginary space mission, the kids learned about Mars, designed patches and uniforms, created a "saga," or story about their trip and designed life-support systems. This year was Ronda Jones' third year attending the event with her class. The teacher at DaVinci Academy of Science and the Arts says her class went all out with the project this year. Each student got a call name, like they use in the military. The fifth-graders also practiced marching, she explained. "They've been working hard. Each kid has put in their special skill set to make the project even better," she said. "It's team-building skills, definitely, problem-solving, for sure, but mainly creativity and learning about Mars in relation to Earth, but also learning about each other," the teacher said. Julian Vallesillo, whose call name for the mission was "Spike," was a team captain for his DaVinci class. He said his job on the project required "a lot of passion and energy." "So what it does is that it promotes people to, you know, stay active," the his explained. His friend Andrew Reyes, or "Cisco" for the day, was another team captain. He said his team has practiced their skills for three months to prepare for the mission. As a team captain, he said he tries to "get (the team) to focus and stay calm and not talk when we're doing our march, and our stuff." For their classmate Sunshine "Stormy" Eads, creating the group's saga was the best part of the project. They integrated Mars facts into their team's story. It took the kids a few hours to inflate their plastic habitats. When they linked the habitats together, a sense of delight and accomplishment filled the gymnasium as they enjoyed the culmination of many classroom hours. Sophie Peterson, a New Bridge fifth-grader, says she wants to be a park ranger when she grows up. "This can help with my career in the future because we need to work as a team together, and when we research things about stuff far away, it can help me with the researching," she explained. Her friend Mallory Reynolds says she someday wants to be a writer or editor. Her favorite part of the project was "drawing the ceiling, 'cause I had all these cool UFOs and stuff." She said she thinks the mission will help her in her future career, because "it'd make a good story. And also, you could write about if somebody actually went to Mars, and used this as an actual thing. That'd be a good story, too," she explained. The event will continue Thursday. SALT LAKE CITY Two people were killed and four LDS Church missionaries were injured in a two-car crash Wednesday afternoon near Preston, Idaho. The two pronounced dead at the scene were identified as L. Max Richards, 83, and Phyllis Richards, 80, both of Franklin, Idaho. The four missionaries injured, all serving in the Utah Logan Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, are Elder Charly Sistrunk, 67, and his wife, Sister Debra Owens Sistrunk, 62, both from Preston; Elder Elijah Wall, 19, and Elder William Wilson, 18, both from Kentucky. Daniel Woodruff, spokesman for the LDS Church, said the four missionaries suffered injuries that are not life-threatening. They were taken to area hospitals, with Sister Sistrunk later transported to Portneuf Medical Center in Pocatello, idaho. "Our hearts go out to their families and loved ones at this tragic time," said Woodruff. The crash occurred on US-91, with police reporting that a southbound Jeep went to make a left turn onto Cub River Road in front of missionaries' vehicle. The latter struck the Jeep on the passenger side. SALT LAKE CITY The LDS Church issued a statement Thursday in the wake of media reports emerging of a mission presidents misconduct several years ago in Puerto Rico. Philander Knox Smartt III, an attorney from Alabama who had served for less than a year as president of the Puerto Rico San Juan Mission, was removed from his post in early 2014 for unspecified conduct with missionaries. A mission president presides over an area and the missionaries who serve there for the church. This is a tragic and heartbreaking case of deception and betrayal that has impacted many lives. When church leaders learned of what had occurred, the mission president was immediately and dishonorably released from his position, sent home and excommunicated from the church. The victims, as adults, chose not to pursue criminal charges, Eric Hawkins, a spokesman for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said in a statement released Thursday morning. The mission president was replaced by a General Authority who was sent to minister to those who had been affected. The sister missionaries who had been deceived and victimized were provided with ecclesiastical and emotional counseling, which continues to be offered to this time. The wife and family of the mission president have been assisted by the Church with the legal, emotional and personal consequences resulting from the immoral and sinful behavior of one man. We continue to ask members and leaders to embrace those harmed by such tragic situations with love, help and the hope available through Jesus Christ, Hawkins said. Beginning in early May 2014, Elder W. Craig Zwick then an LDS Church General Authority who has since been given emeritus status served as interim mission president in Puerto Rico for two months, joined by his wife, Sister Jan Zwick. Elder Zwick had presided previously over the Chile Santiago South Mission; as a member of the First Quorum of Seventy, he had served as an assistant executive director in the Missionary Department. Then in July 2014, President Bruce Boucher and Sister Rebecca Burton Boucher, of Holladay, Utah, began their three-year tenure presiding over the San Juan mission. The Puerto Rico San Juan mission includes not only the U.S. territory island of Puerto Rico, but also the U.S. Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, St. Kitts and Nevis, Antigua, Barbuda and Dominica. We feel profound sorrow for what each of these women has experienced. It is particularly heartbreaking that they have suffered because of the actions of a man who should have been a trusted priesthood leader. As followers of Jesus Christ, we want to do all within our power to both alleviate suffering and prevent abuse," Hawkins said. SALT LAKE CITY A man who authorities say led a Utah militia group pleaded guilty in federal court Thursday to trying to blow up a remote Bureau of Land Management cabin. William Keebler, 59, admitted to attempted destruction of federal property by use of an explosive in an agreement with the U.S. Attorney's Office. Prosecutors dropped a charge of carrying a firearm during a crime of violence. He could be sentenced to as much as 70 months in prison. Keebler, of Stockton, acknowledged that between June 20-22, 2016, he traveled from Tooele County to Mount Trumbull in Arizona where he attempted to detonate an explosive device at a federal facility. Assistant U.S. attorney Andrew Choate said after the hearing that federal agents in the case were able to head off a "significant domestic terrorism threat right here in Utah." "We hope this prosecution would be an object lesson for any would-be terrorist who would attempt to use violence, either in the domestic or international context, against the United States," he said. Prosecutors say Keebler headed a militia group called the Patriots Defense Force consisting of seven members, including three undercover FBI agents. The FBI started investigating Keebler after he took part in a 2014 armed standoff with federal officials at Cliven Bundy's Nevada ranch. Keebler's attorneys maintained in earlier court hearings that the undercover agents built the inert explosive device and placed it against the cabin door before handing Keebler the remote detonator. The cabins were for seasonal use and were occupied by a professor and about 20 college students doing field research, but FBI and BLM agents moved them out before the attempted bombing, Choate said. "The defendant actually was committed to going around and making sure that it was just going to be an unoccupied building, so we can't say if he would have gone through with the bombing if he had seen the people inside the cabins," Choate said. Prosecutors earlier said Keebler wanted to use explosives and was also willing to shoot people if anyone came after the group when he detonated the device. He had an AR-15-style gun, a handgun and a lot of ammo, they say. Keebler took video of an unidentified mosque and cased federal offices before settling on the BLM cabin in northern Arizona, prosecutors said. Keebler, who has been held in jail since his arrest in June 2016, agreed to a 12- to 70-month prison term as part of the plea deal. Sentencing is scheduled for July 9. Choate said the government would seek a sentence on the high end of the range. Move Designed to Accommodate 2018 Outlook, Growing Number of Employees to Support Technology Portfolio Santa Clara, Calif., April 25, 2018 Achronix Semiconductor Corporation today capped a year-long string of successes, including 700% year-over-year revenue growth and an expanding workforce, by opening its new corporate headquarters with a Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony presided over by Chief Executive Officer Robert Blake and Santa Clara Mayor Lisa Gillmor. Its a great honor for me to be here with Robert Blake and everyone at Achronix as we celebrate Achronixs new corporate headquarters, remarks Mayor Gillmor. Achronixs decision to move to a larger facility in Santa Clara is a wonderful testament to our great city. As a leader in FPGA-based hardware accelerator devices and embedded FPGA (eFPGA) intellectual property (IP), Achronixs move will accommodate the growing number of employees to support the investment it is making in its technology portfolio. Products include Speedcore eFPGA IP, Speedchip FPGA chiplets for MCM or 2.5D package integration, Speedster application targeted FPGAs and ACE design tools. The dramatic increase in demand for our FPGA-based products is driving our need to attract talented people to develop new innovative products, says Blake. This move is far more than an expansion of our corporate headquarters. It is the next step in defining a new growth phase for our company and realizing the tremendous opportunities in front of us. The Achronix hiring plan is based on its plans to further enhance its high-performance and high-density FPGA technology for hardware acceleration applications in data center compute, networking and storage; 5G wireless infrastructure, network acceleration; advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous vehicles. A majority of the new hires will be in hardware engineering and software engineering positions. Achronix is forecasting further revenue and design win growth in 2018. Additionally, Achronix will expand its product portfolio with a large investment in its next-generation FPGAs that will be built on TSMCs 7nm process technology. Achronixs next-generation products will have densities up to five-million look-up-tables (LUTs), core operating frequencies up to 750 megahertz and support customer-specific custom blocks that deliver up to 2x performance and bandwidth compared to standalone FPGAs. With the additional headcount, Achronix will enhance its Speedcore eFPGA product offering by accelerating the time to deliver the completed IP, timing models, simulation models and other supporting integration files to under six weeks. Achronix also will expand the number of process technologies supported. Additionally, the ACE design tools feature set will be expanded, and in combination with partnership tools, offer complete solutions for machine learning/deep learning (ML/DL), accelerated search, encryption/decryption and compression/decompression. The new address of Achronixs headquarters is 2903 Bunker Hill Lane, Santa Clara, Calif., 95054 and is approximately 25,000 square feet, substantially larger than Achronixs previous corporate offices. Caption: Robert Blake, Achronix CEO (second from right), and Santa Clara Mayor Lisa Gillmor (third from right) preside over a ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially open Achronixs new corporate headquarters in Santa Clara, Calif. About Achronix Semiconductor Corporation Achronix is a privately held, fabless semiconductor corporation based in Santa Clara, California. The company developed its FPGA technology which is the basis of the Speedster22i FPGAs and Speedcore eFPGA technology. All Achronix FPGA products are supported by its ACE design tools that include integrated support for Synopsys Synplify Pro. The company has sales offices and representatives in the United States, Europe, and China, and has a research and design office in Bangalore, India. Meek Mill Is Out Of Prison The 30-year old rapper, who was sent to prison for violating probation on a 2008 gun and drug case, is out now. Meek Mill has spent nearly five months in prison. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ordered an immediate release for Mill earlier in the day, directing the judge to release him on "unsecured bail." The rapper took to Instagram on Tuesday to celebrate his freedom and to praise his support system, reports USWeekly.com. Id like to thank God, my family, my friends, my attorneys, my team at Roc Nation including Jay Z, Desiree Perez, my good friend Michael Rubin, my fans, The Pennsylvania Supreme Court and all my public advocates for their love, support and encouragement during this difficult time (sic), he wrote, adding While the past five months have been a nightmare, the prayers, visits, calls, letters and rallies have helped me stay positive (sic). Mill also thanked the Philadelphia District Attorney's office for its support. I'm grateful for your commitment to justice. I understand that many people of colour across the country don't have that luxury and I plan to use my platform to shine a light on those issues," he tweeted. The rapper even went to watch 76ers game on Tuesday night, just after his release. For latest movie reviews, ratings and trailers, download the Desimartini App. Source: media.philly.com The Toyota Yaris is still a few weeks away from launch, but has generated a fair amount of interest among car buyers in the country. The latest C-segment sedan comes to India with only one engine option, and a number of segment-first features in its top trim. Prices of the Toyota Yaris have been announced, and depending on the amount of equipment you would want in your car, you'll be spending anywhere between Rs. 8.75 lac and Rs. 14.07 lac for the new Toyota Yaris. With a price range spanning between almost Rs. 5.5 lac across a total of four trims, we take a look at how these trims stack up in terms of the features on offer in each trim, what you would get and subsequently miss out on, in each. Powertrain and chassis Before we begin, it is important to note that the Yaris will presently be available with only one powertrain option. The 'baby Corolla Altis', as it is being referred to in a lot of cases, is powered by a 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder petrol engine. This engine is mated to either 6-speed manual or 7-speed CVT automatic gearboxes. The engine produces 106bhp and 140Nm torque, and fuel efficiency is certified at 17.1kmpl for MT variants, while AT variants are rated at 17.8kmpl. The Yaris gets a 42-litre fuel tank, front MacPherson strut suspension with stabiliser, and rear torsion beam. All variants get front disc brakes and 15-inch wheels, with turning radius marked at 5.1m In terms of the chassis, the Yaris measures 4.4 metres in length, with 2,550mm wheelbase and approximately 1.5 ton body weight. The boot space is marked at 476 litres. Base trim: Toyota Yaris J Price: Rs. 8,75,000 (MT); Rs. 9,95,000 (AT) The base trim of the Toyota Yaris gets rear drum brakes, and instead of alloys, gets steel wheels with wheel caps. In terms of body weight, it weighs 1,090kg, which is 45 kilos lesser than the top-trim Yaris. On the exterior, the base variant gets projector headlamps, and the body colour package, with body-coloured door handles and outside mirrors. The shark fin antenna is also retained. Inside, it gets the two-tone interior upholstery with Toyota's 'Waterfall Design' instrument panel. It gets the basic, non-touch infotainment system, with a CD player, AM/FM radio, aux port and Bluetooth connectivity for handsfree music playback and phone calls. It also gets four speakers, and a monochrome MID in the instrument cluster with Eco Indicator. The basic 'J' variant only gets manual air conditioning and a single interior light to the front, but does get a cooled glove box. In terms of convenience features, the base variant gets manual driver seat height adjustment, along with heat-absorbing, IR-repelling windshield. It also gets 60:40 split folding rear seats, keyless entry (but no push start button), tilt-adjustable steering wheel, front and rear power windows and electronically adjustable ORVMs. It also gets electric power steering and rear armrest with cup holders. In terms of safety, the Toyota Yaris J gets a total of seven airbags, which is common to all variants. These airbags include driver and passenger airbags, two curtain, two front sides and one driver knee. It also gets ABS with EBD and Brake Assist, which are also common to all variants. Central locking and engine immobilizer are also included, which, again, are common to all the variants. Mid trim: Toyota Yaris G Price: Rs. 10,56,000 (MT); Rs. 11,76,000 (AT) Along with everything available on the Yaris J, the G trim gets ORVM-mounted indicators and a chrome front grille to the exterior. On the inside, it gets a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system. Modes of connectivity here include USB, aux, Bluetooth, a remote control, WebLink, Miracast and HDMI. Furthermore, it gets a 4.2-inch colour TFT MID display in the instrument cluster, fully automatic climate control unit with temperature control and rear reading lamp. It also gets the unique, roof-mounted AC vents with ambient LED lighting, and acoustic and vibration control glass. The Yaris G also gets smart, keyless entry and a push-start button, steering-mounted audio, telephone and MID controls, and electronically folding ORVMs. Safety-wise, the extra features include two rear parking sensors, front- and rear-fog lamps with rear defogger, and speed-sensing automatic door locking and impact-sensing auto unlock. Upper-mid trim: Toyota Yaris V Price: Rs. 11,70,000 (MT); Rs. 12,90,000 (AT) The Toyota Yaris V gets all of the G trim's features, and is the first of the four trims to get both front and rear disc brakes, as well as alloy wheels. The 15-inch wheel size remains the same, with Toyota recommending 185/60 section tyre size. On the outside, the Yaris' projector headlamps get LED guide lines, as well as rear LED combination lights with guide lines. Inside, it shares most features with the G trim, but gets six speakers instead of four. Convenience-wise, the Yaris V gets cruise control and rain-sensing wipers, along with all the features of the G trim. In terms of safety features, it gets front parking sensors, and four rear parking sensors instead of two. It also gets a reverse camera with automatic, follow-me-home headlamps. Top trim: Toyota Yaris VX Price: Rs. 12,85,000 (MT); Rs. 14,07,000 (AT) The fully equipped trim of the Toyota Yaris is the heaviest of the four trims, and weighs 1,135 kilos. It is the only variant to get LED DRLs and chrome door handles, marking these two elements as the only two changes from the V trim. Inside, the infotainment system remains the same, but gets additional support for SD card input and Wi-Fi hotspots. It is also the only trim that gets integrated navigation with onboard maps via SD card, and support air-based gesture waves for audio controls. It also gets more premium interiors, replacing fabric with a mix of genuine and synthetic leather for seats and door inserts. In terms of comfort and convenience, it gets an eight-way power adjustable front seat. The CVT variant of the Yaris VX gets paddle shifters, and for comfort, also gets a segment-first rear sun shade. Where the Yaris VX truly makes a difference is in safety. The list of safety features on board the Toyota Yaris VX include hill start assist, vehicle stability control and tyre pressure monitor, along with all the rest of the safety features available in the lower trims of the Yaris. Xiaomi Chairman, CEO and Founder Lei Jun on Wednesday announced that the company will forever limit the net profit margin after tax for the entire hardware sales -- including smartphones, Internet of Things (IoT) and lifestyle products -- to a maximum of 5 per cent. Jun promised its users that the company's hardware business will have an overall net profit margin that will never exceed 5 per cent. "If the margin crosses 5 per cent, then we will find a way to return the excess above 5 per cent to our users," he said in an email to all Xiaomi employees. "If we sell our products at close to cost and return value to our users, then we can earn the long-term support of our users. Aiming for large volumes with small profit margins will still result in suitable hardware profits for us in the long term," the Xiaomi CEO added. According to Jun, the company has created a unique "triathlon" business model, encompassing hardware, Internet service and new retail. "In the past eight years, our business model has been challenged again and again. Xiaomi is the only smartphone in the world that has rebounded after a decline in sales. This miracle, coupled with the results we have achieved as of today, shows how relevant and advanced our model is," the CEO said. The company launched Mi 6X in Wuhan on Wednesday which is equipped with the high-end Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 processor and the latest AI technology. "Xiaomi is an engineering-led company. Engineers are constantly looking for the latest technologies to benefit the public and change the world," Jun said. "At present, the company has exceeded 100 billion RMB in annual revenue and has nearly 20,000 employees," he added. In the first quarter of 2018, Xiaomi with over 51 per cent growth was at fifth spot in China, Counterpoint Research reported. The growth was driven by Xiaomi's expansion in the offline segment with aggressive promotions. It also refreshed its Redmi Note series and now has a very strong product portfolio in the mid segment, giving more choice to budget-conscious consumers. Facebook pulled out 1.9 mn pieces of extremist content in Q1 of 2018 Facebook has removed 1.9 million pieces of extremist content related to ISIS or Al Qaeda from its site during the first three months of 2018, the leading social media network announced on Tuesday. Weve made significant strides finding and removing (Isis and Al-Qaeda) propaganda quickly and at scale, the Facebook blog post said. Weve made significant strides finding and removing (Isis and Al-Qaeda) propaganda quickly and at scale, the Facebook blog post said. Terrorist groups and hate organisations are banned from Facebook and it takes down any content that praises these outfits, any of their actions, or members. Because we want to encourage counterspeech and the flow of information, we allow posts that explicitly condemn the organisations or report on their activity, it said. The leading social media network has been facing pressures from western governments, especially in the European Union and the US, calling for withdrawal of extremist content. The governments have warned Facebook that its failure to follow the norms against extremists would force them to act. In addition to our team of content reviewers, we use artificial intelligence and machine-learning to detect and remove terrorist content, claimed Facebook. And we partner with other technology companies to ensure that content found and removed from Facebook does not crop up elsewhere on the internet. The company said that people should be able to share their views and discuss controversial ideas on Facebook. Thats why our policies allow people to criticise, and even condemn, religious institutions or political parties. But we draw the line when the focus shifts to individuals or groups of people. "We dont allow direct attacks based on what we call protected characteristics: race, ethnicity, national origin, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, sex, gender, gender identity, and serious disability or disease. Tata Motors looks at market dominance with new range of trucks Tata Motors has launched the Nex-Gen ULTRA range of intermediate and light commercial vehicles that comprises 14 truck models of varying capacities with flexibility to cater to various fully-build applications. The ULTRA range has been priced in the range of Rs10 lakh to Rs25 lakh, depending on various applications and models. The ULTRA range has been priced in the range of Rs10 lakh to Rs25 lakh, depending on various applications and models. Capable of meeting the global trucking standards of emission, safety and features, these trucks have been tested and homologated into various geographies outside India, viz, South Africa, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia and more. Powered by futuristic and indigenous 3L and 5L Turbotronn series of engines, the vehicles offer superior performance and best-in-class mileage. These are also ergonomically designed with spacious, comfortable cabin and car-like features for fatigue-free driving leading to faster turnaround time and enhanced productivity, says Tata Motors. With longer deck lengths and higher payload capacities, best-in-class NVH and convenient utility features, these trucks would lead to significant increase in revenue and lower cost of operation, it adds. Designed and created with new features and driving comfort, the new ULTRA range of ILCV are powerful and robust trucks ranging from 7 ton to 16 ton GVW with flexibility to cater to various fully build applications. These trucks offer a true business utility vehicle for large fleet owners, captive users, fleet rental, e-commerce and logistics, according to the company . The nation-wide launch of new generation ULTRA range of trucks is an important milestone in our journey for the ILCV segment in India. With the evolution of hub and spoke model, boom in e-commerce business and restrictions on over-loading, the ILCV segment continues to grow. The comprehensive ULTRA range showcased today is a result of an extensive feedback received from our fleet owners, end consumers and drivers leading to a unique design language, based on comfort, convenience and superior performance. The range provides competitive cost of operations, highest reliability of timely delivery, superior safety features and best-in-class driving comfort, Girish Wagh, president Commercial Vehicle Business Unit, Tata Motors, said. Tata Motors expects the new ULTRA range to add 2.7 percentage points to its current market share in this segment in FY18, further strengthening its leadership position. With its contemporary global design, the ULTRA cabin boasts of sufficient storage capacity, better levels of visibility for the driver, safety and driving comfort. The provisions for various accessories coupled with a walk-through cabin and ergonomically designed interfaces offer a fatigue-less driving experience. The 45-degree hydraulic tilt cabin meets strict European Safety Norms, a segment first from Tata Motors. The Ultra Platform provides immense flexibility to address various customer and segment aspirations with numerous combinations, wider and sleeper cabins, Turbotronn engines ranging from 125 to 210 HP, a range of wheel bases of 3.3 to 6.8 meters, cabin widths of 1.9 to 2.1 meters, deck lengths from 12 to 32 ft and more importantly various applications like tippers, reefers, containers, tankers, poultry, two wheeler carriers, municipal applications, auto-logistics and many more, says a company release Powered by the new generation Turbotronn 3L and 5L diesel engines, the ULTRA range offers class-leading torque range from 360 to 840 Nm resulting in superlative performance, best-in-class fuel economy, lowest TCO, and industry best durability. The Ultra range also comes with the widest and most reliable range of gearbox configurations in 5/6 speed in manual and AT versions. Manufactured at the Pune plant, the entire range also comes with power steering system and front parabolic suspension for driving comfort. These new generation engines are also future ready and scalable for BS-VI norms. ULTRA offers Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking and advanced telematics solutions, thereby helping customers track and control vehicles anywhere in the country. Service includes features like real-time fleet tracking, SMS and email alerts, Geo-fencing and remote unit management all designed to address the business needs of fleet owners and customers. The ULTRA range comes with a standard warranty of 3 years / 3,00,000 km, supported by extensive country-wide network for sales, service and spare parts. Customers will also benefit from host of excellent aftermarket support through value added services, under the umbrella of Sampoorna Seva, including a 24X7 workshop, door step service enabled by mobile workshops, TATA PROLIFE for reconditioned aggregates, AMC packages, breakdown assistance, accidental insurance for drivers and dedicated on-site container workshops on the highways of India. 2.7 billion tweets confirm: echo chambers on Twitter are very real Bipartisan users, who try to bridge the echo chambers, need to pay a price for their work: they become less central in their own network, lose connections to their communities and receive less endorsements from other users. A recent study of more than 2.7 billion tweets between 2009 and 2016 confirms that Twitter users are exposed mainly to political opinions that agree with their own. It is the largest study to characterise echo chambers by both the content in them and the networks they comprise. The findings indicate a strong correlation between biases in the content people both produce and consume. In other words, echo chambers are very real on Twitter. "An echo chamber exists if the leaning of the content received by Twitter users is on par with the leaning of the content they share. An opinion echoes back to the user when it is being shared by others in the chamber, the social network around the user," explains professor Aristides Gionis from Aalto University. The study identifies three essential roles for Twitter users. Partisan users both consume and produce content with only a one-sided leaning and enjoy high appreciation measured by both network centrality and content endorsement. Gatekeepers have a central role in the formation of echo chambers because they consume content with diverse leanings but choose to produce only content with a one-sided leaning. Bipartisan users produce content with both leanings and make an effort to bridge the echo chambers, but they are less valued in their networks than their partisan counterparts. The researchers from Aalto University, University of Helsinki and Qatar Computing Research Institute have created machine learning algorithms to predict the roles of users in several datasets. They were able to predict partisan users with nearly 80 per cent accuracy and gatekeepers with 70 pe cent accuracy based on their tweets and network. Network centrality was measured in the underlying social network of Twitter users, and endorsement was measured in terms of the number of times a user's message is either re-posted or rated positively by other users in the network. "Gatekeepers are a small group of users who have higher than average network centrality. However, the users that gatekeepers follow are not always connected with each other; instead, they belong to opposing sides. Finding and connecting the gatekeepers would help spread information to both sides, even though they are more challenging to identify than partisan users," explains postdoctoral researcher Kiran Garimella, currently working at EPFL in Lausanne. The price to pay for being bipartisan was studied for the first time on social networks. Producing content that expresses opinions aligned with both sides of a political divide has a price in terms of various aspects including network position, community connections, and content endorsement. "In other words, the content produced by bipartisan users receives less attention their tweets are re-posted less frequently by other users," says professor Michael Mathioudakis from the University of Helsinki. For all the datasets, in order to ensure that bot accounts were not included in the study, the researchers removed accounts with less than one year of activity at the time of data collection or with any abnormal features, such as suspiciously high number of connections. "The study was aimed at understanding the interplay between the structure of echo chambers and the role of Twitter users on a scale larger than ever before," adds. N Korea's nuclear test site has collapsed, become unusable: experts North Korea's underground nuclear test site has partially collapsed following a massive bomb blast last year, making it unusable, Chinese seismologists have concluded. The reclusive nations leader Kim Jong-un declared last week that his regime would halt nuclear and long-range missile tests and shut down its nuclear site at Punggye-ri under Mount Mantap in the country's northeast. The offer came days before his summit this Friday with the South's President Moon Jae-in, which is scheduled to be followed by a summit with US President Donald Trump. See: North Korea conducted five of its six nuclear tests at the site, with the biggest one last September triggering a 6.3-magnitude earthquake that was felt across the northern border with China. The North claimed it had tested a hydrogen bomb ( North Korea conducts biggest-ever nuke test; dwarfs Hiroshima ). Landslides and earthquakes following the explosion led to speculation that the site was suffering from "tired mountain syndrome". According to AFP, two studies involving Chinese experts have found that a 4.1-magnitude aftershock that took place 8.5 minutes after the first quake caused the collapse of rock inside the mountain. "It is necessary to continue monitoring possible leaks of radioactive materials caused by the collapse incident," said the University of Science and Technology of China in a summary of one study posted on its website. The university said the study would be published in Geophysicial Research Letters, a journal of the American Geophysical Union. An English-language abstract by the study authors in another section of the university's website concluded, "The occurrence of the collapse should deem the underground infrastructure beneath mountain Mantap not be used for any future nuclear tests." The line about the site being unusable does not appear in the Chinese-language summary and it was unclear whether it would be included in the journal. One of the study's authors, Lianxing Wen of New York's Stony Brook University, did not immediately respond to emailed questions. A second study led by Chinese scientists, including experts from the China Earthquake Administration, also concluded that the September aftershock had caused a collapse. "The aftershock was neither a secondary explosion nor a triggered tectonic earthquake," said the second study, published last month, also in Geophysicial Research Letters. "It occurred due to a process comparable to a 'mirror image' of the explosion, that is, a rock collapse, or compaction, for the first time documented in North Korea's test site," it said. The second study, however, did not determine whether the site was unusable or leaking radiation. China has deployed radiation monitoring stations along its border with North Korea. A state-run newspaper in the northeastern province of Jilin last year published a list of tips on how civilians can protect themselves in the event of a nuclear attack. India renews high-grade iron ore supply contracts with Japan, South Korea India has renewed contracts for supply of high-grade (+64% Fe) iron ore to Japanese and South Korean mills under long-term supply agreement for a five-year period from 1 April 2018 to 31 March 2023. The union cabinet on Wednesday approved the renewal of long term-agreements by MMTC for supply of iron ore (lumps and fines) of grade +64% Fe content to Japanese steel mills and South Koreas POSCO for another five years, ie from 1 April 2018 to 31 March 2023, says a cabinet note. The earlier LTAs were valid until 31 March 2018 and the renewal of the contract will allow Japanese steel mills and South Koreas POSCO to source high-grade iron ore from India till March 2023. The LTAs fix the quantity of iron ore to be exported at 3.80 million tonnes to 5.50 million tonnes annually, which may include NMDC and non-NMDC origin iron ore. The quantitative ceilings for export of Bailadila Lumps is 1.81 million tonnes per annum and that for Bailadila fines 2.71 million tonnes per annum. Under the agreement, Japanese steel mills will be entitled to a minimum of 3.00 million tonnes and a maximum of 4.30 million tonnes per annum while South Koreas POSCO can import 0.80 million tonnes to 1 .20 million tonnes per annum. The entire quantities of iron ore proposed to be supplied to Japanese steel mills and South Koreas POSCO through MMTC Limited under these LTAs will be of grade +64% Fe content. The existing policy of single agency operation and exports through MMTC, with trading margin of 2.8 per cent of FOB price will continue. India's iron ore exports to Japan is almost six decades old and is a consistent component of India's bilateral relations with Japan. MMTC has been supplying iron ore to Japanese steel mills since 1963 and to South Korea since 1973. Researchers measure record concentration of microplastics in Arctic sea ice Experts at the Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI), Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research have recently found higher amounts of microplastic in arctic sea ice than ever before. However, the majority of particles were microscopically small. The ice samples from five regions throughout the Arctic Ocean contained up to 12,000 microplastic particles per litre of sea ice. Further, the different types of plastic showed a unique footprint in the ice allowing the researchers to trace them back to possible sources. However, the majority of particles were microscopically small. The ice samples from five regions throughout the Arctic Ocean contained up to 12,000 microplastic particles per litre of sea ice. Further, the different types of plastic showed a unique footprint in the ice allowing the researchers to trace them back to possible sources. This involves the massive garbage patch in the Pacific Ocean, while in turn, the high percentage of paint and nylon particles pointed to the intensified shipping and fishing activities in some parts of the Arctic Ocean. The new study has just been released in the journal Nature Communications. "During our work, we realised that more than half of the microplastic particles trapped in the ice were less than a twentieth of a millimetre wide, which means they could easily be ingested by arctic microorganisms like ciliates, but also by copepods," says AWI biologist and first author Dr Ilka Peeken. The observation is a very troubling one because, as she explains, "No one can say for certain how harmful these tiny plastic particles are for marine life, or ultimately also for human beings." The AWI researcher team had gathered the ice samples in the course of three expeditions to the Arctic Ocean on board the research icebreaker Polarstern in the spring of 2014 and summer of 2015. They hail from five regions along the Transpolar Drift and the Fram Strait, which transports sea ice from the Central Arctic to the North Atlantic. Infrared spectrometer reveals heavy contamination with microparticles The term microplastic refers to plastic particles, fibres, pellets and other fragments with a length, width or diameter ranging from only a few micrometres thousandths of a millimetre to under five millimetres. A considerable amount of microplastic is released directly into the ocean by the gradual deterioration of larger pieces of plastic. But microplastic can also be created on land - e.g. by laundering synthetic textiles or abrasion of car tyres, which initially floats through the air as dust, and is then blown to the ocean by the wind, or finds its way there through sewer networks. In order to determine the exact amount and distribution of microplastic in the sea ice, the AWI researchers were the first to analyse the ice cores layer by layer using a Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer (FTIR), a device that bombards microparticles with infrared light and uses a special mathematical method to analyse the radiation they reflect back. Depending on their makeup, the particles absorb and reflect different wavelengths, allowing every substance to be identified by its optic fingerprint. "Using this approach, we also discovered plastic particles that were only 11 micrometres across. That's roughly one-sixth the diameter of a human hair, and also explains why we found concentrations of over 12,000 particles per litre of sea ice - which is two to three time higher than what we'd found in past measurements," says Gunnar Gerdts, in whose laboratory the measurements were carried out. Surprisingly, the researchers found that 67 percent of the particles detected in the ice belonged to the smallest-scale category "50 micrometres and smaller". Ice drift and the chemical fingerprint offer clues to pollutants' regions of origin The particle density and composition varied significantly from sample to sample. At the same time, the researchers determined that the plastic particles were not uniformly distributed throughout the ice core. "We traced back the journey of the ice floes we sampled and can now safely say that both the region in which the sea ice is initially formed and the water masses in which the floes drift through the Arctic while growing, have an enormous influence on the composition and layering of the encased plastic particles," reveals Ilka Peeken. The team of researchers also learned eg that ice floes, which are driven in the pacific water masses of the Canadian Basin, contain particularly high concentrations of polyethylene particles. Polyethylene is above all used in packaging material. As the experts write in their study, "Accordingly, we assume that these fragments represent remains of the so-called Great Pacific Garbage Patch and are pushed along the Bering Strait and into the Arctic Ocean by the Pacific inflow." In contrast, the scientists predominantly found paint particles from ship's paint and nylon waste from fishing nets in ice from the shallow marginal seas of Siberia. "These findings suggest that both the expanding shipping and fishing activities in the Arctic are leaving their mark. The high microplastic concentrations in the sea ice can thus not only be attributed to sources outside the Arctic Ocean. Instead, they also point to local pollution in the Arctic," says Ilka Peeken. The researchers found a total of 17 different types of plastic in the sea ice, including packaging materials like polyethylene and polypropylene, but also paints, nylon, polyester, and cellulose acetate, the latter is primarily used in the manufacture of cigarette filters. Taken together, these six materials accounted for roughly half of all the microplastic particles detected. According to Ilka Peeken, "The sea ice binds all this plastic litter for two to a maximum of eleven years the time it takes for ice floes from the marginal seas of Siberia or the North American Arctic to reach the Fram Strait, where they melt." But conversely, this also means that sea ice transports large quantities of microplastic to the waters off the northeast coast of Greenland. The researchers can't yet say whether the released plastic particles subsequently remain in the Arctic or are transported farther south; in fact, it seems likely that the plastic litter begins sinking into deeper waters relatively quickly. "Free-floating microplastic particles are often colonised by bacteria and algae, which makes them heavier and heavier. Sometimes they clump together with algae, which makes them drift down to the seafloor much faster," explains AWI biologist and co-author Dr Melanie Bergmann. The observations made by researchers at the AWI's deep-sea network HAUSGARTEN in the Fram Strait lend additional weight to this thesis. As Melanie Bergmann relates, "We recently recorded microplastic concentrations of up to 6500 plastic particles per kilogram of seafloor; those are extremely high values." Desperate PNB turns to detectives to trace fraudsters and their assets Fraud-hit Punjab National Bank (PNB) is now looking to private detectives to help trace the ever-shifting loan defaulters and their assets, as it desperately tries to recover the Rs13,000 crore loan fraud committed by fraudsters Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksy. State-run Punjab National Bank, which in February reported the Rs13,000-crore loan default by jewellers Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksy, the biggest fraud in Indian banking history, has now sought the help of detective agencies in locating the two, their close relative, business associates as also the properties they or their relatives or friends hold in `benami. The policy aims to significantly supplement efforts of the field officials in recovering banks dues in NPA (non-performing asset) accounts by utilising services of the detective agencies, the bank said in an advertisement posted on its website. Among other, the detectives will have to: Locate the borrower(s)/co-borrower(s)/guarantor(s)/mortgagor(s), (in/outside India), including their legal heirs who are either untraceable or not available at the addresses given in banks records; Ascertain latest information about their present address(es)/occupation(s), business(es), income streams, details of their all assets, whether charged or uncharged, their location(whether in India or abroad), value and ownership, etc; Give details of bank accounts maintained by the defaulting borrower(s)/guarantor(s), including their legal heirs; and Gather any other information which the bank cannot access by utilising normal channels like CIBIL/internet/local enquiries and which may be considered necessary by the bank for recovery of the banks dues. The detection should ideally have to be completed ideally within 60 days of receiving details from the bank. PNB, Indias second-largest state-run lender, unearthed the Rs13,000-crore (nearly $2 billion) loan fraud at one of its branches in Mumbai. The fraud was committed by jewellers Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi in collusion with a few bank employees by diverting large amounts of money over a period of seven years. The duo fled the country before the whole operation came to light. PNBs NPA problems, however, do not end with Modi and Choksi as they are only part of a bigger problem. As of December 2017, PNBs gross NPAs stood at around Rs57,519 crore (or 12.11 per cent of its total advances0. This is expected to increase significantly in the January-March quarter, and the bank is likely to report losses. These agents will be paid anywhere between Rs2,500 and Rs1,50,000, under various categories, depending on the information gathered. In case of failure to complete the assignment, they will be paid only between Rs3,000 and Rs7,000. PNB, however, has warned the agencies against using any intimidating tactics. The supreme court has cautioned the banks against use of coercive methods for recovery of loans and in other similar cases, the advertisement said. Besides PNB, several other lenders are also reported to be resorting to such measures. As of December 2017, the industrys stressed assets stood at nearly 12 per cent of loans. Russia looks to sign S-400 deal with India amidst US embargo Russia expects to push through a deal for the sale of S-400 surface-to-air missiles to India amidst a stand-off with the United States and its allies, the Interfax news agency quoted Russian officials as saying on Wednesday. The agency, citing Russias Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation, said a deal for the sale of the highly-effective S-400 missile air defence systems to India is likely to be signed this year. All the technical aspects of the contract had been agreed upon and the price just needed to be decided, the Russian state agency was quoted as saying. I think that in the current year we will sign the corresponding contract document, Interfax quoted Dmitry Shugaev, the head of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation, as saying. India, meanwhile, is reported to have sought US exemptions to the Russia deal with its traditional partner. This is because Indias planned defence procurement from Russia could potentially come under US sanctions under the newly enacted Countering Americas Adversaries through Sanctions Act (CAATSA). The Act, if implemented in full, could adversely affect Indias defence purchases from Russia and jeopardise Indias growing defence and security relations with the United States. CAATSA, which was passed overwhelmingly by the US Congress and signed reluctantly by President Donald Trump on 2 August 2017, proposes sanctions on Russian interests such as its oil and gas industry, defence and security sector, and financial institutions, in the backdrop of its military intervention in Ukraine and its alleged meddling in the 2016 US Presidential elections. The aim is to counter the aggression by Iran, Russia and North Korea through punitive measures. The Act empowers the US President to impose sanctions on persons engaged in a significant transaction with Russian defence and intelligence sectors. The sanctions, among others, authorises the President to suspend export licences related to munitions, dual-use and nuclear related items, besides the ban on American investment in equity/debt of the sanctioned person. Some other sanctions, which are of not much relevance to India, include restriction on US Export Import Bank assistance; prohibition on loans from international financial institutions; exclusion from participation in US government procurement; and visa restrictions on corporate officers of the sanctioned entities. As part of Section 231 of the Act, the US state department has notified 39 Russian entities that include almost all major Russian companies/entities such as Rosoboronexport, Almaz-Antey, Sukhoi Aviation, Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG, and United Shipbuilding Corporation which are active in manufacturing defence items and/or their exports. For imposing sanctions on third countries dealing with Russia, the US administration may consider the significance of the transaction to US national security and foreign policy interests, the nature and magnitude of the transactions and the relation and significance of the transaction to the defence or intelligence sector of the Russian government. Dr Kafeel Ahmad Khan granted bail The Allahabad high court on Wednesday granted bail to Dr Kafeel Ahmad Khan, a paediatrician arrested last September in connection with the death of several children in Baba Raghav Das Medical College, Gorakhpur, due to alleged interruption in oxygen supply. Dr Khan and some other hospital staff were charged with negligence and imprisoned after the state administration ordered an inquiry into the tragedy. Ironiclly, it was Dr Khn who worked ceaselessly to procure cylinders from suppliers at his own expense to save the children, as the hospital had run out of stock, allegedly due to non-payments. Dr Khan, the head of the encephalitis ward and an assistant professor at the paediatrics department, has since been removed from the post of nodal officer at the National Health Mission in the wake of the deaths. A total of 63 children had died at the Baba Raghav Das Medical College due to disruption in oxygen supply. Over 30 children, including new-borns, had died at the BRD Medical College on 10 and 11 August in the height of the tragedy last year. Dr Khan, however, said he and the others imprisoned in connection with the tragedy were being made scapegoats for administrative failure of higher officials. Justice Yashwant Varma granted bail after hearing counsels representing Dr Khan and the state government in the case. The court, while granting bail, however, warned the applicant against attempting to tamper with the records / documents related to the case or trying to threaten or influence any witnesses of the case. Earlier, Dr Kafeel Khan was brought to Gorakhpur district hospital for medical checkup under strict security on 19 April, after his wife alleged that her jailed husband was being denied medical care. The district hospital's cardiologist Dr K K Shahi had tested his blood pressure, carried out other tests and advised him to undergo complete lipid profile test to ascertain risks of heart ailments. After the tests, the police tried to take him away without any media interaction but on the way from cardiology department to the police vehicle, he told reporters present there that he was being framed. "It is complete administrative failure and I have been framed. When the budget was not released from higher level, where from the payment could have been made (for oxygen cylinders)?" he asked. Dr Khan, who was arrested on 2 September near Kalesar in Sahjanwa on his way to Gorakhpur, has been in jail for more than seven months. The lower court had rejected his bail application earlier after which he approached the high court on 16 February 2018. After hearing Dr Khans bail application, the court had asked the state government to file its counter affidavit in the case. Meanwhile, the Gorakhpur police had also dropped charges of corruption and private practice against Dr Khan. Other than Dr Khan, eight others were named in the FIR. All the nine accused, including the oxygen supplier have been in jail since their arrest. India's ranking dips in global index on media freedom Reporters Without Borders, an NGO that defends freedom of the press, has been critical of the Narendra Modi government in its report, RSF Index 2018: Hatred of Journalism threatens democracies. Any investigative reporting that annoys the ruling party or any criticism of Hindutva, an ideology that blends Hindu nationalism with an almost fascistic rhetoric, elicits a torrent of online insults and calls for the death of the reporter or writer responsible, most of it coming from the prime ministers troll army, alleged the NGO. The focus of the RSF Index was on the worsening regional indicators across the globe including the US and Europe. Its in Europe, the region where press freedom is the safest, that the regional indicator has worsened most this year, said the report. In North America, Donald Trumps USA slipped two places while Justin Trudeaus Canada rose four and entered the top 20 at 18th place, a level where the situation is classified as fairly good, said the report. On Asia, the report pointed out that the Chinese model of state-controlled news and information is being copied in other Asian countries, especially Vietnam and Cambodia. North Asias democracies are struggling to establish themselves as alternative models. And violence against journalists is increasingly worrying in Afghanistan, India, Pakistan and the Philippines, added the report. Hate speech is also an issue in India, which fell another two places to 138th rank. Ever since Narendra Modi became prime minister in 2014, Hindu fundamentalists have been referring to journalists in extremely violent terms, it said. This unbridled verbal violence served to support a leader who asserts himself as a strongman, a leader whose authority does not tolerate being undermined by reporters or editorialists. As elsewhere in the world in 2017, this verbal violence has tragically led to physical violence, pointed out the report. Newspaper editor Gauri Lankesh was gunned down outside her home in September after being the target of hate speech and death threats for criticising Hindu supremacy, the caste system and discrimination against women, it added. The physical violence against journalists is largely responsible for Indias low ranking. At least three journalists were murdered in connection with their work and more were killed in circumstances that were unclear, as is often the case in rural areas, where reporters are poorly paid. The situation in the Kashmir Valley, a news black hole, contributed to the poor ranking of a country whose long tradition of vibrant media could nonetheless enable it to rise again in the Index, said the report. Why have all Western-owned digital firms failed in China? Government censorship and cultural differences are not the only reasons for digital organisations such as Amazon, Google and Uber failing in China A new study from Cass Business School examines the failures of Western Internet Firms (WIFs) in China and why this phenomenon is singularly prevalent in this region. "Government censorship and control, plus cultural differences between China and the West are often cited as the main reasons for such failures," said Professor Feng Li, the study's author. "But similar conditions existed in other countries such as Indonesia, Thailand and Saudi Arabia, that did not prevent western internet firms such as Google from dominating 90 per cent of the search market in these regions." What is a western internet firm? By definition western internet firms (WIFs), also known as digital firms, are organisations that from inception focus on digital services enabled by the Internet and related technologies including mobile. These firms were born digital, particularly the so-called dot.com and e-commerce firms, such as search engines, online content providers and retail platforms. Typical examples include Google, eBay and Amazon. It does not include traditional IT firms, such as Microsoft, Intel or IBM, which rely on sales of hardware and software as their main sources of revenue. Why digital firms fail in China The reasons for these systematic failures are complex, and existing international business theory could not fully explain why the perceived competitive advantages for western multinational firms failed to translate into sustainable operational success for WIFs in China. In answer to this, Professor Li took a different approach by using phenomenon-based research looking at a broad spectrum of participants such as senior executives from WIFs and their Chinese competitors, and a large number of business, political, and professional groups with a deep knowledge of China. 1. Perceptions of aggressive competition Most WIFs entered China to dominate the Chinese market. However, competition is relative. What is considered aggressive by western standards is often seen as mild in China. Due to the sheer number of internet firms and the huge size of the Chinese market, competition is often extremely fierce, and to survive, all Chinese Internet Firms (CIFs) have to compete with a far greater pool of local competitors than any WIFs have ever encountered. Professor Li said, "This is known as the 'huge crowd strategy', which gives CIFs an implicit advantage. If western internet behemoths such as Amazon and Google succeeded in the US by beating hundreds of competitors, then Alibaba and Baidu would have to beat tens of thousands of competitors in China to get where they are." 2. Failure to follow cultural strategies CIFs have, explicitly and implicitly, drawn inspirations from ancient Chinese military strategies and tactics to change the nature of competition. Such strategies, taken from texts like the The Art of War to The Thirty Six Stratagem', are deeply ingrained in Chinese history and culture and widely used in everyday language, which enables more effective strategy making and communication by CIFs. 3. Beaten by more determined competitors All WIFs acquired, or made attempts to acquire the market leaders in China. However, in subsequent competitions, CIFs simply showed stronger determination to survive at any costs. "In the case of Uber, it was not simply a matter of what Uber did wrong, but what Didi Chuxing did better," said Professor Li. When Uber entered China, Didi already had a head start. Despite the perceived competitive advantages for Uber, Didi was simply more determined, with more cash reserves than Uber for a prolonged price war. In many ways, the competition between them was reminiscent of the reckless land grabbing during the early dot.com era, but the difference is that both firms have the resources and long term visions to capture market shares first before making profits. In the end, Uber blinked first and lost. 4. New digital rules: differences between internet and traditional businesses Some fundamental differences between internet and traditional businesses contributed to the failure of WIFs in China, and this factor was only identified by the outside view. Internet services usually have a much shorter life cycle compared with traditional industries; and WIFs only have two - three years rather than decades to fine-tune their business models and educate customers. This limited the build-up of any sustainable advantages by WIFs and gives Chinese internet firms a much better chance to compete with them than in traditional industries. "Car engines are far more difficult to imitate than search engines," commented Professor Li. Unlike aerospace or pharmaceuticals, most internet firms do not rely on cutting edge technologies so the entry barriers are relatively low. Ancillary assets and tacit knowledge embedded in production processes and supply chains in traditional industries also serve as major entry barriers. As a result, WIFs have fewer competitive advantages and face far more competitors than western firms from other sectors. 5. Failing to be embedded in China All the WIFs studied showed a lack of deep understanding of the Chinese market. They found it difficult to compete with Chinese entrepreneurs in serving the local market. This is not only reflected in understanding users and customers, but also internally within the firms. Senior expatriates sent from the western head office often lacked cultural sensitivity, thus damaging relations without realising it. 6. Innovating by experimenting Unlike WIFs which have established procedures for developing and implementing innovations, Chinese Internet Firms (CIFs) are often more result-oriented and more prepared to innovate by experimenting. Li added, "If a new idea works, then scale it up rapidly; if not, move onto other ideas". Chinese consumers are generally more tolerant of such product development processes than in the West, which enable CIFs to test and refine many new ideas very quickly at low cost, with significant cumulative effects. Success in the future? WIFs have underperformed compared to their Chinese competitors in nearly every aspect in China, but their disadvantages are not insurmountable. To succeed in China, WIFs need to bring genuine technological and other advantages in order to overcome, or compensate for, their disadvantages. Professor Li concluded, "As CIFs grow bigger and more confident, they are actively pursuing new opportunities in other markets from India, South East Asia, Africa to the USA and Europe so the clashes between digital firms in each market are likely to escalate both in China and internationally." Why have all western internet firms (WIFS) failed in china? A phenomenon-based research and has been published in the Academy of Management Discoveries. Drinking baking soda could be an inexpensive, safe way to combat autoimmune disease A daily dose of baking soda may help reduce the destructive inflammation of autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, scientists say. They have some of the first evidence of how the cheap, over-the-counter antacid can encourage our spleen to promote instead an anti-inflammatory environment that could be therapeutic in the face of inflammatory disease, Medical College of Georgia scientists report in the Journal of Immunology. They have shown that when rats or healthy people drink a solution of baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate, it becomes a trigger for the stomach to make more acid to digest the next meal and for little-studied mesothelial cells sitting on the spleen to tell the fist-sized organ that there's no need to mount a protective immune response. "It's most likely a hamburger not a bacterial infection," is basically the message, says Dr. Paul O'Connor, renal physiologist in the MCG Department of Physiology at Augusta University and the study's corresponding author. Mesothelial cells line body cavities, like the one that contains our digestive tract, and they also cover the exterior of our organs to quite literally keep them from rubbing together. About a decade ago, it was found that these cells also provide another level of protection. They have little fingers, called microvilli, that sense the environment, and warn the organs they cover that there is an invader and an immune response is needed. Drinking baking soda, the MCG scientists think, tells the spleen, which is part of the immune system, acts like a big blood filter and is where some white blood cells, like macrophages, are stored - to go easy on the immune response. "Certainly drinking bicarbonate affects the spleen and we think it's through the mesothelial cells," O'Connor says. The conversation, which occurs with the help of the chemical messenger acetylcholine, appears to promote a landscape that shifts against inflammation, they report. In the spleen, as well as the blood and kidneys, they found after drinking water with baking soda for two weeks, the population of immune cells called macrophages, shifted from primarily those that promote inflammation, called M1, to those that reduce it, called M2. Macrophages, perhaps best known for their ability to consume garbage in the body like debris from injured or dead cells, are early arrivers to a call for an immune response. In the case of the lab animals, the problems were hypertension and chronic kidney disease, problems which got O'Connor's lab thinking about baking soda. One of the many functions of the kidneys is balancing important compounds like acid, potassium and sodium. With kidney disease, there is impaired kidney function and one of the resulting problems can be that the blood becomes too acidic, O'Connor says. Significant consequences can include increased risk of cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis. "It sets the whole system up to fail basically," O'Connor says. Clinical trials have shown that a daily dose of baking soda can not only reduce acidity but actually slow progression of the kidney disease, and it's now a therapy offered to patients. "We started thinking, how does baking soda slow progression of kidney disease?" O'Connor says. That's when the anti-inflammatory impact began to unfold as they saw reduced numbers of M1s and increased M2s in their kidney disease model after consuming the common compound. When they looked at a rat model without actual kidney damage, they saw the same response. So the basic scientists worked with the investigators at MCG's Georgia Prevention Institute to bring in healthy medical students who drank baking soda in a bottle of water and also had a similar response. "The shift from inflammatory to an anti-inflammatory profile is happening everywhere," O'Connor says. "We saw it in the kidneys, we saw it in the spleen, now we see it in the peripheral blood." The shifting landscape, he says, is likely due to increased conversion of some of the proinflammatory cells to anti-inflammatory ones coupled with actual production of more anti-inflammatory macrophages. The scientists also saw a shift in other immune cell types, like more regulatory T cells, which generally drive down the immune response and help keep the immune system from attacking our own tissues. That anti-inflammatory shift was sustained for at least four hours in humans and three days in rats. The shift ties back to the mesothelial cells and their conversations with our spleen with the help of acetylcholine. Part of the new information about mesothelial cells is that they are neuron-like, but not neurons O'Connor is quick to clarify. "We think the cholinergic (acetylcholine) signals that we know mediate this anti-inflammatory response aren't coming directly from the vagal nerve innervating the spleen, but from the mesothelial cells that form these connections to the spleen," O'Connor says. In fact, when they cut the vagal nerve, a big cranial nerve that starts in the brain and reaches into the heart, lungs and gut to help control things like a constant heart rate and food digestion, it did not impact the mesothelial cells' neuron-like behaviour. The affect, it appears, was more local because just touching the spleen did have an effect. When they removed or even just moved the spleen, it broke the fragile mesothelial connections and the anti-inflammatory response was lost, O'Connor says. In fact, when they only slightly moved the spleen as might occur in surgery, the previously smooth covering of mesothelial cells became lumpier and changed colors. "We think this helps explain the cholinergic (acetylcholine) anti-inflammatory response that people have been studying for a long time," O'Connor says. Studies are currently underway at other institutions that, much like vagal nerve stimulation for seizures, electrically stimulate the vagal nerve to tamp down the immune response in people with rheumatoid arthritis. While there is no known direct connection between the vagal nerve and the spleen and O'Connor and his team looked again for one the treatment also attenuates inflammation and disease severity in rheumatoid arthritis, researchers at the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research reported in 2016 in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. O'Connor hopes drinking baking soda can one day produce similar results for people with autoimmune disease. "You are not really turning anything off or on, you are just pushing it toward one side by giving an anti-inflammatory stimulus," he says, in this case, away from harmful inflammation. "It's potentially a really safe way to treat inflammatory disease." The spleen also got bigger with consuming baking soda, the scientists think because of the anti-inflammatory stimulus it produces. Infection also can increase spleen size and physicians often palpate the spleen when concerned about a big infection. Other cells besides neurons are known to use the chemical communicator acetylcholine. Baking soda also interact with acidic ingredients like buttermilk and cocoa in cakes and other baked goods to help the batter expand and, along with heat from the oven, to rise. It can also help raise the pH in pools, is found in antacids and can help clean your teeth and tub. Supporters of diesel technology can celebrate good news after a tough few years. Bosch, a key supplier to the automotive industry, claims to have made a breakthrough in diesel emissions technology that could extend the fuels life in Europe and beyond. Vehicles fitted with turbo diesel engines modified by Bosch feature revised air and fuel management systems including new turbochargers designed to produce hotter exhaust gases than existing models. By keeping exhaust temperatures above 200 degrees even in slow-moving urban traffic Bosch says it can keep nitrogen oxides to about one tenth of strict new limits that come into effect n 2020. Bosch chief executive Volkmar Denner says theres a future for diesel. Today, we want to put a stop, once and for all, to the debate about the demise of diesel technology, he says. We firmly believe that the diesel engine will continue to play an important role in the options for future mobility. Until electromobility breaks through to the mass market, we will still need these highly efficient combustion engines. Denner claims the updated technology does not cost significantly more than parts fitted to cars today. Bosch is currently under investigation by German authorities examining whether it supplied components used by car companies to flout emissions requirements. Diesel technology has been under a clout since the Volkswagen Group admitted to programming cars to pass strict laboratory tests before emitting harmful real-world pollution in 2015. Sales of diesel models have declined in Europe, the US and Australia. At home, diesels share of new vehicle sales to private passenger car customers has more than halved to 2.2 per cent since 2012, while diesel SUV sales to private buyers have declined by almost 10 per cent to around one in four new SUVs. European cities such Rome, Paris and Stuttgart are moving to ban the fuel from urban environments. Ford will pay $10 million in fines and review warranty claims surrounding flawed transmissions following Federal Court action by the ACCC. The consumer body says thousands of Ford Focus, Fiesta and EcoSport models fitted with PowerShift dual-clutch automatic transmissions exhibited excessive clutch shudder, noisiness from the transmission, delayed acceleration and shuddering and jerking when accelerating. Graeme Whickman, Ford Australia president and chief executive, apologised for the way his brand handled customer complaints between May 2015 and February 2016. We were overwhelmed with the volume of complaints and, while it was not intended, over a ten-month period our processes were inadequate and information provided was either inaccurate or incomplete, he said. We let our customers down and for that we are sorry. Ford has slashed its North American passenger car range, leaving only the Mustang and an upcoming Focus spinoff in showrooms full of SUVs and utes. The blue oval currently sells six passenger cars in North America - the Fiesta, Focus, Fusion, C-Max, Mustang and Taurus. However, over the next few years they will move to just two, the Mustang and a high-riding Focus Active model set to arrive in 2019. This shift is due to declining sales of passenger cars, along with the rising popularity of SUVs and trucks such as the Explorer and F-150. Ford is also considering new white space vehicles combining the best traits of cars and SUVs - more space, a higher ride height and improved off-road capability. The news comes as Ford released its earnings for the first quarter of 2018, with revenue and net income up by 7 per cent and 9 per cent respectively. Fords North American decision is similar to that of Ford Australia, which announced this month that regular versions of the seventh-generation Fiesta currently on sale on Europe will not be available locally due to poor sales figures in a shrinking market segment only the high-performance Fiesta ST will be offered. Sales of city cars such as the Fiesta, Volkswagen Polo and Toyota Yaris have dropped significantly in the last five years, from more than 135,000 vehicles across the class in 2012 to less than 80,000 in 2017. Fords US changes will not have an immediate effect in Australia, as the current Mondeo and full Focus line-up will remain on sale locally. 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. Sinn Fein Louth TD, Gerry Adams, is calling for a review of facilities at all Garda stations to ensure that victims of domestic violence are interviewed in therapeutic and comfortable surroundings. The Louth TD cited the experience of the Philips family in 2015 two days before the incident in which Garda Tony Golden was murdered - Siobhan Philips seriously wounded and Crevan Mackin took his own life. Gerry Adams said: The Domestic Violence Bill is an important piece of legislation which is urgently needed. One stark statistic highlights its importance. "From 1996 over 200 women have died violently as a consequence of domestic violence. Countless thousands more women and children have been the victim of physical and mental abuse. "Among these victims is Siobhan Phillips, a young woman who was shot and grievously wounded in October 2015 in the same incident which saw Garda Tony Golden murdered and Crevan Mackin take his own life. "Siobhan was the victim of sustained domestic violence. Two days before she and Garda Golden were shot she went with her family to Dundalk Garda station, she had been the victim of two days of a sustained assault by Crevan Mackin. "She had been beaten and slashed and was in a distressed physical and emotional state. "According to her familys account, and despite Siobhan and her father telling the Garda that Mackin had threatened their lives, the Officer refused to take a statement and insisted that Siobhan go to Omeath the next day and speak to Garda Golden. "The family was also deeply upset because their conversation, which was of a very intimate and personal nature, had to take place in the very small public hallway of the Dundalk station in front of other members of the public. "I made numerous representations to the Minister on this and to the last Minister and was advised last December that the policy of An Garda Siochana on Domestic Abuse Intervention had been revised. "Minister Flanagan wrote to me to say that An Garda Siochana had established Divisional Protective Services Units in three Garda Divisions, including Louth. "When I subsequently raised this issue with the senior Garda in Dundalk they acknowledged that the station was still inadequate for dealing with this kind of situation. "They told me that they had applied for funding to correct this so that Garda could meet victims in a proper, fitting and more therapeutic environment." The Louth-based TD continued: "The funding was refused they said. I have no doubt about the sincerity of the Minister in respect of this Bill bit a genuine commitment to the victims of domestic violence to report their abuse and to seek help it must also ensure that not only is this Bill passed but has the financial supports needed to ensure that it can be implemented effectively. "I would appeal to the Minister to order a review of the existing facilities in Garda stations for the victims of domestic violence to tell their story." Mr Adams concluded by commending all the charities who work to provide a "safe space for victims of domestic violence". He said: "Finally, I want to commend Safe Ireland, Womens Aid and all of those statutory and voluntary activists who work to provide a safe place and a space for victims of domestic violence and who campaign every day in support of victims of domestic violence. I also want to acknowledge the bravery and strength of those victims who speak out against their abusers. Are you setting up a new business or are you an existing business thats considering expansion or undertaking a particular project? If so, youll need to ensure the business is adequately funded from the outset. There are various methods of financing available to businesses with one such option being that of business support grants. Business support grants are generally provided by Government agencies and tend to cover only a certain portion of a business costs. Before you submit a grant proposal, you should have a clear vision of your business goals and objectives. To achieve this you should write a business plan. Your business plan should provide details as to why the grant body should support your business over another. The granting body should feel confident in you and in the thoroughness with which you have considered future scenarios. Grant Proposal Form Anyone that you go to seeking assistance will want to see how well thought out your business idea is. Like a business plan, the grant proposal form will ask you to describe and justify your business in depth. Of course, getting funding isnt simple and many businesses find themselves getting rejected for far more grant proposals than they have been approved for. Dont forget that the State has to make sure any money it gives isnt being wasted on new businesses, no matter how good the idea is. Post-grant paperwork If your application is successful dont think that the hard part is out of the way. There will still be more paperwork. You will need to justify why you decided to select one external supplier over another and provide evidence of a few different quotes. Businesses also need to keep records, submit reports and there will also be various conditions for the grant, including what you can and cant spend the money on. There are a large number of grants available in Ireland to businesses. Here we detail just a few, but you can find out more about all the various grants available at localenterprise.ie Local Enterprise Office For start-up businesses your first port of call should be your Local Enterprise Office (LEO). They offer various grants and other supports that can help you get your business idea off the ground. LEOs provide a range of financial supports designed to assist with the establishment and growth of enterprises employing up to ten people. High Potential Start-Up (HPSU) Feasibility Study Grant Enterprise Irelands HPSU Feasibility Grant assists new start-up companies or individual entrepreneurs to investigate the viability of a new export orientated business. This involves carrying out market research, technical research and prototyping. The maximum level of grant funding currently available is 15,000. Competitive Start Fund Enterprise Ireland also has a Competitive Start Fund for start-up businesses with the potential to develop an innovative product or service for sale on international markets and the potential to create 10 jobs and 1m in sales within three to four years of starting up. All applications to the Competitive Start Fund must be made via the Enterprise Ireland online application system during call open dates which are listed on the Enterprise Ireland website. In addition to those listed above, there are over 170 different Government supports for Irish start-ups and small businesses. These supports differ greatly depending on your type of business. Dundalk Credit Union and Drogheda Credit Union have joined forces with a group of Credit Unions across Louth, Meath and North Dublin to fund the sponsorship of the Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann 2018. Both Dundalk and Drogheda Credit Unions celebrate their 50th anniversaries this year and have been strong supporters of Fleadh Drogheda from the outset, forming a collaborative group of Credit Unions that also includes Ardee Credit Union, Duleek Credit Union, Dunleer Credit Union and Progressive Credit Union from North Dublin to support and sponsor the biggest family festival in the country. Sponsoring the massive community event that is Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann ties in with the Credit Unions not-for-profit ethos and role at the very heart of communities all over Ireland. The Credit Union consistently aims to make our communities a better place by supporting community enhancing events and initiatives and identified Fleadh Drogheda as a unique opportunity to become part of a much wider initiative showcasing Drogheda and County Louth as a place of beauty, culture and a go to tourist destination. Billy Doyle, CEO of Dundalk Credit Union said: "Dundalk Credit Union are thrilled that The Credit Union will be the main sponsor of Fleadh Cheoil na Eireann 2018. "The Fleadh is the biggest celebration of Irish music and culture and we are very excited to support this unique and memorable community event as part of our 50th anniversary celebrations. This is the first year in its history that the Fleadh has come to Co. Louth and we have no doubt it will be a wonderful event for all ages to enjoy. Welcoming the sponsorship deal the Chief Executive of Louth County Council Joan Martin SAID: Louth County Council are very much looking forward to working with the Credit Unions as we prepare to welcome Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann to Drogheda. The Credit Union is a perfect fit as a main sponsor given its exemplary track record in supporting ordinary people, community initiatives and local organisations not just in Louth but across the country. This is the first time in many years that the Fleadh will be held on the east coast of Ireland and the local economy is set to benefit to the tune of 40million. 400,000 visitors are expected to attend the week-long festival in August, with 30% of people expected to travel from overseas to enjoy the festivities on offer. Todays sponsorship announcement comes ahead of next weeks official launch of Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann, when a full program of events will be announced. 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. Facebook on Sunday confirmed that its Messenger and Lite apps for Android smartphones routinely collect call and text histories. The call and text history logging are opt-in features for people using Messenger or Facebook Lite on Android devices, the company said in a post. The feature is designed to help users stay connected, and it improves the Facebook experience, according to the company. The Messenger feature can be turned off at any time through the app's settings. In Facebook Lite, the feature can be deactivated by turning off the Continuous Contacts Upload setting. When those adjustments are made to the programs, all previously shared call and text history is deleted, Facebook said. The feature does not collect the content of calls or text messages, Facebook addes, assuring users that their information is stored securely and that it is not sold to third parties. Surprised Users While the collecting of call and text information has been going on for years -- it was introduced into Messenger in 2015 -- discovery of the feature surprised some users and raised many hackles. Downloaded my facebook data as a ZIP file Somehow it has my entire call history with my partner's mum pic.twitter.com/CIRUguf4vD Dylan McKay (@dylanmckaynz) March 21, 2018 A Twitter user with the handle "Learn Somali" noticed tracking only in connection with a visit to Somalia. Thanks for sharing the info, I have looked at mine, and my calls/messages were "tracked" only when I visited Somalia for a month, it started and ended that specific period. Did you travel to a place were FB knows no one will catch them snooping. :). Shocking is the new Normal. Learn Somali (@learnsomali_com) March 25, 2018 McKay responded that he'd never left New Zealand. Facebook recorded all of her phone's contacts, calls and texts from 2015 to 2016, tweeted Natalie Schluter, an associate professor at the University of Copenhagen. I downloaded my data and FB has a record of ALL contacts/calls/texts ON ANY MEDIUM from my phone 2015-2016. NB. I've never imported any contacts to FB. No FB app on my phone. I do have Messenger (but the upload contacts option is and always has been DESELECTED). https://t.co/hUKDG7pr7F Natalie Schluter (@natschluter) March 25, 2018 Author Emma Kennedy also was surprised by what she found when she downloaded the trove of data Facebook had on her. I've just looked at the data files I requested from Facebook and they had every single phone number in my contacts. They had every single social event I went to, a list of all my friends (and their birthdays) and a list of every text I've sent. Emma Kennedy (@EmmaKennedy) March 25, 2018 Opaque Transparency While it appears that Facebook believes it has been up front with what its Messenger and Lite apps do, not everyone agrees. Facebook wasn't sufficiently transparent about what it was doing with its apps if even developers and tech-oriented users were surprised, observed Joseph W. Jerome, policy counsel for the Center for Democracy & Technology. "Part of the challenge is that well-designed transparency is really hard," he told TechNewsWorld. "As the law understands it, Facebook did get users to opt in to this feature," he said, "but 'Turn On' is bolded and the default choice for users." The "Not Now" choice for turning off the feature is grayed out, so it looks like it's not an available option. Thin Excuse "Technically, Facebook is accurate that users opted in to this, but in the age of Russian meddling and Cambridge Analytica, it's no excuse in users' minds," said Karen North, director of the digital social media program at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. "Even the opt-in excuse is a thin one, given how the opt-in was phrased," she told TechNewsWorld. "It was misleading." However, it's likely that Facebook's intentions were not sinister, North added. "They do it to curate an experience that will engage us," she said, "and to target us, sell ads and make money." Facebook offers controls for users concerned about their privacy, but using them can be an adventure. "You might as well quit your job and spend all your time trying to stay on top of the privacy changes that Mark Zuckerberg makes," quipped John Carroll, a mass communications professor at Boston University. "Facebook is notorious for turning their privacy settings into a moving target," he told TechNewsWorld. "It's a monumental task to constantly monitor your privacy settings, not only on Facebook, but all over the Web." FTC Opens Probe The phone-scraping revelations broke as full-page Facebook ads ran in several Sunday papers in the United Kingdom and United States, apologizing for having allowed Cambridge Analytica to use the personal data of some 50 million users for political purposes. "This was a breach of trust, and I'm sorry we didn't do more at the time," CEO Zuckerberg says in the ad. "We're now taking steps to ensure this doesn't happen again." Meanwhile, the Federal Trade Commission added more pressure on Monday. "The FTC takes very seriously recent press reports raising substantial concerns about the privacy practices of Facebook," said Tom Pahl, acting director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection. "Today, the FTC is confirming that it has an open non-public investigation into these practices." Facebook ran afoul of the FTC in 2011 over sharing and publicizing members' information after assuring them they could keep it private. It settled that case with the commission. "This is more evidence that the FTC should have enforced its consent orders," Marc Rotenberg, executive director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center, told TechNewsWorld. "Users can't be expected to monitor every change in a company's business practices." 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. 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! A flaw in electronic hotel door locks from Assa Abloy could allow hackers to access guest rooms and other secure locations at millions of properties around the world, F-Secure researchers have discovered. Software updates were issued to fix the flaw in the smart locks, called "the Vision by VingCard," after F-Secure notified and worked with Assa Abloy over the past year. The researchers had found a way to make a master key using information from a key card for any room -- including closets and garages, and even long-expired or discarded keys. The method would have allowed hackers to carry out an attack without being noticed. Persistence Pays Off The researchers started looking into the issue after a 2003 incident in which a colleague's laptop was stolen during a security conference. The hotel staff reportedly had not taken the reported theft seriously, saying there were no signs of forced entry or unauthorized room access. Over the years, the researchers spent thousands of hours, on and off, investigating the incident. They eventually homed in on a lock known for having strong security and high quality. "Only after we thoroughly understood how the system was designed were we able to identify seemingly innocuous shortcomings," said Timo Hirvonen, senior security consultant for F-Secure. "We creatively combined these shortcomings to come up with a method of creating master keys." No actual hotel rooms were compromised during the research, according to the firm. The vulnerability applies only to the Vision by VingCard product, Hirvonen told the E-Commerce Times, adding that F-Secure agreed with Assa Abloy to withhold the mechanism of the vulnerability. Multiple factors impact the effectiveness of electronic door locks, he pointed out, noting that encryption is used to protect the confidentiality of the data on the key card. "Encryption raises the bar to start analyzing the system," Hirvonen said. "However, encryption is not a silver bullet -- the encryption key has to be securely generated and stored." Hotel Review Marriott International confirmed that Assa Abloy notified the hotel chain about the vulnerability in a version of the company's locking system. "We are currently working with the vendor to understand the impact to our hotels," said spokesperson Hunter Hardinge. The company had been issued a software patch by Assa Abloy and was working to deploy the patch as fast as possible, she added. The hack is based on cryptographic weaknesses of older-generation door locks, said Andrew Howard, chief technology officer at Kudelski Security, based on reports he has read. The vulnerability allows the hackers tools to cycle through potential door access codes until the right one is found, he told the E-Commerce Times. This report is a reminder of the vulnerability of remote locks, particularly at a time when companies increasingly are selling smart lock devices controlled through mobile apps, said Brian Martin, vice president of vulnerability intelligence at Risk Based Security. "All of this is a serious warning that these systems need to have strenuous testing before they are pushed to market," he told the E-Commerce Times. Just last year, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman reached a settlement with Safetech Products over allegations that its Bluetooth padlocks and wireless door locks were not secure. Researchers had found that the company transmitted password information from the locks to mobile phones without the encryption necessary to hide the data from hackers. The default passwords on the locks were figured out easily using brute force attacks. In 2016, researchers at the University of Michigan, working with Microsoft, found a vulnerability in Samsung SmartThings IoT systems. It allowed them to access PINs on electronic door locks and to exploit a SmartApp in order to create a spare door key. The team notified Samsung and worked with the company to address the flaws. 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 Species Status Assessment (SSA) released by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) Tuesday revealed that there are only 44 red wolves left in North Carolina, the only place they exist in the wild, and that they could go extinct within eight years. The SSA was released along with a Five-Year Status Review, which the FWS undertakes for every species offered protections under the Endangered Species Act to determine if they should retain their endangered status. Given the population's vulnerabilities, the FWS recommended that red wolves remain listed as endangered. According to the FWS website, red wolves are one of the most endangered wolf species in the world. "Time is running out for red wolves. We need to move fast if we're going to keep them from disappearing forever," biologist and senior attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity Collette Adkins said in a press release. "For starters, we need immediate measures in place to stop people from killing them." The 2007 Five-Year Status Review found that there were 114 red wolves in the wild as of 2006. But the most recent status review said those numbers had gone down due to an increase in human-caused deaths from gunshots, car collisions, poisoning and illegal activity. The SSA further explained how human-caused mortality was interacting with the spread of coyotes in North Carolina to threaten the population. When half of a breeding pair of wolves dies or is killed, the wolf left behind has to scramble for a mate and sometimes ends up breeding with a coyote, producing offspring that are no longer counted as red wolves. While there were four times the number of red wolf litters compared to mixed litters produced from 2001 to 2013, more than half of the hybrid litters came about because a red wolf lost its mate. The SSA further pointed out that the habitat of red wolves on North Carolina's Albemarle Peninsula is at risk of shrinking from sea level rise due to climate change. In a sad twist, the status review also revealed that the red wolf's range was historically more extensive than previously thought, extending from Edwards Plateau in Texas in the west, to the southern Midwest in the north, to southern Pennsylvania and southeastern New York in the east. The historic range of the red wolf compared with its current habitat. Jose Barrios / USFWS According to the FWS website, the red wolf was first listed as endangered in 1967 and declared extinct in the wild in 1980 due to habitat loss and predator control. The FWS found a surviving population along the Gulf Coast of Texas and Louisiana in the 1970s and captured many to start a captive breeding program. Red wolves were reintroduced into the wild in North Carolina in 1986. There is debate as to whether the red wolf is actually a separate species or a hybrid, something the FWS is working to determine within the year. According to an FWS press release, there are currently more than 200 red wolves in captivity. The FWS will release new proposed rules for managing the wild population by the summer. A small group led by Republicans in Congress spearheaded a bill that passed in the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday. If the bill becomes law, it could lead to the eventual extinction of wild salmon in the Columbia and Snake riversiconic species in the Pacific Northwest that the federal government is required by law to protect. House Resolution 3144 seeks to overturn multiple federal court decisions that protect endangered salmon and steelhead. It undermines bedrock environmental laws and forbids any action that might reduce power generation at Columbia and Snake River dams without an act of Congressfrom spilling more water over dams in the spring to help endangered fish migrate, to studying the possibility of removing the four aging lower Snake River dams. Further, it mandates that salmon populations be managed based on a 2014 federal plan that was rejected in two court decisions as being illegal, for not doing enough to save the fish from extinction. "HR 3144 is a giant step backwards in our region's effort to restore salmon populations," said Todd True, an Earthjustice attorney who has been at the forefront of this issue for more than two decades. "The entire goal of the bill is to circumvent the law and the courts, because a few legislators want to put a narrow set of economic interests ahead of the broad support in our region for salmon restoration. They have inserted themselves into the process, without considering the true consequencesfor the fish, our energy future, or the Northwest economy." Rick Williams, a longtime independent conservation biologist and research associate at the College of Idaho, also described the bill as a "step backward," for forestalling any progress on a scientifically sound salmon management plan and attempting to restrict spill. "Studies are very clear that spill (up to the nitrogen gas saturation level) gets juvenile fish past hydro projects with decreased mortality and gets them to the estuary more quickly, in a timeframe that mimics their historical migration time," Williams explained. "This means higher survival rates and greater returns." "The whole bill is based on false choiceson the premise that we have to choose between dams or salmon, when there are robust, affordable energy choices and we can have both," said Liz Hamilton, executive director of the Northwest Sportfishing Industry Association. Joel Kawahara, a commercial salmon fisherman in Quilcene, Wash., is a board member of the Coastal Trollers Association and Alaska Trollers Association. "The bill's co-sponsors are pitting Northwest fishers and farmers against each other," Kawahara observed. "We're both food producers; our communities and our businesses are both important. We expect our elected officials to bring people together and work on solutionssuch as the Klamath Basin Settlement and the recently formed Columbia Basin Partnership. But instead, we get this divisive bill that locks in failure and conflict. HR 3144 will have a devastating effect on salmon and our region's salmon-fishing sector." Wednesday's vote advances the bill to the U.S. Senate. Individuals and groups will continue to oppose this legislation and will work to convince senators that it's bad public policy that should not become law. Scott Pruitt, the scandal-ridden head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), is set to appear at two congressional panels Thursday. At 10 a.m. Eastern time, Pruitt will face the House Energy and Commerce subcommittee on the Environment ( live stream here). Then at 2 p.m., he will face the House Appropriations subcommittee on the Interior (live stream here). The hearings are supposed to be about the EPA budget but Pruitt is expected to hear tough questions on a growing list of ethical allegations. Pruitt, who denies the science of climate change, has repeatedly rolled back environmental rules in favor of fossil fuels and other business interests. President Trump and other conservatives have praised the EPA chief's work. However, their support appears to be flagging as Pruitt's controversies mount, including his request for a $43,000 soundproof phone booth (which violated federal law); his $50-a-night stay at a Capitol Hill condo owned by the wife of an energy lobbyist; his questionable use of taxpayer money for first-class and charter flights, as well as a 'round-the-clock security detail; and reports that he gave large pay raises to his closest aides. According to Reuters, there are nearly a dozen pending investigations into Pruitt with the EPA inspector general, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) and the White House Office of Management and Budget, as well as the U.S. House of Representatives oversight committee. Rep. John Shimkus (R-Ill.), who chairs the Energy and Commerce subcommittee and defends Pruitt for doing a "good job" with policy, told POLITICO ahead of the hearing: "It could be pretty painful, but when you accept the position of a senior administrator in a federal agency you've got to expect [that]." Even Senator Jim Inhofe, a fellow Oklahoma Republican and former staunch ally, voiced support over the hearings. On the other side of the political aisle, 131 representatives and 39 senatorsall Democrats and one Independent signed a resolution calling for him to resign. The document represents a record number of senators to formally demand a cabinet official to step down. Rep. Diana DeGette (D-Colo.), a member of the Energy and Commerce subcommittee, told The Hill to expect "fireworks" during the hearing. Over on the House Appropriations subcommittee on Interior, ranking member Betty McCollum (D-Minn.) has publicly criticized Pruitt's spending of taxpayer funds. On Thursday, 40 national civil rights, labor, conservation and environmental organizations took out a full-page ad on the back cover of POLITICO calling for Pruitt's resignation or firing. "With each new investigation, Scott Pruitt's disregard for ethics and the rule of law is becoming increasingly egregious and unacceptable. And so is his blatant hostility to the central mission of the EPA, which is to protect public health and the environment," said Natural Resources Defense Council President Rhea Suh in a statement. "Enough is enough. It's time for him to go." Pruitt has blamed his staff on the excessive spending on travel, security and pay raises. He also claimed that his Capitol Hill condo was rented at the market rate (it's not). In his witness statement released ahead of the first hearing, the EPA boss avoided any mention of the controversies. "I will focus on key objectives to improve air quality, provide for clean and safe water, revitalize land and prevent contamination, ensure the safety of chemicals in the marketplace, assure compliance with the law, and improve efficiency and effectiveness," Pruitt will say for his opening remarks. As for how he will defend himself at Capitol Hill today, the New York Times obtained an internal EPA document indicating that Pruitt may continue to blame his staff for many of the ethical questions. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the president's press secretary, said Wednesday that the White House's review on Pruitt was "ongoing." "We're evaluating these concerns and we expect the EPA administrator to answer for them and we'll keep you posted," she said. President Trump, ultimately, will decide Pruitt's fate. Two weeks ago, Trump tweeted: "While Security spending was somewhat more than his predecessor, Scott Pruitt has received death threats because of his bold actions at EPA. Record clean Air & Water while saving USA Billions of Dollars. Rent was about market rate, travel expenses OK. Scott is doing a great job!" Manx Government working with EU to avoid tax blacklist Chief Minister Howard Quayle MHK The Chief Minister says the Manx Government is working with the European Union to ensure it remains off the tax blacklist. The Island committed to ensure those conducting business in the Isle of Man have sufficient economic substance in order to avoid being listed as a non-co-operative jurisdiction. The Government is speaking to the EU's Code of Conduct Group to determine exactly what is required to comply. Howard Quayle insists the EU can't require the Island to change its tax rate, and that any necessary legislative changes will be consulted on. The National Institute on Aging (NIA) at NIH has awarded funds, expected to total $2.5 million over three years, to the Wake Forest School of Medicine, with a subcontract to the American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR), to organize and coordinate a new NIA Research Centers Collaborative Network (RCCN). Established under a cooperative agreement with Wake Forest, the new research network will bring together scientists from six NIA center programs focused on addressing a wide range of issues affecting older adults. The RCCN will spur multidisciplinary efforts in aging research across the NIA centers through five complementary strategies: conferences, pilot programs, early career faculty education, web-based resource identification tools, and fundraising/proposal development. Stephen B. Kritchevsky, Ph.D., co-director of the Sticht Center for Healthy Aging and Alzheimer's Prevention at the Wake Forest School of Medicine and principal investigator of the Wake Forest Older Americans Independence Center (OAIC), will serve as co-principal investigator for the network with Stephanie Lederman Ed.M., AFAR's executive director. Wake Forest OAIC will be primarily responsible for the network's scientific endeavors and outreach to the aging research community, while AFAR will be primarily responsible for the administrative functioning of the network, including planning conferences and webinars and grants. "AFAR is honored to partner with the OAIC and the NIA to foster new collaborations between diverse center programs to address common problems," Lederman said. "Since its founding more than 35 years ago, AFAR has recognized that helping people live healthier and longer lives requires building bridges across disciplines." The six NIA center programs in the RCCN consist of 83 individual centers and five coordinating centers. They are: Alzheimer's Disease Core and Research Centers, focused on neuroscience, with 31 centers. The University of Washington serves as coordinating center for this program. Centers on the Demography and Economics of Aging, focused on behavioral and social research, with 11 centers. The University of Michigan serves as coordinating center for this program. Nathan Shock Centers for Excellence in the Biology of Aging, with six centers. AFAR serves as the coordinating center for this program. Older Americans Independence Centers, focused on geriatrics and gerontology, with 15 centers. Wake Forest School of Medicine serves as the coordinating center for this program. Resource Centers for Minority Aging Research, focused on behavioral and social research, with seven centers. UCLA serves as coordinating center for this program. Roybal Centers for Translational Research on Aging, focused on behavioral and social research, with 13 centers. This program has no designated coordinating center. The University of Illinois at Chicago is filling this function at present. "Each of these NIA centers brings important expertise and perspectives needed to address important problems facing an aging society," Kritchevsky said. "By creating networks across geographical and disciplinary boundaries to foster purposeful interaction across programs, the RCCN can enable scientists to realize synergies and insights to improve the health of older adults in unexpected and creative ways. While the six center programs have made significant contributions to the field of aging research over the years, the RCCN will help them broaden their scope and effectiveness. "We hope that the RCCN will serve as a catalyst for collaboration that will spark cross-disciplinary insights," said Basil Eldadah, M.D., Ph.D., chief of the Geriatrics Branch at the NIA. "As we more fully understand aging as an integrated process with physical, neurological, social, and behavioral aspects, it's more important than ever that scientists across our research centers work together to find more effective ways to help Americans live healthier as they grow older." ### Patients undergoing emergency surgery who are treated by older surgeons (aged 60 or over) have slightly lower death rates in the first few weeks after their operation than patients treated by younger surgeons (aged less than 40) within the same hospital, finds US study published by The BMJ today. There was no evidence that death rates differ between male and female surgeons. If the results are causal, the researchers say that for every 333 of these patients who undergo surgery in the US, one fewer death would occur if quality of care was the same between younger and older surgeons. Despite strong interest in improving the quality of surgical care, the relationship between surgical characteristics - especially age and sex of surgeons - and patient outcomes is not well understood. So a research team led by Yusuke Tsugawa at UCLA in California, set out to investigate whether patient mortality differs based on age and sex of surgeons. They analysed the operative mortality rate (defined as death while in hospital or within 30 days of surgery) of Medicare patients aged 65-99 years who underwent one of 20 major emergency surgical procedures at US acute care hospitals between 2011 and 2014. After adjusting for a range of patient, surgeon and hospital characteristics that could have affected the results, they compared operative mortality according to surgeon age and sex. A total of 892,187 patients were treated by 45,826 surgeons with an overall operative mortality rate of 6.4% (56,803). The researchers found that patient mortality was slightly lower for older surgeons than for younger surgeons within the same hospital (6.6% for surgeons aged less than 40, 6.5% for surgeons aged 40-49, 6.4% for surgeons aged 50-59, and 6.3% for surgeons aged 60 or over), but did not differ meaningfully between male and female surgeons. When they analysed the data by both surgeon age and sex, patient mortality declined with surgeon age for both male and female surgeons, with female surgeons in their 50s showing the lowest operative mortality across all groups. Operative mortality did not differ between male and female surgeons by patient illness severity or for individual procedures. And there was no evidence that mortality differed by surgeon age or sex for non-emergency (elective) procedures. Previously, the researchers found worse outcomes among patients treated by older hospital physicians, which they attributed to practice changes since training, and possibly poor adherence to guidelines. In contrast, these new findings suggest improved surgical skills with extra years in practice. This is an observational study, so no firm conclusions can be drawn about cause and effect, and the findings may not be generalisable to other outcomes, such as patient experience or complication rates, they explain. Nevertheless, the study was large, and was able to account for a wide range of potentially influential factors. As such, they conclude: "Our finding that younger surgeons have higher mortality suggests that more oversight and supervision early in a surgeon's career may be useful and at least warrants further investigation. Equivalent outcomes between male and female surgeons suggest that patients undergoing surgery receive high-quality care irrespective of surgeon sex." In a linked editorial, Natalie Coburn and colleagues based in Toronto say the researchers "demonstrate clear variation in patient outcomes, identifying opportunities to improve care." However, they warn that even objective measures are insufficient to address systemic bias. "We must learn to recognise and reduce the implicit biases that each of us inherently holds," they write. "Surgical care will improve faster when we embrace and foster teamwork, communication and diversity within our field." ### Boston University researchers, Thomas Kepler, professor of microbiology; Stephanie Pavlovich, an MD/PhD student; and Elke Muhlberger, director, Biomolecule Production Core, National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories (NEIDL); in collaboration with the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Viral Special Pathogens Branch, today released new research about bats' ability to harbor and transmit deadly pathogens, like Marburg virus, without getting sick themselves. Funded by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, the study examined the genome of Rousettus aegyptiacus, the Egyptian fruit bat, and found larger-than-expected families of genes related to the mammalian immune system. Specifically, researchers found large families of interferon and natural killer genes that differed dramatically from their counterparts in other mammals. The finding, published online and featured in the May 2018 print edition of Cell, may eventually lead to a deeper understanding of virus transmission, and better treatments for humans who become infected. "What we learn from bats may help us in the development of pharmacological agents," says Thomas Kepler. "And more importantly, it may help us understand zoonotic transmission--how animals host a virus without being symptomatic, and pass it to humans. Exactly what is going on in that transmission? What does an animal gain by hosting a virus for a very long time, for coevolving with the virus, so that when it's transferred, it's highly virulent in the spillover host?" Bats are now known to carry several deadly pathogens, including Marburg and a SARS-like coronavirus, and transmit disease via bite or exposure to saliva, feces, or urine. Jonathan Towner, a scientist with the CDC's Viral Special Pathogens Branch, decided to investigate a colony of Egyptian fruit bats implicated in a Marburg fatality in Uganda. Towner traveled to Uganda, captured uninfected bats and brought them back to the CDC. There, scientists extracted DNA from a single bat, and sent it to colleagues at USAMRIID for initial sequencing. The USAMRIID scientists sent their data to Stephanie Pavlovich, student in Thomas Kepler's lab at Boston University. It took two years for Pavlovich, working with her colleague Sean Lovett at USAMRIID, to assemble the genome. Then they compared their Egyptian fruit bat genome to the genomes of other mammals, including a handful of other bats, humans, and guinea pigs. They looked broadly at first, and then focused specifically on areas known to be associated with the mammalian immune system. "We were looking for gene families that had grown either much larger or much smaller than was expected, given the evolutionary history of this bat," says Pavlovich, who is lead author on the Cell paper. They also looked for genes with evidence of "positive selection," the evolutionary process that propels new, useful genetic variants throughout a population. "That allowed us to find a number of genes that were evolving at a faster rate in this bat, and then also a number of gene families that were much larger than we expected." The two gene families near the top of the "larger than expected" list were type 1 interferon genes, which are often called "the first line of defense" against viruses and have been implicated in the disease course of filoviruses like Marburg and Ebola, and natural killer--or "NK"--cell receptors. Natural killer cells are a critical part of the human immune system, able to quickly recognize and respond to virus-infected cells. Finding them in the Egyptian fruit bat was a surprise, says Pavlovich. "Folks had previously looked at a number of bat genomes and not been able to find any traditional NK cell receptors," she says. "And so, when we saw these genes, it turns out that actually, yes, bats do have NK cell receptors, and it's a specific unusual group." This prompted Pavlovich to take a second look at previously sequenced bat genomes, and, using different tools, she was able to find natural killer cell receptors there, too. Kepler notes that these initial results point to the possibility of what he calls "soft protection" from the bat immune system. "Activation and inhibition are much more intermingled in the bat than they are in most other organisms," he says, regarding the NK cell receptors. "The bat may be assuaging the virus for a short period of time, trying to prevent the virus' growth without making a full-on attack. There's something really interesting going on here." Pavlovich and Kepler note that the findings, while intriguing, are just a first step to better understanding bats' special immunity to deadly viruses. "The next step is figuring out: 'Do these extra genes actually do anything?'" asks Pavlovich, who is now doing follow-up work on cell lines in the lab of Elke Muhlberger. "I would like to know if there's an advantage to having so many, or if they just happen to be there." ### About Boston University Founded in 1839, Boston University is an internationally recognized institution of higher education and research. With more than 33,000 students, it is the fourth-largest independent university in the United States. BU consists of 17 schools and colleges, along with a number of multi-disciplinary centers and institutes integral to the University's research and teaching mission. In 2012, BU joined the Association of American Universities (AAU), a consortium of 62 leading research universities in the United States and Canada. About the National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories (NEIDL) The National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories (NEIDL), part of Boston University and located on BU's Medical Campus, is focused on research to increase the understanding of emerging infectious agents that cause human disease. In a safe and secure environment, multidisciplinary teams of microbiologists, virologists, engineers and other scientists conduct research at Biosafety Level 2, 3 and 4 in order to identify and develop new and better treatments, vaccines and diagnostic tools for emerging diseases. It is also a center for collaboration, training and education in emerging infectious disease research. The NEIDL is a 192,000-square-foot, 7-story building, designed and built in accordance with the most stringent specifications set by the U.S. government for conducting infectious disease research, and was approved for BSL-4 research in November 2017. Part of a national network of secure facilities that study infectious diseases, the NEIDL is one of 10 BSL-4 facilities in the United States. Camouflage and mimicry are pervasive throughout the biological world as part of the usual interactions between predators and their prey, allowing both to avoid detection. Among insects, the icons of mimicry include familiar stick and leaf insects, leaf-like moths and katydids. Liverworts are among the earliest terrestrial plants, and they have been widespread since the Paleozoic. However, mimicry between insects and liverworts is extremely rare in both modern and fossil ecosystems. Recently, researchers from China Agricultural University, the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology (NIGP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and their colleagues reported a new lacewing species (green lacewing larvae) based on two larvae from Cretaceous Burmese amber (approximately 100 million years old). These larvae are anatomically modified to mimic coeval liverworts. This discovery represents the first record of liverwort mimicry by fossil insects and brings to light an evolutionary novelty, both in terms of morphological specialization as well as plant-insect interaction. The research was published in Current Biology. These larvae have broadly foliate lateral plates on their thorax and abdomen. It is the only species known among lacewings with distinctive foliate lobes on the larval body. Such morphological modifications grossly match some coeval liverworts. Therefore, the new larvae are the first example of direct mimicry in lacewing larvae. The morphological specialization in the new chrysopoid larvae is unique and is unknown among any living or fossil lacewings. While the anatomy of these larvae allowed them to avoid detection, the lack of setae or other anatomical elements for entangling debris as camouflage means their sole defense was mimicry, and members of the species could have been stealthy hunters like living and other fossil Chrysopoidea or been ambush predators aided by their disguise. The present fossils demonstrate a hitherto unknown life-history strategy among these "wolf in sheep's clothing" predators, one that apparently evolved from a camouflaging ancestor but did not persist within the lineage. Liverworts are a diverse group distributed throughout the world today, including approximately 9,000 extant species. Liverworts have been diverse since the start of the Late Cretaceous, including in the Burmese amber forest, which was a typical wet, tropical rainforest. Like their extant counterparts, Cretaceous liverworts grew on the leaves and bark of trees as well as on other plant surfaces. Therefore, the larvae most probably lived on trees densely covered by liverworts, with their liverwort mimicry aiding their survival. ### This research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China and the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The Sabin Vaccine Institute has awarded Paul Offit, MD, of Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), the 2018 Albert B. Sabin Gold Medal. Sabin recognized Dr. Offit as co-inventor of an oral rotavirus vaccine and for his leadership as one of the United States' most vocal and dedicated advocates for immunization. "Paul's contributions as a vaccinologist and advocate have improved the health of children in every corner of the world," said Amy Finan, CEO of the Sabin Vaccine Institute. "His scientific accomplishments are rivaled only by his impact as a dedicated advocate for immunization. Paul truly exemplifies Albert Sabin's commitment to ensuring every child is protected from preventable disease." Starting in the 1980s, Dr. Offit performed early research on rotavirus alongside Dr. H Fred Clark and Dr. Stanley Plotkin. This work led to the invention of RotaTeq, an oral vaccine that prevents rotavirus diarrhea, the most common cause of diarrheal hospitalizations and deaths among children worldwide. Since then, RotaTeq has saved thousands of children's lives. In 2008, the vaccine became the first oral rotavirus vaccine to be prequalified by the World Health Organization. Within a decade of the vaccine's introduction in the United States, child hospitalizations from rotavirus dropped by 85 percent. "The Albert B. Sabin Gold Medal is not an award only to me, but to Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, specifically to Drs. Stan Plotkin and Fred Clark, mentors and friends who taught me how to make a vaccine and how to use my expertise to advocate for children," said Dr. Offit. He added, "Advocacy becomes all the more important as we live in a world where scientific illiteracy is being replaced by scientific denialism. Now, more than ever before, it's time for scientists to stand up and explain what they do and why they do it to the public and the media. Science is a privilege, not a right. And it's the taxpayer, the voter, who grants us that privilege." Dr. Offit is Director of the Vaccine Education Center, an attending physician and professor of pediatrics in the Division of Infectious Diseases at CHOP, and the Maurice R. Hilleman professor of vaccinology and a professor of pediatrics at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. He has received numerous international and national awards for his work, including the Maxwell Finland Award for Outstanding Scientific Achievement from the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, as well as Election to the National Academy of Medicine and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He has published more than 160 papers in medical and scientific journals in the areas of rotavirus-specific immune responses and vaccine safety. Awarded annually since 1994, the Albert B. Sabin Gold Medal recognizes a researcher who has made extraordinary contributions in the field of vaccinology or a complementary field. The award commemorates the legacy of Dr. Albert B. Sabin, who developed the oral live virus polio vaccine that is widely heralded with making a huge contribution to the near eradication of polio worldwide. The 2018 Albert B. Sabin Gold Medal ceremony was made possible in part by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. ### About Children's Hospital of Philadelphia: Children's Hospital of Philadelphia was founded in 1855 as the nation's first pediatric hospital. Through its long-standing commitment to providing exceptional patient care, training new generations of pediatric healthcare professionals, and pioneering major research initiatives, Children's Hospital has fostered many discoveries that have benefited children worldwide. Its pediatric research program is among the largest in the country. In addition, its unique family-centered care and public service programs have brought the 546-bed hospital recognition as a leading advocate for children and adolescents. For more information, visit http://www.chop.edu Mistaken belief in mythical causes of cancer is rife according to new research jointly funded by Cancer Research UK and published today (Thursday) in the European Journal of Cancer*. Researchers at University College London (UCL) and the University of Leeds surveyed 1,330 people in England and found that more than 40% wrongly thought that stress (43%) and food additives (42%) caused cancer. A third incorrectly believed that electromagnetic frequencies (35%) and eating GM food (34%) were risk factors, while 19% thought microwave ovens and 15% said drinking from plastic bottles caused cancer despite a lack of good scientific evidence. Among the proven causes of cancer, 88% of people correctly selected smoking, 80% picked passive smoking and 60% said sunburn. Belief in mythical causes of cancer did not mean a person was more likely to have risky lifestyle habits. But those who had better knowledge of proven causes were more likely not to smoke. Dr Samuel Smith from the University of Leeds said: "It's worrying to see so many people endorse risk factors for which there is no convincing evidence. "Compared to past research it appears the number of people believing in unproven causes of cancer has increased since the start of the century which could be a result of changes to how we access news and information through the internet and social media. "It's vital to improve public education about the causes of cancer if we want to help people make informed decisions about their lives and ensure they aren't worrying unnecessarily." Dr Lion Shahab from UCL said: "People's beliefs are so important because they have an impact on the lifestyle choices they make. Those with better awareness of proven causes of cancer were more likely not to smoke and to eat more fruit and vegetables." Clare Hyde from Cancer Research UK said: "Around four in 10 cancer cases could be prevented through lifestyle changes** so it's crucial we have the right information to help us separate the wheat from the chaff. "Smoking, being overweight and overexposure to UV radiation from the sun and sunbeds are the biggest preventable causes of cancer. "There is no guarantee against getting cancer but by knowing the biggest risk factors we can stack the odds in our favour to help reduce our individual risk of the disease, rather than wasting time worrying about fake news." ### For media enquiries contact the Cancer Research UK press office on 020 3469 8300 or, out of hours, on 07050 264 059. Notes to editor: *Lion Shahab, Jennifer A. McGowan, Jo Waller and Samuel G. Smith. Prevalence of beliefs about actual and mythical causes of cancer and their association with socio-demographic and health-related characteristics: findings from a national cross-sectional survey. European Journal of Cancer Embargoed weblink: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejca.2018.03.029 This work was supported by a Cancer Research UK/Bupa Foundation Innovation Award ** Brown et al. The fraction of cancer attributable to known risk factors in England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and the UK overall in 2015. British Journal of Cancer. DOI: 10.1038/s41416-018-0029-6 About Cancer Research UK Cancer Research UK is the world's leading cancer charity dedicated to saving lives through research. Cancer Research UK's pioneering work into the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer has helped save millions of lives. Cancer Research UK receives no funding from the UK government for its life-saving research. Every step it makes towards beating cancer relies on vital donations from the public. Cancer Research UK has been at the heart of the progress that has already seen survival in the UK double in the last 40 years. Today, 2 in 4 people survive their cancer for at least 10 years. Cancer Research UK's ambition is to accelerate progress so that by 2034, 3 in 4 people will survive their cancer for at least 10 years. Cancer Research UK supports research into all aspects of cancer through the work of over 4,000 scientists, doctors and nurses. Together with its partners and supporters, Cancer Research UK's vision is to bring forward the day when all cancers are cured. For further information about Cancer Research UK's work or to find out how to support the charity, please call 0300 123 1022 or visit http://www.cancerresearchuk.org. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook. University of Leeds The University of Leeds is one of the largest higher education institutions in the UK, with more than 33,000 students from more than 150 different countries, and a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive universities. We are a top ten university for research and impact power in the UK, according to the 2014 Research Excellence Framework, and are in the top 100 for academic reputation in the QS World University Rankings 2018. Additionally, the University was awarded a Gold rating by the Government's Teaching Excellence Framework in 2017, recognising its 'consistently outstanding' teaching and learning provision. Twenty-six of our academics have been awarded National Teaching Fellowships - more than any other institution in England, Northern Ireland and Wales - reflecting the excellence of our teaching. http://www.leeds.ac.uk Follow University of Leeds or tag us in to coverage Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Instagram About UCL (University College London) UCL was founded in 1826. We were the first English university established after Oxford and Cambridge, the first to open up university education to those previously excluded from it, and the first to provide systematic teaching of law, architecture and medicine. We are among the world's top universities, as reflected by performance in a range of international rankings and tables. UCL currently has over 39,000 students from 150 countries and over 12,500 staff. Our annual income is more than 1 billion. http://www.ucl.ac.uk | Follow us on Twitter @uclnews | Watch our YouTube channel YouTube.com/UCLTV Recent media reports about the use and exploitation of personal data have increased public awareness of the benefits and drawbacks of the digital age. This area has been a research priority for the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), which is now part of the newly formed UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). In 2017 EPSRC called on researchers to submit proposals for projects that would further the understanding of Trust, Identity, Privacy and Security (TIPS) issues in the Digital Economy. The aspiration was to support interdisciplinary research, across the spectrum of technological, economic, cultural, social, legal, ethical, design, behavioural and political disciplines, to engage with those who use research outputs, from industry to charities to communities. A total of eleven projects have been successful and collectively will receive 11 million over the next three years. The projects address a number of areas that present challenges for those using data and those giving others access to their data. For instance, researchers from the Defence Against Dark Artefacts (DADA) project at the University of Nottingham will explore the challenge of the likely future where connections are required between cloud-based services and the Internet of Things (IoT) in workplaces and the home. How can you use data services in a secure way if you have a fridge that talks about you? The Dynamic, Real time, On-demand Personalisation for Scaling (DROPS) project is a collaboration between academics at the universities of Warwick, Surrey, and the West of England. It will examine the privacy, trust and identity issues arising from the development of personalised e-books for children's reading. Their focus on children's reading is motivated by evidence that shows that despite the value of personalised e-books for learning and reading enjoyment, there is a lack of research that engages with the range of privacy issues that these technologies introduce. DROPS aims to develop a ThingsSpace that manages the computational process of personalising technology, such as e-books, in such a way that a user's personal data is protected. ThingsSpace will use an existing personal data store, the Hub of All Things (HAT), to store personal data subsequently used by the e-book's algorithm to adapt to the child's pedagogical needs. At Northumbria University the INTUIT: Interaction Design for Trusted Sharing of Personal Health Data to Live Well with HIV project will look to identify and address fundamental TIPS challenges faced by those managing stigmatised long-term conditions such as HIV in managing their health and interacting with care services, peer support networks, and private organisations. They will develop new tools to provide people with opportunity and choice for managing the trusted sharing of their self-generated data with others. The TIPS 2.0 call was launched by the Research Councils Digital Economy Theme. Digital Economy Theme Lead Dr John Baird said: "The rapid digital technological changes that have already happened are already having profound effects on the way people live, individually and collectively. "The advances in the interconnectedness of devices, data and people present both opportunities and challenges. Recent news items around how personal data can be obtained and used highlights the need for research that can understand the complexities socio-technical relationships while also safeguarding the integrity and usefulness of data." Summaries of the grants: Dynamic, Real time, On-demand Personalisation for Scaling (DROPS) - EP/R033838/1, EP/R033374/1 and EP/R033560/1 Led by: Professor Irene Ng, University of Warwick; Professor Glenn Parry, University of the West of England; and Professor Roger Maull, University of Surrey DROPS will examine the privacy, trust and identity issues that arise from the development of personalised e-books for children's reading. The project aims to develop a ThingsSpace platform in such a way that a user's personal data is protected; ThingsSpace will use an existing personal data store, the Hub of All Things, to store personal data. The researchers will use this as a springboard to document and evaluate issues resulting from its design and use, and inform the development of different economic and business models. Defence Against Dark Artefacts (DADA) - EP/R03351X/1 Led by: Professor Derek McAuley, University of Nottingham The project aims to address the challenges resulting from the current, widely-adopted approach in which cloud services underpin IoT devices, in the context of the home where network infrastructure protection is minimal and little or no isolation is provided between attached devices and the data traffic they carry. The research is rooted in pragmatism, acknowledging that current IoT cyber security solutions will not deal with legacy issues and will not achieve 100 per cent adoption, and that the public will never become network security experts. INTUIT: Interaction Design for Trusted Sharing of Personal Health Data to Live Well with HIV - EP/R033900/1 Led by: Dr Abigail Durrant, Northumbria University The project will develop new tools providing people who are managing stigmatised long-term conditions such as HIV with the opportunity and choice for managing the trusted sharing of their self-generated data with others. Bringing together experts in the HIV sector, public health, human computer interaction design, health psychology, health informatics and applied ethics, it aims to develop tools that will allow individuals to use personal data to self-manage their condition; live and age well with HIV; understand what it means to share these data with others such as healthcare providers and private organisations; and identify ethical issues associated with TIPS for managing stigma and wellbeing. Cumulative Revelations of Personal Data - EP/R033889/1, EP/R033870/1, EP/R033854/1 and EP/R033897/1 Led by: Professor Wendy Moncur, University of Dundee; Dr Leif Azzopardi, University of Strathclyde; Dr Jo Briggs, Northumbria University; and Professor Burkhard Schafer, University of Edinburgh Small, apparently innocuous pieces of personal information ranging from personal and work habits to emotions and social influence can pose risks to personal reputation and employers' operation security when shared intentionally by individuals or others, or through common cross-authentication practices. Working alongside the Royal Bank of Scotland and UK security agencies, the project will develop a prototype software tool to map out a portrait of a user's digital footprint, reflecting it back to them to allow them to understand the cumulative nature of their personal data and the attendant vulnerabilities and risks. ReEnTrust: Rebuilding and Enhancing Trust in Algorithms - EP/R033633/1 Led by: Professor Marina Jirotka, University of Oxford Tensions driven by the influence of AI algorithms on online platforms are resulting in a breakdown of trust among users who do not know when to trust the outcomes of algorithmic processes and, consequently, the platforms which use them. The project aims to develop the first AI-supported mediation and conflict resolution techniques which will be used in an experimental online tool allowing users to evaluate and critique algorithms; engage in dialogue and collective reflection; and jointly agree on how to 'fix' the algorithms in question to rebuild trust. PACE: Privacy-Aware Cloud Ecosystems - EP/R033439/1 and EP/R033293/1 Led by: Professor Omer Rana, Cardiff University and Dr Raj Ranjan, Newcastle University Many people using cloud computing services often entrust their data and identity without realising that service providers may share the data with other services, such as analytics and advertisers. This is likely to be greatly exacerbated by the expansion of internet-connected devices. This interdisciplinary project aims to address challenges facing the capacity of users to give informed consent to the use, sharing and re-purposing of data through a mobile software 'container' that will securely log all access instances, thereby improving transparency, creating an audit trail of providers and facilitating greater trust between users and service providers. The project, involving Cardiff University, Newcastle University and UCL, will develop novel computational methods to better ensure that cloud providers can enhance data privacy and will provide the basis for conforming to recently-introduced General Data Protection Regulation requirements. People Powered Algorithms for Desirable Social Outcomes - EP/R033382/1 Led by: Dr Duncan Hodges, Cranfield University Without confidence in the legitimacy and credibility of algorithms used in interactions between government and citizens, trust between the two can be dramatically reduced. The project will focus on three key public policy areas where algorithmic decision-making is employed - refugee resettlement, welfare and healthcare provision - to examine how the re-designing of the system interactions and communication of political and economic logic will enhance the security and wellbeing of individuals, protect the security of the state and increase confidence in digital service design. FinTrust: Trust Engineering for the Financial Industry - EP/R033595/1 Led by: Professor Aad van Moorsel, Newcastle University The FinTrust project will explore trust in banks and financial services, a decade after the financial crises of 2008. Modern-day financial services increasingly rely on 'robo-advice', in which smart algorithms will make automated decisions about mortgages and other financial matters in seconds. Do customers trust such services, and how could we enhance consumer trust? Is there any risk of bias against groups of people if computers make the decisions? Could this lead to new forms of financial distress and financial exclusion of people? The project will develop a set of design tools to enhance consumer trust in financial services. It also aims to advise regulators on the social and technical implications of automation in financial services. FinTrust is a collaboration between Newcastle University and Atom Bank, the challenger bank that has its base in the North-East of England. Realising Accountable Intelligent Systems (RAInS) - EP/R033846/1, EP/R033501/1 and EP/R03379X/1 Led by: Professor Peter Edwards, University of Aberdeen; Professor Rebecca Williams, University of Oxford and Dr Jat Singh, University of Cambridge AI systems technologies such as those used in autonomous vehicles and smart home appliances are becoming ever more ubiquitous, but questions remain unanswered as to how systems and their developers can be held to account if they make biased or unfair decisions, or make mistakes. Working with stakeholders ranging from members of the public to the legal profession and technology companies, the project will explore what it means to realise future AI systems that are transparent and accountable. It then aims to develop prototype solutions which will allow developers to provide secure, tamper-proof records of intelligent systems' characteristics and behaviours. These records can be shared with the relevant authorities and further analysed in the event of incidents or complaints. PRIvacy-aware personal data management and Value Enhancement for Leisure Travellers (PriVELT) - EP/R033749/1, EP/R033196/1 and EP/R033609/1 Led by: Professor Shujun Li, University of Kent; Dr Iis Tussyadiah, University of Surrey; and Professor Jay Bal, University of Warwick The provision of a seamless travel experience increasingly requires travellers to share data with numerous travel and tourism providers, yet a general guidelines means that many travellers share data without understanding the privacy and security risks and consequences, or are overly worried to the extent that they stop sharing data altogether. PriVELT aims to develop a user-centric platform to address both issues, allowing travellers to better manage the sharing of their personal data and encouraging a more transparent and effective use of data by travel service providers. Citizen Forensics - EP/R033862/1 Led by: Professor Arosha Bandara, Open University The project aims to support a new engagement between authorities such as the police and communities in order to better investigate and, in the long-term, reduce potential or actual threats to citizen security, safety and privacy. Harnessing IoT, Smart City and Smart Homes technologies, the project will explore new methods for citizens to provide data to the authorities in order to improve public safety, while also protecting privacy and anonymity and empowering citizens to hold authorities to account. The Citizen Forensics project will achieve this by bringing together software engineering psychology and policing research expertise at the Open University and the University of Exeter, with a national consortium of policing organisations and local government agencies. ### For further information please contact the EPSRC Press Office on 01793 444 404 or email pressoffice@epsrc.ac.uk Notes to editors: The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) is part of UK Research and Innovation, a non-departmental public body funded by a grant-in-aid from the UK government. For more information visit http://www.ukri.org. EPSRC is the main funding agency for engineering and physical sciences research in the UK. By investing in research and postgraduate training, we are building the knowledge and skills base needed to address the scientific and technological challenges facing the nation. Our portfolio covers a vast range of fields from healthcare technologies to structural engineering, manufacturing to mathematics, advanced materials to chemistry. The research we fund has impact across all sectors. It provides a platform for future UK prosperity by contributing to a healthy, connected, resilient, productive nation. An employee of Belozersky Research Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology (RI PCB), MSU together with a Russian colleague analyzed the ways of increasing the survivability of RNA-containing viruses as well as the mechanisms that help them get rid of adverse mutations. The study was published in Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews journal. The work is an overview of the authors' own studies, as well as publications on conservation and variability in the genomes of viruses that store their genetic material in the form of RNA molecules. The authors put together previously discrete facts and formulated general trends that explain the sustainability of genomes and at the same time their ability to quickly change and preserve beneficial mutations. In the course of reproduction of RNA viruses their genomes experience lots of mutations (errors that occur when strains of nucleotides are copied. This is explained by low precision in the activity of viral RNA polymerases, the enzymes that synthesize daughter molecules on the genome RNA matrix. Due to these inaccuracies the populations of these viruses have enormous genetic variety. Some mutations can dramatically reduce the viability of viruses or even be deadly dangerous for them. However, even in this case the population usually preserves its main properties. This is due to the work of natural selection: the carriers of adverse features have a lower chance of survival, and therefore future generations are unlikely to inherit their properties. The stability of genomes is so high that the populations remain almost identical even if the viruses are grown for 30 years in different countries. The coexistence of viruses with different genomes helps the population survive in rapidly changing conditions (for example, when a patient develops tolerance or starts taking antiviral medications). In this case the viruses that possess necessary properties as a result of genetic errors will live. However, when viruses spread within a body or between bodies, they often face various obstacles that only a small number of viral particles can overcome. Occasionally they may be mutants with reduced survivability rate. Ironically, it may increase due to copying errors that, among others, may create favourable mutations. Viruses have two ways of restoring their survivability: they can either "repair" a damaged element or change another functional site to compensate for the damage. Both scenarios lead to restoration of the main biological properties or cause a new variety of the virus to emerge. "Therefore, the "recovery" of viruses is based on inaccurate genetic copying. Moreover, it is an important factor that helps viruses adapt to adverse conditions, including protective mechanisms of the body and antiviral medications," - concluded Vadum Agol, a co-author of the work and the head of the Department of Virus-Cell Interactions at RI PCB. ### The co-author of the work is an employee of Chumakov Institute of Poliomyelitis and Viral Encephalitis. While some indigenous hunter-gatherers in Sri Lanka made use of agricultural resources and trade connections with farmers and colonial powers, others continued to subsist primarily on tropical forest resources as late as the 19th century Working closely with Wanniyalaeto (Vedda) elders in Sri Lanka during the repatriation of skeletal remains, a team of researchers have demonstrated that while some Indigenous hunter-gatherers in Sri Lanka made use of agricultural resources and trade connections with farmers and colonial power structures, others continued to subsist primarily on tropical forest resources as late as the 19th century. In the 1990s, some anthropologists argued that tropical forests could not support long-term human foraging in the absence of agriculture. Part of this thesis was based on the fact that supposedly isolated 'forest' foragers, such as the Wanniyalaeto (or Vedda) peoples of Sri Lanka, could be demonstrated to be enmeshed within historical trade networks and rely on crops as part of their overall subsistence. In the case of the Wanniyalaeto, while they previously occupied villages across Sri Lanka, including within the Wet Zone rainforests, British colonial policy, and the development of Sri Lankan state education systems and legal orders, led to their decline and focus on more open, dry jungle settings. Furthermore, today, wild game hunting, a traditional subsistence and cultural activity of the Wanniyalaeto is now illegal. During the process of repatriation of Wanniyalaeto skeletal remains from the Anatomy Department, University of Edinburgh and Duckworth Museum, University of Cambridge, researchers at the Department of Archaeology, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History teamed up with members of the Wanniyalaeto Council of Elders to test the degree of forest reliance in individuals prior to or just after the onset of British colonial influence in Sri Lanka. In an article published in Human Ecology, the combined team of European researchers and Wanniyalaeto elders used stable carbon and oxygen isotope analysis of minimal amounts of tooth enamel powder, to show that while a number of individuals made use of millet, and perhaps also rice, through trade with local agricultural populations, others subsisted primarily on tropical forest resources. These results are significant in the face of current Wanniyalaeto battles to remain on their traditional hunting grounds. The results will be converted into a multi-lingual poster that will be displayed at the main Wanniyalaeto village museum in Dambana, to become a permanent part of the heritage of this group. The repatriation process is ongoing but will see members of the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History bring Wanniyalaeto remains for burial in Sri Lanka, following appropriate tradition. This is the first time that an archaeological science project has been directed by members of an Indigenous group during the process of repatriation in Asia. It should act as a model for future interactions between archaeological scientists and Indigenous populations, working together on projects with meaningful outcomes for local cultural heritage, questions, and interest. ### CHICAGO --- Consumers consider online reviews important for choosing physicians, but they should be wary of using those ratings to choose plastic surgeons. The reviews tend to be polarized, and some are written by people whom consulted with the doctor but never had surgery, reports a new Northwestern Medicine study. The study examined online ratings of doctors who performed cosmetic breast augmentation in six major U.S. cities. In reviews by patients who had cosmetic breast augmentation, patients' treatment by the surgeon's staff was nearly as important to them as the outcome of the surgery. The online platforms for patient reviews in the study analysis were RealSelf, Yelp and Google. The study assessed 1,077 reviews across the platforms, comprising 935 positive and 142 negative reviews. "We found the people who write these review are either very happy or unhappy, so it's difficult for the consumer to get balanced information," said senior study author Dr. John Kim, a professor of plastic surgery at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and a Northwestern Medicine plastic surgeon. The study will be published April 26 in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Journal. The finding most surprising to Kim is the importance of interactions with the doctor's support staff. "The important thing used to be how the surgery turned out," Kim said. "Our study shows what's almost equally important are things we wouldn't have thought of like how quickly we answer the phone, how nice the staff is in their interactions, the wait time and bedside manner. Service is becoming paramount and almost as important as tangible results and outcomes." The cost of the elective cosmetic surgery procedures, which are generally not covered by insurance, is at the bottom of patient concerns, Kim said. The data was obtained in December of 2016 and January of 2017 from New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Philadelphia and Miami. The first five of these cities were included because they represent the five most populous metropolitan areas in the U.S., based on 2015 U.S. Census data. Miami was included because it has the most plastic surgeons per capita of any metropolitan area in the U.S. Other study findings: There were significantly more 1 star and 5 star reviews than 2, 3 or 4 star reviews. Patients with more extreme views (1 star: worst surgeon ever, or 5 star: best surgeon ever) are more likely to write a review online than those with more moderate views. "Unhappy patients take up more screen 'real estate' than happy patients, posting longer reviews, which creates a bias of dissatisfaction in online ratings," said first study author Rob Dorfman, a fourth-year student at Feinberg. Doctors are not allowed to respond to negative reviews online due to HIPPA (the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act). "That is an important point for people to understand," Kim said. As a result of the findings, Kim has begun implementing changes, including office training for personnel to enhance the service aspect of patient care. Google reviews were more favorable than reviews on Yelp in each major city studied. The difference was most evident in Houston, where the average Google rating was 4.7 and the average Yelp rating was 3.8 despite 60 percent overlap in surgeons reviewed. There are many more reviews of plastic surgeons for consumers to evaluate. The number of online reviews on plastic surgeons on Yelp and Google have shot up at an average rate of 42.6 percent per year since 2011, driven predominantly by a 51.4 percent annual growth rate among Yelp reviews. Kim cautions that online exposure can become a surrogate for experience. "You could have been practicing quietly and humbly for 20 years, but patients think someone with 1,000 reviews, even though they have much less experience, must be better," Kim said. "So the ubiquity and quality of online reviews may increasingly substitute for experience and ability." Kim suggests consumers do the following when vetting a plastic surgeon: 1) determine if they are board certified, 2) ask your primary care doctor, trusted friends and family for a referral, 3) meet with the surgeon and determine your comfort and confidence in them. ### Osaka - Many bacteria are equipped with a flagellum, a helical propeller that allows bacteria to travel. The flagellum is assembled in a highly organized manner involving the stepwise addition of each of its internal parts. However, there are many open questions as to how this orderly construction is achieved. In a study published in Science Advances, a Japanese research team centered at Osaka University has uncovered new molecular details and provided a model explaining how stepwise flagellar assembly occurs. As single-celled organisms, bacteria have devised elegant methods to move around their environment. The flagellum consists of a microscopic motor, which provides torque, and a long, rigid, spiral-shaped filament that drives propulsion. The motor and filament are connected by a flexible hook, which allows the bacteria to "steer." Much like any other motor, the parts of the flagellum have to be put together in exactly the right order. "Flagellar assembly is a complex process involving more than 70 genes," lead author Naoya Terahara explains. "First, the basal motor is assembled, followed by the hook, and finally the helical filament. Each structure is built by sending a unique set of proteins to the site of assembly. The cell can somehow sense when each structure is complete, triggering a switch to export the next series of proteins. We wanted to develop a more detailed picture of how this switching occurs." The export machinery sits at the base of the flagellum, and is made from nine copies of a protein that form a ring. The ring acts like a gatekeeper, selecting which proteins will travel out to the growing flagellum. The ring is incredibly small--mere nanometers in diameter--making precise analysis relatively difficult. To gain insight into this machinery, the researchers used high-speed atomic force microscopy. The approach, conducted through a collaborative effort with researchers at Kanazawa University, allowed the team to directly visualize the ring. By then making mutations in the ring, they could pinpoint which regions were responsible for triggering the export switch. "The high-resolution microscopy allowed us to gain a better sense of which mutations disrupt export switching," Terahara adds. "Once we identified the individual amino acids in the ring protein that keep the ring intact, we could then test each one to see how it affects the export of the hook and filament proteins." Through a series of biochemical assays, the team developed a detailed working model for how flagellar assembly occurs. "Our findings suggest that subtle changes in the ring's shape determine which proteins are exported to the growing flagellum," lead investigator Tohru Minamino explains. "Once the hook has been assembled, contact points in the ring shift slightly, altering the ring's shape and allowing helical filament proteins to travel through." The proposed model may have a significant impact on research into bacterial infections: the flagellum shares many similarities to the injectisome, a needle-like structure used by infectious bacteria to deliver proteins to their host. The study may thus serve as a map to better guide infectious disease research. "We believe our model represents an important step forward in our mechanistic understanding of flagellar assembly," Minamino adds. "We're hopeful that our findings will eventually aid in the discovery of new therapies to combat bacterial diseases." ### Osaka University was founded in 1931 as one of the seven imperial universities of Japan and now has expanded to one of Japan's leading comprehensive universities. The University has now embarked on open research revolution from a position as Japan's most innovative university and among the most innovative institutions in the world according to Reuters 2015 Top 100 Innovative Universities and the Nature Index Innovation 2017. The university's ability to innovate from the stage of fundamental research through the creation of useful technology with economic impact stems from its broad disciplinary spectrum. Website: http://resou.osaka-u.ac.jp/en/top INDIANAPOLIS - The largest and most detailed study of the long-term impact of anticholinergic drugs, a class of drugs commonly prescribed in the United States and United Kingdom as antidepressants and incontinence medications, has found that their use is associated with increased risk of dementia, even when taken 20 years before diagnosis of cognitive impairment. An international research team from the US, UK and Ireland analyzed more than 27 million prescriptions as recorded in the medical records of 40,770 patients over age 65 diagnosed with dementia compared to the records of 283,933 older adults without dementia. The researchers found greater incidence of dementia among patients prescribed anticholinergic antidepressants, anticholinergic bladder medications and anticholinergic Parkinson's disease medications than among older adults who were not prescribed these drugs. Dementia increased with greater exposure to anticholinergic medications. "Anticholinergic Medication and Risk of Dementia: Case-control Study" is published in BMJ (formerly the British Medical Journal) an international peer-reviewed medical journal. "Anticholinergics, medications that block acetylcholine, a nervous system neurotransmitter, have previously been implicated as a potential cause of cognitive impairment," said Regenstrief Institute and Indiana University Center for Aging Research investigator Noll Campbell, PharmD, MS, a co-author of the new BMJ study. "This study is large enough to evaluate the long-term effect and determine that harm may be experienced years before a diagnosis of dementia is made." Dr. Campbell is also an assistant professor of pharmacy practice at Purdue University College of Pharmacy. "These findings make it clear that clinicians need to carefully consider the anticholinergic burden of their patients and weigh other options," said study co-author Malaz Boustani, M.D., MPH, a Regenstrief Institute and IU Center for Aging Research investigator. Dr. Boustani is the founder of the Indiana Clinical and Translational Science Institute's IU Center for Health Innovation and Implementation Science and the Richard M. Fairbanks Professor of Aging Research at IU School of Medicine. "Physicians should review all the anticholinergic medications - including over-the-counter drugs - that patients of all ages are taking and determine safe ways to take individuals off anticholinergic medications in the interest of preserving brain health," Dr. Boustani said. The study, which was led by the University of East Anglia and funded by the Alzheimer's Society, both in the UK, utilized data from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink which includes anonymized diagnosis, referral and prescription records for more than 11 million patients from 674 primary care practices across the UK. The data is broadly representative of the UK population in terms of age, sex and ethnicity. "This research is really important because there are an estimated 350 million people affected globally by depression. Bladder conditions requiring treatment are estimated to affect over 13 percent of men and 30 percent of women in the UK and US," said study lead researcher George Savva, PhD, visiting researcher at University of East Anglia's School of Health Sciences. "We don't know exactly how anticholinergics might cause dementia," said study co-author Chris Fox, MD, professor of clinical psychiatry at UEA's Norwich Medical School and a consultant psychiatrist. "Further research is needed to understand possible reasons for this link. In the meantime, I strongly advise patients with any concerns to continue taking their medicines until they have consulted their doctor or pharmacist." Study co-author Ian Maidment, PhD, senior lecturer in clinical pharmacy at Aston University in the UK, said: "With many medicines having some anticholinergic activity, one key focus should be de-prescribing. Clinical staff, patients and carers need to work together collaboratively to limit the potential harm associated with anticholinergics." ### In addition to Regenstrief Institute, IU, Purdue, University of East Anglia and Aston University investigators, collaborators included researchers from the University of Aberdeen, the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Newcastle University, and the University of Cambridge. LA JOLLA, CA -- April 26, 2018 -- Last year, more than 60,000 Americans died of an opioid overdose, and millions more struggled with opioid and cocaine addiction. To get to the roots of why some people are more prone to drug addiction than others, researchers at The Scripps Research Institute are launching a pair of studies on genetic factors behind oxycodone and cocaine addiction and treatment. In support of the research, the National Institute of Health's National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has awarded the Scripps Research team two separate grants totaling $7.5 million. The five-year grants will allow the researchers, led by Olivier George, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Neuroscience at Scripps Research, to combine next-generation sequencing with state-of-the-art behavioral screening in a unique, genetically diverse, nonhuman animal model of drug addiction, and screen genetically diverse rats for their propensity for drug addiction and create shared tissue banks for researchers around the world to use in addiction studies. For the studies, George's group is collaborating with the lab of Leah Catherine Solberg Woods, PhD, at Wake Forest University, who will breed the rats, and the lab of Abraham Palmer, PhD, at the University of California, San Diego, who will genotype the animals. The behavioral testing and biobanking will be completed at Scripps Research. "The big questions right now are what the genetic mechanism is that makes someone vulnerable to drug addiction, and why one medication works for someone, but not someone else," says George. "It's hard to study that in humans because individuals are also exposed to such different environments, which bias the results." Rodent studies have also been limited, George says, because most labs use strains of rodents with little variation in their genetics between individual animals. This makes it hard to find animals with drastically different genetic and behavioral profiles. In addition, rodent studies usually rely on a few dozen animals at most, since screening each animal's behavior is so labor intensive. But armed with the new grants, George's team will study about around 2,500 genetically different rats. "Scripps Research is one of the only places in the world where you can do this type of large-scale behavioral study because of the equipment, expertise, and resources we have," George says. "There is an amazing team of people here." The rats in the new studies are a good model for the genetic diversity of the human population because they were created by cross-breeding many different strains, George says. "They are not your typical albino laboratory rats. They vary in their color, size, appetite, anxiety levels, memory skills, and now we have evidence that they also vary in their addiction tendencies," he adds. In addition to screening the rats for compulsive drug use and addiction-related behaviors, George's group will study whether genetic variation affects how individuals respond to current medications used to treat addiction. The collaboration with the Palmer lab, which will perform the genotyping, will then allow the team to identify gene variants that may predict the vulnerability to addiction or the efficacy of a given medication. The animals will have access to either cocaine or oxycodone for 6 to 12 hours a day--a much longer time period than most rat studies--so that drug use leads to the same set of negative symptoms and compulsive-like behaviors seen in humans. The team plans to collect samples from the animals--including blood, urine, feces, a variety of organs and even blood cells capable of producing stem cells--and save them in two tissue banks, dubbed the CocaineBiobank and OxycodoneBiobank. Researchers from other institutions will then be able to access the samples, and the corresponding genetic information and behavioral results, to launch their own studies on addiction. For instance, George imagines microbiome researchers using the feces samples to correlate bacteria in the rats' guts with their addiction propensity. "The reception from the community has been fantastic already. We have just started the research, and we already have a lot of requests for samples," says George. ### The $3.7 million grant on oxycodone addiction is number 1U01DA044451-01A1 and the $3.8 million grant on cocaine addiction is number 5U01DA043799-02. About The Scripps Research Institute The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) is one of the world's largest independent, not-for-profit organizations focusing on research in the biomedical sciences. TSRI is internationally recognized for its contributions to science and health, including its role in laying the foundation for new treatments for cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, hemophilia, and other diseases. An institution that evolved from the Scripps Metabolic Clinic founded by philanthropist Ellen Browning Scripps in 1924, the institute now employs more than 2,500 people on its campuses in La Jolla, CA, and Jupiter, FL, where its renowned scientists--including two Nobel laureates and 20 members of the National Academies of Science, Engineering or Medicine--work toward their next discoveries. The institute's graduate program, which awards PhD degrees in biology and chemistry, ranks among the top ten of its kind in the nation. In October 2016, TSRI announced a strategic affiliation with the California Institute for Biomedical Research (Calibr), representing a renewed commitment to the discovery and development of new medicines to address unmet medical needs. For more information, see http://www.scripps.edu. Little is known about the world's largest living fish, gentle giants reaching 12 meters (40 feet) in length. Researchers from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) and colleagues tracked a female whale shark from the eastern Pacific to the western Indo-Pacific for 20,142 kilometers (more than 12,000 miles), the longest whale shark migration route ever recorded. STRI marine biologist Hector M. Guzman tagged a female whale shark (Rhincodon typus) near Coiba Island in Panama, the largest island off of the coast of Central America, a National Park, World Heritage Site and marine protected area. His team named the shark Anne for conservationist Anne McEnany, president and CEO of the International Community Foundation (ICF). The multi-year project also tagged 45 additional sharks in Panama with sponsorship from Christy Walton's Candeo Fund at the ICF, along with STRI and Panama's science and technology bureau (SENACYT). Guzman estimated Anne's position based on signals from a Smart Position and Temperature (SPOT) tag tethered to the shark, received by the Advanced Research and Global Observation Satellite (ARGOS). The tag only communicates with the satellite when the shark swims near the surface. Anne remained in Panamanian waters for 116 days, then swam toward Clipperton Island (France), nearing Cocos Island (Costa Rica) en route to Darwin Island in the Galapagos (Ecuador), a site known to attract groups of sharks. 266 days after she was tagged, the signal disappeared, indicating that Anne was too deep to track. After 235 days of silence, transmissions began again, south of Hawaii. After a nine-day stay, she continued through the Marshall Islands until she arrived at the Marianas Trench, a canyon in the ocean floor near Guam in the Western Pacific where movie director James Cameron located the deepest point on the Earth's surface almost 11,000 meters (36,000 feet) below sea level. Whale sharks dive to more than 1900 meters (6000 feet). But it is unknown what the animal was doing in this area. "We have very little information about why whale sharks migrate," said Guzman. "Are they searching for food, seeking breeding opportunities or driven by some other impulse?" "Despite being the world's largest fish, it's amazing to me how little we know about this species," said Scott Eckert, co-author and biology professor at Principia College. "When I first began working on them, their taxonomy was debated, and it still wasn't clear how they reproduced." Found in warm, tropical and sub-tropical waters, it is thought that about a quarter of whale sharks live primarily in the Atlantic, whereas about three-fourths live in the Indo-Pacific. Tourists are drawn to sites where 500 or more whale sharks gather: in Oman, Australia, Galapagos, Mexico, Mozambique and the Seychelles. Large groups are also reported from Taiwan, Southern China and the Gujarat coast of India. Genetic studies show that whale sharks across the globe are closely related, indicating that they must travel long distances to mate. Whale sharks have been tracked for shorter distances along similar routes, but this report is the longest-recorded migration to date and the first evidence of a potential trans-Pacific route. Like Anne, other whale sharks appear to follow the North Equatorial Current for most of the distance. Large females can swim an average of 67 kilometers (about 40 miles) per day. The whale shark is one of only three known filter-feeding sharks, feeding on plankton, fish eggs, krill, crab larvae as well as small squid and fish (and, accidentally, plastic, which they cannot digest). As such, they are not considered to be particularly dangerous, and tourism companies that offer the opportunity to swim very close to whale sharks are common near areas where they aggregate in large numbers. But their size also attracts fishing boats. They are sought after for their fins and meat, for their teeth (used for crafts and sold to tourists) and for cartilage and oil with purported medicinal value. Juvenile whale sharks often end up as bycatch in tuna and other fisheries. Whale sharks were classified as endangered in 2016. During the past 75 years, it is estimated that nearly half of the world's whale sharks have disappeared. In many parts of the world, whale sharks have legal protection, but regulations are often not enforced. Guzman's data were used to design and draft local and regional policies for the protection of the species. Fishing, capture and sale of whale sharks are prohibited in Panama by Executive Decree No. 9, signed in 2009. In 2014, Panama's environmental authority passed an additional resolution regulating whale shark watching in Coiba National Park and the Isla Canales de Afuera marine reserve. The resolution includes a Whale Shark Watching Manual but unfortunately, tourism activities are not well organized and the authorities are not present to enforce the regulations. "Whale sharks in Coiba have already changed their behavior to avoid the surface and tourists," Guzman said. "These studies are critical as we design international policy to protect transboundary species like the whale sharks and other highly migratory marine species." ### The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, headquartered in Panama City, Panama, is a unit of the Smithsonian Institution. The Institute furthers the understanding of tropical biodiversity and its importance to human welfare, trains students to conduct research in the tropics and promotes conservation by increasing public awareness of the beauty and importance of tropical ecosystems. Website. Promo video. Guzman, H.M., Gomez, C., Hearn, A. and Eckert, S.A. 2018. Longest recorded trans-Pacific migration of a whale shark (Rhincodon typus). Marine Biodiversity Records, 11:8, https://doi.org/10.1186/s41200-018-0143-4 The Silk Road International School of Engineering (SRISE) jointly set up by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and Xi'an Jiaotong University (XJTU) has rolled out its first university-industry collaboration project. Partnering with State Grid Corporation of China (State Grid) and The Hongkong Electric Company, Limited (HK Electric), SRISE has launched the Belt and Road Advanced Professional Development Programme in Power and Energy (the Programme). The Programme's first cohort of participants attended their graduation ceremony in Hong Kong today (26 April), after having taken part in a series of field-trip studies and exchanges in April. The three-year Programme is the first cross-regional and multi-cultural project of its kind in Mainland China and Hong Kong. Over the past two weeks, 30 senior professionals in power and energy sector from 12 Belt and Road countries and regions participated in field-trip studies in Beijing, Jinan, Xi'an and Hong Kong. From the professional workshops on "Ultra High Voltage Transmission and Smart Grid", they also learnt about advanced design, technologies and management of the cities' special facilities in power systems. The participants consist of senior managerial executives from enterprises or government agencies, as well as academics and researchers, involving in power and energy sector. SRISE staged the first graduation ceremony of the Programme today on PolyU campus. The ceremony was officiated by Mr Matthew CHEUNG Kin-chung, Chief Secretary for Administration of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Other officiating guests included Mr CHAN Tze-ching, PolyU Council Chairman; Mr HE Changzhong, Director, Office of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs, XJTU; Mr ZHU Guangchao, Deputy Chief Engineer and Director General of International Cooperation Department of State Grid; and Mr WAN Chi-tin, Managing Director of HK Electric. Consuls General or representatives from the Belt and Road countries and regions were also present. Addressing the ceremony, Mr CHAN Tze-ching said, "The Belt and Road Initiative is a new engine that can energize the global economy. It opens up unprecedented opportunities for new collaborative ventures. While the Hong Kong SAR Government is actively engaging different stakeholders to take forward the work on this initiative, PolyU has also stepped up our efforts in supporting the Belt and Road development." Typical examples included the setting up of SRISE, and this unique Programme which drew together university strengths and industry experience, from both Mainland China and Hong Kong, to support the development of electrical power industry in the Belt and Road region. He believed that the cross-cultural experiences, observations and exchanges would enable the elite-participants to make valuable contribution to the advancement of their professions, and the development of the region. XJTU President Professor WANG Shuguo said, in his video message delivered at the ceremony, "The four collaboration parties have high aspirations for this Programme which helps nurture high-level talents of different enterprises and organisations in the Belt and Road region. Adopting a practical approach, the Programme has gained keen support from different sectors, and active participation of scholars and enterprises in the Belt and Road region. We will explore further extending collaboration in more spectra, and enriching the scope of the Programme to cope with global developments, so that more talents and enterprises of the Belt and Road region can benefit." University-Industry collaboration for advancing professional standard The first professional workshop under the Programme, with focus on "Ultra High Voltage Transmission and Smart Grid", was held from 13 to 27 April. Over the two weeks, field-trip studies of special power facilities in Beijing, Jinan, Xi'an and Hong Kong were arranged for the 30 participants. They also learnt about advanced design, technologies, management and global development of power and energy field, and gained practical knowledge and experiences from veteran academics and professionals from PolyU, XJTU, State Grid and HK Electric. The 30 participants were from 12 Belt and Road countries and regions, namely: Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Poland, Russia, Thailand, Mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau. Under the Programme, they had field-trip studies at many advanced facilities rarely open to the public, such as the State Grid's Ultra High Voltage Experimental Base and training facilities in Beijing, the 1000kV ultra high voltage substation and national power network control centre in Jianan, and the State Key Lab of Electrical Insulation and Power Equipment in Xi'an. In Hong Kong, HK Electric arranged them to visit different urban facilities, including Lamma Power Station, Ap Lei Chau System Control Centre, a centre for status detection of power system and Marsh Road Station Building, to show how to make optimal use of cable tunnels and underground cables to provide world-class supply stability in a densely populated city. Mr ZHU Guangchao, Deputy Chief Engineer and Director General of International Cooperation Department of State Grid said, State Grid, being the world's largest utility company, has been striving for achieving the mission of ensuring safer, more economical, cleaner and sustainable energy supply. It has also been implementing the strategic goal of building a strongly competitive world-class energy enterprise. "In recent years, State Grid has been putting in great efforts in Belt and Road constructions, and with quite outstanding performances. This Programme will contribute a lot towards nurturing advanced professionals in power and energy for the Belt and Road region, and extending the room for global exchange and cooperation." Mr WAN Chi-tin, Managing Director of HK Electric said, "HK Electric has been providing safe, reliable and stable power supply for Hong Kong for over 127 years. We have been investing in the most appropriate technologies and equipment over the years, and have nurtured a professional and dedicated team of homegrown engineers. I'm proud to say that our efforts have paid off, and we have been achieving a world class reliability record of over 99.999% (5-9s) for over 20 years. Last year in 2017, we even hit a key milestone in supply reliability, reaching 99.9999% (6-9s) for the first time. That translates to power interruption of just slightly over half a minute on average for our customers during the year. Through this workshop, we are happy to have the opportunity to share with our industry peers the unique experience we have accumulated over the years. At the same time, we could learn from their ideas and experiences to further enhance our power system. " ### Scientists examining the genome of Egyptian fruit bats, a natural reservoir for the deadly Marburg virus, have identified several immune-related genes that suggest bats deal with viral infections in a substantially different way than primates. Their research, published online today in the journal Cell, demonstrates that bats may be able to host viruses that are pathogenic in humans by tolerating--rather than overcoming--the infection. Bats are known to harbor many viruses, including several that cause disease in humans, without demonstrating symptoms. To identify differences between antiviral mechanisms in humans and bats, the research team sequenced, assembled, and analyzed the genome of Rousettus aegyptiacus, the Egyptian fruit bat--a natural reservoir of Marburg virus and the only known reservoir for any filovirus. Jonathan Towner, Ph.D., of the Viral Special Pathogens Branch at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), provided the bats from which the DNA was extracted. Towner had traveled to Uganda to investigate the colony of Egyptian fruit bats implicated in a Marburg fatality there. "Using that DNA, we generated the most contiguous bat genome to date and used it to understand the evolution of immune genes and gene families in bats. This is classical comparative immunology and a good example of the link between basic and applied sciences," explained co-senior author Gustavo Palacios, Ph.D., who heads the Center for Genome Sciences at the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID). In the process, Palacios and colleagues at CDC and Boston University made some striking findings. Specifically, they discovered an expanded and diversified family of natural killer (NK) cell receptors, MHC class I genes, and type I interferons, which dramatically differ from their functional counterparts in other mammals, including mice and nonhuman primates. A theoretical function evaluation of these genes suggests that a higher threshold of activation of some component of the immune system may exist in bats. NK cells are immune cells that play a crucial role against viral infections. To be tolerant against healthy tissue and simultaneously attack infected cells, the activity of NK cells is tightly regulated by an array of activating and inhibiting receptors. In this publication, the authors describe finding genomic evidence of a bias toward the inhibitory signal in NK cells. "Further evaluation of these expanded sets of genes suggests that other key components of the immune system like the MHC- and the IFN-loci in bats may have evolved toward a state of immune tolerance," said Mariano Sanchez-Lockhart, Ph.D., of USAMRIID. The team's initial work focused on advancing the characterization of the bat animal model, as well as on generating antibodies that recognize bat-specific proteins and other reagents to characterize the bat animal model of infection. These tools will allow further characterization of the bat unique immune system. According to Palacios, their next step is to build on the knowledge gained thus far to compare antiviral responses between bats and nonhuman primates. Ultimately, this information will be used to understand correlates of protection in bats and to develop therapeutics against Marburg virus and other lethal filovirus infections. ### USAMRIID's mission is to provide leading edge medical capabilities to deter and defend against current and emerging biological threat agents. Research conducted at USAMRIID leads to medical solutions--vaccines, drugs, diagnostics, and information--that benefit both military personnel and civilians. The Institute plays a key role as the lead military medical research laboratory for the Defense Threat Reduction Agency's Joint Science and Technology Office for Chemical and Biological Defense. USAMRIID is a subordinate laboratory of the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command. For more information, visit http://www.usamriid.army.mil Reference: The Egyptian rousette genome reveals unexpected features of bat antiviral immunity. Cell, DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2018.03.070; URL: https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(18)30402-1 Authors: Stephanie S. Pavlovich, Sean P. Lovett, Galina Koroleva, Jonathan C. Guito, Catherine E. Arnold, Elyse R. Nagle, Kirsten Kulcsar, Albert Lee, Francoise Thibaud-Nissen, Adam J. Hume, Elke Muhlberger, Luke S. Uebelhoer, Jonathan S. Towner, Raul Rabadan, Mariano Sanchez-Lockhart, Thomas B. Kepler, and Gustavo Palacios. Funding: This research was supported by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency. Irvine, Calif., April 26, 2018 -- Coral reef bleaching is stark evidence of the damage being inflicted by global climate change on marine ecosystems, but a research team led by scientists at the University of California, Irvine has found some cause for hope. While many corals are dying, others are showing resilience to increased sea surface temperatures, pointing to possible clues to the survival and recovery of these vitally important aquatic habitats. "Field observations have shown a heterogeneity or patchiness of the bleaching process at the reef scale, which means that some corals are responding differently to heat stress," said Aryan Safaie, lead author of a study published today in Nature Communications. "We know that some species are more thermally tolerant than others," he added. "But our study shows additionally that certain locations within a reef might be more amenable to allowing corals to persist in the face of increasing water temperature." To reach this conclusion, Safaie, a Ph.D. student in UCI's Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, said it was necessary to examine reefs more closely in terms of both space and time, versus relying solely on satellite remote-sensing products. He and his collaborators analyzed decades' worth of field data collected at 118 locations spanning five coral reef regions around the world, including the Great Barrier Reef near Australia and sites in the Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Caribbean Sea and the Red Sea. "Satellite images are indispensable in giving us the big picture and providing tools for long term projections of ocean health," he said. "But, these spacecraft collect data only once or twice weekly, there just isn't enough to provide a clear understanding of the daily and hourly variability of ocean conditions unless you're looking at more frequently reported field observations." The team found that in reef locations with more high-frequency temperature variability - water temperature spiking during the day and dropping at night, day in and day out - severe bleaching was less likely to occur. "We think of corals as these thermally sensitive organisms, and that temperature variability would mean they would have a harder time all the time," said coauthor Kristen Davis, UCI assistant professor of civil & environmental engineering and Earth system science. "Instead, what we found is that higher daily temperature variability made corals stronger and more resilient when a thermal stress event came along." The upshot of this work, according to Davis, is that scientists now have a better way to predict the outcome of coral reef bleaching events, which can lead to better conservation strategies. "As we move into a time when corals are threatened by global warming, if there are some living corals remaining on a reef after a bleaching event, there will be some genetic material to repopulate the reef with corals that are more thermally resilient," she said. Davis said further work is needed to identify where these super corals live, so that those areas can be protected from over fishing and development. ### This project was funded in part by the UCI OCEANS initiative and the National Science Foundation and involved researchers from California State University, Northridge; UC San Diego; Wildlife Conservation Society (Bronx, N.Y.); Old Dominion University; Duke University; Stanford University; and Bangor University (United Kingdom). About the University of California, Irvine: Founded in 1965, UCI is the youngest member of the prestigious Association of American Universities. The campus has produced three Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UCI has more than 30,000 students and offers 192 degree programs. It's located in one of the world's safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange County's second-largest employer, contributing $5 billion annually to the local economy. For more on UCI, visit http://www.uci.edu. Media access: Radio programs/stations may, for a fee, use an on-campus ISDN line to interview UCI faculty and experts, subject to availability and university approval. For more UCI news, visit news.uci.edu. Additional resources for journalists may be found at communications.uci.edu/for-journalists. NOTE TO EDITORS: PHOTO AVAILABLE AT https://news.uci.edu/2018/04/26/bleaching-of-coral-reefs-reduced-where-daily-temperature-changes-are-large/ Long-term use of some anticholinergic medications are associated with an increased risk of dementia - according to a new study led by the University of East Anglia (UK). Anticholinergic antidepressants have been found to be linked with dementia, even when taken up to 20 years before a diagnosis. Examples of frequently-prescribed anticholinergic antidepressants include Amitriptyline, Dosulepin and Paroxetine. The research, funded by Alzheimer's Society and published today in the BMJ, also shows a dementia risk associated with medications prescribed for bladder conditions (for example Tolterodine, Oxybutynin and Solifenacin), and Parkinson's (for example Procyclidine). However several other anticholinergic medications, including anti-histamines and those used for abdominal cramps, were not found to be linked to dementia - despite previous research suggesting that any anticholinergic might represent a risk. Anticholinergic drugs are used to treat a variety of conditions and work by blocking a key messenger (neurotransmitter) in the body called acetylcholine. The research team studied the medical records of 40,770 patients aged over 65 diagnosed with dementia, and compared them to the records of 283,933 people without dementia. More than 27 million prescriptions were analysed. This is the largest and most detailed study of its kind into the long-term impact of anticholinergic use in relation to dementia. The team drilled down to see whether there were links between different classes of anticholinergic medication and incidence of dementia diagnosis. They found that there was a greater incidence of dementia among patients prescribed greater quantities of anticholinergic antidepressants, and anticholinergic medication for bladder conditions and Parkinson's. The link between these medications and dementia cannot tell us that they are directly causing the condition, but this work does suggests a potential preventative approach to reduce dementia which is a priority. The study concludes that clinicians should consider long-term anti-cholinergic effects when prescribing. Patients with concerns should continue taking their medicines until they have consulted their doctor or pharmacist. Lead researcher Dr George Savva from UEA's School of Health Sciences said: "More than 50 million people worldwide are affected by dementia and this number is estimated to be 132 million by 2050. Developing strategies to prevent dementia is therefore a global priority. "We studied patients with a new dementia diagnosis and looked at what anticholinergic medication they were prescribed between four and 20 years prior to being diagnosed. "We found that people who had been diagnosed with dementia were up to 30 per cent more likely to have been prescribed specific classes of anticholinergic medications. And the association with dementia increases with greater exposure to these types of medication. "What we don't know for sure is whether the medication is the cause. It could be that these medications are being prescribed for very early symptoms indicating the onset of dementia. "But because our research shows that the link goes back up to 15 or 20 years before someone is eventually diagnosed with dementia, it suggests that reverse causation, or confounding with early dementia symptoms, probably isn't the case. "This research is really important because there are an estimated 350 million people affected globally by depression, and bladder conditions requiring treatment are estimated to affect over 13 per cent of men and 30 per cent of women in the UK and US. "Many of the treatment options for these conditions involve medication with anticholinergic effects. Dr Doug Brown, Chief Policy and Research Officer at Alzheimer's Society, said: "This large study confirms that some anticholinergic drugs can raise the risk of dementia - but it should also put minds at ease as there appears to be no dementia risk with anticholinergic drugs used to treat common conditions like hayfever, travel sickness and stomach cramps. "Current guidelines for doctors say that anticholinergic drugs should be avoided for frail older people because of their impact on memory and thinking, but doctors should consider these new findings for all over-65s as long-term use could raise the risk of dementia." Dr Noll Campbell, a collaborator and co-author on the paper, said: "These results suggest we should prioritise safer alternatives to anticholinergic medications long before symptoms of dementia are recognised." Dr Campbell is an investigator with the Regenstrief Institute and Indiana University Center for Aging Research and is an assistant professor with Purdue University College of Pharmacy in the United States. The study used data from Clinical Practice Research Datalink which includes anonymised diagnosis, referral and prescription records for more than 11 million patients from 674 primary care practices across the UK. The data is broadly representative of the UK population in terms of age, sex and ethnicity. Prof Chris Fox, Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at UEA's Norwich Medical School and Consultant Psychiatrist, said: "While the associations are moderate, given the high incidence of dementia, they reflect a potentially important risk to patients. "Doctors and patients should therefore be vigilant about using anticholinergic medications. "They need to consider the risk of long-term cognitive effects, as well as short-term effects, associated with specific drugs when weighing up risks and benefits. "We don't know exactly how anticholinergics might cause dementia. Further research is needed to understand possible reasons for this link. In the meantime, I strongly advise patients with any concerns to continue taking their medicines until they have consulted their doctor or pharmacist." Dr Ian Maidment, Senior Lecturer in Clinical Pharmacy at Aston University and lead pharmacist on the study, said: "We already have strong evidence that anticholinergics cause confusion and in the short-term will potentially worsen the symptoms of dementia. Long-term data is more difficult to obtain, because clinical trials tend be short term. "This study shows that some anticholinergics may cause long-term harm in addition to short-term harm. "Other recent research has shown a dramatic increase in polypharmacy - the number of older people taking five or more medicines has quadrupled over 20 years to nearly half of all older people. "With many different medicines having at least some anticholinergic activity, one focus should be de-prescribing. Doctors, nurses and pharmacists need to work with older people and their carers to ensure that they only take medication if the benefits clearly outweigh the harms." ### The research was led by the University of East Anglia in collaboration with Aston University, Birmingham, the University of Aberdeen, the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Regenstrief Institute (US), Purdue University (US), Indiana University (US), Newcastle University, and the University of Cambridge. It was funded by the Alzheimer's Society. 'Anticholinergic drugs and risk of dementia: case-control study' is published in the BMJ on April 25, 2018. A "cocktail" of monoclonal antibodies that can prevent Zika virus (ZIKV) infection in primates was not effective for treatment of fetuses, according to a new collaborative study led by a University of Miami Miller School of Medicine research team. "We observed that ZIKV isolated from pregnant women in Rio de Janeiro also causes fetal infection in pregnant macaques. Unfortunately, we were unable to stop the transmission of virus to the fetus with an antibody cocktail therapy," said Diogo Magnani, Ph.D., associate scientist in the Department of Pathology and first author of the study, "Fetal Demise and Failed Antibody Therapy During Zika Virus Infection of Pregnant Macaques," published recently in the journal Nature Communications. "One of the implications of the study is that preventing infection of the mother may be easier than finding a therapy for the fetus," said senior author David Watkins, Ph.D., professor and vice chair for research. "It also indicates that testing for ZIKV in mothers might not show whether or not the fetus was infected." The team of researchers is now working on engineering the antibodies to redirect the therapies to the fetus. Miller School co-authors of the study included Ronald C. Desrosiers, Ph.D., professor of pathology and director of research faculty development; Michael J. Ricciardi, Varian K. Bailey, Lucas Gonzalez-Nieto, Martin J. Gutman, Nuria Pedreno-Lopez, Jaclyn M. Kwal, and Mauricio A. Martins, Ph.D., all in the Department of Pathology; as well as Christine L. Curry, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology; and Pascal J. Goldschmidt-Clermont, M.D., professor of medicine. In the collaborative study, pregnant rhesus macaques were infected with ZIKV from a patient in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where a high rate of fetal development complications was observed. The virus used in the studies was isolated by Dr. Myrna Bonaldo at FIOCRUZ in Rio de Janeiro. The infection resulted in the virus crossing into the amniotic fluid, resulting in fetal deaths. The researchers found there were no mutations of the virus or other factors implicated in those outcomes. "We treated three ZIKV-infected pregnant macaques with a cocktail of ZIKV- neutralizing human monoclonal antibodies," said Magnani. "While the antibody therapy was effective in clearing the virus from the mothers' blood, it was not sufficient to clear ZIKV from the amniotic fluid. Antibodies might not cross the placenta in sufficient concentrations to block the virus. Therefore, specific therapies will have to be developed in order to stop mother-to-fetus transmission and treat infected fetuses." Leading the effort to engineer the antibodies to redirect the therapies to the fetus, Magnani is the principal investigator for a U.S. Department of Defense "Discovery Award" grant on "A Fetus-Targeted Antibody Therapy to Prevent Zika Virus Infection During Pregnancy." ### The Miller School's laboratory studies are also supported by the National Institutes of Health, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Jacobson Jewish Community Foundation, the Clarence Wolf Jr. & Alma B. Wolf Foundation, and private donors. British film director Ken Loach faced an anti-Semitism row in Belgium on Thursday after Prime Minister Charles Michel led opposition to him being granted a university doctorate. Michel joined Jewish groups in expressing regret that the Free University of Brussels, one of the countrys leading institutions and the one at which he studied law, had decided to bestow the honorary degree on Loach. Loach, a long-term leftist and supporter of the Palestinian cause, has come under fire after making controversial comments about Holocaust denial in a broadcast interview in 2017, but strongly denies being anti-Semitic. Our firmness must be total. No accommodation with anti-semitism can be tolerated, whatever the form. That also goes for my alma mater, Michel said during a visit to Belgiums Grand Synagogue. Accepting the honour later Thursday, Loach said he had been shocked to have to defend himself against the allegations after a career spent defending human rights and social justice. Earlier, the university stood by its plans and issued a strongly worded statement from Loach, who won the Palme dOr at the Cannes film festival in 2016 for I, Daniel Blake and in 2006 for The Wind That Shakes the Barley. I wish to reaffirm in the strongest possible terms that the Holocaust is as real a historical event as the Second World War itself and not to be doubted, Loach said in the statement. Those who try to smear me in this way know that I have always fought all racism, including anti-Semitism. I doubt everyone can say the same. Loach was forced to clarify comments he made in a BBC in September last year, when he was asked if Holocaust denial was acceptable, and replied: History is for all of us to discuss. All history is our common heritage to discuss and analyse. The founding of the State of Israel, for example, based on ethnic cleansing, is there for us to discuss. The comments fed into a simmering row in Britain about anti-Semitism in the opposition Labour party as the director is a major supporter of its leader Jeremy Corbyn, who has been accused of failing to tackle the problem. Loachs statement said that the allegations against him were malicious and unprincipled. To avoid any further ambiguity, I wish to state, once and for all, that I condemn any form of Holocaust Denial or negationisme as you say in French, he said. Loach has been a vocal critic of Israel over the treatment of the Palestinians and has been a leading backer of moves to boycott the Jewish state. The Belgian award to Loach comes as organisers of a major music prize in neighbouring Germany scrapped their main award due to a row over this years winners, a rap duo who have been slammed for lyrics about the Nazi death camp Auschwitz. The deployment of so-called social detectives to track welfare fraudsters is nothing new in Switzerland. But since the passing of a law granting the investigators more powers, an unprecedented citizen movement has emerged in protest. It began on Twitter. On March 16, soon after a parliamentary decision granted wide snooping powers to welfare detectives, author Sibylle Berg tweeted her disgust and asked what could be done. Dimitri Rougy, a young Social Democrat activist from Interlaken, quickly replied with a simple I would help! A day later, the team expanded to four plus a coder and a website was created. After a week, almost 12,000 pledges of support were collected. Finally, on April 5, the official referendum campaign was launched in Bern. The scale and speed of the movement is something that Switzerland has never seen before, Rougy reckons. The quartet, who didnt meet face-to-face until a week after the campaign began, had set at 5,000 the threshold of online supporters that would give them the confidence to launch an official campaign. They more than doubled this. The enthusiasm, followed by the belated support of the leftwing Social Democrats, has left Rougy hugely optimistic about reaching the required 50,000 signatures before July 5 to force a referendum. Why now, and why this issue? The now, as Rougy explains, can be explained by the fact that none of the established political parties initially wanted to launch or support a referendum against the new law. The Social Democrats were reluctant to politicise an already sensitive issue; the Greens reportedly had financial qualms. This meant that the space opened up for and required a broader citizen movement, he says. Although he is involved in local politics with the Social Democrats, Rougy does not like to be called a politician. He is rather an activist and a campaigner, he says, words that chime with the type of cross-cutting appeal that this social movement has inspired. He is also in tune with recent trends towards crowd-sourcing: I believe in crowds, social movements, not single people changing the whole world. Trespassing on privacy Few issues provoke such strong reactions as welfare fraud. The new regulation, which came in response to criticism from the European Court of Human Rights in 2016, will give private detectives hired by social insurance bodies the right to follow, and record, welfare recipients anywhere in the public space. Most controversially, they will be able to use technology such as GPS devices, which activists say could open the possibility of drones being used to snoop on people (though a judges permission may be required for going this far). Sharp reactions have come from the left. Were going to take more care in tracking potential benefit fraudsters than tracking potential terrorists, paedophiles or murderers, said Social Democrat Rebecca Ruiz in the wake of the vote. Rougy goes further: the law runs counter to democracy and the Swiss constitution, he says, particularly Article 13, guaranteeing the inviolability except under certain circumstances of the private sphere. I am against fraud and against abuse of the system, he says. But its the how of policing this that is the big question. He says that in giving private detectives virtually the same powers as police and official investigators, the regulation undermines the rule of law. The judicial system already has means of tackling fraudsters, he says. The new methods amount to a trespassing on privacy, and gives the insurance companies who lobbied for it aggressively disproportionate power. If youve got nothing to hide Welfare in general, and fraud in particular, is always a heated issue but whether the numbers are proportionate to the hype is a matter of opinion. In Switzerland, around 1% or less of recipients of health benefits are false handicaps, says Swiss public television, RTS. Weeding them out could save up to CHF60 million ($62.8 million) annually. Abuses are happening, and those committing them should be punished, Raymond Clottu of the rightwing Swiss Peoples Party told the 24 Heures daily newspaper. If somebody has nothing to hide, then even if they are followed, this doesnt raise any problem. Society has changed. We live in a connected world and its normal that tools are adapted. When it comes to publishing your private life on Facebook, nobody has a problem with that. Andreas Dummermuth, president of the cantonal compensation funds, which coordinatewelfare payments, also defended the law, saying that benefits are not for picking and choosing. The social insurance system is the most expensive infrastructure in the country, he told the Swiss public broadcaster, SRF: about a quarter of Swiss GDP is spent on social security each year. Besides, he said, the new law has clear rules, and abuse will be examined on a case-by-case basis. Its not an issue of guns being used to shoot sparrows. Experimenting in digital democracy Daniel Graf, the last addition to the referendum quartet, says the issue is fundamentally important, hence the interest. Everybody has insurance, he says (state-coordinated social insurance is mandatory in Switzerland). This means everybody is liable to one day be affected by these measures. There is a fear of losing your private life to a commercial organisation, he says. Its a very existential issue. But as the political scientist and digital democracy aficionado of the quartet, Graf is equally as interested in the potential of such broad-based citizen action for the future of politics and democracy. In this context, whether the referendum succeeds or fails is not always the point; the point is to try new things that can blossom and then subside quickly, he says. Its about living democracy, and this is a very strong impulse. What makes this current project different, he adds, is the level of engagement of those pledging to support the referendum. Rather than simply adding their names to an online petition, supporters have pledged to provide concrete support: by promising to secure the signatures of a certain number of friends, for example, by helping to print and deliver leaflets, or by donating money (some CHF30,000 has been collected). This marks a shift from passive clicktivism to digital activism, something Graf says he also saw in Bernie Sanders grassroots US campaign, where the message was that the most important thing in organising a political campaign is to give people something to do. Another thing he sees as new and promising is that the bulk of the movements organisation has been taken up not by digital natives but by 40- to 60-year-olds. These operate not necessarily only on social media but also by word of mouth in the offline space, which remains important, he says. What about the future of political organisation does this spell the end for traditional political parties? Graf thinks not. Parties, as established structures, are important for longer-term stability and votes, he believes, while digital democracy gives more power to the people to propose. The two methods of legislating are complementary. Its not about killing the middleman, he says. Germany's biggest lender Deutsche Bank announced Thursday deep cuts to its flagship investment banking division and a new focus on Europe, hoping to drag itself out of years of losses as it reported falling profits in the first quarter. In the past, we took too long and we retreated (from) decisions which were taken and were not executed, newly-installed chief executive Christian Sewing, 47, said in a telephone conference. From now on, Deutsche must demonstrate a clear vision and discipline to see change through among top managers, he declared. There is no time to lose as the current returns for our shareholders are not acceptable, Sewing added. He takes the reins less burdened by lingering fallout from the years leading up to the financial crisis when Deutsche strained to compete with US-based investment banking titans that dogged the leadership of former boss John Cryan. The crisis-fighting British chief extricated the bank from painful legal hangovers but failed to steer it back to profitability, reporting three annual losses in a row. First in line for reform under Sewings reign is the cherished corporate and investment bank. In corporate banking, Deutsche plans to slash its commitment to the United States and Asia, saying it would address clients whose activities are closely aligned with the strengths of the German and European economies. Meanwhile it will also withdraw from some trading in shares and services offered to investment firms. Sewing warned there would be painful but regrettably unavoidable job losses to ensure our banks competitiveness in the long run, while declining to name a number of departures. More stable The corporate and investment bank accounted for more than half of Deutsches revenue in the first quarter. But executives hope to shift the ratio so income from more stable sources like the retail and commercial bank and the asset management division floated on the stock market earlier this year make up 65 percent of revenue. A modest ambition according to calculations from business daily Handelsblatt, which reckoned that they already made up 62 percent over the full year in 2017. Other items on Deutsches restructuring list include fully integrating subsidiary Postbank into its German retail banking operations and further reducing its massive holdings of financial derivatives. Finance chief James von Moltke lifted his estimate for the total cost of the changes to 800 million euros ($974 million), from 500 million previously. Hunter mindset Sewing promised to bring back the virtues on which the company was built nearly 150 years ago clarity and vision, disciplined execution and pride to work at a bank that takes bold moves. But boosting morale is a tricky proposition at a bank which booked net profits of just 120 million euros in the first quarter, down 79 percent year-on-year. The banks pre-tax profit fell 51 percent, to 432 million euros, on the back of revenues down 5.0 percent at 7.0 billion euros. Von Moltke said higher contributions to Europes Single Resolution Fund, created to help wind up failing lenders, and increased IT costs weighed on the bottom line, while unfavourable exchange rate movements squeezed revenues. Executives did not offer any forecast for the banks performance over the full year, saying only they were sticking to a target to keep annual costs below 23 billion euros. Investors gave a muted welcome to Deutsches new direction, lifting the banks share price by 0.4 percent around 11:25 am (0930 GMT), to 12.04 euros making it one of the top performers on the DAX index of blue-chip German shares. tgb/mfp/rl US ambassador to Germany, Richard Grenell, hand-picked by US President Donald Trump, is unhappy at the reaction to remarks he made in support of the right in Europe and wants close cooperation with Berlin, German government sources said Wednesday. Ambassador Grenell was unhappy with the reaction his interview has sparked, one of the sources said after the US envoy visited the German foreign ministry. He especially does not want to be considered in Germany as a supporter of the forces of the right, the source said. Instead, he wishes to lay the basis for close and confident cooperation with German partners. The foreign ministry said that Grenells visit long planned took place in an open atmosphere. Grenell took up his Berlin post on May 8 and immediately irked his host country when he tweeted the same day that German companies should stop doing business with Iran after Trump quit the nuclear deal with Tehran. He caused further outrage last weekend with reported comments to right-wing news website Breitbart of his ambition to empower other conservatives throughout Europe, other leaders. Grenell also raised eyebrows with his plan to host a June 13 lunch for Austrias arch-conservative Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, described by the US envoy as a rock star. For some, Grenells comments went well beyond diplomatic convention and warranted a request for him to leave his post. In Washington, the Trump administration backed Grenell. Ambassadors have a right to express their opinion, State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said Tuesday when asked whether Grenell had expressed the views of the administration. Theyre representatives of the White House, whether its this administration or other administrations, and we hear them voicing their opinions, she said. And theyre sometimes opinions that people may or may not like. And there is the right to free speech as well. The appointment of Grenell, a hawkish supporter of Trumps America First stance, was long held up by US senators who objected to his allegedly disparaging tweets on female politicians and apparent refusal to take seriously claims of Russian meddling in the US election. The controversy comes as ties between Germany and the United States are strained after Trump ditched the Iran nuclear deal and imposed punishing tariffs on European aluminium and steel. Neighbourhood associations and activist groups from 14 southern European cities formed a network to join forces in their fight against mass tourism which was presented Thursday in Barcelona. The SET network of cities of southern Europe against tourism plans to stage joint protest actions to pressure governments to establish limits to the tourist industry and even promote its decrease. The networks first action was to release a manifesto denouncing how mass tourism causes rents to soar, local shops to disappear, creates low wage jobs and generates pollution. For the moment the network is made up groups from ten Spanish cities including Madrid, Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca as well as Lisbon and Venice. It also includes Spains Canary Islands and Malta. The creation comes as cities across Europe have stepped up their efforts to crack down on home-sharing sites such as Airbnb as concern mounts over the side effects of their increasing popularity amid fears of a housing shortage for local residents. International tourist arrivals grew by 8.0 percent in the European Union last year, to reach 538 million, or 40 percent of the worlds total, according to Madrid-based United Nations World Tourism Organisation. Basque separatist group ETA has handed over several cases of weapons and munitions as a confidence-building measure ahead of its expected disbanding, a French prosecutor said Wednesday. Bayonne prosecutor Samuel Vuelta Simon said he had received an email tip-off that a quantity of arms belonging to ETA had been retrieved by police after being dropped at a location in the south of the French Basque city. The announcement comes days before ETA is expected to announce its dissolution, definitively ending its nearly four-decade campaign of bombings and shootings for an independent Basque state in northern Spain and southwest France, seven years after it declared a permanent ceasefire. A source close to the case said the police had found four cases in the open air, in the city centre containing around 20 handguns, several hundred bullets for 9mm and .38-calibre revolvers and a 20-metre-long detonator cable as well as several electronic detonators. They also found around 200 fake registration places and materials that can be used to steal cars, added the source, who requested anonymity. ETA last year had already provided French authorities with a list of eight arms caches. A member of a group mediating in the peace process told AFP that ETA had committed to finding those weapons which had gone astray and not been included on the list. This restitution process, which remains confidential, is ongoing, Jean-Noel Etcheverry said. Last week ETA asked forgiveness from its victims for the pain caused by its campaign, a move seen as a necessary step towards reconciliation. Created in 1959 at the height of Francisco Francos dictatorship ETA is blamed for the deaths of at least 829 people. International mediators are organising a peace conference in southwest France on May 4. Filmmaker Oliver Stone, attending a film festival in Iran on Wednesday, said French President Emmanuel Macron's trip to Washington had been "very depressing" and marked a return to the "imperialism of old France". Stone, who is half-French, said he was particularly shocked to see Macron standing alongside President Donald Trump, calling for a revision of the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran. I couldnt believe it, Stone told AFP after a press conference in Tehran. I remember very well President (Jacques) Chirac with great pride when he said no to George Bush when he wanted to invade Iraq (in 2003). And now to see this young man, who doesnt have much of a sense of history or memory of the great traditions of France was very depressing. Trump and Macron called for a new deal with Iran on Tuesday that would limit Irans ballistic missile program and support for militant groups across the Middle East. The US president has threatened to walk away from the existing deal, which curbed Irans nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief, by the next renewal deadline on May 12. Stone, a fierce critic of US foreign policy over many decades, said Macron, like one of his predecessors Nicolas Sarkozy, wants to stand alongside the Americans as a sign of French power. This is a return to the colonialism and imperialism of the old France. This is what President De Gaulle swore off with the Algerian War in 1958-9 when he called it quits, he said. Mr Macron has to learn that he cannot be an imperialist. The European Commission has imposed a 124.5 million fine on Altice, the multinational cable and telecommunications company based in the Netherlands, for implementing its acquisition of the Portuguese telecommunications operator 'PT Portugal' before notification or approval by the Commission. Margrethe Vestager, the commissioner in charge of competition policy, said: Companies that jump the gun and implement mergers before notification or clearance undermine the effectiveness of our merger control system. This is the system that protects European consumers from any merger that would lead to higher prices or reduced choice. The fine imposed by the Commission on Altice today reflects the seriousness of the infringement and should deter other firms from breaking EU merger control rules. In February 2015, Altice notified the Commission of its plans to acquire PT Portugal. The transaction was conditionally cleared by the Commission on 20 April 2015, subject to the divestment of Altices businesses in Portugal at the time, Oni and Cabovisao. In May 2017, the Commission addressed a Statement of Objections to Altice detailing its concerns that Altice implemented its acquisition of PT Portugal before obtaining the Commissions clearance, and in some instances, even before its notification of the merger. The s Commissions decision confirms its preliminary view that Altice breached the EU Merger Regulation and imposes a fine of 124.5 million on Altice. In particular, the Commission has concluded that: certain provisions of the purchase agreement resulted in Altice acquiring the legal right to exercise decisive influence over PT Portugal, for example by granting Altice veto rights over decisions concerning PT Portugals ordinary business; in certain cases, Altice actually exercised decisive influence over aspects of PT Portugals business, for example by giving PT Portugal instructions on how to carry out a marketing campaign and by seeking and receiving detailed commercially sensitive information about PT Portugal outside the framework of any confidentiality agreement. According to the Merger Regulation, the Commission can impose fines of up to 10% of the aggregated turnover of companies, which intentionally or negligently breach the notification and/or the standstill obligations. In setting the amount of a fine, the Commission takes into account the nature, the gravity and duration of the infringement, as well as any mitigating and aggravating circumstances. The Commission concluded that an overall fine of 124,500,000 is proportionate and a deterrent. Altice rejects the Commissions findings and says that it will appeal against the fine. Altice fully disagrees with the Commissions decision Further, Altice considers that the elements in the Commissions file do not establish the exercise of influence, as alleged by the Commission, by Altice over PT Portugals business conduct neither prior to the merger notification to the Commission nor prior to the Commissions clearance. Besides, Altices right to a due process was violated in several respects during the Commissions proceedings, in particular related to the investigation conducted by the Commission, Altice said in a strongly worded statement to the press. Altice also warned that the decision could have serious consequences for European companies by setting a precedent, which would impact on all future M&A transactions in Europe and, consequently, on the EU economy. algarvedailynews.com The above content produced by swissinfo.ch is not intended for commercial use and may not be republished by third parties either wholly or in part. 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. Armenia's top official was in Moscow for talks on Thursday, his office said, as a political crisis deepened with opposition leader Nikol Pashinyan appearing resolute to force the ruling party in the ex-Soviet republic to cede power. Armenian acting Vice Premier Armen Gevorkyans apparent move to secure support from the Kremlin came as protesters in the capital Yerevan took to the streets for a fresh day of rallies. They want the ruling Republican Party to hand power after the countrys former president Serzh Sarkisian, 63, stood down Monday from his new post of prime minister following mass demonstrations. Observers have warned the crisis could destabilise the Moscow-allied nation which has been involved in a decades-long territorial dispute with Azerbaijan. Russia has a military base in Armenia and President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday urged restraint when he spoke by phone to Armenian President Armen Sarkisian, who is no relation to Serzh Sarkisian and is a ceremonial figurehead. Putin called for all political forces in this country to show restraint and responsibility in order to end the crisis as soon as possible, the Kremlin said. The opposition has staged nearly two weeks of protests, forcing Sarkisian to quit as prime minister. The Russian embassy in Yerevan said Wednesday that its officials had met with Pashinyan. The Russian side called on the organisers of the opposition protests and rallies to have a constructive dialogue with the current authorities and other political forces, it said. Protesters Thursday planned to block traffic in Yerevan and rally throughout the day, responding to Pashinyans call to pressure the ruling party. Threat to surround parliament The Republican Party has to capitulate before the people, Pashinyan told large crowds in Yerevans central Republic Square on Wednesday evening. The 42-year-old accuses the authorities of wanting to nominate a Republican Party candidate for prime minister and has warned that the opposition could boycott snap parliamentary elections. In case the Republican party dares to nominate a candidate, the people will immediately surround the parliament, Pashinyan said. He has insisted the new premier must be a peoples candidate and not a member of Sarkisians party, and told reporters he was himself willing to lead. Talks between the protest leader and acting government head Karen Karapetyan to discuss a peaceful transfer of power were cancelled this week. Karen Karapetyan has to unconditionally and immediately recognise the victory of our revolution and to give up ambitions to become a head of state, Pashinyan told the rally, which dispersed peacefully, late on Wednesday. The Yelk opposition bloc has said it would nominate Pashinyan for prime minister. But a lawmaker from the bloc, Edmon Marukyan of the Bright Armenia party, said on Wednesday Pashinyan was 13 votes short of a majority. A candidate would need 53 votes to get elected. An organisation which recreated the inside of a Syrian prison in harrowing 3D detail was among the four nominees for Britain's Turner Prize for contemporary art announced on Thursday. London-based Forensic Architecture, which uses architectural rendering software to investigate potential war crimes, used prisoner accounts to build a digital model of Saidnaya prison. Tate Britain director Alex Farquharson announced the shortlist at an event in London, saying all the artists nominated are tackling the most pressing political and humanitarian issues of today. Oliver Basciano, art critic and member of the jury said that the four nominees combine a politicking with a sense of elegance, a sense of aesthetic seduction in their work. The others include Luke Willis Thompson, who made a black and white silent film portrait of Diamond Reynolds, a woman who live-streamed the immediate aftermath of her African American boyfriends death during a traffic stop in the US. Glasgow-based artist Charlotte Prodger was praised by jurors for the nuanced way in which she deals with identity politics, particularly from a queer perspective. The jury said films made by the fourth nominee, Naeem Mohaiemen, explore post-colonial identity, migration, exile and refuge. An exhibition of the shortlisted artists will open at Tate Britain on September 25 and the winner will be announced in December. Forensic Architecture was set up in 2011 by Israeli activist and architect Eyal Weizman. Its interdisciplinary laboratory specialises in producing analysis and evidence to be used in human rights cases brought to international courts, with architecture a key tool in helping to accurately recreate events occurring in chaotic surroundings. Before FA, no surveillance groups or journalists had been able to access the notorious Saidnaya military prison, located 25 kilometres (15 miles) north of Damascus and used by the regime of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad. The laboratory pieced together testimonies given to Amnesty by former prisoners with satellite images found on the Google search engine and other publicly available online material. Other studies conducted by the agency include reconstruction the August 2014 bombing of Gaza, Guatemalas Ixil genocide of 1978-1984 and the 2011 sinking in the Mediterranean of a boat carrying 63 migrants from Libya. FA is currently the only provider of such analysis, working with Human Rights Watch, international courts and the United Nations with key evidence. The work combines traditional disciplines, such as mapping, ecology and law, with new technologies like 3D, as-well as the testimonies of victims and prominent witnesses. dt/ach Iranian media confirmed on Thursday that Abbas Edalat, a British-Iranian scientist and peace campaigner, has been arrested for his alleged role in an "infiltration network". Recently, members of an infiltration network affiliated to Britain have been arrested, an unnamed source told the Fars news agency, which is considered close to the powerful Revolutionary Guards. The report named Edalat, a professor of computer science and mathematics at Imperial College in London. Britain said earlier it was urgently seeking information from Iran following reports of the academics arrest. Edalat was detained on April 15, according to the New York-based Centre for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI). He founded the Campaign Against Sanctions and Military Intervention in Iran, which describes itself as an independent campaign organisation with the purpose of opposing sanctions, foreign state interference and military intervention in Iran. CHRI said Edalat was arrested by the Revolutionary Guards and that he had refused to post bail on Wednesday, arguing that he was innocent and should be released unconditionally. The group said Edalats home in Tehran had been raided and his computer was confiscated, as well as CDs and notebooks. We are urgently seeking information from the Iranian authorities following reports of the arrest of a British-Iranian dual national, a Foreign Office spokeswoman said. CHRI said 30 dual nationals have been arrested in Iran, primarily on spying charges, since the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers. The most high-profile British case is that of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a Thomson Reuters Foundation employee who was arrested two years ago and is serving a five-year sentence for alleged sedition. Another Imperial College scientist, Kaveh Madani, was forced to leave Iran and quit his job as deputy head of the governments environment agency earlier this month following pressure from hardliners. He later said he had been placed under unauthorised surveillance from the moment he returned to Iran in September. burs/del CLAREMONT, CALIFORNIA April 25, 2018 Supply Chain and Manufacturing Expert, Lisa Anderson, MBA, CSCP, CLTD, president of LMA Consulting Group Inc., sees innovation as key to the success of manufacturing. "In order to be ahead of the curve and the competition, continuous improvement is no longer enough. Companies must innovate. Innovative products, processes, ideas, collaboration techniques, and technologies such as IOT, block chain and business intelligence allow manufacturers to maximize the customer experience and enable profitable, scalable, dramatic business growth." explained Ms. Anderson. In today's Amazonian environment, we are in the era of the customer. Innovation, rapid customization and manufacturing agility have led to a resurgence. "Since the Inland Empire of Southern California is located in an epicenter of the population (larger than 25 states and part of California which would be the 6th largest country), it is an ideal location to provide a superior customer experience, highly customized product and service with rapid delivery. When added with its many advantages access to high-skilled talent, technological and automation prowess, lower-cost space and labor costs vs. surrounding areas and top-notch manufacturing and supply chain programs and education such as Harvey Mudd, there is no better place to be" she said. Ms. Anderson recently chaired the Innovation Awards at the 7th Annual Manufacturers' Summit hosted by the Manufacturers' Council of the Inland Empire. Awards were given for innovation in process, product, human capital and marketing, and included a special award to students. "There is tremendous opportunity for manufacturers to thrive. After all, we have set the standards for innovation since manufacturing became a powerhouse in the 1920's. There's every reason to believe that we can continue raising the bar and make Inland Southern California "the" destination of choice for manufacturers around the world" she concluded. In support of manufacturing and the related industries, Ms. Anderson is President of the APICS Inland Empire Chapter and is taking on a greater role in Inland Southern California by becoming a board member for the Inland Empire Economic Partnership. She is moderating a panel at the Southern California E-Commerce and Logistics Summit on April 26th. DEL RIO - U.S. District Judge Alia Moses postponed a planned sentencing Wednesday for former lobbyist James Jonas III, who faces a long prison term for crimes he committed while he was the attorney and city manager for Crystal City. Moses gave Jonas permission at his reset hearing on May 16 to call three witnesses he claims were coerced to perjure themselves at his trial last year. She also appointed a lawyer to assist him, something he had earlier rejected. The prosecutor manipulated statements and forced witnesses to lie, Jonas declared, and named San Antonio lawyer Jane Macon, Austin civil engineer Dan Hejl and San Antonio City Councilman Manny Pelaez as those witnesses. Pelaez testified at trial that Jonas had tried to enlist him in a kickback scheme involving a solar energy company seeking to do business in Crystal City. Instead, he said, he went straight to the FBI. Pelaez, who was in the courtroom Wednesday, denied Jonas accusation. Its his constitutional right to make any argument he wants to, no matter how meritless, he said. Jonas was among five Crystal City officials charged in 2016 after a three-year federal anti-corruption investigation. A North Texas businessman who operated an eight-liner parlor there was also charged. Jonas and the others were accused of taking bribes and kickbacks from people seeking to do business with the city, as well as other crimes. Last summer, after a week-long trial, he was convicted of all 18 counts in the indictment. Former Crystal City Mayor Ricardo Lopez, his co-defendant, was also convicted. Lopez awaits sentencing, along with the other four defendants, all of whom pleaded guilty. Jonas, 56, has been incarcerated since he was found guilty. The once dapper and well-groomed lobbyist was hardly recognizable Wednesday when he shuffled into the courtroom. He appeared gaunt and aged, having lost a lot of weight and with hair down to his neckline. Wearing an orange jump suit, and orange plastic slippers, he was shackled hand and foot. In objecting to the sentencing being delayed, Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Harris dismissed the claims of forced perjury as being merely another dilatory tactic by Jonas, who has been representing himself since late last year. He wants to re-litigate the case. He wants to raise issues of prosecutorial misconduct that are not appropriate at a sentencing hearing, said Harris. Harris, one of the two trial prosecutors in Jonass case, offered only a cryptic comment following the unexpected outcome of the Wednesday hearing. While justice delayed is sometimes justice denied, we are confident justice will be served, he said. jmaccormack@express-news.net WASHINGTON In a rare move, Gov. Greg Abbott demanded Wednesday that scandal-plagued former Rep. Blake Farenthold cover the costs of the upcoming emergency special election that has been called in the wake of his abrupt resignation this month. In a letter to Farentholds former congressional office, Abbott also urged the Corpus Christi Republican to make good on the $84,000 he promised to repay the U.S. Treasury for a taxpayer-funded settlement he reached in a 2014 sexual harassment lawsuit. While you have publicly offered to reimburse the $84,000 in taxpayer funds you wrongly used to settle a sexual harassment claim, there is no legal recourse requiring you to give that money back to Congress, Abbott wrote. I am urging you to give those funds back to the counties in your district to cover the costs of the June 30, 2018, special election. This seat must be filled, and the counties and taxpayers in the 27th Congressional District should not again pay the price for your actions. RELATED: GOP Rep. Farenthold resigns after sexual harassment claims Abbott requested that Farenthold respond by next Wednesday. But with no legal requirement for Farenthold to pay or even respond to the governor, political analysts say the demand could amount to little more than a gesture for the Republican governor to put pressure on the ex-congressman and distance himself from the scandal. Farenthold did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Local election officials estimate the costs of the special election will be more than $200,000, to be borne by the 13 counties that compose the district along the Texas Gulf Coast. Farenthold announced his resignation in a video released hours before he left office April 6. That was days before a House Ethics panel was scheduled to vote on new allegations of sexual harassment and misusing his staff for campaign purposes. Abbotts payment demand came a day after he decreed an expedited special election on June 30, using emergency powers to bypass state and federal laws that he said could have pushed back voting into September. RELATED: For Farenthold, a long journey from duck pajamas to a lawsuit Abbott, backed by Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton, cited the urgency of the districts ongoing recovery from Hurricane Harvey. Four candidates two Republicans and two Democrats already are contending in May 22 primary runoffs ahead of the regular midterm elections set for Nov. 6. The runoff is being held even as the U.S. Supreme Court takes up a legal challenge by a coalition of African-American and Hispanic groups alleging that the Republican-leaning district was one of several in Texas that were illegally gerrymandered by the Texas Legislature to marginalize minority voters. With little legal recourse to force Farenthold to pay up, some analysts see Abbotts letter as little more than a public pressure campaign and an unusual one at that. Its entirely unprecedented, said Cal Jillson, a Southern Methodist University political scientist. Farenthold is one of a half-dozen lawmakers who have been accused of sexual harassment or misconduct in the wake of the #MeToo movement. But he is the only one whos faced a call to repay the costs of a new election. Given the governors limited clout in the matter, it seems more like political grandstanding, said Jordan Libowitz, a spokesman for the watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. If hes not going to pay back the $84,000 he already said he was going to pay back, I cant imagine him paying $200,000 that he doesnt want to pay. WASHINGTON Brad Parscale, President Donald Trumps campaign manager, wants San Antonio to host the 2020 Republican National Convention and has taken to Twitter to voice his frustration at the citys lack of response to bid for the event. In an email to Mayor Ron Nirenberg on Wednesday, Parscale pressed for a response. It is very important that I let the group here in DC know that San Antonio is going to pass on this opportunity. Many cities are killing to have this, Parscale wrote. Parscale used his Twitter account Wednesday to express further frustration. Coming soon to #SanAntonio : another mayor makes an epic political mistake that takes a possible 200MM from the community. Why??? I want to rip the last hair I have out of my head. Maybe he is just waiting on Mayor Sculley to decide for him, Parscale tweeted, referring to City Manager Sheryl Sculley. Nirenberg said: I do not respond to political operatives tweetstorms. But former Mayor Julian Castro, who has said he might run for the Democrats presidential nomination in 2020, did respond. The Trump campaign is so SCARED of losing Texas in 2020 that it is DESPERATELY trying to get San Antonio to bid for the RNC convention as political insurance. It won't work, Brad. RNC loses millions for its hosts. And you're going to lose Texas anyway in 2020, Castro tweeted. In an email to council members Wednesday, Nirenberg wrote: Today, I learned that the GOP has renewed its interest in San Antonio and is now actively seeking a convention bid. More politics: Some Texas Republicans fear Trump may hurt them, help Democrats in November Nirenberg invited council members to a closed-door discussion next week about whether the city should attempt a late bid to host the event, which could be an economic bonanza for San Antonio. He said he has reservations. The mayor said he had been encouraged by some local business leaders, notably Parscale, to submit a bid to host the convention. But he said Wednesday he had gotten some mixed signals about the citys chances of securing the bid. He said representatives from the RNC were in San Antonio late last month to meet with political and business leaders about hosting the convention in the summer of 2020. Nirenberg said a local convention booster told him shortly afterward that Republicans no longer were interested in San Antonio, so he did not raise the issue with the City Council. Theres a reason San Antonio has not pursued a national political convention since 2000. The local community has to commit tens of millions of dollars up front, and prudent fiscal stewards have good reason to question whether that expense is worthwhile for the community, Nirenberg said in an interview. He remarked: For all intents and purposes, there was nothing happening on this front until Parscale started blowing up the phones. Parscale has aggressively encouraged local officials and business leaders to bid on the convention. He holds considerable sway among national Republicans; he ran the Trump campaigns successful digital operation from San Antonio two years ago and, in addition to directing the presidents political operation, he sits on the 12-member committee that chooses the convention site. It would be one of the most premier events in the history of San Antonio, Parscale said in an interview. It would give the city tens of millions of dollars worth of international media exposure, hundreds of millions of dollars in economic impact, help fill 85,000 hotel rooms for the struggling hotel industry and be one of the most significant food and beverage events ever in San Antonio. He added: It would be completely insane for the city of San Antonio not to make a bid when it is one of the most perfect sites for a national convention. The RNC did not respond to an inquiry about selection details or cities vying for the convention. But Charlotte, which hosted the 2012 Democratic convention, is viewed as a leader in the competition. Earlier this month, the North Carolina city submitted a formal proposal detailing its plan to house tens of thousands of visitors and provide security for an event at which thousands of protesters likely will be on hand. More politics: Abbott calls cross-border activity disturbing and dangerous Some national Republicans view the selection of San Antonio as convention host as a way to begin mending fences with Latino voters, many of whom deeply resent the Trump administrations deportation policies along with his efforts to limit legal immigration and build a wall along the Southwest border. Trump rescinded the popular Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program begun in the Obama administration and fought to derail several bipartisan efforts in Congress to restore protections. The Republican Party is aware of the growing Hispanic population and recognizes that their conservative values are perfectly aligned with the agenda of Republicans. Holding our convention in the Hispanic capital of the U.S. would be a very important step, said a top Republican Party official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Hosting a political convention is a massive logistics and security task, but one that can bring substantial rewards. Cleveland, site of the 2016 GOP nominating convention, enjoyed a $188 million benefit, according to an independent study afterward by Tourism Economics. The convention drew 48,000 people to Cleveland, 15,000 of them from news outlets. The economic impact in 2016 for Philadelphia, which hosted the Democratic National Convention, was even more $230.9 million, a study by the same analysts showed. Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff, a Democrat, is among supporters of hosting the GOP gathering. As San Antonio mayor in 1992, Wolff tried unsuccessfully to bring the GOP convention to San Antonio. It went to Houston. San Antonio also lost out despite efforts to host the Democrats 1996 nominating convention and the GOP convention in 2000. I think it would be a big, big benefit to San Antonio to have it here, said Wolff, who has been present for discussions about hosting for the Republican gathering. I think we could handle it very well. Theres a concern about the controversies with President Trump. But the fact of the matter is that in a Republican convention, the presidents probably only here for a couple of hours if indeed he is nominated, and if indeed he wins the nomination, Wolff said. Wolff said local leaders were told that they could expect to receive about $40 million from the government to help cover security costs. In a memo sent to the Charlotte Regional Business Authority, the RNC said it expects the host city to raise roughly $70 million. That money would come from private rather than public sources. blambrecht@express-news.net AUSTIN The secretary of state and attorney general have raised the prospect of a criminal investigation into this year's primary election in Webb County, where two people reported they were surprised to find mail-in ballots had been filled out in their names. Its one of a number of cases around the state helping to drive a push for tighter laws for mail-in balloting, which can be used by people who are 65 and older, have disabilities or who will be away from their county during the election. Mail ballots provide an important convenience for folks who need it, but sadly, with our current system, they open up the door for significant fraud, said Sen. Bryan Hughes, R-Mineola, who heads the Senate Select Committee on Election Security. The secretary of state received 60 complaints related to the March 6 primary elections, and decided not to refer 39 of them to the attorney generals office. The remaining 21 either have been referred the case in Webb County was one of them or are still under review by the states elections office. In Webb, the mail-in ballot tally in the Democratic primary appeared disproportionate to the in-person vote in races for county judge and a county commissioners seat, according to officials who brought their concerns to the state. The case, which includes the concerns over the two people citing apparently fraudulent mail-in ballots, first was reported in the Laredo Morning Times. Hughes cited a similar case in Gregg County in his East Texas district, in which a candidate won by a reported five votes after mail-in ballots outweighed an opponents lead in in-person voting. Last year, lawmakers approved measures to address voter fraud, propelled in part by a case involving 700 mail-in ballots in Dallas and Grand Prairie elections that raised suspicions of fraud. A number of senior people said mail-in ballots were requested for them without their knowledge. Gov. Greg Abbott placed the issue of mail-in ballot fraud on the 2017 special-session agenda and signed a bill into law to strengthen penalties. Governor Abbott believes that all allegations of voter fraud in Texas, including those in Webb County, warrant a complete and thorough investigation, said Abbott spokesman Mac Walker. Governor Abbott believes it is a primary function of government to protect a citizens right, and he will continue to advocate for policies that uphold the integrity of the election process. More politics: Tax day came and went without governor candidates disclosing returns Hughes said among potential options under discussion are giving grants to local prosecutors to help ensure they have the resources to pursue such cases; increasing the resources provided to the attorney general for that purpose; and providing a civil cause of action for people whove been aggrieved by election fraud. The attorney generals office has three attorneys and four investigators dedicated to election fraud, a spokeswoman said. It recently got a grant from Abbotts office that increased its staff. Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, serves on the select committee and would like to see improvements, including a requirement that mail-in ballots be stored and reported separately from in-person ballots. In Webb County, the publicly available tally doesnt break out mail-in ballots. Glen Maxey, director of the Texas Democratic Partys vote-by-mail program, said a focus should be stopping fraud rather than imposing punishment after the fact. He said seniors have to sign up again for mail-in ballots every two years, and they are pushed to do so through political parties, candidates or people on street corners. The last instance, he said, is where fraud happens. If you want to stop the fraud, then you make it easier for a senior to renew their ballot by allowing them to check an application card when they cast their final ballot in November of each two-year election cycle, Maxey said. It costs nothing and it takes all of this street activity out of the process. A criminal investigation was urged in the Webb County case by Keith Ingram, director of elections for Secretary of State Rolando B. Pablos, in an April 10 letter to Attorney General Ken Paxtons office. Even before receiving the secretary of states letter, Paxtons office was in touch with Webb Countys interim Elections Administrator Jose Salvador Tellez with word of a probe. Sgt. Wayne Rubio of Paxtons criminal investigations division told Tellez in a March 23 letter that the attorney generals office was investigating the March 6 primary with an eye to locating mail ballot fraud patterns. More politics: Valdez debating whether to give White a forum in Democratic showdown Rubio instructed Tellez to maintain primary election records until any criminal investigation or subsequent legal proceeding is complete. Tellez said he had heard from the attorney generals office once since the letter, asking for mail-in ballot requests from a senior citizen residence. A Paxton spokeswoman said she could not confirm or deny any investigations that may be ongoing. Zaffirini had voiced concern to the secretary of state, and to the offices of Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Paxton, about the mail-in ballots in her home county. She said she did not file an official complaint, since she didnt have direct evidence. But she said she provided the secretary of states office with a copy of an apparently fraudulent mail-in ballot application provided by one resident who said he didnt submit it, along with a copy of the voters drivers license showing his signature was different from that on the application. The voter found that a ballot had been submitted in his name when he went to vote in person. Zaffirini said she also was contacted by another resident whose father had gone to the polls and was told he already had voted by mail, when he had not. Other officials filed complaints, including Webb County Judge Tano Tijerina, who won the Democratic nomination against challenger Patricia Barrera; and Webb County Republican Party Chair Randy Blair. Tijerina said he thought it was important that the matter be investigated, even though he won, to safeguard the integrity of the process. I want to make sure this process is done correctly, said Tijerina, citing his obligation to his constituents. Barrera said she would welcome an investigation. She said she believes there was fraud that caused her to lose the election, but that she didnt file a complaint and had moved on. That night when I lost, I told the cameras, I accept it. Im going home, she said. I was not going to be like Hillary. Hillary Clinton hasnt been so sanguine since losing the 2016 presidential race to Donald Trump. Blair said he had filed a complaint with the secretary of state based on a story published in El Manana de Nuevo Laredo that said a number of ballots appeared to have been completed by one person. I have long known that mail-in ballots are the most easily manipulated, and have discouraged voters from using them, he said. Tellez said he looked into the ballot matter to which Blair referred, but that the report was inaccurate and there was not a problem there. Peggy Fikac is a San Antonio Express-News staff writer. Read more of her stories here. | pfikac@express-news.net | @pfikac Last Wednesdays city budget briefing offered plenty of good news. Assistant City Manager Maria Villagomez informed council members that general-fund revenues, at the midway point of the fiscal year, are $7.2 million above what was projected in the city budget, while expenditures are $1.6 million below expectations. The city now projects that it will have $13.2 million left over at the end of September. The longer-term budget forecast is pretty rosy too. Villagomez said the city budget is structurally balanced and added that over the next five years, general-fund revenue growth is expected to slightly outpace the growth in spending. All this positive news, however, has a downside for the city. The budget numbers undermine the central argument of the citys 2014 lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the 10-year evergreen clause in its collective-bargaining agreement with the San Antonio Professional Firefighters Association: that the evergreen by freezing the terms of the most recent labor deal for up to 10 years if a new agreement is not reached will force the city into debt. From the beginning, the city has hung its hat on a section of the Texas Constitution which stipulates, regarding cities with more than 5,000 people, that no debt shall ever be created, unless a provision is made to assess and collect annually a sufficient sum to pay the interest thereon and create a sinking fund of at least 2 percent. That was the argument that the citys legal representative, Michael Bernard, made in District Court in November 2015. Bernard offered an expansive definition of the word debt, admitting that the evergreen wouldnt create insolvency, but suggesting that it would bind the city in its ability to fund core services. Bernard argued that public-safety unions dont have a right to contracts in ways that are repugnant to the constitution. Visiting District Judge Martha Tanner threw out the citys arguments, and with good reason. Related: Mayor Ron Nirenberg gives State of the City address None of the legal precedents cited by the city involved collective-bargaining deals; the 10-year evergreen had been agreed upon by the city in every collective-bargaining deal involving firefighters going back to 1986; and a 1989 opinion by then-Assistant City Attorney Tom Finlay held that the evergreen did not create debt. Based on last weeks budget briefing, the city is coping quite well with a clause that it wants the courts to believe is monumentally destructive. City reps can make the valid point that Villagomezs budget projections did not factor in council wish-list items such as Mayor Ron Nirenbergs calls for increasing street-maintenance funding from $99 million to $110 million or the councils hope to add 25 police officers per year. But its also worth noting that the council was able to give a big boost to street-maintenance spending over the past year, going from $64 million to $99 million, even with that much-derided evergreen clause. To be clear, I wouldnt argue with anyone who made the point that a 10-year evergreen is dubious public policy, for both sides (after all, firefighters not only continue to enjoy the rich health-care benefits from a contract that expired four years ago, they also have done without pay raises during that stretch). But this case, which could wind up in the Texas Supreme Court, came about because the city wanted to make a legal not a policy argument. After all, the city challenged the clauses constitutionality, not its practicality. The doomsday warnings we heard from the city in court back in 2015 clearly have not materialized. In fact, the biggest fiscal red flag for the city right now is not the firefighters evergreen clause, but Gov. Greg Abbotts January threat to roll back revenue cap increases for local entities from 8 to 2.5 percent. The city would have a better case challenging the constitutionality of that kind of measure. Ultimately, this lingering evergreen lawsuit looks like the biggest unforced error the city has made during the 13-year tenure of City Manager Sheryl Sculley. An already toxic relationship between the firefighters and the city subsequently degenerated into all-out war. The relationship hit a new low two months ago when the firefighters launched a successful petition drive to get three charter amendments on the ballot, each of which would severely impair the power of city government to perform its duties. If the evergreen lawsuit was meant to make a legal point, so far its been a failure. If it was meant to scare the firefighters into becoming more compliant, its been a bigger failure. Gilbert Garcia is a San Antonio Express-News columnist. Read more of his stories here. | ggarcia@express-news.net | @gilgamesh470 Re: Mayor pushing a transit proposal; The model is multimodal; he wants vote on it in 19, front page, April 11: When Nelson Wolff and Ron Nierenberg unite in any venture, grab your wallet. Plan to camp out at polls until you get your no vote cast. Everybody with two brain cells to rub together knows that the developers and the glory hounds are gonna run rail up the flagpole again. Come to think of it, thats a good place for it. Penelope Talley Vouchers useless Re: School vouchers not best for military kids, Jason Lemieux, Jason, April 16: I was born into a career military family that moved a great deal. There were no vouchers or other aids in those days. I attended public schools in these cities (some of them more than once): Honolulu, San Diego, Washington, D.C., Shanghai, Tsingtao, Peking (all three pre-Mao names), Hong Kong, Manila, Pago Pago, Annapolis, Long Beach, Bremerton and Coronado (moving from here a week before graduation exercises). In between schools in China and aboard ship between countries, we used lessons from an accredited school-by-mail firm in the Midwest, with a teacher named Mom. I skipped a grade and a half, and entered college at 16. Mr. Lemieux is correct. Vouchers would have been utterly useless for this military kid and his brother. Yet somehow as in having a deep respect for education we made it. Retired U.S. Army Col. Jim Douglas No racism here Re: How Austin bombings fit a system of racism, Rogelio Saenz, Opinion, April 15: Rogelio Saenz claims the Austin bombing was a racist act and, therefore, Austin law enforcement agencies didnt handle it with urgency. There was nothing in the media reports to support that claim. Austin law enforcement agencies and FBI should be commended for their great police work to identify and find the bomber quickly. Its a shame that Saenz criticizes, by implication, the black and Latino members of those agencies rather than commend them for their good work. If they read his column, they must feel betrayed and unappreciated by a fellow minority. The commentary contains paragraphs of vague, academic accusations without any facts from the case to support his accusations. More than 500 federal agents were directed to help on the investigation, all working remarkably well to solve it. Unlike Saenz, I commend them for their professional achievement. Ralph Coker, Corpus Christi Information publiee le 26 avril 2018 par Universite de Lausanne (source : Renee-Claude Breitenstein Appointment position in English-French translation, Business French, and French language (Brock University, Ontario, Canada) The Department of Modern Languages, Literatures and Cultures at Brock University invites applications for a one-year Limited Term Appointment position in English-French translation (theory and praxis), Business French, and French language, at the rank of Assistant Professor, starting July 1st, 2018. The successful candidate must hold a Ph.D. in French Studies and will have extensive translation experience, French language teaching experience, and publications related to their field of study. Courses taught by the successful candidate, including translation courses, will be taught in French. In addition to teaching Translation courses, Business French, and French language, the successful candidate will also be asked to coordinate multi-section French language courses at all levels. Native or near-native fluency in French and English plus a demonstrated record of successful research and teaching are required. Knowledge of relevant teaching methodologies, and proven expertise in the use of computer-based instructional technology are also required. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority. RESPONSIBLE Applications will include a covering letter plus a current curriculum vitae including a teaching dossier; in addition, candidates will arrange for three recent confidential letters of reference to be sent to: Dr. Jean Ntakirutimana, Chair Department of Modern Languages, Literatures and Cultures Brock University St. Catharines, ON, L2S 3A1 jntakirutimana@brocku.ca APPLICATION The application deadline is May 15, 2018. This position is subject to budgetary approval. More information on Brock University may be found on the University's website: http://www.brocku.ca. Brock University is actively committed to diversity and the principles of employment equity and invites applications from all qualified candidates. Women, Aboriginal peoples, members of visible minorities, people with disabilities, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) are encouraged to apply and to voluntarily self-identify as a member of a designated group as part of their application. Candidates who wish to be considered as a member of one or more designated groups should fill out the Self-Identification Form and include the completed form with their application. The Self-Identification Form available online at: https://brocku.ca/human-resources/wp-content/uploads/sites/81/SelfIdentificationForm.doc All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority. FAIRFIELD He was just a boy, just 7 years old, said Endre Sarkany, when his life in Budapest changed. Just a boy, who heard the taunts on his way to school You dirty Jew, you should be dead. Sarkany lived with his parents in a fashionable section of Budapest and he had, he said, no concept of what they were talking about. It was March 1944, and Adolf Hitler had sent his troops to occupy Hungary. His grandfather took him to watch the soldiers in their black uniforms and black boots and swastika armbands. We go back home, and he says, Andy, our life as Jews will forever change, Sarkany told the audience gathered at First Church Congregational Wednesday night for the 35th annual Holocaust Commemoration. You know what? I didnt know what he was talking about. I was 7 years old. He may have been a little boy, but Sarkany has made it his mission to tell his story and the story of the 6 million Jews murdered in the Holocaust. It was about two years ago, Sarkany said, that he was scheduled to speak to a high school in New Haven. About two weeks before, he said the teacher called. She had a student who wanted to know if she had to attend after all, she didnt believe what he was going to say, and the Holocaust was just a hoax. And it was just last year, that Sarkany saw Nazis marching in Charlottesville, Va. Thats another reason Im going from school to school, Sarkany said. Confined to the Jewish Ghetto during his childhood and rarely allowed to leave the building where he lived, Sarkany recalled when his father was taken away again to a labor camp. His mother, he said, told him his father had gone to fight in the war and would be coming back. In my gut I knew she was lying to me, he said. They were required to wear the yellow stars, distinguishing them from the others. I wasnt allowed to leave the building, but the building I lived in was a blessing. There was a preschool and kindergarten on the bottom floor, and about 150 people living there. The owners of the building took care of us, Sarkany said. One nice day, when they were allowed to go play in the courtyard, Sarkany said he was running around and fell, hitting his head, which bled profusely. One of his teachers, a devout Catholic, took the yellow star off his jacket, told him to hold tight to her hand and risked her life to get him to the hospital. Here was a single woman, never married, a devoted Catholic, willing to risk her life to save a Jewish boy, Sarkany said. There was the Swedish diplomat, who came to Hungary and saved as many Jews as he could, Sarkany said. He did his job exceedingly well, he said, creating safe houses that he declared as Swedish property, where the Nazis could not go, and falsified documents. Following the liberation, and the unbelievable return of his father, gaunt and weighing about 70 pounds, came the Communists. Although he had graduated from high school, Sarkany was not allowed to attend college. The Soviets were brutal, he said. I remember when I was 18, and I was required to go and vote, he said. I went into the voting booth and someone was behind me to make sure I put the x on the Communist Party. At the age of 20, Sarkany witnessed the start of the Hungarian Revolution. I told my parents, I have no future in this country, I must leave, Sarkany said. I gave them a kiss, told them God willing, one day we will see each other again and I left. He journeyed from Budapest to Vietnam and the American Embassy. From there, he was taken to Germany and boarded a ship for a 17-day voyage to the United States. I was on the deck with some people I had made acquaintance with, when I noticed something very special, Sarkany said. It was a foggy day, and snowing, and I started crying. It was the Statue of Liberty that Sarkany had spied from the ships deck. That statue, he said, represented freedom, a freedom too many in the country take for granted. The interfaith memorial service, which featured musical selections and a candle-lighting ceremony, also included the reading of a poem by Fairfield Warde High School junior Michelle Awad. Titled The Unforgettable Act, the poem was written specially for the Holocaust Commemoration. by Ryan Patti | Pistons Correspondent | Wed, Apr 25th 1:07pm EDT Kelly Olynyk produced 18 points on 7-for-16 shooting (1-for-7 from downtown, 3-for-5 at the line), eight boards, six dimes, three steals and a block in 37 minutes in the Heat 104-91 loss to Philadelphia. TOLEDO, Ohio Ohioans with a strong passion for the food industry now have the opportunity to land their product on grocery store shelves with the Ohio Signature Food Contest, running now through May 31. Sponsored by the Center for Innovative Food Technology (CIFT) and Ohio Farm Bureau Federation, the contest will showcase new, innovative products from across the state. Enter Entering is simple and quick. Contestants complete a simple online form outlining the basic details of their product, and food industry experts will judge each based on the viability of the product, commercialization potential, business strategy, marketability and overall appeal to the marketplace. Emphasis is placed on products integrating Ohio ingredients when possible. Finalists will be invited to present their business concept and product to a panel of judges. The Ohio Signature Food Contest winner will be announced during a special ceremony in late July at the Ohio State Fair in Columbus. Following the announcement, the winner will receive: Technical and business development assistance, production of a product to be used for consumer feedback, label assistance, and more. Production will be available at the Northwest Ohio Cooperative Kitchen in Bowling Green, Ohio. Details Products do not need to be fully designed or ready for market, rather an ability to communicate a specific vision. The technical assistance aspect of the award will provide guidance toward a finished product. Deadline to submit the completed application is May 31. The entry form along with rules and regulations is available at ciftinnovation.org, or call 419-535-6000, ext. 117 for more information. ALLIANCE, Ohio The Country Barbwires 4-H club met April 16 at the Beechwood Methodist Church. Forty-three members and one guest were present to hear the safety report about gun safety and the health report about the importance of cleaning your shoes when traveling from farm to farm. The club hosted a bake sale at Family, Farm and Home April 21 and are planning to participate in the Marlboro Memorial Day parade. The next meeting will be May 21 at 7 p.m. at the Beechwood Methodist Church. GOSHEN, Ohio Goshen Good Growers 4-H had a meeting April 17. On March 28, they made small plush toys for children going into foster homes. They also added an adviser, Jessica Grabowski, and two new cloverbud advisers, Patty Myers and Alicia Blaine. At the meeting March 13, they elected 4-H officers: Josie Mallot, president; Sam Kanagy, vice president; Paige Reardon, secretary; Katie Martig, treasurer; Ben Brown, historian; and Alexis Nieb, news reporter. At the March meeting, five gift baskets were made for the endowment dinner April 21. Nine 4-H members helped clean the Damascus center park March 17. Eleven members volunteered at the Damascus Easter Egg Hunt and petting zoo March 24. ELLSWORTH, Ohio Western Reserve Rangers 4-H club welcomed new members, Ivan Huber, Avery Mountain, Mikayla Salovich, Abby Susak, Emily Williams and Kahlan Wolf, during the April meeting. Recreation leaders, Camille Kirk and Susak led a get acquainted game where all members and advisers participated. President Natalia Kresic presented appreciation certificates from the Veterans of Foreign Wars to Dailen Brown, Isabel Schors and herself for participation in the Wreaths for Veterans Program in December. Not present to receive her certificate was Paige Christoff. Members, parents and advisers signed a birthday card for Bill Phillips, a retired county 4-H agent, who celebrated his 94th birthday in April. Ten members and advisers shared activities they participated in at the 2018 Volunteer and Teen Conference hosted at the Columbus Convention Center in March. Many of the youth who assisted with the 4-H sponsored Easter egg hunt reported on how they helped the activity run smoothly. Egg hunt committee members Abby and Isabel Schors shared that a record breaking 10,000 eggs were put out in the fields. The club will host guest speaker, Joel Gensler, resource officer for Western Reserve Schools, at the May 18 meeting at 7 p.m. at the Ellsworth Fire Hall. STREETSBORO, Ohio On April 14, the Streetsboro Veterinary Clinic, along with Portage County 4-H, hosted a clinic teaching youth what it takes to become a veterinarian, and explaining many of the daily tasks vets and their assistants perform ranging from lab work on blood samples, to teeth cleaning procedures, to checking for bumps on dogs, to fine needle aspirations. Veterinarian Jennifer Kartley, of Streetsboro, along with her technician, Amber Masowick, gave three presentations at the American Legion Hall, Post 685. A variety of animals and 4-H activities were presented to promote 4-H and teach youth about animals. Tanner Gordon and Chris Schaffer shared their experiences at Camp Whitewood and encouraged fellow youth to attend this year. Marianne Senvisky talked about Clover Bud Camp. Marie and Rhonda Lonneman brought along a hen and rooster to educate the public on proper chicken care and the 4-H poultry project. Megan MacIntyre, of the Creatures-N-Feature 4-H club, presented canine first-aid, parasites, and proper nail trimming techniques along with her dog. Joe, Sam, and Matt Wright, of Portage County Shepherds, shared two ewe sheep and a lamb and discussed sheep anatomy, meat cuts, and breeds. What does it take to manage 100,000 birds? SALEM, Ohio Id totally do that, said Hannah Malmsberry, 25, talking about her attitude toward taking care of chicken houses instead of going into an office each day. Hannah and Nate Malmsberry, of Mahoning County, manage two contract chicken barns that hold nearly 100,000 broilers, or meat chickens, at a time. Before Hannah started chicken farming, she worked for Nestle and Freshmark in research and development. She had no farming experience, but her detailed personality helped her be successful in the workplace and has also paid off in chicken farming. Nate works for Williams Energy as a construction manager. His entrepreneurial spirit led him to purchase 42 acres from the bank in the spring of 2014. He didnt have a plan for the land at the time, but it was selling for the right price and he jumped. Its now the site of their two barns. Ive always wanted to farm, but it is really hard to get started, said Nate, who lives in the homestead at his familys farm. Farmers cant get financing to get started, but with something like this they will, Nate said about USDA Farm Service Agencys willingness to finance chicken barns. The Malmsberrys are just one of nearly 300 chicken growers across Ohio. Two companies, Case Farms and Gerbers Amish Farms Chicken, contract growers in Ohio, and more than 2 million meat chickens are processed each week in Ohio between the two companies. Family farms make up 85 percent of all chicken raising, with 2-10 houses each. These are relatively small farms, said Mike Lilburn, an Ohio State professor and supervisor of the Poultry Research Center in Wooster. Socioeconomically, it has allowed a lot of people to stay in agriculture. Getting started The same year Hannah and Nate were planning to tie the knot, they started working with the Farm Service Agency to get all the paperwork aligned. They spent from March to November of 2016 getting permits, working with the county and securing the loan. They married in June of 2016 and a year later, a day before their anniversary, the first chickens arrived. Most people get a dog, she joked, but we got chickens. Business model Ohio States Lilburn says the vertical integration business model of contracting producers is working, and as long as consumption continues to increase, there will be a demand for people to build the houses for broilers. National contract chicken facts 50% More than 50 percent of farmers have been with their current company for 10 or more years. 45 days Chicks grow to market weight of 4-7 pounds in about 45 days. 3-4 percent Is the mortality rate. No hormones or steroids are administered. 31 g the amount of protein in a 3-ounce cooked, boneless, skinless chicken breast. 3x The decrease the poultry industry has had on its environmental footprint because of advancements in the last 30 years. Source: National Chicken Council, www.chickencheck.in The companies arent investing a lot of real estate money into raising chickens. They use land farmers usually already own, Lilburn said, who has been with OSU for 31 years. Case Farms has been contracting growers for more than 20 years, but the vast majority have started with in the last 12, said Sam Caudle, complex manager at Case Farms Canton location. The largest benefit we see is that it allows us to use capital in different ways, Caudle said. It has allowed us to grow our business and focus on the processing of chickens. Extensive process The Malmsberrys did their homework, visiting other chicken farms and talking extensively with Joe Costa, Case Farms director of housing sales. To build two barns, they knew to expect 4-6 months of construction. The nearly nine months of paperwork and planning included a Federal Emergency Management Agency permit, nutrient management plan, storm water management plan, working with the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, Mahoning County permitting, and drilling two wells, among other things. It sounds like a lot, and it was, Nate said, and there were some delays in getting approval. Learning curve Case and Gerber work with the new growers until they are able to be efficient on their own. When new houses get up and running, we are there every day for guidance, then we back off as the caretaker gets the hang of it, said Costa. There is a big learning curve; they give you all the tools, but dont spoon feed you, Nate said. For the first two weeks, a flock supervisor was here every day and she was fantastic. Glen Mott, Gerbers vice president of compliance, said they provide a five-member team for support, available when needed. The company also has a consulting vet and nutritionist that visit each farm once a month. In the Malmsberrys two barns, there are just over 100,000 birds. All are continually monitored every drop of water, ounce of food and weight gained is recorded. Making a profit Case provides incentives for growers do to their best and be as efficient as they can. The same is true at Gerbers, where growers are paid by square foot as a minimum payment, said Mott. If they meet humane standards and feed conversion targets, they get bonuses based on performance and achieving good results. It is about body weight vs. feed conversion in meat chicken contracts, and top producers will make more. It is competitive, and a number of factors go into it, said Lilburn. Some people are just on top of things. Theres some variability, but there is a floor and the producers know the floor, he said. Between the flocks The biggest surprise to the Malmsberrys was how much work there is to do cleaning between flocks. It is probably triple the work we expected, Nate said. The birds grow to 4 pounds in 34 days. After the flocks are loaded for processing, everything must be cleaned. They are at the mercy of Case Farms as to when the next flock will arrive, which could be anywhere from three days to three weeks. They have found it takes about five days to do all the cleaning procedures well. The cleaner your barns, the less the next flock has to fight bacteria, said Hannah, whom Nate calls a perfectionist when it comes to caring for the flock and cleaning the barns. She said a thorough cleaning also eliminates bugs that may be eating your feed and saves you grief in the long run. The Malmsberrys are working to mechanize more of their cleaning process with automatic blowers to remove the dust from every barn surface. It is all about the details monitoring their environment, food and nutrition, she said. Hannahs flock has consistently topped the charts against other producers, which helps on the financial return. Bartering Their two barns are 60 by 652 feet, with 40,000 square feet under roof. They produce 1,100 tons of chicken litter per year. They are still working to calculate a fair price for their manure, as they barter with some and sell to others. When a new truckload of young chickens arrives, each farm is required to have their birds unloaded in 2 hours. The truck driver waits for them to unload the birds with other live birds in the truck. So to unload the birds, the Malmsberrys must have help, Nate said. They recruited two friends, Mark and Matt Bandy, who also farm and use some of the chicken litter in exchange for helping. The four of them can get it done in an hour and 15 minutes. Animal welfare After the chicks are unloaded, the process starts again for Hannah in nurturing the chicks, monitoring everything and removing animals that die. Their mortality rate is 3-4 percent, and she pulls the dead chicks daily and has been certified to compost them. The meat birds head for the processing plant after being at their farm for about 34 days and the process starts over for the Malmsberrys. We kill animals for a living. Its not pretty, but we do it really well, said Motts, who has been with Gerber for 29 years. We are experts at raising birds and processing them. Both Gerber and Case are audited by a third party and strive to offer a humanly treated protein source to their customers. They are regulated by FDA and the USDA. We want them to get to the plant in good condition, Caudle said. We are the biggest proponents of animal welfare because its our business. Contracting chickens FAQ What companies contract chickens in Ohio? Case Farms and Gerbers Amish Farm Chicken What is the farmer responsible for? Land Housing Utilities and maintenance of the housing Complying with all regulations associated with state and local animal housing, nutrient and water management. Daily care and management of the barn. Keeping detailed records. Cleaning out barns between flocks. What is the contractors responsibilities? Delivering healthy chicks to the farm Veterinary care Technical advice and general guidance Supply and deliver feed Transportation to processing plant. What are the farmers paid? In the contract model, there is a base price, then growers can receive bonuses based on a number of factors, including feed conversation rates and where they rank on other statistics compared to fellow growers. The national compensation average is $25,000 annually per barn. How long does it take to pay off a barn? The average barn loan is for 15 years. The time it takes a farmer to pay it off depends on if they put everything they make back into the barn or if they use some of it for living expenses. What is the demand? On average, almost 95 percent of contract farmers are retained year over year by the same company and most companies have waiting lists for farmers wanting to enter a partnership or increase capacity building more houses. Are those chickens in cages? No. The modern meat chicken houses we have seen pop up in Ohio in the last 15 years do not have cages. The chickens freely roam the barn, eating and drinking as they please in an environment monitored for bird comfort. Is there any government oversight of these poultry contracts? The company-farmer relationship is regulated by federal law. Livestock and poultry procurement and marketing practices are regulated by the USDA Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration to protect farms and consumers. Sources: National Chicken Council, www.chickencheck.in; Sam Caudle complex manager at Case Farms Canton location; and Glen Mott, Gerbers Amish Farm Chicken vice president of compliance. A Commission is to travel around the country asking the general public and farmers what matters to them regarding food, farming and the countryside as the UK edges towards leaving the EU. The Royal Society of Arts (RSA), an organisation that seeks to enrich society through ideas and action, has announced its programme of public engagement, including a UK-wide bike tour. It will hold locally-led inquiries in Cumbria, Devon and Lincolnshire and devolved inquiries in Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland. The RSAs Food, Farming and Countryside Commission has reviewed more than 1000 different policy proposals proposed by the experts think-tanks, government bodies, interest groups and other influencers. This reveals that while many are calling for significant change, proposals remain largely siloed and some topics important to rural communities are missing. The Commissions tour is hoping to close the gap. It will give farmers and rural businesses, who will be among the most affected by Brexit, a say. It will ask what matters to them and what changes theyd like to see. The Commission is also calling for ideas - practical proposals that will make a difference. The call opens today (26 April) and closes on 31 May. The unique public engagement programme will work with citizens, farmers, growers, businesses and community groups, to trial and recommend solutions that have the potential to transform the UKs food and farming system. 'Bigger picture' Sir Ian Cheshire, chair of the RSAs Food, Farming and Countryside Commission, said potential ideas are "much broader" than just focusing on replacing the Common Agricultural Policy and farming subsidies after Brexit. Were looking at the big picture, linking food, farming, environment, health and economics, to create a positive, lasting future for the countryside, to be enjoyed by all - including the majority of us living in cities, Sir Cheshire said. In taking this approach, we want to know whats on your plate. We want to know what matters to you about the food you buy. But we also want to know what else is on your plate what matters to you about where you live and work? Sue Pritchard, Commission Director said: Hearing from experts is important, but we know we all shape the future of the countryside, farming and the food sector every time we put food on the table, turn on a tap or go for a walk in the hills. I think people will share the Commissions goal of finding ideas that work for all of us good for rural communities and the rural economy, good for our health and good for the planet." The tour follows news of the NFU appealing to farmers to participate in the government's consultation on the future of farming, calling it a "vital moment in time". UK bike tour Week commencing April 23rd in Lincolnshire April 30th in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire May 7th in Scottish Highlands May 14th in North East Scotland May 21st in South East Scotland May 28th in Central Scotland June 4th in South West Scotland June 11th in Northern Ireland June 18th in Northern Ireland June 25th in Northern Ireland and Cumbria July 2nd in Northumberland July 9th in Yorkshire July 16th in Lancashire July 23rd in Cheshire and North Wales July 30th in North Wales August 6th in West Wales August 13th in East Wales August 20th in Shropshire August 27th in Staffordshire, Birmingham and Warwickshire Sep 3rd in Gloucestershire and Wiltshire Sep 10th in Somerset and North Devon Sep 17th in Cornwall Sep 24th in South Devon and Dorset Oct 1st in Hampshire Oct 8th in Oxfordshire Oct 21st in Surrey and West Sussex Oct 28th in East Sussex and Kent EU member states are due to vote on proposals to ban the outdoor use of three neonicotinoid pesticides. Since December 2013 three neonicotinoid pesticides - imidacloprid, clothianidin and thiamethoxam - have been banned for use on crops attractive to bees. The restrictions were imposed after a previous report by European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) concluded that they posed a "high acute risk" to honey bees. On Friday (27 April), the European Commission will ask Member States to vote on a proposal to widen the ban to cover all crops grown outdoors, compared to its current ban on flowering crops, spring-sown cereals and maize. The move follows mounting concern about the impact of these chemicals on bees and the wider environment. The UK government has overturned its previous convictions on neonicotinoids and now say an outright ban is needed. A total ban on the pesticide in fields across Europe will be now be backed by the UK, Defra Secretary Michael Gove revealed in November last year. The weight of evidence now shows the risks neonicotinoids pose to our environment, particularly to the bees and other pollinators which play such a key part in our 100bn food industry, is greater than previously understood, Mr Gove told The Guardian. The European Commission says it closely monitors the possible relations between bee health and pesticides and is determined to take the most cautious approach possible to protect bees. Farmers and landowners are being advised to ensure the correct insurance cover is in place when converting agricultural buildings into residential homes. Amendments to development laws introduced earlier this month are set to incentivise more farmers to convert agricultural buildings into residential homes. However, farmers and landowners are being advised to ensure the correct insurance cover is in place, or face the threat of policies not being relevant. The new regulations and updates to the law came into force on 6 April, and include the intention to increase the numbers of properties that can be converted from existing agricultural farm buildings up to five. Existing development rights only permitted a maximum of three properties to be built without express planning permission. With the increased development opportunities, it is anticipated more farmers will take advantage, and a rise in the number of conversions will follow. Before work starts or planning begins, farmers are being encouraged to ensure they are aware of insurance implications. Contractors All Risk If a property is insured as a farm building, as soon as any residential development work commences, the farm policy will no longer be relevant, explains Nigel Wellings, director of agricultural insurance broker, Farmers & Mercantile (F&M). Mr Wellings adds: If you are using an outside contractor for the full conversion work, they must have Contractors All Risk (CAR) insurance, and this will cover all work in progress, materials, public and employee liability. Farmers also need to inform their own insurers of all work in progress, and the insurer should then cover the existing shell, providing they are fully aware of the plans. To ensure HSE obligations are met, the Construction (Design & Management), or CDM regulations, must be signed over to the contractor. The CDM regulations are the main set of regulations for managing health, safety and welfare of construction projects. Once signed over to the contractor, the owner will no longer be responsible for the work. If you are acting for yourself as the overseer of the build, employing separate bricklayers, plasterers, roofers etc., you will personally require Contractors All Risk insurance, continues Mr Wellings. An upcoming BBC television series will see three families from across the UK ditch their 9 'till 5 jobs in search for a better work-life balance in the countryside. 'Family Farm' is set in the mountains of Snowdonia, and the three families will gain the help of hill farmer Gareth Wyn Jones and wildlife presenter Kate Humble. The four-part series will see the Morgans from Tenby, the Burtons from Manchester and the McNulty family from Glasgow be taken out of their comfort zones to Gareth Wyn Jones' family hill farm. The families will have their regular daily farm chores and will live on site in a special tented village. At the same time they will be given a set of challenges, designed to show how food gets from gate to plate. Each week their efforts will be judged by experts with Gareth and Kate choosing one exceptional individual to receive a shepherds crook for their good work. The families will gain hands-on experience and see the realities of rural life, and face tough decisions about the animals in their care. 'Warts and all' Farmer Gareth Wyn Jones was keen for them to experience the hard work that goes into running a farm and realise what it takes to produce the food we eat. Gareth says: I dont want it to be this perfect, pretty rural idyll. I want it to be warts and all - and to give them a real sense of what it takes to be a farmer and to produce food today. There is a cost to food production: not just financially, but emotionally, physically and mentally. This programme will give them the chance to be part of that. BBC Wales Head of Commissioning Nick Andrews says: Family Farm is a brilliant piece of television that taps into the one thing we all crave right now - the chance to spend quality time together as a family working and living together in a beautiful part of the world. But at the same time in allowing three families to live the dream its able to show the reality of modern rural Welsh life, the highs the lows and what it takes to try and make a living by putting food on the countrys plates. Family Farm starts Sunday May 13, BBC One Wales, 6pm. Also on BBC Two, from Wednesday June 20, 8pm Farm safety procedures have been cast in the spotlight following the deaths of two farm workers in separate accidents within the space of one week. Two farm workers, a man in his 40s and a 58-year-old man, have died following accidents on the farm. The man in his 40s died following an accident on a potato farm in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk on 17 April. It is understood the man died due to an accident with a stone separator. A Suffolk Constabulary spokesman said: At approximately 8pm on Tuesday 17 April, officers were called to a farm in Rushbrooke, Bury St Edmunds, where a man, in his 40s, had suffered fatal injuries following an industrial incident. Police officers are currently leading a joint investigation with the Health and Safety Executive, although the death of the man is not being treated as suspicious. In the Western Isles of Scotland, a 58-year-old farmer was trampled to death by a herd of cows. The man was found dead after working in Berneray. Emergency services were alerted to the incident near Borve Cemetery on Tuesday (24 April) morning. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has been notified. A Police Scotland spokesman said: "There are no suspicious circumstances and a report has been sent to the procurator fiscal. "The Health and Safety Executive has also been contacted regarding the circumstances. "Our thoughts are with the man's family and friends at this time." Agriculture remains the most dangerous profession in the UK yet many of the fatalities and serious injuries reported each year can be easily avoided. Figures from the HSE have revealed that in 2016/17, agriculture had the highest rate of fatal injury, around 18 times higher than the All Industry rate. Exports of cheese from the UK surpassed the 615 million mark last year rising 23 per cent from 2016, according to the latest figures from HMRC. The data shows volumes of exported cheese rose by five per cent from the previous year reaching just over 170,000 tonnes. While cheddar continues to dominate exports, fresh cheeses and in particular mozzarella saw strong export growth in the year. The lions share was shipped to European markets with Ireland, France and the Netherlands remaining the most important destinations. Shipments to Germany have been declining, although replaced by increased sales to Denmark and Poland. Figures also show an increase in cheese exports to Asia, mainly to the Philippines, with volumes up 27 per cent year-on-year. The relatively high increase in average prices in these markets meant the value of cheddar exports rose by 57 per cent over the year. 'High quality' AHDB Senior Export Manager Lucy Randolph said the latest figures are a testament to the high quality cheese produced in the UK and the growing reputation for the countrys dairy products. The 2017 data shows another strong year of growth for our cheese exports, she added. While the EU is still our main market and is vital for UK dairy exports, it is encouraging to see both volumes and value increase outside of Europe. AHDB is continuing to work with cheese producers in the UK to grow our exports in existing markets as well as developing new opportunities across the globe. The AHDB export team are attending the international trade show Food and Hotel Asia in Singapore this week and will be joined by nine producers from the UK who will be exhibiting premium cheese and dairy products to more than 40,000 trade delegates. Shahid Kapoor Finalized For Hindi Remake According to a Mumbai Mirror report, Shahid Kapoor has inked the deal and the film is slated to go on the floors in July. The search for the lead female actor is on. Set in the backdrop of Delhi, the untitled film will also be shot in abroad and the director is yet to zero down the location. The Recce Begins "I'm leaving for Delhi today for location recce. Like the original, we are planning to shoot the remake in India and abroad. I haven't decided yet whether it should have an experienced actress or a fresh face as the female lead, but that will take a while anyway. Also, the film has great scope for music, dialogues and we are planning to rope in some popular names as well. A clear picture will emerge in two weeks," director Sandeep Reddy Vanga was quoted as saying. Arjun Was First Approached For The Remake As per an Asian Age report, Arjun had first been approached for Arjun Reddy because of the eponymous connection. But then the actor wasn't sure of Sandeep Reddy Vanga - the director of the original film - being able to carry off a Hindi film. He Wanted This Filmmaker To Direct The Remake Instead The daily further quoted a source as saying, "Arjun's father, Boney Kapoor, has an office in Hyderabad and used to operate out of there a lot. He was told that Bollywood films should have directors who can carry off the local language well because when a south filmmaker directs a Hindi film, a few things get lost in translation. Arjun shares a close bond with his Tevar director Amit Sharma and wanted him to direct the film instead." Arjun's Loss Is Shahid's Gain However, the producers Murad Khetani and Ashwin Varde, who had bought the rights to the Hindi remake, were, however, keen to retain the essence of the original and insisted on Sandeep as the director. The source further revealed, "So, Arjun's insistence on a director of his choice saw him out of the film and Shahid in." We're Becoming A Land Of Gang Rapists, Says Mallika "I think what's happening with women and children of this country is absolutely shameful. From the land of Gandhi, we have become a land of gang rapists and I think it's the media in the country that is really a strong force today. So all hopes are pinned on the media." Mallika Commends The Media Mallika Sherawat praised the media for bringing out such cases in to the limelight or else it would have been buried by the authorities and in return, make such cases very frequent in the future. She said, "If it's not in the media, then nobody would know about these cases." Crimes Against Women & Children "I think because of pressure from the media, these new laws have been enforced. So we are really thankful to the media for this. We haven't been able to protect women and children of our country and I have been reading about such kind of crimes on a daily basis in newspapers." Mallika Also Talked About Daas Dev! "I have seen the trailer of the movie. I am a fan of Sudhir Mishra's films and I love him as a director." When Asked About Her Upcoming Projects "There is one international show, of which I have acquired legal rights to remake in India... The same way as '24' (American) series was made in India. I will be making an announcement for that very soon. It is an Emmy Award-winning show." Rishi Kapoor On Ranbir's Hard Work The 65-year-old actor believes Ranbir has inherited his passion for cinema from him. "I found it very good. He is looking the part. He has worked very hard for all those different parts. To make up his body, he took six weeks off and grew hair. He is an actor and he has passion as well. Thankfully, one thing that I have passed on to him is my passion for work and films," Rishi told PTI. Rishi Gives A Mantra To His Son Ranbir's last outing "Jagga Jassos" had failed to garner much attention from the audiences, but Rishi believes an actor should not succumb to failures. "...Some films will work, some won't. No actor has 100 percent track record. But the passion should be continuous. The fire within you as an actor should always keep burning. That should be the mantra for any good actor," he said. Rishi Kapoor Says Ranbir Is A Risk-taker Rishi said Ranbir is a risk taker and the fact that he does one film at a time makes things even tougher for him. "He has a very different choice of films. He has taken a lot of risks at the cost of what? He doesn't have four films to fall back on, he does one film at a time. Like if his one film flops like 'Bombay Velvet' or 'Jagga Jassos' he has no work." But Rishi Kapoor Admires Ranbir's Choice Of Films "He doesn't have a film to fall back on or to prove his mettle. That is a huge risk an actor can take. What I admire about Ranbir is his choice of films. Sometimes he will be bad, sometimes he will be good," he said. Veere Di Wedding actor Sumit Vyas and popular TV Actress Ekta Kaul getting MARRIED soon FilmiBeat After Bharti-Harsh, Aashka-Brent, Gautam-Pankhuri and Shakti-Neha, another television couple is all set to tie the knot! According to Tellychakkar report, Mere Angne Mein actress, Ekta Kaul and web-series, Permanent Roommates, actor Sumeet Vyas are dating since some time now and are set to tie the knot. It is not known as to how they met each other but they are going strong. It is also being said that Ekta and Sumeet are allegedly engaged as well. According to the website's report, the couple exchanged rings this February (2018). A couple of months ago, Ekta Kaul had shared a cryptic post, in which she had revealed that she found a soul-mate. Sharing a picture, the actress wrote, "From today until forever.. #soulmatesunited #dealissealed." - (sic) According to the report, the couple is all set to tie the knot. They might exchange vows this September (2018). Their families have already accepted the couple. When Ekta was asked about the wedding, she revealed that although she is getting married in September, the guy is not Sumeet. On the other hand, Sumeet, who is currently in Malaysia refused to comment on the same! Sumeet is married to actress Shivani Tanksale for a long time. But apparently, their marriage hit the rough patch. It is also being said that the couple is headed for a divorce. The reason for their separation is private. On the other hand, Ekta Kaul was supposed to marry her co-star from Rab Se Sohna Isshq, Kanan Malhotra. But things didn't work out between them and the duo broke their engagement. Kanan is a married man now. On professional front, Sumeet will be seen in Bollywood film, Veerey Di Wedding that stars Kareena Kapoor, Sonam Kapoor, Swara Bhaskar and Shikha Talsania in the lead roles. On the other hand, Ekta was seen on Mere Angne Mein, but she quit the show as she reportedly had plans to marry soon. But the actress had denied the report of her marriage and said she was on a break. Baba Ramdevs Patanjali Ayurved has denied making a bid for debt-laden edible oil importer and retailer Ruchi Soya Industries Baba Ramdevs Patanjali Ayurved has denied placing a Rs 9,000 crore bid for debt-laden Ruchi Soya Industries, said a media report. Patanjali, however, is keen on acquiring the cooking oil and soya foods maker, to tap idle capacities at the latter's factories. After examining the companys vitals and balance sheet, the value of the deal should be at most between Rs 1,800-2,000 crore, Patanjali spokesperson SK Tijarawala was quoted as saying by The Economic Times. On Tuesday, shares of Ruchi Soya climbed over five percent amid reports that Patanjali Ayurved had joined the race to acquire the distressed company. Last week, The Hindu Business Line reported that Patanjali Ayurved had placed a Rs 9,000 crore bid to acquire Ruchi Soya Industries, which has been admitted into the insolvency process governed by the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT). The report said that over 26 companies expressed their interest in acquiring Ruchi Soya. The bid placed by Patanjali could be the highest, the report added. In March, it was reported that Godrej Agrovet Ltd was planning to place a bid for Ruchi Soya's palm oil business. Godrej, reportedly not interested in Ruchi Soyas other businesses, could tie up with others keen on those businesses, Mint said. Commodities trader Sakuma Exports had submitted an expression of interest (EoI) to acquire Ruchi Soya in February. The proposed acquisition would allow the Mumbai-traded Sakuma enter the retail market using Ruchi Soyas existing distribution network, Sakuma MD Saurabh Malhotra had said. Sakuma Exports trades in agricultural commodities like sugar, corn, cotton and edible oils. Malaysias Sime Darby Plantation, the worlds largest oil palm planter by land holdings, has also expressed its interest in Ruchi Soya. It must be mentioned here that in September 2017, Ruchi Soya had announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Patanjali for an exclusive sales and distribution arrangement for Patanjali's edible oils. With inputs from Reuters By Ron Bousso LONDON (Reuters) - BP named Helge Lund, a former head of Norway's Statoil, as its next chairman on Thursday, as the British oil major looks to extend a period of rapid growth after recovering from a deadly oil spill in 2010. Lund, who also led BG Group during its acquisition by rival Royal Dutch Shell, will replace Carl-Henric Svanberg, chairman of BP for almost nine years, at the beginning of next year. The 55-year-old Lund steered Statoil through its transformation from a state oil company into a leading global player, and is likely to have to navigate BP through the succession of its veteran CEO Bob Dudley later this decade By Ron Bousso LONDON (Reuters) - BP named Helge Lund, a former head of Norway's Statoil, as its next chairman on Thursday, as the British oil major looks to extend a period of rapid growth after recovering from a deadly oil spill in 2010. Lund, who also led BG Group during its acquisition by rival Royal Dutch Shell, will replace Carl-Henric Svanberg, chairman of BP for almost nine years, at the beginning of next year. The 55-year-old Lund steered Statoil through its transformation from a state oil company into a leading global player, and is likely to have to navigate BP through the succession of its veteran CEO Bob Dudley later this decade. "It is a good appointment," said Rohan Murphy, analyst at asset manager Allianz Global Investors. "He has already had a great career and coming from Statoil and BG shows his upstream expertise which is still the main driver of earnings at BP so it is key to understand this well." Lund will join BP at a time when the British oil and gas company is growing quickly, having recovered from the deadly Deepwater Horizon spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010 that brought the company to the brink of collapse. The Norwegian earned his reputation as a leader when he oversaw Statoil's shift from a domestic-focused state oil firm into an international major over the 10 years to 2014. He was also CEO of BG Group from 2015 to 2016. Just two months into the job, he agreed to a takeover by Shell which corporate filings showed would trigger payouts that could net him more than 32 million pounds ($48 million). Lund will join BP's board as chairman designate and a non-executive director on Sept. 1 and will become chairman on Jan 1, the company said. It did not give salary details. "Our industry is changing faster than ever as the world focuses on meeting the dual challenge of more energy with fewer emissions ... Helge has a track record of leadership in addressing these issues," Svanberg said in a statement. Svanberg, from Sweden, became chairman on Jan. 1, 2010, four months before the worst offshore oil disaster in U.S. history that left 11 workers dead. He played a key role in the aftermath of the disaster that cost the company over $65 billion. Lund, who is also chairman of Denmark's Novo Nordisk AS, will stand down as a director at oilfield service company Schlumberger with immediate effect. He has been a Schlumberger director since June 2016. He started his career as a consultant with McKinsey & Company and a parliamentary adviser for Norway's Conservative party. Lund was also on the board of directors of Nokia from 2011 to 2014. (Reporting by Ron Bousso and Arathy S Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Jason Neely and Mark Potter) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Freight charges will go up by at least 15 percent, which will have a cascading effect on essential commodities Aside from vagaries of supply and demand, the prices of mangoes could go up marginally this year, because the cost of transporting the fruit is rising on the back of higher fuel prices. Diesel, the transport fuel, retailed at a record Rs 70.20 a litre in Mumbai on Wednesday. A trader operating from Navi Mumbai, Ashok Hande, told Firstpost that he was forced to pay an additional Rs 400, or Rs 3,000 in total, to transport a batch of mangoes to suburban Mumbai. Transporters are hiking rates to cover costs. Over the past seven days, diesel rates have gone up by 79 paise a litre in Mumbai, according to Indian Oil data. Hande, a member of the fruits and vegetables merchants association, said a rise in costs will, at some point, be passed on to the consumer. From a transporters perspective, fuel accounts for 65 percent of the overall cost, said Bal Malkit Singh, Chairman, Core Committee, All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC). Whenever fuel prices go up, our operational costs go up. In the current scenario, freight charges will go up by at least 15 percent, which will have a cascading effect on essential commodities, Singh cautioned. The Indian basket of crude oil was priced at $63.80 a barrel in March 2018 as against $46.56 a barrel in June 2017. But transporters fail to understand the math behind higher fuel prices amid relatively lower oil prices. Crude is now available at $64 a barrel but the price of diesel has crossed Rs 70 a litre. When crude was available at $108-$110 a barrel, in mid-2014, the price of diesel was around Rs 53 a litre. I fail to understand the calculations that helped the government and the oil firms arrive at current prices, Singh said. For now, farmers, who use diesel-powered pumps and diesel-powered tractors, will see their profits dip. In due course, higher farming and freight costs will have to be passed on to the consumer. Ravikant Tupkar, a senior leader of the Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana - a farmers union in Maharashtras Kolhapur district - said his organisation was planning an agitation in a few days, to protest the government's inability to provide subsidised fuel to the agriculture sector. "What is the government's role? Hike prices because international oil prices are going up? Or maintain a balance so that the farmers and the common man are not burdened?" questioned Tupkar. Retailers may hike prices of fresh produce slightly. Hikes wont pinch the common mans pocket as of now, said Sanjay Pansare, a fruit trader and the former director of the erstwhile Navi Mumbai Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC). Transporters and farmers are demanding subsidised diesel. But they must be reminded that its only in India that diesel is deliberately priced lower than petrol, said Rakesh Batra, Partner and Leader Advisory Services (Automobile Industry and Transportation), EY. Globally, diesel prices are at par, or even higher than petrol prices, Batra added. While rising fuel prices renew calls for a cut in excise duty, the central government won't budge. The finance ministry does not want to cut the duty on fuel because a reduction will negatively impact the fiscal deficit glide path. A duty cut will result in a Rs 13,000 crore loss to the exchequer. Instead, New Delhi wants states to cut the sales tax or VAT on fuel, the PTI reported. But be warned: higher diesel prices are no temporary phenomenon. The World Bank (WB) expects international oil, gas and coal prices to rise some 20 percent this year, the PTI reported. Global oil prices are forecast to average at $65 a barrel through 2018, up from an average of $53 a barrel in 2017, on strong demand from consumers and restraint by oil producers. That increase, the WB said, is expected to adversely impact India -- most of the oil we consume is imported. (Data support from Kishor Kadam) The 46-storey twin towers, with interior design by Versace Homes, will be the tallest approved building in the national capital with 182 metres in height, Unity group said. New Delhi: Italian luxury brand Versace and realty firm Unity Group on Thursday announced tie-up for developing the Delhi's tallest building, comprising 160 branded luxury apartments, with an investment of about Rs 500 crore. The 46-storey twin towers, with interior design by Versace Homes, will be the tallest approved building in the national capital with 182 metres in height, Unity group Director Harsh Vardhan Bansal told reporters here. These branded homes will be sold on invitation and price is likely to be about Rs 15 crore for a 5,800 sq ft apartment. Unity Group, which has built over 100 commercial buildings here, has forayed into housing segment to develop this 40 acre complex at Karol Bagh, comprising a total of nearly 2,700 units in 22 towers. The twin towers will be part of this project. The twin towers were launched in presence of Italian Ambassador to India Lorenzo Angeloni. "The branded luxury apartments will offer a range of unique amenities that embrace everything Versace stands for superior quality, contemporary design and innovation through a combination of ultra-modern facilities with unmatched style," said Gabriella Saracino, Worldwide Licensing and Home Division Director, Gianni Versace. She said this will be the second housing project for Versace brand in India, which is an important market for the Italian fashion house. It is doing a project 'ABIL Mansion' in South Mumbai. In recent years, Saracino said the company has started to focus on luxury residential projects around the world, such as the Aykon Lonon One in London, the DAMAC Residences in Jeddah and Milano Residences in Manila. Asked about the investment, Bansal said the total project cost is Rs 3,000 crore and out of that Rs 500 crore would be for Versace twin towers. The construction work has started and the project will be completed in next 4-5 years. At present, the Civic Centre building in the central Delhi is tallest with a height of around 110 metre. Unity Group is currently selling homes in this project in a price range of Rs 1.5-5.5 crore at a rate of Rs 14,000-15,000 per sq ft. The price of Versace branded flats has not been decided but it is expected around Rs 25,000 per sq ft. Unity is developing this project in joint venture with DCM group. This land parcel was earlier used by the DCM group for housing accommodation of Delhi Cloth Mills workers. In Delhi, there are very few housing projects being developed by private real estate players. India's largest realty firm DLF is developing a housing project at Moti Nagar in central Delhi. Parsvnath has housing projects at Civil Lines in north Delhi and Subhash Nagar in west Delhi. Founded in 1978 in Milan, Gianni Versace SpA is one of the leading international fashion design houses. It designs, manufactures, distributes and retails fashion and lifestyle products, including haute couture, accessories, jewellery, watches, eyewear, fragrances and home furnishings. Unity Group is a diversified group with interests in real estate, hotels, educational institutions, automobile dealerships, marble and healthcare. It has recently delivered two multi-level car parking with retail projects in collaboration with DMRC (Delhi Metro Rail Corporation) namely Unity One, Janakpuri and Unity One, Rohini. PNB had alleged in January this year that its Mumbai branch had fraudulently issued LoU and FLC to Nirav Modi firms in connivance with deputy manager Gokulnath Shetty and other bank officials New Delhi: The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) has moved swiftly seeking appropriate action by the investigative agencies in the Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam involving diamond czar Nirav Modi, his uncle Mehul Choksi and bank officials who conspired to issue fraudulent Letters of Undertaking (LoU) and Foreign Letters of Credit (FLC) to dupe the state-run bank by over Rs 13,000 crore. It is learnt that the PMO has recently forwarded a compact disc to the Finance Ministry and investigative agencies containing details of a whistleblowers disclosure into the alleged fake LoU that were issued without making entries in the banking system to the overseas branches of Indian bank under buyers credit. Top sources in the government said the whistleblower has provided details of unauthorised LoU for Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi-owned companies. The PMO has sought appropriate action in the charges made by the whistleblower in the CD. It includes both LoU and FLC issued to Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi companies, sources revealed. PNB had alleged in January this year that its mid corporate house, Mumbai branch had fraudulently issued LoU and FLC to Nirav Modi firms - Diamond R Us, Solar Exports and Stellar Diamonds - in connivance with deputy manager Gokulnath Shetty and other bank officials without obtaining required request applications, documents and approval of the authorities and without making entries in the bank system, thus avoiding detection of the illegal transactions. The Bank officials transmitted SWIFT instructions to the overseas branches of Indian banks for raising buyers credit and funding the Nostro accounts of PNB. On scrutiny of the SWIFT messages, it was revealed that Shetty on 9 February, 2017 had issued two LOUs for on behalf of Diamond R US and Solar Exports for $4415791 and $4335391, having due date of payment on 15 January, 2018 favouring Allahabad Bank at Hong Kong. The next day on 10 February, 2017 three LoU were issued to Diamond R US, Solar Exports and Stellar Diamond for $5942017, $5843161 and $6093321 having due date of payment on 25 January, 2018 favouring Allahabad Bank, Hong Kong. On 14 February, 2017 Shetty issued another three LoU for $5856885, $5862251 and $5877064 having due date of payment on 25 January, 2018 favouring Axis Bank at Hong Kong. It has been revealed that Firestar Group companies - Firestar International Limited and Firestar Diamonds International Private Limited - were also sanctioned credit limits by the bank under the consortium. In the matter of limits sanctioned to Firestar International Limited, PNB is the lead bank and in the account of Firestar Diamonds International Private Limited, Union Bank of India is the lead bank. These companies were transacting with three other Nirav Modi companies during 2013 to 2017 and credit limits sanctioned were not used for the purpose for which they were sanctioned. The SWIFT system was also compromised to benefit Mehul Choksi-owned Gitanjali Group of Companies and the bank officer at PNB branch issued FLC by entering a smaller amount in the trade finance module of the Core Banking System (CBS) and generated a reference number. A SWIFT message was then sent for the amount. Subsequently, without making any change in the trade finance module of the CBS system, the conniving officer sent a modified SWIFT message for the enhanced amount under the same reference to the beneficiary bank. The overseas suppliers had discounted the documents drawn under such FLC with overseas banks. These transactions took place in Mauritius, Antwerp, Bahrain, Frankfurt and Hong Kong. PNB had also disclosed that credit for import of semi-precious and precious stones including pearls should not be more than 90 days but in the case of Gitanjali Group, the LoU were beyond 90 days. The bank argued that this should have evoked suspicion in the minds of overseas branches of Indian banks extending buyers credit but they did not raise any alarm on the violation and continued to provide funding against fraudulent LoU. According to sources, the PMO has also forwarded about a dozen complaints received from various sources against other banks for further probe and are scrutinising them before taking the next step. The complaints against the banks have suddenly gone up after PNB scam and everyday 3-4 complaints are being filed by the whistleblowers, sources said. During January to March 2018, more than 1,200 banking-related complaints were received and about a dozen were found to be flimsy and the rest were forwarded for further action. Before the PNB scam tumbled out, around 560 complaints were received and of these 473 were referred for further action. Even vigilance watchdog, the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) has begun a crackdown. Since the PNB scam came to light, 112 bank officials from state-owned Indian Overseas Bank, Canara Bank, Syndicate Bank, Allahabad Bank, Bank of Baroda, Dena Bank, Oriental Bank of Commerce, Vijaya Bank, Corporation Bank, Central Bank of India, Union Bank of India, PNB and State Bank of India have been charged and recommended for major penalty. IATA membership will enable Vistara to collaborate with other international member airlines for codeshare and interline agreements Mumbai: Tata-SIA's joint venture airline, Vistara, has joined the 280-member strong global airlines body IATA, ahead of plans to launch international operations by the second-half of the year. Up until now, only two Indian carriers - Air India and Jet Airways - were part of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), whose members represent as much as 83 percent of the total air traffic across 120 countries. Membership will enable Vistara to collaborate with other international member airlines for so-called codeshare and interline agreements, and provide customers with seamless travel through an extended global network, the airline said in a release. "We're extremely proud to join the international community of IATA members. This membership couldn't have come at a better time as we gear up to launch our international operations soon," Vistara chief executive officer Leslie Thng said in a release. "We welcome Vistara as IATA"s newest member airline. India is a key aviation market " it is expected to become the third largest aviation market by 2024. We look forward to working with Vistara in shaping IATA's priorities for India and the global aviation industry," IATA regional vice president for Asia Pacific Conrad Clifford said. Delhi-headquartered Vistara operates over 730 flights a week to 22 destinations, with a fleet of 20 Airbus A320 aircraft. The full service carrier had in September last year completed the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA), a pre-requisite for an IATA membership. A Crime Branch team on Wednesday visited a madrassa in Ghaziabad where a 10-year-old girl was allegedly raped by a juvenile after being taken from her house in east Delhi's Ghazipur, police said. New Delhi: A Crime Branch team on Wednesday visited a madrasa in Ghaziabad where a 10-year-old girl was allegedly raped by a juvenile after being taken from her house in east Delhi's Ghazipur, police said. The team visited the madrasa and questioned the residents and visitors in connection with the case that has created tension in Ghazipur. The girl was rescued on 22 April from the madrasa by a Delhi Police team. The police were informed on 21 April by the girl's father that his daughter had gone missing after she went to the market. Subsequently, she was recovered from the madrasa and the accused juvenile was apprehended. Meanwhile, locals staged a protest at the NH 24 and held a candlelight vigil demanding action in the case. The protest led to severe traffic jam on the stretch. On Tuesday, the case was transferred to the Crime Branch for a thorough probe. The victim had recorded her statement in front of a magistrate on 23 April and stated that the juvenile had taken her to the madrasa after telling her that he would make her meet his friends. The girl's parents are alleging that the madrasa's cleric also knew about the girl being kept captive there and are demanding his arrest. A senior official said that he is being questioned in the matter. The accused juvenile's family members are also being questioned whether they were in touch with him while the girl was missing. Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari, along with East Delhi MP Maheish Girri, on Wednesday met the girl's family and assured them of all the support. Tiwari assured the family that even though the Delhi Police has handed over the case to the Crime Branch, he will talk to Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath for proper help in the investigation of the matter as the madrasa is located there. In a letter to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Girri demanded a CBI inquiry into the case. A train rammed into a schoolbus in Uttar Pradesh's Kushinagar town on Thursday, killing 13 children and leaving eight others critically injured. The driver of the school bus is also in critical condition A train rammed into a schoolbus in Uttar Pradesh's Kushinagar town on Thursday, killing 13 children and leaving eight others critically injured. The driver of the school bus is also in critical condition. A few of those injured, including the driver, were shifted to the BRD Medical College in Gorakhpur, about 50 kilometres away. The incident took place on Thursday morning at an unmanned railway crossing. The children, students of Divine Public School, were killed on the spot when the Thawe-Kapatanganj passenger train crashed into the vehicle carrying them at the unmanned level crossing gate at Behpurva, officials said. The train was on its way to Gorakhpur from Siwan. There were at least 25 passengers, including children, in the vehicle which was smashed under the massive impact of the accident. "It was an unmanned level crossing gate at Behpurva, with a 'Gate Mitra' (rail volunteer) deployed there. He tried to stop the vehicle but the unfortunate incident happened at unmanned gate 45 near Dudhi station in Banaras division," an official spokesperson said. As public anger rose against the railway and state administration, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath rushed to the accident site for an on-the-spot assessment, and said prima facie the van driver appeared to be at fault. "He is said to have earphones on... all the facts will be known in the inquiry headed by the commissioner of Gorakhpur," he told the media after visiting the district hospital at Kushinagar where he met the injured. Expressing condolences, the chief minister announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh for families of the victims. Adityanath also said that four children and the van driver have been referred to the BRD Medical College in Gorakhpur for further treatment, and if required, they will be sent to a speciality hospital for treatment. He said the state government will take strict action against all those found responsible for the laxity. Directives have already been issued to ensure safety of children to see that such incidents are not repeated and the inquiry report will find out where things had gone wrong in this case, the chief minister said. When asked if the school was unregistered, he said that all facts will be known in the inquiry. "I have met the family members of the victims and both the state government and Railways will extend financial help. An FIR was being lodged into the case," he said. The chief minister said he has spoken to the railway minister on the issue of train accidents at unmanned crossings and appealed to him to make them manned and if required ensure construction of railway overbridges. Meanwhile, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh each for the kin of the deceased. "I received the unfortunate news of the death of school children. I have asked senior officials to conduct a probe into the incident. Railways will give a compensation of Rs 2 lakh to the kin of the dead over and above the aid announced by the Uttar Pradesh government," he said in a tweet. Governor Ram Naik also condoled the death of minor children in the accident. Congress Legislature Party leader Ajay Singh Lallu also rushed to the accident site to supervise the relief work and demanded a compensation of Rs 50 lakh for the family of each deceased child. With inputs from PTI Assam DGP Mukesh Sahay said the banned militant group of ULFA(I) still had the strength to carry out terror attacks in some pockets of the state, and that security forces still needed the controversial AFSPA Guwahati: Assam DGP Mukesh Sahay said the banned militant group of ULFA(I) still had the strength to carry out terror attacks in some pockets of the state, and that security forces still needed the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) for operations. "The Union home ministry has said that militancy in Assam has gone down significantly, by about 70 percent. But some groups are still active in some pockets," he said at a press conference. ULFA(I) is active in some areas of upper Assam, i.e., along the inter-state border with Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland, he said. "Due to its proximity with the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN) and easy access to the Myanmar border, ULFA(I) is still in a position to create problems in some pockets. We are coordinating with Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland in our counter-insurgency operations," Sahay said. Regarding the AFSPA, the top cop said Assam still required it during its operation against banned groups. "At this time, we need AFSPA. About withdrawal of the act from Assam, the government will take the right decision at the right time," he added. On the withdrawal of AFSPA from neighbouring Meghalaya despite an active presence of a number of insurgent groups in that state, Sahay did not give a direct answer. "These are strategic decisions. Facts may say that militancy has come down, but interpretation may vary," he said, without elaborating. The Income Tax Department (ITD) has seized Rs 14.48 crore in cash during raids at multiple locations, including in poll-bound Karnataka New Delhi: The Income Tax Department (ITD) has seized Rs 14.48 crore in cash during raids at multiple locations, including in poll-bound Karnataka, in the wake of recent cash crunch in the country, officials said on Thursday. They said the department raided a number of entities that were found to be hoarding cash in various states. "The total cash seized in these searches is Rs 14.48 crore and the seized currency is largely in the higher denominations of Rs 2,000 and Rs 500," a senior official said. The officials cited some instances in this context and said searches were carried out against "prominent" PWD contractors in poll-bound Karnataka, who were awarded contracts during January-March this year. The searches carried out last week led to unearthing and seizure of Rs 6.76 crore in cash, mainly from the benami lockers detected during the operations, they said. Over a dozen contractors in Mysore and Bengaluru were covered as part of the action, they said. The cash was found to be in the denominations of Rs 2,000 and Rs 500 and some of the searched assessees were found to be not maintaining the books of accounts, they said. The Rs 6.76 crore seized last week took the total amount of seizure in the poll-abound state since the announcement of election schedule to Rs 10.62 crore. The taxman has also seized jwelleries worth Rs 1.33 crore from the state. In the Hyderabad region, the raids were conducted by the department on two realtors that led to a seizure of Rs 5.10 crore of "unaccounted cash" in the high-value denominations, they said. In a similar action in Punjab's Khanna district, a group engaged in manufacture and sale of cattle feed was searched and it led to the seizure of cash amounting to Rs 2.62 crore alongwith jewellery and bullion of Rs 66.49 lakh, the officials said. The group was making purchases and sales outside the books in cash and was showing a very low profit ratio and 5 lockers of the group are still under the attachment ordered by the tax authority, they said. The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), that frames policy for the ITD, had recently asked the investigation wings of the department to check the cash crunch crisis after many ATMs across the country went dry. Now the coverage of the Asaram Bapus and Gurmeet Ram Rahims show an almost unbridgeable chasm between the two worlds: the religious world and the so-called secular one. Today he would be known as a 'godman'. But at that time he was just the family guru. I only knew him through family lore. Khyapa baba, it is said, miraculously saved my uncle as a boy when a piece of iron got lodged in his throat and could not be removed surgically. He voice became a breathy whisper few could understand. From a daredevil boy who scaled walls and climbed trees, he became a listless child who lay in bed for weeks. Renowned doctors of the day pronounced surgery as too risky. But the boy was drawn, my mother (his sister) says, to the wandering holy man in town giving Krishna katha talks. The holy man too took a fondness to him. One day suddenly as he was playing on his grandmother's bed, my uncle vomited. There was a metallic clunk and they realised the iron piece had come out. He ran out of the room, jumped on his bicycle and started riding round and round the courtyard. At the same time far away in his ashram they heard Khyapa Baba had sat in a trance for hours, apparently writhing in pain, telling his disciples to keep away until suddenly he started to vomit blood. "Buckets and buckets," says my mother, though of course she had not been an eye witness. Then he cried "It is out" and fainted. I don't know how much of this is true and how much is legend. But faith is an odd thing. My mother's very pucca sahib barrister grandfather became a devotee of Khyapa Baba. My uncle became a pilot and always carried a small twist of paper with the dried flowers and blessings of the holy man when he flew. Every year a letter of blessings came from the ashram to my mother. I am sure donations went by return mail. When my grandmother was sick with cancer, my mother asked for Khyapa Baba's help. This time he was of no avail but the faith persisted as long as he lived. If Khyapa Baba had been arrested, accused of some crime, fraud, embezzlement, sexual molestation, my mother would have been distressed, even devastated. But I doubt anyone would have taken to the streets or beaten up journalists or blocked trains. Khyapa Baba did not have VIP clout, chief ministers did not come to seek his blessings. But there was also a comfortable ease with which people like my mother once moved between the religious world and the so-called secular one. Now the coverage of the Asaram Bapus and Gurmeet Ram Rahims show an almost unbridgeable chasm between the two worlds. Their followers seem to live in a world of their own, impervious to logic, common sense, even fact. One of his devotees tells Business Standard "Even if Brahma Vishnu and Mahesh came and told me that Bapu had done this, I would not believe them. I would say 'no', 'no' , 'no' an infinite number of times." Meanwhile the videos that circulate of a dancing twirling Asaram Bapu makes the rest of us wonder what in the world so many thousands saw in him. Just as we wonder about how anyone, no matter how devoted, could have sat through a Gurmeet Ram Rahim starrer. They seem more clownish than charismatic. We are unable to fathom their appeal and thus it is hard to report on their followers with any degree of empathy. I remember once going to cover Baba Ramdev's fast in Delhi for Firstpost. My editor warned me to listen to the followers and not snigger at them or their beliefs. I remember being moved by their devotion and their hospitality even as I could not believe in the object of their devotion. When Ramdev was rounded up at night in a midnight raid, one of those anguished devotees called me from a train in Gujarat to tell me about her shock and dismay. It was an unlikely moment of connection between our worlds but now we increasingly live in two worlds completely able to understand each other. Special judge Madhusudan Sharma who presided over the Asaram Bapu trial lamented in his judgment that the godman had not only shattered the faith of his devotees but also harmed the reputation of saints among ordinary people. But in reality, the faith seems even more stubbornly impervious to law or logic. Former Gujarat IPS officer DG Vanzara, claims the victim was never raped and this was at worst a case of "inappropriate touching" as if that was excusable. He views the case against Asaram Bapu as something not in the "interest of the country, Hindus or Sanatan religion." Ashok Singhal of the VHP had once declared "This is telling the Hindu community that we will finish your feelings towards a religious leader" as if a case against one godman is an attack against an entire religion. Let's not forget this is not one isolated case of a young woman accusing Asaram Bapu. Many other sinister stories had been swirling around about land grabs, intimidation, black magic, forgery, and missing children from the ashram being found on a river bed with vital organs missing. But his VVIP clout trumped everything until now. The verdict might bring a sense of justice to the accuser but it reinforces a sense of victimhood for the true believers. Now they threaten the BJP governments with dire consequences, accusing it of meddling with the judiciary, bringing up, without any sense of irony whatsoever, the dismissal of the Justice Loya case as an example. As a pliant flock, obeying his beck and call, they were very attractive to politicians. As an angry buzzing mass, they terrify them. That is why we had Section 144 imposed in anticipation of the verdict. Media reports that the government in Madhya Pradesh is scrambling to remove Asaram Bapu's name from roundabouts and bus stands named after him. Pundits weigh the impact of this verdict on the fortunes of the Vasundhara Raje government. The Congress is gleefully circulating videos of Asaram Bapu and Narendra Modi saying a man is known by the company he keeps, blithely ignoring how its own government in Gujarat once allotted him over 14,000 square kilometres of land. But all of this calibration of political fallout ignores something far more tragic. These super godmen have led to the rise of an army of followers who are now left rudderless. They have seen their leader drive straight to aircrafts without being frisked like an aam aadmi. No wonder they think he is invincible and they felt safe under his protection. They believe in him more than they believe in the state, the Constitution and the rule of the law and politicians, greedy for votes, encouraged that bubble of belief. My mother believed in Khyapa Baba but the power they believed in was the power of God, not the power of law-proof privilege. Today's super godmen have sold us the promise of the latter. Now Asaram Bapu might be behind bars but what happens to his thousands of followers for whom he was everything, who thought (and many still think) he was above the law? That's a problem that Section 144 cannot solve. Following Asaram's conviction in a rape case, the Bhopal Municipal Corporation removed a signboard from a bus stand bearing his name. Bhopal: Following Asaram's conviction in a rape case and a demand that the places named after him be rechristened, the Bhopal Municipal Corporation on Wednesday removed a signboard from a bus stand bearing the name of the controversial self-styled godman. Earlier in the day, Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had promised "appropriate action" when activists demanded renaming of the landmarks named after Asaram. "No one is above the Constitution, the law, and public sentiments. It is a country where the name of Aurangzeb Road has also been changed. Soon, we will take appropriate action on this matter too," Chouhan tweeted. The bus stand and a road crossing, both located close to Asaram's ashram near the Raja Bhoj Airport on the city outskirts, had been named after the self-styled godman. Shortly after the chief minister's tweet, Bhopal Mayor Alok Sharma himself went to the bus stand and removed the board bearing Asaram's name. "All places named after Asaram in the city will be renamed. I have removed the board from the bus stand. The new names of the bus stand and the intersection will be decided later," Sharma said. Activist Rachna Dhingra, who works for the survivors of the 1984 Union Carbide disaster, made the demand of renaming them in a video posted on social media. "I am asking the chief minister who claims to be a big proponent and protector of girls' rights that the names of this crossing and bus stand be changed," she said. Another activist, Akshay Hunka, tagged the chief minister in his tweet and asked to spell out the government's stand on Dhingra's demand. Replying to it, Chouhan assured that appropriate action would be taken. A court in Rajasthan sentenced Asaram to life in jail on Wednesday for raping a minor girl. A BJP delegation led by its leaders from West Bengal on Thursday met Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh to apprise them of the ongoing violence in the state New Delhi: A BJP delegation led by its leaders from West Bengal on Thursday met Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh to apprise them of the ongoing violence in the state ahead of the upcoming panchayat polls. The BJP leaders including General Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya, secretary Rahul Sinha, Rajya Sabha member Rupa Ganguly and Mukul Roy submitted a memorandum to Naidu appealing him to take serious cognizance. "Democracy is being slaughtered in West Bengal and we appeal to your high office to take cognizance of this acute assault on democracy by the ruling TMC. Lives, democratic rights, democratic space, Constitutional machinery and freedom are not safe anymore in the state," the memorandum read. Later, addressing a press conference at party headquarters in presence of the victims of the pre-poll violence, former railway minister Mukul Roy said in West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is the killer of democracy. "Bengal is quite different from other states. In other states, nobody raises a finger on democracy either in civic body or in general elections. But in Bengal election, Mamata has made a mockery of democracy," he said. Attacking Banerjee, Roy said she has encouraged Trinamool Congress (TMC) workers to create law and order problem across the state and intimidate candidates from other parties to stop them from filing their nominations. "The BDO office and the SDO office was totally blocked by the Trinamool goons under the leadership of Mamata Banerjee. Mamata was the designated Home Minister. She instructed all the SPs, BDOs and DMs not to intervene, so the police kept mum," he said. As per an announcement by the State Election Commission (SEC) on 31 March, the dates for the three-phase polls were 1 May, 3 May and 5 May, with the last date of nomination being 9 April. But several non-TMC candidates failed to file their nominations. Roy said after the intervention of the Supreme Court and the Calcutta High Court, the SEC extended the last date of filing nomination by a day. "But the order was passed after 9 pm and the 10 (April) morning we saw that the order was withdrawn," he said. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was forced to move the Supreme Court again which finally ended in the Calcutta High Court passing an order stalling all election process till 12 April, said the BJP leader. As per the latest SEC notification, last date of filing was 23 April and 28 April for withdrawal. "After the process was stalled, after the hearing, after the extension of date for filing of nomination. What was happened is the entire Bengal is bleeding. Nobody was allowed to enter the BDO and SDO offices. Democracy became mockery and our five people were killed," he said. However, the BJP leader said the sacrifice of party workers who laid their lives would not go waste as people of West Bengal would teach the TMC a lesson. "One thing is very clear. This is the first time in Bengal's history that the fight is between Trinamool Congress and BJP, nobody (else) is there. The Bengal people will give a befitting reply to Mamata Banerejee in this panchayat election," he said. Rahul Sinha said that during the meeting with Rajnath Singh, they asked him to intervene into the matter. "The Home Minister has assured us of every possible action under the jurisdiction of the Constitution. The vice president said he would refer the matter to the president." He said in West Bengal everybody, including former Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee, is demanding Article 356 be imposed in the state in the wake of incidents of violence. "But we are not to allow her be a 'martyr'. We will defeat her by the vote of the people. We will keep fighting against the violent form of Mamata Banerjee and the TMC on roads and even in courts," he said. The government is considering clearing the appointment of senior advocate Indu Malhotra as Supreme Court judge while keeping on hold the collegium's another recommendation to elevate KM Joseph to the apex court New Delhi: The government is considering clearing the appointment of senior advocate Indu Malhotra as Supreme Court judge while keeping on hold the collegium's another recommendation to elevate Chief Justice of Uttarakhand High Court KM Joseph to the apex court, sources in the law ministry said on Wednesday. On 22 January, the Supreme Court collegium's file recommending the elevation of Joseph and Malhotra reached the law ministry. After processing the file in the first week of February, the recommendations were kept in abeyance as the government wanted to elevate only Malhotra. But now, the government is considering to go ahead with the appointment of Malhotra and keep on hold the elevation of Joseph. The government feels that while recommending the name of Joseph, the collegium has disregarded seniority and regional representation. He is 42nd in the seniority list of 669 high court judges. If the government goes ahead with "segregation" of the recommendations proceeding with one and keeping on hold the other, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad may write to Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra about its intention. There is a feeling within the government that the issue cannot be prolonged and a final decision has to be taken. Earlier, legal experts had cautioned the government against accepting one of the recommendations of the Supreme Court collegium while keeping the other one on hold, pointing that a Chief Justice of India (CJI) had told the law ministry not to "segregate" names sent for appointment together. The sources said when legal experts were asked whether the collegium's recommendation could be segregated, they reminded the government of a letter written by then CJI RM Lodha in June 2014, in which he had made it clear that the executive cannot segregate recommendations without prior approval of the collegium. Justice Lodha had written to the government when it had decided against elevating senior lawyer and former solicitor general Gopal Subramanium to the Supreme Court, while accepting other recommendations of the collegium. But in the meantime, Subramanium withdrew his consent to be recommended for judgeship. A previous recommendation of the Supreme Court collegium made in 2016 proposing transfer of Joseph from Uttarakhand to Andhra Pradesh remains on hold with the government. The Uttarakhand High Court chief justice had set aside the imposition of President's Rule in the state in April, 2016. While recommending the name of Joseph for the top court, the collegium had said that he is "more deserving and suitable in all respects than other chief justices and senior puisne judges of high courts for being appointed as judge of the Supreme Court of India". The collegium had taken into consideration combined seniority on all-India basis of chief justices and senior puisne judges of high courts, apart from their merit and integrity, the body of top five judges of the Supreme Court had said. The Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dipak Misra on Thursday said that he won't stay the appointment of senior advocate Indu Malhotra as a Supreme Court judge. The Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dipak Misra on Thursday said that he won't stay the appointment of senior advocate Indu Malhotra as a Supreme Court judge. CNNNews18 reported that Misra said it is "unthinkable, unimaginable and inconceivable to stay warrant of appointment of Indu Malhotra". Misra also said that there is nothing wrong if the government wants them to reconsider Justice Joseph's name. The CJI-led bench took strong note of submission of senior advocate Indira Jaising that Malhotra is not sworn in as the apex court judge and the Centre be directed to recommend the name of Uttarakhand High Court Chief Justice K M Joseph as well. "What kind of prayer is this," the bench, also comprising Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud, said, adding that the Centre is "well within its right to send back the recommendation for reconsideration. Supposing the government is sending it for reconsideration, it will be seen. You are saying 'stay the warrant.' It is unthinkable, unconscionable, unimaginable and if I may add 'never heard before'," the CJI said. "Constitutional propriety demands that the warrant of appointment of Indu Malhotra be implemented," the bench said. The top court said that it is surprising that a member of a bar is being appointed as a judge and lawyers are mentioning at 2 pm for a stay of the warrant of appointment. Jaising said that she is not pressing the prayer for a stay on the warrant of appointment and wants the larger issue of "cherry picking" of judges to be dealt by the court. She urged the court to direct listing of the matter urgently and said: "we are worried about the independence of the judiciary." However, the bench refused to list the matter urgently and said it will come in due course of time. Over 100 Supreme Court Bar Association members had mentioned the plea alleging that Centre was interfering with the administration and independence of the judiciary by selectively acting upon the Collegium's recommendation for appointment in the Supreme Court On Wednesday, while senior advocate Indu Malhotra's warrant of appointment was ready, the Centre sent back Uttarakhand High Court Justice KM Joseph's name to Supreme Court Collegium for reconsideration. Earlier Thursday, Congress leader Kapil Sibal had held a press conference to accuse the Centre of favouring certain names within the judiciary. "Centre wants only those judges whom they are okay with. As per law, it is the Collegium's choice", Sibal said. Meanwhile, Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad hit back at Sibal, and said, "Congress has no locus standi to accuse the government. Congress itself superseded many judges during its tenure". According to News18, Misra was not kept in the loop by the government about the segregation of names. He was neither consulted nor was his consent sought before the government decided to go ahead with only one name. This unilateral segregation upset many judges in the apex court, in particular, those who form the Collegium. Indu Malhotra is the daughter of the late well-known advocate Om Prakash Malhotra. She enrolled as a lawyer in 1983 in the Bar Council of Delhi. In 1988, she qualified as an Advocate-on-Record (AoR) in the Supreme Court. She was designated a senior lawyer in 2007. She is the second woman in the top courts history to be given that designation. Once sworn-in on Friday, she will join the elite group of six women to be appointed as a judge in the top court since independence. At present, Justice R Banumathi is the only woman judge in the Supreme Court. With inputs from PTI A Delhi-based jeweller, who was at the DRI office in connection with an alleged gold smuggling case, on Wednesday jumped to death. New Delhi: A Delhi-based jeweller, who was at the DRI office in connection with an alleged gold smuggling case, on Wednesday jumped to death from the probe agency's building in the CGO complex area in New Delhi, according to an official statement. The incident took place at around 12 noon. The deceased has been identified as Gaurav Gupta, aged around 40 years. Gupta was waiting in the visitors' room inside the DRI office and he jumped from the room's window, the statement said, adding that he was rushed to a nearby hospital, but he could not be saved. The visitor's room is on the sixth floor of the building. The statement said acting on an information, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officers had conducted searches at three premises in the Shalimar Bagh area on Tuesday. During the search operations, the officers recovered around six kg of foreign marked gold and 213 kg of silver bullion from the jeweller's residence, it said. In further search operations on Wednesday, the officers recovered 35 kg more foreign marked gold concealed in the door panel of the safe of one of his shops, it said. In total 41 kg of foreign marked gold, 213 kg of silver bullion and Rs 48 lakh cash, in total valued at around Rs 13 crore were recovered, the statement said. "Unfortunately, the owner of the smuggled goods, who had visited the DRI office today, jumped through the window of the visitor's room at around 12 pm today," it said. He was neither summoned nor arrested by the DRI, the statement said. The person was immediately taken to the Safdarjung hospital by DRI officers and Central Industrial Security Force personnel, but he could not be saved, it said. The local police has been intimated and further investigation is in progress, the statement said. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested a city-based man for allegedly running a trade-based money laundering racket estimated to be over Rs 2,200 crore, officials said on Tuesday. Mumbai: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested a city-based man for allegedly running a trade-based money laundering racket estimated to be over Rs 2,200 crore, officials said on Tuesday. Mohammed Farooq (39) was arrested by the agency on Monday in Mumbai under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), they said. The money laundering case pertains to an instance where 13 firms, including one identified as Stelkon Infratel Pvt Ltd, remitted about Rs 2,252 crore funds to overseas destinations during 2015-16 by submitting non-existent and forged import documents to the banks. It said the actual bills of entry were only for Rs 24.64 crore. The ED found that these 13 firms had fake addresses and dummy persons as directors and Farooq used to "control" them indirectly and was the "kingpin" of this trade-based money laundering business. Farooq, they said, was allegedly operating about 135 bank accounts in various banks in Mumbai to send the funds abroad through hawala, which is an illegal process of sending funds overseas by skirting the regular banking channels. Justifying its stand of returning the recommendation, the Centre on Thursday sent a detailed note to Chief Justice Dipak Misra giving reasons to the Supreme Court collegium for its decision New Delhi: Government on Thursday returned the collegium's recommendation to elevate Uttarakhand High Court Chief Justice KM Joseph as a Supreme Court judge, saying the proposal was not in accordance with the top court's parameters and there was adequate representation of Kerala in the higher judiciary from where he hails. Justifying its stand of returning the recommendation, the Centre on Thursday sent a detailed note to Chief Justice Dipak Misra giving reasons to the Supreme Court collegium for its decision, including that seniority may not be an important consideration to ensure regional representation. The note of the Union Law Ministry addressed to the CJI, who heads the five-member apex court collegium, said the proposal to reconsider Justice Joseph's name had the approval of President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It said the apex court already has Justice Kurian Joseph, who was elevated as an Supreme Court judge on 8 March, 2013 from the Kerala High Court and there were two other High Court Chief Justices, Justices TB Radhakrishnan and Antony Dominic, whose parent high court was Kerala. The note said at this stage, the elevation of one more judge from Kerala High Court as an apex court judge does not appear to be justified as it does not address the legitimate claims of the Chief Justices and puisne judges of many other high courts and "forestalls" the claim of other senior chief justices and puisne judges. "It would be appropriate to mention here that Kerala High Court has adequate representation in the Supreme Court and among Chief Justices in various high courts. "Justice Kurian Joseph who was elevated as Supreme Court judge on 8 March, 2013 is from Kerala High Court. Additionally, there are two chief justices namely Justice TB Radhakrishnan, Chief Justice of Chhattisgarh High Court and Justice Antony Dominic, Chief Justice Kerala High Court whose parent high court is Kerala," the note to the collegium said. Besides the CJI, the collegium comprises four senior most judges of the apex court - Justices J Chelameswar, Ranjan Gogoi, Madan B Lokur and Kurian Joseph. "It is also, in our considered view, not in accord with the parameters laid down by the Supreme Court itself in the Second Judges case and reiterated in Third Judges case," it said. The Ministry said the collegium system was the creation of judicial decision of the Supreme Court and the terms and conditions and other parameters are also laid down in judicial orders governing appointment of judges in the constitutional courts. "The seniority of judges also plays its own critical role. It is understood that seniority of judges of high court is only maintained at all India level. Obviously, this is reflective of their seniority and also the parent high court. "From our records, it is evident that to ensure regional representation, seniority may not have been taken as an important consideration, but in case where the high court concerned is adequately represented in the Supreme Court and also as Chief Justices of different high courts, then this consideration cannot be, and should not be ignored all together to the detriment and prejudice of other senior judges," it said. Justifying its stand, the Centre said that such segregation of proposals has been done in many cases earlier, which include appointment of judges to various high courts and also to the Supreme Court in the interest of expeditious action of appointments and filling up vacancies. In the Kanjarbhat community, a bride must submit to a 'virginity test' on the night of her wedding. But a campaign spearheaded by the community's youth is hoping to put an end to the practice | A ground report Editor's note: This story, originally published on 1 May, 2018, is being re-published in the light of the Maharashtra government announcing that the state government will soon make virginity test a punishable offence. *** On her wedding night, a bride from the Kanjarbhat community undergoes a virginity test. After the ceremonies are complete, the bride accompanies her husband to a lodge; theyre given a white bedsheet, and a stipulated time within which to consummate their marriage. The next morning, the groom must display the bedsheet to members of the local panchayat. Tula dilela maal kasa aahe (How were the goods you received)? the panch asks the groom. If his wife bled during intercourse, and the sheet shows proof of this, the groom replies with: Khara. Khara. Khara. (True. True. True.) If she didnt, and the sheet remained spotless, he must say: Khota. Khota. Khota. (False. False. False.) The bride who doesnt bleed on her wedding night is believed to have engaged in premarital sex, and thats when her ordeal truly begins. ** The Kanjarbhats also known as Sansi or Kanjar in North India are a one-time nomadic community from Rajasthan. Under The Criminal Tribes Act, 1871, the British branded the Kanjarbhats as criminals and the tribe itself was denotified post-Independence. In the years since, the Kanjarbhats have settled mostly in the urban and semi-urban areas of Maharashtra. However, the community still holds on to many of its old practices including the virginity test. Community elders defend the practice; they say its a 400-year-old tradition. They do not believe its demeaning to women; nor do they think the test itself is unscientific and flawed. ** Attempting to change that mindset is a campaign called Stop The V-Ritual, spearheaded by Vivek Tamaichikar, a member of the Kanjarbhat community, and a student at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences. Tamaichikar resides in Ambernath, about 50 km from Mumbai. The Supreme Courts landmark judgment on Right to Privacy marked an epiphany of sorts for Tamaichikar, who realised that not only were the virginity tests conducted in his community morally wrong (as he had previously held), they were also in clear violation of the SC ruling. Beginning by airing his views on Facebook, Tamaichikar soon reached out to scholars, doctors and like-minded people from within the Kanjarbhat community. They formed the group Stop the V-Ritual (a name carefully chosen to underscore the misguided notions of honour associated with certain rituals, and the need to abolish them). The virginity test in particular Tamaichikar says is even more sinister than it seems: To ensure that there are no cuts/scratches or other wounds that may stain the sheet, the bride is stripped by her relatives, and examined. Once the newlyweds enter the bridal chamber, the relatives keep watch outside, ensuring the couple engages sexually. If the bride and groom are unable to immediately consummate their marriage, the relatives help showing them pornography, offering medicines and even a demo. If the bride doesnt bleed during intercourse, it is assumed that she has been sexually active before marriage. An interrogation ensues often accompanied by beatings and she is made to reveal the name of the man she has been intimate with. If the man she names happens to be from the Kanjarbhat community, he is also thrashed. There is a glaring lack of sex education in our community, says Priyanka Tamaychekar, at the forefront of the Stop The V-Ritual campaign, along with Vivek Tamaichikar (and another student, Siddhant Indrekar). Priyanka works at a real-estate firm in Pune, alongside her community activism. The majority of the people in our community are unaware that a womans hymen can rupture because of a number of reasons unrelated to intercourse, Priyanka adds, explaining that often, new brides admit to things they havent done, or reveal a random mans name to stop the humiliation that ensues if they fail the virginity test. Often, the girls believe simple acts of intimacy from their past like hugging or kissing have led to loss of virginity. This premium on virginity means that parents dont allow their daughters to pursue further studies, or a job, for fear the girls will get spoiled. They (parents) have to make sure their daughter shows a positive result on her wedding night, says Priyanka. ** Stop The V-Ritual began with about six members; its ranks have now swollen to over 50. While the group has made some headway in bringing the regressive rituals of the Kanjarbhat community to light, theres still a tough fight ahead. On the morning of 26 March 2018, hundreds of Kanjarbhat women went on a protest march to the district collectors office in Pune. Their demand? Action against those trying to stop the virginity tests from being conducted. There had been similar protests on 10 March as well. Some of the protesters say that the campaign against the virginity test has led to young girls from the community being teased reportedly, boys from other castes wave napkins blotted with red ink at them. Supporters of the virginity test say it is not as bad as it is made to appear; that it is carried out in private and certainly not in the presence of community elders. Seema, a Kanjarbhat woman who resides in Andheri, Mumbai, says the virginity test is an honour. When a girl passes the test, her father and grandfather are made to wear a shera (a type of turban) as a mark of respect. I am blessed to be born in a community where I could make my elders proud by passing such a test, Seema says. Another resident of the Kanjarbhat basti in Andheri, Keval Chandan, feels that if the ritual is discontinued, the girls of the community will start misusing this freedom and overstep the bounds of propriety. Patriarchy is so deeply entrenched within our community that women themselves are not able to see the cruelty they are being subjected to. They believe that these rituals protect them, keep them in check, says Vivek Tamaichikar. Stop The V-Rituals members take recourse in deterrence: they ensure virginity tests are not conducted in the marriages they are invited to; they record all the ceremonies on video; if the ritual is still carried out, they file a police complaint. Sometimes, the communitys resistance to change takes the form of violence against the groups members. On 21 January, three youth opposing the virginity test in a wedding (being held in the Pimpri area of Pune) were thrashed. A few days later, their vehicles were vandalised. Priyanka Tamaychekar and Siddhant Indrekar have been threatened with violence and social boycott. Priyanka says heres already an indirect boycott they are not invited to community events or weddings anymore, neighbours have turned a cold shoulder, and their immediate families have been ridiculed. ** Dissent isnt welcomed in the Kanjarbhat community. When Krishna and Aruna Indrekar wed in 1996, they refused to submit to a virginity test and chose to have a court marriage. The backlash from the jaat panchayat was swift: The Inderkars were ordered to pay a heavy fine and seek forgiveness from the community elders. Krishnas family succumbed to the pressure, although he and Aruna didnt abide by the panchayats decision. In the time since, the Inderkars have been distanced from their families. The panchayat denies it had any role to play in this alienation, but Aruna Indrekar points out: They only call us when they have some work. When it comes to inviting us for events/weddings, the panchayat says were a nuisance. They wont even let our family members include our names on wedding invites. Does that not mean theyve boycotted us? Krishna and Aruna are both part of Stop The V-Ritual. Krishna certainly doesnt regret the decision the couple took over two decades ago. How could I have let my wife be subjected to such humiliation? he asks, simply. It didnt matter whether or not she was a virgin. I didnt have the right to ask her that question. ** The prominence of the jaat panchayats, especially in nomadic and denotified tribes, isnt arbitrary. The discrimination these communities faced at the hands of upper caste groups, forced them to fend for themselves. This is one of the main reasons for the Kanjarbhats enduring loyalty towards their local council. We remember what untouchability is, we have even been turned away from grocery stores. This generation is educated but they have not seen the days when we could not go to schools to learn, and to the courts to solve our problems, Kavichand Bhat, a Kanjarbhat community elder, had told Hindustan Times. Today, jaat panchayats may have been reduced to purposeless gerontocracies, but they still hold sway over the community. Priyanka points out that the panchayat members are invited to be part of all important occasions by community members, or if feuds/conflicts need resolution. Vivek Tamaichikar says it is the jaat panchayat that enforces the continuance of rituals like the virginity test against the threat of a social boycott. The panchayat enforces a slew of other customs as well agnipariksha (an accused woman picks up a coin from boiling oil; if she suffers burns, it indicates that she lied); shudhikaran (purifying errant women) etc. Krishna and Aruna Indrekar described a recent shudhikaran in Nandurbar, where a woman who married a man from the same gotra (lineage) was made to undergo a purification ritual and convert to another gotra before the community leaders would approve of the match. The girl was stripped in public, made to wear a white sari, then walk a distance while the community members threw dough-covered stones at her back. The ritual was complete once she made an animal sacrifice, the Indrekars say. These rituals arent just oral traditions. In 2000, community elders organised a maha panchayat in Shirdi, where they prepared a rule book that set down all of the communitys customs and traditions. Called the Akhil Bharitya Sahansmal Kanjarbhat Samaj, Kayda Kanoon, the document comprises 122 sections covering paap (sin), adultery, divorce, virginity tests etc. The Indrekars, however, feel these rules are just a cover for the panchayat to extort money from community members: Every marriage must be approved by the panchayat, for which they demand a token fee between Rs 10,000-20,000. Fees must be paid for resolving disputes. The Nandurbar shudhikaran cost the families of the concerned parties Rs 5 lakhs. ** On 28 February 2018, Ranjit Patil, Minister of State for Home, Maharashtra, raised the issue of the virginity test in the Assembly, assuring that criminal action would be taken against those forcing brides to undergo the ritual. Meanwhile, even though many in the Kanjarbhat community are against Stop The V-Ritual, this voice of change is resonating with a few. Pune resident Lila Indrekar is among those who approve of the groups message. She says the panchayats insistence on following rituals has come at the cost of meaningful progress. The panchayat members should be investing their time in helping the community. Most women in our community our bootleggers; when the police raids our shops, why doesnt the panchayat come to our rescue? Why are they only concerned with virginity tests and other such rituals? she asks. The women of the community need to come forward. We fight drunkards daily in our bars. If one woman can fight 50 men, imagine what all of us can achieve together! Dealing a major blow to Modi government, a bench headed by Uttarakhand High Court Chief Justice KM Joseph in 2016 had quashed the imposition of President rule in the state and had revived the Congress government headed by Harish Rawat. New Delhi: The government's action of accepting only one of the two names recommended by the collegium for elevation as Supreme Court judges, today evoked sharp reaction with the apex court bar association chief terming it as "disturbing" and asking it to reconsider the name of Justice K M Joseph. Activist lawyer Prashant Bhushan shared the views of senior advocate Vikas Singh, the Supreme Court Bar Association President, even as BJP leader Subramanian Swamy, a regular petitioner in the apex court, said the Congress stand on the issue reflected its frustration. Swamy's comment assumes significance as the Congress leadership including P Chidambaram, himself a senior advocate, were critical of the Centre's decision and tweeted that the recommendation of the collegium was final and binding in the appointment of judges. "Is the Modi government above the law?" "What is holding up Justice KM Joseph's appointment? His state, or his religion or his judgement in the Uttarakhand case," Chidambaram questioned in a series of tweets. Swamy found support from former Delhi High Court judge SN Dhingra, who said the public had a right to know why the other high court judges, including chief justices, who were senior to Justice Joseph, were not recommended for elevation to the apex court. He termed as "out of turn" the recommendation for Justice Joseph and said the government wanted to know what special qualities he possessed. "Supreme Court has been doing this in the past as well, where without giving reasons it recommended the names. People have a right to know what special qualities Justice Joseph possesses. Are those senior to him and yet not recommended incapable? If yes, then why should they remain at their posts," he asked. Dealing a major blow to Modi government, a bench headed by Uttarakhand High Court Chief Justice KM Joseph in 2016 had quashed the imposition of President rule in the state and had revived the Congress government headed by Harish Rawat. The reactions of Chidambaram and others came amidst reports that the government had cleared the appointment of senior advocate Indu Malhotra as a judge of the Supreme Court, but not that of Justice Joseph. Malhotra will be the first woman judge to be appointed to the top post directly from the bar. Meanwhile, Law Ministry sources said the government has asked the collegium to reconsider the recommendation to elevate Justice Joseph as a judge of the top court. SCBA president Vikas Singh, speaking in his individual capacity, expressed concern over the delay in the appointment of Justice Joseph and said "this kind of interference by the executive is definitely uncalled for". "This elevation is very wrong as it disturbs the seniority in the Supreme Court. We have seen in recent past how important seniority is in the apex court. Judges are being labelled as junior judges and said that they were not fit to hear sensitive matters. So tomorrow if somebody says Justice Joseph is a junior judge and not fit to hear a particular matter, it will be very sad. "Government will be responsible. This kind of interference by the executive is definitely uncalled for. By delaying this, they have definitely interfered in seniority rules and in that sense they have interfered in the functioning of judiciary. A very serious matter. The civil society and the judges of the Supreme Court in full court should discuss and take it up with the government," Singh told PTI. Swamy said, on the issue of delay in Justice Joseph's appointment, that the Congress party is just frustrated. "On one hand, they accuse the CJI being inclined to BJP and on the other, they are saying we have ignored him. The Congress party is just frustrated," he said. Bhushan was vocal in criticising the Centre and alleged that the government was trying to erode and destroy the independence of judiciary by not appointing those recommended by the collegium. "Justice KM Joseph's instance is a very clear one, whose name has been stalled, which was recommended by the collegium four months ago. The name was unanimously recommended by the collegium and yet it has been stalled by the government because he gave a judgment in Uttarakhand case against the government. "It is very shameful and shocking for a government which talks about the independence of judiciary to try and erode the independence of judiciary by sitting on appointment of people that it doesn't like," Bhushan said. On 22 January, the apex court collegium's file recommending the elevation of Justice Joseph and Malhotra had reached the Law Ministry. After processing the file in the first week of February, the recommendations were kept in abeyance as the government wanted to elevate only Malhotra. But now, the government has gone ahead with the appointment of Malhotra and asked the collegium to reconsider the elevation of Justice Joseph. The government feels that while recommending the name of Justice Joseph, the collegium has disregarded seniority and regional representation. He is 42nd in the seniority list of 669 high court judges. The government on Thursday returned to the Supreme Court collegium its recommendation to elevate Justice KM Joseph to the apex court and asked it to reconsider the reccomendation, a move which may widen the rift between the judiciary and the executive. New Delhi: The government on Thursday returned to the Supreme Court collegium its recommendation to elevate Justice KM Joseph to the apex court and asked it to reconsider the recommendation, a move which may widen the rift between the judiciary and the executive. This comes a day after the government cleared the appointment of senior advocate Indu Malhotra as a judge of the Supreme Court and kept in abeyance a decision on Joseph, who heads the Uttarakhand High Court. Both the names were recommended by the collegium in January. In a ruling in 2016, Justice Joseph had cancelled the President's Rule in Uttarakhand and brought back the Congress government of Harish Rawat to power. The judgment was seen as a major set back to the BJP-ruled government at the Centre. The government's decision to not approve Joseph's name has evoked sharp reactions with the Supreme Court Bar Association President terming it as "disturbing". Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad wrote to Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra on Thursday morning requesting the collegium, a group of five senior-most judges that selects judges for the apex court, to reconsider its decision on recommending Justice Joseph to be a judge of the apex court. Prasad also informed the CJI that senior advocate Malhotra has on Thursday been appointed a judge of the Supreme Court. The Jammu and Kashmir government on Thursday opposed in the Supreme Court a plea filed by the father of the victim in the Kathua case for transfer of trial to Chandigarh New Delhi: The Jammu and Kashmir government on Thursday opposed in the Supreme Court a plea filed by the father of the victim in the Kathua case for transfer of trial to Chandigarh saying the state was committed to ensure a "fair, expeditious and impartial trial". In an affidavit, the state said that the prayer for transfer of trial was "misconceived" and the court would have to consider that prosecution witnesses in the case were residents of Jammu and Kashmir and shifting of trial outside the state would cause "great inconvenience". It also denied the allegations that prime accused Sanjhi Ram was supported by government officials merely because he was a retired revenue officer. The affidavit was filed on a day when a bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra said that its "real concern" was to see that a fair trial was conducted in the case. "The real concern of this court is to see that a fair trial is conducted and 'fair trial' means fair to the accused as well as to the victims. In the present case, the victims are the family members of the deceased," the bench, which also comprised justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud, said while hearing the Kathua matter. "Apart from the fairness in procedure, the concept of speedy trial gets attracted. That apart, it is to be seen that both the sides are given protection and, if necessary, requisite legal assistance is provided. Keeping these aspects in view, we think it appropriate that the relief in the said case will be addressed first," the bench said. The affidavit by the state, filed through advocate Shoeb Alam, said, "the state is competent and fully equipped to provide adequate security to the victim's family, witnesses of the case, judges and/or any other stake holder in the case". "Every specific threat/credible request for protection has been duly responded by the state by providing security. The state, being aware of its constitutional duty, is duty bound and committed to ensure that the trial is not affected in any manner," it said. "The requisite state machinery will be put into motion to ensure the conduct of a fair, expeditious and impartial trial in the matter so that justice is dispensed to the victim while the human rights of the victim's family as well as the accused are protected in accordance with the law," the affidavit said. It further said that no grounds have been raised in the plea which may warrant transfer of trial outside the state. The state has said that Jammu and Kashmir has its own penal law, the Ranbir Penal Code, procedural law and law of evidence and transfer of trial outside the state might not be practical and may end up in creating more anomalous situation. It said that during the hearing before the top court, the petitioner's counsel had reposed faith in the comprehensive probe carried out in the case by a special investigation team of the Crime Branch of Jammu and Kashmir Police. "As such, the victim's family itself is satisfied with the probe conducted by the SIT," it said, adding that pursuant to the court's order, the advocate representing the victim's family and a friend of the family have been provided security by the state. It also said that security has been beefed up at the Juvenile Home, where an accused is currently lodged. "The allegations pertaining to the support by government officials to the accused Sanjhi Ram, merely because he was a retired revenue official, upon which the petitioner apprehends that the trial will not be conducted in a fair and transparent manner is false and is denied," the affidavit said. It said that a fair and impartial probe was done in the case, and even the policemen, who had allegedly committed the offences, were arrested and named in a charge sheet. The state maintained its stand that police officers were heckled and prevented, allegedly by protesting lawyers, from reaching the courtroom for filing a charge sheet in the case. The victim's father had moved the apex court apprehending threat to the family, a friend and their lawyer Deepika Singh Rajawat. Expressing satisfaction with the probe conducted by the Jammu and Kashmir police in the case, the victim's father had sought transfer of trial from Kathua court to Chandigarh. His petition is scheduled to come up for hearing on Friday. The eight-year-old child from a minority nomadic community had disappeared from near her home in a village near Kathua in Jammu region on January 10. Her body was found in the same area a week later. The state police's Crime Branch, which probed the case, has filed the main charge sheet against seven persons and a separate charge sheet against a juvenile in a court in Kathua. A Bar Council of India (BCI) panel on Thursday told the Supreme Court that the local lawyers' body in Kathua had not obstructed police New Delhi: A Bar Council of India (BCI) panel on Thursday told the Supreme Court that the local lawyers' body in Kathua had not obstructed police and the advocate for the victim's family in the rape-murder case and supported the demand for a CBI probe in the matter. The committee, headed by former High Court judge Justice Tarun Agarwal, has said in its report that advocate Deepika Singh Rajawat, who is representing the victim's family, was not prevented or threatened by the lawyers' body from appearing in the matter before the high court there. The report, which was filed before a bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra, said the demand of Jammu & Kashmir High Court Bar Association, Jammu, and Kathua District Bar Association seeking a CBI probe in the matter "appears to be justified". It has also alleged that the media had "misrepresented" the reports. Conclusion of the report filed in a sealed cover was read out in the court after the CJI asked senior advocate Vikas Singh, who was appearing for one of the bar bodies, to read it out. However, advocate Shoeb Alam, appearing for the state, opposed the panel's report and maintained that the police team was heckled allegedly by the local lawyers due to which they could not file the charge sheet in the trial court. Alam pointed to the separate reports of the high court and a district judge in Kathua and said these had given scathing findings of the "obstruction" caused to police officers and the justice administration system. He also told the bench that BCI panel's report cannot be relied upon since no crime branch officers, who were allegedly obstructed by the agitating lawyers at Kathua, were heard and argued that the case should not be sensationalised. The bench, however, made it clear that it would not go at this stage into the aspects of what the committee report says or what the bar bodies have to say, as its real concern was to ensure that a fair trial was conducted in the case. Senior advocate Indira Jaising, representing the victim's father who has sought transfer of trial out of Kathua, told the bench that advocate Rajawat had already filed an affidavit in the apex court in the matter after which she was granted protection. "She (Rajawat) has faced social boycott of the entire fraternity," Jaising said. Another advocate appearing in the matter also opposed the BCI report and raised the issue of alleged obstruction by lawyers during filing of the charge sheet. During the hearing, the bench observed that the charge sheet has been filed and it was upto the accused to plead that investigation was not fair. "He (accused) can go to the trial court. We are not concerned with it," the bench said, adding, "first of all, let us take care of the victim's case". One of the lawyers referred to the affidavit filed in the apex court by Jammu and Kashmir High Court Bar Association, Jammu, and said an extraordinary statement has been made about the alleged attempt regarding demographic change in the Jammu region. "Let us not go into this," the bench said. The plea by victim's father seeking transfer of trial from Kathua to Chandigarh is scheduled to come up for hearing on Friday before the bench. The apex court had on 13 April taken serious note of lawyers obstructing the judicial process in the Kathua case and initiated a case on its own accord, saying such impeding of the process of law "affects the delivery of justice". The top court had said that the lawyers' bodies have the solemn duty not to obstruct advocates representing the accused or the victims' family in the courts. It had also ordered the state police to grant security to the family of the victim, their friend and their lawyer. The eight-year-old girl went missing from a forested area near her home in Kathua on 10 January and her body was found in the same area a week later. The Jammu and Kashmir Police Crime Branch, which probed the case, has filed the main charge sheet against seven persons and a separate case against a juvenile in a court in Kathua district. The Supreme Court on Thursday agreed to consider a plea of two accused in the gangrape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua that the trial in the case is held in Jammu and the probe handed over to the CBI. The Supreme Court on Thursday agreed to consider a plea of two accused in the rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua that the trial in the case is held in Jammu and the probe handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud considered the plea of the accused, Sanji Ram and Vishal Jangotra, that they be impleaded as parties to the petition filed by the victim's father. The eight-year-old's father had moved the apex court earlier, apprehending a threat to the family, a friend and their lawyer Deepika Singh Rajawat. Expressing satisfaction with the probe conducted by the Jammu and Kashmir police in the case, the father had also sought transfer of the trial from Kathua court to Chandigarh. However, the accused are asking for the opposite, seeking a CBI probe and a trial in Kathua district itself. Meanwhile, the Jammu and Kashmir High Court on Thursday issued notices to the state government and the CBI, asking them to file objections to the plea of a sub-inspector and a special police officer seeking a probe by the agency into the Kathua rape and murder case. On Wednesday, the Jammu and Kashmir High Court Bar Association, Jammu, today told the Supreme Court that advocate Deepika Singh Rajawat, who is representing the victim's family in the Kathua rape and murder case, was not threatened by any member of the lawyers' body. In an affidavit filed before the Supreme Court, the Bar Association had vehemently asserted that it did not threaten Rajawat. Rajawat had complained to Acting Chief Justice of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court Justice Ramalingam Sudhakar earlier in April, alleging that the Associations president, Senior Advocate BS Slathia and other office bearers had threatened her from appearing on behalf of the victims family. Besides, the association also denied claims of having obstructed the Police from filing the chargesheet in the matter before the magistrate. The affidavit further highlights the fact that after the Supreme Court took up the case, the bar association resumed work. These submissions, the association said, had been placed before the committee constituted by the Bar Council of India (BCI) after the nation-wide condemnation of lawyers of the state for their alleged actions. Accorded to a report in India Today, the affidavit further states there was a need for a "fair and impartial" CBI probe into the rape and murder case of an eight-year-old girl while maintaining that it had not obstructed smooth functioning of the justice delivery system in any manner. It has claimed that a "motivated and malicious campaign" by some media channels has created an "erroneous impression" about the motives of the bandh call in Jammu by projecting the legal fraternity and also the people supporting it as "pro-rapists, which is factually incorrect and misleading as such denied." "However, in order to ensure justice to the victim, the demand for a CBI enquiry in the Kathua rape and murder case was disassociated from the on-going agitation, as the matter had already landed before the court of law and the remedy, if any, was within the competence of the court of law, but still the association believes that the justice shall be done to the victim only after a fair and impartial probe by the CBI," the affidavit said. With regard to the allegation of obstruction or extending threat to Rajawat, the association said, "It is totally false and baseless and the same is vehemently/specifically denied". The lawyers' body said that District Bar Association, Kathua, was also supporting the demand for transfer of probe in the case to the CBI. "As the charge sheet was filed in Kathua, and the alleged obstruction, if any, caused in filing the same can be better explained by the members of District Bar Association, Kathua," it said. The affidavit has also alleged that after the forcible exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from the Kashmir Valley, organised state-sponsored attempts were being made from time to time to create a Kashmir like situation by ensuring a demographic change in Jammu region, where state and forest land had been found to be illegally occupied. "The members of the association would highlight that they feel a grave threat to their security, life and property in the given circumstances where the state has miserably failed to perform its constitutional duty", the affidavit read. "In fact, by this act of omission and commission it has the effect of encouraging certain forces that are hell-bent to change the Jammu's demography so that the people living in Jammu region are made to feel insecure and toe line of anti-national forces, which are duly encouraged and patronised by foreign powers, especially Pakistan", it further stated. On 13 April, a bench headed by Chief Justice Misra had taken a serious note of lawyers obstructing the judicial process in the case and had initiated a case on its own accord saying such impeding of the process of law "affects the delivery of justice". The apex court had also ordered the state police to grant security to the family of the victim, their friend and their lawyer. However, on Thursday the Supreme Court said that its "real concern" was to see that a fair trial was conducted in the case and that if it will find the slightest possibility of lack of fair trial, it will transfer the case out of Kathua. The minor girl went missing from a forested area near her home in Kathua on 10 January and her body was found in the same area a week later. The Jammu and Kashmir Police's Crime Branch, which probed the case, has filed the main chargesheet against seven persons and a separate case against a juvenile in a court in Kathua district. The charge sheet revealed chilling details about how the girl was allegedly kidnapped, drugged, raped inside a place of worship before being killed. With inputs from PTI Senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal, on Thursday, launched a scathing attack on the Narendra Modi-led government over its refusal to clear Justice KM Joseph's elevation to the Supreme Court, alleging that the central government wanted to ensure the 'judiciary was filled with its own people' Senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal, on Thursday, launched a scathing attack on the Central government over its refusal to clear Justice KM Joseph's elevation to the Supreme Court, alleging that the Narendra Modi-led government wanted to ensure the "judiciary was filled with its own people". Justice Joseph heads the Uttarakhand High Court. Addressing a press conference, Sibal mentioned that several high courts were working without an adequate number of judges and noted that litigants would be at a loss if the Centre did not appoint judges. He urged the judiciary to speak in one voice to protect its independence. "We have been saying for weeks that Indian judiciary is in danger. If it doesnt stand united in one voice then democracy would be in danger," Sibal said. Earlier, the Congress had accused Modi of indulging in 'revenge politics' by "refusing" to clear Justice Joseph's elevation to the Supreme Court. According to government officials, Justice Joseph is the senior-most chief justice (of a high court), but in the all-India list of seniority, he figured at number 42 as on April 1. The judiciary is under the most vicious attack ever" and totalitarianism will stump democracy if the nation does not rise now, Congress communications in-charge Randeep Surjewala had alleged. PM Modi's revenge politics' qua judiciary and conspiratorial suffocation' of Supreme Court exposed again," Surjewala said on Twitter, adding that Justice Joseph is India's most senior chief justice. "Yet Modi government refuses to clear his elevation to SC as retribution for quashing presidential rule in Uttarakhand he had said. His remarks came amid reports that the government had cleared the name of Indu Malhotra as Supreme Court judge while it returned to the Supreme Court collegium its recommendation to elevate Justice Joseph to the apex court and asked it to reconsider the recommendation. With inputs from PTI At least 13 school children died on Thursday after the vehicle carrying them collided with a train at an unmanned crossing in Uttar Pradesh's Kushinagar. Auto refresh feeds Latest updates: As Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath reached the accident site to talk to the protesters, hundreds of people gathered to demand more compensation and swift action. Meanwhile, Railway Board chairman Ashwini Lohani said all unmanned railway crossings in the country will either be closed or be converted to manned crossings soon. The district magistrate in Kushinagar has ordered all the schools in the district to remain shut. Congress MLA Ajay Kumar said that continuous demands for a manned railway crossing were ignored. Locals near Dudahi have started protesting and are demanding a manned railway crossing at the site. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Ram Nath Kovind have expressed sadness over the accident. Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath has rushed to the accident site. According to 101Reporters, the driver of the vehicle was warned by people near the crossing to stop the vehicle. However, by the time the driver stopped, the vehicle was already on the railway tracks. The Uttar Pradesh chief minister has directed the district administration to provide all medical assistance. At least 13 school children died on Thursday after the vehicle carrying them collided with a train at an unmanned crossing in Uttar Pradesh's Kushinagar. Reports also said that eight children have been injured in the accident. The children were students of the Divine Mission School and were killed on the spot. According to news reports, the driver of the vehicle was also killed when the accident took place at around 7.10 am. According to police officials, the collision between the school van and train number 55075 occurred at an unmanned railway crossing in Bahpurva, which falls under the Vishunpura police station limits, about 22 km from the district headquarters. News18 reported that Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the kin of the deceased children. He has also directed Gorakhpur commissioner to conduct an inquiry into the accident. Senior district officials have also rushed to the spot. The Uttar Pradesh Police on Thursday arrested the principal of Divine Public School in Kushinagar school-bus tragedy that took 13 lives The Uttar Pradesh police on Thursday arrested the principal of Divine Public School in the Kushinagar school bus accident case, according to media reports.. The mishap claimed 13 lives on Thursday. #KushinagarTragedy -- The school principal has been arrested for running school unlawfully. The school has also be shut by authorities | @pranshumisraa with more details pic.twitter.com/ePGoBdXPlo News18 (@CNNnews18) April 26, 2018 According to CNN News18, the principal has been arrested for running the school without proper documents. The school has also been shut by authorities. On Thursday, a train had rammed into a school bus owned by the school administration at an unmanned railway crossing at Kushinagar's Behpurva. In the incident, 13 children were killed and eight others were critically injured. Some of those injured, including the driver, were shifted to the BRD Medical College in Gorakhpur, about 50 kilometres away. Yogi Adityanath, while inspecting the accident site, had promised strict action against all those found responsible for the laxity. He had also blamed the school bus driver for the incident. "He was said to have earphones on...all the facts will be known in the inquiry headed by the commissioner of Gorakhpur," he told the media. The chief minister has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the families of the victims. With inputs from PTI Migration often forces early marriages in Marathwada. Around 300,000 farmers and labourers leave Beed during the harvest season and migrate to western Maharashtra's Kolhapur, Sangli and Satara districts, or to Karnataka's Belgaum district Editor's note: Parth MN is travelling across Maharashtra's Marathwada province on a People's Archive of Rural India fellowship to chronicle agrarian issues in the region. Firstpost will reproduce his reports as and when he files them for Pari. Vijaya Phartade became a grandmother four years ago. She is only 34 years old. "I got married at 14," she says, sitting on a stone platform outside her tin-roofed hut in Arvi village in Maharashtra's Beed district. Her groom, Bandu, was not much older, at 18. "I asked my parents to wait for a couple of years," she says. "But they said this is the right age. Most of my friends got married at the same age. So I thought, 'Maybe they are right'." Within a year of getting married, Vijaya became a mother. In five years, when still in her teens, she had three children two daughters and a son. Six years ago, her older daughter Swati, then 13, got married; and four years later, it was the turn of the younger daughter Sheetal, then 15. Swati now has a four-year-old daughter, and Sheetal has a one-year-old son. Child marriages like these remain common in rural Maharashtra. The National Family Health Survey's (NFHS) 2015-16 data show that nearly one-third of all girls in the 20-24 age group in the state's villages got married before they turned 18. And 10.4 percent women in rural Maharashtra in the 15-19 age group were mothers or pregnant at the time of the survey. Though it is widely known that child marriage is illegal in India for girls below 18 and boys less than 21 years old such unions remain even higher in Beed district's villages, where farming incomes are low and migration is the norm. In Beed, 51.3 percent women aged 20-24 were married before turning 18, the 2015-16 NFHS says, and 18.2 percent of girls in the 15-19 age group were mothers or pregnant at the time of the survey. Migration often forces early marriages in Marathwada. Around 300,000 farmers and labourers leave Beed during the harvest season, according to trade union estimates. They migrate mainly to western Maharashtra's Kolhapur, Sangli and Satara districts, or to Karnataka's Belgaum district, to work as sugarcane cutters. Seasonal migration from Marathwada has increased over the years given the rise in production costs for agriculture and near-stagnant returns. A report titled 'Price Policy for Kharif Crops (2017-18)' by the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices shows a mismatch between investment and returns for almost every crop, including cash crops like cotton. The endemic water crisis in the region is another reason why small cultivators can no longer depend on farming as their primary source of income. This increases the numbers who migrate. When families migrate for work, looking after a daughter becomes a concern, says Ahmednagar-based educationist Herambh Kulkarni, who works with a non-governmental organisation. "As the daughter enters her teens," he says, "Migrating parents start worrying for her safety. They get her married quickly and believe they have fulfilled a responsibility." Vijaya's parents are farmers with two acres of land in Shirapur village in Shirur taluka of Beed. When she was a child, they migrated (and still do) every year for five months, from November to March, to work as cane cutters. "We cultivated cotton, but with little land, we had to look for other sources of income," says Vijaya, who does not have any sisters. "I have vague memories of life as a migrant. My parents would go to the field to cut cane, and I stayed back at the makeshift hut." Other than the law against child marriage, when a girl gets married barely after entering her teens, there are many other adverse health outcomes as well. Studies have repeatedly shown higher rates of maternal mortality among very young mothers in India, of undernourishment in children when the mother is herself so young and physically weak. Miscarriages, stillbirths and low-weight babies are all potential consequences of early pregnancies. A report of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, titled 'A Statistical Analysis of Child Marriage in India', based on the 2011 Census, says that girls between the ages of 10 and 14 are five times more likely than women aged 20 to 24 to die during pregnancy and childbirth. When they are 15 to 19, girls are twice as likely than older women to die from childbirth and pregnancy. "It is well established that early marriage and child-bearing are significantly related to malnutrition and under-nutrition among young mothers," the report states, "... (and this contributes to) complications such as premature deliveries, difficult labour, birth of low-weight babies and maternal death." Others have also pointed to a link between domestic violence and child marriage. "A young bride doesn't have a say, and because she is told to be tolerant, she hesitates to stand up for herself. Besides, families hardly report abuse, either due to a lack of awareness or a sense of honour," says Pune-based lawyer and child rights activist Rama Sarode. "Early motherhood also spells an end to the education of girls, which increases their economic dependence, perpetuating a circle." Only 32.6 percent women in rural Maharashtra have had schooling for 10 years or more and just 31 percent in Beed, according to the NFHS. Vijaya only studied till Class II in her village school. "As I grew up, my safety became a concern for my parents. They found me a groom and I got married," she says. Her husband Bandu's family lives in Arvi, five kilometres from her own village. He inherited two acres, where they cultivate cotton. "In an entire season (around 6 to 8 months), we harvest only eight quintals," she says. That earns them a profit of Rs 22,000. "But when we cut cane, contractors pay us an advance of around Rs 50,000. For us, that's a lot of money, even if it means five months of intensive labour." Because cane contractors only hire couples, when a very young girl and boy get married, another couple is ready to migrate to the fields and open up a source of income for the family. Vijaya and Bandu began migrating to cut cane every year right after they were married. "As our daughters grew up, we had the same concerns my parents did and we repeated their mistake," she says. "We wondered how we would take care of them with such little income, and thought it was better to get them married." And then Swati also started to migrate to cut cane with her husband. But they did this for just one season. Two years after her marriage, her husband Kishor died in a motorbike accident in his village, Chikhali, in Beed's Patoda taluka. Swati was seven months pregnant. "After she delivered her daughter, Dnyaneshwari, her in-laws refused to take care of her," says Vijaya. So Swati returned to her mother's house. To help the family cope, Deepak Nagargoje, who runs a non-governmental organisation called Shantivan in Arvi, provided Swati with financial support to enrol in a nurse-training programme in Pune. Vijaya and Bandu pitched in by taking in Dnyaneshwari. They are now raising her along with their own 15-year-old son, Rameshwar, who is in Class X at a residential school started by Shantivan in Arvi. To be able to take care of the children, Vijaya and Bandu no longer migrate during the harvest season, and depend on whatever work they can find in the fields nearby. Vijaya's younger daughter Sheetal lives in Beed town, where her husband works as a construction labourer. Over the last 15 years, Nagargoje says he has helped dozens of child brides from surrounding villages, who faced domestic violence or were abandoned after marriage. "There are many child marriages, but we cannot step in unless the families want us to," he says. "And these marriages are often clandestine." Various local organisations have tried to turn village schools into temporary residential schools to stem the practice of migrant parents taking along their children. But the residential schools are few and usually in bad shape, and parents hesitate to keep their daughters back. Pune-based Nutan Maghade, who works with the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, a government-run "education for all" programme, says the state gives Rs 1,416 per month per child under the Hangami Vastigruh Yojana, a seasonal hostel plan. It does not take responsibility of the kids' stay, but the money given to state-aided school committees, helps take care of food and other costs of children who can stay back with grandparents. The parents I spoke to in Arvi had little or no schooling themselves, and their daughters had dropped out of school at a young age. All of them, except Vijaya, refused to come on record and be photographed, perhaps because they know that child marriages are illegal. But they mentioned the same dilemmas Vijaya faced. Vijaya though wants to talk about child marriages, so that families like hers can break away from this pattern. "We did not have money to educate our girls, but at the same time we were unaware of the importance of education," she says, looking at little Dnyaneshwari playing in her lap. "What happened to us will not happen to her." This article was originally published in the People's Archive of Rural India on April 24, 2018. The major takeaways of the revised development plan are affordable housing, and infusion of new land that can be developed. The newly-unveiled development plan 2034 for Greater Mumbai will be the blueprint for the city's land use over the next 16 years. Some of the major takeaways from the revised development plan are affordable housing, and infusion of new land that can be developed. Urban development secretary Nitin Kareer, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) commissioner Ajoy Mehta and housing secretary Sanjay Kumar unveiled the plan at a press conference on Wednesday. According to The Times of India, they said the objective behind the development plan is to create eight million jobs and 10 lakh affordable homes under the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana in the metropolis. Increase in FSI In the new development plan, the FSI (floor space index) has been raised up to three for residential properties, while for commercial properties, it has been raised up to 5 from earlier 1.33. FSI, also known as the floor area ratio, is the ratio of the total built-up area to the total area of a plot. Basically, it is a tool that defines the extent of construction permissible on a plot. For suburbs, the new FSI will be up to 2.5 and 5 for residential and commercial properties, respectively. The existing FSI for the two categories is 2 and 2.5, respectively. The new plan also stresses on the concept of walking to work and the maintenance of open spaces. At the press conference, Kareer claimed that the additional FSI for the redevelopment of housing societies (15 percent at no extra cost) will translate into one extra room for each flat owner, The Times of India reported. The new plan also attempts to regularise space alterations, and offers additional FSI against payment of a premium amount, according to another report by The Times of India. Earlier, the compulsory open space area was not considered for FSI. The FSI regime is chained to road width of a minimum nine metres, going up to 24 metres and beyond for commercial and other development. "Mumbai has been divided into five zones, where the permissible bulk FSI will be allowed to be parked depending on the areas proximity to the mass transit station," The Hindu quoted Kareer as saying. New spaces released for development The new development plan is based on the projection that Mumbai's population will come down by 2034, according to BMC. The plan will unlock over 3,650 hectares under No Development Zone (NDZ) category and salt pan land for development. While the move is positive for development, experts have raised concerns that it is likely to put pressure on the existing infrastructure. Over 3,000 hectares of land would be available for building affordable houses after unlocking the NDZ land. Apart from this land, an additional 300 hectares of salt pan land will also be available for affordable housing. The government plans to build about 10 lakh affordable houses on these lands by 2034. The Aarey Milk Colony will also be opened to allow construction of metro car shed and a zoo. However, according to Mumbai Mirror, the development plan has committed to long-term conservation of the rest of the colonys forest/open land. The plan has also marked Priyadarshini Park in Malabar Hill, which was earlier expected to come up with a fire station, as an open space. According to Census 2011, Mumbai's population stands at 1.24 crore. Availability of new land significantly affects the city with a population density of 29,650 per square kilometre. Issues like creating more old age homes are also addressed in the new development plan. According to BMC, a big impetus is given for promotion of art and culture in the city. The Maharashtra government is all set to come up with a new provision for inclusion of transit-oriented development (TOD) model. This will enable more construction within the influence areas of mass transit corridors, reported The Print. The earlier draft of the TOD plan, which was rejected after much criticism, had proposed a variable FSI, ranging from 2.5 to 8, with a higher density around mass transit corridors. The draft development plan 2014-34 was earlier passed by the civic body on 1 August 2017. Corporators across political parties had then proposed around 267 amendments, mainly related to reservations for day care centres, children's park, another central park and a museum. Livemint reported that the new development plan classifies 12,859 hectares of land as permanent no development zone. No construction will be permitted on this land, making this the first decision of its kind in the history of civic planning in Mumbai. In an interview to Mumbai Mirror, Mehta said that BMC will come up with policy guidelines to ensure a smooth transition (from 1991 to 2034 development plan). "Three months down the line, things will stabilise," he was quoted as saying. A notification on the development plan will be issued in the next few days. The new development will be implemented one month after the notification is published. With inputs from PTI The Maharashtra government on Wednesday unveiled the much-awaited Development Plan (DP) 2034 for Mumbai, paving the way for the space-starved city to have more land available to build homes and commercial spaces. Mumbai: The Maharashtra government on Wednesday unveiled the much-awaited Development Plan (DP) 2034 for Mumbai, paving the way for the space-starved city to have more land available to build homes and commercial spaces. Infusion of new land that can be developed and increasing the FSI (Floor Space Index) in the island city up to 3 for residential properties are the major takeaways of the revised development plan, which will be the blueprint for the city's land use over the next 16 years. FSI is the ratio of the total built-up area to the total area of a plot. It is basically a tool that defines the extent of construction permissible on a plot. In the new DP, the FSI for commercial properties is raised up to 5 in the island city from the earlier 1.33. For suburbs, new FSI will be up to 2.5 and 5 for residential and commercial properties, respectively. The existing FSI for the two categories is 2 and 2.5, respectively. Unveiling the document, Maharashtra Urban Development department Principal Secretary Nitin Kareer said, "Among other major issues, availability of open spaces is well taken care of in the DP. No open space reservation has been removed even as some extra open space is proposed to be created, because the government feels that open space is the important parameter of the quality of life." He said Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had approved the development blueprint on Tuesday. "A notification will be issued in the next ten days. The new DP will be implemented one month after the notification is published," the principal secretary said. He said the land that falls under No Development Zone (NDZ) category, where the civic body can provide infrastructure, can now be utilised for the purpose of affordable housing as well as creating other amenities under the Special Development Zone (SDZ). The NDZ areas include salt pan lands and lands earlier earmarked for tourism development. "Maximum FSI for commercial properties in the island city is capped at 5. However, it is not necessarily applicable to every property. The maximum FSI will be commensurate with the width of a road near the property concerned. The FSI will be maximum for the widest road and will be lesser depending upon the width of a road concerned," Kareer said, while sharing the new Development Control and Promotional Regulations 2034. Addressing the media, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Commissioner Ajoy Mehta said over 3,000 hectares of land would be available for building affordable houses after unlocking the NDZ land. "Apart from this land, an additional 300 hectares of salt pan land will also be available for affordable housing. As per our estimate, about 10 lakh affordable houses will be built on these lands by 2034," Mehta said, adding that the new DP is based on the projection that Mumbai's population will come down by 2034. As per Census 2011, Mumbai's population is 1.24 crore. Availability of new land means a lot for the space-constrained city with a population density of 29,650 per sq Km. Mehta said four major issues, including affordable housing and creation of jobs, have been addressed to in the DP 2034. "The first and foremost issue is housing. Other issues are creating additional jobs in the financial capital of the country, facilitating qualitative life and not compromising on open spaces, green cover etc. The fourth major issue is to improve the life of marginalised sections of the society by helping them maintain pace with development. For this reason, we have made a number of provisions for various sections like working women, divyangs etc," he said. Mehta said issues like creating more old age homes are also addressed. "Moreover, a big impetus is given for promotion of art and culture in the city," he added. The chief minister approved the Mumbai DP 2034 on Tuesday, more than three years after it was submitted to him. He had scrapped the draft DP following a hue and cry generated by several quarters over its provisions, and had set up a new panel to come up with the revised plan. The draft Development Plan 2014-34 was earlier passed in the BMC civic body on 1 August last year. Corporators cutting across political parties had then proposed around 267 amendments in the plan. These amendments were mainly related to reservations for day care centres, children's park, another central park and a museum. The Congress on Thursday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of indulging in 'revenge politics' by 'refusing' to clear the elevation of the country's most senior chief justice, KM Joseph, to the Supreme Court New Delhi: The Congress on Thursday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of indulging in "revenge politics" by "refusing" to clear the elevation of the country's most senior chief justice, KM Joseph, to the Supreme Court. The judiciary is under the most vicious attack ever" and totalitarianism will stump democracy if the nation does not rise now, Congress communications in-charge Randeep Surjewala alleged. PM Modi's revenge politics' qua judiciary and conspiratorial suffocation' of Supreme Court exposed again," Surjewala said on Twitter, adding that Justice Joseph, who heads the Uttarakhand High Court, is India's most senior chief justice. "Yet Modi Government refuses to clear his elevation to SC as retribution for quashing presidential rule in Uttarakhand? he said. His remarks came amid reports that the government has cleared the name of Indu Malhotra as Supreme Court judge, while putting the elevation of Justice Joseph on hold. Modiji shredded Parliamentary privileges and supremacy. He road-rolled independent media. Democracy's last refuge i.e Judiciary is now under most vicious attack ever. If the Nation doesn't rise in unison now, totalitarianism will stump democracy, Surjewala tweeted. He accused the Modi government of being a habitual offender of trashing "judicial integrity" and the "constitutional supremacy" of institutions. In June 2014, it refused to clear noted jurist Gopal Subramaniam's name for elevation to the Supreme Court as he was a lawyer against Amit Shah and Co, the Congress leader said. Narendra Modi's remarks in London on doctors have evoked much outrage. However, several studies indicate that this anger is not justified. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has faced flak from medicos for his recent remarks in London to the effect that doctors in India prescribe medications at the behest of pharmaceutical companies. The doctors have also received support from Delhi's chief minister and Modi's perennial critic Arvind Kejriwal. However, this criticism does not negate the fact that the prime minister, during his "Bharat ki baat, sab ke saath" talk, referred to a grim reality in Indias health sector, one in which only common people are made to suffer. Modi made the above controversial statement while discussing the Pradhan Mantri Bharatiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana scheme. Under it, the government sells cheap un-branded generic medicines, through nearly three thousand Janaushadhi stores. Explaining the rationale for the scheme, the prime minister referred to practices of doctors in India. He said, You all know that medicines have good packaging. The people who prescribe them also get something. You also know that doctors go to attend conferences in Dubai and Singapore. They dont go there to treat patients, but because (of the) pharmaceutical companies. Modi hinted at a nexus between the medicos and pharmaceutical companies, one which is said to have an effect on prices of medicines. In his recent public address in London, the prime minister further said, We have arranged for generic medicines through the Janaushadhi Pariyojana. Under this scheme, medicines which are priced at Rs 100 in the market are made available at Rs 15. This is not the first time that Modi has endorsed generic medicines. In 2017, he had said that the government would bring in a legal framework making it mandatory for doctors to prescribe generic medicines. A week after this statement, the Medical Council of India had issued a circular suggesting that doctors should prescribe generic medicines only. The Indian Medical Association issued a statement reacting to Modi's remarks quoted above, saying that they show Indias health industry in poor light in a foreign country, that too in one where 70 percent of the medical system is run by Indians. However, the debate about generic and branded medicines is an old one. The basic contours of this debate are: Do the majority of doctors still prescribe branded medicines at the behest of pharmaceutical companies, even when cheaper generic variants are available? Is it is a legal and moral responsibility of doctors to prescribe generic drugs? Can doctors evade such responsibility and prescribe brands of their choice? Numerous studies show that medical bills in India mostly consist of expensive branded drugs. A study jointly conducted by Maulana Azad Medical College in Dehi and Delhi Society for Promotion of Rational Use of Drugs in the year 2011 said that up to 90 percent of medical bills of the poor in India consist of the cost of medicines. This was the situation nearly nine years after the Union government decided to push for generic medicines in its health policy in the year 2002 and after the Medical Council of India made it a part of the ethical code of conduct of doctors to prescribe generics. The 2011 study, referred to earlier, also suggested that prescribing of generic drugs should be made mandatory to control costs of medication. But experts say that making it mandatory for doctors to prescribe generics is not legally possible. The Government of India is not a totalitarian body and hence, it cannot impose such rules for all kinds of medicines, says Alok Mukhopadhyay, a health expert who has been associated with the formulation of National Health Policies since 2002. Keeping this in mind, prescribing generic medicines has not been made mandatory by the government. The Medical Council of India's circular issued last year telling doctors to prescribe generics is actually advisory in nature. It says that doctors should prescribe generic medicine and is worded in the form of a moral obligation, says Dr Girish Tyagi, Registrar of Delhi Medical Council, a quasi-judicial body under the Delhi Government that oversees ethical practices among the doctors. Since prescribing generic medicines is not compulsory for doctors, nothing much has changed in India on this front, says Mahendra Prasad, a qualified pharmacist who runs a drug store in Dwarka. He says, Branded drugs are expensive and hence, their sale is more profitable. The profit is shared among pharmaceutical companies, doctors and drug stores. On the other hand, non-branded generic drugs yield less profit. Pharmaceutical companies lay relatively less emphasis on selling them. However, Dr Bipin Mittal, a dental surgeon in Delhi said to Firspost that commercial considerations are not the only reason why many doctors prescribe branded medicines. Many doctors believe that branded medicines are more effective than generic ones. So, they fear that if they prescribe generic medicines, these may prove ineffective, he says. However, a source in the Bureau of Pharma PSUs of India (a Union government body which is the implementing agency of the Janaushadhi Pariyojana) said to Firstpost that it is a myth that generic medicines in India are not as effective as branded ones. Generic medicines have to go through bio-equivalence tests to prove that they are equivalent to branded medicines, before they are allowed to be sold in the market, the source said. Significantly, the Food and Drug Administration of the United States defines generics as a medication created to be the same as an existing approved brand-name drug in dosage form, safety, strength, route of administration, quality, and performance characteristics." The BPPI source further said that generic medicines which are sold under the Janaushadhi Pariyojana are produced by companies certified by the World Health Organisation for Good Manufacturing Practice. The source also said that the medicines are tested by laboratories under the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration of Laboratories. The medicines sold under the scheme are of export quality. Hence, there is no question of them being sub-standard, said Biplab Chatterjee, Chief Executive Officer of BPPI. This reporter spoke to Fateh Singh, an autorickshaw driver waiting for his turn at a Janaushadhi Kendra. Singh said, Three of my children were afflicted with tuberculosis. Earlier, I was getting them treated at a private hospital. Not only were the medicines expensive, but they were also relatively ineffective. Later, I started getting medicines from Janaushadhi Kendras. Now, my children are recovering fast and I am managing the cost of the treatment smoothly. The Indian Medical Association, while expressing displeasure over Narendra Modi's statement, had questioned the quality of generic medicines. However, the Ranbaxy scam unearthed in the year 2004 showed that it was possible even for multi-national brands to obtain permission to release products in the market by submitting false test data. In such a situation, singling out generics as inferior in quality reeks of bias. The Delhi governments health sector thrives on generic medicines, says Hemprakash, Additional Director, Delhi Health Department. The Delhi health department has made it compulsory for every doctor in government hospitals to prescribe generics only, he said. The mohalla clinics opened by the Delhi health department, which treat patients only with generic medicines, manage a maddening crowd of patients on a daily basis. On the other hand, the private health sector in Delhi hinges on branded medicines. Since there is no rule to compel private players to prescribe generics, most doctors in private hospitals prescribe branded medicines, says Ashok Agarwal, member of a monitoring committee formed by the Delhi High Court to ensure treatment for economically weaker sections in private hospitals. Even government hospitals outside Delhi prescribe branded medicines, says Raghav Chand, who came to Noida to get his newborn son treated at a government hospital. Not only do doctors prescribe expensive medicines, but they also sometimes specify the shops where they need to be bought from, he says Raghav Chand does not know about the Janaushadhi Pariyojana and he has also never heard of generic medicines. Dr Girish Tyagi of the DMC says that although it is legal to prescribe branded medicines, it is an offence for doctors to accept any gifts or hospitality from any pharmaceutical company. The penalty for the same can extend to cancellation of licence. Earlier, the council suspended the license of a doctor working in the government sector in Delhi for violating such rules. However, very few people bring such illegal activities to our notice. So, it is very difficult to assess the magnitude of such transactions, Tyagi said. The news report claimed that Nirav first fled to UAE from Mumbai, from where he moved to Hong Kong in March third week. With his debts piling up, and both Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on his trail, fugitive businessman Nirav Modi has reportedly shifted base to New York. CNN-News18 has accessed a Government of India dossier which follows the trail of the escaped-diamond merchant since he left Mumbai on 1 January, 2018. The report claimed Nirav first fled to UAE from Mumbai, from where he moved to Hong Kong. However, as the Indian government took up the matter with Chinese authorities to request for his provisional arrest, Nirav fled to London and subsequently to New York in the United States. The Chinese government assured India that the autonomous government in Hong Kong was free to extradite Nirav, and added that Beijing would not be a roadblock. Indian authorities requested his provisional arrest on 23 March. But before the authorities could pursue the matter further, Nirav moved to London. He was last spotted around the New York's high-end Loews Regency hotel near Broadway Street. It is suspected that he has been in New York since the third week of March and is staying at the said hotel. Curiously, both Nirav's and his uncle Mehul Chowksi's Indian passports have been impounded. But the diamond merchants still managed to change locations with ease. "After suspension of his passport, he cannot move to a different location. Wherever he is, he will remain in the same country," the MEA spokesperson had said. Their passports were suspended in February after an FIR was registered against them by the CBI for an alleged fraud worth several thousand crores in the Punjab National Bank two months ago. It is suspected that Nirav may have procured a Belgian passport while holding an Indian citizenship, Times Now reported. It is noteworthy here that dual citizenship is outlawed in India and holding another country's passport along with India's is against the law. Nirav and his maternal uncle Choksi are accused of triggering a Rs 11,300 crore fraud on state-run Punjab National Bank. The uncle and nephew duo, it has been alleged, connived with a few employees at Punjab National Bank's Mumbai branch to get issued fake Letters of Undertakings or comfort documents to commit the fraud. The MEA had served show cause notices to Nirav and Choksi on 16 February, giving them a week to respond. "Since they failed to respond within the stipulated time period, their passports were revoked on 23 February, 2018", an MEA official said. A 7-year-old girl has succumbed to her injuries sustained after a school van and a milk tanker collided on Thursday morning near Kanhaiya Nagar metro station in Delhi. 18 other school students are injured & are being treated at different hospitals. A seven-year-old girl, identified as Garima, has succumbed to her injuries sustained after a school van and a milk tanker collided on Thursday morning near Kanhaiya Nagar metro station in Delhi. Eighteen other school students are injured and are being treated at different hospitals. Six of them are reported to be in a critical condition. Delhi: Collision between a school van and a tempo took place this morning, near Kanhaiya Nagar metro station. 18 school students are injured & are being treated at different hospitals. pic.twitter.com/LK7bI5wCh9 ANI (@ANI) April 26, 2018 According to The Times of India, DCP (north-west) Aslam Khan said that the tempo driver, as well as the driver of the school bus, have been arrested and investigations in the case are ongoing. The police is still trying to ascertain if either of the two drivers were under the influence of alcohol. A case has been registered at Keshavpuram Police Station. The greatest player in the migration story has been the same over generations, and peedhiyon ka palayan is linked with the basic need to earn, eat, feed, fend for your loved ones in short, survival. Editor's note: Khabar Lahariya, an independent feminist news platform reporting out of rural Uttar Pradesh with local women journalists only, is producing a special series focusing on the socio-economic malaise ingrained in Uttar Pradesh's hinterland. The lanes of Rajapur in New Delhi are cramped, much like the one-to-two room shanties that dot them. As we make our way through them, the stench of filth and human desperation is oppressive. Rajapur is where scores of families, migrating from Bundelkhand, have made their homes. The men here, primarily from Mau in Chitrakoot, work as drivers and car cleaners, the women mostly as cooks and maids most of them in neighbouring Rohini, while some work in the posh Shalimar Bagh mansions. I used to boss over my workers in the fields back home, says one lady, about 50 years of age, speaking of Mau, And now if I take an off, I have to hear all sorts of abuses from the madams here, she sighs. India, according to a report derived from a study by the International Organisation for Migration, has the second highest number of adults in the midst of the migration cycle thats 3.5 million planning and 1.3 million preparing to migrate. In Uttar Pradesh alone, the most populous state, the numbers are indicative of the crisis: The 2011 Indian Census pegged it as the state with the most out-migration (26.9 lakh) followed by Bihar at 17.2 lakh. Migration in UP has also been a growing affair; between 2001 and 2011, over 5.8 million people between the ages of 20 and 29 migrated from the state in search of jobs. In Bundelkhand, migration has been a socio-economic norm, with generations upon generations of families opting for it in order to survive. It is to Rajapur and similar settlements in Delhi, Punjab, Chandigarh, Mumbai and Bengaluru, and often the Gulf, that generations of families from the hinterland have been migrating. Peedhiyon se palayan is the preferred term, evocative of the hordes of warm bodies all of whom make up the fevered scramble at the Manikpur railway station in Chitrakoot to catch trains to Delhi. We all come here, so we can at least try and get a seat. Otherwise, there is barely even standing room. Due to the low education levels, migrants are often forced to make-do with low-paying jobs. Thus, they are often relegated to clusters on the peripheries of the cities they find work in as daily wage labourers working on construction sites, as cooks, and cleaners, and domestic helpers, and even dog-walkers. Families of four or five members are often sharing a one-room space in these slums, with a common toilet in the area, used by several other families. Mau local Kumkum, had come to Delhi in 2012, along with her children and husband, for the latters treatment he was a TB patient. Over the years of treatment, as the children grew up, Kumkum had them enrolled in government schools and since school admission is such a problem now, the family decided to stay on. The rural health system and its systemic issues are big reasons for migration in Bundelkhand. According to an Indiaspend study, UP spends Rs 452 per capita on health, which is, on an average, 70% less than the others. And therere more dismal figures here. There are 84% fewer specialists than needed, 50% fewer nursing staff, and the lowest share of health workers (19.9%) in India, as per an analysis conducted by the Observer Research Foundation in February 2017. However, the biggest cause of migration is, was, and continues to be unemployment. As Sunita in Kabrai, whos moving to Delhi with her husband Rajpal and their children rants, There is nothing here that gives us money. Pet paalna hai, toh jaana padega. Bundelkhand, with its drought-prone landscape, dismantling of glass factories, and a poor-friendly NREGA policy in crisis, forces the young to migrate to bigger towns and cities, leaving the old to die, often alone, in the villages. The proportion of households able to get 100 days of work has decreased drastically from 6% in 2013-14 to 2.13% in 2016-17. Amidst talks of Defence Production Corridors and reinstating factories and mills, the BJP government would do well to re-assess systems that have already been put into place by previous governments part of the sabka saath, sabka vikaas promise that saw them usher in a landslide victory in the 2017 Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh. Chunki in Rajapur relives the grief she felt when she first arrived in Delhi, almost a decade ago, Oh! I cried and I cried. I couldnt understand this Delhi, and why I was here. It was like an alien universe. The children in her neighbourhood, meanwhile, tell us that they do not miss their village at all. There isnt any electricity in Mau, how would we watch TV?, they say, all matter-of-fact. Police probing the murder of a Shiv Sena leader from Shahapur, whose half-burnt body was found at a village in Ganeshpuri in the district five days back, on Wednesday claimed to have cracked the case with the arrest of his wife and a 'contract killer Thane: Police probing the murder of a Shiv Sena leader from Shahapur, whose half-burnt body was found at a village in Ganeshpuri in the district five days back, on Wednesday claimed to have cracked the case with the arrest of his wife and a 'contract killer'. Police had recovered the body of Shailesh Nimse (43), who was Sena's former office-bearer of Shahapur tehsil, on April 20 near Devchole village in Bhiwandi tehsil in the district. Addressing a press conference on Wednesday afternoon, Thane Rural Additional Superintendent of Police Prashant Kadam said the two accused Pramod Lute (32) and the victim's wife Sakshi alias Vaishali Nimse (34) were arrested on Wednesday. He said Sakshi had hatched the conspiracy to kill her husband over his illicit relationship with another woman, and gave the 'supari' to Lute. "Police had earlier detained Lute as part of the probe. During his interrogation, he admitted that he killed Nimse with the help of his friends and disposed of the body at Ganeshpuri," he said. "The deceased was in an illicit relationship with another woman. Since his wife knew about it, they used to frequently quarrel over the issue. Nimse used to beat his wife and she feared that he would desert her and deprive her of the property rights," Kadam said. Therefore, she hatched a conspiracy to eliminate him and gave the contract to Lute by offering Rs 1.50 lakh, he added. "The conspiracy to murder Nimse was hatched at Lute's house at Atgaon in Shahapur. As planned, the door of the house was kept ajar on the night of April 20 to let the killers enter easily. Once they came in, they strangulated Nimse using a belt. Thereafter, they took his body in his car and burnt it at Devchole village," Kadam said. They also placed a liquor bottle near the body and parked his car some distance away. They had earlier decided that the body should be half-burnt so that final rites can be performed later, he added. Police said that Sakshi had paid Rs 1.50 lakh to the killers in two instalments. A search has been launched to nab other accused in the case, Kadam said. By Idrees Ali and Phil Stewart WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Thursday the United States would 'probably regret' not keeping a holding force in Syria to ensure that Islamic State militants did not re-emerge, the latest sign that a total U.S. withdrawal was unlikely By Idrees Ali and Phil Stewart WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Thursday the United States would "probably regret" not keeping a holding force in Syria to ensure that Islamic State militants did not re-emerge, the latest sign that a total U.S. withdrawal was unlikely. U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday said he wants to withdraw American troops from Syria relatively soon but also appeared to temper that position by voicing a desire to leave a "strong and lasting footprint." A footprint, in military-speak, usually refers to a U.S. troop presence. Mattis did not offer any clear indication of how long U.S. troops would remain in Syria or hint at future troop levels, stressing the ongoing mission to train local forces to combat Islamic State. "We have to create local forces that can keep the pressure on any attempt by ISIS to try to (re-emerge)," Mattis told a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, using an acronym for Islamic State. When asked whether it would be risky to have local holding partners without U.S. forces, Mattis said: " I am confident that we would probably regret it." The Pentagon and State Department have held that a longer term U.S. effort will be needed to ensure a lasting defeat of Islamic State. The group seized large swathes of Syria and Iraq but has gradually lost its territory since the United States and its allies started a military offensive in 2014. Some of the harshest critics of a potential withdrawal from Syria come from Trump's own Republican party, which blasted President Barack Obama when he withdrew U.S. from Iraq in 2011. Iraqi forces began to unravel and eventually collapsed in the face of Islamic State's advance into the country in 2014. "We learned that the Iraqi forces weren't capable of providing security inside the country and that gave the enemy an opportunity to resurge, that is where really ISIS had the space to grow," U.S. Marine General Joseph Dunford, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the hearing. U.S. airstrikes, troops and U.S.-backed Syrian militias have dealt heavy blows to Islamic State in Syria but the group still holds pockets of territory and is widely expected to revert to guerrilla tactics if the last remnants of its once self-styled "caliphate" are captured. Mattis said he expected a "re-energized" effort against Islamic State militants in eastern Syria in the coming days. "You'll see a re-energized effort against the middle Euphrates River Valley in the days ahead and against the rest of the geographic caliphate," Mattis added. (Reporting by Idrees Ali and Phil Stewart; Editing by James Dalgleish and David Gregorio) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. The Union Cabinet gave approval for inclusion of certain areas in Rajasthan under the Fifth Schedule to the Constitution so that the tribals living there can avail the benefit of protective measures under its provisions. New Delhi: The Union Cabinet on Wednesday gave approval for inclusion of certain areas in Rajasthan under the Fifth Schedule to the Constitution so that the tribals living there can avail the benefit of protective measures under its provisions. The areas comprising three complete districts Banswara, Dungarpur, Pratapgarh, nine tehsils, one block and 46 complete gram panchayats covering 227 villages in district Udaipur, Rajsamand, Chittorgarh, Pali and Sirohi of Rajasthan would be included in the Scheduled Areas, according to an official statement. Union tribal minister Jual Oram said the Scheduled Tribe population covered under the Scheduled Area will thus increase from 41,88,056 to 45,51,917, while the total population covered under the Scheduled Areas will become 64,63,353. Also, the total land area under the Scheduled Areas will increase from 19,818.86 sq km to 23,354.96 square kilometre, with which an additional Scheduled Tribe population of 3.6 lakh will be covered under Scheduled Areas. Oram stated that such an increase would result in several benefits to the people residing in those areas. For direct recruitment in government jobs (other than state services) in the Scheduled Areas of Rajasthan, 45 percent of seats will be reserved for local Scheduled Tribe population, he said. Seats will also be reserved for several vocational graduation/ post-graduation and diploma courses. The area will also be covered by separate service rules/cadre for all government services, other than state service, the minister noted. The BJP minister said the panchayat (extension to the Scheduled Areas) will also become applicable in the area, along with the concomitant powers and benefits. Moreover, the proposed additional area will now receive more funds for infrastructure and socio-economic development. The Cabinet gave the approval for declaration of Scheduled Areas by revoking the constitution order dated 12 February, 1981 and promulgation of a new constitution order. "The promulgation of new order will ensure that the Scheduled Tribes of Rajasthan will get benefits of protective measures available under the Fifth Schedule to the Constitution of India," an official added. The Congress' search for a leader to match the stature of Shivraj Singh Chouhan in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh has ended with the anointment of Kamal Nath. The Congress' search for a leader to match the political stature of Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh has ended with the anointment of veteran Kamal Nath as the chief of the party's state unit. The nine-time parliamentarian, who will lead the party in the Assembly election scheduled for later this year, is expected to unite the faction-ridden Congress and provide it with a sense of direction in its fight against the incumbent BJP. He replaces a much younger Arun Yadav. Kamal Naths announcement as MPCC president has brought jubilation among a large section of Congress workers in the state, including the youth, as they feel that he is the right choice and will pose a tough challenge for the 15-year old BJP government. Will Kamal Nath prove to be a game changer? This longest serving member of the Parliament from Chhindwara constituency, is known as an efficient floor manager, an able administrator and a proponent of economic development, having a strong camaraderie with the industry. Kamal Nath is master strategist, who knows how to prepare the party to contest elections. Having long experience as a parliamentarian, hes an excellent floor coordinator. He knows the merits and demerits of every leader in Madhya Pradesh, which will benefit the party. He also has the ability to bring all the leaders together and end factionalism within the party, Madhya Pradesh Congress spokesperson Ravi Saxena said. With Kamal Nath at the helm of affairs, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) has appointed Lok Sabha MP from Guna, Jyotiraditya Scindia as chairman, Campaign Committee and four working presidents. With this, the party has attempted to give representation to various communities and factions. While Bala Bachhan is a tribal leader and a Kamal Nath loyalist, MLA Ram Niwas Rawat is a Scindia loyalist. The other two MLA Jitu Patwari, who belongs to a backward community and ex-MLA Surendra Chaudhry are known as Digvijay Singh loyalists. The choice of Kamal Nath also validates Rahul Gandhis statement during the Congress Plenary Session and Steering Committee meeting that old guards in the party would be given due respect and responsibility along with the young blood. Kamal Nath, 71, a Doon School alumnus is close to the Nehru-Gandhi family. He was close to former prime minister Rajiv Gandhis bother Sanjay Gandhi, who was his schoolmate. Kamal Nathji is a father figure for the Congress family in Madhya Pradesh. His leadership will unite the party and end groupism existing within the state unit. Moreover, hell act as a role model for the youth, as he has helped a large number of unemployed youth in his constituency to get employment, remarked Amit Soni, state co-coordinator, IT & Social Media Cell, MPCC. Kamal Nath vis-a-vis Digvijay Singh Former chief minister of Madhya Pradesh and AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh, who recently announced his comeback in state politics and is planning to take out a statewide Ekta Yatra to regain his base, apparently backed Kamal Nath for the top post. Digvijay often refers to Kamal Nath as his elder brother. Itll be interesting to watch how Digvijay charts his new political innings in the new set-up. Once known as the political mentor of Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Digvijay apparently lost favour within the party due to his remarks that started causing embarrassment for the party. The last phase of Digvijay as chief minister had witnessed severe grievances and anger amongst the people of Madhya Pradesh on various issues from poor governance to deteriorating infrastructure. The BJP came to power by showcasing the Digvijay Singh governments failure on bijli-sadak-paani severe shortage of electricity, poor condition of roads and lack of water supply to farmers. It has remained in power ever since, for the last 15 years. Its good that Digvijay Singh hasnt been made in-charge or given any post, as his active presence is likely to do more harm than good. We faced a lot of problems during elections and bypolls due to his caustic remarks on Hindutva or saffron terror, etc. Had he been appointed as MPCC chief, our chances of losing seats would have increased, a Congress worker said on condition of anonymity. Is Kamal Naths appointment a setback for Scindia? A section within the MPCC sees Kamal Naths appointment as a setback for young leader and Lok Sabha MP from Guna, Jyotiraditya Scindia, who has been made chairman of the states campaign committee. Its wrong to view Kamal Naths appointment as a setback for Scindia, as the former comes with rich experience, and would work as a strategist to lead the Congress against the BJP. On the other hand, Scindia, who is relatively younger, will lead Congress campaigning by being active on field. Right now, its a perfect team, a Congress leader said. Who will be the Congress chief ministerial candidate? Congress hasnt revealed its chief ministerial nominee for Madhya Pradesh. According to sources, the emphasis of the Congress high command is on gaining numbers in the upcoming election. The Congress doesnt want to bring up this issue right now. The top leadership wants us to get the maximum seats possible in the upcoming election. The party will then decide the candidate based on experience and capability. We have a host of experienced leaders, but the announcement of a chief ministerial candidate will be made at an appropriate time. Lets not speculate, a senior Congress leader told Firstpost. Kamal Nath has considerable influence in the Mahakoshal region of MP. Other senior leaders too hold sway in certain regions, like Arun Yadav in Malwa, and leader of Opposition Ajay Singh in the Vindhyachal region comprising of Rewa, Satna, Sidhi and Singrauli districts. The stage is set for a heated political battle in Karnataka as the election campaigns of several political parties gain momentum ahead of the Assembly polls in the state, which are scheduled to be held on 12 May, 2018. The stage is set for a heated political battle in Karnataka as the election campaigns of several political parties gain momentum ahead of the Assembly polls on 12 May. While Congress president Rahul Gandhi is already in Karnataka for the seventh leg of his campaigning in the state, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to address 20 rallies after his return from China. The Karnataka Assembly polls are also the new battlefield for political stalwarts of Uttar Pradesh including Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Samajwadi Party supremo Akhilesh Yadav, and BSP chief Mayawati, who will be crisscrossing the state to turn the tide in favour of their respective parties. With a recent opinion poll by Times Now and VMR predicting a close contest between Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress but neither party enjoying an absolute majority, HD Deve Gowdas JD(S) is expected to emerge as the kingmaker. JD(S) is expected to win 40 seats in the 224-member Assembly, whereas Congress is projected to win 91 seats and the BJP 89 both parties well short of the 113 mark required to form a government in the state. The Congress is fighting to retain power in the southern state, which is one of the party's last bastions. BJP has also stepped up its election campaign in Karnataka as the party eyes a comeback in the state after its defeat in the 2013 Assembly elections in the state. As for BSP, which has entered into a pre-poll alliance with JD(S) ahead of the Assembly elections in the state, the election is all about strengthening the party's base in Karnataka with Mayawati's fortunes dwindling in Uttar Pradesh. Let's take a detailed look at which party has planned what in the upcoming days in poll-bound Karnataka. Congress Congress president Rahul Gandhi arrived in Karnataka on Thursday to kickstart the seventh leg of his campaigning in the southern state. During his two-day visit, Rahul will address several meetings in the state and release the party's election manifesto for the upcoming Assembly elections. Congress chief will visit Uttara (North) Kannada district in the northwestern part of the state on Thursday to hold several public meetings in Ankola, Kumta, Honnavar, and Bhatkal. "Rahul will also release the election manifesto in Mangaluru on Friday in the presence of senior leaders like (Karnataka in-charge) KC Venugopal and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah," Congress state unit spokesman Ravi Gowda told IANS in Bengaluru. Rahul will later address public meetings in Bantwal and Gonikoppal towns in Dakshina (South) Kannada district on Friday. In the evening, the Congress leader will address a public meeting in Periyapatna in Mysuru district. Rahul Gandhi's mother and former party chief Sonia Gandhi, former prime minister Manmohan Singh, senior leaders Shashi Tharoor, Mallikarjun Kharge and Ghulam Nabi Azad, among others, will also visit the state for campaigning. So far, Congress chief has held six rounds of campaigning in the southern state. The sixth phase of campaigning was on 7-8 April. Bharatiya Janata Party BJP will fly in some 40 "star campaigners" to poll-bound Karnataka, including Modi, a host of Union ministers and senior leaders to campaign for the party's success in the ensuing polls Modi is likely to address about 20 rallies in Karnataka to boost BJP's campaign in a state where his party is locked in a keen fight with Congress. Party sources said Modi, BJP's biggest crowd-puller, is likely to kick off a series of rallies in the southern state from 1 May. Though he has addressed public meetings in the state earlier, he has not hit the campaign trail since the Election Commission announced the Assembly election schedule on 27 March. BJP sources said that a final programme of Modi's election tour is still being finalised and he is expected to address anywhere between 15-20 rallies. The saffron party is making all-out efforts to oust the Siddaramaiah dispensation from power in the state. Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, who is among the BJP's star campaigners in the upcoming Assembly elections, will visit Karnataka on 3 and 4 May and then from 7 to 10 May. Adityanath will be seen in action, addressing as many as 35 rallies and road shows the saffron party has organised for him as the Nath sect, to which he belongs, wields considerable clout in coastal Karnataka, BJP sources said on Thursday. After Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat and Tripura, chief minister Yogi Adityanath is one of the most sought-after leaders in the Karnataka campaign, The Asian Age quoted a party leader as saying. BJP leaders say that the UP chief minister is very likely to launch a counter-offensive against the remarks that were made against him by Karnataka Congress working president Dinesh Gundu Rao earlier this month. Rao had set the tone for Adityanath's visit by openly asking the people of Karnataka to boycott him. He later apologised for his remarks, describing them as an "emotional outburst." Earlier, during his February visit, Adityanath had taken on Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on the microblogging site, which blew up into a twitter war between the two chief ministers. In between his rallies and road shows, Adityanath is also expected to visit temples and mutts as the BJP looks to play the Hindutva card in a state where it is anxious to regain power it lost 10 years ago. In December last, while addressing a "Parivartan Yatra" rally in Hubbali, the Uttar Pradesh chief minister had stoked passions by asking people to choose between Hanuman Jayanti and Tipu Jayanti a remark aimed at questioning Congress' two-year-old decision to commemorate the birth anniversary of Tipu Sultan, the 18th century ruler who hailed from the region. Besides Modi, Adityanath, and BJP national president Amit Shah, Union ministers Sushma Swaraj, Smriti Irani, Nirmala Sitharaman, Ravi Shankar Prasad and Piyush Goyal, as well as veteran actor and MP Hema Malini are also expected to visit the southern state. Bahujan Samaj Party and Janata Dal (Secular) BSP supremo Mayawati whose party has entered into a pact with former prime minister Deve Gowda's JD(S), has already started working in the state with her rallies starting on Wednesday from Mysuru. She will be addressing a rally in Chitradurga on Thursday and Belagavi and Bidar on 5 and 6 May respectively. Mayawati who is currently touring Karnataka will also share the stage with the JD(S) leadership at public rallies. The BSP is contesting on 20 seats in Karnataka and is hoping to open an account there with the JD(S) support. Samajwadi Party Samajwadi Party supremo Akhilesh Yadav will also be touring the state to champion his party's cause in those constituencies where the Samajwadi Party is in the fray. "The SP has fielded over two dozen candidates in Karnataka. The party president will be campaigning there for our candidates. The tour details will be finalised in a day or two," SP spokesman Rajendra Chowdhury told PTI. When asked specifically as to whether Akhilesh will campaign for the Congress too, Chowdhury said, "He will campaign for Samajwadi Party candidates only as of now." Congress and Samajwadi Party had contested the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls last year jointly but had contested the civic body polls in the state independently. With inputs from agencies According to Election Commission data, of the total nominees, 250 were from the ruling Congress, 282 from the Opposition BJP, 231 from the JD (S), 1,673 Independents and 938 from regional parties and fringe outfits Bengaluru: A total of 3,374 candidates have filed their nominations for the 12 May Karnataka Assembly elections, as per the revised figures from the Election Commission released on Wednesday. According to the Election Commission data, of the total nominees, 250 were from the ruling Congress, 282 from the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), 231 from the JD (S), 1,673 Independents and 938 from regional parties and fringe outfits. The nomination process began on 17 April after the single-phase election schedule was announced, and Tuesday was the last day for filing nominations. The Congress has fielded a total of 16 women, while BJP and JD (S) fielded 17 and 14 respectively. In addition, 90 women have filed their nominations as Independents from various constituencies. Five of the nominees are aged between 81 to 90 years, the EC said. Congress leaders Kagodu Thimmappa, 87, who filed his nomination from Sagar in Shivamogga district, Shamanur Shivashankarappa, 86, from Davanagere South Assembly segment, AB Malakareddy, 82, from Yadgir, JD(S) leader Mallappa Channaveerappa M, 82, from Sindgi constituency in Vijayapura district, and BJP's nominee from Hangal in Haveri district, CM Udasi, 82, are the oldest nominees. Karnataka has 224 Assembly constituencies. Since the three major parties have all exceeded this mark, it's likely that 26 Congress candidates, 58 BJP candidates and seven from JD(S) would have done so without the mandatory B-Form from their respective parties, and are hence likely to be rejected once the EC conducts its scrutiny. The last day of withdrawal of candidatures is 27 April. The Election Commission is yet to release the list of accepted nominations following its scrutiny on Wednesday. While the Cambridge Analytica scandal has created concerns over the breach of privacy by data firms, agencies providing election management services in the Karnataka elections say that social media is not at all useful in planning out election campaigns While the Cambridge Analytica scandal has created concerns over the breach of privacy by data firms, agencies providing election management services in the Karnataka elections say that social media is not at all useful in planning out election campaigns. "Social media data is not useful for any predictive analysis in the Indian political context because nearly 70 percent of India is off the grid," said Yeshma Nanjappa, corporate communication specialist at Bengaluru-based 5Forty3 Datalabs. "Usage of data and analytics in this day and time is unavoidable and the process itself is irreversible. All debates about social media data leaks are mostly farcical," she added. Abhishek Shukla, head of campaigns and CEO of Pollltics.in, a firm that specialises in election management services, said they collect data from firsthand sources through door-to-door surveys and rely on social media only to promote their clients' profiles. But political parties in Karnataka continue to battle misinformation and the spread of fake news while using social media as a political tool. Shukla said that several political parties in India, including the BJP are mandating that their party candidates are active on social media. "The main problem is that nowadays social media has become a buzzword and every candidate wants a good social media campaign and we support them on that part as well," he said. Shukla added that as they work at a micro-level for individual candidates, data gathered through social media does not play a very important role. "For such micro-level campaigns, we prefer primary data sources because they are more reliable. Data purchased from analytics firms is not always reliable. Sometimes the data provided is old and does not represent the current situation. Besides, in several instances, the data provided might be doctored," said Shukla, who was associated with the Aam Aadmi Party for a few years before starting his venture. "We are planning the election campaigns for three candidates contesting the Karnataka polls. We are neither affiliated to any political parties, nor do we manage campaigns for parties. Our clients are mostly individuals who approach us," he said, adding, "Presently one of our clients is an independent candidate from Bengaluru. We are also managing the campaign for a BJP candidate in Bidar district and a JD(S) candidate in Nasoor." Like Polltics, even 5Forty3 says it does not rely on data from social media for its analytical components. "5Forty3 Datalabs does not use social media data for any primary analytical component. We only use social media as a political marketing vehicle," said Nanjappa. But the use of social media for political marketing is fraught with risks. The IT cells of all political parties have found themselves battling fake news. Chandhan Dhore, a core committee member of the Janata Dal (Secular)'s IT cell said they have set up a separate team to battle fake news. This is also the case with the BJP and the Congress' IT teams. Recent allegations of data security breaches against Facebook have prompted it to gear up to monitor the social media site in Karnataka for the Assembly polls. "We are announcing a third-party fact-checking program in India. Aimed to fight the spread of false news on our platform, we have partnered with BOOM, an independent digital journalism initiative, for a pilot programme that will first roll out in the state of Karnataka," the social media giant wrote in a blog post. However, while Facebook's efforts are aimed at reducing the spread of fake news stories in English, it is unclear as to how much information can be mined from its database. "Requirements vary from candidate to candidate and region to region. Based on our field surveys, we design a targeted campaign that differs from place to place," said Shukla, "Specific issues are highlighted and shared for a targeted audience. From the setting up of a war room to designing the type of messages that will be shared among voters, to creating social media, audio and video content, our clients are provided with everything," he added. Due to an unreliability of social media data for micro-level analytics, election management firms prefer using the medium only to promote individual candidates. Shukla explained that since Polltics focuses on individual candidates, their social media activity is limited to a micro-level. "At a macro-level, parties have their own IT cells that monitor and share content to promote the party. We work only to promote the candidate and at a micro-level, social media is not a very powerful tool for analytics," he said. Shukla went on to add that based on the mood and demands of a certain group of voters, he helps promote his candidates by highlighting the situation and designing positive posts for them and negative posts for their opponents. Private data firms like 5Forty3, however, use in-house tools to develop their database. "We collect data from the ground using our in-house tech-tool known as MAPi Micro Analytical Projections (Intelligence) that divides India into over 9,87,000 GUIs (Geographic Units of Intelligence) . Each GUI is home to a mean of 1,200 citizens. Our team collects real time data of people's opinions to feed the MAPi," Nanjappa said, adding that while she cannot comment on who is using their data, 5Forty3s clients include individual contestants, political organisations and financial institutions among others. Shukla said that Polltics charges anywhere between Rs five lakh and 40 lakh for each political campaign. "The cost varies based on candidate requirement. Only for a planning table assistant, the price can be anywhere between Rs five lakh and 10 lakh. Additional charges are required for end-to-end support." He revealed that after detailed surveys from primary sources, a team of 12 members use social media to pushing localised issues including social causes and negative campaigns on opposing candidates. However, at a time when all political parties are planning major campaigns online in the run up to the polls with help of their own social media teams and private firms, more than the concern of privacy being breached, the spread of misinformation may yield damaging consequences. The author is a member of The NewsCart, a Bengaluru-based media startup Siddaramaiah's 'north Indian imports' jibe against Narendra Modi and Yogi Adityanath is his way of ensuring that even the voters wear their Kannadiga identity on their sleeves when BJP leaders attempt wrapping the party in the Tricolour and play up a nationalistic brand of politics The north vs south rhetoric has returned to Karnataka. And flagging it is none other than Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. No sooner had the BJP announced the campaign schedule of Narendra Modi and Yogi Adityanath, the Karnataka chief minister decided to get under the party's skin. He riled the party by calling Modi and Adityanath "north Indian imports" and their presence in Karnataka an admission of the fact that "they have no leaders in the state". "They have reduced their CM face @BSYBJP to a dummy (sic)," Siddaramiah tweeted. The Karnataka's argument was that BJP is hoping for magic from outside to kickstart its campaign, and in the bargain dwarfing the local leadership. "PM may come and go. Here it is Siddaramaiah vs BSY (sic)," he added. The tweets had the desired effect. The BJP bristled at its leaders being dubbed as outsiders to the south Indian state. The party hit back by accusing Siddaramaiah of stooping low and pointed to Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, also non-Kannadigas like Modi and Adityanath. BJP MP Shobha Karandlaje cheekily told me it is Siddaramaiah's way of telling Rahul to keep off Karnataka. While it is easy to dismiss this as a campaign strategy in the times of social media, Siddaramaiah is also, once again, bringing to the table his brand of identity politics. He knows that during the campaign, the BJP will attempt wrapping the party in the Tricolour and play up a nationalistic brand of politics. This is Siddaramaiah's way of ensuring even the voter wears his Kannadiga identity on his sleeve. This also comes at a time when the BJP high command's decision to refuse a ticket to Yeddyurappa's son is seen as a snub for the tallest Karnataka leader that the party has. So, what Siddaramaiah is underlining is that the north Indian leaders call the shots in BJP, reducing Yeddyurappa to a figurehead. By emphasising that it is actually meant to be a battle between him and Yeddyurappa, Siddaramaiah is also bringing out the contrast. He wants to affirm that while he is calling the shots in Congress in Karnataka, the "north Indian" leadership of BJP is insensitive to its non-Hindi speaking state leadership. Siddaramaiah's decision to take on Adityanath is also a grudge match. When the Uttar Pradesh chief minister came during the Parivartana Yatra in January, he had challenged Siddaramaiah asking him to ban beef in Karnataka and prove he is a true Hindu. The Congress leader is trying to set the tone for the war of words this time, forcing Adityanath to react instead of hurling charges. But while Congress may think targeting individuals will work as an electoral strategy, branding the prime minister of the country as someone who belongs only to a particular region and alien to Karnataka is not in good taste. Siddaramaiah's thrust on labels for non-south Indians is also divisive politics. Turning states into islands of regionalism is not healthy for the concept of India as a nation. There is also a risk in taking the Kannada language and identity too far because if it is perceived as an anti-Hindi and anti-north Indian pitch, it undermines the contribution of the outsider, particularly in Bengaluru and by extension in Karnataka's development. After all, 60 percent of Karnataka's revenue comes from Bengaluru. But Siddaramaiah with his ears to the ground is also playing to the gallery. He is aware of the sense of resentment at how Kannada is being pushed to play the second fiddle to Hindi even in Karnataka, like in exams conducted by departments of the Government of India. This is what resulted in activists defacing signage at Metro rail stations in Bengaluru last year, spraying paint over the names of the stations written in Hindi. In Siddaramaiah's scheme of things, it is not about the language alone. Closer to the Assembly elections, it has got intertwined with the Kannadiga identity and pride. He is tapping into the feeling among proud Kannadigas who feel that a Kannada speaker is considered inferior to someone who articulates in Hindi. Three weeks ahead of the 12 May election, Siddaramaiah's attempt is to project himself as the protector of Kannadiga interests. By terming BJP leaders like Modi and Adityanath as imports, he is also ensuring that any personal attack on him can be converted into an attack on Karnataka. The tone for the final leg of the election campaign has been set. Narendra Modi has dismissed opinion polls by various agencies and media houses and asserted there will be no hung Assembly in Karnataka. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has never been a fan of opinion polls. In all elections, opinion polls and predictions made by political pundits have been juicy fodder for campaign rallies. Karnataka election is no exception. But what makes it even more interesting is that even though Modi is yet to step foot in the state, he has dismissed opinion polls by various agencies and media houses. Modi has asserted that there would be no hung Assembly in Karnataka and on 15 May, the verdict on who is going to rule for the next five years will be clear. Modi will hold his first poll campaign rally in Karnataka only on 1 May. That's still five days away and there wont be much time left to tilt the balance. He is landing in Karnataka almost a week after the end of the nomination process. The state party unit would have liked Modi to begin his campaign a bit early, but he is apparently heavily occupied with work in Delhi and elsewhere, including foreign trips. On Thursday, hours before he left for two-day tour to China, Modi made good use of cellphone technology to connect with party workers, spell out his partys agenda and give them some talking points on how to challenge their Congress and JD(S) rivals and counter the Congress' misinformation campaign. Modi could be right when he said the people of Karnataka would vote decisively and not give a fractured verdict. The last such instance of a fractured verdict was in 2004, when the BJP emerged as the single largest party with 79 seats, followed by Congress with 65 seats and JD(S) with 58 seats. Thereafter, Karnataka has voted steadily: First for the BJP and then for the Congress. The last time Uttar Pradesh the largest state in north India threw a hung Assembly was in 2002. In the 403-member state Assembly, Samajwadi Party emerged as single largest party with 143 seats, followed by BSP and BJP. In 2007, 2012 and 2017 Uttar Pradesh gave a clear mandate to the BSP, SP and BJP respectively. Though smaller states with 40 to 60 Assembly seats have thrown up instances of fractured mandate Goa, Manipur and Meghalaya come to mind no medium or large states have given a fractured mandate or a hung Assembly in the past 15 years. One can argue there was no clear winner in the 15 October, 2014, Maharashtra election. But overall results suggested that voters' preferences for the 288-member Assembly was clear: The BJP, which finally contested an election on its own (after 25 years), won 122 seats. Compare that to the 2009 election, when the BJP won just 46 seats (the saffron party gained 76 seats). The Shiv Sena, which also struck out on its own, won 63 seats compared to 45 seats in 2009 (winning 18 more seats). However, the Congress and NCP, which ruled Maharashtra for a decade, suffered massive losses: They won just 42 seats in the 2014 election, down from 82 in 2009. It appeared that BJP and Shiv Sena, who'd been partners for two-and-a-half decades contested separately, were favoured by voters hoping they'd join hands to rule. See what Modi said in Karnataka: "Now, they have a new discourse about hung Assembly. Thats a false proposition. Till the results were declared in 2014, they kept claiming hung Parliament is coming. You must advocate for full majority. Karnataka needs a full majority government to change fate of the state. Talks about hung Assembly are a conspiracy". Modi then blasted pundits, so-called observers, and political rivals. Modi wants to convey a message that even as there is a triangular contest between BJP, Congress and JD(S), there is a direct fight between BJP and Congress. While one can't make a prediction, it's more than clear that a tough electoral contest is on the cards. The Times Now-VMR Survey predicted a neck-and-neck contest where Congress has a slight edge (91 seats), BJP inching closer (89 seats) and JD(S) is emerging as kingmaker (40 seats). TV9-Covoter and India Today-Karvy opinion polls predicted (broadly) the same: Hung Assembly. C-Fore predicted Congress will win with a bigger mandate than in 2013. No opinion poll predicted a clear victory for BJP. BJP leaders are now trying to draw comparisons with what Modi said about opinion polls and the popular mandate with Uttar Pradesh, where no opinion poll predicted a clear victory for the saffron party. Ahead of the crucial polls in the southern state, Modi said that the BJP governed and fought elections solely based on the development model. With just 15 days to go before the Karnataka Assembly election, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed party workers on Thursday morning. His primary instruction to office-bearers was to have as many women workers on the field as men. "Distribute the families to be targeted between all the workers. You won't need anything else to win elections. This is not about winning the Vidhan Sabha election, it is about winning at the booth-level," he said. The prime minister then urged party workers to "reach each and every vote". Ahead of the crucial polls in the southern state, Modi said that the BJP governed and fought elections solely based on the development model. "We know other political parties hesitate to talk on development because development can be quantified. This was unacceptable to those parties which only concentrated on division. We govern and also fight elections based only on development model," he said. "We walk ahead keeping unity in mind. Sabka saath, sabka vikas, is the mantra we follow. I have seen Karnataka has made up its mind on development," he added. Hitting out at the Congress party, Modi accused the party of "rampant lying" after witnessing heavy losses in the last state Assembly elections. "Congress has resorted to rampant lying after a series of defeats in elections. In such circumstances, karyakartas must stand their ground, expose their lies and also fight their means of deceiving people by hiring foreign agencies," he said. Modi also claimed "some parties" exploited the emotions of some communities before elections and forgot about them after the polls. "If you analyse last few elections, you will realise how few political parties have indulged only in dividing societies on religious lines. They exploit emotions of some community before the elections and forget them after the elections," he said. Comparing how the NDA government performed in comparison to the UPA, the prime minister said the BJP-led coalition has worked more towards infrastructural development and produced double the results in four years. "In renewable energy sector, UPA added only 2,000 MW to the power grid while we added 7,800 MW in just four years. In solar energy sector alone, we have piled up 4,800 MW capacity as compared to a meagre 31 MW under UPA's rule," he claimed. Speaking of road development in Karnataka, Modi said there is close to Rs 14,000 crore worth of road works under progress. "In Karnataka, close to Rs 14,000 crore worth of road works is under progress. It will serve as a good fortune for Karnataka for a century. While we constructed 1,750 Km of highways in four years, for Karnataka, UPA had only built half of this," he said. "Had the local state government not indulged in petty politics, had they extended full cooperation, we could have achieved even better figures. I want to add more pace to our development works in Karnataka. I need your support for this to happen," he told party workers during the interaction. The prime minister also encouraged the voters to elect a government with complete majority. He also accused the Congress of spreading lies about a "hung" Assembly. "Now that people have seen that Congress is going to lose, people have started talking about a 'hung' Assembly. They are spreading lies that there will be no clear majority. It is their conspiracy to dissuade voters from casting their vote," Modi said pointedly. "Now our job is to reach each and every voter," he added. Claiming he was also a true Kannadiga in spirit, Modi encouraged party workers to move forward in the same manner. On the state of agriculture in Karnataka, Modi listed all the Central government schemes in place such as the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana and said his government wanted to promote value addition. He also spoke about the Minimum Support Price (MSP) and said that during the Congress rule in the state, farmers were not able to avail these advantages due to the state's incompetency. Seeking to strengthen the sandalwood production, he said, "Karnataka, which is known for sandalwood, lost out when Australia took specimens from the state and started producing it in its country. We have to focus on that." However, Modi avoided answering questions on farmer suicides in the state, and instead focused on his vision for a 'sweet revolution'. "We want to bring about 'sweet revolution' with honey. Our farmers can earn a significant amount of income with honey," he said. Speaking of civic apathy in Bengaluru, Modi said the state must provide for shortages that might occur in the future. "We have to make provision for water shortages we might face 20-30 years later. I believe people are not to blame for Bengaluru's sorry state of affairs," he said. On Sunday, Modi interacted with BJP MPs and MLAs through his app over a variety of issues, including the ongoing 'gram swaraj' drive, which had started on 14 April and would continue till 5 May. The BJP is locked in a tough fight with the ruling Congress in Karnataka and is banking on Modi's charisma to help it come back to power in the state after five years. The prime minister will start his campaign in the state from 1 May and is expected to address anywhere between 15-20 rallies, party sources said. With inputs from PTI Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of 'insulting' Karnataka by trying to take 'those who looted the state to its assembly'. New Delhi: Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of "insulting" Karnataka by trying to take "those who looted the state to its assembly". "When in power, Yeddyurappa and Reddy Brothers looted Karnataka. Our Govt. brought them to justice. Now Mr Modi is trying to take 8 of them from jail, into the Vidhan Sabha. This is an insult to every honest citizen, to Karnataka and to the spirit of Basavanna," Gandhi wrote on Twitter. When in power, Yeddyurappa and Reddy Brothers looted Karnataka. Our Govt. brought them to justice. Now Mr Modi is trying to take 8 of them from jail, into the Vidhan Sabha. This is an insult to every honest citizen, to Karnataka and to the spirit of Basavanna. Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) April 25, 2018 Yeddyurappa is the BJP's chief ministerial face in Karnataka, and the party has decided to field the Reddy brothers, Somashekara and Karunakara, who have been accused of corruption by political opponents. Gandhi, who will be on a two-day visit to the poll-bound state starting Thursday, alleged the BJP had given tickets to five more "tainted candidates". Karnataka goes to polls on 12 May and the results will be declared on 15 May. In Part-3 of a five-part series on prominent Dalit activists who have a deep influence on the politics of Karnataka, Indudhara Honnapura, editor of Samvaada, says that people from the community should support any political party that is not linked to BJP Editor's note: Elections to the Karnataka Assembly are scheduled for 12 May and they come at a time when caste is a major topic of debate across the country. The following is the third of a five-part series on prominent Dalit activists who have a deep influence on the politics of the state. Click to read Part 1, Part 2, Part 4 and Part 5 of the series. After a Supreme Court ruling diluted stringent provisions of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act to protect people, including public officials and private individuals, from immediate arrest, minority organisations across the country hit the streets in protest. Nine people lost their lives in protests that erupted immediately after the Supreme Court order. With Karnataka elections scheduled for 12 May, the issue of Dalit rights has taken prominence among all political parties. Indudhara Honnapura, the first editor of Shoshita, a magazine dedicated to Dalit issues, which led to the foundation of Panchanama, providing an intellectual base for the formation of the Dalit Sangharsh Samiti (DSS), says that people from the Dalit community should support any political party that is not linked to or is a part of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Honnapura, who also founded the magazine Samvaada in 2002 as a forum for intellectual debates and currently serves as its editor, feels that the only way to uphold Dalit rights is by having a secular party in power, and that is definitely not the BJP. Talking about the Supreme Courts justification of its ruling on the SC/ST (POA) Act, Honnapura pointed out that almost every act is misused in some way or the other in this country and that it is a lack of proper implementation of laws and a proper mechanism to monitor it that leads to its misuse. In an interview with Firstpost, the Dalit activist lamented at an uncivilised structure in which he feels the country is growing. Honnapura feels that the BJPs ascent to power has turned religion into a political tool for organised crime. He laments at the lack of conviction in cases registered under the SC/ST (POA) Act and talks about what can be done to change the situation. The Video was created by Swetha Gowda. The authors are members of The NewsCart, a Bengaluru-based media startup. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will interact with Karnataka BJP leaders, including the party's candidates for the 12 May Assembly polls, elected members and office-bearers, through his mobile application on Thursday. Auto refresh feeds Prime Minister Narendra Modi will interact with Karnataka BJP leaders, including the party's candidates for the 12 May Assembly polls, elected members and office-bearers, through his mobile application on Thursday. "In Karnataka, after we came to power, Rs 17,000 crore was given to the state to construct national highways. During UPA rule, they did not construct even 1,000 kilometres of road. But we did more than 1,500 kilometres of road," says Modi. We know other political parties hesitate to talk on development because development can be quantified. This was unacceptable to those parties which only concentrated on division. We govern and also fight elections based only on development model : PM Modi #KarnatakaTrustsModi Even solar energy, it'll help the poorest of the poor. In Karnataka, the government did not tap solar energy," says Modi "People talk about climate change and global warming. During Congress rule, in four years, 2,000 MW of renewable energy was generated. In four years, we have doubled the work to 7,800 MW. If you analyse last few elections, you will realise how few political parties have indulged only in dividing societies on religious lines. They exploit emotions of some community before elections and forget them after the elections : PM Modi #KarnatakaTrustsModi "We walk ahead keeping unity in mind. Sabka saath, sabka vikas, is the mantra we follow. I have seen Karnataka has made up its mind on development. Now that people have seen that Congress is going to lose, people have started talking about a "hung" Assembly. They are spreading lies there will be no clear majority. It is their conspiracy to dissuade voters from casting their vote," says Modi. "Now our job is to reach each and every voter. This is my request," adds Modi. "I can't take many questions now as I to leave for China today." "I'm also a Kannadiga, consider that and move forward. I will also work in the same spirit," says Modi. "There is just 15 days left to voting. As many as male workers we have, we must have as many female workers. Distribute the families to be targetted between all the workers. You won't need anything else to win elections. This is not about winning the Vidhan Sabha election, it is about winning at the booth-level," says Modi. "Booth-level work is going on well. What should we focus on?" asks Kakarla MLA V Sunil Kumar "We want value addition. Drip irrigation, sprinklers are the way to go," added the prime minister. "We want to bring about 'sweet revolution' with honey. Our farmers can earn a significant amount with honey. We want to go ahead with 'blue revolution', harvest weeds and develop products with it." "Pradhan Mandtri Fasal Bima Yojana gives a guarantee to the farmes. The second is MSP, whose advantage did not reach the farmers. Announcing MSP is one thing, and actually buying it is a different thing. Karnataka, which is known for sandalwood, lost out when Australia took specimens from the state and started producing it in its country. We have to focus on that. We have to strengthen that with soil health card," says Modi. "India's livelihood is agriculture. In Karnataka, many farmer suicides have taken place. What is BJP's plan for the state?" asks Shashikala Jolle, MLA Nipani "I am grateful for the civic authorities in Bengaluru. Bengaluru's development is India's development. For that infrastructural development, we are working towards that. In our country, there was nothing on urban health when I was the Gujarat chief minister. The rural poor are moving towards urban spaces. We have to make provision for water shortages we might face 20-30 years later. I believe people are not to blame for Bengaluru's sorry state of affairs." Congress has resorted to rampant lying after a series of defeats in elections. In such circumstances, karyakartas must stand their ground, expose their lies and also fight their means of deceiving people by hiring foreign agencies : PM Modi #KarnatakaTrustsModi Narendra Modi addresses Karnataka BJP leaders updates: Narendra Modi blamed the Congress government in the state for the tardy progress in Karnataka, including Bengaluru, and said, "Bengaluru's development is India's development. For that infrastructural development, we are working towards that." Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing party workers in Karnataka, said that the BJP has given precedence to development over politics. "With this in focus, we fight elections, run the government. I know earlier government used to avoid talking about development because it is measurable," he said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will interact with Karnataka BJP leaders, including the party's candidates for the 12 May Assembly polls, elected members and office-bearers, through his mobile application on Thursday. A BJP statement said he would also speak to party workers and provide them "guidance" as they campaign for the polls to the 224-member Assembly. Modi has often used modern technology to speak to BJP leaders and workers to push his government's and party's various campaigns, and had on Sunday interacted with its MPs and MLAs through his app over a variety of issues, including the ongoing 'gram swaraj' drive, which had started on 14 April and would continue till 5 May. The BJP is locked in a tough fight with the ruling Congress in Karnataka and is banking on Modi's charisma to help it come back to power in the state after five years. Modi will start his campaign in the state from 1 May and is expected to address anywhere between 15-20 rallies, party sources said. With inputs from PTI Ahead of the Karnataka elections, state agriculture minister and Byatarayanapura MLA Krishna Byre Gowda says Congress' scandal-free and stable governance will retain voters' trust Bangalore: Ahead of the Karnataka elections, state agriculture minister and Byatarayanapura MLA Krishna Byre Gowda says Congress' scandal-free and stable governance will retain voters' trust, especially when they compare it against the previous government's tenure. Gowda said the state, and himself as agriculture minister, faced a tough time as they were hit by a terrible drought, but added they've done enough to support farmers in their hour of need, and that was why protests called by farmers in Maharashtra and other states were not observed in Karnataka. In an interview with Firstpost, the 45-year-old minister claimed that some people are benefitting from Centre's idea of growth and others are not and argued for inclusive growth. Edited excerpts follow: What are your government's notable successes and failures? Gowda: We have given a stable and scandal-free government for five years. Both are relevant when you compare us to the previous government, which was riddled with factional feuds and where many ministers went to jail, including the chief minister. Moreover, Karnatakas growth rate is 8.5 percent compared to the national average of 6.6 percent. In terms of investment and job creation, Karnataka is number one in the country. We have delivered growth and development-oriented governance for five years. But we were hit with a terrible drought for two to two-and-a-half years. That took a toll on people, on farmers. We did a good job of managing the drought but people suffered nevertheless. What is your take on the Lingayat factor? What role will caste play in the upcoming polls? Gowda: You cannot deny that caste has a role. But on the issue of Lingayats, the community demanded minority status. Our government only responded to that aspiration and a demand from within the community. Unfortunately, its been projected by our opponents as if we created it. When there is a popular demand, the government has to respond. Do you think JD(S) will play spoilsport? Gowda: JD(S) may get some votes in some pockets but many of their tallest leaders have deserted the party. Public confidence in the JD(S) is somewhat deflated. Also, in the past when there was a hung Assembly, it was a bad experience for Karnataka. I think people remember that well and they dont want a repeat. The public wants a stable government, which means a single-party government. This time, I think they will opt for a clear majority and our government has done everything to deserve that. In Karnataka, 3,515 farmers committed suicide between April 2013 and November 2017. Of these, 2,525 died due to drought and farm failure. Why is the ministry not able to control this? Gowda: It has been controlled. If you see the recent numbers, they have come down. The suicides went up due to terrible drought: That was the low point of our government, when the drought hit badly. Thats why we undertook loan waiver and many other relief measures. So, now the suicide rate has come down. We managed to bring it down considerably. Farmer are committing suicide across the country, regardless of the party in power. Has Karnataka fared any better? Gowda: That is the reason we did the loan waiver. We are responding to farm distress and wherever possible, are intervening. You might notice that when there were large-scale farmer protests in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Tamil Nadu, Karnataka didn't see any sort of farmer protest movement. Though farmers have suffered due to drought and other reasons, they have confidence that their government is on the job and doing everything it can. It is a symbol of the responsiveness of the government. Sugarcane growers topped the list of suicides followed by paddy and cotton cultivators. Why is the government unable to convince farmers to grow alternative crops and ensure a market for it? Gowda: In a democracy, I dont think you can force farmers what to grow and what not to grow. The farmers have a choice. If they want to grow sugarcane, I dont think I can go as a government officer or minister and stop them. We have been advocating and giving enough alternatives, but the final choice rests with farmers. What are the steps you will take to promote less water-intensive crop cultivation? Gowda: Our millet promotion campaign is to encourage water-efficient crops. Also, we have incentivised water-efficient crop cultivation practices for many crops, including paddy. We give farmers cash incentives to adopt methods of low-water cultivation. We have invested heavily in micro-irrigation. But a lot needs to be done. Economists have warned that loan waivers are not a long-term solution. Yet government persists with waivers... Gowda: We are not bent on giving farm loan waivers. In a time of distress, when farmers were in a very unenviable position, it is not just some policy. Farmers also need to be convinced that the government is with them and loan waivers give immediate relief to the distressed. So, to that extent it does help. But that isn't the only solution. What impact will all these have on rural voters? Gowda: Generally, what I have observed is that rural voters are quite happy with the Congress. We have put a lot of money into irrigation, rural roads and many schemes (Anna Bhagya, Krishi Bhagya). I think there is a positive response. You once said that the Centre wasnt acting quickly in releasing drought relief funds. Is that an election issue? Gowda: We have several grievances with the Centre. They haven't released money owed to our state. In fact, they are trying through the 15th Finance Commission to limit the allocation to Karnataka and other progressive states. We are fighting injustice being done to states like Karnataka through the 15th Finance Commission and yes, it is an election issue. Critics say that Congress is using these populist schemes to overcome anti-incumbency... Gowda: We are a democratically elected government. I find these allegations very strange and elitist. What doesnt suit you gets branded as populist. Centre has spent more money on publicising schemes such as Ujjwala and free gas connections than perhaps on the schemes themselves. So, how is that they are not populist and some state government schemes are populist? The point is: Some people are benefitting from growth and some are not. So, we need to make growth inclusive. Disparity between people in our society is growing rapidly. That's not in the interest of a market economy. If large numbers of people are left out, they can turn around and bring the system down. Will crumbling infrastructure affect Congress prospects? Gowda: I have heard of this crumbling infrastructure forever. But the city continues to thrive, which means something is working. One crore 20 lakh people live in Bengaluru. I acknowledge there are traffic problems, among other things. But it is a functioning city, it is the most dynamic city in the world. Every day, the city is attracting migrants. Why? It is a talent magnet. The city wouldnt be attracting talent if its crumbling. That's not to say there are no challenges. But our government is working on metro in all directions, we have developed project Tender SURE (Specifications for Urban Roads Execution) which is working well. We may be slow, but were better in meeting these challenges than our opponents. Prajwala Hegde is a Bengaluru-based freelance writer and a member of 101Reporters.com, a pan-India network of grassroots reporters Congress president Rahul Gandhis decision to balance various factions of the party in Madhya Pradesh shows he is learning Congress president Rahul Gandhis decision to balance various factions of the party in Madhya Pradesh shows he is learning from his experiments with leadership in Punjab two years ago. Unlike in Punjab, where he was forced to name local stalwart Captain Amarinder Singh as the state unit chief and candidate at the last minute, Rahul acted in time to address the leadership question in Madhya Pradesh by appointing Kamal Nath as the chief and Jyotiraditya Scindia as head of the campaign. It is widely believed that elections in Madhya Pradesh often turn into Congress vs Congress contests. There are so many factions within the party that on every seat, dozens of people start pulling the party in different directions. The BJP usually benefits from this internecine war during polls. Nath and former chief minister Digvijaya Singh were always major power centres in the state. Five years ago, when the Congress appointed Ajay Singh aka Rahul Bhaiyya, son of former chief minister Arjun Singh, as leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly and Arun Yadav as the state chief, it created more power centres. But that wasn't the end of it. Rahuls elevation as chief of the Congress automatically resulted in the rise to power of his friend and advisor Scindia, who many see as the presidents choice for the chief minister's post. But as always, this problem of plenty created a headache for the party. Since Rahuls elevation, an internal war has been going on within the Congress between the young and the older generation. The older leaders who were powerful during the Sonia Gandhi era begrudge the younger brigade (Scindia, Sachin Pilot, Jatin Prasada, Randeep Surjewala) their prominence under the new dispensation. With the rise of the Babalog sons of prominent politicians the older generation feels insecure. A recent example of this clash of generations is Rajasthan. Here, former chief minister Ashok Gehlot, who has been the face of the Congress for two decades, is yet to come to terms with the state chief Pilots pre-eminence. This tussle has led to veiled attacks by Gehlot on Pilots lack of experience and forced Rahul to keep the former chief minister out of Rajasthan. Wary of Gehlots ambitions, Rahul first made him in-charge of the Gujarat polls. And recently Rahul shunted Gehlot to Jaipur, making him general secretary in-charge of party organisation. A similar generational war seems to have been averted by Rahul with Kamal Naths appointment as Madhya Pradesh chief. His elevation is a clear message that Rahul wants the Congress to fight under a collective leadership. He would address the issue of leadership if and when the Congress wins the Assembly polls slated for later this year. Like Amarinder, who often hinted at a rebellion, Nath was also giving the Congress sleepless nights. Earlier this year, there were rumours that Nath may quit the party and join the BJP. On his part, Nath publicly argued for Scindia being made the presumptive chief ministerial candidate, and hinted that the decision had already been taken. But for the Congress, both Scindia and Kamal Nath are important. Their value can be gauged from the fact they were the only candidates to win the 2014 Lok Sabha polls in the Hindi heartland, apart from the Gandhis. It stands to reason that the party needs both to take on the BJP in the next elections. Another development apparently forced the party to project a collective leadership. Former chief minister Digvijaya Singh recently undertook a Narmada Bachao Yatra in Madhya Pradesh. Though Singh announced he would stay away from electoral politics, the yatra was seen as an attempt to connect with the masses. Its success Digvijaya got a good response pushed him back into prominence. And since Digvijaya was also in favour of Kamal Nath as the state chief, Rahul had no other option. With the leadership question settled at least temporarily in Madhya Pradesh, the Congress can now focus on its election campaign without worrying too much about factionalism and sabotage. Also, with Madhya Pradesh resolved to everybodys satisfaction, the Congress chief can now look at the upcoming Rajasthan Assembly polls, where a clash of egos, ambitions and generations may snatch defeat out of a possible victory. IANS The Delhi High Court on Tuesday asked telecom major Bharti Airtel to file response on a contempt plea moved by rival Reliance Jio, alleging that Bharti's campaign for IPL violates the previous order. Justice Yogesh Khanna sought response from Airtel on the plea and listed the matter for April 27 for further hearing. On 13 April, Airtel had assured the court that its advertisements would carry a disclaimer in bold stating that under its "live and free access offer", only subscription to video streaming platform Hotstar would be free and data charges would apply according to the subscriber's plan. The court also said that Bharti Airtel's advertisements, offering "live and free access" to the Indian Premier League (IPL) coverage, did not carry a disclaimer in bold as it had assured the court. The court observed that the video and print version of the advertisements submitted by Reliance Jio claimed that Airtel's campaign was in violation of the 13 April consent order of the high court. The court directed Airtel to comply with the order and asked it to have disclaimer in bold. The court was hearing Jio's application seeking immediate rectification of the advertisements and punishment for contempt of the April 13 order. Jio alleged that the commercials of Airtel were "deceptive and misleading". Airtel submitted that Jio was a "jealous competitor" and what it meant by its advertisements was free subscription to Hotstar. Disclaimer: Reliance Industries Ltd. is the sole beneficiary of Independent Media Trust which controls Network18 Media & Investments Ltd. tech2 News Staff Microsoft has been focusing on unifying its Windows platform, effectively getting devices in various form factors to work and talk to each other in a unified environment. One of the challenges to this dream is, of course, the limitation of storage. Not all devices can afford to allocate 10+ GB just for an OS install. Microsoft is working on a fix. According to a report by Windows Central, the company is working on a trimmed down version of its operating system, internally known as Windows 10 Lean. The report indicates that this new version is 2 GB smaller in size after installation as compared to the normal version of the OS. Microsoft started shipping this new version with its Skip Ahead build (17650) this week. News of this new version was initially spotted on Twitter. Microsoft has not officially announced any plans for this new type of windows. Welcome to Windows 10 Lean/CloudE/S (once again?) This new edition started shipping with this week's Skip Ahead build (17650) It seems to be heavily cut down, an x64 clean install is roughly 2 GB smaller than Pro Its edition ID is 0xB7 which was missing from SDK headers pic.twitter.com/2Sn3SVXeZB Lucan (@tfwboredom) April 20, 2018 According to the report, the company is facing issues while updating Windows 10-powered devices with low storage capacity. This new version is meant to fix these problems, especially on devices with 16 GB of internal storage. The way Microsoft achieves this is by removing components that a user wont generally require, including the Registry Editor, Internet Explorer, CD ROM drivers and other such cruft. More importantly, Windows 10 Lean is the same old Windows that we love. The average user will notice no change. It still supports legacy win32 apps and is not watered down like Windows RT. Users will also be able to add back the components that 'Windows 10 Lean' omits in the initial installation. The report pointed out that this version of Windows is not part of Windows Core OS, a modular approach to Windows that Microsoft seems to be working on separately. This modular approach will make is much easier for the Microsoft to customise the installation experience based on the device it's being installed on. It seems like Windows 10 Lean is meant to ensure that users opting for cheaper devices or those with limited storage get to run the latest version of Windows. tech2 News Staff OnePlus's hotly anticipated flagship smartphone, the OnePlus 6, will be unveiled to the global audience on 16 May in London. The company has been bombarding fans with bits and pieces information about the device in the form of teasers. As per reports, this controlled reveal of major OnePlus 6 features has generated an insurmountable hype for the smartphone. In an interview with OnePlus co-founder Pete Lau, Forbes managed to find out more about the upcoming flagship. "The design of OnePlus phones has been one of the most attractive things about the company. Pei is tight-lipped about the hardware that will be properly revealed in May but he agrees that OnePlus design is something the company takes pride in, even down to the side switch called the Alert Slider," said Lau Delving in more about OnePlus' signature alert slider, Pete Lau said, "While other phones, like the iPhone, for instance, have a two-position sliding switch to turn the ringer on or off, the side switch on the OnePlus 5 slides up and down through three positions, giving more versatility." Over 1000 tickets sold out in under 10 hours! We can't wait to see you all on May 16. Learn how else to watch the #OnePlus6 launch. https://t.co/5TPq08jw9P pic.twitter.com/UMHzJqcTtd OnePlus (@oneplus) April 25, 2018 The Forbes report also said that OnePlus had remained a step ahead of all leakers by revealing key OnePlus 6 design elements via its management team. The report says that OnePlus had also done a great job of harnessing support from its fans by engaging them on social media and putting up a thousand tickets on sale for them to attend the event. In India, the OnePlus 6 will be launched on 17 May while the sale will begin from 21 May onwards. If you wish to read about all the leaks, teasers and rumours about the OnePlus 6, click here. Reuters US chipmaker Qualcomm Incs quarterly profit and revenue topped Wall Street forecasts, suggesting that a slowdown in the global smartphone business might be less severe than feared after a string of weak forecasts from suppliers. The results announced in Qualcomms smartphone chip business contrasted to those from major mobile phone components makers in Asia, including TSMC and SK Hynix Inc, which have warned of slower growth in their smartphone chip divisions. While revenue from Qualcomms chips division its largest rose 6 percent in the three months ended 25 March, revenue from the licensing business plunged 44 percent, reflecting the withholding of revenue in a high-profile patent battle with Apple Inc. Despite the strong quarter for chip sales, the company does see some signs of weakness. It forecast growth of about 5 percent in modern mobile handsets for the remainder of the year, which is lower than anticipated. Handset prices, however, are higher than expected. Qualcomm posted solid results, but its guidance pointed to a softer handset market, particularly in China, said Moodys Senior Vice President Rick Lane. Qualcomm also is waiting for Chinese regulators to consider its application to buy chipmaker NXP, a deal that Chief Executive Steve Mollenkopf expects to go through. If it does not, Qualcomm plans to use the cash dedicated to the deal for a share buy-back. The deal was held up by diplomatic concerns between countries, rather than Qualcomm-specific concerns, he said. The biggest spat is over a US ban on exports to Chinas ZTE Corp after it was caught exporting to Iran. Qualcomm said it expects the loss of business with ZTE to lower its profits by 3 cents per share next quarter, though executives also suggested that other smartphone makers that it also does business with may make up for that lost revenue in the longer term. The results come as San Diego-based Qualcomm tries to convince shareholders it can boost earnings by cutting annual costs by $1 billion and resolving the Apple dispute. Qualcomm on Wednesday forecast current-quarter revenue of between $4.8 billion and $5.6 billion, and adjusted earnings of 65 to 75 cents per share. Analysts were expecting revenue of $5.32 billion and earnings of 75 cents per share, according to Thomson Reuters. Qualcomms quarterly net income fell to $363 million, or 24 cents per share, from $749 million, or 50 cents per share, a year earlier. Excluding one-time items, Qualcomm earned 80 cents per share, ahead of analysts average estimate of 70 cents, according to Thomson Reuters. Total revenue rose 4.9 percent to $5.26 billion, topping expectations of $5.19 billion. Qualcomm shares rose 1 percent to $50.25 in after-hours trading on Wednesday. The sentiment also appeared to help boost other chipmakers in after-hours trading, with memory chipmaker Micron Technology up 1 percent to $48.12 after the announcement. Asheeta Regidi The State, in the Aadhaar hearings yesterday, finally admitted that there never was any direction from the Supreme Court to mandatorily link Aadhaar to SIM cards. Activists had been pointing this out ever since the several SMSes threatening to deactivate SIM cards surfaced in early 2017. Lack of clarity on the issue led to the government widely citing the Supreme Court order in question to not only mandate Aadhaar SIM linking but also as proof of Courts support to Aadhaar. The governments turnaround in yesterdays hearings comes as a vindication for these activists, proving that there was no foundation or judicial backing to its move to mandate Aadhaar linking to mobile numbers. The admission made this late in the day when the Aadhaar hearing has almost concluded, unfortunately, offers little else. Foundation for the Aadhaar-SIM linking: Lokniti case The governments direction for Aadhaar-SIM linking was based on a direction of the Supreme Court made back in 2017. There, the Court was hearing a petition filed by the Lokniti Foundation seeking a 100 percent verification scheme for mobile numbers, to deal with the use of mobile phones numbers for domestic criminal and terrorist activity. In this case, the then Attorney General brought the Aadhaar eKYC process to the Court as an effective measure to conduct the verification. In view of this, the Court directed a verification to be conducted, within one year, for all existing and new mobile numbers. The DoT order mandating the linkage In particular, and as pointed out by the Supreme Court in yesterdays Aadhaar hearings, the Court had never specified that the verification was to be conducted via Aadhaar only. Its directions, however, were conveniently misinterpreted, leading to the issue of an order by the Department of Telecom in March 2017, mandating an Aadhaar-based verification for all mobile phone subscribers. The order, quoting the Supreme Courts order to conduct verification in a year, decided on Aadhaar-based eKYC for the verification and issued directions accordingly. No SC order mandating Aadhaar SIM linkage Two crucial factors, which were widely misinterpreted, based on these events are: the Supreme Court never mandated the verification to be conducted via Aadhaar, and second, it was the DoTs decision to use Aadhaar mandatorily. The wide-spread stand of the government, however, was that it was the SC that had directed mandatory Aadhaar-SIM linking. Government on extending the Aadhaar-SIM linking The government went on to use this stand, not only to further force Aadhaar onto the people through the mandatory SIM linking, but also to try and prevent any relief through an extension of the linking deadlines, as repeatedly prayed for by the petitioners in the Aadhaar case. The repeated requests for interim orders by the petitioners were, first that the linking violated the right to privacy, and second for extension of the deadlines for Aadhaar SIM linking, which had been refused by the Court. The Attorney General had quoted the governments misinterpreted version of the Supreme Courts directions in the Lokniti case that there was a Supreme Court order directing the linking to be completed by 6 February, 2018, to refuse to extend the deadline. The same stand was reiterated even when the Court finally did extend this deadline to 31 March, 2018, in its interim order in December, 2017 (see Page 6). Government on SCs support to Aadhaar Further, the government also cited the Supreme Courts order as proof of the Supreme Courts support to the Aadhaar system. This can be seen in the case of Binoy Viswam v. Union of India, the Aadhaar-PAN judgment, where the Attorney General argued that the importance and utility of Aadhaar for verification of mobile numbers has been endorsed and recommended by this Court (para 60). It was further argued that the case had approved Aadhaar based verification (para 66): In the case of Lokniti Foundation v. Union of India & Ors., this Court has disposed of the writ petition while approving the Aadhaar based verification of existing and new mobile number subscriber s and upon being satisfied that an effective process has been evolved to ensure identity verification. A similar paragraph, in fact, also finds place in other documents like the Draft Bill for Human DNA Profiling (Para 4.38, Page 27), in the discussion on constitutional law on privacy (incidentally, the Lokniti Foundation had also filed a case seeking a national DNA database for the DNA of unclaimed bodies). Mandating Aadhaar through the lack of alternatives The fault of the Department of Telecom in issuing this order was not so much with prescribing Aadhaar eKYC, but with the failure to prescribe alternatives. This, in fact, sums up the crucial issue with Aadhaar, with the government making Aadhaar mandatory for everything, quite simply through refusing to recognise any other form of identification for the services/ benefits in question. The result is clear, that the so-called voluntary scheme has been made mandatory this way for almost everything. And this is despite Supreme Court orders against it being made mandatory for anything other than six services (the 2015 order), despite nothing in the Aadhaar Act itself permitting it to be made mandatory for anything other than the Section 7 benefits, and despite the ongoing Court hearings on the issue. The lack of alternatives to Aadhaar, in fact, leads to one of the most crucial issues with Aadhaar Aadhaar based exclusion. The push to make Aadhaar mandatory, one way or the other In particular, the Supreme Court, in the Aadhaar-PAN judgment, had observed that the issue of whether the Aadhaar scheme should remain voluntary or it can be made mandatory imposing compulsiveness on the people was an issue to be decided at a later stage. The intention is clear, pending the Supreme Courts final verdict on the issue, Aadhaar cannot be made mandatory. Yet there are repeated directions of the government mandating the linking of Aadhaar and even threatening deactivation, be it of mobile numbers, PAN cards, bank accounts or essential services like the Section 7 benefits, all of which are essential to a persons daily life, and also their survival. Incidentally, the DoT order on Aadhaar-SIM linking, never even directed that SIM cards were to be deactivated. Yet, this was the message that was spread far and wide. It is clear that there has been a push to make Aadhaar mandatory, regardless of anything the risk to and consequences for the people, the democratic process, and even the Supreme Court. This can be seen, be it with the Aadhaar Act enacted to circumvent the 2015 order of the Court directing that Aadhaar cannot be made mandatory, or the now admitted misinterpretation of the Court order in the Lokniti case, to make Aadhaar mandatory for mobile numbers. Having almost reached the conclusion of the Aadhaar hearings, however, now simply the Courts final decision on Aadhaar will have to be awaited. tech2 News Staff In what is a 4-year old court battle, co-founder of Sun Microsystems, Vinod Khosla has now asked the Supreme Court for help in keeping surfers off his beach. Khosla has filed a petition to the Supreme Court on Thursday after what appears to be an unending battle in an attempt convince the state judiciary to keep members of the public off his beachfront property. According to Bloomberg the co-founder of Sun Microsystems purchased the beachfront property in 2008 and put up a gate to close the beach soon after the purchase. As per the 151-page petition, Khosla asks the highest court of the land to allow him to exercise his property rights. The property rights are against a 1972 California Law that allows citizens of the state to access Californias coastline that stretches the entire length of the state. As per the source, Khosla who is 63 years old, believes that he holds the rights to cut off public access to the road that leads to waterfront at Martins Beach, which according to him came as a part of the property he paid $32.5 million for about ten years ago. The co-founder shut down access to the beach via the gate in late 2009, after which the lawsuits followed. According to him, the state would need to compensate him for easement if it wants to allow beachgoers to access the road which leads to the beach. Are Pakistani politicians worse than their Indian and Bangladeshi counterparts? This was Pakistan's Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal's strange query as he attacked Supreme Court Chief Justice Saqib Nisar for allegedly exceeding his brief Islamabad: Are Pakistani politicians worse than their Indian and Bangladeshi counterparts? This was Pakistan's Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal's strange query as he attacked Supreme Court Chief Justice Saqib Nisar for allegedly exceeding his brief. Chief Justice Nisar is under attack ever since the apex court disqualified prime minister Nawaz Sharif last year and ended his political career by barring the three-time premier from holding public office for life. Sharif had been criticising the judiciary, especially chief justice Nisar, accusing him of imposing the "worst kind of dictatorship" in the country. Sharif told reporters on Wednesday that suo motu actions of the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) against the federal and provincial governments in the country were nothing less than a "judicial martial law". Joining hands with Sharif, Ahsan said: "If a judge is patriot, so is a politician." Ahsan, who is also the minister for planning, development and reforms, said one has to understand that politicians also have self-respect and dignity just as any army official or any judge. Addressing a seminar on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor in Islamabad, the interior minister wondered if politicians in Pakistan are worse than their Indian and Bangladeshi counterparts, the Express Tribune reported. "Look, the chief justice can sit on the bench and say Ahsan Iqbal got a vice-chancellor appointed," thundered Iqbal, referring to Chief Justice Nisar's remarks during a case. "Mr Chief Justice have a heart. When you are disrespected, we are also disrespected," he was quoted as saying by Geo TV. "You have no right to name-call people. You must issue me [a] chargesheet. If you have evidence, produce it before me but enough is enough." The 59-year-old leader of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) further said that if he had leveled baseless allegations against anyone, evidence should be given to substantiate them instead of insulting him. LONDON (Reuters) - British interior minister Amber Rudd faced calls to resign on Thursday after a scandal in which Caribbean immigrants who have lived legally in Britain for decades were being labelled illegal immigrants. For nearly two weeks, British ministers have been struggling to explain why some descendants of the 'Windrush generation', who were invited to Britain to plug labour shortfalls between 1948 and 1971, had been labelled illegal immigrants. LONDON (Reuters) - British interior minister Amber Rudd faced calls to resign on Thursday after a scandal in which Caribbean immigrants who have lived legally in Britain for decades were being labelled illegal immigrants. For nearly two weeks, British ministers have been struggling to explain why some descendants of the "Windrush generation", who were invited to Britain to plug labour shortfalls between 1948 and 1971, had been labelled illegal immigrants. Rudd on Wednesday told lawmakers that Britain did not have targets for removals of immigrants. But the BBC and the Guardian said that a Home Office inspection report from December 2015 showed that targets for the voluntary departure of people regarded as having no right to stay in the United Kingdom had been used. "I have never agreed that there should be specific removal targets", Rudd told parliament on Thursday. She said that there were "local" home office targets for illegal immigration against which performance was assessed. But the Labour Party's home affairs spokeswoman, Diane Abbott, said Rudd should resign. "Isn't it time that the Home Secretary considered her honour and resign?" (Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge; editing by Elizabeth Piper) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. US President Donald Trump said Thursday that North Korea has made concessions to the U.S. in advance of a potential summit with Kim Jong Un in the coming months, while the U.S. hasn't given up anything. Washington: US President Donald Trump said Thursday that North Korea has made concessions to the U.S. in advance of a potential summit with Kim Jong Un in the coming months, while the U.S. hasn't given up anything. Trump cited pledges on denuclearisation, testing, research, and on closing some nuclear sites. "I'm saying to myself wait a minute, all of these things he's given up and we haven't even really that much asked them," Trump told "Fox & Friends." He added: "We would have asked them, but they gave it up before I even asked." North Korea recently announced it will close its nuclear test site and suspend nuclear and intercontinental ballistic missile tests. Kim has indicated he's also ready to discuss denuclearisation but it remains unclear whether he'd really be willing to give up nuclear weapons his nation already has, and what he'd want in return. Trump has argued that the only concession he has made to North Korea was his surprise decision last month to accept Kim's invitation for a meeting the first ever between the leaders of the United States and North Korea during six decades of hostility. "I never gave up anything," Trump repeated. Trump acknowledged the rhetoric that both he and Kim deployed over the last year and the schoolyard taunts of nuclear "buttons" was "very, very nasty" and heightened fears of nuclear war. "This is a much more dangerous ballgame now, but I will tell you it's going very well." He said "the nuclear war would have happened if you have weak people." Trump also revealed more information about CIA Director Mike Pompeo's secret trip to North Korea this month, saying Pompeo wasn't supposed to meet with Kim, but that they ended up talking for more than an hour. Pompeo was the most senior U.S. official to meet a North Korean leader since 2000. "They had a great meeting," Trump said. The president's remarks came ahead of a summit scheduled for Friday between Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in, a key U.S. ally. That meeting, to be held in the heavily militarized frontier between the rival Koreas, will be the clearest sign yet of whether it's possible to peacefully negotiate nuclear weapons away from the North. The U.S.-North Korea summit is expected in May or early June. French President Emmanuel Macron, on Wednesday, rejected the prospect of meeting with the Dalai Lama, saying doing so without consulting Beijing first would trigger a 'crisis' with China's government Washington: French President Emmanuel Macron, on Wednesday, rejected the prospect of meeting with the Dalai Lama, saying doing so without consulting Beijing first would trigger a "crisis" with China's government. Macron, speaking at a town hall with George Washington University students in the US capital at the tail end of his state visit, said he met in Paris with the "very inspiring" exiled Tibetan spiritual leader when Macron was a candidate. "Now I'm president of the French republic. If I meet him, it will create indeed a crisis with China," Macron said. And doing so "without any precondition," just to send a signal to China, would be "useless and counterproductive," he said. "Is it good for my people if I have a sort of countermeasures coming from China as a result of the meeting? For sure no." But, Macron, fresh from a rare address to lawmakers in the US Congress, also opened the door for deeper engagement on the issue. "If France could be useful in order to fix the situation between the Dalai Lama and his people, and China, I will do my best," he said, adding that he perceives "some early signals" that Chinese President Xi Jinping may be open to addressing the issue. "I hope so for China, I hope so for the Dalai Lama, I hope so for Buddhist people," he added. Beijing accuses the Nobel Peace Prize laureate of seeking Tibetan independence through "spiritual terrorism." The Dalai Lama says he seeks only greater autonomy. A man once sworn to protect the public from crime was accused on Wednesday of living a double life terrorising suburban neighborhoods at night, becoming one of California's most feared serial killers and rapists in the 1970s and 1980s before leaving a cold trail that baffled investigators. Sacramento: A man once sworn to protect the public from crime was accused on Wednesday of living a double life terrorising suburban neighborhoods at night, becoming one of California's most feared serial killers and rapists in the 1970s and 1980s before leaving a cold trail that baffled investigators. Former police officer Joseph James DeAngelo, 72, was arrested at his home on Tuesday after DNA linked him to crimes attributed to the so-called Golden State Killer and he initially was charged with eight counts of murder and could face dozens more charges, authorities said. The culprit also known as the East Area Rapist, among other names, is suspected of at least 12 slayings and 50 rapes in 10 counties from Northern to Southern California. The armed and masked prowler sneaked in through windows at night and surprised sleeping victims who ranged in age from 13 to 41. When encountering a couple, he was known to tie up the man and pile dishes on his back. He threatened to kill both victims if he heard plates crash to the floor while he raped the woman. He then ransacked the house, taking souvenirs, notably coins and jewelry before fleeing on foot or bicycle. Despite an outpouring of thousands of tips over the years, DeAngelo's name had not been on the radar of law enforcement before last week, Sacramento County District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert said. "We knew we were looking for a needle in a haystack, but we also knew that needle was there," she said. "It was right here in Sacramento." A break in the case and the arrest came together in "light speed" during the past six days, Schubert said, though authorities refused to reveal what led to DeAngelo. Sacramento Sheriff Scott Jones said detectives with "dogged determination" were able to get a sample of DNA from something DeAngelo discarded, though he wouldn't say what the item was. The genetic material was not a match, but there were enough similarities for investigators to return for more and they said they were able to get a conclusive match. After watching DeAngelo for several days, deputies took him by surprise on Tuesday. "It looked as though he might have been searching his mind to execute a particular plan he may have had," but never had time to act, Jones said. DeAngelo was arrested on suspicion of committing double-killings in Sacramento and Ventura counties and later charged with four counts of murder in Orange County, officials said. Ventura County District Attorney Gregory Totten said that before prosecutors decide whether to seek the death penalty, there will be a "solemn and formal death review process that typically takes many months before a decision is made." DeAngelo, who served in the Navy, was a police officer in Exeter, in the San Joaquin Valley, from 1973 to 1976, at a time a burglar known as the Visalia Ransacker was active, Jones said. He transferred to the force in Auburn in the Sierra foothills near where he grew up outside Sacramento. About 50 crimes, including two killings, were attributed to the East Area Rapist during the three years DeAngelo worked in Auburn, but Jones said it wasn't clear if any were committed while on duty. DeAngelo was fired from the Auburn department in 1979 after being arrested for stealing a can of dog repellant and a hammer from a drug store, according to Auburn Journal articles from the time. He was convicted of the theft and fined $100. Ten slayings occurred after he was fired and all took place in Southern California. DeAngelo worked for 27 years in a distribution center for Save Mart Supermarkets in Roseville, a Sacramento-area suburb. He retired last year, said Victoria Castro, spokeswoman for The Save Mart Companies. "None of his actions in the workplace would have led us to suspect any connection to crimes being attributed to him," Castro said in a statement, adding that the company was working with investigators. Although it's unusual for serial killers to stop, Jones said they have no reason to think DeAngelo continued to commit crimes after 1986, when the last rape and killing occurred in Orange County. "We have no indication of any crimes with a similar or at least a close enough link to his MO and other things that he's done in the past to link him to anything from '86 on," Jones said. "We just have nothing at this point." Jones said he always thought the rapist was alive, but might be in prison. For the prosecutors and investigators, the arrest not only marked a significant professional achievement but also a personal one that had touched their formative years and early careers. Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O'Malley was a college student volunteering at a rape crisis centre and "sat with survivors who had been assaulted by this guy." The wave of horrifying crimes had brought an end to a more innocent era in the Sacramento suburbs when children rode bicycles to school, played outside until dark and people didn't lock their doors, Schubert said. "It all changed," said Schubert, who was 12 at the time. "For anyone that lived here in this community, in Sacramento, the memories are very vivid. You can ask anyone who grew up here. Everyone has a story." Totten said he was a young law clerk in the office during the investigation into the 1980 slayings of Lyman and Charlene Smith that "struck terror in the hearts of Ventura residents." "We had no idea this killer was connected to so many other crimes," Totten said. In 1999, Orange County sheriff's homicide detectives were able to use DNA to link the Irvine slaying of Keith and Patrice Harrington to nine other slayings in in Orange, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. The genetic evidence was later used to connect the same suspect to dozens of rapes in Northern California. Harrington's brother, Bruce, helped bankroll a successful 2004 ballot initiative campaign to take DNA from all convicted felons and some arrestees. "To the victims, sleep better tonight, he isn't coming through the window," Bruce Harrington said at the news conference announcing the arrest. Jane Carson-Sandler was one of the first victims when she was sexually assaulted in 1976 in her home in Citrus Heights, the same community where DeAngelo was arrested at home. She said she received an email on Wednesday from a retired detective who worked on the case telling her they identified the rapist and he's in custody. "I have just been overjoyed, ecstatic. It's an emotional roller-coaster right now," Carson-Sandler, who now lives near Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. "I feel like I'm in the middle of a dream and I'm going to wake up and it's not going to be true. It's just so nice to have closure and to know he's in jail." FBI agents and other investigators were gathering evidence at DeAngelo's neatly kept home on Wednesday. Jones said they were looking for mementos that may have been stolen from victims. Neighbors said DeAngelo took meticulous care of his house, which was always perfectly painted and his lawn manicured. But, he was known for an explosive temper and loud cursing. Kevin Tapia said when he was a teenager, DeAngelo falsely accused him of throwing things over their shared fence, prompting a heated exchange between DeAngelo and his father. "No one thinks they live next door to a serial killer," Tapia said. "But, at the same time I'm just like, he was a weird guy. He kept to himself. When you start to think about it you're like, I could see him doing something like that, but I would never suspect it." Kuwait said on Wednesday it is expelling the Philippine ambassador and recalling its own envoy from Manila as tensions rise over the treatment of domestic workers. Kuwait City: Kuwait said on Wednesday it is expelling the Philippine ambassador and recalling its own envoy from Manila as tensions rise over the treatment of domestic workers. Official news agency KUNA said the Philippine ambassador had been given a week to leave, amid a diplomatic row between the two nations sparked by the murder of a Filipina maid in the oil-rich state. An official at Kuwait's foreign ministry told AFP that Philippine ambassador Renato Pedro Ovila had been summoned to be informed of his expulsion. On 1 April, a Kuwaiti court sentenced to death in absentia a Lebanese man and his Syrian wife for the murder of maid Joanna Demafelis, whose body was found in a freezer in February. Announcement of the diplomatic expulsion comes despite an apology to Kuwait on Tuesday by Philippine foreign secretary Alan Peter Cayetano, after videos emerged of embassy staff helping Filipinos flee from allegedly abusive employers. "I apologise to my counterpart and we apologise to the Kuwaiti government, the Kuwaiti people and the leaders of Kuwait if they were offended by some actions taken by the Philippine embassy in Kuwait," Cayetano told reporters in Manila. One of the clips, released by the Philippine foreign ministry last week, shows a woman running from a home and jumping into a waiting vehicle, while another depicts a person sprinting from what appears to be a construction site to a black sport utility vehicle. Cayetano said the Philippine embassy staff were responding to complaints of abuse from some of the 2,60,000 Filipinos working in Kuwait. Three Filipinos who drove vans for the embassy in the operations were believed to be held by Kuwaiti authorities. Kuwait was furious about the videos, saying the rescues amount to a violation of its sovereignty, further straining ties already hit by Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte imposing a ban on Filipino workers moving to the Arab Gulf state. Duterte alleged that Arab employers routinely rape their Filipina workers, force them to work 21 hours a day and feed them scraps. The two countries had since been trying to work out an agreement to protect the rights of Filipino workers in Kuwait, particularly some 1,70,000 maids. Human Rights Watch and other groups have documented extensive mistreatment of expatriate maids and other foreign workers from the developing world in several West Asian states, drawing attention to abuses including sexual assault and confiscation of passports. Some 10 million Filipinos work abroad and the money they remit back is a lifeline for the Philippine economy. By Ssebuliba Samuel. President Yoweri Museveni has threatened to close all radio stations that waste a lot of time on issues that do not develop the country. While addressing journalist from his state lodge in Lira, Museveni said issues like fighting poverty and achieving mind set change is a campaign that needs all state holders but media has not done much to push it. Museveni says instead radio stations devoted much effort in criticizing him and the government at large and ignored issues of national importance. He has now directed all Resident District Commissioners to make report on such radios which shall be Punished or closed. BERLIN (Reuters) - Proposals presented by French President Emmanuel Macron on Iran's nuclear deal are based on the existing international agreement but would add some new elements, a senior German official said on Thursday. Speaking before Chancellor Angela Merkel heads to Washington for talks with U.S. BERLIN (Reuters) - Proposals presented by French President Emmanuel Macron on Iran's nuclear deal are based on the existing international agreement but would add some new elements, a senior German official said on Thursday. Speaking before Chancellor Angela Merkel heads to Washington for talks with U.S. President Donald Trump who has said he is not happy with the pact and may pull out of it, the official said: "The premise of Macron's proposal is that the agreement remains in its existing form and additional elements come on top." The official added: "In our view this agreement should be maintained." (Reporting by Paul Carrel and Madeline Chambers; Editing by Joseph Nasr) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. The informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Wuhan will provide an opportunity to the two leaders to begin a 'genuine' dialogue about issues in Sino-Indian ties, top US experts have said Washington: The informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Wuhan will provide an opportunity to the two leaders to begin a "genuine" dialogue about issues in Sino-Indian ties, top US experts have said. Modi and Xi will hold the two-day informal summit in the central Chinese city of Wuhan from Friday during which both the leaders will try to work out a new paradigm for the bilateral ties bogged down with a host of disputes and differences. While no major agreements were expected to be reached at the summit, both sides have indicated that the meeting is aimed at giving an "honest try" by the two leaders to work out an understanding at the top on the future course of relations. "The informal format of the Modi-Xi summit provides an opportunity for the two leaders to begin a genuine dialogue about problems in their bilateral relationship," said Bonnie S Glaser, a senior adviser for Asia and the director of the China Power Project at Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a top American think-tank. "That said, I doubt progress will be made in any of the major friction areas. Beijing is unlikely to change its position on India's bid to join the Nuclear Suppliers Group," Glaser told PTI. Similarly, New Delhi probably won't alter its stance on Xi's pet project Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), she noted. "China may warn India to not participate in anti-China schemes such as the Quad and the Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy, Glaser said. The BRI's flagship project, the $ 50 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), has become a major stumbling block for the bilateral ties. India protested about CPEC as it is being laid through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) disregarding India's sovereignty concerns. The Modi-Xi summit meeting is taking place in the backdrop of series of high level interactions between both the two countries starting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's visit to India in December, the first after Dokalam standoff. Scott Kennedy, deputy director of the Freeman Chair in China Studies and director of the Project on Chinese Business and Political Economy at CSIS, said India and China have many ways they could potentially expand their commercial cooperation and resolving their differences over territory and other issues would certainly help. Kennedy, a leading authority on China's economic policy and its global economic relations, said his "guess" is that at this moment Xi is mainly interested in keeping aside any of the current problems with India from escalating rather than solving them. Xi's top international priorities now are the deterioration in US-China relations, the Korean peninsula and cross-strait issues with Taiwan, and the continued expansion of the BRI. "We all want to see tensions continue to de-escalate, and these summits can help. India and China have a range of platforms where they cooperate, such as BRICS, the Shanghai Cooperative Organisation, and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. Transparent infrastructure lending programmes can have a positive impact in regional development, said Richard M Rossow, Wadhwani Chair in US India Policy Studies at CSIS. "However, China's moves to expand its military presence and economic links across Indian Ocean nations means that the medium and long-term outlook presents real challenges. As many Asian nations witness on a daily basis, China is not looking for partners, Rossow said. Rossow said China is vying with India for influence in Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and other nations in the region. And expanding direct cooperation with Pakistan, without pressing for Pakistan to reduce support for terror groups. According to a State Department spokesperson, the United States supports positive, peaceful, and stable relations with and among all countries in the world. And India and China are no exception, the official said. "We welcome India's emergence as a leading global power and stronger strategic and defence partner, the spokesperson said. By Nidal al-Mughrabi GAZA (Reuters) - The body of Fadi al-Batsh, a Palestinian lecturer claimed as a member by Hamas who was gunned down in Malaysia at the weekend, was repatriated to Gaza and buried on Thursday. Hamas, the Islamist militant group that controls the Gaza Strip and claimed Batsh as its 'son', has accused Israel's Mossad spy agency of assassinating him. By Nidal al-Mughrabi GAZA (Reuters) - The body of Fadi al-Batsh, a Palestinian lecturer claimed as a member by Hamas who was gunned down in Malaysia at the weekend, was repatriated to Gaza and buried on Thursday. Hamas, the Islamist militant group that controls the Gaza Strip and claimed Batsh as its "son", has accused Israel's Mossad spy agency of assassinating him. Israel's defence minister has said Batsh might have been killed in an internal Palestinian dispute. Malaysian authorities said two men on a high-powered motorcycle fired at least 14 shots at Batsh, an engineering lecturer, outside his Kuala Lumpur apartment building on Saturday, killing him on the spot. Malaysia's deputy prime minister said the two suspects were believed to be linked to a foreign intelligence service. Batsh's body was flown to Egypt, accompanied by his wife and son, and then taken by road to Gaza for a reception attended by members of all political factions and relatives, followed by burial in the northern Gaza Strip. "We hold the occupation (Israel) responsible for the killing and martyrdom of Fadi, the killers of scientists will not escape punishment," senior Hamas official Khalil Al-Hayya said as the body was received in Gaza. Policemen carried Batsh's coffin, draped in the Palestinian flag, past an honour guard as family members wept. "The sinful hands that assassinated Batsh will be severed," Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas's political chief, said at the funeral rally. Hamas has confirmed Batsh was a member, but has not specified what role he had in the movement. Earlier, at least 1,000 Gazans joined relatives and friends at the funeral of local journalist Ahmed Abu Hussein, who was shot and wounded by Israeli troops while covering a protest along Gaza's border two weeks ago. Abu Hussein, 24, died of his wounds on Wednesday at an Israeli hospital where he had been moved for treatment. His body was returned to Gaza for burial. Abu Hussein was the second journalist killed by Israeli gunfire since the weekly Friday protests. Thirty-eight Palestinians have been killed in all since the protests began on March 30. The protesters are calling for a right of return of Palestinians refugees and their descendants to homes in what is now Israel. Israel's live-fire response has drawn international criticism. But it says its troops have been warning Gazans not to approach the border fence, and that it is doing what is necessary to stop the barrier from being damaged or breached. The Palestinians have said Israel, which has deployed army sharpshooters along the frontier, used "excessive force against unarmed protesters", Some protesters have hurled stones and rolled burning tyres towards the fence. Hamas is designated by Israel and the West as a terrorist group. (Reporting by Nidal Almughrabi; Editing by Ori Lewis and Kevin Liffey) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. By Ian Simpson WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The parents of U.S. By Ian Simpson WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The parents of U.S. college student Otto Warmbier sued North Korea on Thursday over their son's death in 2017 following his release from captivity there, according to the lawsuit which said their son was "brutally tortured and murdered." The wrongful-death suit was filed in U.S. District Court at a diplomatically delicate time, weeks ahead of an expected meeting between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and U.S. President Donald Trump. Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in also are set to meet on Friday. Otto was taken hostage, kept as a prisoner for political purposes, used as a pawn and singled out for exceptionally harsh and brutal treatment by Kim Jong Un," his father Fred Warmbier said in a statement. Warmbier, from Wyoming, Ohio, died at age 22 after being imprisoned in North Korea from January 2016 until he was returned to the United States in June 2017 in a coma. He died a few days later, and an Ohio coroner said the cause was lack of oxygen and blood to the brain. North Korea blamed botulism and ingestion of a sleeping pill and dismissed torture claims. The coroner who examined Warmbier said he found no sign of botulism. The suit by Fred Warmbier and his wife, Cindy, seeks unspecified damages for personal injury. "North Korea, which is a rogue regime, took Otto hostage for its own wrongful ends and brutally tortured and murdered him," the lawsuit said. A representative of the North Korean mission to the United Nations in New York was not immediately available to comment. Richard Cullen, a family attorney, declined to comment about the suit beyond Fred Warmbier's statement. Otto Warmbier, a student at the University of Virginia, was travelling in North Korea with a tour group, and was arrested at Pyongyang airport as he was about to leave. He was sentenced to 15 years of hard labour for trying to steal an item bearing a propaganda slogan from his hotel, North Korea state media said. The filing says Warmbier falsely confessed to invented charges that he was acting as a spy connected to the Central Intelligence Agency. Stewart Baker, a former assistant secretary of homeland security, said North Korea had immunity from lawsuits as a sovereign nation but still might be sued because of its U.S. designation as a state sponsor of terrorism. "But its almost impossible to collect any judgment that might be awarded. So its doubtful NK will feel sufficiently threatened by the lawsuit to upset the talks. And after all, he (Kim) can settle claims against NK in any US-NK agreement," Baker said by email. Kim is set on Friday to cross the heavily militarized border for the first summit with South Korea, setting the stage for the North Korean leader to meet with Trump in late May or early June. Just months ago, Trump and Kim traded threats and insults during North Korea's rapid advances in pursuit of nuclear-armed missiles capable of hitting the United States. (Additional reporting by Ben Klayman in Detroit and Mark Hosenball in Washington; Editing by David Gregorio) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. By Ian Simpson WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The parents of U.S. college student Otto Warmbier sued North Korea on Thursday over their son's death in 2017 following his release from captivity there, according to the lawsuit which said their son was 'brutally tortured and murdered.' The wrongful-death suit was filed in U.S. By Ian Simpson WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The parents of U.S. college student Otto Warmbier sued North Korea on Thursday over their son's death in 2017 following his release from captivity there, according to the lawsuit which said their son was "brutally tortured and murdered." The wrongful-death suit was filed in U.S. District Court at a diplomatically delicate time, just weeks ahead of an expected meeting between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and U.S. President Donald Trump. Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in also are set to meet on Friday. Otto was taken hostage, kept as a prisoner for political purposes, used as a pawn and singled out for exceptionally harsh and brutal treatment by Kim Jong Un," his father Fred Warmbier said in a statement. Warmbier, from Wyoming, Ohio, died at age 22 after being imprisoned in North Korea from January 2016 until he was returned to the United States in a coma. He died a few days later, and an Ohio coroner said the cause was lack of oxygen and blood to the brain. North Korea blamed botulism and ingestion of a sleeping pill and dismissed torture claims. The coroner who examined Warmbier said he had found no sign of botulism. The suit by Fred Warmbier and his wife, Cindy, seeks unspecified damages. "North Korea, which is a rogue regime, took Otto hostage for its own wrongful ends and brutally tortured and murdered him," the lawsuit said. North Korea does not have an embassy in the United States. A representative of the North Korean mission to the United Nations in New York was not immediately available to comment. Richard Cullen, a family attorney, declined to comment about the suit beyond Fred Warmbier's statement. Otto Warmbier, a student at the University of Virginia, was part of a travel group. When the group tried to leave North Korea after five days, he was held at the airport. The filing says Warmbier was forced to make a false statement, confessing to invented charges that he was acting as a spy connected to the Central Intelligence Agency. Kim, the North Korean leader, is set on Friday to cross the heavily militarized border for the first summit with South Korea, setting the stage for Kim to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump in late May or early June. Just months ago, Trump and Kim traded threats and insults during North Korea's rapid advances in pursuit of nuclear-armed missiles capable of hitting the United States. (Additional reporting by Ben Klayman in Detroit; Editing by David Gregorio) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. MANILA (Reuters) - A dispute between Kuwait and the Philippines over reports of abuse of Philippine workers took a turn for the worse on Thursday with the Philippines expressing 'great displeasure' about Kuwait's expulsion of its ambassador. The conflict has been simmering for three months, sparked by reports that several Filipinos had been driven to suicide by the abuse of Kuwaiti employers. The two countries have been working on a pact to protect expatriate workers after the Philippines banned its workers from going to Kuwait MANILA (Reuters) - A dispute between Kuwait and the Philippines over reports of abuse of Philippine workers took a turn for the worse on Thursday with the Philippines expressing "great displeasure" about Kuwait's expulsion of its ambassador. The conflict has been simmering for three months, sparked by reports that several Filipinos had been driven to suicide by the abuse of Kuwaiti employers. The two countries have been working on a pact to protect expatriate workers after the Philippines banned its workers from going to Kuwait. But on Wednesday, Kuwait ordered the Philippine ambassador to leave within a week and recalled its own envoy for consultations after embassy staff tried on the weekend to "rescue" domestic workers. The Philippine foreign ministry on Thursday summoned the Kuwaiti ambassador to demand an explanation for Kuwait's action but was told the envoy, Musaed Saleh Ahmad Althwaikh, had left the country late on Wednesday. "The department served a diplomatic note to the Embassy of Kuwait conveying its strong surprise and great displeasure over the declaration of Ambassador Renato Pedro Villa as persona non grata," the foreign ministry said in a statement. "These acts are inconsistent with the assurances and representations made by the Kuwaiti ambassador on the various concerns that were brought to his attention". Officials at Kuwait's embassy in Manila were not available for comment. Domestic helpers account for more than 65 percent of the more than 260,000 Filipinos in Kuwait, according to the Philippine foreign secretary. In February, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte called on workers in Kuwait to return home after the discovery of a domestic worker's body in a freezer in an abandoned home. The Philippines says it has protested about the detention of four of its nationals who were hired by its embassy in Kuwait to help with the "rescue" operation last Saturday, and the issuance of arrest warrants against three diplomatic personnel. Kuwait has not commented on that publicly. Kuwait's ambassador met Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano on Tuesday to resolve the dispute and they had agreed on measures to prevent a repeat of the incidents, the Philippines has said. Cayetano issued an apology to Kuwait at the time for what Kuwait viewed as violation of its sovereignty but he maintained the embassy was forced to "assist" Filipino domestic workers who sought help because some situations were a matter of life and death. Foreign workers in many Gulf states are employed under a sponsorship system that gives employers the right to keep their passports and exercise full control over their stay. Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have long complained that Gulf states do not properly regulate working conditions for low-income domestic workers and laborers. (Reporting by Manuel Mogato; Editing by Robert Birsel) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. By Sonya Dowsett and Inmaculada Sanz MADRID (Reuters) - Thousands of protesters took to the streets across Spain on Thursday after a court cleared five men of the gang rape of a teenager at the 2016 San Fermin bull-running festival in Pamplona. The court in the northern region of Navarra on Thursday convicted the men, who had recorded video of the attack on their mobile phones and laughed about the incident afterwards on a Whatsapp group, with the lesser crime of sexual abuse. The decision drew immediate criticism and outrage. By Sonya Dowsett and Inmaculada Sanz MADRID (Reuters) - Thousands of protesters took to the streets across Spain on Thursday after a court cleared five men of the gang rape of a teenager at the 2016 San Fermin bull-running festival in Pamplona. The court in the northern region of Navarra on Thursday convicted the men, who had recorded video of the attack on their mobile phones and laughed about the incident afterwards on a Whatsapp group, with the lesser crime of sexual abuse. The decision drew immediate criticism and outrage. Thousands gathered in cities across Spain from Seville to Barcelona and outside the Justice Ministry in Madrid bearing notices reading "I believe you sister" and chanting "It's not abuse, it's rape". In Madrid, men and women packed central streets chanting "Shame! Shame!" and "'No' means 'No'". In Barcelona, thousands packed into the central square banging pots and pans and jangling their keys in the air. The so-called "Wolf Pack" case had already sparked widespread anger around Spain following concern over increased reports of sex attacks at the annual festival and over the mistreatment of women in general. It has also drawn international attention, coming at a time of heightened global concern over the sexual abuse of women in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal. After a five-month trial held behind closed doors to protect the victim's identity, a judge read out the sentences in the court in the northern region of Navarra. The state prosecutor had asked for prison sentences of more than 20 years for each of the men. Instead they were given nine-year sentences. Under Spanish law, the lesser charge of sexual abuse differs from rape in that it does not involve violence or intimidation. The charge is used in cases of sexual activity between underage partners or those seen not capable of giving permission for sexual contact, such as those who are severely handicapped or under the influence of drugs or drink. Politicians across the political spectrum condemned the ruling. "As a citizen and as a father, I find it hard to understand this sentence," tweeted Albert Rivera, head of market-friendly political party Ciudadanos. "It seems to be saying to victims that if you don't take on five thugs double your size, putting your life at risk, it's not rape," said Pablo Iglesias, leader of left-wing Podemos. STOLEN PHONE The regional government of Navarra, where the San Fermin festival takes place, will appeal the ruling, a regional government spokeswoman said. The five men, including a former policeman and a former soldier, and the victim, who was 18 at the time of the incident, were not present in court. The men, dubbed by Spanish media "The Wolf Pack" after the name of their Whatsapp group, have been held in custody since July 2016. The judge, who did not give the reasoning behind the sentence, also ordered the men to pay the victim 50,000 euros ($60,825) in compensation. The ruling can be appealed in Spain's Supreme Court. The incident took place in the lobby of a building in the early hours of the morning at the San Fermin festival, which brings more than one million people to Pamplona for the nine-day-long festival in July. One of the men stole the woman's mobile phone following the attack, leaving her with no means of contacting the friend with whom she had come to the festival. She was found crying on a bench by a couple who rang the police when she said she had been sexually assaulted. She made a statement to the police, describing the five men who were later arrested. Fragments of video from the men's mobile phones taken at the scene were used as evidence in the trial, alongside witness accounts and biological tests. The defence team argued the incident was a case of consensual group sex. The Running of the Bulls involves hundreds of people dressed in white shirts and red neckerchiefs running down narrow streets in front of fighting bulls before ending in the city's bull-ring, where bullfights take place in the afternoon. The festival is just as famous for the drinking and revelry on the sidelines, with huge street parties, processions and firework displays. The event draws thousands of tourists from all over the world. Thousands of people took to the streets two years ago to protest against sexual assault at the festival and the Pamplona council has mounted a campaign against sexual harassment in recent years, increasing policing and encouraging women to report attacks. (Additional reporting by Raquel Castillo in Madrid and Sam Edwards in Barcelona; Editing by Peter Graff) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. CAPE TOWN (Reuters) - Heavy rain over the last 24 hours has blocked roads and disrupted traffic in South Africa's drought-hit Cape Town, city officials said on Thursday. The first winter downpour will slightly replenish dams dried by the region's worst drought in a century, a dry spell that has scorched farms and hit the tourism sector. South Africa has declared a national disaster over the drought affecting the southern and western regions which had two of the driest years ever recorded in 2015 and 2016. CAPE TOWN (Reuters) - Heavy rain over the last 24 hours has blocked roads and disrupted traffic in South Africa's drought-hit Cape Town, city officials said on Thursday. The first winter downpour will slightly replenish dams dried by the region's worst drought in a century, a dry spell that has scorched farms and hit the tourism sector. South Africa has declared a national disaster over the drought affecting the southern and western regions which had two of the driest years ever recorded in 2015 and 2016. Cape Town authorities warned that taps in the port city of 4 million could run dry this year. But they have pushed back this worst case scenario to next year and only if winter rains fail to sufficiently boost dam levels. "There has been a lot of flooding in urban areas across the metro and a lot of roadways have been affected," said Charlotte Powell, spokeswoman for Cape Town's disaster management centre. "Flooding is a known risk to the city," Powell said. However, no emergency shelters or evacuations were necessary, she said of a perennial challenge when heavy rains during winter affects thousands who live in shanty towns. The South African Weather Service said around 34 millimeters (1.3 inches) of rain fell at Cape Town international airport from 8 a.m. on Wednesday to 8 a.m. on Thursday due to a severe weather front. Forecaster Thabisile Ntleko said a few showers were expected later on Thursday before clearing ahead of a weak cold front on Friday evening and more rain. "That will go into Saturday morning before clearing. We don't see too much rain," she said adding that up to 5 millimeters was expected. The city is encouraging its residents to continue saving water amid drought restrictions that limits daily consumption per person to 50 litres a day. (Reporting by Wendell Roelf; Editing by James Macharia and Matthew Mpoke Bigg) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. By Gabriela Baczynska and Robin Emmott BRUSSELS (Reuters) - International donors raised $4.4 billion in emergency aid for Syria and its neighbours this year on Wednesday, but the total fell well short of the U.N. target for 2018 after the United States failed to submit a pledge. Humanitarian agencies also pleaded for peace before the Syrian military and its Russian and Iranian backers turn their firepower on the rebel-controlled Syrian city of Idlib, warning of civilian suffering on a greater scale than during the siege of Aleppo last year. By Gabriela Baczynska and Robin Emmott BRUSSELS (Reuters) - International donors raised $4.4 billion in emergency aid for Syria and its neighbours this year on Wednesday, but the total fell well short of the U.N. target for 2018 after the United States failed to submit a pledge. Humanitarian agencies also pleaded for peace before the Syrian military and its Russian and Iranian backers turn their firepower on the rebel-controlled Syrian city of Idlib, warning of civilian suffering on a greater scale than during the siege of Aleppo last year. "What I fear is a very cruel battle engulfing Idlib. We cannot accept the war moves towards what is essentially a gigantic refugee camp," Jan Egeland, a senior U.N. adviser on Syria, said of the northwestern region. "There have to be talks to spare the civilians from the fighting," he said, adding that 2.5 million people were at risk. Britain, Germany and France were among those offering new money for refugees at the conference, which brought together 86 governments, aid groups and financial and regional institutions. Pledges of $3.4 billion also came in for 2019-2020 and the EU's humanitarian chief, Christos Stylianides, said the bloc and its member states offered the lion's share of the sum. But the figure was less than the $6 billion gathered for 2017 as U.S. President Donald Trump cuts foreign aid. "A number of important donors have not yet been in a position to confirm their financing for 2018," U.N. Emergency Relief Coordinator Mark Lowcock told a news conference. "That includes the United States, which has been providing more than $1 billion a year to Syria and the region in recent years." While the United Nations said more money may still come in, Washington is reviewing its Syria policy, including humanitarian support, and Trump has questioned the value of such aid. The European Union, which along with the United States is the world's biggest aid donor, is also struggling to agree with its member governments on a second package of three billion euros ($3.66 billion) for refugees in Turkey. Turkey's Deputy Prime Minister Recep Akdag told the conference the EU must do more on the crisis in Syria, which has also triggered a spike in immigration to Europe that has posed a challenge for the bloc's governments since 2015. CRISIS PEAK Humanitarian aid will also go to Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq, which are overwhelmed with some six million Syrian refugees. "The war hasn't stopped, people are still being bombed and live in refugee camps. The pledges today show that the conditions for Syrians will only get worse in the future," said Rouba Mhaissen, a Syrian-Lebanese activist working for refugees. The failure to reach the U.N. goal at the pledging conference showed the challenge for Syria as other conflicts, from Afghanistan to Myanmar, also demand attention and money. Achim Steiner, head of the U.N. Development Programme, said there was a risk of so-called donor fatigue because of the sheer length of the multi-sided war. "It is a natural phenomenon as the conflict continues year after year," Steiner said. "In 2018, the humanitarian drama ... is actually at its peak." The international community's split over Syria was also highlighted by the fact that Damascus was not taking part in the conference organised by the EU. Russia sent no top state officials and was only represented by its EU ambassador. The envoy, Vladimir Chizhov, challenged the EU's line that the West would only focus on humanitarian assistance but provide no money for reconstruction of Syria for as long as Assad does not share power with the opposition. But the West has ruled that out, seeing money as its best leverage to try to force Assad into peace talks, so far in vain. (Editing by William Maclean and James Dalgleish) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. (Reuters) - President Donald Trump's lawyer Michael Cohen said on Wednesday he will assert his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination in connection with a lawsuit filed by adult-film star Stormy Daniels. In a filing in a California federal court, Cohen said he decided to invoke his constitutional right after the FBI raided his home, office and hotel room two weeks ago. (Reporting by Eric Beech in Washington; Editing by Dan Grebler) (Reuters) - President Donald Trump's lawyer Michael Cohen said on Wednesday he will assert his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination in connection with a lawsuit filed by adult-film star Stormy Daniels. In a filing in a California federal court, Cohen said he decided to invoke his constitutional right after the FBI raided his home, office and hotel room two weeks ago. (Reporting by Eric Beech in Washington; Editing by Dan Grebler) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. By Ritah Kemigisa Ugandans have been asked to strongly fight for their rights and demand for adequate payment that equals the work done. Addressing journalists ahead of the World day for safety and health at work, the state minister for gender and Culture Peace Mutuuzo says no one should offer a working Ugandan less in exchange for their time and expertise. She has meanwhile advised all employers to create a healthy and safe environment for employees. This she says is an economic investment since it makes economic returns 10 times greater than the monetary investment. The World day for safety and health at work commemoration in Uganda will run under the theme Occupational safety and health in enterprise development and competitiveness. Alaska Airlines takes home their second consecutive award for Best Rewards Program in the Americas in the 2018 FlyerTalk Awards, voted on by the community. Both British Airways and Qatar Airways also continued their streaks for best programs in Europe/Africa and the Middle East/Asia/Oceana regions respectively, making the European airline the only undefeated program. The flyers have spoken and theres a new back-to-back favorite rewards program among American travelers. As announced by USA Today, Alaska Airlines was named the Best Rewards Program in the Americas in the 2018 FlyerTalk Awards for the second year in a row. Alaska first unseated American Airlines AAdvantage as the Americas best program last year, breaking the Dallas-based carriers streak of five consecutive awards. The honor is Alaskas fourth of 2018, as the airline was also named the best among U.S. Airlines by Airline Quality Rating and Money Magazines Best in Travel. The fact that Alaska Mileage Plan has taken the title again for a second year in a row tells us that last years win wasnt a one-off fluke, FlyerTalk community manager Paul OBrien told USA Today. And that the discerning members of FlyerTalk really value the Alaska program. In the Europe/Africa region, British Airways Executive Club was voted Best Rewards Program for the seventh consecutive year. They are the only airline to sweep their category since the awards inception. Qatar Airways Privilege Club was another repeat winner, earning their second award in two years as Best Rewards Program in the Middle East/Asia/Oceana region. When it comes to the best benefits, flyers still give credit to American Airlines. AAdvantage earned the Outstanding Benefit award in the Americas for oneworld lounge access on international flights. For the Middle East/Asia/Oceana, Cathay Pacific Marco Polo Club was given Outstanding Benefit honors for lounge access. In the Europe/Africa region, British Airways once again earned honors for Outstanding Benefit for discounted Reward Flight Saver awards. The seventh edition of the FlyerTalk Awards were nominated by and voted on by members of the FlyerTalk community in three categories: Fly, Stay and Drive. The full list of winners are as follows: BEST REWARDS PROGRAM (2018) Americas Fly: Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan Stay: Starwood Preferred Guest Drive: Hertz Gold Plus Rewards Europe/Africa Fly: British Airways Executive Club Stay: Hilton HHonors Drive: Hertz Gold Plus Rewards Middle East/Asia/Oceana Fly: Qatar Airways Privilege Club Stay: Starwood Preferred Guest Drive: Hertz Gold Plus Rewards OUTSTANDING BENEFIT (2018) Americas Fly: American Airlines (oneworld lounge access on international flights) Stay: Marriott Rewards (Concierge lounge access and breakfast for two) Drive: Hertz Gold Plus Rewards (Ultimate choice) Europe/Africa Fly: British Airways Executive Club (Reward flight saver) Stay: Hilton HHonors (Free breakfast) Drive: Hertz Gold Plus Rewards (Free upgrades) Middle East/Asia/Oceana Fly: Cathay Pacific Marco Polo Club (Lounge access) Stay: Marriott Rewards (Concierge lounge access and breakfast for two) Drive: Hertz Gold Plus Rewards (Gold service) X X X X X X X X X X X PREVIOUS WINNERS: AMERICAS Fly Best Program 2017: Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan 2016: American Airlines AAdvantage 2015: American Airlines AAdvantage 2014: American Airlines AAdvantage 2013: American Airlines AAdvantage 2012: American Airlines AAdvantage Fly Outstanding Benefit 2017: United Airlines Mileage Plus (Complimentary access to Economy Plus for all Premier members) 2016: American Airlines AAdvantage (Executive Platinum Systemwide Upgrades) 2015: American Airlines AAdvantage (Executive Platinum Systemwide Upgrades) 2014: American Airlines AAdvantage (Executive Platinum Systemwide Upgrades) 2013: American Airlines AAdvantage (Executive Platinum Systemwide Upgrades) 2012: American Airlines AAdvantage (500-mile and Systemwide Upgrades) Stay Best Program 2017: Starwood Preferred Guest 2016: Starwood Preferred Guest 2015: Starwood Preferred Guest 2014: Starwood Preferred Guest 2013: Starwood Preferred Guest 2012: Starwood Preferred Guest Stay Outstanding Benefit 2017: Hilton HHonors (Free breakfast) 2016: Hilton HHonors (Free breakfast) 2015: Starwood Preferred Guest (Platinum Room & Suite Upgrades) 2014: Marriott Rewards (Concierge Lounge Access) 2013: Club Carlson (Earn 50,000 Points Per Stay Promotion) 2012: Starwood Preferred Guest (Suite/Room Upgrades) Drive Best Program 2017: Hertz Gold Plus Rewards 2016: Hertz Gold Plus Rewards 2015: Hertz Gold Plus Rewards 2014: Hertz Gold Plus Rewards 2013: Hertz Gold Plus Rewards 2012: Hertz Gold #1 Club Drive Outstanding Benefit 2017: National Emerald Club (Choice of car/bypassing rental counter) 2016: Hertz Gold Plus Rewards 2015: National Emerald Club (Choice of car/bypassing rental counter) 2014: Hertz Gold Plus Rewards (Gold Service) 2013: Hertz Gold Plus Rewards (Gold Service) 2012: Hertz #1 Club (Gold Service) PREVIOUS WINNERS: EUROPE/AFRICA Fly Best Program 2017: British Airways Executive Club 2016: British Airways Executive Club 2015: British Airways Executive Club 2014: British Airways Executive Club 2013: British Airways Executive Club 2012: British Airways Executive Club Fly Outstanding Benefit 2017: British Airways Executive Club (Lounge access) 2016: British Airways Executive Club (Lounge access) 2015: British Airways Executive Club (Lounge access) 2014: British Airways Executive Club (Upgrade Using Avios) 2013: British Airways Executive Club (Upgrade Using Avios) 2012: British Airways Executive Club (MFU/UUA/Avios Upgrades) Stay Best Program 2017: Hilton HHonors 2016: Starwood Preferred Guest 2015: Hilton HHonors 2014: Starwood Preferred Guest 2013: Starwood Preferred Guest 2012: Hilton HHonors Stay Outstanding Benefit 2017: Hilton HHonors (Free breakfast) 2016: Hilton HHonors (Executive Lounge access) 2015: Starwood Preferred Guest (2 for 1 Nights/4 for 2 Nights) 2014: Hilton HHonors (Executive Lounge Access) 2013: Hilton HHonors (Executive Lounge Access) 2012: Hilton HHonors (Complimentary Room Upgrades) Drive Best Program 2017: Hertz Gold Plus Rewards 2016: Hertz Gold Plus Rewards 2015: Hertz Gold Plus Rewards 2014: Hertz Gold Plus Rewards 2013: Hertz Gold Plus Rewards 2012: Hertz #1 Club Drive Outstanding Benefit 2017: Hertz Gold Plus Rewards (Five Star & Presidents Circle) 2016: Hertz Gold Plus Rewards 2015: Hertz Gold Plus Rewards (Gold Service) 2014: Hertz Gold Plus Rewards (Gold Service) 2013: Hertz Gold Plus Rewards (Earn Points or Exchange For Other Programs) 2012: Hertz #1 Club (Free Upgrades) PREVIOUS WINNERS: MIDDLE EAST/ASIA/OCEANIA Fly Best Program 2017: Qatar Airways Privilege Club 2016: Cathay Pacific Asia Miles 2015: Cathay Pacific Asia Miles 2014: Jet Airways JetPrivilege 2013: Cathay Pacific Asia Miles 2012: Cathay Pacific Asia Miles Fly Outstanding Benefit 2017: Qatar Airways Privilege Club (Qcredits) 2016: Cathay Pacific Asia Miles (Lounge access) 2015: Cathay Pacific Asia Miles (Seat Guarantees) 2014: Jet Airways Jet Privilege (Cash Upgrades on Domestic Award Tickets) 2013: Cathay Pacific Asia Miles (Seat Guarantees) 2012: Cathay Pacific Asia Miles (Seat Guarantees for Marco Polo Members) Stay Best Program 2017: Starwood Preferred Guest 2016: Starwood Preferred Guest 2015: Starwood Preferred Guest 2014: Taj Hotels & Resorts InnerCircle 2013: Starwood Preferred Guest 2012: Starwood Preferred Guest Stay Outstanding Benefit 2016: Hilton HHonors (Executive Lounge access) 2015: Starwood Preferred Guest (Platinum Room & Suite Upgrades) 2014: Taj Hotels & Resorts InnerCircle (Room Upgrades) 2013: Hilton HHonors (Lounge Access) 2013: Hilton HHonors (Complimentary Room Upgrades) Drive Best Program 2017: Hertz Gold Plus Rewards 2016: Hertz Gold Plus Rewards 2015: Hertz Gold Plus Rewards 2014: Hertz Gold Plus Rewards 2013: Hertz Gold Plus Rewards 2012: Hertz #1 Club Drive Outstanding Benefit 2017: Hertz Gold Plus Rewards (5 Star/Presidents Circle) 2016: Hertz Gold Plus Rewards (Gold service) 2015: Hertz Gold Plus Rewards (Gold Plus Rewards) 2014: No nominated programs 2013: Hertz Gold Plus Rewards (5 Star/Presidents Circle) 2012: Hertz #1 Club (Free Rental Days) Boston Beer (NYSE:SAM) announced first-quarter 2018 results late Wednesday, highlighting a return to growth in shipment volumes and marked improvement in industry trends for its various beer, hard cider, and hard sparkling water brands. But Boston Beer also urged caution, opting to reaffirm its full-year guidance despite its strong start to 2018. Let's take a deeper look, then, at what Boston Beer accomplished over the past few months and what investors can expect from the craft brewer in the coming quarters. Boston Beer results: The raw numbers Metric Q1 2018 Q1 2017 Year-Over-Year Growth Net revenue $190.5 million $161.7 million 17.8% Net income $9.3 million $5.7 million 63% Earnings per diluted share $0.78 $0.45 73.3% What happened with Boston Beer this quarter? Reported net income included a tax benefit of $0.23 per diluted share this quarter, as compared to a $0.28-per-share benefit in last year's first quarter, related to new accounting standards for stock-based compensation that were adopted at the start of 2017. Still, even excluding this item Boston Beer's results trounced investors' expectations for earnings of $0.30 per share on revenue of $175.9 million. Revenue growth was driven by a 15% increase in shipment volume, to roughly 833,000 barrels. Depletions -- a metric for measuring how quickly Boston Beer's products travel from warehouses to consumer outlets -- grew 8% year over year, marking a big improvement from last quarter's 2% decline. This improvement came as continued decreases from Samuel Adams brand varieties only partially offset increases from Twisted Tea, Truly Spiked & Sparkling, and Angry Orchard. Gross margin improved by 3.3 percentage points year over year to 50.5%. Repurchased roughly 119,000 shares of stock for $22.6 million, leaving $156.1 million remaining under Boston Beer's authorization as of April 20, 2018. What management had to say Boston Beer's new CEO, Dave Burwick, stated: As I onboard to the Company, I'm focused on reviewing all areas of the business, with a focus on brand strategies that will enable the Company to return to long-term profitable growth. [...] We're excited that Twisted Tea continues to grow distribution and generate consumer pull, and that Truly Spiked & Sparkling is well positioned as a leader in the emerging segment of hard sparkling water. Samuel Adams performance improved in the first quarter due to the national launch of Sam '76 and increases in Seasonal volumes, but these positives were more than offset by declines in other Samuel Adams styles. We had a smooth seasonal transition to Samuel Adams Summer Ale late in the first quarter, which was a few weeks earlier than last year's second quarter transition. Boston Beer founder and chairman Jim Koch added that the company has seen "significant improvement in Samuel Adams and Angry Orchard trends," driven by exciting early responses to its newest innovations such as Sam '76, Samuel Adams New England IPA, and Angry Orchard Rose. But Koch also cautioned that in the increasingly crowded craft beer space, it's still "too early to fully understand repeat rates on these new products and therefore to draw conclusions on the long-term impact." Looking ahead Boston Beer reiterated its previous full-year outlook for earnings per share of between $6.30 and $7.30 (excluding the impact of its accounting changes), while admitting its volume outlook is still uncertain. Boston Beer also continues to expect 2018 gross margin of between 52% and 54%. Still, there's an undeniable sense of optimism as Boston Beer's two largest brands -- Samuel Adams and Angry Orchard -- continue to benefit from improving trends and positive consumer response to newer varieties. Whether some of those varieties can keep consumers coming back for more remains to be seen. But I think this marks another big step in the right direction as Boston Beer strives to return all of its brands to sustained, profitable growth. EIDewrito mod was brought down by Microsoft because it was a clear breach in the Halo intellectual property. As you might not know, the mod was using Halo Online assets which were meant to be played only in Russia for a short amount of time. Interestingly, Microsoft has provided a couple statements about the road ahead for the Halo series on PC, making it clear that while this modded version of Halo Online cant work anymore the demand for a Halo game on PC is set to be satisfied soon. As we look ahead, were very excited about the prospects of an official classic Halo experience making its way to PC and we hope to be able to partner with the ElDewrito team and broader mod and content creation community to help inform the types of experiences and features our fans desire, a post on Halo Waypoint, the official blog of the series, claims. While we have nothing to announce today, please know that the PC community is very important to us and top of mind as we work towards the future. On Twitter, Phil Spencer shared the news adding that this point is important and remarking the words about the future arrival of the classic Halo games in the post. This point is important As we look ahead, were very excited about the prospects of an official classic Halo experience making its way to PC and we hope to be able to partner with the ElDewrito team and broader mod and content creation community https://t.co/KVJbH5PfJI Phil Spencer (@XboxP3) April 25, 2018 343 Industries Bonnie Ross also added that I love and share in the passion for PC and classic Halo games, and know that we are investing in both moving forward. I love and share in the passion for PC and classic Halo games, and know that we are investing in both moving forward. https://t.co/wMccfYDt2h Bonnie Ross (@PlutonForEver) April 26, 2018 All of this, together with the past hint at Halo: The Master Chief Collection coming to the PC platform, seem to point at the release of the previous titles of the franchise on Windows 10. In the future, even though Microsoft hasnt made an official statement on the matter, Halo 6 is also expected to be an Xbox Play Anywhere game. At this moment, Halo 5s Forge mode is available on Windows 10. The leaders of Germany and France, Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Emmanuel Macron, are visiting Washington, D.C. this week. Both espouse a policy that Germany and France should lead Europe together. President Macron plays the role of the charismatic, visionary statesman. Chancellor Merkel heads a weak coalition governing Europes economic powerhouse. Although the two leaders are politically and philosophically close, their countries want to go down different paths. Both agree on criticism of the Trump administration. A common point of such criticism is now Washingtons new protectionism and preference for bilateral relations rather than multilateralism. However, it is ignored that the European Union itself is more protectionist than President Donald Trumps United States. Lets not forget that the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) was already bound to fail before the U.S. elections, due to European worries. The leaders agree on a reform of the EU, and Chancellor Merkel signed a coalition agreement with Germanys Social Democratic Party that contained calls for a more centralized and harmonized Europe, even if it results in a multi-speed construct. Arrogant criticism This is also the policy of European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker. At the same time, these leaders criticize democratic governments in the Union as illiberal and authoritarian, especially those in Central Europe. Between the lines, they suggest that people in these countries elect such governments because they are not mature enough for democracy, a stance some leading European media are also taking toward the U.S. The criticism of these countries by the French and German leaders reminds us of former U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfelds then misplaced (in the European view) distinction between Old and New Europe. Both leaders are also very critical of Russia, and advocate a strong regime of sanctions. However, opinions and economic necessities do not necessarily support the axis between Chancellor Merkel and President Macron. This became obvious at their last meeting, when Ms. Merkel had to deviate from a common policy due to economic and political realities at home. There was large concern that a more centralized Union with a common Ministry of Economy and Finance would result in a transfer union with a continuation of high deficit spending. Germans find this unacceptable. Germany and France both pretend to be liberal democracies. The system, however, has little to do anymore with classical liberalism Germany and France both pretend to be liberal democracies. The system, however, has little to do anymore with classical liberalism. Timothy Less explains this well in his essay, The dawn of post-liberalism: Classical liberalism believes in free markets and competition as the optimal means of promoting growth. It seeks to minimize the role of the state, which exists mainly to uphold the rules of the market. And it supports the unrestricted movement of goods, capital and workers across international borders. Contemporary liberalism, on the other hand, is a complex amalgam of rationalism, cosmopolitanism, social democracy, Marxism and bureaucratic authoritarianism. Dangers of centralization We see here a transformation of a decentralized democracy to a centralized bureaucracy. Centralization already laid the groundwork that led to Brexit. Bashing Central Europe as immature and illiberal will further estrange it from the EU. German policies of, on one hand, favoring harsh on sanctions on Russia, and on the other, refusing to invest enough in defense, is inconsistent at least. Sanctions combined with an insufficient deterrent do not work. Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron are highly critical of the U.S., but fully dependent on American protection through NATO. They are critical of Russia, but are becoming increasingly dependent on Russian gas. Undoubtedly, Germany and France together form an essential part needed for a strong and competitive Europe. This axis, however, is resulting in strained relations with the U.S. and Russia. It will also damage the cohesion of the bloc through too much centralization, the ever closer Union, and the moral arrogance of the liberals. Brexit has already become fact. India manufactured about 110 million mobile phones in 2015-16 News oi-Priyanka BPO industry should move to small towns where overhead costs are less compared to big cities. Electronics and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said on Thursday that Indian mobile manufacturing industry is expected to touch Rs 132,000 crore by the end of 2018. India manufactured about 110 million mobile phones in 2015-16 as compared to 60 million in 2014-15 showing a growth of over 90 percent. In value terms, India's mobile manufacturing industry produced mobile phones worth Rs 54,000 crore in FY15-16 compared to Rs 18,900 crore in FY14-15. The same reached Rs 94,000 crore by end of 2017 he said at an event organized by MeitY, ASSOCHAM, and Ericsson. In terms of volume, in 2014 India produced 5 core mobile phone made locally in India which reached to 15 crores in 2015-16. In 2017 the Indian mobile manufacturing industry produced 22 million mobile phones. 'The industry would produce 50 million mobile phones by 2020,' said the minister. On electronics manufacturing units he informed that within three years, the industry added 120 such units. Two-third of these are mobile manufacturing units and there 54 such units in Noida alone. On top of that these industries employ 5 lakh people," he added. Prasad further said that India has the world's third-largest start-up community after US and England. He said that his ministry is working in mission mode to make India's digital sector $1 trillion economy in next five years and has potential to create 50 lakh to 70 lakh new jobs. He also said that BPO industry should move to small towns where overhead costs are less compared to big cities. About 48,000 seats have been planned with distribution across states and UTs based on population percentage. It excluded metro cities like Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai, National Capital Region, Pune and North Eastern states. He further said, about 86 new BPOs operating in 27 states excluding digitally rich areas. BPO centers have already come up in Patna and Muzaffarpur, while such centers would soon be opened in smaller cities like Ghazipur, Jahanabad and Gaya etc, he said. 'The government will give the grant of Rs. 5 crores to start-ups doing innovation in the field of cybersecurity and healthcare", said Prasad. The Minister also mentioned the increasing adoption of the Umang (Unified Mobile Application for New-age Governance) app, Bharat Interface for Money (BHIM) app that enables secure cashless payments through mobile phones. 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 OnePlus to unveil OnePlus 6 x Marvel Avengers Limited Edition on May 17 News oi-GizBot Bureau The one-of-its kind OnePlus 6 x Marvel Avengers Limited Edition will be exclusively available via Amazon in the India market OnePlus users are in for a treat in the coming month. The premium Android smartphone maker has collaborated with Marvel Studios to unveil a special edition of the upcoming OnePlus 6 smartphone for consumers. The collaboration marks a step towards strengthening OnePlus' association with Disney India. OnePlus confirmed the news by releasing a teaser video hinting towards the launch of the special edition of the upcoming OnePlus 6 smartphone. OnePlus 6 x Marvels Avengers Limited Edition smartphone will be launched on May 17, 2018 in the Indian market. OnePlus has also made it clear that the special edition product will be Amazon exclusive product. As noted, OnePlus and Disney partnered in December 2017 to launch OnePlus 5T Star Wars Limited Edition, which made headlines around the globe. The limited edition OnePlus smartphone was well received by fans across both communities. Taking hints from the Star Wars edition, we can expect to see the special edition OnePlus 6 in an all new color and specially tailored wallpapers and themes. The teaser video released by OnePlus gives a glimpse of the OnePlus 6 x Marvel Avengers Limited Edition smartphone. The video shows that the special edition OnePlus 6 x will have a custom textured back, exclusive to the Marvel Avengers Limited Edition. We just can't wait to get our hands on the Avengers Limited Edition OnePlus 6 handset, which will offer the best-in-class specifications and will set nee benchmarks in speed and efficiency. Earlier this week, OnePlus also announced that the company is giving away 6,000 complimentary movie tickets for the upcoming Marvel movie, in partnership with Paytm. The tickets went live today at 10 am and were sold out in just 30 minutes and were made available to OnePlus users in Mumbai, New Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata, Chandigarh, Hyderabad, Kochi, Pune, and Ahmedabad. To give you an insight into the upcoming OnePlus 6, the smartphone is expected to set new benchmarks in speed and efficiency. The company recently released a new teaser video to give the world a clear glimpse of the performance one can expect from their much-awaited upcoming flagship smartphone. The video talks about man's fascination towards speed and performance that in a way sums up the soon to be launched OnePlus 6 handset. OnePlus 6 will be powered by Snapdragon 845 SoC paired with 6GB/8GB RAM. As far as storage is concerned, OnePlus 6 will come in 128GB and 256GB models. As far as design is concerned, the teased images show that the upcoming OnePlus 6 will bring a new look and feel altogether, which despite being futuristic, will also take care of basics. OnePlus 6 will also come with a water-dust resistant design and like previous OnePlus devices will offer a perfect in-hand feel. Moreover, OnePlus 6 is also expected to sport a glass rear panel suggesting that the new flagship might come with wireless charging support. While all of this does sound interesting, what truly gets us pumped is the news for the special edition OnePlus 6 x. If you have closely followed the Marvel's cinematic universe in last 10 years, you just cannot afford to skip the launch on May 17, 2018. Stay tuned for all the updates on OnePlus 6 x Marvel Avengers Limited Edition on Gizbot.com. 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 Samsung Galaxy J2 2018 with Samsung Mall launched in India for Rs. 8,190 News oi-Chandrika Samsung Mall uses artificial intelligence to provide a better online shopping experience. Samsung Galaxy J2 2018, the latest addition to Samsung's Galaxy J series, has just been launched in India. Priced at Rs. 8,190, the smartphone will be available for sale from April 27. The Galaxy J2 2018 comes in color options like Gold, Black and Pink. Jio subscribers who buy the Samsung Galaxy J2 2018 will get an instant cashback of Rs. 2,750 in their MyJio account on recharging with Rs. 198 or Rs. 299 plan. They will also get an extra 10GB of 4G data on every recharge for the next 10 recharges. In terms of specifications, the Samsung Galaxy J2 2018 is fitted with a 5.0-inch qHD Super AMOLED display. Under the hood, the smartphone is fueled by a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, coupled with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of inbuilt storage which is further expandable up to 256GB. It also has an advanced 'Device Maintenance' feature which optimizes device performance automatically. When it comes to cameras, the Galaxy J2 2018 is equipped with an 8MP rear camera and a 5MP front camera, both with LED flash. Running on Android operating system, the smartphone draws power from a 2,600mAh battery. The phone offers connectivity features like Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n 2.4GHz, Bluetooth v4.2, and USB 2.0. Sensors onboard include Accelerometer and Proximity Sensor. Notably, the Galaxy J2 2018 comes preloaded with Samsung Mall, which uses artificial intelligence to provide a better online shopping experience to users. With this feature users can take an image of a product in real life, or something from their gallery, and then utilize visual search to identify the product and find it across various online shopping sites. Samsung Mall will also let users buy the product via Samsung Mall's 'Universal Cart' feature. In addition, Samsung Mall allows users to look at products from multiple shopping sites in a single place; referred to as All-in-one Shopping. "Galaxy J2 2018 reiterates Samsung's commitment towards meaningful innovations that delight our customers. For this device, we focused on two trends amongst Indian youth - growth of online shopping and high usage of Social media platforms. Samsung Mall uses artificial intelligence to revolutionize the way customers shop online with visual search", said Sumit Walia, Director, Mobile business, Samsung India, while commenting on the launch. "For avid social media users, Samsung's proprietary 'Move to Memory Card' feature is an advanced memory management solution that declutters the internal memory, thereby enhancing the smartphone experience," he added further. 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 Lakshminarayana Enters Public Fray! Former joint director of Central Bureau of Investigation V V Lakshminarayana finally got relieved of his duties as an IPS officer and straightaway entered the public fray. Lakshminarayana, who got the information from Maharashtra police department on Wednesday that his application for voluntary retirement was approved, went to Yajali village in Guntur district where he addressed a big meeting of farmers. The retired IPS officer got a rousing reception in the village with scores of youth took him into the village in a big rally on motorbikes with green and white flags. I have chosen Yajali village to start my journey, as I was told any major step made from the village would lead to a big movement, he said. Lakshminarayana said his ambition was to serve the rural India. When I was in service, I made a requisition to the Central government to depute me to National Institute of Rural Development in Hyderabad so that I could serve the people in the villages. But the government had turned down my request saying an IPS officer had nothing do with the rural development works. Then I thought I should resign from my job to take up rural service. Now, who can stop me from serving in the villages, he said. Lakshminarayana also revealed his political ambitions, albeit indirectly. If I happen to become a minister, I will opt for agriculture and rural development portfolio. If I dont get such an opportunity, I will come to you at least as a social worker, Lakshminarayana said. The ex-CBi chief already made it clear that he had no immediate political plans. I love to spend my time among the people always, he said. Lakshminarayana, however, sounded political note when he spoke about the special category status to Andhra Pradesh. Almost all the political parties and organisations have been fighting in their own way. I am confident that the Centre will have no option but to grant special category status one day or the other, he said. Click Here for Latest Direct-to-OTT Releases (List Updates Daily) If there were a choose-your-own-adventure guide to finding a coffee maker, there would be four choices that determined how the plot would twist. First, paper filter or metal filter, and then immersion or pour-over. A paper filter lets less sediment and lipids through, explains Bailey Manson, the education and service program manager for Intelligentsia, a hip coffee roaster based in Chicago. That makes for a lighter, thinner mouthfeel and more aromatics. A French press makes an immersion brew, in which water sits with the coffee, while pour-overs allow the water to briefly pass through the grounds. Then there's time: Do you want the morning ritual of a multiple-step process, or do you need to push a button and get out the door? Finally, how much coffee do you need to make? A one-cup pour would do the trick if you're a one-cup person, but if you're making coffee for two adults and even grown children, a big pot should be considered. Sometimes, though, the answer is not either-or but both-and, says Brian Jones, author of the book "Brew: Better Coffee at Home." "There's also no rule against having several different brew methods," he says. "It's nice to be able to switch up the method depending on your mood, your company or the type of coffee you're brewing." As the design director for HGTV Home, Nancy Fire circles the globe to find trendy goods and inspiration. When she's home to relax from her travels, she likes to use the Double-Wall Glass French Press ($49.95, williams-sonoma.com). "It is so durable, and it always keeps the coffee hotter for longer," she says. "I keep this press out in the country, and it's the perfect way to make morning coffee on the weekends." Attractive enough to sit out on the counter, this French press has insulated walls that keep it warm longer. Every morning, Adam Mahr, owner of the gift and housewares shop A Mano in Washington, steeps his coffee grounds in the Espro Press P7 after a favored ritual ($99.95-$119.95, espro.ca). He chooses a dark bean from Brazil, Colombia or Ethiopia, then grinds it just before brewing to preserve the beans' oil. He heats water on the stove, cutting it off right before it boils, then heats the stainless-steel press with hot water before putting the grounds and coffee water in - the unique double filter of the press keeps the grounds from sludging up the coffee. Lastly, a timer is set for four to five minutes. "Every morning, I go down, feed the dogs, make my coffee, watch 'Morning Joe' and then begin my day," he says. "My go-to choice for brewing coffee almost every morning is a Hario V60," says Jones, who is also co-founder of a coffee-roasting company and the java brain behind the website Dear Coffee, I Love You. "It's a round pour-over dripper with a hole . . . and spiral ridges to help with water flow while brewing." He likes a lighter, cleaner flavor profile, which the pour-over ($25, surlatable.com) offers. To take it up one more notch, Jones recommends using a gooseneck water kettle. When drinking at home, Manson of Intelligentsia prefers his thrift-store Chemex. "I like the clarity and cleanliness that I get from a paper filter," he says. For something similar, he recommends the Six-Cup Glass-Handle Chemex ($43.50, chemexcoffeemaker.com). The glass neck makes for better ergonomics, he says. For a truly excellent cup of coffee, he recommends investing at least $100 in a quality grinder. Georg Riedel, the 10th-generation owner of the wine-glass company Riedel, spent a year "drinking coffee, learning about coffee, serving coffee," he says, all part of his research to design a glass that best highlights the characteristics of coffee, especially the fine, frothy crema. "When you are trained to examine aromas and flavors, then it does not make a difference if you drink wine, soda, juice, coffee or tea. . . . Everything that is aromatic comes with a basic structure," he says. Different machines produce the crema differently, but Riedel prefers any De'Longhi machine and especially the Nespresso CitiZ Espresso Machineby De'Longhi ($249.99, target.com). Walk into any store that sells prom gowns, and it's easy to become overwhelmed. With a stock of silhouettes that range from mermaid to ballgown and come in a rainbow of colors, choices abound in every dress shop in southwestern Connecticut and beyond. But before you get lost in a sea of sequins and tulle, knowing which styles are hot and which are not for prom 2018 can help ensure you say yes to the perfect dress. Going through the racks of her Wallingford, Conn. shop, owner of The Dressing Room Christine Rinere knows first hand what prom dress shoppers are looking for, and this season, it's all about going big literally. "We have sold a lot of ballgowns for prom," said Rinere of the prom dress trend she's noticed most this year. "This is the biggest thing that's different than prior years for us." For owners Danna Lane and Corinne Chapman of A Step Ahead in Stamford, the full-skirted style has been the most surprising and exciting trend they've seen this year. "What's so different this year is that so many dresses especially ballgowns have pockets, so girls can put their phones, money, lipstick, lipgloss in the pockets of their dresses, which is a huge selling point," said Chapman. "It's convenient and cool; it's not what you'd expect when you're dressed formally, but it makes for a beautiful pose and just looks different." While Rinere and Lane both find that ballgowns are the biggest silhouette trend for prom 2018 in Connecticut, it is not a necessarily new trend nationwide. "We usually lag behind a bit," said Rinere when it comes to accepting the ballgown style into the mix for prom, which she also mentioned as a nationally-popular silhouette. For Chapman, the prom gowns popular at A Step Ahead are indicative of the tastes of prom shoppers in their corner of Connecticut. "Very popular dresses for sale from different companies are dresses we could never sell here in a million years," said Chapman. "The dresses we sell are more Connecticut, and even Fairfield County, specific." Gowns with very elaborate trains and intricate detail work follow in a close second for popular styles in the state this year. And just as certain shapes are more popular than others for prom regionally and nationally this year, both find that certain colors stand out. Take blush, for example; Rinere says when shoppers are searching for gowns in subtle hues, they tend to opt for a rosy shade of pink instead of traditional pastels. Biggest 2018 prom trends Ballgowns Blush hues Jewel tones Bold earrings See More Collapse "For light colors, everything that's light is blush. Even black with blush," Rinere said. And the colors that aren't on trend? "There aren't a lot of pastels, light pinks and light blues," she said of the colors that didn't make the cut this year. Blush isn't the only color trend she's noticed. In fact, both Rinere and Chapman say their customers have been very attracted to hypersaturated colors that mimic jewel tones, such a deep purples, emerald greens, ruby red and navy. While these choices stand in contrast to the blush trend she's noticed, Rinere suggests the move toward jewel tones not only indicative of a national trend at play, but also of the fact that shoppers are paying closer attention to fashion trends they see on the runway. "I study fashion," said Rinere. "I'm always looking at the Christian Diors, the Oscar de la Rentasthose super high-end designersbecause their season is before the (prom) buying season, so you know that those trends are coming." Once shoppers find their red carpet-ready gown, the next step is accessorizing. According to Rinere, piling on jewelry is not a popular option for prom this year. Though she carries earrings, necklaces, bracelets and rings in The Dressing Room, which has a second location Madison, Rinere said she has only sold one type of jewelry to her prom customers: earrings. "I'm seeing a lot of earrings, but not a lot of necklaces and not a lot of bracelets," Rinere said. "I've maybe sold five necklaces for prom this year. But big, drop earrings are popular." Bold earrings are also on trend at A Step Ahead, as well, where Lane and Chapman encourage their shoppers to forego a necklace in favor of dramatic ear chandeliers. "We try to get our girls to not wear necklaces, but instead a fantastic pair of earringssomething big, bold and fantastic," said Chapman. "Sometimes a big necklace will compete with the neckline of a dress too much." When it comes to totaling up the cost of a prom look, Rinere says that completed ensembles can range anywhere between $300 and $1,000, while Chapman and Lane say dresses alone in their store can start in the low $200s and span up to the $400 range. But the A Step Ahead co-owners offer that prom is about more than the cost of the gown. "A lot of people like to talk about the amount of money spent on prom in a negative way," said Chapman and Lane. "Prom is not about the things that money can buy, but the feeling that girls get when they go out in a beautiful dress and have a good time." With this year's prom trends apparent, Lane and Chapman agree that just because a style is trendy, doesn't necessarily mean it's something everyone should wear. In fact, they say prom style should be completely subjectivethe only thing you should wear while trying on gowns is an open mind. "Come in with an open mind," Chapman and Lane agreed. "Come in with ideas of what you like but be open to all styles because you never know how something is going to look. When girls try on the right dress, they get this big smile and that's the prom girl smile because you know they found the right dress for them." GREENWICH - As a town that values its natural beauty, Greenwich has a long tradition of preserving and cultivating its trees. Residents celebrated that tradition and recognized Arbor Day on Thursday with a tree-planting ceremony at the Malkin Preserve on Pheasant Lane. The ceremony was hosted by the Greenwich Land Trust and the Greenwich Tree Conservancy, and took place at the preserves newly established Heirloom Orchard. An apple tree was planted on the 2-acre preserve, joining about a dozen others that were planted this spring, each with a variety of heirloom apples. We call these little pocket preserves, Greenwich Land Trust Executive Director Will Kies said of the Malkin Preserve. Whether its offering a little respite from the craziness that we all have around us these days, to providing habitat to creatures big and small, these pocket preserves are vital. And theyre the perfect example of how two community organizations come together. The Malkin Preserve was donated to the Greenwich Land Trust in 2005 by Peter and Isabel Malkin, who helped found the Greenwich Tree Conservancy in 2007. The property had formerly belonged to their neighbor, who was appropriately named Dr. Blossom. After he and his wife passed, we were able to acquire this property, and we decided to take down the house and to open up the property, Peter Malkin said. Then Isabel had the idea of donating these 2 acres to the Land Trust, so that it would be permanently open and a breath of fresh air here. Malkin said that he hopes word of the orchard will spread, and inspire more people in town to not only plant trees, but also donate land for preservation. The event also provided an opportunity to celebrate Greenwichs recent designation as a Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation. The designation is bestowed upon communities across the country that show dedication to sound urban forestry management. Communities must meet certain standards to be named a Tree City USA, including establishing a designated tree board or department, setting a community tree ordinance, spending a certain amount per capita on urban forestry, and celebrating Arbor Day. State Urban Forestry Coordinator Chris Donnelly read a proclamation from the governor recognizing the designation. Donnelly said the main reason that Greenwich had not been recognized as a Tree City USA before was mainly due to paperwork, but that the town has long been a model for other communities across the state. Im very, very happy that I can finally welcome Greenwich to the family of Tree Cities USA, because I think all the cities and towns in Connecticut look to Greenwich for leadership, particularly with regards to tree programs, Donnelly said. Before the tree planting, Selectman John Toner read a proclamation recognizing Arbor Day, which is Friday. The tree that was planted will grow a variety of apple called the Connecticut Seek-No-Further, which was originally discovered in the mid-1700s. Greenwich Land Trust Conservation and Outreach Director Steve Conaway explained to the gathered crowd how apple varieties are propagated. Instead of relying on pollination, apple varieties are propagated by taking a piece of wood from one tree and grafting it onto another tree. All the trees in the Heirloom Orchard were grafted with historical apple varieties as a way of connecting with Greenwichs agricultural past. This area and Connecticut have a long apple growing history and we wanted to reflect that with these varieties, Conaway said. We are literally eating history when we eat an old apple variety. Were tasting what people in the 1600s and 1700s tasted with some of these varieties. Conaway added that the Malkin Preserve will also provide an opportunity for community programs. This is an active stewardship project, he said. Were going to have our Youth Corps here during the summer, working with the trees. We have a big invasive plant management project here, where were moving a few invasive species that have gotten established on this property. And our overall goal is to do some educational programming, connect people with the story of these trees and also with plant protection here in Greenwich. GREENWICH With more testing slated to determine whether contaminants from Westchester County Airport have seeped into the water supply in northern Greenwich, a public meeting has been set for mid-May to discuss the situation. Greenwichs Director of Health Caroline Baisley said additional tests were done at private wells near the airport because some residents were not available when state officials did the first round of tests in February. Those results are pending. Theyre working through it, said Baisley. Not all the samples are back, theyre still coming in. The testing in February found two of eight wells showed elevated levels of a chemical used in a firefighting foam at the airport, exceeding the threshold of 70 parts per trillion. Baisley did not reveal specific numbers from those tests, only stating they were above the allowable limit. The owners of the wells that tested positive were told to use other sources of drinking water. More details will be discussed at the meeting in May. Officials from the state Department of Public Health and the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection will give a presentation at the meeting. Officials from those agencies have done the testing. The town health department said seven public-water sources were checked previously, and those results came back negative for the presence of perfluorooctane substances, known as PFAS, or a related substance, PFOS. Perfluorooctane substances were used in a wide range of consumer products, but they were withdrawn from the market in 2002 after being linked to cancer and other maladies. The substance was used regularly as an ingredient in extinguishing petroleum-based fires, and health officials believe the chemical was used during training with an Air National Guard unit formerly based at Westchester County Airport. The presence of PFAS were found around at a number of airports in upstate New York, leading to testing in Westchester. Health authorities found it had spread into water sources in the area in Westchester. An office complex on New King Street in the town of North Castle, N.Y., was told to use bottled water after the discovery last hear. Due to Greenwichs proximity to the airport, health officials began testing in town. Officials are still trying to determine where the contaminants have spread, from their origins at the airport. Baisley said she hoped to have the venue selected for the meeting, and the state officials scheduled, in the coming days. GREENWICH A gruesome tragedy brought Greenwich Master Police Officer Stanley Sanders to the train tracks in Cos Cob in late June last year for a suicide. Sanders found the body, notified the next of kin, interviewed the train conductor and stayed with the deceased until the medical examiner arrived on the scene. The incident stayed with him, and Sanders, 53, has been pursuing a claim he has suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder. The process has been a grueling one, and reportedly has caused police Capt. Mark Kordick to be placed on leave after officials on the towns retirement board, of which Kordick is a member, complained about his behavior while advocating for Sanders. Sanders wife, Britton Sanders, says her husband has been going through an agonizing period since the death on the train tracks. She cited a medical report filed by a Westport doctor, one approved by the town to do an evaluation, which spelled out his mental health problems. Results reveal Mr. Sanders to be neurologically intact, but with severe psychiatric symptoms, the report says. The doctor stated that Sanders suffered from bona fide post-traumatic stress disorder, a diagnosis also made when Sanders went in for treatment at the Yale-New Haven Health Psychiatric Hospital. He just cant get over it not at all, said Britton Sanders. She said her husband often cried at night and had regular nightmares. He said he felt he somehow could have prevented the suicide if he had only been more observant, she said, a contention that was irrational but deeply unsettling to him. As Stanley Sanders has gone through the process of retiring and seeking disability payments, controversy has ensued. The officer and his family have been seeking to have Sanders receive an accidental disability benefit plan, one established in the event of an on-the-job disability. The other disability option would be an ordinary disability payment, one that involved injuries off the job. Britton Sanders said the difference would be substantial to them, about $1,000 a month and a higher level of support services that Stanley Sanders could receive. They have two children together, with special needs. I simply want my husband to receive help. He has been so loyal to the town and to the department, I just hope you will do the same for him, she wrote in a letter to town officials. Britton Sanders said Kordick has been a strong supporter of her husband, and she is appreciative of his efforts. More News Police Capt. Kordick back in the news Hes really standing up for his men and women, said Sanders, adding Kordick has come to their home outside New Haven to help and show support. But Kordick reportedly has clashed with members of the retirement board in advocating for Sanders disability claim. Joseph Pellegrino, the retirement board chairman, and Mary Pepe, the towns head of human resources, found Kordicks actions and emails objectionable, leading to written complaints. Kordick was then placed on leave until it can be determined whether he violated Police Department policies. The retirement board will make a final determination on Sanders claim on May 24. Britton Sanders said Kordick could be blunt, but she believed his actions were well-intended and effective. She said she thought the town administration was trying to force an outcome on her family through various bureaucratic means. Theyre trying to back us into a corner, she said. Pellegrino and Pepe did not respond to requests for comment by email, and neither did Kordick. Stanley Sanders has been an officer since 2001. He was promoted to Master Police Officer, a position that involves special expertise and responsibility in the department. Britton Sanders said her husband has not been working in recent weeks, but a paycheck has continued to arrive. Other officers in the department have donated their sick days to his account, she said, leading to his salary payments still being made. rmarchant@greenwichtime.com GREENWICH Carlos Franco has walked the halls of Greenwich High School for the past 11 years, and Thursday he was given an A+ grade for his work and recognized as the police officer of the year for the Greenwich Police Department. Its a team effort, but its an honor to honor to be recognized, said Franco. It was a surprise, he said, but a pleasant one. His wife, Mary, and sons Matthew and Kevin were in attendance at the luncheon ceremony at the Hyatt Regency in Old Greenwich. Franco was given the John Clarke Award, the annual honor bestowed by the Greenwich Lions Club and the departments top award. Clark was a Lions Club president who served as the medical adviser to the town police from the 1920s until his death in 1943. Franco, a 20-year veteran, has served as the school resource officer at Greenwich High School. He is an Air Force veteran who also worked in the New York Fire Department before entering law enforcement. Police Chief James Heavey said its always difficult to choose the person or unit to honor with the Clarke award. Its hard to come pick one officer or one team, he said, but the selection this year of Franco was made with full confidence. A lot of good things to say about him. A letter from GHS Headmaster Chris Winter was read at the luncheon. Carlos is known by all and respected universally, Winter wrote. Franco is always ready to extend a hand or an ear when needed, and many students viewed him as a friendly uncle. On occasions when physical confrontations threatened to erupt between students, Winter wrote, Franco was there to defuse tensions with professionalism and care. The officer was also an educator in his own right, Winter said, taking part in numerous seminars with students and parents through the years. First Selectman Peter Tesei called the citation well-earned and credited Franco with putting students on the right path. Addressing the officer, Tesei said, Youve really made an impact on our most precious resource, our young people. But Franco admitted he had concerns when he first took the school job. I had no idea what I was getting into. When I walked through the front door, my jaw dropped, and I didnt know what to expect, he recalled. Eleven years later, Franco said he had many lasting memories, good relationships and a sense of achievement from his time at the high school. But he wont miss the 4 a.m. calls that often came his way. The new school resource officer will be Hayes Sgaglio, who joined the police force in 2014. Lions President Paul Settelmeyer said his service organization was pleased to maintain the annual tradition recognizing outstanding performance in the line of duty, one that has entered its seventh decade. This was not the only honor for Franco this week. He was also selected to give the commencement address to the Class of 2018 at Greenwich High on June 20. Officer Franco has been a vital addition to the life in and outside of Greenwich High School as our School Resource Officer. He has dedicated so much of his time to help this school community that we wanted to give back. Because he will also be leaving along with the Class of 2018, we all agreed he would be a perfect fit for our commencement speaker, GHS Senior Class President Alissa Landberg said in a statement. Franco was the first resource officer to take the post at Greenwich High. WILLIAM WEST/AFP/Getty Images A rather rebellious 12-year-old boy in Australia who says he "wanted to go on an adventure" did just that, following a fight with his mother about traveling to Bali. The boy, from Sydney, disobeyed his mother, and stole her credit card to book a flight on a particular airline that allows children aged 12 to fly unaccompanied. After finding he only needed his passport in addition to his student ID to travel, he tricked his grandmother into handing it over, according to the Guardian. By Lily Lee | Published on 2018/04/25 | Source On April 25th, actor Lee Joon-gi posted a photo on his official Instagram account while he was visiting Japan. Advertisement In the photos, Lee Joon-gi is spotted in a hotel in Japan, resting right after arriving to the country for his fan meeting. Lee Joon-gi posted a video for the fans, expressing his gratitude for the fans in Japan who were waiting at the airport to welcome the actor. For the post, he told the fans all over the world that he traveled safely and thanked them for their concern over his trip. He is visiting Japan for the fan meeting and once he is done, he will be seen again through the new drama "Lawless Lawyer", which is scheduled to air its first episode on May 12th. By. Lily Lee Press release This May, the American Red Cross is calling for donors to give blood regularly to be prepared to meet the needs of patients in emergency situations. According to the National Trauma Institute, trauma accounts for approximately 41 million emergency department visits and 2 million hospital admissions each year. In March 2015, Kevin Frame suffered life-threatening injuries in a head-on collision during spring break. He received blood products to treat internal injuries immediately after the accident and during multiple surgeries while recovering. Without the blood and plasma products made available from donations, I would not be alive today to continue my rehabilitation journey, said Frame, who had to relearn to swallow, speak and walk after the accident. Regular blood, platelet and plasma donations help ensure that blood is available at a moments notice. In fact, it is the blood on the shelves that is used to help save lives at the time of an accident or sudden illness. In trauma situations, when theres no time to check a patients blood type, emergency personnel reach for type O negative red blood cells and type AB plasma because they can be transfused to any patient, regardless of blood type. Less than 7 percent of the population has type O negative blood, and only about 4 percent of the population has type AB blood. Donors of all blood types are urged to roll up a sleeve this May to help meet the needs of trauma patients and others with serious medical conditions. Make an appointment to donate blood by downloading the free Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). All those who come to donate from April 9 to May 13, 2018, will be entered to win one of three $1,000 gift cards to a national home improvement retailer, courtesy of Suburban Propane. Restrictions apply. More details are available at http://www.RedCrossBlood.org/Lets-Do-More/. Upcoming blood donation opportunities May 1-26: Chinook Tuesday, May 8, 12:30- 6 p.m., Wallner Hall, 330 Ohio Harlem Wednesday, May 9, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Red Whip Community Center, 445 Agency Drive St. Havre Monday, May 7, 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., St. Jude Parish Center, 440 7th Ave. Tuesday, May 8, 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Northern Montana Hospital, 30 13th Street. Thursday May 10, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Bullhook Community Health Center, 521 4th St. Raynesford Tuesday, May 1, 1 to 6:30 p.m., Raynesford School, #1 Main St. Chester Thursday, May 3, noon to 6 p.m., Our Saviors Lutheran Church, Main and Madison Livingston Tuesday, May 22, 1 to 6 p.m., American Legion Post 23, 112 N. B St. Saco Wednesday, May 9, 2:45 to 7 p.m., Internal Order of Odd Fellows Hall, Main Street. How to donate blood Simply download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or drivers license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states, 16 with parental consent where allowed by state law, weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements. Blood and platelet donors can save time at their next donation by using RapidPass to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, before arriving at the blood drive. To get started, follow the instructions at RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass or use the Blood Donor App. About the American Red Cross The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nations blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, people can visit http://www.redcross.org or http://www.cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit on Twitter at @RedCross. Havre Police Department Jacob James Bauer of Havre, 35, was issued a summons on a charge of criminal contempt Wednesday at 8 a.m. at Havre Police Department after a report of a 24/7 Sobriety Program violation. Thomas Mark Mohar of Havre, 26, was issued a summons on endangering the welfare of children Wednesday at 8:38 a.m. on 18th Avenue Northeast after a caller reported a child running around. Officers issued a verbal or written warning Wednesday at 11:10 a.m. on 17th Avenue West after a caller reported his dog was bitten by another dog. Carmela Tonasket of Havre, 32, was arrested on a tate District Court warrant Wednesday at 5:40 p.m. on Third Street. Officers investigated a theft Wednesday at 6:42 p.m. after a report at the police department of someone getting scammed out of $400. Officers assisted a resident after a Wednesday 8:39 p.m. from 2nd Street for a welfare check. Hill County Sheriff's Office Patrick Ryan Schroeder of Havre, 27, was arrested on a state District Court warrant at the detention center Wednesday at 12:39 p.m. Royden Leslie St. Marks of Rocky Boy, 46, was arrested on three Justice or City court warrants and on charges of no vehicle insurance and operating a vehicle without valid registration after a vehicle stop on main street in Box Elder. Deputies made an arrest during a vehicle stop on 80th Avenue East at 1:54 a.m. today, but no details were provided about the charges. Havre Fire Department Emergency medical personnel responded to six medical calls Wednesday. Fire crews responded to a fire call Wednesday at 1:37 p.m. on the 300 Block of 13th Street West. The alarm was a false activation. Havre Animal Shelter This morning the shelter held five medium-hair cats whose sex is listed as unknown, three medium-hair male cats, one medium-hair female cat, and two female short-hair cats. The shelter held this morning a 1-year-old female dachshund-Labrador retriever cross, a 16-week old male border collie, a 4-year-old female German shepherd-Labrador retriever cross, a 4-year-old female pit bull terrier, a 6-week-old female husky-shepherd mix, a 1-year-2-month-old male Labrador retriever-Boston terrier cross, and a 1-year-old male pit bull terrier. Two wilderness groups will welcome the end of winter by inviting residents to come and enjoy a beer while getting information about summer hiking in Montana. Tuesday from 6 to 8 p.m. at Triple Dog Brewing Co., Havre Trails and Montana Wilderness Association will be holding an event to start their summer hiking programs. Havre Trails is a local nonprofit organization that aims to improve walking and biking trails in the city and county and Montana Wilderness Association, founded in 1958, is a group of people who love the outdoors and strive to work with communities to protect Montanas w... Press release HELENA The Montana Army National Guard will conduct a change of command ceremony Saturday, May 5, as Brig. Gen. Robert Sparing relinquishes command to Col. Donald Emerson. The ceremony will take place at 11 a.m. at the Helena Armed Forces Reserve Center parade field on Fort Harrison. The public is invited and encouraged to attend. Sparing enlisted in the Montana Army National Guard in 1975, rising to the enlisted rank of staff sergeant. In 1984, he was selected as the honor graduate from the Montana Military Academy and received a commission as a second lieutenant. He culminates his career May 5 as a brigadier general and commander of the Montana Army National Guard. Sparing will retire following the ceremony that will honor his 43 years of dedicated and exceptional military service to the country, state, United States Army and the Montana Army National Guard. Emerson joined the Montana Army National Guard in 1987 and was commissioned through University of Montana ROTC program in 1989. He is currently assigned as the chief of staff for the Montana Army National Guard. Prior to his assignment at the MTNG Joint Force Headquarters Emerson commanded the 1889th Regional Support Group in Butte providing command and control of four subordinate battalions and all line companies across the State of Montana. Emerson has 30 years of military service and has served in several key traditional and full time-assignments for the Montana Army National Guard. The Montana Food Bank Network is extremely disappointed that the House Agriculture Committee made no changes to Chairman Conaways harmful restrictions to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly food stamps) in his Farm Bill (H.R. 2). They advanced the bill closer to a full House vote, despite projections that millions will lose SNAP benefits with the proposed punitive barriers. Because SNAP helps 121,000 Montanans keep food on the table and provides food assistance to 1 in 5 Montana children, MFBN remains steadfastly opposed to the bill. Food pantries and soup kitch... My friend Dick is gone from our lives. We feel sad. We feel relieved he no longer suffers. We feel guilty we couldnt take away his pain and confusion. We will miss him, his kindness, his motorcycle rides to Malta for lunch, his incredible stories. Dick and Jane. Who would have thought Id have ready-made such good friends when I moved from Washington to Montana. Dick and I were in the same class in school but we didnt hang out together. Wed reconnected when I visited Dick at the VA Hospital in Seattle where hed had surgery. We kept in touch by phone. Dick told me stories of Jane, with wonder in his voice, long before I met her. Dick tried to talk me out of moving from Washington. Montana is too harsh, too drastic, he told me. Well, there is truth to that. But truth is what I needed and I had to find a piece of that in Montana. Dick and Jane took care of me. They made sure I was okay. When roads were icy and I needed to go to Havre for physical therapy, Dick drove to Harlem, picked me up, fed me after therapy and took me home. Now that is a friend. As Jesse, another classmate of ours, said, Dick is a good man. Shortly after Jane told me Dick had died, I was in the Cathedral in Etzatlan with other friends, three of whom also knew Dick. I sat for a while in the front pew thinking of him, tears streaming my face, tears I could not stop. Ah, Jane, it is hard. Meanwhile Today sand sifts between my toes, surf caresses my ankles, while Steve, Theresa and I walk to Tonys On The Beach for breakfast. We have only four days for me to show them my Mazatlan. Already, they love Mexico like I love Mexico. Today we designated as a beach day. Well settle under a palapa, talk, read and fend off beach-junk vendors. Perhaps, if we are hungry enough later, well walk the other direction to Panchos for coconut shrimp. Its the little things that matter. On the bus trip from Zapopan to Mazatlan, Steve put his water bottle in in a cup holder on the seat down by his calf. I saw that. Looked down by my seat and I had one too. My eyes bugged. How did you find that? I asked. On all the bus trips I have taken, I never knew there was a cup holder. I learn something new every day, Steve told me. Me, Ive always tried to corral my water bottle and juice can between my feet to keep them from rolling all over the bus. I had an empty seat beside me so that gave me two cup holders. I felt rich. Its the simple little things that matter most. Simple things, like a Montana sunset which cannot be beat for size and glory. For intensity, Ill put up tonights Mazatlan scarlet sunset, smaller, more contained than a Montana sky, but unmatched as the fiery globe dropped into the Pacific. Simple things like taking three hours to dine on a patio on the beach; three hours that flew by as a minute. Simple things like remembering stories of Dick. One time Steve came to Montana to help me with a large work project. Dick met him, holding a cardboard sign with his name printed in black marker, at the train station in Havre. Dick drove Steve over the icy roads to Harlem to my home. By the time they arrived, they were friends. These are my people. Sondra Ashton grew up in Harlem but spent most of her adult life out of state. She returned to see the Hi-Line with a perspective of delight. After several years back in Harlem, Ashton is seeking new experiences in Etzatlan, Mexico. Once a Montanan, always. Read Ashtons essays and other work at montanatumbleweed.blogspot.com. Email [email protected] Study Shows Giving Drug At Scale Is a Life-Saving Intervention for Vulnerable Children Treating young children in Sub-Saharan Africa with azithromycin, a safe, inexpensive, and widely used antibiotic, significantly reduced deaths of children under five in a large randomized trial led by scientists at UC San Francisco. The finding could help speed progress toward the United Nations goal of ending preventable child deaths by 2030. Researchers randomized 1,533 communities in Niger, Malawi, and Tanzania, so that all young children in a given community received either a single dose of oral azithromycin or a placebo four times over two years. During visits to these communities, the researchers enrolled all the children they could find who were between one month and five years oldabout 190,000 children each time. By the end of the trial, child mortality in the azithromycin-treated communities was 13.5 percent lower overall than it was in the communities that received the placebo. The results of the study (the French name for which is abbreviated MORDOR) were published April 25, 2018, in The New England Journal of Medicine. The study shows we can prevent young children from dying with a simple intervention, said Jeremy Keenan, MD, MPH, the studys first author. Keenan is a professor of ophthalmology and director of international programs at the Francis I. Proctor Foundation at UCSF, which has overseen long-standing programs in Africa that give antibiotics to entire communities to prevent blindness from an infectious disease known as trachoma. We could scale our newly studied intervention to reach millions of vulnerable children in resource-poor countries, in much the same way that trachoma programs, which give children and adults a single dose of azithromycin each year, have been doing for years, he said. The scientists said more research is needed to determine exactly how the drug prevented children from dying. Although the mechanism of azithromycins effect on mortality has yet to be determined, it may act against microbes that can cause respiratory infections, diarrhea and malaria, three of the biggest killers for children under five years old. The largest effects were seen in Niger, where more than 10 percent of children die by their fifth birthday. Child mortality in the azithromycin-treated communities there fell by 18 percent. The results were less dramatic in Malawi and Tanzania, where childhood mortality rates are lower than they are in Niger. The researchers said that although giving azithromycin widely could foster antibiotic resistancethe evolution of bacterial strains that are resistant to the drugthe evidence from trachoma elimination programs suggests such resistance would be to macrolide antibiotics, such as azithromycin and erythromycin, and not necessarily to other classes of antibiotics, such as penicillin, which are used in Africa as first-line treatments for respiratory infections. Treating only young children may select for less resistance than treating the entire community, as weve done in trachoma programs, said Thomas Lietman, MD, professor of ophthalmology and director of the Proctor Foundation at UCSF, the studys senior author. The potential for resistance will have to be balanced against the potential to save the lives of thousands of young children. He noted that the youngest children in the study, those most vulnerable to life-threatening diseases, benefited the most from receiving azithromycin. Deaths among one to five-month-olds fell by nearly 25 percent, nearly double the rate of the group overall. In response to the findings, the World Health Organization announced the formation of a guidelines development group to review evidence from MORDOR and other azithromycin intervention studies. This is the first of several steps in the process that WHO uses to develop treatment guidelines. The study was funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and run in partnership with The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, The Carter Center (Niger), Blantyre Institute for Community Outreach and the Malawi National Institute for Medical Research, as well as the governments of Malawi, Niger, and Tanzania. This study shows that azithromycin, which has been so effective in reducing trachoma, has the potential to save the lives of young children who live in places where a child dying before their fifth birthday is a tragically common event, said Rasa Izadnegahdar, MD, MPH, a deputy director in the global health division of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. While we will need to keep an eye on antibiotic resistance and identify the best way to deliver this intervention in some of the hardest-to-reach communities where we partner, we are optimistic that this will be a new tool to help prevent childhood mortality. Pfizer Inc., which has donated more than 730 million doses of azithromycin, or Zithromax, for the treatment of trachoma, provided the study drug which was administered orally, along with a placebo made to match its look and taste. MORDOR provides a breakthrough in our understanding of how we can best support the global community in future collaborations to improve survival of young children in countries with high mortality rates, said Charles Knirsch, MD, MPH, vice president, Pfizer Worldwide Research and Development and an infectious diseases researcher who has helped lead Pfizers scientific and regulatory support of the global trachoma elimination program since 1997. These important results confirm what we had previously observed about the benefits to children in studies who participated in the mass drug administration for trachoma in Sub-Saharan Africa over the last 20 years, Knirsch said, and they are remarkable not only for child survival but also to continued evidence of the safety of our long-standing trachoma program. Other authors of the study include Robin Bailey, BM, PhD, and John Hart, MBBS, of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine; Sheila West, PhD, and Jerusha Weaver, MPH, of The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; Ahmed Arzika, MPH, of The Carter Center Niger; Khumbo Kalua, MBBS, of Lions Sight First Eye Hospital in Malawi; Zakayo Mrango, MD, of the National Institute of Medical Research in Tanzania; Paul Emerson, PhD, of the International Trachoma Initiative, Task Force for Global Health; and Kathryn Ray, MA, Catherine Cook, MPH, Elodie Lebas, RN, Kieran OBrien, MPH, and Travis Porco, PhD, all of UCSF. UC San Francisco (UCSF) is a leading university dedicated to promoting health worldwide through advanced biomedical research, graduate-level education in the life sciences and health professions, and excellence in patient care. It includes top-ranked graduate schools of dentistry, medicine, nursing and pharmacy; a graduate division with nationally renowned programs in basic, biomedical, translational and population sciences; and a preeminent biomedical research enterprise. It also includes UCSF Health, which comprises top-ranked hospitals, UCSF Medical Center and UCSF Benioff Childrens Hospitals in San Francisco and Oakland and other partner and affiliated hospitals and healthcare providers throughout the Bay Area. Murphy with Mark ORowe and co-stars Eva Birthistle, Andrew Scott and Catherine Walker. Photo: Colin O'Riordan Cillian Murphy at the premiere of The Delinquent Season in Dublin. Photo: Colin O'Riordan Actor and proud Corkman Cillian Murphy would relish a role in RTE's comedy series The Young Offenders. Murphy is a big fan of both the film and the show and said he would happily make a cameo in season two. "It would have to be a good part, mind," he laughed. "I've met those lads and they're brilliant lads and brilliant actors and I love the series," he told the Herald. Murphy (41) is known to audiences for more serious work, playing Tommy Shelby in hit drama Peaky Blinders. Asked if he thought there was a possibility that series could be adapted for the silver screen, he replied: "It's a possibility. I definitely wouldn't rule it out. He's such a brilliant writer and writes films so that could happen." The actor recently moved back to Ireland after 14 years living in the UK and is happy to be out of a "massive city like London". One of the reasons he moved home was so his children Malachy (12) and Aran (10) could go to school here. Murphy has been married to his wife Yvonne McGuinness for 14 years. Asked what the secret to a long-lasting relationship was, he replied: "Ah, it's not for me to say." The actor stars in the recently released infidelity drama The Delinquent Season by Mark O'Rowe. He was attracted to O'Rowe's script as it deals with middle-age relationships and "as you move elegantly into middle age you want to make work that reflects that". The story revolves around two couples in suburban Dublin - Jim and Danielle, and Yvonne and Chris. They both appear to have picture-perfect lives but slowly cracks begin to appear in both of the seemingly steady marriages. films O'Rowe is a noted playwright, and has also written films including Intermission and Perrier's Bounty. The Delinquent Season marks his directorial debut. "I hope that the film makes couples fight on the way home," he said. "I've always been a fan of infidelity dramas, which sounds weird, but films like Brief Encounter have always appealed to me. I think infidelity is often more complex than people think it is. "I like the idea that good people are capable of doing bad things." The film also stars Dublin actor Andrew Scott, who played Moriarty in Sherlock, with Catherine Walker and actress Eva Birthistle. The premiere was held as part of the Audi International Film Festival in Dublin last night after originally being postponed during Storm Emma. A jobless man has withdrawn a 60,000 damages claim arising from a traffic accident after a judge told him to stop "ducking and diving" when questioned about previous incidents. Judge Terence O'Sullivan had told Paul Gorman (39), of Owensilla, Ballymun, Dublin, that he would have to bring an end to the trial very quickly if he did not give answers to questions he was being asked. Persistent Barrister Conor Kearney had been persistent in a cross- examination of Mr Gorman about claims he had brought previously and had not disclosed in a questionnaire regarding previous accidents. "Accident is my middle name," Mr Gorman told the Circuit Civil Court yesterday. However, he added that despite having suffered breakages to "every bone in my body", he had not always pursued claims or taken actions to court. Mr Kearney, who appeared for AXA Insurance customers Sharon Crichlow and Jude Ikuenobe, told Mr Gorman he was deliberately avoiding answers to questions about claims he had settled outside of court and his criminal record. Each time Mr Gorman told the court he had no other accidents, Mr Kearney would raise details of yet another mishap, claim or settlement he had been involved in. Judge O'Sullivan told him while in the witness box: "This has gone on far enough. "I am going to give you an opportunity to talk to your barrister and the court will sit again in five minutes." Following brief talks between the parties, Mr Kearney said the claim against AXA's clients had been withdrawn. Judge O'Sullivan struck out the case and awarded the insurance company its legal costs against Mr Gorman. Criticism He told Mr Gorman's legal team that the court had no criticism of his solicitor and counsel. "Your client has stated in the witness box that his middle name was accident and that has been borne out in the evidence," the judge said. "It is important for a plaintiff in any case to make full disclosure of accidents they were involved in." Following the case, AXA fraud investigation manager Colm Featherstone welcomed the outcome and said it was vindication for the very strong position the company always takes in claims of this nature. A man accused of falsely imprisoning another in the premises of a security company has been sent for trial. (stock photo) A man accused of falsely imprisoning another in the premises of a security company has been sent for trial. Gezim Idrizi (33) is also accused of seriously assaulting the same man in an incident just over two years ago. The accused, of Castle- field Park, Clonsilla, app-eared before Blanchardstown District Court charged with falsely imprisoning a man at a unit in Rosemount Business Park, Ballycoolin, on February 1, 2016. Mr Idrizi is also charged with seriously assaulting the same man during the incident. Caution A state solicitor said the book of evidence had been served on the accused, who goes forward for trial to the present sittings of Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge David McHugh gave Mr Idrizi the formal alibi caution. His lawyer said the accused was not making a legal aid application at this stage. Judge McHugh ordered that a video copy of an interview gardai conducted with Mr Idrizi be furnished to his solicitor. The accused has not yet indicated a plea to the charges. President Michael D Higgins addressed the UN in New York, and told the Herald: Ive never run from a contest in my life. Photo: Getty Fine Gael ministers are lining up to back President Michael D Higgins for a second term in office after he strongly indicated he is up for another election. The largest political party in the Dail is known not to be keen to spend a long time and resources fighting a presidential race. Support for the incumbent now stretches right across the senior Cabinet ranks, including Tanaiste Simon Coveney. Five ministers yesterday said they would like to see Mr Higgins (77) stay in Aras an Uachtarain until 2025. It comes after he gave the strongest hint yet that he intends to break his commitment to be a one-term President. Speaking to the Herald at the United Nations in New York, Mr Higgins said: "I've never run from a contest in my life." Following the comments, Mr Coveney, Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy, Health Minister Simon Harris and Education Minister Richard Bruton all backed the former Labour Party TD. Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan also concurred with the view that Mr Higgins had done a good job over the past seven years. Unseemly An election is due to take place in October. As the incumbent, Mr Higgins can nominate himself, while other candidates will require the backing of at least 20 Oireachtas members or four local authorities. Independent senator Gerard Craughwell, who wants a nomination to contest the election, criticised Mr Higgins, saying it is "unseemly to see the President play games on this issue". "In 2011 he gave the people of Ireland an absolute assurance he would be a one-term only President," Mr Craughwell told the Herald. "Breaking his word will be regrettable and a blot on what has been an excellent term of office. "But breaking his word in a time frame that makes it difficult, if not impossible, for others to mount a challenge in my view would be unforgivable, and smacks of a politics of long ago, a type of politics we all hoped passed into history with the economic collapse." Mr Murphy said he met Mr Higgins at the Leinster match at the Aviva Stadium last Saturday. "I think he's doing a fantastic job and it'd be good to see him stay in that role," he said. Mr Bruton described himself as "a very strong admirer" of the President, while Mr Harris said he would like "to see him continue to serve". Mr Coveney said the ex-arts minister has "done a very good job and I certainly wouldn't have any objection to him continuing on as President". A mother-of-two with terminal cervical cancer who was wrongly given the all-clear seven years ago has said she suffered an "appalling breach of trust" after her High Court action was settled for 2.5m. Vicky Phelan launched the legal proceedings after it emerged that her smear test, which showed no abnormalities, was found to be incorrect in a later review. She told the court she was extremely angry that she was not told of the 2014 review of her smear test for another three years. "If I was diagnosed I probably would have had to have a procedure and at worse a hysterectomy," she said. "If I was told sooner I would not be in a position of a terminal cancer diagnosis." Speaking outside court, Ms Phelan (43), of Carrigeen, Co Limerick, called for an investigation into the CervicalCheck screening programme. "To know for almost three years a mistake had been made and I was misdiagnosed was bad enough," she said. "To keep that from me until I became terminally ill, and to drag me through the courts to fight for my right to the truth, is an appalling breach of trust." Ms Phelan broke down in tears as she thanked her husband, Jim, and family. "There are no winners here today. I am terminally ill and there is no cure for my cancer," she said. "My settlement will mostly be spent on buying me time and on paying for clinical trials to keep me alive and to allow me to spend more time with my children. If I die - I truly hope that won't be the case - the money will provide for my family." Procedure She was given the news last January that without palliative chemotherapy she has only six months to live, and about 12 months with the therapy. Her counsel, Jeremy Maher, told the court at the outset of the case that if Ms Phelan's cervical cancer had been detected in 2011 when she underwent the smear test, she could have had a simple procedure and there was a 90pc chance she could have been cured. On the fourth day of the hearing yesterday, Ms Phelan and her husband were in court as the settlement was announced. The court was asked to make directions in relation to the part of the settlement which is for the Phelan children, Amelia (12) and seven-year-old Darragh. Mr Justice Kevin Cross said he was delighted the case had been settled and described Ms Phelan as the most impressive witness he had ever come across. The case against the HSE was struck out and the settlement was only against the US laboratory Clinical Pathology Laboratories of Austin, Texas, which analysed the smear test. The settlement was without admission of liability. Ms Phelan, who has recently started on a new drug, is still hopeful of being accepted on to a US programme offering radical treatment, and has already raised 200,000 through a GoFundMe page. In the action by Ms Phelan and her husband, there was also a claim for aggravated and exemplary damages over the alleged failure to tell her for three years that a review of her 2011 smear test showed the original result was incorrect. It was claimed the alleged failure to diagnose the 2011 smear test sample caused a situation where Ms Phelan's cancer was allowed to develop and spread until she was diagnosed in July 2014. Paedophile gang boss Christy Griffin is using up to four safe houses in the north inner city and north Dublin as he continues to evade his gangland rivals, the Herald can reveal. Yesterday morning gardai were notified of a Dublin address that Griffin claims he is using as his permanent home. But senior sources say detectives have "serious reservations" about whether the recently freed criminal is living there permanently. Griffin (48) was obliged to provide gardai with a home address by yesterday after his release from Midlands Prison last week, because he is on the sex offenders register. Serious It has emerged that this happened yesterday morning but sources have revealed that gardai are aware he has been staying at three addresses other than the one he has provided to officers. "For the moment, it is fair to say that he is complying with his obligations under the Sex Offenders Act but there are serious reservations about the information he has provided," one senior source said. "Yes, he has been spending time at the address that he has provided but he has also been staying elsewhere in different parts of the northside. "Gardai will be keeping a close eye on him to ensure that he is staying where he has said that he is. "There is information that he has stayed in four different properties since he was released and this is being looked at. "For the moment, he is just about in compliance with the Act but gardai are not overly satisfied with the information he has provided." Griffin has not been involved in any criminal incidents since his release and it is understood that he has not been formally warned by gardai of an active threat against his life. The convicted rapist was collected and driven away from Midlands Prison last Wednesday by an associate from the north inner city who runs a motorcycle shop. The north inner city feud which broke out after allegations against Griffin emerged led to five people being murdered and several gun attacks. Grenade In 2011, Griffin had his life sentence for the rape of his then partner's daughter reduced to 15 years by the Court of Criminal Appeal. He had been locked up since 2007 and there had already been two tit-for-tat gun murders linked to the bitter feud when he was originally jailed. Griffin's vile actions led to a vendetta in the north inner city where once-loyal associates turned against each other and took sides for and against the sex offender. Griffin's home was sprayed with gunfire in 2005 and a grenade was thrown at the property in 2006. A woman weeps during a vigil for those who lost their lives. Photo: AFP Flowers, cards and messages of sympathy cover a makeshift memorial for the 10 victims of Mondays van attack in Toronto. Photo: Getty Images A Facebook message posted before the Toronto van attack in which 10 people died suggests the suspect hated women and people with active sex lives. It also evoked memories of previous attacks, including a 1989 massacre of 14 women by a man who blamed feminists for his problems. The gender issue arose because of what police called a "cryptic" Facebook message posted by Toronto suspect Alek Minassian just before Monday's carnage. It suggested he was part of an online community angry over their inability to form relationships with women. Rebellion The now-deleted post saluted Elliot Rodger, a college student who killed six people and wounded 13 in shooting and stabbing attacks near the University of California, Santa Barbara, in 2014. Calling Rodger "the Supreme Gentleman", the Facebook post declared: "The Incel Rebellion has already begun! We will overthrow all the Chads and Stacys!" Chads and Stacys are names used in internet forums to denote people with more active sexual lives. A crowd gathered in Toronto's North York community to pay their respects to the victims at a memorial of roses, candles and messages of condolence. "I needed to come here to show that I'm not afraid of this city," said Meena Chowdry, wiping away tears. "That one man's actions cannot taint an otherwise beautiful, welcoming city." Minassian (25) was charged with first-degree murder over the deaths of 10 pedestrians mowed down by a rented van. Fourteen others were injured. Det Sgt Graham Gibson told a news conference that those killed and injured were "predominantly" women, though he declined to discuss a possible motive. Authorities have yet to release a list of victims, but those known to have been killed include a 30-year-old woman who was active in volunteer work and a female student at Seneca College, which Minassian attended. A Jordanian citizen and two South Koreans were also among those killed. The reference to the term "incel", meaning involuntarily celibate, was a term used by Rodger in online posts raging at women for rejecting him romantically. Classroom The anti-women sentiment also recalled Canada's 1989 massacre at the Ecole Polytechnique in Montreal, when 25-year-old Marc Lepine entered a classroom. He then separated the men from the women, told the men to leave and opened fire, killing 14 women before killing himself. In a suicide note, he blamed feminists for ruining his life. Since then, there have been sporadic mass shootings in Canada, but none with a higher death toll. That reinforces the view among many Canadians that their country is less violent than the United States. Wendy Cukier, a professor in the business school at Toronto's Ryerson University and president of Canada's Coalition for Gun Control, said Canada might avoid some types of violence because its social programmes were stronger than those in many US states. How- ever, the main difference, she contends, is tighter gun regulations in Canada. "If you take guns out of the mix, Canada and the US are identical," she said, citing statistics indicating the two countries have similar rates of non-firearm homicides. Although police said Monday's rampage did not appear linked to international terrorism, the use of a vehicle to kill mirrored tactics used by terrorists in France, Germany, Spain, New York and elsewhere. Since 2014, there have been at least two terror-related cases in Canada of vehicles being used as weapons, causing several injuries and one death. Overall, however, Canada has been spared high-casualty terror attacks. Its most striking incidents of violence in recent years have varied in nature. In 2014, a Can- adian Muslim shot a member of the honour guard at Ottawa's national war memorial, then stormed parliament, where he was shot dead by sergeant-at arms Kevin Vickers, now Canada's ambassador to Ireland. Last year, a French-Canadian man fatally shot six Muslim men during evening prayers at a mosque in Quebec City. Rapper Maestro Fresh Wes returned to the scene of the van rampage on Tuesday, pausing by a newly-erected memorial. Wes was strolling in Yonge Street to get a haircut when he saw a body bag on the ground. Solidarity "Yesterday was the most beautiful day of the year and then look what happened," he said. "Toronto is a safe city, but these things could happen anywhere." Also revisiting the site was Saman Tabasinejad, a New Democrat Party politician who was canvassing in the area when the attack happened. "I saw glass everywhere, a fire hydrant knocked over and then five body bags," she said. "People were holding others and I saw solidarity. "When something like this happens, you think people are going to run away from the tragedy, but people didn't - they ran towards it to try to help others." Washington County sheriff's lieutenant on hacked Oath Keepers list A hack of the the Oath Keepers website has names of more than 200 men who said they were active or retired law enforcement officers. We confirmed 40. Sudhir Mishras DaasDev, based on Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay, is up for release this week. Starring Rahul Bhat as Dev Pratap Chauhan, Richa Chadda as Paro, Aditi Rao Hydari as Chandni, the films story is said to be based of the now-famous Bengali novel but in the reverse. Hence, we can expect Devdas who is assertive and not quite the loser as he is in the book. The film plays out in the context of Indian politics. However, it is interesting to note that, this film, when it hits the screen on April 27, will be the 17th time the doomed love story of Devdas Mukherjee, Parvati or Paro and Chadramukhi plays out on the silver screen. Yes, you read it right there have been 16 films in the past that have told this story, including two Pakistani films and Bangladeshi versions respectively. What then is the lure of Devdas, arguably a spineless character, loved by two powerful women? Sarat babus novel, published in 1917, tells the story of the doom and despair of love, lost in the clutches of tradition, family and societal mores. It is the story of classic Indian tragedy a story of desire gone kaput in the looming presence of tradition, a shadow so large that it consumes its players. To the Hindi film audience, the most abiding image of Devdas is Dilip Kumar, mouthing his now famous lines: Kaun kambakht bardaasht karne ko peeta hai? Main toh peeta hoon ke bas saans le saku. Lines like these accentuate the tragedy and show the peculiar trajectory of Devdass decline into misery and ultimately death. It helped give Dilip Kumar the cult status as the tragedy king of Hindi cinema. Devdas is a weak-willed youth who cant stand up to society, unable to go against the diktats of society, and will ultimately destroy himself. To a vast majority of Indian men, the enduring lure of Devdass predicament is all too familiar. In this context, the two female characters, shown in the novel, shine in their resoluteness. They are clear-headed, bold and show tremendous resolve, in a society that inherently gives them less choices and freedom. Paro has always loved Devdas (its a case of childhood friendship blossoming into love as an adult). Intent to take it to the next level, it is she who comes over to his house (unheard of more than 80 years ago in India, and possibly still in most of Indias hinterland) believing that he will accept her hand in marriage. In Chandramukhi we see a woman unapologetic of her choices in life, expressing her love for a man who doesnt love her. She loves him nonetheless. The earliest film to be made on this theme was from the silent era -- Naresh Mitra-directed film made in 1928 in Kolkata and produced by Eastern Films Syndicate. The second film was a Bengali language drama (1935), directed by the legendary Pramathesh Barua. It starred Pramathesh Barua and Jamuna Barua (who would later marry him) as Devdas and Paro. But it not until 1936s Kundan Lal Saigal and Jamuna Baruas Devdas that catapulted this essentially Bengali novel into the national consciousness. Sehgals gnawing and intense singing talent help accentuate the pain in the film. The Hindi language film, made in Kolkata, was a New Theatres production. It may well be recalled here that Kolkata was the premiere film production centre in India, not Mumbai (then Bombay) in pre-Independent India. To date, New Theatres, the Kolkata-based production house and recipient of the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award, remains a pillar in the history of Indian cinema. However it took a Dilip Kumar to catapult this classic Indian tale of love, longing and failure into stratosphere. With his brooding intensity, good looks, perfect diction and controlled performance, the actor charmed one and all. It is his version that spread Sarat babus tale far and wide across the Indian sub continent. This film also gave a cult status to director Bimal Roy, a former assistant of Pramathesh Barua. Roy had made many Bengali films, prior to his Hindi career and while Do Bigha Zameen, announced his arrival to the world, it was Devdas which sealed his fortune as a master storyteller. The millennial will know of Devdas (and that is a tragedy indeed), thanks to Sanjay Leela Bhansalis adaptation of the cult classic with Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Madhuri Dixit doing the principal honours. Sanjay Leela Bhansalis Devdas released in 2002. So universal is the appeal of this story is that it travelled to other languages, apart from Bengali and Hindi. In 1953, before Dilip Kumar would come to epitomise the tragic hero, Telugu legend Akkineni Nageswara Rao, along with the other great of Telugu cinema, Savitri, brought Sarat babus tale to the mainstream Telugu audience. The film was made in two languages Telugu (Dedadasu) and Tamil (Devadas). So strong was the grip of the story on the collective consciousness of the Indian sub continent that even the borders couldnt keep it apart. In 1965, the year India and Pakistan fought a war, a Pakistani film released in Urdu language called Devdas directed by Khawaja Sarfaraz and starring Habib Taalish. This would be repeated by director Iqbal Kasmiri in 2010 as well. Devadasu (1953) starring Akkineni Nageswara Rao and Savitri. The storys grip over the Indian mind was so strong that it saw a re-telling in Telugu again in 1974, this time featuring Ghattamaneni Krishna (superstar Mahesh Babus daddy) in the lead role. Bangladesh too celebrated Sarat Chandra when director Chashi Nazrul Islam in 1982 made his version of Devdas (incidentally also called Devdas). Whats more it would repeat it in 2013, with a new star cast. Bengali cinema would again celebrate its master storys epic tale in 1979 with Soumitra Chatterjee, a Satyajit Ray protege, essaying Devdas. There was another Bengali version of Devdas (with Prosenjit in the lead), this time directed by Shakti Samanta of the Aradhana fame. One of the most talked-about versions of Devdas is, of course, Anurag Kashyaps DevD. The film turned the decades-old stereotypes on its head and gave us a hard-hitting and unconventional take. Kashyaps Devdas didnt have Dilip Kumars angst and longing and he wasnt the melodramatic lover, pining for Paro like Shah Rukh Khan was. Instead what we have here is a scumbag. The other delightful take away from this version is Paro (short for Parminder), a free-spirited woman in touch with her sexuality and with an acid tongue. In Hindi cinemas Urdu idiom, shama aur parwana are not the only metaphor for doomed love. Devdas might as well have that honour. Follow @htshowbiz for more We are always jealous of stars and how perfect they look in everything they post on social media. However, if you thought those fabulous selfies are just blessings of God, you would be wrong. A lot goes into getting that perfect glam-shot and Deepika Padukone has given us a sneak peek into how she does it. So if you want to up your selfie game, heres something to give you ideas. Deepika, who was one of the honorees at the TIME 100 Gala in Manhattan, New York on Tuesday, shared a behind-the-scenes photo of her getting ready for the event on Wednesday. She is seen posing against the wall in her full Anamika Khanna outfit and brilliant make up by Patrick Ta. She has beauty light in her face to make that highlighter pop and get the picture she was waiting for. The final picture was shared by Patrick on his Instagram page. He also did make up for supermodel Gigi Hadid later that day. Deepika also shared pictures of a big bouquet of roses from TIME. Inducted!Thank You again for the honour & also for such an elegant evening @time #TIME100, she captioned the photo. She also posted a video from her red carpet walk and captioned it, a big big thank you to all my fans who braved the weather and waited so patiently right until the end!It was a magical evening made perfect by getting to share it with all of you..#TIME100. During the ceremony, she gave a short speech about her struggle with depression and how she defeated it and found a new faith in life. Before she could begin her speech, a man shouted a compliment at her from afar. Youre so beautiful!, he said as she blushed with a mic in her hand and thanked him for his words. Deepika Padukone attends the TIME 100 Gala celebrating its annual list of the 100 Most Influential People In The World at Frederick P. Rose Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center . (AFP) Deepika is the only Indian actor honoured in this years list. Here is a full transcript of what Deepika said at the Time 100 event in New York on Tuesday night: February 15th, 2014, I remember waking up that morning with a strange pittish feeling in my stomach. I had no idea what I was feeling. Life all of a sudden just felt meaningless and there were days when I just wanted to give up. And couple of weeks later I was diagnosed with clinical depression. Four years on I stand here in front of all of you with a slightly better understanding, I think, of life and my feelings and the person that I am, but I feel like more importantly, I think all of you will agree with me when I say that were going through some pretty challenging times all around the world. And so I want to raise a toast to every man and every woman and every child around the world that is faced with some sort of challenge every single day, but you do it with a smile, and I want to say that your power and your strength and your courage encourages me to go on every single day. And for the some of us I think who do think of giving up once in a while, I want you to know that were all in this together, and most importantly that there is hope, because in the words of Stephen Fry, Well be sunny one day. Follow @htshowbiz for more Katrina Kaif is the new face of a jewellery brand and we believe no else could have been a better choice. The actor shared a behind the scenes photo from her recent shoot with the brand and she looks absolutely stunning. All in a days work. BTs for Kalyan campaign, Katrina captioned the photo. She is seen in a frilly black blouse and black sheer saree. Her hair blows in wind as she shows off the diamond necklace around her neck. In another picture, Katrina is seen in a cream-coloured dress and a big golden necklace. Katrina also shared a picture with stylist Anaita Shroff Adajania a few days ago from the same shoot. Yesterday ..... today..... forever , she had captioned it. Yesterday ..... today..... forever A post shared by Katrina Kaif (@katrinakaif) on Apr 22, 2018 at 3:48am PDT Katrina has been on a career high after facing a spate of flops in 2016. I really hope this is a new phase or a new chapter of my career, because thats what I want to do. I want to keep evolving. I read somewhere that if you are stuck in the same place, then you are dead. The flow of life is to keep moving forward. You cant expect new experiences unless you do something different. It doesnt mean I have to look for anything outlandish. Instead, the idea is to find a balance within the framework of what appeals to me instinctively. I want to try different things and be in a space where I am constantly learning, evolving and growing. For a few years, I had taken a backseat and I wasnt connecting too much with the kind of work I was doing, but now, it has come back to me. I now find satisfaction, happiness and fulfilment on the sets. I find myself much more connected, she told HT recently. Katrina is currently working on Zero with Shah Rukh Khan and Anushka Sharma and with Aamir Khan with Thugs of Hindostan. She will also be seen with Varun Dhawan in ABCD 3. Follow @htshowbiz for more A seven-year-old girl was killed and 17 other students injured in a road accident on Thursday morning, police said. The students of two north Delhi schools were caught in the mishap when their school van collided with a tanker near Kanhaiya Nagar metro station in north-west Delhi. All 18 children in the school van were injured. Nine of them have been referred to hospitals like AIIMS trauma centre, Sushruta trauma centre and Lok Nayak Hospital, said the deputy commissioner of police (north-west) Aslam Khan. The children were students at Keshavpurams Kendriya Vidyalaya and School Number 1, and deceased girl has been identified as Garima alias Saksh, she added. The students were on their way to school in a Maruti Omni van when it was rammed from behind by a tanker, said the officer. The alleged abduction and rape of a 10-year-old girl, who was rescued from a Ghaziabad madrasa, took a political turn on Wednesday with East Delhi MP Maheish Girri demanding the immediate arrest of a cleric in the case. The Ghazipur resident, who went missing on April 21, was rescued a day later from the madrasa in Arthala area of Ghaziabad. The police apprehended a 17-year-old student of the madrasa and booked him for rape. But the family alleged three others, including a cleric heading the madrasa, had also sexually assaulted her. After meeting the girls family on Wednesday, Girri claimed the cleric was the mastermind. Fellow BJP workers and a few other people blocked roads on both sides of the Delhi-Ghaziabad border in the day. Girri later led a candlelight march from the Central Secretariat metro station to India Gate in the evening. The cleric and others should be immediately arrested as the apprehended boy is a pawn in the larger conspiracy the maulana hatched. We demand the rapists be hanged and the madrasa where the crime took place be sealed with immediate effect, said Girri. Crime branch officers, who took over the probe from the east district police, said the girl had named only the boy in her statement before the magistrate. But Girri said the girl was sedated and was in a mental trauma, and so he was relying on the statements of her family. However, Girri said he hadnt spoken to the girl directly. Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari, who also met the family, said he would talk to UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath. Delhi Police spokesperson Dependra Pathak said all allegations and circumstances will be taken into account. We have apprehended the boy and the case has been transferred to the crime branch. We are examining all allegations and will act if these are substantiated, Pathak said. A crime branch team visited the madrasa. Investigators continued to question the cleric, saying they had not given him a clean chit yet. Traffic movement was affected when locals and members of different outfits protested on NH-24 on both sides of the Delhi-Ghaziabad border near Khoda and the Ghazipur chicken market and demanded immediate arrest of the 40-year-old cleric. The residents of the Ghaziabad neighbourhood where the madarsa is located held a candle light march on Tuesday night. We demand closure of the madarsa. The cleric and the girls family were neighbours but were not in touch. The clerics family ran away after locking their house after police raided the madarsa, said Pramod Kumar, a local resident. The girls religion was mentioned in the placards the protesters were carrying during the India Gate vigil. But Girri and his fellow workers said they wanted justice for the child and did not want to communalise the matter. The name of the boy, a minor, was on the posters, banners, placards and slogans. This is in violation of the Supreme Court directions prohibiting naming of any accused under the age of 18 on public platforms. Telangana SSC result 2018: The results of Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examinations (Class 10)-2018, conducted by the Telangana State Board of Secondary Education (TSBSE), will be declared on Friday. Deputy chief minister Kadiyam Srihari, who also holds the education portfolio, will release the results in the board office on April 27, a release from directorate of government examinations said. Students can check their results by clicking here. The results can be viewed on the www.bse.telangana.gov.in or http://results.cgg.gov.in. Candidates can check the result using their roll number and date of birth details. An estimated 5.6 lakh students, in over 2,500 centres across the state, appeared for the SSC examinations, which were held from March 15 to 31. Telangana SSC results 2017: Last year, the SSC exams in the state were conducted from March 14 to 30. As many as 5.35 lakh students had applied for the examinations, of which around five lakh appeared. Over 84.15% students passed the SSC examinations in the state in 2017. Girls outperformed boys in the results. The pass percentage of the girls was 85.37 compared to boys whose pass percentage was 82.95. Government schools had recorded excellent results, with OBC welfare residential schools recording a pass percentage of 94.6. The other residential schools, too, registered over 90% result. The Andhra Pradesh intermediate first year and second year results were declared earlier this month. Doctors arent the only ones starting their careers in rural India. There are also bankers, vets, engineers and consultants. Its hands-on experience the hard way, and the lessons you learn are invaluable, they say. You learn to do more with less be it money or manpower. You learn to get around without public transport and cell phone connectivity. You discover that, even without the internet, you can think on your feet and answer questions. For a growing number of corporate executives, first jobs are not in glass cubicles but in the grassy countryside. City-bred professionals say its an early step in de-romanticising ideas of rural India and learning about life outside a metro. Remote control The challenges are different, says Ashwin Jayarajan, 32, who was posted as a veterinary officer in a government hospital in the Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra between 2012 and 2016. I was anxious, having lived in the city all my life, to go to an area that did not even have phone connectivity. But I was curious, and with time, adjusted, he says. In the city, the veterinary focus is on small pets, cats and dogs. The first difference was that I got to deal with a wide range of animals, and a lot of larger ones like cattle and goats. Ashwin Jayarajan (left), distributing cattle fodder to the farmers of Bhamragad, Gadchiroli, where, as a vet, he had to visit distant villages for vaccination drives and convince farmers of the need for modern medicine. There were other challenges too. Everything is scattered, there is deep faith in black magic and very little trust in modern medicine, Jayarajan says. The problems were not technical, but practical. I was dealing with mainly poultry, cattle and goats, and had to travel to each familys home for vaccination drives. Once, my assistant and I got lost in forest, on our way to a village. We just continued to follow the electric wires, and reached another village, from where we made our way. Jayarajan is currently posted in Kinwat, Nanded, where he lives with his wife Sneha Panicker and their 3-year-old son Ayaansh. Here too, he deals with cattle. But people are more aware here, so in a sense the work is easier. They know the importance of regular vaccinations and medical treatment, he says. Yet, it is Gadchiroli that he misses. There, except for a monthly report sent to the department of animal husbandry, no one demanded work of you. In Kinwat, I am called for deliveries even in the middle of the night. It wasnt the best place to raise a child, he admits. But in a place without TV, extended family and social events, he would end up interacting with other transplanted urban professionals, like teachers. We would discuss our shared difficulties, the life of the farmers. It was immersive and enriching, he says. To work successfully in a remote area, you have to be self-motivated, he believes. The knowledge that the need for your service is higher, and the sense of being part of the community makes it more satisfying, he says. Time and patience pay. People with animals who are unwell primarily want to be heard, they dont want to feel like you dont have to time to attend to their pet or livestock. It took me a year to understand this, Jayarajan recalls. But the effort paid off when one farmer walked 10 kilometres to get to my clinic to get his cow checked, for a skin problem. It was, for me, a small but significant success. Cashing it in For Deep Kapoor, 29, two years spent at the Sanand branch of Federal Bank in Gujarat taught him everything he knows about customer relations and building trust. I went at a time when a car factory had just been set up and a lot of farmers had got crores of rupees for their land, Kapoor says. They did not know anything about how banks function. The idea of an individual bank account was strange to them because they had been used to dealing in cash, and handling all income as a group. In Sanand, Kapoor realised that a banks corporate image meant nothing. It was the banking executive that mattered most to a customer. As they see it, he will be handling their money. The apprehension would reflect in the questions they posed: Will the bank shut down and take my money? Will you give us a gift for opening a fixed deposit account? This was unusual for me, but I would talk to them, build their trust, Kapoor recalls. Some customers asked me to reveal details of the accounts of their acquaintances. These are not things a banker expects in a city. It was hard work, but far more rewarding and personally satisfying than dealing with urban customers. I got invited to the weddings of some of my customers, Kapoor says. I wish banking could be more personal in the city. Shachi Sutaria, 23, interned in Nanded, Maharashtra and Jhagadia village in Gujarat during her postgraduation in health administration from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai. The biggest lessons, she says, were personal ones. I realised the extent of my own privilege, she says. Earlier, if my phone stopped working, I would get a new one. Now, I first opt for repairs and figure out how to fix it. Its a small thing, but it reflects how my attitude changed. Get it right Shachi Sutaria (above) while on a visit in Jhagadia, Guajrat, where she learnt that though there was awareness on diseases like sickle cell anaemia, there often werent the resources to treat them. Neerja Mattoo, who chairs the department of corporate citizenship at Mumbais SP Jain Institute of Management and Research, which mandates one-month rural internships to its students, has advice for those headed to the country. No matter what field you are in, dont go in with the attitude that you are their problem-solver, she says. We tell students that their first stint will be all about listening and learning what the community needs. Students from cities must unlearn what they think they knowabout rural life, and about ideas like innovation, says Amol Suresh, 25. He worked as an engineer at the Nimbkar Agricultural Research Institute in Phaltan, Satara, two years ago. My role was technical, but because there was no established system, I learnt the importance of trial and error, he recalls. My supervisors would simply say, Find a way to design a refrigerator which uses solar energy, or See why this windmill is not working. Once, the team designed a diesel stove so villagers could cook more conveniently. We ultimately realised that they would not be able to bear the cost of the upkeep. You learn nuances of innovation, instead of blanket application of technology. Priyanka Chopra fans, time to get excited: The Quantico actor will attend the royal wedding! Priyanka officially confirmed to Us Weekly on Wednesday that shes been invited to her actor-friend Meghan Markle and Britains Prince Harrys wedding. Theres just one tiny problem: Even though the weddings only a few weeks away, Priyanka still doesnt know what dress she is wearing. I sort of may have an idea, she told Us Weekly. But no, I havent picked one (dress) out yet. It is rumoured that Priyanka would serve as one of Meghans bridesmaids at the May 19 wedding at St Georges Chapel inside Windsor Castle in England. A post shared by Priyanka Chopra (@priyankachopra) on Apr 25, 2018 at 1:23pm PDT Soon after confirming shes going to the royal wedding, Priyanka made heads turn in a head-to-toe red ensemble while out and about in New York. The Bajirao Mastani star wore a crimson coat by Vivienne Westwood over a matching co-ord by Spanish designer Alejandra Alonso Rojas and Christian Louboutin shoes. We love the on-trend relaxed pyjama style of Priyankas statement set, plus the leather stripes that give it an edgy spin. If you want to paint the town red in stylish separates, then heres another celebrity-approved look to try. Finish off with a red coat to give a nod to Priyankas outfit. A post shared by The Injection Of Glamour (@injectionofglamour) on Apr 25, 2018 at 10:21pm PDT Priyanka catches eyes everywhere she goes and that was especially true with this Carolina Herrera sequined top she wore for her second outing on Wednesday: Priyanka was on The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon to promote the upcoming third season of Quantico. She paired the colourful tie-back top with a below-the-knee denim skirt and pink strappy heels. If scoring the same denim look as Priyankas isnt your thing, then slip into a cami top, throw on a shirt as a jacket and accent with matching accessories. Or you could abandon button-front styles for a distressed retro style, whether with graffiti, patchwork pockets, or an asymmetrical hem. A post shared by A Fashionista's Diary (@afashionistasdiaries) on Apr 23, 2018 at 2:14am PDT Priyanka was in London on Saturday: And fans guessed she was there to be fitted for a gown to serve as a bridesmaid or maid of honour dress for Meghans wedding. There was certainly no missing Priyanka as she wore a blush pantsuit from Vince , girly white blouse and a striking Fendi handbag. The Baywatch star paired the look with nude boots from Stuart Weitzman and a pair of orange-tinted sunglasses. She styled her locks in loose waves and accentuated her glowing complexion with a sultry smoky eyeshadow, blush-swept cheeks and a slick of brick red lipstick. Follow @htlifeandstyle for more Avengers: Infinity War is just a day away and there is nothing that can help fans keep calm. However, its our duty to keep you distracted from the agony of the long wait. To help you out on this final day, we have prepared a long list of when and where you saw your favourite characters for the last time before they all assemble to fight the big bad Thanos on Friday. Here we go: Iron Man/Tony Stark, Pepper Potts and Happy Hogan The last time we saw Tony and Pepper, he was about to pop the big question to her. At the end of Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), when Peter Parker changes his mind about revealing himself to the world, Tony has nothing to give to the press waiting for a big announcement. He decides to ask Pepper to marry him and Happy already has a ring in his pocket. Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch, Scott Lang/Ant-Man, Clint Barton/Hawkeye and Sam Wilson/Falcon We saw these members of Team Cap imprisoned on The Raft in Captain America: Civil War (2016). They were eventually freed by Captain America after he broke into the prison and bashed up some security personnel. They must still be in hiding for all we know. Steve Rodgers/Captain America Captain left Bucky with TChalla and his people in Wakanda at the end of Captain America: Civil War to keep him safe and away from the people he could unintentionally harm. Did he decide to stay in Wakanda as well? We dont know. Also, the Cap is without his shield which was claimed by Iron Man at the end of Civil War. Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier and Shuri A fresh-out-of-hibernation Bucky was revealed in the post-credit scene for Black Panther. He was seen talking to TChallas sister Shuri, who seems to have fixed his brain finally. Shuri, meanwhile, is also supposed to be working with the world to give them access to Wakandas technology. Vision Vision was last seen in Captain America: Civil War feeling guilty and gloomy about hurting War Machine during the airport fight scene. He apologises to Tony for being distracted but he still didnt forgive himself. Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow We last saw her getting angry at Tony for keeping his ego above everything in Captain America: Civil War. She betrayed him and gave Captain America a chance to run away at the end of the airport battle. Tony warned her that authorities will soon come for her for aiding Captain America so we assume she must be on the run. Guardian of The Galaxy: Peter Quill, Gomorra, Drax, Groot, Rocket and Mantis The last we saw these people, they were aboard their ship and witnessing the beautiful tribute given to Yondu by The Ravagers in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2. A post-credit scene also revealed a teenage Groot showing attitude to Peter upon being asked to clean his room. Nebula The last we saw Nebula, she was on her way to find and kill Thanos at the end of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2. After making peace with her sister Gomora, she chooses not to join the Guardians but go out looking for her evil father. She will definitely feature in Avengers: Infinity War, fighting alongside the Avengers against her dad. Bruce Banner/Hulk The last we saw Hulk, he had just fought Thors sister Hela in Asgard in Thor: Ragnarok. He then flees the dying planet aboard the ship with Thor, Loki, Heimdall, Valkyrie and the rest of the Asgardians. Thor and Loki At the end of Thor: Ragnarok, the two brothers were contemplating why going to Earth would not be a good idea considering what Loki did to New York in Avengers. Their discussion is interrupted by... Thanos Thanos huge ship floats in and completely eclipses Thors at the end of Thor: Ragnarok. We assume this is where Avengers: Infinity War will kick off from. Doctor Stephen Strange Our last meeting with Doctor Strange was at the New York Sanctum Sanctorum in a special appearance in Thor: Ragnarok. He gives Thor and Loki a chance to meet Odin by creating a portal through space. Peter Parker/Spider-Man and Aunt May The last time we saw these two, Aunt May had learned of Peters powers as Spider-Man in Spider-Man: Homecoming. She let out a dirty word and the movie ended, leaving us wanting a better look at her reaction. Tchalla/Black Panther, Agent Ross and Okoye Tchalla, Okoye and Nakia were at the United Nations when we last saw them, offering aid to the world. A smug politician asks them what a poor nation like Wakanda could have to offer the world when the movie cuts with a smile on Tchalla and Agent Ross faces. Nick Fury Its been a long time since we met Nick Fury. We saw him last in Avengers: Age of Ultron when he came to Clint Bartons home to give the Avengers a small pep talk to fight against Ultron. Hopefully, we will meet him again in Infinity War. Check out our full coverage of Avengers: Infinity War here. Follow @htshowbiz for more Academy Award-winning fantasy drama The Shape of Water and its biggest challenger at the 90th Oscars, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri will be screened at the American Center on Friday. If youve missed these films, the festival is your chance to watch two of the most acclaimed and passionately debated movies of 2017. The Festival is jointly organised by the American Center, the Motion Pictures Distribution Association (India) and the Confederation of Indian Industry. The Shape of Water Director Guillermo del Toro is, in many ways, like his contemporary, Christopher Nolan. They might not operate within the same genres del Toro has always been fascinated with the macabre while Nolans films are proudly cerebral but they have acquired a similarly devoted fanbase over the years. Theirs is a cult audience that turns up for their films regardless of the chatter around them they are perhaps two of only a handful of filmmakers working today who are crowd-pullers in their own right. Much was written about how a Best Picture victory for The Shape of Water signalled an evolution for the famously homogenous Academy. Awarding what is essentially an unabashedly nerdy love letter to classic Hollywood moviemaking was seen as a momentous occasion. How else can a film about a love story between a mute woman and a humanoid sea creature be described? Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri was a scream of anguish in a year that seemed to be filled with nothing else. Directed by the great Irish playwright and filmmaker Martin McDonagh, the film is a capsule of a very particular moment in our history, when half the population of the world rose from an eternity of oppression and demanded what is rightfully theirs. Like McDonaghs previous films, Seven Psychopaths and more significantly, In Bruges, Three Billboards walks a precarious tonal tightrope its funny when other films would have been sad, its moving when others would have been sappy and its angry when others would have averted their eyes. McDonagh not only nails the landing itself a monumental achievement, but he adds a flourish, a sign of tremendous self-confidence. For several weeks before the Oscars, the pundits had narrowed it down to a two-horse race. There was even talk of an upset win for Three Billboards, what with it being so remarkably and if McDonagh is to be believed, inadvertently topical. It told the story of a strong single mother, played by Frances McDormand in an Oscar-winning role, whose teen daughter was raped and murdered several months ago. After having had her faith in law enforcement rewarded with silence, she erected three billboards directly questioning the local police chief a symbol of her dissent, and eventually appropriated by many real-life protestors. McDonagh is one of the finest writers working in film today, blessed with a voice that is as unique as Quentin Tarantinos or the Coen Brothers, with whose work Three Billboards is often compared. WHAT: World IP Day Film Festival WHEN: April 28 3pm: The Shape of Water 6pm: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri ENTRY: On a first come-first served basis. For registration, check delhievents.com. WHERE: The American Center, Kasturba Gandhi Marg. CALL: 2347 2000 NEAREST METRO STATION: Rajiv Chowk. An excavation by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) near Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, has unearthed 13 bodies that roughly date back to 11th century AD, according to people familiar with the developments. This has sparked interest among experts and led to calls for a deeper examination because people of the region in that period were known to cremate the dead. Historians have defined the era between the 7th century AD and the 12th century AD as the Rajput Period, and archaeologists say that this is the first time that any excavation has revealed the burial of bodies from that period in north India. We have found extended burial of 13 persons which include a male, a female, children and a handicapped person, said Sanjay Manjul, director at the Institute of Archaeology, who is overseeing ASIs Barnawa excavations. While twelve bodies were placed in a particular direction, with the head facing the North, one body was found placed in the opposite direction, Manjul said. He said that burial pots were recovered with the bodies, suggesting that people of that era may have believed in life after death. Since this is the first discovery of burials which seem to be from the later Rajput period, we need to further examine it scientifically and arrive at an exact time period, he said. Manjul feels that the discovery is significant as it will throw light on death rituals and cultural aspect of people of that era living in this area. Since Muslim Turks, who used to follow burial practices, arrived in India after the 12th century, it would be interesting to determine who these people were and why were they not cremated, Manjul said, adding that burials were practised in the Harappan and Later Harappan periods, and also among certain Hindu tribes before the Raput Period. Other archaeologists and historians feel that these burials might unravel some mysteries of the cultural aspect of life of people. Dr Buddha Rashmi Mani, Director General, National Museum, says that though he doesnt have first-hand experience of the excavated materials, the recovery of burial pots suggests the body doesnt belong to members of the Muslim community. The Veerashaiva community in southern India practice burying the dead, so there is a possibility of existence of a similar community at the excavation site in UP, said Mani. However, it is also possible that these bodies were of people who died due to some dangerous disease or some calamity and buried at one place in a group. Both possibilities require through investigation. Noted archaeologist KK Muhammed, who is credited for discovering Mughal emperor Akbars Ibadat Khana (House of Worship), from where the Mughal king propounded the religion Din-i Ilahi, said that that during wars people would bury bodies due to lack of time and resources in the war field. Its a notion that historian Kapil Kumar agreed with, but both said that it would be too early to determine the identity of these people and the reasons for such graves, and called for a thorough examination. According to historian Makkhan Lal, Its a good thing that we are paying attention to the excavation of the Rajput Period sites which has not been done so far. HT had reported earlier this month that the excavations at Barnawa, which started last December, also tried to determine the existence of the Lakshagriha episode mentioned in the epic Mahabharata. Archaeologists had said that artefacts found there bore strong a cultural resemblance to those found at sites such as Hastinapur, Indraprastha, Kurukshetra and Mathura -- places that find mention in the epic. Police have arrested a man who had allegedly hired two contract killers to murder his father, an employee of Jamalpur railway workshop in Bihars Munger district, to get a job on compassionate grounds. The two contract killers, who shot at Om Prakash Mandal at Jamalpur, 180 km east of state capital Patna, on April 24, have also been arrested, police said. Pawan Kumar, the younger son of Mandal, had hatched the murder conspiracy so that he could get employment in the railway workshop on compassionate grounds. He had hired contract killers for Rs 2 lakh and paid them Rs 25,000 as advance, said Munger superintendent of police (SP) Ashish Bharti. Mandal, who received bullet injuries on his left hand, lodged a complaint against unidentified men for the attack. The plot unfolded when the police detained the two suspects, identified after scanning CCTV footages, the SP said. Spilling the beans during interrogation, the two hitmenSunil Kumar Mandal and Raviranjan Kumar told the police that Pawan had hired them to kill his father, who was to retire from service on April 30, the SP added. Pawan told the interrogators that he had hatched the plot as he would have landed a railway job on compassionate grounds only when his father died in harness, Bharti said. As per a standing circular issued by the department of personnel and training of the Union government, in case of natural death or accidental death of a government employee during his/her service period, the eldest ward of the deceased government servant will be considered for employment in a job suitable to his qualification in a Class 3 or 4 post. Indian Air Force chief BS Dhanoa on Thursday drew attention to a significant increase in deployment of Chinese fighter jets in Tibet and warned against Pakistan backing more terror attacks on Indian military bases, in a frank assessment of the Peoples Liberation Army Air Forces capabilities and the Pakistan scenario and strategy. Air Chief Marshal Dhanoa also disapproved of the concept of theatre commands saying it would require creation of more assets, at a time the utility of such integrated commands is being discussed by the government. The deployment of Sukhoi-27 and J-10 fleets (in Tibet) for continuous operations during winter months affords them a credible year round capability, Dhanoa said during a talk on the Role of IAF in the Changing Security Environment. He said the inherent operational disadvantages that PLAAF faced in Tibet included altitude, low temperatures and lack of basic infrastructure to protect aircraft on ground. Well-known think tank Vivekananda International foundation organised the talk. Dhanoa said PLAAFs modernisation plans would ensure that half of its fleet consists of advanced multi-role combat aircraft at a time the IAF is struggling with a shortage of warplanes. Compared to an optimum strength of 42-plus units required to fight a two-front war, the count of the IAFs fighter squadrons has shrunk to 31. Describing PLAAF as the worlds fastest growing air force that ranked second in terms of combat airpower, the air chief said China had a credible mix of multirole fighters and strike aircraft, and adequate reserves to replenish after attrition. Theres a misconception that the IAF doesnt need 42 squadrons. That would have been true if our adversaries continued to operate 2nd and 3rd generation fighters. If they go for 4th generation jets, you also need modern fighters. You are not fighting against vacuum, Dhanoa said. He said China had developed a modern air force that relied on quality rather than quantity, under an aggressive aerospace capability enhancement plan. The air chief stressed that multi-layered air defence systems allowed China to fight a ground campaign without the need for a decisive aerial victory. We need to plan as per an adversarys capabilities, for intentions may change overnight, he said. On Pakistan, Dhanoa said it would keep the Kashmir pot boiling and back attacks on Indian military bases as was seen during strikes in Pathankot, Uri, Nagrota and Jammu. Such attacks may have unintended consequences and lead to escalation, he said. The air chief said Pakistan army did not want peace as then its generals would not be able to send their children to Ivy League universities and settle in London. On theatre commands, the air chief said Indian fighter jets could get airborne from Pune and engage targets across the northern frontiers with the help of air-to-air refuelling. Compartmentalising will require more assets. We believe in one country, one theatre, he said, pointing out the pitfalls of cherry picking concepts of western war fighting. If and when such integrated commands are raised, the assets of all three services would come under the operational control of a three-star officer from any of the three services, depending on the function assigned to that command. A civilian was killed during an attack by militants on security forces in south Kashmir Anantnag district on Thursday afternoon, officials said. Shakeeb Shabir was hit when militants, travelling in a car, fired upon a road opening party comprising police and Central Reserve Police Force or CRPF personnel. A police official at the police control room in Shopian confirmed that Shabir, aged around 25 years, succumbed to his bullet injuries. Terrorists traveling in a Santro car fired upon the ROP of Police and 116 Bn of CRPF at Lazibal Chowk, Anantnag in which a civilian identified as Shakeeb Shabir of Shopian was injured, a police spokesperson earlier said. He added that a high alert was sounded and a massive manhunt was launched to trace the car and the attackers. Further details are awaited. The incident comes a day after a political worker of the Bharatiya Janata Party, and formerly with the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Congress, was shot dead in south Kashmirs Pulwama district. Union law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Thursday slammed the Congress for attacking the Modi government over stalling the appointment of Justice KM Joseph to the Supreme Court, alleging that it was the opposition party which had a record of meting out unfair treatment to the judiciary. In a fresh confrontation with the judiciary, the government told the Supreme Court collegium to reconsider its proposal to appoint Uttarakhand high court Chief Justice KM Joseph to the top court, saying the elevation may not be appropriate. The Congress criticised the government move saying that the independence of the judiciary is in danger and asked if it would now speak in one voice to state enough is enough. Responding to the Congresss criticism, Prasad told reporters, The whole record of the Congress party is littered with instances of superceding judges who were found to be inconvenient... the legendary judge HR Khanna who gave the dissenting judgement during Emergency and upheld the freedom of Indians was denied the post of Chief Justice even for two months and superceded by a junior. He alleged that the real provocation for imposition of Emergency was a judgement of the Allahabad High Court against Indira Gandhi. They (the Congress) have meted out unfair treatment to the judiciary during their rule, Prasad said. The minister said leaders of the BJP had fought for freedom of press and judiciary during the Emergency. That is our commitment. We have fought for the cause of independence of the judiciary, Congress should stop lecturing us, he said. The government rejected the Supreme Court recommendation citing various reasons, including seniority. But it appointed senior advocate Indu Malhotra as a judge of the Supreme Court. Aishwarya Rai represents Indian beauty but Diana Hayden doesnt, said Tripura chief minister Biplab Deb on Thursday, 10 days after his statement that internet existed in India thousands of years ago drew ridicule. Deb was at at a design workshop on handlooms in Agartala when he said Indian beauty should have the characteristics of Lakshmi and Saraswati, the Hindu goddesses for wealth and education. Hayden lacked such traits, he said. Koi bhi aata hain to mil jata hain. Diana Hayden ko bhi mil jata hain (Anyone who enters beauty contests, gets a crown. Even Diana Hayden got it), he said. Hayden won the Miss World pageant in 1999. Rai became Miss World in 1994. Women started using cosmetics after seeing Indians win international beauty pageants sponsored by international companies, he said. Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb . (Sushil Kumar/HT PHOTO) International companies made prior plans to take over our Indian traditional products and consequently, we got Miss World from India five times. Any Indian contestant seemed to be able to take part in the Miss World contest and win the crown, even Diana Hayden got it. I am not criticising her but didnt find traits of Indian beauty in her, he said. The frequency of Indians winning Miss World contests dipped after international companies became successful in the Indian cosmetics market, Deb said. A 24-year-old disabled woman was allegedly raped by a priest on the campus of a temple in Chhattisgarhs Dhamtari district, police said on Thursday. The accused, identified as Ramashankar Vaishnav (28), was arrested on Thursday in connection with the alleged incident which occurred on April 24, they said. According to district police officials, the incident occurred when the woman, who has a limp in one of her legs, was returning home in Dhamtari on Tuesday evening after attending a computer class. The woman alleged in her complaint that Vaishnav told her that her mother was working inside the temple. When she went inside the temple, the priest, who stays on the premises, took her to his room and closed the door after her, police said. The woman said she fainted due to fear when Vaishnav took her inside his room. When she regained consciousness, Vaishnav told her that he had raped her and he would kill her if she discloses the incident to anyone, a district police official said. After the woman told her parents about the incident, they took her to the police station and lodged the complaint. A case under IPC section 376 (punishment for rape) has been registered and further probe is on, police said. India has seen a spate in rape cases recently with the Kathua case wherein an eight-year-old girl was allegedly confined for many days and gang raped multiple times catching the nations attention. Heinous cases have been reported from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Odisha too. Legal experts on Thursday questioned the Centres decision to segregate the files of Uttarakhand chief justice KM Joseph and senior advocate Indu Malhotra, who had both been recommended together by the Supreme Court collegium for elevation to the top court. On Thursday, the government asked the collegium to reconsider its nomination of Joseph after clearing the appointment of Malhotra the previous day. It was a step which the government should not have taken without consulting the Chief justice of India (CJI), some experts said. Former additional solicitor general and senior Supreme Court advocate Raju Ramachandran said the government should have consulted the CJI and the collegium that in January recommended the names of Justice Joseph and Malhotra. He referred to former CJI RM Lodhas three-year-old letter cautioning the government against attempt to de-link senior advocate Gopal Subramaniums file from that of three others. Subramaniums name was sent back to the collegium for reconsideration, after which the lawyer withdrew his consent for elevation. Ramachandran also criticised the government for sitting on the files for three months, only to send one back for reconsideration. I feel the collegium should not have allowed the matter to linger. Government has been sitting over it for three months. Despite letters by senior judges against executive interference, the CJI neither called a full court meeting nor constituted a bench to deal with the issue, he said. Senior advocate and Supreme Court Bar Association president Vikas Singh described the development as disturbing. It is a very serious matter. I ask the government what kind of investigation it conducted in three months. This decision was known to all of us since day one and the Centre took three months to revert. This is nothing but a pressure tactic on the judiciary. As judges are due to retire this year, the CJI and collegium will be forced to accept whatever appointments are made, Singh said. He is likely to file a petition on the issue once SCBA executive approves it. Senior advocate Shekhar Naphade found nothing wrong in the segregation of files but said the time taken by the government to make a decision was worrying. ...there is urgent need for the court to give a judicial pronouncement on the issue of how long a government can sit over a file, Naphade said. According to him, the CJI must constitute a bench, comprising not less than 13 judges, to thrash out the issue. A five-judge bench would not be sufficient as there is a possibility of a larger bench overruling the verdict. Senior advocate Dinesh Diwvedi said the government should have reverted within a reasonable time to the collegium if it disagreed with the recommendation. Such a move hits out the independence of judiciary, the counsel said. Police in Jodhpur put in tough measures ahead of the verdict in the rape case against self-styled godman Asaram to ensure there was no repeat of the violence after the conviction of another controversial Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in a sexual assault case last year. Thousands of Singhs followers clashed with police and went on a rampage, setting vehicles, buildings and railways stations on fire in August last year after a CBI court convicted him of raping two women 15 years ago. More than 30 people were killed and hundreds injured in the violence and police firing triggered by Singhs conviction. A special court on Wednesday convicted Asaram Bapu, as he is known to his followers, of raping a teenager in August 2013 and sentenced him to life in prison until death, the maximum punishment prescribed by the law for the offence. Asaram, 79, who runs 400 ashrams and has millions of followers in India and abroad, was convicted in a closed jailhouse court in Jodhpur where hundreds of policemen stood guard. The first thing we did when we learnt of the date of the verdict was that we moved a plea in the high court requesting that the judgment is pronounced in the jail premises. This was intended to avoid any inconvenience to common people and help us better maintain peace, Jodhpur police commissioner Ashok Kumar Rathore said. Rathore said the next step that his department took was to check the entry of Asarams supporters in the city as they have clashed with the police in the past. He added bus and autorickshaw drivers were also alerted and asked to inform the police if they saw a group of supporters. We upped the checks at railway stations and bus stops and made checkpoints on all entries in the district. The supporters usually come in groups and wherever we came across any, we sent them back to where they had come from, Rathore said. Our teams were also visiting hotels to see if any supporters were lodged there. On the day of the verdict, we flew drones in the city to see if people were congregating anywhere, he added. The commissioner said that some 15 supporters of Asaram were found in the city and they were sent back to their home. Two were found loitering outside the court premises on the day of the judgment and were packed away, he added. Prohibitory orders under section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC ) banning the assembly of five or more persons were imposed in Jodhpur city from April 21 and will be in force until April 30. The commissioner hinted that since everything was peaceful so far, the prohibitory orders might be lifted within a day. The police also cleared Asarams ashram in Pal village of devotees and only five to six people, mostly the staff, remained there. This was more symbolic and a message to other devotees that they are not welcome, said the commissioner. Six companies each of the Rajasthan Armed Constabulary and Special Task Force were deployed in the city to handle any law and order situation that could. Police officials also took out a flag march in the city on Tuesday ahead of the judgment to restore the confidence of the people. Mounted police also kept patrolling the streets of Jodhpur as part of the security measures. Security forces in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Gujarat, which have a large number of followers of Asaram, also went on high alert, for fear of a backlash from supporters. Salman Khurshid, senior Congress leader and former Union minister, is in the eye of a storm over remarks attributed to him at an event in the Aligarh Muslim University on Tuesday. He spoke to HT about the statements,and his message to minorities. Edited excerpts: You are reported to have said that Congress has Muslim blood on its hands. Can you explain what you meant and the context? I was in Aligarh for the annual day of the BR Ambedkar Hall. I spoke about the university, and about major issues of the day such as triple talaq. One student - an ex-student I later learnt - came forward to ask a question. The format did not allow Q & A, yet I asked him to go ahead. He said there is blood on your clothes because of Babri Masjid and mentioned other riots. I asked him, I have blood? He said your party. I said I am my party, I represent my party, and said that because you said this, does it mean that if someone attacks you tomorrow, I should not come to protect you? I added that 10 years from now, you may not have the courage to ask this question. I obviously dont believe Congress has blood on its clothes. When someone makes an accusation, you may have a certain way of responding. You can say, even if this is true; what does it mean? This is not a declaration that it is true. Look at the video. Why would I say such a thing? Was I in an election campaign against the Congress party? And I dont even want to get into the semantic difference between blood on my clothes and blood in my hands. So in the course of answering the question, you did not agree that the party indeed has blood on its hands? How could I? Why would I then talk about protecting the person? A murderer does not tell a victim that he would like to protect him. A murderer falsely accused of murder can say that. If I say, I may be a murderer, it does not make me a murderer. If people cannot understand this, they really need to go back to school. How do you have an honest conversation in this country anymore? Lets go back to the larger question he was asking. Do you agree that there has been communal violence -- Babri, Muzaffarnagar -- under Congress? It is important to look at the good things that a party may have done, too, for a fair assessment. Has Congress done nothing for this country, nothing for Muslims? This is a longer conversation and if I had to comment on it, I would write a book; I would speak at a lecture series; I would speak at party events. Some interpreted your comments as a signal of discontent against the party because you have not got an adequate role. I did not make the comments at all, so the question does not arise. This party has given me more than enough; what else can it give me? Till the end of my life, I will be repaying the debt I owe to this party. Why should I have a problem with the party? And I hope and wish the party also never has a problem with me. But I cannot stop thinking. I have had a career in education, in university, and I hope I am considered a little bit of a thinker. I cant switch off my mind. The best party for me, all my life, is and will be the Congress. But if I say Congress has made no mistakes, it will not come across as honest either. We have made mistakes but we have paid a political price and we have to move on. My message to the minorities is this - in the process of hurting Congress, you are hurting yourself. You have brought the BJP to power. You now have to decide whether you want to keep it in power or rethink. The BJP has said your remarks are an acknowledgement of Congress fake secularism. If they give so much weight to my words, here is what I have to say about them - BJP has introduced fascist violence and poison in Indian society. Do they accept that as well? Congress leader MH Ambareeshs announcement on Tuesday that he would not defend his seat of Mandya even after getting the ticket highlighted a trend of candidates, across party lines, refusing to contest the assembly election this time despite being nominated. Ambareesh, a former Union minister and popular film star, said he was refusing to contest because of his advancing age. I will always be grateful to the people of Mandya for the support they have given me. My party also did not issue a B -form (nomination form) to anybody else till now, that shows their respect for me, he said. Another Congress leader and state minister for planning MR Seetharam, too, refused to contest saying his decision was based on his lack of preparedness. I last contested elections in 2008, when I lost. In 2013, I wasnt given a ticket but later they made me a member of the Legislative Council and a minister. I was only informed that I would contest the polls this time about 15 days ago. This left me with very little time to prepare, Seetharam said. State Congress working president Dinesh Gundu Rao said, In Ambareeshs case, we respected his seniority and decided to give him a ticket. We also left the final decision of contesting to him because he is a very popular leader, he said. Seetharam, meanwhile, had made it clear a while ago that he did not wish to contest. But we took a decision to field him because we felt he could give the BJP candidate a tough fight, Gundu Rao said. Even in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), two candidates have refused to contest. Senior BJP leader V Somannas son Arun, who was given the ticket from Arsikere in Hassan district, and BK Manjunath from Sira have refused. Repeated attempts to reach Arun Somanna and Manjunath were unsuccessful. Party spokesperson S Prakash said this was an unfortunate development and could be explained by the increase in expenditure and the lack of confidence of the candidate of a win. Jammu and Kashmir Police on Thursday said that one of the four militants killed in Tuesdays gunfight in the Tral forest area was a Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) operational commander. Operational commander of JeM Mufti Yasir was among those killed in joint operation in upper reaches of Tral. pic.twitter.com/gusTlTLOtN Shesh Paul Vaid (@spvaid) April 26, 2018 Four JeM militants, one soldier and a state police constable were killed in the over eight-hour long gunfight. The picture had been taken in Pakistan few years ago by the media there. Azhar was released from Kotbalwal jail in Jammu district in 1999 and taken to Kandahar in Afghanistan where he was swapped with the 158 passengers of Indian Airlines flight IC 814 taken hostage. Two other militant commanders, Sheikh Omar and Mushtaq Ahmad Zargar were also swapped in addition to Azhar for the release of hostages. The flight was hijacked from Kathmandu and after a stopover at Amritsar it was taken to Kandahar. The only other Indian at the informal summit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping it has already been announced that they will meet in private, without aides and written notes, and with no set agenda or pre-negotiated statements will be R Madhu Sudan, first secretary (political) at the Indian embassy in Beijing. Madhu Sudan has been asked to be Modis interpreter at the summit on April 27 and 28, according to people familiar with the details of the meeting who asked not to be identified. The task of the interpreter in such meetings is straightforward, but difficult: to ensure that nothing is lost in translation. The choice of interpreters is important. They should have the felicity of language and understanding of the issues the leaders would possibly talk about. So it is always a careful choice, explained one of the people cited in the first instance. Madhu Sudan is also special assistant to the Indian ambassador and a fluent Mandarin speaker. It could well be a coincidence that the present foreign secretary Vijay Keshav Gokhale was first secretary (political) at the Indian embassy in Beijing when the landmark summit meeting between late former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and Deng Xiaoping, the late paramount leader of China, took place in 1988. Madhu Sudan belongs to the 2007 batch of the Indian Foreign Service and has spent most of his professional career in China. His first posting abroad after the training was to the Indian embassy in China as third secretary from 2009 to 2011. After serving two years in Indian consulate in San Francisco, he was posted back to China in 2013 as the second secretary to Indian embassy in Beijing. He has been interpreting high-level meetings for some years now. He was the interpreter when President Xi came to India in 2014, said a government official who asked not to be identified. Prime Minister Modi prefers to speak in Hindi during most of his foreign engagements, and the presence of a translator/interpreter is critical. Nilakshi Saha Sinha, a director in the ministry of external affairs, who is conversant in Hindi, English, Bengali and French , is one of his preferred interpreters. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping will take on the task of rebooting India-China relations during their informal summit in Wuhan, reflecting a remarkable turnaround since the military standoff at Doklam nearly eight months ago. Modi brings a sense of guarded optimism to Wuhan about the future of bilateral ties. To be fair, diplomats from both sides have insisted that the two-day summit is informal in nature, which means there could be little in terms of concrete takeaways at the end of it. Though there is no structured agenda for the meetings on Friday and Saturday, the two leaders are expected to talk freely and heart-to-heart on issues tied to their national interests. As he set off for China, Modi indicated in a series of tweets the focus would be on the strategic and long-term perspective of bilateral relations. He said he would exchange views with Xi on a range of bilateral and global issues. We will discuss our respective visions and priorities for national development, particularly in the context of current and future international situation, he added. Much of the talk in the run-up to the summit from both sides has focused on convergences, rather than the differences including the border dispute, Chinas blocking of Indias bid to join the Nuclear Suppliers Group and the listing of Pakistan-based terrorists at the UN that took the relationship to a new low. Our common interests far outweigh our divergences, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said. Vice foreign minister Kong Xuanyou said the two leaders will have heart-to-heart discussions on overarching issues and try to build mutual trust and consensus to resolve outstanding differences. The Peoples Liberation Army said the summit would stabilise ties between the two militaries and help maintain peace at the borders. Although the relations between the two militaries still face some difficulties and obstacles, we are willing to use the important consensus of the leaders of the two countries as guidance to deepen our understanding, enhance mutual trust, properly settle differences, and continue to accumulate the positive energy of the healthy and stable development of the relations between the two armed forces, military spokesman Col Wu Qian said. The summit also comes at a crucial time for both leaders. China is dealing with US protectionism and threats of tariffs on its products, which have led to fears of a trade war, while Modi is focused on steady economic growth ahead of a general election next year. Tied to the national interests of the countries are the two leaders plans for national rejuvenation and factors that are slowing such plans. The 5th Sino-Indian Strategic and Economic Dialogue (SED) recently held in Beijing discussed cooperation in infrastructure, and Modi will have the opportunity to share his plans to improve Indias infrastructure and where China, with its vast experience in the sector, could come in. The core message from the SED was that India and China must focus incessantly and unremittingly on the development cooperation possibilities despite differences. Xi could use the summit to convince Modi about his legacy project, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Some countries have signed onto the effort (BRI) but have yet to receive any tangible benefits. Others have not endorsed the Belt and Road but have done business deals that would otherwise fall under the Belt and Roads broad and ever-expanding banner of activities, said Jonathan Hillman, director of the Reconnecting Asia Project at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies. India is a good example. It has been critical of the Belt and Road because it passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and includes investments in ports and other projects that could have strategic value, he said. Hillman said formal membership in BRI isnt a prerequisite for doing related business with China. I dont think India will endorse the BRI soon. But it shouldnt stop trying to expand other economic ties with China, he added. The two countries also have deep differences. The standoff at Doklam claimed by Bhutan but under Chinas control was preceded by the Dalai Lamas visit to Arunachal Pradesh, India boycotting the high-profile Belt and Road Forum in Beijing, the impasse over Indias inclusion in the NSG and China backing Pakistan by blocking terror suspect Masood Azhars proscription at the UN. But the fact that the two leaders agreed to hold a summit of this nature reflects that they are looking towards a broad consensus on which to take forward the relationship. Fugitive diamond dealer Nirav Modi is no longer in Hong Kong, two government officials familiar with the matter said on Thursday. Neither was sure about his current location. The first official said Modi is believed to have reached New York in the middle of March and may still be there but the second official said Modi may have left New York too. Neither official wished to be identified. Modis lawyer Vijay Aggarwal declined comment on the issue. A CBI spokesperson, too, declined comment. Modi and his maternal uncle Mehul Choksi have been accused by the state-owned Punjab National Bank of defrauding it to the tune of over Rs 13,000 crore. CBI has so far has filed three FIRs against Modi and Choksi. But Modi and Choksi left India in the first week of January, before CBI filed its first FIR, and have refused to come back despite multiple summons from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and CBI. Both the agencies have now approached Interpol seeking issuance of Red Notice (basically a notice to all Interpol member countries to detain the person and inform the country which asked for issuance of notice) against Modi and Choksi. Informers had initially told the investigating agencies that Nirav Modi was holed up in Hong Kong where he has considerable financial interests. Thats why the Indian government sent a request to the Hong Kong government for the provisional arrest of Nirav Modi on March 23, said the first official. But the latest information available with agencies tracking economic offenders suggests that Modi has left Hong Kong, he added. We dont know whether Nirav left Hong Kong before the Indian request for his arrest reached there or later but our informers say he is now not there, the official said. The second official claimed that according to information from another agency, Modi was in UAE in February, and then in Hong Kong. He was in London in March, and then in New York, the official added. India has revoked Modis passport and it isnt clear how he is travelling around with out it, although the second official said, without elaborating, that Modi could still be using his Indian passport. Bollywood superstar Salman Khan was listed among the most notorious wildlife criminals in the country on the website of the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB), a government body that combats poaching and related offences, after he was convicted in the blackbuck poaching case in Rajasthan. The database is uploaded to alert states about the convictions and past records of criminals. This helps in keeping a track of their movement, Tilottama Varma, additional director of the bureau, said. The 52-year-old actor was sentenced to five years in prison on April 5 by a court in Jodhpur for killing two blackbucks, an endangered antelope, in 1998. Khan spent two days in the Jodhpur Central Jail before being granted bail. The next hearing on the matter is on May 7. Khans name is among 38 other convicts jailed for various crimes under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. The convicts were found guilty of poaching tigers and smuggling pangolin scales and body parts, seahorse, snakes and other animals. He is the 39th on the list. Exposing convicts gives an edge to people and authorities over the criminals. This means their public dealings remains under the scanner. Peoples participation is necessary and it also ensures a window for the government to remain alert, said SS Negi, former DG of Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. Read | I was blank: Salman Khan on his jail experience in this throwback interview Black Buck or Antelope cervicapra is a Schedule I species under the act. A native of India and extinct in Bangladesh, it is one of the species which has high conservation value in the country. The convicts on the bureaus list mostly belong to Haryana, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh. Six criminals, including a woman, were convicted for attempting to poach tigers at the Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple Tiger Reserve in Karnataka, bordering Tamil Nadu. Three others were convicted for tiger parts smuggling from Amravati in Maharashtra and a woman from Haryana was convicted for attempting to hunt tigers in Uttar Pradeshs Pilibhit. Six other wildlife criminals were convicted for attempting to poach tigers in the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve and were sentenced in Haldwani, Uttarakhand. Six Bawariya community tribe people were convicted of smuggling pangolin scales and body parts in other parts of the country. At a time when crimes against women are rising sharply, thousands of forensic DNA samples, which could form crucial evidence in serious crimes such as rape and murder, are lying unexamined across the country due to a shortage of DNA labs, according to government data. The shortage of well-equipped, hi-tech laboratories and inadequate staff strength have resulted in 12,072 DNA samples from as many sexual assault cases piling up in three of the six central forensic science laboratories (CFSLs) across India till December 2017, where they await examination, according to Directorate of Forensic Science Services (DFSS) data reviewed by Hindustan Times. Only three of the six labs in Chandigarh, Hyderabad and Kolkata have facility to test DNA samples. Between them, they can only handle 600 cases a year. Also, there are about 30 forensic DNA experts in the labs, said a Union home ministry official who asked not to be named. DNA profiling is a technique where individuals can be identified at a molecular level and can often lead to breakthroughs in cases where other non-scientific investigative methods fail. DNA reports are a strong tool for the judiciary and investigating agencies to link the sequence of crime scene, the accused and victims. Such reports can also help exonerate a suspect who has been wrongly convicted suspect, said the official quoted above. Investigating agencies and courts are increasingly demanding examination of forensic evidence to solve heinous crimes such as rape, child abuse and murder. Delay in concluding forensic examination inevitably prolongs investigations in such cases, which leads to a delay in justice. According to the data available till December 2017, the region-wise pendency of sexual assault cases against women in the northern region was the highest at 6,869. In the western region, 3,339 cases were pending because of the paucity of forensic labs. It was to address this acute shortage that the Union home ministry early this month gave the go-ahead for setting up of a stateof-the-art DNA laboratory in Chandigarh, which will have a capacity to test 2,000 samples per year. The Rs 93 crore project will be financed through the Nirbhaya Fund set up in 2016, said Women and Child Development secretary Rakesh Srivastava. Administered by the WCD ministry, the Rs 3,000 crore corpus was set up in 2013 to support initiatives to bolster safety and security of women. Besides the six CFSLs, there are 31 state forensic science laboratories. Of these, 16 have the facility to test DNA samples but officials say that only the Delhi state lab has adequate capacity to meet demand. In the present scenario, demands of various honourable courts of law are not fulfilled by the existing forensic set-up of DNA laboratories due to lack of high-tech infrastructure, said a report presented at a meeting last month, which was attended by officials of the WCD and home ministries. Pakistan on Thursday asked India to take steps to resume bilateral talks instead of issuing provocative statements. Pakistan foreign office spokesman Mohammad Faisal made the remarks in response to a query about home minister Rajnath Singhs statement that India will not open fire first, but if Pakistan does so, it would unleash a volley of fire. India should walk the talk and refrain from provocative statements. Our armed forces practice restraint but have the capacity and are ever vigilant to give a befitting response to any threat to the motherland, Faisal said. He claimed that India was violating the ceasefire agreement and 23 civilians were killed so far in 2018 and more than 100 others injured in over 1,000 ceasefire violations. To a question, he said that there is no confirmation of any handshake or a formal meeting between Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan during the recently concluded CHOGM meet in London. He also confirmed that Pakistani troops will be part of military exercises under the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation ambit along with other members including India. To a question, Faisal said United States deputy assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asian Affairs, Alice Wells, was in Islamabad earlier this week for talks and Pakistan briefed her about the situation in Kashmir as well as there was discussion about Afghanistan. The two-day informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping could stabilise ties between the two militaries, help maintain peace at the borders and settle differences, the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) said on Thursday. It is the common expectation of both peoples to stabilise relations between the Chinese and Indian armed forces and maintain peace and tranquillity at the border areas, the military spokesperson, Col. Wu Qian, told the media in Beijing. Modi and Xi are due to hold a two-day informal summit in Wuhan from Friday during which the boundary issue as well last years standoff at Dokalm were expected to figure in their one-on-one talks to improve relations between the two countries. Although the relations between the two militaries still face some difficulties and obstacles, we are willing to use the important consensus of the leaders of the two countries as guidance to deepen our understanding, enhance mutual trust, properly settle differences, and continue to accumulate the positive energy of the healthy and stable development of the relations between the two armed forces, Col Wu said. He was replying to a question about the expectations from the Modi-Xi summit and as well as the outcome of the meeting between defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman and her Chinese counterpart General Wei Feng this week. Col Wus comments were significant as President Xi is also the head of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) and the military. Regarded as the most powerful Chinese leader in recent times, Xi is the Chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC) which is the overall high command of the Chinese armed forces. Post-Dokalam standoff last year, the relations between two militaries were picking up. Sitharaman, who was in Beijing to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Defence Ministers meeting, held talks with her Chinese counterpart Wei and discussed steps to improve relations between the two militaries. In her remarks, she had said differences should not be allowed to become disputes. Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of misleading the people of the country about his fight against corruption, saying he had shown his true intent by fielding the controversial Reddy brothers of Ballari, linked to the alleged iron ore mining scam. Karunakara and Somashekhara, two brothers of the alleged kingpin of mining scam, G Janardhana Reddy, are contesting the Karnataka polls on BJP tickets. Gandhi, back in Karnataka for the seventh leg of his poll campaign, questioned Modis authority to speak on corruption while being surrounded by BJP leaders accused of financial wrongdoing. The Reddy brothers have been given eight tickets. They came out of jail and Modi gave them a clean chit. Explain to us why Reddy brothers were given eight tickets. Why are you supporting the corrupt? But the press cannot question because they cannot go near him. He only tells the country his Mann ki Baat, Gandhi said. He also attacked the central government over the recent spate of rapes. Earlier, Modi said Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao, but look across the country, attacks against women and rapes have increased. The Congress president also slammed the BJP for inciting violence. In Haryana, they engineered a fight between Jats and other communities, and in Maharashtra they did the same. The country knows that Modi only spreads hatred and cannot be trusted to take us forward, Gandhi said. His mood has changed. He doesnt even come to Parliament. He talks about corruption but is not letting parliament function, because if he does, the Congress will question him, Gandhi said. Highlighting the welfare measures of the Siddaramaiah government in the state, Gandhi said the Congress partys aim was to make the people of Karnataka feel it was their government. However, Modis aim is to hand over the wealth of the state to the Reddy brothers. The Congress will not allow them to do this, and the BJP will know what the Congress in Karnataka is. We will drive out the BJP from Karnataka and Delhi, Gandhi said. Reacting to the statements, BJP state spokesperson S Prakash said Gandhi clearly did not have any issues and hence was raking up non-issues. Janaradhana Reddy is not part of the BJP and is campaigning by himself. This is just a ploy to divert attention from the peoples resolve to vote out the Congress, he said. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government on Thursday asked the Supreme Court collegium to reconsider its recommendation that Uttarakhand chief justice KM Joseph be elevated to the top court, triggering accusations by political rivals and a section of the legal fraternity that it is undermining the independence of the judiciary. It is also the latest potential flashpoint between the executive and the apex court. Judges to the Supreme Court are appointed by a panel of the courts top five judges who make up the collegium, which on Thursday received an explanation from the government over why Joseph should not be elevated. The collegium now has the option to reiterate its choice or scrap the recommendation. Read : Not elevating KM Joseph to SC exposes PM Modis revenge politics: Congress The proposed appointment of justice KM Joseph at this stage does not appear to be appropriate. It would also not be fair and justified to other more senior, suitable, and deserving Chief Justice and senior judges of various high courts, said law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad in a letter to Chief Justice Dipak Misra. The letter said the proposal that the collegium reconsider Josephs name had the President and Prime Ministers approval. In proposing the name of Justice Joseph, the government said, the collegium had not followed the principle of seniority. In the all-India high court judges seniority list, Justice Joseph is placed at 42. There are presently 11 chief justices who are senior to him, Prasad wrote. The government also listed regional representation and caste diversity as other reasons to return Justice Josephs name. High courts of Calcutta, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Jammu and Kashmir and Uttrakahand and some smaller high courts are not represented in the Supreme Court, said the letter. Why govt sent back the SC proposal 1) Principle of seniority not observed by the Supreme Court Collegium. In all-India seniority list of high court judges, Justice Joseph is placed at 42. Eleven chief justices of different high courts are senior to Justice Joseph. 2) Justice Josephs appointment to SC will take the number of judges in the top court from Kerala to 2, which is disproportionate for a small state like Kerala. 3) There is no SC/ST judge in the Supreme Court. 4) Other high courts like Calcutta, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Jharkhand are not represented in the Supreme Court. Late on Wednesday, the government took the unusual step of clearing one appointment suggested by the collegium while holding back on that of Joseph, both of which had been suggested in January. The splitting of names several judges are often appointed together to ensure they have seniority at par has in the past sparked angry exchanges between the executive and the courts. The name cleared was that of Indu Malhotra, a senior advocate who, when she is sworn in on Friday, will become the first woman to be directly appointed to the Supreme Court from the Bar. A number of Supreme Court lawyers urged the top court to put on hold Malhotras appointment and direct the government to clear Josephs name a request that was rejected by a bench led by the Chief Justice Misra. The bench said the government is within its right to send back a name for reconsideration. We (the Supreme Court collegium) will deal with it in accordance with Supreme Court judgments and constitution, said the court. Supposing the government is sending it for reconsideration, it will be seen. You are saying stay the warrant (of Malhotras appointment). It is unthinkable, unconscionable, unimaginable, and if I may add never heard before, said Misra. The petition, filed by senior lawyer Indira Jaising, said the appointments have now become a matter concerning the independence of judiciary. Jaising told the court that the government is stalling Justice Josephs appointment as a judge of the Supreme Court because as Chief Justice of Uttarakhand High Court he had quashed imposition of Presidents rule in Uttrakhand. On Thursday morning, the Congress party accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of suffocating the judiciary. Indian judiciary is in danger. And if our judiciary is not united to protect its independence then democracy is in danger.... they want to pack high courts with their own people, senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal said at a press conference. The judiciary is under the most vicious attack ever and totalitarianism will stump democracy if the nation does not rise now, Congress communications in-charge Randeep Surjewala alleged in a Twitter post. PM Modis revenge politics qua judiciary and conspiratorial suffocation of Supreme Court exposed again, Surjewala wrote said on Twitter. Yet Modi Government refuses to clear his elevation to SC as retribution for quashing presidential rule in Uttarakhand?. The law minister rejected the opposition partys allegation. The Congress party has no moral authority or stand to ask questions about dignity of the judiciary from us. The whole record of Congress party is littered with repeated instances as to how the judiciary of India was supposed to be compromised, Prasad told news agency ANI. Atleast six students were injured, three of them allegedly stabbed by a fellow-student, in a scuffle between two groups in Kashmir University on Thursday, varsity officials said. Chief proctor of the university, Naseer Iqbal, said the incident happened a day after a group of students of the law department complained against another student for rash driving inside the campus. In the morning, when I reached the department, I saw students were crying. Some six students were wounded; three of them had stab wounds, Iqbal said. Officials said that a scuffle erupted between sixth-semester and eighth-semester students of the law department. They said that one of the students pulled out a knife and stabbed other students. Iqbal said that it was not clear who was involved in the stabbing and no one has been arrested. At least 15 students are said to have fainted during the incident which created a panic in the campus. Classes were suspended in the department for the day. A high-level committee has been constituted to ascertain the cause of the incident and submit its report within two days with specific recommendations for further action in the matter, the public relations office of the university said in a statement. In an unrelated incident, security forces lobbed tear gas shells to disperse protesting students at the Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST) in south Kashmirs Awantipora. Eyewitnesses said that students came out of the classes after they heard gunshots outside the campus. Police said that army outside the campus had fired in the air to chase away a group of stone-pelting youth. Later, police and CRPF personnel fired tear gas shells inside the campus to disperse the students. A police spokesperson said that the army personnel were repairing a cable near Islamic University Road and came under heavy stone pelting by the miscreants and also from inside the campus of IUST. The army personnel fired in air to chase the miscreants away. Police party rushed to the spot to control the situation. Army was immediately withdrawn from the area. Miscreants continued pelting stones on the police, the statement said. To control the severe and unprovoked pelting by the miscreants, police used few tear smoke shells to disperse the mob. Miscreants also set ablaze the cable rolls being laid by the Army, it added. Whenever there is a missing complaint of any trekker in Kullus Parvati valley, also known as the valley of death, district administration makes the first call to a 48-year-old mountain rescuer Chhape Ram Negi. Negi has rescued many individuals in Parvati valley besides recovering as many as 50 bodies of the missing trekkers and others in the area. I dont remember the exact number but many operations have been successful, said Negi, who started working as a tourist guide when he was in Class-8. Due to my familys poor financial condition, I could not complete Class-10. I opted for this because I know the valley since childhood, he said. Negi was instrumental in tracing out bodies of two Delhi trekkers who were on separate treks in Kullu districts Parvati Valley. Both of these cases were unique from previous ones. In Aman Awasthi and Akhil Chaddas cases, trails were left by the trekkers. Akhil had left his walking stick, water bottle and shoes while Awasthi, an IT engineer from Gurugram, had left his shoes, shirt, pants, bag and watch. In both cases, we followed the trails. These trekkers had not followed the traditional treks, he said. Aman Awasthi had gone missing on March 7 and his body was recovered by Negi on April 20. Akhil Chadda had gone missing on April 12 and his body was recorded on April 17 by a joint team of Negi and the police. Negi, who hails from Shivpuri Chowki village of Kullu districts Parvati valley, is always ready with all equipment to lead the team of five rescuers including his 34-year-old brother Shera Negi. I even get calls from embassies enquiring about the missing tourists in the valley, he said, adding, I do not ask them for money but only charge for logistics like vehicle and other things if required. Sometimes families of those missing pay as per their capacity, he said. Completely a family man Father of a 9-year-old girl, Negi said, People call me a mountain man, toughest man, but I am a father of little girl and completely a family man. I love to do this work because I know someones family member has gone missing. On being asked, if the risk factor involved in the rescue operations scares him, he said, Earlier, before leaving for any operation, I used to get little anxious but now I leave it to God. Whenever administration or any other agency calls Negi for the search or rescue operation, he alerts his team and start the mission. We do it in a professional way as we have all the equipments. We comb the valley in a planned manner as each member of our team is a trained rescuer, he added. Trekkers ignore advisories People from India as well as foreign countries visit Kullu but do not have any idea about risks of trekking. They also ignore the advisories issued by the administration, he said. Terming every assignment as Gods wish, Negi said he took all these challenges as opportunities to serve the humanity. There have been instances when we succeeded to rescue tourists and sometimes we come out of the valley carrying the body. Local administration also hails efforts of Negi. He is the man who knows this area very well, since his childhood, said Kullu SP Shalini Agnihotri, adding, He is a great help to us as he has saved many lives besides recovering the bodies of missing tourists in the valley. Parvati valley starts from the confluence of the Parvati river with the Beas, there are many tourist destinations in the valley including Kasol, Manikaran, Malana, Tosh, which have unidentified treks. The Panipat police have busted a human trafficking racket with the arrest of three women who allegedly sold two minor sisters in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. The action was taken following orders of the secretary of district legal services authority (DLSA) and chief judicial magistrate Mohit Agrawal. The accused have been identified as Kusum Rani, Hina and Anita Sharma. They were produced in a local court and sent to two-day police remand on Wednesday. The police have booked a total of seven persons in this connection. Another accused Gaurav, who is son of main accused Kusum, was already in jail in another case. The police said three more accused Muniya, Maya and Choti Devi are on the run. The police said that after questioning the accused, they will try to recover the two girls. The parents of the girls said their daughters, who were aged 16 and 10, went missing from the slum area of Sector 24 of Panipat about two years ago. They alleged that they had approached the police when they went missing, but the police did not register an FIR. Later, they filed an application to Mohit Agrawal, who directed the police to register an FIR against the accused and start investigations. However, Chandni Bagh SHO Suresh Kumar refuted the allegations and said the parents of the two girls did not file any complaint with the police earlier. The SHO said the police have now registered an FIR against seven people under Section 366 A and 365 of the IPC and the investigations were on. There is an uneasy calm on the banks of river Indravati, where 33 alleged Maoists were killed in a bloody encounter with the security forces on the morning of April 22. Blood stains, empty bullets shells, jerry cans, slippers and Maoist literature lay strewn all over the encounter site, which falls on the north bank of the river. The river divides Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh and the Maoist camp was on the Chhattisgarh side of the river. A close survey of the encounter site gives the impression that the Maoists were trapped by the security forces in a pincer move from the north, with a small hillock acting as a shield. Locals familiar with the terrain say the Maoists had no escape route except to jump into the river while firing back at the forces. After the encounter ended, bodies of 16 Maoists were recovered from the spot. A day later, 15 bodies were spotted downstream, and on Wednesday two more bodies were found floating in the river. The firing started around 6am when the Maoists were engaged in their morning chores, some preparing food for the camp, others bathing in the river. We could hear the firing from my village Boriya, which is about three kilometers from the encounter site. The Maoists seemed to have pitched their camp at the site on the intervening night of April 21 and April 22, said Somnath Madavi, a local who accompanied this reporter to the encounter site. Madavi was among the villagers of Boriya who helped the security forces fish out the bodies of the Maoists from the river. Some of the bodies were eaten by crocodiles and fish in the river hence they could not be identified, added Madavi. Along the river bank, tell-tale signs of camping were visible tooth brush, tooth paste, injections, soap, water bottles, cans, undergarments, kitbags and bullets of automatic rifles. Some personal letters and other literature related to oppression by police forces also lay scattered near the river bank. Signs of exchange of gun fire were visible on tree trunks and rocks in a half-kilometre radius. Locals from the two villages nearby said no civilian was killed or injured in the encounter. Assistant sub-inspector of Tadgaon, Sameer Dabhade, who was coordinating the encounter said, If any civilian would have been killed, by now people would have complained to activists or other leaders. They all were Maoist cadres. On April 22, India announced the death penalty for those convicted of raping girls below the age of 12, joining a select group of countries that have a capital punishment for such a crime. The governments alacrity in amending the law can be attributed to the massive national outrage over the brutal rape of two young girls (and the murder of one) in separate incidents in Unnao, Uttar Pradesh and Kathua, Jammu and Kashmir. Soon after, the Union women and child development minister announced her ministry has moved a proposal to amend the law, seeking the death penalty for child rapists. Here is all you need to know about the Criminal Law (Amendment) ordinance, 2018 promulgated on Sunday. Issue Over the years, there has been a spurt in crime against children. According to the National Crime Records Bureau, in 2016 (the latest period for which data is available), 93,344 cases of crimes against children were registered across India. There has also been an increase in sex crimes against children. To address this, the government had passed the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act in 2012, with the specific aim of addressing sexual offences against those below 18 years of age. The maximum punishment under POCSO is for aggravated sexual assault on minors, punishable with up to 10 years in jail (and can extend to imprisonment for life in some cases). Though the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2013 prescribes the death penalty to a convict in sexual assault that leads to the death of the victim or causes the victim to be in a persistent vegetative state, there was no specific provision pertaining to child rapists. There have previously been demands for the death penalty for child rapists, but the clamour for this grew in the aftermath of the Kathua incident. Significance Following the governments decision, an insertion will be made in section 376 of Indian Penal Code providing for death penalty for rape of a girl below 12 years and in case of gang rape of a girl below 16 years, death penalty for all the rapists. Along with the IPC, Section 42 of the POCSO Act will also be amended to allow the court to pronounce death penalty for those raping children below 12 years. In case of rape of a girl under 16 years, minimum punishment has been increased from 10 years to 20 years, extendable to imprisonment for life. The punishment for gang rape of a girl under 16 years of age will have a minimum punishment of imprisonment for life. Recently, the Rajasthan government approved a bill seeking death penalty for those convicted of raping girls under 12 years of age. Two other BJP ruled states Madhya Pradesh and Haryana have also given the go ahead for a similar law. According to National Law University Delhis Centre on the Death Penalty, globally 14 countries have death penalty law for child rapists. The Debate Ever since the Centre invoked the law, it has attracted intense criticism from child activists, human rights organisations and the intelligentsia over the futility of awarding the death penalty to child rapists. Amnesty International and other activists have called the decision as knee-jerk reaction that diverts attention from the poor implementation of laws on rape and child protection. Quoting studies, Amnesty said most perpetrators are known to child victims and introducing the death penalty in such circumstances will only silence and further endanger children. Activists say that instead of acting as a deterrent the stringent law could lead to the accused killing the victim after committing rape. The government, on its part, has defended the move and said such heinous crime calls for effective deterrence and will go a long way in instilling a sense of security among women, especially young girls. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who will be arriving in China Thursday midnight for a two-day informal meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, said the two will exchange views on range of issues of bilateral and global importance. Well discuss our respective visions and priorities for national development, in context of current and future international situation, Modi told the media hours ahead of his departure. We will also review the developments in the India-China relations from a strategic and long-term perspective, he said. Read | PM Modi, Xi Jinping could meet at Maos iconic villa in historic Wuhan city Modi and Jinping will meet over two days, on April 27 and 28, in Wuhan city of Hubei province. The interaction, mostly without aides, officials say, is aimed at ending decades of distrust that has deepened as China, with an economy five times bigger than Indias, asserts itself in the region. The two leaders are expected to talk freely and heart-to-heart on issues that are tied to national interests, their plans for national rejuvenation and factors that are slowing down these proposals even though there is no structured agenda for the talks on Friday and Saturday. Read | When Modi and Xi talk in China, only one other Indian will be present Its informal summit, theyll be meeting in informal environment, agenda will be open, theyll spend lot of time over 2 day and therell be different kind of conversations, much more personal and interactive, former foreign secretary and Indian envoy to China S Jaishankar told news agency ANI. This will be Modis fourth visit to China since 2014. He is due to visit China again on June 9 and 10 to take part in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Qingdao city. A woman was forced to drink liquor and allegedly gang raped by six persons in Koduvally on the outskirts of Kozhikode in north Kerala, police said. Though the incident happened on January 30, the 36-year-old victim revealed her plight to her husband only two days ago after the accused started blackmailing her. Koduvailly police have registered a case against six persons who are absconding. Police said one of the accused, staying near her house, developed an intimate relation with her and took her to a desolated house on January 30. Later, others joined them and forced her to drink liquor. They took turns to rape her and photographed the whole incident. Police said she was scared to disclose her plight but later she confided to her husband when the accused started asking for sexual favours. We have registered a case against six persons for rape (IPC section 375) and illegal confinement (section 342). Efforts are on to nab them, a senior police officer of Kozhikode district said. However, some of her relatives said police delayed registering a case against the accused, leading to their escape. The husband and wife went to the police station two days back and informed the station in-charge about the incident. They were sent back without accepting their compliant, saying they have to investigate the complaint. A case was registered only on Wednesday night, said one of her relatives, adding she was taken to medical examination two days after they approached police. The only item on the agenda of the informal bilateral summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping is trust, according to top Indian government officials. The two leaders, who will meet without any pre-set agenda, will aim to improve trust between the two countries and make sure micro issues do not act as an irritant, the officials added, asking not to be identified. According to the officials, Modi and Xi will have many one-on-one interactions over April 27 and 28, with key aides joining them only for a few of the meetings at the East Lake villa in Wuhan. Politburo member Yang Jiechi, who is also the former Special Representative on India-China boundary talks, Chinas Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Chinese Ambassador to India Luo Zhaohui will be present to assist Xi. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, who is also the Special Representative for India-China boundary talks, Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale and Indian Ambassador to China Gautam Bambawale, will be present in Wuhan from the Indian side. This means both sides have advisors with over 100 years of accumulated government experience to assist the principals. Before PM Modi left for Wuhan, he was locked in a series of meetings with NSA Doval and secretary Gokhale that extended till early Thursday morning. Now it is for the two leaders to talk to each other. It will be a leaders-led dialogue, which has the potential to transform the relationship, said a senior government official, While both Indian and Chinese diplomats are tight-lipped about the outcome, there are positive indications from the bilateral meeting between defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman and her Chinese counterpart Gen Wei Fenghe in Beijing on Tuesday. HT learns that both sides were positive about future bilateral military to military engagement and were ready to look at the roadmap for defence engagement in future. With pressure from the trade war with US looming, China needs to build trust with India. And India is all for increasing trade with China as long as its security concerns are recognised, said a South Block official. With the assembly elections due this year end, the Union cabinet on Wednesday approved extension of the scheduled areas in Rajasthan, covering 3.7 lakh people in a number of districts to bringing in more developmental funds for the tribal belt in south Rajasthan. The cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday gave an approval to the declaration of Scheduled Areas in Rajasthan under the Fifth Schedule to the Constitution of India by rescinding the Constitution Order (C.O.) and promulgation of a new Constitution Order. The promulgation of new C.O. will ensure that the scheduled tribes (ST) of Rajasthan will get benefits of protective measures available under the Fifth Schedule to the Constitution of India. The scheduled areas will now cover the entire districts of Banswara, Dungarpur, Pratapgarh, nine tehsils, one block and 46 gram panchayats covering 227 villages in Udaipur, Rajsamand, Chittorgarh, Pali and Sirohi districts. The Rajasthan government had in 2014, approved expansion of the scheduled areas due to re-organization and creation of new districts and changes in population of the scheduled tribes as per the 2011 Census. The government had proposed to increase the number of villages under the scheduled area to 5,706 from 5,034 while the number of municipalities was increased to nine from six. The state government had sent the proposal for extension of the scheduled areas to the Centre for approval. Welcoming the decision, state panchayati raj minister Rajendra Rathore said the state government was working with the interest of the people in mind. The scheduled tribes living in these areas were eligible for being covered under the scheduled areas. This was a long pending demand of the people. Our government took it up and now these people will be able to get more funds for development, he said. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) parliamentarian Kirori Meena said the decision will bring benefits to the tribal population. They will get funds of schemes of the Centre and state for development in areas of health, education and infrastructure. Meena, who rejoined the BJP in March and was made a Rajya Sabha member, said the Rajasthan government and he himself had pursued the matter with the Centre and had got the approval. The decision is not linked to politics. It is only for development of the backward areas and to lift them out of poverty, he said. Scheduled tribes in these areas will get benefits of the protective measures in the fifth schedule of the Constitution such as 12.5% funds over the budget ear-marked for the area and reservation in jobs, said Dharamchand Khed, convenor of the Rajasthan Adivasi Adhikar Manch. Tribal representation in politics too would increase, he said. All seats from the sarpanch to the ward panch, pradhan, MLA and MP levels will now be reserved for tribes people. The Mewar region covering the tribal belt, accounts for a large chunk of 28 seats and is seen as crucial in winning the state polls. Faced with strong anti-incumbency, the government of chief minister Vasundhara Raje will hope to reap political benefit from the decision in the run up to the assembly elections at the end of the year. The Centre had in 1981 declared 5,034 villages of the southern part of Rajasthan having tribal population of more than 50% as scheduled areas. After the 2011 Census, the total population of scheduled area is 57.24 lakh of which the scheduled tribes population is 41.88 lakh, constituting 73.17% of the total population of the scheduled area. At least 13 schoolchildren were killed and eight others injured when a speeding passenger train crashed into a van at an unmanned railway crossing in Uttar Pradeshs Kushinagar district early on Thursday, officials said. The impact of the collision was so strong that the van, carrying 20 students of Divine Mission School, was crushed instantly and many children died on the spot. The driver, identified as Neyaz Ahmed, 22, allegedly had earphones plugged in while driving and ignored warnings by the gate mitra at the crossing, officials said. Gate mitras are volunteers posted at unmanned level crossings to alert motorists of train traffic. A survivor said the driver was busy talking on his mobile phone and didnt hear children screaming to him that a train was approaching. The train, 55075 Down, was on its way from Siwan to Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh when the accident occurred. Four children injured in the accident were reported to be in a critical state in hospital. The accident occurred at 7 am at an unmanned level crossing near Dudhi railway station which falls under the Banaras division. Prima facie the fault appears to be of the van driver who was probably getting late in reaching the school and, therefore, didnt stop despite warning by our gate mitra, who repeatedly asked him to stop. The train driver too blew the whistle, said Sanjay Yadav, chief public relations officer, North-Eastern Railway. All except one child have suffered head injuries and multiple fractures. Three, including the driver, have been kept on ventilator, said BRD Medical College principal, Dr Ganesh Kumar. Following the accident, Indian Railways said all unmanned level crossings would be eliminated by 2022. President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Railway Minister Piyush Goyal expressed their grief over the accident. The railway minister announced an ex-gratia payment of of Rs 2 lakh each to the kin of the victims, Rs 1 lakh to those who were critically injured and Rs 50,000 to those with minor injuries. I am deeply anguished and pained by the loss of lives of young school children at an unmanned level crossing in Kushinagar. My thoughts are with families of the deceased and I pray for the early recovery of the injured, Goyal said in a statement, adding that he had ordered a senior-level enquiry. Chief minister Yogi Adityanath rushed to the accident site, about 100km away from Gorakhpur, and said the driver of the van appeared to have been at fault. He is said to have had earphones on... all the facts will be known in the inquiry headed by the commissioner of Gorakhpur, he said after visiting the injured. The CM faced protests on his visit to Kushinagar. This is a sad incident. There should be no drama (nautanki) on this, he told the protesters. Railway Board chairman Ashwani Lohani said that in the long term, the solution was the replacement of all unmanned crossings in the railway network with bridges or tunnels for roads. We are working on it, but it will take time, he said. Lohani said no step the national carrier to avoid accidents can be foolproof in the face of negligence and urged the people to be careful in crossing railway tracks. We are trying to eliminate UMLCs (unmanned level crossings) by March 31, 2020, he said. The officer also said the national transporter has been aggressively doing away with UMLCs 1,565 were eliminated in 2017-18 and the target is to remove 1,600 in 2018-19. The gradual elimination of unmanned leveI crossings has resulted in a steady decrease in the number of accidents at such locations from 50 in 2014-2015 to 29 in 2015-2016, to 20 in 2016-2017, 10 in 2017-2018 and one so far this year. Across the railway network, 5,792 such crossings still existed as of 31 March, he said. This is the second accident in India this month involving schoolchildren. Twenty-three children were among 30 killed when a private school bus ferrying them home veered off the road and plunged into a 200-feet-deep gorge in Malakwal in Nurpur in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh on April 9. (With HTC inputs from New Delhi) AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR Direction: Anthony and Joe Russo Actors: Robert Downey Jr, Josh Brolin, Benedict Cumberbatch, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Pratt, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Zoe Saldana, Tom Holland, Chadwick Boseman, Letitia Wright Rating: 4 / 5 Theyve fought arch-villains before, alone and together, in 18 films set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Now, Marvel-doms finest must take on their most formidable foe yet, Thanos (an imposing motion-capture performance by Josh Brolin), a warlord / tyrant determined to gain control of the cosmos. All he needs for his nefarious scheme to succeed are six small gemstones imbued with magical powers. So its going to take every superhero in the land to make a stand against him. Its a superhero alliance unlike anything weve seen from Hollywood. Louder, lengthier and supremely entertaining, Avengers: Infinity War provides just the kind of eye-popping spectacle youd expect. Helming their third Marvel feature (after Captain America: The Winter Soldier in 2014 and Captain America: Civil War in 2016), co-directors Anthony and Joe Russo get the viewer to invest in the fate of the diverse characters. They also infuse the dialogue with smart one-liners. The climactic showdown in Wakanda is compelling and poignant. The extended climactic showdown in Wakanda is one of the most compelling and poignant set-pieces in recent memory. There is an equally inspiring post-end-credits teaser for the as-yet- untitled concluding chapter in this two-part adventure, due for release in 2019. The ensemble, of course, is a treat Robert Downey Jr as Iron Man, Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Mark Ruffalo as The Hulk, Benedict Cumberbatch as Dr Strange, Chris Evans as Captain America, Chris Pratt as Star Lord, Tom Holland as Spider-Man, Scarlett Johansson as the Black Widow and Chadwick Boseman as Black Panther, plus Tom Hiddleston, Zoe Saldanha, Benicio del Toro, Bradley Cooper, Letitia Wright, Gwyneth Paltrow, Iris Elba and Vin Diesel. Peter Dinklage is a delightful new addition, as the resourceful dwarf who helps forge a new hammer for Thor. It is admittedly difficult to keep track of what each of the super-powered protagonists is up to, especially since some of them make only the briefest of appearances. Still, Infinity War is a treat, and a welcome addition to the now-decade-old Avengers series. Already, we cant wait for the next one. ott:10:ht-entertainment_listing-desktop At the age of three, Durvankur Alkunte, a resident of Nashik has fought repeated bouts of diarrhoea and fever. Last year in October, when his weight dropped to 8kg from 12kg, he was referred to a city-based haematologist, who diagnosed him with a rare genetic condition of the immune system, chronic granulomatous disease (CGD). The disorder had his immunity in a compromised state making him susceptible to infections. A bone marrow transplant was conducted at an Andheri hospital in December 2017. However, since he developed complications, he remained in hospital and was only discharged 10 days ago. The cost of the treatment Rs70 lakh has left his family in a dire financial situation. Doctors said the awareness about CGD is very poor as it affects one in three lakh children. He was having multiple infections and had been treated with multiple antibiotics earlier. Although he was already diagnosed with CGD, we suspected Crohns disease, but an endoscopy and biopsy ruled that out, said Dr Santanu Sen, consultant, paediatrics and paediatric oncology, at Kokilaben Ambani Hospital, who treated him. Eventually, a blood test revealed that he was infected with a rare bacterial infection Nocardia, in his intestine, which caused a lot of blisters under his skin, Dr Sen said. Finding a donor wasnt easy. In Durvankurs case, his father turned out to be a half match. Although half match transplants lead to complications, we went ahead with the transplant as it was his only chance of survival, said Dr Sen. Doctors gave him chemotherapy to destroy his defective bone marrow. Durvankurs father, Sanket Kumar Alkunte, 40, a dentist, said that he used all his savings to pay for the treatment. He is doing well, but still needs antibiotic injections every day, he added People taking a stroll on Dadar beach may have to watch their step as the sand is strewn with used needles, syringes, cotton swabs and other biomedical waste. Residents of the area, who have been cleaning the beach recently, have reported the presence of hazardous medical waste being dumped on the beach. They are planning to ask the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the police to increase surveillance on the beach to prevent the dumping of medical waste that can be a source of infection. Waste from hospitals, nursing homes, blood banks and veterinary institutions, including used syringes, bandages, amputated body parts and other human and animal bio-waste generated during medical treatment and research are categorised as biomedical waste. While the anatomical waste has to be incinerated, plastic waste is shredded and sent to recyclers, and sharp waste such as syringes, surgical equipment, etc. are cleaned, disinfected, dismantled and sent to metal waste recycler. A resident of the area Chinu Kataria, who is involved in beach cleanup every Sunday, claimed that the lack of police security and street lights have ensured a lacklustre surveillance in the area. Our 20-25 volunteers clean the beach area starting from Kirti College to Prabhadevi and we get a lot of injections, needles, gloves, swabs and other material. We have complained to the local authorities about the lack of surveillance but they merely come for ten minutes in the uniform, take a round of the beach and leave, said Kataria. Another group, spearheaded by Jay Shringarpure, which cleans the third exit of the beach has been constantly locating over 100-125 used syringes since a month. Over 70-80 children play in this area at any point, which makes the scattered syringes a major health hazard. Only last Sunday, we found an entire bag full of biomedical waste including gloves, oxygen masks, injections and needles, said Shringarpure. The scattered and washed ashore biomedical waste is also putting the clean-up volunteers at risk as they are clueless about the safety guidelines or disposal norms. Moreover, infectious diseases experts said that apart from the needle prick, which can cause deadly infections like HIV, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C, other biomedical waste, which has come in close contact with patients bodily fluids, can cause number of other bacterial infections. Every healthcare provider has a process of discarding and crushing the needles. If volunteers locate uncrushed needles, it indicates the waste hasnt gone through the safe disposal channel of sterilisation, said infectious diseases expert, Dr Om Srivastava. He added, Apart from the infections like Hep B, C and HIV, other bacterial infections like staphylococcus (can cause food poisoning resulting in nausea, vomiting and stomach ache) and streptococcal (sore throat, fever, swollen lymph nodes, rash, low blood pressure, and tissue destruction and number of other infections) spread due to body fluids present on the biomedical waste. Its risky for anybody who comes in close contact of the waste. Mahendra Shankar Patil, a farmer from Wada in Palghar district, around 83km from Mumbai, was shocked when stumbled across a bomb while tilling his field in preparation for the monsoon, on Wednesday afternoon. In a panic, Patil, who lives in Devli village in Wada taluka, called the local police, who along with the tehsildar, rushed to the spot, and discovered that it was in fact a live bomb. I was tilling my land where I plan to grow paddy when suddenly I hit upon a hard object and heard a twang metallic sound. I got scared as it looked like a bomb. I called out to the other farmers who were working in the adjoining fields, and then I called the police, Patil said. Soon, Sudam Shinde, senior police inspector of Wada police and Wada tehsildar Dinesh Kurhade reached the spot and established that it was a bomb, in fact a live bomb that needs to be defused. It is a live bomb dating back to the British era, said Vithal Gosavi, deputy tehsildar, Wada. We informed the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad in Thane who came on Wednesday evening, but they were not able to defuse it, Gosavi said. We have now written to the Indian Army in Mumbai to send their BDDS squad to defuse the bomb as they have the technical expertise. Gosavi said it is likely to be a bomb from the World War 2 period as, at the time, the British had evacuated 13 villages in Wada, including Devli village, and converted the area into a temporary ammunition dump and army cantonment. We are waiting for the Army to examine the bomb and give more details, he added. Policemen have been posted at the field to prevent anyone from getting near the bomb. My name is Manish. These were the first words spoken by the 19-year-old from Silvassa after he found his voice back, three years after he lost it when he drank pesticide to commit suicide in his village. Manish Kuvara, who stays with his father, Devubhai, 45, his mother and two brothers in Dudhani village in Silvassa, had consumed pesticide when he was 16, under stress for his Class 10 exams. After a three-hour surgery at Wockhardt Hospital on Mira Road, he can now speak and is responding to treatment. We first admitted him to Vinobha Bhave Civil Hospital, Silvassa. Doctors said Manishs trachea was injured because of which he lost his speech, said Devubhai. Since then, he would communicate with us in sign language. He quit going to school because of his speech impairment, he said. One of the doctors who treated Manish advised Devubhai and his family to take him to Wockhardt Hospital. Dr Neepa Vellimuttam, ENT surgeon, Wockhardt Hospital said surgery was the only solution and the family was informed about the high risk involved. Manishs trachea had become narrow leading to difficulty in breathing and a hole was made in his neck (tracheostomy) for breathing by the Silvassa doctors. As air could not pass into the vocal chords, Manish was unable to speak, said Vellimuttam. After the surgery, with the help of onco-surgeon, Dr Krutarth Thakur, and anaesthetist, Dr Vinita Sangai, Manish can now speak, said Vellimuttam. He is now breathing and talking normally as we resected the tracheostomy and also the narrow part of the trachea, said Vellimuttam. My son got a second life, said Devubhai. Manish will have to undergo further tests, said Vellimuttam. Dongri police have booked the owner of an illegal Mumbai-based overseas recruitment firm for cheating a Qatar national. The accused, under the pretext of recruiting a female cook for the Qatar national, accepted money from the him, but never sent any cook to Qatar. The Qatar national, Khalid Abdulla M S L Zaber, had approached authorities at the Indian embassy in Qatar. Acting upon a complaint from the Indian embassy, Mumbai police acted and booked the Dongri-based agency owner, who did not have mandatory license from the ministry of external affairs (MEA) for running an overseas recruitment agency. Cops suspect the accused may have cheated many foreign nationals in a similar fashion. According to the police, the victim had contacted the Dongri-based agency Salman Sayyaed Muhad Import Export and Consultant while looking for an Indian female cook. The agency informed Zaber that they had selected one Salma Beghum for the job on a monthly salary of 1000 Riyal, which is equivalent to Rs18,339. Muhad Import Export and Consultant also signed an agreement with Salma Beghum and sent its copy to Zaber. After this, Zaber sent Beghums visa, her airline ticket and 3000 Riyal (Rs55,012) as consultancy fee to the agency. However, neither Beghum nor any other person was sent to Zabers place by the Dongri agency. Zaber then realized that he was cheated, a source said. He informed the Indian embassy authorities in Qatar and the matter was later taken to MEA. A detailed complaint was sent to Maharashtra DGP and Mumbais police commissioner. Mumbai police then began an inquiry and checked if the Dongri agency had taken a mandatory license from MEA for running an overseas recruitment agency. Preliminary probe revealed that the agency had not taken the license and was operating illegally . An FIR was then registered against the agencys co-owners Ansari Hussain and Fayyaz Shaikh under sections 420 (cheating) and 34 (common intention) of Indian Penal Code and 10 and 24 of Immigration Act at the Dongri police station. Later, senior cops transferred the matter to the job cheating racket unit of Economic Offences Wing of the city police. We have called the accused for questioning and have also asked the agency to produce relevant documents, said an EOW officer. Cops are also checking if the Dongri agency cheated others in similar fashion. The new Development Plan for Mumbai unveiled by the state government on Wednesday has cleared the decks for more vertical growth and an even more congested metropolis over the next two decades. It offers higher Floor Space Index (FSI) in the range of 2 to 5 in an apparent bid to create 8 million new jobs and at least five lakh affordable homes. The new DP (2014-2034) will also open up nearly 2,230 hectares of no development zones (NDZs) in the city equal to nearly nine times the mill land in central Mumbai for residential housing focused on the affordable segment. This includes 130 hectares of saltpan lands. A majority of the earlier designated NDZ and now redesignated Special Development Zones (SDZs) are spread across western suburbs of Malad, Dindoshi, Charkop, Malvani and Nahur, Vikroli, Bhandup in the eastern suburbs. This is the largest chunk of land that is being opened up for development after the 600 acres of mill land in Central Mumbai nearly 15 years ago. In a turn around from the accepted urban planning tenet to decongest the city and use FSI as a planning tool linked to an areas civic infrastructure, the DP has granted an FSI of 5 for commercial buildings across the city and increased the overall FSI in island city to 3 by allowing additional buildable rights to be purchased against a premium. For the first time, the FSI in the island city will be higher than in the suburbs (2.5). FSI refers to the ratio of the total buildable area on a plot to the size of the plot. In land-starved Mumbai, it typically indicates how high a building can be constructed. The new DP has also given an in-principal approval for transit oriented development that will lead to higher FSI of up to 5 for intersections of metro corridors and other mega transit projects, said a senior official, who did not want to be named. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis cleared the long-pending DP on Tuesday late evening; the plan was made public on Wednesday. On the whole, the citys DP and new Development Control Regulations (DCR) have lifted the spirits of the citys realty sector that has been facing a slump. But no separate infrastructure plan to meet the requirements of this proposed construction boom has been drafted by the government. While developers have welcomed the DP, urban planning experts and critics have panned it as disastrous and half baked for the maximum city already crumbling due to infrastructure deficit. The DP has given a big impetus to open up lands for development as much as possible within the citys infrastructure capacity. We hope through this there will be market correction in the realty market making houses more affordable. For years we have thought that commercial spaces should not be opened up but in a bid to boost employment we have incentivized this development, said urban development secretary Nitin Kareer. We envisage job requirement of 8 million for Mumbai up to 2034. If there are no jobs then the city will be dead, said civic commissioner Ajoy Mehta. Kareer, Mehta and housing departments additional chief secretary Sanjay Kumar held a press conference on Wednesday to unveil the DP, but several details including the major modifications made to the civic bodys draft DP were not spelt out. The new development control regulations now termed as development control and promotional regulations have also not been made public. Officials said the incentive FSI was in sync with the adjoining road width (more than 9 metres) to avoid over congestion, but there are no other safeguards embedded in the DP. The trunk infrastructure in NDZ land will be provided by the BMC, while developers will be responsible for providing internal amenities. The FSI has been increased for the island city because it has better infrastructure. There is no problem in creating high density areas as long as adequate infrastructure is provided, said Kareer. He added that while TOD had been accepted in principal, the details of identifying these areas would depend on BMC and a separate DCR would be issued for the same at a later stage. The state government now plans to issue the DP notification within 15 days. The major modifications to the draft DP of the civic body FSI of 3 for island city, 15 per cent incentive FSI for redevelopment of private buildings etc will be separately notified. On the whole, the scrutiny committee that went through the draft DP of the civic body considered 2342 changes recommended at various levels. Citizens will be given a chance to give their suggestions and objections for this separately notified DP, following which it will be finalized. It would be premature to even comment on this DP given that the state government has revealed only a rough summary of the plan. On the face, this seems to be a FSI bonanza for builders. But, FSI is a planning tool, it cannot be used as a currency to generate revenue. So, even as Mumbaiites die in stampedes at railway stations and get burnt in restaurants, the city DP seems to be saying lets allow for more development without linking it to the civic infrastructure, said Pankaj Joshi, urban planner and director of the Urban Design Research Institute. The Opposition also slammed the DP. Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam said, This development plan seems to be a disaster plan..Mumbai is the second-most crowded city in the world.. With this development plan residential areas will increase to 50% adding to the citys problems. Several importers and traders who dealt with suspected hawala operator Mohammed Farooq, 39, for importing consumer durable goods from China are under the scanner of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for allegedly violating foreign exchange laws. Meanwhile, the scam has ballooned to Rs5,000 crore from Rs2,253 crore after the ED traced more proceeds of the crime. Farooq was held in connection with foreign remittances worth Rs2,253 crore and involving 13 companies. The agency on Monday arrested him from Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, before he could fly to Dubai. Some importers and traders used to take the help of Farooq for illegally remitting money abroad after importing consumer durable goods China such as toys, mobile phone accessories, perfume and other goods, said a senior officer privy to the investigation. Explaining the modus operandi, the ED said this is an example of trade-based money laundering, in which traders evade custom duties and taxes. If the cost of a product is Rs100, the importers will undervalue it, say to Rs10, to save taxes, said the officer. However, the rest Rs90 has to be illegal sent abroad. It is this transfer which was facilitated by Farooq for a share. Financial transactions to Dubai and Hong Kong are under scanner of the agency. Based on a tip-off, two locations in South Mumbai were searched by the ED where he was not found. Farooq was finally traced to the airport. The agencies are also probing the underworld links. The ED said 13 companies remitted approximately Rs2,252 crore funds to overseas destinations by submitting non-existent and forged import documents to banks during 2015-16. The Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) court on Wednesday convicted 10 people who were booked for conspiring to kill filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt. The accused, who have been sentenced to five years imprisonment, were members of gangster Ravi Pujaris gang and had planned the attack on the instructions of Pujari, alleged the prosecution. However, the court held that the charge of the accused being part of Pujaris organised crime syndicate has not been established by the prosecution. Hence, they were acquitted from charges of the MCOCA. The 10 accused are Ishrat Shaikh, 44, Mohmad Khan, 43, Aazim Khan, 22, Ashfak Sayyed, 28, Asif Khan, 31, Shahnawaz Shaikh, 39, Firoz Shayyed, 33, Shabbir Shaikh, 26, Rahim Khan, 46 and Mohmmad Anis Merchant, 38. The court has acquitted key accused Yusuf Kadri alias Yusuf Bachkana who was allegedly one of the conspirators. The prosecution claimed that the conspiracy started with another member of the gang, Obaid Merchants dispute with filmmaker duo, Morani brothers. Obaid wanted overseas rights of the Bollywood film Happy New Year, which is produced by Morani Brothers. They decided to threaten the Moranis. It is claimed that members of Pujaris gang had also opened fire on one of the brothers. The accused were arrested in November 2014 while they were preparing an attack near Bhatts residence in Khar. Bhatt had in his deposition said Pujari had been threatening him since 2006, when his men first opened fire outside his office. He had said after that he received threats in 2007. In 2007, my daughters movie Dhoka was released. The call was received by me and my daughter in my officeRavi Pujari threatened us, Bhatt deposed. He said Pujari threatened to kill him for attending an event in Bangalore in 2008. Exaggerated media accounts have sought to portray commercial glitches in Indias Chabahar port project, such as attracting a private partner for the operation of marine facilities there and an excise-duties dispute, as emblematic of its eroding influence in southern Asia. Some have seized on the Iranian foreign ministers statement in Islamabad that Chinese and Pakistani investment in Chabahar was welcome as evidence of Indias declining strategic reach. That statement was largely an attempt to dispel a perception that Iran has teamed up with India to checkmate Chinas Gwadar designs. To be sure, Indias regional clout has suffered from Sri Lanka and the Maldives to Nepal. The main driver of New Delhis eroding influence is Beijing, which has made deep inroads in Indias backyard. By incrementally encroaching on the Bhutan-claimed Doklam Plateau, China has also shown that India cannot guarantee Bhutans territorial integrity. In this dismal picture, however, Chabahar represents a strategic advance, not setback, for India. The Chabahar projects substantial progress allows India to bypass Pakistan to reach markets in Afghanistan and Central Asia. In the past six months, consignments of wheat, for example, have been passing from India to Afghanistan through Chabahar. In effect, Chabahar helps break Pakistans barrier to Indian exports to landlocked Afghanistan. The hyperbole in India notwithstanding, Chabahar is not a strategic counterpoise to the Chinese-built and -run Gwadar port, adjacent to which Beijing is reportedly building a naval base. The port in Gwadar offers China joint naval patrols with Pakistan in the Indian Ocean, while Gwadar airport will provide Beijing an airlift capability to link up with its military base in Djibouti. By contrast, Chabahar, located barely 72 km from Gwadar, is a purely commercial project with no military utility. Chabahar, easily accessible from Indias western coast, is part of a larger Indian-supported transport corridor. For example, the Indian-built, 193-km road from Delaram, in Afghanistans Nimruz province, to Zaranj, on the Iranian border, links up with Irans new connecting road from Zaranj down to Chabahar. In addition, India is involved in a Chabahar-Faraj-Bam rail link and in a railway from Chabahar to Zahedan, on the Iran-Afghan border. It is also interested in a Chabahar-Hajigak railway that creates direct access to Afghan mines. Chabahars development has been driven by shared India-Iran objectives, including ending Afghanistans dependence on Karachi port and integrating that country with their economies. Chabahar, lying outside the Persian Gulf and thus relatively safe from a hostile blockade, is Irans gateway to the Gulf of Oman and the Indian Ocean. Developing Chabahar allows Iran not only to receive larger ships but also to boost its energy and other exports. It was only after the US-Iran nuclear deal eased decade-long international sanctions on Tehran that Chabahars expansion could begin in earnest. In 2016, India signed a $500-million agreement to develop two terminals a multipurpose cargo terminal and a container terminal in Chabahar, as part of a trilateral pact with Afghanistan and Iran. Since then, work has progressed considerably. The initial expansion of Chabahar was inaugurated this year, with Iran leasing operational control of the ports first completed phase to India for 18 months. Afghanistan is already becoming a major beneficiary of the Chabahar-linked transport corridor. It has shifted the bulk of its cargo traffic away from Karachi to Chabahar and Bandar Abbas. Chabahar is set to turn into a vital trading hub a sprawling, modern port. But as the ports further expansion makes progress, India faces project completion challenges that extend from the changing geopolitical dynamics to its own proverbial red-tape. Cash-strapped Pakistan has no capacity to invest in Chabahar. But if China were to invest there, the commercial and strategic value of Chabahar for India to reach Afghanistan and Central Asia is unlikely to diminish. Iran is seeking to ease its heavy dependence on China that developed during the sanctions period. But Iran finds itself stymied by residual but biting US-led sanctions, as in the financial sector. With western clearing banks still spurning Tehran, western firms cannot raise project finance to do business in Iran. Indias biggest Chabahar-related challenge comes from US President Donald Trumps policy to squeeze Iran a message Trumps then national security adviser, Lt Gen HR McMaster, brought to New Delhi. India, which paid a heavy price for complying with past US sanctions, needs to reject Trumps Iran policy with the contempt it deserves. It cannot allow the Chabahar project to be hamstrung by geopolitical factors. As the top US general in Afghanistan, John Nicholson, has acknowledged, Iranian-Indian-Afghan cooperation over the Chabahar port presents great economic potential and a boon for Afghanistan. Brahma Chellaney is a geostrategist and author The views expressed are personal Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray termed the Devendra Fadnavis government useless (nikamma) during his visit to Ahmednagar on Wednesday. If the chief minister is questioning the authority of his cabinet colleagues, who are exercising their powers, then, this government is nikamma (useless), said Thackeray. The Sena president was obliquely referring to the recent spat between Maharashtra industries minister Subhash Desai and state chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. Desai, a senior Sena leader, during his visit to Ratnagiri district last week had announced that the government notification regarding land acquisition for a project in Nanar, had been cancelled. Within minutes, Fadnavis contradicted Desai and questioned his powers. What Desai said was his personal opinion. The notification (to acquire land) can be cancelled only by a high-powered committee. The government has not yet cancelled the notification, Fadnavis had said. Thackerays remarks in Ahmednagar is sign of the already widened rift between the Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Thackeray was in Ahmednagar to meet families of the two Sena leaders who were murdered in the city earlier this month. After the meeting, Thackeray addressed a press conference in which he targeted the government. On April 6, two Shiv Sena leaders, including the deputy leader of the partys Ahmednagar unit, were shot dead in Kedgaon leading to tension in the district. Following the incident, local police officials arrested eight persons including Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) legislator Sangram Jagtap and Congress corporator Vishal Kotkar in connection with the murders. The Sena chief also reiterated the demand for a separate minister for home in the state. The chief minister is busy with development of the state. While doing this, he may not have time to pay attention to the home ministry and the law and order situation in the state. Therefore, we once again demand a separate minister for home in Maharashtra. The home portfolio is currently with Fadnavis and he has two deputies Deepak Kesarkar, who is a Shiv Sena leader and Ranjit Patil, a BJP member. Nanar project The Nanar project is a joint venture between a consortium of three Indian oil companies IOC, BPCL and HPCL and oil giant Saudi Aramco. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Aramco and the Indian consortium on April 13. The mega project is expected to generate one lakh jobs and bring in investment of up to Rs 1 lakh crore. Hitting police investigation against him, Lok Insaaf Party (LIP) MLA from Atam Nagar Simarjeet Singh Bains, booked for obstructing public servants and for trespass at the passport office on Tuesday, flew to Australia on Wednesday morning for a Baisakhi event and will return by May 5. Assistant passport officer Yashpal had alleged that Bains, along with supporters and gunmen, forcibly entered the Passport Seva Kendra, on Tuesday, and started making videos on phones, scaring away applicants and disrupting work. This was the second time since August that Bains had trespassed, Yaspal had claimed. In another development, Chandigarh Regional Passport Office (RPO) will issue a show-cause notice to Bains. This was after members of Ludhiana Passport Employees Association threatened to go on a strike. They even demanded the shifting of their office to Chandigarh. Passport officer Sibash Kabiraj said, Just last week, we had renewed the short-validity passport of Simarjeet Singh Bains on the orders of a local court in Ludhiana. It has been found that he did not disclose details of several criminal cases pending against him. Therefore, we are issuing him a show-cause notice, seeking a reply on why he did not disclose details of criminal cases pending against him. Bains would have to reply within 15 days. Officials added that the department had the right to revoke Bains' passport and if this was done, he would be deported immediately from Australia to India. Went there to check touts, graft claims brother Simarjeets brother, Balwinder Singh Bains, the MLA from Ludhiana South, claimed that his brother had gone to the passport office to expose unauthorised agents. We had information that one Harpreet Singh got prepared a voter I-card within a few minutes by paying Rs 14,000 to touts outside the passport office. Employees at the office accepted the document without verification. My brother pointed this out, he claimed. Simarjeet also released a statement, claiming that he would continue to visit government offices to expose corruption. Bains has been booked under sections 451 (trespass), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from duty), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC at Model Town police station. 500 passports revoked Around 500 passports from Punjab and Haryana were revoked on Wednesday. The RPO said the reason for cancellation of these passports was either furnishing of false information with respect to pending criminal cases etc or the wrong address of the applicant. (With inputs from Jatinder Kaur Tur in Chandigarh) Known most prominently for once being a textile hub, this industrial town in Punjabs Kapurthala district on National Highway-1 has been under virtual lockdown for nearly two weeks now, as a caste clash of April 13 over renaming a chowk (crossing) continues to cast a shadow. The clash and its aftershocks war of words between, and within, the Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has only been escalating have opened up a faultline between Dalits and upper caste Hindus at a time when the rest of the country too has witnessed violence over this age-old divide. Prominent Dalit face Jarnail Singh Nangal, 43, a former BSP leader who contested last years assembly polls from Phagwara on Ludhiana-based Bains brothers Lok Insaaf Party, is at the centre of the Dalits-vs-Hindutva forces controversy. And the tension is now spread across the Doaba region, where Punjabs Dalit population, the highest among all states at 32%, is concentrated. Doaba has in the past seen clashes primarily between Dalits, or other lower castes, and hardline Sikhs; but this clash has a dimension seldom seen here, that of Dalits versus Hindutva forces. It began late evening on Baisakhi, April 13, when a group of Dalit leaders owing allegiance to an outfit named Ambedkar Sena (Mool Niwasi) put up a hoarding at Gol Chowk to rename it as Samvidhan Chowk, to pay tribute to the main architect of Indias samvidhan or Constitution, Bhim Rao Ambedkar, who is considered a Dalit icon. It was his birth anniversary the next day. Man at centre of controversy Prominent Dalit face Jarnail Singh Nangal, 43, a former BSP leader who contested last years assembly polls from Phagwara on Ludhiana-based Bains brothers Lok Insaaf Party, is at the centre of the Dalits-vs-Hindutva forces controversy. As per the police FIR into the April 13 clash, he was leading the Ambedkar Sena men who came to install a hoarding carrying the name Samvidhan Chowk at the crossing over which the flare-up happened. The move was objected to by Shiv Sena and some local BJP workers. Nangal, who is being criticised by local Congress and the BJP leaders for inciting tension, led the campaign following which names of seven Dalits were dropped from the FIR. He was also part of the delegation that met CM Amarinder Singh on Tuesday even as local Congress leader and former minister Joginder Maan criticised him for playing politics on the issue. Even as all other stakeholders in this controversy, be it the General Samaj Manch or leaders across parties, are gunning for him, he is yet to be arrested by the police. All of them are targeting me because they feel threatened by my seriousness in the fight for Dalit rights, he said. Cops could not control Within minutes, some activists of a self-styled Hindu outfit, Shiv Sena (Bal Thackerey), reached the spot and objected to the board that had the new name in Punjabi and a portrait of Ambedkar. They said the crossing had already been renamed Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh Chowk. As the arguments turned heated, police intervened but could not check the pushing and shoving, and soon the additional deputy commissioner (ADC), Babita Kaler, and superintendent of police (SP) Parminder Bhandal reached the spot too. But they could not control the situation. A scuffle soon turned into full-blown violence, and the Shiv Sena group even fired shots in the presence of the police, seriously injuring two Dalit activists, said a top police official from the intelligence wing privy to the developments. The local officials, as per eyewitnesses, rather than trying to disperse the groups, kept listening to their claims for nearly two hours. And when the scuffle broke out close to midnight, the cops watched helplessly. Eventually five persons were injured, with one of them still in hospital in a serious condition. Fuel for some More than 33 people from both sides were booked in the FIR registered on April 14, and the police arrested four leaders from the Hindu right wing. These arrests have worked as fuel for them. What showed the partisan role of the local police was that, after a few days, they removed names of seven Dalits from the FIR. No Dalit leader has been arrested yet, said Naresh Bhardwaj, a leader of the General Samaj Manch, a group claiming to represent the general category. The issue heated up further when some local leaders, such as Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) MLA (Adampur) Pawan Kumar Tinu and Congress MLA (Chabbewal) Dr Raj Kumar, and some from the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), extended support to the Dalit faction, alleged Som Parkash, the local BJP MLA who happens to be a Dalit too. People from across party lines are targeting me because they feel threatened by my seriousness towards the fight for Dalit rights. Jarnail Singh Nangal, Dalit leader His naming of the SAD MLA must be noted, since the party is a partner of the BJP in the state and at the national level. Tinu, when contacted, said that being a Dalit leader it was his duty to safeguard the community. Som Parkash ji should rise above politics to support the downtrodden, he added. Things, however, appeared to be quietening down by Tuesday afternoon. It was not to be. Not over yet Som Parkash has since backed the General Samaj Manch and even reiterated the claim that the chowk was already named after Bhagat Singh. This was part of a renewed flare-up brought about by two incidents in quick succession on Tuesday evening. First, police had to gather in a local bazaar after some Dalits were reportedly forcing shopkeepers to down shutters; and then came news about chief minister Capt Amarinder Singhs meeting with Dalit leaders in Chandigarh that ended in his in-principle approval to renaming the crossing as Samvidhan Chowk, thus getting back to the nub of the controversy. Minutes later, General Samaj Manch supporters sat on a dharna and announced a bandh demanding withdrawal of the CMs announcement. Timeline Apr 13: Five injured in clash between Dalit outfit and Hindu upper caste right wing activists as Dalits seek to rename a crossing after the samvidhan or Constitution framed prominently by Dalit icon BR Ambedkar Apr 14: Internet suspended for 3 days in Doaba region; FIR against 33 persons across both sides under sections 307 (attempt to murder), 295A (hurting religious sentiments) and others as per IPC Apr 15: Right wing group Shiv Senas four leaders arrested Apr 16: Bandh in Phagwara due to escalating tension Apr 17: Senior local leaders hold meeting appealing for peace Apr 20: Situation peaceful but tense; admn cancels gun licences of four arrested right-wing leaders Apr 23: Police remove names of 7 Dalits, including one who remains in hospital, from the FIR Apr 24: Amarinder tries to assuage sentiments of Dalit community by giving approval to the name Samvidhan Chowk; Phagwara BJP and General Samaj Manch oppose move, hold protest, pitch Bhagat Singhs name as option instead April 25: General Samaj Manch lifts dharna for now with a deadline to arrest Dalit group leader Jarnail Singh Nangal by April 30 This dharna was lifted only after an assurance by inspector general of police (IGP) Jalandhar range, Naunihal Singh of a fair probe and strong action against any Dalit involved in violence. Piquant situation for BJP, Cong MLA Som Parkash, who had preferred not to take sides he is a Dalit in a party often accused of favouring upper castes came out openly in favour of Manch. Mayor Arun Khosla, who is from BJP too, and SAD district unit chief Jarnail Singh Wahid also sat on the dharna held by the Manch. Some Congress leaders, including block unit president Sanjeev Bugga, and the partys councillors from the general category also came out in favour of the Manch, demanding action against Dalit leaders involved in the clash who met the CM. Amid all this, a silence that rings loud is that of Union minister and Hoshiarpur MP Vijay Sampla of BJP, a Dalit leader in whose segment falls Phagwara. Said to be on a foreign tour, Sampla was president of the state unit of BJP and was seen as a push of the saffron party into the Dalit fold. Earlier this month, he was replaced with Shwait Malik, a leader in the mould of upper caste traders whom the party is seeking to woo back after their drift towards the Congress in last years assembly polls. Row over roundabout that was Theres an irony, too, at the heart of the caste clash over renaming of a chowk (crossing or roundabout) that exists only in name now. It was once Gol Chowk (literally, round crossing) but was removed five years ago as a flyover came up on the national highway. The flyover is yet be operational, though. At the spot where the chowk once stood, now is only a non-descript pillar of the flyover on which Dalit groups installed the hoarding of Samvidhan Chowk. A gas cylinder exploded in a labour colony in Giaspura area of the city on Thursday morning, killing a woman and injuring 33 people, 16 of whom were stated to be critical. The cylinder explosion took place at 6.45am in a house belonging to Ashok Kumar Yadav in Smart Colony. The gas cylinder caught fire and when Ashok, his wife and some neighbours tried to put out the flames, the cylinder exploded causing injuries to those who had gathered around the spot. A wall of the building also collapsed, police said. Punjab: 24 people injured in a gas cylinder explosion, in Ludhiana's Giaspura; Injured admitted to the hospital ANI (@ANI) April 26, 2018 Sunita Rani Yadav, 40, of Pratapgarh in Uttar Pradesh, suffered 100% burns and died in the evening at Christian Medical College and Hospital (CMCH). Her husband, two daughters and a son received critical injuries. Sunitas brother-in-law, Dharmendra, the only surviving resident in the house where the blast occurred, had gone to buy milk. The house is surrounding by vehras, inhabited by labourers. Sunitas son, 14-year-old Raj also succumbed to burn injuries late in the evening at CMCH. He had received 90% burns. Two victims have been referred to the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, in a critical condition. Injured getting medical treatment at the Ludhiana civil hospital on Thursday. (Gurpreet Singh/HT) Ludhiana mayor Balkar Singh Sandhu has announced free treatment to all patients. I was shocked seeing people caught in flames and crying for help. Police were informed and rescue operation was initiated with the help of locals, said Dharminder, adding that the fire brigade reached the spot at 8am. By then, the flames had been doused, he said. Focal Point station house officer Amandeep Singh Brar said instead of waiting for ambulances, some victims were taken to the hospital in police vehicles. The LPG cylinder at Ashoks house was leaking. After the electricity supply to the area was restored at 6.45am after a brief power cut, the cylinder caught fire, the SHO said. Sub-divisional magistrate (SDM, east) Amarjit Bains said the administration has contacted the gas company to provide insurance cover to the victims. Everyone loves a good deal, whether its for the latest gadget or flight tickets. If expenses are stopping you from exploring new places, weve got you covered. This summer, travel on a budget without compromising on the experience. John DiScala, better known as the air travel expert Johnny Jet , recently talked with The Associated Press travel podcast, Get Outta Here!, about strategies for booking flights, finding deals, coping with baggage restrictions and dealing with unreasonable demands from airline personnel. Associated Press: How do we get the best fares? Johnny Jet: Be flexible. Youre not going to get a deal when everyone else wants to fly. I use Thanksgiving as an example: Everyone wants to leave the Wednesday before and return Sunday or Monday morning after. The airlines have no incentive to give you a deal. That goes for every holiday, every spring break. If you move up your plans by a day or two, you could save 40%, sometimes even 50%. Almost every major city has multiple airports. Everyone thinks when theyre going to South Florida they want to go to Miami. But look at Fort Lauderdale, its 26 miles away and usually a lot cheaper. You can even look at West Palm Beach (airport), which is another 40 miles away. If youre coming out to California where I live, everyone looks at LAX, but theres also Long Beach or Burbank or even John Wayne. If you have a lot of baggage, look at the fine print and find out whats allowed and whats not allowed. (Shutterstock) AP: How do you book flights? Do you search on an aggregator and then book on the airline site? Johnny Jet: I go to Google Flights when Im booking trips, and then Ill go directly to the airline. But Google Flights doesnt always have the cheapest. So lets say if you want to fly Southwest, you have to go to Southwest.com because they dont show up in these aggregators. If you know what city you want to go to and the dates, you can have an alert sent when the price drops or if its going to increase. Google Flights does a really good job on that as well. AP: How about airline credit cards? Worth it? Johnny Jet: If you fly a lot on a certain airline, then its definitely worth getting that airline credit card, because it will give you more miles, it will give you the perks, free bags, usually at least the first checked bag for free. But generally the airline credit cards are not such good deals. You want to get the other ones that let you transfer your points to multiple different airlines so youre not just stuck with one, like the Chase Sapphire, American Express Platinum card, Barclaycards new Premier. AP: How do you avoid paying for baggage? Johnny Jet: You need to really look at the fare class youre taking because now even the big airlines like American and United and Delta are charging for carry-on bags on certain fares. Theyre trying to compete with the low-fare carriers who now charge up to $100 just to bring your bag on the plane and put it in the overhead bin. Look at the fine print and find out whats allowed and whats not allowed. AP: What should passengers do if they are asked by airline personnel to do unreasonable things, like putting a dog in an overhead bin or being ordered to give up their seat when they have a ticket and a right to be there? Johnny Jet: Id say, Listen, I really strongly disagree. Can we ask your colleague or ask the pilot, just because I want to make sure? And if you smile when you do that, you should be OK. But if you give them attitude, some of these guys are having really bad days and sometimes theyre just looking to kick people off. Subscribe to the AP Travel podcast, Get Outta Here!, on iTunes. Follow @htlifeandstyle for more As Britains National Health Service (NHS) completes 70 years, Indian doctors who worked for it over the decades are being hailed not only for their contribution but for their central role in its development as architects and lifeblood. Set up in 1948 to provide free medical services to all, NHS faced a major shortage in the initial years (as it does now), particularly in areas considered inner-city and populated by working class people, where white British professionals were loathe to serve. Educated under a medical syllabus influenced by the legacy of the British Empire, Indian doctors came to the UK to train and settled to pursue careers in the NHS. Their role is the focus of a new exhibition at the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) from Thursday. The latest figures show there are 25,711 doctors who gained their qualifications in India, the largest country group in the NHS from outside the UK. There are as many as 1,724 doctors on the register with the surname Patel. A spokesperson for the General Medical Council, which registers and regulated doctors in Britain, said, The medical profession in the UK relies on the expertise of doctors from overseas. Their contribution and the diversity of experience they bring are invaluable. Indian doctors are also reflected in popular British culture, for example The Indian Doctor, BBCs five-part television drama set in a south Wales mining village in the 1960s, which starred Sanjeev Bhaskar and Ayesha Dharker and was telecast in 2010. Julian M Simpson, author of a book on doctors from India and South Asia, said: Doctors from the Indian subcontinent were not just contributing to the NHS, they were its very lifeblood. We should acknowledge they were among the architects of the NHS. Described as groundbreaking, the RCGP exhibition draws on archival research, photographs and oral history interviews with 40 general practitioners who moved to Britain from South Asia during the early period of NHS. RCGP president Mayur Lakhani said: General practice in the UK would not be what it is today without the hard work, innovation, and courage of our predecessors...Indeed, without them, our profession and the NHS might not even exist at all. Not only were they doctors, but they became highly valued members of the communities in which they practised. Whilst many faced incredible challenges, our exhibition also documents the overwhelmingly positive and lifelong relationships they forged with their patients. But the story of Indian doctors in Britain has not always been one of celebration. There have been numerous cases of discrimination and worse, many of them were unable to enter or progress in high-profile medical streams. The exhibition acknowledges they often faced racial discrimination and, for women, sexual and racial discrimination, when applying for jobs. Shiv Pande, who gained his medical qualification in Indore and moved to the UK in 1971 to work in cardio-thoracic surgery at the London Chest Hospital, said: Due to discrimination, I couldnt get further in cardio-thoracic surgery and had to move into general practice. But it was a nice move as I could do more for my patients. Simpson, on whose book the exhibition is based, said: The NHS evolved during its first four decades into a system based around general practice and primary care. By becoming family doctors, South Asian doctors prevented a GP recruitment crisis. Its important to also remember that the NHS was established to make healthcare accessible to those who could not afford it. And for millions of people, particularly in working class communities across Britain, accessing that care meant going to see a GP from the Indian subcontinent. Besides Pande, RCGP honoured six senior doctors from south Asia at the exhibition launch event, including Has Joshi, KS Bhanumathi, Krishna Rao Korlipara and Sri Venugopal. Months after a tense standoff with the Indian military near the Sikkim border, the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) on Thursday invoked Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore while talking about the common development of the two countries. China and India are neighbours that can't be moved. There are historical facts about ancient exchanges and mutual understanding. There is hope for common development, PLA spokesman Wu Qian said. I recall that when President Xi (Jinping) visited India, he told a story that more than 90 years ago, the Indian poet Tagore visited China and was warmly welcomed by the Chinese people. Quoting the renowned poet, Wu added: As soon as he set foot on Chinas land, Tagore said: I dont know what the reason is. To return to China is like returning to my hometown. My heart is here, Wu further quoted Tagore as saying. It is the common wish of both peoples to stabilise the relations between the Chinese and Indian armed forces and maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas, he said. Border troops from both sides were locked in a 73-day standoff at Doklam last year. Wu acknowledged ties between the two militaries still faced some difficulties and obstacles, but said consensus developed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Xi would serve as guidelines to deepen our understanding. Meanwhile, Chinas commerce ministry announced on Thursday that trade with India had gone up by more than 22% in the first quarter of 2018. By the end of 2017, Chinese investments into India added up to more than $8 billion, as India has become an important market for infrastructure cooperation among Chinese companies and a major investment destination, a ministry official said. The growth continued from the upward momentum seen last year, when bilateral trade reached a record high of $84.4 billion, up 20.3% from 2016, the official added. French President Emmanuel Macrons offer of a four-pillar new deal with Iran made during his talks with US President Donald Trump has been rejected by Tehran, with the European Union quickly distancing itself from it and defending the 2015 agreement, calling for it to be preserved. The Joint Comprehensive Plans of Action was signed by the US, UK, France, China and Russia, Germany and the EU on side and Iran on the other and went into effect in 2016, but the US president has been mandated by Congress to certify Iranian compliance every 90 days for America to abide by the deal. Trump has threatened to not sign the certification due on May 12, which might lead to the US snapping back sanctions on Iran and killing the deal. All other signatories want to continue with the agreement, with German Chancellor Angela Merkel due to visit Washington later this week and British Prime Minister Teresa May expected to follow up with a phone call. However, Macron, who is called the Trump whisperer and was expected to use his closeness to the US president to save the deal, might have run too far ahead of the rest. Addressing the US Congress on Wednesday, Macron defended his offer of a new deal, arguing that though the JCPOA had inadequacies, it should not be abandoned without an alternative plan that addresses those shortcomings, as did his comprehensive new agreement. Iran shall never possess any nuclear weapons. Not now. Not in five years. Not in 10 years. Never, he said. At a joint briefing with Trump on Tuesday, Macron had said that his new deal was based on four pillars, which he said were the JCPOA, extending the freeze on Irans nuclear weapons programme beyond 2025, ending Irans ballistic missiles programme, and curtailing its influence in the Middle East, especially Yemen, Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon. He said: I think this is what weve been agreeing upon today Its not about tearing apart an agreement and have nothing, but its about building something new that will cover all of our concerns. The rejection from Iran was decisive. We have an agreement called the JCPOA, said President Hassan Rouhani in a speech in Tehran. It will either last or not. If the JCPOA stays, it stays in full. Tehran has said that if the nuclear deal falls through, it will also quit the international Non-Proliferation Treaty. The European Union was equally clear in its opposition to the offer. There is one deal, said EUs foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini in Brussels. It is working, it needs to be preserved. The long-held conspiracy theory that former US President John F Kennedy was shot by a second gunman from the grassy knoll site is wrong, according to a new analysis of video footage of the shooting. The results, published in the journal Heliyon, support the official autopsy findings that Kennedy suffered a gunshot wound caused by the same type of rifle as that owned by Lee Harvey Oswald, fired from the vicinity of the Texas School Book Depository building located behind the motorcade. Kennedy was assassinated on November 22, 1963, while riding in a presidential motorcade at Dealey Plaza, in Dallas, Texas. Oswald was arrested shortly after the shooting. A now widespread conspiracy theory posits that Kennedy was actually shot from a different location - the grassy knoll. The classified JFK files were recently released, and the fate of a few remaining files will soon be decided, said Nicholas Nalli, a senior research scientist at I M Systems Group, Inc. (IMSG) in the US. Given the current trendiness of news that are not based on facts, the study shows that thorough scientific investigation can make a difference in supporting one theory over another, and I therefore believe that the topic is as relevant today as it was nearly 55 years ago, he said. There were several video recordings of the incident, and one in particular shows the shooting in detail. A civilian bystander, Abraham Zapruder, filmed the motorcade with a 8-mm home movie camera, inadvertently recording an 8 second sequence of events that included a fatal gunshot wound to Kennedy in the head. The Zapruder film shows the Presidents head moving back and to the left, which Nalli suggests was due to a recoil effect. However, he also noted that observers had missed one vital part of the evidence: the forward head snap at the moment of the fatal bullet impact. When analysed using fundamental classical mechanics, the forward head snap, which is visible in the Zapruder film, provides proof that Kennedy was shot in the head from behind. Rather than gloss over this fact, as has been done by most previous authors, including anti-conspiracy authors, I chose to study and model it explicitly, said Nalli. He developed a simple one-dimensional gunshot wound dynamics model to explain the movements observed in the film. The model makes explicit calculations of the forward head snap that occurred before Kennedys head moved back and to the left after the gunshot. To do this, the model uses known parameters from the crime scene, including bullet mass, speed, and diameter, camera shutter frequency and autopsy measurements. This is the first time this aspect of the case has been considered so thoroughly and quantitatively. The calculations show quantitatively that Kennedys reactions after being shot in the head, as seen in the film, are physically consistent with a gunshot wound caused by a high-energy Carcano military rifle, the evidence rifle owned by Oswald. The findings do not entirely rule out a conspiracy, but they do refute the most prominent theories that the fatal shot was fired from the grassy knoll. They also oppose the idea that the Zapruder film proves a conspiracy - in fact, the opposite appears to be true, researchers said. Irans supreme leader called on Muslim nations to unite against the United States, saying Tehran would never yield to bullying, state television reported on Thursday. The Iranian nation has successfully resisted bullying attempts by America and other arrogant powers and we will continue to resist... All Muslim nations should stand united against America and other enemies, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said. Irans top authority criticised Trump for saying on Tuesday some countries in the Middle East wouldnt last a week without U.S. protection. Such remarks are humiliation for Muslims ... Unfortunately there is war in our region between Muslim countries. The backward governments of some Muslim countries are fighting with other countries, Khamenei said. Iran and Saudi Arabia have long been locked in a proxy war, competing for regional supremacy from Iraq to Syria and Lebanon to Yemen. Israel would retaliate against any Iranian attack on Tel Aviv by striking Tehran, Israels defence minister said in remarks published on Thursday, as the arch-foes faced off over Syria. The comments by Avigdor Lieberman were an unusually explicit Israeli threat to take military action within Iranian territory, and followed a surge of unprecedented confrontations between the countries forces in civil war-torn Syria. Israel doesnt want war ... but if Iran attacks Tel Aviv, we will hit Tehran, Avigdor Lieberman told the Arabic-language, Saudi-owned news website Elaph, which is based in London. Coastal Tel Aviv is Israels commercial capital, where its military is headquartered. Iran, which does not recognise Israels right to exist, often threatens strikes on Tel Aviv. An Israeli-Iranian showdown has loomed since Feb. 10, when Israel said an armed drone sent from a Syrian base penetrated its air space. Israel blew up the drone and carried out a raid on Syrian air defences in which one of its F-16 jets was downed. On April 9, an air strike killed seven Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps members at the Syrian base. Tehran blamed Israel and vowed unspecified retaliation, drawing Israeli counter-threats to broaden attacks on Iranian military assets in Syria. The Israelis say their strikes aim to prevent Irans garrison in Syria from entrenching itself deeper in support of President Bashar al-Assad and linking with Hezbollah in Lebanon to form a broad front against them. Every outpost in which we see Iran positioning militarily in Syria, we will destory, and we will not allow this no matter what the price, Lieberman told Elaph. Japan has lodged a formal protest against Seouls choice of dessert for Fridays historic summit between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Koreas Kim Jong-un, the media reported on Thursday. Tokyo has protested about the mango mousse because the dish features a map of the Korean Peninsula that includes a contested island that is claimed by Japan, reports CNN. Japans Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Wednesday that Kenji Kanasugi, the Director-General of the Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau, had told the South Korean Embassy that the inclusion of Takeshima, or Dokdo island, was very regrettable and not acceptable. Japan says that South Korea is illegally occupying the rocky islands that lie east of the peninsula and it was an issue that has long soured relations between the two countries. South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha brushed off the complaint during an interview on Thursday, telling CNN that it was a non-issue. Images released by South Korea on Wednesday show a similar map on the top of specially designed chairs which seat Moon and Kim when they meet at the southern side of the Demilitarized Zone that divides the two countries. The Japanese have complained about those as well, CNN reported. Seoul has spared no effort in its preparations for the summit, the first time the leaders of North and South Korea have met in more than a decade. In the room in the Peace House where they will meet, the normal rectangular table has been replaced by an oval one. Moons office hopes the shape will encourage the summits participants to talk candidly. Other design features focus on a shared history between the two countries, including incorporating elements of a Hanok, a traditional Korean house. At the dinner after the summit, each course on the menu comes with a heavy dash of symbolism. Guests will be served a dish from the hometown of the three South Korean presidents who will have hosted an inter-Korean summit. They will eat food from the Korean Peninsulas far north and south, including cold noodles, dumplings and barbecued beef. There will even be food sourced from the demilitarized zone itself. Mike Pompeo was on Thursday confirmed as the US secretary of state, with the Senate voting 57-42 in his favour. He succeeded Rex Tillerson, who had had a tumultuous tenure marked by clashes with President Donald Trump. The confirmation was a foregone conclusion in the Republican-dominated Senate after one Democratic senator pledged support for Pompeo earlier in the week, with two theirs also voting for him on Thursday. India had been watching the process closely as the confirmation will determine the timing for the first 2+2 dialogue between India and USs foreign and defence ministers. The meet was supposed to take place in April but was postponed. However, the nomination had a rocky passage. Pompeo was questioned at length about remarks made by a blogger and promoted by his campaign about an Indian-origin political opponent. The blog in question had referred to Democrat Raj Goyle as evil and just another turban-topper during Pompeos first run for the US House of Representatives in 2010. Goyle later said Pompeo had personally called him to apologise. However, Bob Menendez, the senior-most Democrat on the Senate foreign relations committee, pressed him on the incident, asking which Pompeo would advise Trump on sensitive international issues. Would it be the Pompeo who once called a political opponent a turban-topper? he said. Menendez pressed on: How will he explain this kind of rhetoric to people of myriad different faiths who wear turbans whether millions of Sikhs, Punjabis or Muslims in India, a critically important ally? He was also grilled about his remarks and position on the LGBTQ community he opposes same-sex marriage and on Muslims. Pompeo defended by saying that as director of CIA, he had never discriminated against anyone for reasons of colour, creed or sexual orientation. But Democrats were looking for more. Chuck Schumer, the top Democrat in the Senate, said: I also asked him if hed be willing to recant what hed said about Muslims and Indian Americans, LGBTQ Americans, and womens rights, now that he was in line to be our secretary of state and had to deal with countries that might be affected by his remarks. So, with a clear conscience, he added, I will be voting against Mr Pompeos nomination. A Pakistani court disqualified foreign minister Khawaja Asif on Thursday for dishonesty, dealing another blow to the ruling PML-N party ahead of a crucial general election due in a few months. A three-judge bench of the Islamabad high court unanimously ruled that 68-year-old Asif was not truthful and honest under Article 62 (1)(f) of the Constitution as he had not declared that he held an iqama or work permit of the United Arab Emirates. His disqualification means he will be ineligible to hold public office for life. We declare that the respondent (Asif) was not qualified to contest the general election of 2013...as he did not fulfil the conditions described under Article 62(1)(f) of the Constitution, the bench said. Article 62, which sets the precondition for a lawmaker to be sadiq and ameen (honest and righteous), is the same provision used to disqualify former prime minister Nawaz Sharif last year in the Panama Papers case. Soon after the verdict, Asif told the media he would challenge the ruling in the Supreme Court. He said he had never concealed his foreign work permit. Asif is a close aide of Sharif and is widely seen as an outspoken critic of military interference in politics. He was serving his fourth consecutive term as a member of the National Assembly, the lower house of Parliament. Sharif and other top PML-N leaders have complained that the judiciary is targeting the party ahead of the general election, expected in July, at the behest of the military. Speaking shortly after the verdict against Asif, Sharif urged PML-N workers to mobilise ahead of the elections no matter what happens in the courts. Sharif and some family members are facing a Supreme Court-ordered trial in an anti-corruption court, which is expected to make a ruling next month. Sharif could face prison if convicted. The Islamabad high court noted in its verdict, We have handed down this judgment with a heavy heart not only because a seasoned and accomplished political figure stands disqualified but more so because the dreams and aspirations of 342,125 registered voters have suffered a setback. The bench observed Asif had taken the stance that the employment contracts were executed merely to fulfil requirements under the laws of the UAE. In this regard, a certificate dated 12.04.2018, executed by the managing director of the company, has also been placed on record...In other words, the respondent has taken a stance which tatamounts to acknowledging that he had executed a false contract with the intent of deceiving the laws of another sovereign state, the order said. The courts registrar was directed to send a copy of the judgement to the Election Commission and Speaker of the National Assembly to denotify Asif as an MP. The petition against Asif was filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Usman Dar, seeking his disqualification for holding a UAE work permit. Dar lost the election to Asif in 2013. Dar alleged Asif had an unlimited term contract with International Mechanical and Electrical Co and that he was hired as a full-time employee in July 2011. He alleged Asif was to receive a monthly salary of AED 35,000 and a monthly allowance of AED 15,000, which he did not declare. The petition pointed out the work permit was valid till June 2019. During the hearing, Asif submitted a letter from the company that said he was not a full-time employee and only worked as a consultant. Saudi Arabia has executed 48 people in the past four months, half on non-violent drug charges, Human Rights Watch said, urging the kingdom to improve its notoriously unfair criminal justice system. Saudi Arabia has executed 48 people since the beginning of 2018, the US-based rights group said in a report published late last night. Many more people convicted of drug crimes remain on death row following convictions by Saudi Arabias notoriously unfair criminal justice system. The ultra-conservative kingdom has one of the worlds highest rates of execution, with suspects convicted of terrorism, homicide, rape, armed robbery and drug trafficking facing the death penalty. Rights experts have repeatedly raised concerns about the fairness of trials in the kingdom, governed under a strict form of Islamic law. The government says the death penalty is a deterrent for further crime. Its bad enough that Saudi Arabia executes so many people, but many of them have not committed a violent crime, said HRWs Middle East director Sarah Leah Whitson. Any plan to limit drug executions needs to include improvements to a justice system that doesnt provide for fair trials. HRW says Saudi Arabia has carried out nearly 600 executions since the beginning of 2014, more than a third of them in drug cases. Last year, nearly 150 people were put to death in the kingdom, where convicts are beheaded using a sword. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, next in line to the throne, this month suggested the kingdom would consider changing the penalty from death to life in certain cases except murder in an interview with Time Magazine. The powerful prince is spearheading a drive to soften the kingdoms image as it looks to diversify its oil-dependent economy and attract international investors. United States intelligence experts are trying to build a profile of Kim Jong Un to give President Donald Trump a competitive edge in one of the most consequential summits since the Cold War, but they face a huge challenge figuring out a secretive North Korean ruler few people know much about. Following a long tradition of arming US presidents with political and psychological dossiers of foreign leaders ahead of critical negotiations, government analysts are gathering every new bit of information they can glean about Kim and making adjustments to earlier assessments of what makes him tick, US officials told Reuters. They will rely in part on the impressions drawn by CIA director Mike Pompeo, who just weeks ago became the first Trump administration official to meet Kim. Pompeo, Trumps pick to become secretary of state, came back from Pyongyang privately describing the young North Korean leader as a smart guy whos doing his homework for the meetings, according to one US official, who described Pompeos personal view of Kim for the first time. The profile will also include intelligence gathered in past debriefings of others who have interacted with Kim, including ex-NBA star Dennis Rodman, Kims former classmates at a Swiss boarding school and South Korean envoys, other US officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity. All of this is being used to update the US governments classified file on Kims behaviour, motives, personality and leadership style to help Trump and his aides develop a strategy for dealing with Kim at the expected first-ever meeting of US and North Korean leaders. A White House official declined to confirm any specifics about the drive to better understand Kim, except to say, There is a robust whole of government effort under way to prepare for the presidents summit, which is targeted for late May or early June. Despite that, direct knowledge of Kim remains limited a black box, according to one US official familiar with the profiling efforts especially given the scarcity of spies and informants on the ground and the difficulties of cyber-espionage in a country where Internet usage is minimal. When Kim first came to power, the CIA predicted that Kims rule might be short-lived. Seven years later that prediction has been dropped and he is now seen as a shrewd and ruthless leader. More recently, many US experts were caught off-guard by how nimbly Kim shifted from his saber-rattling drive to build a nuclear missile arsenal to diplomatic outreach. Rational actor The emerging US consensus on Kim is similar to what many outside experts have publicly concluded. He is seen as a rational actor, said US officials not the total nut job that Trump once branded him. He craves international stature but his main aim is regime survival and perpetuating his family dynasty, suggesting it will be hard for him to agree to full nuclear disarmament, the officials said. He is ruthless enough to have had relatives executed but now feels secure enough in power to gamble on Trump, they said. In terms of personality, he is seen more like his charismatic grandfather, Kim Il Sung, than his more camera-shy father. His dispatch of his sister to the Winter Olympics in South Korea in February and a rare appearance by his wife when South Korean envoys visited in March demonstrates an effort to humanize his leadership abroad, they added. Shielded by North Koreas extreme opaqueness, Kim has posed a special set of profiling problems for US spy agencies. US director of national intelligence Dan Coats said in a speech earlier this month that North Koreas leadership was one of the hardest collection components out there for intelligence gathering. US experts will be closely studying both Kims words and body language at his historic summit with South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Friday, officials said. US intelligence analysts have spent years examining Kims family history, speeches, photos and video, and they are now closely analysing images and reports of his recent high-profile meetings with South Korean and Chinese officials. US authorities have also interviewed North Korean defectors and even resorted to second-hand sources such as the memoir of a Japanese sushi chef who once worked for the Kim family, several officials and experts said. Amid the scramble to put together the Kim profile, US officials said another challenge was determining how much information to give Trump known to have little patience for detailed briefings or lengthy documents and then persuading him not to act purely on gut instinct, as he often does with foreign leaders. Briefers are expected to limit their presentation to an abridged version, accompanied by photos, maps, drawings and video, the officials said. It will not be the first time intelligence officers have relied on visual aids to help get him up to speed on North Korea. Early in his administration, Trump was shown a scale model of North Koreas sprawling nuclear bomb test site with a removable mountaintop and a miniature Statue of Liberty inside so he could grasp the size of the facility, two US officials said. A White House official declined comment on the episode. Trumps defenders say he is adept at absorbing facts visually. His successful building career means he was very good at studying architectural renderings and floor plans. So hes a visual learner, and it works well for him, the White House official said. US officials said another challenge was determining how much information to give Donald Trump known to have little patience for detailed briefings or lengthy documents and then persuading him not to act purely on gut instinct, as he often does with foreign leaders. (AP/File Photo) Its never perfect For decades, US administrations have ordered up profiles of foreign leaders, especially those of adversaries such as Saddam Hussein of Iraq, Muammar Gaddafi of Libya and Fidel Castro of Cuba. Many other governments conduct similar studies. Such assessments, which originated with the US governments efforts to better understand Germanys Adolf Hitler, have sometimes been deemed helpful to US policymakers. Former President Jimmy Carter wrote in his memoir Keeping Faith that in-depth profiles of Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and Egyptian President Anwar Sadat paid rich dividends in helping him reach a 1978 peace accord. But the know thy enemy practice has been far from fool-proof. For instance, initial bare-bones assessments of Kim put together soon after he took power in 2011 suggested he was possibly too inexperienced to survive internal struggles but that if he did he would likely be more interested in reforming North Koreas battered economy than pursuing nuclear weapons. Its never perfect, acknowledged Jerrold Post, a psychiatrist who founded the CIAs centre for the study of political personality and has profiled both Kim and his father. But we need to do our best to understand how Kim sees the world. Post, now in private psychiatric practice in Maryland, said he was consulted recently by a Trump aide who was due to brief the president. He declined to elaborate on what advice he gave. We all listen to the forensic psychiatrists of the intelligence community, said Wendy Sherman, a former US negotiator with North Korea who traveled to Pyongyang with then-Secretary of State Madeleine Albright in 2000 to meet Kims father, Kim Jong Il. But she suggested face-to-face contact was the best way to take the measure of a North Korean leader. Im sure Mike Pompeo, having gone with an intelligence team, came back with a lot of useful information, she told Reuters. The United States on Thursday urged the Taliban to return to Afghanistan from their foreign safe havens and turn their bullets and bombs into ballots. The Taliban on Wednesday announced the commencement of their annual spring offensive in the war-ravaged country, in an apparent rejection of calls for the militants to accept the Afghan governments offer of peace talks. Reacting to the Talibans announcement, acting US secretary of state John Sullivan said there was no need for a new fighting season, and it was time for the Taliban to participate in the countrys electoral process. As President Ashraf Ghani recently said, the Taliban should turn their bullets and bombs into ballots. They should run for office. They should vote, Sullivan said. We encourage Taliban leaders to return to Afghanistan from their foreign safe havens and work constructively for Afghanistans future, he said, apparently referring to the terror sanctuaries in neighbouring Pakistan. More violence will not bring peace and security to Afghanistan, he said. President Ghani, Sullivan said, recently extended an historic invitation to the Taliban to join the peace process. There is no need for a new fighting season. Still, the Taliban announced another campaign of senseless violence targeting the democratically elected and internationally recognised Afghan government and their fellow Afghans, he said. Sullivan said the US stands with the Afghan people in response to the Talibans announcement. We support the brave Afghan security forces who are standing against the Taliban and terrorist groups that seek to destroy Afghan society. The US-backed Afghan government is under pressure to curb growing deadly terror attacks. On Sunday, a suicide bomber blew himself up in a crowd outside a voter registration centre in Kabul, killing at least 60 people. London: Indias request to the UK to extradite businessman Vijay Mallya to face charges related to financial misconduct has reached its closing stage in the Westminster Magistrates Court, which is due to rule on the admissibility of some key documents on Friday. Unlike previous extradition cases that progressed through the courts over years and were eventually unsuccessful, Indian officials are delighted that the Mallya case has moved swiftly from the initial request, made on February 17, 2017, his arrest on April 18, 2017 and the likely conclusion now. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Theresa May discussed extradition cases of individuals sought by both countries during the formers visit to London earlier this month, with Modi mainly mentioning those of economic offenders such as Mallya. Mallya, a flamboyant businessman who once ran a thriving conglomerate, faces charges of financial misconduct amounting to nearly Rs 9,000 crore in debt owed to Indian banks by his defunct airline Kingfisher. He and his lawyer, Claire Montgomery, have stated during the series of court hearings that he has always been willing to reach a settlement with creditors. He flew out of India to the UK on March 2, 2016, days before a debt court in Bengaluru ruled against him. Extradition is a legal process under a 1993 treaty between the two countries. As May said in the House of Commons during Modis visit: There are a number of issues of extradition between the two countries...We raise a number of cases with the Indian Government, as I did this morning. It is important that we recognise the independence of the judiciary in both countries. On Friday, chief magistrate Emma Arbuthnot, who has described the Mallya case as a jigsaw puzzle, will give a ruling on the admissibility of over 150 pages of documents submitted by Indian agencies, setting out bank officials statements on loans to Mallya. She is also expected to announce a date for delivering the judgement. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has said the judgement is likely in May. Both sides Indian agencies and Mallya will have the option of appealing against the judgement. Indias case, presented in court by CPS lawyer Mark Summers, has focused on what he called Mallyas chapters of dishonesty, while Montgomery has refuted the charges, claiming that his inability to repay loans was linked to business failures rather than dishonesty. The series of hearings attended by Indian officials from New Delhi and London have seen intense focus on Indias legal and prisons system, news media and politics. The defence has produced individuals who it said were experts in Indian law, politics and the prisons system. India has submitted detailed information on the conditions in barrack number 12 in the Arthur Road jail in Mumbai, where Mallya is to be lodged, if extradited. These include details of natural light available, personal space, medical assistance, water and food. Mallya, who has been on bail since his arrest in April last year, was exempted from appearing in person by the judge, but has attended most of the hearings. His latest bail extension is until Friday, which is expected to be the last hearing in the case. Security has been tightened in Wuhan citys downtown, where Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is staying during his two-day informal summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping that is expected to reboot bilateral ties. Several layers of security have been put in place in and around the hotel where Modi is staying and a large number of police personnel deployed . Modi will commence his meetings with president Xi at 3:30 pm local time on Friday at the Hubei Provincial Museum, according to ANI. After about an hour of touring the museum, the two leaders, accompanied by six top officials from each side, will hold talks at the sprawling East Lake Guest House, which was chairman Mao Zedongs private villa and where Xi is staying. This will be followed by a walk, and then a private dinner hosted by the Chinese president. No joint statement or communique will be issued after the informal talks, which are expected to be broad-based and over arching with no specific issues in focus. The idea is to open strategic communication channel at the highest level. Wuhan gets a boost Wuhans profile as a city got an international boost in January when British Prime Minister Theresa May began her three-day China visit from the city, before flying to Beijing. Home to Maos private villa and the East Lake, the second largest urban lake in China, Wuhan is also the biggest city in central China and capital of landlocked Hubei province, a little more than 1,000 km south of Beijing. Maos villa, opened to the public in 1993, was where Mao would often come from Beijing to spend a few days or weeks.It is built on the banks of the East Lake, another Wuhan attraction and on which Modi and Xi are expected to take a boat ride. By Thursday afternoon, security personnel had also been deployed around the lake. Many local residents passing by the hotel where the Indian leader is staying stopped by to take photos after noticing the buzz of activity around it. Some of them had heard about the Indian Prime Ministers visit. PM Modi waves at a group of Indian students waiting for hours to greet him near his hotel in wuhan. @htTweets pic.twitter.com/ux4TmlSGNz sutirtho patranobis (@spatranobis) April 26, 2018 It is rare, even unprecedented, for Xi to host a leadership summit outside Beijing but choosing Wuhan, a provincial capital and a second-tier city, reflects his focus on emerging cities, which many outside China will never have heard of. Vice-foreign minister Kong Xuanyou explained why Wuhan, which has the mighty Yangtze river flowing by, was chosen as the venue. We have taken multiple factors into account: Whether Prime Minister Modi has visited the city earlier, the bond of this place with India, as a representative city (of central China)... Wuhan is also an important hub for business, education, research and emerging industries. It is also a hub for inland waterway transport in China, Kong told a news briefing. Kong said in recent years, Hubei province and some states in India had intensified exchanges and expanded business cooperation. PM Modi has travelled to east, west, north and south of China but he is yet to visit central China. This will complete his tour of China, he said. Wuhan is considered as Chinas happiest city. A recent survey by state broadcaster CCTV said the countrys happiest people live in here. It is also an education hub, with some reports saying it has the worlds largest number of students for a single city. Happiness, a picturesque river bank and two leaders ready to shed and make history: The setting seems about right. Appointment 26 April 2018 Michael Pye has been hired as Hawaii general manager for Fairmont Hotels and as general manager of the Fairmont Kea Lani in Wailea, according to Wayne Buckingham, senior vice president of Accor Hotels. In his new job at the Kea Lani, Pye will oversee the 450-room, all-suite and villa luxury resort and, as area manager, he will lead operations at the 540-room Fairmont Orchid on the Big Island's Kohala Coast. Pye has more than 20 years of experience in resort management, joining the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge in 1996 followed by a series of jobs with Fairmont hotels at multiple properties. Those included the Fairmont Hotel Macdonald, Fairmont Waterfront and Fairmont Southampton. In 2010, he returned to Canada as general manager of the Fairmont Winnipeg and, in 2014, he was appointed to his most recent position as general manager of the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver. He has a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Calgary, with majors in marketing and tourism hospitality management. Pye is an avid scuba diver. He's married and has children. Press Release 25 April 2018 Movenpick Hotel & Apartments Bur Dubai is proud to receive the "Hotel of the Year 'Long Distance'" award during the Goldene Sonne 2018 awards ceremony in April 2018 by SonnenKlar TV, held in Kalkar municipality, Germany. Advertisements There were over 1,500 attendees, including famous athletes, musicians, TV personalities and movie stars, along with representatives from the top travel and hospitality companies from around the world. Broadcasting the four-hour ceremony to five countries and over 17 TV channels, SonnenKlar TV renowned Movenpick Hotel & Apartments Bur Dubai the "Hotel of the Year 'Long Distance'" award for its high level of quality, guest satisfaction and excellence in services and hospitality facilities. Moreover, this award identifies Dubai as one of the year's top destinations for German travellers, as per SonnenKlar TV. "It is an honour to receive the award," said Fabien Chesnais, General Manager, Movenpick Hotel & Apartments Bur Dubai. "This award is the acknowledgment of our hotel's effort and commitment towards providing our international guests the quality service that they need and expect from our 5-star hotel. My team and I would like to thank all our German guests who voted for us to win Hotel of the Year 'Long Distance' award, as well as SonnenKlar TV for its continuous support." Press Release 26 April 2018 Times Square remains the beating heart of Manhattan, and now travelers can be at the center of the action while still having space to reflect with the opening of the new AC Hotel New York Times Square. Advertisements The Midtown hotel melds an urban vibe with classic elements that hark back to the brand's Spanish roots. The entrance lobby is 23 feet high with a large, open staircase to the lower level illuminated by a skylight shed roof. Its 290 guest rooms will offer an oasis in the midst of the bustle of NYC with a sleek and classic modern style. With options like floor-to-ceiling windows and private balconies, guests can enjoy unparalleled city views. AC Hotel New York Times Square features two food and beverage experiences. The beloved NYC restaurant Boqueria will bring its lively Spanish tapas and signature convivial spirit to 260 West 40th Street, adjacent to the new AC Hotel lobby. The restaurant features a location-specific breakfast menu, a large rotisserie, and time-honored favorites like Pan Con Tomate, Pulpo a la Plancha, and Paella de Mariscos from Catalan chef Marc Vidal. Castell, a year-round rooftop lounge will be open to guests and locals alike when it debuts in May 2018, serving up views of NYC's iconic skyline along with shareable plates, Happy Hour rituals and cocktails, including the brand's signature Gin & Tonic. "We are delighted to introduce New York City to the AC brand's 'New Way to Hotel,'" says Corry Oakes, President/CEO of OTO Development, the Johnson Management company that developed and operates the new hotel. "In addition to intriguing architectural details, local artwork in common spaces, and dynamic culinary options at Boqueria and Castell Lounge, what guests will truly appreciate is having space to breathe in this city that never sleeps." AC Hotel New York Times Square brings travelers the best of contemporary European architecture infused with the design-forward spirit of the NYC Fashion District, as interpreted by Helpern Architects. Visitors are drawn into the elegant, double-height lobby via a granite-paved plaza; as they enter through the pleated glass facade, they become immediately aware of the signature materials such as Venetian terrazzo, quarter-sawn dark walnut millwork, and the dark patina of statuary bronze that makes the whole area glow. The modern-day grand stair that wraps top to bottom of the lobby and the large, open well-lit space make for the perfect backdrop for the property's impressive art installations. "With the Spanish heritage of the AC Hotels by Marriott brand, our design-driven hotel brings new inspiration to the city," says Benjamin Britton, General Manager of AC Hotel New York Times Square. "We provide everything essential you need - and nothing you don't - creating a seamless, tranquil and frictionless experience for our guests, whether they're traveling for business or leisure." The AC Hotel in Times Square has developed signature programming, with attention to detail at every step - each one crafted to encourage guests to slow down in this hectic city. With elements such as lavender sachets at turndown (freshly made each day) to help promote better sleep, guests will feel taken care of but not fussed over. Other amenities include a 24-hour fitness center, 3,365 square feet of event space, and an AC Market featuring locally sourced items such as Hell's Kitchen Hot Sauces. "At AC Hotels, everything is done with intention while creating harmony - we believe if we have time to make it, we have time to make it beautiful," said Benoit Racle, Global Brand Leader, AC Hotels by Marriott. "We are so pleased to welcome AC Hotel New York Times Square to the AC Hotels family as our first New York City property, and to be able to offer visitors and locals in Manhattan a tranquil space in the heart of the city to relax, reflect and reset." The purposeful design of AC Hotel New York Times Square features a collection of artwork by a mix of local and well-known artists. Ranging from sculptures to abstract painting, these expressive pieces are visible in shared spaces to inspire guests during their stay - one could almost call it a private art gallery. Guest room walls feature photography of New York City's unique and iconic architecture such as Fulton Street Station and the Oculus. This new AC Hotel is perfectly positioned near the Garment District and only a half-block from the Times Square public transportation hub. The hotel is the first of two planned for the European-inspired AC Hotels by Marriott brand in Manhattan this year, with a second property expected to open in the Financial District later in 2018. For more information, visit www.ACHotelTimesSquare.com and follow the hotel on Facebook and Instagram. About AC Hotels by Marriott AC Hotels by Marriott, a lifestyle brand that celebrates a new way to hotel complemented by a European soul and Spanish roots, boasts more than 120 design-led hotels in 15 countries and territories. Design-driven AC Hotels by Marriott edit away the unnecessary to remove friction, providing thoughtfully designed moments of beauty, allowing guests to focus on what's important to them. The properties modern design for modern business include buzzing AC Lounges, the perfect place for locals or visitors to get work done in style or to enjoy handcrafted cocktails and tapas. High-design guest rooms and public spaces with sleek furnishings and intuitive technology features such as the Media Salons and AC Libraries inspire and connect. AC Hotels by Marriott is proud to participate in the industry's award-winning loyalty program, Marriott Rewards which includes The Ritz-Carlton Rewards. Members can now link accounts with Starwood Preferred Guest at members.marriott.com for instant elite status matching and unlimited points transfer. For more information, visit ac-hotels.com. For more information, visit http://achotels.marriott.com and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Supplier News 26 April 2018 The Rainmaker Group (Rainmaker), a leading provider of cloud-based hospitality revenue and profit optimization software reports high Q1 growth with the largest hospitality sales quarter in the company's history in addition to going live with several notable new brands. Also in Q1, Rainmaker appointed several new employees to fuel sales growth and product innovation, was honored by the City of Alpharetta with the Business of Excellence Award for the fifth consecutive year and hosted OPTIMIZE 2018, Rainmaker's annual user conference, in Miami, FL. "We're proud to kick off 2018 with such a strong sales quarter," says Mike Cowles, Chief Commercial Officer at Rainmaker. "Sustaining last year's momentum with such a great start to the new year will allow us to continue to focus on product innovation and market expansion both domestically and internationally." Sales : Rainmaker had a very successful first quarter with a 39% sales growth YOY. Customers: Record sales numbers brought an array of new customers and implementations in Q1, including Two Roads Hospitality's Hotel Revival, a new, 107-room Joie de Vivre property in Baltimore, MD who went live with revintel, Rainmaker's hotel Business Intelligence (BI) solution. This implementation marks 58 total properties live on revintel from Two Roads Hospitality's portfolio. Also in the Midwest, Hotel Boulderado implemented guestrev, Rainmaker's flagship product and core solution to their Revenue Management System (RMS), at their 160-room property in Boulder, CO. People: Rainmaker appointed Hicham Diab to drive business development efforts in the Middle East and Africa. Based out of Rainmaker's Dubai office, Hicham is tasked with supporting and expanding the Rainmaker's growing customer base in the region. Another addition outside of the U.S. is Celeste Loh, Senior Business Consultant, who will play a critical role in supporting strategic accounts in Asia-Pacific. Celeste will be based out of Rainmaker's international headquarters in Singapore. And finally, Sunny Zhao has joined the Science and Value Engineering team as a Data Analyst in our worldwide headquarters in Alpharetta, GA, a northern suburb of Atlanta. Awards: In March, Rainmaker was acknowledged by the city of Alpharetta, GA for being recognized as a local "Business of Excellence" for the fifth consecutive year. Events : Rainmaker's annual user conference, OPTIMIZE, was held March 7-9 in Miami, Fl. The event was held at two of Rainmaker's customers' properties, Eden Roc and Fontainebleau, both in Miami Beach. Also in March, Rainmaker's team participated in Singapore's RevMan Roundtable and the Tribal Casino & Hotel Development Conference in California. Open Positions: Rainmaker is looking to expand their growing team and has several open positions including a Technical Implementation Consultant, multiple Sales Development Representatives, and multiple Senior Developers. Rainmaker was voted one of the top 10 places to work in Hotel Tech in 2018 by Hotel Tech Report. To learn more about these open positions and join a fantastic team, visit Rainmaker's careers page. Supplier News 26 April 2018 Why are hoteliers eager to add voice-command technology to guestrooms? Just ask the Hilton Inn at Penn, winner of Intelity's ICEvoiceChallenge. Earlier this month, Intelity asked its customers to state how they envision using the company's newest solution that enables guests to use voice commands for requesting services and controlling the in-room environment. The reply from the Hilton Inn at Penn was short, sweet and on point: "We currently use Intelity with our guestroom iPads and are looking to grow from that success." And grow they will. Within the next six weeks, the AAA four diamond hotel, located on the University of Pennsylvania campus, will receive ICEvoice FREE, forever. Photo: Intelity As the ICEvoice Challenge winner, the Hilton Inn at Penn will receive: Amazon Echo voice activated speakers for every guestroom, including integration to Intelity's trademarked, award-winning ICE HUB: Control Panel, at no charge. Development and implementation of unique phrases and commands the hotel desires. User training, integration coordination, installation, and configuration. 24/7/365 technical support from Intelity's team of experts to ensure services work as planned. "We are thrilled to be the Intelity ICEvoice Challenge winner," said Hilton Inn at Penn Director of Operations Wesley Clark. "We were always proud to be featuring Intelity iPads in every room; it's something not many hotels can boast about and we see it as an elevated service differentiator. It's so cool that now we will be adding a voice concierge to our rooms. It's going to bring that 'wow' factor to service delivery. ICEvoice won't replace the bedside tablets by any means; it will simply do things faster. Being able to speak a request vs. place one through the iPad will save our guests time and it will add personalization. We'd like to thank Intelity for making this opportunity possible. It shows us that Intelity really values our partnership - and we share that sentiment. We can't wait to be live with ICEvoice." Other ICEvoice Challenge submissions from customers said they would use Intelity's voice solution to: Greet the guest by name when a guest enters the room and provide them with the hotel's Wi-Fi password; Introduce itself to guests as their virtual butler when they first enter the room and detail the intricacies of the property; Order the hotel's car service for a specific time; and, Speak to international guests in their preferred language. Webinar Answers 'Voice' Questions In addition to announcing the contest winner during its "Say Hello to ICEvoice" webinar yesterday, Intelity Chief Sales and Marketing Officer Gregg Hopkins showed participants why migrating to voice technology is so important to hotels today. According to statistics released by the Smart Audio Report: 47.3 million U.S. adults have access to a smart speaker; 19.7% of U.S. adults use smart speakers of which 57.8% are male and 42.2% are female Amazon is leading the smart speaker market with 71.9% penetration, followed by Google at 18.4% and others at 9.7% Two thirds of U.S. voice-activated speaker owners said they are using them to entertain friends and family, with 60 percent using the devices to play music for guests, 30 percent asking it to answer a general question, and 28 percent asking it for weather updates. 31 percent of smart speaker owners are asking their virtual assistants to control other devices in the home, with 61 percent controlling devices in the living room and 38 percent controlling devices in the kitchen. "One in six adults in the United States own voice-activated smart speakers," Hopkins told webinar participants. "The adoption rate of such speakers over the last three years is now outpacing that of smartphones and tablets. People are replacing time spent with other devices to use smart speakers. Just over a third of Americans are ditching their smartphones to spend time with the speakers, while 30 percent are using the devices instead of watching television." What does this mean for hotels? Intelity Chief Technology Officer Chris Grey explained that voice technology is becoming widely popular because of its speed and convenience; voice search is much faster than web or mobile search, citing that humans speak 150 words per minute vs. typing 40 words in the same amount of time. Voice-enabled devices are responsible for 1 billion searches performed every month on devices like Amazon Echo, according to Smart Audio Report. "Adding a voice concierge solution isn't as easy as just buying an Echo for every guestroom, plugging them in and hoping they work," Grey said. "It takes a lot of integration to funnel voice requests into the operating system to become a text ticket, then send it to Intelity's request manager so the right staff member fulfills the request and delivers it to the guest in a timely manner. This level of service is one of most exciting things to come along in last 5 or 10 years, but it doesn't happen by magic. "It took Intelity 10 years to build a robust platform that makes voice requests possible," he said. "If a guest realizes while unpacking her suitcase that she forgot a toothbrush, she doesn't have to stop what she is doing to call the front desk and request a toothbrush be brought to the room - or leave the room and walk down to the gift shop to purchase a new one. The guest simply says 'Alexa, ask the hotel to bring me a toothbrush.' Within minutes, the toiletry arrives. In this case, voice technology is not just informational, it's interactive with the guest, making their experience more personalized than ever. Soon, integration between ICEvoice and our ICEbedside tablets will enable guests to say 'Alexa, ask the hotel restaurant what's on the menu.' And, Alexa will reply 'See the iPad in the room for a complete menu listing.' It's simple, as long as a hotel has the Intelity Interactive Customer Experience - or ICE - platform." For more information about Intelity's solutions for the hospitality industry, click here. Opinion Article 26 April 2018 Global unemployment is still on a high with over 190 million in 2018, according to the International Labor Organization (ILO). This alarming rate calls for all economic sectors to play their roles in job creation, providing sustainable employment. While the tourism sector currently generates only 10% of the world's jobs, its potential - if well tapped, could be a major source of employment and entrepreneurship. This represents an important topic of discussion, having been an agenda in the 8th meeting of the Ministers of Tourism of the G20 economies and the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Advertisements In a release by the UNWTO, Argentina's Minister of Tourism Gustavo Santos was quoted saying that, "We need to promote the role that tourism has in shaping the future of our world as the sector that will create more jobs in the coming decade". In doing this, there needs to be an integrated approach to the future of work in tourism, including the development and implementation of new policies by the various governments and related stakeholders. These include embracing innovation and technology, adapting advanced digital transformations, and fostering new skills development and education to create new decent jobs. In line with this, the UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili called upon tourism leaders to "embrace the technological revolution and unleash its potential to create more and better jobs in our sector, making tourism a true pillar of the G20 objectives of inclusive and sustained growth". Even so, major challenges continue to hinder the development of tourism as a key driver on the creation of more and better jobs. Emergence of new markets, changing lifestyles, increased competition, demographic transition, technological developments, increased mobility, demand patterns and travel behaviors, as well as pressure to deliver high quality tourism experiences to visitors are just some of these challenges identified in the G20 policy note. Notably, a mismatch between qualifications and workplace reality is a major constraint that cannot be underplayed in achieving tourism's full potential as an employer. "As a tourism stakeholder, we believe that job specifications and adoption of the workplace culture is of utmost importance. In addition, we often provide extensive training to our employees and partners to enhance skills development," says Cyrus Onyiego, Jumia Travel Kenya Country Manager. Various measures have therefore been proposed by the Ministers of Tourism of the G20 economies, with an objective of turning these challenges into a competitive advantage: Encouraging policies that promote full and productive employment and facilitate the progress of innovation in tourism and foster the creation of decent jobs, sustainable enterprises, and entrepreneurship, among women and the youth; Establishing favorable frameworks to stimulate innovation, entrepreneurship and connect ecosystems linking start-ups, main companies, investors, and governments along the tourism value chain; Creating cooperation mechanisms between educational institutions at all levels, the private sector, governments, and technology partners to review educational programmes and skills development policies Considering the importance of SMEs in the tourism, heritage, and cultural sectors due to their contribution to job creation as well as their role in preserving and promoting cultural resources; Promoting the use of digital technology to facilitate travel as well as involving technology stakeholders in national tourism policies Tourism is the third largest export category in the world, after chemicals and fuels. In 2016, international tourism receipts and passenger transport accounted for 30% of the world's services exports (1,442 billion USD) and 7% of overall exports in goods and services. In the G20 economies, international tourism generated nearly 1,060 billion USD, representing 6.3% of all G20 exports; according to UNWTO. A 2017 hospitality report by Jumia Travel shows that in Kenya, the sector's contribution to employment stood at 9.3% in 2015. This is expected to rise by 2.9% pa in 2026, overall contributing to 9.5% of total employment. DJ Khaled knows full well that God only looks after, you need to do the rest on your own. TMZ caught up with the Miami hip hop mogul at Nobu Matsuhisa's restaurant in Beverly Hills while he was waiting for his seat to warm. The conversation veered towards Meek Mill's release from Prison, and DJ Khaled took heed with open arms. DJ Khaled insisted that whenever he was ready, Meek could swing by and lay down some bars in his studio. The onus is on community and sharing for Khaled, the whole team is greater than the sum of its parts. "God is the greatest" as Khaled would have it. Khaled alluded to keeping in touch with Meek during the rapper's "5-month vacation." There are two schools of thought when it comes to newfound freedom. Does one exert pleasure or pressure in making due for lost time. Depending on who you ask, a prison stint can represent the tedium of life if left unchecked. DJ Khaled is eternally grateful that his record of ownership lies outside of the streets. The money is real, and the 24 karat cuvee tastes like Jesus' bathwater. Look out for Khaled X Meek Mill, they've done it before. According to report from Billboard, Jay Zs mother, Gloria Carter, will be receiving a Special Recognition Award for her powerful coming-out story through her sons track Smile, from his 2017 album 4:44. She will be recognized at this years GLAAD Media Awards in New York City which will be going down May 5th at the New York Hilton Midtown. Mama had four kids, but she's a lesbian/ Had to pretend so long that she's a thespian/ Had to hide in the closet, so she medicate, JAY-Z raps in the song. Society shame and the pain was too much to take/ Cried tears of joy when you fell in love/ Don't matter to me if it's a him or her. GLAAD's president and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis said in a statement that Gloria's willingness to open herself up to her son and the world allowed for deeper, more meaningful conversations about the intersections of race and sexuality. "By sharing her truth with the world, Gloria Carter increased visibility of lesbian women of color at a critical time and sent a powerful message of empowerment to the entire LGBTQ community, Ellis said. Her story and the unconditional love that her family exhibits resonate with so many. The GLAAD Media Awards will be a critical platform to honor her work and further this important message. Jay Z recently spoke about witnessing his mother's coming out and how it affected him on the latest episode of David Lettermans Netflix series My Next Guest Needs No Introduction. Hov said he was so happy for his mother when she first came out that he actually cried. Imagine having lived your life for someone else. And you think youre protecting your kids, the "Song Cry" Jay said. And for my mother to have to live as someone that she wasnt and hide and, like, protect her kids and didnt want to embarrass her kids, and you know, for all this time. He continued: For her to sit in front of me and tell me, I think I love someone, I mean, I really cried. Thats a real story. I cried because I was so happy for her that she was free. [Via] Kanye West and Barack Obama are from the same city but they've had their fair share of differences over time. For one, Obama called Kanye West a jackass, although he did admit that 'Ye's also talented.. Two, Obama also said he and Kanye never spoke on the phone, despite the rapper's claim. Overall, they've never really had much of a solid relationship despite being from the same city. However, after recent comments about Donald Trump, the rapper took to Twitter, once again, to speak on Obama. Kanye West suggested on Twitter that Barack Obama didn't do anything for the city of Chicago during his time in office. This comes shortly after he voiced his support for Donald Trump. "Obama was in office for eight years and nothing in Chicago changed." The rapper wrote. Earlier this year, Donald Trump said that he helped decrease the unemployment rate among minority groups and said, "Dems did nothing for you but get your vote!" It's something that's been wildly debated as many have pointed out that the unemployment rate began declining during the Obama administration. In addition to his criticism towards Obama, the rapper continued his Pro-Trump campaign shortly after. The rapper shared a photo of Apple CEO Tim Cook and Donald Trump sitting next to each other before tweeting, "2 of my favorite people." Yesterday, the world rejoice when Meek Mill was released from prison. For over five months, many were campaigning to get the rapper out of prison for what was deemed as an unjust sentence. He came out like a boss. 76ers owner, Michael Rubin, flew him to Game 5 directly from prison to the Wells Fargo Center where he celebrated his release alongside his son, Lil Uzi Vert, Kevin Hart, the Sixers and of course, Philadelphia. You'd think with such a triumphant return that one would feel liberated from everything that was weighing on him over the months, however, that may not be the case. Meek Mill's first post-prison interview will air later on tonight with Lester Holt. Meek's currently free on bail and his team is currently working to overturn the conviction he received at the age of 19. He explained to Holt that it still weighs over him despite his recent release. "No, I don't feel free. I ain't feel free since I caught this case at the age of 19. I'm 30 now." He explained. "I believe that God is my first lawyer, I always believe that. I got a strong team behind me, I got a lot of support. A lot of light shed on my situation." He continued to explain that he now has a lot of responsibility to help people who are currently going through the same thing. "I got a lot of responsibility. I got a lot of important people depending on me and not them people, them public officials. I'm talking about the men that's depending on me, going through the same thing I'm going through." He said. Peep the clip below with the full interview set to air tonight. [Via TMZ] New reports indicate that a Mexican rapper and YouTube personality named Christian Omar Palma Gutierrez, professionally known as QBA, has admitted to dissolving three missing students' bodies in acid. He has since been detained in relation to the deaths of Salomon Aceves Gastelum, 25; Daniel Diaz, 20; and Marco Avalos, 20, in western Jalisco state last month. Gutierrez reveals that he disposed of the bodies after the men were initially captured, tortured and murdered by a Mexican drug cartel. He also confesses to having been recruited by the Jalisco New Generation three months ago, earning nearly 3,000 pesos a week for his services. Chief investigator Lizette Torres notes how Gutierrez "participated in three other previous murders." The rapper's YouTube channel boasts 125,000 followers, with his videos routinely depicting poor neighbourhoods, drugs and weapons, alongside luxury vehicles and motorcycles. Torres notes how authorities will be probing his videos for further clues into the gruesome murders. The three victims had unknowingly filmed a school project in a former hangout for the Nueva Plaza cartel, which eventually led to their abduction and the macabre events that followed. The Jalisco New Generation had been monitoring the location, which belonged to the aunt of one of the aspiring filmmakers. The culprits mistook the students for members of rival gang Nueva Plaza, inevitably fuelling their homicidal impulses. The gang members beat one of their detainee's so badly that he died, prompting them to kill the other remaining two. Afterwards, Gutierrez took their corpses to another house and doused their bodies in sulphuric acid to hide the evidence. Gutierrez and another man will be charged with aggravated kidnapping. Snapchat has introduced the second generation of their Spectacles product, which features some key new upgrades for taking photos, alongside some added water resistance. The new model retains a silhouette similar to the introductory model, but has been noticeably slimmed down, and come in three jewel-tone hues: onyx (black), ruby (red), and sapphire (blue). The first version of this trendy form of wearable tech was quite the misstep for the social media juggernaut, despite being positively received by reviewers. The company had manufactured too many units after having only sold 150,000, eventually having to write off $40 million in merchandise while also laying off a dozen employees. According to Business Insider, less than half of the individuals who purchased the product used them for longer than a month, relegating the gizmo to novelty status. With a relatively abysmal first outing, one may question why the company felt the need to update its product and try and reintroduce it on the consumer market. Hardware has the potential to be a particularly profitable avenue for Snapchat, as it can enable new services, be sold at robust profit margins, and is ultimately harder to competitors to clone. However, hardware is a cutthroat market, which means that the company will have to be really persuasive in order to consistently lure in new customers to legitimize this business endeavour. Wendy Williams is usually getting in trouble for dissing and bad mouthing celebrities and reality stars. She once said Beyonce needed auto, that Travis Scott was going to dump Kylie Jenner, shaded Khloe Kardashian after Tristan Thompson's cheating scandal, called Ashanti a "fledgling artist at best" and lots more. In her most recent episode, Wendy has shaded one of her own audience members when she called her "blackie." Wendy was talking about Shania Twain and how her ex-husband left her for her best friend. Wendy then asked her audience, "and what do you think Shania does?" A Black woman in the front row uses her hands to do a punching symbol and Wendy reacts. "See, come on now don't stereotype us, Blackie," she said to the woman. "Don't do that, you're too beautiful for that." The camera then pans to the woman who seems a little embarrassed. Wendy doesn't seem to notice (or care) that she said a racially sensitive term. As always, the Twitterverse has chimed in on the matter with one user tweeting, "Wendy Williams called out a dark skin girl in her audience and called her blackie are we gonna let that slide????" Check out the video (at the 24-minute mark) and Twitter reactions below. Theres arguably no bigger spectacle in the oil and gas industry than the annual Houston conference that attracts tens of thousands of people from more than 100 countries for a mix of carnivalesque pageantry, massive displays of drilling rig equipment, wonkish technical meetings and, of course, after-hours parties. The Offshore Technology Conference marks its 50th year when the exposition opens Monday at NRG Park, continuing a run that has transformed a modest gathering of engineers and scientists into a global event that has advanced the offshore sector while pumping some $3 billion into the Houston economy over the last half century. The size of OTC has waxed and waned with the health of the industry, but it established itself early on as the oil and gas sectors preeminent conference and, to this day, its maintained its position as the place for energy professionals to learn, network and make deals. Rustom Mody attended his first OTC some 40 years ago, when deepwater drilling was just in its infancy as companies ventured far offshore into unexplored regions of the Gulf of Mexico and other waters. By that time, 1978, the conference had already grown to about 80,000 people. It was an amazing experience. I just fell in love with the industry, said Mody, then a young engineer and now vice president of technical excellence at the Houston energy services company Baker Hughes, a GE company. It was like a whole new industry was coming to life. MODELS AT THE SHOW: Meet the artisans who bring oilfield to trade show floor The Offshore Technology Conference was born when a dozen professional energy organizations decided to band together for an annual multidisciplinary conference and exhibit to exchange technical knowledge. The effort was led by the executive director of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, Joe Alford, and it included other groups such as the American Association of Petroleum Geologists and the Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration. While OTC may be known best for its pomp and circumstance giant valves, massive machines, detailed models, lots of swag and parties galore its still really about the technology, innovation and meeting of minds, said OTC Board Chairman Wafik Beydoun, who works for the French oil major Total. Its such a big umbrella with interdisciplinary sharing across all these societies, Beydoun said. Its very dense with all the information and technical papers presented. The average person has no idea how much technology goes into the development of oil and gas fields under thousands of feet or water, from the massive surface platforms and drilling rigs to the underwater maze of pipes, wells and umbilical cords that connect platform operations to the wells. The inaugural 1969 OTC took place in downtown Houston at the new Albert Thomas Convention and Exhibit Center now Bayou Place and attracted about 4,200 people, better than expected. The organizers initially planned to move the conference to different cities starting with New Orleans in 1970, but the success of the first OTC convinced organizers to stick with Houston. MORE: Sales of OTC apparel point to a conference that wears well OTCs beginnings coincided with more than a decade of booming growth for the oil industry. Attendance skyrocketed to more than 22,000 by 1973 when it was moved to the Astrodome complex to accommodate the growing crowds. From there it grew nearly every year, breaking the 100,000 attendance mark for the first time in 1981 and surpassing 108,000 in 1982. The recession and oil bust of the early 1980s, however, sent attendance into a swoon, dipping below 3,000 in 1984, when only technical session were held. When oil prices are booming, OTC is known for the carnival atmosphere and a lot of the attendees may just want to soak in the experience. When the industry isnt doing as well, the crowds are smaller, but the more serious people attend, bringing a heightened focus on technology. During the downturns, we come up with more innovations, Beydoun said. The world still comes to OTC to share and discuss technology. Paul Coppinger, president of Weir Oil & Gas in Fort Worth, started attending OTC 30 years ago, when the effects of the 80s oil bust were still lingering and just over 25,000 people attended each year. Coppinger had just graduated college with an engineering degree, but found so few prospects in the industry that he ended up working, temporarily, as a truck driver. Still, he said, OTC blew him away and he began attending regularly. MORE: OTC engages with next generation of engineers, scientists and managers OTCs attendance soared in the early part of this decade along with oil prices, hitting a record 108,300 in 2014, when oil topped $100 a barrel. Conversely, attendance fell when oil prices crashed in the bust, sliding below 65,000 last year. Now, oil prices are continuing to recover and the industry is coming back to life and OTC organizer expect attendance to rise to about 70,000. Coppingers Weir Group will bring about 80 people this year, about double its 2017 crowd. Its always been the crown jewel of events to get people together competitors, customers, suppliers, Coppinger said. A lot of meetings are planned around OTC because thats when everyone comes to Houston. jordan.blum@chron.com twitter.com/jdblum23 Frank Placencias house on South Braeswood is a typical Meyerland new build except for one thing: Its 10 feet off the ground. The house is so tall and so seemingly out of place that people have nicknamed it Swamp Castle, the Grandaddy and the Houston walk-up. As you can imagine, the house kind of sticks out, Placencia said of his familys new home, which has 15 steps leading up to the front door and an elevator in the garage. Since Hurricane Harvey, more houses like this have been popping up in Houston neighborhoods along bayous that roared out of their banks during the storm. For Placencia, Its just the new reality. Indeed, Harvey forever changed Houstons real estate market. It clobbered property values, and it raised them. It transformed buzzing neighborhoods into ghost towns, and made die-hard homeowners renters. It turned streets like South Braeswood into a contrast in landscapes where newly elevated McMansions stand alongside low-lying ranches. HARVEY FLOODS: Most homes damaged by Harvey were outside flood plain, data show The hurricane put Houstonians in positions they never imagined theyd be in, making lifestyle choices they never thought theyd have to make. In February, Sam Scott said goodbye to the Memorial Bend home he and his wife raised three children in and painstakingly renovated over two decades. After Harvey flooded his neighborhood and a nearby wastewater treatment plant overflowed, filthy sludge sat in the house for days. The Scotts felt they had no choice but to tear it down. They put their nearly 10,000-square-foot property up for sale for $550,000, a discount from what lots were selling for pre-Harvey. After dropping the price by $25,000, they accepted a builders offer for $500,000. Teardowns were selling for $600,000 back during the boom in early 2014, Scott said. Houstons housing prices have generally held up in neighborhoods that avoided the worst of Harveys wrath. Of last years home sales, the median price per square foot was $104, a record for Houston and 4 percent higher than 2016, according to an analysis of sales and prices in more than 4,300 neighborhoods collected by the Houston Association of Realtors for the Chronicle. Sales also hit a record high in 2017, and they have been up most of this year, too. MORE: It doesn't take a Harvey-style deluge to flood Houston Still, a major source of the activity since Harvey has been investors buying flooded homes to fix and flip or turn into rentals. Housing consultant Scott Davis, who has been studying the market effects from Harvey and previous storms, said home values typically take two to three years to recover. His own house in Braes Heights flooded during Harvey. Hes had it on the market for several months. There was a wave of sales immediately after the storm, Davis said, and owners who sold right away got a higher price than those who sold in the ensuing months. Prices have since recovered some. Theyre still off significantly over what they were before the storm, but if you were to take what you got with insurance, plus what you could sell your house for today, youre pretty close to par from before the storm, he said of his neighborhood. Areas that saw widespread flooding remain in transition. Bernie Otten was able to return to his flooded home in The Woodlands in less than four months, but some of his neighbors still arent back. MORE: City Council unanimously backs plan to build homes in flood plain About 100 homes in Ottens Timarron Lakes neighborhood flooded during Harvey. Some owners sold right away to investors, for a fraction of their homes pre-storm value. I think there will be more people moving and more people who lease their houses, Otten said. The markets going to be soft. In Meyerland, one of the neighborhoods hit by flooding three years in a row, 163 homes are for sale or rent, more than 7 percent of the properties there. But still-unoccupied homes make up whats being called a shadow inventory. These properties are not being actively marketed, but their owners would sell for the right price. Janice Rubin is still on the fence about her house in Meyerland, a neighborhood shes grown to love and cant imagine leaving. None of her options seem ideal. Pay to elevate; take out a new mortgage, build new and pay higher property taxes; or repair the house and risk future flooding. Thats the incentive FEMA gives you, Rubin said. Fix the house the way it was and set yourself up for flooding again. The couple, whos been renting in Westbury, could also sell their lot and buy in a neighborhood that didnt flood. But there arent a lot of options there either. Jennifer Placencia and her husband Frank Placencia decided to tear down their previous home and build a new home after the Memorial Day flood. The new home's living space will be 10 feet above ground as a way to make sure it won't flood next time. Wednesday, April 25, 2018, in Houston. ( Marie D. De Jesus / Houston Chronicle ) less Jennifer Placencia and her husband Frank Placencia decided to tear down their previous home and build a new home after the Memorial Day flood. The new home's living space will be 10 feet above ground as a way ... more Photo: Marie D. De Jesus, Houston Chronicle / Houston Chronicle Photo: Marie D. De Jesus, Houston Chronicle / Houston Chronicle Image 1 of / 11 Caption Close Harvey ushered in a new reality for Houston real estate 1 / 11 Back to Gallery EDITORIAL: Has City Hall learned nothing from Harvey? With the number of houses that flooded and people out of their homes, theres not much available, and what is available is way overpriced, Rubin said. Houses in Westbury went up $100,000 in the six months after the flood. Scott Singletons Braes Heights home flooded on Tax Day 2016 and then again in Harvey. He and his wife didnt want to leave the neighborhood where they had raised their kids and made lifelong friends, so theyre spending tens of thousands of their own money to elevate. Were going to make sure were not going to flood anymore, Singleton said on a recent Friday afternoon from his front yard, an exposed cinder block wall raising the house behind him by some five feet. In large part, homes are being elevated in upscale communities where residents have the means to protect themselves from future floods by lifting their homes. Not everyone can afford that level of protection. Davis, a senior vice president for Meyers Research, a company that serves the homebuilding industry, questions the logic of the citys new building regulations that require new construction in flood plains to be elevated two feet above the 500-year flood plain, while many existing homes will remain at the level they were before the storm. Im not saying we need to undo the regulation that was just done, but as I look at the juxtaposition of these two houses next to each other I cant help but feel as if weve missed something regarding flood protection, said Davis on a recent tour of elevated houses near Brays Bayou. He said he would like to see the city to take a more holistic approach to flood prevention. LISTEN: How a Houston investor buys and sells flooded homes What happens to those neighborhoods where they tear the houses down but cant afford to build them, or the market wont support building them, to a new standard? he said. Nobody wants to build houses that flood, but at the same time the way that weve approached this thus far is that we are providing protection for people who can afford it. And without addressing some of those regional detention and conveyance issues, were not going to be able to bring the same kind of protection to neighborhoods where people dont have the resources to absorb an extra hundred thousand dollars in foundation costs. So far, concerns the hurricane would leave a lasting stain on Houstons reputation and keep people from coming here and buying houses havent played out in any obvious way. I think people will still want to move here because we do provide housing more affordably than nearly any other major metro in the United States, Davis said. But thats part of whats in jeopardy with some of the directions were going with the regulations and the way that were responding to the storm. Houston was already seen as less affordable after price runups during the oil boom. Builders also face higher costs from an ongoing labor shortage and rising prices for materials, increases that will be passed on to homebuyers. MORE: Development tactic questioned in post-Harvey era If we havent taken steps proactively to defend the city from the type of natural disaster we have, which is flooding, than that will play a major role of people deciding to relocate here, Davis said. As the citys overall economy regains its footing, the housing market will strengthen. Before Harvey, Houston had begun to climb out of an extended energy rut after years of job losses and corporate cutbacks. Oil prices have risen this year, but the energy industry remains fragile. Other uncertainties for the housing market include rising mortgage rates and potential foreclosures among homeowners who did not have flood insurance. So far, the economy looks reasonably strong, said Jim Gaines, an economist with the Texas A&M Real Estate Center. Yet he predicts that, for a while at least, the citys growth will be challenged. If youre living in Iowa, do you want to move to Houston if they have this image of being under water every year? Gaines said. For a while, theres going to be some reluctance. Nancy Sarnoff writes about commercial and residential real estate and hosts a weekly podcast called Looped In. Follow her on Twitter at @nsarnoff. Developing Storm A seven-part Houston Chronicle series explains why Harvey's damage was both a natural and man-made disaster. Part 1: Nature ruled, man reacted. Hurricane Harvey was Houston's reckoning Part 2: Build, flood, rebuild: flood insurance's expensive cycle Part 3: What's in Houston's worst flood zones? Development worth $13.5 billion Part 4: Future storms could overwhelm levee systems worse than Harvey Part 5: Officials patched and prayed while pressure built on Houston's dams Part 6: For buyers within 'flood pools,' no warnings from anyone Part 7: In Harvey's wake, Dutch have much to teach Houston Get engaged Sign up for our Facebook community to share your Harvey story, engage with other community members and ask our reporters questions. Join the discussion on Twitter: #HoustonAfterHarvey. Subscribe The Houston Chronicle is dedicated to serving the public interest with fact-based journalism. That mission has never been more important. Show your support for our journalism at HoustonChronicle.com/subscribe. In most corners of Houstons commercial real estate market shopping centers, industrial buildings and apartments occupancy rates are up and rents are strong. Then theres office space. Its been tough for the past 12-plus months, said Kristen Rabel, senior vice president with the Houston office of CBRE, a commercial real estate services firm. Across Houston, the office vacancy rate is the highest its been in more than 20 years, Rabel said Tuesday during a quarterly market update to media and local officials. Newly completed towers have attracted companies wanting to upgrade their offices, contributing to the increase. In all, tenants vacated 418,000 square feet of space during the first three months of the year, CBRE research showed. The average asking rent was down slightly from the previous quarter. The move-outs primarily seen in Houstons older, less expensive buildings contributed to a 17.8 percent vacancy rate during the quarter, a level not seen since 1995. Were seeing that flight to quality. People want to be in the newer, nicer office buildings, said Rabel, who leases more than 5 million square feet of office space for local landlords. Some of the weakness is left over from the oil bust, which hit downtown, the Energy Corridor and other parts of town when many of Houstons biggest oil and gas companies contracted, consolidated and cut back on their office space. Vacancy rates have been steadily rising since 2014 when the price of oil began its freefall. Dan Boyles Jr., an office broker who helps companies find space, senses the market is at a bottom but said hes noticed an uptick in activity. It doesnt feel like its the worst market weve been in, said Boyles, a partner with NAI Partners. I have a few clients, oddly enough, in the oil-service business that are expanding. Companies in the market for space can benefit from below-market sublease rates or generous landlord-concession packages in buildings with significant space to fill. Some of the biggest deals of late include Apaches renewal of of more than 500,000 square feet in Post Oak Central and the Williams Cos. renewal in its namesake tower. Occidental Petroleum is in discussions to purchase ConocoPhillips Energy Corridor campus, but no final decision has been made, a spokesperson said Tuesday. Office experts said tenants should continue to have the upper hand in lease negotiations for the foreseeable future. More than 9 million square feet of sublease space remains available. A healthy market would have only about 3.5 million square feet of sublease space, Rabel said. Next year, about 20 percent of that space is expected to return to landlords as leases expire. If theres any caution, its on office buildings, said CBRE executive vice president John Fenoglio, who specializes in commercial real estate finance. Lenders, he said, are more closely scrutinizing a propertys rental income and the financial health of its tenants. Another factor in todays market is how new space is configured. As companies shed older space for new buildings with open floorplans and high-tech systems, they often have smaller footprints. By using technology, and by the way these new office buildings are designed, you can get more efficient like 20 to 30 percent more efficient, Rabel said, from her companys own new space, which offers employees multiple spots to work and has no assigned desks. As the office market struggles, other sectors of the local commercial real estate market have rebounded. Multifamily occupancy is up, though much of the improvement came as a result of homeowners displaced by Hurricane Harvey. Vacancy in the industrial market has been at around 5 percent, and CBREs Tom Lynch said activity remains robust. He said at least half a dozen companies are currently looking for 1 million square feet of space apiece. Consumer goods, food distribution and building material industries are driving the growth. We have activity on every front because of our population growth, Lynch said. Retail occupancy has remained steady at around 95 percent, as a surge in population since 2010 has fueled demand. Since 2010 weve added 1 million Houstonians in the metro area, said CBREs Bruce Wallace. Its in all directions. nancy.sarnoff@chron.com twitter.com/nsarnoff Hurricane Harvey's floods were largely concentrated in areas that were developed before the adoption of modern detention regulations and prior to the release of national flood plain maps, according to a new analysis focusing on Municipal Utility Districts. The study was commissioned by the Association of Water Board Directors Texas, a statewide educational and advocacy group for utility districts, to document flood damage to properties in MUDs across the Houston area and analyze their financial health. The findings included: Fewer than 8 percent of houses in local MUDs experienced flooding. Fewer than 3 percent of the houses identified as flooded were built after 2009 and complied with the drainage and detention regulations adopted after Tropical Storm Allison. Fewer than two dozen MUDs reported damage to district-owned infrastructure and the vast majority of that damage was almost immediately repaired. MUDs, which have been used for decades to build large subdivisions, can be created either through the legislature or the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. They provide water, wastewater, drainage and other services in unincorporated areas. Land developers and home builders have long argued that MUDs have allowed housing to remain affordable. Yet critics have questioned their transparency, their authority to sell tax-exempt bonds and the ways they are formed. In the Timarron Lakes neighborhood in The Woodlands, 100 homes flooded during Harvey, and residents blamed a faulty drainage system they had asked the MUD to fix. There are 857 municipal utility districts in the Houston area. As many as 190,000 houses 9 percent of the Houston area's housing stock experienced flooding in Harvey, the study found. Less than 20 percent of those flooded properties were within utility districts. The analysis was conducted by Meyers Research, a national market research and consulting firm specializing in the real estate industry, and Municipal Information Services, a firm specializing in the bond performance of municipal utility districts. The groups used reports from district officials and operators for portions of the report, and government data sources, including the U.S. Census Bureau, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Texas General Land Office, the TCEQ, the City of Houston, Harris County, and the Harris County Flood Control District. Zach Carson and Elliott Stuart dealt with layers of flooring, strange paint colors, very old wallpaper, walls that didnt belong and one fairly friendly ghost in the year and a half theyve lived in and renovated their historic home in Galveston. Their grand, old home on Avenue P is one of nine on the Galveston Historical Foundations 2018 Historic Home Tour set for two weekends, May 5-6 and 12-13. The homes that will open to the public range from big homes once owned by the islands most prominent residents to smaller bungalows and tenant homes. Carson and Stuart first came to Galveston as vacation home owners in 2011 after searching the country for a place on or near water. Stuart is from Miami and missed having a beach nearby after 13 years living in Colorado. Now Playing: Zach Carson and his partner own a house built in 1893, and they share it with a ghost. Video: Jon Shapley, Houston Chronicle In their cross-country search they never imagined theyd end up in Texas, but theyre glad they did. Weve been everywhere, and there is not a nicer group of people anywhere. Everywhere we go we have conversations with someone at the grocery store, at the gas station, waking down the street. We invite people in off of the street for a glass of wine, said Carson, capturing the spirit of the islands historic home community, always willing to show off or visit another persons home. More Information 2018 Galveston Historic Home Tour When: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. May 5-6 and May 12-13 Homes: 1318 Sealy; 1121 33rd St.; 2424 Avenue L; 2123 Avenue K; 3528 Avenue P; 3608 Avenue O; 3018 Avenue O ; 1723 Mechanic; 1503 Church Parking: on street near each home; no shuttle service provided Tickets: $30 in advance; $35 May 4 and after Information: www.galvestonhistory.org See More Collapse PIRATE'S COVE: Houston couple exhales every time they head to weekend place on the bay. A few years later, it was their careers that called for a move. Stuart, a flight attendant for United Airlines, wanted to work international flights, and Carson, a registered nurse, wanted to get involved in more serious cancer care treatments. Since they already owned a place in Galveston, the Houston area seemed a great place to land. So their tiny 1,100-square-foot vacation home with two bedrooms, a Jack-and-Jill bathroom and tiny kitchen became their full-time residence when they moved from the Denver area. That home was also historic, built in 1893 by German immigrant Henry Henke and it stayed in the Henke family until 1976. After a few years, the small space they truly loved just didnt jibe with their party-throwing spirit. They considered buying other homes, even one on the beach, but a trip to Padre Island convinced Carson, 41, he was more of a pool guy than a beach guy when he was visciously attacked by a crab in the surf. He thought it was a shark, said the good-humored Stuart, who is 52. In his defense, he was bleeding. So we bought a house with a pool, Carson said, putting a hasty end to the story of how they ended up where they are. BEFORE AND AFTER: The Woodlands home gets a major makeover. Carson immediately loved their home on Avenue P in Galveston historical circles its known as the 1893 Thomas and Lillie League House but Stuart, who saw the home once before it went on the market, took some convincing. Not only did he really love their smaller home, it was hard for him to visualize what the League House could become. First, they learned that the League House came with a big slice of Texas history. It was built by the Leagues 115 years ago on land given them by Lillie Leagues grandfather, Samuel May Williams, according to the Historical Foundation. Williams was a prominent figure in early Texas history, settling in the Austin Colony in 1822; he founded the Texas Navy and served as secretary to Stephen F. Austin during the battle for independence. After Texas became a republic, Williams settled in Galveston and helped found that city. The League House was damaged in the Great Storm of 1900 and sat vacant for about a decade, Carson and Stuart said. When it was updated in 1910, the Victorian home took on some Craftsman characteristics in porch columns and balusters to appeal to changing consumer taste. A local judge owned the home for many years and died in it. For some 30 years, a couple owned the home and had at least one encounter with a ghost who terrified a relative who was visiting. He awoke late one morning to find an older man in a military uniform hovering over him. He bolted out of bed and ran down to ask who theyd let into his room. No one, of course. From then on, the story of the ghost judge has lingered. MORE: The story behind a lost statue honoring victims of Galveston's deadly 1900 hurricane For a year and a half, Carson and Stuart lived amid repairs and disarray. A good deal of construction was done at the back of the home, and cosmetic changes were made in every room. When the men bought the home, its foyer had mint chocolate chip green paint with brown stenciling. The kitchen and and upstairs bath were Pepto-Bismol pink. A guest bedroom was bright melon, and a study had embossed wallpaper painted periwinkle. Heavy, decades-old draperies and lace sheers, dripping with tassles, crystals and beads hung on every window. In the back of the home, what is now a single space for their kitchen and family room had been turned into five different spaces, all tiny and walled off. When they decided to buy the home that had been on the market, a friends parents were visiting the island and using their smaller home. Carson and Stuart grabbed some clothes and an air mattress and headed over to their new place. Every day or so theyd bring more belongings over and eventually Stuart could see what Carson already had: a home theyd fallen in love with. They hired an architect who offered sound advice and found a contractor they had to wait six months for. They did a fair amount of work themselves, and lived in the home during all of it. Now ready for the tour, the homes main floor is fully renovated and trucks have been delivering new furniture steadily in recent weeks. Their home may be 115 years old, but its far from a museum. Their kitchen is on trend with quartz counters covering a big, 10-foot island and bright, white cabinets lighting up the room. Contemporary furniture in the family room looks so comfortable that its hard to imagine wanting to spend time in the living room, except that its so full of more glamorous furniture, a blue velvet sectional sofa piled with decorative pillows and resting alongside a mix of current pieces and antiques. In the year and a half theyve lived in the home theyve never seen the ghost, though theyve given him every opportunity to appear. At Thanksgiving they reserved a place for him at the table and every night, they give him a Waltons-style shout-out when they go to bed and cry: Order in the court! A greenhouse/hot tub room out back has been converted into a guest suite, and a powder room under the front stairs has gotten a small but glamorous makeover. The tiny space has a miniature sink with a black swan faucet. A frame with a lattice-like edge has a sconce placed in the middle of the lattice work. Its the size of a tiny closet, but its sure to make you smile. diane.cowen@chron.com These days, the statue story is part of Rice lore. With gaggles of prospective students in tow, guides pause dramatically at the founder's statue in the center of Rice's academic quad and deliver the campus tour's best anecdote: the story of engineering students who rotated the 1-ton, cast-metal statue 180 degrees. For a few glorious hours, it faced not the administration building, but the library. The story captures what George Rupp, Rice's ambitious president in the late '80s, might have called Rice's "ethos." Students then liked to believe that Rice was a funny, brainy place, where nothing was held sacred. That wasn't the ethos that Rupp hoped to cultivate. A theologian, previously the head of Harvard's divinity school, he thought some things ought to be sacred. The first Rice graduation ceremony he saw appalled him: Students in the audience wore shorts, drank beer and sat on the branches of the campus's big oak trees. Rupp wanted to give the university more dignity, more Ivy League-ish gravitas, a few sacred things. You'd expect one of them to be "Willy," as everyone on campus calls the statue of university founder William Marsh Rice. Willy is a tomb marker: Rice's ashes are interred inside the statue's tall base. But students treat the stern-looking statue like a little brother, with more teasing than awe. Sometimes at Christmas, someone gives Willy a jaunty Santa hat. At Halloween, a carved pumpkin might cover his head. In the Rupp era, Rice's administration took a dim view of such shenanigans. AT 5:45 A.M. ON APRIL 12, 1988, a crew of 11 people 10 students and the Mastermind, an alumnus who even now remains anonymous smuggled parts for their prank onto the campus's main quad. They'd spent weeks building the collapsible wooden assemblage to strict engineering standards, and had tested it by lifting the Mastermind's Corolla. So far, so good: Everything was going according to the scheme the Mastermind and another engineering student had conceived three years before. On their first attempt, in 1986, the prankster band had gotten as far as lifting the statue a few inches off its base before they were foiled by an unforeseen engineering problem. The next time, in 1987, the crew had run into unexpected security guards in the quad, keeping watch over the chairs set up for graduation. So this time around, in 1988, the Mastermind and the undergraduates had their own elaborate security measures in place. Lookouts kept watch from the tops of buildings. Over headset walkie-talkies, they addressed each other by code names from the X-Men comic book. But their operation, planned for the cover of darkness, didn't go exactly according to plan. Everything took a little longer than it was supposed to. Nick de la Torre/Chronicle The crew lashed the two A-frames around the statue, then added the crossbar and a hoist. At 6:10, using straps made of seat-belt fabric, they lifted the statue a few inches above its base. By then the sun had risen, and joggers were drifting through the quad. At 6:25, as the morning light grew less tentative, the team achieved its objective: It rotated the statue 180 degrees, then set it carefully back down on the base. Yi-Chin Lee / Houston Chronicle/Rice vandalism Willy faced Rice's library. NOT PAUSING TO ADMIRE THEIR work, the pranksters rushed to disassemble the wooden structure. Someone pushed a wooden A-frame to the ground. When it hit the sidewalk, the sound echoed through the quad like a gunshot. As a campus police car roared toward the crew, lights blazing, the conspirators followed their emergency-scenario playbook: They scattered. Only Patrick Dyson, who drove away in the plotters' pickup, was caught. Patrick, a faculty brat who'd grown up on campus, was also a senior about to graduate. He figured the university would shrug off the prank. But it didn't. The administration saddled him with a large fine, one that could have kept him from graduating. And it threatened felony prosecution. Maybe you remember the rest of the story. I do. I was a senior too, a reporter for the Rice Thresher. After a day or so making inquiries, I interviewed Patrick in his dorm room. He and his co-conspirators pumped me a beer from their keg. Around midnight, the Mastermind followed me back to the school paper's office. While I wrote my story, he spent hours on a Macintosh, mouse-drawing a diagram we could print. He wanted to show the world that the engineering plans had been sound that that statue was never in danger. After the pranksters' story appeared in the Thresher, it went global, reported by the Associated Press. Alumni, including a Houston city councilman and members of Rice's board, rallied to Patrick's cause. Students bought so many $25 T-shirts that, after paying his fine, he had money left over to buy kegs for a party. For that glorious moment, Rice's wildness had beat back civilization. DECADES LATER, THOUGH, IT'S clear that the forces of respectability ultimately won. The school, which once yearned for a national reputation, now has it. Rice students are still super-smart, but now they're better-dressed and better-mannered. You don't see as many slobs, as many weirdos, as many bad haircuts. That shouldn't make me sad. And I shouldn't think it strange that now Rice, its reputation secure, brags about its oddball past. The Mastermind still preserves what he likes to call "the mystery" of his identity, but in 2008 a film documentary "180: The Spin on Willy's Statue" by alumna Theresa Bujnoch revealed the names of the rest of the crew. (For the record: Alex Kazim, T.J. Brudner, Chris Cannon, Kelly Miller, Brian Sweeney, Greg Heath, Debbie Schmidt Dyson, Christopher Ryan and Tom Reeves. John Q. Smith helped the Mastermind conceive the idea in '86 but wasn't involved in the successful operation two years later.) The documentary has never been released to the public. Mostly it's been seen at official screenings on the Rice campus. Notably, many of the statue conspirators went on to Silicon Valley. In 2008, as a group, they established a $138,000 "Willy Revolution" scholarship fund. Alex Kazim, who suggested the scholarship, got in on the ground floor of eBay and after that launched other startups of his own. For those startups, he hired members of the old statue team. Startups require audacity, Kazim told me the kind of audacity he hoped the scholarship would encourage at Rice. Rice needs that. And so does the rest of the world. Lisa Gray founded Gray Matters. This story is based on reporting she did eons ago, in both the Houston Chronicle and the Rice Thresher. See photos from the prank and Chronicle coverage at the time. Sign up for the Gray Matters newsletter. It likes to believe that it's a funny, brainy place, where nothing is held sacred. How do you know when enough is too much? And what happens when you factor in the collateral damage of lost time, bitterness, dashed expectations and jealousy? It's something I've been pondering ever since trying to corral "Hamilton" tickets for myself, my husband and our two daughters. "Hamilton" is coming to Salt Lake City, a five-hour drive each way from our home in rural Idaho. The long journey would likely also mean a hotel stay. That's a lot for a night of theater, but it seemed worth considering, especially given that my husband, a genuine Idaho cowboy, still belts out songs from "Wicked" six years after driving 2 and a half hours to see his first Broadway show in Boise. And after all, shows like "Hamilton" don't come close very often. Still, after hearing that tickets started at nearly $1,000 each, I consciously uncoupled from the idea of buying any. Then it got ugly. A friend, a high school teacher of U.S. history, told me there was a way to get cheaper seats and enjoined me in the pursuit so that our four collective children wouldn't be left out. Two little words: Left. Out. Now not only did I want the tickets, I needed them, to prove myself a worthy parent. REVIEW: 'Hamilton' tells the story of today, with immigrants in mind Getting tickes on the (relative) cheap required joining in an online lottery of sorts. Now, I am not someone who likes to wait for things (growing up in Houston, I witnessed fans sleeping on sidewalks surrounding The Summit to see concerts, but given the discomfort investment required I was willing to let an opportunity pass), nor am I someone who enjoys crowds or the challenge of getting tickets to anything shorter than a two-week vacation. I am also not a gambler. I once put 25 cents in a slot machine at The Rio as I was leaving a weekend of Las Vegas theater, won $25 and kept walking. But this online approach was a new enticement. So I set my alarm to count down the three hours between rising and setting up my laptop to sign on to a website that would, at precisely 9 a.m., assign me a secret number and shuffle a virtual me into a packed electronic waiting room, where I would spend the next six hours trying to cadge tickets. At the appointed time, an avatar of a bouncer politely welcomed me. A small number of seats were being offered for $75 to $250. The rest would go for more standard prices. Hopeful buyers were firmly advised to set a budget. They were also told the tickets might be split up. They could even be on different days. I figured that this news would surely cause some to give pause, and that simply by standing my ground I would take their place in line. The experience of coveting, queuing up with an unseen mob and elbowing my way to what most certainly could have ended up breaking my bank, brought out the worst in me. The most self-indulgent, reckless, shame-vulnerable side. In the first hour, I had come up with every justification in the world for the expense, no matter the total. My friend got kicked off the line first. I should have been empathetic, but instead I was triumphant. While I did a little happy dance, she was explaining to her students her experience and loss. But my hubris didn't last; in the end, we both ended up ticketless. OPINION: Hamilton: Good musical, bad financial planner Later, as I groped to explain my behavior, I had a post-disappointment reality check with Utpal Dholakia, a pricing expert at Rice Business School. He deftly explained my fervor and offered a roadmap for making a sound investment. First, he explained the four properties of outrageous spending. 1) Overspending occurs when the individual's spending is disproportionately high relative to his or her income. 2) On the upside, when a particular expenditure is budgeted for in advance, it can be high relative to the individual's income and still be part of a disciplined approach to personal finance. 3) Consumers have a range of reasonable prices for what a product is supposed to cost. When a product is priced below this range, it will be judged as cheap. If it's above this range, it will be deemed expensive. But if a product is far above the range of reasonable prices, it is seen as extravagant. Even high-income levels are not immune: When Kanye West and Kim Kardashian were reported to spend $500 to rent and watch newly-released movies in their home theater, the idea generated widespread mockery. 4) Performed once in a blue moon, any one of these behaviors doesn't necessarily indicate out-of-control spending. But when all three behaviors are repeated either individually or together there's a discipline problem. And it usually leads to adverse consequences. Bargaining myself into and then out of getting the "Hamilton" tickets was actually an important exercise, Dholakia told me. "Determine what is important to you," he said, "what contributes to quality, and buy the item with the best value, not simply the most expensive one." During the hours I was in the virtual line waiting for tickets I walked the dogs twice, ran three miles and made fresh guacamole. But I also passed homeless people encamped in a park, which made me sick with guilt that while they dug in the trash for a wrapper to sleep on I was considering dropping thousands for a night of theater. As Freddie Harris, artistic director of The Company at New Jersey's Bloomfield College, said about the musical: "You are telling the story about this penniless immigrant making great and using this very diverse cast in a timely conversation with this very important message about diversity and inclusion that has been turned upside down with the cost of the tickets. The message has been tainted somehow because it's something that is only observable by the elite." So, maybe it's OK that the elites beat me and mine to "Hamilton." And all is not lost. For a lot less, I took the family to see "Kinky Boots" in Boise and my husband to a professional drag show, "Viva la Diva," in Salt Lake City. And if I can really be disciplined, I might even be able to have my social righteousness and my "Hamilton," too, with a vacation thrown in. In 2019, Miranda will reprise his signature role in his home of Puerto Rico, still struggling to overcome the damage of Hurricane Maria. "The goal is basically to have one third of the tickets be $10 and affordable to Puerto Rico on the island and really wildly overprice the other tickets for tourists so that that money can restore arts funding in Puerto Rico," Miranda told "Playbill." Until then, I always have YouTube and Miranda, naked, in "Crosswalk the Musical: Hair." Jennifer Liebrum is a writer in Idaho. Get the Gray Matters newsletter. It ended up ticketless, too. Maximilian Uriarte, creator of the "Terminal Lance" comic strip which enjoys a cult-like following among the most junior U.S. Marines, admits he drew a blank when people first began comparing him to legendary World War II-cartoonist Bill Mauldin. Like Mauldin's long suffering front-line infantrymen "Willie and Joe," the two primary characters in "Terminal Lance" Abe and Garcia try to carry out their mission as Marines while enduring the many petty indignities that come with being low men on the military totem pole. "I had never read Bill Mauldin's work at all. I had no idea who he was," Uriarte said in a telephone interview to promote the release of "Terminal Lance: Ultimate Omnibus," a collection of his comic strips published by Little Brown. Uriarte, who served two tours in Iraq as a Marine, has since familiarized himself with Mauldin's "Willie and Joe" comics and is honored by the comparison. "He had that unique experience of being a World War II veteran," Uriarte said from his home in the Los Angeles area. "His comics just like 'Terminal Lance' identified and resonated with the 'real guys.' He was not concerned with how the military wanted to portray itself." Maximilian Uriarte / Little Brown Uriarte enlisted in 2006 while the Global War on Terror was in full swing. He always considered himself a storyteller and was looking for stories to tell. He choose the infantry, though his enlistment test scores were high enough to get him a more comfortable job in the Marine Corps. "I needed to go experience some crazy life. What's the craziest thing I could do as a 19-year-old male join the Marines," he said. He started publishing the strip on his website, as his four-year enlistment in the Marines was coming to an end. ("Terminal Lance" refers to the Lance Corporal rank in the Marines. Uriarte was discharged before being promoted to Corporal.) NEW FICTION: A tough old Chicago emerges in Mamet's new novel Though his army of fans often send him ideas for strips, Uriarte said much of "Terminal Lance" is informed by his own service in the Corps. While the character Jesus Garcia is a generally good-natured Marine who takes military life in stride, Abe (full name Abraham Belatzeko) is a smart ass who often complains when he's not drunk or playing video games in the barracks. "He (Abe) is a fictional representation of me," Uriarte admitted. "His story is a fictional representation of mine." Maximilian Uriarte / Little Brown Rudyard Kipling famously said, "Single men in (barracks) don't grow into plaster saints" and what was true for the British Army in the days of the Raj is also true for today's post-9/11 enlisted troops. The characters of "Terminal Lance" aren't likely to show up on any Marine Corps recruiting poster. They binge drink to make up for the boredom of barracks life; they chase bar flies because of the loneliness; they harass Marines just out of basic training the hated 'Boots' because finally someone is lower ranking than they are. Their language is frequently filthy, because that's how teenagers talk when they are expected to risk their lives for their fellow countrymen. For those unfamiliar with military life, it could be horrifying. But for those who have been there, "Terminal Lance" is true and vital and hilarious. Though the famously spit-and-polish Gen. George S. Patton hated Mauldin's unshaven and unsightly "Willie and Joe," Uriarte has had better luck with the top brass in the Marine Corps regarding his characters. He said Gen. Robert Neller, the Commandant of the Marine Corps, has been supportive. "He likes 'Terminal Lance.' It's honest," Uriarte said. NEW NONFICTION: What's a meaningful life? Steven Pinker knows. While the "Terminal Lance" comic strip is clearly meant to be funny, Uriarte went beyond mere military joke-telling with "The White Donkey," a searing graphic novel about Marines under fire in Iraq and later attempting and sometimes failing to readjust to civilian life using the same main characters. He did not include easy laughs. "The story was supposed to be upsetting," he said. "I felt the book was supposed to be disturbing." Uriarte is currently working on his second graphic novel, which will be based on the Marine Corps experience in Afghanistan. He dedicated "Terminal Lance: Ultimate Omnibus" to the Lance Corporals in the Marine Corps. "I didn't do this for the Marine Corps I did for the Marines," Uriarte said. "I honestly think that active duty Marines are the funniest people on the planet." Mike Glenn (@mrglenn) is a reporter at the Chronicle. Read all his work here. Sign up for the Gray Matters newsletter. It does not include easy laughs. Gov. Greg Abbott Tuesday called an emergency special election in the 27th Congressional District, to be held on June 30. The district was formerly represented by Republican Blake Farenthold, who announced in December that he would not seek re-election, and resigned his seat on April 6. It will soon be represented by one of the four candidates facing off in next months primary runoffs, two of whom will proceed to the Nov. 6 general election. In the meantime, as a result of Abbotts proclamation, the district might have a decent representative in Congress for a few months. Thats good news, in a sense, because the district includes a number of counties, along the coastal bend, that were severely impacted by Hurricane Harvey. In fact, all of the counties in this congressional district are still covered under the disaster proclamation the governor issued after Harvey. Read more: Texans are in the mood to vote without meddling from anyone Disaster recovery should be a priority for all the members of our states Congressional delegation, regardless but the 27th Congressional District, in particular, could use a representative who is focused on this issue. With that said, the outcome of a special election is hard to predict. The Texans who actually vote in this district could easily end up electing someone like, say, Farenthold, who announced his decision to retire from Congress after the Republican Party of Texas sued the secretary of state in order to block him from appearing on this years primary ballot. The counties still struggling to recover from the storm have now been tasked with administering a special election in June, in addition to the local elections that are currently underway and the primary runoffs next month. And although the governor has demanded that Farenthold help fund this exercise, the odds of that happening seem remote. So the counties will also have to pay for Abbotts emergency special election, and any ensuing runoff. Read more: Texas Republicans cant defend decision to censure Joe Straus All things considered, then, I find it hard to believe that Abbotts decision was motivated by his altruistic concern for the Texans who live in this district. What disturbs me, however, is that under the laws of Texas, the 27th Congressional District probably shouldnt have a representative in Congress at all until January, when the candidate who wins the general election will be sworn into office. Ive always believed that the laws of Texas should not be dismissed as a technicality, or taken lightly, or suspended by the governor of Texas, whoever that might be. Abbott has always cast himself as someone who believes in the rule of law. But in calling for this emergency special election, he has acted in a way that might by his own account exceed his constitutional authority. May I utilize my authority under section 418.016 of the Government Code to suspend relevant state election laws and order an emergency special election? he asked Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in a letter sent on Friday, April 19. Read more: Blowing the whistle on the Texas Constitution In Paxtons opinion, Abbott may suspend state election laws. And in the opinion he issued on Monday, in response to the governors letter, he concluded that a court would likely agree. Perhaps. But we dont know that. And neither does Abbott, who responded to Paxtons opinion by acting unilaterally on Tuesday. We do know that the attorney general is part of the executive branch, not the judiciary. We also know that Paxton is under indictment as the result of an investigation that was triggered in 2014, when he publicly admitted to a violation of state securities law. So we now know that the governor of Texas is willing to suspend state election law, using a disaster like Harvey as a pretext. It is imperative to restore representation for the people of that district as quickly as possible, Abbott wrote in his letter to Paxton, which was sent two weeks after Farenthold stepped down. I remain committed to ensuring that the 27th Congressional District is fully represented as the recovery process continues, he said a few days later, calling for the special election. Abbott issued the proclamation Tuesday, the day the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a major Texas redistricting case that includes allegations that the 27th District, among others, was illegally gerrymandered to discourage minority voting and protect incumbent Republicans. erica.grieder@chron.com twitter.com/ericagrieder At least 11 vehicles were damaged by a fire Thursday afternoon in a parking garage at the University of Houston, university officials said. Houston firefighters were dispatched to the university around 1 p.m. after two cars were reported on fire in the school's East Garage near University Drive and Texas Spur 5. The fire damaged at least another nine vehicles in the garage, which was evacuated. The blaze destroyed four vehicles and damaged seven more, according to UH spokesman Mike Rosen. One firefighter was taken to the hospital as a precaution but is expected to be OK, Houston Fire Department spokeswoman Sheldra Brigham said. Now Playing: At least 11 vehicles caught fire in a parking garage at the University of Houston Thursday afternoon, the college said. Video: Blake Ives While firefighters tapped out the blaze around 1:45 p.m., tensions heated outside the garage as students and faculty were blocked from getting their undamaged vehicles out. No one was allowed in or out of the garage for hours, Rosen said, as HFD arson investigators tried to determine what sparked the blaze. UH student Steve Hoang was among those waiting to enter the garage. Hoang, who lives in Pasadena, worried his car was caught in the fire but said he had not received information from firefighters or the university about an hour after the fire was put out. "There's no way in hell this is happening," Hoang said. "I still need my car to go to work and everything. The fact that this whole parking garage is inaccessible to anyone is a big deal. I'm getting an Uber. I'm not staying here." The garage holds 1,500 vehicles, university officials said, although it is not certain how many vehicles were in the garage when the fire started. The garage is typically full around 1:45 p.m. on Thursdays, officials said. Once HFD completed its investigation into the fire, students and faculty who parked in the garage were asked to remove their vehicles so the university can bring in structural engineers to determine its integrity. Once that test is complete, the garage will be cleaned and reopened, Rosen said - hopefully by Monday. In the meantime, students and faculty who normally park in the garage may park in any surface lot on UH property, Rosen said. With fewer students on campus Fridays and weekends, officials believe there will be ample parking to accommodate those who normally park in the garage. Robert Downen contributed to this report. Jay R. Jordan is a breaking news reporter at Chron.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JayRJordan. A lawsuit alleging two Pasadena police officers used excessive force to restrain a man while a phlebotomist drew blood as he allegedly was unconscious was filed Wednesday in the U.S. Southern District Court of Texas. According to the lawsuit , Nelson Onyinyechi in March 2015 was falsely arrested by police for driving while intoxicated after his car experienced brake issues, crashing into a ditch, three blocks from his Pasadena home. Onyinyechi alleges the officers detained him because they believed he was intoxicated a charge that was later dismissed by Harris County. Attorneys in Onyinyechis federal lawsuit say he was disoriented from having just experienced a car crash in the wee hours of the morning. Following his arrest, Onyinyechi alleges he was tased twice and taken to a medical center for blood work, which the lawsuit states was performed without his consent. Now, Onyinyechi is seeking unspecified damages for the emotional distress caused by the alleged false arrest, excessive force and medical malpractice, according to records. It was not immediately clear why the suit was filed three years after the incident. Calls and emails to the city of Pasadena, the Pasadena Police Department and Bayshore Medical Center, where Onyinyechis blood was drawn, were not returned by press time Wednesday night, but this is not the first time a court has looked at elements of this incident. In January 2017, the Court of Appeals for the 1st Judicial District of Texas at Houston reviewed the case after Onyinyechi attempted to overturn his conviction for assault on a police officer. Court files provided by Harris County District Attorneys Office tell a different story from Onyinyechis, painting him as uncooperative. The night Onyinyechis car ran off the road, witnesses and officers said he had an extreme loss of balance, according to the district attorneys office. The prosecutors office records indicate that the officers said Onyinyechi had slurred speech and smelled of alcohol. Officers then said his attitude switched from very cooperative and calm to very belligerent. Two officers, listed as defendants in the suit and identified in the court documents as B.A. Ridings and and J.K. Baum, conducted sobriety tests. As soon as the tests were completed, Ridings handcuffed Onyinyechi. Thats when the two men started arguing, Onyinyechis suit alleges. Onyinyechis suit contends that Ridings told him, What do you mean you live in Pasadena? Pasadena isnt for you. In its version, the district attorneys office did not spell out exactly what was said. The district attorney records said Onyinyechi yelled and did not comply with police commands. The district attorneys office also said that at that point Onyinyechi kicked Ridings in the groin. Onyinyechi was sentenced to five years of probation for attacking Ridings and is now in year three of the sentence. Onyinyechis action states Ridings tased him twice while he was still handcuffed causing him to fall unconscious. However, the district attorneys office makes no mention of a tasing in the records the office provided the Chronicle. County officials say Onyinyechi fell asleep during the arrest, not unconscious. Prosecutors stated Onyinyechi consented to a blood sample before being transported to Bayshore Medical Center, where he was cooperative until after the tests. The offices testimony contrasts with Onyinyechis version of the story which states that a phlebotomist unlawfully drew his blood without a warrant signed by a magistrate. john.harden@chron.com twitter.com/jdharden Houston officials have launched a Hurricane Harvey registry, modeled on the one created in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center, to track the health impact of last years devastating storm. The registry, announced by Mayor Sylvester Turner at his post-city council news briefing Wednesday, will collect information about health, housing and environmental exposures from Houston-area residents and others who came to the city after the storm. The responses will help researchers and public health officials identify trends and develop treatment and prevention plans. We have counted up the costs of Harvey in many ways lives lost, homes damaged, money spent on debris pickup, Turner said. But cost and statistics about the long-term health effects of the storm are harder to come by. This will help researchers predict continuing ailments from the Harvey floods and health problems from future storms. Officials said the registry, a joint effort of the Houston Health Department, Rice University and the Environmental Defense Fund, is the first such attempt to collect and maintain health information about environmental exposures following a major U.S. flooding event. Harvey exposed Houstonians to increased air pollution, water pollution, soil contamination and indoor mold. Those who waded into floodwaters came in contact with a host of contaminants that researchers still are working to identify. The registry asks participants their whereabouts during the storm, the sort of exposure they experienced, the status of their housing and any symptoms they felt before, during and, most importantly, after the storm and flooding. Researchers will track the health of those who consent to be contacted in the future. The idea was the result of phone conversations between project leaders and officials in New York City who developed the World Trade Center Health Registry, the largest in U.S. history to track post-disaster health effects. That registry has published more than 100 studies based on information provided by 71,000 people, from all 50 states, who completed a 30-minute telephone interview between Sept. 2003 and Nov. 2004. The Hurricane Harvey Registry consists of a 10-minute online survey. Project leaders said the initial goal is 5,000 respondents, but they hope to enroll tens of thousands. Elena Craft, senior health scientist for the Environmental Defense Fund, said such a registry would have been great after Hurricane Katrine to help sort out claims about whether those who stayed in temporary housing got sick because of their heavy concentrations of formaldehyde. One of the first to take the survey was Deborah January-Bevers, whose Memorial-area home was flooded by the release of water from the Addicks and Barker dams. Two months later, she developed respiratory problems that have not gone away. Im now susceptible to allergens, like dust, I never was before, said January-Bevers, president of Houston Wilderness. Im coughing, sneezing, have lots of drainage, runny eyes and a stuffed-up nose that wakes me at night. Its become quite a concern. January-Bevers, who participated in hopes of learning about her health issues more than out of a sense of duty, said she was happy to find a survey section that asked about her specific symptoms. It was spot on, how it anticipated my health problems. Researchers will apply for grants to analyze the data once the registry reaches a critical mass of participation. The city health department will use that analysis to better target programs to the areas identified for problems disproportionately affecting people there. Loren Raun, Houstons chief environmental officer and a Rice professor, said the hope is to conduct more substantive surveying, such as door-to-door interviews, in such areas. Additional funding must be secured for that, she said. Mark Farfel, director of the World Trade Center registry, said Wednesday he is pleased that Houston is developing a Harvey registry health registries play a critical role tracking health outcomes in people affected by disasters and addressing gaps in care, reduced quality of life, impacts on function. The World Trade Center registry, still going, has identified post traumatic stress disorder, depression, asthma and gastrointestinal reflux disease as the most common post-9/11 chronic conditions. It also found 11 percent more cancer cases among 9/11 rescue workers than among the general New York state population. Because researchers want to make comparisons, Hurricane Harvey Registry leaders are asking for people to take the survey even if they were not affected by the storm. They also emphasized that all information stored in the registry will be kept private and accessible only to project officials at Rice. People 18 and older can enroll in the registry online at harveyregistry.rice.edu and through a portal on the citys website. This registry is by Houston and for Houston, said Marie Lynn Miranda, Rice provost and lead investigator for the project. Its our attempt to make sure people in our home community come out of the hurricane stronger, better and healthier. Funding for the project came from the National Institutes of Health, the Environmental Defense Fund and the Cullen Trust for Health Care. todd.ackerman@chron.com Houston police believe they cracked a cold case after charging a man with murder in the 2011 death of a 2-month-old baby. Kenneth Wayne Driver, 38, confessed to his role in the death of the baby Jamarian Wayne Anthony, according to the House Police Department. He was already booked in jail on an unrelated charge. The baby was found on Nov. 15, 2011, unresponsive in an apartment on 4700 south Kirkwood. He was taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said. Autopsy reports showed that the baby had blunt force trauma injuries on the head and neck. Driver denied involvement in the death when he was interviewed by police in 2011, police said He was booked on April 17 on an unrelated felony charge of assault of a family member with a previous conviction. While in jail, he was questioned by cold case investigators police on April 25 and confessed to murder, according to police. Prosecutors requested that Driver be held on bond of $100,000, according to court records. Driver has a series of charges dating back to 1997. Those include resisting arrest, theft, drug possession, trespassing, violating a protective order and several counts of assault of a family member, all misdemeanors. He had also been charged with multiple felonies, including unauthorized use of a vehicle, burglary of a residence, evading arrest with a previous conviction and assault of a family member-second offender, according to court records. WASHINGTON The campaign manager for President Donald Trump wants San Antonio to host the 2020 Republican National Convention and has taken to Twitter to voice his frustration at the citys lack of response to bid for the event. San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg said he had been encouraged by some local business leaders notably Brad Parscale, Trumps campaign manager to submit a bid to host the convention. But the mayor said Wednesday he had gotten some mixed signals about the citys chances of securing the bid. He said representatives from the RNC were in San Antonio late last month to meet with political and business leaders about hosting the convention in the summer of 2020. Nirenberg said an RNC staff member told him shortly afterward that Republicans no longer were interested in San Antonio, so he did not raise the issue with the City Council. In an email to Nirenberg Wednesday, Parscale pressed for a response. It is very important that I let the group here in DC know that San Antonio is going to pass on this opportunity. Many cities are killing to have this, Parscale wrote. Parscale used his Twitter account Wednesday to express frustration. Coming soon to #SanAntonio: another mayor makes an epic political mistake that takes a possible 200MM from the community. Why??? I want to rip the last hair I have out of my head. Maybe he is just waiting on Mayor Sculley to decide for him, Parscale tweeted, referring to City Manager Sheryl Sculley. Nirenberg said: I do not respond to political operatives tweetstorms. But former Mayor Julian Castro, who has said he might run for the Democrats presidential nomination in 2020, did respond. The Trump campaign is so SCARED of losing Texas in 2020 that it is DESPERATELY trying to get San Antonio to bid for the RNC convention as political insurance. It wont work, Brad. RNC loses millions for its hosts. And youre going to lose Texas anyway in 2020, Castro tweeted. In an email to council members Wednesday, Nirenberg wrote: Today, I learned that the GOP has renewed its interest in San Antonio and is now actively seeking a convention bid. Nirenberg invited council members to a closed-door discussion next week about whether the city should attempt a late bid to host the event, which could be an economic bonanza for San Antonio. He said he has reservations. Theres a reason San Antonio has not pursued a national political convention since 2000. The local community has to commit tens of millions of dollars up front, and prudent fiscal stewards have good reason to question whether that expense is worthwhile for the community, Nirenberg said in an interview. He remarked: For all intents and purposes, there was nothing happening on this front until Parscale started blowing up the phones. Parscale has aggressively encouraged local officials and business leaders to bid on the convention. He holds considerable sway among national Republicans; he ran the Trump campaigns successful digital operation from San Antonio two years ago and, in addition to directing the presidents political operation, he sits on the 12-member committee that chooses the convention site. It would be one of the most premier events in the history of San Antonio, Parscale said in an interview. It would give the city tens of millions of dollars worth of international media exposure, hundreds of millions of dollars in economic impact, help fill 85,000 hotel rooms for the struggling hotel industry and be one of the most significant food and beverage events ever in San Antonio. He added: It would be completely insane for the city of San Antonio not to make a bid when it is one of the most perfect sites for a national convention. The RNC did not respond to an inquiry about selection details or cities vying for the convention. But Charlotte, which hosted the 2012 Democratic convention, is viewed as a leader in the competition. Earlier this month, the North Carolina city submitted a formal proposal detailing its plan to house tens of thousands of visitors and provide security for an event at which thousands of protesters likely will be on hand. Some national Republicans view the selection of San Antonio as convention host as a way to begin mending fences with Latino voters, many of whom deeply resent the Trump administrations deportation policies along with his efforts to limit legal immigration and build a wall along the Southwest border. Trump rescinded the popular Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program begun in the Obama administration and fought to derail several bipartisan efforts in Congress to restore protections. The Republican Party is aware of the growing Hispanic population and recognizes that their conservative values are perfectly aligned with the agenda of Republicans. Holding our convention in the Hispanic capital of the U.S. would be a very important step, said a top Republican Party official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Hosting a political convention is a massive logistics and security task, but one that can bring substantial rewards. Cleveland, site of the 2016 GOP nominating convention, enjoyed a $188 million benefit, according to an independent study afterward by Tourism Economics. The convention drew 48,000 people to Cleveland, 15,000 of them from news outlets. The economic impact in 2016 for Philadelphia, which hosted the Democratic National Convention, was even more $230.9 million, a study by the same analysts showed. Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff, a Democrat, is among supporters of hosting the GOP gathering. As San Antonio mayor in 1992, Wolf tried unsuccessfully to bring the GOP convention to San Antonio. It went to Houston. San Antonio also lost out despite efforts to host the Democrats 1996 nominating convention and the GOP convention in 2000. I think it would be a big, big benefit to San Antonio to have it here, said Wolff, who has been present for discussions about hosting for the Republican gathering. I think we could handle it very well. Theres a concern about the controversies with President Trump. But the fact of the matter is that in a Republican convention, the presidents probably only here for a couple of hours if indeed he is nominated, and if indeed he wins the nomination, Wolff said. Wolf said local leaders were told that they could expect to receive about $40 million from the government to help cover security costs. In a memo sent to the Charlotte Regional Business Authority, the RNC said it expects the host city to raise roughly $70 million. That money would come from private rather than public sources. After being thrown out of a Houston ISD special board meeting, arrested and forced to spend a night in the Harris County Jail, Kandice Webber said Wednesday she has lost all trust in Texas largest school district. Webber, an organizer with Houston Black Lives Matter who has a granddaughter preparing to enter HISD as a kindergartner, said she wants more than apologies from Houston ISD and Board President Rhonda Skillern-Jones. She and another woman dragged out of the meeting called for Skillern-Jones to resign. Youve already had me drug out of a room for just voicing my absolute God-given right as an American citizen, Webber said Wednesday. Youve already shown your hand at how you treat us. So, now I dont trust you, and I have every reason not to. A special board meeting held Tuesday dissolved into chaos after Skillern-Jones ordered officers to remove a woman who spoke 14 seconds longer than her one-minute allotment during public comments. When audience members jeered the move, Skillern-Jones ordered officers to clear the room. Three women were detained after they refused to move from their seats. Jenny Espeseth, who has two children in HISD, was dragged out of the room and down a hallway by two officers before she was released minutes later. Webber and another woman were taken to the Harris County Jail, after both were charged with misdemeanor criminal trespassing and resisting arrest, according to HISD. Both women spent the night in jail before HISDs police department and Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg decided to drop the charges Wednesday. Following Tuesdays meeting, Interim HISD Police Chief Paul Cordova said the two individuals arrested were actively resisting the officers physically. A woman who was detained but not arrested wasnt kicking or hitting, so we decided to go ahead and release that person, Cordova said. In a statement Wednesday, Skillern-Jones said she decided to clear the room after numerous outbursts and vocalizations from the audience during public comments. I hoped we could calm the tension and return for an orderly meeting, Skillern-Jones said. Unfortunately, the situation escalated and subsequently caused many unintended consequences. I'm saddened at this outcome as it was not at all what I wanted, the statement continued. I take responsibility for calling this recess and am regretful it only created more discord. The one positive result from the chaos is that we did postpone a hasty decision, gained some additional perspective and broadened our considerations. The district announced Wednesday that it will not pursue any partnerships in a bid to stave off state sanctions that could include a takeover of the district or the closure of 10 under-performing schools. Instead, the district said it would continue its existing efforts to turn around the schools labeled by the Texas Education Agency as needing improvement for at lest four straight years. The 10 under-performing schools are: Kashmere, Wheatley and Worthing high schools; Henry Middle School; Woodson PK-8; and Blackshear, Dogan, Highland Heights, Mading and Wesley elementary schools. All of those campuses serve predominately black and Latino student populations in high-poverty neighborhoods. Espeseth, who was dragged out of Tuesdays meeting but was released outside the auditorium, said she heard several trustees promise they would not vote to partner with charter groups to keep the 10 schools opened. When the district announced it had scheduled a Tuesday vote on whether to partner with charter school operator Energized for STEM Academy, she said she felt misled. I heard with my own ears various trustees tell the communities they were not going to charter the schools, Espeseth said. I heard that I dont even know how many times. Jay Aiyer, assistant professor of public policy and political science at Texas Southern University, said the board of trustees has done a poor job explaining the districts predicament and keeping the public informed of their decision-making processes related to partnerships and potential school closures. The district and trustees held 11 community meetings in neighborhoods where the 10 schools are located, but officials largely kept quiet over the past two months while trying to find potential partners to run the 10 schools. My biggest criticism is they tend to hold their cards too close to their vest with more of a desire to present things as a finished plan, Aiyer said. I know its a more difficult process to be open and transparent and to let people have input in front end. But in the long term its better, because they have lost the trust of folks over the last eight months months. The way the meeting began did not inspire much trust, either, Aiyer said. The trustees opened the meeting and then immediately went into an executive session behind closed doors to discuss the proposed partnership with a local charter school operator. They did not emerge to begin the public meeting for more than two hours. Webber said the meetings descent into chaos was especially painful because children from some of the 10 schools were in the audience and witnessed her arrest. When we bring them to show them what being an American looks like, what exercising you civic duty looks like, you showed our black and brown children that when you try to engage civicly, this is what you do to the community, Webber said. She had a direct message for Skillern-Jones: Remove yourself. You are no longer trustworthy. shelby.webb@chron.com twitter.com/shelbywebb AUSTIN Regardless how the United States Supreme Court rules in the winding battle over Texas legislative districts, the big question is whether Texas politicians can be trusted not to discriminate against people of color and the justices will likely let that question go unanswered, for now. The nations highest court heard arguments Tuesday on a seven-year-old Texas redistricting case that involves allegations that the states district maps intentionally dilute the influence of minority voters. The court will decide by the end of June whether parts of the congressional and House legislative maps need to be redrawn to make them more fair to voters of color, likely for the 2020 election. But the bigger fight on the horizon is whether the courts decide Texas is unfit to draw maps and election laws on its own without discriminating against voters of color, warranting federal oversight. Its a practice known as preclearance and it has a long civil rights history. Allow us to explain: Q: What is preclearance? A: Preclearance means gaining or obtaining information beforehand, according to the Oxford dictionary. In this case, it means anytime a government body under preclearance wants to change election laws think the drawing of new district lines every 10 years, new voter ID laws, etc. a federal court or the U.S. Department of Justice would have to approve it first to ensure it has no discriminatory purpose or effect. Think of it like a penalty box. If the court believes Texas actions prove it cant help itself from discriminating against voters of color when creating election laws, the courts can put the state under preclearance. The same goes for counties and municipalities. Q: Whys this matter? A: Racial discrimination in elections can mean of people of color have potentially been unable to elect people who represent them. If the votes of people of color are being diluted by spreading them into too many districts, or are crammed into too few districts, their representative voice is weaker in the state legislature and Congress where laws are made. Q: Has Texas ever been under preclearance? A: Yes. In fact, a lot of states with a history of discrimination have. Seven states, namely in the south, were subject to preclearance when the Voting Rights Act when into effect in 1965. The act was supposed to be temporary to ensure African American voters could exercise their right to vote. Congress kept renewing the law, though. Texas wasnt added until 1975 when the law was updated to include voting discrimination against members of language minority groups. Other states, including parts of California, New York and Florida, were also added that year. RELATED: Gerrymandering: A look at Houston's congressional districts Q: So, what happened? A: Texas had to run its election laws by the federal government for several decades. That ended in 2013 when the Supreme Court struck down this heart of the Voting Rights Act. On a 5-4 vote on ideological lines, the court found the formula used to determine which areas fall under preclearance was unconstitutional. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., writing the majority opinion, referred to the act strong medicine in 1965, but contended times have changed and the method for determining preclearance has not. He said, the Act imposes current burdens and must be justified by current needs. Overnight, nine states that for years had to report to the federal government what they were going to do with voter laws were free to do what they want. State and local governments can still land themselves in preclearance. If a jurisdiction -- city, county, state -- meets thresholds to prove a penchant for racial discrimination in its election laws, the courts can bail in the jurisdiction to preclearance. In fact, Pasadena was one of the first areas to find itself bailed in after a judges ruling in 2017 that found the city was trying to approve a plan that thwarts Latinos on the cusp of an electoral majority. More on that here. Q: Whats the case before the Supreme Court about? A: The Texas NAACP and the Mexican American Legislative Caucus (MALC) contend that most of Texas population growth between 2000 and 2010 was in communities of color, but minorities lost representation after the state Legislature drew up new redistricting plans in 2011. Q: Are any other areas under preclearance? A: Yes, but only a few. Aside from Pasadena, theres Evergreen, Ala., and Charles Mix County in South Dakota. If the courts decide Texas needs the feds to parent the state, it would be the first state bailed in. Thats a big deal. If you can make a case for preclearance anywhere, you can make it in Texas, said Justin Levitt, associate dean for research and a law professor at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles who has closely followed the case. He worked for the Department of Justice on post-trial briefings during the Obama administration. Q: Whats the states position in all this? A: Officials representing the state are adamant that the Texas is in the right. Although it had maps the lower courts found discriminatory in 2011, it has since adopted maps the court OKd in 2013. Adopting a court-ordered remedial plan is evidence that the Legislature acted in good faith, Texas Solicitor General Scott Keller told the Supreme Court. This is not a case of the Legislature trying to pull a fast one. And other election laws that have come under fire, like requiring voters have photo ID, are trying to preserve the integrity of elections and guard against voter fraud, state officials say. Q: What would it take for the court to put Texas under preclearance? A: That decision is up to a three-judge panel in San Antonio to issue a court order. If the high court rules against the state or decides the case is not ready for the Supreme Court yet, the case will go back to the lower court to like direct the state to change the 2013 legislative and congressional maps. If the court sides with the Texas, the maps will stay as they are. However, the argument for preclearance is still there: the whole reason why the state is in this pickle is because it drew maps in 2011 that the court found discriminated against people based on race. According to Rep. Rafael Anchia, D-Dallas, about 2.5 million Texans live in the districts lower courts say were racially gerrymandered. It is our goal, ultimately, to ask the federal court in San Antonio for a bail-in, he said. This really is the case that would support a bail-in. Q: Doesnt Texas have a record of election-related laws getting struck down by the court? A: It does. In fact, several decisions in recent years have found the state intentionally discriminated against voters based on race this decade. That includes several judicial decisions finding Texas voter ID law was crafted with a discriminatory purpose because Hispanic and African American voters who voted in one election would likely be unable to vote in the next election without obtaining the additional identification. That gives the court plenty of fodder to consider when weighing whether put the state under preclearance. But, the state can appeal that decision, too, likely meaning Texas will be back before the Supreme Court to argue against having to fall under government oversight. Q: So, theres a long way to go? A: Even after the Supreme Court decides this case, theres still a lot more yet to be decided. Meanwhile, the next legislative and congressional maps need to be drawn again after the 2020 Census. And thats where this is a big deal -- if the state is under preclearance, those maps will have to be reviewed and approved by the federal government before they can go into effect. Andrea Zelinski covers politics for the Houston Chronicle. Follow her on Twitter and Facebook. Send her tips at andrea.zelinski@chron.com. The Washington Post called it a wild night. Embarrassment would be more accurate. Frustrated parents and community members tried to make their case against a recent charter takeover plan at the Houston Independent School District board meeting on Tuesday. So HISD Board of Trustees President Rhonda Skillern-Jones responded by shutting down the whole meeting. Two people were dragged out by police officers. Videos of Jenny Espeseth, who said she has children in first and fifth grades in HISD, being pulled across the floor by her arms were broadcast over social media. She said police told her they intended to file a report, then released her, as reported by Chronicle reporters Jacob Carpenter and Shelby Webb. The meeting eventually reconvened and then ended without a vote, and HISD now says it plans to miss the April 30 deadline for approving partnerships for 10 failing schools. A state takeover by the Texas Education Agency suddenly looks like a real option. EDITORIAL: HISD should vote no on charter takeover Good. Better to deal with the Texas Education Agency than lock 6,000 students into a poorly conceived charter plan. The now-dumped leading proposal involved a takeover by Energized For STEM Academy Inc., a charter organization run by NAACP Houston Branch President James Douglas and former Houston ISD trustee Paula Harris two individuals whose actions and decision-making have been questioned in their prior roles as public servants. Harris has faced criticism involving alleged favoritism in awarding contracts to a friend. Douglas has faced allegations of a faulty management style. The overall charter organization appeared too small (only 1,000 students) and without a strong enough track record (one of its middle schools was rated improvement required by the state in 2014 and 2016) to promise improvement. And neither HISD nor Energized For STEM Academy released a detailed proposal for turning around the schools. EDITORIAL: HISD supporters should prepare for the worst case scenario But it is hard to imagine a scenario where things would have gone well for HISD given the state mandate to fix the schools. Turning around failing campuses is difficult even in the best circumstances. The partnership process was also vexed by a truncated timeline. Its no surprise that a charter with questionable credentials emerged as the top contender for this job when others were justifiably scared away. Maybe HISD would have operated better under different rules, but thats not what the TEA laid out for them. The state education agency and TEA Commissioner Mike Morath gave our local school board specific instructions for dealing with the 10 failing schools find an outside partner, shut them down or face a state takeover but little assistance along the way. OPINION: Uneven budget cuts further inequity in HISD Surely, Morath would not just rubber stamp any HISD proposal to turn over these 10 schools. He has to have some criteria in mind for the charter system. But there has been no helpful public guidance as to its characteristics, its size or its track record of excellence. Those who watched the melee that erupted during the meeting last night were seeing the total failure to properly manage, adequately fund and support an urban school district. HISD has at best a spotty record of management and bears responsibility for letting these schools fail for too long. Yet the states response of sink or swim and disruption for disruptions sake has once again demonstrated itself to do more harm than good. If the TEA wants to prove itself an honest partner in improving HISDs schools, it will cooperate with the board to craft a solution. This will mean going beyond the April 30 deadline and perhaps waiting until the end of the next school year before implementation. It will mean engaging parents, students and stakeholders. It may take longer, but at the very least it wont involve police dragging parents out of board meetings. And, hopefully, it might actually work. At the time of this writing, the Minnesota Department of Health has declared an end to a measles outbreak that sickened 79 people, exposed 8,000 to the virus and required 500 people to stay home from school, child care or work. The monetary costs involved in responding to this measles outbreak are estimated to be upward of $5 million. Strategies for preventing such outbreaks that occur in large urban areas are complex. One strategy is strict enforcement of school immunization mandates. School immunization mandates have been in place in the United States since 1827, when the city of Boston required students to give evidence of smallpox immunization before entering school. In 1905, the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed the right of states to pass and enforce immunization directives for school entry in the landmark trial, Jacobson v. Massachusetts. It took, however, almost eight decades for all 50 states to implement school entry immunization rules. Ironically, it was a 1971 measles outbreak involving Texas and Arkansas that fostered national alignment around school mandates. EDITORIAL: Texans need a cure for fake news about vaccines In Texas, responsibility for enforcement rests within each school district, not the state. The Texas Administrative Code stipulates that the Texas Education Agency administers the laws and rules that govern education in the state, however, TEA has no enforcement power. Similarly, the Department of State Health Services is responsible for conducting school audits but has no power to penalize non-compliant districts. Thus, the state has no power in the enforcement of the code it develops and monitors. In contrast, California and North Dakota have maintained some enforcement power at the state level. In response to the Disneyland Measles outbreak, California restricted daily attendance funding of schools not in compliance with school mandates starting in 2016. In North Dakota, the state attorney general is empowered to withhold funds from non-compliant schools.Such strategies would counterbalance perverse district incentives where budgets are based on attendance rates. Accurately identifying and auditing non-compliant schools would also assist in strategically mobilizing public health resources to address mandate enforcement. Texas school districts report the vaccine status of students in only three grades (pre-K, kindergarten and 7th grade) annually to DSHS. Districts and private schools that either 1) had rates less than 95 percent for any state-required vaccine, 2) did not submit an Annual Report of Immunization status or 3) had unusually high numbers of delinquent or provisionally enrolled students are identified by DSHS. For public school districts to be audited, three schools (ie, one lower, one middle and one upper) within that selected ISD are identified by DSHS to be reviewed by the local health department. HISTORY LESSON: As early as nation's founding, vaccines were seen as important Local health departments randomly select 100 vaccine records from the selected schools to be reviewed. Thus, the state auditing process, based on district data, may miss non-compliant schools and students. Additionally, the DSHS does not interact with principals of non-compliant schools. Local health departments are tasked with this optional outreach. Simply changing the auditing process to target known non-compliant schools and students and incorporate mandated feedback to the principal would assist in identifying areas in need. Opportunities also exist to increase principal engagement in mandate enforcement within Texas. Currently, principals are not required to monitor campus level vaccination rates. School nurses maintain immunization records. Campus level data is assembled into a district report that is signed by the superintendent and forwarded to the DSHS. Unless monitoring independently, principals have no incentive to track campus level data. One solution for increasing awareness among all stakeholders students, parents, school nurses and principals would be to simply post campus level vaccine rates. Such a policy had a dramatic impact on immunization rates in California. OPINION: Measles outbreak may be difficult to stop Reminding principals of their ethical and legal obligation to follow state vaccine mandates may also improve enforcement. Principals are expected to make the well-being of students the fundamental value in all decisions per their code of ethics. Ensuring students have received mandated vaccines prior to enrollment ensures communities are protected against vaccine preventable diseases. Additionally, reminding principals of possible legal consequences for not following enrollment requirements leading to disciplinary action and possibly teacher certificate suspension as was seen in TEA v. Sonia Sanchez may also assist in achieving increased compliance.9 Unfortunately, many children remain at risk because mandates are not followed. Within the largest school district in Texas, more than 5 percent of the pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, and seventh-graders were delinquent for the measles vaccine as of two months into the school year in 2017. Such rates of vaccine delinquency threaten herd immunity and put communities at risk for outbreaks similar to the one in Minnesota. Standardizing enforcement of mandates has been in place for more than40 years in the United States and is an important tool in maintaining herd immunity. Wootton is associate professor of pediatric infectioous diseases at McGovern Medical Center at UTHealth, Elam is a doctoral candidate in health policy at UTHealth School of Public Health, and Winnike is president & CEO , The Immunization Partnership. Indeed, CCA has been accredited as an Aon Hewitt Best Employer for two years running, making them part of an engaged group of organisations that provide outstanding workplace environments for their staff. However, I know that keeping employees engaged, safe and happy is always a work in progress and we cant afford to stand still, said Lowe. I want to ensure we stay at that high level by building on the great work thats already been done and add even more value. That starts with understanding the business from top to bottom, and Ive been rolling up my sleeves and getting out with our truck drivers delivering product, stocking shelves with our sales team, and meeting everyone I can. Lowe added that she is really excited about learning what makes CCA tick, and then sharing their own learnings with the broader industry so they can improve engagement and wellbeing for everyone. Restoring the livelihoods and food supply of farming and fishing families in the Philippines April 26,2018 | Source: FAO In 2017, rural families in the Philippines struggled to regain their livelihoods after a succession of strong typhoons, drought and conflict decimated crops, farm animals and productive assets. Missing the imminent planting season would have meant that agriculture-dependent families would have gone without income for at least three months relying solely on food assistance. Through FAOs timely post-disaster support, 160 000 affected people were able to farm and fish again. This included 27 660 families in conflict-affected areas on the island of Mindanao and 4 320 families in rice-producing Central Luzon provinces who lost their crops to typhoons Sarika and Haima, which hit three days apart. The two typhoons struck 31 provinces in seven regions, resulting in USD 233 million in production losses to the agriculture sector. To increase incomes and help sustain peace and development in Mindanao, FAO implemented climate-smart farm business schools and trained communities, including womens cooperatives, on value-added technologies and alternative off-farm livelihoods, such as crafts production and food processing. FAOs support enabled affected farmers and fishers to re-establish their livelihoods, income and food supply, many of whom were in debt from the previous cropping cycle. They gained knowledge and skills on farm-level disaster risk reduction and management, drought management, resilient rice-based farming systems and climate change adaptation, which makes them more resilient to future shocks. Saving livelihoods saves lives document is available at: http://www.fao.org/3/i8463en/I8463EN.pdf FAO, 2018 Theme(s): Communities and Organisations, Others, Coastal Ecosystems and Threats. Vietnam cooperates with Indonesia to fight illegal fishing as yellow card review nears by Toan Dao April 26,2018 | Source: Seafood Source Vietnam and Indonesia have agreed to a deal on regulating fishing in the South China Sea as the former is making efforts to combat illegal fishing following the yellow card given by the European Commission last year. The two countries will strengthen their partnership, cooperating particularly on fishing and other maritime issues, the Associated Press reported, quoting Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi. Marsudi held a joint briefing with her Vietnamese counterpart, Pham Binh Minh, in Hanoi, Vietnam on Tuesday, 17 April. In maritime and fishing cooperation, we agreed on how to conclude the ongoing issues in this regard, the Indonesian minister said via a translator. We have also agreed to try together to complete the demarcation of the exclusive economic zone, because the demarcation of the EEZ between our two countries can enhance the interests of our two peoples as well as ensure security between our two countries. Since 2014, Indonesia has blown up and sunk several hundred fishing vessels, including vessels from Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Thailand, for allegedly violating its waters. The cooperation with Indonesia is the latest step Vietnam has taken recently to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing (IUU). On our part, Vietnam will continue to strengthen education and information so as to raise awareness of our fishermen not to violate other countries waters, Minh said, adding that the two sides agreed to establish a mechanism to handle fishing violations in line with both countries laws. The European Commission issued a "yellow card" warning to Vietnam in October 2017, warning Vietnam it could ban its seafood exports entirely unless Hanoi did more to tackle illegal fishing. Strict and resolute measures applied by Vietnamese authorities following the yellow card have led to a sharp reduction of the number of Vietnamese fishing boats operating illegally in other countries, particularly in island states in the Pacific Ocean, Vietnams Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said in a statement following a visit to the European Union by Agriculture Minister Nguyen Xuan Cuong in late March. Arrests of Vietnamese fishermen and boats in overlapping areas, however, remain an unresolved issue between Vietnam and Indonesia. Vietnam is working to complete the demarcation of the exclusive economic zones with Indonesia, Malaysia, and Cambodia in order to resolve some of those border-related problems, the Vietnamese ministry said. In mid-May, the Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries for the European Union, or DG MARE, will send a working group to Vietnam to assess Vietnams efforts to fight IUU. The E.U. will use the results of the review process to determine its next steps as to whether issue a red card banning all seafood imports from Vietnam, maintain the countrys yellow card status, or rescind it and resume normal trading relations, Vietnam Fisheries Department said 18 April. Vietnam is waiting for a fair judgment from the E.U., the Vietnamese department said. 2018 Diversified Communications Theme(s): Coastal Ecosystems and Threats, Fisheries Resources. Indonesias crackdown on illegal fishing is paying off, study finds by Basten Gokkon April 26,2018 | Source: Asian Correspondent Tough measures by Indonesia to protect its fisheries from foreign poaching vessels are proving effective in helping replenish fish stocks, a new study says. Seizing and blowing up illegal foreign fishing boats and banning fish transfers at sea have eased the pressure on Indonesias intensively fished waters. The country, the second-biggest marine capture fisheries producer in the world, can serve as an example for other nations plagued by illegal fishing, according to the report published last month in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution. The report showed that foreign fishing activity in Indonesia declined by more than 90 percent, and total fishing by 25 percent, since 2014, when the government banned foreign fishing boats from its waters, among other restrictions on fishing. Indonesia lost an estimated $4 billion per year to illegal fishing before 2014, the study noted. Since then, more than 300 ships, foreign and local alike, found violating the fishing bans have been seized and sunk. Indonesias anti-IUU [illegal, unreported and unregulated] fishing policies draw a lot of media attention and speculation about their effect, but no one has demonstrated or evaluated the efficacy of the policies, said lead author Reniel Cabral, a postdoctoral marine scientist at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Cabral and his colleagues studied three different empirical datasets: satellite data of nightlights; publicly accessible automatic identification system (AIS); and vessel monitoring system (VMS) data provided by the Indonesian government. To verify whether Indonesias anti-IUU fishing efforts were helping fish recovery, the researchers focused on skipjack tuna, the largest fishery in Indonesia by volume, as a model case study. The findings suggested Indonesian skipjack tuna fishermen would lose 59 percent in catch and 64 percent in profit by 2035 compared to current levels if an open-access regime was maintained and no IUU policies were implemented in the country. On the other hand, the scientists suggested the fishermen could enjoy an increase of 14 percent in fish catch by 2035 and 12 percent rise in profit compared to current levels if the government continued to curtail IUU fishing and cap harvests at maximum sustainable levels. Duto Nugroho, a fisheries biologist at Indonesias fisheries ministry, said the government had drawn up a number of frameworks and guidelines to achieve maximum sustainable levels to accommodate local fishermen. One such policy is the countrys 2016 fisher protection and empowerment act, which adopts sustainable criteria. Nugroho said the ministry had carried out an evaluation of the policies, but noted there were indications that even as poaching by foreign vessels was severely diminished, local fishermen were catching more fish. There are still uncertainties on recovery status of fish stocks post anti-IUU [fishing] polices, he said. Domestic fishing appears to be expanding significantly to replace international fishing pressure and could undo the benefits of fighting illegal fishing if left unchecked, Cabral and his colleagues agreed. [F]or them to continually capture benefits from their anti-IUU fishing policies, they need to ensure that domestic fishing efforts are also well-managed, Cabral said. There are currently more than 3,300 new fishing boats under construction in Indonesia, and the government aims to distribute more than 13,800 sets of fishing gear to local fishermen by 2019. The new vessels are set to be much smaller than the foreign boats being replaced. Reducing fishing pressure in Indonesias waters will have to mean imposing restrictions on local small-scale fishermen, for which contingencies must be made, the researchers noted. Governments should include pro-poor measures that provide an economic safety net to local fishers and make legal forms of fishing more lucrative and attractive, they wrote. Some of the measures the researchers suggested include making small-scale fisheries open access, banning trawl-like fishing gear, and improving fishery registration and data management. The Indonesian governments policy to make its VMS data publicly available is another indication of its commitment to combating domestic IUU fishing, they added. Increased transparency, along with effective regulation and enforcement, can lead to better outcomes for fish stocks and local livelihoods, said David Kroodsma, director of research and development at Global Fishing Watch, an online platform by Google in partnership with the NGOs Oceana and SkyTruth. About 20 percent of the global fish catch, amounting to 11 million to 26 million metric tons, is caught illegally, resulting in an annual global fisheries losses of $10 billion to $23.5 billion. In some regions, such as the western and central Pacific Ocean and eastern central Atlantic, illegally caught fish may constitute more than 30 percent of the total catch. Rampant fishing activities in international waters or other countries exclusive economic zone has typically been accompanied by high incidences of IUU fishing activities, raising concerns about the sustainability of global fisheries. The researchers suggest that what Indonesia has successfully achieved can be implemented in other countries struggling with interlopers in their waters. When a country is plagued by high levels of IUU fishing by foreign fleets, addressing IUU fishing can drive fisheries recovery without reducing local catch and profit, Cabral wrote. Theme(s): Coastal Ecosystems and Threats, Fisheries Resources. Uganda loses EA fish market to China by Dorothy Nakaweesi April 26,2018 | Source: All Africa Uganda has over the years slowly lost its regional fish market to Chinese exports, according to data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics. Apart from Uganda, Chinese fish exports continue to flood the region with the biggest export being tilapia. According to Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, the country spent $22m (Shs81b) on fish imports in 2017. This was a growth from $10m in 2016. Kenya requires one million tonnes of fish annually but only produces 200,000 tonnes domestically, which leaves a deficit of 800,000 tonnes. Much of the deficit was imported from Uganda, Tanzania and India but China has since taken over. China exported more than 357,000 tonnes of tilapia worth $11m (Shs40b) into Kenya. According to Philip Borel, the Uganda Fish Processors and Exporters Association vice chairperson, cheap tilapia from China continues to be a problem to the region and has unfairly heightened competition in one of Uganda's traditional markets such as Rwanda and DR Congo." According to data from the Central Bank, Uganda's formal fish exports were valued at $131m (Shs480b) while informal exports stood at $36.9m (Shs135b) in 2017. Reports indicate that Tanzania, which controls more than half of Lake Victoria, also imported more fish from China growing by about 23 per cent to $8m (Shs29b). This is more than double the $3.6m (Shs13bn) fish the country imported in 2014. Tanzania imported frozen pacific mackerel, Indian mackerel, chub, frozen sardine and tilapia. Challenge Apart from China, Kenya is also importing more fish from Tanzania than Uganda. This has been occasioned by a near depletion of Uganda's fish stocks as the country continues to grapple with bad fishing methods. 2018 AllAfrica Theme(s): Fisheries Resources, Post Harvest Technology and Trade. Other than that, Mrs. Cannon, how was the flight? A lot of things went wrong on Leighton and Merry Cannon's recent trip to Europe on American Airlines. But, as Merry Cannon said in a phone call, the worst part was probably right at the very end: when she discovered a dead rat in her checked luggage. Yes, a dead rat--"smashed," as she put it--yet hidden, so that she wasn't sure what was creating the "disgusting" smell that came from her bag when she picked it up at the airport. She brought it home unwittingly, despite the odor, hoping to clean and salvage at least some of her clothes. "It smells like a dead body." The story began early March 5, as Merry Cannon told it. Her husband had a business trip in Germany and France, plus a short visit to London to see family. Since his mother was free to come to their house in Arkansas to take care of their two small children for a few days, Merry decided to go along. Travel troubles mounted quickly: delayed and canceled flights, missed connections, an unplanned overnight stay in Chicago after their flight to Germany left without them, while American tried to find room for them on any airplane to Europe. Ultimately they had to fly to Brussels, Belgium instead, forgo the German part of their trip, and arrange to drive a rental car to Lille, France. When they arrived in Belgium, however, they found that their luggage had never left Chicago. It didn't catch up to them until their last night in France, just before their morning flight to London to see family for the day before heading back to the U.S. Eventually, they made it home to Arkansas, and Merry collected their bags. The smell now emanating from her luggage nearly knocked her over, she said. "Smell this," she said to her husband. "It smells awful!" he replied. "It smells like a dead body." "It smells so gross." Maybe it's "just" sewage waste from a lavatory Leighton tried to sanitize the handle with Clorox wipes. They brought the bag to a customer service agent, who speculated that maybe it had been left on a runway in the rain at some point during the five days it took to catch up with her, and the smell was from mold. Merry said she was skeptical, as they hadn't noticed a smell when the luggage caught up to them in France. Perhaps, the customer service agent suggested, it had been stored under a lavatory on the plane, and sewage waste had dripped onto it. Disgusted by that idea, Merry Cannon asked for a garbage bag or something to avoid taking the bag. But the agent told her the airline would only compensate her for destroyed luggage if she first brought everything home, tried to wash it, and offered evidence that it didn't work. The Cannons threw the bag in the back of their truck, and left it on the back porch of their house when they got home. The next morning, Merry Connor opened it, pulled out a few articles of clothing, and held her nose. She dropped them in the washing machine with vinegar, bleach, Tide, and OxiClean. It barely had an effect. Disgusted, she walked back to the porch. And then she saw the dead rat. Her reaction: "I'm surprised the people next door, building a house--the construction workers--didn't call the police. I screamed, ran inside, started washing my hands over and over. I was just crying." "Your biggest concern would be bubonic plague" She called American Airlines. They told her to photograph everything in the bag, and to put in a claim. The person she spoke with at the airline was apologetic, she said, and promised that the airline would pay for everything. Then she called the county health department. "This is awful," she said the health department official told her when she described the rat situation. "I've never heard of anything like this. Your biggest concern would be bubonic plague." "The plague? What am I, in a sitcom?" She thought about her two young children. Had she unwittingly brought a bubonic plague-infested rat into their home? "Rats carry the plague," the heath official told her. "Your other worry would be fleas. That's what carries disease." Later, he added, "Burning garbage is illegal, but that bag needs to be burned." Merry and Leighton took photos, and disposed of the bag and its contents. She said she hoped American Airlines would make her whole--at least for the actual value of the things she lost. "I realize this is not the outcome you requested" An American Airlines representative emailed her, saying the airline would pay her $1,648, "maximum liability set by the Montreal Convention ... for a trip with an international flight." "I realize this is not the outcome you requested," said the note, which was signed by a "specialist, central baggage," in the Central Baggage Resolution Office. "[H]owever, I appreciate this opportunity to address your concerns and explain our position. We hope you will give American Airlines another chance to earn your business." I asked American Airlines for comment. Here's their statement: We have apologized and are not aware of any similar issues of a rat making its way into a checked bag before. While we are unable to determine if the issue occurred in the United States or overseas, we did apologize to the customer, and they were compensated earlier this month. NOTE: Based on the Montreal Convention and applicable international tariffs, liability limitations for international travel are 1,131 Special Drawing Rights (SDR) per ticketed passenger. This applies to all airlines for international travel. SDR (Special Drawing Rights) is an International Monetary Fund unit of currency. SDR's will be converted to U.S. Dollars using the rate in effect on the mishandled baggage settlement date. That is what was compensated. If you convert 1,131 to U.S. dollars, it is around $1,600. It wasn't enough, Merry Cannon replied. The bag itself was a Samsonite that cost $300, she said, and she had three pairs of boots that cost $200 each, "plus I had dressy clothes, and workout clothes." Some of the things she'd brought were brand new, and stillahd the tags on them. Cannon said she tried several more times to get someone from American to discuss her case, and see if she could get anything beyond the $1,600, but to no avail. Eventually, she posted the photo of the rat and her story on Facebook and Twitter. Since President Donald Trump was elected, Silicon Valley leaders have railed against government policies that restrict immigrants' ability to work legally in the United States. The latest development in that fight comes from FWD.us, a tech lobbying group founded in 2013 by Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. The group released a report Tuesday that examines the economic impact of the administration's policies and calls for effective immigration reform. FWD.us has many other industry heavyweights behind it, including Microsoft founder Bill Gates, LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman, and Dropbox founder Drew Houston. "There is no question that our immigration system is fundamentally outdated and broken, but the answer cannot be to simply shut the door," the report reads. "Instead, we must begin the hard but crucial work of reform to ensure that immigration remains a driver of our economy and America's unique competitive advantage for generations to come." The Trump administration has been clamping down on the H1-B visa program, which applies to highly skilled workers coveted by tech companies. The new report, however, focuses on the H-4 visa, which allows spouses of H1-B visa holders to work in the U.S. for up to six years. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services has announced plans to scrap the H-4 visa. The report also calls for implementing the International Entrepreneur Rule, which would help international founders launch startups in the U.S. While the Department of Homeland Security approved the rule in January 2017, the Trump administration has placed it on hold and reportedly plans to eliminate it. Additionally, FWD.us's report advocates for the Optional Practical Training program, which allows students with F-1 visas to work in the U.S. for a year after earning their degree. The program is in effect, but the administration has plans to eliminate it or reduce the length of time for work authorization. On a Monday afternoon in March, Mike Selden, the CEO and co-founder of Finless Foods, has just returned from Oslo, Norway, to the San Francisco Bay Area. Despite the 5,000-mile flight and eight-time-zone shift, Selden is feeling energized by what he learned at a conference there, the North Atlantic Seafood Forum, the largest annual gathering of the seafood industry. "I knew the oceans were in bad shape," he says. "But, man, it's way worse than I thought." To Selden, 27, this is energizing, if not quite welcome, because it suggests that he and the rest of his seven-person team are on the right track, developing a product that could go a long way toward solving one looming global crisis and maybe help ameliorate a few more. That product is edible fish, grown as cells in a lab vat rather than as a creature in a sea, lake, or aquaculture pond. Founded in 2017 and based in Emeryville, California, Finless Foods is one of a number of startups using so-called cellular agriculture to replace age-old methods of food production: farming, animal husbandry, and, in this case, fishing. Animal cells are cultured from stem cells and incubated in a "bioreactor" into tissue that can be "harvested" and formed into familiar foods like meatballs, patties, and fish sticks. Finless Foods emerged from the same biotech accelerator, IndieBio, as Memphis Meats, the subject of Inc.'s November 2017 cover story. Memphis Meats founder Uma Valeti, a former cardiologist, is using cellular agriculture to produce chicken, duck, and beef that he believes will be healthier to eat and better for the environment than conventional meat, all without the slaughter of animals. The eating of fish presents a different set of ethical, environmental, and health issues. Foremost among them is overfishing. In its most recent report on the state of global fisheries, the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization warned that 90 percent of the world's fish stocks are fully or overfished, and increasing production to meet the world's growing demand for animal protein can't be done in a sustainable manner. Meanwhile, the concentration of mercury and other pollutants in fish like tuna and swordfish remains a health hazard, while farmed fish are subject to parasites, pesticide runoff, and other contaminants. Selden and his co-founder, Brian Wyrwas, knew some but not all of this when they started talking about the idea a few years ago while living in New York. Both had studied biochemistry at their alma mater, the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. Selden, who had also studied marine biology and fungal genomics, was doing cancer research in flies at Mt. Sinai medical school. Wyrwas, 25, was working with tumors at Weill-Cornell Medical School, a few dozen blocks away. "We used to meet up for beers between the two hospitals," says Selden. In those conversations, they hatched the idea of using their scientific training and Selden's marine biology expertise to grow fish in the lab. "I can remember being pretty drunk and being like, 'We should do this!'" So they did. Enrolling in IndieBio required a move across the country. "We dropped everything, quit our jobs, left our girlfriends -- we thought temporarily but it turned out permanently," Selden says. They found an apartment together in San Francisco and liked living together so much, they chose to share a house when they later moved across the Bay to Oakland. They share a car as well, and have a music room for their impromptu jams. "It's very cute," Selden says. At IndieBio, they found the perfect mentor in then-executive director Ryan Bethencourt, who was so keen on the idea of using cellular agriculture to improve the global food system, he recently left the accelerator to launch his own startup, Wild Earth, which is turning fungus into clean dog food. Bethencourt got reinvolved with Finless as an investor in its $3 million seed round last fall. "Clean fish is a hugely important innovation for our planet," he says. "The only chance we have of preventing the extinction of fish species like bluefin tuna is making an alternative clean/cultured fish meat like Finless Foods available." Currently, Finless has an initial prototype product consisting of individual fish cells bonded together by a food paste enzyme. It can be served in forms like the carp croquettes the company served at its first private tasting last September. As the company refines it processes, Selden expects the price of its product to reach parity with bluefin tuna by the end of next year, at which point he hopes to be offering it in restaurants, likely in a presentation resembling a spicy tuna sushi roll. Looking further out, Finless is concentrating its R&D efforts on tissue engineering that will allow them to culture not just disconnected cells but "solid chunks of things that are a facsimile of fish flesh"--basically fish fillets. Like Memphis Meats, which counts meat-processing giants Tyson and Cargill among its investors, Finless is hopeful that major industry players will welcome a more reliable alternative to the vagaries of fishing. That was the vibe Selden got in Oslo. "The people who are catching fish are not excited about this, but the people who have brands and supply chains in place, they're interested," he says. EXPLORE MORE 30 Under 30 2018 COMPANIES More than a thousand years ago, in 986 C.E., a Norse sea captain named Bjarni Herjulfsson set off from Iceland to Greenland to be with his father. But a storm blew his ship off course, and when the storm cleared he had come within sight of the completely unknown North American continent, a vision that had never before been seen by Europeans. Spotting lush trees and greenery on the shore, his crew begged him to land so they could explore this new territory. But Herjulfsson refused, insisting instead that they immediately set sail again for Greenland, which they did. Once their ship returned to Greenland and Herjulfsson was reunited with his father, word of the mysterious land he had sighted generated a buzz of interest. And just a few years later Leif Erikson, son of Greenland's ruler Erik the Red, bought Herjulfsson's boat, used it to sail out toward the new American continent with a crew of 35, and made landfall in Newfoundland, where he established the Viking settlement at L'Anse aux Meadows. Today, of course, Erikson is celebrated for having discovered America, while Herjulfsson's lack of curiosity condemned him to virtual obscurity. We are all born with a certain level of curiosity, but clearly the curiosity drive is stronger in some individuals than in others. Ian Leslie suggests that satisfying our curiosity provides pleasure partly because it exercises our mind and keeps us busy. In his book Curious: The Desire to Know and Why Your Future Depends On It, Leslie suggests that it's a distraction from idleness, and we are often happier when we are pursuing our curiosity in the same way that we are when we're busy, when we have something to do. We all know the simple satisfaction to be had, for instance, from idly surfing the net, going from one site to the next, drilling down into some issue or controversy or puzzle that has momentarily aroused our interest, with no real goal in mind other than discovering interesting facts or simply entertaining ourselves with stories. We might call this idle curiosity, but Leslie's term for it is "diversive" curiosity, which he contrasts with "epistemic" curiosity, "a wide-ranging desire for intellectual and cultural exploration." Epistemic curiosity is the kind of sustained, purposeful curiosity that drives scientific inquiry, discovery and innovation. Diversive curiosity is distracting and can be pleasant, at least for short periods, but it is also shallow; it rarely produces any genuine insights or deep understanding. According to Leslie, "Diversive curiosity is essential to an exploring mind; it opens our eyes to the new and undiscovered, encouraging us to seek out new experiences and meet new people. But unless it's allowed to deepen and mature, it can become a futile waste of energy and time, dragging us from one object of attention to another without reaping insight from any. Unfettered curiosity is wonderful; unchanneled curiosity is not." In scientific terms, a person's innate level of curiosity is measured in terms of the "need for cognition," or NFC. Psychologists use questionnaires and experiments to measure NFC, and different people have different levels. Low-NFC people prefer things to remain simple, predictable, and straightforward, while high-NFC people enjoy dealing with intellectual challenges, puzzles, and "effortful cognitive activity." It's likely that Herjulfsson's NFC was low, while Erikson's was higher. And one of Leslie's conclusions is important to keep in mind: As an entrepreneur, you're busy, busy, busy. You have a company to run, employees to manage, and customers to satisfy. Yet I'm going to suggest that you make time to do something counterintuitive: help manage another business by joining a company's board. "It's connections. It's learning. It's getting experience," says Jane Barratt, founder and CEO of GoldBean, a financial services startup, and a current board member of Edgewater Wireless Systems, a Canadian telecommunications company. Advising another company can often help you become a better leader of your own, says Sukhinder Singh Cassidy, the founder and chairman of the Boardlist, a marketplace for tech companies seeking women board members. "It made me run more productive board meetings," says Cassidy, who's been a director of Urban Outfitters, TripAdvisor, and Ericsson. "The boardroom became something I strategically managed. You just watch how other CEOs do it." There's also a financial advantage, especially if you join the board of an established for-profit company. According to the National Association of Corporate Directors, the median pay for people serving on Fortune 500 boards is just north of $250,000. Startups, meanwhile, frequently offer equity in exchange for service. Make no mistake: Sitting on the board of another company takes a decent chunk of your time. According to an NACD survey, a typical director can expect to spend 248 hours a year, or nearly a month of 10-hour days, fulfilling board commitments. And then there's the practical problem: Board seats are in high demand and slow to open up--and they mostly go to white men, who hold more than two out of every three seats on the boards of Fortune 500 companies. So how do you find yourself a seat on another company's board? Patience, networking, and preparation. Think of joining a corporate board as a long-term process, a goal that the Deloitte Center for Board Effectiveness estimates can take anywhere from two to three years to accomplish. "Positions don't come up that often," says Barratt, who spent a few years looking for a corporate board position before connecting with Edgewater. "And the need is often very specific. So if the board already has, for example, a marketing expert, they might not want or need another one." Consider creating a board resume or statement, highlighting applicable skills. Publicly traded companies most commonly use professional search firms to recruit new directors, followed by personal networks, according to the NACD's survey. These companies are most interested in candidates with specific knowledge of and involvement in their industry, followed by financial and executive-level professional experience. "Know your superpower," Cassidy says. There are also programs designed to train entrepreneurs for board service, such as Deloitte's Board Ready program, which offers support for executive women hoping to join corporate boards, or Cassidy's Boardlist. The NACD offers companies a search service, as well as courses for wannabe board directors, though membership is open only to people who are already on a for-profit or nonprofit board. The latter might be a good first step--as long as you're passionate about a nonprofit cause. You won't be compensated for serving on a nonprofit board, and you'll be expected to fundraise. However, such service can provide experience in executive oversight, something that corporate boards look for. Nonprofit board membership also is often validation of standing in a particular community. "You have a seat at the table, which is often made up of very important people," says Susan McPherson, who runs a New York-based corporate social responsibility consultancy, and who's acquired several clients through her service on four nonprofit boards. If you aren't already aware, Google just refreshed the design of its beloved Gmail, and it's a really solid improvement. With 1.4 billion users of the email platform, to say that this redesign was a massive undertaking is an understatement--the magnitude of the roll-out is intense. Before we dive in, if you want to opt-in to the new design, you need to sign into your personal Gmail account and click the "settings" gear icon at the top right. Once you click it, you should see a "Try the New Gmail" button, and voila, you're good to go. There's a lot to be excited about, but there's something simple Google overlooked, which could result in a bit of frustration by the eager early-adopter crowd. What I Love It's worth noting that I'm a "I have a tool for everything" kind of guy. For note taking, it's Evernote, Dropbox Paper, or good ol' fashioned notepad, depending on the flavor of the meeting. The first thing I love about the refresh is the built-in sidebar with Google Keep integrated. Why does this matter? It "keeps" you contained within the Gmail platform without needing to open another app. Where I'm sure I'm not going to rush to Gmail the next time I need to take notes, it's going to be an interesting evolution in Gmail adoption, for sure. It's an A+ feature that I expect will go a long way. Along the same lines, I can't tell you how many "to-do" platforms and apps I have, because I've lost count (sounds counterintuitive, I know). Just like Google Keep, Gmail has implemented a native "to-do" list to keep you more organized. I'm not a skeptic at all and see myself being a heavy user. Now, a real nice thing to have would be e-mail specific "to-dos"; if you're reading a particular e-mail that has a specific task, it would add a great organizational layer. The Miss I'm going to caveat this with a reminder that I'm a product manager by trade. With a redesign of this magnitude, I have high expectations--expectations that with the overhaul comes a more streamlined process, fewer clicks, and less clutter. That said, if you want to opt-in to the new design with your company Gmail account, I'm sorry to say that you can't do it with the click of a button. You'll need to contact your Google Administrator (whoever has admin access at your company) and ask them turn it on (which isn't an easy task). This was borne out of the mutual excitement my boss and I shared over the redesign, but collectively, we couldn't find an option to enable it company-wide. Think this sounds trivial? There are well over 50 million company Gmail accounts (that data is from 2013, mind you). The problem I have here is the unnecessary friction and time-waste it causes with employees searching how to enable it (guilty). For medium-sized organizations, I feel bad for their G Suite administrator because of the inbound requests they'll be getting. You now have hundreds or thousands of people trying to figure out who their administrator is in the first place, followed by relentless spam. The thing is, it's something that could have been easily avoided. What Google Should Have Done It's simple. Similar to the "opt-in" process on your personal account, Google should have had a button that says, "Request the New Gmail with Your Administrator." Then, one of two things could happen: either the administrator gets a standard e-mail with a link included on how to enable, or a notification the next time the administrator signs in. Look, I'm beyond floored about the redesign. It's sleek, minimal, and long overdue. However, the modern-day bar is high, as are my expectations for Google. Tate Britain has announced the four artists shortlisted for this years Turner Prize, including a research agency known for their crime-fighting investigations and a portrait photographer. Forensic Architecture, Naeem Mohaiemen, Charlotte Prodger and Luke Willis Thompson all made the cut, the eventual winner taking home 25,000, while the other nominees are all awarded 5,000. This years jury has chosen an outstanding group of artists, said Alex Farquharson, director of Tate Britain, all of whom are tackling the most pressing political and humanitarian issues of today. Heading up the shortlist is Forensic Architecture, a 15-person team made of architects, journalists, film-makers, and more, noted by the prizes jury for developing highly innovative methods for sourcing and visualising evidence relating to human rights abuses. Next comes Mohaiemen, who uses a variety of different mediums to explore radical left politics, primarily in South Asia during the 1970s. The artist was noted by the jury for his films that explore post-colonial identity, migration, exile and refuge through narratives using fiction and social history. Turner Prize 2018 shortlist: in pictures Show all 15 1 /15 Turner Prize 2018 shortlist: in pictures Turner Prize 2018 shortlist: in pictures Naeem Mohaiemen Naeem Mohaiemen, Tripoli Cancelled, 2017, single channel film. Dimitris Parthimos Turner Prize 2018 shortlist: in pictures Naeem Mohaiemen Portrait of Naeem Mohaiemen Abeer Hoque Turner Prize 2018 shortlist: in pictures Naeem Mohaiemen Naeem Mohaiemen, Tripoli Cancelled, 2017, single channel film. Turner Prize 2018 shortlist: in pictures Naeem Mohaiemen Naeem Mohaiemen, Two Meetings and a Funeral, 2017, three-channel installation, Hessisches. Lanesmuseum, Kassel, cocumenta 14. Michael Nast Turner Prize 2018 shortlist: in pictures Charlotte Prodger Charlotte Prodger. Portrait 2017. Emile Holba Turner Prize 2018 shortlist: in pictures Charlotte Prodger Charlotte Prodger, a still from BRIDGIT, 2016. Single channel video with sound, 32 minutes. Courtesy of the artist Turner Prize 2018 shortlist: in pictures Charlotte Prodger Charlotte Prodger, a still from BRIDGIT, 2016. Single channel video with sound, 32 minutes. Courtesy of the artist Turner Prize 2018 shortlist: in pictures Charlotte Prodger Charlotte Prodger. Stoneymollan Trail, 2015. Single channel video with sound, 43 minutes. Courtesy of the artist Turner Prize 2018 shortlist: in pictures Forensic Architecture Collage by Forensic Architecture, 2018 Turner Prize 2018 shortlist: in pictures Forensic Architecture Counter Investigations: Forensic Architecture at the Institute of Contemporary Arts, Installation View. Mark Blower Turner Prize 2018 shortlist: in pictures Forensic Architecture Saydnaya_4: This corridor in the prison, known to be linear, was experienced by a survivor while he was tortured and the space was distorted by the traumatic conditions at the moment the memory was encoded. Forensic Architecture, 2016 Turner Prize 2018 shortlist: in pictures Forensic Architecture Saydnaya_1: Saydnaya prison, as reconstructed by Forensic Architecture using architectural and acoustic modelling. Forensic Architecture, 2016 Turner Prize 2018 shortlist: in pictures Luke Willis Thompson Portrait of Luke Willis Thompson Courtesy of the artist Turner Prize 2018 shortlist: in pictures Luke Willis Thompson Luke Willis Thompson, autoportrait, 2017. Installation view, Chisenhale Gallery. Commissioned by Chisenhale Gallery and produced in partnership with Create. Andy Keate Turner Prize 2018 shortlist: in pictures Luke Willis Thompson Luke Willis Thompson, autoportrait, 2017. Installation view, Chisenhale Gallery. Commissioned by Chisenhale Gallery and produced in partnership with Create. Andy Keate The shortlist also contains another filmmaker Prodger, whose work has been noted for the nuanced way in which she deals with identity politics, particularly from a queer perspective. Rounding off the list is Willis Thompson, who made the cut thanks to his black and white 35mm portrait of Diamond Reynolds, the woman who live-streamed on Facebook her boyfriend getting shot in 2016. Farquharson added: This shortlist highlights how important the moving image has become in exploring these debates. We are looking forward to what will be a dynamic and absorbing exhibition. Established in 1984, the Turner Prize celebrates and promotes contemporary British art and is awarded to an artist with an outstanding exhibition or presentation of their work in the previous year. Last years prize was won by Lubaina Himid, who became the oldest person to take home the esteemed award at 62-years-old. The African-born artist who is best known for her paintings, drawings, printmaking, and installations that centre on black identity was praised for raising questions of personal and political identity. Where the 2017 shortlist was composed mainly from relatively easy to decipher work, this year the Turner Prize has elected to praise more complicated, predominantly filmed artworks that are layered with social commentary. The winner will be announced 4 December, broadcast from the Turner Contemporary in Margate by the BBC. Forensic Architecture Counter Investigations: Forensic Architecture at the Institute of Contemporary Arts (Mark Blower) Not the first collective ever nominated (the London-based Assemble won in 2015), but perhaps the first who are not actual artists. Led by architect Eyal Weizman, the Goldsmiths-based group are known for their reconstructions of historic cases of human rights abuses. Their work has been shown in art galleries, laying out their research for all to see and changing their context dramatically. A solo exhibition of their work is currently showing at the ICA in London, for which they are recognised by the Turner Prize. Forensic Architecture work has also been used in courts of law around the world, including in Germany, Israel, and Greece. Naeem Mohaiemen Mohaiemens Tripoli Cancelled is inspired by his father's experience of being trapped in a Greek airport without a passport for nine days in the Seventies (Dimitris Parthimos) Mohaiemen made the shortlist after his film, There is No Last Man, was shown at MoMA, New York. His work has been noted as overtly political, combining both the traumas of history and personal stories about his own. In his films, installations, and essays, Mohaiemen pays particular attention to radical left politics from around the world, investigating memories of political utopias and the legacies of colonialism. One of his best-known films, United Red Army, about the high jacking of a Japan Airlines flight in 1977, is in the Tate Moderns permanent collection. Charlotte Prodger Prodger is the latest Glasgow School of Art graduate to be shortlisted for the prize (Charlotte Prodger) (Courtesy of the artist) Prodger has been shortlisted for two video works. Shot on a range of technologies, including camcorders and iPhones, the films convey non-linear narratives that blend landscape, time and language told from a queer perspective. The 44-year-old trained in both London and Glasgow, the latter citys School of Arts being home to five Turner winners. Her previous work includes Stoneymollan Trail, an hour-long exhibition reimagining a 7km-long Glaswegian burial path. Luke Willis Thompson Willis Thompson is the second singularly-nominated New Zealander in 30 years (Andy Keate) Willis Thompson is behind perhaps the most striking piece to be crafted by this years nominees. The artists work titled Autoportrait (2017) profiles Diamond Reynolds, the girlfriend of Philando Castile who was shot by a Minnesota police officer in 2016, and has seen him become the second singularly-nominated New Zealander since 1988. The work of Willis Thompson, who won the New Zealand equivalent to the Turner Prize in 2014, has been described as intelligent and sophisticated by Auckland art curator Natasha Conland. With the video, the artist yearned to interpolate Diamond into cinematic history, adding: The history of cinema owes black life something. *WARNING: SPOILERS FOR AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR* Avengers: Infinity War is bringing tears of laughter, tears of joy to Marvel fans everywhere, but there's also a rather unexpected consequence: national pride for the people of Scotland. Edinburgh has officially been integrated into the MCU: a key sequence was shot in the city centre, seeing heroes battle Thanos' Black Order against the backdrop of Cockburn Street, the Royal Mile, St. Giles' Cathedral, and Waverley Station. However, there's one particular joke - floating fairly prominently in the background of a shot - that's been a particular talking point for Scottish viewers. One more warning: SPOILERS AHEAD. We discover fairly early on that Vision and Scarlet Witch are hiding out in the city, since they're now fugitives due to the post-Civil War fallout. It's while standing outside of a kebab restaurant that the pair first learn of the attack on New York and Tony Stark's disappearance, as it's broadcast on the establishment's television screen. A moment of serious peril, only slightly undercut by the fact the duo are standing right in front of a sign reading, "We will deep fry your kebab". Really, does it get more Scottish than that? Avengers: Infinity War is out now. Follow Independent Culture on Facebook for all the latest on Film, TV, Music, and more. Alex Turner has shared the music that inspired him as he wrote and composed the sixth studio album from Arctic Monkeys. The Sheffield quartet will return with Tranquility Base Hotel + Casino on 11 May, their first record since 2013's chart-topping AM, early reviews of which are teasing it as a sci-fi style piano-composed effort akin to Last Shadow Puppets' sophomore record released in 2016. The frontman was listening to a whole array of artists including Nina Simone, The Three Degrees and French musician Serge Gainsbourg while writing Tranquility Base which Turner himself describes as an album where he's having a word with [myself], intermittently, throughout all 11 tunes. He names Leonard Cohen song Dress Rehearsal Rag as the inspiration behind the protagonist of the new record's title track and credits Dion's Born to Be With You as one of his favourite records of all time. He also revealed he's been listening to the podcast of David Axelrod, the Chief Strategist behind Barack Obama's presidential campaigns. Speaking to MOJO, Turner said: Ive tricked myself into writing - by sitting at the piano, doing this thing that I havent done before. That gave me permission to go somewhere Id had trouble getting to before. It allowed me to put across how I feel more, more broadly than before. You can find a full list of the songs Turner cited in MOJO below. Loading.... Tranquility Base Hotel + Casino will be released through Domino Records on 11 May Follow Independent Culture on Facebook The career synopsis of the Cuban born dancer Carlos Acosta reads like a fairy tale. As a dark skinned boy from an especially poor part of Havana, he was forced to audition for the national ballet school by his father, who wanted him off the streets. After he was accepted, he started winning competitions in Europe while still a student. Soon, he joined the prestigious Ballet Nacional de Cuba, only to be snatched up by Houston Ballet, and then the Royal Ballet in Britain, where he became an international star. For an exceptionally successful person, Acosta can come across as exceptionally ambivalent about his achievements. In his 2007 memoir, No Way Home, he seems to wince with each step up the ladder, registering the cost the painful separation from his family, his country, his sense of belonging. Speaking about his past in a recent phone interview, he again emphasised the estrangement, not the glory, recalling that on visits home even his cultural references were met with incomprehension. The Cuba-based company are now set to perform around the world (Manuel Vason) Nevertheless, the successes have continued. In 2016, when he retired from ballet, at 43, his fans packed the 5,000-seat Royal Albert Hall in London for five farewell shows. Already, he had initiated the next stage in his career. Acosta Danza, a classical-meets-contemporary company he founded in Cuba, had given its first performances in Havana. Tours of Europe and Britain were soon to follow. The troupe made its US debut at City Centre in New York this week. As its name indicates, the company clearly banks on Acostas fame, but its not your usual vanity project. At City Centre, he danced (as a guest artist) in only one of the five works on the programme, applying his gallant presence and superb partnering skills to Mermaid, a drunk duet by Belgian choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui. And although Acosta is himself a choreographer, no pieces on the programme are by him. I have enough flowers, Acosta said in the interview, speaking from London, where he lives when he isnt in Havana or on tour. His focus is on the companys dancers: young, uncommonly agile and well trained Cubans who have flocked to the call of a national hero, many of them giving up positions with Ballet Nacional or with Danza Contemporanea, the countrys flagship contemporary dance troupe. Acosta Danza: They have this joy in dancing that communicates directly with an audience (Manuel Vason) His goal is to give back to the country that gave him an excellent, free dance education. More specifically, its to give the members of Acosta Danza something he didnt have: a chance to enjoy an international level career without the pain of leaving Cuba. I want to bring them to the world, but also to bring the world to them, he said. Partly, this is a question of money and influence. Like almost every cultural organisation in Cuba, Acosta Danza is connected to the government and subject to its approval. As a favoured son, who has often returned to perform, Acosta has been granted some prime real estate for rehearsal space, among other privileges, by the Ministry of Culture. But the government-sponsored salaries are at Cuban rates, so it helps that Acosta has other connections. Acosta Danza is also supported by Sadlers Wells, one of the foremost dance theatres and commissioning organisations in Britain. Its artistic director, Alistair Spalding, said in a recent interview that Sadlers Wells which has been producing Cuban themed and Acosta-and-Friends-style shows for more than a decade now arranges international tours for Acosta Danza and subsidises the dancers salaries on those tours at much higher rates. (Some dancers have already been able to buy houses, Acosta reported proudly.) Its financial support also pays the fees of big name choreographers like Cherkaoui, a Sadlers Wells associate artist whose high profile client list has lately included Beyonce. Marianela Nunez and Acosta in his farewell show at the Royal Albert Hall (Johan Persson) In this way, a remedy for one problem facing Cuban dance limited funds helps address another: weakness in choreography. Cuba is famous for producing dancers the rest of the world finds astonishing, many of whom go abroad or even defect in the Cold War sense, but that reputation doesnt extend to the development of choreographers. Acosta blames cultural isolation: You cant make great champagne in a closet. For decades, Cold War politics and poverty have limited the access that Cuban dancers have had to changes in technique and taste shared by the rest of the dance world. Lately, the situation has been improving, but theres a lot of catching up to do. When Acosta says he wants to bring the world to his dancers, importing world class choreographers is a crucial component of what he means. The Cuban dancer as Romeo in the Royal Albert Halls production in 2014 Acostas hope, he said, is that these choreographers will expose not just his dancers but the whole Cuban dance scene to global trends, ideas and standards of excellence. Yet he is also aware of a potential pitfall: that by stocking his repertoire with the work of sought after choreographers (Pontus Lidberg, Justin Peck and, still on his wish list, Crystal Pite), he might make Acosta Danza indistinguishable from the many companies that also present their dances. Spalding, who said that trips to check on the progress of Acosta Danza in Havana are one of the great pleasures of my life, believes that there is little risk of the company looking like other troupes. Because the dancers are extraordinary, he said. They have this joy in dancing that communicates directly with an audience. I havent really seen anything like it. Thats the kind of thing that outsiders are always saying about Cuban dancers. As for Acosta, he stressed that his project was still in a very early stage. This will take years to develop, he said, but so far the going has been less tough than he expected. However mixed his feelings about success might be, he pursues his aspirations tenaciously. Maybe the ambition that once pulled him away from home can now help transform it. The New York Times Acosta Danza perform at Theatre Royal Norwich 31 May/1 June, and at Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff, 4 June; sadlerswells.com A new report by researchers at the London School of Economics (LSE) suggests that crime in the capital is being driven by air pollution. Their results show more polluted areas will see spikes in crime, particularly for less serious offences like shoplifting and pickpocketing. This phenomenon appeared to strike London indiscriminately, affecting both rich and poor areas, and the authors of the paper say tackling air pollution could help the city tackle crime as well. Overall, the researchers findings show the crime rate in London is over 8 per cent higher on the most polluted days than the least. While the study relies on observational data and therefore cannot make definitive conclusions, it adds to a small but growing body of evidence linking pollution and crime. Higher levels of air pollution cause an increase in crime, Dr Sefi Roth, an expert in environmental economics at LSE who co-authored the report, stated to The Independent. We analysed data on air pollution and more than 1.8 million crimes over two years in London we link that with data on air pollution, and we use various statistical techniques to ensure our results are robust. Previous experiments have shown that increased levels of particulate matter in the air lead to increased blood levels of stress hormones such as cortisol. The authors therefore suggest that behavioural changes resulting from increased stress hormone levels may in turn lead to an increased likelihood a person will commit a crime. Thick smog engulfs New Delhi as air pollution peaks in the city Show all 10 1 /10 Thick smog engulfs New Delhi as air pollution peaks in the city Thick smog engulfs New Delhi as air pollution peaks in the city A battery run tricylce rickshaw passes by the Red Fort amid heavy smog in New Delhi AFP/Getty Images Thick smog engulfs New Delhi as air pollution peaks in the city Indian visitors walking through the courtyard of Jama Masjid amid heavy smog AFP/Getty Images Thick smog engulfs New Delhi as air pollution peaks in the city An Indian policeman wearing a protection mask as he works near India Gate AFP/Getty Images Thick smog engulfs New Delhi as air pollution peaks in the city New Delhi during heavy smog REUTERS Thick smog engulfs New Delhi as air pollution peaks in the city Indian commuters wait for transport amid thick blanket of smog on the outskirts of New Delhi AP Thick smog engulfs New Delhi as air pollution peaks in the city Prince Charles and Camilla arrived at Indira Gandhi International Airport surrounded by smog on November 8 Getty Images Thick smog engulfs New Delhi as air pollution peaks in the city Prince Charles and Camilla depart their plane in New Delhi to smog Getty Images Thick smog engulfs New Delhi as air pollution peaks in the city The morning sun is enveloped by a blanket of smog on the outskirts of New Delhi AP Thick smog engulfs New Delhi as air pollution peaks in the city Indian residents walking along a road amid heavy smog AFP/Getty Images Thick smog engulfs New Delhi as air pollution peaks in the city A woman drives a scooter through the morning fog to drop off a child at school AP What this means is that pollution can have a negative effect on peoples ways of thinking, including decision making and the way they think about future punishment, said Dr Roth. Higher levels of pollution mean higher levels of cortisol. Higher levels of cortisol affect the way that punishment is being perceived by criminals. The results come as new figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed a spike in knife crime across England and Wales in 2017. However, the researchers noted they saw no link between air pollution levels and the most violent forms of crime such as rape and murder. We did not find that Londons on-going spate of knife crime would be affected by improved air quality, said Dr Roth. However, if the number of less serious crimes could be reduced, the police could potentially be freed up to allocate more resources to these types of very serious incidents. Recommended Brussels to make public transport free on days air pollution is worst Dr Roth and his LSE colleagues used various statistical techniques to examine the links between air pollution in specific areas and crime. Their findings took factors such as temperature, humidity and rainfall into account, and compared crime rates and pollution data within boroughs to ensure like was being compared with like. The scientists also made use of a natural experiment involving the wind to establish a causal link between the two. Imagine there is a cloud of air pollution in London that happens every day, and then the wind reshuffles this cloud to different parts of the capital, explained Dr Roth. What we do as researchers is essentially follow this cloud of pollution and see what happens to crime on a daily level where we see this cloud. Sometimes it will go into poorer areas, sometimes into rich areas and we found wherever it goes we see an increase in crime. 'Pollution pods' replicate what it's like to breathe cleanest and dirtiest air in the world Their results were published in a discussion paper for the IZA Institute of Labour Economics, an independent research organisation. Though the paper has yet to be peer reviewed and published in an academic journal, it has undergone internal peer review at LSEs Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment. The research is not the first to explore links between air pollution levels and crime. A study published in the journal Psychological Science also claimed stress related to particulate matter in the atmosphere was leading to increased crime levels. Professor Julia Lee, one of the co-authors of that study, concluded air pollution not only corrupts peoples health, but also can contaminate their morality. However, not all scientists are convinced there is a definitive cause and effect relationship between air pollution and crime. This is an interesting paper, but there are several points to bear in mind, said Professor Kevin McConway, a statistician at The Open University. The researchers suggestion that reducing air pollution could reduce crime makes sense only if the increased crime rate that they observed at time of high pollution is actually caused by the pollution. The observational design of the study makes it impossible to be sure about that. Although Professor McConway acknowledged the natural experiment used by Dr Roth and his collaborators, he said this did not comprehensively prove air pollution was causing crime. For that to be valid, as the researchers make clear, one has to be confident that, after allowing for variables such as other aspects of the weather, the only way that the wind direction could affect crime rates is through its effect on air pollution levels, he said. Thats quite a strong assumption and one that cant be tested directly with the data that they have. Despite these reservations, Dr Roth said that similar effects had been seen in American cities including Chicago, and emphasised that he thinks this phenomenon is likely universal. We did the study in London but it can be applicable to many other cities in the UK and elsewhere, he said. Places like Glasgow, Bristol and Leeds also have very high levels of air pollution its not just for Londoners, its for people all over the world. While this sounds like a bad thing, Dr Roth said the fact that air pollution is theoretically a manageable problem means there is an opportunity to kill two birds with one stone. If we can do something about it which we can then that is actually good news. One potential cost effective way to reduce crime is to reduce air pollution. Clare Smyth has been named Best Female Chef, a prestigious accolade distributed by the international awards body, Worlds 50 Best Restaurants. The London-based chef is the first and only woman in Britain to run a restaurant with three Michelin stars in the UK. She opened her Notting Hill restaurant, Core by Clare Smyth, last summer and it has since been lauded by industry experts for its artisanal flair and sustainable ethos. Smyth was also recently praised at British GQs annual Food and Drink Awards, where Core was named Best Restaurant. Plus, she was honoured with an MBE in 2013 for her contributions to the hospitality industry. The 39-year-old culinary star grew up on a farm in Northern Ireland before moving to England in her teens and training under some of the worlds most renowned chefs, including a stint working under Gordon Ramsay at his eponymous restaurant in Chelsea. Topping the poll of more than 1,000 culinary experts, Smyth hopes that winning the Elit Vodka Worlds Best Female Chef Award will help champion the extent of homegrown culinary talent, telling the Evening Standard that celebrating British produce is at the heart of her approach to cooking. British produce is better than it has ever been with chefs working closely with producers, which is driving the quality higher and higher, she said. However, the gendered award is not short of controversy. In 2013, Anthony Bourdain questioned the validity of such an award in a tweet: Meanwhile, Eater labelled the award as absurd and insulting, with editor-in-chief Amanda Kludt arguing that it is an accolade entrenched in sexism, particularly given that no such counterpart for male chefs is distributed by the same awards body. I stood shoulder to shoulder with men in the toughest kitchens in the world and excelled and loved it, Smyth told The World's 50 Best Restaurants. So to separate [male from female chefs] for me is strange, but we dont see enough women coming through at the top and we need to do something about it. I would love to see very soon that we dont need gender specific awards because women will have recognition and there will be a balance in the industry. Hopefully well see plenty of women on the 50 Best list and there wont be a need for that award. Bitcoin is better than gold on every front and could eventually be worth around $700,000, according to an institutional investor. John Pfeffer, a partner at UK-based Pfeffer Capital, made the remarks at the Sohn investment conference in New York. That event traditionally serves as a place for investors to recommend the best stocks to invest in and has never seen anyone recommend cryptocurrency before. Bitcoin is the first viable candidate to replace gold the world has ever seen, Mr Pfeffer said. "So if bitcoin becomes the dominant non-sovereign store of value, it could be the new gold, or new reserve currency." He added: Most [other] crypto assets out there are bad bets. Mr Pfeffer said that if bitcoin displaced 25 per cent of foreign reserves, the total worth of the bitcoin network would be somewhere in the region of $6.4 trillion. Bitcoins current market cap is currently around $150 billion, while one bitcoin is worth just under $9,000. It is the first time a speaker has mentioned bitcoin or any other cryptocurrency as an investment opportunity at Sohn, and comes at a time that major hedge fund investors are placing their bets on the digital asset. The renowned investor George Soros is reportedly preparing to invest in bitcoin, having previously called it a bubble. Billionaire investor Bill Miller revealed in December 2017 that half of his hedge fund was tied up in bitcoin. At the time, the value of one bitcoin was close to $20,000. To reinforce his faith in bitcoin, Mr Pfeffer donated 10 bitcoins to the Sohn Foundation on the condition they did not cash them in for five years, saying: Buy the ticket, take the ride. Bitcoin: Is the virtual currency the new gold standard? Show all 2 1 /2 Bitcoin: Is the virtual currency the new gold standard? Bitcoin: Is the virtual currency the new gold standard? pg-38-bitcoin-1-alamy.jpg Alamy Bitcoin: Is the virtual currency the new gold standard? pg-38-bitcoin-2-getty.jpg Getty Images The fund manager also warned that there were substantial risks still associated with cryptocurrencies, however unlike gold their utility went far beyond a store of value. In countries with struggling currency, bitcoin and other digital currencies could offer a legitimate alternative. This supports recent research from Investing.com that found countries with unstable economies were increasingly interested in cryptocurrency. By taking a percentage of users from each country that used its cryptocurrency services, the investment website determined that the top five countries most interested in cryptocurrency are Venezuela, Kosovo, Lithuania, Belarus and Georgia. In addition to cheap [cryptocurrency] mining costs, another thing that the Eastern European countries which appear on this list have in common is that all have gone through prolonged periods of war and recession recently, which has resulted in the poor working class losing trust in government and banks, Jesse Cohen, a senior analyst at Investing.com, said in an emailed statement to The Independent. Another factor that could be aiding the crypto boom in these countries is that all of them at some point in the past 10 to 15 years have experienced a currency crash. Such a devastating experience has led both old and young traders to seek out cryptoes as hedges against another failed currency episode. UK politicians have aggressively attacked Facebook, saying it misled them and has no morals. The company's chief technology officer, Mike Schroepfer, was summoned by the UK parliament's media committee to defend Facebook against accusations it immorally stole data from users, assisted in the undermining of elections and gave people insufficient control of their data. The committee suggested that it had being misled by Facebook, that the company had no morals, and that people could easily believe it would do anything for money. Mr Schroepfer said he disagreed. How to stop Facebook from revealing everything about you Show all 9 1 /9 How to stop Facebook from revealing everything about you How to stop Facebook from revealing everything about you Lock your profile down If you havent done this already, do it now. In Settings, hit the Privacy tab. From here, you can control who gets to see your future posts and friends list. Choose from Public, Friends, Only Me and Custom in the dropdown menu. How to stop Facebook from revealing everything about you Limit old posts Annoyingly, changing this has no effect on whos able to see your past Facebook posts. Instead, on the Privacy page, you have to click on Limit Past Posts, then select Limit Old Posts and finally hit Confirm on the pop-up. How to stop Facebook from revealing everything about you Make yourself harder to find You can stop completely random people from adding you by selecting Friends of Friends from the dropdown menu in the Who can send you friend requests? section of the Privacy page. Its also worth limiting who can find your Facebook profile with your number and email address. At the bottom of the page is the option to prevent search engines outside of Facebook from linking to your profile. How to stop Facebook from revealing everything about you Control access to your Timeline You can limit who gets to post things on your Timeline and who gets to see posts on your Timeline too. In Settings, go to Timeline and Tagging and edit the sections you want to lock down. How to stop Facebook from revealing everything about you Block people When you block someone, they wont be able to see things you post on your Timeline, tag you, invite you to events or groups, start conversations with you or add you as a friend. To do it, go to Settings and Blocking. Annoyingly, you have to block people on Messenger separately. You can also add friends to your Restricted list here, which means theyll still be friends with you but will only be able to see your public posts and things you share on a mutual friend's Timeline. How to stop Facebook from revealing everything about you Review tags One of Facebooks handiest privacy features is the ability to review posts youre tagged in before they appear on your Timeline. Theyll still be visible on the News Feed while theyre fresh, but wont be tied to your profile forever. In Timeline and Tagging, enable Timeline review controls. How to stop Facebook from revealing everything about you Clean up your apps You can view a list of all of the apps youve connected to your Facebook account by going to Settings and Apps. The list might be longer than you expected it to be. Its worth tidying this up to ensure things you no longer use lose access to your personal information. If you dont want to log into websites and apps with your facebook account, scroll down and turn Platform off. How to stop Facebook from revealing everything about you Change your ad preferences You can view a list of everything Facebook thinks youre into and tinker with your ad preferences by going to Settings and Adverts. A lot more information is displayed on the desktop site than the app, so wed recommend doing this on a computer. How to stop Facebook from revealing everything about you Download your data Facebook lets you download all of the data it has on you, including the posts youve shared, your messages and photos, ads youve clicked on and even the IP addresses that are logged when you log in or out of the site. Its a hell of a lot of information, which you should download to ensure you never over-share on the social network again. Probably the strongest questioning came from Conservative MP Julian Knight. He accused Facebook of "bullying journalists, threatening academic institutions and impeding investigations by legal authorities", insisting that "Facebook is a morality-free zone" and the company is "the problem" at the centre of the myriad scandals involving data and advertising on the platform. At one point, Mr Schroepfer even drew derisive laughter from the committee when he told them that he was more upset by the scandal than politicians were. "We were slow to understand the impact at the time and I am way more disappointed in this than you are," he said. Recommended Facebook will check political ads to stop elections being undermined Amid laughter, Mr Collins told Mr Schroepfer "It's a high bar". "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that," the Facebook executive replied. "It's something we're working very hard on." MPs also compared Facebook to a vampire squid that is shoving itself into the entire culture. In a wide-ranging and lengthy session of questioning, lawmakers asked the Facebook boss about everything from the spread of fake news to accusations that the site has enabled the genocide in Myanmar. They also asked in detail about the Cambridge Analytica data abuse that kicked off the site's current scandal. But they were forced to address all of those questions to Mr Schroepfer, rather than Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg. Mr Zuckerberg said that he could not appear at the hearings and sent Mr Schroepfer instead something that brought denunciations both at the time and once again during the hearings. Mr Schroepfer said that the responsibility still lies with Mr Zuckerberg when it comes to the company's response to the data abuse scandal. "The buck stops with Mark," he told the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, adding "I don't know" when asked whether Zuckerberg would answer the lawmakers' questions. Committee chairman Damian Collins said he would renew his request for Zuckerberg to give evidence to Britain's parliament. Mr Schroepfer also said he was sorry if journalists felt that the company was trying to bully or silence them. Facebook has faced substantial criticism for suggesting it could sue the publication if it published a story about the misuse of Facebook data by Aleksandr Kogan, but Mr Schroepfer said he believed it was "standard practice" in the UK and the aim was to "correct some facts". Asked again to apologise, he said: "I am sorry that journalists feel we are trying prevent them getting the truth out. That was not the intention." He also addressed a controversial suggestion by Mr Kogan the researcher who created the app that harvested users' data in the Cambridge Analytica scandal that Facebook did not have any meaningful policy around the collection of data. "Our primary product is to help people share with a limited audience," he said. "If you want to share with your friends only, that's the primary thing Facebook does. "If we violate that trust and the data goes somewhere else then that's violating the core principles of our product," he said. Florida resident Shavonne Kenyon has been researching her family history for the past decade in a bid to find out how far her roots in the United States go. Throughout her Ancestry journey, she has found records of ancestors that travelled on the Mayflower and discovered relatives who fought on both sides of the Civil War. However, Kenyons most life-changing breakthrough came when a woman called Nancy contacted her looking for her long-lost father. Recommended Oldest DNA from Africa triggers rethink about ancient human migration Nancy Rivera, from Panama, contacted Kenyon after being matched by AncestryDNA as her second cousin. She revealed that she had never met her father and with just one photograph of him in her possession, Rivera was desperate for any information she could find. Shavonne Kenyon To Kenyons amazement, the man pictured in Riveras photograph was indeed her great uncle, Daniel Poulson, who had lived in Panama in the early 1960s but since sadly passed away. When Nancy first reached out to me, I was a bit sceptical. I've had other people reach out to me with vague connections but Nancy had details that were very specific to my family, Kenyon told The Independent. Once I was certain that we were cousins, I felt excited, especially for her. I knew that she had a lot of questions and a void in her life not knowing where she came from or who her family is. Rivera reached out to Kenyon with a photo of her long-lost father (Shavonne Kenyon) I was so thrilled and blessed to be able to be the one to fill in the blanks. After months of conversing online the duo have made plans to meet in person this summer in California where Kenyon hopes to introduce Rivera to other relatives including her cousin and aunt - more family members that, without the help of AncestryDNA, she would have never known about. Nancy missed out on creating memories with her family but I hope to be able to give her some items that her father gave to his mother - her grandmother - so that Nancy can at least have something tangible as a part of her family, Kenyon explains. AncestryDNA matched Shavonne and Nancy as second cousins with "extremely high" confidence (Shavonne Kenyon) Someday, Kenyon also hopes to visit Rivera and her son Daniel named after his long-lost grandfather - in Panama but doesnt expect her travels to end there. Since receiving her AncestryDNA results Kenyon has visited lots of places where her ancestors had an influence in settling, such as the Quaker Meeting House in Flushing, Queens. However, she hopes that she will one day make it to England to visit the church in Lancashire where her great-great-great-grandparents got married. Kenyon named her son Daniel after her long-lost father (Shavonne Kenyon) I love travelling and I love history so I don't think this ancestry journey is even close to complete, she adds. Where in the world will your DNA take you? Click here to buy AncestryDNA Persimmon shareholders rebelled on Wednesday against a grossly excessive 75m bonus awarded to the housebuilders chief executive Jeff Fairburn. In a vote at the companys annual general meeting, 48.5 per cent of ballots were cast against the pay deal while 30 per cent of shareholders abstained. The company said it recognised that a sizeable number of shareholders remained concerned about the incentive plan, which also saw other senior executives awarded tens of millions of pounds. Mr Fairburns pay prompted widespread condemnation in December, after it was reported that he would collect more than 100m. After public outcry from politicians and shareholders, Mr Fairburn offered to cut the bonus by 25m and said he would donate a substantial proportion to charity. Finance director Mike Killoran saw his 77m pay packet reduced to 53m and managing director Dave Jenkinsons was cut by 2m to 38m. Euan Stirling, head of stewardship at Aberdeen Standard Investments, which owns a 2.3 per cent stake in Persimmon, said the reduction did not even get close to acceptable. Regardless of any moral or societal duties, company directors have a legal responsibility to act in the best long term interests of the company that employs them. He said the reputational damage associated with grossly excessive pay, endangered the companys long term success. Campaign group ShareAction attended Persimmons AGM in York to hand a petition to Mr Fairburn and interrogate the board on pay inequality. The organisation pointed out that, despite the ballooning executive bonuses, many Persimmon staff do not receive the living wage. Clem McCulloch, an AGM activist at ShareAction, said Mr Fairburns bonus could pay 4,100 full-time Persimmon staff at the Living Wage rate for outside of London, a level of inequality he described as indefensible. Persimmon relies on the hard work of its builders and yet its the executives who profit. Its positive news to see the companys investors speaking out for fair pay across the board, he said. Richard Keery, investment manager at Strathclyde Pension Fund, which manages 21bn, said: It is fundamental that companies within the FTSE100 are able to demonstrate responsible business practice and the fair treatment of staff. Particularly in light of recent developments, and with a now compelling investment case behind the long term benefits of the Living Wage, it would be reassuring to see Persimmon show positive leadership in working to accredit as a Living Wage employer. Persimmons bonus scheme, which was agreed in 2012 amid a housing slump, has provoked particular anger because the profits on which it was calculated have been boosted by the governments help-to-buy subsidy. The policy has helped to boost house prices by drawing more first-time buyers into the market but critics say it has done little to increase supply. Persimmons share price has soared from below 5 at the start of 2012 to almost 27 on Wednesday. Medical experts have spoken out about how angry and dismayed they are by the treatment of Alfie Evans' family and doctors. 23-month-old Alfie Evans has become a famous cause both in the UK and across the world amid arguments about how he should be treated. Doctors argue that he has undergone all of the possible treatment for his mysterious condition and that the best course of action is to remove his life support but protestors claim that more could be done, despite the opinion of experts. Those protestors, who claim to be supporting the family in their fight to have their child receive more treatment, have attempted to storm the hospital and have led aggressive campaigns online. Some doctors have reported receiving threats, police have had to warn people to stay away from the hospital and there have been suggestions in online posts that protestors could set off fire alarms at the hospital and other tactics to attempt to bring their cause to attention. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 30 September 2021 The centrepiece One Thousand Springs by Japanese artist Chiharu Shiota is seen ahead of the beginning of the Japan Festival, a celebration of the countrys plants, art and culture running from 2-31 October, at Kew Gardens in London PA 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 Daniel Sokol, a medical ethicist and barrister, attacked the tactics of some of those supporters. As the legal routes are blocked time and time again, the tactics of some sections of Alfies Army are those of guerrilla warfare: threats, insults, and intimidation," he said. "The clinicians, the NHS, the government and the judiciary are painted as the vile and heartless enemy. Facts and motives are twisted to suit the aim, which is to put unbearable pressure on the hospital and its clinicians, until they crack. It is ugly and distressing for the many victims of these tactics, but it has kept Alfie Evans in the front pages and captured the attention and support of high profile figures and governments. There is a real risk that these guerrilla tactics will become the norm in best interest cases involving children, which would be disastrous. Legal experts said that the protestors are mistaken that doctors are intentionally withholding treatment for any reason other than their medical opinion, and that protestors should ensure that they are able to continue to do their jobs. "I am dismayed that the protestors and the threats to prosecute doctors at Alder Hey are distracting from the attempts of the parents, health professionals and the judges to focus on what is best for Alfie Evans," said Jonathan Montgomery, professor of health care law at University College London. "There can be no doubt that Alfies highly experienced medical team have done everything in their power to give him the best chance at life. They have been supporting his life for over a year. There can be no doubt either that Alfies parents are devoted to him. The fact that this has led them to a different conclusion shows how difficult the case is." Writing in The Independent, intensive care doctor Samantha Batt-Rawden criticised the people who have attempted to use the Alfie Evans case for their own ends, saying she is "indescribably angry at those who prey on parents at their most vulnerable, offering them hope where tragically there is none". She also criticised some of the protestors who claim to be supporting the family, and the way they have upset parents and got in the way of treatment of other very sick children. "Perhaps worse still are the deplorable actions of those that claim to support Alfie," she wrote. "Just two days ago, members of 'Alfies Army' stormed the doors of Alder Hey, a hospital full of sick children who are already frightened. A terrified parent begged on Facebook for Alfies Army to reconsider their plans to set off the fire alarms at Alder Hey, as her own child was on the operating table and 'deserved a chance too'." Medical experts have taken pains to make clear that the entire case is being decided on the basis of Alfie's best interests, despite disputes between the family, judges and doctors around him. Decisions on whether to withdraw treatment from a child are unfortunately ones that need to be made frequently," said Russell Viner, president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health. "The model is always for doctors to work closely with parents to agree on the best course of action for the child. "In the vast majority of cases an equal decision is made to withdraw treatment and it is rare that there is disagreement. The cases where this is a significant difference in view are the ones that grab the media headlines." With loudspeakers blaring, city officials drove across the black townships dirt roads in a pickup truck, summoning residents to the town hall. The main guest was a local figure who had soared up the ranks of the governing African National Congress and come back with an enticing offer. Over the next few hours, Mosebenzi Joseph Zwane sold them on his latest deal: a government-backed dairy farm that they, as landless black farmers, would control. They would get an ownership stake in the business, just by signing up. They would go to India for training, all expenses paid. The dairy would bring jobs to the impoverished, help build a clinic and fix the roads. He said he wanted to change our lives, says Ephraim Dhlamini, who, despite suspicions that the offer was too good to be true, signed up to become a beneficiary of the project. This thing is coming from the government, free of charge. You cant say you dont like this thing. You must take it. But his instincts were right. The dairy farm turned out to be a classic South African fraud, prosecutors say: Millions of dollars from state coffers, meant to uplift the poor, vanished in a web of bank accounts controlled by politically connected companies and individuals. Almost nothing trickled down to the township or the scores of would-be beneficiaries after that first meeting in 2012. Jacob Zuma, former president, appeared in court this month on corruption charges (Getty) In the generation since apartheid ended in 1994, tens of billions of dollars in public funds intended to develop the economy and improve the lives of black South Africans have been siphoned off by leaders of the ANC, the organisation that had promised them a new, equal and just nation. Corruption has enriched ANC leaders and their business allies black and white South Africans, as well as foreigners. But the supposed beneficiaries of many government projects, in whose names the money was spent, have been left with little but anger and deepening disillusionment at the state of post-apartheid South Africa. The nation was governed for nine years by scandal-plagued President Jacob Zuma, whose close ties with the Gupta family three Indian brothers at the helm of a sprawling business empire built on government contracts, including the dairy farm outraged voters. Their cosy relationship contributed to the ANCs recent electoral losses and helped lead to Zumas ouster two months ago. A Day That Shook The World: Nelson Mandela freed Show all 6 1 /6 A Day That Shook The World: Nelson Mandela freed A Day That Shook The World: Nelson Mandela freed 553027.bin Reuters A Day That Shook The World: Nelson Mandela freed 553026.bin Getty Images A Day That Shook The World: Nelson Mandela freed 553025.bin Reuters A Day That Shook The World: Nelson Mandela freed 553024.bin Getty Images A Day That Shook The World: Nelson Mandela freed 553023.bin Getty Images A Day That Shook The World: Nelson Mandela freed 553022.bin Reuters Promising a new dawn, Zumas replacement Cyril Ramaphosa has said he would make fighting corruption a priority. But he is also a veteran ANC insider, and the early signs have not been encouraging. Having become party leader by a razor-thin margin, Ramaphosa has tried to keep together a fractured ANC by moving cautiously. He formed his first cabinet by appointing some well-respected officials, but also included allies his own and Zumas who have been accused of corruption by the Public Protectors office and good governance groups. Beyond that, politicians who long oversaw provinces rife with public corruption, including the one where the dairy farm is, now sit at the top of the ANCs hierarchy. National prosecutors, often criticised for being servile to the president, say they are trying to recover more than $4bn lost to corruption related to the Gupta familys undue influence on Zumas administration. And that is just a small measure of the corruption that has whittled away at virtually every institution in the country. Almost no one comes out of this looking good. At just under $21m, the money lost in the Vrede dairy farm may seem small. But it is a big test of whether South Africas new government has the power and the will to confront public corruption at its source. While Nelson Mandela is still revered in the West, his legacy is regarded more harshly in South Africa (Getty) The police have apprehended some low- and mid-level officials involved in the dairy farm, the first arrests related to a high-profile case of public corruption during the Zuma presidency. But notably, they have yet to pursue any ANC officials. Zwane has not faced any charges. Whats more, the provincial premier who approved the project, Ace Magashule, was recently elected secretary-general of the ANC. The endless scandals have also raised serious questions about the complicity of major Western companies, with multiple investigations scrutinising the role they may have played in enabling corruption and weakening the countrys institutions. Many trace the deep corruption in the nation to a fundamental flaw in South Africas transition from white rule to democracy. In the bargain struck between the apartheid government and the ANC, headed by Nelson Mandela, a transfer of power was carried out peacefully, disproving predictions of civil war and earning Mandela accolades as a visionary peacemaker. Ace Magashule, ANC secretary general, has served as the partys Free State leader since 1994 (Getty) But the deal was reached on what many South Africans today consider Pyrrhic terms: the black majority was allowed to control politics, but much of the countrys economic resources, including land, has remained in the hands of white South Africans and a small group of other elites. In the early years of ANC rule, Mandela and other top leaders, who had helped defeat apartheid but had no personal savings, received houses, vehicles and money from white business leaders essentially bribes, critics say. A smattering of influential figures, like the current President Ramaphosa, amassed extraordinary wealth. They were allowed to buy shares of white-owned companies on extremely generous terms and invited to sit on corporate boards. They acted as conduits between the governing party and the white-dominated business world. The dairy farm case is emblematic of the many ills afflicting South Africa a quarter-century after the end of apartheid. It shows how corruption, in a government controlled at all levels by a single party, has entrenched old racial inequalities. In Free State province is a small farming town named Vrede. A cemetery and a police station buffers during the apartheid era still separate Vrede from the neighbouring black township of Thembalihle. In many ways, the area is a microcosm of the enduring economic imbalance in South Africa. Nationally, black people make up 80 per cent of the population, but most remain shut out of economic opportunities. White people, accounting for 8 per cent, retain an oversize influence on the economy. Minister of mineral resources, Mosebenzi Joseph Zwane (left), tours a gold mine in 2015 (Getty) Nearly all the commercial farmers around Vrede are white, as is the main government contractor. In the adjoining township, black people operate small taverns and basic carwashes. But in Vrede itself, white people still own all of the faded buildings on the main street, where they along with immigrants from other African nations, and countries like Pakistan and Bangladesh operate shops. Black people, who were not allowed to live in the town under apartheid, own or rent only about 10 per cent of its residences. In the late 1990s, officials were purged from city government and replaced by ANC appointees with little experience. The purge, which occurred at all levels of government across the nation, contributed to the corruption that emerged towards the end of Mandelas term. In Free State, one of the first post-apartheid cases of corruption in government revolved around Magashule, the ANCs current secretary-general. Magashule, now 59, has served as the partys leader in Free State since the end of apartheid in 1994. He grew up in Parys, a small town in the province. During apartheid, he was an underground ANC operative whose boldness had caught the attention of Winnie Mandela, Nelsons wife and an anti-apartheid activist. After white rule ended, he oversaw economic development in the cabinet of the first post-apartheid provincial premier, Mosiuoa Lekota. In an interview, Lekota said he had caught Magashule stealing government funds a charge Magashule, whose spokespeople did not respond to interview requests for this article, has long denied. But Magashule went on to flourish inside Free State. He became premier of the province in 2009 just as Zuma became president. To many, the dairy farm project appeared to be a swindle from the beginning. For starters, there were ample suspicions about the pitchman, Zwane. I know this guy, says Dhlamini, the would-be beneficiary who was also the chairman of Vredes arm of the African Farmers Association, a national organisation for black farmers. I dont trust him. In pictures: South Africa bridge collapse Show all 10 1 /10 In pictures: South Africa bridge collapse In pictures: South Africa bridge collapse Bystanders look on as paramedics try to free passengers trapped in a taxi after a bridge collapsed on the M1 highway near a busy offramp leading to Sandton Reuters In pictures: South Africa bridge collapse A man reacts as he is assisted after escaping with his family when the car they were traveling in was trapped when a bridge collapsed on the M1 highway near a busy offramp leading to Sandton Reuters In pictures: South Africa bridge collapse Emergency services on the scene assisting a man after the collapse of a temporary pedestrian bridge Rex In pictures: South Africa bridge collapse Emergency services walk on the scene of the collapse of a temporary pedestrian bridge Rex In pictures: South Africa bridge collapse Emergency service workers and paramedics help an injured man from a vehicle, which was partly crushed beneath scaffolding after a temporary bridge collapse in Johannesburg AP In pictures: South Africa bridge collapse South African paramedics and first aid workers carry an injured man after a pedestrian bridge collapsed in Johannesburg Getty Images In pictures: South Africa bridge collapse Paramedics attend to an injured passenger after she was trapped in a taxi after a bridge collapsed on the M1 highway near a busy offramp leading to Sandton Reuters In pictures: South Africa bridge collapse A family reacts after they escaped when the car they were traveling in was trapped when a bridge collapsed on the M1 highway near a busy offramp leading to Sandton Reuters In pictures: South Africa bridge collapse Paramedics try to free passengers trapped in a taxi after a bridge collapsed on the M1 highway near a busy offramp leading to the Sandton Reuters In pictures: South Africa bridge collapse Paramedics try to save a patient in a taxi that was crushed by a pedestrian bridge that collapsed over the countries busiest motorway in Johannesburg EPA When Zwane became the provincial minister of agriculture, many black farmers in Vrede rejoiced. Like others in the country, they had neither capital nor land. With a local son heading the provinces Agriculture Department, they thought their lives were going to change, recalls Meshack Ncongwane, deputy chairman of Vredes African Farmers Association. In 2012, Zwane and Agricultural Department officials arrived in Vrede to tout the dairy farm project. Flanked by his wife, council Speaker Roseline Zwane, and by longtime ally Mayor Tlokotsi John Motaung, Zwane told the crowd about a dairy farm that would empower black farmers and create 150 jobs. Shortly afterward, his department signed the first of its two dairy farm agreements with a company called Estina. This was a peculiar choice. Estina was to buy cows for local farmers and process milk at the farm. But the company was headed by a businessman from India who had a background in information technology and none in farming. Yet, importantly, he had long worked for the Guptas. Despite the projects sketchy details, Zwane signed off on it and asked the provincial treasury to start paying Estina, according to an investigation by the national Treasury. Initially, he was overruled by lawyers in Magashules office, who deemed the contract invalid because procurement rules had not been followed. The province signed another contract with Estina the following month with the lawyers blessing. That agreement stated that Estina would invest just under $20 million in the project and the province would contribute about $30m over three years. Local farmers, the so-called beneficiaries, would retain 51 per cent of the shares. There was something fishy from the start, says Doctor Radebe, who was a councillor for the opposition Democratic Alliance in Vrede. Zwane and the agricultural officials presented no business plan or budget for the project, but they and the mayor insisted on pressing ahead, Radebe says. In an interview, Motaung, the mayor, says, We had no doubt that the plan will work. But he acknowledges that Zwane presented no detailed plan or document about the proposed dairy farm. Even basic details were missing, the mayor says, acknowledging that his role in the project was now under scrutiny. The payments to Estina began months later. Court documents show that the province deposited just under $21m in two Estina bank accounts over three years. Days after every payment, the company transferred the entire sum to other accounts. From there, prosecutors say, the money was withdrawn by individuals and other Gupta-linked companies that had little to do with the farm. In fact, prosecutors say that only about 1 per cent of the money invested by the province actually went into dairy farming. Beyond that, the national Treasury found no evidence that Estina ever invested its own money in the project, despite its obligation to do so. Emails leaked from a Gupta company server indicate that some of the money was sent to the United Arab Emirates and put into accounts registered to the Guptas. The money then made its way back to South Africa through a maze of bank transfers, according to spreadsheets, logs and an invoice in the email trove. The top ANC officials at a party conference in December, including President Cyril Ramaphosa (Getty) Many of the problems surrounding the dairy farm could have been ignored, had the province not tried to tap into a national fund for struggling farmers. The national government initially agreed to give about $4m to the project on the condition that the province submit, among other things, a list of 100 poor farmers who would benefit from the farm. When the government found no evidence that local farmers were involved, it sent national Treasury auditors to investigate in 2013. Though Zwane had held meetings to look for beneficiaries, no official list had been drawn. After the auditors started asking questions, a list of beneficiaries between 80 and 100, depending on the version was hastily assembled. Those who were serious about farming started to complain. At a meeting with officials in the provincial government, Dhlamini and Ncongwane, of the African Farmers Association, said that when they raised questions about the project, they were dismissed. In early 2014, the national Treasury sent a scathing report to Magashule, the premier of Free State, and told the province to stop paying Estina. But it took Free State another six months to take the farm back. The province even continued to pay Estina another $11m after officially terminating the contract, court documents show. In the end, a project meant to empower black farmers like Dhlamini further enriched the Guptas and one of the wealthiest white men in Vrede, Willie Basson. It was a measure of how corrupt South Africa had become a generation after the end of apartheid that nothing was done about the Vrede dairy farm case for years. The national police and prosecutors looked away even after the national Treasury raised alarms about the project. In Free State, some who spoke out against public corruption were suddenly killed in circumstances that, even in a country with widespread violent crime, aroused suspicions. As for Zwane, the dairy farm hardly hurt his career. During Zumas presidency, the Gupta brothers increasingly acquired economic and political influence by forging close ties with the president, his son and political allies like Magashule. The Guptas influence, and possibly direct role, in the appointment of important government officials has been investigated by the Public Protector and is expected to be a focus of a recently begun government inquiry into public corruption. In August 2015, according to the leaked emails, Tony Gupta, the youngest of the three brothers, forwarded Zwanes resume to Duduzane Zuma, one of the presidents sons, who was a director of many companies operated by the Guptas. Two months later, Zwane, whose highest qualification is a teachers diploma, became South Africas new minister of mineral resources, one of the most important and potentially lucrative portfolios. The Premier League In December, ANC delegates from all over the country chose Magashule, Free States longtime premier, as the partys secretary-general one of the top four positions in the party. Magashule had been one of Zumas fiercest backers, along with two other provincial premiers who became known in the South African news media as the premier league. They had endorsed Zumas chosen candidate as the ANCs next president. But, at the last minute, one of the premiers, David Mabuza, switched sides, handing a narrow victory to Ramaphosa. Afterward, Ramaphosa made Mabuza whose province, Mpumalanga, became known for political killings and endemic corruption during Mabuzas decade as premier the nations deputy president. 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. Zwane, who was not appointed to Ramaphosas new cabinet, has kept out of the public eye in recent weeks. Neither he nor Magashule has shown any willingness to answer questions about the dairy farm from the news media or Parliament reinforcing the public perception that ANC officials are above the law. What has gone wrong has gone wrong under their watch, says Mathole Motshekga, a senior ANC 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. New York Times Superstar DJ and twice Grammy-nominated electronic dance music (EDM) producer Tim Bergling, better known as Avicii, spent much of his career packing out the worlds largest arenas, earning eye-watering fees of an estimated $250,000 per show and recording with some of the biggest names in music, including Coldplays Chris Martin, Madonna and Nile Rodgers. However, on Friday 20 April at the age of 28, Avicii was found dead at a hotel in Muscat, Oman. His cause of death is yet to be announced, but two post-mortem examinations have been conducted and police are not treating it with criminal suspicion. Bergling was born in Stockholm, Sweden to Klas Bergling and Anki Liden, a successful actress appeared in more than 50 films and television shows. As a creative, teenage autodidact, Bergling began making music on his computer in his bedroom. He chose the moniker Avicii because it sounded cool his real name was already taken when he set up his MySpace account. (He later learned that the Sanskrit term avici denotes the lowest level of the hell realm in Buddhism, where those who have committed the gravest misdeeds are reborn.) In Avicii: True Stories, a documentary film released last year, he expressed concern about the impact touring was having on his life. The film, which has been taken down by Netflix, highlighted the exacting expectations of his former producer Arash Ash Pournouri. Bergling said: I have told them this: I wont be able to play anymore. I have said, like, Im going to die. I have said it so many times. And so I dont want to hear that I should entertain the thought of doing another gig. The pair met in 2007 when he was 17. Pournouri, who was 26, had noticed his tracks on DJ and record label founder Laidback Lukes online forum. He then duly signed to the Dejfitts Plays. Pournouri promised to make him bigger than the biggest DJ he could name. The pair set to work and Bergling began receiving offers to do remixes for world-renowned EDM producers such as Roger Sanchez, Tiesto and David Guetta. He was billed at dance music festivals around the world. He achieved his first breakthrough single in 2010 with Seek Bromance, which reached the top 20 in several countries across Europe. His next smash hit was Levels (2011), a combination of synths with a sample of Etta Jamess billowing vocals from her 1962 song Somethings Got a Hold on Me. In 2013, Bergling released the worlds first crowd-sourced song X You, which he created by combining his fans submissions of melodies, basslines, rhythms and vocals. The same year he released Wake Me Up (2013), in which he made the unlikely move of infusing his sound with acoustic country-folk influences. Avicii performing at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival in Utah (Getty) Bergling expected this to be a controversial move, and he was right. The track was initially booed when he premiered it at an EDM festival in Miami, but it eventually won over audiences and reached number 1 in more than 40 countries. Today, five years after its release, the music video for Wake Me Up has received 1.5 billion streams, placing it among YouTubes all-time top 40. The relatively recent term EDM is predominantly used in the US as a catch-all expression for electronic music, but its more specific use is to denote the euphoric, mainstream, accessible, pop-y subgenre of dance music, of which Avicii is the ultimate master. And his timing on the scene could not have been more perfect, as the genre was exploding. House music and dance music really had such a rise at the same time I had my rise, Bergling explained. But despite commercial success and global fame, Bergling was a shy and reserved individual, described by entrepreneur and nightclub owner Jesse Waits as innocent, naive, and really genuine he did not relish the limelight. In 2014, Bergling made number 3 on Forbess Electronic Cash Kings list of the highest-earning DJs his worth put at $28m but his hectic lifestyle travelling the globe performing every night came at a price. In 2014, while on tour in Australia, he was admitted to hospital for stomach pains. He had both his gallbladder and appendix removed, and was diagnosed with pancreatitis caused by excessive drinking. In the beginning, I was too afraid to drink because I didnt want to screw up, he said. But then I realised how stiff I was when I wasnt drinking, so then found the magical cure of just having, like, a couple of drinks before going on ... thats what kind of helped me be able to do all those shows without feeling completely exhausted. In 2016, his health deteriorated further when he was diagnosed with acute pancreatitis. Bergling says, Its the worst stomach cramp you can imagine, pretty much. It feels like someones stabbing you ... in the stomach and the back simultaneously. He played his final show at 2016s Ultra Music Festival in Miami, then retired from touring altogether, telling fans that stress and anxiety were taking their toll. In a 2016 interview with Billboard after his retirement, Berglings friend Laidback Luke said that after seeing him playing a show in Ibiza in 2015, I envisioned my friend, now 26, joining the infamous 27 club of music and film stars who died at that age. It sounds horrible, but its the truth. Bergling is survived by his parents, his sister Linda and his brothers Anton and David. He leaves a rich legacy, and will be remembered as an industrious and truly modern musical innovator. One day youll leave this world behind. So live a life you will remember, ring out the vocals in his 2014 single, The Nights. Fellow artists including Madonna, Calvin Harris and Deadmau5 have taken to social media to pay their respects to the DJ. Devastating news about Avicii, a beautiful soul, passionate and extremely talented with so much more to do. My heart goes out to his family. God bless you Tim x, Calvin Harris tweeted. Thousands gathered to pay tribute to Bergling in his native Stockholm the day after his death, dancing and holding their hands up in the shape of hearts as Aviciis music filled the area. In one touching scene, bell ringers at a church in Utrecht, Netherlands played Wake Me Up, Without You and Hey Brother, which echoed around the city. Tim Bergling aka Avicii, electronic dance music DJ, born on 8 September 1989, died 20 April 2018 Moving chairs around in Starbucks has allowed scientists to uncover a fundamental divide in Chinese society, according to new research. Different parts of China have historically farmed either rice or wheat crops that lead to very different lifestyles. While rice requires farmers to work together to look after paddy fields, wheat farmers tend to be more solitary. Researchers based at American and Chinese universities conducted social experiments in coffee shops across the nation in order to gauge whether the ancestral practices of different populations continue to pervade society. They found that in southern China, where rice farming has traditionally dominated, people were more social and less individualistic. Northern Chinese people, they observed, were more likely to strike out by themselves. The scientists nonethelss emphasised that these behaviours were being demonstrated by urban, Starbucks-drinking people, who in all likelihood were not involved in farming at all. The percentage of cultivated land devoted to rice paddies in provinces across China. Southern China has traditionally farmed rice, while northern China has farmed wheat and other dryland crops like millet (Thomas Talhelm) In order to demonstrate this, they began by simply observing people in cafes across five different cities, and found that out of nearly 9,000 individuals observed, customers in rice-growing regions were less likely to sit alone. Next, they actively moved chairs so they blocked the paths of people in the coffee shops. All told, we inconvenienced about 678 people in Starbucks around China, said Professor Thomas Talhelm, a behavioural scientist at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. The point of this exercise was to test how people responded to a challenging situation. The researchers observed that three times as many people from wheat-growing regions actively took control and moved the chair, rather than trying to squeeze past it. A research assistant demonstrates squeezing through the chair trap in a Shanghai Starbucks. (Thomas Talhelm) These findings suggest that Chinas agricultural legacy has given northern and southern China different cultures. And remember that the people in the study were not farmers, said Professor Talhelm. This suggests that Chinas agricultural legacies continue to shape peoples behaviour in the modern day, even among people who have left farming behind and live in modern cities and shop at Starbucks. The research challenges current theories about Chinese culture today, which hold that the major divide in modern Chinese society is between the poor, rural population and wealthier, urban population. Instead, the research team suggested that in fact the central divide may go back further, to farming practices that have dominated different regions for centuries. It also goes against the prevailing modernisation theory of culture, which suggests that as countries become wealthy and urbanised, people in those cultures become more individualistic and more Western. Southern cities like Shanghai and Hong Kong are some of the most wealthy and modern places in China, but the scientists behind the study published in the journal Science Advances suggest their rice-farming past has made them less individualistic, not more. Dr Talhelm and his colleagues are now undertaking a similar experiment in India another large country dominated by a rice-wheat divide. He suggests that similar historical divides might be found across other modern societies. Peoples farming legacies seemed to be more important than GDP in explaining their everyday behaviour, said Professor Talhelm. Simply put, being wealthy does not inevitably make people behave like Americans. There are far more gorillas left in the world than previously believed, according to a major new study. At least 361,900 western lowland gorillas remain in the wild, a third more than previous estimates, a landmark 10-year survey found. However, they remain critically endangered, with their population falling by more than 20 per cent in eight years. Eighty per cent of the remaining gorillas exist outside of protected areas, researchers added, making them especially vulnerable to poaching and habitat loss. The scientists carried out foot surveys spanning 72,000 square miles of western equatorial Africa, including some of the worlds most remote forests. Researchers walked more than 5,400 miles in total, collecting data on 20,000 nests of western lowland gorillas, which are by far the most widespread and numerous subspecies of the great ape. Although the majority were found outside protected areas, they were all in forests close to or bordering national parks and nature reserves away from human activity, suggesting conservation efforts will be key to their survival. The greatest threats to gorillas are illegal hunting, habitat degradation and disease particularly ebola, which has decimated their numbers in recent years. All great apes, whether in Africa or Asia, are threatened by poaching, especially for the bushmeat trade, said David Greer, co-ordinator of African great apes programme at WWF, one of eight organisations involved in the survey. Our study found that apes could live in safety, and thus in higher numbers, at guarded sites. Beautiful moment Calaya the gorilla kisses her newborn baby The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), which compiles a red list of critically endangered species, had estimated there were between 150,000 and 250,000 lowland gorillas in west Africa. The new figure was compiled using data from areas not previously not surveyed, as well as improved methodology, said the researchers involved. The scientists also assessed the population of central chimpanzees, a subspecies native to the same range. Their numbers were put at 130,000, around a tenth higher than previously thought. Its great news that the forests of western equatorial Africa still contain hundreds of thousands of gorillas and chimpanzees, but were also concerned that so many of these primates are outside of protected areas and vulnerable to poachers, disease, and habitat degradation and loss, said lead author Samantha Strindberg, a scientist at the Wildlife Conservation Society. She added: These findings can help inform national and regional management strategies that safeguard the remaining habitat, increase anti-poaching efforts, and curtail the effects of development on great apes and other wildlife. Gorilla warfare: The battle to save one of Africa's rarest animals Show all 4 1 /4 Gorilla warfare: The battle to save one of Africa's rarest animals Gorilla warfare: The battle to save one of Africa's rarest animals 251445.bin Getty Images Gorilla warfare: The battle to save one of Africa's rarest animals 251464.bin DANIEL HOWDEN Gorilla warfare: The battle to save one of Africa's rarest animals 251446.bin Getty Images Gorilla warfare: The battle to save one of Africa's rarest animals 251447.bin DANIEL HOWDEN While the new estimated gorilla population is far higher than previously thought, it remains considerably lower than the IUCN's 2005 assessment, in which 450,000 were thought to remain in the world. At the current rate of loss, 80 per cent of gorillas will have gone by the end of the century, said University of Illinois primate expert Paul Garber, who was not part of the study but praised it. That is a doomsday scenario, and we need to reverse this immediately, he added. Said Hjalmar Kuhl, of the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, which was involved in the research, said: Protecting our gorillas and chimpanzees will require a major increase in political will at all levelsnational, regional, and global. Financial commitments from governments, international agencies for endangered species conservation and the private sector, are also critical for conserving our closest relatives and their habitats. The 20th anniversary of Harold Shipman's initial arrest is being marked by a new documentary exploring the crimes of Britain's most prolific serial killer. The ITV programme, Harold Shipman: Doctor Death, promises new interviews with witnesses and investigating officers and footage of his interrogation by police in a bid to re-assess the mass murder case. Shipman, a family GP working in Hyde, Manchester, is thought to have killed 218 patients with lethal injections of diamorphine between 1975 and 1998, when he was finally apprehended. That death toll - 80 per cent of which is accounted for by elderly women - was placed by the Shipman Inquiry, which published its findings on his actions after a two-year probe in January 2005. Investigators, however, believe the real total could be closer to 250. Shipman was found guilty of 15 specimen murders by a jury at Preston Crown Court on 31 January 2000 and sentenced to life imprisonment. He hanged himself in his cell at HM Prison Wakefield in Yorkshire on 13 January 2004, a day before his 58th birthday, allegedly so that his wife could cash in a 100,000 maximum pension payout. Shipman was born on the working class Bestwood council estate in Nottingham in 1946, the son of a lorry driver, both of his parents devout Methodists. He was a success at High Pavement Grammar School, which he attended after passing the 11-Plus, an accomplished rugby player and athlete and very close to his mother, Vera. Harold witnessed her dying of lung cancer aged just 43 when he was 17, observing closely how a local doctor administering morphine was able to temporarily ease her pain and suffering. He married farmer's daughter Primose May Oxtoby, with whom he would have four children, in 1966 and attended Leeds School of Medicine, where he graduated in 1970. Having commenced his career as a junior doctor at Pontefract general infirmary, Shipman took his first post as a GP at the Abraham Ormerod Medical Centre in Todmorden, West Yorkshire. Here he was caught forging prescriptions of Demerol for his own use in 1975, an offence for which he was fined 600 and required to attend a drug rehabilitation clinic in York. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures 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 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 After a short spell as a medical officer in Durham, he subsequently transferred to the Donneybrook Medical Centre in Hyde in 1977, where he would spend the next 15 years of his career before setting up a one-man practice in 1992. Shipman quietly attended to his patients, becoming a well-known figure in the community as he deftly concealed his horrific poisoning agenda with calm and cunning. Shipman always denied the accusations against him and refused to co-operate with criminal psychiatrists but the best guess as to the motive behind his crimes was his having developed a god complex regarding the "kill or cure" power he wielded over his infirm patients. The mild-mannered "good doctor" was finally exposed as "The Angel of Death" after he was caught forging the will of Kathleen Grundy, Hyde's former mayor, when she passed away in June 1998, an attempt to defraud the widow's estate of 360,000. This, combined with growing concerns about the abnormally high mortality rate at his practice, drew the attention of the authorities and, following the exhumation of Ms Grundy's body by coroners in August, Shipman's fate was sealed. Harold Shipman: Doctor Death is broadcast on ITV at 9pm on Thursday 26 April Knife crime rocketed by 22 per cent across England and Wales in the largest jump ever recorded, new figures have revealed amid a spate of stabbings in London. Almost 40,000 offences involving knives or sharp weapons were recorded by police in 2017 the highest level in seven years while gun crime was up 11 per cent to 6,600 offences. Alexa Bradley, an Office for National Statistics (ONS) analyst, said most crimes have remained fairly stable in the past year and at a much lower level than a peak seen in the mid-1990s. Eight in 10 adults had not experienced any of the crimes asked about in our survey in the latest year, she added. However, we have seen an increase in the relatively rare, but high-harm violent offences such as homicide, knife crime and gun crime, a trend that has been emerging over the previous two years. We have also seen evidence that increases in some types of theft have continued, in particular vehicle-related theft and burglary. The ONS told The Independent that the 22 per cent increase in knife offences was the biggest year-on-year rise on record. Sexual offences recorded by police were up a quarter in the year, with rape increasing by 31 per cent to more than 50,000 offences, and domestic abuse-related crimes also up. The Crime Survey for England and Wales, which is seen as the most reliable indicator of long-term trends, shows crime has fallen overall in recent years but the ONS warned of genuine increases in violence. (ONS (ONS) The crimes tend to be disproportionately concentrated in London and other large cities but the rise was seen by the majority of police forces in England and Wales in the year to December 2017. The government has repeatedly highlighted improvements in the way police record crime and proactive operations, but the ONS said the changes did not fully account for the rise. NHS hospitals in England have also been reporting rising number of patients arriving with knife and gunshot wounds. Sarah Jones, chair of the all-party parliamentary group on knife crime, said the figures were a damning indictment of the governments efforts. The only way we solve this is by a long-term commitment to a public health approach, and proper funding for police, youth services and communities, the Labour MP added. All we got from the governments recent violence strategy were empty words and very little resource or commitment. The latest statistics piled more pressure on Amber Rudd, who is facing calls to resign as home secretary over attempts to deport Windrush migrants. There have been more than 60 murders in London alone since the start of this year, amid a spate of stabbings and shootings that saw two teenagers shot dead in one night earlier this month. In the year to March, homicides rose by 44 per cent in London according to the Metropolitan Polices own figures. Knife crime in the capital was up by 21 per cent in the same period, but gun crime fell by 4.6 per cent. London also saw an 11 per cent rise in recorded sexual offences, 18 per cent rise in rape and 12 per cent increase in burglary. Robbery has rocketed by a startling 36 per cent, which Scotland Yard attributed partly to the use of scooters in muggings a technique that peaked in July. Assistant Commissioner Martin Hewitt said he was concerned about the figures against the backdrop of significant reductions in resources. The teenagers murdered in London in 2018 Show all 21 1 /21 The teenagers murdered in London in 2018 The teenagers murdered in London in 2018 Oluwadamilolda Odeyingbo Oluwadamilolda Odeyingbo, 18, was killed in a fight in Chislehurst on 10 January 2018 Metropolitan Police The teenagers murdered in London in 2018 Hasan Ozcan Hasan Ozcan, 19, was stabbed to death on the Gascoigne Estate in Barking on 3 February 2018 Metropolitan Police The teenagers murdered in London in 2018 Sabri Chibani Sabri Chibani, 19, was stabbed fatally in the chest in Streatham on 11 February 2018 Metropolitan Police The teenagers murdered in London in 2018 Promise Nkenda Lord Promise Nkenda, 17, was stabbed to death in Canning Town on 14 February 2018 Facebook The teenagers murdered in London in 2018 Lewis Blackman Lewis Blackman, a 19-year-old rapper from Kentish Town, was stabbed to death in Kensington on 18 February 2018 Metropolitan Police The teenagers murdered in London in 2018 Abdikarim Hassan Abdikarim Hassan, 17, was stabbed to death near his home in Camden's Peckwater estate on 20 March - less tahan two hours before another man was stabbed to death nearby Metropolitan Police The teenagers murdered in London in 2018 Kelvin Odunuyi Kelvin Odunuyi, a 19-year-old rapper known as DipDat and Lampz, was shot dead in Wood Green on 8 March Metropolitan Police The teenagers murdered in London in 2018 Lyndon Davis Lyndon Davis, 18, was chased down and stabbed to death in Chadwell Heath on 14 March Metropolitan Police The teenagers murdered in London in 2018 Tanesha Melbourne-Blake Tanesha Melbourne, 17, was killed in a drive-by shooting in Tottenham on 2 April PA The teenagers murdered in London in 2018 Amaan Shakoor Amaan Shakoor, 16, was shot dead in Walthamstow on 2 April Metropolitan Police The teenagers murdered in London in 2018 Israel Ogunsola Israel Ogunsola, 18, was stabbed to death in Hackney on 4 April Metropolitan Police The teenagers murdered in London in 2018 Rhyhiem Ainsworth Barton Rhyhiem Ainsworth Barton, a 17-year-old rapper and aspiring architect, was shot dead in a Kennington Street on 5 May Handout The teenagers murdered in London in 2018 Jordan Douherty Aspiring rapper Jordan Douherty died of his injuries outside a birthday party in Romford on 23 June Metropolitan Police The teenagers murdered in London in 2018 Katrina Makunova Katrina Makunova, 17, was stabbed to death in Camberwell on 12 July 2018 Metropolitan Police The teenagers murdered in London in 2018 Latwaan Griffiths 18-year-old Latwaan Griffiths was fatally stabbed on 25 July and died in hospital after being thrown off the back of a moped in Camberwell Metropolitan Police The teenagers murdered in London in 2018 Guled Farah Guled Farah, 19, was shot in Walthamstow on 22 September Metropolitan Police The teenagers murdered in London in 2018 Ethan Nedd-Bruce Ethan Nedd-Bruce, 18, died after he was shot outside a party at a flat in Greenwich, south-east London, on 22 October. He had also been stabbed, but the gunshot wound was the cause of death. Metropolitan Police The teenagers murdered in London in 2018 Jay Hughes Jay Hughes, 15, died was fatally stabbed outside a chicken shop in Bellingham, south-east London, on 1 November Metropolitan Police The teenagers murdered in London in 2018 Malcolm Mide-Madariola Malcolm Mide-Madariola, 17, was found suffering from a stab wound outside Clapham South Tube station on 2 November Metropolitan Police The teenagers murdered in London in 2018 John Ogunjobi John Ogunjobi, 16, died in front of his parents after he was stabbed in Greenleaf Close, Tulse Hill, on 5 November Metropolitan Police The teenagers murdered in London in 2018 Aron Warren Aron Warren, 18, was found stabbed in a flat block in Greenwich on 8 December and died at the scene Metropolitan Police My thoughts are with the victims families of these tragic and horrific crimes which have brought untold misery to countless people, he added. We are doubling our targeted anti-knife crime activity with hundreds more officers on visible patrols in affected communities. But despite our continued focus on reducing knife crime, prevention and diversion will always be key. There are complex social reasons why more young people are carrying knives and we have been absolutely clear that knife crime cannot be solved by the police alone. Other measures outlined by the Metropolitan Police include increasing stop and search and weapons sweeps, putting dedicated officers in electoral wards and working with a new government taskforce. The group, including ministers, police chiefs and anti-gang crime campaigners, was one of the measures announced as part of the governments first ever nationwide strategy against serious violence. But the document released earlier this month was heavily criticised after failing to mention huge drops in police budgets and officer numbers, which plummeted to a record low last year. A leaked Home Office document suggested that cuts had likely contributed to rising violence and encouraged offenders, as well as county lines drug dealing and postcode wars between rival gangs fuelled by social media. The National Police Chiefs Council said the figures were deeply concerning and forces were under strain. Tackling violent crime isnt something police forces can do alone it requires a whole system approach, said chief constable Bill Skelly, the lead for statistics. Intervention is desperately needed to make long-term change. Reductions in youth services by squeezed local authorities have been cited as a driver of violence and criminality. The YMCA said council spending in the area had fallen by more than 750m since 2010/11 across England and Wales, with the West Midlands and North West hardest-hit. Denise Hatton, chief executive of YMCA England and Wales, said the vital services are necessary to provide teenagers with positive activities, help them develop, meet new friends and socialise. Unfortunately it is not until news of young peoples loneliness or incidents like the recent knife crimes in London hit the headlines, the role of youth services is in the spotlight, she added. Without drastic action to protect funding and making youth services a statutory service, we are condemning young people to become a lonely, lost generation with nowhere to turn. Nick Hurd, the policing minister, said the government was taking urgent action against violent crime. We will be announcing tough new laws to crack down on acid attacks and knife offences, he added. And as crime changes, we will change our response our Serious Violence Strategy places a new emphasis on steering young people away from a life of crime, while continuing to promote the strongest possible law enforcement response. A senior judge in the case of terminally ill toddler Alfie Evans has suggested there is a "darker side" to some offers of support for the family. Lord Justice McFarlane raised concerns that people in a similar position to Alfies parents, who are fighting to keep their son on life-support treatment, could be vulnerable to receiving bad advice. At a Court of Appeal hearing on Wednesday, the judge said there was evidence Tom Evans and Kate James had made decisions based on incorrect guidance. He said similar issues had arisen in other recent cases and suggested some form of investigation should be staged. At an earlier stage of Alfie's case, a High Court judge criticised a law student who had advised the couple. Mr Justice Hayden said the student, who risked being jailed for contempt of court, had led Mr Evans to wrongly believe he could walk out of Alder Hey Childrens Hospital with Alfie. The toddler suffers from a degenerative neurological condition that has left him in a semi-vegetative state. Doctors treating him at Alder Hey in Liverpool have said further treatment is futile, and his life support was withdrawn Monday after a series of court rulings sided with the doctors and blocked further medical treatment. Alfie Evans' parents want to take him to receive treatment in Italy (PA) His parents had wanted to take him to the Vaticans childrens hospital in Italy, which has said it is willing to take him. But Justice McFarlane and two other appeal judges dismissed their 11th-hour challenge on Wednesday following a hearing in London the couple did not attend. Justice McFarlane said nothing had changed since a previous court ruling that Alfies treatment should end. Speaking outside hospital on Thursday, Alfie's father Tom suggested the family would give up on the Italy route, and instead focus on trying to take their baby home with them. "We got rejected yesterday to go to Italy unfortunately," he said. "We could take it further but would that be the right thing to do, would there be more criticism?" Alfie Evans' parents drop bid to take son to Italy and ask doctors to take him home instead The parents have now lost two rounds of fights in the High Court, Court of Appeal, Supreme Court and European Court of Human Rights. Alder Hey hospital has said its staff have experienced "unprecedented personal abuse" from some quarters after it found itself at the centre of a "social media storm". Hospital workers have been subjected to "highly abusive and threatening language and behaviour" in person, via phone and online, while there were reports of unauthorised members of the public attempting to enter the hospital. "Having to carry on our usual day-to-day work in a hospital that has required a significant police presence just to keep our patients, staff and visitors safe is completely unacceptable," the hospital's chairman, Sir David Henshaw, and chief executive Louise Shepherd said in an open letter. Merseyside Police issued a warning that it was monitoring posts online and that any "malicious communications or threatening behaviour" will be investigated and could lead to action. 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 The couple say their son has defied doctors' expectations and his continued survival amounts to a significant change of circumstances which merit a review. But lawyers representing Alder Hey bosses said Alfie's condition was irreversible and there was no evidence that it had changed. They said the fact that he had continued to breathe unaided might have surprised members of the public but had not surprised specialists. Barrister Michael Mylonas QC, who led Alder Hey's legal team, said it had never been suggested that Alfie would die as soon as life support treatment stopped. Barrister Sophia Roper, who represents Alfie and takes instructions from a court-appointed guardian, agreed. Justice McFarlane, who headed the appeal court panel of judges, said Alfie's parents were trying to take "one last chance". But he said there was no prospect of the couple's challenge succeeding and Alfie was in "the middle" of a palliative care plan. In posts on Facebook, a family member said Alfie was "doing good". Additional reporting by PA The parents of Alfie Evans want to take their terminally ill toddler home after dropping their bid to fly him out to Italy for continued treatment. Tom Evans and Katie James failed in an 11th-hour challenge at the High Court on Wednesday after judges ruled the infant should not receive further medical treatment. Alfie suffers from a degenerative neurological condition that has left him in a semi-vegetative state. Doctors have said further intervention is futile, and his life support was withdrawn on Monday. Speaking outside Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool on Thursday, his father Tom Evans, 21, said he hoped to have a "positive" meeting with medical staff. "We got rejected yesterday to go to Italy unfortunately, Mr Evans told reporters outside the hospital. We could take it further but would that be the right thing to do, would there be more criticism? "So what we do today is we have a meeting with the doctors at Alder Hey and we now start asking to go home." He added: "Alfie doesn't need intensive care anymore. Alfie is lying on the bed with one litre of oxygen going into his lungs and the rest is him. Some people say it's a miracle, it's not a miracle, it's a misdiagnosis." Alfie Evans' parents tried to discharge him from hospital (PA) But lawyers representing Alder Hey bosses said Alfie's condition was irreversible and there was no evidence it had changed. They said the fact that he had continued to breathe unaided might have surprised members of the public but had not surprised specialists. Barrister Michael Mylonas QC, who led Alder Hey's legal team, said it had never been suggested that Alfie would die as soon as life-support treatment stopped. Three appeal judges agreed and dismissed the challenge. Lord Justice McFarlane said nothing had changed since a previous court ruling that Alfies treatment should end. Alfie Evans: The story so far Mr Evans has threatened to return to court if a proposed meeting doesnt go well. "All I ask for now is for this meeting to be a positive one, and I hope to have Alfie, on the terms of mine and Alder Hey, to be home within a day or two, he said. "If the meeting doesn't go well today, well then, I'll go back to court." He accused doctors at the hospital of being "wrong" about their diagnosis: "Alfie lives, comfortably, happily, without ventilation, without any form of ventilation. "That must be enough for you now to consider that Alfie may prove you wrong." 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 Alder Hey hospital has said its staff have experienced "unprecedented personal abuse" from some quarters after it found itself at the centre of a "social media storm". Hospital workers have been subjected to "highly abusive and threatening language and behaviour" in person, via phone and online, while there were reports of unauthorised members of the public attempting to enter the hospital. "Having to carry on our usual day-to-day work in a hospital that has required a significant police presence just to keep our patients, staff and visitors safe is completely unacceptable," the hospital's chairman, Sir David Henshaw, and chief executive Louise Shepherd said in an open letter. Merseyside Police issued a warning that it was monitoring posts online and that any "malicious communications or threatening behaviour" will be investigated and could lead to action. Additional reporting by PA Former Conservative MP Ann Widdecombe has attacked Prince Harry and Meghan Markle for saying they want to prioritise LGBT+ rights. The royal couple, who are due to marry on 19 May at Windsor Castle, have said they will put LGBT+ rights at the forefront of their royal duties. Speaking to young LGBT+ people at the Commonwealth Youth Forum in London earlier in the month, Ms Markle said these issues are about basic human rights and it is important to challenge inequality founded on sexual orientation and gender identity. Same sex activity is criminalised in 36 of the 53 Commonwealth member states. But Ms Widdecombe, who is known for her socially conservative views, has suggested Prince William and Ms Markle should not use their platform to champion the rights of the LGBT+ community. I may have my doubts about Meghan Markle but on Saturday she cheered me up so much that I actually clapped, the 70-year-old wrote in her column for the Daily Express. Earlier that week my doubts had grown when reports appeared in the press about how she and Harry were going to champion the rights of the LGBT community. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in pictures Show all 55 1 /55 Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in pictures Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in pictures September 2017 Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at the Invictus Games in Toronto, Canada. The Invictus Games is an international sport event for wounded, injured and sick (WIS) servicemen and women, both serving and veteran. It was created by the Duke of Sussex and aims to use the power of sport to inspire recovery, support rehabilitation and generate a wider understanding of all those who serve their country Invictus Games Foundation/Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in pictures November 2017 Prince Harry and Meghan Markle pose for a photograph in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace following the announcement of their engagement AFP/Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in pictures November 2017 Meghan Markle shows off her engagement ring AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in pictures December 2017 Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry attend Christmas Day Church service at Church of St Mary Magdalene in King's Lynn Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in pictures January 2018 Prince Harry and Meghan during a visit to Reprezent 107.3FM in Pop Brixton. The Reprezent training programme was established in Peckham in 2008, in response to the alarming rise in knife crime, to help young people develop and socialise through radio Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in pictures January 2018 Meghan Markle greets well-wishers on arrival at Cardiff Castle for a day showcasing the rich culture and heritage of Wales AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in pictures January 2018 The couple watching a dance performance by Jukebox Collective during their to Cardiff Castle AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in pictures February 2018 Prince Harry and Meghan Markle walk through the corridors of the Palace of Holyroodhouse on their way to a reception for young people in Edinburgh. The reception celebrated youth achievements, marking Scotlands Year of Young People 2018, an initiative that aims to inspire Scotland through its young people: celebrating their achievements, strengthening their voice on social issues and creating new opportunities for them to shine AFP Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in pictures February 2018 Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William at the first annual Royal Foundation Forum in London. Under the theme 'Making a Difference Together', the event showcased the programmes run or initiated by The Royal Foundation Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in pictures March 2018 Prince William, Kate, Meghan and Prince Harry attend a Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in pictures March 2018 Meghan Markle greets well-wishers after a visit to one of Belfast's most historic buildings, The Crown Liquor Saloon, a former Victorian gin palace, now run by the National Trust. It was the Royal couple's first joint visit to Northern Ireland AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in pictures April 2018 Prince Harry and Meghan Markle meet participants as they attend the UK team trials for the Invictus Games Sydney 2018 at the University of Bath AFP via Getty Images Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in pictures May 2018 Meghan Markle and her mother, Doria Ragland arriving at Cliveden House Hotel the night before her wedding to Prince Harry Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in pictures May 2018 Royal fans sing for the television in Windsor the day before the Royal wedding AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in pictures May 2018 Meghan Markle walks down the aisle in St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, during her wedding AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in pictures May 2018 Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stand facing each other hand-in-hand before Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby during their wedding ceremony AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in pictures May 2018 Prince Harry kisses the Duchess of Sussex, as they pass through the Cambridge Gate into the grounds of Windsor Castle at the end of their carriage procession AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in pictures May 2018 The newly married royals leave Windsor Castle after their wedding to attend an evening reception at Frogmore House AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in pictures June 2018 Queen Elizabeth II sitts and laughs with Meghan, Duchess of Sussex during a ceremony to open the new Mersey Gateway Bridge in the town of Widnes in Halton, Cheshire Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in pictures June 2018 Prince Harry and Meghan return in a horse-drawn carriage after attending the Queen's Birthday Parade, 'Trooping the Colour' on Horseguards parade AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in pictures July 2018 Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Queen Elizabeth II, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge watch the RAF flypast on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, as members of the Royal Family attend events to mark the centenary of the RAF Chris Jackson/Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in pictures July 2018 Meghan and Prince Harry kiss after the Sentebale Polo event that was held at the Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in pictures August 2018 The Duke and Duchess of Sussex meet the cast and crew of "Hamilton" backstage after the gala performance in support of Sentebale at Victoria Palace Theatre Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in pictures September 2018 Meghan meets 7-year-old Matilda Booth during the annual WellChild awards at Royal Lancaster Hotel in London Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in pictures October 2018 Prince Harry and Meghan meet 98-year-old Daphne Dunne during a meet and greet at the Sydney Opera House during an official 16-day Autumn tour visiting cities in Australia, Fiji, Tonga and New Zealand Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in pictures October 2018 Prince Harry and Meghan meet a koala named Ruby and its koala joey named Meghan after the Duchess of Sussex during a visit to Taronga Zoo in Sydney AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in pictures October 2018 Prince Harry looks on as his wife Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, is hugged by student Luke Vincent of Buninyong Public School following the couple's arrival at Dubbo Regional Airport in Dubbo AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in pictures October 2018 Harry and his wife Meghan watch aboriginal dances at Victoria Park in Dubbo AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in pictures October 2018 The Duke and Duchess of Sussex meet with lifeguards at South Melbourne Beach. BeachPatrol is a network of volunteers who are passionate about keeping Melbourne's beaches and foreshores clear of litter to reduce the negative impact of litter on the marine environment and food chain, and provide a safe environment for the public to enjoy their local beach Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in pictures October 2018 Prince Harry and Meghan join a circle during a "Fluro Friday" session run by OneWave, a local surfing community group who raise awareness for mental health and wellbeing, at Sydney's iconic Bondi Beach AFP Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in pictures October 2018 The British royals kicked off their shoes and donned tropical garlands on Bondi Beach AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in pictures October 2018 Prince Harry and Meghan visit an exhibition of Tongan handicrafts, mats and tapa cloths at the Fa'onelua Convention Centre in Nuku'alofa, Tonga Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in pictures October 2018 Prince Harry and Meghan laying a wreath at the National War Memorial in Wellington, New Zealand Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in pictures October 2018 Prince Harry and his wife Meghan visit Redwoods Tree Walk in Rotorua AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in pictures November 2018 Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex at a service marking the centenary of WW1 armistice at Westminster Abbey Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in pictures February 2019 The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, visit the Kasbah of the Udayas near the Moroccan capital Rabat AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in pictures March 2019 Prince Harry and Meghan speak on stage during WE Day UK 2019 at The SSE Arena in London Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in pictures March 2019 Meghan and Prince Harry react as they are presented with baby gifts by Canadian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Janice Charette, at Canada House, during an event to mark Commonwealth Day, in central London AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in pictures May 2019 A congratulatory banner message circling the BT Tower reading "Congratulations Harry and Meghan It's a Baby Boy!" AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in pictures May 2019 Footmen Stephen Kelly and Sarah Thompson set up an official notice on an easel at the gates of Buckingham Palace on May 6, announcing the birth of a son to Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in pictures May 2019 Pround parents pose with their newborn son Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor in St George's Hall at Windsor Castle. The Duchess of Sussex gave birth at 5:26 on 6 May Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in pictures May 2019 Prince Harry and Meghan walk away after posing for photographs with their newborn son AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in pictures June 2019 Prince Harry and Meghan join the New York Yankees in their clubhouse and receive gifts for Archie ahead of their match against the Boston Red Sox at the London Stadium. The historic two-game series marked the sport's first games ever played in Europe and The Invictus Games Foundation was selected as the official charity of Mitel and MLB London Series 2019 Invictus Games Foundation/Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in pictures July 2019 Prince Harry and Meghan meet cast and crew, including US singer-songwriter Beyonce and her husband, US rapper Jay-Z as they attend the European premiere of the film The Lion King in London AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in pictures September 2019 The Duke and Duchess of Sussex dance as they arrive for a visit to the "Justice desk", an NGO in the township of Nyanga in Cape Town, as they begin their tour of the region. Their first official family visit in the coastal city AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in pictures September 2019 Prince Harry and Meghan pose with members of "Waves For Change" NGO at Monwabisi Beach outside of Cape Town. "Waves For Change" NGO fuses surfing with child-friendly mind and body therapy to provide mental health services to vulnerable young people living in challenging communities AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in pictures September 2019 The royals arrive to visit the oldest mosque of Cape Town in Dorp Street in Bo Kaap district AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in pictures September 2019 The Duchess of Sussex visits Auwal Mosque on Heritage Day with the Duke of Sussex during their royal tour of South Africa. Auwal Mosque is the first and oldest mosque in South Africa and for the Muslim community, this mosque symbolises the freedom of former slaves to worship Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in pictures September 2019 Prince Harry and Meghan hold their baby son Archie as they meet with Archbishop Desmond Tutu and his wife Leah at the Tutu Legacy Foundation in Cape Town AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in pictures September 2019 The British royal couple were on a 10-day tour of southern Africa -- their first official visit as a family since their son Archie was born AFP via Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in pictures October 2019 Prince Harry and Meghan meet Graca Machel, widow of the late Nelson Mandela in Johannesburg, South Africa. The Duke last met with Mrs Machel during his visit to South Africa in 2015 Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in pictures October 2019 Meghan and Prince Harry attend a roundtable discussion on gender equality with The Queens Commonwealth Trust (QCT) and One Young World at Windsor Castle Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in pictures December 2019 Prince Harry holding his son Archie. The photo was used on Instagram to wish their followers a happy new year SussexRoyal/PA Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in pictures January 2020 Duke and Duchess of Sussex depart Canada House in London after visiting to show thanks for the warm hospitality and support they received during their recent stay in Canada Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in pictures January 2020 Front page headlines, from UK daily papers, reporting on the news that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, plan to step back as "senior" members of the Royal Family AFP via Getty First, royals dont champion rights: they champion plights. That is what Diana did with victims of Aids and landmines and very effective she was too, the former politician continued. Rights are the business of politicians and pressure groups and never more so than when they are controversial. Second, what a week for any royal to join in the argument when the Commonwealth conference was in full swing, the position of Prince Charles as its future head was in delicate negotiation and some of its bishops were voicing concern about their countries being pressurised by Theresa May on the issue of LGBT rights. So nought out of 10 for both phraseology and timing. Widdecombes column comes after she branded Ms Markle trouble back in January saying the actors background and attitude made her uneasy. Ann Widdicombe says Meghan Markle is 'trouble' Ms Widdecombe made the remarks in the Celebrity Big Brother house, which were broadcast after Ms Markle and Harry wowed crowds on a trip to Brixton. The former prisons minister, who has been a controversial figure for many years, made the remarks to fellow housemate Rachel Johnson and others, while having make-up applied by Made In Chelsea star Ashley James. Ms Widdecombe said: I think shes trouble. Background, attitude ... I worry. I add it all up and Im uneasy but there we go. Ms Markle, who rose to fame for playing ambitious paralegal Rachel Zane on Suits, had earlier chatted, joked and even hugged young presenters from a youth radio station in Brixton, south London. The couple visited Reprezent FM to learn more about the work of the not-for-profit broadcaster that trains the presenters, producers and station managers of tomorrow. Ms Widdecombe, who was pro-Brexit, has previously spoken negatively about reality TV stars but has also appeared on Strictly Come Dancing taking part in the 2010 series and coming sixth. The politician expressed her long-held views against LGBT+ rights to gay housemates while on Celebrity Big Brother. While working as an MP, Ms Widdecombe was known for staunchly opposing the legality of abortion, her opposition to various issues surrounding LGBT+ rights, and her support for reintroducing the death penalty. During her political career, she did not once vote in favour of gay rights opposing significant acts of legislation like civil partnerships, repealing Section 28, the Equality Act, reducing the age of consent for homosexual sex, and gay couples adopting. A prominent architect has argued millennials do not need living rooms and their housing prospects would be greatly improved if size regulations were overhauled. Patrik Schumacher, who took over as head of Zaha Hadid Architects after the legendary founder died in early 2016, said hotel room-sized studio flats were ideal for young people who led busy lives. In a paper published by the Adam Smith Institute, he suggested size rules should be reviewed to increase the number of studio flats available to those on lower incomes. While a 25-square-metre flat is the minimum in Japan, in the UK the minimum is 37 square metres for a one-bed. "Those who are now making the hard choice between paying 80 per cent of their income on a central flat versus commuting from afar will, in the liberalised future, appreciate new options and perhaps choose to pay only 60 per cent for a smaller but more central flat, Mr Schumacher said. "For many young professionals who are out and about networking 24/7, a small, clean, private hotel room-sized central patch serves their needs perfectly well. The leading architect, who has previously proposed eradicating social housing and privatising streets, said the majority of central homes should be given to individuals "whose productive lives are most enhanced by being thus positioned". He added: "I.e. those who operate at the centre of our network society, attending early morning meetings, after work networking events, weekend conferences, and professional lectures. The London-based architect argued the minimum size of 37 square metres on newbuild flats is paternalistic and prevents millennials from gaining a footing on the housing ladder. Patrik Schumacher and Zaha Hadid at the Pritzker Architecture Prize in 2015 (Getty) Mr Schumacher, who worked on the London Aquatics Centre built for the Olympics, said: "Units half that size, built at an earlier time, are rare and thus at the moment overpriced, hotly desired commodities, for rent or for sale. "Lifting this prohibition would allow a whole new (lower) income group, which is now excluded, to enter the market. This move would both boost overall unit numbers and affordability." He suggested proposals for smaller homes quickly descends into hyperbolic debate which "becomes quickly emotional and rhetorical with phrases like 'rabbit hutches' and 'slums' standing in for arguments. Mr Schumacher argued planning restrictions across the board would push land prices down and help to make housing more affordable. He ultimately called for radical capitalist reform to tackle Britains housing crisis, arguing problems of fast-rising prices and unaffordability could not be solved by state-led ones. Tragically capitalism is not allowed to work its magic with what matters most to us, namely our dwellings and cities, he said. Urban development and housing provision have been unduly politicised and thereby paralysed. 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 Polly Neate, CEO of housing charity Shelter, hit back at the architect's remarks. Tiny homes dont necessarily mean cheaper homes, and at Shelter we know that having a decent place to live is vital for peoples well-being. So compromising on space and quality isnt going to do anyone any favours," she told The Independent. Homes in the UK are not expensive because they are too large, they are too expensive because our housing market is broken. When big developers realise they can squeeze, for example, 20 tiny homes on the same patch of land that once fit just ten then the price of land will rise to reflect this. The solution to the housing crisis is not to build ever smaller homes but to bring down the price of land and build the type of genuinely affordable homes that people actually want to live in. Mr Schumachers remarks prompted controversy on Twitter. How depressing. Just put us all into a pod at work with an IV drip overnight, that way we won't waste any more time or space for our elitist classes. I bet this architect would not dream of putting his son/daughter into a shoebox flat..., said one tweet. Londons house prices have skyrocketed from four times to over ten times the average annual wage over the past two decades. Whats more, the average renter has gone from spending one fifth of their income each year on rent to forking out over a third. Minimum standards on size, on height and where we can build and when, means there is a minimum price that people have to pay, a spokesperson for the Adam Smith Institute told The Independent. Remember what is being said if you decide how you think others should live: in effect it is that you would plan others lives for them. If they wouldnt live like that either, then theyll refuse to, they wont pay the price. Your minimum standard is actually a minimum cost you are forcing others to bear. Think of those businessmen that commute into town once a week and basically use the room to sleep in and nothing else, if they rent a flat at present they have to take one bigger than they need. That means more space is taken up than often they want or need, and that means higher rents and higher prices for everyone else. Sophie Jarvis, a policy adviser at the Adam Smith Institute, said: "If developers were allowed to build smaller houses, millennials could live in a compact, ergonomic flat in Zone 1 or 2, instead of a run-down, cold flat in at the end of the Central line or half-way to Hull." This is not the first time Mr Schumacher has stoked controversy for his comments. He has argued his theoretical approach to architecture - Parametricism - should replace modernism and its successors to become the universal style of the 21st century. He has also said the government should no longer fund art and architecture schools. A woman has told how she was left feeling lonely and helpless after no one flinched when she and her 11-year-old son were subjected to a terrifying barrage of racial abuse on a crowded train. Vie Lusandu told The Independent she and her son, who is of mixed ethnicity, endured foul-mouthed abuse and physical intimidation by a group four men as they travelled from Leeds to their home town of Bingley last Saturday. Ms Lusandu, who is from France and campaigns for grassroots group the 3million, said that during the 15-minute attack one of the men grabbed her head and shouted No surrender at her, before calling her son a f****** P*** and threatening to trolley [them] out of the UK. Despite the fact that they were on a crowded carriage, no one flinched for the first 10 minutes of the assault, Ms Lusandu said, leaving her feeling lonely and afraid. Following the ordeal, she said the British Transport Police failed to take a written statement about the incident, leaving her concerned that the perpetrators would not be caught. One of them kept looking at us and then he stood up, stood over me and put his left hand on the back of my head and turned it to look up at him. Then he said No surrender, she said. It really scared me I cant even explain it. Then he sat next to me and looked at my son. He said f****** P***, looking straight into his eyes. Then he put his hand on the top of his head. He stood back again, and he turned back at my son and said f****** P*** again. No one on the train flinched. It felt really lonely. Then he turned around to me and he said, We will also trolley you out of the UK. At that point, a young woman sat next to Ms Lusandu with her back towards the men, in a bid to defuse the situation and distract her son. She started to talk to my son about the magazine distracting him. The men were still saying stuff this time to her. They were making sexual connotation towards her Nobody else said anything, said Ms Lusandu. We got off with her at the next stop, even though we werent home yet. Once we were off the train, my son went into a complete meltdown. He was sobbing. Ms Lusandu reported the incident to the British Transport Police helpline and an officer took details of what happened. But while she was told police would come to her address to take a witness statement the following day, nobody turned up. Nobody called me nobody came. On Monday morning I called them again and said nobody has turned up. I was told they would call me back. They didnt call back, she said. The officer eventually called me on Tuesday afternoon. They were not compassionate they were just very focused on facts. They asked me to repeat everything again over the phone. He said he didnt understand how that was offensive ... I had to explain. Concerned that the police would not find the perpetrators, Ms Lusandu launched a social media campaign to find the woman who intervened, so that she could act as a witness. Within a day of launching the appeal and after her Facebook post had been shared nearly 900 times the woman got in touch with Ms Lusandu and was able to give a witness statement to police. Her small actions that night had a really positive impact on us ... My son keeps talking about her. She did the right thing, she said. Ms Lusandu said she was made to feel like a troublemaker while speaking to the police, and that she was subsequently unsurprised to be told by other victims of hate crime that they choose not to report it. A lot of people have since come and said to me they have had the same experience; others have struggled to log it as a racially aggravated incident, she said. In light of the incident, Nicolas Hatton, founder of the 3million, urged the authorities to do more to punish hardcore racists in the UK in order to destroy the narrative about the UK becoming a more racist country. He continued: I have to admit to you that Ive said it, like most EU citizens, following a friend being victim of a hate crime or an appalling news story because I was angry at the time. Five ways to disrupt racism Britain still ranks internationally as one of the most welcoming countries for immigrants, with 74 per cent of people happy to engage with immigrants. The problem is the 8 per cent of hardcore racists who are feeling empowered by the referendum results and are ruining it for everyone. Britain has not gone racist. But hate crimes must be better sanctioned and those 8 per cent must be put back into their box as soon as possible (or sentenced severely if they commit a hate crime). This is where the real problem lies and I dont see this government doing much about it. 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 British Transport Police say they have launched a full investigation into the incident and had requested CCTV footage from the train operating company, but that no arrests have yet been made. A spokesperson for the force said: We take all reports of hate crime seriously and this type of behaviour is completely unacceptable. As soon as we were made aware of this incident, we launched a full investigation. Detectives have been in touch with the victim on a number of occasions to inform her of the progress of the investigation and provide her with support. We have requested CCTV from the train operating company and are working hard to identify the people responsible. Self-harm and violent attacks have hit record levels in prisons across England and Wales as campaigners warn of a system in crisis. More than 11,600 prisoners harmed themselves in 2017 a record high and the number of separate incidents rose by 11 per cent to 44,600. Self-harm is now being recorded every 12 minutes on average and violent assault at 18-minute intervals, with 23 attacks on staff every day. A statistical bulletin released by the Ministry of Justice revealed that the number of inmates needing hospital treatment for self-inflicted cuts, strangulation and overdoses had risen. Women are almost five times more likely to self-harm than men and most incidents involve young prisoners between the age of 18 and 20, often near the start of their sentence. The number of suicides in prison fell from 115 to 69 last year but murders increased to five, from three in 2016, and violence against both inmates and staff surged by 13 per cent. Of almost 30,000 assaults, 3,800 were deemed serious, including stabbings, sexual assault and beatings. Prisoner-on-prisoner attacks rose by 11 per cent but assaults on staff rose by a quarter and the total number of assaults has doubled over the past four years. David Gauke describes shocking videos emerging from UK prisons There are more than 83,000 people imprisoned in England and Wales, a small decrease on the same point last year, but the population is projected to increase from next year onwards because of longer sentences being handed down by the courts. The number of freed inmates being recalled to prison has also risen since the government part-privatised probation services, sparking accusations that the public was being put at risk. The latest figures were released after the former director-general of HM Prison Service blamed huge budget cuts and poor political decisions by the Conservatives for worsening conditions since 2010. Phil Wheatley accused David Gauke, the justice secretary, of attempting to shift blame for violence and disorder from his own government to the spread of former legal highs among prisoners. Richard Burgon MP, Labours shadow justice secretary, said: Cuts have consequences and their damaging impact is clear for all to see in our prisons. Despite the governments belated recruitment drive, there are still nearly 4,000 fewer frontline officers than in 2010. The Tories need to go much further in officer recruitment, if they are serious about turning our prisons into places of safety and reform. Peter Dawson, director of the Prison Reform Trust, said measures of safety were setting records for all the wrong reasons. Record levels of self-harming; record levels of assaults on prisoners; and record levels of assaults on staff show that violence and fear is the daily reality for many people in prison, he added. Rebuilding officer numbers is the short-term solution, but if we want to improve safety in the longer term we need to take the pressure off overstretched prisons by reducing prison numbers to a sustainable level. The Howard League for Penal Reform said the crisis was being worsened by the use of additional days of imprisonment to punish inmates who break the rules. The practice, which was abolished a decade ago in Scotland, has more than doubled in three years, seeing almost 984 years of extra time imposed in 2017, despite jails reaching breaking point amid overcrowding and staff shortages. Frances Crook, chief executive of the Howard League for Penal Reform, said the statistics were symptoms of a prison system in crisis. The end of innocence: Inside Britain's child prisons Show all 6 1 /6 The end of innocence: Inside Britain's child prisons The end of innocence: Inside Britain's child prisons The end of innocence: Inside Britain's child prisons GETTY IMAGES The end of innocence: Inside Britain's child prisons GETTY IMAGES The end of innocence: Inside Britain's child prisons The end of innocence: Inside Britain's child prisons PA The end of innocence: Inside Britain's child prisons PA What we need now is political stability and bold action to make prisons safer, she added. Ultimately, positive steps to reduce the prison population would save lives, protect staff and stop others being swept into deeper currents of crime, violence and despair. Statistics released on Thursday showed that almost a third of all prisoners are later caught committing further offences, with the figure standing at 42 per cent for juveniles and 64 per cent for adults serving less than a year. Staffing shortages have caused some prisons to limit educational activities for inmates and time out of their cells, sparking devastating and costly riots, while inmates are managing to smuggle in drugs and banned mobile phones. Recommended Riot after prisoners locked up 23 hours a day and denied toilet paper When the coalition government was elected in 2010, there were more than 19,900 prison officers, but the number fell to 14,900 within four years. It has since increased and the Ministry of Justice announced it had passed its target to recruit an additional 2,500 prison officers seven months ahead of schedule on Sunday. The justice secretary said more than 3,000 officers were due to be trained and working by the summer, but the Prison Officers Association warned that the drive has still not returned staffing to former levels. The body wrote an open letter to Mr Gauke on Thursday, saying there can be no hiding place for the minister or those failing in the Ministry of Justice and HM Prison Service. The levels of violence, suicide and self-harm in our prisons are far too high and we are taking urgent action to address these problems, Mr Gauke said. Assaults on our hardworking staff will never be tolerated. We are ensuring prison officers have the tools they need to do the job, rolling out body worn cameras, police-style handcuffs and restraints, and trialling PAVA incapacitant spray (similar to pepper spray). Our recruitment drive is vital to ensuring prisons are safe, secure and decent so they can successfully rehabilitate offenders. Amber Rudd has broken ranks with cabinet colleagues by saying that the government is yet to arrive at a final position on whether the UK will be in a customs union with the EU after Brexit. The Home Secretary said there are still more cabinet discussions to be had before ministers decide exactly how to approach the idea of a customs union, despite the prime minister having been adamant the UK will not be any part of one after withdrawal. Her admission is likely to enrage Conservative Brexiteers, including cabinet ministers Liam Fox and Boris Johnson, who see staying out of any sort of customs union as fundamental to their vision of Britains future. Recommended No 10 warned about Brexit border plan by head of NI civil service It also angered the pro-Brexit DUP, which props up Ms Mays Commons majority, with a senior figure immediately stating that leaving the customs union is a red line for the Northern Irish party. The home secretary desperately tried to kill the story as it quickly spread across social media with a tweet saying we will be leaving the customs union, but it did little to dampen interest. Ms Rudds comments will heap further pressure on Theresa May as she seeks to shore up her Brexit strategy in the wake of a series of defeats in the House of Lords, including one which would force her to seek to stay in a customs union. Asked at a lunch with journalists whether it was more or less likely that the UK would stay in a customs union, Ms Rudd said: Im afraid Im not going to be drawn on that. Theresa May announces Britain will not remain full member of EU customs union She then added, with a hint of sarcasm: We still have a few discussions to be had, in a really positive, consensual, easy way, among some of my cabinet colleagues, in order to arrive at a final position. Labour immediately leapt on her words to claim that she had unwittingly revealed that the government may still be considering remaining in a customs union with the EU, which is the oppositions official policy. Keir Starmer, shadow Brexit secretary, said: Amber Rudd appears to have let slip that discussions around the Cabinet table about negotiating a customs union with the EU have not in fact concluded. 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 If that is so, then the prime minister should rethink her approach and listen to the growing chorus of voices in parliament and in business that believe she has got it wrong on a customs union. Brexiteer Tory backbencher Peter Bone MP, immediately weighed in to attack one of his own partys most senior ministers, tweeting: At the press gallery lunch today, could not understand why Amber Rudd did not support government policy to leave the customs union. We cannot have Home Sec not supporting this key plank of Brexit! As the row grew, the DUP warned it would bring down Ms Mays government if Northern Ireland is forced to stay in the single market or customs union after Brexit. Nigel Dodds, the partys leader said the DUP would vote against the Government if any of its red lines on Brexit are crossed. Ms Rudd herself then took to social media as the story threatened to destabilise the government, saying: Thanks to the Press Gallery for hosting me at a challenging yet enjoyable lunch. I should have been clearer of course when we leave the EU we will be leaving the customs union. I wasnt going to get into ongoing cabinet discussions about our future trading relationship. Downing Street said it still had full confidence in Ms Rudd, but critics immediately pointed out that her clarification tweet only committed the UK to leaving the customs union, but said nothing on the country remaining in a new kind of customs union, the policy supported by Labour. As Ms Rudd made her initial comments, MPs were in a heated debate in the Commons about the governments plan to stay out of any customs union, with Tory rebels urging Ms May to rethink. Can Brexit be reversed? It followed a vote in the House of Lords last week in which peers, including some Conservatives, voted for an amendment which pushes the government to change its negotiating stance to keep the UK in a customs union with the EU. While the motion was loosely worded, ministers now face having to overturn it in the Commons and, even harder, must prevent stronger motions on keeping the UK in a customs union being passed by rebel MPs. Backbench Tories have tabled motions to both the Trade Bill and Taxation Cross-Border Trade Bill aimed at forcing the UK to stay in a customs union, with the government delaying the passage of the two pieces of legislation as a result. Under-fire cabinet minister Amber Rudd has sparked a fresh Tory war over Brexit after suggesting the UK might still stay in a customs union after leaving the EU. The home secretarys comments directly contradicting the prime ministers official policy came moments after MPs called for her resignation amid the growing Windrush scandal. She had been forced into an embarrassing U-turn, admitting in the Commons that her immigration officials used targets for the number of people they should deport despite denying it 24 hours earlier. As Ms Rudd struggled to contain multiple political fires, Downing Street was forced to say Theresa May still had full confidence in her home secretary. The minister has been seen as one of the strongest contenders to replace the party leader, but her chances of making it to the top job spiralled as events unfolded on Thursday. It was at a parliamentary press gallery lunch with journalists that she was asked whether she thought it was more or less likely that the UK would end up in a customs union with Europe. Despite Ms May having frequently said that the UK will not be a part of any customs union, Ms Rudd said the cabinet had not yet decided what its approach would be. Amber Rudd admits deportation targets are used by Home Office after denying it With a touch of sarcasm that hinted at fraught cabinet talks, she said: We still have a few discussions to be had, in a really positive, consensual, easy way, among some of my cabinet colleagues, in order to arrive at a final position. Despite her quickly backpedalling after Downing Street ordered an almost immediate retraction, the comment enraged Conservative Brexiteers who see staying out of any sort of customs union as fundamental to their vision of Britains future. We still have a few discussions to be had, in a really positive, consensual, easy way, among some of my cabinet colleagues, in order to arrive at a final position Home secretary Amber Rudd on an EU customs union Backbencher Peter Bone immediately weighed in to attack one of his own partys most senior ministers and question her suitability for her job. He said on social media: At the press gallery lunch today, could not understand why Amber Rudd did not support government policy to leave the customs union. We cannot have Home Sec not supporting this key plank of Brexit! Former cabinet minister John Redwood told The Independent: I think she needs to be reminded what government policy is. 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 It is that we are leaving the customs union. There is no doubt about that, the prime minister has repeated it many times and that has been the clear message all the way down the ladder. As the row grew, the DUP which props up Ms Mays Commons majority warned it would bring down her government if Northern Ireland is forced to stay in the single market or customs union after Brexit. Shadow Brexit secretary Keir Starmer said Ms Rudd had let slip that discussions on a customs union were still open. Ms Mays public position that the country will remain outside of any customs union was formed to keep hardline Brexiteers happy, but some suspect she will try to keep the country in an arrangement practically the same as the existing one. There is ongoing debate in cabinet over what the exact new arrangements should be, with Ms Rudd and the chancellor, Philip Hammond, favouring as close an arrangement to the existing customs union as possible, while the likes of Boris Johnson and Liam Fox are pushing for a greater degree of divergence. Key members of the cabinet are set to meet next week in a bid to come to an agreement on the issue, but as Ms Rudd made her comment, pro-EU Tory backbenchers launched a new push to make the government back a customs union during a Commons debate jointly-called with pro-EU Labour MPs. Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures Show all 15 1 /15 Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures An abandoned shop is seen in Mullan, Co Monaghan. The building was home to four families who left during the Troubles. The town was largely abandoned after the hard border was put in place during the conflict. Mullan has seen some regeneration in recent years, but faces an uncertain future with Brexit on the horizon Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures A defaced Welcome to Northern Ireland sign stands on the border in Middletown, Co Armagh Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures Mervyn Johnson owns a garage in the border town of Pettigo, which straddles the counties of Donegal and Fermanagh. Ive been here since 1956, it was a bit of a problem for a few years. My premises has been blown up about six or seven times, we just kept building and starting again, Johnson said laughing. We just got used to it [the hard border] really but now that its gone, we wouldn't like it back again Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures Farmer Gordon Crocketts Coshquin farm straddles both Derry/Londonderry in the North and Donegal in the Republic. At the minute there is no real problem, you can cross the border as free as you want. We could cross it six or eight times a day, said Crockett. If there was any sort of obstruction it would slow down our work every day Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures John Murphy flies the European flag outside his home near the border village of Forkhill, Co Armagh Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures Potter Brenda McGinn stands outside her Mullan, Co Monaghan, studio the former Jas Boylan shoe factory which was the main employer in the area until it shut down due to the Troubles. When I came back, this would have been somewhere you would have driven through and have been quite sad. It was a decrepit looking village, said McGinn, whose Busy Bee Ceramics is one of a handful of enterprises restoring life to the community. Now this is a revitalised, old hidden village Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures Union Flag colours painted on kerbstones and bus-stops along the border village of Newbuildings, Co Derry/Londonderry Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures Grass reflected in Lattone Lough, which is split by the border between Cavan and Fermanagh, seen from near Ballinacor, Northern Ireland Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures Donegalman David McClintock sits in the Border Cafe in the village of Muff, which straddles Donegal and Derry/Londonderry Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures An old Irish phone box stands alongside a bus stop in the border town of Glaslough, Co Monaghan Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures Billboards are viewed from inside a disused customs hut in Carrickcarnon, Co Down, on the border with Co Louth in the Republic Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures Seamus McQuaid takes packages that locals on the Irish side of the border have delivered to his business, McQuaid Auto-Parts, to save money on postal fees, near the Co Fermanagh village of Newtownbutler. I live in the south but the business is in the North, said McQaid. "I wholesale into the Republic of Ireland so if theres duty, Ill have to set up a company 200 yards up the road to sell to my customers. Ill have to bring the same product in through Dublin instead of Belfast Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures A disused Great Northern Railway line and station that was for customs and excise on the border town of Glenfarne, Co Leitrim Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures Alice Mullen, from Monaghan in the Republic of Ireland, does her shopping at a former customs post on the border in Middletown, Co Armagh. Id be very worried if it was a hard border, I remember when people were divided. I would be very afraid of the threat to the peace process, it was a dreadful time to live through. Even to go to mass on a Sunday, youd have to go through checkpoints. It is terribly stressful, said Mullen. All those barricades and boundaries were pulled down. I see it as a huge big exercise of trust and I do believe everyone breathed a sigh of relief Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures A bus stop and red post box stand in the border town of Jonesborough, Co Armagh Reuters Former attorney general Dominic Grieve said: Why is it that the deputy ambassador of Japan has us all in and says you do realise that every Japanese company will be gone in 10 years time if they cannot have frictionless trade into the European Union? We are behaving in the most extraordinary and blinded fashion as we blunder around ignoring the realities. Tory former minister Anna Soubry said it seemed perverse that Britain wanted to put up a whole load of barriers to stop access to the best free trade area in the world. The MPs approved a non-binding motion calling on the government to include as an objective in Brexit negotiations, the option of establishing an effective customs union between the UK and EU. Jeremy Corbyn calls on Amber Rudd to resign as Home Secretary over Windrush scandal It followed a vote in the House of Lords last week in which peers, including some Conservatives, voted for a similar amendment. Ministers now face having to overturn it in the Commons and, even harder, must prevent stronger motions on keeping the UK in a customs being passed by rebel MPs like Ms Soubry. Recommended Windrush grandmother sacked over status after working decades in UK Thursdays Commons debate on Brexit had followed an earlier session in which Ms Rudd had again been at the centre of controversy around the Windrush scandal. In front of MPs she was forced to admit that some immigration officers have been using targets for the number of people they should deport, after denying it less than 24 hours earlier. The home secretary explained she was not aware of the targets, when she had told a committee of MPs on Wednesday thats not how we operate. Labour again called on Ms Rudd to resign as pressure intensified on her handling of the Home Office in the wake of the Windrush scandal which saw people in the UK being wrongly threatened with deportation. Theresa May has been reduced to pleading with the EU to give British financial firms access to sell services into the single market after Brexit without having to follow European regulations, the EUs chief negotiator has said. Speaking in Sofia on Thursday Michel Barnier said Britain would face new border checks and disruption from leaving the bloc, and that the UK was more dependent on Europe for trade than vice-versa. In a speech Mr Barnier rejected Theresa Mays call for continued trade in financial services between Britain and the EU based on the UK and EU maintaining the same regulatory outcomes over time. Recommended No 10 warned about Brexit border plan by head of NI civil service I can perfectly see the UK's logic and interest in pleading for a system of mutual recognition and reciprocal regulatory equivalence, Mr Barnier said at a finance conference in the Bulgarian capital. This is, indeed, what the single market achieves! Everything must change so that everything can stay the same, to paraphrase Lampedusa. But this will not work. The UK has decided to withdraw from the Union. It wants to be sovereign and be able to set its own rulebook, to have its own supervision and enforcement system. In doing so, the UK will move away from EU rules. It will not accept common EU supervision and enforcement tools. These are precisely the essential building blocks of our post-crisis financial regulation. They ensure that the internal market can exist and function correctly. Everything must change so that everything can stay the same, to paraphrase Lampedusa. But this will not work. Michel Barnier, EU chief Brexit negotiator The EU understands that the UK does not want to become a 'rule-taker'. But the UK also needs to understand that the EU cannot accept mutual market access without the common safeguards that underpin it. Mr Barnier added that relying on Britain to regulate services sold into EU markets was not something that any country in the world would accept. He described Brexit as a lose-lose situation, telling his audience: I do not see added value in Brexit and so far, nobody has shown us any. Outside of the customs union and the single market, there can be no frictionless trade. Businesses will be faced with non-tariff barriers and border checks that do not exist today, the chief negotiator warned. Allowing British firms to sell services into the EU is crucial for the UK because around 80 per cent of the British economy comes from providing services, with about 43 per cent of British exports heading to the EU in 2016. The Government has said it want any trade deal with the EU to cover services. Speaking at the same event Mr Barnier said the cost of Brexit will be substantially higher for the UK than for the EU, noting that in terms of trade dependency the EU27 accounts for around 50 per cent of UK export and imports, while the UK market accounts for 7 per cent of EU exports and 4 per cent of imports. Theresa May has asked for the EU and UK to mutually recognise each others' rules and regulations as adequate (AP) The Brussels Brexit chief also brushed away claims by British commentators that European businesses "desperately needs the City of London" for finance. He cited research by the European Central Bank that any problem caused by losing access to London's banks "appears limited" and said the claim was "not what we hear from market participants, and is not the analysis that we have made ourselves". In her Mansion House speech last month Ms May called for a comprehensive system of mutual recognition where both blocs pledged to keep their regulations equivalent to one another to facilitate trade. She said that under such a system UK law may not necessarily be identical to EU law, but it should achieve the same outcomes. 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 Prime Minister proposed the approach in the hope that the EU would give Britain greater market access despite its departure from the single market. David Davis on Wednesday also told a committee of MPs that he believed such a system of mutual recognition could underpin the solution to the Northern Ireland border. The prime minister's Brexit red lines leaving the single market, customs union, jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice, and refusing to keep free movement have however limited the closeness of the future economic trading relationship with the EU. Mr Barnier has previously said such an approach is only compatible with a free trade agreement similar to that the EU has with Japan, a country on the other side of the world. Donald Trumps first presidential visit to Britain has been officially pencilled in for 13 July, Downing Street has confirmed. The long-awaited visit following months of speculation over a potential date is expected to be a working visit rather than a full-blown state occasion and will coincide with Theresa Mays second anniversary as Prime Minister. Announcing the contentious plans, Sir Kim Darroch, the the UKs ambassador to the US, said he was delighted that Mr Trump will visit the UK. In a statement, Downing Street added: The President of the United States will visit the UK on 13 July. He will hold bilateral talks with the Prime Minister during his visit. Further details will be set out in due course. But the US Presidents visit is likely to attract large-scale protests, as activists have had plans for a major demonstration laid out for months in anticipation of Mr Trumps visit to the UK. Recommended Donald Trump UK visit set for July as mass protests planned In response to the announcement that Donald Trump will visit the UK on July 13, Kate Allen, Amnesty International UK's director, said thousands will be making our voices heard. In the 15 months of his presidency, we've seen a deeply disturbing human rights roll-back - including the discriminatory travel ban, his reckless announcement on Jerusalem, and harmful policies on refugees, women's rights and climate change, she said. Since moving into the White House, Mr Trump has shown an impatience bordering on intolerance towards peaceful protests, the media and even the democratic process itself. So his visit to Britain will be an important opportunity to underline the importance of free speech and the right to protest. 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 An earlier visit to London was dramatically cancelled in February after Mr Trump complained that the decision to open a new US embassy in an off location south of the Thames had been a bad deal. But it is thought his decision may have been driven by a fear of protests in the capital, with whose mayor Sadiq Khan he has clashed over his response to terrorism. Ms May had originally extended the invitation when she became the first foreign leader to visit the US President after his inauguration in January 2017, on a trip in which she photographed holding hands with Mr Trump in the White House gardens. Ruth Davidson says she is excited and daunted after announcing she is expecting her first child with her partner Jen Wilson. The Scottish Conservative leader, who had made no secret of her desire to be a mother, found out in March that an IVF procedure had been successful. Jen and I are delighted to be able to say that we are starting a family. We werent sure that it was going to happen for us, but were really, really happy that it has, Ms Davidson said. She said she had been affected by some morning sickness and fatigue during the early stages of her pregnancy, but it would be business as usual until she goes on maternity leave. We have a very busy few months ahead, and I look forward to throwing myself into events with customary gusto, Ms Davidson added. While it often goes unacknowledged, politicians have personal lives too, and I hope people will understand that I want to be able to combine my public role with a family life. Ms Davidson is probably Britains most prominent LGBT+ politician, with an appeal across the Tory party that has sparked speculation that she could become the first LGBT+ prime minister. Insisting that she is simply doing what thousands of working women do every year, she said there was no doubt in her commitment to leading her party. While this news may be unexpected for many people, let me reassure my constituents and voters across Scotland that there is no change to my political commitment or plans to lead the Scottish Conservatives into the 2021 Holyrood elections, she said. The couple, who have been together for more than three years, live in Edinburgh and plan to marry. We have always dreamed of starting a family and are pleased to be able to share our happy news, Ms Davidson added. Amber Rudd faced fresh calls to resign after a report emerged contradicting her claims that the Home Office does not have targets for deportations. The Home Secretary was summoned to parliament to face MPs' questions amid allegations she misled a key Commons committee. She admitted targets had been used "locally' but were "not published targets against which performance was assessed". The row over the government's immigration policy escalated when Ms Rudd told the Home Affairs Committee that she was not aware of any targets. This contradicted evidence given by representatives of immigration workers to the same committee. Ms Rudd later caused a stir after appearing to suggest the government's policy in the customs union was not finalised. Police have discovered more than 10,000 critically endangered tortoises in a two-storey house in a southwestern town in Madagascar. The animals, which are believed to have been poached, were found tightly packed across the floors in the building, surrounded by their excrement. Authorities said the house contained 9,888 live radiated tortoises, a rare species native only to Madagascar and 180 dead ones. You cannot imagine. It was so awful, Soary Randrianjafizanaka, the regional head of Madagascars environmental agency, told National Geographic. They had tortoises in the bathroom, in the kitchen, everywhere in the house. Rescuers took the animals to Village Des Tortues, a wildlife sactuary in Ifaty, 18 miles from Toliara, The creatures were found tightly packed across the floors in the building, surrounded by their excrement. (Turtle Survival Alliance) You cannot imagine. It was so awful, Soary Randrianjafizanaka, the regional head of Madagascars environmental agency said, describing the scene. (Turtle Survival Alliance) One week after the discovery, 574 tortoises had died from either dehydration or infection. The remaining reptiles were likely to remain in captivity, according to Turtle Survival Alliance, which is helping with the rescue effort. Known for the distinct black and yellow star-like pattern on their shells, radiated tortoises are sought after by collectors around the world. One of the creatures is worth around 600,000. Removing radiated tortoises from woodlands in Madagascar is an offence and their trade is banned under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. 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 radiated tortoise was once one of the most common animals found in the forests in the south of Madagascar. But it is estimated the population has at least halved in the last five years, from around 6.5 million to 3 million. Droughts, political turmoil and an enduring economic crisis have been blamed for the uplift in poaching. One of the mightiest falls of grace to confront the world of Hollywood and celebrity has been finally cemented after the actor and comedian Bill Cosby - once one of the most popular entertainers in the nation was convicted by a jury of sexual assault. The 80-year-old former star of the The Cosby Show, and a man whose success as a black entertainer was in some ways as significant as that represented by Barack Obama in the sphere of politics, was found guilty by a jury near Philadelphia of all three counts of sexual assault. As the decision was announced, there were shrieks in the court from some of the women who had accused him of molesting or assaulting them and whose voices had for years been ignored or disbelieved. During a trial that lasted 17 days, the court heard how he had drugged and sexually assaulted former Temple University employee Andrea Constand at his Philadelphia home in 2004. The jury took 14 hours to return its verdict. Bill Cosby: Mistrial declared The decision came after a two-week retrial in which prosecutors put five other women on the stand who testified that Cosby, married for 54 years, drugged and violated them as well. One of those women who spoke brushed back tears as she said to him: You remember, dont you, Mr Cosby? The panel of seven men and five women, reached a verdict after a previous jury delivered a mistrial one year ago. Afterwards, activists and other women who had accused the star of assaulting them, said the verdict vindicated the decision by prosecutors to try him again. The charges on which the comedian was convicted, each carry a sentence of ten years in jail, although his legal team indicated it would appeal the result. For now, he will need to register as a sex offender and will undergo an assessment to determine if he is a sexual predator. To the disappointment of many of the womens supporters, Cosby, who did not appear in his own defence, was allowed to leave the court in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, having been permitted to remain on bail of $1m. As the downcast and sombre celebrity waited for a vehicle to take him away, his lawyer, Thomas Mesereau, told reporters: We are very disappointed with the verdict. The jury deliberated for over 52 hours in six days during Cosbys first trial on 17 June 2017 and were unable to reach a decision. During the initial trial, Ms Constand testified that the actor slipped her three pills he dubbed as your friends. Bill Cosby: Career in pictures Show all 20 1 /20 Bill Cosby: Career in pictures Bill Cosby: Career in pictures Bill Cosby Winner of his first Emmy for 'I Spy' is Bill Cosby being congratulated by his wife Camille held at Americana Hotel, 1966 Bill Cosby: Career in pictures Bill Cosby Bill Cosby in 'I Spy', 1960s Bill Cosby: Career in pictures Bill Cosby Bill Cosby in July 1973 in Perth Bill Cosby: Career in pictures Bill Cosby Bill Cosby and Richard Pryor in 'California Suite', 1978 Bill Cosby: Career in pictures Bill Cosby Bill Cosby and Elmo in Sesame Street, 1989 Bill Cosby: Career in pictures Bill Cosby Bill Cosby poses for a picture with Florence Griffith-Joyner in June 1989 Bill Cosby: Career in pictures Bill Cosby Comedian Bill Cosby back in 1992 Rex Features Bill Cosby: Career in pictures Bill Cosby A scene from a 1992 episode of 'The Cosby Show' AP Bill Cosby: Career in pictures Bill Cosby US Monica Seles breaks into laughter as she jokes with comedian Bill Cosby during a celebrity match in the stadium at the US Open for the Arthur Ashe AIDS Challenge on 27 August 1995 Bill Cosby: Career in pictures Bill Cosby Bill Cosby meets Toronto Blue Jays' All-Star Joe Carter after the Stars played the Stripes in the Celebrity All-Star game which preceded workouts for the 67th All-Star Game at Veterans Stadium on 8 July 1996 in Philadephia Bill Cosby: Career in pictures Bill Cosby Co-hosts Oprah Winfrey and Bill Cosby joke with each other during the opening of the 2000 Essence Awards 14 April 2000 at Radio City Music Hall in New York City Bill Cosby: Career in pictures Bill Cosby Bill Cosby jokes with baseball great Hank Aaron after they both received the Presidential Medal of Freedom Award from U.S. President George W. Bush during a ceremony on 9 July 2002 at the White House in Washington Bill Cosby: Career in pictures Bill Cosby Bill Cosby poses backstage after winning the 'Bob Hope Humanitarian Award' during the 55th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at the Shrine Auditorium on 21 September 2003 in Los Angeles Bill Cosby: Career in pictures Bill Cosby 'Tonight Show' host Jay Leno and comedian Bill Cosby laugh during a surprise visit by Cosby to sign a Harley-Davidson motorcycle that Leno is using to raise money for the victims of Hurricane Katrina at NBC studios on 9 September 2005 in Burbank, California Bill Cosby: Career in pictures Bill Cosby Bill Cosby speaks during a taping of 'Meet the Press' at the NBC studios on 14 October 2007 in Washington Bill Cosby: Career in pictures Bill Cosby Bill Cosby at the 12th annual Mark Twain Prize for American Humor at the John F. Kennedy Center on 26 October 2009 in Washington Bill Cosby: Career in pictures Bill Cosby Bill Cosby speaks at the National Action Network's 20th annual Keepers of the Dream Awards gala in New York on 6 April 2011 Reuters Bill Cosby: Career in pictures Bill Cosby Bill Cosby during the 100th anniversary celebration of the Beverly Hills Hotel & Bungalows supporting the Motion Picture & Television Fund and the American Comedy Fund, 2012 Getty Images Bill Cosby: Career in pictures Bill Cosby Bill Cosby speaks onstage at the Thurgood Marshall College Fund 25th Awards Gala on 11 November 2013 in Washington Bill Cosby: Career in pictures Bill Cosby Bill Cosby performs at the Treasure Island Hotel & Casino on 26 September 2014 in Las Vegas At the time she thought they were stress-relieving herbal supplements, but they caused her to fall asleep, the court was told. When she came woke up, Ms Constand said, Cosby was assaulting her. Cosby insisted he gave Ms Constand the cold medicine Benadryl and that she consented to sexual relations with him. Ms Constands testimony in the latest trial was crucial to prosecutors seeking to charge Cosby. The Associated Press said that while more than 60 women had accused the entertainer or molesting or assaulting them over a period of five decades, her claim remained inside the statute of limitations for prosecutors to make use of. Recommended Bill Cosby lashes out at prosecutors after being found guilty The time for the defendant to escape justice is over, prosecutor Stewart Ryan said in his closing argument. Its finally time for the defendant to dine on the banquet of his own consequences. Another prosecutor, Kristen Feden, said Cosby was known to millions of Americans and people around the world as the sweater-wearing father of five, Dr Cliff Huxtable on The Cosby Show. In truth, she said, Cosby was nothing like the image that he played on TV. Cosbys retrial took place against the backdrop of #MeToo, the movement against sexual misconduct that has taken down a succession of powerful men in rapid succession, among them Harvey Weinstein, Matt Lauer, Kevin Spacey and Senator Al Franken. Justice has been done, attorney Gloria Allred, who represented some of Cosbys accusers, said on the steps of the courthouse in Norristown, Pennsylvania. We are so happy that finally we can say women are believed. At first they called him the East Area Rapist, the Original Night Stalker, the Night Predator. Not even the dogs barked when he slipped into houses and back yards. Victims would be woken by a masked man shining a flashlight in their faces, ordering them to obey or die. Make one move, he told one victim, And youll be silent forever, and Ill be gone in the dark. Recommended Golden State Killer suspect identified as former police officer The haunting phrase, Ill be gone in the dark formed the title of a book by the author Michelle McNamara published two months ago. She called the suspect the Golden State Killer, after his California area of operations. So obsessed had she become by her determination to catch him that some said the stress contributed her death from an undiagnosed heart condition, aged 46, in 2016. It was perhaps no surprise that her posthumously published book became a bestseller. Because it was grim testament to the fact that despite being hunted for nearly half a century, after committing at least 12 murders and 45 rapes between the years of 1976 and 1986, the Golden State Killer was still at large. He was, they said, Californias most prolific uncaught serial killer. Until now. On Tuesday, inquiries led police to a suburban house with an immaculately tended lawn in Citrus Heights, Sacramento County, California, to an inhabitant regarded by his neighbours as a nice old grandpa. By Wednesday morning Joseph James DeAngelo, 72, had been charged with two counts of murder in northern California and four counts of murder in Orange County, in the southern part of the state. If the prosecution can prove that the nice old grandpa DeAngelo is also the Golden State Killer, the East Area Rapist, the Original Night Stalker and possibly the Visalia Ransacker, it will finally resolve a mystery that has tormented, not to say tortured, Californian law enforcers for 42 years. As was clear from the possibly prematurely triumphant statement of Orange County district attorney Tony Rackauckas. On Thursday, way before any trial verdict definitively established guilt or innocence, Mr Rackauckas declared: Hes been called the East Side Rapist. Hes been called the Visalia Ransacker, the Original Night Stalker and the Golden State Killer. Today, its our pleasure to call him defendant They first became aware of whoever it was that committed the crimes in the summer of 1976. According to McNamaras book, at 5am on 18 June 1976, police received a call from a 23-year-old woman in Rancho Cordova, Sacramento. She was speaking into a telephone as best she could while lying on the floor with her hands bound so tightly behind her back that she had lost the blood circulation in them. The masked man had attacked her in her bed, pressing a four-inch knife against her head and telling her: If you make one move or sound, Ill stick this knife in you. He bound, gagged and raped her, without once removing his gloves. Over the next six months, it is believed, the East Area Rapist struck at a rate of more than one sex attack a month. By the end of the year he had forced, or attempted to force himself on eight women. Jane Carson-Sandler was one of them. 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 At 6.30am on 5 October 1976 the then 30-year-old nursing student and air force reservist was sitting up in bed at her home in Citrus Heights, Sacramento. Her Air Force officer husband had just left for work. Her three-year-old son was sleeping next to her. She saw a light outside, then heard someone running towards the bedroom. The masked man shone a flashlight in her eyes and hissed through clenched teeth: Shut up, shut up, shut up or Ill kill you. As he did so he scraped a butchers knife across her chest, leaving behind drops of blood. The attacker blindfolded, gagged and bound both Ms Carson-Sandler and her son. He picked the three-year-old boy up and either took him to another room or placed him on the floor. When he started untying her ankles, Ms Carson-Sandler knew he was going to rape her. In 2014 she found the courage to write a book, Frozen in Fear, about her ordeal and how it affected her. Just last month Ms Carson-Sandler retold her story to the Island Packet newspaper in the hope that it would help bring the rapist to justice. She told how after he raped her, the attacker returned her son to the bed with the words: If you move, Im going to come back and kill you. Leaving the terrified pair in bed, he went into the kitchen, opened the fridge and rattled pots and pants, for all the world as if he was cooking himself something to eat. Then he returned to give Ms Carson-Sandler a parting message: You looked really good in the Officers Club. The attacks continued: two in January 1977, two in February, two in March. Certain patterns seemed to be developing. The rapist would always threaten his victims through clenched teeth, as if trying to disguise his voice. As the Officers Club remark to Ms Carson-Sandler indicated, he seemed to stalk his victims before striking, even breaking into their homes days or weeks before the attack itself. After the attack he might ransack the house, taking souvenirs, notably coins and jewellery. He might spend hours in the residence, even, as he appears to have done with Ms Carson-Sandler, cooking himself meals. Sometimes the rapist left souvenirs taken from one victim at the home of another. Eventually, he stopped confining himself to lone women and started attacking homes where men were present too. He would tie both the man and the woman up. Then he would pile dishes on the mans back. If he heard plates crash to the floor while he raped the woman, he warned, he would kill them both. His victims ranged in age from 13 to 41. And as he continued to attack and continued to escape justice, Sacramento County found itself living in fear of the East Area Rapist, the Original Night Stalker. He inspired vigilante-like patrols, attracted the attention of network news, caused safety lock sales to quadruple, pushed the countys eastern suburbs to burn floodlights through the night and propelled hundreds of housewives into pistol training, the Sacramento Bee recalled in 1981. This one man prompted what is believed to have been the most intense manhunt in the countys history. If for some law enforcers the hunt for the Golden State Killer has become personal over the years, thats because they remember how it affected their childhood. It all changed, said Sacramento County district attorney Anne Marie Schubert, who was 12 when the East Area Rapist first started to terrorise her community. The memories are very vivid. You can ask anyone who grew up here. Everyone has a story. And as news of the serial rapist spread from California to the whole of the US, the man himself appears to have turned murderous. In May 1977 it was reported that the rapist told one victim he would kill two people if he saw stories about his attack on her. It is believed that eight months and nine attacks later, he made good on his promise. On 2 February 1978 newlyweds Brian and Katie Maggiore were walking their dog in Rancho Cordova. It is suspected that they came across the East Area Rapist. He is thought to have chased them down and shot them dead. It is possible, however, that this was not the first time the East Area Rapist had killed. Some suspect that, as his skill at entering homes suggested, he had begun as a prolific burglar before graduating to sex crimes. Between 1973 and 1976, Californias San Joaquin Valley had been plagued by a burglar known as the Visalia Ransacker. On 11 September 1975, a man strongly believed to have been the ransacker was nearly caught by journalism professor Claude Snelling, 45. Awoken by noises in the middle of the night, Mr Snelling went to investigate and was confronted by a masked intruder in the process of trying to kidnap his 16-year-old daughter Beth. The intruder fled, but not before firing two shots that killed Mr Snelling. Today many believe the Visalia Ransacker and the East Area Rapist to have been one and the same. And if the killing of Mr Snelling was not premeditated, it appears that other murders were and that the attackers area of operations had shifted from north to south California. In 1979 the police in northern California were relieved to note a precipitous drop in the number of sex attacks they were having to deal with. But in southern California, a murder spree seemed to be starting. There were nine killings in Orange, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties between October 1979 and August 1981, and they were savage not shootings, bludgeonings. Like the one on Cockleshell Drive. On Thursday 21 August 1980 Roger Harrington opened the door of his home in Cockleshell Drive, Irvine, and found a scene of horror. His medical student son Keith, 24, had been staying at the property with his wife Patti, 27. Mr Harrington senior found the couple dead in their nightclothes under a re-made bed. Keith had been killed by a blow to the bed. Patti appeared to have been subjected to a frenzied attack. The bedding around her was drenched in blood. DNA would eventually link the nine killings to each other, and to the rapes in northern California. The attacks, though, petered out. After a rape and murder in Orange County in 1986, the Golden State Killer appears to have stopped. He faded from the immediate concerns of law enforcement. Perhaps he thought he had got away with it. But in 2016, 40 years after this serial rapist and serial murderer first struck and affected some of their childhoods, law enforcers decided they were going to stop at nothing to catch him. In the words of Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones, a new investigative team was formed and given virtually unlimited resources and freedom to track down their man. But for two years, they slogged away, seemingly to no avail. And then, the investigators said, the breakthrough came at light speed in the space of six days. So far, they have been relatively guarded about what led them to suspect DeAngelo. Mr Jones said detectives with dogged determination were able to get a sample of DNA from something DeAngelo discarded, but the sheriff would not say what that item was. It is understood that the genetic material was not a clear match, but there were enough similarities for investigators to return for more and they said they were able to get a conclusive match. The suspects biography, as pieced together by news reporters, also seems to suggest that DeAngelo might have been in the relevant places at the right time. And it offers a potentially chilling revelation. When the East Area Rapist first started to terrorise southern California, DeAngelo was one of those tasked with catching him and protecting the public. He was a California cop. He worked for the Auburn police department between 1976 and 1979, and before that was a police officer in Exeter, in the San Joaquin Valley, from 1973 to 1976 at a time when the Visalia Ransacker was active in the area. The authorities are now said to be investigating whether Mr DeAngelo can be linked to any crimes committed when he was supposed to have been on duty. In 1979, the same year that a precipitous drop in south California sex attacks was noted, DeAngelo lost his job as a police officer. He was caught shoplifting a can of dog repellant and a hammer from a Pay N Save store in Citrus Heights. The authorities are now said to be considering the possibility that he was stealing the items to use them as tools in the crimes he is suspected of committing. DeAngelo is thought to have moved into the Citrus Heights house with the well tended lawn in 1983. By that time the Golden State Killers career of crime was almost over. To his neighbours,Joseph James DeAngelo seemed like a nice old grandpa (EPA) In Citrus Heights, DeAngelo, a US Navy veteran who had served in Vietnam, seems to have fitted in tolerably well. He built model planes, kept his house perfectly painted as well as his lawn well manicured. He is thought to have lived in the house with an adult daughter and a granddaughter. And in all the years that the Golden State Killer had been active, despite all the thousands of tips offered by the public, the name DeAngelo had never come onto law enforcements radar until last week. In response to repeated questions, Sheriff Jones was adamant that McNamaras recently published bestseller had not led them to the suspect. But the book had closed with many saw as an eerily prescient letter to an old man, about how she thought it would end. One day soon, she wrote, Youll hear a car pull up to your kerb, an engine cut out. Youll hear footsteps coming up your front walk The doorbell rings. This is how it ends for you. Open the door. Show us your face. Walk into the light. In fact, said Sheriff Jones, there was no ring on the door for the suspect DeAngelo. Officers simply waited for him to walk out of his house. He was very surprised by that, Jones said. It looked as though he might have been searching his mind to execute a particular plan he may have had in mind ... but he was not given the opportunity. DeAngelo did tell the officers he had a roast in the oven, but they assured him there was no need for him to return to the house. They would take care of it. The arrest of retired police officer Joseph James DeAngelo, 72, could bring an end to one of California's most notorious unsolved crime sagas. A previously unidentified assailant known as the "Golden State Killer", the "East Area Rapist" and "the Original Night Stalker" carried out a reign of terror in the Sacramento and Los Angeles areas in the 1970s and 80s, blamed for 12 murders, at least 50 rapes and sexual assaults and a string of home invasions and burglaries. Mr DeAngelo, charged with two counts of murder, has been connected to the historic crime spree by a DNA test, according to detectives investigating. Tragically, one person who played a vital role in bringing an end to the affair passed away before she could see her investigative work come to fruition. Michelle McNamara, a true crime writer married to comedian and actor Patton Oswalt, was just 46 when she died of an undiagnosed heart condition in 2016. Long fascinated by the case, Ms McNamara's book, I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer, was published posthumously in February. The late author studied the case in depth and knew her suspect intimately, meeting with victims, pouring over files, autopsy reports and maps and recruiting retired homicide detectives to assist her and pool their resources. She even coined the nickname that ensured the perpetrator will be remembered in the annals of Californian crime history alongside such infamous cases as the Black Dahlia, the Manson Family murders and the Zodiac Killer. Recommended Golden State Killer suspect identified as former police officer Local law enforcement have described the case as "a source of great frustration" over the last 40 years but have so far been reluctant to credit Ms McNamara with anything more than raising the profile of the case. "It kept interest and tips coming in but other than that there was no information extracted from that book that directly led to the apprehension," said Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones. Mr Oswalt was elated at the news but said his late wife would have had no interest in praise. "She cared about the Golden State Killer being behind bars and the victims getting some relief", he tweeted. Ms McNamara detailed her "obsession" with the case in a 2013 article for Los Angeles Magazine, a piece that prompted HarperCollins to offer her a book deal. As a 14-year-old living in Oak Park, Illinois, Ms McNamara became fascinated with an unsolved murder near her family home and later briefly worked for a private detective before finding steady work as a TV writer. She continued to write regularly about the Golden State Killer on her blog, True Crime Diary, explaining her enthusiasm for the subject in 2011: "I'm drawn to cases that aren't so high profile, that are maybe even a little neglected, but which have enough evidence and clues that anyone with a will and an internet connection can try to piece together the puzzle. That's exciting to me." Her total immersion in the case began to take its toll on her health and Ms McNamara later developed anxiety issues and suffered insomnia, leading in turn to a reliance on Xanax, Adderall and Fentanyl that is believed to have played a role in her sudden death in her sleep on 21 April 2016. World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty In tribute to her determination to bring justice and resolution to the victims and their loved ones as a result of the killer's crimes, many admirers took to social media yesterday to share a passage from I'll Be Gone in the Dark in which the author imagines the perpetrator's capture: One day soon, youll hear a car pull up to your curb, an engine cut out. Youll hear footsteps coming up your front walk... The doorbell rings. No side gates are left open. Youre long past leaping over a fence. Take one of your hyper, gulping breaths. Clench your teeth. Inch timidly toward the insistent bell. This is how it ends for you. HBO is currently producing a documentary on the Golden State Killer in which Ms McNamara's work is expected to be given a central role. The Golden State Killer's 12 murder victims A man dressed as a ninja was reportedly part of a police officer-involved shooting outside of an Iowa courthouse. Only non-life threatening injuries have been reported at this time. The Scott County Sheriff's Office confirmed the incident occurred at 9:30am local time when two courthouse bailiffs and a Davenport, Iowa, police officer confronted a suspect outside of the courthouse after a call had been made about a disturbance. One witness, Ann St Claire, told the local NBC News affiliate she walked in the doors, we seen this guy coming from across the street and he was, I swear he was dressed like a ninja in all white with like a stick coming out from his back. It looked like a sword to me. We walked in the door and all of a sudden he just came running up to the doors behind us. It has not been confirmed by police what the suspect may have been doing to cause alarm and a police response but they did say in a Facebook post that the suspect was carrying a "blunt object". The situation escalated and the officer used a less lethal device on the suspect while one of the bailiffs discharged his firearm, police said. They gave chase to the suspect before being able to catch and arrest him. Ms St Clair said the suspect was yelling Im going to get you at someone in the courthouse, but it was unclear to whom he was referring. She said she was scared to death of the situation. The suspect and one of the bailiffs were taken to hospital for non-life threatening injuries. The sheriffs office has not released any names or details of the bailiffs, officers, or the suspect. The bailiff who discharged their firearm has been placed on suspension until a full investigation into the incident has been conducted. Documents detailing the governments investigation of John F Kennedys assassination could be kept secret for years, Donald Trump announced. At the Mr Trumps directive, the National Archives have steadily been releasing batches of documents that illuminate the governments activity around the Mr Kennedys 1963 death. More than 19,000 more have been made public - but another chunk will remain under wraps. The continued withholdings are necessary to protect against identifiable harm to national security, law enforcement, or foreign affairs that is of such gravity that it outweighs the public interest in immediate disclosure, Mr Trump said in a memo. While the remaining documents are set to be revealed by October of 2021, national security agencies could still continue to postpone their release. The thousands of documents released so far have not contained explosive revelations about Mr Kennedys death in Dallas, Texas. But they do furnish a portrait of the era, depicting both both the sprawling investigation into Mr Kennedys death and efforts to company communism and surveil suspects. The assassination of JFK in pictures Show all 8 1 /8 The assassination of JFK in pictures The assassination of JFK in pictures President John F. Kennedy and his wife Jacqueline Kennedy ride with secret agents in an open car motorcade shortly before the assassination, 22 November 1963 Getty The assassination of JFK in pictures President John F. Kennedy and his wife Jacqueline Kennedy prior to his assassination Keystone/Getty The assassination of JFK in pictures Kennedy is struck by an assassin's bullet as he travels through Dallas in a motorcade In the car next to him is his wife Jacqueline and in the front seat is Texas governor John Connally Three Lions/Hulton Archive/Getty The assassination of JFK in pictures The view from the sixth floor window of the Texas School Book Depository in Dallas, from which Lee Harvey Oswald is thought to have assassinated Kennedy. This photograph was taken approximately one hour after the assassination Hulton Archive/Getty The assassination of JFK in pictures Lee Harvey Oswald during a press conference after his arrest in Dallas. Lee Harvey Oswald was killed by Jack Ruby on 24 November on the eve of Kennedy's burial AFP/Getty The assassination of JFK in pictures Lyndon B. Johnson takes the oath of office as President of the United States on the day of Kennedy's assassination. Jackie Kennedy is stood next to Johnson Getty The assassination of JFK in pictures Kennedy's funeral procession goes into Arlington Cemetery in Washington Newsmakers/Getty The assassination of JFK in pictures Kennedy's casket sat in the East Room of the White House Newsmakers/Getty One document in the latest batch recounts activists associated with black and antiwar movements being put on a government watch list in 1967. Other files have illuminated the governments concerted efforts to kill Cuban leader Fidel Castro, including by handing a Cuban asset a poison-tipped pen on the day of Mr Kennedys death. Former FBI Director James Comey has defended his decision to release memos about Donald Trumps behaviour to members of the press, claiming the action was not illegal and that the president's claims to the contrary were made up. Asked at a CNN town hall if there was any merit to Mr Trumps claim that he had broken the law, Mr Comey responded: "I don't, but that won't surprise you In fact, I think he's just making stuff up." Mr Comey recently admitted to releasing some of the unclassified memos he had written about his meetings with Mr Trump after the president fired him last May. The release, he said, was an attempt to spark a special counsel investigation into the presidents possible ties to Russia. Mr Trump responded to the former FBI director's admission by accusing him of breaking the law. James Comeys Memos are Classified, I did not Declassify them, he tweeted. They belong to our Government! Therefore, he broke the law! The Justice Department's inspector general is also probing whether Mr Comey leaked classified information when he discussed the contents of the memos, according to multiple reports. 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 has previously deemed Mr Trump's calls to jail him "not normal". "The president of the United States is calling for the imprisonment of a private citizen, as he's done for a whole lot of people who criticise him. That is not acceptable in this country," he said in an interview with ABC's Good Morning America. He added: "The president doesn't get to decide who goes to jail." James Comey: Donald Trump is 'morally unfit' to be President At the town hall, Mr Comey took issue with the characterisation that he had leaked the documents, emphasising that the memos he released were unclassified and that he was a private citizen at the time. Mr Comey said he put together a legal team of three people after he was fired, to whom he gave four unclassified memos. He also shared one memo with his friend Daniel Richman, a professor at Columbia University, and instructed him to bring it to the New York Times. Along with the allegation that Mr Trump had asked for an oath of loyalty, the memos contained claims that the president had pressured Mr Comey to drop his investigation into former national security adviser Michael Flynn, and complained that the Russia investigation was a cloud hanging over his head. Mr Trump has denied these claims, and called the entire Russia investigation a witch hunt. President Donald Trump says that he thinks he was able to help French President Emmanuel Macron see his point of view on the Iran nuclear deal and that his style of international diplomacy has stopped Iranians from chanting Death to America! I can say it form my standpoint, but he is viewing - I believe - Iran a lot differently than he did before he walked into the Oval Office, and I think thats important, Mr Trump said on Fox & Friends of Mr Macron, who visited Washington this week. He understand where Im coming from with respect to Iran. Iran is a real problem for this country. The president made a horrible deal - when I say the president Im talking about past administration - made a horrible deal. Mr Trump continued to claim that the United States is giving Iran $150bn - a claim he frequently makes, but one that is misleading because the money he is talking about technically already belongs to Iran but is frozen under economic sanctions - for the deal, even though Iranians are disrespecting the US. Recommended Macron says he thinks Trump will withdraw from Iran nuclear deal Giving $150bn giving $1.8bn in cash in actual cash carried out in barely and boxes from aeroplanes its inconceivable, $1.8bn dollars, Mr Trump said, referring in that $1.8bn figure to $1.9bn that the National Iranian Oil Company was previously restricted from collecting from Shell for delivering crude oil supplies. And all they do is scream Death to America! Death to America! Except not anymore, he said. Recommended And, by the way, theyre not screaming it so much anymore. They were screaming it with him, they dont scream it with me, Mr Trump said. We havent seen their little boats circling our ships in the ocean lately because they know if they do circle the ships theyre not going to be there very longer. Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Show all 29 1 /29 Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Inauguration - 20 January 2017 US President Donald Trump acknowledges the audience after taking the oath of office as his wife Melania (L) and daughter Tiffany watch during inauguration ceremonies swearing in Trump as the 45th president of the United States on the West Front of the US capital in Washington on 20 January, 2017. Photographer Jim Bourg: "This photo was shot with one of two remote cameras. The cameras were monitored and triggered remotely and the pictures were transmitted to clients worldwide within minutes of being taken." Reuters/Jim Bourg Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Obama farewell address - 10 January 2017 US President Barack Obama wipes away tears as he delivers his farewell address in Chicago on 10 January, 2017. Photographer Jonathan Ernst: "In his final days in office, Obama made a visit home to Chicago. As he spoke from the stage to his wife and daughter in the audience, he became emotional when he talked about what they had sacrificed during his time in office. I turned from photographing the Obama women embracing to find him onstage wiping away tears." Reuters/Jonathan Ernst Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Inauguration - 20 January 2017 A combination of photos shows the crowds attending the inauguration ceremonies to swear in U.S. President Donald Trump at 12:01pm (left) on January 20, 2017 and President Barack Obama sometime between 12:07pm and 12:26pm on January 20, 2009. Reuters/ Lucas Jackson/Stelios Varias Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Liberty Ball - 20 January 2017 US President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump attend the Liberty Ball in honour of his inauguration in Washington on 20 January, 2017. Photographer Jonathan Ernst: "What I see when I look at this picture is the end of a very long day, not to mention weeks and months of preparation by many photographers, editors and network experts and the beginning of everything since." Reuters/Jonathan Ernst Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Inaugural Law Enforcement Officers and First Responders Reception - 22 January 2017 US President Donald Trump greets Director of the FBI James Comey as Director of the Secret Service Joseph Clancy (L), watches during the Inaugural Law Enforcement Officers and First Responders Reception in the Blue Room of the White House on 22 January, 2017. Photographer Joshua Roberts: "I have covered the White House for 16 years and normally either the President or the pool is in position when an event starts. In this case the President was not where anyone expected him to be. In fact, he was almost blocking the door when the pool came in. We had to scramble to find a position without bumping him or the furniture as he greeted and thanked members of law enforcement for their security efforts during the inauguration. Luckily, he greeted FBI Director James Comey a few seconds after the pool had made its way into the room." Reuters/Joshua Roberts Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Private phone calls to world leaders - 28 January 2017 US President Donald Trump, is joined by his staff, as he speaks by phone with Russia's President Vladimir Putin in the Oval Office on 28 January, 2017. Photographer Jonathan Ernst: "Very early in the Trump administration, weekends were as busy as weekdays. On Trump's second Saturday the official schedule said he would be making private phone calls to a number of world leaders including Russia's Vladimir Putin. I arrived early and, before sitting down at my desk walked up to Press Secretary Sean Spicer's office. He, too, was just taking his coat off. I gingerly made the suggestion that previous administrations had sometimes allowed photos of such phone calls through the Oval Office windows on the colonnade. To my mild shock, he didn't even think about it twice. "We'll do it!" he said. In truth, I really only expected the Putin call, but we were outside the windows multiple times throughout the day as the calls went on." Reuters/Jonathan Ernst Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Senior advisor Kellyanne Conway - 27 February 2017 Senior advisor Kellyanne Conway (L) attends as US President Donald Trump welcomes the leaders of dozens of historically black colleges and universities (HBCU) in the Oval Office on 27 February, 2017. Photographer Jonathan Ernst: "We're often asked how much access we have to the Trump administration, and the answer is we have an awful lot. President Trump himself is very comfortable in the spotlight, and his aides are similarly unfazed by cameras. In this instance, senior advisor Kellyanne Conway was so comfortable in our presence she seemed not to consider the optics of kneeling on a Oval Office sofa to take pictures with her phone." Reuters/Jonathan Ernst Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Angela Merkel heads to Washington - 17 March 2017 Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel and US President Donald Trump hold a joint news conference in the East Room of the White House on 17 March, 2017. Photographer Jonathan Ernst: "Chancellor Merkel made one of the earliest important visits of any US allies to meet Trump in his first months in office. When world leaders give joint news conferences they don't always tend to give each other their full attention - but Merkel watched Trump intently at several key moments, and here seemed particularly rapt." Reuters/Jonathan Ernst Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Trump welcomes truckers to the White House - 23 March 2017 President Trump reacts as he sits on a truck while he welcomes truckers and CEOs to attend a meeting regarding healthcare at the White House on 23 March, 2017. Photographer Carlos Barria: "The White House organised a listening session with truckers and CEO's of major American companies, regarding healthcare reform. An 18-wheeler tow truck was parked on the South Lawn of the White House and as Trump welcomed the truckers someone invited the him to come and sit in the driver's seat. Trump jumped into the cab and started yelling and pretending to drive - creating one of the most memorable pictures of the year. A lesson learned, always be prepared for the unexpected." Reuters/Carlos Barria Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Air Force One - 6 April 2017 US President Donald Trump talks to journalists members of the travel pool on board the Air Force One during his trip to Palm Beach, Florida on 6 April, 2017. Carlos Barria: "During the many trips to President Trump's residence in Florida it is usual to see the president coming to the back of the plane to chat with journalists. During one of the trips to the so called 'Winter White House', Trump had a long talk with reporters while the Air Force One entertainment system was playing one of the latest Star Wars movies. As I was listening to Trump talk I was also looking at the movie waiting for a part of the movie to frame the mood of the day. Of the many scenes, I choose the one with Darth Vader." Reuters/Carlos Barria Donald Trump's first year: in pictures 100 Days - 27 April 2017 US President Donald Trump speaks during an interview with Reuters in the Oval Office of the White House on 27 April, 2017. Photographer Carlos Barria: "A day before President Trump's hundred days in office I was part of the team that interviewed the commander-in-chief in the Oval Office. I was only allowed to photograph Trump during the last five minutes of the interview. The time was very tight so I had to move fast as I had pictures in mind that I wanted to shoot. I walked into the Oval Office and saw that the President had printed maps of the country showing areas in red where he won. I raised my hands holding my camera as high as possible to get the best view of the scene using a 16mm wide angle lens." Reuters/Carlos Barria Donald Trump's first year: in pictures 100 Days - 27 April 2017 US President Donald Trump reacts as he arrives at Harrisburg international airport, before attending a rally marking his first 100 days in office in Pennsylvania on 29 April, 2017. Photographer Carlos Barria: "President Trump travelled to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania to celebrate his hundred days in office with a victory rally. He was in friendly territory as he won with a big difference over his opponent Hillary Clinton in Pennsylvania, during the November elections. As usual when the commander-in-chief arrives local residents gather to greet him. This time a small group of military personnel attended the arrival. Surrounded by secret service agents Trump walked from the Air Force One and raised his hand in a sign of victory as the crowd cheered him on." Reuters/Carlos Barria Donald Trump's first year: in pictures White House staffers - 2 May 2017 White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer (L) and White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus watch as US President Donald Trump presents the U.S. Air Force Academy football team with the Commander-in-Chief trophy in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington on 2 May, 2017. Photographer Joshua Roberts: "Covering the White House does not just mean covering the President. White House staffers are an important part of the story and their relationship with the President and each other is an indicator of how things are going in the West Wing. The tendency is to focus exclusively on the President once an event starts but I always try to look around to see how people are reacting as things unfold." Reuters/Joshua Roberts Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Secret Service - 4 May 2017 Secret Service agents use a presidential limousine as cover from spraying water as US President Donald Trump lands via Marine One helicopter in New York on 4 May, 2017. Photographer Jonathan Ernst: "The best part of any trip to New York City with the sitting US President is the helicopter ride into Manhattan. The ride out at night can be stunning. Here, Secret Service agents protect themselves from the spray from the East River as Trump lands on the helipad." Reuters/Jonathan Ernst Donald Trump's first year: in pictures NATO Summit - 25 May 2017 US President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump wait the arrival of French President Emmanuel Macron (unseen) before a lunch ahead of a NATO Summit in Brussels on 25 May, 2017. Photographer Jonathan Ernst: "One of the best parts of travelling overseas for White House coverage is the chance to see the U.S. president in different environments and (literally) a different light. Here, Trump and his wife came out of the shadows to greet France's President Macron." Reuters/Jonathan Ernst Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Trump meets Putin at G20 summit - 7 July 2017 US President Donald Trump meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin during their bilateral meeting at the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany on 7 July, 2017. Photographer Carlos Barria: "On July 7, I witnessed one of the most important meetings of President Trump's first year in office. Trump met Russian President Vladimir Putin during a bilateral meeting at the G20 summit in Germany. The world's eyes were on these two leaders after speculation about Russian interference during the 2016 US elections. We entered the room for less than two minutes, where I took dozens of pictures. But there was this very interesting moment when Trump extended his hand to Putin for a handshake. Putin paused for a second and looked at Trump's hand. That was the picture that I was looking for, a little moment that seemed to say a lot." Reuters/Carlos Barria Donald Trump's first year: in pictures First lady - 8 July 2017 First lady Melania Trump chats with US President Donald Trump during their return from Germany at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland on 8 July, 2017. Photographer Carlos Barria: "After President Trump's trip to Germany he arrived back at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. First Lady Melania Trump said goodbye to Trump as she was heading off in a different direction that day. While chatting a breeze blew Melania's hair up in the air." Reuters/Carlos Barria Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Made in America product showcase - 17 July 2017 Vice President Mike Pence laughs as President Donald Trump holds a baseball bat as they attend a Made in America product showcase event at the White House on 17 July, 2017. Photographer Carlos Barria: "This summer the White House organized an event to showcase 'Made in America' products. All kinds of exhibitors brought their products as the President and Vice President toured the event. One of the companies was Marucci Sport, a manufacturer of baseball bats based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. As Trump approached a table full of baseball bats, photographers at the event, including me, rushed to get a good angle hoping that he would pick up a bat. As we predicted, he did. He took one and joked around as though he was hitting something hard. The only thing closer to him right there, was the media." Reuters Donald Trump's first year: in pictures White House staffers - 25 July 2017 Former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski says hello to reporters as he and White House advisors including Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci accompany President Trump for an event celebrating veterans at AMVETS Post 44 in Ohio, July 25, 2017. Jonathan Ernst: "The most visible person in any White House is naturally the President, followed by the press secretary. But there are also the staff who support them. For those of us covering the Trump administration, there seem to be more compelling figures in the West Wing than ever before. It's crucial to know who's who and why they're important. When I raised my camera and back-pedalled ahead of the group to take this image Lewandowski gave me a hello. I liked the photo, but had no idea it would go a little bit viral, especially since Scaramucci, who was the biggest mover and shaker that week, was hidden back in the pack. But I guess the image catches a glimpse of what it's like to be a West Wing staffer on the road." Reuters/Jonathan Ernst Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Campaign rally - 3 August 2017 US President Donald Trump arrives at a rally in West Virginia on 3 August, 2017. Photographer Carlos Barria: "President Trump travelled to Huntington for one of his usual campaign rallies. While members of his family spoke to the crowd he was waiting under a black curtain to be introduced. Suddenly he walked onto the stage, one of the first frames that I took was of his hand. I set my exposure for the light on the stage hoping to create this dark background and it worked." Reuters/Carlos Barria Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Staring into the solar eclipse - 21 August 2017 Without his protective glasses on, US President Donald Trump looks up towards the solar eclipse while viewing with his wife Melania and son Barron at the White House on 21 August, 2017. Photographer Kevin Lamarque: "On a day when everyone, and I mean everyone, was told not to look at the eclipse without protective glasses, Trump, President of the United States, couldn't help himself." Reuters/Kevin Lamarque Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Hurricane Harvey - 2 September 2017 US President Donald Trump poses for a photo as he and first lady Melania Trump help volunteers hand out meals during a visit with flood survivors of Hurricane Harvey at a relief centre in Houston, Texas on 2 September, 2017. Photohrapher Kevin Lamarque: "Trump, eager to deliver the image of a hands-on response to Hurricane Harvey, made this visit to a relief centre and obliged this woman with a selfie as Melania continued to work." Reuters/Kevin Lamarque Donald Trump's first year: in pictures White House - 15 September 2017 Donald Trump welcomes 11-year-old Frank Giaccio as he cuts the Rose Garden grass at the White House on 15 September. Frank, who wrote a letter to Trump offering to mow the lawn, was invited to work for a day at the White House along the National Park Service staff. Frank was so focused on his task that he did not notice the President arrive to surprise him. He took his father jumping in to grab his attention and point Trump out. Photographer Carlos Barria said: The image of Trump shouting at a kid who is mowing his lawn might have many interpretations in today's politically polarized United States. But for me it was just a kid who loved what he was doing, to the point he almost appeared to ignore the President." Reuters/Carlos Barria Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Take a knee - 27 September 2017 A man kneels with a folded U.S. flag as the motorcade of U.S. President Donald Trump passes him after an event at the state fairgrounds in Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S., September 27, 2017. In September, soon after Trump had made comments condemning NFL players who kneel during the national anthem, he made a day trip to a rally in Indianapolis. Jonathan Ernst managed to capture a man on one knee with a tri-folded flag and was able to use a portion of the sign on the building he was kneeling in front of to track the man down and tell his story in full. US Army veteran Marvin Boatright wanted to send a message against social injustice. Reuters/Jonathan Ernst Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Hurricane Maria - 3 October 2017 President Donald Trump throws rolls of paper towels into a crowd of local residents affected by Hurricane Maria as he visits Calgary Chapel in San Juan, Puerto Rico on 3 October, 2017. Photographer Jonathan Ernst: "During an afternoon visit to Puerto Rico for President Trump to survey damage from Hurricane Maria and greet some of its victims, Trump made a stop at a church where food and supplies were being distributed. Among the items were paper towels and Trump, apparently caught up in the moment, decided to distribute some of the rolls." Reuters Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Jared Kushner - 1 November 2017 White House Senior adviser Jared Kushner sits behind President Trump during a cabinet meeting in Washington on 1 November, 2017. Photographer Kevin Lamarque: "The role of Jared Kushner has gone through a series of changes. He began front and centre as a high profile adviser, but as time has passed and issues surrounding him have surfaced, he has become more of a background figure." Reuters/Kevin Lamarque Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Trump in China - 9 November 2017 Donald Trump and China's President Xi Jinping shake hands after making joint statements at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on 9 November, 2017. Photographer Damir Sagolj: "It's one of those "how to make a better or at least different shot when two presidents shake hands several times a day, several days in row". If I'm not mistaken in calculation, presidents Xi Jinping and Donald Trump shook their hands at least six times in events I covered during Trump's recent visit to China. I would imagine there were some more handshakes I haven't seen but other photographers did. And they all look similar - two big men, smiling and heartily greeting each other until everyone gets their shot. But then there is always something that can make it special - in this case the background made of US and Chinese flags. The first time it didn't work for me. The second time I positioned myself lower and centrally, and used the longest lens I have to capture only hands reaching for a handshake." Reuters/Damir Sagolj Donald Trump's first year: in pictures Air Force One - 10 November 2017 US President Donald Trump boards Air Force One to depart for Vietnam from Beijing Airport in Beijing, China, November 10, 2017. Photographer Jonathan Ernst: "There is a Reuters photographer in the tight pool covering the US president for every appearance he makes 365 days a year. This was just one of 32 images of mine that were transmitted on the Reuters wire of President Trump visiting China and Vietnam that day. You never know when a sudden interaction, a gust of wind or a unique facial expression will lead to a striking image that grabs peoples' attention." Reuters/Jonathan Ernst Donald Trump's first year: in pictures ASEAN handshake - 13 November 2017 Donald Trump registers his surprise as he realises other leaders, including Russia's Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, Vietnam's Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, President of the Philippines Rodrigo Duterte and Australia's Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, are crossing their arms for the traditional "ASEAN handshake" as he participates in the opening ceremony of the summit in Manila on 13 November, 2017. Photographer Jonathan Ernst: "Having covered a few ASEAN summits, I knew to expect the ASEAN handshake. Not everyone in the room knew to expect the ASEAN handshake. A lot was written about this unscripted moment, and what deeper meaning it might have. The simple truth is that sometimes in life there are unscripted moments." Reuters/Jonathan Ernst While the US military has noted a shift from Irans practice of taunting American ships during Mr Trumps presidency, it is less clear that saying Death to America has gone out of vogue in the Islamic country. Just this week, the BBC reported that Iran is promoting a new messaging app for its citizens that is domestically made and comes complete with emojis wishing death to America, Israel, and Freemasons. The Senate confirmed Mike Pompeo to be Americas next secretary of state, rounding out a markedly more hawkish national security team for Donald Trump. Currently the CIA director, Mr Pompeo has been one of the presidents closest allies and shares Mr Trumps aggressive stance towards Iran, echoing the presidents calls to shred a nuclear deal negotiated under Barack Obama. In a statement praising Mr Pompeo's confirmation, Mr Trump said America's new head diplomat has my trust. He will always put the interests of America first, the president said, using a phrase that has been a cornerstone of his foreign policy. Mr Pompeo will join recently appointed national security adviser John Bolton, who has advocated military strikes on Iran and North Korea, in prominently shaping the Trump administrations foreign policy 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 Some Democrats objected to Mr Pompeos nomination, questioning his willingness to challenge the president and worrying that he would push Mr Trump towards military interventions. While those concerns were nearly enough to deny Mr Pompeo a recommendation from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee the panel narrowly backed him on a party line vote his nomination cleared the full Senate on a comparatively easy 57-42 vote. The president tabbed Mr Pompeo to replace former secretary of state Rex Tillerson, who Mr Trump fired in March following months of escalating tension The confirmation of Mr Pompeo comes at a critical time, with an unprecedented meeting between the US president and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un potentially months away. In his capacity as head of the CIA, Mr Pompeo travelled to North Korea to lay the groundwork for the high-stakes summit. While Mr Trump has heralded the opportunity for a deal to dismantle North Koreas nuclear weapons programme, both Mr Bolton and Mr Pompeo have evinced scepticism about the sincerity of North Koreas motives. In addition to helping prepare the North Korea summit, Mr Pompeo will help the White House navigate a crucial and fast-approaching deadline for the Iran nuclear deal. Explained: The Iran deal's contents Mr Trump must decide by mid-May whether to continue lifting sanctions on Iran, as dictated by the pact. Both the president and Mr Pompeo have heaped disdain on the agreement, and Mr Trump said in January that he was agreeing to waive some sanctions only in order to secure our European allies agreement to fix the terrible flaws of the Iran nuclear deal. This is a last chance. In the absence of such an agreement, the United States will not again waive sanctions in order to stay in the Iran nuclear deal, Mr Trump said at the time. During a visit to Washington this week, French president Emmanuel Macron worked to persuade Donald Trump to preserve the deal. But Mr Macron conceded he faced slim odds of succeeding. My view I dont know what your president will decide is that he will get rid of this deal on his own, for domestic reasons, Mr Macron told reporters. Admiral Ronny Jackson has withdrawn as Donald Trumps nominee for the Veterans Affairs secretary role. Adm Jackson called a string of allegations published by Democrats, including that he had crashed a government car while driving drunk, completely false and fabricated. He said that going into this process, I expected tough questions about how to best care for our veterans, but I did not expect to have to dignify baseless and anonymous attacks on my character and integrity. In a statement the former combat medic said he was regretfully walking away from the nomination to lead the US governments second-largest agency, which oversees healthcare and benefits for some 20 million military veterans. Democrats had claimed in a dossier published on the day of his confirmation hearing that Adm Jackson had been drunk on duty and gained the nickname Candyman for his prescribing practices. The hearing was postponed. The allegations were based on interviews with nearly two dozen former and current colleagues of the White House physician. Mr Trump appeared to suggest Adm Jackson should withdraw earlier this week, saying the confirmation process had become too dirty. Adm Jackson said when withdrawing from nomination on Thursday that it had become a distraction for the president. In his statement, he added: The allegations against me are completely false and fabricated. If they had any merit, I would not have been selected, promoted and entrusted to serve in such a sensitive and important role as physician to three presidents over the past 12 years. In my role as a doctor, I have tirelessly worked to provide excellent care for all my patients. In doing so, I have always adhered to the highest ethical standards. Unfortunately, because of how Washington works, these false allegations have become a distraction for this president and the important issue we must be addressing how we give the best care to our nations heroes. 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 Democratic senator Jon Tester admitted not all the allegations against Adm Jackson had been verified. He told MSNBC: Am I 100 per cent rock-solid sure that he did this? No, but Ive seen a pattern here that continues on and on and on. But his decision to flaunt the unverified document was described as outrageous by White House legislative director Marc Short, who suggested Mr Tester was using the allegations for political gain. Speaking on Fox News, Mr Trump called the allegations false. Shortly after Adm Jackson dropped out, the president called into the Fox & Friends morning programme to praise the doctor as an incredible man who runs a fantastic operation. He said he has a new candidate for the post with political capabilities but did not announce who it was. CNN, citing an unnamed official, reported that Adm Jackson would remain as White House doctor. A powerful group of senators - including four Republicans - has approved a bill aimed at stopping Donald Trump from firing the special investigator heading the probe into the Trump campaigns possible collusion with Russia. Amid lingering speculation Mr Trump wants to fire Special Counsel Robert Mueller, and following reports he was on the brink of doing so more than once, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted for legislation that would provide protection to the investigator. The measure - which was approved 14-7 - would give any special counsel a 10-day window to seek judicial review of his or her firing, the Associated Press reported. It also would put into law existing Department of Justice regulations that investigators can only be fired for good cause. The move by the committee now puts the bill into the hands of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who has previously said he will not let the issue reach the Senate floor for a full vote. Nevertheless, the vote was significant in that it underscored the concern felt not only among Democrats, but Republicans also, that Mr Trump could decide to fire Mr Mueller. The AP said nearly all Republican senators say Mr Trump should not fire Mr Mueller, but some of those who supported the legislation to protect the Special Counsel, said more needs to be done to protect against prosecutorial overreach. Donald Trump firing Robert Mueller would be the 'end of his presidency' says Senator Lindsey Graham A key supporter is committee chairman Senator Charles Grassley of Iowa, who voted for the measure and argued that Mr McConnell should change his mind. While my constitutional concerns remain, I believe this bill should be considered by the full Senate, said Mr Grassley said. Earlier this year, it was reported Mr Trump had wanted to fire Mr Mueller last summer but was talked out of it by one of his lawyers, White House counsel Donald McGahn, who threatened to quit if he did so. 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 Last summer, Mr Trump the New York Times he would consider Mr Mueller had crossed a red line, if the Russia probe started to delve into his personal properties. I would say yeah. I would say yes. By the way, I would say, he said. Last month, amid fresh speculation that the Special Counsel may be heading for the door, Republican senator Lindsey Graham, one of the committee members who approved the measure on Thursday, advised Mr Trump - with whom he has a decent relationship - against such as move. If he tried to do that, that would be the beginning of the end of his presidency, because were a rule-of-law nation, he said on CNN. When it comes to Mr Mueller, he is following the evidence where it takes him, and I think its very important he be allowed to do his job without interference, and there are many Republicans who share my view. Mr Trump cannot fire Mr Mueller directly and would have to order his Department of Justice to do so. Given that Attorney General Jeff Sessions has rescued himself from the case, it would fall to the deputy attorney general, Rod Rosenstein. French President Emmanuel Macron has said he believes US President Donald Trump will pull out of the Iran nuclear deal something the French leader had hoped to dissuade Mr Trump from doing during his three-day trip across the Atlantic. My view I dont know what your president will decide is that he will get rid of this deal on his own, for domestic reasons, Mr Macron told a group of reporters in Washington. He reiterated as much at a press conference that night, saying he had come to the conclusion based not on inside information, but on what his American counterpart said publicly during their visit. Mr Trump called the deal insane and ridiculous in a joint press conference with the French president the day before. Recommended Macron rejects Trump agenda in sweeping Congressional address It seems to me that he will not do that much to preserve the [deal], Mr Macron said on Wednesday. I dont think this is big news, I think its just an analysis. He added: If you listen to him I think you can reach the same conclusions as me. Mr Trump has a 12 May deadline to certify Irans compliance with the deal, which limits the countrys nuclear energy programme in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions. International watchdog groups say Iran is currently in compliance with the deal's terms. Macron: 'We wish to work on a new deal with Iran' But Mr Trump is a longtime foe of the plan, having once referred to it as the worst deal ever. Among other things, he has complained that the deal does not prevent Iran from testing ballistic missiles and limits the power of international inspectors. Mr Macron said on Wednesday that he would not be personally offended if Mr Trump pulled out of the deal, which the US and France brokered along with Germany, China, Russia, and the UK in 2015. He acknowledged that pulling out of the deal was a campaign promise of Mr Trumps and not one he could ask the president to forgo. "My commitment is not to convince President Trump to walk away from his campaign commitments or change his mind," Mr Macron said. "...I believe what we should be doing is finding an efficient way to build multilateralism. Iran's 'Trumpism' contest Show all 10 1 /10 Iran's 'Trumpism' contest Iran's 'Trumpism' contest AFP/Getty Images Iran's 'Trumpism' contest AFP/Getty Images Iran's 'Trumpism' contest AFP/Getty Images Iran's 'Trumpism' contest AFP/Getty Images Iran's 'Trumpism' contest AFP/Getty Images Iran's 'Trumpism' contest AFP/Getty Images Iran's 'Trumpism' contest AFP/Getty Images Iran's 'Trumpism' contest AFP/Getty Images Iran's 'Trumpism' contest AFP/Getty Images Iran's 'Trumpism' contest AFP/Getty Images The day before, he had signalled interest in creating a new deal one that encompassed the pillars of the original agreement, but took Mr Trump's concerns into account. He said the new deal would impose permanent restrictions on Iran's nuclear programme, address their ballistic missile activities, and limit their military operations across the region. On Wednesday, he added that he planned to call Iranian president Hassan Rouhani to discuss the next steps. Mr Rouhani had rejected the idea of a new deal earlier that day, saying the US and France had no right to renegotiate the terms. You dont have any background in politics, he said of Mr Trump in a televised speech, according to Reuters. You dont have any background in law. You dont have any background on international treaties." He added: Together with a leader of a European country they say: We want to decide on an agreement reached by seven parties. What for? With what right? When Jennair Gerardot found out her husband was cheating on her, she came up with a plan of revenge, one that would lead to a bloody murder-suicide and stun a quiet Pennsylvania town, US authorities said. The victim was her husbands 33-year-old mistress, Meredith Chapman, police believe. She was a lot like Ms Gerardot a successful, driven, marketing professional in the Delaware area. She also happened to have worked with Ms Gerardots husband at the University of Delaware. After finding out about the affair, Ms Gerardot plotted a calculated attack, police said. There were emails and text messages indicating what she planned to do, Radnor Township Police superintendent William Colarulo said in a news conference. Mark Gerardot and his spouse, Jennair Gerardot (left) and Meredith Chapman (right) (gerardot1/Instagram/Meredith Chapman/Facebook) On Monday, Ms Gerardot took a train from Delaware to Ms Chapmans new home in a tranquil residential neighbourhood in Radnor, Pennsylvania, possibly wearing a wig in disguise, police lieutenant Christopher Flanagan said. She broke through Ms Chapmans front door, stopping to clean up the shards of broken glass off the floor, it is alleged. With her Taurus Tracker .357 revolver in hand, she waited for Ms Chapman to get home. As soon as Ms Chapman walked through the door, police said, Ms Gerardot shot her. Then, lieutenant Flanagan said, Ms Gerardot turned the gun on herself. When police arrived in response to 911 calls, both women were lying dead near the kitchen. Melissa DeJoseph, 40, who lives two doors down from Ms Chapmans residence, told the Philadelphia Inquirer she saw Ms Chapman walking out of her Audi and into her house on Monday evening just before she heard the loud sound. In my head, I was like, is that a gunshot? No it cant be a gunshot, she said. Outside the bloody scene, police came across the man who brought the two women together Ms Gerardots husband, Mark Gerardot. My wife might be inside, he told police. 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 Gerardot, who lived with his wife in Wilmington, Delaware, was supposed to meet Ms Chapman for dinner that night. When she hadnt shown up, he became concerned and showed up at her house in Radnor, police said. The tragedy rocked the world of the township and the surrounding neighbourhood, lieutenant Flanagan said, describing it as a tightknit community with many children and families. Nobody wants to see something like this happen in their neighbourhood, he added. But it also shocked the marketing, political and higher education worlds in the Delaware area, industries in which the Chapmans and Gerardots both found some prominence. Chapman had recently left her job at the University of Delaware and began working as an assistant vice president of marketing and creative services at Villanova University. A former broadcast journalist in Philadelphia, Ms Chapman served as a communications manager on Capitol Hill for former Republican Michael N Castle. At the University of Delaware, she worked as a senior marketing director and taught classes to students at the undergraduate, MBA and continuing education levels, according to her website. In 2016, she also unsuccessfully ran for a Delaware state Senate seat as a Republican. She was married to Luke Chapman, a former member of the city council in Newark, Delaware and wrote proudly on Facebook about his work. But she had just recently moved into the three-story brick residence in Radnor alone, no longer living with her husband, police said. Meredith was a beacon of light to anyone who was fortunate enough to meet her, a spokesperson for the Chapman family said in a statement to the News Journal. She loved her family fiercely, was a compassionate friend and among the most talented and innovative professionals in her field. Her death was sudden and tragic, but will not define who she was to the thousands of people who loved her. Her family is devastated, heartbroken and requests privacy and respect as they grieve. Erik Raser-Schramm, the chairman of the Delaware Democratic Party, released a statement on Tuesday saying he was devastated to learn of the tragic loss of a dear friend. In the hours since receiving the news, it has been impossible for me to imagine our Delaware without someone so transcendent and committed to service, he said. Everyone who knew and worked with Meredith is heartbroken, the University of Delaware said in a statement to WHYY. As a proud alumna of UD, her commitment to her work was exceeded only by her boundless energy. She believed earnestly in the power of communication to bring people together, whether to achieve their collective goals or simply to share their stories. We will miss her. Mark Gerardot reported to Chapman at the University of Delaware, working as a creative director. The university told the News Journal he left the job there earlier this month. The Gerardots had been married since 1993, according to Indiana State Library records, the News Journal reported. They lived and worked together in Indiana at a branding and package design agency called Gerardot & Co., co-founded by Mr Gerardot. Gerardot, who was in her late 40s, described herself on her website as a confident, creative and resourceful marketer with more than 16 years of experience. The softer side of this highly-driven businesswoman also likes exploration and travel and is an avid animal and nature lover, she wrote. She would often post photographs with her husband, holding hands on the beach walking their golden retrievers. Her husband often posted photographs of her on his Instagram. My birthday present 24/7. Im a lucky guy, Mr Gerardot wrote alongside a photo of his wife on Instagram in October 2015. He also doted on his wife on his website: On the personal side, my wife and golden retriever are the centre of my universe and the reason I get up every morning. The Washington Post North Koreas main nuclear test site has collapsed following its latest bomb test and could be at risk of leaking radiation, research by Chinese geologists has shown. As a result, the Punggye-ri site under Mount Mantap has been rendered unsafe for further testing and should be monitored, scientists from the University of Science and Technology of China have said. Their findings raise questions about Kim Jong-uns announcement his country was ceasing its testing programme ahead of planned meetings with the US president, Donald Trump, and his South Korean counterpart, Moon Jae-in. Kim Jong-un inspects weapon North Korea says is powerful hydrogen bomb Show all 6 1 /6 Kim Jong-un inspects weapon North Korea says is powerful hydrogen bomb Kim Jong-un inspects weapon North Korea says is powerful hydrogen bomb Photos released by North Korea show Kim Jong-un talking to subordinates next to a device thought to be the new thermonuclear weapon. There is no way of independently verifying the pictures STR/AFP/Getty Images Kim Jong-un inspects weapon North Korea says is powerful hydrogen bomb North Korea claims it has successfully tested an advanced hydrogen bomb which could be loaded onto an intercontinental ballistic missile AFP/Getty Kim Jong-un inspects weapon North Korea says is powerful hydrogen bomb A diagram on the wall behind Mr Kim shows a bomb mounted inside a cone STR/AFP/Getty Images Kim Jong-un inspects weapon North Korea says is powerful hydrogen bomb North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un (C) attending a photo session with participants of the fourth conference of active secretaries of primary organisations of the youth league of the Korean People's Army (KPA) in Pyongyang STR/AFP/Getty Images Kim Jong-un inspects weapon North Korea says is powerful hydrogen bomb A new stamp issued in commemoration of the successful second test launch of the "Hwasong-14" intercontinental ballistic missile KCNA via Reuters Kim Jong-un inspects weapon North Korea says is powerful hydrogen bomb A new stamp issued in commemoration of the successful second test launch of the "Hwasong-14" intercontinental ballistic missile KCNA via Reuters Data was collected following the detonation of the most powerful of North Koreas six nuclear bomb tests on 3 September, thought to have triggered four earthquakes. At the time, Japanese media said the detonation caused one of the tunnels to collapse, potentially killing 200 construction workers. The yield of the bomb was estimated at more than 100 kilotons of TNT, at least 10 times stronger than anything Pyongyang had tested previously. The Chinese paper, authored by Tian Dongdong, Yao Jiawen and Wen Lianxing, said the first of those earthquakes, which occurred eight-and-a-half minutes after the explosion, was an onsite collapse toward the nuclear test centre, while the subsequent quakes were an earthquake swarm in similar locations. In view of the research finding that the North Korea nuclear test site at Mantapsan has collapsed, it is necessary to continue to monitor any leakage of radioactive materials that may have been caused by the collapse, the authors said. Seismic waves from North Koreas latest bomb test which were caused by artificial earthquakes near the Punggye-ri nuclear test site (Getty) Another similar test would produce collapses in an even larger scale, creating an environmental catastrophe, the study said. The peer-reviewed study has been accepted for publication by the Geophysical Research Letters journal. A study published last month by the journal, authored by a team led by Liu Junqing at the earthquake bureau in Jilin province along the border with North Korea, found similar results of the 3 September test. It described the aftershock which followed seconds later as most likely the rapid destruction of an explosion-generated cracked rock chimney due to cavity collapse. North Koreas nuclear tests have caused seismic events in Chinese border towns and cities, forcing the evacuations of schools and offices, sparking fears of wind-born radiation and leading to a backlash among some Chinese against their countrys unpredictable traditional ally. Chinese authorities have said they have not detected any radiation risk from samples collected along the border. North Koreas leader, Kim Jong-un, inspects the countrys most powerful hydrogen bomb (Getty) Pyongyang said the promise to shut down the Punggye-ri site was to transparently guarantee its dramatic commitment to stop all nuclear and missile tests. Recommended Kim to walk across Korean border and plant tree in historic meeting But experts have now warned that damage to the complex could be the reason North Korea is willing to dismantle the site. Theyre not giving up anything, Robert Kelley, a former inspector for the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency, told Reuters. That complex, I would guess, has been damaged beyond reuse. But 38 North, a website run by the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, said satellite imagery showed tunnelling was conducted this year, suggesting the site was still operational, although recent activity had slowed considerably. There is no basis to conclude that the Punggye-ri nuclear test site is no longer viable for future nuclear testing, it reported on Monday. It comes ahead of a meeting between Kim Jong-un and Moon Jae-in, which will see Mr Kim become the first North Korean leader to cross the highly militarised border since the end of the 1950-1953 Korean War. Additional reporting by agencies North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will plant a commemorative tree with South Korean president Moon Jae-in after walking across the border between the two countries for a historic summit on Friday. The two leaders will also inspect a South Korean guard of honour before talks on the southern side of the uninhabited truce village of Panmunjom, Seoul said on Thursday. Mr Kim will be the first North Korean leader to set foot in the south since the end of the Korean War in 1953. It is hoped the talks, expected to focus on Pyongyangs nuclear weapons programme, will ease decades of tension in the region and help to defuse what is arguably one of the worlds greatest security threats. In a visit high on symbolism, Mr Kim will walk past the concrete slabs which form the countries military frontier to be greeted by his South Korean counterpart. The two leaders will then walk together for about 10 minutes to a plaza where they will inspect Seouls guard of honour, said Mr Moons chief of staff, Im Jong-seok. After signing a guestbook and posing for a photo together at Peace House, the venue for Fridays summit, the two leaders will begin formal talks at 10.30 am local time (1.30am GMT). Later, they will plant a pine tree on the border, using a mixture of soil from both counties mountains and water from their respective rivers. Pines were beloved by ancient Koreans, who believed they brought peace and prosperity. The tree the leaders will plant was sown in 1953, the year their two nations signed the armistice which ended the Korean War. Engraved on a stone plaque for the pine will be the phrase peace and prosperity are planted, as well as the signatures of Mr Kim and Mr Moon. After the tree-planting ceremony, the two will stroll together to a footbridge where a signpost for the military demarcation line stands, Mr Im said. They will meet again in the afternoon and later attend a banquet, he added. Mr Kim will be accompanied by nine top North Korean officials, including his influential sister Kim Yo-jong. It will be only his second visit to another country since he assumed power in 2011, following a secretive trip to China last month. Mr Im said South Korea hoped Mr Kims wife, Ri Sol-ju, would also attend parts of Fridays summit, but her attendance has not yet been confirmed. 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 It is not yet not clear how the leaders will announce the outcome of the summit. Much depends, Mr Im said, on North Koreas willingness to commit to denuclearisation. Fridays meeting and Mr Kims planned meeting with US president Donald Trump were arranged after North Korea signalled it was open to negotiating over the programme after a year of frequent nuclear and missile tests. Last week Pyongyang said it was halting tests and shutting down it main nuclear test site ahead of the summits. However, research by Chinese geologists suggests the mountain above the test site has collapsed, rendering it unsafe for further trials, in a development that sheds new light upon North Koreas announcement. The impending summit between the leaders of North and South Korea is so meticulously scripted as to make the two men appear like actors in a drama for which theyve memorised the lines. All thats not known is just what Moon Jae-in, president of South Korea, will say to North Koreas Kim Jong-un when they sit down at Peace House on Friday. They are to meet on the south side of the Joint Security Area in the truce village of Panmunjom, 35 miles north of Seoul, where the Korean War armistice was signed in July 1953. Mr Moon, however, has been studying his words so diligently, says an aide, that it appears hes got them carefully memorised. The only real question is how both leaders have crafted their remarks, including a final joint statement with emphasis on denuclearisation and North Koreas pledge to suspend its nuclear and long-range missile tests. No one really expects Mr Kim to comply right away. Rather, the statement is expected to be a masterpiece of diplomatic double-talk that underlines the North Korean leaders need to focus on his countrys decrepit economy while demanding concessions from the US and South Korea. I expect he will try to talk about US bases and arms reduction instead of denuclearisation, said Andrei Lankov, a Russian author and commentator on North Korea. You cannot get good final results. However, in the face of such pessimism, the North Korean leader is expected to appear compliant and cooperative enough to be sure US President Donald Trump will still want to meet him in a few weeks from now. Escape from North Korea Show all 16 1 /16 Escape from North Korea Escape from North Korea Jeong Min-woo A hat belonging to Jeong Min-woo in Seoul. Min-woo is from Hyesan, on the border with China. He was a commissioned officer in the Korean People's Army, and left in his uniform. South Korean intelligence confiscated it, but he persuaded his North Korean military contacts to send him a new one. Reuters Escape from North Korea Jeong Min-woo Jeong Min-woo, 29, poses for a photograph in Seoul Reuters Escape from North Korea Kang Kang, 28, who wanted to be identified only by her surname, poses for a photograph in Seoul. The parents of Kang sent out a coat across the Chinese border after she reached the South in 2010. "I didn't ask my mother to send me this coat," said Kang. "But she knew I feel the cold easily and sent it to me. She sent some honey too, but it went missing on the way. The coat is made of dog fur. I don't know what kind of dog. In 2010, it cost about 700,000 North Korean won ($88 at the unofficial rate). It was really expensive. A North Korean friend went to China to pick it up for me. I liked this coat when I got it. I thought my mother must've spent quite a lot of money on it. Reuters Escape from North Korea Kang The dog fur coat belonging to Kang, "My father was a party officer. Our family had a car and we lived in a special apartment. Ordinary people couldn't afford to wear this kind of coat, not even soldiers. Commissioned officers could afford them. Border guards would wear them. It wasn't easy to buy this kind of coat, but as time went on, fake ones began to appear. The state often clamped down on this item. It's technically military supplies so the state monitored people who altered the design of the coat. I know just from looking at this coat that it's a counterfeit one, not the official version. The counterfeit ones look quite different from the original ones. Military officials preferred the fakes to the original because the design looked much better. The children of rich families would wear them. I look too chubby in this, so don't wear it here. I thought I could probably wear it if I altered it." Reuters Escape from North Korea Lee Oui-ryuk Lee Oui-ryuk is from Onsong, near the border with China. He defected in 2010, and brought his ID card with him. "I brought my ID with me when I left North Korea. Juche 95.11.7 (the date in the North Korean calendar, which equates to Nov. 7, 2006) is the date I was issued with my ID. It says here my blood type is "A", but I'm actually an "O." For the 23 years I lived in North Korea, I thought my blood type was "A." They wrote down my blood type without even doing a test. They just wrote whatever they wanted to. I was caught trying to defect to South Korea around Kim Jong Il's birthday. They strengthen border security just before and after that date." Reuters Escape from North Korea Lee Oui-ryuk "The bottom of the lamp is dark," as the saying goes, and I thought I'd be able to cross right under their noses. The soldiers shot at me as I tried to run away from the Tumen River. I managed to get away and hid, but someone reported me and I was caught. That's when I was taken to the bowibu (North Korean secret police) for three months of interrogation. The state ruled that I had tried to defect to South Korea, and I was sent to a camp for political prisoners. I escaped when they were transferring me to the camp. I hid and managed to make it to my big sister's house - that's when I grabbed these photos. I couldn't go home easily, so decided I had to hide in the mountains or somewhere remote. I needed my ID to move around without getting caught. and I took these 12 photos with me in case I wanted to look back and reminisce. I wrote on the back of them so as not to forget." Reuters Escape from North Korea Ji Sung-ho Ji Sung-ho, 35, from Hoeryong, near the border with China. He left North Korea in 2006 with a pair of wooden crutches. "I lived as a child beggar in North Korea. I was stealing coals from a train when I fell off and lost my leg and my hand. I had to bring the crutches with me. If I didn't have them, I wouldn't have made it here. The state doesn't help you in North Korea, and people who need crutches make their own. Mine are therefore not factory-made, so they're not perfect and break easily. I had several pairs of crutches but they all broke, and this was the last pair. I used these crutches for 10 years, until I was 25, when I arrived in South Korea. I would steal coal from moving trains and fall off, destroying my crutches. Or I would get beaten up by the police and they'd take and then break my crutches. When they broke, I would make new ones. When I had new ones, I could go back outside." Reuters Escape from North Korea Ji Sung-ho "When I first arrived in South Korea I thought about throwing them out. South Korea's intelligence agency gave me a prosthetic leg. My friends said I should throw the crutches out and not think about North Korea. They said I should show Kim Jong Il I was living a new life in South Korea and throw out everything I had from the North. Some asked if I got upset when I saw my crutches. But I couldn't just throw them out. To make my crutches, my friends had given me some wood that they had bought, and someone I knew in North Korea who had carpentry skills had made them. It was my father who added the final touches. There is a lot of love from my North Korean friends and family in these crutches. So I didn't throw them out. The South Korean government gave me some new crutches because the wood from my North Korean ones is hard and painful. But I still keep them, so as not to forget those memories." REUTERS Escape from North Korea Kim Ryen Hui Kim Ryen Hui, 48, is from Pyongyang. She says she never wanted to defect. In 2011, she says, a broker helped her go to China for treatment on her liver. But the broker tricked her, she said, and she ended up in South Korea. She is campaigning to return, which Seoul says would be against the law. "I miss my parents even more than I miss my daughter. They're everything to me. For the first few years, I couldn't even breathe properly when I thought of them. My little brother lives with them in Pyongyang now. My mother can't see out of one eye. The thing I fear the most is finding out they've passed away before I have the chance to go back. Reuters Escape from North Korea Kim Ryen Hui "My daughter and I have been writing letters and sending photos to each other. My cousin lives in China, so she's been sending them on. My daughter's name is Ri Ryon Gum. She was born on February 15, 1993. I don't want her to live out her life with me here. When she was young, she did taekwondo. She wanted to get involved in espionage operations against South Korea. She was so fearless. That's why she was doing taekwondo - to get involved in anti-South espionage. So I was really surprised to hear she became a chef. In a video of her I received, she explained why. She said that after I had left, she moved in with her father in Pyongyang and had been cooking for him. She said she decided to become a chef so she could fulfill my role at home. I was sad when I heard that." Reuters Escape from North Korea Lee Min-bok Lee Min-bok, 60, was a researcher at North Korea's Academy of Agricultural Science. He first tried to defect, unsuccessfully, in 1990. He eventually left North Korea in June 1991 and came to South Korea in 1995. His family sent him these diaries. "I have a bit of an academic side. According to Kim Il Sung's teachings, people are supposed to keep diaries. Everyone in North Korea should strictly follow Kim Il Sung's teachings, so I did as I was supposed to and kept a diary. Even though Kim Il Sung is a villain here, in North Korea he's above everything. We learned that he studied well and gave our lives purpose. I lived according to those teachings. I wrote these out of loyalty to the Leader. That was our ideology, and I lived my life in strict adherence to it. No one could think differently." Reuters Escape from North Korea Lee Min-bok "I got hold of these diaries 10 years after I arrived in South Korea. I had been sending money to my family in the North and they sent them to me. I didn't write any complaints in diaries. I would've been in big trouble if I did. My diaries are a record of my history in North Korea. I am thinking about turning these diaries into a book. I'd like to publish a book about how to change North Koreans' thinking when unification happens. These diaries show how North Koreans think and how their minds are constructed. People need to make these into a textbook, because they need proof. Talking is not as effective." Reuters Escape from North Korea Song Byeok Song Byeok was a propaganda artist. His father drowned trying to cross the Tumen river, in 2000. When the artist finally left North Korea in 2001, he brought photos of his family with him. "We left that August to find food," Byeok recalled, describing the first attempt. "We were from a town further inland, and we weren't sure where the river was high and where it was low. I didn't know at the time but the river was swollen because of the rainy season. I thought we had to cross it anyway. All I could think about was getting to China to buy food. I took off my clothes and tied them into a rope to strap us together. I told my father not to let go. As we approached the middle of the river, the strap felt lighter. I looked back and saw my father drifting away. I was devastated." Reuters Escape from North Korea Song Byeok "He was going under the water and couldn't get out. I rushed up to the (North Korean) border guards and asked them to save him but they just said why did I come out, why didn't I die too. They handcuffed me and took me away. It was Aug. 28. I was tortured by the "bowibu" (North Korean secret police) in Hoeryong, then jailed for four months in Chongjin prison camp. But after I was released from the camp I felt like I needed to survive and carry on living. Right before I tried to defect again, I went back home and grabbed my family photos. Even if I died trying, I thought, at least I would have this picture with me. I never found my father. After I came to South Korea, I went back to China in 2004 and held a memorial service for him by the river. My heart still aches." Reuters Escape from North Korea Baek Hwa-sung Baek Hwa-sung, 33, left Sinuiju, on the border with China, in 2003 and resettled in South Korea in 2008. He kept a diary as he defected. "In 2004, I started to write down all my thoughts in a diary. I didn't know if I'd get caught. I just wanted to let it be known where I was from, and where I wanted to go. After I left the North, I became very depressed, hiding in the mountains alone for a while. The people who were watching over me told me not to come down to the village and left me by myself in a mountain shelter. Alone, with no one to engage with or talk to, I felt like I would go insane. So I wanted to leave something behind in case I died there or got caught - that's why I started to write. Reuters Escape from North Korea Baek Hwa-sung "Alone in the mountains, I desperately sought something to talk to. That was my diary. My diaries are proof of my life's journey. I read them when I want to remember home. I can't return home, and I already have no memories of my hometown. But when I go through my diaries, there are notes which detail the vivid memories of that time. Sometimes I might forget my father's birthday, but when I go back to my diary, his birthday and my mother's birthday are there. My diaries are a record of my life. They prove I'm alive." Reuters So upbeat is the mood in Seoul that it seems out of the question that Mr Moon and Mr Kim, whatever they are thinking, would appear anything but superficially accommodating to each other. Nonetheless, the South Korean leaders closest advisers insist he and Mr Trump think alike on the nuclear issue that they will demand nothing less than CVID complete, verifiable and irreversible dismantlement an acronym that may be open to somewhat varying definitions contingent on timing and security guarantees offered by the US and South Korea. No one really expects Mr Kim to comply right away (Getty) Aside from denuclearisation, the North and South Korean leaders may also hint at the need for a peace treaty to replace the Korean War armistice. We know sanctions have begun to bite, said Kim Taehwan, a professor of diplomacy, at a panel discussion set up in Seoul to advance the governments quest for dialogue and reconciliation. He has to turn in another direction. Its very important to declare an ending of the war. However, while engaging in word games, optics and imagery count for just as much. That was clear from the rehearsal in which half a dozen senior South Korean officials had to go through the whole show just to be sure nothing goes wrong. The only missing characters were the principals, whose parts were played by professional actors. North Korea 'suspends' missile and nuclear tests The rehearsal opened at the critical moment Mr Kim is to step across the line thats divided North from South Korea for more than six decades a step that will mark the first time a North Korean leader has visited the South. First we checked how President Moon will greet Chairman Kim, where they will stand, said Mr Moons spokesman. Next, a military band opened up and elite South Korean troops stood in formation, as they will do as Mr Kim inspects them with Mr Moon at his side. South Korean President Moon Jae-In's New Year's press conference in Seoul promised fresh dialogue with the North (EPA) Every gesture will assume historic significance, at least for Koreans. At the rehearsal, the South Korean officials greeted the actor playing Kim Jong-un and accompanied him in a ceremony that Koreas television channels will be covering live. Chairman Kim is scheduled to sign the guestbook prepared on the first floor of Peace House, said Im Jong-seok, chairman of the summit preparation committee. They will have a chat in the reception room before moving to the conference room on the second floor to start the inter-Korean summit. They will lunch separately, even take rest time, added Mr Im, before the show goes on with the planting of a pine tree said to have dated as a seedling from 1953, the year that the Korean War ended. The signatures of both leaders will be etched in stone on a plaque beneath the tree with the words, in Korean, Peace and Prosperity Are Planted. If the two disagree on anything, thats not going to be in the script. Rather, said Mr Im, they are likely to engage in friendly conversation as they walk together to the footbridge where stands a signpost of the Military Demarcation Line. That stroll is to signify the arrival of peace on the Korean Peninsula and the era of cooperation and prosperity in accordance with the slogan of the summit, Peace, a New Start. The meeting will continue with whats described as a lavish dinner, also in Peace House during which they will watch a video, A New Spring Enjoyed Together. After all that, could anything go wrong? North Korea wants to be a normal state to make people happy, said Moon Chung-in, one of the presidents top advisers. We should see a ray of hope. Spanish police have seized a record nine tons of cocaine concealed in a shipment of bananas from Colombia. Six people have been arrested after police found the drug hidden among boxes of bananas in a shipping container at the southern port of Algeciras. The stash was the largest ever found in a single shipping container in Europe. Such a haul would have a street value of between 262m and 349m in the UK, according to drug information service DrugWise. Of the six arrested in relation to the find, two were detained in Lyon, France, one in Algeciras and three in Malaga. Spain's interior minister, Juan Ignacio Zoido, stands next to the almost nine tons cocaine shipment seized inside a bananas container at Algeciras port in Cadiz, southern Spain (EPA/A CARRASCO RAGEL) In a statement, customs officials said the container was imported by a Colombian company on a ship coming from the Colombian port of Turbo. Customs did not say when the bust was made, though the shipment was last inspected by police on Sunday, according to the statement. Spain's interior minister, Juan Ignacio Zoido, vowed to fight traffickers and "to keep drugs out of the streets." World's 10 deadliest street drugs Show all 10 1 /10 World's 10 deadliest street drugs World's 10 deadliest street drugs Whoonga Whoonga is a combination of antiretroviral drugs, used to treat HIV, and various cutting agents such as detergents and poisons. The drug is widely available in South Africa due to South Africas high rate of HIV sufferers, and is believed to be popular due to how cheap it is when compared to prescribed antiretrovirals. The drug is highly addictive and can cause major health issues such as internal bleeding, stomach ulcers and ultimately death Getty World's 10 deadliest street drugs Scopolamine Scopolamine is a derivative from the nightshade plant found in the Northern Indian region of South America (Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela). It is generally found in a refined powder form, but can also be found as a tea. The drug is more often used by criminals due its high toxicity level (one gram is believed to be able to kill up to 20 people) making it a strong poison. However, it is also believed that the drug is blown into the faces of unexpecting victims, later causing them to lose all sense of self-control and becoming incapable of forming memories during the time they are under the influence of the drug. This tactic has reportedly been used by gangs in Colombia where there have been reports of people using scopolamine as way to convince victims to rob their own homes World's 10 deadliest street drugs Heroin Founded in 1874 by C. R. Alder Wright, heroin is one of the worlds oldest drugs. Originally it was prescribed as a strong painkiller used to treat chronic pain and physical trauma. However in 1971 it was made illegal under the Misuse of Drugs Act. Since then it has become one of the most destructive substances in the world, tearing apart communities and destroying families. The side effects of heroin include inflammation of the gums, cold sweats, a weak immune system, muscular weakness and insomnia. It can also damage blood vessels which can later cause gangrene if left untreated World's 10 deadliest street drugs Crack cocaine Crack cocaine first came about in the 1980s when cocaine became a widespread commodity within the drug trafficking world. Originally cocaine would have attracted a high price tag due to its rarity and difficulty to produce, but once it became more widespread the price dropped significantly. This resulted in drug dealers forming their cocaine into rock like shapes by using baking soda as a way of distilling the powder down into rock form. People were doing this because it allowed for them to sell cocaine at a lower quantity and to a higher number of people. The side effects of crack cocaine include liver, kidney and lung damage, as well as permanent damage to blood vessels, which can often lead to heart attacks, strokes, and ultimately death World's 10 deadliest street drugs Crystal meth Not just famous because of a certain Walter H White, but also because it is one of the most destructive drugs in the world. First developed in 1887, it became widely used during the Second World War when both sides would give it to their troops to keep them awake. It is also believed that the Japanese gave it to their Kamikaze pilots before their suicide missions. After the war crystal meth was prescribed as a diet aid and remained legal until the 1970s. Since then it has fallen into the hands of Mexican gangs and has become a worldwide phenomenon, spreading throughout Europe and Asia. The effects of crystal meth are devastating. In the short-term users will become sleep depraved and anxious, and in the long-term it will cause their flesh to sink, as well as brain damage and damage of the blood vessels World's 10 deadliest street drugs AH-7921 AH-7921 is a synthetic opioid that was previously available to legally purchase online from vendors until it became a Class A in January 2015. The drug is believed to have 80% of the potency of morphine, and became known as the legal heroin. While there has only been one death related to AH-7921 in the UK, it is believed to be highly dangerous and capable of causing respiratory arrest and gangrene World's 10 deadliest street drugs Flakka Flakka is a stimulant with a similar chemical make-up to the amphetamine-like drug found in bath salts. While the drug was originally marketed as a legal high alternative to ecstasy, the effects are significantly different. The user will feel an elevated heart rate, enhanced emotions, and, if enough is digested, strong hallucinations. The drug can cause permanent psychological damage due to it affecting the mood regulating neurons that keep the minds serotonin and dopamine in check, as well as possibly causing heart failure World's 10 deadliest street drugs Bath salts Bath salts are a synthetic crystalline drug that is prevalent in the US. While they may sound harmless, they certainly arent the sort of salts you drop into a warm bath when having a relaxing night in, they are most similar to mephedrone, and have recently been featured throughout social media due to the zombification of its. The name comes from the fact that the drug was originally sold online, and widely disguised as bath salts. The side effects include unusual psychiatric behaviour, psychosis, panic attacks and violent behaviour, as well as the possibility of a heart attack and an elevated body temperature World's 10 deadliest street drugs Purple Drank One of the more unusual drugs around at the moment, purple drank was popularised in 90s hip hop culture, with the likes of Jay Z and Big Moe all mentioning it in their songs. It is a concoction of soda water, sweets and cold medicine, and is drunk due to cold medicines high codeine content, which gives the user a woozy feeling. However it can also cause respiratory issues and heart failure World's 10 deadliest street drugs Krokodil Krokodil is Russias secret addiction. It is believed that over one million Russians are addicted to the drug. Users of krokodil are attracted to the drug due to its low price; it is sold at 20 a gram while heroin is sold for 60. However, krokodil is considered more dangerous than heroin because it is often homemade, with ingredients including painkillers, iodine, lighter fluid and industrial cleaning agents. This chemical make-up makes the drug highly dangerous and likely to cause gangrene, and eventually rotting of the flesh Algericas handled 101 million tons of shipments in 2017, and is Spain's busiest cargo port and a main entry for cocaine into Europe. It is the Mediterranean's largest port and a trans-shipment hub used by firms to unload cargo and redistribute it in Europe or the Middle East. In December, authorities seized six tons of cocaine there. A Palestinian journalist who was shot by Israeli forces while covering a protest along the Gaza-Israel border nearly two weeks ago has died of his wounds, the Gaza Health Ministry announced. Ahmad Abu Hussein, who was shot in the abdomen on 13 April, is the second journalist to be fatally shot during weeks of demonstrations at the border, which have called for a right of return for Palestinian refugees and their descendants to homes in what is now Israel. The 24-year-old was wearing a protective vest marked Press and a helmet marked TV when he was shot, amateur video from the scene shows. He worked for Gazas Voice of People radio station linked to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, which is considered a terrorist group by Israel, the United States and the European Union. Health officials said a bullet penetrated Mr Abu Husseins side. He was moved from Gaza to a hospital in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, then transferred to a hospital in Israel, where he died on Wednesday. Palestinians clash with Israeli troops during mass demonstrations Show all 10 1 /10 Palestinians clash with Israeli troops during mass demonstrations Palestinians clash with Israeli troops during mass demonstrations Palestinian protesters flee from teargas AFP/Getty Palestinians clash with Israeli troops during mass demonstrations Israeli soldiers stand as Palestinian protesters gather on the Israel Gaza border AP Palestinians clash with Israeli troops during mass demonstrations A Palestinian is carried on a stretcher after being injured during the demonstration AFP/Getty Palestinians clash with Israeli troops during mass demonstrations Israeli soldiers take aim as they lie prone over an earth barrier along the border with the Gaza strip in the southern Israeli kibbutz of Nahal Oz as Palestinians demonstrate on the other side commemorating Land Day AFP/Getty Palestinians clash with Israeli troops during mass demonstrations Palestinian paramedics evacuate an injured man on the Gaza side of the Israel-Gaza border Reuters Palestinians clash with Israeli troops during mass demonstrations Palestinians demonstrate with crossed-out posters depicting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump, during a tent city protest near Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip AFP/Getty Images Palestinians clash with Israeli troops during mass demonstrations Palestinian protesters flee from teargas AFP/Getty Palestinians clash with Israeli troops during mass demonstrations Israeli soldiers shoot tear gas grenades towards the Palestinian tent city protest commemorating Land Day AFP/Getty Palestinians clash with Israeli troops during mass demonstrations Palestinian protesters take cover from Israeli troops AP Palestinians clash with Israeli troops during mass demonstrations Palestinians chant slogans as they attend a demonstration near the Gaza Strip border AP Earlier this month, another journalist, Yasser Murtaja, was killed while covering a protest. Israel claimed he was a Hamas militant, but provided no evidence. His family has denied the claim. Mr Murtaja had recently been hired by a Norwegian advocacy group and had also been screened by the US government before his company received a USAID grant. After his death, the Israeli military said it does not intentionally target journalists and it would investigate the circumstances of the shooting. The Palestinian journalists union accused Israel of deliberately targeting Mr Abu Hussein and Mr Murtaja, vowing to seek to bring leaders of the occupation to justice. Israeli soldiers are seen as Palestinian demonstrators protest at the Israel Gaza border (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit) (AP) Since the weekly Friday protests began on 30 March, 35 Palestinians have been killed and more than 1,500 wounded by Israeli soldiers firing across the border. Rights groups argue open-fire regulations are unlawful because they permit troops to use potentially lethal force against unarmed protesters and the US and EU have also questioned Israels use of deadly force. Israel has warned Gazans not to approach the border fence and says it is doing what is necessary to defend its sovereign border. The Palestinians said Israel, which has deployed army sharpshooters along the frontier, used excessive force against unarmed protesters. Some protesters have hurled stones and rolled burning tyres towards the fence. Additional reporting by agencies The remarkable return of the Airbus A380 from the edge of aviation oblivion continues, with a Portuguese airline picking up a pair of used SuperJumbo jets that previously flew for Singapore Airlines. Hi Fly, which is based in Lisbon and specialises in providing ad hoc flying for other airlines, has announced: Hi Fly is taking delivery of its first Airbus A380, the worlds largest and most spacious airliner. The arrival is a major event for the company, making it the first Portuguese and the fourth European airline operating the model. Air France, British Airways and Lufthansa are the only existing European airlines to fly the double-deck plane. The Independent understands that Hi Fly has signed an agreement to lease two A380s from their owner, the German leasing company Dr Peters Group. The two aircraft were previously operated by Singapore Airlines, the launch customer for the Airbus jet in 2007. They were handed back at the end of their 10-year lease, and have been parked at Tarbes Lourdes Pyrenees airport in south-west France. The Airbus A380 programme has been beset by problems. Its introduction into service coincided with the global financial collapse, and sales have never matched expectations. Coming soon to an airport near you? Mock-up of Airbus A380 in colours of Hi Fly (Hi Fly) Virgin Atlantic, one of several airlines that originally ordered the plane, recently cancelled its order for six A380s. Of 331 existing orders, 223 SuperJumbo have been delivered almost half of them to a single airline, Emirates. In comparison, the A350 twin jet which has been in service for barely three years has 850 firm orders. In January, Airbus said the A380 would be killed off unless more sales were forthcoming. The planemakers chief salesman said: If we cant work out a deal with Emirates, then I think there is no choice but to shut down the programme. Shortly afterwards, Emirates ordered 20 more A380s, with options for a further 16. Hi Fly is a leading provider of ACMI (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance and Insurance) support - more concisely known as wet leasing. It is currently providing aircraft for airlines hit by problems with some Rolls-Royce engines fitted to the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Turbine blades in the engines are wearing out much quicker than expected, affecting around 200 planes and causing problems for a range of airlines including Air New Zealand and Norwegian. Hi Fly is covering for those operations with a mix of A330 and A340 aircraft, which are much smaller than the A380. It is not clear what role the firm has for its new acquisitions. Airbus still believes there is potential for new orders for the A380 because of the unrelenting growth of aviation and the fact that airport infrastructure is failing to expand at the same rate especially at London Heathrow. Sales may be given a boost by the materialisation of a second-hand market for the A380. The formidable growth of Norwegian Air Shuttle continues, with a capacity of 36 per cent in the first quarter of 2018. But problems with the engines on Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft could affect its ambitious plans for 2018, the airline said in its Q1 results. The airline made a loss of 46.2 million Norwegian krone (4.16m) between January and March, a tiny figure compared with the NOK1.49bn (134m) loss in the same quarter previous year. But the result was positively affected by a financial gain from reclassification of the investment in Norwegian Finans Holding of NOK1.9bn. Without it, the airlines operating loss before interest was NOK2.18bn (197m), up 36 per cent on the loss last year exactly in line with the increase in capacity expressed in available seat-kilometres. The number of passengers increased by 12 per cent to 7.5 million in the first quarter. The reason capacity grew three times faster is that the length of the average flight increased by 17 per cent to 1,786km (1,110 miles). New routes from Gatwick include links to Buenos Aires, Singapore and several US cities. Norwegians chief executive, Bjorn Kjos, said: Our long-haul operation is now well established, proving that customers want affordable fares on intercontinental routes. The airlines load factor (the proportion of seats filled) was fractionally higher at 84.5 per cent: better than many legacy carriers but well behind its giant rivals, easyJet and Ryanair. Growth plans for 2018 could be hit by problems with a batch of Rolls-Royce Trent engines fitted to some of Norwegians 787 aircraft. Parts are wearing out much faster than expected, and European and US safety regulators are imposing restrictions on the operations of the affected Dreamliner aircraft. The airline said: Norwegian and several airlines worldwide have unfortunately been forced to conduct extraordinary inspections on a number of Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft due to issues with the specified type of Rolls Royce engines. This will affect our operations going forward, but it is too early to predict the scale of the issue. Norwegian was recently revealed to be a possible acquisition target for IAG, the parent company of British Airways, which has bought a 4.6 per cent share. The airline said it was also considering other expressions of interest: The Norwegian Board of Directors has established a steering committee and engaged financial and judicial advisors to review the situation, handle relevant enquiries and to safeguard the interests of all shareholders. If we were participating in a particularly sinister episode of Sesame Street, today would be brought to you by the letter I for incel. Logging onto Twitter this morning, the word was flying around, passed between news outlets and some of the biggest feminist names on the internet. It had spread like a mystery infection (what is this?) and was now on everyones tongue, impossible to get off. The word is being scrutinised in relation to the Toronto van attack, in which 25-year-old Alek Minassian has been charged with 10 counts of murder and 13 counts of attempted murder after he mounted a curb and appeared to intentionally strike pedestrians. At a press conference, Toronto Police Detective sergeant Graham Gibson said the victims were predominantly women. Minutes before carrying out the attack, police say that Minassian posted on his Facebook page, praising Elliot Rodger who shot and killed six people in 2014 on a revenge rampage, blaming all women for the fact he was a virgin aged 22 as well as paying tribute to the Incel Rebellion. Incel is shorthand for involuntarily celibate and is the name used by a community of extreme online misogynists to describe themselves. According to the New York Times: Incels are misogynists who are deeply suspicious and disparaging of women, whom they blame for denying them their right to sexual intercourse. Toronto van attack: in pictures Show all 10 1 /10 Toronto van attack: in pictures Toronto van attack: in pictures The front end damage of the van that a driver used to hit several pedestrians in Toronto. AFP/Getty Toronto van attack: in pictures A lone police officer confronts the man suspected of driving the rented white van. rayy0889/Twitter/Screengrab Toronto van attack: in pictures Alek Minassian, 25, of Richmond Hill, a suburb north of Toronto, was arrested after he drove the vehicle into pedestrians. LinkedIn Toronto van attack: in pictures 10 people were killed in the city on Monday, 23rd April. AP Toronto van attack: in pictures Farzad Salehi consoles his wife, Mehrsa Marjani, who was at a nearby cafe and witnessed the aftermath. AP Toronto van attack: in pictures Emergency services closed Yonge Street after the van mounted a pavement crashing into a crowd of pedestrians. AP Toronto van attack: in pictures A covered body lies on Yonge Street. EPA Toronto van attack: in pictures Police inspect the van involved with the collision. Getty Toronto van attack: in pictures People sign a memorial for the victims. AP Toronto van attack: in pictures Police officers stand by a covered body. Aaron Vincent Elkaim/The Canadian Press via AP And they are known: Rodgers crime brought them to mainstream attention four years ago and there was a Reddit incel group of over 40,000 members until the platform tightened up its fight against the glorification of violence against women and banned them. Somewhat tragically incel was actually coined far more innocently by a single woman in 1993 and has been horrifically abducted by the woman-hating community. In recent times, theres been growing awareness around the links between terror and violent misogyny. Mass killers or shooters have been revealed to have a history of domestic violence, such as Devin Patrick Kelley who shot 26 people in a Texan church last year; or Omar Mateen who killed 49 people in a gay club in Orlando in 2016; or Khalid Masood of the Westminster Bridge attack which saw five people killed in 2017; or Robert Lewis Deer, who killed three people and wounded nine at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado Springs in 2015. And that shouldnt come as a surprise domestic violence and abuse is a form of terrorism, exactly how Luke Hart, whose sister and mother were shot dead by their father in 2016, described their experience: Our father was a terrorist living within our own home. Broadly speaking, domestic abuse and violence against women is firmly rooted in the notion of control, and for incels a loss of control has been translated into the ideology of blame. Of course, all of this overlaps into the vile swamp of misogyny, but incels are a specific network, united in blaming women for their lack of sex and have their own distinct behaviours, tropes, memes and language. They call men who can sleep with women Chads and women who wont have sex with them are known as Stacys, everyone else is a normie. They play out violent fantasies online, threatening rape and acid attacks, and according to journalist Arshy Mann, who has been reporting on the manosphere corners of the internet, incels differ in important ways from Mens Rights Activists. While both movements are misogynistic at their core, MRAs deploy a human rights framework to argue men are oppressed. Incels dont talk about rights, they just hate. Justin Trudeau gives official comments after van hits pedestrians in Toronto Misogyny is a broad brush. Any woman can tell you that. Incels are clearly a specific and extreme manifestation of it. But despite the fact that they seem like a minority of individuals festering in forums the rest of us ignore, their manifesto of blame actually taps into the most everyday expression of misogyny trying to retain power. And this ties them with any man who seeks to abuse a woman. These men feel that women are undermining their power and their right as a man to have sex and they cannot control the situation. Women withholding sex is a redistribution of power and a loss of male control: a theme that seems to lace all corners of our world in 2018. There is a valid argument that by referring to their chosen name, explaining their ideology and recognising them as a legitimate terror group, we are giving air to a bunch of self-loathing, lonely and hateful young men who just want to get laid its a tricky line to tread. If you were the loved ones of Minassians victims, Im sure incels would feel very real indeed. And how long can the basement-dwelling dregs of the internet be ignored as sex hungry nerds when between Rodger and Minassian, 16 people have been killed? Why are we always finding a way not to call young white men terrorists? Fundamentally, the semantics around violence against women is so important for numerous reasons. Too long has our collective refusal to talk about the issue cost womens lives; were stuck knee deep still in cliches about what abusers and violent men can and do look like; and weve yet to give preventing violence against women the time, resources, gravitas and language it so urgently needs. Call them what you will, but this is a politicised terror attack against women and we need to find a way to talk about that. If Amber Rudd does manage to survive as home secretary, it will be through no great effort of her own. Telling a select committee of the House of Commons on one day that there were no targets for deportations, only to have to return to the chamber of the house the next day to say precisely the opposite is the sort of farcical performance that would have a minister deported from their own office in normal times. Nor was this the first or the only error of fact or judgement that Ms Rudd has committed. As the evidence seeps out of the Home Department, we learn more about her eagerness to please her predecessor and now boss, Theresa May. At no point, that is, before the Windrush generation scandal broke, did Ms Rudd attempt to humanise the administration of her "great" department of state. She never, until her hand was forced, showed any inclination to abandon the hostile environment regime implemented by her predecessor. Indeed theres some suggestion that Ms Rudd exceeded even Ms May in her zeal for taking on the sponging illegal immigrant of popular mythology. Even yesterday, she found it difficult to stick to the official line on the EU customs union. Like Ms May, she likes to sound, look and act tough. The Tories and much of the press like that. Until, that is, things went wrong, and she looked as though she might find herself repenting at leisure on the back benches. Since then, we have heard nothing but contrition and a gushing forth of the milk of human kindness, or, as she puts it, her faith in a new compliance environment for her civil servants and a modest task force to sort out the accidental deportations. So why keep her where she is? One reason is that she has, as far as can be detected, shown some genuine intent to fix the mess, if only to save her own skin though even here there have been mishaps, such as the underqualified call centre staff deployed to manage complex and sensitive human tragedies. A further reason is that it seems unjust that she should have to carry the can for a policy that was overwhelmingly devised by Ms May and her advisers during her imperious and lengthy reign at the Home Office, and, since Ms May entered No 10, was merely sub-contracted to Ms Rudd. Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Show all 15 1 /15 Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK The ex-troopship 'Empire Windrush' arriving at Tilbury Docks from Jamaica, with 482 Jamaicans on board, emigrating to Britain. Getty Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Jamaican immigrants being welcomed by RAF officials from the Colonial Office after the ex-troopship 'Empire Windrush' landed them at Tilbury. PA Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Alford Gardner who arrived in Britain in 1948 on the first Windrush ship to dock in Tilbury, Essex, speaking at his home in Leeds PA Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Alford Gardner in Leeds shortly after he arrived in Britain in 1948 on the first Windrush ship to dock in Tilbury, Essex PA Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Gardner was 22 years old when he boarded the ship in Kingston, Jamaica, with his brother Gladstone before they and hundreds of Caribbean migrants called on to rebuild post-war Britain disembarked the ship in Tilbury Docks PA Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Alford Gardner (right), during his RAF service in 1947 PA Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK The son of Ruth Williams, a Windrush-generation immigrant, wants to the leave the country after threats of deportation. According to his mother, Mr Haynes applied for British citizenship in 2016 but was rejected, despite Ms Williams having lived in the UK almost permanently since arriving from St Vincent and the Grenadines in 1959. Ruth Williams, 75, said she felt "betrayed" by Britain after the Home Office twice turned down applications for her 35-year-old son, Mozi Haynes, to remain in the country. Ms Williams is understood to have cancer and said she relies heavily on her son for support. PA Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK The British liner 'Empire Windrush' at port in 1954. Getty Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Ruth Williams, 75, with her British passport. "I feel betrayed and a second class citizen in my own country," she said. "This makes me so sad and the Home Office must show some compassion. "I am unwell and almost 75, I live on my own and I need my son to stay here. I need my family around me and I cant face being alone. He has applied to the Home Office and been refused twice." PA Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK From the top, hopeful Jamaican boxers Charles Smith, Ten Ansel, Essi Reid, John Hazel, Boy Solas and manager Mortimer Martin arrive at Tilbury on the Empire Windrush in the hope of finding work in Britain. Getty Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Jamaicans reading a newspaper whilst on board the ex-troopship 'Empire Windrush' bound for Tilbury docks in Essex. Getty Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK After half a century in Britain, Anthony Bryan decided it was time to go abroad. But the decision set off a nightmare that saw him lose his job, detained twice and almost deported to Jamaica. AFP/Getty Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Jamaica-born Anthony Bryan poses outside his home in Edmonton, north London. Now 60 and a grandfather, Bryan thought the issue could be resolved swiftly, as he legally moved to Britain with his family as part of the Windrush generation of Caribbean migrants after World War II. In 1948, the ship Windrush brought the first group of migrants from the West Indies to help rebuild post-war Britain, and many others followed from around the Commonwealth. A 1971 law gave them indefinite leave to remain, but many never formalised their status, often because they were children who came over on their parents' passports and then never applied for their own. AFP/Getty Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Three Jamaican immigrants (left to right) John Hazel, a 21-year-old boxer, Harold Wilmot, 32, and John Richards, a 22-year-old carpenter, arriving at Tilbury on board the ex-troopship 'Empire Windrush', smartly dressed in zoot suits and trilby hats. Getty Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Newly arrived Jamaican immigrants on board the 'Empire Windrush' at Tilbury in 1948. Getty It is also just about credible that Ms Rudd didnt realise that there were local targets for deportations being pursued at a time when there were none for national deportations (though the infamous 100,000 cap for net migration does in fact represent a partial national target for migration). While Ms Rudd has shown herself far too ready to blame civil servants for following a policy that a Conservative-led government has dictated, it is also wrong to suppose that she can be reasonably held personally responsible for every decision made by a regional officer or Border Force official. Ms Rudds allies plead that sacking her would not solve very much, and the reluctant conclusion must be that that is right. Dumping Ms Rudd and substituting her with some other of Ms Mays collection of underpowered and overpromoted ministers makes little sense. A weak and vulnerable Amber Rudd has more of an incentive to repair the damage to peoples lives than any conceivable replacement. Is the country crying out for a new home secretary or, rather, simply and earnestly, for the Windrush generation to win justice? Gavin Williamson and the other ambitious chaps around the cabinet table may have to wait a little longer to edge closer to No 10. Bad as the migration scandals are, nor is the record of Ms May and Ms Rudd much more impressive across the rest of the Home Offices responsibilities. Knife crime is showing a worrying trend upwards, and too little has been done to aid the places mostly poor and deprived and help the communities where the stabbings and gang violence threaten to become normalised. As has sometimes been remarked recently, if the knifings of teenagers were in Chelsea rather than Tottenham, would they have persisted for so long? Amber Rudd says she 'bitterly, deeply regrets' failing to see the Windrush scandal sooner The migration cap was always bogus, and David Cameron urged Ms May to soften it, to little avail. Even now, when it has become a joke for the best part of a decade, Ms May makes her ministers cling to it as some sort of aspirational symbol. For Ms Rudd to protest that the government doesnt have the sort of targets culture the Blair-Brown governments supposedly suffered from is ludicrous. With Brexit, with a discredited migration cap, despite all the public attention and concern, with tales of injustice and arbitrary deportation the deport now, ask questions alter approach British migration policy is as big a mess as it has ever been. What will happen to migration targets when free movement of EU citizens ceases on 29 March next year? What will happen to EU citizens in the UK who wish to marry someone from the EU and vice versa? How many visas will be issued to India or China in return for trade deals? Should there be, as Boris Johnson has urged, an amnesty of illegal immigrants? Should the British-born children of illegal migrants be deported or deprived of schooling and NHS care? Certainly, Ms Rudd should answer questions about what she and her predecessor knew, and when, about the injustices meted out to the Windrush generation; but they also have to present the country with an immigration policy, to borrow a phrase, that works for all. Apologies, and even resignations, are not enough. This article includes graphic descriptions of sexual violence The day that Peter Madsen, a sadistic necrophiliac, is handed down a life sentence for premeditated murder, desecration of a corpse and aggravated sexual assault seems like an appropriate time to talk about the harms of pornography. Madsen murdered Kim Wall, a journalist, for sexual pleasure. Lets have a think about this a man, torturing, dismembering, raping and extinguishing the life of a woman for sexual pleasure. The same day that Madsen met Wall, he searched the internet for beheaded girl agony, and watched a film of a woman having her throat slit. There are people reading this who have never encountered extreme pornography, and most of them will be women. The kind of porn now available for free involves gagging, choking, slapping and beating, and horrendously painful acts such as penetrating an orifice, such as a mouth, vagina or anus, with multiple penises and weapons. The porn that the boys at my school would look at in the early 1970s is now what we see on MTV. The mainstream, easily accessible stuff I can find online within seconds is often sadistic, brutal, and misogynistic in the extreme. I have seen the type of porn that Madsen enjoyed. In the 1980s I watched a snuff movie with other anti-porn activists, journalists and experts in special film effects. One of the activists had gone into a porn shop in England and asked if the owner had something really extreme. The storeowner gave her a film of a woman in South America being raped, tortured and murdered. We saw her hand sawn off while she was still alive. Even the hardened crime reporters had to leave the room to be sick. The feminists stayed. We knew what to expect, because we had heard about snuff from activists in the US who were campaigning against the torture and murder of women for mens sexual pleasure. Prior to this viewing, many porn apologists claimed that snuff did not exist, and that feminists, along with religious moralists, had invented it in order to add weight to our anti-porn campaigns. We proved the sceptics wrong. The film experts verified that there were no camera tricks involved. A local journalist wrote about the screening, and urged police to take action. They did not. This all happened before the internet. Now, men like Madsen who enjoy womens agony can film themselves abusing women and children, and distribute to other sadists, or to people who are simply curious. 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 Throughout the trial, prosecutors presented irrefutable evidence of Madsens prolific use of violent pornography. Police discovered a hard drive in Madsens workshop that included snuff films of women being beheaded, tortured and impaled on metal spikes. Madsens motive, said the prosecutors, was that the killer sought sexual pleasure from the death and torture of women. The jury accepted that this is what had happened, and the judges sentence life without the possibility of parole suggests that she did too. Madsen and other men who consume torture porn know that in order for them to access it, women are raped, abused, hurt and sometimes even killed. Real women. The women who survive have to live with the knowledge that a record of the abuse will exist long after they are dead, and that men will be masturbating to their pain and humiliation. Why do most liberals appear to defend porn? Are they afraid of being labelled anti-sex? In 2013, the academic, peer-reviewed journal Porn Studies was launched, edited by two female academics who appear to be totally uncritical of the porn industry. They have published critiques of the feminist anti-porn position, and have an editorial board made up of pro-porn activists. I and other anti-porn activists are often asked to prove a direct causal link between viewing porn and sexual violence. Seriously? They want proof that seeing the level of hate and abuse directed to women by men in porn is both a cause and a consequence of hatred of women? Without misogyny, porn would not exist. The porn that fuelled and validated Madsens sadistic fantasises is created by abusing women on camera. To deny that constantly viewing the torture of women for sexual pleasure has no material effect and does not lead to men seeking to try out the scenes they view online is as illogical as claiming that advertising of any kind does not work. We need to accept that pornography legitimises the horrific sexual debasement of women, and that it serves no purpose except to link violence and abuse with sex in the minds of boys and men. Kim Wall is a victim of Peter Madsen, and of pornography. The great 10th century Iraqi poet Abu Tayyib al-Mutanabbi once lived, O fated city, in the Emirate of Aleppo. He even led a revolt in Syria which was familiar stuff, this put down with great ruthlessness. Al-Mutanabbi actually spent two years in prison before reconciling himself to his loss and was subsequently released. Most Arab children in Syria can quote the man by heart and one of their favourite poems begins with these words: When you see the teeth of a lion, Dont think that the lion is smiling at you. Recommended The search for truth in the rubble of Douma I was reminded of this lion while clambering through the ruins on the side of the Scientific Studies and Research Centre in the Damascus suburb of Barzeh last week. This was the centre now famous from so many satellite pictures destroyed by Donald Trumps missiles when they struck at the heart of Syrias chemical weapons programme. Did they? Anything with a Strangelove name like the Department of Pharmaceutical and Civilian Chemical Research the bit of the complex hit by at least 13 missiles deserves to have its contents studied closely. Id been refused permission to visit this Syrian institution for three days. If it was all in ruins which it assuredly is, and on a scale much larger than the photographs suggest why the delay? And does it matter? Well, yes. I am reminded of the much more famous Iraqi baby milk factory bombed by the Americans in 1991 which General Colin Powell called a biological weapons factory, of that we are sure. My colleague Patrick Cockburn wrote of this last week, recalling his visit to the factory only hours after the bombing. After the war, it turned out that the building probably had been an infant formula factory after all although what cant you do with a glass of milk? The problem is that while we believe all Arab dictators regularly lie, we Western folk are supposed to hold our own leaders to account and ensure that they tell the truth when they claim to act on our behalf. Thats why the Douma attack must be fully explained, and thats why I wanted to know if this wreckage in Barzeh (the direct response to Douma, although of course no one was killed in Barzeh) was what we said it was, or whether it was what the Syrians claimed it to be a medical research facility. Was the lion smiling at me? Or was I misinterpreting the meaning of its face? Corbyn leads debate into Parliament vote on Syria strikes: 'The government is attempting to overturn a democratic advance' Certainly Dr Said al-Said, head of the centres polymers department, was all smiles, and for what its worth, he doesnt look like Dr Strangelove. And the rubble of his bombed research centre when I met him, without minders or guards, yielded to me little proof of the chemical warfare research centre its American destroyers claimed it to be. It looked, indeed, very much like a site where, according to the 192-nation Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, during its most recent visit last November, there was no evidence of chemical or biological weapons being developed, tested or produced. The OPCW is the same institute currently investigating the presumed gas attack on Douma. If this was a chemical weapons centre, he says, jabbing me in the chest with his finger, Youd be dead just standing here today. Hardly conclusive given the time that had elapsed, and of course it may have been used merely for research, rather than storage of chemical weapons, which formed one part of the Americans claim. Same old question. What cant you do with a glass of milk? 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 scrambled through the ruins on my own for more than an hour and found five buildings in this research campus utterly blown apart. I was free to roam around in the sun, much to 64-year old Al-Saids amusement. But it had been four days since the American-Anglo-French air strikes. Western politicians routinely accuse their enemies of hoovering up incriminating evidence before opening bomb sites to any journalists. And Id been kept waiting for three days. Yet when I eventually drove through the gates of the campus, documents and files were still wedged into the flattened concrete and flapping in the breeze. The most intriguing papers I could find related to a desalination project in rural Syria and a published dissertation in English by Kuwaiti scientists on the use of rubber in sealing concrete road bridges. While I was there, mechanical diggers began to haul away vast hunks of masonry some with yet more papers trapped in the wreckage and dumping them in commercial lorries for disposal. Could this really have been the site of an elaborate cover-up? Could the Syrians remove the evidence in four days? And while Im no chemical weapons expert, the OPCW definitely is, and visited Barzeh several times in 2013. But what happened since then? They said it was free of any chemical warfare research, Al-Said said. The published reports confirm this but no visit has taken place since last November. Yet questions multiply here, rather like they probably do in a research centre is it conceivable that the OPCW would not have made some reference to a change in the Barzeh complexs purpose if they suspected this in the past five months? There was still a strong smell of burning plastic which he attributed to the smouldering remains of computers and plastic desks in the ruins. I walked deep inside the wreckage and neither the workmen nor the centres portly boss grew nervous or asked me to stop usually a tell-tale sign that someone is getting nervous. It happened to me in Serbia when I discovered military slit-trenches behind a Nato-bombed hospital the civilian patients, it turned out, were dead, the Yugoslav soldiers hiding there against all the laws of war were unharmed and long departed. Among the undamaged buildings on the Syrian campus were student lecture rooms and a childrens school with paintings of animals which had clearly given the fading paint been decorated on the walls many summers ago. Dr Al-Said himself trained as an applied chemist, first in Dresden (when it was still part of eastern Germany) and then at Dusseldorf. He had worked here for 15 years, he said, but was at home ten miles away when the missiles struck in the early hours. Did he expect to be the target, I asked? I am not an expert in politics, he replied. But with the Americans and British and French, you can expect anything. A Syrian soldier films the damage of the Syrian Scientific Research Center (AP) His students and lecturers, he insisted, were researching the production of medicinal chemicals and especially the DNA of scorpions and snakes, and leukemias and cancers. We have been producing the research for medicines for local use but which are sold all over the Middle East. We were developing rubber particles [sic] for the oil industry and researching the use of rubber for bridge construction. When Al-Said told me this, he was unaware that I had already found papers on the subject amid the rubble a point in his favour. The OPCW had given us certificates twice, he added. I also noted that this large campus lay less than a mile from the scene of fierce battles 18 months ago between the government army and Nusrah (as well as some Free Syrian Army rebels). I witnessed some of this fighting at the time. Would the Syrian regime have maintained a chemical weapons research centre which could so easily have fallen into the hands of its enemies then or later? If the Americans were correct when they said at the weekend that the Barzeh centre is used for the research, development, production and testing of chemical and biological weaponry, then the regime was certainly taking some grave risks before or after the battles. For the American claims to be correct, then, an awful lot of work must have gone on to change the nature of this complex in the past five months since the OPCW inspectors were last there. The infamous Baghdad baby milk factory is now generally accepted to have been genuine although the Iraqi regime put a fake sign in English on the wrecked gates for television cameras after the bombing. The only sign beside the wrecked Syrian complex is a large portrait of Bashar al-Assad with the legend All for you written upon it. In Arabic. But back to the lion. Poor old Muttanabi was eventually killed by a man whom he had insulted in a poem. His name wait for it was Dabbah al-Assadi. No relation, of course The scandal over how the government has treated the Windrush generation presents serious electoral problems for the Conservatives. Hanging onto power by a thread through a delicate agreement with the DUP, the party must broaden its electoral appeal in order to achieve the healthy parliamentary majority it so dearly craves. A crisis like this, against a backdrop of growing diversity in Britain, makes this objective all the more difficult for the Tories. A report from think tank British Future has suggested that the ethnic minority vote cost the Conservatives a parliamentary majority in the last general election. By focusing on shoring up its traditional core vote, which was overwhelmingly supportive of Brexit, the party failed to produce a policy agenda that appealed to more urban, diverse parts of the country. The report also found that the Conservatives electoral appeal among black Caribbeans is far weaker when compared with other ethno-religious groups, such as Indian Hindus and Sikhs. Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Show all 15 1 /15 Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK The ex-troopship 'Empire Windrush' arriving at Tilbury Docks from Jamaica, with 482 Jamaicans on board, emigrating to Britain. Getty Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Jamaican immigrants being welcomed by RAF officials from the Colonial Office after the ex-troopship 'Empire Windrush' landed them at Tilbury. PA Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Alford Gardner who arrived in Britain in 1948 on the first Windrush ship to dock in Tilbury, Essex, speaking at his home in Leeds PA Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Alford Gardner in Leeds shortly after he arrived in Britain in 1948 on the first Windrush ship to dock in Tilbury, Essex PA Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Gardner was 22 years old when he boarded the ship in Kingston, Jamaica, with his brother Gladstone before they and hundreds of Caribbean migrants called on to rebuild post-war Britain disembarked the ship in Tilbury Docks PA Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Alford Gardner (right), during his RAF service in 1947 PA Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK The son of Ruth Williams, a Windrush-generation immigrant, wants to the leave the country after threats of deportation. According to his mother, Mr Haynes applied for British citizenship in 2016 but was rejected, despite Ms Williams having lived in the UK almost permanently since arriving from St Vincent and the Grenadines in 1959. Ruth Williams, 75, said she felt "betrayed" by Britain after the Home Office twice turned down applications for her 35-year-old son, Mozi Haynes, to remain in the country. Ms Williams is understood to have cancer and said she relies heavily on her son for support. PA Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK The British liner 'Empire Windrush' at port in 1954. Getty Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Ruth Williams, 75, with her British passport. "I feel betrayed and a second class citizen in my own country," she said. "This makes me so sad and the Home Office must show some compassion. "I am unwell and almost 75, I live on my own and I need my son to stay here. I need my family around me and I cant face being alone. He has applied to the Home Office and been refused twice." PA Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK From the top, hopeful Jamaican boxers Charles Smith, Ten Ansel, Essi Reid, John Hazel, Boy Solas and manager Mortimer Martin arrive at Tilbury on the Empire Windrush in the hope of finding work in Britain. Getty Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Jamaicans reading a newspaper whilst on board the ex-troopship 'Empire Windrush' bound for Tilbury docks in Essex. Getty Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK After half a century in Britain, Anthony Bryan decided it was time to go abroad. But the decision set off a nightmare that saw him lose his job, detained twice and almost deported to Jamaica. AFP/Getty Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Jamaica-born Anthony Bryan poses outside his home in Edmonton, north London. Now 60 and a grandfather, Bryan thought the issue could be resolved swiftly, as he legally moved to Britain with his family as part of the Windrush generation of Caribbean migrants after World War II. In 1948, the ship Windrush brought the first group of migrants from the West Indies to help rebuild post-war Britain, and many others followed from around the Commonwealth. A 1971 law gave them indefinite leave to remain, but many never formalised their status, often because they were children who came over on their parents' passports and then never applied for their own. AFP/Getty Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Three Jamaican immigrants (left to right) John Hazel, a 21-year-old boxer, Harold Wilmot, 32, and John Richards, a 22-year-old carpenter, arriving at Tilbury on board the ex-troopship 'Empire Windrush', smartly dressed in zoot suits and trilby hats. Getty Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Newly arrived Jamaican immigrants on board the 'Empire Windrush' at Tilbury in 1948. Getty While the Conservatives traditionally perform well among the grey vote, its a different story among the older members of Britains ethnic minorities. Indeed, the British Future report finds that the most solid forms of Labour allegiance can be found among first generation migrants of black Caribbean origin. And despite holding fairly socially conservative views, first generation black Caribbean migrants have remained staunchly loyal to Labour. This is not only a legacy of the race relations legislation passed under Labour governments. It is also due to painful memories, such as the Smethwick controversy in the 1964 general election, in which Tory candidate Peter Griffiths exploited racial tensions in the West Midlands constituency to win the race. This was later followed by Enoch Powells 1968 Rivers of Blood speech. Delivered to a Conservative Association meeting in Birmingham, Powell predicted: In this country, in 15 or 20 years time, the black man will have the whip over the white man. Politically disaffected, socially integrated While the Windrush scandal revolves around a particular group of people, the incident has broader implications for any political party hoping for support from Britains wider black Caribbean population. Black Caribbeans are the most socially integrated group. Through inter-ethnic relationships, and having friends, work colleagues and neighbours who are outside their own ethnic group, black Caribbeans demonstrate high levels of social mixing. But the group is known to be particularly prone to political disaffection. They trust parliament and the police less than other minority groups such as black Africans, Indians, Pakistanis and Bangladeshis. They are also the most likely to report racial discrimination and feel that non whites in the UK are held back by prejudice. Black Caribbeans are the least likely to be satisfied with British democracy. This paradox lies in the possibility that through greater social mixing, black Caribbeans are more exposed to and aware of racial discrimination. And this contributes to their political disaffection. Lost voters The Windrush scandal is unlikely to improve levels of political trust and democratic satisfaction among Britains black Caribbeans. And its likely to have done serious damage to the governing Conservative Partys relationship with Britains black Caribbean communities. Aspirational, family-oriented black Caribbeans of Christian faith could be thought of as potential Tory voters in the making. But the mistreatment endured by some of their community elders is unlikely to convince them to join the Conservative fold. The scandal itself has undeniable racial connotations. On last weeks BBC Question Time, conservative commentator Iain Dale went as far as suggesting that members of the Windrush generation would be treated differently if they originated from countries such as New Zealand. However true or not this may be, Britains governing party is currently vulnerable to accusations of racism. While Labour should not take such voters for granted, the Windrush scandal certainly presents an opportunity for the party. It historically enjoys ownership of issues surrounding racial equality and fairness. Jeremy Corbyn now has a chance to build up support among voters who are growing increasingly uneasy over the authoritarian-nationalist direction of government policy. The scandal makes the Conservative Partys task of broadening its electoral appeal in an increasingly diverse context all the more difficult. At the 2002 party conference, Theresa May stated that the Tories had to do more to not be seen as the nasty party. Unfortunately, recent events under her hostile environment policy have reconsolidated that very image. Rakib Ehsan is a doctoral researcher in political science at Royal Holloway. This piece originally appeared on The Conversation North-west based Aurivo Co-op believes a potential link-up with LacPatrick Dairies would deliver a strong Brexit buffer for both businesses. The dairy and agri-business has seen turnover increase 9pc to 426m in 2017, while operating profits were up 10pc at 3.9m. Aaron Forde, CEO of Aurivo, said it was well-positioned with a 48m five-year business investment plan in place that would see it expand its milk-drying facilities at Ballaghaderreen, Co Roscommon, expand their liquid milk facilities in Killygordon, Co Donegal and also invest in the feed milling side of the agri-business. It is among the four businesses - including Glanbia, Lakeland Dairies and Northern-Ireland based Dale Farms - that has expressed an interest in LacPatrick Dairies after the Border region co-op recently signalled it was looking at "strategic options" to consolidate. Mr Forde pointed out they have an intermingled supply base in Northern Ireland, complementary milk pools and product portfolios. "A key strength is they are also very active in African markets. They have well-invested assets north of the Border with a new drier at Artigarvan and they have some good assets on the butter side," he said. "We have our own Brexit plan but a joined Aurivo and LacPatrick would be in a strong position from a Brexit point of view." Mr Forde stressed they have a strong "track record" in delivering for their member farmers and "see ourselves in a strong position to do the same for a combined base". He said they have not yet seen the balance sheet of LacPatrick but were approaching it with "confidence" but also "cognisant" of the risks. A spokesman for LacPatrick said it is a "profitable" co-op and is in a position of "strategic strength" after a 40m investment in a state-of-the-art dairy technology centre in Artigarvan, Co Tyrone last year. It is understood a couple of dozen suppliers in the North served contract termination notices following the recent milk price cut by LacPatrick. Aurivo pointed out in its financial results for 2017 that it was a record year as its milk pool increased to 420 million litres, which helped drive sales in its dairy ingredients business up 41pc to 143.5m. Its net debt in the period reduced from 16.6m to 5.7m last year. There has been strong demand in the Middle East and Africa for its enriched milk powders, with a new brand - Forto - launched in Nigeria. I wouldn't belong to any club that would have me as a member, Groucho Marx famously said. Something similar might perhaps apply to Ireland's membership of the so-called 'Hanseatic league' of northern Eurozone states. Photo: Stock image I wouldn't belong to any club that would have me as a member, Groucho Marx famously said. Something similar might perhaps apply to Ireland's membership of the so-called 'Hanseatic league' of northern Eurozone states. Groucho's joke was a brilliant swipe at the anti-Semitism which kept Jews out of gentlemen's clubs. In Ireland's case, the difficulty would be ungentlemanly conduct. The Dutch may have been tempted to reach for the black ball. This particular club adheres strongly to the principle of tight budgets and the belief that stability and growth in the euro area depend on everyone maintaining fiscal responsibility. Ireland, as we know all too well, has form in this area. The attraction for Ireland is that the group, which includes Baltic states, is associated more with free market policies and limited government intervention than the dirigisme associated with France. The attraction of Ireland for them is less clear, but the undoubted success of the Irish economy may have something to do with it. Especially since Ireland appears, on the face of it, to be a prime example of the success of their ideas; where a return to balanced public finances, after the huge depressing forces of the austerity programme, was followed by strong economic growth. On the other side in the eurozone panoply is what has already been dubbed the 'Club Med'. This is a more motley group than the northern one, but it does lay a greater emphasis on government action to support demand and create employment, along with protective laws and regulations. They look to France as their standard bearer while the others look to Germany - at least to set a good example. Maybe Finance Minister Pascal Donohoe's tough stance (so far) on the 2019 budget has something to do with membership of this new, and somewhat unsettling, club. More seriously, the issues involved go to the heart of the eurozone's dilemmas in trying to deal with the very real threats to its success, and even its existence. Among those issues is that basic disagreement on how things should be done. It has resulted in a deadlock which means that nothing much is being done. That was clear from last week's unconvincing meeting of minds between President Emmanuel Macron and Chancellor Angela Merkel. Now an eminent group of economists from each persuasion has come together to advocate solutions which all could support. One of the prime movers in bringing the 14 involved together, Prof Agnes Benassy-Quere of the Paris School of Economics, outlined their thoughts to the Institute for International and European Affairs (IIEA) in Dublin and made it clear they think the matter is urgent. They see the whole Euro project increasingly challenged by populist and nationalist movements, and while they agree that the success of such movements has many causes, they argue that "a poorly designed fiscal and financial architecture" is an important contributor. After five years and many promises, the 'doom loop' whereby, as in Ireland, broken banks break their home government, remains largely intact. Only the building blocks of a crisis management system are in place and there are no effective measures to enforce standards on national governments over things like, ahem, high debt levels and non-performing bank loans. Nor is there any convincing mechanism for dealing with another national bankruptcy, whether caused by profligate governments reckless banks. Supervision to prevent this happening has improved but it is not clear what could be done if a populist government threw over the traces. The paradox here is that even those who suffered the most during the crash, the Greeks especially, showed no appetite to abandon the euro and return to national currencies. They felt that the single currency represented stability and a store of value which they had not enjoyed before. The euro's policymakers can hardly rely on that attitude forever. Small countries know they are vulnerable but a larger one such as Italy, or even France, might succumb to the argument that national control of the currency would be better - although Marine le Pen quickly realised that such a moment has not yet arrived in France. Tensions may subside with the eurozone finally in full recovery mode but another crash could re-ignite and intensify them. As the economists say; "The next euro area crisis may still be years away. But when it returns, perhaps on the occasion of the next cyclical downturn, it could come with a vengeance." After the experience of 2010, investors, bankers and savers will be prone to panic at any signs of weakness among vulnerable member states. Strange as it may seem in such circumstances, the report's conclusion is that it must be made clear to all that next time, there will be no bailouts. Bondholders must believe they will get burned, and governments that they will have to burn them, so that both take more care beforehand but - something not well understood in Ireland at the time - leaving things just at that would have consequences every bit as unpleasant as the bailout. To avoid them, says the group, the eurozone must develop structures in which debt restructuring for a stricken economy becomes feasible without large collateral economic damage. The list of such structures includes ECB protection of viable parts of the financial sector, more predictable liquidity support when needed, and assistance to countries which do restructure their debts through a European Monetary Fund. Just such a fund was on President Macron's wishlist but just before his visit Mrs Merkel told her party she would insist on treaty change before the existing stability mechanism (ESM) could become a monetary fund. That is as close to 'Never!' as you are likely to find. The knot at the centre of the policy deadlock is the fear in one club that it will end up making permanent transfers of cash to the other. The report accepts that, without careful handling, the measures it advocates could indeed lead to such a situation. A euro area capital budget of the kind suggested by Macron would be an invitation for national governments to neglect their own deficit responsibilities. A European deposit insurance system could be abused by governments to get favourable terms from local banks. An unemployment insurance scheme might reduce incentives for labour market reform. And so on. The economists believe there are mechanisms which can prevent at least large-scale perverse incentives from the structures required to make the financial system of the eurozone safer. With one welcome exception - simpler fiscal rules - they are all extremely complex and would require both agreement and determination among member states to put them in place. At present there is neither. Until there is, the best plan for any individual country is to make sure it is a creditor and not a debtor if some new crisis does arrive with a vengeance. Ireland may have joined a creditors' club, but it still has along way to go to qualify as a full member. Unlike Groucho, it can at least try. Posted Thursday, March 1, 2018 11:00 am Michigans strength as an agricultural powerhouse has fueled a number of developments in the food and beverage industry in recent years, including the farm-to-table restaurant movement and the craft beer scene. Last month the latest industry to take advantage of the states ample resources saw a new addition with the opening of Michigrain Distillery, a craft spirits manufacturing facility in downtown Lansing. Why go out of state when we have the best corn and wheat in the country right here in our backyard? said Michigrain co-founder/co-owner Mike Bird. Were very proud of Michigan agriculture. Our grain harvest here is a river of gold. If Birds name sounds familiar, thats because he was one of the co-founders of American Fifth Spirits, another distillery that opened in 2015 just a few blocks away. A year into running American Fifth, he ran into his old friend, Scott Ellis, a retired Lansing Police Department detective (now executive director of the Michigan Licensed Beverage Association) at a downtown event, rekindling their camaraderie and planting the seed for what would become Michigrain. Mikes like an encyclopedia for distilling, Ellis said. Every day I work with him I learn something new, and with the amount of knowledge you need in this industry that kind of know-how is crucial. Theres no one in Michigan whos doing what were doing at this level, and there are only a handful in the country. Michigrains main output is high alcohol content (HAC) spirits, a nearly colorless, odorless, tasteless liquid that serves as the base for a wide variety of liquors. Vodka is the easiest thing to make from HAC, with gin, whiskey, absinthe, port wine and flavored liqueurs (think: Baileys and Kahlua) being strong secondaries. Right now the 3,500-square-foot production floor pumps out between 1,500 and 2,000 gallons of HAC per month in fourday manufacturing cycles, but Bird says that will only increase. Eventually Id like to be operating 24 hours, which will really expand our capabilities, Bird said. The industry has grown by leaps and bounds in recent years with new technology, and I dont see that slowing down anytime soon. Were primed to be able to become an extremely high-volume production facility. Bird and Ellis dropped more than $1 million to convert the former NAPA Auto Parts Store across the street from Lansing Brewing Co. into the Michigrain headquarters. Equipment includes massive, 800-gallon stainless steel mashing tanks, a couple of polypropylene plastic fermentation tanks and a threestory-tall column that serves as the still. Theres also a bottling facility on the floor capable of producing up to 50 cases a day. But the biggest export (literally) are the 200-gallon industrial totes of HAC it ships to customers as far away as Japan. The grain mostly comes from Jorgensen Farm Elevator in Williamston, while the potatoes that are used are actually waste product imported from Better Made Potato Chips in Detroit. One of my favorite things about this business is how little waste there is, Bird said. Almost everything, even the water we use, can be reclaimed and used for other things. Its a highly sustainable model. The facility also features an elegantly decorated tasting room where customers can sample some of the HAC made in back, which are called neutral spirits here. Theres a full menu of cocktails made from alcohol made on-site, including the dynamite Sanguinary Mary and some specialty martinis. A second story event space will be added by this summer, featuring handmade tables made from reclaimed wood by a furniture company in Durand to match the ones on the first floor. Liquor distilling is hardly new to the Lansing area. Red Cedar Spirits in East Lansing has been manufacturing a wide range of spirits since 1998, making it one of the oldest operations in the state. The movement gained momentum in 2014 when Sanctuary Spirits in Grand Ledge opened, followed by American Fifth Spirits the following year. So given the abundance of wheat and corn resources, why alcohol instead of, say, bread or breakfast cereal? Its a social thing, Ellis said. My favorite thing about alcohol is that it fosters an environment of storytelling and fun. As long as its done responsibly, of course, and were all about responsible drinking. And because alcohol makes my jokes funnier, added Bird. AFTER THE FLOOD The waters finally receded Monday after the areas historic floods last week, allowing business owners near the Red Cedar River in Lansing Township to begin damage assessment to their properties. Next-door neighbors Steakhouse Philly Bar & Grill, 3020 E. Kalamazoo St., and Green Dot Stables, 410 Clippert St., each saw nearly 3 feet of water invade their restaurants, with damages for each expected to run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Owners of both vowed they would reopen, albeit after massive cleanup operations. Sorry to those I did not get back to. I was completely overwhelmed and moved today, in a lump in the throat kind of way, wrote Charlie Semerly, co-owner of Steakhouse Philly, responding to the outpouring of support on his Facebook page. I dont know the extent of the damage, nor when we will reopen, but rest assured we will. Lots of work to do. We look forward to seeing you all soon. Nearby, Bake N Cakes, 3003 E. Kalamazoo St., and Oades Big Ten party story also suffered damages and will remain closed during the repair process. Stay tuned for reopening information. Michigrain Distillery 523 E. Shiawassee St., Lansing 4 p.m.-midnight Tuesday-Friday; noonmidnight Saturday; noon-8 p.m. Sunday; closed Monday (517) 220-0560, michigrain.net The Democratic Unionist Party has warned UK Prime Minister Theresa May it will bring down her government if Northern Ireland is forced to stay inside the EU customs union and single market after Brexit. The renewed threat comes ahead of a vote by British MPs today, pushed for by pro-EU parliamentarians, seeking to keep UK customs union membership. It also follows increasing signals from the Brexit talks in Brussels about a formula of language for a face-saving deal aimed at Brexiteers, keeping closest EU-UK trading links after Brexit happens and effectively mimicking British customs union membership. Irish EU Commissioner Phil Hogan is today expected to tell Seanad Eireann that ways have to be found to overcome "UK red lines" in these negotiations. Brussels diplomats say that, as things stand, the UK would only get a Canada-style deal with the EU after Brexit, which would not avoid a return of the Border in Ireland. Nigel Dodds, who heads the DUP in the London parliament, said his party will vote against Mrs May's minority Conservative government if any of these so-called "red lines" on Brexit are crossed. Mrs May has pledged that Brexit means leaving both the single market and the customs union, and these are deemed among the red lines. As time continues to run short, the EU and the UK appear deadlocked on how to avoid a so-called 'hard Border' in Ireland, if Brexit really means Britain leaving the customs union and single market. The UK is set to leave the EU in March 2019, but a transition period will delay this until December 2021. The so-called 'Withdrawal Agreement' mapping most of this out is set to be cleared at an EU leaders' summit next October. The DUP's belligerence on the issue was outlined by Mr Dodds in comments to the British Conservative Party website. Mr Dodds said if the North was treated any differently from any other part of the UK under Brexit, his party would vote against Mrs May's minority government which they have been propping up in office. UK Brexit Minister David Davis told a parliament committee that he would deem himself to have "failed" if the Brexit outcome left the UK within the EU customs union. Membership of the customs union would mean London still collecting import tariffs from non-EU states' exports to Britain on behalf of Brussels and would also limit Britain making trade deals beyond the EU. Both of these were major themes in the 2016 referendum campaign that culminated in the UK voters' decision to quit the EU after 40-plus years of membership. Today in Dublin, Commissioner Hogan will urge a step-change in the negotiations in which it was originally hoped the Irish Border issue would be resolved by an earlier EU leaders' summit fixed for June. Mr Hogan will argue that the EU side has fixed "no red lines" and is working on finding a reasonable compromise for all. The Taoiseach has warned that Ireland will put a halt to progress on the EU UK Withdrawal Agreement unless there is measurable progress on the Irish border by June. It is essential that we see real and solid progress by June if the negotiations are to move forward. And without a solution to the Irish border there can be no Withdrawal Agreement. Let there be no doubt about that, he said. Mr Varadkar delivered the remarks this evening during a lecture on the future of European at the Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium. He told the audience of students, lecturers and diplomats that Ireland wants the future relationship between the EU and the UK to be close, comprehensive and ambitious. But he said British redlines - including its government's insistence it is to leave the customs union, single market and the jurisdiction of the ECJ are the main barrier to the successful delivery of an agreement. I believe the only barrier to achieving this is the United Kingdoms own red lines. If these change, Europes position can evolve too, he said. Britain needs the Withdrawal Agreement settled by the October deadline as it will also contain the terms of the 21-month transitional period in which British businesses can adapt to Brexit which happens in March 2019. It also allows Britain to negotiate, but not implement any new trade agreements. That is very much in our interests and in the interests of the Union as a whole and most of all, the UKs, he said. He also pointed to the fact that the majority of people in Northern Ireland voted to remain in the EU, and will remain EU citizens. And it is likely that the majority of them will be EU citizens even after Brexit, because of their right, under the Good Friday Agreement, to be recognised as Irish or British or both and accepted as such. The Taoiseach also criticised euro-sceptics who have maligned the EU for so long, and who try to entice Europeans down the pathway of populism and nationalism offer a dark and desperate future. I am utterly and unshakably convinced that the European Union offers something else, he said. An artists impression of the proposed redevelopment of 9-12 Dawson Street, the current headquarters of New Ireland Assurance Hibernia Reit, developer Eamonn Duignan, Joe O'Reilly's Chartered Land, and BCP Asset Management are understood to have progressed to the second round of bidding for the landmark premises of New Ireland Assurance in Dublin city centre. The Irish Independent understands offers for the company's headquarters at 9-12 Dawson Street have already surpassed the 35m price guided by Savills Ireland director of development, Mark Reynolds, when he brought the property to the market last month. The property is being sold on behalf of Bank of Ireland, and is being marketed as an opportunity to deliver an office and retail scheme significantly larger than the existing 4,461 sq m (48,018 sq ft) building occupied by New Ireland. A feasibility study undertaken by Henry J Lyons Architects suggests there is substantial scope to redevelop and extend the building to accommodate up to 6,219 sq m (66,941 sq ft) of space, subject to the necessary grant of planning permission. The Dawson Street area has undergone significant change over the past three years, with the development of several new office spaces by Green Reit and Iput. These developments, coupled with the arrival of the Luas Cross City line, have seen both Dawson Street and neighbouring Molesworth Street become the most sought-after location in Dublin's central business district. Barclays Bank, AIB and Jet.com are just three of the major names who have decided to locate in the area. Hibernia Reit's interest in acquiring the Dawson Street property is unsurprising given its track record as an investor and developer in Dublin's Central Business District and Docklands. Since its establishment, the company's portfolio has grown to include prime assets such as the Windmill Quarter on Hanover Street, 1SJRQ, currently under construction at Sir John Rogerson's Quay, One and Two Docklands Central on Guild Street, New Century House on Mayor Street and the former regional headquarters of An Garda Siochana at Harcourt Square. And while Joe O'Reilly's Chartered Land's principal focus at present is on the delivery of the exclusive Lansdowne Place apartment scheme in Ballsbridge, it is also engaged in the completion and repositioning of the mixed-use Elm Park Green development on the Merrion Road in Dublin 4. The project involves the conversion of space which had been attended to accommodate a hotel/hospital to 175,000 sq ft of Grade A offices. Eamonn Duignan's bid for the New Ireland Assurance premises isn't unexpected either. In 2015, the developer partnered with London-based real estate giant Meyer Bergman in a 90m deal to acquire Nassau House, a five-storey office and retail block overlooking Trinity College with a row of shops fronting on to Nassau Street and Dawson Street. While Mr Duignan subsequently exited the partnership, he emerged in 2016 as one of a number of bidders for the Central Bank's former HQ on Dame Street. BCP Asset Management's international fund for its part is currently involved with Meyer Bergman in the planned redevelopment of Nassau House. Last September, BCP paid 11.33m - a premium of over 3m on the 8.3m guide price - to acquire St Andrew's House, a four-storey-over-basement Victorian block with five shops fronting on to Exchequer Street and two more on South William Street. An artists impression of Horgans Quay on the northside of the city CBRE has fielded enquiries from over 40 parties interested in redeveloping the former Ford factory site in the Cork City docklands Cork City and especially its docklands area is expected to be one of the major beneficiaries of the Government's Project Ireland 2040 long-term national spatial strategy. The plan foresees the population of the city trebling from its current level of about 120,000 people to between 320,000 and 360,000 by 2040 to get it to a scale that it can compete internationally for more major FDI projects. While some of that population growth will be due to the expansion of the city council's boundaries into surrounding towns and villages, it is also envisaged that as much as 40pc of new accommodation will take place in existing built-up areas. That is taken to mean that developers will be encouraged to focus on brownfield opportunities in the harbour areas closest to the city centre. Already some major projects are in the pipeline for this area. At Albert Quay in the city centre, the first phase of O'Callaghan Properties' Navigation Square amounting to 148,500 sq ft is due to be completed in November. Clearstream, a division of Deutsche Borse Group, will take 70,000 sq ft of space and may take a further 20,000 sq ft as it increases its Cork workforce by 200 to more than 560. All told, Navigation Square will comprise 350,000 sq ft. John Clery Developments (JCD) is expected to complete the 4,650 sq m 'eighty5' South Mall before the end of this year. Expand Close An artists impression of Navigation Square at Albert Quay / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp An artists impression of Navigation Square at Albert Quay To the north side of the city centre, Clarendon Properties, headed by Corkman Tony Leonard and Belfastman Paddy McKillen, has received the green light for their Horgan's Quay joint venture with BAM, which will include a 136-bedroom hotel, 200 apartments and 400,000 sq ft of offices. Work is expected to get underway on the hotel during this summer. Denis O'Donoghue of CBRE reports increased interest in Cork recently from outside investors and developers. "This is reflected in the 40-plus enquiries that we have seen including developers from Dublin and the UK, for the former Ford factory site near Cork's main GAA grounds. The 11.35 acre site has planning permission for 564 apartments, a 205-bedroom hotel and 31,777 sq m of offices." CBRE is quoting 8.5mfor it. International investment interest has already been seen in two recent acquisitions by IS Real. It has added the Marks & Spencer store at Merchant's Quay Shopping Centre to its portfolio for a sum reported to be under 30m. IS Real had already acquired The Capitol mixed-use development at Grand Parade. Project 2040 has also signalled the planned expansion of a number of the Government's agencies in the city in the coming years. In the short-term its property manager, the OPW, has been seeking about 20,000 sq ft in the city centre. Expand Close An artists impression of Horgans Quay on the northside of the city / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp An artists impression of Horgans Quay on the northside of the city Margaret Kelleher of Lisney estimates that private companies are currently looking for a further 30,000 sq ft. To date there has been no 'south shoring', a term used to describe the decentralisation by major national companies in response to lower Cork rents. Instead, it has been mainly foreign employers who have driven demand , most notably in the fintech and pharma sectors, according to O'Donoghue. Ms Kelleher expects vacancy rates to continue their downward progress despite increased supply. Already the overall office vacancy rate has fallen from 16.7pc two years ago to 14pc at the end of March. While headline city centre rents for prime new offices were unchanged in Q1, that was after strong growth as they had risen from 250 per sq m at the end of 2015 to 323 per sq m (30 per sq ft) at the end of 2017. That's a 47pc rise over two years. Similarly, prime suburban rents were while unchanged at 215 per sq m (20 per sq ft) in Q1 2018 have increased from 160 per sq m two years ago. Ms Kelleher believes that "upward pressure on rents, particularly in suburban business park locations, is likely, with limited stock and increasing demand for prime office units." Demand is also having a ripple effect on older offices as the strongest rental growth so far this year was in the Central Business District. Prime rents for old and refurbished offices in South Mall increased by 6.8pc in the quarter to 172 per sq m (16 per sq ft). On nearby Lapps Quay, rents for prime offices in the 10 to 15-year age group also rose 10.2pc in Q1 to 237 per sq m (22 per sq ft). Denis O'Donoghue points out that despite the volume of office stock at various stages of the planning process, only 14pc, or 34,479 sq m of the total potential pipeline in Cork, was under construction in the first two months of the year. "While the pipeline of new office schemes gives potential occupiers some comfort, the lack of standing stock at present is posing a huge challenge for companies whose space requirements are more immediate," he adds. This is particularly understandable in the city centre which accounted for 46pc of the total stock available at the end of Q1. While Cork's overall office vacancy rate has declined from 16.7pc in Q1 2016 to 14pc at the end of March, the city centre has the highest vacancy rate at 19.6pc and the north suburbs has the lowest at 9.3pc. Nevertheless, even with the increased supply coming onstream later this year, Kelleher remains confident that vacancy rates will continue to fall as new office developments currently under construction will be pre-let. Almost a quarter of this new stock has already been pre-let/accounted for and Kelleher points to the 15,000 sq m extension to Apple's facility at Hollyhill while Eli Lilly has pre-let the 6,870 sq m which O'Flynn Construction has been building at Eastgate Business Park. Kelleher estimates that the planning pipeline includes a further 157,000 sq m across 10 locations. In the south suburbs, examples include JCD's 26,000 sq m at City Gate, Mahon. At Cork Airport Business Park two projects are planned, one of 12,000 sq m and another of 6,500 sq m. To the west of the city, 24,500 sq m is planned for Westfield Office Quarter, Ballincollig, while a 6,400 sq m is planned for Eastgate Business Park. Andy O'Neill's dad went mad when he said he wanted to leave school after the intermediate certificate, at the age of 15. "He was disgusted," he recalls. "There was a lot of argy-bargy in the house." But it was his mother who soothed things, arguing that their son should be let work where she did - at what was then the only hotel at Dublin Airport. They'd give their youngest of six (and the only boy) a year to see how he got on, reasoning that he could always go back to school after if things didn't work out. He'd done well at his intermediate certificate, including an 'A' in honours maths, but didn't like the structured learning environment. "I couldn't stay focused. I didn't like being stuck in a classroom. I'd sit in a class and I might start singing to myself. I found conventional learning boring," says the larger-than-life character (44), who's now chief executive of Choice Hotel Group, a company he owns virtually all of. Since this year, Choice manages hotels including the five-star 'G' and Hotel Meyrick in Galway (both bought last year by a consortium including Alanis Capital, Choice, and cinema operator Lorcan Ward), and owns the Woodstock Hotel in Ennis. In the summer of 1989, O'Neill got his first taste of the hotel sector, clearing tables and polishing cutlery. He'd later end up as general manager at the swish Morrison Hotel in Dublin opened by the late publican and hotelier Hugh O'Regan in 1999. "I loved it," says O'Neill of his early days in the business, as he sips coffee at the down-at-heel Waterside House Hotel on the beach front in the commuter town of Donabate in north county Dublin. The hotel, bought just earlier this year by Choice Hotel Group, will soon benefit from a 1m revamp. It badly needs it. The irony for O'Neill was that for a student who couldn't sit still in school, Forte Hotels put him into apprenticeship training that included doing a hotel management course at Cathal Brugha Street in Dublin. He disliked the lectures, but out in hotels as part of his course he was in his element, he says. He later trained with the Forte group in the UK but returned to Ireland in 2000 to join Choice, working at a Clarion in Dublin's IFSC before later heading to the Morrison. The hotel, with its John Rocha-designed interior, was a landmark of the heady days of the Celtic Tiger, but the whole economy was sprinting towards a precipice. Tax breaks had seen hotels built all over the country, some in places that were barely sustainable. Once domestic spending dried up receivers and examiners began to appointed as banks, and Nama, swooped. As it turned out, the crash handed O'Neill an opportunity he may not have got otherwise. Choice Hotel Group was founded and owned by Frankie Whelehan. It was predominantly a lease and management company. It had the lease for the upmarket Gibson Hotel in Dublin's docklands, as well as Clarion properties. At its peak, it operated 24 hotels. But after the recession hit, Nama was effectively running the show. "They broke our back on the deal they got," recalls O'Neill. "They weren't a pushover. They were extremely tough. We got a solution and they got a solution." Nama receivers put the Clarion in the IFSC up for sale in 2013, which Choice had been managing, they sold it for 33.3m to US-based Patron Capital. Choice had teamed up with a private investor but was outbid. "They still didn't give it to us even though we'd been running the business," he says. O'Neill thinks that maybe Nama appointed receivers too quickly early in the downturn, but admits the agency "gave us wiggle room to survive". "Our saving grace was that all of our lease debt was with Nama. There was no BOSI in the middle [Bank of Scotland (Ireland) - one of the biggest lenders to hotel projects in Ireland during the boom]," he adds. "I don't think we'd have got the same audience if there was another lender in there, or if Nama was afraid that a bank was going to move on us." With Nama eventually appeased, leases on four properties, including the Gibson and two Clarion-branded hotels, in Limerick and Cork, were sold by Choice to Dalata in 2016 for 40m. It left the company with a skeleton complement compared to its heyday. But the deal with Dalata, says O'Neill, left him with a few million in cash, and ambition. As the recession bit, Frankie Whelehan had been unable to give O'Neill a pay rise, and instead gave him shares in Choice. "There was no value in them then," O'Neill recalls. "But it became a journey and we worked hand-in-hand on that business." After the massive reorganisation, Whelehan left and O'Neill injected capital he received from the Dalata deal into Choice. He now owns more than 90pc, with management owning the remainder. He'd like to see them eventually owning 20pc. "That's there for them, based on them hitting targets, growing the business and treating it like their own," he says. Choice now has seven hotels. The ambition is to get to 10 by the end of the year, or March next year at latest, according to O'Neill. "My car is only 10 months old and I've already clocked up 51,000km on it," he adds. "I try to be at every hotel every week. You can't affect them or change them if you're not in them." Meanwhile, he and his wife Deirdre have other irons in the fire. On a visit to the United States for a convention, he stumbled upon a coffee brand that he became enamoured with - Fonte. Founded by its chief executive, Paul Odom in 1992 in Seattle, the coffee roaster now supplies its products to hotel chains including Westin, Four Seasons and Regis. But when O'Neill tracked Odom down, the American had no interest in exporting the brand. Over drinks watching a rugby match in a north Dublin pub, O'Neill finally got him to crack. Last year, O'Neill and his wife opened a Fonte shop in Dublin city centre. A coffee chain isn't the objective. The brand is being introduced to the Choice hotels and to offices. The shop is a training centre. As if he wasn't busy enough, O'Neill spent a good number of years scouting players for Mick McCarthy, the former Ireland player and manager who until recently was the manager of Ipswich. He may have to do a bit of scouting for a successor for his own job too. Maybe one of his two kids, who already earn some pocket money helping out occasionally, will leave school at 15 and join the business? "Not a chance," he grins. CRH is planning to buy back up to 1bn of its own shares over the next 12 months, with CEO Albert Manifold citing the building materials group's "strong balance sheet and cash flow generation" for the decision to return cash to shareholders. The proposed buyback was announced ahead of the company's annual general meeting in Dublin this morning. Mr Manifold said that CRH "remains committed" to its "progressive dividend policy" and investment grade rating. "This repurchase programme demonstrates management's confidence in the outlook for our business, our continued strong cash generation and our flexibility to deliver value to shareholders," he said. Ireland's biggest company said that its like-for-like sales during the first quarter of 2018 slipped 2pc. It said it had been hit by prolonged winter conditions, and by the timing of Easter, which fell in the second quarter of this year compared to the first in 2017. "In the Americas, unfavourable weather conditions impacted a number of key regions and while the economic and business environment remained positive, like-for-like sales were down 3pc on 2017," CRH noted in a trading update. "Competitive market conditions prevailed in the Philippines with like-for-like sales 5pc behind the first quarter of 2017." Its like-for-like sales were 2pc lower in Europe during the first quarter. Notwithstanding the declines, CRH pointed out that the first half is the "less significant" part of its year, and that earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (ebitda) in the period is still expected to be in line with that generated in the first half of 2017 on a like-for-like basis. During the first half of 2017, CRH generated ebitda of 1.17bn on sales of 13bn. For the full 2017 year, CRH generated record ebitda of 3.3bn on revenue of 27.6bn. In Europe, CRH's first-half ebitda this year is expected to be "slightly ahead" of the like-for-like figure generated in the first six months of 2017. In America, like-for-like ebitda should be in line with that in the first half of last year. Ebitda in Asia for the period is likely to decline. CRH shares fell initially before strong gains yesterday afternoon. There's no need for a third terminal at Dublin Airport until annual passenger numbers exceed 55 million - probably in more than 20 years' time, according to DAA chief executive Dalton Philips. The airport boss also hopes to secure direct routes to cities such as Shenzhen in China, Tokyo and Delhi within the next three to five years, as Dublin continues to expand as a passenger hub. Last year, Dublin Airport handled just under 30 million passengers, having experienced a surge in traffic since the economy emerged from recession. But speaking as the DAA, the semi-state that operates Dublin and Cork airports, released strong results for 2017, Mr Philips said the capital's air gateway was returning to "normalised" growth. Mr Philips said that to cope with 55 million passengers a year without a third terminal, "modifications" would need to be made to existing infrastructure. "A terminal is drop-off, check-in, security, a hold area and retail," said Mr Philips, adding that the "pinch point" is on gates and aircraft stands. "At some stage there will be the need for a new terminal," said Mr Philips, who took on the CEO role at the DAA last year. "We don't see it now." Asked if it might be 20 years before Dublin Airport would require an additional terminal, Mr Philips agreed with the timeline. "I think it's that sort of distance," he said, adding that it would be something our "children or grandchildren" would see. He pointed out that there's a government capacity review under way to determine the kind of infrastructure needed at Ireland's airports in about 30 years' time. The results of that review, which will include a time frame for the construction of a third terminal at Dublin Airport, are due out this year. It will also assess the advantages and disadvantages of having a privately funded and operated third terminal at Dublin. "We are very competitive on our pricing," said Mr Philips. He added that construction of the new 320m runway project at Dublin Airport will start this year, and that it was essential that legislation required to make Fingal County Council the competent authority for noise monitoring at the airport be transposed into law this year. The head of banking supervision at the European Central Bank has waded into the debate about bonuses for Irish bankers, insisting now is not the time to restore boom-time pay conditions. The comments from Daniele Nouy spell out the opposition of Brussels to higher executive remuneration as well as shareholder dividends at lenders still saddled by comparatively high volumes of non-performing loans. "Is this the moment right now to think about bonuses when you still have work to do on your balance sheet, to clean the balance sheet before the next crisis?" Ms Nouy said in an interview with RTE News. "Definitely not in my view." Ms Nouy's intervention came as the Government quashed AIB's proposal for a deferred bonus scheme at the bank's AGM in Dublin yesterday. The defeat had been well-flagged after Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe pledged to vote against the measure last week. But he conceded the wage policy in the sector needed to be reviewed amid intensifying competition from firms relocating to Ireland on the back of Brexit. A review of bankers' pay will be submitted to the Department of Finance at the end of the year, possibly in the wake of a general election that could further dent the chances of speedy restoration of performance-related pay. As expected, the Government's opposition to AIB's proposal was matched by equally emphatic support for the measure from public market investors, who tipped 3.4bn into the bank at its initial public offering last year. The Government, which retains a 71pc stake in the lender, represented 76pc of all votes cast. Speaking to the media after the AGM, AIB's chief executive Bernard Byrne said the bank has experienced "very high turnover rates for senior positions and that's been true for the last number of years". He insisted the proposed bonus scheme, which would have offered up to 100 senior executives deferred shares in the bank each year up to the equivalent of 100pc of their salary, was about "establishing a level playing field". Ulster Bank and KBC are not subject to the pay restrictions, while Bank of Ireland's CEO has never been bound by the 500,000 salary cap. The European Commission today announced 22m in funding for a new bio-economy research project to be led by Glanbia Ireland. The project will explore how to convert by-products from the dairy industry to high value bio-based products including biodegradable plastics. Professor Orla Feely, UCD Vice-President for Research, Innovation and Impact said the project had its foundations in UCD's research and innovation partnership with Glanbia Ireland, and UCD's research expertise in social and environmental sustainability will be a significant component of the project. She said that AgriChemWhey represents a fantastic opportunity for bioeconomy leaders to use their expertise to implement new technologies, at industrial scale, that address global challenges. The funding for the AgriChemWhey project, will not only stimulate regional economic growth in Co. Tipperary, but will also enhance Irelands position as a world leader in the development of the bioeconomy and provide the country with an opportunity to lead on issues central to achieving the UN SDGs. The project, called AgriChemWhey, will receive 22m in funding from the Bio-Based Industries Joint Undertaking (BBI JU) under the European Unions Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme. It is the first dairy industry project to be awarded funding under the programme. The overall value of the project is 30m with the balance of funding coming from the partners involved. AgriChemWhey is based on technology developed and patented by Glanbia Ireland, in collaboration with University College Dublin and Trinity College Dublin. Making the announcement, Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development Phil Hogan said: AgriChemWhey is a highly innovative research project, which if successful, will serve as a flagship for Europes growing bio-economy, contributing towards a more resource efficient European dairy sector, with enormous potential for replication in other areas across Europe, while also providing a boost to jobs and growth in Europe's rural economy. The AgriChemWhey project will take low value by-products from the dairy processing industry excess whey permeate (WP) and delactosed whey permeate (DLP) - and convert them into cost competitive, sustainable lactic acid. Lactic acid can then be used in value-added bio-based products for growing global markets, including biodegradable plastics, bio-based fertiliser and minerals for human nutrition. The new technology developed by Glanbia Ireland will provide both the dairy industry and wider society with an opportunity for greater resource efficiency - less food waste, more products from the same starting material (milk), and integration of food and non-food material production. Partners in the AgriChemWhey project include: Glanbia Ireland - Project Coordinator; University College Dublin (UCD) Beneficiary; AMBER, School of Physics, Trinity College Dublin (TCD) Beneficiary Commercial Mushroom Producers Cooperative Society Ltd (CMP), Ireland Beneficiary PNO Consultants Limited, UK Beneficiary GIG Karasek GmbH, Austria Beneficiary Tipperary County Council, Ireland Beneficiary TEAGASC Agriculture and Food Development Authority, Ireland Beneficiary Pole Greenwin, Belgium Beneficiary Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium Beneficiary EW Biotech GmbH, Germany - Beneficiary Posted Thursday, April 26, 2018 9:57 am After a legislative victory recouped $1.15 million in funding for the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, Michigans creative sector advocacy group Creative Many revived its annual Arts Advocacy Day last week from a decade-long slumber. It seemed like the right time to bring it back. Weve gotten to a unique milestone moment in our work across the state. Creative Manys president, Jennifer Goulet, said. Were bringing to the table the research and data points that are making the compelling argument that its critically important to advance this agenda in Michigan. Goulet and her team at Creative Many argue that the arts make a significant enough economic impact to justify providing a larger portion of the state budget to the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs. Their numbers make a convincing argument. Research touted by Goulets organization shows that the arts industry contributed $764 billion to the U.S. economy in 2015, including $5 billion in wages here in Michigan. Theres a bunch of different things that received one-time appropriations last year that the governor is not recommending this year everything except for arts and culture, Sarah Gonzalez Triplett of Creative Many said. Theres a deepening understanding of the importance of funding the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs. Creative Many and its bipartisan Michigan Legislative Creative Caucus founded in 2014 have the simple, but important, task of lobbying for arts funding. The Creative Caucus boasts an impressive combined membership of 32 including five senators and 27 representatives from various districts across the state a handful of whom spoke at the Capitol. They are working tirelessly to engage their colleagues to sign onto to be a part of this agenda, Goulet said. They are trying to really position the creative industry as a competitive strategy within Michigans economic development plans and priorities. The rallying of the troops seen Wednesday was no coincidence. The movement behind Creative Many was galvanized upon the Trump Administrations initial budget draft, which saw a significant slash into arts endowments money lost that would have a crippling trickle down effect for Michigans various artistic industries. According to Triplett, after a national outcry from countless arts organizations, much of the money slated to be removed from the federal budget was reinstated. Michigan has seen somewhat of a turnaround in arts funding. The state appropriated an additional total of almost $10 million from its budget since 2011. Todays Michigan Council For the Arts works with a sum of $11.15 million, which is still a far cry from the $30.8 million it had back in 1995. Local artists that support Creative Many and participated in Arts Advocacy Day argue that the recent increase in funding still isnt enough. Any you cut it, were not getting enough money, said Lansing-based artist Kimberly Lavon. Ive had people ask are we paying you too much money? I dont think any other profession is treated that way. Like father, like son: Ivo Hermanussen runs the 200 pedigree herd of Barendonk Holsteins in partnership with his father Jan near Beers in Holland If you think its tough being a dairy farmer in Ireland then have a thought for the farmers in the Netherlands who are under pressure to reduce cow numbers and comply with phosphates regulations. The Netherlands is a relatively small country extending to 41,500 square kilometres. It is home to 17 million people and at the last count, 1.7 million dairy cows. The Dutch government says the country is somewhat overloaded with cows and introduced plans to cut numbers by 160,000 to comply with phosphates quota levels incorporated into the Nitrates Directive which have been exceeded for the past two years. The move is a hindrance on young farmers who want to expand their herds but some are thinking outside the box to balance the books when it comes to their phosphates production levels. Expand Close One of the Barendonk Holsteins / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp One of the Barendonk Holsteins These restrictions set by the European Commission coupled with land prices hovering around 70,000 per hectare make it almost impossible for any Dutch farm to expand. Close to the German border near Beers, 28-year-old Ivo Hermanussen runs the 200 pedigree cow herd of Barendonk Holsteins in partnership with his father Jan. Although the herd size is well above the national average Ivo wants to expand more but he is fighting red tape and high land prices to do so. Barendonk Holsteins are well known for producing top quality breeding stock as well as generating good milk. The herd is averaging 10,511kgs per cow per year at 3.52 per cent protein and 4.26 per cent butterfat. Jan and Ivo sell their milk to Friesland Campina and receive an average 36.5 cents per litre including taxes. Ivo estimates his costs, including farm labour for him and his father, at 34.5 cents per litre. With so many cows, the Netherlands has to comply with EU regulations that govern the amount of phosphates that can be used per farm with a base figure taken from stocking rates in 2015. Some Dutch dairy farmers are being forced to move their young stock to other farms in different European countries in order to spread the phosphates quota restriction and comply with the regulations. Phosphates Jan and Ivo send half their young stock to a farm in Belgium, close to the French border, to be contract reared in order to comply with their phosphates quota. "We currently have 84 animals in Belgium," says Ivo. "We send them out there from eight months to one year old and bring them home two months ahead of calving. Some of them are sold in Belgium before we need to bring them back and we sell them for around 1,500 freshly calved. "The phosphates regulations from the European Commission make it very hard for a young farmer to expand. Land here is around 70,000 per hectare. We operate around 100 hectares here for growing grass and crops but need more. "I think there needs to be a new system introduced that allows farmers to invest in slurry separation equipment so we can reduce the phosphates applications. "The challenge we face today as dairy farmers is achieving a return on our investments whether it be in infrastructure, land or indeed on an animal health plan." The first free-stall barn on the farm was built in 1979 and they expanded in 1988 and again in 2005 to 135 cubicles. Two years ago a brand new free-stall barn with another 125 cubicles was added. Two Lely robotic milking systems have been in the first barn since 2005 and another two secondhand robots were added to the new barn in 2016. "The new barn cost us around 6,000 per cow place including the price of the robots," said Ivo. "We keep the older cows in the new barn as it has extra comfort for them. The cubicles in all the barns are deep filled with a mix of one kilogram of straw, two kgs of water and three kgs of lime. "Good ventilation and available light are also important to our herd and we must allow them outdoors in the summer time for six hours per day for 120 days." In order to sell stock, the Hermanussen family must maintain a herd with high health status and also try to reduce their use of antibiotics on the cattle. Animal health Ivo adds: "Animal health is very important to us and we see continued use of antibiotics as unviable. On this farm we operate a strict animal health and treatment plan. "Each time a cow has a problem she is assessed and we closely follow the regulations on how to treat her and with which specific medication. "We focus more on prevention rather than treatments to improve animal health and vaccinate for IBR, BVD, Lepto and Salmonella. Hygiene and cleanliness are also very important factors in our efforts to maintain a healthy herd." Since 2010 the Hermanussen family have reduced their bills for antibiotics down by 25 per cent thanks to their animal health programme. Plus, the farm now spends around 30 per cent of its health plan budget on prevention rather than treatments. "Following our strict health plan has made us realise that the use of antibiotics on every animal is not necessary. At the moment we are down to using antibiotics on only half the herd which on average means we have reduced antibiotic use by two animal doses per day," he says. An additional charge has been brought against three of the four alleged burglars of a rural Co Clare farmhouse where a 95 year old man was asleep at the time. At Ennis District Court today, a charge of criminal damage of the backdoor of the OConnor home at Tiermaclane on January 5th was brought against three of the accused. When the case was last before the court on March 21st, Judge Patrick Durcan told a senior Garda to tell the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Claire Loftus to get her on bicycle concerning directions for the four alleged burglars. In court yesterday, Insp Kieran Ruane said that the DPP has directed that the case can go forward on indictment to the Circuit Court. On indictment before the circuit court, a charge of burglary carries a sentence of 14 years in jail on conviction. In court yesterday, Paul Kiely (30) of Glencairn, Dooradadoyle, Limerick, Patrick Woodland (43) of Greenmount Avenue, Ballinacurra Weston along with John Woodland (39) of Clarina Avenue, Ballinacurra Avenue, Limerick were all charged with criminal damage of the backdoor of the property on January 5th last. The court heard that all three made no reply when charged before court yesterday. The three along with Edward Woodland (18) of Greenmount Avenue, Ballinacurra Weston, Limerick are already charged with burglary of the home on that date. The three Woodlands are members of the same family and Edward Woodland did not turn up in court yesterday with his solicitor telling the court that he was at University College Hospital Limerick with a foot problem. Judge Durcan asked Gardai to check if Edward Woodland was a patient at the hospital and when Det Garda Damien OConnor returned to court after making an inquiry to say that Edward Woodland wasnt at the hospital, Judge Durcan told the solicitor you have been sold a pup. In reply, the solicitor said that his updated instructions were that Edward Woodland was en route to the hospital. Judge Durcan issued a bench warrant for Edward Woodlands arrest. Insp Ruane said that the State would require time to put together the Book of Evidence for the four to be returned to trial to Ennis Circuit Court and Judge Durcan adjourned the cases to June 6th. All four are on bail with two securing High Court bail. As part of the investigation, Gardai seized a number of mobile phones while there was a Garda surveillance operation in the area at the time The reliance of livestock breeders on genotyping for pedigree validation of animals has been undermined by the scale of "incorrect" parentage which has been found in a major scientific assessment. The Teagasc study found that one or both parents has been incorrect in an average of one in five pedigrees after almost 18,000 genotypes of pedigree sheep were analysed. The findings, which were revealed by Teagasc Moorepark scientist Noirin McHugh at the Sheep Ireland Stakeholder meeting at All Mellows College, Athenry were described as "an eye-opener" by breed society representatives attending the meeting. Pedigree societies raised concerns over the potential serious legal implications for breeders. "Something has to happen very, very quickly by the breed societies, once we are aware of these errors, because it is putting them in an awkward spot," one representative told the meeting. Parentage Dr McHugh told the meeting: "Overall we are saying that in terms of parentage of the 18,000 animals that were genotyped, the parentage could not be verified for about 20pc where either the sire or dam or both were incorrect." Of the sheep genotyped, 2pc failed genotyping, about 14pc did not match the records on the sire database and on the dam side around 9pc could not be verified. "When we looked at samples where we had data available on both the sire and dam sides, there were about 4pc where both parents could not be actually verified and where one parent could not be verified was about 13pc," she said. The meeting was told that in the beef sector the scale of error was about 17.5pc, but that has now been reduced to about 7pc with the corrections which have been carried out on verification of pedigrees. With more breeders showing preference for animals with higher Eurostar ratings, and paying higher prices for the animals with greater numbers of Eurostars, the implications can be very significant. "In reality what this means is that a farmer buying (what he thinks is) a five-star animal, it could be a one star, or a one star could be a five star" when the error in the pedigree is corrected, she pointed out. For a commercial farmer going out to buy a ram at a sale, irrespective of breed, because it is the same across all breeds, on average one in five are incorrect. She pointed out if it was incorrect then the "Eurostar figures for him are completely wrong, his parentage is wrong, and straight away you are giving incorrect information to the commercial farmers on the selection tools for the ram". Dr McHugh said that they are now proceeding to look at the implications in terms of genetic evaluation and how it affects the individual animal's performance. Riverstown farmer John Graham points to the poor quality grass in fields right now. Suckler farmer John Graham could right now be enjoying a cushy office job in Dublin earning a decent salary as he once did. Instead hes returned with his wife and young family to the family farmlands of Riverstown where hes the local IFA livestock volunteer rep. Its a different life. When you send a cow to market you know youre sustaining life somewhere, he told The Sligo Champion as he tended his herd. I know someone somewhere is going to cook a meal with care, or our milk is going into formula for babies in China, he said. John, like fellow farmer Raymond Barlow down the road, knows the hardships endured by farmers all around the county this spring thanks to the fodder crisis. Im tired, just tired and fed up. Financially it has impacted us very severely. Ill be selling cows and where before I would have been looking to develop the farm more and develop it so that things could be run more efficiently, financially and personally Im not going to be able to do those things, buy those things, he said. That doesnt feel good, he said. I just have to keep going, Ive a young family there. I milk with my father in the morning and the evenings as well. Every so often youll see something that reminds you of the date of the year and you realise its only a couple of weeks away from mid-summer and cows are still inside. Its just put the whole business on hold. Youre looking around the shed and theres so much stuff that should have been done by now but I havent had the finances because Ive had to spend it on meal, he said. John is fortunate in that by sheer good luck his father has a little bit of silage left over to share with him - just enough for another week and a half. I hope to goodness we have the cows out by then. Wed hoped to have them out weeks ago. This is the first year that I personally havent sold silage. Ive always had a little bit left over and sold but this year Ive a net intake, he said. Its really, really, really depressing to say the least,he added. The mood among the farming fraternity in rural Sligo is one of near despair. There seems to be no coherence from Government. The first time that Minister Creed comes out and says theres an issue and starts giving out the transport schemes was when the guys down the country had a problem, in his own parish, he said, referring to the farming community in Munster and Leinster. Ive been shouting about this problem since last October saying this was going to happen. It wasnt a case of crying wolf, because even if we got the cows out early, we were still in a bad position because we were in early, he said. I had stretched my bales out perfectly to last week and I hoped to have the cows out last week. It is possible sometimes to have cows out in March but there was no hope at all this year, he said. John said the fodder transport scheme introduced by Minister Creed simply adds another layer of stress onto already-stretched farmers. Only 22 farmers took up the scheme. Its too complicated. It may have updated but that was the amount of farmers that had availed of it as of last Friday. Its not that farmers dont want fodder, its because its too complicated. You have to go through the co-ops, bring Teagasc on board - farmers dont want any more hassle right now. For the sake of 8 a bale its just not worth it. Just focus on getting feed in front of the cows.Money has gone out the door a couple of weeks ago. Just get the cows fed, he said. While John accepts there is an animal welfare issue he insists no animals have died in Sligo because of starvation. None. I have spoken to both the animal disposal companies and they have said that there has been none that theyre aware of. It shouldnt come to a point that animals are dying that they need help. There needs to be some form of guidance for farmers on the ground. When it came to last September Aurivo and others came on board and advised farmers and that helped an awful lot in this area. Things would be an awful lot worse if it wasnt for Aurivo, he said. Theyve been proactive and theyve recently reduced the price of the meal, any bales they brought in they had no profit on them, he said. John knows of some particularly bad cases of farmers in crisis. Generally theres no welfare cases but farmers are affected. He used to be an IFA employee and has contacts all around the country. A doctor from down the country rang him up recently. He asked me if there was a campaign going on to help farmers. He said I have six guys in here in the last seven days, all farmers and all with severe depression. This was in relation to the fodder crisis. Farmers are physically and mentally burdened and they dont want to say it, he said. Mary McEvoy sounds like shes shouting. In fact, she explains that shes hanging out the window trying to maintain the telephone conversation, so bad is the mobile connection around her Co Westmeath farm. The second time we call there are other challenges and shes apologetic about being a little distracted. Dont mind me. Im trying to block a gate. The sheep and the rams got mixed up. We make sympathetic noises, although thinking that the animals seem to be having a jolly old time. And indeed they are, because although McEvoy is anxious that there be no romance within her flock, shes providing something of a sheep sanctuary on her farm. The sheep are there simply to live out their lives as the actor, who lives on the farm she inherited from her late parents Larry and Catherine , has a horror of lambs, or indeed cattle, being literally led to the slaughter . Shes not an easy woman to label. On Saturday (April 28) she stars with long time collaborator Jon Kenny in a production of John B Keanes The Matchmaker in what sounds like the perfect setting, the Ballroom of Romance in Glenfarne, Co Leitrim, a venue immortalized by William Trevor with his heartbreaking tale of loneliness and desperation. Expand Close Mick Lally as Miley, Mary McEvoy as Biddy and Joe Lynch as Dinny in a scene from 'Glenroe' / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Mick Lally as Miley, Mary McEvoy as Biddy and Joe Lynch as Dinny in a scene from 'Glenroe' With her rural background, we wonder does McEvoy think it and Keanes play about the quest for companionship, resonate today . Shes not sure that she sees that kind of loneliness within her own community, she muses, but there is a loneliness in general in life. Around here I dont see anyone who is very isolated, except though their own decisions. I see people who like their own company. I would not necessarily call them isolated." She is conflicted about how technology has changed lives, how it can keep people connected but also do the opposite as people stare at their phones all the time, even in company. I see a lot of that in Dublin. Get a bus in Dublin and everyone is on their phone. Nobody really talks. I spend an awful lot of my life in Dublin, and its still a culture shock - the rudeness of drivers for example, who will not even consider that you might not know where you are going, and give you a chance." While describing herself as a liberal in her attitudes, Mary McEvoy is less than impressed with the tendency in some quarters to not even allow people to express a more conservative point of view, no matter how deeply held. As the debate rages in the media about the the upcoming referendum, the actor says she believes Irish society is increasingly urban-centred. All the major radio and TV stations are understandably urban-based, but consequently they spend a lot of time talking to themselves and not really realising there is a whole country out there that they know nothing about." She remembers recently visiting a small town with a city colleague who seemed shocked that people still attended church. She said My God, people still go to Mass. Its that not knowing that this place exists. "There are conservative views that I might not be in agreement with but they have a right to be heard. I do think there is a kind of urban right on-ness which means you have to be very careful of what you voice, what youre in favour of and what youre not in favour of. There are certain things you cant say in an urban setting. Another bugbear about living in the country is the need to 'shout louder' to get services which are vital. Expand Close Mary McEvoy / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Mary McEvoy For instance I am an actor and I am living in Westmeath and today my internet is down. I reported it four days ago and it is still not fixed. I have no landline. I have a very dodgy mobile line, no broadband, nothing. How am I supposed to get emails from my agent if I get an interview. Nobody has come. Nobody cares. McEvoy pointed out that her husband Garvan Gallagher is a musician and both of them need to communicate or they will lose work. We need our emails. We need our phones to work. There is just this cavalier attitude that four days is okay. Farmers need the internet too, she stressed, for doing their accounts and for keeping in touch. I see it all the time, people not being heard, not being listened to, not being respected really. It makes it hard to live in rural Ireland." But lest anyone think that McEvoy is placing everybody in rural ireland on a pedestal , mention of the fodder crisis sparks a furious reaction about the profiteering of some farmers at the expense of others who are going through a crisis. What some farmers think it is okay to charge another farmer for a bale of hay is disgusting, she says . McEvoy cites a recent example she knows of, where someone who had bought straw for 14 a bale, offered to sell it on to someone who was badly stuck, for 35. I cannot describe to you how that makes me feel, she says citing other examples of people who asked exorbitant prices for bales of hay. A practicing Buddhist, who hasnt been to Mass for a while, she says she imagines there have been a few sermons in churches recently about the eighth amendment but she suggests that exploiting farmers who are in crisis is also a moral issue. This is about how you treat your neighbours, your fellow man, kicking a man when he is down, or a woman. She insists that it hasnt happened in her own community where farmers fared better this winter with many getting a second cut of silage, but says she has heard of several cases elsewhere. I think it is rotten, just rotten. Her own farm is more of a zoo, she says. The most famous resident is Jake, her three-legged dog who she estimates is 107, when you translate the dog years. She also has cats, a donkey, hens, the retired sheep, but no cattle. She has planted a lot of forestry all of it native. She acknowledges that she is lucky to have an acting career, which means she doesnt depend on the farm for a living, so it may be easier for her to rail against the slaughter of animals. I have got to the stage where I am uncomfortable with an industry that props itself up by the slaughter of animals. I am not a vegetarian and nobody is more fond of a bit of steak than myself, but to create a market in order to kill more, is something that does not sit with me at all. She says she also has a problem with live exports and with factory farming. Andy while she wont say that farmers are stocking too many cattle, she does think that lessons have to be learned from this winter as climate change is never going away. The Matchmaker by John B Keane, directed by Michael Scott with Mary McEvoy and Jon Kenny, at the Ballroom of Romance, Glenfarne, Co Leitrim, April 28. There have been some attempts by factories to undermine farmer confidence in the market place. Kildare Chilling eased their quote for spring lamb by 10c/kg to 6.90/kg plus bonuses, while Dawn Ballyhaunis shaved 20c/kg off their quote for new season lamb, thus bringing it back to 6.80/kg. So where does that leave us? Quotes for hogget ranged from a low of 6.10/kg at Moyvalley to a high of 6.30+10c/kg quality assurance at Kildare Chilling. Overall the lamb prices ranged from that aforementioned low of 6.80/kg at Dawn to a high of 7.10/kg at Moyvalley Meats, which by the way is 10c/kg above their quote from last week. Also squeezed in there is the fact that Dawn Ballyhaunis pushed their quote for hogget up by 5c/kg to 6.30+5c bonus yesterday. There's a bit of the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away about the Dawn prices to be sure, but with hogget still the dominant force, numerically, farmers are probably overall coming out slightly ahead. Overall, however, allowing for the fact the ICM group were shy on the quoting front, factory prices for hogget are stable to improved as in the case of Dawn. The situation with cull ewes is also one of stability with quotes from Dawn, Kepak and Kildare all unchanged from last week. This means Kepak Athleague continue to shade on ewe prices with their quote of 3.30/kg from Kildare's 3.20+ 10c/kg bonus while Dawn Ballyhaunis remain firm at 3.20/kg. Factory representatives report that the trade in France has become "sticky", despite the positive aspect of less British lamb coming on to the French market due to reduced New Zealand lamb coming into Britain. This "stickiness" is due to reports that Spanish suppliers have stepped up their spring offensive in the French market and that Lacaune lamb from the south of France has begun to make its presence felt. IFA national sheep chair Sean Dennehy said hoggets remain in strong demand and factories are paying 6.40 to 6.50/kg in general for 23.5kg weight. He said some top prices were 6.60 and top weights were 24kg. Spring lambs are making 7.00/kg despite some factories trying to talk the price down. Ewes are making 3.30/kg. John Brooks of ICSA concurs but adds that with this year's spring lamb tending to come in a bit under finished, farmers should consider keeping them longer to get a better finish and kill out. 1 Dowra Ewes with lambs at foot were in good supply here with the general run of prices being from 140-150/hd for singles with the tops making 160/hd. The general run of hoggets sold from 110-130/hd with the top of the market seeing 140/hd paid. Cull ewes sold from 100-130/hd while feeding ewes sold from 60-90/hd. Patsy Smith commented that "anything with flesh was a good seller". 2 Blessington Trade here was described as "good to strong" for hoggets and cast ewes while spring lambs were reported as a "very strong" trade. Those butchers hoggets made 135-145/hd with those spring lambs making from 134-155/hd. Factory hogget made from 115-138/hd with fat ewes selling from 125-148/hd. Feeding ewes made from 75-120/hd. 3 Athenry Yesterday's sale was tidier on numbers but the market remained strong. Spring lambs sold from 131/hd for 41/kg to 147/hd for 47kg, with a batch of heavier 57kg lambs making 169/hd. Hogget prices ranged from 134/hd for 49kg to a top of 154/hd for 54kg. In the breeding section, six ewes with 11 lambs at foot sold for 266/hd, three ewes with six lambs at foot made 236/hd while one ewe with a single at foot sold for 160. Stag ewes made from 100-142/hd. 4 Headford The trade for lambs ranged from 100-155/hd or from 2.15-3.44/kg with that top price coming for a batch at 45kg who sold for 155/hd. Cull ewes sold from 80-120/hd while ewes with lambs at foot ranged from 150-215/hd. 5 Ballinrobe Numbers here was also less, a fact that didn't do those selling any harm at all. Hoggets sold from 98-125/hd while butchers lambs made from 110-130/hd. Fat ewes also saw their share of activity with prices ranging from 86-120/hd. 6 Baltinglass Trade here remained steady for hoggets with prices for 35-45kg ranging from 82-114/hd while spring lambs sold to a top of 145/hd. There was a big offering of ewes with lambs at foot with the top call of 210/hd going to four older ewes with eight lambs at foot while somewhere in the middle, two ewes with three lambs at foot sold for 158/hd. Fat ewes sold from 75-141/hd. (L to R) Viktor Kovacevic, Vice President and General Manager, Comtrade Digital Services and Dejan Cusic, Business Director of Comtrade Digital Services Comtrade Digital Services, part of the global Comtrade Solutions Group, has opened its new global headquarters in Dublin. Largely based in Slovenia, the software engineering services and solutions provider has had a presence in Ireland since 2001. It offers these services and consultancy to a number of firms in Ireland including Ryanair. Comtrade Digital Services' decision to move its global HQ to Sandyford is part of a strategic plan for better access to target markets in Europe and the US. The company, which has 1,500 employees globally, also intends to tap into the skilled local talent here and expand its Irish team further. Business Director of Comtrade Digital Services, Dejan Cusic, said that the latest development is an "important milestone". "Dublin is a city with unrivalled digital prowess and has become a technology hub for leaders in the field, as well as a location of great opportunity," he said. "We intend to continue our growth in Ireland, whilst innovating and collaborating with both existing and new customers." Comtrade Digital Services is currently planning upcoming events including its annual Quest for Quality conference in Dublin which brings together experts from across Europe to discuss quality assurance. "Our vision at Comtrade Digital Services is to deliver true innovation and leverage emerging technologies to enable businesses to evolve and grow globally," Viktor Kovacevic, Vice President and General Manager at Comtrade Digital Services, said. "We are also committed to sharing our insights through different initiatives and events. Having our global headquarters in Ireland allows us to combine knowledge and experience gained from working across Europe, and utilise this to help clients thrive on a global level." Martin Shanahan, CEO, IDA Ireland said that Comtrade's decision is another welcome investment to our "thriving ecosystem" of software engineering companies. The majority of directors in Ireland approve the performance of the current Government, according to the latest quarterly survey from Institute of Directors in Ireland (IoD). Overall, 70pc of the IoD members, that include chief executives, senior executives, non-executive directors and chairpersons, said that they consider the performance of the current Government to be "good to excellent" with the remaining 30pc ranking the Government performance as "fair to poor." However, not as many directors are supportive of the Confidence and Supply agreement, with a marginal majority (56pc) of directors are in favour of extending the agreement from three to five years. "While directors are broadly supportive of the Governments performance to date, it should be noted that only a marginal majority favour an extension of the Confidence and Supply Agreement," Maura Quinn, chief executive of the IoD, said. "Clearly there is work to be done to improve optimism and extend the positive rating by business into a buy-in for long-term support of the Government." Meanwhile just over one in two business leaders said that they are optimist now about the Irish economy compared to the end of 2017, with 38pc reporting no change in levels of optimism. On the matter of Brexit, opinion is divided among Irelands business leaders as to the countrys ability to compete for business on an international scale post-Brexit with 40pc of the view that Ireland is well equipped to compete, yet 36pc disagree. Concerns over housing and availability of talent were cited as the main potential roadblocks to competing internationally post-Brexit. While one in three respondents also raised concerns about potential border controls/delays. "Directors have a positive attitude to performance in the months ahead, however; concerns about Irelands ability to compete for business post-Brexit, particularly regarding housing supply and talent, present a challenge," Ms Quinn. Overall, 84pc of the business leaders surveyed said that they closed their business for at least one day during Storm Emma. Meanwhile, just over a quarter of those surveyed said that labour sourcing and retention is the single biggest risk facing their organisation, even so, just under half of the companies increased employee numbers in the first three months of 2018. Danske Bank posted a net profit of DKK 4.9bn and a return on equity of 12.6pc in the first quarter of 2018. The profit in the first three months of the year represents a decrease of 12pc from the same period last year. Return on shareholders equity after tax was also slightly down, 12.6pc against 14.4pc in the first quarter of 2017. Total income at Danske dropped 9pc to DKK 11.5bn, in a comparison with 2017 Q1. Decreases in net fee income and net trading income more than offset growth in net interest income, according to the bank. Its activities in Sweden were especially noted as contributing to Danske's lending growth, which was attributed to driving a 1pc increase to DKK 5.9bn in net interest income. However, net fee income dropped 4pc to DKK 3.8bn, largely due to lower customer activity at Corporates & Institutions and Wealth Management. Net trading income dropped 43pc to DKK 1.4bn in a quarter comparison with 2017. Danske said that the level of trading activity was high in the first three months of last year, and also reported a lower investment result form the health and accident business. "We had a satisfactory start to the year despite financial market developments that caused lower activity compared with the same period last year," CEO Thomas F. Borgen said. "Across our business, the underlying trend was good, with customer demand for credit remaining positive, just as our partnership agreements in Norway, Sweden and Finland continued to attract new customers and create good activity." Operating expenses fell 2pc to DKK 5.6bn from the level in the first quarter of 2017. This figure was positively affected by lower activity and ongoing efficiency measures and negatively affected by costs related to compliance and continued digitalisation, according to the bank. Terry Browne, country manager at Danske Bank Ireland, said that the bank had a good start to the year overall. "The Groups continued investment in industry-leading technology has allowed us continue to deliver solutions that create value for our clients and to increase our participation in powering the Irish wholesale financial services market," he sid. "Other key drivers were increased activity in Ireland by our Nordic multinational clients and the expanding global footprint of our Corporate and Institutional clients. Danske said that the cost/income ratio rose to 49pc from 45.3pc in the first quarter of 2017. Meanwhile, loan impairment charges had a net reversal of DKK 330m for the first quarter of 2018. At the end of March 2018, total lending was up 2pc compared with the end of March 2017 while total deposits were up 6pc. Posted Thursday, April 26, 2018 9:57 am Letters often provide an intimate window into a persons thoughts, personalities and quirks especially if they were not sent to you in the first place. That window opened for Lille Foster of Holt when she finally decided to read her fathers World War II era letters. Fosters father, Theodore Pattengill Foster, had sent hundreds of letters home mostly to his mother and father detailing his activities at numerous postings across the United States. In the letters, he tells his family and friends about military life, social events and the tedium of training while the war rages on across the ocean. Pattengill Foster, after being drafted at 28 years old in 1941, spent much of the war stateside. Fosters role saw him training and preparing soldiers in the areas of quartermaster duties and transportation and logistics. In 1943, Foster, before being shipped overseas to Australia and New Guinea, married an Army nurse, Joyce Rosalind Capper. Following the war, Foster returned to his hometown of Lansing to work for the Liquor Control Commission. He was then called upon in 1948 for another war percolating in Korea. He spent the next 16 years in the military hopscotching to bases across the world. Along the way, he would ultimately be promoted to the rank of major. Lille, along with her two sisters, were Army brats until his retirement in 1963. Circuitously, the letters would end up in possession of local archivists and historians, Geneva and George Wiskeman. The pair put the letters away until the time was right to pass them onto family members. Foster said she and her father were never close and she took little interest in reading the letters. It wasnt until she read the book of a good friend of hers, Mary Jane Wilson, which detailed her own fathers experience in World War I, did Foster become interested in her fathers letters. Wilsons book, In His Own Words: the Freeman McClintock Story, details her fathers work as an automobile mechanic during WW I. Reading her fathers letters for the first time, Lilles opinions about him changed. The letters revealed to Foster that he was perfectly suited for Army life and that he flourished there. Army was his life and he reveled in it, she said. His letters clearly represented his drive and ambition. He was always the first to chosen for something, she said. Lille is a librarian, but she has always been interested in history and genealogy. This interest can be traced to her great-grandfather, Henry R. Pattengill, who was Michigans first superintendent of public education and publisher of textbooks and educational material. In 2014, Foster helped spearhead an effort to erect a state history marker in Ithaca to recognize her great grandfather. Now, she has published a compilation of her fathers letters in a new book, U.S. Army Life 1941-1945: In the Letters of Theodore Pattengill Foster. The book offers more than 200 letters and postcards which contain Pattengill-Fosters observations of Army life. The letters are well written and are both funny and serious as the soldier goes about his training and ultimately becoming an expert in training other soldiers. I was surprised by his descriptive passages, she said. The first thing she discovered about her father was that he couldnt spell. My father never learned the spelling rule, i before e except after c, and wrote receive hundreds of times in his letters. In addition to indicating the correct spelling, Foster also used more than 280 footnotes to provide more context for readers. So if there is a popular culture reference pertaining to the 40s, it is detailed in a footnote. For example, when Pattengill Foster mentions the movie Star Spangled Rhythm, she details the 1942 morale boosting movie. One particular inside ball-game reference that readers wouldnt have understood was Pattengill-Fosters writing about a Zippity Zooker. Zookers were resorters who summered at Roaring Brook, an exclusive resort at Little Traverse Bay on Lake Michigan founded in the late 1800s by Lansing residents. The resorters would cry Zippity Zook Zippity Zook! Were the gang from Roaring Brook. Foster would later marry a fellow Zooker, Win Stebbins. The Stebbins cottage was next to Foster cottage at the resort. Early in the book, a letter home details how Pattengill Foster found himself in the doghouse after writing the secretary of war complaining that there was no flag to fly on the base. Like every GI, his letters are peppered with references to food, both good and bad, KP and getting passes for leave. In one letter to his sister Tina, he writes Today is probably the most famous day of all to soldiers pay day. Other letters reference how the $21 a month pay doesnt go very far when you factor in having to buy your own uniforms. At Christmastime 1941, he ends a letter to his parents with the line, Theres something about Northern Michigan that just cant be found anywhere else. Foster said that after compiling the letters she let Mary Jane Wilson read them. Her response: I feel like I know him. Thats exactly what I hope to accomplish by publishing his letters, Foster said. To me, its very important people are not forgotten, she said. An older version of this article incorrectly stated Mary Jane Wilson wrote a book about her husband, it's been changed to reflect that the book was about her father. Thousands more tracker mortgage overcharging cases have been owned up to by Ulster Bank and AIB. Ulster Bank, which this week had to apologise after customer money disappeared from accounts, has admitted it has now found up to 2,000 extra tracker cases. The total may now be as high as 5,500 at the bank, it said. AIB said it had identified another 1,800 cases of people who were never on a tracker, but should have been offered one. These people have been offered refunds and compensation of 1,000, and 650 to pay for financial advice. AIB now has 11,200 tracker cases in total. Across all 15 lenders, an additional 3,400 tracker overcharging cases have been identified by the Central Bank. The total number of people who lost homes due to the tracker scandal has also risen to 71. Refunds The total number of tracker accounts affected by the overcharging has now shot up from 20,000 cases last September to 37,100 now. But it could be the end of the year before the new customer cases identified will receive refunds and be compensated. The Central Bank, in its latest update on the tracker mortgage probe, has warned that more cases will be identified across all lenders. Earlier this year, this publication reported that the total number of cases was likely to top 40,000. The Central Bank said 71 mortgage holders lost their homes, and there were 142 buy-to-let ownership losses. Refunding and compensating customers affected has already cost the 15 banks involved in the tracker probe around 1bn, with the final figure expected to go even higher. Those who lost trackers, because banks refused to put them back on the low rate when they fixed for a while, or when they restructured their mortgage, are being put back on tracker rates. They are also getting refunds of overcharged interest - referred to as redress by the Central Bank - and compensation. Parent company Lloyds Banking Group is finalising its exit from the disastrous entry into the Irish market. Stock picture The former Bank of Scotland Ireland will be selling 5bn of residential and buy-to-let mortgages, in a move estimated to affect more than 20,000 homeowners. It comes as parent Lloyds Banking Group finalises its exit from the disastrous entry into the Irish market. It has echoes of the Permanent TSB sell-off but the mortgages included in this portfolio are performing, as opposed to distressed, loans. This means that they are far less palatable to vulture funds. According to sale documents seen by the Irish Independent, the bank intends to conclude a deal by mid-August. A preferred bidder will be selected in mid-May. The deal will mark the largest sale of residential mortgages ever undertaken in the State with Lloyds bundling 27,090 loans into the portfolio, dubbed 'Project Porto', as it moves to clear its remaining exposure in Ireland. The bank inherited the Irish mortgage book a decade ago as part of a UK government-engineered rescue of Halifax Bank of Scotland. Owner-occupier loans dominate the portfolio, which is slated to change hands along with 4,023 buy-to-let loans. The book is tied to 22,742 properties. Relatively few of the Lloyds mortgages are in arrears. The sales documents show "96.2pc of the portfolio is performing in line with terms" while impaired loans - those on which "payments are over 90 days past due" - account for just 2.64pc of the book. In scale, Project Porto dwarfs the impaired loan portfolio sales under way by AIB and Permanent TSB. Yet while those deals have attracted the usual line-up of distressed debt hunters, including Lone Star and Cerberus, the contenders for the Lloyds book are predominantly large-scale financial services institutions. According to sources, most of the participants in the 1.8bn race for Danske's residual Irish retail book, which was sold last year to a Goldman Sachs and Pimco consortium, have returned for a tilt at the Lloyds portfolio. The two asset sales bare strong similarities as both portfolios are dominated by low-yielding loans. Danske's book was weighted towards low-growth tracker mortgages. The sale documents show 77.1pc of the loans, which are mostly tethered to homes in Dublin and the city's commuter belt, are pinned to tracker rates. Borrowers are paying interest only on almost half, or 55.2pc of the overall portfolio, with 94.4pc of the buy-to-let loans on this arrangement. Interest-only repayments apply to 45.9pc of the owner occupier mortgages, according to the documents. The weighted averaged indexed loan to value of the loans is 74.8pc, meaning the portfolio has an equity cushion of about 25pc. As with the Danske book, sources argue the successful bidder on Project Porto is likely to pursue a securitisation of the book. Goldman Sachs and Pimco bought the Dankse loans in October and launched a securitisation, which allows companies to raise money by packaging assets into bond-like instruments of varying levels of risk, in December. Financial services heavyweight Prudential and the hedge fund Elliott Management made it to the final round of the Danske contest and had intended to securitise the loans. Both firms are thought to have looked at the Lloyds book as have Goldman Sachs and Pimco, although it is unclear whether the organisations are working separately on this deal. Business people with something to hide will use offshore corporate entities to continue to mask their interests. Photo: Stock image The government is finalising its plans to set up a Register of Beneficial Ownership in the coming weeks. The register will be established following a Statutory Instrument from the Department of Finance and it will be in line with the measures of the EU's fourth anti-money laundering directive. The basic idea is quite simple. But don't expect it to strike a major blow for corporate transparency, accountability and in combating crime. The corporate world has lots of tricks up its sleeve to make sure that doesn't happen. The new register will store the names and details of beneficial owners of corporate entities, such as companies and partnerships. It is will be put together by the Companies Registration Office (CRO). Discussions are ongoing about providing PPS numbers to make sure the information is verifiable and accurate. In the UK, a campaigner of transparency deliberately set up companies using bogus information and then told the Companies House about it, in order to highlight weaknesses in their procedures. They prosecuted him but also admitted it was the first prosecution of this kind they had taken. The leaking of the Panama Papers in 2015 brought the need for such a register into sharp focus. Right now lots of people control or own companies but they do not appear on the CRO filings as the beneficial owner. Sometimes they use nominee companies operated by law or accountancy firms to hide their interest in a particular venture. It isn't always about tax, but is very often about privacy. It can be the case that a businessperson doesn't want everybody to know what they own or they might not even want certain competitors in bidding for assets to know they are behind certain deals. This is where it gets very complicated. Look how difficult it has been for many receivers, liquidators and administrators since the crash, to establish beneficial ownership of various assets. Establishing beneficial ownership has been extremely complicated in the case of the bankruptcy of property developer Sean Dunne. Look at how certain members of Sean Quinn's family were involved in putting assets beyond the reach of IBRC receivers. This resulted in ongoing protracted legal battles literally across the globe and they have cost tens of millions of euro. The Government's move to form a register looks like a positive step in the right direction. Except for the fact, that those who really want to hide ownership of assets, for whatever reasons, do not operate in a simple way. Twenty years ago we first learned about the existence and use of discretionary trusts when it came to offshore tax evasion. They applied in the Ansbacher case, and in the case of hiding money in Switzerland through Liechtenstein-registered trusts. Similar offshore arrangements were used at National Irish Bank where clients hid hot money offshore through the Clerical Medical scheme, but had unfettered access to it while at home in Ireland. One of the extraordinary things about the Panama Papers was how little these very old tricks had changed. Versions of the same scams were in used by the global elite. There are lots of shortcomings with the register of beneficial ownership as planned. One is in relation to public access to the register. Under the fourth EU anti-money laundering initiative these registers will not be publicly available. Businesspeople will argue that as long as relevant investigating authorities, such as regulators, law enforcement and tax collectors, have access to it, then why should snooping neighbours or journalists? All of those authorities have limited resources and must have some reason to request information on a particular corporate entity abroad in the first place. In other words it will help them in a live investigation, rather than give rise to an investigation. All of the major financial scandals revealed in Ireland, where beneficial ownership was an issue, first appeared in the media. Journalists uncovered the NIB Clerical Medical scam, the bogus offshore accounts racket, Ansbacher and others. In truth, business people with something to hide will use offshore corporate entities to continue to mask their interests. For example, not only will this register not be available to the public, its ability to identify beneficiaries of offshore trusts is still questionable. The level of compliance and transparency operated by places like Jersey, the Isle of Man, the British Virgin Islands or the Cayman Islands will determine how successful this can be. Some of these islands already operate registers of beneficial ownership, but there are strict rules around the process by which international authorities can access them. And, of course, they are not available to the public at all. Then there is the question of keeping the register up to date. Assets can be flipped, moved on, sold on etc by the flick of an electronic switch. It is one thing to have EU rules on how countries maintain the accuracy of the register, but it is another to ensure the relevant authority in each country has the resources to keep it up to date. One study by two Trinity College academics found more than 100bn has been 'funnelled' through the Irish IFSC to Russian-linked companies since 2007. The sums of money moving often quickly through special purpose vehicles are enormous and difficult to track. Irish businesses have found ways of keeping their activities out of the limelight in different ways over the years. Some legitimate, some less so. I remember spending days searching through the complex corporate structure of a very high-profile multi-millionaire to find the ultimate registered ownership. Eventually, at the top of an enormous corporate tree, I found company A as the owner. When I looked at who owned company A, I found it was a firm called company B. When I looked at who owned company B, I found it was owned by company A. This was a corporate tree without a top but a never-ending circle. I have found Irish business people who are directors of literally several hundred companies. This makes it impossible to unravel and decipher the financial position of the group, because there is no obvious group structure. It may be about privacy and not wrongdoing, but the inability to independently verify the financial position of major property developers during the boom years, contributed to the fact that nobody could get a handle of their real level of indebtedness. And we know how that came back to bite us all. But offshore trusts are not the only obstacle to genuine transparency around who owns what. The Panama Papers showed us a lot about ownership of wealth. For example, they showed how the net worth of one of Vladimir Putin's closest friends, Sergei Roldugin, was about $130m. Mr Roldugin plays the cello for a living. The question of public access to these EU registers of beneficial interest is being dealt with in Brussels and Strasbourg right now. The fifth anti-money laundering directive is expected to allow for public access to the information but only in controlled circumstances. Member states will have to grant access to the information held by each member state's register of trusts, subject to a "legitimate interest" test. The conditions of this test will be set by each individual country. What if the company that owns the asset is in the EU, but the trust that controls the company is in a far-flung Pacific Island? Nobody will have an accessible record of the beneficial ownership of the trust. What if the beneficiary of the trust is whoever the trustees say it is, because it is a discretionary trust? We will have to wait and see what definition of "legitimate interest" the Government comes up with in relation to allowing public access to the register of trusts, after they have passed into law in Europe. The French government allowed public access to the register but this was thrown out by the French Supreme Court as unconstitutional. No doubt somebody will challenge this one all the way to the European Court of Human Rights on the basis of a right to privacy. And they may even win. Fintech startup Revolut has raised a further $250m (205m) which increases its value five-fold to $1.7bn in less than a year. The digital banking alternative currently serves more than 100,000 customers in Ireland, with 40pc using Revolut as their primary spending card at home and abroad. Hong Kong-based DST Global led the new Series C funding round alongside a portfolio of new and existing investors, and brings the total amount raised by Revolut to $340m since its launch three years ago. Among the investors is Dublin-listed Draper Esprit, which announced an investment of up to $16.5m (13.5m) in the company. The tech company plans to use the capital to expand globally, and increase its workforce from 350 to 800 employees by year end. Revolut's Head of Business Development, Andrius Biceika told Independent.ie that the disruptor is becoming an everyday bank for Irish consumers. "Our engagement is really picking up, exponentially so in some markets. We get the customer in as they believe we're leaders in terms of facilitating the travel piece. Obviously for us we want to move them into the everyday banking as soon as possible - but that happens by itself," he said. "We don't do any marketing still as it's not necessary; we're continuing to grow organically, by word-of-mouth, across Europe and of course in Ireland." Biceika said that Revolut are not worried about traditional banks catching up with them in terms of service offering "any time soon". Furthermore, expansion outside of the European market is next on the cards for the online bank. "Once you know that the product fits the market, you put the app and card into as many hands as possible," he said. "Our limitation is the population of the world." Founder & CEO at Revolut, Nik Storonsky, said that the company's focus has been to do everything "completely opposite to traditional banks". "We build world class tech that puts people back in control of their finances, we speak to our customers like humans and were never afraid to challenge old thinking in order to innovate," he said. Revolut now processes $1.8bn through its platform monthly and boasts over 250,000 daily active users. Pay-per-day geolocation travel insurance and disposable virtual cards are just two new offerings from the online bank this year. Tom Stafford, Managing Partner at DST Global said that Revolut is developing and delivering technology that "reduces the complexity and cost of financial services for consumers and small businesses". Tullow Oil has continued to make "strong progress" in 2018, according to CEO Paul McDade. Speaking at the group's annual general meeting, Mr McDade also said the Africa-focused explorer is "on track" to make final investment decisions in 2018 and 2019 for projects in Kenya, east Africa and Uganda. Tullow's main interests are the TEN (Tweneboa, Enyenra, Ntomme) and Jubilee fields off Ghana. It also has exploration acreage off Ivory Coast and interests in other regions. It confirmed yesterday that it expects "strong production" at TEN in Ghana and across its non-operated portfolio it delivered average first quarter net oil production of 87,700 barrels of oil per day. That includes production-equivalent insurance payments. Its full-year production guidance remains at between 82,000 and 90,000 barrels of oil per day. "In east Africa, our Ugandan and Kenyan developments are on track for final investment decisions in 2018 and 2019 respectively and we are preparing for the start of our multi-year exploration programme across our diverse portfolio of exploration prospects in Africa and South America," said Mr McDade. Tullow said that the Maersk Venturer drill rig began drilling operations in the TEN field in March 2018. The rig is expected to drill and complete four wells in 2018. The first well is a Ntomme production well at TEN. The company said the drilling is progressing as planned. The second well is planned for the Jubilee site. Tullow has also previously said that it hopes to produce the first oil from fields in Kenya between 2021 and 2022. The company has emerged from a diabolical period during which it was hammered by low oil prices. Revenue at the group last year rose 34pc to $1.72bn (1.4bn), while its loss after tax was cut to $189m (155.2m) from $597m a year earlier. Rapper Meek Mill rings a Liberty Bell replica before the playoff game between the Miami Heat and the Philadelphia 76ers (Chris Szagola/AP) Rapper Meek Mill has said that now that he is out of prison, a lot of people facing similar battles with the criminal justice system are depending on him. I got a lot of responsibility, he said in an interview with Lester Holt of NBC Nightly News. He said the men counting on him are going through the same thing Im going through. WATCH: Rapper Meek Mill speaks out to @LesterHoltNBC in an exclusive interview following his release from prison. https://t.co/fv76gjY7G7 pic.twitter.com/OUwQu7zB76 NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt (@NBCNightlyNews) April 26, 2018 The Philadelphia-born rapper rang a replica Liberty Bell at centre court of the Philadelphia 76ers first-round clinching playoff game Tuesday less than two hours after being freed on bail while he appeals decade-old gun and drug convictions. He was released after the state Supreme Court directed a Philadelphia judge who had jailed him to immediately issue an order letting him out. Asked if he felt free, Mill told Holt: I aint feel free since I caught this case at age of 19 Im 30 now. Mill had been sentenced in November to two to four years behind bars for probation violations, setting off an all-out battle by a team of lawyers and public relations consultants to get him released on bail. They fiercely criticised the judge as a stream of high-powered figures and celebrities visited Mill in jail in the weeks and days before the Supreme Court ruling. Although Im blessed to have the resources to fight this unjust situation, I understand that many people of colour across the country dont have that luxury and I plan to use my platform to shine a light on those issues, Mill said in a statement shortly before his release. Video of the Day He said he planned to focus on getting his convictions overturned, and that he looks forward to resuming his music career. The ruling came after prosecutors said they agreed with his lawyers that he should get a new trial because of questions raised about the arresting officer. The now-retired officer was among a list of police officers the prosecutors office has sought to keep off the witness stand in cases across the city because of credibility questions. The district attorneys office has not said whether they would seek to retry him if the old convictions are thrown out. But it noted that just last week, prosecutors agreed not to further prosecute three defendants whose cases were tossed because of doubts about the credibility of the arresting narcotics agent, the same officer who had arrested Mill. Judge Genece Brinkley, who sent Mill to prison and had refused to release him on bail until the Supreme Court ruling, was accused by the defence of waging a vendetta against the rapper. She defended herself, saying she had acted impartially and without prejudice in all proceedings since 2008. Ed Sheeran has chosen an Irish act to play support on his Irish tour this summer. Irish trad group Beoga, who co-wrote, and featured on, his whopper hit Galway Girl, will be joining him as he takes to the stage across the country from May 4. The band will join previously announced support Jamie Lawson and Anne Marie. They also featured on Nancy Mulligan, another track on his album Divide, and both tracks have accumulated a whopping 683 million streams on Spotify. Having played to a crowd of 150,000 with Ed at Glastonbury they're more than ready to tackle the Irish tour. Beoga also appeared in the Ed Sheeran documentary Songwriter and attended the film's screening this week at Tribeca in new York. Last year they signed up to Spirit B-Unique Records and have been working on new material with Snow Patrol's Johnny McDaid and Foy Vance. Their new single, We Don't Have to Run, featuring Ryan McMullan releases on May 4th, the same day they kick off the tour with Sheeran at Cork's Pairc Ui Chaoimh. The band, made up of accordionist Damian McKee, accordian/guitar player Sean Og Graham, vocalist and fiddle player Niamh Dunne and piano player Liam Bradley, has been in existence for 15 years and have already released five albums and been shortlisted for a Grammy. Before joining Ed on tour they will play a headline show at Cypress Avenue in Cork on May 3rd. Video of the Day Posted Thursday, April 26, 2018 9:57 am What continues to draw Romanian-born Lansing artist Ingrid Blixt back to the bygone era of Byzantine art? It takes the visible and passes it through to the invisible. It takes your prayers, petitions and thoughts from this world and takes them to God the invisible world we dont see, she explained. All art has a certain function, even if its just aesthetic, but this is a vehicle for your emotions and prayers. Byzantine artwork is the chief artistic product of the Eastern Roman Empire and is recognizable for its heavy use of silver and gold leaf. The crushed metal made the works highly reflective, adorning them with an especially stoic appearance certainly helping with the godly impression the artists intended to leave. Blixts creations take on a daunting task of adapting an ancient aesthetic dating back several centuries before her birth. But for her, it doesnt register as a fools errand to attempt to push the elder art forms boundaries another step beyond. Im trying to show with my art that the same sacredness that manifested itself in those early times is still happening now we just perceive it differently, Blixt said. Its my lifes work to continue its tradition. In her youthful days in Baia Mare, a Romanian city in Transylvania, Ingrid Blixt spent her time exploring the local churches. Blixt came of age under Romanias Communist regime, a secular government that heavily suppressed the Eastern European Orthodox Catholic Church. During Communism, everything was covered up. When I was baptized, it was done secretly. It wasnt at the church, it was at the priests house. You couldnt really express your faith, Blixt said. Youd hear about people disappearing. I didnt know what was happening. Blixt had the pleasure of experiencing Transylvanias breathtaking Gothic architecture firsthand. The stringent political climate couldnt prevent Blixts enchantment with the archaic Byzantine art she found within the various empty church halls. The silver and gold-leaf-encrusted pieces were adorned with handwritten inscriptions calling on God to help the writer and their loved ones. Though the writing was technically vandalism, the heartfelt anonymous messages left behind had a lasting impact on the young artist. For Blixt, it only added to the power of the art, rather than detracting from it. While the monasteries were abolished, anybody still had access. Under the beautiful murals thered be messages that said help me God, save my life, save my marriage, Blixt said. It was interesting that through their faith and petitions they were ruining the art, but it wasnt done with bad intentions. After the fall of the Communist regime during Romanias revolution, Blixts passion for the Byzantine era was able to grow freely. She enrolled in art school, setting off on a path to become a jack of all visual trades. The revolution came when I was a child, in 89, Blixt said. It was scary, but we were protected. Our parents kept us calm, I felt safe even though the situation was not safe at all. There were tanks and armed people in the streets, but we felt OK. College was a diverse and enjoyable experience for Blixt. It offered her an opportunity to visit the United States via a class trip to Traverse City. Blixt was taken aback by what she saw as a seemingly universal carefree attitude among the people she met compared to the more subdued and serious attitude of her fellow Eastern Europeans. It was nothing like Europe. I didnt realize everybody was on vacation. Everybody was happy, I was like oh, my gosh! What is happening here? Why is everybody so happy? Blixt said. The one that thing really surprised me is everybodys sense of humor. Everybody seemed to be funny. The decision to move to the United States permanently was difficult. Blixt received mixed feelings from her peers from a cultural animosity against America in general. I understand how people feel in Europe. They kind of have a bad view of the United States. There was a building hatred. You get blamed for leaving your country, they say you should stick it out with everybody else, Blixt said. The culture shock initially had Blixt creating work that seemed to emphasize the clash between the two worlds in which she had lived. But after spending more than a decade stateside, Blixt said her work began drawing attention to what makes people similar, rather than different. In her work Blixt seems to effortlessly channel her memories of the old Romanian churches. Her pieces call upon the classical tenents of what defines a work of Byzantine art, primarily through the heavy use of silver and gold leaf. The effect gives her paintings an ornate look, as if they belong to a church of Blixts own creation. A strong sample of Blixts work is viewable in her latest gallery at East Arbor Architecture, Open Journey. Blixt uses a stark and extensive color comibanation of black, white, blue and gray. But the work curated in Open Journey was not created with a specific theme in mind, rather the works were collected later by Blixt. When I was working, I didnt think about how the exhibit was going to look like as a whole. I picked the colors based on what speaks to me, Blixt explained. It was nothing really planned. Open Journey also touches upon the larger theological themes that tie Blixts body of work together with the Byzantine artists of the past. We are all on a dynamic journey. Even established faiths are not stagnant, Blixt said. We cannot be stuck in our ways, our beliefs, everything always changes. The journey means constant change. We have to remember that. Open Journey, by Ingrid Blixt Trough May 31 Monday-Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Meghan Markle exited TV series Suits with a wedding ahead of the actresss marriage to Prince Harry. The 36-year-old made her final appearance as Rachel Zane in the US legal drama at the end of its seventh season on Wednesday. In the finale titled Good-Bye, Zane tied the knot with character Mike Ross in the show which first aired in 2011. Ms Markle, who was born in Los Angeles, announced shortly after Harry proposed that she would be leaving the USA Network series and her career. Her on-screen wedding did not reach the heights of glamour as the one she will share with Harry at St Georges Chapel in Windsor Castle on May 19. Instead, Zane and Ross, played by Patrick J Adams, had a modest ceremony before both of the characters departed the show, which is shown on Netflix in the UK. Suits creator Aaron Korsh said he believes the scene was not the last the pair filmed together, but it was moving nonetheless. I would say it was emotional. I remember having a really fun talk with Meghan as we were setting up to shoot the wedding and we were just wrapping up our time together, he told industry website Deadline. It was in November, during her first joint interview with Harry, that Ms Markle confirmed she would close her acting career. Video of the Day I dont see it as giving anything up, I just see it as a change, she told the BBC. Its a new chapter. Ciara Doherty is the new co-host of Ireland AM Six months after Sinead Desmond's sudden departure from Ireland AM, TV3 have finally confirmed her permanent replacement. Desmond left the station in October last year after 11 years. Now, Ciara Doherty, who has been filling in as co-host since November, will remain in the position on a permanent basis. She is the only female host alongside Mark Cagney, Alan Hughes and Aidan Cooney. Donegal native Ciara has been working at the Ballymount station since 2010 and joined Ireland AM in 2015 as a reporter. Expand Close Ciara Doherty is the new co-host of Ireland AM / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Ciara Doherty is the new co-host of Ireland AM Although she started out studying law at UCD she moved to London and studied Broadcast Journalism at the London College of Communications. She spent three years as a researcher at ITV before returning to Ireland in 2006 to work for Newstalk Breakfast. She then joined TV3's Midweek and began developing, producing and presenting a series of documentaries including At Home with the Healy Raes and Michaela: The Search for Justice. Following her qualification as a barrister from Kings Inns, in 2014, Ciara moved full time into TV3s News and Public Affairs documentary unit before joining the Ireland AM team. Expand Close Sinead Desmond and Alan Hughes, Mark Cagney and Anna Daly (right) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Sinead Desmond and Alan Hughes, Mark Cagney and Anna Daly (right) Im delighted to become the new co-anchor on Ireland AM and join such a fantastic on-air team," she said in a statement. "The show has a great legacy and rapport with its viewers and I am very much looking forward to continuing to bring a lively, entertaining and informative show to our audience each morning. Video of the Day Speaking in February, Mark Cagney said Ciara had been a hit with viewers, "Ciara is playing a blinder, the audience love her." Vicky Phelan from Annacotty, Co. Limerick, pictured speaking to the media on leaving the Four Courts after the announcement of a settlement of her High Court action for damages. Photo: Collins Courts Concerns have emerged about the care of 15 more women who were diagnosed with cancer after undergoing tests in the free national screening service CervicalCheck. The womens cases were the subject of an internal CervicalCheck report carried out in 2014. But the report came to light only during legal proceedings by Vicky Phelan of Annacotty, Co Limerick, who was given the all-clear following a smear test in 2011 but now has terminal cancer. The 43-year-old mother-of-two, who settled her High Court action for 2.5m yesterday, said she was informed of the internal report only late last year. To know for almost three years a mistake had been made and I was misdiagnosed was bad enough, she said. But to keep that from me until I became terminally ill and to drag me through the courts to fight for my right to the truth is an appalling breach of trust. I truly hope some good will come of this case and there will be an investigation into the CervicalCheck programme as a result of this. Ms Phelans solicitor Cian OCarroll told the Irish Independent the names of about 15 women who were diagnosed with cervical cancer are contained in the 2014 internal report. He said it was unclear whether the other women were aware of the contents of the report. However, he said the failure of CervicalCheck to disclose the reports findings for three years was a gross breach of trust. A spokeswoman for CervicalCheck said that since 2010 the screening history of every women who had had a test under the service and developed cancer would be reviewed. This offer an important opportunity to maintain and improve the quality of the programme and is in line with international best practice, she said. Women who are diagnosed with cancer are advised of the audit process women may request to be informed when the review is complete and what the outcomes are. The outcome is communicated by letter to the womans treating doctor and CervicalCheck will write to her to tell her it is being done but there is no set timescale for giving this information. However, Ms Phelan became aware of the report only during discovery of court documents and was not told of the outcome for three years, in late 2017. The CervicalCheck spokeswoman said false negative smear results and the development of interval cancers between screenings were features of these schemes worldwide. Ms Phelan broke down in tears as she thanked her husband Jim and her family. There are no winners here today. I am terminally ill and there is no cure for my cancer. My settlement will mostly be spent on buying me time and on paying for clinical trials to keep me alive and to allow me spend more time with my children. If I die, I truly hope that wont be the case, the money will provide for my family. Her smear test came back clear in 2011 but she developed bleeding in 2014 and, after undergoing an examination at University Hospital Limerick, she was told she had cancer. I was in shock when I was told. I am angry, extremely angry. If I was diagnosed I probably would have had to have a procedure and at worse a hysterectomy, she said. If I was told sooner I would not be in a position of a terminal cancer diagnosis. Ms Phelan was given the tragic news last January that without palliative chemotherapy she had just six months to live and with the chemotherapy about 12 months. The court was asked to make directions in relation to the part of the settlement which is for the Phelan children Amelia (12) and Darragh (7). Approving the settlement, Mr Justice Kevin Cross said Ms Phelan was one of the most impressive witnesses he had come across in his court. The case against the HSE was struck out and the settlement was only against the US laboratory Clinical Pathology Laboratories Inc, Austin, Texas. It was made without admission of liability. Businessman Sean Dunne "misled" and was "as obstructive as he could possibly be" in relation to his dealings with a Dublin 4 property when questioned by the official in charge of his Irish bankruptcy, the High Court has heard. Mark Sanfey SC, for the Official Assignee (OA) Chris Lehane, told the court yesterday that Mr Dunne gave certain answers about the 'Walford' property during a June 2016 interview with the OA which was clearly non-co-operation. The OA claims Walford forms part of Mr Dunne's estate. Mr Dunne denies this and says he bought the property in trust for his wife Gayle for 58m in 2005. The questions concerned a Cypriot company called Yesreb Holdings, whose ultimate beneficiaries are his children, which acquired Walford from Mr Dunne's wife Gayle in 2013. Counsel said the businessman gave answers about Yesreb aimed at "concealing information" about a potential sale of Walford, which ultimately did not proceed. Mr Sanfey said Mr Dunne had admitted in his evidence acting as an agent for Yesreb during the failed sale process. Mr Dunne's motivation for his answers was that if Walford had been sold it would have been much more difficult for the OA in his investigations to follow the cash compared with an asset such as a house. Counsel said during his evidence to the High Court that Mr Dunne denied misleading the OA during the interview. Mr Dunne did admit not giving the OA details concerning Yesreb in the interview because Ms Dunne had asked him not to as it was her business. Counsel said that in June 2016 the OA lacked information about Yesreb, which he did not obtain until December 2016 from third parties. Mr Sanfey was making submissions in an application by the OA to extend Mr Dunne's bankruptcy on the grounds of non-co-operation. He said the application, which the businessman opposes, was not to punish Mr Dunne but to protect the integrity of the bankruptcy code where there is no co-operation. Counsel said there had been no co-operation by Mr Dunne until early 2016. Mr Dunne failed to file a statement of affairs nor a statement of personal interests until spring 2016. The application continues tomorrow. The Court of Appeal has increased the prison sentences of two men jailed for a fatal burglary at the home of a 62-year-old after finding that their original three-and-a-half year jail terms were too lenient. Cousins Michael Casey (34), with an address at Clonlong Halting Site, Southill, in Limerick and David Casey (23), with an address at Carragh Park, Belcamp, Dublin 17, had pleaded guilty to a series of burglaries, including one at the home of John O'Donoghue at Toomaline, Doon, on August 27, 2015. Mr O'Donoghue collapsed and died as he was about to confront the two intruders, who ran away without offering assistance. Judge Tom O'Donnell sentenced both men at Limerick Circuit Criminal Court to four-and-a-half years imprisonment with the final year suspended on December 15, 2016. The Court of Appeal found the men's sentences to be unduly lenient following a review of sentence brought by the Director of Public Prosecutions and they were both resentenced today to seven years imprisonment with the final eight months suspended. In seeking a review of the Caseys' sentences last December, counsel for the DPP, Thomas O'Malley BL, submitted that the Caseys had targeted four residential properties and entered three. He said the Caseys had embarked on a burglary spree which was pre-planned and premeditated. Mr OMalley said residential burglary, when carried out in isolated rural areas, as these ones were, were a matter of intense social concern. Sentences for such offences, Mr OMalley submitted, must include an element of general deterrence to send the message out to the general public that such a course of offending will not be tolerated. There was no suggestion the Caseys intended to kill or cause serious injury to Mr ODonoghue and it was accepted that they were genuinely remorseful for what happened. However, Mr OMalley submitted, an accused must take his victim as he finds him and he referred to the serious harm caused in the case of the O'Donoghue burglary. He said crimes such as these had many victims, not only the individual whose property was taken but others living in the area may be frightened and may have their quality of life reduced by being compelled to move out of their homes and into sheltered accommodation. Giving judgment, Mr Justice George Birmingham said the late Mr ODonoghue had lived with his sister and, on the day in question, they had both gone to Tipperary town to do some shopping. When they returned home that afternoon, Ms ODonoghue noticed a black car across the road and that the gate to their property was ajar. They became suspicious that somebody was inside the house and it became evident the front door had been broken. The driver of the car across the road began beeping his horn. The late Mr ODonoghue got a shovel from a shed and took up a position near the door of the house. His sister noticed he didnt appear to be looking well. At that stage, Mr ODonoghue collapsed and died. Ms ODonogue actually called on the intruders for assistance but none was forthcoming, the judge said. Gardai and an ambulance were called. Despite efforts to revive Mr ODonoghue he was pronounced dead at the scene. A post-mortem examination indicated that the late Mr ODonoghue had an enlarged heart and there was significant coronary artery disease and scarring of the heart muscle which meant he was at an increased risk of sudden collapse and death. The State Pathologist, Dr Marie Cassidy commented that while Mr ODonoghue did not have direct contact with the intruders, the stress of the situation would have caused an increase in his heart rate and his blood pressure and the physiological effects of the situation would have precipitated his death as he was at risk of developing a fatal cardiac arrhythmia in those circumstances. While of less significance in the context of what occurred, Mr Justice Birmingham said a number of items of property were stolen from Mr ODonoghues home as well as a small amount of cash. Michael Casey, a married father-of-two, was 33 at the time of sentencing and had 44 previous convictions including one for robbery. Mr Justice Birmingham said the significance and relevance of Michael Caseys previous conviction was illustrated by his actions at the initial sentence hearing when it was disputed that it related to him. It was claimed it related to a different Mr Michael Casey in Limerick before it was eventually accepted that it related to him. David Casey lived with his mother in Coolock and had 14 previous convictions. He was on bail at the time of the spree in respect of a burglary he had committed in Galway for which he subsequently received a six month sentence. He was additionally on station bail in respect of another burglary for which he subsequently received a two month suspended sentence. Neither Casey had any history of being in gainful employment. Probation reports described both men as being at high risk of reoffending. Mr Justice Birmingham said the Court of Appeal had no hesitation in concluding that the Caseys sentences were unduly lenient to an appreciable degree. He said the offending involved in the Caseys conduct was in the high range. The principle reason being that it was a burglary spree, a planned and premeditated one. It was carried out by a group and that aggravating factors were present, particularly in respect of the ODonoghues home but also in the home that was ransacked - ransacking specifically being identified by the court as an aggravating factor to add to the list of possible aggravating factors in burglary. Also, the court considered the Caseys relevant previous convictions. Mr Justice Birmingham said the events of the day in question required an aggregate pre-mitigation sentence of not less than ten years. This was reduced to seven on account of the Caseys guilty pleas, their admissions and remorse which appeared genuine. The court further suspended the final eight months of the sentence because the Caseys were being resentenced, rather than being sentenced at first instance, and that carried an additional hardship. Mr Justice Birmingham, who sat with Mr Justice Alan Mahon and Mr Justice John Edwards, resentenced the cousins to seven years imprisonment with the final eight months suspended for the burglary of the ODonoghue home. They were given concurrent terms of three years for the ransacked home, two years for the other burglary and 12 months on the criminal damage matter. All sentence were to run concurrently. The Caseys made no reaction when the judgment was delivered. The Caseys spree that day first involved a burglary at Dromsallagh, Cappamore where the homeowner returned from his morning chores at 2pm and noticed there was damage to the front and rear doors of his home but entry had been unsuccessful. This gave rise to criminal damage. The second incident occurred at Kyle, Cappamore, Co Limerick, where the home of a woman was ransacked. Approximately 500 cash and jewellery worth 1,000 was taken some of which was also of sentimental value. The next incident occurred at Portnard, Cappamore, Co Limerick where a neighbour had heard noise or voices nearby and then saw a male coming out the front window of the house. Finally, the ODonoghues home was targetted. In a rare move earlier this year, the Director of Public Prosecutions asked the Court of Appeal to set guidelines or sentencing parameters for the offence of burglary in Ireland. Counsel for the DPP, Thomas OMalley BL, submitted a number of factors that would put a burglary into the mid-range and upper end of the mid-range category. These were: Planning and pre-meditation; Two or more participants acting together; The targeting of residential properties, especially in rural areas; The targeting of residential property because the occupant was known to be vulnerable on account of age, disability or some other factor; The taking of poerperty which had a high monetary value or high sentimental value. The DPP also identified factors that would tend to place a burglary in the most serious category. These were: Ransacking of a dwelling; Entering during the night a dwelling known to be occupied especially of the occupant is alone; The use or threat of violence; The cause of significant injury, whether physical or pshycological, or serious trauma. To that list, Mr Justice George Birmingham said the Court of Appeal would add the presence of relevant previous convictions as an aggravating factor. Furthermore, a confrontation with an occupant of the dwelling would be also an aggravating factor. The more aggressive the confrontation the greater the aggravation. Evidence that an intruder equipped himself with a weapon while in the dwelling, rather than bringing one in, would also be a serious aggravating factor, the judge said. In considering the significance of a particular aggravating factor, Mr Justice Birmingham said it would be necessary to view the significance of each aggravating factor in the context of the case. He said the presence of a number of these factors would place the offence in the middle range at least and usually above the mid-point in that range. The presence of a considerable number of these factors or, if individual factors were present in a particularly grave form, will raise the offence to the highest category. Mr Justice Birmingham, in a judgment with Mr Justice Alan Mahon and Mr Justice John Edwards, said the Court of Appeal would suggest mid-range offences to merit sentences (pre-mitigation) in the range of four to nine years and at the highest end, sentences (pre-mitigation) of nine to 14 years. He said the Court of Appeal recognised that the circumstances surrounding individual offences can vary greatly, even before one comes to consider the circumstances of an individual offender. While a consistency of approach to sentencing is highly desirable, it is not to be expected that there will be a uniformity in terms of the actual sentences that are imposed. There are just too many variables in terms of the circumstances of individual offences, but even more so in terms of the circumstances of individual offenders, for that to happen. Again, the court recognises that there is no clear blue water between the ranges. He said the difference between labelling an offence high-end or mid-range was often a fine call and the judges legitimate margin of appreciation may well straddle both. In that event, how it was labelled may in fact not impact greatly on ultimate sentence, Mr Justice Birmingham said. A THEN 13-year-old boy has been spared a criminal record after he was caught driving on the M50 in Dublin. The under-age driver appeared again at the Dublin Childrens Court on Thursday having pleaded guilty earlier to Road Traffic Act charges for driving without a licence or insurance. The offence was detected as he was heading northbound on the M50 on March 4 last year. A probation report on the now 14-year-old boy was furnished to the court. The boy, who remained silent during the hearing, had been co-operative with gardai after being stopped. The teenager was accompanied to court by his foster mother and Judge John OConnor noted the teenager had not come to further Garda attention. Defence barrister Damian McKeone asked the court to note the boys young age. Judge OConnor said the teenager had pleaded guilty and had a bit of history. He said while the boy had previous matters he was still very young. He said that he was going to reprimand him, adding that this was the most lenient thing he could do. The order was made under Section 98 of the Children Act which sets out the options the court has when it comes to sentencing including measures ranging from a formal reprimand to community service, supervised probation or a custodial sentence. Judge OConnor held that there was not point in imposing a driving ban on the boy who cannot legally drive. The court heard that the reprimand will not be recorded as a conviction and will not show up as one on the Garda PULSE computer system. A man who threatened to kill his partner, their six month old baby and himself if she left him has been jailed for five years. Patrick Stokes (26) told Louise Kavanagh he was going to slit her and the baby's throat after threatening to rape her. You are going to die tonight, he told her while he held her throat with both his hands. Stokes, previously of Booterstown Halting Site, Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to arson of their home at the site on February 2, 2017. The fire caused 21,000 worth of damage. He further pleaded guilty to assaulting Ms Kavanagh causing her harm, threatening to kill or cause her serious harm and falsely imprisoning her at the Clayton Hotel, Sandyford on March 11, 2017. He has convictions for assault, hi-jacking, violent behaviour in a garda station, possession of knives and robbery. Detective Garda Colm Gregan told Pieter Le Vert BL, prosecuting, that Stokes and Ms Kavanagh were staying in the Clayton Hotel after he had rendered them homeless having set fire to their house the previous month. She had just told him she had left him. The couple re-united some weeks after the fire and had been getting on well when Stokes became aggressive again and attacked and threatened Ms Kavanagh in their hotel room. He got on top of her and held her throat with both his hands until she struggled to breathe. The detective said Ms Kavanagh managed to get away and made her way to the door but saw Stokes had grabbed their baby by the chest of his baby-grow while holding a knife in his other hand. She feared that he would hurt the child so she returned to calm him down before he dropped the baby from a height on to the bed. He then continued his attack on Ms Kavanagh punching her in the ribs and knocking her back on the bed before he again threatened to slit her and the baby's throat. Stokes threatened the woman with a broken wine bottle telling her he would kill her before she left him. Det Gda Gregan said he then threatened to rape his partner and told her you are going to die tonight. He agreed with Mr LeVert that at this stage Ms Kavanagh stopped struggling and Stokes got up off her. She jumped up and grabbed their baby before Stokes broke down in tears. She promised not to leave him. She was saying it to survive, Mr Le Vert told the court. Ms Kavanagh was left with a black eye and her throat and ribs hurt. The couple later attended a meeting together with their social worker, where it was discovered that the woman had overheard some of the attack through her voicemail after Stokes rang her during the course of the incident . She was very concerned for Ms Kavanagh's safety and ultimately assisted her in leaving him. Stokes was questioned three months later after Ms Kavanagh made a complaint to garda. In a victim impact report before the court she described the attack as terrifying and horrendous. She is so afraid of Stokes tracking her down that she has a special phone which has a safety feature on it. She said she still suffers today with anxiety because of the assault but said without Stokes in her life, herself and her son's lives are good. Judge Martin Nolan said the Stokes has a "difficult violent background" and accepted that he became addicted to alcohol and drugs to deal with matters. He said Stokes lost control on the night and said the assault was very serious. The way he treated his baby was extremely serious, Judge Nolan said before he added that the threats issued were believable. I've no doubt that he regrets what he did but the harm was done. I believe he wants to reform but nobody knows if he can, Judge Nolan continued. Thankfully your child wasn't seriously injured but you terrified her and she was right to be terrified, the judge said addressing Stokes. With drink and drugs you lose control and become a very violent man. Lisa Daly BL, defending said Stokes accepts the serious nature of the offence and doesn't want to minimise his behaviour. She said he is sincerely apologetic for what he put his partner and their child through. He says he has ruined his life and lost his family, she continued. Counsel said Stokes' mother self harmed in front of their children and he became homeless at 14 years of age. He resorted to drugs as a coping mechanism, Ms Daly said before she added that he is now clean. A Dublin man who spent 11 months in jail for his role in a violent bookmakers attack has had his conviction quashed after another man allegedly came forward. Declan Tynan (28), of Vincent Street Flats, Dublin 8, had always maintained his innocence in relation to alleged violent disorder at Ladbrokes bookmakers in Killinarden, Tallaght on December 13, 2012. The prosecution's case was that Tynan was one of three men who burst into the bookmakers on the day in question and set upon a customer standing in the middle of the shop. One of the attackers had a short blade and began stabbing the man repeatedly. When the victim's brother tried to intervene, the group of men turned on him. Neither this person nor his brother were willing to cooperate with the investigation and there was never any medical reports obtained, nor a victim impact report produced. One worker told gardai that she continued to serve customers while the incident unfolded. Two of the attackers had pleaded guilty by the time Tynan faced trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. In what was described by Tynans barrister, Eoghan Cole BL, as a one witness case in which the only evidence against his client was the purported visual identification of him by a garda from the bookies CCTV, a jury found Tynan guilty and he was sentenced to four years imprisonment with the final year suspended by Judge Patricia Ryan on January 13, 2017. Tynan then sought to appeal his conviction focusing on the perils of visual identification. However, the three-judge court dismissed his appeal and affirmed his conviction. A number of months later, Tynans senior counsel, Michael OHiggins, told the Court of Appeal that someone else had "come forward in relation to the attack. This person, a Mr Luke Hickey, had provided a statement claiming he was the third person involved in the attack, Mr OHiggins said. Tynan was granted bail pending an investigation. The court heard that the matter was referred to experts in the UK who looked at the question of visual identification. The case returned to the Court of Appeal yesterday where Tynans conviction was quashed under Section 2 of the Criminal Procedure Act 1993. The Director of Public Prosecutions did not oppose the application, brought by Tynans lawyers. However, Michael Delaney SC, for the DPP, said the Director was not making any concessions on a factual basis. Mr Justice George Birmingham, who sat with Mr Justice Alan Mahon and Mr Justice John Hedigan, ordered that Tynans conviction be quashed with liberty to apply later for a declaration that the conviction was a miscarriage of justice. In his unsuccessful appeal against conviction, Mr OHiggins said a garda from Kevin Street station had been asked to look at the CCTV footage of the bookmakers attack. Of all the guards, in all the stations, Mr O'Higgins said, the path to Kevin Street was never explained. A few weeks later the Garda made a statement to say he was 100% sure it was Tynan. Mr O'Higgins said the circumstances in which video identification is made are vital and it was "very unfair" on Tynan that no record was kept of what happened. There was no log, no history of how the tape was played and no record of what the surrounding circumstances were. The failure to do that lead to an unfairness on Tynan and ought to have excluded the testimony. There could have been clear and cogent steps taken to test, for example, whether the viewing was alone or with others, was it part of a mass circulation, the time it was viewed, how the viewing was controlled, whether the person viewing it was familiar with the location, what features of the image triggered the recognition and were there any expressions of doubt. Mr O'Higgins said a police officer asked to view CCTV is not the same as a witness to a crime. The mischief is that the police officer may merely make an assertion without an objective means of testing the accuracy. It was dangerous territory, he said. He submitted that the admissibility of such evidence should be governed by an assessment of whether the process by which the evidence had been garnered was adequate to ensure its probative value is not diminished or outweighed by the prejudicial effect. It must ensure the defence had an adequate opportunity to test the identification evidence, Tynan's lawyers submitted. Dismissing the appeal, Mr Justice Birmingham said the court was not persuaded by any argument in relation to the recognition issue. What occurred in this case differed from what is usually at issue in cases involving visual identification or voice identification, Mr Justice Birmingham said. What ordinarily happens is that a witness, at a time after a crime is committed, is asked to view an identification parade with a view to seeing whether they can pick out someone and say they are viewing the same person they saw commit the crime. Here, what happened was quite different. There was footage actually showing the crime being committed. It showed those involved present at the crime scene and the person viewing the footage was doing so to see if he could identify anyone on screen as someone previously known to him. It was a fundamental difference, Mr Justice Birmingham said. That high quality images are often now available, as opposed to blurred or grainy images which were the norm until recent years, should not be lost sight of and meant that earlier cases require to be treated with a degree of caution. A teenage girl was left with severe facial injuries after an attack on Bangor Pier A teenager has been through hell since he was wrongly accused of recording the recent assault of a teenage girl at Bangor Marina, a court has heard. Cameron McAuley (19) appeared in the dock of Newtownards Magistrates' Court as a result of breaching bail conditions. McAuley, with an address in Bangor, was charged with using disorderly behaviour on the Newtownards Road in Bangor, assaulting police on April 4, assaulting Jake McKenna occasioning him actual bodily harm and damaging Mr McKennas glasses on February 13 this year. Giving evidence to the court Detective Constable Holmstead said she believed she could connect McAuley to each of the offences. She told the court McAuley had been on police bail since he was charged earlier this month with a scheduled court appearance for next week but he was arrested for breaching three conditions - a prohibition on having alcohol in public, his bail address being withdrawn and failing to take a preliminary breath test. The officer revealed that essentially, the reasons for most of the breaches are that Mr McAuley was wrongly accused of being the person who videod the attack at the pier of Friday night". He did not video it, said the police officer adding that he and his family have been through hell since the weekend having been accused of being the person who shot the piece. He didnt. He wasnt on the pier. He has been in hiding...living in fear, so in those circumstances, I dont want to oppose bail, said the detective. McAuley was freed on his own bail of 100 (114) with numerous conditions barring him from certain parts of Bangor, having alcohol or being drunk in public and to keep a curfew. He is due to appear again on 23 May. A 16-year old girl sustained severe facial injuries after being punched and kicked in the assault on Bangor pier last Friday. Footage of the incident was posted online and has been viewed millions of times. Appearing in court on Monday charged with causing grievous bodily harm were a 16-year-old girl, a 17-year-old boy and an 18-year-old woman, Cora Mary Linda Campbell, from English Street in Downpatrick. At that hearing a police officer described the assault as "sustained and vicious", adding that the injured party told police she had been punched and held down by four people known to her. A recording, which was posted on Facebook, shows her being punched around 30 times, stamped and kicked to the head and having her head banged on the ground, according to the officer. The IFA is calling on farmers to "stand back" from forced sales of farmland, as it estimates that at least 150,000 acres are under threat. Martin Stapleton, IFA farm business chairman, has said that at least 2,500-3,000 farmers may be in danger and are facing vulture funds selling their farms to settle debts. "It is not true that farmers are not willing to engage, we find it's the vulture funds who are not engaging," he said. He added that the IFA was opposed to any forced sale of farms by vulture funds where the farmer was willing to implement a credible solution. The key people, he said, in this were potential buyers and "we are saying don't get involved with a vulture fund for the sake of quick buck... it is simply not right to force through a sale where there is an alternative on the table". IFA president Joe Healy said: "The faceless funds which have no understanding of farming are hell-bent on destroying families while feeding on the carcass of the family farm. "Farm families should be given the time to repay their debts over a longer term to keep the farm intact." Loans that are barely in the category of being called "distressed" are being sold with other loans to make the overall package more attractive, Mr Stapleton claimed. Security He also said it was "wrong" to have unregistered entities buying loans from reputable banks and that farmers were entitled to have the same security and options as other sectors. "The Ulster Bank loan sales to Promontoria/Cerberus has created an enormous problem, both because of the number of cases and the increasing level of aggression with which they are dealing with our farmers," said Mr Stapleton. "Link Asset Services, which is managing the loans on behalf of Promontoria, has simply refused point-blank to engage with us. "In many cases, the level of default or arrears is quite small and our experience is that farm loans are very attractive to vulture funds, as the level of security is very strong. "We think farm debt is being used as a carrot to help make loan packages more attractive." He added: "We want that farmers whose loans are sold to vulture funds are given the time and opportunity to pay off these loans." The pillar banks were reluctant to sell, but the vulture funds had no such qualms, he said. Liga Skromane was on a holistic treatment retreat in Kerala, India when she disappeared A murder investigation is underway into the death of a woman in India after an autopsy revealed her body had signs of strangulation, a police officer has said. Liga Skromane, who went missing from a wellness retreat in Kerala, India, was found dead last week following a month-long search. Liga, who was originally from Latvia but had been living in Dublin for the past five years with her husband, travelled alongside her sister Ilze to take part in the retreat on February 4. The 33-year-old disappeared on March 14 and was found dead by a local fisherman on April 21. A senior officer investigating her death has said they are now looking at the possibility of murder. One of the doctors who performed autopsy on the victims body informed that there were indeed signs of strangulation. Hence, we are now looking into the murder angle in this (Ligas) case, the leading officer said. A number of people have been detained as part of the investigation. A preliminary inquiry suggested there was no foul play involved in her death, with police hinting at the possibility of suicide, which was criticised by Liga's husband, Andrew Jordan. "We are sure it's not suicide. We appeal to the police for a full investigation," he said. Andrew Jordan, from Swords, Co Dublin, travelled to India when he heard of Liga's disappearance. "I plead with the people of Kerala to come forward with the information, if they have any idea about what happened to my wife." DNA test results released today confirm the body found last week was that of Mrs Skromane. The 12th century heart of Saint Laurence O Toole has been stolen from Saint Lauds Chapel within Christ Church cathedral, Dublin The preserved heart of Dublin's patron saint has been recovered by gardai after it was stolen from Christ Church Cathedral six years ago. The heart of St Laurence O'Toole, which had been in the cathedral for 800 years , was kept in a wooden container sealed within a small iron-barred case. The relic was stolen from Saint Laud's Chapel in Christ Church Cathedral in October 2012. A long running investigation by An Garda Siochana led to the recovery of the heart. It was found undamaged. That investigation is ongoing. The relic will be presented to Christ Church Cathedral this evening by Assistant Commissoner Pat Leahy to the Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Michael Jackson. Archbishop Jackson said that the return of the heart is of huge significance to the people of Dublin. The return of the heart of Laurence OToole to Christ Church Cathedral brings great joy to the people of Dublin as Dubliners. For those of us associated with the life of the dioceses, it brings again to the fore the close relationship between Glendalough and Dublin, a relationship of more than 800 years. "Laurence left the monastic city of Glendalough of which he was Abbot to become Archbishop of Dublin, hence cementing a vibrant relationship that continues unabated to this day, he stated. Our deep thanks and warm appreciation go to all who have worked tirelessly to make this day of restoration possible, particularly the Garda Siochana, he added. The cathedrals Dean, the Very Revd Dermot Dunne, said he was delighted that the relic had been recovered. I am delighted that the heart will be back in the cathedral. I am grateful to the Gardai for all the work they have done in recovering it. I said at the time it was stolen that the relic has no economic value but it is a priceless treasure that links the cathedrals present foundation with its founding father, St Laurence OToole. "It gives joy to my heart that the heart has been returned to the city, the Dean stated. A spokesperson for Christ Church Cathedral said a proper shrine to St Laurence will be instituted in the cathedral where the people of Dublin can come to honour the memory of the patron saint of the city. Following the theft of the heart, security at the cathedral was reviewed and regular security reviews continue. Laurence OToole is the Patron Saint of Dublin and is closely associated with the early years of Christ Church Cathedral. His feast day falls on November 14. GARDAI are investigating the sudden death of a teenager who died from a suspected drug overdose outside a Dublin youth facility. On Monday evening, emergency services were alerted to a road near St Agnes Park, Crumlin after receiving reports of a 17-year-old taking ill. Paramedics from the Dublin Fire Brigade (DFB ) treated the youth at the scene, before his condition deteriorated. He was then transferred to St James' Hospital but was sadly pronounced dead around three hours later. The young casualty is originally from the Tallaght area but had been in the Youthreach Centre, Crumlin before his death. He was discovered on a roadway beside the nearby St Agnes Park by emergency services. Officers at Crumlin garda station are now investigating the circumstances surrounding the sudden death, and suspect that the 17-year-old passed away from a drug overdose. A local source said that gardai are still in the process of locating the people who were with the teenager on the night in question. "Gardai need to establish exactly what happened, and a number of people still have to be interviewed," the source said. In a statement, the Department of Education and Skills said that supports are in place for the centre. "City of Dublin Education and Training Board (CDETB) have confirmed the death of a student. CDETB has accessed the support of its psychological service and other head office supports and is engaging with students and staff to provide appropriate assistance and guidance supports. "The Department of Education and Skills will not be commenting further and hopes the familys privacy and that of the community will be respected at this sad time." IRISH people are officially the happiest in European Union, according to a new report. We also fare about the EU average when it comes to how we rate fairness, equality and our health. The Special Eurobarometer 471 Fairness, inequality and inter-generational mobility interviewed 28,031 people from 28 EU countries last December, including more than 1,000 people in Ireland. The survey covers areas related to education, financial income, social status and social mobility, while also looking at people's perceptions on migration and globalisation. An overwhelming 97 per cent of Irish people said they consider themselves to be happy, the highest in Europe, where the average is 83pc. 92pc of Irish people surveyed agree they are in good health, above the 78pc EU average. We were third in the ranking when it comes to how we feel about equal opportunities for getting ahead, at 80pc, trailing behind Denmark and Sweden - both 81pc. Three-quarters of Irish people said they feel that compared to 30 years ago opportunities for progressing in life are getting better, the EU average is 46pc and drops to just 21pc in Greece. Similarly, 75pc of Irish people think that the majority of people in the country can be trusted. Almost 80pc of people said they believe the difference in people incomes are too great and the same amount of people feel the government should take measure to tackle the disparity. Tibor Navracsics, Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, said: Fairness is a crucial part of building a more resilient, cohesive Europe. "Our initiatives in this area need to be based on sound evidence, but at the same time take the values and perceptions of Europeans into account. "I am proud that the JRC's work is helping us increase our knowledge on both counts, making a vital contribution to our efforts to build a better Europe for the future." The story of the blind soldier's plight was published in 1857 in The Freeman's Journal LANDMARK documentary has unveiled the remarkable true story of an Irish soldier whose plight inspired one of the world's most famous anti-war ballads. Patrick Sheehan was arrested for begging on fashionable Grafton Street in Dublin in 1857 - despite the fact the young man had lost his sight while serving in the British Army during the horrific battles of the Crimean War a few years earlier. The horrors endured by soldiers in the Crimean campaign were so appalling that Florence Nightingale organised nursing care for the wounded - and thereby helped form the modern nursing profession. Despite his honourable military service and having lost his sight due to an infectious disease contracted on the battlefield, Patrick Sheehan was left penniless when his temporary pension of six pence a day expired after just nine months. He was jailed by a Dublin magistrate for seven days for illegal begging despite his explanation he had no other way of supporting himself. The story of the blind soldier's plight was published in 1857 in The Freeman's Journal - a predecessor of The Irish Independent - and caused national outrage. Charles Joseph Kickham in Mullinahone, Tipperary was so appalled by the shameful treatment of the injured veteran he penned a ballad called 'Patrick Sheehan' under a pseudonym. That ballad became hugely popular and reflected national anti-war sentiment as well as concern at the appalling treatment of Irish soldiers recruited to fight colonial wars by Britain. The ballad 'Patrick Sheehan' now ranks alongside the Irish anthem, 'Mrs McGrath', which was recorded by Bruce Springsteen, as amongst the most famous anti-war ballads of the 18th and 19th centuries. A Tipp Mid West Radio documentary has now revealed the ballad was a key indicator of anti-war sentiment across Ireland in the years around the Boer War and World War I, particularly when conscription was controversially being contemplated. The ballad 'Patrick Sheehan' had such a powerful impact it is still sung today, particularly in Tipperary. The documentary - researched by Tom Hurley - unearthed anecdotal evidence that Dublin Castle were so concerned at the impact on Irish recruitment of the ballad that Patrick Sheehan's pension was restored. Sadly for the young soldier, who was reported to have been from the Glen of Aherlow in Tipperary, the story didn't have an overly happy ending. Despite the reported restoration of his pension, he eventually ended up staying in the Ennistymon Workhouse. He died in 1920. 'Reward of Valour' is broadcast in four parts by Tipp Mid West Radio and is available here. THE Independent Alliance is meeting this afternoon to discuss cancelling their annual conference which is due to take place this weekend. The group is meeting to decide whether to reschedule the event amidst the on-going fallout from the internal row over a junior ministerial post. The Alliance was due to hold its annual conference in the Sheraton Hotel in Athlone on Saturday. However, one source said they are now considering cancelling the event because the internal row would overshadow the conference. Another Independent Alliance source said several councillors aligned to the group said they would not be able to attend this weekend. Another Alliance source said the meeting was not called to specifically discuss the conference. Last week, it was decided that Kevin Boxer Moran would remain Minister of State with Responsibility for the Office of Public Works. The move infuriated Galway East TD Sean Canney who believed the ministry should be rotated back to him after Mr Moran completed a year in office. Mr Canney was appointed to he position when the Government was formed and severed as minister for a year and one month. He then passed the portfolio to Mr Moran, who believed he would hold the ministry until the Dail term ended. Mr Moran was backed to hold on to the ministry at an Independent Alliance meeting last week. Since then, Mr Canney has not been clear on whether he intends to remain with the political grouping which supports the Government. Visit to New York by President Higgins and his wife Sabina, as they attend a reception hosted by the Irish Arts Centre in New York with Mrs. Loretta Brennan Glucksman, Chairman Emeritus of The Ireland Funds America prior to attending a performance by a selection of Irish Artists in the Symphony Space in New York city. Pic: Maxwell's PRESIDENT Michael D Higgins has used a major speech on womens leadership in New York to criticise "unapologetic sexism" in Donald Trumps America. Mr Higgins also said that womens voices were marginalised, ignored or silenced for too long in Irelands first 100 years of independence. He delivered the strong remarks in a speech to an Ireland Funds event in New York where he also cited the #MeToo movement as proof women's voices are being heard. Mr Higgins said the Ireland Funds' Womens Leadership series is a most important initiative in a world which continues to face obstacles and many challenges towards attaining true equality. He said that attitudes suggesting female inferiority and fuelling prejudice towards women are far from being the preserve of any one culture or religion. In a reference to the United States, he said: Indeed, today we are witnessing a worrying surge of unapologetic sexism and the undermining of womens rights in one of the worlds most advanced democracies. He said it is a reminder that no society is ever immune to such harmful regressions of rights painstakingly won. We must never let down our guard, and confront, not just violence, but prejudice and disrespect wherever it arises." In a reference to the #MeToo movement, Mr Higgins said that womens rights were to the fore of public discourse last year. Sexual abuse and harassment in the workplace was openly discussed and called out across a range of high profile sectors including the film industry, politics and the media. Womens voices are being heard and demands for change in behaviour and attitudes must continue to be progressed for the benefit of all society, he added. Mr Higgins also criticised how women have been treated in by the Irish State. He said: In Ireland, as across the world, the exclusion of women led to the impoverishment of our public policy and our body politic. He added that this resulted in too many lives which were not allowed to achieve their potential merely because of their gender. The President said that since the establishment of the first Dail in 1919, strong women leaders like Constance Markievicz have championed the pursuit of the increased participation of women in decision making. He noted that she was the first woman elected to Westminster in 1918 and was appointed as the first democratically elected Cabinet minister anywhere in the world in the first independent Irish government. Mr Higgins added: However, for too long during our 100 years as an independent Irish State, the voice of women in Irish political life was marginalised, ignored or silenced. He said Countess Markieviczs achievements were a false dawn and that it would take another six decades for a second woman to be appointed to an Irish Cabinet. Mr Higgins also told his audience how until 1973, women who married while in the Irish public service, were required to resign; with the exception of teachers. He said that at the same time, male members of the public service received a pay rise on marriage. Mr Higgins also said: Both of my predecessors Mary Robinson and Mary McAleese were remarkable women and both represent the profound and positive social change which Ireland has undergone in recent decades. He said that the Ireland Funds have worked tirelessly to promote peace, culture, education and community development in Ireland and around the world. Mr Higgins says that there is still profound and persistent global injustice for women and there are many immediate and longer term challenges which must be overcome if we are to achieve empowerment of women across the world. In one example he said: We know that gender inequality lies at the heart of the gap between the richest and poorest people in the world. The economic marginalisation of women is not only bad for women, it also threatens global growth and stability. He said that gender equality cannot be seen as an issue thats totally separate from sustainable development. All dogs go to heaven: Karen Donoghue said the the arrival of her basset hound Barney helped her family get over the death of their old dog In her memoir I Found My Tribe, Ruth Fitzmaurice writes: "When a pet dies, there is an empty space left where they used to be. You no longer feel or hear them moving through your world. They are just gone." The singular incident to provoke an outburst from her husband Simon, despite his debilitating motor neurone disease, is the moment she tells him she has had their dog Pappy put down. She describes Simon's anguished response: "You killed my dog. You killed my dog without asking me. How could you? How could you do such a bad thing?" Two weeks ago I empathised with Ruth when I had to euthanise our Jack Russell, Jack, after a stroke. I was devastated - the grief was intense, raw and overwhelming. Such grief for a pet can also be compounded by guilt when you have decided to end their life. It is a lonely place. However, if we take into account Dr Susan Delaney of the Irish Hospice Foundation's explanation that "we grieve when we lose what is important to us", then grief for a pet shouldn't be a source of embarrassment but rather a testament to our love. Dr Delaney, a clinical psychologist, encourages people to grieve their pet fully and without embarrassment. She elaborates: "We don't always know how we're going to respond to a loss until it happens we don't choose our feelings." Losing a pet, she continues, can represent "a tremendous loss in peoples' lives" and advises you should be "allowing yourself to feel what you feel and validate it, and seeking out people who will validate it". Grief for a pet transcends all social stratification - the news that Queen Elizabeth was hit "extremely hard" by the recent death of her 14-year-old corgi Willow (a direct descendant of her first corgi Susan, and the last of her famous dogs) makes all pet owners empathise with her. Prince or pauper, your dog loves you regardless. Expand Close Queen Elizabeth with her first corgi Susan / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Queen Elizabeth with her first corgi Susan In a society that is increasingly fragmented, uncertain and isolated, the unconditional love of a dog or cat brings joy every day. Losing that connection can be debilitating. Learning to live with grief for a pet takes time: there is no instant, easy panacea. The intense bond that pet owners share with their animals means they are usually heartbroken by their death. For most, a pet is never a mere animal, but a loved family member with positive memories of companionship and loyalty. Despite this, people can be surprised by the depth of their grief when their pet dies. Sadly, the more significance the pet had in your life, the more intense the grief at their death. Grainne Walsh from Dublin enjoyed an especially close relationship with her 14-year-old boxer Maud, who died in March. Both had suffered from cancer and survived, and were inseparable. Grainne explains: "She survived cancer at around nine and, later, was there for me as I battled breast cancer myself I had Maud and the other dog's support which was so wonderful at that time." When the cancer returned, Grainne knew when Maud was ready to go. "What a lovely gift it was for us to be able to let her go to sleep in our arms, pain free and peacefully when the time was right." However, grief is still strong: "It's early days and I miss her every day. I sniff her bed and her collar and cry most days, but mostly it is with happy memories I think of her." She encourages owners to "go through the sadness, cry, look at photos, go on familiar walks, don't avoid it - it is healing". Having to put a beloved pet 'to sleep' is one of the most fraught and challenging events in an animal lover's life. Acknowledging that there is no relief you can give a loved pet is a bitter pill. Devoted dog lover Belinda Dyer from Kilkenny, who has owned over 20 dogs during her lifetime, explains: "I think it's one of the most difficult decisions in your life because with adults, the doctors, everyone else makes the decision, but with a dog, it's you that's in charge. It's you that has to respect the dog basically and to love them enough to be able to do that to them." Techniques for coping with the loss of a pet include talking to others who have lost a pet, organising a funeral ritual, visualising happy memories and bereavement counselling. But for Belinda, keeping her deceased pets near her home, buried in a dedicated graveyard with their own gravestones, has been hugely comforting. Despite this, she admits: "Saying goodbye is soul destroying and it takes weeks if not months to shake off their image." Expand Close Healing process: Karen Donoghue and her sons (left to right) David (14) Thomas (12) and Brendan (8) with their basset hound Barney. Photo: Damien Eagers / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Healing process: Karen Donoghue and her sons (left to right) David (14) Thomas (12) and Brendan (8) with their basset hound Barney. Photo: Damien Eagers The pain of losing a pet can be especially traumatic for children, who view a dog as a best friend or sibling. Karen Donoghue from Naas and her three boys were bereft when their shih tzu/terrier cross Odie had to be put down last year after an incident with a child. For the boys, it was heartbreaking as Odie was a healthy dog and for the youngest Brendan (7), it was particularly devastating. Karen now regrets using the euphemism "putting to sleep" as "Brendan thought that he would wake up again" and was "extremely angry" when the truth dawned. She advises parents to be honest with children about a pet's death, and that it's "okay to express those emotions rather than let them build up inside". Karen advises: "It's a life lesson - it definitely prepares you for life. It is good for kids to know about death." Dr Delaney of the IHF concurs with this: "With our children, we should always mark those small losses and that helps set us up for bigger losses in our lives. They all matter." Since burying a pet in residential areas is now illegal, pet cremations have become commonplace. Glen Patten of Pawprints Cremation Ireland cremates the remains of up to 40 pets a week, returning the ashes to the owner in two to three weeks. Glen's own boxer Simba was the first dog he cremated. This experience has benefited the service he provides. "I was heartbroken when it happened I go back to when I had my pet cremated and I do the cremations the way my pet was cremated," he says. "She basically taught me how to do a cremation." Swearing off pet ownership after the death of Simba, he adds: "I swore I'd never go through the heartache again." But he now has two dogs and says: "Never say never. If the time is right, it will happen." For Karen Donoghue too, adopting a new family dog, Barney, has been instrumental in the family's healing process. "It was sooner than I thought, but I think it was the best thing because it brought back up the whole mood in the house and brought us out of ourselves." While there is no specific timetable for grief, when you are ready, a new animal can be therapeutic. You never replace a beloved pet but if you have honoured your pet's memory, bonding with a different dog or cat can alleviate the heartache. As John Katz, the animal author advises: "When an animal dies, it gives you the chance to love another animal." Dr Delaney sums up her advice: "Allow happy memories to come alongside the difficult memories. And know that pain does ease we have to integrate the loss. The way we get over grieving is by grieving." For more, see solacepetlossireland.com and pawprintscremationireland.ie. The close friend of a courageous 22-year-old blogger who died last year of a rare cancer has paid tribute to her and is now organising a fundraiser in her name. Laura ONeill lost her battle with synovial sarcoma last September 2017, a mere nine months after she was diagnosed. During her illness the Dublin Institute of Technology student wrote a popular blog cocktailsnchemo.blogspot.ie, logging some aspects of her life during treatment. She travelled to the Royal Marsden Hospital in London for treatment and her friends are now working to organise a ball in her honour, to raise funds for the Gavin Glynn Foundation. Jane Keenan, one of Laura's close friends, told Independent.ie that the blogger was an inspiration to everyone who knew her. Wed just come back from a three-week trip to Thailand the September before she was diagnosed. We were always really glad wed done that trip because Laura always said she wanted to travel. She was the life and soul of every party. Everyone knew Laura; she was so popular; she had so many friends. I always used to say that I wouldnt have half the friends I had without Laura. In one of her blog posts, Laura told her followers how she dreamed that shed travel and go to concerts and festivals when she recovered. Expand Close Laura ONeill lost her battle with synovial sarcoma last September 2017 / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Laura ONeill lost her battle with synovial sarcoma last September 2017 She told her followers: Before I was sick I thought cancer was just cancer, unfortunately I had to learn the hard way that there are thousands of different types of cancer out there. I was diagnosed with a Synovial Sarcoma, one of the rarest forms of soft tissue cancer. Sure why would I want any old plain tumour anyways?? She added: Whenever I have down days I think of children that are going through this and I know if they can get through this then so can I. Jane, whom Laura described as her other half at parties and nights out, said that even when she was sick, she worried about her friends over herself. Lauras diagnosis was quite unclear in the beginning because its such a rare disease. I always remember when she texted me to say that she had a tumour, she texted me to ask was I OK? Thats the type of person she was. She was amazing. She had her turban that shed wear and she always kept her glam going. Jane added: It was actually the week of her 22nd birthday that she found out that her cancer was incurable. Lauras friends are now organising a fundraiser ball which will take place at Clontarf Castle on June 30. It will be a night representing everything Laura was, and what she loved, her friends say. Tickets for the Laura ONeill Remembrance Ball go on sale Friday 6th April at 12pm priced at just 70 per person plus booking fee via Eventbrite. , to help all children, between the ages of three months to 18 years in Ireland with cancer who need support with the costs associated with accessing treatment abroad The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their newborn son outside the Lindo Wing at St Mary's Hospital in Paddington, London The Duke of Cambridge holds the hand of his wife, the Duchess of Cambridge, as he carries their newborn son from the Lindo Wing at St Mary's Hospital in Paddington, London Britain's Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William leave the Lindo Wing of St Mary's Hospital with their new baby boy in London, April 23, 2018. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls Britain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge looks at her newly-born son, her third child, on the steps of the Lindo Wing at St Mary's Hospital in central London, on April 23, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / Ben STANSALLBEN STANSALL/AFP/Getty Images The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their newborn son outside the Lindo Wing at St Mary's Hospital in Paddington, London An Australian magazine has been criticised for photoshopping Kate Middleton and Prince William on its magazine cover. Woman's Day, which is sold in Australia and New Zealand, features an overly edited picture of the cover, holding their newborn prince, taken outside the steps of St Mary's Hospital. The picture set-up has been an international talking point over the last number of days and is available in it original form from hundreds of different sources, so it's pretty easy to see when something has been tweaked in the editing room. TV presenter Hilary Barry shared a side-by-side of the pictures on Twitter, saying: "You know the worlds gone completely mad when a mag has to photoshop one of the most photogenic couples in the world. This is mental." A number of her followers have come out in agreement. She went on to say, "Despite turning up on the hospital steps looking AMAZING hours after birthing that child - she still wasn't good enough for Woman's Day." You know the worlds gone completely mad when a mag has to photoshop one of the most photogenic couples in the world. This is mental. pic.twitter.com/kVmHjhnLuV Hilary Barry (@Hilary_Barry) April 26, 2018 Woman's Day declined to comment to Independent.ie The publication has come under fire before its royal coverage, controversially publishing pictures of Kate and William on their Seychelles honeymoon in 2011, holding hands on the beach in swimwear, after an agreement was made between the royal family and the press that their honeymoon would remain a private event. A palace spokesperson said at the time, "The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge considered their honeymoon to be a very private event after their hugely public wedding. "For this reason they asked the media to respect their privacy. That is something they continue to do." Saturday Night Live's Colin Jost, pictured with Scarlett Johansson, will host this years Emmys with his SNL co-star Michael Che (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP) Saturday Night Lives Colin Jost and Michael Che will host this years Emmy Awards. The Weekend Host anchors will present the 70th awards in September. The official Saturday Night Live Twitter account tweeted: Excited to announce that @ColinJost and Michael Che will be hosting this years #Emmys! Excited to announce that @ColinJost and Michael Che will be hosting this years #Emmys! pic.twitter.com/6S2qu1Ic6d Saturday Night Live - SNL (@nbcsnl) April 26, 2018 Jost and Che are two of the most prominent cast members of Saturday Night Live and anchor the Weekend Update segment. Jost has been in the role since 2014 and was joined by Che in 2015. The pair were named as co-head writers of Saturday Night Live last year. Saturday Night Live won nine awards at last years Emmys, more than any other show. The Emmys are the most prestigious awards available in the US TV industry and the awards will take place in Los Angeles on September 11 and nominations will be announced on July 12. Royal rumble: Kate and Wills new arrival could be set to shake things up in the family as the youngest child. Photo by John Stillwell - WPA Pool/Getty Images Britain's Kate Middleton and Prince William and their newborn son outside the Lindo Wing at St Mary's Hospital in Paddington, London. Photo: Kirsty O'Connor/PA Wire The arrival of Prince William and Kate Middleton's third child - a baby boy - is delightful news, but three children means a much richer and more complex set of interactions in a family. Of course birth order alone doesn't define character - many other factors work together to create a unique individual. However, it is still one of the most powerful factors that shapes character and could be the most powerful influence of all in determining social behaviour throughout our lifetime. Our siblings - the people we're likely to know for longer than anyone else - are introduced into our lives during our early years, the time when the human brain is developing most rapidly. As a result, our interactions with them create powerful templates that will determine the ways we'll think, feel and behave for the rest of our lives, especially when we're in small social groups. In 2013, Daniel Eckstein and his colleagues at Sam Houston State University looked at over 200 studies that analysed birth order characteristics and were able to create a list of the most frequently cited qualities for each birth order position. Based on these findings, it's fairly safe to conclude - bearing in mind no set of qualities can apply to everyone equally - that there are certain characteristics we can expect of an individual depending on their birth order. So what lies in store for all the Cambridge clan? First-borns The eldest is the only child in a family who starts life enjoying the exclusive attention of their parents. As a result, they have more opportunities to develop good linguistic and social skills which means they're likely to do well academically. We can see those good linguistic and social skills in Prince George already. The downside of all this exclusive attention is that when the next sibling comes along, they feel the loss more keenly than later-borns. This leaves them with a strong thirst for approval from parents and authority figures, and with that comes a powerful drive to succeed. Expand Close Expanding family: Kate and Will with Charlotte and George / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Expanding family: Kate and Will with Charlotte and George One study found that first-borns are 30pc more likely to be in positions of leadership than individuals in any other birth order position. First-borns also tend to be more anxious than later-borns. The birth of the first child is an overwhelmingly wonderful experience for parents, but also an anxious time as they come to grips with what being a parent involves. Babies pick up on parental mood, hence the slightly higher anxiety levels that are often characteristic of first-borns. Middle children The arrival of the new baby has meant Princess Charlotte has now become a middle child. Contrary to popular belief, middle children are not brooding and troubled outsiders, but picking up on the more relaxed, confident mood of their (now more experienced) parents, they are often the least anxious child in the family. They also grow up learning to avoid conflicts and get on with a wide variety of individuals. A word of warning, however: because middle-borns value getting along with others so highly, they can sometimes be easily led and find themselves in trouble. They're also the children most likely to go through a phase of appearing outlandish in dress or make-up. This may well be their way of reacting to being the child most likely to be overlooked, neither a high-achieving eldest nor adorable youngest. Youngest of three To an outsider, this looks like the most privileged birth order position - the new royal baby boy is a lucky child. Like many parents of three, Prince William and Kate Middleton are by now very experienced and more relaxed. Parents of three have less time to enforce the rules they do set, which allows the youngest child more freedom, both to take greater risks than their older brothers and sisters and to explore more creative domains. Older members of the family are also often on hand to help, but although this is well intended, it may mean the youngest child grows up feeling impatient and frustrated as they are surrounded by others who are more competent than they are, owing only to greater maturity. Read more: In all of this, it's important to remember there are a number of nuancing factors that can subtly change a child's profile. Age gap is one such factor. A gap of more than five years means the older child has had a chance to settle into patterns of behaviour typical of a last-born or an only child and that, in turn, means they'll have qualities typical of more than one birth order position. Similarly, different genders in a family will confound the 'typical' birth positions. These subtleties are beautifully illustrated in William and Kate's growing family. Because the new baby is a boy, Prince George is now the first-born in two ways, in his ordinal position and as the elder son, so first-born qualities are likely to be strong in him. Princess Charlotte has a most interesting and complex profile: not only is she now a middle child, but as the first and only girl, she is also likely to show characteristics of a first-born too. With a mother who appears empathetic and responsive to needs of others, Charlotte is likely in particular to develop the caring aspects of a first-born and will benefit from the social ease of being a middle child too. Her younger brother will enjoy many advantages. He has experienced parents and two older siblings to help him grow and develop and he's likely to benefit in wonderful ways. Linda Blair is a clinical psychologist and author of Siblings: How To Handle Rivalry And Create Lifelong Loving Bonds. A young boy being treated for leukaemia was given an opportunity to join his local police force for the day. Auggie Powers, four, was shown around by officers at St Louis County Police Department in Missouri. It's not everyday we get a new recruit at age 4, but Auggie wants to be a police officer! Auggie, who lives with Leukemia, and we wanted to make his wish come true. #AuggieSuperPowers pic.twitter.com/oN2uY6mdZj St. Louis County PD (@stlcountypd) April 26, 2018 On his big day, he was sworn in by the departments Chief Belmar and given a badge. Expand Close Auggie with his badge / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Auggie with his badge He also got to take a seat in a police helicopter. Expand Close Auggie in the helicopter / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Auggie in the helicopter And spent some time with the canine unit where he took a particular liking to K9 Officer Onyx. Expand Close Auggie meeting Officer Onyx / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Auggie meeting Officer Onyx He also saw some of the incredible police equipment, such as armoured vehicles. Expand Close Auggie with armoured vehicle / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Auggie with armoured vehicle Expand Close Auggie with officers outside vehicle / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Auggie with officers outside vehicle And even enjoyed a pizza party. From yesterday: Pizza Time! Thank you @PapaJohns for providing us with the Pizza for Auggie and thanks @StengerSTLCo for stopping by to join us! #AuggieSuperPowers pic.twitter.com/7XkdeVLa8f St. Louis County PD (@stlcountypd) April 26, 2018 Welcome Officer Auggie, Twitter user @BradsB2652 commented. Wishing you the best. Emmanuel Macron had a busy few days on his state visit to the USA, but he still had time to grab some selfies. Between holding talks with US President Donald Trump and making speeches in Congress, the French President appeared to be stress-free and in good spirits. Truly an #OnlyatGW moment! Epic selfie with the president of France Emmanuel Macron! Thanks for coming to GW! (He took the pic!) pic.twitter.com/F6LCiFKukP Jack 30 (@j_borowiak) April 25, 2018 The pictures were taken after a Q&A session with students from George Washington University, with whom he stood and took photos for 20 minutes, according to one. He was very warm and more than glad to shake hands and take selfies, Jack Borowiak told the Press Association. After I took an individual selfie with him, Macron took the kids phone to the right of mine and he waited for the surrounding students to get in the frame. Jack said the picture reminded him of Ellen DeGeneres Oscars selfie, which went viral in 2014, and there were many more selfies featuring Mr Macrons grin popping up on social media. It was such a surreal experience, said student Anahi Hurtado. That morning I had read an article calling him the new leader of the free world and now I was holding his hand. It was extra special for me as well because last month I did a school programme in Paris and we mainly talked about Macron. Expand Close Macron leaving / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Macron leaving I think the main thing I can take from my experience from him yesterday was how accessible and willing he seemed, said Anahi. I ended up being over an hour late to class but when I showed the picture to my professor I was quickly excused totally worth it. A 77-year-old Indian spiritual guru who claims to have millions of followers worldwide has been sentenced to life in prison for raping a teenage girl in 2013, in a trial held amid fears of major rioting. A court in the western Indian city of Jodhpur ruled Asaram Bapu had raped a 16-year-old girl in the city at one of his 400-odd ashrams, where he instructed disciples in meditation and yoga. Heavy security was in place for the verdict after nine prosecution witnesses were attacked and three died during protests over the course of his trial. Twenty-three died during disorder following the sentencing of another guru, Gurmeet Ram Rahim, for rape last year. The verdict and sentencing were delivered inside the Jodhpur jail amid tight security, as the authorities feared that taking the guru to the courthouse in the city centre could trigger violence from his followers. Police in the nearby states of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Gujarat, where Bapu has a large following, were placed on high alert in anticipation of trouble, officials said. Exorcising Bapu was arrested in 2013 after two of his followers alleged that he had raped their teenage daughter under the pretext of exorcising her, as they waited outside his special chambers intoning prayers for their child's well-being. Bapu, along with his son, is also on trial in western Gujarat for allegedly raping two sisters in 2003 and 2004. Digital bank Revolut has clinched 250 million US dollars (179 million) in a fresh funding round that values the London-based fintech firm at 1.7 billion US dollars (1.2 billion). The Series C round was led by Hong Kongs DST Global and supported by a raft of new and existing investors including Ribbit Capital and Index Ventures. It brings the total amount raised by Revolut since its launch in 2015 to 340 million US dollars (243 million), with its valuation having grown five fold over the past year alone. DST Global managing partner Tom Stafford said: Revolut is developing and delivering technology that reduces the complexity and cost of financial services for consumers and small businesses. We are delighted to support (chief executive) Nik (Storonsky) and the Revolut team as they continue to innovate, roll out new services and expand geographically. The fintech firm said it will be using the cash to bankroll its global expansion, with plans to enter markets including the US, Canada, Singapore, Hong Kong and Australia this year. Revolut which counts over 1.7 million customers across Europe also expects to increase its employee base from 350 to 800 staff by the end of 2018, with a focus on engineers and designers. The company has set a target of 100 million customers over the next five years. Chief executive and founder Nik Storonsky said: Our focus, since we launched, has been to do everything completely opposite to traditional banks. We build world class tech that puts people back in control of their finances, we speak to our customers like humans and were never afraid to challenge old thinking in order to innovate. To have DST Global on board is an incredible endorsement of our business strategy as we begin to expand Revolut around the world. Banking has historically avoided disruptions by technology, but that is all about to change on a big scale. One of its latest innovations has seen the digital bank access virtual cards online within the past month. Revoluts new service allows customers to pay for online purchases with disposable virtual cards the details of which are destroyed and automatically regenerated within seconds of every transaction in a bid to prevent fraud. Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson has announced she is pregnant and expecting her first child with partner Jen Wilson. The couple will welcome the new arrival in late Autumn. Ms Davidson said she and her partner since 2014 are "exited and daunted" about the months to come and are "over-joyed" at the prospect of starting a family together. Ms Davidson, 39, said the news does not change her political commitment or her plans to lead the Scottish Conservatives into the 2021 Holyrood elections, saying she is "simply doing what thousands of working women do every year". Her deputy within the party, Jackson Carlaw, will hold the fort for a few months while she is on maternity leave, which she will share with Ms Wilson. Ms Davidson, who has made no secret of her desire to be a mother, found out in March that an IVF procedure had been successful. She said: "Jen and I are delighted to be able to say that we are starting a family. We weren't sure that it was going to happen for us, but we're really, really happy that it has." Ms Davidson, who says she has been affected by some morning sickness and fatigue during the early stages of her pregnancy, said it will be "business as usual" until she goes on maternity leave. She said: "We have a very busy few months ahead, and I look forward to throwing myself into events with customary gusto. "While it often goes unacknowledged, politicians have personal lives too, and I hope people will understand that I want to be able to combine my public role with a family life. "Jen and I are incredibly lucky in the support we have received from our family and friends over the past few months - and we know we can rely on them in the months and years to come. I'd like to thank them all again today. "We have always dreamed of starting a family and are pleased to be able to share our happy news." Danish submarine inventor Peter Madsen has been given a life sentence after being found guilty of torturing and murdering Swedish reporter Kim Wall before dismembering her body during a private submarine trip. Copenhagen City Court Judge Anette Burkoe said she and two jurors unanimously decided Ms Wall's death was a murder, finding Madsen also guilty of sexual assault and the defilement of a corpse. Expand Close Kim Wall. Photo: Getty Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Kim Wall. Photo: Getty Images "It is the court's assessment that the defendant killed Kim Wall," Ms Burkoe told the packed courtroom. During the 12 days of the trial that began on March 8, the court heard evidence that Madsen (47) lured 30-year-old Ms Wall on to his homemade submarine with the promise of an interview she had been trying to get for months. Ms Wall, a freelance journalist who wrote for leading magazines and newspapers, was last seen on August 10 waving to her boyfriend and other friends ashore as the submarine sailed off into the Baltic. Her dismembered torso was found days later at sea off Copenhagen, and other body parts were found in plastic bags in October. "We are talking about a cynical and planned sexual assault and brutal murder of a random woman, who in connection with her journalistic work had accepted an offer to go sailing in the defendant's submarine," Ms Burkoe told the court. Life sentences in Denmark usually equate to 16 years in prison, but prisoners are re-assessed during their incarceration to determine whether they would constitute a danger to society if released and should be kept longer. Immediately after the verdict, Madsen's lawyer, Betina Hald Engmark, told the court she would appeal. The court ordered Madsen kept behind bars during the appeals process. Ms Wall's parents were not present for the verdict but prosecutor Jakob Buch-Jepsen said that after the ruling he spoke with other family members who were present. "We are, of course, very satisfied that the court has accepted the arguments of the prosecution and handed the heaviest sentence in Danish law," he said. Throughout the trial Madsen denied murder, saying 30-year-old Ms Wall died accidentally inside the submarine. He changed his story several times. Initially he told authorities that he had dropped her off on shore and did not know what had happened to her. He then claimed she had died accidentally when hit in the head by the submarine's hatch. Finally, after her decapitated head was found by police divers in a weighted-down bag along with her appendages and the skull showed no signs of fracture, he said she had been asphyxiated in a malfunction aboard the submarine. He also initially denied dismembering her, then confessed that he had done so and said he had thrown her body parts into the Baltic Sea. Ms Burkoe noted the discrepancies, saying Madsen "failed to give trustworthy explanations". She added that evidence also showed he "has shown interest for killing and maiming of people and has shown interest for impaling". Madsen listened quietly as the verdict was read, looking down at the desk in front of him. Prosecutor Buch-Jepsen claimed Ms Wall's murder was sexually motivated and premeditated because Madsen brought along tools he normally didn't take when sailing, including a saw and sharpened screwdrivers. Madsen's defence lawyer had argued for his acquittal on the charge of murder, saying he should only be sentenced for the lesser charge of cutting Ms Wall's body into pieces. The cause of death has never been established but the court found that Madsen "cut the body into pieces to hide what had happened". Venice is to employ unprecedented crowd control measures to separate tourists from locals as the World Heritage city braces for this busy bank holiday weekend. Tourists trying to reach the most popular landmarks - St Mark's Square and the Rialto Bridge - will be diverted to visitor-only routes, away from locals who have for years complained that their day-to-day lives are made a misery by the invasion of visitors. With the arrival of warm weather in Italy and the tourist season in full swing in La Serenissima, as the maritime republic was once called, there are fears of severe congestion in the city's narrow streets and alleyways. Tourist numbers are expected to peak between Saturday and Tuesday, which is a public holiday in Italy and many other countries. "The tourist flows heading to Rialto or San Marco will be directed on alternative routes," the city council said. Luigi Brugnaro, the mayor, signed a decree that contains "urgent measures to guarantee public safety, security and livability in the historic city of Venice". Tourists who try to arrive by car from the Italian mainland may be blocked from using Ponte della Liberta, the one bridge that spans the lagoon. The effect of mass tourism is so smothering that Venice has long debated the possibility of setting a limit on the number of visitors who can enter each day and the restriction on cars appears to be a step in that direction. The mayor said the package of extraordinary measures was "maybe the first (of its kind) in Italy". The objective was to "manage pedestrian and water traffic and the flows of people". Mr Brugnaro said the measures were an "experiment", suggesting that they may be implemented again if successful. They appeared to be a response to this year's long Easter weekend, when Venice was inundated with even more tourists than usual. Daily Telegraph, London Telegraph Media Group Limited [2021] Bradford and Bingley was nationalised during the financial crisis (PA) An investor group led by Barclays has agreed to buy two mortgage books from defunct bank Bradford & Bingley for 5.3 billion. The closed books had been managed UK Asset Resolution (UKAR), the so-called bad bank that looked after assets of Bradford & Bingley and Northern Rock after their collapse and nationalisation in 2008. The deal will effectively recover 5.3 billion of taxpayer cash, according to the Treasury. The consortium, led by Barclays, intends to securitise the residential loan portfolio meaning it will be made available as an investment product after the sale is completed. Today we announced the sale of Bradford & Bingley mortgages bought during the financial crisis recovering 5.3bn of taxpayers money. That will go towards reducing our national debt securing a brighter future for the next generation.https://t.co/ttwalML9IG Philip Hammond (@PhilipHammondUK) April 26, 2018 The loans were purchased with equity funding from funds managed by Pimco. Art Mbanefo, head of financing resources management at Barclays, said: This transaction is a strong example of our commitment to offer our balance sheet, our advisory expertise and our excellence in structuring and execution to create shared value for our clients. We are proud to be working with UKAR in helping maximise value for the UK taxpayer. UKAR said a key consideration in choosing the successful bidder of the mortgage books was the continued fair treatment of customers and assurance that there will be no changes to the terms and conditions of the loans as a result of the transaction. The mortgages will continue to be administered by the same company to provide continuity of service, though customers whose mortgages are included in the deal will be contacted to explain the change of ownership. UKAR chief executive Ian Hares said: This marks a significant moment in B&Bs history with all 15.65 billion returned to the FSCS and ultimately the taxpayer. When complete, this sale will reduce UKARs balance sheet to 14.5bn, an 87% reduction since its formation. The transaction delivers against our overarching objective to develop and execute divestment strategies which protect and maximise value for the taxpayer whilst treating customers fairly. A car drives past flowers and other tributes for Alfie Evans outside Warsaw's UK embassy (Alik Keplicz/AP) Growing support for stricken Alfie Evans is also evident in Poland, following early interventions from the Vatican and Italy. Alfies parents have been embroiled in a legal battle to get treatment for their son who has been cared for in Liverpools Alder Hey Hospital. Alfie Evans must be saved! His brave little body has proved again that the miracle of life can be stronger than death. Perhaps all that's needed is some good will on the part of decision makers. Alfie, we pray for you and your recovery! Andrzej Duda (@AndrzejDuda) April 25, 2018 Polands President Andrzej Duda tweeted on Wednesday that Alfie Evans must be saved. A pile of flowers, toys and candles has grown in front of the UK embassy in Warsaw amid sympathy for the sick childs plight in the Catholic nation. Expand Close A woman lays flowers for Alfie Evans (Alik Keplicz/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A woman lays flowers for Alfie Evans (Alik Keplicz/AP) Pope Francis has appealed for the boys parents wishes to be heeded, saying only God can decide who dies. Expand Close Alfie's father Tom Evans on a recent visit to the Vatican (Gregorio Borgia/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Alfie's father Tom Evans on a recent visit to the Vatican (Gregorio Borgia/AP) Italy has offered citizenship to Alfie in an attempt to smooth his path to treatment in the country. His parents wanted to take him to Rome for treatment with the Bambino Gesu Hospital said to be a possible destination. South Koreans hold a banner showing Moon Jae-in and Kim Jong Un to welcome the planned summit (Lee Jin-man/AP) North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean president Moon-Jae-in will plant a commemorative tree and inspect an honour guard together after Mr Kim walks across the border for their historic summit, Seoul officials said. The talks on the southern side of the border village of Panmunjom are expected to focus on North Koreas nuclear programme, but there will be plenty of symbolism when Mr Kim becomes the first North Korean leader to be in the southern section of the border since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War. Mr Moon will receive Mr Kim after he crosses the concrete slabs that form the rivals military demarcation line on Friday morning. They will then walk together for about 10 minutes to a plaza where they will inspect a South Korean honour guard, Mr Moons chief of staff Im Jong-seok told reporters. After signing the guestbook and taking a photo together at Peace House, the venue for Fridays summit, the two leaders will start formal talks. They will later plant a pine tree on the border using a mixture of soil from both counties mountains and water from their respective rivers. The tree, which is beloved by both Koreas, dates to 1953, the year the war ended, Mr Im said. Expand Close South Korea Koreas Summit / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp South Korea Koreas Summit Engraved on the stone plaque for the tree will be the phrase, Peace and Prosperity Are Planted, as well as the signatures of the leaders. After the tree-planting, the two plan to stroll together to a footbridge where a signpost for the military demarcation line stands, Mr Im said. The leaders will meet again in the afternoon and later attend a banquet, he added. Mr Im said Mr Kim is to be accompanied by nine top North Korean officials, including his influential sister, Kim Yo Jong. He said South Korea hopes Mr Kims wife, Ri Sol Ju, will attend parts of Fridays summit, but Ms Ris attendance has not been agreed to yet. It is also not clear how the leaders will announce the results of the summit. The most difficult part, Mr Im said, centres on North Koreas level of denuclearisation commitment. Fridays summit and Mr Kims planned meeting with President Donald Trump in May or early June were arranged after Mr Kim recently expressed a wiliness to put his nuclear programme up for negotiation after a year of nuclear and missile tests. A Catholic priest who had been reported kidnapped has been found dead in central Mexico. Prosecutors in Morelos state said a relative identified the body of Father Moises Fabila Reyes, 83. He appears to have died of a heart attack and is the third priest killed or to have died under suspicious circumstances in Mexico in a week. The prosecutors' office said relatives had reported that Fr Fabila Reyes was missing to federal anti-kidnapping prosecutors in Mexico City. The Catholic Multimedia Centre said the priest had been on holiday when he was abducted on April 3 and that family members paid a ransom of over 100,000 US dollars. In the last week, a priest was shot dead on the outskirts of Guadalajara and another was stabbed to death outside Mexico City. Emmanuel Macron during his address to a joint meeting of Congress (J Scott Applewhite/AP) French president Emmanuel Macron has laid out a firm vision of global leadership in a speech to US Congress, rejecting the illusion of nationalism in a candid counterweight to Donald Trumps appeals to put America first. Opening a joint meeting of Congress, Mr Macron was courteous but firm, deferential but resolute as he traced the lines of profound division between himself and Mr Trump on key world issues: climate change, trade and the Iran nuclear deal. A day after the French leader had put on a show of warmth and brotherly affection for Mr Trump at the White House, his blunt speech prising engagement over isolationism reinforced the French leaders emerging role as a top defender of the liberal world order. We can choose isolationism, withdrawal and nationalism. This is an option. It can be tempting to us as a temporary remedy to our fears, Mr Macron said. But closing the door to the world will not stop the evolution of the world. It will not douse but inflame the fears of our citizens. Expand Close Emmanuel Macron as he is introduced before speaking to a joint meeting of Congress (Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Emmanuel Macron as he is introduced before speaking to a joint meeting of Congress (Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP) Issuing a bleak warning, he urged against letting the rampaging work of extreme nationalism shake a world full of hopes for greater prosperity. It was a marked shift from the simpatico Mr Macron of only a day earlier during his state visit at the White House. In his first year as Frances president, Mr Macron has carefully cultivated as close a relationship to Mr Trump as any world leader can boast. But addressing a joint meeting of Congress an honour granted only occasionally to leaders of close US allies Mr Macron confronted his differences with Mr Trump head-on. As Mr Trump weighs pulling out of the 2015 Iran accord, Mr Macron made clear that France will not follow his lead. We signed it at the initiative of the United States. We signed it, both the United States and France, Mr Macron said. That is why we cannot say we should get rid of it like that. Welcomed Pres. @EmmanuelMacron to his Joint Session of Congress. May the friendship between the United States & France grow even stronger and may we never grow weary as we work together to forge a future of freedom and peace in our time. https://t.co/xCbv7qX542 Vice President Mike Pence Archived (@VP45) April 25, 2018 Mr Macron later told French reporters that he has no inside information on Mr Trumps decision on the Iran deal but noted that it is clear the US president is not very much eager to defend it. Mr Macron saved some of his most pointed comments during the speech on Trump administration policy on climate change, implicitly lamenting the presidents moves to withdraw from the global emissions pact reached in Paris. Mr Macron said humans are killing our planet and added: Let us face it: There is no Planet B. On this issue, it may happen we have disagreements between the United States and France. It may happen, like in all families, Mr Macron said. But thats for me a short-term disagreement. Asked by French reporters about his comments later during a visit to the Martin Luther King Jr Memorial, Mr Macron said with a smile that he does not expect Mr Trump to rejoin the Paris accord but does expect that America will. Mr Macrons hour-long speech to Congress, delivered in English, provoked obvious delight from congressional Democrats, who erupted repeatedly in cheers and standing ovations for the visiting Frenchman a contrast to the mostly silent reaction from Republicans in the House chamber. But it was not all criticism from Mr Macron. He sought to showcase the historic bond between the US and France, touting the two allies constant attachment to freedom and democracy. Yet he also mentioned fake news, a point of contention between Mr Trump and others, and warned that lies disseminated online are threatening freedoms worldwide. Expand Close Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron kiss during a State Arrival Ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House (Andrew Harnik/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron kiss during a State Arrival Ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House (Andrew Harnik/AP) In friendly fashion, he recounted trans-Atlantic links from the earliest days of the United States. Mr Macron talked about a meeting between Ben Franklin and the French philosopher Voltaire, kissing each others cheeks. In an apparent reference to his affectionate rapport with Mr Trump this week, Mr Macron mused: It can remind you of something. Mike Pompeo has taken over as US secretary of state after being confirmed by the Senate and sworn in across the street minutes later. The USs top diplomat immediately dashed off to Europe, in an energetic start befitting the high-stakes issues awaiting him from Iran to North Korea. The former CIA director secured support from 57 senators, with 42 voting no one of the slimmest margins for the job in recent history. I am completely humbled by the responsibility and looking forward to serving the American people and getting to work right away.Mike Pompeo Every past nominee to get a roll call vote since at least the Carter administration received 85 or more yes votes in the Senate, with the exception of Donald Trumps first secretary of state Rex Tillerson, who got 56. He was sworn in at the Supreme Court by Justice Samuel Alito, a fellow Italian-American, who said he was proud to officiate for the occasion. Mr Pompeo, in a statement relayed by the State Department, said he was delighted to serve as Americas top diplomat. I am completely humbled by the responsibility and looking forward to serving the American people and getting to work right away, Mr Pompeo said. Then it was off to Andrews Air Force Base, where a US government aircraft was waiting to ferry Mr Pompeo to Brussels for meetings at Nato headquarters. State Department staffers, demoralised after a tumultuous first year of Mr Trumps administration, gave a round of applause to Mr Pompeo, who responded as he boarded the aircraft with a casual hi, Im Mike. Mr Pompeo, a Republican and former Kansas congressman, is expected to guide Mr Trumps foreign policy in a more right-leaning direction than Mr Tillerson, the former Exxon Mobil CEO fired by Mr Trump on Twitter last month. He inherits a State Department that has lost relevance under Mr Trump and a diplomatic corps deeply dispirited by the tenure of Mr Tillerson, who pushed budget and staff cuts and eschewed public appearances while leaving key diplomatic positions unfilled. A long list of pressing issues awaits him, including a decision on the Iran nuclear deal, Mr Trumps upcoming summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and ongoing disagreements in the White House about the future US role in Syria. Mr Trump said he was pleased by Mr Pompeos confirmation, calling him a patriot with immense talent, energy and intellect. He will always put the interests of America first, Mr Trump said in a statement. He has my trust. He has my support. Mike Pompeo has been sworn is as US secretary of state after winning a vote in the Senate. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito swore Mr Pompeo in on Thursday afternoon at the Supreme Court. From there, Mr Pompeo was going to Andrews Air Force Base, where an aircraft was waiting to whisk him to Europe for his first trip in the role. Mr Pompeo is expected to travel to Brussels before heading on to the Middle East. His nomination was confirmed by the Senate earlier on Thursday on a 57-42 vote. It was one of the slimmest margins for the job in recent history. President Donald Trump applauded the confirmation of his former CIA director as secretary of state, calling him a patriot. French President Emmanuel Macron, applauded by US Vice President Mike Pence, left, and Speaker Paul Ryan, arrives to address a joint meeting of Congress in Washington. Photo: Reuters French President Emmanuel Macron demanded climate change action and defended the Iran nuclear deal yesterday in a pointed rebuke of Donald Trump's "America First" foreign policy. Addressing a joint session of the US Congress, he called on America to stay engaged in the world in a rebuttal of the US president's isolationist instincts. Expand Close French President Emmanuel Macron and US President Donald Trump at an earlier joint press conference. Photo: Getty Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp French President Emmanuel Macron and US President Donald Trump at an earlier joint press conference. Photo: Getty Images Mr Macron said there was no "Planet B" as he predicted the United States will one day return to the Paris climate change agreement. The French leader also criticised Mr Trump for wanting to rip up the Iran agreement, but agreed Tehran must never be allowed to obtain nuclear weapons. On tariffs, he warned that abandoning free and fair trade would destroy jobs, increase prices and punish the middle classes. He also said global threats would spiral and the United Nations and Nato would be weaker if the US stopped fighting for its values overseas. "Today, the call we hear is the call of history," Mr Macron said in an emotive call to arms. "This is the time of determination and courage. What we cherish is at stake. What we love is in danger. We have no choice but to prevail and together we shall prevail." But he warned: "We can choose isolationism. But closing the door to the world will not stop the evolution of the world. If we decide to open our eyes wider, we will be much stronger." The speech ended a three-day US state visit that has seen Mr Macron reaffirm his position as the world leader with the closest personal relationship with Mr Trump. Their touchy-feely series of press calls has made headlines and was referenced jokingly by Mr Macron in his address. The speech - the first by a world leader to a joint session of US law-makers since 2016 - showed Mr Macron willing to publicly challenge Mr Trump. On climate change, he asked: "What is the meaning of our lives if we spend it destroying the future of our children?" He said it was time to "make our planet great again" and predicted that the US would "one day" return to the Paris climate change agreement. That triggered the biggest applause as Democrats leapt to their feet while Republicans gave a more lukewarm response - one of a number of points where his speech split the chamber. On the Iran nuclear deal, Mr Macron pledged France would stay in the 2015 agreement and criticised Mr Trump's hints that he might withdraw. He repeated Tuesday's call for a wider deal to tackle Iran's ballistic missile programme and behaviour in Syria and Yemen as well as nuclear issues. He pledged: "Iran shall never possess any nuclear weapons. Not now. Not in five years. Not in 10 years. Never." Last night, Hassan Rouhani, the Iranian president, rejected changes to the nuclear agreement, saying that if the deal stays in place, "it stays in full". Mr Macron repeatedly challenged Mr Trump's instinct to disengage from the world - a prominent foreign policy pledge of his 2016 election campaign. "Today, the international community needs to step up our game and build the 21st century world order based on the perennial principles we established together after the Second World War. We must remember the warning of president Roosevelt: freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream," he said. "It must be fought for, protected, handed on for them to do the same." The comments will be seen as a call for Mr Trump to stand by Nato and the UN and remain engaged in the Middle East, especially Syria. On Twitter, Mr Trump said he was "looking forward" to the address but maintained silence during the speech Daily Telegraph, London Telegraph Media Group Limited [2021] France and the US may have worked together to strike the Syrian regime's chemical weapons infrastructure on April 13, but the two countries have had different objectives. US President Donald Trump has said he wants to reduce the US presence there, while French President Emmanuel Macron has stepped up French engagement in the region. He hopes his pomp-filled Washington visit will help convince Trump to follow his lead. Trump should listen. France worries that a US pull-out from Syria would risk turning what's left of the country into an Iranian puppet state, a haven for Sunni jihadi terrorism, or both. It would also be a precursor to massive bloodshed while Bashar al-Assad finishes off his enemies, something France finds unacceptable. France's official goals in Syria - a negotiated end to the conflict that gives all the parties a credible stake in the country's future, defeats terrorist movements, and pushes for as much humanitarian support as possible - are the right ones. But while America's leadership dithers over its options in Syria, Macron has displayed a combination of flexibility and toughness that serves France's interests but should suit Trump's too. Macron's position took shape soon after his election when, with cunning realism, he reversed France's previous policy of making Assad's exit a precondition to talks on the country's future. At the same time, he made a "red line" declaration, purposefully echoing the warning made but not enforced by former US President Barack Obama and French counterpart Francois Hollande. When it became clear the Assad regime had crossed that line, Macron declared he wanted an international effort to strike Assad's chemical weapons infrastructure, but signalled he would act alone if need be. Trump too was eager for a show of force that contrasted with Obama's inaction. The rest was easy. What comes next isn't. In France, the strikes were viewed positively. They damaged Assad's WMD infrastructure and made Russian President Vladimir Putin, who had positioned sophisticated air defences in the region, look weak. Macron's approach to Syria isn't all muscle. France has worked hard to be a pivotal power in the Syrian conflict and is pretty much the only party that can command the respect and attention of all the others. France wants to be seen as an honest broker, able to enforce red lines but also sensitive to the complex interests of different parties. France is one of the most active countries in the UN on Syria issues. While aligned with the US and UK in pushing back against Russia's provocations, France insists on dialogue and refrains from rhetoric that would anger Moscow. In a TV interview shortly after the strikes, Macron emphasised that he spoke with Putin multiple times before and after. France is also fighting to keep the Iran nuclear deal alive, has links stretching back decades with Syria's Ba'athist regime and Turkey and Israel are long-standing partners, despite France's many differences with both. IT enjoys good relations with many Sunni Arab Gulf countries; Macron just held a successful bilateral summit with Saudi crown prince Mohammad bin Salman. France has vital interests in Syria: Isil, in its death throes, has many French fighters keen to return home to wreak havoc; France wants to ensure they are not able to do so. Meanwhile, Trump, consciously or not, is grasping for a third way in Syria that is neither a complete disengagement that would make him look weak, nor a heavy presence that goes counter to his foreign policy instincts and would be unpopular. He should let his French counterpart take the lead. Bloomberg View A Turkish court has convicted journalists and other senior staff members from an opposition newspaper on terror charges, in a case that has exacerbated concerns over press freedom. Turkeys official Anadolu news agency said 14 Cumhuriyet employees were found guilty of aiding a terror group without being a member. They were handed sentences ranging from two and a half to seven and a half years. It was not immediately clear if they would spend further time in jail and all are banned from leaving the country. Three people were acquitted. The newspaper said those convicted include editor-in-chief Murat Sabuncu, leading journalists and columnists and a cartoonist. Expand Close Protesters backing the Cumhuriyet employees / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Protesters backing the Cumhuriyet employees Outside the courthouse, Sabuncu called the verdict an attack on journalists aimed to stop us from doing journalism in Turkey, to make us fearful when were doing journalism in Turkey. He said they would continue their work even if they have to go back to prison. A total of 19 Cumhuriyet staff members were accused of sponsoring terror organisations, including Kurdish militants, a far-left group and the network of US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom President Recep Tayyip Erdogans government blames for a failed coup in July 2016. Mr Gulen denies involvement. The court convicted Akin Atalay, the board chairman, but ordered him released from prison. Eleven others were released earlier in the trial after months in jail. Five staff members were tried without being imprisoned. The prosecutions of two defendants who are not in Turkey, including former chief editor Can Dundar, were separated from this case. No dictator in history ever won the war to silence the righteous. We will winInvestigative journalist Ahmet Sik A man suspected of using a Twitter account critical of the government was also on trial. Kemal Aydogdu was sentenced to 10 years for terror group membership and will remain in custody. Authorities arrested tens of thousands on terror charges and dismissed more than 110,000 from government jobs in a massive crackdown that followed the coup. More than 38,000 remain behind bars on alleged links to Gulen. Journalists, opposition lesgislators and activists have been imprisoned. Prominent investigative journalist Ahmet Sik tweeted after his guilty verdict, alluding to Erdogan: No dictator in history ever won the war to silence the righteous. We will win. Kadri Gursel, an influential columnist, said the case against journalism would go down in history in his final defence to the court. The journalists were put on trial on the outskirts of Istanbul in the compound of a maximum-security prison. Turkey ranked 157 out of 180 countries in Reporters Without Borders 2018 index on press freedom. Ronny Jackson was the nominee to be veterans' affairs secretary (Alex Brandon/AP) White House doctor Ronny Jackson is withdrawing from consideration as US veterans affairs secretary. Dr Jackson said false allegations against him have become a distraction. The White House sent out a statement from Mr Jackson on Thursday morning. Expand Close File picture of President Donald Trump shaking hands with White House doctor Ronny Jackson (Carolyn Kaster/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp File picture of President Donald Trump shaking hands with White House doctor Ronny Jackson (Carolyn Kaster/AP) He said he did not expect to have to dignify baseless and anonymous attacks on my character and integrity. Dr Jackson has faced a series of accusations about his workplace conduct, including that he recklessly prescribed drugs and exhibited drunken behaviour. President Donald Trump chose Dr Jackson to head the veterans affairs department last month after abruptly firing Obama administration official David Shulkin. Dr Jackson was a surprise choice who has worked as a White House physician since 2006. He faced immediate questions from Republican and Democratic politicians about whether he had the experience to manage the department, which has 360,000 employees serving nine million veterans. The third edition of Tax, Accounting and Audit in India is updated for 2017, and provides an overview of the f... New Delhi, Apr 26 (IBNS): Attacking the Congress for spreading the idea that Karnataka election will yield a hung assembly, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said the southern state needs a full majority government to alter its fortune. Modi, while interacting with several Karnataka Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers on Facebook, said: "The Congress is sure about its loss in the state so it is now spreading rumours. Fearing an imminent loss, Congress is saying BJP will emerge as the largest party but won't have the majority to form the government." To highlight the importance of a majority government, Modi referred to the 2014 General Election in which the BJP secured the majority for the first time since 1984. He said: "India has been recognised in the world of late only because the country has got a full majority government after 30 years. The present central government takes decision and there is no policy paralysis. Karnataka also needs full majority government to change their fortunes." "I urge all people of Karnataka to consider myself as Kannadiga (Kannada people of Karnataka) and vote BJP. I promise BJP will fulfill all its promises." Modi has advised the BJP workers to reach out to each and every family in the state. "I would ask you to double the number of workers by incorporating women in the campaign process. Assign each individual to reach out to 10-15 families. I would say do not try to win Assembly election but booths. If the party can win booths, it will emerge as victorious in the battle." Modi, who is due to visit China on Friday, said he will tour Karnataka once he returns to country. Former Chief Minister of the state, B.S. Yeddyurappa, is the BJP's Chief Ministerial candidate in the state poll, which is scheduled to be held on May 12. The Karnataka poll has virtually turned out to be a battle between present and former Chief Ministers, Siddaramaiah and Yeddyurappa. The BJP is eyeing on to return to power in the state. Karnataka is one of the last few strong holds of the Congress. The counting of the votes will take place on Apr 15. Gorakhpur, Apr 26 (IBNS): A train rammed a school bus at an unmanned level crossing in Uttar Pradesh's Kushinagar, killing at least 13 schoolchildren and injuring eight others, reports said. The incident took place at around 7 am on Thursday morning. The deceased have been identified as pupils of Divine Public School. The bus was carrying around 25 children, when the accident took place. Most of the deceased as said to be aged below 10 years. Reports said the among the eight injured, seven are said to be in a critical stage and presently undergoing treatment at a hospital. Meanwhile, commenting on the incident, an Indian Railways spokesperson has blamed negligence on the part of the van driver, who despite being warned by the gate operator, refused to listen. "He [the driver] didn't pay any heed, this is a case of pure negligence," the spokesperson said. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has ordered an investigation, while announcing a compensation of Rs. 2 lakh for the families of the children. New Delhi, Apr 26 (IBNS): Amid the rush of people to link their mobile phone numbers with Aadhaar, the 12-digit unique identification number, the Supreme Court on Wednesday said it had never passed a directive of mandatory linkage, media reports said. The top court has also blamed the central government for misinterpreting its Feb 5 observation and forcing people to link mobile numbers with Aadhaar. Judge DY Chandrachud has been quoted by The Times Of India, "In the Lokniti Foundation case, the SC has not directed linking of SIM with UID. But the Union governments circular says so. There was no direction by the court..." The bench, which was led by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra, highlighted that the apex court on Feb 6 just recorded the submission of Attorney General Muku Rohatgi, who said Aadhaar was one of the documents compulsory for verification of users' identity. The Supreme Court in March had extended the deadline of linkage of Aadhaar with mobile phone numbers, banking services and insurance indefinitely. The top court has however exempted the linkage of Aadhaar with social welfare schemes and subsidies provided by government from the indefinite deadline. The apex court is yet to hear on the validation of Aadhaar card. Bhubaneshwar, Apr 26 (IBNS): The Odisha police have arrested an English lecturer for allegedly sending a parcel-bomb masked as wedding gift, leading to the death of a soft engineer, his aunt and injury to his wife two months ago, media reports said. The state Criminal Investigation Department (CID) termed the incident as "lone-wolf crime". The accused Punjinal Meher has been sent to a six-day judicial custody by CID for further questioning. Odisha Director General of police, RP Sharma, has been quoted by Hindustan Times : "Its well established that Punjilal masterminded and executed the crime almost single-handedly. He himself made the bomb." The bomb was sent by Meher from Raipur, the capital of Chhattisgarh, through courier. However, Meher did not go to the courier office by himself but employed an auto driver for the activity. Days after wedding, Soumya Sekhar Sahu (26) opened the parcel at his home in Bolangir's Patnagar town and the bomb exploded. While Sahu and his aunt had died, Sahu's wife Reema (22) was in hospital for more than a month to heel the fatal injuries. Sahu was married just five days when the incident occurred. The police said Meher, who teaches at Jytoi Vikas College in western Odisha's Patnagarh town in Bolangir district, was angry upon Sahu's mother Sanjukta who replaced the accused as the principal. Reportedly, Meher had gone through several videos of bomb-making on Youtube and later deleted his search history. He had also bought fire crackers in Diwali last year to experiment the bomb-making. Police officers referred to Meher as "clever" as he did not use any of his associates in the crime. Rubbishing the allegations, Meher's wife, Soudamini, took on CID saying it is framing her husband in the crime to hide its failures to catch the real culprit. Scott Olson/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) -- The battle lines seemed drawn in Wednesdays oral arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court over the legality of President Trumps third iteration of his controversial travel ban, which restricts entry from five majority-Muslim countries, as well as North Korea and Venezuela, on the basis of these countries' alleged vetting deficiencies and security risks. The conservative-leaning high court signaled in December that it might ultimately rule for Trump when it allowed the latest ban to go into effect while considering its challenges, and legal experts said todays grilling further portends a victory for the administration. Solicitor General Noel J. Francisco argued on behalf of the administration that the ban issued by presidential proclamation in September was the result of a "worldwide multi-agency review" based on "foreign policy judgment" rather than religious animus, and is not a Muslim ban because it excludes "almost all the majority-Muslim world." Justice Sonia Sotomayor, a President Obama appointee, questioned whether the ban violates immigration laws that set forth how foreigners are vetted while giving the president some authority to suspend the entry of aliens whose admissions he finds detrimental to the interests of the United States. I thought that Congress had looked at the situation and created a statutory system that addressed the very concern the President is expressing, Sotomayor said. Sotomayor and Justice Stephen Breyer also expressed concerns that there was insufficient transparency in the current ban and that its waiver exceptions might be just "window dressing." Justice Elena Kagan, another Obama appointee, posed a provocative hypothetical: So let's say in some future time a President gets elected who is a vehement anti-Semite and says all kinds of denigrating comments about Jews and provokes a lot of resentment and hatred over the course of a campaign and in his presidency. He then asks his staff to issue a proclamation that dots all the is and crosses all the ts and in the context of this virulent anti-Semitism -- what emerges is a proclamation that says no one shall enter from Israel. Francisco responded that in that scenario challengers could have a constitutional argument that the ban is discriminatory. Kagan said that this is an out-of-the box president and after a micro-pause added in my hypothetical, which drew laughs across the gallery. Francisco urged the court not to focus on the words of Donald Trump the candidate, like when he said in December 2015: I Donald Trump call for a complete ban of Muslims entering the United States. When the president-elect takes the oath of office, it marks a fundamental transformation," Francisco said. "This is not a so-called Muslim ban. If it were, it would be the most ineffective Muslim ban that one could possibly imagine, he stated. Neal Katyal, the attorney for the state of Hawaii which is challenging the ban, argued that it is illegal because it conflicts with Congress immigration scheme and unconstitutionally discriminates against Muslims. If upheld, the order allows the president to take an iron wrecking ball to our immigration statutes and would give the president a power that hasnt been given in one hundred years. Katyal claimed that Trumps own words prove the ban rests on religious animus. As president, Trump could have easily moved away from statements he made as a candidate, but instead he embraced them." In his rebuttal to the court, Francisco insisted that the president has no ill-will towards Muslims: "He has made crystal clear that Muslims in this country are great Americans and there are many, many Muslim countries who love this country and he has praised Islam as one of the great countries of the world." This travel ban, he said, is "what it says it's about: Foreign policy and national security." Conservative justices John Roberts and Samuel Alito, along with Justice Anthony Kennedy who often provides the courts key swing vote pressed Katyal on why the president cannot ban immigrants for national security purposes. Alito asked Katyal can you imagine any situation in which the threat of the infiltration of the United States by terrorists was so severe to justify a ban, to which Katyal said yes but that after 460 days of this current order, we have not yet seen sufficient justification for it. But Roberts rebutted that the president might have information from the military that Congress does not have, adding: Imagine, if you can, that Congress is unable to act when the President asked for legislation, eliciting laughs. Copyright 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. New Delhi, Apr 26 (IBNS) : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday charged the Congress with spreading "rampant" lies by hiring foreign agencies and dividing society on caste line. Speaking at an interactive session with BJP candidates in Karnataka via NaMo app, Modi asked party workers not to fall for the opposition's trap of falsehoods. "Congress has resorted to rampant lying after a series of defeats in elections. Earlier, the Congress used to spread lies over five to 10 issues they raised. Now out of 50 issues, 40-45 are based on lies," media reports quoted the PM as saying. He said political purity cannot come unless the Congress culture ends. PM Modi said karyakartas must stand their ground, expose their lies and also fight their means of deceiving people by "hiring foreign agencies". "If you analyse last few elections, you will realise how a few political parties have indulged only in dividing societies on religious lines. They give lollipops to a community before elections and then forget them," he added. Modi said the Congress exploits emotions of some community before elections and forget them after the elections. "They will never give account of their works. They keep indulging in dividing the society. The political purity can not be established in the country till the Congress culture is finished from the mainstream," he added. Karnataka will go to polls on May 12 to elect its representatives for the 224-member Assembly. The results will be out on May 15. Lucknow/Kushinagar, April 26 (IBNS): President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over death of children in a train-bus collision in Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh, on Thursday, media reported. A train rammed into a school bus carrying 25 children, all pupils of Divine Public School, at an unmanned level crossing in Kushinagar on Thursday morning, killing at least 13 children and injuring eight others, reports said. Railway Minister Piyush Goyal, in an official release, said, I am deeply anguished and pained by the loss of lives of young school children at an unmanned level crossing (UMLC) in Kushinagar, UP. My thoughts are with families of the deceased and I pray for the early recovery of the injured." He also said tha tthe Ministry of Railways will provide an ex gratia amount of Rs 2 lakh for kin of the deceased, Rs 1 lakh for those with serious injuries and Rs 50,000 for those with simple injuries. "I have ordered a senior level enquiry into the incident. We stand committed to take all possible steps to avoid such accidents in future," said Goyal. Meanwhile, commenting on the incident, an Indian Railways spokesperson has blamed negligence on the part of the van driver, who despite being warned by the gate operator, refused to listen. "He [the driver] didn't pay any heed, this is a case of pure negligence," the spokesperson said. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who met with the injured and the victims' families, has ordered an investigation, while announcing a compensation of Rs. 2 lakh for the families of the children. Ulaanbaatar, Apr 26 (IBNS): Wrapping up her Mongolia trip, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has emplaned for Delhi, the national capital of India. Sushma is the first External Affairs Minister of India to visit Mongolia in 42 years' time. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted, "After the first Foreign Minister Visit from India to Mongolia in last 42 years, EAM @SushmaSwaraj emplanes for Delhi." After the first Foreign Minister Visit from India to Mongolia in last 42 years, EAM @SushmaSwaraj emplanes for Delhi. pic.twitter.com/ZkcehWzHSq Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) April 26, 2018 Addressing a joint press conference with her Mongolian counterpart Tsogtbaatar on Wednesday, Swaraj said Mongolia is not only India's strategic partner but also its spiritual neighbour. Commenting on the ties between the two countries, Swaraj said: "Mongolia is not only our strategic partner for India but also a spiritual neighbour. We share long historical links. Mongolia is well known in India for the valour of her kings and her strong Buddhist heritage." "We also agreed that we should make all efforts to maintain and accelerate the momentum of our interaction in all areas. We reviewed the progress in our on-going collaborative projects, including the refinery project selected by the Government of Mongolia for implementation with the support of one billion dollar Indian Line of Credit." India and Mongolia have also agreed to work hand-in-hand in combating global terrorism. The External Affairs Minister said: "We discussed some of the pressing global challenges facing the humanity, particularly the scourge of terrorism and agreed to collaborate bilaterally and in international arena to ward off this evil and thwart the designs of those who extend support to terrorist outfits." Srinagar, Apr 26 (IBNS): A college student was killed on Thursday in firing by suspected terrorists on a security forces' Road Opening Party check in Anantnag district of Southern part of Jammu and Kashmir. According to reports, suspected terrorists opened fire on check point of police and CRPF after receiving inputs that some terrorists were travelling in a vehicle at Lazibal in Anantnag area of the district. When security forces signaled a private Santro car to stop for checking, the terrorists opened fire resulting in serious injury to one pedestrian. The injured, later identified as 2nd Year College student Shakeeb Shabir(25) of Shopian, suffered a critical bullet injury in the chest. He later sccumbed to injuries while being rushed to the nearby hospital Soon after the incident, a massive search operation was launched by the forces to to track down the terrorists. (Reporting by Saleem Iqbal Qadri) Kolkata, Apr 26 (IBNS): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said she wants a peaceful conduction of panchayat poll, which is now scheduled to be held on May 14. While interacting with reporters at Nabanna, the state secretariat, Banerjee said: "We are happy with the new dates. We want a peaceful conduction of the poll. People wants the election to occur." Hitting out at the opposition parties, she said: "I would appeal to all opposition parties to participate in the poll process democratically. I would ask them not to spread hatred." Without taking any opposition party's name, she had alleged political outfits to bring people from other states in the panchayat poll. Keeping the influx of people into the state in mind, Banerjee said the state government would try to seal the borders. The poll results will be declared on May 17. Earlier the State Election Commission (SEC) had issued a three-phase poll on May 1, 3 and 5. After the opposition parties moved Calcutta High Court over the pre-poll violence allegedly by the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), the dates were cancelled due to delay in the election procedures. The state government and the Muslim community had appealed to the SEC to hold the election in a single phase, considering the beginning of Ramadan in mid-May. Ramadan, the ninth month of Muslim calendar, is widely celebrated by Muslims by fasting. New Delhi/Beijing, Apr 26 (IBNS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi has landed in China a short while ago. A special moment past midnight as PM @narendramodi was warmly welcomed in Wuhan for the 1st Informal Summit with Chinese President Xi. The two leaders will review the developments in our bilateral relations from a strategic and long-term perspective. pic.twitter.com/DBI5RBaNKu Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) April 26, 2018 He is scheduled to meet his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. The Indian PM will be present at an informal summit with Xi Jinping on Apr 27 and 28. Modi said: "President Xi and I will exchange views on a range of issues of bilateral and global importance. We will discuss our respective visions and priorities for national development, particularly in the context of current and future international situation." Modi also said he will review the developmental relations between the two nations. "We will also review the developments in India-China relations from a strategic and long-term perspective." Srinagar, Apr 26 (IBNS): At least three cops were injured when militants hurled a grenade at Police Station Kulgam South Kashmir on Thursday evening. Reports said that militants hurled a grenade on police station Kulgam which exploded with a bang. The explosion created panic among policemen who ran for cover. A police official said that three cops received minor injuries. Reports said that a civilian has also been injured in the attack. Government forces have cordoned off the area and searches are being conducted to nab the attackers. New York, Apr 26 (IBNS): International donors at a United Nations-European Union humanitarian conference pledged nearly $4.4 billion on Wednesday to fund critical aid programmes in war-torn Syria throughout 2018. Gathered in the Belgian capital, Brussels, alongside top officials from over 85 countries and organizations, UN and EU leaders also stressed that the stalled UN-led Syrian political negotiations, known as the intra-Syrian talks, must be revived. In a video message to the conference, which aimed to boost support for the future of Syria as well as the wider region, which is hosting millions of refugees, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that negotiations are the only way forward. We see confrontations and proxy wars involving several national armies, a number of armed opposition groups, many national and international militia, terrorist groups, foreign fighters from everywhere in the world all these creating a bleak panorama of Syria today where there is no military solution to the crisis, he said The solution must be political. The UN chief also stressed the importance of Security Council resolution 2254 (2015), which endorsed a road map for a peace process in Syria, and the 2012 Geneva Communique, which set out the principles for a political transition in the country. Guterres said he will continue to engage with Member States to move towards a genuine and credible political solution that meets the aspirations of the Syrian people to dignity and freedom. Translate every cent into action Relentless fighting across Syria, a conflict that has now lasted longer than World War II, has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives and left over 13 million in dire need of humanitarian assistance. It has also forced 5.6 million Syrians to seek refuge in neighbouring countries where vulnerable host communities are reeling under the pressure. Against this backdrop, the funds committed for 2018, and the additional $3.4 billion for 2019 and beyond, will ensure continuity of critical aid efforts both for Syrians and refugee hosting communities. Every single cent we pledged today needs to be swiftly translated into action, spent in an effective and transparent way, this is our common responsibility, said Christos Stylianides, the European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, announcing the figures. The funds will make a real difference Mark Lowcock, the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, welcomed the commitments and said that the resources will make a real difference for those suffering in the crisis. The pledges announced today are a good start, Lowcock said. He echoed Secretary-General Guterres call for a political solution. We are appealing on [the Syrian peoples] behalf for an end to the violence: for a political solution, for a safe future with hope of education, healthcare, work, and a return home. In other words: for a normal life. Parties to the conflict must respect the rules of war Meanwhile in New York, Ursula Mueller, the UN deputy aid chief, briefed the Security Council on the humanitarian situation in Syria where called for the full implementation for Council resolution 2401. In that resolution, the 15-member body demanded an immediate cessation of hostilities to enable aid to flow into the areas in need. We need to see firm steps taken to ensure that all parties respect the rules of war, she said, stressing the need to protect civilians and stop attacks on health facilitates. Ms. Mueller also called for safe, sustained and unimpeded humanitarian access to all in need and underscored that medical items must stop being removed from convoys. There is no reason why items previously agreed with the authorities are removed at the last minute. These are critical life-saving items and they must be allowed on our trucks. UNICEF/Khabieh New York, Apr 26 (IBNS): The worlds nuclear proliferation watchdog has welcomed the announcement by the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK) to suspend its nuclear and missile tests and shut down its Punggye-ri atomic test site. It added that the move should lead to a sure, definite and irreversible commitment to ban nuclear testing. Saying is one thing, but until we have a signature and the ratification by the DPRK, to basically solidify the verbal commitment already to cease testing and close the nuclear test site, I think nothing can be for sure, definite, or irreversible, Lassina Zerbo, Executive Secretary of the UN-partner Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO), told the media at a news briefing in Geneva on Wednesday. I can only welcome and hope for best. He also highlighted that the upcoming talks between United States President Donald Trump and DPRK Kim Jong-Un could present a unique opportunity for a lasting contribution to world peace. It might be through this negotiation [] that we open up a situation where the DPRK ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. The Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, or CTBT, bans all nuclear explosions, by everyone, everywhere. It has not yet entered into force despite having been opened for signature and ratification over 21 years ago. Adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1996, the CTBT is nearly universal with 183 signatures and 166 ratifications. But 44 specific nuclear-capable nations need to ratify the Treaty before it enters into force. Of these, eight China, Egypt, India, Iran, Israel, DPRK, Pakistan and the US are still missing. The last country of the 44 to ratify this treaty was Indonesia, on 6 February, 2012. Since the Treaty is not yet in force, the CTBTO is officially called the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization. CTBTO New York, Apr 26 (IBNS): Peacebuilding and sustaining peace require a more coherent United Nations strategy, as well a quantum leap in funding activities that prevent the outbreak, escalation, continuation and recurrence of conflict, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Wednesday. This is first and foremost about enhancing our strategic coherence to support efforts by national governments and their people [] and enhancing support for inclusivity, particularly of those who are frequently marginalized and excluded, the UN chief told the Security Council during a briefing on his report, Peacebuilding and Sustaining Peace. Todays Council briefing coincided with the UN General Assemblys two-day meeting on the same topic. In the Assembly, world leaders have recognized that efforts to sustain peace are necessary not only once conflict breaks out but also long beforehand, through preventative measures like dialogue and mediation, and addressing root causes. In April 2016, the General Assembly and the Security Council concurrently adopted what have become known as the sustaining peace resolutions, which Mr. Guterres has said send a clear joint message: while Member States have primary responsibility for building and maintaining peace, we can all do more to strengthen the foundations of stability, wellbeing and cohesion. The Secretary-General told the Council today that building and sustaining peace requires addressing the roots of conflict, which often lie in poverty, exclusion, inequality, discrimination and serious violations of human rights, adding that the human and financial cost of focusing on responding to crises was unsustainable. Prevention is the foundation of building and sustaining peace, declared the UN chief, stressing that sustainable, inclusive development deeply rooted in respect for all human rights is the worlds best preventative tool against violent conflict and instability. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is our common global blueprint to tackle these root causes and create more peaceful, stable and resilient societies, founded on a fair globalization, he said. Calling for smarter investment in UN peacekeeping missions, he noted that his report also set out several options to increase, restructure and better prioritize funding dedicated to peacebuilding activities. Also briefing the Council, Dan NecuIyescu, of Romania, Chair of the UN Peacebuilding Commission, reflected on that body's role in fostering coherence at the intergovernmental level in the Sahel, Liberia and the Gambia, which in turn allowed the UN to be more valuable, strategic and effective in the field where it matters.He reiterated his call for a quantum leap in Member States support for the UN Peacebuilding Fund, concluding that following the General Assemblys imminent adoption of a resolution outlining the joint path forward now it is time for action. Smail Chergui, Commissioner for Peace and Security of the African Union (AU), spotlighted the implementation of an AU Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development Policy, which employs both preventative and stabilization dimensions. He also described the AUss quick-impact and peace-strengthening projects and work it carries out through its various liaison offices. Citing critical lessons learned in the AUs work, he said there is an urgent need to strengthen cooperation in prevention, which remains the most cost-effective, but least-resourced, tool. There is also a need to shift towards a more people-centred paradigm, with a specific focus on peace dividends, especially for women and girls, he said, also stressing that local perspectives must be incorporated and marginalized communities must be empowered. UN Photo/Evan Schneider Washington, Apr 26 (IBNS): White House spokesperson Sarah Sanders on Wednesday said the US feels that North Korea is moving 'in the right direction' on the Korean Peninsula denuclearization issue. "We think that the maximum pressure campaign is working," Sanders said during a press conference on Wednesday. Sanders said the US will not let up on the maximum pressure campaign against North Korea. "But again, were not going to let up on that campaign until we see some of the words that theyve made go into concrete action. But theyre moving in the right direction," she said. Meanwhile, in a major development, North Korea has announced that it will suspend nuclear and missile tests in the country, media reports said. The country has also decided to shut down a nuclear test site, reports said. The announcement was made by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. "From April 21, North Korea will stop nuclear tests and launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles," the Korean Central News Agency said as quoted by South Korea's Yonhap News Agency. "The North will shut down a nuclear test site in the country's northern side to prove the vow to suspend nuclear test," it added. Kabul, Apr 26 (IBNS): In an alleged incident of 'honour killing', a woman was fatally stabbed by her brother in Afghanistan's Faryab province, local Tolo News reported. The incident took place on Wednesday in Andkhoy district of the province. The deceased has been identified as Raana. According to Sultan Mohammad Sanjar, the district governor, the woman has eloped with a man. The couple had moved court to get married, which ordered the pair to go to a place of safety. However, the killer tracked his sister and hacked her to death. He has since been nabbed and is presently in custody, local police officials said. Wipro to sell hosted data center service operations for $450mn to Ensono. Kitex Garments will form two new subsidiaries and invest Rs200cr in each of them. Future Retail says Mumbai bench of NCLT approved the scheme of arrangement with Hypercity. Indoco Remedies gets a statement of GMP non-compliance from UK-MHRA for Goa plant-1. Emami to consider bonus issue on May 3. Soril Holdings & Ventures approves the issue of shares worth up to Rs330cr to FPIs including Steadview Capital Mauritius, ABG Capital and LTR Focus Fund. Shah Alloys signs settlement pact with ARCIL. Airtel to transfer core network infrastructure assets to unit Nxtra Data and sell submarine cables to Network i2i. Cadila Healthcare says Zydus gets final approval from US FDA for Methylprednisolone. Fortis says Manipal-TPG sought to impose onerous conditions on the company that would cap ability for the competitive bid process. Bharti Infratel, Indus Towers to merge, create world's 2nd largest tower firm. IDFC Bank to raise up to Rs5,000cr via bonds. DHFL board meeting on April 30 to consider fundraising by way of further public issue of secured non-convertible debentures. Paramount Communications board meeting on April 28 to consider an issue of equity shares to promoter group on preferential basis. Uniply to allot 45.14 lakh equity shares at a premium of Rs400.85 per share on a preferential basis to non-promoters. It will also allot 96.28 lakh convertible warrants at a premium of Rs400.85 per warrant on a preferential basis. Vedanta incorporates new arm Vedanta Star. Results Today: Axis Bank, Yes Bank, AU Small Finance Bank, Biocon, Parag Milk Foods, Rallis India, Reliance Capital, SBI Life Insurance Company, Shriram City Union Finance, Tata Elxsi, Accelya Kale, Aditya Birla Money, Artson Engineering, Automotive Stampings, Coromandel Engineering, Essel Propack, HIL, Indian Energy Exchange, JL Morison, Jindal Stainless (Hisar), Kirloskar Pneumatic, Oil Country Tubular, Supreme Industries, Tata Metaliks. Will the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation and the Mohegan Tribe finally get some answers from the Trump administration when it comes to their stalled gaming project in Connecticut? Members of the state's congressional delegation sure hope so. They are the ones who asked the Office of Inspector General at the Department of the Interior to investigate the handling of the tribe's gaming agreements. Our team is working diligently on their letter of request, Nancy DiPaolo, a spokesperson for the office, told The Connecticut Mirror when asked about the probe. Though the lawmakers requested the probe in February, news of it didn't surface until earlier this week. That's when POLITICO reported on the unusual treatment the tribes have received in Washington, D.C. According to the report, the Bureau of Indian Affairs was prepared to approve the agreements last September. But after a top political official at Interior made "edits," the tribes were told that no decision was being made. The department isn't explaining publicly why it changed course, especially after the official who made the edits had previously told the tribes to expect approval. In an editorial, The New London Day wonders whether a non-Indian gaming firm that has been fighting the tribes and lobbying the Trump team had anything to do with it. "Unless forced to break out the pumps, the Trump administration wont be draining this particular swamp anytime soon." the paper said in the editorial. If the Inspector General isn't able to find out what happened, an ongoing lawsuit filed by the tribes might be able to shed some light. Heavily-redacted documents obtained by POLITICO through a Freedom of Information Act request indicate the Trump administration believes there is a legal basis for not giving an answer. At issue is a new casino the tribes plan to open after securing approval under state law. The site they chose is less than 15 miles from a non-Indian facility going up across the border in Massachusetts. MGM Resorts International plans to open that facility in September and the firm has said it will do whatever it takes to derail the tribes, a strategy that appears to be working so far. The new Mashantucket-Mohegan casino will not be operated pursuant to the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act . The site of the project, in the city of East Windsor, won't be placed in trust either. The New England Casino Race: Tribal and commercial gaming facilities in Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island But both tribes operate casinos on their reservations pursuant to IGRA. They also share 25 percent of their slot machine revenues with the state in exchange for exclusivity. To protect that relationship, the tribes updated their arrangements with the state and sent them to the BIA for review. They thought they were going to get an answer last September until being told otherwise. The lawsuit the tribes filed seeks to force publication of their agreements in the Federal Register . Without that action, officials in the state don't believe the casino will be legal. Read More on the Story: Inspector General investigating Interiors handling of CT tribes casino issue (The Connecticut Mirror April 23, 2018) Inspector General Probes Interior Department's Handling Of Connecticut Casino Expansion (The Hartford Courant April 23, 2018) Inspector general reviewing inaction on tribal casino (The Associated Press April 23, 2018) New revelations have tribes looking to Interior probe (The New London Day April 23, 2018) An Opinion: Editorial: Swamp politics aids MGM in clash with tribal casinos (The New London Day April 23, 2018) Join the Conversation Related Stories 1. Sonam Kapoor Gives A Befitting Reply To A Journo Who Asked Her About Working After Marriage! Agencies She hit back, giving an epic answer to a misogynist question. She said, Why arent men asked something like this? Nobody will ask a man these questions. But why is a woman always asked these questions? Shahid Kapoor ki shaadi ho gai hai, kisine unse poocha if hes going to work or not work? This misogynistic mindset is what needs to change and hopefully with films like this (Veere Di Wedding), something changes. Agencies She was enthusiastic and seen cheering for Virat on top her voice but unfortunately, RCB lost the match, and trolls made her a scapegoat for the loss. BCCL Aksar actress Udita Goswamis name has also been embroiled in the case. She appeared before Thane police recently, and it took one hour to record her statement. Udita had procured call detail records of her director husband Mohit Suri in 2014.Suri, who accompanied her wife to the police station, said that there werent any allegations against them. Magna I think whats happening with women and children of this country is absolutely shameful, Mallika said. President Ram Nath Kovind, a few days ago, approved an ordinance to provide the death penalty for those convicted of raping girls younger than 12 years. Agencies In an exclusive interview with Indiatimes, he said, Yes. I will tell you the reason behind it. I feel it was my fault; I never got the critics and audience to like me by doing something different. I was only romancing the heroines, running around the trees, singing songs in Ooty, Kashmir, and Switzerland, bus yahi mera grade upar jaa raha tha. I was only wearing jerseys, they used to call me sweater man all over the world, I never got roles, never got characters to play, whereas my contemporaries, they got all kinds of roles to play. I am not complaining, I did 25 years of romance at a stretch; I may not be the biggest star of the country. But I was always among the first 5 stars of this country. I am very happy that I lasted for 25 years." Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath who visited Kushinagar, where 13 school children were killed when the van they were travelling was hit by a train has a sparked controversy. This after the priest-turned politician lost his cool in the face of a protest by aggrieved parents who lost their children in the accident and local residents demanding Rs 50 lakh as compensation. PTI Thousands had gathered at the accident site as the CM visited Kushinagar in the morning. As the crowd began protesting, a visibly angry Yogi lost his cool and asked them "nautanki band karein aaplog"(stop this drama). Shocking: UP CM Yogi Adityanath loses his cool in Kushinagar, instructs protesting crowd not to do "NAUTANKI". "Nautanki band karein aaplog". Dear Mahant ji, they have lost their kids, the least they van expect from you is sympathy, if not a promise to better things in ur state. pic.twitter.com/WKiR5Djvq2 Prashant Kumar (@scribe_prashant) April 26, 2018 The UP CM who had earlier met the families of the victims had blamed the accident on the driver. "The fault appears to lie with the driver of the van, who it is said, was driving with earphones on. An FIR has been registered and the probe has begun. We will take strict action against those found guilty," Yogi said. As per locals, the van was speeding and suddenly stopped near the railway line when the accident occurred. PTI The Thawe-Kaptanganj passenger crashed into the van at an unmanned crossing gate at Behpurva. There were at least 25 people, including children on the van at the time of the accident. At least seven people including the driver are said to be in critical condition. How many of you, when joining a social network, installing a new piece of soft, or even subscribing to a music streaming service, ever read the Terms and Conditions? The thing is, as boring as those legalese documents are, they can hold some interesting tidbits here and there. You really shouldnt have your kid on social media For people that complain about inappropriate content being posted to Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, where their kids might see it, they really need to read the ToS. After all, none of these three want kids under the age of 13 on their platforms, so maybe youre the one to blame for exposing them to raunchy content. Nudity is a flexible definition Speaking of raunchy content, not all social networks agree on what this constitutes. Twitter defines adult content as any media that is pornographic and/or may be intended to cause sexual arousal. Of course, it may be the most forgiving of the three, allowing users to post slightly pornographic material when marked as sensitive media. Facebook, not so much. They actually have a lengthy list of do not post, including obviously visible genitalia and sexual intercourse of any form. But the devil is in the details here. For one thing, its ToS reads, [No] Visible anus and/or fully nude close-ups of buttocks unless photoshopped on a public figure. Yeah, very specific. And uncovered male nipples are fine (though content involving them being stimulated is excluded), but exposed female nipples are a no-no, unless in the context of breastfeeding, birth giving and post-birth, post-mastectomy, breast cancer awareness, gender confirmation surgery, or an act of protest. Does protest here only mean political rallies or does it also include posting a topless photo on Facebook to protest the gender-biased standards for nipple exposure? No clarification unfortunately. Reddit is the most agreeable here by far, allowing users to post pornography as long as they carry the NSFW tag. The only strict prohibition for porn concerns the involuntary kind, where there was no permission from the person involved to create or distribute pornography of them. That also includes faked porn. So yeah, all that time the DeepFakes subreddit was active was just negligence on Reddits part. Content ownership In the case of all of these major social networks, you own any original content you post online, theyre very clear on that. However, what youre agreeing to in the ToS is to provide them with a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free license (with the right to sublicense) to use, copy, reproduce, process, adapt, modify, publish, transmit, display and distribute such Content in any and all media or distribution methods (now known or later developed). Basically, if you post a photo on a social network, its your photo, but that platform has the right to use your photo as it sees fit until the end of time. Even if that company shuts down, it could technically sell off its platform, and the licenses to your content with it, to anyone it sees fit. Theyre protected from most lawsuits What you certainly havent noticed, is that Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, are protected from most minor lawsuits by a few specifications in the ToS. One of these loopholes says that, if you make a financial claim from any of these companies, even if they had a solution to your problem that failed, you cant demand more than $100 (Rs 6,692). How exactly that works when you sue them were not sure, but its still an interesting point to find. Facebook doesnt have faith in its own security If their ToS document is to be believed, Facebook doesnt really think itll be able to keep you safe on its platform. This is clear in the section that reads, We do not guarantee that Facebook will always be safe, secure, or error-free or that Facebook will always function without disruptions, delays or imperfections. Just something to mull over when you think about how it let something like the Cambridge Analytica scandal occur. Google really does keep a close eye on you For those of you that have always wondered how much Google knows about you, its right there in the ToS you never read. The company confirms that its automated systems annalyze your content (including emails) to provide you personally relevant product features, such as customized search results, tailored advertising, and spam and malware detection. Apple doesnt want supervillains using its iPhones Apple has by far the strangest entry in its ToS that weve seen yet. It apparently wants you to pinky promise you wont use the iPhone to commit genocide. Read for your self: You also agree that you will not use the iOS Software for any purposes prohibited by United States law, including, without limitation, the development, design, manufacture or production of missiles, nuclear, chemical or biological weapons. It's hard to say why someone thought this should be specified but hey, at least Apple has all their bases covered. Usually when astronomers spot a new planet, they can sometimes capture images of it using highly specialized equipment. Now, however, theyve found a planet so dark it absorbs almost all the light hitting it. Theyve nicknamed it a charcoal planet, one of the darkest planets ever discovered. The planet, WASP-104b, is a type of planet known as a hot Jupiter. These are gas giants with masses similar to that of Jupiter, but with much smaller orbits. Most are close enough to complete a circuit around their star within 10 days. Because of this, theyre also obviously very hot. But while theyre not quite rare, these kinds of planets do have a strange set of similarities about them. One of these is that these hot Jupiters are darker than other kinds of planets, reflecting only about 40 percent of the light reaching them. However, there are occasionally some of them that are a lot darker, like the WASP-12b discovered last year. That one, scientists discovered, But occasionally, astronomers will find one that's a lot darker - like WASP-12b, which last year was discovered to absorb at least 94 percent of the light that hits it. And yet, the new WASP-104b is even darker than that. According to researchers at Keele University in the UK, the planet absorbs more than 97 to 99 percent of light reaching it. Its so dark its almost as black as a black hole. From all the dark planets I could find in the literature, this is top five-ish, lead researcher and astrophysicist Teo Mocnik told New Scientist. I think top three. And the reason might be because its so close to its star. WASP-104b orbits a yellow dwarf about 466 light-years away from us in the Leo constellation and is, like most hot Jupiters, tidally locked. That means one side of the planet is always facing the star, dividing it into a permanent day side and night side. In addition, its just 4.3 million kilometres away from its star, meaning it completes an orbit in just 1.75 days. Because of this, the day side is so hot that clouds cant form, which are what help reflect light. The same for another natural reflector, ice. Instead, WASP-104b has a thick, hazy atmosphere, likely brimming with atomic sodium and potassium, both of which which absorb visible spectrum light, making the day side look very dark. Of course, the night side doesnt even receive any light, so theres nothing to reflect. NASA illustration In fact, the only reason we know the planet is there is because we dont watch for the planet-shine from those far away. We instead look for the periodic dimming and brightening of light from a star, indicating theres a planet revolving around it. The darkest hot Jupiter weve seen yet is TrES-2b, which reflects as little as 0.1 percent of the light that hits it. But as scientists continue to probe, they could very well find that WASP-104b, beats it out for the title. The breakup of Moldavian elite. Sandu will use Saakashvili's anti-corruption experience to by Harry Dailey Thursday Apr 26th, 2018 1:39 AM Switch the Market flag Open the menu and switch the Market flag for targeted data from your country of choice. for targeted data from your country of choice. Willis Towers Watson (WTW) has strengthened its forensic accounting and complex claims (FACC) team in the Asia Pacific with the appointment of Peter Rink as FACC head and two other team members, Kate Godfrey and Craig Wheely. Rink and his team join WTW from MSM Loss Accounting, and will work closely with the FACC team located in Singapore led by Henry Dumas. Rink, Godfrey and Wheely will be based in Brisbane. Day said she suffered personal injuries after the fall in 2014 as lawyers for two product demonstration companies claimed that she, through her husband, had tried to intimidate the insurer, The Gympie Times reports. Day and her husband had threatened to contact the media to disclose appalling practices the court was told, with the couple alleging corrupt conduct on the part of two lawyers. The product demonstration companies told Justice James Douglas that Days husband had accused directors of the insurer of misusing shareholders funds by encouraging lawyers to drag her claim through the courts, the publication reported. Lawyers representing the companies said that Day had acted in a way solicitors could not as she contacted an opposing client directly instead of through legal representation. Day said that she believes she has an opportunity to prove allegations of professional misconduct, breach of directors duties and corrupt conduct but the judge presiding banned her from making contact with Zurich and she must go through lawyers representing the insurer. ...If there are legitimate complaints to be made about the solicitors conduct or Zurichs conduct, then there are other possible avenues open to Mrs Day, Justice Douglas said, according to the paper. Related stories: When you look at some of the major carriers today, not many of them are offering consumer discounts related to the evolution of autonomous vehicle technology, he added. In fact, a lot of the offerings around driver discounts are very dated. We still see offers based on things like safety belts and automatic braking systems but the technology, and the consumers using the technology, have well-surpassed that now. In recent years, the insurance industry has shifted to become much more focused on customers, with many companies updating legacy systems and models to match fast-evolving consumer demands. As consumers become more used to vehicles with connected features or semi-autonomous capabilities, insurers and brokers need to develop and offer products to match. The auto insurance marketplace has seen consolidation around price-driven consumers. Insurance companies, less focused on price, are always looking for ways to differentiate themselves and stay relevant against the onslaught of so-called disruptors and consumer-centric insurtech players. Insurance companies should start thinking about how they can partner with autonomous vehicle technology providers in order to offer product features that will satisfy consumers as the industry moves towards full autonomy, Super added. If you look at the spectrum of autonomous vehicles, today were in a place where theres almost no automation and in the future, we will have full autonomy. Its going to be a journey of incremental improvement in order to get us there. In between nothing and full automation, products will be brought to market like drive assist technologies, automatic braking systems, partial automation, etc. which could take about 15-20 years to fully take hold. Its down to insurance companies to stay on top of these trends because, at the end of the day, its the consumers who will ultimately define the winners and losers of the autonomous vehicle race based on the rate of adoption. Related stories: The new resource will feature live incident reporting as well as information on collision areas, infrastructure repairs, and piracy updates. It will also provide easy access to the Clubs online knowledge base. We believe there is a compelling need within maritime risk to modernise and fuse disparate reporting mechanisms, noted George Devereese, senior loss prevention executive at the UK P&I Club. Visualising the political atmosphere on top of port infrastructure and activity layers via geospatial data services can provide insights into the risks associated with each specific port, and the Club is aiming to create the most extensive incident and information resource within the P&I industry. Through its international offices and claims network, the UK P&I Club provides insurance to over 239 million tons of owned and chartered shipping. Incorporating Geollects data and information will give us an operational advantage over our competition, as well as providing us with lower operational risk and increase efficiencies, added Devereese. This is just the start for us and we will look to our members to let us know what other information will be useful. Related stories: Senate Bill 897, authored by Sen. Mike McGuire, D-Healdsburg, would require insurers to pay for at least 80% of the policy limit for items lost to fire, instead of everything the homeowner can itemize. Both bills are sponsored by the California Department of Insurance, to take effect in disaster areas declared by the governor. Once passed, the bills are retroactive to July, and will apply even to claims made last year. Some insurers have raised their concerns regarding both bills, maintaining that the legislation could make it more difficult for insurance companies to operate in California. At some point, people are going to look at their numbers and say, if I cant make this work, I cant stay in this market, Property Casualty Insurers Association of America vice-president Armand Feliciano told The Sacramento Bee. Feliciano added that SB 897s mandate for 80% payment could reduce the ability of homeowners living in high-wildfire-risk areas to find affordable plans. Related stories: A Florida man was sentenced to nine years in state prison for filing more than $1.2 million in false claims for refrigerated cargo purportedly spoiled in cross-country transport by his long-haul trucking companies based out of Middlesex County, N.J. Palm Coast, Fla., resident Alexei Legassov also must pay $1,286,911 in restitution to two insurance companies under the sentence handed down by Superior Court Judge Benjamin S. Bucca Jr. in Middlesex County. Cargo fraud has a trickle-down effect that impacts everyone, said New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal in a press release issued by the New Jersey Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor. It drives up insurance premiums for honest trucking companies, which increases the cost of transporting food. As a result, we all pay higher prices at the grocery store. In January, Legassov pleaded guilty to second-degree insurance fraud and misconduct by a corporate official. The charges stem from crimes Legassov committed in connection with several long-haul trucking companies he owned and/or operated in Middlesex County, including Akmos Trade Limited, Moon and Eggplant Limited, Passing Score LLC and G.K. Refrigerated Line LLC. Between July 2012 and May 2017, under the guise of his various cargo hauling companies, Legassov submitted more than a dozen fraudulent insurance claims for losses purportedly incurred when truck refrigeration units broke down in transport, damaging and/or destroying fruits, vegetables, frozen cakes and other refrigerated goods. In reality, the cargo never existed or had not been damaged or destroyed. To support his fraudulent claims for losses, Legassov submitted fabricated invoices and other falsified documents to his insurance carriers. Instead of making money as a legitimate businessman, Legassov tried to cheat his way to riches in an elaborate scheme to defraud his insurance providers, said Acting New Jersey Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Tracy M. Thompson in the release. Today, he faced the consequences for his deceit and greed. We will continue to investigate and hold accountable corrupt individuals who use their businesses for criminal profit. Legassov was ordered to pay $1,189,727.39 in restitution to Harleysville Insurance Company, which has now merged with Nationwide Insurance Company. He also must pay $97,183.54 in restitution to American International Group. The significant prison sentence this defendant received should serve as a deterrent to other business owners tempted to illegally pad their bottom line by cheating carriers that insure cargo vital to commerce, Grewal said in the release. Source: New Jersey Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Topics Claims Florida Fraud New Jersey Trucking More than 700 law enforcement officers, prosecutors and investigators from across the U.S. and Canada recently attended the seventh annual National Cyber Crime Conference hosted by Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey. The three-day conference serves as the largest of its kind and aims to help equip law enforcement officials and prosecutors with tools and skills to detect and defeat cyber crime. Nearly every crime committed today involves digital forensics, and this conference provides critical training that keeps law enforcement in step with those who use technology, the internet and mobile devices to commit crimes, said Healey in opening remarks at the conference. The conference consisted of nearly 100 breakout sessions of labs, lectures and certification programs in which attendees were trained on a range of topics, including drone investigations, virtual currency and Bitcoin forensics, the Dark Net, mobile device forensics and Facebook investigations. Other seminars addressed new technology to combat labor trafficking, digital artifact reconstruction and analysis of digital tactics used by terrorists. Randolph D. Alles, director of the United States Secret Service, delivered the keynote address. He was sworn in as the 25th Director on April 25, 2017, and previously served as acting deputy commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Director Alles speech focused on how the Secret Service has evolved and adapted in its 153-year history when it comes to combatting financial crimes. The partnerships formed here are critical to successfully combatting cyber crime, he said during his keynote address. Information sharing from law enforcement to private and public sector stakeholders continues to be vital. The conference also featured five lunchtime speakers over the three days, including Special Agents Pete Manning and Greg Squire, who have worked on child exploitation investigations at the Department of Homeland Security for more than a decade. They spoke about using unconventional investigative techniques on the Dark Web, such as lifelike props, undercover communications and account takeovers. On Tuesday during the conference, Detective Ed Michael, a digital forensics examiner with the Orlando Police Department who consults on cases around the world, spoke about the after-action collection and processing of more than 350 digital evidence items during the Pulse Nightclub mass shooting investigation. Special Agents Lesley Hill and Mark Zivilik with the Department of Homeland Security also spoke about the benefits of coordinating with state and local law enforcement officers. The conference was hosted by the Massachusetts Attorney Generals Office in partnership with Cellebrite, the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C), the National Attorneys General Training & Research Institute and SEARCH. Attendees represented 33 states, as well as Canada, Ireland, England and Japan. Law enforcement, prosecutors and investigators attended from the U.S. Attorneys Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Marshall Service, U.S. Probation Department, U.S. Coast Guard, Massachusetts State Police, Boston Police Department and district attorneys offices and police departments across the country. The Massachusetts Attorney Generals Office has made the prevention and prosecution of cyber crime a priority, according to a press release issued following the conference. The office has a Digital Evidence Lab in Boston, Mass., which has statewide capacity to deal with cyber crime and more efficiently process the digital evidence that is present in investigations. Since 2008, the office has provided cyber training for more than 18,000 state and local law enforcement personnel from across the Commonwealth and the nation, the release added. Source: Massachusetts Attorney Generals Office Topics Cyber USA Fraud Law Enforcement Training Development Massachusetts Investigators say the pilot of a small plane had reported ice buildup on his aircraft and asked to divert to a nearby airport shortly before the crash that killed him and his passenger last week in Pennsylvania. A preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board says the pilot had asked to land in Johnstown on April 19 but was told that conditions were better in Altoona. He requested guidance to the Altoona airport at 8:30 a.m. and crashed about 15 minutes later in the backyard of a home near Williamsburg. The men killed in the crash were identified as Stephen Grady and James Durkin. They had taken off from Lancaster and were traveling to Indiana for a University of Notre Dame alumni conference. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Pennsylvania Transportation A judge in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania awarded summary judgment to an insurer accused of bad faith after denying a mans claim for losses exceeding $1 million when a fire destroyed his home. The court found that evidence suggests the insurer conducted a reasonable investigation into whether the losses actually occurred before denying the claim. The case comes after American National Property and Casualty Company denied Daniel Felixs claim for losses exceeding $1 million under his homeowners insurance policy when a fire destroyed his house in January 2016. Fraud Investigation After American National received Felixs claim, it assigned his case to the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) because it identified several red flags suggesting fraud. In particular, it found that Felixs previous home had burned down less than three years earlier under similar circumstances and resulted in Felix filing an insurance claim with American National, receiving a payment of more than $400,000. The SIU assigned SIU investigator Kip Mathena to Felixs claim, and Mathena hired attorney Joseph Hudock to represent American National in connection with the claim. Felixs homeowners policy through American National contained a fraud provision stating the entire policy is void if the insured willfully conceals or misrepresents any material fact or circumstance concerning his/her insurance. After Felixs claim was denied, he submitted a proof of loss to American National on March 10, 2016. He claimed a total of $744,000 in dwelling replacement costs, $60,000 in loss of use costs and $270,000 in loss of contents costs. As part of his proof of loss, Felix provided an itemized list of hundreds of personal items he lost in the blaze, particularly a set of 1.5 carat diamond earrings and a Louis Vuitton purse. On his proof of loss form, Felix stated he had a receipt for his purchase of the lost earrings from Littman Jewelers for $1,906.94 using a credit card, but he did not have a receipt for his purchase of the lost purse from a Louis Vuitton store for $1,358 using a credit card. He confirmed that before the fire, he had purchased the purse for his ex-fiancee, Kelly Madison, but she returned it to Felix after their relationship ended. On May 31, 2016, Hudock spoke with Madison, who reported she was in possession of a Louis Vuitton purse and a set of diamond earrings from Felix. On the same day, Madison forwarded American National pictures of a brown Louis Vuitton purse and a pair of diamond stud earrings. Madison also informed Mathena of text messages she received in May and June of 2016 in which Felix asked about the Louis Vuitton purse. She provided the text messages to American National as well, showing that Felix had repeatedly questioned her about where the purse was and pressured her to send him a photograph. Felixs statements to the effect that the purse was destroyed in the fire were made with an intent to deceive and are material Hudock then stated in an opinion, also asserting that [a]lthough [Felix] did not testify that he took back the earrings, it is clear that they were not destroyed or lost in the fire as he claims. With this in mind, Hudock concluded these material misrepresentations entitled American National to deny Felixs entire claim because Pennsylvania follows the majority view that a single fraudulent material misrepresentation can void the entire policy. Lawsuit Filed After hearing from Hudock and reviewing information gathered during the investigation, American National decided to deny Felixs claim and file a lawsuit against Felix for a declaratory judgment that American National was not required to provide him with coverage. On June 23, 2016, American National sent Felix a denial letter that explained it was denying his claim because of material misrepresentations. American National then filed its complaint in court. American Nationals complaint contained a claim for declaratory judgment that Felixs policy is void because of his material misrepresentations and a claim against Felix for civil insurance fraud. Felix responded by filing an answer and counterclaims against American National for breach of contract and statutory bad faith. During his deposition, Felix testified that before the fire, he had two sets of purses and earrings: one set in Madisons possession, which the fire did not destroy, and one set in Felixs house, which were lost in the fire. Felix stated he purchased the Louis Vuitton purse in Madisons possession for approximately $1,700 in December 2014. He claimed he purchased the second Louis Vuitton purse lost in the fire in cash from a woman outside a Sheetz in Greensburg for $1,358.00 in February 2015. He added that he mistakenly included a credit card payment of $1,358.00 for a Louis Vuitton purse in his proof of loss because he confused which purse he paid for with a credit card. As for the earrings, Felix explained that when he prepared his proof of loss, he may have mistakenly submitted the receipt for the earrings that Madison owned rather than the earrings that were lost in the fire. He said he obtained the second set of earrings from a goldsmith on Scalp Avenue in Johnstown, but he could not name the goldsmith or provide a receipt. Felix asserted he had purchased the second set of earrings after Madison lost the first set, but never gave them to her because Madison ended up finding the first set. In her deposition, Madison testified Felix never gave her a second Louis Vuitton purse and stated she had no knowledge about whether Felix purchased a second pair of earrings for her. Madison also stated she had no knowledge of whether Felix actually lost a Louis Vuitton purse and diamond earrings in the fire. Felixs friend Jessica Bloom and his sister Becky Shirk, however, testified that they saw a white Louis Vuitton purse and a set of diamond hoop earrings in Felixs home shortly before the fire. Felix further explained that on his proof of loss and in previous sworn testimony, he claimed the loss of a white Louis Vuitton purse rather than a brown purse. He stated this is because in February 2015, he and Madison had an intense argument over a prenuptial agreement in which he was intoxicated, and Madison passed out, hit her head and lost consciousness. He explained he reasonably believed he had presented the white Louis Vuitton purse to Madison during the argument and that she had returned it to him. However, because of his intoxication and the many items he had purchased for Madison during their relationship, he acknowledged he may have mistakenly stated during his prior testimony that Madison returned the white Louis Vuitton purse when he never actually gave it to her. [A]t the time I prepared the [P]roof of [L]oss, I may have mixed up the purchase price and/or the method of payment for the white Louis Vuitton purse with the brown Louis Vuitton purse I purchased for Ms. Madison, he stated. In an affidavit, Felix added he purchased two sets of diamond earrings for Madison a pair of studs and a pair of hoops. He clarified that the diamond earrings lost in the fire were hoops, not studs, and said he never claims to have lost diamond stud earrings in the fire. Court Decision To succeed on a statutory bad faith claim in Pennsylvania, the insured must prove the insurer did not have a reasonable basis for denying benefits under the policy and the insurer knew of or recklessly disregarded its lack of a reasonable basis in denying the claim. Under Felixs logic, rather than relying on Felixs own representations in his Proof of Loss, American National needed to confirm with Felix that he only owned one of each item he listed in the Proof of Loss to ensure that he did not actually have two (or three, or four) items similar to those he claimed on the Proof of Loss, but that were not actually destroyed by the fire,Judge Kim R. Gibson wrote in her opinion. Surely, American National cannot be faulted for failing to inquire about items that it did not know existed. Additionally, Felix seemed to require American National to ask about details of the items, such as the color of the purse and the style of the earrings, that he failed to include in the proof of loss and never mentioned in his two statements under oath, Gibson wrote in the opinion. Imposing this burden on insurers would needlessly increase costs of investigating insurance claims, Gibson wrote. And if Felix was absolutely certain he lost a white purse and diamond hoop earrings in the fire as he now claims he should have conveyed that information to American National during their investigation into his claim. In light of this, the court rejected Felixs assertion that American National lacked a reasonable basis for denying his claim. This is because Felix stated on his proof of loss that he lost a Louis Vuitton purse and a pair of 1.5 carat diamond earrings and affirmed on the proof of loss that he accurately listed the items he lost under the pains and penalties of perjury. Based on the information that American National had when it denied Felixs claim, no reasonable jury could find that American National lacked a reasonable basis for its decision, Gibson wrote. Felix further argued that to defeat his breach of contract claim, American National needed to prove Felix violated the fraud provision of his policy by clear and convincing evidence. In response, American National argued Felix committed the alleged fraud when he claimed benefits, not when he first applied for the insurance policy. The Court agreed with American National that to prevail on its declaratory judgment action and defeat Felixs breach of contract claim, it needs to prove Felix made material misrepresentations by a preponderance of the evidence. With this in mind, the court granted summary judgment in favor of American National on Felixs bad faith claim, as it found no reasonable jury could conclude that American National failed to conduct a reasonable investigation or lacked a reasonable basis for its decision to deny Felixs claim. The court also found that no reasonable jury could conclude that American National knew of or recklessly disregarded its lack of a reasonable basis for denying Felixs claim. As a result, the court granted American Nationals motion for partial summary judgment pertaining to all claims of bad faith, and Felixs statutory bad faith claim was dismissed along with his breach of contract claim to the extent it asserts a common law bad faith claim. The claims that remain are American Nationals claim for declaratory judgment, American Nationals claim for civil insurance fraud and Felixs counter-claim for breach of contract to the extent it asserts a breach of contract claim rather than a bad faith claim. The case is ready for trial, and the parties must comply with a trial order stating that 45 days before trial, each party must submit a brief containing arguments about whether the preponderance of the evidence standard or the higher clear and convincing evidence standard governs American Nationals statutory civil insurance fraud claim, Gibson wrote. Topics Carriers Claims Fraud Profit Loss Pennsylvania Zurich Insurance Group AG is working with advisers to cut its stake in its Malaysian life insurance unit, people with knowledge of the matter said, joining a wave of foreign players planning over $2 billion of such deals in the country. The Swiss insurer is considering options including a possible stake sale or domestic initial public offering of the business, which would help it comply with a 70 percent limit on foreign ownership, according to the people. The sale of a 30 percent stake in Zurichs Malaysian life unit could fetch about $100 million, one of the people said, asking not to be identified because the information is private. Overseas insurers including Prudential Plc and Chubb Ltd. have been working with banks to explore ways to pare stakes in their Malaysian units, after the government decided to start enforcing ownership caps more strictly, Bloomberg News reported last year. The countrys two biggest pension funds, which manage a combined $203 billion, are pursuing talks to buy stakes in some of those businesses, people with knowledge of the matter said in October. A representative for Zurich declined to comment. Zurich has separated its general and life insurance businesses in Malaysia under separate legal entities effective Jan. 1 to comply with local regulatory requirements, according to a press release on its website. Zurich Insurance Malaysia Bhd. was renamed Zurich Life Insurance Malaysia Bhd., while its general insurance operations were transferred to newly-incorporated Zurich General Insurance Malaysia Bhd. Zurich Insurance Malaysia earned net premiums of 709.6 million ringgit ($182 million) in 2016, according to its latest available annual report. Copyright 2021 Bloomberg. A Wisconsin state appeals court says a public relations firm doesnt have the right to free access to the state Department of Transportations accident database. The DOT releases accident reports through its website for $6 per report, through written requests and through a subscription service that costs $250 per week. Media Placement Services argues DOT should grant free access to the agencys accident database. The 1st District Court of Appeals ruled that Wisconsins open records law and other statutes allow DOT to charge access fees and case law has held that the right to access records doesnt extend to databases. The court said Media Placement Services can access the data in other ways like any other member of the public. The firms attorney, Robert Pledl, had no immediate comment. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Wisconsin Damon Porter has been appointed vice president, chief human resources officer at Grange Insurance, headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. Porter was previously vice president, talent management and human resources business partners at Erie Insurance in Pennsylvania. In that role, he led the human resources organization in developing, implementing and administering policies, procedures and programs that met Erie Insurances business needs and supported its corporate values. He also oversaw various other human resources functions including performance management, succession planning, leadership development, organizational effectiveness, employee engagement and Eries Career Development Center. Prior to Erie, Porter held various leadership positions, including vice president of corporate human resources at Duke Energy in Charlotte, North Carolina. Porter will be replacing Steven Paxton, former vice president of human resources, who is retiring from Grange Insurance after more than 16 years of service. Source: Grange Insurance Topics Ohio Human Resources The Republican tax laws new deduction for pass-through businesses, intended to help small businesses, was ill thought through and will end up benefiting the wealthy, experts told the U.S. Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday at a hearing on the laws early impacts. The tax overhaul, which sailed through the Republican-controlled U.S. Congress in December without Democratic support, created a new 20 percent deduction for income that owners of so-called pass-through businesses report on their individual tax returns. Republicans said the deduction would provide tax relief for the type of smaller, family-run businesses that would not benefit from the reduction in the top corporate rate to 21 percent from 35 percent. In a move to further limit its use by high-income workers, they exempted those in services professions such as law and accounting from qualifying. But tax professionals and business groups have said the law is unclear. They have asked the Internal Revenue Service to issue guidance on which types of business income are eligible for the pass-through deduction. Douglas Holtz-Eakin, an economist who heads the American Action Forum, a conservative think tank, told senators on Tuesday that even once the IRS weighs in later this year, the pass-through provision drew haphazard lines in the sand that are the exact kind of lines that tax lawyers and experts will attempt to try to game. Democrats have complained that the tax code rewrite favors businesses and the wealthy, and that working-class taxpayers will see little benefit. The pass-through provision is just one reason why Republicans should work with them to rewrite portions of the hastily passed law, Democratic senators said on Tuesday. A new analysis from the nonpartisan Joint Committee on Taxation released ahead of the hearing was used by Democrats to bolster their argument. The JCT estimated that in 2018, more than half of the pass-through benefit will go to taxpayers making $500,000 or more, with $17.8 billion going to those reporting more than $1 million in income, and another $3.6 million going to taxpayers earning $500,000 to $1 million. By 2024, more than 60 percent of the pass-through benefit will go to taxpayers making $500,000 or more, with $31.6 billion going to those reporting more than $1 million in income, and another $5.3 million going to taxpayers earning $500,000 to $1 million, the JCT said. David Kamin, a New York University School of Law professor, told the committee the pass-through deduction was ill thought through and one of the worst provisions thats been added to the tax code in the last several decades. But David Cranston, president of Cranston Material Handling Equipment Corp. in McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania, estimated the pass-through deduction will save him up to $10,000 annually. He said it has allowed him to expand into a new product line. It put me in a better financial position to self-fund this new product, Cranston told the committee. Editors Note: As reported by Insurance Journal (How Insurance Brokers, Risk Managers View the Political Dysfunction in Washington), the tax deduction is an issue for some larger insurance agents and brokers, according to Joel Wood, senior vice president, the Council of Insurance Agents and Brokers. Wood told attendees last week at the RIMS annual conference that there remains uncertainty about the tax breaks for two-thirds of CIABs member firms that are pass-through organizations including S-Corps, LLCs and partnerships. The businesses are awaiting clarification. We will be seeing in a couple of weeks if they are going to put their finger on the scale towards granting the most possible 20 percent pass-through tax relief for the most possible number of entities. So thats a big, big issue out there, Wood said. Related: Topics Agencies A U.S. appeals court on Wednesday affirmed a ruling that pharmaceutical company Merck & Co. dishonestly obtained patent rights and was not entitled to collect a $200 million infringement verdict it won against rival Gilead Sciences Inc. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit upheld a June 2016 ruling that the two Merck patents, which cover methods of treating Hepatitis C, were unenforceable because of a pattern of misconduct by the company, including lying under oath by one of its in-house lawyers. A Gilead spokesman said the company was very pleased with the ruling and believe it was justified and well supported by the record. A Merck spokeswoman said in a statement that the ruling does not reflect the facts of the case and that the company was reviewing its next steps. Direct-acting anti-virals, such as Gileads Sovaldi and Harvoni, have revolutionized treatment of Hepatitis C, with cure rates of more than 90 percent. The viral disease is estimated to infect about 3.2 million Americans and can lead to liver failure. A jury in federal court in San Jose, California, awarded Merck $200 million in 2016 after finding Sovaldi and Harvoni infringed two of its patents. A judge threw out the verdict later that year, ruling the patents were unenforceable based on the companys conduct. She noted that, in the process of applying for one of the patents, Merck used confidential information it obtained in 2004 while discussing a possible partnership with Pharmasset Inc, a company Gilead bought in 2011. The judge also said a Merck in-house lawyer testified untruthfully in a deposition and at trial about his participation in a confidential call with Pharmasset personnel. Merck appealed the ruling, saying there was no deliberately planned and carefully executed scheme by Merck to defraud or deceive. But the appeals court said in Wednesdays ruling that the lower judge had sufficient reason to conclude that the Merck patents were tainted by misconduct and should not be enforceable. In February a federal judge in Delaware overturned a different jury verdict requiring Gilead to pay $2.54 billion for infringing another Merck patent relating to the hepatitis C drugs. The verdict had been the largest ever in a U.S. patent case, but the judge ruled Mercks patent was invalid because it did not meet a requirement that it disclose how to make the treatment it covered without undue experimentation. (Reporting by Jan Wolfe Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Alistair Bell) Topics USA Username: Password: or Register Thread Rating: 2 Vote(s) - 3 Average 1 2 3 4 5 Page: 1 2 North Korea Nuke Test Site Radiation doom?. So this is why they turned mr nice guy !? The Ghost Of LOP Registered User User ID: kaput 04-25-2018 11:02 PM Posts: 41,669 Post: #1 North Korea Nuke Test Site Radiation doom?. So this is why they turned mr nice guy !? Advertisement The mountains collapse after a fifth blast last fall has led to the creation of a massive chimney that could leak radioactive fallout into the air, researchers have found read more http://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy...im-jong-un I am so confused !!! North Koreas nuclear test site has collapsed ... and that may be why Kim Jong-un suspended testsThe mountains collapse after a fifth blast last fall has led to the creation of a massive chimney that could leak radioactive fallout into the air, researchers have foundread moreI am so confused !!! (This post was last modified: 04-25-2018 11:05 PM by The Ghost Of LOP .) The Ghost Of LOP Registered User User ID: 1337 04-25-2018 11:03 PM Posts: 41,669 Post: #2 RE: North Korea Nuke Test Site Has Collapsed and could be releasing Radiation So is this why Kimmy is surrendering he knows they are fudged with radiation ? I am so confused !!! Hamburgerwagon lop guest User ID: 1337 04-25-2018 11:14 PM Post: #3 RE: North Korea Nuke Test Site Radiation doom?. So this is why they turned mr nice guy !? The Ghost Of LOP Wrote: (04-25-2018 11:03 PM) So is this why Kimmy is surrendering he knows they are fudged with radiation ? Isn't it great? Isn't it great? The Ghost Of LOP Registered User User ID: 1337 04-25-2018 11:14 PM Posts: 41,669 Post: #4 RE: North Korea Nuke Test Site Radiation doom?. So this is why they turned mr nice guy !? Hamburgerwagon Wrote: (04-25-2018 11:14 PM) The Ghost Of LOP Wrote: (04-25-2018 11:03 PM) So is this why Kimmy is surrendering he knows they are fudged with radiation ? Isn't it great? Not if the normal people are getting radiation poisoning Not if the normal people are getting radiation poisoning I am so confused !!! Pasta Lover Registered User User ID: 1337 04-25-2018 11:22 PM Posts: 9,463 Post: #5 RE: North Korea Nuke Test Site Radiation doom?. So this is why they turned mr nice guy !? Last year they said it could collapse due to repeated tests. Oh well, you can't inspect it if it is buried. I wonder what was really down there. Maybe just an old mine? The Ghost Of LOP Registered User User ID: 1337 04-25-2018 11:25 PM Posts: 41,669 Post: #6 RE: North Korea Nuke Test Site Radiation doom?. So this is why they turned mr nice guy !? Pasta Lover Wrote: (04-25-2018 11:22 PM) Last year they said it could collapse due to repeated tests. Oh well, you can't inspect it if it is buried. I wonder what was really down there. Maybe just an old mine? Don't know, it suck if stuff is getting into the water Don't know, it suck if stuff is getting into the water I am so confused !!! LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 04-25-2018 11:25 PM Post: #7 RE: North Korea Nuke Test Site Radiation doom?. So this is why they turned mr nice guy !? The Ghost Of LOP Wrote: (04-25-2018 11:03 PM) So is this why Kimmy is surrendering he knows they are fudged with radiation ? Must be why Trump called Kim "honorable":rofl: Must be why Trump called Kim "honorable":rofl: LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 04-26-2018 01:35 AM Post: #8 RE: North Korea Nuke Test Site Radiation doom?. So this is why they turned mr nice guy !? China at Risk of Radioactive Exposure from North Korean Test Site - Report Two groups of Chinese researchers have reportedly confirmed a risk from radioactive exposure to their countrymen after a North Korean nuclear test site appeared to have partially collapsed. North Korea's Mount Mantap has contained every known nuclear test in the country: the Punggye-ri nuclear test site sits under it in a network of tunnels. After a thermonuclear device was tested in early September 2017, seismic activity at the mountain was recorded in the form of a 6.3-magnitude earthquake, according to the US Geological Survey's findings, while the China Earthquake Networks Center detected a 3.4 magnitude follow-up quake. Almost immediately, it was reported that the mountain had experienced a tunnel collapse, although with some uncertainty. Now, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reports that Chinese researchers have confirmed that the mountain collapsed on itself. Wen Lianxing, a geologist at the University of Science and Technology of China in Hefei, led a team that reportedly studied 2,000 seismic stations for their data. Their research is expected to be published in the coming months in Geophysical Research Letters. "It is necessary to continue monitoring possible leaks of radioactive materials caused by the collapse incident," a statement from Wen's team said. Another research team reportedly confirmed the blast had created a chimney that could potentially leak radioactive materials. Liu Junqing, a researcher at the Jilin Earthquake Agency wrote in a paper in the Geophysical Research Letters last month, "rock collapse was for the first time documented in North Korea's test site." https://sputniknews.com/asia/20180426106...th-Korean/ Two groups of Chinese researchers have reportedly confirmed a risk from radioactive exposure to their countrymen after a North Korean nuclear test site appeared to have partially collapsed.North Korea's Mount Mantap has contained every known nuclear test in the country: the Punggye-ri nuclear test site sits under it in a network of tunnels. After a thermonuclear device was tested in early September 2017, seismic activity at the mountain was recorded in the form of a 6.3-magnitude earthquake, according to the US Geological Survey's findings, while the China Earthquake Networks Center detected a 3.4 magnitude follow-up quake.Almost immediately, it was reported that the mountain had experienced a tunnel collapse, although with some uncertainty. Now, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reports that Chinese researchers have confirmed that the mountain collapsed on itself. Wen Lianxing, a geologist at the University of Science and Technology of China in Hefei, led a team that reportedly studied 2,000 seismic stations for their data. Their research is expected to be published in the coming months in Geophysical Research Letters. "It is necessary to continue monitoring possible leaks of radioactive materials caused by the collapse incident," a statement from Wen's team said.Another research team reportedly confirmed the blast had created a chimney that could potentially leak radioactive materials. Liu Junqing, a researcher at the Jilin Earthquake Agency wrote in a paper in the Geophysical Research Letters last month, "rock collapse was for the first time documented in North Korea's test site." LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 04-26-2018 01:44 AM Post: #9 RE: North Korea Nuke Test Site Radiation doom?. So this is why they turned mr nice guy !? Pasta Lover Wrote: (04-25-2018 11:22 PM) Last year they said it could collapse due to repeated tests. Oh well, you can't inspect it if it is buried. I wonder what was really down there. Maybe just an old mine? A mine is a terrible thing to waste. [/b] A mine is a terrible thing to waste.[/b] Archangel Michael User ID: 1337 04-26-2018 01:46 AM Posts: 14,103 Post: #10 RE: North Korea Nuke Test Site Radiation doom?. So this is why they turned mr nice guy !? Many wise men and women have spoken to Supreme Leader Kim Jong un over the past few months. Wisdom is prevailing. Nuclear weapons are a bad idea for anyone. That's why the Ayatollah Khomenhi forbade Iran from building them. . LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 04-26-2018 01:57 AM Post: #11 RE: North Korea Nuke Test Site Radiation doom?. So this is why they turned mr nice guy !? The Ghost Of LOP Wrote: (04-25-2018 11:03 PM) So is this why Kimmy is surrendering he knows they are fudged with radiation ? YUP. HE PLAYED WITH MATCHES AND GOT BURNED AND REMEMBERS DADDY SAID NOT TO PLAY WITH MATCHES AND SO IS COMING TO DADDY TO SAY HE WON'T PLAY WITH MATCHES ANYMORE. Too bad he just doomed a bunch of people with radiation sickness. I hope the wind continually blows from the chimney straight into China every f*cking minute, since the chinks could have MADE HIS PSYCHO FAMILY END THEIR RETARDATIONS decades ago.....but were happy to let them f*#k around with nukes. YUP.HE PLAYED WITH MATCHES AND GOT BURNED AND REMEMBERS DADDY SAID NOT TO PLAY WITH MATCHES AND SO IS COMING TO DADDY TO SAY HE WON'T PLAY WITH MATCHES ANYMORE.Too bad he just doomed a bunch of people with radiation sickness.I hope the wind continually blows from the chimney straight into China every f*cking minute, since the chinks could have MADE HIS PSYCHO FAMILY END THEIR RETARDATIONS decades ago.....but were happy to let them f*#k around with nukes. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 04-26-2018 02:00 AM Post: #12 RE: North Korea Nuke Test Site Radiation doom?. So this is why they turned mr nice guy !? It collapsed last year or before that. It's unusable. Besides the rads, there's a bigger issue that concerns CHINA. There's a volcano on the border between the two Communist extremist countries and scientists warned another test could possibly (likely?) set it off in a big way. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 04-26-2018 02:10 AM Post: #13 RE: North Korea Nuke Test Site Radiation doom?. So this is why they turned mr nice guy !? They were nuking morlocs, didnt work so they caved it in. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 04-26-2018 02:26 AM Post: #14 Site Radiation doom?. So this is why they turned mr nice guy !? Archangel Wrote: (04-26-2018 01:46 AM) Nuclear weapons are a bad idea for anyone. That's why the Ayatollah Khomenhi forbade Iran from building them. bullshit! Khomenhi isn't a wise man, and no didn't forbid.....that is the exact goal of the evil Iranian regime----nuclear weapons to use against Israel and US. bullshit! Khomenhi isn't a wise man, and no didn't forbid.....that is the exact goal of the evil Iranian regime----nuclear weapons to use against Israel and US. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 04-26-2018 02:27 AM Post: #15 RE: North Korea Nuke Test Site Radiation doom?. So this is why they turned mr nice guy !? Doom on then? Advertisement Mike Humphry has joined The Iroquois Groups Mid-Atlantic team as a regional manager for southern Ohio and Kentucky. Humphrys insurance career, which began in 1980, has included experience in both the independent agency and exclusive agency distribution systems. Prior to joining Iroquois, Humphry worked with Grange Insurance and Nationwide, serving in various roles in sales, marketing, underwriting, and operations. Iroquois Mid-Atlantic is part of The Iroquois Group, serving member agencies in eight Mid-Atlantic states plus the District of Columbia. Topics Kentucky Utility giants PG&E Corp. and Edison International could gain at least some protection against future wildfire damages under a bill thats advancing in Californias legislature. An amended bill being weighed by Californias Senate would shield utilities that follow approved safety plans in future state proceedings should one of their power lines spark a wildfire. Utilities would remain vulnerable to potential civil lawsuits, and the legislation wouldnt be retroactive meaning PG&E and Edison could still face billions of dollars in costs from wildfires that destroyed thousands of structures last year. Both PG&E and Edison rallied on news of the amended bill Tuesday as it offers investors some clarity as to how Californias utilities will be held responsible for wildfires that have intensified amid warmer temperatures and drier weather. Analysts have estimated that blazes that broke out last year alone could cost PG&E more than $15 billion in claims and Southern California Edison more than $4 billion. The scale of the destruction by the fires and the uncertainty around whether the utilities will be stuck with the bill have wiped out billions of dollars of market value from both companies. Several groups including California State Association of Counties said they would support the bill as amended because a previous version wouldve granted utilities even broader protections against wildfire liability. The bill passed Tuesday out of the Senates governmental organization committee. Read More; Edison, PG&E Seek Mercy From Courts Over Doomsday Fire Payouts The amended text should be available in print by the end of next week, said Paul Payne, a spokesman for state Senator Bill Dodd, a sponsor of the bill. Under the legislation, utilities would have to submit safety plans to reduce the risk of events such as wildfires to state regulators every two years. State Senator Jerry Hill was the lone vote against the bills passage out of the committee. He said he remained concerned that the legislation would hold consumers accountable for wildfire costs and not the utilities. Related: Copyright 2021 Bloomberg. Topics Catastrophe California Natural Disasters Legislation Wildfire David Copperfield insisted this week he knew of no one being injured during more than 15 years of performing a signature vanishing act at the center of a lawsuit by a British tourist who claims he was seriously hurt in a fall during a Las Vegas performance. Amid complaints from his lawyers about widespread media coverage, the world-famous illusionist returned to the witness stand, telling a Nevada jury about the trick that makes people seems to disappear on stage and reappear in the back of the theater. At least 55,000 audience volunteers have taken part in the illusion over 17 years, according to Copperfield and show executive producer Chris Kenner, who testified last week. In 60 to 90 seconds, stagehands with flashlights ushered randomly chosen participants past dark curtains, down passageways, around corners, outdoors, indoors and through an MGM Grand resort kitchen to re-enter the theater and reappear for the show finale, according to testimony. Copperfield remains on stage the entire time. Benedict Morelli, attorney for plaintiff Gavin Cox, has characterized the route as an obstacle course and the pace as dangerously fast for people who might not have appropriate footwear and are not told in advance what they will encounter. Copperfield said he and stagehands assessed the capabilities of audience volunteers as they approached the stage, climbed stairs and seated themselves in a boxy 13-seat apparatus for the illusion. The trick is dubbed The Thirteen, for the number of seats. The jury has been told that some volunteers were turned away. Over the objections of Copperfield attorney Elaine Fresch, Morelli asked Copperfield if he thought the number of people not injured by the illusion over the years suggested it was safe. Im not in the business of hurting people, Copperfield said. The illusion must be safe because of how many people have done it without getting injured? Morelli asked. Numbers are not a defense, Copperfield said, adding he couldnt remember hearing of anyone getting hurt. Copperfield said he didnt know Cox claimed to have been injured in November 2013 until he was sued the following year. He said he stopped performing the illusion a year later. Cox alleges he fell after being hurried by stagehands through an alleyway coated with a powdery residue near a trailer-sized trash bin. The resident of Kent, England, claims lasting brain and bodily injuries from his fall have cost him more than $400,000 in medical care. Fresch lost a bid Tuesday for a mistrial based on the amount of media coverage about the case, including interviews involving Morelli. Clark County District Court Judge Mark Denton allowed testimony to resume after asking jurors if they saw news items about the case during a five-day break in the civil trial. Three said they turned off broadcasts when they encountered them. Copperfields lawyers lost pretrial motions to close proceedings to the public to avoid giving away performance secrets. A state appeals court ruled Friday that Denton can close the courtroom to the public for some testimony to protect tradecraft. Related: Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Insurance industry representatives said on Thursday they are working with the authors of pair of controversial bills approved by a committee in the California state Senate that are designed to give relief to victims of the massive wildfires last fall. The contentious legislative package drew insurers into a battle on Wednesday with California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones prior to the committee vote, prompting Jones to issue a statement that indicated he would be fighting with the insurance industry over their opposition to the bills. Jones rallied with state Senators Mike McGuire, D-Healdsburg, and Bill Dodd, D-Napa, authors of the two bills, to oppose what he described as efforts by insurance lobbyists to kill or water down the legislative package. A statement released by Jones office on Wednesday ahead of the Senate Insurance Committee hearing said the industry was pulling out all the stops to defeat our efforts to provide wildfire survivors and homeowners peace of mind when disaster strikes. McGuires Senate Bill 897 would require insurers to pay 80 percent of the limit of a policyholders personal property coverage with no requirement for a written inventory. Dodds Senate Bill 894 would allow policyholders to combine various coverages within their homeowner policy to pay any covered losses. Using the limits for other coverages, as well as retroactive provisions in both bills, posed enough concern to bring the industry out to try and amend or oppose the legislation. Objections to the bills were raised largely by the Rebuild with Resilience, a coalition of homeowners insurers in California comprised of property/casualty insurance trades including Property Casualty Insurers Association of America, Personal Insurance Federation of California, National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies and American Insurance Association. Katie Pettibone, vice president of AIAs Western region, described a scenario if the provision on using limits for other coverages were to pass where a $1 million home that has additional contents coverage is destroyed. The provision could require insurers to use the contents coverage limits to add on top of the rebuilding cost of the home, she said. She noted that policies and limits are underwritten to cover specific losses, so that provision on limits or the retroactive provisions, could mean insurers would see greater losses than they planned for. If youre changing policies and the way polices were underwritten, that is fundamentally a change in contract, Pettibone added. Committee chair state Sen. Steve Glazer, D-Orinda, convinced the authors of the bills to agree to discuss the possibility of making amendments to those and other provisions in question before bringing the bills to the full Senate floor for a vote. Following that, the committee unanimously voted in favor of the bills. Pettibone said the coalition and other stakeholders are set to meet with the authors and their staff on Friday to discuss the legislation. We understand the travesty that the fires created, and weve been really trying to work hard with the authors on the measures, she said. Spokespersons for Jones said on Thursday that there were no current plans to issue a statement from his office following the committee vote. Related: Topics Carriers Catastrophe California Natural Disasters Legislation Wildfire Investopedia and our third-party partners use cookies and process personal data like unique identifiers based on your consent to store and/or access information on a device, display personalized ads and for content measurement, audience insight, and product development. To change or withdraw your consent choices for Investopedia.com, including your right to object where legitimate interest is used, click below. At any time, you can update your settings through the "EU Privacy" link at the bottom of any page. These choices will be signaled globally to our partners and will not affect browsing data. List of Partners (vendors) What Is the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI)? The American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) is an economic indicator of U.S. consumer sentiment that is based on a nationwide survey in which U.S. consumers are asked to rate the products and services that they use. Key Takeaways The American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) is an economic indicator based on a survey of U.S. consumers about products and services they use. The American Consumer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) includes four levels of indexes or scores that evaluate customer satisfaction on a quarterly basis. Stocks of companies with high ACSI scores typically perform better than those with lower scores. One key finding from the ACSI indicates the importance of quality over price for customers in nearly every industry. Understanding the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) More than 500,000 consumers are quizzed annually for the index, which rates customer satisfaction with more than 400 companies across 47 industries. The American Customer Satisfaction Index produces four levels of indexes or scoresa national customer satisfaction score, 10 economic sector scores, 47 industry scores, and scores for individual companies as well as government agencies. The ACSI is an important indicator of economic performance for individual firms as well as the macroeconomy. The ACSI uses information gleaned from about 500,000 customer interviews as inputs to a multi-equation econometric model developed at the University of Michigan. The index was first published in October 1994 and is updated quarterly on a rolling basis, with new data for one or more economic sectors replacing data collected the previous year. ACSI data is used by businesses in planning and capital budgeting, by researchers analyzing consumer behavioral trends, and by policymakers who use it as an indicator of the health and direction of the economy. Investors keep an eye on the numbers for individual companies and industries. A company's ACSI score is derived from a questionnaire. Each question entails a 1-10 rating scale to rate a company, government agency, or other entity. Organizations are rated on the following: Overall satisfaction (1 means "very dissatisfied" and 10 means "very satisfied") Expectancy disconfirmation (1 means "falls short of expectations" and 10 means "exceeds expectations") Comparison to an ideal (1 means "not very close to the ideal" and 10 means "very close to the ideal"). In its history of over 25 years, the ACSI hit its highest level of 77 out of a possible 100 during the first quarter of 2017. It repeated that high score in the third quarter of 2018. The score took a sharp turn for the worse in the fourth quarter of 2020, dropping to 73.7%. The survey authors noted that the COVID-19 pandemic may have exacerbated the discontent, but also said that the score had dropped in eight out of the nine previous quarters and had hit its lowest level since 2005. ACSI: Key Findings With over two decades of experience collecting consumer satisfaction information, the ACSI has made a list of key findings based on its research: High customer satisfaction correlates to better company financial performance. Changes in customer satisfaction affect the willingness of households to make purchases. (Price-adjusted ACSI is a leading indicator of consumer spending growth.) With consumer spending accounting for ~70% of gross domestic product (GDP), changes in customer satisfaction correlate to GDP growth. ACSI scores for manufactured goods (food items, appliances) are generally higher than those for services (airlines, banks, cable television). Quality is more important than price in nearly every industry measured by the ACSI. Price promotions may work over the short term in raising satisfaction but price cuts are not sustainable in the long term. Companies that focus on improving quality tend to do better in the long run. Merger and acquisition activity generally has a negative effect on customer satisfaction, especially with services. ACSI and Investing ASCI reports may have the power to move markets. Stocks of companies with high ACSI scores tend to do better than those of companies with low scores, while the national ACSI score has been shown to predict trends in both consumer spending and stock market growth. ACSI also provides its proprietary customer service satisfaction data to exchange-traded fund (ETF) developers. A portfolio of stocks selected based on customer satisfaction levels outperformed the market according to a 2006 paper in the Journal of Marketing. Another 2016 study found "convincing empirical evidence" of the importance of customer satisfaction in producing stock returns. The study's authors used 15 years of audited returns for companies and found that they produced 518% more returns between 2000 and 2014 compared with a 31% increase in the S&P 500. What Is the Elliott Wave Theory? The Elliott Wave theory is a theory in technical analysis used to describe price movements in the financial market. The theory was developed by Ralph Nelson Elliott after he observed and identified recurring, fractal wave patterns. Waves can be identified in stock price movements and in consumer behavior. Investors trying to profit from a market trend could be described as riding a wave. A large, strong movement by homeowners to replace their existing mortgages with new ones that have better terms is called a refinancing wave. Key Takeaways The Elliott Wave theory is a form of technical analysis that looks for recurrent long-term price patterns related to persistent changes in investor sentiment and psychology. The theory identifies impulse waves that set up a pattern and corrective waves that oppose the larger trend. Each set of waves is nested within a larger set of waves that adhere to the same impulse or corrective pattern, which is described as a fractal approach to investing. 1:32 Elliott Wave Theory Basics Understanding the Elliott Wave Theory The Elliott Wave theory was developed by Ralph Nelson Elliott in the 1930s. After being forced into retirement due to an illness, Elliott needed something to occupy his time and began studying 75 years worth of yearly, monthly, weekly, daily, and self-made hourly and 30-minute charts across various indexes. The theory gained notoriety in 1935 when Elliott made an uncanny prediction of a stock market bottom. It has since become a staple for thousands of portfolio managers, traders, and private investors. Elliott described specific rules governing how to identify, predict, and capitalize on these wave patterns. These books, articles, and letters are covered in R.N. Elliott's Masterworks, which was published in 1994. Elliott Wave International is the largest independent financial analysis and market forecasting firm in the world whose market analysis and forecasting are based on Elliotts model. He was careful to note that these patterns do not provide any kind of certainty about future price movement, but rather, serve in helping to order the probabilities for future market action. They can be used in conjunction with other forms of technical analysis, including technical indicators, to identify specific opportunities. Traders may have differing interpretations of a market's Elliott Wave structure at a given time. How Elliott Waves Work Some technical analysts try to profit from wave patterns in the stock market using the Elliott Wave Theory. This hypothesis says that stock price movements can be predicted because they move in repeating up-and-down patterns called waves that are created by investor psychology or sentiment. The theory identifies two different types of waves: motive waves (also known as impulse waves) and corrective waves. It is subjective, meaning not all traders interpret the theory the same way or agree that it is a successful trading strategy. Unlike most other price formations, the whole idea of wave analysis itself does not equate to a regular blueprint formation where you simply follow the instructions. Wave analysis offers insights into trend dynamics and helps you understand price movements in a much deeper way. Image by Julie Bang Investopedia 2020 The Elliott Wave principle consists of impulse and corrective waves at its core. Impulse Waves Impulse waves consist of five sub-waves that make net movement in the same direction as the trend of the next-largest degree. This pattern is the most common motive wave and the easiest to spot in a market. Like all motive waves, it consists of five sub-wavesthree of them are also motive waves, and two are corrective waves. This is labeled as a 5-3-5-3-5 structure, which was shown above. It has three unbreakable rules that define its formation: Wave two cannot retrace more than 100% of the first wave The third wave can never be the shortest of waves one, three, and five Wave four can't go beyond the third wave at any time If one of these rules is violated, the structure is not an impulse wave. The trader would need to re-label the suspected impulse wave. Corrective Waves Corrective waves, which are sometimes called diagonal waves, consist of threeor a combination of threesub-waves that make net movement in the direction opposite to the trend of the next-largest degree. Like all motive waves, its goal is to move the market in the direction of the trend. The corrective wave consists of five sub-waves. The difference is that the diagonal looks like either an expanding or contracting wedge. The sub-waves of the diagonal may not have a count of five, depending on what type of diagonal is being observed. As with the motive wave, each sub-wave of the diagonal never fully retraces the previous sub-wave, and sub-wave three of the diagonal may not be the shortest wave. These impulse and corrective waves are nested in a self-similar fractal to create larger patterns. For example, a one-year chart may be in the midst of a corrective wave, but a 30-day chart may show a developing impulse wave. A trader with this Elliott wave interpretation may thus have a long-term bearish outlook with a short-term bullish outlook. Special Considerations Elliott recognized that the Fibonacci sequence denotes the number of waves in impulses and corrections. Wave relationships in price and time also commonly exhibit Fibonacci ratios, such as 38% and 62%. For example, a corrective wave may have a retrace of 38% of the preceding impulse. Other analysts have developed indicators inspired by the Elliott Wave principle, including the Elliott Wave Oscillator, which is pictured in the image above. The oscillator provides a computerized method of predicting future price direction based on the difference between a five-period and 34-period moving average. Elliott Wave Internationals artificial intelligence system, EWAVES, applies all Elliott wave rules and guidelines to data to generate automated Elliott wave analysis. What Is Elliott Wave Theory? In technical analysis, the Elliott Wave theory is the analysis of long-term trends in price patterns and how they correspond with investor psychology. These price patterns, referred to as waves, are built on specific rules that were developed by Ralph Nelson Elliott in the 1930s. Specifically, they were designed to identify and predict wave patterns within stock markets. Importantly these patterns are not intended to be certain, but instead provide probable outcomes for future price movements. How Do Elliott Waves Work? Within Elliott Wave theory, there are different forms of waves, or price formations, from which investors can glean insight. Impulse waves, for example, include both an upward or downward trend that carries five sub-waves that may last hours or even decades. They possess three rules: the second wave cannot retrace more than 100% of the first wave; the third wave cannot be shorter than wave one, three, and five; wave four cannot surpass the third wave ever. Along with impulse waves, there are corrective waves, which fall in patterns of three. Catch up on all this morning's headlines... GET INFORMED ... IRELAND: Meath father, 53, attacked at Liverpool game is 'critical'. IRELAND: IRELAND: Former minister Mary ORourke paid for women to travel for abortions. IRELAND: Residents fighting vulture-fund renovictionshave asked the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) to investigate renovations. WORLD: Parents of Alfie Evans keep bedside vigil amid tensions over treatment. VIEWS: On April 26, 1986, a new word Chernobyl entered the history of world disasters and the history of the world, with a deadly force, writes Adi Roche. SPORT: Wenger would like to hand over hotseat to former player. ... SOME DISTRACTION CULTURE: ]Andrew Scott stars[/url in Irish tale of lust and betrayal.FEATURES: Losing weight, losing his hair, and having to freeze his sperm are just some of the things Eoghan Cox had to endure during chemo. SHOWBIZ: Sir Ian McKellen has revealed coming out as gay was the best thing I ever did in my life. By Geoff Percival The DAA is confident that Cork Airport can maintain transatlantic services for the forseeable future, despite Norwegian Air downsizing its long-haul services. The company, which operates Dublin and Cork airports, said it remains committed to Cork and will continue to invest in the airport, despite it remaining loss-making. Norwegian Air recently cancelled its winter schedule between Cork and Shannon and Rhode Island on the east coast of the US between November and March due to low demand, although it is still operating a summer service on the same routes. Speaking at the publication of its annual results, DAA chief executive Dalton Philips said he had been disappointed with Norwegians winter cancellations, but remains excited about Corks growth opportunities. He said work is ongoing surrounding the rebuilding of Corks connectivity to mainland European airports. Norwegian has been very open with us all along, and its winter load factor wasnt strong enough. Its a commercial entity and if the traffics not there, theres an obligation on us and other [tourism] stakeholders to build it, he said. Mr Philips said Norwegian continues to view its transatlantic services from Cork and Dublin favourably. Load factors for this summer are understood to be strong and the DAA said it is working hard to finalise a summer 2019 schedule, between Cork and the US, with Norwegian. He said any prospect of Aer Lingus owner IAG buying Norwegian, as has been speculated, should not deter either airlines growth in Ireland. The DAA was accused, last year, of using Cork as a way of enticing Norwegian Air to introduce long-haul services from Dublin Airport. The DAA said 14 new routes launched from Dublin last year, with three starting in Cork. Combined passenger numbers at the two state-owned airports increased 6% to nearly 32 million. Cork, alone, has seen an 11% rise in passenger numbers in the past two years. Last year, 2.3m passengers used the airport, 3.5% more than in 2016. Mr Philips also warned that a failure to amend night-flying and outdated noise restriction planning conditions, relating to the planned second main runway at Dublin Airport, could result in the loss of 2.4 million extra passengers overnight and the erosion of the airports international competitiveness. Work on the new runway is set to start later this year, with a completion date pencilled in for the end of 2021. Mr Philips said it will act as Irelands new path to the world, underpinning tourism, trade, foreign investment and post-Brexit competitiveness. He said the runway is the most important thing that Ireland will build in a generation. The DAA saw revenues rise by 8% last year to 855m. Earnings rose 9.5% to 271m and net debt was down 5% at 541m. After-tax profit grew 16% to 125m, and the DAA has recommended paying the state a dividend of 37.4m for 2017, up from 29.1m for 2016. The DAAs update coincided with the Shannon Group announcing that it generates an annual economic impact of 3.6bn, in gross added-value terms, for the economy and contributes 1.1bn in tax revenue to the exchequer. It said Shannon Airport alone generates close to 1bn per annum. By Eamon Quinn The financial adviser who did the hard spade work from 2009 uncovering the industry-wide tracker mortgage scandal says the tally of wronged customers will reach over 40,000 but that only a fraction of the 1bn-plus cost will go to wronged customers. Padraic Kissane also believes that 4,000 AIB customers who, with the agreement of the Central Bank, have received small amounts of payments should receive full redress, without the need for them to pursue cases through the High Court. It comes as the Central Bank in its latest update confirmed its so-called enforcement procedures have been evoked against all the mortgage lenders, Permanent TSB, Ulster Bank, Bank of Ireland, KBC, AIB and its lender EBS. That gives the regulator additional powers to investigate the individual lenders over the matter. It said it had so far identified 37,100 wronged customers, an increase of 3,400 since the end of the year, and 459m had so far been paid out. About 12% of the people who have been so far identified as due compensation will be paid by the end of June, the regulator said. Speaking to reporters at the AIB annual shareholders meeting, chief executive Bernard Byrne said the group of 4,000 AIB customers were included in December at the insistence of the Central Bank and have the right to argue their case legally because the rates they were offered did not lead to losses and were not detrimental to customers. But Mr Kissane said it was not up to AIB retrospectively to decide what prevailing rate almost 10 years ago should apply. He said the group of 4,000 customers were not all on the same contracts but that he and other representatives should be open to talking on their behalf with senior AIB managers to thrash it out, or for AIB to fund fully the cases through the High Court. Asked if he was disappointed by the Central Banks position over the 4,000 customers, Mr Kissane said the regulator appeared to have allowed AIB to dictate retrospectively the rate that should apply. Mr Kissane said he believed the banks all faced the same issue at the time tracker mortgages were withdrawn from the market but he said they did not collude over the matter. But he said some banks were the worst offenders in denying the scale of the overcharging. The Central Banks head of financial conduct, Derville Rowland, said that consumers who receive a payment from their bank can cash their cheque safe in the knowledge that they can still appeal the amount they have been awarded. 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The material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.In accordance with industry accepted best practices we ask that users limit their copy / paste of copyrighted material to the relevant portions of the article you wish to discuss (no more than 50% of the source material) provide a link back to the original articleIf you are a legal copyright holder or a designated agent for such and you believe a post on this website falls outside the boundaries of "Fair Use" and legitimately infringes on yours or your clients copyright please contact [email protected] This website is owned by :Marco ZwaneveldDrijfriemstraat 522516 XR The HagueNetherlands.I will not rent, sell, share or otherwise disclose your personal information to any third party.We might contact you from time to time regarding your purchases or the services (like forums and announcement lists) you have subscribed to.Some of the 3rd party advertisers on lunaticoutpost.com may use cookiesto track peformance and/or to serve relevant ads.If you wish to read more and/or opt out of such cookies, please visit: http://www.networkadvertising.org/choices/ by Daniel Hickey A National Surveillance Unit garda saw two men accused of IRA membership walk up the driveway of a house where a man who has said the men threatened to shoot him was living, the Special Criminal Court has heard. Kevin Braney (44), with an address at Glenshane Crescent, Tallaght, Dublin 24 and Ciaran Maguire (30), of Kippure Park, Finglas, Dublin 11, have both pleaded not guilty to membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Oglaigh na hEireann, otherwise the IRA on August 2, 2017. It is the prosecution's case that one of two accused men told another man in County Meath that they were the IRA and if he did not drop a claim against a former employer the next time they saw him they would shoot him. Today under cross-examination, a member of the National Surveillance Unit (NSU), whose identity is protected by order of the court, told Rosario Boyle SC, for Mr Braney, that he was in on the evening of July 13 last year when he saw a Ford Mondeo park in an estate opposite where the alleged victim of the threat lived. The guard said that he then saw Mr Braney and Mr Maguire walk up the driveway of a house. Previously, a man has told the court that on that evening two men called to the same house and said they were the IRA, threatening to shoot him. Earlier, Mr Justice Tony Hunt, presiding, sitting with Judge Gerard Griffin and Judge Flann Brennan, ruled that an interview gardai conducted with Mr Maguire under a section which allows a court to draw inferences from a suspected person's failure or refusal to answer certain material questions is not admissible. Sean Carroll SC, for Mr Maguire, had objected to the evidence, arguing that the section had not been properly explained by detectives to his client. The trial is expected to hear closing speeches tomorrow from prosecution and defence barristers. by Gordon Deegan A GP has been ordered to pay a former practice secretary 27,500 after it was found that he discriminated against her when dismissing her while she was on maternity leave. In the case, the Labour Court has ordered the GP to pay the woman the sum arising from her claim of discriminatory dismissal on the grounds of gender. In the Labour Court ruling, it found that it did not find the evidence of the doctor that he did not know the woman was an employee to be credible for a number of reasons. The Labour Court listed the reasons where the doctor signed the womans contract; he signed a form that was submitted to claim a HSE subsidy in relation to her position with her contract attached and when she reported for work after her maternity leave he asked her to change her hours and then proposed that she job-share. The Labour Court in Dublin The court found that the woman was treated less favourably because of her pregnancy when she was not allowed to return to work at the expiry of her maternity leave. The Labour Court overturned an earlier ruling by a Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) Adjudication Officer that found that the womans claim was not well founded. The court heard that the doctor commenced work in the practice on the same day that the woman started her maternity leave. She told the Labour Court she introduced herself to the doctor and informed him that she was that day commencing her maternity leave and would be due back to work on June 1st 2016. The woman advised the doctor that another woman would cover her period of maternity leave. However, when the woman returned to work on June 1st 2016 there was no position available for her. The doctor suggested that she job-share but the woman in situ objected to job-sharing. It was the woman's contention that as there was no role for her she considered herself dismissed. The woman had worked at the practice since 2006 and had worked for four different GPs there. The woman told the hearing that the doctor was very appreciative that she had organised the maternity leave cover at the outset. At the Labour Court, the woman provided the court with a copy of her contract which was signed by the doctor. The woman also drew the courts attention to the fact a form was submitted late January /early February 2016 by the doctor to the HSE Primary Care Reimbursement Service seeking payment of the subsidy due for a practice secretary and attaching the womans contract to that form. On May 31st 2016, the woman contacted the doctor by text advising that her maternity leave was finished and that she would be back in work the next day. However, on arrival, another woman was in situ and the doctor asked if they would job share. However, the woman in situ objected to job sharing saying that it would not cover the price of her diesel. In his evidence, the doctor said that he did not recall employing the woman nor providing her with a copy of the contract furnished to the court. The doctor did not dispute that it was his signature on the woman's contract but he could not recall signing a contract for her. Nor did the doctor dispute that it was his signature on the form that was submitted to the HSE with the womans contract attached seeking a subsidy in respect of her post but he did not recall signing the form or submitting the form. On meeting the woman on June 1st, the doctor said that he had advised the woman that there was currently no position available but that he would review the structure with a view to offering her a position. A practice nurse confirmed that the doctor was present on December 1st 2015 when the woman said that she was finishing up as she was going on maternity leave. The doctor disputed the fact that he had dismissed the woman as he did not consider the woman to have been an employee of his. Losing weight, losing his hair, and having to freeze his sperm are just some of the things Eoghan Cox had to endure during chemo, but a new research programme at UCD aims to improve the survival rates of children and teens like him who are affected by blood cancers, writes Helen OCallaghan. Watching his teenage son, Eoghan, go through chemo was horrendous, tough, really tough, says dad Andy Cox. The journey to St Johns Ward, Crumlin Childrens Hospital, had begun with the 16-year-old complaining of stomach pain while on a trip to England. We knew something was wrong, says Andy. At Wexford General Hospital, Eoghan underwent a scan and it was then the family first heard the word tumour. They referred us to Crumlin the same day, says Andy. He was examined and went for biopsy next morning. That was when we got the initial diagnosis they knew it was a Burkitt lymphoma. Like leukaemia, Burkitt lymphoma is a blood cancer. Blood cancers are the most common cancers in children but at the same time a fairly rare disease. Andrew and his son Eoghan Cox In Ireland, from childhood up to age 18, there are somewhere between 50 and 60 a year, confirms Professor Jonathan Bond, recently appointed to the newly-established Brendan McGonnell UCD Professor of Paediatric Molecular Haemato-Oncology Chair. According to the Lymphoma Association, symptoms of Burkitt lymphoma usually develop quickly, over just a few days or weeks. The most common symptom is one or more lumps, which often develop in several parts of the body. These are caused by lymphoma cells building up in lymph nodes, causing them to enlarge. Seeing his son sick and watching him endure chemo, Andy says he just couldnt engage my brain. Youre almost on auto when youre going through emotional trauma. I love reading but I couldnt read when I was in Crumlin. I couldnt concentrate. It was a struggle to do the normal things. You dont see the point of doing anything beyond what you absolutely have to and then theres the fact that youre so knackered. On chemo, Eoghan couldnt swallow. He lost weight and was weak. He couldnt eat and his size plummeted. He was so miserable. He just wasnt himself. He looked like a skeleton walking. He was very gaunt. He was skinny and bald like a stick insect. It was very hard to watch as a parent. And yet, says Andy, the bizarre thing was Eoghan was really upbeat about the whole thing. He was joking about his appearance and just laughing at himself. This sense of humour had also sustained Eoghan and his parents when the teen went to the sperm bank to freeze his sperm prior to treatment. It was such a strange experience. He was still joking and laughing. I think he was trying to keep us laughing to stop us from falling apart. I guess if we fell apart it wouldnt have worked. None of us actively tried to be strong. We just had to be, for each other. Having to think of freezing ones sperm while reeling from a cancer diagnosis is difficult for any man, says Bond and yet, its so necessary. Treatment could result in infertility or it could damage the DNA in the sperm, causing mutation. I would say its traumatic, particularly so for an adolescent having to think about having a future family. It might be easier for a 20 or 30-something to think about these issues. But for a child having to think about doing this to preserve chances of having a child yourself it would be pretty difficult mentally. The prognosis for children and teens hit by blood cancer has improved dramatically over the last decades, says Bond. Fifty years ago, every child with it would have died, whereas now survival is 85%-90% for all comers. With Eoghan now recovered, his dad says: We can finally breathe. Its such a relief. Hes out and about a fair bit now, back to his old self. It wasnt a positive thing that happened by any means, but its probably made him a little bit harder long-term. Now, hes mouthy, opinionated and cheeky a normal 16-year old! He was really keen to get back to school. He never uses his disease as an excuse or a crutch. He loves being back with his mates. Hes in TY now and thinking of what subjects to pick for Leaving Cert. He wants to go to college and do history, then he wants to go on and be a teacher. He has a real passion for history, particularly 20th century, and geography. He loves Asian history someday he wants to go to Asia and travel more of Europe. Most kids would want to go to Disneyland but hed love to go to a place rich in history and culture. He wants to see everything and do everything now. Travelling is his passion too. His hunger for different cultures and countries is unreal. He digests books he could read until the cows come home! Hes such a smart kid, some of the things he comes out with just blow my mind. At Crumlin, Eoghan wasnt an active part of any clinical trial but his parents allowed his bloods to be taken for research. Now, a new research programme has been established at UCD with the aim of improving survival rates of children and teens affected by blood cancers. Professor Bonds research will focus on understanding how normal gene regulation is subverted in acute leukaemia the ultimate goal is to develop new and better treatments for every child and adolescent with this blood cancer. Bond cites two main problems with current treatments for leukaemia: a significant number of children and adolescents suffer relapse. And the non-specific and very toxic chemo used can leave side-effects for a long time. The main acute one is suppression of the immune system, so the persons very vulnerable to infection and a bad infection can kill you. Steroids also constitute a big part of leukaemia treatment but they too leave a legacy of side-effects. Dr Jacinta Kelly, chief executive of the NCRC; Professor Jonathan Bond, Brendan McGonnell UCD professor of paediatric molecular haemato-oncology; and Prof Owen Smith, professor of paediatric and adolescent medicine, UCD School of Medicine. They cause problems with blood supply to the bones, which is worse in adolescents because theyre growing. This can cause a lot of pain and in severe cases joint surgery may be necessary. At UCD, the aim will be to find targeted, specific treatments for blood cancer, thereby bypassing potential side-effects. Bond estimates it will be two to three years before research generates a meaningful result. For Andy Cox, accompanying your child through a difficult illness is a perspective-changing experience. When your childs sick, its a pivotal moment to reassess and all the unimportant or silly things fall away. We didnt argue about anything trivial or petty during the treatment. For him and for Andys mum, it was so drawn out. We had gone through so much and everything was on hold. Afterwards, you look back and realise how bad things were and how lucky you have it now. And there were blessings along the way for which Andys grateful. I was so lucky because work were great. They were so understanding in HR of what we were going through as a family. There are things I dont remember from when Eoghan was going through treatment. I dont know if its because I was so knackered or if its because I blocked it out, but I always remember how decent the people around me were. Small things, like a text, a call, or even someone handing you a cup of tea, were sometimes what got me through the day. Emmanuel Macron has set out a potent agenda but cannot achieve the reforms alone so everyone who believes in the EU must step up to strengthen it , writes Ana Palacio. When Emmanuel Macron was elected president of France last year, he was presented as a kind of European saviour, a wunderkind who had burst onto the French political scene just in the nick of time. Now, many are asking, with a combination of schadenfreude and defeatism, whether Macrons star burned too bright and is thus destined to burn out fast. But this focus on Macrons record so far threatens to overshadow his crucial message about the future of European democracy. Macron won the French presidency not by appropriating veiled nationalist-populist messages, as Mark Rutte did to hold on to power in the Netherlands, but by championing a positive and robust pro-European platform. With his ambitious calls for European unity and dogged support of liberal democracy, Macron inspired hope that the wave of anti-European populism had crested, and that real progress was on the horizon. But the last year has produced, at best, mixed results. Germanys federal election last September delivered a weak mandate for Angela Merkel, and established the far-right Alternative fur Deutschland as a real political force. This was followed in February by the ignominious resignation of European cheerleader Martin Schulz as leader of the Social Democrats. In Italys general election in March, the populist Five Star Movement and the far-right League party together won more than 50% of the vote. And, in Hungary earlier this month, Viktor Orban, the poster child of illiberal democracy, secured a third term and the chance to reshape the constitution with a large majority. Clearly, Macrons victory did not mark the beginning of a new era of European politics so much as the beginning of yet another chapter in the ongoing struggle for the future of Europe. Macron delivered this very message earlier this month while addressing the European Parliament in Strasbourg, where he declared that European democracy is our best chance, and called for a new European sovereignty that would protect and provide for the European Unions citizens. He also addressed directly the issue of complacency. I dont want to belong to a generation of sleepwalkers that has forgotten its own past, he said. I want to belong to a generation that has decided forcefully to defend its democracy. Macrons rousing call to arms is the latest development in a diplomatic offensive that included hobnobbing with Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman and frank discussions about EU-Turkey relations with Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan. That effort is now continuing, with the jupiterian Macron meeting the mercurial Donald Trump in Washington, DC, this week. Earlier this month, both leaders along with British prime minister Theresa May ordered strikes on Syrian military installations, following a chemical-weapons attack on rebel-held territory allegedly carried out by president Bashar al-Assads forces. Some argue that Macrons soaring pro-European rhetoric and outsize international personality amount to a ploy to boost his popularity within France. After all, his attempts to reform the French economy, public sector, and labour markets not to mention his perceived elitist pretensions and imperialist tendencies have produced a swift and severe backlash. This is almost certainly true. But so what? Virtually all politicians try to leverage their international status to boost their standing at home. And, whatever his motive, Macrons message is sound. Yet even Macrons supporters fail adequately to defend that message, instead getting caught up in the practical challenges ahead. This is the yes, but crowd: Yes he is right about Europe, they say, but he has to reform the French economy first, or he cant succeed without more German support. The criticisms are not unwarranted. To be an engine of change in Europe, France must undergo a deep structural transformation, which, as student protests at Sciences Po and railway strikes across France show, will be very difficult. And to reform the EU, Macron will need German backing, which may not be in the offing, given the apparent turn by Merkels coalition away from deeper European integration. The danger is here is that by tying the message too tightly to Macron and his achievements, we may devalue the underlying ideas. France might not get its act together, and Merkel might not leap to reform Europes monetary union. But that does not change the fact that Europe needs to evolve. It needs new ideas and, most important, a new animating spirit. In his Strasbourg speech, Macron set out a potent agenda: The EU must convince its citizens that it deserves their support, by engaging with them directly and offering a compelling narrative that emphasizes the unions unwavering commitment to liberal democracy. But he cannot do it alone. Rather than poke holes in Macrons methods or circumstances, Europeans should view his message as a challenge. Everyone who believes in the EU must step up to strengthen it, not just by offering ideas, but also by fighting for their realisation. Leadership is needed at all levels. Macron might be a talented soloist, but what Europe needs now is a chorus. Unfortunately, too few voices have been ringing out. Ana Palacio, a former Spanish foreign minister and former senior vice president of the World Bank, is a member of the Spanish Council of State. project-syndicate.org Its uncertain what will come out of tomorrows talks between North and South Korea, dialogue is a better option than previous escalations, writes Peter Apps. For much of the last few decades, powerful speakers on the South Korean border have blasted propaganda to nearby North Koreans, everything from Korean pop songs to news about the number of cars in the affluent South. On Monday, they stopped the latest step in a high-stakes diplomatic dance. Coming before tomorrows North-South summit that will set the tone for a proposed meeting between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and US president Donald Trump, the move was more than just symbolic. Slowly and through painstaking negotiations, Washington and the two Koreas are sketching out a deal to avoid what all sides feared was an increasingly inevitable war. How successful that will be and whether Kim truly gives up his nuclear programme remains in question. Kims regime is fiercely paranoid about the outside world, long believing only military force including nuclear will truly safeguard it from external dangers. Its recent advances have seriously alarmed the US, generating threats of military action and only a titanic and remarkably shrewd effort by Seoul has kept diplomacy alive. Now, however, it may be bearing fruit. Last week, Pyongyang said it no longer needed nuclear or intercontinental ballistic missile tests because it had reached its weapons development goals. US officials and experts dont think the North can yet reliably strike the US mainland, but suspect Kims worries over potential US action may have prompted the climbdown. North Korea already has the ability to devastate its immediate neighbourhood, and that may be seen as enough. Alternatively, the regime may just be buying time. Even a pause in escalation would be a diplomatic win. As late as January, there were widespread expectations Pyongyang might use the Winter Olympics to stir up tensions, perhaps through conducting more weapons tests or interference such as a cyber attack. Throughout last year which saw multiple nuclear and rocket tests, as well as the assassination of Kims half-brother in Malaysia escalation seemed unstoppable. Since January, however, the government of South Korean president Moon Jae-In used first the Olympics, then the promise of future meetings, to foster simple but ongoing dialogue. North Korea has not conducted a single test since. Tomorrows Demilitarized Zone meeting between Kim and Moon will be a key precursor to the US-North Korean summit, which could take place in a variety of locations, including Mongolia or Switzerland. It will be the first time the two men have met, and only the third between leaders of North and South since an armistice halted the Korean War in 1953. Turning that theoretically temporary cease-fire into a more formally agreed peace deal is one of the Moon governments long-term goals. The administration must convince Pyongyang that neither Washington nor Seoul has short or long-term ambitions to bring down the Kim dynasty. Thats one of the reasons why stopping the loudspeaker broadcast which openly encouraged North Korean soldiers to defect is so important. Ultimately, anything that makes Kim feel his brutal, dictatorial regime is safe may help bring peace, even as it makes many feel conflicted and uncomfortable. Some topics, however, are almost certainly off the table particularly withdrawing US troops from South Korea. All sides remain on very different pages. On a visit to Seoul last year, Trump reportedly suggested South Korea drop its ambition for reunification as a way to mollify Pyongyang. For now, both North and South remain committed to that concept, although few believe either would consider the compromises necessary to bring together their incompatible political systems. Nor would a unified Korea be acceptable to China, North Koreas only treaty ally and a country central to handling the peninsula. Once-secret diplomatic channels are now becoming visible. Last week, Trump revealed CIA chief and incoming secretary of state nominee Mike Pompeo had made a secret trip to Pyongyang earlier in the month to prepare for the Kim meeting. US officials said the visit was arranged by South Korean intelligence chief Suh Hoon and North Korean counterpart Kim Yong Chol, intended to assess whether Kim was prepared to hold serious talks on giving up nuclear weapons. Most US analysts believe that remains unlikely. Only a handful of countries have voluntarily given up nuclear programmes and other weapons of mass destruction: South Africa, Iraq, Libya, and post-Soviet Ukraine, which signed a deal brokered by Britain and the US to return nuclear weapons stationed on its soil to Russia. Of these, Iraq and Libya both saw governments ousted by US-led military regime change, while Ukraine has been increasingly menaced and attacked by Moscow. US officials say they want to see significant demolition of North Korean nuclear facilities to offer significant sanctions relief. Still, Washington might settle for an end to further testing and weapons development, staving off the threat to the US mainland. South Korea already well within range of North Korean conventional artillery that US analysts say could kill tens of thousands in hours would likely take the same deal. Japan, also within striking distance, is much more cautious, a major topic in meetings between Trump and prime minister Shinzo Abe last week. Tokyo realises it cannot veto the joint South Korean-US diplomatic effort, one of the reasons it is now seeking its own direct dialogue with Pyongyang. No side really trusts the other. These talks are a positive step, and make imminent war much less likely. If they unravel, however, the result may be catastrophic. Peter Apps is Reuters global affairs columnist. He is founder a of the think-tank Project for Study of the 21st Century, PS21 Judge Terence OSullivan told Paul Gorman, of Owensilla, Ballymun, Dublin, he would have to end the trial if Mr Gorman did not answer the questions he was being asked. Barrister Conor Kearney had been persistent in a cross-examination of Mr Gorman about claims he had brought previously and which he had not disclosed in a questionnaire regarding previous accidents. Accident is my middle name, Mr Gorman told the Circuit Civil Court, but added that despite having suffered breakages to every bone in his body, he had not always made claims or taken claims to court. Mr Kearney, who appeared with Delahunty OConnor solicitors for AXA Insurance customers Sharon Crichlow and Jude Ikuenobe, told Mr Gorman he was avoiding answering questions about claims he had settled outside of court and about his criminal record. Each time Mr Gorman told the court he had no other accidents, Mr Kearney would raise details of yet another accident, claim, or settlement in which he had been involved. Judge OSullivan told Mr Gorman, who was in the witness box: This has gone on far enough. I am going to give you an opportunity to talk to your barrister and the court will sit again in five minutes. Following brief talks between the parties in the corridor, Mr Kearney said the claim against AXAs clients had been withdrawn. Judge OSullivan struck out the case and awarded the company its legal costs against Mr Gorman. The judge told the mans legal team the court had no criticism of his solicitor and counsel. Your client has stated, in the witness box, that his middle name was accident and that has been borne out in the evidence. It is important for a plaintiff in any case to make full disclosure of accidents they were involved in, the judge said. The centres, which are usually above or connected to the banks branches and carry out administration and project functions, will be wound down by the end of 2018. As many as 200 people could leave the company. A spokesman said the move was as a result of streamlining our organisation, and increasing our focus on customer facing roles. At the same time, the bank said it is looking to fill 160 roles in its branches and contact centres in order to improve direct services to customers. The spokesman said the company will seek expressions of interest from those people being let go from the operational support centres for those roles. He said otherwise they will be able to apply for other roles across the company or take voluntary parting or early retirement. Services in the companys 250 branches will not be impacted by the closure of support centres. The spokesman said one-to-one meetings will be held with affected staff over the coming weeks. However, the Financial Services Union said it was opposed to the closure of the 27 service centres. It said that while there will be opportunities for a proportion of staff to redeploy, their future is unclear and this is a major concern for FSU and their members. Our primary concern is for our members continued employment in the counties and communities they have loyally served for many years, said FSU industrial relations officer Maeve Brehony. FSU have been challenging the bank on staffing levels throughout the retail network for a considerable time now. We simply do not accept that a significant number of job losses is tenable. The unions general secretary Dermot Ryan, said: We have an agreement in place with Bank of Ireland that any redundancies will be on a voluntary basis. However, this shouldnt be taken to mean that we will accept any level of redundancy once it adheres to that agreement. A narrow focus on short-sighted cost reductions is bad for staff, bad for customers and bad for the communities they serve. "Achieving commercial goals, in a profitable bank like Bank of Ireland, need not entail closing service centres and proposing significant job losses. In the coming weeks our Union will be making this clear to Bank of Ireland and we will be fighting to retain our members jobs. Instead, it had taken the Supreme Court to force the Governments hand when it ruled last year that the asylum seekers work ban was unconstitutional, a ban that it formally struck down this year. Dr McMahon, a retired High Court judge, said it was somewhat regrettable that the Supreme Court had to tell the Government what their legal obligations are on the right to work. As it stands, the conditions under which asylum seekers can access the labour market are extremely restrictive, including that they can only apply for jobs with a starting salary of 30,000 and cannot apply for jobs across 60 different sectors, including hospitality, childcare, construction, and administration. Dr McMahon said he hopes, when the Government signs up later this year to the EUs recast Reception Conditions Directive, which obliges member states to grant asylumseekers access to the labour market no later than nine months after lodging a claim, that they dont try to carve out exceptions. I hope that they are generous in the right to work for asylum seekers who havent got their papers. Its very restrictive at the moment and thats wrong. In my view, a more generous response is required. Dr McMahon said his working group had also tried to address as an urgent issue the longstayers the up to 2,000 people stuck in the asylum-seeking process for up tonine years. He said they had wanted them fast-tracked and given their papers, but it was done on an ad hoc basis over a three-year period and they never really got rid of that group of people as a backlog. As a result, when a new streamlined process was introduced in late 2016, it did not get a clear start, so there is a delay built in from a legacy issue. Currently, asylumseekers are waiting up to 20 months for their first interview, and the entire process is taking about four years. Dr McMahon said while Government could claim to have addressed many of the 173 recommendations in the Report to Government on Improvements to the Protection Process, including Direct Provision and Supports to Asylum Seekers, that disguises the fact that the major ones, the big-ticket items such as length of processing and the right to work, are still problematic. Username: Password: or Register Thread Rating: 0 Vote(s) - 0 Average 1 2 3 4 5 Page: 1 2 3 10 Israeli students dead during flash flood in Israel 12117 lop guest User ID: kaput 04-26-2018 05:21 PM Post: #1 10 Israeli students dead during flash flood in Israel Advertisement Nine Israeli students caught in a flash flood while hiking in southern Israel were killed Thursday, as search and rescue teams work to locate another teens caught lost in the flood. Twenty-five students from a pre-army preparatory school were hit by the flood Thursday while they were hiking in Nahal Tzafit in the Judean Desert west of the Dead Sea. Army prep schools offer Israeli teens graduating from high school the opportunity to spend a year preparing for their mandatory military service. Search and rescue teams, aided by helicopter units, have converged on the area, recovering 24 of the students. One student remains missing, and there has been no visual contact with the missing student since the flash flood hit. The 669 Search and Rescue unit of the Israeli Air Force was deployed to assist the efforts to locate the missing students. Diving teams have been called deployed to aid in the search. Nine students were killed in the flood, including eight girls and one teenage boy. Sections of Route 90 have been shut down as a result of the flood. Storms hit southern Israel on Thursday, causing flooding in parts of the Negev and the southern port city of Eilat, forcing the temporary closure of a flooded runway at Eilat airport. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/245027 This has been on the news all day in Israel.Nine Israeli students caught in a flash flood while hiking in southern Israel were killed Thursday, as search and rescue teams work to locate another teens caught lost in the flood.Twenty-five students from a pre-army preparatory school were hit by the flood Thursday while they were hiking in Nahal Tzafit in the Judean Desert west of the Dead Sea. Army prep schools offer Israeli teens graduating from high school the opportunity to spend a year preparing for their mandatory military service.Search and rescue teams, aided by helicopter units, have converged on the area, recovering 24 of the students.One student remains missing, and there has been no visual contact with the missing student since the flash flood hit. The 669 Search and Rescue unit of the Israeli Air Force was deployed to assist the efforts to locate the missing students.Diving teams have been called deployed to aid in the search.Nine students were killed in the flood, including eight girls and one teenage boy.Sections of Route 90 have been shut down as a result of the flood.Storms hit southern Israel on Thursday, causing flooding in parts of the Negev and the southern port city of Eilat, forcing the temporary closure of a flooded runway at Eilat airport. 12117 lop guest User ID: 1337 04-26-2018 05:44 PM Post: #2 RE: 3 Israeli students dead, 9 in critical condition during flash flood in Israel update, 10 are dead. DrVIP Registered User User ID: 1337 04-26-2018 05:46 PM Posts: 3,902 Post: #3 RE: 3 Israeli students dead, 9 in critical condition during flash flood in Israel Dreamily Resonant VIP LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 04-26-2018 05:46 PM Post: #4 RE: 3 Israeli students dead, 9 in critical condition during flash flood in Israel no no that was all biblical. that doesnt happen anymore. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 04-26-2018 05:56 PM Post: #5 RE: 3 Israeli students dead, 9 in critical condition during flash flood in Israel 12117 lop guest User ID: 1337 04-26-2018 05:56 PM Post: #6 RE: 3 Israeli students dead, 9 in critical condition during flash flood in Israel 17-18 year olds. Sad. 12117 lop guest User ID: 1337 04-26-2018 06:02 PM Post: #7 RE: 10 Israeli students dead during flash flood in Israel 1 is still missing. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 04-26-2018 06:14 PM Post: #8 RE: 10 Israeli students dead during flash flood in Israel eh yoga pants on half past six is weird 12117 lop guest User ID: 1337 04-26-2018 06:17 PM Post: #9 RE: 10 Israeli students dead during flash flood in Israel Archangel Wrote: (04-26-2018 06:15 PM) Shakespeare Wrote: (04-26-2018 06:14 PM) Shut up Arab sympathizer Shut youself up, Murderous scum. Haven't murdered anybody Haven't murdered anybody LopDude Warning level 1200% User ID: 1337 04-26-2018 06:21 PM Posts: 19,776 Post: #10 RE: 10 Israeli students dead during flash flood in Israel poor students..their dreams and asperations gone in an instant Let us honor the Lop fallen-never forget them Let us honor the Lop fallen-never forget them 12117 lop guest User ID: 1337 04-26-2018 06:24 PM Post: #11 RE: 10 Israeli students dead during flash flood in Israel Archangel Wrote: (04-26-2018 06:21 PM) Shakespeare Wrote: (04-26-2018 06:17 PM) Haven't murdered anybody By supporting the Zionist State, you participate in their actions. Murder being a prime export product. By supporting the Arabs, you participate in their actions. Murder being a prime export product. By supporting the Arabs, you participate in their actions.Murder being a prime export product. Archangel Michael User ID: 1337 04-26-2018 06:28 PM Posts: 14,103 Post: #12 RE: 10 Israeli students dead during flash flood in Israel How do you feel about dead kids now? The last few days there's been a lot scum here, cheering killing Palestinian kids and teens. And we even have one of your own, Dr. VIP still yammering on about how cool it is and how they're going to punish everyone who doesn't bow to the Supremacist master race bullshit. Is is so f*cking funny now that she shoe is on the other foot? Listen to Hillel, 'What is offensive to you, Do NOT do to an other'. I don't care how many American politicians Israel can buy or how many weapons they can bribe and extort out America, your evil reign will come to an end. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 04-26-2018 06:29 PM Post: #13 RE: 10 Israeli students dead during flash flood in Israel Archangel Wrote: (04-26-2018 06:16 PM) LoP Guest Wrote: (04-26-2018 06:14 PM) you didn't stop Israel from being nuked in 2000 stop telling that LIE you filthy old fool. Woe to those who call truth a lie. sorry, but your not an "angel" as you have claimed, and you didn't stop any nukes in 2000 both are lies. sorry, but your not an "angel" as you have claimed, and you didn't stop any nukes in 2000 both are lies. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 1337 04-26-2018 06:31 PM Post: #14 RE: 10 Israeli students dead during flash flood in Israel Archangel Wrote: (04-26-2018 06:28 PM) How do you feel about dead kids now? The last few days there's been a lot scum here, cheering killing Palestinian kids and teens. And we even have one of your own, Dr. VIP still yammering on about how cool it is and how they're going to punish everyone who doesn't bow to the Supremacist master race bullshit. Is is so f*cking funny now that she shoe is on the other foot? Listen to Hillel, 'What is offensive to you, Do NOT do to an other'. I don't care how many American politicians Israel can buy or how many weapons they can bribe and extort out America, your evil reign will come to an end. the "scum" here is you. The question is why the mods continually allow your racist, hatemongering, anti-semitic posts when its clearly against the rules? the "scum" here is you. The question is why the mods continually allow your racist, hatemongering, anti-semitic posts when its clearly against the rules? Archangel Michael User ID: 1337 04-26-2018 06:33 PM Posts: 14,103 Post: #15 RE: 10 Israeli students dead during flash flood in Israel LoP Guest Wrote: (04-26-2018 06:29 PM) Archangel Wrote: (04-26-2018 06:16 PM) Woe to those who call truth a lie. sorry, but your not an "angel" as you have claimed, and you didn't stop any nukes in 2000 both are lies. You can call truth lies all you want, putz, you'll still be a liar, and a cursed and a blight upon the world to boot. You can call truth lies all you want, putz, you'll still be a liar, and a cursed and a blight upon the world to boot. Advertisement Nearly one-in-five workplace deaths in the last 10 years have occurred in Cork. That death rate is more than twice that of the county with the the next highest record. The Health and Safety Authority revealed the figures as it launched Workers Memorial Day, which is scheduled for this Saturday. There were 90 workplace deaths in Cork between 2008 and 2017. The peak was in 2011, when 13 people were killed while working. Dublin was the next highest over the ten years, with 44 deaths, followed by Tipperary (30), Donegal (28), and Wexford (25). Carlow had the lowest number, with just four workplace deaths in a decade, while Sligo, Westmeath, and Wicklow all had six each. HSA figures show agriculture-forestry-fishing, as a single sector, had the most workplace deaths in that period, totalling 179. That was nearly double construction, which had the second highest number, at 90. In transportation and storage, there were 36 deaths in the 10 years. Three sectors overseen by the HSA information and communication, financial and insurance activities, and real-estate activities recorded no deaths in that period. Accommodation and food service activities contributed to three deaths, as did education, while the electricity-gas-steam-air-conditioning sector had two deaths, the lowest in the time period. Workers Memorial Day is supported by the Department of Business, Enterprise, and Innovation, along with the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU), Ibec, and the Construction Industry Federation (CIF). They are all encouraging organisations to mark the occasion with awareness-raising initiatives. Organisations have been asked to review their approach to safety and health in the workplace and to consider initiatives, such as in-house training sessions and toolbox talks and to promote safety through their websites, social media presence, and displays in offices. If you average out the number of fatal accidents over the last 10 years, nearly every week one person has died due to work activity, Martin OHalloran, chief executive of the HSA, said. Clearly, prevention is the best course of action to take. Our message to organisations is simple: protect your people, your business and reputation, by identifying hazardous activity and putting plans in place to reduce risks. Dont wait until an accident or near-miss occurs. Make safety paramount today, he said. Danny McCoy, chief executive of Ibec, said Workers Memorial Day was for everyone to refocus on preventing and reducing the incidence of fatalities and injuries. All employers and workers must place their and their colleagues personal safety, health, and welfare at the centre of their thinking and organisational culture. Ibec is also committed to supporting the many businesses that are showing their dedication to the health and well-being of their employees, he said. Patricia King, general secretary of ICTU, said ensuring the safety and welfare of all at work can never be taken for granted. It requires ongoing training, greater awareness, and better co-ordination in the workplace. Crucially, it also requires the input of trade unions and worker representatives into the decisions and policies that shape standards in their workplace. Congress would be supportive of any new initiatives or approaches that have, as their goal, the raising of health and safety standards across all workplaces, Ms King said. Victims have called for a full commission of investigation to be established immediately. The abuse was raised in the Dail yesterday during leaders questions at which Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said a review had been under way since 2016 by the National Review Panel. But, reacting to the comments, a victims spokesman Ronan Hynes said the inquiry underway by the National Review Panel was not sufficient. He said the panel contacted his client Sarah just last month and she had not, at that stage, shared her story with them. Keith Burke was recently sentenced to seven and a half years in prison, with a year suspended, after he was found guilty of raping the then three foster children between 2003 and 2007. Mr Hynes said serious questions remain to be answered and he called on the minister for health and the minister for children to establish a statutory commission of investigation. He said the HSE apology is welcome and noted but in no way does it diminish the seeking of a full independent inquiry into the sexual abuse in the foster care home. In the Dail, the Taoiseach said an independent investigation is near completion into the case of the three young rape victims. He was responding to Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald who called for an independent inquiry. Mr Varadkar said that a review is being carried out by the Independent Review Panel, made up of independent professionals working in child protection, and it is near completion. Tusla staff and some former children in care and their families have been interviewed by the Independent Review Panel. Tusla awaits the outcome of that review and agrees to act on all their findings and recommendations, he said. He also acknowledged there was concern about the leniency of the seven-and-a-half-year sentence for the abuser and said it was up to the DPP to appeal this. Also, at leaders questions, the Taoiseach said that he intended to beef up the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement to become an Irish FBI to deal with white-collar crime. Mr Varadkar rejected criticism of Nama from Independent TD Mick Wallacewho called for a stepping up in legislation to deal with white-collar crime. The Taoiseach said: We intend to strengthen, expand, and beef up the role of the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement. It will be moved from being an office within the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation to a standalone bureau of investigation, a sort of Irish FBI, if one likes, when it comes to white-collar crime and corporate enforcement. And on Mr Wallaces comments, Mr Varadkar said: It would not be the first time in this House that Deputies put allegations on the record of the House in good faith, perhaps believing them, and we subsequently found out they were untrue. That is why we all need to be cautious in this area. Irish Water rejected the review proposal, arguing that An Bord Pleanala would independently scrutinise the project when it went for planning permission. Objectors, however, said the boards remit was too restricted. Consultant Emma Kennedy, who has done research on behalf of opponents of the plans, told the Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning, and Local Government that their concerns were based on Irish Waters rationale. Ms Kennedy said Irish Water needed to fix the leaks causing Dublins water shortages. It made no sense to pump 330m litres of water, daily, 170km to Dublin, only for more than half of it to be lost through leaks, she said. Ms Kennedy and Irish Water disagree on the extent of the leaks. Irish Water says 37% of the water supplied to Dublin mainly from the River Liffey is lost through leaks in its network. It says it cannot be sure how much more is lost through leaks from customers own pipes, but it may be a further 5-7%. Ms Kennedy maintains customer leaks represent 19% of the water loss, which would mean a total loss of 56%. If leakage was much-reduced, you would essentially have a whole new source of water, she said. She claimed Irish Water was too dismissive of the alternative of drilling for groundwater, which, she said, was abundant in Dublin and in surrounding counties. However, she added: An Bord Pleanala can only consider planning, development, and environmental issues. None of our case can get a fair hearing there. Jerry Grant, Irish Waters managing director, said sourcing groundwater was not a solution. You might get half a million litres from a borehole here and there, but there is no major water supply available in groundwater for the greater Dublin area. Sinn Feins Eoin O Broin said he was concerned about Dublins water problems, but he had significant questions about Irish Waters proposed solution, concerns not clarified by the different information being received from Irish Water and Ms Kennedy. Surely, an independent assessment would be a sensible course of action, he said. Independent TD, Mattie McGrath, was also concerned about the disparities in the details provided by both sides and asked what further review would be carried out. In almost every project of this size, there are huge over-runs and underestimating of costs, he said, and he urged independent oversight. The fragile state of Dublins water supply was set out by Mr Grant, who also addressed questions about Irish Waters readiness to deal with national emergencies, such as Storm Emma, which caused major disruption to supplies. He said if the storm had come in January, when the ground was already at very low temperatures, there would have been a major crisis in Dublin. Emma Kennedy, of Kennedy Analysis, during a River Shannon Protection Alliance pres briefing at Buswells Hotel, Dublin, on Irish Waters proposal to extract water from the River Shannon. Picture: Gareth Chaney As it was, some 400,000 people were left with reduced or no supplies. He said the problem was not just with old, worn pipes bursting, but with the vast network of pipes installed during the building boom by developers, who laid them just two or three inches below the soil top, instead of the two feet that was necessary to insulate them from frost. Whatever it takes, it is not going to happen Farming organisations have thrown their weight behind objectors to the Shannon-Dublin pipeline plan. The Irish Farmers Association said they have received calls from farmers concerned about how their land and livelihoods would be affected by the project. Around 500 individual landowners have so far been identified by Irish Water as likely to be affected if the 170km long pipeline is built. Tom Cooney, chairman of the IFAs National Environment and Rural Affairs Committee, told a press conference that farmers were facing compulsory purchase orders, loss of land use, damage to natural drainage, devaluation of their property and restrictions on future planning. We share the view that the implications of the project have not been fully explored, he said. He said the money would be better spent tackling the many problems facing rural Ireland. Patrick Kent, president of the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association, said his association was inundated with calls from concerned members. He said there was already serious mismanagement of the Shannon and this new project would only add to the problems. Its a vanity project as far as we can see, he said. He said the concerns would not be erased by compensation. Invariably, one or two farmers might take the money but as for everybody else, they do not want a pipeline of that nature and absolutely monstrous size going through their land. Liam Minehan of the Fight The Pipe campaign, farms in Tipperary and said he would be particularly badly affected by the pipeline. It will rule out me milking, he said. I could grin and bear it if I thought it was necessary but not for a CPO to take water to a city that doesnt need it, he said. Mr Minehan said no plans had been made yet for protests but he did not rule out active opposition to the project. Whatever it takes, it [the pipeline] is not going to happen. Carol Nolan, Sinn Fein TD for Offaly, said there was very strong feeling about the pipeline locally. She said there was anger that there was money for a project of questionable value when local communities were losing GP services. She said Irish Water was putting the cart before the horse by seeking to increase the water supply to Dublin without repairing the citys leaking pipes first. This is money that is going to be poured down the drain, she said. Limerick councillor John Gilligan stressed the opposition was not based on a Dublin versus the rest of the country rivalry. I have no problem with Dublin having a good water supply. I have a problem about wasting money and I have a problem about wasting water, he said. The press conference was called by the River Shannon Protection Alliance, the Fight the Pipe campaign, and consultant, Emma Kennedy. Ms Kennedy later met with TDs from several parties at a briefing session organised by Independent TD Mattie McGrath. Alliance chairman, Gerry Siney, said the campaign, which began 10 years ago when the idea of piping water to Dublin from the Shannon began to be seriously considered, was beginning to gather pace. He warned that with a general election likely within the year, TDs would be asked to take a stand and the project would be made an election issue. Author Anthony Galvin, from Ennis, Co Clare, will be joined by Dutch man, Henk Van Der Klok. Henk describes himself as an adventurer and life-enthusiast and is currently preparing to walk from Holland to Jerusalem, without cash. Anthony has been plunging himself into ice baths to acclimatise himself for what will be the most hazardous adventure both men will have undertaken. Arctic fanatic Anthony, who works in Lapland for several weeks every year, always wanted to undertake a good Arctic expedition. Despite warnings that the adventure could kill them, the pair are even more determined to tackle the mammoth challenge. I was picked for a trip to the South Pole a few years back to commemorate Tom Crean, but we never got that one off the ground. I have been searching for a good polar journey, and had discussed it with my friend, Henk, Anthony said. Crossing Iceland and Greenland have been done. Then, I heard of the North Pole of Cold the coldest spot in the Northern Hemisphere. Two towns in Siberia claim that, with temperatures dropping well below 60 regularly in January. The coldest recorded has been minus 68, Anthony said. I got the idea of walking between the two towns, hauling sleds. When I mentioned it to Henk, he jumped on the idea, he added. The conditions we will face will be extreme cold: average temperatures for the duration of the trip should be minus 45, with it a lot colder for our first few weeks. The distance between Verkoyansk and Oymyakon is about 700km, but we will be following a route that uses frozen rivers and other landmarks to do it safely, so our total distance will be 1,400km, Anthony said. The pair, who are looking for a sponsor, will leave Verkoyansk in mid-January, 2019 and hope to arrive in Oymyakon by March 20, for the Pole of Cold Festival. No-one has ever done this journey on foot. We believe it will be the second-coldest march, behind the six-week trip taken by Birdy Bowers, Bill Wilson, and Apsley Cherry-Garrard in 1911, in the Antarctic, in search of penguin eggs (as part of Scotts south pole expedition), Anthony said. Speaking about their training regime, Anthony added: We will be man-hauling sleds of roughly 70 kilos each. Surfaces will be predominantly flat, with some hilly sections near the end and we will try to stick to frozen rivers, reindeer trails, and winter roads. So it is mainly an endurance test. I will be working in Lapland in November and December of this year and will be able to use that time to get in specific training in snow and low temperatures. The event is being organised by Dublin Honours Magdalenes (DHM), a voluntary group who have come together with entrepreneur Norah Casey to honour them. It will take place over two days in Dublin on June 5 and 6. Organisers said that for many of the women, this will be the first time that they will be able to speak freely to other women incarcerated in the laundries. The event will also fulfil two key aspects of the Magdalene Restorative Justice Scheme: to bring together those women who wish to meet others who also spent time in the Magdalene Laundries; and to provide an opportunity for a listening exercise to gather views on how the Magdalene Laundries should be remembered by future generations. Eugene Banks, principal officer of the Department of Justice Reception and Integration Agency, revealed the figure during a conference at University College Cork yesterday co-hosted by Nasc, the Migrant and Refugee Rights Centre and the Centre for Criminal Justice and Human Rights (CCJHR) at UCC. Mr Bankssaid they were working on improving the direct provision system for asylum seekers, including developing a set of standards, based on Hiqa standards, that would be applicable to all direct provision centres in the future and having an inspection process that was 100% independent. Moreover, they were developing facilities that would allow residents to cook for themselves, as well as units where families would no longer have to share accommodation. Asylum seeker Adedeola Akinbote, who lives in Millstreet Accommodation Centre in Co Cork, and is a single mother of four, said people should be given permission to work. We are here eight, 10 years and nothing is going on. We cant talk about it because we dont have the right to say anything. Some asylum seekers are depressed, theyre in their rooms, they cant come out. Its not easy. There are no activities for children, for the parents. Adebola Babalola, a single mother of three who also lives in the Millstreet centre, said there was nothing to do except jog around the compound to burn off stress. I want to do better, to be able to work, but I am not allowed. I have been looking for a house for more than four months to get myself integrated. But I am having to go to Portlaoise to look at houses. Lucky Khambule, an activist for the rights of asylum seekers who spent three years in direct provision in the Kinsale Road Centre in Cork, said when it came to housing, asylum seekers were competing against 50/60 people who were viewing the same house, but these were people already established in the community. You are coming with your HAP (Housing Assistance Payment) what are your chances of getting that house? I had to move from Dublin to Wicklow. I know someone who had to move from Cork to Longford to get accommodation. Ms Akinbote said if they were housed in the community instead of direct provision, it would make it easier to integrate. The tenants of Leeside Apartments on Corks Bachelors Quay said the works , underway before the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) rules on their appeals against eviction, have made living conditions unbearable. They said while builders are doing extensive work in unoccupied areas, they are also working in partially occupied sections. They said skylights have been left open round the clock, allowing rain to flood stairwells, and said windows have been removed in places, exposing communal areas to the elements. They said the air inside the building is thick with industrial paint fumes, and they complained yesterday of damp, mould, dirt, and cold, in what used to be a warm, dry building. They have also invited Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy to visit to experience the conditions first-hand. Sherin Karro, a young Syrian mother who has been living in the building for a decade, said if she and her family were evicted, they will have no option but to return to her war-torn country given the lack of affordable accommodation here. We have no other option, she said. What else can I do? We cant afford 1,500 rent a month. I would have to go home even if there is war and its horrible there but I have no option. The 78-unit apartment block was acquired in October by Lugus Capital, which is effectively acting as local agent on behalf of the international vulture fund Bain Capital. Lugus was not available for comment yesterday. But, in previous statements, it has said as part of its acquisition of the complex, it carried out a full structural survey and fire safety inspection of the building which established that the apartments are not in compliance with fire certificates. It said a full refurbishment is necessary to bring the building up to modern standards and to maintain the safety of the residents. The company insists it needs vacant possession to complete the works. Solidarity councillor Fiona Ryan, left, with Abubacarr and Mariama Barry, Fernanda Bartolomeu, Aimee ORiordan and Dorota Okon, who are among the residents fighting eviction from Leeside apartments While most of the student tenants have left one block, more than 20 remaining households in other blocks are facing eviction. A group of tenants is appealing the evictions in what is one of the first big tests of the new RTB guidelines on what constitutes substantial refurbishment, guidelines supported by the housing minister. They spent a full day at an RTB hearing in City Hall last Friday and are awaiting an adjudication. With homeless figures hovering below 10,000, the outcome is being watched closely by Government, developers, and tenants elsewhere. Solidarity Cllr Fiona Ryan said the remaining Leeside residents are being treated with disregard. The landlords are ignoring the fact they are rent-paying tenants, she said. The apartment has become a construction site, with unoccupied blocks undergoing significant refurbishment leading to disruption in the occupied blocks. The tenants cant accept that this is life from now on. She said residents feel the refurbishment has been designed to create maximum disruption and create a constructive eviction situation, where those left in the building will be forced out. The residents called yesterday for the landlord to engage with them, and to revisit options outlined in the Spitere Report they commissioned earlier this year, which said the renovations could be done on a phased basis, without the need for anyone to leave the building. Despite the conditions, the residents have vowed to continue the fight to stay in their homes. Three Leeside Apartment residents tell us about their experience: There is no consideration for our wellbeing Aimee ORiordan lives with her five-year-old son in a second-floor apartment overlooking the River Lee. Its been their home for almost five years. She said life there was good until the vulture fund bought the building. Aimees life has been consumed ever since in efforts to save the only home her son has ever known. We are not stopping these much-needed works. We are expressing our right to stay in our homes, she said. As a paying tenant, as a person and as a mother, the living conditions here since the renovations started are unnecessarily posing a massive risk to the health and wellbeing of my family, and to other families. Lugus has brought a construction site to our front door. There is no consideration for our safety or wellbeing, no attempt to acknowledge our distress. We have been left with no choice but to continue fighting to stay in our own homes. Ms ORiordan said skylights in the roof have been left open, allowing rainwater to pour in and flood communal hall areas. She said the cleaning regime is virtually non-existent at the moment with dirt and dust littering the stairwells and communal areas. She referred to the Spitere Report which residents commissioned earlier this year to examine the validity of Lugus Capitals claims that substantial refurbishment was needed. It found the buildings fire prevention and protection measures fall far short of legal safety requirements and that significant work is required, including upgrades to doors in common areas, upgrades to the buildings emergency lighting systems, fire detection and alarm systems, and other works. Aimee ORiordan has lived at the complex for almost five years. But crucially, it said the works could be done without huge disruption to tenants and that tenants may have to be moved for a period of just a week or so to facilitate the works. The report said the layout of the complex lends itself well to the work being undertaken in stages and adds that such an approach would be assisted very significantly by the fact that many units are already, or will be in the near future, vacant. However, Ms Riordan said residents have been met with complete silence from the landlords. The message seems to be: Just get out of my building Abu Bakari has lived in an apartment in the Leeside complex for four years. His daughter, Mariama, two, is thankfully oblivious to the fact that she and her family could be homeless within months. But Abu, who is originally from Africa, and who cycled to work on the outskirts of the city until his bike recently went missing from the complex car park, said he is anxious about what the future holds. Abu Bakari and his daughter Mariama risk being made homeless. His biggest fear is if the vulture fund secures evictions, that he and his family will become homeless, facing into a life in an emergency homeless shelter, a hotel room or a B&B. He is also furious at the way the new owners of the building have treated tenants since the complex was bought last October. They just want us to get out of the building, he said. We have children here, sick people in the building, but nobody cares. They dont care about human rights the message seems to be just get out of my building. I have nowhere to go. My family has nowhere to go. I have my own sofa, my own fridge, and we have all the baby stuff. If we have to get out, what do I do with all that stuff? Do I take all this to a B&B or to a hotel room? A neighbour, John, lives in a fourth-floor one-bedroom apartment, overlooking the north channel of the river Lee, with wonderful views of the North Mall in front, Shanakiel to the west and Shandon to the east. But he expects scaffolding to obscure his view within a few days. He accepts that the renovations are required but says the least the landlord could do is treat him and his neighbours, who are all paying rent, like human beings. The message just seems to be we just want you out, he said. Some days are worse than others, with kango hammers going on around you, skylights being left open causing damp in a building which was always dry and clean. But he said he is determined to fight on with his neighbours to prevent their evictions. Its a disaster living here, but there is nowhere to go Dorota Okon wept yesterday as she spoke of the impact the renovations have had on her and her family. Originally from Poland and a resident of the complex for almost seven years, she lives in a fourth-floor apartment with her husband and six-year-old son. She has multiple sclerosis and severe asthma, and needs to be close to the nearby Mercy University Hospital, where she receives treatment regularly. Dorota Okon: Suffers from multiple sclerosis and severe asthma She said a previous landlord maintained the building, was good to deal with, and that life was good until the complex was bought by the vulture fund last October, and everything changed. She said conditions inside the complex have been horrendous since the renovations started in January. Its absolutely horrible. Its a disaster living in this building. The dust, dirt, damp and smell is absolutely horrible, she said. Our life, my family life, my neighbours lives, its absolutely stressful every day. During winter, it was freezing, because windows were left open. My son was sick every three or four weeks with chest infections and was in hospital twice before Easter. I live on the fourth floor and the lift has not been working for one year. I find walking on the stairs very hard, because of my asthma and health. The builders started painting or varnishing, I think it was varnish, inside the building, and the smell was so strong, I couldnt breathe. I had to leave and go outside, because the smell was coming inside my apartment. If I could find somewhere to go, to live, I would go, but the problem is there is nowhere to go. I cant find anything. We have nowhere else to go, except onto St Patricks St, sleep there. She criticised Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy and the Government for not doing enough to protect tenants. I would like him to come for just one day, to stay in our building, to see what its like to live there, how is life for us every day, she said. Emails between government technicians who have been carrying out the painstaking months-long process reveal they endured a nightmare trying to definitively map out all roads, paths and dirt tracks that traverse the 500km frontier. As well as technical limitations, confusion reigned over crossings where the Border runs up the middle of roads, juts in and out of routes or where roads are privately owned on one side and publicly maintained on the other. The findings may come as little comfort to politicians advocating a technology-based solution to avoiding a hard border in the event of the UK pulling out of the customs union when it leaves the EU next year. The joint-mapping exercise involving the Department of Transport and the Norths Department of Infrastructure started last year. It came to light after being referred to in minutes of a meeting of transport chiefs, under the heading Brexit, released following a freedom of information request. Newly-disclosed documents charting the process since then show: the border runs along the middle of 11 roads more than twice the number originally believed; the frontier meets in the middle of at least three bridges; and it dissects two ferry crossings. On one same section of the Dublin to Belfast motorway, traffic travelling in one direction is in the North while those travelling the opposite direction are in the south, the documents also released under freedom of information reveal. It is half North and half south, an official says. Previous estimates put the number of road crossings between Ireland and Northern Ireland the UKs only land border with the EU at 275, with the exact figure never officially established. However, in one of the final emails over recent weeks between Dublin and Belfast, signing off on the first agreed count, an official concludes: Im now getting 208 border crossings in total, hope you are too. The final figure will confirm there are more border crossings in Ireland than the 137 along the entire border between the EU and all the countries to the east of the bloc. The emails show officials immediately ran into difficulties when they began working last November over differing classifications between Belfast and Dublin on whether roads were public or private. Its almost impossible... due to the variation in this on each side, said one. Among a volley of emails depicting frustration and bewilderment, an officials seeks an evening phonecall to agree classifications, saying it would be best get these things straight in my own head before I start confusing others. In another, an exasperated Northern official complains about frustrating problems with the technology being used. Symbols pin-pointing the crossings were not accurate when zooming out to a reasonable scale. Nightmare! she exclaims, to which her southern counterpart responds: That is a nightmare You must be tearing your hair out at this point! By January, a first draft was completed, but problems remained on how to represent roads with the border running down the middle. Former Fianna Fail minister and deputy leader Mary ORourke has revealed she paid for two women to go to England to have an abortion. Mrs ORourke, who retired from active politics in 2011, said she finally helped the two women, who were deeply distressed, to travel to Liverpool and London during the 1990s. I remember distinctly helping two women financially, one went to Liverpool and the other went to London to have an abortion. I distinctly remember all the details. I remember the sordid reasons, very sad reasons in which why they were going, she told the Irish Examiner. The Athlone-based veteran politician has made her comments in the context of the forthcoming referendum on May 25, and she said her vast experience has left her conflicted and undecided as how to vote. I have been around a long time, and it is exactly why I am undecided. But I am not sure, because I have seen too much of life to see it as either black or white. It simply it is not black or white. People do an injustice to those in the middle who are unsure. Mrs ORourke said she responded to the two separate requests for help from the women when she was an opposition TD in the mid-1990s. They were two separate cases, but each case were distinctly distressed and made a huge impression on me, and that is why I am so conflicted. She was asked if she considered the legalities or the potential for negative public fallout if the news had gotten out that she had helped the women financially. They were going, anyway, no matter what I said. I didnt look at the legalities, I was not a police officer. They came to me for practical help and you know what that meant, she said. Actually, I think I was in opposition so 1994 to 1997, I remember now that I wasnt as harried as you would be if you were a minister. So I was a plain TD. But who wouldnt try to help a woman in their hour of need? she added. Mrs ORourke also spoke about the two cases on TV3s Tonight Show on Tuesday night. She said the two women involved were not simply looking for the easy way out of having their baby. They werent just saying I just dont want a baby, no they were not. So I am weighing all that up. I also feel those women did not have access to contraception and it was one of the reasons why it happened like that, she said. Mrs ORourke, commenting to the Irish Examiner, said that the two women came to her in her constituency office, which she ran from her home. It was very evocative. You ran your constituency office from the house, Enda [her husband] had converted one of the rooms into an office. That was how we did my business, she said. She says she still sees one of the women now. I see one of them frequently, she seems to have since had a family, but I lost touch with the other. Asked to why she is so conflicted on the issue of abortion, given what she did, Mrs ORourke said: There is no two cases the same, I wish it could be. I wish it could be straight forward for me, but it just isnt. Meanwhile, Labour TD and former tanaiste Joan Burton asked if the Charities Regulator will be subjecting all churches to the same scrutiny as the Project Arts Centre, after it ordered a pro-repeal mural to be painted over. If the Charities Regulator is going to take action against a simple poster which contains nothing offensive and deem it to be political, is the minister of state telling me, as holder of his office, that the same regulator will go into churches and check out the material there? Ms Burton asked minister of state Sean Kyne. Last month, in what was a significant ruling, the three-judge Court of Appeal overturned a 2015 High Court finding that the ESB was 60% liable in respect of flooding and warnings. Days later, UCC was left facing a massive legal bill running to millions of euros after the Court of Appeal granted the ESB full costs of the legal battle. The court, however, put a stay on the matter in case there is an appeal of the decision on the main action to the Supreme Court. Aviva confirmed last night that following detailed consideration by its legal team of what was a complex and lengthy Court of Appeal judgement, it is now considering an appeal to the Supreme Court. Such appeals are granted when matters of general public importance are involved. Any such appeal must be lodged by May 15. At that point the Court of Appeal has three months to consider the validity of the appeal. The entire legal process could take a number of months. The ESB operates two hydro-electric dams on the River Lee, upstream of Cork city. In a subrogated claim brought in 2015 on behalf of its insurer Aviva, UCC had claimed the ESBs management of water releases from the two dams on the River Lee led to significant unnecessary additional flooding which caused substantial damage to 29 buildings on the UCC campus. Aviva sought some 20m damages for losses at UCC, plus another 14m for losses suffered by other property owners. It was claimed that warnings of heavy rainfall were issued by Met Eireann for the river Lee catchment area on November 12, 15, and 18, 2009, but that the ESB failed to adequately respond, that water levels at the reservoirs were kept at levels too high for the rainfall expected, and that there was inadequate storage capacity for flood mitigation. Following a 104-day case, the first of its kind in Ireland to fully test the liability of a dam operator, the High Court held that the ESB was 60% liable for the flood damage to UCC. But last month, the Court of Appeal said that the High Court judgment, if it was allowed to stand, would represent a significant alteration in the existing law of negligence and nuisance that would be contrary to the statutory mandate of the ESB in respect of electricity generation. It said it would not be consistent with reason and justice. The damage arose from a natural event, the ESB did not cause the flooding of UCCs buildings and it had no legal duty to avoid unnecessary flooding, the court ruled. News Bangladesh Prepares Rohingya Camps for Cyclone Season Rohingya children fly improvised kites at the Kutupalong refugee camp near Coxs Bazar, Bangladesh, in December 2017. / Reuters DHAKA, Bangladesh The Bangladesh government in cooperation with local and international humanitarian agencies is taking steps to prepare the community of Rohingya refugees camped on the outskirts of Coxs Bazar for the coming monsoon season. Officials are also seeking to allay concerns among the refugees about a plan to move many of the Rohingya to an island in the Bay of Bengal, insisting that relocation to the site would be done on a voluntary basis. Meanwhile, aid group Medecins Sans Frontieres has warned that the refugees current shelter provisions were insufficient for extreme weather conditions and said it was bracing for mass-casualty scenarios. Bangladesh disaster-management officials said they had already taken the necessary measures to cope with heavy rains and flash floods. Their main concern now is the damage that a cyclone would inflict upon the makeshift structures housing densely populated Rohingya camps in areas in Ukhiya and Tekhnaf sub-districts of Coxs Bazar. UN agencies have also initiated a number of special safety measures ahead of the rainy season. A government survey found that 133,000 Rohingya people are at critical risk the highest level in the event of floods, cyclones and landslides. Bangladesh, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and their partners are taking urgent steps to better protect nearly 80,000 people deemed at greatest risk of flooding in the area, and 23,000 threatened by landslides. The UNHCR and other groups currently provide 80,000 families in the camp with bamboo poles and tarpaulins to construct flimsy shelters. However, the tarpaulins covering many shanties already require repairs, said Sirajul Mostafa, the chairman of a camp management committee at Kutupalang. Habibul Kabir Chowdhury, head of the Bangladesh Disaster Management and Relief Ministrys Rohingya unit, said he was more worried about cyclones than landslides and flash floods. Our major concern is cyclones, although we have identified a number of facilities including schools for use as shelters in an emergency, he said. Kabir told The Irrawaddy that the governments cyclone-warning system could provide five days notice ahead of a cyclone making landfall. The Bangladesh Red Crescent Society has prepared an emergency contingency plan for the upcoming monsoon season. Some 300 volunteers have been trained in first aid, and search-and-rescue. In June 2017, heavy monsoon rains triggered a series of landslides and floods in Rangamati, Chittagong and Bandarban, three hilly districts near Coxs Bazar, the town currently hosting hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees. The slides and floods killed over 150 people. According to ReliefWeb, which monitors global crises and disasters, Coxs Bazar has been hit by cyclones every year for the past three years: Cyclone Mora in May 2017, Cyclone Roanu in May 2016, and Cyclone Komen in July 2015. In Bangladesh, the pre-monsoon hot season, which brings some rain, usually lasts from March through May. The main monsoon season lasts from June through October, and often sees flooding. Cyclones generally strike Bangladesh in March through July and September through December, with the greatest number of storms in May and October. UNICEF, meanwhile, is providing GPS-enabled bracelets to around 250,000 Rohingya children so their families can trace them should they become separated during emergencies. UNICEF Bangladesh spokesperson AM Sakil Faizullah told The Irrawaddy the agency aims to provide the bracelets to all children up to the age of 12. With the bracelet, anyone can be easily traced in any circumstances, Sakil said. He hoped they would start distribution by May. UNICEF officials said that 5,000 Rohingya children had already been separated from parents and relatives during the violence that forced them to leave Rakhine State. Many of these children were now roaming Coxs Bazar in search of their loved ones. From September to November 2017, the Bangladesh Social Services Department registered 36,373 Rohingya children who had been separated from at least one parent during the exodus. Some 7,771 had lost both parents. Over 688,000 Rohingya have entered Bangladesh since Aug. 25, 2017, in what the UN describes as the worlds fastest-developing refugee emergency. The field officer for Medecins Sans Frontieres Bangladesh Mission, Mostafa Mohammad Sazzad Hossain, said, The approaching monsoon rains and other natural hazards may lead to deaths in the camps, with hundreds of thousands of Rohingya and members of the host community at risk of disease outbreaks and aid disruptions. Current shelters and structures are unable to withstand extreme weather conditions such as heavy flooding or cyclones, and do not sufficiently meet the protection needs of the most vulnerable refugees. MSF is preparing for mass-casualty scenarios. MSF expects to see cases of injured people and likely fatalities resulting from heavy winds and landslides. Due to the poor infrastructure in the camp, access to our health posts and clinics will be even more difficult for patients, as well as healthcare staff. Access to safe drinking water is a priority and MSF is rehabilitating latrines and water distribution networks, as well as setting up bucket chlorination points. No forced relocations According to Agence France-Presse, authorities in Dhaka earlier said about 100,000 refugees from the persecuted Muslim minority would be shifted to an island in the Bay of Bengal where the Bangladesh Navy is building housing that can withstand cyclones. A number of Rohingya community members told The Irrawaddy they are afraid of being shifted to the island, however. Yes, we know the fear of being shifted to Bhasanchar persists among the community but, none will be taken there forcibly, said Habibul Kabir, the Rohingya unit chief. Kabir said officials would visit Bhasanchar along with representatives of humanitarian agencies in the first half of May to get a clear picture of the proposed relocation process. Rohingya community leader Sirajul Mostafa said he had not officially been told about the relocations to Bhasanchar, but he had heard rumors. We have taken shelter here from persecution in our land. And, we are here [waiting] to return to our land, he added. Burma Civil Society Groups Urge Release of Reuters Reporters Detained Reuters journalists Kyaw Soe Oo and Wa Lone are transported in a police vehicle after a court hearing in Yangon, Myanmar, April 20, 2018. / Reuters MANDALAY More than 160 civil society groups sent an open letter to President U Win Myint on Thursday, urging for the immediate release of two Reuters journalists and calling for an investigation committee to look into the case. The letter stated that the two reporters were set up by police, but that they still do not have their freedom. The statement continued to say that the arrest and trial didnt make sense and that it was unjust that the reporters and police officers were still detained. We are urging for the immediate release of the detainees, it read. The open letter was signed by 163 civil society groups including the Burmese Womens Union (BWU), Generation Wave, Community Response Action Group (COMREG), Association of Human Rights Defenders and Promoters (HRDP) and National Network for Educational Reform (NNER). The groups also urged for a national-level investigation committee to be formed. We urge the president to form a national-level investigation committee to investigate the whole case and to review the trial. If not, trust in the judicial system could be damaged, said Ko Thatoe, a spokesperson from COMREG. The civil society groups also urged the president to provide social security to the families of the detained, as well as to ensure their rights. We believe the president will address this matter because he once said that he would try his best to make the judiciary more just, fair, and free from bias, he added. The civil society groups said they are closely watching the trial and will act accordingly. The detainees were arrested four months ago. We want them to be released immediately, as the reporters were framed, said Ko Thatoe. We are closely watching whether the judiciary is just and we will increase our action if necessary. The two Reuters reporters, Ko Wa Lone and Ko Kyaw Soe Oo, were arrested on Dec. 12 last year. They were accused of possessing confidential government papers and have been charged under the colonial-era Official Secrets Act. They are facing a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison for the alleged crime. Police captain Moe Yan Naing, a prosecution witness, testified to the court on April 20 that police Brigadier-General Tin Ko Ko had ordered police officers to frame the reporters by handing the confidential documents and then arresting them. The police captain was also detained following the arrest of the reporters. He is facing separate charges for passing the government documents that could result in imprisonment and dismissal from his position. Burma Despite Govt Efforts, Divide Persists Over Rohingya Freedom of Movement Immigration officer Ko Ko Thaw explains the NVC process to reporters in March 2018. / Moe Myint / The Irrawaddy YANGON Members of the opposition Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) vowed to strongly object to granting freedom of movement to national verification card (NVC) holders from Rakhine State. Last week, a delegation led by Social Welfare Minister Dr. Win Myat Aye visited Rohingya refugees camps in neighboring Bangladesh. Afterward, they held a press conference in Yangon where they stated that the Myanmar government would grant freedom of movement, access to healthcare and education, and the ability to cross international borders if returnees hold NVC cards. The mission of the Myanmar delegation was to convince some 700,000 Rohginya Muslim refugees of this. The refugees have been displaced for months, after being driven out by army clearance operations following an attack on border guard posts in late August 2017. The Myanmar Army has been accused of extrajudicial killings, rape and arson and the UN has described the militarys actions as a textbook example of ethnic cleansing. Dr. Win Myat Aye, Muslim and Hindu religious leaders explained to the refugees the potential advantages of the NVCs, despite peoples mistrust. During the press briefing, the social welfare minister also stated that cardholders could fill out an associated immigration form at the Immigration Department and then receive citizenship within five months. In response, USDP spokesman Dr. Nanda Hla Myint told reporters at party headquarters in Yangon that the party will not accept the government plan, and that it will strongly oppose it along with other party alliances and nationalist groups. Regarding this issue, our party will submit an urgent proposal to Parliament during the upcoming regular session, he said. NVCs as a Control Mechanism National verification cards were introduced by former President U Thein Seins administration as a replacement for white cards, or temporary registration cards. The government has said the Rohingya, an ethnicity not officially recognized in Myanmar, must undergo a verification process in line with the 1982 Citizenship Law and accept NVCs before they can become citizens. Being granted a NVC does not guarantee citizenship, but holders of the card are able to apply for citizenship through a formal process. USDP spokesman Dr. Nanda Hla Myint told The Irrawaddy that it is clearly stated on NVCs that cardholders are not recognized as citizens. He added that the immigration form that Dr. Win Myat Aye referred to Form 4 was designated for non-citizens. Previous governments used the form to issue permits for travel, health and education, but even once approved, the permits did not allow for more than 45 days of travel outside of Rakhine State and regional authorities needed to be notified of travel 24 hours in advance of every arrival and departure within that timeframe. We use Form (4) as a control mechanism for non-citizens, similar to how we used to use the Guest Registration Law or State Surveillance Law. If everyone is allowed to travel freely around the country, we lose that control, Dr. Nanda Hla Myint said. The USDP spokesman said he is seriously concerned about state security if NVC holders are permitted freedom of movement. How can we prevent extremists from entering our country if we no longer have this mechanism? he asked. That is why I am strongly opposing it. Some Arakanese social activists have voiced that they believe the USDP is taking this stance to seek public support and political advantage. The USDP spokesman responded by saying that this would not win the party the next election. We are just emphasizing national interests and pointing out that the NLD is slipping from procedure, he said. Arakanese Perspectives on the NVC Many people assume that the Arakanese often hold the opposite stance of the Rohingya Muslims. But on this issue, the Arakanese community, Arakan National Party lawmakers and civil society groups have largely remained silent or criticized the USDP stance on freedom of movement for NVC holders. The Irrawaddy conducted a mini-survey of 40 Arakanese via messenger regarding the issue. The participants were activists, politicians, civil servants and educated workers, primarily living in Rakhine and Yangon. Of those who responded, 27 answered in support of freedom of movement for NVC holders, 2 voted against and 2 abstained. ANP lawmaker U Pe Than replied, This question is very difficult to answer yes or no Let the Myanmar people weigh in first, Ethnic Arakanese U Win Aung said that the NVC was similar to white cards, which at one time allowed holders to vote one of the highest rights of a citizen. That right was later revoked. If the previous government allowed these cardholders voting rights, why should we object to freedom of movement for NVC holders? he asked. The NVC Conundrum In Naypyitaw on Thursday, the Labor, Immigration, and Population Minister U Thein Swe said that people were misinterpreting the freedom of movement that would be granted, and that there were more steps than were being stated. What the media recently reported about NVC holders being able to freely travel anywhere in the country is wrong, he said. According to him, travel would still be limited and the NVC was only an initial step in recognizing residency. After filling out Form (4), applicants would have their documents checked and need approval from township, district, state and the central government before being granted citizenship in line with the 1982 Citizenship Law. He did not elaborate on the immigration form and it is unclear how it will be used under the National League for Democracy (NLD) government. The form was created during the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) era, under military dictator U Than Shwe, and mainly targeted Muslims in Rakhine. Most Muslims in Rakhine at that time needed a recommendation letter from the state government and the director of the immigration department to travel outside of Rakhine State. It is also unclear if what Dr. Win Myat Aye stated will be put into practice as the new policy of the government. The NLD-dominated Parliament had proposed to get rid of Form (4) altogether, and unless it is removed, freedom of movement could remain difficult for NVC holders. Statements from Union ministers, senior NLD and USDP members indicate that different sides and translating the situation differently. Despite the social welfare minister repeatedly discussing the benefits of NVCs, Muslims in strife-torn towns Buthidaung, Maungdaw and Rathedaung are banned from traveling and currently need recommendation letters from village officials and local authorities to even visit neighboring Muslim villages. This indicates that even now, the NVC doesnt work on the ground and the meaning of the NVC remains a puzzle for the Rohingya. A Rohingya man from Maungdaw said, We are not allowed to visit a neighboring village without the recommendation of a village administrative officer even now. How can we trust the NVC? Burma EU Readies More Sanctions Against Myanmar A Myanmar border guard police officer stands guard in Tin May village, Buthidaung Township, northern Rakhine State, Myanmar, July 14, 2017. / Reuters BRUSSELS The European Union will extend its arms embargo on Myanmar for another year this week and may then move to target more Yangon generals with fresh sanctions, EU diplomats and officials said. The EU accuses Myanmar of serious and systemic human rights violations in a military operation in the countrys northwest last year that sent nearly 700,000 Rohingya Muslims fleeing to neighboring Bangladesh. The EU arms embargo is now in place until the end of April and the diplomats and officials said it would be extended for another year before that deadline expires. It will also be expanded to cover already limited training for the Myanmar military, they said. Last October, the EU decided to shun Myanmar generals over the operation in Rakhine State, which the United Nations denounces as ethnic cleansing. Yangon rejects these accusations. The US government is now conducting an intensive examination of alleged atrocities against the Rohingya that could be used to prosecute Myanmars military for crimes against humanity, officials told Reuters. EU sources said the bloc might slap visa bans and asset freezes on more Myanmar military figures in May or June, with Major General Maung Maung Soe being one name on the list. Last December, the United States levied sanctions on the man who had been in charge of the crackdown on the Rohingya minority in Rakhine. Canada followed suit in February when Reuters also reported on what had taken place in the village of Inn Din, where 10 Rohingya Muslim men and boys were hacked to death by Rakhine Buddhist villagers or shot by security force members. The killings were part of the larger army crackdown on the Rohingya. Two Reuters journalists were jailed while reporting the story and remain in prison in Yangon, where they face up to 14 years in jail for violating Myanmars Official Secrets Act. The EU is considering six other members of the military as well, the diplomats and officials said, though that has not yet been discussed by all 28 member states who must reach a unanimous decision to introduce sanctions. The Wests relations with Myanmar soured over the crackdown on the Rohingya despite the Southeast Asian country making a partial shift to democratic governance in recent years. Burma UN Chief Taps Swiss Ambassador to Germany as Myanmar Envoy: Sources Switzerland's Ambassador to Germany, Christine Schraner Burgener, at a conference in Oslo, Norway, on Dec. 3, 2008. / Reuters UNITED NATIONS United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has tapped Switzerlands Ambassador to Germany, Christine Schraner Burgener, to be his special envoy on Myanmar, UN sources said on Wednesday. Myanmar has faced international criticism over a military crackdown that has sent nearly 700,000 minority Rohingya Muslims fleeing to Bangladesh. The United Nations, United States, Britain and others have described the operation as ethnic cleansing, which Myanmar has denied. In December the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution asking Guterres to appoint a UN special envoy on Myanmar, putting a special focus of the world body on trying to help resolve the crisis. Myanmar UN Ambassador Hau Do Suan did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday on Guterres plan to appoint Schraner Burgener, who was previously Switzerlands ambassador to Thailand. UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said on Wednesday that he expected an announcement of an appointment in the coming days. UN Security Council envoys are due to travel to Bangladesh and Myanmar shortly to assess the situation. Hau Do Suan told Reuters earlier this month that his country welcomed any constructive engagement and counsel of any kind from the international community to advance human rights. However, he said Myanmar does not believe the appointment of a special envoy will solve the multi-faceted and complex situation of Myanmar unless his or her mandate is carried out based on the principle of respect for the sovereignty and dignity of the country concerned, objectivity and impartiality. He noted that the position would need the full cooperation of the government and people of Myanmar to work. The Yangon City Development Committee, Myanmar Fire Services Department and Yangon Military Command are collaborating to put out the fire using a combined 800 personnel, according to the regional government. As of Wednesday, 13 patients were being treated at a local hospital after inhaling smoke from the blaze. U Phyo Min Thein said air quality had been tested at five locations near the dump and that the results would be made public. The fire at the 17-year-old Htein Pin landfill in Hlaing Thaya Township started on Saturday, sending smoke across nearby townships and raising public health concerns. The chief minister said bio-foam, a fire suppression detergent, would be used to cut down on the smoke. The statement added that the government would import 1,800 gallons of the foam from Thailand within 36 hours. About 80 percent of the fire is now under control, but what we cant control is smoke, Yangon Region Chief Minister U Phyo Min Thein said at a meeting about the fire, according to a statement the regional government released Wednesday afternoon. YANGON A fire that has been burning at Yangons largest dumpsite since Saturday has been brought mostly under control, the regional government announced Wednesday, but warned that smoke from the site continued to pose a health risk. A firefighter extinguishes a fire at the Htein Pin dumpsite in Yangon on Wednesday. / Myo Min Soe / The Irrawaddy A firefighter extinguishes a fire at the Htein Pin dumpsite in Yangon on Wednesday. / Myo Min Soe / The Irrawaddy NMSP Urged to Defy Army Over Limits Placed on Public Meetings Wife Of Scapegoat Police Officer in Reuters Trial Appeals for Help Some US Allies Caught in Crossfire of Sanctions on Russian Arms Ten Things to Do in Yangon This Week Three More NLD Lawmakers to Be Reprimanded ASEAN Summit to focus on Myanmar, S. China Sea but Little Progress Expected India Death Penalty For Child Rape Unlikely to Deter Traffickers, Says Campaigner Launch of Report on Karen Crisis Blocked in Thailand under Pressure from Tatmadaw Chief Minister Nowhere in Sight While Yangon Suffers from Smoke Kachin Relative of Slain IDPs Flees After Tatmadaw Opens Case Against Her We do not encourage viewing this site in this width. Please increase the size of your window. News Two Pyin Oo Lwin Officials Jailed for 10 Years in Corruption Cases Two Pyin Oo Lwin Township officials are escorted to Mandalays Obo Prison on Thursday after Mandalay Divisional Court sentenced them to 10 years imprisonment under the Anti-corruption Law. / Zaw Zaw / The Irrawaddy MANDALAY Mandalay Divisional Court on Thursday jailed two Pyin Oo Lwin Township officials for 10 years for corruption. The sentences, the harshest ever handed down by the Mandalay court for corruption, come on the heels of a promise by President U Win Myint to take strong action against corrupt officials. Pyin Oo Lwin Township general administration officer U Tin Naing Soe and deputy administration officer U Kyaw Kyaw Naing were charged in October 2016 with two corruption counts each under Article 56 of the Anti-corruption Law for taking bribes from residents of Mageeinn village in return for registering their land. The court found the two officials guilty of taking a total of more than 39 million kyats in two separate cases. They were each sentenced to 5 years imprisonment in each case. Article 56 states: Other than the Political Post Holder, if any other Authorized Person is convicted for committing bribery; he/she shall be punished with imprisonment for a term of not more than 10 years and with a fine. In 2014, the two officials promised residents of Mageeinn that they would grant their registration requests, on the authority of the Home Affairs Ministry, in exchange for money. The residents paid them more than 39 million kyats, but saw no action on their applications. After waiting for about two years, they reported the incident to Pyin Oo Lwin police and filed a lawsuit against the officials under the Anti-corruption Law. President U Win Myint has vowed to crack down on bribery and corruption. He reportedly instructed members of the Anti-Corruption Commission not to be influenced by powerful figures in undertaking their duties, and to report to him if they encounter cases of powerful people protecting those accused of corruption. ( https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/president-orders-anti-corruption-panel-not-influenced-powerful-figures.html ) Mandalay Divisional Court is currently preparing to hand down sentences in a separate case in which Naypyitaw municipal council members were convicted of taking bribes from vendors. ( https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/court-case-begins-naypyitaw-municipal-officials.html ) Guest Column Youth Safety and Health at Work: Early Education Equals Early Protection A child laborer works at a brick kiln outside Yangon on Jan. 7, 2016. / Reuters In the Asia-Pacific region, more people than anywhere else start working from a young age. As youths, they often work in hazardous and exploitative jobs to earn income for their families. Some of this work constitutes child labor. This year, for World Day for Safety and Health at Work, the International Labor Organization (ILO) is focusing on improving the working conditions of young workers as well as bringing an end to child labor. In Myanmar, there are more than 8 million workers aged between 15 and 24. These workers comprise 21 percent of the countrys workforce. Often it is poverty that pushes young people to start working from an early age. They enter the workforce with virtually no knowledge about occupational hazards and risks, nor any awareness about their occupational safety and health (OSH) rights. Many young workers in Myanmar and in the rest of the Asia-Pacific are in the informal economy and are engaged in agricultural, industrial and artisanal work. These workplaces tend to be out of the reach of OSH laws and are otherwise difficult to inspect. In addition, workers frequently lack an understanding of the importance of OSH. Poor working conditions and a lack of OSH training often translate to higher rates of injury among workers who would otherwise have had a long working career ahead of them. They are also at risk of contracting occupational diseases with harmful long-term effects. For example, exposure to hazardous agents such as asbestos, pesticides and other chemicals can ultimately lead to serious diseases and potentially death. Concerted Tripartite Efforts Providing young workers with decent and safe employment opportunities is indispensable for future social and economic development. Governments, employers and workers need to build, implement and continuously strengthen a culture of prevention. Indeed, the Myanmar government is currently engaging in regular tripartite dialogues to set standards and a new comprehensive OSH law, currently before the Parliament, will hopefully be adopted shortly. It is crucial that national policies are in line with international labor standards. In particular, there should be full compliance with the ILO Promotional Framework for Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 2006 (No. 187). Encouragingly, there have been increased ratifications of the Convention in the region, and we hope Myanmar will follow suit. Myanmar already ratified ILO Convention 182 on the worst forms of child labor in December 2013, and with the assistance of the ILO the government is in the process of finalizing its first National Action Plan on Child Labor and the list of hazardous jobs prohibited for workers under the age of 18. Educating for a Safer Future of Work While efforts to improve the current state of workplaces are critical, there must also be efforts to educate future generations in OSH. By one estimate, 65 percent of children in primary school today will work in jobs that currently do not exist. In order to ensure that these jobs do not jeopardize the health and safety of future generations, it is crucial that children are educated from a young age. This system of early education should be provided consistently, thus promoting a culture of prevention. When it comes to building a culture of prevention, clear and effective communication is essential. In Myanmar, the ILOs Youth4OSH Project is providing organizations and networks with tools and strategies to raise workplace OSH awareness among young workers and young employers. The ILO [email protected] Project is working to mainstream OSH in technical vocational education and training curricula so that young workers in Myanmar learn how to work safely at the same time that they acquire marketable job skills. Educating young people on the importance of OSH is necessary for a safe future of work. We must do all we can to ensure that young people are aware of, and protected by, OSH principles so that they too are given the chance to work in a safe and healthy workplace. Tomoko Nishimoto is an assistant director-general of the International Labor Organization and regional director for Asia and the Pacific. A giant fire raging at Yangons largest dumpsite, in Hlaing Thaya Township, has been defying firefighters since Saturday. Making matters worse, noxious smoke from the fire has spread to nearby areas and hit downtown, choking some residents. On Wednesday, Yangon Mayor U Maung Maung Soe said 80 percent of the fire was under control. State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has offered the union governments help. As of Wednesday afternoon, though, firefighters and soldiers were still hard at work battling the blaze. Tuesday, February 13th, 2018 (10:36 am) - Score 3,019 The first customer has officially gone live on Airbands new fixed wireless superfast broadband (30Mbps+) service in Shropshire, which forms part of last years new 11.2m Connecting Shropshire contract that will see the network being rolled out reach an additional 14,000+ premises by 2020. The contract was first signed in July 2017 (here) and will take place alongside the schemes existing deployments of FTTC/P technology with Openreach (BT), which together are working to ensure that 98% of premises (homes and businesses) in Shropshire can access a 30Mbps+ capable broadband service by around the middle of 2020. Funding Split of the 11.2m Contract Airband 1.4m Shropshire County Council 2.24m Broadband Delivery UK 5.29m Marches LEP 2.27m The first transmitter on Airbands new network in the area was officially installed in December 2017 (here) and this was intended to serve 300+ premises around parts of the Sheriffhales and Shifnal parishes, as well as other communities further east (e.g. Tong). As a result it will not come as much of a surprise to confirm that the first customer connection has now also gone live near Shifnal. IT security manager Andrew Lee and his wife, Sulayma, who live in a tiny rural village, are the first to be installed with superfast broadband under the initial deployment phase. The couple say theyve been awaiting faster broadband for four years. Andrew Lee told ISPreview.co.uk: We live in a tiny village with just 46 houses three miles from Shifnal, close to Cosford airbase but our communications have always been poor. When BT upgraded the exchange in Albrighton it didnt make any difference to us, so we were really keen to get a better connection with Airband. Its a challenging location so installation wasnt straightforward. I think this is because we are in a valley and it took a while to establish line-of-sight connection and also because our house is a listed building. They were very patient and thorough and to be honest Im overjoyed with the results. Before our Airband connection, we had download speed of 2.5 Mbps. Streaming stuff was awful it was always buffering, and working from home was almost impossible. Now we have 30 Mbps and I am able to work from home when I need to. Dave Lloyd, Airbands Project Manager, said: Rural Shropshire suffers with some of the poorest broadband speeds in the UK, and we are delighted to be playing a significant role in turning this situation around. This key milestone highlights the progress were making to help connect rural residents across the county. The project will be going live in five phases. Phase 1 of the project is due to complete in Spring and involves 28 transmitter sites. During this period, Airband will be making Superfast broadband available to 7,000 homes. Further areas will be going live incrementally as the network is created. The new service requires that a small receiver is attached to individual properties, which enables them to connect to the Line-of-Sight (LOS) wireless network. Customers typically pay from 10 per month for a basic 30Mbps (2Mbps upload) service with a 10GB usage allowance, 12 month contract and 99 one-off installation fee. Meanwhile the top package costs 42 for an unlimited 30Mbps (4Mbps upload) connection. What led you to write it? Perhaps the biggest reason is that I was concerned that the nuance of Muslim identity was being lost in the larger political context where policy debates occur. On one hand, you have the stereotypes of Muslims as terrorists or disloyal to the U.S. Academics do a good job of pushing back on these gross mischaracterizations, but the takeaway from these efforts sometimes ends up being reduced to another cliche, namely that Muslims in America are all flag-flying patriots who are the targets of Fox News and talk radio pundits. In reality, real life and real people are far more complicated than either stereotype. As part of my analysis, I show a clear preference among Muslims living in the U.S. to not be known for their religious identity, at least not primarily or entirely. Instead, and like just about everyone else in the world, Muslims would like to live out an existence in service to other senses of being (like, their career, parental role, even hobbies). If I were writing a popular press type of book on the subject, I'd be tempted to title it "Muslims are people too." Moving beyond the stereotypes, how politically engaged are American Muslims? There is certainly a strong motive among Muslims in the U.S. to engage in the political sphere, but, unlike some of the reductionist characterizations of them, Muslims are neither disinterested nor the most engaged in political life. In fact, one intriguing finding from my analysis is that the kinds of identity labels that we use to ask Muslims about themselves (specifically, "Do you consider yourself Muslim or American?") may actually depress self-reported political behavior because it signals a willingness by the questioner to put Muslims into limited identity boxes that really do not reflect the reality of their lives and senses of being. Why is this book and subject timely now? I think its timely because the book makes readers look beyond the cliches about Muslims in the U.S. both the negative and positive ones and encourages readers to truly see Muslims as regular people who are asked to deal with an extraordinary set of social and political pressures in the post-9/11 world. What contribution will your book make to the larger debate and conversation on Muslim identity and American politics? My hope is that the book advances insight into questions of what it means for people who have their identity characterized by both internal and external forces to make self-determined choices about how they want the world to see them. Thursday, April 26th, 2018 (2:27 pm) - Score 15,674 The boss of UK telecoms regulator Ofcom, Sharon White, has told a conference in London today that BT (Openreach) must replace their Victorian-era copper ISP network with a modern full fibre (FTTP/H) broadband alternative or risk losing swathes of customers to [rivals]. The strong words came as Openreach continues to be put under pressure for a perceived lack of investment in Gigabit capable Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP/H) networks. At present the operator expects to bring ultrafast broadband (100Mbps+) connections to 13 million premises by the end of 2020, although only 3 million of that will come from FTTP and the rest is be delivered via slower hybrid fibre G.fast solutions. Achieving 3 million by the end of 2020 would actually be quite a significant level of progress but the challenge is around what comes next. Clive Selley, CEO of Openreach, said: Were now committed to delivering FTTP in 40 towns, cities and boroughs and in just a few short weeks weve raised the delivery rate of full fibre to over a thousand homes per week in Bristol and in Cardiff. By the end of May, well be building to 1000 homes each week in each of the eight cities weve announced in our first wave. We will double our FTTP footprint this year. And we dont yet know how fast we can go. But be assured Openreach will go full throttle, at scale, across 40 cities. Openreach has previously indicated that they aspire to push FTTP out to cover 10 million premises by around 2025, although they have yet to set this in stone due to on-going concerns over the impact of regulation, disagreements with rivals and cost (3bn to 6bn) etc. The operator has previously warned (here) that reaching 10 million may only be possible with co-investment support from other ISPs (difficult since so many are now doing their own thing), as well as softer regulation, reduced logistical barriers (permissions / planning etc.) and the ability to switch-off old copper networks as areas go FTTP (very complex and rivals with an investment in copper services may obstruct). Selley added: Builders like Openreach also need help from Government and Ofcom. Im particularly encouraged by the approach of the DCMS barrier busting team, because everyone knows that network builders could go faster if there was less red-tape. But its also important for the whole industry that we find a solution to business rates. One that promotes investment and better reflects the long term nature of what were all investing in. Ofcoms WLA review gives us more pricing certainty, but regulation must promote FTTP investment and take-up, so investors need unequivocal support for the switchover from copper to fibre, and greater flexibility to withdraw legacy products when launching new ones. In the longer term, we believe the model needs fundamental change to guarantee customers quality and choice. We can achieve that by: Incentivising fibre investments that allow a fair return Encouraging competition outside urban clusters And recognising that a three year regulatory review cycle is too short. Nevertheless Ofcoms CEO has also noted the tremendous progress being made by alternative network (AltNet) providers (B4RN, Hyperoptic, Gigaclear, TalkTalk, Vodafone, Cityfibre etc.), which between them have committed to deliver FTTP/H to millions of homes and businesses over the next few years (see our summary). Sharon White, Ofcom CEO, said: If incumbents who rely on copper dont change course, they risk losing swathes of customers to full-fibre rivals. Incumbents face a choice in my view fibre-up, or risk fading away. History is strewn with once-successful companies that failed to anticipate and act on shifts in customer demands and to innovate. Think Kodak, Polaroid, Palm and Blockbuster. The UK cannot afford for BT to be added to that list. Over the next few years, the number of homes and businesses able to benefit from full fibre is set to rise from one to six million. That is one fifth of homes and businesses good progress. But some way short of the ambition that full-fibre is available nationwide. So we must build on the early momentum. Sharon added that the regulators approach would continue to be anchored in the principle of the fair bet (i.e. the certainty that risky investments will earn a fair return). She separately noted that Ofcom would also aim to extend the time between its big regulatory interventions (market reviews) from 3 to 5 years. Finally, she welcomed Openreachs fibre first commitment but clearly wants them to go much further. As usual the challenge is with the difficulty of marrying the industrys many competing interests and turning those into some sort of agreement, which is always easier said than done. On the other hand there may also be something to be said for allowing AltNets time to grow their own networks first (natural competition), without fear of maximum pressure being applied in the same areas by Openreach or radical changes by the government. AltNets dont face the same regulatory baggage as Openreach, which is part of the reason why so many of them have been able to build and offer much cheaper / faster full fibre services than Openreach. This may also create an additional obstacle for Openreachs co-investment idea. Meanwhile the Government could yet throw another curve ball into the mix when they publish their Future Infrastructure Review sometime this summer, which is considering what changes may need to be made in order to boost investment in full fibre. One of those ideas could involve a return to the murky world of Regional Franchises (here). Time will tell but nobody ever said that Building a Full Fibre Future would be either easy, quick or cheap. The United States has upped the ante in its ongoing battle against Huawei Technologies, with the Justice Department investigating whether the Chinese telecommunications giant has violated US sanctions on Iran. The Wall Street Journal cited people familiar with the matter in its report which said the ongoing probe, on the grounds of national security, would add to the pressure on the embattled company. The report said there was no indication how far along the probe had progressed, nor what specific charges were being investigated. Contacted for comment, a Huawei spokesman told iTWire: "Huawei has no comments on this issue. Huawei complies with all applicable laws and regulations where it operates, including the applicable export control and sanction laws and regulations of the UN, US and EU." Last week, the US Department of Commerce slappedon another big Chinese telco equipment maker, ZTE, claiming that the company had made false statements during talks in 2016 over a charge of shipping telco equipment to Iran and North Korea. Prior to that, ZTE had paid a fine of US$890 million after admitting that it violated a law that controls export of sensitive goods by shipping US telecom equipment to Iran. As a penalty, US firms cannot sell parts to ZTE for seven years. Also last week, iTWire reported that Huawei and ZTE would not receive any subsidies from the Universal Service Fund that the US uses to subsidise equipment bought by rural and small carriers, and Huawei is reportedly cutting back US sales efforts as a result. The US Federal Communications Commission decided to go ahead with the plan, despite objections from the Rural Wireless Association, a body that represents rural wireless ISPs that offer home or mobile Internet service and have fewer than 100,000 subscribers. The US began its efforts to force Huawei out of local contracts after a 2012 Congressional report alleged the company was a threat to national security, with a warning that Beijing could use its equipment for state-sponsored spying or cyber attacks. In December, President Donald Trump signed a bill to ban Huawei and ZTE equipment from nuclear weapons systems in the US Defence Department. Trump also banned a takeover of US processor maker Qualcomm by Singapore-based Broadcom because of national security concerns; Huawei's ties to Broadcom were mentioned as a concern. Last year, multinational electronics corporation Best Buy said it would no longer stock the company's smartphones. This came after AT&T cancelled a deal to start selling Huawei smartphones on its plans and Verizon took the company's devices off its shelves. The global business value derived from artificial intelligence is predicted to total US$1.2 trillion in 2018 an increase of 70% from 2017 with customer experience a key area for growth, according to a newly published report. And the global report by analyst firm Gartner predicts that by 2019, start-ups will overtake Amazon, Google, IBM and Microsoft in driving the AI economy. According to Gartner, customer experience is the primary source of derived business value, as organisations see value in using AI techniques to improve every customer interaction, with the goal of increasing customer growth and retention. John-David Lovelock, research vice-president at Gartner, says that CX is followed closely by cost reduction, as organisations look for ways to use AI to increase process efficiency to improve decision making and automate more tasks. "However, in 2021, new revenue will become the dominant source, as companies uncover business value in using AI to increase sales of existing products and services, as well as to discover opportunities for new products and services. Thus, in the long run, the business value of AI will be about new revenue possibilities." According to Lovelock, AI promises to be the most disruptive class of technologies during the next 10 years due to advances in computational power, volume, velocity and variety of data, as well as advances in deep neural networks. "One of the biggest aggregate sources for AI-enhanced products and services acquired by enterprises between 2017 and 2022 will be niche solutions that address one need very well. Business executives will drive investment in these products, sourced from thousands of narrowly focused, specialist suppliers with specific AI-enhanced applications." Lovelock says AI business value growth shows the typical S-shaped curve pattern associated with an emerging technology. In 2018, the growth rate is estimated to be 70%, but it will slow down through 2022. After 2020, the curve will flatten, resulting in low growth through the next few years. He says that by breaking out the global business value derived by AI type, decision support/augmentation (such as DNNs) will represent 36% of the global AI-derived business value in 2018 and by 2022, decision support/augmentation would have surpassed all other types of AI initiatives to account for 44% of global AI-derived business value. "DNNs allow organisations to perform data mining and pattern recognition across huge datasets not otherwise readily quantified or classified, creating tools that classify complex inputs that then feed traditional programming systems. This enables algorithms for decision support/augmentation to work directly with information that formerly required a human classifier," said Lovelock. "Such capabilities have a huge impact on the ability of organisations to automate decision and interaction processes. This new level of automation reduces costs and risks, and enables, for example, increased revenue through better microtargeting, segmentation, marketing and selling." Gartner also forecasts changes in AI-derived business for virtual agents which allow corporate organisations to reduce labour costs as they take over simple requests and tasks from a call centre, help desk and other service human agents, while handing over the more complex questions to their human counterparts. They can also provide uplift to revenue, as in the case of robo-advisers in financial services or upselling in call centres. As virtual employee assistants, virtual agents can help with calendaring, scheduling and other administrative tasks, freeing up employees' time for higher value-add work and/or reducing the need for human assistants. Agents account for 46% of the global AI-derived business value in 2018 and 26% by 2022, as other AI types mature and contribute to business value, Lovelock notes. Gartner says smart products account for 18% of global AI-derived business value in 2018, but forecasts they will shrink to 14% by 2022 as other DNN-based system types mature and overtake smart products in their contribution to business value. Smart products have AI embedded in them, usually in the form of cloud systems that can integrate data about the user's preferences from multiple systems and interactions. They learn about their users and their preferences to hyperpersonalise the experience and drive engagement. Gartner says that decision automation systems that use AI to automate tasks or optimise business processes, for now, account for just 2% of the global AI-derived business value in 2018, but will grow to 16% by 2022. Smartphone shipments in China have recorded their biggest decline, falling by more than 21% on an annual basis to 91 million units in the first quarter of 2018, with a sense of fatigue evident in the market. Global technology market analyst firm Canalys said the 91 million figure was first passed in the final quarter of 2013. In the first quarter this year, eight of the top 10 vendors recorded annual declines, with Gionee, Meizu and Samsung falling to less than half of their sales for the corresponding quarter in 2017. Huawei, including its Honor brand, showed modest gains in the quarter, increasing shipments by 2%, retaining its lead and retaining its market share of about 24%. The company shipped 21 million units for the quarter. Oppo and Vivo, second and third in the quarter, bore the brunt of the decline with shipments falling by about 10% to 18 million and 15 million units respectively. Xiaomi moved ahead of Apple to fourth place and was the sole company to show decent growth, with shipments rising 37% to 12 million units. The top four Huawei, Oppo, Vivo, and Xiaomi accounted for more than 73% of the first quarter shipments. The level of competition has forced every vendor to imitate the others product portfolios and go-to-market strategies, said Canalys research analyst Mo Jia. But the costs of marketing and channel management in a country as big as China are huge, and only vendors that have reached a certain size can cope. "While Huawei, Oppo, Vivo and Xiaomi must contend with a shrinking Chinese market, they can take comfort from the fact that it will continue to consolidate, and that their size will help them last longer than other smaller players." Xiaomi's showing was due, in part, to its lacklustre showing in 2017. Xiaomi is the only vendor in the top 5 that is focused on the sub-RMB1000 (about US$160) price segment and it owes close to 90% of its shipments to Redmi. But the vendor is struggling to shed its low-cost image, said Canalys research analyst Hattie He. The launch of the Mi Mix 2S in Paris and the very recent Mi 6X in Wuhan are clear efforts by the company to change customers perception of the brand, especially in China, where Xiaomi needs to tempt those looking at Honor, Oppo or Vivo to buy its products. Outside the top five, the total marketshare for vendors decreased from 34% in Q1 2017 to 19% a year later. Gionee was worst hit, with shipments down by about 70% to 1.6 million. But Canalys said after two successive quarters of decline, growth was expected to return in Q2, as Oppo, Vivo and Huawei launched new flagship devices. The inventory issues that Oppo and Vivo suffered in Q4 and Q1 are now behind them, said Jia. New smartphones will definitely entice people to upgrade, but vendors are more careful of avoiding oversupply in the channel. "Chinas smartphone market may see a short period of stagnancy as vendors refocus on research and development, relying on new use cases to excite refreshes rather than spending heavily on the channel and marketing. Graphics: courtesy Canalys Two algorithms proposed by the NSA as global standards for the Internet of Things have been rejected by the International Organisation for Standardisation during a meeting at Wuhan in China. Delegates from countries that are US allies were among those who voted against the two algorithms which are known as SIMON and SPECK. WikiTribune reported that the rejection was based on the fact that US officials, including some from the NSA, refused to provide the standard level of technical detail needed. In September last year, the NSA move was set back when delegates at an earlier meeting of the ISO took a stand against advancing the two encryption techniques as global standards. At that meeting, academic and industry experts from Germany, Japan and Israel expressed concerns that the NSA was pushing SIMON and SPECK not because they were superior to others, but because the NSA knew how to break them. Though the NSA relented and agreed to adopt only the strongest versions of these techniques which are least likely to be vulnerable to hacks, the Wuhan meeting was not convinced. Since the revelations about NSA snooping by former contractor Edward Snowden in 2013, several delegates have expressed doubts over the NSA's motives for pushing the two algorithms. Snowden released documents which showed the agency had previously planned to manipulate standards and promote technology it could penetrate. The WikiTribune report said the opposition to the NSA move was led, in Wuhan, by Dr Tomer Ashur from KU Leuven University, representing the Belgian delegation, and he was backed by many other countries. Melbourne IT, one of the country's best-known domain vendors, will be rebranding itself as the Arq Group to reflect its diversion into other IT sectors, accompanying which will be an increase in staff numbers by 270. Shareholders will be asked for their assent to the name change at the company's upcoming annual general meeting on 28 May. A statement from the company said, since its founding in 1996, it had been just a domains and hosting service. But now, having expanded to a consultancy covering Web design, digital marketing, security, mobile, analytics, and cloud-based solutions, the need was felt for a name that reflected its broad expertise. Chief executive Martin Mercer said, Arq Group has prospered where many have failed because weve always adapted and innovated, never losing sight of our customers needs." The Melbourne IT Group has offices in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Auckland, approximately 850 staff and operates two businesses marketed under eight brands. The small and medium business division is Australias largest domains and hosting business with revenues of approximately $100 million and 300 staff. The SMB business operates under the Melbourne IT, WebCentral, Netregistry, WME, Domainz and TPP brands. Mercer told iTWire that over time only two brands would remain Arq and Netregistrru. The enterprise services business provides digital solutions to big businesses and government organisations, and has revenues of approximately $95 million and 450 staff. It is based in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane and operates under the Melbourne IT, Infoready and Outware brands. In the case of this business, only the Arq brand would remain after a few years, Mercer said. "The Melbourne IT of today is almost unrecognisable from who we were four years ago. Todays market is changing rapidly, and while the old brand has served us well, it no longer represents the business we have become," he added. Acquisition has always played an important role in our growth and evolution, but never has it been more significant than in the past four years. So naturally, this new chapter in our story is marked by our transition from a melting pot of individual businesses, to a single, united brand. Launch of the new service Small Business Showcase comes as the Fair Work Ombudsmans reports that its dedicated small business helpline has received its 500,000th call since it was set up at the end of 2013. Fair Work Ombudsman Natalie James says the Small Business Showcase consolidates all the information and resources a small business needs in one place and covers topics including hiring employees, calculating pay, keeping accurate records and resolving workplace issues. It also includes six instructional videos demonstrating how small business owners can use Fair Work Opinion polls and surveys run throughout the showcase. {loadpositioin peter}The showcase is running alongside the Fair Work Ombudsmans Workplace Basics campaign in which inspectors are auditing and assisting businesses access and navigate the wide range of free resources available to help them meet their obligations. James says the Workplace Basics campaign will see inspectors audit 1000 businesses across Australia to check compliance and ensure employers are getting the basics right. She urged small business owners to participate in the showcase to ensure theyre up-to-date with their obligations under workplace law. Australias workplace relations system is complex and can be hard to navigate, particularly for time-poor small and family businesses. Our experience, backed up by research, is that small businesses can be overconfident when it comes to compliance failing to check the rules to ensure theyve got things right. According to James, successive campaigns undertaken by her agency have shown consistently lower rates of workplace compliance amongst small businesses when compared to larger businesses (an average 15% lower over the past two and a half years). Our Small Business Showcase is a great opportunity for small businesses to brush up on their workplace relations knowledge, download practical resources and find out more about the assistance the agency can provide. We take a proportionate and fair approach to enforcement action, but we also expect employers to have checked the rules that apply to them if not with the Fair Work Ombudsman, with a qualified adviser. We also need them to promptly rectify any errors and back-pay workers what they are owed when they arise. James says small businesses should also be aware that changes made by the Fair Work Amendment (Protecting Vulnerable Workers) Act 2017 have doubled the maximum penalty for failing to keep employee records or issue pay slips to $63,000 for a company and $12,600 for an individual, and tripled the maximum penalty for knowingly making or keeping false or misleading employee records to $12,600 for an individual. And James says that the agency receives thousands of calls from small business owners each year. We set up the small business helpline to ensure that the specific needs of small businesses are recognised and accounted for. "While we offer this free service and Im delighted half a million businesses have called since its establishment in 2013 to receive tailored workplace advice, too many small businesses are continuing to get the basics wrong when it comes to paying workers correctly and meeting record-keeping requirements. Small errors arising from issues such as not passing on the annual wage increase or incorrectly classifying workers can add up to big underpayments over time which can make for expensive and unexpected back-payment bills down the track. What we want to do now is make it even easier for small businesses to access the information they need to implement positive workplace practices and help their business succeed at any time of the day. Reddit 13 Email 705 Shares By Gary Vogler | ( University of Kansas Press Blog) | April 24 marks the 15th anniversary of my initial entry into Baghdad as the senior oil advisor to retired Lieutenant General Jay Garner, our US government civilian leader in Iraq. It was the beginning of my six plus years in Iraq working on the oil sector and denying the allegation that the Iraq war had an oil agenda. I can no longer refute such an allegation. Was there an oil agenda for the Iraq war? If you had asked me that question four years ago, I would have said no, absolutely not. And, I said no on national television in 2014. Ambassador L. Paul (Jerry) Bremer and I went on the Rachel Maddow Show to refute Maddows position that the Iraq war was largely about oil. Specifically, I said that I had not witnessed any serious oil agenda during my time at the Pentagon and in Iraq. I cannot honestly say that today. So what has changed my mind? Phil Carroll (the retired Shell US CEO who became my boss in Baghdad in May 2003) and I agreed that if either of us saw anything close to an oil agenda in the summer of 2003, we would both resign and leave Iraq. Phil and I had spent time in the US army during our younger years before our careers in the oil industry and both of us detested the thought of US soldiers dying so that some oil company could profit from it. We were looking for an agenda involving US oil companies. The Presidents critics were looking for the same thing and even inferring in the US press that it was taking place. We did not see it. Up until 2013 my focus was on execution of plans and helping the Iraq oil sector as best I could. I had little desire to research about an oil agenda. I was in denial. I believed that my country sent me to Iraq for a noble reason and that people in my government just got the WMD issue wrong. I refused to entertain the idea that oil played any part in their decision. I saw things that I did not understand during 2003, but wrote them off as distractions to our mission. Such as, why did Paul Wolfowitz, the deputy Secretary of Defense, verbally reverse the decisions made by the Presidents cabinet about an export pipeline through Syria just before the war started? We had discussed the Syria export pipeline during our prewar policy discussions. No oil infrastructure was supposed to be targeted during the invasion. The final written policy agreed by the Presidents cabinet in late December 2002 stated that exports through that Syria pipeline should be used as leverage with the Syrian government to get their cooperation. The pipeline was not supposed to be destroyed. However, Wolfowitz verbally reversed that guidance during a video teleconference with General Franks about a week before the invasion. The one large pump station that pumped oil through the Syrian export pipeline was destroyed early in the war. It was the only intentional oil infrastructure target. Secretary Rumsfeld announced to the NY Times the day after the pump station destruction that it was destroyed to punish Syria for helping Saddam smuggle oil outside of the United Nations oil for food program. Such explanation made no sense. The attack on the pump station punished the future government of Iraq much more than Syria. Iraq lost an export channel and a $50 million pump station. Syria only lost the toll fees from any export barrels that Iraq would export through the pipeline in the future. Iraq incurred more than 95% of the punishment. This had all been discussed during our prewar planning and that is why the written policy approved by the cabinet stated as it did. So why did Wolfowitz reverse it? It made no sense to me until I started doing some serious research in the last few years while writing my book. Using the Google search tool, I was able to find things in 2014 and 2015 in the foreign press that were real eye-openers. There were several articles in the Israeli and British press from 2003. I learned several new facts. I learned about an oil agenda and the players involved, but the most important was that I learned motives. I had many sleepless nights. I learned that a person cannot sleep when they are angry and the more I learned, the angrier I became. I had been a volunteer for all of my time in Iraq. I risked my life for seventy-five months in Iraq working for what I thought were noble reasons. The more I learned the more I realized that there was an oil agenda and I was just an unknowing participant. The oil agenda I discovered and experienced was to supply Iraq oil to Israel. The players were the neoconservatives in the Bush Administration, their favorite Iraqi Dr Ahmed Chalabi and the Israeli government. One of the motives was because Israel was paying a huge premium for its oil imports and this premium had just started in the late1990s. The agenda called for the reopening of the old Kirkuk to Haifa pipeline and its significant expansion. When this pipeline plan became unattainable in the 2nd half of 2003 then Chalabi took other actions to get inexpensive Iraqi oil to Israel. A much more credible explanation for intentionally destroying the Syrian export pipeline than what Secretary Rumsfeld told the NY Times was found in the British press. The Guardian, a London newspaper, quoted a retired CIA agent just after the Syria pipeline attack. It has long been a dream of a powerful section of the people now driving the Bush administration and the war in Iraq to safeguard Israels energy supply. Rebuilding the old Kirkuk to Haifa pipeline would transform economic power in the region, cutting out Syria and solving Israels energy crisis at a stroke. This was just one of several facts that I discovered during my research. Our nations second President, John Adams, was quoted as saying, Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence. Ten facts are discussed at the end of my recently published book and include the following five that I consider tipping point facts. These five facts made me realize that I had been in denial for many years. After learning these facts coupled with my other experiences, I recognized that there really was an oil agenda. First, Israeli Infrastructure minister Joseph Pritskzy was interviewed in the Israeli press on March 31, 2003 before the US Forces had even taken Baghdad. He was identifying how the Iraq war would benefit Israel economically. He was in contact with civilians at the Pentagon and they were planning to reopen the pipeline between Kirkuk in Iraq and Haifa Israel a pipeline that was the only export pipeline in Iraq from 1934 until 1948 when Israel came into existence and the pipeline was closed by the government of Iraq. The pipeline through Syria was built to replace the Haifa pipeline after 1948. Pritskzy identified that Israel was paying a 25% premium for the oil imports they were receiving and the reopened pipeline to Haifa would eliminate the premium and be a huge economic benefit to Israel. Second, the Israeli finance minister in 2003 was Benjamin Netanyahu, Israels current Prime Minister. The Israeli press reported that Netanyahu went to London in 2003 to find investors willing to invest in the expansion of the Kirkuk to Haifa pipeline. A quote from his sales pitch about the oil pipeline to Haifa went this way and this is no pipe dream. Third, the number three person at the Pentagon in 2003 was Doug Feith. Feiths law partner for fifteen years before Feith joined the Bush administration was Marc Zell. Zell was interviewed in 2004 in an article entitled How Ahmed Chalabi conned the neocons. Zell is quoted as saying that Chalabi promised to reopen the Kirkuk to Haifa pipeline and enable a huge amount of business between Iraq and Israel. Zell went on to further criticize Ahmed Chalabi saying Ahmed Chalabi is a treacherous, spineless turncoat. The nerve of this guy Zell criticizing his partner in crime who helped push us into a war that would eventually cost us 4,489 KIAs and over $2 trillion just so that he could make $millions in profits. Fourth, Scooter Libby was Vice President Dick Cheneys chief of staff in Washington. Libby had a secure communications link to Ahmed Chalabi in Baghdad during the summer of 2003. Libby was also linked to the nefarious oil trader Marc Rich. That name might be familiar to you. Marc Rich was the person who President Clinton pardoned on his last day in office from crimes of income tax evasion of $100 million and trading with the enemy. Libby was Marc Richs lawyer for many years while Rich made $billions moving Iranian crude oil through a secret pipeline through Israel. The pipeline carried oil from the Red Sea Israeli port of Eilat to the Mediterranean port of Ashkelon. This secret pipeline was constructed in 1970 and Marc Rich transported Iranian oil through this pipeline for over 20 years, until the mid 1990s. He moved the oil through Israel to his customers in the Mediterranean and Israel received what oil it needed at a discounted price. This arrangement stopped sometime after 1994 when Rich was forced out of the company he founded. The original company was called Marc Rich & Co, AG and located in Switzerland. The name was changed to Glencore in 1995 after Rich was bought out. Both Marc Rich and Scooter Libby developed a very close relationship to the Israeli government and especially the Mossad, Israels intelligence group. The former British foreign secretary from 2001 to 2006 was Jack Straw. Straw said of Scooter Libby, It is a toss up whether he is working for the Israelis or the Americans on any given day. Last, there was a young analyst assigned to our Energy Infrastructure Planning Group (EIPG) at the Pentagon back in October 2002 by the name of Mike Makovsky. Makovsky had no recognizable experience in the oil industry and no applicable experience in government so his role on our team was somewhat contentious. The security people at the Pentagon refused to grant him a top secret clearance and he refused to deploy to Iraq with the rest of us, remaining at the Pentagon as the Pentagons so-called expert on the Iraq oil sector. Years later, I learned that Doug Feith over-ruled the Pentagon security group to get Makovsky his top secret clearance. Something that I did not know was even legal. I also learned that AIPAC (the Israeli Lobby group) placed Makovsky in Doug Feiths group at the Pentagon. I also learned that Makovsky left the US in 1989 to join the Israeli foreign service. My CIA contacts told me that Israels foreign service is 98% Mossad, the Israeli intelligence. So, it prompts a question why was a Mossad contact with no oil experience placed in a key Iraq oil position at the Pentagon in 2002 through 2008? The only reasonable conclusion was to support the identified oil agenda for supplying Iraqi oil to Israel. Makovsky is currently the CEO of JINSA an Israeli lobby think tank in DC. The Alternative Plan It became evident that the Haifa pipeline plan was unattainable late in the summer of 2003. The neoconservatives learned that the pipeline no longer existed inside Iraq and Ahmed Chalabi recognized that the Iraqis were violently resisting the idea of an oil pipeline to Israel. In July 2003, the Iraqis started attacking oil pipelines. This led to severe shortages of gasoline and diesel for the population. Gas lines quickly became several kilometers long in 100-degree heat in Baghdad. The National Security Council (specifically Frank Miller) had a tirade on our video teleconference because pictures of the long gas lines were all over the US press and making the administration look bad. It was recognized in Baghdad that the attacks had to be an inside job, but we would not be able to confirm it until years later. We eventually learned that the reason for the attacks was because the Iraqis were reading in the Baghdad Arabic press that the Americans were shipping their oil to Israel through a pipeline to Haifa. Israeli government leaders were announcing in their press that the Americans would soon reopen the Haifa pipeline and the Iraqi press just picked up the stories. Oil ministry insiders began attacking their own pipelines after reading the Iraqi press. Chalabi convinced the neocons to give up on their primary plan of opening a pipeline to Haifa in 2003. He executed an alternative plan to get oil to Israel. He ordered the reversal of our CPA policy of not selling oil to brokers. The timing of the Chalabi order was very opportune because both Phil Carroll and I were out of the country. Phil and I endorsed the policy of not selling to brokers in order to minimize the risk of corruption. Chalabi ordered the oil ministry to sell their oil to Glencore, the commodity brokerage company created by Marc Rich that had supplied as much as 90% of Israels crude oil over the last three decades. Iraq crude oil was sold to Glencore throughout the remainder of CPA and through the summer of 2004. The facts cannot be denied. History should accurately reflect an oil agenda for the Iraq war of providing Iraqi oil to Israel. Gary Vogler is president of Howitzer Consulting, LLC. From December 2006 to September 2011 he was a senior oil consultant for US Forces in Iraq, and before that he served as deputy senior oil advisor, CPA, for Baghdad, and as senior oil advisor, ORHA, for the Pentagon, Kuwait, and Baghdad. Vogler, a former US Army officer, has also worked in management positions at ExxonMobil and Mobil Oil Corporations for over two decades. Reprinted by authors permission from University of Kansas Press Blog - Bonus video added by Informed Comment: AFP: 15 years after Saddams fall, Iraqi hopes fade Reddit Email 300 Shares Russia and China are both putting their feet down about the talk in the US and France about renegotiating the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the 2015 agreement on freezing and curtailing Irans nuclear enrichment program by the UN Security Council and Germany in return for lifting international sanctions. US President Trump is threatening to withdraw, while French President Emmanuel Macron urges that the deal be kept but renegotiated to widen restrictions on Iran. The pushback comes as the US continues to violate the spirit of the agreement by retaining severe sanctions on Iran, which it had implied it would drop. The Department of Justice is even said to be planning action against Chinese smartphone Huawei for selling its products in Iran. You can imagine how this is going over in Beijing. Russias deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov insisted to the Tass news agency that We believe it as an irrevocable condition that the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) should be strengthened, preserved and that its functioning in its current form should be ensured in the future. Currently, it is crucial for all those who understand the JPCOAs worthiness and significance to deal with what the situation dictates, that is to exert any effort for the agreement to be preserved and successfully and sustainably implemented in the future. Russian President Vladimir Putins spokesman Dmitry Peskov concurred, saying We believe that no alternative exists so far . . . We are in favour of keeping the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action in its current form. Ryabkov pointed out that Trumps false allegation that Iran received $150 billion for signing the deal is completely without foundation. The US, he said, had illegally frozen Iranian assets in US banks and simply finally returned that money to its rightful owner. Cole: Trump, who has no problem stiffing his suppliers or threatening to take Iraqs oil, probably cannot actually understand why you would restore to other people money you had illicitly stolen from them, or what the difference is between that and giving them your own money. Peskov noted that the JCPOA had been hammered out in a seven-country negotiation over years: The question is, will it be possible to repeat such successful work in the current situation? It would probably be difficult to pin down Trump on what exactly in the JCPOA makes him unhappy other than that it was a multilateral agreement in which the Obama administration took part. The agreement strictly limited the number of Irans centrifuges, put the country under frequent and spot inspections by the UN, required the destruction of LEU or uranian stockpiles enriched to less that 20% (the only kind of enriched uranium Iran had), and required the mothballing and destruction of the planned heavy water nuclear power facility at Arak. The requirement of inspections lapses after 10 years, a provision that Israel and other non-signatories have sometimes criticized. Military facilities are not subject to inspections, but then the US put that exception into the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty itself to avoid inspections of its own bases. Iran is under sufficient espionage scrutiny to make a secret ramping up of its enrichment program highly unlikely. French president Emmanuel Macron wants to take on restrictions on Irans ballistic missile program and a provision that it withdraw from Syria, Iraq and Yemen. That is, rather outrageously, Macron wants to use the fact that Iran acquiesced in the deal on knee-capping its nuclear enrichment program as a wedge to push it around on a whole range of unrelated issues. I think most recent French international interventions, e.g. in Mali, have been useful to locals and the international community, but Im not sure they leave Paris in a position to complain about Iran helping Iraq and Syria defeat Daesh/ ISIL. Iran charges that hundreds of billions of dollars in Saudi arms purchases and investments lie behind the Franco-American push to renegotiate the JCPOA. It also charges Israeli behind the scenes lobbying in Washington and Paris. Macrons hopes of leveraging Trumps obstructionism into negotiating a wider set of restraints on Iran will falter in the face of Russian and Chinese objections. Russia and China wouldnt really care if Irans ballistic missile program were interfered with, but Russia does want to sell Iran anti-missile missiles and wouldnt want any agreement that forestalled those sales. Russia and China also probably would not care if the 10-year sunset provision of the Iran deal were extended. But they see Irans role in Syria as a key contribution to the war effort against extremist Sunni guerrilla groups and both have their own problems with separatist or Salafi Muslim discontents. Both want the al-Assad government in Syria to survive. So the containing Iran element in Macrons thinking is a non-starter for Moscow and Beijing. Moreover, although they might not mind the other tinkering with the JCPOA, they wont help force Iran into accepting those further limitations. On Monday at the meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Council, Russia and China issued a joint communique supporting the Iran deal. Bonus video: Euronews from 3 months ago: Russia accuses the U.S. of undermining Iran nuclear deal VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 26, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TriMetals Mining Inc. (TSX:TMI), (TMI or the Company), is pleased to announce that exploration and permitting activities have commenced for the field season at its flagship Gold Springs Project in the western U.S.A. and that several site visits with prospective strategic partners have been completed at the Escalones copper-gold project in Chile. Highlights Positive rock chip sampling results from the South Jumbo and new Homestake targets at TMIs Gold Springs Project; Field exploration work and permitting activities have commenced at the Gold Springs Project; and Site visits to Escalones Project completed with potential strategic partners. Eric Edwards, President and CEO of TMI, said, At the Gold Springs Project, we have commenced our field exploration activities for 2018, including surface sampling, mapping, refining the resource model and continuing the structural analysis to connect the North Jumbo and South Jumbo targets. Our long-term cultural assessment and permitting activities initiated last year are continuing in order to satisfy requirements for future district-wide permits. In summer 2018, we will focus our program on the 5.5 kilometer long Jumbo Trend, examining the structural offsets and lithological complexities to determine potential continuity of the north and south resources areas. We are working toward our goal to identify 3.0 million oz of gold in Jumbo mineral resources. Turning to the Escalones Project, Mr. Edwards continued: We are pleased with the level of interest from prospective, high-quality potential partners for our Escalones copper-gold project. The current exciting copper market has provided a window of opportunity to TMI to seek a value-accretive partnership from a cross section of mid-tier producers and explorers with experience, teams and skills in the South American copper belt. While the process of evaluation is ongoing, the positive response has reinforced our view of the potential at Escalones and that the project can be more rapidly advanced and contribute value to TMI shareholders by combining efforts in a potential partnership. In other matters, regarding the international arbitration case on the Companys former Bolivian asset, TMI anticipates that a ruling of the International Court of Arbitration may be issued within the next few months. Following the delivery of the ruling, Bolivia will have two levels of appeal process available, and those appeals could take up to two years after receiving the ruling. Mr. Edwards commented, We remain optimistic of a favorable outcome. Gold Springs Project Exploration Update Encouraging results were received from a surface sampling program completed at the end of 2017 on the South Jumbo and the Homestake Target, newly acquired in 2017. See Appendix 1, 2, 3 following. The Gold Springs Project straddles Nevada and Utah, located approximately 120 air km northeast of Las Vegas and 75 air km northwest of Cedar City, Utah. The exploration staff is evaluating past drilling and the recent surface sampling results to better understand the controls for the higher-grade gold mineralization and to refine the geologic model to optimize future drill programs. These programs would be designed to locate additional + 1 g/t gold mineralization and to expand the existing resources at the North and South Jumbo targets. In addition to the Jumbo targets, sampling has confirmed high-grade gold mineralization at the newly acquired Homestake Target. These results are being incorporated into the geologic mapping in order to develop priority drill targets at Homestake. The scope of the exploration program and any drilling for 2018 will be subject to availability of financing. Gold Springs Project South Jumbo Target The South Jumbo Target lies along the 5.5 km long Jumbo Trend, within the eastern portion of the Gold Springs Project in Utah. TMI has identified at the South Jumbo Target measured resources of 2.1 million tonnes at 0.64 g/t gold and 6.91 g/t silver; indicated resources of 3.2 million tonnes at 0.58 g/t gold and 6.24 g/t silver; and inferred resources of 1.4 million tonnes at 0.50 g/t gold and 5.27 g/t silver. Please refer to the technical report titled: Amended Technical Report and 2017 Mineral Resource Gold Spring Project dated July 27, 2017 and with an effective date of March 29, 2017 which has been filed at www.SEDAR.com (the Gold Springs Technical Report) for important Qualified Person, technical and other disclosures. South Jumbo resource is a shallow mineralized zone which has been tested to a depth of 150 meters (m) and over a north-south strike length of 600 m. The resource remains open at depth and along strike in both directions. The rock chip sampling demonstrates the mineralization can be traced along strike for almost a kilometer beyond the current defined resource before being obscured by post mineral cover. The 178 surface samples were designed to test for surface projections of the higher-grade material seen in the 2016 and 2017 drill results at South Jumbo, and to test for projections of this material into areas outside of the defined resource. The sampling was successful in achieving both these goals with the rock chip sampling results highlighted by high-grade values as high as 53 g/t gold with 106.9 g/t silver and 35.4 g/t gold with 316.0 g/t silver as well as demonstrating evidence of mineralization across the entire 1.5 km of exposed strike length at South Jumbo. Multiple samples of greater than 10 g/t gold highlight the potential for high-grade zones within a broad, lower-grade shell that was identified from drilling in 2016 and 2017 (samples ranged from <0.005g/t gold and <0.5 g/t silver to 53.0 g/t gold and 316.0 g/t silver). It will require follow-up drilling to test that the high-grade gold and silver mineralization is continuous from surface to depth and to expand the current defined resource. Gold Springs Project Homestake Target Surface sampling results from the Homestake Target confirm the high-grade nature of the gold mineralization and its continuation from the veins into the surrounding breccia and stockwork zones. Gold mineralization has now been traced for 1.8 km along the north-south strike with some portions projected under post- mineral cover. The surrounding breccia and stockwork zones are exposed over an east-west width of 400 m before their projection under post-mineral cover. A total of 75 samples were collected over the 1.8 km strike of the Homestake system. This rock chip sampling produced several positive gold and silver values which included 62 g/t gold with 82 g/t silver and 8.0 g/t gold with 746.6 g/t silver in areas of brecciation outside of the veins (samples ranged from <0.005g/t gold and <0.5 g/t silver to 53.0 g/t gold and 316.0 g/t silver). The surface sampling program was the first step in scoping an exploration program and drill targets for the Homestake Target, which is located 1 km northeast of the Grey Eagle Target where TMI has defined measured resources of 2.8 million tonnes at 0.65 g/t gold and 7.26 g/t silver; indicated resources of 4.3 million tonnes at 0.59 g/t gold and 7.11 g/t silver; and inferred resources of 0.9 million tonnes at 0.43 g/t gold and 6.37 g/t silver. Please refer to the Gold Springs Technical Report for important Qualified Person, technical and other disclosures. Escalones Copper Project, Chile In February 2018, TMI initiated a program to seek a strategic partner to advance the Escalones Project towards feasibility. The Companys strategy is to a structure a strategic partnership by retaining a mineral royalty, a minority stake and/or an equity position in the partnership to share in the future success of the Escalones Project. The Escalones Project is located 35 km east of Codelcos El Teniente Mine, the largest copper underground mine with one of the largest copper reserves in the world. The Escalones Project was internally discovered by TMI through greenfield exploration work. An Amended Technical Report prepared by Hard Rock Consulting, LLC titled Resource Estimate on the Escalones Porphyry Copper Project and dated July 11, 2014 with an effective date of June 28, 2013 (the Escalones Technical Report) stated that the project has: Indicated Resources of 232.6 million tonnes at average grades of 0.31% copper, 0.07 g/t gold, 0.66 g/t silver, and 0.006% molybdenum, containing approximately 1.6 million pounds of copper, 0.5 million ounces of gold, 4.9 million ounces of silver, and 31.9 million pounds of molybdenum, and Inferred Resources of 527.7 million tonnes at average grades of 0.34% copper, 0.04 g/t gold, 0.85 g/t silver, and 0.007% molybdenum, containing approximately 4.0 million pounds of copper, 0.6 million ounces of gold, 14.4 million ounces of silver and 79.5 million pounds of molybdenum. Exploration work on Escalones was halted by the Company in 2014 due to low copper prices. Please refer to the Escalones Technical Report available on the Companys website and on www.SEDAR.com for important Qualified Person, technical and other disclosures. About TMI TriMetals Mining Inc. (TSX:TMI) and (OTCQX:TMIAF) is a growth-focused mineral exploration company creating value through the exploration and development of the near-surface Gold Springs gold-silver project in mining-friendly Nevada and Utah, U.S.A. The Companys Class B shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under TMI.B. Note that the Class B shares have no interest in the properties or assets of the Company other than a collective entitlement to 85% of the net cash after expenses, if any, received by TMI from award or settlement in relation to the Companys subsidiarys arbitration proceeding against Bolivia. Website: Trimetalsmining.com Assay Method for Surface Sampling Program TMI Assays were performed by Bureau Veritas Mineral Laboratories, an ISO 9001:2000 Certified laboratory in Sparks, Nevada. Gold was analyzed by fire assay with an AAS finish, with higher-grade samples being re-assayed by fire assay with a gravity finish. All other elements were analyzed by a four-acid leach ICP method. Qualified Person The Qualified Person on the Gold Springs Project is Randall Moore, Executive Vice President of Exploration North America for TMI and he has reviewed and approved the content of this news release. Mr. Moore has more than 40 years of mineral exploration experience and is a Professional Geologist and Registered Member of the Society of Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration. Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements contained herein constitute forward-looking information under applicable Canadian securities laws (forward-looking statements). Forward-looking statements look into the future and provide an opinion as to the effect of certain events and trends on the business. Forward-looking statements may include words such as continue, target, indicates, strengthening, process, will and similar expressions. Interpretations of exploration results, including the strength of mineralization, are also forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and entail various risks and uncertainties. Actual results may materially differ from expectations if known and unknown risks or uncertainties affect our business or if our estimates or assumptions prove inaccurate. Factors that could cause results or events to differ materially from current expectations expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, include, but are not limited to, risks of the mineral exploration industry which may affect the advancement of the Gold Springs project, including possible variations in mineral resources, grade, recovery rates, metal prices, capital and operating costs, and the application of taxes; availability of sufficient financing to fund planned or further required work in a timely manner and on acceptable terms; availability of equipment and qualified personnel, failure of equipment or processes to operate as anticipated, changes in project parameters, including water requirements for operations, as plans continue to be refined; regulatory, environmental and other risks of the mining industry more fully described in the Companys Annual Information Form and continuous disclosure documents, which are available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. The assumptions made in developing the forward-looking statements include: the accuracy of current resource estimates and the interpretation of drill, metallurgical testing and other exploration results; the continuing support for mining by local governments in Nevada and Utah; the availability of equipment and qualified personnel to advance the Gold Springs project; execution of the Companys existing plans and further exploration and development programs for Gold Springs, which may change due to changes in the views of the Company or if new information arises which makes it prudent to change such plans or programs. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Except as required by law, TMI assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or any other reason. Unless otherwise indicated, forward-looking statements in this press release describe the Companys expectations as of the date hereof. TMI Contact: Eric Edwards President & CEO 303.584.0606 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. PDFs for this release are available at: Click Here Click Here Click Here London, Ontario / TheNewswire / April 26, 2018 - Peloton Minerals Corporation ("Peloton" or the "Company") (CSE Symbol: PMC) and Kinross Gold USA Inc. ("Kinross") have signed an Exploration Agreement with a joint Venture Option (the "Agreement") on the Company's Independence Valley Project (the "Project" or "Independence Valley") including an area of interest established around the Project which is located in Elko County, Nevada. Under the Agreement, Kinross may earn up to a 75% interest in the Project by spending a total of US$4,000,000 in exploration expenditures within six years. Independence Valley is comprised of a 1,160 acre claim package located in Elko County, Nevada and about 29 miles south of Newmont's Long Canyon Project. Independence Valley is also within the historical Spruce Mountain mining district which hosted many base and precious metals mines since the 1840's. The Spruce Mountain deposits are typically associated with rhyolitic and granitic intrusive rocks which intrude structural feeders. Independence Valley hosts the largest untested rhyolite dome in the Spruce Mountain Mining District. Kinross may first earn a 51% interest in the Project by spending US$2,500,000 in exploration expenditures within four years with a minimum of $200,000 in expenditure during the first year. Kinross may earn a further 24% interest in the Project by spending an additional US$1,500,000 in exploration expenditures over a two year period following the establishment of the first 51% interest, for a total of US$4,000,000 to earn a 75% interest. After Kinross has earned either a 51% or a 75% interest, as the case may be, a mining venture or mining company may be formed with respect to the Project, and Kinross and Peloton will contribute their respective share of further exploration and development expenditures. In the event that either party's interest is diluted to ten percent (10.0%) or less, it shall relinquish its interest to the other party, in return for a royalty agreement that conveys to the diluting party a royalty of two percent (2.0%) of net smelter returns on all minerals thereafter produced and removed from the Property. The non-diluting party may, at any time, buy-down that royalty by one percent (1.0%), so that the total royalty is one percent (1.0%) of net smelter returns, by paying US$1,000,000.00 to the royalty holder. On other Peloton Nevada projects, Peloton has increased the claim size on the Golden Trail Project from 290 acres to 880 acres, based on an airborne Hyperspectral Imaging survey the Company flew in north-eastern Nevada, and has staked an additional 880 acres about 5 miles north of Golden Trail as a new project named Texas Canyon. Both of these projects are located in Elko County, about 50 and 55 miles north of Newmont's Long Canyon Project. Upon further assimilation of data, more detailed press releases about each project will be issued. Richard C. Capps, PhD, is the qualified person responsible for approving the technical information contained within this release. For further information please contact: Edward (Ted) Ellwood, MBA President & CEO 1-519-964-2836 Peloton Minerals Corporation is a reporting issuer in good standing in the Province of Ontario whose common shares are listed on the CSE (Symbol: PMC). There are 73,664,570 common shares issued and outstanding in the capital of the Company. Peloton owns three gold exploration projects located in Elko County, Nevada, including Independence Valley which is now under option to Kinross. The Company also has projects in Montana and Ontario, Canada. CSE has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release contains "forward-looking information" (within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws) and "forward-looking statements" (within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995). Such statements or information are identified with words such as "anticipate", "believe", "expect", "plan", "intend", "potential", "estimate", "propose", "project", "outlook", "foresee" or similar words suggesting future outcomes or statements regarding an outlook. Such statements include, among others, those concerning the Company's plans for exploration activity and to conduct future exploration programs. Such forward-looking information or statements are based on a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions which may cause actual results or other expectations to differ materially from those anticipated and which may prove to be incorrect. Assumptions have been made regarding, among other things, management's expectations regarding its ability to initiate and complete future exploration work as expected. Actual results could differ materially due to a number of factors, including, without limitation, operational risks in the completion of the Company's future exploration work, technical, safety or regulatory issues. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information or statements are reasonable, prospective investors in the Company's securities should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements because the Company can provide no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking information and statements contained in this news release are as of the date of this news release and the Company assumes no obligation to update or revise this forward-looking information and statements except as required by law. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 25, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Klondex Mines Ltd. (TSX:KDX) (NYSE American:KLDX) (Klondex or the Company) reported today its preliminary operating results for the first quarter of 2018. First Quarter 2018 Highlights: Announced proposed acquisition of Klondex by Hecla Mining Company (Hecla) for US$462 million Mined 49,873 gold equivalent ounces (GEOs) Produced 43,525 GEOs Mined and production results in-line with Company expectations Sold 42,541 GEOs Proposed Transaction with Hecla: On March 19, 2018, the Company announced that Hecla will acquire all of the outstanding shares of Klondex through a plan of arrangement. Hecla will acquire Klondex for consideration of US$462 million comprised of cash and shares of Hecla common stock. Klondex shareholders will receive US$2.47 per share in cash or shares of Hecla which represents a 59% premium to Klondex's 30-day volume-weighted average price at March 16, 2018 and a premium of approximately 72% based on the closing price on March 16, 2018. Klondex's Canadian assets will be spun out to its existing shareholders. Klondex shareholders will receive, for each Klondex share, 0.125 of a common share of a newly formed company which will own Klondex's Canadian assets. The closing of the transaction is subject to certain conditions including shareholder and regulatory approvals. Additional details regarding the transaction will be available in the preliminary proxy statement that is expected to be filed with regulatory agencies in May. Pending receipt of all required approvals, the Company anticipates that the transaction will be completed in the second quarter of 2018. Nevada Operations: The Company mined and produced a total of 47,499 and 41,415 GEOs, respectively, at its Nevada operations during the first quarter of 2018. Total GEOs produced for the first quarter included approximately 3,700 ounces from the Hollister ore stockpile that were sold to and processed by a third party. Canada Operations: The Company mined and produced a total of 2,374 and 2,111 GEOs, respectively, at its Canada operations during the first quarter of 2018. These ounces were mined from areas that were developed prior to the Company's decision to place the True North operation on care and maintenance in early January of 2018. Consistent with management plans, no ounces were processed from tailings at True North during the first quarter of 2018. First Quarter 2018 Operating Results: Three months ended March 31, 2018 Consolidated Nevada Total Canada Total Total Ore tons mined 92,303 19,301 111,604 Gold equivalent grade mined (opt)(1) 0.51 0.12 0.45 Gold equivalent ounces mined(1) 47,499 2,374 49,873 Ore tons milled 89,772 19,390 109,162 Gold equivalent grade milled (opt)(1) 0.54 0.12 0.40 Gold equivalent ounces produced(1) 41,415 2,111 43,525 Gold equivalent ounces sold(1) 37,370 5,171 42,541 GEO Ratio(1) 80.4 79.6 80.4 (1) Gold equivalent ounces ("GEO") and grades are computed as the applicable gold ounces/grade plus the silver ounces/grade divided by a GEO ratio. GEO ratios are computed by dividing the average realized gold price per ounce by the average realized silver price per ounce received by the Company in the respective period. Preliminary GEO ratios are listed above. Three months ended March 31, 2018 Nevada Fire Creek Midas Hollister Aurora(2) Nevada Total Ore tons mined 30,409 23,761 27,282 10,851 92,303 Gold equivalent grade mined (opt)(1) 0.80 0.43 0.43 0.09 0.51 Gold equivalent ounces mined(1) 24,453 10,174 11,864 1,016 47,499 Ore tons milled 30,699 26,973 21,249 10,851 89,772 Gold equivalent grade milled (opt)(1) 0.79 0.42 0.51 0.10 0.54 Average gold recovery rate (%) 91.9 % 89.1 % 84.4 % 55 % 88.9 % Average silver recovery rate (%) 79.4 % 77.6 % 42.7 % 45.1 % 65.3 % Gold equivalent ounces produced(1) 22,305 9,878 8,701 540 41,415 Gold equivalent ounces sold(1) 15,241 10,565 10,081 1,492 37,370 GEO Ratio(1) 80.9 80 79.9 80.1 80.4 (1) Gold equivalent ounces ("GEO") and grades are computed as the applicable gold ounces/grade plus the silver ounces/grade divided by a GEO ratio. GEO ratios are computed by dividing the average realized gold price per ounce by the average realized silver price per ounce received by the Company in the respective period. Preliminary GEO ratios are listed above. (2) Aurora activity is a result of processing historical Hollister tailings at the Aurora mill. Three months ended March 31, 2018 Canada True North Mine True North Tailings Canada Total Ore tons mined 19,301 19,301 Gold equivalent grade mined (opt)(1) 0.12 0.12 Gold equivalent ounces mined(1) 2,374 2,374 Ore tons milled 19,390 19,390 Gold equivalent grade milled (opt)(1) 0.12 0.12 Average gold recovery rate (%) 92.3 % % 92.3 % Gold equivalent ounces produced(1) 2,111 2,111 Gold equivalent ounces sold(1) 5,171 5,171 GEO Ratio(1) 79.6 79.6 (1) Gold equivalent ounces ("GEO") and grades are computed as the applicable gold ounces/grade plus the silver ounces/grade divided by a GEO ratio. GEO ratios are computed by dividing the average realized gold price per ounce by the average realized silver price per ounce received by the Company in the respective period. Preliminary GEO ratios are listed above. Contact: Mike Beckstead Director, Investor Relations O: 775-391-8142 M: 406-290-4165 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. About Klondex Mines Ltd. (www.klondexmines.com) Klondex is a junior-tier gold and silver mining company focused on exploration, development, and production in a safe, environmentally responsible, and cost-effective manner. The Company has 100% interests in three producing mineral properties: the Fire Creek Mine, the Midas Mine and ore milling facility, and the Hollister Mine, all of which are located in the state of Nevada, USA. The Company also has a 100% interest in the True North Mine and mill in Manitoba, Canada and the Aurora Mine and ore milling facility, located in Nevada, USA. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Information This news release contains certain information that may constitute forward-looking information or forward-looking statements under applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation (collectively, forward-looking information), including but not limited to the timing of the transaction with Hecla, and the future exploration, development and production plans of Klondex. This forward-looking information entails various risks and uncertainties that are based on current expectations, and actual results may differ materially from those contained in such information. These uncertainties and risks include, but are not limited to, the strength of the global economy; the price of gold; operational, funding and liquidity risks; the degree to which mineral resource estimates are reflective of actual mineral resources; the degree to which mineral reserve estimates are reflective of actual mineral reserves; the degree to which factors which would make a mineral deposit commercially viable are present; the risks and hazards associated with underground operations; and the ability of Klondex to fund its substantial capital requirements and operations; and the occurrence of any event that could give rise to the delay or termination of the proposed transaction with Hecla. Risks and uncertainties about the Companys business are more fully discussed in the Companys disclosure materials filed with the securities regulatory authorities in Canada and United States available at www.sedar.com and www.sec.gov, respectively. Readers are urged to read these materials. Klondex assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking information or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from such information unless required by law. Important Additional Information and Where to Find It In connection with the proposed transaction with Hecla, Klondex will file with the SEC and mail or otherwise provide to its shareholders a proxy statement regarding the proposed transaction. BEFORE MAKING ANY VOTING DECISION, KLONDEX SHAREHOLDERS ARE URGED TO CAREFULLY READ THE PROXY STATEMENT IN ITS ENTIRETY WHEN IT BECOMES AVAILABLE AND ANY OTHER DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC IN CONNECTION WITH THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION OR INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE THEREIN BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION AND THE PARTIES TO THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION. Investors and security holders may obtain a free copy of the proxy statement and other documents that Klondex files with the SEC (when available) from the SECs website at www.sec.gov and Klondexs website at www.klondexmines.com. In addition, the proxy statement and other documents filed by Klondex with the SEC (when available) may be obtained from Klondex free of charge by directing a request to Mike Beckstead, Director, Investor Relations, Klondex Mines Ltd., 6110 Plumas Street, Suite A, Reno, Nevada, USA 89519, Phone: 775-284-5757. Certain Participants in the Solicitation Klondex, its directors and certain of its executive officers and employees may be deemed, under SEC rules, to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from Klondex shareholders with respect to shareholder approval of the proposed acquisition of Klondex. Information regarding the names of Klondexs directors and executive officers and their respective interests in Klondex by security holdings or otherwise is set forth in Klondexs Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017 filed with the SEC on March 14, 2018 and Klondexs definitive proxy statement for its 2017 Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders filed with the SEC on April 11, 2017. Additional information regarding the interests of such individuals in the proposed transaction will be included in the proxy statement relating to such acquisition when it is filed with the SEC. These documents may be obtained free of charge from the SECs website at www.sec.gov and Klondexs website at www.klondexmines.com. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 26, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Auryn Resources Inc. (TSX:AUG) (NYSE American:AUG) (Auryn or the Company) is pleased to announce that it has staked a substantial land position in the Andahuaylas-Yauri belt in southern Peru. This area hosts significant large-scale porphyry and skarn deposits such as the Las Bambas, Tintaya, Antapaccay, Cotabambas, Los Chancas, and Constancia deposits, as well as Auryns undrilled Sombrero project (Figure 1). Approximately 60,000 hectares has been applied for 75 kilometers to the southeast of Auryns Sombrero project, establishing the Company as a dominant player within the region. The areas staked represent both epithermal gold-silver and copper-gold skarn/porphyry targets (Figure 2 & 3). Those targets were staked in this highly under-explored region of Peru following a regional stream sediment program conducted by Auryn in 2017. The program screened 6,700 square kilometers using highly sensitive cyanide leach assay techniques and pointed to gold, copper, and silver anomalies that were typically five-times background level. This latest staking has more than doubled the Companys current land position to over 100,000 hectares in the region. The next stage of Auryns exploration process will be to conduct systematic follow-up work consisting of high-density stream sediment sampling, reconnaissance rock sampling, mapping, trenching and geophysical programs. Michael Henrichsen, Auryns COO and Chief Geologist, stated, This is a rare opportunity in the region as we dont believe there has been any systematic exploration in this area of Peru due to the perceived nature of an overlying post-mineralization volcanic cover. Our field observations resulted in the identification of several erosional windows through the volcanic cover that exhibit epithermal, porphyry and skarn styles of mineralization. More importantly, the overlying volcanic cover rock has been observed to host precious metal style epithermal mineralization. Michael Henrichsen, P.Geo, COO of Auryn, is the Qualified Person who assumes responsibility for the technical disclosures in this press release. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF AURYN RESOURCES INC. Ivan Bebek Executive Chairman For further information on Auryn Resources Inc., please contact Natasha Frakes, Manager of Corporate Communications at (778) 729-0600 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . About Auryn Auryn Resources is a technically driven junior mining exploration company focused on delivering shareholder value through project acquisition and development. The Companys management team is highly experienced with an impressive track record of success and has assembled an extensive technical team as well as a premier gold exploration portfolio. Auryn is focused on scalable high-grade gold deposits in established mining jurisdictions, which include the Committee Bay and Gibson MacQuoid gold projects located in Nunavut, the Homestake Ridge gold project in British Columbia and a portfolio of gold projects in southern Peru, through Corisur Peru SAC. Forward Looking Information and additional cautionary language This release includes certain statements that may be deemed forward-looking statements. Forward-looking information is information that includes implied future performance and/or forecast information including information relating to, or associated with the acquisition and title to mineral concessions. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different (either positively or negatively) from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Readers should refer to the risks discussed in the Companys Annual Information Form and MD&A for the year ended December 31, 2016 and subsequent continuous disclosure filings with the Canadian Securities Administrators available at www.sedar.com and the Companys registration statement on Form 40-F filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and available at www.sec.gov. Peru Stream Sediment Samples, 2017: Samples between 0.5 to 3kg were collected from stream sediments. The samples were then sent to ALS Lab in Vancouver, BC for preparation and analysis. They are analyzed using Ultra-Trace Au by Cyanide Extraction and ICP-MS finish method (Au-CN44) and ultra-trace multi-element Aqua Regia digest ICP-AES/ICP-MS method (ME-MS41L). Samples from follow-up stream sediment survey are analyzed using Super-Trace Au and multi-element by Aqua Regia digest and ICP-MS finish method (AuME-ST44). QA/QC programs using internal standard samples, field and lab duplicates, re-assays, and blanks indicate acceptable accuracy and precision in a large majority of standards assayed. Disclaimer The Toronto Stock Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 25, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Imperial Metals Corporation (the Company) (TSX:III) reports that metal production from the Red Chris and Mount Polley mines for the 2018 first quarter was 25.1 million pounds copper and 24,495 ounces gold. Red Chris first quarter metal production was 19.72 million pounds copper and 12,215 ounces gold, an increase of 21% and 110% respectively from the 16.33 million pounds copper and 5,811 ounces gold produced in the March 2017 quarter. The mill achieved average throughput of 28,783 tonnes per calendar day for the March 2018 quarter. First quarter metal recoveries were 77.22% copper and 47.37% gold, a decrease of 3% in copper recovery and increase of 27% in gold recovery from the comparable 2017 quarter. The Red Chris copper and gold grades will be lower for the 2018 second and third quarters as bottom benches of the phase 3 pushback in the Main zone pit were completed in the 2018 first quarter. The mill feed for the second and third quarters will come from the upper benches of the phase 4 pushback. Mount Polley metal production was 5.37 million pounds copper and 12,280 ounces gold, a slight decrease from the 5.46 million pounds copper and 13,811 ounces gold produced in the comparable 2017 quarter. The mill achieved average throughput of 17,917 tonnes per calendar day, and metal recoveries were 75.67% copper and 73.75% gold during the 2018 first quarter, an increase of 6% and 3% respectively for the comparable 2017 quarter. The Company is targeting 2018 production to be within the range of 89-96 million pounds copper and 75,000-80,000 ounces gold as reported in the January 11 news release. About Imperial Imperial is a Vancouver exploration, mine development and operating company. The Company, through its subsidiaries, owns the Red Chris, Mount Polley and Huckleberry copper mines in British Columbia. Imperial also holds a 50% interest in the Ruddock Creek lead/zinc property. Company Contacts Brian Kynoch | President | 604.669.8959 Andre Deepwell | Chief Financial Officer | 604.488.2666 Gordon Keevil | Vice President Corporate Development | 604.488.2677 Sabine Goetz | Shareholder Communications | 604.488.2657 | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Forward-Looking Information and Risks Notice Forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect Company management's expectations or beliefs regarding future events and include, but are not limited to, specific statements regarding expectations that metal grades will be lower in the second half of 2018 for the Red Chris mine. In certain cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "outlook", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved" or the negative of these terms or comparable terminology. By their very nature forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, risks related to changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; future prices of mineral resources; possible variations in ore reserves, grade or recovery rates; accidents; dependence on key personnel; labour pool constraints; labour disputes; availability of infrastructure required for the development of mining projects; delays in obtaining governmental approvals or financing; that additional required financing may not be available to the Company on terms acceptable to the Company or at all; counterparty risks associated with sales of our metals; changes in general economic conditions; increased operating and capital costs; and other risks of the mining industry as well as those factors detailed from time to time in the Company's interim and annual financial statements and management's discussion and analysis of those statements, all of which are filed and available for review on sedar.com. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward looking statements. After long years the Streetlights of Memory, a work by French artist Melik Ohanian, found a home in Geneva on April 13. It first needed the Geneva parliament in 1998 and then the Swiss parliament in 2003 to recognize the Armenian genocide. It then required the determination of those defending remembrance, the City of Geneva and especially the Municipal Fund for Contemporary Art (FMAC) to get a monument selected that evokes the Armenian genocide and the evil that man can inflict on man. Finally, the promoters of the monument had to overcome the reservations of several parties, often linked to fear of upsetting the Turkish authorities. Istanbul, which still refuses to recognize the Armenian genocide, made known its fierce opposition. But isnt the history of every country made up of good and bad times? It is a good thing that Geneva and Switzerland have given a home to the Streetlights of Memory because, like every tragedy, the Armenian one needs to be remembered. This is all the more necessary because denial remains strong. Let us remember that in October 2015 Switzerland was sanctioned on appeal at the European Court of Human Rights for infringing the freedom of expression of a Turkish politician who had denied the existence of the Armenian genocide. Treaty of Lausanne The Armenian tragedy should make us reflect, because it was a precursor to events that followed in the 20th century and right up to now, especially the persecution of minorities and policies of ethnic cleansing, under the often indifferent eyes of the cold monsters that are States. The big colonial powers of the time, France and Britain, divided up the spoils of the Ottoman empire in the Middle East (Sykes-Picot accords of 1916), whilst not far away hundreds of thousands of men, women and children were being deported and killed. In this sea of misery there were nevertheless some bright spots the development of refugee protection and international humanitarian law. In other words, the Armenian genocide and its aftermath are inseparable from the history of Switzerland and the modern world. It was on Swiss soil that key decisions were taken, drawing the map of Turkey today after the massacres of Armenians in 1915-1916. In 1923, the Treaty of Lausanne, negotiated at Ouchy Castle, satisfied the government of Kemal Ataturk by refusing to create an Armenian state in the northeast of present day Turkey. Such a state had nevertheless been promised by the winners of the First World War in the Treaty of Sevres in 1920. But the Treaty of Lausanne overruled the Treaty of Sevres. It was also the Treaty of Lausanne which, in the wake of broken promises to the Armenians and Kurds, forced population exchanges between Greece and Turkey. More than 1.5 Ottoman Greeks and nearly 400,000 Greek Muslims, with the knife to their backs, had to leave their respective homes for a supposed motherland that they had never known. Thus the big powers of the time allowed the Armenian genocide to happen and then backed a policy of ethnic cleansing such as we have continued to see in the Yugoslav wars of the 1990s and very recently in the ongoing persecution of different minorities in Syria and Iraq, including the Yezidis. On a more positive note, it was in Geneva that in 1924, the now defunct League of Nations whose headquarters was only a few hundred metres from the Streetlights of Memory gave a form of international protection, the Nansen passport, to stateless persons and Armenian survivors, to facilitate their quest for an asylum country. Some found a home in Switzerland. Hitler and the Armenians It was also from the spilled blood of Armenians that international humanitarian law, so close to the hearts of Geneva and Switzerland, developed to tackle a new and monstrous reality of war: the fact that civilian populations had become a target for annihilation. Indeed, after the massacres of Armenians had started, France, Britain and Russia denounced in a 1915 joint declaration a crime against humanity and against civilization. Apart from one speaker at the 1794 Paris Convention who called slavery a crime against humanity, this was the first time that concept had been so clearly affirmed. But even if the western powers and Russia at the time denounced the massacres of Armenians, they did not intervene. This led Adolf Hitler to say on August 22,1939, just days before the invasion of Poland : Who remembers the massacre of Armenians now?. Speaking to the German high command, he encouraged his generals to treat the Jews and Slavs in the eastern territories the Nazis planned to conquer with extreme brutality, promising them total impunity which he thought was guaranteed by the worlds passivity towards the massacres of Armenians. It was Polish jurist Raphael Lemkin, comparing in his book Axis Rule over Occupied Europe the worlds failure to assist the Armenians in 1915-1916 and Jews in the Second World War, who coined the term genocide (derived from the Greek word genos for race, and the Latin word cide, meaning to kill). He wanted to capture both conceptually and in legal terms a new, monstrous reality of war the extermination of civilian populations , so as to better fight it. Lemkin was also the tireless architect of the 1948 UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. Tragically, neither international law nor the lessons from the Armenian genocide a century ago have provided a sufficient guarantee against new horrors. We know this all too well, as millions of Syrians and Iraqis continue to suffer a pitiless war without end. The Streetlights of Memory invites us to make the link between the Armenian tragedy a century ago and the tragedies of the present, sometimes in the same places where so many Armenians died. Staff and students at Grennan College in Thomastown have launched an innovative initative aimed at promoting positive mental wellbeing, friendship and inclusion. Buddy Benchs Healthy Minds programme targets students in second year. The aim is to equip them with skills, tools, and a shared culture of mutual support, so they will be better able to face and thrive through the mental, emotional and social challenges of adolescence and secondary school life. ESB Funding for Generations supported the Healthy Minds programme in five schools in County Kilkenny: Scoil Aireagail Ballyhale, Colaiste Cois Suire Mooncoin, Castlecomer Community School, Duiske College Graignamanagh, Grennan College. The pilot programme builds on the already successful Buddy Bench Programmes for Primary Schools. Healthy Minds covered topics such as anxiety, mindset, resilience, coping strategies, interpersonal and social media relationship skills. We are all aware of the massive challenges young people face as they try to navigate a safe and fulfilling path to adulthood, said Jeffrey Gormless of Buddy Bench. Everyone wants the future generation to succeed, to fulfil their dreams, to be happy and productive. Most of all, Buddy Bench hopes that our work helps young people to build together a culture where a healthy mind and free expression go together to create an open, creative and mutually supportive society, one where it is easy to ask for or offer help and understanding. Buddy Bench conducted an evaluation with school principals, students and class teachers before and after our intervention, to find out the real needs of young people and what supports they need. Jeffrey Gormly, Creative Director, Buddy Bench, Muirna O'Connor, Buddy Bench, Sam Synnott, Buddy Bench & Sean Og O'Sullivan, Principal of Grennan College This feedback will help us improve both content and delivery of our programs, says Mr Gormley. As far as we know, this is the first evaluation of this kind ever conducted in Ireland. We intend to return to these schools next year with an even better experience for students. Buddy Bench was founded in 2015 by Sam Synnott and Judith Ashton, and with the help of a local team of experts in creativity and mental health, they have delivered their Little Buddies, Buddy Bench Aware and You Are a Hero to 36,000 children in 222 schools in Ireland North and South. They won a Social Entrepreneurs Ireland Elevator Award in 2016, and have participated in the Google Adopt-a-Startup Programme in 2017. They are currently supported by Enterprise Ireland and Irish Research Council, and are working with Maynooth University on a full evaluation of our programs. Our mission is to empower a generation of children to create a world where its OK i.e. normal, natural, easy and fun, to express yourself, says Mr Gormley. Read more schools news here. To submit an item for our Schools section, email sam.matthews@kilkennypeople.ie. New Delhi [India], April 26 (ANI): In a bid to strengthen their global footprint, Venture Catalysts, a domestic integrated incubator, announced the launch of its operations in Dubai. The latest international expansion from VCats builds on its foray into Qatar, and further underlines its commitment to building a global ecosystem of quality investors, mentors, HNIs, and start-ups. The incubator aims to create an integrated international entrepreneurship-focused network which facilitates business knowledge and technical acumen between Indian and international start-ups, investors, and organisations. Dubai has been breaking new grounds as an emerging global start-up and innovation hub and was recently ranked 29th in Nestpick's 2017 Startup Cities Index ahead of the more established ecosystems of London, New York, and Tokyo. Strong support from the government has also been critical to driving the continued success of Dubai's entrepreneurial ecosystem. Therefore, the operational launch of the integrated incubator is expected to further catalyse this growth and unlock the next level of evolution from the region's start-ups. "Dubai, at present, is at a stage where India was around 10 years back. Several high-potential start-ups are making their presence felt in the regional market with their disruptive approach and their focus on leveraging technology. To unlock the next phase of their evolution, these ventures require institutional support from domain leaders, be it in terms of investment, mentoring, or business networking opportunities. This expansion will also help us to tap into the existing and future synergies between the markets in India and Dubai. We aim to enable an exchange of investments, business knowledge, and technological expertise between stakeholders in both regions for driving mutual growth," said Dr. Apoorv Ranjan Sharma, co-founder, and President of Venture Catalysts. In addition to driving start-up growth, the move is also expected to give a massive fillip to the region's investors and HNIs. Start-ups have established themselves as an extremely lucrative alternative investment avenue for HNIs across the globe; post a 2017 IPO, just seven years after its launch, personalised fashion provider Stich Fix provided a valuation-to-investment capital (VIC) ratio of 47x. VCats also marked its Dubai launch with an Investor Pitch Day, which saw six start-ups making their business pitches in front of over 150 investors to secure capital funding. The selected start-ups - ImpactGuru, Kapiva, Rooter, Ideal Insurance, Hospals and University Living - were selected based on their business models, the scope of growth, and potential in both the Indian and the GCC markets. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) On Wednesday, a special court on Wednesday sentenced disgraced godman Asaram Bapu to life imprisonment till death for raping a teenage girl at his ashram. The father of Shahjahanpur victim thanked everyone who supported the family in the fight for justice. Former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader Ghulam Nabi Patel was killed yesterday afternoon after terrorists opened fired. It comes as a good news as Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh suggested that the Kharif season this year would witness favourable produce, in lieu of suitable climatic conditions. Senior Supreme Court advocate Indu Malhotra on Wednesday became the first woman lawyer to be elevated as as a judge of the apex court. Some big developments that are expected to happen today are: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will leave for China today evening to attend an informal summit, to be hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping in Wuhan city on April 27 and 28. The Supreme Court today will resume hearing the case of alleged rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl belonging to Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua area. We at LatestLY will bring all the breaking and latest news and updates around the world. Stay with us for the latest updates of the day. Chenobyl, April 26: Ukrainian military pilot Mykola Volkozub is ready to take his first flight after the Chernobyl disaster of 1986. Volkozub could hardly move under the weight of a lead vest meant to protect him from radiation as he prepared for the flight over the nuclear reactor. Volkozub survived the danger of being killed by radiation during the worlds worst nuclear disaster. He is 86 years of age. For the last 23 years, he has been working in the hangar at an Antonov, a state-run aircraft manufacturer. Volkozub supervises pilots of the company. Today is the 32nd anniversary of the tragic incident which took place in Ukraine, that time was part of the Soviet Union. The Chernobyl disaster was caused by a mishandled security test in the fourth reactor of the nuclear plant. Clouds of nuclear material were also formed over Europe. Volkozub was deployed in a team of two pilots, an engineer and a scientist. He was to fly an MI-8 helicopter over the reactor to measure the temperature and composition of gases inside. The final count of the people killed in the accident is still debatable. Volkozub was awarded a 'Hero of Ukraine' medal for his efforts during the tragic incident. After performing three flights which lasted for 19 minutes 40 seconds in total, Volkozub was exposed to such a high dose of radiation. Immediately after the third flight, he was sent to Moscow for medical tests. Talking to Reuters, he recalled an incident how nurses used to push food towards him with the help of a long stick to avoid physical interaction with him as they were afraid of getting contaminated. Volkozub told Reuters, I landed there, near (the site). And when I left the place, I felt very sorry for the helicopter. It seemed to me it had not failed me, but I had to throw it away. The helicopter in which he conducted three flights over the exploded reactor was also buried at a so-called cemetery for decommissioned equipment, Volkozub recalls with teary eyes. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 26, 2018 02:32 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). A Monasterevin design business competing in Croke Park for the All Star Awards on Thursday 19 April came in second place in the Irish language category. Angelina Foster of Angelinas Art Ventures, from Monasterevin lost out to Eyre Square Shopping Centre in Galway in the overall Irish Language category. I lost out to Eyre Square Shopping Centre in the overall Irish Language category last Thursday in Croke Park, but considering I am only in business 16 months getting to the finals has been a huge boost for me, my business and locality, she said. I am over the moon to have been accredited an All Star as Design Leader As Gaeilge 2018 from the business community. As a creative business it can be very hard to be taken seriously so I hope I can encourage other creative entrepreneurs. Most of the other companies in my category were from Gaeltacht areas so I think people were surprised to hear I'm a Lilywhite! Angelina uses Gaeilge in her designs, marketing, social media and product descriptions. Angelinas Art Ventures offers a memorable piece of fun Irish heritage art on affordable luxury products. She describes her passion as delivering unique products which make the Irish heritage story interesting and colourful, taking you on a journey of discovery into Irish heritage and culture. She creates colour popping designs As Gaeilge on t-shirts and umbrellas from her drawings and calligraphy, and uses her own photography taken on many walks around Kildare and Ireland to make heritage bags and coasters. Many of the pictures were taken in Kildare and promote the inner beauty of the midlands. Her work explores connections in heritage, nature, and the power of language. She has chosen to connect with Europe through Gaeilge by developing multilingual designs, these are great for people who want to bring their native tongue abroad. There was actually amazing representation there from Kildare female entrepreneurs - Mary Grant received accreditation as Design leader in Fashion and Noreen from the Irish Biltong Company won awards for Best Female led and Food category, she added. A march will take place in Monasterevin on Saturday to show support for the family of UK toddler Alfie Evans. Alfie Evans hit the international headlines recently as his family were refused the right to take him to Italy for further treatment after his life support was turned off three days ago. His family are now looking to bring the sick toddler, who has a mysterious degenerative neurological condition, back home from the hospital and will meet with doctors today to discuss their options. The march will start at 7.30pm from Jct 14 Mayfield, as far as Bank of Ireland on Main Street and back again. Organisers are calling for people to join in and show their support for Alfie and his family We're marching to show Alfie and his family we are supporting him even the smallest communities, said a spokesperson. We are leaving from Jct 14 mayfield and walking to to main street and back again. All welcome Two Kildare primary schools have been named regional finalists in the prestigious annual Our World Irish Aid Awards. Pupils and their teachers from Scoil Mhichil Naofa, Athy and Allen National School, Kilmeague, Naas will showcase their projects alongside those from 13 other schools across the region at the regional final event taking place in Dublin on Tuesday 15 May 2018. Congratulating the teacher and pupils at the two Kildare schools on making it to the Dublin regional final, Minister of State for the Diaspora and International Development, Ciaran Cannon T.D., said that the standard of project entries this year had been exceptionally high. My warmest congratulations go to the teachers and pupils at both Kildare primary schools on being named regional finalists, he said. Hundreds of primary school pupils across Ireland took part in the Awards, learning how they, as global citizens, can make a tangible difference to the lives of others in developing countries and the transforming role of education. In particular, they have explored life in Mozambique and how the Irish people, through Irish Aid, have been supporting Mozambican children benefit from primary school education. This is hugely important in terms of developing our national understanding of Irelands role in contributing to the United Nations Global Goals for Sustainable Development. The standard of entries this year was exceptionally high and, having met to choose the regional finalists, the judges now have a difficult task ahead of them in order to decide which of the 60 entries across the four regional finals will go on to the national final event. The Defence Forces 94th Cadet Class set out this morning on the first leg of a 240 km run to Westport culminating at the summit of Croagh Patrick to raise money for Temple Street Children's Hospital, The Curragh Lourdes Fund, and The Irish Defence Forces Soldier's Fund. Having already set out from Kildare, the runners are making good progress. We, the 94th Cadet Class, plan to begin this challenge on the 26th of April and complete it on the 28th of April. We will start off in the Curragh and run across the country, passing through 23 towns along the way, and finishing in Westport, before climbing to the summit of Croagh Patrick. Cadets will run in small groups, relaying across the 240km route in order to complete the goal, said the troops. The 94th Cadet Class started its training in 2017, and aim to be commissioned as junior leaders in the Defence Forces in early 2019. "The purpose of cadet training is to develop character and leadership skills and instil a sense of duty and responsibility in the cadet. To benefit from that training, which is conducted in an environment of strict discipline, the cadet needs mental acuity and physical agility." said the Irish Defence Forces With 107 members of the class, the 94th Cadet Class is currently the largest cadet class in the history of the state. The money raised during this charity event will help to fund and support Temple Street Children's Hospital, so that they can provide the best paediatric equipment, facilities and support needed to care for the sick children in need of their services. As part of this event we will also be fundraising for The Curragh Lourdes fund. This charity was founded in 2010, in order to give children with special needs or serious illnesses the opportunity to travel to Lourdes as part of the annual Defence Forces Military Pilgrimage, said the cadets. To support this event, please log onto their Go Fund Me page. SEE ALSO: KILDARE WEATHER UPDATE: Dry morning but showers on the way again this afternoon Politicians representing Naas residents were not told about a decision subsequently reversed to undertake roadworks along the towns main street during the Punchestown Festival. KCC official Sonya Kavanagh conceded last week that the nine councillors representing the Naas area should have informed about what was happening. She said criticisms about the failure to tell the councillors has been noted adding well communicate it back that councillors should be told in advance. Ms. Kavanagh was responding to criticism from Cllr Scully at a Naas Municipal District meeting. Cllr Scully said the first he knew that footpaths were being dug up (to place ESB cables underground) was when my phone started to light up as concerned traders rang him. There was no warning about this; we were not told and its us who have to deal with the public. We are elected by the public. He acknowledged the work was called off but added the Punchestown Festival is very important to Naas and it was guns blazing until the councillors raised the issue. The problem is, he said, that the public thinks the councillors make the decision. TO WIN A FAMILY PASS TO WOOLLY'S QUEST AT THE RIVERBANK THIS SATURDAY, CLICK HERE TO VISIT OUR FACEBOOK PAGE Galway Galway-based theatre company, Branar Teatar do Phaisti, is delighted to announce a national tour of their new theatre show for children. Woollys Quest will receive its world premiere at the Riverbank Arts Centre, Newbridge, this Saturday, April 28, (with shows at 12 midday and 2pm) and will then tour to six venues nationwide, including two venues in Dublin. Woollys Quest is an action-packed, bi-lingual show full of live music, physical and object theatre. Created specifically for young audiences aged six and upwards, this is an epic story of how one sheep dared to be different. Its shearing day. Woolly dares to ask what happens to her fleece, where does it go? She decides to find out for herself. Leaving the flock Woolly undertakes the perilous journey to see what life lies beyond the farmyard gate. Her odyssey to discover the truth leads her and the audience on a journey we will never forget. It is a rip-roaring yarn, which weaves together storytelling, music, song and puppetry in a pulsating show that will have audiences of all ages hooked. Performances are open to the general public and to schools. School performances are aimed at 2nd 6th classes at primary level. Ahead of the premiere, Marketing & Development Manager of Riverbank Arts Centre Eric Hennelly Flanagan said: We are delighted to be once again working with Branar. It is fantastic to have the world premiere here in Newbridge and for young and old to experience the magic of this world renowned company. Who knows, Woolly might like it in the Curragh and stay with us. With an ensemble cast of three performers, directed by Marc Mac Lochlainn, Woollys Quest combines physical performance with original live music and object theatre, which has become a distinctive feature of Branars shows. Woollys Quest is presented in association with the Riverbank Arts Centre. To book tickets, visit www.riverbank.ie or call 045 448327. According to Jobs.ie, the summer brings plenty of opportunities for new, part-time work at home and overseas. The sunny months bring in tourists from abroad who spend money at our hotels, bars, and restaurants. With more free time, were also more likely to spend time outdoors and our weekends away by the beach. For young professionals looking to get their foot in the door, students seeking part-time work, or for adventurers on the hunt for an exotic adventure in the far-flung corners of the world, the Irish jobs market is buzzing with work. Here are five of the most popular seasonal roles on Jobs.ie: TOUR GUIDE Irelands a popular place for touristsso popular, in fact, that every year for the last seven consecutive years has been the best ever for overseas visitor numbers. 2018 looks set to be equally record-breaking. Where there are tourists, there are tour guides. Irelands booming tourism market is reflected in the available vacancies on Jobs.ie. In 2017, the numbers looking to fill tour guide-related roles increased by 13 percent on 2016 and by 42 percent on 2013, said Christopher Paye, General Manager at Jobs.ie. LIFEGUARD Get your armbands on! Despite chilly waters and cutting sea breezes, it seems Irish people are more keen to take a dip than ever before. Comparing 2017 to 2016, the number of lifeguard jobs increased by 62 percentand by 225 percent compared to 2013. That means more work at the beach, at the pool, and at local gyms and leisure centres. LANGUAGE TEACHER As an English-speaking country, Ireland is a major destination for visiting students. Its also a source of teachers for schools and organisations in other countries. For young professionals and students seeking an adventure, there are many opportunities to teach in countries as diverse as Japan, China and Saudi Arabia. Likewise, there are regularly positions in Dublin, Cork and Galway for those who want to stay at home. Applicants typically need a TEFL diploma or other English-teaching qualification, though sometimes these are not necessary, said Mr Paye. SUMMER CAMP While mum and dad are stuck at work in the July heat, the fun doesnt stop for the kids. Theres no reason why some of us cant join in: summer camp work is the perfect way to spend the hotter months of the year. For those seeking a few fun months of part-time employment, whether thats as an instructor, activity supervisor or simply a helping hand, summer camps and schools are looking for you. Weve seen a steady increase in jobs in this field, up more than 6 percent in 2017 compared to the previous year, said Mr Paye. HOST/HOSTESS The summer is peak time for the hospitality sector. With more demand for restaurants, bars, cafes, pubs and hotels, these businesses need friendly faces to greet and serve patrons, field calls, and take reservations. With tourism numbers strong, jobs for hosts and hostesses are on the riseby as much as 180 percent in 2017 compared to the previous year, according to Jobs.ie. A new programme for women along the Fermanagh/Leitrim border gets underway at 3pm today, April 26 with a one day exhibition and talk on how women across continents and history tell their stories through the art of stitching. Women have worked with fabrics and textiles throughout time, but interwoven into this is their own stories and the stories of their families and their communities. Women Along the Border, a Fermanagh/Leitrim cross-border initiative of the North Leitrim Womens Centre will run a series of workshops, events and classes for women over the course of the project. Stitching Stories The Power of the Needle and Thread is a one day/two location exhibition and talk by Roberta Bacic, born in Chile and now resident of Northern Ireland, who is the founder of Conflict Textiles, an international collection of arpilleras or story quilts from around the world, illustrating womens lived experiences. It was when Roberta came to live here that she started to compile her collection to use as a resource. "They have become an inherent part of my life, but it has only been when I arrived in Northern Ireland that I was asked to find new methods to work with communities opposed by conflict, which is when I started using arpilleras as a resource. At that moment, I rediscovered textiles I had bought and been given as a present, and I started a collection." Roberta explains how textile art can contribute to peacebuilding and mutual understanding in all areas. "How can we strengthen the aspects of life that help us to move on? This is where community work and the reinforcement of community ties become important, because whatever happens to one person also happens to others." Stitching Stories The Power of the Needle and Thread exhibition and talk will be today, Thursday, April 26 at 3pm in the Healthy Living Centre in Belcoo and at 8pm in the Gillaroo Centre in Garrison and will lead to a series of craft workshops with an opportunity to depict experiences of living in this border area. Participants are invited to bring along a piece of fabric which has sentimental meaning for them. Women Along the Border is supported by Leitrim County Council through the Leitrim County PEACE IV Partnership. The project will work with women along the Fermanagh Leitrim border, comprising the areas of Kinlough, Rossinver, Garrison, Kiltyclogher, Glenfarne, Cashel and Belcoo. This project has been supported by the European Unions PEACE IV Programme, managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB). THE Court of Appeal has increased the sentences imposed on two men who were prosecuted following a fatal burglary in a County Limerick village almost three years ago. Cousins Michael Casey, 34, with an address at Clonlong Halting Site, Southill, in Limerick and David Casey, 23, with an address at Carragh Park, Belcamp, Dublin 17, had pleaded guilty to a series of burglaries, including one at the home of John O'Donoghue at Toomaline, Doon, on August 27, 2015. Mr O'Donoghue, 62, collapsed and died as he was about to confront the two intruders, who ran away without offering assistance. Judge Tom O'Donnell sentenced both men at Limerick Circuit Criminal Court to four-and-a-half years imprisonment with the final year suspended on December 15, 2016. The Court of Appeal found the men's sentences to be unduly lenient following an appeal which was brought by the Director of Public Prosecutions. In seeking a review of the Caseys' sentences last December, counsel for the DPP, Thomas O'Malley BL, submitted that the Caseys targetted four residential properties and entered three. They were engaged in a spree which they had obviously planned and David Casey was on bail at the time the offences were committed. While it was not alleged that the Caseys directly caused the death of Mr O'Donoghue, Mr O'Malley said there was undoubtedly some causative link between the Caseys' behaviour and Mr O'Donoghue's sudden death. He said the impact on the victims, particularly Mr O'Donoghue's surviving sister who witnessed her brother die shortly after arriving home while the burglary was in progress, had to be considered and property of significant economic and sentimental value was taken from the home of one of the other victims, Mrs O'Keefe. The DPP made further general submissions to the court today in case the court may wish to offer some general guidance or guidelines on the sentencing of burglaries for the future. Mr O'Malley said the submission was being made out of recognition of the undeniable social problem caused by residential burglaries. Mr O'Malley said residential burglaries were a serious social problem particularly where the dwelling happens to be occupied by an elderly, infirm or disabled person and where it happens during the night or in the early hours when the person or persons are at home. It was clear from media reports, Mr O'Malley said, that residential burglaries were occurring with a degree of frequency. That in itself made it socially problematic. He said the impact on victims was multi-faceted. It had a serious impact on the person whose home was invaded but also affected those who were in similar circumstances particularly where you had a burglary in a rural area. A single burglary in a rural area creates a ripper of fear throughout that area such that other people in the area live in permanent fear or dread. This meant that residential burglaries could destroy entire communities or ways of life, Mr O'Malley said. It could lead people to alter their lifestyles like moving into sheltered accommodation. He said people felt at risk in their homes, the place they should feel most secure. Mr O'Malley submitted that residential burglary should be treated as a special case. It was already recognised, he said, that residential burglary was at least as much an offence against the person as it was the property, and sometimes more so. While little or no property of any value may be taken, typically, the victim will continue to endure a sense of fear and insecurity for quite a long time to come. The defendants were both resentenced this Thursday to seven years imprisonment with the final eight months suspended. THE mother of a young man who was viciously attacked near a fast-food restaurant in Limerick has said her son is lucky he was not killed. A major garda investigation is underway following the incident which involved a group of up to 40 teenagers who had gathered in the vicinity of Supermacs and Funworld on the Ennis Road in the city at around 9pm on April 14, last. The 21-year-old University of Limerick student was attacked after he got out his car after it was struck by an object which was thrown at it. The victim, who is from County Limerick, sustained a fractured cheekbone and several broken ribs and has had to postpone his upcoming exams because of his ordeal. This wasnt just one punch, It was kicks, they had him on the ground, he fell over and they started kicking him on the ground, said his mother who added that but for the intervention of a member of the public who lay on top of him she believes her son would have been killed. She lied on top of him and she told the lads to stop. I dont know who she is but she possibly saved his life, she told the Leader. CCTV footage from the area which has been seen by this newspaper, shows a large number of young people gathering in the car park of Supermacs and Funworld from around 8.45pm on the night of the incident. They can be seen loitering there for almost half an hour in the lead up to the assault. In the footage, some appear to be drinking and there is a general sense of intimidation in the area. A number of minor scuffles can be seen while some of the teenagers can be seen standing on walls and throwing objects at each other. John Lyons who owns the Supermacs premises says what happened on the night was shocking. This was a gang of 40 youths drinking which was very intimidating and I have never seen anythying quite like it before so it was shocking, he said, There was a real gang mentality, the young lad got of the car after it was damaged and they literally attacked him in a group. They could have killed this guy and that is the bottom line and people need to understand that, he added. While gardai were alerted and were on the scene within minutes, the culprits had fled by the time they arrived. A garda spokesperson confirmed that witnesses have been spoken to and CCTV footage obtained as part of the investigations. The Leader has learned the car which the victim was driving has also been forensically and technically examined. Anyone with information about what happened is asked to contact either Henry Strreet or Mayorstone Park garda stations. So far there have been no arrests. LIMERICK chef Danny Martinez Doyle is Irelands Chowder King, following the big, Chowder Cook-Off of the year which took place at the weekend. Danny is head chef at Cronins Bar and Bistro in Newcastle West and beat off competition from 24 other chefs at the cook-off to bring home the All Ireland Chowder Champion title. For me It was tense, he admitted but he stuck to the recipe which won him the Limerick title in March and which includes fish, canelloni beans and a chorizo crust. I knew in my soul it was good, he grinned. And the huge crowds which attended the cook-off in Kinsale agreed, backing Dannys chowder with their votes. The atmosphere was electric at this truly amazing food event, said Priscilla Cronin, one of the Cronin family members involved in the business who travelled to Kinsale to support Danny along with members of staff. The reaction to Dannys chowder was just incredible as many came back for seconds and thirds and looking for the recipe. We are delighted for him, she continued. Its great and its great for business. We are back doing full-time food with a new menu and its fantastic this award has come now. Demand for Dannys chowder has soared since he won the Limerick title and is now expected to be an even bigger, and daily, attraction at this family-run business. The 8th All Ireland Chowder Competition was run by the Kinsale Good Food Circle and said organiser Liam Edwards: "It is a great day for seafood, a great day for chowder, and a great day for everybody. Danny was presented with the Derek Davis Perpetual Trophy, named in memory of the RTE broadcaster who was the event's original compere and who presided over the event in his inimitable style last year, shortly before his untimely passing. THE OWNER of the Magic Shop in Limerick will hang up his magicians cape for the last time, as he is set to close down the popular store after 40 years in business. Paddy Clancy, aged 68, from Corbally, has started a closing down sale before he retires in June, much to the sadness of magicians, fancy-dress fans and the thousands who grew up with his gadgets. The father-of-three and husband to Anne, Paddy said: Its coming to the end of an eraa magic era. I always had an interest in magic and allied fields alike. I worked at Ferenka and that closed, which was a huge loss at the time. I got the idea of opening a magic shop, which was strange sounding to most people. But here I am 40 years later. I got a number of people through the years who became interested in magic, and some of them are pursuing careers now, devoted mostly to magic, explained Paddy, whose store is located next to the Theatre Royal. Paddy said that renowned magician Keith Barry was one of the many fans of the Cecil Street and formerly Mallow Street store. Keith Barry used to call in when he was studying here, he would often call in on the way home. The best memories were the initial years when I was always on the look-out for new products and trying to keep up to date. Come June, following his retirement, Paddy plans to kick back and relax. I will read for a bit. I have nothing specific in mind. I will just relax, just take it easy. Local magician Steve Spade paid tribute to Paddy: Paddy was always a great support to me and my magic career, any time I was passing I would drop in and show him what new effects or stunts I was working on. Paddy was always a gent and a fantastic magician. I DIDNT actually stop for breakfast yet, says a remarkably jovial Peter Thompson. The time is 12.15pm on Tuesday. The farmer milked his cows that morning and let them out to grass. But he had to move quickly to bring them in to the sheds again as the ground was too wet. They destroyed the place unfortunately, said Peter, from Cappamore. He received 20 of the 1,200 bales cut at Shannon Airport over the weekend to help farmers battling the fodder crisis. It was brilliant to get them, said Peter, who generously shared them with two other local farmers in desperate need. The two fine, sunny days on Friday and Saturday appear to be a false dawn as the wet weather is back, and there is a mixed forecast for the weekend. Peter started buying bales since the end of January as he could see a fodder shortage coming. I didnt think it was going to be this bad, he said. Nobody did. It is one of, if not, the longest winters in living memory. Peter did get cows outdoors on Sunday and Monday but they are indoors again. Land is very heavy. You live in hope they will be out in a couple of days time. It is desperate. The financial cost is huge, said Peter. Contractors rolled onto the 400 acre Shannon Airport site shortly after 10am on Friday to begin three days of harvesting. The first loads began to depart the airport on lorries from midday to a number of regional locations for distribution, with some local farmers arriving to collect bales for their own and neighbours animals. IFA president Joe Healy said that the combined effort of the airport, IFA and farmers was a reassuring statement that, at the worst of times, the spirit of the Meitheal still triumphs in rural Ireland. Shannon Airports director of operations Niall Maloney said that having opened up the airfield to the local farming community during the 2013 fodder crisis, the airport regretted that farmers were faced with another challenge of this magnitude so soon. But, he stressed, they hadnt to think twice about responding. We were approached by the local farming community to say there is a crisis, which we're all aware of, and could we help. Theres only one answer you can give and that is absolutely yes, said Mr Maloney. A LIMERICK cruise ship worker and entertainer had to be admitted to an A&E in the exotic Bahamas this week after he inadvertently rubbed his itchy eyes after eating a packet of chilli crisps. Raheen native Cian McCormaic may have special skills in fire breathing, but this time the 30-year-old couldnt handle the heat, resulting in his eyes swelling up to triple the size. Cianan actor, presenter and all-round entertainerexplained to the Limerick Leader that the unfortunate series of events started after he decided to have a snack after a hard days work. I had a nice almond chocolate bar and these spicy chili crisps. Happy out with myself munching away, I got an itch in my eye. Like any good itch it needs a good scratch. Scratched away not knowing I had some bits of chili on the back of my hand. Chilli plus eye equals not a fun adventure. The Leader is unable to determine the Scoville scale of the crisps, but it was certainly hot enough to have Cian rushed to hospital. Even though I was in pain I knew I had done something stupid. Thank god the doctor is professional and proceeded to wash my eye out a few times and noticed a piece was stuck in the eye. With the assistance of the nurse holding my eye open, the doctor proceeded to numb my eye and with what looked like a pin coming at me, and scraped this lone chili flake out. Fun times, he explained. Despite the discomfort, Cian has been able to the funny side to this episode, he said. I am a very positive down to earth guy who tries to have a laugh and find the fun all the time. But this was such a random and silly accident that if you didnt laugh youd cry. Thank God the doctor was nice after we fixed me up we just laughed at the whole thing. The best part is the pirate looking eye patch, very stylish. When people ask what happened I could have said such a cool manly-man story, but I think attack of the crisps is a life lesson. And though this crisp attack cost him just $1, the outcome is priceless he said. A JUDGE has formally directed that almost 2,000 in Irish Punts which was seized by gardai in Limerick more than two decades ago be forfeited to the State. Making a Police Property Application before Limerick District Court, Sergeant Bernard McDonagh said the 1,995 in cash was seized when a a house in Castleconnell was searched on November 13, 1996 more than two years before the introduction of the Euro in Ireland. He told Inspector Ollie Kennedy the money, which is the equivalent of just over 2,500, has been in the possession of gardai during the intervening 21 years. No reason was given in court as to the delay in bringing the application. Sergeant McDonagh confirmed that gardai believe the money is the proceeds of crime and he confirmed the person from whom it was seized had been notified of the application. There was no appearance from the woman in court and there was no objection to the garda application. Insp Kennedy confirmed the application was to have all of the cash forfeited to the State. SIMON Coveney has apologised to Limerick woman Vicky Phelan over her cancer misdiagnoses in what he called a a shameful series of events. The Tanaiste apologised in the Dail to the Annacotty woman who was given incorrect test results and is now terminally ill with cervical cancer. She settled her High Court action against a US laboratory for 2.5m on Wednesday. WATCH: Tanaiste Simon Coveney has apologised in the Dail to Limerick woman Vicky Phelan and said her case marks "a shameful series of events". She was diagnosed with cancer three years after her smear test results of 2011 were incorrectly reported pic.twitter.com/BjyxkZXYYp RTE Politics (@rtepolitics) April 26, 2018 Vicky, 43, from Annacotty, was diagnosed with cancer three years after her smear test results of 2011 were incorrectly reported as being clear of any abnormalities. By the time she had another smear test in 2014 she had cervical cancer. In January this year she was given six to 12 months to live. A High Court action taken by Ms Phelan and her husband Jim Phelan against the Health Service Executive and Clinical Pathology Laboratories Inc, Austin, Texas, began last week. Approving the 2.5 settlement at the High Court this Wednesday, Mr Justice Kevin Cross described Ms Phelan as the most impressive witness he had ever encountered. He also praised both sides in the case for the speed with which the case was handled. The settlement with the US laboratory for 2.5m was made without admission of liability. The proceedings against the HSE were struck out. A portion of the monies will be paid into court and be held for the couple's two children who are now aged seven and 12. Speaking outside the court afterwards, Ms Phelan said there were no winners in the proceedings. I am terminally-ill and there is no cure for my cancer. My settlement will be sent on mostly buying me time and on paying for clinical trials to keep me alive and to allow me to spend more time with my children, she told reporters. If I die, and I truly hope that wont be the case, the money will provide for my family, she added. THE upcoming publication of a book detailing the full, untold story of the life and untimely death of Jason Corbett has sparked a rift within the murdered Limerick mans immediate family. Four of Mr Corbetts brothers object to the publication of the book, stating we believe our brother Jason should be left to rest in peace and dignity once and for all. The brothers expressed their dissatisfaction with the publication - which is being penned by their sister Tracey Corbett-Lynch and journalist Ralph Riegel - in a letter published in a local newspaper. Their sister Ms Corbett Lynch is said to be extremely sad that a private family issue, that predates any decision to write a book has been made public. It has also emerged that Ms Corbett Lynch and her husband David have incurred massive costs, upwards of $500,000, from pursuing their fight for justice for Jason. In their letter to the news paper John P, Mike, Stephen and Christy Corbett claimed that the family did not discuss or agree to publishing the book. We feel placing a picture of the incarcerated cold murderer Molly Martens next to our beloved brother on the front cover of this book is obscenely insensitive and an insult to our family, the letter goes on. My Brother Jason: The Untold Story of Jason Corbetts Life and Brutal Murder by Tom and Molly Martens, is due to be published on May 18. It is set to reveal what happened behind the scenes after Mr Corbett a father-of-two originally from Janesboro was savagely beaten to death by his second wife Molly Martens and her father Thomas, a retired FBI agent in the bedroom of his home in North Carolina in August 2015. While questions had been raised over where the profits from the book would go, the Limerick Leader has learned that all proceeds are intended to go towards a special fund set up to cover the educational costs of Mr Corbetts two children, Jack and Sarah. The Martens took Jasons life and afterwards, they tried to slander his good name, a source said, adding that the family was forced to remain silent as the Martens carried out a hate campaign against the late Mr Corbett. They went on national television, radio, social media and just spoke complete fabrications, the source said, adding that and that alone has been the motivation for the book, which is expected to include full access to Jasons personal collection of letters, emails and photographs. The important thing is Jason and giving him back his character and integrity. The Limerick Leader has learned that Jasons parents, his sister Marilyn, his twin brother Wayne and his two children support the publication of Ms Corbett Lynchs memoir. Ms Lynch Corbett was appointed the legal guardian of Jasons children after a complicated custody battle to return his children to Limerick. Claims made in the letter disregard the massive costs incurred by Ms Corbett Lynch and the seemingly endless litigation battle she has been involved in, a source told the Limerick Leader. This includes 14 trips between Ireland and America, guardianship and custody battles both in Ireland and in the States, at least eight civil cases as well as criminal proceedings taken against the Martens, the source explained. The late Mr Corbetts estate is also currently the subject of ongoing litigation which could last as long as eight more years, it is understood. In the States, it is quite common for estate litigation to end with nothing left due to legal fees, and that whatever is left there is sold off to pay the lawyers, the source said. Apr 26, 2018, 11 AM The five species of owls are pictured in the same order on the strip of stamps featuring photographs of adult owls. Two juvenile little owls (Athene noctua) are pictured on this nondenominated first-class stamp of Great Britain. Royal Mail is issuing 10 Owls stamps May 11. Five stamps show adult owls, and the other five depict owlets. From left to right, this strip of five se-tenant stamps show juvenile barn, little, tawny, short-eared and long-eared owls. By Denise McCarty Great Britains Royal Mail is depicting five species of owls on 10 stamps being issued May 11. Royal Mail spokesperson Philip Parker said, Owls are among our most iconic bird species, with their soundless flight and eerie calls, and our new stamps celebrate their beauty. The 10 different designs are being offered in two strips of five se-tenant (side-by-side) stamps each. One strip features photographs of juvenile owls, or owlets, and the other shows adult owls. All the stamps are nondenominated, paying the first-class rate (currently 67 pence). Each stamp includes 1st under the silhouette of Queen Elizabeth II in the upper right of the design. The first stamp in each strip features one of the most familiar owls in Great Britain, the barn owl (Tyto alba). The Cumbria Wildlife Trust describes this bird of prey as ghostly white below, mottled silver-grey and buff above with a heart-shaped, white face and black eyes. Barn owls nest in holes in trees, barns and other manmade structures and caves. The adult shown on the stamp appears to be in a barn, while the pair of owlets on the other stamp look like they are in a hole in a tree. According to Royal Mail, barn owls became rare following widespread use of the insecticide DDT in the 20th century, but their numbers are now recovering. Connect with Linns Stamp News: Sign up for our newsletter Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter The barn owl has been featured on previous stamps of Great Britain: a 1986 Europa stamp (Scott 1141), a 1988 stamp illustrating the Edward Lear poem The Owl and the Pussycat (1226), a Millennium Projects stamp issued in 2000 (1890), and five stamps in the 2003 Birds of Prey set (2087-2091). Little owls (Athene noctua) are pictured on the second stamps in the two strips of the new issue. They received their common name for their diminutive size; they are about 8.5 inches long, weigh a little more than 6 ounces and have a wingspan of 22 inches. Not native to Great Britain, the little owl was introduced there in the 19th century and now is widely found across southern Britain. The national bird of Greece, the little owl also symbolizes Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom. The third stamp in each strip pictures Britains most common owl, the tawny owl (Strix aluco). However, because of its strictly nocturnal nature, it is more often heard, with its tu-whit tu-whoo call, than seen. The last two stamps in each strip show owls named for their ear tufts, the short-eared owl (Asio flammeus) and the long-eared owl (Asio otus). The two owls also have different colored eyes: yellow for the short-eared and orange for the long-eared. Unlike the tawny owl, the short-eared owl is often active during the day. This owl is found on all the continents, except for Australia and Antarctica. In its online field guide to North American birds, the National Audubon Society said of the short-eared owl, When hunting it flies low over the fields, with buoyant, floppy wingbeats, looking rather like a giant moth. In the Sept. 30, 2017, article on the website of the magazine Country Life (gamekeeper Simon Lester described the long-eared owl: Definitely the wisest looking owl, thanks to its upright stance, ear tufts and authoritative, staring orange eyes, this nocturnal and most secretive of owls often roosts communally in dense cover. Adults give their presence away with a soft, elongated hooo and young birds make a noise like a creaking gate. They like to nest in an old crows nest or redundant squirrel drey in their preferred coniferous woodland. There are about 3,500 pairs; numbers are boosted in winter by migrants from Europe. Atelier Works designed the Owls stamps, using photographs from different sources. The stamps measure 35 millimeters by 37mm each, and are perforated gauge 14.5 by 14. International Security Printers printed them by offset in sheets of 50, sold in panes of 25 at most postal outlets. Royal Mails other products for the Owls issue include first-day covers, 10 postcards reproducing the designs of the stamps, and a presentation pack with mint examples of the stamps and information about owls. Ordering information is available from Royal Mail, Tallents House, 21 S. Gyle Crescent, Edinburgh, EH12 9PB, Scotland. Royal Mails agency in the United States is Interpost, Box 420, Hewlett, NY 11557. Californium is a synthetic, radioactive element not found in nature. It is an actinide: one of 15 radioactive, metallic elements found at the bottom of the periodic table. The pure metal is silvery-white, malleable and so soft it can be easily sliced with a razor blade. Californium is moderately chemically reactive. It slowly tarnishes in air at room temperature small pieces or foils of the metal begin to oxidize, but not violently. Just the Facts Atomic number (number of protons in the nucleus): 98 Atomic symbol (on the periodic table of the elements): Cf Atomic weight (average mass of the atom): 251 Density: Unknown Phase at room temperature: Solid Melting point: 1,652 F (900 C) Boiling point: Unknown Number of isotopes (atoms of the same element with a different number of neutrons): 20 isotopes whose half-lives are known with mass numbers 237 to 256. Most common isotopes: No naturally occurring isotopes All californium isotopes are radioactive. Cf-251 is the most stable with a half-life of about 800 years. The isotope Cf-252 is a very strong neutron emitter, meaning it has the unusual property of giving off neutrons when it breaks apart. Isotopes that behave in this way are very unusual, according to Chemistry Explained. Cf-252 is used in a variety of industries: military applications, metal detectors, and as a way to detect metal fatigue and stress in airplanes. Discovery In 1950, American scientists Stanley Thompson, Kenneth Street, Albert Ghiorso and Glenn Seaborg first produced californium in a lab at the University of California, Berkeley. It was the sixth synthetic transuranium ("beyond" uranium) element in the actinide group to be discovered. The discovery occurred when the chemists bombarded curium-242 with alpha particles (helium atoms without electrons) in a 60-inch cyclotron particle accelerator, according to Chemicool.com. Each nuclear reaction created Cf-245 an isotope with a half-life of about 45 minutes and a free neutron. The scientists produced around 700,000 atoms of Cf-245, just enough to make a cube with sides measuring only 27 nanometers, according to Chemicool. After a chemical analysis, the scientists confirmed that a new element had been discovered. In 1958, californium was isolated in larger quantities (1.2 micrograms) for the first time by Thompson and researcher Burris Cunningham at the Materials Testing Reactor in Idaho via prolonged (five years) neutron irradiation of plutonium-239. Uses Cf-252, a californium isotope with a half-life of 2.645 years, is a very strong neutron source. One microgram (0.000001 grams) of Cf-252 produces 170 million neutrons per minute, according to Jefferson Lab. This isotope has a variety of uses, including acting as a neutron emitter, providing neutrons for the start-up of nuclear reactors. It is also used as a neutron source to detect gold and silver ores through a technique known as neutron activation. It is used in neutron moisture gauges, devices that can detect water and oil-bearing layers in oil wells, according to Jefferson Lab. The isotope Cf-252 is a target material for producing transcalifornium elements. For example, element 118, oganesson, the heaviest element, was produced when scientists bombarded californium with calcium ions, according to Chemicool. Cf-252 is also used to treat cervical cancer and can help analyze the sulfur content of petroleum. New research There is still so much to learn about the heaviest elements in the periodic table, such as californium, berkelium and einsteinium. Thomas E. Albrecht-Schmitt, a professor of chemistry at Florida State University and his research group study the chemical and physical properties of these elements. Their research into how they bond with other elements is rewriting textbooks. One of the first problems of studying californium, however, is actually getting a piece of it. After years of negotiating with the U.S. Department of Energy, Albrecht-Schmitt was given 5 milligrams of californium through an endowment to the university. These 5 mg have stretched through several experiments, leading to the discovery that californium has the ability to bond with and separate other materials, according to a study press release in Science Daily. One of Albrecht-Schmitt's studies, published in the journal Nature Communications, revealed that californium is a transitional element, meaning that it helps link one part of the periodic table to the next. Specifically, californium shares properties with the three previous actinide elements in the table americium, curium and berkelium as well as the three actinides that come after it einsteinium, fermium and mendelevium. The actinides consist of 15 radioactive, metallic elements, from actinium (Ac, atomic number 89) to lawrencium (Lr, atomic number 103) in the periodic table. The heavier members are extremely unstable and do not occur naturally. "We discovered that californium represents a place in [the] series of actinide elements (Ac to Lr) where chemistry fundamentally changes with respect to the earlier actinides," Albrecht-Schmitt told Live Science. "Starting at californium and strengthening through einsteinium, fermium and mendelevium, and finally maximizing at nobelium, the 2+ oxidation state starts to dominate the chemistry of these elements," he explained. "For californium through mendelevium, the 2+ state is metastable, and this creates chemical and physical properties that are significantly affected by charge transfer from the ligands to the metals." "Physicists call this 'valence instability,' and it gives rise to a host of unanticipated electronic features such as bonding changes that are more similar to transition metals than they are to lanthanides." Albrecht-Schmitt noted that this research is important for two reasons: "First, californium is the heaviest element for which bulk chemical and physical properties can be measured," he explains. "Its electronic properties are being significantly affected by its inner electrons moving at significant factions of the speed of light. Thus, californium is a test bed for measuring how relativistic effects alter chemistry." "Second, while these properties are less pronounced in lighter actinides like plutonium, they are still present, and can be capitalized on in separation processes that are used to recycle used nuclear fuel and help mitigate the environmental legacy of the Cold War," he said. Who knew? Scientists have been readying themselves to run for political offices since the March for Science. Here, marchers, including Bill Nye the Science Guy, walk down Constitution Avenue in Washington on April 22, 2017. From commanding eight nuclear reactors to building a telecom infrastructure in Central America, the experiences of U.S. political candidates have gotten more interesting of late. A wave of political hopefuls with science-y backgrounds may soon bring fascinating experiences and vital knowledge to the country's governing bodies. Famed astrophysicist and science popularizer Neil deGrasse Tyson once lamented that most members of the U.S. Congress are lawyers, with few STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) representatives. "Where are the engineers? Where's the rest of life?" he asked in 2011 on the HBO show "Real Time with Bill Maher." The last year has seen hundreds of new candidates try to answer Tyson's question. More than 450 candidates with STEM backgrounds are running at all levels (local, state and federal), including 60 at the federal level, according to estimates from 314 Action, a group that supports such candidates. The organization has helped train 1,400 STEM professionals in campaigning, with another 35 to 40 completing trainings this past weekend in Chicago. [How Congress Is Cutting Science Out of Science Policy (Op-Ed)] Those numbers represent a huge change; with the recent loss of Rep. Louise Slaughter, a New York representative with a microbiology background who died March 16, Congress currently has only two members with hard science backgrounds (physics and chemistry), said Ted Bordelon, a spokesman for 314 Action. That flurry of activity came partially in response to the election of Donald Trump as president, said 314 Action President Shaughnessy Naughton. But candidates are also reacting to long-standing issues like conservative opposition to actions that would reduce greenhouse gases, proposed cuts to research funding and efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare), she said. "The attack on science didn't start with the Trump administration, but it certainly has been a catalyst for getting scientists to step up and get involved," Naughton said. [Grading Trump's First 100 Days in Office: A Science Report Card] Here are some of the unique perspectives that may soon come to office: Elaine Luria, Brian Forde, Ellen Lipton, Dr. Mai Khanh Tran and Lauren Underwood. Three of them Lipton, Luria and Underwood earned the latest 314 Action endorsements.(Live Science and parent company Purch do not endorse any candidates.) Nuclear command at sea For 20 years, Luria commanded some of the world's most technologically complex vehicles, serving on nuclear-powered craft for the U.S. Navy. There, she boarded Iraqi oil-smuggling ships to enforce sanctions and commanded combat-ready units of sailors. The physics grad and Navy-trained nuclear engineer also used her technical training extensively while in the Navy, she said. "A ship is a floating city with few resources other than the people on board, and a lot of times when a weapons system may not be operating the way it needs to be you're taking out the schematics and looking at electrical diagrams. You're getting down to the micro-miniature repair level," she said. The political system needs the problem-solving skills like those she developed at sea, added Luria, who's running for Virginia's 2nd Congressional District seat. "When we look at legislation, a lot of the topics that we deal with really have to be based off of sound decisions based off data," Luria said. "I think that Washington desperately needs more scientists in Congress." Building up Nicaragua's technology As the recent congressional questioning of Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg revealed, many politicians lack the technological knowledge needed for today's problems, said Forde, who's running for California's 45th Congressional District seat. He first learned about the need for better technological expertise in government after serving in the Peace Corps in Nicaragua, he said. There, Forde saw an opportunity to reduce telephone costs for poor, rural residents via VoIP (voice over Internet Protocol). He realized, though, that the country's legal system had a technological blind spot. "One of my concerns was that this technology wasn't legal. [And] it wasn't illegal," he said. The law simply wasn't prepared to deal with VoIP. Forde succeeded in launching his company, but the experience made him wonder about other tech blind spots. "I saw that governments, including our own could be on the wrong side of history for technology if you do not have technologists in government," he said. To help address that need, Forde served under President Barack Obama as a senior technology adviser. Obama understood the importance of placing technology experts in the White House, said Forde, who began coding and building computers as a kid, and graduated from UCLA. "There is a clear role for technologists in government," Forde said. And the public needs government servants who understand critical current issues, like automation's threat to jobs, or net neutrality, he said. Biochemist brings research to the legislature Lipton paired degrees in biochemistry and law, serving as a patent attorney in the biotech and materials-chemistry industries. Through that work, she honed a probing, questioning approach to problem solving that she brought to her first elective role, as a Michigan state representative, Lipton said. She's now running for national office in the state's 9th Congressional District. [Check Out the Coolest Chemical Reactions] "I would look at legislative problems as problems to be researched and thought through," she said. Lipton's inclination toward thorough research helped her with one of her biggest legislative achievements. Partisan talking points about "throwing money" at schools had stymied any education funding increases for years, Lipton said, until she successfully pushed for an "adequacy study" to find exactly what level of funding students needed. Results from the study helped spur long-needed funding allocations for Michigan schools, she said. "I feel like it helped break the logjam," Lipton said. "People know now, in both parties, we need to fund schools." From refugee to Harvard-trained doctor Dr. Tran took a long journey to her career as a pediatrician in California, where she's now running for Congress in the 39th District. One of the last children airlifted out of Vietnam in "Operation Babylift," which occurred at the end of the war as Saigon fell, Tran came to the United States in 1975. She went on to work as a farm laborer and entered Harvard for her undergraduate degree, supporting herself as a janitor while studying there. She then earned her medical degree through the Brown-Dartmouth joint program. That path left her with a feeling of gratitude toward her adopted country and a desire to give back, she said. "When I saw that American soldier [who] came up and carried me off the plane he really represented to me the vision of America that I still hold very dearly in my heart," Tran said. It was a vision of "a land that's ready to care for those in need." Tran put that feeling of gratitude first toward her medical work and now as a candidate. "So, when I see that we have pockets of people in our communities who need that helping hand I feel a huge responsibility," she said. Her experience on the "front lines" of health care also convinced her of the need for perspectives like hers in politics. "I see patients coming in daily that need not only good insurance but also quality care," Tran said. "I think that is a perspective that isn't there when it comes to health care policies that are being made in Congress." For this nurse, it's personal Like Tran, Underwood has firsthand experience with the health care needs of Americans. Now running for Congress in Illinois' 14th District, she worked for 10 years as a registered nurse. But the motivation to put her health care expertise to use as a candidate ultimately came when her congressman promised not to vote for Obamacare repeal if it ended protections for pre-existing conditions a promise he broke. "I was mad that he didn't have the integrity to be honest with us. So I said, 'You know what? It's on; I'm running.'" The right pros for the job The STEM candidates swelling the ranks of U.S. politics won't just make races more interesting; they should get more done, too, Naughton said. Those candidates are vowing to bring attention and focus to science-oriented issues, from climate change to vaccines. They also want to approach today's issues in a more scientific way, with many, for example, calling to repeal the so-called Dickey Amendment, which restricts funding for public health research into gun violence. "When you look at some of the most critical issues facing our country whether it's climate change or nuclear/chemical weapons or cybersecurity who better to be addressing these issues than people trained in science and engineering?" Naughton said. Editor's Note: This article was updated to indicate there are two members currently in Congress with hard science backgrounds. Original article on Live Science. Discovered in 2011, the ancient remains of a chariot-pulling horse were found in a tomb more than five feet underground. More than 3,000 years ago in the Nile River Valley, a body was carefully prepared for ceremonial burial. It was wrapped in a shroud and placed in a tomb, surrounded by important objects that demonstrated its elevated status. The mourners probably had long faces as they sent their loved one to an eternal rest. But the longest face of all likely belonged to the graves occupant a chariot-pulling horse, who was important enough to merit an ornate burial typically reserved for high-ranking people. Scientists first unearthed the horse in 2011 in Tombos, a site located in the Nile Valley in what is now Sudan. The skeleton dates to around 949 B.C., and it is thought to be the most compete horse skeleton from that period ever found, according to a new study describing the grave and its contents, published online April 25 in Antiquity Journal. [Ancient Nubia: A Brief History] The ancient Egyptians established Tombos around 1450 B.C. as a foreign outpost in the rival kingdom of Nubia. The city later emerged as an important Nubian community after withdrawing from Egyptian rule. Artifacts unearthed from archaeological sites in Tombos reveal much about the influence of Egyptian culture, as well as serve to illuminate aspects of daily life that were distinctly Nubian, the scientists wrote in the study. When the site was first excavated, archaeologists found a tomb complex with a chapel and pyramid aboveground, and a shaft leading to multiple chambers underground a design typically associated with "elite" pyramid tombs, according to the study. The four burial chambers contained human remains from around 200 people representing several generations, along with pottery, tools and decorative objects. However, the tomb held very few animal remains, and finding such a well-preserved horse in the shaft underneath the chapel, at a depth of about 5 feet (1.6 meters) surprised the scientists, study co-author Michelle Buzon, a bioarchaeologist in the Department of Anthropology at Purdue University, said in a statement. "It was clear that the horse was an intentional burial, which was super fascinating," Buzon said. The tomb holding the horse's skeleton had multiple chambers containing artifacts and additional remains belonging to 200 people. (Image credit: Schrader et al./Antiquity Journal, doi.org/10.15184/aqy.2017.239) Bits of chestnut fur with white markings still clung to the animal's lower hind legs, and the researchers found decayed remnants of a shroud that helped them to date the burial to between 1,005 and 893 B.C., they wrote in the study. The tomb shaft around the skeleton also revealed other artifacts that hinted at the horse's status, including a carved scarab beetle and a piece of iron likely once part of the animal's bridle that is the oldest example of iron unearthed in Africa. After examining the horse's teeth and bones, the scientists determined that the animal was a mare that died when it was between 12 and 15 years old. Further analysis of the skeleton showed that it led an active life, and signs of stress in its ribs and spine hinted that it wore a harness for pulling a chariot. However, its age at the time of death indicates that the animal was cared for and valued by its owner during its lifetime, the study authors reported. A tomb burial for the horse suggests that the animal probably played a significant role in its owner's household, and was more than a mere beast of burden, while the iron bridle piece found in the tomb an expensive and rare item that would have been made specifically for the horse further helps to establish its elevated status, according to the study. While formal burials for horses were rare at the time, they later became more commonplace in Nubian and Egyptian society, around 728 to 657 B.C. But the attention to detail in this burial and the reverence shown suggest that horses may have already achieved a symbolic representation of wealth and power for Nubian people, and could have played a more important role in Nubian culture in life and in death than has been previously suspected, the researchers reported. Original article on Live Science. The owner of a gourmet popcorn shop in Emeryville apologized Wednesday after witnesses said he shouted a racial slur at a group of black customers, an episode that prompted widespread outrage. Mark Stone, CEO of Cornology, initially claimed that one of his workers had called the juveniles ns after they stole items from the store in the Bay Street shopping center on Sunday. But witnesses to the incident disputed Stones account, and he admitted Wednesday it was he who was involved in the encounter. The witnesses said Stone aggressively demanded that roughly 10 black shoppers leave the shop moments after they entered. Fay Eastman and Aisha Weber, who saw the incident unfold in its entirety, said the shop worker said ns multiple times. Eastman and Weber said the juveniles were not stealing but reacted to the behavior of Stone by knocking over items in the store. I have great remorse and much regret in the way I reacted to a robbery taking place in the store on Sunday, Stone said Wednesday in an email to The Chronicle. I reacted unprofessionally in the heat and extreme stress of the moment. For that I seek forgiveness from God, my family and friends. Stone did not respond to questions or a request for an interview. The incident has prompted anger online and among Emeryville residents and city officials. At midday Wednesday, Cornology was open, but no customers were inside. Several employees at nearby businesses said traffic at Cornology had been slow since Sunday. An employee at Sees Candies, a few doors down, said the sidewalks would frequently be lined with young people carrying silver bags of popcorn. Theyre usually out there all the time because kids love that place, she said. But you dont see them now. You have to know its because people heard about what happened there. Tishaun Bison, 15, who was at the shopping center Wednesday morning and is a frequent visitor, said he hadnt heard about the incident at Cornology but wasnt surprised by it. He said he planned to stay away from the store. Its usually chill out here most of the time, he said. I just know I wont be walking by there. I dont want him thinking I am part of that group or something. Weber, an Emeryville native, said that when the group in question entered the Cornology store, Stone threw up his arms and told the visitors to leave. He said, Get out of here, ns, and he was throwing his hands in the air, Weber said. That came from his heart. That came from him. He didnt want those kids in the store from the beginning. The incident gained attention when it was recapped by Eastman in a Facebook post that same day. It garnered more than 4,300 shares and more than 700 comments less than 24 hours after appearing online. As the story spread online, Stone responded to the growing outrage. Were very sorry that was the result of what happened, he said initially. Unfortunately, some employees were sick over the weekend, so there was only one person in the store. It startled him. He regrets it terribly. Its not who he is or who we are. In the days since, Stone said business has continued as normal. According to the companys website, Cornology is based in Pleasant Hill and has retail outlets in Emeryville, Walnut Creek and Japan. A new store is coming soon in San Francisco. Eastman said she spoke with Stone after the group left the store and told him he should not use that type of language with young people. Those types of moments shape their world for the rest of their life, she said. I thought I could rationalize it and explain that to him, but nope. He really didnt understand why he shouldnt have said what he said. The Cornology incident comes after Starbucks said it would close 8,000 stores on May 29 for racial bias training for its employees in response to the public backlash after two black men Rashon Nelson and Donte Robinson were handcuffed and arrested at a Starbucks in Philadelphia after an employee called police because they had not purchased anything in the store. Both men said they were at the coffee shop while waiting for a business associate. Justin Phillips and Otis R. Taylor are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: jphillips@sfchronicle.com, otaylor@sfchronicle.com The Jewish Joke: A Short History - With Punchlines By Devorah Baum Pegasus. 208 pp. $22.95 --- Recently, I lucked into an all-expenses-paid trip to Hawaii. Tempting fate in a way any fellow ex-Soviet Jew could have told me was reckless, I looked up the weather in Honolulu. Then I took a screenshot and sent it to my non-Jewish fiancee, with the message: "This is called Jewish luck." Seven days of rain. What made the experience truly Jewish, however, was that, in the end, it didn't rain at all. No, it was infernally humid and hot in a way that local people assured me "never, ever happens" in their dry, breezy paradise. In her slim volume "The Jewish Joke," the British academic Devorah Baum collects enough humor of this ilk to unstick the slowest dinner party. There are groaners to please every Jewish mother sitting in the dark waiting for her son to change the lightbulb, and there are "jokes" that leave marks, like the one that goes: "Good news! Good news! The child that got killed in the forest yesterday? He's Jewish!" (This is good news, Baum explains, because a dead Christian child would have started a pogrom.) Between the jokes, which are divided into 23 brief sections, Baum sprinkles light analysis and commentary. She tacitly proposes that what unites and explains the less recent humor in these pages is the outsider status Jews have endured almost everywhere and almost always. Only professional, consummate outsiders could make a joke out of a Jewish panhandler pretending to be Christian next to a confessed Jewish one: The goyim's dislike of Jews will make them give double to "the Christian." (This joke - or the Jewish plight it references - had no respect for the Iron Curtain. I heard a version of it from my grandfather.) The groaners seem to show up roughly when the threat of bodily harm goes away, if not its phantom limb: existential anxiety. In other words, in America. (Baum tends to cite American-Jewish humor more frequently than its British counterpart.) Jewish mother: "My son loves me so much, he goes to see a special doctor five times a week to talk exclusively about me." But Baum doesn't pursue this kind of historical connection. Her categorization scheme is thematic ("How Do You Tell the Difference Between Jews and Israelis?"). And she seems to feel a little guilty about interpreting too much in the first place. Tellingly, the main section of the book carries the heading "Less Essay, More Examples." But even the best jokes can feel relentless after a while, and the "essay" part is what someone like Baum is uniquely suited to write to enrich the meaning of these jokes for us. I longed for a longer perspective. For instance, Baum almost never lingers on the melancholy, if not outright sorrow, behind a lot of the older humor. Reading her breezy, upbeat examination, you'd be forgiven for failing to realize - were you someone not born into the understanding - just how many of the jokes are meant to elicit a weary nod rather than outright laughter: This is the comedy of Bernard Malamud (whom Baum never mentions) rather than Woody Allen (whom she calls on all the time, along with Seinfeld). Her reference points make the book right for a young Jewish audience, but somewhat false to the pain and suffering that actually produced a lot of the best humor she cites. Good humor is subjective, of course, but, for me, the problem with this tilt toward Woody Allen is that it reinforces kvetching as what most people think of when they think of Jewish humor. But Jewish humor can be far more complex, beautiful, haunting and moving. And cool - in the way that experience and wisdom are cool: A darkly humorous, knowing wryness as freighted with grief as with irony. I don't know if Baum was seeking to explain Jews to others - she's an affiliate of the Parkes Institute for the study of Jewish/non-Jewish relations at the University of Southampton - or clarify us to ourselves, but I closed her book a prouder Jew than I had begun it. It feels unfashionable, if not downright retrograde, to remain devoted to this darker notion of what makes Jewish humor Jewish, especially considering that it's among the main reasons I've failed to acclimate fully despite 30 years in America, a country that laughs and cries about very different things than my old one. Perhaps part of the reason is that it's among my last bonds to the family that brought me here from the U.S.S.R. By now, we are all but foreigners to one another. But it takes only one little story about rain and heat in Hawaii for all of us to start nodding with rueful bemusement to the same invisible rhythm. It's among the best feelings in the world. --- Fishman is the author of "A Replacement Life" and "Don't Let My Baby Do Rodeo," and will publish "Savage Feast," a family history told through recipes, next spring. Note: This is an abbreviated version of the full Taste Test review, with a star rating based on multiple visits. See the complete version on our subscriber website at ExpressNews.com. The last time I wrote about a new restaurant from Johnny Hernandez, things didnt end well. His Burgerteca came up empty, a zero-star review for a Mexican burger concept that stretched the wildly prolific chefs brand far too thin. That was February, and here we are just two months later with Villa Rica, a Mexican seafood venture from Hernandez that shares Burgertecas kitchen but not its shortcomings. Across a menu that celebrates Mexicos coastal bounty with ceviches, grilled fish, seafood tacos and tropical flourishes, Villa Rica holds an amiable steady line. Not much rises above that line; not much falls below. Well call it a happy median. To set a baseline, consider enchiladas filled with minced, modestly spiced fish. Or a smart, acidic Veracruz-style mahi mahi ceviche. Spikes above that baseline included grilled octopus and a sweet corn torte like flan and cornbread got together. Below that line? A weak seafood stew and a greasy taco made with soft-shell crab. Villa Rica might be new to San Antonio, but its already an established name in the Mexican coastal state of Veracruz. Its like a trip to a beach resort, and there are drinks, poured generously and without the cloying sweetness of vacation cocktails Still, the spikes at Villa Rica dont pull the focus from a solid center. And a solid center is something to grow on. Truly a happy median. Read the full review, including a good and bad seafood tacos, on our subscriber website at ExpressNews.com. msutter@express-news.net | Twitter: @fedmanwalking Albany Engineering students from around the state showed off their technological chops at the state Capitol on Wednesday. Invention prototypes from eight colleges and 14 teams were on display at the fourth annual CREATE (Cultivating Resources for Employment with Assistive Technology) symposium, held at the Legislative Office Building. An initiative sponsored by the nonprofit New York State Industries for the Disabled, CREATE partners engineering students with member agencies, encouraging them to apply what they learn in the classroom to real-world experiences. Undergraduates work closely with these organizations to create and implement assistive technology that improves the workplace for people with disabilities. "The technology helps people with disabilities achieve their potential, while the program actually helps students developing that technology reach their potential," said Brian Bateman, a CREATE administrator and marketing manager at Industries for the Disabled. "Every year, we're really impressed with the quality of inventions that students come up with and what's great is that they don't just get disassembled at semester's end, but go to people who will use them." One such invention by engineering students at Union College for Schenectady ARC is nearing completion after nearly two years of development. James Hedrick, professor of electrical, computer and biomedical engineering, has been working with computer engineering students to develop and build an automated plant heating system with an interactive touchscreen for workers at Schenectady Arc's Maple Ridge greenhouse. The project is on schedule to be installed by the end of the term. More Information Removing workplace barriers For information about NYSID's CREATE symposium, an assistive technology competition, go to https://www.createnysid.net. See More Collapse "The people at Schenectady ARC are amazing," said Hedrick, who has been teaching at Union for 25 years. "Their faces light up when instead of being told don't touch that, they're learning how to use the equipment." "The germination mat allows users to monitor soil temperature through icons, rather than complicated dials," said senior Kyle Stengel, an Allentown, Pa. native majoring in computer engineering. Other inventions at the symposium included Bee Notified, a smart watch application created by students at the University at Albany, which will assist people at Living Resources with time management and the transition to independent living. New this year was a chance to compete for prizes of $15,000, $10,000 and $5,000, as judged by professional engineers and NYSID members. Along with students, professors and member agencies that employ people with disabilities, state legislators were also on hand for the event. With the unemployment rate for New Yorkers with disabilities at close to 70 percent, NYSID continues to support job creation for a diverse group of employees through a statewide network of 122 community rehabilitation providers and more than 40 corporate partners. The nonprofit contracts opportunities for nearly 7,000 workers annually through New York State's Preferred Source program. "We're mobilizing student engineers," Bateman said. "Engineers are problem solvers, and they're helping us address the barriers to employing people with disabilities." jpatterson@timesunion.com @JenSPatterson 518-454-5340 A man found in possession of marijuana was accused of leading Laredo police officers on a vehicle chase throughout north Laredo neighborhoods, authorities said. Laredo police said that Marcelo Garza Ferrara, 23, also made threatening remarks against police. On Saturday, he was charged with evading arrest with a vehicle, evading arrest on foot, resisting arrest, possession of marijuana and retaliation. He is out on bond. READ ALSO: Brothers charged in armed heists of Laredo maquinita businesses The case unfolded at about 2 a.m. Saturday. Officers heading west in the 100 block of Del Mar Boulevard said they spotted a black Ford F-150 traveling at 62 mph in a 30 mph zone. Police said the driver of the vehicle refused to pull over. A chase ensued throughout the neighborhoods off Del Mar. LPD said the vehicle reached speeds of 70 mph to 80 mph in the residential neighborhoods. He then lost control of the vehicle, hit a tree and crashed into a cinderblock fence in the 400 block of Merlin Drive. READ ALSO: Laredo man told police his vehicle was stolen from strip club, charged with making false report The driver abandoned the vehicle, but officers caught up to him shortly thereafter. Police said the driver then resisted arrest. A search of the vehicle yielded a Ziploc baggie containing 7.8 grams of marijuana, LPD said. Ferrara was taken to Laredo Medical Center for injuries he may have sustained in the crash. There, he stared at an officer's firearm and stated in Spanish, "With 30 shots I take two of you," according to LPD. White House physician Ronny Jackson allegedly provided travelers on White House trips with Ambien, a prescription sedative that is widely regarded as a safe drug that poses little risk of addiction. Nearly 30 million Americans take it for it insomnia - the vast majority of them in its generic form, zolpidem - for a single night or for longer periods of sleeplessness. But that doesn't mean a physician can hand out the drug "like candy," as Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., said Jackson did, without inquiring about other medications a patient might be taking, drug history or other medical issues, experts said. "Any physician prescribing a controlled substance should have a doctor-patient relationship, just because of knowing the other health problems and the other medications," said Cathy Goldstein, an assistant professor of neurology at the University of Michigan School of Medicine and a physician at the Michigan Medicine Sleep Disorders Center. Taking Ambien, "you could get hurt. You could be disruptive, especially if you're using it with alcohol." Ambien and the stimulant Provigil, which Tester said Jackson dispensed to help travelers awaken, are Schedule IV controlled substances in the government's five-category ranking of drugs' risk of abuse. But like any medication, they pose some risk, particularly in certain groups. During a news conference in January, Jackson said, "When we travel from one time zone to another time zone on the other side of the planet, I recommend that everyone on the plane take a sleep aid at certain times so that we can try our best to get on the schedule of our destination." Anecdotes abound of people behaving strangely under the influence of Ambien and being unable to remember that behavior when the drug wears off. Chris Winter, a neurologist at Charlottesville Neurology and Sleep Medicine in Virginia, and author of "The Sleep Solution," said a patient of his on the drug came out of her bedroom naked and held a lengthy conversation with her in-laws. In 2006, then Rep. Patrick Kennedy, D-R.I., crashed his car into a barrier near the Capitol, citing disorientation from Ambien and another medication. "It is not a harmless drug," Winter said. That is particularly true for older patients, who can become confused and unsteady or fall, said Thomas Scammell, a professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School and a sleep medicine specialist at Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital. "The truth is any sedating medicine has the tendency to make someone a bit addled at night," Scammell said. The drug allegations helped delay a Senate hearing on Jackson's nomination to head the Department of Veterans Affairs, the government's second-largest bureaucracy. More serious incidents have since emerged, including news that Jackson wrecked a government vehicle after getting drunk at a Secret Service going-away party. While zolpidem carries little risk of physical dependence, people with chronic insomnia can become psychologically dependent on it, Scammell said, as they grow to believe that the medication is the only thing that will put them to sleep. Specialists prefer to use it as a short-term bridge to better sleep, he said, while they teach better sleep hygiene and techniques. That means avoiding cellphones, laptops and other screens near bedtime, cutting off caffeine intake by early afternoon and using cognitive behavioral techniques such breathing exercises, which have proven as effective as drugs, the experts said. If Jackson did pass out the drug indiscriminately on long government flights, he is not the only physician to do so. Staff and news media traveling with the secretary of defense also have received the same offer. More than 29 million people had prescriptions for the generic zolpidem in 2017, according to a spokeswoman for Sanofi, and 88,000 more had Ambien prescriptions. The numbers don't include controlled-release Ambien. Experts said that when properly prescribed, Ambien has proven benefits beyond insomnia, including use when crossing many time zones. "It should not be taken in lieu of proper evaluation and treatment of other sleep issues," said Jerald Simmons, founding director of Comprehensive Sleep Medicine Associates in the Woodlands, Texas. But "sleep loss itself has its downside," including safety behind the wheel and the ability to perform other functions, he said. "If you only get two hours of sleep," Scammell said, "you're not going to negotiate with the North Koreans as well." Similarly, Provigil - first developed to treat narcolepsy - and its successor Nuvigil, now have the approval of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for treatment of "shift work disorder," a circadian rhythm condition caused by work schedules that do not jibe with natural sleep patterns. But it shouldn't be prescribed in conjunction with Ambien, to help travelers stay awake, as Tester alleged, the experts said. "For a sleep physician there is virtually no situation where we would be prescribing a hypnotic medication at night, like Ambien, and then a stimulating medication in the morning," Goldstein said. "If somebody has residual sedation the next morning, the treatment is no more Ambien." YEREVAN - Russia, which for more than a week has been an ever-present factor in the background as Armenian protesters thronged to the streets, is starting to define its role here. Moscow has watched as the peaceful revolt to its south unfolded, first with professed uninterest, then caution, and now perhaps with careful engagement. Early Thursday, two Armenian officials, including its foreign minister, jetted to Moscow for a series of meetings with Russian officials, Interfax reported. "The internal political crisis in Armenia and Russian-Armenian allied relations will dominate the agenda," the news agency cited a source as saying. Their visit comes a day after Armenia's charismatic opposition leader, Nikol Pashinyan, who is jostling to become prime minister in a fresh parliamentary vote on May 1, told huge crowds of demonstrators that during a meeting at the Russian Embassy he "got reassurance that Russia would not intervene in Armenia's internal affairs." Pashinyan's pro-democracy, anti-government protests have been drawing crowds of over 100,000 people to the grand, salmon-colored central square of Yerevan, a level of mobilization this nation of 2.9 million has not seen in decades. For exactly two weeks on Thursday, the Armenian capital has been filled with boisterous street parties, the air imbued with contagious excitement. But unlike the so-called "color revolutions" in Georgia and Ukraine, which were spurred by street demonstrations and which Russia vehemently opposed, the uprising here has been met with a much more measured response. The protests have not been overtly anti-Russian in nature, but Moscow's presence and significant clout in the tiny, impoverished country are undeniable. Ousted premier Serzh Sargsyan was overtly pro-Russian in his policies; he was replaced with former Gazprom executive Karen Karapetyan, whose substantial work at the Russian energy giant has earned him the moniker "Karen of gas" in Armenian. The protest movement characterized both as being corrupt members of a ruling elite woefully out of touch with their people. But for Pashinyan's uprising to survive, and to complete the toppling of the ruling government, Russia cannot be ignored. Russian President Vladimir Putin made this clear Thursday when he stressed in a phone call to Karapetyan that next week's election - which Pashinyan is expected to win - must be carried out in a legal manner. "If we assume we're in the final act of the play, we may be surprised," said Noubar Afeyan, a U.S.-based philanthropist of Armenian descent on a visit to Yerevan. Referring to Russia, the chief executive of life-science firm Flagship Pioneering continued, "If we are actually in the first act of the play, then we should look forward to the main characters showing up at some point." Armenia relies heavily on Russia economically, and it hosts two Russian military bases. Yerevan also buys arms from Russia, needed for its simmering conflict with neighboring Azerbaijan over breakaway region Nagorno-Karabakh (although Moscow sells arms to Azerbaijan, too). Armenia is also a member of a Russian economic trade bloc and a Russian military alliance. But a year ago, when Armenia signed a far-reaching landmark agreement with the European Union, Moscow appeared to give its blessing, saying it respected Armenian sovereignty. Pashinyan would need to continue this balance. He has "sought to reassure all parties, including Russia, that there should be no dramatic shift or U-turn in foreign policy," said Richard Giragosian, director of the Regional Studies Center in Yerevan, an independent think tank. Armenia's peaceful, bloodless revolution has already become a unique case in the trajectory of former Soviet countries. "This was a rare success, or rare victory, of a nonviolent change of government, where the incumbent after a decade in power not only willingly but easily stepped down," Giragosian said. And while previous, pro-democracy revolutions in Ukraine, Georgia and Kyrgyzstan ultimately faltered, mostly due to Moscow's intervention, Armenia - which has made clear its relationship with Russia should not change - could prove the exception. --- Natalia Abbakumova in Moscow contributed to this report. London Britain's Court of Appeal on Wednesday rejected a new bid by the parents of terminally ill toddler Alfie Evans to take him to Italy and continue his life support against the wishes of his doctors and judges. Doctors say the 23-month-old boy suffers from a degenerative neurological condition that has left him in a "semi-vegetative state" with almost no brain function. Medics caring for him at Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool have said further treatment is futile, and the toddler's life support was withdrawn Monday after a series of court rulings sided with the doctors and blocked further medical treatment. Alfie's parents continued their fight to take him to Italy to be cared for at the Vatican's children's hospital, which has said it is willing to take him. Three Court of Appeal judges rejected the parents' latest legal bid on Wednesday. Judge Andrew McFarlane said nothing had changed since a previous court ruling that Alfie's treatment should end. High Court Justice Anthony Hayden dismissed the parents' case on Tuesday, and said his ruling represented "the final chapter in the life of this extraordinary little boy." It wasn't immediately clear if Alfie's parents would seek another appeal. The months-long legal battle between Alfie's parents, backed by a Christian pressure group, and his doctors has drawn interventions from the pope and Italian authorities, who support the parents' desire to have their son treated in Italy. The attorney for Tom Evans, Alfie's father, said Evans accepted that his son would die but wanted palliative care in line with his Catholic faith. Alfie's father says the boy has continued to survive with no assistance after life support was withdrawn, and that doctors had subsequently resumed providing oxygen and hydration. On Wednesday he said Alfie was being given food again after 36 hours without it. "Alfie is doing still as well as he can. He's fighting," he told ITV television. Doctors say it is hard to estimate how long Alfie will live without life support, but that there is no chance he will get better. Alfie's case has drawn international attention, with officials in largely Catholic Poland and Italy implicitly criticizing Britain's courts and state-run National Health Service. Albany Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo threatened to sue federal immigration officials Wednesday following a raid on an upstate dairy farm during which armed federal agents allegedly trespassed on private property and handcuffed an American citizen who tried to videotape the incident. John Collins said the agents who entered his farm in Rome did not identify themselves or produce a warrant before they arrested a farm worker on charges that he unlawfully re-entered the U.S. following deportation. Collins, who said the worker has proper documentation to work in the U.S., said the officers grabbed his phone and threw it destroying it when he used it to videotape the arrest. Collins said he was then placed in handcuffs and threatened with arrest. Cuomo sent a cease-and-desist letter to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency on Wednesday in response to conduct that he deemed "un-American." "We believe ICE is violating the law and endangering public safety," said Cuomo. "If they continue, the state will sue them. Period." According to court records, the officers were visiting the farm in an attempt to locate a second person when they encountered the farm worker, Marcial de Leon Aguilar. According to the court documents, Aguilar was lawfully arrested by deportation officers, who identified themselves and had a proper warrant. ICE said it has removed Aguilar from the U.S. three times, most recently in January 2014. Khaalid Walls, a spokesman for the agency, did not respond to questions about the officers' conduct. The incident has also prompted scrutiny in Washington, where Democratic U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand has called for an investigation. The "Golden State Killer" was meticulous at his crime scenes over the course of a decade and in several cities, leaving scant evidence for police. There were no fingerprints. Few saw his face. And what he did leave - his DNA - was, at the time, not useful to police. Four decades later, with far better DNA technology and widespread use of it, that genetic material became critical to possibly solving one of the most vexing serial murder sprees in U.S. history. Authorities said they were able to link their suspect to the string of crimes by using a genealogy service to trace the genetic material to one man they believe killed at least a dozen people: Joseph James DeAngelo. Investigators tracked down the 72-year-old former police officer and retired mechanic by comparing DNA collected at numerous crime scenes to information submitted to an online genealogical service, Sacramento County Chief Deputy District Attorney Steve Grippi told the Sacramento Bee and the New York Times on Thursday. While the details of how the search unfolded were not immediately clear, Grippi told the news organizations that a genetic profile from one of DeAngelo's distant relatives led investigators to him. Once they narrowed their search - based on DeAngelo's age, where he had lived and his likeness to sketches victims had helped develop over the years - authorities were able to follow him and ultimately collected his DNA on a discarded item. The DNA match meant they had their chief suspect. Grippi did not identify the company or companies involved, but such services are increasingly used by people who submit their own genetic information to learn more about their ancestry and family tree. Grippi's office confirmed the Sacramento Bee report but declined to provide additional information. Representatives from 23andMe and Ancestry.com, two of the most well-known services, said Thursday they were not involved in the case. A spokesperson for Ancestry.com said the company has "not been in contact with law enforcement regarding the Joseph James DeAngelo case." 23andMe said the company was not involved and does not give customer information to law enforcement officials. "It's an ongoing investigation," Grippi said in a statement to The Washington Post. "We have given you as much information as we can at this time. No further information on this subject will be provided." California authorities have begun compiling numerous cases against DeAngelo, charging the Navy veteran with slayings and rapes that spanned years and stretched the length of California. Officials suggested Thursday that additional counts are likely to follow in cases that included dozens of victims who were attacked in the 1970s and 1980s. DeAngelo's arrest was sudden and stunning, coming more than three decades after the horrific attacks that terrorized Californians in the 1970s and 1980s ended abruptly, the elusive attacker apparently vanishing and later presumed arrested on other charges or dead. The suburban grandfather police say was responsible remains largely a mystery even after his arrest. Investigators are now unfurling his life during and after the violence, and they are exploring whether his law enforcement background played a role in how the crimes were carried out, how they remained unsolved for so long and how their suspect was able to live close by, undetected, for decades. Officials said that between 1976 and 1986, the Golden State Killer - also known as the "East Area Rapist" and the "Original Night Stalker" - carried out a campaign of shocking brutality, killing a dozen people and raping 45. DeAngelo, who police said was arrested without incident at his home in Citrus Heights, Calif., is scheduled to make his first court appearance Friday. It was not clear whether he had an attorney. Small details about DeAngelo's life have begun to take shape, with neighbors painting him as an angry and unsettling man and noting that it was chilling that he chose to live in and around the communities he allegedly terrorized. DeAngelo had spent much of the 1970s employed as a police officer in two California cities. He worked for the Exeter Police Department between 1973 and 1976, authorities said. A newspaper article announcing his hiring at the time described him as a New York native who joined the Navy and served in Vietnam. During those years, a slew of house invasions - linked to a then-unknown assailant dubbed the "Visalia Ransacker" - took place about 10 miles from the police department's headquarters. Authorities said DeAngelo left the Exeter force and worked for the Auburn Police Department between 1976 and 1979, when that department said his employment was terminated. News reports from the time say he was fired after he was caught shoplifting a hammer and dog repellent. What DeAngelo did between being fired by the Auburn police force and getting hired by Save Mart a decade later remained unclear. Attacks in that area linked to the spree began during those years, police said. DeAngelo is facing at least eight murder charges filed by prosecutors in three counties, according to court records. The Sacramento County district attorney's office charged him with a pair of killings in 1978, while the Ventura County district attorney charged him with two more in 1980. The Orange County district attorney's office has charged DeAngelo with killing four people there between August 1980 and May 1986. Among those is a charge for the death of Janelle Cruz, an 18-year-old raped and killed in Irvine, Calif., who was the last-known victim authorities attributed to the Golden State Killer. Joyce E. Dudley, the Santa Barbara County district attorney, noted that among the Golden State Killer's victims were four people slain in the city of Goleta, which is in her jurisdiction. "Given the present state of the investigation, I will limit my office's statements until further action is taken in Santa Barbara County," Dudley said in a statement. Since about 1990, DeAngelo worked for Save Mart, the grocery chain, according to a company spokeswoman. DeAngelo, a mechanic, retired last year after 27 years of work at Save Mart's Roseville, Calif., distribution center, she said. "None of his actions in the workplace would have led us to suspect any connection to crimes being attributed to him," the spokeswoman said in a statement. "We are working with the Sacramento County District Attorney's Office on their investigation." Decades passed, but former Sacramento County Sheriff's Office Detective Richard Shelby said he always had faith the Golden State Killer would be caught. Shelby, 79, was one of the first detectives on the trail, and he kept consulting and working on the case even after he retired. "I felt like I just had a shower and wiped off 40 years of scum," Shelby said in an interview after the arrest. "It felt good to see him caught. All of those people whose lives he destroyed can sit back and feel good. They can sleep at night now." Shelby was originally assigned to investigate the Sacramento-area rape of Jane Carson-Sandler in her home in October 1976. He said he quickly suspected it was the work of a serial predator. "It seemed to be well organized. The timing was perfect," Shelby said of the rape. "This guy knew exactly when her husband was leaving for work. Several of the houses in the neighborhood had been broken into. She got harassing phone calls that stopped a week before the attack." Shelby said DeAngelo was never on the radar screens of investigators as a possible suspect in the 1970s. The suspect was careful not to leave fingerprints at crime scenes, Shelby said, but did sometimes leave DNA behind. Shelby said that oversight - which ultimately led to DeAngelo's arrest - likely was the result of DNA testing not having been developed at the time. Shelby said he doubts the suspect would have left such evidence at crime scenes if he were still operating today. "There's so much information out there about the case," Shelby said. "There's so many people out there interested in it. I knew someone somewhere knew something about it." DeAngelo's relatives - who authorities say are cooperating - could not be reached for comment. In Citrus Heights, where DeAngelo lived, neighbors recalled him as a nosy presence. One said that he found the elderly man intruding on his property a few years ago and that he fled on a bicycle when confronted. Others described DeAngelo as filled with rage. "This guy just had this anger that was just pouring out of him," Grant Gorman told the Sacramento Bee. "He'd just be yelling at nothing in the backyard, pacing in circles." Gorman's mother, Sonja, told the newspaper that DeAngelo "was the kind of person you didn't want to make mad." Cyndee Reed, who said her husband survived an attack by the Golden State Killer, came to Citrus Heights after DeAngelo was arrested. Reed said her husband and his first wife were found bound, naked and assaulted in their home. "I had to see where this monster had been living, while our family suffered for years," Reed said. "I know the trauma that my husband lived through." --- Sawsan Morrar in Citrus Heights, California, and The Washington Post's Julie Tate in Washington and contributed to this report. --- Video Embed Code Video: After more than 40 years, Sacramento police arrested the man they believe to be the so-called "Golden State Killer" on April 24.(Elyse Samuels/The Washington Post) Embed code: GOYANG, South Korea - Forget about Kim Jong Un, the nuclear-armed tyrant threatening to nuke Washington and take out U.S. military bases in Asia. Here comes Kim Jong Un, the international statesman. On Friday morning, the 34-year-old leader of North Korea, a man widely predicted seven years ago to be incapable of keeping control of the world's most authoritarian state, walked across the line that has divided the Korean Peninsula since 1953. It marked the start of a day of inter-Korean talks and camaraderie that would have been unimaginable just a few months ago. And it's a sharp turnaround for a man who, as 2018 opened, was bragging about having a nuclear button on his desk and nuclear weapons that had the entire United States within range. "He's the master of the bold gesture," said Gary Samore, a nuclear nonproliferation expert at Harvard's Kennedy School who served on President Barack Obama's National Security Council. "We've almost forgotten the [allegations] that he had his half brother killed with a chemical weapon just last year and that he had his uncle ripped apart with antiaircraft guns." Indeed, the image of Kim presented by the South Korean government was nothing but positive in the lead-up to Friday's historic summit. Local media outlets stayed on message by broadcasting photos of a constantly smiling Kim. With his inaugural trip to Beijing to see President Xi Jinping last month, his summit Friday with South Korean President Moon Jae-in and his invitation to President Donald Trump, Kim is presenting himself as a legitimate leader with global standing. It's quite a metamorphosis. "He's not just some young buck, some flashy guy," said Balbina Y. Hwang, a North Korea specialist at Georgetown University who worked in the State Department after the 2005 denuclearization agreement with North Korea. "I think everybody has totally underestimated him." Gone are the belligerent threats and photos with huge missiles of 2017. Gone are the palpable fears in Washington, Seoul and Beijing that the Trump administration might actually go ahead with a military strike to give the North Korean regime a "bloody nose." Now it's all about working together to come up with a deal everyone can live with - a change driven almost entirely by Kim's sudden pivot toward diplomacy. This, most analysts say, is the result of a combination of Trump's "maximum pressure" campaign and the North Korean leader's increased confidence now that he has a credible nuclear deterrent. Wendy Sherman, a former U.S. undersecretary of state with a long history of dealing with North Korea, said that Kim had proved himself to be a tactical and manipulative leader. "I think it was a smart move to say to the South Koreans that he would meet with Trump and will talk to him about denuclearization, and to let them deliver the news and get this process underway," she said. "That played into the Korean identity." The South Korean government - which has a strong preference for the diplomatic option, given that the military option could lead to mass carnage in its capital - has said that Kim is prepared to discuss denuclearization and that he will not insist on the standard North Korean condition that U.S. troops be withdrawn from the southern half of the peninsula. Kim's statement on the matter suggested that he might be willing to freeze his program - now that he has a thermonuclear bomb and an advanced missile technically capable of reaching all of the United States - but gave no indication that he was prepared to relinquish the hard-won weapons. "Kim Jong Un has given us quite a few surprises," said Ji-young Lee, professor of Korean studies at American University. But it's too early to tell whether this is a sign of a fundamental shift, she said. "My sense is that it is still at the level of tactics," Lee said. "We shouldn't get too excited about it signaling a change in policy, but I think it has the potential to lead to a more fundamental transformation." The composition of Kim's entourage for Friday's talks suggests that the North Korean leader, like his South Korean counterpart, sees them as a prelude to a summit with Trump. In the group are Ri Su Yong, the former foreign minister, and Ri Yong Ho, the current one, as well as several top military officials. "North Korea appears to be considering not only the inter-Korean summit but also the subsequent North-U.S. summit and efforts for international cooperation," Im Jong-seok, Moon's chief of staff and head of the summit preparation committee, told reporters Thursday. Kim's sister, Kim Yo Jong, who visited the South in February and delivered the summit invitation to Moon, is also part of the delegation. But shaking hands and planting trees are one thing. Coming up with an agreement that can form a springboard to substantive denuclearization talks with Trump is quite another. Many analysts have voiced concerns that expectations for Friday's summit - and especially for the summit with Trump - have been wildly inflated and are now completely unrealistic. "We all know that this is a farce," said Harvard's Samore. Kim "has no intention of giving up his nuclear weapons." The North Koreans also are not likely to accede to a key part of the denuclearization process: inspection and verification. "This is all good, but it's the icing on the cake," Sherman said of Kim's recent signals. "It's not the cake. The cake is him giving up his weapons, and the first step toward that is letting in inspectors and letting them see what he's got and what needs to be secured. That's going to be difficult." That means North Korea will want to keep up the pretense that it's serious about denuclearization for as long as possible. "The North Koreans have a strong incentive to drag this out," said Samore, who also was involved in the Iran nuclear deal. "The sanctions are going to get weaker. China and Russia are not really going to enforce them if it looks like North Korea is playing along." Already the new tone coming out of Pyongyang has led to a sharp shift in mood in the region. China, which had been worried that Trump was serious about military strikes and joined his "maximum pressure" campaign to try to stave them off, already is easing up on sanctions, according to several people familiar with the border trade. Checks on exports to and limitations on imports from North Korea already are being loosened, a Chinese academic said on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive government policy. South Korean media outlets have reported that Kim presented Xi with a list of demands while he was in Beijing last month - the aid and trade concessions he wants for going along with the diplomatic process. This has not been confirmed by Beijing. Still, given the course that North Korea was on last year, a year in which it made astonishing advances in both its nuclear program and its missile systems, the fact that all the players are now on a diplomatic path is being welcomed, even by former Obama administration officials. "The reason I support the president giving this a chance is because North Korea believes that only leaders can make decisions," said Sherman. Samore agreed. "I'm very skeptical, but I think it's worth a try," he said. "And it's certainly better than talking about giving Kim Jong Un a 'bloody nose.' " Washington One day after President Emmanuel Macron of France and President Donald Trump showered each other with praise, the French president spoke more critically of his host's foreign policy, trade and environmental decisions in a speech to Congress that amounted to an implicit rebuke of Trump's "America First" approach. Macron, who traveled to Washington hoping to persuade Trump not to walk away from the Iran nuclear deal, reiterated his argument for preserving it even as he said he and Trump had decided to pursue "a more comprehensive deal" to restrain Tehran. The French president used his speech in the House chamber to urge Trump not to shrink from the leadership role the United States had played in forging the pact that Trump on Tuesday called "insane" and "ridiculous" in the first place. "We signed it," Macron said of the nuclear deal with Iran, "at the initiative of the United States. We signed it both the United States and France. That is why we cannot say we should get rid of it like that." Macron acknowledged that the deal had not addressed crucial concerns, including future nuclear activities in Iran, the use of ballistic missiles and the country's destabilizing activities in the region. "But we should not abandon it without having something substantial, and more substantial, instead," he added. "What we decided, together with your president, is that we can work on a more comprehensive deal addressing all these concerns." He was greeted warmly with a three-minute standing ovation, and he drew several more ovations throughout his speech as he outlined his vision of global affairs and the alliance between the United States and France, in nearly flawless English. In substance, Macron's address illustrated the degree to which the warm personal rapport between the two presidents contrasts with the stark divides between them on vital questions of policy. Macron attacked nationalism and argued it was up to the U.S. to preserve the international order it had helped to create. He also implicitly denounced Trump's decision to impose steep tariffs on steel and aluminum and railed against inaction in the face of global climate change. Jacksonville schools celebrated giving back to their community Wednesday. Districtwide Celebration Day kicked off a food drive that will continue through May, according to Amy Albers, executive director of the Jacksonville Public Schools Foundation. Students have a goal of collecting 150 items for the food bank for the Summer Kids Program. Students are being encouraged to collect kid-friendly food items. In addition to the kickoff, Albers said, all students received historical bookmarks, and teachers spoke about the history of the District 117 school system, which is celebrating its sesquicentennial. The emphasis, however, is on giving back to the community. We wanted to emphasize giving back to the community and that students can make a difference, Albers said. A whirlwind of French charm just failed to forge a trade armistice between the Trump administration and Europe. Now a punch of German pragmatism will take a crack at it. German Chancellor Angela Merkel arrives in Washington Friday for a one-day visit with President Donald Trump amid considerably less fanfare than what greeted French President Emmanuel Macron's state visit that concluded Wednesday. But the stakes are arguably higher. The exemption from steel and aluminum tariffs that the Trump administration granted the European Union last month expires Tuesday, and the White House has yet to indicate it will extend it. That it could fall to the second half of the European tag team engaging Trump this week to close the deal doesn't necessarily bode well. Trump has an unusually warm rapport with Macron, as evidenced by their handsy interactions this week; by contrast, the last time Merkel met with Trump in the Oval Office, the president caused a stir by appearing to ignore a suggestion to shake her hand. More to the point, the United States runs a $65 billion trade deficit in goods with Germany, its widest in Europe and third-largest overall - a key sticking point for Trump in his relationships with foreign leaders. And the president has called out what he views as a lopsided relationship with Europe's manufacturing powerhouse: Trump tweeted "We have a MASSIVE trade deficit with Germany, plus they pay FAR LESS than they should on NATO & military. Very bad for U.S. This will change "...vast sums of money to NATO & the United States must be paid more for the powerful, and very expensive, defense it provides to Germany!" It may not matter much to Trump, but that trade imbalance owes to macroeconomic choices rather than German protectionism. "A country's balance of payments is the difference between its overall spending and saving. Germans have chosen in aggregate to save more than they spend - and export surplus capital to be invested overseas," The Wall Street Journal's Simon Nixon writes. "A number of structural factors help explain this preference for saving. The most important is acute demographic pressures which have led aging baby boomers to prioritize saving for their retirement and encouraged German firms to invest in more promising overseas markets... Besides, Germany's surplus also reflects the policy choices of other countries. Mr. Trump's new tax law, for example, will boost spending and therefore likely increase the U.S. trade deficit with Germany and the EU." Macron and Merkel - who met last week in Berlin to coordinate their trade pitch to Trump - have been aiming to secure a permanent European exemption from the administration's 10 percent levy on imports of aluminum and 25 percent levy on imports of steel. "We expect an unconditional and permanent exception," EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom said Monday. (So far, only South Korea has snagged permanent terms, as part of a renegotiated bilateral deal; it agreed to accept the aluminum tariff and limit steel exports to 70 percent of its average over the last three years.) Macron attempted to make the case for a final deal - and one that involves the entire EU - in his talks with Trump. Politico's Nicholas Vinocur reports, "During their discussions, an aide said that Macron had pressed the point that 'we cannot conceive of a trade war among allies,' and that France would only speak 'in concert with Europe' on trade. 'We put across the point that the exemptions should be extended,' added the aide, who sat in on discussions with senior U.S. officials following Macron's bilateral talks with Trump." The French leader also spoke up for freer trade, guaranteed by international institutions, in his Wednesday address to a joint meeting of Congress. "I believe we can build the right answers . . . by negotiating through the WTO and building cooperative solutions," Macron said. "We wrote these rules. We should follow them." Macron's approach had the virtue of novelty. "This combination - flattery plus direct talk - hasn't yet been tried on Trump," Washington Post columnist Anne Applebaum writes. "The friendly gestures will appeal to his narcissism; there is a slim chance - very, very slim - that it might even get him to change his mind about some things. There is a greater risk that the clear opposition, even cloaked in elaborate references to Lincoln and both Roosevelts, might irk him." But at least in the immediate term, as far as Europe's trade agenda, it was to no apparent avail. Merkel and her team understand they have a difficult task on their hands. Until March 1, Trump and Merkel hadn't even spoken for five months. "The visit definitely won't be easy," Peter Beyer, Merkel's transatlantic coordinator, told Reuters last week. Yet he said the visit fit into a context with Macron's. "I think one has to see the Macron and Merkel visits as one. Macron will take care of the nice pictures and play his role. Merkel will deliver the hard work and play hers." GOYANG, South Korea - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un Friday morning crossed the line that has divided the Korean Peninsula for 65 years, walking into South Korea for a historic summit with President Moon Jae-in that will lay the groundwork for a meeting between Kim and President Donald Trump. It was the first time since the Korean War ended in 1953 that a North Korean leader has come to South Korea and it was broadcast live across the country, with commuters stopping in train stations and teachers stopping classes so their students could watch the moment. Kim, wearing his trademark black Mao suit, walked down the steps of the Panmungak building on the northern side of the line that divides the peninsula, and up to the concrete curb that marks the exact line. Moon was waiting for him there, his hand outstretched. They talked, smiling, for several minutes before Moon invited Kim across to the southern side. Kim accepted but, after posing for photos, invited Moon to cross back into the North with him. Moon went and the two Korean leaders stood hand in hand in what is technically North Korea - something that would have been unthinkable even a few months ago. "This was a very moving moment for all of us," said Paik Hak-soon, a North Korea expert at the pro-engagement Sejong Institute outside Seoul. "The two Korean leaders, crossing the military demarcation line and making these talks happen, are sending a message to the world that they are initiating peace on the Korean Peninsula," he said. After crossing the line, Kim entered the Peace House building on the southern side of the border and signed a welcome book with the message: "New history from now on, [we are] at the start of a historic new peace era." Two North Korean security guards cleaned the chair, guest book and pen with sanitizer before Kim sat down to write the message. Once inside the meeting room, a relaxed and jovial Kim joked about bringing cold noodles from Pyongyang for Friday night's dinner banquet and, in front of the media, gave conciliatory opening remarks. "Let's hold hands and walk toward the future," the 34-year-old North Korean leader said, with his younger sister, Kim Yo Jong, at his side at the table. Moon responded in kind. "We have a whole day to us, so let's talk about the things we haven't been able to talk about for the last 10 years," the South Korean president said. "I want to once again show my respect for Leader Kim Jong Un's courageous decision that made today possible." The warm welcome, complete with a red carpet and a military honor guard in traditional costume, kicked off a day of talks that will cover inter-Korean relations and setting up a peace regime to bring about a formal end to the Korean War, which ended in an armistice, not a peace treaty. Those subjects have largely been coordinated in advance, but the real wild card is denuclearization. Moon has said that Kim is willing to discuss denuclearization, and without the condition of American troops being withdrawn from South Korea. Successive U.S. administrations have insisted that Pyongyang give up its nuclear program and allow outside inspectors to verify the progress, the Kim regime has long said that any process must be mutual and accompanied by the withdrawal of the U.S. military from the southern half of the peninsula. In an announcement Saturday that North Korea would not conduct any more nuclear or missile tests, Kim made no mention of giving up his program. He simply signaled that he would suspend his program. "The devil will be in the details," said Laura Rosenberger, a fellow at the German Marshall Fund of the United States who worked on North Korea policy in the Obama White House. She cited the "Leap Day deal" debacle in 2012, when North Korea agreed to a moratorium on missile tests, only to launch what it said was a satellite about six weeks later. "I worry about that kind of thing happening again," she said. The outcome of these talks will be of huge interest to the United States, which was on the receiving end of Kim's nuclear threats last year. Trump has tweeted that "big progress" is being made toward denuclearization and that he is looking forward to meeting Kim. That meeting has not been scheduled but is likely to happen in late May or early June. The location has not been decided. But analysts are much more skeptical about securing the kind of agreement that would lead Kim to give up his nuclear weapons program. "Expectations for these summits are greatly inflated, which is the last thing you want going in," said Victor Cha, chairman of the Korea department at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington and one of the negotiators of the 2005 denuclearization deal. That the summit is happening at all represents an astounding turn of events after a 2017 that was marked by major advances in North Korea's nuclear and missile programs. This sparked a war of words between Kim and Trump that many feared might turn into actual military action. But Trump's "maximum pressure" policy of tough sanctions and tougher words, combined with Kim's heightened nuclear-powered swagger, has created an environment for talks in which the United States and North Korea each think they have the upper hand. Moon, who took office only a year ago pledging to engage with North Korea, recognized the opportunity for diplomacy and set the process that led to Friday's summit in motion at the Winter Olympics that South Korea hosted in February. The summit and the change of mood it has brought about in South Korea, where there were palpable fears of military action at the end of last year, has won wide approval in South Korea. Even the conservative newspapers, usually harsh critics of Moon's progressive government, have been cautiously supportive of the effort to embark down a diplomatic path. The JoongAng Ilbo, one the biggest newspapers, said that the outcome of Friday's summit would have wide-reaching implications. "Kim must realize this is the last chance for survival," the paper wrote in an editorial Friday. "If Kim tries to attach unrealistic conditions as his predecessors did, he cannot gain anything. That will only help the hawks in Washington bay for stronger action." This is only the third inter-Korean summit and is the first that South Korea has hosted. Kim Dae-jung went to Pyongyang in 2000 to meet then-leader Kim Jong Il, the current leader's father, and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts. However, the shine came off when it emerged the South had paid the North $500 million to participate. Roh Moo-hyun, Kim's successor, followed suit by traveling to Pyongyang in 2007 and meeting Kim Jong Il. At the time, Moon was Roh's chief of staff and head of the summit preparation committee. WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump hinted that he may get more deeply involved in the management of his Justice Department - which is overseeing a special counsel probe into possible Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election - in a freewheeling and defiant phone interview with Fox News on Wednesday morning. Trump said that he tries to "stay away from" intervening in the Department of Justice, before adding, "But at some point I won't." It was unclear to what exactly the president was referring - or threatening - in his comments, but Trump has repeatedly dismissed special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia probe as a "witch hunt" and expressed a desire to fire both Mueller and Rod J. Rosenstein, the deputy attorney general who is overseeing the investigation. The president's comments Thursday brought a sharp rebuke from Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., who called Trump's interview "so unbecoming of a president, unbecoming of a democracy." "It's so abundantly clear from the president's remarks this morning, and from so many other things he has said, that he has little regard for the rule of law," Schumer said in remarks on the Senate floor. "He seems to have this view that the purpose of the Justice Department is to protect his interests and persecute his enemies." Trump's remarks came as he called on the Department of Justice to investigate corruption within its own ranks, rather than focus on the Russia probe, which now includes not just Russian interference but also possible obstruction of justice. "Our Justice Department, which I try and stay away from, but at some point I won't - our Justice Department should be looking at that kind of stuff, not the nonsense of collusion with Russia," Trump said. "There is no collusion with me and Russia, and everyone knows it." The president was initially responding to a question by the hosts of "Fox & Friends" - a morning show that he routinely watches and that offers a largely flattering portrayal of Trump and his administration - about whether he hopes to talk to Mueller and put an end to the investigation. "Well, if I can," Trump said. But Trump quickly turned to slamming his own Justice Department's leadership, complaining that 13 of Mueller's investigators are Democrats and that Andrew McCabe, the deputy director of the FBI who was recently fired just shy of his retirement, accepted $700,000 from a Clinton ally for his wife's unsuccessful 2016 Virginia state Senate campaign. The president is right that some of Mueller's investigators have donated to Democrats, but the number is lower than he claimed; nine of the 16 members of the Russia team gave to Democrats, and Mueller himself was a registered Republican in 2001 when he was nominated to lead the FBI. All members of Mueller's team, however, are largely believed to be apolitical. And while McCabe's wife, Jill, a pediatrician, did receive approximately $500,000 from a political action committee led by former Virginia governor Terry McAuliffe, Andrew McCabe himself never accepted the contribution, which came before he was directly involved in the investigation into Hillary Clinton's private email server. Yet Trump, who has repeatedly demonized both the FBI and the Justice Department leadership, also cast himself as a champion of the agency. "By the way, you take a poll at the FBI - I love the FBI," he said. "The FBI loves me." Among the other Democrats who criticized Trump's interview was Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee. "Mr. President, it's not your Justice Department; it belongs to the American people and serves the public interest, not yours," Schiff wrote on Twitter, adding: "Any interference will not be tolerated." Washington The Supreme Court seemed poised Wednesday to uphold President Donald Trump's ban on travel to the U.S. by visitors from several Muslim-majority countries, giving the president a major victory on a signature and controversial policy. In the court's first full-blown consideration of a Trump order, the conservative justices who make up the court's majority seemed unwilling to hem in a president who has invoked national security to justify restrictions on who can or cannot step on U.S. soil. The justices in December allowed the ban to take full effect even as the legal fight over it continued, but Wednesday was the first time they took it up in open court. Trump's tough stance on immigration was a centerpiece of his presidential campaign, and he rolled out the first version of the ban just a week after taking office, sparking chaos and protests at a number of airports. The ban's challengers almost certainly need either Chief Justice John Roberts or Justice Anthony Kennedy on their side if the court is to strike down the policy that its opponents have labeled a Muslim ban. But neither appeared receptive to arguments made by lawyer Neal Katyal, representing the ban's opponents, that Trump's rule stems from his campaign pledge to keep Muslims out of the country and is unlike immigration orders issued by any other president. The room was packed for the court's final arguments until October, and people waited in line for seats for days. "Hamilton" creator Lin-Manuel Miranda was in the audience. Demonstrators protesting the ban filled the area outside the building. Some who oppose the ban have said courts should treat Trump differently from his predecessors. But that issue was raised only obliquely from the bench when Justice Elena Kagan talked about a hypothetical president who campaigned on an anti-Semitic platform and then tried to ban visitors from Israel. When Solicitor General Noel Francisco, defending the ban, started to answer that such a turn of events was extremely unlikely because of the two countries' close relationship, Kagan stopped him. "This is an out-of-the-box kind of president in my hypothetical," she said, to laughter. "We don't have those, Your Honor," Francisco replied. While there was discussion about Trump's statements both as a candidate and as president, no justice specifically referenced his tweets on the subject, despite Katyal's attempt to get them to focus on last fall's retweets of inflammatory videos that stoked anti-Islam sentiment. Justice Sonia Sotomayor was the most aggressive questioner of Francisco. She told him she doubted that the president has "the authority to do more than Congress has already decided is adequate" under immigration law. She and Kagan also questioned Francisco closely about whether the ban discriminates against Muslims. From the other side, Kennedy challenged Katyal about whether the ban would be unending. He said the policy's call for a report every six months "indicates there'll be a reassessment" from time to time. "You want the president to say, 'I'm convinced that in six months we're going to have a safe world,'" Kennedy said, seemingly rejecting Katyal's argument. His only question that seemed to favor the challengers came early in the arguments, when he asked Solicitor General Francisco whether Trump's campaign statements should be considered in evaluating the administration's ban. Francisco told the justices they shouldn't look at those campaign statements. With Katyal at the lectern, Justice Samuel Alito said it seemed wrong to call the travel policy a Muslim ban when it applies to just five of 50 mostly Muslim countries, 8 percent of the world's Muslim population and only one country Iran among the 10 largest with Muslim majorities. A challenge to the Fairfax County, Virginia, police storage of data collected by automated license plate readers, thrown out by a Fairfax County judge in 2016, was revived by the Virginia Supreme Court on Thursday. The court ruled that the photos snapped by the readers constitute "personal information" which might not be legally retained by the police, depending on further investigation by the courts. The case could ultimately impact every police department in Virginia which uses the license plate readers, in terms of how long they can keep the data the readers generate. The license plate readers are used by police departments across the country, often placed on patrol cars to snap thousands of photos per hour of license plates and check their numbers against "hot lists" of stolen or wanted vehicles. The readers also record the exact time and place the photo was taken and then store that information in a database, which groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union argue is an invasion of privacy by giving police the ability to track a person's movements. Police have used the information to link vehicles to crime scenes and to find missing persons. Fourteen states around the country have laws addressing how the police shall maintain license plate data, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures, and nine of those states impose limits on the length of time it can be kept, from three years (Arkansas) to three minutes (New Hampshire). Virginia has no such law. The General Assembly in 2015 passed a bill that would have limited the data retention to seven days, but Gov. Terry McAuliffe vetoed it. But Virginia already has "the Data Act," which says that "There shall be no private information system whose existence is secret" and maintained by the government. In 2013, the Virginia State Police asked the state attorney general, then Republican Ken Cuccinelli, whether they could legally keep license plate reader data. Cuccinelli said no. If the information isn't directly related to a criminal case, it "may not lawfully be collected," the attorney general opined. The state police now purge their license plate data every 24 hours. But The Washington Post found that other agencies around the state disregarded Cuccinelli's non-binding opinion and continued to keep the data for up to two years. After an attempt to legislate a time limit failed, the ACLU, on behalf of a motorist whose license plate had been captured twice, sued Fairfax County police, which keep their license data for one year. After hearings, Fairfax County Circuit Court Judge Robert Smith granted the county's motion to dismiss the case in 2016. He noted that "license plate number" is not included in Virginia's definition of "personal information," and that a license plate number "does not tell the researcher where the person is, what the person is doing, or anything else about the person." The ACLU appealed, and the state Supreme Court agreed to hear the case. And in an opinion written by Justice Cleo E. Powell, the court agreed with Smith that the plate number does not identify anyone, in part because cars might be registered to more than one person or to a company. But the Supreme Court expanded its analysis to the full photos snapped by the license plate readers, which show the car itself and its immediate surroundings, as well as the time and place information. That would "afford a basis for inferring personal characteristics" or the presence of an individual at a certain place and time, which the Data Act prohibits, Powell wrote. The photos qualify as personal information, the court concluded. But does the data base of license plate numbers qualify as an information system? The court wasn't so sure. They noted that an officer with a plate number can then check the Department of Motor Vehicles database to figure out whose car is involved. "Although the ALPR [automated license plate reader] database does not contain any information related to the individual to whom a specific license plate is registered," Powell wrote, "that does not mean that the total components of the Police Department's ALPR record-keeping process do not provide a means for discerning that information." The court sent the case back to Smith for further hearings on whether the Fairfax police's "retention and 'passive use' of information generated by ALPRs may be classified as an 'information system' governed by the Data Act." The Fairfax police also argued that they are exempt from the Data Act because it excludes police departments "that deal with investigations and intelligence gathering related to criminal activity." The court strongly rejected that claim. "We conclude," Powell wrote, "that the Police Department's sweeping randomized surveillance and collection of personal information does not 'deal with investigations and intelligence gathering related to criminal activity," and therefore if the ALPR database is determined to be an information system, it is not exempt from the operation of the Data Act." Claire Guthrie Gastanaga, executive director of the Virginia ACLU chapter, said, she was "glad that the Court recognized that an information system that links [license plate reader] information to the name of the vehicle owner would make subject to the [Data] Act. . . . We don't think that it will be difficult to establish that the system used by police results in the acquisition and storage of personally identifiable information subject to the Data Act." She also noted that the Supreme Court "has ruled that video capturing a person's location is personal information under the Act. Such activity - regardless of how the Court rules on license plates - is now subject to scrutiny under the Act, and exposes agencies that engage in 'just because, just in case' surveillance to potential future litigation under the Act." Fairfax County spokesman Tony Castrilli said that "the Court sent the case back to the Fairfax County Circuit Court for trial on the narrow question of whether the FCPD's License Plate Reader database is an 'information system' as defined in the Act. With the upcoming trial, this case is still in litigation and therefore neither the County nor the FCPD are at liberty to comment any further at this time." A former detective who is accused of mishandling 130 sexual assault and family violence cases is not representative of the roughly 45 detectives who are part of the San Antonio Police Departments Special Victims Unit, according to an independent audit released Thursday. The audit, which was conducted by Lisa Tatum, former president of the State Bar of Texas and a former Bexar County assistant criminal attorney, did offer suggestions to the units operating procedures, work flow process and supervisor oversight. However, the report said, the mishandling of cases by Detective Kenneth Valdez or the mishandling of cases generally, is specific to individual behavior and not attributable to the SVU as a whole. A Kerrville teen pleaded not guilty Thursday to six felony charges recently filed against him over the deaths last June of two toddlers who overheated while left in a vehicle outside a house overnight, a tragedy for which the victims mother also faces charges. Kevin Franke, now 17, was 16 when he spent part of the night in an SUV with Brynn Hawkins, 1, and Addyson Overgard-Eddy, 2, who were secured in their car seats from 9 p.m. on June 6 until noon the next day, police said. Hes accused of leaving the girls alone in the vehicle when he went back into the house about 8 a.m., failing to alert Hawkins they were outside and failing to promptly seek medical care when they were found. His attorney says Franke slept in the vehicle because there wasnt enough room in the house and that he didnt know the girls were in the back seat of the vehicle. Franke was certified in February to stand trial as an adult. The childrens mother, Amanda Hawkins, 20, was inside the house with friends, including Franke, all the time the children are reported to have been in the vehicle, police said. Sheriff Rusty Hierholzer has reported that Hawkins demurred when encouraged by other people in the house to bring the children inside, responding, Theyll cry themselves to sleep. The children were unconscious when discovered around noon June 7, and later died at a San Antonio Hospital. Hawkins is scheduled to stand trial May 21 in Kerr County on two counts of injury to a child and two counts of child endangerment/abandonment. Shes been jailed under $300,000 bond since June 7. A Kerr County grand jury considered the case April 16 and indicted Franke on two counts of manslaughter, two counts of injury to a child and two counts of child endangerment/abandonment all second degree felonies. He is being held at the Kerr County Jail on combined bonds totaling $300,000, records show. District Attorney Lucy Wilke said Franke entered not guilty pleas to all charges on Thursday in Kerr County district court. She declined further comment. The attorneys for Franke, Joe Gonzales and Christian Henricksen, could not be reached for comment. Gonzales, who in February opposed the move to certify Franke as an adult, said then that Franke should, at most, face child abandonment charges in juvenile court. My client has maintained all along that he was not aware the young girls were sitting in the back of the vehicle and did not hear any noise from these girls, he said in February. This is nothing more than accidental deaths that occurred because their mother put the girls in that situation. The manslaughter indictments against Franke allege that he recklessly caused the victims deaths by turning off the vehicles engine and rolling up its windows before leaving them inside, and failing to alert Hawkins to the situation or promptly seek medical attention. It further alleges the crime was committed with use of a deadly weapon, the vehicle, which enhances the potential punishment range, if convicted. A deadly weapon claim is also made in the two indictments returned on charges of injury to a child, which accuses Franke of causing serious bodily injuries to the victims by act or omission. The language in those indictments closely follows that of the manslaughter charges. The abandonment charges against Franke allege that he had assumed care, custody or control over the girls and intentionally abandoned them in a place that exposed them to an unreasonable risk of harm...( and)... in imminent danger of death, bodily injury, or physical or mental impairment. Zeke MacCormack is a San Antonio Express-News staff writer. Read more of his stories here. | zeke@express-news.net | @zekemac More allegations have been reported to San Antonio police about a Viva Tacoland bartender since his arrest Monday on suspicion of sexually assaulting two customers, officials said. Dillonger Hackett, 30, was taken into custody by the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force after two women alleged he spiked their drinks while serving them at the restaurant, just outside the Pearl, then assaulted them on March 25. The restaurant has not responded to repeated requests for comment. Detectives "are following up on multiple calls they've received as a result of this case," according to a police spokesperson. READ MORE: SAPD: Tacoland bartender spiked women's drinks, sexually assaulted 2 Police have not yet been able to confirm if the women's drinks were tampered with and are awaiting test results. If the test results indicate their drinks were spiked, Hackett's charges would be upgraded from sexual assault to aggravated sexual assault. Hackett doesn't have a serious criminal record in Texas or past assault charges but has had some run-ins with law enforcement. An altercation between Hackett and an ex-girlfriend at Bombay Bicycle Club, a bar on St. Mary's Street, ended with him being forcibly removed and banned from the business in January, the woman and employees told mySA.com. He had previously been a bouncer there while she worked as a bartender. The previous April, officers were called to Hackett's home for a report of a disturbance. Police reports show Hackett and the same woman got into an argument because Hackett thought he saw her give her number to another person. She threw a beer bottle at him and he shoved her out of his home with a hand on her wrist and another near her throat, according to the report. The relationship ended in December. When news of his arrest broke, the ex-girlfriend told mySA.com she wasn't shocked. "He definitely does not have a good reputation with a lot of people," she said. "No one's really surprised." Hackett was given deferred adjudication after a DWI arrest last July and was arrested by Houston police on suspicion of possessing between four ounces and five pounds of marijuana. Hackett is being held without bond in Bexar County Jail on the marijuana charge. Fares Sabawi covers crime in San Antonio and Bexar County for mySA.com. Read more of his stories here. | fsabawi@mysa.com | Twitter: @FaresInSA Poetry, music, song, readings and guided walks all form part of this years Maria Edgeworth Literary Festival which runs from Friday, May 11 to Sunday, May 13. This year is the 250th anniversary of the birth of Maria Edgeworth and many events are scheduled throughout Ireland and across Europe. 'Maria in Mind' The organisers of this year's festival have, with the support of Creative Ireland commissioned a One Woman Show, 'Maria in Mind' that will capture the life and times of one of Ireland's greatest novelists and writers. The piece draws on her works, views, her letters, her legend, family and friends. The festival endeavours to encapsulate all things cultural in this the European Year of Cultural Heritage. See the program for our annual Literary Festival. This year is not to be missed as we are celebrating 250 years of the Edgeworths. feeling excited Edgeworth Society (@edgeworthsoc) April 16, 2018 On Friday evening, May 11, at 6pm in the Green, there will be a children's event where the winners of the children's poetry competition will be announced. The event will also include the local Children's Choir and a short drama piece performed by the U-15 members of the Mostrim Players. Acclaimed children's writer Sarah Webb will give her adjudicators comments and read from her work. At 8pm in Our Lady's Manor Church actress Carmel O'Leary will perform Maria in Mind. This will be a premiere and it is hoped that the show will go on to be performed in Universities and Institutions where the works of Maria Edgeworth are studied. Over the years, the festival has attracted such luminaries as John F Dean, Michael Harding, Dermot Bolger, Ann Enright and JP Donleavy. This year will be no exception, with Longford native Vona Groarke and Brian Leyden hosting creative writing workshops in the morning and reading from their works in the Manor at 8pm on Saturday night, May 12. The evening will also include music and song from Aoife Mulligan and the local Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann group. Edgeworthstown has a rich culture and built heritage; on Saturday afternoon, meeting at St Mary's Church at 2pm there will be a guided walk where visitors will hear the stories of the Edgeworth family and many more historical figures, including Wilde and Scott, all of whom have associations with the town. Maria Edgeworth loved socialising with her neighbours and friends in the area. One of these places was Tullynally Castle. To conclude the festival, visitors can experience a guided tour of the Castle with a talk by Valerie Pakenham who recently published an edited edition of the letters of Maria Edgeworth. Further details and bookings can be made by contacting 043 667 1801 or through our website at www.edgeworthstown.net. You may also like to read: Maria In Mind to be premiered at Co Longford's Edgeworth Literary Festival Longford's Heritage Hero meets Prince Charles Longford supporters of Alfie Evans will be gathering in front of St Mel's Cathedral today (Friday, April 27) to send a message of support to the little boy's parents. Toddler, Alfie, has been in a semi-vegetative state for the past year. Court proceedings began in December, where Alder Hey Children's Hospital defended its position that continued life-support treatment would not be in the child's best interests. Desperate to keep their child alive, Alfie's parents, Thomas Evans and Kate James decided to fight for the right to fly him to Italy for treatment. Life support for Alfie was switched off on Monday evening, despite his parents' appeals to keep it switched on. Alfie, however, has been breathing unassisted since Monday and his parents are now hoping to bring the little boy home. The touching story has drawn the attention of the globe, with activists groups from all over the world expressing their support for Alfie and his parents. "People empathise a lot and I think that they need an outlet where they can show their support," explained local political activist Hazel Robinson, who is involved in the organisation of tomorrow's gathering. "We'll be meeting outside St Mel's Cathedral at 6pm and we'll be recording a video message and sending it to Alfie's parents. We're hoping we'll get a good crowd to really hit home." Hazel herself is no stranger to fighting for a child's healthcare. Her own teenage daughter Gypsy Ann suffers from Cystic Fibrosis, and Ms Robinson campaigned hard to get the government to make the life-changing drug Orkambi available in Ireland. Fortunately, Orkambi was made available to cystic fibrosis sufferers last year. "I know as a mam how far I'd push for my child to stay alive," said Ms Robinson. "These parents should be allowed to make the choice to bring their child to Rome. It will be good for our community to have an outlet to show their support. This little boy has turned the world upside down and pulled on all our heart strings, so we're doing what we can from our little town." The gathering will take place outside St Mel's Cathedral on Friday April 27, at 6pm. Supporters are welcome to bring their own banners and signs, but Ms Robinson encourages everyone to bring blue balloons. Looking to stay up to date about all of the news stories and local headlines that are important to Long Islanders? We've rounded up the top coverage for all of the important topics from multiple sources around Long Island, so you can be sure you've got the most recent update on the top stories for Long Island. Have an idea for a news story? Email us at news@longisland.com Columnists Press Releases Nature & Weather, Local News, Community, Charity & Cause By Long Island News & PR Published: April 26 2018 Grants to Revitalize Blighted Properties and Promote Economic Redevelopment. New York, NY - April 26, 2018 - and North Hempstead and Southampton , New York are among 144 communities selected for Brownfields Environmental Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund, and Cleanup grants. The two grants totaling $565,000 will provide the communities with funding to assess, clean up, and redevelop underutilized properties while protecting public health and the environment. A total of $54.3 million will be provided to Brownfields sites nationwide. EPAs Brownfields Program expands the ability of communities to recycle vacant and abandoned properties for new, productive reuses, using existing infrastructure," said EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt. "These grants leverage other public and private investments, and improve local economies through property cleanup and redevelopment. Brownfield grants are helping communities throughout our region unlock the unmet economic potential of contaminated and unused lands, said EPA Regional Administrator Pete Lopez. EPA is pleased to be an active partner in promoting the cleanup and reuse of Brownfields properties. Once cleanup is complete, the site can be put to reuse with the potential to bring in valuable private sector development, jobs, and additional tax revenue. The EPA has selected the following Long Island communities to receive a total of $565,000 in Brownfield grants: North Hempstead, NY $300,000 EPA has selected the Town of North Hempstead to receive two $150,000 community-wide Brownfields assessment grants. One grant will be used to assess Brownfield sites for hazardous substances and the other grant will be used to assess sites for potential petroleum contamination. Grant funds will be used to rank Brownfield sites, conduct community engagement activities, and develop reuse and cleanup plans. Assessment activities will focus on the New Cassel community. Potential redevelopment plans for the area include an open space plan, a bicycle/pedestrian path network, and enhancing the visual character of the area to attract new businesses and provide amenities for residents and visitors. Receiving this grant would be a huge benefit to the community of New Cassel and the revitalization of the area, said the Town of North Hempstead Supervisor Judi Bosworth. Being able to conduct in-depth environmental studies and assessments is pivotal to attract both new residents and developers to fulfill the communitys vision for enhancing community facilities, establishing new parks and recreation and creating a more attractive, walkable, and livable New Cassel. Southampton, NY $265,000 EPA selected the Town of Southampton to receive two Brownfields assessment grants focusing on sites in Riverside, located within the watershed of the Peconic Estuary. The town will receive a $174,500 community-wide petroleum grant and a $90,500 community-wide hazardous substances grant. The Town of Southampton plans to redevelop the blighted properties to alleviate potential health and safety concerns and implement green building designs in an economically viable plan. Grant funds of both types will also be used for community engagement activities and to select and prioritize sites. The Town of Southampton is grateful for the funding and partnership provided by the Environmental Protection Agency with respect to our application for a Community-Wide Brownfield Assessment Grant, following New York State designation of the Hamlet of Riverside as a Brownfield Opportunity Area, Southampton Town Supervisor Jay Schneiderman said. Receipt of this Grant will allow the Town to move forward with further assessment and clean-up of targeted properties as we continue our efforts to transform this economically disadvantaged and blighted Hamlet into a vibrant focal point on the banks of the Peconic River at an important gateway to the Town of Southampton and Long Islands East End. The Brownfields Program targets communities that are economically disadvantaged and provides funding and assistance to transform blighted sites into assets that can generate jobs and spur economic growth. A study analyzing 48 Brownfields sites found that an estimated $29 million to $97 million in additional tax revenue was generated for local governments in a single year after cleanup. This is two to seven times more than the $12.4 million EPA contributed to the cleanup of these Brownfield sites. Furthermore, another study found that property values of homes located near Brownfields sites that are cleaned up increased between five and 15 percent after cleanup. In addition, communities can use Brownfields funding to leverage water infrastructure loans and other financial resources. For example, EPAs Clean Water State Revolving Fund and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund can be used, under certain conditions, to address the water quality aspects of brownfield sites and the assessment and construction of drinking water infrastructure on brownfields, respectively. EPAs Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act program may also serve as a potential source of long-term, low-cost supplemental financing to fund brownfields project development and implementation activities to address water quality aspects of brownfields. List of the FY 2018 Applicants Selected for Funding: https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/applicants-selected-fy18-brownfields-assessment-revolving-loan-fund-and-cleanup-grants For more information on the ARC grants: https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/types-brownfields-grant-funding For more information on EPAs Brownfields Program: https://www.epa.gov/brownfields For more information on how Brownfields restoration has positively impacted local economies and the quality of life for neighboring communities: https://www.epa.gov/brownfields/brownfields-success-stories Tech & Science, Nature & Weather, Local News By Long Island News & PR Published: April 26 2018 Expected to Spur Up to $1.5 Billion in Private Investment, Up to 20 Large Scale Renewable Projects Creating More Than 1,000 Good-Paying Jobs. Albany, NY - April 26, 2018 - Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the second solicitation for large-scale renewable energy projects under the state's Clean Energy Standard. The solicitation for up to 20 projects will accelerate New York's transition to a clean energy economy and is expected to spur up to $1.5 billion in private investment and create more than 1,000 new well-paying jobs for New Yorkers. The solicitation is expected to support 1.5 million megawatt-hours of renewable electricity per year, enough to power 200,000 homes, and advance New York's nation-leading commitment to secure 50 percent of the state's electricity from renewable sources by 2030. "This administration continues to champion renewable energy projects across New York, and this is a major step forward in our efforts to create clean jobs and set an example for the rest of the nation," Governor Cuomo said. "With this action we will continue to capitalize on our natural assets, expand economic opportunities and lay the groundwork for a cleaner, greener New York for generations to come." The state is issuing this solicitation as the second in a series of major procurements that are expected to result in the development of dozens of large scale renewable energy projects by 2022 under the Clean Energy Standard. Community engagement and on-the-ground support is crucial for the successful development of renewable energy projects, and the RFP released today includes new standards and requirements for effective community outreach and planning. The RFP also ensures that good-paying jobs will be created by requiring the prevailing wage for applicable positions. Notable new provisions in this solicitation include: Requiring that workers associated with the construction of any awarded facility be paid the applicable prevailing wage, a standard set by the New York State Department of Labor, ensuring that the projects will result in quality, good-paying jobs for New Yorkers; Preserving and protecting New York's valuable agricultural resources by providing bonus points for renewable energy projects that avoid overlap with land of agricultural importance to New York State; Ensuring that communities that would host successfully awarded projects are fully aware of the development process, proposers will be required to demonstrate that they have engaged with those communities and have also commenced the associated permitting processes; and Continuing to encourage proposals that cost-effectively pair renewable energy with advanced energy storage technologies to help meet Governor Cuomo's commitment to deploying 1,500 MW of energy storage by 2025. To learn more about the large scale renewable solicitation, visit NYSERDA's website The announcement maintains a predictable pace of annual solicitations for renewable energy developers and will support continued development and investment in clean energy projects across New York State. The move builds on the Governor's announcement with Vice President Al Gore in March when the state reaffirmed its commitment to cleaner, smarter energy solutions, including the announcement of large-scale renewable energy project awards and a formal request to the federal government for an exclusion from the new five-year National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program. This solicitation supports NYSERDA's 2017 solicitation through which a $1.4 billion investment dedicated to renewable energy projects was announced earlier this year. That investment included 22 utility-scale solar farms, three wind farms and one hydroelectric project. One of the wind farms features an energy storage component, marking the first time a large-scale renewable energy project has done so in New York State. The request also builds upon a New York Power Authority solicitation announced last June in concert with NYSERDA's first solicitation, that will procure 1 million MWh. This investment in large-scale clean energy supply will further expand NYPA's leadership role as the state's largest supplier of renewable electricity. NYPA received more than 130 proposals from 51 clean energy developers in response to its RFP. NYPA plans to announce selected developers and customers once contracts are signed, which is expected to be this summer. These projects will advance the Clean Climate Careers initiative announced by Governor Cuomo in June 2017. The initiative focuses on accelerating renewable energy and energy efficiency to make New York home to 40,000 new, good-paying clean energy jobs by 2020. According to the 2017 New York Clean Energy Industry Report, 146,000 New Yorkers were employed in the clean energy sector, including 22,000 in renewable energy power generation. Richard Kauffman, Chairman of Energy and Finance said, "Investment in clean energy has been a proven catalyst in jump-starting the economy and providing jobs throughout the State. The significant interest the state is seeing from companies to invest in New York's clean energy agenda is testament to our resolve to ensure generations to come can enjoy the natural resources which surround us." Alicia Barton, President and CEO, NYSERDA said, "Making progress in the battle against climate change requires a sustained commitment to supporting clean energy projects that will make our communities stronger and more resilient. Governor Cuomo has set the stage for New York to lead this effort through his bold commitment to 50 percent renewable energy by 2030, and we expect that this solicitation being announced today will help us maintain the early momentum we witnessed in the last round, and to pick up our pace in the march towards a cleaner future." Gil C. Quiniones, President and CEO, NYPA said, "Renewable energy is a priority for New York State. With these latest sizeable investments in clean and green energy projects and jobs, we are making great progress toward Governor Cuomo's Clean Energy Standard. Through large-scale renewable projects, we are changing the energy landscape in New York, and ensuring that our energy mix is viable and affordable now and into the future." Senate Energy and Telecommunications Committee Chair Senator Joseph Griffo said, "The development of renewable resources is crucial to New York's efforts to become more energy efficient. This announcement is a significant step forward and will support the state's investments in a clean energy economy and job growth across the state." Assembly Energy Committee Chair Michael Cusick said, "While fighting climate change, the State is also investing in our economy by providing jobs for New Yorkers. With this plan, Governor Cuomo is ensuring opportunities for businesses to participate in the State's agenda to have 50 percent renewable energy by 2030. Once again, New York is leading the nation in creating clean energy." Assembly Environmental Conservation Committee Chair Steve Englebright said, "I am thrilled to see New York taking more aggressive steps towards meeting our renewable energy goals, and in turn, our climate change mitigation goals. The state must rapidly move to produce clean power for homes and business and create well-paying, stable jobs for New Yorkers. Renewable projects, in concert with smart, economy-wide policies, will show that New York is a trendsetter in climate action." The Alliance for Clean Energy New York Executive Director Anne Reynolds said, "The renewable energy industry is committed to investing in New York to create jobs and help achieve Governor Cuomo's ambitious clean energy goals. We applaud the Governor for his commitment to clean energy and for the release of the second solicitation for projects under the Clean Energy Standard. Our member companies look forward to competing for the opportunity to serve New Yorkers and provide pollution-free power." Climate Jobs NY Executive Director Ya-Ting Liu said, "New York has become a model for the rest of the country on how to tackle climate change while creating good, middle-class jobs with benefits. We applaud Governor Cuomo's ongoing commitment to build a robust clean energy economy in New York that supports working families." The Nature Conservancy in New York Chief Conservation and External Affairs Officer Stuart F. Gruskin said, "The Nature Conservancy applauds Governor Cuomo for continuing progress on New York's ambitious renewable energy goals and is thrilled to see a new approach in this solicitation to begin to consider land use. We look forward to continuing to work with the Administration to proactively address siting concerns to ensure clean energy for all New Yorkers while reducing impacts to our critical natural resources." Independent Power Producers of New York President & CEO Gavin Donohue said, "We applaud Governor Cuomo's leadership in moving the Clean Energy Standard forward using competitive auctions. It is important to recognize the benefits of in-state energy resource development to local economies, and a diversity of resources is essential to electric system reliability." Reforming the Energy Vision Local News, Crime By Long Island News & PR Published: April 26 2018 Georgina Brito was last seen leaving her home on Tuesday, April 24. UPDATE - April 26, 2018 - Police report that Georgina Brito has been located. Below is the original report. West Hempstead, NY - April 26, 2018 - The Missing Persons Squad is investigating a Missing Juvenile that went missing on Tuesday, April 24, 2018 at 11:30 p.m. in The Missing Persons Squad is investigating a Missing Juvenile that went missing on Tuesday, April 24, 2018 at 11:30 p.m. in West Hempstead According to Detectives, Georgina Brito, 13, was last seen leaving her West Hempstead home. She is described as a female hispanic, 52 tall, and 98 pounds. She was last seen wearing a pink sweater, black leggings, carrying a black backpack and a suitcase. Nature & Weather, Local News, Health & Wellness, Politics By Long Island News & PR Published: April 26 2018 Zeldin: "Summer after summer, North Fork residents quality of life has suffered due to the persistent issue of helicopter noise on the East End." Long Island, NY - April 26, 2018 - This week, Representative Lee Zeldin (R, NY-1) introduced an amendment with Representative Grace Meng (D, NY-6) to require the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to reassess the North Shore Helicopter Route (NSR) to address the noise impact on affected communities, improve altitude enforcement, and assess alternative routes, including an all water route over the Atlantic Ocean. The FAA is required to hold a public hearing on the NSR in impacted communities and open a public comment period, both of which the FAA has refused to do in recent years as the NSR has been renewed by the FAA under emergency authority without consulting the public or local lawmakers. Reps. Zeldin and Meng secured a vote on this amendment to take place this week during the Houses consideration of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 (H.R. 4). Congressman Zeldin said, Summer after summer, North Fork residents quality of life has suffered due to the persistent issue of helicopter noise on the East End. The FAA and Department of Transportation have sole jurisdiction over the aircraft routes that have impacted these communities, but from the routes planning to its continued use, they have continued to flat out ignore the residents directly affected. Congress must hold their feet to the fire, and Representative Meng and I are urging all of our colleagues to support this amendment to require the FAA to assess an all water route and alternatives to mitigate the impact on the residents who call the North Shore home. Congresswoman Meng said, We must do everything we can to mitigate excessive aircraft noise that continues to take a toll on the quality of life in my district and other impacted communities. Im pleased to partner with Congressman Zeldin on this provision to combat helicopter noise, and I look forward to it coming up for a vote. Southold Supervisor Scott Russell said, The ever increasing number of helicopters over Southold has devastated the quality of life for our residents. Southold has become a doormat to the helicopter operators as they had to and from the Hamptons. Rep. Zeldin's amendment is a common sense approach that will provide immediate relief to our community. I urge the FAA to follow the Congressman's lead and help him restore the quality of life of the people of Southold. Inspired by a Bloomberg report that Apple may introduce a way for iOS apps to be converted to run more easily on macOS, a couple of weeks ago I came up with a list of iOS apps that Id like to see on the Mac. After Apples recent Chicago event to launch the new iPad, Apple CEO Tim Cook spoke to an Australian writer and told him that rumors of merging the Mac and iOS werent true. I was maybe ten feet away from them when this happened, and it was a media scrumnot the kind of place where a CEO does anything but restate the existing company line. (In the same conversation Tim Cook literally said I use everything and I love everything.) Im not entirely convinced that Apples long-term approach to its platforms is to keep the Mac alive long enough for iOS to evolve so that its able to painlessly replace it. But what if we take Tim Cook at his word? Any Mac-iOS merger would probably be many years from now, so regardless, if the Bloomberg report is true, Apple will be pushing the iOS and macOS app worlds closer together much sooner. What does that mean for the Mac, and how we use our Macs every day? Taste the marzipan The strategy of keeping the Mac around while getting an influx of new apps from iOS makes a lot of sense. If Apple killed the Mac today and just started making iOS laptops and desktops, many Mac users couldnt make the switchthere are just too many areas in which the Mac provides features that iOS cant match. But if the Mac can continue to do all of its stuffvirtualization, terminal, apps that arent approved by the App Storewhile also having the iOS app library? Thats a powerful combination that lets the strengths of iOS appear on laptops and desktops without sacrificing the Macs strengths. Over time, you could even start to think of the Mac as iOS Plus. One thing seems certain: Apples not going to just slap iOS apps into macOS via some sort of emulator or compatibility layer. Converting iOS apps to also run on Mac will take effort on the part of app developers, who will have to make many decisions about how their apps display on macOS devices. (This is why, should Marzipan be a real thing, it will almost certainly be rolled out at Apples annual developer conference.) Redesigning iOS apps for the Mac seems like a daunting challenge, and it is, in many waysbut its not something iOS developers havent done before. It was not too long ago that iOS apps only came in one size, namely the size of the original iPhone display. The release of the iPad added a second size, which caused developers to create a second set of apps. But earlier this decade, Apple announced to developers that they needed to start using tools that would allow app designs to shift based on the size of the device. It was a big deal at the time, and required some serious work on the part of developers, but it was necessary for iOS devices to work properly on the many screen sizes in use today: the iPhone SE, iPhone 6S/7/8, iPhone 6S/7/8 Plus, iPhone X, iPad, iPad Pro 10.5, and iPad Pro 12.9 mean that there are seven different sizes of iOS screen. Developers have to do the work so that their apps work well on a tiny iPhone SE screen and a 12.9-inch iPad Pro screen. Back to the Mac: Its not hard to imagine additional tools for developers to adapt to larger displays, like the ones on the Mac. Even more important, though, will be adapting to different input methods and metaphors. Every Mac has a keyboard and pointing device attached, and doesnt have a touchscreen. iOS apps running in a macOS context will need to accept mouse clicks in lieu of touches. The keyboard goes from being an optional interface to an assumed one. Then theres the menu bar. iOS doesnt have one, but its possibly the defining element of the Mac interface. As Jack Wellborn wrote last month, The menu bar has been the best mechanism for providing familiarity, discoverability, and progressive disclosure in user interfaces on any platform. A menu bar doesnt necessarily make sense in an iOS context (though when I compare Numbers on Mac and iOS I am stunned at how many features are laid bare in the menus that I cant figure out how to invoke on my iPad), but on the Mac its de rigueur. Logitech Adapting iOS apps for the Mac could lead to better keyboard support on the iPad. As someone who does work on my iPad, also consider how these changes might improve the iOS app experience, too. If adapting an app to run on the Mac requires much better support for keyboards, couldnt that also improve the experience for those of us who attach keyboards to our iPads? If apps need to understand mouse cursors, wouldnt that open the door for iOS to optionally accept the use of pointing devices as well? And Im not saying that Id welcome a proper menu bar at the top of my iPad Pros screen in certain apps, but no, wait, I am saying that. Finishing touches Then theres the big question: If Apple moves to make the Mac more friendly to iOS apps, would that be enough of a reason to bring touchscreens to Mac hardware? Apple has resisted touchscreens on Macs thus far, in part because they believe (rightly, in my opinion) that adding touch to the Mac interface would require a pretty serious re-think of that interface. Thats tough to do when the Macs greatest asset is its familiarity. A touchscreen on a Mac makes more sense, though, when its able to run a whole class of applications that are built with touch in mind. And even old-school Mac apps could take advantage of touch in a few placesscrolling webpages in Safari, or pinching to zoom in Preview, for example. The ability to run iOS apps and support for touchscreens also opens some interesting hardware forms that Apple has thus far avoided, including the convertiblea laptop that can be folded or twisted or detached into something more like a tablet. I cant imagine a Mac converting into an iPad, but I can imagine a touchscreen Mac that runs apps sourced from iOS being able to be flipped into tablet mode to run those apps. Then again, maybe iOS app developers will look at the Mac and just decide its not worth the effort. Or maybe iOS apps will appear on the Mac, but without proper adaptation, creating a weird mishmash of an interface thats neither fish nor fowl. (That sounds exactly like the sort of thing Apple executives have said repeatedly that they want to avoid.) But lets think positively. The arrival of iOS apps on macOS could allow the Mac to retain its existing strengths while getting an infusion of new software and hardware. In texture, the Mac could exert its own influence on iOS, making both platforms richer and more flexible. Its a future Id love to see. Spectralink, an enterprise mobile communications provider based in Colorado, aims to enhance patient care, clinician productivity, and workflow efficiency for hospitals worldwide with purpose-built clinical communications solutions. The company provides specialty-built smartphones for healthcare staff. Their devices have been designed with the healthcare environment, and its unique challenges and requirements, in mind. Spectralink claims that the devices provide superior voice quality, proven durability, and secure, compliant data access. The smartphones are designed for easy integration with existing hospital networks and allow staff to have ready access to patient records and real-time alarms at the point of care. The devices also provide instant alerts and notifications when patients require assistance, enabling nurses and other clinicians to respond more quickly. Spectalink aims for rugged design and resiliency in their devices. The phones are designed to withstand repeated drops and contact with liquids and harsh sterilizers. See a promo video below for a Spectralink phone. Medgadget asked Spectralinks VP of Product Management and Technology Solutions, Andrew Duncan some questions about their systems. Conn Hastings, Medgadget: Please tell us a little about how Spectralink became interested in specialized communications solutions for healthcare workers. Andrew Duncan, Spectralink: Our commitment to the healthcare industry is rooted in our companys core mission to provide the best possible enterprise mobile experience for our customers. Weve been both a top provider and a leading innovator of caregiver communication solutions for more than 25 years. The experience from working collaboratively with our customers over that time helps us provide the best purpose-built mobile devices that empower clinicians to put patients at the center of care. Today, our mobile solutions are helping thousands of hospitals and healthcare providers elevate care and outcomes by improving communication, collaboration and workflow efficiency. Through our ongoing partnership with our healthcare customers we were able to identify a growing need in the market for more than just a voice-centric device. We took the opportunity to leverage our expertise in mobile communications and designed a smartphone that integrates with healthcare applications and provides solutions that benefit the clinicians across the healthcare industry. In 2011, we launched PIVOT, our first mobile smartphone. And in March of 2018, we announced the Versity Smartphone, our next generation device that improves critical collaboration tools, best-in-class Wi-Fi quality and durabilityall with a consumer smartphone look and feel our users prefer. Medgadget: What specific challenges does the healthcare environment pose for a communications device? Andrew Duncan: The healthcare environment is complex, chaotic and always on. Its also driven by critical timelines that can have life-or-death consequences, making it imperative that clinicians have a wireless phone with both 24/7 reliability and superior voice quality. Features such as noise suppression, echo cancellation and seamless Wi-Fi coverage are essential to ensure that clinicians can easily hear and communicate with their care team members, regardless of their location in the hospital. Making sure phones are designed to easily integrate into existing clinician workflows is another important consideration. Nurses and other healthcare professionals need devices that save them time and make their jobs easier, not more complicated. In short, they need devices that work the way they do, not the other way around. Adding features like a scanner to the smartphone enable workflows like easily accessing patient records. Durability is another challenge for healthcare communication devices. Being able to stand up to drops, bumps, falls into water and cleaning with harsh chemicals is critical. Hospital sanitizers required to clean phones and keep infectious bacteria at bay ruin typical consumer-grade phones. Day-to-day hazards such as dropping phones in water or hard surfaces while caring for patients destroy lesser devices. Maintaining high up-time can also be a challenge, so hot swappable, replaceable batteries are required. Finally, collaboration is vital to meeting the needs of the patient. A communication tool that also enables workflow improvements of a hospital, integrating with a diverse collection of hospital systems such as nurse call and patient monitoring into a comprehensive solution is imperative. Medgadget: Why are effective mobile communication solutions important in modern healthcare? Andrew Duncan: Modern healthcare is a team effort that requires constant communication and collaboration across the continuum of care. Effective mobile communication solutions not only provide continuous connectivity, they also ensure that clinicians and providers have ready access to the most up-to-date patient data and treatment requirements right at the point of care. Mobile solutions also enhance caregiver responsiveness and efficiency by enabling the integration of multiple, disparate communication and alert systems such as traditional nurse call, patient, and equipment monitoring. Integrated systems help reduce alarm fatigue among clinicians while improving communication security and patient and staff safety. By empowering caregivers to communicate more effectively and stay better connected and informed, our mobile communication solutions contribute to better patient care, satisfaction and outcomes. Medgadget: What advantages do the Spectralink phones offer over a conventional smartphone, specifically in the context of healthcare? Andrew Duncan: Our mobile phones offer several important advantages over conventional smartphones, starting with the simple fact that they are purpose-built for the healthcare environment. That means they are specifically designed to provide the uptime, durability, and voice quality that are essential for effective and reliable clinical communications and collaboration. For example, our solution delivers proven, best-in-class Wi-Fi voice quality and coverage, which minimizes dropped calls while providing clear and consistent conversations. Another advantage is the durability of our devices for this high-demand environment. They are drop-tested, waterproof, and built with special materials proven to stand up to the harsh chemicals used to clean hospital surfaces. Plus, features such as our hot-swappable batteries deliver increased uptime, so our phones stay on the job 247 to support your staff needs. Most importantly, our Versity clinical smartphone delivers all these advantages while also meeting user demands for a sleek, lightweight device that is both easy to carry and use. Simply put, Spectralink provides a win-win option for both IT and clinicians by combining enterprise-grade capabilities with consumer-style design. We deliver it all as part of a total solution that has been certified with leading healthcare application partners and integrators. Medgadget: Obviously, patient data is highly sensitive. How do the phones ensure data security? Andrew Duncan: Our new industry-leading clinical smartphone is embedded with todays most advanced and proven security features, including support for data encryption and application user authentication, to thoroughly protect patient data and ensure complete compliance with industry regulations. By using industry standards for our security, were able to provide interoperability among various hospital systems without compromising data security or integrity. We also implement our solutions in a way that prevents patient data from being stored directly on a device. All patient information is maintained on secure, premise-based servers or in the cloud, so that devices are only used to view and share data. Other applications like secure messaging are protected because they are contained on the hospitals closed network. Optional passcodes can also be enabled on our devices and EMMs can be leveraged to further secure the devices. Medgadget: How do the phones help healthcare staff to monitor patients? Can staff access patient information, such as vital signs, on the move? Andrew Duncan: We work with the industrys largest ecosystem of application and integration solution partners and offer an open, Android platform in addition to a special Spectralink API set for custom app developmenttwo critical factors that enable seamless integration with multiple hospital systems including nurse call, patient monitoring, laboratory, EHR platforms, and more. As a result, clinicians access all critical information, alarms and alerts right from their smartphone without needing to coordinate multiple communication systems. They can even monitor patient telemetry data and talk directly with patients in their rooms via pillow speakers, contributing to better patient satisfaction and staff productivity. Providing a single, unified communications solution that integrates voice, messaging and video, and applications were able to help hospitals measurably increase care team collaboration and responsiveness. Link: Spectralink Flashback: Spectralink Versity Smartphones Designed for Hospital Use Gastroschisis is a birth defect in which some of the babys intestines end up outside the body, protruding through a ventral opening near the navel. In developed countries this is a treatable condition that typically requires a series of surgeries and a special bag that holds the intestines in a sterile environment while they slowly descend into the abdomen. In poorly resourced nations, the equipment, including the bag, are often cost prohibitive. Students at Rice University have developed their own bag, made of stitched silicone, that is considerably cheaper to make than commercially available devices. It uses a 3D printed ring whose diameter can be adjusted to match the patients needs. This way only a single design of the device can be copied repeatedly while being applicable for different patients and their needs. The idea was inspired by the needs of a Ugandan physician and the new device is already at a point that the students are looking at receiving proper approval to send it to Uganda for limited trials. Heres a Rice video about the project: Via: Rice by Adam Buckman , Featured Columnist, April 25, 2018 Laura Ingraham made headlines on Tuesday when Media Matters got wind of statements she made on her syndicated radio show Monday about some of the advertisers who fled her Fox News Channel talk show a few weeks ago. The advertisers bailed on The Ingraham Angle at the request of David Hogg, a teenage student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas high school in Florida who became an activist in the wake of the massacre there. Ingraham insulted him in a tweet late last month and he responded by calling for a boycott of companies that advertised on her show. True to form, at the first mention of the word boycott, a number of them withdrew from The Ingraham Angle. Ingraham had this to say about some of them on her radio show on Monday, courtesy of MediaMatters.com: advertisement advertisement Our ratings are up, up, up, up, up. Among 18- to-34-year-olds, our ratings, I think, are up 47% since the boycott, she claimed about the audience figures for The Ingraham Angle, and in the process, sounded a little like Donald Trump when he used to call reporters and TV columnists and make imprecise, exaggerated claims about the ratings for The Apprentice. Before blasting some of her now-former sponsors for caving in to the mob, she praised at least two advertisers who stuck with her -- My Pillow and Ace Hardware. All these business -- Mike Lindell, the My Pillow guy, hes selling so many pillows! she said, again sounding like Trump when he took it upon himself to publicize The Apprentice. Ace Hardware came back to our show. I mean, support Ace Hardware franchises across the country, she urged her radio listeners. Support them because they said no to the mob. All these other companies -- SlimFast, Jenny Craig -- they all gave into the mob. In the context of these remarks, the mob, according to Ingraham, consists of those who continually demonize conservative TV and radio personalities, educators, lecturers, authors, you name it. Ingraham used the word demonize more than once in the excerpt of her radio show that was posted by Media Matters. They cant argue with you, so they demonize you, she said. OK, well, keep demonizing me. Bring it on. There was no hint in the excerpts Media Matters provided as to how Ingraham might feel about all of the other advertisers who quit her show -- a reported total of as many as 18, including Hulu, TripAdvisor, Wayfair, Nutrish, Expedia, Stitch Fix, Johnson & Johnson, Office Depot, Miracle Ear, Liberty Mutual, Nestle and others. With all due respect to the My Pillow guy, his pillows may be the most comfy pillows ever made, but his commercials are seen all over the place on a number of TV channels whose commercial rates are decidedly on the cheaper side. Still, you can hardly blame Ingraham for looking for silver linings among the clouds. If My Pillow and Ace Hardware can stick with The Ingraham Angle, can Miracle Ear be far behind? Despite suffering its biggest PR disaster ever, Facebooks first-quarter earnings still managed to beat analyst expectations. The tech titan took in nearly $12 billion in revenue during the quarter -- about 50% more than the same period a year ago. Despite facing important challenges, our community and business are off to a strong start in 2018, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said on a Wednesday earnings call. Advertising revenue approached $11.8 billion, up 50% year-over-year. In equally impressive results, daily active users (DAUs) were 1.45 billion on average for March 2018 -- an increase of 13% year-over-year. Monthly active users (MAUs) were 2.2 billion as of March 31, which also represented an increase of 13% year-over-year. Without mentioning Cambridge Analytica by name, Facebook executives alluded to its recent privacy scandal in general terms. Although they continued to express contrition for the controversy, they repeatedly made the point that the interests of users, advertisers and Facebook are not in conflict. advertisement advertisement Advertising and protecting peoples information are not at odds, Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg told analysts on Wednesday. She reiterated Facebooks promise not to sell user information or disclose their personal identities to ad partners. Along with its rivals, Facebook is bracing for the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) -- a comprehensive European data law set to take effect next month. On Wednesday, however, Facebook CFO David Wehner said he does not expect the GDPR to significantly impact ad revenue. To comply with the new law, Facebook recently committed to asking all of its users how their data can be used to power targeted ads and facial-recognition technology. Looking ahead, Zuckerberg said he remains determined to make Facebook more meaningful -- a platform that is good for people and good for society. We are taking a broader view of our responsibility, he said. While it took a major privacy scandal to motivate Facebook, the company has engaged in a vigorous effort to appear more open and honest about its business practices. For the first time, Facebook shared its internal guidelines for defining hate speech, violence, nudity, terrorism and other unacceptable content. In another first, it is also establishing a new appeals process to enable people and organizations to challenge decisions about particular posts. Earlier this month, Zuckerberg appeared before members of the Senate Judiciary and Commerce committees and the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Still, the company's CEO was able to dodge questions regarding Facebooks data-collection policies, its virtual dominance of the online ad business and other tough issues. by Richard Whitman , Columnist, April 25, 2018 Looks like the French corruption police are taking this Bollore scandal seriously. Agence-France Presse reported late Wednesday that Bollore Group CEO Vincent Bollore has been formally charged as part of an investigation into a corruption case involving Bollore Group and Havas, the advertising holding company it controls. The formal charge (or charges) came after Bollore endured a second day of interrogation at a police facility outside of Paris. The press agency reported the specific charges against Bollore were not clear, but that Havas senior executive Jean-Philippe Dorent and Bollore Group CEO Giles Alix were presented to magistrates along with Vincent Bollore. The news agency quoted a government spokesman as saying Vincent Bollore, who remains presumed innocent, will finally now be able to access this file and respond to the allegations against him." advertisement advertisement Bollore was allowed to leave once the formal charges were made in a Paris court. On Tuesday, Bollore Group issued a strong denial of any wrongdoing on the part of any of its companies or staff in connection with the police investigation, from which the formal charges stem. The police are looking into allegations that Bollore provided discounted communications services via Havas to two African country presidential contenders (both won) in exchange for contracts to run shipping port concessions. The contracts date back to 2009 and 2010, which does make you wonder what took the French gendarmes so long to get to this point. Seems like a pretty long statute of limitations period, but maybe they dont have those in France. And by some accounts, France has been relatively lax in taking on big corporations suspected of wrongdoing, which is why this effort with regard to Bollore and Havas has surprised many. At deadline, there was no further comment from the Bollore Group on the development. A Havas rep did not respond to a request for comment, although it does seem the agency holding company is letting the parent company do the commenting for now. UPDATE: Early Thursday morning, Havas broke its silence on the matter issuing this brief statement: "Havas Group acknowledges that an employee of one of its subsidiaries in France has been put under formal investigation on Wednesday 25 April. Havas Group stresses that this employee benefits from the fundamental principle of presumed innocence guaranteed by criminal procedure. The Group will of course fully cooperate with the judicial authorities." Campaign, Thursday, April 26, 2018 7:58 AM Havas has announced that it is helping the police with their investigation into political advertising malpractice, following the arrest of Vincent Bollore. When it was part of Bollore Group, Havas is believed to have been involved in advertising campaign in Guinea and Togo for below-market rates. Vincent Bollore denies all allegations made against him, Campaign reports. Read the whole story at Campaign A group of researchers from Kentucky is dedicated to raising the profile of hemp and its potential health benefits. Following their preliminary studies, they conclude that it may help in the fight against ovarian cancer. Share on Pinterest Could hemp be the next best cancer treatment? Hemp and marijuana are in the same botanical family, but the former doesnt share the latters psychoactive properties. As one of the earliest plants to be cultivated, hemp has been utilized by humans for thousands of years. Clothing, paper, ships sails, ropes, and shoes have all been made from hemp. However, for a complex web of reasons, it fell out of favor during the 20th century. But today, hemp is enjoying somewhat of a Renaissance, and, according to a new raft of studies, it might one day play a role in the treatment of ovarian cancer. In particular, the laboratory of Wasana Sumanasekera located at the Sullivan University College of Pharmacy in Louisville, KY is currently a hotbed of research into hemps potential ability to fight cancer. A new strain of hemp Earlier this week, two of the laboratorys researchers Sara Biela and Chase Turner presented their most recent findings at the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology annual meeting, which ran alongside the 2018 Experimental Biology meeting, held in San Diego, CA. Nobody can have missed cannabiss slow and steady rise into mainstream medicine. Hemp, however, has been all but neglected. Hemp, like marijuana, explains Biela, contains therapeutically valuable components such as cannabidiol, cannabinol, and tetrahydrocannabinol. However, unlike marijuana, hemps therapeutic ability has not been studied in detail. Biela and Turner are determined to turn this around. For their experiments, they used a cultivated strain of hemp called KY hemp, which is grown in Kentucky. It is designed to contain optimal levels of therapeutic ingredients and is grown in an environment that limits the possibility of contamination. For a child with ADHD, consistency is vital. By using a supportive and structured approach, challenging behaviors can be limited, and the child can flourish. Parents and caregivers will need to adapt their own ways of interacting with the child. This includes speech, gestures, emotional language, and the physical environment. ADHD can cause a child to have poor impulse control, which can lead to challenging or inappropriate behaviors. But an important step for parents is to accept that ADHD simply represents a functional difference in the brain. It does not mean that their child cannot learn right from wrong, but that they may need to find other ways to support their child in developing positive behavior. Bringing up a child with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or ADHD comes with its own challenges. There are no hard and fast rules, as ADHD can have different degrees of severity and symptoms. However, children can benefit from person-centered or tailor-made approaches. The following tips have been compiled to help parents reduce disruptive behaviors and deal with challenges related to ADHD. 1. Keep it interesting Share on Pinterest Encouraging exercise and giving praise are recommended parenting tips. When a child with ADHD is doing a complex task, they are less likely to become distracted. Children with ADHD often get distracted if a task is not challenging enough. This is called distractability. The opposite of distractability is hyperfocus, which is when a child is focused to the point of being unaware of their surroundings. Hyperfocus can also be challenging but can allow a child to get important tasks done. Many hobbies and jobs call for a high degree of focus, so if a child enjoys challenging activities and can focus while doing them, it is worth encouraging them to continue. 2. Give praise and encouragement Good behavior should be reinforced with praise. It is just as important for children with ADHD to learn what behaviors are acceptable by receiving praise, as it is for them to learn what is unacceptable. 3. Provide structure Providing structure with a daily schedule may limit sudden distractions. Knowing what to expect can be calming for children with ADHD. It can also be a good way to introduce responsibility into a childs life. 4. Encourage exercise Burning off excess energy through exercise can help by: lowering the risk of depression and anxiety promoting concentration and focus improving sleep patterns stimulating the brain Parents can encourage physical activity by providing active toys, such as balls and skipping ropes, teaching their child to ride a bike, or enrolling them in a team sport. Children are also more likely to develop physically active habits if their parents are good role models in this area. Going on family hikes or playing outdoors together can help a child with ADHD expend excess energy and build healthful habits for the future. 5. Practice good sleep hygiene Research has shown that low quality sleep can have a negative impact on ADHD symptoms. Good quality sleep can help to regulate energy levels the next day. It can also improve stress and mood. To this end, parents may want to try and include regular bedtime hours into the structure of the day. 6. Break tasks down For someone with ADHD, some tasks can feel too complex and off-putting. Where possible, break tasks into achievable goals. As well as simplifying the picture, this can regulate the emotions associated with succeeding or failing. If a child has been asked to clean their room, for example, it may be helpful to break this into smaller tasks, such as making the bed, putting any toys on the floor back into storage, or folding their clothes. 7. Think out loud Children with ADHD often lack impulse control . This means they may say or do something without thinking it through. Getting them to pause and say out loud what they are thinking can have several benefits. It can allow the parent to learn their childs thought patterns. It can also give the child time to consider their thought, and whether or not to act on it. 8. Keep distractions to a minimum If a child is easily distracted, it pays to keep their surroundings uncluttered. Depending on the childs preferences, radios or televisions could be turned down or off. Getting them to work on tasks away from the lure of TVs or games is important, and toys should be put away when they are doing something in their bedroom. 9. Explain rather than command Share on Pinterest Explaining reasons for doing tasks in clear and positive language is helpful. A parent or caregiver can give reasons for what they are asking, where it is age appropriate for the child. Keep it simple but expect to be asked to elaborate. Explaining the reasons for doing a task can alleviate worry and confusion in a child with ADHD. When explaining things, a person should use positive and clear language. Explaining the reasons for asking the child to do a task is also respectful, and self-respect is crucial if the child feels they may be different to others. 10. Introduce wait time The idea behind wait time is similar to thinking out loud. If a child waits a few seconds before speaking or acting when they have a thought, they have time to consider if it is appropriate. This will take a lot of practice, but it can be worth it, and it can give them a real advantage in their social life. 11. Do not get overwhelmed When a parent is overly stressed, not only does their wellbeing suffer, but they can also be less effective in supporting their child. If a persons workload and obligations become overwhelming, it can be beneficial to ask for support. Friends, family, or local ADHD groups are potential sources of help. Even just dropping one thing from a persons weekly schedule can reduce stress. 12. Avoid using negative language Positive feedback can help build a childs confidence. A child with ADHD may feel that they are disliked or that they always do things wrong. Reinforcing this with negative language can be hurtful and make disruptive behaviors worse. It is impossible to be positive all the time, and so it is essential for a parent to find an outlet to express their concerns or worries. This might be a friend, partner, or a therapist. There are also online groups where parents of children with ADHD can discuss their challenges with people in similar situations. 13. Dont allow ADHD to be in control While some allowances can be made, ADHD does not excuse poor behavior. Children and parents both need boundaries, and it is essential for children to learn that there are always consequences when they misbehave. These consequences should be appropriate and consistent. If a child sees a parent does not always follow through on the consequences, this may encourage the unruly behavior. 14. Pick your battles Living with a child who may demonstrate hyperactive and impulsive behavior can be a constant challenge. If a parent addressed every problem, every day would be stressful and unpleasant for everyone. Learning to let the smaller things go can alleviate stress in the long-term, and help a parent focus on curbing the more important behaviors. 15. Do not see other adults as the enemy It is natural for parents to feel protective, but when a child has ADHD, it can seem that other caregivers do not understand them or do not care enough. Good communication can help solve this problem. It can help to talk with anyone your child has contact with about ADHD, explaining their preferences, and describing the most effective interventions for challenging behavior. 16. Keep working to modify behavior If improvements to behavior stall or seem to have reached their limit, keep trying. Children with ADHD have huge potential. Perhaps a strategy needs to be tweaked, or even just paused for a while. Children go through many developmental leaps and sometimes they plateau. It is essential to be patient and keep trying to make positive changes, even if they take time. 17. Find specialist support An ADHD therapist can help with parental stress in addition to a childs behaviors. As well as professional help, there are also many local and national support groups. Input from other parents in a similar situation can be invaluable. 18. Take breaks Spending the entire day focusing on any child can be exhausting. Take breaks where possible, either by arranging a babysitter or trading off responsibilities with a partner. The more energy a parent has, the better they can cope with stress. 19. Stay calm Remaining calm allows the brain to problem-solve and communicate better. There are many ways for a parent to stay calm in challenging situations. These strategies include: meditating regularly practicing yoga sticking to a routine to eliminate the stress of what next? walking in nature or other calming outdoor space reducing caffeine and alcohol consumption 20. Remember that all children misbehave It can be easy to think that all challenging behavior is caused by ADHD, but all children misbehave sometimes. Learn which behaviors need managing, and which ones are normal parts of growing up. 21. Be kind to yourself It can be tempting to imagine that everyone else is coping better, but if a person speaks to other parents of children with ADHD, they will likely be feeling the same way. Parents of children with ADHD should try to appreciate the challenges they have overcome and take pride in what they have achieved. Baking soda has been used as a home remedy for generations due to its antacid properties. Yet its benefits run even deeper, and new research may explain why it is an effective aid in the treatment of autoimmune diseases such as arthritis. Share on Pinterest How can this kitchen staple change the bodys inflammatory response? Baking soda, also called sodium bicarbonate, is a kitchen staple commonly used as a raising agent for cakes. That being said, it has also made a name for itself as a home remedy for various conditions. Half a teaspoon of baking soda is often taken to ease heartburn or acid reflux, for example, and this substance is also used to whiten teeth. In a new study, whose findings are now published in The Journal of Immunology, researchers from the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University reveal exactly how drinking a solution of baking soda could prime the immune system against inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis. Paul OConnor, a renal physiologist at Augusta University, and colleagues tested the effects that drinking a baking soda solution would have, first on rats, and then on humans. Their experiments tell a complex story about how this salt provides a signal to a special kind of cell called mesothelial cells, telling them that the body is fine and not under attack, rendering an aggressive immune system unnecessary. Thus, harmful autoimmune responses are averted. Baking soda and mesothelial cells Mesothelial cells line the internal organs as well as many different cavities in the body. Not only do they prevent organs and other internal tissue from sticking together, they also serve other functions, not all of which have been studied in detail. In the new study, OConnor and team tested the effect that a baking soda solution would have first on rats, and then on healthy human participants, and they noted that it influenced an intriguing mechanism. Baking soda prompts the stomach to produce more gastric acid, which allows it to digest food quicker and easier. But, in addition to this, it also seems to tell the mesothelial cells that line the spleen to take it easy, because there is no threat. Basically, in OConnor words, mesothelial cells learn that [i]ts most likely a hamburger not a bacterial infection. So they, in turn, do not activate the spleens army of macrophages, or white blood cells tasked with clearing up potentially harmful cellular detritus. Certainly drinking bicarbonate affects the spleen and we think its through the mesothelial cells, OConnor explains. Mesothelial cells communicate with the organs they line using small projections called microvilli, and the medium through which they send their message is the neurotransmitter acetylcholine . From inflammatory to anti-inflammatory So what actually happens? The study authors note that those who drank the baking soda solution experienced a shift in the kinds of immune cells activated in the spleen. In fact, pro-inflammatory macrophages (M1) dwindled in number, while the levels of anti-inflammatory cells (M2) rose. The same kinds of cells are also housed in the blood and kidneys, and baking soda happens to be used in the treatment of chronic kidney disease . This idea prompted the new studys authors to explore the mechanisms through which this substance might help to improve renal function. We started thinking, how does baking soda slow progression of kidney disease? says OConnor. At first, the researchers analyzed the effects of the baking soda solution on a rat model of kidney disease, and then again on healthy rats, which acted as the control sample. This is when the researchers noticed that the levels of M1 cells in the kidneys dropped, while those of M2 cells increased. Both the rats with kidney disease and the healthy rats presented the same development. And it was this shift that flagged up the notion that baking soda could influence the inflammatory response at cellular level. When the researchers recruited healthy medical students and asked them to drink the baking soda solution, it became apparent the anti-inflammatory effect of this substance happened in the spleen as well as in the blood. The shift from inflammatory to an anti-inflammatory profile is happening everywhere. We saw it in the kidneys, we saw it in the spleen, now we see it in the peripheral blood. Paul OConnor Trochanteric bursitis occurs when small, fluid-filled sacs in the hip called bursa become irritated. Bursitis is one of the most common causes of hip pain. Bursa are small, fluid-filled sacs found near joints. Bursa help joints move more easily by allowing muscles and tendons to glide over bone and other structures. The human body has over 150 bursae. When bursa become inflamed, they cause a condition known as bursitis. Trochanteric bursitis or greater trochanteric pain syndrome gets its name because it affects an area of bone called the trochanter. The trochanter is located in a specific area of the hip, at the tip of the thigh bone. Read on to learn about the causes and symptoms of trochanteric bursitis, as well as how to treat it. While there is no cure, there is a range of treatment options available that can improve mobility and reduce hip pain. Symptoms Share on Pinterest Moving or pressing the outside of the hip or thigh can cause pain in the hip when a person has trochanteric bursitis. Trochanteric bursitis is a common cause of outer hip pain in active middle-aged women. Trochanteric bursitis can cause significant hip pain, especially if a person puts pressure on their hip. It can also cause the following symptoms: pain in the hip that usually occurs outside of the hip or thigh pain that worsens with physical activity pain when a person walks up the stairs pain when lying on the affected side pain when touching or pressing on the hip The pain related to trochanteric bursitis is usually worse at night, especially when a person is lying down or has been lying on their side for some time. If the tendons around the hip bone are also inflamed, symptoms may be worse. Gluteus medius tear The symptoms of trochanteric bursitis can be similar to those caused by a tear of the gluteus medius, which is a muscle that attaches to the same area. However, a tear of the gluteus medius causes weakness when trying to bring the hip or leg away from the body. If symptoms persist and a person suspects a tear of the gluteus medius, they should see a doctor as this injury may require surgery. Causes of trochanteric bursitis Share on Pinterest Running or biking regularly may increase the risk of trochanteric bursitis. Some of the causes associated with the condition include: Trauma . A history of falls or bumping the hip hard against something can cause trochanteric bursitis. . A history of falls or bumping the hip hard against something can cause trochanteric bursitis. Overuse . People who perform repetitive physical activities, such as running or biking, can cause inflammation of the bursa sacs in the hip. . People who perform repetitive physical activities, such as running or biking, can cause inflammation of the bursa sacs in the hip. Poor posture . Sitting in a curved posture or another poor-posture position can place extra strain on the hips. Posture-related conditions, such as scoliosis, can also cause trochanteric bursitis. . Sitting in a curved posture or another poor-posture position can place extra strain on the hips. Posture-related conditions, such as scoliosis, can also cause trochanteric bursitis. Bone spurs or calcium deposits . Sometimes a person may develop bony growths called bone spurs on the trochanter. These can rub against the bursa, resulting in inflammation. . Sometimes a person may develop bony growths called bone spurs on the trochanter. These can rub against the bursa, resulting in inflammation. History of certain chronic diseases . People who have chronic diseases, such as gout, thyroid disease, psoriasis, and rheumatoid arthritis, might be at higher risk of developing trochanteric bursitis. . People who have chronic diseases, such as gout, thyroid disease, psoriasis, and rheumatoid arthritis, might be at higher risk of developing trochanteric bursitis. Previous surgery . A person is more likely to get trochanteric bursitis if they have had surgery on their hip in the past, including a hip replacement. Between 3 to 17 percent of people who have had a hip replacement have trochanteric bursitis. Sometimes, hip surgeries can result in a slight difference in leg length, which can also contribute to trochanteric bursitis. . A person is more likely to get trochanteric bursitis if they have had surgery on their hip in the past, including a hip replacement. Between 3 to 17 percent of people who have had a hip replacement have trochanteric bursitis. Sometimes, hip surgeries can result in a slight difference in leg length, which can also contribute to trochanteric bursitis. Being overweight. Excess weight or obesity can also contribute to trochanteric bursitis. This is because the excess weight places greater strain on the hip and area around it. Treatments Some of the methods used to treat trochanteric bursitis include: Resting to allow time for the inflamed bursa sacs to heal. Sometimes a person may need assistive walking devices, such as a cane or crutches. Taking over-the-counter (OTC) anti-inflammatory medications, such as Ibuprofen or Naproxen. Applying a heating pad, cooling pad, or ice pack to the affected area. This can reduce inflammation and help manage pain. Engaging in physical therapy exercises to improve range of motion and strengthen the muscles around the hip. Having corticosteroid injections, if recommend by a medical provider. These injections help to reduce pain and inflammation. Losing weight if a person is overweight. Excess weight can put extra strain on the hips, resulting in trochanteric bursitis pain. If a person tries treatment methods at home and still has pain, a doctor may recommend surgery. A doctor will not usually suggest surgery unless a persons symptoms have not improved with 12 months of at-home and medical treatments. In extreme cases, a person can have their bursa removed through minimally invasive techniques. This surgery can often be accomplished on an outpatient basis where a person does not have to stay in the hospital overnight. Diagnosis Share on Pinterest An X-ray may be carried out to diagnose trochanteric bursitis. A doctor will begin diagnosing trochanteric bursitis by first reviewing a persons medical history and symptoms. The doctor will perform a physical examination of the hip, feeling for tender areas close to where the bursa are likely to be. A doctor would most likely expect the pain from trochanteric bursitis to be worse at the lateral or side portion of the hip. Sometimes, a doctor will feel areas of bulging tissue on the lateral hip, which can indicate trochanteric bursitis. As well as a physical exam, a doctor may recommend additional imaging studies to check for abnormalities associated with the bursa. These include: X-rays bone density scans magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) A doctor will consider not only the symptoms that point to trochanteric bursitis but will also try to rule out other similar conditions. For example, someone who has difficulty putting on shoes and socks or has a gait where walking causes then pain from the first step may have osteoarthritis rather than trochanteric bursitis. The symptoms of trochanteric bursitis may be similar to or confused with: osteoarthritis snapping hip syndrome fibromyalgia a stress fracture of the top of the leg bone A landmark study has linked the long-term use of certain anticholinergic drugs to a higher risk of dementia later on. Share on Pinterest Several common drugs may put you at higher risk of dementia later in life. This investigation is believed to be the largest and most detailed study to date into long-term anticholinergic use and dementia risk. Anticholinergics work by blocking a chemical messenger, or neurotransmitter, called acetylcholine that carries brain signals for controlling muscles. They are used to treat a variety of conditions, from Parkinsons disease and loss of bladder control to asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and depression. Anticholinergics for depression, such as amitriptyline, dosulepin, and paroxetine, have previously been linked to higher risk of dementia, even when they were used up to 20 years beforehand. Some studies have also suggested that use of any anticholinergic is linked to raised risk of dementia. Long-term use of certain anticholinergics But the new study which was led by the University of East Anglia (UEA) in the United Kingdom and is now published in The BMJ discovered that long-term use of only certain types of anticholinergics is linked to higher dementia risk. It confirms the link to long-term use of anticholinergics for depression, and also for Parkinsons disease (such as procyclidine) and loss of bladder control (for example, oxybutynin, solifenacin, and tolterodine). However, the study found no link between increased dementia risk and other anticholinergic drugs, such as antihistamines and medications for abdominal cramps. For their investigation, the researchers used data from the Clinical Practice Research Database, which contains anonymized records for more than 11 million people across the U.K. Anticholinergic Cognitive Burden The dataset used in the analysis included 40,770 dementia patients between the ages of 65 and 99 who were diagnosed during 20062015. Each of these was matched to up to seven people who did not have dementia but who were of the same sex and similar age. The researchers used a system called the Anticholinergic Cognitive Burden (ACB) scale to score the anticholinergic effect of the drugs that the patients had been prescribed. An ACB score of 1 meant that a drug was possibly anticholinergic, whereas a score of 2 or 3 meant that it was definitely anticholinergic. Altogether, they analyzed more than 27 million prescriptions. The team reviewed the records of the patients and their matched controls to count all prescriptions and doses for drugs with an ACB score of 13 during the period covering 420 years before dementia diagnosis. They found that 35 percent of the dementia patients and 30 percent of the controls had been prescribed at least one drug with a score of 3 on the ACB scale during that period. The researchers then carried out a further analysis to take out the effect of factors that might influence the results. The further analysis revealed that drugs with an ACB score of 3 that had been prescribed for depression, Parkinsons disease, and loss of bladder control were linked to higher risk of dementia up to 20 years after exposure. No such link was found, however, for drugs that scored 1 on the ACB scale, nor for respiratory and gastrointestinal drugs that scored 3. Clinicians should be vigilant The researchers point out that due to the limitations of their study design, they cannot say whether the anticholinergics directly cause dementia or not. One possibility is that the people taking the drugs are already in the very early stages of dementia. But, because the link was present even when exposure took place 1520 years before dementia was diagnosed, the authors argue that reverse causation or confounding with early dementia symptoms are less likely explanations. They advise clinicians to continue to be vigilant with respect to the use of anticholinergic drugs, and to take into account possible long-term, and short-term, effects when they weigh up risks versus benefits. SARASOTA, Fla. April 26, 2018 $35.4 million Florida Matthew Duffy Arizona Florida Arizona $1 billion $3 billion William Landman Florida Arizona Arizona Florida Sarasota, FL Arizona Arizona $3 billion $1 billion /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Alternative Medical Enterprises, LLC ("AltMed"), a fully integrated company that brings pharmaceutical industry precision to the development, production and dispensing of medical cannabis, today announced it has closed a private placement financing ofwith an affiliate of MainLine Investment Partners, LLC ("MLIP") and other investors."This Financing will help us to conduct a robust launch in the massive medical marijuana marketplace ofand build out our 25 authorized dispensaries," said, AltMed President and COO. "It will also enable us to accelerate the expansion of our cultivation capabilities and increase our footprint in. We anticipate significant growth over the next few years as we expand our licensed facilities to meet the needs of medical cannabis patients inand."Additionally, the investment will provide capital to grow AltMed's award winning MUV brand of premium cannabis products nationally & internationally. Funding will also clear the balance sheet of debt and allow AltMed's industry leading R&D to continue to prosper.MLIP is a sophisticated institutional investor focusing on investments in operating businesses and real estate assets, as well as private wealth management and multifamily residential property management. MLIP has approximatelyof invested capital and assets under management. Its principals have managed overof equity capital commitments in alternative investments since 1987."We see our investment in AltMed as a rare opportunity to gain a strong foothold in a once in a generation new growth industry," said, managing principal of MainLine Investment Partners. "AltMed has demonstrated that they are and will be industry leaders in, nationally and globally.""The fact that MainLine has chosen AltMed for one of its first strategic investments in the cannabis industry serves as a powerful validation for our results to date, and our potential for future growth," said Duffy.AltMed's award winning MUV premium cannabis products are sold in dispensaries acrossand are expected to be available forpatients beginning this summer. AltMed Florida is currently in the process of expanding its state-of-the-art cultivation facility from 50,000 to 150,000 square feet to accommodate anticipated demand.About AltMed Enterprises - Alternative Medical Enterprises, LLC, headquartered inand doing business as AltMed Enterprises, is a fully integrated company that brings pharmaceutical industry precision to the development, production and dispensing of medical cannabinoids.About MUV - The MUV brand of cannabis infused products was launched inin 2016 and has quickly gained international attention and recognition. In its first six months alone, MUV received four best ofmedical cannabis awards, including two first prizes for its proprietary extractions that are the basis of all MUV products.About MainLine Investment Partners - MainLine Investment Partners ("MLIP") and its affiliates focus on investing in operating businesses and real estate assets, as well as private wealth management and multifamily residential property management. MLIP's principals have managed overof equity capital commitments in alternative investments since 1987, have approximately 70 combined years of experience working together, and are currently responsible for directly or indirectly overseeing the management of approximatelyof invested capital and assets under management.Forward-Looking Statements - To the extent any statements made in this press release contain information that is not historical, these statements are forward-looking in nature and merely express our beliefs, expectations or opinions. For example, words such as "may," "should," "estimates," "predicts," "continues," "believes," "anticipates," "plans," "expects," "intends," "potential," "strategy" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements are based on current expectations or estimates and involve a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to these differences include, but are not limited to, the following: (i) our ability to implement our business strategy of distributing high quality cannabis products where permissible under applicable law; (ii) availability and cost of additional capital; (iii) our ability to attract, retain and motivate qualified employees and management; (iv) the impact of federal, state or local government regulations; (v) competition in the cannabis industry; (vi) our ability to generate revenues; and (vii) litigation in connection with our business. All forward-looking statements included in this press release and attributable to us or any person acting on our behalf are qualified by this cautionary statement. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and, except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, regardless of whether new information becomes available, future developments occur or otherwise.SOURCE Alternative Medical Enterprises, LLC TORONTO April 26, 2018 Tzipora Strauss Israel's Toronto Israel Israel Middle East Warren and Debbie Kimmel Elian Dombey Israel Middle East Israel Tel-Aviv University /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Dr., the Director for Neonatology forrenowned Sheba Medical Center, spoke inon Monday at a private community event. Dr. Strauss spoke about the creation of a new neonatal facility to help protect infants during missile attacks and other serious safety threats inSheba Medical Center has become a leader infor using innovative technology in the treatment of complex pregnancies and births, having created a new department dedicated to that mission. However, sudden security threats can put these new mothers and infants in serious danger. This is why Sheba is working to build a new neonatal department that will protect the patients in times of war."There are premature babies some born in 23 to 25 weeks of gestation that simply cannot be moved," said Dr. Strauss. "This neonatal center will be a safe, protective shelter for these fragile infants and their families. Even in the worst circumstances of missile attacks and other threats, we can continue to protect and treat them with the most advanced medical care available."Sheba Medical Center currently treats more than 10,000 newborns annually. Sheba is the largest and most comprehensive medical center in the, with six hospitals on one campus.hosted this special evening in an effort to raise awareness in the Canadian community about the incredible work of the Sheba medical Center.To request interviews with Dr. Strauss or pictures of Sheba Medical Center, contactat 954-681-8056 or via email at elian(at)redbanyan(dot)com.About Sheba Medical CenterBorn together within 1948, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer is the biggest and most comprehensive medical center in the. Sheba is the only medical center inthat combines an acute care hospital and a rehabilitation hospital on one campus, and it is at the forefront of medical treatments, patient care, research and education. As a university teaching hospital affiliated with the Sackler School of Medicine at, it welcomes people from all over the world indiscriminately.SOURCE Sheba Medical Center Advertisement Neuronal noise is very much affected by body temperature, so if the temperature is high, neuronal noise is low and vice versa. Dvir and lead co-author Dr. Ronny Bartsch, of the Department of Physics, joined forces with Prof. Lior Appelbaum, of the Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, to test whether the temperature dependence of neuronal noise directly translates into a different arousal behavior in zebrafish. Zebrafish are the optimal species for such an experiment since their body temperature can be easily manipulated by water temperature. The researchers analyzed periods when the zebrafish were predominantly sleeping and determined sleep duration and number of arousals in varying water temperatures. They found that, indeed, an increase in water temperature led to fewer and shorter arousals.These experimental results were in excellent agreement with computer simulations that Dvir and Bartsch developed prior to the experiments, and which are based on a statistical physics model of the temperature dependent noise. "Because of this excellent agreement between model predictions and the experiment, we believe that sleep arousals can be attributed to the neuronal noise of wake-promoting neurons," says Bartsch.The findings of the study present a possible new link between temperature, sleep arousals and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), the sudden, unexplained death during sleep of children under one year of age. So far, the mechanism of why higher body temperature increases the risk of SIDS is unknown but neuronal noise and brief arousals could be a key. Since thermoregulation in young infants is not yet fully developed, their body temperature is highly affected by the environment/room temperature (similar to fish). "We think that SIDS can occur when as a result of higher temperature, neuronal noise levels and the associated probability for arousals are low," says Dvir. "In contrast, when the temperature is lower, an infant has higher neuronal noise level that yield more arousals during which the infant can change his position to help himself breath more freely or move a blanket that may be covering his face."Source: Eurekalert After the massive success of 'Talvar', which was based on the sensational Arushi Talwar murder case, the makers are eyeing the second installment. Irrfan Khan's intense performance and Meghna Gulzar's direction created a wave in India in 'Talvar'. In fact, it wouldn't be wrong to say that somewhere the movie did make an impact on the verdict of the case. Based on the 2008 murder, 'Talvar' was a story of 14-year-old Aarushi and her domestic help Hemraj who were found dead, which formed the main angle of various sub-plots of the crime. This incident has been in news over the years. The trial of the case led to the life sentence of Aarushi's dentist parents Rajesh Talwar and Nupur Talwar. However, in 2017 the Allahabad High Court acquitted the parents after nine-long years. JungleePictures Converting it into a franchise, now we have 'Talvar 2' in the works. Written and directed by Vishal Bhardwaj, the movie will be based on the Gurugram school murder case. A mention of it still sends shivers down the spine. The premises of the screenplay will revolve around a 7-year-old who was brutally killed in the premises of the school and the prime accused was a school senior. This incident took place last September at Ryan International School, Gurugram where Pradyuman Thakur, a class 2 student was found dead with his throat slit inside the restroom. Twitter Talking about the film to a leading daily, Vishal Bhardwaj said Talvar was about much more than the heinous crime itself, the film held up a mirror to society and exposed several loopholes in the system. Such crimes shake the very moral fabric of society and need to be analysed in a much deeper sense. The world is not just black and white, there's more to a crime than just victim and perpetrator. That's why we have decided to continue making true crime procedurals like Talvar. Our journey on Talwars more than just a film for us. It is a telling example of how big screen stories, when handled honestly and sensitively, have the power to alter the lives of people associated with the real incident. We are excited to embark on our vision of compelling storytelling, yet again with Vishal Bharadwaj, and taking the Talvar franchise forward, told Priti Shahani, from Junglee Pictures to TOI. 'Talvar' was shot in a Rashomon-esque storytelling pattern where the incident was shown again and again from different perspectives, leaving an open platform for viewers to decide whom they should believe. And now with Vishal helming 'Talvar 2', we are already looking forward to the film. Brad Pitt might have separated with his gorgeous ex-wife Angelina Jolie but it looks like he isn't nursing a broken heart anymore, thanks to the new beautiful woman in his life, Neri Oxman. Instagram Instagram She is what one may call the epitome of 'beauty with brains'. Besides being an MIT professor, this American-Israeli architect also has a TED talk to her credit. Instagram Instagram She is 42 but doesn't look a day older than 22 if you ask me, also this amazing woman has a legit Ph.D. in design computation for MIT. Instagram Instagram Though it is believed that the couple is keeping things under the wraps, but knowing Pitt, the cat will soon be out of the bag. Twitter Is this true love? Or plain old rebound? Thank you for subscribing! By signing up to this free newsletter you agree to receive occasional emails from us informing you about our products and services. You can opt out of these emails at any time. Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nikos Kotzias, will attend the Meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers taking place in Brussels tomorrow, Friday, 27 April. The discussion will focus on the Alliances policy in the region of the Middle East and North Africa, on the Western Balkans, and on the Alliances relations with Russia. During the working luncheon, there will be a discussion of developments and the situation in Afghanistan. On the margins of the Meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers, Mr. Kotzias will meet with the Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg, at 17:00 (local time) today, Thursday, 26 April. During his stay in Brussels he will also meet with his counterparts from Canada, Norway and Turkey. OLD SAYBROOK The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center presents Acoustic Eidolon - a tour de force of acoustic music - May 4 at 8 p.m. Featuring Joe Scott on double neck guitjo - a guitar/banjo combination - and Hannah Alkire on cello, this Colorado duo have graced stages throughout the US, Europe, Australia and Canada. These artists continue to captivate audiences throughout the world with their signature new acoustic sound and boundless possibilities in blending Celtic, folk, world and Latin music influences. Alkire, a studio cellist, studied with Gabriel Magyar of the Hungarian String Quartet and founding member of the celebrated Anasazi String Quartet, was classically trained. Scott began playing the acoustic guitar at age 12 and attended the Guitar Institute of Technology, studying with many of the greats like Tommy Tedesco, Robben Ford, and Joe Pass. After touring with the New Christy Minstrels, Scott started the group Wind Machine, and toured for the next 14 years, releasing 13 critically acclaimed recordings. For information and tickets for all shows at the Kate, visit www.thekate.org or call 877-503-1286. The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center is a non-profit performing arts organization located in an historic theatre/town hall on Main Street in Old Saybrook. Originally opened in 1911 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Center has been renovated with public funds from the Town of Old Saybrook and donations raised by the Trustees of the Center. It includes a 250-seat theatre and a small museum honoring Katharine Hepburn, Old Saybrooks most celebrated resident. As befits an organization born of such a public/private partnership, programming is eclectic, offering something for all ages and income levels on the Connecticut shore and in the lower river valley. # If youre a habitue of the evening shows on CNN and MSNBC, youre probably used to Sens. Chris Murphy and Richard Blumenthal to say nothing of Reps. Jim Himes and Elizabeth Esty holding forth on a variety of weighty topics: The Trump follies, possible firing of special counsel Robert Mueller, House Intel shenanigans, guns (yes, not strictly a national issue), and a lot more. You may wonder whether given the disarray in Washington, do these people have any time for what amounts to largely local issues? Well, if the foundation of your home is crumbling and youre looking for some financial relief, the answer apparently is yes. After scores of complaints and inspections showing contractor use of cement compromised with excessive levels of crack-causing pyrite or pyrrhotite, Blumenthal and Murphy formed a legislative tag team to win federal money for remediation. Repairing a foundation can run you northward of six figures. Murphys bill, the Aid to Homeowners with Crumbling Foundations Act, would set up a $100 million fund managed by HUD that would distribute aid to states like Connecticut that have non-profit funds for fixing cracked foundations. Connecticuts General Assembly already has authorized the Crumbling Foundations Assistance Fund, which allows bonding of $100 million over five years to assist homeowners. Blumenthal introduced the Crumbling Foundations and Small Business and Homeowners Assistance Act, which would bring about a similar grant program administered through FEMA. In a conference call Wednesday with reporters, Murphy said direct passage in Congress would be an uphill battle because dominant Republicans are likely to see it as a local issue. But Murphy has put in a direct appeal to HUD Secretary Ben Carson, inviting him to Connecticut for a personal inspection. Under questioning by Murphy at a hearing last week, Carson called it a very valid issue. Both senators argue its a local emergency that deserves a federal response. But time is not on our side, said Blumenthal. Litigation is ongoing but it may be too little, too late. The injustice done to these families is egregious and ongoing, said Blumenthal. So give these guys a little credit: On this one, they took the yokel out of local. ================= French President Emmanuel Macron may have charmed the dandruff off of President Donald Trump (and, as we now know, vice versa), but Murphy for one is not holding his breath for a 180 on Trumps promise to whack the Iran nuclear deal. Macrons bravura performances at a White House press conference and address to a joint session of Congress notwithstanding, Murphy sees little grounds for optimism that Trump will stick with the Obama agreement which keeps Iran out of the nuke-production business at least until 2025. Macron talked about an expanded side agreement between the U.S. and European allies that would incorporate concerns about missiles and Iran interference in neighboring states (Yemen and Syria, in particular), neither of which are covered in the 2015 agreement. "It is true to say that this agreement may not address all concerns and very important concerns but we should not abandon it without having something substantial and more substantial instead," Macron told Congress. "That's my position." Trump didnt dismiss it out of hand. But Murphy still has no faith. There hasnt been a single day since the inauguration that I was optimistic about Trump foreign policy, said Murphy, who is a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Murphy said Mike Pompeo, who appears headed for confirmation as Trumps new secretary of state, told him that pulling out of the nuclear deal is a finished issue. Trump has until May 12 to play his cards one way or the other. What happens if Trump does indeed withdraw? Murphy predicts not only would Iran restart its nuclear program, but nervous neighbors such as Saudi Arabia and Egypt might jump-start theirs. Murphy witnessed Macrons speech to Congress along with his guest, Marc Nemeth, who is president of Jonal Laboratories Inc., in Meriden. No optimism, goose bumps when Macron quoted FDR, The only thing we have to fear is fear itself? It was a very strong speech, Murphy said. It was certainly a call to reject a lot of this nationalist, America first rhetoric. A wanted fugitive driving a Peterbilt tractor, rammed a State Police cruiser during an eight-mile chase on I-95 Wednesday afternoon. Troopers said that after his truck tires become disabled with stop sticks, the fugitive tried to escape by running across the northbound lanes of I-95. The trucker - identified as Michael Anthony Salvaggi, 53, of Somerset, Pa. - was wanted by the FBI on numerous arrest warrants from several states. The incident began around 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, when Salvaggis red Peterbilt tractor, without a trailer, was spotted near I-95 Exit 67 in Old Saybrook. According to state police, Salvaggi engaged Old Saybrook police in pursuit as they attempted to pull him over. The pursuit entered I-95 southbound. Troopers from Troop F in Westbrook then joined the pursuit and eventually assumed primary responsibility. As the pursuit approached Exit 62 in Madison, Salvaggi swerved right and intentionally rammed a state police cruiser. The state police cruiser sustained significant damage and the trooper suffered minor injuries, Trooper Thomas Kelo said in a report. A Madison police sergeant, who was stationed at the Exit 62 ramp, deployed stop sticks and successfully managed to blow out the tires of the truck. The fleeing vehicle became disabled a short distance ahead and Salvaggi attempting to flee on foot by running across the northbound travel lanes of I-95 northbound, Kelo wrote. Salvaggi was captured after a brief pursuit. He was charged with engaging police in pursuit, reckless driving, interfering with police, reckless endangerment, criminal mischief, assault on a police officer and being a fugiive from justice. He was held on a $1 million bond and will appear in New Haven Superior Court on Thursday. The trooper was treated and released from a local hospital. MIDDLETOWN Patricia Rogath is trying to get her familys life on track so she can adequately support her children following some economic troubles. The Portland resident relies on public transit to get to work on time, and make certain her older children can attend classes at Middlesex Community College in the southern part of Middletown. The effort that I made to get off welfare, to get into a home that isnt part of public support, to get on my own two feet, to feed my kids by myself is going to be undermined if the (state Department of Transportation) takes away my ability to do my job. She was among dozens who spoke to about 80 bus riders, business owners and other stakeholders in the audience Wednesday night at Council Chambers, all refusing to accept rate hikes and route cuts proposed by the state. Now, the DOT pays 90 percent of the $2.6 million MAT budget and the city contributes 10 percent. The state is proposing cutting support to 75 percent, $261,000. The budget should be viewable by Tuesday on the MAT website. Advertising Program State Federal Local Fares Revenue Total Expenses ADA $ 208,987.00 $ - $ 38,000.00 $ - $ 246,987.00 $ 246,987.00 Rural $ 42,759.00 $ 64,788.00 $ 29,677.00 $ 7,500.00 $ - $ 144,724.00 $ 144,724.00 Fixed Route $ 1,420,523.00 $ 270,003.00 $ 325,000.00 $ 18,000.00 $ 2,033,526.00 $ 2,033,526.00 Dial-A-Ride $ 213,714.00 $ 38,000.00 $ 251,714.00 $ 251,714.00 TOTALS $ 1,672,269.00 $ 64,788.00 $ 513,394.00 $ 408,500.00 $ 18,000.00 $ 2,676,951.00 $ 2,676,951.00 Changes would be implemented across the board in every transit district in the state. MAT was required under law to hold the evenings forum. The loss of buses running after 6:30 p.m. and other reductions threaten those who need to get to jobs and other essential places, like medical appointments and their childrens school, Rogath said during the more than two-hour meeting. A couple of people said they were distressed at the way staff members at the MAT bus terminal treat them and others with discourtesy. Emily Brede, who is disabled and uses a walker, and her husband, city residents, spoke at the dais. I lack the physical ability to drive. This is not a choice, but my reality. Every six months, I find myself engaged in a battle for the right to have a ride to the job I worked so hard for. Brede, who works at the United Way, praised MAT drivers for the service they provide under often challenging circumstances, but said she and other disabled people who depend upon buses when they cant drive are voiceless because office staff members dont care about their clients. One time, she called about a letter she erroneously received about several no-shows on her record. When her husband called, he was told, This is public transportation, sir. If you want accuracy, call a taxi, as people around the room said theyve experienced similar issues. In the human services field, thats called treating one like a recipient, Brede said. You falsely give people a choice, when in reality, we have no choice. MAT administrator Lisa Seymour said Friday she is readily available to talk to anyone with complaints or concerns. It was a surprise to me, she said of hearing riders discuss that at the meeting. Nobody should be telling anybody to get a taxi. Its not appropriate. Routes at risk of being lost include Saturday services, those bringing passengers to Westlake, and reduced services to the Portland/East Hampton weekday run, and lines to Walmart in Cromwell. Cost per ride could rise from $1.75 to $2 for the average rider. Paratransit and Dial A Ride patrons and seniors are partially subsidized by the state so they pay slightly less. The point of this meeting is nothing has been chosen, said Seymour, who called for a productive session. She reminded people the evening was not to hear complaints. She was accompanied by Sam Gold, executive director of the Lower Connecticut River Valley Council of Governments in Essex, which serves down county. Others praised the efforts of MAT officials for hosting the hearing, acknowledging they werent to blame. Last June, riders were informed about the state possibly terminating evening services as well as a 45 percent reduction in Meriden routes. Dozens made impassioned pleas to the MAT board of directors to find a way to keep the buses running at current levels. Then, the cause was an internal problems at MAT. A week later, Mayor Daniel Drew announced services would remain intact. Deputy Mayor Robert Santangelo said he was friends with the late MAT director Tom Cheeseman, and often ate breakfast with him at a diner. Hed say things like this to me: What time does the library close? Nine oclock, Santangelo would tell him. The kids need a bus to get home, so the bus is going to run until 10:30, Cheeseman replied. He did that because people had that need, adding there used to be transportation to and from the Clinton Crossing mall. Cheeseman made sure a route was in place for seasonal workers as well. Santangelo, who said hed only known of the session because his wife texted him a half-hour before, referred to MATs mission statement. Middletown Transit Authority should look at the needs of Middletown and fulfill those needs, he said, citing the new FedEx distribution hub near the Cromwell line. Theres no question not even a question there will be a bus running out there. There has to be. How are people going to get to work? How are things going to get better? Leslie Beaudry, of Middletown, talked customer service pointing to the announcement routinely made on the public address system at the terminal about treating staff with respect and courtesy. It is not reciprocated to passengers. When a driver comes to a dead stop somewhere along the way, and were hanging on for dear life so we dont slide off the seat and hit the floor, the driver pretends it never happened and doesnt acknowledge Is everybody OK, is anybody hurt? Sorry about that, a squirrel crossed in front of me. Its ignored like were not important, Beaudry added. She then told administrators about one time she was stuck with other people waiting at the terminal in the rain for some time, never being notified that the bus wasnt going to come. Eric Samson, an adjunct geography professor at Middlesex Community College, told told those gathered that he studies transportation and is a non-fossil fuel burner who uses public buses to get to work, the grocery store and other locations. North End resident Jeff Hush said more people should be be attending city meetings to make their voices heard. Im not a government person, Im a very low-income community member, who sits on the citys Clean Energy Task Force. Transportation through buses is not only about getting places, its about finally turning around the problems of a truly bankrupt society in which we live. We need to turn things around. Seymour and Gold promised to bring everyones comments to their boards of directors. Since the meeting, Seymour said she has spoken with Beaudry, the Bredes and Samson. I didnt know there were so many problems, Seymour said, adding the forum brought to light these communication issues. For information, email comments@midct.org, call 860-346-0212, ext. 2, or visit middletownareatransit.org or Middletown Area Transit on Facebook. Managing Editor Cassandra Day can be reached at cassandra.day @hearstmediact.com or Twitter @cassandrasdis. MIDDLETOWN The Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce has announced the 2018 recipients of the chambers Distinguished Citizen Award. Each year, the chamber presents this award to individuals who serve as an inspiration to others, and are recognized by the Middlesex community as unselfishly giving time and talent to produce a lasting benefit to the area, according to a press release. The Distinguished Citizen Committee chose Steven J. Gorss, S. Carter Gowrie and Richard Tomc and Joan Fung-Tomc from a list of over 230 nominees. The awardees will be honored at the Chambers annual awards dinner June 6 from 5:30 to 9 p.m. at the Red Lion Hotel in Cromwell. Steven J. Gorss Gorss is the owner of Incredible CVS, a real estate investing firm in West Hartford and former owner and operator of the Super 8 Motel in Cromwell. He is a graduate of Utica College of Syracuse University and holds a masters of business administration from the New York Institute of Technology. A chamber member since 1989, he serves on the board of the directors and the executive committee. He is a past chairman of the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce, its Strategic Planning Committee, and of the Cromwell division. He also served on Support the Troops and Honor the Veterans Committee, Legislative Committee and Nominating Committees. Gorss led a group with the three other hotels in Cromwell in a marketing effort, The Crossroads of New England, which brought thousands of convention participants and dollars to the area, according to Chamber President Larry McHugh. He is founder and president of the North Meadows Merchants Association and a past chairman of the Connecticut River Valley Tourism District, as well as a member of the Connecticut Lodging Association, the National Eagle Scout Association, the Metro Hartford Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Hartford Convention and Visitors Bureau, and the Connecticut Business and Industry Association. He is also a former member of the Governors Small Business Advisory Council. Gorss is a corporator for Liberty Bank, a member of the Middlesex United Ways leadership circle, the Community Foundation of Middlesex Countys Presidents Society and a St. Parish Claver Church parish council member, a National Eagle Scout Association member and Connecticut River Boy Scouts of America member. He served as an assistant scoutmaster for the Boy Scouts of America for 18 years, and has led his troop on treks to numerous interesting and scenic locations, the release continued. Gorss has received several awards and recognitions throughout the years, including three from Super 8 Motels corporate, including the Pride of Super 8 award, the Golden Pineapple Award and the Community Service Award. He received the Sam Walton Businessman of the Year award by the Walmart Corporation for his whole in bringing Walmart to Cromwell. He also received the chairmans recognition Friends of Scouting Award, Open Hearth Annual Award and 4000 Footer Award from the Appalachian Mountain Club. He lives in West Hartford with his wife of 36 years, Patricia, and is father of four adult children: Stephanie Gorss, U.S. Army Capt. Jerry Gorss, Air Force Capt. John Gorss and James Gorss; and grandfather of Patrick Gorss. S. Carter Gowrie Gowrie is the founder and CEO of Gowrie Group, which began in 1974 as a boutique boat and yacht insurance specialty brokerage. Over time, the company expanded into also providing insurance solutions for marinas, boat dealers, yacht clubs and other recreational marine entities, according to McHugh. Gowries portfolio of insurance offerings expanded to include general commercial, home and auto, and equine insurance, as well as employee benefits solutions and safety services. He is also the architect of the Burgee Program, Gowries specialty insurance program for sailing organizations and yacht clubs endorsed by U.S. Sailing. Gowrie Group provides advice, specialized service and customized insurance solutions to more than 14,000 clients nationwide. It is a Top CT Workplace for the seventh year running, and has more than 175 employees with primary offices in Westbrook, Darien, Newport, Rhode Island; Marshfield, Massachusetts; and Annapolis, Maryland, according to the release. A lifelong sailor, he has long been active in the marine and sailing community. He served on the board of the Essex Yacht Club, Eastern Connecticut Sailing Association, and Interclub Dinghy Class Association. He is past president of the J/35 Class Association and past commodore of the Frostbite Yacht Club. He has competed and earned success in numerous national and international sailing regattas. Gowrie began a successful yearly donation drive for the Shoreline Soup Kitchens & Pantries. Since Gowrie Group began this fundraising initiative in 2004, it has raised nearly $1,500,000, which equates to providing over 4 million meals to those in need in the community. He is also on the board of The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center in Old Saybrook. Gowrie earned his bachelors degree in English from Union College and lives in Old Saybrook. He enjoys singing, playing guitar, racing sailboats and spending time with his family and five children, the release said. Joan Fung-Tomc Fung-Tomc graduated from UCLA and earned a Ph.D. from the University of Connecticut. She began her career as chief of microbiology at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, New York, and then joined Bristol-Myers Squibb in Wallingford, where she worked for 31 years and participated in the discovery, development and registration of seven antibacterial and antiviral drugs. She has been active in various local nonprofits, including the Friends of the Russell Library, St. Colman Church, Middletown Board of Health, and science education outreach in the Meriden Public Schools. She serves on the Board of Trustees of Mercy High School and volunteers as a Medicare counselor with the Connecticut Agency on Aging. Richard Tomc Tomc is a graduate of John Carroll University, Harvard Law School and Wesleyan University. After law school and military service, he joined the corporate law department of IBM Corporation in New York and later the Hartford law firm of Ribicoff & Kotkin. He relocated to Middletown in 1978, and formed a law firm where he practiced for over 31 years, and more recently joined the Middletown office of Updike, Kelly & Spellacy. He has served as Middletown corporation counsel and town attorney for Cromwell and East Hampton. Tomc is a Liberty Bank director and is active in community organizations including the Community Foundation, Middlesex Hospital, Middletown Rotary Club, Northern Middlesex YMCA, Russell Library, Long Hill Estate Authority and St. Colman Church. The couple lives in Middletown and has two daughters: Jamie Dalton is a credit analyst and lives in New York City with her husband, Rob; and Dana Dougherty serves with her husband, Brennan, as Coast Guard officers at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London. For dinner tickets, contact Johanna Bond at Johanna@middlesexchamber.com or 860-347-6924. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani condemned talks between the U.S. and France over the multi-party nuclear agreement, urging his American counterpart to stand by his existing commitments before seeking to impose additional demands. "You said you're making decisions with a European leader over a seven-party deal," Rouhani said Wednesday in comments directed at President Donald Trump. "Who allowed you to?" "First go and respect what you have signed, what your former president and foreign minister have said, then start bringing up new issues," he said in the northwestern city of Tabriz, according to the state-run Iranian Students News Agency. European leaders are stepping up their efforts to save the 2015 accord as the clock ticks down toward May 12, the date Trump has set for his decision to either stay in the agreement or pull out. If the U.S. walks away, Iran could announce it's no longer bound by the deal, negotiated during the Obama administration, threatening a rapid escalation of tensions in the Middle East. French President Emmanuel Macron held talks with Trump in Washington on Tuesday, where he suggested an additional pact dealing with U.S. concerns over Iran's missile program and other issues, while leaving the nuclear agreement intact. Within minutes of the two leaders sitting down in the Oval Office, Trump ridiculed the existing agreement as "terrible," "insane," and "ridiculous." Until recent weeks, Iranian officials had suggested that their nation could continue to stand by its commitments under the deal -- which curbed uranium enrichment in return for sanctions relief -- in the face of a U.S. withdrawal, as long as other signatories that include France, the U.K., Germany, Russia and China remain supportive. But as the deadline has neared, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and other Iranian officials have suggested that Iran wouldn't have much incentive to remain bound to the accord if the U.S. exited. --------- Dersom du savner kommentarfelt for Facebook her under artikkelen, er dette dessverre utenfor MIFFs kontroll. Det kan skyldes din nettleser, innstillinger pa din nettleser og/ eller innstillinger i din Facebook-bruker. Kommentarer kan sendes til post@miff.no, eller legges inn pa MIFFs Facebook-side. Det er superenkelt a gi en gave til MIFFs arbeid for Israel Klikk bildet og gi en gave med din mobiltelefon pa noen fa sekunder. Belastes din neste mobilfaktura. Du kan ogsa gi en gave med a sende kodeordet GAVE med SMS til 1948. Standard 250 kroner, skriv eventuelt annet belp etter GAVE i meldingen. A Marine Corps helicopter made a "precautionary landing" at Twentynine Palms Municipal Airport in California on Tuesday after an unspecified cockpit warning indicated a possible problem, officials said. According to a release from Marine Corps Air-Ground Combat Center 29 Palms, the aircraft was a UH-1Y Super Huey from Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 367, part of the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing. "While conducting a regularly scheduled exercise, the pilots were notified by a cockpit indicator warning and followed the standard operating procedures to land the aircraft in the safest manner possible," officials said in the release. "They chose to land the helicopter at the local airport to ensure the safety of the Marines conducting the exercise and local community." No Marines were injured, and the aircraft and the landing site sustained no damage, according to the release. An inspection of the Super Huey revealed no problems with the aircraft, either mechanically or structurally, and Marines who investigated ultimately decided the warning "was triggered due to gearbox chips," officials said. Queries to clarify what went wrong in the gearbox did not receive an immediate response. The landing scare follows a series of much more serious mishaps involving military aircraft in recent weeks. On April 3, four Marines were killed in a CH-53E Super Stallion Crash in El Centro, California. A day later, a pilot for the Air Force Thunderbirds demonstration team, Maj. Stephen Del Bagno, was killed when his F-16 Fighting Falcon crashed near Nellis Air Base, Nevada. In March, seven airmen were killed in a tragic HH-60 Pave Hawk crash in a non-combat incident in Iraq. In a separate incident, two Navy pilots died when their F/A-18 Super Hornet crashed near Key West, Florida. -- Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at hope.seck@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @HopeSeck. Veterans groups have begun to express concerns that the Department of Veterans Affairs will ignore pressing problems because of the leadership vacuum resulting from the nomination of embattled Navy Rear Adm. Ronny Jackson. The furor over Jackson's qualifications and charges that he drank on the job as head of the White House medical unit also led the ranking member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee to call on him to withdraw his name from consideration to head the VA. "Not only does Adm. Jackson lack the management experience necessary to successfully lead the 360,000-person, nearly $200 billion federal agency, it is apparent there are also serious questions about his character and job performance," Rep. Tim Walz, D-Minnesota, said Wednesday in a statement. In her own statement Wednesday, Denise Rohan, national commander of the American Legion, which has more than two million members, said, "Our nation's veterans deserve a strong, competent and experienced Secretary to lead" the VA. One of the main criticisms of Jackson is that he is ill-prepared to handle the complex problems of a bureaucracy as vast as the VA, which has more than 1,200 facilities serving the health care of more than nine million veterans annually. As a congressionally chartered organization, the Legion does not advocate for or against individuals, but Rohan pointedly stated that the VA had been "headed in the right direction" under the previous two secretaries, Dr. David Shulkin and Bob McDonald. Shulkin was fired last month by President Donald Trump, who then named Jackson, his personal physician and head of the White House's small medical unit, to take over the government's second-largest department after the Pentagon. The Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, which claims 400,000 members, said a poll of more than 2,200 of its members showed that only 29 percent support Jackson's nomination. Paul Rieckhoff, founder and chief executive officer of IAVA, called on the Senate to "do its job at this defining time and ensure that any nominee for VA Secretary will live up to this awesome responsibility. Without stability in VA leadership, veterans nationwide are being left behind, our priorities are stalled and our national security is jeopardized." The Senate Veterans Affairs Committee has put Jackson's confirmation hearing on indefinite hold after allegations surfaced that he drank on the job, improperly handed out medications, and presided over a hostile work environment for the White House medical staff. A two-page summary of the allegations prepared by the committee's Democratic staff charged that Jackson once provided such a large supply of Percocet, a prescription opioid, to a White House military staff member that the medical unit was "thrown into a panic." Another allegation claims Jackson got drunk at a Secret Service party for a departing agent and wrecked a government vehicle on his way home. On Tuesday, Trump said that he himself might not want to move forward with the nomination if he were facing similar allegations, but the White House later appeared to rally behind Jackson. The admiral told White House reporters Wednesday, "I have not wrecked a car. I can tell you that." He added, "We're still moving ahead as planned." At a White House briefing Wednesday, Press Secretary Sarah Sanders pushed back against charges the White House was lax in vetting Jackson. She said he had been the subject of four background investigations, including one by the FBI, during his tenure at the White House through three administrations and there had never been a concern with his performance. However, Sanders said none of the recent allegations had turned up in the previous background checks. "We'll certainly take a look at those," she said, while adding that Jackson is still a "highly qualified individual." The immediate concern at the VA is the future of the Veterans Choice Program, which allows veterans to opt for private health care under certain circumstances. The program is expected to run out of funding in June, and bills to reform the program and extend funding have stalled in Congress. The lack of leadership at the VA has also had an impact on the Defense Department. When Shulkin was fired, Robert Willkie, the DoD's undersecretary for personnel and readiness, was sent to the VA as acting secretary until a new leader could be confirmed. -- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com. Paratroopers in the 82nd Airborne Division who die suicide may not receive the same memorial honors as those guaranteed to non-suicide-related deaths in the Fort Bragg, North Carolina unit, according to an April memorandum clarifying elements mandatory for memorial ceremonies in the 82nd. "It's not a change in policy; we just wanted to clarify the elements that are mandatory for a memorial in the event of a suicide," Lt. Col. Joe Buccino, spokesman for the 82nd Airborne, told Military.com. Army Times first reported on the memo Wednesday. According to Army Regulation 600-20, there are 13 honors that a memorial service may include: "Prelude, Posting of the Colors, National Anthem, Invocation, Memorial Tribute, Readings, Address, Memorial Prayers, Silent Tribute or Roll Call, Music, Benediction, Firing of Volleys, and Sounding of Taps," the regulation states. Commanders are now required to give paratroopers who die by suicide nine of those honors. "We wanted to bolster the Army regulation and add on to the Army regulation, so you are required to nine with the commanders given the flexibility to add the other four," Buccino said. "We feel like there may be instances where the command may not be comfortable doing the final four elements." Commanders in the 82nd, however, are required to give the full 13 memorial honors to paratroopers who do not die by suicide. "In the event of a fatality that is not the result of a suicide and not the result of, for example, misconduct ... the standard is you do all 13 in those cases," Buccino said. "You are required to." The clarification was prompted, in part, by questions from commanders, Buccino said. "I think there was some confusion as to what was required within the division," he said, adding that Maj. Gen. Erik Kurilla, commander of the 82nd Airborne, took a personal interest in ensuring the policy was clear. "This is a point that Gen. Kurilla is very passionate about," Buccino said. "He just wanted to make it clear that he is very passionate about making sure that in the event of a paratrooper suicide, you get the full honors." Buccino added that there are 13 memorial honors and "there is no standard for full honors." "Certainly you do the nine and the commander has the option to do the final four," Buccino said. "I think that confirms the value that we place on life and the reliance on one another." A unit memorial ceremony is conducted to provide an environment for the fallen paratrooper's fellow paratroopers to grieve, Buccino said. "The full range of options are considered on a case-by-case basis and considerate of a paratroopers' full breadth of service," Buccino said in a follow-up email. By comparison, a funeral service is conducted for the spiritual and emotional benefit of the fallen paratrooper's family, Buccino said. "All fallen paratroopers are rendered full honors during a memorial service if so desired by the surviving family," he said. -- Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com. Rear Adm. Ronny Jackson, who had come under fire over allegations that he drank on the job and passed out pills without prescriptions, withdrew his name from consideration Thursday to head the Department of Veterans Affairs. An early morning statement from the White House said that Jackson, the personal physician to President Donald Trump and head of the White House medical unit, was dropping out to avoid defending himself against "false allegations" at what had been expected to be a grueling and sensational Senate confirmation hearing. The statement said that Jackson had been blindsided by the allegations from anonymous colleagues and "did not expect to have to dignify baseless and anonymous attacks on my character and integrity." On Wednesday, the White House appeared to be settling in for a lengthy battle to save the nomination, even as new allegations emerged that Jackson had gotten drunk at a going away party for a Secret Service agent and then wrecked a government vehicle on his way home. A two-page summary of the allegations against Jackson prepared by Democrats on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee concluded that he often drank on the job, improperly handed out medications, and presided over a hostile work environment for the White House medical staff. However, the main criticism of Jackson was that he lacked the managerial experience to handle the vast bureaucracy of the VA and deal with the political infighting that led to the firing of former VA Secretary Dr. David Shulkin. "While I will forever be grateful for the trust and confidence President Trump has placed in me by giving me this opportunity, I am regretfully withdrawing my nomination to be Secretary for the Department of Veterans Affairs," Jackson said in a statement. "Unfortunately, because of how Washington works, these false allegations have become a distraction for this President and the important issue we must be addressing -- how we give the best care to our nation's heroes," he said. Trump's selection of Jackson to head the government's second-largest department after the Pentagon came as a surprise after several other potential nominees reportedly turned down the job. Trump was said to have been impressed by his personal connection with Jackson and Jackson's on-camera glowing report on Trump's condition after a physical. The opposition to Jackson's nomination began with doubts about his experience and ability to take charge at the troubled VA and escalated with the allegations from former colleagues at the White House medical unit disseminated by Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, the ranking member on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee. On Wednesday, Rep. Tim Walz, D-Minnesota, the ranking member on the House Veterans Affairs Committee, called on Jackson to withdraw. "Not only does Adm. Jackson lack the management experience necessary to successfully lead the 360,000-person, nearly $200 billion federal agency, it is apparent there are also serious questions about his character and job performance," Walz said. On Wednesday night, Trump called in to Fox News to rip Tester and other critics of Jackson. "He would have done a great job," Trump said of Jackson. "Tremendous heart. These are all false accusations. They're trying to destroy a man. By the way, I did say, 'Welcome to Washington. Welcome to the swamp.' " Trump said of Tester, who is up for re-election in the fall, "I think Jon Tester has a big price to pay in Montana." -- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com. For the first time in five years, all three components of the Air Force achieved both their recruiting goals and end strength... Lawmakers may back the U.S. Air Force into a corner on the Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System, known as JSTARS, program, saying they'll restrict funding to the proposed alternative to the aircraft. JSTARS is capable of developing, detecting, locating and tracking moving targets on the ground. The Air Force has a relatively small fleet of the aircraft, and top service officials have indicated investment in the airframe has limited returns. But some members of congress continue to advocate for recapitalization, despite Air Force efforts to kill the program. The House Armed Services tactical air and land forces subcommittee in their markup to the fiscal 2019 National Defense Authorization Act Wednesday said they will cap funding for the Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS) initiative until the Air Force restores the JSTARS recapitalization program contract. "The restriction would remain in effect until the Secretary of the Air Force certifies to the congressional defense committees that the [JSTARS] recapitalization program, as submitted and described in the fiscal year 2018 budget request, is proceeding unhindered with originally planned activities," lawmakers said in the NDAA markup. Related content: Those planned activities are to include engineering, manufacturing and development; low-rate initial production; production; and initial contractor support for JSTARS, they said. The Air Force in February said they would not move forward with the recap program even after the service in 2016 launched a $6.9 billion request for proposal for the engineering, manufacturing and development phase of the upgraded aircraft. It had planned to buy 17 new aircraft. As an alternative, the Air Force wanted to use ABMS for the developing battlespace. ABMS would leverage information gathered off various sensor technologies on air, land or sea systems through a networked approach. For example, the service is planning to expand its sensor suite by adding the technologies to platforms such as the MQ-9 Reaper. Lawmakers aren't sold on that either. The new language would also "require the Comptroller General of the United States to provide a report to the congressional defense committees that assesses the acquisition strategy associated with ABMS," the NDAA markup said. Lawmakers are now requiring Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson to submit a report to the appropriate congressional defense committees "that includes a strategy for accelerating the JSTARS recap program, while also managing appropriately the legacy fleet of E-8C aircraft," it said. "JSTARS is about battlefield command and control," Wilson said during a speech in early October. But there has been a capability gap, she said. "They're very important to people on the ground to get air support where they need it. But they're only meeting 5 percent of the [combatant commander] requirement. They have to go back and refuel; there are only a limited number of airframes," she said at the time. The airborne command and control plane, a modified Boeing 707-300 series commercial airframe that can fly as high as 42,000 feet, is "extensively remanufactured and modified with the radar, communications, operations and control subsystems," including a prominent 27-foot bathtub-like radome under the fuselage, according to the service. Currently, 16 E-8 aircraft are headquartered at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. -- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @oriana0214. Hardeep Grewal was a 29-year-old Air Force computer operations specialist suffering a mild case of pneumonia when he deployed to Saudi Arabia and a series of other Southwest Asian countries in 2003. The staff sergeant stayed ill and returned to the United States looking like a scare crow, he said. He was diagnosed with asthma, which would require two medications daily for the rest of his life. By December 2004, Grewal was medically discharged with a 10 percent disability rating and a small severance payment. The Air Force physical evaluation board lowballed me, he recalled in a phone conversation Wednesday from his Northern Virginia home. They were trying to get rid of people from a specialty that, after offering an attractive reenlistment bonus, quickly became overmanned. Grewal promptly applied to the Department of Veterans Affairs for disability compensation and his initial VA rating was set at 30 percent. Full VA payments were delayed until Grewals Air Force severance was recouped. Twelve years later, in August 2016, he got a letter inviting him to have his military disability rating reviewed by a special board Congress created solely to determine whether veterans like him, discharged for conditions rated 20 percent disabling or less from Sept. 11, 2001, to Dec. 31, 2009, were treated fairly. I waited like almost two months to apply because I didnt know if somebody was pulling my leg, Grewal said. I talked to a lot of people, including a friend at Langley Air Force Base, to find out if it was legit. He said other service members he knew who had gotten out were saying, Yeah, its legit. You can look it up. Grewal had to wait 18 months but he received his decision letter from the Physical Disability Board of Review (PDBR) this month. It recommends to the Air Force Secretary that Grewals discharge with severance pay be recharacterized to permanent disability retirement, effective the date of his prior medical separation. If, as expected, the Air Force approves a revised disability rating to 30 percent back to December 2004, Grewal will receive retroactive disability retirement, become eligible for TRICARE health insurance and begin to enjoy other privileges of retiree status including access to discount shopping on base. Congress ordered that the PDBR established as part of the 2008 National Defense Authorization Act after a mountain of evidence surfaced that service branches had been low-balling disability ratings given to thousands of service members medically separated over a nine-year period through recent wars. The PDBR began accepting applications in January 2009. So far only 19,000 veterans have applied from pool of 71,000 known to be eligible for at least a disability rating review. All of them were medically-discharged with disability ratings of 20 percent or less sometime during the qualifying period. A bump in rating to 30 percent or higher bestows retiree status including a tax-free disability retirement and TRICARE eligibility. And yet only 27 percent of veterans believed eligible for a rating review have applied. Indeed, applications to the PDBR have slowed to a trickle of 40 to 50 per month. For this column, Greg Johnson, director of the PDRB, provided written responses to two dozen questions on the boards operations. Overall, he explained, 42 percent of applicants receive a recommendation that their original rating be upgraded. Their service branch has the final say on whether a recommendation is approved but in almost every instance they have been. To date, 47 percent of Army veterans who applied got a recommendation for upgrade, and 18 percent saw their rating increased to at least 30 percent to qualify for disability retirement. For the Navy Department, which includes Sailors and Marines, 34 percent of applicants received upgrade recommendations and 17 percent gained retiree status. For Air Force applicants the approval rate also has been 34 percent, but 21 percent airmen got a revised rating high enough to qualify for disability retirement. The top three medical conditions triggering favorable recommendations are mental health issues, including post-traumatic stress, back ailments and arthritis. As Grewal learned, decisions are not made quickly. The current wait, on average, is eight to 12 months, Johnson said. But that is faster than the 18-to-24-month wait that was routine in earlier years. Also, veterans need not fear that a new review will result in a rating downgrade. The law establishing the PDBR doesnt allow for it. Once received, applications are scanned into the PDBR data base and the board requests from the service branch a copy of their physical evaluation board case file. Also, PDBR retrieves from VA the veterans treatment records and all documents associated with a VA disability rating decision. After paperwork is gathered, a PDBR panel of one medical officer and two non-medical officers, military or civilian, reviews the original rating decision. All panelists are the rank of colonel or lieutenant colonel (for Navy, captain or commander) or their civilian equivalents. The board has 34 voting members plus support staff, which is more than PDBR had in its early years, Johnson said. The wait for a decision is long because of the time it takes to retrieve records, the thoroughness of the review and the complexity of the cases, Johnson said. About 70 percent of applicants have been Army, 20 percent Navy or Marine Corps veterans, 10 percent Air Force and less than one percent Coast Guard. PDBR notification letters have been sent to eligible veterans at last-known addresses at least twice and include applications and pre-stamped return envelopes. Grewal said he had moved four times since leaving service which might be why he never heard of the board before the notification letter reach him in 2016. At some point Congress could set a deadline for the board to cease operations but it hasnt yet. The board advises veterans, however, to apply as soon as they can. The longer they wait, it notes on its website, the more difficult it may be to gather required medical evidence from your VA rating process, your service treatment record or other in-service sources [needed] to assess your claim. If an eligible veteran is incapacitated or deceased, a surviving spouse, next of kin or legal representative also can request the PDBR review. Veterans and survivors can learn more about the PDBR online, including how to apply, at: www.health.mil/pdbr To comment, write Military Update, P.O. Box 231111, Centreville, VA, 20120 or email milupdate@aol.com or twitter: @Military_Update. With the passage of Oregon House Bill 4035, the State of Oregon has taken a historic step toward assuring significant investments in service members of the Oregon National Guard with a new educational tuition assistance program signed by Governor Kate Brown, April 3, 2018. "I'm proud to sign a bill into law that deepens Oregon's commitment to our National Guard service members," said Governor Brown. "Whether they're fighting on the frontlines, fighting wildfires, or helping prepare our state for the influx of eclipse viewers, our Oregon Guard members are always ready to answer the call to help Oregonians in times of need. Extending tuition assistance to Guard members is one important way to show our appreciation for their service by investing in their education and future." The bill was first introduced by House Minority Leader and Oregon Air Guardsman Rep. Mike McLane and passed with wide bi-partisan support throughout the Oregon Legislature. Gov. Brown also championed the bill, as it supports her education agenda to enhance education programs in Oregon. "This new law specifically bridges the federal tuition assistance shortfall and enables our Guard men and women to complete their associate or bachelor degrees," said Maj. Gen. Michael Stencel, Adjutant General, Oregon. "It aligns with the Governor's education focused agenda and will not only serve as a huge recruitment and retention tool, but it will also provide us with the breadth of knowledge we need to think like leaders and succeed in an increasingly technologically complex world." The bill provides full tuition assistance for members of the Oregon Army and Air National Guard at all Oregon state public universities and community colleges beginning in the 2018-2019 academic year. "This is an incredible investment in Oregonians and the Oregon National Guard," said Col. Verl Miller, Recruiting commander for the Oregon Army National Guard. "This will help our force access their educational needs, while producing a better educated citizen of our state." Oregon Citizen-Soldiers and Airmen are often the first responders when natural disasters impact local communities at home and around the nation. In 2017, Oregon Guardsmen supported relief efforts when Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria ravaged Texas, Florida and islands in the Caribbean. With massive wild fires in the past two years, Oregon Guardsmen have been instrumental in providing disaster support throughout the state. Last year nearly 15 percent of the Oregon National Guard was called into activation for emergencies, disasters, and crisis planning. Service to the community is an import aspect to why many Oregonians choose to join and serve part-time in their communities, and education benefits are another key facet to joining the National Guard. "People join the National Guard for a variety of reasons, but paying for education and building work life skills are continually at the top of those lists," Miller explained. "When we look at some of our junior enlisted members who might be challenged with pressing home life expenses, tuition assistance can immediately help cover those demands." Oregon Guardsmen who may live across the Columbia River or elsewhere out of state, are also covered under the bill. To receive the tuition assistance they must be in good standing with their Oregon National Guard commitments and can begin the assistance upon completion of basic military training. Service members who already have federal educational benefits such as the Montgomery G.I. Bill or the Post 9/11 Bill will need to use those benefits prior to using the new tuition assistance funding. Qualified students can use up to 90 credit hours at an Oregon Community College and up to 180 credit hours at a public university. "This bill will have an immediate impact on recruitment and retention within the Oregon National Guard," Miller said. "When we look at a state like Minnesota that has a full 4-year tuition assistance program for their Guardsmen, their recruiting rates are near 100 percent." The benefits also support ever changing educational needs of Guardsmen. For senior enlisted members of the Air National Guard, promotions to the ranks of senior master sergeant (E-8) and chief master sergeant (E-9) are required to hold a Community College of the Air Force Degree (CCAF). "The Air Force has set the requirement that for our senior enlisted leaders to continue to serve and be eligible for promotions, they must have their CCAF degrees," explained Oregon Air National Guard Lt. Col. Keith Townsend. "By attending classes in Oregon colleges, their coursework is in accordance with the degree program." The changing educational landscape has fostered in the need for new areas of readiness for the Oregon National Guard mission. Oregon's commitment to the National Guard comes at a time when the National Guard Bureau is looking to realign end strength and award a cyber battalion. "With the concentration of high tech and cyber talent in Oregon, a state of the art Joint Reserve Intelligence Center coming on line to support the nation and Pacific Command, the nation's cheapest power supply to some of the largest data centers in the country, an entry point to major trans-Pacific data cables, our strong State support calls for the National Guard Bureau to give strong consideration to placing cyber forces in joint proposal by Oregon, Washington, and Idaho," said Maj. Gen. Stencel. Military members and veterans can get up to four free months of Apple Music through the Apple Music military discount -- but... Key This page contains all mineral locality references listed on mindat.org. This does not claim to be a complete list. If you know of more minerals from this site, please register so you can add to our database. This locality information is for reference purposes only. You should never attempt to visit any sites listed in mindat.org without first ensuring that you have the permission of the land and/or mineral rights holders for access and that you are aware of all safety precautions necessary. How to use the mindat.org media viewer Click/touch this help panel to close it. Welcome to the mindat.org media viewer. Here is a quick guide to some of the options available to you. Different controls are available depending on the type of media being shown (photo, video, animation, 3d image) Controls - all media types Zoom in and out of media using your mousewheel or with a two-finger 'resize' action on a touch device. Use the mouse or your finger to drag the image or the view area of the image around the screen. < and > at the left and right hand side of the screen move forwards and backwards for the other images associated with the media you selected. Usually this is used for previous/next photo in a gallery, in an article or in search results. Keyboard shortcuts: use shift + the left and right arrow keys. < and > in the bottom center are used for switching between the photos of the same specimen. Keyboard shortcuts: use the left and right arrow keys. > in the bottom center, raises the information box giving details and further options for the media, < at the top of this box then hides it. Keyboard shortcuts: use the up and down arrow keys. ? opens this help window. Keyboard shortcuts: use the H key or the ? key. Other keyboard shortcuts: 1 Fit image to screen 2 Fill screen with image 5 Display at full resolution < Make background darker > Make background lighter space Hide/dim titles and buttons Scalebar If the field of view (FOV) is specified for the photo, the scalebar appears in the left bottom corner of the viewer. The scalebar is draggable and resizeable. Drag the right edge to resize it. Double click will reset the scalebar to it's default size and position. If the scalebar is in default position, double click will make it circular. Controls - Video Video files have a standard set of video controls: - Reset to start, - Skip back, - Play, - Pause, - Skip forwards. Keyboard shortcuts: You can stop/start video play with the P key. Controls - Animation (Spin Rotation) Animation (usually 360 degree spin rotations) have their own controls: - enable spin mode. Note that while images are loading this option will not be available but will be automatically activated when the animation has loaded. Once active you can spin the image/change the animation by moving your mouse or finger on the image left/right or by pressing the [ or ] keys. The button switches to move mode so that you can use your mouse/fingers to move the image around the screen as with other media types. The button, or the P key will start playing the animation directly, you can interrupt this by using the mouse or finger on the image to regain manual movement control. Controls - 3D Stereoscopic images If a stereoscopic 3D image is opened in the viewer, the 3D button appears in the bottom right corner giving access to "3D settings" menu. The 3D images can be viewed in several ways: - without any special equipment using cross-eyed or parallel-eyed method - with stereoscope - with anaglyph glasses. - on a suitable 3D TV or monitor (passive 3D system) For details about 3D refer to: Mindat manuals: Mindat Media Viewer: 3D To enable/disable 3D stereo display of a compatible stereo pair image press the 3 key. If the left/right images are reversed on your display (this often happens in full-screen mode) press the 4 key to reverse them. Controls - photo comparison mode If a photo with activated comparison mode is opened in the viewer, the button appears in the bottom right corner giving access to "Comparison mode settings" menu. Several layouts are supported: slider and side by-side comparison with up to 6 photos shown synchronously on the screen. On each of the compared photos a view selector is placed, e.g.: Longwave UV . It shows the name of currently selected view and allows to select a view for each placeholder. Summary of all keyboard shortcuts How cool would it be to have your own face on a Boeing 737 flying in the sky, and what better than you fly in that same plane! A South African airline is organising a contest to choose six winners whose face will be plastered to six aeroplanes (one on each plane) the company operates. Each winner will also receive two round-trip tickets to see their face in the sky. The competition is being organised by Kulula airways and is open to any adult who subscribes to Kulula.com newsletter. A participant has to submit ones portrait to enter into the competition. The last date to send in the entry is April 30. Once the picture is submitted, Kulala produces a simulation video of how a participants face looks on a flying plane. Winners will be chosen during three separate selection processes at the discretion of the Promoter based on the funniest, silliest and wackiest faces submitted, the company said in a statement. Apart from these six, five random people will also receive a set of return tickets each. The winners for these will be chosen through a lucky draw. The airline is active in Africa and flies to destinations in Zimbabwe, Zambia, Namibia, Mauritius, and Kenya. ENERGY DRAIN | These mining computers require a vast amount of energy to run. A recent estimate by tech news site Motherboard put the energy cost of a single bitcoin transaction at 215 kilowatt-hours, assuming that there are around 300,000 bitcoin transactions per day. Thats almost enough energy as the average American household consumes in a whole week. Chinese authorities have seized 600 bitcoin mining computers after a local power grid in Tianjin reported abnormal electricity consumption. Police in north China's Tianjin Municipality regarding it as the largest power theft in recent years also confiscated eight high-power fans supposedly used for cooling the computers on Tuesday, reported Chinese news agency Xinhua. The power company, which reported the alleged theft, noticed a sudden spike in line loss on one electricity line, up to 28 percent at the peak. The phenomenon is usually closely related to an increased load current. The official investigating the alleged crime found that the junction box of the suspected power user's electricity meter had been short-circuited which is a typical way to avoid billing. As per the report, five people are under investigation and one person has been detained. Also Read: Energy consumed by bitcoin miners around the world is more than over 150 countries Mining bitcoin is an energy-intensive task as it requires computers with high processing power. The monthly electric charge of 600 such computers in China is estimated at hundreds of thousands of yuan (1 yuan= Rs 11). The central bank of China had earlier in the year recommended restrictions on electricity supply to bitcoin miners. In January, China accounted for over 70 percent of the bitcoin networks collective hash rate. Lately, the companies wary of such curbs have already started looking for options elsewhere. Reportedly , bitcoin mining giant Bitmain had set up a branch in Zug, Switzerland which is also known as crypto-valley. Yes Bank live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Private sector lender Yes Bank reported healthy earnings for the quarter ended March 2018, with improvement in asset quality. Numbers beat analyst estimates on all parameters, with sequential decline in provisions for bad loans. The stock price was quoting at Rs 345.65, up Rs 20.45, or 6.29 percent on the BSE, at 14:04 hours IST. Here are 10 important takeaways from January-March quarter and FY18 results: Profit Yes Bank said net profit during the quarter grew by 29 percent year-on-year to Rs 1,179.4 crore, and 26.9 percent to Rs 4,224.6 crore in FY18 compared to FY17, backed by health growth in net interest income. Higher other income and operating income also boosted profitability. Net interest income Net interest income, the difference between interest earned and interest expended, increased 31.4 percent to Rs 2,154.2 crore for the quarter ended March 2018 and jumped 33.5 percent in FY18 to Rs 7,737.1 crore compared to previous year. Non-Interest Income, Operating Profit Non-interest income grew by 13 percent year-on-year to Rs 1,421 crore for Q4FY18, and 25.7 percent Rs 5,223.8 crore in FY18 compared to FY17. Operating profit increased 26 percent to Rs 2,135.43 crore for the quarter ended March 2018 YoY and grew by 33 percent in FY18 to Rs 7,748.11 crore compared to previous year. Net Interest Margin Net interest margin contracted 10 basis points to 3.4 percent for the March quarter compared to previous quarter while it improved to 3.5 percent for FY18, from 3.4 percent in FY17. Credit Growth Advances of the bank grew by 53.9 percent year-on-year to Rs 2.03 lakh crore on the back of robust growth across corporate, MSME and retail businesses. Retail banking advances rose 99.1 percent YoY. Its proportion to total advances increased to 12.2 percent at the end of March 2018, from 9.4 percent in March 2017. Deposits Growth Yes Bank said its deposits increased 40.5 percent YoY to over Rs 2 lakh crore, with CASA ratio at 36.5 percent. Saving account and current account deposits posted strong growth of 35.3 percent YoY to Rs 44,350.5 crore and 51 percent to Rs 28,825.7 crore, respectively. CASA and retail fixed deposits as a percentage of total deposits stood at a healthy 57.2 percent, it said. Asset Quality Gross non-performing assets as a percentage of gross advances improved to 1.28 percent in March quarter from 1.72 percent in previous quarter while net NPA as a percentage of net advances also improved to 0.64 percent from 0.93 percent on sequential basis. In absolute terms, gross NPAs were 11.7 percent lower sequentially to Rs 2,626.80 crore and net NPAs were at Rs 1,312,75 crore, down 17.7 percent compared to previous quarter. In List 1 of companies identified under Insolvency & Bankruptcy Code, the bank has total funded exposure of Rs 319 crore on 2 accounts (0.16 percent of gross advances), both classified as NPA with a provision coverage of 50 percent. The bank expects recovery of 60-65 percent of exposures to List 1 accounts, latest by Q2FY19. It has total exposure of Rs 650 crore across 7 accounts in List 2. "Entire Funded exposure from the above, aggregating to Rs 568 crore (across 3 accounts), is classified as NPA and has provision coverage of 43 percent," the bank said. The bank also said it has further proactively reviewed its portfolio for borrowers with aggregate debt of Rs 1,000-2,000 crore & Rs 100-1,000 crore in FY18, and expects a minimal impact for any accounts being potentially referred to National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT). Provisions Provisions for bad loans declined 5.1 percent sequentially to Rs 399.64 crore, but increased 29 percent on year-on-year basis. Provisions for the year ended March 2018 jumped 96 percent to Rs 1,553.80 crore compared to Rs 793.41 crore in previous year. Provision coverage ratio improved to 50 percent in March quarter, from 46.4 percent in December quarter of FY18. Fund Raising During the financial year 2017-18, the bank raised Rs 5,415 crores of Basel III AT I, and Rs 7,000 crore of Basel III Tier II Capital Funds aggregating to Rs 12,415 crore of total capital funds. This is the highest hybrid capital raise in any financial year since the inception of the bank, the bank said. Dividend The board of directors has recommended dividend of Rs 2.7 per share, subject to shareholders' approval. hardeep singh puri A high-level meeting attended by Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, LG Anil Baijal and DDA vice-chairman Udai Pratap, was held here today to find "viable solutions" for the ongoing sealing drive in the national capital, an official said. The sealing drive by the BJP-run municipal corporations in Delhi was initiated in December last year on the direction of the apex court. Commercial premises, including shops and restaurants, were sealed for failing to deposit conversion charges according to provisions in the Delhi Master Plan 2021. "The meeting was held to discuss various issues related to the sealing drive and to find viable solutions for it," the Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry official said. Earlier, Puri flagged several flaws in the sealing drive in Delhi and said there were instances of properties for which conversion charges were paid being shut. Yesterday, the minister had said that the members of the sealing committees worked in air-conditioned offices and did not know the ground realities. Noting that the Delhi Master Plan 2021 was prepared in 2006 and there have been massive demographic changes since then, Puri had said the problem of Delhi has to be solved in "humane and constructive manner". The minister had also exuded confidence that the Supreme Court would lift a stay on the proposed amendments by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) in the Delhi Master Plan which was aimed at granting protection from the ongoing sealing drive in the national capital. The proposal included bringing a uniform floor-area ratio (FAR) for shop-cum-residence plots and complexes at par with residential plots. The FAR is the ratio of a building's total floor area to the size of the piece of land on which it is built. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More By Satish Gupta of astrostocktips.in Todays Planetary Position: Moon will be transiting in Leo. Jupiter in Libra. Lord Saturn & Mars in Sagittarius. Ketu in Capricorn. Mercury in Pisces. Sun in Aries. Venus in Taurus. Lord Rahu in Cancer. Pluto in Sagittarius. Neptune in Aquarius & Uranus in Pisces. Rahukal Time: - 15.30-15.00 Following sectors will be receiving astrological support: Technology i.ie; HCL Tech, Infosys, Tata Elxsi, Tech Mahindra & Hexaware etc Predicting bullish sectors of next Samvat 2075 Every year with commencement of new Samvat (Hindu New Year), astrologically, based on planetary position, certain new sectors start getting strong astrological support & start outperforming, while some others sectors which were performing earlier start underperforming. Some sectors/stock remains laggard. Based on our experience of over 20 years as Financial Astrologer, stocks of astrological supported sectors outperform resulting in exorbitant gains irrespective of market behavior, either bull market or bear market. Every year we release sectors of new Samvat in the month of March/April when new Samvat starts. This time new Samvat started from 18th MARCH 2018. We firmly believe that these special astrological positions present very unique opportunities to investors and traders both. This opportunity, if utilized properly, can safeguard your existing portfolio and simultaneously optimize your future investments and trading also. So contact us at early and subscribe or renew the Sectors of Samvat 2075. After all Successful investing and trading is all about good timing only. Needless to mention our innumerable past predictions, where most stocks from the sectors of Samvat gave exorbitant returns & certain stocks appreciated by over 500%. After gap of many years, SUGAR sector started getting astrological support in the year 2015 & many stocks i.ie; Dwarikesh Sugar, Mawana Sugar, Uppar Ganges & Uttam Sugar etc shot up by 500 900%. .In the year 2016 dyes/chemicals sector got astrological support & stocks like Bhageria Industries, Thirumalai Chemicals & Sudershan Chemicals etc were up by 490- 650%. During last Samvat 2074 (2017-2018), among other sectors - food processing sector was predicted, which received strong astrological support. Many stocks from this sector appreciated exorbitantly - Venkys (500%), Apex Frozen (480%), Water Base (470%), Avanti Feeds ( 428 %), Milk Food (300%), Jubilant Food (280%) & Tata Global (230%) etc. Sectors which get very strong astrological support are not normally affected by downfall in the market. Sectors which get strong astrological support also start getting favorable news along with all kind of positive support by regulatory authorities in that industry, resulting in strong growth & super positive results. Most of problems also start resolving. 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. Markets - Image: Reuters After trading rangebound for the major part of the day, the market has managed to stage a late bounceback to end the April series on a high note. The Nifty closed above 10,600, while the Sensex managed to be higher by over 200 points. The Sensex was up 212.33 points or 0.62% at 34713.60, and the Nifty ended 47.30 points higher at 10617.80. Banking stocks outperformed, with Nifty Bank gaining around 200 points and closed above 25000. But PSU banks took a hit. The effect of rupee being under pressure was visible in IT stocks as well. The Nifty IT was up by 1 percent. In the broader markets, midcaps managed to end in the green, but were underperforming the benchmarks. Yes Bank and HUL were the top gainers, while Bharti Airtel, Dr Reddys Labs and Lupin lost the most. Among stocks, Tata Elxsi fell a percent after operating profit margin contracted 170 basis points sequentially to 25.3 percent in Q4FY18. Yes Bank's Q4 earnings beat analyst estimates, with profit growing 29 percent YoY on healthy growth in NII. Asset quality also improved sequentially. The stock ended 8 percent higher. Uniply Industries share price rallied more than 3 percent after Malabar India Fund raised stake in the company to 8.49 percent on Wednesday. Shares of Wipro trimmed losses to 2 percent from nearly 5 percent in afternoon. Shares of Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services touched a 52-week high of Rs 532, rising 4.8 percent intraday but ended one percent higher on the back of robust Q4 numbers. IT stocks ended higher, gaining around 1 percent on the index on the back of a weaker rupee. Gains were visible in names such as Mindtree, KPIT, TCS, Infosys, Tech Mahindra and HCL Technologies, among others. Realty Index cooled off, down 0.7 percent at close after rising nearly 2 percent in morning after approval to Mumbai Development plan 2034. In precious metals, gold prices slipped by 0.17 per cent to Rs 31,539 per ten gram in futures trading today as speculators trimmed their positions, taking weak cues from global markets. At the Multi Commodity Exchange, gold for delivery in August fell by Rs 55, or 0.17 per cent to Rs 31,539 per ten gram in a business turnover of 4 lots. On similar lines, the yellow metal for delivery in June was trading lower by Rs 51, or 0.16 per cent to Rs 31,355 per ten gram in 606 lots. Among global markets, shares were trading higher in Europe as investors looked to digest corporate earnings trends. The Stoxx 600 was up around 0.3 percent during mid-morning deals. Asian markets were mixed on the back of a modest close in the US markets. Nikkei 225 added 104.29 points, while the Topix gained 4.4 points. Anup Maheshwari, Chief investment officer-equities at DSP BlackRock Asset Management Company has put in his papers, three people aware of the development told Moneycontrol. One of them is a DSP BlackRock insider, while the other two are outsiders. Sources also told Moneycontrol that the senior management was trying to retain Maheshwari. In a response to queries on the matter, a DSP BlackRock spokesperson said: "Anup continues to be with us as CIO equities." If Maheshwari decides to move on, this would be the third senior level exit at DSP BlackRock AMC in under two years. In 2017, S. Naganath, President and CIO, quit the fund house and joined Franklin Templeton Investments. The previous year, Dhawal Dalal, head-fixed income in 2016, quit and joined Edelweiss Mutual Fund. If the market buzz is to be believed, close to a dozen employees from the sales team have left the organisation in the last 2 years. An alumnus of IIM Lucknow, Maheshwari had joined DSP BlackRock Investment Managers Pvt. Ltd. (previously called DSP Merrill Lynch Fund Managers) in July 1997. He was managing the domestic funds since May 2001 to June 30, 2012. Maheshwari had also worked as a CIO at HSBC Asset Management between Dec 2005 and May 2006 before returning to DSP BlackRock Investment Managers. Between 1997 and 2000, Maheshwari also managed an offshore fund, the Merrill Lynch India Fund which was registered in Mauritius and sold to Merrill Lynch's clientele outside India. Prior to joining DSP BlackRock Investment Managers, he worked with Chescor, a British fund management firm that managed three offshore funds investing into Indian equities. No 6| India | Total wealth | $12.6 trillion (Image: Reuters) Mumbai - has a congestion problem. You might have noticed the crowds and the lack of space. Going by the 2011 census data, Mumbai's population is 1.24 crore. 12.4 million people officially. The city was promised a development plan a while ago, but patiently continued to choke on itself. Until this week. Every media house is labeling this the much awaited plan the Development Plan 2034 approved by Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, aimed at creating a million affordable homes in the city and providing extra floor space index, or FSI, for both residential and commercial construction. This is expected to create more land available for the perpetually space-starved city. Overdue is perhaps a more apt description? I mean look at all that crowdhave you ever seen that many pigeons in one city? The Development Plan for Greater Mumbai has undergone many revisions over the years. The draft Development Plan 2014-34 was earlier passed in the municipal body on 1 August last year. Corporators across the political spectrum proposed 267 amendments in the plan. These amendments were largely related to reservations for day care centres, children's park, another central park and a museum. The delays in approval have led to confusion among developers, with several of them holding off their housing projects. It proposes to unlock about 3,355 hectares of public and privately owned lands, currently tagged No Development Zones. This will help the govt push low-cost housing and augment social amenities. Around 2,100 hectares will be allocated for affordable housing under the Development Plan 2034, Ajoy Mehta, municipal commissioner of Mumbai, said in a press conference. Another 300 hectares of salt pan land will also go for affordable homes. Thats nearly 3700 hectares of land for affordable housing. The Development Plan will also create 8 million direct and indirect jobs in both residential and commercial sectors. For first time in the citys civic planning history, the new plan has demarcated 12,859 hectares as permanent no development zone. In such areas, no construction activity will be allowed. Pristine nature, anyone? Under the development plan 2034, developers will get more floor space index or FSI. Floor space index is the ratio of a buildings total floor area to the area of the plot. A higher FSI means developers will be able to build more on a given plot. That usually happens by adding floors. Bear in mind that Mumbai is already the worlds second most crowded city, with a population density of 29,650 per sq Km. While FSI in Mumbai has been raised from 1.33 to 3, for the citys suburbs it has been raised from 2 to 2.5. For commercial properties, FSI has been raised from 1.33 to 5 in the city and from 2.5 to 5 in the suburbs. One major change from earlier plans is, FSI is now linked to the width of the road Wherever you have road width, you'll get higher FSI. Obviously therell be little more FSI available in the island city than in the suburbs. It will depend on the existing infrastructure, said Nitin Kareer, principal secretary of urban development for the Maharashtra. Maharashtra Urban Developments Principal Secretary Nitin Kareer said, "Among other major issues, availability of open spaces is well taken care of in the DP. No open space reservation has been removed even as some extra open space is proposed to be created, because the government feels that open space is the important parameter of the quality of life." A higher FSI has been demanded by the industry for a while now, according to Niranjan Hiranandani, MD of the Hiranandani Group. He said, We'd been saying that instead of selectively increasing FSI for slum rehabilitation, redevelopment of hotels or IT parks, you should increase it universally on the lines of what the government of India had been projecting. I think its a positive outcome that we have brought the FSI up to three. Experts say those who want to sell their large land parcels will benefit. The FSI in those land parcels has gone up; consequentially, the value will have gone up, according to one expert at a property consultancy. Builders are also glad that, unlike earlier, the new DP focuses on commercial real estate as well, with an aim to decongest existing central business district areas. So, while we may see more and taller buildings in Mumbai, if infrastructure development fails to keep pace with increased construction, the stress on civic amenities and traffic may worsen. Lets put it this way: while real estate developments based on the new development plan are positive for Mumbais growth, it is also likely to increase pressure on the citys existing infrastructure. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Kotak Securities' research report on KNR Constructions We recently visited KNRs Pollachi to Coimbatore EPC project where we interacted with the top management of the company. The company is positive on its construction business in the longer run and believes that traction in order inflows in Q4FY18 and robust pipeline of projects gives strong revenue growth visibility for the next 2-3 years. KNR added four HAM projects with bid project cost of Rs 44.7 bn in Q4FY18 and is confident of achieving financial closure of these projects. Outlook We maintain our earnings estimates. The construction business of the company is available at FY20E PE of 16.7x. We recommend ACCUMULATE (from Buy earlier) and maintain target price of Rs 348 based on SOTP valuation. 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 Iron & Steel | Imports from China, 2019: 4 percent. (Image: Moneycontrol) live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More The share price of Shah Alloys has locked at 5 percent upper circuit as company signed settlement pact with ARCIL. There were pending buy orders of 15,341 shares, with no sellers available. The company has entered into settlement agreement with ARCIL (Assets Reconstruction Company India) in respect of credit facilities availed by the company and the settled amount to be paid upto 31.12.2020 and 31.03.2022, company said in release. Karur Vysya Bank and IDBI Bank had assigned their entire outstanding debts to ARCIL. At 09:54 hrs Shah Alloys was quoting at Rs 41.55, up Rs 1.95, or 4.92 percent on the BSE. Posted by Rakesh Patil Posted Thursday, April 26, 2018 5:45 am Mark your calendar to attend the special event at Eureka Methodist on May 12. The afternoon will start with a fish fry and end with the Heritage Quartet doing a special performance. They are a great group of vocalists and how could you turn down a fish fry as an additional treat? This coming Sunday, April 29, Eureka will have guest speaker Brent Shockley giving the sermon for the Communion service. Afterward, there will be a potluck dinner in the Eureka Family Center. At the service this past Sunday, Dennis Mace provided the music, which was Sinners Saved by Grace. There are lots of people who need prayers because of illness this week, including Ann Triplett, Belinda Smith, Donald Gardner, Kelly Shaffstall, Marvin Prosser, Jim Reese, Choletta Buttram and Olive Sauer. Immanuels next adult in-home Bible study will be at Dusty and Amy Medleys house in Fair Grove on May 20. Seers (the teens at Immanuel) have volunteered to help at Ozarks Food Harvest from 1-4 p.m. April 28. If you want to join the kids, meet at the Conway High School parking lot and carpool. The plan is to go to lunch first and then to the Ozarks Food Harvest building. If you need more information, call John Kennemer. The Helping Hand Club held its spring bake sale Saturday at Morgan Store. It was a sellout! Every item was gone and people were stopping, wanting pies while the gals were closing up. One couple bought what they thought was a lemon pie. They tried it as soon as they got home, found out it was a pineapple pie and ate the whole thing. It was so good, they raced back to Morgan to get another pie. They did get a lemon pie the second time. Thank you to all the gals who baked cakes, cookies, pies, cinnamon rolls and jams, including Leona Medlock, Bertha and Betty Terry, Marjorie Welch, Betty Stokes, Nina Walke, Diane Whitwer, Kathryn Langdon and Barb Medlock. Our treasury looks a little better now. Barbara Medlock is thankful for Jay and Garret. They mowed the lawn at her house and then went up to Howard and Dees and mowed their lawn. On Sunday, the Lutheran Womens Missionary League went to a rally at Bolivar. Sondra Caffey drove and Peggy Rader and Diane Whitwer rode along. Kathryn McGovern was also there. Around 50 ladies participated in the business meeting, which was followed by a delicious salad and dessert lunch. Items were collected for the Alpha House of Bolivar. Jay, Kim and Barb Medlock stopped by Leonas house on Monday and Dixie visited on Wednesday evening. Jana Cook and Dorene Shaver also visited during the week. Have a great week and may you recognize and enjoy Gods blessings. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Fair trade regulator CCI has given its approval to Tata Steel's acquisition of debt-ridden firm Bhushan Steel. In a tweet, the regulator said it "finds no Appreciable Adverse Effect on Competition (AAEC)" in respect of Tata Steel's proposed acquisition of Bhushan Steel". Last month, Tata Steel said it had won the bid to acquire Bhushan Steel under the insolvency process. Tata Steel is to acquire, either directly or through a wholly owned subsidiary, 75 percent or more of the total issued and paid up share capital of Bhushan Steel, as per the notice submitted to the Competition Commission of India (CCI). As on February 1, Bhushan Steel had a total debt of Rs 57,160 crore. Under the insolvency process, the Committee of Creditors (CoCs) had declared Tata Steel as the successful resolution applicant for Bhushan Steel. Avengers: Infinity War: India collection- Rs 200.25. Picture: Reuters The stage is set for the India release of one of the biggest Hollywood blockbusters. The buzz surrounding Avengers: Infinity War, slated for release on April 27, is so much that the advance booking for the film started on April 22. In conversation with Moneycontrol, Rahul Puri, Mukta Arts, MD, said: "The advance has been brisk. There is a lot of anticipation for this film and certainly in the bigger centres, there is a good demand for the advance. A lot of people want to block their screening and this will help. At least 40 percent of the bookings for the first weekend will be done in advance," Puri said. While the film industry is betting big on Avengers: Infinity War, business expectations from the film is around Rs 100 crore. According to Puri, the film is likely to "earn approximately Rs 15 crore on its opening day, which is an excellent number." Cinema owners and exhibitors are witnessing a steady flow of early booking requests. According to Bollywood news portal Koimoi, Avengers: Infinity War has opened to an excellent response in Mumbai and tickets for IMAX and 4DX versions of the film are almost sold out in the city. Same is the scenario in Delhi where both 3D and IMAX versions are either sold out or filling up fast. Viewers are looking forward to watch the 3D and IMAX versions of the film for a better cinema viewing experience. Avengers: Infinity War brings together many of the heroes and villains introduced across all 18 Marvel movies so far, and pits them against the legions of the cosmic conqueror Thanos. The film is the first mainstream movie shot entirely on IMAX cameras. The filmmakers have used Alexa IMAX 65mm cameras for the entirety of Infinity War. The film, which will open in as many as 2,000 screens in India, is the only big-ticket film releasing during the May Day weekend. Rajinikanths Kaala, which was scheduled for an April release, has been moved to June 7. The May Day weekend is a lucrative period and the proof of this is the revenue collection of Baahubali 2: The Conclusion which too had released on April 27 in 2017. "It (May Day weekend) will help the film's collections as with the 1st May Holiday, this will be an extended weekend. People will certainly use the holiday to come out and watch the film, maybe watch it again," added Puri. After Black Panthers unprecedented success, there is no doubt that the popularity of films from the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been on the rise. Previous films from the Avengers franchise too have raked in big bucks in India. While the first Avengers film, released in 2012 collected over Rs 70 crore, 2015s Avengers: Age Of Ultron surpassed it, recording collection of approximately Rs 77 crore in India. Global performance Although Avengers: Infinity War is likely to surpass its predecessor Star Wars: The Force Awakens to become the highest opening film in US, the film may not do well in other markets like China and Russia. The film will see a late release in these two markets. While Avengers: Infinity War will open in Russia on May 3, in China the film will hit the theatres two weeks after its global release on May 11. In addition, recent Hollywood films in China have not seen much traction in the recent past. The fee hike is set to be implemented from October 2, 2020 Expressing disappointment over the US plans to prohibit spouses of H1-B visa holders to work in America, India today hoped that the Trump administration would take "corrective actions" on the issue. The H1-B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations which require theoretical or technical expertise. The technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year from countries like India and China. "The US decision to put certain restrictions on visas is quite disappointing and we hope that the US will take corrective actions," Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu said here at an event organised by American Chamber of Commerce in India. The Trump administration is planning to end allowing spouses of H1-B visa holders to work legally in the US, a top federal agency official has told lawmakers. The move could severely impact thousands of Indians professionals working in America. Prabhu said India has already communicated its concerns to the US and "we would like to have the reality put into perspective that Indian companies in the US are contributing significantly in the growth of the US economy". IT professionals in the US increase productivity in the economy and improve services. "We feel that the US must understand the concern of India." He said that on trade matters too, India has flagged its concerns. "On trade matters, we have communicated to the US that India is a fast growing economy with FDI (foreign direct investment) regime more and more participatory," he added. Prabhu, who also hold aviation portfolio, said that India would be buying cargo as well as passenger aeroplane and the US could tap this opportunity. The US has imposed customs duties on certain steel and aluminium products. India has sought exemption from this as it exports these goods worth about USD 1.5 billion per year. The US is putting certain conditions on trade front which has created issues at both bilateral and multi-lateral levels." "I think we need to put this behind as growth in global trade would benefit all," the minister said. Representataive Image The government is likely to release the draft of new National Telecom Policy (NTP) on May 1 to seek public comments, Telecom Secretary Aruna Sundararajan said today. "The direction of the new policy, that we hope you will see as early as on May 1, will be reform-oriented. It will be investor friendly and bring down the cost of compliances," she said at the Annual General Meeting of US industry body Amcham. She mentioned that the proposed NTP 2018 will be placed for public comments for 15-20 days. "It (NTP) will hopefully trigger innovation, will focus on Make in India and provide opportunities for partnering with lot of companies,"Sundararjan said. After the public comments, the Department of Telecom (DoT) will start inter-ministerial consultation on the policy and thereafter approach the Cabinet for final approval, she said. The NTP 2018 is expected to present a growth road map of the Indian telecom sector, which is reeling under debt of around Rs 7.8 lakh crore, for a period of next five years. Telecom operators have demanded that the government lower spectrum usage charges, licence fees and other levies on the sector to make business viable. The Economic Survey 2017-18 had mentioned that the telecom sector is going through stress due to a huge debt pile, tariff war and irrational spectrum costs and called for policy measures to minimise over-bidding of assets during auctions. The survey said auctions in case of spectrum as also coal and renewables led to transparency and avoided rent-seeking, although they may have led to a winners' curse, whereby firms overbid for assets, leading to adverse consequences in each of the sector. It suggested that the policy design must minimise these costs wherever possible. More specifically, there should be greater reliance on using incentives and carrots than on sticks. Sundararajan had said earlier that the government will look at positioning the telecom sector primarily as an enabler to boost the economy rather than a revenue earner under the new NTP. DoT has held various round of discussions with stakeholders in all the field of sector for the policy. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has recommended road map for NTP 2018 that should be able to address global requirements and attract investments of about USD 100 billion by 2022. It has suggested that the NTP 2018 should facilitate ease of doing business through simplification of licensing and regulatory frameworks, rationalisation of taxes, levies and related compliances, and facilitating availability of resources, including spectrum. Trai recommended that under the new policy framework, the telecom sector should be able to generate 20 lakh jobs, achieve 900 million broadband subscriptions with download speed of 2 Mbps and connect all gram panchayats with at least 1 gigabit per second with wireless broadband by 2022. Gold Customs officials have initiated an effort to nab the person who tried to smuggle gold bars worth Rs 2.6 crore to the country. The gold bars were recovered from a Jet Airways flight which landed at Mumbai Airport on Tuesday. According to the investigating officials, the bars were hidden under a seat of a Dubai-Mumbai flight. They have sought the help of Jet Airways officials in order to ascertain the culprits. "A routine post-flight cabin inspection of Jet Airways flight 9W 579 Dubai-Mumbai on April 24, 2018, led to the recovery of certain contraband items. Our security team immediately informed the local authorities who took the items in their custody," India Today quoted a statement from Jet Airways. The investigating agency has procured the list of passengers and cabin crew who travelled on the Jet Airways flight 9W 579. They will be questioned one by one by the officials. Customs officials said that gold worth Rs 2.60 crore was recovered at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, Mumbai on Tuesday by the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of Mumbai Customs. As per the report, six gold bars each weighing more than 1Kg were found. An algorithm glitch that showed a picture of Narendra Modi in Google search results for "the first prime minister of India" led to an outrage on social media, with the Congress asking the search engine to correct the anomaly. When Internet users scoured Google for the "first prime minister of India", it threw up a Wikipedia link with Jawaharlal Nehru's name. However, a picture of Narendra Modi appeared on the right side of the link. A few users took screenshots of it and posted on Twitter. This prompted Congress social media and digital communications in-charge Divya Spandana Ramya to tweet: "@Google @GoogleIndia what algorithm of yours allows this! You're so full of junk-" The search engine was swift in its response. The literacy rate of Telangana recorded was 72.8 percent. (Image: Moneycontrol) The HRD ministry today launched the second edition of the Unnat Bharat Abhiyan under which students from 750 higher educational institutions from across the country will adopt villages and visit them to get acquainted with lifestyle of people there and the problems faced by them. The minister advised the students to involve local village people at every stage of problem identification and solving issues relating to health, cleanliness, waste management, plantation, financial inclusion, women and child development. The mission involves students from colleges and universities will go to nearby villages to get acquainted with the life of village people and the problems faced by them in day-to-day life. Students are the real agents of change who can develop, empower and brighten the future of the country, Union HRD minister Prakash Javadekar said while addressing the launch ceremony. He said that this was also an opportunity for them to learn about the basic challenges faced by the rural people and to bring out practical solutions for their betterment. "India had witnessed the migration of rural population in the past, but now the process of sustainable development through the Unnat Bharat Abhiyan 2.0 will help to reverse this migration, Minister of State for HRD Satya Pal Singh said. Secretary (Higher Education), HRD ministry, R Subrahmanyam appealed to the student community to take the lead of this programme to make it a national movement. 750 institutions chosen in the first lot have participated in today's seminar; however, thousands of institutions have offered their willingness to joint this movement. To cover the 45,000 villages of the country under this movement, we need the participation of 8,252 higher education institutions, he said. Under the Unnat Bharat Abhiyan 2.0, the institutions have been selected on a Challenge Mode and the scheme has been extended to 750 reputed Higher Educational Institutes (both public and private) of the country. Also, scope for providing subject expert groups and regional coordinating institutes to handhold and guide the participating institutions has been strengthened. IIT Delhi has been designated to function as the mational coordinating institute for this programme and the ministry intends to extend the coverage to all the reputed higher educational institutes, in a phased manner. Each selected institute would adopt a cluster of villages/panchayats and gradually expand the outreach over a period of time, Subramaniam said. Institutes through their faculty and students, will carry out studies of living conditions in the adopted villages, assess the local problems and needs, workout the possibilities of leveraging the technological interventions and the need to improve the processes in implementation of various government schemes, prepare workable action plans for the selected villages. The institutes would be expected to closely coordinate with the district administration, elected public representatives of panchayat/villages and other stakeholders and will become a part of the process of development planning and implementation. April 30, 2018 / 12:04 PM IST If my son goes with the BJP, my family and I will boycott him: HD Deve Gowda Former prime minister HD Deve Gowda told NDTV that he will disown his son HD Kumaraswamy in the case he goes with the BJP. He said that Kumaraswamy had made this mistake back in 2006 also, which had not oly tarnished his image but also affected his health. Although, he was confident that his son won't go to the BJP this time, he said that in the case he does, he and his family will boycott him. Deve Gowda, a champion of secularism, whose party is a key regional player in the upcoming Karnataka elections, told the Economic Times that he was struggling to form his government in the state. He also said that both the Congress and the BJP are his enemies and are attempting at destroying him. He also blamed the BJP of being extremely communal, saying that this will be the reason of their downfall. The octogenarian will campaign extensively in the Old-Mysuru region, conducting rallies in about 40-50 constituencies. Deve Gowda also said that he will contest in the 2019 elections and will look forward to the formation of a third front which will be sans the BJP and the Congress. He had even held talks with Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao regardng the matter. The Jammu and Kashmir High Court today issued notices to the state government and the CBI, asking them to file objections to the plea of a sub-inspector and a special police officer seeking a probe by the agency into the Kathua rape and murder case. Sub-Inspector Anand Dutta and Special Police Officer (SPO) Deepak Khajuria were arrested for allegedly destroying evidence related to the rape and killing of an eight-year-old girl in the state's Kathua district. Khajuria was also allegedly involved in the gang-rape of the girl. The duo had moved the High Court seeking a fresh CBI probe into the matter and quashing of the investigation by the crime branch. Justice Alok Aradhe issued notice to the J&K Principal Secretary (Home), the Director General of Police, the IGP (Jammu) and the CBI to file objections to Dutta and Khajuria's plea within 10 days. The court listed the petition for hearing on May 7. The body of the girl was recovered from a forest on 17 January, a week after she had gone missing while grazing horses in the forest area. The Jammu and Kashmir government had handed over the case to the crime branch, which had formed a special investigation team to probe the rape-cum-murder. The crime branch subsequently filed two separate charge sheets in the case one against seven adult accused on April 9 and the second against a juvenile accused on April 10. Posted Thursday, April 26, 2018 8:45 am Local Farm Bureau members recently visited the State Capitol in Jefferson City to talk with legislators about the priorities of farmers, ranchers and rural Missourians. As part of Missouri Farm Bureaus (MOFB) Capitol Connection program, farmers and ranchers from throughout the state are coming to the Capitol each week to emphasize the importance of issues such as transportation funding, rural broadband infrastructure and private property rights. On April 5, Emma and Lucas Alexander from Webster County participated, along with several other farmers from southwest Missouri. As a grassroots, member-driven organization, Farm Bureau emphasizes the importance of personal contact with legislators to personalize the policy issues that are important to rural Missouri. The states largest farm organization, MFB has over 126,000 member families. Chinese President Xi Jinping, left, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi The two-day informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping could stabilise ties between the two militaries, help maintain peace at the borders and settle differences, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) said today. "It is the common expectation of both peoples to stabilise relations between the Chinese and Indian armed forces and maintain peace and tranquillity at the border areas," the military spokesman, Col. Wu Qian, told the media in Beijing. Modi and Xi are due to hold a two-day informal summit here from tomorrow during which the boundary issue as well last year's standoff at Dokalam were expected to figure in their one-on-one talks to improve relations between the two countries. "Although the relations between the two militaries still face some difficulties and obstacles, we are willing to use the important consensus of the leaders of the two countries as guidance to deepen our understanding, enhance mutual trust, properly settle differences, and continue to accumulate the positive energy of the healthy and stable development of the relations between the two armed forces," Col Wu said. He was replying to a question about the expectations from the Modi-Xi summit and as well as the outcome of the meeting between Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and her Chinese counterpart General Wei Feng this week. Col Wu's comments were significant as President Xi is also the head of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) and the military. Regarded as the most powerful Chinese leader in recent times, Xi is the Chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC) which is the overall high command of the Chinese armed forces. Post-Dokalam standoff last year, the relations between two militaries were picking up. Sitharaman, who was in Beijing to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Defence Ministers' meeting, held talks with her Chinese counterpart Wei and discussed steps to improve relations between the two militaries. In her remarks, she had said differences should not be allowed to become disputes. PM Modi trying to take looters of Karnataka to assembly: Rahul Gandhi Parties hesitate to talk on development as it is measurable HDFC Bank hikes interest on FDs by up to 1%; loans could get costlier Custodians go to SEBI over curbs on NRI investment in FPIs Modi-Xi to have 'heart-to-heart' summit to charter new course for India-China ties Fair trial a real concern, else Kathua case to be shifted outside, says SC Hugs not good enough for US visas, tweets Rahul Gandhi in jibe at PM Modi Draft National Telecom Policy to be released on May 1: Department of Telecommunications April 26, 2018 / 08:18 PM IST / 08:18 PM IST Draft National Telecom Policy to be released on May 1: Department of Telecommunications The government is likely to release the draft of new National Telecom Policy (NTP) on May 1 to seek public comments, Telecom Secretary Aruna Sundararajan said on Thursday, according to PTI. "The direction of the new policy, that we hope you will see as early as on May 1, will be reform-oriented. It will be investor friendly and bring down the cost of compliances," she said at the Annual General Meeting of US industry body AmCham. April 26, 2018 / 09:05 PM IST That's all for today, readers. Thanks for staying on with our coverage of the day's action. Your enthusiasm encourages us to better our coverage every day. Do come back tomorrow for more news, views and insights. April 26, 2018 / 08:55 PM IST Pakistan urges India to take steps for bilateral talks Pakistan on Thursday asked India to take steps to resume bilateral talks instead of issuing "provocative" statements. Foreign Office spokesman Mohammad Faisal made the remarks in response to a query about Home Minister Rajnath Singh's statement that India will not open fire first, but if Pakistan does so, it would unleash a volley of fire. "India should walk the talk and refrain from provocative statements. Our armed forces practice restraint but have the capacity and are ever vigilant to give a befitting response to any threat to the motherland," Faisal said. (PTI) April 26, 2018 / 08:40 PM IST Gionee plans Rs 650 crore investment in Indian market Gionee plans to invest around Rs 650 crore this year as it looks to be among the top five smartphone brands in the country, a senior company official said. "In 2018, we are looking to be among top 5 smartphones brands in India. We will increase marketing spend this year by approximately 30 per cent compared to investment made last year. "Our strategy is around capturing 20 per cent share in smartphones prices in the range of Rs 8000-20,000," Gionee India National Sales Director Alok Shrivastava told PTI. April 26, 2018 / 08:09 PM IST Congress picks Kamal Nath as Madhya Pradesh unit President, Scindia to lead poll campaign Congress on Thursday appointed senior leader Kamal Nath as the president of its Madhya Pradesh unit and Jyotiraditya Scindia as the campaign committee chief, in an apparent bid to strike a balance in the faction-ridden organisation ahead of the assembly election later this year. "Congress president Rahul Gandhi has cleared the appointments of Kamal Nath as PCC president of Madhya Pradesh and Jyotiraditya Scindia as Chairman, Campaign Committee of the state," AICC general secretary Ashok Gehlot said in a statement. April 26, 2018 / 07:50 PM IST Dignity of constitutional bodies must be maintained: Rajnath Singh All political parties must ensure that the dignity and honour of the constitutional institutions like the courts do not get diminished under any circumstances, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said here today. Singh, who was here to chair the 23rd meeting of the Western Zonal Council, comprising Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa and the Union Territories of Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli, told this to reporters after the meeting, in response to a query on the SC collegium. His comments came hours after the Centre asked the Supreme Court collegium to reconsider its proposal to appoint Uttarakhand High Court Chief Justice KM Joseph to the top court, saying the elevation might not be "appropriate". (PTI) April 26, 2018 / 07:44 PM IST Hugs not good enough for US visas, tweets Rahul Gandhi in jibe at PM Modi Congress President Rahul Gandhi today described the proposed US visa rules as a "huge setback" for India, and in a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi said there were "some things a hug can buy", but for visas "you're on your own". Gandhi's remarks come amid Trump administration's plan to propose ending work permits for the spouses of H1-B visa holders to work in the US, a move that could have a devastating impact on tens of thousands of Indians. "New US Visa Rules, huge setback for India...," the Congress president said on Twitter. "There are some things a hug can buy. For visas, you're on your own," he said in a wordplay on the MasterCard ad campaign which says, "There are some things money can't buy. For everything else, there's MasterCard". (PTI) April 26, 2018 / 07:42 PM IST In sports news, Kings XI Punjab are taking on the Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Rajiv Gandhi Intl. Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad. KXIP has won the toss and opted to bowl first. Catch the latest IPL updates here. April 26, 2018 / 07:35 PM IST Vistara joins global airlines' body IATA ahead of international operations Tata-SIA joint venture airline Vistara has joined the 280-members global airlines' body IATA ahead of its plans to launch international operations by the second half of this year, according to PTI. The membership will enable Vistara to collaborate with other international member airlines for codeshare and interline agreements, and provide a seamless travel through an extended global network to the passengers to and from India, the airline said in a release. Till now, only two Indian carriers - Air India and Jet Airways - were part of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which has 280 airlines as its members, representing as much as 83 percent of the total air traffic across 120 countries. April 26, 2018 / 07:19 PM IST PM Modi-Xi Jinping meet could stabilise military ties, maintain peace at borders: Chinese military The two-day informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping could stabilise ties between the two militaries, help maintain peace at the borders and settle differences, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) said today, according to PTI. "It is the common expectation of both peoples to stabilise relations between the Chinese and Indian armed forces and maintain peace and tranquillity at the border areas," the military spokesman, Col. Wu Qian, told the media in Beijing. Narendra Modi and Xi Jinping Prime Minister Narendra Modi today left for the central Chinese city of Wuhan for a two-day-long informal summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping which is expected to improve bilateral ties hit by a tense border standoff in Doklam and differences over several sticky issues. In a pre-departure statement, Modi, without specifically mentioning about any issue, said he and President Xi will review the developments in Sino-Indian relations from a strategic and long-term perspective during the summit beginning tomorrow. "President Xi and I will exchange views on a range of issues of bilateral and global importance. We will discuss our respective visions and priorities for national development, particularly in the context of current and future international situation," Modi said. "We will also review the developments in the India-China relations from a strategic and long-term perspective," he further said. Besides the Doklam standoff, relations between India and China have witnessed a nosedive over a series of other issues including China blocking India's move to get Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar banned by the UN, its opposition to India's bid for NSG membership. India has also been severely critical of China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) as the USD 50 billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor, which is part of the BRI project, passes through Gilgit and Baltistan in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). India says it cannot accept a project that ignores its core concern on sovereignty and territorial integrity. There was no clarity on whether these issues will figure in the talks between Modi and Xi. Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Kong Xuanyou on Tuesday had said the two leaders will try to reach important consensus to resolve outstanding issues and build mutual trust during their talks in Wuhan. Sources here had said the meeting will not have an "issue-based discussion but a strategic conversation between the two leaders to understand each other's perspective on national and international matters". Suresh Prabhu The government's ambitious 'Swachh Bharat Abhiyan' has potential to address several public health related issues and promote tourism in the country, Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu said today. Prabhu also stressed on improving soil fertility, saying soil security is one of the most critical components of food security. "I think several issues will get addressed by Swachh Bharat Abhiyan...Swachh Bharat Abhiyan has potential to bring big change in India. "Through Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, we can address public health related issues .... tourism which is the fastest growing sector will also be benefited by Swachh Bharat Abhiyan," the minister said at an event organised by industry body Ficci. Noting that the Indian culture always believed in keeping environment clean, Prabhu said that "but unfortunately somewhere down the line we deviated. India Economy Top American lawmakers and experts have warned that imposition of sanctions on India under a newly-enacted law if it buys the S-400 air defence missile system from Russia could be disastrous for the Indo-US ties. Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), which was signed into law in August 2017 and went into effect in January this year, mandates the Trump administration to punish entities engaging in significant transaction with the defence or intelligence sectors of Russia. At an event on the Capitol Hill, experts and lawmakers warned that any imposition of sanctions on India, which is now a major defence partner, could be disastrous for the bilateral relationship and as such there is an urgent need to prevent that from happening. "I do think, it (CAATSA) is a serious issue that needs to be dealt. There needs to be a dialogue between the US and India. Our goal is not to sanction India, Congressman Joe Crowley, House Democratic Caucus Chairman, said at the US-India Friendship event. "But given the kind of destabilising activities Russia has been doing across the world in particular against democracies, it is important to slap sanctions against Russia," he said. "But when it comes to those third-party agreements I think there has to be dialogue between the US and India; understanding the needs that India has as a nation for self-defence as well that has to be taken into consideration, Crowley said in response to a question. India is currently in an advance stage of negotiations with Russia for five S-400 system worth an estimate USD 4.5 billion. The S-400 Triumf long-range air defence missile system has the capability to destroy incoming hostile aircraft, missiles and even drones at ranges of up to 400 km. The S-400 missile system can fire three types of missiles and simultaneously engage 36 targets, thereby creating a layered defence. Flagging the issue, Nisha Desai Biswal, the former Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia and the current president of the US India Business Council said that CAATSA sanctions is something that members of Congress need to be "really critically aware" of and thinking through as they deal with the intention around the Russia Sanctions legislation. "It is something that we are all mindful of and looking at very very carefully. But I do think that we need to acknowledge and address the continuing importance for India of its relationship with Russia and how we how we manage the way forward on that issue, Biswal said. CAATSA sanctions would "damage" US-India relationship, warned Keith Webster, who represented Pentagon in the Defense Trade and Technology Initiative (DTTI) in the previous Obama Administration. He is currently president of the defence and aerospace export council US Chamber of Commerce. Observing that the purpose of this legislation is certainly not to target India, Benjamin Schwartz who leads the US-India Business Council's Defence and Aerospace programme, said one of the unintended consequences of two words significant transactions in that legislation is that it's exacerbated some of the concerns about the US as a reliable security provider. The legislation says that if a significant transaction takes place with the Russian defence or intelligence services that country or that entity is subject to potential US sanctions. There is a potential of a waiver to take place at the presidential level, Schwartz said. I say this is unintended because the only country or at least the country that would benefit the very most from any type of sanctions from the United States on India would be Russia. So that was clearly not the intention of this legislation. I personally don't think that the US Congress or the US government would ultimately follow through with that kind of situation because that wasn't the intention of the legislation." But one of the challenges that we faced in promoting US India defence relationship is demonstrating that the US is a reliable partner of India. So all efforts should be on trying to eliminate any of the ambiguity or the uncertainty that that legislative language may be creating, Schwartz said. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, left, and Chinese President Xi Jinping at BRICS Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said he and Chinese President Xi Jinping will review the developments in Sino-Indian relations from a strategic and long-term perspective during a two-day informal summit at Wuhan in China from tomorrow. The summit is being seen as an effort by India and China to rebuild trust and improve ties that were hit by the 73-day-long Doklam standoff last year. "President Xi and I will exchange views on a range of issues of bilateral and global importance. We will discuss our respective visions and priorities for national development, particularly in the context of current and future international situation," Modi said in a pre-departure statement. The prime minister said, "We will also review the developments in the India-China relations from a strategic and long-term perspective." Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Kong Xuanyou said the two leaders will try to reach important consensus to resolve outstanding issues and build mutual trust during their talks in Wuhan. Sources here had said the meeting will not have an "issue-based discussion but a strategic conversation between the two leaders to understand each other's perspective on national and international matters". BJP By projecting its Lok Sabha MP B Sreeramalu as its star campaigner in the Karnataka assembly polls, the BJP hopes to swing pro-tribal voters in its favour as it did in North-Eastern states, say political analysts. "After tasting historic victories in North-Eastern states like Tripura and Nagaland, BJP is now playing a pro-tribal card to attract tribal votes in Karnataka," leading political scientist Sandeep Shastri told PTI here. "Hence, it is projecting Sreeramulu, a tribal leader belonging to Valmiki Nayak community, as star campaigner in the run up to the assembly election," he said. That Sreeramulu, considered close to mining baron G Janaradhana Reddy, has gained in importance became evident with the BJP fielding him from Badami against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, and also asked him to campaign extensively in the region. The chief minister is also trying his luck from Chamundeshwari constituency while Sreeramulu has thrown his hat into the ring from Molakalmuru in Chitradurga district, a Congress bastion. Another political analyst and professor of political science at Karnatak University Dr Harish Ramaswamy shares his view. BJP faces a tough task of garnering tribal votes in North Karnataka, he said. Sreeramulu has considerable influence in Hyderabad-Karnataka and Chitradurga belt and his main task is to ensure that tribal votes get transferred to the BJP from Congress, he said. "It is a difficult job though," Ramaswamy said. Shastri said Jain-Lokniti-CSDS Survey had shown a shift of tribal votes from Congress to BJP. BJP expects to penetrate into the tribal support base of the Congress, including Chamarajnagar, Mysuru and Bagalkot districts, he said. Shastri said though the tribal population in Karnataka was not as large as North-Eastern states and Jharkhand, they can play an important role in a keenly fought election. Tribal communities have significant presence in 15 to 20 assembly constituencies in the state. West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee addresses during Youth Trinamool Congress rally at Damurjala Stadium in Howrah district of West Bengal on Friday. PTI live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Countries across the globe are competing against each other to attract investments. The Indian government too is working towards Ease of doing business in India by cutting down on red tape and providing incentives in order to attract investments and create employment. Indian states are also competing among themselves to attract investments. But in some states, vested interests of political parties are queering the pitch for investors. The most famous politically sponsored unrest was that of Tata Motors in Singur where Mamata Banerjee, the current chief minister of West Bengal, forced the company to shift its plant to Gujarat. She managed to win the next state elections and become the chief minister of the state. Since then, the state has not seen any major projects being commissioned despite her tall promises. Posco, the South Korean mining and metal company, has been fighting a long battle in Orissa, where a group of political parties, backed by religious groups, prevented the company from setting up a metal refinery. Konkan Railway also faced similar protest in Goa when it was being set up. Among the recent projects that have face the wrath of politically and religiously backed groups are the Nuclear Power unit and Sterlite projects, both in the vicinity of Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu. Now, a new project is expected to join this unlucky group of stuck projects. Recently, the Maharashtra government had announced investment to the tune of Rs 3 lakh crore ($44 billion) in the single largest refinery in which Indian Oil Corporation and Saudi Aramco were the stakeholders. The project would have made any country, let alone a state in India, proud. It would have also resulted in huge employment generation and benefits for a number of small and medium enterprises. The project, which was expected to be set up in Nanar, Ratnagiri, would have had access to oil from Aramcos oil wells in Saudi Arabia and the output from 60 million tonnes was to be sold in the country as well as exported. But controversy struck even before the ink on the deal document could dry. Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray attacked the BJP with whom it shares power in Maharashtra over the upcoming Nanar oil refinery. The project has already seen several protests against land acquisition. Opposition parties are sensing an opportunity to embarrass the government and have ganged up against the project. Allegations were made that the land for the project has been acquired by investors even before the deal was announced. "Shiv Sena will not allow the land to be acquired for the project. We won't allow the government to acquire even an inch of land," Uddhav Thackeray told supporters at a rally in Ratnagiri. Maharashtra's Industries Minister Subhash Desai, who represents Shiv Sena in the coalition state government, said the project will not see the light of the day under any circumstances. Maharashtras Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis snubbed his minister and said that it is his personal opinion and not the decision of the government. The Congress party in its fact-finding report has said that the refinery would affect 15 villages in Rajapur taluka and two villages in Devgad taluka. Along with human displacement across 15,000 hectares, 13 lakh alphonso mango trees, seven lakh cashew trees as well as eight crore trees in the jungles will also have to be cut. Reports also said that the residents too are unhappy with the project and are planning agitations. There are primarily three issues that are making the project controversial. The first is the allegation by Shiv Sena that the details of the project were leaked and land has been grabbed by investors from Mumbai. This is not the first time that such allegations are being made. Land acquisition in India has become a big bane for any project, be it setting up industries or creating infrastructure for road or Railways. These agitations are generally used by the local politician and population to increase the price of land. The 9,900 MW Jaitapur Nuclear Power Project in India too had faced similar agitations. Jaitapur, also in Ratnagiri, was the hotbed of agitation by various groups, but when the price for the land acquisition was increased by the government most of these agitations died down. In the case of Nanar oil refinery, the problem seems to be that most of the land has already been acquired by investors, who will be benefitting from the purchase by the government. There will be little money for the locals and the local politician to extract. If details of the project were leaked to these investors, then it is a problem and the grouse of the residents to some extent is valid. But in any case, they were willing sellers, with or without the project. If the same logic can be extended to any project, then all land acquisitions would end up in litigation. The second is an environment issue which the political parties are trying to raise. Some of the parties were the same ones who cleared many factories in the area, including the controversial Dabhol Power project (read Enron Power). These days, most chemical plants and refineries work on the principle of zero pollution. All kind of effluents is either treated and reused or allowed to dispose off only after strict checks. Finally, there is the point of the local agriculture business being destroyed. The area in which Nanar oil refinery is expected to come up is famous for Alphonso mangoes and cashews. This is the only valid reason that can prevent the refinery from being set up. Most locals in the area live a comfortable life by living off their Alphonso plantation. These plantations do not require too much maintenance but at the same time give a handsome earning for the farmers. Depriving them of this comfortable lifestyle with a promise of giving them jobs in the refinery might not interest most of the locals. Unfortunately, there are many places in India where the locals do not want to be seen working in their home state but would not mind working as janitors abroad. Most of these places are where the locals have traditionally earned by watching their crop grow. Only after a few generations, does it dawn upon them that farm income is not enough to support the entire family. But by then, there are hardly any respectable jobs available. Fortunately, the Maharashtra government has a good opportunity of setting up the refinery in interior Vidharbha, which has seen a number of farmer deaths. Though it will be a landlocked refinery, it will be near the centre of the country and logistically good to sell its products. Further, low-cost oil from Saudi Arabia will still make the project feasible. Landlocked refineries in India like Panipat and Bina in Madhya Pradesh are working without any hiccups. There will be no face loss for the Chief Minister if he plays his cards right and moves the project to central India. The project remains in the state and the opposition parties will have to answer future generations for unemployment. Prime Minister Narendra Modi today accused the Congress of spreading "lies and false" propaganda, and dividing society along caste lines, as he sounded the bugle for the bitterly contested Karnataka Assembly polls. He also asserted the development of the state was his party's only agenda. "BJP has a three-pronged agenda for Karnataka-- development, fast paced development, all round development," he told party leaders, office bearers and elected representatives through his mobile app. "Our agenda is vikas, vikas, vikas (development, development and development)," he said. Claiming that electors have resolved to usher in a change of government in the Congress-ruled state, he said those who wished that party well had started a debate about a hung Assembly. He said such "false" propaganda was spread even before the last Lok Sabha poll which the BJP won with an absolute majority. "A government with absolute majority is needed to change Karnataka's destiny. India is shining in the world today only because we have a government which has a complete majority at the Centre after 30 years," he said, and asked BJP workers to endeavour to achieve that goal in the only big state the Congress still rules apart from Punjab. Apparently referring to pre-poll surveys, the prime minister said "false propaganda" about a fractured mandate, with BJP as the single largest party, was being spread as part of a "conspiracy". These surveys have projected a cliffhanger of a contest in the only southern state where the BJP had its government once. They said the JD(S) of former prime minister H D Deve Gowda would play the role of a kingmaker after the polls. Rattling off figures about development work undertaken by the Centre in the state, he accused the Siddaramaiah government of stalling its progress, and spreading "falsehood". "So, you will have to fight against lies, false propaganda. As part of a conspiracy, efforts will be made to mislead you by hiring foreign agencies. Karyakartas (party workers) should not be shaken, their trust should not be shaken," he said. Modi was apparently referring to the Cambridge Analytica controversy over alleged attempts by the Congress to use the data firm to influence the outcome of elections in India. "The Congress, after repeated defeat in elections, is spreading lies. Earlier, out of 50 things they said there were 5-10 lies. Now, out of the 50 things they say, 40-45 are lies and the rest five would also lack clarity," he said. The prime minister said there was a need to cleanse Indian politics of Congress culture. "The mainstream of India's political culture is associated with Congress' misdeeds. Unless we liberate this mainstream from Congress culture, we cannot cleanse Indian politics," he said. Without naming the Lingayats, the prime minister accused the Congress government of doing caste politics. "When elections come, these clever people (the Congress) offer lollipops to a caste group so they get busy with it and vote on emotion. "When the next election comes, they leave that community and get hold of another caste group or community and give them a new lollipop. They keep changing and giving new lollipops every time and run their politics without any accountability," he said. The Siddaramaiah government recently recommended religious minority status for the Lingayat and its sub-group Veershaiva Lingayat community. The move is seen as an attempt to divide the Lingayats, the bedrock of the BJP's voter base in the state. Seeking to strike a chord with BJP workers on the ground, Modi said, like them, he was also a "karyakarta". "Like you, I am also a karyakarta (worker) from Karnataka. Believe this and move ahead. I am also a Kannadiga. Believe this and move ahead. I will work with you shoulder to shoulder," he said. Modi began the interaction with opening remarks in Kannada where he welcomed the BJP leaders and workers. He was apologetic about not being able to learn Kannada language despite wanting so. "I'm sorry, despite having interest I could not learn Kannada," he said. Former Madhya Pradesh chief Minister and Congress leader Digvijaya Singh: Gandhiwadi hain, saral hain, imaandar hain. Sabke paas jaati hain, gaon gaon jaati hain. Rajneetigyon ko thodi si baat me pata chal jaata hai ki kaun farzi hai, kaun sahi hai. Main purana jauhri hoon, ye 100 pratishat tunch maal hai." Pitching for a "spirit of accommodation" in Opposition ranks to take on BJP in 2019 polls, senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh today said his party should take lead in forging a unity and also reconcile to the reality of being a "younger brother" to regional outfits in states like Bihar and West Bengal. Singh said the saffron party's "religious fanaticism" could the common meeting ground for all opposition parties and Congress being the largest among them should work to bring together BJP's rivals. In an interaction with PTI journalists here, Singh said a "spirit of accommodation " has to be there among opposition parties and the recent case of CPI(M), where those favouring an understanding with the Congress to challenge the BJP prevailed over the ones against it, indicated a similar mood. At its congress meeting in Hyderabad, the CPI(M) also re-elected Sitaram Yechury, who had campaigned for an understanding with the main opposition party. Singh said the commonality among the opposition parties is their opposition to the ideology of BJP because of its "religious fanaticism". He also made light of questions raised by some on the leadership of Congress president Rahul Gandhi and said his mother and the then party chief Sonia Gandhi's political wisdom and even citizenship were questioned in 2004 before non-NDA parties came together under her stewardship. Noting that Congress stalwarts like Indira Gandhi or Jawaharlal Nehru, or even Mahatma Gandhi, were not really known as a great orators, Singh said leadership has to give confidence and it is more important that articulation. The Congress party general secretary said Modi's oratorical skills may be rated highly, but Rahul Gandhi has "evolved as a credible leader". He, however, agreed that the Congress should offer voters a blueprint on how it will deal with challenges like creating jobs, spurring economy and maintaining social harmony as the BJP might have "failed" but people want to know what the opposition has to offer. To a question if a united opposition should project a prime ministerial candidate against Narendra Modi in 2019 general elections, Singh opined against it saying it should be the right of elected MPs to chose their leader but stressed that it is his personal view. "A common minimum programme should be worked out too. How to do that has to be dealt patiently and politically by my leadership so that we win back the confidence of regional parties, even if we are fighting against each other, so that we can take up the challenge against BJP. The spirit of accommodation has to there to fight a larger danger," Singh said. To make his case for a unity among the opposition ranks, he highlighted the results of Gorakhpur and Phulpur bypolls in UP, where the BJP suffered a shock defeat to the SP-BSP alliance. The verdict showed that social arithmetic still matters, he said. Asked if the Congress can play younger brother to regional parties in some states, including Bihar and West Bengal, where its influence is limited, Singh said that is a reality and it should do so. In the two UP bypolls, the Congress was not part of the opposition alliance and put up its candidates, who ended up losing their deposits. The former Madhya Pradesh chief minister recently returned from a self-imposed sabbatical after concluding his six-month long 'Narmada parikrama' of over 3300 km on foot. Taking on the RSS, he said its main agenda is turning India into a 'Hindu Rashtra' and it has "poisoned" the youth's mind with its extremist ideology. Posted Thursday, April 26, 2018 10:00 am Early on at the Marshfield Board of Education meeting Monday, April 16, board members Kim Atkison and Mitch Epsy were sworn in for their positions and the board elected Joey Pate as president, while Curt Weaver was elected to the vice president position. To acknowledge his new position, Pate changed chairs with Amy Wilkerson, the former school board president. Marta Fraker was appointed board secretary since Christi Mackey will be retiring from her position. Mackey, however, was appointed board treasurer through July. Fraker will work with Mackey for the next three months in that transition. CERTIFY ELECTION RESULTS Superintendent David Steward introduced the first action item, which was to certify the results of the April 3 election. A list of the results was included in the Marshfield Board of Education meeting packet. According to Steward, once the election results are certified by the board and the Webster County Commission, then the schools bonding company is able to draw up a Go To Market resolution. He explained the next time the board meets, it would have to approve that resolution, which gives the company authority to issue bonds. The company has indicated to me that once they do that they will go fairly quickly, said Steward during the meeting. Folks will buy them up fairly quickly. At the next meeting, the school board would have to approve all the different sales that they have lined up. Once that approval is done, it would take us two to three weeks to have money in the bond. The board approved unanimously to certify the election results. 2018-19 HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN Steward discussed the next item about the 2018-19 health insurance plan. Under its current plan, the Marshfield School District pays 100 percent of the base plan that it chooses for its employees. The plan is administered through the Missouri Educator Trust (MET), of which the school district is a member and consists of 83 Missouri districts that act as its own self-funded insurance group. According to the presentation given by Steward, 322 of the schools 342 employees are covered on the district plan (20 employees decline coverage for various reasons). The districts contribution rate is currently $466.05 per month ($5,592.60 per year). Steward said the renewal rate factors for 2018-19 were not great, stating the claims-to-premium ratio for the entire consortium was 107.8 percent (last years consortium was 106.9 percent). He explained the school district has a significant reserve built up as a consortium, but they cannot dig into that all the time. He added Marshfield R-I's claim ratio is significantly higher than consortium, which means the consortium is losing $44.67 per month, per person insured. Based on these items alone, the renewal rate increase would have been 17.7 percent for 2018-19, which would raise the premium of base plan the school uses from $466.05 to $548.54 per month. Steward explained other lower renewal options that MET talked about during its annual meeting. It currently uses two Administrative Service Organizations (ASO) to provide management and coverage Aetna and Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield. These are chosen by each individual district and Marshfield R-I currently uses Aetna. According to Steward, for renewal, Aetna made no changes and is an 8.4 percent increase, while Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield provided some options that are a 3.4 percent increase. Steward said if the school district stays with Aetna, then it will see an 8.4 percent increase, but if it goes with Anthem, then it has some options that will reduce that 3.4 percent increase. He included a chart of employee selection plan/network options under the Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield ASO, which had Option 1 (Blue Access PPO), Option 2 (Blue Preferred PPO) and Option III (Anthem Alliance EPO). The chart also had Aetna with Option 1 (Choice POS II PPO). After additional discussion, the board approved Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield as the districts health insurance provider and Option 2 and 3 as the board paid health insurance base plan for the 2018-19 school year at a rate of $481.20 per month, per member; to offer Option 1 as the buy up option; and to offer Health Savings Account option. OTHER ITEMS APPROVED Approved Facilities Agreement as presented by assistant superintendent Mike Henry. Approved Blackboard as the districts new Parent Communication program. Congress President Rahul Gandhi addressing a Corner Meeting ahead of Karnataka Assembly elections at KGF Municipal Ground in Kolar on 7th April 2018. (PTI Photo) Congress President Rahul Gandhi today described the proposed US visa rules as a "huge setback" for India, and in a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi said there were "some things a hug can buy", but for visas "you're on your own". Gandhi's remarks come amid Trump administration's plan to propose to end giving work permits to the spouses of H1-B visa holders to work in the US, a move that could have a devastating impact on tens of thousands of Indians. "New US Visa Rules, huge setback for India...," the Congress president said on Twitter. "There are some things a hug can buy. For visas, you're on your own," he said in a wordplay on the MasterCard ad campaign which says, "There are some things money can't buy. For everything else, there's MasterCard". "Foreign Policy by Narendra Modi, Foreword by Donald Trump," Gandhi said mocking the government's diplomacy. Gandhi has earlier also attacked the prime minister over what he termed 'hugplomacy' after Pakistan released 2008 Mumbai attacks mastermind and Lashkar-e-Taiba chief Hafiz Saeed from house arrest. The Trump administration's move to end the Obama-era rule could have an impact on more than 70,000 H-4 visas holders, who have work permits. H-4 is issued to the spouse of H-1B visa holders, a significantly large number of whom are high-skilled professionals from India. They had obtained work permits under a special order issued by the previous Obama administration. src="//embeds.audioboom.com/publishing/playlist/v4?bg_fill_col=%23ecefef&boo_content_type=playlist&data_for_content_type=4619769-karnataka-elections-2018-all- you-want-to-know&image_option=small&link_color=%2358d1eb&player_theme=light&src=https%3A%2F%2Fapi.audioboom.com%2Fplaylists%2F4619769-karnataka- elections-2018-all-you-want-to-know" width="100%" height="350" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"> Congress President Rahul Gandhi addressing a public meeting at Magadi, Ramanagara, Karnataka on 4th April 2018. (PTI Photo) Hitting back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for levelling corruption allegations against the Siddaramaiah government in Karnataka, Congress president Rahul Gandhi today claimed that the BJP had given tickets to eight tainted candidates for the upcoming state Assembly election. Gandhi, back in Karnataka for the seventh leg of his poll campaign, questioned the prime minister's authority to speak on corruption while being surrounded by BJP leaders accused of financial wrongdoing. "Modiji comes here and speaks about corruption. When (fugitive diamantaire) Nirav Modi, whom Narendra Modi knows very well...knows by the first name, runs away with Rs 30,000 crore, he does not utter a word. "When he (Modi) stands on a stage, on his one side is Yeddyurappa, who has spent time in jail, on the other side there are four others, who have been to jail, and Modiji speaks about corruption," he told a gathering during a road-show. Modi has often targeted the Siddaramaiah-led Congress regime in Karnataka over alleged corruption, calling it a "10 per cent commission government". Without taking any names, Gandhi alleged that the BJP had given tickets to eight candidates, who were accused of corruption, for the May 12 Karnataka Assembly polls. "They have given tickets to eight corrupt persons. This is the truth," he said and referred to the controversial and influential Reddy brothers of Ballari, linked to the alleged iron ore mining scam. Two brothers of the alleged kingpin of the scam, G Janardhana Reddy -- Karunakara and Somashekhara -- are contesting the Karnataka polls on BJP tickets. "When in power, Yeddyurappa and Reddy Brothers looted Karnataka. Our Govt. brought them to justice. Now Mr Modi is trying to take 8 of them from jail, into the Vidhan Sabha. This is an insult to every honest citizen, to Karnataka and to the spirit of Basavanna (sic)," the Congress chief had tweeted yesterday. Gandhi, during his campaign, has frequently invoked Basavanna, the 12th-century social reformer who is worshipped by the numerically strong and politically influential Lingayat community in the state, for which the Siddaramaiah government has recommended a religious minority status, a move that has been dubbed by the BJP as an attempt to divide the Hindus. The Lingayats have hitherto largely backed the saffron party in elections. Terming the Karnataka polls a fight between two ideologies, Gandhi said on one side, there was the Congress, while on the other, the BJP-RSS. "Support the Congress and we will work for the poor and needy," he added. Insisting that government funds should reach the common man, who works hard to meet his day-to-day needs and contributes to the progress of Karnataka and the country, Gandhi claimed that the BJP-RSS did not believe so. "They feel that the money should go to the pockets of the five to 10 rich industrialists. This is the difference in ideology. We say the poor, the farmers, the marginalised and the people of Karnataka should get the benefits. They say the benefits should go to five to 10 rich businessmen," he said. The Congress chief also hit out at the Centre over the alleged waiver of huge bank loans of industrialists, a benefit denied to the farmers. "If you (Modi) don't want to waive the loans taken by the farmers, then make me understand, every year, why do you waive lakhs of crores of rupees of loans obtained by 10 rich industrialists of the country," he said and claimed that the Centre had waived loans amounting to Rs 2.5 lakh crore of 15 "super rich" people of the country. Claiming that the Congress and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had worked for the welfare of farmers and the poor, Gandhi accused Modi of making false promises and asked the people whether Rs 15 lakh had been deposited in their bank accounts, as promised by the prime minister in the run-up to the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. Catch the latest news, views and analysis on Karnataka Assembly Elections 2018 Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje today met BJP president Amit Shah amid a disagreement within the party over the choice of its state unit chief as she is said to be opposed to the name proposed by central leaders. Party sources said she arrived in the national capital today and had a long meeting with Shah. The central leadership had zeroed in on Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat as a replacement for Ashok Parnami, who has resigned, to lead the state unit as it prepares for the assembly polls scheduled to be held later this year, sources said. However, Shekhawat's relative inexperience -- he is a first-time MP -- has prompted a pushback from state leaders with Raje said to be opposed to his choice. Some of her government's ministers have lobbied in Delhi for the leadership to consider other names, they said. A party leader said Shekhawat is "too junior" and this coupled with his caste -- he is a Rajput -- can make things fraught for the organisation in an election year. Some state party leaders have backed the choice of Srichand Kriplani, a minister in her government, as he comes from a numerically insignificant caste and his appointment would not antagonise Jats or Rajputs, two communities with strong political heft. Union minister Arjun Meghwal, a Dalit, is also seen as a probable for the post. A string of reverses in local polls and by-polls in the state has jolted the BJP which had decimated the Congress in the 2013 assembly polls and then picked up all 25 Lok Sabha seats next year. The party's central leadership believes that an organisational revamp is necessary for it to make a comeback in the assembly polls. A ministerial reshuffle in the state government is also not ruled out, sources have said. Representative Image On Friday, the Telangana government is going to announce the Staff Selection Commission results. But the website will have an extension other than the usual .com, in line with a larger global trend to use more contextual suffixes for web addresses. The Board of Secondary Education Telangana will announce the results on www.results.shiksha. The website has been launched with an aim to serve the education sector of the country and will be bringing out several other services over the next few months. The website www.results.shiksha has tied up with State Boards of Education in 24 states, and during the course of the next 2 months, the platform shall be hosting the class 10 and class 12 examination results of all these Boards of Education. .shiksha is what is known as a generic top level domain or gTLD. A domain is a web address such as www.google.com or www.whitehouse.gov. the top level domain is the last part of the web address, the top, or the part ot the right of the last visible dot. Some well known generic Top Level domains are .COM, .NET, and .GOV, explains this paper on gTLDs. Over the past few years, there has been a move to diversify from the most popular gTLDs to newer generic names. According to technology survey website w3techs.com, .com is used by a TLD for 46.5 percent of all websites on the Internet. This is followed by .org with a 5.1 percent share, .ru (Russian Federation) at 4.7 percent and .net at 4 percent. Newer gTLDs will lead to diversification of the Internet addresses and also help brands and even governments have a better online identity. Hence, the use of .shiksha is relevant. The domain name .shiksha is owned and operated by Afilias, one of the worlds largest domain name registries. It supports some of the worlds most well knowm TLDs like .org, .IN and .AU. A domain name registry is a directory of all domain names and associated information, allowing people to use the top level domains for their online presence. Shiksha, the Sanskrit-derived word for education in India, and the .shiksha domain name was made available to the public in 2014, with an aim to identify an organisation as one that is associated with learning, education and continuous betterment through knowledge. Trouble just doesnt seem to tide over for Facebook in India. The privacy-row hit US-based social media giant, along with British political analytics firm Cambridge Analytica, has been slapped with a second notice by the government on Wednesday after it found the previous responses from the company filled with discrepancies, reports The Times of India. According to the report, the response filed by Cambridge Analytica has been flagged as cryptic and evasive by the government, which has asked for more details from the company. ...It is self-evident that apart from being very cryptic, the unstated intention was to conceal more than reveal, the notice to Cambridge Analytica says. According to the notice, Facebook has submitted an apology and has accepted that nearly 5.62 lakh people in India were potentially affected by the data breach incident. However, Cambridge Analytica claims it is not in possession of Facebook data of citizens of India. In the light of Facebook apologising, the notice states that the onus now lies with Cambridge Analytica. In its recent notice to the British firm, the government has asked it to respond with the kind of data that was collected, the kind of instruments used to collect the information. The notice, which seeks a reply by May 10, also inquires whether any data mining took place through any third-party apps, whether any data was collected under the garb of research and if the consumers were informed of the ongoing activities. According to a senior official in the IT ministry, the step was taken by the government in order to send out a strong message to foreign-owned IT companies operating in India that violation of Indian law and privacy norms will be dealt with very seriously. The government also seeks information from Facebook on how it plans on tackling issues such as manipulation or misuse of data in the future. The self-styled godman Asaram Bapu has been put behind bars after a Jodhpur trial court held him guilty of raping a teenage girl in his ashram five years ago. Here we look at other godmen who had a run-in with the law: Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was sentenced to 20 years in jail last year in August. Born to Sikh parents, Singh in 1990 was appointed as the sect leader for Dera Sacha Sauda, a religious cult established in 1948. Ram Rahim was introduced to the Dera Sacha Sauda, headquartered at Sirsa in Haryana, by his father Maghar Singh. Under his leadership, the sect expanded to having close to 50 branches and millions of followers in Haryana, Delhi, and Punjab among other states. In 2002, one of his female followers wrote an anonymous letter to then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, alleging that she was raped by her political guru. The letter also accused Singh of raping several of his female followers. On August 25, a special CBI court in Panchkula found him guilty of raping two female followers (Sadhvis). Sant Rampal Rampal, another self-styled godman who claims to be successor and his incarnation of Kabir was mentioned in a list of fake sadhus released by Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad, the apex organisation of Hindu Sants (saints) and Sadhus (ascetics) in India. In 1999, Rampal founded the Satlok Ashram in Karotha village of Rohtak district. In 2006, Rampal was charged with murder and attempt to murder, and jailed for 22 months following a clash with the followers of Arya Samaj. Another complaint of forgery was filed against him a day after the 2006 clashes. In 2014, the Punjab and Haryana High Court issued non-bailable arrest warrants against him. Rampal was arrested on the night of 19 November 2014, along with 492 of his followers, on charges including sedition, murder, attempt to murder, conspiracy, hoarding illegal weapons and aiding and abetting suicide-mongers. Swami Nithyananda Swami Nithyananda a Hindu spiritual leader, was arrested in 2010 after allegations of rape, criminal intimidation and cheating were made against him. Fresh charges of rape were levelled against him in 2012, leading to a second arrest. Nirmal Baba 'Daswand' or the receiving of donations of one-tenth of a devotee's earning landed self-styled spiritual guru Nirmal Baba in trouble in February 2014 with a notice having been slapped on him for alleged service tax evasion of Rs 3.5 crore. Ichchadhari Bhimanand The swami who started as a hotel doorman and made crores with his sex worker network, was arrested in 2010 for running Rs 500 crore sex racket at his ashram. US President Donald Trump said today that three or four possible dates were being considered for his landmark summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. "We have a decision to be made. We have three and four dates. That includes five locations. That will be narrowed down," Trump said on Fox News. Trump had previously said his much-anticipated meeting with Kim would take place in May or early June, within weeks of Friday's historic inter-Korean summit. The tension-wracked peninsula has seen a dramatic diplomatic detente, with the nuclear-armed North last week announcing a moratorium on nuclear tests and long-range missile launches. The United States Senate confirmed Mike Pompeo as President Donald Trump's secretary of state on Thursday, putting the former CIA director in a pivotal role to handle US foreign policy challenges such as North Korea and Iran. Pompeo, a former Army officer who was a Republican congressman, is regarded as a Trump loyalist with hawkish world views. He is already deeply involved in diplomacy. Trump sent Pompeo to North Korea three weeks ago to meet with the country's leader, Kim Jong Un, ahead of a summit with the U.S. president to address Pyongyang's nuclear program. Senators voted 57-42 in favour of Pompeo, who had faced stiff resistance from Democrats worried about his reputation for hawkishness and past harsh statements about homosexuality and Islam. Pompeo will be forced quickly to address a wide array of other international challenges, including long conflicts in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, Chinese expansionism in Asia and Russian assertiveness. Washington is also working with European allies such as French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel to decide whether to toughen an international nuclear agreement with Iran. Pompeo narrowly avoided a historic rebuke by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Pompeo, who became one of Trump's closest advisers during his 15 months at the CIA, faced stiff opposition from Democrats, who worried he might be too closely aligned with the president. While in Congress, Pompeo was an outspoken opponent of the Iran nuclear accord. But he said during his confirmation hearing that he was open to fixing, rather than blowing apart, the pact, which the West believes is key to preventing Iran from getting a nuclear bomb. HAWKISH Opponents also worried that Pompeo was too hawkish, and said his past remarks about homosexuals and Islam made him unsuitable to represent the United States on the world stage. U.S. senators said Pompeo was expected to hit the ground running and head off almost immediately to a NATO foreign ministers meeting in Brussels on Friday. Supporters said Pompeo did well during 15 months leading the CIA, and said the country badly needed a leader at the State Department, where staffing has been slashed with many positions unfilled since Trump became president in January 2017. Trump picked the CIA's deputy director, Gina Haspel, to replace Pompeo as head of the spy agency. If confirmed by the Senate, she would become the first woman to hold the post. Pompeo avoided being the first nominee for secretary of state ever rejected by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee only when Republican Senator Rand Paul, who had vowed to oppose him, announced his support minutes before the committee voted on Monday after pressure from the party. None of the 10 Democrats on the 21-member committee supported the nominee. Senator Robert Menendez, the top Democrat on the foreign relations panel, was a vocal opponent of Pompeo's confirmation, but said he did not think the bruising confirmation fight would leave Pompeo wounded. "He obviously has the president's support. That will be meaningful to people in the world," Menendez said on Wednesday, drawing a contrast with his predecessor, Rex Tillerson, who often seemed to differ from the president. Trump abruptly fired former oil executive Tillerson last month. A US ban on exports to China's ZTE over alleged Iran sanctions violations could play to the long-term advantage of rival network equipment supplier Nokia, the Finnish company's chief executive said on Thursday. "It is too early to tell what the impact might be from ZTE," Rajeev Suri said in response to a journalist's question on a conference call following Nokia's quarterly report regarding ZTE's standoff with U.S. authorities. "Longer term there might be opportunities particularly in the areas of mobile ... and optics," he said, referring to big business segments in which both compete, namely wireless network infrastructure and fixed-line optical gear to haul data traffic. North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un is seen during the inspection of a potato flour factory in this undated photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) in Pyongyang. (Reuters) South Korean President Moon Jae-in will meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Friday as the latter crosses a military demarcation line to the South for the first summit between the two sides in more than a decade, South Korea said. South Korean honour guards will then escort the leaders to a welcome ceremony at a plaza in Panmunjom, the border village where the summit is to be held, the South's presidential chief of staff, Im Jong-seok, told a media briefing. Official dialogue between Kim and Moon will begin at 10:30 a.m. (0130 GMT) at the Peace House in Panmunjom, an hour after Kim is scheduled the cross the border at 9:30 a.m. (0030 GMT). After the end of the first session of talks, Kim and Moon will have lunch separately before holding a tree-planting ceremony in the afternoon, Im said. A pine tree will be planted on the demarcation line to symbolise "peace and prosperity", Im said, using soil from Mount Paektu in North Korea and Mount Halla in South Korea. Kim and Moon will water the tree with water brought from the Taedong River in the North and the Han River in the South, Im said. Afterwards, Moon and Kim will take a walk together in Panmunjom before beginning the next round of talks. At the end of talks, Kim and Moon will sign a pact and make an announcement, Im said. Later, they will have dinner on the South's side and watch a video clip themed 'Spring of One' before wrapping up, he added. Kuwaiti authorities have enforced the threats to expel the ambassador of Philippines, Renato Villa, giving him a week deadline to leave the country over the controversial rescue operations of Filipino house workers without the consent of the Kuwaiti authorities. Villa is accused of triggering a new diplomatic turmoil between the two counties, whose ties recently deteriorated over abuses suffered by Filipina house workers in the Gulf country. Lawmakers have called on the foreign ministry to expel the Asian countrys envoy after he confirmed a video footage showing some staff of his diplomatic office helping Filipino house workers to quit their employers over reports of abuses. A couple of staff involved in the controversial operations had been arrested and confessed to the incidents, the interior ministry noted. Summoned two times over the week-end, Villa explained the moves adding that the Kuwaiti interior ministry was informed of the steps something which the ministry totally dismissed. The Kuwaiti foreign ministry lambasted Villas statements and the unilateral moves by the embassy, which, it said, violate the sovereignty of the Gulf state. Aside from giving one-week deadline to Villa to leave the Kuwaiti territory, local authorities also gave the Filipino diplomat three days to hand over all staff members who took part in the controversial rescue operation. Manila Tuesday apologized for its embassys behavior but noted that the mission was forced to assist Filipino workers who sought help as some situations were a matter of life and death. The Philippines foreign department however rejected the arrest of Philippines citizens accused by Kuwait of infringing the sovereignty of the country. In discussions at every level with Kuwait, the Philippines has always emphasized that the well-being of Filipino nationals wherever they may be will always be of paramount importance, the department said in a statement. The two countries ties have turned sour since January over accusations by Manila that Kuwait closes eyes on abuses inflicted to its citizens working in the country. Manila in February imposed a ban on the deployment of Filipina house workers. To defuse the crisis, the two parties have begun talks to review the labor deal but the Kuwaiti foreign ministry said latest developments are complicating the talks. What was founded in Madras on 20 September 1878 as a weekly newspaper, by what was known then as the Triplicane Six consisting of 4 law students and 2 teachers:- T. T. Rangacharya, P. V. Rangacharya, D. Kesava Rao Pantulu and N. Subba Rao Pantulu, led by G. Subramania Iyer (a school teacher from Tanjore district) and M. Veeraraghavacharyar, a lecturer at Pachaiyappa's College? () India slipped to the 138th position in the World Press Freedom Index and now ranks just above Pakistan. It was ranked at the 135th spot last year. As per the annual report of Reporters Without Borders (RSF), the 2018 World Press Freedom Index reflects increasing hostility towards journalists in democratic countries. The index that evaluates press freedom in 180 countries, showed that media phobia has become more pronounced. India fared poorly on indicators such as hate speeches, attacks on journalists on social media, trolling them and targeting their reputation. The report also mentions that at least 4 journalists have been gunned down in India in the previous year. The report suggests a scary picture especially in democratic countries where political leaders are openly threatening journalists, even incarcerating them if they refuse to offer their loyalty. However, Nordic countries outperformed themselves on the index with Norway ranking first for the second consecutive year, followed by Sweden, the Netherlands and Finland. Authoritarian regimes like Turkey and Egypt were ranked at 157 and 161 respectively as scribes in the countries are "routinely accused of terrorism and arbitrarily imprisoned for non-conformity". The US fell two places to 45 after the inception of the Trump regime where the president is seen brazenly bashing the media, even referring to reporters as enemies of the people, a term ironically used by Joseph Stalin once. Philippines which declined by six ranks and took the 133rd spot has seen President Rodrigo Duterte, not only humiliate media persons, but also threaten them saying that they are not exempted from assassination. North Korea was ranked at the bottom of the list. Vladimir Putins Russia was at 148, using media outlets such as RT and Sputnik to further the establishments propaganda; whereas Xi Jinpings China was at 176 with its extremely curtailed model of news. The Index also highlights countries such as Iraq, which it says has become a media black hole because of war. The report has attributed its findings to worsening regional indicators such as violence, impunity, conflict between the ruling establishment and private media, blasphemy laws, etc. The Index also shows heightened verbal violence used against journalists by political leaders in European countries. President Milos Zeman of Czech Republic, which is down 11 at 34, turned up at press conference with a fake Kalashnikov inscribed with the words for journalists. In Slovakia, which is down 10 at 27, Prime Minister Robert Fico called journalists filthy anti-Slovak prostitutes and idiotic hyenas. This paints a scary picture in Europe which is known to be the region which respects Press Freedom the most. On the matter of increasing animosity against media persons, RSF secretary-general Christophe Deloire said. Political leaders who fuel loathing for reporters bear heavy responsibility because they undermine the concept of public debate based on facts instead of propaganda. To dispute the legitimacy of journalism today is to play with extremely dangerous political fire. The acting director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau may end public access to a web portal consumers use to file complaints against financial companies, according to a new report. Acting CFPB Director Mick Mulvaney told an audience at an American Bankers Association conference this week that he planned to eliminate public access to the CFPBs complaint database, according to The Wall Street Journal. Mulvaney said the database contains information that hasnt been fully vetted by the government. I dont see anything in here that says I have to run a Yelp for financial services sponsored by the federal government, Mulvaney said as he held up a copy of the Dodd-Frank Act. The audience applauded the comment, WSJ reported. United Wholesale Mortgage has announced the appointment of Alex Elezaj as its chief strategy officer. Prior to joining UWM, Elezaj served as CEO of Class Appraisal, a Michigan-based residential real estate appraisal-management company. We are thrilled to have such an amazing leader join our team, and his main focus will be aligned with UWMs, which is to help our mortgage broker partners grow, said Matt Ishbia, president and CEO of UWM. Hes in total lockstep with our company from a leadership vision and culture standpoint, as he believes mortgage brokers are the best place for loan originators to work and for borrowers to get a mortgage. During Elezajs tenure as CEO at Class Appraisal, the company more than tripled its annual revenue and forged strategic partnerships with more than 300 mortgage lenders and more than 1,000 top-performing appraisers. The best chance in weeks for rain in Midland County turned out to be a non-event. While a mist teased residents and some drivers used their windshield wipers, there wasnt any real accumulation at Midland International, and therefore no real relief. The National Weather Service has reported 1.08 inches of rain at Midland International since Oct. 1. The average rainfall for Midland County from October through April is 5.54 inches. The first quarter of 2018 was off to the fourth driest start of any year in Midlands recorded history. If there isnt any rain over the next week, the 0.16 of an inch of rain so far this year will trail only 2011 for the driest first four months of any year. We need it really bad, said Dale Little, fire marshal and emergency management coordinator for Midland County. We need any moisture we can get right now from the firefighting end of it. The Keetch-Byram Drought Index showed a measurement of about 538, Little said Wednesday. The index, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service, is used to determine 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. Midland Countys conditions show some of the highest scores in the region, according to the index map posted Friday. Little said conditions are bad enough in the region that the Texas Forest Service has a unit of firefighters on alert here to battle area wildfires. The unit was active last weekend around Big Lake. Little said Midland County residents shouldnt get a false sense of security because of the lower-than-normal temperatures and moisture on Wednesday. We are always in danger because we have the dryness, he said. He added that the soil will remain dry and the freeze-dried vegetation on top makes matters worse. Until we get green-ups (vegetation that has greened up), we will still have this problem, Little said. The silver lining is that this likely isnt the drought of 2011 -- at least that is what the Climate Prediction Center is forecasting. The CPC calls for average chances of rainfall from May through July. The CPS expects a 50 to 60 percent chance of higher-than-average temperatures during the same period. When asked about the dry weather, Burr Williams, former executive director of the Sibley Nature Center, said he expects critter reproduction to be less. He also expected more wildfires in the region up to this point. There are 96 counties across the state with burn bans in place, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service. Most counties in the Permian Basin, South Plains and the Panhandle are enforcing burn bans. Driest starts to the year (January through March) 1971 0.01 of an inch 2011 0.11 of an inch 1996 0.13 of an inch 2018 0.16 of an inch San Antonio Metropolitan Health District officials confirmed on Wednesday a case of tuberculosis at Brandeis High School in San Antonio. According to Metro Health, one individual contracted the infection, which typically affects the lungs. That person is off campus, in stable condition and will not return to the school "until no longer infectious," according to a news release. RELATED: Judson students air concerns about gun violence Metro Health met with school staff and faculty to discuss the situation and letters were sent home to parents, inviting them to attend an April 26 meeting on campus. Metro Health and the school are working to identify anyone who may have been exposed to the infection and asked anyone with questions to contact the Metro Health TB Chest Clinic at 210-207-8823. Madalyn Mendoza is a digital reporter for mySA.com. Read more of her stories here.| mmendoza@mysa.com | Twitter: @MaddySkye The budget scenarios presented to the Midland ISD board on Tuesday included more than $2 million for the hiring of 31 additional teachers, according to information provided at the budget workshop. The hiring of 31 additional teachers is listed as a Superintendent and Board Priority for the upcoming budget process. The total fiscal impact, including benefits, is $2.077 million, or about $67,015 per teacher. Midland ISD officials said during the presentation that the new teachers priority is part of the $148 million the district tentatively has set for total general operating fund salaries and benefits. There also is an additional line item of $6.638 million listed for vacant positions salaries and benefits. The hiring of 31 teachers is one of 12 items listed as priorities. The total impact to the budget of all 12 priorities ranges from $10.1 million based on a 2 percent salary increase to $11.8 million based on a 3 percent salary increase. Other priorities include: - pay increase for all administrative, clerical and instructional staff ($1.35 million to $2.025 million); - $50,000 minimum teacher pay ($1.91 million to $2.608 million); - pay increase for auxiliary staff ($518,734 to $778,101); - bus purchases 10 buses ($110,000 per bus); - health and wellness clinic ($300,000); - behavior therapists non special education two teachers ($67,015 per teacher, or $134,030); - annuity match/benefits ($1.9 million); - innovation ($200,000); - balanced literacy program nine teachers ($67,015 per teacher, or $603,135) - additional safety officers two officers ($44,855 per officer, or $89,710) - attendance incentive (no cost listed). The ability to fund the priorities will be based on how much money is available. School district officials said they will have a better sense of district-wide property valuations at the May meeting. Board President Rick Davis asked the Midland ISD staff to prioritize the items before the next budget workshop in May. Raises and benefit changes are not included in the budget scenarios, Lacy Sperry, MISDs executive director for communications, wrote in an email. Those items will be part of the superintendent and school board's upcoming priority discussions. During Tuesdays workshop, trustees also heard from a Texas Association of School Boards official, who provided a pay system review for the district. Major findings included: - Midland ISD average teacher salaries are 9 percent above the market median for average teacher salaries. Starting salaries were also well above market median at all survey points. - Overall, the administrative and professional employee pay ranges are competitive with market values. The market included Midland ISD, school districts in the El Paso area, Amarillo ISD, Lubbock ISD, Ector County ISD, Abilene ISD and other smaller school districts in West Texas and the South Plains. TASB also provided a staffing review for MISD. The review focused on comparing district staffing to benchmarking data for peer districts, as well as best practice standards for optimizing student achievement, according to information provided Tuesday. The optimal staffing patterns for each district are dependent upon local resources and instructional needs and priorities, according to TASB. The options included: - addition of four counselors (one each at Goddard Junior High, Abell Junior High, Scharbauer Elementary and Greathouse Elementary); - addition of instructional specialists and/or intervention teachers; - absorption of one librarian through attrition; - addition of campus clerical positions; - addition of non-campus support positions; - addition of instructional aides in general education; - addition of special education aides; - addition of one diagnostician; - absorption of three speech language-pathologists and three speech language-pathologist assistants through attrition. The following options, according to TASB information, were based on projected enrollment data and will need to be adjusted with enrollment changes. There was no board discussion on the following. - absorption of up to 15 general education elementary teaching positions; - addition of up to six bilingual education elementary teacher positions; - absorption of up to 11 junior high school teaching positions through attrition; - absorption of up to 13 freshman high school teaching positions through attrition; - addition of up to six senior high school teaching positions; - addition of maintenance staff; - addition of custodians. Alex_Schmidt Two bicyclists were killed and one was injured in a wreck Wednesday night in Midland County, according to an email from a Texas Department of Public Safety spokesman. The cyclist was transported to Midland Memorial Hospital with serious injuries, spokesman Sgt. Oscar Villarreal said. A 19-year-old man shot and killed his 18-year-old ex-girlfriend at a Southeast Side apartment complex Wednesday morning before killing himself in the woods behind the buildings, police said. Police have not identified the victim or shooter but said they ended a romantic relationship about a week ago. Both the victim and the suspect were seniors at Highlands High School, according to San Antonio ISD Communications Director Leslie Price. "It's very shocking news," she said. "We've sent a number of counselors to the school for support, and they're really working to support students during this time." RELATED: SAPD: Man stabbed several times during family argument on West Side The shooter tried to break into his ex-girlfriend's apartment complex in the 3900 block of Southeast Military Drive around 8 a.m. by shooting at the door. When that didn't work, he kicked the door open and entered, said San Antonio Police Chief William McManus. The victim was inside the apartment with her 16-year-old sister, police said. The suspect confronted his ex-girlfriend and fatally shot her in the head before fleeing on foot. The victim's sister called 911. McManus said the suspect made his way into a wooded area between Alsbrook Drive and Salado Creek and killed himself. Police later found his body with the assistance of K-9 and helicopter units. "We have a very, very, seriously tragic incident that happened here this morning," McManus said. The victim and suspect had dated for about a year and a half but had recently broken up. McManus said the victim had stopped taking the suspect's calls. "I'm the father of an 18-year-old myself, and I know the whole dating routine," McManus said. "I guess the lesson learned the hard way is if you're a parent with a daughter who's dating, make sure you pay attention to the status of that relationship once it's over." At the scene, several family members visibly mourned her death. "I spoke with the family," McManus said. "They're very very distraught, as you would expect. It just goes to point out the dangers of family violence." Text "NEWS" to 77453 for breaking news alerts from mySA.com Staff writer Fares Sabawi contributed to this report. | Caleb Downs is a crime reporter for mySA.com. Read more of his stories here.| cdowns@mysa.com | Twitter: @calebjdowns Khalifa Haftar, the head of the self-imposed Libyan National Army (LNA) is planned to return home this Thursday, the LNA spokesperson told Reuters. The army commander who has been out of the country for medical treatment in Paris would land in the eastern town of Benghazi Thursday. He would be coming from Egypt where he held talks with Egyptian officials, Ahmed Mesmari told the agency. Haftar, according to another LNA source and an Egyptian diplomatic source, told the media that the 75-year old warlord arrived Wednesday in Cairo from Paris. Haftar, on April 11 was transferred to Paris from Jordan for medical treatment after suffering a stroke. The Eastern region strongman was later rumored to suffer from lung cancer that affected his brain and his speaking abilities. Media reports announced his death but authorities in the east and the UN Special Mission for Libya (UNSMIL) debunked the rumors. Haftars brother Oman Haftar Wednesday told an Egyptian media that his brother was in good shape and was planning quick return to Libya. Preparations have been underway to welcome the army commander, reports say. A televised speech to the nation is scheduled, Libya Herald reports. Streets of the city and the town of Rajma, Haftars stronghold, have been cleaned up and decorated. Egypt is one of Haftars foreign backers. Cairo and Abu Dhabi have reportedly held secret talks to choose a successor to the army commander. The former Muammar Gaddafis close military aide totally captured Benghazi last July after three years of fierce fighting with Islamists. The Illinois Symphony Orchestra will close out its 25th anniversary season this weekend with a Beautifully Beethoven & Brahms concert. Multi-talented pianist Stephen Hough will be on hand to help. The orchestra, under the direction of music director Ken Lam, will perform at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the University of Illinois Springfields Sangamon Auditorium. A Concert Comments pre-show program will begin at 6:30 p.m. A second performance will be at 3 p.m. Sunday at Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts in Bloomington with the pre-show program beginning at 2:15 p.m. Hough, the first classical performing artist to receive a MacArthur Foundation Fellowship, was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth in 2014. He has recorded more than 50 albums and has composed works for orchestra , choir, chamber ensemble and piano. He writes regularly for assorted newspapers and magazines, paints and recently released his first novel, The Final Retreat. He also is a visiting professor at the Royal Academy of Music and is a faculty member at The Julliard School. During the weekend concerts, Hough will perform Beethovens Symphony No. 6 and Brahms Piano Concerto No. 1. A fan of Beethoven, Hough told The Wichita Eagle ahead of a 2015 concert in Kansas that he puts the composer on par with Shakespeare or Rembrandt. When people go to see a Rembrandt painting, they sometimes have their heart split in two, he said. Its just like Beethovens music. Great works of art last for generations. They last because they reach right inside the human soul and change peoples hearts and minds. Along with being music director for the Illinois Symphony, Lam is music director for the Charleston Symphony Orchestra in South Carolina and resident conductor of the Brevard Music Center in North Carolina. He also is artistic director for Hong Kong Voices. Tickets for Saturdays concert, which range in price from $23 to $63, are available by calling 217-206-6160 or going online to SangamonAuditorium.org. Tickets for Sundays concert, which range in price from $19 to $53, are available by calling 309-434-2777 or going online to ilsymphony.org and following the link on the concert page. Angela Bauer can be reached at 217-408-2057. A Jacksonville High School Geographic Information System class is putting together a data set that it hopes will benefit the Jacksonville Fire Department and West Central Joint Dispatch Center. The small class of around 10 seniors met Wednesday with West Central Joint Dispatch staff for a quick tour and demonstration, but also to get questions answered about data they have been collecting. Their teacher, Jim Chelsvig, said the project was born from a desire to put a geographic mapping system to real-life use. We want to put the GIS to work in the real world and, as part of our study, we were working with a lot of fire data and we hadnt done anything like that before in the course, Chelsvig said. We thought this might be something unique and original for Morgan County. The class got in touch with Shawn Artis, Morgan Countys GIS coordinator, who put them in touch with West Central Joint Dispatch Center. Center staff, in turn, provided the students with fire response data from across its service area data such as call response time, fire location, time to dispatch and time to arrival. The class then compared the Morgan County data to GIS data collected from fire departments across the country. We go and get the data. Then we try and decide, What are we going to do with it? Chelsvig said. Thats where were at, at this point. We have big ideas with what we wanted to do, but we wanted to talk to people with an intimacy with the data to kind of guide us a little bit so we dont miss something. Students met with dispatch supervisor Dana Blakeman and Phil McCarty, Morgan County emergency management director, to talk with them about what kind of data they collect and to get an idea of what kind of data might be useful to them. Theres generally a need for fire data and alarm data, particularly when it comes to deciding how to respond to emergency situations, McCarty said. Theres a huge push in emergency services to (study) the GIS data because we can use the GIS data to predict, McCarty said. We know where the population is and where its not. We know where the impact is and the federal government uses it for a lot of their planning. We can say, OK, if this happens in this area, we will know what routes to use for transportation and supplies. The GIS market from where it was five years ago to where it is today is 300-fold. The trip helped the students connect what they have been learning in class how to use GIS to capture and analyze data in a geographic way with real-world applications being used both locally and nationwide, Chelsvig said. For senior Luke Hewitt, the project turned out to be more daunting than he initially thought it was going to be. I think it was a lot bigger than we thought it was going to be, Hewitt said. We initially anticipated a smaller number of points than we got, so we have to work through a larger amount of data than we were expecting. I think its more interesting to us, too, than doing (projects based on) data in Texas or somewhere. Its something thats personal to us because its here in Jacksonville and Morgan County. Senior Anna Pevey agreed with Hewitt. I dont think we anticipated how broad a spectrum GIS influences, Pevey said. The fire department, the police department, the EMT and ambulances. Students will spend the last few weeks of the school year finishing up their analyses of the data with a goal of compiling it into a presentation they can give the city with insight into how well the citys fire stations are covering their service area. Well be looking at the perceived time from the point of the fire stations and distance to the actual call to see how well-placed those fire stations are, Chelsvig said. It sounds like theyre right on target, though. Nick Draper can be reached at 217-245-6121, ext. 1223, or on Twitter @nick_draper. Mauritius banking group SBM Holdings will inject an additional $60 million into Kenyas Chase Bank in a months time, SBM Holdings Chairman Kee Chong Li Kwong Wing told a news conference on Tuesday. Kenyas Chase Bank has been in receivership since April 2016 after failing to meet its financial obligations. He said SBM had already injected $26 million into Chase Bank after signing an agreement on Monday to take over some of its assets. Under the deal, Chase will be renamed as SBM Bank Kenya Ltd. Through the agreement, the leader in financial services group (SBM) in Mauritius will acquire a majority of staff and existing branches under Chase Bank Limited Receivership (CBLR) operations. 25 percent of the frozen deposits will remain in Chase Bank. SBM will also bring in its experience and expertise from Mauritius and other markets, to increase competitiveness in Kenyas banking sector. SBM is the third largest company listed on the Stock Exchange of Mauritius with a market capitalization of approximately $680 million, with the Government of Mauritius as a significant shareholder, and total assets of $5.8 billion as at December 31, 2017. Greetings from the Ridge. Her jaw dropped to the church pew. Id known this gal since she was in elementary school and now she was a mother of four. I mean, the lady had time to get to know me. But, on this winter Sunday as we sat waiting for the church service to begin, she turned and looked at me with mouth agape. All in the world I had said was, Ive never been to Disney World. God has divided the world into three classes of people: those very few, like me, whove never traipsed down to Orlando to experience Uncle Walts wonderful world of fantasy; those who have visited the place; and the full-fledged, blow-dried-in-the-wool, totally addicted Disney nuts. My friend Rebecca was in the nut category, and the fact that I had never visited her version of heaven on earth simply floored her. She looked at me sadly and said, Freida, I thought I knew you. The prelude to the church service had just begun and I sputtered mightily, trying to quickly explain that just because Id not been to Disney World didnt mean I disliked the place. It was no use. As the minister ascended into the pulpit, our relationship descended into ruin. Rebecca looked at me as if Id just insulted her first-born child. To this day I have no idea what happened in that church service, since I spent the entire time wondering how Mickey and Donald could have turned my best friend into a stranger. Im sure she also missed the gist of what was said in the pulpit as she pondered how she could have been mistaken about me for so many years. During the offertory, I considered leaning over and telling her that there actually were a significant number of Americans who have not visited her hallowed theme park, but I figured that would only increase the tension in our pew and I let it drop. Still, as we rose to sing the last hymn, I whispered to Siri in my iPhone, What percentage of Americans have visited Disneyland and Disney World? The answer popped up: 70%. I scrolled down to find my calculator and figured that of the 325 million folks inhabiting this country, 97.5 million have never paid $50 for a meal hosted by Winnie the Pooh. Surely Rebecca couldnt regard me as the lone rebel against the Magic Kingdom. I turned to tell her this but instead caught the accusing eye of Rev. Stephens, who was not at all impressed with me using my cellphone even though I did my best to join in on Bringing in the Sheaves, hoping hed think I was using the phone as my hymnnal. Let me be clear I am not anti-mouse. From what Ive seen, Disneyland and its East Coast incarnation are wonderful places, and Im sure that generations of youngsters have wet their drawers with excitement as each firework bursts in the Orlando air and hundreds of little automatons claim that it is, indeed, a small world after all. What started out as a cartoon mouse sketched out by an out-of-work artist from Hermosa, Illinois, in 1928 has exploded into an empire raking in $45 billion a year, with the companys 11 parks around the world being responsible for one-third of its profit. This comes out to about $6.2 million a day per park, proving that was one mighty little mouse. I had one more chance to make amends as Rebecca moved to exit our pew at the end of the service. Hey, Bec, Im sorry. Its just that Herb and I are too old to go to Disney World. Disbelief flashed across her eyes. Freida, no one is too old for Disney. Cowardice is among the most painful ways to die so, when I got home that Sunday, I began looking online for advice to senior citizens visiting Walts World. The list of warnings was daunting: Avoid hot months, dehydration is the major health problem at Disney World, dont go between noon and 4 p.m., take frequent breaks and eat in sit-down restaurants no matter what the cost, its easy to get lost so bring your cell phone, be ready to walk 3 or more miles a day, carry a copy of your prescriptions, read the posted precautions for the attractions, always take a list of emergency contacts, carry your health insurance cards, think about using a wheelchair, note your allergies when making dining reservations, acquaint yourself with the first-aid stations, and consider purchasing trip insurance. I booked us a senior bus trip to Branson and made a note to sit on the other side of the church on the following Sunday. Call me goofy. You ever in Coonridge, stop by. We may not answer the door but youll enjoy the trip. Freida Marie Crump chronicles the comings and goings in Coonridge for the Journal-Courier. To the editor: [Richard] Nelsons letter dated April 20 presents a comprehensive and complimentary picture of who Robert Mueller was and what he was able to accomplish into the Bush years. In the eight-year administration that followed and to present day, I see a totally different Mueller, who has irrefutably violated his sacred oath of office to defend our Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic, has demonstrated blatant disregard for rule of law and has abandoned a host of personal character traits that once marked him as an exceptional man traits such as honor, integrity, honesty, impartiality and non-partisan objectivity. What happened? A simplistic conclusion might be that a good man got sucked into the vortex of corrupt Washington establishment politics, but the long-term implications are far more damning in his involvement in issues such as Uranium One, the Clinton email scandals, the fake Russian dossier financed by Clinton/DNC, the FISA court order obtained using the phony dossier, which then led to illegal surveillance on a political opposition candidate, and the recent search and seizure actions and violation of lawyer/client privilege actions involving the presidents personal lawyer, and the list could go on and on. Now, each new day brings a multitude of new revelations of just how deep and far-reaching the criminal acts were and are among those of high office around him people such as James Comey, Andrew McCabe, Rod Rosenstein, James Clapper, John Brennan, Loretta Lynch and this list goes on and on. So, Mueller was appointed special counsel to investigate Trump/Russia collusion in the 2016 election really? Rational people believe the ultimate objective was to discover or manufacture a charge that would support impeachment action. Secondarily, he was placed at the head of the line based on his former days of honor with the hope he would successfully deflect attention away from growing criminal investigative actions against the Clintons and against his swamp buddies, and in the end, likely himself. He is a compromised and flawed individual who has sacrificed his personal honor for a dishonorable cause. God will ensure that in the long term, truth and justice will prevail. Roger True Murrayville About 17 million Ghanaians have been registered ... Georgia to Host WB Executive Board Meeting By Tea Mariamidze Georgias capital Tbilisi will host World Banks (WB) executive board meeting in May. This will be the first time Georgia is hosting such event.The information was released by the Minister of Finance of Georgia, Mamuka Bakhtadze, after the meeting with the World Bank Groups Executive Director, Frank Heemskerk within Bakhtadzes official visit to Washington on April 21.Georgias Finance Ministry reports that Bakhtadze introduced the current macroeconomic indicators to the Executive Director of the World Bank, including the positive dynamics observed since late 2017.Successful completion of the second review of the International Monetary Fund Enhanced Financing Mechanism (EFF) Program was also positively assessed.The sides emphasized the importance of the reforms implemented by the Georgian government for achieving inclusive economic growth and poverty reduction.Georgian minister assessed the meeting as very fruitful, saying hosting such high-rank meeting in Tbilisi is a big responsibility for Georgia.After the formal procedures are completed, in summer, we expect that with the high probability, the World Bank and its organizations will increase funding for Georgia, which will be a very important success, he added.As it was noted at the meeting, the World Bank will continue funding of the priority fields of the country, like energy, agriculture, regional and municipal development and infrastructure projects.I am sure my colleagues will enjoy the hospitality of Georgia in May and also we will see the huge progress that Georgia has made with excellent economic performance, Frank Heemskerk said.Mamuka Bakhtadze paid an official visit to the US in order to attend the Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group, which annually brings together central bankers, ministers of finance and development, private sector executives, and academics to discuss issues of global concern, including the world economic outlook, poverty eradication, economic development, and aid effectiveness.This year's Spring Meetings events took place in Washington, DC, on April 16-22, 2018. Mother Lode Round-Up Logo View Photos Sonora, CA A Mothers Day tradition in Tuolumne County celebrates its 61st year and will be the focus of this weekends Mother Lode Views. The Mother Lode Roundup features many events leading up to the famous parade and professional rodeo. Hear about all there is to do, see and enjoy in the Mother Lode Views interview. Guests include members of the Tuolumne County Sheriffs Posse: General Chairman of the Mother Lode Roundup Al OBrien, Rodeo Chairman Dan Durnall, Rodeo Mentor Ty Wivell, and 2018 Captain of the Sheriffs Posse Steve Oliveira. They will rundown all the details including those vying to be the Mother Lode Roundup Queen. This years Grand Marshal was awarded to Al OBrien. Al joined the Sheriffs Posse in May of 2001, became Round-up General Chair in 2002, and was Captain in 2010. The Top Hand Award goes to Kelly Robinson this year and the Mother of the Year is Moty Mary Ann Santos Oliveria. You can read their full biographies and biographies of the past winners in the Mother Lode Roundup section in our Community Guide here. Mother Lode Views airs Saturday and Sunday morning at 9:30 on AM 1450 and FM 102.7 KVML. Mother Lode Views can also be heard Sunday morning at 10 oclock on 93.5 KKBN and at 9am on STAR 92.7. For our extensive audio archive of past interviews on Mother Lode Views click on the Multimedia tab and on Mother Lode Views or keyword: mlviews Workers Protest By Levan Khutsishvili On April 18 the workers of Agara Sugar Factory started a demonstration from Agara and walked 110 km to Tbilisi. They demand the opening of Agara Sugar Factory opens, whichwas closed 7 months ago.The Workers and representatives of the trade unions organized a protest rally in front of the Government Chancellery building. They demanded to meet with the representatives of Government. However, only the Business ombudsman Irakli Lekvianidze arrived. He spoke with the workers and representatives of trade unions. They agreed the negotiations will continue, some aspects will be clarified and the factory will start working within next 2 months.According to Lekvinadze, a bank credit for 80 people will be rescheduled to the nearest future, and once the factory reopens, 500 employees of "AgaraSugar" will resume their work."It is a fact that the factory will continue working but in order to make final decisions some very important issues have been raised: what should the state or company do to prevent the non-profitability of the factory. Now this meeting has ended with sharing suggestions. Before beginning of the week, some details are to be determined, how much longer the period of support in certain topics can be extended. The factory will start working in around 1.5 to 2 months," said Lekvinadze.After meeting with Lekvianidze, the protest was stopped and the workers are hoping that government will keep the promises this time, as they have been protesting in vain."This decision [coming in Tbilisi] was made because of the extreme hardship in our families. The family, is on the verge of hunger. We have no other solution. We spent 48 days in snow and cold and asked for employment and support from the state, but there was no reply. On the contrary, we arrived to the parliament and met with Kakulia and Mdinaradze, they promised to help but this process was stopped somewhere. In the end, everyone left us. That is why we have decided to show everyone that we really are in a very difficult situation and we took this step. We decided to go closer to their cabinets and tell them about our hardship there. There are very powerful specialists in government mostly from business so they should explain how we could live in our village without jobs. Nothing works in our village, no shops or anything. The shops are closed because of the loans," says Badri Eliashvili, who worked for Agara Sugar Factory for 20 years.Workers from Agara have organized several protest rallies. Marching from Agara to Tbilisi was a powerful message to the decision makers, telling them that workers will protect their rights. San Antonios rich history is tied to its buildings as much as the events that occurred here. The area has structures that date as far back as the early 1700s. The City of San Antonios Office of Historic Preservation helped the San Antonio Express-News track down the 30 oldest structures in the area. A 67-year-old woman was killed Tuesday morning after an unlicensed driver crashed into seven cars on the wrong side of the road in Petaluma, authorities said. The incident occurred about 7:15 a.m. when the 19-year-old driver of a Chevrolet Silverado drove over solid double yellow lines into oncoming traffic on Lakeville Highway, according to the Petaluma Police Department. Javier Rodriguez Lopez, of Pittsburg, was identified as the driver and reportedly told authorities in the hospital he couldnt remember anything before the collision. Police said he told them he didnt go to sleep until 1 a.m. and was potentially tired before the crash. Lopez reportedly took the California drivers test in 2017, but he didnt pass. His father, Jguadalupe Rodriguezsolis, also of Pittsburg, was a passenger in the vehicle at the time of the crash, police said. He reportedly has a valid drivers license. Susan Williams, of Bodega Bay, was identified as the victim of the crash. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Lopez was transported to the hospital with serious, but non-life-threatening injuries. The driver of another vehicle involved in the crash, a Honda Accord, was transported to the hospital and treated for facial and head lacerations. Alcohol and drugs were not present in Lopezs system, authorities said, and he told police he was not using a cell phone at the time of the crash. Authorities are still determining if Lopez will face charges. Sarah Ravani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sravani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SarRavani A proposal that would give San Antonio a shot at a nonstop flight directly into Washington D.C. wont go before the U.S. House of Representatives this week after encountering opposition from the airline industry and D.C. lawmakers. U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar pulled an amendment to a House bill reauthorizing the Federal Aviation Administration from debate Thursday. It would have allowed airlines to swap out a nonstop route they already fly into Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport for a nonstop route connecting San Antonio International Airport to the D.C. airfield. RELATED: Teen charged in stabbing deaths of S.A.-area couple Cuellar was not immediately available for comment. A representative for U.S. Rep. Will Hurd, a leading co-sponsor of the amendment, did not return calls and emails requesting comment. This was a narrowly-crafted solution for Military City USA, and I dont believe our congressional delegation could have done anything more to get it passed, Mayor Ron Nirenberg said in a statement. I am grateful to Congressmen Cuellar and Hurd and the rest of our delegation, whose bipartisan teamwork was tremendous. We are extremely disappointed that fear and misinformation won the day. A pair of federal laws limit the amount of air traffic into Reagan National. The airport can only have 60 slots, or arrivals and departures, per hour. Another rule prohibits nonstop flights from cities more than 1,250 miles from the D.C. airport. RELATED: Non-stop flights from the San Antonio airport Cuellars amendment co-sponsored by U.S. Reps. Will Hurd, Lloyd Doggett, Joaquin Castro, Vicente Gonzalez and Lamar Smith of Texas along with Scott Peters of California would have permitted airlines to exchange a nonstop route they already fly into Reagan National for one that flies to a destination outside of the 1,250-mile perimeter a move that would have put San Antonio and San Diego international airports into play for a possible nonstop into the heart of the District of Columbia. But the move faced steep opposition from Virginia lawmakers and airline groups. For the full story, click here to visit our sister site for subscribers, ExpressNews.com. Joshua Fechter is a San Antonio Express-News staff writer. Read more of his stories here. | jfechter@express-news.net | Twitter: @JFreports On a hot summer day in 1978, as her husband mulled his first presidential run, Barbara Bush headed to Houstons leafy Memorial Park for a jog while she thought about what issues shed like to focus on should she become first lady. Bush was concerned about stubborn societal problems like crime, the homeless, drugs and hunger. But as she ran, the then-53-year-old came to the realization that teaching more people to read could help decrease the other major problems, which can grow out of lack of literacy and educational opportunity. After much thought, I realized everything I worried about would be better if more people could read, write and comprehend, Bush wrote in her 1994 autobiography, Barbara Bush: A Memoir. It would be another decade before Bush became first lady, but, in the interval, she was active in literacy programs. In March 1989, mere weeks into her husbands presidency, she founded the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy. We love that story, said Lauren Sproull, the foundations spokeswoman. It really shows that, from the very beginning, the moment she even thought that she might become first lady one day, she immediately turned her thoughts to, How can I do the most good? How can I help the most people? The foundation has since raised more than $110 million to create or support literacy programs for men, women and children in all 50 states. Its programs include classes to help teenage mothers who left high school earn GED diplomas in Georgia, and teaching non-English speakers in Alabama the language and how to transfer what they learn to their pre-K children. One in four American adults cant read above a fifth-grade level, the foundation says. A 2003 study by the National Center for Education Statistics found that nearly 15 percent of Americans lacked basic reading and comprehension skills. It took more than a decade to compile, though, and hasnt been repeated. For years, the foundation offered grants to fund new literacy programs or bolster existing ones, but since 2012 has focused on creating direct models that use technology to reach adults and children, many of whom werent always able to attend traditional, classroom-style programs. The foundation says it has helped easily hundreds of thousands of people across the country over the years, but doesnt have a full count of everyone enrolled in programs it supported. Bush died at her Houston home at the age of 92. To mark her 90th birthday in June 2015, the foundation launched the $7 million adult literacy XPRIZE, a competition in which teams are tasked with creating mobile apps that can improve adult literacy within 12 months. The foundation has announced eight semifinalists whose apps are being field-tested among about 11,000 people in Dallas, Philadelphia and Los Angeles. Bush remained active with the foundation until as recently as two months ago, participating via video chat at one of its reading events. Her daughter, Doro Bush Koch, is now the foundations honorary chairwoman, and it is based in Tallahassee, where her son, Jeb, lived as Florida governor from 1999 until 2007. Laura Bush, who was first lady while Barbaras son George W. was president, told Fox Business Network after Bush died that her mother-in-law believed if everyone could read and write, a lot of problems would be solved. John Hay was an American historical figure worth knowing about. An impressive list of other American historical figures certainly knew all about him. Hay was President Abraham Lincolns private secretary. Later, he served as U.S. secretary of state for Presidents William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt. But his circle of friends was much wider. Hay was close to writers Mark Twain and Henry James and historian Henry Adams. Thus, author Philip McFarland frames his biography of Hay into four main parts, Lincoln, Twain, James and Roosevelt. Readers therefore will find not only a full biography of Hay in John Hay: Friend of Giants, but also four mini-bios as Hay enters his friends lives. Few Americans have lived with as much luck as Hay. He had modest beginnings, but his intellect and personality led him to success and, naturally, friends. But Hay also had the knack of being in the right place at the right time. The prime example was finding employment with a lawyer, his uncle, in Springfield, Illinois, whose office was next door to Lincolns law office. At age 22, Hay found himself in the White House as Lincolns private secretary, a position that helped assure a prosperous future. It didnt hurt that he eventually married into immense wealth, his wife an heiress to a Cleveland industrialist. Because of his intellectual gifts, Hays career took many turns. He was a New York newspaper editorial writer, a poet, diplomat, editor, essayist, novelist, statesman, businessman, lecturer and historian. More Information John Hay: Friend of Giants By Philip McFarland Rowman & Littlefield, $27 See More Collapse Perhaps Hays biggest accomplishment was the 1890 publication of the 10-volume Abraham Lincoln: A History, written with John George Nicolay, who also had been a Lincoln White House staffer. Hay and Nicolay were the first historians granted access to the Lincolns presidential papers that belonged to Lincolns son, Robert. The Lincoln tome was widely acclaimed, but Hay was no Twain or James as a writer. One of the best pages in McFarlands biography contains a comparison between a childhood remembrance along the Mississippi River written by Hay and another by Twain taken from Old Times on the Mississippi. The difference in prose styles, especially Twains unique personal voice, is vivid. Hay ended his life with a flourish of diplomatic successes in the McKinley and Roosevelt administrations, helping smooth U.S. relations among Panama, France and Colombia that helped make the Panama Canal possible. He also was instrumental in delineating the uncertain Alaska-Canada border, among other diplomatic matters. Readers will find a broad picture of the lives of the wealthy in the last three decades of the 1800s. These were people who frequently could take a year off from their careers and family lives just to travel leisurely to England and continental Europe and then enjoy a cruise up and down the Egyptian Nile, among other exotic destinations. Life for them seemed, in this book, even better than for the wealthy today. hendrickd53@yahoo.com 3 1 of 3 Courtesy Chimichurri Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Courtesy Chimichurri Show More Show Less 3 of 3 The Point Park & Eats has a well-established reputation as a venue for area food truck operators to serve their fare. Now, after six years in business, Point owners Denise Aguirre and Noel Cisneros are getting into the food truck game themselves. The two have bought a stake in a food trailer named Chimichurri. Offering a selection of Argentine-style empanadas stuffed with one of at least seven different fillings, Chimichurri rolled out for a brief window in early 2017. A three-day festival celebrating sand sculptors returns for its 21st year this weekend in Port Aransas. The Texas Sandfest festival kicks off Friday morning on the beach in the South Texas town, between mile markerss 9 and 13. Tickets for adults are $10 while kids can attend Sandfest for free, according to the event's website. Sculptors will compete to create the best sand art, while attendees can look on and enjoy live music, food and activities for kids. RELATED: 7 viral, funny stories you may have missed during Fiesta's first weekend This year's Sandfest theme is "Texas Sandfest Gives Back," according to the Port Aransas website. The mission of the event this year, according to the city, is to "give back to the community by raising funds for local charities and scholarships for high school seniors." Events begin at 9 a.m. Friday. Click through the gallery to see creations from previous years. Kelsey Bradshaw is a digital reporter for mySA.com. Read more of her stories here.| kbradshaw@express-news.net | Twitter: @kbrad5 DIVISADERO, Mexico We hoisted our luggage onto the El Chepe train in the predawn hours in Ciudad Chihuahua for the six-hour journey to Mexicos extraordinary Copper Canyon. We were four couples, four siblings and their spouses, a family reunion as much as a vacation. My wife, Lucila, one of the siblings, and I had visited Copper Canyon, or Barrancas del Cobre, once before, in 1991, so we were the guides, so to speak. But much has changed over the 27 years, as we discovered, both at the canyon and at a tourist town along the way, Creel. El Chepe is the nickname of Mexicos lengthy Chihuahua-Pacific passenger train. One train leaves daily from Ciudad Chihuahua at 6 a.m., headed for Los Mochis, in the state of Sinaloa. Another train leaves Los Mochis, also early in the morning, for Ciudad Chihuahua. Roughly in the middle of this route is Copper Canyon, now with two train stops, at Divisadero, a point along the continental divide, and at Posada Barrancas. We settled into our first-class seats on this morning before heading to the dining car when it opened shortly into the trip. A traditionally rail-dressed waiter took our orders from a large menu, huevos rancheros, chilaquiles, fruit and coffee, as the hilly Chihuahua landscape glided by. No one can be served a plated, freshly prepared meal like this on a bus or airplane. It seemed like a scene from the golden age of movies, pure and simple. The train ride is half the fun of visiting Copper Canyon. The train route itself is a miracle, crossing 37 bridges and through 86 tunnels. The train started operations in 1928 on part of the 418-mile route, which was finished in 1961. The passenger cars are not equipped with wifi, but the scenery along the route is enough to keep passengers entertained. The landscape seen upon leaving Ciudad Chihuahua is, at first, a tour of the states vast agricultural industry. We noted that the agricultural area, some of it operated by Mennonites, was more modern and more widely developed than in 1991. The train gradually entered more sparsely populated areas with mountain ranges and streams in the distance and up close. As the train route rises in altitude, pine trees dominate the landscape. The train climbs and climbs, the scenery stretching ever wider, as it reaches a crest of 7,900 feet above sea level near Divisadero. More Information If you go GETTING THERE: It is possible to drive to Copper Canyon, or at least close to it, but hardly anyone ever tries to do that. Tourists generally ride the "El Chepe" train starting in Ciudad Chihuahua to one of the two Copper Canyon stops along the train route, Divisadero and Posada Barrancas, where clusters of hotels operate. Ciudad Chihuahua has an airport with airline service. Otherwise, tourists can travel to border Mexican cities, like Laredo or Ciudad Juarez, and then travel by bus to Ciudad Chihuahua. Omnibus Mexicanos, an intercity Mexican passenger bus service, is a good choice to reach Ciudad Chihuahua. It is best to book the "Plus" buses, which have wifi and other amenities. ACCOMMODATIONS: As with a lot of destinations, tourists can search online for travel packages to Copper Canyon. We chose from the variety of packages available from an agency called Tren Barrancas del Cobre, based in Mexico City. Our four-day, three-night package covering Copper Canyon and Creel cost about $640 per person, including round trip train fare between Ciudad Chihuahua and Copper Canyon and stays at two hotels, Hotel Mirador at the canyon and a Best Western in Creel, both with transfers included between the hotels and train stations. Package costs can fluctuate with the dollar-peso exchange rate. Most meals and the tours are included in the package. See More Collapse In 1991, we had stayed at the Hotel Divisadero Barrancas, which has since expanded. In 1992, the Hotel Mirador opened, built into a canyon cliff near a second train stop called Posada Barrancas, about two miles farther down the track. This was the hotel in our groups package this time. All the rooms have balconies facing the wide open canyon, surely one of the best room views any hotel in the world can offer. Heres the thing about Copper Canyon. Visitors can photograph it to death, and it still doesnt come close to capturing the majesty of seeing it in person. Two-dimensional images just dont cut it. When looking at the canyon from any perspective in person, you feel like you are seeing the age of the Earth, something that took hundreds of millions of years, if not longer, to make. Copper Canyon reportedly is four times as large as the Grand Canyon in Arizona. Actually, Copper Canyon is an umbrella name for a collection of seven delineated canyons. Some descriptions say six canyons, but onsite guides say there are seven. Tourists generally can see three of them, where they converge, from the hotels served by the train. The Urique Canyon is the deepest of the canyons, reaching a depth of 6,167 feet. At night, the canyons are hidden by total darkness, but visitors can still feel it, the various ecosystems, from tropical and alpine to desert-like, active but silent. Only a trio of Tarahumara Indian roosters break the silence as dawn approaches. One of the newer attractions is the Parque de Aventura, a theme park that opened in September 2010. This adventure park offers zip line and teleferico, or cable car, rides across the spectacular setting. The expansive park, which is building a runway for private aircraft, also offers numerous places to photograph the canyons. The park was part of a tour of panoramic sites offered by Hotel Mirador. Hotel Mirador can book horseback riding trips. Trails from the hotel lead to hikes along the canyon rim for even more viewpoints of the marvelous canyons. Our visit lasted three days and two nights before we boarded the train back toward Chihuahua City, but we stepped off for the second part of our tour package, a two-day, one-night visit in Creel, about two hours by train from the canyons. Creel, established in 1907 and named after the Chihuahua governor at the time, Enrique Creel, has somehow managed to be included in nearly all the Copper Canyon tourist packages. Lucy and I had visited Creel in our 1991 visit, and we noted the growth of the town. We were told that the population of Creel had increased to about 7,000 now from 3,000 in 1993. It is a touristy site, with souvenir shops, restaurants and hotels of various sizes. Creel was founded as a logging site and a train stop, but it is best known as Tarahumara Indian country. Tarahumara tours from Creel hotels stop first at a cave where the indigenous natives in their rainbow dress process food. Other stops go to a church, school and points of interesting volcanic rock formations, all of which make up one of the main Tarahumara communities in the region. Some of these tours also extend further to the Cascada de Casarare, or Casarare waterfall, which is in an ecological park. Our tour took us by van to the park and a long torturous ride through a rough, rocky road that crossed a stream several times. To reach the falls from there, visitors must hike farther, perhaps half a mile, along an earthen path requiring mountain-goat footing in parts. Tarahumara women sell their arts and craft products and burn wood fires to cook their meals alongside the river flowing to the falls. Visitors can hear the waterfall before they see it, and then it appears, one of the most scenic falls in Mexico. Its not Niagara, but it is special. The amount of falling water depends on rainfall, which is seasonal. Photographs can be taken alongside the top of the falls and at the bottom. To reach to bottom stream, however, requires going down 240 concrete steps down a cliff, perhaps 15 to 20 stories of stairs in a building, which, of course, means going back up those steps to return. But the experience is worthy for those who are physically fit enough. A light rain was falling during our visit, which added some fun to the excursion. The sense of isolation and natural beauty was exhilarating, a wonderful addition to our canyon visit. David Hendricks is a former Express-News reporter who covered business and the symphony. hendrickd53@yahoo.com HARTFORD By a slim margin, the House gave a thumbs up Thursday to Connecticut joining the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact. If Connecticut joined the interstate agreement, it would promise to give all seven of its Electoral College votes to the winner of the popular vote in presidential elections. So far 10 other states and the District of Columbia with a collective 165 electoral votes have made this promise. In a National Popular Vote scenario, every vote in every state would matter, said Rep. Daniel Fox, D-Stamford, who led passage of the bill. The people of the United States of America should elect directly the president of the United States of America, said Rep. Bob Godfrey, D-Danbury. The whole point of this is to remove state influence and return power of the people. Some 73 House member voted against the idea, including three Democrats Patrick Boyd of Pomfret, Daniel Rovero of Dayville, and Christopher Ziogas of Bristol. 77 House members voted in favor, all Democrats joined by Republican Livvy Floren of Greenwich. I have supported one person/one vote since my college days at Vassar, and I do not consider it a Republican or Democrat, nor a liberal or conservative, idea, Floren said. In order to encourage civic engagement in the political process while maintaining the sanctity of each and every vote, I believe NPV is an idea whose time has come." The bill, which the General Assembly has discussed for the past 11 years, will now pass to the Senate for approval. But even if it wins their nod, the compact will not be activated until states with a combined total of 270 electoral votes a majority of the Electoral College sign on. House Republicans called it a gimmick, end run and ingenious scheme. If people want to dismantle the Electoral College, it should be done through a Constitutional amendment, they said. Our United States government is organized as a republic; it is not a pure democracy, said Rep. Laura Devlin, R-Fairfield. Today I suggest we keep the republic and reject this bill. Other Republicans worried that Connecticut residents would be disenfranchised if they did not vote like the majority of other Americans. They also expressed concerns about ceding power to to larger states. To join this agreement would be to act like a bunch of lemmings and follow somebody right off a cliff, said Rep. Mitch Bolinsky, R-Newtown. What it does is erode the influence of Connecticut. The impetus for this is the sour grapes from losing the 2016 election, said Rep. David Labriola, R-Oxford. Secretary of the State Denise Merrill, who oversees Connecticut elections, applauded the Houses up vote Thursday. From Board of Education to Governor of Connecticut to United States Senator, in every election the candidate who gets the most votes wins - except for the highest office in the land, the election for the President of the United States, she said. The bill passed the Government Administration and Elections Committee with the support of Democrats but not one vote from Republicans. A procedural tactic used by the committee means the Senate will need a special motion to the take up the bill another potential hurdle to passage in a chamber that is split 18-18. I fully reject the notion that the citizens of America in 2018 cannot be trusted to directly elect their president, said Senate President Pro Tempore Martin Looney, D-New Haven, in February. Sen. Michael McLachlan, R-Danbury, chairman of the elections Committee, said in February the compact would weaken voters voices because the states Electoral College votes would go to the winner of the popular vote regardless of whether Connecticut voters support the candidate. If we do away with the Electoral College, Connecticut voters may as well avoid going to the polls on Election Day, because someone else will be making the decision for them, he said. emunson@hearstmediact.com; Twitter: @emiliemunson STAMFORD Having grown up in Haiti, Rootnara Laurore, remembers the destruction caused by the 7.0-magnitude earthquake in 2010 that killed thousands of people and injured countless others. It was witnessing that suffering, she said, that inspired her to pursue a career in the medical field. It was chaos, the 17-year-old Westhill High School senior said. And after seeing how many people were hurt or killed, I realized that I wanted to go into medicine because I want to be able to help people even if its just in the smallest way. Laurore was among about a dozen students from Stamford High School, the Academy of Information Technology and Engineering and Westhill who got a taste this week of what a career in the medical field could look like. The Health Immersion Program, a first-ever collaboration between Stamford Hospital, Stamford Public Schools and 100 Black Men of Stamford, aims to show minority teens the various career opportunities available in medicine, from administrative and supportive roles to practitioners such as nurses and doctors. The program is divided into two phases. The first was a tour of Tully Health Center, where students heard from those working in various fields, including, nursing, pharmacology, physical therapy, cardiology, technology and support and some administrative tracks. During the second phase, students can schedule one-on-one mentoring time with Dr. Edward Schuster, a cardiologist and program organizer at Stamford Hospital. Our goal is to get to young people early and help them get through high school and college, so they can come back to the community and do some good and make a difference, said Curtis Battles, president of 100 Black Men of Stamford and co-organizer of the new program. The 100 Black Men of Stamford is the local chapter of a national organization that focuses on education, career development and financial independence for minority youth. Minority youths are more likely to fall through the cracks in terms of education and career development, Battles said. Most also lack sufficient knowledge about the opportunities available, especially in the medical field. Theres a misconception that in order to become involved in the medical field, you have to go to school for 100 years and come out owing hundreds of thousands of dollars, Schuster said. So, we wanted to open up their eyes to the fact that there are a lot of other really good jobs in the medical field where you get to help people and make a good living without having to go to medical school. After the tour, most students expressed interest in learning more about career fields in physical therapy, physician assistance and nursing. They all said they would pursue one-on-one mentoring with Schuster. For Claudia Lucien, 17, an AITE junior, the tour helped reaffirm that medicine is her future. I can really see myself in the field, she said. And, as cliche as it sounds, I really want to help people. During her freshman year, Lucien said she had a biology teacher who peaked her interest in the medical field. Since then, Lucien said she has taken courses in her schools biomedical program. Im interested in family medicine, pediatrics, orthopedics and possibly nursing, she said. I was kind of on the fence about nursing. But after hearing the nurses talk, it gave me a better understanding of the job and what they do. Now I know it is a job-building field and there are many levels and components to nursing. Nahleisha Benoit, 15, a Stamford High School sophomore, has known she wanted to work in the medical field for years. She said the tour showed her there are many more opportunities than she thought. I dreamed of being a nurse when I was little, she said. But now, after (the tour), I feel like I have a better understanding of all the different fields I could get involved in. Theres more to working in the medical field than just being a doctor or a nurse. After the tour, Lucien said she wants to learn more about being a physician assistant, nursing and the field of physical therapy. Like the others, Laurore thought she had a clear idea of what she wanted to do with her future. But now, she sees even more possibilities. Before I got here, I was interested in becoming a physician assistant, she said. But now, after listening to all of the different people who work here, working in the cardiology field sounds pretty interesting because you get to keep learning and you have to keep up with the constant changing procedures and protocols. Laurore said shes also interested in learning more about trauma and emergency medicine, as well as nursing. We want to help these kids see that their dreams are attainable, Battles said. At the heart of it, were trying to help launch them on a path where they can become great, self-sustaining members of society who are able to give back to the community, and we think the health care space is a great venue for that, because it is a place where they can build strong careers while helping and caring for people. GREENWICH Due to the interest in Victorian Summer by Mathew L. Bernard, which I wrote about several weeks ago, I decided to talk about the most famous house in Belle Haven, namely Quarry Farm. It is also a place where I spent some time a good while back. The longtime owner of Quarry Farm was Nancy Reynolds Bagley, although it was built in 1929 by Frederick E. Schluter, who did not spend much time in his well-known house. Actually, it was Nancy Reynolds who did most of the work, both inside and out, and quite a job she did. It was a house reminiscent of the English Cotswold and French provinces, rather than the classical Revival houses to be found in the early days of Belle Haven. In 1928, a young man by the name of Frederick E. Schluter bought one of two lots from Wilbur Wright, who had taken over 20 acres. The land ran from the corner of Byram Drive at Belle Haven Lane around Meadow Wood, and back toward the edge of Byram Harbor across from the old grand quarry. The architect Frank J. Foster came up with a beautifully massed stone house with a tall steep gabled roof. The original boundary of the property was enclosed by a cut stone wall. Nobody knows whether the Belle Haven Land Co. gave the owner permission to install it or not. It is the only walled estate found in Belle Haven. It also gave a good view of Byram Harbor and Long Island. The estates new owner was Nancy Reynolds, who of course did much work both inside and out, including a wall that was a violation of Belle Haven rules, but which was never contested as it is the only walled estate in Belle Haven. In 1936, the Bagleys bought the neighboring quarry acreage, and then at its peak, 25 acres of the estate were located on the other side of Byram Harbor and separated by Toms Creek, which was dredged to create a tidal lake. At this point, the Belle Haven Land Company allowed Nancy Reynolds to create a working farm with farm animals, which the Belle Haven children enjoyed visiting. At one point, we rode the bicycle boats on the lake and one of the children turned over and caused quite a stir. I did not want to go home so the group took me to another house that was empty, dried me off and so all was well. Whether or not my mother knew of this event, I dont know. I think I would have heard. At this point, Nancy Reynolds decided to enlarge the farm, to bring the elegant rusticity of her familys fabulous farm in North Carolina. She brought some of the charming cottages and miniature farm complex to Belle Haven. It would resemble a French village, though one with exotic touches. There would be a barn, a chicken and turkey house, dove cote, tack room, and stables for ponies and sheep. There was an aviary for tropical birds and a zoo for small animals such as minks and rabbits. During the war, the farm produced a fine lot of food. Between 1954 and 1955, the state of Connecticut condemned more than 11 acres of the farms Byram acreage as a right of way for I-95. Obviously this caused noise for this part of Belle Haven. In the early 1970s, Nancy Reynolds renovated a former horticulture complex and turned it into a residence for herself. What is going on now, the fabulous book will tell you. It is for sale at book stores. Not to be missed. Greenwich native Norma Bartol, a former Greenwich Time reporter and columnist, lives in the backcountry. "A really big fan" of Johann Sebastian Bach, Jeffry Langford, a 2015 Cinco Ranch High School graduate, composed an award-winning fugue at Baylor University that will be performed this month at the college. First interested in composing when he attended Cinco Ranch Junior High, Langford explained that a fugue is "One medley at the start with layers on top of it, So, you get three or four medleys all working together." He composed "Ricercar Ner" at the end of spring break in 2017 in his apartment at college. "I wanted to create a really cool medley," he explained, "mostly for myself and hopefully for others." He took a music theory course at Cinco Ranch High School from then-assistant band director Meagan Rudolph, but didn't take a composition course until he started at Baylor. "Jeffry Langford is one of those special students that you encounter in your career because he has continued on in music," said Brett Nelsen, Cinco Ranch High School orchestra director. "At Cinco Ranch, Jeffry was a great musician and a very humble and earnest person. He auditioned for and made the Sinfonia Orchestra, our varsity level ensemble, on string bass as a freshman. He remained as the top bassist in our orchestra program for four years." Langford won other recognition, including All-State for at least three years as well as the school's concerto competition. "He always worked hard and wanted to improve," said Nelsen. "He was a great role model for the younger students. He believed me when I said that there's more to life than class rank and GPA." "I'm glad for his success," added Nelsen. "With his talent, I wanted him to go where he would become the most successful." Nelsen thought for Langford that would be playing string bass. Expressing slight surprise that Langford won the composition competition, because he thought composition was his minor, Nelsen added: "Well, maybe not anymore! Go Jeffry!" Last year, Langford won Baylor's Composition Contest. The Baylor Symphony Orchestra, of which Langford is a member, will perform his composition April 26 in Jones Concert Hall on the campus of Baylor in Waco. Langford said the contest was open to whoever wanted to enter and he was among the eight to 10 entries. Then, he became one of the three finalists. "I got a call in the middle of summer. Me and my parents were going to a movie and I got a call from my composition professor. He said I won. I was extremely ecstatic." Langford said his composition is inclusive and doesn't feature any particular instrument or instrument section. "I like to give woodwinds, brass and string their time." Others have described his piece as "aggressive," which surprises Langford, who said, "I'm not a very emotional person. I just kind of write. I'm surprised by what others say." His performing also wins plaudits from Eric Wilson, Baylor University director of bands. "Jeffry has been a string bassist in the Wind Ensemble, which I conduct, for the past three years. He is a tremendous and talented young man who is devoted to the art and craft of music," wrote Wilson in an email. "His contributions to our ensembles and the School of Music has been outstanding. I am very proud of and pleased by his accomplishments and anticipate continued success throughout his career." The college junior is majoring in double bass performance and music competition. In graduate school, Langford said he will focus on composition. Langford said, "My teacher says the best compositions are be true to yourself first and then to the audience." Baylor composition professor Scott McAllister has known Langford about three years. "He's one of the finest students I've ever had in 20 years of teaching," said McAllister. He called Langford's music "fresh and new" and added that he shows real musical craftsmanship. He said the structure and technique in his music made his fugue the deserved winner of the composition contest. "I see him as one of the very popular composers of his generation," said McAllister. "The whole world is in front of him. He's also a wonderful bass player. He could possibly be a professor, a professional composer or performer." When Jennair Gerardot found out her husband was cheating on her, she came up with a plan of revenge, one that would lead to a bloody murder-suicide and stun a quiet Pennsylvania town, authorities said Tuesday. The victim was her husband's 33-year-old mistress, Meredith Chapman, police said. She was a lot like Gerardot - a successful, driven, marketing professional in the Delaware area. She also happened to have worked with Gerardot's husband at the University of Delaware. After finding out about the affair, Gerardot plotted a "calculated attack," police said. "There were emails and text messages indicating what she planned to do," Radnor Township Police Superintendent William Colarulo said in a news conference Tuesday. On Monday, Gerardot took a train from Delaware to Chapman's new home in a tranquil residential neighborhood in Radnor, Pennsylvania, possibly wearing a wig in disguise, Radnor Township Police Lt. Christopher Flanagan said in the news conference. Gerardot broke through Chapman's front door, stopping to clean up the shards of broken glass off the floor. With her Taurus Tracker .357 revolver in hand, she waited for Chapman to get home. As soon as Chapman walked through the door, police said, Gerardot shot her. Then, Flanagan said, Gerardot turned the gun on herself. When police arrived in response to 9-1-1 calls, both women were lying dead near the kitchen. Melissa DeJoseph, 40, who lives two doors down from Chapman's residence, told the Philadelphia Inquirer she saw Chapman walking out of her Audi and into her house Monday evening just before she heard the loud sound. "In my head, I was like, 'Is that a gunshot? No it can't be a gunshot,' " she said. Outside the bloody scene, police came across the man who brought the two women together - Gerardot's husband, Mark. "My wife might be inside," he told police. Mark Gerardot, who lived with his wife in Wilmington, Delaware, was supposed to meet Chapman for dinner that night. When she hadn't shown up, he became concerned and showed up at her house in Radnor, police said. The tragedy "rocked the world" of the township and the surrounding neighborhood, Flanagan said, describing it as a "tightknit community" with many children and families. "Nobody wants to see something like this happen in their neighborhood," Flanagan said. But it also shocked the marketing, political and higher education worlds in the Delaware area, industries in which the Chapmans and Gerardots both found some prominence. Chapman had recently left her job at the University of Delaware and began working as an assistant vice president of marketing and creative services at Villanova University. A former broadcast journalist in Philadelphia, Chapman served as a communications manager on Capitol Hill for former Rep. Michael N. Castle, R-Del. At the University of Delaware, she worked as a senior marketing director and taught classes to students at the undergraduate, MBA and continuing education levels, according to her website. In 2016, she also unsuccessfully ran for a Delaware state Senate seat as a Republican. She was married to Luke Chapman, a former member of the city council in Newark, Delaware, and wrote proudly on Facebook about his work. But she had just recently moved into the three-story brick residence in Radnor alone, no longer living with her husband, police said. "Meredith was a beacon of light to anyone who was fortunate enough to meet her," a spokesperson for the Chapman family said in a statement to the News Journal. "She loved her family fiercely, was a compassionate friend and among the most talented and innovative professionals in her field. Her death was sudden and tragic, but will not define who she was to the thousands of people who loved her. Her family is devastated, heartbroken and requests privacy and respect as they grieve." Erik Raser-Schramm, the chairman of the Delaware Democratic Party, released a statement Tuesday saying he was "devastated to learn of the tragic loss of a dear friend." "In the hours since receiving the news, it has been impossible for me to imagine our Delaware without someone so transcendent and committed to service," he said. "Everyone who knew and worked with Meredith is heartbroken," the University of Delaware said in a statement to WHYY. "As a proud alumna of UD, her commitment to her work was exceeded only by her boundless energy. She believed earnestly in the power of communication to bring people together, whether to achieve their collective goals or simply to share their stories. We will miss her." Mark Gerardot reported to Chapman at the University of Delaware, working as a creative director. The university told the News Journal he left the job there earlier this month. The Gerardots had been married since 1993, according to Indiana State Library records, the News Journal reported. They lived and worked together in Indiana at a branding and package design agency called Gerardot & Co., co-founded by Mark. Jennair Gerardot, who was in her late 40s, described herself on her website as a "confident, creative and resourceful" marketer with more than 16 years of experience. "The softer side of this highly-driven businesswoman also likes exploration and travel; and is an avid animal and nature lover," she wrote. She would often post photographs with her husband, holding hands on the beach walking their golden retrievers. Her husband often posted photographs of her on his Instagram. "My birthday present 24/7. I'm a lucky guy," Mark wrote alongside a photo of his wife on Instagram in October 2015. He also doted on his wife on his website: "On the personal side, my wife and golden retriever are the center of my universe and the reason I get up every morning." Facebook once again found itself under political fire around the world on Thursday, as U.S. and European lawmakers continued to bear down on the social media giant and the tech industry as a whole for the data they collect, the news they present and the algorithms that power major web platforms. In the U.K., lawmakers grilled a top Facebook executive about the company's entanglement with Cambridge Analytica, a political consultancy that improperly accessed the names, "likes" and personal information of 87 million users. The executive, Chief Technology Officer Mike Schroepfer, admitted that Facebook did not review the terms and conditions governing an app that collected the data for Cambridge Analytica in 2013. In the United States, meanwhile, congressional lawmakers focused their fire on another matter - allegations that the algorithms operated by Facebook, Google and Twitter censor conservative views and news. All three companies declined to appear at the hearing, a tense, loud, three-hour affair during which pro-Trump commentators Diamond and Silk accused major online platforms of suppressing their videos - and the video bloggers yelled at lawmakers who questioned them. Separating the two sessions was more than an ocean: British lawmakers appeared united in their quest for answers, while the U.S. gathering seemed to some members of Congress as an exercise in election-year partisan squabbling, not meaningful oversight. On both continents, though, tech's latest political trial by fire appeared to presage more scrutiny to come. European regulators are still demanding that Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg testify about his company's privacy practices. And Republicans in the U.S. Congress raised the specter of regulations, subpoenas and boycotts as Democrats insisted there are other areas of the tech industry more worthy of their attention. For Facebook, the headaches began Thursday morning in London. Lawmakers like Jo Stephens focused some of their questions on the quiz app that fed data about Facebook users and their friends to Cambridge Analytica. Stephens specifically pressed Schroepfer on whether Facebook had read and evaluated the terms and conditions for that app, called ThisIsYourDigitalLife, before allowing it on the platform. Facebook's executive replied: "We did not read all the terms and conditions." British lawmakers left the session frustrated. In a later statement, they once again urged Zuckerberg to testify, who sent Schroepfer in his place. Damian Collins, the leader of the Digital, Culture Media and Sport Committee, said that they are prepared to "issue a formal summons for him to appear when he is next in the UK." Zuckerberg also is discussing potential testimony to the European Parliament next month, though nothing has been scheduled. Across the Atlantic, the House Judiciary Committee hearing was supposed to focus on social networks and "filtering." Yet the whole of Silicon Valley found itself on trial, as Republicans alleged that internet giants stifled conservatives' speech. Appearing as a witness, Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., at one point lamented the "black box of an algorithm" that powers these platforms, questioning: "Why is it the mistakes always seem to run in one direction?" Driving the hearing was the controversy around Diamond and Silk, two supporters of President Donald Trump who have alleged that Facebook sent them a message describing the videos on their Facebook page as "unsafe to the community." Facebook has said that the bloggers' description of that message was "inaccurate," noting it had reached out repeatedly to Diamond and Silk to discuss and fix the problem. Nevertheless, the blogging duo claimed Thursday - under oath - that Facebook and other tech companies had censored them. At times yelling at lawmakers, Lynnette Hardaway, known as Diamond, said, "Facebook along with other social media sites have taken aggressive actions to silence conservative voices like ourselves." She and her co-host similarly charged that Google-owned YouTube had "demonetized," or stripped advertising, from some of their videos, including 95 percent of them during August 2017. Google later rejected that characterization. Diamond and Silk initially said they had never taken money from Trump's 2016 presidential campaign, despite a federal ethics report suggesting otherwise - though they later clarified they had received aid in the form of a refunded plane ticket. For Republicans, the concerns about anti-conservative bias especially stem from the fact that Facebook, Google and Twitter are based in liberal-leaning Silicon Valley. Zuckerberg told Congress earlier this month that he understood "where that concern is coming from," adding a key focus is "making sure that we do not have any bias in the work that we do." Still, the issue isn't likely to dissipate, after the leader of the committee, Republican Rep. Bob Goodlatte of Virginia, promised to "pursue whatever means necessary" to question Facebook, Google and Twitter - a potential threat of a subpoena still to come. GOP Rep. Lamar Smith of Texas even suggested a boycott of tech companies that don't rethink their policies. The hearing left Democrats seething. All week, party lawmakers fretted that a session they saw as more serious - a private meeting with Christopher Wylie, a former employee of Cambridge Analytica turned whistleblower -- had no Republican participation. Conservative bias online, however, amounted to little more than a "hoax," said Rep. Jerrold Nadler, the top Democrat on the committee. "We could be here for a lot of reasons this morning," said Rep. Hank Johnson, D-Ga., during a later exchange. "We could be looking into manipulation of Facebook by the Russians to help Donald Trump get elected. We could be looking into Russian interference with the presidential election. We could be looking into Russian hacking of state election processes. We could be talking in this committee about legislation to protect the Mueller investigation. None of those areas has this committee been involved with during the last 15 months we've been in session." The White House was informed early last year about potential problems concerning the background investigation of former aide Rob Porter, according to the FBI, casting doubt on the Trump administration's timeline of events. According to the FBI account provided this month to the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, White House Counsel Donald McGahn first received "derogatory information" about Porter in March 2017. The letter did not say what the information included, but "derogatory information" often prevents individuals from receiving security clearances. Porter, the former staff secretary, was dismissed in February after his two ex-wives accused him of abuse - and pictures emerged with a black eye. The women had said they were interviewed by the FBI months earlier. The White House has given several shifting timelines for how it handled the allegations, and top aides, including McGahn, have come under scrutiny for what they did and why Porter was allowed to continue seeing sensitive material. Porter frequently spent hours a day with President Donald Trump and gave him some of his most sensitive documents. White House aides have said they were caught off-guard by the allegations - originally published in the Daily Mail - and took swift action. Chief of Staff John Kelly has said Porter was dismissed within 40 minutes of Kelly learning of the accusations, a claim that other aides have disputed. McGahn has said he was not aware of the allegations about Porter until just before they became public. A White House official has previously said the allegations did not reach McGahn, even though the FBI says the letter was addressed to him. A White House spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Porter did not respond to a request for comment. He has previously denied the accusations. In the FBI's telling, the White House received a completed background investigation about Porter in July. It later re-opened the investigation to interview Porter's ex-wives. By November, the FBI says, it detailed all the information to the White House, including the interviews, and closed its file in January. The White House later said the investigation into Porter was still open when he was dismissed. A gymnastics and cheerleading teacher has been charged after he allegedly put video surveillance equipment in a bathroom at a cheerleading program's facility in Rockville, Maryland, officials said. Cristian Gill, 21, of Rockville, placed a device that took pictures and videos of female and male adults and juveniles in a bathroom at the Shockwave Allstars cheerleading program on Southlawn Court, according to Montgomery County Police. Gill was arrested Wednesday and is being held without bond. He has a bond review Thursday. He is charged with several counts of conducting visual surveillance of another person in a private place without consent. The incident began when an employee alerted the owner of the business on Feb. 9 that he found electronic devices in a bathroom, police said. The owner was out of town and told him to leave it at the facility. Three days later, police said, Gill asked to meet the owner in the parking lot of the cheerleading facility and handed him the device and equipment that the other employee had found. Gill then told the owner that the device was a camera that he had put in the bathroom and that he had "never recorded anything," police said in a statement. Gill then showed him where in the bathroom he had put the device. The owner asked him to leave the facility, and police were called. After searching his home, police found 49 photographs of female and male adults and juveniles that had been taken at the cheerleading program bathroom on an electronic tablet, according to police. The victims have been notified, police said. Gill had worked at the facility for two years, according to charging documents, and he held private, one-on-one sessions for students and taught group lessons with other teachers. He told investigators that he had put the recording device at the cheerleading facility about 20 times in a two-month period. According to charging documents, a search of Gill's iPhones found that he had searched the Internet for such topics as "spy cam in public restroom, what kind of lawyer do I need, and what kind of jail do you go to for violating video cam laws." He also did searches for "max charges of peeping tom cat" and "Do you have to be charged for child pornography in order for you to get a free consultation?" Officials said forensic evidence also found that other videos and images from the bathroom had been on the tablet but had been deleted. WASHINGTON - The final week of April was designed to be a triumphant one for President Donald Trump. He hosted his closest foreign counterpart, French President Emmanuel Macron, for a state visit complete with a 21-gun salute. He may be on the cusp of a diplomatic breakthrough with North Korea for the rogue state to abandon its nuclear weapons program. And he is set to put an exclamation point on it all where he feels most at home: On stage Saturday night in Michigan, riffing and ripping the elites at a rally of his fervent supporters. But instead, it became yet another week in which the Trump administration was convulsed by chaos and contradiction. RELATED: Meet Ronny Jackson, Trump's surprise pick to lead the VA A darkening cloud hung over Trump's Cabinet on Thursday, as he had to abruptly withdraw his nominee to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs, Ronny Jackson, amid explosive allegations of poor conduct and negligence as the president's personal physician. Jackson said the allegations were false, but still took his name out of consideration for the VA job. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt also struggled Thursday before a Senate committee to answer for his ethical lapses and profligate spending. Two days earlier, Mick Mulvaney, who heads the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau as well as directing the Office of Management and Budget, told banking executives that as a South Carolina congressman he prioritized meetings with lobbyists who gave him campaign contributions. The Cabinet struggles do not end there. Gina Haspel's nomination to become CIA director is imperiled because senators are protesting her work overseeing enhanced interrogation on CIA prisoners, including techniques critics liken to torture. To get confirmed, a senior administration official said, she will have to have "a near perfect performance." Haspel is in line to succeed Mike Pompeo, whose nomination to become secretary of state was so endangered that on Monday that Trump had to personally lobby Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., to table his objections and vote to approve Pompeo. RELATED: Democrats demand more details on CIA nominee's covert work "There are enough nominees to deal with, just with the president's executive calendar on the courts, and then on Cabinet and ambassadorships, without churning through Cabinet members like this," said Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz. "It's not helpful." Said one Trump adviser, who requested anonymity to offer a candid assessment: "It's a joke. The whole thing is a joke." There is some concern among Republican strategists that the converging controversies could weigh down GOP candidates in November's midterm elections. "We're living in a season of corruption the likes of which we haven't seen but in a banana republic," said Steve Schmidt, a veteran party operative and Trump critic. " . . . Everywhere you look you see incompetence, malfeasance, self-dealing and corruption." But others said the sagas gripping Washington are unlikely to permeate to voters in the rest of the country. In North Dakota, home to one of the biggest Senate battles, Gov. Doug Burgum, R, said the farmers and energy workers he meets with hear about controversy and are inclined to believe the media and political establishments are out to get Trump. "There's a sense that if 'the swamp' is not busy trying to block the Trump agenda and block Trump appointees, they're trying to drive down those people on the Cabinet pushing the agenda," Burgum said. As former Virginia congressman Tom Davis, R, put it, "Voters don't care about the emoluments clause and all the background noise . . . People just push the mute button." RELATED: Trump to nominate Susan Pamerleau for U.S. marshal Inside the White House, the responses to this week's convulsions were being personally directed by Trump, who has been acting as his own strategist and making decisions unilaterally - sometimes to the surprise of his senior staffers. "It's starting to feel like the early days again, with everyone running around red-faced, trying to keep up with this president," said one Republican strategist close to the White House, who requested anonymity to offer a candid assessment. Personnel matters are ordinarily the purview of the chief of staff, but John Kelly is a diminished figure these days. His influence a mere shell of what it was in his heyday of near-complete control - a downfall one West Wing staffer characterized as moving from the enforcer to an afterthought. So it was that Trump's, and thus the administration's, support for Jackson zigzagged over a chaotic 36-hour period this week. White House officials said they were unaware Monday that accusations about Jackson would be coming, but allegations first surfaced later in the day that Jackson had improperly dispensed drugs and became intoxicated on duty. Trump on Tuesday initially guided his nominee toward the exit. "I said to Dr. Jackson, 'What do you need it for?'" the president told reporters, bemoaning the Senate confirmation process as "too ugly" and "too disgusting." "If I was him," he added, "I wouldn't do it." RELATED: Is President Trump finally heading to Britain? But a couple hours later, after huddling with Jackson, Trump decided to stand by the man he affectionately calls "the Doc" or "Doc Ronny." He told advisers that while he was fine with Jackson dropping out, one of them said, "the doctor really wants to fight." In addition, another adviser said, the president was reluctant to dump Jackson because he was afraid it would be interpreted as him giving in to criticism that he had hired a physician with no significant management experience to run one of the government's most sprawling bureaucracies. "The president is clearly of two minds about it," said a third Trump adviser, who requested anonymity to speak candidly. "His typical instinct is deny, deny, deny, defend, defend, defend, fight, fight, fight. But what he said out loud at length [on Tuesday] was giving Ronny the opportunity to bow out and in some ways encouraging him to." Trump ordered the White House staff to rally to Jackson's defense, and a full-throated, proactive campaign was launched. Communications aides scrambled late into the evening to craft talking points for the media. Surrogates were deployed on cable news to praise Jackson and knock down the allegations. Military aides, Secret Service agents and others who had worked with Jackson were asked to help push back on damaging stories. And legislative affairs director Marc Short worked senators as what one outside adviser described as "a one-man band trying to keep Ronny Jackson afloat." Staffers said they readily rushed to Jackson's defense in part because they were told to by the president and in part because they found the allegations inconsistent with the doctor they had come to know through many days traveling together. White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters Wednesday that Jackson's record as presidential physician was "impeccable." She said that he underwent four separate background investigations, including one by the FBI, that found no indication of wrongdoing. "In a normal administration, you might be told you have to cut bait, you're out," said Sean Spicer, Trump's first White House press secretary. "You get latitude you might not in normal worlds. Trump shares that feeling of people fighting back when they get personally attacked. When you're right, you fight." The fight did not last long, however. On Wednesday afternoon, a two-page summary of allegations, written by Democrats on the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, included accusations from unnamed colleagues that Jackson had crashed a government vehicle while intoxicated following a Secret Service party, among numerous other offenses. Support for Jackson's nomination evaporated almost immediately, with White House officials saying Wednesday night he was considering abandoning his bid to be VA secretary. And just before 8 a.m. Thursday, the White House made it official: Jackson was out. Whereas the Jackson scandal came and went in the span of three days, the Pruitt saga has been unfolding steadily for more than a month, in a cascade of damaging headlines about the administrator's ethical blunders, security regimen and reliance on taxpayer money and government perks to support his lifestyle. Trump declares in tweet: 'KOREAN WAR TO END' Another president might have fired Pruitt by now, but not Trump, who has become convinced that the EPA chief is a singular warrior for his deregulation agenda. While other Cabinet officials caught in ethical peccadilloes have apologized and promised to do better, Pruitt has been defiant and has told the president he did nothing wrong, officials said. Though Pruitt has maintained the president's affection, officials said, he has become estranged from most of the senior White House staff. Stories about tension between Pruitt and the West Wing were described by one White House official as "brutal," and senior aides have grown exasperated by Pruitt and fearful that even more damaging information may come out about his profligate behavior. Trump and many of his aides said beforehand that they planned to closely monitor Pruitt's Senate testimony on Thursday, with some White House staffers hopeful the administrator might embarrass himself. "If he screws up the testimony," one senior White House aide said, "we have a chance at getting him out of here." - - - The Washington Post's Seung Min Kim contributed to this report. JERSEYVILLE Approval of a tax increment financing agreement between the city and developers of an assisted living/memory care facility on Illinois Route 109 was approved at Tuesdays City Council meeting. The $8 million project will be 74 units and is called Villas of Holly Brook Premiere Assisted Living Community and Reflections Memory Care. Phillips Investments LLC is a Charleston, Illinois-based company that operates 14 facilities in Illinois and Indiana, including projects in Bethalto and Collinsville. The redevelopment agreement calls for developers to be reimbursed approximately 60 percent of TIF taxes collected for 15 years. Chad Phillips, one of the investing partners, said they hope to have a groundbreaking and start construction within 30-60 days, and open the facility for residents in spring 2019. The project, located at the intersection of Illinois Route 109 and Bluebird Lane, will include 50 assisted living apartments and 24 memory care units. The Villas of Holly Brook include one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments. Also included are meals, 24-hour medical supervision, a personal response system, daily activities and access to common areas. Laundry and housekeeping services are provided. Reflections Memory Care residents will have suites and meal plans, assistance with daily living, RN medication management and a wellness center. Memory care therapies include a therapy kitchen, sensory room, horticulture therapy, art therapy, music therapy and cognitive activities. In January, the land was rezoned to residential from business to accommodate the development. In a related matter, the council also approved an amendment to the citys zoning code, clarifying the R-5 zoning designation as allowing nursing homes and similar developments. City Attorney William Strang said the change clarifies the existing ordinance. The council also approved a request by William and Erin Thompson to rezone the Quick Stop at 403 W. Carpenter Street from B-3 to B-3 with a special use permit to sell alcohol. Strang said the special use permit was necessary because the property changed ownership and is required for alcohol sales. In other business, the council: Approved a resolution asking the Illinois Department of Transportation to close U.S. 67 from 8:45-10:45 a.m. May 28 for the citys Memorial Day Parade. Approved renewal of a three-year fire protection agreement between the city and the JEM Fire Protection Association Inc. The cost will be $27,000. Approved a $1,500 donation for Jersey Community High School after-prom. Approved a $2,500 tourism grant for Got Faith? Approved the reappointment of Amy Turman to the Police Pension Board for a new two-year term. Reach reporter Scott Cousins at 618-208-6447. WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Thursday that the United States would regret installing a holding force in Syria without American involvement, indicating military leaders harbor reservations about a White House effort to task Arab militaries with stabilizing areas liberated from the Islamic State. Mattis, under questioning by the Senate Armed Services Committee, offered support, too, for lasting U.S. participation, alongside NATO allies, in the military mission in Iraq to maintain security and prevent the Islamic State from reconstituting itself there. His comments come as the Pentagon faces an inflection point in both countries. Most of the territory once held by the Islamic State has been liberated, but the threat of a resurgence by the Sunni extremist group remains in some areas. Mattis' comments also underscore the tension over how involved the U.S. military should be in controlling future security threats in Iraq and Syria, now that the Islamic State is on its last legs militarily after nearly four years of war. Military leaders' open-ended plans for stabilizing Syria were upended by President Donald Trump's demand for a near-term troop withdrawal. A force of about 2,000 U.S. troops has been working with Kurdish-led militias there to roll back the Islamic State's self-declared caliphate. In keeping with his desire to share military burdens with allies, Trump has asked other countries, including Saudi Arabia, to contribute billions of dollars to the stabilization effort in Syria. The White House is exploring the possibility of fielding an Arab fighting force from other countries in the region to prop up cities destroyed by years of bombing and street warfare. Saudi Arabia has said it would send troops if such a force comes together, but officials have not revealed details of the initiative. A multinational ground force from Arab countries would be highly unusual and would face an array of challenges, including limited experience with external operations by those militaries, political divisions among Arab leaders and risks of stoking broader sectarian conflict. While Mattis and other military leaders have welcomed the effort to obtain fresh assistance, they have also voiced caution about what such a transition might entail. Speaking in a phone interview this week, Gen. Joseph Votel, head of U.S. Central Command, said the United States would welcome contributions in forces, equipment or funding from Middle Eastern allies as they seek to stabilize cleared areas of Syria and ensure that the Islamic State cannot return. Votel also suggested that contributions by Arab nations had not been finalized and said that new forces would require time to hone their operations in an environment as complex as Syria's. "We've got a very experienced team on the ground that's been orchestrating this for a couple of years. It would be difficult for someone to immediately step in and replace us, but certainly with time and experience, or maybe a little different situation on the ground, perhaps they could do that," Votel said Wednesday. He said the U.S. military was talking with partners in the region but wants to finish the job it was sent to Syria to do. "So as we add capabilities, we need to ensure that they can be well integrated," he said. Discussion of an Arab force comes as the Trump administration seeks to reconcile what appear to be divergent characterizations by the Pentagon and the White House about what constitutes a lasting defeat of the Islamic State in Syria and how close the United States is to victory. Speaking at a news conference with French President Emmanuel Macron this week, Trump said he favors leaving Syria and praised American troops for defeating the Islamic State there and in Iraq. A day later, Mattis said operations remain unfinished and that the U.S. military is planning to expand its fight against the Islamic State in coming weeks. The effort will concentrate on the Middle Euphrates River valley, an area in Syria that the Pentagon has identified as one of the group's final bastions, Mattis said, adding that French special forces recently arrived to help. The Syrian Democratic Forces, the Kurdish-led militia that American troops are backing in Syria, made progress in the valley this year but were diverted from the fight when Turkish forces launched an incursion against Kurdish positions in the country's north. Mattis said the U.S. military is about to renew its efforts. The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Joseph Dunford Jr., warned in testimony Thursday that the hasty withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq in late 2011, when the Iraqi government was too weak to secure its territory, gave the Islamic State "space to grow." Since launching its offensive against the Islamic State in 2014, the U.S. military has helped local forces in Iraq and Syria recover nearly all of the territory that the extremist group once held. Though the numbers are far from exact, estimates suggest that between 1,000 and 3,000 militants remain in both countries. The U.S. military has limited its role in Syria to the defeat of Islamic State, apart from two strikes against Syrian leader Bashar Assad's forces to deter their use of chemical weapons. In the meantime, Assad's forces have consolidated gains in the country, moving toward victory over rebel groups in Syria with the help of Russia, Iran and Lebanese Hezbollah. A U.S. military departure would be likely to result in greater Iranian influence in Syria, a predicament for an administration that wants to withdraw U.S. troops but also does not want to cede Syrian territory to Iran. Trump, in the news conference with Macron, appeared to refer to those concerns. "Emmanuel and myself have discussed the fact that we don't want to give Iran open season to the Mediterranean, especially since we really control it to a large extent," Trump said. "We really have controlled it, and we've set control on it. So we'll see what happens." Mattis said American troops also are planning greater operations against the Islamic State in Iraq. "We're continuing the fight, and we're going to expand it and bring in more regional support, is probably the biggest shift we're making right now," Mattis said. Speaking separately, Votel said the United States was ready to continue its military assistance to the Iraqi government, help that has involved advanced military capabilities and support to Iraq's special forces, if asked to do so after that country's May parliamentary elections. The responsiveness the U.S. military has shown to Iraqi requests in the battle against the Islamic State and "our low-visibility aspect" in operating alongside local forces will help secure ongoing U.S. influence with a key partner, Votel said. WASHINGTON - The alert went out on Wednesday, saying in an automated email to victims who had signed up for updates on the criminal case against Rabbi Barry Freundel that the former Kesher Israel rabbi would be released from prison on Aug. 21, 2018. Freundel was sentenced to six-and-a-half years in prison for videotaping 52 women undressing without their knowledge as they prepared for a Jewish ritual bath. The dozens of women who were his congregants and students - and his victims - expected he wouldn't be released until 2021. The sudden announcement that his sentence had been cut short by almost three years sent waves of shock, fear and resentment through the community. Then on Thursday, the D.C. Department of Corrections sent another alert. The original had been a mistake. Freundel's sentence hadn't been changed after all. "What's the point of a victim notification system, if they're just going to [mess] with victims?" said one of four women interviewed for this story, two of whom asked not to identified as victims of a crime. Some of the victims said that the error caused them to confront the crime against them once again. And the Department of Corrections, blamed by some victims for forcing them to face that stress, said that it is still trying to understand what went wrong to prompt the erroneous automated email. It said that it would start "a full review of its internal records management process to determine how this error occurred and prevent it from happening again." "The Department of Corrections is responsible for the safety and security of inmates in its custody and this must be balanced with the trust and respect of the victims affected. This error compromised that trust and we offer our most sincere apologies to the victims," Quincy Booth, the director of the department, said in a statement Thursday afternoon, shortly after the new notification went out to victims with a 2021 date in place of the 2018 date emailed the day before. The department said staff would also contact each person who received the original email individually to clarify. Freundel's attorney, Jeffrey Harris, said he didn't know about the alert until a reporter called him. "This must be a mistake," he responded. Crime victims in the District have the option of signing up for the Victim Information and Notification Everyday (VINE) system to learn when the person who committed an offense against them will be released. The Department of Corrections said VINE has never sent a mistaken notification like this about a Washington, D.C., inmate before. Elsewhere in the country, the VINE system has been linked to similar problems. In Oregon in 2015, about 8,000 victims received incorrect reports that criminals would be released. Freundel's crime of taping women with a hidden camera as they prepared for the mikvah - a Jewish ritual bath that many invest with profound spiritual significance - rattled the close-knit Orthodox Jewish community at Kesher Israel, a Georgetown synagogue where the rabbi was long respected as a prominent intellectual. His sentence requires that he serve at least 85 percent of his term. Still, many women said they believed he would be released this summer, when they saw the alert from VINE or heard about it from other women on social media. Bethany Mandel said she immediately worried that when she eats at one of the few kosher restaurants around Silver Spring, Maryland, she might run into Freundel. "The possibility that this is happening in less than four months - and I have spent zero brain energy on this, and now it's fast approaching on the horizon," she said on Wednesday night after receiving the alert. On Thursday, she was relieved to hear that Freundel would not in fact be released early. But she felt more unsettled than before about the fact that he would indeed someday return to a Jewish community somewhere. "It just sort of brought up this thing that I'll now be thinking about," she said. "The whole thing sucks. It really was just unnecessary." The Orthodox Jewish community is closely connected across the United States and even globally, and several women said that even if Freundel moves somewhere other than the District after his eventual release, they fear crossing paths with him. "It's not completely inconceivable that I or someone I'm close to happens to run into him. That's just really strange and uncomfortable to think about," said Kate Bailey, another victim. When she got the news on Wednesday, she said, "I kind of had the thought: I feel like I'm just starting to be OK. I can deal with my life, with the situation about this. Then this happened. I was like, 'Oh, gosh.' It was kind of just pushing the reset button." Although she knows now that Freundel won't be released soon, she also said that the mistake set back her hard-won stability. "We all thought it was real. It reminds me that that is going to happen one day; he is going to get out one day. And that is something I have to deal with." One of the women who did not want her name published as the victim of a sex crime, said she felt when she heard that Freundel was leaving jail early that a lighter sentence would be "a slight to the victims" rather than a just punishment, given the severity of his crime. And the second victim who also did not want her name published said she feared that Freundel could damage the victims' reputation in the Orthodox community. "Is he going to start telling people who the people are that he recorded? Will there be any personal backlash? I felt like, 'OK, effective August or whenever he is released, my life could be slightly more endangered,'" she said. "I don't know. I have no idea what the heck he would do." She said she worried also about Freundel re-offending in some way if he left prison after a lighter sentence. "He needs to get serious therapy," she said. "I find him to be a danger to society." Washington Jewish Week posted an article on Wednesday that repeated the erroneous claim, under the headline, "Rabbi Freundel wins early release; will walk free Aug. 21." Though the article attributed the information only to "social media reports" and said that the writer hadn't reached the Department of Corrections for confirmation, the news report added to the appearance of certainty. One of the victims compared the mistake to the erroneous warning of an incoming missile that terrified Hawaiians in January. While she said that obviously this alert was nowhere near as imminently frightening, she said both showed the danger of poorly managed automated systems. "They really need to get smarter people working these systems," she said. "Clearly, they're messing with people's lives and people's psyche." --- The Washington Post's Michelle Boorstein contributed to this report. Cindy Kissin received a notice in the mail that her drivers license had expired and she needed to renew it by a certain deadline. In most states, getting such news is not a huge deal. But here in Connecticut it often means youre in for an ordeal; buckle your seat belt for hours of aggravation standing on line, missing appointments and maybe even taking a day off from work. This is how it has been in the land of steady habits for many, many years. I wrote about my long wait at the infamous Hamden Department of Motor Vehicles in August 2010: eight years ago. I dubbed it The House of Pain. Kissin, who is a neighbor of mine in New Haven and a friend, told me about her epic experience at the Hamden DMV when I saw her a few weeks ago. I asked her if she would be willing to describe it to me for my column and she agreed. She is so frustrated and angry (we feel her pain, right?) that she wanted to speak up. Her story goes back to last month, what we might call the longest day. And yet when she received that license expiration notice, she was not alarmed. The last time I got my license renewed I went to the AAA office in Hamden, she recalled. It took me 10 minutes. So this time I just thought: Great! Ill go back to AAA. But when I called them, I was told they dont do license renewals anymore. I couldnt believe it. At that point, she said, The panic started to seep in. I needed my photo ID because I was about to leave for an out-of-state trip. She braced herself for a visit to the Hamden DMV. First she tried to see what she was up against by checking the DMV website, which gives estimates of waiting times at the offices. On the day she looked, the estimate was two hours and 45 minutes for a license renewal. As she kept looking throughout that day, the wait time got progressively longer, to three hours and beyond. Kissin put off her visit for a few days because the wait time was always, as she put it, ridiculous. But she was running out of time. Soon she would be leaving for that trip. On a day in early March, she thought she saw her chance. At 9 a.m., the wait time was listed at only 45 minutes. I had an appointment that day at 12:30, she said. It was incredibly foolish of me to think I could make that and still go to DMV. The first sign of trouble came when she pulled into the DMV office lot on State Street just after 9 a.m.. I couldnt believe my eyes. The line went way beyond the entrance to the building. The parking lot was 100 percent full. Somebody was just pulling out of a space, so I got a place to park. When Kissin got in line with all the other sad-faced DMV customers, she was standing near some people who had driven to Hamden from the Naugatuck Valley. Why? The DMV closed its office in Derby last summer! And the one in Milford too! Good thinking! Why would those possibly be needed? (Read on for the DMVs spin on this.) She asked someone to hold her place on line and ventured inside to try to find out if she was in the proper line to renew a license. I went to the service window and the woman behind the counter told me: You have to get in line! I said, I know. I just want to ask a question. She said, You have to get in line to ask a question, like everybody else! She was so nasty. But Kissin did manage to get the woman to confirm she was in the right line for license renewals. She went back outside and got her place back. At that point it became a mission. I said, Ive got 3 1/2 hours before I have to be somewhere. Im going to do this. I have to get it done. About a half-hour later, she made it inside and beheld the range of customers with their various needs. It was chaotic. Some people were standing, eight deep. There were elderly people, others with babies, no chairs. Kissin did find a seat and was given a number. She recalls it being in the range of 68. At first, she said, the line for renewals moved somewhat steadily. But as it got closer to lunchtime they closed some lines so the employees could take breaks. Another hour went by. People were shaking their heads and saying, Why does it have to be like this? They were incredulous at the inefficiency of it. Kissin said she finally made it up to the service window at about 12:30 or 12:45 p.m. I paid, I got my picture taken. It took a total of four minutes. Of course Kissin was late for her 12:30 appointment. She told me about a friend of hers, Carol Clay Wiske, who recently went through a similar horror show at the Hamden House of Pain. Wiske thought she had plenty of time to renew her license and still make a dental appointment if she got to the DMV office at about 8:30 a.m. While I was interviewing Kissin at her home, she called Wiske and handed me the phone. Wiske told me, I was there for 2 1/2 hours, then I had to leave to get to the dentist. When I told my dentist what had happened, he said, Oh no, dont ever go to Hamden DMV. Go to the AAA (Allied office) in Old Saybrook. Theyre still doing license renewals. And so Wiske went from the dentist to that Old Saybrook AAA. I waited for just 20 minutes. Wiske noted, Its disrespectful to people to make them sit there (at DMV) all day. Kissin added: Yes! The state does not show respect for its citizens. You cant help but think: what is wrong with a state that cant get something so basic figured out in an efficient way? If I were Governor (Dannel) Malloy, Id be ashamed. You know theyd fix this if state officials had to stand in those lines. I bet you the governor doesnt do that! Kissin noted: This happens every day and it involves thousands of people. If the state cant figure this out, how does that give you confidence they can do anything? When I tried to get some answers, I contacted AAA Northeast spokeswoman Frances Mayko, who said that at the end of 2016 the DMV did not renew its contract with AAA to keep doing license renewals and other license issues. She said AAA wanted to provide this service just to its members but DMV wanted non-members served too. Our offices were becoming overwhelmed, Mayko said. She confirmed people can renew their licenses at AAA Allied offices, including the one in Old Saybrook. But members and non-members are charged $5 for each transaction. DMV spokesman Ernie Bertothy noted in an email the DMV is lining up third-party vendors to deal with drivers license renewals. The first one opened March 28 in the basement of West Haven City Hall. But it operates just from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays. Bertothy said in early June the Nutmeg State Credit Union office in Milford will begin offering license and ID card renewal services. He also noted DMV offers online services (ct.gov/dmv) for renewing or canceling registrations and certain other issues. DMV Chief of Staff Bill Seymour told me the Milford office was shut down because long lines there were hampering other city services and DMV was unable to provide additional staff. He said the Derby and Milford offices, operating only two days a week, were staffed by DMV employees from other offices, which adversely affected service in those full-time offices. Is there hope for us? Well have to wait and see. But as Tom Petty noted, The waiting is the hardest part. randall.beach@hearstmediact.com WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump is many things, but a historian is not one of them. He seemed to have some trouble getting his facts straight while giving French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte, a tour of the Oval Office on Monday that was as accurate as a middle schooler's last-minute history project. In a video Macron shared to Twitter, Trump is seen gesturing to his large wooden desk, dubbed the Resolute desk, and explaining the background behind it. "So this is like, 1814," he starts off by saying. Wrong. "Many of the presidents have used it, some don't. You have a choice of like eight desks." Wrong, so wrong! A plaque affixed to the president's desk tells the actual history of how it came to be. Named after the HMS Resolute, the British ship from which it was crafted, the desk was a gift to President Rutherford B. Hayes from Queen Victoria of England in 1880. The ship itself did not sail its first expedition until 1852, and didn't come into American possession until it was discovered as a shipwreck in 1855 by Captain James Buddington, an American whaler. After the ship was fully refurbished, the Resolute was sailed to its native country as a form of peace offering from the U.S. government in 1856. When the ship was eventually broken up, the Queen commissioned desks - one of which became the Resolute desk - to be made from its timbers, and gave it to the United States. While it's true that the desk has been a staple of many presidents' White Houses, it's actually one of six desks, not eight, that have graced the Oval Office. Other desks include the Theodore Roosevelt desk, Hoover desk, Wilson desk, Johnson desk, and the C&O desk. Though the Resolute desk has resided in the White House from the time it was given to Hayes, it didn't begin its stint as an Oval Office feature until the Kennedy administration. After being removed for use in exhibits, including a stint at the Smithsonian, President Jimmy Carter requested its return to the Oval Office in 1977. It's remained there for the term of every president since, with the exception of George H.W. Bush, who opted for the C&O desk instead, according to the White House Historical Association's website. WASHINGTON - Ronny Jackson's withdrawal from consideration to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs stanched an immediate political crisis for the Trump White House, but it sparked new questions over his future as the president's doctor and the fate of the embattled agency. Jackson announced Thursday morning that he was pulling out of the nomination process amid a mushrooming cloud of allegations over professional misconduct, leaving in limbo a sprawling federal bureaucracy serving 9 million military veterans that President Donald Trump has called a top domestic priority. Yet even as Jackson strongly denied the charges against him, calling them "completely false and fabricated" in a defiant statement, his position as Trump's chief physician and a pending Navy promotion looked shaky. Congressional Democrats said the admiral's nomination for a second star would not be considered until the Pentagon addresses allegations that he drank excessively on the job and oversaw a hostile working environment in the White House medical office, which he has led since 2013. "If they had any merit, I would not have been selected, promoted and entrusted to serve in such a sensitive and important role as physician to three presidents over the past 12 years," Jackson said of the charges. The dramatic collapse of Jackson's nomination to lead VA, the second-largest government agency behind the Pentagon, with 360,000 employees and a $186 billion budget, came after rapidly mounting questions over his qualifications and conduct. And it left the White House reeling to defend the nomination, which Trump made in surprise fashion after forcing out David Shulkin, a holdover from President Barack Obama's administration, in March. Although Jackson, 50, enjoyed significant support among Obama's former aides, the onetime military trauma surgeon lacked management experience. Democrats demanded to know why Jackson, who offered a glowing public endorsement of Trump's fitness at a January White House press briefing, had risen so quickly despite the outpouring of anonymously sourced accusations against him during the confirmation process. Late Wednesday, the Democratic staff of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee released a list of allegations, which included a claim that Jackson was intoxicated and crashed a government vehicle after a Secret Service goodbye party - a charge Jackson flatly denied. The office - which reports to the panel's top Democrat, Jon Tester of Montana - said the list of allegations was based on interviews with 23 of Jackson's former and current colleagues, but it provided no specific evidence to substantiate the claims. There were growing bipartisan calls Thursday for additional investigations into Jackson's professional history. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, which reviews military promotions, said Thursday that the committee will want answers. House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., told reporters that it would be "smart" to have an inspector general review the case. "We should find out if there's merit to these allegations, and, if there are, then . . . the proper oversight should be done," he said. At the White House, Trump continued to defend Jackson, and press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said the doctor remains on the job as the head of the White House medical unit. Although Trump signaled Wednesday that he thought Jackson should withdraw from consideration to lead VA, he lambasted the "false accusations" against him during a phone interview with the hosts of "Fox & Friends" on Fox News on Thursday morning. "They're trying to destroy a man," Trump said. "There's no proof of this. He's got a beautiful record." The president said that Democrats were eager to take down Jackson because another nominee, Mike Pompeo, was on track to survive a difficult nomination process for secretary of state. Pompeo was later confirmed by the Senate and sworn into office. Trump said in the interview that he has a replacement candidate in mind, but as of Thursday there were no clear front-runners to lead an agency that operates a far-flung health, benefits and cemetery system. Since 2001, when the United States went to war in Afghanistan, VA has had seven secretaries. Its acting head is Robert Wilkie, who was moved into the role from another appointed position at the Defense Department. According to administration officials, Jackson huddled with senior staffers in Sanders's West Wing office Wednesday night, drafting his withdrawal statement. Yet he remained adamant that he had done nothing wrong and wavered over whether to leave the confirmation process. On Twitter, Ivanka Trump, the president's daughter and a senior White House adviser, called Jackson a "man of exceptional integrity, character and intellect." Late last week, Tester aides received damaging information about Jackson's management of the White House medical office. They began interviewing his colleagues, many of them active-duty military officers, whose assessment of the admiral alarmed not only Tester but the committee's chairman, Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., who agreed to postpone Jackson's confirmation hearing. Tester defended the release of the allegations in a statement Thursday that did not directly reference Trump's criticism. "I want to thank the service members who bravely spoke out," Tester said. "It is my Constitutional responsibility to make sure the veterans of this nation get a strong, thoroughly vetted leader who will fight for them." The allegations released by Tester suggest that colleagues had previously raised some concerns with the Navy surgeon general's office, the White House Military Office and the Defense Department inspector general. Several entities could potentially investigate Jackson, including the Defense Department inspector general. The Navy has a separate inspector general, and the Navy's surgeon general, Vice Adm. Forrest Faison, also could have a stake in the case as the chief of the Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery. Defense officials on Thursday declined to comment. The medical bureau's inspector general issued a 2012 review of the climate of the White House Medical Unit that raised issues about the leadership of Jackson and his predecessor, retired Navy Capt. Jeffrey Kuhlman. It recommended that one or both officers be removed. In a follow-up 2013 assessment, it found markedly improved morale under Jackson's command. Service members with substantiated allegations against them can receive counseling from a more-senior officer, a formal letter of reprimand or can be forced to retire at their current rank. If the conclusions of an investigation are serious, the military also in rare cases can demote officers as it forces them out of the military. That comes through a process known as grade determination, in which the military determines the last rank at which a person served satisfactorily. "In my role as a doctor, I have tirelessly worked to provide excellent care for all my patients," Jackson said in his statement Thursday. "In doing so, I have always adhered to the highest ethical standards. Unfortunately, because of how Washington works, these false allegations have become a distraction for this President and the important issue we must be addressing - how we give the best care to our nation's heroes." Trump made no mention of Jackson's withdrawal Thursday morning at a previously scheduled event with wounded military veterans. Trump touted reforms underway at VA and recognized Wilkie for "doing a great job." --- The Washington Post's Josh Dawsey, Seung Min Kim, Ashley Parker, John Wagner and Emily Wax-Thibodeaux contributed to this report. In the annals of science there aren't many reports that had as much impact as Harvard's Six Cities Study of 1993. It showed a dramatic association between long-term exposure to air pollution and higher risk of an early death. It influenced government pollution standards that research shows have saved thousands of lives. But the Six Cities Study, as well as many other scientific research papers, could be deemed unreliable and discarded by the Trump Administration under a proposal announced Tuesday by Environmental Protection Agency administrator Scott Pruitt. Pruitt, who as attorney general in Oklahoma battled the EPA before becoming its leader last year, has pushed forward a new rule that would limit the kind of scientific research used by the agency when crafting regulations. Research would be banned if its underlying data had not been made public or been independently reproduced. "If you don't publish the data, you only publish the conclusions . . . that's simply wrongheaded," Pruitt said. Such a rule could potentially affect any study relying on confidential health records and clinical data. The Six Cities Study, and a follow-up 1995 report using confidential data from the American Cancer Society, are prime examples. Supporters of Pruitt say that in crafting regulations in the past the EPA has relied on "secret science." Moments before Pruitt announced the rule on Tuesday, Rep. Lamar Smith, R-Texas, took the rostrum to praise the effort as a way of "putting a stop to hidden agendas." Leaders of the scientific community expressed outrage, saying such a restriction, which must go through a 30-day comment period and will likely face legal challenges, would suppress solid science. This showdown has been building for a quarter of a century. Douglas Dockery, a Harvard University research scientist, was the lead author of the Six Cities Study and saw it through an exacting peer-review process. The results were so stark and surprising that Dockery and his collaborators embarked on the second, larger study, using the American Cancer Society data, to make sure the first one was right. In the first study, Dockery and his colleagues looked at six communities - two with clean air (Portage, Wisconsin and Topeka, Kansas), two with serious air pollution (Steubenville, Ohio and St. Louis) and two with air quality between those extremes (Watertown, Massachusetts and Kingston, Tennessee). They found that greater air pollution was strongly associated with a higher risk of an early death and that this association persisted even when factoring in cigarette smoking habits, occupational hazards and other health risks. Fine particulates, so tiny that they can penetrate deep into the lungs, contribute to deaths from cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, Dockery said in an interview this week. People living in Steubenville, with the dirtiest air, lost roughly two years of life due to their exposure to air pollution, compared with people in Portage, Dockery said. The follow-up study examined 154 cities and produced a similar result. This research influenced regulators at the EPA. In 1997, when they crafted the National Ambient Air Quality Standards, they included a standard for fine particulate matter, 2.5 micrometers in diameter or smaller (a human hair is about 70 micrometers wide). The researchers then turned over their data to the Health Effects Institute - a neutral organization funded jointly by the EPA and industry - to conduct a full review. "That was a very anxious time," Dockery said this week. "I knew that we had analyzed the data as honestly and accurately as we knew how," said Six Cities co-author W. Arden Pope, who was the lead author of the American Cancer Society study and is now a professor of economics at Brigham Young University. The institute's review broadly validated the quality of the research of Dockery and his colleagues. The data was of "generally high quality," and the reanalyses "replicated the original results" and at the same time "did extend and challenge our understanding of the original results in several important ways." For example, mortality linked to air pollution was higher among people with less than a high school education, the institute found. The reanalyses also noted an association between sulfur dioxide pollution and mortality. Since then, scores of studies in many countries have affirmed a connection between air pollution and health problems, according to Dockery and Pope. "You always wonder when you have a new finding like that whether it's true or not, and whether it will stand up to scrutiny. And it has over these - where are we now? - 25 years. It's been tested and retested," Dockery said. But the research has remained controversial politically, if not scientifically, and has been a target of attacks by EPA critics. These are anxious times for many scientists, who are concerned about a federal government headed by a president and political appointees who have expressed doubt about the consensus on climate change and other issues. Pruitt's actions follow a failed legislative effort by Smith and other conservative members of Congress, known as the Honest act. The Pruitt proposal is titled "Strengthening Transparency in Regulatory Science." Some proponents of "transparency" borrow language that has been used by scientists who have been pushing for better reproducibility in research and open access to data. Brian Nosek, a University of Virginia professor who is a leader of that reform movement, said the goal isn't to suppress scientific research. In an email to The Washington Post, Nosek said that policymakers should know which findings have been reproduced and how transparent the research data is, "but that doesn't justify a blanket prohibition of evidence that doesn't meet the aspirational ideal." Pope said, "Almost all of us believe that open, transparent, peer-reviewed, reproducible science is what we want. On the other hand, all of us want to meet the [legal] requirements and privacy and confidentiality ethics that are required to do some of this research." Gretchen Goldman, an expert on air pollution and the research director for the Center for Science and Democracy at the Union of Concerned Scientists, said of the move by Pruitt and his allies: "The goal was always to stave off science-based policies, not to promote transparency. What they're doing now is couching that language in ways to confuse the public and make this sound innocuous." Dockery noted that air quality has improved greatly in the United States since he began his research in 1974. Health outcomes have also improved. Those are not unrelated facts, he said. "People are living longer in the United States and other countries in proportion to how much the air quality has improved," he said. "I continue to be very proud of the impact we've had." - - - The Washington Post's Brady Dennis and Juliet Eilperin contributed to this report. WASHINGTON - Attorney General Jeff Sessions told a Senate panel Wednesday that he believes President Donald Trump has the constitutional authority to pardon anyone and does not need to confer with the Justice Department, which traditionally has assisted presidents in such decisions. The president "clearly has the constitutional power to execute pardons" without conferring with the Office of the Pardon Attorney, Sessions said during a hearing before the Senate Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies. It was disclosed in March that last year Trump's former lawyer floated the possibility of pardons for Paul Manafort, the president's former campaign chairman, and Michael Flynn, the former national security adviser, if they faced criminal charges stemming from the investigation into Russia's election interference, according to people familiar with the discussions. Manafort was indicted in October on charges of tax fraud and money laundering. Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to investigators. Trump already has granted pardons to Joe Arpaio, the former Arizona sheriff convicted of violating a court order stemming from his department's treatment of Latinos, and to Lewis "Scooter" Libby, Vice President Richard Cheney's chief of staff, who was convicted of perjury and obstruction of justice after disclosing the identity of a CIA operative. Both decisions were made without input from the Justice Department. In the past two administrations, all pardons originated with the pardon attorney, and the Justice Department then forwarded recommendations to the White House. Sessions had said during past congressional testimony that it would be an abuse of power for the president to pardon someone without first going through the pardon attorney, said Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md. Sessions also faced questions from Democratic lawmakers about his conversations with Trump and other White House officials about matters stemming from the Russia probe, including whether Sessions has recused himself from the investigation into Trump's personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, whose office was raided by FBI agents April 9. That development was reported by Bloomberg News this week. "It is the policy of the Department of Justice that those who have recused themselves not state the details of it or confirm the existence of an investigation or the scope of that investigation," Sessions told the panel. Sessions did defend his embattled deputy attorney general, Rod Rosenstein, who oversees the Russia investigation being led by special counsel Robert Mueller III, making Rosenstein a target of Trump's attacks. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., asked Sessions for his opinion of Rosenstein. "He works every day to do the job he is called upon to do that got dropped into his lap," Sessions replied. Asked if he had confidence in Rosenstein, Sessions said: "I do have confidence in him." He demurred, however, when asked by Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., whether he would step down if Trump were to fire Rosenstein or Mueller. "That calls for a speculative answer," Sessions replied. "I'm not able to do that." Leahy said he was deeply concerned about the "president's relentless and I think baseless attacks" on senior Justice Department officials, including Sessions. "You and I are in total agreement and that is that we care deeply about the integrity of the Justice Department . . . and I worry that the walls intended to protect independence and credibility are at risk of crumbling," Leahy said. "You're at the helm of a Justice Department under siege. I've been in [Congress] 44 years. I have never seen such attacks." During the hearing, Sessions testified about his priorities in the Justice Department's $28.4 billion budget. He said one of them is "going after drug companies, doctors and pharmacists," who, he said, are fueling the nation's opioid epidemic. On a major detention issue, Sessions said he expects that two Islamic State militants captured in Syria and believed to be the last remaining members of a cell that held and beheaded Western hostages would be "tried and held accountable for these horrific acts." He declined to say definitively, however,whether the Justice Department would support prosecuting them in civilian courts vs. the controversial military tribunals held in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. When prodded by Graham, Sessions indicated he was supportive of sending the men, former British citizens, to Guantanamo. But he acknowledged that at the Justice Department, "we have had success trying a lot of these cases in federal court." He said that success was achieved even if the rules of evidence were stricter, which he suggested favored the defendants and sometimes revealed intelligence-gathering techniques. The military commission at Guantanamo has produced far fewer convictions. He also rapped the British government, which has steadfastly refused to take the two men, El Shafee Elsheikh and Alexanda Kotey, who are nicknamed "The Beatles" for their British accents. "I have been disappointed frankly, that the British . . . are not willing to try the cases but pretend to tell us how to try them," Sessions said. The Trump administration is still deliberating what to do with the militants, who are being held by U.S. allies in Syria. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., said that families of American hostages who were killed, it is believed, by the Beatles' cell, have pushed for the men to be tried in an international court or a civilian court in the United States. The families, she said, did not want them sent to Guantanamo, which they believed would "provide the terrorists another opportunity to use Guantanamo as a recruiting tool." Asked by Graham if he thought the U.S. government would ever begin sending detainees to Guantanamo again "in my lifetime," Sessions replied: "I don't know. I just have to be honest with you. It could be if we have a surge in arrestees" captured overseas. Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., asked Sessions about a citizenship question the Justice Department wants included in the 2020 census. It has drawn a legal challenge from civil rights groups who say it will discourage noncitizens, especially undocumented immigrants, from participating and thus result in an undercount. Sessions said that the question - last included in the 1950 census - "can help us in determining a number of issues, particularly in our civil rights division."He said he was limited in what he could say because of the litigation, but offered to provide the senator with "legal reasons" why the question is justified. The question will come last on the form, he added."It shouldn't scare people. "They don't have to answer it, really. . . . I believe the concerns over it are overblown," he said. Toward the end of the hearing, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., made a nod to the president's attacks on Sessions, who had spent 20 years as the Republican senator from Alabama. "Welcome back attorney general," she said. "I'm sure you miss us greatly." - - - The Washington Post's Matt Zapotosky contributed to this report. WASHINGTON - The conservative majority on the Supreme Court seemed to agree Wednesday that President Donald Trump has the authority to ban travelers from certain majority-Muslim countries if he thinks that it is necessary to protect the country. Lower courts have struck down each of the three iterations of the president's travel-ban proclamation, the first of which was issued just a week after he took office in January 2017. But the conservative-leaning Supreme Court may be Trump's best hope, and it gave the administration a boost by allowing the ban to go into effect in December while considering the challenges to it. Solicitor General Noel Francisco told the justices that the president was well within his power to issue the proclamation and that it came after a thorough, worldwide review of the vetting procedures of countries. "The vast majority of the world, including the vast majority of the Muslim world, was just fine," Francisco said, while a "tiny" number of countries were not. If it were meant to be a Muslim ban, he said, "it would be the most ineffective Muslim ban that one could possibly imagine, since not only does it exclude the vast majority of the Muslim world, it also omits three Muslim-majority countries that were covered by past orders." Chief Justice John Roberts was most active in advancing the notion that the president is privy to national security information that courts are ill prepared to second-guess. And Justice Anthony Kennedy, who always seems to occupy the pivotal position when conservative and liberal justices disagree, asked questions that mostly seemed supportive of the president's authority. It would seem almost impossible for challengers to prevail without one of those justices joining their colleagues on the left. The high-profile hearing, the last of the court's term as it turns now to writing opinions, called for the justices to balance their usual deference to the president on matters of national security with a never-before-seen barrage of campaign statements, tweets, retweets and comments from the president tying Muslims to terrorism. Just hours after Francisco told the court the president had made it "crystal clear . . . he had no intention of imposing the Muslim ban," White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders sidestepped a reporter's question about whether the administration disavowed Trump's campaign promise to enact one. Sanders read a statement about the ban that said residents of many majority-Muslim countries could travel to the United States. "I think that alone in action answers your question clearly," she said. The court is considering the iteration of Trump's travel ban, issued last fall, that barred various travelers from eight countries, six of them with Muslim majorities. They are Syria, Libya, Iran, Yemen, Chad, Somalia, North Korea and Venezuela. But restrictions on North Korea and Venezuela are not part of the challenge. Chad was removed from the list earlier this month. The first questions for Francisco came from the two liberal justices, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sonia Sotomayor, who had noted their dissent from the high court's earlier order to allow the ban to go into effect while challenges continued. Sotomayor suggested that Congress had already taken steps to ensure national security by implementing a heightened vetting process for travelers from other countries. "Where does a president get the authority to do more than Congress has already decided is adequate?" she asked. Francisco pointed to the removal of Chad from the list as evidence that the review process was working as anticipated, by encouraging more cooperation from countries to help screen out those who might intend to harm the United States. The challengers are led by the state of Hawaii, which said its citizens and educational institutions have suffered because of the ban. Former Obama administration acting solicitor general Neal Katyal, representing Hawaii, said Trump had taken an "iron wrecking ball" to the law Congress had implemented to govern immigration and keep the nation safe. "If you accept this order, you're giving the president a power no president in 100 years has exercised, an executive proclamation that countermands Congress's policy judgments," Katyal said. Conservative justices Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch, along with Roberts, peppered Katyal with questions on how the president had exceeded his lawful authority, given that Congress had granted the executive branch broad latitude to bar people's entry into the United States. Alito noted the law says that if the president found the entry of "any aliens" to be detrimental to U.S. interests, he could bar them. How, he asked, did the travel ban not fall "squarely" within that power? Alito also said the ban affected only 8 percent of the world's Muslim population. "If you look at what was done, it does not look at all like a Muslim ban," Alito said. Roberts posited a hypothetical: If the intelligence agencies told the president that 20 Syrian nationals planned to enter the United States with biological weapons, could the president ban the entry of Syrians to stop them? Katyal conceded that he could, because in that instance - unlike this one - there was a true emergency. Roberts asked if there were a "statute of limitations" on a president's campaign statements. "Tomorrow, he issues a proclamation disavowing those statements, then the next day he could re-enter this and your discrimination argument would not be applicable?" Roberts asked. Katyal said that it probably would. But Trump and his administration have "rekindled" the comments. Justice Elena Kagan similarly asked Francisco about a hypothetical anti-Semitic candidate for president who, once elected, put in place a proclamation blocking entry for citizens of Israel. She asked: Could the courts intervene in such a situation? "This is an out-of-the-box kind of president in my hypothetical," Kagan added, prompting laughter from the courtroom. Francisco called it a "tough hypothetical" but said such a president could impose the measure if it came at the recommendation of staffers who had identified a genuine national security problem. In contrast, Francisco said Trump's travel ban is an "easy case" because it came after a multi-agency review and on the advice of Cabinet officials. He conceded that if Cabinet officials knew the president was ordering a ban based on religious animus, because he told them as much, they would be "duty bound" to resign or refuse to comply with his order to come up with a justification. "Is everything that the president said effectively that?" Kagan asked. Kennedy picked up on Kagan's questioning, asking Francisco to consider a local candidate for mayor who made "hateful' comments and then upon being elected acted on those impulses. "You would say whatever he said in the campaign is irrelevant?" Kennedy asked. Francisco said he would. But Kennedy had more, and tougher, questions for Katyal. When Katyal said Trump's travel ban had no end, Kennedy said, "So you want the president to say, 'I'm convinced that in six months we're going to have a safe world?' " And if there is a question about whether there is a threat to security, Kennedy asked Katyal, did he think "that's for the courts to do, not the president?" The justices are reviewing a unanimous ruling from a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit in San Francisco. That panel said the third version of the travel ban suffered from the deficiencies of the first two - that Trump had again exceeded his lawful authority and that he had not made a legally sufficient finding that entry of those blocked would be "detrimental to the interests of the United States." The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit struck down the ban on the constitutional question. The 9-to-4 decision took a deep dive into Trump's statements and tweets since he became president and concluded that the proclamation, like the first two, was motivated not by national security concerns but by antipathy toward Muslims. The case is Trump v. Hawaii. The court will issue its decision some time before the conclusion of the term at the end of June. --- Video Embed Code Washington Post reporter Robert Barnes recaps oral arguments heard at the U.S. Supreme Court on President Trump's controversial travel ban. (Joyce Koh, Jorge Ribas/The Washington Post) Embed: --- Video Embed Code Video: Washington Post reporter Robert Barnes recaps oral arguments heard at the U.S. Supreme Court April 25 on President Trump's controversial travel ban from Muslim-majority countries.(Joyce Koh,Jorge Ribas/The Washington Post) Embed code: A 22-year-old woman was under the influence of a narcotic when she struck and injured a bicyclist Wednesday night, Houston police said. Jacqueline Cruz has been charged with of driving while intoxicated. When Dr. John Franklin Black pursued something, he did it with pinpoint focus. He was a force of motion at all times, Sara Black said about her father. He was always taking on new projects whether it was education or helping out a friend. And he overcome a lot of challenges in his life just by working hard, having come from the South Side of Chicago and putting himself through school. Dr. Blacks 38-year career included working as an Army physician, radiologist and aviation medical examiner. He died Feb. 27 at age 60. Born in California, Black grew up with enterprising parents. His father was an orthopedic surgeon, and his mother worked as a nurse and stewardess. They moved to Illinois when he was 4 years old. After graduating in 1975, Black enrolled at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, where he studied civil engineering on an Army ROTC scholarship. More Information Dr. John Franklin Black Born: June 14, 1957, Los Angeles Died: Feb. 27, 2018, San Antonio Preceded by: Parents Barbara Sholty and Dr. Daniel Black Survived by: Wife Amy Black, son Michael Black; daughters Sara Black, Jennifer Black and Katie Black; sister Mary Krupa; and one grandson Services: Celebration of life service 2 p.m. Saturday at Alamo Heights United Methodist Church, 825 E Basse Road See More Collapse While at Purdue, Black fell in love with Amy Pennington, who was working on an undergraduate degree in pharmacy. During their third summer in college, he was working in Alaska, and she was bike riding in England, and they wrote letters to each other, their daughter said. They married in their senior year at the courthouse. After graduating in 1980, they moved to San Antonio where Black studied at the Academy of Health Sciences at Fort Sam Houston. Five years later, he became a doctor after attending the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland. After 25 years of service, Black retired from the Army in 2005. He was working at Brooke Army Medical Center at the time. He joined the Gonzaba Medical Group after leaving the military. What amazed me most about him was his continual pursuit of knowledge, said Elsa Vasquez, imaging services coordinator for Gonzaba Medical Group. Even though he was a doctor, he continued his education, she said, pointing out that he got his masters in oil and gas because he was interested in that field. Another area of interest was aviation. During his high school years, Black flew planes for fun, his daughter said. Blacks interest in flight culminated in him becoming an instructor pilot at Alpha Tango Flying Services. Aviation intrigued him, said Hameed Afzal, the chief instructor at Alpha Tango. He honestly and truly gave himself to the people around him, Afzal said about his friend. He was the real deal. A large graphic sits atop a recent BuzzFeed News story with a red and gray design that includes a picture of San Antonio Police Chief William McManus and a quote superimposed onto it. It reads, "I really, sincerely believe Chief McManus has a problem with women." This week city and police officials fired back and disputed that statement and the conclusion reached in Albert Samaha's lengthy investigation: that "the department's reinvention didn't touch the male-dominated culture that caused so many of the problems in the first place." RELATED: Records: 23 sexual harassment investigations opened at the city in 3 years The BuzzFeed investigation found that despite pledges by McManus to create a more inclusive police department, the agency still struggled with sexual misconduct complaints and a lack of women on the command staff. According to an Express-News editorial, only 11 of 242 sergeants on the force are women, 3 of 49 lieutenants are women and no women currently serve as captains or deputy police chiefs. The department lags behind the national average when it comes to women on the force. Local officials told mySA.com the department is working to address those low numbers. In the past 12 years, the department went from a police force where only 3 percent of officers were women to about 10 percent in 2018, according to City Manager Sheryl Sculley. Women also made up 20 percent of the most recent cadet class. Both McManus and Sculley pointed to the collective bargaining agreement as a reason why more women aren't promoted through the ranks. "The fact of the matter is the Collective Bargaining Agreement with the police union is a significant obstacle to improving the promotional process within SAPD because it limits the chief's authority," Sculley said. That is, the McManus can't simply decide to promote women, they said. Officers have to pass tests to be promoted in the police department. In a recently completed online survey to which 46 percent of female officers responded, more than half of them said they chose not to take exams because of lack of study time and 40 percent of them didn't go for promotions because they were happy with their current assignment. The article also pointed out that San Antonio, like other large police departments, don't offer family or maternal leave. Pregnant officers have to rely on their personal time off. Sgt. Michelle Ramos said while that's true, the policy for personal time is very generous. Ramos said she was able to take six weeks off after giving birth, and that she could have taken more time off if she chose to. "I've had two children while I've been in the department," she said. "It was never an issue or a complaint that I've had." Sculley and McManus also helped create a "Women in Policing" task force that works to remove barriers to employment and promotion that exist for female police officers. The police department claims that initiative has led to an 11 percent increase of female officers and detectives in specialized units since September 2017. Officials also pushed back on the article's focus on individual cases of sexual misconduct. The piece goes into great detail about a case involving former police officers Emmanuel Galindo and Alejandro Chapa, who were convicted last March after their scheme of duping women into having sex with them was uncovered. The BuzzFeed also article cites unnamed female police officers and attorney Ben Sifuentes Jr., who has represented officers in lawsuits against the department. "The article is focused on the conduct of a few officers whom I fired for criminal and/or administrative violations," McManus said in a statement. "Many of the negative comments in the article were made by unnamed sources and an attorney who exclusively represents officers who have been fired for the most egregious offenses, including sexual misconduct. He should not be considered a credible source." Lt. Jesse Salame, a police department spokesman said Samaha "had an agenda" and "already made up his mind" before publishing the story. RELATED: Detectives following up on 'multiple' calls about Viva Tacoland bartender accused of sexual assault Still, records obtained by mySA.com show San Antonio police officers have had issues with sexual harassment or misconduct. During a 2015 human resources investigation, several officers who were interviewed described a "general workplace culture where (non-specific) sexual comments were exchanged between officers." Police spokespeople acknowledge how often officers have had to be disciplined about sexual harassment, but say the discipline is proof they take the allegations seriously. "We went out and arrested those guys," Salame said. "If that info comes to light we're taking immediate action." Fares Sabawi covers crime in San Antonio and Bexar County for mySA.com. Read more of his stories here. | fsabawi@mysa.com | Twitter: @FaresInSA President Donald Trump on Thursday announced his intent to nominate former Bexar County Sheriff Susan Pamerleau, a retired Air Force major general, to be the next U.S. marshal for the San Antonio-based Western District of Texas. If confirmed by the Senate, Pamerleau would be the first woman to run the Marshals Service in the district that was created 173 years ago, according to the local districts Web site that lists the names of the 32 prior marshals. And, she would replace a now-retired interim marshal who filled the post after the last politically appointed marshal, Robert Almonte, resigned under pressure in 2016 I am extremely honored by this pending nomination from the President to serve in this role and to continue serving my community, said Pamerleau, who also was the first woman to be elected to serve as Bexar County sheriff. She declined to elaborate on her plans for the federal role. The president has to officially nominate her and she must go through the confirmation process. Orlando Garcia, chief judge of the Western District of Texas, said: "Susan Pamerleau has served this community before and (if confirmed) she's very fortunate to have an already excellent Marshals Service office in the Western District of Texas." The Marshals Service, an arm of the Justice Department, is the countrys oldest federal law enforcement agency. Its duties include judicial and courthouse security, fugitive apprehensions and asset forfeiture. The Western District of Texas was formed in 1845 and is one of the busiest in the country. Besides San Antonio, it includes Austin, Waco, Del Rio, Alpine, Midland/Odessa and El Paso. Pamerleau raised her public persona in Bexar County after defeating then-Sheriff Amadeo Ortiz, a Democrat, in the 2012 election to win the law enforcement seat. After a top-to-bottom review of the office, she implemented policies to modernize the office and ran it more like a corporation, making improvements that included digital record keeping, vests for jail guards that could withstand stabbings, and improved communications within the jail, according to prior newspaper stories. But her policies and practices riled some of the rank and file. In spring of 2016, the Bexar County Sheriffs Association called for a vote of no confidence on her. Of the 1,600 deputies in the sheriffs office, 219 voted no confidence. And in the November election that year, Pamerleau narrowly lost to current Sheriff Javier Salazar, another Democrat. Pamerleau served 32 years in the Air Force, and retired in 2000 as the director of Personnel Force Management at the Air Forces headquarters at the Pentagon. From 2001 to 2007, Pamerleau served as vice president and senior vice president for USAA in San Antonio. Pamerleau currently serves on the board of directors for Government Personnel Mutual Life Insurance Company, and also on the boards of several non-profit agencies in the area. Pamerleau holds a masters degree in public administration from Golden Gate University, a bachelor of arts in sociology from the University of Wyoming, and is a graduate of the FBIs National Executive Institute. If shes confirmed, Pamerleau would take over the office that had been run by David Sligh, an interim marshal who retired in November. Sligh was sent by headquarters in Washington to help helm the office in May 2016, when Almonte appointed by President Barack Obama in 2010 resigned in the face of allegations that he improperly used agency resources and violated the Marshal Services rules and policies. Anonymous complaints in 2014 about Almontes management started an investigation by the Justice Departments Office of Inspector General. In January 2016, the department issued a partial report that said Almonte violated several Marshals Service rules, instructions and policies for using a subordinate as a personal driver for nongovernment business, not getting ethics approval for presentations made to law enforcement, failing to follow management directives on the number and location of the presentations and asking employees to contribute money for various work-related events. Almonte often traveled to give lectures to various audiences on border area drug smugglers devotions to spiritual folk idols like Santa Muerte and Jesus Malverde. Guillermo Contreras is a San Antonio Express-News staff writer. Read more of his stories here. | gcontreras@express-news.net | @gmaninfedland Authorities have made an arrest in the stabbing deaths of a couple in their 60s in Southeast Bexar County Thursday morning, officials said. Jorge Carmond, 17, was charged with capital murder, according to a news release from the Bexar County Sheriff's Office. A Bexar County sheriff's deputy found the man and woman, both of whom are in their 60s, after a neighbor reported a verbal disturbance around 5:30 a.m. in the 4400 block of Lost Hills Drive. The neighbor then reported hearing a single gunshot. A responding deputy began searching for the people involved and found a vehicle with its trunk open outside a home. "Due to the time, he found it a little bit suspicious so he began investigating," said Johnny Garcia, a Bexar County Sheriff's Office spokesman. RELATED: San Antonio high school seniors had troubled relationship prior to murder-suicide, friends say The deputy soon found a man lying on the front porch and a woman inside the home. Both were suffering from several stab wounds to their torsos. Authorities pronounced the woman dead at the scene, while paramedics rushed the man to Brooke Army Medical Center in critical condition. Santiago and Rebecca Ortiz said they've lived on Lost Hills Drive for more than a decade. They said it's a quiet area and that there's rarely any action like Thursday's. "It's kinda scary because it's so close," said Rebecca Ortiz. "You don't know if the suspect is still in the area. We've been looking through the windows, wondering where could he hide." Officials said deputies got a call about a suspicious person a block away from the location of the stabbing. They took Carmond into custody just before 3 p.m. Check back to mySA.com for updates to this story. Text "NEWS" to 77453 for breaking news alerts from mySA.com Staff writer Fares Sabawi contributed to this report. | Caleb Downs is a crime reporter for mySA.com. Read more of his stories here.| cdowns@mysa.com | Twitter: @calebjdowns The News in Brief By Mariam Chanishvili Stoltenberg: NATO is not Isolating Russia NATO is not aiming to isolate Russia after a nerve agent attack on the former Russian agent and his daughter in Britain last month but had to crack down to show its unhappiness with Moscow, Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Wednesday. The alliance last week expelled seven diplomats from the Russian mission to NATO and cut the maximum size of the delegation to 20 from 30 after the attack, which the West blames on Moscow, although the Kremlin denies it. We continue to strive for a better relationship with Russia because Russia is our neighbor, Russia is there to stay. We are not aiming at isolating Russia, Stoltenberg said in remarks at the University of Ottawa. Georgia also demanded the expel of one Russian diplomat from Tbilisi, from the Swiss Embassy, as Georgia and Russia have no direct diplomat ties since 2008. In response, Russia sent a diplomatic note to Georgia to withdraw one of Georgian diplomats from Moscow. Intl Experts to Study Labor Safety Conditions in Tkibuli Mines International experts will study labor safety conditions in the Tkibuli mine, in the west of Georgia, in the wake of a deadly accident early this month killing six minors and leaving several others injured. On April 19 trilateral meeting was held between the Trade Unions, Ministry of Labor, Heal and Social Affairs and Georgian Industrial Group, the employer company, after which the decision was made. Representative of the Trade Unions, Vitali Giorgadze said that their request was that the mine was checked and examined by international experts. We also demanded from the state and the employer that the miners must be paid while the mine is closed for examination and they agreed, he said. Georgian Industrial Group Director General, Zurab Gelenidze stated that the international experts will give recommendations on the improvement of working conditions in the mine. After the examination, the experts will make a list of necessary future activities, that need to be carried out and the Georgian Industrial will decide if we want to continue working in such a format, Gelenidze said. The student movement Auditorium 115 was meanwhile protesting in front of the Ministry of Labor, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia, due to the refusal to Tkibuli miners to attend the meeting. Tkibuli miners and "Auditorium 115" demand temporary suspension of the Tkibuli mine operations, to make a collective agreement between the employer and the employees, which will provide adequate employment and social guarantees for the miners. Immediate dismissal of those who were responsible for safety in the mines was also demanded. SAN ANTONIO - Two people who police say took part in an ambush killing earlier this month on the South Side were arrested Thursday. Michael Henderson, 25, and Stephanie Lopez, 35, are each facing a capital murder charge in the shooting death of Robert Serna, 33, police said. Police have identified the man they say fatally shot a woman he was dating at an East Side apartment complex Thursday. Cameron Roby, 34, was arrested on suspicion of murder. Police have not released the identity of the victim. Roby was distraught as he was escorted to a police cruiser to be taken to the Bexar County Jail. "I loved my woman and she loved me," he repeatedly said through tears. Authorities said Roby and the woman, who were in a relationship, had been in some sort of altercation inside an apartment in the 4800 block of Goldfield Drive around 9:30 a.m. "At some point, something turns violent, a gun is produced and now we have a deceased person," said Carlos Ortiz, a San Antonio Police Department spokesman. Police said the victim's infant was in the apartment at the time of the shooting. Around the same time, a Bexar County sheriff's deputy and a Bexar County constable were at the apartment serving eviction notices to residents. RELATED: Couple dead in stabbing in Southeast Bexar County, officials say Roby approached them and told them he had just accidentally shot his girlfriend, police said. "It happened that fast," Ortiz said. "The shooting happens, and maybe he's attempting to flee the apartment or leave, and at that point Bexar County [officials] are walking in front of the apartment. He walks right up to them and admits." The deputy and constable promptly arrested Roby. The couple did not have a history of domestic violence, though Roby is a convicted felon. Ortiz said neither the deputy nor the constable heard the gunshot or any shouting prior to the suspect admitting to the shooting. 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 On his first full day in office, President Donald Trump made good on his campaign promise to remove the United States from an agreement to enter the Trans-Pacific Partnership, or TPP. The TPP is an 11-country pact of Pacific Rim nations, including the economic powerhouses of Japan and Australia, designed to reduce trade barriers between the signatories to stimulate international trade and economic growth but will that decision stick? Trump said his decision was based on his concerns about losing U.S. manufacturing jobs and his assertion that the deal was bad for America. This move was not surprising given the presidents move toward protectionist policies and his stated plan to dismantle or completely restructure the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, which was established nearly 30 years ago between the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Recently, the president seemed to reverse his decision to withdraw the U.S. from the TPP when he indicated that the country might re-enter the pact. However, this decision was short-lived as he subsequently tweeted that he did not like the multicountry trade accord and instead favored the establishment of bilateral trade agreements with individual nations, which he contends are more efficient, profitable and favorable for American workers. Whereas many people might view Trumps apparent flip-flop of decisions as being indecisive and perhaps irrational, others might see this as a shrewd negotiation tactic. Trump, who co-authored the book The Art of the Deal, is a seasoned business negotiator. Could his apparent vacillation on U.S. participation in the TPP be part of a negotiation ploy to secure a better deal? Only time will tell. Most U.S. business leaders are adherents to the tenets of free trade theory and believe that free trade agreements will open up trade and investment opportunities and subsequently lead to greater profit growth, employments levels, and long-term national economic expansion and prosperity. If one believes in this economic ideology and expected outcomes, then lets hope that a fair deal can soon be penned. Jeffrey Johnson is a professor of International Business at St. Marys University and director of its Center for Global Business Studies. The views in this article are his own and do not represent those of St. Marys University. Re: Transit plan has to move San Antonio into future, Editorial, April 16. An editorial in the Express-News proposes that San Antonio build a rapid transit system that will entice people out of their vehicles, connect all parts of San Antonio, and truly free people from traffic. Thats a nice fantasy. Reality is quite a bit different. RELATED: Editorial: Rapid transit corridors could transform this community First, so-called rapid transit isnt very rapid. According to the American Public Transportation Association, true rapid-transit rail lines, also known as heavy rail, move at an average of just 20 miles per hour. Rapid bus averages 11 miles per hour, light rail averages 16 miles per hour, and streetcars average a pokey 7.4 miles per hour. Since most people will neither work nor live right next to transit stations, door-to-door speeds are even lower and hardly enough to entice people out of their cars. This is especially true in San Antonio, one of the least-congested major cities in America where average driving speeds are 33 miles per hour. Second, the average rapid-transit line planned or under construction today costs $350 million per mile. The average light-rail line costs more than $160 million per mile. Dedicated bus lanes cost at least $20 million a mile. By comparison, if right-of-way is available, existing freeways can be expanded for less than $5 million per lane-mile. If right-of-way isnt available, elevated lanes resting on pillars in the median strips of existing freeways can be built for about $10 million per lane-mile. A typical freeway lane moves several times more people per day than a light-rail line and more than most rapid-transit lines. READ MORE: Nirenberg unveils transit nonprofit, vows to bring in 70,000 new jobs in first State of the City address Third, rapid transit and light-rail lines built in the United States in the past few decades have almost all been failures. In 1985, Atlanta had 25 miles of rapid-transit lines and the regions transit system bus plus rail carried about 155 million riders. By 2017, the regions population had more than doubled, and it had doubled the number of miles of rapid transit. Yet total transit ridership had shrunk to 131 million trips. In 1984, San Francisco had 70 miles of rapid transit and the regions transit systems carried 488 million riders. By 2017, the regions population had grown by 25 percent and the region had doubled the number of miles of rapid transit. Yet transit ridership had fallen to 452 million trips. Cities that built light rail instead of rapid transit havent done much better. Before Dallas opened its first light-rail line, buses carried a meager 2.8 percent of the regions commuters to work. By 2016, with more than 100 miles of light rail, transit carried just 1.7 percent of commuters. The reason for these disasters is that rail transit is so expensive that cities cannibalize their conventional bus systems to pay for rail. Rail construction invariably has cost overruns that average 50 percent. Operations and maintenance costs are also usually much higher than projected, while ridership and fare revenue is lower. RELATED: Commentary: Transit plan just the latest example of how Nirenberg has never been afraid to lose To pay for rail lines designed to entice middle-class people out of their cars, transit agencies end up cutting bus service to low-income and minority neighborhoods. Thats not a fair trade-off. Transit carries more than 10 percent of commuters to work in only a handful of American urban areas: New York, Chicago, Washington, Philadelphia, Boston, San Francisco and Seattle. One thing all these regions have in common is that their downtowns have at least 240,000 jobs. Downtown San Antonio barely has a fourth that number, making San Antonio one of the least-suited big cities in the world for building rapid transit. Moreover, thanks partly to competition from ride-hailing services, transit ridership is falling almost everywhere, including a 19 percent drop in San Antonio between 2012 and 2017. In 1933, San Antonio became the first big city in America to convert its rail system to buses because buses were more flexible, less expensive and could share rights of way with other vehicles. Buses can still cost-effectively serve San Antonio transit riders while the billions that would be needed to build rapid transit can instead be used to relieve congestion for everyone or just left in taxpayers pockets. Randal OToole is a senior fellow with the Cato Institute and author of the forthcoming book, Romance of the Rails: Why the Passenger Trains We Love Are Not the Transportation We Need. rot@ti.org Recent events in Gaza have shaken the world and with it, San Antonio. Israeli troops have opened fire on crowds of unarmed protesters in Gaza, killing dozens and wounding thousands. The actions have been widely condemned by human rights organizations and press freedom watchdogs (several journalists and photographers have been among the casualties). The protesters are being demonized and linked with Hamas but even the slightest research or familiarity with the protest will reveal this to be false. The protestors are refugees, trapped in Gaza, for whom life under a devastating, decadelong siege has become unbearable. What does this have to do with San Antonio? Plenty. Some of us have friends and loved ones in Gaza and are watching in horror and wondering what we can do. But the truth is, the people of San Antonio are already much more involved in this conflict than most of us know. Israel is by far the largest recipient of U.S. foreign military assistance. U.S. taxpayers are slated to give Israel an astonishing $38 billion of weapons over the next 10 years. San Antonio alone will be responsible for over $15 million of that money. This is a figure arrived at by the U.S. Campaign for Palestinian Rights using a methodology involving a citys total households, its mean income and what percentage of a states income that city represents. Think about that: San Antonio will be sending $1.5 million to Israel every year for the next 10 years, a huge sum. Some might question sending so much money overseas when our own schools and cities are in desperate need of funding. Others would argue that the U.S. has a right and duty to help protect its foreign allies. But Israel does not use this military assistance defensively, to keep its citizens safe; instead, the money enables it to maintain an illegal military occupation and to assault unarmed civilians. This use of military aid violates U.S. laws. As citizens, we should take note our wealth is being squandered and our laws broken. Another point of connection is that San Antonio has a friendship city relation with Tel Aviv, the capital of Israel, and Mayor Ron Nirenberg and several City Council representatives visited the region last year to explore building economic relations. Of course, international development presents great opportunities for San Antonio. But San Antonio should be in the business of making friends, not enemies. Some of the industries that San Antonio and other U.S. cities draw from Israel include cybersecurity and police training. But these are industries that Israel has perfected in the course of a 50-year, brutal and illegal military occupation. Think of the images recently in the news, of heavily (and expensively) armed Israeli troops opening fire on unarmed Palestinian civilians in Gaza, a defenseless and imprisoned population are these the people we want training our police? We have already seen the effects of militarized police training in places like Ferguson, Missouri, where civil conflict looks like military occupation. Is this what we want for San Antonio? We do not. We are from Jewish, Muslim and Christian faith traditions, and we know that our faiths have a common root and a common message: Stand up for justice and defend those who are being oppressed. Many churches and members of Congress have condemned the Israeli actions in Gaza. And Durham, North Carolina, just passed a resolution rejecting Israeli training of local police. San Antonio prides itself on being a progressive and compassionate city; now is the time to follow the lead of Durham and not Ferguson. Now is the time to stand firm for our beliefs and stand up for Gaza. Moureen Kaki, Harry Gunkel and Judith Norman are members of San Antonio for Justice in Palestine and the San Antonio chapter of Jewish Voice for Peace. President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly: One day Georgia will become a member of NATO By Vladimer Napetvaridze On 23 of April in Batumi, the NATO 97th Rose-Roth Seminar - Georgia and Black Sea Region New Geo-Political Agenda was opened. The seminar was attended by the authorities of the Georgian government and representatives of NATO.One of the speakers was the Chairman of the Georgian Parliament Irakli Kobakhidze, who spoke about the importance of Georgias Euro Atlantic integration. In his statement Kobakhidze underlined several important messages:The foreign orientation of the country is documented in the Constitution - Even if the anti-Western government comes into power, it will be difficult to radically change the country's foreign policy: The Constitutional Reform made last year strengthened our aspiration towards European integration, which is officially documented as the main priority of foreign policy.Public Opinion on Georgia's foreign Course- Kobakhidze pointed out that most of the population supports the political parties with the pro-European course: I want to tell you that in the 2016 parliamentary elections most of the voters supported political parties with pro-European platforms. All the surveys show that this course has a decisive and growing support from the Georgian society.Euro-Atlantic integration as a guarantee for the region security: "We believe that the best way to ensure the security of the Black Sea region is to strengthen the Euro-Atlantic aspiration of regional countries."Despite internal problems of EU and NATO, they must deepen corporation with candidate countries: Despite the internal problems of EU and NATO, they must deepen corporation with the candidate countries: Despite internal difficulties, EU and NATO should not cancel the process of expanding. Active cooperation with EU and NATO is crucial to maintain independence and sovereignty of the non-member countries, and to assist them in strengthening their economy and defense capabilities, said Irakli Kobakhidze.Georgia is fulfilling its commitment - "I would like to emphasize that Georgia makes ambitious reforms to fulfill NATO membership criteria. The recent constitutional reform has created a comprehensive framework for long-term democratic and stable development.Georgia's participation in international peacekeeping missions: We participate in international missions and thus contributing to global peace and security.Ten years after the Bucharest agreement, Georgia is ready to join NATO: We believe that Georgia is ready to join NATO. 10 years ago, NATO member states agreed in Bucharest that Georgia would definitely become a member of the Euro-Atlantic family.Russia, as a major threat to regional security: Even now, when we are talking about future of regional security, Moscow is intensively expanding its military resources across the occupied territories.Violation of Human Rights on the Occupied Territories and creeping occupation: Human rights in Georgia's occupied territories is quite difficult, and the creeping occupation of Georgia is a clear expression of Russias aggressive policy.International community should answer Russia: The strong position of the international community is of crucial importance and it should be a clear message to Russia that her aggressive policy against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia and other countries in the region, is totally unacceptable "The importance of the black sea region: Peace and stability in the Black Sea region will give us the opportunity to cooperative in the field of business, energy, innovations and technologies, culture and other areas.Paolo Ali, President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, said in his speech that one day Georgia will become a member of NATO and that until then, it is necessary to deepen the cooperation.This kind of seminars and workshops, which are dedicated to increasing public awareness about NATO, are very important to Georgia, as the Euro-Atlantic course is the only way to maintain the sovereignty and security of the country. Most of the population supports the Euro-Atlantic integration of the country, but according to surveys of National Democratic Institute (NDI), this indicator is gradually decreasing.The reason for the survey results, on the one hand, is a result of aggressive Russian information warfare and on the other hand, it could be a result of the societys frustration. It is a suspicious chronology. Last year, federal officials, under pressure from President Donald Trump to get tougher on immigration, proposed separating children from parents who are trying to enter the United States without documents. This was intended as deterrence. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has said that policy is not in place. On Sunday, the New York Times after being denied DHS records that would test that claim published an article that reports that since October, more than 700 children were removed from adults who said they were their parents. More than 100 were under the age of 4. The Times back-doored the investigation, getting documents from the Office of Refugee Resettlement, the Department of Health and Human Services agency tasked with caring for children separated from the undocumented adults claiming to be the childrens parents. DHS says it does not separate these children from these adults as a matter of deterrence. Instead, its done for the protection of the children and if there is some doubt about whether the adults are actually the parents. It is clear that some adults do bring their real children because theyve heard this will speed their release and that of their children from detention more quickly. And there have actually been cases in which adults are bringing in children not their own. But how does DHS arrive at these decisions to separate? The Times article says that there is no firm process to determine whether they have been separated from someone who was legitimately their parent, or for reunited parents and children who have been mistakenly separated, quoting an unnamed Border Patrol official who was not authorized to discuss the agencys policies publicly. A few questions arise. If there is no deterrence policy in place, why the DHS reticence to release its records? And since there is no firm process to determine the parentage of the children, how are these separation decisions being made? Just gut reactions? Because the children dont look like the adult? These would be flimsy reasons to separate a child from a real parent, particularly since people arriving from, say, Central American countries without records cannot prove or disprove the claim. Generally, the families are fleeing violence. A couple of possible solutions present themselves: 1. Give asylum claims the weight they deserve. 2. If the agency is going to separate children from the adults they arrive with, it should do so with clear policy guidelines. But, at present, this nonpolicy policy has all the earmarks of being done in furtherance of the administrations stated wish to deter incoming immigrants by taking away their children. Once said by the big bosses, these types of things cant be unsaid and, perhaps, unacted upon. Theres a word for that: inhumane. In the runoff election for the Democratic nomination in Congressional District 23, we recommend Gina Ortiz Jones. A former intelligence officer with the U.S. Air Force, Jones has an impressive record of accomplishment and a deep understanding of local, national and international issues. She faces Rick Trevino, a local teacher who recently ran for City Council and was a Bernie Sanders delegate in the 2016 election. Re: Rock star aviator a rock-solid individual; Southwest pilot known for coolness, front page, April 19: There is only one person who should have been considered for the Holiday River Parade grand marshal Tammie Jo Shults for her great skill as pilot of Southwest Airlines Flight 1380. She exemplified coolness under fire, just as Chesley Sully Sullenberger did when he landed his plane in the East River. Pete Siegel Health care question When I hear an American say, Health care is a privilege, not a right, I wonder why such people reach a point where they think people should die because they cannot afford health care. What is wrong with them? We are the only civilized nation without government health care for our people. Why? Jim Denton, Gatesville Bluer pastures Re: Lone Star lunacy, Your Turn, Sunday: I have a great solution for this letter writer and every like-minded liberal. Move. If you flee to loony blue California, you will not have to curse our elected leadership, from the governor on down. Instead, you will have Moonbeam Brown and the like. Just be ready to be submissive to the homeless and illegal immigrants who will get preferential treatment. On the other hand, since there are so many letters to this newspaper from people afflicted with Trump derangement syndrome, maybe they can do one better and move to Canada or some other bluish country. I promise you wont be missed not by a whole lot of us, anyway. Gene Petersen Going backward With the election of Barack Obama in 2008 as president of the most powerful country in the world, I felt the nation had taken a significant step forward. The election of a racial minority member broke down barriers in place for centuries. Why, we might even elect a woman someday, I thought at the time. With the election of Donald Trump in 2016, Im afraid the the nation has taken two (or more) steps back. Under his leadership and the practices that he employs, radical groups of all types have become emboldened to perform acts contrary to the image most of us see as the honorable American. Extreme acts of racial, ethnic and political violence have increased during his term in office. Many years ago, my uncle told his high school teacher it was so cold outside that while walking to school, for every step I took forward, I slid back two. Then how did you ever get to class? his teacher asked. His response: I turned around and walked backward. Maybe his insight contains a lesson from which all of us can learn. Bill Holland Dangerous objects Re: Guns dont kill, Your Turn, Saturday: I wonder against which inanimate object the letter writer would have a better chance of survival with if he was attacked at a school or a mall. Would he have a better chance of survival if the sick and careless person had a knife, a Glock or an AR-15? They are all inanimate! J. Luis Rojas AN off-duty Zimbabwean soldier was shot dead in cold-blood at a shopping centre in Hillbrow, Johannesburg, in South Africa on Monday. The deceased, identified as Phakamile Ncube from Mtshabezi near Gwanda, had gone to South Africa for shopping, when he was gunned down by a suspected security guard in Hillbrow. Zimbabwe Defence Forces spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Alphios Makotore yesterday confirmed the incident and said the army would assist in repatriating his body for burial. He was our member and on official leave. He must have, like any other citizen, gone to that country to visit. We will assist in all possible ways in his burial, Makotore said. South African police spokesperson, Vish Naidoo referred NewsDay to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate spokesperson, Moses Dlamini, who declined to comment on the matter. A close relative said Ncube was gunned down after being in Johannesburg for a week and was about to travel back home. He went into a Discount Foods Shop and bought large carrier bags known as tshangani bags. A man now known to be a security guard at the supermarket followed him and placed a gun on the back of his neck and killed him, a relative narrated, saying they suspected that the two could have had an altercation before the incident. Other sources said the attacker was a robber, who had earlier tried to rob Ncube inside the shop but failed. Ncube was reported to have succumbed to excessive bleeding, as the ambulance only arrived at the scene to pick him up after an hour. Had the ambulance arrived earlier, this man could have been saved, a close family member, who declined to be named, said. NewsDay Breaking News via Email Loading... Related Zimbabwe Latest News An angry Nigerian has had enough of the messy governance of some lousy Nigerian politicians and has threatened to go after them. The man identified as Ojeligbo Ayika on Facebook has taken to his page to post pictures of guns, as he said he is fed up with the Nigerian government and it's politicians. In his post he shared, he mentioned all PDP members will die as he plans to go after them one by one, saying they have brought misery to the country. READ ALSO: Dont jump on every and any offer - Beverly Osu advises BBNaija 2018 housemates He narrated that things were fairer at Goodluck Jonathan's regime, saying Buhari's regime is the worst, lamenting on how his close friend who left for Dubai refused to come back because Nigeria is in a mess. He wrote: All the PDP member will die today, my guy just went to Dubai to buy somethings for the first time, now he is telling me he will not be coming back again saying nigeria was hell fire for People to be staying, the time of Goodluck people are saying that bag of rice is 8000, while buhari time is 20k, I now ask how much is crude oil then and now, forgetting that man shall not leave by the bread alone, where is the infrastructure nothing to show, his telling me that Dubai police are using the latest cars our politician are using with escort. Am going after them one by one." PAY ATTENTION: Get best news on Nigeria's #1 news app Man threatens to kill all Nigerian politicians. Source: Ojeligbo Ayika/Facebook. Nigerian youths reply to President Buhari over 'lazy' comment trailer. - on Legit.ng TV Source: Legit.ng - Nigerian soldiers have arrested some suspected militias in Nasarawa state - The operation was carried out alongside the Nigeria Police Force - The suspects were apprehended at Ugyi town in Toto local government area of the state Troops of 177 Guards Battalion on Tuesday, April 24 in conjunction with the Nigeria Police while on raid operation in Ugyi town, Toto local government area of Nasarawa state arrested some suspected militias. According to a statement sent to Legit.ng by the director army public relations, Brigadier-General Texas Chukwu, the suspects are all from Gbassa tribe of the state. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app Their names were given as Mr James Job Usman Unani Samson Baba Muhammad Sani Dauda Gimba Items recovered from them include: One Daihatsu SUV jeep Seven motorcycles Six Dane guns One locally made revolver pistol Four 9mm rounds of ammunition and a cartridge Twenty six daggers wish names and phone numbers written on each One sword Forty pieces of customized regalia A cash of one thousand two hundred and five naira only as well as assorted charms. Legit.ng gathered that preliminary investigation is ongoing and the suspects will be handed over to the appropriate authority on completion of the investigation. READ ALSO: Troops arrest suspected kidnappers in Kaduna Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army has declared five suspects wanted in Taraba state in line with the on going military exercise Ayem Akpatuma. Legit.ng gathered that the suspects were declared wanted for their alleged roles in the killings in Takum local government area in particular and Taraba state in general. TY Danjuma, Nigerian army and the herdsmen crisis | Legit.ng TV Source: Legit - Cee-C recently made a declaration on social media that most people agree with - The BBNaija ex housemate reveals that she was going for anger management and counselling - She will begin after her media rounds are done BBNaija 2018 has come and gone but the housemates did enough to leave a lasting impression on the minds of millions of Nigerians who watched them. None made an impression on people as much as Cynthia Nwadiora aka Cee-C. Her tirades, antics and reactions to issues in the house were often debated online for days on end. Many admired her outbursts saying she is a strong woman who is highly opinionated. Others felt she was a difficult person who was prone to outbursts of anger for the littlest reasons. READ ALSO: Wizkid offers to help another young fan to school As a result of the latter, these people thought she needed to visit a counsellor who would help her deal with her obvious anger issues. In a recent chat with fans online, Cee-C revealed that after the necessary media rounds, she will be visiting a counsellor as the whole thing had been arranged. The fan asked; Will you go for counselling? She replied: Sure maam, its been arranged, after the media tour. This is coming after TBoss; another ex-housemate of BBNaija said she would love to meet Cee-C in person. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android and read the best news about Nigeria BBNaija Finale 2018: Nigerians share their thoughts on Cee-C, Miracle - Street Gist| Legit.ng TV Source: Legit - The Sultan of Sokoto has urged herdsmen to fish out criminals among them - The Miyetti Allah said those responsible for the killings are bandit - It also said herdsmen have lost two million cattle to them The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria has said that the Sultan of Sokoto has given them two months to fish out the killer elements among them. The Punch reports that Alhaji Mohammadu Kiruwa who is the national president of the association disclosed this in Benin at a peace meeting with farmers on Wednesday, April 25. READ ALSO: Dino Melaye has not eaten in 24 hours - Saraki speaks after visiting him in hospital Represented by the national secretary, Alhaji Baba Ngelzarma, Kiruwa said the attacks were carried out by bandits. He said: The Sultan of Sokoto has given us a two-month mandate to fish out criminal elements among the herdsmen in the country. If those things (killings) that have been alleged have been done by the herdsmen, we must do all we could to fish out the criminal elements. He (Sultan) has given us the mandate and, in two months, he wants us to give him results. We have talked with our members and have also heard from them. We also taught them how we want them to behave because they are at the receiving end when trouble starts. We are here for peace; we are here to condemn the atrocities in whatever form by whoever. We are not a terrorist group. But we are a peace-loving association and that is why we have His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto, as the chairman (of the) board of trustees of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeder Association and we have other members like the Emir of Kano. We have the Lamido of Adamawa and the Emir of Katsina; these are other trustees of the association. Today, it is on record that our members have lost about two million cows as a result of cattle rustling. Our members also suffer from the hands of the kidnappers. Our members were not spared by the farmers and cattle breeders dispute. Although we know we have our fault there because of the relationship between the tongue and teeth; so, such a thing (dispute) is bound to happen. Those moving with sophisticated weapons are not cattle herders but cattle rustlers. We have had talks with our members and advised them on what to in relationship with their host communities." Meanwhile, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, the governor of Kogi on Tuesday, April 17, set up a judicial commission of inquiry to look into the suspected herdsmen attacks in the Ogane-Nigwu, Ojuwo-Ajimadi and Agbenema-Ife areas of the state. PAY ATTENTION: Get the Latest Nigerian News Anywhere 24/7. Spend less on the Internet! The committee, which comprise fourteen men, is to determine the immediate and remote causes of the crisis in the affected communities, identify individuals or group of persons responsible for the mayhem, the Punch reports. The committee was also to ascertain the extent of damage done to lives and properties in the incidents and make recommendations for the restoration of peace and order as well as finding ways of preventing a repeat of such occurrences. TY Danjuma, Nigerian army and the herdsmen crisis on Legit.ng TV Source: Legit.ng - People are still talking about Miracles win of Big Brother Naija - One Nigerian man thinks the pilot has sold his soul to the devil for fame - He also wrote that Miracle has become a member of mystic group Illuminati Miracles win of popular reality show Big Brother Naija is still eliciting responses from a large number of fans of the show. Some are very happy that their favourite housemate went home with the prize money and other goodies; there are some who feel his win is not ordinary. An unidentified Nigerian man while chatting with a friend on WhatsApp alleged that Miracle and the other housemates sold their soul to the devil for fame. BBNaija winner Miracle READ ALSO: Wizkid offers to help another young fan to school He also said they all joined mystic group Illuminati just so they can become celebrities. Not done, he alleged that popular musician Tekno is also a member of the group if not, why did he offer to give Miracle N1million? See screenshots of their discussion below: PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android and read the best news about Nigeria BBNaija Finale 2018: Nigerians share their thoughts on Cee-C, Miracle - Street Gist| Legit.ng TV Source: Legit - A family in Lagos has accused a police officer identified as Henry of kidnapping, molested, and impregnated their 16-year old girl - Upon noticing that the victim was pregnant, the family sent her to the village in Anambra - CSP Mohammed Sanusi, the officer in charge of SARS Ikeja, CSP Mohammed Sanusi dismissed the allegation, adding that no underaged person has been detained in custody since he assumed ofice The family of an unnamed 16-year-old girl has petitioned the inspector general of police, Ibrahim Idris, over allegation that one Officer Henry at the Ojo Division, Lagos state police command abducted, molested, tortured and impregnated her. The victims family said the girl has since given birth to a baby five month ago, remarking that she was forced to relocate to her village in Anambra because of the incident, the Vanguard reports. READ ALSO: Nigerian army will make report on Danjumas allegations public - Buratai Chukwudumaga Obadike, the victims elder sister, stated: On May 8, 2017, I discovered that my 16-year-old younger sister was missing. Later that evening, we reported it at Ajangbadi police station in Lagos. However, two months after, to our surprise, on July 10, I was arrested by policemen from Ojo Division, that my sister, whom I had declared missing, was wanted at the station for allegedly stealing N1.5 million from one of their officers identified as Officer Henry. I told them that we were looking for her and had declared her missing. The policemen went to Ajangbadi police station with me to ascertain if truly I reported her missing. They wanted to lock me up but I resisted. They later released me by 11 pm and told us to report at the station the following day. Chukwudumaga said the family was able to bring the victim back to Lagos. She said: My sister said Officer Henry met her on her way home the day she went missing and took her to a hotel where he raped her." "She said Officer Henry abducted her, kept her in his house and his wife was using her as a maid and Officer Henry would rape her anytime his wife was not at home. When contacted about the incident, CSP Mohammed Sanusi, the officer in charge of Department of State Security Service (SARS) Ikeja, CSP Mohammed Sanusi dismissed the allegation. PAY ATTENTION: Get the Latest Nigerian News Anywhere 24/7. Spend less on the Internet! Sanusi remarked: I do not allow underaged persons to be detained in SARS cell under my watch. Maybe, they were doing that before I came but since I came here, no underaged person has been detained. Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that Commissioner Imohimi Edgal of the Lagos state command of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) had paraded Taiwo Oyelabi, a 50-year-old man for allegedly molesting, abusing and impregnating his 21-year-old daughter. Oyelabi was paraded among other suspects on Monday, April 23, at the police headquarters where Edgal revealed some successes recorded recently by the law enforcement agency. If any police officer misbehaves with you, call any of these numbers - On Legit.ng TV Source: Legit - Herdsmen have been declared innocent in the ongoing killings in some parts of the country - Okupe, a former senior special assistant to former president Goodluck Jonathan made this known on Facebook - He alleged that ISIS terrorists were responsible for the gruesome killings Doyin Okupe, a former senior special assistant on public affairs to former president Goodluck Jonathan has absolved herdsmen of any wrong doing in the gruesome and countless killings going on in some parts of the country. Okupe, who made his position known in a Facebook post declared that the terrorist group, Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) or Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), is responsible for the killings in Nigeria. READ ALSO: Dino Melaye has not eaten in 24 hours - Saraki speaks after visiting him in hospital "For God's sake, Benue killings not by herdsmen. These are ISIS terrorists. Armed local vigilante backed by police or army is the solution," Okupe wrote. He also called for the arming of local vigilante and backed by the police or army. Okupe, a well known outspoken personality is a politician who is believed in some quarters to enjoy controversies. In 2017, while announcing his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), he famously said in a statement: I want to belong to a political party that will be able to publicly state its position on troubling national issues like, requests for self determination by a section of the country, resource control, federalism and restructuring, religious intolerance, atrocities of Fulani Herdsman, unequal standards in national university admission policy, and many more. Any political party that does not have an openly stated position on these issues is a mere association of elites coming together only to feather their own nests. He had once described the ruling All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party as dead parties that belong to the graveyard. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app In fact, while cerebrating his exit from the party, Legit.ng had reported that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ogun state chapter, accused Doyin Okupe of seeking the downfall of the PDP, describing his exit as a good thing. PDP women lament on the state of the nation: We are suffering - on Legit.ng TV: Source: Legit - The Nigerian government has called for total elimination of nuclear weapons - Nigerias permanent representative to the UN presented the countrys statement in Geneva - He said the existence of nuclear weapons is a threat to global peaceful co-existence Nigeria has described nuclear weapons as inhumane and advised states for the total elimination of their nuclear weapons. Ambassador Kadiri Audu, Nigerias permanent representative to the UN Offices in Geneva, made the call while delivering Nigerias statement at the General Debate in Geneva, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports. The debate was on the second preparatory meeting of the 2020 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty of the Non-Proliferation (NPT) of Nuclear Weapons. READ ALSO: Why I am the right candidate for Ekiti people - Ojudu The Nigerian envoy said: Our world is not safer today than it was yesterday. Nuclear weapons remain a major threat to humanity and to global peaceful co-existence. From the threats posed by the early generations of atomic bombs, we are now faced with a collection of modern, and far more powerful lethal weapons, whose detonation could spell doom for our entire planet. Nigeria considers the current and existential threat of nuclear weapons unacceptable. As States Parties, it is our obligation to work concertedly to avert the catastrophic consequences of their possible use or threat of use. As a result, we must not allow this auspicious conference pass into history without targeted outcomes. We must seize the opportunity it offers to reaffirm our commitment to the NPT. According to him, NPT is a pivotal instrument for ultimately achieving the global collective resolve to eliminate nuclear weapons from the arsenal of States. Nigeria reaffirmed its support for the goal of general and complete disarmament, saying we believe that nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation are mutually reinforcing. Kadiri said indeed, nuclear disarmament remained the only effective path to non-proliferation, pointing out Nigerias unrelenting commitment to a nuclear-free world by its ratification of several non-proliferation protocols. These are the 1997 model additional protocol, the safeguards agreements with the International Atomic Energy Agency, the entry into force of the Treaty of Pelindaba, and as a co-sponsor of the de-alerting resolution. It is imperative that Non-nuclear weapons states are assured against the threat or impact of the deployment of nuclear weapons under a legally binding framework. To preserve the mutual trust necessary to safeguard existing assurances, the moratorium on nuclear testing should be maintained. In addition, we support the growing focus on the humanitarian consequences of the use of nuclear weapons, the Nigerian envoy said. Nigeria said it continued to welcome any gesture by nuclear-armed States to reduce their stockpile adding, however, its highest expectation is for these States to wholly eliminate their nuclear arsenals. He encouraged states not yet party to the NPT to cease developing and testing these weapons of mass destruction, while also welcoming the growing diplomatic initiatives on the Korean Peninsula. The Nigerian permanent representative said: The African Nuclear Weapons Free Zone Treaty (Treaty of PELINDABA) continues to consolidate on the objective for its establishment. Besides promoting the Pelindaba Treaty, Nigeria fully supports the establishment of free zones across all regions, including in the Middle East. We are conscious that no nation is safe in the event of a successful act of nuclear terrorism. In this regard, Nigeria remains a constructive supporter of all efforts to promote Nuclear Security. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1new app Kadiri reaffirmed Nigerias strong commitment to meeting its obligations under the treaty and pledged his delegations preparedness to engage constructively in the course of this conference. Legit.ng previously reported that the Nigerian government warned that the continued existence of nuclear weapons remains a threat to all mankind. The government stated this in its statement to the general debate of the 2018 substantive session of the UN disarmament commission by Faisal Ibrahim, first secretary, permanent mission of Nigeria to the UN. It highlighted the 1996 advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which affirmed that the threat or use of nuclear weapons constitutes a crime against humanity. The country added that the ICJs opinion also affirmed that the threat or use of nuclear weapons constituted a violation of international law, including international humanitarian law. What is working well and what needs improvement in Nigeria? - on Legit.ng TV: Source: Legit.ng President Muhammadu Buhari has arrived Bauchi state for his scheduled two-day working visit. The president arrived the state on Thursday, April 26. The Punch reports that he was welcomed by the governors of Bauchi and Adamawa states, Muhammed Abubakar and Mohammed Jibrilla at Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa International Airport, Bauchi. Also present to receive him were some ministers. President Buhari and Bauchi governor acknowledging cheers from residents. Credit: Aso Rock READ ALSO: Dino Melaye has not eaten in 24 hours - Saraki speaks after visiting him in hospital Legit.ng had reported that Governor Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar of Bauchi state declared Thursday April 26, as a public holiday ahead of President Muhammadu Buhari's two day visit to the state. The massive crowd that welcomed Buhari to Bauchi. Credit: Aso Rock According to a statement sent to Legit.ng by the special adviser, media and strategy to the governor, Ali Ali, the holiday was declared to enable all and sundry give the president a rousing reception tomorrow. Buhari receives a rousing welcome in Bauchi. Credit: Aso Rock While in Bauchi, the president is expected to commission some projects especially roads and flag off the distribution of 500 tractors to farmers in the state. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app With flags and posters, they welcomed Buhari. Credit: Aso Rock Earlier in a broadcast to the state, the governor had enjoined the people of the state to come out enmasse to receive the president when he arrives the state. EXCLUSIVE: Be patient with President Buhari, Femi Adesina tells Nigerians on Legit.ng TV Source: Legit.ng News - INEC has released timetable for Osun gubernatorial election - The commission said that election activities would commence on June 23 with the release of notice of election - It said that the political parties would commence a public campaign on June 24 The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Osun has released the timetable for the conduct of the states September 22 governorship election. Legit.ng gathered that while presenting the timetable to newsmen on Thursday, April 26, in Osogbo, the newly appointed Osun Resident Electoral Commissioner, Olusegun Agbaje, said election activities would commence on June 23 with the release of Notice of Election by INEC. READ ALSO: Buhari finally reveals how his government will spend recovered looted funds Agbaje said political parties would commence a public campaign on June 24 while candidates for elections and their parties would have the opportunities to obtain forms at INEC headquarters from June 25. The REC said that party primaries and resolution of disputes arising from the primaries would hold from June 24 to July 23. The last day for withdrawal of candidate(s) and replacement of withdrawn candidate(s) by political parties would be August 8 while the last day for the submission of nomination forms would be August 22. The last day of campaigns will be September 20, while the election proper will hold on September 22 as provided in section 178 (2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), he said. Agbaje said that as part of the commissions roadmap for the election, Continuous Voter Registration had been extended at the 332 wards in the state from April 11 to April 16. He said those who were newly captured would undergo Automatic Finger Identification System before their names would be ratified and added to the present list of registered voters in Osun. The REC reassured that the PVC for registered voters in the state would be distributed before the governorship election on Sept. 22. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app Agbaje said that 411,438 PVCs were yet to be collected in the state. (NAN) Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously reported that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) warned candidates contesting the July 14 governorship election in Ekiti state against inducing voters with cash. President Buhari on 2019 presidential election: will you vote for him? | - on Legit.ng TV Source: Legit - Ilesanmi Babatunde Yemi, a final year accounting student of Ekiti State University, is sent to prison in Ibadan for alleged fraud - His remand follows an arraignment by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission - He pleads not guilty to allegation of impersonating an American Army officer to defraud victims The Ibadan zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned Ilesanmi Babatunde Yemi, a final year accounting student of Ekiti State University, before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan, Oyo state. Yemi was arraigned on Thursday, April 26, on a five-count charge bordering on alleged advanced fee fraud and money laundering. According to the EFCC, the travail of Babatunde, 31, followed a petition alleging that he engages in internet love and romance scams. READ ALSO: Breaking: Former PDP national chairman to defect to APC with supporters Legit.ng learnt that he allegedly posesd on the internet as an American Army officer by the name Dennis Martinez serving in Libya. The defendant allegedly engaged unsuspecting ladies on the internet in a dating and romance scam through which he fleeces them of their money. The last victims were two ladies from Australia who he allegedly obtained money to the tune of about $500 from in tranches, according to the EFCC. The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against him. The EFCC counsel, Sanusi Galadanchi, then applied for a trial date and urged the court to remand the defendant in prison custody. The alleged fraudster. Credit: EFCC Defence counsel, Olatunde Adeoye, informed the court of an application for bail dated and filed today, 26 April, 2018. He thereafter prayed the court to allow the defendant remain in the EFCC's custody pending the hearing of his bail application. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app Justice Abdulmalik however, ordered that the defendant be remanded in the federal prison, Agodi, pending the hearing of his application. The case was adjourned to May 8, 2018 for hearing of the bail application. Legit.ng earlier reported that the lawmaker representing Delta North in the Senate, Peter Nwaoboshi, who had been detained for days by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), was arraigned before a Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday, April 25. According to the charge sheet, Nwaoboshi is charged alongside two companie, Golden Touch Construction Projects Ltd, and Suiming Electricals Ltd on a two-count charge of money laundering. Nigerian youths reply to President Buhari over 'lazy' comment | Legit.ng TV Source: Legit This week, theres a lot of noise on the Brexit front, and I feel a big remiss in not writing it up. But I am not sure how consequential much of it will prove to be. For instance, the House of Lords has delivered Theresa May a series of embarrassing defeats, ranging on demanding that she report to them down the road on the efforts she had made to keep the UK in the customs union (when May is committed to leaving) to voting to limit the so-called Henry VIII powers, which is the authority the Government sought to do mass rewrites of existing legislation, allegedly merely minor edits so it will all work post Brexit. But the problem is in most cases it is nowhere near this tidy, and the legislature sensibly doesnt want to give the executive a blank check to rejigger huge swathes of law. But this flip side is that the having both Houses review the huge volume of laws that need to be revised is a mammoth task that no one seems the foggiest idea how to get done. The reason I have not taken these votes as seriously as perhaps I should is they seem more important as a barometer of rising public doubt about Brexit and the diminishing of the sense of inevitability of May pushing through her idea of Brexit, despite the EU having already said no to lots of parts, like being super nice to British banks or indulging Ireland techno border fantasies, and other bits not even being doable, like having any new trade deals in place by the end of 2020.1 I dont pretend to understand UK legislative procedure, but the commentary Ive seen suggested that the risk to May was that the House of Commons might affirm some of these votes, meaning that by themselves, they arent dispositive. Nevertheless, this rebellion of sorts has led to lots of pontificating by officials and pundits on the issue of whether the UK should stay in the customs union. Poor Richard North has been tearing his hair on his website, since the focus on this question demonstrates how badly informed the UK officialdom is. What all the soft Brexit advocates want is to have a frictionless border, as in no customs checks. A customs union does not achieve that. It simply means no tariffs. The EU and Turkey have a customs union, but there is a hard border between Turkey and the EU. North has been posting almost obsessively on this topic for the last week, since the press and MPs have been getting this issue wrong in just about as many was as one possibly could. Here is the core of his argument: the assembled cretins will consider a motion which notes the importance of frictionless trade with the EU for British manufactures and further notes that the free circulation of goods on the island of Ireland is a consequence of the UK and Republic of Irelands membership of the EU customs union. Not one of them, it seems, is capable of reading the consolidated treaties, but if any of them had the wit to do so, Article 28 would tell them that: The Union shall comprise a customs union which shall cover all trade in goods and which shall involve the prohibition between Member States of customs duties on imports and exports and of all charges having equivalent effect, and the adoption of a common customs tariff in their relations with third countries.On the other hand, Article 26(2) gives them the definition of the internal market (aka Single Market), which shall comprise an area without internal frontiers in which the free movement of goods, persons, services and capital is ensured in accordance with the provisions of the Treaties. From this, it could not be clearer that the free movement of goods which depends on the absence of internal frontiers stems from the internal market, and not the customs union. And we have more examples of UK delusion, like The Sun report, Theresa May to issue 50-page dossier of Brexit trade demands to outmanoeuvre Brussels. Theres no outmaneuver to be had. First, EU leaders and chief negotiator Michel Barnier have voiced their frustration for the better part of a year that the UK has yet to say what sort of future relationship, as in trade deal, it wants. So now that it is turning to this long overdue task, the UK wants its great unwashed public to think this is a wonderfully effective gambit? Second, from the very morning after the Brexit vote, the EU has stated what its red lines are, like Any deal has to fit within the parameters of the arrangements we have with other countries and its corollary, No cherry picking. The UK needs to make choices, not convince itself it can somehow get around the parameters the EU has set. Third, 50 pages is bupkis for a topic as complicated as this. The UKs position papers have been long on hot air and thin on substance. Maybe this one will be better now that time is running short, but I would not hold my breath. With that long-winded aside, well turn to the matter of the day, which is a conundrum posed via e-mail. Is a proposed travel authorisation merely a minor post-Brexit nuisance, or is it also another layer of the Ireland border problem? Reader AFXH sent a link to this tweet: EU ambassadors confirm agreement on #ETIAS Visa-exempt third country nationals will need to obtain a travel authorisation to the Schengen area. " We will be better able to stop those who may pose a threat to our citizens," said @EU2018BG min. Radevhttps://t.co/9IPUDjwDRR pic.twitter.com/dM76Qa9At9 EU Council Press (@EUCouncilPress) April 25, 2018 Courtesy Richard Smith, the Independent explains whats up in Brexit: Britons set to be charged 7 fee to visit EU countries under new Brussels plans:2 British travellers are likely to be hit by the scheme after Brexit, which is set to apply to all visa-exempt countries outside the EU, except those in the EEA/EFTA, which maintain free movement with the union. Under the new European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) people coming into the Schengen area would need to fill out an online form ahead of their trip and apply for travel authorisation, as well as pay the fee. Now this is merely a tiny bit of hassle and costuntil you recall that Ireland is not part of the Schengen area. PlutoniumKun writes: On purely face value, this seems to say that post Brexit UK citizens would need a travel authorisation (how is this different from a visa?) to enter a Schengen country. Thats an obvious big deal for a lot of people. It creates another problem for Ireland. The primary reason Ireland never joined Schengen is that it was seen as essential to maintain the open border with NI. While officially both Ireland and the UK opted out separately, in reality this meant that Ireland took the UKs lead in policy for incoming travellers to prevent NI becoming a back door for illegal immigrants, etc. Although London would not admit it, the real immigration control to the UK occurs not at its borders, but on the sea borders, as nobody really bothers much about (for example) foreign students in the Republic crossing over to visit Belfast without bothering to get a visa. There are checks on buses and trains (not at the border, but at stations and on the trains), but its quite informal. So, if this is as it seems, its a major problem for Brexit, this time made in the EU. It would mean Ireland could never join Schengen without having passport control on the NI border, as otherwise there would be an obvious back door into the Schengen. Or there would have to be a fudge that the real border would be at Irish ferry ports and Airports. In other words, this seems to be another nail in the Tory/DUP fantasy that they can come up with anything other than the EUs backstop of a sea border as the solution for the Ireland conundrum. And when they wake up to the implications of this authorisation requirement, they may try to depict is as a perfidious ploy to punish the UK. In fact, it may well be EU timing is in fact intended to reinforce the point that the UK hasnt and is pretty much guaranteed not to find an alternative to the sea border solution. But the juveniles who seem to be in charge in the UK dont like the EU having to play parent, when in reality the EU never dreamed it would be cast in that role. ____ 1 In fairness, the UK could probably get one with the US by then if it were working on it in a serious way nowonly because the US imposes rather than negotiates deals. It dictates terms and lets its counterparty get a few token concessions to save face. 2 It has been a while since I went to Europe, sadly, and perhaps I am hallucinating, but I remember paying a ~$10 fee at some pointwhich I recall was an exit fee, and I had to manage my currency to make sure I had the cash on hand to pay it. If thats correct, this fee should come as no surprise whatsoever. It goes with being a third country. If my memory is accurate, the change isnt in having a fee, its in when it is charged, as well as requiring travelers to provide more information than in the past. Were turing again to TSBs botched effort to transfer all of its users to a new computer system over the past weekend, where the bank is still bleeding from a major artery. The TSB Train Wreck Continues In yet another effort at porcine maquillage, the CEO today tried claiming everything was fine. Our mobile banking app and online banking are now up and running. Thank you for your patience and for bearing with us. Paul Pester (@PaulPester) April 25, 2018 That didnt last long. Again from Paul Pester: The challenge we are facing at the moment is that while we know everything is working, one of the main ways that our customers see everything is working through our internet banking and mobile app isnt functioning as well as it should be, and for this Im truly sorry. I can appreciate how frustrating this must be for our customers. As Financial Times reader Paper Chase remarked: The level of contradiction in this statement is beyond my comprehension. The bank later stated that only about half the online customers could access their accounts, as if the only problem was now capacity. Per the Guardian: TSB said internet banking was operating at 50% of capacity, which means that for every 10 customers only five will be able to access this service. Mobile banking was operating at around 90% of capacity, the bank said in a statement issued at about 4pm. It appears the bank has a different idea of what operating means than customers do. Twitter was rife with complaints from users that while they could finally get into their accounts, they saw alarming errors and/or had difficulty performing transactions. These tweets are from the late afternoon and early evening UK time: Just entered log in details to get this message #tsb @TSB this is beyond a joke now! When I eventually got in it now wont let me make payments #TSBFAIL pic.twitter.com/M7Kp966T4H Cheryl Ewing (@shallotohgravy) April 25, 2018 #tsbfail ERROR_SISTEMA showing at 18:01 so still cannot pay my Utility Bills! I hope the Utility Companies appreciate this is TSB and not me !! Mary George (@marygeo6) April 25, 2018 @PaulPester @TSB TSB are complete liars! Ive been on hold trying to get though for 45-50 mins now and keep getting cut off! Dont tell you have a problem with your phone lines now? I still cant make a transfer on my mobile banking app! Sick to death of it now! #TSB #TSBFAIL Anne Morton (@amorton66) April 25, 2018 Oh @tsb, to say these problems are down to bandwidth really sounds dubious. And the lack of incident management on this is almost unbelievable. As someone who works in IT Im horrified at how this has been handled! #tsbfail julie ballantyne (@julieballantyne) April 25, 2018 It's getting worse as the day goes on. I can't login online at all now!! I'm locked out of the app as its trying to text me on a number I changed 3 years ago. To say the system is running is complete bollox @PaulPester #tsb #tsbfail pic.twitter.com/6AlLQlOR6d Jobseeker (@Anonymous_Nottz) April 25, 2018 Needless to say, the potential damage goes beyond late bill payments and inability to access funds, which bites for stay-at-homes who cant go to a bank branch and people with large expenses in coming days, such as for a wedding. CEO Pester also claimed that TSBs engine room was working fine and that scheduled payments and transfers were all being processed. Given that the top management of TSB was high-fiving a successful launch over the weekend, its ability to make accurate self-assesments seems pretty impaired. As Richard Smith and some parties on Twitter noted, there are signs of data mapping and potentially even data corruption, such as some customers getting logged into other individuals accounts, quite a few reports of mortgages disappearing or having incorrect information. These complaints in the Guardian also contradict Pesters cheery reassurance that transactions are being processed correctly despite appearances otherwise: Small businesses were unable to pay salaries or manage transactions, while some account holders found all their direct debits had disappeared and others reported that their cards were declined when shopping. And Clive pointed out earlier in the week that Pesters own remarks acknoweldged that some, Lord only knows how much, customer data has been lost: But the bigger picture which is obscured by the helping us to help you advice from the CEO is excuse me WTF is a bank which cannot maintain an accurate ledger or record of customer product holdings? And Pesters statement is tantamount to an admission that, for some correcting entries, they are going to have to rely on a customer telling them what they (TSB) need to go away and put right rather than the bank being able to reconstruct a valid account history, apply misposted transactions or reunite orphaned product holdings with their rightful owners. I for one have a rough idea about what should or should not have been posted to my account but I dont keep a comprehensive shadow set of records. If TSB has so broken its CRM and accounting data that it needs customers to tell it whats missing then customers will have lost money for sure or else have credits on their accounts or be assigned ownership of products which arent really theirs which they might inadvertently draw on only to find out much later down the line they have to reimburse the bank because they werent entitled to the funds. Richard Smith flagged this as one of several examples of a spectacular example of a data mapping problem: #TSB I can't get through to customer services, been cut off after 15 mins on hold. My user ID had been swapped with my memorable info and my password isn't recognised so tried to change it and told new one can't match the old? It's been 5 days & I can't eat/travel I need my money sarah clark (@sarahcl42953252) April 25, 2018 I would assume that data mapping problems dont often occur in isolation. So TSB has data integrity problems. On top of that, you have the potential for hackers to make off with funds or do damage to records while trying. From the Financial Times: In its Sunderland call centre, stressed staff were offered free fruit to keep their spirits and vitamin C levels up as they dealt with thousands of angry customers. Two people with knowledge of the situation said workers lacked confidence in the security checks intended to weed out fraudulent attempts to take advantage of the confusion. Several staff walked out. Lets step back a bit and see what this says about the state of banking. How Did This Screw-Up Happen? On the one hand, as the sorry story of TSBs cack-handed effort to move to a new system is likely to show, that Banco Sabadell, which bought TSB in 2015, is particularly incompetent in managing bank systems. On the other hand, as weve discussed before, big IT projects regularly fail, with the admitted abort rate at about 50% and the actual probably closer to 80%. Yet the way banks have been running their systems for decades, by not making adequate documentation and investments, seems virtually guaranteed to set them up for huge train wrecks. Signs that Banco Sabadell is particularly clueless even by the low standards of bank IT managers. Since regulatory and Parliamentary proctology is virtually guaranteed, well know more about TSB/Banco Sabadells pathologies in due course. Nevertheless, some of the statements of bank executives, combined with examples of error messages, demonstrate that the Banco Sabadell top brass is particularly clueless. Aside from the repeated premature declarations that everything was fine or nearly fine when it wasnt, consider: This acquisition should never have been made. In the US, weve had way more bank mergers than anywhere in the world by going from a highly fragmented banking system (over 16,000 banks in the late 1980s, and even that number reflected some mergers in during that decade, to about 6800 in early 2014). That much trial and error means financial services industry executives have learned what not to do. One is to pass on a bank acquisition when the systems integration looks hairy. TSB was a mid-sized bank deal, with 42 billion in assets at year end 2017, or about $60 billion, and roughly 550 branches. By way of comparison, Canadian bank TD ate my somewhat larger-than-TSB-bank, Commerce Bank, in 2008. The only IT hiccup Ive seen is that they too often make a mess of wire transfers. There are some red flags that Sabadell and TSB systems had major compatibility issues. The first was that TSBs former parent Lloyds had entered into the unusual arrangement of running the TSB systems for Sabadell for years after the 2015 sale. Second was Sabadells bold pronouncement that it was going to move TSB customers to a brand new core banking system. The timetable as insane.The Financial Times published this astonishing (or maybe not in light of what happened) tidbit: A person briefed on the TSB boards plans insisted the platform had not been rushed out, and said questions over who was responsible would have to wait until the system was running smoothly for all its customers: Given the testing they didnt think this was where they were going to end up they never would have pushed the button otherwise, the person said. Huh? Its not exactly clear when Banco Sabadell took operational control of TSB. Even though Sabadell acquired all TSB shares on August 21, 2015, an August 29, 2015 Guardian story describes Lloyds having to divest TSB branches on behalf of Sabadell, with the headline TSB to shut 17 branches before takeover by Spanish banking group Sabadell and says in the body that the deal was yet to be completed. Sabadell would not be asking Lloyds to handle divestitures if closing were in days or even weeks. So our assumption that Sabadell took operational control at the end of September 2015 would be generous. That would mean two years, seven months for this brand new core banking system to be built. Contrast this with vlades comment on project timelines: Just a version migration of the same system was easily a year/two programme. A new system introduction to replace a legacy system was 3-5 years easily.. I was also involved in post-sale migration at the time, and it was also a 18months + programme, even if it was rather simple (as in maybe a few thousands clients, and few tens of thousands transactions were being moved). Ive also seen a replacement of the retail system done (but wasnt directly involved), and again, it was a pretty few years worth. Customer base would have been about the same size as TSB. It looks at if Sabadell was sold more than a bit of consultant hopium. From Financial Times reader Stephen: Apparently Banco Sabadells Proteo is based on Accentures alnova banking package, which is an old COBOL system modified to run on Unix under .NET. Sabadells new Proteo4UK version of it runs in Amazon cloud. Amusingly, Sabadell released a self-congratulatory press release on Sunday afternoon, now preserved for posterity in Googles cache: Banco Sabadell successfully completes TSB technology migration For TSB, the Proteo4UK migration project is the best strategic decision it could have made when compared to the technological alternatives considered at the time, as the platform fulfils its business requirements and supports its strategy. Total synergies arising from the migration are estimated to amount to 160M on an annual basis. The new Proteo4UK platform offers increased operational simplicity, which, for example, enables significant time savings in the implementation of the principal business and operational processes. The new platform also generates new opportunities, such as the launch of the SME business and enhanced user experience thanks to the digitalisation and homogenous omni-channel deployment of products and services. Testing was grossly inadequate to non-existent. Richard Smith, without looking hard, found ready evidence, such as BeanCreationException. More generally, to IT pros, the fact that Twitter is full of screenshots of customers actually seeing gnarly error message is a gasp-out-loud programming failure. As our Otis B Driftwood said yesterday: Those TSB messages violate a cardinal rule of software development to NOT expose unexpected internal error information to an end user. They should never have passed design and code review and QA testing. Reader visitor added: The errors revealed through these messages should never have passed unit testing in the first place. Accessing an array out of its bounds? Dereferencing a null pointer? Attempting to use a connection that is not set up? All those circumstances indicate that the programmers do not initialize their variables properly, or are using them in ways that get them overwritten / deallocated between procedure calls and in addition do not even attempt to check for abnormal situations. Or perhaps they are relying upon a third-party application framework that is riddled with those problems. What Does This Ciusterfuck Say About Bank IT? Given the discussion above, we are likely to learn officially that Sabadell did every bit as lousy a job of managing this migration process as we can infer from our remove. But our hypothesis that this would have been beyond the ability of even a much more technologically competent bank to execute. Several readers pointed to the fact that RBS allegedly spent over five years and 1.5 billion in a failed effort to clone its systems so it could divest roughly 300 Williams & Glyn branches. That should have been easier than what Sabadell was trying to execute with TSB. As Financial Times reader SpeedFerret noted in early 2017: Who in their right mind would buy a stand up bank of just 300 branches with a sprawling technology stack of over 600 (yes 600) ancient applications to support it. A very poor decision to come up with this strategy in the first place. 1.5bn thrown to Indian IT offshore consultancies to untangle the spagetti of systems and overnight batch jobs came to nothing. A further 750m to be handed out as dowries. All we need now is the ATM network to be out of action for a week over the Easter holidays. That gives a tiny vignette into the real problem, which we hope to chip away at in later posts, which is that bank systems are a greater mess than pretty much anyone on the outside imagines and are kept running with liberal applications of duct tape and baling wire. The very short version of How could banks have possibly gotten themselves in this mess? is that IT has never been treated as mission critical when it is. Banks have underspent in the systems area for decades. The biggest symptom is lack of documentation. It costs money and adds to project completion time (although it reduces life cycle costs, but who cares about the long term?). The second is rushed projects with bad code in them that only kinda-sorta works. With systems in production, its almost always perceived to be too costly to identify, rip out, and redo the botched parts. Instead, the IT pros resort to patches and work-arounds. That adds to complexity and fragility, particularly when the system gets stressed or large changes are made. The problem of systems management might be a smidge worse in the UK than the US if the erosion in the managerial capabilities of what passes for the elite that we see in its political classes has occurred in paler form in the private sector. Clive has spoken of a style of managerialism that holds specialist knowledge in contempt and views people that try to point out why certain goals are unrealistic as not clever enough. Mind you, we have that in the US thanks to management by MBA, but the rot may be less advanced, since most MBAS recognize that they are exploiting underlinings with expertise and posture that their skills really dont matter much, while their British counterparts may believe that on a much more visceral level. Foreign Ministers will meet on Friday (27 April 2018) to prepare for the NATO Summit in July. On Thursday, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg previewed the ministers four working sessions, which will focus on Russia, the Middle East and North Africa, Afghanistan, and the Western Balkans / NATOs Open Door policy. Pointing to Moscows pattern of dangerous behaviour, including the annexation of Crimea, cyber-attacks, disinformation, elections meddling, and support for the Syrian regime, Mr. Stoltenberg said that NATO has responded with resolve and unity, undertaking the biggest reinforcement of collective defence in a generation. However, he stressed that NATO remains open to meaningful dialogue with Russia, and continues to work toward the next meeting of the NATO-Russia Council. The Secretary General noted that the Supreme Commander for Europe, General Scaparrotti, met with the Russian Chief of Defence General Gerasimov just last week to discuss military posture and exercises. Ministers will also discuss the situation in Syria, the Iran deal, and NATOs plans to scale up training in Iraq. They are expected to agree further details on a training mission for Iraq, which will be launched at the NATO Summit in July, and to discuss further support for Jordan and Tunisia. Ministers will be joined by the European Unions High Representative / Vice President Federica Mogherini, in order to discuss how NATO and the EU could cooperate more closely to build stability. Later on Friday, Ministers will address Afghanistan, focusing on prospects for peace talks and reconciliation. The Secretary General welcomed President Ghanis offer of peace talks to the Taliban, noting that NATO has helped create the environment for this to happen, with our practical and political support. The meeting will close with a session on the Western Balkans and NATOs Open Door Policy. Ministers are expected to discuss the progress made by Bosnia and Herzegovina, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and Georgia. Mr. Stoltenberg noted that Ukraine has also expressed its aspirations for membership, and I expect ministers will want to address that. Fridays ministerial meeting will be the last in the current NATO headquarters, which has housed the Alliance for 50 years. When Allied Defence Ministers gather in June, they will meet in NATOs new headquarters, which Secretary General Stoltenberg called a new home for a modern and forward-looking Alliance. (As delivered) Good morning. NATOs Foreign Ministers will meet tomorrow to prepare for the upcoming Summit in July. We will begin with a meeting to discuss Russia. For several years, Moscow has shown a pattern of dangerous behaviour. This includes: the illegal and illegitimate annexation of Crimea, the destabilisation of eastern Ukraine, meddling in democratic processes, cyber-attacks, and disinformation. Russia also backs the brutal regime in Syria, which has repeatedly used chemical weapons. It is also highly likely that Russia was behind the nerve agent attack in Salisbury. NATO has responded with resolve and unity. We have undertaken the biggest reinforcement of our collective defence since the end of the Cold War. We have strengthened our presence in the eastern part of the Alliance; Increased the readiness of our forces; Enhanced our cyber defences; Stepped up our efforts to counter hybrid activities; And Allies are investing more in defence. But we continue to see attempts to intimidate and interfere in Allied countries. So we must continue to adapt to hybrid challenges. And Ministers will examine what more we can do. When tensions are high, it is even more important to talk with Russia. So NATO remains open to meaningful dialogue. We continue to work towards the next meeting of the NATO-Russia Council. And our Supreme Commander for Europe, General Scaparrotti, met with the Russian Chief of Defence General Gerasimov last week. They discussed military posture and exercises. And how to increase predictability and transparency. During the second session, we will discuss the situation in the Middle East and North Africa. I expect that Ministers will address the situation in Syria, the Iran nuclear deal, as well as NATOs plans to scale up training in Iraq. We will be joined by the EU High Representative / Vice President Federica Mogherini. Together we will discuss how NATO and the European Union could cooperate more closely to build stability. We have seen too often how turmoil in this region can inspire terrorist attacks on our own soil. And drive desperate refugees and migrants to our shores. That is why NATO is stepping up efforts to train local forces to fight terrorism and keep their countries stable. Last month, I saw for myself the valuable training work that our Alliance does in both Jordan and Iraq. Building on these efforts, we will launch a new training mission for Iraq at our Summit in July. Ministers will agree further details on the mission tomorrow. We are currently planning for a training mission of several hundred. They will train Iraqi instructors, and help build Iraqi military schools. So that our expertise can reach thousands of others and help prevent the re-emergence of ISIS. We will also discuss possible further support for Jordan and Tunisia. Because stability in the region is vital for our own security. We will also address Afghanistan. We will focus on the prospects for peace and reconciliation. We welcome President Ghanis unprecedented offer of peace talks to the Taliban. NATO has helped to create the environment for this to happen, with our practical and political support. And we have renewed our commitment, including with significant troop increases and financial support. We will close the Ministerial with a meeting on the Western Balkans and NATOs Open Door policy. NATO remains committed to the vision of a Europe whole, free and at peace. We will discuss the progress made by Bosnia and Herzegovina, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia1, and Georgia. Ukraine has also expressed its aspirations for membership. And I expect ministers will want to address that too. This will be our last meeting in this building NATOs headquarters for the past 50 years. Since we have been here we have grown from an Alliance of 15 to 29. When Allied Defence Ministers meet in June, we will gather in our new headquarters. I want to thank Belgium for being our hosts and for all their support in creating our new headquarters across the road. It is a new home for a modern and forward-looking Alliance. And with that, Im ready to take your questions. Oana Lungescu [NATO Spokesperson]: And I would be grateful if you could say your name and outlet. We'll start with the Wall Street Journal in the third row. Question [Wall Street Journal]: Julian Barnes with the Wall Street Journal. Mr Secretary General, we've got some talks between North and South Korea and potential upcoming talks between the United States and North Korea. I wonder what your view of this is. Do you view the offers from North Korea about halting testing as legitimate, something that can be counted on? Should we view any proposal to reduce the US presence in the Korean peninsular as destabilising? What's your view of that? Jens Stoltenberg [NATO Secretary General]: I visited the region last fall and I really sensed the tension in the region, especially when I visited the demilitarised zone. Therefore, I welcome the inter-Korean Summit, I think thats very encouraging and I think it is a first important step towards a negotiated peaceful solution to the crisis on the Korean peninsular. I also welcome the announcement by North Korea to stop testing nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles, and I think it is important that we continue to support all efforts to find a political solution. I think that one of the reasons why we see the progress we have seen over the last weeks is because there has been strong pressure put on or there has been strong pressure on North Korea, not least by the sanctions that the UN has adopted. And I welcome both that the UN has been able to agree on stricter sanctions on North Korea, but also that we have seen that they have been implemented to a higher degree than before. Until we see concrete changes in North Korea's actions, we must continue to put pressure on North Korea and to continue with the sanctions. Oana Lungescu [NATO Spokesperson]: We'll go to the second row. Gentleman there with glasses. Question: [Kommersant Daily Newspaper]: Hungary once again blocked Ukraine-NATO Commission because of a newly adapted education law. What has to be done in order to resolve this conflict? Thank you. Jens Stoltenberg [NATO Secretary General]: Hungary is a valued NATO Ally which contributes to NATO's collective defence in many different ways, and we are grateful for that. Ukraine is a close partner, and for NATO it is important to continue to provide strong political and practical support to Ukraine, not least because the aggressive action by Russia against Ukraine, illegally annexing Crimea and destabilising eastern Ukraine, is one of the main reasons why NATO, since 2014, has implemented the biggest reinforcement to our collective defence. So, Ukraine is an important partner for NATO. It is correct that we have not been able to convene NATO-Ukraine Commission meetings at the ministerial level, because Hungary is blocking that because they disagree with Ukraine on the question of a language law. It is for Ukraine and Hungary to solve their disagreements about the rights for minorities and I count on them to solve these disagreements quickly. We have been able to convene meetings in the NATO-Ukraine Commission at the ambassadorial level, but there is strong support in the Alliance to also convene a NATO-Ukraine Commission meeting at the ministerial level, and therefore it is important to see that Hungary and Ukraine is able to solve this disagreement as soon as possible. Oana Lungescu [NATO Spokesperson]: OK. Agence France-Presse in the third row? Question [Agence France-Presse]: Hi, Damon Wake from AFP, Agence France-Presse. On Iraq, how do you foresee the how do you foresee overcoming some of the forced generation issues that have been associated with the Afghan mission? You know, avoid them being repeated in Iraq? And on Afghanistan, given the two elections they have coming up, the parliamentary later this year and the presidential next year, could there be any role for NATO in providing security for these elections? Or is that something that you would rule out at this stage? Thanks. Jens Stoltenberg [NATO Secretary General]: You asked me about the elections in Afghanistan or in Iraq? Question [Agency France-Presse]: Afghanistan. Jens Stoltenberg [NATO Secretary General]: In Afghanistan. Well, we provide strong support to the Afghan national security forces and they are responsible for security in Afghanistan themselves. And I think actually thats one of the great achievements we have been able to make in Afghanistan, is that not so many years ago NATO was responsible for countering the Taliban when they attacked, the different terrorist groups, and then in 2015 we were able to hand over responsibility for security in Afghanistan to the Afghans themselves. So, our main contribution, also to make sure that the elections can be held in a safe and secure way, is to continue to provide support to the Afghan security forces, with training, with advice and also with funding. Having said that, I also envisage a limited role for NATO forces to help, to make sure that the elections can be held in a safe way. Oana Lungescu [NATO Spokesperson]: OK, we go to the front row here? Question: [Kurdistan 24]: Secretary General, you have been visit Iraq just one month ago and, as you know, there are many international ally in Erbil, Iraqi Kurdistan, and your ally training Peshmerga forces. Why you dont have any training in Erbil, Iraqi Kurdistan? Thank you. Jens Stoltenberg [NATO Secretary General]: So, many NATO Allies provide training for the Peshmerga in Erbil and this is something which shows that many NATO Allies are very committed to provide the training and support. The training mission NATO is now planning to launch, and to scale up our training in Iraq, that's about training the Iraqi forces. Whether we will go further later on, it's too early to say. We will start with the training mission and the current assumption is in the range of some hundreds. But I think it's important to understand that what we will do is to train the trainers, is to help Iraq help themselves, or Iraqis help themselves. So, we will help build military schools and train Iraqi instructors, so they can train thousands. This is about building the capacity of Iraq to train their own soldiers. Oana Lungescu [NATO Spokesperson]: Mitra TV, first row? Question [Mitra TV]: Mr Secretary General, you just mentioned about Afghanistan and about the peace and reconciliation process, but the Taliban just launched their spring offensives, they announced it yesterday. Are we expecting shall we be expecting any new decisions in this meeting on Afghanistan, in this regard? Thank you. Jens Stoltenberg [NATO Secretary General]: First, I would like highlight how strongly NATO Allies and NATO welcome the peace initiative by President Ghani. He has invited Taliban, without conditions, to sit down at the negotiating table and to find a political solution to the conflict in Afghanistan. I think we all should welcome that because there is only a political negotiated solution to the conflict in Afghanistan. At the same time, I think it's important to understand that there is a close link between what can happen around a negotiating table and what is happening on the battlefield, because thats the reason why NATO continues to provide military support, both political but also military support, to Afghanistan. Because Taliban has to understand that they will never win at the battlefield. We will continue to train, to advise and support the Afghan national security forces, and that will create the framework, the conditions for the Taliban to, at some stage, sit down and negotiate for a peaceful solution. Afghanistan will be an important issue at the Summit in July. There will be a meeting of the Resolute Support partners, meaning the 39 partners in the Resolute Support mission, with also Afghanistan present, and I expect the heads of states and government to reconfirm their strong commitment and support to Afghanistan, including the training and assisting, advising the Afghan forces, and also addressing the issue of funding for them, which is of course of great importance. Oana Lungescu [NATO Spokesperson]: NPR, Deutsche Welle, in the fourth row? Question [NPR & Deutsche Welle]: Hi, Teri Schultz with NPR and Deutsche Welle. Thanks. How would you characterise the sort of sort of feeling of discussion now with the Russians? You've had the Gerasimov-Scaparrotti meeting, but you've also had the Skripal poisoning, the Syrian bombing and the kicking out of diplomats. And what are the possibilities of having an NRC before the Summit? Jens Stoltenberg [NATO Secretary General]: We are working for a new meeting of the NATO-Russia Council. We continue to strive for a meaningful dialogue with Russia and we believe that, especially when times are difficult, especially when tensions are high, as they are now in light of the Skripal case, the attack in Salisbury, the repeated examples we have seen of Russian attempts to interfere in domestic political processes, cyber-attacks, and also the continued destabilisation of eastern Ukraine, support for the Assad regime. All of that has created a situation where tensions are higher and the relationship between NATO and Russia is more difficult than it has been for many years. But thats not an argument against dialogue, thats actually an argument in favour of dialogue, partly to continue to strive for a better relationship, but even without any how shall I say improvement in the relationship, it is important to manage the relationship we have with Russia because we need to manage a situation where we have more military presence, more exercises, and to prevent incidents and accidents. And thats exactly also why it is important that our Supreme Allied Commander for Europe and General Gerasimov met, and they addressed issues like, for instance, military posture and exercises. So, we will continue to work for dialogue and military lines of communications is part of that. Oana Lungescu [NATO Spokesperson]: Janes? Question [NPR & Deutsche Welle]: NRC before the Summit? Jens Stoltenberg [NATO Secretary General]: As I said, we are working a new no date is fixed, but we are working for a new meeting. Oana Lungescu [NATO Spokesperson]: Janes, in the fourth row? Question [Janes Defence]: Yes, Brooks Tigner, Janes Defence. The Vice- Speaker of Ukraine's Rada just a couple of days ago here, said effectively that Minsk talks are dead and that diplomacy with Russia with serve nothing regarding the Donbass and importantly, that the only way to reassert Ukraine's full sovereignty is to erect the strongest possible army for the country. Two questions for you: do you agree with those assessments? And secondly, is there anything NATO should do to shore up the Ukrainian army, beyond the trust funds it already has, dont want to talk about that. And such as a training mission or in Ukraine, or pressuring the Allies to step up their bilateral military aid to the country? Thank you. Jens Stoltenberg [NATO Secretary General]: NATO Allies provide strong support to Ukraine and partly they do that through NATO and NATO activities, and we have a substantial cooperation with Ukraine, two different programmes, two different trust funds, we help them with command control, with logistics, with cyber-defences, and not least we help them to implement reforms, to strengthen their security and military institutions, and also to fight corruption. All of this is extremely important if Ukraine is going to succeed in modernising and strengthening their armed forces. Then NATO Allies also provide support bilaterally and I welcome that. When I travel to different NATO capitals, I urge them to continue to provide and also to strengthen their support for Ukraine, both through bilateral efforts and also in the NATO framework. So, NATO Allies will continue and we will look for ways to increase our support, and I think for Ukraine it's not so extremely important whether this support is done in the NATO framework or by NATO Allies on the bilateral level. The important thing is that the support is there and we will continue to urge NATO Allies to provide more support. Question [Janes Defence]: Do you agree with her assessment that Minsk is dead? Oana Lungescu [NATO Spokesperson]: I agree that we have seen a lack of implementation, but I also think that Minsk is the only platform we have to try to find a peaceful, negotiated solution, so we need to continue to work for a peaceful, negotiated solution, and not least the implementation of that, at the same time as we provide support to Ukraine. And we will continue to do both. Oana Lungescu [NATO Spokesperson]: All the way to the back. Financial Times. Question [Financial Times]: Thank you. Michael Peel, Financial Times. Iran is obviously very much in the news at the moment. What is the NATO position on the Iran nuclear deal? Is it helpful or not? And also, as ballistic missiles are also a big topic of discussion, what is the position in NATO on Iran's missile programme? What concerns does it have, given that both the debate over the missiles and the nuclear programme could affect NATO operations in the surrounding region, and indeed in the case of missiles, possibly even NATO member states? Thank you. Jens Stoltenberg [NATO Secretary General]: So, NATO welcomed the Iran nuclear deal when it was agreed in 2015. At the same time, we underline the importance of full implementation of the deal and we welcomed the deal back in 2015 because it helps to move Iran further away from developing nuclear weapons. And this is of course important for the security of NATO Allies, because nuclear weapons in Iran, combined with ballistic missiles, would be a direct threat to NATO Allies. At the same time, it's obvious that no deal can be good without being fully respected and fully implemented. And it is also clear that there are other issues which are not covered by the deal, for instance Iran's ballistic missile programme, which is a cause for great concern, and also the efforts of Iran to destabilise the region, support to different terrorist groups and also the threat to the freedom of maritime navigation. So, we are concerned both about the Iranian missile programme, but also other activities of Iran in the region. NATO is in the process of gradually strengthening our missile defences. I visited a site in Romania when we inaugurated that. We are working on a new site in Poland. We have a radar in Turkey. We have ships, Aegis ships in Rota. So we have, step by step, continued to strengthen our missile defences. So, that's also part of the response to the threat of ballistic missiles. Question [Financial Times]: Given sorry, just a quick follow up, given what you've said, do you think the US demand for a supplemental agreement [inaudible] and the threat to withdraw from the agreement if that isnt forthcoming, is [inaudible]? Jens Stoltenberg [NATO Secretary General]: I think it's important to address those concerns which are not covered by the deal. For instance, the missile programme. And this has created great concern among NATO Allies and I welcome all efforts to address the Iranian missile programme. And I think it's also important to address other activities by Iran, for instance their destabilising activities, and their support for extremist groups. So, these are elements, these are challenges, threats which are not covered by the Iran nuclear deal. We welcome the nuclear deal because it helps to move Iran further away from developing nuclear weapons, but at the same time, no deal will be effective, no deal will be good, if it's not fully implemented. Question [Financial Times]: But it is being implemented, isnt it? Jens Stoltenberg [NATO Secretary General]: Well, that's not for NATO to assess. We have the International Atomic Energy Agency, which is the agency that is assessing that. Because NATO is not directly part of the deal, so we welcome the deal and we agree that it is important to address also other threats, like for instance, the missile programme. Oana Lungescu [NATO Spokesperson]: Question in the front row? Question: Pobjeda Daily. In one of your recently statement, you said that you are too focused on Syria, Iraq, that you forgot the Western Balkan countries. And you added that there are some developments here which are really going in the wrong direction. Which developments and which wrong direction you had in mind? And how NATO member countries from region can prevent these wrong directions? Jens Stoltenberg [NATO Secretary General]: My message is that it is important of course to be focused on the threats that emanate from, for instance, the Middle East, Syria and Iraq, but it is important to do that and at the same time not forget about the challenges which we see even closer to NATO territory, in the Western Balkans. Actually, both Iraq and Syria and Western Balkans are close to NATO, because Iraq and Syria is bordering a NATO Ally, Turkey, and the Western Balkans are bordering several NATO Allies. So, I'm only saying that we need to do both things at the same time. They are two very different regions, but we have to stay focused on both of them. The Western Balkan is at the heart of Europe and NATO has a history there, we helped to end two wars there in the 1990s, and NATO still has a presence in the Western Balkans. We have a presence in Kosovo with our KFOR mission there, several thousand soldiers. We have headquarters presence in Skopje and in Sarajevo. We help partners with reforms, with capacity-building, and of course we also have several members in the Western Balkans. The latest member of the Alliance, Montenegro, is from the region. We have also partners, like for instance Serbia, and we have two aspirant countries, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. So, NATO has a lot of partners, members, activities, in the Western Balkans. We continue to work with them to prevent any escalation of tensions because we have seen before how dangerous that can be. And we work with our members and we work with our partners to help to avoid any escalation of the tensions in the region. Oana Lungescu [NATO Spokesperson]: OK, we go to the second row. Question [Macedonian News Agency]: Secretary General, the Russian Ambassador twice has said - in Macedonia - that if the country becomes a NATO member, it will - and I'm quoting here - it becomes a legitimate target for Russia in case of conflict with NATO countries. So, I would really like your comment on this. And secondly, have you been briefed recently on the state of play with the negotiations on the name issue with Greece? Thank you. Jens Stoltenberg [NATO Secretary General]: First, I think it is extremely important to underline the right of any nation to decide its own path. This is a fundamental including what kind of security arrangements it wants to be part of, and this is a fundamental principle which is important for NATO, but also Russia has subscribed to that, for instance in different international documents/agreements, starting with the Helsinki Final Act back in '74 and since then, also in other documents. So, I think for Skopje to decide its own path, it's for them to decide and whether it joins NATO or not, is for the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and 29 NATO Allies to decide. No-one else has the right to veto or to have a say in that process. The whole idea that Russia will not accept that some other countries join NATO, is in a way an expression of the idea to establish some spheres of influence, where big powers control small neighbours. And that is contradicting everything NATO believes in and thats the independent and sovereign right of all nations to decide their own path. When it comes to the name issue, that was one issue I discussed when I met with Prime Minister Zoran Zaev in Skopje not so many weeks ago. We had good discussions on that. I also spoke with Prime Minister Tsipras and I welcome and I hope that the dialogue, which is now taking place between Athens and Skopje, can lead to a solution, a mutual acceptable solution to the name issue. Because then we are ready to invite the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to become a member of the Alliance. We agreed that back in 2008, and that decision still stands. Oana Lungescu [NATO Spokesperson]: OK, gentleman in the first row here. In the first row, please. Question: [Romanian Media]: Mr Secretary General, given the fact that this will be the last Foreign Ministerial meeting before the NATO Summit in July, what decision should be expected for the deterrence, the entire Eastern Flank of the Alliance? Thank you. Jens Stoltenberg [NATO Secretary General]: NATO has significantly strengthened our deterrence and defence since 2014, with enhanced forward presence in the Baltic countries and Poland. Weve also increased military presence in the south east of the Alliance, in the Black Sea region. We have increased our readiness, our ability to reinforce, if needed. And we have strengthened capabilities as cyber-defence, but also our maritime posture, air policing, and we are doing many different things to continue to provide credible deterrence and defence. We will of course continue to assess what more is needed and I expect that heads of state and government will look into the need to further strengthen our capabilities when it comes to reinforcements, to be able to reinforce, to deploy forces quickly if needed. And that includes also the issue of military mobility throughout Europe, but also to be able to deliver supplies, equipment, move forces, across the North Atlantic. What kind of decisions I think is a bit too early to announce, but these are the issues we will look into - reinforcements and military mobility. Oana Lungescu [NATO Spokesperson]: OK, we have the gentleman in the second row. Question [TRT News]: TRT News from Turkey. Mr Secretary General, some NATO members criticised Turkey for purchasing S400 air defence system from Russia, although we didnt see the similar reaction when Greece bought S300s from Russia in 1990s. What is the reason for that and will NATO provide other air defence system to Turkey in the future? Thank you. Jens Stoltenberg [NATO Secretary General]: It's a national decision what kind of military capabilities different NATO Allies acquire. At the same time, we have seen that some Allies have expressed concerns and also we have seen that recently from the United States. Therefore, I welcome that there is now direct contact between the United States and Turkey on this issue. It was also an issue that I discussed with President Erdogan when I visited Ankara recently. And I also welcome the fact that Turkey is now in dialogue both with the United States, to look into the possibility of acquiring a US system, Patriot batteries, but also that they have agreed to work with the Italian-French group, Eurosam, to see if that's a possibility to deliver a air defence system from Italy and France. So, I welcome these efforts to also look into the possibility of acquiring air defence systems from NATO Allies. Oana Lungescu [NATO Spokesperson]: Lady over there. Third row. Third row. Question [Kvilis Palitra]: Thank you. Mr Secretary General, what you can say about Georgia's perspectives? And do you think that Georgia needs more support from NATO? Because even Russian propaganda and military activities is getting more and more aggressive in my country. Jens Stoltenberg [NATO Secretary General]: Well, Georgia is a very close partner of NATO and we have many different activities. We provide practical and political support to Georgia and we also welcome that Georgia is making progress towards membership and I'm certain that the Summit will recognise this progress. We also welcome the fact that we have many different tools to strengthen our partnership. We have the Joint Training and Evaluation Centre. We have NATO support for different other educational efforts by Georgia, to strengthen and to improve the quality of their armed forces. We help them with implementing reforms. So, there is a lot of NATO presence in and there are several exercises. But I would also like to stress that NATO is very appreciates strongly also that Georgia is contributing to NATO missions and operations, so this is not only NATO providing support to Georgia, but also very much that Georgia provides a lot of support to NATO, not least by being one of the nations providing the highest number of forces to our Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan. Oana Lungescu [NATO Spokesperson]: OK, we have Agence France-Presse at the very back. No, on the other side. Question [Interpreted]: Sorry, I'm going to ask this question in French. I would like to come back to the issue of Iran. You seem to have taken the position the United States want to undermine this agreement with Iran, but European Allies believe that this agreement is fine and that the facilities have been certified by the IAEA. Don't you think that tomorrow there's going to be a significant divergence between different Allies, especially if Mr Pompeo is going to represent the United States tomorrow? Jens Stoltenberg [NATO Secretary General]: Well, it's too early to say exactly who will represent the United States because it remains to be seen how far they will come when it comes to the confirmation in the Senate. But I look forward to welcome the representative of the United States, regardless of whether it's the new Secretary of State or whether it's someone else. The beginning of the question was about Iran. The challenge there is that, of course, we are concerned about different activities which we see Iran is responsible for, including their ballistic missile programme, their support for extremist groups, and also their efforts to destabilise countries in the region. And that's exactly why I expect NATO ministers, foreign ministers, to address the issue of the Iran nuclear deal and that that will be a topic that will be addressed and discussed during the Foreign Ministerial meeting that starts tomorrow. I think it's a bit too early to report from the discussion because the meeting will take place tomorrow, but this is an issue which is important for all NATO Allies because it affects our security. Oana Lungescu [NATO Spokesperson]: OK, gentleman in the front row? Question: Mr Secretary General, first question is does NATO have any plans to enhance the presence of Allied forces in the Baltic countries, maybe in the future? And what is the NATO position on the dealing of so-called Russian threat in the Baltic region? Jens Stoltenberg [NATO Secretary General]: NATO has increased significantly our presence in the Baltic region. For the first time, NATO has troops in the region, with four battlegroups in the three Baltic countries and in Poland. We also have air policing and we have more maritime presence in the Baltic Sea. And this sends a clear message to any potential adversary because these forces - the battlegroups we have in the Baltic countries and Poland - they are multinational. They are led by the United States, by the United Kingdom, by Germany and by Canada and there are many other NATO Allies providing troops. So, the importance of the presence of the NATO battlegroups in the Baltic region is partly of course the size, the quality of these troops, but also the message they send by being multinational, sending a clear message that NATO is there and that any aggression against any of these countries will trigger a response from the whole NATO Alliance. Therefore, our focus now is on how to be sure that we can continue to reinforce, if needed, these countries. And thats exactly what we are working on, both when it comes to what we call military mobility, be able to reinforce, to enable our forces and the territory we are responsible for, and also to actually bring forces across the Atlantic if there is a real need for strengthening NATO's military presence in Europe. This is on the agenda, we are working on it. I think it's too early to announce any specific decisions, but the issue of reinforcement is high on the NATO agenda. Oana Lungescu [NATO Spokesperson]: Thank you very much. This concludes this press conference. Looking forward to seeing you all tomorrow. Thank you. Jens Stoltenberg [NATO Secretary General]: Thank you. (Natural News) No one likes working out on gross and smelly yoga mats, but most cleaning products contain toxic chemicals that can harm you and the environment. To keep your workout gear clean and fresh without resorting to harmful chemicals, try making a DIY antibacterial spray. (h/t to Blog.PaleoHacks.com) With this toxin-free spray, you wont have to worry about having to use a sweat-stained yoga mat full of germs. This DIY antibacterial spray is made with natural ingredients that will effectively disinfect and eliminate any lingering odors on your yoga mat. The ingredients list for this fresh-smelling DIY spray includes witch hazel that can naturally fight off bacteria. It also includes some tea tree oil that can help prevent fungi from growing in your yoga mat. Tea tree oil will also prevent any germs from spreading infections like ringworm and athletes foot. You can personalize this cleanser by adding some lavender or any other essential oil of your choice. If you dont have any witch hazel, substitute some apple cider vinegar (ACV) instead. ACV can also effectively fight funky odors and prevent germs from spreading. (Related: Natural, non-toxic DIY cleaning products you can make on a budget.) How to make a DIY antibacterial spray Follow the recipe below to make a fragrant antibacterial spray. Tools needed: Bowl Funnel 4 oz. BPA-free plastic spray bottle Ingredients: ? cup water cup witch hazel 3-5 drops of tea tree oil 1-2 drops of lavender or other essential oil for scent (optional) Instructions: Combine the water and witch hazel in the bowl. Add the tea tree oil and your chosen essential oil to personalize the scent of the antibacterial spray. Carefully pour the mixture into a spray bottle using the funnel. Instructions for use: Shake the bottle thoroughly. Spray the DIY antibacterial cleaner on your yoga mat before and after each workout session. Wipe the yoga mat and let the mixture air-dry before you roll up the mat. Recipes for other homemade cleaning products Why stop at a DIY antibacterial spray? Below are recipes for three more natural cleaning products that you can use around the house: Homemade all-purpose cleaner Ingredients: 1/2 cup ACV 2 tbsp. baking soda 10 drops tea tree, lavender, or lemon essential oil (these essential oils have potent disinfectant properties) Combine the ACV, essential oils, and some water. Add the baking soda then transfer the mixture to a 12 oz. clean spray bottle. Fill the rest of the bottle with water. Shake gently to mix the ingredients. Just spray the cleaner, wipe with a cloth, and allow it to dry. Homemade air freshener Ingredients: 12-15 drops of pure essential oil (consider using grapefruit, lavender, lemon, or orange) cup ACV 1 cups water Combine all the ingredients in a spray bottle, shake, and spray to freshen any room in your house. Always shake the bottle before each use. If you think the air freshener isnt strong enough, experiment with the ratios of essential oil and ACV. Homemade carpet freshener Aside from making your carpet smell good, the ingredients for this homemade carpet freshener can disinfect, kill fleas and their eggs, and act as a rodent deterrent. Ingredients: 2 cups Borax 1 cup baking soda 10 drops of essential oil of your choice Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Mix well. Store the mixture in an air-tight container. To use the carpet freshener, just sprinkle the mixture on the carpet. Let the carpet freshener sit for at least half an hour. Vacuum once youre done. You can read more articles about safer alternatives to cleaning products and how to avoid toxic chemicals at Chemicals.news. Sources include: Blog.PaleoHacks.com KeeperOfTheHome.org (Natural News) Remember that catchy song in Sesame Street that partly goes, Rubber duckie, joy of joys/ When I squeeze you, you make noise? That line from the longtime kiddie show that parents also watch may not hold water, after all. A team of researchers from Eawag, ETH Zurich and the University of Illinois found that flexible plastic bath toys like rubber ducks harbor microbial growth in their inner surfaces. A child who squeals with delight when he squeezes the toy releases an unhealthy liquid. Add this to shower curtains and areas behind bathroom cabinets with heavy growths of bacteria and fungi, and you get a scene straight out of those movies that make you cringe in fear. In the study, researchers conducted controlled experiments with new bath toys for more than 11 weeks. Some toys were exposed to clean water while others to a dirtier variety (including additional chemicals from soap, human body fluids, and bacteria). The bath toys were then bisected and examined in the laboratory. The findings were alarming. Between five and 75 million microbial cells lived in every square centimeter of the bath toys inner surfaces. Fungi were seen in nearly 60 percent of bath toys and in all the dirty-water control toys. The scientists detected bacteria that could cause disease in 80 percent of the toys studied. These bacteria included Legionella and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which are often linked to infections acquired from hospitals. Frederik Hammes, who supervised the research, says the findings for the doctoral paper add points of discussion to what has been taken up in online forums and blogs. He said that moldy bath toys, the topic of discussion in these platforms, have received scant scientific attention. He added that it is the children who love squirting water from bath toys on their faces are the most exposed to contaminants from these plastic playthings. Hammes observed that while the microbes can boost the childs immune system, they can also cause eye, ear, and gastrointestinal infections. So should you throw that colorful rubber duck away, or clean it carefully after the child has played with it? Or as often discussed online should you close the hole on the rubber duck immediately to keep it from squirting? Hammes suggests tighter rules on polymeric materials used in bath toys. This works for problematic chemicals. The release of carbon should also be considered. Keeping those toys safe Meanwhile, how do you prevent that terrifying scenario of germs and poisons wreaking havoc on your childs mind and body? Here are some tips for choosing childrens toys: Painted toys must have lead-free paint. Art materials like crayons and colored pencils should be non-toxic. Crayons and paints should bear the label ASTM D-4236. This is a sign that the toys have been examined by the American Society for Testing and Materials. Avoid older toys, even hand-me-downs from family and friends. They may be dangerous because they may not meet current safety standards. They can also be worn from too much play, and can unexpectedly break down. Dont buy toys with little parts the child may accidentally swallow, like small, shiny buttons. Pick a toy thats not too loud for the childs sensitive ears. Noise from some rattles, squeak toys, musical or electronic toys, and others can be as loud as a car horn if the child points them directly to their ears. These can damage their developing ears. Toys are great for making a childs life even more fun. But they should be safe. A childs body is still underdeveloped, and is most vulnerable to germs and bacteria that could bring illness.Thats why we should choose toys wisely. The choices we make today can create a big impact on our childs health tomorrow. Sources include: LifePr.de Kidshealth.org (Natural News) Californians may soon be seeing a cancer warning on their coffee cup whenever they order the brew. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Elihu Berle has just proposed that coffee should come with a warning about the popular drinks supposed dangers to health. The proposed ruling zeroes in on the carcinogen acrylamide, which is found in the roasting process. It is released when foods are prepared at high heat, including roasting, deep frying, and grilling. The Council for Education and Research on Toxins has sued coffee makers to get them to remove acrylamide from their beverages or post a warning on their products. But coffee makers said removing acrylamide would ruin their products flavor. For his part, Berle said that Starbucks and the 90 other co-defendants in the case failed to prove that coffee doesnt cause cancer. Coffee lovers who oppose the proposed ruling have an ally in Alice Bender, director of nutrition at the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR). The nutrition expert thinks this coffee scare is a shame because most people dont know that other lifestyle factors, like weight and physical activity play a more important role in health and cancer risk. True enough, evidence of the relationship between coffee and cancer is shaky. Bender herself denies that any such connection exists. Its also important to note that the proposed ruling doesnt stem from new scientific data on coffee and cancer. Dr. Dale Shepard, a medical oncologist at the Cleveland Clinic explained that the proposal is a judicial decision, with no medical study to back it up. He admitted that lab animals exposed to high doses of acrylamide develop cancer, but there are no findings proving that the results apply to people. Shepard added that even the U.S. Food Drug Administration says acrylamide is safe for humans; the World Health Organization itself struck coffee out from its 2016 list of carcinogens after finding no evidence linking the beverage to cancer. Many recent studies negate the cancer scare in coffee. A meta-analysis of 127 studies showed that coffee may lower the risk of prostate, breast, colorectal, colon, and endometrial cancers. One other study, this time care of University of Sao Paolo researchers, revealed that regular coffee consumption reduced the odds of developing atherosclerosis among non-smokers. Moderation is still the key. Enjoy your coffee, but drink in moderation, Bender said. Here many ways to enjoy your coffee. Iced Summer is the perfect time to enjoy coffee. You can always drop pieces of ice cubes in your coffee. Or you can try storing it in the freezer, waiting for it to be partially frozen, then crushing the entire thing to make a flavorful coffee slushie. Summer is the perfect time to enjoy coffee. You can always drop pieces of ice cubes in your coffee. Or you can try storing it in the freezer, waiting for it to be partially frozen, then crushing the entire thing to make a flavorful coffee slushie. Popsicles Pour the beverage in a popsicle tray, or add flavors and additives to make this summer treat more delightful. Pour the beverage in a popsicle tray, or add flavors and additives to make this summer treat more delightful. Flavored Enjoy guilt-free coffee by adding natural extracts like vanilla and almond-coconut milk. Coffee need not be a symbol of stress or sleep deprivation. Experiment with flavors and try new recipes that will give you endless sources of pleasure and relaxation. Youll end up with wonderful memories of summer and other moments enjoying your favorite cup of healthy coffee. Want to read more about ridiculous stories about people pushing fake science for their own social justice agendas? Visit FakeScience.news today. Sources include: Today.com VergeCampus.com JAHA.AHAJournals.org TheGuardian.com Mayor Mark Farrell, just three months into his tenure, is unveiling a $12.8 million plan to clean up the streets and sidewalks of San Francisco. Last year, I stepped on a needle on my way back to city hall, he told the NBC Bay Area Investigative Unit in an exclusive interview. "I went back and made sure it didn't pierce through my shoe and it didn't...Im sick and tired as I believe residents of San Francisco are. Farrell wants to boost San Franciscos street cleaning crew by nearly 20 percent to reduce the amount of trash, feces, and needles littering the city. The additional 44 workers, four for each of the city's 11 Supervisorial districts, would be assigned to the highest need areas based on the advice and feedback Supervisors provide to the Public Works department. The mayor's proposal, which spans the next two years, also includes $3.4 million in new street cleaning equipment. When you see human feces and the smell of urine on the streets thats disgusting, he said. The anxiety of the people living in San Francisco continues to grow on this issue, and the tide is turning. The mayor's announcement comes after the NBC Bay Area Investigative Unit exposed a potentially dangerous mix of trash, needles and feces scattered across parts of downtown San Francisco. The findings went viral and gained international attention after the story grabbed headlines across several major media outlets. Farrells proposal calls for expanding the operating hours of five staffed restrooms in the city, known as Pit Stops, as well as opening five new facilities, bringing the total number of restrooms in the program to 23. San Francisco has nearly 300 public restrooms, but about 70 percent are not open overnight, according to a report by the Controllers Office. The conditions of our streets right now are unacceptable, he said. [I] share the frustration that everybodys feeling & believe that should be our priority for our city. On Monday, the mayor announced plans to hire 10 workers solely focused on cleaning up used needles across the San Francisco. The city will provide $750,000 to the AIDS Foundation to hire the new needle cleanup team. The Public Health department, which already employs four workers dedicated to picking up used needles, will manage the new team. San Francisco Mayor Mark Farrell (April 24, 2018). Mayor proposes $12.8 million increase for 'street cleaning' The mayor's latest street cleaning plan, which he intends to unveil during a press conference Wednesday afternoon, adds $12.8 million, over the next two years, to the citys street cleaning budget, which has nearly doubled in the last five years from $33.4 million to $65.4 million. At a recent budget committee hearing, the citys financial analysts raised concerns over the departments ballooning budget. Its unclear whats going on with the performance measures, said Dan Goncher, senior manager for the citys Budget Legislative Analyst Office, who addressed members of the Board of Supervisors during the April 12 hearing. There are some concerns over the methodology," he said, adding that service requests for street cleaning have continued to rise over the past few years. Farrell is now defending Public Works, saying he is absolutely confident the department is running properly. I really think the men and women picking up needles, picking up feces, cleaning up the urination this is tough work, he said. I think we need to fund more of them to make our streets cleaner. In addition to detailing his street cleaning plan Wednesday, the mayor also intends to veto Supervisor Jane Kim's recent $1.1 million street cleaning proposal. The money, left over from last years budget, would have been used to pay for additional street sweepers, cleaning equipment, and community grants to fund nonprofit organizations focused on cleaning San Francisco. While the board of supervisors passed the proposal in a narrow 6 to 5 vote, the mayor criticized the plan as a haphazard, temporary fix that focuses on Kim's own district rather than addressing street cleaning citywide. While Kim's proposal does include $230,000 in grants for nonprofits focused on cleaning up the Tenderloin, which is in her district, she had previously argued the Public Works department could decide how best to spend the remaining funds. NBC Bay Area Mayor's 'cleanup' proposal would take effect July 1 The mayor intends to present his full city budget to the Board of Supervisors by June 1 for approval. The new spending plan takes effect on July 1, the start of the fiscal year. We are going to put our money where our mouth is as a city and make the residents of our city know we are focusing on these issues, he said. As mayor, Im going to focus on that, and were going to see a difference on our streets moving forward. ______________________________________ A Los Angeles Police Department officer was federally charged Wednesday with allegedly smuggling undocumented immigrants into the United States, court documents show. Mambasse Koulabalo Patara, identified as a 42-year-old LAPD officer of 10 years, was accused of smuggling two Mexican citizens near the area of Pine Valley, California, the complaint states. The LAPD said he is currently off the job due to his arrest, and on home stay in Rancho Cucamonga. Patara, along with Fermin Lopez and German Ramirez-Gonzalez, were pulled over near the Tecate, California port of entry Tuesday. Border patrol agents said they pulled over the black Toyota Corolla at 12:15 a.m., and Patara was behind the wheel. The agents said Patara seemed nervous, and told them he was a U.S. citizen and an LAPD officer. He said the three men were on their way back to the LA region after gambling at Golden Acorn Casino, court documents state. Patara told the agent Lopez, who was asleep in the passenger seat, was a U.S. citizen, the complaint states. The agent then woke Lopez and asked him if he was indeed a citizen, and Lopez answered "yes," but the agent said he seemed to not understand the question. He repeated the question in Spanish, and Lopez said he was a citizen but didn't have any ID on him, court documents show. The agent said both men seemed nervous so he asked them to pull into an inspection area, where Patara told the agent that he was carrying a weapon because he was an officer. After the agent checked the immigration status of Lopez and Ramirez-Gonzalez, Lopez's nephew, he deduced they were not in the country legally, court documents show. The agents arrested all three men at 1:30 a.m., the complaint states. The complaint then says both men admitted to being in the country illegally. Lopez said the two had entered the U.S. illegally and walked for a half day before getting to the casino, where Ramirez-Gonzalez said he met a stranger who he convinced give them a ride, court documents state. Ramirez-Gonzalez however said he and Lopez crossed the border April 22, and that he had known Patara for five years, the complaint states. Patara is set to appear before a judge Thursday. He faces a maximum penalty of five years, and a $250,000 fine. For a woman in Danville, living in her community in the late 1970s was "terrifying" after news broke out that the Golden State Killer attacked someone there. "Scared spitless," said Catherine Gibbs. She says one of her daughters was so afraid of this man that she wouldn't even open her bedroom window at night to let in fresh air. "I had young women, my daughters that were here. I was not afraid for myself but I was afraid for them," Gibbs said. When news of the East Area Rapist, now known as the Golden State Killer and identified as Joseph James Deangelo, broke in Danville, she says the entire Danville community was warned to be alert. "Don't take any chances, don't open the door, if they ring the doorbell, call first. Ask who is there," she recalls. Alameda County District Attorney Nancy OMalley was a volunteer at a rape crisis center in 1977 when Deangelo raped several women. "Over the course of the year in 1977 to 1978, the East Area Rapist struck 9 times in Contra Costa County and I was involved as a volunteer advocate supporting those survivors," O'Malley said. At a press conference in Sacramento, she said Deangelos arrest doesn't bring her any comfort all these years later, she says she wishes hes been caught earlier. "Thank God he didn't hurt me or any of my family," Gibbs said. Housing prices in the Bay Area jumped 14.7 percent from 2017 and hit a new peak of $820,000 in March 2018, according to data released Wednesday by housing research firm CoreLogic. San Mateo County had the highest median sale price at $1.3 million, followed closely by San Francisco, Santa Clara and Marin counties, according to CoreLogic. Solano County had the lowest median price at $425,000, and Sonoma and Contra Costa counties both stayed below $600,000. Santa Clara County is currently seeing the highest rate of change in year-over-year estimates, according to CoreLogic. Median home prices jumped 33.6 percent from $898,000 in March 2017 to $1.2 million in March 2018. Ralph McLaughlin, chief economist and founder at consulting firm Veritas Urbis Economics, helped break down the numbers in the CoreLogic report. i think theres a serious threat to the economic sustainability of the region, especially if our middle and low-income households, police, nurses, firefighters, teachers, cant afford to live here," McLaughlin said. Researchers said "jumbo loans," which allow more expensive loans in high-cost areas, comprised 62.6 percent of all home purchases in March 2018. In the last 30 years, the organization says home prices in the Bay Area have gone up by 39.8 percent. A total of 7,122 homes were sold in the Bay Area in March alone. "If you own a house, theres a chance that you actually made more money from your house appreciating than you did from your job last year," McLaughlin said. According to the city and county of San Francisco, there are currently 196 single-family homes on the market. NBC Bay Area's Sam Brock contributed to this report. Former Newton Mayor Setti Warren ended his campaign for governor on Thursday, shrinking the field of lesser-known Democrats hoping to challenge Republican incumbent Charlie Baker in November. In his surprise announcement posted on Facebook, Warren cited difficulties he had faced in financing a competitive campaign. "Even though we raised a lot of money from small-dollar donations, raising the kind of money we need to build a grassroots campaign that can take on Charlie Baker has been our biggest challenge from Day 1," Warren wrote. "Today, I have come to the difficult realization that this challenge is insurmountable." Warren's withdrawal leaves only two Democrats, Jay Gonzalez and Bob Massie, vying for their party's nomination to face Baker, whom polls have shown to be consistently popular with voters, including many Democrats. Massie, a businessman and environmental activist from Somerville, was the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor in 1994. In an interview, he said he was surprised by Warren's decision but felt good about its implications for his campaign. "We are going to continue to do what we have been doing from the beginning, which is making the case for a bold, progressive future," said Massie. Gonzalez, who served as state Secretary of Administration and Finance under former Gov. Deval Patrick, thanked Warren in a statement Thursday for "highlighting the important issue of economic inequality." "I also want to thank his enthusiastic supporters," Gonzalez said. "I ask for their support so that together we can make Massachusetts a leader again and make a meaningful difference in people's lives." Warren was the state's first popularly elected black mayor in Massachusetts, leading the Boston suburb for eight years. He briefly ran for the U.S. Senate in 2011 before dropping out and backing Democrat Elizabeth Warren. The Iraq war veteran and one-time aide to former Sen. John Kerry was initially seen as a front-runner in a field of Democratic gubernatorial candidates that lacked prominent names, as other better-known Democrats, including Attorney General Maura Healey, passed on the race. Warren received several endorsements along the way, including that of Michael Dukakis, the state's former governor and 1988 Democratic presidential nominee. In his statement, Warren did not throw his support behind either of the other Democratic hopefuls, but said: "I have always told myself that we could beat Charlie Baker by following (Patrick's) advice: Stand up for what we believe and organize our communities." Warren's campaign account showed a balance of $51,644 as of April 15, compared to just under $7.9 million for Baker, according to records from the state Office of Campaign and Political Finance. In the two week period before April 15, Warren had raised about $16,000 compared to the more than $250,000 pulled in by the incumbent. Neither Gonzalez nor Massie had fared significantly better in raising cash _ Gonzalez's campaign showed a balance of $127,418 through mid-April, while Massie's was at just $20,831. "It's people power versus insider cash," said Massie, who predicted he would benefit from a "blue wave" - a Democratic surge many analysts have projected for November - to sweep him into office if he wins the September primary. Democrats contend Baker is vulnerable in part because of recent issues in state government, including reports of overtime abuse and financial irregularities in the Massachusetts State Police. The president of France had a busy week in Washington, D.C., including conversations about the Iran nuclear deal with President Donald Trump and giving a speech before a joint session of Congress, urging the U.S. to get more serious about climate change. Despite his packed schedule, it turned out President Emmanuel Macron also had time for a chance encounter with a group of middle schoolers from Vermont. The D.C. journey for 43 Vermont students, organized by Essex Junction Recreation & Parks, took a surprise turn Wednesday when the students stumbled upon President Macron. The kids were touring the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial with their six chaperones, and it just so happened that Macron was there, too, with civil rights icon Congressman John Lewis of Georgia. The two leaders approached the students for a brief visit. When Macron asked where theyre from, the kids exclaimed, Vermont, and told him they were there on a school trip. Lewis then urged the students to tell Macron what theyve been studying at school. Weve been studying the history of America and how we got to where we are now, one of the Essex students said in response. A day after the chance encounter, necn and NBC 10 Boston video chatted with some of the young travelers who got to talk with Macron. I thought it was really, really cool, and a once-in-a-lifetime experience, eighth grader Kaito Esselstrom said. Most French people would never get to meet him, yet Im in America and I got to meet him. We all consider ourselves pretty lucky to have experienced something like this, and I think its amazing that just by chance, he walked up to us, added Anna Ganguly, another student on the trip. Brad Luck, the director of Essex Junction Recreation & Parks, said he and the other chaperones think Macron and Lewis approached the Vermonters because they were kidsmaking for a nice break, maybe, from all the serious business of international diplomacy. It was really an incredible experience, Luck said of the meeting. Weve already talked about how we cant top this [trip]! When theyre back home, the students said they want to read up on the men they met in D.C.: proof spring break really can be educational. The City of Chicago launched a new program Thursday to allow all city residents to obtain a municipal identification card. First proposed in Oct. 2016 and approved six months later, officials said the Chicago Municipal ID program was designed to allow all city residents access to a form of identification regardless of immigration status, housing situation, prison record, gender identity and more. Those applying for the ID, known as the "CityKey," will not be asked about their immigration status and will be allowed to self-attest their gender, authorities have said. There will also be options for survivors of domestic violence to designate an alternate address, plus an option for the homeless to obtain an ID without a fixed address. The cards will be accepted by all City departments as an official form of identification, and as a government ID, it can be used to get into any Chicago bar, pick up a prescription, sign a lease or get married, among other tasks. In addition, the municipal ID will be printed on blank CTA Ventra cards for regular use on the citys bus and train system, as well as in Chicagos Public Library network - making Chicago the first city in the nation to integrate its transit and library systems into the municipal ID program, officials said. There are perks to the CityKey as well - getting discounts at places like the Goodman Theater, Navy Pier and the Field Museum. "Every day we are working to explore celebrate and protect our world, the cultures that call it home and we found that there are barriers for people in the city," the Field Museum's Jaclyn Johnston said. "CityKey holders will have chance to visit the museum along with immediate family for free the first year they get their ID card." Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel has championed the initiative as part of his efforts to push back on President Donald Trumps administration's crackdown on undocumented immigrants living in the U.S. Emanuel officially launched the initiative, alongside City Clerk Anna Valencia and several partners in the program, at the Field Museum Thursday morning. More details, including a full list of benefits and discounts, can be found on Valenica's website here. One year after the body of 17-month-old Semaj Crosby was discovered under a couch, her memory and mysterious death haunt the girls family, the community, police and attorneys. Everything got really quiet and still, said attorney Neil Patel. Things just slowed down. Patel, who represents Semajs mother Sheri Gordon, sat down for his first television interview since Semajs death. He revealed he was in the room when Semajs body was found in her Joliet Township home, after an exhaustive 30-hour search. I dont normally see that kind of stuff, recalled Patel, his voice cracking. I remember thinking how little she lookedI mean it was hard. Semaj was reported missing on April 25, 2017. The 17-month-old had wandered off while playing in the yard, according to Gordon. Her disappearance sparked an intense search by police and dozens of community members. On April 27, Semajs body was found under the couch in her familys home a home police have said was in deplorable conditions, a home she lived in alongside squatters. Last fall, the Will County Coroners Office revealed Semaj died of asphyxia a homicide. Based on the unusual circumstances surrounding her disappearance and the subsequent discovery of her decomposing body under the couch in her own home, the multiple previous contacts by the Department of Children and Family Services, the suspicious fire at the residence and lack of cooperation from the witnesses the manner of death of this 17 month old is currently classified as a homicide, the coroner wrote. Sheriffs Office: Five Persons of Interest The Will County Sheriffs Office previously identified four women and a teenage minor at the home during Semajs disappearance as persons of interest. I can tell you with 100 percent certainty that (Semaj) did not get under that couch by herself, said lead detective R.J. Austin at a community meeting last July. One if not more of those four grown women know exactly what happened to Semaj. Those four grown women include Gordon, Semajs paternal grandmother Darlene Crosby, Semajs paternal aunt Lakerisha Crosby and a family friend, according to detectives. The sheriffs office and Patel said Gordon has been cooperating with the investigation. We want a full and thorough investigation. If that means considering Sheri (as a person of interest) and clearing her, absolutely we are for that, Patel said. Darlene Crosby, who sat down for an exclusive interview with NBC 5 Investigates last summer, said she has been fully cooperative as well. I have nothing to hide. I want to talk. I want to help, Darlene Crosby said. At the time, Crosby said she and the other women had planned to take Semaj, her brothers and her cousins to get ice cream on a hot day. They were all playing in the yard and dancing to music while waiting to go to Dairy Queen, Crosby said. Crosby said Semajs mother took the girl inside the home for a changing but came back. A short time later, Crosby said that Gordon reported Semaj was missing. I am not going to respond to the things people are saying about Sheri, Patel said. If these people are saying, Sheri did this, Sheri did that, sit down with law enforcement to the point that police are so satisfied with what you have to say that they can take this case to the next steps. Darlene Crosby declined a second interview with NBC 5 Investigates. The Crosbys attorney Cosmo Tedone said any suggestion by police that his clients are not helping are misleading and false. There is no way that the Sheriffs Office can say that my clients are uncooperative since the Sheriffs Office has not contacted me in over a year to speak with my clients, Tedone said in a statement. My clients are deeply saddened as the one year approaches for the death of such an adorable young child who was taken too soon in life. Troubling Allegations NBC 5 Investigates has learned both the Crosby family and Gordon and the house they shared were well-known to Will County Sheriffs detectives and the Department of Children and Family Services. According to police call logs, detectives responded to the home on the 300 block of Louis Road more than 80 times in a span of two years. Calls included allegations of disturbances, domestic battery and probation checks. A 22-page DCFS report released after Semajs death revealed caseworkers had responded to Gordons home 10 times before the girl went missing. One tipster reported approximately 30 people were living in the home and occupants openly sell drugs and they drink while children are unsupervised, the report stated. One caseworker noted in the report that it appeared Gordon was being taken advantage of by the Crosbysthat they refused to help Ms. Gordon with the household bills and help with transportation. Crosby denied those allegations in an interview last year. The DCFS document contained several allegations of abuse, including one of sexual abuse, which was later deemed unfounded, according to the report. Another alleged incident noted in the report involved a 7-year-old child in the home who expressed suicidal thoughts and wasnt given medication. In an April 2015 report, Gordon told a child protection investigator that she had some type of mental health related diagnosis but didnt know the name. In later reports, caseworkers expressed concern about potential cognitive impairments observed in Gordon that contributed to her difficulties in caring for her children, according to the report. The home the family lived in was often observed to be messy though not deplorable, according to DCFS. Subsequent law enforcement reports after Semajs death reveal the house was roach-infested and filthy. The house was deemed uninhabitable after the girls death. Patel said while the home was not perfect, the widely-circulated photos of the filthy home were taken after a frantic search for Semaj. The baby was missing for about two days. I dont think anyone in the household cared about cleaning up. They were focused on finding Semaj, Patel said. If the conditions were so bad, knowing that children were living there, (state agencies) had a mandatory obligation to report it to law enforcement and it didnt happen. DCFS handling of cases involving Semajs family has been criticized in the wake of the girls death. Former Director George Sheldon resigned, and the agencys new leader vowed changes to policies and procedures. A Devastated Family Patel said Gordon and the Crosbys have little communication today. Whatever their relationship was before this happened, it certainly is not what it is now, Patel said. Gordon does not have the closure she needs, Patel said, and she is desperately wanting to reunite with her three young sons, who are still in state custody. Being a mother was the most important thing to her. It was the only thing she ever wanted to do, Patel said. Her sons need a mother and they all need to come together for the grieving process. They cant do it in foster care. Despite no new developments in this case, the Will County Sheriffs Office said this case is not cold. On Wednesday, members of the community group Freedom First International frustrated by the cases stalemate issued a press release and urged the Will County Sheriffs Department to recuse itself from the investigation, claiming the department missed critical opportunities to push forward with this investigation. A look back at all of NBC 5's reporting on the case since it began one year ago: 11/7/17: Grandmother, friend speak out on Semaj Crosby investigation 10/12/17: Father of Semaj Crosby speaks: 'I should have been there' 9/15/17: Cause of death released for toddler Semaj Crosby 9/7/17: Rally held to demand answers in Semaj Crosby case 7/27/17: 'I have nothing to hide': Grandmother of Semaj Crosby speaks on baby's mysterious death 7/27/17: 'A baby I never met had the biggest impact on my life' 7/27/17: A look at the state of Semaj Crosby's home 7/27/17: Three months after Semaj Crosby's death, grandmother says 'I miss her every day' 7/25/17: DCFS testifies on reforms in wake of Semaj investigation 7/11/17: Detective reveals new details on Semaj Crosby investigation 5/31/17: Illinois DCFS head resigns 5/31/17: DCFS releases 22-page report after Semaj Crosby's death 5/27/17: DCFS Joliet office had contest to close cases: report 5/17/17: Illinois child welfare head pledges reform in abuse probes 5/7/17: Fire destroys home where Semaj Crosby was found dead 5/6/17: Deputy chief chokes up while discussing missing girl 5/6/17: Funeral services held for Semaj Crosby 5/4/17: DCFS Director: Agency won't remove kids over 'dirty house' 5/2/17: Judge demands answers from DCFS concerning dead 1-year-old 5/2/17: Photos show inside home where missing girl was found dead 4/30/17: Funeral arrangements made for girl found dead in Joliet home 4/28/17: Mom of child found dead gives emotional statement 4/28/17: Lawyers for mother of child found dead release statement 4/27/17: Missing girl's death being treated as "suspicious" 4/27/17: Missing girl found dead inside Joliet Tonship home 4/26/17: Search for girl in Joliet Township "temporarily suspended" 4/26/17: Mom of missing girl in Joliet Township investigated by DCFS 4/26/17: Search continues for missing girl in Joliet Township 4/25/17: Police ask for help in search for missing 1-year-old The News in Brief By Mariam Chanishvili Movement delayed at Georgian-Armenian Customs Checkpoint The Revenue Service of the Ministry of Finance of Georgia stated that the movement was delayed on the customs crossing point Sadakhlo for several hours yesterday. "The checkpoint did not have any delay yesterday, the Customs worked normally 24/7, but the passengers could not move because of the roads blocked by the Armenian side and rallies there. But this problem was solved, stated the Revenue Service. Mass rallies kicked off in Yerevan and other Armenian cities on April 16. The opposition demands that Serzh Sargsyan, who was elected as the prime minister by the parliament after 10 years of presidency, should step down. Sargsyan announced his resignation on April 23.GOOD NEWSNEWS FM to discuss human rights violations in occupied territories of Georgia in USA Minister of Foreign Affairs Mikheil Janelidze will discuss human rights violations in the Russia-controlled breakaway regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali during his meetings in the US. The three day visit to New York started on April 23 and the Minister will participate in a UN high level meetings. The illegal detention of Georgian citizens by the Russian-controlled border guards will be discussed during the meetings. "The current situation is unacceptable. We are going to address all the international organizations to help prevent illegal detentions and punish those charged for killing and kidnapping our citizens, Janelidze said. The report by Georgias State Security Service says that 126 Georgian citizens were illegally detained by the Russia-controlled border guards last year at the Georgia-breakaway Tskhinvali occupation line and 52 others at the Abkhazias so-called boundary line. Authorities said Thursday that a fire at a northwestern Wisconsin refinery where an explosion injured at least 11 people was out, but that an evacuation order for residents of Superior would remain and be re-evaluated throughout the night. Douglas County officials said Thursday evening that the fire was extinguished and residents in the evacuation area were being asked to stay away from their homes for at least another two hours. But late Thursday night, Superior police gave another update, saying the evacuation order would stay in place. The fire had poured thick clouds of noxious black smoke into the air after the explosion rocked the refinery. Schools and a hospital also were evacuated. Authorities said a tank of crude oil or asphalt exploded about 10 a.m. at the Husky Energy oil refinery in Superior, a city of about 27,000 that shares a Lake Superior shipping port with nearby Duluth, Minnesota. That prompted them to order the evacuation of a 3-mile (5-kilometer) radius around the refinery, as well as a 10-mile (16 kilometer) corridor south of it where the smoke was heading. It was unclear how many people evacuated, but Mayor Jim Paine said most of the city was being evacuated. The refinery is in an industrial area, but there's a residential neighborhood within a mile to the northeast. The corridor downwind to the south of the refinery is sparsely populated. Schools in Superior and nearby Maple, Wisconsin, canceled classes Friday as a precaution. Hospital officials said only one of the injured was seriously hurt, with what was described as a blast injury. No deaths were reported, and officials said all workers had been accounted for. Thick, black smoke poured from the refinery hours after the explosion. Refinery manager Kollin Schade said the smoke was from burning asphalt that was so hot that firefighters were unable to attack the fire to try to put it out. Emergency officials later said another tank had caught fire, too, though they didn't specify what was in it. A four-person team from the U.S. Chemical Safety Board will investigate the blast. The board makes safety recommendations after serious chemical incidents. The fire was put out about 11:20 a.m. but reignited, prompting police to urge residents living within an evacuation area to leave. Police blocked roads into the area around the refinery. Three schools and St. Mary's Hospital in Superior were evacuated as a precaution. A contractor who was inside the building told WDIO television that the explosion sounded like "a sonic boom" and that it happened when crews were working on shutting the plant down for repairs. Kara Tudor, 30, and Julia Johnson, 27, live about 2 miles from the refinery and were ordered to evacuate. They quickly scooped up their two dogs and three cats, grabbed their toothbrushes and drove to a friend's house in Duluth, where they were watching the news for updates. Johnson, who was working from home at the time of the blast, said the windows shook. "It felt like something had hit the house, like a vehicle or a branch from a tree. ... Our dogs started barking. It was a stressful moment," Johnson said. Johnson also wondered if a plane had crashed and feared the house might collapse. Johnson looked around but didn't see anything then a few moments later saw dense black smoke rising over the trees. By lunchtime, they had to go. Tudor went home as the clouds in the sky were masked by thick, black smoke and the air smelled like burning tires. "It was scary," Tudor said. "We threw our dogs in (Johnson's) car. I put the cats in my car ... we grabbed our toothbrushes and just left. ... We were mostly focused on the pets because it smelled like burning tires outside and we knew that wasn't a good smell." Tudor, a scientist at a research company, said residents were not told much about the potential danger, what was in the smoke or why it was so black. But she said it was clear people should not have been breathing it in and she wondered how it will affect the water and air quality. Oil smoke can contain a mix of noxious hydrocarbons and other chemicals with potential short- and long-term health effects. National Weather Service radar showed the smoke plume extending south-southeast, taking it into sparsely populated areas. The weather service said winds were expected to weaken Thursday evening and eventually shift toward Lake Superior. It said the smoke probably would not affect Duluth, a city of about 87,000. Calgary, Alberta-based Husky Energy bought the refinery from Indianapolis-based Calumet Specialty Products Partners last year for more than $490 million. It's Wisconsin's only refinery, and it produces gasoline, asphalt and other products. The refinery had been fined by federal officials several years ago under its previous owners. U.S. Department of Labor spokesman Scott Allen said the Occupational Safety and Health Administration fined Calumet Superior LLC $21,000 over emergency response and flammable liquids violations in 2015. The violations were settled and the problems resolved by the end of that year. Allen said it was the only OSHA enforcement action taken against Calumet Superior LLC in the past 20 years. Calumet Superior operates as a subsidiary of Calumet Specialty Products Partners, which sold the plant to Husky Energy last year. The refinery, which dates back to the early 1950s, has a processing capacity of around 50,000 barrels per day and a storage capacity of 3.6 million barrels of crude and products. It processes both heavy crude from the Canadian tar sands in Alberta and lighter North Dakota Bakken crude. Associated Press writers Steve Karnowski, Doug Glass, and Gretchen Ehlke contributed to this report. UPDATE: Officials at the school said Thursday the "suspicious" incident that authorities believed may have been a potential abduction attempt turned out to be an "honest mistake." Read more here. Police are investigating after a "suspicious" man attempted to sign a student out of a south Elgin middle school but left when he could not produce identification Tuesday, the principal said in a letter to parents. The man showed up at Kenyon Woods Middle School about 9:45 a.m. and was buzzed into the main office for verification. He was asked for ID but didn't show one and then immediately left the building, according to principal Lisa Olsem's letter. "Please be assured that this person never left the front office," Olsem wrote. "He did not enter any academic areas. All U-46 safety and security protocols were adhered to and the School Resource Officer, Detective Cooper, was notified immediately and began a cooperative investigation into the suspicious incident." The parents of the student the visitor attempted to sign out were contacted by the school, Olsem said. She said there is no risk to any students or staff and "strict safety protocols will continue to be followed." Dena Fagan is the mother of the 14-year-old the man is said to have tried to take out of the school. "My husband called and said somebody tried to pick up our daughter from school today claiming that they needed to take her for an eye doctor appointment," she said, adding that he gave the student's first and last name. Fagan said her daughter is "freaked out." "Is he specifically after my daughter?" she asked. "Or after any young girl willing to go?" South Elgin Deputy Police Chief Randy Endean said technically no crime was committed, but it's being investigated as a "suspicious incident." The school urges anyone with information about the incident to call the South Elgin Police Department at 847-741-2151. No one was hurt when fire broke out at a Hartford church Wednesday night. Fire crews responded to the Bible Way Temple Nation church at 3053 Main Street Wednesday. The pastor told NBC Connecticut a meeting had just wrapped up and he was alone in the building when the fire started. He escaped unharmed. I discovered it in the attic. I went back to get a fire extinguisher and when I came back there was embers. I wasnt taking any chances and went back downstairs and called 911," said Pastor Terry Stringer. The fire started in part of an addition to the church. Firefighters were able to prevent the fire from spreading further into the building. The cause of the fire is under investigation. Editor's note: Fire officials initially said Bible study was underway when the flames broke out, but the pastor clarified that he was alone in the building when the fire started. Tweed New Haven Airport has been pushing to extend its runway, a move that would need the approval of state lawmakers. On Wednesday New Havens Board of Alders heard from people on both sides of the issue, ahead of a decision about whether theyll throw their support behind the plan. I think its going to be huge. I really do and I think its going to be appropriate, said Tim Larson, executive director of the Tweed New Haven Airport Authority The question is whether to extend the runway by about 1,500 feet, which would allow larger commercial planes to fly out of New Haven to places like D.C., Chicago and Florida. Currently, the airport only offers commercial service to Philadelphia. We dont need to be that large. Alls we need is what we have, were not going outside of our fence and we think we can do it rather expeditiously, Larson said. The long-talked-about proposal has the support of New Haven Mayor Toni Harp, who has introduced a noise mitigation plan for 185 homes near Tweed, along with the addition of parking a nearby greenway. Residents and members of the business community also lent support to the idea, saying right now its too hard to get to New Haven by air. We need this because New Haven, Southern Connecticut, Connecticut needs more industry to come in. They cant come in if they cant get here, one resident said. But opponents of the project also founded off at the meeting considering a resolution of support for the program, arguing more flights would turn their neighborhoods into nightmares. This is a complete upending and changing of our neighborhood, one neighbor said during public comment. Now at the very end of the legislature, youre being asked to do a bums rush and vote on it here and shove it in front of the board of aldermen and somehow squeeze it into Hartford before the session ends on May 9, another neighbor said during the meeting. After several hours of public comment, the committee opted to move the resolution up for consideration by the full Board of Alders. Soon the full board will vote. But in the end it will all come down to state lawmakers, who have to approve any changes to Tweeds runway before their session ends May 9. According to the airport director, even if it is all approved, it would likely take three years before the expanded runway at Tweed and those additional flights would become reality. Wesleyan University's president is moving to revoke Bill Cosbys honorary degree after the comedian was found guilty on sexual assault charges on Thursday. Cosby was convicted on three counts of aggravated assault related to an encounter with a former Temple University employee, Andrea Constand, in his Cheltenham home in Pennsylvania. He was accused of drugging and molesting Constand in 2004. During the trial, five other women testified to also having been drugged and assaulted by Cosby. In light of his conviction, Wesleyan University President Michael Roth announced he intends to ask the Board of Trustees to revoke the honorary degree Wesleyan awarded Cosby in 1987. Roth will make his request when the Board of Trustees meets in May. Yale University is also looking into whether to revoke an honorary degree awarded to Cosby by that institution. "The board of trustees will be reviewing Yales longstanding precedent of not revoking honorary degrees. The conduct of which Mr. Cosby was convicted today is profoundly disturbing and deeply contrary to the mission of Yale and our expectations for behavior," a university spokesperson told NBC Connecticut. [NATL] Bill Cosby Through the Years In June 2016, the University of Connecticut revoked an honorary degree awarded to Cosby in 1996. It was the first time the school had ever rescinded an honorary degree. The court case has destroyed the legacy of the once influential comedian. He was originally charged in 2015, but the initial trial ended in a mistrial when the jury deadlocked. Cosby now faces up to 10 years in prison on each count. A sentencing date has not been announced. His attorneys said they plan to appeal the verdict. Members of Connecticuts House of Representative passed a bill early this morning that would require insurance companies cover 10 health benefits in the event of changes in federal law. The bill would require insurance companies to cover ambulatory patient services; emergency services; hospitalization; maternity and newborn health care; mental health and substance use disorder services, including behavioral health treatment; prescription drugs; rehabilitative and habilitative services and devices; laboratory services; preventive and wellness services and chronic disease management; and pediatric services, including oral and vision care. The bill also requires insurers cover a 12-month supply of contraception. State representatives said the benefits are already provided, but they want to make sure they become law in Connecticut in the event of changes to federal laws. This bill ensures that no matter what changes on the federal level in the years to come, Connecticut residents will still be covered for these critical services. Were not creating any new costs were just saying that as a state we wont go backwards when it comes to health care coverage, State Rep. Liz Linehan (D-Cheshire/Southington/Wallingford) said in a statement. The financial impact for families if these benefits were no longer guaranteed would be devastating. When consumers pay their health insurance premiums each month, they deserve the peace of mind that they and their family have access to basic medical services. Next, the bill heads to the state Senate. Each year monarch butterflies help welcome spring to North Texas as they fly through the metroplex on an annual migration from Mexico, where they spend their winters, to Canada, where they go for the summer. However, the species' population has dropped by 95 percent over the last 30 years, according to the Monarch Butterfly Habitat Exchange. Much of the decline has to do with the loss of the butterfly's habitat across its migration route, which includes Texas. In response to the population loss, the Environmental Defense Fund launched the Monarch Butterfly Habitat Exchange, which has teamed up with ranches, including five in Texas, to rehabilitate a plant that the monarchs' rely on to breed, called milkweed. "It concerns me deeply that monarch butterflies as a species are declining at such an incredibly accelerated rate," said Amy Greer, one of the ranchers registered with the exchange. "When you started seeing massive declines in numbers of populations, it's something we should all be paying attention to and something we should all worry about and be actively trying to solve those problems." Greer is a rancher at Winters-Wall Ranch in Brady, which is in Central Texas. Three of the other Texas ranches working with the exchange are in the Austin area, while the fifth is Wagley Ranch near Mineral Wells. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is considering placing the monarch butterfly on its endangered species list, according to an EDF official -- something he thinks would surprise people. "It's not like some rare species that you never see," said David Wolfe, the Director of Conservation Strategies for the EDF. "The monarch is something everyone knows and generally loves and it has this amazing migratory phenomenon, which is unique within the animal world." "One of the things that's important to us is serving the land before we serve ourselves," George Greer, also of Winters-Wall Ranch, said. "That's what this program is helping us do." What to Know Meredith Sullivan Chapman, 33, was killed by the wife of her paramour, police said Latex gloves, ear plugs and binoculars were found inside Jennair Gerardot's rental car Police say the murder-suicide was the result of an affair between Mark Gerardot and Chapman The woman identified as the killer in a murder-suicide stemming from a love triangle that occurred in a tony Philadelphia suburb had some unusual items inside her car, police said Wednesday. Latex gloves, ear plugs and binoculars were found by officers inside Jennair Gerardot's black Cadillac XTS, police in Radnor Township, Delaware County, said. The vehicle was a rental, investigators determined. Police believe Gerardot, of Delaware, drove to the Main Line town Monday night to shoot Meredith Sullivan Chapman. The victim had recently moved to Lowrys Lane for a new job at nearby Villanova University. Chapman, 33, was found shot to death inside the house. Gerardot was found dead nearby after she apparently turned the gun on herself, police said. The shocking slaying was rooted in an affair between Chapman and Gerardot's husband, Mark Gerardot, investigators have said. "She broke into the house, she was lying in wait and she shot her as soon as she walked in and then she shot herself," Radnor Township Police Superintendent William Colarulo said Tuesday. "There were emails and text messages indicating what [Gerardot] planned to do." Also inside the rented Cadillac was ammunition and a receipt from a nearby gas station that showed Gerardot had been in the area since at least 2:40 p.m. Monday, police said. The vehicle was found on an adjacent side street to Lowrys Lane. Gerardot had rented the vehicle April 13 in Wilmington, Delaware. In a twist, Mark Gerardot had gone to a restaurant nearby the murder scene where he thought he'd be meeting Chapman for dinner. When she didn't show up, he went to her house and found the bodies. He then called police. Chapman had just moved into a three-story brick home on Lowrys Lane with her dog Indy, friends told NBC10. When investigators arrived at the scene, Gerardots husband, Mark Gerardot, told officials that his wife might be inside. "You had a man that was married, that was having an affair with this other woman," Colarulo said. "The wife knew about it and this was a calculated, planned attack." Neighbor Tom Dougherty was stunned by the news, telling NBC10 that "this is not what usually happens on this street. "Nothing ever happens on this street, he said. Chapman was a former WHYY producer for its Delaware bureau and ran an unsuccessful bid as a Republican for a state senate seat in Delaware. She was also married to Newark City Councilman Luke Chapman, but the couple was reportedly separated. Our hearts are broken by the devastating loss of our new colleague, Villanova University officials said in a statement. The thoughts and prayers of the entire university community are with her family, friends and colleagues during this extremely difficult time. Chapman's family called her a "beacon of light to anyone who was fortunate enough to meet her," in a released statement. "She loved her family fiercely, was a compassionate friend and among the most talented and innovative professionals in her field," they wrote. "Her death was sudden and tragic, but will not definite who she was to the thousands of people who loved her." Courtesy University of Delaware SUICIDE PREVENTION HELP: The National Suicide Prevention Hotline (1-800-273-8255) is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. What to Know The group was sleeping in tents and attending legal seminars given by volunteer attorneys from the U.S. about seeking asylum They plan to try to enter the U.S. on Sunday at San Diego's border crossing U.S. Customs and Border Protection has space to hold about 300 people at the crossing A group of migrants from Central America arrived in Tijuana Wednesday with hopes of seeking asylum from dangerous and violent conditions in their home countries. The group is part of a larger caravan that started their journey for shelter in Mexico at the beginning of March. The caravan has been described as dangerous by President Donald Trump and was mentioned as one of the reasons he asked for National Guard troops to be sent to the border region. The president tweeted this week that he has issued orders "not to let these large Caravans of people into our Country. It is a disgrace." Last week, Telemundo 20 spoke with the first of hundreds who were expected to arrive at the U.S.-Mexico border. The group was sleeping in tents and attending legal seminars given by volunteer attorneys from the U.S. about seeking asylum. The first groups plan to try to enter the U.S. on Sunday at San Diego's border crossing. The caravans have been a fairly common tactic for years among advocacy groups to bring attention to Central American citizens seeking asylum in the U.S. to escape political persecution or criminal threats from gangs. "We are not terrorists we all have a dream," Mauricio Magana said who is also from El Salvador. Katherine Flores has traveled with the caravan from El Salvador with her toddler daughter. She told NBC News she wants to give her baby a better future. I came because of the gangs, she told NBC News. You cannot live in our country. This caravan's numbers pale compared to the roughly 200,000 people who were arrested at the border in Texas' Rio Grande Valley during the spring of 2014 during the administration of President Barack Obama, many of them Central American women and children. Thousands of Haitians seeking to enter the U.S. turned themselves in to U.S. border inspectors at the Tijuana-San Diego border crossing, the nation's busiest. U.S. Customs and Border Protection has space to hold about 300 people at the crossing, said Pete Flores, director of the agency's San Diego field office. It turns them over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to determine if they should be held long-term of if they can be released while their cases are pending, often wearing ankle monitors that track their movements. The San Diego border crossing was so overwhelmed by Haitians in 2016 that U.S. officials worked with their Mexican counterparts to create a ticketing system that let the Haitians in over time. Some waited their turn in Tijuana more than five weeks. More recently, asylum seekers have had to wait at most only a few hours, never overnight, Flores said. If asylum-seekers make it through initial screenings with asylum officers by establishing "credible fear" of being returned to their homelands, they are allowed in and face what can be lengthy proceedings before U.S. immigration judges. Ginger Jacobs, a San Diego immigration attorney who helped Haitians seeking entry to the U.S. in 2016, said Trump's concerns about a rush of Central Americans seeking asylum were "completely overblown." "I don't see this caravan thing being a big deal," she said. "I see it as something the port will be able to handle competently and professionally." Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, in a message apparently aimed at asylum seekers, said Wednesday that anyone who makes false claims to immigration authorities is subject to criminal prosecution. The same goes for anyone who assists or coaches immigrants on making false claims. Nielsen's threat is consistent with the administration's narrative of widespread "asylum fraud" and claims that asylum-seekers are coached on what to tell U.S. authorities. The secretary also said asylum seekers in the caravan should seek protection in the first safe country they reach, including Mexico. U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions said he may assign additional immigration judges to handle caravan cases. The Juventud 2000 migrant shelter, on the edge of Tijuana's red-light district, is filled with dome-shaped tents to accommodate more than 200 arrivals. Its director, Jose Maria Garcia Luca, said two previous caravans in May and November of last year had about 100 people each. Those who sought asylum reported no significant delays entering the U.S. "This is nothing like the Haitians," Garcia Luca said. "That was chaos." The Associated Press contributed to this report An emergency room doctor says he has seen an increase of children and young adults coming into his hospital doors after being exposed to marijuana since the start of the new year. January 1 was the first day licensed marijuana dispensaries could legally sell products in the state of California. The state of Colorado saw a spike in average marijuana-related exposures in children, teenagers and young adults after recreational marijuana became legal there several years back. According to a report by the Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, the number of exposures for children ages 0-5 years old climbed from 4 to 37 pre-versus post-legislation. The San Fernando Valley Partnership, a substance abuse prevention organization, is sounding the alarm, saying more needs to be done locally to ensure exposure to children and teenagers is limited. The main concern are edibles. Businesses like MedMen say they do not want children to be exposed to marijuana products. Daniel Yi, MadMen Corporate Communications Director, says it not only abide by state laws but also put the products they sell in child resistant exit bagsuntil July 1st, when packaging guidelines in the state of California are in full effect. Under the guidelines from the California Department of Public Health: KNBC-TV An emergency room doctor says he has seen an increase of children and young adults coming into his hospital doors after being exposed to marijuana since the start of the new year. January 1st was the first day licensed marijuana dispensaries could legally sell products in the state of California. KNBC-TV KNBC-Tv NBC4 I-Team Investigative Reporter Lolita Lopez's full report is below. [[481016271, C]] Deputy Foreign Minister A.Dapkiunas meets UNICEF Representative in Belarus 26-04-2018 On April 26, 2018 the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus, Andrei Dapkiunas, met with the Representative of the United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) in Belarus, Dr Rashed Mustafa Sarwar. The parties discussed the development of UNICEF cooperation with the Fund's partners in Belarus in improving the national system of juvenile justice and combatting violence against children. The sides considered possible joint steps to develop cooperation with the donor community in addressing these tasks, as well as prospects for increased private and public support for the UNICEF programme activity in the country. print version What to Know The FBI said the "Golden State Killer" is responsible for approximately 45 rapes, 12 homicides, and multiple residential burglaries In 2016, the FBI announced a $50,000 reward and a national campaign to identify the killer The sister of Janelle Cruz, one of the killers last victims, said she received word of an arrest Wednesday morning A tip from the public and DNA evidence pointed detectives to a man who was taken into custody overnight in the decades-old Golden State Killer case, authorities said Wednesday. The tip followed renewed attention stemming from a book and recent documentary about the series of rapes, slayings and residential burglaries across California that began in the mid-1970s, law enforcement officials told NBC4. The tip and DNA evidence from two 1978 killings in Sacramento led to the arrest Wednesday of 72-year-old Joseph James DeAngelo, who appears to fit the description of the elusive California killer. "We found the needle in the haystack, and it was right here in Sacramento," Sacramento County District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert said Wednesday, when authorities announced the arrest. She said the "answer was always going to be in the DNA." The former police officer was arrested early Wednesday on suspicion of murder by police in Sacramento. DeAngelo was being held without bail in the Sacramento County Main Jail, according to records. The sister of Janelle Cruz, one of the killers last victims, said she received word of an arrest Wednesday morning. Janelle Cruz was killed in 1986 in Irvine. She was only 18 years old. "I'm so excited and overwhelmed," said Michelle Cruz. "I'm feeling very blessed today and now I will be able to breathe again." NBC Affiliate KCRA said FBI agents and other law enforcement officials were outside a home in the Citrus Heights area of Sacramento County where property records showed DeAngelo lived for at least two decades. The suspect, also known as the East Bay Rapist, was described as a white male and thought to be currently between the ages of 60 and 75 years old, and approximately 5'10" tall, according to the FBI. The FBI said the killer is responsible for approximately 45 rapes, 12 homicides, and multiple residential burglaries between 1976 and 1986 in San Francisco, Sacramento and Los Angeles area. The crime spree appears to have started in the summer of 1976 with a series of burglaries and rapes in Rancho Cordova, a suburb of Sacramento. The suspect would pry open a door or window and awaken victims with a flashlight and then tie them up. At times, their attacker would call the victims on the phone later. The emergence of DNA technology in the late 1990s helped local law enforcement link the suspect to four unsolved murders in Southern California, according to Irvine police Detective Sarah Tunnicliffe. The first Southern California victims were a husband and wife -- Keith and Patrice Harrington -- in Laguna Niguel. Their bodies were found in their home on Aug. 19, 1980, Tunnicliffe said. On Feb. 6, 1981, Manuella Witthuhn, was found dead in her Irvine home. The last known Orange County victim -- 18-year-old Janelle Cruz -- was found on May 5, 1986, in her Irvine home. The DNA tests in the late 1990s also helped investigators link the suspect to murders in Ventura and the Santa Barbara area, according to Tunnicliffe, who said the suspect appears to have been inactive from July 1981 through 1986 when Cruz was killed. Investigators theorize he may have been out of the country or in another state during that period. In 2016, the FBI announced a $50,000 reward and a national campaign to identify the killer. Refresh this page for more on this breaking news story. When it comes to identifying priorities for deportation, Steven Reneau checks several of the Trump administrations boxes. Hes a convicted felon for importing cocaine, no less. His immigration status had expired, leaving him no right to be on American soil. So when ICE agents picked him up outside his Broward County apartment in January, his wife and children had good reason to fear they would never see him again in the United States. But then an unlikely ally came to the familys aide and ICE had second thoughts. Jack Devaney spent more than 25 years arresting and deporting people for the U.S. government. When it comes to protecting the borders, Devaney is no bleeding heart. I believe in the presidents build a wall and deport criminal aliens. I believe in that, he said. But he also believes in the government keeping its word to those who risk their lives to help them. And thats exactly what Reneau did, Devaney said, after the feds in 1999 intercepted 20 kilos of cocaine from a ship at Port Everglades before it could get to Reneaus apartment in North Miami Beach. Instead, Devaney and his partners showed up on Reneaus doorstep carrying a large quantity of counterfeit cocaine and asking a simple question: Is this yours? Reneau invited them in and we talked for about 10, 15 minutes and he agreed to cooperate with us and share with us his part in this drug smuggling conspiracy, Devaney recalled. It was a conspiracy reaching back to Reneaus home county, Belize a western Caribbean transshipment point for Colombian cocaine and a drug trafficking organization the DEA alleged was headed by two brothers, Andrew and Floyd Brown, according to court records. To help prove it, Devaney and crew relied heavily on Reneau, who led them to co-conspirators and recorded conversations the DEA tried to use to have the Browns extradited to the US for prosecution. You had conversations with Reneau and the Browns, basically implicating them in that drug smuggling conspiracy, according to Devaney. (33) Over six years, he estimated, Reneau helped them locate a Belizean fugitive, convict money launderers and provide enough other intelligence to support dozens of deportations to Belize. Technically, we made an agreement for him to work with us, Devaney said. But in exchange, the feds agreed to work with Reneau, helping him get a visa for cooperating witnesses, and perhaps a green card permanent residence in the US after he did his two years in prison for importing cocaine. Reneau did his time, but Devaney retired in 2012 without filing the necessary paperwork to protect Reneau from deportation and Reneaus case lingered. This went from agent to agent, assistant US attorney to assistant US attorney, he said. I can say it just fell through the cracks. Until January, when Reneaus wife heard a knock on their door. I opened the door and I saw Steve standing at the side with three men there. One of them spoke to me he said, Were from ICE, she recalled. As she told NBC 6 Investigators in the days after Reneau was taken to a detention center, she feared the family would never see him again. Their young son would cry and ask, Wheres Daddy? When is he going to come back? she said. I just tell him Daddys going to come home soon. The family feared Reneau would not survive if returned to Belize, because his role in the cases against the Brown brothers was widely reported there. The DEAs extradition request was denied after the Belizean supreme court ruled the recordings Reneau made with the Browns were inadmissible. I personally believe hell be murdered if hes returned to Belize, Devaney said. So when Reneau contacted him in January to say he faced being sent back to Belize, Devaney spring into action, He contacted the acting director of ICE by email, seeking to have the government follow through on what it had promised many years before. And, much to Devaneys surprise, acting ICE director Thomas Homan responded to his email, promising to look into it. A few days later, ICE agents retrieved Reneau from a Monroe Country detention center and drove him back to the same doorstep where his wife last saw him weeks earlier. He is now able to stay in the US while seeking a visa - the type offered to witnesses in cases like his. Reneaus wife said he was told not to discuss his situation publicly, so the family has declined to comment since his release. But Devaney said hes happy to so far keep his end of the bargain made with Reneau 18 years ago. I guess technically Steven Reneau does not belong in the United States, however, he cooperated with the US government and there was a deal made with Steve. What to Know The International Union of Police Association took a vote of their members Sunday through Wednesday, asking each of the 1,300 deputies. Earlier this week, BSOs largest union - the Federation of Public Employees - announced its support for Sheriff Scott Israel. A union representing one quarter of the Broward Sheriffs Office deputies says a large majority of its members have no confidence in their boss. The International Union of Police Association took a vote of their members from Sunday through Wednesday, asking each of the 1,300 deputies they represent whether they still have confidence in Sheriff Scott Israels ability to remain in charge of the department. Out of the 628 who voted, 534 no longer have confidence, while 94 have confidence, the organization said. The vote is mostly symbolic as Israel is an elected official, but could force state officials including the office of Gov. Rick Scott to consider possible actions against the two-term sheriff. Israel reacted to the vote Thursday, saying he would continue to do his job. "I will not be distracted from my duties by this inconsequential IUPA union vote, which was designed to extort a 6.5 percent pay raise from this agency," Israel's statement read. "Those who purportedly voted in this straw ballot reflect only a small number of the 5,400 BSO employees. The unions representing the vast majority of our employees solidly support the leadership of this agency." Israel faced major backlash on how his department handled the school shooting inside Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland on February 14th. IUPA officials are also upset at Israels appearance on a nationally televised town hall meeting days after the shooting as well as his condemning former deputy Scot Peterson, who was the Parkland schools resource officer and was seen on surveillance camera not entering the school in the moments following suspected shooter Nikolas Cruz opening fire. The sheriff has gone into a hiding mode, said the unions chapter president, Jeff Bell. That is not something the sheriff should be discussing on live national TV. You always wait for all the facts to come out first in case something comes up, Bell added. He should have our back at all costs unless were proven to be wrong. Israel fired back, claiming the union is using the vote and the school tragedy to extort a pay raise in the midst of ongoing labor talks calling it unfortunate and appalling. Earlier this week, BSOs largest union - the Federation of Public Employees, which represents nearly half of the departments almost 5,300 members went in a very different direction, sending a letter to the sheriff thanking him and reiterating support for him. A local chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police also sent Israel a letter this weekend issuing their support for him as well. What to Know A Brooklyn math teacher is accused of having sexual conduct with a student twice inside a bathroom at the school where he worked Andre Braddy, 34, is charged with criminal sex act, act in a manner injurious to a child and sex abuse, police say The DOE said the allegations are 'deeply disturbing' and 'have no place in our schools;' attorney information for Braddy wasn't available A 34-year-old math teacher in Brooklyn is accused of having sexual contact with a teen student inside a bathroom at the school where he worked. Andre Braddy was arrested Wednesday at Lenox Academy in Canarsie after the students mother found incriminating pictures on his cell phone, law enforcement sources familiar with the case tell NBC 4 New York. Braddy allegedly made sexual contact with the 14-year-old student two different times. Braddy is charged with criminal sex act, act in a manner injurious to a child and sex abuse, police said. It wasnt clear whether he had an attorney who could comment on his behalf. The Department of Education released a statement saying the allegations are deeply disturbing and have no place in our schools. He was immediately removed from the school, the statement said. He will remain away from students pending the outcome of the investigation and we will pursue his removal from payroll as soon as legally possible. Students and parents at the school were equally shocked to learn of the allegations. Two 14-year-old boys said they had thought he was a "really great guy" and described him as ann easy-going teacher. Two parents also said they were surprised, and have since spoken to their kids about inappropriate behavior. Braddy's neighbors also said they were surprised by the accusations. What to Know WalletHub looked into the cities with the best conditions for an enterprise owned by a Hispanic or Latino entrepreneur Surprisingly, out of the 182 cities analyzed, all of the tri-state locations that WalletHub looked into were ranked among the worst cities The highest ranking city in the tri-state is Yonkers, New York, which came in at No. 157 The contributions of the Hispanic and Latino community in the United States are numerous and will continue to grow since this demographic is expected to make up more than 25 percent of the countrys population by 2050. With a community growth this significant, its expected that more Hispanic- and Latino-owned companies will open up. WalletHub looked into the cities with the best conditions for an enterprise owned by a Hispanic or Latino entrepreneur. Surprisingly, out of the 182 cities analyzed, which included 150 of the most populated cities in the United States, all of the tri-state locations that WalletHub looked into were deemed to be among the worst cities for Hispanic and Latino entrepreneurs. The highest ranking city in the tri-state is Yonkers, New York. Using 23 key indicators of business friendliness toward Hispanic entrepreneurs, WalletHub determined that Yonkers was the 157th best city for Hispanic and Latino business owners. New York City (No. 166), Rochester (No. 174) and Buffalo (No. 177) are the only other cities in New York that made the list. WalletHubs report also found that New York City and Buffalo had the lowest and second to lowest median annual income among Hispanics. Some good news did come out of New York, Rochester has the lowest Hispanic unemployment rate among all the cities analyzed for the study. The city of Bridgeport, Connecticut, also tied with Rochester in this category. Jersey City and Newark were the only two cities in New Jersey that made an appearance on WalletHubs list. They came in at No. 173 and 176, respectively. The city of Bridgeport, Connecticut, ranked No. 180, while another Connecticut location had the terrible honors of being the worst state for Hispanic business owners. So what city came out on top? Loredo, Texas, was crowned the best city for Hispanic entrepreneurs. What to Know Port Authority commissioner Caren Z. Turner was captured on police dash cam ranting at and cursing at police officers in Tenafly in March Her daughter was in a car that had been pulled over; she yells at the cops, "You may shut the f--- up!" Turner resigned Monday when she learned she was being investigated by the Port Authority board A Port Authority of New York and New Jersey commissioner caught on camera delivering an expletive-laced tirade to police officers during a traffic stop has apologized and denies she was seeking special treatment. Caren Turner issued the statement Wednesday, a day after the Tenafly Police Department released the dash-cam video showing her attempting to pull rank on the officers who pulled over a car in which her daughter was a passenger for a partially obscured license plate and tinted windows March 31. The video also shows the 60-year-old Democratic lobbyist becoming increasingly agitated with the responding officers and shouting an expletive at them. In her statement, Turner apologizes for letting her emotions get the best of her and regrets her tone and language directed at the police officers. She resigned her post last week, a move a Port Authority spokesman called "appropriate given her outrageous conduct" in a statement from the agency. Turner had been called by her daughter that day to pick up her and several friends on Route 9W after the car in which they were riding was impounded, according to a police report. When Turner arrives, video obtained by News 4 shows her introducing herself to the officers, saying, "I'm here as a concerned citizen and friend of the mayor." She asks why they were pulled over, and an officer responds, "The driver has all the information, he'll tell you all you need to know," adding that she wasn't involved in the traffic stop. "No, no, no. I'm involved. Trust me. I'm very involved," she said. Turner shows them something -- later identified in a police report as a Port Authority gold badge -- and says, "I am the commissioner of the Port Authority, and I am heading up over 4,000 police officers, OK?" "Let's hear -- why were they pulled over, first of all?" Turner says. One of the officers responds, "Miss --" Turner interrupts him, "No, no, no, don't call me 'Miss.' I'm 'Commissioner.' Thank you." The officer reiterates that she can ask the driver of the vehicle herself why the car was pulled over. Turner does not relent, however, and presses him: "I just want to know why." The officer tells her, "I just don't appreciate your demeanor. You're being very demanding with me," the officer says. The tense exchange continues for several minutes. Read more on it here. Turner was appointed to the Port Authority last year by then-Gov. Chris Christie, and has served on finance committees for Hillary Clinton and Gov. Jon Corzine, NJ.com reports. "Youre long past leaping over a fence. Take one of your hyper, gulping breaths. Clench your teeth. Inch timidly toward the insistent bell. This is how it ends for you." These are the words of Michelle McNamara, a mystery writer who coined the name "Golden State Killer" and the late wife of comedian Patton Oswalt, written toward the Golden State Killer a man allegedly responsible for approximately 45 rapes and 12 murders in California whose identity was unknown until Wednesday. McNamara was fascinated with unsolved mysteries and obsessed with the Golden State Killer, also known as the East Area Rapist and Original Night Stalker (EAR/ONS). She authored "I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer" but she died in 2016 at age 46 before she could finish the book. If theyve really caught the #GoldenStateKiller I hope I get to visit him. Not to gloat or gawk to ask him the questions that @TrueCrimeDiary wanted answered in her Letter To An Old Man at the end of #IllBeGoneInTheDark. pic.twitter.com/32EHSzBct5 Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) April 25, 2018 Oswalt stepped in to help realize his late-wife's vision and the book was finally published in February. Now, the suspect for the crimes has been arrested, according to law enforcement sources. And Oswalt said he would like to speak to the Golden State Killer. "Not to gloat or gawk to ask him the questions" that McNamara wanted answered in her "Letter To An Old Man" at the end of her book, Oswalt wrote on Twitter. An ex-police officer named Joseph James DeAngelo, 72, who appears to fit the description of the elusive California killer, was arrested overnight on two murder charges by police in Sacramento, just two days into the filming of the documentary on the gruesome crimes, according to Oswalt. Golden State Killer: Evidence, Victims in Decades-Old Case "You did it Michelle," Oswalt said in an Instagram video Wednesday ahead of an appearance on "Late Night with Seth Meyers." He added that police "are never gonna say it but your book helped get this thing closed." Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones had said earlier in the day that McNamara's work had "kept interest in tips coming in" but that "there was no information extracted from that book that directly led to the apprehension," The Associated Press reported. Speaking on Meyers, Oswalt said news of the arrest "feels like this thing that she wanted so badly is now done." Fans of McNamara also praised her work and contribution on social media after the details of the arrest were reported. Many lament how McNamara died before she got to see the results of the life's work. "It is heartbreaking that Michelle McNamara did not live to see her lifelong pursuit bear fruit," wrote actor James Woods. It is heartbreaking that Michelle McNamara did not live to see her lifelong pursuit bear fruit. Congratulations to @pattonoswalt for completing her work and staying vigilant in a cause to which she devoted so much of her life. #GoldenStateKiller https://t.co/GB3TiDiKMT James Woods (@RealJamesWoods) April 25, 2018 Now investigators "can start linking [DeAngelo] to all these other cases," Oswalt told Meyers. A federal lawsuit over white nationalist Richard Spencer's effort to speak at an Ohio college ended on Wednesday. A federal court filing showed both Spencer's campus tour organizer and the University of Cincinnati agreed to dismiss the case. Columbus attorney Mark Landes, who represents the school, said Spencer's side wanted to drop the case and there was no settlement agreement. "They're not getting anything," Landes said. The attorney for Spencer's tour organizer didn't respond immediately to requests for comment. The school's president, Neville Pinto, said there were "no plans for Spencer to speak at UC." A trial had been scheduled for next year in U.S. district court. The school last October agreed to let Spencer speak, and his tour organizers had set a date in March. But that date was scuttled after they sued in January over UC's security fee demand of nearly $11,000 that Spencer's attorney at the time called discriminatory and unconstitutional. The school later said that amount was a "mere fraction" of its expected costs. Spencer calls his views "alt-right." He advocates a white "ethno-state" and espouses anti-Semitic and anti-immigrant beliefs. UC's board of trustees publicly condemned hate last October while citing the fundamental right to free speech at a public university. Pinto on Wednesday repeatedly referred to Spencer as an uninvited speaker. "While this has been a trying time for our community and one that tested our commitment to free speech, it has also prompted difficult conversations about how freedom of expression intertwines with our commitment to equity and inclusion ... this trying time has made us even stronger," Pinto stated. Spencer spoke in March at Michigan State University, where protesters far outnumbered his audience during that school's spring break. Spencer's side earlier dropped a federal lawsuit against Ohio State University over its refusal to book him. The school said Spencer's appearance posed a "substantial risk" to public safety and could cause disruption. Ohio State pointed to deadly violence at the Charlottesville, Virginia, rally last August where Spencer was a scheduled speaker, and his raucous October appearance at the University of Florida, where authorities estimated security costs at $600,000. He also had wanted to speak at Kent State University in May, but that Ohio school said he couldn't be accommodated during the busy time at the end of the school year. About 300 migrants plan to request asylum in the United States at the San Ysidro Port of Entry Sunday. A group of migrants from Central America arrived in Tijuana Tuesday with hopes of seeking asylum from dangerous and violent conditions in their home countries. The group is part of a larger caravan that started their journey for shelter in Mexico at the beginning of March. The caravan originally consisted of 1,200 people mostly from Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador. That number has since dwindled to about half. The caravan has been described as dangerous by President Donald Trump and was mentioned as one of the reasons he asked for National Guard troops to be sent to the border region. On Monday, President Trump tweeted, "I have instructed the Secretary of Homeland Security not to let these large caravans of people into our country. It is a disgrace." Jeff Sessions said he is putting additional resources at the border to meet these folks when they plan to surrender over the weekend. Many of the people in the group are women and children who say they are fleeing from violence. Last week, Telemundo 20 spoke with the first of hundreds who were expected to arrive at the U.S.-Mexico border. The group was sleeping in tents and attending legal seminars given by volunteer attorneys from the U.S. "We are not terrorists, we all have a dream," Mauricio Magana said who is from El Salvador. Katherine Flores has traveled with the caravan from El Salvador with her toddler daughter. She told NBC News she wants to give her baby a better future. I came because of the gangs, she told NBC News. You cannot live in our country. The group is the largest number of these migrants to reach the border. About 50 members arrived late last week. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus O.Kravchenko visits Netherlands 25-04-2018 On April 23-25, 2018 the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus, Oleg Kravchenko, visited the Hague to take part in the political consultations with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. For the first time in the history of bilateral relations the consultations between the Foreign Ministries were held on the Deputy Ministers level. The Dutch delegation was headed by the Deputy Secretary General for Political Affairs of the Foreign Ministry, Pieter Jan Kleiweg de Zwaan. During the consultations, the sides discussed current state and prospects for the Belarusian-Dutch relations in political, trade, economic and humanitarian spheres, as well as human rights issues, relations between Belarus and the EU, the regional situation. The sides confirmed mutual interest in further development of political dialogue, as well as trade, economic and investment cooperation. During the visit to the Hague, O.Kravchenko also held a meeting with a group of experts in the Netherlands Institute of International Relations Clingendael. Deputy Foreign Minister presented Belarusian foreign policy approaches and the vision of the regional situation. print version All the development on The Wharf now comes with one new attraction: A small cruise ship stops there as part of a historic cruise, but the journey comes with a steep price tag. The American Revolution Cruise is a 10-night, 11-day trip that allows people to "travel back to the dawn of America," with stops in D.C. and historic cities in Maryland and Virginia, including Annapolis, Baltimore, Norfolk and Williamsburg. Prices to book a spot on the cruise range from $4,705 to $9,750. Apparently, the cost isn't a deterrent to everyone some of the trips already have a waitlist for certain room types. The relatively steep price comes in part because of the new amenities, all-inclusive dining and the small-ship atmosphere that still offers a lot of space, a spokeswoman for American Cruise Lines, which operates the ship, told NBC4. "It's a wonderful, all-American company," she said. "This is an educational and sophisticated style of cruising." This cruise ship takes up to 175 passengers and has 90 staterooms. It is one of 10 ships that American Cruise Lines operates. Many of the rooms come with a private furnished balcony, and suites can be as big as 450 square feet. Ship restaurants serve regional cuisine, including Old Bay poached shrimp and jumbo lump crabcake. The company also boasts on-board experts who host historical and cultural programs. The ship stays close to the coasts of the Chesapeake Bay and the Potomac River. The coastal cruise may be preferable for people who want to see land, instead of just open water for most of the time. The inaugural trip of the American Revolution Cruise left from Baltimore on April 18, and the next one leaves Saturday. Cybersecurity experts say hackers target local governments daily even hourly which leaves many scrambling to respond and protect sensitive information. "Every system out there is vulnerable," said Tim Lorello, CEO of SecuLore Solutions, a Maryland-based company that helps local governments combat cyberattacks. The startup has clients in eight states but tracks cyber incidents around the country. "We're up to 204 incidents that we've tracked across 46 states," Lorello said. Hackers hijacked 123 of Washington, D.C.'s police surveillance cameras just days before the 2017 inauguration. Authorities are trying to extradite two Romanians accused in that attack. In April 2017, Dallas residents lost sleep over a hack that made 156 emergency sirens repeatedly wail in the middle of the night. And just last month, hackers hit Baltimore's automated 911 system knocking it offline for 17 hours. "I think most of the attacks we see are random. Most of them are just blanket trying to see who's vulnerable," said Lorello. And those attempts are constant. A 2016 survey by the University of Maryland Baltimore County found more than 25 percent of local governments across the U.S. faced attempted cyberattacks as often as once or more per hour. "Most of the cybercrimes go unreported because of the embarrassment," said Lorello. "The impact will erode trust." SecuLore Solutions Chief Technology Officer Sean Scott showed the News4 I-Team a small black box they created to plug into any network and instantly see all of the countries and computers trying to access files. During his interview, one local Maryland government had IP addresses from 40 countries interacting with it and downloading data. "We found a hidden IP doing things it shouldn't do," Scott said. "And we can show you the exact amount of data that they're stealing." Sometimes it isn't data the hackers want, it's dollars or bitcoin, in the case of an Atlanta ransom attack last month. If governments haven't backed up their files and need access to the records being held hostage, it can cost them. The I-Team asked Lorello if some local governments just pay the ransom and don't ever publicize that. "Oh yeah, sure. Yes, absolutely," he replied. "In fact, we know there are some scenarios where people work with their insurance companies." In December 2016, a small police department outside Dallas lost several years of video evidence and digital documents after refusing to pay a ransom. Malware infected the computer system when an employee clicked on an email disguised to look legitimate. That's the same type of attack that brought down the Virginia State Police email network for a week in April 2017. It's why D.C. government is constantly alerting its employees. The I-Team obtained an internal email warning employees to remain vigilant. "The weakest link in the cyber chain is not technology, it's people," D.C. Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency Director Chris Rodriguez said. "It's like putting the alarm system in your house and not locking the front door." The goal is to make the District's network so secure that hackers just move on to another target, he said. Especially since they don't even have to be at a computer to run a hacking program. "There are now automated tools on the internet that can that can allow a person to comb through billions of IP addresses to try to get into systems on an automatic basis," said Rodriguez. "They're happening on a daily basis billions of times per day, and we need to make sure that we're prepared for that." Cyberattacks can also have cascading impacts on other areas of the city's infrastructure like roads, power and water. "It is serious stuff," said Lorello. "So I would say that this is, if it's not number one, it should be pretty darn close to the top." The military pilot who averted disaster by steering a failing fighter jet away from a Maryland neighborhood before it crashed was among more than 60 heroes honored at the Prince George's County Valor Awards Wednesday. D.C. Air National Guard Capt. Jonathan Morgan was doing a training exercise over the D.C. area last year when he took a sharp turn to avoid restricted airspace above D.C. and the engine of his F-16 failed. That is when I jumped into the ejection mindset, and that is when I start searching for open fields, Morgan said. He had just minutes to figure out how to bring down the plane without crashing into homes. I have a big flame coming out the back end of my engine, and at that point, things get a little bit more complicated, Morgan said. He received a gold medal of valor Wednesday. Also among the honorees was John Proels of Prince George's County Fire and EMS, who was sitting at a bar in Upper Marlboro when a car crashed into it. I got hit from behind and I received a number of lacerations that glass stuck in the back of my head, he said. Still, he helped rescue several others trapped by debris. Once I got back up off the ground, I kind of gathered myself up again and just started doing what I could, he said. The awards ceremony, which was emceed by News4's Doreen Gentzler and Tracee Wilkins, was dedicated to Jim Vance. A man with a weapon assaulted a receptionist inside an Iranian diplomatic building in Northwest D.C. on Wednesday morning, sparking street closures and lockdowns in nearby office buildings. The scare started when a man wearing a hat walked into the Interests Section of the Islamic Republic of Iran, on the 1200 block of 23rd Street NW, blocks southwest of Dupont Circle. "He took his gun out of his pocket and hit the [receptionist] in the forehead with the bottom of his gun," the head of legal affairs for the office, Fariborz Jahansoozan, told News4. Iran's Interests Section is housed within Pakistan's embassy, because Iran and the U.S. severed diplomatic relations in 1979. Police closed streets after receiving an emergency call about 11 a.m. The caller reported shots fired by an intruder armed with a gun and a knife. It turned out there were no shots fired and the gun was not real. But the intruder used the weapon to force the injured receptionist to take him to the second floor. "Turned the gun to the people and trying to threaten people, and people ran inside the office and hide in the bathroom," Jahansoozan said. A D.C. ambulance rushed the receptionist to a hospital, trailed by a Secret Service patrol car. The intruder was arrested for assault and taken to a D.C. police station. Authorities have not released his name. The man's parked car was searched for weapons or explosives. None were found. People who work in buildings on the block were ordered to stay in their offices during the incident and the investigation that followed. "We looked out and saw a bunch of police and Secret Service on the streets," said Elizabeth Williams, who works in an office nearby. "Unclear what was happening. Our fourth floor was shut, on lockdown." Iran's state-run IRNA news agency posted a brief video online that appears to show armed officers subduing a man facedown on the ground. The agency says the man shouted "slogans against the Islamic Republic of Iran," without elaborating. The receptionist was being treated Wednesday night for injuries. The parents of U.S. college student Otto Warmbier filed a wrongful death lawsuit against North Korea on Thursday, saying its government tortured and killed their son. Fred and Cindy Warmbier filed the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., seeking compensation for the death of the 22-year-old, whose plight had compounded tense U.S.-North Korean relations. Otto Warmbier, who was a student at University of Virginia, was arrested by North Korean authorities in January 2016 for stealing a propaganda poster and sentenced to 15 years in prison with hard labor. He died in June 2017, days after he was repatriated to the U.S. with severe brain damage. While the lawsuit may prove largely symbolic given the difficulty of recovering any damages the court might order, it comes at a delicate time in relations between Washington and Pyongyang. President Donald Trump is planning an unprecedented summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in the coming weeks to address the threat posed by its nuclear weapons, and the leaders of North and South Korea are due to meet Friday. "Otto was taken hostage, kept as a prisoner for political purposes, used as a pawn and singled out for exceptionally harsh and brutal treatment by Kim Jong Un," Fred Warmbier said in a statement. "Kim and his regime have portrayed themselves as innocent, while they intentionally destroyed our son's life. This lawsuit is another step in holding North Korea accountable for its barbaric treatment of Otto and our family," he said. The 22-page complaint outlines in blunt terms the adverse fortunes of Warmbier after he went on a five-day tour to North Korea run by a China-based tour operator, prior to taking up a study program in Hong Kong. He sought get a better understanding how people in the North's closed society lived, the lawsuit says. It says that after his arrest, Warmbier, from Cincinnati, Ohio, was pressured to make a televised confession and then convicted of subversion after a one-hour trial. He was denied communication with his family by any means until in early June 2017 they were informed he was in a coma and had been in that condition for one year. The lawsuit says that when Warmbier returned, his parents "were stunned to see his condition. Otto was blind and deaf. He had a shaved head, a feeding tube coming out of his nose, was jerking violently and howling, and was completely unresponsive to any of their efforts to comfort him." His once straight teeth were misaligned and he had an unexplained, scarred wound on his left foot. North Korea claimed that Warmbier had contracted botulism but his physicians in the U.S. found no evidence of that, according to the lawsuit which says that the North's false explanations for Otto's condition demonstrate that is it "covering up its torture and mistreatment of Otto while he was in North Korean custody." The lawsuit contends that North Korea is liable for Warmbier's wrongful death describing it as "extrajudicial killing" and calls for a judgment for both "economic and non-economic compensatory damages" to his parents. North Korea's mission at the United Nations in New York did not immediately respond Thursday to emails and phone calls seeking comment about the lawsuit. There are still three Americans held in North Korea, and their cases are a continuing source of tense relations between the adversary nations. U.S. officials have said that Mike Pompeo, the outgoing CIA director, raised the issue when he met with Kim on a rare trip to North Korea nearly four weeks ago to prepare for a Trump-Kim summit. Teachers in Arizona and Colorado turned their state Capitols into a sea of red Thursday as they kicked off widespread walkouts that shut down public schools in a bid for better pay and education funding, building on educator revolt that emerged elsewhere in the U.S. but whose political prospects were not clear. Tens of thousands of teachers wearing red shirts and holding "Money for Schools" signs launched the first-ever statewide strike by marching 2 miles in 90-degree heat to a rally at the Arizona Capitol. They plan to walk out again Friday to press lawmakers for their demands as will Colorado educators. Educators in both states want more classroom resources and have received offers either for increased school funding or pay, but they say the money isn't guaranteed and the efforts don't go far enough. The walkouts are the climax of an uprising that spread from West Virginia, Oklahoma and Kentucky. Most of Arizona's public schools will be closed the rest of the week, and about half of all Colorado students will see their schools shuttered over the two days as teachers take up the Arizona movement's #RedforEd mantle. "I feel like funding for the schools should be at the top of the list," said Brandon Hartley, a charter school teacher from the Phoenix suburb of Peoria who brought his 7-year-old son to the Arizona rally. Other parents who brought their children to the protest in Phoenix expressed support despite school closures that led makeshift day care operations to open at schools and recreation centers to help working parents. Food banks and some schools also were providing free meals that many students rely on. Mariaelena Sandoval brought her 11-year-old daughter and held a sign that said, "I'm a Republican, I'm voting and I'm #RedforEd." She said she had a "wake-up call" when she learned a teacher paid out of pocket for a field trip. "I'm walking for her," Sandoval said of her daughter. The crowd, many of whom carried water jugs and umbrellas to combat the heat, streamed through the streets of downtown Phoenix as employees at courthouses and office buildings left work to watch. Phoenix Police Department estimated the crowd size at 50,000. In much cooler Colorado, several thousand educators rallied around the Capitol, with many using personal time to attend two days of protests expected to draw as many as 10,000 demonstrators. They chanted, "Education is our right" and "We're not gonna take it anymore," getting honks from passing cars. "We're not asking for a lot of money," said Danielle Rose, a first-grade teacher from Westminster, Colorado. "We're just asking to be able to live in Colorado, where the cost of living is much higher." Lawmakers there have agreed to give schools their largest budget increase since the Great Recession. But teachers say Colorado has a long way to go to recover lost ground because of strict tax and spending limits. Because lawmakers cannot raise taxes without voter approval, they're not expecting an immediate fix. The teachers' union is backing a ballot initiative to raise taxes on corporations and those earning over $150,000 a year. Arizona's Republican governor, Doug Ducey, has proposed 20 percent raises by 2020 and said he has no plans to meet with striking teachers or address other demands, including about $1 billion to return school funding to pre-Great Recession levels and increased pay for support staff. Teachers and some lawmakers are concerned Ducey's proposal relies on overly optimistic revenue projections. It also doesn't address educators' other demands. A key legislative leader said Republican leaders in the House agreed Thursday to support Ducey's proposal that doesn't address other teacher demands. Rep. David Livingston, head of the House Appropriations Committee, said the deal should result in a formal budget plan next week, but details must still be worked out. But it's not clear how it will affect the walkout, which has no end date and began because teachers found the plan insufficient. Joe Thomas of the Arizona Education Association, the state's largest teacher membership group, said educators may have to consider a ballot initiative seeking education funding if a plan by lawmakers isn't successful. School districts closed and teachers protested across Arizona. South in Tucson, educators waved signs on sidewalks, while up north, protesters marched to Flagstaff City Hall and others gathered on the Navajo reservation. But schools were open in Lake Havasu City, where Karen Flenniken has two grandchildren in grade school. "The teachers signed a contract, and they need to honor the contract," said Flenniken, describing the walkout as blackmail. More than 840,000 Arizona students were expected to be out of school Thursday, according to an analysis from The Arizona Republic that tallied up at least 100 school districts and charter schools that were closing. Many school districts also planned to close Friday, possibly sending kids to another day of day camps or other care options at community organizations. Addie Martinez dropped off her 9-year-old son and 6-year-old daughter at a Phoenix Salvation Army that was offering child care before she rushed to her medical assistant job. The facility has room for up to 100 kids and provides breakfast, lunch and snacks for $25 per child. Martinez said she was prepared to take her children back Friday and next week to the center, which has activities such as arts and crafts and dodgeball. Despite the inconvenience, she said she supported the teachers because "they are educating our future." Associated Press writers Colleen Slevin in Denver, Felicia Fonseca in Flagstaff, Arizona, and Terry Tang, Bob Christie and Paul Davenport in Phoenix contributed to this report. CORRECTION (April 26, 2018 5:30 p.m.) This story has been corrected to show that 10,000 Colorado demonstrators are expected over two days. After learning of faulty concrete in the second phase of the $2.7 billion Silver Line extension, Metro is talking about its own engineers taking a look at the problem areas, possible legal action and possibly setting up a fund so Metro doesnt have to pay. The concern has to do with concrete panels serving as walls for the new Metro stations. In some cases, the water-to-cement ratio is off, the steel inside the panels is not covered by enough concrete and there are insufficient safeguards for water to expand and contract. In all of these cases, water could penetrate the panels, leading to cracking and rusting. Project leaders identified 1,750 panels as areas of concern. Those panels have been installed at every station along the new phase of the project except the Dulles International Airport station. I would say yes, as a citizen and certainly as the Metro Board chair, I am concerned about the project, D.C. Councilman Jack Evans said. At Metro headquarters Thursday, Evans talked about possible legal action. Taking a tour of second phase of Silver Line today - where there are major concerns about concrete durability #wmata @nbcwashington pic.twitter.com/0iRSYvxMmr Adam Tuss (@AdamTuss) April 25, 2018 If the construction done by MWAA, if there are problems with the construction, Metro is not responsible for that, he said. Ill leave that up to the lawyers to figure how that works. Metro General Manager Paul Wiedefeld said his team is inspecting the concrete and an escrow fund may have to be set up to make sure Metro doesnt pay for the mistakes. Obviously, we are going to make sure that we are protecting the interest of Metro going forward, he said. Project leaders say all the costs fall on the contractor who produced the faulty concrete, Universal Concrete Products of Stowe, Pennsylvania, and there wont be a substantial delay because of this. Inspectors found equipment at Universal Concrete was not properly calibrated and a change from a manual method of checking water-to-cement ratio to an automatic machine-based method caused the issue. Universal Concrete has not returned calls and emails asking for comment. Project officials said 115 concrete panels are being tossed out completely and replaced. The remaining panels will be treated with a transparent solution called a silane coating. This coating is expected to prevent water from entering the concrete, but it will have to be applied to the 1,750 panels every 10 years in order to do so. In northern Virginia, leaders say the Silver Line is too big to fail. Its not just development, theres jobs moving there too, right? Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Jim Corcoran said. People are locating there from Rosslyn and Reston at this point, and when Silver Line Phase 2 opens, it is going to go beyond that all the way out to Loudoun. The project is being built by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority and will eventually be turned over to Metro. The 11.4-mile extension of the Metro system will bring Metrorail to Reston Town Center, Dulles International Airport and Loudoun County for the first time. Alfred Brown was 15 when he murdered his parents and sister in their Topsfield home. Forty years later, after a change in Massachusetts policy on juvenile sentencing, he is up for parole. When Brown was convicted in 1978, he received a life sentence without the possibility of parole. However, due to a decision from the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court prohibiting lifetime sentences for juvenile offenders, he was granted a hearing. The parole board heard testimony from both sides Thursday. "I murdered three members of my own family for essentially senseless reasons," Brown said at the hearing. Now 55, Brown described every detail of how he shot and killed his mother, then his sister and finally his father, all because of a failing grade in school. "I raised the rifle and he saw the rifle and he said 'no' to me," Brown recalled of his father. "I shot at him at least twice." Brown told the parole board on Thursday his actions cannot be justified. But he said he has battled mental issues all his life. Now 55, Brown admitted to having been involved in several violent incidents in prison. But in 2000, he said he sought help, and that the intensive counseling he received helped him turn his life around. His surviving sister, however, submitted a letter opposing his release. It was read aloud by attorneys Thursday. "He had no remorse after the fact and felt they deserved it," the letter read. "Do you want to be responsible for letting someone like that out into society?" The former prosecutor who put Brown behind bars also argued that it would be a mistake to release him. A teenager accused of plotting a shooting massacre in Vermont's Rutland County was back in court Wednesday, for a bail review hearing that followed the dismissal of the most serious criminal charges against him. "I think we all have concerns," said Chief Bill Humphries of the Fair Haven Police Department, after learning Jack Sawyer is now a big step closer to leaving jail. The 18-year-old has been locked up since February, after a tipster called police to say Sawyer had just bought a gun and was mapping out a mass killing inside his old high school. Police said they thwarted the crime before anyone was physically harmed. The case quickly impacted state policy. Vermont's Republican governor, Phil Scott, called it too close a call, and pointed to the alleged plot as a prime reason for signing new gun restrictions into law. Sawyer had been facing several attempted murder charges, with the potential for life in prison without parole. Those charges were all dropped after a Vermont Supreme Court ruling in his favorleaving only misdemeanor charges against him. The state's highest court essentially ruled that planning a crime isnt the same thing as attempting one, meaning the evidence as presented likely didn't meet the legal threshold required for the attempted murder charges. Sawyer's defense attorney, Kelly Green, argued Wednesday that bail should be lowered for her client, now that the felony charges were dismissed. The remaining misdemeanor accusations are for criminal threatening and carrying a weapon, which together carry a maximum punishment of three years in prison and cash fines. "These charges are hanging by a thread," Green argued to Judge Zonay, referring to the remaining misdemeanors. Green also said her client is not a risk to snub the court for future hearings. "Jack has been cooperative with the judicial process extremely cooperative," the defense attorney told the judge. Zonay slashed the $100,000 bail that had been in place, reducing the bail amount to $10,000 cash. Should Sawyer post bail, the judge ordered him out of Fair Haven all together, into mental health help, and under his dad's watch with a 24-7 in-home curfew. That father, David Sawyer, wouldn't answer reporters' questions after the hearing about community safety concerns, but he did make promises to Rutland County State's Attorney Rose Kennedy. In sworn testimony, David Sawyer responded to a line of questioning from Kennedy, telling her and the court that he has removed firearms from his home and will keep them out of the home and away from his son while the criminal case is pending. Jack Sawyer was also served with what's called an "extreme risk protection order." It's a brand new legal tool, just authorized by Gov. Scott in large part because of his concerns over this very case. The order bars Sawyer from handling guns. The police department in Cambridge, Massachusetts, could soon be monitored for racial bias and profiling in interactions with the public. In a budget proposal made to the city this week, police would open the Office of Procedural Justice to collect data and track police confrontations with citizens. "We need it not only here, but we need it everywhere," said City Councilor Sumbul Siddiqui. The proposal comes days after Cambridge Police forcibly arrested a black student from Harvard University. Video of the interaction drew immediate criticism. However, the police department said Wednesday they had been working on their proposal long before the incident. "Black and brown communities are very affected by police incidents," Siddiqui explained. "So we have to think about how we can think about racial profiling and use a data-driven approach." According to the city's website, the office would also work to ensure that the police department was in compliance with statutes, ordinances and regulations aimed at mandating accountability. "It creates a greater sense of fairness," said Rahsaan Hall, director of social justice for the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts. In recent years, Hall said studies have repeatedly shown that minority groups face more stops by police in cities such as Boston. He believes tracking the behavior is key to reforming it. "It's the day-to-day interactions, where people are stopped for driving while black, for walking while black," Hall said. "Race permeates every aspect of society." While the plan was just formally presented, the city will hold several hearings on the overall budget before approving it. Cambridge Police plan to make an announcement about it once the council gives its support. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus V.Makei meets the Managing Director of the European External Action Service 26-04-2018 On April 26, 2018 the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus, Vladimir Makei, met with the Managing Director of the European External Action Service for Europe and Central Asia, Thomas Mayr-Harting. T.Mayr-Harting visits our country as head of the delegation of the European Union, participating in the fifth meeting of the Belarus-EU Coordination Group, which takes place on April 26-27. During the meeting, the participants discussed current state of bilateral relations, participation of Belarus in the EU Eastern Partnership Initiative, implementation of European Union technical assistance projects in Belarus. V.Makei and T.Mayr-Harting also paid attention to the situation in the Eastern European region, as well as prospects for cooperation on human rights issues. print version The arrest in Haverhill last month of a man who now is accused of killing a sheriff's deputy in Maine is raising new questions about the bail system in Massachusetts. John Daniel Williams, 29, of Madison, Maine, is accused of shooting Cpl. Eugene Cole to death early Wednesday morning in Norridgewock. NBC10 Boston acquired court audio of two hearings in Massachusetts last month in which Williams ultimately wound up with bail set at half what prosecutors requested. In Williams' arraignment in district court on March 22, the assistant district attorney asked for $10,000 cash bail, citing Williams' out-of-state residency and the large-capacity weapon police said he carried in the trunk of his car. "[It's] concerning, judge, someone in his condition driving around the commonwealth with a significant amount of firepower at his disposal," the prosecutor said. According to the police report, Williams and his girlfriend were pulled over on the side of Interstate 495 in Haverhill. A state trooper pulled over to check on them, and, according to the report, was suspicious because Williams had glassy eyes and appeared intoxicated. The trooper found a gun, a large capacity magazine, ammunition, and what appeared to be drugs in the car, according to the report. District court Judge Michael Patten sets bail at $7,500. Then on March 27, Williams had a bail hearing in Essex County Superior Court in Salem. During that hearing, Williams' attorney asked Judge Timothy Feeley to reduce bail to $2,000. "The court does not consider to defend any alleged dangerousness of the defendant in setting the amount of bail," Feeley said. "I find the amount of bail affordable by the defendant, which is $2,000, is not sufficient to reasonably assure his risk of non-appearance." Judge Feeley set bail at $5,000, citing his concern that Williams lives three hours away in another state. "His lack of ties to this commonwealth is the largest factor in this court's mind," Feeley said. After the death of Yarmouth police Sgt. Sean Gannon two weeks ago, a group of state legislators representing Cape Cod penned a letter demanding a hearing to identify "lapses in the criminal justice system." Thomas Latanowich, the man accused of murdering Gannon, had a history of violence, including drug trafficking and gun charges. The man who shot Auburn Officer Ron Tarentino nearly two years ago, Jorge Zambrano, had appeared before Judge Andrew Mandell. Mandell went back and forth on whether to grant Zambrano bail, citing his history of fighting with police. "This is troubling. Authority means nothing to him," Mandell said in court. "In fact, it's the opposite." Within months, Zambrano killed Tarentino. Auburn Police Chief Andrew Sluckis Jr. is calling for change. "There needs to be some sort of judicial review board process ... where judges need to be evaluated," he said. Williams was facing a two-and-a-half-year mandatory minimum sentence for the large-capacity firearm charge. A new criminal justice law now takes into consideration what a suspect can afford to pay for bail. The Massachusetts District Attorneys Association has filed legislation every year for nearly a decade to reform the bail review process. Their proposal would require a Superior Court judge to find an error in law or fact before reducing the bail. It has never passed. What to Know Search for 29-year-old John Williams of Madison, Maine is ongoing; police believe he is still in the Norridgewock area Williams is accused of gunning down Somerset County Sheriff's Deputy Cpl. Eugene Cole overnight Wednesday Williams is described as being 5'6", 120 pounds with blue eyes, brown hair and a full beard The FBI is offering up to a $20,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of an armed and extremely dangerous suspect who police say gunned down a Maine sheriff's deputy on Wednesday. The ongoing manhunt for 29-year-old John Williams is focused on the greater Norridgewock area after police announced they had no information to lead them to believe the Madison resident had left the region following the slaying of Somerset County Sheriff's Deputy Cpl. Eugene Cole early Wednesday morning. "Mr. Williams poses a very real danger to the public. We're hoping this reward incentivizes anyone with information about his whereabouts to contact law enforcement," said Harold Shaw, special agent in charge of the FBI Boston Division. Following the killing of Somerset County Sheriffs Deputy Cpl. Eugene Cole early Wednesday morning, the manhunt for suspect John Williams continues. Police will continue patrolling, interviewing and following leads, Somerset County Sheriff Dale Lancaster said. "If John Williams is hearing this, I want you to turn yourself in. Please surrender peacefully," Lancaster said at a news conference. He said authorities have had no contact with Williams. Helicopters, armored vehicles and police cruisers were spotted around Norridgewock on Thursday, and schools were locked down as federal, state and local law enforcement poured into the region to look for Williams. More than 20 police vehicles raced to Bear Mountain Road off Martin Stream Road in Fairfield around 10:30 a.m. Thursday. Media reports said someone received a report of a person in a shed, but police wouldn't say why they were in the area. Caution tape was placed across Bear Mountain Road just before noon, but law enforcement then abruptly left the area around 1:30 p.m. Somerset County Sheriff Dale Lancaster provides an update on the manhunt for John Williams, the man suspected of fatally shooting a Maine sheriffs deputy early Wednesday morning. Residents are encouraged to lock their doors and vehicles, and to report any suspicious activity to police, since authorities believe he is still armed and dangerous. Police also implored those who may have had contact with Williams, including through texts and social media, to contact police. "We believe we've been able to contain him at least in the greater area," state police Lt. Col. John Cote said. "Everyone's goal is the safe apprehension of John Williams." State police and the Somerset County Sheriff's Department did not give additional details about what led to Cole's death, saying it is still part of the ongoing investigation. Law Enforcement Swarm Area Where Maine Deputy Was Gunned Down Cole, 62, was a 13-year veteran of the Somerset County Sheriff's Office. His son is also a Somerset County deputy. He was gunned down between 1 and 2 a.m. Wednesday on Route 2 in Norridgewock, about 60 miles west of Bangor. Williams then allegedly stole Cole's marked cruiser and robbed a Cumberland Farms store on Waterville Road. He was last seen fleeing the store in the stolen cruiser. The cruiser was found abandoned around 5 a.m. off of Martin Stream Road in Norridgewock. Investigators believe Williams then fled on foot, and has been at large ever since. Williams is described as 5-foot-6, 120 pounds with blue eyes. His hair is brown and unkempt, and he has a full beard. He was last seen wearing a black beanie hat, a dark-colored zip-up jacket, gray pants and tan boots. His last known address is 16 Jones St. in Madison, and he has ties to both New Hampshire and Massachusetts. Police said he has at least eight tattoos, including the words "Seven Eleven" on his chest, the abbreviation "est" just below that, the name "Williams" on his lower abdomen, a half sleeve on his left arm, the word "Semper" on his upper right arm, the word "Fidelis" on his upper left arm, a small safety selector symbol on the back of his left hand, and "Molon Labe" on his right forearm. According to records checks, he does not have any military experience. The manhunt for Williams is being coordinated by the Somerset County Sheriff's Office with help from Maine State Police, police from New Hampshire and Massachusetts, the U.S. Marshals and FBI, along with other law enforcement agencies. A search warrant was executed on Williams' Madison home Wednesday night. Tactical vehicles lined up outside and police asked anyone inside to come out with their hands up over a loudspeaker. "We are trying to get your side of the story," police were overheard saying. "We understand it's been a long day. We want to help you resolve this." At least five officers with long guns were seen entering the home by 8 p.m., and an evidence response team was seen leaving the home hours later. Maine criminal records show that Williams was charged with felony burglary in 2005 and misdemeanor theft in 2007. He also has an arrest record in Tennessee. A little over a month ago, on March 22, he was arrested on multiple firearms charges and traffic violations in Haverhill, Massachusetts, after he apparently drove off Interstate 495 and into a ditch. He was found with a 9mm handgun and a 16-round magazine after he told the police that he dozed off while driving. An officer wrote in the report that Williams appeared tired and impaired, but denied having consumed any alcohol or illegal drugs. Police also found containers with a powder residue, a pocket knife, razor blade and short drinking straw. The report noted that razor blades and straws are commonly used when snorting lines of narcotics. Williams was not charged with any drug offenses. The charges against him included possession of a firearm, improper storage of a firearm, possession of ammunition without an FID card, possession of a large-capacity feeding device, negligent operation of a motor vehicle and a marked lanes violation. Prosecutors requested $10,000 bail, but a judge set it at $7,500 and it was later reduced by another judge to $5,000. Williams posted bail on March 31 and was due to return to court in Massachusetts for a probable cause hearing Wednesday. That image contrasts with Williams' days at Skowhegan High School, where a yearbook showed he once served as a class officer. "When in school he was a nice, funny and an all-around good guy," said classmate Casey Sprout-Costa. Another classmate, Alex Stetkis, said Williams was an honor student who was class president in his junior year. But things went downhill when he started picking fights and getting into drugs. "Most could not believe it," Stetkis said of the news that Williams was suspected in the killing. "He was always kind and could have gone anywhere in life if he hadn't gotten into drugs." Williams' Facebook page features photos of him smiling at a graduation ceremony as well as other photos of him hiking, hanging out with friends and dressed in a suit at a wedding party. His last post in 2017 noted how he was starting a new job in nearby Anson, Maine. Anyone with information about Williams' whereabouts is asked to call state police at 207-624-7076. Tips can also be submitted electronically at tips.fbi.gov. A society based on Gods values? A society based on Gods values? Andrew Bryant wonders what kind of country we want to be as we prepare to leave the European Union. It has been an uncomfortable time listening to the stories of family members of the Windrush generation who have fallen foul of the latest attempts to tighten up Britains immigration policy. It has been heart-breaking to hear stories of employment being denied, medical treatment being refused, and loved ones trapped abroad unable to return to the country that they thought was home. Is this really the country we want to be? All this is part of the governments desire to create a hostile environment for illegal immigration a deport first, ask questions later approach in order to drive down the immigration figures. Meanwhile the Labour party is being asked to face up to and deal with issues of anti-Semitism within its ranks. But before we use this as another excuse to give our politicians a good kicking, we need to pause and consider our own part in all of this. A major part of the EU referendum debate was about taking back control of our borders. And newspaper headlines have regularly screamed about driving down the levels of immigration. And this was the argument that won the day. But is that the kind of nation we want to be? As a society we are reaping the seeds we have sown. Where were our voices when those seeds were being sown? As Rabbi Jonathan Sacks reminded us in his recent Thought for the Day on Radio 4: All it takes for evil to flourish is for good people to do nothing. Today I see too many good people doing nothing, and I am ashamed. So what kind of a nation do we want to be? Britain is leaving the European Union. It is time to stop replaying the referendum debate and willingly, and with enthusiasm, embrace this new future. What matters now is the kind of country we want to be. Will we choose to embrace the Christian heritage that has shaped this country for the last 2000 years or will we turn our backs on that heritage and become a more inward looking, less caring and more self-focused society? As we come together to understand our nations future role in Europe, and the wider world, this needs to be a conversation that embraces more than the usual decision makers. For too long too many people have felt unheard by, and unrepresented by, the mainstream political parties (and mainstream churches). So they have been willing to be wooed and won by smaller and often more extreme, parties, feeling they are the only ones that are listening. We need to travel into this new future for our nation together, striving for the genuine common good a future that is good for the many and not just for the few. Again and again in the Bible, the people of God are told they will be judged by their care for the most vulnerable in their midst. What matters, they are told, is not the number or size of their sacrifices but whether they have learnt to do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with their God. A Christian society can never tolerate creating a hostile environment for any members of its community. Whatever future we are to build together it must begin by reaching out to the poor, the forgotten and the neglected. All the heartache our nation is currently going through over Brexit will have been for nothing if we just continue the same inequalities and injustices that blight our present society. Surely if our Christian heritage is to mean anything then we must emerge a more generous, compassionate and tolerant community, or surely there will be nothing great about Britain. The above image is courtesy of https://pixabay.com/ The Revd Andrew Bryant is the Canon for Mission and Pastoral Care at Norwich Cathedral. He was previously Team Rector of Portishead, Bristol, in the Diocese of Bath and Wells, and has served in parishes in the Guildford and Lichfield Dioceses, as well as working for twelve years with Kaleidoscope Theatre, a charity promoting integration through theatre for young adults with Downs Syndrome. You can read Andrew's latest blog entry here and can follow him via his new Twitter account @AndyBry3 . The views carried here are those of the author, not of Network Norwich and Norfolk, and are intended to stimulate constructive debate between website users. Band to play at Ladies Day this summer CHART-topping and BRIT award-winning dance act Rudimental will play a DJ set at Newbury Racecourse Ladies Day in August. Now established as one of the UKs biggest bands, with platinum record sales, they will perform on the Party in the Paddock stage on Saturday, August 18. Piers Agget from Rudimental said: We cant wait to perform our set at Newbury Racecourse in August. Its rare that we get to play at an outdoor venue of that size and were really excited. Newbury Racecourse chief executive Julian Thick said: Were delighted to be welcoming Rudimental. Ladies Day is one of the highlights of our summer and, with top-class racing on course, were expecting a big crowd to enjoy the show afterwards. Rudimental will play the second of Newburys Party in the Paddock events, following Craig David at the Weatherbys Super Sprint Day on Saturday, July 21. BBOWT encourages people to take part in government consultation THE Berks, Bucks and Oxon Wildlife Trust (BBOWT) is urging people to act swiftly to help reverse the decline of nature in England by responding to Government consultations on planning and farming. Farmers, planners, local authorities and wildlife experts are being encouraged to create new rules to preserve English wildlife, which has suffered huge declines over the last 70 years due to intensive farming and the urbanisation of rural areas. In the consultation on national planning policy framework which ends Thursday, May 10 BBOWT wants to see rules that protect wildlife and recognise local wildlife sites, integrate wildlife habitats into new developments and commit to an improvement for wild species and habitats from all developments. The consultation on the future for food, farming and the environment closes on Tuesday, May 8. BBOWT wants people to have their say on agricultural policy to ensure farmers are rewarded by the tax payer for work that benefits society as a whole. To take part in the national planning policy framework consultation, complete the online survey at https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/NPPFconsultation or send an email to planningpolicyconsultation@communities.gsi.gov.uk To take part in the national farming policy consultation, complete the online survey at https://consult.defra.gov.uk/farming/future-of-farming/ or send an email to agricultureconsultation@defra.gsi.gov.uk A new study has shown that alcohol alters and damages the natural bacterial environment in the mouth. The study titled, Drinking alcohol is associated with variation in the human oral microbiome in a large study of American adults, published this week (24th April 2018) in the journal Microbiome explored the effects of alcohol on these bacterial compositions within the mouth. Image Credit: Africa Studio / Shutterstock The bacteria present over the mucosal surfaces of the body that help in a variety of functions including maintaining normal immunity are part of the microbiome. Some of these bacteria are good for the body while some strains of these bacteria may raise the risk of oral disease including gum ailments and even cancer. The study noted that some strains of these bacteria that are associated with a raised risk of oral and other cancers, heart disease and gum infections are increased in persons who consume alcohol. This has been shown earlier among animals, this is the first time that similar findings have been demonstrated among humans, write the researchers. Senior investigator Jiyoung Ahn, epidemiologist at the New York University School of Medicine, explained that this was one of the risk factors associated with alcohol consumption. Heavy drinking is not a good option and this is another reason why, she said. The study looked at a total of 1044 adults. Of these 270 did not drink alcohol while 614 drank moderately and 160 drank heavily. Moderate drinking was defined as one drink per day for women, and one or two drinks per day for men while heavy drinking was defined as more than a drink per day for women, and more than two drinks per day for men. Each of the participants were asked to swish their mouths with mouthwash and then hand over the sample they had spit out for genetic analysis including 16S rRNA genes and microbial analysis. Details of their health and lifestyles were also assessed alongside using questionnaires. The samples were analysed in the labs and the researchers noted that there was a difference in the microbiomes of the mouths of the drinkers and non-drinkers. Drinkers for example had higher levels of certain bacteria compared to non-drinkers. Some of these included those of species, Actinomyces, Leptotrichia, Cardiobacterium, and Neisseria. These strains have been known to raise the risk of head and neck cancers as well as a cancers of the food pipe or esophagus and pancreas. Ahn explained that heavy drinkers showed more pronounced presence of these bacteria. The bacteria interacted with the alcohol as it was broken down by the body and this led to preferential growth of certain strains of the bacteria. The strains of healthy bacteria Lactobacillales were however much reduced. She added of course, that more studies were necessary to understand the phenomenon. Further studies to look at how different types of alcohol could affect the microbiome of the mouth are underway she said. This study looked at differences between liquor, beer, or wine on the microbiome she said. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus A.Dapkiunas participates in the briefing dedicated to the Anniversary of Chernobyl tragedy and International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day 25-04-2018 On April 25, 2018 the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus, Andrei Dapkiunas, participated in the briefing for diplomatic corps and international organizations. In such format briefing on the occasion of the 32nd Anniversary of the Chernobyl Catastrophe and the International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day, proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly, was organized for the first time. The event was organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs together with the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the Department of Humanitarian Aid and UNDP. In his statement, A.Dapkiunas noted that Belarus feels responsible for maintaining the attention of the international community to the history and lessons of the Chernobyl tragedy, sharing its experience in overcoming consequences and encouraging the traditions of a sincere humanitarian response to the misfortunes of others and empathy. Providing decent and safe conditions for living in the affected regions, returning contaminated territories to normal social and economic development remains a daily task for the government of Belarus and local authorities, noted Belarusian diplomat. Deputy Minister underlined, that overcoming the long-term consequences of the Chernobyl accident requires not only national efforts, but also further strengthening of international cooperation. In 2016, United Nations General Assembly in its resolution stressed the importance of the legacy of the Chernobyl disaster and empowered the United Nations system to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development goals in the regions affected by the Chernobyl disaster by attracting investment and innovation. A.Dapkiunas especially thanked the governments, non-governmental organizations for their assistance to Belarus, and expressed sincere admiration of the noble people who did not remain indifferent to the fate of people affected by Chernobyl. At the end of the briefing A.Dapkiunas and Z.Taylor presented special prizes of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and UNDP to three Belarusian schoolchildren finalists of the creative contest of the newspaper Perehodny vozrast Through the prism of decades (in the framework of the project Chernobyl: Events, Fates, Memory). print version A new study has shown that babies carry a 30 percent increased risk of being overweight when they are exposed to two cups of coffee daily while within the mothers womb. If the mothers were consuming more than three cups of coffee a day while they were pregnant, the babies were 66 percent more likely to become overweight. The study titled Maternal caffeine intake during pregnancy and childhood growth and overweight: results from a large Norwegian prospective observational cohort study, was published this week in the journal BMJ Open. The team of Norwegian researchers noted that very high levels of caffeine in the material blood before birth of the baby leads to an average of at least one pound of increased weight when the children were eight years old. They suggest a complete avoidance of caffeine during pregnancy. Dr Eleni Papadopoulou, of the Norwegian Institute of Public Health in Oslo says that caffeine during pregnancy can affect a childs weight growth up until the child is eight years. According to the NHS recommendations, women should drink no more than two cups of coffee during pregnancy. But Dr Papadopoulou suggests complete avoidance to reduce the risk of obesity. There have been studies showing that excess caffeine during pregnancy can increase the risk of miscarriages and also lead to pregnancy health problems and low birth weight in the baby. The team thus went on to look at the effects of caffeine on the infants as they grew and found that no amount of coffee during pregnancy was safe. Dr Papadopoulou explained that during pregnancy the caffeine is eliminated slowly from the body. This means that it stays in the body and crosses the placental barrier easily reaching the baby. Within the baby, the caffeine freely passes into the brain crosses the blood brain barrier. This results in exposure of the fetus. According to her authorities have said that caffeine levels for pregnant women should not exceed 200 mg/day to prevent miscarriage and restriction of growth of the baby within uterus. This was one of the largest studies that explored the effects of caffeine on the childs growth and development. For this study the team looked at 50943 pairs of mothers and their babies who were participating in a Norwegian health study called The Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study between 2002 and 2008. Any exposure to caffeine during pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of the child being overweight by the age of three to five years. The risk remained till the child was eight and was highest when the mothers took over three cups a day during pregnancy. For this study the mothers were asked to report the foods and drinks they consumed 22 weeks into their pregnancy from a huge list of foods and beverages questionnaire called the Food Frequency Questionnaire that contained 255 items. Caffeine is not only obtained from coffee but also from black tea, chocolate and chocolate milk, fizzy drinks, desserts, sweets, cakes and sandwich spreads. A cup of tea contains 75 mg, a cup of filter coffee 140mg, a can of cola 40mg and a can of energy drink up to 160mg of caffeine. Low caffeine intake was found in 46 percent of the participating mothers while 44 percent showed average intake and 7.13 percent showed high intake of caffeine during pregnancy. A significant number of mothers 3.21 percent - showed very high intake of caffeine (around 300mg per day) during pregnancy. Once the baby is born, the child was followed up until they were 8 years old and their weight and height was measured at 11 points of health checkups. The team noted however that the mothers who consumed higher amounts of caffeine were more likely to be older, had more than one child, obese themselves, less educated, smokers and consuming excess daily calories. These factors also could be playing a role in childhood obesity seen in their babies. She explained that earlier animal studies have shown that caffeine in babies and infants can modulate the metabolism in various ways and increase the risk of obesity and heart disease. Caffeine can alter the chemicals that play an important role in metabolism and overall growth. Leptin is a hormone that regulates appetite. Caffeine in pregnant mothers allows leptin to pass through the placenta into the babies. One of the biggest strengths of this study according to the authors, is its large population. This means that the results can be relied upon. Authors concluded that Any caffeine consumption during pregnancy is associated with a higher risk of excess infant growth and of childhood overweight, mainly at preschool ages. Maternal caffeine intake may modify the overall weight growth trajectory of the child from birth to 8 years. Drinking kefir may have a positive effect on blood pressure by promoting communication between the gut and brain. Kefir is a fermented probiotic milk beverage known to help maintain the balance of beneficial bacteria in the digestive system. Researchers will present their findings today at the American Physiological Society (APS) annual meeting at Experimental Biology 2018 in San Diego. Previous research has shown that an imbalance in the gut's colony of bacteria (microbiota) may cause high blood pressure in some people. Similarly, probiotics-;live bacteria supplements that are beneficial to the digestive system-;have been found to lower blood pressure, but the mechanisms by which this occurs are unclear. A research team from Auburn University in Alabama, in collaboration with the University of Vila Velha in Brazil, studied three groups of rats to determine how kefir reduces high blood pressure (hypertension): One group had hypertension and was treated with kefir ("treated"). One group had hypertension and was not treated ("untreated"). One group had normal blood pressure and was not treated ("control"). After nine weeks of kefir supplementation, the treated rats had lower levels of endotoxins (toxic substances associated with disruption in the cells), lower blood pressure and improved intestinal permeability when compared with the untreated group. Healthy intestines allow some substances to pass through, but generally act as a barrier to keep out harmful bacteria and other potentially dangerous substances. In addition, kefir supplementation restored the natural balance of four different bacteria in the gut and of an enzyme in the brain essential for normal nervous system function, suggesting that the nervous and digestive systems work together to reduce hypertension. "Our data suggests that kefir antihypertensive-associated mechanisms involve gut microbiota-brain axis communication during hypertension," the researchers wrote. After Keith Beck died of bile duct cancer last year, family members said more than 900 people showed up to pay respects to the popular athletic director at the University of Findlay in northwestern Ohio. Many were former students who recalled acts of kindness during Beck's nearly 30-year career: $20 given to a kid who was broke, textbooks bought for a student whose parents were going through bankruptcy, a spot cleared to sleep on Beck's living room floor. But few knew about Beck's final gesture of generosity. The 59-year-old had agreed to a "rapid autopsy," a procedure conducted within hours of his death on March 28, 2017, so that scientists could learn as much as possible from the cancer that killed him. "He was 100 percent for it," recalled his ex-wife, Nancy Beck, 63, who cared for Beck at the end of his life. "It wasn't the easiest thing to do, but it was important." Beck donated his body to a rapid-autopsy research study at the Ohio State University, part of a small but growing effort by more than a dozen medical centers nationwide. The idea is to obtain tumor tissue immediately after death before it has a chance to degrade. Scientists say such samples are the key to understanding the genetics of cancers that spread through the body, thwarting efforts to cure them. "People are recognizing that cancer is more heterogeneous than we realize," said Dr. Sameek Roychowdhury, a medical scientist at OSU's Comprehensive Cancer Center. "Different parts of your body may have different cancer cells, even though they originated from the same cancer." In Beck's case, results from the rapid autopsy showed he had developed a mutation that caused the experimental drug he was taking, known as an FGFR inhibitor, to stop working. Roychowdhury and colleagues plan to report on Beck's case in an upcoming paper. "This is helping us shape how we develop this new drug," Roychowdhury said. "How can we make a better drug? Or can we make a better drug combination?" Rapid-autopsy technology has been available for decades. Researchers at the University of Washington in Seattle have been using the technique to study prostate cancer since 1991. Scientists at the University of Nebraska Medical Center launched a now-robust program in 2000. But only in recent years have more hospitals been launching and expanding programs, said Dr. Jody Hooper, director of the Legacy Gift Rapid Autopsy Program at Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore. At last count, there were 14 similar programs in the U.S. Funding for them varies, Hooper said, but typically they're supported by a mix of cancer program resources, grants and researcher fees. Scientists recognize the value of examining tissue from multiple sites soon after death and obtaining larger samples than they could while a patient was living. Cancer cells can be retrieved during such autopsies and kept alive, allowing researchers to experiment with ways to treat or kill them. "It's the power of sampling over the entire body at the same time," said Hooper, who conducts about one rapid autopsy a month, often providing tissue for up to a half-dozen researchers interested in different questions. Most programs focus on cancer, but efforts are underway to expand the practice, possibly to shed light on virus reservoirs in HIV patients, for instance. Speed is essential to preserve RNA and DNA, the building blocks of cells, which can degrade quickly after death. It's best to obtain specimens of living cells within six hours of death and other tissue within 12 hours, Hooper said. The need for speed is also what makes such autopsies challenging. Families must consent to the procedure, often while freshly grieving their loved one's death. And the logistics surrounding retrieving a body, conducting an autopsy and then returning the body for a funeral are often complicated. Traffic is unpredictable and "one time, there was a blizzard," Hooper said. Roychowdhury said he and one of his clinical fellows are on call at all times. "The patients have our cellphone numbers, as well as the next of kin," he said. Broaching the subject with patients and families requires tact and compassion. Most patients are enrolled in clinical trials and learn about the autopsies from their doctors or pathologists like Hooper. Many are willing, even eager, to cooperate, she said. "These are mostly patients with metastatic cancer," she said. "They've made their peace with the outcome long before." For some, the rapid autopsy is simply the final phase of the clinical trial. "They want to do something not only for themselves, but also to help others," Roychowdhury said. That's how Linda Boyed, 52, of Lewis Center, Ohio, sees it. Like Beck, she has bile duct cancer and is enrolled in a trial to treat it. The drugs are working now, but Boyed said she has agreed to a rapid autopsy after death so scientists can learn from her when they're no longer effective. "I have a strong Christian faith," she said. "I believe we're put on this Earth to help each other." Because the rapid autopsies are paid through program funds and grants, there's no cost to the families. Bodies are returned within a day and in a condition that doesn't affect funeral plans. "My emphasis is that it was all done with dignity and respect," said Nancy Beck. "We felt honored to be able to do this." Performing the autopsy after treating a patient in life is an honor for doctors, too, Roychowdhury said. "This was once a living, breathing person that came into my office every other week," he said. "The thing I want to think about each day is that they've given so much so that others can benefit. "Everyone has something to teach us after death." KHN's coverage of end-of-life and serious illness issues is supported in part by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is looking again at the safety of a drug Nuplazid that was approved earlier in 2016. This is the only drug that has been approved for the treatment of psychiatric manifestations such as hallucinations and delusions that are associated with Parkinson's disease. Parkinson's disease. 3D illustration showing neurons containing Lewy bodies small red spheres which are deposits of proteins accumulated in brain cells that cause their progressive degeneration. Image Credit: Kateryna Kon / Shutterstock Last week at a budget hearing FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb while speaking to members of Congress announced that the agency would be taking another look at the safety of this new drug. There have been hundreds of deaths associated with this new drug after it was marketed. The reports of the deaths have been voluntarily provided by caregivers and medical health professionals. According to the agency, the investigation into the causative association of this new drug and the deaths began a few weeks ago. When the safety concerns about a drug come to the forefront, the FDA generally looks at the previous safety data that have been submitted by the makers of the drug. After following up the reported cases of harm caused by the drug, the agency might change its blanket approval status. The drug may not always be banned but there may be restrictions to where it could be used and label changes and warnings may be added to protect users while benefit those truly in need. In rare cases the drug may be completely banned if it is deemed unsafe for human use. As of now the adverse events related to the drug have been reported and the agency is carrying out the safety evaluations. The drug is still on the market the agency said and physicians can prescribe it for use until further decisions have been made. Till date the deaths reported in patients taking Nuplazid concomitantly along with other medications have been seen among the elderly with advanced stages of Parkinsons disease. These patients are generally of poor health and are on numerous other medications as well. All of these factors could raise the risk of deaths. Experts are sceptical about the use of this new drug that received FDA approval on an expedited basis. FDA had designated the drug as breakthrough therapy that showed substantial improvement in patients with a life threatening or serious illness. The expedited approval of the drug, believe experts, could have meant missing out on vital safety information. Dr. Paul Andreason was a physician who headed the FDA medical review panel for Nuplazid. He had warned then that in the clinical trials, deaths were more common with the drug compared to those taking placebo instead. The FDA however had ruled that the benefits provided by the new drug outweigh the risks. There being no other safer alternatives, the drug was given a green light amidst the warnings. The families of the patients receiving the medications too reported significant improvement. The side effects with the drug included not only increased risk of deaths but also fatigue, nausea, insomnia, falls etc. Within the first year of use, Nuplazid has been associated with nearly 700 deaths according to the FDA data. In nearly 1000 patients, the hallucinations persisted even when the patients took the drugs. Acadia Pharmaceuticals, makers of the new drug, and the FDA have both agreed upon the complex safety profile of the drug and specific safety warnings are added on the labels. Acadias shares fell as a result of this issue. Hearing aids cost thousands of dollars, and insurance almost never covers them. But they may hold the potential to cut older adults' visits to the hospital or emergency room, according to a new study. That could mean lower costs in the long run, though more research is needed to see if this is true. The study arrives at a time when discussion about adding Medicare coverage for hearing aids is rising. In the new paper in JAMA Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, a team from the University of Michigan reports what they found after examining data from 1,336 adults ages 65 to 85 who reported they had severe hearing loss. Strikingly, the researchers found that only 45 percent of those in the study actually use a hearing aid despite having serious difficulty hearing. The rate is lower still among those with low incomes or less education, those who are African American or Hispanic, and those who live in Southern U.S. After the researchers factored out those differences, they found that older adults who had a hearing aid were less likely to have gone to the hospital or emergency room in the last year. The difference was about two percentage points not a major difference but large enough to be significant. In addition, those who had been hospitalized and had a hearing aid had shorter stays than those who didn't have a hearing aid averaging a half of a day less in the hospital. On the other hand, those with hearing aids had a higher probability (by four percentage points) of having an office-based visit to a physician in the past year. They also had more such visits than those without hearing aids. Office-based visits are much less costly than emergency visits and hospital stays. Impact despite lack of coverage The association of hearing aid use with lower use of costly types of care is especially striking given the lack of insurance coverage for the devices, the authors say. Hearing loss is one of the most common conditions among those over age 65. "Traditional Medicare doesn't cover hearing aids at all, Medicare Advantage plans may cover them but often ask members to share the cost at a high level, and only about half of states offer some Medicaid coverage for the lowest-income patients," says Elham Mahmoudi, Ph.D., M.B.A., lead author of the new study and a health economist in the Department of Family Medicine at the U-M Medical School. "As the debate over expanding coverage continues, we hope this research and our future work will help inform the discussion." The findings, based on self-reported accounts of a single year of health care use, don't show a cost savings overall for those who have invested in a hearing aid. That is unlikely to be visible in a cross-section of data such as this, Mahmoudi notes. In fact, those with hearing aids reported spending about $325 more out of their own pockets than those without, and said their health care costs were about $1,125 more overall, compared with those who had hearing loss but no hearing aids. The total Medicare spending reported by both groups was about the same. "Hearing aids cost an average of $2,000 to $7,000, so the fact that overall annual health care costs for those with hearing aids were not that much higher is an important point on its own," says Mahmoudi, who is a member of the U-M Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation. The new study is based on self-reported health care use and costs, gathered through the Medicare Expenditure Panel Survey conducted by the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The data also included self-reported health conditions. The fact that people who had hearing aids were also less likely to have chronic illnesses such as diabetes and high blood pressure may have had something to do with these chances of using costlier services, according to an editorial commenting on the new paper. Or, this difference may indicate that hearing aids are allowing individuals to lead more active and healthy lives. But the data used in the study don't allow the researchers to tell that for sure. Next steps To get a different and long-term look at the same issue, Mahmoudi and her colleagues are already studying five years' worth of private insurance data provided by IHPI, and anonymous data from patients treated at Michigan Medicine, U-M's academic medical center. By looking at documented costs and health care use over multiple years, they hope to look at whether hearing aids might be cost-effective in other words, whether the initial spending on a device actually pays off in lower costs from other forms of health care for the same patient. Mahmoudi's own experience with her father's hearing loss, and the experience of two of her co-authors informed the study. Michael M. McKee, M.D., M.P.H. and Family Medicine chair Philip Zazove, M.D., also worked on the study; both have hearing loss and use cochlear implants. Mahmoudi's father, who is in his 80s, didn't use a hearing aid to offset his hearing loss until Mahmoudi helped him navigate the process of getting a hearing exam, and getting the hearing aid fitted and adjusted. The expense, and the need for several office visits to adjust the device's settings, make getting a hearing aid a complex undertaking. But, she notes, other studies have found hearing loss can cause adults to feel isolated, make them less likely to communicate effectively with family and health providers both in and out of the hospital, and is associated with worse overall health. A 2016 National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine report looked at hearing-related technologies for adults of all ages, and concluded that changes to the coverage and regulation of hearing aids should be made. The panel's recommendations helped lead to a 2017 law instructing the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to develop guidelines that will allow hearing aids to be sold over the counter. The FDA hearing aid website provides current information, but the agency now has less than three years to develop and launch guidelines. No matter what, over-the-counter hearing aids are likely to be best for those with mild to moderate hearing loss. In the meantime, the U-M team will continue to study the impact of hearing aids on patients' live and health. "This is the first study to show an association between hearing aid use and how older people use the health care system," says Mahmoudi. "If we look over a longer period, it may be that the cost of the hearing aid may be covered by the difference in use of health care. That remains to be seen. But hearing loss is something that a lot of people experience, and it can be overcome in most cases. So cost effectiveness may be only one way to measure whether insurance coverage for hearing aids is the right thing to do." New Delhi: India will work to create a network with other major oil buyers in Asia, such as China, South Korea and Japan, to negotiate better terms with sellers, the country's Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said in New Delhi on Thursday. "I see bigger co-operation between four bigger economies of Asia... India will try to create a network between these four economies," he said. "All the four major Asian economies should come together. And India will try to create a network for that within the four countries," he said, referring to a need to have a greater say in importing crude oil from OPEC nations. A Google search result "glitch" has left many scratching their heads. Curious netizens took to Twitter late on Wednesday night to share screenshots of Google's "faux pas" search results of India's first Prime Minister which mysteriously displays India's current PM Narendra Modi's photo. Things get even more interesting as the search engine throws up 'Jawahar Lal Nehru' in bold letters and a brief description about him along with a Wikipedia link-- List of Prime Ministers of India. Don't get the drift? Here are some Google search results: Modi. Arun Jaitley. Nirmala Sitharaman. Google's apparent glitch baffled many and prompted them to take to Twitter and some even tagged the search engine giant to ask what exactly was going on. Type India First PM in Google Search and see the result! Sanjiv Bhatt (IPS) (@sanjivbhatt) April 25, 2018 Mistake of google about India's first pm pic.twitter.com/AKMitEJy7Z Harish Kumar (@HarishK76202931) April 26, 2018 Mitron, who was India's first PM? pic.twitter.com/K8IQXgusx3 Salil Tripathi (@saliltripathi) April 25, 2018 We searched First lady PM of India and here is the result.. @Google youre drunk, go home! pic.twitter.com/hBBPQJUWMw Irony Of India (@IronyOfIndia_) April 26, 2018 I just googled Indias first pm after @anupamaskapoor asked me to and I got this. pic.twitter.com/rSMbk8psXC shunali khullar shroff (@shunalishroff) April 26, 2018 "what algorithm of yours allows this?! Youre so full of junk," wrote Congress social media in-charge Divya Spandana. Why is it happening, you ask? Killer Features' Associate Editor Ivan Mehta tells us why. "Google searches are showing Wikipedia articles as the first result. But it is fetching the thumbnail/picture of the latest minister. Google would need a small fix for this," Ivan told News18. New Delhi: Resident doctors at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences went on an indefinite strike on Thursday evening, alleging that no action was taken against a senior doctor after he slapped a resident doctor in front of patients and other staff. The AIIMS administration said that as a consequence of the strike, all routine surgeries have been cancelled, out-patient clinics will run in a restricted manner and all academic activity has been postponed. Contingency measures have been put in place for admitted patients in ICUs and wards, the hospital said. The resident doctors have said they would not return to work till the head of the Rajender Prasad Center (RPC) for Ophthalmology, Atul Kumar, resigns. Due to the casual dealing by authorities of Prof Dr Atul Kumar, who has seriously assaulted a physical doctor, we have no option but to preserve our self-respect and stop working, a public notice issued by them said. The hospital administration, however, said it had already formed a five-member committee to probe the allegations against Kumar. It also said that Kumar had apologized for the incident and the apology was acknowledged by the resident. Dr. Harjit Singh Bhatti, president of AIIMS Resident Doctors Association, told News18 that almost 2,000 resident doctors at AIIMS have gone on strike to protest the violent and abusive behaviour of Dr Atul Kumar. The notice of strike issued by the resident doctors at AIIMS. On Wednesday, around 10 in the morning, Kumar had allegedly assaulted a senior resident doctor during the morning rounds. Bhatti, a senior resident in the geriatrics department, recounted the incident. He said that the resident was being berated by Kumar over a patient's case, when the former's phone rang. Though the resident tried to turn it off as quickly as possible, Kumar lost his temper and tried to snatch the phone away. When the resident, instinctively raised his hands to protect himself and his phone, said Bhatti, Kumar slapped him. He was humiliated in front of all other doctors and all his patients," said Bhatti, "and he went back to the hostel for the entire day not wanting to talk to anybody." Bhatti said all residents are scared because Kumar has always been abusive. He threatens to fail people who don't listen to him," he alleged. He further claimed that Kumar had also been making "inappropriate statements" to women doctors, commenting on their physical appearance. However, physically hitting someone was the last straw for the RPC residents, he said, adding that residents told him they cant work for Kumar any longer. We demand he immediately step down from the post and a fair inquiry be conducted by the administration so that residents can work in a safe and secure environment, the resident doctors said. (With inputs from Aradhna Wal) Ahmedabad: Almost 10 years after two boys were found dead under mysterious circumstances near self-styled godman Asaram's ashram in Motera, the BJP government in Gujarat on Thursday announced it would table the probe commission report in the Legislative Assembly in the upcoming monsoon session. The announcement came a day after a court in Jodhpur sentenced the 77-year-old controversial self-styled godman to life in jail for raping a teenage girl at his ashram in 2013. The Justice D K Trivedi Commission, which probed the deaths of the two boys, had submitted the report to the state government in July 2013. With the state government sitting on the report, the Opposition Congress had alleged that the ruling party was "shielding" Asaram. "We are not shielding anyone. The Gujarat government has taken the decision to table the report related to Asaram in the upcoming Assembly session," Minister of State for Home Pradeepsinh Jadeja told reporters in Gandhinagar on Thursday. The monsoon session is expected to be convened in August. On July 5, 2008, the decomposed bodies of Dipesh Vaghela (10) and Abhishek Vaghela (11), both cousins, were recovered from the banks of the Sabarmati river behind the Motera ashram. Dipesh and Abhishek were students of a 'gurukul' (residential hostel for students) run by Asaram and used to stay on the campus of the asharam. A violent agitation followed the recovery of the bodies amid allegations that the deaths were linked to black magic practised at the ashram. Following the protest, the state government set up a probe panel in July 2008 under the Commission of Inquiries Act. The government had appointed Gujarat high court judge (retd) D K Trivedi as the chairman of the panel. The government had assigned the investigation of the case to the CID (Crime), which had booked seven followers of Asaram under section 304 of the IPC (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) in 2009. A chargesheet was filed against them in September 2012. The Trivedi commission was asked to submit its report after probing the facts pertaining to the circumstances that led to the death of the two boys, and to monitor the police investigation. After evading repeated summons, Asaram had deposed before the panel in December 2012. During his deposition, he had claimed that allegations of his involvement in the deaths were part of a conspiracy to malign his ashram and the Hindu religion. In the Gujarat assembly held in March this year, the opposition Congress had raised the issue and alleged that the BJP was trying to shield the self-styled godman by not tabling the probe report in the House. When Leader of Opposition Paresh Dhanani had sought a reply from the government, Jadeja had told the House that the government was ready to table the report. New Delhi: Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Khalistani separatist who was arrested by Canadian authorities for being an alleged terrorist, has received the help and support of Canada-based outfit Sikhs for Justice (SFJ). Nijjar was arrested last week as his name figured on the terror list handed over to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau by Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on the formers visit to India in February. Two months after the list was handed over, Canadian authorities detained Nijjar, who has at least three terror-related cases against him in Punjab, including in the 2010 Satya Narayan Temple blasts in Patiala. He is also accused of raising a five-member module of the Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) and also of attacking Hindu leaders in Punjab. Nijjar was detained on April 13, kept in custody for a day and released on April 14 after being questioned. Sikhs for Justice has said that they will defend Nijjar against the charges. Rights advocacy group Sikhs for Justice... will defend Candian Sikh Separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar against the Red Corner Notice (RCN) issued by Interpol at the behest of the Indian Government, a statement from SFJ said. SFJs legal advisor and New York based lawyer Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, who is representing Nijjar in the case, said, We have full faith in Canadian legal system which is not going to succumb to Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singhs pressure to stop Nijjar, who is supporting the Khalistan movement democratically. Nijjar is being termed as a terrorist and framed in false cases only because he is engaged in a political campaign for a referendum in Indian Occupied Punjab. We will defend Nijjar against any attempt to extradite him to India. @alextdaugherty When French President Emmanuel Macron stressed the importance of climate change during a joint address to Congress on Wednesday, three Republicans stood up and joined Democrats to applaud him. The trio, Miami Republican Reps. Carlos Curbelo and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, along with Pennsylvania Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, also happen to be the three most bipartisan House Republicans, according to new rankings complied by Georgetown University. Ros-Lehtinen, who has signed on to the DREAM Act, was ranked as the most bipartisan House Republican while Curbelo, who introduced a bill to ban bump stocks, ranked third out of 236 House Republicans. The rankings are based on the number of bills introduced in 2017 by an individual lawmaker that receive support from lawmakers of the opposing party and by signing onto bills introduced by a lawmaker from the other party. "The Index rewards those who prioritize governance over posturing and aims to encourage members of Congress to seek areas of consensus as opposed to simply using legislation to delineate differences," Georgetown University's Lugar Center says on its website. The center uses metrics to award more weight to bills that attract substantial bipartisan support, and does not include ceremonial bills like naming post offices that typically receive support from both parties. Curbelo is up for reelection in a Miami-to-Key West district that is the most Democratic-leaning in the country currently represented by a Republican running for reelection, and is campaigning in part on a record of working with Democrats on certain issues like climate change. He's distanced himself from President Donald Trump, who lost his district by 16 percentage points, on a number of issues, though he did accompany the president on a recent visit to Key West and helped write the GOP tax bill that became law late last year. Ros-Lehtinen, a frequent critic of Trump, is retiring this year. Democrats are favored to flip her seat in November. Both Curbelo's and Ros-Lehtinen's rankings from 2017 were up compared to rankings issued after the 114th Congress. Ros-Lehtinen ranked fifth among House Republicans while Curbelo ranked 7th. Former Florida Rep. Gwen Graham, now running for governor in a contested Democratic primary, also ranked among the top 10 most bipartisan lawmakers before leaving Congress. In the Senate, Republican Marco Rubio ranks 10th among 100 senators while Democrat Bill Nelson ranks 36th. Here's the bipartisan rankings for Miami-Dade's congressional delegation: -Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehinen (R) 2nd out of 435 members -Rep. Carlos Curbelo (R) 4th -Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schulz (D) 160th -Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R) 225th -Rep. Frederica Wilson (D) 412th Beijing: Ten years after it was first proposed, the Security Quadrilateral between India, US, Japan and Australia made a comeback in 2017 on the sidelines of the ASEAN and East Asia summit in Manila. Referred to as the Quad', it was said that the discussions focused on a shared vision for increased prosperity and security in a free and open Indo-Pacific region. Though the talks in Manila happened at the level of the joint secretaries and each country had put out a statement separately on the issue, the fact that the grouping was trying to team-up was not lost on Beijing. It was seen as an attempt to contain China. The Chinese foreign ministry reacted sharply to this development last year, saying no attempt should be made to target a third party. Some like Singapore also dismissed the very idea of a Quad, calling it a 20th Century concept of pitting one bloc against the other. Singapore defence minister Ng Eng Hen said it was a self-defeating idea which was bound to fail. But it now appears that the idea of Quad worked in India's favour to the extent that it was one of the factors that compelled China to give up its belligerence after Doklam and open up to talks with India. "India cannot really rely on Japan, US and Australia. But China will be reliable," said a source in Beijing. This comment was made specifically to the idea of regional connectivity spoken about under the Quad which could emerge as an alternative to Xi Jinping's Belt and Road Initiative. The US statement on the Quad in November spoke about it clearly. It said that the officials who met in Manila examined ways to "increase connectivity consistent with international law and standards, based on prudent financing. This was directly hitting out at China and could be seen in the context of India's concerns on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, CPEC. India, while boycotting the Belt and Road Initiative in May last year, had said that it disregarded the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India. Recently, when Nepal prime minister KP Sharma Oli visited India after being elected again, it was impressed upon him that it would be a matter of concern for India too if Nepal gets caught in a debt trap due to BRI. Moreover, as admitted by a source, China is finding it difficult to execute any idea with Nepal as "India cannot be avoided". Looking at these developments that could have the potential of challenging the BRI, a source said, "We care about connectivity. China values cooperation with India. China is willing to work with India." "When Premier Modi visits China he should rethink his engagement with China on BRI." Dubai: A decomposed body of a 36-year-old Indian woman was found buried in a room of her house in Maysaloon area of Sharjah, a media report said today, and police is suspecting that her husband may have killed her and escaped to India. According to police, her husband, a resident of Kerala, along with their two children, has managed to escape to India after allegedly killing and burying her in the house. He had also put up a 'For rent' sign on the door. The incident came to light yesterday after the woman's brother, who came from India searching for his sister, lodged a complaint with the police on April 9, after he could not find anyone at her house, a senior police official said. He came to Sharjah in search of his sister, with whom he used to talk everyday, after she did not respond to his several calls. "A missing person report was received from the woman's brother, who told police that he used to speak to his sister daily but one day, she stopped answering her phone," Commander-in-Chief of Sharjah Police, Major-General Saif Al Ziri Al Shamsi was quoted as saying by the Gulf News. Following the complaint, a police team went to the house after getting permission from the public prosecution. During a search, some ceramic tiles of the floor were found missing by the police, which suspecting some foul play, brought the sniffer dogs, which led them to the grave inside the house, the report said. When the team dug the area, the woman's decomposed body was recovered, which was identified by the woman's brother, and shifted to the forensic laboratory for an autopsy, police said. According to initial investigations, police suspect that the accused husband has two wives and before committing the crime, he sent one of them and his children with her to India. The suspect was identified through his fingerprints and iris scan and a warrant of arrest has been issued by the Interpol, the police said. New Delhi: The elevation of one of the two jurists recommended by the collegium as Supreme Court judges, on Thursday evoked sharp reaction with the apex court's bar association chief terming as "disturbing" the government's action of accepting only one name and asking it to reconsider the name of Justice K M Joseph. Activist lawyer Prashant Bhushan shared the views of senior advocate Vikas Singh, the Supreme Court Bar Association President, even as BJP leader Subramanian Swamy, a regular petitioner in the apex court, said the Congress' stand on the issue reflected its frustration. Swamy's comment assumes significance as the Congress leadership including P Chidambaram, himself a senior advocate, were critical of the Centre's decision and tweeted that the recommendation of the collegium was final and binding in the appointment of judges. "Is the Modi government above the law," Chidambaram tweeted. "What is holding up Justice K M Joseph's appointment? His state, or his religion or his judgement in the Uttarakhand case?" Dealing a major blow to Modi government, a bench headed by Uttarakhand High Court Chief Justice K M Joseph in 2016 had quashed the imposition of President rule in the state and had revived the Congress government headed by Harish Rawat. Later, the Congress lost the Assembly election. The reactions of Chidambaram and others came amidst reports that the government had cleared the appointment of senior advocate Indu Malhotra as a judge of the Supreme Court, but not that of Justice Joseph. Malhotra will be the first woman judge to be appointed to the top post directly from the bar. Meanwhile, the law ministry sources said the government has asked the collegium to reconsider the recommendation to elevate Justice Joseph as a judge of the top court. SCBA president Vikas Singh, speaking in his individual capacity, expressed concern over the delay in the appointment of Justice Joseph and said "this kind of interference by the executive is definitely uncalled for". "This elevation is very wrong as it disturbs the seniority in the Supreme Court. We have seen in recent past how important seniority is in the apex court. Judges are being labelled as junior judges and said that they were not fit to hear sensitive matters. So tomorrow if somebody says Justice Joseph is a junior judge and not fit to hear a particular matter, it will be very sad. "Government will be responsible. This kind of interference by the executive is definitely uncalled for. By delaying this, they have definitely interfered in seniority rules and in that sense they have interfered in the functioning of judiciary. A very serious matter. The civil society and the judges of the Supreme Court in full court should discuss and take it up with the government," Singh told PTI. BJP leader Subramanian Swamy said, on the issue of delay in Justice Joseph's appointment, that the Congress party is just frustrated. "On one hand, they accuse the CJI being inclined to BJP and on the other, they are saying we have ignored him. The Congress party is just frustrated," he said. Bhushan was vocal in criticising the Centre and alleged that the government was trying to erode and destroy the independence of judiciary by not appointing those recommended by the collegium. "Justice K M Joseph's instance is a very clear one, whose name has been stalled, which was recommended by the collegium four months ago. The name was unanimously recommended by the collegium and yet it has been stalled by the government because he gave a judgment in Uttarakhand case against the government. "It is very shameful and shocking for a government which talks about the independence of judiciary to try and erode the independence of judiciary by sitting on appointment of people that it doesn't like," Bhushan said. On January 22, the apex court collegium's file recommending the elevation of Justice Joseph and Malhotra reached the Law Ministry. After processing the file in the first week of February, the recommendations were kept in abeyance as the government wanted to elevate only Malhotra. But now, the government has gone ahead with the appointment of Malhotra and asked the collegium to reconsider the elevation of Justice Joseph. The government feels that while recommending the name of Justice Joseph, the collegium has disregarded seniority and regional representation. He is 42nd in the seniority list of 669 high court judges. New Delhi: A Delhi-based jeweller, who was at the DRI office in connection with an alleged gold smuggling case, on Wednesday jumped to death from the probe agency's building in the CGO complex area here, according to an official statement. The incident took place around 12 noon. The deceased has been identified as Gaurav Gupta, aged around 40 years. Gupta was waiting in the visitors' room inside the DRI office and he jumped from the room's window, the statement said, adding that he was rushed to a nearby hospital, but he could not be saved. The visitor's room is on the sixth floor of the building. The statement said acting on an information, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officers had conducted searches at three premises in the Shalimar Bagh area on Tuesday. During the search operations, the officers recovered around six kg of foreign marked gold and 213 kg of silver bullion from the jeweller's residence, it said. In further search operations today, the officers recovered 35 kg more foreign marked gold concealed in the door panel of the safe of one of his shops, it said. In total 41 kg of foreign marked gold, 213 kg of silver bullion and Rs 48 lakh cash, in total valued at around Rs 13 crore were recovered, the statement said. "Unfortunately, the owner of the smuggled goods, who had visited the DRI office today, jumped through the window of the visitor's room at around 12 PM today," it said. He was neither summoned nor arrested by the DRI, the statement said. The person was immediately taken to the Safdarjung hospital by DRI officers and Central Industrial Security Force personnel, but he could not be saved, it said. The local police has been intimated and further investigation is in progress, the statement said. Agartala: After his "Internet in the Mahabharata era" remark, Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb on Thursday claimed that the international beauty pageants were a farce and questioned the rationale behind crowning Diana Hayden "Miss World" 21 years ago. The BJP leader, however, was all praise for Aishwarya Rai, who won the Miss World crown in 1994, saying she "represents the Indian women" in the true sense. "Indian women did not use cosmetics in the old times. Indians did not use shampoo, they washed their hair with methi water and bathed with mud. These beauty pageant organisers are international marketing mafia, who spotted a huge market in the country. Today, there is a beauty parlour in every corner of the country," he said. Deb's comments came days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi cautioned the BJP leaders to steer clear of controversies and not offer "masala" to the media by making irresponsible statements. The Tripura chief minister also claimed that the international beauty contests were a farce as the results were all predetermined. "Whoever contested the international beauty pageants won. For five consecutive years, we won the Miss World/Miss Universe awards. Diana Hayden won it too. Do you think she should have won the title?" Deb said. Addressing a day-long design workshop on handlooms and handicrafts at the Prajna Bhavan here, Deb spoke in a mixture of Bengali and Hindi: "Bitorko ho jayega...Aap kya bolte ho Biplab Deb?" (There will be a controversy. What are you saying Biplab Deb?) "They make the girls walk with fabric on the ramps. Those who give the certificates are all international textile market mafia. They plan beforehand who will get the award and this is 100 per cent true," the BJP leader said. He said he failed to understand the "process of judgement" of the crowning of the Miss World contest in 1997, in which Diana Hayden had got the award. "We see women as goddess Laxmi, Saraswati. Aishwarya Rai represents the Indian women. She became the Miss World and that's all right. Diana Hayden does not fit to that class of beauty," Deb, who became the chief minister last month, said. "Why are there no more beauty pageant winners from India? They (the jury) have captured the market in the country and have gone elsewhere," he claimed. Earlier this month, Deb had claimed that Internet and satellite communication existed in the days of Mahabharata. New Delhi: Like any other day, the children of Divine Mission School in Kushinagar waved to their parents and boarded their van on Thursday - only this time they never reached. The bright yellow van carrying the children tried to cross an unmanned railway crossing at Behpurva where it was crushed by a speeding passenger train. Among the littered water bottles, school bags and books, lay the blood splattered bodies of seven-year-old Ragini, her brothers, Santosh and Ravi, and many of their schoolmates. Next to them was the mangled iron frame of the smashed school van, PTI reported. (Mir Suhail/ News18 Creatives) No worse tragedy could have struck Amarjeet, resident of Mishrouli and Ragini's father, or Hasan from Batrouli who lost two young daughters - Sazida and Tamanna or Mainuddin, a resident of Maihiharwa, who lost son Miraz and daughter Muskan in the accident. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that the accident was due to the fault of the vans driver, who had headphones over his ears. He also raised doubts about the drivers age. As the news of the accident spread at around 7 in the morning, many locals were still in their beds. Scores of people rushed to the accident site, many of them hoping their loved ones had somehow escaped the claws of death. According to some eye witnesses, the van driver, who was also seriously injured, did not pay heed to calls from onlookers to stop the vehicle. He tried to speed past the unmanned level crossing but the vehicle somehow got stuck on the tracks, Ram Manohar, a labourer, said. The Thawe-Kapatanganj passenger train on way to Gorakhpur from Siwan came speeding and smashed the vehicle at the unmanned level crossing gate, he added. According to another eye witness, Habib Ansar, some women and passersby tried to stop the van driver but he didn't pay heed to their warnings. I saw the crash from a close range and the children dying on the spot, a shaken Ansar said. "It was the van driver's mistake. Due to his careless attitude, the children died," he said. Had the driver not tried to force his way through without ensuring that no train was coming, the tragedy could have been averted, many others lamented. "I saw 13 kids dead on the spot. One child was sitting dazed and we rushed him to hospital. We informed police and administration and they arrived soon," an eyewitness said. There was some talk that the driver had his earphones on and did not pay heed to the warnings from the locals. "What may have been music to the driver's ears, will forever remain death knell for me," said the mother of a deceased child. Many other parents could hardly utter a word, dumbfounded by their grief. Locals, who rushed to the spot after hearing wails of pain, dragged the victims out of the crushed vehicle and rushed the wounded to a government hospital, around 30 km from the site. The injured - the van driver and four children - were referred to the BRD Medical college hospital in Gorakhpur. The deceased were identified as Hari Om (8 yrs), Ragini (7), Atiullah (8), Arshad (9), Anas Narod (8), Golu (8), Qamrool (10), Sazida (11), Tamanna (10), Miraz (8), Musquan (7), Santosh and Ravi. Noida: Tying the sacred thread and chanting Gayatri mantra, a 34-year-old Dalit resident of Shamli is being reintroduced to his gods. As long as you are alive, you will only pray to two gods. The first is Lord Hanuman, the protector of us all, and the second is your grandmother, says 24-year-old Vivek Premi in a viral video. Despite being 10 years younger to Shamli man, Premi can be seen lecturing the man while performing the puja. Now touch her feet! You have to swear that you will remain a Hindu till the day you die! orders Premi, West UP student Wing head of the Bajrang Dal. According to the Bajrang Dal member, a new phenomenon is taking shape in the Kairana Lok Sabha constituency area, of which Shamli is a part. He calls this reverse Love Jihad in which Hindu men are being lured to Islam with the prospect of a job and marriage with a Muslim girl. Kairana is due for a Lok Sabha bypoll later this year. Earlier, we used to see that only Hindu girls were being lured. But now, we see a new kind of Love Jihad a kind of reverse Love Jihad, if you will. Now, even Hindu men are being lured. This is disgusting and the Bajrang Dal will continue to fight against it, Premi told News 18. He added, Pawan is an unemployed and unmarried man. He was desperate to get married, which is why he became an easy target. Some people from Kairana got in touch with him and offered him a job. Then they introduced him to a girl, who lured him. We brought him to his senses and converted him back to Hinduism. In the video of the ritual, Premi can be seen tying a thread around Kumars wrist and then making him promise to remain a Hindu. The Ghar Waapsi ritual was completed with the chanting of the Gayatri Mantra. Kairanas controversial Lok Sabah MP Hukum Singh passed away in February this year, which has necessitated a bypoll here. The region is no stranger to controversies that keep the communal pot boiling. In 2016, Hukum Singh alleged that 250 Hindu families had fled Kairana in a mass exodus over the last few years due to pressure from another community. Singh went as far as to claim that Kairana was becoming another Kashmir with Hindu families fleeing. While the BJP leadership endorsed his claims, the district administration and the then ruling Samajwadi Party had vehemently denied them. According to the local administration, only three families had left Kairana due to worsening law and order. Singh, however, received a huge fillip after the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) vindicated his claims and held riot-refugees responsible for altering the demographics of the small town. This had led to a disagreement between the NHRC and the National Commission for Minorities (NCM), which held that the reports of an exodus were exaggerated. Singh was also accused of nepotism and lobbying for his daughter Mriganka Singh, who contested and lost the 2017 UP Assembly polls from the Kairana Assembly seat. New Delhi: Senior advocate Indu Malhotra, whose name was cleared by the Union government for appointment as a Supreme Court judge, is known to be assertive and one of the best lawyers in the apex court. Sixty-one-year-old Malhotra was administered oath of office as SC judge by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra on Thursday. Born in Bangalore to a famous family of lawyers, Malhotra joined the legal profession in 1983, and was enrolled with the Bar Council of Delhi. In 1988, she qualified as an Advocate-on-Record in the Supreme Court, and secured the first position in the examination, for which she was awarded the Mukesh Goswami Memorial Prize on Law Day. I have only seen her in the courts arguing. She was always very forceful, forthright in her arguments and always very well prepared. I am sure that she is one of the best lawyers and deserves to be elevated, senior advocate KTS Tulsi told News18, while recalling Malhotras work in courts. Her key areas of expertise include the law of arbitration, and she has appeared in various domestic and international commercial arbitrations. As a lawyer, senior advocate Sanjay Hegde remembers the soon-to-be-judge as someone who never took a no for an answer and would go on pressing cases for her clients even when others would have given up. She was always polite, always persistent in her brief and she always tried to press the matter for her clients even when many counsels would have given up. She didnt take a no easily, said Hegde, adding that the 61-year-old advocate is one of the most polite lawyers in the apex court. The senior advocate believes that he shares a memory with Malhotra due to her association with Bangalore. Indu was born in Bangalore, she has fond memories of that place. Thats where my first connection comes with him. Indu was also associated with the family of the legendary lawyer and former law minister Asoke Sen, said Hegde. Her father Om Prakash Malhotra was a Senior Advocate in the Supreme Court, and a distinguished author who brought out the treatise on the Law of Industrial Disputes. He published six editions of this Commentary. Alumni of Faculty of Law, Delhi University, Malhotra is currently at the forefront of a lot of public interest litigations, which strive for a social cause. She is appearing for the protection of bystanders who provide assistance to road accident victims, and for framing guidelines for a Good Samaritan law in India. She has also taken the lead in a public interest petition filed for framing of sentencing guidelines with respect to awarding punishment by the courts in rape cases, and another PIL on discrimination against women make-up artists in the film industry. Malhotra has also kept her fathers legacy by regularly revising and updating his books for the consumption of the legal academia and professionals. According to Hedge, she has a keen interest in medical cases, too. She was a consistent practitioner of the Supreme Court. She has revised her fathers books on Industrial law and arbitration. She was the second lady to be designated as senior advocate of the SC. She is a phenomenal hard worker. She was involved in a lot of medical matters too, said Hegde. Indu Malhotra was the Standing Counsel for the State of Haryana in the Supreme Court from 1991 to 1996. She has also been empanelled as an Arbitrator with several Institutional Arbitration bodies like Indian Council of Arbitration (ICA), Delhi International Arbitration Centre (DAC), ASSOCHAM etc. She was designated to become a senior advocate in August 2007, 30 years after Leila Seth was bestowed with the honour. Seth was designated as a senior lawyer in 1977. Lucknow: The Election Commission has announced that the by-election to the Kairana Lok Sabha seat, which fell vacant after the death of BJP MP Hukum Singh last February, will be held on May 28 and the counting of votes will be done on May 31. The bypoll to to the Noorpur Legislative Assembly seat will also be held on the same dates. It had fallen vacant in February when sitting BJP MLA Lokendra Singh died in a car accident. The announcement of dates came after Uttar Pradesh chief electoral officer L Venkateshwar Lu visited Saharanpur and Shamli district for the poll process. Kairana parliamentary constituency comprises five assembly segments, three in Shamli and two in Saharanpur district. Jats and Gujjars are the two of the largest chunks of voters in Kairana. While BJP leaders are confident that Gujjar voters will stick with the BJP out of sympathy for deceased MP Hukum Singh, a Gujjar, the Jat voter could prove to be the kingmakers. After losses in the Gorakhpur and Phulpur Lok Sabha bypolls, BJP leaders dont want to leave any stone unturned this time. Communal tensions in Kairana have been high ever since 2016, after Hukum Singh alleged that 250 Hindu families had fled Kairana in a mass exodus over the last few years due to pressure from another community. Singh went as far as to claim that Kairana was becoming another Kashmir with Hindu families fleeing. While the BJP leadership endorsed his claims, the district administration and the ruling Samajwadi Party had vehemently denied them. According to the local administration, only three families had left Kairana due to worsening law and order. Singh, however, received a huge fillip after the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) vindicated his claims and held riot-refugees responsible for altering the demographics of the small town. This had led to a disagreement between the NHRC and the National Commission for Minorities (NCM), which held that the reports of an exodus were exaggerated. Singh was also accused of nepotism and lobbying for his daughter Mriganka Singh, who contested and lost the 2017 UP Assembly polls from the Kairana Assembly seat. According to election commission sources, the EC has established 883 polling centres in the five assembly constituencies of Shamli, Thanabhawan, Kairana (all in Shamli district) and Gangoh and Nukar in Saharanpur district. 16,095,80 voters including 7,36,420 women would exercise their franchise in the coming bypoll. Political parties including BJP, SP, RLD and Congress have already started their poll preparations. On Wednesday, state president of Samajwadi Party, Naresh Uttam Patel visited Kairana and asked the party workers to be ready for the polls. Ruling BJP ministers have also been visiting the constituency. New Delhi: The Congress on Thursday announced the appointment of senior leader Kamal Nath as the state unit chief in Madhya Pradesh, which heads to the polls later this year. Keeping caste and regional considerations in mind, the appointed four working presidents Bala Bachchan (ST), veteran Ramniwas Ravat, Surendra Chaudhary (SC) and Malwa MLA Jitu Patwari, who is known to be close to party chief Rahul Gandhi. CNN-News18 had on April 22 reported on the possibility of nine-time Chhindwara MP Kamal Nath being picked for the role, seemingly settling the three-way contest between Digvijaya Singh and Jyotiraditya Scindia. While Scindia has been accommodated as the chairman of the Campaign Committee, a charge he had also held in 2013 Assembly elections, sources said that the choice of Kamal Nath had Singhs backing as well. Singh, upon his return from the 3,300-km Narmada Parikrama, had bowed out of the CMs race, leaving Scindia and Nath in the fray. Sources had said that the top leadership was worried whether Scindia could counter Shivraj Singh Chouhans son of the soil image. While Chouhan is known for his excellent connect with the people, Scindia is seen as a 'raja', owing to his royal heritage. Kamal Nath, known for his shrewd manoeuvring skills, may come in handy against Chouhan, given his strong connect with the CMs critics. His negotiating and strategising skills were seen during his tenure as the Parliamentary Affairs Ministers in the UPA era. Nath's appointment comes days after the BJP named Rakesh Singh, a prominent face from tribal-dominated Mahakaushal region, as its MP unit president. Nath, too, is from Mahakaushal and enjoys sizable clout in the region. @NewsbySmiley An attorney seeking a seat in the Florida Legislature represents plastic surgery centers where patients have been maimed and killed as a result of botched cosmetic procedures. Kubs Lalchandani, a Democrat running to represent the state's 113th House district, is a co-founder and partner of Lalchandani Simon PL, a law firm specializing in the representation of healthcare professionals, tech start-ups and the hospitality industry. Among its clients, the firm represents cosmetic surgery centers, some of which have been in the news for procedures gone wrong. Last year, a woman from Antigua undergoing liposuction at Spectrum Aesthetics Center for Cosmetic Surgery died as a result of complications associated with the procedure, according to an autopsy report. Nikisha Lewis death came amid a spate of fatalities related to South Florida plastic surgery centers, and two years after a doctor operating at the same clinic and others, Osakatukei Osak Omulepu, was accused by the state Department of Health of botching four surgeries in two days. In 2013, an 18-year-old girl went into a coma shortly after undergoing breast augmentation at the Coral Gables Cosmetic Center and awoke with brain damage. The anesthesiologist on the procedure, Mario Alberto Diaz, once pleaded guilty to charges in Iowa related to his role in prescribing thousands of medications through an online pill mill. The state charged Diaz with medical malpractice in the 2013 incident and later settled. Last month, Delma Pineda died following breast augmentation and liposuction procedures at an affiliated clinic, CG Cosmetic Surgery. An autopsy report is pending. Each of these clinics was represented by Lalchandani, who is running in the Democratic primary to replace David Richardson as the representative of a district that includes all of Miami Beach, PortMiami, downtown and Little Havana. But the attorney said in a statement that surgery centers represent only a portion of his firm's business. "My law firm represents many clients in the technology, healthcare, and hospitality fields, including physicians," said Lalchandani, who declined an interview. "Our job is to provide these clients with legal counsel. As noted in a few stories where I was on record on behalf of my clients, my focus has always been to offer words of support for those impacted and always offer my clients the best legal path forward." To read the rest, click here. New Delhi: The Gurugram police have arrested six persons for disrupting Muslim men while they were offering Friday namaz. The men were allegedly heard shouting Jai Sri Ram, and directing those offering prayers to do it only in mosques. The arrests came a week after the incident and a video clip of the incident having gone viral. The six persons arrested have been identified as Arun, Manish, Deepak, Mohit, Ravinder and Monu. According to police, the incident took place on April 20. Till April 23 they had not received any complaint. According to police, few men were offering namaz in Wazirabad village of Gurugram Sector 52 when these six accused came there. It can be seen in the video that these men were shouting Jai Shri Ram and Baanke Bihari ki Jai while asking them to leave the area. They can also be heard asking why was the mosque built? Koi yahan namaz nahi padhega (No one will offer namaz here), a person could be heard saying in the video. All arrested are from Wazirabad village. Police received the complaint by the chairman of Nehru Yuva Sangathan where the complainant stated that he has been offering namaz for the last many years on that particular ground. Some anti-social elements stopped them from offering namaz. They were sloganeering Jai Shri Ram and also threatened them of dire consequences, said Gurugram police spokesperson. The complainant was apprehensive that the group might come back again on Friday and disturb them from offering namaz. Having identified the men in video, the police made the arrest. New Delhi: Fourteen children were killed and eight others injured when their school van was hit by a train at an unmanned railway crossing in Uttar Pradeshs Kushinagar area, around 50km from Gorakhpur, on Thursday morning. The children, students of Divine Public School, were killed on the spot when Thawe-Kapatanganj passenger train (55075) crashed into the van at an unmanned crossing gate at Behpurva, said Railways spokesman Ved Prakash. The train was on way to Gorakhpur from Siwan. There were at least 25 people, including children who were below the age of 10 years, the official said. "It was unmanned level crossing gate at Behpurva, with Gate Mitra deployed there. He tried to stop but unfortunate incident happened at unmanned gate 45 near Dudhi station in Banaras division," the spokesperson said in New Delhi. An accident relief medical train from Gorakhpur has been dispatched to the site, he said. Injured children were rushed to Pandrauna Hospital which is 30 km from the accident site. Expressing condolence, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the families of the victims and directed Gorakhpur commissioner to conduct an inquiry into the accident. Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) April 26, 2018 Railway Minister Piyush Goyal, too, expressed his grief over the accident and announced an ex-gratia of Rs two lakh each to the kin of the victims. "I am saddened by the news of school children dying in a train accident. I have spoken to senior railway officials and ordered an inquiry into it," Goyal said in a tweet. , , Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) April 26, 2018 The administration has since closed down the school. The school principle/manager, Karim Khan, has also been arrested. He has been charged of operating the school without adequate certificates and possessing a school van that lacked fitness papers. This is the second such accident to claim lives of school children this month. On April 10, 27 children below the age of 10 had died when their school bus fell into a 100-feet deep gorge in Himachal Pradeshs Kangra. With PTI inputs New Delhi: Lockheed Martin Corporation, American aerospace and defence major, will provide India with latest combat jet technologies, including a target tracking device aboard the F-16 aircraft that it plans to sell to the country. The global defence giant will offer jets equipped with the advanced radar which is fitted on its fifth-generation combat jet, the F-35, as well as a helmet-mounted tracking system and a new radio data link system, Vivek Lall, vice president for strategy and business development at Lockheed Martin said Wednesday, reported Bloomberg. The bid also comes with an offer to shift its lone production line for F-16s from Fort Worth, Texas in the U.S. to India as it takes on competitors Saab AB and Boeing Co. The variant being pitched is the F-16 Block 70. There are a lot of technologies that come into the F-16 from F-35 and F-22, including the latest radar on these platforms, Lall said in an interview. It is a contemporary, state-of-the-art platform. Early this month, India began the process to acquire a fleet of around 110 fighter jets in one of the biggest such procurements in recent years globally which could be worth over USD 15 billion. Lockheed Martin has positioned the newest Block 70 variant of its F-16 aircraft for the Indian Air Force, In the report, 'India's Quest for Fighter Jets: Make in India vs Make America Great Again', it said China's bellicose incursions in the Indo-Pacific region are challenging US geostrategic supremacy in the region. Wuhan: The two-day informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping could stabilise ties between the two militaries, help maintain peace at the borders and settle differences, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) said on Thursday. "It is the common expectation of both peoples to stabilise relations between the Chinese and Indian armed forces and maintain peace and tranquillity at the border areas," the military spokesman, Col. Wu Qian, told the media in Beijing. Modi and Xi are due to hold a two-day informal summit here from tomorrow during which the boundary issue as well last year's standoff at Dokalam were expected to figure in their one-on-one talks to improve relations between the two countries. "Although the relations between the two militaries still face some difficulties and obstacles, we are willing to use the important consensus of the leaders of the two countries as guidance to deepen our understanding, enhance mutual trust, properly settle differences, and continue to accumulate the positive energy of the healthy and stable development of the relations between the two armed forces," Col Wu said. He was replying to a question about the expectations from the Modi-Xi summit and as well as the outcome of the meeting between Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and her Chinese counterpart General Wei Feng this week. Col Wu's comments were significant as President Xi is also the head of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) and the military. Regarded as the most powerful Chinese leader in recent times, Xi is the Chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC) which is the overall high command of the Chinese armed forces. Post-Dokalam standoff last year, the relations between two militaries were picking up. Sitharaman, who was in Beijing to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Defence Ministers' meeting, held talks with her Chinese counterpart Wei and discussed steps to improve relations between the two militaries. In her remarks, she had said differences should not be allowed to become disputes. New Delhi: India and Pakistan will not be meeting anytime soon as relations between the two countries continue to be strained with no formal or informal meet on the cards in the near future, top sources said. There needs to be something positive for talks to happen. There is no such thing happening, sources told News18. In fact, there is also no discussion of a meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit in June in China, where both nations are participating. Mincing no words at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meet in China on Tuesday, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj said that the fight against terrorism was not just limited to eliminating militants but must also include taking strict action against states that encourage terrorism. Terrorism is an enemy of the basic human rights: of life, peace and prosperity. We strongly believe that our fight against terrorism should not only seek to eliminate terrorists but should also identify and take strong measures against States that encourage, support and finance terrorism and provide sanctuary to terrorists and terror groups, Swaraj said at the SCO foreign ministers meet, adding that there was an imminent need to build a security architecture to combat it. Her statement came as China reaffirmed its support to Pakistan, a country that India has constantly accused of harbouring terrorists and supporting them. Recently, Pakistans Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed called for a meaningful dialogue between the two countries. His statement came after Indian Army Chief General Bipin Rawat said that peace was the only way forward to resolve the Kashmir issue. Despite statements that garnered hope of a solution among various parties, reports on Tuesday said that four Pakistani soldiers had been killed in retaliatory firing along the Line of Control (LoC) in Krishnaghati area of Jammu & Kashmir. India and Pakistan have also been embroiled in several instances of diplomatic harassment issues, which they later agreed to resolve. Earlier this month, India had asked Pakistan to ensure safety and security of its officials working at the Indian mission in Islamabad, saying they continue to face "harassment" and "intimidation". In its 16th 'Note Verbale' to the Pakistan Foreign Ministry on March 22, the Indian High Commission specifically mentioned three incidents of harassment of senior officials. Pakistan had claimed that there had been as many as 26 instances of harassment and intimidation of its diplomats since March 7, following which Islamabad called back its high commissioner Sohail Mahmood for discussions on the issue. He, however, returned to New Delhi on March 22. Further, Pakistan let Mumbai attacks mastermind Hafiz Saeed to contest polls, a move which was strongly criticized by the Modi-led government. New Delhi: Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra on Thursday called it "unthinkable" to put on hold the appointment of Indu Malhotra as a judge in the Supreme Court just because the central government has not cleared Justice KM Joseph's name. "It is unthinkable, unimaginable, inconceivable and never before heard to stay her (Malhotra's) warrant of appointment," said CJI Misra. The CJI said that nobody perhaps understands the gravity of the situation and that the Collegium will take an objective view as and when the government acts. Senior advocates Indira Jaising, CU Singh and Vikas Singh, representing the Supreme Court Bar Association, claimed that the unilateral segregation of Joseph's name is a direct attack on the independence of the judiciary. Jaising asked for staying the warrant of appointment issued in favour of Malhotra until the concerns are addressed. "How do you know what the government has done? If they have sent back a name for reconsideration, they are well within their rights to do so under the Constitution Bench judgments. We will now examine it," shot back the CJI. Sitting on the bench, Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud also pointed out that if this strict principle of no segregation was applied, appointment process will be halted for the high courts. "Suppose Collegium sends 30 names for high courts. If the government wants us to reconsider two or three names, should they be allowed to sit over other names also? Imagine what will that do to the appointment. Should we apply different principles for appointments in high court and the Supreme Court," asked Justice Chandrachud. "Let a decision be first taken," added Justice Khanwilkar. At this, Singh argued that such segregation also raises the issues of seniority. The bench agreed that it could be an issue to be discussed, but there is no urgency to hear this case. Meanwhile, the central government, on Thursday, issued the notification to appoint Malhotra as a judge in the top court. She is likely to be sworn in on Friday or on Monday by the CJI. Cuttack/Bolangir: The police has claimed to have cracked the wedding gift parcel bomb case of Bolangir alleging that a college lecturer masterminded it for being replaced by the mother of one of the two persons killed in the blast in February. Punjilal Meher, the accused and a colleague of the deceased groom's mother, was arrested by the Crime Branch on Tuesday night, Director General of Police R P Sharma told reporters at Cuttack on Wednesday. "The Crime Branch sleuths, in course of their investigation, zeroed in on Punjilal Meher as the mastermind in the parcel gift blast case. They confirmed his complicity during its investigation in Raipur," he said. Soumya and Reema Sahu had married on February 18. Five days later, they received a parcel as a wedding gift. The parcel exploded when it was opened on February 23. Soumya and his grandmother Jemamani were killed in the blast while Reema suffered grievous burn injuries. "The motive of the crime was jealousy. Soumya's mother Sanjukta was made principal of the Jyoti Bikash College at Bhainsa replacing Meher," IGP Crime Branch Arun Bothra said. In a bid to take revenge, Meher planned and executed the blast with an aim to eliminate the entire family, Bothra told reporters at Bolangir. "Meher himself prepared the parcel bomb and sent it through a courier to Sahu's family from Raipur," he said. The IGP said the police seized crackers, gun powder, a laptop and a pen drive from the possession of Meher, he said. Meher studied for seven months and took the help of the Internet to prepare the bomb, Bothra said adding that he had tested small bombs manufactured by him before sending the the gift parcel. Meanwhile, six other suspects detained for interrogation in this case were released on Wednesday. New Delhi: Extremely wary of communal polarisation ahead of the next general elections, the united opposition is exercising utmost caution in selecting candidates for the Kairana Lok Sabha bypolls in politically crucial Uttar Pradesh. The seat had fallen vacant after the death of BJP MP Hukum Singh and falls in the Muzzafarnagar-Shamli-Kairana belt of western UP which witnessed large-scale communal clashes and a charged campaign in the run-up to the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. The bypoll will be held on May 28, while the counting of votes will take place on May 31. Kairana, like many other seats in western UP, has a high percentage of Muslim population, varying from 25% to 45% of the total electorate. In the last three General and Assembly elections, both the BSP and the SP have competed fiercely to dovetail the minorities with their core vote-base to stich a winning social combination. For instance, in 2007 Assembly polls, the BSP fielded 61 Muslim candidates in UP, of whom 29 won. As many as 21 Muslim candidates from the rival SP could also make the cut. Muslim representation in UP assembly peaked in 2012 when the SP wrested back power from Mayawati in the following elections. The 16th Assembly of the state had a record 68 Muslim MLAs. Compare this with 2014 General Elections when for the first time since Independence not a single MP from the minority community was elected to the Lok Sabha, with the BJP and its allies winning a whopping 90% of the seats. The 2014 Lok Sabha results and the near total dominance of the BJP in the assembly elections last year have not only forced the BSP and the SP to form a political coalition, but also look at alternative social alliances. In the recent bypolls in Phulpur and Gorakhpur, the SP-BSP combine experimented by putting up non-Yadav Backward candidates. The idea was to mobilise core SP-BSP votes around a dominant local community to inflict a surprise defeat on the ruling BJP. In Kairana bypolls, which may well shape the battlelines for a keen contest in western UP in 2019, the SP-BSP coalition may again settle for a candidate from a socially dominant Hindu caste. There have been speculations that Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) wants to enter the grand opposition alliance in UP if Ajit Singhs son Jayant Chaudhary is fielded from Kairana as a joint candidate. However, SP state President Naresh Uttam was in Shamli earlier this week to assess the ground situation. The party seems to be zeroing in on three names as of now. Former MP Munawar Hasans wife is among those in contention. But the opposition is wary that fielding a Muslim candidate may again polarise the elections as BJP is likely to nominate Hukum Singhs daughter for the bypoll. Singh, a local Gujjar leader, had started his political career with the Congress but later shifted base to the BJP. SPs Virendra Singh, also a Gujjar, is seeking a ticket for his son. The third contender, and a surprise choice that the SP is considering could be an interesting choice. Dr Sudhir Pawar is a soft spoken professor from Lucknow University who contested the last assembly polls on an SP ticket from Thanabhawan in Shamli district. He comes from the Jat community and his candidature could also be used as a test case by the non-BJP alliance to bridge the Jat-Muslim divide prised open by the Muzaffranagar riots. The bypolls to Kairana have not been notified yet by the Election Commission. The closer they are held, the higher will be the stakes for the BJP. New Delhi: A cashier of an ATM cash van and the security guard accompanying him were shot dead by bike borne assailants in Narela in outer Delhi on Thursday. The assailants, whose identities are yet to be established, made off with the cash chest containing around Rs 35 lakh. The shooting took place around 2.30 pm when the van had come to pick cash from a wine shop at DSIIDC industrial area in Narela, police said. Police said the cashier has been identified as Rajnikanth and the security guard as Prem Kumar. While the cashier died on the spot, the guard was taken to Raja Harishchandra hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. A case of murder and robbery has been lodged with the Narela Police station. Police said that they are examining CCTV footage and several teams have been formed for the investigation. This is the second cash van robbery in Outer Delhi in the last 72 hours. Hyderabad: US President Donald Trump's proposed plan to withdraw work permits for H-4 visa holders has created serious concerns among the Indian community, especially in the two Telugu states. The Telangana NRI Parents Association has strongly condemned the move. Demanding that the policy, which will impact thousands of women in America, not be implemented, the association plans to write to Telangana government and higher officials expressing their concerns. Majority of H-4 visa holders who will be impacted are spouses of H-1B visa holders, who were granted work permit under a special order issued by the previous Obama administration in 2015. Speaking to News18, Dr RajKumar, president of the Telangana NRI Association said, It will have a huge impact. So much money is spent on going to the US. The families are able to manage their livelihood only when both work, and there is double income. With the new policy, it will financially burden the families and force them to return. We request authorities not to implement such a decision. Krishnamacharya, Secretary of Telangana NRI parents Association, said, Most of the women have advanced degrees, they are also well educated. They would not want to sit at home without work. A lot of marriages are already affected because of the Trump administration. People dont want to go to America now. Even students are now trying in other countries. Sandeep Kumar Makthala, global president for Telangana Information Technology Association told News 18, "Its bad news for the IT industry as a whole. Not just financially, the decision will also impact marital life of techies working in US. The decision seems like it is collapsing the freedom of women. With this, the women will get the designation of involuntary homemaker. Last year, Ivanka Trump came to Hyderabad and she spoke about women empowerment. We want the government to think about women and how it will impact them." Meanwhile, top Indian-American Democratic lawmakers have also vehemently opposed the Trump administration's plan to scrap the Obama-era rule. The plan to end the Obama-era rule could have an impact on more than 70,000 H-4 visas holders, who have work permits. "I will say that the H-4 visas go to women who are just as qualified, sometimes more qualified, than their spouses but haven't been able to work," Indian-American Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal said at an event at the US Capitol organised by the US India Friendship Council. "I oppose the move to terminate work permits to H-4 visas," Jayapal, the first Indian-American woman elected to the House of Representatives told PTI. This is a gender issue as well, she emphasised, referring to the fact that a significantly large number of beneficiaries H-4 work permits are women. Indian-Americans were a major beneficiary of the H-4 provision. More than 100,000 H-4 visa holders have been beneficiary of this rule. Washington: Top American lawmakers and experts have warned that imposition of sanctions on India under a newly-enacted law if it buys the S-400 air defence missile system from Russia could be disastrous for the Indo-US ties. Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), which was signed into law in August 2017 and went into effect in January this year, mandates the Trump administration to punish entities engaging in significant transaction with the defence or intelligence sectors of Russia. At an event on the Capitol Hill, experts and lawmakers warned that any imposition of sanctions on India, which is now a major defence partner, could be disastrous for the bilateral relationship and as such there is an urgent need to prevent that from happening. "I do think, it (CAATSA) is a serious issue that needs to be dealt. There needs to be a dialogue between the US and India. Our goal is not to sanction India, Congressman Joe Crowley, House Democratic Caucus Chairman, said at the US-India Friendship event. But given the kind of destabilising activities Russia has been doing across the world in particular against democracies, it is important to slap sanctions against Russia," he said. "But when it comes to those third-party agreements I think there has to be dialogue between the US and India; understanding the needs that India has as a nation for self-defence as well that has to be taken into consideration, Crowley said in response to a question. India is currently in an advance stage of negotiations with Russia for five S-400 system worth an estimate USD 4.5 billion. The S-400 Triumf long-range air defence missile system has the capability to destroy incoming hostile aircraft, missiles and even drones at ranges of up to 400 km. The S-400 missile system can fire three types of missiles and simultaneously engage 36 targets, thereby creating a layered defence. Flagging the issue, Nisha Desai Biswal, the former Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia and the current president of the US India Business Council said that CAATSA sanctions is something that members of Congress need to be "really critically aware" of and thinking through as they deal with the intention around the Russia Sanctions legislation. "It is something that we are all mindful of and looking at very very carefully. But I do think that we need to acknowledge and address the continuing importance for India of its relationship with Russia and how we how we manage the way forward on that issue, Biswal said. CAATSA sanctions would "damage" US-India relationship, warned Keith Webster, who represented Pentagon in the Defense Trade and Technology Initiative (DTTI) in the previous Obama Administration. He is currently president of the defence and aerospace export council US Chamber of Commerce. Observing that the purpose of this legislation is certainly not to target India, Benjamin Schwartz who leads the US-India Business Council's Defence and Aerospace programme, said one of the unintended consequences of two words significant transactions in that legislation is that it's exacerbated some of the concerns about the US as a reliable security provider. The legislation says that if a significant transaction takes place with the Russian defence or intelligence services that country or that entity is subject to potential US sanctions. There is a potential of a waiver to take place at the presidential level, Schwartz said. I say this is unintended because the only country or at least the country that would benefit the very most from any type of sanctions from the United States on India would be Russia. So that was clearly not the intention of this legislation. I personally don't think that the US Congress or the US government would ultimately follow through with that kind of situation because that wasn't the intention of the legislation." But one of the challenges that we faced in promoting US India defence relationship is demonstrating that the US is a reliable partner of India. So all efforts should be on trying to eliminate any of the ambiguity or the uncertainty that that legislative language may be creating, Schwartz said. After a patriotic number Ae Watan, makers of the upcoming thriller-drama Raazi have released a soulful number. Titled Dilbaro, the song features Alia Bhatt, Rajit Kapoor, and Soni Razdaan as they see off Sehmat after her wedding to Pakistani Army Officer Iqbal Syed, played by Vicky Kaushal. The song is a heartfelt track that talks about the relationship between a daughter and her father. The song has been sung by Harshdeep Kaur while lyrics have been written by Gulzar. The film's music has been composed by Shankar, Ehsaan and Loy. Praising lyricist Gulzar, Shankar wrote on twitter, Dilbaro is a song about a father & daughters emotions! @GulzarPoetry sahabs poetry works on multiple levels in this song which well understand when we watch the film. The song even has few Kashmiri couplets. Alia Bhatt essays the role of a Kashmiri spy who is married to a Pakistani man in the film. Directed by Meghna Gulzar, the film is a complicated tale of love, betrayal, and patriotism. Based on Harinder Sikkas novel, Calling Sehmat, Raazi will explore the social complexities during the Indo-Pakistan war of 1971. The film has been directed by Meghna Gulzar and is set to release on May 11. New Delhi: Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje is in Delhi amid heightened tensions between the central and state leaderships of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party over the choice for the next Rajasthan BJP president. After Ashok Parnami stepped down as the state party chief, there has been mystery over who will succeed him. Sources said, Shah, who is said to be busy with the Karnataka polls, has not yet made a decision but Rajes trip to the National Capital aims to lobby for her chosen candidate. Parnami, who was seen as a Raje loyalist, had to step down after the BJP suffered crushing defeats in the Ajmer and Alwar Lok Sabha bypolls and the Mandalgarh Assembly bypoll. Since his resignation, however, no decision on the new name has been taken. The new state chief will have the immediate responsibility of reinstating confidence among the states BJP workers, who are demoralised after back-to-back bypoll losses and counter a resurgent Rajasthan Congress. But the state chief is also a powerful position, which allows the leader control over the party organisation in the state. That is why Rajasthan has seen intense lobbying after Parnamis exit. Over the last month, three names have been doing the rounds and none have any consensus behind them. The first name is that of Bikaner MP and Union Minister of State (MoS) for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Arjun Ram Meghwal. However, sources said the Raje camp is unhappy with the choice since he is seen as close to the Central leadership, which has rarely seen eye to eye with the Chief Minister. The other name is that of Jodhpur MP and Union MoS for Agriculture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, who is also seen as being close to Shah. According to recent reports, state leaders in Rajasthan have sent an SoS to Shah to not appoint Shekhawat as the state chief. Shekhawat, an old RSS hand, is also seen as acceptable to the Sangh. Sources said, Rajes own choice is state Cabinet Minister Shrichand Kriplani, who has never made a secret of being in the Raje camp. Recently, however, Kriplani took himself out, saying he wasnt in the race. I was made a state minister because I enjoy the confidence of the Chief Minister, he was quoted as saying, adding, but I am not in the race to become the state BJP president. Kolkata: The West Bengal State Election Commission has announced that Panchayat Polls in the state will be held in a single phase on May 14 while the counting of votes will be held on May 17. The polls were earlier supposed to be held in the three phases on May 1, 3 and 5. If the SEC had maintained the three-phase timeline, polling would have spilled over into the Ramzan period and likely impacted Muslim votes. The polling was deferred by the Calcutta High Court after opposition parties moved courts alleging violence and intimidation by the ruling party during the nomination process. Trinamool Congress leaders had recently met the West Bengal Election Commissioner AK Singh and requested him to conclude the Panchayat Polls before Ramzan, saying Muslims may find it difficult to votes due to fasting. They also appraised him about the extreme heat across the state and how this could cause more problems for voters if the poll process is further delayed. WBEC had earlier decided to conduct the polls in three phases citing security reasons. But what happened suddenly that the WBEC Commissioner AK Singh agreed to conduct the poll on single day. The security situation in Bengal is same as it was before during filing of nominations. There is a blood bath across and ruling party workers are terrorizing our leaders. Where is the surety that the WBEC will organize free and fair poll. We dont have any trust on state Election Commission, State BJP President Dilip Ghosh said. Presently, there are 58000 booths (approx) in Panchayat election but the state (West Bengal Police) is having nearly 46,000 armed police and 12,000 unarmed police (with cane). This mean it will be difficult to deploy at least one policeman in some of the booths. Usually, two to three policeman (including one armed) is required to guard a poll booth but under the current situation/calculation it will be difficult for the EC to conduct free and fair poll unless they deploy additional forces from the Kolkata Police/civic volunteers of the Kolkata and state police. Left Front Chairman Biman Bose condemned ECs decision to conduct poll on single phase. He said, The EC should have decided the poll dates after consulting all the major stakeholders (all political parties). The EC didnt consulted before taking the final call and announced the dates based on the suggestion from the ruling government in Bengal. Congress MP Pradip Bhattacharya said, The new poll date is nothing but a formality. Under the current situation it is difficult for the people to exercise their voting rights freely. Political observers said that the new dates were crucial for Banerjee because if the fasting Muslims did not come out to cast their ballot, it would have impacted the vote share of the TMC. The BJP, which has emerged as the principal opposition in the state, had said that if the TMC loses out on some Muslim votes, it was due to its own blunders. The stage is set for a fresh row between the judiciary and the executive. Highest judiciary is upset with the Central government's decision to unilaterally segregate the names sent by the Collegium for elevation as judges in the Supreme Court. On Wednesday, the government cleared appointment of senior advocate Indu Malhotra as a judge in the top court but kept the other name of Justice KM Joseph pending for consideration. In January, the Collegium had sent both the names together for appointment but the government has processed only one, with no further movement on the file relating to Justice Joseph, who is presently the chief justice of Uttarakhand High Court. According to the sources, Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra was not kept in loop by the government about the segregation of names. The CJI was not consulted nor was his consent sought before the government decided to go ahead with only one name. This unilateral segregation has upset many judges in the apex court, in particular those who form part of the Collegium. An urgent meeting of the judges is likely to be called during the day to discuss the issue and respond appropriately to the government, sources told CNN-News18. Many judges believe the government has acted in complete breach of the convention and the attempt is against the independence of the judiciary. In 2014, when the NDA government segregated former Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium from the panel of four names recommended for appointment as Supreme Court judges, then CJI R M Lodha had expressed his disapproval in a letter to Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad. He said the government should not adopt such unilateral segregation in the future. I dont approve of segregation of proposal without my knowledge and concurrenceIn future, such a procedure of unilateral segregation should not be adopted by the Executive, Justice Lodha had then written. Conveying his strong displeasure, Lodha wrote, You have segregated the proposal with respect to Gopal Subramanium from the other three names, which have now been referred back Subramanium has in the meantime withdrawn his consent He has also reiterated his withdrawal of consent I am left with no choice but to withdraw the proposal relating to him and in view thereof, the occasion for reconsideration of the proposal relating to him by the collegium does not arise. Bengaluru: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses BJP workers and candidates in Karnataka via videoconferencing and said development was the partys only agenda for the Karnataka Assembly polls. Modi accused the state's Congress government of stalling its progress and playing caste politics during elections, an apparent reference to the Siddaramaiah governments decision to give separate religion status to Lingayats. "BJP has a three-pronged agenda for Karnataka development, fast-paced development, all-round development," he told BJP leaders, office bearers and party workers. "Our agenda is vikas (development), vikas, vikas," he said. Without naming the Lingayats, the Prime Minister accused the Congress government of doing caste politics. "When elections come, they offer lollipops to a caste group so they get busy with it. But the BJP's priority is politics of development," he said. The Siddaramaiah government recently recommended religious minority status for the Lingayat and its sub-group Veershaiva Lingayat community. The move is seen as an attempt to divide the Lingayats, the bedrock of the BJP's voter base in the state. The Congress government in Karnataka, he alleged, was responsible for tardy progress of the state. With pre-poll surveys projecting a hung Assembly, Modi asked the voters to elect a BJP government with absolute majority to give a fillip to development. (With PTI inputs) Bhopal: Congress replicated its Gujarat model in Madhya Pradesh by appointing four working presidents in the state with Assembly polls due in November. Sources also claim the party could imitate BJPs formula for the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls of tying up with smaller political parties as well. The party, for the first time in Madhya Pradesh, appointed four working presidents as part of the organization rejig in which senior leader Kamal Nath was appointing as head of the state unit and Jyotiraditya Scindia was made chairman of Campaign Committee. These four were meticulously chosen, sources said. They include Kamal Nath loyalist and the tribal face Bala Bachchan, Digvijaya Singh close aide and the SC leader Surendra Chaudhary, Ramniwas Rawat, an OBC leader who is close to both Nath and Scindia, and young MLA Jitu Patwari , an OBC community who enjoys backing of Congress president Rahul Gandhi. These leaders also offer much-needed representation to Congress party in Nimar, Malwa, Bundelkhand and Gwalior-Chambal region. With Leader of Opposition Ajay Singh representing Vindhya region and state head being a cult figure in Mahakaushal, the party only missed the trick to handpick any one from central region of state which also represents CM Shivrajs hometown Sehore besides Bhopal, Vidisha, Raisen and other areas, sources said. It is similar to what the party did ahead of Gujarat assembly polls, where they roped in four working presidents Tushar Chaudhary, Paresh Dhanavi, Kuwarji Bawalia, and Karsan Das Sonali and later included regional leaders in the 32-member state election committee. The model has also been replicated in poll-bound Chhattisgarh where Ramdayal Uike and Shiv Deharia have been appointed as working presidents to assist state head Bhupesh Baghel. Like Chhattisgarh, factionalism has always rendered the party a depleted force in Madhya Pradesh and the high command is making sure to stem it, at least till the time assembly polls are over, sources said. The party, according to sources, also plans to emulate BJPs model ahead for the UP Assembly Polls by tying with smaller players ahead of UP assembly polls. Congress tying up and seat sharing with smaller parties like Bahujan Samaj Party, Samajwadi Party and Gondwana Gantantra Party is certain, said a senior leader from Congress. Interestingly, the BSP with its sizable presence in Vindhya, Bundelkhand and Gwalior-Chambal regions could completely throw the BJPs equations out of gear. With the cordial relations Kamal Nath shares with BSP supremo Mayawati, a tie up could possible. The advent of Nath at the helm also bolsters financial strength of the cash-strapped Congress in MP as Nath is well known for his relations with the corporate world and could generate funds. Amid all these positives, Nath being a corporate figure, could find it difficult to handle party operations in Madhya Pradesh as he primarily remains away from MP handling his business interests and mostly visited his Lok Sabha constituency Chhindwara in last 15 years barring his recent involvement in party affairs. Besides, Congress could take another leaf out of Gujarat assembly election book by making Rahul Gandhi take rounds at temples in MP as part of soft Hindutva approach. Amid denial from the party, media reports already have claimed that Gandhi has sought list of prominent temples of MP he could visit during election campaigning. If sources in the Congress party are to be believed, the Gandhi scion could well launch his poll campaign in MP from the acclaimed Mahakal temple in Ujjain. The party has already borrowed the idea of luring OBC-SC communities with the help of Gujarats famous troika Hardik Patel, Jignesh Mewani and Alpesh Thakor who came handy to the party against BJP in Gujarat. The three have already made several appearances in MP as part of the political strategy and plan a massive convention in future. With Nath yet to descend in Bhopal to take over the reins of MP Congress, the contest between BJP and Congress already seems a mouth-watering political war with a possible nail biting finish. Bengaluru: You thought Karnataka is going to see a blitz of Modi and Yogi rallies next week? Well, before that you are going to see a blitz of manifestoes. The Congress gears up to be first with its manifesto that will be launched by their national president Rahul Gandhi in Mangalore the communally polarised region that the BJP has hailed as its votebank. This would be the Congress manifesto for the state, but the next day, on the 28h the Congress plans to have region-wise manifestoes that will be launched in Bengaluru, Belgaum, Gulbarga and Mysore. The honours will be done by Sam Pitroda, Prithviraj Chauhan and Mallikarjun Kharge for the region-wise manifestoes. Since the Congress claims that its biggest achievement is having delivered on almost all of its 165 election promises outlined in the manifesto in 2013, this elections manifesto could be an interesting one too. Veteran leader Veerappa Moily heads the manifesto committee and a separate vision for Bengaluru city will be a part of this. There is a separate big chapter on Bengaluru, but in other sectors also, we are proposing transformative changes for development, social justice, agriculture, Moily told News18. Congress leaders say they have interacted with NGOs, industrial bodies, trade unions and town planners before they came up with their plans, while for the rural areas, their focus would be on modernisation of agriculture and horticulture, how to make farming more attractive as a profession. But hold your breath. From the BJP, there will be not one or four, but 225 manifestoes. While there is one overall Karnataka manifesto, foot-soldiers of the BJP have been working on putting together promises to be made for each of the 224 Assembly segments. There is an overall Karnataka manifesto, we will released that in the next three-four days. This also includes one chapter dedicated to Bengalurus development. MLA Dr Ashwathnarayan is tasked with putting together a manifesto for every Assembly segment, says BJP spokesperson Vaman Acharya. According to BJP sources, this has meant seeking the opinions of 500 influencers in each Assembly segment and coming up with a list of promises. We have taken opinions of nearly 3 lakh people offline and online, and we have a vision document for every Assembly segment that will then be given to the candidate as his mandate to be fulfilled after the election. These will be released at the district level, by district level leaders after the State manifesto is released, says Dr Ashwathnarayan. The JDS on its part also plans to come out with a manifesto within the next week, where it has roped in a retired IAS officer Dr Subramanya to work on this. This too will look at sector-wise promises what the party wants to do for agriculture, industry, water resources and infrastructure. Interestingly, the preparation for manifestoes by each party has been preceded by nearly a month of leg-work - unlike in the Gujarat elections six months ago when parties had released manifestoes almost as an after-thought, where the focus had been on speeches. In the coming days there will be promises galore. New Delhi: The Congress party lashed out at the Narendra Modi government on Thursday for rejecting Uttarakhand Chief Justice KM Josephs elevation to the Supreme Court, calling it an attempt to pack the higher judiciary with judges who are in favour of the government. The government has sent back Justice Joseph's name to the Collegium and has written to Chief Justice Dipak Misra that it cannot recommend it in terms of seniority and merit and fair representation. Indu Malhotra, the second name recommended by the Collegium or group of five senior-most judges, was cleared on Wednesday night, three months after both names went to the Centre for approval. Congress leader Kapil Sibal said it was time for the SC judges to say enough is enough to such a government stand. A senior lawyer himself, Sibal told News18 that a Collegium recommendation can be rejected only in terms of security and corruption and it (the government) was not supposed to get into a confrontation with the judiciary. Government can indeed say no to a Collegium recommendation but it needs to be due to security or corruption concerns. We earlier did not stop CJI Dipak Misra's elevation to HCs because that was the Collegium recommendation and we supported it. That's what the government should do and not get into a confrontation, said Sibal. Sibal also rejected the governments charge that Justice Josephs elevation was out of line and there were other judges more senior, saying that Collegium had in its recommendation found him to the most suitable HC judge. Reading from the Collegiums January 10 note of recommendation in favour of Justice Joseph, he said, The collegium considers that at present Justice KM Joseph is more deserving and suitable than other judges of the High courts to be appointed as SC judge. Lashing out at the government, Sibal said this rejection was solely done to have judges in the SC who are in favour of the government. This is a huge loss for the litigant. We want to ask today who will stand up for judicial independence. Will the judiciary stand up and say enough is enough? If SC thinks there is no one else more competent than Justice Joseph then how can government raise a finger on this? he asked. Right now the approved of strength of HC judges is 1089 and there are around 410 vacancies. They want to pack judiciary with their own judges, he added. CJI Dipak Misra, however, has stated there was nothing wrong in government asking for a reconsideration of Justice KM Josephs elevation and he would not halt the elevation of Indu Malhotra as a SC judge despite protestations from the legal fraternity that both names should be passed together. There have been reports that the sole reason why the government is blocking the appointment of Justice Joseph is because he was the one who struck down the presidential rule in Uttarakhand and allowed the Harish Rawat-led Congress regime take over the state. Bengaluru: During the 2010 Monsoon Session of the Karnataka Assembly, the then Opposition party leader Siddaramaiah attacked the Reddy brothers over mining mafia and other alleged criminal activities on the floor of the House. The entire Reddy clan, led by then minister Gali Janardhana Reddy, reacted angrily, daring Siddaramaiah to visit their fiefdom Bellary if he had the guts. They even threatened that they would beat him to death if goes there. Thumping his chest, Siddaramaiah warned the Reddy brothers that he would lead a 350-km-long march of the Congress party to Bellary to teach them a lesson. Siddaramaiah led that famous padayathra to Bellary in August and held a massive rally of the Congress against the Reddy brothers mafia. That event changed public perception in favour of him and the Reddy empire started to crumble. A year later, S Yeddyurappa was forced to quit as the Chief Minister over the Rs 50,000 crore mining scam, the Reddys were arrested by the CBI and sent to jail. Two years later, when Siddaramaiah led the Congress to victory in Karnataka, Janardhana Reddy was cooling his heels at Chachalguda jail in Hyderabad. His empire was in shambles and Reddy was a persona non grata for the BJP. After spending almost four years in jail as an under-trial, Janardhana Reddy managed to come out of it. But the BJP was not ready to touch him even with a barge pole and the Siddaramaiah government sent him to jail once again in another mining cases. After a few months, he came out of jail and declared before his inner circle that it was now a personal battle between him and Siddaramaiah and that he would teach him a lesson in the next Assembly elections. As promised, Janardhana Reddy is now back in full form, leading the BJP campaign, threatening to unseat Siddaramaiah. And the battle for Karnataka is getting tougher for both. Surprisingly, seven members from the Reddy clan have secured BJP tickets just two weeks after BJP chief Amit Shah disowned Janardhana Reddy in a press meet in Karnataka. Political analysts in the state argue that after realising that bringing the BJP back to power is an uphill task, the party high command has reluctantly gone back to the infamous Reddy brothers to achieve its goal. It is going to be a tough election. Every seat counts. Had we not taken them back in the party, they would have worked against us, defeating the BJP in at least 10-12 seats. Yeddyurappas magic is also not working in the state. Left with no other option, we have welcomed them back, giving them seven seats, said a senior leader of the state BJP. The Reddy brothers still enjoy a lot of clout in Bellary, neighbouring Chitradurga and Raichur districts. Their Man Friday and Bellary MP B Sriramulu is a popular leader among the Scheduled Tribes. Despite negative comments from the public and the media, the BJP has taken them back keeping the election outcome in mind, said a local BJP leader. In 2008, the Reddys were credited with bringing the BJP to power in a southern state with their money and muscle power. Within a month of coming to power, they started making impossible demands on Yeddyurappa and finally it led to the disintegration of the BJP three years later. Proving his political obituary writers completely wrong, Janardhana Reddy has come back roaring and vowed that the BJP will rule once again. His younger brother G Somashekhara Reddy has got the ticket from Bellary city, Man Friday B Sriramulu is contesting from two seats Molakalmuru and Badami, his relatives Sanna Fakeerappa and Suresh Babu have also got tickets, Reddys elder brother G Karunakara Reddy, who is not on good terms with the clan, has also secured party ticket from Harapanahalli and one more relative Lallesh Reddy has got nomination from BTM Layout in Bengaluru. Interestingly, Sriramulu is taking on Siddaramaiah in Badami and Lallesh Reddy is facing Home Minister R Ramalingareddy in BTM Layout. For the first time, seven members from the Reddy clan are in the race for Vidhana Soudha, making many BJP leaders uncomfortable. It was a high command decision. What can we do? We are embarrassed, but helpless, said a spokesman. The ruling Congress has made the return of the Reddys a big election issue, calling the BJP a corrupt party that is promising a corruption-free Karnataka. It has also taken a dig at Yeddyurappa who could not secure a nomination even for his son Vijayendra against Siddaramaiahs son Yatheendra in Varuna. The #ReddyBrothers ran Republic of Bellary in 2008-12, made @BSYBJP a puppet CM, bought MLAs under Operation Kamala, kept them in resorts & looted 35,000 Cr. of iron ore. Karnataka suffered humiliation of being called Most corrupt State They are back again to loot Karnataka. https://t.co/tVYuHy8Dde Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) April 25, 2018 When in power, Yeddyurappa and Reddy Brothers looted Karnataka. Our Govt. brought them to justice. Now Mr Modi is trying to take 8 of them from jail, into the Vidhan Sabha. This is an insult to every honest citizen, to Karnataka and to the spirit of Basavanna. Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) April 25, 2018 Sri. BSY is always known to compromise for power. He did it with Sri. Kumarswamy, used Bellary Republic for over 25 by-elections in Operation Lotus,left BJP, formed KJP in anticipation of power, epic fail, back to BJP & now back to Reddy bros to ensure cash flow for becoming CM. Priyank Kharge (@PriyankKharge) April 25, 2018 The Congress is also accusing the BJP-led Centre of helping the Reddy brothers by diluting serious criminal charges against them for political benefits. Reddy brothers also have a personal reason to side with the BJP because of the Siddaramaiah governments decision to reinvestigate the iron ore export scam even after the CBI closed the case. The Congress engineered the defection of two Reddy loyalists during party president Rahul Gandhis visit to Bellary and has fielded them on party ticket. It has also unnerved the Reddy camp. It fears that if the Congress retains power, it can spell doom for their family. In the crucial battle for Karnataka, both the BJP and the Reddys are fighting for their survival. Curiously, the JD(S), which was earlier vocal about the Reddy brothers, is maintaining total silence over the Reddys second innings. If the Reddys win, Siddaramaiah may face trouble. If Siddaramaiah retains power, Reddys will surely be in trouble once again. 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.) Bhopal: Images of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan will be displayed on two tiles in houses to be built in Madhya Pradesh under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), according to a state government order. PM Modi, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister's Photo To Feature In Houses Built By Government The order has sparked criticism from the opposition which alleged that a wrong precedent was being set by "politicising" a scheme meant for the poor . Each unit will have two such tiles- one on the kitchen wall and the other at the entrance of the house, the order issued by Urban Administration and Development Department of the state government on April 4 said. It directed the commissioners of municipal corporations and chief municipal officers of municipalities in the state to ensure that the two ceramic tiles of 450X600 mm size each are installed in each PMAY house. As per the specifications mentioned in the order, each of the two ceramic tiles will carry the slogan 'Sabka Sapna, Ghar Ho Apana' in Hindi at the top. The middle portion of each tile will have 'Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana- Urban' written in English as well as Hindi along with the scheme's logo. While Modi's photo will be on the left side of this logo, Chouhan's will be on the right. Next to the slogan on the top, the logo of the state government and a small-size picture of BJP ideologue Deendayal Upadhyay will be printed. The order was issued following the directives given by the chief minister on January 2, during a meeting on the PMAY scheme. However, the opposition Congress termed the move as "completely wrong". "This is a government-run scheme meant for the poor and it should not be politicised. The ruling party is setting a wrong precedent by putting up the ceramic tiles with the pictures of Modi ji and Shivraj ji," Leader of Opposition in Assembly, Ajay Singh, told PTI. The ruling saffron party, however, maintained that there was nothing wrong in it. State BJP spokesperson Rajnish Agrawal said, "There was no intention of politicising any issue. This is for the first time in the country's history that a target has been set to provide a house to every poor. There is nothing wrong if the pictures of the PM and the CM are being put up at the entrance and inside the kitchen." Talking to PTI over the move, Additional Commissioner of Urban Administration Department, Manju Sharma, said, "The order was issued in the first week of this month. Through these tiles, the beneficiaries and other people will be able to know under which scheme the houses have been built." New Delhi: The Congress on Thursday filed a police complaint after an aircraft carrying party president Rahul Gandhi from Delhi to Hubli in Karnataka malfunctioned and made a rough landing, which it said endangered the life of passengers. In a complaint made to Karnataka police chief Neelmani N Raju that has been accessed by News18, Rahul Gandhi's office stated that several unexplained technical errors happened during the course of the two-hour morning flight and demanded a thorough investigation. Sources in the Congress told CNN-News18 that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had called up Gandhi to enquire about his well-being in the afternoon. Gandhi, who is on the seventh leg of campaigning in the state ahead of the Assembly election on May 12, took a chopper from Hubli to Ankola and continued with his scheduled rallies. Raising the issue of a "possible and intentional tampering" with the aircraft, the complaint says that the plane shuddered violently, tilted to one side, dipped in altitude steeply and made cranking noises throughout. It further says that the autopilot system of the aircraft was not functioning. Apart from Gandhi, there were three other passengers on the flight. The police complaint says that the plane landed at the Hubli airport only on its third attempt and it shook violently while it did so. It is to be stated that the weather outside was sunny, normal and not windy as per the observation of the passengers and as per the forecast of the day, the complaint letter reads. The whole flight experience of the flight left the passengers with a lot of anxiety and stress, and positively fearing for their lives. The crew was also petrified and admitted that the flight was particularly frightening and uncommon, it adds. The Congress presidents close aides, who were in the flight with him, tweeted to narrate their experience. Rahul S Ravi said that Gandhi was constantly by the side of the crew during the crisis. Never thought we would make it through what happened in the aircraft today...cant believe how brave RG is...being a pilot himself he was constantly by the side of the crew through the crisis. Respect! @vidyarthee Rahul S Ravi (@RahulS_Ravi) April 26, 2018 Another close aide Kaushal K Vidyarthee said he was thankful for being alive and also praised the Congress presidents calmness and composure. Glad to be in a room and getting some rest....thankful for being alive...never had such a frightening experience in my life...plane went into free fall...couldnt believe CP's composure and calmness as he stood beside pilots trying to save the situation. Kaushal K Vidyarthee (@vidyarthee) April 26, 2018 Airport authorities took the pilots of the private aircraft and the cabin crew into custody from Hubli airport for questioning, sources said. An FIR has been registered against the pilots under sections 287 and 336 of the IPC and section 11 of the Aircraft Act based on a complaint filed by Shakir Sannadhi, the general secretary of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee. While sections 287 and 336 deal with negligent conduct with respect to machinery and endangering life or personal safety of others respectively, section 11 of the Aircraft Act gives penalty for flying so as to cause danger. The maximum penalty under the sections is six months in jail and a fine. Rahul Gandhis office has also demanded that the private aircraft be grounded at Hubli airport with immediate effect and not be allowed to make another flight till the investigation gets completed. The complaint stated that the serious questions raised about intentional tampering cannot be brushed aside and must be investigated in depth. It was apparent from the suspicious and the faulty performance of the aircraft that the incidents of shuddering and altitude dipping were not natural or weather-related, but due to technical snags, the complaint says. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation, which deals with such cases, said in a statement that the operator has reported the incident to us. As per operator report, it was a snag of the autopilot mode and pilot shifted to manual mode and landed safely. Autopilot shutting down is not uncommon. For any VIP flight, DGCA examines it in detail and we shall do it here also, it said in a statement. New Delhi: Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Thursday described the proposed US visa rules as a "huge setback" for India, and in a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi said there were "some things a hug can buy", but for visas "you're on your own". Gandhi's remarks come amid Trump administration's plan to propose to end giving work permits to the spouses of H1-B visa holders to work in the US, a move that could have a devastating impact on tens of thousands of Indians. "New US Visa Rules, huge setback for India...," the Congress president said on Twitter. "There are some things a hug can buy. For visas, you're on your own," he said in a wordplay on the MasterCard ad campaign which says, "There are some things money can't buy. For everything else, there's MasterCard". "Foreign Policy by Narendra Modi, Foreword by Donald Trump," Gandhi said mocking the government's diplomacy. Gandhi has earlier also attacked the prime minister over what he termed 'hugplomacy' after Pakistan released 2008 Mumbai attacks mastermind and Lashkar-e-Taiba chief Hafiz Saeed from house arrest. The Trump administration's move to end the Obama-era rule could have an impact on more than 70,000 H-4 visas holders, who have work permits. H-4 is issued to the spouse of H-1B visa holders, a significantly large number of whom are high-skilled professionals from India. They had obtained work permits under a special order issued by the previous Obama administration. Bhopal: Soon after his unceremonious exit from the Madhya Pradesh Congress presidents post, outgoing state head Arun Yadav announced on Thursday that he will not contest Assembly or Lok Sabha polls. I wont be contesting either assembly polls or the Lok sabha election, Yadav told reporters at a hurriedly convened press briefing after the party replaced him with veteran leader Kamal Nath. Asked whether he was anguished over his ouster, a laughing Yadav claimed that he was not angry and would do whatever party president Rahul Gandhi asks of him. On Thursday, Gandhi replaced Yadav with Chhindwara MP Kamal Nath while handing reins of the campaign committee to Jyotiraditya Scindia. Yadav expressed his wished to work for party organisation and sources said that he may be appointed as the partys general secretary shortly. A former union minister, Yadav was crowned Congress state head in January 2014, but he could never stamp his authority on the party as most of his colleagues had experience of working with his father late Subhash Yadav. Though Yadav did lead Congress party to several victories in by-polls and civic polls, he could never transform into a dynamic leader who could unseat seasoned politician Shivraj Singh Chouhan from power. Asked on his leadership behind Congress wins, Yadav showed plenty of humility and credited those wins to the hard work of the party workers. He, however, seemed unaware with the party move of showing him the door. I was already planning to visit president Rahul ji in New Delhi. I got to know about partys move at around noon, said Yadav. He maintained he was kept in the loop. Yadav had on Tuesday denied any possible of a change in guard in MP. A researcher at the centre of a scandal over the alleged misuse of the data of nearly 100 million Facebook users said on Tuesday the work he did was useless for the sort of targeted adverts that would be needed to sway an election. Aleksandr Kogan, who worked for the University of Cambridge, is at the centre of a controversy over Cambridge Analytica's use of millions of users' data without their permission after it was hired by Donald Trump for his 2016 election campaign. Kogan said it was unlikely Cambridge Analytica had used the data in the Trump campaign, although he also said that its suspended CEO Alexander Nix had lied to a committee of British lawmakers about how the two worked together. Also Read: WhatsApp Business App Reaches 3Mn Plus Active Users Mark Within Four Months of Launch Kogan said that even if the dataset he compiled was used in a political campaign, it would be little use for targeted advertising. "Quite frankly, if the goal is micro-targeting using Facebook ads, (the project) makes no sense. It's not what you would do," he told a parliamentary committee, adding that Facebook itself had better tools for such adverts and that the work was worth "literally nothing". "If the use case you have is Facebook ads, it's just incompetent to do it this way." Facebook has said that the personal information of about 87 million users may have been improperly shared with political consultancy Cambridge Analytica, after Kogan created a personality quiz app to collect the data. Facebook and Cambridge Analytica have blamed Kogan for alleged data misuse, but he has said that he was being made a scapegoat by the companies for the scandal. Kogan said that former Cambridge Analytica CEO Alexander Nix, who was also a director of the consultancy's parent firm SCL Group, had previously lied to lawmakers when he said he had not received data from Kogan. "We certainly gave them data, that's indisputable," Kogan told lawmakers. Asked if Nix had lied, Kogan answered: "Absolutely." A spokesman for Cambridge Analytica declined to comment on Nix's testimony, noting that he was suspended pending an investigation. Kogan said Facebook provided him data in an email, and he had not needed to sign an agreement to use it. However, he said that he did not sell the data provided to him by Facebook. Instead, Kogan said he collected new data through an app for work with SCL, Cambridge Analytica's parent company. He hired a market research firm called Qualtrics to recruit 200,000 to 300,000 people to take the quiz to collect the data, resulting in expenses of $600,000-$800,000. Kogan's company was paid 230,000 pounds ($320,643.00) by SCL for its predictive analysis based on the findings, Kogan said. Also Read: iPhone X Users Are The Most Satisfied, Except This One Thing In written evidence to parliament, Kogan said that all of his academic work was reviewed and approved by the University's ethics committees. However, a letter from 2015, published by the Guardian, shows that the ethics committee rejected one of Kogan's projects in 2015 and said that Facebook's privacy project was "not sufficient protection" to address concerns. Kogan said that the data he collected had now all been deleted, to the best of his knowledge, but he would double check that none remained. Cambridge Analytica also said that it had deleted the data when asked to by Facebook. "We're extremely sorry that we ended up in possession of data that clearly had breached Facebook's terms of service," spokesman Clarence Mitchell told reporters. "That's something that we wouldn't have wanted to happen. But we have put in place the procedures to begin to rectify it." Mitchell also said that the data was not used in the Trump campaign after it had been demonstrated to be ineffective. "Any suggestion that the GSR Kogan data was used in that campaign is utterly incorrect. Its effective uselessness had already been identified by then," he said. Also Read: Microsoft 'Drops The Gun' After Facebook, Google; to Ditch Pistol Emoji For Windows Kogan said that he never drew a salary from GSR, the company that he founded to do the research that was wound up last year. Most of the money received from SCL was spent on coding work, acquiring data and legal fees. He was allowed to keep the data he gathered on the project. Kogan said that GSR had a close relationship with Facebook, and one of his partners at the firm, Joseph Chancellor, now worked for the social media giant. "This has been a very painful experience, because when I entered into all of this, Facebook was a close ally," Kogan said. "I was thinking this would be helpful to my academic career and my relationship with Facebook. It has very clearly done the complete opposite" Also Watch: Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S First Look: Signature Redefined Global semiconductor leader Samsung Electronics on Wednesday introduced Samsung 970 PRO and EVO -- the third generation industry-leading consumer solid state drive (SSD) line-up -- in the Indian market. The new generation of SSDs is built for the community of gamers, videographers and VFX designers. The 970 EVO will come in 250GB, 500GB, 1TB and 2TB[8] capacities and 970 PRO will be available in 512GB and 1TB capacities. The 970 PRO and EVO will be available for purchase worldwide starting May, starting at Rs 29,000 and Rs 10,500, respectively. Also Read: Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S: Why It Should Come To India Before OnePlus 6? "The new line-up is aimed at consumers looking for ground breaking performance and high-power efficiency while processing massive volumes of data including 3D, 4K graphics work, high-end games and data analytics," said Sukesh Jain, Senior Vice President, IT & Mobile Enterprise Business, Samsung India. "These latest SSD offerings further reinforce our commitment towards bringing in meaningful innovations in the SSD space and drive growth of the overall memory industry for years to come," Jain added. The 970 series maximizes the potential of "NVMe" bandwidth, delivering unparalleled performance for processing large volumes of data, including 3D, 4K graphics work, high-end games and data analytics. The 970 PRO enables sequential read speed of up to 3,500 MB/s and sequential write speed of up to 2,700 MB/s. The EVO features sequential read speeds of up to 3,500 MB/s and sequential write speed of up to 2,500 MB/s[2]. The devices come with a five-year warranty or up to 1,200 terabytes written -- 50 percent higher than those provided for the previous generation. Samsung Electronics with 14.2 percent share surpassed Intel as the top vendor for the global semiconductor market in 2017 -- a feat that took 25 years to happen -- Gartner said earlier this week. The memory market surged nearly $50 billion to reach $130 billion in 2017 -- a 61.8 per cent increase from 2016. Samsung's memory revenue alone increased nearly $20 billion in 2017, moving the company into the top spot in 2017. Watch: Canon EOS M50 'Mirrorless Camera' First Look New York: Building a peaceful neighbourhood is Pakistan's foreign policy priority which requires normalisation of relations with India on a durable basis, Islamabad's envoy to the UN has said. According to a statement issued by Pakistan's Permanent Mission to the UN, Ambassador Maleeha Lodhi told a visiting delegation of the US War College that on the foreign policy front, Pakistan's external engagements and strategy emerge from its key national priorities. She said the defeat of terrorism and militancy, as well as the creation of conditions in which violent extremism cannot survive, was foremost to establish durable stability. The release quoted her as saying that among the other important foreign policy priorities was to build a peaceful neighbourhood. This required the promotion of peace and stability in Afghanistan and "normalisation of relations with India on a durable basis, predicated on the peaceful settlement of longstanding disputes", she said Another key priority was to promote regional economic integration and connectivity. "These priorities frame what we do on the international front, guide our multiple foreign relationships and of course our engagement at the UN," she said. On the security front, she said Pakistan has sought to "eliminate all terrorist groups" through a comprehensive strategy, involving forceful law enforcement actions and targeted military operations as well as actions to counter "violent extremism and its toxic narrative". Stockholm: The Swedish Academy, plunged into crisis over allegations of rape and sexual assault by the husband of one of its members, may postpone the 2018 Nobel Literature Prize, Swedish Radio reported today. "We're thinking about it. We'll let you know soon," said Anders Olsson, the Academy's interim permanent secretary. According to Swedish Radio, several members of the Academy have suggested reserving this year's prize, and awarding it alongside the 2019 prize next year. "Given the situation the Academy currently finds itself in, and given the best interests of the prize, it might be best to postpone it for a year," said Peter Englund. Englund is one of five Academy members who have stepped down in recent weeks over the scandal, including permanent secretary Sara Danius. But another member, Goran Malmqvist, rejected the notion, telling news agency TT it would go ahead as planned this year. Technically, the Academy's 18 members are appointed for life and cannot resign, but they can choose not to participate in its meetings and decisions. Currently, a total of seven are no longer active members which poses a real headache: according to its statutes, 12 members are needed in order to vote in a new member. Sweden's King Carl XVI Gustaf, who is the patron of the Academy founded in 1786, has agreed to change the statutes to allow members to resign and be replaced, thereby ensuring the institution's survival. The scandal centres on allegations by 18 women in November -- in the wake of the #MeToo campaign -- that they had been subject to sexual harassment and assault by Jean-Claude Arnault, the French husband of Academy member and poet Katarina Frostenson. Arnault denies the allegations. After the women spoke out in the media, the Academy cut all ties with Arnault's cultural club Forum in Stockholm, which it had subsidised for years and which was a key meeting point for the country's cultural elite. But the affair divided the Academy, with disagreement on how to draw a line under the row, and on what measures to take after a report it commissioned revealed conflicts of interest and the fact that Academy members leaked Nobel winners' names. Washington: The nomination of Mike Pompeo, the CIA Director, for the US Secretary of State was on Thursday opposed by Democrats as they raked up his remarks on Indians, Muslims and other ethnic minorities. "These concerns are beyond policy disagreements, which alone are not a basis for rejecting a nominee," Senator Robert Menendez, Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said on the Senate floor as Senators debated on the Secretary of State nomination of Pompeo. Senator Charles Schumer, the Senate Minority Leader, said he asked Pompeo if he would recant what he had said about Muslims, Indian-Americans, LGBTQ Americans and women's rights now that he was in line to be the US Secretary of State and had to deal with countries that might be affected by his remarks. "Again, he demurred. So, with a clear conscience, I will be voting against Mr Pompeo's nomination. I still believe the president deserves his team and that disagreements on policy alone are not a sufficient reason to reject a nomination," he said. "But I gave Mr Pompeo the benefit of the doubt and three chances to answer the questions that I thought were extremely important and assuage my broader concerns about his nomination, and [he] did not answer those questions in any way that was satisfying. So, with a clear conscience, I will be voting against his nomination," Schumer said. Another top Democrat Senator Robert Menendez also raised the issue. "On our own border, we simply cannot address the threat of drug traffickers or opioids without productive collaboration with Mexico. When the President wants to call Mexicans drug-traffickers and rapists, as our nation's top diplomat, who during his confirmation hearing, insisted his "record is exquisite with respect to treating people of each and every faith with the dignity they deserve" would Mr Pompeo advise the President not to? Or would it be the Pompeo who once called a political opponent a "turban-topper" prevail?" Menendez said. "How will he explain this kind of rhetoric to people of myriad different faiths who wear turbans whether millions of Sikhs, Punjabis or Muslims in India, a critically important ally or Orthodox Christians in the Horn of Africa, or tribal leaders in Afghanistan with whom we are trying to build constructive relationships based on values of democracy and human rights?" he asked. "What impact will his accusations that Muslim leaders in the United States are somehow "complicit" in devastating terrorist attacks have as he engages with Muslim leaders and citizens around the world?" Menendez added. He said nearly two billion people in the world adhere to the Muslim faith, many in countries with whom the US has relationships critical to protecting and promoting its security. Schumer and Menendez were referring to the tweet that Pompeo's campaign made in 2010 against his then Indian-American political opponent Raj Goyale in the Fourth Congressional District of Kansas. His campaign tweeted "good read" a link to a blog that described Goyale as a "turban topper" who "could be a Muslim, a Hindu, a Buddhist etc who knows." Islamabad: An American diplomat who struck a Pakistani motorcyclist in a fatal road accident earlier this month has been barred from leaving the country, pending a civil court case, Pakistani officials said Wednesday. The US military attache, Col. Joseph Emanuel Hall, is accused of running a red light and killing Ateeq Baig on April 7. Hall enjoys diplomatic immunity, so he cannot be arrested or tried. But the two Pakistani officials said Baig's family has filed a civil case against him, hoping for compensation. They said Hall's name was added to a "blacklist" by the government this month. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to talk to reporters. The US embassy said it was in touch with Pakistan about the travel restrictions, without elaborating. Officials refused to disclose Hall's location for safety and security reasons. However, Pakistani official say he has not left the country. The embassy has previously expressed condolences to Baig's family, which this month rallied in Islamabad, demanding justice. Baig's father, Mohammad Idrees, has said he is willing to discuss pardoning Hall. Under Islamic law, the family of a victim can pardon a killer in the name of god or after getting compensation. Riyadh: Human Rights Watch said Saudi Arabia has executed 48 people so far in 2018, half of them for nonviolent drug crimes. Others convicted of drug crimes remain on death row, the rights group reported on Wednesday. In an interview with Time Magazine last month, reformist Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said in a few areas Saudi laws can be changed to life in prison sentences instead of executions. "We are working for two years through the government and also the Saudi parliament to build new laws in that area. And we believe it will take one year, maybe a little bit more, to have it finished," he told Time Magazine. Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at HRW, said: "Any plan to limit drug executions needs to include improvements to a justice system that doesnt provide for fair trials." Saudi Arabia has gone through a series of reforms in the last year, but international human rights groups urge the kingdom to make changes to its treatment of human rights advocates, to stop executions and cancel its pervasive system of male guardianship. Saudi Arabia has carried out nearly 600 executions since the beginning of 2014, over 200 of them in drug cases, HRW said. Following Asaram's conviction in a rape case and a demand that the places named after him be rechristened, the Bhopal Municipal Corporation removed a signboard from a bus stand bearing the name of the controversial self-styled godman. (Image: PTI) GamesRadar+ is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more Sushma Swaraj and Nirmala Sitharaman did not confront China on Doklam, says Congress Bengaluru : The Congress on Wednesday accused the Narendra Modi government of not confronting China during visits of two union ministers to the neighbouring country over "full-fledged military complex" in Doklam and a new road to the south of the plateau. In a statement, the party said that External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman visited China for bilateral meetings with their counterparts but did not raise the two issues while accusing the Modi government of "compromising" country's security and national interests. "Every patriotic Indian was deeply distressed and surprised by complete omission of the two cabinet ministers to confront China on creation of full-fledged Chinese military complex in Doklam right up to 10 metres from an Indian Army post," said the statement issued by Congress leaders Randeep Singh Surjewala, Priyanka Chaturvedi and Rajeev Gowda. It said the two ministers also also failed to confront China over "a new road South of Doklam plateau to provide easy access to China to Jhamperi Ridge overlooking the Siliguri Corridor i.e strategic Chicken's Neck, which is India's gateway to the northeastern states". Noting Modi was slated to visit China later this month for an informal summit meeting with President Xi Jinping, it asked if he will take up the issue. The Congress said that tri-junction at Doklam was an all-important issue for Bhutan and even more important for India's strategic interests in relation to the "chicken's neck", adding it will support every endeavour to protect the country's security and strategic interests but hoped that Modi government will provide the answers. Congress leaders said that in June last year India's armed forces stopped China from building a road in Doklam plateau, which led to a 73 day stand-off and the government subsequently issued a statement that both sides have agreed on "expeditious disengagement of border personnel at the face-off site at Doklam". The statement said that while Modi even came close at claiming "victory" at Doklam last October, media reports and satellite imagery suggested that the Chinese Army has not only built a full-fledged military complex in Doklam but also occupied the entire plateau right up to a short distance from an Indian Army post, while latest latest satellite imagery taken from Google Earth on Wednesday shows further construction. The Congress said that Modi government had in January denied any such construction and the apparent Chinese threat in response to questions posed by it, but later admitted in Parliament that the Chinese Army "had undertaken construction of some infrastructure". If viewed from a far enough distance, the commercial real estate markets in Fairfield and Westchester counties can be seen as one giant market trying to lure tenants seeking proximity to New York City without Manhattan-like lease prices. Many real estate firms announce quarterly reports that include data from both markets and have offices on either side of the border. At the macro level, they look the same, said Jim Fagan, senior managing director of Cushman & Wakefield of Connecticut and who manages the firms offices in Fairfield and Westchester counties. A closer look, however, reveals markets with unique characteristics and interesting strengths and weaknesses when compared side by side. Fagan said transportation is a big factor in determining where a tenant will end up signing. Westchester holds advantages over Fairfield County in that it is closer to Manhattan, has an airport and boasts an infrastructure with numerous parkways and highways. All of Westchester is about the same distance from the city, he said. Fairfield County runs away from New York City. Fairfield County, Fagan said, has only three major roads, but the numerous train stops along the coast are attractive to prospective tenants. Transit-oriented districts are dominating now. If the building is close to a train, there is more desirability, he said. The idea of a tree-lined office park is not as desirable as being close to a train now. Weighing the costs Fagan said other considerations such as cost of living, commute distance for employees, cost of doing business, access to skilled workers and incentives play a big role in where a company settles. There tends to be more meaningful incentive packages from Connecticut, depending on the sector, said commercial real estate broker James Ritman of Newmark Knight Franks Stamford offices. Millions of dollars in tax credits and rebates from Connecticut ultimately lured animation giant Blue Sky Studios to Greenwich from White Plains in 2009. Two years ago, Norwalk-based Xerox threatened to move its headquarters out of state, but stayed put with $4.4 million in incentives. General Electric reportedly had Westchester County on its short list for new homes when it left Fairfield in 2016 before landing in Boston. New York is waving carrots in front of tenants, as well, both on the state and local level. In his first state of the county address this month after taking office in January, Westchester County Executive George Latimer made a general pledge to support business, including holding the line on taxes and soliciting input from companies on other steps Westchester can take. We want to partner with our businesses large and small to meet their employment needs and their technology needs, he said. We need to attract businesses and keep business here in Westchester. While business property taxes are typically hidden within lease rates, Fairfield County has much lower residential property taxes, which Fagan said is important to companies who have employees relocating. Emerging markets The popularity of each market ebbs and flows, Fagan said. Westchester County, particularly the White Plains Central Business District, is a stronger market now, having jumped ahead of Fairfield County about 18 to 24 months ago. White Plains CBD is very hot now, he said, adding that rents are up 15 to 20 percent there over the last 18 months. New York Life and Danone, the parent company of Dannon, recently signed large leases and moved hundreds of employees to downtown White Plains from other Westchester locations. Also in White Plains, Ginsburg Development Cos. and Robert Martin Co. earlier this month purchased a two-building, 571,000-square-foot complex for $83 million. Robert Weinberg, principal of Robert Martin, said he hopes the purchase adds to the positive momentum that has been driving recent demand in the downtown office market. Fagan said Yonkers, long a sleeper in Westchester County, is also an emerging market with a Brooklyn feel to it. Fagan said Fairfield and Westchester counties also compete with Long Island and New Jersey. Stamford, despite some large vacancies, remains the hotbed for commercial real estate in Fairfield County. According to a report from Colliers International Group, Stamford had eight of the top 10 leases in Fairfield County during the first quarter of 2018. What Carl (Kuehner) has done is Stamford is remarkable, Fagan said, referring to the principal of Building and Land Technology, the developer Harbor Point in the citys South End. Harbor Point in the last year has recruited two Westchester-based businesses Walters Hot Dogs and Patisserie Salzburg to join its mixed-use development. Harbor Point is one of many live, work, play development concepts popping up throughout Fairfield County. Karolina Alexandre, research manager at Newmark Knight Frank, said those types of mixed-used developments are working in Fairfield Countys favor. Westchester is just starting, but were way ahead, she said. Another good thing for Fairfield is that its diversifying its tenant base. Trademark Fairfield is another example of a new live, work, play development in Fairfield County. The luxury apartments are adjacent to Fairfields Metro-North station. The fact is its far more difficult in Westchester County to immediately eliminate more car travel, but to anticipate that it will change tremendously is difficult, Phil Kuchma of Bridgeport-based Kuchma Corp. said. They have mostly campus-type office development so the opportunity for people to use mass transportation and still keep their schedules certainly seems to be more difficult. By the numbers As of the first quarter of 2018, Fairfield County had 9.5 million square feet of available office space, as calculated by the Stamford office of Cushman & Wakefield, with the better class A space prized by corporations carrying a countywide average asking rent of $38.12 a square foot. That compared with 6.1 million square feet of total space in Westchester, where the asking rent was $28.73 a square foot for class A space. In its own first-quarter report, the Stamford office of Colliers noted Fairfield Countys stable fundamentals and Westchesters falling leasing activity, but rising lease rates. Fairfield Countys Eastern submarket, despite its distance from New York City, has evolved into one of the most competitive submarkets in the county, with availability rates falling for fourth consecutive quarters. Lease rates, however, have fallen slightly in the submarket. The Northern market in Fairfield County, which includes Danbury, is the most competitive it has been since 2016, according to the Colliers report. The writer may be reached at cbosak@hearstmediact.com; 203-731-3338 Macaela Bennett, Jordan Grice, Paul Schott and Alexander Soule contributed to this article. Katy-native and girl-next-door icon Renee Zellweger turned 49 years old on Wednesday, April 25. Before becoming Bridget Jones, the Texas actress was widely known as Dorothy Boyd from the 1996 film, "Jerry Maguire." THE MORE YOU KNOW: Facts you never knew about your favorite Texas celebrity Apart from playing the "girl next door" type, Zellweger has shown variety in her acting with roles like Roxie Hart in "Chicago" and Ruby Thewes in "Cold Mountain." Zellweger has taken home several awards including an Academy Award, three Golden Globes, and three SAG Awards. From her debut in the late 1990s to today, Zellweger has gone through several changes, including a controversial moment in 2014 when people speculated the actress had work done on her face. After being MIA for a while, Zellweger arrived at the ELLE Women in Hollywood Awards looking different than usual. Fans and critics alike began speculating that the actress who has notoriously small eyes had her eyes widened. In 2016 the actress responded to the rumors in an open letter where she said: "Not that it's anyone's business, but I did not make a decision to alter my face and have surgery on my eyes." She went on to say that instead of focusing on appearance, people should take a moment to think deeper and acknowledge more pressing issues happening around the world. Take a look through the gallery above to see how Renee Zellweger has changed through the years. Daniela Sternitzky-Di Napoli is a digital producer at Chron.com. You can read more of her stories here and follow her on twitter at @Dani_DiNapoli. Its not receiving the fanfare bestowed on many of the issues surrounding marijuana, but a new bill introduced in Congress with bipartisan support is calling for more study on the potential for medical marijuana. Behind it is an issue that unites both political parties and has become a focus of many pro-marijuana stances: providing help to veterans. The new bill calls on the Veterans Administration to conduct research into how marijuana could be used to treat disabled veterans. Among them is the potential use of cannabis to treat pain and reduce reliance on opioids, a drug that has led to an epidemic of overdoses. Related: Trump Basically Says Obama-Era Marijuana Policies Aren't Going to Change "Never a better time." Rep. Tim Walz, a Minnesota Democrat and ranking member on the House Committee on Veterans Affairs, introduced the bill along with committee Chairman Phil Roe, a Republican from Tennessee. It has been co-sponsored by 28 Democrats and seven Republicans, according to a release from the committee. The legislation comes just months after the VA said it could not research marijuana because of federal restrictions. Marijuana remains a Schedule I illegal drug at the federal level. The new legislation does not seek to change that. However, it would give legal authority to the VA to advance scientific and medical research into the safety and efficacy of medicinal cannabis usage by veterans. Walz said in the release that that VA is the perfect organization to take on cannabis research and that there will never be a better time to act. Related: How This Living Room Side Hustle Rapidly Expanded to a Multi-Million-Dollar Business Research is all but banned. The VAs reluctance to research marijuana mirrors an issue that all researchers, public and private, have with marijuana in the U.S. Not only does federal law still list cannabis as illegal, but the government mandates that only marijuana grown at a facility in Mississippi be used for research. Meanwhile, other countries have leapt ahead. One of the most notable is Israel. A company there, Globus Pharma, this month announced a deal to sell five tons of medical cannabis oil to a company in Canada. The two companies also plan to cooperate in conducting research into the potential uses of medical marijuana. The Israeli company, Globus Pharma, has a similar deal with a German company, according to Reuters. The unnamed Canadian company plans to sell medical marijuana products. Canada already has already made medical marijuana legal. Nationwide legal recreational marijuana sales are expected to start there in July. Roe, the House committee chairman, is a doctor. In the press release from the committee, he made the simple argument that many veterans he has spoken with believe marijuana can help them with both physical and invisible wounds. This is why I support the department researching cannabis just like any other drug to see if this alternative therapy would truly benefit patients. Roe said. Related: Survey Finds Potheads Will Spend Freely on 4/20 and Might Go to Work, If They Have Jobs Follow dispensaries.com on Twitter to stay up to date on the latest cannabis news. Related: Bipartisan Concern for Veterans Drives Bill to Allow VA to Research Medical Marijuana A Closer Look at the Cannabis Market Trump Basically Says Obama-Era Marijuana Policies Aren't Going to Change Copyright 2018 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved Eyes popped and jaws dropped on a spring evening in May 2015 when a slender young woman clad in shimmering yellow began what would be a fateful, if unsteady, walk along the red carpet at New York's Metropolitan Museum Gala. She was, of course, the pop star Rihanna, and the mega-wattage cape she trailed behind her was such a fashion statement, such an intricate piece of handwork -- 100 percent covered in embroidery -- that it weighed 50 pounds and required a three-man entourage just to haul it up the Met steps. Related: 4 Marketing Ideas From the Fashion Industry Every Business Can Use "It was a phenomenal piece," says the New Zealand filmmaker Pietra BrettKelly, whose documentary film Yellow Is Forbidden premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival last weekend. The film's subject is the Chinese designer behind Rihanna's cape -- Guo Pei (pronounced gwo pay), one of the world's foremost fashion entrepreneurs, though one relatively unknown in the West. Until Rihanna donned that gold cape, that is. "It was incredibly intricate, all handmade. It took hundreds of thousands of hours to create," BrettKelley told Entrepreneur. The piece, originally made by Guo Pei in 2010, was loaned to Rihanna for the Met show China Through the Looking Glass. But, in spite of Rihanna's worldwide fame, there was no guarantee that her request for the loan was a done deal. For starters: Guo Pei had never heard of her. "Guo Pei wanted to meet Rihanna and see if she had the right personality and the presence and the soul -- if she was the right person -- to wear it," the filmmaker said. "[Guo Pei] said she did. She said to me, 'I made her queen. I sensed that presence and that regal-ness.' Which meant Guo Pei would loan out the garment. Lucky Rihanna. In a Q&A, edited for length, BrettKelley explained some of the drive and entrepreneurship that attracted her to Guo Pei as a subject. How did this girl, born into modest means to communist survivors of China's Cultural Revolution, transform into an international superstar and win the "invited status" she can now flaunt, to the the overwhelmingly male and European Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture? San Laurent ... Dior ... Givenchy ... Armani ... Those are the denizens of haute couture who invited her in. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Image Credit: Suhaimi Abdullah | Getty Images The film's title refers to the difficult years of China's Cultural Revolution, which Guo Pei's parents -- a batalion leader in the People's Army, and her mother, a kindergarten teacher, whom we meet in the film -- lived through. Please explain. During the dynasties in China, yellow or gold was forbidden in China for commoners, for anyone beyond the royalty, the emperors. It was a color that was special to them, and only for them to wear, a dynastic color. During the Cultural Revolution, of course, no one was encouraged to wear anything bright or colorful; it was very drab clothing; and her parents and people of that generation still say you should not wear yellow; you should not be wearing gold. Her mother because of [partial blindness] doesn't even know about the Rihanna dress, doesn't know about a lot of Guo Pei's designs, doesn't know that she uses gold a lot. In the film, we learn that Guo Pei won "invited member" status to Paris's Haute Couture Council and was named to Time magazine's "100 Most Influential People" in 2016. Why is the Council a big deal, and what exactly is haute couture? It's the pinnacle of fashion to fit into that group; it's an enormous acknowledgement to get to that. That is in itself the prize; but for others with a big company, that is part of their marketing, their placement within the fashion world, to say they are haute couture [a phrase that in France legally may be used only by the elite in fashion who are admitted to the Council]. Somebody said you only make money in fashion from perfumes, handbags, scarves; so people are not making money through clothes. [Haute couture] clothes are generally not wearable, and because they are art forms, it's a way for these labels and designers to get their name out there, and for people to regard them as being very special designers, and therefore to look at their other, more wearable, clothes. These large companies -- St. Laurent, Dior -- use the haute couture side of the industry to put on these shows, but it's just about making their name so exclusive, so special, so revered within fashion circles so the scarves and perfume handbags sell well. There are rules around haute courture. So every designer that goes on that journey, and may never actually be admitted into the Council, which itself can take five years -- must abide by all the rules. [The rules require that fashion creations be hand-sewn, that designers maintain an atelier and employees in Paris and put on a haute couture show twice a year.] These are extraordinary shows. The one we followed [La Concierge in 2017] was around 2 million euros just for one show. What were your impressions of the haute couture world itself? The world of fashion is savage, it's very cutthroat. It requires a huge amount of focus, dedication and output. It seems that most of the houses have one main designer, but [Guo Pei's is] not a huge company; it's just her, so she does it quite differently. Still, there's the expectation that [haute couture] designers will deliver something new and different. In addition to the shows twice a year that they have to put out, they create other lines as well, like ready-to-wear and demi couture. It's ruthless; you have to design and put out and remain marketable. That's where Guo Pei isn't following the line. She isn't interested in ready-to-wear [design] or having stores around the world with her name on them, or selling off the rack. What drew you to Guo Pei as a topic? I had just completed a previous film which I'd filmed in Afghanistan for two-and-a half years and I was interested in going back to a female story. I had read about Guo Pei a few years ago ... and she really interested me, not as a fashion designer, but to use a phrase, because I'm interested in different tribes and had read about Guo Pei years ago and the shoes she creates [featuring characters embroidered into the shoes to tell a story]. Related: 9 Startups Changing the Fabric of Fashion When I saw the Rihanna story, and she said she "didn't know who Rihanna was," I thought that was really interesting because, coming from New Zealand, there is real isolation. I am drawn to other people who are isolated and I thought it was interesting that she was clearly very successful in China, but she knew very little about the world outside China. That is an aspect of all the characters in all my films; and so the loss for Guo Pei was the loss of her culture, of the art of embroidery that she has been working to bring back. The amazing embroidery in her dresses is part of her entrepreneurial story. So are her negotiations with her 500 skilled craftspeople at the factories she calls her studios, outside Beijing. That was where the dynasty people would go to spend the summer, to live up in the mountains where it was cooler. And when they went there, they would need a whole new set of clothing. The embroiderers were known for being particularly extraordinary; Guo Pei has changed history because, during the Cultural Revolution, that skill was stopped, so people in the area lost the skill of embroidery; and now that she's brought it back, there's even a woman in her studio whose great grandmother was one of the embroiderers in the last dynasty. In the scene at the factory, there's tension between Guo Pei and the manager. What was going on? To make some money to support her haute couture work, she needed to go into more production-line clothing with regards to Chinese wedding dresses. She was trying to get the manager of the studio to try to work with her to make more production line garments so she could sell more and fund her work. The manager was saying, "Those are not the skills we have. You've made us take three years for a garment. We can't just pump something out." So Guo Pei was saying, "Well, if you can't do this, I'm going to go under and if I go under, you're going to go under." It was all part of this ongoing struggle she has that unlike the other haute couture houses around the world, she's not making scarves, perfume and handbags. And one of her big things is to encourage the use of Chinese wedding dresses rather than big white European wedding dresses that have become popular. She was trying to say, "We need to get more production lines,"and the manager was saying, "That's not how we do it here." Something about Guo Pei's business model I found really fascinating was that people paid in advance; they became members -- there was that scene with a VIP client who spent nearly a million dollars. [In Guo Pei's business model], people pay in advance. She has about 500 clients who pay in advance to be in "the club," to have designs made by her. It's like a credit note you mark off And I found that fascinating. Related: The Relevance of Fashion Shows for Retailers/Ecommerce Firms to Launch New Collections Speaking of business models and raising money, that's something that, as the creator of 50 films, and an entrepreneur yourself, you too have to engage in. With documentary filmmaking, often the film is not the struggle. You'd think filming in Afghanistan [for her last film, A Flickering Truth] is a struggle; but, no, the struggle is the funding. So I applied to every grant, to every fund going internationally. I did crowdfunding [raising $20,000 (NZ), or $14,000 U.S.] It's crazy to even call documentary filmmaking a "business," because I don't know anybody who's making money off of documentary filmmaking. It's like a calling. Related: How This Chinese Designer Eked Her Way Into the Very Male, Very European World of Haute Couture 'Fynd' Out About Google's Second Investment In India 5 Launch Lessons From Khloe Kardashian's #GoodMama Fashion Line Copyright 2018 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved Connecticut long has been a leader in its commitment to veterans, though budget cuts in recent years make maintaining the same level of services a challenge. The state was the first in the country in 1864 to establish a home for veterans, the Connecticut Veterans Home now in Rocky Hill. And in 2016 Connecticut became the second in the country to essentially end homelessness of veterans, thanks to a committed drive by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy with groups such as Partnership for Strong Communities, the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness and the Veterans Administration. Support for those who give of themselves to serve our country is a moral obligation. Welcome news came Wednesday that the federal Department of Veterans Affairs will provide $1.4 million for upgrades to the Connecticut Veterans Home, primarily to make them compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The funding comes through the State Veterans Home Construction Grant Program, which provides up to 65 percent of the cost to build or renovate buildings, and has averaged $94 million over the last five years. The present Connecticut Veterans Home is nearly 80 years old. It is a sanctuary for veterans who need help returning to independent living. They can stay for free up to four months, then are billed through rates determined by the veterans affairs department. They receive help in developing a rehabilitative plan that could include vocational training, recovery support and medical services. The state also has temporary housing in Rocky Hill for veterans with families. Patriots Landing, created four years ago, features five completely furnished three-bedroom homes. Qualified veterans and their families pay a monthly fee, work with case managers and can stay a maximum of 24 months. For the approximately 180,000 veterans in the state, the possibility of temporary housing can be a life-saving bridge to reintegrating into society. State Veterans Affairs Department Commissioner Thomas Saadi, meeting recently with the Hearst Connecticut Media Editorial Board, said one of the biggest changes in recent years is the increasing number of female veterans. About 8 to 10 percent of the states veterans are women, some of whom may be returning from war zones, such as Afghanistan. They are more likely than male veterans to have dependent children and to need housing, he said. Another change affecting veterans care is the opioid crisis. An over-reliance on prescription painkillers for severe injuries leads to a higher level of the problem reflected in the overall community. Addressing the needs of veterans is a challenge with continual budget reductions. The most recent Veterans Affairs annual budget of $23 million is a substantial reduction from $32 million earlier in the decade. The department has had to suspend Saturday burial ceremonies, at least temporarily, and rely more on internships and partnerships with community-based groups for services. Every state agency has had to deal with cutbacks in recent years, but we ask legislators in adjusting next years budget to be mindful of the states commitment to veterans. TORONTO, April 26, 2018 /CNW/ - Datametrex AI Limited (the "Company" or "Datametrex") (TSXV: DM, FSE: D4G) is pleased to announce that its wholly owned subsidiary, Ronin Blockchain Corp., has fully deployed its first order of mining rigs in 2 geographies activating Ronin's 150MW of available capacity with Gosun Group ("GoSun") in Asia and our R&D mining facilities in the Province of Quebec, Canada. This completes phase 1 of Ronin's plan of establishing a diversified GPU mining footprint, centrally controlled from Canada prior to phase 2 expansion to utilize our abundant MW capacity. Ronin's 2018 operational highlights and achievements to date include: Key partnership with Gosun Group ("GoSun") securing 150MW of on demand turn-key capacity at favoured pricing. Establishment of a diversified GPU mining footprint in Asia and Canada with combined available capacity of 150+ MW The company eventually intends to spin off Ronin Blockchain into a public entity in order to capitalize on the value of its large Cryptomining footprint. "Ronin's China jurisdiction is a tremendous asset that will require resources and capital best fulfilled through a public listing. Datametrex shareholders can fully monetize and have significant ownership in Ronin as it pursues this path", says Michael Frank, CEO of Ronin. About Ronin Blockchain Corp. Ronin Blockchain Corp., is a wholly owned subsidiary of Datametrex AI Limited. Ronin's business model is based on a centralized AI powered mining platform to operate a geo-diversified footprint of industrial scale Blockchain mining operations. Ronin has the potential to deploy state of the art mining capability across high value mining locations in North America, Asia and Europe from a centralized command center to maximize efficiency and profitability for GPU-based mining. Additionally, Ronin will also investigate further use of its expertise in software development and Artificial Intelligence algorithms to develop future revenue streams within the Blockchain space. About the Company Datametrex AI Limited is a technology focused company with exposure to four exciting verticals. Big Data, collecting data from retail point of sale environments, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning through its wholly owned subsidiary, Nexalogy (www.nexalogy.com). Implementing Blockchain technology for secure Data Transfers through its joint venture company, Graph Blockchain (www.graphblockchain.com). and Industrial Scale Cryptocurrency Mining through its wholly owned subsidiary, Ronin Blockchain Corp. (www.roninblockchain.com). Additional information on Datametrex is available at: www.datametrex.com To stay informed about Datametrex, please join our Investor Group on 8020 Connect http://bit.ly/2fPUNwF for all upcoming news releases, articles comments and questions. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Statements This news release includes certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Canadian securities laws. Such forward-looking information and statements are not representative of historical facts or information or current condition, but instead represent only the Company`s belief regarding future events, plans or objectives, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of the Company's control. Generally, such forward-looking information or statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or may contain statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "will continue", "will occur" or "will be achieved". The forward-looking information contained herein includes, but is not limited to, statements regarding the terms, timing and completion of the proposed spin-out of Graph. By identifying such information and statements in this manner, the Company is alerting the reader that such information and statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such information and statements. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing, and the expectations contained in, the forward-looking information and statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information and statements, and no assurance or guarantee can be given that such forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information and statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking information or statements contained in this press release. The forward-looking information contained in this press release is made as of the date hereof, and the Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information that is contained or referenced herein, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking information and statements attributable to the Company or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in its entirety by this notice. SOURCE Datametrex AI Limited For further information: Michael Frank - CEO, Ronin Blockchain Corp., Phone: (416) 482-3282 ext.225, Email: [email protected] Michael D. West 2018 Presentation at The World Stem Cell Summit on Stem Cell Innovations That Will Change the World Michael D. West, Ph.D., CEO of AgeX Therapeutics, discusses the medical regeneration revolution by looking back at how advances in recombinant DNA and monoclonal antibodies helped usher in new products that improved the quality of human life after decades of research. Dr. West also addresses pluripotent stem cells and how unlocking their potential will spur the next big medical revolution: regenerative medicine. Aubrey de Grey, Ph.D., Vice President of New Technology Discovery of AgeX Therapeutics, discusses how scientists are approaching the idea of reversing the aging process in humans. Dr. de Grey uses car repair as an example of how we keep a machine running today that was created a century ago. We do that, he explains, by repairing the damage that happens to the car over time (rust, worn out parts, etc.). Although the human body is much more complicated than a car, Dr. de Grey posits that the approach scientists today will take will be very similar. In fact, he said reversing the aging process in humans (where they will be a younger biological age than when treatment starts) will be easier than slowing down or stopping aging. Michael D. West, Ph.D., CEO of AgeX Therapeutics, discusses how average life expectancy has increased from about 45 in the early 1900s to the mid- 70s today due to advancements in antibiotics and surgical techniques, among other things. He posits that the revolution in artificial intelligence (and approaching singularity) is already impacting science and will only increase the rapid advancements from the laboratory to the clinic. Those advancements, Dr. West believes, will result in an increasing lifespan for humans which we need to start thinking about and preparing as society adapts to humans living a longer and healthier life. Michael D. West, Ph.D., CEO of AgeX Therapeutics, discusses the emerging field of regenerative medicine. He uses the example of how the Mexican salamander can re-grow limbs and even organs. By studying how Mexican salamanders regenerate, Dr. West posits that researchers can learn how to harness the same power in humans. Humans, Dr. West points out, are born with the ability to completely regenerate until eight weeks after conception. Humans lose that ability, but Dr. West says scientists will someday be able to regenerate cells in the human body much like the Mexican salamander does today. This video is part of a series from AgeX on research into aging and human longevity New mass produced metamaterial was developed by a research team at the State Key Laboratory of Millimetre Waves in Southeast University in Nanjing, Jiangsu province. It was being tested on aircraft at a major military aircraft production base in Shenyang, Liaoning province, a researcher in the laboratory confirmed. Shenyang Aircraft Corporation, a subsidiary of the Aviation Industry Corporation of China, builds non-stealth fighter jets, including the J-11 and the J-15. Other countries, especially the United States, have also been heavily engaged in the research and development of similar technology to cloak military jets, but there have so far been no public reports on the mass application of such metamaterials overseas. In 2011, the team said it had developed a radio wave-absorbing device that could make a target invisible to the three most common radio bandwidths used by military radars. Two years later, the team said it had created a ghost illusion device that could allow a plane to leave almost no radar signature. The device could make parts of the plane appear on radar as plastic, instead of metal, or show three planes instead of one, according to the team. China has about 20 J-20 stealth fighters and roughly 1,500 other kinds of combat aircraft in service, according to some overseas estimates. Upgrading the existing non-stealth aircraft with new metamaterial could greatly improve their combat strength. Han Yiping, director of applied physics at Xidian University, formerly a military engineering institute, said metamaterials alone could not hide an aircraft from radar. Stealth aircraft relied on a range of tactics, including low-reflection aerodynamic design and cloaks of ionised particles, to fly undetected. Metamaterials were also extremely difficult to mass produce, and the technology would have to withstand the heat and shock of battle, meaning some performance would have to be sacrificed for reliability. Currently the technology was effective within only certain radio bandwidths. Early this year, Shenzhen-based technology company Kuang-Chi said it had started mass production of a thin, metallic membrane that it claimed was a metamaterial. In 2013, Boeing began evaluating how to attract future sales from the Navy as production slowed, it started promoting an Advanced Super Hornet configuration that would have improved the aircrafts signature by 50 percent. That version of the jet included structural enhancements and an enclosed weapons pod, but Boeing ultimately stepped away from that concept. Currently there is an updated block III F-18. Super Hornets Block III upgrades slated to be incorporated on jets rolling off the production line in 2020: the application of radar absorbent materials or RAM, also known as stealth coating. Block III jets will get a little more of that coating applied to them, and in a few different areas to buy a little bit more performance, Gillian told Defense News in a March interview. All in all, those improvements will reduce the aircrafts radar cross section by about 10 percent, and with very low risk Over the years, the New Haven Register has written many times about Fred Parris, co-founder of The Five Satins and author of their classic hit, In the Still of the Night. In April 2017, a story noted: The hauntingly beautiful some might just say perfect song, recorded on Feb. 19, 1956 in a make-shift studio in the basement of St. Bernadette Roman Catholic Church on Townsend Avenue, is New Havens musical gift to the world and one of the songs featured in the play, which is at New Havens Shubert Theatre this weekend. And in Feb. 2016, a story noted: The stars are still shining bright on Fred Parris and Vinnie Mazzetta, who were honored Monday by St. Bernadette Church 60 years after the Five Satins recorded their doo-wop hit, In the Still of the Night. On March 3, 2014, a story said: On a winter day, Feb. 19, 1956, New Haven's The Five Satins, led by Fred Parris, unleashed something magical in a makeshift studio in the basement of St. Bernadette Catholic Church across town on Townsend Avenue in Morris Cove. This column, which ran on April, 29, 2001, and was by columnist Randall Beach, was headlined Fred Parris, Gateway Community College is looking to pay tribute to you. One of New Havens greatest historical events occurred when a group of local teen-agers got together to sing in a church basement. Forty-five years later, the world is still listening to the amazing result: Ill Remember (In the Still of the Nite) by the Five Satins. Fred Parris, who wrote the lyrics while on night guard duty for the U.S. Army in Philadelphia, went with the Nite spelling to distinguish his song from Cole Porters In the Still of the Night. But Parris eclipsed Porter on this one: the Satins doo-wop classic is still one of the most-requested oldies of all time. More than 15 million copies have been sold. Today if you go down into that basement of St. Bernadettes Church on Townsend Avenue, you will see a wall plaque paying tribute to the immortal recording session, held on Feb. 19, 1956. Ed Flynn, a church parishioner and the toastmaster when the plaque was mounted in 1995, showed me the site last week. I felt as if I were on a pilgrimage to a shrine. Now it looks like any recreation room, with modern fixtures, tables and chairs and a small stage. But when the song was done, this was a real basement, Flynn noted. Picture a bare stone wall and concrete floor. It was cold down here. He pointed and said, The recording was made over in that corner. He said there were four Satins and four musicians making the reel-to-reel tape. When the plaque went up on the churchs Wall of Fame, Parris came back to sing that song in front of about 200 ecstatic fans. Then he sang an encore and everybody sang along. It was a night to remember, Flynn said. But now its time to pay more extensive homage to the Satins, especially to the man who wrote their most famous song and sang lead. There should be an above-ground plaque for all to see in a prominent location. Leading the charge is Franz Douskey, a literature professor at Gateway Community College. Hes contributed so much to New Haven, said Douskey. He should be honored and recognized. Although Parris has no affiliation with Gateway, Douskey believes our community college is a logical place to put a Parris memorial, as well as a fitting site for him to receive an honorary degree. Gateway President Dorsey Kendrick was unfamiliar with Parris name, but when Douskey mentioned that song, she said, Oh yeah! and endorsed the idea of recognizing Parris. First, however, she has to take it up with the statewide community colleges board. Another potential problem with Douskeys plan: how to find the great man? During the past week I have been making calls in an effort to find Parris, whom I last interviewed in 1980 when I wrote an epic history of the Five Satins for the Register. Rockin Richard Phillips, the oldies d.j. on WNHU in West Haven agreed to sound the call on his show last Tuesday night. As he played the unique opening bars of the song (shoo-doo, shoo-be-doo), Phillips appealed to his listeners: Where has Freddy been? Does anybody know? Phillips hasnt seen Parris for at least a couple of years. Nor did his airwave request elicit any immediate concrete leads. Although a source gave me a non-published phone number supposedly for Parris home in Hamden, I heard that phone just keep on ringin. Fred, where are you? This story, by the now late Ann DeMatteo, who then was a reporter, noted note that the news: 5 Satins, Platters on tap for Hamden concert. The opening concert in the Hamden Arts Commissions free summer concert series will be a special one, with two historic performing groups, The Five Satins and The Platters, performing Friday night in the gazebo in Town Center Park at Meadowbrook Park, 2761 Dixwell Ave. The event will include a brief tribute to Fred Parris, the co-founder of The Five Satins and author of their classic hit, In the Still of the Night, concert series coordinator Mimsie Coleman said. Parris, who grew up in New Haven, has been quietly living in Hamden for years, she said. State Sen. Joseph Crisco, D-Woodbridge, a supporter of the Hamden Arts Commission, and Mayor Craig B. Henrici, will present Parris with citations during the short intermission between the groups performances. Coleman said that she works hard to bring quality groups to Hamden for the concert series, which is held in partnership with Quinnipiac University. I will research any group any Hamden resident asks me to, and I keep a list all year and some from former years. I always look for diversity. Ive learned that certain groups are way beyond our reach, she said. We cant afford really contemporary groups. We have to see about affordability, schedule requirements and basically do we think these groups will be a match with our community interest. We sort of try to get something from different eras. Herb Reed and The Platters recorded nearly 400 songs and sold over 80 million records. They will perform their greatest hits, Smoke Gets in Your Eyes, Only You, The Great Pretender and more. Parris and The Five Satins will perform In the Still of the Night, along with other classics. Other featured performers include: July 13, Dr. John, the New Orleans-based rhythm and blues legend; July 20, Jay Black, formerly of Jay and the Americans; July 27, The Original Family Stone, led by founding members Jerry Martini, Rosa Stone and Cynthia Robinson; and Aug. 3, The Glenn Miller Orchestra. The series is held on five consecutive Fridays starting this week. Concerts begin at 7:30 p.m. Families are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets, and either bring a picnic or purchase pizza or fried dough on site. In the event of inclement weather, concerts may move to Hamden High School, if circumstances allow. In that case, information will be available by listening to AM 1220 WQUN or by calling the Arts Commission at 287-2546. On June 5, 1995, a story by then-Register report Abe Katz was headlined: Still, the Five Satins are a hit here. It was almost night, but certainly not still in the St. Bernadette Church Hall Sunday as young and old celebrated the recording of one of the 1950s most beloved romantic ballads. In the Still of the Night, the perennial do-wop favorite, was recorded by Fred Parris and the Five Satins in the echoing hall 39 years ago. Most of the 200 people who packed the hall Sunday to celebrate the unveiling of a plaque commemorating the recording session seemed a bit too young to remember. That didnt stop anyone from harmonizing, and squeezing out a few shoo-do-be-do-be-dos in the frenzied final sing-a-long. This is a special moment for me, Parris said as he mounted the stage and surveyed the crowed. I really didnt expect it to be like this. I expected three or four cars, maybe 10 people. Im blown away. Some came because the song still evokes memories of boyfriends, girlfriends, dating, idyllic times. Others marveled at how the shoestring-budget recording became a classic. A few remembered band members. I went to school with these fellows. I remember hearing them singing in the halls, said Victor Peregolise of East Haven. Its just good, old memories. Thats it. Len Darcy, of Cheshire, was friends with saxophonist Vin Mazzetta, who was immortalized on reel-to-reel tape that frigid February afternoon. He cut the best record in the world right here in this church, Darcy said. He never got any recognition. He got $50 for it. They all probably did. Mazzetta, who had been a choir boy at the church, was instrumental in securing use of the church hall at 385 Townsend Ave. Musicians had tried recording some of Parris tracks in a studio on heavily trafficked Route 1. The rumble of trucks drowned out the sound of the piano. They needed a place as quiet as, well, a church. Tom Sokira, who produced In the Still of the Night, and other Five Satins recordings, said, It was zero degrees outside. I was using the recording equipment with mittens on. We were 18 and had no idea what we were doing. We had no idea it would be a hit song. Parris credited the spacious hall and its echoes for the distinctive sound of the recording. The sound down here is what made the record. I have to think it was blessed, he said to wild applause. If you listen to the record closely, you can hear the drums bouncing off the walls, said Anthony Giordano of New Haven, who came to watch the recording of the record in 1956. I never thought it would be this big. The crowd erupted after Parris was easily coaxed to the stage, and began, In the still o-of the night, I held you, held you ti-ight . . . Mazzetta accompanied Parris on saxophone, and Anthony Sagnella rounded out the sound on an electronic piano. As Parris crooned the final two lines to his famous song, the audience again broke into applause and gave the musicians, the hall, the 1950s, a standing ovation. Then the crowd joined in and ran through the 18-line song again, contributing the contrapuntal syllables that the make the song what it is. You sound great! Parris yelled through more cheers. Parris unveiled the plaque and then began autographing programs as he was engulfed by fans. In the 50s, you could turn on the radio and always hear songs you could understand, said Len Borelli, a longtime resident of the Morris Cove neighborhood where the church stands. This was a very popular song. It rhymes, he said. Today, I cant understand anything on the radio. NEW HAVEN A city man walked out of Superior Court a free man Wednesday after serving 17 years in prison for a 1999 convenience store robbery and murder. What took place against me by this criminal justice system is a tragedy, a crime against humanity, and an assault against justice and the United States Constitution. I hope this never happens to anyone else, Vernon Horn said in the release. (Many) years of my life were stolen from me, my daughter went without her father. I hope this does not go in vain, but rather the folks who are a part of this system will learn from this mistake to better the system. Connecticut Superior Court Judge Patrick J. Clifford vacated 37-year-old Vernon Horns 2000 robbery and murder convictions following a motion filed by New Haven States Attorney Pat Griffin to set aside the conviction based on previously overlooked cell site evidence and newly discovered telephone records. Griffin informed the court that the state no longer had confidence in the convictions, the release stated. In light of the newly developed evidence, the States Attorneys Office informed the court, [t]he totality of information developed to date has sufficiently undermined the states confidence in the judgment of conviction such that justice is done by setting the judgment aside and returning the case to the superior court docket. Wednesday marked the second time a Connecticut court has vacated Horns convictions. In 2014, after hearing eight days of witness testimony, Connecticut Superior Court Judge Robert E. Young set aside Horns convictions. Horn was released on bail while the state appealed the decision, during which time he married and had a daughter. In 2016, however, the Connecticut Supreme Court reinstated the convictions, and Horn was then sent back to prison where he has remained, the release said. Horn was 17 years old when he was accused by New Haven police of robbery and the murder of 22-year-old Caprice Hardy, who was buying cigarettes at the Dixwell Deli Jan. 24, 1999. At trial, the primary evidence allegedly linking Horn to the crime scene was a record of calls made from a cellphone stolen during the robbery, but new evaluation of the cellphone call record established that, based on the location of the cellphone at the time of the calls, Horn could not have committed the robbery and homicide as state prosecutors originally alleged, the release stated. At 3:28 a.m., Hardy, a store regular, entered the Dixwell Deli and asked the store cashier for a pack of Newport cigarettes. Before the cashier could give Hardy change, a masked gunman entered the store and immediately opened fire, followed by Marquis Jackson and Steve Brown, both of whom were also masked. The cashier was hit in the left shoulder and played dead, while Hardy died almost instantly from a gunshot wound to his back that pierced his heart, the federal memo stated. A store workers cellphone was stolen along with $2,000 from the cashiers pocket, the memo said. Four minutes later, the robbers fled after mistaking an ambulance siren for the police, but Horn later returned to the deli and voluntarily spoke with police after 4 a.m. Brown and Jackson waited for Horn in Jacksons car on Bassett Street before they all drove back to Bridgeport together on Interstate 95. At 4:14 a.m., the stolen phone was used to place a call the first of five to a Bridgeport man, just 42 minutes after the robbery, the memo stated. During the trial, Brown testified he used the stolen cellphone to make two more calls from Bridgeport on Jan. 24 and 25. He said he made the third call from Bridgeport at 10:40 a.m. Jan. 25 and then gave the phone to Horn on Stratford Avenue in Bridgeport. Marcus Pearson then testified he made the fourth call 26 minutes later from New Haven after Horn lent him the phone, the memo said. However, the memo states that at the trial in 2000, the state introduced a one-page call detail record from the stolen cellphones service provider as States Exhibit 95, with the cell site origination information highlighted in red. Each of the numbers referred to a cell site. That allowed the Federal Defender Office and the States Attorney Office to determine with certainty the geographical area where each call was made. The physical address of each cell site and its orientation could have been obtained simply by requesting that information through a subpoena to the cellular service provider, just as the Federal Defender Office and the States Attorneys Office did through their jointly issued subpoena to T-Mobile in February 2018, the memo stated. Several witnesses placed Horn in the company of a woman during the time of the robbery. Following the robbery, the memo said, Horn and the woman arrived at the deli and remained on scene to be interviewed by police officers, with new evaluation of the cellphone showing the first call was made from Bridgeport while Horn was in New Haven speaking with a police officer. The cell site evidence also showed all of the five phone calls were made from Bridgeport,. The memo said the stolen cell phone evidence was critical at Mr. Horns criminal trial because, as a Connecticut Superior Court judge noted, it placed a phone taken from the crime scene in Vernons hands only one day after the crimes were committed, and was the only evidence that put Horn in the company of [the States cooperating witness], an admitted perpetrator, aside from the witnesss own testimony. It was also critical because the State had no physical evidence linking Vernon to the crime scene. Horns trial counsel during the 2000 trial failed to rebut the prosecutions cellphone evidence and conceded to the jury during closing arguments that it was a fact that the stolen cellphone had been used by Horns acquaintance to make a call from New Haven, the federal memo said. As it turns out, the memo stated, the fact that Vernons trial lawyer conceded was actually a physical impossibility. Following the trial, one of the states main witnesses stated, on three separate occasions, that he had lied, both to the police and the jury, about using the stolen cellphone, as he was scared of going to jail, the memo stated. He said a police officer told him that if Horn hadnt let him use the cellphone, then he must have gotten it from the crime scene himself. Facing potential perjury charges for recanting, the witness told a judge in 2013, I know I risk my freedom here today by telling the truth[,] but Id rather tell the truth than let him sit in jail if hes an innocent man, the memo said. Additionally, Horns new lawyers obtained 137 pages of telephone records in January from a retired New Haven police detectives basement that were never logged into police evidence or not previously disclosed to his defense lawyers. The newly discovered records include handwritten notes as well as a chart of 16 calls between an alternative suspect and one of the numbers that received a call from the stolen cellphone, the memo stated. The memo said the only phone record introduced at trial or turned over in pre-trial discovery was the one-page call detail record from the stolen cellphones service provider. In November 2017, the Federal Defender Office discovered two search warrants for telephone records in the Judicial District Clerks Office file that were applied for by the investigating detectives, and signed, on Feb. 25, 1999, according to the memo. The memo states [f]or reasons that are not clear, however, the search warrants and returns were not docketed until Sept. 17, 2014, more than 15 years later. While the newly discovered phone records were not mentioned in any police reports, and the police department had no record of them ever being logged into evidence. It is a grave injustice that Vernon Horn was incarcerated for 17 years for crimes he did not commit. We are delighted by the States Attorneys willingness to listen and act quickly when presented with compelling evidence of Mr. Horns innocence, the Connecticut Federal Defender Office said in a statement. It has been our privilege to work with Mr. Horn and be inspired by his relentless pursuit to clear his name. jessica.lerner@hearstmediact.com; @jesslerner on Twitter Patents and IP licensing The NRC is looking for Canadian industry partners to fully exploit our R&D solutions. Licensing opportunities can be discussed by contacting NRC.IPModels-ModelesPI.CNRC@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca or by exploring some of our technologies on ExploreIP, Canadas IP Marketplace. From fast food to insurance, comedian Chris Redd has worked all sorts of shit jobs over the course of his life. Which is exactly why he considers his recent addition to the cast of Saturday Night Live quite a triumph. 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. In a strange twist of art and life imitating each other, the Season 7 finale of Suits features Meghan Markle walking down the aisle in a wedding dress. Awaiting her is not a British prince, but rather the lawyer Mike Ross (Patrick J. Adams), the romantic interest of Rachel Zane, a character that Ms. Markle imbued with a mix of charm, conscientiousness and grace over her seven-year run on the show. The appearance doubled as the capstone on Ms. Markles career. She has said she has given up acting to be a full-time royal, which will become official with her marriage to Prince Harry on May 19. At first glance it seems like a scant acting legacy. But, as Rachel, she was a subtly influential force on a pulpy legal drama that quietly had one of the most diverse casts on television. Debuting in the role of the ingenue, Ms. Markle actively repositioned Rachel out of the eye-candy slot, and by the end, her character had become the shows moral conscience. With the departure of Rachel and Mike, gone to start a do-gooder firm in Seattle, Suits not only loses a fan favorite (Ms. Markle) and one of its leads (Mr. Adams, who is also leaving the show), it also risks sacrificing the nuanced themes of class, race and corporate outsiders that their characters came to represent. Season 6, Episode 5, The Great Patriotic War The end game is officially on. The Americans crossed several Rubicons this week: Stan Beeman is now weaponized. Elizabeths summit-related killing spree extended to perhaps culminated in? Gennadi and Sofia. Stans expression as little Ilya was led away from Gennadis apartment, where he had found his parents both stabbed to death, promised grim retribution. (It will only get worse if Stan realizes that he led the K.G.B., in the persons of Marilyn and Norm, to Gennadi.) Having agreed to help Elizabeth by planting drugs on Kimmy (as a way to blackmail her father into revealing whether Nesterenko is a traitor), Philip not only backed out of the mission but warned Kimmy in fairly direct terms not to let any other Soviet agents get next to her. The ominousness of the scene Philip hanging up the pay phone, cut to closing credits left all sorts of questions hanging. What will Elizabeth (and by extension the Center) do now? Will Philip, upset over Paige and rattled by news of the defectors murders, take even more drastic steps? Will Kimmy, whos no dummy, say something to her dad? It was a packed episode, with some welcome, though brief, interludes of tenderness and humor. After teaching Paige to drink olive oil to coat her stomach before drinking (more on that later), Claudia pulled a bottle of vodka out of the freezer and rather than cooking or watching a movie, the female spies got lit. This meant we got to hear Margo Martindales droll delivery when Claudia reminisced, Id only had sex with one man, my husband, and then he was killed at the beginning of the war. Sex was a theme, for better and worse. Elizabeth got Philip to set aside the bills (the episodes only reference to the travel agency, I believe) and she even laughed when his calculator got caught between them. Of course, the next morning she took advantage of his chirpy mood to sell him on the Kimmy plan (meet up in Greece, get her arrested for drugs in Bulgaria). I havent asked for much, she says, playing the guilt game and reinforcing the shows guiding metaphor that espionage and marriage work in startlingly similar ways. On Tuesday night, the comedian Patton Oswalt was in Chicago at an event to promote Ill Be Gone in the Dark, a chilling true crime book about the Golden State Killer, who committed a string of unsolved rapes and murders in California in the 1970s and 80s. Mr. Oswalt told the crowd that he believed the killer would be caught soon, that his time was running out. In fact, just hours before, Joseph James DeAngelo, 72, had been arrested in California on a warrant stemming from two of the murders. On Wednesday, the authorities identified him as the Golden State Killer, citing DNA evidence connecting him to the crimes. For Mr. Oswalt, the news of Mr. DeAngelos arrest feels deeply personal. His late wife, the writer Michelle McNamara, had spent the final years of her life chasing the Golden State Killer, hoping to identify him in her book, Ill Be Gone in the Dark. But Ms. McNamara died before she could see the killer brought to justice, or her book published. Despite a major privacy scandal, Facebook reported strong increases in profit and revenue. But even as the social networks chief executive, Mark Zuckerberg, has vowed to protect users better, his company has failed to stop scammers impersonating him from swindling people out of thousands of dollars. The French billionaire Vincent Bollore, sometimes called the King of Africa for his business dealings on the continent, is being investigated over allegations that his company helped the presidents of two African nations gain power in exchange for lucrative contracts. Comcast, the American cable giant, offered $30.7 billion for Sky in a takeover battle with Rupert Murdochs 21st Century Fox for control of the British broadcaster. As Meghan Markle prepares to marry Prince Harry next month, she has the potential to change the perception of fashion brands, the royal family and much more, our chief fashion critic writes. Takeda, a Japanese drugmaker, reached a tentative agreement to buy Ireland-based Shire for $64 billion in one of the biggest pharma deals to date. Ford Motor is considering exiting or selling money-losing operations in Europe, as the automaker seeks to turn around its fortunes both in the U.S. and abroad. Mr. Braddy was in custody on Wednesday evening and could not be reached for comment. He also faces one count of acting in a manner injurious to a child and one count of sex abuse, according to the police. A conviction on the more serious of the two criminal sexual act charges carries a sentence of up to seven years in prison. According to his LinkedIn profile, Mr. Braddy has taught eighth-grade math and advanced Algebra I at the school at 100-01 Flatlands Avenue since September 2015. In a statement, Douglas Cohen, a spokesman for the city Department of Education, said, These deeply disturbing allegations have no place in our schools. He said that Mr. Braddy was immediately removed from the school and will remain away from students pending the outcome of the investigation and we will pursue his removal from payroll as soon as legally possible. On Twitter, Mr. Braddy goes by the username OFFICER_friskHer and describes himself as a college graduate who loves numbers and music. Mr. Braddy also said on LinkedIn that he is an adjunct lecturer at the City University of New York. For nearly three years until May 2014, he worked as a teaching assistant at the universitys Research Foundation and Medgar Evers College in Crown Heights. In January, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Democrat of New York, said through a spokesman that she would use a prerogative given to home-state senators, the so-called blue slip, to try to block Mr. Bermans confirmation if he were nominated by President Trump. At the time, the spokesman, Glen Caplin, cited reports that Mr. Trump had personally interviewed Mr. Berman as part of the selection process. Mr. Caplin called those reports deeply disturbing because of conflicts of interest inherent in Mr. Bermans potential jurisdiction on matters that could affect the president personally. Ms. Gillibrands criticism was not directed at Mr. Berman but rather at President Trump for conducting such an interview, Mr. Caplin said. On Wednesday, Mr. Caplin said in a statement: The Court has acted responsibly within the law. It is troubling, however, that President Trump continues to attempt to undermine our institutions by doing an end-run around the U.S. Senates advise and consent responsibility for U.S. attorney nominations. Senator Chuck Schumer, a Democrat and the Senate minority leader, has also indicated opposition to Mr. Berman, having told the White House that he was not supportive of Mr. Bermans potential nomination as United States attorney, The New York Times reported in January. Mr. Schumers office had no comment on Wednesday. Mr. Berman, in a brief statement, said he had been notified of the appointment by the courts chief judge, Colleen McMahon, and was grateful for the courts action. He said he looked forward to continuing the great tradition of this office to pursue justice without fear or favor. During his brief tenure, Mr. Berman has overseen several high-profile cases, including a trial that ended last month in the conviction of Joseph Percoco, a former senior aide to New Yorks Democratic governor, Andrew M. Cuomo, on federal corruption charges. It was not quite the blue wave that Democrats in New York had hoped for, but the results of Tuesdays special elections in 11 state legislative seats did give the party hope that they might be able to help national Democrats retake the House of Representatives in the fall. Perhaps the brightest result for Democrats was in a highly contested race for State Senate in Westchester County, where the Democratic candidate, Assemblywoman Shelley B. Mayer, defeated the Republican, Julie Killian, by 15 points. And, as was expected, Democrats easily kept the vacant Assembly seats in their column in races in the Bronx, Manhattan and Queens, where the party enjoys a giant surplus in voter registrations. But the picture outside the city was mixed, where expectations for a blue wave felt more like a ripple. On Long Island, for instance, where three Assembly seats were vacated by Republicans, the special election kept two of those districts red. [For more coverage of women and gender issues, subscribe to Gender Letter, a new newsletter.] The district attorneys office has continued the investigation, but no charges have been announced and nothing has been said publicly about its scope or timetable. Prosecutors are also investigating at least one other allegation, first reported in The New Yorker, that Mr. Weinstein forced a student actress, Lucia Evans, to perform oral sex on him during a business meeting at his office in 2004, two people familiar with the investigation said. Prosecutors have also expanded the inquiry to include possible financial crimes involving Mr. Weinsteins former production company, subpoenaing a wide range of records. The team looking at Mr. Weinstein also includes prosecutors from the Major Economic Crimes Bureau, according to two people familiar with the subpoenas. Mr. Weinsteins lawyer, Benjamin Brafman, said the sexual encounters the district attorneys office has been scrutinizing were consensual. The substantial delay in this investigation has been the result of serious flaws that are apparent with respect to any claim of non-consensual sex, he said. He also denied Mr. Weinstein had committed any financial wrongdoing, asserting that he had reimbursed his former company for all personal expenditures. Now the Manhattan district attorney, Cyrus R. Vance Jr., has turned to Ms. Illuzzi, one of the most successful prosecutors in his office. A veteran homicide prosecutor, she was on the team that won a conviction against Pedro Hernandez for the killing of 6-year-old Etan Patz. In 2016, she ran as the Republican candidate for district attorney on Staten Island, where she lives; she lost to the Democratic candidate, Michael McMahon. Since 1851, obituaries in The New York Times have been dominated by white men. With Overlooked, were adding the stories of remarkable people that never found their way into the newspaper. April 25, 2018 Maria Bochkareva, a pugnacious, formidable and semiliterate peasant who, in World War I, became one of Russias first female army officers and led an all-women unit into battle on the Eastern Front, died on May 16, 1920. She was 30. She was executed by a Bolshevik firing squad. For a brief period in a life of outsize impact, Bochkareva was an international sensation: a hardened military veteran whose dedication to Russias continuing war efforts attracted the attention of Russian politicians, world leaders, journalists and prominent womens rights activists. She met with President Woodrow Wilson, King George V of England and suffragists like Emmeline Pankhurst. Theodore Roosevelt gave her $1,000 of his Nobel Peace Prize money. But Bochkareva was on the losing side of history, supporting an unpopular war that ultimately led to her downfall. Her meteoric rise to fame was especially astounding considering her humble upbringing. She was born into a poor family in July 1889 and raised in the Siberian town of Tomsk. Her father was an alcoholic who beat her, her three sisters and her mother. In 1965, Pat Li of East West Players explained why the company, which she and eight others had started that year in Los Angeles to promote substantive roles for Asian-American actors, was needed. You dont know how tired you can get of always being Suzie Wong, she said. Or a houseboy. As if to prove the point, not long afterward, another East West founder, Soon-Tek Oh, landed one of his first television roles as a houseboy. It was in an episode of the science-fiction series The Invaders. In his scene, which lasted less than a minute, Mr. Ohs job was to usher David Vincent, the shows lead character, played by Roy Thinnes, into a meeting with some other white characters. Mr. Oh spoke 17 words. It must have been the kind of part that irked him, and it certainly wasnt the last such stereotypical role he played in a long career that included more than 100 TV and film appearances. A lifetime ago, Anne Franks family applied for visas to the United States to escape Hitler, but we rejected the Franks and other desperate Jewish refugees. We thought: This is Europes problem, not ours, and we dont want to be overrun by those people. Today President Trump is again slamming the door on desperate refugees. Indeed, the Trump administration is going a step further by wrenching children from the arms of asylum-seekers, apparently as a way of inflicting gratuitous cruelty to discourage new arrivals. Jose Demar Fuentes, a 30-year-old college graduate, arrived in November with his 1-year-old son, Mateo, from El Salvador, where Fuentes was on a gangs execution list, according to his lawyer, Noreen Barcena. Father and son entered the United States legally, presenting themselves to an immigration officer, providing birth certificates and other documentation, and requesting asylum to save their lives. Several days later, immigration officers came and took Mateo. They basically pried my clients son from his arms and told him that he had to give up his son, Barcena told me. They were both crying. But as is often the case with Shaw, fidelity to his intentions is not unequivocally good for productions of his plays. So although its a relief to experience a phlegmatic instead of a violent Joan, its also a perplexity because the choice robs her of psychology. A hero and genius she may be, but somehow also inert: not much different from a statue if it were blessed with leadership abilities. That blank quality in Ms. Rashads Joan leaches the play of drama as the scenes darken from comedy to adventure (she helps raise the successful Siege of Orleans) to pageant (the crowning of the Dauphin) to legal procedural. And if her calm perseverance suggests well enough how she manages to convince the king and the generals, it provides little evidence of how she could inspire the troops and, beyond them, the populace. Still, when the play reaches its tragic sixth scene Joans trial and burning all that withholding pays off. By now we know that this Joan is sound, faithful and temperate. This makes the trial more dangerous, not less, because the ridiculous charges against her are so easily dismissed. We can take it as mere comic relief when the spectacularly dimwit assessors played by Robert Stanton and Maurice Jones keep saying that she is a witch, that she stole the Bishops horse and, worst, that her voices speak in French instead of English. As a result, her complete vulnerability to the graver charges of sedition, idolatry, disobedience, heresy and pride is more harshly revealed. She is fatally unprepared by her sincere innocence to understand the moral danger that the presiding Bishop (Walter Bobbie) and Inquisitor (Mr. Page, again) instruct her to acknowledge and that even her most sympathetic supporter, a liberal Dominican played powerfully by Max Gordon Moore, must beg her to resist. That danger is, in essence, presumption: What other judgment can I judge by but by my own? Joan asks, casually assuming supremacy over churchmen and kings. From this idea comes not only the necessary sentence of a perfectly fair proceeding but also, in the fullness of time, Protestantism, nationalism, individualism and, as Shaw would have it, the Great War, which had recently concluded as he started writing the play. There are the drunk Waffle Houses, the late-night Waffle Houses, Waffle House as a house of freaks, but theres also this kind of nurturing, idealistic vision of Waffle House. JOHN T. EDGE, a University of Mississippi scholar of Southern culture, on the ubiquitous chain, which in the past week has dealt with a deadly shooting, a cutlery-based racial incident and a parking-lot birth. The increases would affect about 712,000 families over the next several years, HUD officials said. Rent hikes would gradually be phased in for tenants based on their income and other provisions that could effectively limit the amount of time some tenants would be allowed to remain in government-funded housing. Every year, it takes more money, millions of dollars more, to serve the same number of households, Mr. Carson told reporters Wednesday in a conference call. Its clear from a budget perspective and a human point of view that the current system is unsustainable. The proposal, geared at streamlining the agency and cutting the deficit, was intended to start the conversation and should not be regarded as final, Mr. Carson said. Housing advocates and congressional Democrats immediately condemned it. What pretends to be a hand up is really a foot in the back, said Shamus Roller, the executive director of the National Housing Law Project. On Wednesday, even as Mr. Carson was promoting the plan, department officials acknowledged that it would probably be superseded by a somewhat scaled-back set of rent increases and work requirement proposals House Republicans plan to unveil next month. And the new plan stands little chance of being passed in the Senate, where moderate Republicans like Senator Susan Collins of Maine are likely to reject it. Rudolph W. Giuliani, the new head of President Trumps legal team, met with the special counsels office on Tuesday as he tries to expedite the end of the far-flung inquiry into possible collusion between the 2016 Trump campaign and Russian officials, three people familiar with the meeting said. Mr. Giuliani declined to confirm whether a meeting took place. But the three people briefed on the sit-down the first since the former New York City mayor joined the legal team last week described it as a productive effort to reopen negotiations over a possible interview that the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, is seeking with the president. News of the meeting was first reported by The Washington Post. In an interview, Mr. Giuliani said that his goal in the coming days was to find out where Mr. Mueller stands, particularly as it relates to the credibility of James B. Comey, the F.B.I. director whom the president fired in April 2017. Mr. Comey has been interviewed by Mr. Mueller, and he has been deeply, personally critical of the president in his media tour promoting his new memoir. At this stage of an investigation, itd be highly unusual to let an ordinary client testify, Mr. Giuliani said. However, he added, This isnt an ordinary client. This is the president of the United States. Given the context, the positive relationship Mr. West enjoys with Mr. Trump is glaring, particularly because Mr. West has been vocal about how past presidents handled relations with African-Americans. Mr. West once accused President George W. Bush on live television of not caring about black people, and he openly criticized President Barack Obama, who repeatedly called the rapper a jackass. Mr. Trump, who has used vulgar language to disparage a number of majority-black communities and countries, has not been the subject of Mr. Wests critiques. Mr. West has long appeared to be fascinated with the possibilities of the presidential platform: In 2015, he seemed to enjoy provoking the public into believing he was interested in a 2020 run. And in December 2016, after he was hospitalized for a psychiatric emergency, Mr. West visited Mr. Trump, then the president-elect, at Trump Tower in Manhattan. Hope Hicks, Mr. Trumps spokeswoman at the time, said Mr. West had requested the meeting. On Wednesday, the White House had no further details on whether the two had been in regular contact since then. Weve been friends for a long time, Mr. Trump told reporters after the Trump Tower meeting. Asked what he and Mr. West talked about, Mr. Trump responded: Life. We discussed life. The bond between the two and speculation over Mr. Wests mental health apparently alarmed his wife, Kim Kardashian West, who was a vocal supporter of the Clinton campaign and has openly criticized Mr. Trumps handling of major events, including hurricane response in Puerto Rico. Republicans have urged the president to drop many of his signature proposals for revising the deal, including adding a sunset clause that would allow Nafta to automatically expire, and getting rid of investment rules that the administration says promote outsourcing to other nations. Democrats, for their part, have urged the president to incorporate tougher provisions on labor rights in Mexico. Canadian and Mexican negotiators say that the quickest path to reaching an agreement is for the United States to abandon some of its most controversial proposals, which major business and farmers also oppose. In recent weeks, Mr. Lighthizer has told members of Congress that he could take a more aggressive and potentially painful approach to ensure that the presidents deal is passed. He has warned congressional Republicans about the possibility of withdrawing from Nafta altogether if they refuse to vote for it which, until recently, the Trump administration had used to force concessions from Canada and Mexico. Those warnings have not been well received among congressional Republicans. Farm and border-state Republicans are already deeply unsettled by the presidents tariff threats on China, which has resulted in a tit-for-tat by Beijing that would hurt exports from their communities, including agricultural products like soybeans, pork and wheat. They would probably rebel if he moved to undermine Nafta, which has become a crucial economic engine for those states. But Mr. Trump has frequently mused about ripping up Nafta without actually following through so many lawmakers are reluctant to panic just yet. Some have urged the president to move prudently, reminding him how many of his voters live in agriculture states, but more of them are reluctant to confront him and simply hope he backs off those threats as he has on other issues. Senator John Cornyn, Republican of Texas and majority whip, made clear that the Senate would not simply rubber-stamp any deal that Mr. Trumps trade team strikes and lamented that the administration had kept lawmakers largely in the dark. I regret that the administration has not been communicating very well what they are negotiating and I hope they come up with something that we can pass out of here, because I think Nafta is pretty important, Mr. Cornyn said. Mr. Sessions also demurred when asked whether he would quit if the president or his allies fired Rod J. Rosenstein, the deputy attorney general, who oversees the special counsel investigation. The question calls for speculation, Mr. Sessions said. I am not able to do that. In stepping aside, Mr. Sessions cited his support for Mr. Trump during the presidential race as a potential conflict and said he was following Justice Department guidelines. But the president, who has said he viewed Mr. Sessions as a protector in his role as attorney general, has chafed about it since. The recusal helped lead to the appointment of the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III. Mr. Sessionss rare appearance on Capitol Hill came at a fraught time for the Justice Departments top officials. After F.B.I. agents raided the office, home and hotel room of Mr. Cohen this month, the president and his allies in Congress ramped up their attacks on the department and its leaders. Mr. Trump expressed regret that he chose Mr. Sessions as his attorney general, saying Mr. Sessions made a very terrible mistake in recusing himself. And House Republican leaders allied with Mr. Trump began making more onerous demands of Mr. Rosenstein for new versions of documents related to ongoing investigations, a move Democrats said was aimed at firing Mr. Rosenstein and undermining the Russia investigation. When asked by Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont, the senior Democrat on the Appropriations Committee, whether he had recused himself from the Cohen investigation, Mr. Sessions said it was against Justice Department policy to discuss the matter because he could inadvertently reveal the existence, scope or breadth or nature of a matter that would be inappropriate. WASHINGTON Two back-to-back court developments this week indicate a possible road map for President Trump through the minefield of legal resistance he has faced as judges across the country have blocked much of his hard-line immigration agenda. On Tuesday, a federal judge ruled in favor of an Obama-era immigration program but offered Mr. Trump the chance for a do-over, giving the president 90 days to provide a stronger legal justification to shut down the program, known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, which protects young immigrants from deportation. On Wednesday, in a separate case involving Mr. Trumps efforts to ban travel from several predominantly Muslim countries, the Supreme Court strongly signaled that the administrations third try at the issue would work. Questions by the justices indicated that they would most likely back Mr. Trumps revised effort to assert executive authority over the border with extreme vetting. The judiciary has historically given presidents wide latitude to limit immigration, enforce the countrys borders and manage national security. Now, after a year and a half of deep skepticism about Mr. Trumps immigration policies, legal experts said the courts are effectively saying that Mr. Trump can earn that kind of latitude if he goes about it the right way. Mr. Batsh told friends in Malaysia that he had narrowly avoided an attempt on his life while still living in Gaza. In 2014, his uncle, Tayseer al-Batsh, the Gaza police chief, was nearly killed by Israeli airstrikes. Eighteen members of the Batsh family died in those raids. But Mr. Batsh did not dwell on his familys tragedy, his friends in Malaysia said, though he wrote social media posts criticizing Israel over the conflict with Gaza. Most everyone in Gaza has lost a member of the family, said Hafidzi Mohammed Noor, chairman of Humanitarian Care Malaysia, a charity that provides humanitarian assistance to Gaza. For him, for all the Palestinians here in Malaysia, this is normal. Over the weekend, a mourning tent was set up in the Jabaliya refugee camp in Gaza, where Mr. Batsh grew up. Ten masked members of the Qassam Brigades, Hamass armed wing, were stationed in front of the tent, a positioning that usually denotes the death of a top fighter. Banners hung in the tent described Mr. Batsh as an engineer commander for the Qassam Brigades and our martyr to God. Another relative of Mr. Batshs was said by family members to be a commander in Islamic Jihad, a separate militant group that operates in Gaza. On the day he was killed, Mr. Batsh was supposed to travel to Istanbul to attend an academic conference. One Middle Eastern intelligence official, however, said that Hamass efforts to cultivate its scientists living abroad were directed from Istanbul, and that Mr. Batsh was scheduled to meet with the head of the unit, Maher Salah, upon arrival in Turkey. Western and Middle Eastern intelligence officials said that Mr. Batsh may have been involved in negotiating North Korean arms deals through Malaysia. Egypt recently seized a shipment of North Korean communications components used for guided munitions destined for Gaza, they said. One intelligence official said that Mr. Batsh had helped mediate the deal. Although such weapons are under international sanctions, the United Nations said in a report last year that a shell company run by North Koreas intelligence agency had been hawking military-grade communications systems from Malaysia. Our guide to stand-up, improv and variety shows happening this weekend and in the week ahead. THE BIODIVERSITY JAM at Caveat (April 28, 9:30 p.m.). David Attenborough fans, rejoice: The comedy writer Karen Chee, whose work you may have seen in The New Yorker or McSweeneys, is hosting this zoologically themed night of laughs. Bowen Yang, Larry Owens, Josh Gondelman, Ariel Dumas, X Mayo and Conler Mandt will be introducing the audience to some out-there animals. Were told to expect the worlds ugliest animal what creature could it possibly be? Find out. 212-228-2100, caveat.nyc COMEDYJUICE at Gotham Comedy Club (May 1, 9:30 p.m.). This series, which regularly takes place on both the East and West Coasts, is a consistently reliable bet for those comedy aficionados who want to catch up-and-comers before theyve signed their big-time sitcom or movie deals. This installment, however, features some familiar faces: Ronny Chieng, a senior correspondent on The Daily Show With Trevor Noah, will be joined by Judah Friedlander, who played Frank Rossitano on the NBC sitcom 30 Rock and whose Netflix special, America Is the Greatest Country in the United States, dropped late last year. 212-367-9000, gothamcomedyclub.com Is the New York art gallery scene thriving or dying? It may be doing both, depending on where you look. Blue-chip galleries are expanding, and a surprising number of international galleries are opening here, too, mostly on the Upper East Side. (Not to mention the prosperous art fairs arriving next week, including Frieze New York, TEFAF and the 1-54 International Contemporary African Art Fair. And theyll be followed by the big May auctions.) But many midsize and small galleries are in survival mode, facing rising rents. There have been regrettable closings; this week, for example, that of Real Fine Arts, a pioneering Brooklyn space. Yet other midsize and small galleries persist. And good thing, too: Theyre crucial as discoverers of new talent. Art fairs and auctions notwithstanding, they also help develop new collectors, those with independent taste and a sense of risk-taking. Even for occasional visitors, these intimate arenas can open new worlds. It can seem like the city is breaking out in galleries. There is now a Chinatown gallery district and one in East Chelsea/NoMad may be in the offing. My fellow critics and I have fanned out to take the pulse of the scene, producing one of the best, most evenly distributed gallery roundups in quite a while. ROBERTA SMITH BORTOLAMI through May 5; 39 Walker Street, bortolamigallery.com. When the shrewd Italian gallerist Stefania Bortolami relocated from Chelsea to Walker Street last spring, she ratified the emergence of this dowdy north TriBeCa street as an art world thoroughfare. Nicolas Guagnini, an artist on her roster, has curated a cerebral group show, Human Applause, whose artists imbue repeated forms with humanistic qualities. Sitting on a gridded bench by Superstudio, the radical Italian architecture firm, is an iPad looping a video by the Venezuelan painter Eugenio Espinosa, performing with a gridded fabric; a painting of repeated amoeboid forms by Claude Viallat, the grand man of the French movement Supports/Surfaces, continues the play between repetition and creation. (Opening this weekend here is a second show of chopped-and-screwed landscapes by the Brazilian painter Marina Rheingantz.) TriBeCa ARTISTS SPACE through May 6; 55 Walker Street, artistsspace.org. It hasnt yet moved into its new permanent home on White Street, but this enduring nonprofit, led now by Jay Sanders, the Whitneys performance alumnus, is doing what it does best from its Walker Street rental: essential shows by emerging artists and by historical figures too little celebrated. The Chicago painter Miyoko Ito (1918-1983), who was born in Berkeley and interned during World War II, is one of the latter: her strange abstract paintings, informed as much by Giorgio Morandis sallow still lifes as by the legacy of Surrealism, come as a revelation. In a palette of chartreuse, ocher, cinnamon and gamboge, Ito overlaid uncommon shapes, such as a rectangle rounded and pinched at the top like a loaf of Wonder Bread, into compositions of preternatural calm. Galleries, small and midsize, are having a rough ride. Rents keep climbing. So do art-fair fees. And certain people who might help pay the gallery bills collectors, big-museum curators keep not showing up except at a handful of spaces with social cachet and publicity machines. Plus, a sizable portion of the art audience has taken to doing its looking online, raising the question: Why have physical galleries at all? Because theyre the only places where you truly see new work, experience it. Scale, texture, light, air, mood; all that changes when youre physically present, shifting positions, moving in close, backing away, hearing noise from the street. Most of the galleries on the Lower East Side are still storefront-size, scaled for shopping, and open on Sundays. They put you in intimate contact with objects, sensations and ideas so you can examine them, stay with them, make them your own. 17ESSEX through May 26; 17 Essex Street, 17essex.info. This is one of the neighborhoods smaller spaces, but it holds a big conceptual world in a project by Ala Younis. Born in Kuwait, she contributed an outstanding installation to the Guggenheims 2016 show of new art from the Middle East, a piece called Plan for Greater Baghdad, which featured the contributions of Western starchitects Walter Gropius, Le Corbusier and Frank Lloyd Wright to the creation of the city. In an update at 17Essex, Ms. Younis focuses on the work of women in the realization of that plan. The cast of players is formidable, from major architects like Ellen Jawdat, Wijdan Maher and Zaha Hadid to Balkis Shararah, who smuggled research material into Abu Ghraib prison when her architect-husband, Rifat Chadirji, who rebuilt Baghdad after Iraqs 1958 revolution, was jailed there, to help him complete a book. Ms. Youniss show is formally spare and compressed. The story it tells is huge. The comedian Pete Holmes grew up a dedicated Christian, and his spirituality is something he draws on often in his stand-up material and his HBO show, Crashing, which was recently renewed for a third season. Hes also currently writing a book about his experience with faith. So its not surprising that at Mr. Holmess house which he calls a bungalow in East Los Angeles, the walls emphasize both his spiritual and cerebral worldview. There is a photograph of the eminent writer on mythology Joseph Campbell, who died in 1987, and who, Mr. Holmes said, redefined God for me. He also commissioned a print of lyrics to the Avett Brothers Salvation Song, and a quotation from Ram Dass, the spiritual and counterculture leader, about self-judgment. It reads in part, When you go out into the woods and you look at trees, you see all these different trees. And some of them are bent, and some of them are straight, and some of them are evergreens. And so I practice turning people into trees. Which means appreciating them just the way they are. LOS ANGELES PHILHARMONIC at David Geffen Hall (April 27, 8 p.m.; April 29, 3 p.m.). My colleague Zachary Woolfe has declared that while the Cleveland Orchestra is the best in America, the Los Angeles Philharmonic is the most important, not least for the daring of its programming and the capaciousness of its vision for what an orchestra can and should be. Only parts of that vision make it to New York for this stop on the ensembles tour, but theres still much to look forward to. On Friday, Shostakovichs Symphony No. 5 is prefaced by Vareses Ameriques and a new piece by Esa-Pekka Salonen, Pollux; for Sundays matinee, Bernsteins Chichester Psalms introduces Beethovens Symphony No. 9. Gustavo Dudamel conducts. 212-721-6500, lincolncenter.org NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC at David Geffen Hall (May 3, 7:30 p.m., through May 8). He may have been beaten to the music directorship by Jaap van Zweden, or so rumor has it, but Manfred Honeck remains the finest musician mounting the Philharmonics podium on a regular basis. His concerts have been some of the orchestras finest in the past few years. He conducts selections from Tchaikovskys Sleeping Beauty, his own Rusalka Fantasy a suite arranged from Dvoraks opera with the aid of Thomas Ille and Sibeliuss Violin Concerto. Nikolaj Znaider, who plays the Sibelius with cold fire, is the soloist. 212-875-5656, nyphil.org NOVUS NY at Trinity Wall Street (May 3, 1 p.m.). Trust Julian Wachner, who has turned Trinity Wall Street into a musical powerhouse, to take an unusually interesting approach to an anniversary that has dominated so much of the classical music season, that of Leonard Bernsteins 100th birthday. Throughout this series, Total Embrace, the free concerts have included music by Bernstein himself, music he was associated with as a conductor, music by other composer-conductors and new music by composers working today. This Thursday, see the premiere of Mr. Wachners Epistle Mass, as well as Mahlers Kindertotenlieder, sung by Stephen Salters. 212-602-0800, trinitywallstreet.org/music-arts MAURIZIO POLLINI at Carnegie Hall (April 29, 2 p.m.). Detractors lament Mr. Pollinis loss of dexterity and technical accomplishment in his eighth decade, but they tend to think that precision is all he ever had. Those who think that view wrong, as I do, would be wise to hear this pianist at every opportunity. Chopin and Debussy make up the bill. 212-247-7800, carnegiehall.org The Italian conductor Gianandrea Noseda, whose American career has taken off in recent years with his appointment as music director of the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington and with high-profile performances at the Metropolitan Opera, announced on Thursday that he was leaving the Teatro Regio Torino, the Italian opera house he has helped restore to prominence over the past decade. It was the latest instance of a renowned Italian conductor finding disharmony at an Italian opera house: In 2005, Riccardo Muti resigned from the Teatro alla Scala in Milan. Mr. Noseda, 54, said in a statement that he had been told that the Teatro Regio, which has been going through administrative upheaval this year, had canceled its planned tour of the United States next spring, which would have taken it to Carnegie Hall, Chicago and Washington. Carnegie confirmed that the Teatro Regio had informed it that the company was canceling its United States tour. The Teatro Regio appointed a new superintendent, William Graziosi, this week, which means Mr. Noseda would have had to reapply to keep his post as music director, the position he has held since 2007. Instead, he took his name out of contention, calling the theaters recent actions disappointing and disheartening. Our guide to pop and rock shows and the best of live jazz happening this weekend and in the week ahead. Pop & Rock ABRA at 31st Street and 10th Avenue (May 3, 7 p.m.). Theres big money behind the Shed, an ambitious new arts center opening next year near the High Line. Former Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, for one, has given at least $75 million to the project. You can preview the Sheds philosophy at a series of free concerts starting in the coming week at a lot near the future site, including this show by the Atlanta-based songwriter Abra, whose sound blends post-punk, R&B and electronics. While many R.S.V.P. spots have already been claimed, more are expected to be made available as the date approaches. theshed.org DREAM WIFE at Rough Trade NYC (May 1, 8:30 p.m.). Formed in 2015 at a British art school, Dream Wife play streamlined rock n roll with an energy thats anything but academic. Their recent self-titled debut LP is a treat for anyone who wishes the Strokes and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs still sounded like they did in the early 2000s. And while this sort of music sounds great on record, its virtually guaranteed to be exponentially more fun in a club setting. 888-929-7849, roughtradenyc.com ELEANOR FRIEDBERGER at Bowery Ballroom (May 1, 9 p.m.). On such superb solo albums as Personal Record (2013) and New View (2016) not to mention the excellently weird music she made in the 2000s as half of the Fiery Furnaces Eleanor Friedberger has set herself apart as one of indie rocks sharpest narrators. With Rebound, her fourth solo LP, Ms. Friedberger swerves toward New Romantic balladry, with echoes of the 80s goth disco in Greece that gave the album its name. 877-987-6487, mercuryeastpresents.com/boweryballroom This is Andrea Constand, the woman whose sexual assault complaint against Bill Cosby brought down the man once known as Americas dad. Finally, we can say: Women are believed. And not only on #MeToo, but in a court of law. Shes the only woman among more than 50 others whose case against Cosby has resulted in a conviction. I feel like my faith in humanity is restored. Constand and Cosbys story started more than 15 years ago in Philadelphia. She was 29 years old at the time, and worked for the womens basketball team at Temple University. Cosby was the universitys most famous alum and a trustee. They met at a basketball game in 2002. Constand grew up in Toronto, Canada. She was a star high school basketball player and had dreams of playing professionally. Over the next two years, the pair had a friendly relationship. In 2004, Constand says Cosby assaulted her at his Pennsylvania mansion after giving her three pills that left her frozen. He claims the sex was consensual. The pills, he later said, were Benadryl. Constand reported the attack to the police a year later, but prosecutors decided not to charge Cosby at the time. She later filed a civil suit and got a settlement of over $3 million. Cosbys defense team used that to paint her her as a scheming former lover. Andrea Constand made up these fantastical stories in order to get rich. A criminal investigation was reopened in 2015. Were here because we want to seek the truth. At this point, more than 50 women had come forward with similar accusations of sexual misconduct. Many of these cases happened outside the 12-year statute of limitations. So Constand became the lone accuser who brought criminal charges. The jury came to their decision in just two days. We dont think Mr. Cosby is guilty of anything. And the fight is not over. Bobby Kennedy for President, a four-part documentary coming out shortly before the 50th anniversary of Robert F. Kennedys assassination, sounds like a departure for Netflix. The streaming services lineup of original documentary series has been dominated by variations on true crime, with the occasional side trip into environmental scandal or cooking. A comprehensive survey of a major historical figure would be something new. So maybe its not surprising that the series, directed by Dawn Porter (Trapped, Spies of Mississippi) and available on Friday, is an odd hybrid a conventional, public-television-style biographical documentary that veers, in its fourth hour, into the sort of true-crime investigation Netflix is known for. Then at the last minute it swerves again, with a jarringly sentimental reunion and visit to the scene of the killing thats straight out of the feel-good branch of reality TV. Throughout, Bobby Kennedy for President provides information and sometimes fascinating film clips without ever giving us much of a sense of its subject, who remains a Don Draper-like cipher. Outside of the third hour, which covers the 1968 presidential campaign, hes a supporting player in the dramas of other people: his brother John, Joseph McCarthy, George Wallace, Martin Luther King Jr., Lyndon Johnson. The series often looks like a general social and political history of the 1960s thats only loosely tied to Kennedy. He even gets elbowed aside by the former colleagues, friends and aides who make up the shows relatively small stable of interview subjects. Activists like the congressman John Lewis, Marian Wright Edelman and Dolores Huerta relate their experiences with Kennedy while we see them with him in the archival photos and film, looking like their glamorous younger selves. Paul Schrade, an adviser to Kennedy on labor affairs who was wounded during the assassination, becomes the centerpiece of the fourth episode because of his decades-long effort to prove that a second shooter, not Sirhan Sirhan, killed Kennedy. Welcome to Best of Late Night, a rundown of the previous nights highlights that lets you sleep and lets us get paid to watch comedy. If youre interested in hearing from The Times regularly about great TV, sign up for our Watching newsletter and get recommendations straight to your inbox. He Belongs at the White House Stephen Colbert and other late-night hosts chewed over the most recent allegations against Dr. Ronny Jackson, the Trump administrations pick to lead the Veterans Affairs Department. The Tribeca Film Festival is known for its crowd-pleasing programming. The crosstown New York Film Festival has an illustrious history of highlighting foreign and art films. But on Thursday, the two institutions seemed to align when Tribeca gave its top award, for best narrative feature, to Kent Jones, the director of both the New York Film Festival and the drama Diane. Mr. Jones, whose forays into filmmaking have included documentaries like Hitchcock/Truffaut, also won for best American narrative screenplay. Diane tells the story of a woman (Mary Kay Place) dealing with a dying cousin and an addicted son (played by Jake Lacy). The festival also handed out acting awards to Jeffrey Wright, who stars in O.G. as an inmate about to be released after 24 years in prison, and Alia Shawkat, as one half of a couple determined to spend 24 uninterrupted hours together in Duck Butter. Other winners at the Tribeca festival included: Gabrielle Brady, best documentary feature, for Island of the Hungry Ghosts, which examines the refugee crisis against the backdrop of Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean. Marios Piperides, best international narrative feature, for Smuggling Hendrix, the tale of a musician in Cyprus who has lost his dog, Jimi, on the Turkish side of the island. Shawn Snyder, best new narrative director, for To Dust, a comedy revolving around a Hasidic cantor and a biology professor. Dava Whisenant, best new documentary director, for Bathtubs Over Broadway, which dives into the world of industrial musicals, revues that involved Broadway talent but played at corporate meetings. FAITH A Journey for All By Jimmy Carter 179 pp. Simon & Schuster. $25.99. When Billy Graham died recently, we were treated to a roll call of presidents whom Graham had visited in the White House to impart the kind of cheap-grace blessing only he could dispense. One name was missing from this list: Jimmy Carter. How could that be? Here was our putatively most religious president and the nations premier relayer of endorsements from God. But Graham was not invited precisely because Carter was our most religious president a proud Baptist who followed in the tradition of Roger Williams, the man who created the first Baptist church in America and believed in the strict separation of church and state. Many have expressed surprise that evangelicals voted last year in overwhelming numbers for our arguably least religious president. There is no reason for surprise. The religious right has long been not a religion but an ideology. This was proved during Carters presidency. Some think Carter brought religion into politics. That was so only in the sense that Obama brought racism into the White House that is, he did it only by way of a backlash from racists so stunned by the presence of a black man there that they loved and still love Trump for saying Obamas presidency was illegitimate. The backlash under Carter was similar, orchestrated by Jerry Falwell, who founded the Moral Majority in 1979 to get Carter out of the White House two-thirds of Falwells supporters voted for Reagan in 1980. When Carter was visited by a high official of the Southern Baptist Convention, the man told him, We are praying, Mr. President, that you will abandon secular humanism as your religion. Two errors lurked in that sentence and its presumption that secular humanism is a religion, and that the Southern Baptists religion is a religion. Carter had shocked them by upholding the cancellation of Bob Jones Universitys tax exemption (more influence of Roger Williams), supporting the Equal Rights Amendment, calling for a Palestinian homeland and holding a White House Conference on the Families where abortion, contraception, gay rights, divorce and other important social issues were openly discussed. In the ideology that the right thinks is a religion, the sin of sins is abortion, though that is not a subject mentioned in the Torah, or the Gospel, or the early church creeds and councils. Even the Catholic Church sees this not as a theological issue but as a matter of natural law, more a subject for philosophers, psychiatrists and scientists than for preachers as such. But science is evil in the rightists ideology: Scientists invent nonexistent things like evolution and global warming. The ideology also holds that guns are the very essence of government. Regulate guns in any way and we lose justice, liberty and comity, crushed by an instant tyranny. The ideology also insists that women should be subordinate to men, blacks to whites, and experts to the common man. Melissa Broder wanted to meet underneath the fiberglass whale. I am #dtw (down to whale), the 38-year-old writer wrote, suggesting a rendezvous in the Hall of Ocean Life, at the American Museum of Natural History in Manhattan. She thought being surrounded by ancient marine specimens might be generative when it came to discussing her new novel, The Pisces. The book, due out May 1, tells the story of a catatonically depressed woman named Lucy, also 38, who slumps around modern-day Venice Beach, Calif., aimless and alone. Unable to complete her dissertation on Sappho and dazed after a messy breakup, Lucy agrees to dog-sit for her sister who lives near the beach, hoping the brackish Pacific breeze might enliven her spirits. Instead, she gets the itch to toss herself into the ocean. One night, she crawls onto a jagged rock jutting out into the sea foam, but before she can jump into the waves, she meets a comely young surfer. His name is Theo, and soon the two are meeting regularly under the stars she on the rock, he always bobbing in the ocean. Lucy begins to wonder why she has never seen him out of the water, or even from the waist down. Then, the truth emerges: Theo is a merman. Yes, an actual merman, with flippers, who has been alive for centuries. The love between a human woman and a sea-bound man echoes the plotline of the recent Oscar-winning film The Shape of Water, but Ms. Broder infuses her narrative with a sardonic, youthful twist. It made sense, then, that Ms. Broder would want to meet underneath a gargantuan sea creature as she was passing through town. She currently lives in Los Angeles with her husband and a rescue dog named Pickle but she was determined for us to have an oceanic adventure. Unfortunately, we could only view the leviathan from behind a velvet rope at the museum, as a private event was in progress. As we walked through the beige hallways filled with artifacts, Ms. Broders sense of humor began to emerge. At least you can say we got whale adjacent, she said, as we strolled through the dioramas of African mammals. (Want to get this briefing by email? Heres the sign-up.) Good morning. Heres what you need to know: V.A. nominee is out The White House withdrew the nomination of Dr. Ronny Jackson to lead the Veterans Affairs Department this morning, after a series of accusations against him. Unfortunately, because of how Washington works, these false allegations have become a distraction for this president and the important issue we must be addressing how we give the best care to our nations heroes, Dr. Jackson said in a statement provided by the White House press office. The accusations included a hostile work environment, the improper dispensing of prescription drugs to White House staff members and reporters during official travel, and intoxication while traveling with the president. A map for a minefield President Trumps hard-line immigration agenda has faced numerous legal challenges, but two court developments this week indicate a path forward. Our compensation model is just one element of our approach to producing the quality that we want our brand to represent, said Faiza J. Saeed, the firms presiding partner, when we spoke this week. It incentivizes partners to invest in the training and development of our people and aligns partner and client interests by encouraging partners to collaborate and deliver the full expertise of the firm. Needless to say, it also relieves the pressure on partners to meet annual billing targets. Ms. Saeed conceded that the lockstep-compensation system removes a powerful lever of management control. It puts a high premium on partner selection and development, and requires attention to ensure that partners uphold all aspects of the social compact, not just in terms of their contribution but also in how they reflect the values of the partnership. A desire to change the Cravath system and the resulting internal friction was a factor in some of the recent departures. Kirkland is the antithesis of Cravath when it comes to compensation, said Bruce MacEwen, president of Adam Smith, Esq., a consultant to law firms, who writes widely about their economics. Its very individualistic and competitive, with a very big spread between the highest- and lowest-paid partners. But Kirkland has a reputation for excellence that rivals Cravaths. There is no doubt that Kirkland, which has expanded rapidly from its Chicago headquarters, has been on a roll. The American Lawyers annual survey of the largest law firms measured by revenue shows that it took in $3.165 billion last year, displacing Latham & Watkins from the top spot an achievement Kirkland partners will celebrate next week at their annual retreat in Southern California Kirklands 19.4 percent growth rate in revenue last year compared with the previous year was the largest of any firm on The American Lawyers list. Although its traditional strength has been in private equity transactions a field it dominates it was also ranked first last year by the website Mergermarket in mergers and acquisitions, with 447 deals. Cravath has never aimed to be the biggest firm, in terms of revenue or number of lawyers. But it does put a premium on profitability. This year, Kirkland edged out Cravath on that count, too, with average profits per equity partner of $4.7 million, according to The American Lawyer. (The figures dont account for Cravaths gold-plated pension plan, which is among the most generous in the profession.) Kirkland has shaken up the profession and expanded its practice by poaching top partners not just from Cravath, but from other prominent, old-line firms, including Latham and Skadden Arps Meagher Slate & Flom. It has raided the venerable Simpson Thacher & Bartlett in New York for so many partners that one Kirkland partner, in a widely circulated email, referred to Simpson as Kirklands AAA farm club. HOUSTON As President Trump moves to recast trade and border relations with Mexico, American oil companies are worried that the prospective winner of Mexicos presidential election will play his own nationalist card. The leading candidate, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, wants to reverse policies that have tied a knot between Mexico and the United States in recent years in energy production and consumption. And he has promised to make sure that oil never falls back into the hands of foreigners. In addition to threatening refinery profits in the United States, his proposals could slow oil production in Texas and impede deepwater drilling in the Gulf of Mexico by international oil giants like Exxon Mobil and Chevron. They would also jeopardize the United States energy trade surplus with Mexico, which reached roughly $15 billion last year. Mr. Lopez Obrador, a former mayor of Mexico City with leftist leanings, has a comfortable lead in the polls ahead of the July 1 vote. He has moderated his tone since losing the presidential race six years ago, but he has proposed a sweeping reorientation of the nations energy policy with an emphasis on independence from the United States. Mr. Zuckerberg, would you be comfortable sharing with us the name of the hotel you stayed in last night? Um no. If youve messaged anybody this week, would you share with us the names of the people youve messaged? Senator, no, I would probably not choose to do that publicly here. I think that may be what this is all about. In 2015, we heard the report that this developer Aleksandr Kogan had sold data to Cambridge Analytica. Did you or senior leadership do an inquiry to find out who at Facebook had this information and did they not have a discussion about whether or not the users should be informed back in December of 2015? Senator, in retrospect, I think we clearly view it as a mistake that we didnt inform people. And we did that based on false information that we thought that the case was closed, and that the data had been deleted. So there was a decision made on that basis not to inform the users. Is that correct? Thats my understanding, yes. I assume Facebooks been served with subpoenas from the special counsel Muellers office. Is that correct? Yes. Actually, let me clarify that. I actually am not aware of a subpoena. I believe that there may be. But I know were working with them. Thank you. If I buy a Ford and it doesnt work well and I dont like it, I can buy a Chevy. If Im upset with Facebook, whats the equivalent product that I can go sign up for? The average American uses eight different apps O.K. to communicate with their friends and stay in touch with people O.K. ranging from text apps which is to email. Which is the same service you provide. Well, we provide a number of different services. Is Twitter the same as what you do? It overlaps with a portion of what we do. You dont think you have a monopoly? It certainly doesnt feel like that to me. O.K. [audience laughs] Do you need to look behind shell corporations in order to find out who is really behind the content thats being posted? And if you may need to look behind a shell corporation, how will you go about doing that? How will you get back to the true, what lawyers would call beneficial owner of the site that is putting out the political material? So what were going to do is require a valid government identity and were going to verify the location. So were going to do that, so that way someone sitting in Russia, for example, couldnt say that theyre in America and therefore able to run an election ad. But if they were running through a corporation domiciled in Delaware, you wouldnt know that they were actually a Russian owner. Senator, thats thats correct. It played to the room like an In Memoriam segment from the Oscars. The video which featured footage from more than three dozen Fox films, including All About Eve, Titanic, The Sound of Music, Avatar, The Grapes of Wrath, Alien and The Devil Wears Prada concluded by showing various versions of the towering 20th Century Fox logo over the years, accompanied by the studios signature trumpet fanfare. Continuing the end-of-an-era vibe, Chris Aronson, Foxs president of domestic distribution, then took the stage and rattled through the names of employees in some of the departments at Fox that are expected to be downsized after Disney completes its takeover. Antitrust regulators are currently scrutinizing the deal; Fox executives have said they expect approval by the middle of next year. Disney has not yet given many details about how it plans to operate 20th Century Fox, which was founded in 1935. It is assumed in Hollywood that Fox will sit beside Marvel, Lucasfilm and Pixar as a label inside Walt Disney Studios. Fox Searchlight, which specializes in art films and has been an Academy Awards powerhouse, will remain a separate brand. Ms. Snider, who is not expected to make the move to Disney, cited the recent success of Foxs The Greatest Showman when briefly referring to the acquisition in her speech on Thursday. What made these wines different? Of course, each producer has its own sensibilities and intents, which alone are often enough to account for differences. These three wines also had different grape compositions. The Benanti was 100 percent carricante, while the Graci was 70 percent carricante and 30 percent catarratto, a white grape found throughout Sicily, and the Aurora was 90 percent carricante and 10 percent minnella, a rare Sicilian white found almost exclusively on Etna. The combinations are all permitted by Etna Bianco rules, which require the wines to be at least 60 percent carricante, up to 40 percent catarratto and up to 15 percent minnella. A higher designation, Etna Bianco Superiore, requires a minimum of 80 percent carricante, and all the grapes must come from the Milo area on the east face of Etna, which is regarded as the best area for carricante. One reader, Dan Barron of New York, found the richness of the Graci far more to his taste than the Benanti, and wondered whether the catarratto in the Graci might have accounted for that. My guess is no. While its possible that the presence of catarratto added amplitude to the wine, I dont know of anybody around Etna who considers catarratto to be particularly desirable. Notably, Gracis higher-end Etna Bianco, Arcuria, is 100 percent carricante and is even more gorgeous, while Salvo Fotis superb Etna Bianco Superiore, Vigna di Milo, is likewise entirely carricante, as is Pietra Marina, Benantis Etna Bianco Superiore, one of Italys greatest whites. Many readers were able to find the Graci, and almost everybody seemed to find that the warmer the wine got, the better it was. This is a crucial point for enjoying good white wine. Cold masks nuances as it does flaws. When you get a glass of pinot grigio from the local bar, you want it as cold as possible so that you taste nothing. But for good whites, you want access to every subtlety. After a half-hour at room temperature, the wine grew exponentially in mouth-feel and floral aroma, said Smellis of Brooklyn, who drank a 2016 Etna Bianco from Murgo. Several people noted similarities between the Etna Biancos and Muscadet, while another cited assyrtiko from Santorini. The Muscadet, grown near the Atlantic mouth of the Loire in France, seems an apt comparison, and the assyrtiko, a little-known grape from a volcanic island in the Mediterranean, maybe even more so. As Ferguson of Princeton, N.J., said acutely of the Etna Bianco, You could taste the sea, but it was a warm Mediterranean, not the crisp Atlantic. Ms. Tulman grew up in Kazakhstan, where her family descendants of the Volga Germans invited to settle in Russia in the 18th century by Catherine the Great was relocated by Stalins edict during World War II. When she arrived in Brooklyn in 1996, her neighbors quickly discovered her culinary skills and began ordering her pelmeni for parties. With the help of her husband and two sons, Ms. Tulman opened two restaurants (one now under a new name and ownership, the other shuttered) and ran factories that supplied pelmeni and crepes to the tristate area. But after her death in 2012, her younger son, Eugene, grew disenchanted with how far the factories products had strayed from his mothers original cooking. At Ludas Dumplings, where he is the chef, Eugene pledged to follow his mothers precepts always use the freshest ingredients; mix everything by hand if not exactly her recipe. The dough, for example, is made with organic flour and is not as soft as with traditional pelmeni, he said; growing up in Sheepshead Bay, a historically Italian neighborhood, he fell in love with pasta and wanted the dumplings to have a texture closer to al dente. Of the six fillings available, the most robust and wintry in spirit is Siberian-style beef and pork, here grass-fed Angus beef shoulder and pastured pork butt, ground in-house and evenly split so neither lords over the other. One pierce, and the juices run. Five said they offer it, with a variety of provisos, offering comments like, If I was a patient, I want my doc to do everything. Dr. Daniel George, at Duke University, said he does not offer immunotherapy to every man who is dying of prostate cancer. But, he said, for those patients who want to do everything they possibly can, thats the group where we try checkpoint inhibitors, a type of immunotherapy. To the others the majority of his patients with metastatic prostate cancer he does not mention immunotherapy. We have to balance between hope and reality, he said. The most difficult conversation we have with patients is when we have to tell them that more treatment is actually hurting them more than the cancer. Dr. Daniel Petrylak, a prostate cancer specialist at Yale, said his inclination was to offer immunotherapy only to those rare patients whose tumors have a genetic marker indicating the immune system is trying to attack already an approved indication for prostate cancer, he noted. But this strategy gives him a rationale for trying the drugs on patients with other cancers. With the possibility of a dramatic and prolonged response, he said in an interview, how can you ethically deny this to patients? At the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, Dr. Christopher Sweeney said he petitions an insurance company to get an immunotherapy drug when the patient has a genetic marker predicting a possible response an indicator the drug might work even if there is as yet no clinical trial evidence that it will and is strong enough to tolerate the treatment. Trips abroad with the president can be grueling for staff and journalists alike. Long hours, with stops in multiple time zones, are often the norm. So it is not surprising that a political entourage might turn to Ambien, a sedative widely used as a sleep aid. Still, regulators and medical experts were taken aback by allegations that Dr. Ronny Jackson, personal physician to President Obama and President Trump, handed out the pills to White House staff and to reporters on such trips. The practice may have been accepted, but it is also illegal. You could be prosecuted, said Melvin Patterson, a spokesman for the Drug Enforcement Administration. Students came forth with personal anecdotes, passionate pleas and many questions in response to our Student Opinion prompt Does Your School Need More Money? ANA4D from YC CLIP is shocked by the state of the United States education system: I cant believe all of I read. I cant believe in the United States a country that a lot of people want to come to live here and to get better future, the school conditions are bad. How is possible this happen in this country? What happen with our leaders in each state? Why the relevant authorities ignore the situation of our schools? I was surprised with each descriptions, pictures and that teachers spend their own money from their own pockets for supply materials exceeding these over 1,000 dollars and when they have a low salary. That is impossible to believe. It is irrelevant to say that the government should prioritize spending money on education and they have to create a consistent method to support the majority of our schools, because in the future this will help to get better education for our children, furthermore, teachers will feel more passionate and focus on their students and their vocation and not to worry about books, pencils, school furniture, computers and other things. I think every school should have a significant budget to use for all of materials required every student. If my school had a bigger budget I think it should be spent on create diverse activities such as art, music, buying more books to motivate reading. At the same time, the schools can help parents to be involve in every school activity. Emilia Cordon from Wilmington, N.C., speaks from personal experience: My school cant afford a lot. Despite teachers low salaries, my school still cant afford basic needs like copies and books. Its been a while since the textbooks have been replaced, but just this year the school has implemented strict limits on teachers copies. Hearing these stories of teachers being on the edge of poverty really makes me angry. They are working in desolate conditions, being forced to pay upward of 1,000 of their own dollars a year on basic things they cant teach without. My mom is a teacher and thankfully has never suffered any of these extreme situations, but she still is underpaid in my opinion for a teacher with a masters degree and about 15 years of experience. The local governments need to hear these teachers and provide them with the fiscal support they need. I dont know enough about their budget to suggest a change, but there must be some government program that either is overpaid or just unnecessary. This should be a more discussed issue and at the forefront of local politics. Tanya Bolick from North Carolina says she would gladly give up a new gym and cafeteria at her school so others could have basic necessities: Wow! I knew the education systems all around were struggling but I did not think it was this bad. My school has been fortunate enough to be able to build a second gym, a new cafeteria, and will be replacing damaged floors in some rooms. While I think it absurd that we built a second gym instead of an auditorium or redoing the bathrooms or buying textbooks or anything else, it is evident that the fact we have the money is extraordinary. After reading the article and looking at pictures of water stained ceilings and ducked taped textbooks and bare library shelves it is obvious that schools all around need more funding. I would gladly give up my new gym to give these people furniture for their classrooms and textbooks and renovate their buildings. After reading the article it is clear that years teaching does not influence the amount one is paid; in fact I noticed that some younger teachers were getting paid more than more experienced teachers. I also noticed that the annual out-of-pocket expenses of teachers ranged anywhere from $300 to $2000, that is unacceptable; your job should only make you money not cost you money. David Russell builds bookshelves and paints his classroom, Beth Etzler furnished her whole room herself with her own money; these are all things the government should be doing, not the teachers. But Lisa4D from YC CLIP thinks American students should be grateful for what they have in comparison to other countries: When I was primary student in Japan, the Great East Japanese Earthquake occurred in our country. Our classes were broken and we lost almost all furniture and many textbooks at the time. After the happened, many schools had received donation from other parts of Japan or countries for restoration assistance following the Greatest East Japan Earthquake. Even we had received these supports, we had been taking classes without furniture during a year. Students and teachers were sitting down on school yard but we were very happy taking classes with all, even though we didnt have any textbooks and furniture.15,000 people were killed in the Earthquake and all students of my school was safe. Still now many people are living in temporary housing and some children dont go to school because the school have not rebuilt yet. I am sad about this article because some schools have bad conditions, but for me there are classes, furniture, and textbooks even though these are dirty and broken, it is fine. At least taking classes in dirty place is better than no place to take classes. They should broaden ones view. Tati Nadal from Houston responded to Lisa4D: While I agree entirely how America could have it much worse, only 2% of federal tax dollars go towards public education. Intercity schools take the worst hit due to living in an impoverished environment. In addition, living in that circumstance would deter ones perseverance and ambition. However, I agree with your claim that people should work hard, but it is not a reality most of the time. Once born into poverty, it is difficult to get out of it. Most inner city public schools also dont set up a path for their students to be able to go to college and get a degree to help them in their desired career path. Children born into poverty have a slim chance of having a professional degree. Instead, they have to settle for vocational or manual labor like construction workers, etc. Given this information, I pose a couple of questions: Why isnt the government giving more money to public schools? What percentage (if they raised government spending on education) should/ would be taken away from other areas of government spending? Is this morally right? Does medicare, benefits for veterans, and social security deserve less government money? What should it be spent on? This comment by Jonathan Wells from Houston, Tex., was easily the most popular earning a Readers Pick designation and starting off a flurry of responses: I found this article very interesting, but I think there are two unspoken issues related to this subject. First, teachers having tenure prevents school administrations from firing them for poor performance. This is largely because of teacher unions funding elections and paying politicians for pro-union laws. The other issue is that the government is spending a lot of money things that could be prevented by an excellent education. Well-educated people are less likely to smoke, well-educated people are less likely to drink, well-educated people are less likely to commit crimes. I wonder, could we spend more money in education, so that we would not have to spend so much on welfare? So if schools could get more money, where should it all go? Students had some suggestions. Like Melek BenAyed from Wichita, Kan., who says teachers should get a pay raise: The money that a school should first go to the teachers. If we look at countries with the best education today, they all share one thing in common, good pay to teachers. In my opinion, schools should add every single teachers paycheck a minimum of 10 grand. Teachers are the ones who raised past generations, raising my generation currently, and will raise even more to come. They HAVE to be rewarded. Andrew Covington from Concord, N.C., wants his county to fix his current school not spend millions on building a new one: Our school, (Concord High), definitely needs more money. Our school doesnt even compare to Hickory Ridge, Cox Mill, or JM Robinson. There are so many things that need to improve in this school. Half of the school is somewhat new while the other half is nearly 50 years old. This presents problems in multiple ways. The older half is very poorly designed and the flow of students is very bad. We have one of the smallest commons area that Ive seen leading people to stand in the hallway. Probably the most frustrating thing is that instead of improving our school or other schools in the district like ours, the county decides to build another school. This school will millions in which we could have used to greatly improve our struggling school. Unfortunately the best solution to this problem is to build a new concord high school. However, this probably wont happen for a while, despite the terrible school experience. And Keara Haynes from Concord thinks education dollars should go toward new technology: Education is broadening and developing therefore schools need to do so as well. Education is necessary for a person to be able to succeed in life. To get any well paying job, one needs education. New information is being discovered therefore new information needs to be taught and distributed so people and their knowledge can develop with the world that is also developing. Money can be used by schools to do so by purchasing things such as computers, new textbooks, new technology, or virtual accounts to aid in teaching (i.e. khan academy). Personally I think that schools should spend the money on technology such as computers or laptops. The world is turning into a very digital community and most information in online. Purchasing more technology for schools can give students and teachers access to this new and upcoming information. This then allows fro a better quality education for students who need education to succeed in life. AW from Texas and several others who replied to this comment wonders if being a teacher is a realistic career aspiration anymore: Growing up, I always wanted to be a teacher. Now that I am in high school, I face the struggle with choosing if education is the path I should take in college. Almost on the daily, when asked what I want to do after college, and answer become a teacher, the responses I get include but they make such little money, are you sure? and youre going to be poor, which is discouraging to say the least. I believe that governments should prioritize spending money on education. Getting an education is one of the most important things in a childs life to help them succeed. Teachers get paid very little even though they are basically shaping childrens lives. With a failing education system, we get children with less or false knowledge who dont know what is happening in the world now, or what happened in the past. The world and education today is not the same as textbooks from 10 years and beyond teach it is. _________ Stinging, salty waves crashed over the deck as frantic figures climbed on board. It was midnight in November, and we were 30 miles off the coast of Libya, where our small ship was quickly filling with scores of terrified, freezing refugees whom we had rescued from the chilly waters. I stepped over an elderly paraplegic man sprawled on the deck so I could wrap blankets around a teenage Egyptian boy battling hypothermia. His eyes rolled back in his head as he tried to stay awake. Doctor, my name is Rafiq, he told me in broken English. I am alone. I am 15 years old. If I die, please tell my family. I peeled his clothes from his clammy body and wrapped my arms around him to try to keep him warm. I felt his heartbeat flutter and wondered if he would make it until morning. Beside him, the paraplegic man searched in vain for his small knapsack, which he had lost during the rescue. Nearby, a Sudanese mother cradled a wailing, emaciated 40-day-old baby covered in lumpy skin lesions. These refugees, and others like them, risked everything to make this treacherous journey because the lives they left behind posed an even greater danger than the sea. The Syrian war has displaced millions who are desperately seeking an existence free from barrel bombs and chemical weapons. Others travel thousands of miles over land and water to escape poverty and authoritarian governments. Most of these migrants flow through Libya in the hope of making it to Italy by boat across the Mediterranean Sea since 2015, nearly half a million have reached the Italian coast. From there, many continue their travels into Europe. Ava, the first feature from the Iranian-Canadian filmmaker Sadaf Foroughi, is an exquisitely photographed train heading straight for a brick wall. Lurching relentlessly from one conflict to another, the movie distills its emotions and maintains its momentum in conversations of remarkably controlled intensity. Many of these exchanges are conducted over the head and behind the back of Ava (a strikingly resolute Mahour Jabbari), a strong-willed teenager in Tehran whose restricted life feels like a vise thats slowly closing. Bright and fearless, she mutinies gently against the predetermined path that her controlling mother (Bahar Noohian) and oppressive culture have set. Her desires are laughably harmless, studying music and spending time with her best friend, Melody (Shayesteh Sajadi), being the most pressing. The Egyptian director Tamer El Saids In the Last Days of the City opens in December 2009, well before the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak in early 2011. Yet it feels like a throwback to an even earlier era of art film in its pacing, in its interest in backdrops and in its willingness to risk being cryptic. It revolves around Khalid (Khalid Abdalla), a Cairo filmmaker in the process of making a movie about well, its not clear that he knows himself. Hes after an elusive essence. Theres something I cant capture in all this, he says. In the people on the street, in the crowds, in the noise. The South Central Los Angeles household overseen by Millie Dunbar (Halle Berry) in Kings is a super chaotic one. This single woman oversees eight foster children in her apartment. They are raucous and loud, which excites her already easily irritable neighbor Obie (Daniel Craig), a British man who stands out as one of the few white residents in the neighborhood. Every now and then Millie loses track of one of the older kids, the teenage Jesse (Lamar Johnson), a tenderhearted fellow who would just like for everybody to get along. One evening Jesse meets Nicole (Rachel Hilson), a witty, impish girl whos skipped out on school and gotten herself drunk; he rescues her from some potential miscreants in a parking lot. Their stories culminate as the city explodes after the verdicts in the Rodney King police assault trial. But Ms. Bell has indeed made Love & Bananas: An Elephant Story, which focuses on the dire plight of the Asian elephant. Its a personal movie, beginning with her 2013 visit to an elephant sanctuary in Thailand, at the invitation of a friend. Admitting that she, a longtime lover of elephants, was looking for a happy ending story, Ms. Bell was instead shocked as she flew over deforested areas where, she is told, poachers run rampant. The movie runs down some dispiriting statistics (there are less than 50,000 Asian elephants alive today), and is unsparing in showing the cruelty required to train an elephant to perform tricks and give rides to humans. Ms. Bell embarks on an elephant rescue with Sangdeaun Lek Chailert, the brave Thai conservationist. Adopting a nearly blind 70-year-old elephant from a rueful elephant-trek proprietor, they drive 500 miles to the sanctuary, where a new life is in store for the animal. Its a hard journey. The transformation of the elephant once it is at the sanctuary is remarkable. This film is, in many respects, a plain picture, but also a cleareyed, direct, fat-free one that has something to say and says it affectingly. Named after the Chicago neighborhood where it is set and was shot, the movie does not make the North Side area a character in and of itself. But the film is scrupulous in its portrayal of a multiethnic, largely progressive community. Its four central characters, two couples united by friendship and blood ties, are decent folk having a hard time finding serenity as middle age and its multiple discontents come breathing down their necks. Grace (Sara Sevigny), who runs a preschool, and her husband, Zeke (Antoine McKay), celebrate a wedding anniversary in the movies opening; their good time is spoiled by Graces brother, Chris (Jonny Mars), making a toast that turns into a rant. Chris, who has a chip on his shoulder (one thats too well supplemented by a man bun), is a one-time hot-shot novelist permanently stuck on his second book. His partner, Deena (Christine Horn), a local activist, is getting fed up with him fast. (While both couples are interracial, that doesnt exacerbate their troubles that we can see; the movie just depicts the unions as plain matters of fact.) At his class in Ecology and Photography: Sustainable New York, Joe Carrotta, 23, was so impressed that he followed Dr. Kopelman on a seasons worth of outings, despite a susceptibility to seasickness. His first trip out, he photographed for about 45 minutes before the tides got the best of him. On the way home he was pulled over for erratic driving and then treated at roadside for severe dehydration. After that, he discovered Dramamine. Was the yellow too vivid? The designers could hand-paint white accents, Ms. Sulla suggested, to soften the effect. Did one petal fall over the eyes? It could be pinned up. For a bolder statement? Mount the flower from the fascinator onto a wide-brimmed hat, dyed to match the outfit. Ms. Sulla pulled out a color chart to determine the dresss precise shade of blue. The showroom, on the 10th floor of a West 34th Street building, offers everything from practical straw hats to fantastical creations topped off with teapots or lobsters. Fascinators (decorative headpieces) start at $120, while more elaborate hats can go upward of $1,000. Every Moore creation, whether a custom order or part of a line slated for boutiques or the shops website, is made in the West 34th Street studio. Each hat is blocked over wooden forms, and smaller touches like cutting and stitching ribbon for the trim and hand-painting silk flowers, are also done on the premises. Ms. Moore, 52, has worked closely with racetracks for over a decade. The Kentucky Derby Museum displays one of her hats. Mary J. Blige wore a Moore when she sang the national anthem at the 2012 Derby. In 2009, Ms. Moore designed her smallest hat yet for the official 135th Kentucky Derby Barbie. According to the lawsuit, the female correction officer ran her hands over Ms. Reynosos breasts and genitalia, asked her to squat and violently inserted two fingers into her anus. She said she was menstruating at the time of the visit. They didnt care, Ms. Reynoso said. They wanted to see if drugs would fall out from my clothes. Ms. Reynoso is one of seven women interviewed by The New York Times who have filed lawsuits or notices of claim against the city alleging illegal searches conducted in violation of city policy. A review of these lawsuits and more than two dozen other court cases filed by visitors point to a similar pattern: The visitors said they signed a waiver for a routine pat-down, but instead, they said, they were taken to search rooms or bathrooms for full strip searches, some involving invasive cavity checks. The prevalence of strip searches of visitors in the citys jails, as detailed in lawsuits, was first reported last year in a joint investigation by The Intercept and WNYC. The search Ms. Reynoso described is prohibited in city jails. In state and federal prisons, strip searches of visitors are permitted with consent, but not cavity checks. In city jails, however, neither strip searches nor cavity checks of visitors are allowed, Department of Correction officials said. Theres no reason for it, no justification for a cavity search, period, said Martin Horn, who ran the citys correction department from 2003 to 2009 and is now a professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. I cant be anymore emphatic than that. Yet allegations of inappropriate searches of visitors are common enough to have prompted separate investigations by the Bronx district attorneys office and the New York City Department of Investigation during the last two years. Neither resulted in criminal charges. Q. How did doctors in New York do research on cadavers in the age before refrigeration and embalming fluids? A. After the American Revolution, a growing interest in the field of medicine and a shortage of legal cadavers led to a ghastly task: Medical students would sneak into cemeteries at night and, without permission, exhume the recently deceased. Victims usually came from either what is now known as the African Burial Ground or an adjacent potters field. Both were within walking distance of Columbia College, then the citys only medical school, which was at Park Place, near todays City Hall. But in April 1788, after desperate students began looting the graves of upper-class citizens, public outrage boiled over, leading to two days of anarchy often called the Doctors Riots. Mr. Hamill served as Copper Canyons editor for the next three decades, and his refined taste and painstaking translations of Asian poets like Du Fu, Wang Wei and Matsuo Basho helped ensure the companys success. Copper Canyon has since released hundreds of new books or fresh translations of work by, among others, the Nobel laureates Pablo Neruda, Rabindranath Tagore and Octavio Paz and the Pulitzer Prize winners Carolyn Kizer, Ted Kooser and W. S. Merwin. Image Mr. Hamill edited a 25th-anniversary poetry anthology for Copper Canyon Press, published in 1996. Credit... Copper Canyon Press Mr. Hamill was a prolific writer himself. He published several books of prose and 17 collections of lyric poetry. His work could be autobiographical and naturalistic, but he believed that verse should engage with the world. He grappled with political and social issues in poems like True Peace, about the Vietnamese Buddhist monk Thich Quang Duc, who burned himself to death in 1963 in a busy Saigon intersection to protest the persecution of Buddhists by the South Vietnamese government. It reads, in part: The master did not move, did not squirm, he did not scream in pain as his body was consumed. Neither child nor yet a man, I wondered to my Okinawan friend, what can it possibly mean to make such a sacrifice, to give ones life with such horror, but with dignity and conviction. How can any man endure such pain and never cry and never blink. And my friend said simply, Thich Quang Duc had achieved true peace. And I knew that night true peace for me would never come. Not for me, Nirvana. This suffering world is mine, mine to suffer in its grief. Mr. Hamill felt obligated to take action when he received an invitation in January 2003 to a White House symposium to be held by the first lady, Laura Bush, on the work of Emily Dickinson, Langston Hughes and Walt Whitman. Outraged by the Bush administrations proposed military campaign in Iraq, he sent an email to 50 friends and colleagues rejecting the invitation and asking them to submit protest poems to him. To the Editor: Re What Trump Is Learning From Singapore and Vice Versa (Opinion, March 29): Kirsten Hans article paints Singapore as an authoritarian paradise, where critics of the government are squelched and drug traffickers are hanged. However, more than 60 international media organizations are accredited in Singapore, and we debate issues vigorously, online and off. The New York Times, including Ms. Hans article, is available in print and online, as are all other online sites, except a few pornographic, jihadist and gambling ones. Singapore, like many other countries, is trying to deal with the spread of falsehoods online, which can undermine democracy and social cohesion. As a multiethnic, multireligious society, we cannot give bigotry free rein. Bushes were to win, but not brag; succeed, but not preen, Jon Meacham writes in his recent biography of the 41st president. Trump brags and preens through successes and failures alike. Bush had a capacity to laugh at himself. Trump does not. Bush had some money, and a lot of class. Trump has lots of money and no class. Bush is profoundly decent. Trump is profoundly not. [Receive the days most urgent debates right in your inbox by subscribing to the Opinion Today newsletter.] These contrasts dont mean that Bush was without blemish: As Meacham notes, there were political misjudgments and calculated concessions to ambition on the long path to power. Nor does it mean that Trump doesnt have his own kind of strengths, not the least of which is his loudly declared indifference to elite opinion. Yet the fact that personal virtue does not always guarantee political success or that private vice may often facilitate public achievement does not mean countries can afford to remain indifferent to questions of virtue and vice. Thats what some of Bill Clintons liberal defenders argued during the impeachment debates in the 1990s, and what Trumps defenders believe today. Theyre wrong. In an age of radical transparency, who the president is inevitably spills over into how hes seen. Jack Kennedy might have been all class in public and a complete cad in private, but he lived in an era when he could get away with it. Not anymore. Todays presidents will be judged on their behavior, which is why the Trump brand is proving so damaging to the G.O.P.s midterm prospects, despite the strength of the economy. Todays presidents also model behavior, and tell every presidential aspirant what will or wont work for them politically. The Mount News Center Featuring the extraordinary people, stories, and news of Mount St. Mary's University, America's oldest independent Catholic university. Members of the media looking for information about setting up interviews, finding faculty experts, or gaining access to campus for stories should contact Donna Klinger, Director of Public Relations and Communications, at 301-447-5657 or d.j.klinger@msmary.edu. Have a question, comment to share, or want to find a photo from this week's big event? Check out the Mount on our social media channels! With the implausibly low number of civilians that the Pentagon admits to killing in Iraq and Syria, the United States government has long been suffering a credibility gap. Untold before now, theres a fundamental flaw in the way the United States military screens claims of civilian casualties that surely deflates the total numbers. This flaw in accounting for civilian casualties is easily identifiable and highly correctable. And the failure to have fixed it by now means that the Pentagon is probably about to run into a problem on Capitol Hill. Congress, in a new statutory requirement, has called on the Pentagon to send a list of all United States military operations during the past year that were confirmed, or reasonably suspected, to have resulted in civilian casualties. That mandate is likely to bring the flaw into focus. Experts have long distrusted the Pentagons civilian casualty numbers. They point to a staggering discrepancy between official United States statistics and the findings of well-respected nongovernmental organizations like Airwars, which independently track civilian casualties following coalition airstrikes. An on-the-ground investigation, published in The New York Times Magazine late last year, sent reverberations throughout the Defense Department and among former United States officials. Investigative reporters who went to Iraq found that the actual number of strikes resulting in civilian casualties may be as much as 31 times higher than the coalitions data. Maybe these independent analyses are too high and the true numbers are somewhere in the middle. On the other hand, maybe the estimates of the independent organizations and investigative reporters, as they themselves will tell you, are too low, because of the conservative methods they used. Once a Marxist revolutionary who cultivated support from workers, progressive social movements and intellectuals, he has recently relied on tacit alliances with the business elite and conservative religious leaders. Until the current turmoil, the latter groups have supported and legitimized the regime in the name of social peace and economic stability. Nicaragua indeed has been one of the most stable countries in the region, relatively free of the gang violence and drugs that have plagued other Central American nations. The price, however, is just too high. Its unclear whether Mr. Ortega is now experiencing a terminal crisis as Anastasio Somoza Debayle did, or whether these protests are the beginning of the end. But he is certainly facing a new reality. Government repression of popular protests has killed more than 30 to date, including one journalist, Angel Gahona, whose murder like that of the ABC correspondent Bill Stewart in 1979 was horrifically captured on video and broadcast around the world. Weve seen this before. During the 20th century, three Somozas systematically violated human rights and used their state control to enrich themselves and their cronies. Despite the abuses, Nicaraguas traditional elite (the country is one of the poorest and most unequal in the hemisphere) mostly acquiesced to the dictatorship because it promised stability and implemented economic policies favorable to their interests. In exchange, the Somozas asked not to have their power challenged. To put it crudely, Somoza may well have used the following motto: Make yourselves rich, but stay out of politics. This model, which the current regime has studiously emulated, turned out to be a recipe for tragedy. The Somozas United States-backed military dictatorship did bring four decades of relative peace to a country with a long history of revolutions and civil wars. But that stability came at the price of closing all political avenues for change. Thus, when Nicaraguans decided that they had enough, they saw no other way out but the violent overthrow of the dictatorship. Confronted with an insurrectionary population, Mr. Somoza the last of his clan refused to resign, opting instead to hold on via brute force. In the run-up to his overthrow in July 1979, roughly 40,000 Nicaraguans lost their lives. Mr. Ortega, who was a leading figure in the Sandinista National Liberation Front, which overthrew Mr. Somoza, knows very well how this story ends. NEW HAVEN Tuesday was a huge day for online speech. Facebook finally released the internal rules that its moderators use to decide what kinds of user content to remove from the site, including once-mysterious details on what counts as graphic violence, hate speech or child exploitation. It also announced the introduction of an appeals process for users who want to challenge the removal of their posts. These developments represent a big step toward due process, which is essential on a site where so much of our speech now takes place. But an entity with such enormous power over online expression should do even more to listen to its users about what kinds of expression are allowed, and its users should be ready to be heard. Ideally, Facebook will eventually create a more robust system to respond to those who believe their posts were taken down in error, and to give its users the opportunity to weigh in on its policies. Over the past decade, Facebook has decided how and when to take down posts using two sets of rules: one public and one private. The public rules are the community standards that very generally describe bans on certain types of content like no graphic violence or no sexually explicit content. The second set of rules, used to guide moderators deciding whether to take down flagged material, remained secret, although training slides leaked in 2017 gave some insight into what they were. Thanks in part to some high-profile controversies over Facebooks removal of material or its failure to delete certain content fast enough awareness has spread that the company constantly makes choices about which kind of user speech is acceptable. For example, it was criticized for its removal of a famous photo of a girl running naked on a road after a napalm attack on her village in Vietnam. And there was an outcry over a video of a man being shot point-blank in the head, and the length of time it stayed on the site. I would prefer no Greek life to Greek life that continues to marginalize women and other groups. The purpose of higher education is to prepare the next generation to be engaged and democratic citizens. This is why most universities, even those that are private, receive public funding. And Title IX prohibits schools that get such funding from discriminating on the basis of sex. The organizations on these campuses should be held to the same standard. Despite the perception that critics of Greek life are attacking a way of life, it is quite possible to preserve what is good about the organizations fun with friends and a community based on common values while dispelling the bad. Implicit bias training could reduce the discrimination based on race and religion that has for years influenced determinations of which prospective members were the right fit, and providing financial aid for the expensive dues could bring in students who would otherwise find membership unaffordable. And sororities and fraternities should go coed. Greek organizations would not be the first single-sex college group to become coeducational. The eating clubs at Princeton were forced to go coed in the 90s and more recently, some Harvard final clubs have become open to all genders. This year at Yale, the Whiffenpoofs, an a cappella group, admitted the first female member in its 109-year history. But this change is not just about keeping up with the times. It is about resolving a division that disservices all students. Involvement in Greek life is about building deep friendships, and there is no reason those friendships should be limited by gender. Of course, there will be resistance, but this is not just about frats and sororities surviving in an increasingly diverse and open world; its about them living up to what they were meant to be in the first place. These communities should be based on common values and passions, not on common privileges of sexual orientation, race, religion or gender. Organizations chartered to uphold values of character, leadership and sincere friendship should not object to such a cause; in fact, they should be at its forefront. Mulvaney isnt just the budget director. He is also the interim director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the banking watchdog that the Obama administration and Elizabeth Warren created after the financial crisis. The bureau, often called the C.F.P.B., has had an impressive record since its founding, curtailing abusive lending practices by banks, among other things. Its helped level the playing field not all the way, to be sure between big, powerful companies and American families. But Mulvaney has set out to dismantle the C.F.P.B. He has, as The Times reports: frozen all new investigations and slowed down existing inquiries by requiring employees to produce detailed justifications and scaled back efforts to go after payday lenders, auto lenders and other financial services companies accused of preying on the vulnerable. On Tuesday, he took another step, telling gleeful banking executives that he was interested in shutting down a public database where people can lodge complaints against financial companies. Bureau officials had used the database to figure out when they needed to investigate a company and to gather evidence. Mulvaney dismissively referred to it as a Yelp for financial services sponsored by the federal government. Aaron Klein of the Brookings Institution told The Wall Street Journals Yuka Hayashi that the database was an incredibly important tool that empowers consumers. Finally, in the pettiest move of all, Mulvaney said he would change the order of the words in the bureaus name to the bulkier Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection. Administration officials acknowledged to The Times that the move was meant to diminish the agencys public profile. It also seems like an unsubtle attempt to erase the old C.F.P.B. from everyones memory. The whole episode fits a Trump administration pattern. In describing his behavior with lobbyists, Mulvaney did something outrageous and worthy of attention. And yet he also managed to divert attention from policies doing real damage to Americans. MS-13 is like a surrogate family. Members join for many reasons but mostly because they are vulnerable, marginalized and lacking any clear way to climb the social and economic ladder. What they find in the gang is a close-knit group that they think of as source of protection. MS-13 members call this cocoon el barrio. El barrio is part of a mythic notion that if you commit yourself to something that is bigger than yourself, you will be rewarded with respect, status and comrades who will have your back when someone from outside threatens you. El barrio is an ethos that can be evoked for good and for bad, including extreme violence, predatory criminal behavior and brutal forms of social control that have led to thousands of deaths in the United States and across Central America. Both the church and the gang are tightly knit social organizations, places where people find an alternative family that require deep emotional and time commitments. Church members address one another as brother and sister, and like gang members, they are expected to look out for one another, providing jobs, shelter and food when needed. Churches are also highly patriarchal. Many evangelical churches tackle the gang menace not just on a spiritual and an emotional level but also a practical one. They provide jobs and job contacts, informal child-care services, and access to health care. Perhaps most important, they monopolize their members time. Church services happen every night or nearly every night, coinciding with the hours when gang members are expected to hangear, as they like to say in Spanglish, with fellow gang members. This transition to religion suggests that we should devote an equal amount of resources and rhetoric to creating an alternative to MS-13s barrio, a space that nurtures youth rather than marginalizes, incarcerates and deports them. Safe spaces include religious institutions but could also include gang-free schools where at-risk youth get emotional as well as practical and financial support. While law enforcement will remain a necessary component in anti-gang strategy, commitment to these types of prevention and exit strategies is the only way to blunt the gangs influence over the long term. But these programs receive pennies compared to the recent law enforcement initiatives aimed at the gang. Dramatic as his breakdown in the church was, Mr. Derass slide from gang life happened over time, as he worked to integrate himself into his new religious community. It was also a while before Mr. Deras felt that he could tell the gang leaders he was going to church regularly. When he did, they didnt tell him to stop but rather, the opposite: embrace it, they said. As a conservative, the words strike, union not in my vocabulary. Our students deserve to have a fully funded education. I did vote for Trump. I consider myself a Bible-believing Christian. Ive always been a fan of fiscal conservatism. Ive always voted Republican, but now Im seeing firsthand what that gets us. The classrooms are falling apart. We have festering bathrooms. We have cockroaches. We have tattered textbooks. Teachers arent getting the resources that they need within the classroom. A wave of protests sweeping across the country, led by teachers who say the future of public education is at stake. Teachers and specifically public-school teachers really arent valued. I have to work 15 to 20 extra hours a week at McDonalds for minimum wage. Teaching is my calling. I love teaching music to children. Thats who I am. And people say, if you dont like the money, go do something else. I cant. Im 53 years old. Im doing what Im supposed to do. I know that I will have to work until the day I die. I wont be able to afford to ever be retired. Because of the way that the state has chosen to fund education for the last 15 years, its simply made it untenable for me to stay. Im not leaving teaching. I am leaving the state because of these issues. I dont believe its going to get fixed. I just dont. We are 43rd across the nation in teacher salary. This is why were going to restore additional assistance. Im not bragging on 43rd. Im just saying were not last. So were not just striking for a higher salary. Were striking for resources for our classrooms and for our students. We are at the bottom of the pile for the states. Weve seen teachers walking out or striking in West Virginia, in Oklahoma and some other states successfully. And we realized that we were worse off than some of those states were, and it just grew like wildfire. Teachers are riding a growing wave of anger over deep education cuts made by Republican- led legislatures. [chanting] The teacher protests have been described by some as a red-state revolt. Ive said Im on the side of the teachers, and Ive been listening, and weve been working. This will result in a net pay increase of 20 percent by the beginning of school year 2020. So, on the surface, that sounds amazing. It wont help substitutes, it wont help our aides. It wont help our nurses, our front staff. It comes out of funds that go to veterans, people in our population who are disabled and on Medicaid, colleges and universities in our state. I voted for Governor Ducey and I was really hopeful. And now, honestly, I just feel betrayed. How can you say youre pro-life, and pro-family, and pro-middle class? Even as a conservative, I think its only fiscally responsible to increase a tax to fund public education. Oh my gosh. Did I just say it out loud? I do. I support a tax. I will tell you this right now, if you are a Republican politician, you better get behind education. Ive been on my feet for five hours, waiting on people, sweeping, mopping. I probably wont get to bed until 12:30 or 1 oclock tonight. And then Ive got to be back up at 6 or 6:30 tomorrow morning. Good night. El Salvadors draconian abortion law the procedure is banned there under all circumstances has led to horrific outcomes. Children as young as 9 have had to bear their rapists children. Women whove experienced obstetric complications have been imprisoned under suspicion that they sought abortions. And other women have died of conditions that doctors were hesitant to treat because doing so could endanger their pregnancies. Now the countrys lawmakers have the chance to do right by at least some Salvadoran women and girls by softening that law though they must act quickly to have a good chance of success. El Salvadors Legislative Assembly is considering two amendments to its penal code relating to the abortion ban, neither of which is by any means comprehensive. The one thats much more likely to pass it was proposed by a right-wing lawmaker and has bipartisan support would make abortion legal only in cases when the life of the pregnant woman is in danger and when a minor becomes pregnant by rape or incest. But even that modest change would save Salvadoran lives by allowing medical professionals to provide women and girls with the health care they need. Doctors in El Salvador have become vocal supporters of reforming the existing law, as it leaves them unable to treat high-risk pregnancies without running the risk of a criminal abortion charge, punishable by up to eight years in prison. The judge added, The choice as to how to devote law enforcement resources including whether or not to use such resources to aid in federal immigration efforts would traditionally be one left to state and local authorities. As a formal matter, the case, City of Chicago v. Sessions, which upheld a preliminary injunction issued by a Federal District Court last October, presented the appeals court with a straightforward statutory question: whether the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program permits the Justice Department to attach new eligibility rules beyond those Congress established in 2006 when it created the program, which was described by the court as the primary provider of federal criminal justice funding to state and local governments. Congress granted the department no such authority, the appeals court concluded, nor can the statute be interpreted as bestowing it inherently. To quote Judge Rovner: We are faced, then, with conditions on the receipt of critical law enforcement funds that have been imposed by the attorney general without any authority in a manner that usurps the authority of Congress made more egregious because Congress itself has repeatedly refused to pass bills with such restrictions. While formally statutory, the opinion is suffused with a concern of constitutional dimension about an overreaching executive branch within a system of separated powers. The issue before us strikes at one of the bedrock principles of our nation, Judge Rovner wrote, the protection of which transcends political party affiliation and rests at the heart of our system of government the separation of powers. The founders of our country well understood that the concentration of power threatens individual liberty and established a bulwark against such tyranny by creating a separation of powers among the branches of government. If the executive branch can determine policy, and then use the power of the purse to mandate compliance with that policy by the state and local governments, all without the authorization or even acquiescence of elected legislators, that check against tyranny is forsaken. And if that wasnt strong enough medicine, her opinion includes this observation: It falls to us, the judiciary, as the remaining branch of the government, to act as a check on such usurpation of power. If this case or one like it reaches the Supreme Court similar lawsuits have been filed across the country the justices will have to take sides. There would seem to be no middle ground. Nor is there middle ground in another front in the new civil war: the Trump administrations decision, announced on March 26, to add a citizenship question to the 2020 census. California, New York, the N.A.A.C.P., and others promptly filed lawsuits. In 1989, NBC News did a special on race in America, in which it interviewed a young Donald Trump, who was then a couple of years younger than I am now. A well-educated black has a tremendous advantage over a well-educated white in terms of the job market, he said. And I think a black sometimes may think that they dont really have the advantage, or this or that, but in actuality, today, currently, its a, its a great Ive said on more than one occasion, even about myself, if I were starting off today, I would love to be a well-educated black because I really believe that they do have an actual advantage today. I was a second-year college student at the time, striving, I guess, to become one of those well-educated blacks, completely unaware that the man who just months earlier had taken out full-page ads in New York City newspapers demanding the death penalty for the Central Park Five was pretending to covet my burgeoning position in society. But of course, Trump was incredulous of his own comment, notable from the way he began to smirk as he mouthed the words I would love to be a well-educated black. It wasnt sincerity but sarcasm. It was a way of making a point, not about jealousy but about resentment. It was a way of damning with faint praise the idea that the inviolable dominance of white male privilege in America was entering a period in which not every shred of advantage would redound to white men, even if a vast majority still did. Later, after Mr. Rodgers 140-page manifesto was released outlining his fury over still being a kissless virgin his name became synonymous on misogynist forums with revenge on women who reject men. Chris Harper-Mercer, who shot and killed nine people at Umpqua Community College in Oregon in 2015, mentioned Mr. Rodger by name in a manifesto he wrote in which he complained about being 26 years old with no girlfriend, a virgin. And now, in the aftermath of the attack in Toronto, men on incel communities are hailing the killer as a new saint, with commenters changing their avatars to Mr. Minassians picture in tribute. Feminists have been warning against these online hate groups and their propensity for real-life violence for over a decade. I know because Im one of the people who has been issuing increasingly dire warnings. After I started a feminist blog in 2004, I became a target of mens-rights groups who were angry with women about everything from custody battles to the false notion that most women lie about rape. In 2011, I had to flee my house with my young daughter on the advice of law enforcement, because one of these groups put me on a registry of women to target. I was far from the only one. In 2014, a gaming award ceremony set to honor the feminist critic Anita Sarkeesian received a bomb threat; an anonymous harasser threatened to detonate a device unless her award was rescinded. Before Milo Yiannopoulos was a well-known alt-right figure, feminists knew him as one of the primary architects of Gamergate, a movement of young men who harassed and threatened women in the videogaming industry. Two fans of Mr. Yiannopoulos were charged with shooting a protester outside of one of his speeches. Part of the problem is that American culture still largely sees mens sexism as something innate rather than deviant. And in a world where sexism is deemed natural, the misogynist tendencies of mass shooters become afterthoughts rather than predictable and stark warnings. The truth is that in addition to not protecting women, we are failing boys: failing to raise them to believe they can be men without inflicting pain on others, failing to teach them that they are not entitled to womens sexual attention and failing to allow them an outlet for understandable human fear and foibles that will not label them weak or unworthy. Not every attack is preventable, but the misogyny that drives them is. To stop all of this, we must trust women when they point out that receiving streams of death threats on Twitter is not normal and that online communities strategizing about how to rape women are much more than just idle chatter. There is no reason another massacre should happen. Welcome to the Smarter Living newsletter. Editor Tim Herrera emails readers with tips and advice for living a better, more fulfilling life. Sign up here to get it in your inbox. Were getting so close to summer! The weather is finally starting to turn, the sun is still out when you leave work and the time to travel is achingly close. One thing on my agenda for the summer: spending as much time as possible at the beach. I used to hate the beach, if you can imagine, but after a trip to Hawaii during which I was all but forced to become a beach bum (life can be so hard sometimes), I found a love and appreciation for it that has lasted ever since. If that sounds like you, youre going to want to read this guide from Wirecutter, a New York Times company that reviews and recommends products. It covers all the gear youll need for the beach this summer. We all do terrible things to our siblings (and they to us). Sometimes we can wall off the bad behavior and move beyond fiascos worse than this. (You dont mention your sister being a lifelong monster.) Focus on your moms party and avoid wedding talk. There is no point in rehearsing your hurt feelings; your sister is not prepared to deal with them yet. But like the rest of us, she is not the meanest thing she ever did. Heres hoping she comes around! Image Credit... Christoph Niemann This Is Embarrassing, but I have a super-humiliating problem. Thanks to some gross symptoms, I made a doctors appointment; she told me I had a sexually transmitted disease. She gave me a shot and told me I would be fine in a couple of days. But I slept with two guys recently (before the shot). Should I tell them? Maybe they didnt contract the S.T.D.? ART You may have been too freaked out to hear her, but I am nearly certain your doctor told you to notify all recent sexual partners. We dont know if they were infected (and are now passing the S.T.D. to others); thats why they need to be tested. Sadly, sex and shame often go hand in hand. But you didnt hurt anyone intentionally. What you can do intentionally (and briskly) is clean up the mess. Text the guys and tell them you need to speak with them quickly. When they call, tell them they should be tested for S.T.D.s because you were just treated for one. And in the future, safety first! Check out Planned Parenthoods guidelines for safer sex. Mixing Business With Displeasure I am a bartender at a neighborhood bar. I have a good rapport with my customers, who tell me they enjoy our talks. Im grateful to them, and for their generosity. But Im struggling with a patron who wants a friendship outside the bar. He doesnt want to date me. But I dont want to share even one cup of coffee with him outside work. Hes not a bad guy; he just doesnt interest me. How do I refuse his friendship? Id hate for the bar to lose a patron. The fashion designer Paul Smith is synonymous with color. His vibrant combinations of hot pink, chartreuse and cornflower blue, tangerine, violet and coffee are instantly recognizable, and like the work of another color enthusiast, David Hockney, whose new show of portraiture is now open at LACMA they are unmistakably British. Smith, who presented his first mens wear collection in London in 1976, now designs both mens and womens collections, filling his 50 eclectically designed stores around the world with off-kilter takes on classic English tailoring. Recently, he took a trip to Los Angeles to host a dinner with his friend the actor Gary Oldman. We gave Smith a Polaroid camera and asked him to document his weekend for T. The photographs he took, below, are just as saturated with color as youd expect from the designer who painted his Melrose Avenue store shocking pink. Good morning. (Want to get California Today by email? Heres the sign-up.) For three decades, nothing. And then, in the span of six days, a team of law enforcement officers in Sacramento located and arrested the man they say is behind one of Americas most brutal and mysterious crime sprees, the Golden State Killer. Joseph James DeAngelo, 72, was living in Citrus Heights, a suburb of Sacramento and a short drive on the freeway from the neighborhoods that he is alleged to have terrorized in the 1970s and 1980s. He is a former police officer who the authorities now say raped more than 50 women and killed 12 people. He wore the badge at the time of many of the rapes. Prosecutors and police officers on Wednesday said DNA analysis was crucial in linking Mr. DeAngelo with murders in Southern California. They managed to obtain his DNA and make the match. But how did they locate Mr. DeAngelo in the first place? And how are they so confident that Mr. DeAngelo was behind the rash of rapes in the Sacramento area, crimes for which there was no DNA evidence? Details will be forthcoming, officials promised at a news conference on Wednesday. Read our article here. For more: The Sacramento Bee has listed the killers crimes, talked to Mr. DeAngelos neighbors, and profiled the distribution center where he worked for decades. The trial of Bill Cosby provides what social scientists might call a natural experiment. In the spring of 2017, a jury could not agree on whether Mr. Cosby had drugged and sexually assaulted Andrea Constand, setting the stage for a retrial. But between that trial and this one came the revelations over Harvey Weinstein and a cascade of other powerful men that invigorated the #MeToo movement. The big question: would it make any difference? It well may have. The jury deliberated not even two days compared with six days the first time around before finding Mr. Cosby guilty on all counts. There were other key differences: Jurors saw a new defense witness, who testified that Ms. Constand had said it would be easy to use fabricated abuse claims to extort a celebrity. The Obama administration did transfer $1.7 billion not $1.8 billion to Iran in 2016. That money was delivered in cash, some of it on a plane. But it was a payment related to a decades-long dispute and was indirectly linked to the nuclear deal. As The Times has previously reported: Before the 1979 revolution, Irans shah had paid $400 million for American military goods but, after he was overthrown, they were never delivered. The clerics who seized control demanded the money back, but the United States refused. The additional $1.3 billion is interest accumulated over 35 years. An initial reimbursement was released after the Iran deal was implemented and to help secure the release of American hostages. We have accomplished more than any president in the first year by far, if you look at regulations, big tax cuts, Judge Gorsuch. This needs context. Mr. Trump can claim deregulatory successes, but comparing regulatory activity between administrations is an imperfect exercise as laws evolve in a changing world. For context, The Times has previously reported: Experts said that Mr. Trumps efforts to cut through the bureaucracy fall far short of the structural changes made under Ronald Reagan, who abolished entire regulatory agencies and eliminated some economic regulations in the transportation, telecommunications and energy industries. Mr. Trumps tax cuts were indeed big, if not as large as he has claimed in the past. They were the eighth largest ever as a share of the economy, according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. The naming of a Supreme Court justice in Mr. Trumps case, Neil M. Gorsuch in the first year of a presidency is an opportunity afforded by the timeliness of a vacancy and was matched by Presidents Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and Ronald Reagan. WASHINGTON Tensions had been running high at Howard University even before hundreds of students began a sit-in at the schools administration building late last month. The university president had been denounced repeatedly by students and faculty members. A group of student activists issued a list of demands that included calls for his resignation, adequate housing, better mental health support and an end to tuition increases. Then news came that hundreds of thousands of dollars in financial aid had been misappropriated. Angered by what they felt was a lack of oversight, students flooded the administration building, interrupting official business for over a week. Now, weeks after the sit-in ended, the school is still grappling with its consequences and the questions that tend to surface around campus turmoil here: whether this is a moment of real change at one of the countrys most prestigious historically black colleges, and whether Howards problems reflect the state of black colleges nationwide. The questions can be painfully familiar to students and faculty members here, who have endured years of reports of mismanagement at Howard. From 1976 to 1986, one man struck fear in the hearts of Californians from Sacramento to San Francisco to Los Angeles, killing 12 people, raping at least 45 people and burglarizing more than 120 homes in meticulously planned crimes. He was known by many names: the Golden State Killer, the East Area Rapist, the Diamond Knot Killer and the Original Night Stalker. But until last week, decades of detective work had not uncovered the name of Joseph James DeAngelo. A statewide hunt for the suspect finally ended on Tuesday, when the authorities said that they had arrested Mr. DeAngelo, 72, and that he was responsible for the series of murders and rapes. In the end, the decades-long hunt for the infamous figure ended not far from where the case started. Heres what we know so far about the suspect. [In June 2020, Mr. DeAngelo agreed to plead guilty to charges, a prosecutor said.] He was a former cop who served in the Navy The Golden State Killer usually struck at night after carefully planning his attack, even down to the smallest details, ahead of time. He studied his victims schedules, broke into their homes and unlocked windows or removed screens in preparation for his return. He turned off porch lights and hid shoelaces and ropes to use later to bind his victims. WASHINGTON A top official with the Department of Health and Human Services told members of Congress on Thursday that the agency had lost track of nearly 1,500 migrant children it placed with sponsors in the United States, raising concerns they could end up in the hands of human traffickers or be used as laborers by people posing as relatives. The official, Steven Wagner, the acting assistant secretary of the agencys Administration for Children and Families, disclosed during testimony before a Senate homeland security subcommittee that the agency had learned of the missing children after placing calls to the people who took responsibility for them when they were released from government custody. The children were taken into government care after they showed up alone at the Southwest border. Most of the children are from Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala, and were fleeing drug cartels, gang violence and domestic abuse, government data shows. From last October to the end of the year, officials at the agencys Office of Refugee Resettlement tried to reach 7,635 children and their sponsors, Mr. Wagner testified. From these calls, officials learned that 6,075 children remained with their sponsors. Twenty-eight had run away, five had been removed from the United States and 52 had relocated to live with a nonsponsor. As secretary of state, Mr. Pompeo will also have to navigate the rivalries within the Trump administration. At the White House, John R. Bolton, the administrations third national security adviser in a little over a year, is presiding over another purge of top assistants. Mr. Pompeo must forge a working relationship with Mr. Bolton as he creates alliances with the White House chief of staff, John F. Kelly; Defense Secretary Jim Mattis; and Mr. Kushner. Mr. Pompeos early military career he attended West Point and became a tank commander before leaving for Harvard Law School could endear him to Mr. Kelly and Mr. Mattis, both former four-star generals. But handling Mr. Kushner will be a delicate matter. Mr. Kushners diplomatic portfolio includes forging a Middle East peace deal and safeguarding the relationship with Mexico even as Mr. Trump pursues his hard-line immigration policies and wall on the southern border with Mexico. Mr. Pompeo will also have to mend fences with the American ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki R. Haley, whose relationship with Mr. Tillerson was so strained that she ordered his portrait removed from her New York offices. She was absent from this weeks state dinner with President Emmanuel Macron of France. Mr. Pompeos year of service as the director of the C.I.A. has given him a running start. He forged an unlikely bond with Mr. Trump while giving the president daily intelligence briefings. The trust between them is so strong that Mr. Trump sent Mr. Pompeo to Pyongyang last month on a secret trip to pave the way for a high-stakes summit meeting with the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, now expected to take place in June. But first, Mr. Pompeo must deal with Russia. Within hours of his landing in Europe, he will preside over a breakfast meeting at NATO Headquarters to discuss new measures to counter an increasingly aggressive Russian president, Vladimir V. Putin, who American intelligence officials say ordered the annexation of Crimea, the intervention in Ukraine, the hacking of the American election in 2016 and the murders or attempted murders of countless rivals, including a former Russian spy living in Britain. He has maintained his military and diplomatic support for President Bashar al-Assad of Syria despite the massacre of civilians and the use of chemical weapons. WASHINGTON To senior White House aides serving the last three presidents, Dr. Ronny L. Jackson was the war-tested doctor who served in Iraq, helped them cope with their high-pressure jobs and ran his medical staff with the rigor befitting his rank of rear admiral in the Navy. But inside the White House medical unit, a military-run office with a few dozen doctors and nurses, Dr. Jackson was viewed as a bully and someone who kept sloppy medical records, drank too much and loosely dispensed strong drugs to curry favor with the powerful politicians and political aides he admired. Three current and former colleagues said that Dr. Jackson was sometimes intoxicated during overseas trips and that staff members were often ordered to leave a bottle of rum and a Diet Coke in his hotel room. On Thursday, Dr. Jackson withdrew from consideration to join President Trumps cabinet as the secretary of Veterans Affairs after those and other allegations about his behavior cascaded into public view. Dr. Jackson, Mr. Trump and numerous White House officials dating to the Obama presidency insisted none of it was true. These false allegations have become a distraction for this president, Dr. Jackson said. Dr. Robert G. Darling, a former White House physician to President Bill Clinton and a retired Navy emergency medicine doctor, said, This is a guy who served this country, who is in this job pretty reluctantly, and now hes getting hung out to dry. If Democrats were to rule the Senate next year, they would no doubt be very deliberate to say the least about bringing to the floor Trump administration candidates for the bench and top federal agency jobs. At the same time, they would face tremendous pressure from liberal advocacy groups and constituents to stall Trump picks as payback for Republican stonewalling in 2016 of the Supreme Court nomination of Merrick B. Garland by President Barack Obama as well as their deep discontent with the quality and ideology of many nominees from this White House so far. If Democrats take the Senate, they need to apply extreme vetting to President Trumps nominees, said Caroline Fredrickson, the president of the liberal American Constitution Society. If that means none get confirmed, none get confirmed. She said that Democrats might be able to ultimately move forward with select Trump nominees if they are people who actually have a vision of the Constitution that is consistent with the 21st-century understanding of the United States. Opening a new front, members of the Rules Committee approved in a party-line vote on Wednesday a change that would, in the words of Senator Roy Blunt, the Missouri Republican who leads the panel, streamline the somewhat convoluted process. The plan would cut the required debate time to eight hours from 30 for noncabinet-level executive branch nominees and to two hours for Federal District Court judges. The requirement would remain at 30 hours for cabinet nominees and those put forward for spots on the Supreme Court and federal appeals courts, but the change could free up considerable time. Republicans say that Democrats, by requiring Republicans to jump through all of the procedural hoops in scores of instances this year even when many Democrats ended up backing the nominees, are simply trying to tie up the Senate to thwart Republicans and Mr. Trump. WASHINGTON The Senate Judiciary Committee fired a political warning shot at the White House on Thursday, advancing on a bipartisan vote long-stalled legislation to allow special counsels such as Robert S. Mueller III to appeal their firing to a panel of judges and possibly be reinstated. Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the majority leader, has stated unequivocally that he will not bring the bill to the Senate floor for a vote. But with four Republicans, including the committees chairman, Senator Charles E. Grassley of Iowa, joining Democrats to vote in favor of it, the measure sent a clear message to President Trump that there would be serious consequences to firing the special counsel. Even senators who voted against the legislation warned Mr. Trump against trying to dismiss Mr. Mueller. Senator Orrin G. Hatch of Utah, the longest-serving Senate Republican, said that firing Mueller would cause a firestorm and bring the administrations agenda to a halt. It could even result in impeachment. Mr. Trump seemingly offered fresh reason for their concern earlier on Thursday. In a telephone interview with Fox & Friends, he again aired his frustration with the Justice Department and with Mr. Muellers team, which he dismissed as being filled with partisan Democrats. He said he had been trying not to interfere in matters before the Justice Department. Unprompted, he attacked former Secretary of State John Kerry (the worst negotiator Ive ever seen), Sleepy Eyes Chuck Todd of Meet the Press on NBC News (the guy shouldnt even be on the show) and Andrew G. McCabe, the fired former deputy director of the F.B.I. (part of a crooked bureau leadership). The president indicated he had watched a CNN town-hall-style program on Wednesday featuring James B. Comey, the F.B.I. director he fired last year, who is now one of his toughest critics (a lying leaker). Even the Fox hosts seemed concerned as the president railed at length about the fake news media. Im not your doctor, Mr. President, but I would recommend you watch less of them, one of the hosts, Brian Kilmeade, told him. Mr. Trump presented himself as the victim of a far-reaching conspiracy by an establishment out to stop him from changing the system. Im fighting a battle against a horrible group of deep-seated people, drain the swamp, that are coming up with all sorts of phony charges against me, and theyre not bringing up real charges against the other side, he said. So we have a phony deal going on, and its a cloud over my head. Nonetheless, he gave himself an A-plus for his first 15 months in office pointing to the tax cuts he signed into law, his efforts to roll back business and environmental regulations and his appointment of Neil M. Gorsuch to the Supreme Court despite Mr. Muellers investigation into whether there were ties between his campaign and Russia in 2016 and whether he has obstructed justice since then. The president raised again his disappointment with the Justice Department and said the special counsel investigation and raids on his former associates properties were a disgrace. He said he had tried not to interfere in Justice Department matters. But he warned that at some point I wont. Mr. Trump has for months encouraged the Justice Department to investigate his political rivals. Our Justice Department should be looking at that kind of stuff, not the nonsense of collusion with Russia, Mr. Trump said. There is no collusion with me and Russia. He asserted Mr. Muellers office is a coven of Democrats out to get him. If you take a look, theyre so conflicted, the people that are doing the investigation, you have 13 people that are Democrats, you have Hillary Clinton people, you have people that worked on Hillary Clintons foundation, he said. I dont mean Democrats, I mean, like, the real deal. Colorado, which has a Democratic governor and voted for Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election, is more socially liberal than West Virginia, Oklahoma and other Republican-dominated states where teacher protests have erupted. But the state has a long anti-tax history. Voters enshrined strict limits on taxes and spending in the State Constitution in the 1990s, and four years ago, they roundly rejected a $1 billion proposal to raise income taxes to pay for all-day kindergarten and other education priorities. On Thursday, as protesters waved signs declaring that Teachers Make America Great! and marched around the Capitol, some said they hoped the teachers movement would chip away at that history of fiscal austerity. Stephanie Pierce, the parent of a third grader, a preschooler and a high school sophomore, did not vote when the $1 billion education bill came on the ballot in 2013. Because Colorado does not fund full-day kindergarten, Ms. Pierce said her family will have to pay $310 a month for her son to attend kindergarten next year. As she stood on the steps of the Capitol on Thursday, she said she now saw school funding as a top political priority. I dont have specific political beliefs, but I do know the teachers need more, she said. Colorados economy is booming, but the state teachers union, the Colorado Education Association, says the state has shorted the education system $6.6 billion since 2009. Half of the districts in the state now have four-day school weeks. Kerrie Dallman, the union president, said that the states low teacher pay has helped create a 3,000-person staffing shortage. Colorado teachers, she added, are working two or even three jobs, buying their own school supplies or turning to GoFundMe to pay for new textbooks. We are collectively fed up after years of doing more with less and being promised it will get better in the future, Ms. Dallman said. We cant afford to wait anymore. The students in Colorado cant afford to wait any longer. Both Dr. Goldberg and Ms. Kahn surmise that the couples who are using new terminologies are willing to do so because of the hard-won rights L.G.B.T. people have secured, particularly the right to marry. Now theres more willingness to push some of those boundaries, Dr. Goldberg said, because of greater legal recognition and acceptance. Also, Ms. Kahn said, some L.G.B.T. people dont want to seem as if they are aping heterosexuals: Theres a political component for some, which is that we dont want to seem like were emulating or mimicking straight people. Similarly, theres a contingent of L.G.B.T. people who refuse marriage because they dont want to be assimilated into this heterosexual, patriarchal society, Dr. Goldberg added. (Others feel the institution reinforces an unfair hierarchy that privileges matrimonial coupledom above all other forms of romantic coupling.) Dr. David Schwartz, a psychoanalyst and psychologist who has spent his decades-long career thinking about the ways in which gender and sexuality get constructed, however, isnt so sure eschewing traditional parental labels is good for L.G.B.T. parents or their kids. While hes all for challenging the gender norms that inform the mommy and daddy dyad, he pointed out that children of L.G.B.T. parents are already steeped in a heteronormative culture that stigmatizes their families, and it would be doubly hard for them to have to explain why they call their parents some unusual names. And, he emphasized, you certainly dont want to do anything to devalue your family, noting that the legitimacy, visibility and value of L.G.B.T. people as parental figures is often called into question already. I wont say its a disadvantage, Dr. Goldberg said, but its a challenge. It requires a lot of explanation and clarification, maybe even pushback from schools in certain geographical contexts, less gay-affirming areas of the country, like, What do you mean you go by Maddie? an amalgamation of mommy and daddy. Nobody is going to know what that means. How do we explain that to other children? For families who decide to adopt atypical terms and want to minimize the potential risk of social discomfort, Dr. Goldberg suggested some parents might consider giving children the freedom to call them mom or dad in certain settings and at certain ages, adding, they may become more comfortable with alternative language as they grow older. Ms. Kahn guessed that the reason the vast majority of participants in Dr. Goldbergs study stuck with labels derived from mother or father is because becoming a parent was beyond the communitys reach for so long. Its so powerful to be a parent, she said, to have the title mom or dad. A lot of us want that because for decades it seemed like it wasnt on the table for us to build a family, so theres almost like a privilege in finally being able to say Im a mom or Im a dad. NAIROBI, Kenya Ten relief workers traveling in South Sudan have been abducted by an armed group, the United Nations said on Thursday. The kidnapping underscores the risks to humanitarian aid providers in the war-afflicted African country. A statement from the United Nations said the aid workers, all from South Sudan, disappeared on Wednesday during a trip through the southern part of the country. The statement gave no details on the armed group that seized them or its demands. This is the third time in six months that aid workers have been held by militants in South Sudan, the worlds youngest country. At least 98 aid workers have been killed in South Sudan since it devolved into civil war in 2013, two years after it was founded. The majority of the aid workers killed since the conflict began are South Sudanese. The United Nations statement called for the release of the workers without condition so that their work can continue. TIJUANA, Mexico The uncomfortable and dangerous rides atop freight trains are now in the past. So are the cold nights sleeping in parks, the hot days walking in the unforgiving sun and the unpredictability of the next meal or bath. Yet for hundreds of migrants who arrived in this border city this week after a month traveling en masse across Mexico, perhaps the hardest part is to come. The hope of sanctuary in the United States had sustained them throughout the trip, and, for many, one person now stood in the way: the president of the United States. He doesnt want anyone to enter, said Jose Ignacio Villatoro, 20, who said he fled gang violence in Guatemala with his parents and three siblings. Mr. Villatoro was standing within sight of the border fence this week, weighing what he had been through and the effort that is still required. Im thinking about how to enter because its not at all easy, he said, looking at his shoes. I really dont know whats going to happen. MASAYA, Nicaragua The revolutionary, many Nicaraguans say, is suddenly facing a revolution of his own. The insurrection that led to the rise of President Daniel Ortega and his Cold War struggles with the United States began here in Masaya 40 years ago. Mr. Ortegas brother died fighting in this town, and an old national guard post still stands as a landmark to the uprising that brought their leftist guerrilla movement to power. But in recent days, the guard post has been turned into a charred, vandalized mess. Protesters have even taken a famous war slogan and spray-painted it on the walls in a mocking warning to Mr. Ortega. Let your momma surrender, it says. Nicaragua is undergoing its biggest uprising since the civil war ended in 1990. The challenge is stark. No nation that has openly tested a nuclear device has ever surrendered its arsenal, and North Korea has conducted six underground explosions, each more powerful than the last, and has test-fired missiles that can reach the mainland United States. But Mr. Trump and Mr. Kim have both already defied conventional wisdom about what is possible. If they meet in June most likely in Singapore, according to American and South Korean officials it would be the first direct encounter between the leaders of the two nations, as well as a chance to test the argument that making progress with North Korea in the nuclear standoff requires starting at the top. The meeting between Mr. Kim and Mr. Moon is the third summit meeting between leaders of the two countries, but the first in which denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula tops the agenda. I hope we can have open-minded talks on issues of concern and produce good results, not the kind of results we saw in the past that were not implemented and made us start from scratch again, Mr. Kim said as the talks began on Friday. For his part, Mr. Moon said he hoped that the two leaders could engage in broad-minded discussions and produce a big gift for those yearning for peace on the Korean Peninsula. Mr. Moon hopes to emerge from Fridays summit meeting with a formal but vague denuclearization commitment from Mr. Kim and perhaps a path to negotiating a peace treaty or a plan to reduce military tensions. Some have suggested a pullback of troops from the Demilitarized Zone between the North and South is possible. But Mr. Moon has acknowledged that there is a limit to what the two Koreas can agree on without American involvement. Peace on the Korean Peninsula cannot be achieved by agreements between South and North Korea alone, he said last month. It has to have American endorsement. NEW DELHI When the leaders of the worlds two most populous nations meet on Friday in the Chinese city of Wuhan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India will be pushing to get less from President Xi Jinping of China. Less trouble like the embarrassing territorial showdown that put the two countries on alert last year. Less worry of the kind India is feeling right now about rising Chinese influence on its doorstep, in Sri Lanka, Nepal and the Maldives. Analysts say Mr. Modi is fixated on winning next years election in India. And it is a measure of the fraught relationship between China and India right now that he is seen as needing Mr. Xis help to do that. Officials from both countries are describing the leaders meeting, which came at Indias request, as a chance to reset relations. But it is clear that Mr. Modi will be seeking assurances from Mr. Xi. HONG KONG In 2000, Kim Dae-jung, then South Koreas president, flew to Pyongyang to meet with Kim Jong-il, the leader of North Korea the first time talks had ever been held between leaders of the two sides. The distance between the two airports was just 100 miles. But the flight took more than an hour, because the plane swung out over the sea west of the Korean Peninsula, to avoid crossing the heavily militarized land border. On Friday, Kim Jong-un, Mr. Kims son and North Koreas current leader, is expected to walk across that border, where he will be greeted by President Moon Jae-in of South Korea before they sit down for talks on the southern side of the Demilitarized Zone. Fridays talks, the third summit meeting between the Koreas, could produce a statement about pursuing a peace agreement to end the Korean War of 1950-53, which was paused by an armistice but never formally brought to a close. MANILA Tensions between Kuwait and the Philippines have been further inflamed after a mounting dispute over the treatment of Filipino workers in the oil-rich Arab state resulted in the expulsion of the Philippine ambassador this week. The ambassador, Renato Villa, on Wednesday was given one week to leave Kuwait just days after Philippine Embassy staff members attempted a so-called rescue of Filipino domestic workers who they said had been abused by their Kuwaiti employers. The effort, which critics have described as a stunt, was recorded and posted on social media, embarrassing Kuwait. About 260,000 Filipinos live in Kuwait and many of them are employed as domestic workers. Cumulatively, they send millions of dollars back to the Philippines in remittances each year. But the countrys relationship with Kuwait has been stormy for much of this year after the body of a Filipina maid was discovered inside her employers freezer in February, prompting the Philippine president, Rodrigo Duterte, to bar citizens from taking new jobs in the Arab country. Mr. Villas expulsion came as the two countries were negotiating an end to the travel ban, and was met with outrage by Philippine officials. ISLAMABAD, Pakistan An American military attache has been barred from leaving Pakistan after his sport utility vehicle struck a motorcycle and killed one of its riders this month, in another flare-up of diplomatic tensions between the two countries. Pakistani officials have demanded that the United States waive diplomatic immunity for the attache, Col. Joseph E. Hall, so that he can face criminal trial, but American officials have refused, according to the Pakistani Foreign Ministry. Pakistani officials said that Colonel Hall faces a civil suit from the family of the rider, Ateeq Baig, and that on Tuesday he was barred from leaving the country. Video of Colonel Halls truck running a red light on April 7 as it struck the motorcycle, killing Mr. Baig and seriously injuring the other rider, has gone viral in Pakistan. The outrage it is causing has resonated in a way similar to the case of the C.I.A. security officer Raymond A. Davis, who in 2011 shot and killed two armed men in Lahore, causing serious and lasting fallout with Washington. In Islamabad, Colonel Hall was briefly detained by the police after the crash, but was released because of his immunity, Pakistani police officials said. LONDON Alfie Evans does not know it, but he is the subject of a national debate in Britain, international diplomacy and a bitter legal dispute. He is held up as a tragedy, a beacon of hope and an object lesson. And he might not live to turn 2 years old. The hospital and doctors treating him in Liverpool say that Alfie suffers from a degenerative neurological condition that is certainly fatal, that he is in a semi-vegetative state and that the only humane course of action is to let him die. His parents, supported by the Italian and Polish governments and the pope, are not convinced that he is beyond hope, or even that the doctors understand his condition, and they want to continue his care. On Wednesday, the British Court of Appeal upheld a ruling that not only approved the withdrawal of care and sustenance, but also prohibited his parents from seeking treatment elsewhere, despite an invitation to take him to a hospital in Rome. The decision is wrenching to the parents, the courts have said, but prolonging Alfies life would prolong his suffering, and so it would be contrary to his interests. The staff of Alder Hey Childrens Hospital took Alfie off a ventilator on Monday, but defying expectations, he kept breathing on his own. The parents lawyers from the Christian Legal Centre have said they will continue their appeals. Since medieval times Catalans have celebrated the feast of their patron, Sant Jordi, or Saint George, on April 23, which happens to coincide with the deaths of both William Shakespeare and Miguel de Cervantes. Almost a century ago, business-savvy publishers turned it into a book-selling event. Men traditionally offer women roses, and women buy them books in return though these days women also receive books to ensure gender equality. All through Barcelona and other Catalan cities, bookstands are erected side-by-side with flower stalls. But this year, after months of secessionist turmoil, not even a festive day of books and roses was immune to the political divides of Catalan society. The question was, perhaps inevitably, to be, or not to be, independent. Ada Colau, Barcelonas far-left mayor, wore a yellow rose as a lapel pin, a nod to the yellow ribbon that has become the symbol of Catalans demanding the release of jailed Catalan politicians awaiting trial for rebellion, after briefly declaring independence from Spain last October. MADRID In a case that was seen as a bellwether for womens rights in Spain, a court on Thursday sentenced five men for sexually abusing a woman during the bull-running festival of Pamplona, but cleared them of raping her, to the dismay of womens associations. Shortly after the verdict, various womens groups announced that they would lead protests on Thursday evening across Spain to condemn the ruling. The five men were sentenced to nine years in prison for continuous sexual abuse, rather than the almost 23 years in prison that the prosecution had sought for rape and other charges. The womans lawyer said she would appeal the ruling. The government of Navarre, the region of Pamplona where the case was heard, said it would back the appeal. The case could go as far as the Spanish Supreme Court. The attack took place in July 2016, during the festivities in Pamplona that have turned into one of Spains main tourism attractions, when visitors flock to the city to watch people try to dodge bulls hurtling down narrow streets on their way to the ring. North Korea South Korea Panmunjom North Koreas Panmungak Hall Kim Jong-un crosses into South Korea here U.N. Command buildings Military Demarcation Line Location of summit Peace House 250 feet North Korea South Korea Panmunjom North Koreas Panmungak Hall Kim Jong-un crosses into South Korea here U.N. Command buildings Military Demarcation Line Location of summit Peace House 250 feet North Korea South Korea Panmunjom North Koreas Panmungak Hall Kim Jong-un crosses into South Korea here U.N. Command buildings Military Demarcation Line Location of summit Peace House 250 feet Military Demarcation Line North Korea North Koreas Panmungak Hall South Korea U.N. Command buildings Kim Jong-un crosses into South Korea here Location of summit Peace House Panmunjom 250 feet Military Demarcation Line North Korea North Koreas Panmungak Hall South Korea U.N. Command buildings Kim Jong-un crosses into South Korea here Location of summit Peace House Panmunjom 250 feet The New York Times | Satellite imagery from DigitalGlobe via Google Kim Jong-un became the first North Korean leader to cross into South Korean territory on Friday, walking over the Military Demarcation Line where he was welcomed by President Moon Jae-in of South Korea. It was a moment to remember in a conflict that has lasted for nearly seven decades. The summit meetings location has come to symbolize the conflict. It is taking place in the truce village of Panmunjom, a cluster of buildings in what is known as the demilitarized zone, or DMZ, a strip of land along the 38th parallel that divides the Korean Peninsula. The meeting is reminiscent of the talks in Panmunjom that yielded an armistice at the end of the 1950-53 Korean War, but not a formal peace treaty. Everything from the choice of furniture to the food served is rich with meaning. The distance separating Mr. Moon and Mr. Kim at the oval-shaped negotiation table is 2,018 millimeters a nod to the year of the meeting. The Truce Village NORTH KOREA Sepo North Korea Kumgang Area of detail Demilitarized Zone South Korea Chorwon Yangju Kumchon Kaesong Panmunjom truce village Chuncheon Yangju SOUTH KOREA Goyang 10 miles Seoul NORTH KOREA Sepo North Korea Kumgang Area of detail Demilitarized Zone South Korea Chorwon Yangju Kumchon Kaesong Panmunjom truce village Chuncheon Yangju SOUTH KOREA Goyang 10 miles Seoul Area of detail NORTH KOREA Demilitarized Zone Panmunjom truce village SOUTH KOREA Seoul 20 miles Area of detail NORTH KOREA Demilitarized Zone Panmunjom truce village SOUTH KOREA Seoul 20 miles NORTH KOREA North Korea Sepo Kumgang Area of detail Demilitarized Zone South Korea Chorwon Yangju Panmunjom truce village Chuncheon Yangju SOUTH KOREA Goyang Seoul 10 miles The New York Times The Joint Security Area in the truce village of Panmunjom is considered neutral territory. Previous discussions held over the years by negotiators for North and South have often stalled there. Both sides have learned how to be very careful and circumspect in the language and symbolism they use, said Charles Armstrong, a historian and professor at Columbia University in New York. Panmunjom is sliced in two by the Military Demarcation Line. The summit meeting site in Panmunjom, the Peace House, is technically on the South Korean side of the line. South Korean soldiers standing before the North Korean side of the truce village of Panmunjom last year. Ed Jones/Agence France-PresseGetty Images Some of Panmunjoms buildings are administered by North Korea, some by the United Nations and some by South Korea. The village has had its share of tensions and violence over the years, including an ax attack by North Korean soldiers against an American soldier in 1976. Two men were killed, and a plaque in the Joint Security Area commemorates their deaths. North and South held a joint rehearsal of the summit meeting this week to go through every detail of the talks, according to Kwon Hyuk-ki, a spokesman for South Koreas government. A foot bridge that Mr. Moon and Mr. Kim are tol walk across together has been painted blue, a nod to the official color of the United Nations and of the Korean unification flag. The North Korean Panmungak Hall dominates the North Korean side of the truce village. It is North Koreas operation center for the summit and the food preparation staff, including a chef from a Pyongyang restaurant specializing in a famous cold noodle dish, called naengmyeon, for the summit dinner. According to the South Korean government, President Moon suggested the dish, which required a noodle making machine from the restaurant to be brought in so the noodles could be served fresh. The Summit Room South Korean Presidential Office Mr. Kim and Mr. Moon are meeting in a blue-carpeted conference room on the second floor of the Peace House, seated at an oval-shaped table with legs that resemble two bridges merging. South Koreas government said in a statement that the design had been intended to help bridge the psychological distance stemming from the physical boundary marked by the Military Demarcation Line and 65 years of division. Each side has seven seats. The two middle seats for Mr. Moon and Mr. Kim are larger than the others, but of equal size. The seatbacks are decorated with the outline of the Korean Peninsula. Next to the conference table is a South Korean artists painting of Mount Kumgang in North Korea. The painting is intended to symbolize cooperation between the two Koreas, South Korean officials said. The mountain theme will also be reflected in a planned tree-planting ceremony, featuring a pine tree that dates to 1953, when the armistice was signed, planted in a mixture of soil from Mount Paektu in North Korea and Mount Halla in South Korea. According to North Korean lore, the founder of the nation, Kim Il-sung, Mr. Kims grandfather, fought against the Japanese on Mount Paektu, and his son, Kim Jong-il, was born there. Mount Halla is South Koreas tallest peak. The Peace House A South Korean soldier standing outside the Peace House, the venue for the summit meeting, last week. Lee Jin-man/Associated Press The summit meeting room in the Peace House was not the only part of the building updated for the occasion. An extensive renovation was undertaken to reflect the significance of the meeting. Each piece of furniture and art was chosen with purpose. A sofa for the two leaders displays the blue Korean unification flag. Other new pieces of furniture were made mostly from walnut not being prone to bending and warping over time, said a South Korean government statement. Special decorations on the first floor include traditional Korean mulberry paper, known as hanji, which officials say is a nod to the the stylings of a comfortable North Korean home. The Dinner Menu South Korean Presidential Office Items were sourced from across the Korean Peninsula, to honor North and South, but one stirred some diplomatic problems before the meeting. A mango mousse, decorated with a map of the Korean Peninsula, irritated Japan because some of the islands on the map are claimed by Japan, which lodged an official complaint with South Korea. The dad of a baby who died at Portlaoise Hospital says he and his wife have been left with more questions than answers by an inquiry which has caused upset and not given closure. Mark Molloy also called for laws to be introduced to ensure HSE management can be held to account when people suffer harm in the health service. He was speaking after the Medical Council cleared a non-consultant hospital doctor on most of the charges he faced at a Medical Council Fitness to Practice Inquiry over the care delivered to his wife Roisin during the delivery of their son in 2012. Dr A was the obstetrics registrar. He was cleared of five of seven allegations. He was only found guilty of changing the notes retrospectively. The death was one of five which were the centre of a RTE Investigates programme. This led to several investigations into the hospital and care delivered. An Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar was Minister for Health when one of these reports was published in 2015. It also led to national change. It also led to the Coombe Hospital becoming centrally involved in the running of the Portlaoise maternity serivce. However, no HSE has been officially disciplined. Mr Molloy believes the Medical Council outcome is another instance of nobody being held to account. "We have met Minister for Health Simon Harris on this on a number of occasions and we have future meetings planned with him," he told Morning Ireland on RTE Radio 1 on Wednesday. "We have always said Mark's death is not down to the inactions of the people who were delivering him on the day. There were previous reports into deaths and injuries before Mark's in Portlaoise and the recommendations of those were not acted upon. "This comes back to management level in Portlaoise and at national level in relation to quality and patient safety. "We cannot continue to keep producing the same recommendations time and time again and no one is held to account over them. There has to be accountability at a management level and that is what we are discussing with the Minister. "We believe, and other senior people within the HSE also concur with us, that a legislative mechanism for accountability at management level in the HSE is absolutely necessary. "We have a new HSE director general coming in this year when Tony O'Brien retires. With a 100,000 staff, if he cannot hold his managers to account, he or she is facing an uphill battle from the start." He said the Inquiry has left more questions than answers. "A lot of evidence was given under oath and lots of evidence came out that was in conflict to previous information that had been given," Mark said. "What the inquiry was to give to us was to draw out information and try and establish what is the facts and what weren't the facts. Was the HSE's investigation correct? Was the inquiry correct? Was the inquest correct? Everything seemed to be conflicting with each other." "It doesn't give us any closure from that point of view. It just raised even more questions for us really. "You think of him so often. The local team are training in Under 6s and Under 8s and he should be down there. "Last September, the first day of school was very upsetting for us when we saw all the boys and girls going in that would have been his classmates. "We are reminded every day when we look back at pictures of our other boys when they were aged five and six and all the memories we have of them," he said. Mr Molloy also spoke about the Inquiry's outcome. "We were taken aback and very upset by the finding. Ultimately, everything really came down to the interpretation of the CTG (heartbeat monitor) being subjective and may depend on the reader's experience. He said the independent expert from outside the State told the Inquiry that this was a pathological CTG regardless of whether it was from Roisin or Mark. A pathological trace is regarded has having more than one non-reassuring or abnormal sign. Mr Molloy believes it was not correct to find that the doctor had not errored because others working with him found nothing was wrong. "But the yardstick that they appeared to base their verdict on was the in actions of others around the doctor on the morning that Mark died. "It is like mistaken majority syndrome rules here. You'd really have to question are we really going to base our medical inquiries on mistaken majority syndrome. Everyone failed to act on the pathological CTG and because of that the doctor is found not guilty of poor professional performance," he said. But he said the finding by the Medical Council is that everything is subjective and it depends on the readers experience. "Because other people around him did not find that there was anything wrong he didn't act and it seems to be the case that the interpretation of these CTGs in Ireland seems to come up time and time again. It certainly causes serious cause for concern as far as we are concerned," he said. A HSE report indentified CTG and failure to respond to fetal distress as the key reasons involved in the deaths of babies. Mr Molloy believes this is common. "Time after time every case we here on the TV or radio comes back to the interpretation of the CTG. The HSE completed their own risk assessment into CTG use last week and basically concluded that there is nothing to see here and everything is above board," he said. BJP suffers from Mamata phobia? Tripura CM wants WB CMs brain examined, MLA calls her Surpanakha India oi-Oneindia Staff By Oneindia Staff Agartala, April 26: Tripura chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb's angry outburst on Wednesday against his West Bengal counterpart, Mamata Banerjee, shows that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent warning to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders not to make provocative statements went unheard. Deb, who achieved notorious worldwide fame for claiming that internet was available during the Mahabharata days, asked Banerjee to get her brain examined and visit a temple for peace. The reason, Banerjee, a known critic of the BJP regime, downplayed the massive victory of the saffron party in the recent Assembly elections in Tripura. "Mamata didi (elder sister) should go to a temple and then get her brain examined at a hospital," Biplab told ANI. In an earlier interview, the West Bengal CM compared the BJP's feat of overthrowing the 25-year-old Left regime in the northeastern state to "winning the municipal elections". She added that the saffron party's win in Tripura is not a cause of concern for her in West Bengal. If you are thinking that only Deb from the ruling BJP is miffed with Banerjee, then pause a bit. A BJP leader and an MLA from Uttar Pradesh Surendra Singh called Banerjee Surpanakha, the sister of demon king Ravana from Ramayana, on Wednesday. Singh made the "nasty" remark against Banerjee because he thinks the West Bengal CM is like a sister to the Congress "Ravana". Yes, Singh called the Congress Ravana. Hope, PM Modi is listening to the kind of language his party colleagues are using, these days. We, in the newsrooms, are definitely enjoying the "masala" given by BJP netas (leaders) to reporters on a frequent basis. It is this "masala" which Modi fear could ruin his party's prospects in the various upcoming elections. Well, we can't agree more to the PM on this, at least. Chhattisgarh horror: 3-year-old girl raped, accused arrested India oi-Oneindia Staff By Oneindia Staff Raipur, April 26: Continuing with India's never-ending rape cases, one more minor has been reportedly raped in Chhatarpur, Chhattisgarh on Wednesday. The police told ANI that the victim was a three-year-old girl child. A case has been registered and the accused too has been nabbed, informed the police. "A 3-year-old girl was allegedly raped by a man in Chhatarpur. We have registered the case and the accused has been arrested. Further investigation underway: RR Parihar, SP, Chhatarpur. #Chhattisgarh" tweeted ANI. In the last few days, cases of rapes of minor girls have been reported from almost every corner of the country with mind-boggling frequency. Angry citizens of the country protested on roads in various parts of the country over the horrific rape cases reported from Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua and Uttar Pradesh's Unnao. Both the cases caught the attention of the nation because of its barbarity and open support for the accused from a section of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). After its "studied silence" over crimes against women, especially minor girls, the Narendra Modi government approved the ordinance to allow courts to award death penalty to those convicted of raping girls under 12 recently. The ordinance has got mixed reactions as many feel that laws hold no meaning if the authorities do not bring cases of rape to justice. Recently, a six-month-old infant was raped and killed in Madhya Pradesh's Indore. A school-going girl in Assam was also raped and set on fire recently too. The girl has died. BJP takes dig at oppn parties pitching for caste census, says it stands for 'sabka saath' Amarinder Singh to join BJP? Former Punjab CM likely to meet Amit Shah in Delhi today 'Congress has no moral authority to question judiciary', says Ravi Shankar Prasad India oi-Deepika By Deepika Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad lashed out at the Congress after the party attacked the Narendra Modi government over the KM Joseph stalemate. Prasad alleged that the Congress has a record of meting out unfair and unconstitutional treatment to the judiciary. "Congress Party has no moral authority or stand to ask questions about the dignity of the judiciary from us. The whole record of Congress party is littered with repeated instances as to how the judiciary of India was supposed to be compromised," Prasad told ANI. Earlier in the day, the government has returned to the Supreme Court collegium its recommendation to elevate Justice K M Joseph to the top court. The Centre has asked the collegium to reconsider its decision. The Centre while clearing the name of Indu Malhotra had kept the recommendation regarding Justice Joseph on hold. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court rejected a petition that sought a stay on making Indu Malhotra the judge of the Supreme Court. While rejecting the plea filed by Indira Jaisingh, senior advocate, the court said that the government is well within its right to send back a judge's name for the recommendation and in such an eventuality the Collegium will deal with it in accordance with the judicial precedent and Constitution. Former finance minister P Chidambaram earlier today questioned the government's inaction on the Collegium's recommendation regarding KM Joseph. "What is holding up Justice K M Joseph's appointment? His State or his religion or his judgement in the Uttarakhand case?" Chidambaram asked, referring to Joseph's 2016 judgment in which he set aside President's rule in Uttarakhand. Chidambaram's comments came before reports emerged of the Centre asking the Collegium to reconsider elevating KM Joseph to the Supreme Court. Gagan Shakti 2018 exercises not aimed at any country, says IAF Chief B S Dhanoa India oi-Madhuri Indian Air Force Chief Marshal B S Dhanoa on Thursday said that Gagan Shakti-the biggest exercise by the IAF in three decades was to exercise our resources. It was not against any country. What we did in exercise Gagan Shakti is that we have walked the mile. Speaking to media, Dhanoa said,''We don't aim at global dominance because as a country, we need to get economically well-off. We're helpful to our neighbors in any situation. We have no intention of domination.'' ''In most countries, state has an army. But in Pakistan, the army has a state. If peace were to come, it will lose several of its privileges. I can't afford to put my children in Ivy League colleges & settle down in London. Like many of their generals do,'' said Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa. ''Pakistan will keep the Kashmir part boiling. It will continue to attack the military. Any such attack may have unintended consequences which may result in an escalation,'' he also said. The IAF chief also said,''For China, the geography works against them, especially in the Tibetan autonomous region. Over the past few years, we have seen significant increase in deployment of aircraft & air crew in Tibetan autonomous region. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, April 26, 2018, 21:32 [IST] 'Hugs not good enough for US visas', tweets Rahul Gandhi in jibe at Modi India pti-PTI New Delhi, Apr 27: Congress President Rahul Gandhi today described the proposed US visa rules as a "huge setback" for India, and in a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi said there were "some things a hug can buy", but for visas "you're on your own". Gandhi's remarks come amid Trump administration's plan to propose to end giving work permits to the spouses of H1-B visa holders to work in the US, a move that could have a devastating impact on tens of thousands of Indians. "New US Visa Rules, a huge setback for India...," the Congress president said on Twitter. "There are some things a hug can buy. For visas, you're on your own," he said in a wordplay on the MasterCard ad campaign which says, "There are some things money can't buy. For everything else, there's MasterCard". "Foreign Policy by Narendra Modi, Foreword by Donald Trump," Gandhi said mocking the government's diplomacy. Gandhi has earlier also attacked the prime minister over what he termed 'hugplomacy' after Pakistan released 2008 Mumbai attacks mastermind and Lashkar-e-Taiba chief Hafiz Saeed from house arrest. The Trump administration's move to end the Obama-era rule could have an impact on more than 70,000 H-4 visas holders, who have work permits. H-4 is issued to the spouse of H-1B visa holders, a significantly large number of whom are high-skilled professionals from India. They had obtained work permits under a special order issued by the previous Obama administration. PTI Indian diplomacy works: Canada acts on ISI backed Khalistani terrorist at last India oi-Vicky Nanjappa An ISI backed hardliner, Hardip Singh Nijjar has been rounded up and questioned by authorities in Canada. India had issued a look-out-circular against him on January 23, 2015, and has since pursued the case aggressively with Canada. Nijjar is accused of running terrorist camps for terrorists. He also features on the list of most wanted Khalistani terrorists put out by Punjab. In a list of nine most wanted, the name of Nijjar had featured and this list was handed over by Punjab Chief Minister, Captain Amarinder Singh to Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau during his recent visit. This could be claimed a major diplomatic victory or India. The pressure that India mounted on Canada to reign in the Khalistani terrorists appears to be paying off. The intelligence and other information that India had provided helped in rounding off Nijjar. After being questioned, he has been released but continues to remain on very high vigil. The NIA in its case has accused Nijjar of organising training camps in the Canadian province at the behest of the ISI. NIjjar has however denied any wrong-doing and says that he is being framed. A resident of Jalandhar, Nijjar was born in 1977 and is currently based in Surrey, Canada. He is wanted in the Patiala temple blast case of 2010 and also for hatching a conspiracy to kill Hindu leaders in Punjab. As expected says Congress on Priyanka Gandhis arrest in UP On camera: Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's scuffle with UP Police on Lakhimpur Kheri's border emerges Congress seeks dismissal of MoS Ajay Mishra, arrest of his son for Lakhimpur violence Karnataka elections: Priyank Kharge takes swipe at Yogi over UP governance, BJP hits back India oi-Deepika By Deepika Karnataka minister Priyanak Kharge took a swipe at Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday. Taking to twitter Priyank Kharge wrote: Tell me honestly Karnataka, "is there a single thing that Karnataka can learn from UP CM on governance". He further said that the CM will be in the state "to spew the venom of hatred." Tell me honestly, @BJP4Karnataka, is there a single thing that Karnataka can learn from UP CM on governance. It is quite evident the Yogi will be here to spew the venom of hatred. I am sure the campaign is not to tell us how about UP Model of development or governance. https://t.co/0pzxS4smMA Priyank Kharge (@PriyankKharge) April 26, 2018 The Karnata BJP gave a befitting reply saying "Yogi Model of governance is certainly better than Kharge's". Yogi Model of governance is certainly better than Kharge's, where after nearly 40 yrs in power, HDI of Gulburga remains lower than countries like Niger, Sierra Leone but assets of Kharge touch Rs. 50,000 crores! At least, Kharge Jr can learn from Yogi's Gurukul. Admissions Open! Yogi Model of governance is certainly better than Kharge's, where after nearly 40 yrs in power, HDI of Gulburga remains lower than countries like Niger, Sierra Leone but assets of Kharge touch Rs. 50,000 crores! At least, Kharge Jr can learn from Yogi's Gurukul. Admissions Open! https://t.co/AMQvIRmaqP BJP Karnataka (@BJP4Karnataka) April 26, 2018 "Not to forget other achievements of Kharge low female literacy rate, low sanitation cover, low sex ratio, high drop outs from schools, high infant & child mortality rate, lack of road connectivity to villages and so on!," it wrote. and added "BJP will tranform Karnataka, like Yogi is transforming UP!" Meanwhile, Congress president Rahul Gandhi will release the party's manifesto for the upcoming Karnataka Assembly polls. The elections to the 224-member Karnataka Assembly will be held on May 12. The counting of votes will take place on May 15. Ahead of the elections, both the parties are leaving no stone unturned to attack each other and polarise the people of Karnataka as much as possible. 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 polls:' PM Modi insulting state by trying to take 'looters' to Assembly', says Rahul India oi-Deepika By Deepika Congress President Rahul Gandhi slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for "insulting" Karnataka by trying to take "those who looted the state to its assembly". "When in power, Yeddyurappa and Reddy Brothers looted Karnataka. Our Govt. brought them to justice. Now Mr Modi is trying to take 8 of them from jail, into the Vidhan Sabha. This is an insult to every honest citizen, to Karnataka and to the spirit of Basavanna," Gandhi wrote on Twitter. On Tuesday, Congress media in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala in Bengaluru had taunted the Modi government for letting off the infamous Reddy mining brothers. "The Modi government has become the benefactor, protector, defender of the Bellary gang for denuding Kannadigas of their rich natural resources through its puppet CBI," he had told reporters in Bengaluru. Accusing the BJP of betraying Kannadigas and protecting the Reddy brothers, Surjewala had added that iron ore valued at Rs 35,000 crore was mined, extracted and sold to domestic and export markets illegally, as revealed in the probe report. Yeddyurappa is the BJP's chief ministerial face in Karnataka, and the party has decided to field the Reddy brothers, Somashekara and Karunakara, who have been accused of corruption by political opponents. In 2016, Karnataka BJP chief Yeddyurappa and nine others were acquitted by a CBI court in the illegal mining kickback case which had cost him his chief ministership in 2011. Karnataka goes to polls on May 12 and the results 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 Kushinagar accident: 'It appears to be mistake of van driver', says Yogi India oi-Vikas By Vikas Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday (April 26) visited Kushinagar where 13 children were killed after a train rammed into a school bus. The Chief Minister also visited the hospital to meet the injures students and family members of the victims. "Spoke to Railway minister. Prima facie appears to be mistake of van driver, he had earphones on and there are questions over his age too. There are rules in place, inquiry will be conducted as to why they were not followed. Strict action will be taken," Adityanath told media. The CM told ANI that four children and the van driver are critically injured. He said that the injured have been admitted to the BRD hospital. Meanwhile, Railway Board Chairman Ashwani Lohani said that the railways are trying to eliminate all unmanned railway crossings. "According to latest reports, 13 school students have died in a collision between a school van and train in Uttar Pradesh's Kushinagar," he said. "Basically, people have to be careful while crossing rail tracks, there is no substitute for that. We can't take any step that is full proof against negligence," he added. A school bus was hit by a train at an unmanned railway crossing in Uttar Pradesh's Kushinagar, leaving at least 13 children dead on Thursday morning. As per the reports, the students were killed on the spot after the train rammed into the school bus. The school bus belonged to Divine Public School. Railways spokesperson said that the children were killed on the spot when Thawe-Kapatanganj passenger train (55075) crashed into the van at an unmanned crossing gate at Behpurva. There were at least 25 people, including children in the van, most of whom were children below the age of 10 years, the official said. The train was on way to Gorakhpur from Siwan. [13 children killed in Kushinagar accident, Yogi announces Rs 2 lakh ex-gratia] Chief Minister Adityanath has expressed grief over the incident and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the families of the victims. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also said that he was "extremely saddened" to hear about the incident. "UP government and railway department will take appropriate action," he added. From plotting a hijack to creating the JeM, why Pakistan guards Masood Azhar so much What does the meeting between Taliban and Jaish-e-Mohammad mean for India Maulana Azhars close aide among those killed in very significant Tral encounter India oi-Vicky Nanjappa In an encounter that took place at Tral, four Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorists were killed. This operation was an extremely significant one as one of the terrorists killed was operational commander of the Jaish. What is even more significant is that the terrorist identified as Mufti Yasir was a close aide of Jaish chief, Maulana Masood Azhar. In a gunfight that broke out in Tral, Jammu and Kashmir four Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorists were neutralised while two security forces' personnel also lost their lives on Tuesday. A joint operation was started by the Rashtriya Rifles (RR), state police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in Lam forest area of Tral after receiving tip-off about the presence of terrorists there. The deceased soldier was identified as Ajay Kumar. Sepoy Kumar of 42 RR was injured in the initial firing exchange and later succumbed to his injuries at Army's 92 Base Hospital in Badami Bagh Cantonment area in Srinagar. Constable Lateef Gujri of Jammu and Kashmir Police also succumbed to injuries. Jammu and Kashmir police chief, S P Vaid said on his twitter that the operational chief of the Jaish, Mufti Yasir was among those killed in the joint operation in the upper reaches of Tral. Yasir was a senior operative of the Jaish and was instrumental in reviving the outfit. He was a close aide of Azhar and it was at his behest that he was further the cause of the outfit in Kashmir. The killing of Yasir is a significant blow to the Jaish a security official informed OneIndia. He was not just a commander but also an ideological mentor to the new recruits, the officer also added. My contest from Badami an experiment to bridge south-north imbalance: Siddaramaiah India oi-Vicky Nanjappa Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has come up with a new theory justifying his decision to contest from Badami apart from Chamundeshwari for the May 12 Karnataka Assembly Elections. While at first, he had said that he was under pressure from followers to contest the Badami seat, now he has said it is to bridge the regional imbalance between south and north Karnataka. Posting the reasons on his Facebook, he said that there were complaints that several governments had ignored north Karnataka due to its distance from the state capital of Bengaluru. "For many months now, there was pressure on me from leaders of this region and I hadn't taken that seriously. But I pondered over the reasons they gave that north Karnataka lagged behind in development compared with the south," he also said. "My candidature from Badami is an extension of the concern my party has towards resolving the regional imbalance. We belong to Karnataka regardless of which part we are born in. While our government has adopted this message through administration, I want to send this message politically as well by contesting from Badami." "If I'm able to bring the hearts of north and south Karnataka together, my Badami experiment will be deemed successful," the CM also wrote. 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 Objective of Modi-Xi meeting is to understand each other better: India's envoy to China India oi-Vikas By Vikas Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, India's envoy to China Gautam Bambawala on Thursday (April 26) said that the objective of the meeting " is to understand each other better". The Indian High Commissioner to China stressed on the need for greater trust between the two leaders. It was reported on Tuesday that Modi and Xi will not issue any joint statement after summit talks slated to be held between April 27 and 28. "This is a strategic communication at an overarching level between PM Modi and the Chinese President. Objectives is to understand each other better and thereby hoping there will be greater trust between the two leaders," told news agency ANI. Earlier, a top Chinese diplomat had said that the Doklam standoff happened due to "lack of mutual trust" between India and China, adding that both countries need to work together to create favourable conditions and gradually settle the boundary issue. Indian and Chinese troops had been locked in a stand-off for over two months last year in the Doklam area near Sikkim before "disengaging" on August 28. The area of the standoff is also claimed by Bhutan. "The meeting is aimed at giving the two leaders an atmosphere in which they can talk to each other freely, frankly, and candidly. There are no outcome documents in terms of MoU or agreements signed in an informal meeting," Bambawale added. India-China boundary dispute spans to 3,488-km along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Both sides have held 20 rounds of talks between the Special Representatives to resolve it. [Doklam standoff due to mistrust says China ahead of Modi-Xi meet] Prime Minister Modi will travel to China on April 27 for an informal summit with President Xi in central China's Wuhan city. "Both sides have agreed not to sign an agreement or release any joint document but reach important consensus to resolve outstanding issues," Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Kong Xuanyou told the media earlier this week. This informal summit is the first of its kind and there is no precedent in each others country, he said, explaining why both the leaders opted to hold the summit. [No joint statement after Modi-Jinping talks in China: Reports] "At the informal summit, the two leaders will have heart-to-heart discussions on overarching issues and try to build mutual trust and consensus to resolve outstanding differences," Kong said. Asked whether the Doklam issue and the boundary dispute will figure in the talks, Kong said Doklam happened because of lack of trust. Rajasthan: When police station turns into a mandaap to host wedding of a poor woman India oi-Oneindia Staff By Oneindia Staff Jaipur, April 26: If marriages are made in heaven, then this shaadi (wedding) was perhaps destined to take place inside a police station in Rajasthan. Thanks to the policemen manning the Datwas police station in Tonk district of the northern state, a poor woman had a "fairytale" wedding. After all, how many women had the privilege of exchanging nuptial vows with their "dream men" inside a police station with cops as wedding planners? Recently, when everyone was celebrating Akshaya Tritiya on April 18, the Rajasthan police station was quickly turned into a mandaap (wedding venue) to solemnise the marriage of Mamta Mahawar, an MGNREGA (national scheme that warrants "Right to Work") labourer. A report by Rajasthan Post says that on Mamta's wedding day the police station wore a festive look with colourful lights decorating the venue and peppy music played in the background. Mamta, who is neck deep in debt after she lost her only brother two years ago, was in no position to have a wedding because of financial constraints. Moreover, working as a daily-wage earner under the MGNREGA does not give her enough money to even take care of her basic necessities, forget about having a wedding. Since the last two years, Mamta and her mother are working hard to repay the loan they took for the treatment of her now dead brother. Mamta lost her father when she was a child. Since the cops in the police station know Mamta and her financial condition well as she had worked in the police station as an MGNREGA worker, so they pitched in to take care of her wedding. So next time, you see a police station decked up, you know, some Good Samaritans are busy bringing some joy into the lives of poor and neglected ones like Mamta. 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 Siddaramaiah was suspended from JD (S) for 'anti-party activities': Kumaraswamy India oi-Vikas By Vikas Hitting back at the Karnataka Chief Minister for saying that Deve Gowda had expelled him from the party, Janata Dal (Secular) (JD (S))'s state chief HD Kumaraswamy on Thursday (April 26) said that Siddarmaiah was shown the door "due to his anti-party activities". Siddaramaiah was in JD (S) during the 90's. In 2004, when the Congress and JDS formed a coalition government with Dharam Singh as Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah was appointed as the Deputy Chief Minister. "Deve Gowda didn't suspend him (Siddaramaiah), he was suspended due to his anti-party activities. As a JDS leader he used to organise separate meetings with his Congress friends so the party decided to suspend him," ANI quoted Kumaraswamy as saying. Kumaraswamy was responding to Siddamramaiah's remark on Wednesday that there was no chance of an alliance with JD (S) as Deve Gowda had expelled him. "Deve Gowda had expelled me from the party (JDS). How come I will have any relationship with him? I'm 100% Congressman, my friends are also Congressmen. They are committed to social justice and secularism," Siddaramaiah had said yesterday. In 2005, after differences with HD Deve Gowda, Siddaramaiah was expelled from JD(S). He wanted to form a regional party "ABPJD" in the state after quitting the JD (S), but he did not because regional parties formed earlier in Karnataka had not survived. He subsequently garnered mass support from the backward classes and joined the Congress at a large public meeting held in Bangalore, in Sonia Gandhi's presence. 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 Our economic growth is powered by combination of legacy industries and start-ups: PM Modi 'Intellectual dishonesty': PM Modi hits out at Opposition over farm reforms criticism PM Modi to inaugurate Azadi@75 conference and expo in Lucknow tomorrow Google's gaffe: Shows Modi's pic when searched for 'India's first PM' India oi-Deepika By Deepika Google seems to have messed up with India's first prime minister. When one types "India's first PM" on the Google search engine what appears first is a Wikipedia link with the name and description of Nehru. However, the picture beside Nehru's name and description carry Modi's picture. Yes, they got the name correct, not the photograph. The bizarre anomaly was apparently first noticed on Wednesday. Prime Minister Modi's picture is somehow appearing alongside Nehru's name on the Wikipedia link - 'List of Prime Ministers of India'. This mess-up prompted Twitteratis who sounded distinctly annoyed. Few took the screenshots of their own and sharing them on social media, with variants of the question: Why? Here are some of Twitter's reaction: Congress social media team head wrote "what algorithm of yours allows this?! You're so full of junk" Mitron, Who's India's first PM? Mitron, who was India's first PM? pic.twitter.com/K8IQXgusx3 Salil Tripathi (@saliltripathi) April 25, 2018 How come you also fell in the trap of Modi? Type 'India first pm' in google and result is Mr.Narendra Modi's photo instead of Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru. @Google Pls correct it.. How come you also fell in the trap of Mr.Modi? pic.twitter.com/H8zlP9zzW0 Ashok Tanwar (@AshokTanwar_INC) April 25, 2018 What has gone wrong with Google Baba? And this is going viral. You key in 'India's first PM' & this is the result you get. What has gone wrong with Google Baba? pic.twitter.com/aHzQJuOi2y Kumar Shakti Shekhar (@ShaktiShekhar) April 26, 2018 Mistake of google about India's first PM pic.twitter.com/bAEeuyH8tu Harish Kumar (@HarishK76202931) April 26, 2018 Indias first PM is reason of all problem in India thats what @narendramodi says and google also that Showing problem of India. #Nehru #Congress Check it on #Google pic.twitter.com/ZZPzxjYwx0 Joheb Ghori () (@Joheb22) April 25, 2018 Why is Janardhan Reddy campaigning for Sriramulu: BJP has this answer India oi-Vicky Nanjappa First Amit Shah said that the BJP had nothing to do with the Reddy brothers. Now Janardhan Reddy, probably the most powerful among the three brothers has been seen campaigning in Molakmuru for the BJP candidate and his close aide, Sriramulu. He even shared the dais with B S Yeddyurappa and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, Shivraj Singh Chouhan. These developments led the Congress to question the BJP's intention of getting Reddy into the campaign trail. The BJP, however, says that it has not officially asked Reddy to the campaign. The BJP's spokesperson Vaman Acharya said that he has not been asked to the campaign, but is supporting the candidate as an individual. He further went on to say anyone can campaign for the party candidate. While the BJP has distanced itself from the Reddy issue, the fact is that Karnataka is witnessing a return of the Reddys who had helped the BJP conquer Karnataka in 2008. Both Karunakara and Somashekhara Reddy have been given tickets from Harpanahalli and Ballari city respectively. Lallesh Reddy, a relative of the Reddys is contesting from the BTM layout constituency in Bengaluru. Their close friends and also close aides of Sriramulu are also contesting. Suresh Babu, Sanna Fakirappa and M S Somalingappa are fighting the Kampli town, Ballari rural and Shiraguppa respectively. If one looks closely at the campaign it is evident that Janardhan Reddy is micro-managing it. In fact, he is overseeing the campaign not only in Molakmuru but also in Ballari. However, he is perched at a distance as a court order bars him from entering Ballari. So is Janardhan Reddy campaigning for the BJP. Officially the answer is no. 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 'Will she, wont she?' Those anxious moments leading up to Mayawatis arrival India oi-Vicky Nanjappa There was always a cloud over the participation of BSP supremo, Mayawati in the Karnataka assembly elections. After having entered into an alliance with the JD(S) prior to the dates of the elections being announced, there was speculation rife that Mayawati may call off the alliance as it could hurt the Congress. However, she put all speculation to rest and arrived in Mysore to address a rally along with the JD(S). In the lead up to Mayawati's arrival, there were some tense moments for the JD(S). First, she did not arrive in time and this set off rumours that the alliance would be called off. H D Deve Gowda and his son, H D Kumaraswamy had already arrived at the venue and finished their speeches. Mayawati was yet to turn up and this adds more fuel to the fire. Kumaraswamy went on to add that there were many forces who tried to feed negative information to Mayawati. She was misled that the JD(S) was joining hands with the BJP. She has however trusted us and will come and support us, he also said. All the speculation ended when the BSP supremo finally turned up at the venue. In her address, she said that the BJP and Congress were anti-Dalit and had failed to protect their interests. She urged the people to vote for the JD(S)-BSP. This was expected to be a grand event. However, the poor crowd turnout had some leaders fuming. Deve Gowda later admitted that the party workers had not taken part as per their expectation. He, however, added that the party has proven its strength. Mayawati also held a meeting with Gowda at a private hotel. This was followed by discussions with several Dalit leaders in Mysore. Mayawati is expected to make one more visit to the state in May and address another rally. 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 Why India mattered in Democrats opposition to Mike Pompeo as US secy of state nominee International oi-Shubham By Shubham Democrats on Wednesday, April 25, opposed the nomination of Mike Pompeo, the director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), for the post of the US secretary of state because of his remarks on Indians, Muslims and other ethnic minority groups, PTI reported. Democrat Senator Robert Menendez, Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said during a debate on the issue in the Upper House that the concerns against Pompeo's nomination were beyond policy disagreements which "alone are not a basis for rejecting a nominee", the report added. Senate's Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said he questioned Pompeo if he would withdraw his remarks made against Indian Americans, Muslims, LGBTQ Americans and women's rights for he was now nominated for an important post and head to handle nations that might resent his statements. Pompeo reportedly refused and that made Schumacher decide against voting for the former to be the chief of handling the country's external affairs. He echoed Menendez saying disagreements on policy alone were not adequate a reason for rejecting a nominee. "But I gave Mr Pompeo the benefit of the doubt and three chances to answer the questions that I thought were extremely important and assuage my broader concerns about his nomination, and [he] did not answer those questions in any way that was satisfying. So, with a clear conscience, I will be voting against his nomination," PTI quoted Schumer as saying. Menendez also raised the Trump administration's aggressive position on neighbour Mexico on issues of drug trafficking. "On our own border, we simply cannot address the threat of drug traffickers or opioids without productive collaboration with Mexico. When the President wants to call Mexicans drug-traffickers and rapists, as our nation's top diplomat - who during his confirmation hearing insisted his "record is exquisite with respect to treating people of each and every faith with the dignity they deserve" - would Mr Pompeo advise the President not to? Or would it be the Pompeo who once called a political opponent a "turban-topper" prevail?" Menendez asked, according to the PTI report. The senator also asked how Pompeo would explain his rhetoric to people from various faiths who wear turbans including Sikhs, Punjabis or Muslims in India - which he called a "critically important ally" - or Orthodox Christians in the Horn of Africa or tribal leaders in Afghanistan - a country with which the US is trying to build a good relationship "based on democracy and human rights". The US has no full-time secretary of state after the ouster of Rex Tillerson from the post in March this year. John S Sullivan is serving as the acting secretary of state at the moment. Did Kim scrap N-tests because his test site collapsed in explosion? International oi-Shubham By Shubham Did North Korea decide to halt its nuclear testing because its site faced a partial impact because of a massive explosion in 2017? According to Chinese seismologists, Pyongyang's underground nuclear test site partially gave in because of the blast and it became unusable, AFP reported. Last week, North Korea's Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un announced that his regime would no longer undertake nuclear missile tests and close down its nuclear site at Punggye-ri under Mount Mantap in the northeastern part of North Korea. The announcement came a week ahead of Kim's widely awaited summit with South Korean President Moon Jae-in and a month or so ahead of his meeting with US President Donald Trump. North Korea carried out five of its six nuclear tests at the said site with the biggest being the one on September 3 which caused an earthquake of magnitude 6.3 which was felt across the China border, the AFP report said. Pyongyang claimed on the occasion that it tested a hydrogen bomb. The impact following the explosion at the site informs of landslides and earthquakes led to the suspicion that it was being affected by "tired mountain syndrome", the report added. Experts were apprehensive that any damage to the mountain could see radioactive dust spreading through holes and cracks, posing more danger to North Korea as well as its neighbour China. It was said that monitoring possible leakages of radioactive materials caused by the collapse of the site was important, a report in South China Morning Post has said. That Mount Mantap bore the brunt of the tests was also revealed in satellite imagery last year which showed the mountain had moved and its height being diminished, the Washington Post said. OCI cardholders to take special permit if they want to undertake 'Tabligh', journalistic activities No cause for panic, new media rules will benefit all: Javadekar Indias rank in press freedom index slides to 138 out of 180 International oi-Shubham By Shubham India's pride in being the largest democracy on the planet received a blow with the 2018 World Press Freedom Index prepared by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) - saying that the country's rank has fallen further two places to 138. It was 136 in 2017. The index was released on Wednesday, April 25. The index, which is being published by RSF since 2002, takes stock of the level of media freedom in 180 nations which includes the extent of pluralism, freedom of the press, self-censorship, transparency and the state of the infrastructure that supports the production of news. The latest report has also revealed an alarming factor. It said more and more democratically elected leaders to see the media as an adversary and not one of the democracy's essential requirements. The United States is an example in hand as its rank fell from 43 to 45. Trolling & attacking journalists have marred India's image As far as India is concerned, the report said journalists have become a target after Narendra Modi became the prime minister of India and Hindu fundamentalists have been referring to them in violent ways. Besides, the physical attack on journalists has been another big reason why India's rank has slid, the report said. It mentioned the case of Gauri Lankesh, a veteran journalist who was shot dead in front of her residence in Bengaluru in September last year after being targeted and trolled for "questioning Hindu supremacy, caste system and discrimination against women". Pakistan was ranked 139, a slot down than India. RSF secretary-general Christophe Deloire said "unleashing of hatred" against journalists have been one of the worst threats that democracies have been facing. Norway was the topper in the index this year, as it was in 2017, while Sweden continued to be the second for the second consecutive year. North Korea was the last rank holder. South Korea jumped 20 places under Moon presidency South Korea did a great show by jumping 20 places to 43 and this rise came after Moon Jae-in was elected as the country's president last year. The report also criticised China (ranked 176) which it said was inching closer to a "contemporary version of totalitarianism" under President Xi Jinping and that its influence was also being felt in South-east Asian countries like Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia. If Modi was careful, Doklam stand-off could have been avoided To get China to budge, India brings in its best 3 Indo-China annual military exercise to resume this year post Doklam standoff International oi-Staff By Oneindia Staff Writer The bilateral military exercise between India and China which was suspended after the Doklam standoff is likely to resume this year. Both countries would aim at resetting ties following a tense standoff at Doklam last year. The exercise 'Hand-in-Hand' between the armies of the two countries will take place within next 4-5 months in China and an announcement is likely to be made very soon, sources told PTI. It is learnt that the issue of resumption of the annual exercise had figured during talks between defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman and her Chinese counterpart General Wei Fenghe in Beijing yesterday. Sitharaman was in Beijing to attend a meeting of defence ministers of SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation) countries. Doklam standoff due to mistrust says China ahead of Modi-Xi meet Prime Narendra Modi is travelling to the Chinese city of Wuhan on Friday on a two-day visit to hold an "informal summit" with Chinese President Xi Jinping, seen as an effort to build mutual trust between the two sides. Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Kong Xuanyou said the two leaders will try to reach important consensus to resolve outstanding issues and build mutual trust during their talks in Wuhan. The government sources said both sides want to resume the military exercise as it will act as a confidence-building measure between the two armies. The annual exercise was to be hosted by China in 2017 but it did not take place due to the Doklam standoff. So far, both sides have participated in six editions of the exercise. India had hosted the exercise in 2016. Troops of India and China were locked in a 73-day-long standoff in Doklam from June 16 last year after the Indian side stopped the building of a road in the disputed area by the Chinese army. The face-off was "resolved" on August 28 last year. The area in Doklam where China tried to construct a road is a disputed territory claimed by both China and Bhutan. India sent its troops to stop the Chinese construction activity, saying it could be a threat to its strategic interests in the region. Korean Summit tomorrow: Heres a look at how it will proceed International oi-Shubham By Shubham The world will watch with bated breath as the top leaders of the North and South Korea - the two neighbours on either side of the 38th Parallel who are still technically at war - will meet each other in the South Korean territory of the border town of Panmunjeom on Friday, April 27. This is only third time and over a decade that the heads of government of the two Koreas are meeting each other. This meeting is of immense significance in the context of North Korea's denuclearisation which has made the Korean Peninsula one of the most volatile regions in the current times. Here are some facts about the Inter-Korean Summit of April 27, 2018: The two leaders, North Korea's Kim Jong-un and South Korea's Moon Jae-in, will meet at 9.30 am Korean time which is 6 am IST on Friday, April 27, and gradually progress towards the summit, the path of which has been cleared by several diplomatic parleys. The venue of the summit, Peace House in Panmunjeom, has been renovated to "symbolise reconciliation", the Korea Times reported. Kim will be accompanied by nine key aides during the summit. Security has been tightened at the border on Thursday, on the eve of the historic summit. The issues that will be raised during the talks between Kim and Moon, who has been praised for his tireless efforts to make this summit as well as the upcoming one between Kim and US President Donald Trump possible, will speak on nuclear weapons, peace and better relations. The occasion will also feature welcoming event and dinner, said Korea Herald. Moon will receive Kim as the latter crosses the Military Demarcation Line to arrive at the venue of the summit. The two leaders will then attend the welcoming ceremony from about 9:40 a.m. The opening ceremony will include a review of South Korea's Honour Guard and it was said that the decision to include the review was made as a reciprocating gesture to the similar ceremony that North Korea had included during the visits of past South Korean presidents to the North in the 2000s. The actual summit is scheduled to start at 10.30 am (7 am IST) at the Peace House, Panmunjeom. The talks will pause for launch and resume in the afternoon. The two leaders will participate in a tree-planting ceremony. A pine tree will be planted on the Military Demarcation Line to symbolise peace and prosperity between Seoul and Pyongyang. The tree is said to have germinated in 1953, the year the Korean War stopped after signing of an armistice, and will be planted using soil brought from Hallasan on Jeju Island (South Korea) and Baekdusan (North Korea), Korea Herald reported further. The talks will restart after the ceremony gets over and at the end of the historic summit, the two leaders will approve a joint agreement. A welcome dinner is also scheduled to be held at the venue of the summit. Korean Summit on April 27: North Korea crisis explained International oi-Shubham By Shubham The summit talks between North Korean supreme leader Kim Jong-un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in that will be held in the South Korean territory of the historic border town of Panmunjeom on Friday, April 27, will be one of the greatest of the 21st century. The latest series of a diplomatic opening between North Korea and the international community has been significant because it has lightened the mood after the top leaders of North Korea and the United States looked determined to take things to a point of no return. But why is North Korea in news so much? Why the North Korean crisis is deemed potentially devastating by the international community and a number of states have heaved a sigh of relief by seeing Kim reconciling? Here is an explainer of the North Korean crisis: North Korea's quest for N-weapons The problem has its genesis in North Korea's boundless quest for procuring the nuclear weapons. The communist North Korea, which was always a closed society and had little friends in the international community, harboured its enmity with the surrounding countries including South Korea and Japan backed by the United States. Ideological enmity, isolation made North defiant While ideological enmity has been one reason, North Korea's loneliness also made it convinced that it needed military power to survive in the power-dominated international community. Its growing distance with China, its only friend in the region, in the recent times over its reckless nuclear weapons also made Pyongyang more defiant in possessing the devastating weapons as a deterrent against its enemies. North's N-experiments more about noise than actual action North Korea has been steadily testing nuclear weapons and even claimed for testing a hydrogen bomb which is though unverified. It is also believed to possess a ballistic missile which is capable of striking the US. There were however little prospects of North Korea actually hitting anybody with nuclear weapons for it knows that a retaliation, more massive than its strike, would wipe it out in no time. North Korea requires the nuclear arms for its own survival and not destruction. It would only blow hot with the weapons rather than actually using it. Use of weapons against North also not feasible North's foes also would not use any nuclear weapons to defeat Kim even if they are far more powerful for it would lead to a North's retaliation and hence a catastrophe - resulting in deaths of an endless number of human beings and harm to the atmosphere. Nobody really wants to owe responsibility of a war crime. The West hence has opted for harsher economic sanctions on North Korea which China has also supported. The West has thus applied sanctions to corner North Korea The sanctions have crippled North Korea's economy as insiders said the Kim regime is not far from a collapse since its money reserve was at a precarious stage. The North Korean leadership has understood well that only nuclear capability cannot ensure its survival. Economic progress in the country is a bigger security and Kim Jong-un's decision to quit nuclear testing might be an indicator of his conviction over economy and peace. For the West and China, nothing would have been happier than this news. For the West, this means Kim's position has weakened while for China and Russia, who consider North Korea as a buffer between their border and American forces and weapons stationed in South Korea, this development means the authoritarian regime in Pyongyang is not collapsing anytime soon. North Korea has been pro-talks since 2018 started As 2018 set in, Pyongyang started to express an unprecedented intention of having talks with its enemies. The North Korean team attended the Winter Olympics in South and engaged in talks with South culminating in the April 27 summit talks. It also proposed a meeting with US President Donald Trump which the latter accepted. In between, Kim also went to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping to show to the world that Pyongyang's ties with Beijing remained good. Modi-Xi meeting tomorrow: Indian PM has a lot of balancing to do in Wuhan International oi-Shubham By Shubham Prime Minister Narendra Modi will have some serious balancing work to do when he meets Chinese President Xi Jinping in Wuhan in central-eastern China's Hubei province on Friday, April 27. The meeting, which will last two days, is looked upon with a lot of interest from both sides following the Doklam standoff last year even as the concerned parties have described it as an "informal meeting" where the two leaders will mainly be a free speaking occasion with little institutional and procedural baggage. The media has described the occasion as one when India and China will "reset" their relationship which has seen highs and lows in the recent times, asserting the viewpoint that the two Asian giants are more "frenemies" and enemies. Modi has the onus But even if it is a meeting of free talking, Modi will be under a certain amount of pressure to perform vis-a-vis Xi. In fact, it would not be an exaggeration to say that Modi will meet Xi more from a position of 'weakness' - something that leaders of all democratic nations face. After coming to power four years ago, Modi had used his mandate in parliament to accelerate India's momentum in the external affairs - something which was being seen as an overhauling of the inertia that the previous Manmohan Singh government had seen. But as Modi approaches his next litmus test - the general elections of 2019 - he has to rewrite his entire script before presenting it to his people for approval. This is in reverse to Xi who recently elevated himself to the position of a lifelong president of China. Modi has more hurdles to overcome and unlike Xi for whom asserting China's interest worldwide is an end, the Indian prime minister's quest for serving his country's interest is more the means to achieve the bigger goal of winning the election and extend his stay in power. India needs China's economic support Modi needs to mend fences with China because of economic reasons. Although he worked on improving India's relation with the US like his immediate predecessors, the advent of President Donald Trump has made things uncertain on India's western front. The impending Brexit also makes it necessary to rework on India's relations with the European Union and the United Kingdom and these necessitate India to look to improve its ties with China which it trails economically by far. There is no meaning for the Indian establishment to confront China thinking that the US and others will come to its aid. Trump is little-concerned anything other than things that suit his own imagination and thus, even if he wants India to play a bigger role in Afghanistan or names Asia-Pacific as Indo-Pacific, those steps are more to serve the USA's self-interests. Modi is approaching 2019 polls with some baggage Even if Modi is the most popular leader in India at the moment and there is little alternative to him, the growing allegations of minority bashing against Hindu fundamentalists in the country as well the spiralling cases of crime against women besides accusations that Modi eventually could not generate jobs and income are worries for the ruling BJP. A year ahead of the next general elections, Modi cannot afford to lose his pride as a politician with a "56-inch chest" and reconciling with China from scratch is a useful way to show to his constituency that the Indian PM is not impulsive and hence unwise. By reopening the dialogue route to China, Modi can urge the Chinese to improve their financial ties with India so that his government can create more employment opportunities or even speak over the extradition of Nirav Modi, the diamond merchant accused of defrauding several banks, from Hong Kong. These would help Modi to brighten his image at home as a leader who is never short of trying, even if success remained elusive. The BRI question remains big But there could still be some questions before Modi to answer. According to reports, China failed to convince India to get its support for its much talked about Belt & Road Initiative (BRI) infrastructure project at the conclusion of a meeting on Tuesday, April 24. India has not joined the USD57 billion project which is considered a game-changer by joining China with the rest of the world to promote its global ambitions and many of India's smaller neighbours in South Asia have joined it for the sake of their respective economic development. But India has remained defiant not to joint it since one of the BRI's key projects China-Pakistan Economic Corridor run through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir - a move that India considers a violation of its sovereignty. For the observers, whether India joins the BRI which China feels would boost the former's economy will be a key determinant of the success of the Modi-Xi meeting on Friday. If India joins hands with China on BRI, it would definitely be a massive breakthrough in their relations but at the same time, it would not be easy for the Indian PM to straightaway run into China's arms even if the prospects of returns are high as the noisy Opposition and the media would accuse his government of compromising with the national sovereignty for making its own electoral gains. Les lunettes de marque ne sont pas ce qui manque dans les commerces. Il y en a de toutes les sortes dont les lunettes de [] 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 Hill The Democratic National Committee (DNC), in a stunning example of political malpractice, recently filed a lawsuit involving the same matters now being investigated by nonpartisan special counsel Robert Mueller. Democratic workers, candidates and donors should demand that the DNC publicly release the full details of its planned budget for this horrendously ill-advised venture, and then demand that the DNC deploy its resources instead in ways that will elect Democrats to regain control of the House and Senate. The great news for Democrats is that the tidal wave of revulsion against the swampland that Trump and Republicans in Congress have brought to Washington is so deep and wide, and voter turnout in support of change will be so enthusiastic and large, that recent elections throughout 2017 and 2018 strongly suggest that even polls favorable to Democrats underestimate the potential magnitude of the Democratic victory in the midterms. House Republicans, including the Speaker of the House, continue to retire in large numbers. Recent elections show that more than 100 House Republicans are vulnerable to potentially being defeated. Democrats now have a realistic chance of regaining control of the Senate as well as the House. However, Democrats should be warned that many House and Senate elections could be decided by razor thin margins. Democrats could lose enough close House and Senate races that they ultimately lose seats in the Senate and fail to gain control of the House. With little margin for error, it is malpractice for the DNC to waste a penny of money, or a minute of time, on a lawsuit that literally does absolutely nothing to elect Democrats to the House or Senate in the most important midterm election in generations. How many voters will witness this lawsuit and conclude it makes their lives better in any way, for even one moment? The answer is none! Memo to the DNC, pardon my bluntness, but it's the turnout, idiots, not the lawsuits, that win elections. The greatest asset Democrats possess in the midterm elections is not the lawyers who file cases, or DNC leaders who praise themselves on television for bringing these cases, but the deep wellspring of public outrage against the GOP status quo, from the liberal base to independent voters, from women to students and minority voters, that explains the strong blue surge even in some deep-red places. While Women's Marchers, student leaders and minority activists are spearheading efforts to register voters and mobilize turnout, it is malpractice for DNC leaders to be merchandising court filings and discussing legal briefs that voters do not give a damn about compared to their jobs, health care, wages and standard of living. The DNC should focus with tenacity and aggression on registering and motivating voters. For every additional voter that the DNC can help register and bring to the polls, that voter can help elect a Democrat to the House, Senate and state races wherever he or she votes. Equally important, at a time when the Democratic Party brand is only marginally more popular than the Republican Party brand with voters, the DNC can produce high quality party branding ads, speaking tours and town meetings that highlight and showcase an extraordinarily appealing new generation of Democratic voices who embody the best of the party's past and the great hope for the party's future. To lift the appeal of the Democratic cause, the DNC should produce ads and public events to provide huge visibility to appealing Democratic figures with names such as Michelle Obama, Reps. Joe Kennedy III (Mass.) and Beto O'Rourke (Texas), Sens. Kamala Harris (Calif.), Tammy Duckworth(Ill.), Kirsten Gillibrand (N.Y.), Amy Klobuchar (Minn.) and Cory Booker(N.J.), and former Missouri Secretary of State Jason Kander among others. All Americans should support the nonpartisan Mueller investigation of the Russian attack against America and condemn Republicans who refuse to protect Mueller from attempts to obstruct his work. The DNC should be registering voters, mobilizing workers, increasing turnout, lifting the party image and helping Democrats win elections in 2018 and 2020. 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. NATO fighter aircraft conducting Air Policing Mission the in the Baltic states were scrambled once to identify and escort military aircraft of the Russian Federation over the Baltic Sea, according to the Ministry of National Defence of Lithuania last week. As we know, NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic states is carried out by the Danish Air Force since January. It consists of four F-16 Fighting Falcon fighters which are deployed at the air base of Siauliai in Lithuania. By the way, NATO systematically accompanies Russian aircraft over the Baltics. At the same time, the Russian Defense Ministry has repeatedly stated that all flights that had been carried out strictly complied with international rules for the use of airspace over neutral waters, without violating other state's borders. It should be said, that the Baltic sky has already become a place of flight training for NATO pilots. The main element of such training is a low-level flight. Of course, it's hard to believe that a couple of Alliance aircraft can stop Russia in case of armed conflict with NATO. It looks like that the Air Policing Mission in the Baltic states is just a cover. In fact NATO pilots arrive there to work out completely different and hidden tasks. First of all, this is the development of options for the breakthrough of the Russian Air Defense System at low altitudes. It is not a secret that it will be easy for Russia to create a no-fly zone over the Baltic states controlled by the S-400' s . This shield will fully cover the sky over Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. Frankly speaking, this fact makes NATO very nervous. Thus Alliance fighters conduct not only a police mission in the skies over the Baltics, but also combat training exercises and observation of military activities in the west of the Russian Federation. As you can see, the authorities of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia are heating up the situation in the region by giving full control over their airspace to NATO. Taking into account the fact that NATO and US leaders prepare for the offensive military campaign against Russia, it would be better for the Baltic authorities to stop their provocations. The best way for Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia to strengthen their security is to develop military cooperation with Russia, rather than escalating tension to please Washington. By Lukas Ramonas ticword.eu/ 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 Alon Ben-Meir Website (Image by Artwork by Michael Anderson and Sam Ben-Meir) Details DMCA President Trump's characterization of the US attack on specific Syrian chemical storage and research facilities as "mission accomplished" is technically accurate, as the intended targets were in fact destroyed. But declaring mission accomplished in the context of the continuing unfolding tragedy being inflicted on the Syrian people is cynical and disheartening at best. Such an isolated attack does not in any way exempt the US from its moral responsibility to bring an end to a war in which the Syrian people have fallen victim to foreign powers and a deeply corrupt regime. The death and destruction sweeping Syria is incomparable to any other violent conflict since World War II, and America cannot afford to remain silent in the face of these unprecedented atrocities. The lessons from the disastrous war of choice in Iraq and the prolongation of the war in Afghanistan should not paralyze the US, as was the case under the Obama administration. The US can no longer turn its back on the Syrian people. It must carefully consider the repercussions that America's allies in the region will sustain should Syria be left completely to the whims of Russia, Iran, and Turkey, who met twice in Ankara and are working in unison against the US and its allies' strategic interests in the region. Given the regional turmoil, the US' role is more critical now than it has ever been since the 1970s. Although Russia plays a pivotal role in Syria and its full cooperation is critical in the search for a solution, the US cannot cede Syria completely to Putin's caprices. The US must now develop a multi-pronged policy that would allow it to assume a more decisive role in the search for a solution to Syria's civil war. Each component of the new policy stands alone, but together they form a comprehensive strategy that must be implemented, however problematic its individual components might be and regardless of how doubtful it is that Trump will in fact act. The risk of doing nothing could plunge the Middle East into a war that will inevitably drag the US into a fight not of its own choosing, and under the least favorable circumstances. First, instead of withdrawing US troops from Syria, Trump must triple the number of US military personnel to achieve three distinct objectives: 1) send a clear message to Russia, Iran, Turkey, and Assad that the US is here to stay and intends to play a significant role in the search for a solution; 2) warn Assad that any further mass attacks on civilians by either conventional or chemical weapons will invite swift American retaliation against many of his military assets, including air fields, hangars, weapons depots, and air defense systems, at a time and place of its own choosing; and 3) prevent the resurgence of ISIS and restore the US' credibility so that no party will be mistaken about the US' seriousness. Second, the US must warn Iran not to seek the establishment of any military bases in Syria, and enlist Russia to exert pressure on Tehran to that effect to prevent an Israeli-Iranian conflagration, which can only undermine Russia's influence in Syria. Putin more than likely will be supportive, as he does not want to share all the spoils from the civil war in Syria with Iran and Turkey. That said, the US must warn Russia that mass murder by the Syrian government will not be tolerated and that inaction by Russia to rein in Assad will compel the US and its allies to punish Assad, which Russia wants to avoid. Moreover, the US should also make it clear to Russia that should it decide to supply Assad with the S-300 air defense system, as Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov suggested, it will only aggravate the situation, as Israel will not hesitate to attack such a system if it feels threatened by it. Third, irrespective of the growing strains in relations with Turkey, the US must insist that Turkey's President Erdogan cease any attacks against the Syrian Kurds and withdraw his forces from Syria. The US must stop Turkey from overrunning the Kurds in Syria, and warn Erdogan that fighting the YPG (the military arm of the Syrian Kurds) under the pretext of fighting the PKK will not be tolerated any longer. The Syrian Kurds have been a most loyal and reliable fighting force against ISIS, and the US has a moral obligation to protect them from Erdogan -- a ruthless dictator who seeks to maintain a permanent presence in Syria. This is a part of his larger political Islamization agenda to spread Turkey's influence throughout the region. Fourth, the US should prevent Assad from regaining full control in Syria unless a transitional government representing all major sects in the country is established, which should be in place for at least five years. Such a government will have to initially be led by Assad, because Russia and Iran need Assad to maintain their "legitimate" presence in the country and he needs them to stay in power, two things about which the US can do little. That said, however, a new leader (who could still be an Alawite) should be elected, as long as the majority Sunni population and the Kurds are adequately represented. Fifth, the US should now revisit the idea of establishing a no-fly zone east of the Euphrates, and another along the Syrian-Jordanian border. Such protected areas would allow many Syrian refugees to return safely. A no-fly zone enforced by the US and its allies will prevent Assad from attacking areas still held by the rebels and help wind down the daily bloodshed. The point here is that as long as Assad's position is not threatened, he will opt to cooperate, which would also reduce Russian resistance to the establishment of a no-fly zone. It should be noted that Russia is now experiencing war fatigue and may welcome US involvement, which could also improve bilateral relations with Washington, a situation both Putin and Trump seek. Sixth, Trump must not under any circumstances decertify the Iran deal, and instead should seek to renegotiate (with our allies Britain, France, and Germany) some of the provisions related particularly to the sunset clause and present it to Russia and China to gain their support. Otherwise, the decertification of the Iran deal, coupled with the withdrawal of American troops currently in Syria, will be a recipe for a disaster. Such moves will allow Iran to resume its nuclear weapon program, dig in its heels in Syria, and put pressure on other states in the area to pursue their own nuclear weapons program. This certainly runs contrary to American and particularly Israeli national security interests. Trump must listen to France's President Macron to improve the current deal, and not to the fearmonger Netanyahu, who is too self-absorbed to grasp the dire regional implications of decertifying the deal. Moreover, the decertification of the Iran deal only a few weeks before the planned summit between Trump and North Korea's Chairman Kim Jong Un will severely undermine the US' credibility. It would send a clear message to the North Korean leader that the US cannot be trusted and may well torpedo any prospective deal between the two sides. Seventh, for the US to become an active and forceful player in Syria, it must show some compassion toward the Syrian refugees. Even though it is difficult for Trump to comprehend that Muslims are not inherently violent, if not outright terrorists, the US cannot relinquish its moral obligation and behave like a pariah state. Trump must admit to the US a sizeable number of Syrian refugees and restore America's traditional humanitarian stance to provide assistance wherever and whenever it is needed. In the wake of the horror of World War II, the phrase "Never Again" was coined to suggest that the international community will never allow any country anywhere and at any time to commit human atrocities with impunity. President Obama and now Trump have put America to shame for failing to live up to its moral responsibility as the global leader, by abandoning the Syrian people to a despot and his brutal allies, Russia and Iran. 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. Why nominate to be the US Ambassador to South Korea a military general officer who was in charge of notorious Guantanamo prison when on June 9, 2006 at a secret facility on the prison grounds, three prisoners ended up dead? And how did three prisoners -- Mani Shaman Turki al-Habardi Al-Utaybi, Salah Ali Abdullah Ahmed al-Salami and Yasser Talal Al Zahrani -- end up dead? US military said the three prisoners committed suicide -- all in the same way -- by hanging themselves while handcuffed after stuffing socks in their mouths. In Scott Horton's extensive article in Harpers' magazine "The Guantanamo 'Suicides' A Camp Delta Sergeant Blows the Whistle," that every member of the Senate Foreign Relations committee should read and ask Admiral Harris about, Horton writes... "According to Naval Crime Investigative Service (NCIS) documents, each prisoner had fashioned a noose from torn sheets and T-shirts and tied it to the top of his cell's eight-foot-high steel-mesh wall. Each prisoner was able somehow to bind his own hands, and, in at least one case, his own feet, then stuff more rags deep down into his own throat. We are then asked to believe that each prisoner, even as he was choking on those rags, climbed up on his washbasin, slipped his head through the noose, tightened it, and leapt from the washbasin to hang until he asphyxiated. The NCIS report also proposes that the three prisoners, who were held in non-adjoining cells, carried out each of these actions almost simultaneously." The cover-up of what happened to the three prisoners began within hours after the bodies of the three were delivered to the Guantanamo prison medical facility. The bodies of the three men who died at Guantanamo showed signs of torture, including hemorrhages, needle marks, and significant bruising. The removal of their throats made it difficult to determine whether they were already dead when their bodies were suspended by a noose. Using sworn statements from Admiral Harris and from Carol Kisthardt, the special agent in charge of the NCIS investigation at Guantanamo, that there had been a conspiracy among prisoners to commit suicide, every piece of paper possessed by every prisoner in Camp America, NCIS seized over 1,065 pounds of material, much of it privileged attorney-client correspondence was seized by NCIS. Oh yes, when Senators are questioning Admiral Harris, I hope they ask him how he intends to smooth over the concerns of South Koreans about his ethnicity. Even though he is a US citizen, he is half-Japanese (his American father was in the Navy in Japan where he met and married Harris' Japanese mother) which may not go over well with the South Koreans who remember the brutal Japanese occupation of the Korean peninsula for decades and the cruelty of the Japanese military to Korean women who were used as sex slaves or "comfort women." Quicklink Not Found Sometimes, authors delete their quicklinks after publishing them. To see if the quicklink was renamed or re-published, please click here. Progressive Content Not Found Sometimes, authors delete their progressive content after publishing. To see if the progressive content was renamed or re-published, please click here. From Mike Malloy Website Hi Truthseekers! How refreshing to watch a literate, intelligent, healthy, articulate world leader take the stage. I'm so jealous of France right now, they have Macron and we have The Don. Not fair. That was a heck of a subtle smackdown of the US President by the French President, as Politico reports: "'We can choose isolationism, withdrawal and nationalism. This is an option. It can be tempting to us as a temporary remedy to our fears,' Macron said, while barely mentioning the voluble president's name. 'But closing the door to the world will not stop the evolution of the world. It will not douse but inflame the fears of our citizens.' "Speaking in English, the 40-year-old Macron hailed two of Obama's signature achievements -- the Paris climate change agreement and the Iran nuclear deal -- and urged the U.S. to rejoin the former and preserve the latter. He also urged against trade barriers and called for reinvigorated American leadership in what he called a '21st century world order.' Acting out of "extreme nationalism," Macron said, will only serve to weaken international institutions such as the United Nations and NATO and erode their "mandate and stabilizing influence" around the globe. "He also warned against incendiary political rhetoric, seeming to echo a frequent criticism of Trump. 'You can play with fears and angers for a time, but they do not construct anything. Anger only freezes and weakens us,' Macron said. "And he lamented threat to democracy of 'the ever-growing virus of fake news, which exposes our people to irrational fear and imaginary risks.' "Although Trump often uses the phrase 'fake news' to denounce mainstream media organizations, Macron seems to be referring to intentionally misleading information disseminated on social media by malevolent or amoral actors, possibly including Russia. "Macron conceded that the Iran nuclear deal is flawed -- but argued that it has kept a lid on Iran's nuclear program and warned against abandoning it. "And he said he was sure that the U.S. would one day rejoin the landmark international climate-change agreement reached in Paris in 2015, a deal that Trump has abandoned. "'I believe in building a better future for our children, which requires offering them a planet that is still habitable in 25 years,' Macron said. 'Because what is the meaning of our life, really, if we work and live destroying the planet while sacrificing the future of our children?' "'I believe that against ignorance we have education. Against inequalities, development. Against cynicism, trust and good faith. Against fanaticism, culture. Against disease and epidemics, medicine. Against the threats on the planet, science,' he said. At one point, he stressed: 'Let us face it: There is no Planet B.'" (Image by Britannica) Details DMCA A number of nations offer right of returns for those persecuted due to historical injustice. Israel offers a right of return for Jewish people. Germany offers a right of return for those descended from Jews expelled or who fled the horrors of the Holocaust. Spain and Portugal offer citizenship to those whose ancestors were expelled from the Iberian peninsula due to the 1492 and 1497 expulsions and the Spanish Inquisition. Ghana is the first African nation to offer a right to return for those impacted by African slavery. The importance of this cannot be underestimated. Ghana was one of the main ports from which African slaves were picked up and shipped out to the Americas. For the government in Ghana to not only acknowledge this but to attempt to rectify the horrible history that took place is a major step. Clearly people of African descent did not willing immigrate to the Americas, and for those that wish to return to Africa Ghana is a stable country in West Africa that speaks English. Ghana is the world's fastest growing economy according to the IMF and the World Bank. Ghana has historically attracted a number of African American and Anglo Caribbean tourists. Those who stay long term under Ghana's right to return law are free to apply for dual citizenship if they have made substantial contribution to the economy or society of Ghana. The right to return is mutually beneficial for those in the African diaspora and for Ghana itself. African Americans who have made the move said they did so because they wanted to live in a place where they felt like they fitted in. Or that they felt like coming up. Or that it was important for them to have options as to where they wanted to live. The US media brainwashed African Americans into thinking that either we live in the inner city or we have to live in the South. It's nice to see African Americans taking matters into their own hands and deciding where they want to live, and on their terms. Hopefully more nations in Africa will offer right of returns for the African diaspora. 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 Sputnik All the handshakes, hugs and smooching between Trump and Macron this week made for cringing viewing. Not because two males were being cordial and affectionate. No, the embarrassment stems from the French leader being such a pathetic poodle to the White House bully. The "dandruff moment" was perhaps the most revealing. At one point in the Oval Office, the American president interrupted himself mid-sentence to lean over to his French counterpart and he began grooming his collar, saying he was removing "dandruff." Macron seemed unfazed and continued smiling. It was what Trump said next that was revealing. "We want him to be perfect" He is perfect." The Freudian slip from the American signified that the French president is little more than a cypher, a flunkey, a perfect little poodle for Washington. Does as he's told. During the three-day state visit, Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron gave the appearance of best buddies, of being equals. That's certainly what the French leader was striving to achieve. To be seen as the top European ally of America, and the European politician who best understands Trump, best manages the maverick American. In that way, Macron aims to make "France great again"; for it to be seen as a re-energized world power on an equal footing with the US. Since Macron was elected president last May, his stated goal has been to restore France as a great power. That seemed to be working to plan this week. Macron is the first international leader to be hosted by Trump in an official state visit. The British "special relationship" with Washington has been eclipsed; and Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel who follows Macron's visit on Friday is being only afforded a low-key, one-day working meeting in the White House. But the optics of bonhomie and "bromance" aside, Macron's pretensions of standing alongside Trump as the "leaders of world freedom" are overblown. The proof of that came when Macron caved-in to Trump's antagonism over the Iranian nuclear deal. Saving that deal by keeping Trump onboard was supposed to be Macron's main mission in Washington DC. The day before Macron arrived, he gave an interview to Fox News asserting that "there was no Plan B" to the Iran nuclear accord which was signed in 2015 by the US, France, Britain, Germany, Russia and China. Macron was billed as the European leader who would persuade Trump to stick with the nuclear agreement. But this week, despite all the glad-handing with "my friend Emmanuel," Trump maintains an aggressive disdain for the Iran deal, hinting that he is ready to scrap it next month. And what was Macron's response? He said that France was now working with the US to "renegotiate a new deal" with Iran. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Little Flower Hut, a 24-Hours Flower Delivery Singapore Service, Introduces a New Line of Products http://www.littleflowerhut.com.sg/ www.littleflowerhut.com.sg Little Flower Hut has been called the best flower delivery Singapore by many satisfied customers. This service has taken the art of florists to a new level, and combined it with utmost efficiency. So, not only are their floral pieces exquisite, they are available at any time. Soon, all fans of this 24-hours flower delivery Singapore service will be able to enjoy a brand new line of products.24-Hours Flower Delivery Singapore: Benefits of a Good BusinessWhen looking for a flower delivery Singapore same day kind of service, one must consider a few important things. First of all, the florists must be exceptionally talented and professional. These experts must not only know what flowers to combine for a beautiful piece. They have to understand how to handle them right in order to increase the lifespan of fresh flower arrangements.Another essential factor to consider is the convenience of service. In this case, this means not only finding a 24-hours flower delivery Singapore, but also one that is affordable.There are quite a few companies one can find through an online search for flower delivery Singapore cheap. However, quality often reflects price in this business. Therefore, one must consider testimonials and the companys ranking at various consumer opinion websites.Little Flower Hut is one of the few companies that manage to provide quality florist service for an affordable price. Its what makes them a contender for the best flower delivery Singapore vendor. The company offers cheap Singapore flowers (below SGD $50) as well as far more exotic options for those willing to splurge. No matter what kind of flower the client chooses, Little Flower Hut guarantees their freshness, quality, and speedy delivery.Little Flower Hut: 24-Hours Flower Delivery Singapore Service to Stand OutLittle Flower Hut has been delivering beautiful flower arrangements all over Singapore since 2010. The company keeps growing offering new types of services and products all the time. Today their service range includes:- Same day flower delivery Singapore- Daily flower delivery Singapore- Weekly flower delivery Singapore- Online flower deliveryThe company is available 24/7, so one can get an amazing arrangement delivered anywhere in Singapore on time, even if they forgot to prepare in advance. Little Flower Hut offers arrangements for any holiday as well as custom presents to meet their clients exact specifications.From now on, they are also offering a brand new product line. The company keeps the deal rather hush, inviting clients to discover the new products at their website,Whatever those secret products are, one can be sure that any new offering from Little Flower Hut would be beautiful affordable, and bring joy to the recipient.LittleFlowerHut.com.sg is a home grown florist shop based in Singapore. We are passionate on delivering flower or gift to bring a smile on our customer love ones. To us, delivering flower is not only about sending nice thoughts, but we also aim to enlight the recepient.Company Name: Little Flower HutContact Person: Jordan KingsleyEmail: sales@littleflowerhut.com.sgPhone: +6565039750City: SingaporeStreet: Jalan Terubok 41Country: SingaporeWebsite: Medical Simulation Market Growing $2,526 Million By 2023 https://www.researchbeam.com/medical-simulation-market/request-sample https://www.researchbeam.com/medical-simulation-market/enquire-about-report https://www.researchbeam.com/medical-simulation-market/purchase-enquiry Medical simulation is the virtual duplication of in situ activities or phenomenon, representing the functions and properties of a selective real abstract or process. It is used to train healthcare professionals using advanced healthcare technologies.For More Info, Get Sample :The global medical simulation market was valued at $986 million in 2016, and is estimated to reach $2,526 million by 2023, growing at a CAGR of 14.3% from 2017 to 2023. The global medical simulation market is driven by increase in use of simulation in healthcare, rise in deaths due to medical errors, and necessity to improve patient safety outcomes. Moreover, the benefits of medical simulation such as training of complex as well as normal cases for professionals and technological advancements in medical field further increase the demand for medical simulation. However, high installation cost and lack of complete real situation restrains the market growth.The global medical simulation market is segmented based on product & service, fidelity, end user, and region. Based on product & service, it is divided into model-based simulation, web-based simulation, and simulation training services. Model-based simulation is further classified into patient simulation, surgical simulation, and ultrasound simulation. Patient simulation is segmented into task trainers, manikin-based simulators, and standardized patient simulators. Surgical simulation is sub-segmented in laparoscopic surgical simulators, arthroscopic surgical simulators, cardiovascular simulators, gynecology simulators, and others. Web-based simulation segment is classified into simulation software, performance-recording software, and virtual tutors. Simulation training services comprise vendor-based training services, custom consulting services, and educational society services. Based on fidelity, the market is classified into low-fidelity, medium fidelity, and high-fidelity simulators. Based on end user, the market is divided into academic institutions & research centers, hospitals & clinics, and military organizations. Based on region, it is analyzed across North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and LAMEA.KEY BENEFITS FOR STAKEHOLDERS This report provides an extensive analysis of the emerging trends and dynamics in the global medical simulation market. This study provides the landscape of the global market to predict the competitive environment across geographies. This report entails the detailed quantitative analyses of the current trends and future estimations to identify the prevailing opportunities. Comprehensive analyses of factors that drive and restrict the market growth is provided in the report. Region- and country-wise analysis is conducted to understand the market trends and dynamics.KEY MARKET SEGMENTSEnquire About Report ;By Product & Service Model-based Simulation Patient Simulation Task Trainer Simulation Manikin-based Simulation Standardized Patient Simulation Surgical Simulation Laparoscopic Surgical Simulators Arthroscopic Surgical Simulators Cardiovascular Simulators Gynecology Simulators Others Ultrasound Simulation Web-based Simulation Simulation Software Performance-Recording Software Virtual Tutors Simulation Training Services Vendor-based Training Custom Consulting Services Educational SocietiesBy Fidelity Low-fidelity Medium-fidelity High-fidelityBy End User Academic Institutions & Research Centers Hospitals & Clinics Military OrganizationsAlso Request For Discount :By Region North America U.S. Canada Mexico Europe Germany France UK Italy Spain Rest of Europe Asia-Pacific Japan China India Australia Rest of Asia-Pacific LAMEA Brazil Saudi Arabia South Africa Rest of LAMEAThe key players profiled in this report are as follows: Laerdal Medical AS CAE, Inc. 3D Systems, Inc. Simulab Corporation Simulaids, Inc. Limbs and Things, Ltd. Kyoto Kagaku Co. Ltd. Mentice AB Surgical Science Sweden AB Gaumard Scientific Company, Inc.The other players operating in the medical simulation market include (not profiled in the report) MSC 3-Dmed HRV Medical Simulation Technologies sp. z o.o. Remedy Simulation Group MEDICAL-XTable Of Content CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION CHAPTER 2: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY CHAPTER 3: MARKET OVERVIEW CHAPTER 4: MEDICAL SIMUALTION MARKET, BY PRODUCTS & SERVICES CHAPTER 5: MEDICAL SIMULATION MARKET, BY FIDELITY CHAPTER 6: MEDICAL SIMULATION MARKET, BY END USER CHAPTER 7: MEDICAL SIMULATION, BY REGION CHAPTER 8: COMPANY PROFILESAbout UsWe have a large database of quality and precise market research reports that will be very beneficial for your organization. Reports that we sell our authentic in nature and from reputed publishers, hence it can definitely help you with your growth opportunities. Research Beam will always make sure to bring most ethical and high quality reports. We value your relationship with us and look forward for a long term relation.Contact UsGlobal Head Quarters5933 NE Win Sivers Drive,#205, Portland, OR 97220United States+1 (800) 910-6452help@researchbeam.com Text Analytics Market to Grow US$ 18.28 Bn at a CAGR Of 24.2% by 2025 The Insight Partners http://www.theinsightpartners.com/sample/TIPTE100000198 http://www.theinsightpartners.com/inquiry/TIPTE100000198 http://www.theinsightpartners.com/reports/text-analytics-market Text analytics has become vigorous for smooth functionality of business. Text analytics is still mainly an undeveloped science and holds several different approaches. Text analytics has become increasing important in various purpose such as classification of information, sentimental analytics, and summarization of information and data investigation. It can be define as the process of analyzing retrieving of information from text sources. Text analytics is the processes of converting unstructured data into meaningful data for analysis. Text Analytics market is expected to grow US$ 18.28 Bn by 2025 from US$ 2.59 Bn in 2016.FREE | Request a Sample Report atOne of the major factor which drives the market for text analytics is rising growth of big data analytics because with big data analytics, data mining and text analytics brings the capabilities to business user to create analytical intelligence by display patterns in both structured and unstructured data. Enterprises are increasingly stressing on combining internal as well as external data sources to achieve efficiencies. In addition to this there are several other factors which drives the market such as increasing adoption of social media and increasing adoption of text analytics tools. However, the factor hindering growth of text analytics is lack of awareness about text analytics. The need to explore textual data to obtain new vision by combining industry knowledge is expected to boost the market.Text Analytics Market Key PlayersIBM CorporationSAP SESAS Institute Inc.ClarabridgeExpert SystemsOpenText Corp.Basis TechnologyLinguamaticsANGOSS SOFTWARE CORPORATIONKNIMEReason to Buy- Highlights key business priorities in order to assist companies to realign their business strategies.- The key findings and recommendations highlight crucial progressive industry trends in the Text Analytics market, thereby allowing players to develop effective long term strategies.- Develop/modify business expansion plans by using substantial growth offering developed and emerging markets.- Scrutinize in-depth global market trends and outlook coupled with the factors driving the market, as well as those hindering it.- Enhance the decision-making process by understanding the strategies that underpin commercial interest with respect to products, segmentation and industry verticals.Inquire Before Buying atThe report segments the global text analytics market as follows:Global Text Analytics Market By Deployment ModelOn-premiseCloudGlobal Text Analytics Market By TechnologyNatural Language Processing (NLP)Automated Machine Learning (AML)HybridGlobal Text Analytics Market By ApplicationPredictive AnalysisSocial Media MonitoringFraud/Spam DetectionCompetitive IntelligenceOthersGlobal Text Analytics Market By VerticalsBFSITelecom SectorGovernmentFMCGPharmaceuticalsLegal and Intellectual PropertyAcademia and EducationChemistry and MaterialsHealthcareRetailOthersGlobal Text Analytics Market By GeographyNorth AmericaU.S.CanadaMexicoEuropeFranceGermanyItalySpainU.KAsia Pacific (APAC)JapanChinaIndiaAustraliaMiddle East & Africa (MEA)Saudi ArabiaSouth AfricaUAESouth America (SAM)BrazilView Complete Report atAbout Us:The Insight Partners is a one stop industry research provider of actionable intelligence. We help our clients in getting solutions to their research requirements through our syndicated and consulting research services. We are a specialist in Technology, Media, and Telecommunication industries.Contact Us:533, 5th Floor,Amanora Chambers, East Block, Amanora Township,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028 Global ITO Sputtering Targets Market Forecast 2018-2025 Samsung Corning, Heraeus, Umicore, ULVAC ITO Sputtering Targets Market https://bit.ly/2qZu1TZ https://www.globeinforesearch.com/report/global-ito-sputtering-targets-market-5395 A market study "Global ITO Sputtering Targets Market" examines the performance of the ITO Sputtering Targets market 2018. It encloses an in-depth Research of the ITO Sputtering Targets market state and the competitive landscape globally. 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ITO Sputtering Targets Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.Browse Full Report Here:The ITO Sputtering Targets research report includes the products that are currently in demand and available in the market along with their cost breakup, manufacturing volume, import/export scheme and contribution to the ITO Sputtering Targets market revenue worldwide.Finally, ITO Sputtering Targets market report gives you details about the market research findings and conclusion which helps you to develop profitable market strategies to gain competitive advantage.About US:GlobeInfoResearch.com is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. We have a leading market intelligence team which accredits and provides the reports of some of the top publishers in the field of the technology industry.Contact US:5001 Spring Valley Rd #400,Dallas,TX 75244, USAContact No. +1-214-661-1669Email: sales@globeinforesearch.com Global Hand Portable Digital Mobile Radio Market Forecast 2018-2025 Simoco, Raytheon Company, JVCKENWOOD, Thales SA Hand Portable Digital Mobile Radio Market https://bit.ly/2KcepFD https://www.globeinforesearch.com/report/global-hand-portable-digital-mobile-radio-market-5385 A market study "Global Hand Portable Digital Mobile Radio Market" examines the performance of the Hand Portable Digital Mobile Radio market 2018. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Hand Portable Digital Mobile Radio market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Hand Portable Digital Mobile Radio market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.The Global Hand Portable Digital Mobile Radio Market 2018 report includes Hand Portable Digital Mobile Radio market Revenue, market Share, Hand Portable Digital Mobile Radio industry volume, market Trends, Hand Portable Digital Mobile Radio Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report. It shows manufacturing capacity, Hand Portable Digital Mobile Radio Price during the Forecast period from 2018 to 2022.To Get Sample Report Click Here:Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Hand Portable Digital Mobile Radio Market 2018 :Harris CorporationMotorola SolutionsSimocoRaytheon CompanyJVCKENWOODThales SARELM Wireless CorporationHytera CommunicationsTait Radio CommunicationsSepura PLCHand Portable Digital Mobile Radio Market : By TypeHigh frequencyLow frequencyHand Portable Digital Mobile Radio Market : By ApplicationCommercialPublic SafetyFirstly, the report covers the top Hand Portable Digital Mobile Radio manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Further, the Hand Portable Digital Mobile Radio report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Hand Portable Digital Mobile Radio industry, Hand Portable Digital Mobile Radio industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Hand Portable Digital Mobile Radio Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.Browse Full Report Here:The Hand Portable Digital Mobile Radio research report includes the products that are currently in demand and available in the market along with their cost breakup, manufacturing volume, import/export scheme and contribution to the Hand Portable Digital Mobile Radio market revenue worldwide.Finally, Hand Portable Digital Mobile Radio market report gives you details about the market research findings and conclusion which helps you to develop profitable market strategies to gain competitive advantage.About US:GlobeInfoResearch.com is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. We have a leading market intelligence team which accredits and provides the reports of some of the top publishers in the field of the technology industry.Contact US:5001 Spring Valley Rd #400,Dallas,TX 75244, USAContact No. +1-214-661-1669Email: sales@globeinforesearch.com Acid & Derivatives 2018 Global Industry Key Players - Basf , Feicheng Acid Chemicals , Luxi Chemcial Group , Eastman ,Basf-YPC Company Market Analysis And Forecast To 2023 Global Acid & Derivatives Industry https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/3106083-global-acid-derivatives-industry-market-analysis-forecast-2018-2023 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/3106083-global-acid-derivatives-industry-market-analysis-forecast-2018-2023 Global Acid & Derivatives IndustryIn the Global Acid & Derivatives Industry Market Analysis & Forecast 2018-2023, the revenue is valued at USD XX million in 2017 and is expected to reach USD XX million by the end of 2023, growing at a CAGR of XX% between 2018 and 2023. The production is estimated at XX million in 2017 and is forecasted to reach XX million by the end of 2023, growing at a CAGR of XX% between 2018 and 2023.It covers Regional Segment Analysis, Type, Appliction, Major Manufactures, Industry Chain Analysis, Competitive Insights and Macroeconomic Analysis.Request a Sample Report @The Major players reported in the market include:BasfFeicheng Acid ChemicalsLuxi Chemcial GroupEastmanBasf-YPC CompanyPerstorpWuhan Ruisunny ChemicalGujarat Narmada Valley Fertilizers & ChemicalsRashtriya ChemicalsGlobal Acid & Derivatives Market: Regional Segment AnalysisNorth AmericaEuropeChinaJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaGlobal Acid & Derivatives Market: Product Segment AnalysisFormic AcidDerivativesType 3Global Acid & Derivatives Market: Application Segment AnalysisPharmaceutical IndustryChemical IndustryOthersReasons for Buying this ReportThis report provides pin-point analysis for changing competitive dynamicsIt provides a forward looking perspective on different factors driving or restraining market growthIt provides a six-year forecast assessed on the basis of how the market is predicted to growIt helps in understanding the key product segments and their futureIt provides pin point analysis of changing competition dynamics and keeps you ahead of competitorsIt helps in making informed business decisions by having complete insights of market and by making in-depth analysis of market segmentsGlobal Acid & Derivatives Industry Market Analysis & Forecast 2018-2023Chapter 1 Acid & Derivatives Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Acid & Derivatives1.2 Acid & Derivatives Market Segmentation by Type in 20161.2.1 Global Production Market Share of Acid & Derivatives by Type in 20161.2.1 Formic Acid1.2.2 Derivatives1.2.3 Type 31.3 Acid & Derivatives Market Segmentation by Application in 20161.3.1 Acid & Derivatives Consumption Market Share by Application in 20161.3.2 Pharmaceutical Industry1.3.3 Chemical Industry1.3.4 Others1.4 Acid & Derivatives Market Segmentation by Regions1.4.1 North America1.4.2 China1.4.3 Europe1.4.4 Southeast Asia1.4.5 Japan1.4.6 India1.5 Global Market Size (Value) of Acid & Derivatives (2013-2023)1.5.1 Global Product Sales and Growth Rate (2013-2023)1.5.2 Global Product Revenue and Growth Rate (2013-2023)Chapter 2 Global Economic Impact on Acid & Derivatives Industry2.1 Global Macroeconomic Environment Analysis2.1.1 Global Macroeconomic Analysis2.1.2 Global Macroeconomic Environment Development Trend2.2 Global Macroeconomic Environment Analysis by Regions.Chapter 8 Global Acid & Derivatives Manufacturers Analysis8.1 Basf8.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors8.1.2 Product Type, Application and Specification8.1.3 Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)8.1.4 Business Overview8.2 Feicheng Acid Chemicals8.2.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors8.2.2 Product Type, Application and Specification8.2.3 Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)8.2.4 Business Overview8.3 Luxi Chemcial Group8.3.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors8.3.2 Product Type, Application and Specification8.3.3 Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)8.3.4 Business Overview8.4 Eastman8.4.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors8.4.2 Product Type, Application and Specification8.4.3 Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)8.4.4 Business Overview8.5 Basf-YPC Company8.5.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors8.5.2 Product Type, Application and Specification8.5.3 Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)8.5.4 Business Overview8.6 Perstorp8.6.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors8.6.2 Product Type, Application and Specification8.6.3 Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)8.6.4 Business Overview8.7 Wuhan Ruisunny Chemical8.7.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors8.7.2 Product Type, Application and Specification8.7.3 Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)8.7.4 Business Overview8.8 Gujarat Narmada Valley Fertilizers & Chemicals8.8.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors8.8.2 Product Type, Application and Specification8.8.3 Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)8.8.4 Business Overview8.9 Rashtriya Chemicals8.9.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors8.9.2 Product Type, Application and Specification8.9.3 Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)8.9.4 Business OverviewContinued.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 Global Frame Filter Press Market Forecast 2018-2025 Latham International, Lenntech, Parker Hannifin, TEFSA Frame Filter Press Market https://bit.ly/2qY9YWU https://www.globeinforesearch.com/report/global-frame-filter-press-market-5177 A market study "Global Frame Filter Press Market" examines the performance of the Frame Filter Press market 2018. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Frame Filter Press market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Frame Filter Press market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.The Global Frame Filter Press Market 2018 report includes Frame Filter Press market Revenue, market Share, Frame Filter Press industry volume, market Trends, Frame Filter Press Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report. It shows manufacturing capacity, Frame Filter Press Price during the Forecast period from 2018 to 2022.To Get Sample Report Click Here:Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Frame Filter Press Market 2018 :ANDRITZ GROUPEvoqua Water TechnologiesFLSmidthEatonM.W. WatermarkMicronicsSiemensToro EquipmentMANN+HUMMELEKOTON Industrial GroupAqseptence GroupKurita Machinery Mfg. Co. Ltd.MatecFilter MachinesFreudenberg Filtration TechnologiesGaligani FiltriLatham InternationalLenntechParker HannifinTEFSAWater Confidence TechnologiesZhongda Bright Filter PressFrame Filter Press Market : By TypeRecessed Plate Filter PressAutomatic Filter PressPlate and Frame Filter PressOtherFrame Filter Press Market : By ApplicationUrban Sewage TreatmentChemical IndustryOil Refining IndustryMetallurgical IndustryPapermaking IndustryOtherFirstly, the report covers the top Frame Filter Press manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Further, the Frame Filter Press report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Frame Filter Press industry, Frame Filter Press industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Frame Filter Press Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.Browse Full Report Here:The Frame Filter Press research report includes the products that are currently in demand and available in the market along with their cost breakup, manufacturing volume, import/export scheme and contribution to the Frame Filter Press market revenue worldwide.Finally, Frame Filter Press market report gives you details about the market research findings and conclusion which helps you to develop profitable market strategies to gain competitive advantage.About US:GlobeInfoResearch.com is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. We have a leading market intelligence team which accredits and provides the reports of some of the top publishers in the field of the technology industry.Contact US:5001 Spring Valley Rd #400,Dallas,TX 75244, USAContact No. +1-214-661-1669Email: sales@globeinforesearch.com Exterior Architectural Coating Market - Infrastructure Growth and Development 2025 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=1172 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=1172 https://www.tmrresearch.com/exterior-architectural-coating-market Global Exterior Architectural Coating Market: SnapshotThe global exterior architectural coating market is anticipated to rise at a telling level of growth in the foreseeable future due to increasing construction assignments in developing countries such as Brazil, India, Singapore, and China. In 2015, the market had demonstrated a decent growth. Moving further, the market could ride its growth on the surge in industrial expansion and high demand for residential architectural coating. Bitter weather conditions, storm, foreign particles, extreme temperatures, and UV radiations are some of the primary reasons for the increasing application of exterior architectural coating on building surfaces.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Another key factor predicted to augment the demand in the global exterior architectural coating market is the growing requirement of developing infrastructure in evolving economies such as Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia apart from the aforementioned ones. This had attracted several public-private partnerships, foreign direct investment (FDI), and increasing government spending, totaling an additional boost to the growth of the overall market.Novel technologies with different formulations, for instance, waterborne, developed by businesses such as AkzoNobel, PPG Industries, and Sherwin-Williams are prophesied to raise the expectations of growth in the global exterior architectural coating market. Most of these technologies are prognosticated to possess anti-odor and antibacterial properties. Environment-friendly products offering top-quality finishes could unveil new avenues in the market. This could be brought about by increasing research and development investments by leading players such as Nippon Paint. In 2015, in order to meet the demands in China, Axalta Coating Systems had built a new waterborne coatings plant in Shanghai.Global Exterior Architectural Coating Market: SummaryIn order to protect architectural designs from corrosion, impact and abrasion, exterior architectural coating is a must. These coatings offer longevity to buildings and provide desired protection from harsh environmental conditions.Request TOC of the Report @Based on resin type, the market can be segmented into acrylic, alkyd, epoxy, polyurethane, polyester, and other. In terms of technology, water based and solvent based are the two segments of the market. On the basis of application, the market can be further classified into non-residential and residential.The report offers an in-depth analysis of market segments and competitive landscape. It also provides drivers and restraints of the global exterior architectural coating. It also profiles key players in the market based on various attributes such as business strategies, company overview, financial overview, and recent developments.Global Exterior Architectural Coating Market: Trends and ProspectsShifting preference of consumers towards eco-friendly waterborne architectural coating, easy availability, and a wide variety of paints formulations are factors that will drive demand growth of the global exterior architectural coating market. These coatings are known to offer protection to buildings from extreme temperatures, severe weather conditions, UV radiations, foreign particles and storms, which is expected to supplement the demand. Fluctuating prices of raw materials such as pigments, titanium dioxide, and resins will limit the growth of the said market during the forecast period.Based on application, the residential segment of the market is set to witness a high growth over the forecast period. The factors such as increase in disposable income, strong economic growth, improved standard of living coupled with rapid urbanizations is expected to supplement the demand growth of the market over the forecast period. Whereas, based on technology, water based segment is the chief contributor to the market. The demand for this segment is high in comparison due to its easier blending, higher opacity, accurate mixing, superior metallic control, easier application, and cleaning properties. Acrylic segment based on resin type is expected to account for a large market share in the forecast period. Improved flow, superior aesthetics, high UV resistance, durability, weather ability, stain resistance performance, and low cost are some of the factors that increase the demand growth of this segment.Read Comprehensive Overview of Report @Global Exterior Architectural Coating Market: Regional AnalysisThe global exterior architectural coating market can be classified on the basis of geography into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa. Asia Pacific is the key contributor to the market share, and is expected to drive the market growth in the forecast period. Due to the presence of manufacturing giants in the region, Asia Pacific is deemed to grow. In addition, key companies of North America and Europe are moving their production facility to this region, thereby supplementing the market growth.Though, the Middle East and Africa and Latin America have not shown a considerable rise in the market overall in given past, but on account of significant development of infrastructural facilities and rising construction of residential and commercial spaces to cater to the increasing demand for houses and offices, these regions are expected to drive the growth of the industry in the said period.Global Exterior Architectural Coating Market: Competitive LandscapeRPM International, Arkema SA, Kansai Paint, BASF, Nippon Paint, Benjamin Moore, Cromology, Diamond Vogel, Cabot Corporation, Dow Chemical Company, AkzoNobel, PPG Industries, Sherwin-Williams, Berger Paints, DAW SE, Valspar Corporation, Axalta Coating Systems, and Jotun are some of the prominent players in the global exterior architectural coating 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 Global PC Peripherals Market Forecast 2018-2025 Logitech, Seiko Epson, Seagate, Toshiba PC Peripherals Market https://bit.ly/2HW5l73 https://www.globeinforesearch.com/report/global-pc-peripherals-market-5189 A market study "Global PC Peripherals Market" examines the performance of the PC Peripherals market 2018. It encloses an in-depth Research of the PC Peripherals market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of PC Peripherals market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.The Global PC Peripherals Market 2018 report includes PC Peripherals market Revenue, market Share, PC Peripherals industry volume, market Trends, PC Peripherals Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report. It shows manufacturing capacity, PC Peripherals Price during the Forecast period from 2018 to 2022.To Get Sample Report Click Here:Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global PC Peripherals Market 2018 :HPCanonLogitechSeiko EpsonSeagateToshibaWestern DigitalSamsungSonyBrother IndustriesXeroxPanasonicKyoceraPC Peripherals Market : By TypePrintersPC GamingPointing DevicesKeyboards and CombosHeadsetsWebcamsExternal HDDPC Peripherals Market : By ApplicationCommercialHouseholdFirstly, the report covers the top PC Peripherals manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Further, the PC Peripherals report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of PC Peripherals industry, PC Peripherals industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. PC Peripherals Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.Browse Full Report Here:The PC Peripherals research report includes the products that are currently in demand and available in the market along with their cost breakup, manufacturing volume, import/export scheme and contribution to the PC Peripherals market revenue worldwide.Finally, PC Peripherals market report gives you details about the market research findings and conclusion which helps you to develop profitable market strategies to gain competitive advantage.About US:GlobeInfoResearch.com is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. We have a leading market intelligence team which accredits and provides the reports of some of the top publishers in the field of the technology industry.Contact US:5001 Spring Valley Rd #400,Dallas,TX 75244, USAContact No. +1-214-661-1669Email: sales@globeinforesearch.com Flexible Display Market Size, Share, Trends, Key Players, Market Demand and Growth by 2023 https://www.psmarketresearch.com/market-analysis/flexible-display-market/report-sample https://www.psmarketresearch.com/market-analysis/flexible-display-market https://www.psmarketresearch.com/send-enquiry?enquiry-url=flexible-display-market www.psmarketresearch.com Flexible display includes plastic, as the chief substrate instead of conventional glass. However in some cases, thin glass, or steel can also be used as a substrate for flexible display. Higher operating temperature is one of the major advantages of glass, and steel based flexible display, whereas plastic substrate offers superior flexibility, light weight, and robustness.Request for a free sample of this research report:The technical advancements in the manufacturing technology of flexible organic light emitting diode (OLED) has boosted up the flexible display market, in past few years. Sony Corp., Philips, and Samsung, are some of the leading patent holders, in the flexible display market. The market penetration of flexible glass in various consumer electronics products is likely to be increased due to features, such as portability, non-brittleness, light weight, and flexibility, within the forecast period.The transformation of display technology, growing market of display based electronic devices, such as smartphones, TV, Tablets, and laptops; along with the advancement in material science are the major drivers for the growth of the global flexible display market. The increasing market penetration of flexible display is providing new market opportunity, across the value chain.Explore report at:Based on different materials, the global flexible display market can be broadly classified, as polymer, glass, and glass-reinforced plastic (GRP). On the basis of components, the flexible display market can be bifurcated, as organic material, substrate, conductive layer, backlight panel, and others. Based on applications, flexible display can be segmented as smartphone, e-reader, e-paper, tablet, laptop and television. Based on manufacturing technology, the global flexible display market can be segmented, as flexible flat panel display, flexible plasma display, and photographic technology. On the basis of display technology, the global flexible display market can be segmented, as OLED, E-Paper, LCD, and LCOS.Asia Pacific accounted for the leading and fastest growing market of flexible display, in 2014. The market dominance of Asia Pacific is attributed to high demand of display devices from consumer electronics segment. The U.S. and Canada are two largest regional flexible display markets in North America.Make enquiry before buying the report:Some of the competitors in the flexible display market are Universal Display Corporation, Toppan Printing Co. Ltd., Sony Corporation, Polymer Vision, Plastic Logic Ltd., Philips Electronics, Novaled AG, Nokia, Nanolumens, Materion Corporation, LG Display Co. Ltd., Kent Displays Inc., Hewlett-Packard Company (HP), E Ink Holdings Inc., Dupont Display, Delta Electronics Inc., Atmel Corporation, and Corning Incorporated.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: Global LED Industrial Lighting Market Forecast 2018-2025 Seoul Semiconductor, Nichia, OSRAM Opto Semiconductors, Dialight LED Industrial Lighting Market https://bit.ly/2KfEpzM https://www.globeinforesearch.com/report/global-led-industrial-lighting-market-5216 A market study "Global LED Industrial Lighting Market" examines the performance of the LED Industrial Lighting market 2018. It encloses an in-depth Research of the LED Industrial Lighting market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of LED Industrial Lighting market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.The Global LED Industrial Lighting Market 2018 report includes LED Industrial Lighting market Revenue, market Share, LED Industrial Lighting industry volume, market Trends, LED Industrial Lighting Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report. It shows manufacturing capacity, LED Industrial Lighting Price during the Forecast period from 2018 to 2022.To Get Sample Report Click Here:Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global LED Industrial Lighting Market 2018 :CreeGE LightingCooper IndustriesLG InnotekLumiledsSamsung ElectronicsSeoul SemiconductorNichiaOSRAM Opto SemiconductorsDialightPhilipsLED Industrial Lighting Market : By TypeNew MarketReplacement MarketLED Industrial Lighting Market : By ApplicationResidentialCommercialIndustrialOtherFirstly, the report covers the top LED Industrial Lighting manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Further, the LED Industrial Lighting report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of LED Industrial Lighting industry, LED Industrial Lighting industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. LED Industrial Lighting Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.Browse Full Report Here:The LED Industrial Lighting research report includes the products that are currently in demand and available in the market along with their cost breakup, manufacturing volume, import/export scheme and contribution to the LED Industrial Lighting market revenue worldwide.Finally, LED Industrial Lighting market report gives you details about the market research findings and conclusion which helps you to develop profitable market strategies to gain competitive advantage.About US:GlobeInfoResearch.com is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. We have a leading market intelligence team which accredits and provides the reports of some of the top publishers in the field of the technology industry.Contact US:5001 Spring Valley Rd #400,Dallas,TX 75244, USAContact No. +1-214-661-1669Email: sales@globeinforesearch.com Global Electric Hoist Market Forecast 2018-2025 Hitachi Industrial, Columbus McKinnon, Konecranes, Street Crane Electric Hoist Market https://bit.ly/2qV2R1w https://www.globeinforesearch.com/report/global-electric-hoist-market-5223 A market study "Global Electric Hoist Market" examines the performance of the Electric Hoist market 2018. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Electric Hoist market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Electric Hoist market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.The Global Electric Hoist Market 2018 report includes Electric Hoist market Revenue, market Share, Electric Hoist industry volume, market Trends, Electric Hoist Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report. It shows manufacturing capacity, Electric Hoist Price during the Forecast period from 2018 to 2022.To Get Sample Report Click Here:Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Electric Hoist Market 2018 :KitoTerexHitachi IndustrialColumbus McKinnonKonecranesStreet CraneIngersoll RandABUSImer InternationalTOYOGorbelDAESANMilwaukee ToolVERLINDELIFTKETLi An MachineryDL Heavy IndustryNanyang KairuiJiangsu JialiNiukelunChi Zong MachineTBMChongqing ShanyanCheng DayShanghai YiyingBeijing lingyingShanghai ShuangdiaoElectric Hoist Market : By TypeElectric Chain HoistElectric Wire Rope HoistElectric Hoist Market : By ApplicationFactoriesFactoriesConstruction SitesMarinas & ShipyardsMining & Excavating OperationWarehouseOthersFirstly, the report covers the top Electric Hoist manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Further, the Electric Hoist report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Electric Hoist industry, Electric Hoist industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Electric Hoist Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.Browse Full Report Here:The Electric Hoist research report includes the products that are currently in demand and available in the market along with their cost breakup, manufacturing volume, import/export scheme and contribution to the Electric Hoist market revenue worldwide.Finally, Electric Hoist market report gives you details about the market research findings and conclusion which helps you to develop profitable market strategies to gain competitive advantage.About US:GlobeInfoResearch.com is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. We have a leading market intelligence team which accredits and provides the reports of some of the top publishers in the field of the technology industry.Contact US:5001 Spring Valley Rd #400,Dallas,TX 75244, USAContact No. +1-214-661-1669Email: sales@globeinforesearch.com Smart Water Metering Market Size, Share, Trends, Technology, Demand and Growth by 2023 https://www.psmarketresearch.com/market-analysis/smart-water-metering-market/report-sample https://www.psmarketresearch.com/market-analysis/smart-water-metering-market www.psmarketresearch.com The global smart water metering market is growing, due to support from the U.S. federal funding, and significant water metering legislation. The policy and privatization, regarding the use of smart water meters for advanced metering infrastructure is also supporting the growth of the market. The smart water meter offers reduction in carbon footprint and operating cost, while enhancing supply management and services. It includes gaining precision between chargeable consumption, non-revenue water and leakage, identifying end point leakage, and creating consumption patterns. Smart water meters use predictive analytics for regulating supply, and establishing adjustable alarm notifications to avoid end point variances.Request for a free sample of this research report:One of the major advantages of deploying smart meter is that it eliminates error in reading, as it is digital in nature. This leads to greater accuracy, in comparison to one way devices or conventional basic meters. Additionally, smart meters can be engaged in two-way communications with electric utilities for gathering data, and allowing various evolving smart water network applications, such as leak detection and meter reading.The North American smart water metering market leads the global smart water metering market, due to early adoption of two-way water meters used in advanced metering infrastructure networks. The European smart water metering market is expected to grow with the highest rate in the coming years. In Europe, France is the fastest growing market.Some advanced automatic meter reading systems can observe hourly usage in responding to billing inquiries, customer leak detection, theft detection and system planning. The remote meter reading ensures that customers receive bills reflecting actual usage, even without data logging. The installation of smart water meters also makes it non-imperative for the meter reading personnel to visit the customer premises.Explore report at:Some of the competitors in the smart water metering market are Diehl Stiftung & Co. KG, Neptune Technology Group Inc., Badger Meter Inc., Elster Group GmbH, Arad Group, Aclara Technologies LLC, Datamatic Ltd., and Itron 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: Global Cold Vapor Atomic Absorption Mercury Analyzer Market Forecast 2018-2025 Analytik Jena, HITACHI, TEKRAN, BUCK Scientific Cold Vapor Atomic Absorption Mercury Analyzer Market https://bit.ly/2HOnINK https://www.globeinforesearch.com/report/global-cold-vapor-atomic-absorption-mercury-analyzer-market-5257 A market study "Global Cold Vapor Atomic Absorption Mercury Analyzer Market" examines the performance of the Cold Vapor Atomic Absorption Mercury Analyzer market 2018. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Cold Vapor Atomic Absorption Mercury Analyzer market state and the competitive landscape globally. 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It shows manufacturing capacity, Cold Vapor Atomic Absorption Mercury Analyzer Price during the Forecast period from 2018 to 2022.To Get Sample Report Click Here:Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Cold Vapor Atomic Absorption Mercury Analyzer Market 2018 :TELEDYNE LEEMANNICMilestoneLUMEXMercury-instrumentsThermo ScientifiPerkin ElmerAnalytik JenaHITACHITEKRANBUCK ScientificLECO CorporationHuaguangHaiguangBeijing TitanBeiguangKaiyuanJuchuangCold Vapor Atomic Absorption Mercury Analyzer Market : By TypeDesktopPortableCold Vapor Atomic Absorption Mercury Analyzer Market : By ApplicationEnvironmental protection industryFood industryPetrochemical industryOthersFirstly, the report covers the top Cold Vapor Atomic Absorption Mercury Analyzer manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. 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Cold Vapor Atomic Absorption Mercury Analyzer Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.Browse Full Report Here:The Cold Vapor Atomic Absorption Mercury Analyzer research report includes the products that are currently in demand and available in the market along with their cost breakup, manufacturing volume, import/export scheme and contribution to the Cold Vapor Atomic Absorption Mercury Analyzer market revenue worldwide.Finally, Cold Vapor Atomic Absorption Mercury Analyzer market report gives you details about the market research findings and conclusion which helps you to develop profitable market strategies to gain competitive advantage.About US:GlobeInfoResearch.com is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. We have a leading market intelligence team which accredits and provides the reports of some of the top publishers in the field of the technology industry.Contact US:5001 Spring Valley Rd #400,Dallas,TX 75244, USAContact No. +1-214-661-1669Email: sales@globeinforesearch.com Global Infrared Radiant Depyrogenation Tunnels Market Forecast 2018-2025 TRUKING, CHINASUN, JIANGSU YONGHE, SIEG Infrared Radiant Depyrogenation Tunnels Market https://bit.ly/2FdZ83B https://www.globeinforesearch.com/report/global-infrared-radiant-depyrogenation-tunnels-market-5272 A market study "Global Infrared Radiant Depyrogenation Tunnels Market" examines the performance of the Infrared Radiant Depyrogenation Tunnels market 2018. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Infrared Radiant Depyrogenation Tunnels market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Infrared Radiant Depyrogenation Tunnels market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.The Global Infrared Radiant Depyrogenation Tunnels Market 2018 report includes Infrared Radiant Depyrogenation Tunnels market Revenue, market Share, Infrared Radiant Depyrogenation Tunnels industry volume, market Trends, Infrared Radiant Depyrogenation Tunnels Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report. It shows manufacturing capacity, Infrared Radiant Depyrogenation Tunnels Price during the Forecast period from 2018 to 2022.To Get Sample Report Click Here:Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Infrared Radiant Depyrogenation Tunnels Market 2018 :BoschIMAB+SRomacoPennTechOptima (Inova)TRUKINGCHINASUNJIANGSU YONGHESIEGTOTAL-PACKINGInfrared Radiant Depyrogenation Tunnels Market : By TypeIntegratedAssembleInfrared Radiant Depyrogenation Tunnels Market : By ApplicationAmpoulesPenicillin bottleSyringesOthersFirstly, the report covers the top Infrared Radiant Depyrogenation Tunnels manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. 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Infrared Radiant Depyrogenation Tunnels Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.Browse Full Report Here:The Infrared Radiant Depyrogenation Tunnels research report includes the products that are currently in demand and available in the market along with their cost breakup, manufacturing volume, import/export scheme and contribution to the Infrared Radiant Depyrogenation Tunnels market revenue worldwide.Finally, Infrared Radiant Depyrogenation Tunnels market report gives you details about the market research findings and conclusion which helps you to develop profitable market strategies to gain competitive advantage.About US:GlobeInfoResearch.com is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. We have a leading market intelligence team which accredits and provides the reports of some of the top publishers in the field of the technology industry.Contact US:5001 Spring Valley Rd #400,Dallas,TX 75244, USAContact No. +1-214-661-1669Email: sales@globeinforesearch.com Laboratory Chemical Reagents Global Market Top Key Players Merck , Thermo , TCI , American Element , Sinopharm and Forecast to 2021 Laboratory Chemical Reagents Market https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/839226-global-laboratory-chemical-reagents-forecast-to-2021 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/839226-global-laboratory-chemical-reagents-forecast-to-2021 www.wiseguyreports.com Global Laboratory Chemical Reagents MarketWiseGuyRerports.com Presents Global Laboratory Chemical Reagents Market by Manufacturers, Regions, Type and Application, Forecast to 2021 New Document to its Studies Database. The Report Contain 116 Pages With Detailed Analysis.DescriptionLaboratory chemical reagents are a series of chemicals used in chemical analysis, synthesis, separation and other fields. Laboratory chemical reagents have wide applications in agriculture, health care, life sciences, inspection and quarantine, environmental protection, energy development, national defense industry, scientific research, etc.Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Laboratory Chemical Reagents in Global Market, especially in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.Get sample Report @Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversMerckThermoTCIAmerican ElementSinopharmXilongchemicalABCRBOC SciencesWako-chemKantoScientific OEMGlentham Life SciencesJHDSRL ChemicalApplichemJUNSEIEuroasia Trans ContinentalAladdinJkchemicalMarket Segment by Regions, regional analysis coversNorth America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)South America, Middle East and AfricaMarket Segment by Type, coversSolventsAcidsStandardsDyesSolutionsOthersMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoGovernmentAcademicIndustryPharmaEnvironmental institutionsOthersComplete Report Details @Table of Contents -Major Key PointsGlobal Laboratory Chemical Reagents Market by Manufacturers, Regions, Type and Application, Forecast to 20211 Market Overview1.1 Laboratory Chemical Reagents Introduction1.2 Market Analysis by Type1.2.1 Solvents1.2.2 Acids1.2.3 Standards1.3 Market Analysis by Applications1.3.1 Government1.3.2 Academic1.3.3 Industry1.4 Market Analysis by Regions1.4.1 North America (USA, Canada and Mexico)1.4.1.1 USA1.4.1.2 Canada1.4.1.3 Mexico1.4.2 Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)1.4.2.1 Germany1.4.2.2 France1.4.2.3 UK1.4.2.4 Russia1.4.2.5 Italy1.4.3 Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)1.4.3.1 China1.4.3.2 Japan1.4.3.3 Korea1.4.3.4 India1.4.3.5 Southeast Asia1.4.4 South America, Middle East and Africa1.4.4.1 Brazil1.4.4.2 Egypt1.4.4.3 Saudi Arabia1.4.4.4 South Africa1.4.4.5 Nigeria1.5 Market Dynamics1.5.1 Market Opportunities1.5.2 Market Risk1.5.3 Market Driving Force2 Manufacturers Profiles2.1 Merck2.1.1 Business Overview2.1.2 Laboratory Chemical Reagents Type and Applications2.1.2.1 Type 12.1.2.2 Type 22.1.3 Merck Laboratory Chemical Reagents Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share2.2 Thermo2.2.1 Business Overview2.2.2 Laboratory Chemical Reagents Type and Applications2.2.2.1 Type 12.2.2.2 Type 22.2.3 Thermo Laboratory Chemical Reagents Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share2.3 TCI2.3.1 Business Overview2.3.2 Laboratory Chemical Reagents Type and Applications2.3.2.1 Type 12.3.2.2 Type 22.3.3 TCI Laboratory Chemical Reagents Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share2.4 American Element2.4.1 Business Overview2.4.2 Laboratory Chemical Reagents Type and Applications2.4.2.1 Type 12.4.2.2 Type 22.4.3 American Element Laboratory Chemical Reagents Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share2.5 Sinopharm2.5.1 Business Overview2.5.2 Laboratory Chemical Reagents Type and Applications2.5.2.1 Type 12.5.2.2 Type 22.5.3 Sinopharm Laboratory Chemical Reagents Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share2.6 Xilongchemical2.6.1 Business Overview2.6.2 Laboratory Chemical Reagents Type and Applications2.6.2.1 Type 12.6.2.2 Type 22.6.3 Xilongchemical Laboratory Chemical Reagents Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share2.7 ABCR2.7.1 Business Overview2.7.2 Laboratory Chemical Reagents Type and Applications2.7.2.1 Type 12.7.2.2 Type 22.7.3 ABCR Laboratory Chemical Reagents Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share2.8 BOC Sciences2.8.1 Business Overview2.8.2 Laboratory Chemical Reagents Type and Applications2.8.2.1 Type 12.8.2.2 Type 22.8.3 BOC Sciences Laboratory Chemical Reagents Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share..CONTINUEDAbout UsWise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, Industry research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports understand how essential statistical surveying information is for your organization or association. Therefore, we have associated with the top publishers and research firms all specialized in specific domains, ensuring you will receive the most reliable and up to date research data available.NORAH TRENTPartner Relations & Marketing Managersales@wiseguyreports.comPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US)Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (UK) Global Poly Aluminium Ferric Chloride Materials Market Forecast 2018-2025 Airedale Chemical, Holland Company, Henan Mebo, Zouping Jinxing Poly Aluminium Ferric Chloride Materials Market https://bit.ly/2Hvozzv https://www.globeinforesearch.com/report/global-poly-aluminium-ferric-chloride-materials-market-5307 A market study "Global Poly Aluminium Ferric Chloride Materials Market" examines the performance of the Poly Aluminium Ferric Chloride Materials market 2018. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Poly Aluminium Ferric Chloride Materials market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Poly Aluminium Ferric Chloride Materials market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.The Global Poly Aluminium Ferric Chloride Materials Market 2018 report includes Poly Aluminium Ferric Chloride Materials market Revenue, market Share, Poly Aluminium Ferric Chloride Materials industry volume, market Trends, Poly Aluminium Ferric Chloride Materials Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report. It shows manufacturing capacity, Poly Aluminium Ferric Chloride Materials Price during the Forecast period from 2018 to 2022.To Get Sample Report Click Here:Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Poly Aluminium Ferric Chloride Materials Market 2018 :PenccoKemiraFeralco GroupAiredale ChemicalHolland CompanyHenan MeboZouping JinxingHenan LvyuanShenzhouhuameiShandong RundeJiaozuo YuanboZhengzhou Hoo ChemtecPoly Aluminium Ferric Chloride Materials Market : By TypeAluminum MethodActive Aluminum Hydroxide MethodAluminum Oxide MethodAluminum Chloride MethodPoly Aluminium Ferric Chloride Materials Market : By ApplicationDrinking Water TreatmentIndustrial Water TreatmentMunicipal Water TreatmentFirstly, the report covers the top Poly Aluminium Ferric Chloride Materials manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Further, the Poly Aluminium Ferric Chloride Materials report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Poly Aluminium Ferric Chloride Materials industry, Poly Aluminium Ferric Chloride Materials industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Poly Aluminium Ferric Chloride Materials Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.Browse Full Report Here:The Poly Aluminium Ferric Chloride Materials research report includes the products that are currently in demand and available in the market along with their cost breakup, manufacturing volume, import/export scheme and contribution to the Poly Aluminium Ferric Chloride Materials market revenue worldwide.Finally, Poly Aluminium Ferric Chloride Materials market report gives you details about the market research findings and conclusion which helps you to develop profitable market strategies to gain competitive advantage.About US:GlobeInfoResearch.com is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. We have a leading market intelligence team which accredits and provides the reports of some of the top publishers in the field of the technology industry.Contact US:5001 Spring Valley Rd #400,Dallas,TX 75244, USAContact No. +1-214-661-1669Email: sales@globeinforesearch.com Coagulation Analyzer Market Volatility hits international national level 2025 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=1202 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=1202 https://www.tmrresearch.com/coagulation-analyzer-market Global Coagulation Analyzer Market: SnapshotCoagulation analyzers are laboratory instruments used for analyzing a number of facets associated with blood clotting. Used to measure blood prothrombin ratio, coagulation analyzers find multiple applications for the diagnosis and analysis of a number of diseases and their developmental stages. Coagulation analysis of the blood is commonly undertaken to diagnose the source of unexplained thrombosis or bleeding in patients.Request Sample Copy of the Report @The global market for coagulation analyzer has witnessed a huge surge in growth opportunities in the past few years as countries across the globe increasingly invest towards the improvement of healthcare infrastructures. The rising prevalence of a number of chronic health conditions across the globe is also catalyzing the increased usage of coagulation analyzers across clinical laboratories and hospital laboratories.Owing to the vast growth opportunities that the market for coagulation analyzers offers, a number of medical device companies have forayed into the market in the past few years. Vast research and development efforts from companies have led to the development of highly reliable analyzers in the recent past and the global market continues to witness the introduction of high precision and advanced product varieties at a steady pace.The global market boasts of a wide variety of semiautomatic as well as automatic varieties of coagulation analyzers, with the semiautomatic varieties requiring the involvement of clinical technicians to prepare and introduce samples. Machines with multiple channels and capability of analyzing a number of different samples at the same time are also available in the global marketplace.Coagulation Analyzer Market: OverviewThe global coagulation analyzer market is expected to display double-digit growth rate in the near future. The market comprises several products that are utilized by hospitals, clinical laboratories, patient self-testing centers, and others.Request TOC of the Report @The global market for coagulation analyzer can be analyzed by product, technology, test type, end-use, and geography.The publication is a comprehensive collection of past and current facts and factoids based on which projections are made for the coagulation analyzer market. The analysis of the report presents users with a qualitative and quantitative assessment of where the market stands today and where it is headed.The market study also presents the vendor landscape of the coagulated analyzer market at length. The key players are not only mentioned but are profiled for key business parameters such as recent development, business and financial overview, product portfolio, and geographical reach. The report also includes a SWOT analysis to present the indicators of strength, weakness, opportunities, and threat of the market until the end of the forecast period in 2025.Coagulation Analyzer Market: Trends and OpportunitiesThe increasing population base across the world suffering from chronic blood diseases and lifestyle associated disorders is driving the coagulation analyzer market. Furthermore, the rising awareness about these conditions is expected boost diagnostic rate and measures for preventive care, which is anticipated to increase the testing volume.The developing economies of the world are currently undergoing a paradigm shift in terms of modernization of their healthcare facilities. This includes government funding for the installation of such medical devices into public healthcare facilities. Furthermore, the rising geriatric population, increasing prevalence of chronic diseases, and increasing foreign investments in developing economies are favoring the growth of the coagulation analyzer market in these nations.The clinical laboratory product segment accounted for the largest share of the overall market in the recent past. Consumables is expected to account for a significant share of the market in the future due to the increasing testing volume and development of new assays. Optical technology is projected to exhibit the highest share of the market during the forecast period.However, the growth of the market is challenged due to several impediments. Stringent regulations for the approval of medical devices pose a challenge for small players to enter into this marketplace. This, in turn, is challenging the markets growth.Read Comprehensive Overview of Report @Coagulation Analyzer Market: Geographical OutlookNorth America is the largest regional market for coagulation analyzers and is expected to contribute substantial revenue to the global market in the near future. Favorable healthcare norms combined with the rising prevalence of cardiometabolic disorders such as pulmonary embolism (PE) and deep vein thrombosis (DVT) are boosting the growth of this regional market.The Middle East and Africa regional segment in expected to display significant growth due to the presence of an adequate number of hospitals, clinics, and health centers backed by skilled healthcare personnel that are equipped to deliver safe and effective services. In this region, governments of several countries are focused on the expansion of healthcare services. This not only includes modernization of existing hospitals but the development of new healthcare centers as well.Major Companies Mentioned in ReportSome of the leading players in this industry include Siemens Healthcare, Instrumentation Laboratory, Roche Diagnostics, Thermo Fischer Scientific, Sysmex Corporation, International Technidyne Corporation, Alere Inc., Beckman Coulter Inc., and NIHON KOHDEN.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 Clinical Microbiology Market New Investments Expected to boost industry 2025 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=1199 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=1199 https://www.tmrresearch.com/clinical-microbiology-market Global Clinical Microbiology Market: SnapshotClinical microbiology, the adaptation of microbiological techniques to analyze the etiological agents that lead to the development of infectious disease, is the medical sub-specialty that explores the nature of the infectious condition and studies the ability of antibiotics to kill or inhibit the isolated microorganisms. The sector is gaining increased focus across the globe owing chiefly to the vast rise in infectious conditions, the alarming adaptability of microbes to changing environments, and the rising threat of contracting bacterial pathogens that are resistant to commonly used antibiotics.Request Sample Copy of the Report @The rising number of diseases caused by pathogenic infections is fueling research and development activities in the field of clinical microbiology. The trend is expected to remain strong over the next few years as well, with an increasing number of medicine companies already entering or willing to enter the field with the help of their clinical solutions for use across numerous sectors of clinical microbiology. Automation is increasingly gaining a larger and more prominent role in the sector and is expected to help reduce the time required to undertake a number of processes and improve the efficiency of results.Technological advancements in monitoring equipment are allowing more exhaustive analysis of microbes and leading the field of clinical microbiology towards a healthy growth path. This report includes the most current market data related to clinical diagnosis of animal and human infections and the present and potential future role of laboratories in both the management of infectious diseases and analysis of the epidemiology of infections.Global Clinical Microbiology Market: OverviewThe intercontinental clinical microbiology market is envisioned to be pampered by a wide spectrum of opportunities in different applications such as the identification of diseases caused by pathogens with the help of laboratory services. Class A carbapenemase, a group of causative agents of clinical infections, is proliferating rapidly and has augmented the need for determining carbapenemase genes through clinical microbiology. In order to address this need, Cepheid, Inc. introduced Xpert Carba-R, a diagnostic assay, which was sanctioned by the U.S. FDA in 2016.Request TOC of the Report @The global clinical microbiology market could be segmented considering disease, application, and product as significant parameters. With the rise in targeted diseases and swelling geriatric population, the disease segment could see a handsome growth.This report on the world clinical microbiology market can be used as a guideline to operate in the industry as a winning player. Vital aspects of the market such as opportunities, restraints, and growth factors are analyzed in a radical manner to help gain a paramount insight into the clinical microbiology industry.Global Clinical Microbiology Market: Trends and OpportunitiesThe world clinical microbiology market could acquire growth at a stallion pace in the wake of the need to keep a tight rein on human errors during the manual processing of samples in research projects. In this regard, the automation of clinical systems could be demanded at a brisk rate. This demand is foretold to also gain increased support from the need to maintain constancy in manual processing.Having pulled in a kings share in the global clinical microbiology market in 2015, reagents are foreseen to earn more revenue while riding on the hike in purchases and aggravating penetration due to the demand from therapeutic and analytic research projects.The towering degree of the prevalence of respiratory maladies in emerging as well as developed nations could intensify the demand in the international clinical microbiology market. This can be attributed to the soaring levels of air pollution because of meteoric industrialization.Read Comprehensive Overview of Report @Global Clinical Microbiology Market: Regional OutlookThe North America clinical microbiology market is prognosticated to get help from the existence of leviathan companies and hard and fast regulatory structures. An interesting part of the geographical analysis is the expectation on the part of the Europe market to maintain a close proximity with North America in terms of growth. However, North America secured a stupendous share in the global clinical microbiology market in 2015. The region is anticipated to stimulate high adoption of clinical microbial methodologies with the higher development of healthcare and industrial domains in countries such as the U.S.Besides China, Japan is expected to promise a faster growth in the Asia Pacific clinical microbiology market on the back of aggressive microbial testing application in a variety of fields. The august technological buildout in Japan cannot be sidelined when considering this market on the basis of demand. A countable number of top companies in the market are looking to relocate their major manufacturing outlets to Asia Pacific. This is due to the quantum leaps in building sophisticated manufacturing infrastructure and large availability of skilled labor at low cost in the region.Global Clinical Microbiology Market: Companies MentionedAs a result of their pacey progress in research and development and introduction of automated laboratory systems, the giant players in the international clinical microbiology market have won the trump card of being the first movers. There are only a few names competing at worldwide level, viz. Bruker Corporation, Danaher Corporation, Cepheid Inc., and bioMerieux S.A. Howbeit, the contest is predicted to be escalated by the entry of new faces in the global market. Of these are Hologic Inc., Becton Dickinson & Company, Alere Inc., and Roche Diagnostics.About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth research of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.Contact:TMR Research,3739 Balboa St # 1097,San Francisco, CA 94121United StatesTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com Global Jewery Crafting Supplies Market Forecast 2018-2025 Silver King Beads, BRCbeads, Rockin Beads, eBoot Jewery Crafting Supplies Market https://bit.ly/2HZICqX https://www.globeinforesearch.com/report/global-jewery-crafting-supplies-market-5342 A market study "Global Jewery Crafting Supplies Market" examines the performance of the Jewery Crafting Supplies market 2018. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Jewery Crafting Supplies market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Jewery Crafting Supplies market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.The Global Jewery Crafting Supplies Market 2018 report includes Jewery Crafting Supplies market Revenue, market Share, Jewery Crafting Supplies industry volume, market Trends, Jewery Crafting Supplies Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report. It shows manufacturing capacity, Jewery Crafting Supplies Price during the Forecast period from 2018 to 2022.To Get Sample Report Click Here:Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Jewery Crafting Supplies Market 2018 :CmidyCrystal-WholesaleSooper BeadsGreatDeal68DariceLove'sSilver King BeadsBRCbeadsRockin BeadseBootJewery Crafting Supplies Market : By TypePendantsBeadsBeads ThreadNeedlesOthersJewery Crafting Supplies Market : By ApplicationClothing IndustryArt IndustryOthersFirstly, the report covers the top Jewery Crafting Supplies manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Further, the Jewery Crafting Supplies report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Jewery Crafting Supplies industry, Jewery Crafting Supplies industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Jewery Crafting Supplies Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.Browse Full Report Here:The Jewery Crafting Supplies research report includes the products that are currently in demand and available in the market along with their cost breakup, manufacturing volume, import/export scheme and contribution to the Jewery Crafting Supplies market revenue worldwide.Finally, Jewery Crafting Supplies market report gives you details about the market research findings and conclusion which helps you to develop profitable market strategies to gain competitive advantage.About US:GlobeInfoResearch.com is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. We have a leading market intelligence team which accredits and provides the reports of some of the top publishers in the field of the technology industry.Contact US:5001 Spring Valley Rd #400,Dallas,TX 75244, USAContact No. +1-214-661-1669Email: sales@globeinforesearch.com Xylitol Global Market Demand, Growth, Opportunities, Analysis of Top Key Player and Forecast to 2023 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/3092353-2018-global-xylitol-industry-depth-research-report https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/3092353-2018-global-xylitol-industry-depth-research-report The report provides a comprehensive analysis of the Xylitol industry market by types, applications, players and regions. This report also displays the 2013-2023 production, Consumption, revenue, Gross margin, Cost, Gross, market share, CAGR, and Market influencing factors of the Xylitol industry in USA, EU, China, India, Japan and other regionsMarket Analysis by Players: This report includes following top vendors in terms of company basic information, product category, sales (volume), revenue (Million USD), price and gross margin (%).DaniscoRoquetteFutasteHuakangShandong LuJian BiologicalShandong Longlive Bio-TechnologyMarket Analysis by Regions: Each geographical region is analyzed as Sales, Market Share (%) by Types & Applications, Production, Consumption, Imports & Exports Analysis, and Consumption Forecast.USAEuropeJapanChinaIndiaSoutheast AsiaSouth AmericaSouth AfricaOthersRequest a Sample Report @Market Analysis by Types: Each type is studied as Sales, Market Share (%), Revenue (Million USD), Price, Gross Margin and more similar information.Normal GradePharma GradeMarket Analysis by Applications: Each application is studied as Sales and Market Share (%), Revenue (Million USD), Price, Gross Margin and more similar information.Food IndustryPharma & HealthcarePersonal CareOtherTable of Content1 Xylitol Market Overview1.1 Product Overview of Xylitol1.2 Classification of Xylitol1.2.1 Type 11.2.2 Type 21.2.3 Type 31.2.4 Type 41.3 Applications of Xylitol1.3.1 Application 11.3.2 Application 21.3.3 Application 31.3.4 Application 41.4 Global Xylitol Market Regional Analysis1.4.1 USA Market Present Situation Analysis1.4.2 Europe Market Present Situation Analysis1.4.3 Japan Market Present Situation Analysis1.4.4 China Market Present Situation Analysis1.4.5 India Market Present Situation Analysis1.4.6 Southeast Asia Market Present Situation Analysis1.4.7 South America Market Present Situation Analysis1.4.8 South Africa Market Present Situation Analysis1.5 Xylitol Industry Development Factors Analysis1.5.1 Xylitol Industry Development Opportunities Analysis1.5.2 Xylitol Industry Development Challenges Analysis1.6 Xylitol Consumer Behavior Analysis2 Global Xylitol Competitions by Players2.1 Global Xylitol Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Players2.2 Global Xylitol Revenue (Million USD) and Share by Players (2017-2018)2.3 Global Xylitol Price (USD/Unit) by Players (2017-2018)2.4 Global Xylitol Gross Margin by Players (2017-2018)3 Global Xylitol Competitions by Types3.1 Global Xylitol Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Types3.2 Global Xylitol Revenue (Million USD) and Share by Type (2013-2018)3.3 Global Xylitol Price (USD/Unit) by Type (2013-2018)3.4 Global Xylitol Gross Margin by Type (2013-2018)3.5 USA Xylitol Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Type3.6 China Xylitol Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Type3.7 Europe Xylitol Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Type3.8 Japan Xylitol Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Type3.9 India Xylitol Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Type3.10 Southeast Asia Xylitol Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Type3.11 South America Xylitol Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Type3.12 South Africa Xylitol Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Type4 Global Xylitol Competitions by Applications4.1 Global Xylitol Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Applications4.2 Global Xylitol Revenue (Million USD) and Share by Applications (2013-2018)4.3 Global Xylitol Price (USD/Unit) by Applications (2013-2018)4.4 Global Xylitol Gross Margin by Applications (2013-2018)4.5 USA Xylitol Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Applications4.6 China Xylitol Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Applications4.7 Europe Xylitol Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Applications4.8 Japan Xylitol Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Applications4.9 India Xylitol Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Applications4.10 Southeast Asia Xylitol Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Applications4.11 South America Xylitol Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Applications4.12 South Africa Xylitol Sales (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Applications5 Global Xylitol Production Market Analysis by Regions5.1 Global Xylitol Production (Unit) and Market Share (%) by Regions5.1.1 USA Xylitol Market Production Present Situation Analysis5.1.2 Europe Xylitol Market Production Present Situation Analysis5.1.3 China Xylitol Market Production Present Situation Analysis5.1.4 Japan Xylitol Market Production Present Situation Analysis5.1.5 India Xylitol Market Production Present Situation Analysis5.1.6 Southeast Asia Xylitol Market Production Present Situation Analysis5.1.7 South America Xylitol Market Production Present Situation Analysis5.1.8 South Africa Xylitol Market Production Present Situation Analysis5.2 Global Xylitol Production Value (Million USD) and Share by Region (2013-2018)5.3 Global Xylitol Price (USD/Unit) by Region (2013-2018)5.4 Global Xylitol Gross Margin by Region (2013-2018)6 Global Xylitol Sales Market Analysis by Region6.1 USA Xylitol Market Consumption Present Situation Analysis6.2 Europe Xylitol Market Consumption Present Situation Analysis6.3 China Xylitol Market Consumption Present Situation Analysis6.4 Japan Xylitol Market Consumption Present Situation Analysis6.5 India Xylitol Market Consumption Present Situation Analysis6.6 Southeast Asia Xylitol Market Consumption Present Situation Analysis6.7 South America Xylitol Market Consumption Present Situation Analysis6.8 South Africa Xylitol Market Consumption Present Situation AnalysisContinuedAccess Complete Report @ABOUT US:Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports features an exhaustive list of market research reports from hundreds of publishers worldwide. We boast a database spanning virtually every market category and an even more comprehensive collection of market research reports under these categories and sub-categories.ADDRES:WISE GUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028Maharashtra, India Rubber gloves Market 2017- By Develop Strategies Based on the Latest Regulatory Events https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/1615786-global-rubber-gloves-market-report-2016-edition https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/1615786-global-rubber-gloves-market-report-2016-edition www.linkedin.com/company/4828928 https://twitter.com/WiseGuyReports https://www.facebook.com/Wiseguyreports-1009007869213183/?fref=ts Rubber gloves are common household items that offer many uses. They are inexpensive to purchase and are used for personal care, cleaning, pets, first aid and more. Rubber gloves are made of various types of rubber and are used for several purposes. Rubber gloves cover a wide range of applications from medical gloves to utility gloves. They are also used in food service industry. Many countries have implemented laws regarding the compulsory usage of gloves. Therefore, rubber gloves are being increasingly used in both professional as well as household chores.GET SAMPLE REPORT @The global rubber gloves market faces limited competition with small number of producers. The industry leaders dominate the rubber gloves market through their economies of scale, wide distribution of networks and efficiency along with product modernism. Although the industry has maintained its growth momentum, the major bottlenecks includes underutilization resulting from overcapacity, hike in natural gas tariffs, entry barriers and sudden exchange rate fluctuations.The factors driving growth of the market includes increasing incidences of pandemics and viral outbreaks, improving revenue from weakening of Malaysian Ringgit, low raw material and manufacturing costs, growth of electronic manufacturing market, rising healthcare expenditure and ageing population. Some of the noteworthy trends and developments of this industry includes ongoing demand shift from latex to nitrile gloves, improving product mix of companies, rising demand from emerging economies, tightening of healthcare regulations and shifting bargaining power to customers.The report Global Rubber Gloves Market analyzes the development of this market, with focus on Malaysias rubber gloves industry. The major trends, growth drivers as well as issues being faced by the industry are discussed in detail in this report. The four major players in the industry, Top Glove, Kossan, Supermax and Hartalega, are being profiled along with their key financials and strategies for growth. The report contains a comprehensive analysis of the global rubber gloves industry along with the study of regional markets.By combining SPSS Inc.s data integration and analysis capabilities with our relevant findings, we have predicted the future growth of the industry. We employed various significant variables that have an impact on this industry and created regression models with SPSS Base to determine the future direction of the industry. Before deploying the regression model, the relationship between several independent or predictor variables and the dependent variable was analyzed using standard SPSS output, including charts, tables and tests.Table of Content: Key Points1. Introduction1.1 Types of Rubber Gloves1.2 Gloves Applications1.3 Gloves Supply Chain2. Rubber Market Analysis2.1 Global Rubber Market2.2 Malaysias Rubber Market Analysis3. Rubber Gloves Market Analysis3.1 Global Rubber Gloves Market3.2 Malaysias Rubber Glove Market3.3 The U.S. Market4. Market DynamicsContinuedACCESS REPORT @Get in touch:LinkedIn:Twitter:Facebook:Wise Guy Reports understand how essential statistical surveying information is for your organization or association. Therefore, we have associated with the top publishers and research firms all specialized in specific domains, ensuring you will receive the most reliable and up to date research data available. We also provide COTS (Commercial off the Shelf) business sector reports as custom exploration agreeing your particular needs.WISE GUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersPune - 411028Maharashtra, India Commercial Vehicle Brake Chambers Market : Recent Industry Trends and Projected Industry Growth, 2017 2027 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-5937 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-5937 www.futuremarketinsights.com Growing commercial business, industrial activities and the ensuing rise in demand for transportation and logistics service are embellishing the global commercial vehicle brake chamber market. Furthermore, rapid industrialization, steady rise in logistic, development of road infrastructure and distribution & public transportation will drive the growth of the market throughout the forecast period. The industry is presently a vital crossroad with technology advancement, government regulations and emergent markets, focusing to revolutionize the face of the industry over the last few years. Brake chambers are round metal vessels, positioned at each wheel,where the applied pressure is rehabilitated into mechanical force. These are components of a brake chamber such as dust plug, bottom cover, diaphragm, push rod, spring fixer, spring washer and top cover. In Europe, commercial vehicles are poised towards running with disk brake. VE Commercial Vehicles (VECV) will invest US$ 4.5 Bn for enhancing the commercial vehicle production capacity in India. The past few years, Asia Pacific has opened its door for multinational automobile companies, allowing them to penetrate the market and modernized transportation infrastructure to make it lucrative for end users.Commercial Vehicle Brake Chambers Market: Dynamics Government spending on infrastructure project, and increasing eco-friendly vehicles such as hybrid & electrical vehicle are enriching the global commercial vehicle brake chamber market during the forecast period. On the other hand, the emerging food & beverage industry is the additional vital factor for enforcing the market owing to increasing food trucks and refrigerated vehicles demand. Furthermore, increasing natural gas commercial vehicle is expected to thumping the global commercial vehicle brake chamber market. Moreover, initial hitches with the Goods and Services Tax (GST) nonetheless, and the modern tax administration is explicitly fuelling the growth in the light commercial vehicle (LCV) market in India.Design complication of brake chambers, each has an inadequate pushrod stroke-length capability beyond which no brake force is produced and requirement of regular maintenance, which is expected to hamper the global commercial vehicle brake chamber market during the forecast period. Additionally, other factors containing fuel prices, antagonism with alternate modes of transport such as railways are expected to hinder market growth throughout the forecast period.Commercial Vehicle Brake Chambers Market: Segmentation- The global commercial vehicle brake chamber market can be segmented on the basis of commercial vehicle Types, Product Type and Sales channels. The global commercial vehicle brake chamber marketRequest for Sample @can be segmented on the basis of commercial vehicle type: Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) Van, others; Medium Commercial Vehicle (MCV) Travel Trailers, Box truck, Semi-truck; Heavy Commercial Vehicle (HCV) Trucks, Buses, Trailers, Other; The global commercial vehicle brake chamber market can be segmented on the basis of product: Piston, Diaphragm, Others; The global commercial vehicle brake chamber market can be segmented on the basis of sales Channels: OEM, Aftermarket; It is expected that Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) goods carrier is growing with high digit CAGR during the forecast period owing to increasing demand for transportation of good, passenger and others.Commercial Vehicle Brake Chambers Market: Regional Outlook Asia Pacific is the hub of commercial vehicle owing to rapid technological advancements together with the promising business environment in countries such as China and India, which is expected to fuel the demand for commercial vehicles during the forecast period. North America is the second leading consumer of commercial vehicles, it is expected that the demand for heavy commercial vehicle will decline owing to weakening pressure to replace older vehicles, especially on-highway tractors. On the other hand, it is anticipated that Europe will grow with a remarkable growth rate owing to growing transportation particularly in Spain, France and Germany. It is anticipated that the Middle East & Africa is growing with a stable growth rate, while Turkey, Iran and Saudi Arabia have the largest fleet of commercial vehicles in the MEA region.Request For Table Of Content @Commercial Vehicle Brake Chambers Market: Key Participants Examples of some of the key participants in the global commercial vehicle brake chambers market are: WABCO, Knorr-Bremse AG, TBK Co., Ltd., Nabtesco Automotive Corporation, TSE Brakes, Haldex, ARFESAN, Wanxiang Group, FUWA K Hitch Australia Pty. Ltd., Zhejiang VIE Science & Technology Co.,Ltd., Ningbo Shenfeng Automotive Brake System Co., Ltd., Chongqing Caff Automotive Braking & Steering Systems Co., Ltd., cc., Tongxiang Chenyu Machinery Co., Ltd., Zhejiang Sanzhong Machine Co., Ltd.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.Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +13479183531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: Methylamines Market Value Share, Supply Demand, share and Value Chain 2017 2027 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-5959 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-5959 www.futuremarketinsights.com Methylamine is a colorless gas produced by reacting methanol with ammonia in presence of certain catalysts. Monomethylamine, dimethylamine and trimethylamine are amongst the major product types of methylamines. Major application segment for methylamines include agriculture, electronics, pharmaceuticals and resin among others. Agriculture is the largest application segment for methylamines in terms of market share and the trend is expected to continue during the forecast period.Methylamines are employed in the production of several agricultural chemicals mainly pesticides. Growth in agricultural segment has been a major factor driving growth for methylamine market. Increasing demand for pharmaceutical products is also among the major driver for global methylamine demand. Methylamines are extremely flammable and hazardous to the environment which has been a major factor restraining market growth. Increasing research and development activities to increase the application scope of methylamine is expected to offer huge growth opportunity for the market.Request for Sample @North America dominates the global methylamines market in terms of consumption. Demand for methylamine in North America and Europe is anticipated to grow at a sluggish rate mainly owing to the introduction and implementation of increasing regulations. Asia Pacific is the second largest market for methylamines and is anticipated to be the fastest growing region during the forecast period.Demand in Asia Pacific is driven by growing demand from the emerging economies of India and China. Pharmaceutical application segment is expected to drive demand for methylamines in Asia Pacific. Increasing demand from Latin America and Africa is expected to drive market growth in the RoW region. Some of the players in the methylamine market include Air Products and Chemicals Inc., Alkyl Amines Chemicals Ltd, Daicel Chemical Industries Ltd, Huntsman International LLC, Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Company Inc., E. I. Du Pont De Nemours and Company and Daicel Chemical Industries Ltd among others.Request For Table Of Content @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.Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +13479183531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: On-site Preventive Care Market is expected to witness a CAGR of 7.1% from 2017 to 2027 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-5518 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/askus/rep-gb-5518 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/ Future Market Insights has published a new report titled On-site Preventive Care Market: Global Industry Analysis (2012-2016) and Opportunity Assessment (2017-2027). The report states that the standards set in the workplace for the safety of workers and the need to adhere to workplace norms have triggered the demand for on-site preventive care. Moreover, the increasing incidences of workplace illness has also made it an obligation for employers to follow employee safety codes and adopt on-site preventive care. As a result, the global on-site preventive care market is expected to witness a CAGR of 7.1% from 2017 to 2027. The market was worth around US$ 16,135 Mn in 2017 and is likely to touch a valuation of US$ 32,063 Mn approximately by the end of 2027.Request For Sample @On-site clinics enable employees to receive the required essential care at the time of emergency without having to leave the workplace. The clinicians in these clinics also aid employees in searching for a primary care physician who they can consult with on a regular basis. As a Future Market Insights analyst quotes, Changes in lifestyle among the working class have incessantly impelled employers to establish certain behavioural standards within the workplace. This is one of the core factors responsible for the growing adoption of on-site preventive care in several organisations across the globe.Burgeoning Penetration of Workplace Wellness Programmes to Bode Well for the MarketIn the recent past, workplace wellness programmes have earned the merit of being one of the most adopted healthcare services in the world. It has been further expected that its adoption will increase in the coming years owing to the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. This act is expected to promote an increase in the employee-based coverage of workplace wellness and also promote these programmes through several provisions. Moreover, the growing incidences of chronic diseases among the working population have also become a matter of concern and this has compelled employers across the globe to adopt as well as promote workplace wellness programmes.Furthermore, employers who have adopted on-site preventive care services have reported enhanced performance ranging from heightened morale and cost savings to productivity. The death of time, access, and cost along with misunderstanding of the benefits of prescribed wellness programmes result in the underutilisation of primary care services. As a result, employees flood emergency rooms, missing out on critical preventive care measures and also leave chronic conditions go unmanaged. In this regard, on-site clinics provide employees with the necessary support without having to leave their work and plus the clinicians also work together with the patients in a cohesive environment to address their various health related issues.North America and Western Europe to Compete Neck and NeckIn 2017, North America held a share of 37.0% in the global on-site preventive care market closely trailed by Western Europe. The dominance of North America can be attributed to the several policies implemented by the U.S. government pertaining to employee safety and the adoption of certain employee codes of safety. The U.S. is also an extremely mature market owing to the high adoption of workplace wellness programmes.Request For TOC @Companies to Innovate Services in the Global MarketIn order to stay ahead of the competition, several companies operating in the global market are focussing on innovating their existing services and integrating new services. Some of the leading companies in the market are Premise Health, OnSite Care, Inc., PrevMED, RepuCare, Healthcare Solutions Centers, LLC, McCormack & Kale Motiva Health & Chiropractic, Inc., Marino Wellness, Kinema Fitness, and TotalWellness.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: Veterinary Lasers Market is projected to register a robust CAGR of 9.7% in terms of value during the forecast period 20182028 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/askus/rep-gb-5410 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-5410 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/ The global veterinary lasers market is predicted to take a leap from US$ 123.2 Mn (2017) to a value worth US$ 336.5 Mn by the end of 2028. According to the latest market research report published on the global market for veterinary lasers by Future Market Insights, the global veterinary lasers market is projected to register a robust CAGR of 9.7% in terms of value during the forecast period 20182028. The report, titled Veterinary Lasers Market - Global Industry Analysis 2013-2017 and Opportunity Assessment 2018-2028 provides detailed analysis of the market over the next decade.Request For TOC @Pet Ownership Prevails and Availability of Pet Healthcare WidensSignificant rise in the percentage of pet owners and increasing spending on pets by owners have been the key factors driving the demand for veterinary lasers over the years. Furthermore, a rising number of government and private collaborations to provide quality care to pets will also provide an impetus to the global market for veterinary lasers in near future. Upgradation of veterinary hospitals and clinics that has been creating significant impact on the overall market scenario, coupled with an increasing number of healthcare facilities, will reportedly push the veterinary lasers market a little farther.Pet Owners Continue to Look for Non-invasive Treatment Options Through Insurance CoverImproving implementation of pet insurance coverage is identified to act as a value-driver to market growth during the assessment period. The demand for non-invasive procedures is increasing among pet owners and a majority of them have already accepted laser therapies as a better, efficient, and less painful treatment alternative for pets. This factor will continue to play a crucial role in strengthening the market conditions in upcoming years.High Costs and Lack of Favorable Reimbursement Policies to Remain Longstanding ChallengesAlthough probable health risks and expensive costs associated with laser therapies may hamper the penetration of lasers worldwide, Future Market Insights estimates promising growth prospects for the market over 2018-2028. A few other restraints to the growth of market include inadequacy of reimbursement policies in emerging economies, dearth of trained and skilled specialists and professionals, and absence of top notch healthcare infrastructure in certain regions of the world.Therapeutic and Class 3 Lasers Dominate, Hospitals Continue to Record Maximum ConsumptionBy product type, therapeutic lasers segment accounted for more than 44% share of the total market revenue in 2017. Future Market Insights estimates continued dominance of this segment and rapid emergence of therapeutic and surgical lasers segment during the forecast period. Based on laser type, class 3 lasers segment is expected to win over class 2 and class 4 lasers segments, accounting for more than 46% share of the market value by 2028 end. Hospitals will reportedly remain the largest end-user of veterinary lasers, capturing over 40% market value share throughout the assessment period.The Americas Remain the Leading Region, Developing Economies Witness Healthy GrowthThe North American market for veterinary lasers is anticipated to continue dominance over all other regional markets throughout the forecast period. With an estimated CAGR of 10.8% in terms of value, North America will possibly reach a value beyond US$ 99 Mn by the end of 2028. Latin America, although a developing country, will register a significant CAGR over the forecast period and remain the second largest as well as second fastest growing regional market for veterinary lasers. The Americas will be followed by the European market, in terms of both value and growth rate. According to the report, emerging economies are presumed to experience robust growth over the projection period.Request For Sample @Some of the Key Players Competing in the Global Veterinary Lasers Market, Profiled in the Report:Cutting Edge Laser TechnologiesAesculight LlcLiteCure LLCRespond Systems, Inc.Pivotal Health SolutionsLaserex Technologies Pty LtdERCHONIA CORPORATION,Technological Medical Advancements, Inc.BIOLASE, Inc.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: Automated CPR Devices Market was valued at US$ 60.0 Mn in 2016 and is anticipated to reach US$ 191.2 Mn by 2027 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-5343 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/askus/rep-gb-5343 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/ Future Market Insights (FMI) announces the release of its latest outlook titled,Automated CPR Devices Market: Global Industry Analysis (20122016) and Opportunity Assessment (20172027). According to the report, the global automated CPR devices market was valued at US$ 60.0 Mn in 2016 and is anticipated to reach US$ 191.2 Mn by 2027, registering a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.3% throughout the 10 year forecast period.Request For Sample @Market Drivers and RestraintsThe global automated CPR devices market is largely driven by a growing demand from emergency medical services and a rising need for technologically advanced EMS. An increasing public awareness of cardiac arrest and increasing training programmes is also positively influencing revenue growth of the automated CPR devices market. Also, increasing government funding and grants encouraging the use of automated CPR devices in order to improve survival rates of cardiac arrest victims coupled with a rapidly increasing geriatric population across the globe owing to the impact of reducing mortality rates and declining fertility rates has also widened the scope for automated CPR device manufacturers.Conversely, high cost of automated CPR devices, the substantial weight of the device and high training requirements are some minor restraints in the global automated CPR devices market. Additionally, conflicting results from observational studies regarding the use of automated CPR devices is also hampering the growth of the automated CPR devices market. While some observational studies have confirmed that the application of automated CPR devices can immediately improve hemodynamic effect and perfusion, some studies show less or no impact from the use of such devices.Unmet clinical needs are expected to offer favourable growth opportunities in the near future. Increasing demand for innovative products so as to ensure cardiac arrest survival rates through cardiopulmonary resuscitation are providing favourable prospects for growth of the global automated CPR devices market. There is a strong need for the improvement of existing CPR devices with some desired features such as inbuilt pulse rate check function and automated injectable function.Global Automated CPR Devices Market: Forecast by End UserAmong the various end users of automated CPR devices, the hospitals segment is likely to dominate throughout the forecast period with a CAGR of 11.6% in terms of value.The emergency medical services segment remains the third largest market and represents a Market Share Index of 0.6 over the forecast period.Global Automated CPR Devices Market: Forecast by RegionRegion-wise, Europe dominated the global automated CPR devices market in 2016 in terms of revenue, accounting for 36.5% revenue share. However, Asia Pacific is foreseen to witness a relatively high CAGR of 11.1%. The market in Europe is expected to remain dominant throughout the forecast period.Adoption rates for automated CPR devices vary according to region, which is resulting in disparity in market trends across regions. Factors such as differentiation in EMS and its functioning and lack of awareness amongst the populace are responsible for the varying adoption rates across different geographies. The U.S. is witnessing major investments in automated CPR devices due to the increasing number of market players with new technologies in the region.Request For TOC @Global Automated CPR Devices Market: Competitive LandscapeKey players considered in the global automated CPR devices market include ZOLL Medical Corporation, Physio-Control Inc., Brunswick Biomedical Technologies, Michigan Instruments, and SunLife Science Inc. The global automated CPR devices market is consolidated with the top two players bagging over 50% of the total market share. Most players are engaged in various activities such as new product development, increasing investments in clinical research, expansion of geographical presence and brand building via strong marketing strategies in order to sustain in the competitive global market.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature.FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: Sleep Apnea Devices Market Set for Rapid Growth and Trend by 2025 Sleep Apnea Devices Market https://www.qyresearchgroups.com/request-sample/902442 https://www.qyresearchgroups.com/report/global-sleep-apnea-devices-market-research-report-2018 https://www.qyresearchgroups.com/check-discount/902442 https://www.qyresearchgroups.com Sleep Apnea Devices Market Research Report 2018 is a pragmatic solution in the tough financial landscape in which we work. It will build resilience and capacity across both authorities and will help us to retain skilled and experienced staff by providing more opportunities for career development and specialism.This report studies the global Sleep Apnea Devices market status and forecast, categorizes the global Sleep Apnea Devices market size (value & volume) by key players, type, application, and region. This report focuses on the top players in North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, and Middle East & Africa.Get Sample Copy of this Report @The major manufacturers covered in this report ResMed, Inc. Philips Healthcare Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Ltd. SomnoMed Ltd. Compumedics Limited Weinmann Medical Devices GmbH BMC Medical Co., Ltd. DeVilbiss Healthcare Braebon Medical CorporationThe regional scope of the study is as follows:North America, United States, Canada, Mexico, Asia-Pacific, China, India, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Indonesia, Singapore, Rest of Asia-Pacific, Europe, Germany, France, UK, Italy, Spain, Russia, Rest of Europe, Central & South America, Brazil, Argentina, Rest of South America, Middle East & Africa, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Rest of Middle East & Africa.On the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoTherapeutic DevicesDiagnostic DevicesOn 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, includingSleep Laboratories and HospitalsHome Care SettingsWhy should you purchase this report?The report Sleep Apnea Devices Market by Manufacturers highlights key dynamics of Sleep Apnea Devices sector. The potentiality of this sector has been investigated along with the key challenges and growth opportunities. The current market scenario and future prospects of the sector has also been studied in-depth in this report. The report also discusses the key market players that are evaluated on several parameters such as company summary, product portfolio, revenue generation and sales analysis of Sleep Apnea Devices segment in the forecast period. Also, this report implicates major market drivers and restraints of the given market.Browse full report with Table of Content @The study objectives of this report are:To analyze and study the global Sleep Apnea Devices sales, value, status (2013-2017) and forecast (2018-2025).Focuses on the key Sleep Apnea Devices manufacturers, to study the sales, 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.Check Discount @About Us:QY Research Groups is a company that simplifies how analysts and decision makers get industry data for their business. Our unique colossal technology has been developed to offer refined search capabilities designed to exploit the long tail of free market research whilst eliminating irrelevant results. QY Research Groups is the collection of market intelligence products and services on the Web. We offer reports and update our collection daily to provide you with instant online access to the world's most complete and current database of expert insights on global industries, companies, products, and trends.Contact us:Email- sales@qyresearchgroups.comWeb- Global Vascular Access Catheters Market to Register a CAGR of 5.5% During the Forecast Period 2017 - 2027 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-5327 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/askus/rep-gb-5327 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/ With healthy CAGR of 5.5%, the global vascular access catheters market is likely to grow with an impressive growth rate during the projected period. The primary reasons for this remarkable growth is shift towards value-based healthcare model, increasing global healthcare spending and global manufacturers focus on emerging market. According to the new report Vascular Access Catheters Market: Global Industry Analysis (2012 2016) and Opportunity Assessment (2017 2027) that is published by Future Market Insights, global vascular access catheters market to grow from US$ 2,365.3 Mn in 2017 to US$ 4,042.8 Mn by 2027 end. This represents CAGR of 5.5% over the projected period of 10-years. The global vascular access catheters market for represents absolute $ opportunity of US$ 118.9 Mn in 2018 over 2017 and incremental opportunity of US$ 1,677.5 Mn between 2017 and 2027.Request For Sample @Global Vascular Access Catheters Market: DriversIncreased precision of PICC and CVC placement with tip location devicesImproved Reimbursement policiesPreference by surgeons, anaesthesiologists & interventional radiologistsIncreasing number of diseases with PICC applicationDistribution and collaboration agreement to increase product reachIntroduction of Innovative productsProduct availability through appointing distributorsIncreasing forward integrationIntroduction of new PICC having anti-thrombogenic propertyRadiopaque catheter material or markingGlobal Vascular Access Catheters Market: Forecast by ProductOn the basis of product type, the global vascular access catheters market is segmented into CVC Catheters, Implantable Port, Dialysis Catheters and PICC Catheters. CVC catheters dominated the global market in 2016, and is expected to continue to do so. Also, increasing approvals for new products in the hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis segment would further increase the adoption.Global Vascular Access Catheters Market: Forecast by End UseBy end use the global market for vascular access catheters market is segmented into hospitals, ambulatory surgical centres and specialty clinics and others. Hospital is expected to be the most lucrative among all end users of vascular access catheters products, with attractiveness index of 2.7, while specialty clinics and others are expected to be the least attractive end users of vascular access catheters, with market share index of 0.8.Global Vascular Access Catheters Market: Forecast by DesignDesign segment consists of single lumen, double lumen, and multiple lumen. Double Lumen, dominated the vascular access catheters market in revenue terms in 2016, and the trend is projected to continue throughout the forecast period. Double lumen catheters is expected to be the most lucrative among property segment, with attractiveness index of 2.1.Global Vascular Access Catheters Market: Forecast by PropertyThe property segment of the global vascular access catheters market includes antimicrobial catheter and non-anti-microbial catheter. Non Anti-microbial catheter, dominated the vascular access catheters market in revenue terms in 2016, and the trend is projected to continue throughout the forecast period. Non Anti-microbial Catheter is expected to be the most lucrative among Property segment, with attractiveness index of 1.5.Global Vascular Access Catheters Market: Forecast by RegionThis report has covered seven regions namely, North America, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, APEJ, Japan and MEA. North America vascular access catheters market accounted for largest revenue share of 44.6% in 2016. Western Europe is expected to experience highest CAGR of 5.8% over 20172027, primarily due to increase in chronic kidney dialysis & cancer. Also rising healthcare reach in untapped markets may spur revenue growth during the forecast period.Request For TOC @Global Vascular Access Catheters Market: Key PlayersSome of the key players operating in the global vascular access catheters market are Angio Dynamics, C.R. Bard, Teleflex Incorporated, B. Braun Melsungen AG, Kimal Healthcare, Comed B.V., Medtronic Plc, Smiths Medical, Vygon (UK) Ltd, Becton, Dickinson and Company, Argon Medical Devices, Inc., Boston Scientific Corporation, Cook Medical Incorporated and Fresenius Kabi AG.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: Global Dermatology Diagnostics Devices Market Analysis 2018 Forecasts To 2023: Philips Healthcare, Strate Skin Sciences, Nikon Corporation Global Dermatology Diagnostics Devices Manufacturers, Global Dermatology Diagnostics Devices Industry https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/2447809-global-dermatology-diagnostics-devices-market-analysis-2011-2017-and-forecast-2018 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/2447809-global-dermatology-diagnostics-devices-market-analysis-2011-2017-and-forecast-2018 Global Dermatology Diagnostics Devices MarketDescription:-Wiseguyreports.Com Adds Global Dermatology Diagnostics Devices Market 2018: Global Analysis, Industry Size, Share, Trends, Application Analysis and Growth Opportunities Forecast to 2023 To Its Research DatabaseThe global Dermatology Diagnostics Devices 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 Dermatology Diagnostics Devices 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.):Imaging EquipmentMicroscopes & TrichoscopesDermotoscopesCompany Coverage (Sales Revenue, Price, Gross Margin, Main Products etc.):GE HealthcarePhilips HealthcareSiemens HealthcareCarl ZeissLeica MicrosystemsNikon CorporationFotofinder SystemsCaliber I.D.DermliteHeine OptotechnikWelch AllynAMD Global TelemedicineMichelson DiagnosticsLongportVerisante TechnologyStrate Skin SciencesBrowse sample report @Application Coverage (Market Size & Forecast, Different Demand Market by Region, Main Consumer Profile etc.):Skin CancerPsoriasisAcneOthersRegion Coverage (Regional Output, Demand & Forecast by Countries etc.):North AmericaEuropeAsia-PacificSouth AmericaMiddle East & AfricaTable of Content1 Industry Overview1.1 Dermatology Diagnostics Devices Industry1.1.1 Overview1.1.2 Development of Dermatology Diagnostics Devices1.2 Market Segment1.2.1 Upstream1.2.2 Downstream1.3 Cost Analysis2 Industry Environment2.1 Policy2.2 Economics2.3 Sociology2.4 Technology3 Dermatology Diagnostics Devices Market by Type3.1 Segment Overview3.1.1 Imaging Equipment3.1.2 Microscopes & Trichoscopes3.1.3 Dermotoscopes3.2 Market Size3.3 Market Forecast4 Major Companies List4.1 GE Healthcare (Company Profile, Sales Data etc.)4.2 Philips Healthcare (Company Profile, Sales Data etc.)4.3 Siemens Healthcare (Company Profile, Sales Data etc.)4.4 Carl Zeiss (Company Profile, Sales Data etc.)4.5 Leica Microsystems (Company Profile, Sales Data etc.)4.6 Nikon Corporation (Company Profile, Sales Data etc.)4.7 Fotofinder Systems (Company Profile, Sales Data etc.)4.8 Caliber I.D. (Company Profile, Sales Data etc.)4.9 Dermlite (Company Profile, Sales Data etc.)4.10 Heine Optotechnik (Company Profile, Sales Data etc.)4.11 Welch Allyn (Company Profile, Sales Data etc.)4.12 AMD Global Telemedicine (Company Profile, Sales Data etc.)4.13 Michelson Diagnostics (Company Profile, Sales Data etc.)4.14 Longport (Company Profile, Sales Data etc.)4.15 Verisante Technology (Company Profile, Sales Data etc.)4.16 Strate Skin Sciences (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 Skin Cancer6.1.2 Demand in Psoriasis6.1.3 Demand in Acne6.1.4 Demand in Others6.2 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 Dermatology Diagnostics DevicesBrowse 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 South Korea Institutional Construction Market 2017 Share, Trend, Segmentation and Forecast to 2021 http://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/2397569-institutional-construction-market-in-south-korea-market-size-growth-and-forecast https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/2397569-institutional-construction-market-in-south-korea-market-size-growth-and-forecast South Korea Institutional Construction MarketSynopsis"Institutional Construction Market in South Korea: Market Size, Growth and Forecast Analytics to 2021" contains historic and forecast market data for the institutional construction market in South Korea, with a detailed breakdown of the data by construction activity (new construction, repair and maintenance, refurbishment and demolition) and by cost type( construction materials, construction equipment and construction services). This report also contains overall values of the institutional construction segments such as Institutional construction market covers the development of government, public and religious buildings. This market includes five categories: educational buildings, healthcare buildings, institutional buildings, religious buildings and research facilities.. This research report provides up-to-date market size data for the period 2012-2016 and an illustrative forecast to 2021.Click here for sample report @SummaryInstitutional construction market covers the development of government, public and religious buildings. This market includes five categories: educational buildings, healthcare buildings, institutional buildings, religious buildings and research facilities.The South Korean institutional construction category has observed some fluctuations in the review period with a value of KRWxxx.xx Billion (US$xx.xx Billion) in 2016 and increased at a rate of x.xx% over 2015. The market recorded a CARC of -x.xx% from 2012 through 2016."Institutional Construction Market in South Korea: Market Size, Growth and Forecast Analytics to 2021"' provides a top-level overview and detailed insight into the operating environment of the institutional construction market in South Korea. It is an essential tool for companies active across the South Korea construction value chain and for new players considering to enter the market.Scope An overview of the institutional construction market in South Korea.Historic (2012 through 2016) and forecast (2017 through 2021) construction market output values are provided.A detailed breakdown of the data by construction activity (new construction, repair and maintenance, refurbishment and demolition) is provided at the market level while the values for the segments are provided by cost types (construction materials, construction equipment & construction services).This report covers all the segments of commercial construction market including Institutional construction market covers the development of government, public and religious buildings. This market includes five categories: educational buildings, healthcare buildings, institutional buildings, religious buildings and research facilities..Reasons To Buy Enhances your knowledge of the market with key figures detailing construction type.Provides you with a breakdown of the market by construction activity (new construction, repair and maintenance, refurbishment and demolition).Provides you with a breakdown of the segments by cost type (construction materials, construction equipment &construction services).Details the segments covered under commercial construction market.Allows you to plan future business decisions using the forecast figures given.Table of Contents1 Introduction1.1 What is this Report About?1.2 Definitions1.3 CAGR Definition and Calculation2 Overall Institutional Construction: Market Analysis2.1 Overall Institutional Construction Output Value, 2012 - 20162.2 Overall Institutional Construction Output Value Forecast, 2017 - 20212.3 Overall Institutional Construction Output Value by Cost Type2.3.1 Overall Institutional Construction Output Value by Cost Type, 2012 - 20162.3.2 Overall Institutional Construction Output Value by Cost Type Forecast, 2017 - 20213 Institutional Construction Output: Analysis by Category3.1 New Construction Output Value, 2012 - 20163.2 New Construction Output Value Forecast, 2017 - 20213.3 New Construction Output Value by Cost Type3.3.1 New Construction Output Value by Cost Type,2012 - 20163.3.2 New Construction Output Forecast, by Cost Type, 2017 - 20213.4 Repair & Maintenance Output Value, 2012 - 20163.5 Repair & Maintenance Output value Forecast, 2017 - 2021.ContinuedFor Detailed Reading Please visit @Wise Guy Reports understand how essential statistical surveying information is for your organization or association. Therefore, we have associated with the top publishers and research firms all specialized in specific domains, ensuring you will receive the most reliable and up to date research data available. We also provide COTS (Commercial off the Shelf) business sector reports as custom exploration agreeing your particular needs.WISEGUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersPune - 411028Maharashtra, India At a CAGR of 7.16%, Global Sensors Market for Avionics Industry to grow over 2017-2021 | AMETEK, Amphenol, CiES https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=1166467 https://www.researchmoz.us/global-sensors-market-for-avionics-industry-2017-2021-report.html/toc http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG Sensors have been used in aircraft for a significant period of time. The cockpit of the aircraft is integrated with avionic equipment. This equipment is used to monitor the structural health, communicate, navigate, receive weather updates, and receive data on the temperature and pressure of the aircraft. These features have become important aspects of aviation, where passenger safety is the primary concern.The global sensors market for avionics industry to grow at a CAGR of 7.16% during the period 2017-2021. The report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global sensors market for avionics industry for 2017-2021. To calculate the market size, the report considers sales value and installations within the aircraft structure.The market is divided into the following segments based on geography:- Asia- Europe- US- ROWClick to get Sample PDF:Technavio's report, Global Sensors Market for Avionics Industry 2017-2021, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Key vendors- AMETEK- Amphenol- CiES- Crane Aerospace & Electronics- Eaton- Esterline Technologies- Fluid Components (FC)- HarcoSemco- Japan Aviation Electronics Industry- Jewell Instruments- Meggitt- MEMSCAP- Murata Manufacturing- RdF- Sensor Systems- Sensata Technologies- LORD- TE Connectivity- UTC Aerospace Systems- Zodiac AerotechnicsMarket driver- Implementation of real-time monitoring in aircraft- For a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket challenge- Difficulties in embedding sensors in aircraft- For a full, detailed list, view our reportView Complete TOC with Tables and Figures at:Key questions answered in this report- What will the market size be in 2021 and what will the growth rate be?- What are the key market trends?- What is driving this market?- What are the challenges to market growth?- Who are the key vendors in this market space?- What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key vendors?- What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors?ResearchMoz is the worlds fastest growing collection of market research reports worldwide. Our database is composed of current market studies from over 100 featured publishers worldwide. Our market research databases integrate statistics with analysis from global, regional, country and company perspectives. ResearchMozs service portfolio also includes value-added services such as market research customization, competitive landscaping, and in-depth surveys, delivered by a team of experienced Research Coordinators.Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-621-2074Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Email: sales@researchmoz.usFollow us on LinkedIn at: Qatar Midstream Oil and Gas Industry Outlook to 2022-Market Forecasts for Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), Oil Storage, Pipelines and Gas Processing Reportsweb http://www.reportsweb.com/inquiry&RW00011320509/sample http://www.reportsweb.com/inquiry&RW00011320509/buying "Qatar Midstream Oil and Gas Industry Outlook to 2022-Market Forecasts for Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), Oil Storage, Pipelines and Gas Processing", is a comprehensive report on midstream oil and gas industry in Qatar. The report also provides details such as name, type, operational status and operator for all active and planned (new build) LNG terminals, oil storage terminals, major trunk pipelines and gas processing plants in Qatar till 2022. Further, the report also offers recent developments, financial deals as well as latest awarded contracts in the country's midstream sector.Complete report is available@Report Scope:-Updated information related to all active and planned LNG terminals, oil storage terminals, major trunk pipelines and gas processing plants in the country, including operator and equity details-Key mergers and acquisitions, partnerships, private equity and initial public offerings in the country's midstream oil and gas industry, where available-Latest developments, financial deals and awarded contracts related to midstream oil and gas industry in the countryReasons to buy:-Gain a strong understanding of the country's midstream oil and gas industry-Facilitate decision making on the basis of strong historic and forecast of capacity data-Assess your competitor's major LNG terminals, oil storage terminals, major trunk pipelines and gas processing plants in the country-Analyze the latest developments, financial deals and awarded contracts related to the country's midstream oil and gas industry-Understand the country's financial deals landscape by analyzing how competitors are financed, and the mergers and partnerships that have shaped the marketInquire before Buying@Table of Content:1 Table of Contents 11.1. List of Tables 41.2. List of Figures 62. Introduction 72.1. What is This Report About-72.2. Market Definition 73. Qatar LNG Industry 93.1. Qatar LNG Industry, Liquefaction 93.1.1. Qatar LNG Industry, Liquefaction, Key Data 93.2. Qatar LNG Industry, Liquefaction, Overview 93.2.1. Qatar LNG Industry, Total Liquefaction Capacity 93.3. Qatar LNG Industry, Liquefaction Capacity by Major Companies 113.4. Qatar LNG Industry, Liquefaction Capacity by Terminal 133.5. Qatar LNG Industry, Liquefaction Asset Details 143.5.1. Qatar LNG Industry, Liquefaction Active Asset Details 144. Qatar Oil Storage Industry 324.1. Qatar Oil Storage Industry, Key Data 324.2. Qatar Oil Storage Industry, Overview 324.3. Qatar Oil Storage Industry, Storage Operations 324.3.1. Qatar Oil Storage Industry, Total Storage Capacity 324.4. Qatar Oil Storage Industry, Storage Capacity Share by Area 344.5. Qatar Oil Storage Industry, Storage Capacity by Company 354.6. Qatar Oil Storage Industry, Storage Capacity by Terminal 364.7. Qatar Oil Storage Industry, Asset Details 374.7.1. Qatar Oil Storage Industry, Active Asset Details 375. Qatar Oil and Gas Pipelines Industry 415.1. Qatar Oil Pipelines 415.1.1. Qatar Oil Pipelines, Key Data 415.2. Qatar Oil Pipelines, Overview 415.3. Qatar Oil and Gas Pipelines Industry, Crude Oil Pipeline Length by Company 415.4. Qatar Oil and Gas Pipelines Industry, Crude Oil Pipelines 435.5. Qatar Oil and Gas Pipelines Industry, Petroleum Products Pipeline Length by Company 445.6. Qatar Oil and Gas Pipelines Industry, Petroleum Products Pipelines 445.7. Qatar Oil and Gas Pipelines Industry, Oil Pipelines Asset Details 455.7.1. Qatar Oil and Gas Pipelines Industry, Oil Pipelines Active Asset Details 455.7.2. Qatar Oil and Gas Pipelines Industry, Oil Pipelines Planned Asset Details 695.8. Qatar Gas Pipelines, Key Data 715.8.1. Qatar Gas Pipelines, Overview 715.9. Qatar Oil and Gas Pipelines Industry, Natural Gas Pipeline Length by Major Companies 715.10. Qatar Oil and Gas Pipelines Industry, Natural Gas Pipelines 735.11. Qatar Oil and Gas Pipelines Industry, Gas Pipelines Asset Details 745.11.1. Qatar Oil and Gas Pipelines Industry, Gas Pipelines Active Asset Details 745.11.2. Qatar Oil and Gas Pipelines Industry, Gas Pipelines Planned Asset Details 886. Qatar Gas Processing Industry 916.1. Qatar Gas Processing Industry, Key Data 916.2. Qatar Gas Processing Industry, Overview 916.3. Qatar Gas Processing Industry, Gas Processing Capacity Major Companies 916.4. Qatar Gas Processing Industry, Processing Plant Number by Facility Type 936.5. Qatar Gas Processing Industry, Capacity Contribution of Various Provinces 946.6. Qatar Gas Processing Industry, Active Gas Processing Capacity 956.7. Qatar Gas Processing Industry, Planned Gas Processing Capacity 956.8. Qatar Gas Processing Industry, Asset Details 966.8.1. Qatar Gas Processing Industry, Active Asset Details 966.8.2. Qatar Gas Processing Industry, Planned Asset Details 1037. Recent Contracts 1067.1. Detailed Contracts Summary 1067.1.1. Awarded Contracts 1068. Financial Deal Landscape 1228.1. Detailed Deal Summary 1228.1.1. Merger 1229. Recent Developments 1249.1. Other Significant Developments 1249.1.1. Aug 20, 2017: Qatar Reshapes LNG Shipping With Landmark Multi-port Delivery 1249.1.2. Jul 04, 2017: Qatar Petroleum To Increase North Field Gas Production By Equivalent Of One Million Barrels Of Oil Per Day 1249.1.3. May 29, 2017: Qatar Dispatches Another LNG Cargo To UK's South Hook Terminal 1259.1.4. May 26, 2017: Qatar Dispatches LNG Cargo To UK's Dragon Terminal 1259.1.5. May 17, 2017: Belgium's Zeebrugge Terminal To Receive New Qatari LNG Cargo 1259.1.6. May 03, 2017: Qatargas Delivers Commissioning Cargo To New Chinese LNG Terminal 1269.2. New Contracts Announcements 1269.2.1. Sep 20, 2017: Qatargas and BOTAS (Turkey) sign new LNG agreement 1269.2.2. Jun 18, 2017: Qatargas And Shell Sign New LNG Agreement 1279.2.3. May 31, 2017: Qatar Petroleum Considering Raising Production Capacity Of LNG Trains 1279.2.4. Mar 14, 2017: Qatargas signs LNG agreement with PGNiG 1289.2.5. Nov 12, 2016: Qatar Petroleum Affiliate Ocean LNG Signs A Long Term SPA With Brazil CELSE 12910. Appendix 130About ReportsWeb:ReportsWeb.com is a one stop shop of market research reports and solutions to various companies across the globe. We help our clients in their decision support system by helping them choose most relevant and cost effective research reports and solutions from various publishers. We provide best in class customer service and our customer support team is always available to help you on your research queriesPune:505, 6th floor, Amanora Township,Amanora Chambers, East Block,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028 Companion Diagnostics Market Competitive Scenario of the Market, Major Competitors, Market Share, Benchmarking, Investments and Merger Acquisitions https://www.psmarketresearch.com/market-analysis/companion-diagnostics-market https://www.psmarketresearch.com/market-analysis/companion-diagnostics-market/report-sample https://www.psmarketresearch.com/send-enquiry?enquiry-url=companion-diagnostics-market https://www.psmarketresearch.com Companion diagnostics offers a set of tools that facilitates biological and clinical information to the pharmaceutical companies that they have to overcome. Companion diagnostics help physicians to improve the treatment decisions for the patients depending on their response to current treatments. Companion diagnostics approach to medication is transforming the healthcare industry by eliminating unfavorable reactions, improving treatment outcomes, and reducing the cost and time difficulties associated with conventional methods of medication. Companion diagnostic is basically a bio-analytical method designed to evaluate whether the patient will respond favorably to the specific medical treatment or not. The market is fully dependent on discovery of biomarkers, and research and development of new drugs. With the surge in research and development of targeted rehabilitations and innovation of new biomarkers for a range of conditions, the global companion diagnostics market is growing at healthy rate.Access Detailed Report Summary:On the basis of technology, the companion diagnostics market can be bifurcated as immunohistochemistry test (IHC), polymerase chain reaction tests (PCR), in situ hybridization tests (ISH), and others. Based on the indications, the global companion diagnostics market can be categorized as breast cancer, gastric cancer, colorectal cancer, melanoma, lung cancer, and others. Further on the bases of end users, the global companion diagnostics market can be categorized as reference laboratories, pharmaceutical companies and others.Request to Get the Sample Pages at:North America had the largest companion diagnostics market because of the increasing incidence of cancer and increased healthcare awareness. Whereas, Asia-Pacific is the fastest growing market of companion diagnostics owing to the strengthening healthcare services and increasing medical tourism in developing countries such as India and China.Make Enquiry Before Buying the Report:Some of the major competitors in companion diagnostics market are Biogenex Laboratories Inc, Agilent Technologies, Inc., Abbott Laboratories, Inc., Beckman Coulter, Inc., Danaher Corporation, Myriad Genetics, Inc., Qiagen N.V., bioMerieux SA, F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG, and General Electric Company.P&S Market ResearchP&S Market Research is a market research company, which offers market research and consulting services for various geographies around the globe. We provide market research reports, industry forecasting reports, business intelligence, and research based consulting services across different industry/business verticals.As one of the top growing market research agency, were keen upon providing market landscape and accurate forecasting. Our analysts and consultants are proficient with business intelligence and market analysis, through their interaction with leading companies of the concerned domain. We help our clients with B2B market research and assist them in identifying various windows of opportunity, and framing informed and customized business expansion strategies in different regionsP&S Market Research347, 5th Ave. #1402New York City, NY - 10016Toll-Free: +1-888-778-7886 (USA/Canada)Email: enquiry@psmarketresearch.comWeb: Global Ultrasonic Metal Welding Machines Market Size 2018-2025 Sonobond, Dukane, Sonic Italia, Shallwin Ultrasonic Metal Welding Machines Market https://bit.ly/2r0gOvj http://www.qymarketstudy.com/report/global-ultrasonic-metal-welding-machines-market-703 A market study "Global Ultrasonic Metal Welding Machines Market" examines the performance of the Ultrasonic Metal Welding Machines market 2018. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Ultrasonic Metal Welding Machines market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Ultrasonic Metal Welding Machines market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.The Global Ultrasonic Metal Welding Machines Market 2018 report includes Ultrasonic Metal Welding Machines market Revenue, market Share, Ultrasonic Metal Welding Machines industry volume, market Trends, Ultrasonic Metal Welding Machines Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report. It shows manufacturing capacity, Ultrasonic Metal Welding Machines Price during the Forecast period from 2018 to 2022.To Get Sample Report Click Here:Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Ultrasonic Metal Welding Machines Market 2018 :1. EMERSON2. TELSONIC3. SONICS4. SCHUNK5. Sonobond6. VETRON7. Shallwin8. MECASONIC9. Herrmann Ultraschall10. Dukane11. Forward Sonic Tech12. Johnson Plastosonic13. Roop Telsonic Ultrasonix14. Seidensha Electronics15. Sonic Italia16. Xfurth17. ALPHR TechnologyUltrasonic Metal Welding Machines Market : By ApplicationElectronicsAerospace & AutomotiveLife Sciences & MedicalBatteryPackagingOthersUltrasonic Metal Welding Machines Market : By TypeSpot Ultrasonic Metal WelderWire Splicing Ultrasonic Metal WelderSeam Ultrasonic Metal WelderTube Sealer Ultrasonic Metal WelderFirstly, the report covers the top Ultrasonic Metal Welding Machines manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Further, the Ultrasonic Metal Welding Machines report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Ultrasonic Metal Welding Machines industry, Ultrasonic Metal Welding Machines industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. 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We have a leading market intelligence team which accredits and provides the reports of some of the top publishers in the field of the technology industry.Contact Us:Samuel JohnsonUnited StatesContact No. +1-214-661-1669Email: sales@qymarketstudy.com Global and U.S. Oil Density Monitoring System Market Status and Forecast by Players, Types and Applications 2018-2025 QYResearchReports https://www.qyresearchreports.com/sample/sample.php?rep_id=1736292&type=S https://www.qyresearchreports.com/report/2018-2025-oil-density-monitoring-system-report-on-global-and-united-states-market-status-and-forecast-by-players-types-and-applications.htm/toc https://www.qyresearchreports.com/sample/sample.php?rep_id=1736292&type=D Qyresearchreports include new market research report "2018-2025 Oil Density Monitoring System Report on Global and United States Market, Status and Forecast, by Players, Types and Applications" to its huge collection of research reports.This report studies the Oil Density Monitoring System market status and outlook of global and United States, from angles of players, regions, product types and end industries; this report analyzes the top players in global and United States market, and splits the Oil Density Monitoring System market by product type and application/end industries.The report on the Global and United States market for Oil Density Monitoring System, prepared by our team of in-house analysts leveraging primary and secondary research, offers crucial information on it. To do so it factors in historical and current data. It also banks upon macroeconomic indicators to understand the tailwinds and headwinds likely to shape the Oil Density Monitoring System markets trajectory.At the outset, the report attempts to gauge the size of the market for Oil Density Monitoring System by arriving at the sizes of the respective product segments. It gathers data on their sales and revenue to understand the overall opportunity in the market. It also tries to figure out the pace at which the market would grow over the course of the forecast period beginning from 2018 and ending in 2025.Get a Free Sample Report for more Professional and Technical insights @The global Oil Density Monitoring System market is valued at XX million USD in 2017 and is expected to reach XX million USD by the end of 2025, growing at a CAGR of XX% between 2017 and 2025.The Asia-Pacific will occupy for more market share in following years, especially in China, also fast growing India and Southeast Asia regions.North America, especially the United States, will still play an important role which cannot be ignored. Any changes from United States might affect the development trend of Oil Density Monitoring System.United States plays an important role in global market, with market size of xx million USD in 2017 and will be xx million USD in 2025, with a CAGR of XX.Geographically, this report is segmented into several key regions, with sales, revenue, market share (%) and growth Rate (%) of Oil Density Monitoring System in these regions, from 2013 to 2025 (forecast), coveringUnited StatesNorth AmericaEuropeAsia-PacificSouth AmericaMiddle East and AfricaThe major players in global and United States market, includingBureau Veritas SA (France)Intertek Group plc (UK)Parker Hannifin Corporation (US)Castrol Limited (UK)General Electric Company (US)TestOil (Insight Services, Inc.) (US)Spectro Analytical Instruments GmbH (Germany)On the basis of product, the market is primarily split intoTurbinesCompressorsEnginesGear SystemsHydraulic SystemsOn the basis on the end users/application, this report coversTransportationIndustrialOil & GasEnergy & PowerMiningIn order to further study the market for Oil Density Monitoring System, it goes on to segment it on a range of parameters such as products, applications, underpinning technologies, and end users. It studies each segment at lengths to understand the opportunity it offers. It presents a comparative study on them to enable savvy participants in the market to bet right on it.Complete table of content is available at:Table of Contents1 Methodology and Data Source1.1 Methodology/Research Approach1.1.1 Research Programs/Design1.1.2 Market Size Estimation1.1.3 Market Breakdown and Data Triangulation1.2 Data Source1.3 Disclaimer2 Oil Density Monitoring System Market Overview2.1 Oil Density Monitoring System Product Overview2.2 Oil Density Monitoring System Market Segment by Type2.3 Global Oil Density Monitoring System Product Segment by Type2.3.1 Global Oil Density Monitoring System Sales (K Units) and Growth (%) by Type (2013, 2017 and 2025)2.3.2 Global Oil Density Monitoring System Sales (K Units) and Market Share (%) by Type (2013-2018)2.3.3 Global Oil Density Monitoring System Revenue (Million USD) and Market Share (%) by Type (2013-2018)2.3.4 Global Oil Density Monitoring System Price (USD/Unit) by Type (2013-2018)2.4 United States Oil Density Monitoring System Product Segment by Type3 Oil Density Monitoring System Application/End Users3.1 Oil Density Monitoring System Segment by Application/End Users3.2 Global Oil Density Monitoring System Product Segment by Application3.2.1 Global Oil Density Monitoring System Sales (K Units) and CGAR (%) by Application (2013, 2017 and 2025)3.2.2 Global Oil Density Monitoring System Sales (K Units) and Market Share (%) by Application (2013-2018)3.3 United States Oil Density Monitoring System Product Segment by ApplicationEnquiry For Discount Visit @List of Tables and FiguresTable Research Programs/Design for This ReportFigure Bottom-up and Top-down Approaches for This ReportFigure North America Oil Density Monitoring System Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (%)(2013-2025)Figure Asia-Pacific Oil Density Monitoring System Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (%)(2013-2025)Figure Europe Oil Density Monitoring System Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (%)(2013-2025)Figure South America Oil Density Monitoring System Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (%)(2013-2025)Figure Middle East and Africa Oil Density Monitoring System Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (%)(2013-2025)Figure United States Oil Density Monitoring System Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (%)(2013-2025)About Us:QYResearchReports.com delivers the latest strategic market intelligence to build a successful business footprint in China. Our syndicated and customized research reports provide companies with vital background information of the market and in-depth analysis on the Chinese trade and investment framework, which directly affects their business operations. Reports from QYResearchReports.com feature valuable recommendations on how to navigate in the extremely unpredictable yet highly attractive Chinese market.Contact Us:1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Email: sales@qyresearchreports.com Industrial Workwear Market Size & Share by Application, Type and Region - Global Forecast to 2025 https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/sample/1377657 https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/reports/1377657/industrial-workwear-global-industry-market-research-reports https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/enquiry/1377657 http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/ " Industrial Workwear Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2017 - 2025" is the latest addition to MarketResearchReports.Biz industry research reports collection.The main objective of this report is to define, describe, and forecast the global Industrial Workwear 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 @Industrial workwear can be termed as workwear types which are worn by blue collar employees in the industrial workspace. These workwear products are designed for the workers safety and they are durable. The industrial workwear market is expanding since the manufacturing sector around the globe is focusing on employee safety. Furthermore, government regulations are emphasizing on occupational health and safety of employees. Industrial workwear as garments forms a part of personal protective equipment usually given for the safety of employees.The industrial workwear market is witnessing a positive surge as there are a couple of factors impacting this market. One of the important factors driving the industrial workwear market is the rising demand for safe, ergonomic, and durable workwear. Another important factor impacting the market is the rise of industrious and tough jobs along with rising number of offshore jobs. Furthermore, there are a number of service providers furnishing workers to perform lifestyle services such as cleaning and maintenance. Consumers avail these services only from a trusted service provider. Such service providers provide workwear with their company logo to the employees. This logo- enabled uniform is a trust factor to end-users. Hence, the rising number of lifestyle service providers is also driving the industrial workwear market. However, the industry workwear market is challenged by inferior quality products manufactured at local markets. Another challenging factor is the negligence of employers in providing workwear to industrial employees. However, the industrial workwear market is expected to show positive market opportunity with customized design industrial workwear set to be adopted by a large number of global players. Furthermore, ready to measure industrial workwear is also anticipated to be an opportunistic factor for industrial workwear manufacturers.One of the key trends witnessed in the industrial workwear market is the rise in the number of working women in different industrial occupations. Women are also undertaking challenging & tough jobs in offshore & field activities. Hence, the industrial workwear segment is designing women centric workwear for industrious jobs. Industrial workwear is also coming up with gender neutral design or unisex designs which fits both men and women employees. Another trend in this market are the new developments and innovation in high performance fabrics used to fabricate industrial workwear.View Full Report @The global industrial workwear market is segmented based on type, garment, gender, finishes, and industry vertical. On the basis of type, the market can be split into protective wear, basic workwear, and custom-made workwear. Furthermore, on the basis of garment, the market can be bifurcated as coverall, bib pants, shirts, pants, waistcoats, jackets, and others. Additionally, the industrial workwear segment studies the market based on the perspective of gender as men, women, and unisex. Unisex garments are those designed to be fit both the genders. On the basis of finishes, the global industrial workwear market can be split into flame resistant, moisture wicking, high visibility, water proof, oil resistant, thermal, and others. The industry vertical of industrial workwear considers oil & mining, utilities & lifestyle service, construction, automotive, hospitality & catering, and others. Based on region, the global industrial workwear market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and South America.Some of the key players profiled in the global industrial workwear market are Globe International Limited, Loyal Textiles Ltd, P and D Workwear, Work 'N Gear, Inc., DASSY Europe BVBA, Hultafors Group, VF Corporation, Aditya Birla Corporation, Fristads Kansas Group, and Dickies Group.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 Intelligent Fencing Market to Register a Strong Growth By 2027 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-6036 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-6036 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/ The intelligent fencing market is growing significantly due to the increase in the number of crimes such as burglary, robbery and, vandalism. The growing demand for intelligent security solution across residential, commercial, and government sector is one of the major factors which are fueling the growth of intelligent fencing market. Various residential, commercial, and government organizations are adopting intelligent fencing to protect the property and makes it difficult and risky for the criminals to penetrate.Intelligent fencing is an electric fence security system that is attached to existing perimeter wall or fence of the property to detect and prevent intrusion into the perimeter. Intelligent fencing is the first line of defense against unauthorized access, and it provides the physical barrier that delays the intrusion time, thus giving more time to respond to alarm/alert message. Intelligent fencing is widely used to isolate and protect public and private places such as airports, military bases, and power stations against unauthorized accesses.A sample of this report is available upon request @Intelligent Fencing Market: Drivers and RestraintsDriversThe rise in safety and security concerns and spending carried out for the commercial and government constructions are expected to spur the market growth in near future. Also, various advantages of intelligent fencing over alarm system and CCTV surveillance are fueling the growth of intelligent fencing market. Moreover, intelligent fencing market is witnessing the high growth due to the increase in government spending for enhancing public places, and government premises.RestraintsThe critical challenge in the Intelligent Fencing market is the vulnerability to cyber-attacks. Also, the device and system compatibility is also a major challenge which may hamper the growth of Intelligent Fencing market. Moreover, the high cost of intelligent fencing is also one of the major factors which may hinder the growth of the intelligent fencing market.Intelligent Fencing Market: SegmentationSegmentation of Intelligent Fencing market on the basis of end-user:On the basis of end-user, Intelligent Fencing market can be segmented as residential, commercial, government, and others. Among this, government segment is anticipated to capture the largest market during the forecast period owing to the increase in the adoption of intelligent fencing in various government property.To view TOC of this report is available upon request @Intelligent Fencing Market: Competition LandscapeKey PlayersThe prominent players in Intelligent Fencing market includes SensorTec, Gallagher Group, Tru-test Group, Smart Fence integrated Security, Betafence NV, Long Fence, CertainTeed, ST Microelectronics, NXP semiconductors, and others.About UsFuture Market Insights is the premier provider of market intelligence and consulting services, serving clients in over 150 countries. FMI is headquartered in London, the global financial capital, and has delivery centres in the U.S. and India.FMIs research and consulting services help businesses around the globe navigate the challenges in a rapidly evolving marketplace with confidence and clarity. Our customised and syndicated market research reports deliver actionable insights that drive sustainable growth. We continuously track emerging trends and events in a broad range of end industries to ensure our clients prepare for the evolving needs of their consumers.Contact Us:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way,Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage,New York 10989,United StatesTel: +1-347-918-3531Fax: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: Corrugated boxes Market 2017 Global Key Players Key Players Mondi Group, Smurfit Kappa Group, KapStone Paper and Packaging Corporation and Nefab Group Analysis and Forecast to 2023 http://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/2577647-global-corrugated-boxes-market-trends-forecast-2017-2023 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/2577647-global-corrugated-boxes-market-trends-forecast-2017-2023 Corrugated boxes MarketSynopsisThe corrugated box industry is an inevitable part of manufacturing sectors which rely heavily on ample corrugated boxes for finished goods transportation and handling. Corrugated boxes are available in various shapes and sizes and are extensively used in the boxes of various goods such as foods, beverages, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, hazardous chemicals and other materials. The growth of corrugated boxes market is influenced by the growing trend of the online shopping, rapid growth in the electronic sector and growing demand for product safety. Government regulation for corrugated boxes and adverse effects on the environment are expected to hinder the growth of the corrugated boxes market.The continuous growth of the online shopping market is fuelling the overall growth of the corrugated boxes market. The ease of online shopping such as faster delivery, easier return policies, and free shipping, have made many customers switch from the traditional methods of shopping. The strong consumer demand for high variety in products and the availability of different kinds of goods, together drive the growth of online shopping market.Click here for sample report @Global corrugated boxes has very broad market in coming recent years. MRFR analysts has predicted that food & beverages and consumer goods industry are about to grow at a rapid pace, moreover, the speedy rising ecommerce business has also been a growth momentum which means more demand for these industries and in turn for corrugated boxes. Geographically, North America is a major revenue generator to the global corrugated boxes market where the US market has become one of the most attractive place for the manufacturers owing to the rising ecommerce venture and shifting trends towards online shopping. Europe is the second leading region and Asia-Pacific has emerged as the fastest growing region. In 2016, the global corrugated boxes market was valued at USD 61,229.4 million and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 3.91% during the forecast period.Key PlayersMondi Group (Austria), Smurfit Kappa Group (Ireland) , International Paper Company (U.S.), Orora Packaging Australia Pty Ltd. (Australia), WestRock (U.S.), Georgia-Pacific LLC (U.S.).Objective of Global Corrugated Boxes Market Analysis & Forecast, from 2017 to 2023 To provide detailed analysis of the market structure along with forecast for the next ten years of the various segments and sub-segments included in global corrugated boxes market with analysis of its development and demand in the market High growth geographies and countries were identified Regional and country specific demand and forecast for global corrugated boxes were studied Key segments covered in the report are: Type, wall construction, application and regionTarget Audience Manufactures Raw materials suppliers Aftermarket suppliers Research institute & education institute Potential investors Key executive (CEO and COO) and strategy growth managerKey Findings Global Corrugated boxes market is expected to reach USD 61,229.4 million by 2023. By type, Rigid Boxes in global corrugated boxes accounts for the largest market share and is growing with approximately ~ 6.04 % CAGR during forecast period. By Wall Construction, Single-wall segment goods segment holds the largest market growing with approximately 5.86% CAGR by the end of forecast period. Food & beverages segment dominate the global corrugated packaging market with a share of 22.70% in 2016, in terms of value. It is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.56% during the forecast period.Table of Contents1 Introduction 101.1 Scope of the Study 101.2 Assumptions 111.3 Market Structure 112 Research Methodology 122.1 Research Process 122.2 Primary Research 132.3 Secondary Research 132.4 Market Size Estimation 132.5 Forecast Model 153 Market Factor Analysis 163.1 Porter's Five Forces Analysis 163.1.1 Threat of New Entrants 173.1.2 Bargaining Power of Suppliers 173.1.3 Bargaining Power of Buyers 173.1.4 Threat of Substitutes 173.1.5 Rivalry 17.ContinuedFor Detailed Reading Please visit @Wise Guy Reports understand how essential statistical surveying information is for your organization or association. Therefore, we have associated with the top publishers and research firms all specialized in specific domains, ensuring you will receive the most reliable and up to date research data available. We also provide COTS (Commercial off the Shelf) business sector reports as custom exploration agreeing your particular needs.WISEGUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersPune - 411028Maharashtra, India Middle East and Africa Renewable Energy Market Analysis, Growth rate and Regional Market Performance https://tinyurl.com/y8rp7ha5 https://tinyurl.com/y886pf4y Orbisresearch.com has announced the addition of the Middle East and Africa Renewable Energy Market 2023 Research Report The report focuses on global major leading industry players with information such as company profiles, product picture and specification."Middle East and Africa Renewable Energy Market is among the latest region specific policy reports from GlobalData, the industry analysis specialist that offers comprehensive information on major policies governing renewable energy market in the region.The report provides the current and future renewable energy targets and plans along with the present policy framework, giving a fair idea of overall growth potential of the renewable energy industry. The report also provides major technology specific policies and incentives provided in the region.Get More Information & Sample Copy atThe report is built using data and information sourced from industry associations, government websites and statutory bodies. The information is also sourced through other secondary research sources such as industry and trade magazines.Scope- The report covers policy measures and incentives used in the Middle East and Africa region to promote renewable energy.- The report details promotional measures in the Middle East and Africa region both for the overall renewable energy industry and for specific renewable energy technologies that have potential in the region.Reasons to buyThe report will enhance your decision making capability in a more rapid and time sensitive manner. It will allow you to -- Develop business strategies with the help of specific insights about policy decisions being taken for different renewable energy sources.- Identify opportunities and challenges in exploiting various renewable technologies.- Compare the level of support provided to different renewable energy technologies in the Middle East and Africa region.- Be ahead of competition by keeping yourself abreast of all the latest policy changes.Enquire before Buying atNote: If you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want.About Us:Orbis Research (orbisresearch.com) is a single point aid for all your market research requirements. We have vast database of reports from the leading publishers and authors across the globe. We specialize in delivering customized reports as per the requirements of our clients. We have complete information about our publishers and hence are sure about the accuracy of the industries and verticals of their specialization. This helps our clients to map their needs and we produce the perfect required market research study for our clients.Contact Information:Hector CostelloSenior Manager Client Engagements4144N Central Expressway,Suite 600, Dallas,Texas 75204, U.S.A.Phone No.: +1 (214) 884-6817; +9164101019Email: sales@orbisresearch.com Global and Chinese Healthcare Cyber Security Market Report Presents an Overall Analysis, Development Trends, Driving Forces, Opportunities & Future Potential 2023 https://tinyurl.com/yad8xf2j https://tinyurl.com/y7xlcc3c Orbisresearch.com has announced the addition of the Global and Chinese Healthcare Cyber Security Industry Size Status and Forecast 2023,The report classifies the Global and Chinese Healthcare Cyber Security Industry in a precise manner to offer detailed insights about the aspects responsible for augmenting as well as restraining market growth.The 'Global and Chinese Healthcare Cyber Security Industry, 2013-2023 Market Research Report' is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the global Healthcare Cyber Security industry with a focus on the Chinese market. 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We have complete information about our publishers and hence are sure about the accuracy of the industries and verticals of their specialization. This helps our clients to map their needs and we produce the perfect required market research study for our clients.Contact Information:Hector CostelloSenior Manager Client Engagements4144N Central Expressway,Suite 600, Dallas,Texas 75204, U.S.A.Phone No.: +1 (214) 884-6817; +9164101019Email: sales@orbisresearch.com Smart Wearable Devices: Market 2018 Segmented by Manufacturers (Fitbit, Xiaomi, Apple, Garmin, Samsung, Jawbone, Misfit, Polar, Moto) and Forecasts to 2025 Qy Research Groups https://www.qyresearchgroups.com/request-sample/892525 https://www.qyresearchgroups.com/send-an-enquiry/892525 https://www.qyresearchgroups.com/check-discount/892525 Smart Wearable Devices Market Analysis to 2025 is a specialized and in-depth study of the Smart Wearable Devices industry with a focus on the global market trend. 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Our research reports have the capability and authenticity to support your organization for growth and consistency.Contact Us:Global Head Quarters5933 NE Win Sivers Drive,#205, Portland, OR 97220United Statesphone+1 (800) 910-6452help@researchbeam.com Vermiculite Market Size & Share by Application, Type and Region - Global Forecast to 2025 https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/sample/1377660 https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/reports/1377660/vermiculite-global-industry-analysis-market-research-reports https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/enquiry/1377660 http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/ "Vermiculite Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2017 - 2025 " is the latest addition to MarketResearchReports.Biz industry research reports collection.The main objective of this report is to define, describe, and forecast the global Vermiculite 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 @Vermiculite is a hydrated magnesium aluminum silicate mineral, found in abundance across the globe, which resembles mica in appearance. It is used extensively to manufacture molded shapes for open fire places, high temperature insulations, and fireproofing of structural steel and pipes. It is also used in automotive industries for preparing brake linings as vermiculite possess extra-ordinary thermal resistance. Vermiculite has wide range of applications in which it is used, such as floor and roof screeds and concretes, used as soilless media in hydroponics, soil enhancer etc. Vermiculite market is expected to increase with a significant CAGR over the forecast period, owing to its extra-ordinary applications in several industries. 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Construction segment is further sub-segmented into building plasters, ultra and light weight aggregates and concretes, Insulation, and roofing systems.Vermiculite Market: Drivers, Restraints and TrendsIncreasing use of vermiculite in hydroponics and agriculture industry is expected to boost the sales of vermiculite market, as awareness of hydroponics is increasing among individuals. Vermiculite forms soilless media for growth of plant, and it is also used as enhancer for soil. Extensive use of vermiculite in aluminum smelting industry as an insulator is also expected to back the sales of vermiculite market. Automotive and construction industry is also playing a key role in increasing sales of vermiculite market as vermiculite is used in preparing roof concretes, construction plasters, and brake linings in automotive.View Full Report @Vermiculite Market: Regional OutlookOn the basis of region, the vermiculite market is segmented into 7 key regions: North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific excluding Japan, Middle East and Africa and Japan.On the basis of production, Middle East and Africa and Asia-Pacific holds the highest position in vermiculite market. A considerable amount of vermiculite is exported from South Africa and China. Vermiculite market is expected to increase in these regions over the forecast period with significant CAGR.Europe holds significant value share of global vermiculite market which is expected to witness an upsurge in upcoming years.In terms of consumption of vermiculite in the region, North America holds relatively high share and is expected to continue the trend over the forecast period.S.Vermiculite Market: Key PlayersThere are number of key players that manufacture Vermiculite across the globe. Some of the prominent players are Palabora Copper (Pty) Limited., Virginia Vermiculite LLC, White Knight Minerals Private Limited., Dupre Minerals Limited., Whittemore Company Inc., Exfoliators (Aust) Pty Ltd, Palmetto Vermiculite Company, Mughal Ceramics Industry and various other manufacturers that operate globally.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. 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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 A2P (Application to Person) Messaging Market Leading Key Companies, Current Trends Review, Development and Forecast 2018-2025 with Application ReportsWeb http://www.reportsweb.com/global-a2p-messaging-market-size-status-and-forecast-2025 http://www.reportsweb.com/inquiry&RW00011908766/sample http://www.reportsweb.com/inquiry&RW00011908766/discount http://www.reportsweb.com/buy&RW00011908766/buy/3300 ReportsWeb Adds Global A2P Messaging market report it provides a vital recent industry data which covers in general market situation along with future scenario for industry around the Globe. It also consist of major data along with forecasts of a global market which makes the research very a useful source for, analysts, industry executives, consultants, managers and other people who require major industry data in a ready-to-access format along with clear presentation of diagrams (charts and tables).This report studies the A2P Messaging market status and outlook of global and major regions, from angles of players, regions, product and end Application/industries; this report analyzes the top players in global and major regions, and splits the A2P Messaging market by product and Application/end industries.The software industry is treading along an impressive growth path and has entered the ranks of some of the world's leading industries with massive growth prospects in the near future. With applications across the fields of robotics, Internet-of-things, and automation rising at an encouraging pace, the industry is expected to continue its bullish run in the next few years as well, impacting the growth prospects of a number of niche markets it caters to.For more information about this report atGlobal a2p application to person messaging market sizestatus and forecast 2025 has a vast collection of market research reports concerning the software industry, its sub-sectors, and a number of industries that the software sector directly or indirectly impacts. The detailed reports present a thorough account of trend analysis and market forecasts of the markets, along with accurate facts, statistics, market related data, and other important information regarding the software industry related market research reports compiled in the repository. The reports could prove to be useful to new as well as existing players concerned with the software sector in analyzing the feasibility of new investments in these markets.This report focuses on the global top players, coveredBICSCLX CommunicationsInfobipMavenir SystemsMessageBirdMittoNexmoRoute MobileSilverstreetSyniverseTata CommunicationsTyntecUbiquityMarket segment by Regions/Countries, this report coversUnited StatesEuropeChinaJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaThe study objectives of this report are:To study and forecast the market size of A2P Messaging in global market.To analyze the global key players, SWOT analysis, value and global market share for top players.To define, describe and forecast the market by type, end use and region.To analyze and compare the market status and forecast between China and major regions, namely, United States, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia, India and Rest of World.To analyze the global 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.Request a sample copy atMarket segment by Type, the product can be split intoOTT A2PA2P SMSOthersMarket segment by Application, A2P (Application to Person) Messaging can be split intoBankingContent PaymentsHealthcareMarketing CampaignsOthersKey Highlights:A Clear understanding of the A2P Messaging market based on growth, constraints, opportunities, feasibility study.Concise A2P Messaging Market study based on major geographical regions.Analysis of evolving market segments as well as a complete study of existing A2P Messaging market segments.Key Points from Table of Content1 Industry Overview of A2P Messaging2 Global A2P Messaging Competition Analysis by Players3 Company (Top Players) Profiles3.1 BICS3.1.1 Company Profile3.1.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.1.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.1.4 A2P (Application to Person) Messaging Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.2 CLX Communications3.2.1 Company Profile3.2.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.2.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.2.4 A2P (Application to Person) Messaging Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)3.3 Infobip3.3.1 Company Profile3.3.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.3.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.3.4 A2P (Application to Person) Messaging Revenue (Million USD) (2013-2018)Ask for Discount at4 Global A2P Messaging Market Size by Type and Application (2013-2018)5 United States A2P Messaging Development Status and Outlook6 EU A2P Messaging Development Status and Outlook7 Japan A2P Messaging Development Status and Outlook8 China A2P Messaging Development Status and Outlook9 India A2P Messaging Development Status and Outlook10 Southeast Asia A2P Messaging Development Status and Outlook11 Market Forecast by Regions, Type and Application (2018-2025)12 A2P Messaging Market Dynamics13 Market Effect Factors Analysis14 Research Finding/ConclusionList of Tables and FiguresFigure A2P SMS Market Size (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2013-2018)Figure Others Market Size (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2013-2018)Figure Global A2P (Application to Person) Messaging Market Share by Application in 2017Figure A2P (Application to Person) Messaging Market Size (Million USD) and Growth Rate in Banking (2013-2018)Figure A2P (Application to Person) Messaging Market Size (Million USD) and Growth Rate in Content Payments (2013-2018)Figure A2P (Application to Person) Messaging Market Size (Million USD) and Growth Rate in Healthcare (2013-2018)Figure A2P (Application to Person) Messaging Market Size (Million USD) and Growth Rate in Marketing Campaigns (2013-2018)Figure A2P (Application to Person) Messaging Market Size (Million USD) and Growth Rate in Others (2013-2018)Table A2P (Application to Person) Messaging Market Size (Million USD) by Players (2013-2018)Figure A2P (Application to Person) Messaging Market Size Share by Players in 2013Figure A2P (Application to Person) Messaging Market Size Share by Players in 2017Place a Direct order for complete report at(Note: If you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want.)Contact Us:Call: +1-646-491-9876Email: sales@reportsweb.comReportsWeb.com is a one stop shop of market research reports and solutions to various companies across the globe. We help our clients in their decision support system by helping them choose most relevant and cost effective research reports and solutions from various publishers. We provide best in class customer service and our customer support team is always available to help you on your research queries.533, 5th floor, Amanora Township,Amanora Chambers, East Block,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028 Global Real-Time PCR Detection Systems Market Outlook 2018-2025 Agilent, Thermo Fisher, Bioer, Roche, Esco Real-Time PCR Detection Systems Market https://bit.ly/2HOlmyf http://www.qymarketstudy.com/report/global-realtime-pcr-detection-systems-market-3979 A market study "Global Real-Time PCR Detection Systems Market" examines the performance of the Real-Time PCR Detection Systems market 2018. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Real-Time PCR Detection Systems market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Real-Time PCR Detection Systems market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.The Global Real-Time PCR Detection Systems Market 2018 report includes Real-Time PCR Detection Systems market Revenue, market Share, Real-Time PCR Detection Systems industry volume, market Trends, Real-Time PCR Detection Systems Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report. It shows manufacturing capacity, Real-Time PCR Detection Systems Price during the Forecast period from 2018 to 2022.To Get Sample Report Click Here:Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Real-Time PCR Detection Systems Market 2018 :1. Thermo Fisher2. Roche3. QIAGEN4. Bio-rad5. Agilent6. Bioer7. Biosynex8. Esco9. Analytik Jena10. Techne11. Bio-RadReal-Time PCR Detection Systems Market : By ApplicationClinical Nucleic Acid DetectionMolecular DiagnosisLife Science ResearchReal-Time PCR Detection Systems Market : By TypeInstrumentReagentFirstly, the report covers the top Real-Time PCR Detection Systems manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Further, the Real-Time PCR Detection Systems report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Real-Time PCR Detection Systems industry, Real-Time PCR Detection Systems industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. 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We have a leading market intelligence team which accredits and provides the reports of some of the top publishers in the field of the technology industry.Contact Us:Samuel JohnsonUnited StatesContact No. +1-214-661-1669Email: sales@qymarketstudy.com Global Nickel Brazed Plate Heat Exchangers Market Outlook 2018-2025 Hydac, Danfoss, Kaori, Hisaka, Mueller Nickel Brazed Plate Heat Exchangers Market https://bit.ly/2r2fBCP http://www.qymarketstudy.com/report/global-nickel-brazed-plate-heat-exchangers-market-3964 A market study "Global Nickel Brazed Plate Heat Exchangers Market" examines the performance of the Nickel Brazed Plate Heat Exchangers market 2018. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Nickel Brazed Plate Heat Exchangers market state and the competitive landscape globally. 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Triangle TubeNickel Brazed Plate Heat Exchangers Market : By ApplicationHVAC ApplicationsIndustrial ApplicationsOther ApplicationsNickel Brazed Plate Heat Exchangers Market : By TypeSingle CircuitMulti CircuitFirstly, the report covers the top Nickel Brazed Plate Heat Exchangers manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Further, the Nickel Brazed Plate Heat Exchangers report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Nickel Brazed Plate Heat Exchangers industry, Nickel Brazed Plate Heat Exchangers industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. 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We have a leading market intelligence team which accredits and provides the reports of some of the top publishers in the field of the technology industry.Contact Us:Samuel JohnsonUnited StatesContact No. +1-214-661-1669Email: sales@qymarketstudy.com Electric and Acoustic Hearing System Market in Global Industry: Applications, Regional Analysis, Key Players and Forecasts 2025 Market Research Report https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=1375731 https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=E&repid=1375731 https://www.researchmoz.us/electric-and-acoustic-hearing-system-market-global-industry-analysis-size-share-growth-trends-and-forecast-2017-2025-report.html http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG https://marketreserch1.blogspot.com Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Electric and Acoustic Hearing System Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2017 - 2025" to its huge collection of research reports.Hearing loss is a major public health issue and is the third utmost common physical complaint after heart disease and arthritis. Hearing loss can be genetic in nature or it may be caused by factors such as ageing, trauma, birth-related complications, exposure to excessive noise and infection. Depending on the cause, the degree of hearing loss can be mild, moderate, severe or profound. Most of the cases with mild hearing loss can be treated by taking primary prevention like use of ear plugs or noise blocking earmuffs, whenever required. However, for severe or profound hearing loss, hearing aids, hearing implants or combined electric and acoustic devices are used. In September 2016, FDA has approved MED-EL Electric and Acoustic hearing system implant; which is expected to gain highest market share in the forecast period of 2016-2024.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Electric and acoustic hearing system utilizes cochlear implant and acoustic amplification technology, and is used in patients with mild to severe hearing loss. In Electric and acoustic hearing hybrid system, a cochlear electrode array is implanted into cochlea and is coupled with a hearing aid, which transmits low-frequency information to user via acoustic stimulation. According to WHO, there are over 360 Mn people suffering from hearing loss, of which 328 Mn are adults and 32 Mn are children. Increasing consumer awareness about hearing impairment and availability of various types of advanced hearing aids are some of the factors expected to drive growth of the global electric and acoustic system market over the forecast period.Increasing incidence of hearing loss, expanding global geriatric population and rising consumer awareness regarding hearing aids are some of the factors expected to drive growth of the global electric and acoustic hearing system market over the forecast period. According to WHO, it is estimated that by 2025, there will be over 1.2 billion people above 60 years of age. Increasing adoption of digital hearing technology and demand for aesthetically appealing hearing aids is expected to fuel growth of the global electric and acoustic hearing system market over the forecast period. However, high product cost is the only factor that could hamper growth of the market.EAS hearing system devices are sold through specialized hearing-aid clinics, bigbox retailers, company-owned stores, government agencies and hospitals. The trade margin for EAS devices is high, which increases market profitability for the manufacturers. Hospital segment is expected to account for major market share in the global electric and acoustic hearing system market.Make An Enquiry @On the basis of region, the global electric and acoustic hearing system market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America and Middle East & Africa. Europe dominates the electric and acoustic hearing system market, followed by North America. Europe accounts for highest market share of the electric and acoustic hearing system market, as majority of the key players are located in this region. Growth of the electric and acoustic hearing system market in North America is driven by factors such as increasing aging population, high prevalence of hearing loss and technological advancements. According to the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA), about 20% of Americans, 50 Mn, report some degree of hearing loss. Also, at age of 65, one out of three people is suffering from hearing loss.The global electric and acoustic hearing system market in Asia Pacific is expected to grow significantly during the forecast period. The rising investments in healthcare infrastructure and development of digital and new technology are some of the factors driving growth of the market in this region. Asia Pacific market is expected to account for largest market share by 2026, due to robust distribution network and increasing prevalence of hearing loss, especially in the geriatric population.Browse Report @Some of the key players in the global electric and acoustic hearing system market include MED-EL, Cochlear Ltd., Beltone and Sonova.The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications.About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.For More Information Kindly Contact:ResearchMozMr. Nachiket Ghumare,Tel: +1-518-621-2074USA-Canada Toll Free: 866-997-4948Email: sales@researchmoz.usFollow us on LinkedIn @Follow me on Blogger at: Future Trends of Coagulation Factor Assay Testing Market in Global Industry: Business Opportunities, Latest Growth, Development Trends & Forecast 2025 Market Research Report https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=1375738 https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=E&repid=1375738 https://www.researchmoz.us/coagulation-factor-assay-testing-market-global-industry-analysis-size-share-growth-trends-and-forecast-2017-2025-report.html http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG https://marketreserch1.blogspot.com Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Coagulation Factor Assay Testing Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2017 - 2025" to its huge collection of research reports.Coagulation factor testing is generally performed to identify the presence of coagulation activity in a person which is associated with the control of blood clotting. Coagulation factor assay testing helps in identifying low level of coagulation factor activity, which is associated with excess bleeding and reduced clot formation. On the other hand, high level of coagulation factor activity is linked with increased clot formation, also known as thrombosis. It acts as a barrier during thromboembolism. Coagulation factor assay tests are carried out to identify deficiency of certain factors associated with certain chronic and acute diseases. These factors include fibrinogen, Factor II, Factor III, and others.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Coagulation factor assay testing is also carried out to gauge the function of specific factors. It is conducted for individuals that have prolonged prothrombin time or partial thromboplastic time. Coagulation factor assay tests act as screening tools that help determine whether an individual is suffering with coagulation factor issue. These tests help in investigation when the patient shows signs and symptoms of a bleeding disorder caused by inherited coagulation factor deficiency. This deficiency may lead to bleeding gums and excessive bleeding from minor bruises due to Von Willebrand disease or hemophilia A.Coagulation factor deficiency may develop in different manners, which could be a result of an inherited genetic disorder or any other disease. When more than one clotting factors decrease, it is associated with an acquired condition caused by chronic or acute forms of diseases such as disseminated cirrhosis, cancer, vitamin K deficiency, or blood transfusion of only red blood cells. Concentration of the factor that is to be analyzed is rate-limiting as compared to a competent system that utilizes clot formation. The determination of Factor VIII activity. Factor VIII testing is one of the most routinely carried out coagulation factor assays in the U.S. and Europe. Based on end-user, the global coagulation factor assay testing market can be segmented into hospitals, specialized clinics, diagnostic laboratories, and others.Make An Enquiry @The global coagulation factor assay testing market is expected to expand during the forecast period, due to increasing prevalence of blood clotting disorders worldwide and rising incidence of chronic diseases, which calls for regular coagulation factor testing. Technological advancements in diagnostics have led to rapid test results and efficient diagnosis based on these results. This development has raised the demand for point-of-care assays in developed and developing countries, which has resulted in rise in testing for coagulation factor at home care settings. Key players are focused on enhancing their market penetration in new geographies through development of new products and mergers and acquisitions, thereby increasing their share in the global coagulation factor assay testing market. For instance, in September 2017, Sysmex Corporation announced the launch of Revohem FVIII Chromogenic, a coagulation factor VIII assay reagent that can be used with Sysmexs automated blood coagulation analyzers.Major restraints for the global coagulation factor assay testing market are lack of awareness in developing countries, regulatory constraints associated with pointof-care testing, lack of skilled professionals to perform tests in home care settings, and high cost of coagulation factor assay testing.Browse Report @The global coagulation factor assay testing market has been divided into five regions viz. North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. The North America region is anticipated to hold a major market share during the forecast period, owing to developed health care infrastructure, high awareness, presence of major market players, favorable reimbursement scenario, and large number of patients suffering from blood disorders. Asia Pacific is expected to be a rapidly expanding market for coagulation factor assay testing, primarily due to increasing awareness, rising adoption of latest technologies, and improving health care infrastructure in the region. Latin America and Middle East & Africa are anticipated to provide lucrative growth opportunities to the coagulation factor testing market during the forecast period.Major players in the global coagulation factor assay testing market are Abbott, Becton Dickinson, Beckman Coulter/Danaher, Grifols, Roche, Thermo Fisher Scientific, and Accriva.About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.For More Information Kindly Contact:ResearchMozMr. Nachiket Ghumare,Tel: +1-518-621-2074USA-Canada Toll Free: 866-997-4948Email: sales@researchmoz.usFollow us on LinkedIn @Follow me on Blogger at: Global Gas-to-liquid (GTL) Market Outlook 2018-2025 PetroSA, Shell, Chevron, ORYX GTL, OLTIN YOL GTL Gas-to-liquid (GTL) Market https://bit.ly/2Kfrzl7 http://www.qymarketstudy.com/report/global-gastoliquid-gtl-market-4008 A market study "Global Gas-to-liquid (GTL) Market" examines the performance of the Gas-to-liquid (GTL) market 2018. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Gas-to-liquid (GTL) market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Gas-to-liquid (GTL) market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.The Global Gas-to-liquid (GTL) Market 2018 report includes Gas-to-liquid (GTL) market Revenue, market Share, Gas-to-liquid (GTL) industry volume, market Trends, Gas-to-liquid (GTL) Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report. It shows manufacturing capacity, Gas-to-liquid (GTL) Price during the Forecast period from 2018 to 2022.To Get Sample Report Click Here:Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Gas-to-liquid (GTL) Market 2018 :1. Shell2. ORYX GTL3. PetroSA4. OLTIN YOL GTL5. Chevron...Gas-to-liquid (GTL) Market : By ApplicationFuel OilLubricating OilProcess OilsOtherGas-to-liquid (GTL) Market : By TypeGTL DieselGTL NaphthaGTL OtherFirstly, the report covers the top Gas-to-liquid (GTL) manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Further, the Gas-to-liquid (GTL) report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Gas-to-liquid (GTL) industry, Gas-to-liquid (GTL) industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Gas-to-liquid (GTL) Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.Browse Full Report Here:The Gas-to-liquid (GTL) research report includes the products that are currently in demand and available in the market along with their cost breakup, manufacturing volume, import/export scheme and contribution to the Gas-to-liquid (GTL) market revenue worldwide.Finally, Gas-to-liquid (GTL) market report gives you details about the market research findings and conclusion which helps you to develop profitable market strategies to gain competitive advantage.About Us:QYMarketStudy.com is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. We have a leading market intelligence team which accredits and provides the reports of some of the top publishers in the field of the technology industry.Contact Us:Samuel JohnsonUnited StatesContact No. +1-214-661-1669Email: sales@qymarketstudy.com Industry Overview - Global Super-Resolution Microscope Market Professional Survey Report 2018 Industry Overview - Global Super-Resolution Microscope Market Professional Survey Report 2018 http://www.qyresearchglobal.com/goods-1545466.html http://www.qyresearcheurope.com/ or http://www.qyresearch.com/ The Global Super-Resolution Microscope Market Professional Survey Report 2018 is in-depth study of overall Super-Resolution Microscope market including introduction of product, definition, scope, Super-Resolution Microscope global sale, and forecast up to 2025.The Super-Resolution Microscope industry report clarifies the past experience and trends, on the basis of these past experiences, it offers the future prediction considering other factors influencing the growth rate. This worldwide report offers the detailed analysis of the important factors such as market dynamics (DROT), PEST, and PORTER which assists the growth of the Super-Resolution Microscope Industry. These past experience and factors assist to build the strategy and future planning of Super-Resolution Microscope Market and hold a place in the competitive world.This report is the extensive analysis of the Super-Resolution Microscope industry based on the primary and secondary in-depth research. The scope of the report includes the global and regional sale, product consumption in terms of volume and value. The Super-Resolution Microscope market report offers a forecast of revenue, CAGR, and cumulative revenue. The gathered information about Super-Resolution Microscope global business is represented in the figures, tables, pie chart, and graphs.The global Super-Resolution Microscope industry Market report offers the competitive scenario in the Super-Resolution Microscope industry based on the type of product, applications, and the companies that are present in the Super-Resolution Microscope market, and covers the company profiles, their development policies, lined up products and recent launched along with the SWOT analysis of companies.Get a complete report sample from this link:This report studies the global Super-Resolution Microscope market status and forecast, categorizes the global Super-Resolution Microscope market size (value & volume) by manufacturers, type, application, and region. This report focuses on the top manufacturers in North America, Europe, Japan, China, India, Southeast Asia and other regions (Central & South America, and Middle East & Africa).The major manufacturers covered in this reportLeica MicrosystemsCarl Zeiss AGNikon CorporationOlympus CorporationGE LifeSciencesBruker CorporationPicoQuant Group...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 AmericaEuropeChinaJapanIndiaSoutheast AsiaOther regions (Central & South America, 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 intoSTEDSSIM/SIMSTORMFPALMPALMBy Application, the market can be split intoNanotechnologyLife ScienceResearch Labs and AcademiaSemi-ConductorThis research study focuses to product specifications, Super-Resolution Microscope cost specifications, production capacity, distributors list, Super-Resolution Microscope marketing channel, and detail analysis of the export/import of the product. The Super-Resolution Microscope research document also offers raw material suppliers, cost, and downstream consumer list.All features mentioned above is included in the Super-Resolution Microscope Market Report 2018 which can offer solution to the difficulties to the prominent members of the Super-Resolution Microscope market.Additionally, the important terminologies, government policies, and regulations related to Super-Resolution Microscope market product are added.Contact Details:Company Name: QYResearch CO.,LIMITED | focus on Market Survey and ResearchTina| Sales ManagersTel: 0086-20-22093278(CN)Email: sales@qyresearchglobal.com or tinaning@qyresearch.comWeb:QYResearch, established in 2007, focuses on custom research, management consulting, IPO consulting, industry chain research, and data base &seminar services. The company owns large basic databases (such as National Bureau of Statistics Database, Customs Import and Export Database, Industry Association Database, etc.), expert resources (including industry experts who own more than 10 years experiences on marketing or R&D in industries of energy, automotive, chemicals, medical ICT consumer goods, etc.), professional survey team (the team members obtained more than 3 years market survey experience and more than 2 years deep expert interview experience), and excellent data analysis team (SPSS statistics and PPT graphics process team).Room 2901 VILI International Building No.167 Linhe West Road Global Medical Fiberscope Market Applications, End Users and Companies Future Opportunities Analysis 2018-2022 https://www.healthcareintelligencemarkets.com/request_sample.php?id=23296 https://www.healthcareintelligencemarkets.com/ask_for_discount.php?id=23296 https://www.healthcareintelligencemarkets.com/enquiry_before_buying.php?id=23296 Global Medical Fiberscope Sales Market is a comprehensive analysis of the situation of market. A detailed investigation of the past progress, present market scenario, and future prospects has been offered in the report. It provides correct data of the key strategies, market share, and products of the important companies in this market sector. This statistical surveying study offers an unbiased analysis of the Global Medical Fiberscope Market, taking a number of important market parameters, such as production capacity and volume, product pricing, demand and supply, sales volume, revenue generated, and the growth rate of this market is expanding into consideration.A fiberscope is a flexible optical fiber bundle with an eyepiece on one end and a lens on the other that is used to examine and inspect small, difficult-to-reach places such as the insides of machines, locks, and the human body. This report provides a through outline of Global Medical Fiberscope Sales Market based on important parameters such as applications end users, products, regions and many more. An estimated volume revenue growth with respect to global market for over the forthcoming years has been mentioned in detail.Get Sample Copy@Geographically, this report split global into several key Regions, with sales (K Units), revenue (Million USD), market share and growth rate of Medical Fiberscope for these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), coveringUnited StatesChinaEuropeJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaGlobal Medical Fiberscope market competition by top manufacturers/players,Alltion, Clarus Medical, ECLERIS, Emos Technology, ENDOMED, Olympus America, Optim, OPTOMIC, ROCAMED, Shanghai Aohua Photoelectricity Endoscope, Vision SciencesOn the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split into Single Function,Multi-Function.On the basis on the end users market is splits into Otolaryngology Department, Gynaecology Department, Gastrointestinal Department, Internal MedicineAvail 20% Discount and Customization On This Premium Report@This study provides an evaluation of aspects that are expected to impact growth of market in an undesired or constructive method. Global Medical Fiberscope Sales Market has been consistently examined with respect to the corresponding market segments. Each year within the mentioned forecast period is concisely considered in terms of produce and worth in the regional as well as the global markets respectively.To give a lucid view about Global Medical Fiberscope Sales Market, a competitive landscape has been put into view accompanied with the value chain analysis. An evidence on new introduced and current research, development projects and funds for innovation has been delivered in the report.For More enquiry @Table of Contents:Global Medical Fiberscope Sales Market Research Report 2018-2022Chapter 1: Global Medical Fiberscope Sales Market OverviewChapter 2: Global Economic Impact on IndustryChapter 3: Global Market Competition by ManufacturersChapter 4: Global Production, Revenue (Value) by RegionChapter 5: Global Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by RegionsChapter 6: Global Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by TypeChapter 7: Global Market Analysis by ApplicationChapter 8: Manufacturing Cost AnalysisChapter 9: Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream BuyersChapter 10: Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/TradersChapter 11: Market Effect Factors AnalysisChapter 12: Global Medical Fiberscope Sales Market ForecastAbout HIM,HealthCare Intelligence Markets supply market intelligence reports in the domain of personalized drugs & diagnostics after going through a rigorous research process. The healthcare and pharma industry is constantly evolving as trends are getting replaced at a rapid pace.Contact Us:Name: Shreyas TannaCompany: Healthcare Intelligence MarketsAddress: 601, Winterberry Purple, Koregaon Park, Pune, 411001Mail Id: sales@healthcareintelligencemarkets.comContact No: +91 7400242424 Global DC Electric Welding Machine Market Outlook 2018-2025 Kaierda, Panasonic, Time, OTC, JASIC, LINCOLN DC Electric Welding Machine Market https://bit.ly/2HOP9ad http://www.qymarketstudy.com/report/global-dc-electric-welding-machine-market-3927 A market study "Global DC Electric Welding Machine Market" examines the performance of the DC Electric Welding Machine market 2018. It encloses an in-depth Research of the DC Electric Welding Machine market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of DC Electric Welding Machine market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.The Global DC Electric Welding Machine Market 2018 report includes DC Electric Welding Machine market Revenue, market Share, DC Electric Welding Machine industry volume, market Trends, DC Electric Welding Machine Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report. It shows manufacturing capacity, DC Electric Welding Machine Price during the Forecast period from 2018 to 2022.To Get Sample Report Click Here:Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global DC Electric Welding Machine Market 2018 :1. Panasonic2. Time3. LINCOLN4. OTC5. Kaierda6. JASIC...DC Electric Welding Machine Market : By ApplicationShipping IndustryAutomobile IndustryEquipment Manufacturing IndustryOtherDC Electric Welding Machine Market : By Type220V380VOtherFirstly, the report covers the top DC Electric Welding Machine manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Further, the DC Electric Welding Machine report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of DC Electric Welding Machine industry, DC Electric Welding Machine industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. DC Electric Welding Machine Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.Browse Full Report Here:The DC Electric Welding Machine research report includes the products that are currently in demand and available in the market along with their cost breakup, manufacturing volume, import/export scheme and contribution to the DC Electric Welding Machine market revenue worldwide.Finally, DC Electric Welding Machine market report gives you details about the market research findings and conclusion which helps you to develop profitable market strategies to gain competitive advantage.About Us:QYMarketStudy.com is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. We have a leading market intelligence team which accredits and provides the reports of some of the top publishers in the field of the technology industry.Contact Us:Samuel JohnsonUnited StatesContact No. +1-214-661-1669Email: sales@qymarketstudy.com Precision farming market By Technology, component, Application 2017-2024 https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/227 https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/precision-farming-market https://www.gminsights.com/toc/detail/precision-farming-market https://www.gminsights.com http://algosonline.com/news North America held a major share of the global precision agriculture market in 2016 and is expected to maintain this dominance over the forecast timeline between 2017 and 2024. Large scale adoption of advanced farming solutions such as soil mapping, yield mapping, Variable Rate Technologies (VRT) and guidance and steering systems by U.S. based farmers is driving the growth of North America advanced farming market. Asia Pacific precision farming market is expected to exhibit fastest growth over the forecast period with a CAGR of over 19% between 2017 and 2024.Precision farming market is projected to surpass USD 10 billion by 2024. The technology is an integrated and production-oriented agricultural system developed for improving site-specific, long-term farm production efficiency. It helps in minimizing the impact of unfavorable environmental conditions or phenomena by facilitating effective weather monitoring.Request for a sample of this research report @Precision agriculture enables farmers to identify, analyze, and manage temporal and spatial variability in the fields to ensure optimum product quality and profitability. By minimizing production costs, sustainability and protection of the land resources can be achieved using precision agriculture.Factors such as degrading and diminishing natural resources, decline in overall productivity, fragmented land holdings, and stagnating farm incomes have become critical concerns for agricultural growth and development. Moreover, increasing demand for food to support the rapidly growing population around the world is also a major concern contributing to the increasing adoption and research and development related to advanced farming technology.Technological advancements such as the GPS modernization program to strengthen the GPS infrastructure are expected to provide traction to the precision farming market growth over the forecast period. Also, advancements in IoT and its adoption for precision agriculture systems to connect office-based farm management systems with field-based machinery are likely to contribute to the market growth during the forecast timeline.The competition in precision farming market is primarily characterized by strategic collaborations and acquisitions by key market players to diversify their product portfolio and extend their presence to newer regional markets. As the technology is rapidly advancing with innovations in sensor-based crop sensing solutions and advancements in GPS-enabled location-based capabilities, companies are consistently involved in new product development and upgradation initiatives.Adoption of digital farming technology to improve farm productivity in resource-poor regions struggling with low per capita productivity is resulting in significant increase in the yield. In countries such as India where most of the farms are rain fed and are inadequately irrigated, precision agriculture solutions are proving extremely useful for improving and maintaining overall farm production with increased per capita productivity.Browse key industry insights spread across 400 pages with 192 market data tables & 29 figures & charts from the report, Precision Farming Market Size By Component (Hardware [Automated Steering System, Drones, UAVs & Camera, Mobile Device, Global Positioning System (GPS) & Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS)], Software, Services [Consulting & Training, Maintenance & Updates, Managed Services, Integration]), By Technology (High Precision Positioning System, Geomapping, Remote Sensing, Integrated Electronic Communication, Variable Rate Technology (VRT)), By Application (Weather Monitoring, Yield Monitoring, Field Monitoring, Irrigation Management, Waste Management, Financial Management), Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook (U.S., Canada, UK, Germany, France, Spain, Netherlands, Turkey, Poland, Russia, Australia & New Zealand, China, India, Japan, South Korea, South East Asia, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, Peru, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Egypt), Growth Potential, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2017 - 2024 in detail along with the table of contents:The players operating in the advanced farming market are focusing on developing advanced sensor-based products which can provide quantitative metrics about the health and yield potential of crops. For instance, March 2017, SLANTRANGE, a provider of remote sensing and in-field analytics, announced the release of their new 3p multispectral sensor system for agricultural drones. The system, immediately after a drone flight, provides quantitative metrics about the crops health and enables growers to effectively scale their operations.Some of the key players operating in the advanced farming market are, Agribotix, LLC, CropX Inc., Trimble Navigation Limited, AGCO Corporation, AgSmarts Inc, Boumatic LLC., , Deere & Company, AgSense LLC, CropMetrics LLC, Dickey-John Corporation, Farmers Edge Inc., Monsanto Company, Delaval Corporation, GEA Group AG, Precision Planting, Topcon Positioning Systems Inc. and Raven Industries Inc.Table of Content (TOC-)Chapter 3. Industry Insights3.1. Introduction3.1.1. Components of precision farming3.2. Industry segmentation3.3. Precision farming market3.4. Precision farming ecosystem analysis3.5. Precision farming evolution3.6. Technology & innovation landscape3.7. Regulatory landscape3.7.1. National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES).3.7.2. Emergency Planning & Community Right to Know Act (EPCRA)3.7.3. Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA)3.7.4. EPA Office of Pesticide Programs Endangered Species Protection Program3.7.5. Integrated Administration and Control System (IACS)3.8. Industry impact forces3.8.1. Growth drivers3.8.1.1. Rising demand for food due to rapidly increasing population3.8.1.2. Proliferation of Big Data3.8.1.3. Increasing investment in agriculture technology3.8.1.4. Adoption of IoT in agriculture3.8.2. Industry pitfalls & challenges3.8.2.1. Low adoption in the developing countries3.8.2.2. Management of data3.9. Growth potential analysis3.10. Porter's analysis3.11. PESTEL analysisBrowse Full Toc of This Report @About Global Market Insights:Global Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider; offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy and biotechnology.Contact Us:Arun HegdeCorporate Sales, USAGlobal Market Insights, Inc.Phone: 1-302-846-7766Toll Free: 1-888-689-0688Email: sales@gminsights.comWeb:Blog: Organic Wine : Food 2018 | Medicine Due To Presence Of Resveratrol That Prevents Aging And Helps To Fight With The Diseases Organic Wine https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=1377580 https://www.researchmoz.us/organic-wine-market-global-industry-analysis-size-share-growth-trends-and-forecast-2017-2025-report.html#table-of-content https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=E&repid=1377580 www.researchmoz.us Press Release - 26 April 2018Global Research and Development News --. .Report Description-' 'Organic wine is a type of wine that is produced without the use of artificial chemicals such as fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, and fungicides. Organic grapes are cultivated in vineyards on the principles of organic farming. The aging process is employed to lend the wine, obtained from the grapes, a fine taste. It is the most preferred alcoholic beverage among the consumers. Organic wine can be used as a medicine due to presence of resveratrol that prevents aging and helps to fight with the diseases. Additionally, it helps for better metabolism, body warmth, and enhances better immunity.. . Get Sample Report' 'In most parts of the world, sulfite is employed in some amounts for stabilizing and improving the shelf-life of wine. Organic wine can be classified into three categories such as 100% organic wine, organic wines (95% of its ingredients from certified organic sources, which may have an additional 100 ppm of sulfur dioxide added to them) and wines made from organic grapes (70% of its grapes are from organic sources). Based on the product type, the organic wine market can be segregated into red wine, white wine, rose wine, sparkling wine, dessert wine and fortified wine. In terms of distribution channel, the organic wine market can be segregated into online distribution and offline distribution. Organic wines are purchased primarily in hypermarkets and supermarkets. Such products of organic wine are certified by different certification bodies all over the globe to be organic such as USDA, EU organic Certification, and California Certified organic farmers certification.The global organic wine industry is witnessing significant expansion for the last ten years. Rising number of organic vineyards is a key driver of the market. Increasing demand for organic wine has also led to an increase in the production of organic grapes across the globe. Wine has been always a preferred choice for celebration or parties. Currently, awareness about the presence of hazardous chemicals in food and beverages and health consciousness is rising among consumers. Thus the organic sector is witnessing an increase in investments from private investors as well as the government in the last few years.Some of the restraints of the market are high price of organic products and the low shelf-life when compared to conventional wine. Retailer indifference has played a key role in the poor acceptance of organic wines. These wines are often found in organic sections set off from the rest of the wine. Furthermore, differing standards and regulations regarding organic wine is likely to hinder the expansion of the global organic wine market.Europe accounts for around 70% of global organic wine production. Italy, France, Sweden, U.K. and Spain are the leading manufacturers of organic wine. Organic wines made in Italy have better quality as compared to the wines produced in other countries. In North America, the U.S. as well as Canada witnessed a significant rise in the consumption of organic wines. Additionally, revenue generated by the export of organic wines from Italy is anticipated to rise remarkably due to rise in exports to countries such as U.S. and other European countries during the forecast period. In Asia Pacific, Japan, Singapore, Australia, South Korea, China, and India have shown good progress in organic wine consumption. Developing nations in the region are likely to present better growth potential in organic wine sector.There are more than 2,000 organic wine producers globally. The major global players include Kendall-Jackson Winery, The Wine Group, E&J Gallo Pernod-Ricard, Bronco Wine, King Estate Winery, Chateau Maris Winery, Castel, Treasury Wine E states, Hall wines, Lapostolle winery, Diageo, DE Loach Vineyards, Grgich Hills Estate, China Great Wall Wine, Emiliana Organic Vineyards, Armit wines ltd, The Organic Wine Company, and Distell Group.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. 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 analysis The 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 market. . More Clear Details get Table of Contents' 'Continue.....ResearchMoz is the worlds fastest growing collection of market research reports worldwide. Our database is composed of current market studies from over 100 featured publishers worldwide. Our market research databases integrate statistics with analysis from global, regional, country and company perspectives. ResearchMozs service portfolio also includes value-added services such as market research customization, competitive landscaping, and in-depth surveys, delivered by a team of experienced Research Coordinators.Researchmoz Global Pvt. Ltd.90 State Street,Albany, NY 12207,United States,Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free),Tel: +1-518-621-2074 Commercial Drone Market Competitive Landscape & Product Benchmarking 2017-2024 https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/115 https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/unmanned-aerial-vehicles-UAV-commercial-drone-market https://www.gminsights.com/toc/detail/unmanned-aerial-vehicles-UAV-commercial-drone-market https://www.gminsights.com http://algosonline.com/news North America is the dominating region in the Commercial Drone market owing to the relaxation on the use of UAVs for commercial applications by the FAA. The rising adoption of drones for covering events through aerial photography, filming, and video is also driving the market growth. The existence of large number of players such as 3D Robotics, PrecisionHawk, Aeryon Labs, with the support of government initiatives and policies also support the growth of the market. For instance, the U.S. government in 2017 introduced a program to drive the testing of commercial UAVs to include night time operations, flights flown over people and flights beyond VLOS. The program will accelerate the adoption of UAVs into the NAS and test UAVs detection and tracking, with reducing few limits on their use.The Asia Pacific region is anticipated to grow with the highest rate during the forecast timespan due to the supportive government policies and initiatives for the driving the adoption of UAVs for commercial purposes and rising awareness for drone applications. The market is also aided by the rising adoption of drones by the enterprises and customers in fields such as retail, agriculture, and construction. Furthermore, the existence of considerable number of UAV manufacturers in the Asia, particularly in China, such as Xiaomi and DJI, is aiding to the market.Request for a sample of this research report @Commercial Drone Market is projected to grasp USD 17.0 billion by 2024. The increasing application of the drones for the commercial purposes is anticipated to be one of the major factor driving the market growth. Since the advent of commercial UAVs, they have been utilized for video and photography. However, due to the relaxation by regulatory bodies such as U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) on the use of drones for commercial drones, their adoption among the different industry sectors, such as agriculture, real estate, architecture & construction, delivery and media has increased rapidly.The increasing venture capital investment in drone technology, affordability and accessibility of the drones, along with the advancement in the design and integrated data intelligence are also contributing towards the growth of the market. In addition, strong Chinese market and growing demand for the drones in the commercial applications from the developing countries is fostering the market growth. However, security and privacy issues associated with the use of drone and stringent government regulations on the use of commercial use of drones are hindering the growth of the market.Agriculture sector is the most lucrative market for commercial UAVs market space. As the benefits of drones are becoming more apparent to farmers, their adoption is increasing for different agricultural applications to facilitate higher precision and consistency. The relatively low price of the UAVs with advanced imaging capabilities and sensors are enabling farmers to increase their yields and reduce cost of production. Players operating in the agriculture and digital farming market are developing modern agriculture focused drones with sophisticated precision and accuracy.For instance, in February 2017, Drone AG, a drone-assisted precision farming firm, entered into a partnership with Aerobotics, a South African data analytics firm, to provide weather-proof agricultural drones along with a cloud-based farm management software. These drones use high-end DJI components and can quickly cover large areas even in adverse weather situations.Browse key industry insights spread across 350 pages with 210 market data tables & 30 figures & charts from the report, Commercial Drone/Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Market Size By Product (Fixed Wing Drone, Rotary Blade Drone, Hybrid Drone), By Mode of Operation (Remotely Operated, Semi-Autonomous, Autonomous), By Application (Aerial Photography, Agriculture, Emergency Management, Inspection & Monitoring, Remote Sensing & Mapping, Wildlife Research & Preservation), Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook (U.S., Canada, UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Australia, China, India, Japan, South Korea, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, UAE, Israel, South Africa), Growth Potential, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2017 2024 in detail along with the table of contents:Some of the prominent vendors of the commercial drone market are Parrot, DJI, 3D Robotics, Yuneec International, AeroVironment, PrecisionHawk, Bae Systems, Airobotics, Airware, DroneDeploy, senseFly, Cyberhawk, Hoverfly Technologies, Ehang Inc, and Intel Corporation. Market players are adopting several strategies such as merger and acquisition, partnership & collaboration, customization, and geographical expansion to increase their market share. For instance, DJI completed the acquisition of the Hasselblad, a Sweden based camera company, with the sole purpose to strengthen its position in the commercial drone market space.Table of Content (TOC-)Chapter 3. Commercial Drone Industry Insights3.1. Introduction3.2. Industry segmentation3.3. Industry landscape, 2013 - 20243.4. Industry ecosystem analysis3.5. Market evolution3.6. Market news3.7. Commercial drone regulations3.7.1. U.S.3.7.2. Canada3.7.3. U.K.3.7.4. Germany3.7.5. France3.7.6. Italy3.7.7. Spain3.7.8. Australia3.7.9. China3.7.10. India3.7.11. Japan3.7.12. South Korea3.7.13. Brazil3.7.14. Mexico3.7.15. Argentina3.7.16. UAE3.7.17. Israel3.7.18. South Africa3.8. Pricing analysis3.9. Technology & innovation landscape3.9.1. AI in drones3.9.2. Nano & Mini drones3.9.3. 3D printing of drones3.9.4. Cloud computing-based services3.9.5. Advanced material in manufacturing of drones3.9.6. Drones taxies or passenger drones3.9.7. IoT drones3.10. Commercial drone use cases3.10.1. Agriculture3.10.2. Photography & Filming3.10.3. Construction3.10.4. Real estate3.10.5. Retail3.11. Industry impact forces3.11.1. Growth drivers3.11.1.1. Venture capital investment in drone technology3.11.1.2. Increasing use cased of drones in civil applications3.11.1.3. Increasing affordability and accessibility of drones3.11.1.4. Advancement in design and integrated data intelligence3.11.1.5. Strong Chinese market and growing demand from developing economies3.11.2. Industry pitfalls & challenges3.11.2.1. Stringent government regulations3.11.2.2. Security & privacy issues3.12. Growth potential analysis3.13. Porter's analysis3.14. PESTEL analysisBrowse Full Toc of This Report @About Global Market Insights:Global Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider; offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy and biotechnology.Contact Us:Arun HegdeCorporate Sales, USAGlobal Market Insights, Inc.Phone: 1-302-846-7766Toll Free: 1-888-689-0688Email: sales@gminsights.comWeb:Blog: New Market Research Report Announced on Near Field Sensor Market; Global Industry Analysis 2018-2025 https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=1642332 https://www.researchmoz.us/global-near-field-sensor-sales-market-report-2018-report.html/toc https://www.researchmoz.us/global-near-field-sensor-sales-market-report-2018-report.html http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG https://marketinfo247.wordpress.com/ Albany, NY, 26th April : Recent research and the current scenario as well as future market potential of "Global Near Field Sensor Sales Market Report 2018" globally.In this report, the global Near Field Sensor market is valued at USD XX million in 2017 and is expected to reach USD XX million by the end of 2025, growing at a CAGR of XX% between 2017 and 2025.Get PDF for more Professional and Technical insights @Geographically, this report split global into several key Regions, with sales (K Units), revenue (Million USD), market share and growth rate of Near Field Sensor for these regions, from 2013 to 2025 (forecast), coveringUnited StatesChinaEuropeJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaGlobal Near Field Sensor market competition by top manufacturers/players, with Near Field Sensor sales volume, Price (USD/Unit), revenue (Million USD) and market share for each manufacturer/player; the top players includingOmron CorporationPepperl + FuchsBroadcomSTMicroelectronicsHoneywellSickAvago TechnologiesSchneider ElectricRed LionPanasonic CorporationBalluff GmbHIFM ElectronicRockwell AutomationEatonShanghai Lanbao Sensing TechnologyComus GroupOn the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoBy TechnologyInductive SensorsCapacitive SensorsMagnetic SensorsPhotoelectric & Ultrasonic SensorsOptical SensorsBy TypeFixed DistanceAdjustable DistanceView Complete TOC with tables & Figures @On the basis on the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, sales volume, market share and growth rate for each application, includingAutomotiveIndustrial ManufacturingFood & BeveragePharmaceuticalsConsumer ElectronicsDefense & AerospaceTable of Contents1 Near Field Sensor Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Near Field Sensor1.2 Classification of Near Field Sensor by Product Category1.2.1 Global Near Field Sensor Market Size (Sales) Comparison by Type (2013-2025)1.2.2 Global Near Field Sensor Market Size (Sales) Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20171.2.3 Inductive Sensors1.2.4 Capacitive Sensors1.2.5 Magnetic Sensors1.2.6 Photoelectric & Ultrasonic Sensors1.2.7 Optical Sensors1.3 Global Near Field Sensor Market by Application/End Users1.3.1 Global Near Field Sensor Sales (Volume) and Market Share Comparison by Application (2013-2025)1.3.2 Automotive1.3.3 Industrial Manufacturing1.3.4 Food & Beverage1.3.5 Pharmaceuticals1.3.6 Consumer Electronics1.3.7 Defense & Aerospace1.4 Global Near Field Sensor Market by Region1.4.1 Global Near Field Sensor Market Size (Value) Comparison by Region (2013-2025)1.4.2 United States Near Field Sensor Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.4.3 China Near Field Sensor Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.4.4 Europe Near Field Sensor Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.4.5 Japan Near Field Sensor Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.4.6 Southeast Asia Near Field Sensor Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.4.7 India Near Field Sensor Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.5 Global Market Size (Value and Volume) of Near Field Sensor (2013-2025)1.5.1 Global Near Field Sensor Sales and Growth Rate (2013-2025)1.5.2 Global Near Field Sensor Revenue and Growth Rate (2013-2025)Browse Report @2 Global Near Field Sensor Competition by Players/Suppliers, Type and Application2.1 Global Near Field Sensor Market Competition by Players/Suppliers2.1.1 Global Near Field Sensor Sales and Market Share of Key Players/Suppliers (2013-2018)2.1.2 Global Near Field Sensor Revenue and Share by Players/Suppliers (2013-2018)2.2 Global Near Field Sensor (Volume and Value) by Type2.2.1 Global Near Field Sensor Sales and Market Share by Type (2013-2018)2.2.2 Global Near Field Sensor Revenue and Market Share by Type (2013-2018)2.3 Global Near Field Sensor (Volume and Value) by Region2.3.1 Global Near Field Sensor Sales and Market Share by Region (2013-2018)2.3.2 Global Near Field Sensor Revenue and Market Share by Region (2013-2018)2.4 Global Near Field Sensor (Volume) by ApplicationResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.ResearchMozMr. Nachiket Ghumare,90 State Street, Albany NY, United States - 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074USA-Canada Toll Free: 866-997-4948Email: sales@researchmoz.usFollow us on LinkedIn @Follow me on : Poland - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband : Competitive Dynamics & Global Outlook 2018 https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=1740273 https://www.researchmoz.us/poland-telecoms-mobile-and-broadband-statistics-and-analyses-report.html/toc https://www.researchmoz.us/poland-telecoms-mobile-and-broadband-statistics-and-analyses-report.html http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG https://marketinfo247.wordpress.com/ Albany, NY, 26th April : Recent research and the current scenario as well as future market potential of "Poland - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses" globally.Polands liberalised telecom market has seen considerable development in recent years, with the regulatory environment having been shaped by EU principles designed to facilitate competition and encourage competing operators to enter the market. Recently this extended to opening Orange Polands fibre network to access and pricing regulation.Get PDF for more Professional and Technical insights @The fixed broadband market has benefited from excellent cross-platform competition, with comprehensive DSL infrastructure complemented by extensive cable networks and a growing fibre presence. Commercial considerations meant that fibre was for some years restricted to a number of urban areas, though more recently the sector has received considerable financial support from the government and the EU aimed at building fibre-based networks across the country and promoting fibre connectivity to end-users. As a result, the proportion of broadband subscribers receiving a service of at least 100Mb/s has increased sharply in recent years.Orange Poland still dominates the fixed broadband market although there has been some consolidation among operators. UPC Poland in particular has grown through acquisitions, though its bid to take over the cable assets of Multimedia Polska was abandoned in early 2018 following regulatory concerns over the proposed deals impact on market competition.The mobile market has been characterised by the rapid extension of LTE networks and the development of mobile data services based on newly released and refarmed spectrum. In addition, the regulator and operators alike are preparing for 5G, with the regulator embarking on a long-term strategy and with operators such as Orange Poland preparing to trial services based on 5G technologies in 2019.Mobile penetration in Poland is above the European average, standing at almost 141% by early 2018. This reflects the continuing popularity among consumers to keep two or more SIM cards, which has distorted the real mobile penetration rate. The distortion has been addressed on two fronts: by network operators being encouraged to disconnect dormant SIM cards, and by legislation, effective from February 2017, which obliges subscribers of prepaid services to register their details. This has resulted in a significant readjustment in the number of subscribers in the market.View Complete TOC with tables & Figures @This report covers key aspects of Polands evolving telecom market, presenting data and analyses on market operators, fixed-line networks and technologies, and the key regulatory developments. The report also profiles the fixed broadband market players, assesses the varied technology platforms and market developments, and provides subscriber forecasts to 2023. In addition the report covers the mobile voice and data markets, including profiles of the major operators together with updated operating and financial results, and assessing recent regulatory measures and spectrum auction results.Key developments:NetWorkS! Joint venture increases LTE spectrum allocation;Polkomtels LTE-A service data rate increased to 500Mb/s;Legislation waives spectrum fees for technology trials;Orange Poland planning 5G trials in 2019;T-Mobile Poland launches commercial NB-IoT services;Vectra and Toya launch 1Gb/s FttP services;Liberty Global cancels proposed acquisition of Multimedias cable assets;Netia and Orange Poland head fibre-based consortia to extend broadband nationally;Government creates Ministry of Administration and Digitalisation to oversee telecom sector development;Telecommunications Act amended;Report update includes the regulators market data report for 2016, State Statistics data for 2016, telcos operating and financial data for Q4 2017, recent market developments.Browse Report @Companies mentioned in this report:Orange Poland, Netia, Telefonia Dialog, GTS Energis, Exatel, Telekomunikacja Kolejowa, UPC Poland, Aster, Multimedia Polska, Vectra, Polkomtel, CenterNet, T-Mobile Poland, P4/Play, Mobyland.ResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.ResearchMozMr. Nachiket Ghumare,90 State Street, Albany NY, United States - 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074USA-Canada Toll Free: 866-997-4948Email: sales@researchmoz.usFollow us on LinkedIn @Follow me on : Africa - Mobile Network Operators and MVNOs : Technological Advancements, Evolving Industry Trends and Insights 2018 https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=1740274 https://www.researchmoz.us/africa-mobile-network-operators-and-mvnos-report.html/toc https://www.researchmoz.us/africa-mobile-network-operators-and-mvnos-report.html http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG https://marketinfo247.wordpress.com/ Albany, NY, 26th April : Recent research and the current scenario as well as future market potential of "Africa - Mobile Network Operators and MVNOs" globally.Mobile telephony remains by far the dominant telecom service across Africa, accounting for more than 90% of all telephone lines on the continent. Given the very poor condition of fixed-line infrastructure in most markets, mobile internet access as a consequence also accounts for between 95% and 99% of all internet connections.Get PDF for more Professional and Technical insights @The size and range of the diverse markets within Africa have contributed to varied market penetration rates between countries. By early 2018 the highest mobile penetration was found in countries including Gabon (163%), Botswana (159%), South Africa (147%) and Mauritius (146%). To some degree high penetration reflects the popularity of consumers having multiple SIM cards despite efforts among most regulators to enforce measures by which operators must register SIM card users. These efforts are largely geared more to removing dormant SIM cards from operators databases, and thereby providing a more accurate impression of market dynamics, than of addressing fears that crime and civil disturbances can be facilitated or orchestrated via the use of mobile phones.At the other end of the scale there are a number of countries in which far greater government direction, market competition and regulatory oversight are still required for the local mobile markets to develop further. These countries include Niger (40% penetration) and Madagascar (39%) as also two which have suffered from considerable civil and economic disruption, South Sudan (20% penetration) and Eritrea (7.5%).View Complete TOC with tables & Figures @The mobile market in Africa is almost entirely prepaid. Commonly, about 99% of all subscribers are prepaid, since this offer a far more economically manageable means to gain access to voice and data services than does a contract plan. In addition, year-on-year a greater proportion of the continents population is able to afford mobile services, leading to a steady increase in the subscriber base. Affordability has been extended by the positive effects on pricing from market competition and by measures to reduce termination rates. In addition, many countries have signed up to regional agreements aimed at reducing international roaming charges. Regional roaming initiatives reduce charges for customers, increase regulated traffic, and curtail grey traffic (the re-origination of long-distance calls). The East Africa One Network Area has been in effect since April 2016, while the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) came into play in December 2016. The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) provides a similar agreement (signed in October 2017) among its 19-member bloc, stretching from Libya in the north to eSwatini (Swaziland) in the south.While network operators have seen reduced revenue from roaming access, this has generally been recouped from a sharp increase in international traffic.A few countries within Africa retain incumbent monopolies for the provision of services, while others have seen consolidation among players (largely due to operators such as Airtel and Tigo exiting certain markets or the failure of some poorly managed enterprises). In sum, though, there is effective competition within the mobile sector. This has also encouraged competition for services based on upgraded technologies, which in turn has encouraged investment.Browse Report @Africa remains the main region globally for m-money and m-banking services, for example, and while there is little focus on 5G deployments as yet there is considerable effort being undertaken to upgrade networks from 3G infrastructure to LTE. This process is uneven, since in many areas GSM remains the dominant technology.ResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.ResearchMozMr. Nachiket Ghumare,90 State Street, Albany NY, United States - 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074USA-Canada Toll Free: 866-997-4948Email: sales@researchmoz.usFollow us on LinkedIn @Follow me on : Point-of-care Diagnostics Market is Slated to Expand From a Value of Reach US$11.7 bn By 2024, https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=918672 https://www.researchmoz.us/point-of-care-diagnostics-market-global-industry-analysis-size-share-growth-trends-and-forecast-2016-2024-report.html/toc http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG https://marketsizeinfo.blogspot.in/ Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Point-of-care Diagnostics Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2016 - 2024" to its huge collection of research reports.Global Point-of-Diagnostics Market: OverviewPoint-of-care diagnostics is carried out in the clinics, home or near patient locations for testing of a sample from a patient in order to facilitate a prompt clinical decision regarding patient management. The report on point-of-care diagnostic market, analyzes the current and future prospects of the market. The report consists of an executive summary that provides information about the products, its segments and sub-segments, along with a market snapshot and comparative analysis by geography, in terms of revenue %, for 2015.Global Point-of-Diagnostics Market: Drivers and RestraintsA detailed overview of market dynamics, including the drivers, restraints, and opportunities of the point-of-care diagnostic market, along with porters analysis, value chain analysis, of the global market, has been provided in this report. Market revenue and volume analysis for all the above mentioned segments, and their sub segments has been provided for the forecast period of 2016-2024, considering 2015 as the base year, and 2014 as the historical year, along with compound annual growth rate (CAGR %), for the forecast period of 2016-2024. Market share estimations were based on in-depth analysis and study of products, and their features, prices etc. Pricing analysis, for every region has been provided considering the average selling prices (ASP), of products, in these regions.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @This report provides in-depth analysis of the point-of-care diagnostic market. The stakeholders for this report include companies involved in the manufacturing of Point-of-care Diagnostics. Executive summary section is included snapshot on stakeholders in this report, which summarizes the market size, trends and competition in different regions. Market players and Market share analysis is analyzed to signify percentage share of the major players operating in the point-of-care diagnostic market. Furthermore, the report includes market attractiveness analysis by geography that depicts the most attractive and significant region in the global market in 2015.Global Point-of-Diagnostics Market: Research MethodologyThe research methodology is a combination of primary and secondary research. Primary research includes information collected via e-mails, and telephonic interviews of key opinion leaders (KOL), and forms the bulk of our research. Secondary research includes information collected from various sources, by study of company websites, annual reports, stock analysis presentations, press releases, and various national and international databases.Global Point-of-Diagnostics Market: SegmentationBased on product type, the point-of-care diagnostic market has been segmented into Lateral flow assay test, Flow- through test, Solid phase assay test, Agglutination assay test. Based on applications, the point-of-care diagnostic are segmented into Infectious Disease test, Cholesterol monitoring, Substance abuse test, Fertility & Pregnancy test, Blood Glucose Test. Based on end users, the market is segmented as hospitals, clinics, homecare settings and diagnostic centers.Global Point-of-Diagnostics Market: Regional OutlookBased on geography, the market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. The regions are further segmented into major countries which include, U.S., Canada, Germany, U.K., France, Italy, Spain, rest of Europe, China, Japan, India, Australia, Rest of Asia Pacific, Brazil, Mexico, Rest of Latin America, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Rest of Middle East & Africa. The report also comprises list of major players in the market, their SWOT analysis, market share of these players in the Point-of-care Diagnostic market, key business strategies, product portfolios, and recent developments. Key market players profiled in this report include, Alere Inc., Abbott Laboratories, Becton, Dickinson & Company, F. Hoffmann La Roche Ltd., Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. and Trinity Biotech among others.Table of ContentSection 1: Preface1.1 Report Scope and Market Segmentation1.2 Research HighlightsSection 2: Assumptions and Research Methodology2.1 Assumptions2.2 Research MethodologySection 3: Executive Summary3.1 Global Point-of-Care Diagnostics: Market Snapshot3.2 Global Market Share Analysis by Region, 20153.3 Global Point-of-care Diagnostic Market: Opportunity MapGet Complete TOC With Tables and Figures @Section 4: Market Overview4.1 Product Overview4.2 Global Point-of-care Diagnostic Market: Key Industry DevelopmentsSection 5: Market Dynamics5.1 Drivers and Restraints Snapshot Analysis5.2 Drivers5.2.1 Growing prevalence of lifestyle diseases5.2.2 Early and Instant Diagnosis5.2.3 Ease of access5.2.4 Technological Innovations5.2.5 National and International collaborations5.2.6 Convenience over bulky diagnostic equipmentContinue...About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.For More Information Kindly Contact:ResearchMozMr. Nachiket Ghumare,Tel: +1-518-621-2074USA-Canada Toll Free: 866-997-4948Email: sales@researchmoz.usFollow us on LinkedIn @Follow me on @ The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights(KNCHR) wants the State to compensate lawyer Miguna Miguna for the violation of his rights. In its report filed in court on April 23, the KNCHR also wants the government to comply with court orders and allow the lawyer back in Kenya. The government should offer compensation and reparations for the harm, damage and loss of property occasioned by the respondents and their officers on Miguna, the commission said. The Commission also wants the State to return Migunas passport and Interior CS Fred Matiangi, Immigration PS Gordon Kihalangwa and Police IG Joseph Boinett penalised for contempt of court. KNCHR noted it was greatly disturbed by the lack of respect for the Constitution and the rule of law as demonstrated by the senior government officers. Those in power must lead by example in adhering to the rule of law. Otherwise they encourage ordinary citizens to defy the law, which can lead to anarchy, KNHRC said. The agency also wants Matiangi, Kihalangwa, and Boinnet declared unfit to hold public office. For the violations of Migunas fundamental rights and freedoms, all those culpable must be held to account in accordance with the law, the report states. The Rights watchdog also wants police officers who harassed journalists covering the Miguna saga penalised and victims compensated. KNCHR said it will work closely with the Independent Police Oversight Authority(IPOA) and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions in pursuit of compensation for the victims. It has also promised to ensure the officers involved are prosecuted. Magnificent Future of Mental Health Software Market 2025: Find Out Its Benefits Mental Health Software Market https://www.htfmarketreport.com/sample-report/1113478-2018-2025-mental-health-software-report-on-global-and-united-states-market https://www.htfmarketreport.com/reports/1113478-2018-2025-mental-health-software-report-on-global-and-united-states-market https://www.htfmarketreport.com/enquiry-before-buy/1113478-2018-2025-mental-health-software-report-on-global-and-united-states-market https://www.htfmarketreport.com/buy-now?format=1&report=1113478 HTF MI published a new industry research that focuses on Mental Health Software market and delivers in-depth market analysis and future prospects of Global and United States Mental Health Software market. The study covers significant data which makes the research document a handy resource for managers, analysts, industry experts and other key people get ready-to-access and self-analyzed study along with graphs and tables to help understand market trends, drivers and market challenges. The study is segmented by Application/ end users [Behavioral Health Professional, Psychological Counseling & Therapy Clinics, Social Work & Psychiatrists], products type [Web, Cloud, SaaS, Installed-Windows & Mobile Apps] and various important geographies like United States, EU, Japan, China, India & Southeast Asia].Get Access to sample pages @The research covers the current market size of the Global and United States Mental Health Software market and its growth rates based on 5 year history data along with company profile of key players/manufacturers. The in-depth information by segments of Mental Health Software market helps monitor future profitability & to make critical decisions for growth. The information on trends and developments, focuses on markets and materials, capacities, technologies, CAPEX cycle and the changing structure of the Global and United States Mental Health Software Market.The study provides company profiling, product picture and specifications, sales, market share and contact information of key manufacturers of Global and United States Mental Health Software Market, some of them listed here are TheraNest Mental Health, Valant, Simple Practice, MyClients, MedEZ, ClinicSource, Mend, Psyquel, KASA EMR, Acuity Scheduling, nTreatment, TherapyMate, TotalMD & Intelligent Medical Software. The market is growing at a very rapid pace and with rise in technological innovation, competition and M&A activities in the industry many local and regional vendors are offering specific application products for varied end-users. The new manufacturer entrants in the market are finding it hard to compete with the international vendors based on quality, reliability, and innovations in technology.Global and United States Mental Health Software (Thousands Units) and Revenue (Million USD) Market Split by Product Type such as Web, Cloud, SaaS, Installed-Windows & Mobile Apps. Further the research study is segmented by Application such as Behavioral Health Professional, Psychological Counseling & Therapy Clinics, Social Work & Psychiatrists with historical and projected market share and compounded annual growth rate.Geographically, this report is segmented into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue (million USD), and market share and growth rate of Mental Health Software in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), covering United States, EU, Japan, China, India & Southeast Asia and its Share (%) and CAGR for the forecasted period 2017 to 2022.Read Detailed Index of full Research Study at @Following would be the Chapters to display the Global and United States Mental Health Software market.Chapter 1, to describe Definition, Specifications and Classification of Mental Health Software, Applications of Mental Health Software, Market Segment by Regions;Chapter 2, to analyze the Manufacturing Cost Structure, Raw Material and Suppliers, Manufacturing Process, Industry Chain Structure;Chapter 3, to display the Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis of Mental Health Software, Capacity and Commercial Production Date, Manufacturing Plants Distribution, R&D Status and Technology Source, Raw Materials Sources Analysis;Chapter 4, to show the Overall Market Analysis, Capacity Analysis (Company Segment), Sales Analysis (Company Segment), Sales Price Analysis (Company Segment);Chapter 5 and 6, to show the Regional Market Analysis that includes United States, EU, Japan, China, India & Southeast Asia, Mental Health Software Segment Market Analysis (by Type);Chapter 7 and 8, to analyze the Mental Health Software Segment Market Analysis (by Application) Major Manufacturers Analysis of Mental Health Software;Chapter 9, Market Trend Analysis, Regional Market Trend, Market Trend by Product Type [Web, Cloud, SaaS, Installed-Windows & Mobile Apps], Market Trend by Application [Behavioral Health Professional, Psychological Counseling & Therapy Clinics, Social Work & Psychiatrists];Chapter 10, Regional Marketing Type Analysis, International Trade Type Analysis, Supply Chain Analysis;Chapter 11, to analyze the Consumers Analysis of Global and United States Mental Health Software;Chapter 12,13, 14 and 15, to describe Mental Health Software sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data source.Enquire for customization in Report @What this Research Study Offers:Global and United States Mental Health Software Market share assessments for the regional and country level segmentsMarket share analysis of the top industry playersStrategic recommendations for the new entrantsMarket forecasts for a minimum of 5 years of all the mentioned segments, sub segments and the regional marketsMarket Trends (Drivers, Constraints, Opportunities, Threats, Challenges, Investment Opportunities, and recommendations)Strategic recommendations in key business segments based on the market estimationsCompetitive landscaping mapping the key common trendsCompany profiling with detailed strategies, financials, and recent developmentsSupply chain trends mapping the latest technological advancementsBuy this research report @Reasons for Buying this ReportThis report provides pin-point analysis for changing competitive dynamicsIt provides a forward looking perspective on different factors driving or restraining market growthIt provides a six-year forecast assessed on the basis of how the market is predicted to growIt helps in understanding the key product segments and their futureIt provides pin point analysis of changing competition dynamics and keeps you ahead of competitorsIt helps in making informed business decisions by having complete insights of market and by making in-depth analysis of market segmentsThanks for reading this article; you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report version like North America, Europe or Asia.HTF Market Report is a wholly owned brand of HTF market Intelligence Consulting Private Limited. HTF Market Report global research and market intelligence consulting organization is uniquely positioned to not only identify growth opportunities but to also empower and inspire you to create visionary growth strategies for futures, enabled by our extraordinary depth and breadth of thought leadership, research, tools, events and experience that assist you for making goals into a reality. Our understanding of the interplay between industry convergence, Mega Trends, technologies and market trends provides our clients with new business models and expansion opportunities. We are focused on identifying the Accurate Forecast in every industry we cover so our clients can reap the benefits of being early market entrants and can accomplish their Goals & Objectives.Contact us :HTF Market Intelligence Consulting Private LimitedUnit No. 429, Parsonage Road Edison, NJNew Jersey USA 08837sales@htfmarketreport.com+1 (206) 317 1218 Global Hospital Lights Market Valuable Growth Prospects and Insights on Future Scenario MRRSE https://www.mrrse.com/sample/3576 https://www.mrrse.com/hospital-lighting-market https://www.mrrse.com/ https://www.industrynewsanalysis.com/ Market Research Report Search Engine (MRRSE) recently announced the addition of a new research study to its comprehensive collection of research reports. The research report, titled Hospital Lights Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2017 - 2022 offers a detailed analysis of the market providing insights into the market dynamics that are expected to influence the overall market positively in the next few years. Furthermore, the product segmentation, drivers, barriers, key geographical segments, and the competitive scenario of the global Hospital Lights Market have been elaborated upon in the research report.To Get Sample Report Click Here @The global hospital lights market is prophesied to garner a prospering growth in the next few years owing to the swelling count of healthcare institutes in developing economies such as India and China. The mounting adoption of light-emitting diode (LED)-based lighting products such as troffers could also augur well for the market. This growth could further soar in the near future due to rising government support for energy efficiency programs in hospitals. Factors such as lower operational cost and cheaper cost are forecasted to set the tone for a valuable growth in the market. Developed regions such as North America could continue to secure a larger share in the market due to their support for modernization in the hospital lighting industry and promotion of energy efficiency projects.The global hospital lights market is foretold to expand at a CAGR of 6.1% during the forecast timeframe 20172022. It could attract a revenue of US$10.0 bn by 2022 from a US$7.4 bn achieved in 2017.Troffers to Showcase Larger Absolute Growth between 2017 and 2022The world hospital lights market is foreseen to be classified into troffers, surface-mounted lights, and surgical lamps by product. As per the analysis of the report, the troffers hospital lights market could draw a larger revenue share throughout the course of the forecast period. It could rise at a 5.4% CAGR. Annually, it is envisioned to grow at a US$0.1 bn, which could be greater than the absolute growth of any other market in the category.According to type of technique, the world hospital lights market is predicted to be segmented into fluorescent, LED, and halogen.As per the point of use classification, the world hospital lights market could find opportunities in segments such as patient wards and intensive care units (ICUs), operating rooms, and examination rooms.Read Comprehensive Overview of Report @The analysts shed light upon factors that could be responsible for the growth of these markets for hospital lights and also their market size and projected growth.North America to Set Benchmark for Revenue Share until 2022 EndThe regional segmentation of the international hospital lights market prognosticates six geographies to be important for growth, viz. North America, Latin America, Europe, Japan, Asia Pacific except Japan (APEJ), and the Middle East and Africa (MEA). Out of these markets for hospital lights, North America could top the charts in terms of revenue growth. As per the researchers, the region could rake in a US$2.8 bn by the end of 2017.APEJ is envisaged to be a faster growing region for the international hospital lights market with a 6.2% CAGR expected to be maintained between 2017 and 2022. Europe could be another market with high expectations set in view of revenue share. The MEA could, however, exhibit a slothful growth in the future.Players such as Acuity Brands, Inc., Cree, Inc., Dragerwerk AG & Co. KGaA, Eaton Corp. Plc, General Electric Co., Herbert Waldmann GmbH & Co. Kg, Hill-Rom Holdings, Inc., Hubbell, Inc., KLS Martin GmbH + Co. KG, Koninklijke Philips N.V., Zumtobel Group AG, and Trilux GmbH & Co. Kg are expected to be at the forefront of the worldwide hospital lights market.About (MRRSE)Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE) is an industry-leading database of Market Research Reports. MRRSE is driven by a stellar team of research experts and advisors trained to offer objective advice. Our sophisticated search algorithm returns results based on the report title, geographical region, publisher, or other keywords.MRRSE partners exclusively with leading global publishers to provide clients single-point access to top-of-the-line market research. MRRSEs repository is updated every day to keep its clients ahead of the next new trend in market research, be it competitive intelligence, product or service trends or strategic consulting.Contact UsState Tower90, State StreetSuite 700Albany, NY - 12207United States Telephone: +1-518-730-0559Email: sales@mrrse.comWebsite:Read More Industry News At: USB 3.0 Flash Drives Market is Expected to Reach US$3,115.6 mn in Revenue by The end of 2020, https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=910646 https://www.researchmoz.us/usb-3-flash-drives-market-global-the-us-europe-and-asia-pacific-industry-analysis-size-share-growth-trends-and-forecast-2016-2020-report.html/toc http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG https://marketsizeinfo.blogspot.in/ Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "USB 3.0 Flash Drives Market - Global (The U.S., Europe, and Asia Pacific) Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2016 - 2020" to its huge collection of research reports.Global (The U.S., Europe, and Asia Pacific) USB 3.0 Flash Drives Market: OverviewThe USB 3.0 Flash Drives market report provides analysis for the period 2013 2020, wherein the period from 2016 to 2020 is the forecast and 2015 is the base year. The report covers the share of all the major players operating in the USB 3.0 flash drives market. It also highlights the markets growth during the said period in terms of revenue (in US$ Bn) and volume (Thousand Units), across the geographies including The U.S., Europe, and Asia Pacific.The report provides the comparative analysis of USB 3.0 Chip-on-Board (CoB) flash drives and USB 3.0 conventional flash drives. Furthermore, the report provides technical analysis between the CoB and conventional USB 3.0 flash drives and financial analysis for differences in production, packaging, storage, distribution, and customer acceptant of CoB USB 3.0 flash drives and conventional USB flash drives.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Global (The U.S., Europe, and Asia Pacific) USB 3.0 Flash Drives Market: Scope of the StudyThe report segments the U.S., Europe, and Asia Pacific USB 3.0 flash drives market on the basis of manufacturing process into chip-on-board and conventional. Furthermore, on the basis of capacity the USB 3.0 Flash Drives market is divided below 4 GB, 4 GB to 16 GB, 16 GB to 64 GB, 128 GB, and 256 GB & above. The report provides historical and forecast data in terms of revenue generated and shipments of the USB 3.0 flash drives in the global (The U.S., Europe, and Asia Pacific) market. Furthermore, the study provides the revenues and shipment of USB 3.0 flash drives of major companies operating in the USB 3.0 flash drives market across the U.S., Europe, and Asia Pacific.Global (The U.S., Europe, and Asia Pacific) USB 3.0 Flash Drives Market: Competitive Landscape AnalysisThe report also highlights the competitive landscape of the USB 3.0 flash drives market, positioning all the major players in the U.S., Europe, and Asia Pacific. The comprehensive USB 3.0 Flash Drives market estimates are the result of our in-depth secondary research, primary interviews, and in-house expert panel reviews. These market estimates have been analyzed by taking into account the impact of different political, social, economic, technological, and legal factors along with the current market dynamics affecting the USB 3.0 Flash Drives markets growth.The major companies positioned in USB 3.0 flash drives market study include ADATA Technology Co., Ltd., HP Inc., Kingston Technology Corporation, Lenovo Group Ltd., SanDisk Corporation, Transcend Information, Inc., Toshiba, Verbatim Corporation, Inc., Corsair Components, Inc., Emtec Inc., Gigastone Corporation, Monster Digital, Micron Consumer Products Group, Inc. (Lexar), Patriot Memory LLC, and Samsung Group. Details such as revenues generated from USB 3.0 flash drives and volume of USB 3.0 flash drives shipments pertaining to these players have been duly provided as part of study.Table of Content1. Preface1.1. Market Definition and Scope1.2. Market Segmentation1.3. Key Research Objectives1.4. Research Highlights2. Assumptions and Research Methodology3. Executive Summary : Global (the U.S., Europe, Asia Pacific) USB 3.0 Flash Drives Market4. Comparative Analysis: USB 3.0 COB V/S USB 3.0 Conventional4.1. Technical Analysis: COB USB Stick V/SConventional USB Sticks4.2. Financial Analysis: COB Sticks V/S USB Sticks4.2.1. Differences in Production4.2.2. Differences in Packaging / Storage /Distribution4.2.3. Differences in Customer AcceptantGet Complete TOC With Tables and Figures @5. The U.S. USB 3.0 Flash Drives Market Analysis and Forecasts, By Players5.1. Competitive Overview5.2. Revenue (US$ Mn) and Volume (Thousand Units) Forecast By Players5.2.1. ADATA Technology Co., Ltd., 2013 20205.2.1.1. Conventional USB 3.0 Flash Drive, 2013 20205.2.1.2. Chip on Board (COB) USB 3.0 Flash Drive, 2013 20205.2.1.3. Market Size (US$ Mn) and Volume (Thousand Units) Forecast By Capacity5.2.1.3.1. Below 4 GB5.2.1.3.2. 4 GB to 16 GB5.2.1.3.3. 16 GB to 64 GB5.2.1.3.4. 128 GBContinue...About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.For More Information Kindly Contact:ResearchMozMr. Nachiket Ghumare,Tel: +1-518-621-2074USA-Canada Toll Free: 866-997-4948Email: sales@researchmoz.usFollow us on LinkedIn @Follow me on @ Key Insights of Global Malt Beverage Market Covering Prime Factors and Competitive Outlook till 2028 https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=T&rep_id=641 https://www.factmr.com/report/641/malt-beverage-market https://www.factmr.com/checkout/641/S https://www.factmr.com/ As per the current market trends and the promising nature of the global Malt Beverage market, it can be estimated that the future holds positive outcomes. In order to provide a deep insight about the concerned market, Fact.MR would be publishing a resourceful analysis that will enclose knowledge about the regional market size, revenue and opportunity status. Readers will be offered the privilege to decode various facets of the market during the period 2018 to 2027, together with the active access to secondary and primary research methodology. Furthermore, various segments of the market associated to product, application, end-user etc., would also be present in this intelligent research report.Request TOC of this Report-Market OutlookMalt is germinated cereal grains and generally made from barley. The cereal grains are dried in a process called "malting." These are first kept in water till it sprouts or germinates, then dried, boiled and processed for dry powder. The malt is loaded with B-vitamins, lots of minerals and some fiber and protein. Malt has around half sweet as normal sugar and generally used as a healthier alternative sweetener. Malt beverages are also rich in calcium and it has been found that sufficient quantity of calcium intake protects against osteoporosis, colon cancer, and the kidney stone and also helps to control blood-lipid levels. The optimum ratio of calcium to protein is necessary for bone gain in children. Malt beverages help in improving physical performance of the consumers and can help in fighting depression. Taste, ingredients, convenience, and price represent the most influential factors that determine the demand for Malt beverages.Reasons for Covering this TitleMalt beverages have been used as a nutritional supplement and are popularly known as health drinks. Malt beverages are widely consumed as taste enhancers to encourage drinking milk among growing children. Health drinks are often high in sugar so nutritionists generally discourage malted drinks. There are many producers of these health drinks claim in their advertisements that it could add two inches to children's height or provides over 30% of key brain nutrients required by children daily. Increasing focus on health and wellness, demands of healthy drinks as the preferred at home alternative, rising popularity of on the go products, sensory experience and indulgent products, growing consumers interest in exotic flavors, the steady evolution of malt drinks customization and emergence of crossover and hybridized product options is fueling the growth of malt beverage market.Global Malt Beverage Market: Key PlayersSome of the key players operating in the global malt beverage market are Nestle, Mondelez International, Van Pur S.A., RateBeer, LLC., Harboe, the Three Horseshoes , GranMalt AG, Codys, United Brands Company, Inc., Malt Company (India) Pvt Ltd., Barbican, Monarch Custom Beverages, Danish Royal Unibrew Group, PureMalt, among others.Launching new product variants, generating awareness about the benefits of malt based products through various promotional activities are some of the key drivers supporting the malt beverages market growth in the near future.To know more @ Global Malt Beverage Market, visit -Opportunities for malt beverage Market ParticipantsOrganic trends have widely picked up, and have been on an exponential growth, with more and more consumers demanding organic drink and the use of organic cereals by manufacturers of beverages and baby food. A positive market growth for organic drinks, including malt beverage, is highly likely. A non-GMO trend is also evident in certain parts of the world, as the concerns for food safety have risen. Consumers want the drink to be fresh and natural, and also the products made to serve on the same lines. By fresh and natural, most consumers indicate free from chemicals and grown completely in a naturalistic way. This opens many opportunistic doors for both, the manufacturers and buyers of beverage to expand in this white space.Brief Approach to ResearchA modelling-based approach and triangulation methodology will be followed to estimate data covered in this report. A detailed malt beverage market understanding and assessment of the applications, types, forms and end uses of the product segments covered in the study is followed by carrying out a demand-side approach to estimate the sales of target product segments, which is then cross-referenced with a supply-side assessment of value generated over a pre-defined period. The statistics and data is collected at a regional level, consolidated and synthesized at a global level to estimate the overall malt beverage market sizes.Key Data Points Covered in the Report1- Some of the key data points covered in our report include:2- An overview of the malt beverage market, including background and evolution3- Macroeconomic factors affecting the malt beverage market and its potential4- Market dynamics, such as drivers, challenges and trends5- Detailed value chain analysis of the malt beverage market6- Cost structure of the products and segments covered in the study7- In-depth pricing analysis, by key product segments, regions and by major malt beverage market participants8- Analysis of supply and demand, such as top producing and consuming geographies, imports/exports and overall trade scenario9- Analysis of the market structure, including a tier-wise categorization of key malt beverage market participants10- Competitive landscape of the malt beverage market, including detailed profiles of the top players in malt beverage marketPre-book Global Malt Beverage Market Forecast Report-About Fact.MRFact.MR is a fast-growing market research firm that offers the most comprehensive suite of syndicated and customized market research reports. We believe transformative intelligence can educate and inspire businesses to make smarter decisions. We know the limitations of the one-size-fits-all approach; thats why we publish multi-industry global, regional, and country-specific research reports.Contact UsFact.MRSuite 988427 Upper Pembroke Street,Dublin 2, IrelandTelephone: +353-1-6111-593Email: sales@factmr.com/Web: Wind Turbine Rotor Blades Market is Appraised to be Valued US$ 33 Bn by 2025 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/wind-turbine-rotor-blades-market/toc https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/15535 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/multiple-chapter/15535 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/checkout/15535 The global wind turbine rotor blade market is expected to surpass US$ 7 Bn in revenues by 2017-end. The market is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 21.2% during the period 2017-2025 and reach nearly US$ 33 Bn in revenues.Request for Table of Contents @According to Persistence Market Research (PMR), global wind energy installations have increased from 282.2 GW in 2012 to 486.7 GW in 2016. This is positively impacting the growth of the global wind turbine rotor blades market.Increasing emphasis on wind power generation, combined with favorable government policies and assistance are also contributing to steady adoption of wind turbine rotor blades. Feed-in-tariffs and generation-based incentives enticing venture capitalists to invest in this fledgling market.According to PMRs report, wind energy harnessing was concentrated in developed regions; however, it is now being steadily adopted in emerging regions of Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Emphasis on wind energy is also expected to receive a fillip from the long-term target adopted by Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP21).Request to Sample of Report @Although PMR maintains a positive outlook on the global wind turbine rotor blade market, technological competition with solar panels, combined with public issues surrounding wind project management can impede growth in the long-term.The key opportunities identified by Persistence Market Research include offshore wind system installations and development of carbon composite wind turbine rotor blades.Key trends shaping the global wind turbine rotor blade market include,Growing preference for long rotor blades: Operators are looking to maximize energy output, as a result of which, demand for long rotor blades is growing significantly.Manufacturers are aiming at uniformity and quality control; due to this, demand for modular blade design is gaining traction.Request Report Multiple Chapter @In a bid to deal with extreme conditions on offshore farms, foldable rotor blades, ones that mimic palm trees, are steadily witnessing an uptick in demand.By blade length, the global wind turbine rotor blade market has been segmented into,Below 45 meters45-60 metersAbove 60 metersAmong these, demand for 45-60 meters rotor blades is the highest, with this segment accounting for nearly 66% revenue share. In terms of revenue, the 45-60 meter rotor blades are expected to grow at 19.1% CAGR to reach US$ 18.93 Bn in revenues.By blade material, the global wind turbine rotor blade market has been segmented into glass fiber and carbon composite. Currently, glass fibers outsell carbon composites, and the trend is expected to remain so during the forecast period. According to Persistence Market Research, glass fibers segment accounted for 95.5% revenue share of the market.By application, the global wind turbine rotor blade market has been segmented into onshore and offshore. Currently, bulk of rotor blades are deployed onshore, with this segment accounting for 96.2% revenue share of the market. In terms of revenue, the onshore segment was valued at US$ 5.87 Bn in 2016.Get full report now @In its report, Persistence Market Research offers market forecast and analysis on North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and MEA. Key companies profiled in the report include LM Wind, Siemens, CNBM, Sinoma, and TPI Composites.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,Telephone - +1-646-568-7751USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com Automotive HSS Steel Market Trend to 2025 Profiling Arcelor Mittal, SSAB, POSCO, United States Steel Corporation, Voestalpine AG, Baowu Group https://www.marketstudyreport.com/request-a-sample/1032035/?utm_source=OPR&utm_medium=SP https://www.marketstudyreport.com/reports/global-automotive-hss-steel-market-research-report-2018/?utm_source=OPR-SP https://www.marketstudyreport.com/reports/global-stainless-steel-market-2018-2022/?utm_source=RR-SP https://factsweek.com/author/chetan/ https://www.marketstudyreport.com https://www.marketstudyreport.com/category/news-releases/ http://reports.algosonline.com/ Automotive HSS Steel Market report 2025 focuses on the major Types and Applications for the key players. Automotive HSS Steel market research report also provides analysis of the market share, segmentation, revenue forecasts and geographic regions of the market. The Automotive HSS Steel market research report is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of Automotive HSS Steel Industry.The Global Automotive HSS Steel market status and forecast, categorizes the global Automotive HSS Steel 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).In this report, the global Automotive HSS Steel market value is provided for 2017 in million-dollar terms and its forecast value, again in million USD, is offered by the end of 2025, which shows a consistent growth between 2017 and 2025.Request for a Sample Copy of Automotive HSS Steel Market Report @The competitive landscape of the Automotive HSS Steel market profiles the key players participating in the global business space. These include Arcelor Mittal, SSAB, POSCO, United States Steel Corporation, Voestalpine AG, ThyssenKrupp AG, Baowu Group and Ansteel. The report also details the market positioning, strategies, and revenue procured by each of these manufacturers.The industry is analyzed in terms of products, applications, regions, and the key manufacturers holding a prominent share of the global revenue.The product landscape of the Automotive HSS Steel market comprises Conventional HSS and AHSS. Each product has been analyzed in terms of its production, capacity, and consumption. The report further details the market share to be procured by each of these products over the coming years.In terms of end-user or applications, the report is segmented into Commercial Vehicle and Passenger Vehicle. A detailed analysis of the contribution of these application segments to the overall market revenue and volume has been included in the report.The regional segmentation of the report includes North America, Europe, China, Japan and Other Regions (India, Southeast Asia, Central & South America and Middle East & Africa). Detailing the consumption and production rate of Automotive HSS Steel in these regions, the report outlines the growth curve of this industry in terms of market volume and share over 2017-2025.The study objectives of this report are:To analyze and study the global Automotive HSS Steel capacity, production, value, consumption, status (2013-2017) and forecast (2018-2025);Focuses on the key Automotive HSS Steel 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 Automotive HSS Steel are as follows: History Year: 2013-2017 Base Year: 2017 Estimated Year: 2018 Forecast 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 StakeholdersAutomotive HSS Steel ManufacturersAutomotive HSS Steel Distributors/Traders/WholesalersAutomotive HSS Steel Subcomponent ManufacturersIndustry AssociationDownstream VendorsFor more information on this report, Please visit at:Major Points in Table of ContentsGlobal Automotive HSS Steel Market Research Report 20181 Automotive HSS Steel Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Automotive HSS Steel1.2 Automotive HSS Steel Segment by Type (Product Category)1.2.1 Global Automotive HSS Steel Production and CAGR (%) Comparison by Type (Product Category)(2013-2025)1.2.2 Global Automotive HSS Steel Production Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20171.2.3 Conventional HSS1.2.4 AHSS1.3 Global Automotive HSS Steel Segment by Application1.3.1 Automotive HSS Steel Consumption (Sales) Comparison by Application (2013-2025)1.3.2 Commercial Vehicle1.3.3 Passenger Vehicle1.4 Global Automotive HSS Steel Market by Region (2013-2025)1.4.1 Global Automotive HSS Steel 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 Automotive HSS Steel (2013-2025)1.5.1 Global Automotive HSS Steel Revenue Status and Outlook (2013-2025)1.5.2 Global Automotive HSS Steel Capacity, Production Status and Outlook (2013-2025)2 Global Automotive HSS Steel Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1 Global Automotive HSS Steel Capacity, Production and Share by Manufacturers (2013-2018)2.1.1 Global Automotive HSS Steel Capacity and Share by Manufacturers (2013-2018)2.1.2 Global Automotive HSS Steel Production and Share by Manufacturers (2013-2018)2.2 Global Automotive HSS Steel Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2013-2018)2.3 Global Automotive HSS Steel Average Price by Manufacturers (2013-2018)2.4 Manufacturers Automotive HSS Steel Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area and Product Type2.5 Automotive HSS Steel Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.5.1 Automotive HSS Steel Market Concentration Rate2.5.2 Automotive HSS Steel Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Manufacturers2.5.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion3 Global Automotive HSS Steel Capacity, Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2013-2018)3.1 Global Automotive HSS Steel Capacity and Market Share by Region (2013-2018)3.2 Global Automotive HSS Steel Production and Market Share by Region (2013-2018)3.3 Global Automotive HSS Steel Revenue (Value) and Market Share by Region (2013-2018)3.4 Global Automotive HSS Steel Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)3.5 North America Automotive HSS Steel Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)3.6 Europe Automotive HSS Steel Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)3.7 China Automotive HSS Steel Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)3.8 Japan Automotive HSS Steel Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)4 Global Automotive HSS Steel Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Region (2013-2018)4.1 Global Automotive HSS Steel Consumption by Region (2013-2018)4.2 North America Automotive HSS Steel Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2013-2018)4.3 Europe Automotive HSS Steel Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2013-2018)4.4 China Automotive HSS Steel Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2013-2018)4.5 Japan Automotive HSS Steel Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2013-2018)4.6 Southeast Asia Automotive HSS Steel Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2013-2018)4.7 India Automotive HSS Steel Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2013-2018)4.8 South America Automotive HSS Steel Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2013-2018)4.9 Middle East and Africa Automotive HSS Steel Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2013-2018)5 Global Automotive HSS Steel Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by Type5.1 Global Automotive HSS Steel Production and Market Share by Type (2013-2018)5.2 Global Automotive HSS Steel Revenue and Market Share by Type (2013-2018)5.3 Global Automotive HSS Steel Price by Type (2013-2018)5.4 Global Automotive HSS Steel Production Growth by Type (2013-2018)Related Reports: -Global Stainless Steel Market 2018-2022Stainless steel is an iron-based alloy that contains at least 10.5% chromium by mass. Alloys like nickel, titanium, columbium, and molybdenum can be added to stainless steel during melting. Stainless steel has high resistance to corrosion, rust, and staining with water, unlike ordinary steel. Therefore, it is used in the construction, household appliances, automotive, and machinery industries.More Report @Marketstudyreport.com allows you to manage and control all corporate research purchases to consolidate billing and vendor management. You can eliminate duplicate purchases and customize your content and license management.Market Study Report4 North Main Street,Selbyville, Delaware 19975USAPhone: 1-302-273-0910US Toll Free: 1-866-764-2150Email:sales@marketstudyreport.comWebsite:News:More Report at: Exclusive Market Study Estimates that Global Smart TV Market will Grow at 17.5% CAGR During 2017 - 2027 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/askus/rep-gb-3633 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/askus/rep-gb-3633 www.futuremarketinsights.com A new report published by Future Market Insights titled Smart TV Market: Global Industry Analysis (2012 2016) and Opportunity Assessment (2017 2027) studies the performance of the global smart TV market over a 10 year assessment period from 2017 to 2027. The report presents the value forecast of the global smart TV market and provides key insights into the factors driving market growth as well as the factors restricting market growth. The estimates point to a revenue growth from nearly US$ 300 Bn in 2017 to US$ 1,500 Bn by 2027 end, resulting in a CAGR of 17.5% over the forecast period.Global Smart TV Market: Segmentation and ForecastThe report segments the global smart TV market on the basis of Screen Type (28 to 40 inch, 41 to 59 inch, 60 inch and above) and on the basis of distribution channel (Direct, Indirect).Request For Report Sample@The 28 to 40 inch screen type segment is estimated to be valued at nearly US$ 163 Bn in the year 2017 and is expected to reach a value of about US$ 643 Bn by 2027 end, exhibiting a CAGR of 14.7% during the forecast period. The 60 inch and above screen type segment is estimated to be valued at nearly US$ 39 Bn in the year 2017 and is expected to touch a value of about US$ 270 Bn by the end of 2027, exhibiting a CAGR of 21.5% during the opportunity assessment period.As far as distribution channel segment is concerned, the direct segment is estimated to be valued at about US$ 97 Bn in the year 2017 and is slated to touch a value of nearly US$ 554 Bn in the year 2027, demonstrating a CAGR of 19.0% during the forecast period. The indirect segment is estimated to be valued at about US$ 202 Bn in the year 2017 and is slated to reach a market valuation of about US$ 946 Bn by 2027 end, demonstrating a CAGR of 16.7% during the forecast period.Global Smart TV Market: Regional ForecastFuture Market Insights tracks the performance of the global smart TV market across the key geographies of North America, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, APEJ, Japan, and MEA. As per the forecasts of Future Market Insights, the North America smart TV market is estimated to be valued at nearly US$ 71 Bn in the year 2017, and is estimated to touch a value of US$ 270 Bn by the end of the forecast period, exhibiting a CAGR of 14.3% during the assessment period. The smart TV market in APEJ is estimated to be valued at nearly US$ 92 Bn in the year 2017, and is estimated reach a value of nearly US$ 485 Bn in the year 2027, demonstrating a CAGR of 18.1% during the assessment period.Request For Report Table of Content (TOC):Global Smart TV Market: Vendor InsightsThe report profiles some of the leading players operating in the global smart TV market such as Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Panasonic Corporation, LG Electronics, Sharp Corporation, Sony Corporation, Koninklijke Philips N.V., Vizio Inc., Skyworth Digital Holdings Ltd., Tcl Corporation, Toshiba Corporation, Hisense Group, Haier Inc., Hitachi, Ltd And Videocon Industries Limited among others. Long-term contracts with business partners helps increase business revenue and facilitates new innovation strategy. Enabling quality and provision of better after sales service improves growth potential in the global market.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: Australia Nitric Acid Market is Estimated to be Valued at US$ 1.3 Bn by 2024 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/australia-nitric-acid-market/toc https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/11677 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/multiple-chapter/11677 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/checkout/11677 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/11677 The Australia nitric acid market is expected to be valued at US$ 725.3 Mn in 2016 and is expected to grow 1.8X by the end of 2024 to be valued at US$ 1.3 Bn. The market is estimated to be pegged at 1,856.0 kilotons by the end of 2016 and is anticipated to increase at a CAGR of 7.8% in terms of volume over the forecast period (20162024).Request for Table of Contents @In a new report titled Australia Nitric Acid Market: Industry Analysis and Forecast, 20162024, Persistence Market Research provides in-depth insights into the performance of the nitric acid market in Australia and highlights important factors and trends influencing the market.Capacity expansion of ammonium nitrate facilities and increasing mining activities are some of the factors expected to drive growth of the Australia nitric acid market over the forecast period. An increased production of ammonium nitrate owing to increasing demand for ammonium nitrate-based explosives is in turn expected to drive demand for nitric acid during the forecast period.Request to View Sample of Research Report @Demand for ammonium nitrate explosives is highly dependent on mining exploration activities. Increasing mining exploration activities in Australia especially in Western Australia and Queensland are expected to boost the production and consumption of nitric acid in the country. However, enhanced efforts toward development of alternatives for ammonium nitrate-based explosives in the mining industry could restrain the growth of the nitric acid market in Australia during the forecast period.By application, the explosives segment accounted for over 90% volume share in 2015 and is expected to continue to dominate the nitric acid market in Australia, registering a CAGR of 8.0% over the forecast period. In the product type category, the non-fuming segment is likely to account for the largest share of the nitric acid market in Australia and is expected to expand at a CAGR of 8.2% over the forecast period, creating total incremental opportunity of US$ 580.Request Report Multiple Chapter @4 Mn between 2015 and 2024. The non-fuming product type segment in the Australia nitric acid market was valued at US$ 609.7 Mn in 2015 and is projected to increase to US$ 1.24 Bn by the end of 2024. Application of fuming nitric acid in precious metal refining as well as in litho printing is expected to drive growth of the fuming segment over the forecast period.The commercial grade segment accounted for 95.3% share of the nitric acid market in Australia in terms of value in 2015 and is anticipated to register a CAGR of 7.9% during the forecast period. The explosives segment accounted for 95.4% share of the Australia nitric acid market in terms of value in 2015 and is anticipated to register a CAGR of 8.0% over the forecast period.Get full report now @Queensland and Western Australia are the largest markets for nitric acid in Australia, cumulatively accounting for 58.0% share in 2015. Western Australia, New South Wales, and Queensland are expected to be the most attractive markets for nitric acid in Australia over the forecast period. Consumption of nitric acid in these three regions is expected to reach 1,444.9 kilotons by the end of 2016.Request to View Sample of Research Report @Leading players in the Australia nitric acid market include Orica Limited, Wesfarmers Chemicals, Energy & Fertilizers, and Incitec Pivot Limited.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,Telephone - +1-646-568-7751USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com Global Nano Metal Oxide Market Research Report 2018 - Nanoe, ABC, NANOTECH CO., LTD., Baikowski SAS, Nanoshel LLC, Showka Denko, https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=1641959 https://www.researchmoz.us/global-nano-metal-oxide-market-research-report-2018-report.html/toc http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG https://marketsizeinfo.blogspot.in/ Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Global Nano Metal Oxide Market Research Report 2018" to its huge collection of research reports.In this report, the global Nano Metal Oxide market is valued at USD XX million in 2017 and is expected to reach USD XX million by the end of 2025, growing at a CAGR of XX% between 2017 and 2025.Geographically, this report is segmented into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue (million USD), market share and growth rate of Nano Metal Oxide in these regions, from 2013 to 2025 (forecast), coveringNorth AmericaEuropeChinaJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaGlobal Nano Metal Oxide market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players includingNanophase Technologies CorporationAmerican ElementsSkySpring Nanomaterials Inc.NanoeABC NANOTECH CO., LTD.Baikowski SASNanoshel LLCTo Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Showka DenkoNanostructured & Amorphous MaterialsHongwu International Group Ltd.Goodfellow GroupNissan Chemical Industries, Ltd.NYACOL Nano Technologies, IncEPRUI Nanoparticles & Microsphere Co., Ltd.US Research Nanomaterials, IncOn the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoAluminum OxideIron OxideTitanium DioxideSilicon DioxideZinc OxideOn 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, includingElectronicsPersonal CarePaints & CoatingsTable of ContentsGlobal Nano Metal Oxide Market Research Report 20181 Nano Metal Oxide Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Nano Metal Oxide1.2 Nano Metal Oxide Segment by Type (Product Category)1.2.1 Global Nano Metal Oxide Production and CAGR (%) Comparison by Type (Product Category)(2013-2025)1.2.2 Global Nano Metal Oxide Production Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20171.2.3 Aluminum Oxide1.2.4 Iron Oxide1.2.5 Titanium Dioxide1.2.6 Silicon Dioxide1.2.7 Zinc Oxide1.3 Global Nano Metal Oxide Segment by Application1.3.1 Nano Metal Oxide Consumption (Sales) Comparison by Application (2013-2025)1.3.2 Electronics1.3.3 Personal Care1.3.4 Paints & Coatings1.4 Global Nano Metal Oxide Market by Region (2013-2025)1.4.1 Global Nano Metal Oxide 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)1.4.6 Southeast Asia Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.4.7 India Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.5 Global Market Size (Value) of Nano Metal Oxide (2013-2025)1.5.1 Global Nano Metal Oxide Revenue Status and Outlook (2013-2025)1.5.2 Global Nano Metal Oxide Capacity, Production Status and Outlook (2013-2025)2 Global Nano Metal Oxide Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1 Global Nano Metal Oxide Capacity, Production and Share by Manufacturers (2013-2018)2.1.1 Global Nano Metal Oxide Capacity and Share by Manufacturers (2013-2018)2.1.2 Global Nano Metal Oxide Production and Share by Manufacturers (2013-2018)2.2 Global Nano Metal Oxide Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2013-2018)2.3 Global Nano Metal Oxide Average Price by Manufacturers (2013-2018)2.4 Manufacturers Nano Metal Oxide Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area and Product Type2.5 Nano Metal Oxide Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.5.1 Nano Metal Oxide Market Concentration Rate2.5.2 Nano Metal Oxide Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Manufacturers2.5.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, ExpansionGet Complete TOC With Tables and Figures @3 Global Nano Metal Oxide Capacity, Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2013-2018)3.1 Global Nano Metal Oxide Capacity and Market Share by Region (2013-2018)3.2 Global Nano Metal Oxide Production and Market Share by Region (2013-2018)3.3 Global Nano Metal Oxide Revenue (Value) and Market Share by Region (2013-2018)3.4 Global Nano Metal Oxide Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)3.5 North America Nano Metal Oxide Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)3.6 Europe Nano Metal Oxide Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)3.7 China Nano Metal Oxide Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)3.8 Japan Nano Metal Oxide Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)Continue...About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.For More Information Kindly Contact:ResearchMozMr. Nachiket Ghumare,Tel: +1-518-621-2074USA-Canada Toll Free: 866-997-4948Email: sales@researchmoz.usFollow us on LinkedIn @Follow me on @ Hydro Pellet Stove Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2017 - 2025 https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=1377645 https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=E&repid=1377645 http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG https://marketsizeinfo.blogspot.in/ Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Hydro Pellet Stove Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2017 - 2025" to its huge collection of research reports.A hydro pellet stove makes the entire housing system and the water from the bathrooms warm with the performance of a boiler in a more affordable and sustainable way.Hydro pellet stoves can be used to heat the entire housing water system, either in underfloor or radiators. A hydro system makes the house warm and at the same time feeds hot water system in the house.A hydro pellet stove can be fully integrated with existing thermal products such as traditional fan convectors, and radiators, and wall or floor-mounted radiant panels. Additionally, it can also be integrated with automation systems such as home domotics. The hydro pellet stove has an electronic control panel that is fitted on the stove. It makes programming and operation quick and intuitive. With the hydro pellet stoves, it is possible to heat the water and produce domestic hot water for home uses. Hydro pellet stove is combined with a suitable domestic hot water (DHW) kit to produce instant domestic hot water.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Capability of hydro pellet stove to replace the traditional gas or oil fuelled boiler for the environmental protection and other benefits such as reduction in heating cost, among others are expected to boost the hydro pellet stove market.Using oil for heating can be expensive, due to fluctuating oil price on daily basis depending upon the global demand. Furthermore, using other forms of boilers can have a negative impact on the environment, as kerosene and fossil fuel are not green forms of energy and emit around 4-5 tons of carbon dioxide from households every year. However, hydro pellet stove helps in the saving on consumptionas well as cost while taking care of the environment. People are opting for hydro pellet stove across the world due to the rise in energy prices and pressure on businesses to cut down on their carbon emissions by governments.Higher installation are expected to hamper the hydro pellet stove market. Unlike a gas furnace that can be substitutedcost-effectively and easily, hydro pellet stove systems require high maintenance of their multiple parts such as controls, pumps, and boilers, on a regular basis.The hydro pellet stove market can be segmented based on power type, end-use industry, product type, and region. In terms of power type, the market can be segmented into less than 9kW, 9 kW to 12.5 kW, 12.5 KW to 20 KW, above 20 kW, and others. Based on end-use industry, the market can be segmented into chemical, food & beverage, manufacturing, and others. In terms of product type, the market can be classified into wall mounted, corner, passive homes, and others.Based on geography, the hydro pellet stove market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and South America. The market in North America and Europe is expected to lead the global market. This due to the presence of prominent players and high adoption of hydro pellet stoves as an alternative to traditional gas boilers, which are expensive. However, the market in Asia Pacific is expected to expand at a significant pace due to the increase in government pressure to use environment-friendly sources of energy to combat the rise in pollution across emerging economies such as China, India, and Japan.Make an Enquiry of this report @Key players operating in the hydro pellet stove market are MCZ Group SPA, AICO S.p.A., KARMEK ONE SRL, Cola Stoves UK, Jide Technology Co., Ltd, italianstoves.com, GruppoPiazzetta Spa, DIECOTEC, Metalurgica Manlleuense S.A, Zoppas Industries, and Smartheat.About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.For More Information Kindly Contact:ResearchMozMr. Nachiket Ghumare,Tel: +1-518-621-2074USA-Canada Toll Free: 866-997-4948Email: sales@researchmoz.usFollow us on LinkedIn @Follow me on @